Chapter Text
"Happy Birthday to you...happy Birthday to you..... Happy Birthday dear children.... Happy Birthday to you"
Thirteen kids blew together at the candles on the top of the huge three tier Black Forest. Cheers rang through the room and then they all dug in.
Ria took a large piece on a paper plate and went over to Mrs. Haans.
"Thank you", she said, handing the plate over. "For doing all this. You didn't have to buy the gifts though. The cake is delicious and it's more than enough."
"Don't mention it dear girl!", Mrs. Haans replied with a smile, pulling her down on the couch beside her.
"I have more money than I can count through my life and no one to leave it to. And since these kids won the scholarships, I haven't had to spend as much. This is the least I can do."
Ria had came back to the orphanage, at the end of her first year at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry, to a surprise. An organisation had extended an offer to test the intellectual level of the children and provide them education as per required. The kids had all excelled and were all enrolled in their respective classes at the local school, on full scholarship.
Ria couldn't be happier. They would all have degrees and able to pursue higher studies eventually. They would have a life.
Spending last two months at the orphanage had been amazing. Ria was grateful for the opportunities Hogwarts brought in but she missed the kids here dearly. What surprised her was how easily she fell back in the routine with the others kids. The hitch was so little, it almost felt like she had never left.
She didn't have to miss her friends either courtesy of Mrs. Haans. She had kept up steady communication with Hermione, Ron and the twins through her throughout the past two months. The twins had kept their word and hadn't sent any magic pranks, but bickering with them over the letters was almost as much fun. She had been chatting back and forth with Ron and Hermione quite a bit as well. The only one MIA was Harry. Ten letters over the summer and he hadn't replied to a single. Ria was worried about him and the concern was shared by the other two. So much so, that Ron said, in his last letter a week ago, that if Harry didn't reply soon, accepting the invitation to stay with the Weasleys, he was going to go and get Harry himself. Ria had immediately replied back and told him to inform her when he went to get Harry. Two days back a letter had arrived.
He still hasn't replied. I'm going on the 3rd.
So Mrs. Haans preponed the birthday celebration to today before Ria left. After some consideration, Ria had decided to accept Ron's invitation and spend the rest of the holidays at the Weasley's. So here she was packed and ready to leave the moment the children fell asleep.
"When's the train?", Andy asked.
"3 am", Ria replied.
"Does it have to at such an ungodly hour?", he grimaced.
Ria laughed. "It's ok, Andy. I don't mind a late night."
None of the children had any idea when their birthdays were. So Mrs. Haans had taken it upon herself to make sure to have them all celebrate together one day each year.
The children had grumbled quite a bit when they realised Ria would be leaving a month earlier. But after a lot of consolation and a promise to return over Christmas break, they let it rest and dove right into the festivs.
The children had made several friends in the past months and quite a few of them were at the orphanage today for the celebrations. Knowing each of them had people to fall back on, made Ria feel less guilty about the lies and the absence.
By the time the clock struck twelve, the children were all in bed and Ria had sung Ben to sleep just like she'd been doing the last two months.
"You ready dear?", Mrs. Haans asked.
"How am I going there again?"
"Floo Powder. You take your trunk, get into the fireplace. I've already put the powder in. So you just get in and spell out where you want to go, very clearly. This is a Wizard's house you're going to right?"
"Yes. It's the Weasley's house. The Burrow, Ron said."
"Then you'll be just fine. Now off you go."
"Thanks, Mrs. Haans. I'll see you soon."
Ria took her trunk and step right into the burning green flames. It didn't feel like normal fire. It had a cool tickling sensation to it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"The Burrow", she said in a clear voice.
At once she felt a swooping sensation in the pit of her stomach. Living rooms of unknown houses started blurring past in front of her like she was on an extremely fast moving train. Then as suddenly as it had started, it stopped and she stumbled into what she hoped would be the Weasley's living room.
It was a small place with two single couches. On her right was a table with a jumble of objects on it, a chair, a chest of drawers with several trunks mounted on it. The window overlooked open green fields bathed in moonlight. To her left was another table. Ria placed her things in the middle of the room and walked into the next one which happened to be the kitchen.
