The Buddy System. *Complete*

Reunited

After we finished our tea and while we waited for Azaleah to arrive, Mrs Weasley and I got busy. She changed the sheets on all the beds. My house may not have been as eggstravagant as where I grew up (which would only be considered a Mansion and therefore a lot smaller than Malfoy, Nott or Matthew Manor) but it had 5 bedrooms so changing all the sheets did take a while.

I then unpacked some of the boxes that were in the hall. The first was the delivery from the homeware shop in Hogsmeade with my cushions for the living room which suited the sofas and chair perfectly. Then there was a throw for the footstool and a lamp for the side table. Then I set my little teapot in the kitchen.

Another box had fresh new towels which were placed in each en suite and the two main bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs.

The third box was filled with books which went into my little study/library. I think I was going to need more shelves in here pretty soon.

The last box was new dining chairs as the old ones were a little worse for wear. The old ones were to be painted and set out in the garden under the gazebo but for now they were put into the garage. Kingsley took care of setting up the new chairs for me.

Unlike quite a few of the wizarding population, my home has electricity so another little luxury I have is a utility room complete with washing machine and tumble dryer, which Mrs Weasley found fascinating. She already had a wash on with one in the tumble dryer when we got word that they were on their way.

I sat on the sofa waiting. It must be nearing 3am by now and yet I was not one bit tired. The adrenaline coursing through me had me practically vibrating.

But as I heard the all too familiar popping sound I suddenly panicked. She never answered my letter so I never got to hear how she felt. What if she didn't forgive me for not standing by her? What if she hates me? Would she be disappointed to see me?

There was a knock at the door. Too late to back out now.

Kingsley moved to open the door. I could hear talking and then a young woman came walking in with her arm around Azaleah. At least I thought it was Azaleah. This girl had long blonde hair that was greasy and messy. Her frail little frame looked like she had lost about 3 stone. 3 stone which she didn't really have to lose. You could see her skeletal frame under her skin which was grey in colour.

Her eyes were sunken into her face. She was covered in dirt and her clothes were ripped and seemed to have stains on them...stains like...like blood. It took me about 30 seconds to realise that they were the clothes she was taken to Azkaban in. Her clothes from the battle.

My heart broke for her as she stood there looking down to the floor. She had not lifted her head once since she entered the room.

"Miss Matthews?...Miss Matthews this will be your home for the next few months...Miss Matthews?"

"Azaleah?" I practically whispered. As I did her head shot up. She looked at me with almost pleading eyes as tears pooled over her eyes and down her cheeks. 

I didn't know what she was thinking in that moment as her face was unreadable. I was just about to say her name again when she ran forward to me and wrapped her arms around me sobbing. I struggled with the weight of us both and as she squeezed me tighter we both fell to the floor.

Both of us were crying now. 

I have no clue how long we sat there. But eventually the sobbing stopped and Mrs Weasley helped us to our feet, walking Azaleah over to the sofa and sitting her down. Azaleah did not let go of me as she moved which meant that I moved too.

"Now Miss Matthews. First off I would like to apologise for everything that happened. As Minister for Magic I should have looked into every case brought to the Wizards Council but thanks to the new evidence brought forward by Miss Diggory, Mr Nott and your school friends we now understand that what we were told isn't exactly what happened."