Finding Yourself : Fred Weasley

12

     "Hey Ced, will you walk with me to the owlery?" I ask after a while of sitting in the common room. I just finished writing my letter to my mom. I haven't told Cedric about my plans to find my family yet. There is too many people around. He stands and stretches.
     "Yea. After that I think I'm going to go to bed though," he says with a smile. I walk over and open the door for him. He walks over and take it from me. I roll my eyes slightly before walking out.
     I talk quietly and we walk. "So I was talking to Reno today and he said he would try to help me figure out who my real parents are." He gives me a surprised look. "Really?I thought your mom wouldn't tell you anything."
     "She won't. In this letter I am asking her a lot more. And I thought maybe you and Reno could maybe help me figure it out even if she doesn't tell me anything." "How do we do that?" He asks curiously. I think for a few seconds.
    "I ask people who might know something. Dumbledore for starters. Maybe Moody, that day he sounded like he knew something. I was thinking about getting someone who has siblings or something outside of the school who might be able to help too."
     He looks at me for a few long seconds. "You really want to find them don't you," he says without it sounding like a question. I nod. "I really do." We walk into the owlery and I walk over to an owl, carefully putting the letter on its leg and then letting it fly free.
     "I'll help any way I can," Cedric says while watching me. I look at him and smile as we start to walk back. "Thank you Ced." He smiles back. "Anytime. Are you sure that you are comfortable with that many people knowing about it though?"
     I lightly shrug. "I've been thinking about it a lot. There isn't much of a point in trying to hide it. It is who I am. I shouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed of it."
     "That's true. But it is still real personal information," he points out. "True. But if people I don't know, like Malfoy, somehow know about it then there isn't a point in keeping it hidden. People like him will twist it and make it sound bad. It will be better if I am truthful and honest about things."
     Cedric smiles at me. "You have a point. Who are you thinking about asking for help? Apart from myself and Reno." I think for a few seconds.
      "Maybe Lupin. He told me to write him if I ever need help with anything," I suggest. He lightly nods. "You should try to find someone in the ministry. That way they can look through records and stuff for you." I smile at him. "Is that supposed to be a sly way if suggesting your dad?" I ask, slightly amused.
     He lightly laughs. "No. He would think it's a bad idea. He would say that you have a real family and a bunch of cheesy stuff."   "So that is where you get it from?" I joke. He lightly laughs again. "I guess so." We walk inside the common room after knocking the password.
    "I'm going to bed. I'll see you later," he says with a smile. I smile at him. "Night Ced. Sweet dreams," I say while walking to the girls dorm to try to get some sleep myself.
     A few days later early in the morning I dress in some black skinny jeans and a sunshine yellow shirt. This morning is a struggle to out my contacts in. I pull my hair that is growing faster than I would like into a messy pony tail. I like to keep my hair to my earlobes, the longest to maybe my shoulders. Right now it's making its way about an inch past my shoulders.
     I walk down to the common room. Being a Saturday most people are already down in the Great Hall getting breakfast, sleeping, or just sitting in their common rooms. I walk down and sit at the almost empty Hufflepuff table. I have no idea where Reno or Cedric are.
     I get a bowl of oatmeal and eat it slowly. There is hardly anyone in here today. Most people are probably still in their common rooms. The table that has the most people is the Ravenclaw table.
     I look up as George, Fred, Ron, and Harry walk in. They walk to the Gryffindor table and sit down. I look at the almost empty Hufflepuff table and hesitantly get up with my oatmeal and walk over to them.
     "Can I sit with you guys?" I ask a little quietly. They look at me, a wide smile goes across the twins face as they say at the same time, "sure!"
     "Where are you Hufflepuff friends?" Fred asks me, looking around the room. I shrug. "No idea."   "Are you here to prank us again?" George asks. I lightly laugh. "No, not this time."
     I sit down next to Harry who is across from Fred. Ron sitting on the other side of him, George across from him. "Where's Hermione?" I ask curiously. "Library," Harry answers. I lightly nod.
    We look up as some owls fly in with mail. I look down at my oatmeal and continue to eat, not expecting to get any mail. I expected wrong because a moment later a letter is dropped beside me. I look at it and I can feel everyone's eyes on me. I push away my food and open the letter and read through it.
Dearest Charlie,

     I did get your first letter, however we have been very busy here at home so I never had the time to write back and I'm afraid that I forgot.
    That tournament thingy sounds exciting! Though I don't want you to enter, it could be dangerous and it might distract you from your studies. I advise you not to get distracted as much as possible.
     As for your parents, we are your real family. I don't know why you feel the need to find your birth ones or why it would matter. We treat and love you as if I had birthed you.
    But, if you have to know and if you are going to never stop asking then I will at least tell you this. We do not know who your real parents are. It was a closed adoption. We know nothing of your real parents. We never met them, never saw them, and never heard or read about them. I hope having this knowledge satisfies you in some way. Please continue writing. We love and miss you.
                          Love, Mother

    I sigh and fold the letter back up. No, it doesn't satisfy me. It doesn't at all. If anything it gives me more questions.
     "What's wrong?" Harry asks while looking at me. I look between them all for a minute before answering nervously. The only thing they know about my family is what Malfoy said the one day. "I asked my mom about my real parents again. She said that they don't know anything at all about them and that it was a closed adoption."
     "So you are adopted? Malfoy wasn't just spouting nonsense that he made up?" Ron asks curiously. I lightly nod. "Yea. I don't know how his family knows about it though. I have a Muggle family."
     "Have you talked to Dumbledore or anyone?" George asks. I shake my head. "I was thinking about it. But I'm trying to figure out what I'm supposed to ask." "We have some brothers who have already left school, Bill and Charlie, who might be able to help if you want?" Fred suggest.
     I get a little nervous. It is hard for me to talk about with them, I can't imagine how it would be with people I don't even know. Though, I really want to find them. And if the Malfoy family already knows, and Moody already knows, who else does?
    I lightly nod. "I guess it would be okay. With them not being here it might be more helpful. But only if they don't mind. I don't want to put anyone out of the way."
     "They won't mind," George says with a small smile. "Yea. They'll be happy to help," Fred adds. I smile slightly at them. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it." They smile.
    "What do they need to do?" George asks. I think for a few seconds. I've given this a lot of thought because I am getting ready to write my letter to Lupin.
     "If they can do research on my Muggle family and adoption agencies then that might help. Try to find documents or information or something like that that might lead to them." I push the oatmeal away from me as we continue to talk.
     They lightly nod. "Who all is in on this?" Ron asks, looking like he is having a little bit of a difficult time keeping up with the conversation. "Cedric and Reno. And now Fred and George. And I guess possibly your older brother Bill and?..." I stop, not remembering the other name. "Bill and Charlie," Ron corrects.
     I nod. "Them. And I was thinking about writing to Professor Lupin and seeing if he could help. He told me before he left last year that if I need help ever to get in contact with him and he will be happy to try to help."
     Ron and Harry share a look, and for a few seconds I debate with myself on if I should ask them about it. But I decide against it.
     "Did you think about our proposal, West?" George asks, changing the subject. I nod. "I have."   "Have you come to a decision?" Fred asks, a smile slowly creeping its way on his face. "I have actually." They lean forward, waiting to hear my answer.
     "I think I will take you up on your offer," I say with a smile. Smiles spread wide across their faces. "Really?!" I nod and look at Lee as he sits down next to the twins. "What did you get this poor girl to agree to?" He asks with a smile. They smile at him. "We'll tell you about it later."