𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚛 | 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲

• Chapter 36 •

Sage's POV:
    I had just gotten dressed after taking my third shower since we had arrived. I took one everyday feeling as if I couldn't get the grime off of me.

    I still looked noticeably thinner but I'd managed to eat enough to get my strength back up. Sirius had even been kind enough to get me new clothes that fit me better and were a little less victorian and a little more something I would actually wear.

    I dried my hair with a towel halfway down the stairs when a slew of new voices made me freeze.
"They almost died Molly!" Sirius argued
"I don't care!" The woman snapped back
"The girl was starved and chained to her bed they put their lives at risk to get here." He continued

    "Sirius-" the woman went to argue but he cut her off
"You've never denied anyone help before. Are you really going to deny these kids just because of their last name? What if you all had done that to me when I escaped Azkaban?"

    I lowered myself onto the step I was standing on, sitting and listening to Sirius defend me and Apollo "They didn't ask to be born into their family, and they've put their lives in danger to fight what everyone wants to thrust upon them. Are you really going to do the same?"

    The silence spoke volumes. I could hear nothing but the grandmother portrait grumbling on the wall.
"The children will be along soon." The woman spoke more calmly
"Good, I have their rooms ready for them." You could hear the triumph in Sirius' voice

    "I'd better get dinner started before the meeting."
"Molly you don't have to worry about that-"
"I insist. If there are starved children in the house I won't stand by when I could be putting meat on their bones."

    I wanted desperately to know who the  woman was but I didn't have the guts to go down there. What if seeing my face made her immediately change her mind or something else irrational like that?

    The sound of floo powder made me jump, a whole bunch of other voices now entering the mix.
"Molly we've arrived!" A man called

    I scurried back to the room shutting the door. Apollo was downstairs with Sirius for the meeting and I didn't want to be around all those people when she was on her own.

    They luckily all filed into their room without exploring the rest of the house. I went and sat down along the connecting wall, pressing my ear against it to listen. Seeing if I recognized any of the voices.

    "Oi! What are you two doing over there?" One of the boys asked
"Nothing Ronniekins."
I jumped back from the wall nearly toppling over the bed. It couldn't be.
"George! Tell Fred to stop being such a git."
"I'm afraid I can't help you there." George replied

    It was! Everything made sense, the woman from earlier fighting with Sirius, the whole Weasley family was here. Anxiety coursed through my body. The entire Weasley family was here. They hated my family. They hated me. George didn't. A small light of hope.

    More and more people began to arrive. I listened closely trying to recognize anyone else. Harmonie Granger was here, Professor Lupin, Professor Snape and no one else I recognized.

    I heard more footsteps patter down the hall and Iinto the room next door where all of the kids seemed to be gathering.
"There's my girl." I couldn't tell if it was George or Fred who had spoke

    My heart lurched with pure joy when I heard the voice that replied. I could pick her voice out of a crowd.
"Awe man I did miss you!" Hallie jokingly complained "Seems like everyone is here."

    "Not everyone." George pointed out, somewhat grimly
I pushed my ear closer to the wall. Who wasn't already here? It felt like half the school had arrived.
"Have you heard from her at all?"
"No... I'm actually scared this time George. What if she doesn't come back?"

    My heart thumped in my chest, they meant me. They didn't know I was here. I felt silly for not noticing that. I pulled myself off the floor and out the door. I wanted to hide longer, to avoid gazing stares and uncomfortable questions.

    But it was Hallie. I couldn't hide from her, besides I felt she'd suffered enough. Before I had the chance to really think my decision through I flung the door open and everyone jumped, including myself. Shocked by my own force when opening the door.

    Hallie and I stared at each other wide eyed, tears forming in her eyes. Launching herself into my arms Hallie and I toppled over onto the floor as she sobbed on my shoulder.

    "You're alive!" She sobbed "When I didn't hear from you I thought for sure you'd never come back!"
"I promised didn't I?" I coughed
"I know but when I didn't hear from you I was sure I'd never see you again."

    Hallie continued to sob on my shoulder as George came up to us, obvious relief etched into his face. He had been worried too. It actually felt really nice knowing someone else cared and worried about me.

    "Hey!" George whined "You aren't the only one who wants to hug her!"
Hallie helped me off of the floor, wiping the tears from her face. George wrapped me in a hug and for the first time I didn't hesitate to hug him back.

    The summer had made me realize he was my friend. I missed him like I missed Angelina, wishing to hear one of his silly remarks or his 'your boyfriend misses you' jokes.

    He pulled away grinning at me "You missed me didn't you?"
"I confess to nothing."
George smiled hugging me again.

    "What happened to you." Hallie gasped reaching out for my injured arm
Though magic had easily mended my dislocated shoulder there were still bruises left on my shoulder and wrist.

    "Nothing, don't worry about it." I assured her shrugging her hand off
"You're covered in bruises, Sage-"
"Hallie calm down. I'm fine, promise."
Hallie huffed, clearly unconvinced "Then why are you so much thinner?"

    I stepped back, I was hoping no one would point that out.
I shook my head "No reason, I must've just been really active or something."
Hallie looked at me angrily but didn't peruse the subject.

    "Why do you look so familiar?" One of the boys asked
Recognized him as Ron who hung out with Harry Potter. Ron's face morphed into recognition.

    "It's you!" Ron exclaimed "You're Sage Jackson! Your parents are death eaters, what are you doing here?"
George glared harshly at him before speaking up "Because she's here to join the order and she's one of my friends you nitwit."

    Ron's jaw practically hit the floor looking at me with a horrified expression.
"Yeah that's right." George said cockily "What are you gonna do about it?"
Ron huffed angrily and I (against better judgment) decided to make it better.

    "Your house is lovely by the way. I liked your room at the very top." I smiled referring to the time I'd spent at the burrow without anyone's knowledge. Both Hallie and George had to look away trying not to burst into laughter as Ron tried to process what I'd said.

    "How did you-"
"Dinner!" Molly shouted
Everyone shuffled out of the bedroom leaving a flabbergasted Ron behind.
"That was funny." George cackled

    I smiled looking up at him "It kind of was-" my eye caught on someone other than George. I looked away quickly, breaking the eye contact. Hurrying, catching up with Hallie. I had pushed him to the back of my mind. Fred.

1295 Words | Jul. 29 2023

I don't Like this chapter all that much but I tried rewriting it multiple times and it only got worse. I knew what I wanted  but I didn't know how to actually write it down. I'm sorry 😭