Falter - A Fred Weasley Sequel

8. Four Pints

"So do you want to tell me what you've been up to?" Dirk asked as they browsed Flourish and Blotts. The bookstore had finally reopened, after it had been badly damaged during You-Know-Who's reign. Ben had been slowly gathering his school supplies as various shops had reopened, and this was the last one they needed to go to before September 1st arrived. Dirk had sent him loose, to explore the stacks and find his textbooks on his own, as he and Addie browsed the section on potions and healing.

"Nothing," Addie said. "I've just been at Charlotte's more often."

"Really?" Dirk said as he flipped through a book. "So you're saying that you've been spending the majority of your days at a friend's house, while your boyfriend stays at the Burrow? Even though, a few weeks ago, you panicked if you left him to go to the bathroom?"

Addie shrugged. "I've changed?" she said, her voice high and false. She had known it was a bad lie, but she was hoping Dirk would be too distracted with Ben and Marlee to care. She should have known better.

"Just tell me you're not getting yourself into trouble."

"I'm not getting myself into trouble."

"I don't believe you." Addie let out an exasperated sigh. "I know this probably has something to do with Fred," Dirk continued. "And I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. And just know, if you do get yourself into trouble, that you can trust me. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do," she said. "It's fine, really."

Ben came back before Dirk could say anything further on the subject, books stacked up to his chin, tipping precariously in his arms. Addie took half the stack for herself, flipping through them. "I don't remember needing this many my first year," she said. Some of the titles in the stack she hadn't even heard of.

Ben shrugged. "There was some really cool ones," he said. "So I thought maybe I could get a few extras."

Dirk plucked one out of his arms, reading the title. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." He smiled. "Yeah, you can have that one. Its a good read. If you're interested in magical creatures, go say hi to Hagrid. He lives in the little hut at the edge of the grounds." He saw the next book in the stack. "I don't think you need this, though," he said, plucking the book, which was a rather thick volume on poisons, out of Ben's hands.

Ben and Dirk went to pay for the rest, and Addie slipped out of the store, heading to the apothecary shop across the street. She silently handed the old woman behind the counter the list Farah had given her and a pile of coins. The lady's eyebrows rose as she saw some of the ingredients, but didn't say anything as she gathered up the various items and wrapped them neatly for Addie. "Be careful," she warned as she counted the gold Addie had given her. "Mixing some of those together could get you in serious trouble."

"I'll be careful," Addie said, tucking the bag under her arm. Dirk and Ben were coming out of Flourish and Blotts, and they met in the middle of the street.

Dirk gave her a questioning look, before zooming in on the bag in her hands. "Hand it over," he said, holding out an expectant hand. Addie sighed, passing the bag. Dirk looked inside, his face growing grim as he examined the contents. When he passed her the bag back, he didn't say a word about what was inside, but he also couldn't look her in the eyes either.

As they continued their shopping, their was an awkwardness between the two. Dirk wouldn't say a word to her, and Addie didn't try to strike up any conversation. She knew only a portion of what Dirk knew about potion making, but even she knew the contents of her bag meant bad things.