DOROTHEA {fred weasley}

forty

The rest of August was uneventful for Dorothea, not being able to write to Elvira, and Ezra being in more meetings than ever meant that she was left utterly bored. She saw Clementine for the total of a day before her return to Hogwarts, and once again made the trip to King's cross Station alone. Like she always did, Dorothea watched the other families on the platform bitterly, hating the way Lilith and Priscilla hugged and cried when saying goodbye to their mothers, despising the love in Barnaby Nott's eyes when he looked at his sons. When it came to Narcissa fawning over Draco, she couldn't look for longer than a few seconds without getting upset.

Rita Skeeter had written that Dorothea and Ezra's engagement announcement mirrored that of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy's. He too had announced it on the back of a promotion, at a party in his celebration. Dorothea had rooted through her mother's old papers, wincing occasionally when images of a younger Clementine flashed up along rumours of her being a death eater. She found the Malfoy engagement paper, and saw a young, beautiful, Narcissa Black staring up at Lucius Malfoy with the same adoration that Rita Skeeter had managed to manipulate out of Dorothea in her picture. Narcissa didn't speak either, apparently, and Lucius' announcement was a few short sentences, just as Ezra's was. 

Dorothea had never found Narcissa Malfoy particularly impressive. Other girls in her house fawned over her, treating her as someone to aspire to, but Dorothea couldn't even imagine her voice in her head. She had probably heard the witch speak less than ten times. Was Ezra expecting her to mirror Narcissa Malfoy? Was Dorothea destined to turn into her? Fawning over an arrogant son who is a copy of his father?

The girl inhaled deeply on the platform, pushing all thoughts of Ezra away as she stood behind the strategically placed post that helped to ensure that the Notts didn't spot her. When she looked over at the Weasleys they were all already staring at her, save Ron and Ginny who were already on the train. Dorothea noticed Elvira stood with Oliver behind the family and her face softened a little, smiling at the sight of her best friend. The only missing person was Molly Weasley, whose glare Dorothea was so used to being under. The twins watched the witch with such anxious intensity that Dorothea began to check behind her, wondering what fascinated them so.

"Ahem," came a voice behind her.

Dorothea spun around to be eye level with Molly Weasley. Her face remained neutral, but the young witch whipped her head around to check that no Slytherins were watching her.

"After seeing you in the paper I wasn't sure about approaching you like this," Molly began, "but my boys, and indeed my husband, are quite sure that you aren't as bad as they, and myself, may have expected. Arthur filled me in on what happened to you in summer, and..."

"I'm fine, Mrs Weasley," Dorothea said politely, forcing a tight smile. "Your husband was a huge help, as were your sons. But I'm okay, really."

"I went to school with your mother, Dorothea. I helped to predict her next moves in the war, I helped to heal her victims. She can't get away with it, not again. You have to"-

"I love my mother, Mrs Weasley."

"Where is she?" Molly asked cuttingly.

Dorothea's face visibly fell a little and she took a step back from the woman.

"I'm not here to pressure you, Dorothea. Just to tell you that although your future may seem secured, it doesn't have to be."

The witch was taken aback by Molly's words and said nothing.

"It's not too late to report Clementine, her wand records, your injuries, it would be enough."

Dorothea sighed and smiled politely once again and nodded, "I'll consider it," she said, knowing that she wouldn't, rushing onto the train before any other Weasleys could hassle her about what had happened over summer.