February of 1996

13

Irena didn't know where to go. She has been kicked out of her house. She needed to calm down to be able to apparate. She didn't want to get splinched. After a few moments, she calmed herself down and apparated to the first place that came to mind. She appeared at Diagon Alley. She walked, looking around for 93 Diagon Alley, where the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was located.

She found the shop and saw how the left-hand window was dazzlingly full of an assortment of goods that turned, popped, flashed, bounced, and shrieked. The right-hand window was covered with a large poster, purple like those of the Ministry, but decorated with flashing yellow letters.

She opened the door. George saw her, "Irena, what--" he saw how her eyes were red from crying, his smile slowly dropped. "Freddie," George called him; Fred was in the back. Fred came into view and saw Irena and walked faster to her.

Irena dropped her trunk and hugged Fred. George got her trunk, Fred had his arm on her shoulder, and the three of them walked to the back of the shop.

They were in the back. It was a slow day; they didn't have many customers. George placed the trunk on the ground, and he looked at Irena. He placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, and he gave her a weak smile, "Ill be in the front," George said, opening the door and leaving.

"I told them," said Irena, not looking at Fred. Fred placed his hand on her cheek. "Look at me; did they hurt you?" Fred asked with concern. She looked at him, "No, they didn't. They kicked me out, Fred. I don't have anywhere to go, and this was the first place that came to mind. I'm sorry for coming in here and bothering you." "Hey, don't say that you are not a bother. You can stay with us; George and I have a flat."

They were in the flat George stayed at the shop to take care of the customers.

The flat had three rooms. The third room was for guests, but at the moment, it was filled with products that they were working on. They entered Fred's room.

"You can stay here," Fred said, placing Irenas trunk beside the door. Fred's room was plain; it had a few posters on the wall. Some products were in a box on top of a small bookshelf. His closet door was open; it wasn't full; he had mostly new clothes.

Fred looked at his closet. "There's room in here you can hang your clothes; this can be your side," Fred said, moving his clothes to the left, giving her the right side of the closet. 

Looking at her, he noticed her bump.  It was bigger than when he saw her last. When he saw her at the Hogwarts Express, she had the charm on her. 

Without asking, he got closer to her and placed his hand on her stomach. "Has the baby kicked," Fred asked, looking at her, not moving his hand. "Not yet," Irena said, looking at Fred. They were getting closer, and Fred cleared his throat. He looked around the room until his eyes landed on his bed. He threw the dirty clothes that were on his bed to the floor. "If you want, you can rest here, it has been a long day, and you must be tired." She was a bit tired "thank you, Frederick." She looked at him and smiled, "No problem Rena, if you need anything, Ill be in the shop," he said, getting closer to the door. As his hand was in the doorknob, he stopped for a second and turned around.

He got closer to her and kissed her forehead. And with that, Fred Weasley left her in his room. She lay in his bed and closed her eyes.