Be Mine, Fred Weasley

Family Tree-With Dogs

It's the last month of the semester and I am so excited to get my O.W.L.S done as soon as possible. Teachers have been cramming homework on for the past several weeks, trying to get as much information pounded into our brains as possible.

In other news we finally won the Quidditch Cup! Harry had a stunning end to the season and Oliver has never been more happy, I heard that he is going to be play for some team next year and I am happy that he knows what he wants to do with his life. Meanwhile, I have just had a meeting with Professor McGonagall and we were discussing the future. Like, what I want to do after Hogwarts future. I was completely blank, I haven't even thought of what I would want to do after school. She realized that I was having trouble so she recommended I should do Ministry work, if it is an office job, or life as a reporter that would be up to me. I really have no idea what it would be like working there, or if I would like it. But, no matter I have another 2 years to figure this out, I'm sure I will find something.

It's exam week now and all the 5th and 7th years are cramming for their O.W.L.S and N.E.W.T.S. at all hours of the night in the common room. George and Fred have finally made up with each other, unfortunately this reunion of the brothers resolved in us giving away the Maurders Map to Harry. I was upset at first, but I know that Harry will let us use it if we need it, so it was alright in the end. Now the twins are on speaking terms again and I am still fighting a war with Fred, every time we come this close to telling the other how we feel, one of us puts up a wall and ignores the other person. George and I have talked about this and he says the Fred is just worried that my feelings for him are all going to go away if he says anything to me about his feelings. I know doesn't make sense to me either.

Anyway, back to studying. George and I are quizzing each other about Goblin War, and when I say each other, I mean I'm drilling the several different ones into Georges head. At least I'm getting practice. Angelina is with her friends across the room talking mostly about next year, they better get a move on with the studying. I see her eyes meet Georges and they exchange glances, waving also. God, the sight of this is making me sick.

"George, please focus! We need to start working on the star maps for Astronomy" I say snapping my fingers in front of his face.

"You know I'm good with those I'll be right back," and he heads across the room to talk to Angelina.

"Great, how am I supposed to study now!" I say quietly to myself, although not quietly enough. Fred moves over one seat into Georges old one and hold out a blank start chart to me.

"Saturn." he says. I look at him strangely, we haven't talked like normal people in what feels like months. "Point out Saturn, are you deaf?" he says again.

"Sorry, um here." I say pointing at a small looking star in the upper left hand corner.

"Yep. Now show me Uranus."

I start turning beat red and hold in my laughter, Fred looks at me funny and realizes what he just said and begins to turn red as well. That's when all the frustrations and confusions we have towards each other leaves me in a huge laugh. I feel the whole room turn to look at me for a second, but I didn't care at this point Fred is laughing also and it feels good to have my friend back.

I collect myself and point to the bottom right, "well.. it isn't mine, but here is the planet." I say with a little chuckle following.

"I don't think I've seen you this happy in a long time." he says.

"Probably not, but most of that is my fault. I-"

"No, Beth it isn't. It's mine. I've been to scared to face you this whole time and just tell you the truth about everything. I have made you hurt, I have lied to not only you, but to myself. I really do have feelings for you Beth, and I want to be with you, but I just think you deserve a guy a whole lot better than me. So for now, until I become the man I want to be, and the man you need. Let's just be friends."

"Fred, I want you for who you are, we both have our issues we can work them out!" I take his hand from across the table, but as I do he trembles. "Fred, I want you to be mine. I want you and only you. Please don't do this Fred. Please, please, please... be mine."

"You deserve better." he releases his hand from my grip and walks away. Lee and Lucy who heard the whole conversation between us look at me, I'm crying. I just realize it, but I must have been for awhile. Lee gives me an extra tissue to wipe my eyes and Lucy takes Fred's seat and begins to hug me.

It's the end of O.W.L.S. finally my last one, Astrology. It is midnight, the darkest time of the night here and we are mapping out our stars. I am the first to finish and I hand in my map, as I am doing so I see something walk out of the forest. A black dog. I am relased to go to my common room, but I make a break for the gardens, it looks to be the place where the dog was headed. I decide to be careful thought, because just last week Ron got bit by a stray dog, this one look exactly like the one in Diagon Alley though so I don't pay an attention to the warning the teachers have given out. I finally make it to the gardens and see the dog beginning to walk back to the forest.

"Wait!" I yell at it. It must have heard me, because it turn around and starts to come towards me. I wobbles over and stops at my feet. "Are you my pal from Diagon Alley?" I ask.

The dog shakes its head. I then see a letter tied to its collar. I almost scream. The letter is addressed to me. I open it and it says -do not scream- "What does this mean," I say looking up from the letter but as I look for the dog, I find a dirty man in front of me instead. "Sirius Black... you, you are here."

"Bethany, please I do not have much time. You mother would never allow me to see your pictures from you younger years, but you are just as beautiful as her now as I am sure you were then."

"How do you know my name? How do you know my mother?" say now more scared and worried than ever.

"Bethany, please do not be afraid of me, I am an innocent man and the story of that will have to wait for another time, so for now please just trust me. I will answer any questions you have, but please understand that I must leave. I am still a wanted man, I just wanted to see my daughter before I went on the run again. This summer was wonderful, by the way, it was incredible to see how kind you are, again just like your mother." he finishes reaching for my face.

I back away. He just said daughter... is he my father? "Wait, are you my father? My mom said you got locked away for murdering several people. You said that you are innocent. You're lying about something."

"No, no. I am innocent. But like I said that is a story for another time, until then, try talking to Harry. He knows everything and helped me escape. Trust me, and trust him. But, yes Bethany. I am your biological father, and I understand if you never come to terms with this, but please understand that I love you more than anyone, so you must keep acting like you know nothing. The ministry will come looking to you soon, they have been digging into my past more and more since I have escaped. They will confirm my story of being your father. Just don't listen to the rubbish they say about me killing those people, I wouldn't never doing anything like that, especially when I had you to look after." something crows in the distance and scares us both. I know this man is wanted, but there is kindness in his eyes, the same eyes that were with me all summer.

"Alright, I won't say anything. But, when you said this summer was nice, how were you the dog? It is possible, but there are only a few registered, are you an animagus?" I ask.

He chuckles, "Smart girl, good to see you have most of your mothers qualities. Speaking of her, how is she, after this I must go."

"I wouldn't know, I've been with my Grandmother Francis this whole time." I say.

"I'm sorry? Francis?" a dark look overcomes his face. "Bethany, all your grandparents are dead. Your mothers included. This woman is not your grandmother, you need to get out of there." Rustling comes from the trees behind us. "I must go, write to me under the name Padfoot, when you are out of that woman's house, I need to know that you will be safe. Until I see you again, I love you my dear." He once again reaches for my face and strokes my cheek, a rustling noise is getting louder and I turn to see what is in the forest, nothing is there. I turn back to my father and am again left alone.

I make it up to the castle again, and decide to make a trip to the library, looking at old wizarding families in the newspapers. I find my mother, from her fifth year here receiving an award for best overall O.W.L. score for the year. I smile hoping that just like her I get that award. I then look at the picture with her are her parents. Wondering what her score was I read her parents names, wait that cannot be right. Evan and Darcy? Darcy.. not Francis. Who is this woman I am staying with.