The Clown and The Grim

Chapter 25

Her feet suddenly were unable to move, she stood frozen in place the article of the Daily Prophet imprinted in her mind.

AZKABAN OUTBREAK

Bellatrix Lastrange, Antonin Dolohov, Augustus Rookwood, Malastor and Corvina Devlin
among ten that escaped from Azkaban prison. DeLaney Fienley,
sister of Devlin says no contact has been made. Use
extreme caution, do not attempt to use magic.

Fred held the copy in his hand as he stood there blankly staring at her. He was trying to fully process what he had just read. He finally moved, sliding the paper into Claire's outstretched hands as droplets of tears collected in them. She dropped the paper to the floor as she ran out of the room, pictures of her mother and father moving across the page.

"Fred!" She called out, hoping he would stop and let her explain. Or say anything at this point.

He continued walking down the corridor without even giving a glance back at her.

"Fred!" She called out again, anger rising in her as he continued to ignore her.

"Fredrick Gideon Weasley, stop!"

Fred stopped finally, quickly turning around. "Why should I?!" His voice was angry, more angry than she had ever heard as he stormed towards her.

"Please." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she pleaded with him. "Let me explain."

"What could you possibly say, Claire?" Fred looked at her as if he had no clue who she was. Like she hadn't been his girlfriend for almost a year, as if they hadn't spent the entire summer together. The mossy green eyes that he used to love to look into were now unfamiliar, belonging to someone completely unknown. The encounter they had in the library third year and all of her dodging talk about her parents suddenly made sense.

She giggled. "Snape gives house points when we eat fruit. Apples don't squish in your bag, and if I wanted to I could throw it at someone's head. As far as my family, there's really not much. My parents don't live with me, so I don't see them but I write to them a lot."

"Is this what you meant? When you said your parents don't live with you?"

"Yes." She had an opportunity to tell him in that moment and she didn't. How do you tell someone that your parents are not only Death Eaters but locked in Azkaban for more than one cruel crime?

Tears continued to pour from her eyes. "Fred. I-" Her voice broke, a million thoughts were running through her mind. None of which she managed to say.

"Is Fienley even your last name?"

She chewed on her bottom lip, and for a moment she forgot how to breathe. "No." Her voice barely a whisper as she spoke.

"Bloody hell, who even are you Claire?!" Fred could see nothing at this point but red. Not her ebony hair, her green eyes; everything he thought he knew about her faded away into nothing.

Claire stepped forward, she wanted him to hold her; touch her. He, however, took another step back away from her.

"Fred, please." She was begging at this point. Begging for him to listen to her. She was nothing like her parents, she never had been and she never would.

She knew the Weasley's were looked down on by all of Voldemort's followers, and most purebloods because of their love and interest in muggles. Claire had heard their name more than once growing up from both her parents and her aunt and uncle. Still, none of that changed how she felt about him and everything she had built with him was now melting away right before her eyes.