Traitor : Fred Weasley, Draco Malfoy & OC Fanfic

Chapter 43 - The Letter

Boxing Day was even more bleak than Christmas Day, it was a just sadder, colder version. I'd always felt once Christmas was over there wasn't much point to winter, it was gloomy and your only hope was to look forward to spring again. I'd woken up just as the day seemed to be ending, with a throbbing headache. The world outside my window was already growing dark and I rolled over to look at the clock on my wall to see it was 5pm. Had I really slept all day?

I decided I should probably leave my room, so I slipped on some clothes and padded downstairs. Feeling quite embarrassed, I showed my face in the living room, where I was met with judgemental eyes of both my parents.

"I can't believe you've just woken up!" my mum exclaimed, as I sat beside her on the sofa and her long nails ran through my unbrushed hair.

"We didn't want to wake you, you seemed quite exhausted yesterday" my dad mumbled, looking at over the top of his glasses and putting his book in his lap.

"There's post for you, Errol brought it not too long ago" said my mum, motioning to an unopened envelope on the coffee table.

"Errol?" I questioned, taking up the parchment in my hand. I recognised Fred's messy handwriting right away, but I couldn't open it here in front of them, they'd want to know what it said. Clutching the letter close to my chest, I excused myself and scurried back upstairs to give it a read.

My heart pounded as I wondered what Fred might have to say that hadn't already been said yesterday. With a single nail I slid the letter open and unfolded the parchment to read. At least it wasn't a Howler I thought to myself, but I quickly learnt it read starkly similar to one.

You had to no right to tell Ginny you wished we were back together. I couldn't say it to your face but I miss you, alright and you're making this harder than it needs to be. I know it's going to be difficult, but you don't have to go and say things like that when you've already moved on, especially not to my little sister.

Remember that you're the reason this ended

- Fred

Anger was set ablaze in my chest, particularly at his parting words. How dare he blame this on me? He was the one who gave up. I crumpled the letter and threw it to the ground. I lifted my wand and aimed it at the remains of his letter. I whispered "Incendio" and the scraps of parchment went up in flames. Once they were burnt and had disintegrated from existence, I decided it was time I made myself heard.

The twins had opened the shop today for a Boxing Day Sale and I knew that they would just be starting to close down for the day at this time. There was no feasible way for me to Floo there, when our only fireplace was in the living room and I wasn't ready to explain what I was doing to my parents.

My fury and frustration dared me to try something that I was yet to achieve successfully. I'd been practicing, that was for sure, but had only ever managed to get from one side of a room to another, never attempting great distances. I shut my eyes and trained all of my thoughts and energy on where I wanted to go, keeping the image of the shop clear in my mind. My breathing deepened and a new feeling began to whirl around me, it was as though being pulled through dimensions as my body stretched and contorted with its movements. It finally settled and I felt as though I was in one piece. There was an awful ringing in my ears but I lifted an eyelid to see if I had ended up where I wanted.

A gloomy Diagon Alley sat in front of me, already drenched in darkness at this time of day. I'd planned to apparate just outside the shop and as I turned to my left, there it was. The windows were slightly fogged but I could see movement inside and the glow of candlelight. Rushing to the door, I pulled on it, only for it bang loudly in place but not open. They'd already locked it.