Chapter twelve
Mail
Goldie's POV:
I sat in the Great Hall with my group of friends. Alta was next to me while Yelena was across from her. Fred was on the other side of me, George next to him. Lee sat across from Fred and Angelina across from George. Oliver was next to Lee. The mail was coming in. Letters and packages were dropped onto the tables. I smiled really big as I got a letter from my father. Alta got one and Yelena did as well. Fred and George caught their letters and ripped them open. I watched Fred's eyes dart across the paper back and forth. I opened my letter, my smile growing at the first two lines.

Dear, Goldie, how's school going? Good, I hope. Mallie left to go to France to see her daughter. So, I'm alone here for two weeks. As much as I like the school you go to, I wish you were here. I actually found a little shop that needs someone to run it. I decided I'd take the job. I kinda wish I could get a job in Diagon Alley but I can't since I'm a muggle. I finally learned that word. Anyway, I hope you had fun with Alta and her mom. And could you introduce me to Fred one time? I'd like to meet the boy who can't stop writing you letters. Love you, kiddo. Dad.

I missed my father so much. I made sure Fred couldn't see the end of the letter. Alta went to open her letter when it opened up on its own. "A howler?" Oliver said with a quirked eyebrow. Alta was confused and her mother's voice spewed out of the letter.

"Alta, honey, I was meaning to talk to you about this but I hadn't. So, if you and Yelena do hook up or whatever you kids do, please do it safely. And I hope the two of you get together at some point. It's obvious the crush is there-"

Alta quickly stopped the letter and luckily only her and I were paying attention. A smirk was on Yelena's face and she opened her letter, Maisie's voice coming out of that one as well.

"Yelena! How are you? So about Alta-"

Yelena stood up and took the letter out of the room, Maisie's voice still coming out of it. Alta stared at her in confusion and Lee said "what happened?" "I guess she got a howler." Alta told him. He nodded and I looked to Fred and said "who's your letter from?" "My mum. She's just checking in and everything." "Do you miss her?" Fred shrugged and said "kinda. I'm a bit used to being away from home and stuff. Do you miss your dad?" I nodded and said "I miss him a lot." Fred patted my back and said "d'you get homesick?" "Not as much as I used to. Ever since Mallie came into our lives I like being away. I just miss my dad." Fred gave me a hug and said "don't be sad, Dee Dee." I hugged him and said "I won't. I have you and Alta you cheer me up. Right?" I looked up at him and he said "of course." "Goldie!" Colin's voice said. I looked to see the younger boy running over. I pulled away from Fred who thought I didn't see him frown. "Colin!" I said as I gave him a hug. He hugged me tightly and I rubbed his back softly. "How are you?" I asked. "I'm good! How was your summer?" I pulled away and said "my summer was ok. How about you?" "Mine was great! My dad took my brother and I to Disney World!" He beamed. I smiled at him. He was adorable. Colin then went back to sit with his friends. "Tell me about your dad." Fred said. I looked at him and said "you wanna know about my dad?" "Yeah. When I used to miss my mum, I always talked about her to George. And it helped. Maybe it'll help you." I nodded and said "my dad is actually pretty funny. He likes to tell jokes. Doesn't like pranks but he likes jokes. He loves music. He could talk about muggle music all day. And he really likes magic. He loves everything that I can do. I know muggles aren't really supposed to know certain things but he is my dad and I love to share stuff like that with him." Fred smiled and said "that's really cool. George and I have tons of jokes. Maybe we'll tell him some when we meet him one day." "He'd like that." I noticed there was a piece of paper in my envelope. I smiled really big as I saw it was a picture of me and my dad. I pulled it out and Fred scooted closer to look at it. "Why doesn't it move?" Fred asked as he stared at the photo. "It was taken with a muggle camera." I replied. Fred held it in his hands and said "that's so weird. George, look." George looked over and said "what's wrong with your picture, Goldie?" "She said it was taken with a muggle camera." "That's bizarre. I thought pictures everywhere moved." "Not in the muggle world." I said. "Dad would love this." George said to Fred. Fred chuckled and said "he would, wouldn't he? He's obsessed with muggles. Thinks they're so cool. He also talked about your dad the whole summer. He wants to know everything about being a detective." I smiled and said "you remembered my dad was a detective?" Fred nodded and said "course'. It was one of the first things I learned about you." I blushed a little bit and Fred handed the picture to Lee. Lee shook the picture and George said "it's a muggle picture. It doesn't move." "When was this taken, Goldie?" "Uhm, last year. Right when we moved here." "Wait, really?" Fred said as he snatched the picture from Lee who was proceeding to pass it to Angelina. "Fred!" Angelina said, annoyance in her voice. Fred looked at the picture and said "is this your guy's house?" I nodded and George looked over. "You were so short back then." Fred said. George nodded in agreement and said "you're still shorter than us." "I got taller!" I defended myself. "Yeah, by like what, two inches?" "Maybe I'll be taller next year." "No way." They said in unison. "Wanna bet on it? Seeing as you lost once I'm sure you'll lose again." Angelina managed to get the picture from Fred who said "sure. And I won't lose." "Same bet then?" "You're on." I shook my head at him and Angelina said "awe, you're so cute, Goldie! You're dad looks so nice." "He is. He's all I got." Angelina handed the picture back to me and Fred said "that's not true." I furrowed my eyebrows and he said "you've got me and George. You've got Alta, Angelina. Lee. Every single one of my siblings." I giggled at that. "You're not alone, Goldie. We'll always be here for you." George said. Lee smiled at me and Angelina said "always." Alta gave me a hug and I smiled really big. "Thanks guys." I said sheepishly. I felt my cheeks begin to get warm. "She's blushing!" Fred teased. George chuckled and said "you're kinda cute when you blush." George then turned to Angelina and said "I know someone else who's cute when they're flustered." He winked at her and she said "George, stop." "You want me to stop telling you you're cute?" She bit her lip and George smirked. I felt Fred's lips on my forehead and he said "you're never alone, Dee Dee. I'll always be here for you." He wrapped his arm around my waist and I leaned into his touch more than I should've. Fred's eyes widened a bit and I immediately sat up, looking away from him. "So, Lee, excited for quidditch?" I asked, wanting to get rid of the slightly awkward moment Fred and I were having.

