Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 59

After hearing Jenna's story of what had happened nearly thirteen years ago, Hermione seemed to have gained more trust toward the woman in the next few days. Listening to her reasons for wanting to keep an eye on Harry at Hogwarts seemed sensible enough, so Hermione agreed to help Jenna with her plan and let her stay around as Crookshanks for the time being.

     Later on that week, the Grangers received an owl from Ron's family, asking permission from Hermione's parents to have her over for the rest of the summer, so they could all go and watch the Quidditch World Cup in the proceeding week, and they agreed delightfully.

     So with the help of Mr. Weasley, they connected their fireplace to the Floo Network and so with Crookshanks in her cat basket, Hermione left for the Burrow.

     "There you go — er — Crookshanks," said Hermione rather awkwardly as they entered the Weasleys' kitchen, setting the basket down and letting the ginger cat out more gently and carefully than ever before.

      Jenna stepped outside, looking around the small yet cosy house in amusement, with her big yellow eyes. But then her attention was caught when a middle-aged woman walked into the kitchen, smiling at Hermione's sight.

"Oh hello, dear," said Mrs. Weasley brightly, moving forward to bring Hermione into a warm hug.

      She was rather chubby and had red hair, just like the rest of the Weasleys. But her kind smile was enough to warm anybody's heart in a brief moment.

      "Now why don't you get your bag up to Ginny's room," said Mrs. Weasley, pulling away. "You two girls will have to buckle up together. It's going to be even more crowded in here, once Harry arrives. Bill and Charlie have come here for the World Cup too."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione smiled at her in appreciation.

"Ron! Hermione's here!" Mrs. Weasley called out as Hermione walked up the stairs, carrying her stuff up.

Although Jenna remained in the kitchen, her eyes upon their little fireplace. She didn't know when Harry was going to come, but she impatiently awaited his arrival.

***

Jenna had grown to love the Weasley family even though she had only been there for a few hours. They were a large family, yet she had got to know each and every one of them. She already knew Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, and Percy. But Bill and Charlie were both brilliant, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were simply amazing people.

     She learnt that Charlie worked with dragons in Romania. He had so much freckles on his body that he almost looked as if he were tanned, and he had muscular arms with burning marks all over them.

     Bill probably looked like the coolest boy Jenna had even seen in her life, with his long red hair in a ponytail and a fang as an earring. Or at least, he was the coolest boy she had seen after Sirius, in his leather jacket and his flying motorbike.

Jenna was glad to know that beside the stupid Dursleys, Harry had this wonderful family to turn to if he ever was facing trouble, because in the way they spoke of him even in his absence, it was obvious that the Weasleys cared about Harry a lot.

It was around five o'clock when Mr. Weasley finally returned to the kitchen in his green robes, ready to leave as he straightened his glasses.

"Molly, dear, I'll be going now," he called out, grabbing for the bowl of Floo Powder.

"Are you sure the Floo Network will be connected to their fireplace with no problem?" Mrs. Weasley asked worriedly.

"Yes, yes, it worked for the Grangers' house all right," said Mr. Weasley reassuringly. "I should get going now. I'm already running a little late."

"Dad, can I come too?" Ron asked, entering the kitchen along with Fred and George.

"Yeah, we want to tag along too," said Fred and George nodded in agreement.

"Oh, really now there's no need for all of you to go —" Mrs. Weasley was saying, but her husband cut her off.

"It's okay. Let the boys come along," said Mr. Weasley, and Mrs. Weasley nodded in defeat.

With that, the Weasley twins sent each other a knowing look before following Ron and their father toward the fireplace as Mrs. Weasley left the kitchen.

Although there was a look of mischief in the twins' eyes that had gone unnoticed by everyone else in the room except for Jenna, who was sitting by the windowsill in her cat form, watching the scene with amusement.

She knew the look in their eyes meant no good, seeing as this was exactly what her and James used to look like when they wanted to cause trouble as kids. In other words, it was the look of a silence before the storm.

If she were in her human form, Jenna would have some trouble holding back a grin, because she was finding it extremely amusing that Fred and George still hadn't figured out that Crookshanks was behind the prank which had been pulled on them last year.

One by one, the Weasleys took a fistful of the Floo Powder and stepped into the fireplace, soon all of them disappearing into the green flames. Jenna was now in the kitchen with Bill and Charlie sitting at the wooden table, her yellow eyes fixed on the fireplace for long minutes, waiting.

After what felt like ages, she suddenly jumped to her paws when the fire roared and the next moment Fred appeared out of the fireplace, grinning. After him, George followed.

     "Well?" Fred raised an evil brow at his brother.

     "I didn't see the whole thing, but I think he picked it up," said George with glee, the same sly grin playing at the edge of his lips.

     Jenna watched them from the windowsill, curious to know what trouble the two of them had caused this time. Next, it was Ron who showed up.

     Although Jenna's attention was still on the fireplace, waiting for Harry to appear. But he and Mr. Weasley were slightly running late, which made her worry that something had gone wrong at the Dursleys.

     But then her eyes shot open when with another uproar of the green fire, Harry appeared into the fireplace and fell to the kitchen floor, slightly coughing. Jenna wanted to smile only if she could when she saw him after weeks.

      He seemed slightly taller that the last time she had seen him and his messy jet-black hair had grown over summer. If Euphemia Potter were here, she would've insisted on giving him a haircut.

     Hurriedly, Fred and George went toward Harry, their mischievous smirks widening with eagerness.

      "Did he eat it?" said Fred excitedly, holding out a hand to pull Harry to his feet.

      "Yeah," said Harry, straightening up. "What was it?"

     "Ton-Tongue Toffee," said Fred brightly. "George and I invented them, and we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer."

      Jenna wished that she could laugh loudly at the image, wanting to know more than anything which one of the Dursleys was the victim of their prank. She thought that if anyone deserved having a four feet long tongue, it was definitely one of those three idiots.