To a Better End

Chapter 64

May 2nd 1998

Hermione walked into the Astronomy tower to find Draco sitting next to a passed-out Fred, while Theo and Reggie watched the destruction below. The scene was frozen in time, and it was comforting. Fred was alive. Draco was waiting for her. And Theo was holding Reggie's hand. Well, that explains Regulus keeping the journal.

Good for him .

Hermione waved her hand, and said, " Finite ."

Draco looked up, seeming only slightly startled by her appearance. Whereas Theo and Reggie turned around in a start, the latter grabbing his chest. They turned back around to watch as Voldemort became nothing but dust. He lost. He lost everything.

"Hmm," Reggie said, making his way towards Hermione. "That was anticlimactic, no?"

Draco shrugged. "He didn't deserve anything more." He looked down at Fred next to him and said, "If we're all done here, I think it's time we go back to the manor and lift the time stasis."

*****

May 23rd 2003

Draco was meticulous in the travel and removal of the stasis on the manor. Theo, being himself, had prepared food and drinks for when Fred, Tonks, and Remus woke up. They were in the parlour just waiting and watching. It was anxiety-inducing.

Fred's gasp came first. He shot up from where he lay on the floor and looked around frantically. He immediately started to search for his wand before he even registered who he was around. Thankfully, Draco had the idea to hold onto their wands until they accepted where and when they were.

"Fred," Hermione said, cautiously. "You're safe."

"Where am I?"

"Welcome to Nott Manor," Theo said. He was holding a glass of water out to Fred. But the red-haired wizard just stared at him.

"It's okay Fred," Hermione encouraged.

He looked up at her and stared at her head. "Your hair is black."

"Yes."

"And we're in a Death Eater's house," caution rang in voice. He didn't trust this.

Hermione could see the three wizards cringe at the statement. "This house belongs to Theo now. He was never a Death Eater."

His hands clenched and his eyes ran back and forth as he tried to remember what happened before Theo and Reggie saved him. "I was at the castle. I was... The battle. Where's Percy?"

"Percy is safe. He's been safe for years."

His eyes widened. "Years?"

Hermione crouched down to Fred, ignoring the way he flinched when she touched his hand. "It's 2003. You died in the battle. But we pulled you from your timeline to save you. Currently, you would have been a missing person presumed dead."

"I died." He didn't question it. It was like he knew it was going to happen.

"But you didn't."

"George?" He looked into her eyes with panic in them.

She patted his hand. "He's okay. He's married with a baby boy on the way."

"A boy?"

Hermione nodded. "Fred Junior."

"That's a bit sappy of him." Everyone in the room let out a small chuckle at his attempt at a joke. "What do I do now?"

"Now, we wait for the others to wake up and then bring in the family. Slowly though. It's going to be a lot to handle."