The Unexpected Sisterhood

The Burrow stood as a familiar beacon of warmth, though its crooked walls seemed to lean closer today, as if bracing themselves for the news about to shatter the peaceful atmosphere.

The six friends—Hermione, Ginny, Pansy, Harry, Ron, and Draco—lingered just outside the gate, their expressions a mixture of determination and nerves. After yesterday’s lunch with the Malfoy family and their secrets being revealed out the open they figured it was probably best to go ahead and make time to see the Weasley family before they heard about it from anyone else.

“I still think we’re about to light a fuse and hope it doesn’t explode,” Ron muttered, fiddling with the hem of his sleeve.

Ginny rolled her eyes. “You’re acting like this will be the first time Mum’s ever been mad. She gets over it.”

Ron shot her a look. “Does she get over demon attacks? Or her son being soul-bound to Pansy Parkinson?”

Pansy raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Don’t sell me short, Weasley. I’m a delight.”

“Can we focus, please?” Hermione interjected, the strain in her voice silencing them. “This isn’t just about us. They need to know what’s happening for their own safety.”

Draco adjusted his scarf, giving her a sidelong glance. “Granger’s right. This isn’t a choice. And it’s better coming from us than some ill-timed rumor or near-death experience.”

“Cheery,” Harry muttered.

Hermione pushed open the gate, the creak of the hinges echoing like a warning. “Let’s just get it over with.”

_____________________

Inside, the chaos of the Burrow enveloped them. Molly’s cheerful voice carried from the kitchen as she directed Fleur, who was calmly setting the table. Bill leaned casually against the mantel in the sitting room, chatting with George. Percy sat on the couch, a pile of parchment balanced on his lap, while Arthur tinkered with a peculiar Muggle clock on the coffee table.

The moment the six entered, the room erupted into greetings. Molly rushed forward, pulling each of her children into a warm hug, her sharp eyes briefly scanning Draco and Pansy.

“Well, come in, all of you,” she said, her tone neutral but polite. “You must be starving. Lunch is almost ready.”

Arthur greeted them with a kind smile, though his curiosity was evident. “Good to see you all. How’s the year going?”

“Eventful,” Hermione answered tightly.

“That’s one way to put it,” Ron muttered.

“What did you do this time?” George quipped, his grin mischievous. “Blow something up? Summon a banshee? I must say, we were all very intrigued to find out what you had to talk to us about so urgently that you had to take time out of your school year to come and see us for a Sunday lunch. not even just you for, but you bring two little Slytherin pets alongside”

Ginny cleared her throat, ignoring George’s remarks about the Slytherin’s,silencing the room. “We need to talk. All of you.”

Molly’s cheerful demeanor faltered. “What is it, Ginny? You look pale.”

“This isn’t easy to explain,” Hermione began, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. “But it’s important you hear it from us.”

“Well there is no way to really say this gently so I’m just gonna go ahead and rip off the Band-Aid quickly,” Ginny took a steadying breath. “We’re the Charmed Ones.”

Percy blinked. “The what?”

“It means we’ve been chosen by ancient magic to protect the magical world,” Hermione explained. “We’ve been given powers.”

“Powers?” Molly echoed, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Hermione raised her hand, freezing the flames in the fireplace. Gasps echoed around the room as the fire held unnaturally still.

Pansy stepped forward, flicking her wrist to send a teacup sliding across the table. “Telekinesis,” she said smugly.

“And I get premonitions,” Ginny added softly.

The explanations were met with a stunned silence, broken only by Arthur’s quiet, “Good heavens.”

“And it’s not just about the powers,” Ron said reluctantly. “There’s… more.”

“Of course there is,” George said dryly. “There always is.”

Hermione steeled herself. “We’ve also discovered soulmate bonds.”

The word hung in the air like a thunderclap.

“What?” Molly whispered.

“Ginny and Harry already had one,” Hermione continued, “but the rest of us discovered ours recently. Draco and I… Ron and Pansy…”

George was the first one to react with a snort of laughter, but was quickly silenced by a glare from Molly.

“Bloody hell,” Charlie muttered, his gaze shifting between them.

Before the tension could rise further, a low growl echoed through the room. Shadows coalesced near the fireplace, forming into a hulking demon with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp claws.

“Get back!” Hermione shouted, raising her hand. The demon froze, but her control faltered, and it broke free, snarling.

Pansy hurled a heavy chair at it, while Ginny clutched her head, gasping as a vision overtook her.

“It’s going for Mum!” Ginny shouted.

Arthur pulled Molly out of the way as Harry and Ron fired Stunning Spells. The demon roared, advancing on Hermione, she tried to freeze it again, but this time before her powers could take hold the demon slice to the air and caught her across the chest. Draco from the other side of her screamed and shot a bombarda to hit the demon, while Harry and Ron, Charlie and Bill all shot stunners at the demon.

The demon stuck lay on the ground and moving. Everything seemed to pause for a second, but Ginny was the first one to come back around.

“Snape! Snape we need you!” She screamed at the top of her lungs to get the white lighters attention. The Weasley family looked at her as if she had lost her mind. But before any of them could say anything.Snape appeared in a glow of golden lights, his wand slicing through the air as he obliterated the demon in one strike.

As soon as the demon had disappeared, Professor Snape turned around and rushed to Hermione to heal the gashes across her chest as she was laying in Draco’s lap, and he was trying to stop her from bleeding out.

The room was silent save for Molly’s startled gasp, her hand flying to her mouth as she stared at the glowing golden light surrounding Snape.

“Severus?” she whispered, her voice trembling as though she couldn’t trust her eyes.

Snape’s expression didn’t shift, though his tone was as dry as ever. “Yes, Molly. Try to contain your shock.”

