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8. Gone, Gone, Gone by Phillip Phillips | A Lifted Veil

Chapter Six | A Lifted Veil

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ELLE

Fidgeting around inside the airy house, I began to feel the familiar sensation of being trapped. Hermione and I had become semi-permanent residents to the Burrow ever since the first week into summer. We both had been feeling paranoid about Death Eaters and You-Know-Who coming after our parents, so we eventually devised a plan.

Even now, I still wasn't fully aware of the gravity that the situation had pulled us in. Somehow, by some unknown strength inside both Hermione and I, we were able to erase the memories of our parents and move them to Australia, where they would be safe from harm, and I knew that no matter how much it was killing me, it was killing Hermione even more. She had the opportunity, the pleasure, of knowing them a lot longer than I had.

I could see how hard this was on her, no matter how she tried to force a smile on her lips every morning in the Burrow.

Ginny had been overjoyed to see the two of us in her house. Apparently, her and Roxanne were getting tired of Fleur's constant presence in the house with the wedding being so close at hand. She had turned into 'bridezilla' or something.

"Oh," Molly waved a hand over her chest as she entered the living room where Hermione, Ginny, Rox, and I were gathered, pouring over nothing important, but trying to stay away from the hurricane of problems that the bride was being. "Dears, would you mind going out to the garden and helping the boys spray gnome repellent?"

The four of us spared each other a small, hidden grimace. Those creatures were undoubtedly scary-looking, but perhaps this would be a great opportunity for us to keep our minds off the real problem at our doors. Perhaps it would give us a moment of normalcy.

"Of course, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione nodded, light smile on her lips as she set her book aside and got up from the couch, dragging me up along. "Come on, girls."

Once Mrs. Weasley was out of earshot, I stuck my tongue out towards my twin. "Who die--" 'Who died and made you in charge?' was going to be the words from my mouth, but I quickly clamped my lips shut, sealing in the slip up, heart sinking.

Hermione spared me a soft, forced smile the was barely anything more than the left side of her lips turning up. Ginny and her proceeded into the garden to help kick around the garden gnomes and, in the meantime, Roxanne and I decided to head to the garden shed to grab the repellent.

We walked in small silence for a little while, but it didn't feel uncomfortable. Eventually, I gave in to the quiet and sighed, scratching the back of my neck as we continued to walk.

"So, Roxanne," I began, "Have you been thinking about a more structured plan? Because, I have to be frank with you," I let a harsh chuckle out before continuing, "Our plan is shit right now."

Rox grinned at that, nodding. "Well, yeah, I agree with you there. The whole thing doesn't sound fun at all. But I guess it's a necessary evil." She grew silent, eyes flickering with a far off light as if she was pondering a more depressing subject. "I just can't help but feel as if this all could have been prevented--"

"You mean, if Max had spoken up?" I interjected, reading her emotions out. She had already made it very clear that the Potter girl was on her list of annoying people, but I wasn't entirely sure if I agreed with her on that point. "I don't know, Rox...I just don't know."

She spared me a calculating frown. It wasn't annoyed, or angry, just calculating. "So, you side with Maxine, then, Elizabeth?"

We reached the door of the shed and I stopped in my tracks, feeling slightly odd at the sound of my full name being used. Laughing it off, I let a goofy grin rest on my lips, much to Roxanne's surprise. She opened the door and grabbed the half empty can of gnome repellent.

"What?" she prodded after I merely chuckled to myself for a bit longer. "Did I say something?"

"No," I shook my head, but retracted, "Well, yeah, I guess you did. Call me Elle, everyone does. It just feels off when people say 'Elizabeth.' I'm nowhere near fancy enough for that."

She watched me, trying to figure out if I was joking or not, but then laughed, shaking her head with a shrug. "Alright, then, if you say so, Elle."

"And, to answer your question, I don't agree with Max." I kept my eyes on the grass under my feet, once glancing towards the large field the Weasleys owned where large tents were being mapped out and planned for the big event.

"You don't?"

Sparing her a crooked smirk, I shook my head. "No," I wagged a finger a her, "But that doesn't mean that I condone the way you totally blasted your cool at her. People mess up, and I think that she honestly just made a mistake. It happens, you know."

Rox's jaw tightened as if she was trying to swallow my words, and she sent me a sharp eye, "Yeah, but a mistake that cost Dumbledore his life? A mistake that threatened the lives of every Hogwarts student? She put everyone at risk along with what happened."

Sighing, I bowed my head. I knew she was right. It was the truth that the mistake had been huge, and I knew that. Worrying my bottom lip, a furrow carved into my brow as we reached the garden gate.

I reached out a light hand, and laid it on her arm, hoping she would mind my random invasion of her space. "I'm not saying that she was smart, and I am most definitely not defending her. I'm just saying that it has happened, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Roxanne opened her mouth to reply, but I cut her off, stuffing the brief pause with more words, hoping that it would quell the need for an argument.

