Roses and Riots | f. weasley

Chapter 72: Together

A/N: Hi loves, I hope you're all keeping well!

This is a chapter about love and family, and I want to dedicate it to the legend that was Dame Maggie Smith, forever our beloved Minerva McGonagall <3

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Later that evening, once Emilia was sound asleep and Fred had grown too hungry to put off leaving their bed any longer, he slowly and reluctantly got up, tucking her in and leaving the door cracked open.

He went downstairs to find the living room looking slightly bigger than before, and thinking about it, he'd passed a few extra bedrooms on the way down the stairs. Fleur had made quick work of the Undetectable Extension Charm just as she'd said she would.

He grabbed leftovers from the kitchen, and George made room between him and Ron so that Fred could sit down, and when he did, he let out a deep breath and halfheartedly started to pick at the food on his plate.

"How is she?" George asked, and Fred opened his eyes to see his brothers, Harry, Hermione and Fleur, as well as the new additions to their usual cohort - of Luna and Dean - all watching him expectantly.

His throat grew tight at the sight of all these people who cared about his Emilia, once again reminding him of how she unknowingly but positively impacted everyone she met.

"She's okay," Fred managed to get out. "She's hurt...but she'll heal."

At least physically she would, he didn't add aloud.

He didn't need to elaborate further, and everyone nodded in understanding.

Harry leaned over in his seat and put his head in his hands and Hermione rubbed his back, while quickly wiping her own eyes on the sleeve of her cardigan.

George gave him a comforting pat on the back of his neck, and then Bill abruptly asked the others for a full story of what had happened since they'd gone their separate ways, and Ron caught on and immediately launched into the details, and Fred lay back and listened quietly, grateful for his brothers and their instinctual understanding that he needed a distraction.

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It was dark out when Fred stepped outside for fresh air, making his way to the small patio that overlooked the beach, but finding his usual bench already occupied.

Harry looked up as Fred approached, moving over slightly in invitation for him to sit.

"Hey," the younger boy said.

"Hey," Fred answered, "I'm sorry about Dobby."

Harry nodded, but his voice was filled with a mixture of sadness and anger, "he died saving us, killed by the same knife that Bellatrix used on Emilia."

Fred clenched his fists, "I so badly want to hunt her down and kill her."

"But Emilia called dibs on her, I'm guessing," Harry said knowingly, the familiar, dark, Potter humour coming through.

Fred huffed a rueful laugh, "she did. Will you...could you tell me what happened to her? I don't really want her to have to go through the details again."

Harry let out a long breath, "Bellatrix used the Cruciatus Curse on her."

Fred's jaw dropped open, "my god. "

Harry nodded, "if Dobby hadn't shown up when he did, sent by Godric-knows who, then Emilia-"

He didn't need to finish his sentence, they both knew how lucky Emilia was to have made it out of Malfoy Manor alive. 

"I don't think I've ever felt so helpless in my life," Harry said abruptly, breaking the momentary silence.

"I understand, mate," Fred said, knowing from Emilia that Harry rarely opened up, and here he was, telling Fred what was going through his mind.