Platform nine and three-quarter

Fred & George ran towards their waiting mother on platform nine and three-quarter. ‘Hope you two have behaved well?’ there was a tinge of tenseness in her voice though her face exuded affection. ‘Not too badly, considering their reputations’, quipped Percy who had walked behind Fred & George in his characteristic haughty manner.

Mrs. Weasley was attempting to say something conciliatory when George yelled, ‘Hey Piova’. The twins were both waving, madly, to a little girl standing with a middle-aged man. She was around their age with silvery blond hairs neatly and tightly tied in a ponytail. Neat would describe just about everything about her, yet she so visibly lacked the curt rigidity of Percy.

‘Is she in your class dear?’ Mrs. Weasley asked. ‘Yes mom’, said Fred, ‘but she is in Slytherin’. ‘Let’s introduce her to mom’ quipped George and before anyone could interject, they were rushing towards the little girl. Moments later they were rushing back, this time each clasping one of her hands. She had a calm, resigned, look on her face which says she is pretty much expected such treatments.

‘Mom, this is Piova’, declared George, ‘and this is our mother’, announced Fred. ‘It’s an honor to meet you, mam’, a soft, clear, voice rang as she extended the most courteous hand. Mrs. Weasley’s eyes twinkled in joy and affection as she ignored the hand and took her in a warm hug generally reserved only for her children. For a moment Piova’s hands hung in awkward rigidity before clasping Mrs. Weasley.

‘Do they bother you at school dear’, Mrs. Weasley demanded. She had now released Piova and was referring to her mischievous twins. ‘Not at all mam’, the soft, clear, voice rang again, ‘they are rather nice to me.’ Fred & George looked slightly embarrassed as if Piova had declared that they aren’t going to pass in all their subjects.

A gentle cough made everyone turn around, the middle-aged man was now standing beside them. ‘Oh Edward’, Piova chimed, the first sign of anything resembling exuberance from her, ‘do meet Mrs. Weasley, she is the most wonderful person.’ ‘Pleased to meet you, mam’, Edward’s extended hand and gentle, even voice had the uncanny resemblance of that of Piova.

A flustered Mrs. Weasley gave Edward’s hand a vigorous shake. The compliments and the courtesies were a rarity for her. ‘Would it be alright if we invite Piova during the holidays’, she beamed at Edward, still refusing to let his hand go. ‘But mam, my uncle would be all alone then’ Piova interjected. ‘Uncle!’ Mrs. Weasley would have asked about Piova’s parents but something in Edward’s eyes stopped her.

‘Oh well, I will send you a present then’, she said, cupping Piova’s face. ‘I bet it will be a jumper’, snorted Fred, ‘She gives everyone one’ chuckled George. ‘I bet it will be fabulous’, beamed Piova.

‘Shall we get going then’, Edward softly asked as he gently ushered Piova towards him. ‘Goodbye Mrs. Weasley’, ‘Goodbye Fred, Goodbye George’, ‘Goodbye Mr. Percy’; her ringing voice accompanied a wave to each of them. ‘See you’, yelled the twins while Mrs. Weasley blew a kiss and Percy curtly nodded.