✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

03 | C A M P I N G

And you've got a smile
that could light up this whole town.

   "I SWEAR ON Merlin's grave, boys, that was the last time ever I did lie to your mother for you", Ember hissed, emptying the pockets of her jacket, shoving its contents in the Weasley Twins hands. Colourful bonbons and toffees.

   Never had Ember been so scared in her life - not even when a man the size of a baby dinosaur smashed the door to the Dursleys' hideout open and told her she's a witch - than at the moment Mrs Weasley emptied her two sons' bags and pockets with a salve of summoning spells, screaming on the top of her lungs.

   "But Emmie", George snickered, while Fred was busy packing the sweets in his own jacket, "Everything went perfect! Where's the problem?"

   "Your mum is freaking scary, when she's mad, that's the problem", Ember hissed, crossing arms. "I don't want her to be angry with me. Not after all your family is doing for and Harry."

   "Sugar", Fred snorted, but then he winked at Ember, causing her to blush. "Do you really think we would have let Mum scream at you?"

   "Of course we would have told her, that we smuggled the candies in your jacket", George added, still a grin dancing on his face.

   "We can't destroy Mum's trust in you", said Fred.

   "We will need you in future", George added.

   "Oh Godric", Ember groaned, her small fingers covering her face. As much as she liked Fred and George, as annoyed she often was by the two gingers. "You'll be my death. I know it."

   The campsite was crowded with people, the most amazing and ridiculous people Ember had ever seen in her life. It was always hilarious when wizards and witches tried to act like muggles, but this was just too much. Exchanging a quick look with Harry, as they passed a man with a firy red bowler, a poncho and underneath nothing but blur leggings at least two sizes too small for him, the twins both bursted out laughing, catching a death glare from said man.

   "You know what I really don't get?", Ember muttered at Harry. "How on earth is this possible? I mean ... Just look over there!" She pointed to a place where she'd spotted Ernie McMillan and his family. "How's it possible that Ern looks like your everyday muggle teenage boy, while his dad is wearing a cowboy hat and a kimono? Don't they tell their parents?"

   "Maybe it's on purpose", Harry snickered, waving at Ernie as he looked up. "My favour was the one with the dress. Charming!"

   "Oh, it was", Ember giggled.

   "Here we are", Mr Wealsey said, as they reached a small free area, just bid enough for two small tents. Ember was wondering how on earth they all should fit in that place. When Bill, Charlie and Percy would arrive, they'd be at least eleven persons.

   "It's getting cozy, huh?", she whispered at Harry, a crooked smile on her lips, before she walked over to Fred and George.

   "Hey Emmie, how about a biscuit", Fred muttered, his mischievous grin plastered on his face, looking like the bringer of death and despair.

   "Do you think I'm crazy?", she snorted, cocking an eyebrow. "My cousin was about to choke on his own tongue not even two days ago and you really think I would eat anything of the stuff you offer me?"

   "Smart little badass you are, huh?", George snickered, nudging Fred's ribs. "Seems like we have to find an other poor soul for our tests."

   "What in the name of Hagrid's fat butt is this stuff you're feeding innocent people?"

   "Canary Cream", Fred proudly explained. "We worked on it the whole summer."

   "Nice way to waste time, boys."

   "Thanks, mother", George replied. "It'll make us rich, you'll see. If it works. So why not just have a bite?"

   "What does it do?"

   "Find out." Both of them were wriggling their eyebrows.

   "Yaaah, nope", Ember snorted, rolling her eyes. "Remind me to not sit anywhere close to you during meals in the Great Hall, would you?"

   "Easy going, little badger." Fred ruffled her already messy hair. "Want to come with us? We're looking for Lee, Angie and Alicia."

   "No, thanks, Cedric asked me to come over. See you around
Tweedledum. Tweedledee."

   It took her a while to find Cedric in this crowded place. She joined Harry, Ron and Hermione for a while, who where searching for water, as Mr Weasley insisted to camp like muggles do - or at least how he thought muggles would do. On their way they met a lot of people from Hogwarts, like Parvati and Padma Patil, Oliver Wood, the Gryffindors' former Quidditch Captain, Hannah Abott an her family, and so on. And after a while, Ember spotted Cedric and Amos Diggory in the sea of tents surrounding them.

   "Oi, little Potter", Cedric greeted her with his perfect white teeth making this irresistible smile even brighter. "Took you a while, huh?"

   "I'm sorry, Fred and George had tried to poison me, and if you might have noticed, this place here is freaking crowded", Ember said, sitting down next to Cedric and his father. "Hi, Mr Diggory." The elder man tucked down the Daily Prophet for just a short nod; obviously his way of greeting unpleasant people. The excitement he showed before when he met Harry was long gone. But Ember was used to this. Wherever Harry was going, he was celebrated like a star. Of course. It was him defeating the Dark Lord. Ember was ignored most of the time, and sometimes people even were surprised that Harry had a sister, even a twin sister. No big deal.

   One of the few people who noticed Ember from the very beginning was Cedric, and even though he was three years older, he never failed to being a wonderful friend. Her first week at Hogwarts was rough. Being Harry Potter's sister wasn't a sweet cup of tea; although a tea she loved to drink. It was hard to find true friends, when you always have to fear people just use you to met Harry; and that was what people used to talk about her. Harry, Harry, Harry. It had been only a couple of days since they had found out about belonging into the magical world, and that Harry was a hero, famous, and their parents died by the hands of Lord Voldemort, not a car crash as the Dursleys had told them all their lives. But even after that short period of time Ember had found out the hard way, that friendship meant more than just nice words.

   And there was Cedric, the first one to show interest in Ember herself, the first one to see more in her than just the famous Harry Potter's sister. He became her friend, her protector, and by Merlin, she was so glad to have found him, that she didn't even care about his father being impolite, because all that mattered was Cedric's warm, encouraging smile.