Amelia Merlin

Part Twenty: Fight with Fred

Amelia slouched over her morning breakfast. It had been a week since her talk with the headmaster and the trial was tomorrow. Fred sat down beside her, "Hey Amy," he nudged her playfully.

"Hi," she was sullen, and distant.

"How've you been love?"

"I'm fine Fred," she insisted.

He frowned, "Yeah I can see that, by the huge bags under your eyes and the fact you only play with your food, not eat it. Or maybe your unbrushed hair let me see that. Or is it your usual sunny personality that is so present?"

"Don't be an ass Fred," she shot at him. What right did he have to poke around in her business? "Keep your nose out,"

"Yeah Amelia because I'm totally going to do that!" He snapped back. "Don't be stupid, you look like shit and you hang out alone all the time,"

"Maybe I'm done with all the immature bitches in my year and I don't want to deal with people," her eyes narrowed and her words were like venom.

"Please! Can you cut it and just tell me what's going on?" Amelia debated for a while. He was right, she was really not doing well and she hadn't spoken to anyone in days and she could really use a shower.

All she really wanted to say was yes please help me Fred, make me laugh and forget about everything. Take me on an adventure, whisk me away to a far off land!  Instead she said "Maybe later,"

"Alright! How about in twenty minutes? By the lake? I know you love it there," he winked and got up to leave.

"Fred!" She protested but he just winked and scampered off. Amelia slowly rose to follow him. She kept her distance, not wanting to run, she was much to tired for exercise. As she made her way down to the lake, she could admire Fred from afar. She did love that boy, with his lanky limbs and surprisingly graceful way of walking. This was the only reason she followed him down to the lakeside. He lounged by the shore, waiting for her. She sighed and sat down dramatically.

"Ah! Amelia darling, how lovely to see you!" He said cheerily.

"Okay Fred, you got me out here, now what do you want?"

"Just to chat, what's up?"

Amelia ran her fingers through her ratted hair and sighed. She felt tears prick her eyes and blinked them back, but it was no use, they came anyways. She started to cry the kind of crying that comes with deep and fast breathing. The kind that drowns your face until you can barely see straight.

"It's bad Fred," she whimpered. Amelia was not the kind of girl to whimper or cry, so Fred knew she was telling the truth. He looked almost scared as he comforted her.

"What is it love?" His voice was tender. And through her ragged breathing she told him. How her dad was on trial, as though there were a question of his guilt, and how she had to witness if she definitely wanted him gone forever. She didn't tell Fred about the nightmares. Amelia's breathing rate started to increase and she was hyperventilating.

"Fred, please help me," she implored. Amelia felt utterly useless, weak and vulnerable. She was too used to that feeling when her dad was around and she didn't want that again.

"What can I do? Just tell me what to do?" He begged of her, but Amelia didn't know any better than he did.

Her whole body was shaking, as though she had hypothermia, yet sweat broke out across her face and palms. She rocked back and forth slightly. Amelia felt mentally unhinged, she shouldn't be this upset.

But she was and she couldn't stop it, she said the words but they weren't working. Amelia forgot about Fred for the time being and focused on trying to calm herself. Her hands shook as she held them out in from of her.

With a small flick of her wrist, the branches of a nearby tree snapped and dove into the ground like spears.
She raised her left palm up, and the branches rose out of the earth.

"Amelia," Fred cautioned he looked around to make sure they were alone.

"I can't help it," her voice was small when she spoke. "I don't know what I'm doing. I'm so scared," it was barely more than a whisper. She wasn't really controlling this. It felt like her early wand magic, before Jeremy had taught her the mantra. Back when everything was out of whack.

"I know love, I know," he took a step towards her and the branches tensed. She could feel them, ready to fire, and Amelia wasn't sure if she could hold them at bay.

"Stay back! I'll hurt you," she warned, fear flowed through her veins like a poison.

"I don't care," and he took another step.

"Fred! Don't be stupid! I could kill you!" She screamed. Why could he not understand? She didn't know what she was doing and he was going to get injured, badly.

"I trust you," another step.

The branches shot forwards, but stopped about four metres behind Amelia.

"Fred!" She cried in utter desperation.

"Amelia," he said softly, taking another step, so he was nearly nose to nose with her.

"Please, get away from me," she whispered.

"Not a chance love," he grinned and cupped her face in his hands.

The branches shot forward.

Amelia pulled away from Fred and turned to face them.

She put up both hands and a shock wave emitted from them, blasting the branches to splinters.

Her hands fell to her sides and Amelia looked over her shoulder at Fred.

Fred Weasley stood in awe of the girl before him. Her dirty blonde hair fell over her shoulders in a nest of tangles. Her eyes  were bloodshot and her nose was runny. Amelia's mouth was slightly open and she gave a small hiccup as she looked at him.

Without warning she took two large paces and threw her arms around his neck. She whispered in his ear, "Thank you,"

"No problem, really," Fred insisted as he embraced her.

"I love you Fred,"

"I love you Amelia," they stood by the lake in each other's arms for a good amount of time before heading back  to the dormitories. Fred helped her through the portal, and kissed her lightly on the forehead before she went to bed.

Amelia slept peacefully that night. She woke with the usual bleeding palms, but she didn't remember her dreams.

She brushed her hair and made herself presentable for the trial. Amelia walked down the Great Hall where Dumbledore met her.

"Good morning Miss Merlin," he said cheerfully.

"Good morning sir," Amelia replied. "How are we getting to the ministry?"

"You have used floo powder before correct?"

"Yes," as a born and raised witch she was very familiar with the system.

"Which is exactly why we will be doing something different. Give you some excitement! What do you say?"

Amelia couldn't help snorting. The day of her abusive fathers trial, where she was travelling with the greatest wizard of all time to the most important wizarding building, to give a testimony in front of a court of the best witches and wizards. She totally needed some excitement.

"I can't think of anything better!" She tried to keep the sarcasm at bay.

"Very well! Take my arm will you?" He offered it to her and Amelia proceeded with great caution.

Then something happened.