Baby It's Cold Outside

                                    

                                          
author's note: erm, there's a lot to unpack from this chapter. hope you like it! holiday presents and figgy pudding to all those who read my words. 
                          
𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁
                          
December 24, 1992
                          
"Elodie! How good to see you!" Ms. Weasley pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. Oh, how she had missed Molly Weasley. She smelled of freshly baked bread and daisies. Her own mother had always smelled like vodka and laundry detergent- and her hugs were scarce and short lived. 
                          
"What are George and I, chopped liver?" Fred said indignantly, and his mother rolled her eyes, pulling the twins into a second hug. 
                          
The Burrow was unquestionably Elodie's favorite place on earth, tied only with Hogwarts. For Christmas, Molly and Arthur always decorated it cheerfully in red, white, and green, and a small pine tree stood in the corner of the living room, adorned with bits and bobbles. 
                          
"Come on, Els, I want to show you my new quidditch magazine!" Ginny pulled her up to her room, which had more become their room over all this time, the blowout mattress from last summer still on the floor next to Ginny's bed. Elodie flopped herself onto it. 
                          
"Sad that Harry's staying at Hogwarts this year, Gin?" She grinned up at her friend.
                          
"What is that supposed to mean?" 
                          
"Nothing, nothing." Elodie winked, leaning over onto Ginny's bed. "Now, show me this magazine."
                          
𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁

                          
"We get her now." Fred had poked his head in the girls' room, George right behind him.
                          
"Excuse me?"  Elodie scowled.
                          
"You don't get her, you get her all year long!" Ginny insisted.
                          
"I'm not a library book-" 
                          
"You've had her for three hours, we want to talk to her!" George moaned. 
                          
"You've had her for four years, I want to talk to her!" 
                          
"Ginny has a point-" Elodie interjected. 
                          
"Shut up, you have nothing to do with this." Fred shushed her. 
                          
"I feel like I do-"
                          
"It's urgent!" George stressed, pulling on Elodie's arm.
                          
"Merlin, okay!" Elodie followed George and Fred up the stairs, leaving Ginny cursing behind them. The twin's room was slightly bigger than Ginny's, with blue walls and small beds pushed against either wall. It was messily decorated, with quidditch posters, drawings, and muggle band records hung on the walls. Scattered pieces of parchment littered the floor, and a large cauldron sat in the middle of the room. 
                          
"What in Godric's name are you doing?!" Elodie rushed towards the bubbling potion, her eyes widening. "This is underage magic- you could get expelled-"
                          
"Relax, Florence, they can't track potions." Fred shrugged, leaning against the wall. 
                          
"Anyways, we need your help." George said eagerly.
                          
"With what?" 
                          
"The potion, of course." Fred chuckled. "Honestly, woman, I'm starting to think you should have stayed at school." 
                          
Elodie threw him a look. "What's it for?"
                          
"Remember those candies we were telling you about?"
                          
"The ones that make you sick?"