Silver Lining [Fred Weasley]

Eight

Grace entered the room. Florence didn't even look at Grace. She was too focused on the little bundle in her arms. Tear stains lined her cheeks as she looked at the infant with a large smile. Finally, Florence spotted Grace.

"Grace! Come look!" Florence cried. Grace smiled and walked over to Florence.

"Flo, he's beautiful!" Grace cried.

"He's a little chunky for being early." Grace chuckled.

"Think of any names?" She asked. Florence nodded.

"I got one, actually. My mam helped. Theodore Sirius Black. I know it may not have the best ring, but I needed his name somewhere. I couldn't do the first name, but the middle name works," Florence said. Grace smiled.

"I love it," Grace said. Florence smiled and looked back at the baby.

"Me too."

• • •

Grace gripped her wand tighter as she reached the door. Mostly to try and stop her hand from shaking. Millie had sent her on her own mission. Saying she had a dark wizard at large to catch and this guy wasn't even much of a dark wizard. Grace thought Millie was insane to let her go alone.  She knew the guy was in the house somewhere. That was the only piece of information they knew. She wasn't told why he hadn't left, but she didn't bother asking. There was a new spell Grace wanted to try. She pointed her want at her feet.

"Quietus Pedibus."  Her feet tingled. It was a random spell she thought of late at night. All it did was make her footsteps quiet. She mostly planned on using it to prank the twins. Grace stomped her feet on the concrete ground, her stomping feet made no sound.

Grace opened the door as quickly and quietly as possible, closing it the same. The muggle house was dark and quiet. Casting Lumos would only alert the guy she was here if he didn't already know. She'd have to through it in the dark.

She slowly made her way through the dark house. Going through the downstairs first before making her way up. Not being able to see the floor was the hardest. She ended up kicking something across the wooden floors. She cursed herself as she heard the object slide. Grace managed to find the object and walked up to one of the windows. A street lamp outside provided just enough for Grace to see the object. A wand. The guy had managed to lose his wand. She knew exactly what to do.

• • •

The wand floated in front of the door. Grace's heart pumped quicker. She burst through the door, her eyes quickly spotting the figure by the window.

"Stupefy!" She shouted. Then there was a thump. Grace turned on the light and ran over. "Wait a second?" She could recognize the long brown hair anywhere. The guy on the floor was Arnold Griffin. He was an Auror.

"Grace, we need to talk." Grace turned. Standing in the doorway to the room was Millie.

• • •

"What were those two spells?" Millie asked.

"Millie, I don't quite understand why you're badgering me about this. After all, you put me through a fake test to catch a fake fake wizard. I ended up stunning another Auror!" Grace defended as she stood up. They were in Millie's office.

"That's not what's important, Grace!" Millie shouted. Millie never yelled. Grace knew Millie never yelled. If she got mad Grace could see it in her face, but she never rose her voice that loud. Grace just sat back down. "I have to turn in a detailed report to the Minister of Magic, how am I supposed to explain that my student used two spells that have never been heard of!"

"Lie?" Grace suggested. Millie scoffed.

"Lie? Lie to the Minister of Magic? Do you mistake me for an idiot?" Millie asked.

"No, of course not."

"Then please, explain!" Grace looked at her hands. She messed up. She should've known it was a test. Why would she be sent on a mission? She hasn't even been studying for a year. She couldn't lie herself around this one.

"They're my spells," Grace confessed.

"I'm sorry, your spells?" Millie asked, crossing her arms.

"Yes, my spells. I created them as well as many others!" Millie stared at Grace for a moment before laughing.

"You must really take me as an idiot!"

"I'm not lying!" Grace stood back up.

"Can you prove it?"

"Yes."