'6..

7..

8..

9..'

On 10, Larna collapsed to the floor, panting heavily and holding her stomach. Red-faced and exhausted, she stared towards the ceiling, as a familiar face glided into view.

'You know, they have potions and spells for everything - why isn't there one for eliminating Christmas fat? Then I wouldn't have to go through all this nonsense.'

With a vague gesture towards the television, on which an exercise DVD was playing, Larna finished her moan at Fred, who in any case had not been listening.

'I just came to tell you,' the redhead cut in, holding out his hand for her to take, 'that your mum said dinner will be on the table in 10 minutes.'

The Ravenclaw climbed to her feet and replied 'Okay; tell her I'm just getting a shower.' And with a quick peck to his cheek, she exited to the bathroom next door as Fred began to head back down the stairs.

Larna carefully stripped from her sweaty t-shirt and jogging bottoms, and revelled in the breeze which washed over her. She switched the shower to a cool setting, and climbed in, smiling at the gentle feeling of the water as it ran down her body, over her back and stomach, her arms and legs. She tilted her face towards the shower head and a steady stream of water rushed across her features, making her feel refreshed.

The Ravenclaw smiled as she reflected on the events of the past few weeks. A wonderful Christmas it had been, the best yet, and Larna was sorry that it was drawing to a close. After spending a week and a half with the Weasleys (her parents had joined them on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve) Larna had gone home on 2nd January, with Fred, in order to spend the remainder of the holiday with her Mum and Dad. And now it was the 5th January, and in 2 days she would be returning to Hogwarts. However, unlike at the end of Summer, when she had been heartbroken to go back to school without Fred, this time she would be making her way with a smile on her face and a warmth in her heart. For, just a week after the start of term, she would be seeing the former Gryffindor once more, as she continued her Apprenticeship at the Ministry of Magic.

Larna finished up in the shower, climbing out precariously and reaching for her towel, as her dad shouted to her up the stairs.

'Larna! Tea's ready!'

'Coming, Dad!'

The Ravenclaw made a mad dash to her bedroom, and shut the door. She shrugged on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, before gathering her curls into a loose bun and heading down the stairs.

'All set?'

'Yes Mum, for the fifteen-millionth time, I'm ready! Now, can we just go, please?'

Larna sighed. This is why she hadn't wanted Fred to leave for work that morning - the journey to Kings' Cross Station with her mum would be a nightmare without him. Thankfully, now she had begun to drive, the woman in question had now decided to pursue a less stressful line of conversation.

'Are you looking forward to a new term, love?' her mum asked.

'Yes, I am actually,' the Ravenclaw replied, smiling softly. 'I really enjoy my apprenticeship' - Mrs Price glanced at her daughter knowingly - 'no, don't look at me like that! Yes, it's amazing that I get to work with Fred, but I love my work anyway. And I'm good at it.'

That much was true. When Larna had received the results of her first assessment, she had opened them with Fred, and discovered that, with the exception of her field work, for which she had been awarded a Merit, she had earned Distinctions across the board, including her exam and coursework.

'Okay, fair enough,' her mother said, defeated. 'Besides, nothing matters just as long as you're happy - and only a fool would say that you're not.'

Larna focused her vision through the front window, and nodded in agreement. Her excitement was building, and she would have jumped for joy, had she not been strapped in, when the train station came into view.

Mrs Price parked a few metres from the entrance, and hugged her daughter goodbye before she climbed from the car.

'I have to go to work,' the woman sighed. 'But I'll see you at Easter. Goodbye!'

The Ravenclaw stood on the pavement with her trunk, and waved at the car until it was no longer visible. Once it was out of sight, she whirled around and pulled her luggage through the doors of Kings' Cross Station, with Platform 9 and 3/4 as her destination.

As usual, the train was full very quickly, and Larna struggled to find an empty carriage. Luckily, though, she discovered that Luna Lovegood, Ginny and Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Hannah Abbott and Neville Longbottom had already secured seats, and so she joined them in their carriage. After exchanging greetings with all of them, the octet settled down for a very informative journey; everyone had so much to say that the group of friends found it difficult to work out who - or what - to start with. However, Ginny, once again displaying her uncanny aptitude for being as conspicuous as possible, began by saying, 'So. Hannah, Neville. When were you going to spill the beans?' The fiesty redhead folded her arms in triumph as the aforementioned students blushed furiously and Larna chuckled to herself. Yes, it was great to be home.