"Besides, if we are all going to get along, don't you think we need to set it aside so we can focus on more important matters? Like," I tossed my hands in the air, a small smile on my lips, "Like, hell, I don't know, surviving?" I teased, feeling good about myself as a small simper spread on her lips as well.

It wasn't much, but I hoped that it would at least calm her spirits for now.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" A yell filled our ears from the midst of the garden and we both ducked not a moment too soon to watch a fleshy, dirt-colored gnome soar past our heads, screaming at the boys. The gnome would eventually make his way back, but for now we would get to work laying down repellent, hoping they wouldn't be here for the wedding.

The rest of the afternoon and well into the late day, the seven of us: Fred, George, and Ron had been originally working on the gnome problem, had managed to snuff out all the critters that scurried about. Ron had been bitten three times, and was bleeding a bit on the palm of his hand.

Biting my lip, I forced myself to not laugh at the way he cursed at the vermin. The more he did, the more they taunted him. My eyes trailed over to Fred as he and George began tossing dirt clods around, bringing out their inner five year olds. But, who was I kidding? They were always messing around.

"So," Roxanne piped up beside me, holding one of the very last gnomes by its ankles as it squirmed and struggled around, but she quickly took care of it by chucking the thing over the fence to the garden, "You and my brother..."

And, just like that, a blush crept its sneaky way up the base of my neck and I tried to avoid her wide eyes as she stared me down. "U-uh," I stuttered about, gaze dancing for somewhere to look, but finally giving up and meeting Roxanne's eyes. "So..." I scrunched up by brow, thinking of something clever, she'd caught me off guard, "You and your four boyfriends..."

"They aren't my boyfriends," She blurted out, a shocked look growing on her face, "But," She offered me a light smirk, "Touché."

"Really?" I asked, wiping my hands against a rag that Molly had been kind enough to set out for all of us. "Because that's not what I've heard..."

She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, "Oh, is that so?"

"Nope!"

After that, things began to feel different between Rox and I. It wasn't sudden, or out of the blue, but something was slowly starting to grow, like a veil was being lifted between the two of us, and an understanding was filling in the empty space.

A week passed at the Burrow, but I no longer was feeling trapped. I had lost my parents, and it still hurt like hell, but despite those things that Hermione and I kept between us, we felt completely free to be free to have 'girl' conversations with Ginny and Roxanne, and it was really nice.

As the beginning of July quickly approached us, it came with new visitors. One Sunday morning, three visitors, who were taking refuge at the Burrow, showed up on Mrs. Weasley's doorstep. Yawning, I pat down my excessively matted hair, not caring too much on how I looked since there was no way Fred would be up at this hour.

"Morning, Liza!" Two girls chimed at my appearance, and I stifled a fake groan.

"Oh, Godric," I growled, "Who told you where I was?"

A pout formed on Jenna's lips as she hugged her pillow against herself, "That's not the nicest way to treat your best friend, you know."

"Lana's my best friend," I replied flippantly, grinning at the two them, then turning towards the awkward boy in the corner of the door, nervously shuffling on his feet as he watched the three of us, clearly feeling out of his element.

Grinning, I offered him a wave, "Come on in, too. Jenna doesn't bite anymore, she was put away for that--"

"SHUT UP, ELLE!" Jenna hollered, blue eyes widening in horror at me, cheeks flushing. "That was one time! And I was nine!"

A wonky smile quirked up Josiah's face and he nodded, coming inside, dragging a small bag behind him, "Well, that's good to know," he chuckled, and for a moment, I let myself wonder how Mrs. Weasley was going to fit all these kids in the house.

"Josiah bites," A snarky reply sounded from around the corner as Roxanne appeared in the living room, bowl of cereal in one hand and the other hand on her hip as she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Josiah froze on the spot and a small hue of pink tinted his cheeks, while Lana snickered. Jenna offered him a small, reassuring smile. "That's alright with me," She winked, playing off before turning to Roxanne and I, "So which room am I taking?"

"The floor," Rox shot her down.

Chuckling, I motioned for Lana and Jenna to follow me while Josiah stayed with Roxanne. We walked up a few flights of stairs and I showed them the cramped space. Already the floor was taken up by Hermione and I between Ginny and Roxanne, but I managed to clear a few things away for the two misfits.

"Now," I huffed out, "Don't disturb me until I eat my breakfast."

A snicker came from the doorframe and I turned to meet face to torso of Fred, "Now does that mean me, too?" he asked, staring down into my eyes. I shrugged up at him and placed my hand into his, intertwining our fingers.

"Most definitely."

"Your mouth says yes, but your body says no," he picked up our hands with a smirk and I rolled my eyes.

A groan sounded by my feet as Hermione rolled in her bedding on the floor, "Gross, get out."

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well, that was fun xD leave a vote/comment for more Frelle ;) [xxJess]