Linda pushed open her daughter's bedroom door, her handbag dangling from her arm. "Joey, come on! Stop staring at those Quidditch posters! I swear I'll burn them all tomorrow if you don't get moving!" Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Joey hastily shoving something under her bed. How much could one possibly hide under a bed in one second? Linda could even see the feet of one of the Cannons players peeking out from beneath the quilt.
Linda was at her wit's end. During Joey's time at Hogwarts, she rarely wrote home. In fact, most of the letters Linda received from the school were from Professor McGonagall. As a proud Ravenclaw honors graduate, Linda couldn't help but feel a pang of embarrassment whenever her Gryffindor daughter's antics came up in conversation at St. Mungo's. Who knew which colleague's child Joey had managed to outshine—or outfight—this time?
Joey rubbed her eyes and let out a dramatic yawn. "Oh, Mom, I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Can I sleep a little longer?"
"If you're not packed in five minutes, I'll make you feel even worse. The countdown starts now!" Linda snapped, waving her wand as she left the room. The Quidditch poster Joey had hidden under the quilt rolled itself up and flew into Linda's hand.
"Nooo!" Joey grabbed her hair and let out a frustrated scream. Her mother just didn't understand what Quidditch meant to her! Linda was a Ravenclaw, after all—books and potions were her thing. Why did Aunt Molly have to host a dinner party today? July 31st wasn't even that special! And now her brand-new poster, which she hadn't even had the chance to fully admire, was confiscated!
When Joey finally trudged downstairs, her hair a mess and her clothes hastily thrown on, Linda was already tapping her foot impatiently. "Five minutes are up," she said sternly.
Ryan, lounging on the sofa with a book in hand, glanced up and smirked. "Nice hairstyle, Joey. Very… avant-garde."
"Ryan, is that any way to talk to your sister?" Linda scolded, summoning a comb to tame her daughter's unruly hair. "You've been lazing around all day without even brushing your hair! We're going to Molly's for dinner, and you look like you've been dragged through a hedge backward! What kind of girl are you?"
Joey winced as the comb tugged at her tangles. "Aunt Molly's house is like a second home to me. Why do I have to dress up so much?"
Ryan let out a low whistle, clearly amused by his sister's audacity.
Linda, however, was not amused. She yanked Joey's hair into a tight ponytail and gave her a sharp tap on the forehead. "No proper girl goes out without brushing her hair! And don't think I haven't noticed your Quidditch obsession. It's the same every summer!"
Joey rubbed her forehead, wondering when her mother had become so violent. Was it her fault for being away at school for most of the year? Or was it just the stress of dealing with her?
---
The Burrow was buzzing with activity when the family arrived via the Floo Network. As Joey stepped out of the fireplace, she heard Ginny's excited squeals from the yard. "Change again! Change again!"
"Woof!"
"Hahahaha!"
Joey's curiosity was piqued. Why was there a dog barking? She was about to dash outside to investigate when Linda stopped her to brush off the soot from her robes.
Ryan, ever the composed Ravenclaw, walked past her with his nose still buried in a book. He stepped into the yard and called out, "Oh, this black dog looks impressive!"
"Mom, I'm fine! Let me go!" Joey squirmed free from Linda's grip, eager to see what was happening outside.
Linda sighed and released her, shaking her head as Joey bolted out of the living room like a cannonball. On her way, she accidentally collided with Ron, sending him tumbling to the ground.
"Oops, sorry, little guy! Didn't see you there!" Joey called over her shoulder, not even slowing down.
"I'm not little! I'm starting Hogwarts next year!" Ron shouted indignantly, scrambling to his feet. He was only two centimeters shorter than her, after all!
Joey burst into the yard and gasped at the sight of a massive black dog, nearly as tall as a bear. "Merlin's beard! Is this Aunt Molly's new pet?" she exclaimed.
Fred and George appeared on either side of her, slinging their arms over her shoulders. "Oh, he's not just any ordinary dog," Fred said with a mischievous grin.
"Yeah, he's not even a dog, really," George added.
Joey shrugged them off, annoyed. "Stop pressing down on me! I'm already a head shorter than you two because of it!"
Fred laughed and ruffled her hair. "Oh, come on, Joey. Maybe if we stop pressing you, you'll grow taller than us!"
"Or maybe you just need a dose of Growth Potion!" George teased, and the three of them dissolved into laughter, their arms still tangled around each other.
