The Nimbus 1700 had brought Joey endless joy in the final days of her summer vacation. Linda, though initially hesitant, had allowed her to fly around their secluded home, which was nestled in a remote area where no Muggles could spot them. Joey was grateful for the location—thanks to her dad's foresight.
The highlight of her summer, however, was flying with the Weasley twins at the Burrow. The Nimbus 1700 was surprisingly sturdy, capable of carrying all three of them at once. They soared over the hills near the Burrow, exploring every nook and cranny. One day, they even spotted a peculiar black barrel-shaped house on a distant hill. If it hadn't been for a little blond girl sitting outside reading a book, Joey would have mistaken it for a large rock.
During one of their flights, Joey discovered that Cedric Diggory lived surprisingly close to the Burrow. As they flew past his house, she spotted him in the yard, tending to what looked like a garden. She wanted to stop and say hello, but Fred tilted the broom sharply, and they veered away.
"Hey! Did you know Cedric lives so close to you?" Joey asked, surprised.
Fred shrugged. "I think Dad mentioned it once."
"Why didn't you tell me? I could've saved so much time on my summer homework if I'd known!" Joey pinched Fred's waist in frustration.
"Ow! That hurts!" Fred yelped, nearly losing control of the broom. "And besides, your summer homework was all checked by Aunt Linda. Do you think copying answers will get you through the exams?"
George, sitting behind them, burst out laughing. "I wanted to tell you ages ago, but Fred said, 'Why bother? She'll just drool over him. It's embarrassing!'"
Fred's face turned red, though he blamed it on the wind. "I did not drool over Cedric! I only drool over Sirius!" Joey protested. Sirius, with his rugged charm, was impossible not to admire.
"Ah, yes, the old man who turns into a dog. Truly a sight to behold," Fred teased.
"Fred, do you want to fight? He's not old! He's mature!" Joey shot back.
George groaned. "Can you two stop bickering? My eardrums are about to burst!"
The trio continued their flights, much to Charlie's envy, who was left behind to entertain Ron and Ginny. By the time September 1st arrived, Joey's skin had darkened three shades from all the time spent outdoors.
---
On the morning of their departure, Joey was in high spirits. "I thought you'd be better this year than last," Linda remarked as she braided Joey's hair. "At least you're not staying in bed this time."
"I didn't stay in bed! And I packed my luggage! You checked it last night!" Joey retorted.
"You didn't stay in bed because you didn't sleep at all!" Linda snapped. "I heard you pacing around your room all night. Look at those dark circles!"
Joey lowered her head, focusing on her omelet. She hadn't slept a wink, too excited about returning to Hogwarts. Quidditch, the castle, even Peeves—everything was calling her back.
"Your mother didn't sleep either," Luther chimed in, handing Joey a glass of pumpkin juice. "She was worried about you."
Joey immediately turned and hugged Linda. "Oh, Mom! I'll write to you every week this year, I promise!"
Linda softened but tried to maintain her stern demeanor. "I'm just worried you'll blow up the school."
Ryan, ever the realist, smirked. "If you can put down that broomstick for five minutes, your promise might actually mean something."
Joey stuck her tongue out at him, but Linda was too touched by her daughter's affection to notice.
---
At King's Cross Station, Joey clung to Linda's arm, promising to miss her dearly. Linda, in a rare moment of indulgence, even hinted at buying Joey a broom maintenance kit. Luther, however, wisely kept the price to himself.
Once on the train, Joey and the twins claimed a compartment and quickly settled in. The train was bustling with first-years, and Joey felt a newfound sense of responsibility. "We've got a whole new market for our caterpillar gummies!" she exclaimed, eyeing the wide-eyed newcomers.
"And our magic bubble water will drain their pocket money," Fred added, though he was currently losing a game of Exploding Snap to George.
Their conversation was interrupted by a timid knock on the compartment door. A black-haired Asian girl stood there, looking nervous. "Excuse me, can I sit here?"
"Yes!" Joey said warmly, while the twins simultaneously shouted, "No!"
The girl, caught off guard by the mixed responses, looked like she might cry.
"Don't listen to them. Come in!" Joey glared at the twins and helped the girl with her luggage. "I'm Joey. What's your name?"
"Cho Chang," the girl replied softly, her eyes darting to the game of Exploding Snap.
Joey's eyes lit up. "Cho Chang!" She remembered this name from the Harry Potter stories. This was Harry's first crush! Joey was determined to make a good impression.
"Do you want to play?" Joey asked, snatching the cards from Fred and handing them to Cho.
Fred protested, but Joey ignored him, ushering Cho into the seat across from George. "Go on, George. Teach her!"
George sighed but obliged, patiently explaining the rules to Cho. To everyone's surprise, she picked it up quickly and even managed to beat George.
"Why are you being so nice to her? You usually hate crybabies," Fred muttered, twirling a strand of Joey's hair.
"She's special," Joey replied cryptically, swatting his hand away. "And stop messing with my hair!"
Fred chuckled but didn't push further. The compartment fell into a comfortable rhythm, with Cho slowly warming up to the group.
As the train chugged along, it suddenly entered a tunnel, plunging the compartment into darkness. Joey lost her balance and tumbled onto Fred. Her chest accidentally brushed against his hand, and he quickly moved it to her waist to steady her.
"Sorry about that," Joey said, sitting back up as the light returned. "Stupid tunnel."
Fred, however, seemed flustered. He mumbled something incoherent and abruptly left the compartment.
"What's wrong with him?" Joey asked, confused.
George shrugged, though he had a pretty good idea. "Who knows? Maybe he's just being Fred."
Fred, meanwhile, stood at the back of the train, letting the cool air calm his racing thoughts "Soft..." he thought, his face still burning.