Erica was sat on her bed. She didn't know what time it was but it was light outside so she just assumed it wasn't too early. When she looked at her door, there was someone knocking at it.

"Come in, but be quiet. Ron's still sleeping." Erica rubbed her eyes.

In walked... Charlie.

"Charlie.. What are you doing here?"

"I had to see my favorite sister." Charlie chuckled and walked over to her bed.

"When did you get here?" Erica asked him.

"Last night." Charlie smiled and hugged her.

Erica hugged onto him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I missed you."

"I missed you more."

"I got your letters."

"All of them?" Erica asked.

"Every single one." Charlie nodded.

Erica sighed and looked up at him,"What time is it?"

"About ten." Charlie hummed.

"Right, right.."

"I brought you a gift." Charlie held out a box.

"A gift?" Erica took the box.

"Don't tell the others." Charlie hummed.

"I won't." Erica assured him as she opened the box.

Inside was a pair of white gloves, she had written to Charlie about her scars.

"Charlie- Thank you!" Erica smiled, quickly putting the gloves on.

Charlie laughed,"They fit okay?"

"Mhm, look!"

"Oh, they're perfect."

"I really like them." Erica hugged Charlie again.

"I'm glad." Charlie hummed and hugged her back.

"What are you doing for the rest of the day?"

"Fred and George want me to help with the magic shop... If you'd like to come too?"

"Of course I want to come and help." Erica nodded eagerly.

"Get dressed then." Charlie chuckled,"I'll meet you downstairs."

"I'll be really quick." Erica told him.

Charlie nodded and left the bedroom. Erica looked at Ron, still asleep before she quickly changed and headed down to meet Charlie.

"Grab something to eat then we can go." Charlie pointed.

Erica nodded, fiddling with her sleeves as she grabbed a piece of toast.

"Anything on the toast?"

"Just toast."

"Just toast will do." He nodded.

Erica smiled, taking a bite out of her toast.

"Hold on to me." Charlie walked over.

"Holding on." Erica grabbed his arm.

Charlie held onto his sister before they apparated to the joke store.

"The cavalry has arrived!" Erica announced before taking another bit of toast.

"Erica!" The twins cheered.

"They like me more than you." Erica whispered to Charlie.

"I can tell." Charlie crossed his arms,"Hi brothers."

"Oh, Charlie, I forgot we invited you." George chuckled as he walked out.

"I literally- Nevermind." Charlie waved them off.

"We're just joking, honest." Fred assured him.

"Good." Charlie nodded.

"Well? How can we help?" Erica asked, still eating.

"Opening day is coming onto us, we need to get some last details up. I have a checklist over there." Fred pointed.

"This is the most organized I've ever seen you." Charlie walked over to the list.

"We want it to be perfect." George nodded.

"Don't worry, it will be. I'm helping you." Erica shrugged.

"Thanks Er." George hummed and walked off to find some lights.

"Right, where to start.." Erica scanned the list.

"Think you wanna hang up the Umbridge?" Fred held up a miniature Umbridge.

"If I could, I would do a lot more." Erica nodded,"Such a shame she disappeared."

"I wonder what happened to her." Fred sighed.

"Yeah." Erica nodded slowly, before walking up the stairs.

"Here's the thread." Fred handed it to her.

"Thank you." Erica hummed, going to hang up the mini Umbridge.

"Careful."

"I'm sixteen, I know how to be careful."

"What were we doing at sixteen?" George walked over.

"Trying to convince mum to even let you do this." Erica hummed.

"But now look at us, we got it." George smiled.

"I mean, you two were young, but you saw her face when I told her I was going off to Romania, didn't you?" Charlie called to them.

"Yeah, I remember." Fred nodded.

"I didn't think I'd make it out of the house in one piece."

"If that's how she reacted with you, how's she going to react to me telling her?" Erica sighed.

"Hopefully she'll warm up to it in time."

