First Year 1989-1990
Rhiannon tried to find a compartment to herself with no brothers. It didn't last long.
The compartment door slammed opened startling the almost twelve year old, “Rhiannon, our dearest,-”
“Most favorite older sister-”
“You weren't planning on-”
“hiding away the whole train ride?” Fred and George ping-ponged the question between them to her. Rhiannon rolled her eyes with such force it felt like they were about to fall out. “Firstly, I'm your only older sister, and secondly if it means not having to see Fred's ugly mug then yes.”
At this Fred gasped and put his hand on his heart, “Me ugly but I'm as charming and handsome as George.”
George laughed, “ha I always knew I was the-”
“I guess that means George is just as ugly.” Rhiannon cut off her little brother.
Rhiannon was quickly dragged into a cabin with uncolored ties and uniforms, the twins and her exchanging quips back and forth the whole way. Rhiannon recognized Cedric immediately, dirty blonde hair forever windswept. Next to him was a boy with dreads, and a girl with twists in her hair.
“Ah, hello there, you must be Rhiannon,” the girl smiled at her, dark onyx eyes sparkled. “I'm Angelina Johnson. I'm really glad to have another girl here. This lug is Lee Jordan, I've been stuck with him ever since we were little kids. Our mum's are the best of friends.”
“That's how I feel about the twins, we share a mam though. I've not been able to get rid of them since I was six months old.” Rhiannon sniffed primly. “It's a pleasure to meet you, I like your hair, it reminds me of our nana.”
“Wait six months!?” Lee barked in surprise.
“Yes they were quite premature But well they just had to be born on April 1st.” Rhiannon shrugged in a what can you do way.
“Not to worry, we are hale and whole now. St Mungos pediatrics ward is quite good for a reason, isn't that right Gred?”
“Exactly Forge! Now how do you think we'll be sorted?”
“My money is on fighting a troll.” Rhiannon joked from where she sat. Her little brothers cackled from their seats. The train ride was very fun, even if her brothers had dragged her away from her recon mission. To see what's been going on for the last few years. When they arrived she could see the giant towering form of Hagrid. “First years! First years this way! Follow me,” he called out and led them towards the boats. Rhiannon got a glimpse of where the older students were heading and her breath caught. Thestrals, their black skeletal forms were attached to the carriages. She quickly looked forward trying to forget what she saw.
How could she see them, Rhiannon wondered. She's never seen anyone die before. Is it because she can see spirits? Numbly she sat in a boat barely registering who else was in it with her.
As the boats headed past a very convenient rock formation she saw Hogwarts. She gasped in awe, it was more beautiful than the movies ever made it seem. The towering castle practically sang to her.
They got out of the boats and McGonagall led them to the sorting ceremony. She barely paid attention to it before it was just her and her brothers left. “Weasley, Fred!” The Scottish woman called out and Rhiannon barely held in a snort while she watched the wrong twin go to get sorted. Of course they would switch. The hat landed on his head and barely a minute later he called out, “Gryffindor!” ‘George's’ sorting was much the same before finally, “Weasley, Rhiannon” was called out.
She sucked in a breath and walked up to the stool sitting on it the hat landed on her head and, ‘My aren't you an interesting one,’ the hat's voice spoke into her mind. ‘Gryffindor, Gryffindor,’ her mind whispered back. ‘Are you sure, you put much more stock into kindness and loyalty then some of the other's I've sorted before,’ the hat asked. ‘Gryffindor, Gryffindor.’
‘This isn't about not belonging to your family, your oldest brother's words soothed your worries down. Slytherin would be a good fit as well with so many ambitious goals and cunning plans.’
‘Please I know, I would be an amazing Slytherin, or an even more amazing Hufflepuff, but I,’ she thought desperately, ‘for those cunning plans and ambitious goals to be true, I need to be brave. So much braver than I've ever been before.’
‘You can be brave in other Houses, you are not beholden to the personality traits associated with each one.’
‘Yes, I know, but they'll be an excuse to not be brave. I can hide behind the different expectations of the houses to not be brave. I need to be brave, my family needs me to be brave.’ “Please.” She whispered.
‘Ah no need to beg so much child. I know where you need to go, it better be,’ “Gryffindor!” The hat yelled. As he was lifted off her head she heard her little brothers chanting “Weasley! Weasley!” She felt her cheeks heat up, as she walked towards them at the Gryffindor table. She let out a shaky laugh of relief and sat next to Percy.