A dining table with several chairs sat in the middle. The kitchen counter and the shelves beneath were filled with pots and pans. A staircase started in front of her spiralling and leading to the upper floor.
Ria stopped for a while to stare at the huge grandfather clock. It had eight hands with one of the Weasley's face on each. The writing around the clock read words like, work, home, travelling, hospital, prison and mortal peril.
The house was absolutely silent. Ria felt a bit uncomfortable. She was sure Mrs. Weasley would know she might be coming over to stay but had Ron mentioned to his mom that she'd be arriving tonight?
She was wondering what to do when a thud sounded from upstairs.
"Ron?", Mrs. Weasley's voice drifted downstairs.
Another thud and a grumble.
"What in Merlin's name are these three up to at the middle of the night?"
Several candles in the kitchen flickered on. Ria could say they were magical. Five of them were enough to make the kitchen light as day. Mrs. Weasley appeared at the top of the stairs in her nightgown.
"Who's there?", she called out sharply.
"It's me Mrs. Weasley", Ria said stepping into her view.
"Ria?", she asked looking bewildered. "What are you doing here, dear? Is everything alright?"
"Oh, I'm quite ok, Mrs. Weasley, thank you. I arrived through the floo network a few minutes back. I had to wait for my friends at the orphanage to fall asleep before Mrs. Haans could transport me. I'm guessing Ron didn't mention I'd be arriving?"
"Of course, dear", Mrs. Weasley said making her way down. "Ron told us he's invited you and Harry to stay over summer. Fred and George mentioned inviting you as well. I just didn't know it would be today."
"I'm sorry for waking you up at this hour Mrs. Weasley"
"Oh that's quite ok dear. You didn't wake me up though. The boys aren't in thir rooms", Mrs. Weasley said sounding frustrated.
"Oh....umm...."
"Do you know where they are?", Mrs. Weasley asked looking at her sharply.
"Mrs. Weasley, Ron said in his last letter that he'd be going to get Harry tonight. He hasn't been responding to any of our letters and we were all worried. That is why I came over tonight. I assumed he told me to arrive tonight so that we could go together tomorrow morning but I guess...."
"He did not...", Mrs. Weasley muttered and then started unlocking the front door.
Ria waited nervously wondering what to do. Mrs. Weasley got the front door open and strode outside. Ria followed a little behind.
She walked right up to a tumbling garage at the end of the lawn. Ria followed up the winding lane and looked back at the house.
It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it were held up by magic. Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, THE BURROW . Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. A chicken coup sat at one corner.
Ria turned back around to find Mrs. Weasley storming back in a rage.
"They took the car!", she snarled, fuming.
"They can drive?", Ria asked bewildered. Although maybe she shouldn't be surprised given as it was Fred and George they were talking about.
"No they can't", Mrs. Weasley said with a deep sigh. "C'mon in dear. Nothing to do now but to wait for them to get back. I'm going to burry them alive this time. Can't believe they'd do something this reckless...."
Ria followed the muttering Mrs. Weasley inside.
"Now," Mrs. Weasley said, "I hope you wouldn't have a problem with sharing a room with Ginny, dear? Space is a little short in here."
"No that's absolutely fine Mrs. Weasley. I'd love to get to know Ginny better. Thank you for having me."
Mrs. Weasley smiled at her.
"You are a good kid. Let's get your trunk upstairs shall we?"
"No, Mrs. Weasley.", Ria said hurriedly. "I can do that in the morning. I don't want to wake Ginny up and....I won't be able to sleep until the boys return anyways."
"But you must be tired!"
"I'll be fine Mrs. Weasley. I can always take the couch if I feel like sleeping. And I guess you aren't going back to bed either. I can keep you company."
"That's really nice of you dear.", Mrs. Weasley said with another smile. "Let me make a pot of tea and we can wait for the boys."
Mrs. Weasley bustled around the kitching making tea and after a while, Ria got up to help. She'd just put the kettle on the fire when Mrs. Weasley spoke.
"You seem to know your way around the kitchen?"
