Finding Acceptance | Fred Weasley

Chapter 17: Weasleys & Tom

~* Chapter 17 *~

~* Weasleys & Tom *~

As Cordelia walked down the paved road, she noticed how different Diagon Alley was compared to when she lived there two summers ago. The once lively Alley full of families seemed almost deserted. There weren't as many people walking around, no kids running around with their new purchases, no elderly women stopping to catch up on the latest gossip, no shoppers looking longingly into the windows. The shoppers who were there hurried from building to building with purpose, not stopping to talk to anyone. The summer air had turned unusually cold and the sky was filled with dark clouds as if the weather also felt the ominous atmosphere.

The wanted posters for Sirius Black hung everywhere. Many walls contained multiple posters, showing the importance of the situation. The moving photo of the man on the posters sent shivers down Cordelia's spine. His hair was unwashed and unbrushed. He looked underfed as his prison uniform hung loosely from his shoulders. She could see part of his chest and noticed the tattoos contain multiple symbols. Cordelia wondered what those symbols meant. He was screaming and looked crazed. Despite him being a murderer, Cordelia felt bad for the man and wished she could help him. People said he was crazy, but as she looked into his eyes on the poster, she saw something else. Was it fear, anger, panic? Or maybe a mix of all three? Regardless of her feeling, the poster did do an excellent job of igniting Cordelia's own fear.

Just like most families, Cordelia and the Diggorys were in Diagon Alley to buy their school supplies before starting their short weekend holiday. Amos had thought of everything in his plans and used his wand to send their luggage to their previously reserved rooms wherever they would be staying, so the only bags they had were filled with their purchases.

The Diggorys had learned last summer that shopping in Diagon Alley took twice as long as it did before Cordelia came to live with them, but they didn't mind. Cordelia was adamant to stop in each shop and speak to the shopkeeper who welcomed her with open arms not too long ago. Adele had learned early on that it was best to get the girl's supplies for her, otherwise it would take much longer in each store.

After a long day of shopping and talking to the shop keepers, Cedric and Cordelia were following behind the adults unaware of where they were going next.

"You really made an impression on every one here when you were homeless, huh?" Cedric teased the girl, ruffling her hair as he did so.

"You bet I did. I was awesome," Cordelia chuckled jokingly. "But I wasn't homeless, not really anyway. This place became my home, even if it was for a short while."

"That's great... OI, mum, dad... Are you going to tell us where we're staying for the next two days?" Cedric called out to his mother.

Adele turned her head as she continued walking and winked at the children, "You'll see in a minute."

They continued to walk until they got to the pub. "The Leaky Cauldron!" Cordelia shouted in excitement. "Can we please pay Tom a quick visit?"

Amos chuckled at the girl's excitement, "That's part of your surprise. We're staying here until you go back to school."

"Really?!" she asked excitedly, receiving a nod from a grinning Amos and Adele. Cordelia squealed as she hugged the father-like figure before turning to Adele and giving her an excited hug as well.

She swung the door open and was surprised to see some of the Weasley family members in the pub. She scanned the room, looking for the twins. Her eyes landed on Fred before she ran up and hugged his waist from the back, startling him until he saw a familiar charm bracelet on the wrist of his hugger.

"Hello, Little Badger," Fred chuckled as placed his hands on her arms.

"That's the other part of your surprise," said Adele with a laugh. "It's a surprise for all of you. We're all staying here together."

Cordelia let go of Fred before she hugged George, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and the parents. The other children weren't too keen on hugs as she was, but they figured that she must have been deprived of them when she was younger, so they obliged. Mrs. Weasley was the last to give her a hug, and Cordelia had definitely missed Molly's bone crushing hugs while they were away.

"It's good to see you, dear," said Molly, pulling out of the hug. "Percy is in his room and Harry is around here as well."

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Weasley. I want to hear all about your time in Egypt. I hope you - "

"There's my girl!" shouted Tom from the kitchen doors, interrupting their conversation.

"Tom! I've missed you!" shouted Cordelia, running into the man's open arms.

"I missed you as well, dear. When you stopped writing last term, I thought you were sick of this old man... Until Adele wrote to me, that is," he chuckled.

"Being Petrified is the only reason why I would stop writing. I could never get sick of you, Tom," she replied with a giggle.

"I wonder how she knows Tom so well?" Hermione pondered out loud as the kids sat at the table, watching the interaction between Cordelia and the older barman. "It's strange, isn't it?"

Cedric smiled as he watched Cordelia interact with Tom, "It's not strange at all. She knows everyone in Diagon Alley. Tom took her in when she ran away."

"But I thought your parents took her in?" Hermione questioned.

"Not at first. She didn't tell any of us what happened with her family. So she came here, where she lived and worked until she came to live with us. Tom's like her uncle now," explained Cedric as he shook his head.

Hermione's eyes widened as she shook her head. "I'm thirteen now. I can't imagine trying to support myself... I don't think I'm even emotionally capable of doing it."

"Yeah, she really is amazing," said Fred with a far-off look in his eyes, bringing himself into the conversation.

All of the kids looked at him with raised eyebrows before they started to quietly laugh, causing a blushing Fed to walk away.

"I bet three galleons they'll get together this year," Hermione challenged.

"You're on," Cedric accepted. "I bet they won't get together until next year."

"I'm in, too. Knowing my idiot brother... I bet they won't get together until after they graduate," said Ginny, wanting to get in on the action.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Cordelia spent the next two days in bliss surrounded by all of her favorite people. When the day came to leave, she did not want to go. She was slow to back her belongings that morning, knowing what awaited her once she went downstairs and finished her breakfast.

When it did come time to leave and the luggage was packed in the cars lent by the Ministry, everyone gave their thanks to Tom and started to pile into the cars. Cordelia hesitated to leave until Tom wrapped his arms around her. Her goodbye hug to Tom was a long one, both of them knowing it would be a while before they saw each other again.

"Don't be a stranger and continue to write. I want to hear all about your adventures," he requested.

"I promise I'll write. I'll see you next year, Tom."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*