Third Year 1990-1991 Part 2
“Get up,” he felt a light smacking on his face. “Get up, Ron.” The smacking continued. “I can’t believe I’m about to do this, you are allowed to bring it up to my uncles,” the voice murmured above him.
“RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY YOU GET UP THIS SECOND!” The voice of his mam screeched at him.
Ron sprung up, “I’m awake, I’m awake” he whipped his head around to not see his mam glaring at him, but instead his older sister who had her arms folded over her chest. “What did you do to your hair?” He asks dumbly.
She laughed at him, “I have a date, here eat this and get dressed.” She hands him a tray of food that she had put on his side table. It’s then he notices she’s wearing a blouse and trousers. He eats quickly and gets dressed. When he leaves he notices only Harry and Neville are gone. When he gets down to the common room he brings it up. “It’s not fair Dean and Seamus are sleeping in, it’s a Saturday.”
She guides him out the door, “Trust me Ronnikins, you’ll like we're going.” He wrinkles his nose at the nickname but lets himself be pulled along. Rhiannon is really lucky he loves her because he’d never allow this otherwise. They eventually come to a doorway, which his sister knocks on three times.
A witch opens the door, “Ah! Rhiannon Weasley and Ron Weasley come on in! We’ve been expecting you. I’m Juniper Hunt,” she enthusiastically shakes his hand and pulls him inside. Rhiannon follows sedately behind.
“Rhiannon! Hi! You came!” a witch who looks to be the little sister of the first girl greets his sister.
“Hi, Belladonna! I brought my little brother. Figured he’d like it here.” At that moment Ron notices the chessboard.
“Chess?”
Rhiannon cackles, “This is Hogwarts, very own chess club. Belladonna is a student I helped last year who likes to catch up with me from time to time. When I mentioned my chess loving little brother, well she just had to invite us.”
“Chess,” Ron breathily says, “Hi I’m Ron Weasley,” he offers to the several students scattered around the room.
“YOU, MY LITTLE COUSIN HATES YOU!” An older student yells from where he’s sat. “He says you are very infuriating to play against. Hi, hello, Quill Penrose.” He introduces.
Suddenly he knows exactly who that is, “I can’t wait to clobber you like your cousin.”
Rhiannon laughs and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Have fun! I’d wish you good luck but I know you don’t need it.” Then Ron is left alone.
Daddy,
Remember when I was little and you were teaching me our family's history? Well I think it is time we make our Weasley Ancestors proud. I know Ron has been writing home about Harry, and so has Percy. But recently I went to the Hospital Wing with him. Since he's on the quidditch team, as the youngest seeker. It's not good, his muggles have mistreated him so much. He has to be on so many potions to even partially catch up to his peers health wise. I know we don't have the most space but I was thinking since Charlie and Bill have otherwise moved out we can put Perce in the attic room. Then Ron and Harry can share a room. Since I am not letting him go back.
Your Buttercup,
Rhiannon
Harry hadn't wanted to go to the Hospital Wing alone. Well, Wood was with him and he was nice. If a bit quidditch obsessed but he wasn't quite comfortable. He thought maybe one of the Weasley siblings, Fred and George were out as they'd make jokes. Ron too despite being his first friend, he didn't want to seem weak to the taller boy. Percy, Harry didn't know that well. He seemed a bit swamped with his duties and studying.
The left Rhiannon Weasley. She was very nice and affectionate with all the first years. She was even teaching him about wizarding culture! Instead of just assuming. She had given him a hug the first night at Hogwarts. He was looking over at her and Ron. He could admit in the privacy of his own mind that he was a bit jealous. Then she came and enveloped him in a hug. It was too much, and not enough. His skin was buzzing and she was very soft and warm. When it was over and she was moving on to the other first years, he could still feel the warmth of her on his skin.
He also remembered something she told him and the others in the tutoring group, “If any of you need anything don't be afraid to ask me or Gemma.” The slytherin prefect that sat in the corner studying during the sessions waved her hand as they all turned to her. The way she said it made it seem like she was being very earnest.
So he asked her, and she said, “I'd be happy too. Thank you for trusting me enough to come to me for this.”
They went and Madam Pomphrey asked and cast the charms after he agreed, when she read the paper, she got angry. Well Harry probably wouldn't have been able to tell, if he didn't get so good at reading people. That's one of the things his family taught him. Rhiannon had held his hand and squeezed it, the touches of the Weasley siblings had stopped making his skin buzz. The lingering warmth was still there.
“Is everything alright Madam Pomphrey?” Rhiannon had asked after the silence lasted for too long.
“I don't think this is something I should discuss with another student, Miss Weasley.”
“C-can she stay please?” Harry had gotten very desperate at the thought of Rhiannon waiting outside with Wood. “I want her here.”
