Songbird ; Fred Weasley

Sixty-nine

I stared up at the ceiling while Fred slept heavily beside me.

He was snoring, asleep on his back. Theodora was sleeping on his chest, and he had a protective arm wrapped over her while his other arm wrapped around Phoebe as she was curled up next to him.

I couldn't fucking sleep.

Laughter came from somewhere in the distance, and I let out a huge sigh. Other than the laughter, everything was awfully quiet.

I turned my head to look at Fred and our children as they slept.

We were staying in my childhood home for Christmas. It was only about eleven at night, but tomorrow would make Christmas morning, so we were staying here so we could be with my family in the morning when opening presents.

That same laughter echoed again, and I pushed off the bed and walked towards the window. I could see the bonfire in the distance, and all of the chairs, occupied by most of my brothers.

They were sitting there, drinking beer like old times, and suddenly I was missing those times. Simpler times.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change my current life for the world, but back then, I had less responsibilities.

I wrote a quick note for Fred so if he woke up, he wouldn't get scared when he noticed I wasn't there.

I pulled on a hoodie and a pair of Fred's sweatpants before approaching the door. I pulled it open, but as soon as I looked into the dark and empty hallway, I froze.

Just go.

I summoned my wand and muttered a quiet 'lumos', the tip of my wand lighting up with a white and bright light.

I slowly made my way towards the stairs, feeling my heart in my throat the entire time.

When I got outside and felt the cool air, I felt like I could finally breathe.

I walked along the house, and the chatter coming from the bonfire got louder and louder.

"Knox." I whispered, then pocketed my wand as I approached my siblings. "Having a bonfire without inviting me. I'm offended."

"Mavis!" Max exclaimed, obviously kind of tipsy with the way he threw his arms in the air in joy of me showing up.

I cocked an eyebrow at him and then approached the only vacant chair.

"Ronan isn't here either, if you haven't noticed." Reuben said. "And I won't be invited the next time, because my baby will most likely be here. No parents allowed."

I shrugged.

"Well, I'm staying." I said, my eyes landing on August. "Look who decided to show up! You here for Christmas in the morning?"

August took a sip of his beer. "Yeah. Though I'm leaving again on the twenty-sixth. Cassidy and I are headed for Rome next."

I scrunched up my nose at the mention of his girlfriend. An awful, awful woman who was still getting jealous whenever August spent time with other women, even his own sisters.

"Can we talk about why you're not asleep right now?" Harvey asked me. "Because you looked like you were about to pass out earlier. Before you ran out of the room to puke."

I rolled my eyes.

"I tried to go to sleep, but I couldn't." I shrugged. "It's fine. I heard you guys out here, so I came to attend a bonfire I hadn't been invited for."

"Awh, is little baby Dora keeping you up?" Flora asked, and my eyes narrowed on her.

She was seventeen so of course she had been invited to these things. It was her first bonfire because no one lived home anymore."