The Haunting of Judith Wagner{George Weasley}

Chapter Twelve

George was unsure of what to say as he led Judith outside of the backroom, her skin was cold, her face paled and she looked as though she had just walked through her worst nightmare. Customers stared as he walked her out the front door with Alma behind them.

"Judy, what happened?" Alma asked her. "Did you see something?"

Judith held her forehead, as silent tears trailed down her face. "I just really want to go home right now." she cried reaching for her wand frantically.

Alma grabbed her hand. "You are in no condition to be apparating or doing any sort of magic." she turned to George with a pleading look.

"Give me an address and I'll get her there." he said.

Alma had to think hard before running into the tea shop to collect the paperwork that had emergency contact list for each of the workers.

Judith stared down at her, nearly traumatized by the image that had burned into her mind. The haunting eyes that glared at her, the chilling voice that called her name, all belonging to him. The warmth of George's hand startled her again, as she pulled away from his touch.

"Sorry," he said quickly," I just..." He frowned at her and Judith could tell what he was thinking. He thought she had gone completely crazy, that she had finally cracked and suffered a nervous breakdown.

Perhaps she had, but it didn't matter what she had, it was what she had seen that had terrified her so. She didn't get the chance to say anything to George as Alma returned with a small slip of paper in her hand.

"This is her grandparents' address. Bring her there, I don't think it's a good idea for her to be alone right now." Alma whispered to George, but Judith had clearly heard her as her eyes fell on her co-worker.

"Thank you." George said. "I'll see that she gets there."

"No, thank you. I'd bring her myself but...I can't leave the shop. Please take care of her."

"I will."

George thought it would be wiser to walk Judith to her grandparents' home as he wasn't sure how she was going to take to apparating with him. They didn't live far from what he recognized of the address.

The entire time they walked, Judith seemed to be in a zombie like state as she just walked alongside of him, saying nothing. Bags were forming under her eyes that were puffy from her crying. Her hair was all over the place from when she had gotten riled up earlier, her sweater slouching off her shoulder, but she didn't seem to notice or she didn't care.

When they reached the home, George knocked.

The door opened revealing an older man, who instantly noticed Judith's state.

"Merlin'- Judith what happened?" he looked to George.

"I don't know, Sir. She was in the backroom when we heard her scream, she's been like this since."

The man invited him in as he guided Judith inside.

"Bethany!" he called into the home.

"Coming!" a woman's voice returned. "What's going-"

George saw who he assumed to be Judith's grandmother walk in and freeze.

"Oh goodness what's going on?"

Bethany eyed the man in the room, nearly calling him Fred, until she took in the feature of his missing ear.

It was George, not Fred.

But she couldn't help but wonder for a moment where Fred was. She pushed those thoughts aside as she sat beside her granddaughter who was slouched on the sofa. She raised her hand to Judith's forehead, she was warm and her skin was sweaty.

"Seems like she is running a fever." she told the men.

"She screamed bloody murder in that backroom." George told her.

Bethany lifted Judith's head by her chin and looked into her eyes, fear was prominent.

"Excuse us for a moment," Bethany requested looking to her husband.

Norman offered George to go into the kitchen. As soon as they were out of the room, she grabbed Judith's face gently.

"Judy what did you see?"

"Is she going to be alright?" George asked Norman after declining the offer of a drink from the man.

"She'll be fine." Norman nodded. "She's been under a lot of stress lately, it was bound to catch up with her. She's one that will bottle up her feelings until she can't anymore. Then it all hits her at once."

"It would cause her to scream like that..."

"I don't know what happened there, but I'm sure she's fine. Probably just feeling sick is all.."

Judith's lips trembled as she shook her head trying to close her eyes ignoring her grandmother's request of telling her what she had witnessed.

"Judith! I can't help you if you don't tell me! Tell me what you saw."

"He was in my mind, Nana! I could see him! He spoke to me! He was there!"

"Who-"

"He said he was going to get me, please don't let him get me!" Judith cried. "Please?"

She held onto the front of her grandmother's blouse.

"Sweetheart, who? Who did you see?"

Judith's breath became staggered as she tried to compose herself long enough to say something.

"He-who-must-not-be-named."