Finding Yourself : Fred Weasley

39

     A tall man walks in holding a case. He has brown, straight hair, a strong, time-worn face that has several scars, dark hazel eyes, set low within their sockets. He is dressed in long black robes that cover everything but his head, he even has black gloves on. He is very intimidating and frightening to look at. 
      My heart has never raced faster before. He walks over and sits on the couch. Lupin walks over and stands next to me. The man, Saunders, looks at me. I don't like the way he looks at me. It makes me feel disgusting. He looks me up and down. I pull Georges jacket out around me to try and hide myself. 
     "So what is it you want?" He asks, his voice is very rough and deep. I suddenly lose my voice. "We want to ask you some questions," Lupin says when I don't say anything. "You Aurors?" He asks while looking between us. "No. We aren't with the Ministry." 
     Saunders's eyes stop on me. "What are you all dressed up for missy?" Him calling me that makes me feel disgusting too. When I find my voice it is quiet and meek. "I was at a party," is all I manage to say. Come on Charlie, pull yourself together!
      "What are your questions? I am a busy man." How does one go about asking these type of questions? "You were one of You-Know-Who's followers?" I ask nervously. He sits quietly for a minute. "Man's gotta do what mans gotta do to stay alive," he says simply. 
       "I am seventeen years old, I was adopted when I was two into a Muggle family. They claim it was a closed adoption but refuse to give me any details," I say quickly. The easiest way to do it is to just do it. It's like ripping off a bandaid. 
      He lightly nods then puts his case on his lap. "I think I know what this is about. You want to know what family you were born into?" He confirms. I nod. "Yes." 
      "There is stuff you gotta understand, okay? I don't have much information about any of the kids we took. I only remember taking a select few. So you are gonna have to be very detailed with my questions if you want helpful answers," He explains while looking at me. I lightly nod. "Okay..."
        "You are sixteen?"  "
Seventeen," I correct. "Tell me about your adoptive parents."   "Umm... My mother is about 5"9 and has long blonde hair and is tan. She talks a lot and is pretty kind when she is getting her way. But is very forceful. My father is about 6'3 and has dirty blonde hair. He is very stern and stubborn, but polite and gentlemanly." I can't think of any other description that would help.
      "Their last name?"   "West."   "Where do they live?"   "London."   "How long have they lived there?"   "For about 20 years I think." He thinks for a minute while looking at me. I shift uncomfortably. 
      "Well. It is pretty narrowed down. I only directly gave one muggle family a child. The other children we had were either killed, abandoned or placed in orphanages," he says slowly. He opens his case and digs through it for a moment then pulls out a photo. 
     "This your folks?" He asks while holding it out to me. I take it and look at it. Without a doubt in the photo is my mother and father holding a two-year-old me. They have a couple of copies of this photo. They say it was the week after they adopted me. 
     "Yes, this is my parents. And me. They said this was a week after they adopted me," I say without looking away from the photo. I look up at him. "Where did you get this?"   "They sent it to me. They always thought I had an interest in why they wanted another kid and their family." 
     "Did they know you are a wizard and that I was stolen?" I ask curiously. "No. I think they thought I was some higher-up adoption man. They paid a lot of money for you. Only reason they got you. You were supposed to be dead. You are pretty lucky." 
      Lucky. Yea. Sure. I am a stolen baby and I have spent my entire life believing a lie. I am really lucky. "Who's my real parents?" I ask after a few seconds. This is the question I really want to know. I want to know who my real family is. Maybe they are still alive. Maybe I have siblings. Maybe I will be able to meet them. The possibilities are endless. 
       Saunders stands and holds his case tightly. I try to hand the photo back. He doesn't take it. Lupin reaches down and takes it and looks at it for a long time. "I want to be paid now," Saunders says sharply. I have to pay him? Bollocks. I left my money at the castle. I freeze, I can't say anything or move. 
      Lupin reaches into his pocket and hands the man money. I make a mental note to pay him back. "How much is that?" I ask quickly. Saunders counts it. "50 Galleons." I stop breathing for a second. Holy hell... I only have 15 Galleons... If that... No matter what though, I will pay Lupin back. 
      "You got your money, so who is my real family?" I ask trying to sound brave. He looks at me and gives a twisted smile. "James and Lily Potter." He starts to walk to the door. Lupin pulls his wand out and points it at him. He gives a deep chuckle before Apparating.