Falter - A Fred Weasley Sequel

1. The Fourth Floor

Addie Taylor didn't like how familiar she had gotten with the Fourth Floor of St. Mungo's Hospital. She knew what time of day the Healers came round, and what time each meal was delivered. She knew the rotations of the night staff and could greet everyone by name. She had talked to each Healer that came into Room 413, could list off their family members, could describe how they liked their coffee and knew which members of the staff they liked and disliked.

She knew too much.

But it had almost been a week, and Fred was still unresponsive, and there was so little to do that Addie was grateful for whatever they had to say to her.

Her favorite Healer, other than her father, was Halley. She was usually on the night shift, and would often come and sit with Addie during her coffee breaks, checking in on her, offering her some company in the late hours. By that hour, Molly had been forcefully dragged away by Bill or Arthur, and George had nodded off to sleep beside her.

"You know," Halley said as she came in that night. Addie was awake, as always. She pointed to George, who had fallen asleep in his chair. "With him out like that, we could place him in the next bed and you'd never be able to tell which was which."

Addie turned to look at George, who had passed out in his chair, as he did every night.

Addie shook her head. "I'd know the difference." She had grown so used to the two of them, and even though she couldn't pinpoint what about them was different, she knew them apart instantly.

Halley smiled kindly. "You really should be sleeping."

Addie snorted. "I would if I could," she said, rubbing at her eyes. Fred had been in the hospital for almost a week, and she could count on one hand the hours she had slept. Every time she drifted off she woke up with a start, scared that while she had been out, there had been a change.

"You know," Halley said. "There's an empty bed in 415. And I can whip up a pretty good Sleeping Potion."

Addie shook her head. "No. I don't want to miss anything."

Halley turned to where Fred lay on the bed. He hadn't moved since the Battle, unless it was the routine shifting by the Healers so he wouldn't get bed sores. He lay there, eyes closed, breathing even, looking as if he was in the most peaceful sleep of his life.

But it was a sleep no one had been able to wake him up from.

"I don't think there'll be any change," Halley said. "He's been nothing but stable. Heart rate and breathing have been steady since he got here. He'll make it through the night. And if you want, I'll stay here with him, and wake you the second something changes."

Addie really considered it. She was so exhausted that she felt heavy, every movement requiring more and more effort each day. Everyone knew it. Everyone told her to go to sleep. But she simply couldn't. But still she shook her head.

"You know, I think Dirk is just about ready to slip you a Sleeping Potion," Halley said. "And if he tells me to do so, I'll listen."

Addie sighed. "I know." After the Battle of Hogwarts, Dirk had spent a day as a patient in St. Mungo's to better heal his arm, and the next day returned as a Healer. He was convinced that only having one arm wouldn't change anything, since his wand arm was still fully intact. He had made his rounds each day, completely ignoring every offer for help, and every day, he came to check in on Fred.

And Addie.

And in all honesty, he seemed much more worried about Addie. Fred was stable, unchanging. But Addie was looking worse and worse every day.