Marooned - Fred Weasley

Chapter 32: Head-Quarters

Ireland was absolutely marvelous, Sarah managed to work through level courses that were far beyond what they learned at Hogwarts and even the seventh year N.E.W.T. classes. She didn't get much time to sit around and expand in detail in her letters to Remus, the twins and her friends.

She hadn't heard any news about the Order, which was understandable, it wasn't safe to communicate by owl right now. She received a single letter stating that they were preparing to fetch Harry back from the Muggle World, because he had been expelled for fighting off a Dementor in the presence of his cousin, Dudley. Sarah was outraged, she wanted to Apparate immediately back in London but she had her final exams that day, she couldn't afford not to attend. She will have to be kept out of the loop for a few hours still.

She had managed to spread word around the students about the Ministry of Magic and Voldemort's return, turns out few people weren't aligned with her on that. And after their final exams, they agreed to keep in touch and continue fighting and bringing up the subject around them, gathering as many people as possible on the truth, because they needed to be prepared.

She glanced at her watch, Harry should be at the Head-Quarters of the Order by now, and after quickly packing up her luggages, she points her wand at herself and Apparates on Grimmauld Place. It was already dark outside and after eyeing both sides of the street and they seem clear, she charms her trunk to follow her up the stairs and into the building.

Sarah hears some whispers up the stairs and sees Crookshanks walk with something in his mouth, "Hey, you, what's it you got there?" she crouched down and picked up the cat, and saw that the object was some ear. She looked at it and inspected it while she walked towards the meeting room. The doors opened and Molly saw her.

"Sarah! Dear! How wonderful!" she gushed and Sarah ran into her arms. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny walked down the stairs then and all hugged Sarah happily to see her.

"We'll be eating down in the kitchen," said Molly and the twins Apparated behind her, making her jump up and shriek in fright, "Just because you're allowed to use magic does not mean you have to whip your wands out for everything!" she smacked George's arm and they sneered, turning to walk away but they glanced up at Sarah and Apparated behind her, making her screech, too.

"McCauley!" shouted Fred cheerfully, wide smile splattered across his face, making her turn to them.

"Well, well, well, look who's decided to grace us with her presence," said George, teasingly.

Fred grinned, "Returned to us, poor commoners, after spending two months with the posh in Ireland, have you?"

"Poor commoners? Interesting image of yourself, there, Weasley. Do you have some unresolved issues we should discuss?" she looked up at Fred, with that familiar smug look on her face.

He grinned. It made her miss a beat, like his smile caught the light and hit her eye but it hadn't, it was Fred. Exactly, it was Fred, it was his normal smile.

He looked over her face then, realizing he'd missed it, and that he felt such a strange ease to see her again.

George jumped in, throwing an arm around his shoulders, "Missed us at all?"

She grimaced, raising her shoulders, like she wasn't sure what to answer, as if she was leaning towards 'no' and they both put a hand over their chest, gasping at the same time.

She grinned at them, having missed them terribly, "Look at your hair! I guess Bill won the bet, huh?" she said, wrinkling her nose disappointedly and they pointed their wands at themselves and Apparated behind her, making her screech again.