Semper - Fred Weasley

Chapter XXII

Narrator

„Episkey.“ she pointed her wand at Jeremy’s nose after she got dressed.

„Thanks,“ he said, rubbing his face.

„Hmm .. I have to go now.“, she said dryly and got up.

„What? Where do you want to go now? I thought we can pick up where we were interrupted.“ He called after her while she ran towards the door.

„Not today.“

„So there will be a next time?“ the young Slytherin boy asked, beaming at her.

„Probably.“, she shrugged and left.

„Penny, wait.“, she turned around, one hand on her hip and looked at him.

„I really like you, I’m glad you came to me after all. I knew that all the letters were from you before. I just don’t understand why you always pretended you didn’t know anything. You.. You could have just left Weasley.“, he said with a hopeful look and she just smiled.

The girl made her way to the hospital wing.

She opened the heavy doors, stepped inside and was immediately met by several pairs of eyes.

Remus was the first to move and approach her.

„Is that true?“ He just asked, her gaze falling over his shoulder. The twins were still there. A completely distraught Fred was sitting on one of the beds. When their eyes met, his were full of disgust.

Everyone knew.

„Yes, it is.“, she said in a low voice and stepped closer to Bill’s bed, under the watchful eyes of the others. Remus exchanged a look with Sirius. And both men only had one thought. What’s wrong with Penny?

„Is it bad?“, she asked, looking at Bill’s wounds.

„Thank you for saving my son. But I’ll never forget what you did to my other son. That’s why I want you to leave now.“, Mrs. Weasley said sternly and stepped protectively in front of her son.

The girl nodded and turned around, ready to go. But not before Madam Pomfrey was able to check her quickly.


„Penny? Can I talk to you?“, Remus ran after her when she was about to leave. She turned around and gave him a smile.

„Sure. Why don’t we go somewhere private?“, Remus frowned, while he tried to read his daughter’s face, but eventually agreed and followed her.

-----
“They’ve been gone for hours now,“ said a nervous Sirius, pacing the office that once belonged to Dumbledore.

„Go home, wait for him there. When Ms. Lupin is back in the common room, we will ask her.“, Minerva said and gave him a smile.


Fred

George and I were back in the flat. After taking off my shoes, I went straight to the closet and took a bottle of firewhisky from the shelf. I unscrewed the cap and put the bottle on my mouth. The burning liquid ran down my throat, relieving the pain I was feeling in my heart, for a moment. I took the bottle with me into my room and slammed the door behind me.

„Freddie.“, there was a knock on the door.

„I’m not here.“, I replied, the alcohol had its effect, unfortunately not as I had hoped. It should make me feel numb. Instead, I got sadder and sadder.

„Freddie, open the door.“

„Go away.“

„No. Either you open the door or I force my way in.“, George said seriously and the older twin rolled his eyes in annoyance.

„I said go away!“ I shouted.

I took another swig from the bottle when a loud bang startled me. My door ripped off its hinges, splinters flew and George stepped inside.

„Are you mental?“ I stood up and had to hold on to my bedpost to keep me from falling. George looked at the remains of the door and took his wand from his back pocket.

The door repaired itself and was back in its usual place.

„You could have just opened it with magic, you prick.“, I slurred the words.

„Oh I didn’t think of that.“ the younger twin laughed and sat down on my bed.

„Do you really think that alcohol is the answer?“ he took the bottle from my hand and took a sip himself.

„I don’t care. I’ll drink until I can’t feel anything anymore.“, I said and wanted to snatch the bottle out of his hand again.

„Yeah.. No, you won’t do that.“ George got up and held the bottle behind his back. I climbed over my bed and tried to reach him. I lost my balance and stumbled forward.

„Okay, mate. That’s enough. You’re coming with me.“, I wanted to protest but George was stronger. Damn Georgie, he’s never stronger.

George pulled me into the bathroom, turned on the shower knob, grabbed my collar and held me headfirst under the freezing water.

„Fucking Merlin, George! Are you trying to kill me? Fucking jerk.“ The cold water took its effect immediately and I felt the alcohol leaving my head.

„Okay, okay, let go of me. I get it.“ I raised my hands in surrender and George turned the shower off.

I dried my hair and put on a fresh shirt.
George sat at the dining table with two glasses of water in front of him. I pulled back a chair and sat down next to him.

„Thanks mate.“ I looked at him and forced a smile.

„That’s what twins are for, aren’t they?“, he winked.

„I just don’t get it, George. Why is she doing this to me? And why with Smith of all people? Has she been lying to me all along?“ I toyed with a piece of skin on my fingernail.

„I have no idea.“ George took a sip of his water.

„I mean, did you see her? She was so different.“ I looked around the flat, everything reminded me of her.

„I know. And also her behavior in the hospital wing. She fooled us all so much.“

How am I ever going to get over this. I love her, but I can’t forgive her for that. The pain I felt was hard to describe. I’ve had enough injuries and fractures from playing quidditch for years. But nothing ever hurt like this.


Penny

When I opened my eyes the first thing I felt was a throbbing pain in my temple. I put my hand there and felt the warm liquid. I was surrounded by darkness, I squinted my eyes to get a better look. I spotted what looked like a small window on one of the walls. But since only darkness came through this window, it was either night or the window did not lead outside.

Okay, no need to panic. You're dreaming Penny, that’s it. Just a dream.

I tried to remember. Remus had carried Bill to the hospital wing and I wanted to find the others. Where am I?

A rustling startled me. I held my breath. Another rustle, followed by a murmur.

„Hello?“ I whispered.

„Who’s there?“ I knew the voice.

„Dad?“ I asked cautiously.

„What-Penny? What happened?“ I heard something squeak, then footsteps.

And then I felt his presence in the darkness. Remus.

„I don’t know, I woke up here. The last thing I remember is you carrying Bill to the hospital wing.“ I said, relieved not to be alone.

„Hang on. That’s the last thing you remember?“ he asked curiously.

„Yes? Why?“ I tried to make out his features in the darkness.

„You weren’t in the hospital wing and you weren’t, um, you weren’t doing anything?“, what the fuck is going on?

„What should I have done? No, I wasn’t in the hospital wing, I didn’t find the others, I walked away from you and then woke up here,“ I said sincerely.

„Shit.“, was all he said.

„Dad? What’s wrong?“, now I got the feeling that something was very wrong. Well, apart from the fact that we’ve apparently been kidnapped, of course.

„I don’t know where to start.“ I heard him swallow. „After the battle you weren’t with the others in the hospital wing. So we went looking for you. Well, and we found you. Or at least we thought we did.“, I listened to him but didn’t understand a word. He continued. „um, you were found, well, um, well, you were spotted having sex with a Jeremy Smith.“, that’s a joke. My heart started beating faster, my hands got sweaty and my stomach slowly turned.

„I wasn’t. Certainly not, I would never cheat on Fred. Dad…who saw it?“ I’ve never been more afraid of an answer and I thought I already knew it.

„umitwasfred,“ he mumbled.

„Come again.“

„It was Fred,“ and that was it, my stomach was doing somersaults and I leaned forward and threw up on the floor. Remus grabbed my hair as best he could in the darkness and held it back while I emptied my stomach onto the floor.