"Supper's almost ready, my dear," Molly said, cracking open the door, "ham soup and potatoes tonight."

I looked up from my spot at the window, shaking my head. I wasn't hungry, even though the enticing smell wafting up from the kitchen was enough to make me drool. I suppose it was a way of scolding myself for leaving my life behind.

My owl had just come back from Hogwarts, one of my letters clutched in its talons protectively, but I knew it was useless. It had been burned. Again. The twelfth of my letters was forbidden from reaching the one person it was meant to be for.

"I'm not hungry, Mrs. Weasley," I sighed, "not today."

The woman poked her head in through the door, "you can call me Molly, darling."

"Thank you...Molly."

She glanced at me one more time, before shutting the door with a soft click. I knew she was only trying to look out for me, but I couldn't push aside the guilt wracked through my body. Everyone thought I was a traitor, a murderer, a girl who went mad in the maze that day —and the one person who believed me, I couldn't even see.

I just...

"Oh, will you leave the poor girl alone!" I heard Molly's voice scold from outside of my door, "she's been through enough, and she doesn't need you two drooling over her!"

I snapped my head towards the hallway, where the sounds of giggling could now be heard from behind the thin walls. I recognized the voices immediately.

"We aren't drooling, mum," Fred laughed, "we're just trying to cheer her up."

Molly wasn't having it, "what's that bottle then, eh?"

"Nothing," the two twins said in unison.

"Fred and George Weasley, that bright-pink liquid better not be the potion I think it is, or I will have you out of this house before you can count to—"

"Lighten up a little will ya'" George teased, "we just think she'll feel happier smelling whatever she smells in Amortentia."

No, I wouldn't.

It would make me want to scream.

"Well, she won't let you in, anyways," Molly declined thankfully, trudging down the stairs, "so stay out of her business, you two buffoons."

I exhaled, turning back to the burnt letter in my hands. I should have known my owl was intercepted, because it's happened time and time again. I can never seem to get any message out.

As I collapsed onto the side of my bed, I closed my eyes, trying to sink into the mattress. I found this to be a great coping mechanism as of late. It helped to envision all the stress, anger, sadness, and hatred seeping out of my skin for just a few moments of silence.

I could hear the sound of children rushing down the stairs for dinner, followed by the clatter of pans, and the squeaking of door knobs. I had only been in the Burrow for a week, and yet I could memorize everything that was happening. It was like clockwork.

Dinner would be called, then everyone would come running, and the kitchen would be filled with shouts and laughter. I never joined. And I wasn't going to this time—

Something smacked the pane of my window, snapping me out of my thoughts like a light switch. I blinked, rubbing my eyes in confusion, until I saw another pebble ricochet against the glass. I stood up, cautiously peering over the edge.

And there, at the bottom of the window, stood Dumbledore and Professor Mcgonagall.

"Yoohoo!" Mcgonagall called out, extending a velvet-clothed arm towards me, "miss [l/n]! Lovely to see you!"

I blinked, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand. Was I seeing things? Hearing things? Seeing and hearing things? What was the Headmaster of Hogwarts and the Head of Gryffindor doing in the garden of the Weasley's Burrow?

"Erm...Professor?" I said, slowly cranking open the window, "why are you here?"

"To visit you, of course!"

What the hell was happening?

The Headmaster was crouched promptly beside the woman, his grey cap slightly off kilter, and his wand dangling loosely in his hands. I narrowed my eyes in annoyance; this was the man who put me on temporary expulsion and was refusing to let my letters go through.

"You brought Dumbledore with you?" I frowned, turning back to the woman, "he's the headmaster of Hogwarts, and it's a little inappropriate to leave the entire school to check up on an expelled student."

"Excellent point," Dumbledore nodded, wagging his finger, "50 points to Gryffindor for an excellent remark!"

Erm...what?

Okay, in actuality, that seemed like something the Headmaster would do, since he clearly favored Gryffindor and would give random points willy-nilly for the silliest of things.

But...hm.

"Why didn't you use the front door?" I questioned, cocking a brow, "standing in the mud isn't respectable for people of your hierarchy."

They didn't seem to expect that question.

"I quite enjoy the mud," Mcgonagall snapped quickly, "and besides, mum—nO, Molly seems to be quite busy in the kitchen to answer the door."

I frowned, "why don't you ask Ron?"

"Busy too."

"Ginny?"

"Too lazy."

"Percy?"

"Depressed."

"Oh," I smirked, "well, what about Fred and George?"

As soon as I said the names of the two nefarious twins, a look of panic flashed across the two professor's eyes. Mcgonagall glanced at Dumbledore, whispering something, before turning back to where I sat perched upon the window ledge.

"What about them?" She questioned, clearing her throat.

I repeated myself, "why can't they answer the door?"

Something slipped out of Dumbledore's mouth.

"They're dead," he said, before getting a whack from Mcgonagall, "no, I mean, they're deadly asleep, sorry, knocked out into peaceful slumber, shouldn't bother such fine gentlemen."

"Oh, I don't mind," I shrugged, "I'll go wake them myself."

"NO!"

I stopped at their sudden outburst, turning towards the pair in interest. "Hm?"

I wasn't in the mood for games, yet I couldn't help but find myself pulled into this one. It provided me a bit of distraction from my hungry stomach, and my haunting memories.

"You shouldn't go through all that trouble," Mcgonagall said quickly, "just hoist us a ladder and we can climb right up."

I shook my head.

"Goodnight," I said, beginning to close the window, "but one more thing."

They both stared up at me with watery eyes, "yes?"

"Impersonating a member of Hogwarts staff is punishable by expulsion," I stated, "Fred and George."

And with that, I shut the window, returning to my bed.