˗ˋ 91

                                    

                                          
CHAPTER NINETY ONE
✧
-: fifth year :-
── IN WHICH FRED AND
GEORGE APPEAR
. . .


Her room seemed homely and welcoming, similar to the warm feeling that settled in their stomachs after seeing Sirius and Remus disappear out of sight. They were happy, after so, so much misery and now Harry and Jane mirrored that.
Her head lay on his lap as he rested against the lace-edge pillows at the top of her bed, Harry's fingers smoothing over her hair over and over in a meaningless pattern. Between moments, they passed the small flask of what was definitely some kind of Firewhiskey - that was a touch stronger than what Mrs Weasley had put out (sure, it was for the adults, but perhaps Molly should have placed it on a taller shelf) - between them. 
"Your freckles are fading." Harry murmured, surveying the plains of her cheeks and pulling a finger across her skin. "I didn't realise they would fade." For the moment, he couldn't for the life of him remember if he had seen in it in his best friend and the many siblings he had. 
"They do." Jane smiled in a way that cause any and all reassurance returned to Harry's mind. "Usually it's more to the end of September - you know when the leaves are all red and orange and the weather gets a little more grey, that's when they go. But I guess after being in here for the best part of the month it kicked off early."
"I hate that." He said. "So come Christmas you won't have any at all?"
"No, they'll be there." Jane continued to inspirit him. "Just very, very faint." 
There was a smile on her face as she sat up, and Harry watched as she reached into the drawer of her nightstand and extract a yellowing envelope that was crushed in the corners and sealed by a small smiley-face sticker that no longer stuck. The dog tag hidden under the collar of Harry's shirt with the exact same embelm printed on it warmed against his skin.
Slowly, and with a definite attentiveness to make sure she didn't damage the contents, Jane pulled out a small stack of photographs. He had never seen them and she knew this, and she wasn't quick to sort through them to find the one she wanted. 
"Here." Finally, Jane discovered the picture she was looking for and handed it to her boyfriend. "They're all from the Home, as you probably guessed, but this one is right in the middle of winter a few years ago."
Harry surveyed it, eyes flickering up to the sight in front of him and reuniting with memories of their summer. There was a definitive difference between the appearance of freckles on her face and he now believed it inevitable. "Who are they?" His curiosity took over and pointed out who he was looking at; the picture showed a small ginger girl who was clearly Jane sat between an older boy and a younger, curly-haired girl.
"That's Flick - Felicity." Jane replied. "She was fostered and adopted pretty quickly after that was taken, but she'd been there for years before. My first memoriees have her in. That's Theo. He's the one who collected all the photos and sent them to me."
"And gave you this, right?" Harry's thumb pulled on the chain and watched her nod. "Right. Was he fostered?"
"He was a few years older than me, but I think he was about a year before you have to leave. I don't really know where he is anymore but I randomly got these a few months ago, so I'm pretty sure he's doing alright." Jane replied. "You know, it's weird seeing still photos now. I'm so used to them being able to move."
Harry nodded, slightly distracted by the horror that came with the idea of just suddenly having nowhere to live or go. That could've been Jane's fate, had Dumbledore not decided to move her to a safer place when Voldemort came back. "You know, I don't have any photos of you." He said.
"To take with you to Hogwarts?" Jane blinked. "I hadn't even thought of that."
"What if I forget what you look like?" Harry grinned, laying down on the back and staring up at the ceiling. "I'll come back at Christmas and have no idea who you are."
"I'll send you one of my school photos when they get done. It generally happens pretty early in the term." Jane was trying to be serious, but a smile similar to Harry's had appeared on her face. "Sorry - you're sweet."
"I know, and considering what's happened to me this is a miracle." Self-deprecating humour was Harry's speciality at the moment and Jane just shook her head. "Sirius would appreciate that more, I'll mention it tomorrow."
"Good idea. Do you know if I'm coming to King's Cross tomorrow or-"
There was a pop and the couple jumped out of their skin. "Bloody hell, you two are inseperable, you know that right?" Fred looked around the room. "Why do you not get one infested with damp, peeling wallpaper."
"Mum fixed that, dick." George shoved his twin with his elbow. "He means to say that you're very annoying, we came here for your girlfriend, Harry, not you."
"You're welcome." Harry shook his head and inched away from Jane. It was nothing personal - just stupud, really. But Fred and George were like his older brothers, and considering their comments he felt as though it might be best to prevent them. 
"I've got something to entertain you whilst Jane fufills her promsie." Fred continued, chucking a small bag at Jane. Inside were a cork, several needles, a lighter and a small bottle of clear liquid that Harry could guess was to sterilise. 
"Oh yeah?" Harry questioned.
"The Slinkhard book. Popped into your room for a moment, Ron was complaining, said it looked like a load of dog shit." George continued. "So, naturally, we thought we'd bring it to you. Have a read of it, I'm guessing it'll enlighten you for what's coming over your OWL year."
"Good luck with that, by the way. We'll be too busy to focus on our exams so we can only hope everyone else does better." Fred hummed, before turning back to look at the girl that could so easily be mistaken for his sister. "So, Jane, where are you wanting me for this procedure?"
✧