Lightning *Fred Weasley love*

End Game Part 14

Another month had passed
We've moved from the Quidditch Cup forest to another and then to another again and again
The place we're at today is filled with snow and dead foliage

  "It's going to be cold let's try to bundle up" Hermione said passing us all scarves and gloves

  "I don't think hunting will do me any good in this area" I said looking around at all the openness surrounding us "maybe I can run and try to find a nearby village? Who wants to come this time?"

Ever since I ran into those hunters and snatchers I've had someone tag along with me. I can't use my wand when I'm Vulpes and I can't risk changing if they don't know I'm an Animagus

  "I'll go" Ron said

Harry has been wearing the locket the last couple of days and almost the entire time we've been up he's been quiet
He said to us at one point that if he starts to get agitated from the locket it's best for him to stay quiet that way he won't argue with us, so we've gotten used to his silence

I nodded and turned into Vulpes
Hermione began putting protection charms around our area and Harry set up the tent while Ron put on the cloak to follow me

I had to slow my pace when someone joined me, but I didn't mind.

We walked through snow and areas filled with dead trees
The wind was making me, even with all of my fur, shiver I couldn't imagine how Ron was doing

"How do you think the family is doing?" He said out loud
He knew I couldn't answer him back, he must just need to get things off his mind
"Ginny being in school scares me...with Snape being headmaster"
He sighed
"And the rest of the family having to be on the run...I've even found myself worried about Percy being in the ministry"

I went up to his leg and curled my tail around him
"I know you're worried too..." he stopped moving "Look to the right"

I did and I saw a small village with smoke coming from houses
Maybe we can find something

  "I'll try to steal some food for us" he said "you just have to distract them"

I nodded and we walked together into the villlage

The streets were empty and no one was walking around
It almost looked abandoned, but we knew someone was still around with the smoke filling the air
We kept walking and eventually found a broken stall with a small selection of fish and bread
I looked at the man, maybe in his late 70s, and he was moving back and forth trying to keep himself warm
I hate stealing but we always leave money on the ground near the stall so is it really stealing? I just hate people throwing things at me and yelling nasty things my way

I saw Ron's footprints mark the snow so I used my tail to make them disappear behind him
He walked near the stall and then stopped while I went up to the guy behind it

The guy looked down at me
  "A fox? Well aren't you sweet looking" he went down to pet me and I let him
He was old, wrinkled and smelled like bourbon
Fred's scent

  "You look hungry, has the world not been kind to you?" He passed me a piece of fish and while he did Ron went and grabbed 3 more and bread from the stall but he made sure he left more money than was needed behind "the world right now isn't kind to any of us. Something is killing off people all around Britain, the news says its gangs but the air feels...wrong" he kneeled down next to me and continued to pet me gently

I let him pet me for as long as he needed, I could feel the energy he was sending through with each loving stroke of my fur
  "My wife passed away yesterday" he said as tears began to fall down his broken face "we had been together for over 70 years, I met her when I was just a child" he continued petting me but his pace slowed down. I jumped onto his chest and let him hold me close

He closed his eyes and held my fluffy body and started to shutter
"She was my first and only love" more tears fell "she loved foxes...I think you are a sign from her" he began sobbing "I'm left with no one now...a gang killed her? That's what I'm supposed to believe but as her husband I wasn't allowed to see the body..." I licked his face and wrapped my tail around his arm that held me "thank you for visiting me Beatrice" he kissed my forehead "stay safe little one"

He let me go back onto the ground and handed me the fish again
I looked into his eyes and watched each tear fall from his face and into the snow covered ground
I then watched him struggling to compose himself and then go back to his stall, moving back and forth to keep warm

I walked away from the sad man, and followed the footprints that lead to where Ron was, going back to covering his tracks until we were far enough away

"You should have been cautious with that guy Vulpes" Ron softly said "you never know who is around and what their intentions are...but I understand why you did what you did"

Snow began falling around us again

"Sad thing that's happening to muggles though" he said from under the cloak "gangs? I know they're trying to hid it but it's definitely suspicious if they don't let them see the bodies...I got this radio too Vulpes" he showed me opening the cloak "it'll help keep us updated on what's happening around us"
I silently followed behind Ron, thinking of that old man the entire time
I can't imagine losing Fred, I would be so lost...

When we got back to our area Hermione and Harry had gotten the tent put up and a fire outside going
Ron took off the cloak and set it down inside along with the radio he turned on
"Gang violence is at a record high, stay in door if you can" said a voice "stay safe everyone" an unfamiliar muggle song started to play
Ron set down the fish and bread and I set mine down along with it
Hermione and Harry cleaned and cooked it while Ron and I cleared the table for our dinner
We ate in silence, Ron kept our encounter to himself and I didn't mention it either