[1] Lemons into Lemonade ✓ | FRED WEASLEY

Chapter Fifty Five

They key to dealing with Mad-Eye was acting fast, calming him down before he took care of them all in one vengeful swoop. Sadly, after their lessons were finished, Fred found that Aubrey was nowhere to be seen. On his search for the girl, he came across an equally concerned Lexy who revealed that Aubrey hadn't even shown up to Charms. Unfortunately, she couldn't stay to help: Kenny and Angela were dragging her off for a thorough interrogation in the Quad although Lexy assured Fred they were more than clueless.

Eventually, he met up with his brother and after a little bit of brainstorming, figured the missing girl was in the library. As it turned out they were correct; in fact, she'd been there all day. As they approached, Fred couldn't next to her peaky skin. She looked incredibly vulnerable, curled up against a shelf, dark bags under her eyes and a navy blue book in her hands.

"She didn't get much sleep last night," George explained, "Actually, come to think, I reckon she didn't get any at all."

It hadn't been a great night for Fred either, tossing and turning until the late hours but by the looks of it, her's had been infinitely worse.

"Fred?" The twins asked in time and she looked up, her face falling.

"Oh ... hello," Slowly, her head bent low, tracing her finger along the silver lettering on the cover, "I was reading about Beauxbatons."

"Why?"

"Well, yesterday I was thinking if I'd gone there like my sisters did, maybe none of this would have happened. No Mad-Eye, no switch, just me complaining about how everything had to gleam all the time," She laughed wearily, "But then I wouldn't have met you and that be tragic."

Her tone had slowed down, speaking dreamily as if nothing was quite real anymore. With one last concerned look at his brother, Fred took a seat next to her, looping his arm around her shoulders, "That would have been pretty bad ... we'll sort this, alright?"

For a second, she simply stared forwards before crumpling into a ball, "Not today, please not today, I'm just not ready yet. I had to walk past the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom and it felt like my heart was beating so fast it almost broke free."

"Aubrey - "

"I know, I know," She shifted away from his arm, pushing herself up before almost toppling over, "Time is of the essence, I understand that completely but he might still be angry. Although he might not be, I suppose ... see, that's what I hate! He's not Mad-Eye, we can't even begin to understand what he's like, how he might react to things!"

Fred stood up behind her, "Then we talk to him somewhere public and after he's eaten - I reckon hunger makes everyone angry, no matter who they are. Aubrey, we'll get through this, we have a plan!"

"A plan based on what? The more I think about it, the more I realise we're simply grasping at straws here!"

Fred desperately wracked his brain to figure out a joke to lighten the mood, "Then don't think about it...? Sorry..."

She'd stopped walking now, clinging to the book so hard her knuckles had turned white. Fred took a step back, running his hands through his hair as he tried to think of a way to calm her down. Before he could speak again though, George gently rested his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Fred, let me - "

"No, I understand her, it's fine. She can cry around me," He whispered.

"Why? No offence but you're about as good at this as chopsticks with soup," George laughed although his twin remained silent.

"I-I helped her at the Yule Ball," Was all he could think to reply, repeating aimlessly, "She can cry in front of me."

"If she needs to cry, I'll send her your way but right now she's petrified with fear, not sad: she needs different things and I think I understand where she's coming from. Blackmailing Ludo alone scared the living daylights out of me but I pushed through maybe I can help her do the same. Please let me have a word with her alone?" After a few moments, Fred reluctantly nodded, feeling helpless as George took the reigns.