FRACTURED FATES. || FRED WEASLEY

00.07

Two days had passed since that tense meeting at the pub. The thought of that night still clung to me, like a shadow I couldn't quite shake off. I had been meaning to talk to Harry about Dobby—the house-elf might know something about my adoptive family, the Ashbournes. It seemed like a far-fetched idea at first, but I now I wasn't feeling sure.

Now, as I sat by the window in the Slytherin common room, watching the greenish light from the Black Lake filter through the cold, dark water, I was beginning to doubt myself. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to speak to Dobby after all. The buzzing chatter around me felt distant, like I was slipping further and further away from the noise and the students gathered around the fire. Everything felt distant these days.

I shifted in my seat, my fingers nervously tracing the edge of the parchment in front of me. Maybe there was another way to get answers—maybe someone closer to me could help. Alaric. My adoptive brother. He had graduated from Hogwarts years ago, and although we didn't keep in regular contact, he had always treated me better than the rest of the family. Maybe he knew something about my past, something he hadn't told me yet. He was older, after all, and had always seemed more aware of things than he let on.

I stared at the parchment for what felt like ages before dipping my quill into the ink and pressing it to the page. The words came slowly at first, but then, as if my hand were moving on its own, they flowed freely.

Dear Alaric,

It feels like it's been forever since we last spoke. I hope you're doing well, wherever you are. Things at Hogwarts are... the same, but I've been thinking about something that I can't seem to ignore anymore.

I've been wondering a lot about our family. Or rather, about me. There's something I feel like I don't know—something missing about who I am and where I come from. And it's been driving me mad, not knowing.

Do you know anything about my real family? Why did the Ashbournes take me in?

I don't know how else to ask this, and I don't mean to offend you. I just... need answers. And I trust you. So if you know anything, please tell me.

Yours,
Blacky

I leaned back, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. The ink was barely dry, the words still fresh on the page, but the heaviness that had settled in my chest remained. Would he answer? And if he did, would he tell me the truth?

Folding the parchment carefully, I sealed it with a flick of my wand, the wax hardening into the Ashbourne family crest. Ironic, really, considering I was asking about everything that name represented. Tucking the letter into my robe, I stood up, the cold air from the lake making the stone walls of the Slytherin common room feel even more oppressive.

What if Alaric didn't know anything? Or worse—what if he knew everything and had kept it from me all this time? The questions spiraled in my mind, each one worse than the last.

When I finally reached the owlery, the air was sharp with the smell of hay and feathers, the owls ruffling their wings restlessly in the rafters. My fingers found the familiar brown owl that had always delivered letters to my brother, so I tied it to its leg with trembling hands.

"Take this to him, alright?" I whispered. The owl hooted softly in response, taking off into the darkening sky, disappearing into the horizon. I watched until it was nothing but a small speck, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

The journey back to the dungeon felt longer than usual, the uncertainty growing heavier with each step. What if Alaric had answers, and those answers changed everything? What if they didn't?