just for me ⚘ a Fred Weasley Fanfiction

97. the great divide pt. 2

Not only was Fred still livid with the Order, and his family, and the Deatheater's, and most of all himself, but he was also bored out of his mind.
Molly had him moved back to his place with George above the shop, insisting that his sulking and negative energy was taking a toll on her health, and she needed space to breathe.
George welcomed him back into the place with warm and wide arms, but Fred couldn't bring himself to even glance at his brother, moping off to his previously abandoned room and slamming the door with a kick. During the days he stocked shelves in the shop by hand, his ability to use magic still forfeited. The were close to no customers each day, given the terrors that filled the community, so Fred restocked everything within a few days, turning to scrubbing the place with a toothbrush to pass his time.

"Dad got word from Bill a few days ago." George mumbled one afternoon in mid-November, dusting a section of shelves.

"Mm." Fred grunted in response, barely back on speaking terms with him.

"Ron's been staying at him and Fleur's place for a bit. Abandoned Harry and Hermione." George said, waiting for an explosive response from Fred. "Just apparated on the beach, apparently. Mumbling about the other two, but he seemed sorry."

"Did he say if they've been to the Manor?" Fred asked, scrubbing extra-hard at a floorboard. "Or if they've seen any sign of Juniper?"

"No." George said quietly, holding his breath. "Look, Fred. You know I'd be one of the first to storm the Malfoy's place-."

"But you're not."

"But I know what the consequences would be." George finished with a frown. "I'm not putting Mum, or Ginny, or you, or anyone else in danger just to maybe get her out. If she's even there."

"How would it be different to any other Order missions anyone's been on?" Fred countered, feeling like a broken record, repeating the same argument over and over again to deaf ears. "Anytime any of us step out into the public, we risk being killed. Ginny's in danger at Hogwarts without Dumbledore, Mum's in danger whenever Dad's at work, we're in danger here. What's the difference between here and the Malfoy's place?"

"I..." George threw his hands up. That was the stupidest question he had ever heard, even from Fred. It was like being in love made him lose valuable brain cells, which were already scarce between the pair. George took a breath, struggling to piece together an answer that would get through to Fred, who was hell-bent on arguing. "Yes, we're all in danger no matter where we are. But storming into the Malfoy's place is like... diving head first into a pit of venomous snakes. It's not the same as walking down Diagon Alley, or even showing up to the Ministry."

"So you still think it's best to leave her there? And just pretend that she's not locked in some cell being tortured day in and day out while we sit on our arses and dust shelves? Because it's a bit more dangerous to go after her?"

"Running in when we're already outnumbered will just get you and everyone involved killed. Including Juniper, she'd be the first to go." George shook his head, torn between sympathy and irritation. "Believe me, we are doing everything we can."

"Who is the 'we' you keep referring to? Am I not still apart of the Order? My commitment to the Order is why Juniper is gone, and now I've been dumped to the side for wanting to get her back." Fred snapped, slamming his cleaning toothbrush on the ground and storming through the shop, grumbling under his breath.