"Oh", Ria said a bit flustered and then went on to explain. "I used to cook all the meals at the orphanage. It wasn't much. We mostly ate at the library. But I cooked on the Sundays for all thirteen of us. We didn't really have anyone to help around before Mrs. Haans came into the picture."
"You can cook?", Mrs. Weasley asked looking intrigued.
"Not much. Just the basics. We didn't really have....we never made elaborate meals. Just enough to feed us all."
"Money was tight?", Mrs. Weasley asked with a gentle expression.
Ria gave her a small smile.
"It was. But we managed. And it's all good now. Mrs. Haans is amazing and the everyone got full ride scholarships this year. They are all going to school and the orphanage is so much better. And they will never have to starve again and..."
Ria caught herself mid-sentence.
"Sorry.", she said blushing slightly. "I'm babbling"
"That's all right", Mrs. Weasley said with a small laugh. "It's a good distraction or I'll be sick with worry."
Ria looked at Mrs. Weasley creased brows and decided to keep up the conversation.
"You have a really nice home", she said.
Mrs. Weasley laughed at that. "I'm sure your orphanage looks better these days than our humble abode."
"To the eyes, yes", Ria agreed. "But this house has an air of magic around it. It's exciting and comforting at the same time", Ria said dragging in a deep breath and feeling the magic trickle in her lungs again.
Then she laughed a bit.
"I'm sorry. I guess that'd sound a bit weird."
"It's not weird actually", Mrs. Weasley said looking curious again. "Any place where a lot of magical people or things are gathered have an air of magic around it. It is said people or objects with magic in them give off some of their magic into the air around. Although it takes a highly skilled wizard to be able to pick up such a trace."
Ria blushed at this and wondered what to tell her. Then she remembered McGonagall saying something about letting the Weasley family know and decided to get it over with.
"Ron hasn't told you", Ria said realising all of a sudden how fiercely loyal the boy was.
"What else hasn't he told me?" , Mrs. Weasley asked sounding exasperated.
"This one is not his fault, Mrs. Weasley", Ria said hurriedly. "I specifically told him not to tell a single soul. He was merely keeping a promise."
"It's ok if you don't want me to know, dear", Mrs. Weasley assured.
"I want you to", Ria said firmly. "I'm a Naturakinance."
Mrs. Weasley stared at her blankly for a while. Then she slowly furrowed her brows.
"Are you quite sure, dear?", she asked sound a bit hesitant.
Ria had to giggle a little at that.
The kettle hissed at the very moment.
Before Mrs. Weasley could get up to get it, Ria turned in her chair and snuffed the fire out with a wave of her hand. Then she concentrated and used wind to carry the kettle and two teacups to the table.
Mrs. Weasley gaped in shock for a moment and then turned very serious.
"Ria, dear, you're not allowed to use magic outside school. It's a rule they follow very strictly. If this is the first time you'd be getting a warning letter any minute and a second time could get you expelled..."
"Mrs. Weasley", Ria interrupted. "It's ok. No one would know"
When Mrs. Weasley didn't look convinced at all. Ria sighed.
"Controlling the elements of nature is a lot of power to have", she started. "I've lost control several times, acting on instincts and using my abilities when I'm anxious or on edge. It happened this summer while I was at the orphanage. One of the little ones almost fell of the stairs. My instincts kicked in and I used wind to steady him. Mrs. Haans told me pretty much the same thing. We waited and waited for the letter but it never came. So....um...I did a bit of research and well... the trace works for the types of magic that has been registered with the ministry. I'm guessing they never had a Naturakinance after the system was developed. So my manipulation magic is not traceable. As long as I don't use my wand, which also has a trace on it, they can't know. I can do little bits of manipulation without my wand, like you saw right now. Anything too dramatic won't work. But yeah, I can technically use magic. I don't go around doing it all the time", Ria said hastily seeing as Mrs. Weasley was opening her mouth with another frown. "Only when necessary and just enough to keep in tough."
She paused and sighed a bit.
"The amout of power scares me sometime. It's a lot of power and it reacts when I get imotional. I just fear I'd loose control and hurt someone if I just drop it all for three long months. Anyways....umm...I just thought it'd be easier to show you."
Mrs. Weasley nodded a little. Ria could tell from her expression, she didn't quite know where to start.
