Closer To The Stars || Fred Weasley

28. Since Last Summer

Lorette quickly closed her suitcase and ran out to find her family were all gathered with ill faces in the sitting area.

"Okay, are we all ready?" Christophe asked.

They all nodded numbly, waiting to step into the chimney.

Lorette arrived at St. Mungo's followed by her younger siblings. Margot was at the desk asking a nurse for her son-in-law's room.

"Come, this way." Margot motioned as she led them down several long hallways.

They all stopped in front of a door and waited for Margot to open it. Inside, Lorette gasped when she found her father laying in a hospital bed, sleeping and her mother attentively at his side. For the first time in sixteen years, Lorette saw her mother show emotions- she was worried and had obviously been crying.

When Amira noticed her family present, she stood up and awkwardly greeted her children and parents.

"What's wrong with dad?" Marcus asked quietly.

"He's not feeling so well." Amira said. 

"Tell them." Vittorio muttered as he awoke. "Tell them, MiMi."

"Tell us what?" Lucia asked nervously.

"Your father- Vittorio has a b-blood malediction." Amira stuttered out.

"But they've been able to treat it and keep me stable. I should have a long-isn life. This curse won't kill me anytime soon, I promise you." Vittorio said, trying to sit up from his bed.

"So it won't kill you?" Lorette asked.

"No, it definitely will. Just not yet. I have to keep with my medications and I can't overwork myself, my body won't be able to handle it." Vittorio replied. "But I'll be fine."

"When did you come here?" Lucas asked.

"Well," Amira said awkwardly. "We've been coming here since last summer-"

"And we've been coming back here throughout the past year. That's why we've been taking so many 'trips'." Vittorio finished.

"You've known for a year and didn't tell us?" Lorette asked angrily.

"We didn't want to worry you LorLor, I'm sorry-"

"A year?" Lorette repeated in disbelief.

"I'm so sorry, Aria." Amira apologized in a genuine tone.

The whole situation was crazy and Lorette didn't know how to feel. Her father was clearly ill, laying in a hospital bed and her mother was obviously worried about him. Amira was showing emotions, she was showing love. It was something out of the ordinary. And because of this, Lorette figured there was something her parents weren't telling her.
...
They only returned to France briefly to get their suitcases to go to the Burrow later on. Lorette promised to write to Theo, but she knew she wouldn't. Although she wished she could've spent more time with him, Lorette had promised herself that Theo was a rebound, someone to help her move on- not an actual relationship.

She waved goodbye to Theo as she apparated out of her grandparents' sitting area. And with that, her summer fling was over.

Lorette and her siblings had tried to convince their father to let them stay home, but Vittorio would not give in and insisted that they go to the Burrow. He told them they'd see each other at the quidditch world cup and had gotten them amazing seats.

It felt so rushed and she felt so guilty to be leaving her sick father alone with her emotionless mother. It wasn't weird for her parents to be shoving them away, but it was weird for them to be doing it now. After everything that had happened.
...
The De Rossi children had arrived at the Burrow on the first of August. They had been greeted by the crowd of Weasleys, minus Bill who was probably off in Brazil or something like that.