𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, fred weasley

˗ˋ 80

CHAPTER EIGHTY
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH GRIMMAULD PLACE AWAITS

. . .

Elodie and Fleur's day at Diagon Alley had come to an end when Bill found them in the Leaky Cauldron, watching as a tearful exchange in prettily-spoken French goodbyes occured before he and the Beaumont girl made their way out into Muggle London, walking towards a nearby alleyway often used for apparation.

"I'm surprised you didn't see Mum around." Bill commented, having heard an exciting recount of their day together from a very happy Fleur.

"Hm?" Elodie frowned - neither her nor her best friend had seen even a hint of Mrs Weasley. "We didn't see her at all - why would we?"

"She sent me and my Dad an owl not long after lunch. The Hogwarts letters came, and Hermione and Ron have been made prefect." Bill dragged a hand through his long hair - which he still hadn't cut much to his mother's dismay. He had a couple rings on his fingers, which were riddled with tiny scars from his work in Egypt. 

"Oh really? That's great!" Elodie smiled at the news, before confusion took ovwr once more. "But why would we see Mrs Weasley?"

"She came over for an hour or so to pick up school supplies." Bill frowned. "It was most likely when you were having your ice cream - it's no worry, just thought you would've seen her."

"The ice cream was very good, we weren't exactly looking at much else." Elodie chuckled as they reached the alleyway. 

"You still funny with apparating?" Bill asked, referring to earlier that morning when she had ended up holding onto his arm to get to that very area. The Beaumont girl looked thoughtful, before nodding and the eldest Weasley son held out his arm.

"Thank you so much." Elodie placed her hand over his sleeve, squeezing her eyes shut as they apparated, insides squeezing before landing with a crack in another alleyway - this one just a street away from 12 Grimmauld Place. 

She repeated her gratitude before they stepped out onto the pavement, reaching the area between Number 11 and Number 13, thinking only of their residence of the past couple weeks and it appearing in front of them, pushing the two muggle homes out of the way as it did so. 

Bill could open the door with magic and a muttered password, quietly pushing it open and ushering Elodie through with all her bags, closing it gently so not to wake the portrait.

But it seemed that it wouldn't be their entrance to the house that woke up the portrait, but rather the two familiar heads of ginger hair that appeared with a crack.

"Ellie!" One of them cheered, the twins moving so quickly she couldn't tell who.

"We missed you! And we're now family disappointments!" From the sarcastic tone, Elodie could clearly recognise Fred - and he gave her a kiss far too close to her lips for it to be George. 

"You're saying that far too excitedly for what it really is." Elodie frowned, looking between the two. "What on earth are you on about."

"I'm assuming it's the prefect situation?" Bill commented, eyeing the two twins with a slightly suspicious look on his face. "What did you do?"

"First of all you're right - second of all who said we did anything?" George rose his eyebrows. "Merlin's pants nobody has any faith in us at all."

"George.." Bill's tone was warning them, and in response Fred just rolled his eyes.

"We're just yanking your wand, Bill. We haven't done anything - quite literally." The boy replied as he slid an arm around Elodie's waist as he pushed the bags off of her arms and onto the floor. "We'll take them upstairs later, but now we get food and talk with Mundungus."

Elodie nodded, letting them steer her into the kitchen. But before she could pass through into the room, she looked back at Bill. "Thank you for taking me, by the way. And Fleur seems really happy. Not that you were looking for it, and really what can a seventeen year old girl do to a curse-breaker - but you have my approval."

"Thank you." Bill replied, looking as if he was going to say something else, but was interrupted by Mr Weasley and Mad-Eye Moody entering the house. 

And without a word of warning, Elodie was pulled into the kitchem with a lurch, ready to join the festivities.

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