The Chaser : A Fred Weasley Fan Fic

Twenty Three: Tease

Summer came in a daze of hot, muggy days in London with my brothers and their friends. We were in inseparable and they showed a greater interest in me than they ever had before coming to watch our Quidditch victory. I soaked up as much sun and time with them as I could, until Max, having finished his final year at Oxford, went off travelling. He wouldn't be home until Christmas, leaving me and Alfie to spend the remainder of our days together before my visit to the Burrow.

As much as I'd love spending time with my family, I missed practicing magic, I missed quidditch and unsurprisingly, most of all I missed Fred. I'd slept in the jumper he gave me nearly every night until it no longer held his distinct scent.

I'd told my parents about my stay and my mother seemed overjoyed that I'd made friends that I actually wanted to spend time with in the summer holidays, though my father was a little sceptical.

"I think it's wonderful" she beamed over dinner one evening, a week before I was set to leave, "Two weeks in Devon! I'd love that"

"So there's seven of them and they all live in one house?" my father asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Well there's nine of them actually, but yes seven of them live there" I explained, "They're all lovely too, they're going to come and pick me up so you can meet them before I go"

"Yes please!" my mother cut in, she seemed excited by it all and eager to meet them.

"Nine? They've been busy" my father said, with a slightly judgmental lilt to his voice, "And you've been invited by their sons? The twins?"

"Yes, I was on the Quidditch team with them. They're both well behaved" I lied, looking down at my dinner.

"These are the boys that snuck you in?" my father turned his attention to Alfie, who had remained starkly quiet through the conversation but kept a smirk cemented on his face.

"Yes, great lads, especially Fred" he said. I kicked him subtly under the table and he winced, but didn't make a sound.

"And where will you be sleeping, Matilda?" my dad questioned. His eyebrows were raised so high I thought they were about to hit his tuft of black hair.

"In with their sister, Ginny" I replied triumphantly, feeling as though I'd passed a succession of riddles.

"Suppose I can't stop you" my father shrugged and continued to eat.

My mother quickly changed the subject on to what I'd need before I went back to school and I assured her I'd sort it all out with the others at Diagon Alley.

"Oh wish I was coming with you this year, you know I love it there!" she gushed. During my annual trip to get school supplies, my mother always took me. It was her only opportunity to see what it was all about and she relished in it. My father on the other hand had joined us in the lead up to my first year and had been thoroughly overwhelmed by how little he understood and never came again.

The night before The Weasleys were meant to arrive, I clutched the last letter that Fred had sent me in my hand.

Tilly,

My dad's arranged for us to pick you up at 8am on Friday. Wait by the fire place

I can't wait to see you!

- Fred

I'd packed a small suitcase filled with flattering summer clothes, as well as my school trunk so I could go with them straight to King's Cross once we had to return for the new year. This year's list of requirements had included formal wear, though it never had previously. I imagined there was something wonderful sixth year students got to attend that nobody else knew about.