𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, fred weasley

˗ˋ 73

CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH THEY REUNITE

. . .

Elodie landed in the Leaky Cauldron with a couch, soot clouding around her as she did so. A hand wrapped around each arm and tugged her out from under it, another set wafting the smoke from around her.

"Elodie, lovely to see you!" Almost instantly, the girl was pulled into a warm hug. A familiar scent of fudge and honeysuckle appeared, and Elodie knew that she was being greeted by Mrs Weasley, who had hugged her on multiple occasions after the horror that was the ending of the final task of the Triwizard Tournament.

"Mrs Weasley." Elodie tried not to cough as she was finally released and let clean air fill her lungs. "Thank you so much for letting me stay with you until school starts again."

"It's no problem. You're looking a little pale, travelling by Floo over such a long distance is rather disagreeable." The Weasley woman nodded knowingly, before turning to Célia. "I must say, Mrs Beaumont, I was very excited when your letter came. Fred and George - Fred in particular - had just been wittering on about you coming to stay here. Something about a tie?" Molly glanced at Elodie, who was blushing at the final sentence.

"I must admit.." Célia began in her broken English, glancing worriedly at Elodie and her daughter jumping into action and translating it. "I'm very grateful for you letting her stay with you and your family." Mrs Beaumont turned to her daughter. "Was that right?" She asked.

"Yes, it was really good." Elodie replied. "Should we say our goodbyes and set off? Mum, I assume you have some matter to attend to?" She quickly translated to Mrs Weasley, who was instantly bustling around to get Elodie's bags. 

"You'll write, won't you?" Célia looked nervous as she asked her daughter. "I hope I've made the right arrangements for you, and got everything you need."

"You've done so much over the past couple of days to get me here, really Mum, I'll be fine." The Beaumont girl reassured her, and she was squeezed into a hug that was far too tight for her mother's usual liking.

"You're all covered in soot!" Célia exclaimed, and Elodie was rather surprised to find her eyes slightly glassy as she hurriedly wiped the dusty marks away. "Now, be good, don't cause any grief and promise to write."

"I promise." Elodie nodded, squeezed into yet another hug before waving goodbye to her mother, who disappeared in a blaze of green flames. 

"Right, we should get going." Molly pulled her trunk out of the doors into the Leaky Cauldron and onto the street, Elodie following behind. "Now, you've come at a quite quiet time, thankfully, and I'm sure you'll have lots of questions about everything, but I can only tell you so much and I'm certain you, Fred and George will have plenty to talk about."

And as they set off down the streets away from the gateway between muggle London and Diagon Alley, Elodie couldn't get a single word in as Mrs Weasley began to explain what on earth she was on about.

As it turned out, the Weasley family were almost all staying at 12 Grimmauld Place and the Order of the Phoenix was situated there. The Order was a secret society founded by Albus Dumbledore to oppose Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters - it had first been put together during the first war and had reunited when Harry told Dumbledore about Voldemort's return after the third task.

This was all told to Elodie in such a hushed voice that she had to walk very quickly by Molly to hear. She wasn't told much else other than that, just that the house upon Grimmauld Place was hidden under the Fidelius charm and there were regular meetings. 

"We can apparate from here. Got a hold on all of your things?" Molly asked, taking hold of Elodie's arm and the two of them making sure they had all of her bags before apparating, Elodie's insides squeezing as she felt air tighten around her, and with a crack she had landed on a pavement, bathed in the orange-pink light of the approaching sunset. "Now, think of the house."

Frowning, Elodie went along with it, isolating the name in her mind and jumping as she heard rumbling, eyes widening as she saw a house appear out of nowhere, arriving as it seemed to push Number 11 and Number 13 out of the way. 

"Come on." Molly took her trunk and pulled it over to the front door, pulling her wand out and pushing the door with the serpent knocker open. "Luckily, you don't have to witness Mrs Black screaming, seeing as I don't have to push the doorbel - an awful clanging noise, let me tell you."

Elodie followed Mrs Weasley down the hallway, drinking in the appearance of 12 Grimmauld Place. It lived up to it's name, the exterior made up of grimy bricks and the interior covered in grotesque. They stopped in the entrance hall, Mrs Weasley peering up the stairs. "Fred! George.. everyone! Come here!" She shouted, and moments later worried mumbling could be heard.

".. what has she found? I swear I didn't leave them hanging around." One of them said as the descended down, feet dragging against the floor. Other doors could be heard opening, and more footsteps joining them. 

Elodie bit her lip to stop herself from breaking into a smile so large that it would hurt her cheeks in seconds. But she couldn't help it, as feet slowed at the top of the staircase, a gasp leaving on of the boy's lips and the footsteps speeding up, sounding more like a low rumble of thunder or a stampede of baby elephants.

"Ellie." Fred stopped in front of her. "I believe you have something for me." The girl paused, confused on why she hadn't yet been swept up into a hug.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, digging into her pocket and pulling out the red and gold striped tie. "I think this belongs to you." She held it out, and Fred stuffed it into his pocket, arms around her waist and hugging her within seconds. 

Elodie had fufilled her promise.

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