"Mum doesn't trust me to remember to eat."

"Because you don't do it enough."

"I do so."

"One slice of toast." Charlie crossed his arms.

"I never said I ate a lot." Erica shook her head.

"You need to."

"I'm fine."

Charlie pointed as the Umbridge began running up and down the thread.

"I really hope this is meant to be happening."

"It is. She's meant to represent a monkey with the symbols."

"Good to know." Erica nodded.

"Think it's fitting." George chuckled.

"Mhm, now what?" Erica turned to them.

"Magic~"

"What kind?"

"How are you with potions?" Fred walked up with some vials, shaped like love hearts.

"Really bad, I only passed because Parker helped me." Erica followed him.

"Can you... Fill up these vials then if I give you the potions?"

"Sure." Erica smiled, holding out her hands.

Fred handed her the vials,"Be careful."

"I'm not going to drop them." Erica sighed.

"I know what you're like." Fred hummed.

"I know what you're like." Erica muttered as she walked off with 5he vials.

After a few minutes, Fred came over with a pink potion.

"What does it smell like, Er?" Fred leaned forward.

"Flowers... And chocolate." Erica told him.

"Interesting.." Fred nodded slowly as he placed the liquid down.

Erica looked between Fred and the liquid,"... What is that?"

"Just... A normal potion." Fred nodded.

"A normal pink potion in a little heart shaped vial?"

"Indeed. It's eye catching." Fred smiled.

"Your eyes will be catching this potion, trust me." Erica shook her head.

"Right, get filling." Fred clapped,"You might even get a pay."

"Filling duty has begun." Erica sat the vial down, starting to pour the potion into them.

"Don't spill!" Fred pointed as he ran off.

"I wasn't going to!"

*********************************

"There, all done." Erica hummed.

"I think that's us for the day." George wiped the sweat from his face.

"I'd say this was a success." Charlie smiled.

"Will you come see us when it's open Charlie?" Fred asked.

"Of course I will." He assured him.

"Good. We'll give you a bigger discount than Ron."

"Ron was getting a discount?" Erica blinked.

"No, he has to pay more." George smirked.

"That's what I thought." She nodded.

"Don't worry, you get a discount." Fred nudged Erica.

"As I should, I helped a lot."

"Speaking of.." Fred handed her a small envelope, "Your pay."

"Thank you." Erica smiled.

"Where's my pay?" Charlie crossed his arms.

"You don't get one." George shrugged.

"But I'm your brother."

"You have a job."

"A dangerous job." Charlie pointed.

"We can tell." Fred nodded to his scars.

Charlie hummed,"Can I get paid in snacks?"

"Sure, I don't see why not. You have a preference?" George asked.

"Not at all."

"Good, you can have the snacks."

"Thank you." Charlie smiled and went to the snacks.

"I'm sure he's going to have fun." Erica smiled.

"Want any snacks for the road?" George turned to Erica.

"Nah, I'm not hungry." Erica shook her head.

"All you've had is toast."

"So?"

"So you need to eat more." Fred sighed.

"I don't." Erica crossed her arms.

"Yes you do."

"Don't."

"Do too."

"I do not."

"Do too."

"I'm fine." Erica sighed.

George sighed and hugged Erica. Erica hugged back, leaning into his shoulder.

"Tell mum we'll be home later, okay?"

"I will."

"See ya, Er- Charlie, hurry up! Erica needs home!"

"I'm coming!" Charlie hurried over, still eating.

"You could eat a house, you would." Fred sighed.

"I'm sorry, I like snacks." Charlie shrugged.

"You like all of them. Now take Erica home." George clapped.

"I've got her." Charlie took Erica's hand,"Bye, you two."

"Bye." The twins waved as Charlie apparated away.

They both arrived back in The Burrow, the kitchen to be exact.

"Where have you two been?" Molly jumped.

"We were working." Erica told her.

"You don't have a job, honey." Molly sighed.

