Sugar : Fred Weasley

67: Reunited and Vows

[victoria's pov]

April 13th, 1998

We had buried Dobby an hour later by Shell Cottage. I allowed Harry, Hermione, and Ron some alone time amongst themselves while I sat in the kitchen with Luna, Bill, and Fleur. Bill and Fleur hugged me as soon as he saw me, glad that I was alive. Fleur was now cooking as we caught up.

"Fred, George, and Lee started a secret podcast called Potterwatch," Bill said as he chopped up some carrots. "And they've been sending protection to Hogwarts under the radar... haven't been caught yet, but Dumbledore's army has grown so much. It's basically the new generation of Order of the Phoenix.

I smiled. "So it's them that's running the Potterwatch... I should've known."

"Zat boy iz not doing zo well witout you," Fleur admitted. "Aive never seen him 'nd George look zo- blue."

Frowning slightly, I nodded.

"It's been almost a year since he's seen you," Bill said. "But he'll be here whenever he can."

"What?" I asked. "He knows where I am?"

"Zent out a patronuz once zat girl arrived," Fleur explained, nodding her head toward Luna. "Knew you was coming once za girl arrived."

She then carried some soup upstairs, where Griphook and Olivander were resting. Bill and I were left alone as Luna stared out the window with a loud thought.

"Been busy saving the world with the Chosen One, have you?" Bill asked, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm sorry the Order hasn't been much help."

I smiled weakly. "It's alright. We've all been doing what we can–and that's all we've been doing lately. So I could say you've also been busy trying to save the world too?"

Bill nodded, taking a seat beside me on the stool. There was a silence that filled the salty air. The day seemed to be cloudier as the sun disappeared. And even though I was gone the past few months, I could sense that there was a darkness in the air that gripped on our throats from speaking any further.

+++

About two days later, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I were sitting alone in a spare room. It was quiet and I was constantly disappointed, never knowing when I'd see Fred. I knew he was busy and it wasn't safe to travel, so I tried to comfort myself with the fact that everything would be alright.

"Victoria..." Harry said as we silenced the door. "Mattheo... he's much more than you think he is..."

"Wait," I said. "I- I have something to confess. It can't wait."

My voice was cracking as I was about to confess my sins and mistakes. I never knew how much the truth would hurt until now. It was as if I didn't even know myself anymore as I explained everything to them... I was lost.

I explained how I was the temporal pocket sorcerer all this time, how when I met Mattheo, he became interested in me because of that. How I killed that guest at Bill and Fleur's wedding and that innocent ministry worker... But I left out what Mattheo had done to me. I didn't want to make Ron anymore uncomfortable than he was.

"Oh my Godric, Victoria, this is horrible," Hermione cried as she hugged me tight. "You're not a monster, you're still the same friend we love."

Tears were slightly streaming down my face as Ron looked at Harry awkwardly.

"Should we still tell her?" Ron asked Harry with a gulp.

"Tell me what?" I asked.

Harry and Hermione shared a look of discouragement. There was something going on that I didn't know about.