crashing down // Fred Weasley

stay with me

rushing through the abandoned streets of diagon alley Sophie tried her hardest to keep up with the Weasley siblings. The skin ripping wind of early May pushing against the group as they tried their best to travel quickly and draw little to no attention to themselves as they passed small alleys where wondering death eaters stood by. Fred had fallen behind a bit to grab the girls hand, pulling her along with his large strides and the strength he had gathered over the years of being a beater for Gryffindors Quidditch team. He held tightly on to her hand, wanting to keep the girl as close as possible as they ran, they would have to find a hiding space to apparate sooner rather then later. They needed to get to Hogwarts.

Running for what felt like hours Sophie realised how much her feet had began to hurt, with no exercise in weeks and being stuck in the house I'll for months she wasn't use to this much work on her heels. Especially being attacked as soon as landing a fresh apparation, her feet weren't used to this much work. She had to think about her brother, about Harry. He needed her help and she couldn't let little flat footed shoes stop that. Breathing in deeply through her nose she ran quicker then what she ever thought she could, the lot of them speeding up after receiving a sudden increase of stamina.

Finally finding a corner to hide down Ginny grabbed her brothers arm, pulling him to the side as Fred did the same with her. Catching their breaths and freeing their lungs of the tight shapes they had been in they all linked arms, agreeing that apparating to Hogsmeade then following through the Hogs Head like they had originally planned was the safest option.

"Ready?" George asked looking around at everyone's shocked faces. They were ready to fight, fight for what they knew was right but neither of them could pretend the fear hiding in their pupils was adrenaline. They were scared, scared of the upcoming events.

"Ready," Sophie answered eagerly. She tightened her grip on her friends, nodding to each of them before picturing Hogsmeade clear in her mind.

She felt her feet lift from the ground, a spinning sensation taking over seconds later she felt pressure in her left arm, gripping back she hoped she had enough strength to outlast the battle that was to come. To help save her friends. The nauseous feeling in her stomach appeared as it usually would, the dizziness of apparation in her head. Squinting her eyes closed she let her body flow freely in the wind, waiting patiently until her feet were planted softly on the ground once more.

"This way," Fred yelled over the late nights wind. Running through the nearly empty town towards the run down pub, they could see their school in the distance, lights flashing and shadows walking swiftly past the windows. "Keep up you lot!" He yelled back as they past Zonkos now closed down joke shop.

The placed look horrid, dull and lifeless, the civilisation had clearly decreased, people afraid of You Know Who's return and Snapes takeover as Hogwarts Head master really shining through. The girl couldn't believe her eyes as she passed through the rundown town, her memories filling as she past the Three Broomsticks. She had been in there so many times with Fred and George, even Harry and especially Cedric. Now it barely looked as if it had two regulars.

Blinking away the tears she continued at a fast pace, getting closer and closer to the pub, they were all surprised when the door opened for them. Rushing inside one by one as the door proceeded to close behind them. "That way," and old man said.  He had long white hair and an old wrinkled face, it didn't take a genius to know it was dirty too. "They've all come through this way you four may as well continue the trip," he grumbled below his breath.

Pointing over at on open portrait beside a tired looking fireplace the four old students saw a what looked to be never ending tunnel into a dark abyss. "It's a five minute walk if your quick," the old man grumbled standing beside the hole. "Harry Potters just gone through, if your quick you'll catch him."