Confident | Fred Weasley

Chapter 107 | Consider

With George at his in-laws, the shop was empty. Fred didn't loiter around on his own for long. He scooped up products in two large sacks, mostly consisting of the items he didn't have in storage at home. With that, he apparated home, avoiding Montague's sharp glare.

Sarah was in the same spot from when he'd left her thirty minutes ago. She was sat on the floor of the spare room, her back against the bottom of the sofa, completing a jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle, which George and Capri had gifted to her for her birthday, was supposed to end up being a magical, snowy Japanese scene. Sarah had only just begun assembling the border.

Moose was stretched out on the sofa behind them with his head leaning on the arm rest. Fred scratched the top of the dog's head, feeling the soft fur move past his fingertips. Moose let out a content, soft grunt.

Fred dropped the bags beside Sarah once he'd finished petting Moose, "How's it going?"

"Not well," Sarah responded, studying a piece closely, "The pictures on the pieces keep moving."

Fred snickered, dropping onto the floor beside her. Sarah needed the coffee table for her puzzle, so Fred spread his supplies out on the floor. He feared he was going to need another back massage after this.

"Want some help?" Sarah glanced at the two sacks with a frown, "You've got more products upstairs as well."

"Nah, carry on with your puzzle," Fred waved her off, "No need for both of us to suffer."

Sarah turned back to the jigsaw, her lips tilting upwards, "I think I'm already suffering to be honest."

"Come off it," Fred laughed, "You're good at puzzles by now, I thought?"

"You'd think so with all the practice I've had," Sarah answered, leaning back against the sofa, "but this is the fanciest one I've ever got. The other ones only started to move after I connected them all together."

Fred leaned over her shoulder to inspect the pieces. There was a blur of movement in each piece; snow falling against a dark sky, flickering lanterns, feet racing back and forth, cartoon faces dipping in and out.

He grimaced, his eyes already hurting, "Right. I see the problem."

"Never doubt me again," Sarah joked, and Fred chuckled.

Sarah got on with squinting at the jigsaw pieces, whilst Fred dug around the sack to find the order book. With a grunt, he tugged the ledger past boves and packaging, wincing as something scratched his arm. He crossed his legs, and laid the book across his lap.

Flicking to the page corresponding to the date, 14th of February, Fred scanned the extensive list. Names, products, and addresses spanned several pages. Fred let out a huff, rolled his shoulders and got to wrapping.

As Fred wrapped a Reusable Hangman in orange tissue paper, Sarah clambered to her feet.

"We should put some music on," Sarah answered his questioning glance, stepping over him to get out of the room.

She returned a few moments later wheeling her record player trolley. She crouched and shuffled through the vinyl records. She withdrew an old Weird Sisters album, and Fred thought of his sister. It was Ginny's favourite band after all.

The guitar introduction of an old rock classic, 'Wizard Sensations' played as Sarah climbed back over him to return to her puzzle. He recalled this song blaring through the floor when he was younger as Ginny had always listened to her music loud. He wondered how she was doing at Hogwarts. He hoped the Death Eaters weren't giving him trouble.

"Fred, what's wrong with your bow?" Sarah's query shook Fred from his thoughts.

He focused on the package and found that he had idly tied the purple ribbon into a gigantic knot.