Ethereal ✭Fred Weasley✭

79.

"Do you have everything dear? Wand? Clothes?"

"Yes Molly."

"We'll be back soon anyway for Order meetings. She can grab the stuff she missed then."

"Oh yes I know. I'm just frolicking is all."

Sophia stood with Fred and George in the hallway while Molly was straightening out the girl's 'S' sweater. The woman had been actively delaying their departure by offering to take some leftovers for their meals and pushing Sophia to check the house one more time to pick up anything she may leave behind. The twins had to forcefully stop themselves from rolling their eyes at their mother's obvious scheme but kept their lips sealed, knowing they'd be pummeled if they said anything. They just let Molly fuss over Sophia for as long as she needed, just to get it out of her system. The woman hadn't had the house so empty in a while so the withdrawal was going to be severe. She obviously loved Sophia and needed to be let down gently.

"Did you two put the protection spells around the flat?" Molly pointed sternly at the two.

"Yes Mum," they replied simultaneously. "All fourteen of them."

"Good," Molly nodded and sighed loudly, taking hold of Sophia's hands into her own. "Now, if you feel homesick at anytime Sophia, you are always welcome back here-"

"This isn't even her real home Mum, how can she be homesick-" George butt in but physically jumped back from the glare his mother sent him. Sophia held back a laugh by pursing her lips as Molly turned her full attention back to her, dropping the glare immediately and softening into her motherly smile.

"Don't be a stranger," Molly attempted to beam but the tears that had begun to swim in her eyes made her choke, now streaming down her wrinkly cheeks. "Oh Sophia!"

The woman threw herself towards the girl and she barely had time to catch her, stumbling back with her arms around Molly's middle. Fred steadied her by putting his hands on her biceps and watched as Molly sobbed into Sophia's shoulder. This was worse than when the twins said they were taking Sophia to see the shop. She was clutching on to Sophia with her dear life and crying into her sweater without any hesitation. The girl attempted to comfort the woman by saying she'd be back before she knew it but Molly couldn't hear it over her loud hiccups. Fred and George looked at each other and wordlessly agreed to remove their mother from Sophia, grabbing one chubby arm each and softly pulling them off of her shoulders.

"Alright Mum, I think you've made your point," Fred murmured, the woman pulling out her signature handkerchief. "We really should be going."

"Oh alright. I suppose I can't delay it any longer," Molly sniffled and blew obnoxiously into her handkerchief. Sophia felt small tears springing to her own eyes and smiled watery at the woman she had grown attached to. She couldn't have asked for a more lovely and caring woman to help her with the recovery process. Molly had gone above and beyond for Sophia. She wouldn't have recovered so quickly if it wasn't for Molly's constant checks and home-made cooking.

"Thank you Molly. For everything," Sophia humbly let one tear drop from her lashes. Molly hiccuped once and displayed the biggest of smile, nodding modestly and even stepped forward for another embrace that would surely last an hour.

"Okay! Time to go!" George exclaimed and picked up Sophia's trunk, hurrying out the door while Fred took hold of Sophia's hand. He headed for the door at the end of the hallway and pulled Sophia along, the girl looking over her shoulder and waving merrily at Molly who wiped at her eyes.

"I love you Molly!"

"I love you too dear!"

The Apparation from The Burrow to the shop was surreal for Sophia. It would be the last time she'd wake up at The Burrow and wait everyday for Fred and George to come home for dinner. It would be the last time she'd sit through Molly's chatting about how much she didn't like Mundungus Fletcher or Mad-Eye's butch attitude. She would miss living at The Burrow. But then again, it was no longer safe for her to be there. The Order had immediately begun putting the protective spells back around The Burrow when they had heard about the fire, but it would take at least a month for it to be suitable for Sophia's safety. They were still trying to figure out how Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback (the other Death Eater who had been moments away from confronting Ginny and Harry in the field) made it through the most secure barrier in the Wizarding world besides the one that surrounded Hogwarts. The Death Eaters knew that Sophia was at The Burrow but they wouldn't know that she was at Weasley Wizard Wheezes. They thought the Order would be too scared to let her reside there.