Stumble - A Fred Weasley Fanfiction

Chapter 3: 364 Days Before

Addison's sleep came in fits and starts, the disturbing images playing out in her dreams keeping her from any resemblance of a peaceful night. She had awoken every other hour with her heart racing, vague recollections of dreams in which Avery featured strongly causing her body to freeze up in terror. Each time it seemed impossible that she would find sleep again, only to wake once more with the same paralyzing fear coursing through her body. 

The last dream was the worst. She awoke once more to the darkness of the Weasley's bedroom, her heart beating violently as if attempting to burst out of her chest. Images flashed through her mind. She had been standing in the kitchen of the Burrow, wand pointed at two figures before her. Both had the same red hair, the same expression of absolute horror plastered on their faces. Avery's voice had whispered in her ear, the words echoing through Addie's brain. "Kill them." And as hard as she tried to fight it, the dreaded words had escaped her lips and a beam of green light had shot out of her wand, illuminating the kitchen in an eerie glow as the woman in front of her dropped to the ground. 

She had awoken before she could do the same to the boy beside Molly. 

Tears fell from her cheeks as she sat up in bed, unable to shake the horrors her subconscious had created. It had felt so real. She felt the words escape her lips, felt the power that had flown through her wand to the woman in front of her. It wasn't real, she told herself. But it had felt that way. 

The clock on the bedside table revealed that there was still an hour until the Order meeting that night, but Addie refused to go back to sleep. She sat up straighter, pulling the blankets close around her body, and turned to the window behind her. The curtains had been drawn so Addie could sleep despite the afternoon light, but she drew them aside now. She craned her neck upwards so she could glimpse the night sky above her. The stars shined brightly in the countryside, without the city lights to block their glow. She leaned against the window, the cold glass providing relief for her aching head.

Her mind kept trying to bring the horrors of her dream to her attention, but she shoved them away. It wasn't real, she kept telling herself. It only felt that way. Never before had she had such a vivid dream. She could still see Molly in her mind as the woman dropped to the ground. 

A loud crack from outside distracted her from her thoughts. She turned her gaze downward. The Burrow's windows cast their light onto the ground below, and into one of these patches of light stepped a man. Even from her view on the second floor, she could see that he was thickly built. Molly stepped out of the door and Addie could see that he towered over the small woman. He was wearing purple robes that contrasted sharply with his dark skin. Addie immediately recognized him. 

The man was Kingsley Shacklebolt, on the Ministry's top Auror's. And apparently also a member of the Order of the Phoenix. 

The man entered the house but Addie stayed glued to the window. The members of the Order of the Phoenix arrived in a slow procession, always appearing in the same spot at the edge of the Weasley's lawn. Each arrival was announced with a loud crack, and Addie would peer into the night to scope out the newest arrival. After Kingsley there arrived a woman whose hair was a vibrant shade of pink. After her was a skinny man in frayed robes, his brown hair falling into his eyes. Addie thought he resembled a professor that had been teaching while she was at Hogwarts. Next was a man with red hair that must be Molly's husband, Arthur, and then Fred's twin, George arrived. 

She was watching the latest of arrivals, a very short, gruff looking man with a displeased scowl on his face, when there was a quiet knock on the door. She padded over, opening it to reveal Fred standing in the landing, looking anxious. 

"Ready?" he asked. 

She nodded, depositing the blanket she had wrapped around herself onto the bed and quickly running her hands through her hair. "As ready as I'll ever be."