She zoned in when food appeared before her, she was in a floaty place, slowly coming back to the earth and into her body. The newly teen boy peered down at her from his spot next to her. Not that Rhiannon noticed she was too busy clutching the table in her hands.
“You need to eat. You're a growing girl and mam would be disappointed in Charlie and I, if one of her babies lost weight, under our watch.” He told her, she blinked up at him and looked down at her plate. Rhiannon snorted when she noticed it was filled with all of her favorite food. “I love you too Percy.” She mumbled softly before forcing herself to chew and swallow. The food would probably be really good but it's all very overwhelming. The many students, the argument with the sorting hat, and worst Briallen is not near.
Eventually the meal ends and they are led up to a robust woman in a portrait with a pink dress on. “This is the Fat Lady,” oh Rhiannon forgot about that rude ass name, “tell her the password, Grandstanding, it will change in two weeks.” As they walk in, the Prefect explains the dorm room and other such things. Girls’ dorms this way boys’ dorms that, truth be told Rhiannon isn't paying to close attention, she's already floating again.
She follows her new roommates Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet up to their dorm. Perched on her trunk is her fat spoiled familiar, Briallen. “I really could have had your support in the Great Hall, Briallen Weasley.” She informed the raven curtly using the patented ‘I am Molly Enid Weasley and your mother who is disappointed™’ voice. “Caw.”
“Oh and now you're giving me lip!” Her hands that were on her hips fling into the air. She gingerly picks up the raven as if she was still that little chick who her uncle's spirit led her to, and tossed her onto the bed. “CAW!” Briallen shouts in protest but stays put.
Rhiannon quickly grabs her nightgown and toiletries out of her trunk, when she turns around she sees her two new roommates looking bemusedly at her.
“You talk to your pet bird?” Angelina asks.
“I talk to my familiar,” Rhiannon replies sniffing.
“I've heard that word before but I don't really get the difference.”
“You're muggle-born aren't you?” Alicia asks.
“Yup, both of my parents are muggles, we were very lucky that Lee's dad is a wizard and could help me and my parents navigate this.”
“Ah, well, pets are different from familiar’s in that familiar’s attach themselves to your magic core. They are generally smarter and listen to commands and such better, they also are partly magical in that they can always find their wix. Their lifespans will also match that of their wix. Pets can become familiars, but they are different,” Rhiannon explains. “Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go change.”
Rhiannon goes through her night time routine as quickly as humanly possible. When she's done she makes a beeline for her bed and promptly passes out.
Before Rhiannon knew it was coming up onto Samhain. The days passed quickly in a whirlwind of school work, bonding with her roommates, and talking to the various spirits around the castle. Which also helped her keep her eyes to the ground for any useful gossip. Dead men tell no tales until they meet a living who can speak to them and suddenly the dead men never leave. The actual founders reminded her a bit of her and her siblings.
Alicia and Angelina (after being introduced to the sport in Angelina's case) were complete and total quidditch heads. Beyond that Alicia had the driest humor and strangest insights. Angelina let Rhiannon do her hair, if she let Angelina do the same. It was wondrous and lovely and reminded Rhiannon of the time when her nana would let her do hers every so often, preferring a short hair style, or wig.
This caused a whole thing with her brothers when she came down for breakfast one day with the hair, usually covering up her face, braided back. She had to let them each do her hair after that otherwise they wouldn't stop pouting. Don't ever let them tell you she's mean.
Her birthday came and so did the twins ‘present’ although she's not too sure how it reached her in the girls’ dorms. As the stairs are enchanted to keep the boys out. As such they have no access; she suspects Angelina and Alicia might've helped. If that's the case she'll have to get them back.
Her uncles have been alternating who is at Hogwarts with her and who is at the Burrow watching over everybody.
“I need to find a druid grove,” Rhiannon told the two spirits in the abandoned hallway.
“You'll be going into the Forbidden Forest, dear.” Helga told her.
“Well yes, I know how this goes by now. But I need to get to a grove. I was hoping one of you could lead me?”
“Follow me.” Salazar said moving out of the classroom. Over the course of her attendance of Hogwarts she found that, surprise, the founders are people too. They laugh and argue, and wrestle around on the ground, in Helga and Godric's case. Rowena is usually with the Grey Lady following her daughter everywhere. Even though the ghosts can't see spirits like Rhiannon can. Salazar never shuts up about his familiar who is all alone and had lived past him, she tries to keep out of her mind that she's a basilisk.
At the grove she sees the four Hogwarts House ghosts. The Bloody Baron raises an eyebrow at her, “This forest is forbidden for a reason. Even more so on this night when the fae procession passes through.”
