Obliviate ; Fred Weasley

Seven

"Mum!"

She shook her head as she loudly slammed the door shut and I hurried after her, pulling the door open again.

"I know you love him, mum—"

"Don't talk to me about your brother!" Mum yelled at me as she spun around to face me. "Myeong is my son. I would do anything for him."

"Even get up in the morning to get him out of bed, make his bed and make him breakfast?" I asked and mum took a threatening step towards me. "Mum, I want to help! He can come live with Fred and I, and when you're better, you can have him back."

"Oh—" mum laughed and clapped her hands together. "...this is Fred's doing, isn't it? How many times haven't I opened my home to that boy and this is how he repays me? By trying to take my son away?!"

I stared at her. I wanted to cry. I missed how she was before my dad died. She was never a gentle parent but now she was unrecognisable.

"Mum—" my voice broke slightly but I cleared my throat, trying not to show it. "...please say yes. We'll take him for a while and you can get better in the meantime. See a therapist, work on getting out of this depression."

"Depression?!" Mum scoffed. "I am not depressed, Kyung-Hu! You know nothing about depression! Have you ever been depressed in your life? No... you haven't!"

I just stared at her.

"But I, I've experienced it before. When I had you!" She pointed a finger at me. "Postpartum depression messed me up and twenty-six years later, you are still making my life miserable!"

I would lie if I said that didn't hurt. It did. It was like a kick to my stomach, sucking the air from my lungs.

I teared up and I nodded at her.

"I'm sorry." I said. "I know I wasn't the easiest child. I always got myself hurt and you always had to fix my broken bones or my scratched knee, but I am your daughter and that was the bare minimum, and now I'm trying to do what you can't and that is to take care of your son. Either you agree to this or I'll have to use force by going to the ministry for neglecting your child."

"Neglect?!" Mum screamed at me. "Oh, that's a fancy word you've learned huh? Finally grew some brain, did you? You always were the dumber one of my children."

I shook my head and now I couldn't keep the tears back. They streamed silently down my cheeks as I stared at her.

"Alright mum." I then nodded. "I'll see you."

I turned around, left the room and walked down the hallway of my childhood home, the tears streaming down my face.

The second I got outside, it felt like I could finally breathe. The door shut behind me and I exhaled, a sob leaving my mouth.

I apparated as quickly as possible, landing in Carter and Martha's flat and the loud sound of me appearing, caused Carter to walk out from their kitchen.

"Kai? What's wrong?"

I shook my head and turned away while wiping my cheeks.

"You're supposed to be at work. Where's Martha?"

"She's shopping." He said. "Buying last-minute Christmas presents. What's wrong?"

I looked at my brother again, shrugging as I wrapped my arms around myself.

"You've always been fucking smarter than me." I said. "You landed a job at the Ministry for fuck sake!"

Carter sighed, folding his arms over his chest.

"I thought you didn't want to work at the ministry."

"I don't!" I snapped. "The ministry can suck my fucking—"

"Kai." He cut me off, holding up a hand. "What's happening? Why are you crying?"

I inhaled sharply.

"I miss dad."

Carter's face softened and he pushed himself away from the wall that he was leaning against.

"I can't go home." I said. "Myeong is there and he can't see me like this. He's eight and he's already suffering enough because of mum. I don't need him to see me cry."

"Mum dropped him off at your place again..." he stated.

"She told him that she can't deal with him." I said. "And now I have to tell on her to the fucking ministry which means that Myeong will have to go to another family so he can have a proper life!"

Carter walked towards me, wanting to hug me but I stepped back and held up a hand.

"I want to be able to take him in and I can do that but not permanently. I need to focus on my career, but it's our brother. I can't— this it too much!"

Carter grabbed onto my arms, pulled me close and forced me into a hug. His arms were wrapped tightly around me and after a moment, I cried into his shoulder.

"It's okay." He assured me.

"No." I cried. "It's not!"

"Yes, it is." He said softly. "You're allowed to feel this way. It's a horrible situation."

I shook my head slightly.

"I'm horrible."

"Why? Because you want to live your life before becoming a guardian?" He asked and pulled back to look at me. "Kai, he's our brother and we both love him but it was never our responsibility to take care of him. Mum had to do that."

I shook my head.

"They're gonna send him away and we won't see him again."

"No they won't." Carter told me. "Martha and I have already discussed it. Fred came by yesterday and told us what was happening. He told us about your plan to take him in and take on the responsibility. That's not what you want. We all know you want to focus on your shop. Martha and I are going down to the ministry once Christmas is over... turn it in and apply for custody of Myeong. We've got the extra room... you don't."

I had completely stopped crying. I stared up at my older brother and then I let out a breath, running a hand through my hair.

"I just feel so bad."

"You don't have to." He assured me. "Focus on the shop, focus on your marriage. Take on the responsibility of a child when you are ready, when you and Fred make that decision. Martha and I already got a kid on the way and we've talked about it. We're ready to get custody of Myeong."

Taking a deep breath, I hugged Carter again and I heard him chuckle.

"It's going to be okay." He assured me. "Just give Myeong an amazing Christmas and then we'll take up the fight against mum."

I pulled back again.

"Mum..." I muttered. "...oh god. She already hates me. Now she'll hate you too."

"She doesn't hate you."

"No?" I asked with a laugh, wiping my cheeks. "No... she simply just told me I've made her life miserable since she gave birth to me and that I'm the dumbest of her children."

Carter frowned, crossing his arms as he looked at me.

"She said that?"

"Yep." I nodded. "But I'm used to it. Remember when I was just seventeen years old and she called me a whore? Or when she kicked me out?"

"Kai—"

"It's fine, honestly." I breathed. "Do you have tea? I could use something hot to drink."