My first year was really tough. I had so many people trying to be best friends with me because they thought it would get them better grades in their Potions exams, and I was bullied. I found it difficult to sleep in the dorm with everyone else, in fact most of the time impossible. I was often found in my uncle’s office or sleeping in the common room, which is considerably quieter than the dorms. I was constantly asked questions about Professor Snape. At Christmas and exam time, eager students would ask favourite things etc… Anyway. Fred and George were the only ones that seemed to understand. Perhaps because they had met me “before” or perhaps because Charlie had spoken about me. You could say that they had a bad influence on me but I think it was a good influence. I was already naughty even without them. They knew I wasn’t in my bed because they snuck out at night. I would catch them coming in but not say anything. I think we built up a bond. Sometimes I would be really upset and they just stayed with me. I imagine this is what having big brothers is like.

By my second year we were really close so close that George and I could read each other’s thoughts. Their little brother Ron started and brought a rat with him. It was horrible, you didn’t see it much but it looked strange to me. I’m not sure if anyone else noticed but it was a funny shape. They also introduced me to several people in their class. Several people in Hufflepuff that I became very close to. By this time, they were really good at Quidditch. I’m not good at all but I am brilliant at cheering them on and supporting my favourite beaters. They got me actually interested in the sport and thanks to them I managed to score some tickets to the Quidditch World Cup in 1994.

When I started at Hogwarts, I started staying over the Christmas holidays as well, which was fine. I gave my friends (Leanne, Fred and George) gifts to give to their parents but they were Midwinter gifts that are more like magical puzzle boxes, because that’s all I knew. Mrs Weasley made me gifts every year for Christmas. The first one I got was my second year when they went to visit Charlie in Romania. I really missed having him and Tonks around and I guess they did too. The up side was that I got to spend the whole of the holidays with Fred, George, Ron & Percy. For me the rest of the school year past without too much incident but Ron and his friends got in a bit of trouble.

Towards the end of the summer holidays I went to visit the Weasley family for a week and then they took me to the train. Uncle took me there and I think they were nervous to have him standing at the door to their house. To be honest I think he was more nervous leaving me somewhere alone. I remember he had written things down for Mrs Weasley in a strict order and she reassured him that she could look after me. It was a great week, I had never been part of a busy family before, and Molly & Arthur made me feel really welcome. I shared a room with their little sister Ginny.

We used the floo network to get to Diagon Alley from their house. It was really funny because Harry had never used it before and we had to go and look for him. Luckily, he was only in Knockturn Alley, not far from my house. Everyone else was really nervous but I just took it in my stride. They knew I lived there so didn’t seem worried when I was smiling at the old Hag and entering Borgin and Burkes. We collected books and extra materials that we would need. They were a bit surprised when our house-elf turned up at my side to pay for whatever I wanted.

Ginny started Hogwarts that year and got sorted into Gryffindor along with the rest of us which was great because I had made friends with her over the summer. Since the year before there had been a huge buzz around “he-who-must-not-be-named” and I decided that I would tell by best friends (Fred, George, Leanne & Cedric) who my father was. I wouldn’t have told them if I didn’t think they could handle it. They took it really well and I think it made us stronger, even if they didn’t speak to me for a few days.