Chéri || Fred Weasley

lxviii

Minutes were stretching into an eternity as the hours passed. The wedding had felt like a dream as Madeleine found herself lost in her own thoughts, only praying to whoever was above all to bring Fred back to her safely. She could hear the distant echoes of Theo and Clotilde fighting, their voice muffled since her brain only had space to worry about Fred. The muggle telephone was sitting in front of her on the coffee table as her eyes stayed fixated on it, hoping that if she stared hard enough, it would start ringing any time soon.

It was probably one in the morning, both Theo and Clo had fallen asleep but Madeleine remained still, her mind wandering to dark places since the phone still hadn't ring but when it finally did, she leapt at it instantly and her body relaxed when she recognized his heavy breathing from the other line. "Freddie," she sighed in relief.

"We're all okay love, I'll be there soon and explain everything," he said.

"Please be careful," worry began washing over her again.

"Always am, I'll bring you and Clo clothes and some food. Be there in ten," he said softly and hung up.

Those ten minutes seemed to have last forever but when she heard the knock on the door, she walked towards it with her wand raised and pointed it at his heart before asking what they agreed to ask each other just to make sure the other was not a death eater in desguise. "What does Mr Darcy say the first time he proposes to Elizabeth?"

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." Fred whispered and she lowered her wand, wrapping her arms around him and allowing the cinnamon and gunpowder scent to blind her senses.

"Oh thank God you're okay," her voice came out muffled since her face was pressed incredibly close to his chest.

"I'm okay now that I'm with you, I was worried sick," he kissed the top of her head and led her back to the couch. "Why don't you go change while I make you a drink?"

"Yeah, that would be nice," she ran her fingers through her now tangled hair and took the black leggings and the jumper Molly had gifted her on Christmas from the bag he was carrying.

After changing, she went back to sit on the couch next to him, two glasses of neat fire whiskey on the coffee table as Fred fiddled with the north star pendant dangling from the chain he never took off. "Clo and Nott?" he asked.

"They're sleeping, but I need you to tell me what has happened and what's going on so that we can come up with a plan," she took a sip of the amber liquid, welcoming the pleasant burn as it slid down her throat.

"First there were a dozen death eaters and just after you disapparated more appeared," he took her hand into his and caressed her knuckles with her thumb. "Most guests managed to apparate out so Kingsley basically saved our asses. They attacked all of the houses connected to the Order and managed to burn down Dedalus house but you and I know where he is. They interrogated us for hours and searched the house up and down but the thing George and I did with the ghoul did the trick 'cause they thought it was Ron and because of the "spattergroit," they didn't come close to inspecting it-"

"Did anyone die? Are Tim, mum and Sirius alright?"

"No one died but Ted and Andromeda were tortured for information at the same time we were being interrogated. Your mum sent a patronus when they found them, they're a bit shaken but of course, who wouldn't be."

"Merlin's fuck," she sighed and could only imagine her aunt and uncle being tortured, writhing and screaming in pain. "Harry, Ron and Hermione?"

"They're gone, off to do whatever was it the Dumbledore asked them to do. We're all okay but we're certain we're being watched."