“Ah too bad I was going to leave out these meat pies and pumpkin juice as an offering here that the house elves made but oh well.” Rhiannon replied.
“Those are from my auntie's recipe,” the Grey Lady pointed out. “I say she should stay.”
“Hold on there she is one of mine! I should get a say in this!” Nearly-Headless Nick shouted.
“I hope you have a very grim death day, I however will be siding with Helena on this one. She out of all of you knows how important a bonfire is for a druid grove,” Rhiannon spoke up revealing her hand.
“How did you know my name? Or that it was Sir Nicholas' death day?”
Helena asked as Rhiannon started setting up, finding an elder tree and collecting the fallen sticks, then moving onto a birch.
“Your mother told me. Sir Nicholas revealed it himself he never shuts up about his death.” she replied cryptically
“My mother has been dead for nearly as long as I,” Helena said, strained.
“Yet her spirit lingers, worrying about her daughter. My own mother would have me believe it is just what mothers do.”
Rhiannon had gathered all of the bundles she would need. Going to the clear center of the grove. She patted around until she could find the stone circle that makes up the fire “pit”. When she did she brushed the debris away from it. And then set the bundles of fallen sticks into the circle and lit them on fire. A quiet spell spoken in Welsh under her breath as she watched the fire burn. The protective magic that burned into existence from the fire spread out with the smoke and washed over her. Despite her complaints about the druids she loved the magic the feeling she got from the magic whenever she did it. She twirled around the fire, careful not to get too close.
The warmth of the bonfires always reminded her of sitting in front of the fireplace at home her family gathered around, of the laughter from sticky hot summer days spent playing around the river, her mam's freshly baked bread or biscuits melting in her mouth from the heat. Yes, despite how annoying and bothersome the spirits can be she wouldn't change it. She'd never tell them of course, otherwise they truly wouldn't ever leave her alone.
When the fire was nothing but red ash she took the food and drink she had gotten from the kitchens and gently placed it on it. The heat not burning her bare feet or hands. “I offer this spread for any weary wanders on this hallowed night.”
Then she stood up and on her way back she let the night's energy wash over her, before she eventually found herself on her bed in Gryffindor tower. The soft crooning of Briallen followed her back.
Waking up was a slow affair, sleep crusted her eyes shut and tried to keep her down. She rubbed her eyes and hummed to herself.
Thirty minutes later she stumbled downstairs into the common room. “Rhiannon!” She heard Charlie shout.
“So loud,” was all she could get out before a palm was on her forehead.
“You're slightly warm now. I know Percy said you'd be fine but you were in bed all day yesterday.” Her second oldest brother ranted worriedly. She let herself be dragged down to the hospital wing.
“Well she seems to have an acute fever now, you said she usually gets fevers around this time of year?” Madam Pomphrey asked after diagnosing her.
“Yes, ever since she was seven,” being the age when the druids finally wore her down enough to do the rites and rituals at the groves, “she's gotten fevers around the Sabbats.” Percy explained.
“Oh, well I'm not entirely sure Miss Weasley but it sounds like your magic is very in tune with the magical changes that happen around that time. Do you know if anyone else in your family is sensitive to such things?”
“Our father's line has magic sensitivity in it. From both our Nana's family and the Weasleys. Not to this extent though. Apparently our Grandmother Rhiannon was afflicted in a similar way.” Percy explained to her.
“I see well I'll just have to write your sister a note for the day, you get plenty of rest. I'll write you a note to your teachers and send some house elves up with food. Now off back to bed you trot.”
The Weasleys were poor, but they were happy. Normally this wouldn't bother Rhiannon after all her belly was always full and she and her family days were full. Unfortunately Rhiannon's plans invovled money.
While in Ottery St Catchpole she could go to Devon and enter herself into chess tourneys. Anyone who lived with her da and Ron, would eventually become half decent at chess. Every loss against them a learning opportunity. She didn't win all the time but she did win enough that she could pay for school supplies for the next few years.
Ron insisted that he give her some of his winnings as she ‘found’ out about the tourneys in the first place. She insisted back that she would take back no more than 10% after much arguing. Her littlest brother being as stubborn as the rest of her family. It's a passive income, but she still needed money. Yay, capitalism!
As midterms approach she had a eureka moment. She one of the top three students of her year. Battling for top spot with Cedric, and a Ravenclaw. She can tutor her yearmates, for a fiver or one galleon a session or a study guide, pretty cheap but also they are a bunch of eleven and twelve years.
