The Adopted Weasley

12~ Christmas

The rest of November passed quickly, Flint had been suspended until January. It had only been detention, until he trapped a muggleborn student in a broom closet for several hours. If the family had pressed charges, he would have been expelled.

Grace had given Neville the shortest explanation possible, and he had promised not to tell anyone. She was going to practice over break while the castle was mostly empty.

A week before Christmas, the Weasley kids who were at Hogwarts got a letter saying their parents were going to see Charlie in Romania for Christmas, taking Remus with them for a much needed vacation. So the kids would hang out at Hogwarts that year. Which was lucky, because Harry wasn't going home, and Ron and Grace especially, didn't want to leave him alone.

Hermione left them with instructions to keep looking for this Nicolas Flamel. She suggested to Harry to look in the restricted section.

After the Quidditch game, Hermione had filled Grace in on what had happened.

"It was Snape." She said firmly. "I saw him chanting. And there was no break in eye contact. It had to be him!"

"I don't know, Hermione." Grace signed with a hesitant look. "So was Quirrell..."

"Grace, you were too shaken up from your run in with Flint to be paying attention."

"But-"

"It was Snape! I know it! Ask Ron if you don't believe me."

"Fine. Be that way, you don't always have to be right you know. See you after Christmas. " Grace walked off. Now that school was calmed down, her and George and Fred had about a million pranks planned. They really had to narrow it down. Especially since Lee wasn't there to help them, having gone home for Christmas.

Grace had hugged him tightly right before he left.

"I'll miss you." He laughed a little, not meanly.

"I'll miss you too. But not as much as I will over summer."

Grace shook her head. "I don't even want to think about that. I'll send you your present soon."

"You didn't have--" Grace help up her hand,

"I wanted to. Besides, I know you're getting me something, I heard you ask Ron what I would like."

Lee shook his head. "You're something else Grace Weasley. You're something else."

. . .

Snow was thick in the air when Grace walked Neville to the Hogwarts gates four days before Christmas, where he was meeting his grandmother to apparate home. His grandmother wasn't there yet so they stood there in quiet companionship. Grace finally broke the silence. Well, kind of.

"I'll miss you. I can't imagine how much worse summer will be."

Neville hugged her. "I'll be back, right after new years. Promise."

"Something will be coming in the mail soon, be watching. Our owl is a little old..." Grace told him after pulling away. "It's not much. But I think you'll like it." Neville blushed. Before he could say anything, an old woman appeared suddenly behind them. Grace jumped behind Neville, heart pounding. No wonder Neville was scared of this lady.

Mrs. Longbottom wasn't exactly a small woman, around five eleven, she was almost as tall as the twins, who were just over six feet, and still going.