Sunflower. [F. W]

57. Animagus

The twins, Lee and Bee had learnt how to speak with the damn Mandrake leave under their tongues because silence had been killing them. Narcissa had helped the lot with the whole process of becoming Animagus just like Remus requested. What they were doing wasn't exactly legal, but half their pranks at Hogwarts probably weren't either so that thought didn't make them back away. Tonight was the night, and they were ready. 

"What do you reckon you'll be?" Lee asked. 

"I hope something with wings, or a dog like that" Bee said. 

"I bet your animal is super elegant" said Fred admiring his wife. 

"Fred you are so in love with her it's almost disgusting" said Draco from the kitchen, making himself a sandwich like Bee had taught him. 

Draco felt like he had gained 4 new siblings, and had learnt a lot from them. Bee and Fred had taught the boy how to cook and take care of the things going on at home and how to resolve conflict, Lee being a healer had taught Draco how to heal wounds and how to act in case of an emergency, and George taught him how to play guitar and how to have fun without hurting other people. But most importantly, they had shown Draco love and compassion. Friendship. They taught him it was okay to cry. And most importantly, he saw in Fred and Bee what he hadn't seen in his parents: a healthy relationship between two people madly in love with each other. Draco had finally seen what was the world without violence, a world without flinching at the sound of someone rising their voice. How it felt to go back home and feel no anxiety. In weeks, Draco Malfoy had become a whole other man. A man who had finally learnt how to properly love. 

"Let's go over the plan again, please" said George. 

"We'll do the whole process, first you, then Fred, then Bee and last Lee because being able to bring people back to life and being a healer we need them in case something goes wrong." said Narcissa, who was going to make sure things were going well. "We start at 9 pm sharp." 

"Yes ma'am" the four said at the same time. 

"Well I'm hungry so I think I'll make myself a grilled cheese" said Bee getting off the sofa. 

"That's okay Bee, I can make it for you" smiled Draco. 

"That's very sweet of you, thank youuuu Draco" she said sitting back on Fred's lap.

"So Fred," asked Narcissa. "When did you know you were going to marry her?" 

"Oh I've always known, but" started Fred, "there was this one night, we were in my dorm and I made the worst dad joke ever. And she wouldn't stop laughing. I'm telling you it was such a stupid joke and yet she laughed like a maniac. And I just thought that I wanted to hear her laugh like that until we are old."

"How does it feel?" Draco asked. "To be in love I mean." 

"I guess it changes from person to person." said Bee "For me it feels like safety. It feels like home. But it also feels like dancing to my favourite song at 3 am like no one is watching. And it also feels like having breakfast on a Saturday morning, and a cup of tea when you are cold. You know they say when you meet the one, there are no butterflies, because they make you feel so safe, so secure, that you just feel love. And I think it is what happened with Fred."

"Fred did get nervous, but I think it was more the fact that he could never get the courage to ask her out." giggled Lee. 

"Damn Fred, you are supposed to be a Gryffindor!" joked Draco. 

"Oh you'll find out at some point ickle Draco, I felt the world froze everytime I saw her, plus have you seen her? There were thousands of girls at Hogwarts, but I could never stop looking at her. Lee thought at some point she had slipped me a love potion!" 

"Lee! Rude!" 

"I'm sorry Bee but you weren't there. Before he started coming to get you for breakfast he'd look like a lost puppy waiting for you. Hell he has glared at us before because he wanted to be the one sitting next to you in classes."

"She wasn't that different either" said George. "Oh Georgie do you know when Fred is getting here? Lee do you think Fred will like this color on me? Which of course he did because she could be wearing a damn potato sack and he would be drooling. But my personal favourite was Oh isn't he dreamy George?"

"Aw you think I'm dreamy?" 

"We're married you git of course I do!" said Bee munching on the sandwich Draco had just handed her. 

                                                                                ***

The four wizards were chanting the spell with their wands pressed to their chests. George was the first one to turn, his Animagus form being a cute little raccoon. Next one was Fred who turned into a ginger cat, Bee and Lee tried not to laugh at the little animal. Then there was Bee, who turned into a majestic black panther, a fir for her, really. And finally there was Lee, who turned into a beautiful lion. 

The change hurt, a lot actually. As soon as the lot came back, there was a shared groan of discomfort. After all, your limbs are changing form for the first time.  They were bound to be sore. They laid on the floor, trying to adjust to being people again. Narcissa had put a kettle in the oven to make the kids some tea and Draco was helping them get up. They felt weird, and they didn't want to talk about it. Not now anyways. 

The whistle of the kettle took everyone out of their thoughts, once Narcissa poured the tea they'd go lay on the sofa, in silence. 

A silence broken by a knock on her grandparent's house. A rather aggressive knock. Bee got up out of instinct. She was hearing the faint conversation, and urging everyone to hide. Draco whispered to Fred, who whispered to Bee that the boy talking was a guy from Slytherin who had joined the Death Eaters a couple years back. 

Lee and George hid upstairs, but the ones in real danger were Cissy, Draco and Bee, who at that point she was at the top of the bounty list next to Harry. Suddenly there was a knock on their door, a faint complain from Concha in the background. Narcissa motioned for Draco to get upstairs, and Bee just hid the best she could. Fred opened the door. 

"Fred Weasley?" asked the boy. 

"No perdón" (no, sorry) said Fred tying to recreate the Spanish accent Bee had when speaking. 

"What?" 

"¿Qué?" Fred prayed it was the right word. 

The Death Eater seemed to start believing that the man in front of him was not Fred. 

"Have you" said slowly and loud, as if that way he'd understand him somehow. "seen" pointed to his eyes. "This people?"  

The picture showed Narcissa, Draco, Harry and Bee. Fred felt the panic inside of him. This meant Bee was now not allowed to go out for her own safety. He shook his head, and pointed down to the hotel down the road and then shrugged. Fred closed the door, as soon as he turned around, he saw Narcissa and Draco with their bags packed. 

"No! No! You guys are staying, you are in danger!" said Bee, very concerned. 

"Sorry dear, but you are in enough danger yourself." Narcissa smiled sadly, "It's better if we go. We can flee, go to a little house of a friend of mine in France. But as your mum's friend I should be protecting you. It's for the best, my darling girl."

"But -" 

"It's final, dear. I'm sorry. But do keep in touch, please. And say goodbye to Concha and Paco from us." 

Narcissa hugged all of them, leaving Bee for the last one, who sobbed into her arms, Narcissa silently crying too. Draco had already started saying his thank yous and goodbyes to the boys, when he reached Bee it was his time to cry. They dried the other's tears. 

"Take care, okay? Thank yo for taking care of me." said Draco. 

"You are a lovely person Draco, don't let anyone tell yo otherwise. You are strong, and you are worthy of love." she said. "Write to me okay? I wanna know how you are doing." 

The pair said their goodbyes and the crack from apparating sounded around the silent house. 

"I'm going to bed guys, I can't do today anymore." said Bee as she left for the bed.