Charlotte Weasley

Chapter 37 - Mr and Mrs Fogg

Lacey jumped onto her bed and started pounding the life from her pillow. 

"Um.. Lacey? Are you okay?" I asked uncertainly. 

Lacey replied with more furious jabs to her bed cushions. I crept over to where she was sitting and tried to gently pry the pillow from her hands. To my surprise, she released the pillow. To my disappointment, she grabbed her other pillow and started whacking it against a bed post. 

Britt walked to the other side of Lacey's bed and put her hand on her shoulder. 

"Lacey.. Are okay? You can talk to us."

Lacey shook off Britt's hand and tried to yank her curtains closed. "Lacey! Stop!" 

Small tears began to leak out of the corners of her eyes and she began gasping, leaning up against the backboard of her bed. It was then that I noticed that she was clutching a piece of folded (now scrunched up) parchment in her right fist. 

"Does it have to do with what is in the letter?"

Lacey nodded her head slowly, her tears starting to slow down. I held my hand out for the paper and Lacey let go of it.

"Can I read it?"

Lacey shrugged as if she didn't care.

Dear Miss Fogg,

I am very sorry to be writing this but yesterday evening, at 11:46 PM there was an attack at your place of residence. 

There were three people at the house during the incident and unfortunately two have not survived.

I am very sorry to tell you that your mother and father have been killed as a result of this attack. Your younger brother, Edwin, has just been sent to St. Mungo's Hospital and is waiting for you to arrive.

Yours Sincerely, 

Helena Rhine

After reading this, I ran over to where Lacey was sitting on the bed and enveloped her in a tight hug. 

"Oh my gosh Lacey! I am so sorry!"  

Britt looked puzzled and so I handed her the letter. Her eyes danced across the page and when she finished she also embraced Lacey in a warm hug. 

"Don't worry, we will ask Professor McGonagall if we can go with you to the hospital! It will all be fine!" 

Lacey shuddered and let out another sob, "No it won't be fine! I want to kill whoever did this!"

"I'm sure you don't mean that." Britt said, wiping some of Lacey's tears away with a tissue. 

"But I do!" 

"Alright. Does Professor McGonagall know about this?" I asked, hoping to change the subject off of killing people. 

Lacey's tough demeanor shattered and she broke down even further."Ye- Yeah, she wa-was the one who se-sent m-me up here to g-get my b-b-bags," And with that Lacey went off in another round of sobs. 

"Okay, we can help you pack. Right, Britt?" 

Britt nodded, "So how long will you be at the hospital?"

"A- a w-week I th-think."

Britt put an arm around Lacey and I began gathering some clothes and all of Lacey's other belongings into her trunk. Once I finished, we walked down the stairs, Britt and I supporting the majority of Lacey's weight. 

I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have both of your parents die in one night. Of course I never knew my real parents but Mr and Mrs Weasley were just as good. I don't know how I would react if they were ever to both die. I would bawling too. 

Once we made it up to Professor McGonagall's office, she ushered us inside, pulling Lacey into a hug. This was the first time I had ever seen the headmistress so... I couldn't think of a word but it was odd seeing her comfort Lacey in the office. 

Lacey's face was blotchy and her light whispy hair was messy and tangled. Her blue eyes red and puffy. 

"So Lacey, do you think you'll be able to take floo powder to St Mungo's?" Professor McGonagall asked kindly.

"Y-Yes."

"Alright here you go. Just take the powder and say 'St Mungos."

Lacey scooped up some powder in her trembling hand and walked towards the large fireplace in the headmistresses' office. Right before she was about to step inside, I ran over and pulled her into a tight hug, whispering into her ear, "Don't worry. You can do this."

I wasn't talking about the floo powder. 

Lacey gave me a weak smile before lifting up her quivering arm and dropping the powder into the air, the space around her erupting into emerald green flames, licking up her sides and dancing in the reflection of her eyes.

"St Mungo's Hospital!" She directed firmly. And with a loud pop! she disappeared. 

After Lacey left, Professor McGonagall turned towards us, "Lacey probably won't be completely the same after this, what you guys have to do is try to treat her the same. Don't act different towards her because then it will just make the loss worse. She lost her parents, she doesn't want to lose her best friends."

I nodded, understanding. Britt and I turned to leave the office and I followed her out of the door. Right before I closed the door behind us I went back inside saying, "One second Britt."

"Professor McGonagall?" She was looking at an empty canvas above her desk. 

She looked at me, startled. "Yes, Charlotte?"

"I wanted to ask you something.. Who was it that killed her parents? Was it the Death Eaters?"

Professor McGonngal tried to cover her shudder and then looked me in the eye, "I suppose I can't hide this from you for very long. You'll find out anyways. But yes, it was the Death Eaters that killed Mr and Mrs Fogg."

"But.. Why?"

Professor McGonnagal sighed, looking down at her desk and then back up at me, "Do they really ever have a reason? What you must understand, Charlotte, is that the Death Eaters are ruthless. Back when 'You know who" was in power, they killed anyone for any number of reasons. Sometimes they didn't even need one. They are dangerous and so I implore you to not look into this. Promise me."

"Promise."

Professor McGonnagal looked satisfied and gestured to me to leave. I did so and right before I closed the door again I saw through the crack that she was talking to one of the portraits on the wall. 

Before I could get a better look, I closed the door with a snap and hurried away, not wanting her or Britt to get suspicious. 

A nagging thought in the back of my head kept me wondering, But why the Foggs?