Courage

-15-

Book: Courage
Chapter 15
Word Count: 3392

A whole month had gone by and Layla had settled in very nicely with the Weasleys. She would joke around with Fred and George, gossip and laugh with Ginny, be her usual goofy self with Ron, talk to Mrs Weasley about her studies, make small talk with Mr Weasley, but Percy still hadn't really said much to Layla. She wasn't too bothered.

One late night, Layla was sat on her camp bed with a fast asleep Ginny on the bed beside her. Even though the beds were against opposite walls, the room was so small that the beds were still practically touching. Layla didn't mind though. She sat, writing in her journal that Hermione had gotten her for her twelfth birthday. Over the year, she'd already filled most of the book. She'd have to make the journal last until her thirteenth birthday where she had a good feeling that Hermione would get her another journal.

"Lay?" a quiet voice called out. "I'm cold."

Layla turned and saw Ginny, now awake, and she was trying to keep herself warm under her duvet. Layla smiled and scooted over on the camp bed.

"I'm sure I can fit one more in here. I'll keep you warm."

Ginny smiled and got out of bed, climbing into the camp bed with Layla and snuggling against her. The eleven year old sighed, already feeling herself stop shivering against Layla's warm skin. It was rare that Layla ever had cold skin, which was confusing since she was quite skinny.

"Lay?" Ginny called out again.

"Yes, Gin?"

"You're like the sister I always wanted."

"I feel the exact same way."

Layla felt Ginny smile against her, and in only minutes, Ginny's breathing slowed down as she fell back to sleep, still snuggled comfortably against Layla.

As Layla finished writing in her journal, she quietly closed it and placed the journal on the floor beside the camp bed, along with her quill and ink pot.

However, Layla jumped suddenly at the sound of slow creaking. She was a jumpy person, especially since the events that happened last year at school.

As the creaking continued, Layla calmed down when she saw that it was just someone opening the bedroom door, a dim light flooding the small bedroom. Layla assumed that it was just Mrs Weasley checking on the girls, but she was surprised when Ron, Fred, and George all peaked their heads in.

"Guys?" whispered Layla, careful not to wake up the peacefully sleeping Ginny. "What are you doing?"

"Harry's still not replying to my letters. I think something is wrong, so the three of us are taking my dad's flying car to go save him at his aunt and uncle's house in Surrey," revealed Ron. "Do you want to join?"

"Yes, definitely," nodded Layla. She quietly scooted away from Ginny, making sure that the younger girl was still sleeping, and quietly climbed off the camp bed.

Ron, Layla, Fred, and George sneaked their way down the steps, and Ron had to shush Fred and George, who were chuckling and making fun of their dad's snoring which could be heard from his and Mrs Weasley's room.

Eventually, the four of them made it outside and climbed into the flying Ford Anglia car. Layla stared at the car in awe.

"And this thing really flies? I've never seen a flying car before in all my years as a witch."

"Yep. It's dad's work car that he got from the Ministry. He works with muggle artifacts so he brought this muggle car home and charmed it to fly," said Ron in a slightly boastful tone which reminded Layla of Percy.