Catch Me, I'm Falling | Fred Weasley

Chapter 39

Fred and the Weasleys left for 12 Grimmauld Place and Olivia left to stay with her parents. While Fred worked with George on products for their shop, Olivia had to face a difficult conversation with her parents.

A while back, she'd learned that she was adopted... from the journal she'd taken without permission. They wouldn't be angry with her, they'd missed her too much to be angry, but to Olivia, their disappointment was much, much worse.

Their anger, however, wasn't the problem. Because, the more Olivia stewed on it, the more she grew to realize that she was, indeed, still angry with them for keeping this from her. She had the right to know. And part of her was still hoping they'd tell her, hoping that they'd pick up on the hints she kept dropping. But they hadn't.

She avoided the conversation in the few weeks after school ended. She had many excuses for it, too. For one, she was anxious over the news she'd told Fred. She was too distracted to focus on any other issues. Better yet, they still had time to do the right thing, to tell her the truth. And yet... they were all just excuses. Valid excuses, good ones, but excuses all the same.

And after she saw how Fred had handled a difficult conversation, how brave he'd been, Olivia thought that maybe she could too. The day before they parted ways, he'd told her, "I'm proud of you, Sparks. Can't be easy to face that."

She hugged him and replied, "I can do it, I've faced worse."

But now that it was even more real, Olivia wasn't sure she could. What made it harder was that she barely knew her parents. Angela and Matthew were strangers to her. Yes, she'd sent a few letters and exchanged presents, but it wasn't the same. She'd spent so much time at Hogwarts that she hadn't even had the chance to get to know them.

In the Summer, they'd been busy traveling the world and Olivia had spent her time with her aunt and Jasper. This Summer, they were home, too. And Olivia knew that her time running away from her problems was coming to an end.

She grabbed her suitcase and walked up to the door of her aunt's cottage, knocking twice. She heard a shout and Jasper was opening the door, a smirk settled comfortably across his features.

"Well hello, cousin. Looks like we've got a lot to catch up on."

-

Once Jasper had grabbed her suitcase and hauled it upstairs, much to Olivia's protest, he gave her an odd look. "So... what've you been up to in the last year?" he asked, clearly expecting a certain answer.

Olivia frowned in confusion, then shook it off and answered his question. "Lots of things. The Triwizard tournament- you've probably heard. And- um- well, it was a nice year... except for the last bit, of course."

Jasper nodded, narrowing his eyes like a cat, "Hmm. And you know what I've been doing?"

Olivia took the bait. "What?"

"I got a job assisting with the care of dragons in Romania. Spent most of the year there after I quit my job in Diagon Alley and decided to travel," he said.

Olivia smiled. "Really? Oh, that's wonderful, Jas! I'm so happy for you." Jasper cocked his head, clearly not done.

"I met Charlie Weasley, charming bloke. Turns out he's got family that goes to Hogwarts," Jasper said evenly, eyes flicking up to scan Olivia's reaction.

"Oh?" she said, voice rising an octave as she finally sensed where Jasper was heading with this.

Jasper pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning on and began to slowly pace back and forth before her, arms clasped behind him. "He told me something very interesting, you know?"

Olivia's mouth opened only for her to shut it again as she stared at her toes.

"Told me about his brother. What was his name? Fee- fi -fo... ah, Fred was it?" His eyes shot to hers. Olivia tried to keep her composure. But Olivia had never been a good liar. She knew it, too. It was exactly why she snapped.

"Yes, Jasper," she said, exasperated. "I have a boyfriend. I didn't tell you because- well- frankly, I had other things on my mind."

Jasper's lips thinned into a line. "I don't like this. I don't like you dating him."

Olivia turned the full force of her fiery gaze to him. "You don't have to."

"I-" Jasper started before Olivia cut him off. "And why am I in the wrong here? You didn't earn the role of protector. You lied to me. When were you going to tell me I was adopted?" She said, emphasizing the word as if she were blaming him.

Jasper didn't react at all, keeping his cool. "Wasn't my place. Besides, I have the feeling you wouldn't want a protector anyway."

So he had known. Before walking away, Olivia leaned toward him and hissed, "Exactly."