Stumble - A Fred Weasley Fanfiction

Chapter 11: 307 Days Before

The more Addie thought of it, the more determined she was to join the Order of the Phoenix. She was tired of sitting around the Burrow as everyone else went off to Order meetings, coming back late at night exhausted and stressed. She was tired of being left out of the secrets.

If there was a chance they would let her in and allow her to help fight the most evil wizard Europe had ever seen, then she was going to take it.

But first she needed to get through Fred.

The day after her conversation with Ginny, she found him alone, rooting through the garden shed outside. He and the rest of the Weasley's had just returned from yet another Order meeting. She approached cautiously. "Fred?"

He turned, a small smile spreading across his face. "Addie," he greeted. "I was actually about to come find you."

"What for?"

Fred reached back into the garden shed, proffering an old, worn looking broom to her. He reached in with his other hand to grab a second one for himself. "It's a nice night. I thought you might want to get out of the house for a little bit."

Ginny's words from the night before floated into Addie's mind, but she pushed them away, instead focusing on the broom in her hands. It had been years since she'd flown one, and she had never been talented at flying even then.

Fred noticed her hesitation. "Don't worry, we won't go far. I just thought we might go up the hill. There's a good view of Ottery St. Catchpole from there." Addie's reluctance didn't easy any, and Fred seemed to sense that. "If you fall, I'll catch you. I can try out my Wronski Feint with a human being," he said, the idea lighting up his eyes. "I wonder how far I could let you fall before I could still catch you in time..."

Addie's eyes widened in terror, but she still laughed. "Let's not try that tonight, please?"

"It could be a brand new sport. Lots of precision, a few deaths... it's exactly what Quidditch has been missing! Human Snitches!"

Addie laughed some more. "If we're going to go, let's go." The two mounted their brooms and Addie took off after Fred, following close behind him. She was uncomfortable on her broom, and it showed. She wobbled, her turns slow and wide, the slight tilt in the direction she was turning making her feel she was about to fall off. As they neared the top of the hill, she tilted her broom downward, eager to be back on solid ground. When her feet touched the grass, she let out an audible sigh of relief.

Fred was laughing hysterically as he watched Addie land. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"You," Fred said, tilting his head back as he laughed uproariously. "I don't think I've ever seen someone look so uncomfortable on a broom before. You should have seen yourself!"

Addie glared at him. "I told you I wasn't any good on a broom."

Fred attempted to quell his laughter, although a cheeky grin stayed spread across his face. "Well, now I've seen it for myself."

Addie slapped at his arm playfully.

The two set down their brooms, walking over the crest of the hill and looking down to where the small village of Ottery St. Catchpole sat below. It was dusk, and the people had started turning in for the night. Golden light shone from the windows of the buildings below, creating a picturesque view.

Fred sat down on the ground and Addie joined him, leaning back on her hands, tilting her face up at the darkening sky. "How was the Order meeting?" she asked.

"Same as ever," he replied. "Constant bickering about what to do next without ever actually deciding on anything. Only now its about Harry."

"Harry?"