Lemon Grass and Sleep

SLIP OF THE TONGUE

"Fred, might we borrow your bedroom for a bit?" Glinda quietly asked before giving me a pointed look.

"Of course," he replied awkwardly, gesturing to the open door before nervously walking to the living area to sit down.

I followed her in, glancing back at the twins anxiously before closing the door gently. Glinda wrapped her arms around my waist and cried a bit more, not like I minded, of course. It's what I'm meant to do as a best friend, I suppose. Plus, if I had someone I cared about die, it was only right of Glinda to be there for me too.

"It's alright," I mumbled fumbling to remember what Fred would usually tell me, "Sirius going into the veil means he had no regrets, you know? He was ready."

"He was so young," she sobbed, gripping onto the back of my sweater, "He told me I could stay with him and Harry after all this."

"He did?" I barely whispered, confusion washing over me. "That's one more reason to...to fight on, in his memory. Make those Death Eaters regret ever even thinking of casting near him."

"Thomas," she whimpered, "My parents are Death Eaters."

I felt my mouth run dry, tongue darting out in an attempt to wet my lips. Death Eaters? Glinda? I had never heard any rumors about the Baker family associating with Voldemort, then again, I hadn't ever heard anything in the opposite way either.

"But you aren't," I retorted, "You'll break the cycle, and be on the right side of history."

"They wanted me to," she swallowed nervously, "Draco's supposedly doing something, like he's got a job--for Him. They wanted me to help him, and-"

She choked up, fresh tears springing from her eyes.

"I'm so glad you aren't mad at me, I was so sure you were going to throw me out for being- I don't know, for being a spy or something."

"Glinda," I replied sadly, "You're my best friend, I know you're not a Death Eater in training or something silly like that."

"Do you think the twins will freak out?" She whispered. "I couldn't bare to tell them--and then a Death Eater killed Sirius so I don't- I don't know what to do, Thomas."

"We'll tell them," I said firmly, "Tell them exactly what you told me, and they can let their parents know."

"What can their parents do? I have no idea what he's supposed to be doing--I fought with my parents so bad, Thomas. I'm shocked they didn't force me to stay home after the break."

"We would've come to break you out, anyhow," I comforted, finally stepping away from her.

"Yeah, I suppose," she smiled sadly. "You promise they won't be mad at me?"

"They'll just be a little surprised," I shook my head. "Just give them a second to process it, okay? Anything they say on instinct is toward your parents, not you."

"Alright," she licked her lips, "Let's go, then."

I peeked my head out of Fred's door, seeing the twins immediately turn their heads to look at me. Briefly, I thought they looked like distraught family members waiting in a hospital for bad news, but that only made me feel a little guilty, so I ignored that.

"Is she okay?" George asked, looking shocked at Glinda exiting behind me, "Oh, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she avoided their stares, "I wanted to tell you guys something."

"Mhm?" Fred hummed softly, confusion evident on his face.

"I-" She glanced at me nervously, as if silently asking how to best say it, "My parents, they're Death Eaters. Since the first war, I-"

"What?" George softly whispered, eyebrows furrowed like her words were tumbling through the gears in his head.

"Is that why you needed to be somewhere else for Christmas?" Fred asked carefully.

"Yeah," she breathed out, gripping her elbow tightly. "We had a really big fight, they- Well, they wanted me to...um, am I supposed to tell them?"

Glinda looked like she wanted to fold into herself and disappear as she glanced up at me. I'd never seen her so reduced down, without her shield of sheer disregard of what anyone else thought of her.

"Yes, go ahead," I whispered, scooting a bit closer to her for support.

" Well," she took a deep breath, "Um, Thomas thinks you should tell your parents that Draco was given something to do, they wanted me to help him with it. When I said no, they didn't tell me anything else, and-"

"He's working with his parents?" Fred looked completely bewildered, like that was the last thing he had expected.

"Well, you're working with your parents," I pointed out, "Did you not expect him to do the same?"

"Did they mention anything, anything at all, about what he was doing?" George interjected.

"Only that it was something to do with Hogwarts, and Dumbledore," she shook her head, "It could be anything."

"Did they say why you needed to help?" Fred offered, "Like, not to be rude, it doesn't seem like they would've asked you if it wasn't necessary."

"They said he didn't know how to do it, whatever it was," she mumbled, eyes darting back and forth like she was reading over her memories, "He's only just begun working on it. They thought since we're two years ahead I would be smarter, or know more. I guess they didn't bank on the fact I want nothing to do with him."

The twins sat silently, fresh out of questions. George mindlessly swirled his cup of tea every so often, thumb rubbing against the handle. Glinda and I decided to take a seat at the tiny dining table, only two chairs being pulled up.

"We'll write up an owl," Fred muttered, standing and crossing the room to the bookshelf that housed parchment and quills, "Even though we have no idea what they're planning, it's something inside Hogwarts--and that can only mean trouble."

"Right," Glinda mumbled, "I almost feel bad for fighting with them. I could have gotten more information first."

"If my mum had randomly asked me to be all buddy buddy with Malfoy for the Dark Lord, I think I'd have a similar reaction," George snickered.

"I-" Glinda choked up unexpectedly, lips curling in gut clenching anxiety, "I don't know where I'm gonna go after graduation."

"Here," Fred immediately blurted out, "You can stay here. Or the burrow, whichever. You don't have to go home, that's for sure."

"That's the last thing we'd make you do," George rolled his eyes.

"I don't feel like going back to Hogwarts," she frowned, glancing up at me, "Draco keeps pestering me about why I'm not helping him, I don't know if he's realized I was in the DA or not--but when he finds out, he'll tell my parents."

"Well, I doubt they'll pull you so close to graduation," Fred muttered. "That's the last thing a prominent family would want."

"Right," she bit her lip, "They wouldn't, surely."