"Naturakinances are extremely rare, dear" she said after a while. "We haven't had one in almost five hundred years. They are said to have immense power and play key roles in historical events in the wizarding community."
"That's what Professor McGonagall said as well", Ria said sighing.
"It's just...a lot you know? Having all this power. And then people thinking I'm supposed to be something great and amazing. Add the whole grand role to play and it all gets downright scary. I've taken care of Ben and the rest of the kids for years, but they are just kids not an entire community."
Mrs. Weasley reached across the table to take Ria's hand.
"You don't have to worry about all that right now. You barely started a year ago! Nobody expects you to be perfect in such a short time. Or ever. Just concentrate on lerning and staying happy and healthy. And as for the grand event, we don't know what it's going to be yet. So put that out of your mind for now."
"Well...more likely than not, it's going to be something to do with Voldemort."
Mrs. Weasley choked on the sip of tea she had been taking.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!", Ria said frantically, passing her a napkin. "Harry got me into the habit of saying the name and now I can't quite get over it", she admitted.
"I'll be more careful"
"You know, it's probably good you can say the name without a second thought", Mrs. Weasley said once she had caught her breath. "It means you're not affected by the fear still ingrained in us. You're better off without that fear."
"It just....always seems strange that people would fear that name so much....", Ria confessed.
"Times were dark when He was in power, Ria. People were killed, families torn apart, loved ones tortured and killed in front of your eyes, merciless murder of magical beings, muggleborns, and anyone who didn't support him and his reign. People had almost lost hope when he went after Harry. It was a terrible thing to happen to him but it was a new dwan for all the rest of us when He lost his powers and disappeared."
Ria remained silent for a while. She hadn't really ever delved into what things were like during Voldemort's reign. It would be her next topic of research.
"Tell me something about you", she said looking up at Mrs. Weasley, trying to stir the conversation to something lighter. Mrs. Weasley, thankfully got the hint and started talking about her kids and home. Ria discovered Mrs. Weasley loved cooking and made her agree to let Ria help her out with meals the next day.
"Arthur is still at work", Mrs. Weasley was saying. "It's been a rough week for him, always working longer."
"Where does he work?", Ria asked curiously. She wasn't very aware of the different jobs they had. He knew Ron's brothers worked at Gringotts and as a dragonologist. She also knew Mrs. Hanna husband used to work in the Ministry in the floo network control department which is how Mrs. Haans had been able to pull a favour and connect the orphanage's fireplace to the network. Generally, muggle households were not allowed to be connected.
"Arthur works for the The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry. Wizards often charm muggle Artifacts just as pranks or to potentially hurt a muggle. It's his job to destroy such items, erase the memories of the muggles if necessary and punish the charmer."
Ria nodded. They talked for quite a while and it was almost dawn when Ria dozed off on one of the couches.
She was jerked awake a few hours later by the clucking of chicken in the garden. Mrs. Weasley came down the stairs with laundry.
"You barely slept!", she scolded, seeing Ria awake. Ria gave her a sheepish smile.
The sun had just appeared at the horizon and the sky was an orchestra of pink and gold and a clear deep blue. The sight was so enchanting that it took Ria quite a while to spot the flying car moving steadily in her direction. When she did her mouth gaped open. When Mrs. Weasley said car, she definitely hadn't expected this.
"Uh.....Mrs. Weasley?", she said hesitantly. "I think they're back"
What followed wasn't very pleasant. Mrs. Weasley stormed out to the car as Fred, George, Ron and to Ria's relief, Harry climbed out. She promptly started shouting at them. After about 5 minutes of feeling sorry Ria was sniggering at the pained expressions on the boys' faces.
When she had exhausted her anger to some extent, she marched back into the kitchen followed by an apprehensive looking Harry.
Ria went ahead and hugged him promptly.
"We've been so worried!", she said in a low voice.
"Yeah, I...."
"Later", Ria said shutting him up with another hug and shuffling over to help the still muttering Mrs. Weasley with breakfast.
