An Affair to Remember (Fred Weasley)

40) Freedom

FEBRUARY

Things in the Davis-Ellis manor were not going well. Adrienne found herself in the midst of countless arguments, fights and name-calling with her husband. Not a day went by when they didn't squabble, wether it was something as little as walking on the carpet with dirty shoes or something as important as trying for children. Every time they fought, Noah would storm out of the house and disappear to some place unknown to Adrienne. But she didn't care. She had had enough of having to deal with his problems.

Adrienne was in desperate need of a friend, and she found one in the most unlikeliest of people; Genevieve Brown, Noah's older sister. Genevieve was a thirty-year-old, married mother of one, and unlike her younger brother, she was kind-hearted, fun to be around and always made Adrienne feel at home. In fact, in her entire family, Adrienne got along with no one as much as she did with her sister-in-law.

One fine February evening, when Noah was not at home, Genevieve made her second visit of the week to meet Adrienne. The two women loved being around each other since they were two of the same kind. Even though Genevieve had a happy marriage, it always seemed as if she was meant for greater things, yet she was stuck in a whirlpool of pureblood supremacies, conservative traditions and taking care of her beloved son. Though she didn't mind the latter.

"Noah not at home I presume?" Genevieve greeted Adrienne with a kiss on the cheek, "Nope, not that I care" she muttered, earning a small laugh from Genevieve.

"Auntie Adrienne!" her nephew, Walter, squealed from behind his mother, excitedly jumping up and down. Adrienne chuckled, bending over and scooping him in her arms, ruffling his hair with her hand.

"Hello Walter, missed you aunt?" Adrienne said fondly, bouncing him on her hip. He nodded, his gaze landing on the breast pocket of her pullover "You're still wearing the brooch I gifted you!" he grinned, running his tiny little fingers over it.

"Course I am! It's absolutely beautiful, but you never told me where you got it" Adrienne said, taking him into the living room, Genevieve following them. "I'm not going to tell you, it's a secret" he whispered the last sentence.

Adrienne shook her head, resting him down on the sofa. "He didn't tell me either, what a bratty little kid I've got" Genevieve whispered the last bit to Adrienne, causing her to laugh. Walter busied himself with a box of a magical building blocks that Adrienne had bought for him a month ago before her and Genevieve made their way to the greenhouse.

They sat at the marble table, the soft fragrance of herbs filling the air as two cups of tea appeared on the tabletop. "How's everything going?" Genevieve asked, sipping from her cup.

"As okay as they go" Adrienne shrugged, "Same old same old"

"I still find it so funny how we got to know each other only two months ago, even though you've been married to my brother for almost two years"

Adrienne nodded, her eyes fixated on the plants that she had grown. In search for a distraction, Adrienne had taken up on gardening, learning everything there was to know from the house elves who worked in the greenhouse. "I wish Noah was more like you, Gen" she spoke truthfully.

"And I wish he knew that you aren't just an object, you're his wife for god's sake" Genevieve scoffed, "I try to talk sense into him but it's like making conversation with a wall"

Walter rushed into the greenhouse, breaking their serious moods. Adrienne adored Walter with all her heart and she smiled warmly when he stood near her, showing her the building he had made with his blocks. The building was entirely red, it looked very familiar.

"Look! I made Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!" Walter jumped up and down, shoving the blocks in Adrienne's face so she could have a proper look. Her heart jumped in her chest when she heard him talk about the joke shop.