"You two are the worst!" Joey shouted, kicking both twins in the shins.
Ginny cheered from the sidelines. "Go, Joey! Get them!"
Meanwhile, Ryan was still examining the black dog, trying to determine its breed. The dog, however, seemed more interested in Joey and the twins. It bounded over to them, barking excitedly.
Fred and George took off running, with Joey hot on their heels. "Joe, spare us! How about we go check out the dog instead?" Fred called over his shoulder, laughing as Joey landed another kick.
Eventually, the trio collapsed onto the garden steps, breathless and laughing. The black dog trotted over and panted heavily, spraying them with droplets of slobber.
"Ugh, your dog is so loud!" Joey complained, wiping her face.
"Oh, he's not our dog," Fred said, still catching his breath.
"In fact, he's not really a dog at all," George added, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
Before Joey could ask what they meant, the dog began to change. Its back arched, and its limbs stretched and shifted until it was no longer a dog but a man. Charlie appeared out of nowhere and threw a sheet over him, covering his now-human form.
"Oh, so he's an Animagus," Ryan said calmly, as if this were the most ordinary thing in the world.
Joey, on the other hand, screamed in shock. "Merlin's beard! What just happened?"
Sirius Black, now fully clothed thanks to Charlie, grinned at the stunned group. "What's the matter? Never seen a man turn into a dog before?"
"Polite people don't transform naked in front of children, Sirius!" Molly scolded, dragging Ginny back into the house. "Ginny, you're not allowed to watch this!"
"But Joey's watching!" Ginny protested.
"And she's enjoying it!" Fred added, covering Joey's eyes as she tried to get a better look.
"Hey! Let me see!" Joey protested, struggling against Fred's grip.
Sirius laughed, clearly enjoying the chaos. "What's the matter? Didn't you want to see how strong I am?"
"There's nothing impressive about an old man with exhibitionist tendencies," Ryan muttered, earning a glare from Sirius.
"Those who haven't mastered Animagus magic wouldn't understand. Clothes are a burden—they keep us from embracing nature!" Sirius declared, throwing his head back in laughter.
"You're also an illegal Animagus," Ryan pointed out, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.
Sirius's laughter died abruptly. "How do you know that?"
"He's a Ravenclaw," Fred said, as if that explained everything.
Molly reappeared, dragging a still-protesting Ginny. "Sirius, we didn't invite you here to put on a striptease! Now come help set the table!"
As the adults bustled about preparing for dinner, Joey found herself tasked with keeping Ginny entertained. "Don't worry, Aunt Molly. I'll take good care of her," she promised, though she secretly wished she could join the twins in their mischief.
---
The dinner was a lavish affair, with Molly outdoing herself as usual. There were pies in five different flavors, and Joey sampled them all, leaving no room for the potato stew that followed.
"I can't eat another bite! But it's all so delicious!" Joey groaned, leaning over to sniff the bowl of stew Fred had brought out.
Linda pulled her back, frowning. "Must you stick your head in someone else's bowl? Is this the manners they teach you in Gryffindor?"
"Oh, no, in Gryffindor, we just chop off the head entirely—leave it hanging by a thread!" Sirius joked, earning laughter and applause from the Gryffindors at the table.
The evening was filled with laughter and lively conversation, but as the clock struck a certain hour, the mood shifted. It was July 31st—Harry Potter's birthday. The mention of the Boy Who Lived brought a somber silence to the table. Glasses were raised in a silent toast to the boy who had vanquished Voldemort but had lost so much in the process.
Joey felt a strange mix of emotions. For the first time, she realized how closely connected her world was to Harry Potter's story. It was a reminder that she couldn't afford to be complacent. There was a bigger battle brewing, and she wanted to be ready for it.
As the night wore on, Sirius, who had been drinking heavily, suddenly broke down in tears. "Dumbledore won't let me see him… He's not doing well at his aunt's house… It's his birthday, and I can't even give him a cake…" he sobbed, his voice cracking with emotion.
Molly comforted Ginny, who was confused by the sudden shift in mood. "Who is he talking about, Mom?"
"A little boy," Molly whispered, her voice thick with tears. "A very special little boy."
Joey sat quietly, her earlier excitement replaced by a deep sense of responsibility. The world was bigger than Quidditch posters and summer pranks. There were battles to fight, and she was determined to be part of them.