The older students however the ones desperate enough to go to a first year who has been consuming all of her older brother's books since they've been in Hogwarts, and who has access to the founders’ spirits and other past teachers, she charges more. The amount might be accused of extortion but they can fuck off. Besides it's only ten galleons. Besides some of the stuff she has to look up which takes time out of her own studies.
Rhiannon was laying on the floor in front of the fire. The yule log was selected by her da and Charlie the day before. Ron and Ginny being so young always fall asleep before the log is ever lit. In the morning it'll still be burning but it's never as wonderful as when it is first set aflame in her opinion.
Before it is lit all the lights in the house are turned out and the only light that illuminates the Burrow is the fire from the log, until morning comes. Rhiannon usually falls asleep in front of the fire and her mam usually stays up in the kitchen preparing food that she can without lighting any of the wood stoves.
That when Rhiannon feels it, a feeling from a lifetime ago. Calmly she gets up and goes to the restroom.
“Maaaaaam!” The twelve year old screams, before the rushing of several pairs of feet come rushing towards her.
A knock, “are you ok dear?” Her mom asks kindly, panic laced her tone.
“This is a witch only situation! If any of the boys are out there they better leave! Yes even, you da!”
Several pairs of foot steps make go else where, “Mam please come in.”
When Rhiannon goes back out to the family room her elder brothers and da are all there on the couch.
“Everything alright Rhia?” Poor innocent Percy asks.
Rhiannon flushes brightly, before her mam replies for her, “Of course everything is alright! Your sister has just made the next step to becoming a woman is all!”
And so that is how Rhiannon first period went. Less said, about her brothers reactions the better. One would think they'd have never met a witch before…
By the time final exams got done with, Rhiannon could safely say she made good progress on her plans. It was a stroke of luck when she found Gemma Farley alone in the library one day.
Gemma Farley is a slytherin student in the same year as Percy. Furthermore she's been teaching the muggle raised students in Slytherin wizarding traditions. Usually she's with at least another person but not right now.
“Hello there, I'm Rhiannon Weasley.” She said after a moment of consideration.
“Yes, I know I'm Gemma Farley.” The older girl raised an eyebrow at Rhiannon, seeming to ask what she wanted.
“I’ve heard you've been teaching the muggle-raised students of Slytherin wizarding traditions.”
Farley bristled, her eyes gained a hard and cold look to them. “What here to tell the slimy snake all about how teaching them such things will lead them to be evil and horrid?”
“Nope.” Rhiannon replied, popping the ‘p’, “I'm here to recruit you.”
The look pure bewilderment that flashed across Farley's face made Rhiannon wish she could take a picture of it to save for later. “Recruit me?” She asked intrigue winning out.
“I'm going to talk now and it'll probably be long. Feel free to stop me if you have any questions. How our world is structured today, especially towards the intaking of muggle-born wix isn't very good for either side. The wizarding world is becoming more Intolerant to creatures, because muggle-born students hear only terrible things about them. Muggle-born students aren't giving the proper introduction they need to understand why the traditions we do are done. It's like going to a whole other country and not learning any basic etiquette. It's not their fault from the questions I've asked the muggle-born students that the impression they get is that Wizarding Britain the the UK are the two sides of the same coin.”
Farley’s dark eyebrows rose higher and higher as she spoke. “That's surprisingly insightful for a Weasley and a Gryffindor.”
Rhiannon snorted, “Well by today's standards the Weasleys old practices of ‘adopting’ magical children from any muggle village that they came across might be considered Grey at best. And people often forget my mother was a Prewett first and they've always been a neutral family.”
“But what does this have to do with recruiting me?”
“I want your help teaching the muggle-born of all houses our traditions, give them a fair chance.”
“They’d never listen to a slytherin,” Farley says bitterly, a hard lesson learned, the spirits told her. It seems she's still bitter about it.
“That may be true. It's a good thing I'm not a slytherin.”
Farley snorted, “Tell me your plan first then I'll decide whether or not I'll let you recruit me.”
When Rhiannon stepped off the train to Platform 9¾ she scanned it for her parents. Thankfully her da's tall form and dark red hair was an easy thing to spot. So was the shorter figure of her mam and her youngest siblings.
“Mam, Da! Ron and Gin!” she called out approaching quickly. “Am I the first to find you?”
“Buttercup! Look at you have you grown taller?” Her da asked her, she rolled her eyes in response remembering he asked her this at the winter hols.
Her older brothers and the twins meet up with them and together the Weasleys leave to start their summer.
TBC...