Madam Pomphrey seemed to take that in, and then explained about how he was malnourished and that his body had multiple injuries that didn't heal correctly. His magic was stretched very thin and “Honestly, I'm surprised you are getting the marks in the practical portions of your class. Your magic core is very strained.” She went on to explain that he would need to be on several potions to even make it so his body would be better. She wasn't sure that he'd ever be as tall as he would be. There are consequences to such things. He left out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. “Mr. Potter,” she had hesitated, eyes flicking to the teen girl holding his hand still, “I have a couple questions for you about your home. Yes or no. You can just nod or shake your head.”
He doesn't want to think about the questions, but with each nod of his head. Madam Pomphrey had seemed to grow angrier and angrier. She didn't show it, he didn't think Rhiannon caught it. It made him uneasy and he squeezed the older girl's hand tightly. After it was over he had been given some potions and informed to come back tomorrow so “After breakfast for another dose.”
“She was angry,” he was still hold Rhiannon's hand.
Rhiannon had stopped from walking and turned to him, she crouched down. “It wasn't at you darling,” she said it so gently like she was trying to soothe his anxieties.
“Ok. Um Rhiannon, what's a magic core?”
She smiled at him, “It's the term we use for where our magic likes to settle when we aren't using it,” she pointed at a place between his heart and abdomen, “that's where is sits for male magicians. In female magicians it's a bit lower.”
“Oh, thanks.” for explaining things, coming with me, hugging me.
“You're welcome, any time. Now come along we have to get you to bed.
Minerva,
One of your lions has a subpar home life. I wish to speak to you about this in my office, as soon as possible.
Poppy
Mum,
Thanks for the bonnet and extra hair things. Really you're a lifesaver! I'm sure you'd understand if you could see the poor girl's hair. Me and Rhia, will be having a little hair care party in Lee's dorm since some of the boys wish to attend. Rhia is of course cleaning in it before and setting up the gramophone, she found some old albums from the 70s and 80s, somewhere. I don't know where she finds these things honestly.
My grades are going well and so is quidditch. We have a new chaser! Her name is Katie Bell and she is tiny. You'd love her. Lee has been a terror as always. He is sending his love off to his favorite auntie and uncle.
Love,
Angelina
Angelina had been waiting for the opportunity to help the little Granger girl with her hair. Thank fuck Rhia has a big sister problem. In that she cannot turn off the big sister part of her brain. They had dragged the girl up to Lee's room.
“I well my mum's hair isn't like mine, and my dad doesn't have any,” the little first year explained, her cool dark skin grew a deep red, as she explained. “And well we don't really live close to family.”
“No shame in that, no one's ever taught you. Never too late to learn, I'm sure you know that.” Rhia told her gently. Honestly it made Angelina disgusted in a fond way that she was always trying to sister everything smaller than her. She's already caught some ducklings in the form of Potter, and a couple of other Houses firsties. Speaking of Potter and Dean Thomas (?) She thinks the boys' names were here too. So was Ron but she thinks he just didn't wish to be left out.
“This here is a bonnet, it'll help with protecting your hair while you sleep,” Angelina started her hair crash course as Rhia put a Bonnie Tyler record on the gramophone. A bonnet went to Harry and Dean also, Ron claimed he didn't need one. They helped put the hair masks in each other's hair, Angelina explained it all as they went. A few stay in product were put in after they washed their hair in the 3rd year bathroom. Which she suspects Rhia had also gotten to.
At the end of the night Hermione had some cute twists in her hair and Angelina had taken a pair of scissors to the more dead and hopeless parts. She didn't lose as much as she thought originally. Rhia carefully added red and gold beads to Hermione’s hair. “If you want to change your hair, let me know. We can change it as often as you want. In our first year Ange, had me changing her hair so much. I think I got calluses from braiding and twisting.”
“Oh sod off Weasley!”
“Well if you want me too, but who's going to do the knotless braids in your hair?” Rhiannon then got up as if she was leaving.
“Oi get back here, we are not leaving my hair down! I have quidditch practice tomorrow!”
Hermione was laughing at the two of them.
“I for one think you'd look good just rocking the afro, Ange,” Lee commented, she scoffed and threw a pillow at him.
Mam,
Firstly, Happy Birthday!
I'm very pleased to learn that you and Charlie are talking again. I know you just want the best for him and for him to be safe and happy. Honestly though I couldn't have found any other thing that he would rather do. As to answer your question I think the sweater should be a bit bigger than Gin's.
School is going quite well, I am enjoying all my class choices. Recently I've been helping to feed some of the creatures on the grounds. Briallen is still as fat and spoiled as ever. I am making sure the boys eat enough too. Especially since their first quidditch match is soon.
