Ethereal ✭Fred Weasley✭

70.

"Hi Sophia... do you remember me? Hermione?" the girl stated hopefully. Sophia looked overwhelmed at the four that looked at her as if they knew her well, but couldn't quite recall them to their full extent. She nervously fiddled with her fingers and shuffled her feet against the hard wood floor, her eye contact wavering between each of them.

"I-I sort of remember...." Sophia admitted. "It's nice to meet you... again?"

"And these two are mine," Molly gestured to the two redheads. "Do you remember Ron and Ginny?"

"I think so," Sophia attempted to smile at them and they returned it.

"I hope you're feeling better," Ginny stated and the girl nodded back gratefully.

"And then this is Harry," Molly gestured to the last boy who stood there anxiously. When Sophia's eyes landed on him, he gave her a weak smile in which she returned.

"Nice to meet you," Harry cringed to himself at his lame greeting but Sophia clearly appreciated it.

"Nice to meet you too," Sophia nodded to all four gratefully, finding herself relaxing in their presence. Hermione was basically itching to chat but didn't want to overwhelm her too much, and Ginny also wanted to see what Sophia remembered and what she didn't.

"Now that that's settled, I'll make up some lunch," Molly announced and patted Sophia's shoulder before leaving back towards the stove. Bill and Fleur were settled at the kitchen table discussing other things, Ron glancing enviously for a moment at the half Veela. This made him receive a look from Hermione which eventually stopped his actions. George the Pygmy Puff was perched on Sophia's shoulder and it eventually caught Ginny's eye who had a very similar animal gifted to her by Fred and George.

"Oh I see you have a Pygmy Puff," Ginny pointed to the pink ball that chirped gleefully from Sophia's shoulder. She glanced over and remembered that he had indeed jumped up on to her shoulder when she went to leave Fred and George's room.

"O-Oh yes," Sophia nodded and patted his head lightly. "His name is George."

"From the man himself I'm guessing?" Ron spoke up bemusedly. "Ginny's got one too named Arnold."

"I've brought him along if you'd like to see him. Pygmy Puff's love play dates," Ginny offered and Sophia beamed with a nod. This made the youngest Weasley leave up towards her room where her trunk would be and Hermione guided Sophia to sit on the sofa with her. Harry and Ron took their places in the armchairs again and all anxiously exchanged a look.

"Do you remember Crookshanks at all?" Hermione decided to ask, picking up the ginger cat and holding him still on her lap.

"Oh yes vaguely. He's very cute," Sophia nodded and reached over to scratch behind the feline's ear, making him purr but kept his narrowed eyes pinned on the Pygmy Puff on Sophia's shoulder. The cat licked his lips instinctively and George the puff shuffled closer to Sophia's neck with wary squeaking sounds.

"Better keep George away from that beast," Ron warned from the armchair. "That pig will eat anything he can get his mangy paws on."

"Be quiet Ronald," Hermione hissed. "Crookshanks would never harm a Pygmy Puff."

"Pfft you haven't been around when he's seen Arnold," Ron fought back. "He has eyes like a hawk when Ginny comes into the room. Just you watch."

Hermione rolled her eyes and Sophia softly smiled at the quarreling. She had a vague memory of Hermione and Ron always engaging in pointless and contradicting arguments. It was quite refreshing to have one unfold in front of her. It made her remember how times were when being around these people she knew as her friends. She tried to make herself familiar with some of the events she did remember but they all just seemed so far away. They were hazy like they had happened in a previous life. Some details were misted over and some were as clear as day. She remembered a particular rat that would constantly be chased by Crookshanks but she couldn't remember what the rat was called or who it belonged to. It was like her brain was selective on what it chose to pull out from her past memories.