"I don't blame you , dear," she assured Harry, tipping eight or nine sausages onto his plate. "Arthur and I have been worried about you, too. Just last night we were saying we'd come and get you ourselves if you hadn't written back to Ron by Friday. But really," (she was now adding three fried eggs to his plate) "flying an illegal car halfway across the country - anyone could have seen you--"
She flicked her wand casually at the dishes in the sink, which began to clean themselves, clinking gently in the background.
"It was cloudy , Mum!" said Fred.
"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.
"They were starving him, Mum!" said George.
"And you!" said Mrs. Weasley, but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting Harry bread and buttering it for him.
Ginny Weasley suddenly dashed into the kitchen, saw Harry sitting at the table and dashed right out again.
"Ginny," said Ron in an undertone to Harry. "My sister. She's been talking about you all summer."
"Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, Harry," Fred said with a grin, but he caught his mother's eye and bent his face over his plate without another word.
"Here you go dear", Mrs. Weasley said, handing a plate to Ria. She joined the four boys and they ate in silence.
"Blimey , I'm tired," yawned Fred, setting down his knife and fork at last. "I think I'll go to bed and--"
"You will not," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me; they're getting completely out of hand again--"
"Oh, Mum--"
"And you two," she said, glaring at Ron and Fred. "You can go up to bed, dear," she added to Harry. "You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car--"
"I'll help Ron. I've never seen a de-gnoming--"
"That's very sweet of you, dear, but it's dull work," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, let's see what Lockhart's got to say on the subject--"
And she pulled a heavy book from the stack on the mantelpiece. George groaned.
"Mum, we know how to de-gnome a garden--"
Written across the book in fancy gold letters were the words Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests . There was a big photograph on the front of a very good-looking wizard with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. As always in the wizarding world, the photograph was moving; the wizard, kept winking cheekily up at them all. He was no doubt handsome, but Ria found his attitude mildly ridiculous. Mrs. Weasley beamed down at him.
"Oh, he is marvelous," she said. "He knows his household pests, all right, it's a wonderful book..."
"Mum fancies him," said Fred, in a very audible whisper. Ria chuckled.
"Don't be so ridiculous, Fred," said Mrs. Weasley, her cheeks rather pink. "All right, if you think you know better than Lockhart, you can go and get on with it, and woe betide you if there's a single gnome in that garden when I come out to inspect it."
Yawning and grumbling, the Weasleys slouched outside with Harry behind them. Ria went ahead to collect the dishes.
"Oh no dear!", Mrs. Weasley said hurrying over. "I can do that. You should get some sleep."
"I'm fine Mrs. Weasley, really", Ria insisted. "I'll just get these dishes done, take my things up to Ginny's room and then go outside."
"I hope you won't mind terribly if I crash in your room for a while", Ria said after knocking on Ginny's door.
"No it's all right. You could tell me all about Hogwarts!"
"It's going to be your first year, huh?", Ria asked pulling her things inside.
"Yeah... I'm a bit nervous..."
"You'll be fine....and I'm betting you already know more about Hogwarts than I do"
"My brother's don't tell me a thing", she complained her lips setting down in a firm line.
"Oh well..... I'll tell you what I know. You could always ask Harry as well."
Ginny blushed crimson at this making Ria giggle. "That bad, huh?"
She ended up sitting and chatting with Ginny before going back to help Mr's Weasley with lunch.
The front door suddenly slammed.
"That's Arthur", Mrs. Weasley said bustling around. "Would you mind...."
"On it", Ria said walking out.
Mr. Weasley was a thin man, going bald, but the little hair he had was as red as any of his children's. He was wearing long green robes, which were dusty and travel-worn. He looked extremely weary.
"Hello, Mr. Weasley", Ria greeted smiling at him where he was slumped in one of the couches, his glasses off and eyes closed.
Mr. Weasley looked on as she took the tea pot and handed him a cup.
"And who might you be?", Mr. Weasley enquired sounding perplexed.
"Oh, I'm Ria. I'm Ron's friend. He might have mentioned me coming over?"
"Yes, ofcourse!" Mr. Weasley said giving her a bright smile. "The twins talk about you quite a lot as well."
"You can't help but not talk about her, dad." Fred said entering the kitchen followed by the rest of the boys.
