Call me Squib

Goodbye Summer

Chapter Six: Goodbye Summer

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The summer flew by far too quickly for Embry's liking for the first time in her life. Usually the summer would drag on, never ending fast enough for her, but with the Weasley family it was the opposite. She still only spoke when she needed to, though it no longer bothered them. Embry even went as far to guess that Molly found it to be a relief compared to the constantly noisy twins. Her bony figure had filled out more over the summer with the thanks of Molly's home cooking. And her once malnourished and stringy black hair was finally free of the bloody highlights that had once decorated it. The only thing that seemed to remain the same were the scars that she kept hidden beneath her pants and long sleeved shirts.

Embry currently found herself hurrying through the platform, sticking close to Ginny's side as they approached the Hogwarts Express. She was pushing a small trunk that Molly had given her on a cart, it was filled with school robes and materials that Dumbledore had sent her the week before with her letter that said she'd be a fifth year with Fred and George rather than a third or fourth year. While a part of her couldn't wait to get to her new school another part of her feared exactly that, knowing that Draco would be there and alert their parents of her whereabouts.

"Make sure you write us to let us know how you're doing, and I expect to see you at Christmas with the others." Molly gave Embry a hug after she'd done the same with her five children. Embry smiled at the warm embrace, Molly being the only one she was comfortable with touching her, aside from Ginny.

"I promise," Embry stepped back and looked over at Arthur, finding him smiling at her.

"Take care of yourself," Arthur said. Embry pursed her lips together for a moment before she stepped forward, pulling Arthur into a hug. The man's eyes widened at her actions, neither of them having expected her to do such a thing.

"Thank you for everything you've done," she whispered as his surprise faded and he wrapped his arms around her to return the hug. "You'll never understand how much you've all done for me this summer. I'll never be able to repay you."

"We were glad to do it," Arthur assured her as she stepped back and smiled at him. "You've come to be like another daughter to us, Lu, and we wouldn't have had it any other way."

"Come on, Lu!" Ginny grabbed the brunette's hand, dragging her onto the train. Embry grasped tightly to the small bag in her other hand, it containing a book Arthur had given her as well as a small black cat that Dumbledore had sent her since students were able to have a cat, rat, or owl as a pet at Hogwarts. She had decided to name her Lark. Ginny and Embry quickly found the carriage that Fred and George had claimed as their own with another boy.

"Hey, Ginny, who's this?" The boy asked as Embry took a seat next to George while Ginny sat on the other bench, between Fred and the boy with dreadlocks.

"Lee this is Lu Dobbs, she's a new fifth year," Ginny introduced them. "Lu, this is Lee Jorden, a fifth year Gryffindor and also seems to be the twins' long lost triplet."

"You look a little young to be a fifth year," Lee observed, raising a dark brow at the new girl.

"She's a kick ass witch!" George nudged Embry in the side with a smirk filling his lips. "She's getting to skip right to the fifth year at only thirteen."

"We'll see how good she is in DADA," Lee chuckled as he leaned back in his seat while Ginny stood up.

"I'm going to try and find some of my friends, I'll be back in a little while." Ginny assured Embry before slipping out of the compartment. As soon as the other girl left, Embry started to feel uncomfortable with the three boys.

"You'reokay," Fred promised her as she leaned back and closed her eyes, feeling herbreathing starting to quicken. It wasn't too long before the girl drifted offto sleep to the sound of the boys planning their pranks.