The Adopted Weasley

11~ Pranks and Shop

Grace, just pick a happy memory." Harry said gently. "That's how you do it."

"I... I'm trying."

Along with Hogwarts, the DA meetings had started, and Grace was having a hard time holding onto the memories she picked. Everything was tainted by something that happened after. She needed to push those away to succeed.

She glanced at Lee, his face was set in concentration, a few silver sparks flew out of his wand, and she gasped.

A wolf appeared, a Timber wolf.

Grace closed her eyes.

"Expecto patronum!"

Her own arctic wolf appeared, and she turned to see Lee gaping at it.

"Grace... they match." He said softly.

She smiled.

"Looks like it."

Lee kissed her in excitement. "I knew it!"

DA meetings began happening about once a week, and Quidditch practice was almost every night. Halfway through the season, Fred, George and Harry had gotten themselves kicked off the team by Umbridge, because of Malfoy's mouth, Grace had been involved in the fight as well, but Umbridge seemed to prefer putting Grace in detention. Blood replenishing potions had had to be used twice already, and Lee was getting fed up.

"This has got to be illegal!"

"She works in the Ministry, Lee, you know she's going to get away with it." Grace said, glancing up from her book. They were in the supply closet with Neville who she was helping with a few assignments.

Lola came over and curled up her knee and Grace stroked her for a moment.

"There's got to be something we can do, what of you passed out before getting back to the common room or something?" Lee said.

"I haven't before."

"But you might." Neville pointed out. "Especially if she makes you come several nights in a row again."

"If I do, that's my fault."

"No it's not." Lee said.

"She's insane."

"Oh we know."

The twins ran in suddenly and Lola squealed angrily before hiding in Grace's shirt.

"We need to go." Fred said, pulling Grace up.

"What? Where?"

"Someone snitched on us." George growled. "On the DA."

"No..."

"Yes. And we're wanted in the great hall." Fred said.

"Shit." Lee groaned.

"Grace, listen." Fred put his hands on her shoulders. "When it's over, meet us at the shrieking shack." He kissed her forehead and he and George ran off.

Grace looked at Lee in confusion.

"What was that about?"

"I'm not sure. But I guess we should head to the shack."

As soon as they left the room, loud pops and booms started going off somewhere in the castle and Grace flinched, backing into Neville who hugged her from behind, whispering.

"You're safe."

"What do you think it was?" Lee asked as they rushed towards the sound.

"I suspect it had something to do with my brothers." Grace said.

"Then why didn't they tell us?" Lee demanded.

Grace was about to answer, when she stopped and grabbed Lee and Neville right before they ran into the flooded corridor, she yelped when an alligator appeared and she ran to a spot on the wall where she knew there was a hidden door, Neville and Lee on her heels.

After a few minutes of making their way through the maze of tunnels, they were outside and ran to the Whomping Willow.

Neville looked at Grace and she nodded before changing into her animagus form and dodged the wildly swinging branches to the knot in the tree, pressing it with a paw and dashing into the passageway.

When the branches stopped, Neville and Lee ran after her. By the time they had caught up, she had changed back and was sitting in a chair.

"Y..You're... an animagus?" Lee asked, looking at her in shock.

"Oh... I guess I didn't tell you." Grace said, turning red. "I have been since first year."

"I... wow." Lee glanced at Neville. "Did he know?"

"Yes. But only because he walked in and saw! I wasn't hiding it from you." Grace said quickly.

"Oh, okay."

Before anything else could be said, Fred and George ran into the room.

"Oh good, you made it!" Fred said, looking relieved.

"What's going on?" Lee demanded.

"We just set off the prank of the century-" Fred started.

"-had an intense round with Umbitch-" George continued.

"-very intense-"

"-and nearly got beat by Filch-"

"-then summoned our brooms-"

"-and finally, made a dramatic getaway." George finished.

"You... you're not going to graduate?" Grace asked softly.

"No."

"Mum is going to murder you."

"We'll... deal with that as it comes. We have a shop now, we bought it free and clear." Fred said.

"And we have products." George added.

"We'll be up and running by this weekend."

"Well... good luck." Lee said. "I guess I'll see you this summer."

"Work with us?" George asked immediately.

Lee grinned. "Absolutely."

Fred turned to Grace, hugging her.

"You'll be okay?"

"Of course... I'll be fine." She said confidently, hugging him back. "I hardly ever have nightmares anymore."

George smiled and ruffled her hair. "See you in a few weeks, Lee has the mirror if you need us. Okay?"

"Okay." She hugged the two of them. "Go open the best joke shop this world has ever seen."

And they left, after a few days, there was a buzz of excitement as news of the opening of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes spread like wildfire. The students who had helped test them, got sample kits and everyone was torturing Umbridge with whatever they could get their hands on before she could take them.

Everyone in the DA got three weeks worth of detention, even the first years. Grace, Hermione and Luna all learned spells to ease the pain and partially heal, and would set up little stations in the library so it looked like they were all studying.

One day, right before dinner, Harry grabbed Grace's arm and pulled her to an empty hallway where Hermione, Luna, Neville, Ginny, and Ron.

"What's going on?" Grace asked, looking at Harry in confusion. But his next words made her blood run cold.

"They have Sirius."