-

I set up the picture I had of me and my dad in my dorm. "Goldie, Colin's here to see you." Alta said. I went downstairs and met him outside the common room. He didn't know the password to get in and was eagerly waiting for me. "Hi, Colin." I said. "Hi! I wasn't able to give these to you before we all got on the train! I had to get them developed. So, here." Colin handed me a stack of photos. I opened up the envelope they were in and I gasped softly. The first one was the one Colin had taken of me and the twins, the day we were going to Hogsmeade. I watched the picture move, Fred smiling really big at the camera. I continued going through the stack. My lips parted as I came across one where Fred was spinning me around in a circle. It was in the Hufflepuff common room, last year, the day I had woken up from being petrified. Fred was laughing in the picture, you could tell. George was just as smiley and happy as his brother. There was a few of those. Then the last one, Fred kissing me on my forehead. "Colin..." I said. "You looked happy and I wanted you to have some nice pictures of you and the twins. You're always so nice to me. It was the least I could do." He replied. I put the pictures back in the envelope and knelt down to his level. "Thank you. Thank you so much." I gave him a big hug. He was taken aback at first but quickly hugged me back. "You're welcome. I sort of look up to you as a big sister. If you think that's weird, I won't but you'd be a nice big sister to have." My heart swelled and I said "and you'd be an amazing little brother to have. You're so sweet, Colin." I pulled away and ruffled his hair. "I have to go but I'll see you around?" He asked hopefully. I nodded and said "of course." He rushed off, his camera around his neck. I chuckled at him and Alta said "I'm assuming he gave you the photos." "Yes. He did. How'd you know about them?" "I watched him take them. I told him if Fred found out, he'd be upset." "You really think so?" "Possibly. You know how Fred is with pictures. Especially Colin taking them." I nodded and said "yeah. I wish the twins were a bit nicer to him. He's so sweet." "Seems like you've taken a liking to him." "He's adorable. And ever since last year, I'm going to make it my job to make sure nothing happens to him. And he looks up to me. I know he does." Alta smiled and said "he's a cute kid. We'll protect him from everything." I nodded. "Are you going to show those to Fred?" I shrugged while looking down at the envelope in my hands. "Should I?" "One day. He might like them. You never know." I took the envelope up to my dorm room and put it in my nightstand drawer, not wanting anything to happen to the pictures.

The end is dumb and the chapters will get better soon!! There's just some fillers I have to write for right now!
~skylar✨✨✨✨