Victoire Weasley

16. Christmas Day at the Burrow

Note: So, this chapter came a little later than I planned.  Hopefully though this chapter will set everyone in a Christmas mood (And if you don't celebrate Christmas then I'll hope you'll enjoy it anyway!

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Teddy's P.O.V

I starred up at a red-bricked department store. Purge and Dowse, Ltd was written in dirty, cheap text over a dark entrance, but I knew this wasn't the entrance I was looking for. As an extra cold wind blew a flurry of snowflakes into my face, I realized that I wasn't wearing a jacket. I shivered and hurried to the right, glancing towards the few muggles that were out today. A couple strolled slowly on the sidewalk while a few children were in a heated snow war a few metres away. I continued walking until I came to the window on the side. A combination of grime, filth and fresh snow coated the surface thickly, preventing anyone from seeing in. They had done a great job shielding it from muggles. Throwing one last glance around me, I stepped through the broken window and I was at once greeted by warm, white light.

The waiting room was surprisingly full. A variety of wizards and witches were either laughing, crying, smiling or frowning. There were the families that were there to celebrate with a sick family member, there were those who had celebrated a little too hard, those that had eaten a little too much, and even those that were unfortunate enough to have been the victim of a prank gone wrong.

I pushed past a wizard with a bauble stuck in his nose and a witch who screamed for a Healer to hurry up before I finally reached the lady behind a desk that was marked as Inquiries. She glanced up from behind a pile of papers sorting themselves and asked irritatedly, "What do you need?"

"I'm here to see a patient by the name Victoire Weasley, what floor is she on?"

"Are you family?" She asked suspiciously.

"As good as," I replied.

"Good enough. Let's see..." She turned to a worn down, leather book, thicker than any that I'd seen, and flipped to the back. She ran her finger down the page and turned back to me, "She's here on the ground floor, room 28. In that hallway behind me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

"Thanks," I muttered and hurried around the desk, forcing through the groups of people. I passed stressed healers and patients who were either screaming, crying, laughing or dazing off into the distance. The door to room 28 was open, revealing a family of red and blondes, sitting around a sleeping patient. Knocking twice, I awkwardly waited for the Weasleys to turn.

Domonique and Louis looked up from their seats against one wall and Bill smiled kindly. Fleur, however, didn't seem to be all too happy with my arrival. Her familiar blue eyes held mine with an icy glare. I loved those blue eyes, on Victoire, that is, and not when directed at me with anger. "What are you doing here? 'aven't you done enough already?"

I didn't think arguing with Fleur would do me any good what so ever, so I just stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do. "You will zee her later today anyway, you can wait a leetle longer."

Bill sighed and looked at me apologetically. "Fleur, it wasn't his fault, you know that." Bill said reassuringly and placed a hand on her shoulder. She drew her lips into a thin line and turned back to her sleeping daughter, a look of distaste still clear in her eyes. I didn't know if this was my chance to walk in, but I did anyway. I stopped at the foot of the bed when Fleur threw me a warning glare. If looks could kill, I thought.

Victoire looked surprisingly peaceful for someone who had been cursed hours earlier. She didn't appear to be very damaged, in fact, I couldn't see any at all. "What has happened exactly?" I asked carefully.