Love,
Rhiannon
She sent her letter off with the school owl, it wasn't quite their birthday yet it was the day before. Even if it got delivered early she doubts her mam would open it until it was. Her letters were always succinct and short to her parents, Percy writes endlessly about what's happening and what sort of trouble the twins are getting into. Nothing that interesting is happening in her life, well her girlfriend is very interesting, however her parents don't need to know about her until she wants to tell them about her.
While the wizarding world is much more tolerant of such things then the muggle one. Rhiannon still can't get rid of the feelings that she's sure are from the Before™ about it. Her stomach twists at the thought of losing their love. The person she was Before™ she doesn't know much about. Only vague impressions outside of anything Harry Potter related, or well knowledge of the world.
“Hello Rhiannon,” Gemma's voice pulls her out of her spiraling thoughts.
“Hello, sending letters off?” She asks her. Gemma nods her head, “To my Uncle Robert, the little Granger girl keeps asking history questions. It was a mistake letting her know what my family's favorite pastime was.” She says it glumly but Rhiannon can tell that she doesn't really mean in.
“You could always just have her write letters to your Uncle Robert herself.” Rhiannon informs her.
Gemma's eyes get wide and she shudders, “I do not think that is wise,” the horror in her voice is palatable. “You have any ideas how the twins will be pranking you?”
It was the younger girl's turn to shudder, “No, I've been trying my best to avoid those two squirts and Ange. I love those two but they are a bit much. Ah, I am worried they'll be going after you.”
“Ah I guess it's the risk of dating you. Totally worth it.” Gemma cheerfully tells her.
“You say that now,” Rhiannon tells her melodramatically. Gemma laughs at her, she joins not too long after.
“Fred Emrys and George Emlyn Weasley!” Rhiannon storms into the Great Hall for breakfast. Another mistletoe joins the few she's accumulated as she steps through the doorway.
“Ah dearest sister, it seems you have a problem,” George tells her as innocently as possible, not that Rhiannon believes it for a second. She glares at him.
“Looks like you need to kiss someone to get rid of the problem.” Fred comments doing his best impression of an innocent person.
Rhiannon stands there glaring at them for another minute, hands on her hips. She was not kissing Gemma, they had yet and she didn't want it to be to stop a jinx of some sort. Rhiannon then huffs, and gives them a coy smile before flouncing over to where Percy is studying while eating breakfast.
“Huh?” Barely coherent and probably still tired, she gives him a peck on his cheek, the mistletoe pops aways. “Thank you?”
It was a short-lived victory; the jinx lasted until lunch, every time she walked through a doorway she gained a mistletoe. It was fine though her friends just got a lot of forehead and cheek kisses.
After dinner Gemma pulls her aside and gives her a kiss on the lips. The torch they are standing near flares up. “Next time your brothers hit you with such a jinx feel free to kiss me.”
Rhiannon hand was hovering over her lips, she felt very lightheaded, “I didn't want our first kiss to be because of some jinx.”
“Oh, sorry it kinda is now then.” Gemma's cheeks colored pink as she looked to the side.
“Were you jealous?” She teases the older girl.
“Maybe just a bit-. I mean the kiss to your brother was fine but then I had to hear about how you kissed just about everybody else but me.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“No! It’s fine, I understand, now.” she murmurs the last part, “Happy Birthday!” Gemma quickly shoves a box into her hand a runs off. Rhiannon gets the faintest impression she's still a bit flustered.
Rhiannon just stands holding the gift in hand, “That was my first kiss.”
The high-pitched sound similar to kettle that came after shall never be mentioned.
The next morning Rhiannon walks into breakfast a pair of glass earrings preserving little yellow irises in them. Her first stop was the Slytherin table where Gemma was sitting with Terrence Higgs, Marcus Flint, and Zinnia Holmes, an array of papers around each of them.
“Weasley! You better not be here to sneak a peak.” Flint cscas put as he scrambles to cover up his papers. Gemma turns at that.
“Pfft, please Flint like Oliver would send someone to spy when he already knows that he'll tramp all over you.” Rhiannon replies. “I'm actually here to visit my girlfriend.”
“Morning and Happy Samhain,” she tells her, tucking stray hair behind her ear.
Gemma's eyes instantly start sparkling, “Morning and Happy Samhain, I see you liked the gift.” She smiles coyly, “I also see I was right and it would compliment the blonde in your hair.”
Rhiannon’s face heats up pleased, and she gives her kiss on the cheek before twirling around to sit at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. As soon as she sits down, Fred and George are waggling their eyebrows.
“Sod off,” she tells them as she gets some porridge and starts adding marmalade in it.
“Oh Gred, it looks like our master plan worked perfectly.” He said as he slung an arm around her other brother.
“Why yes it did Forge, but it took sometime.”
Rhiannon rolled her eyes, “We'll be having a talk about consent soon."