“Alive?” Arthur managed, his brow furrowed in disbelief.

“Quite,” Snape replied, a sardonic smirk tugging at his lips. “Though I must say, death had its benefits. Silence, for one.”

George let out a low whistle, breaking the tension. “Well, this just got interesting.”

Snape ignored him, instead striding toward Hermione, who lay cradled in Draco’s lap. With a flick of his wrist, his hands emitted a warm golden light, sealing the gashes on her chest.

“Hold still, Granger,” Snape muttered, his focus unyielding. “Though I suspect this won’t be your last encounter with mortal peril.”

Hermione winced but managed to retort, “It’s not exactly like I go looking for it, Professor.”

“Debatable,” Snape said, his lips twitching as if holding back a sharper comment.

Once the wounds were healed, Draco’s grip on Hermione tightened protectively. “Thank you,” he said grudgingly.

Snape raised an eyebrow. “You’re welcome, though I suggest you keep her alive yourself next time, Malfoy. I’m not here to clean up after your failures.”

As Snape rose to his full height, the rest of the room seemed to remember how to breathe.

“Someone explain what’s going on,” Percy demanded, his face pale but composed. “Why is Professor Snape here? And why did he just appear out of thin air?”

“Good question,” Charlie added, his wand still gripped tightly in his hand.

Snape turned to face the room, his dark eyes sweeping over the assembled Weasleys and their partners. “I am their White Lighter,” he stated simply, as if that explained everything.

“That’s not an explanation,” Molly said sharply, her shock giving way to indignation. “What does that even mean?”

“A White Lighter,” Snape began, his tone clipped, “is a magical guardian assigned to witches or wizards of extraordinary destiny. My job is to guide these three through their role as the Charmed Ones, heal them when needed, and ensure they survive long enough to fulfill their purpose.”

“The Charmed Ones,” Arthur echoed, his voice low with awe. “That’s… incredible.”

“Incredibly dangerous,” Snape corrected. “You’ve only seen a fraction of the threats they’ll face. This demon attack? Merely the beginning.”

“Why you?” George asked bluntly, crossing his arms. “No offense, but you don’t exactly scream ‘guardian angel.’”

Snape’s lips curled into a sneer. “Believe me, Weasley, I didn’t choose this. The Elders, the governing forces of magical balance, decided I was the most… suitable candidate for the job.”

“That’s a terrifying thought,” Ron muttered under his breath.

“More terrifying than you attempting to handle this alone?” Snape shot back.

Ron flushed, but before he could respond, Pansy spoke up. “He’s right, you know. As much as I hate to admit it, Snape’s already saved our lives more than once.”

Revelations from Snape

Snape folded his arms, fixing the girls with a stern gaze. “Speaking of which, it’s time to discuss the seriousness of your situation. The Elders have instructed me to ensure you begin training more rigorously. Your powers will grow exponentially in the coming months, and without proper control, they could overwhelm you.”

Hermione frowned. “Our powers are already increasing. How much stronger are we talking?”

“Much,” Snape replied. “Your soulmate bonds will amplify your abilities, connecting your magical cores in ways that will make you far more formidable. However, that connection will also make you vulnerable. If one of you falters, the others will feel it. Your enemies will exploit this.”

Ginny bit her lip. “So we need to learn to fight together.”

“Precisely,” Snape said. “Both with your Charmed powers and your traditional magical abilities. You’ve been fortunate thus far, but luck will not sustain you.”

“What about the ancient power?” Hermione asked, her voice steady but curious.

“That,” Snape said, his tone grave, “is a question only the Founders of Hogwarts can answer. The ancient power is tied to this school, to its magic, and to its origins. Fortunately, their spirits can still be contacted.”

“You mean the Founders’ ghosts?” Bill asked, his brow furrowing.

“Not ghosts,” Snape corrected. “Their spirits linger in a magical plane, accessible only through the Chamber of Founders, a hidden location within Hogwarts.”

Hermione’s eyes lit up with determination. “How do we find it?”

“I will guide you when the time comes,” Snape said. “But be warned: seeking answers from the Founders will not be without risk. They do not give their wisdom freely, and you may face trials to prove your worth.”

The Weasleys React

As Snape finished, the room erupted into overlapping voices.

“Trials?” Molly said, her voice rising in alarm. “You can’t expect them to—”

“They don’t have a choice,” Snape interrupted.

“What happens if they fail?” Percy demanded, his expression tight.

“They won’t,” Snape said simply, his confidence unsettling.

“You’re putting a lot of faith in them,” George remarked, his tone lighter but his eyes serious.

“I’m putting faith in their potential,” Snape corrected. “Whether they live up to it is another matter entirely.”

The tension eased slightly as Draco cleared his throat. “Since we’re all sharing big news, I should mention that my parents have invited all of you to Malfoy Manor for Christmas Day.”

The room fell silent again, though this time the atmosphere was less shocked and more incredulous.

“Excuse me?” Molly said, her eyes narrowing.

“Christmas at the Malfoy Manor,” Draco repeated, meeting her gaze evenly. “They extended the invitation to everyone.”

“To all of us?” Arthur asked, clearly surprised.

“Yes,” Draco said firmly. “It’s important to my parents that they meet everyone properly, given the circumstances.”

After a moment, Arthur nodded slowly. “We’ll discuss it as a family.”

“Lovely,” Snape drawled. “If we’re done here, I’ll take my leave. Try not to summon me again unless you’re truly incapable of handling yourselves.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Hermione said sincerely, her tone softening.

Snape inclined his head slightly. “Don’t thank me yet.” With that, he disappeared in another burst of golden light, leaving the Weasley family to process everything they had just learned.