"With the twins, they paid me to help.' Erica told her.

"Didn't pay me." Charlie muttered.

"They gave you free food, be shush.' Erica pointed.

Charlie shrugged,"She's okay, I made sure she's okay."

"I had breakfast, before you ask."

"She did, she had toast." Charlie nodded.

"See?" Erica hummed.

"Fine." Molly sighed,"How long are you staying Charlie?"

"Well, I promised the twins I'd see the shop when it opens." Charlie told her.

"So... Just before school." Molly nodded.

"Exactly."

"I can deal with that." Molly hummed.

"Me too." Erica smiled.

*********************************

Parker had invited Blaise over during the evening in the summer, they were just watching movies on the TV in her room.

"This is my favourite part." Blaise whispered.

Parker chuckled,"Your favourite part is the kid falling?"

"It's funny." Blaise pointed.

"It's mean."

"Parker, it is funny."

"You're telling me if a kid falls in front of you, you'd laugh?" Parker raised a brow.

"That is exactly what I'm telling you." Blaise crossed his arms,"I'd help them after, but I'd laugh first."

"You're cruel." Parker hummed and leaned back.

"Not cruel, I just have a sense of humor." Blaise hummed.

"Note to self, if I have a kid, don't let it near you."

"Hey." Blaise nudged her.

Parker hummed and looked at the TV, slightly leaning into Blaise. Blaise wrapped an arm around her waist, smiling softly.

Parker wanted this moment to last forever, they didn't need to worry about anything... It was just them. But that was when it was interrupted, by Bellatrix.

"Parker, enough of this 'cutesy' stuff and come with me."

Parker looked at the door and sat up,"I'm in the middle of something."

"Well, I need you now. There's a meeting going to start soon." Bellatrix nodded to the door.

"I said I'm in the middle-" Parker got up, walking towards Bellatrix.

Bellatrix glared down at her,"There's a lot of pretty boys out there, dear. I can always make another child, if I so please."

Parker stopped, she knew Bellatrix was telling the truth.

"Okay." She spoke quietly.

"Now get into that meeting hall." Bellatrix turned from her.

Parker cursed and grabbed her wand, pointing it at her mother angrily. She waited until the door was closed before she blew up a small toy that was in her room.

"Jesus-" Blaise jumped, he had been sat close to the toy.

"Blaise- I'm sorry." Parker gripped her hair.

"No- No, it's fine." He shook his head.

"I think- I think you should go." Parker sighed.

"Yeah... Yeah, I'll go." He got up.

"I'll see you at school, okay?" Parker couldn't look him in the eye.

"Of course." Blaise nodded as he walked out.

Parker took a shaky breath, grabbing her jumper and put it on before she headed downstairs.

"You alright?" Draco asked her, he was waiting at the bottom for her.

"No." Parker sighed.

"What happened?"

"Think my mother threatened to kill me if I didn't come downstairs." Parker nodded slowly.

"She's not right." Draco sighed, shaking his head.

"She's bat shit crazy." Parker hummed.

"And even that's an understatement."

"What are we needed for?" Parker walked closer to the meeting room.

"Not even dad would tell me, he's been quiet." Draco crossed his arms.

"We'll get through it... Together." Parker held his hand.

"Together." Draco squeezed her hand.

Parker sighed before the two slowly walked into the room.

"Nice of you to join us." Rodolphus nodded, not looking up from his drink.

"What do you want?" Parker spoke up, looking at the end of the table where Bellatrix and... Lord Voldemort sat.

"Miss Lestrange and Mr Malfoy... I think you have a feeling of exactly what we want."

"... You want to give us the mark." Draco let out a sigh.

"Precisely."

"And if we say no?" Parker asked carefully.

"Oh, silly girl. You don't get to say no.' Bellatrix smiled at her.

Parker glanced at Draco and gently squeezed his hand. They were going to get through this... Together.