"Yes, she's a rather interesting woman, I must admit", George added with a cheeky grin.
Ria rolled her eyes at them and went back to the kitchen to put the kettle in place.
"What a night," Mr. Weasley was saying. "Nine raids. Nine! And old Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on me when I had my back turned..."
"Find anything, Dad?" said Fred eagerly.
"All I got were a few shrinking door keys and a biting kettle," yawned Mr. Weasley. "There was some pretty nasty stuff that wasn't my department, though. Mortlake was taken away for questioning about some extremely odd ferrets, but that's the Committee on Experimental Charms, thank goodness..."
"Why would anyone bother making door keys shrink?" said George.
"Just Muggle-baiting," sighed Mr. Weasley. "Sell them a key that keeps shrinking to nothing so they can never find it when they need it... Of course, it's very hard to convict anyone because no Muggle would admit their key keeps shrinking - they'll insist they just keep losing it. Bless them, they'll go to any lengths to ignore magic, even if it's staring them in the face... But the things our lot have taken to enchanting, you wouldn't believe--"
"LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?"
Mrs. Weasley had appeared, holding a long poker like a sword. Mr. Weasley's eyes jerked open. He stared guiltily at his wife. Ria stiffled a laugh. Yeah, she definitely hadn't known about the car.
"C-cars, Molly, dear?"
"Yes, Arthur, cars," said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes flashing. "Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it apart to see how it worked, while really he was enchanting it to make it fly ."
Mr. Weasley blinked.
"Well, dear, I think you'll find that he would be quite within the law to do that, even if - er - he maybe would have done better to, um, tell his wife the truth... There's a loophole in the law, you'll find... As long as he wasn't intending to fly the car, the fact that the car could fly wouldn't--"
"Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, Harry arrived this morning in the car you weren't intending to fly!"
"Harry?" said Mr. Weasley blankly. "Harry who?"
He looked around, saw Harry, and jumped.
"Good lord, is it Harry Potter? Very pleased to meet you, Ron's told us so much about--"
"Your sons flew that car to Harry's house and back last night!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "What have you got to say about that, eh?"
"Did you really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Did it go all right? I - I mean," he faltered as sparks flew from Mrs. Weasley's eyes, "that - that was very wrong, boys - very wrong indeed..."
Mrs. Weasley looked like she was ready to explode and Ria saw the boys take the slip and leave poor Mr. Weasley to face the music.
Ron started upstairs and Harry followed, pulling Ria along by the hand.
"Where are we running off to exactly?", Ria enquired amused.
"To see Ron's bedroom", Harry replied.
Ginny's door stood slightly ajar and her brown eyes were visible throughout the gap. As soon as she saw Harry, she slammed it shut.
"Ginny," said Ron. "You don't know how weird it is for her to be this shy. She never shuts up normally--"
Ria giggled.
"What?", Harry and Ron asked together.
"Oh, nothing", Ria said still chuckling.
They climbed two more flights until they reached a door with peeling paint and a small plaque on it, saying RONALD'S ROOM .
The inside looked like someone had set it on fire.
Ron had covered nearly every inch of the shabby wallpaper with posters of the same seven witches and wizards, all wearing bright orange robes, carrying broomsticks, and waving energetically.
"Your Quidditch team?" said Harry.
"The Chudley Cannons," said Ron, pointing at the orange bedspread, which was emblazoned with two giant black C's and a speeding cannonball. "Ninth in the league."
Ron's school spellbooks were stacked untidily in a corner, next to a pile of comics that all seemed to feature The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle. Ron's magic wand was lying on top of a fish tank full of frog spawn on the windowsill, next to his fat gray rat, Scabbers, who was snoozing in a patch of sun.
"It's a bit small," said Ron quickly looking at them. "Not like that room you had with the Muggles. Maybe smaller than the orphanage too. And I'm right underneath the ghoul in the attic; he's always banging on the pipes and groaning..."
Harry, grinning widely, said, "This is the best house I've ever been in."
Ron's ears went pink.
"He isn't wrong", Ria declared contentedly, sitting down on the side of Ron's bed. "Our houses are Muggle homes. They don't have the feel of magic around them. It...feels like home.", she said smiling brightly.