Before you (Fred Weasley)

CHAPTER 53

When I apparated to Atlantes, it was dark and silent. Not a soul was in sight. It was as if the town was covered in a thick woollen blanket, suffocating all who lay under it.

I dragged myself to my cottage, feeling a bit disoriented. Hogwarts was quite far away from my town, I was surprised I hadn't been splinched. I noticed a yellow light flickering through the window of my house, meaning that someone was inside.

I knocked on the door and after about a minute, it opened, revealing my mother standing there with her wand at the ready. When she saw me, she immediately lowered her wand.

"What's wrong? What are you doing here?" she said, placing her hands on my wet cheeks.

I didn't say a word, I didn't know what to say. I felt a couple of drops on my arms, it was beginning to rain.

"Come inside" she said, pulling me into the warmth of the cottage. When I entered, I saw the last two people who I had expected to see in my house.

Eleanor and Daniel Rose.

They were sitting on the table, sipping from cups of tea. They gave me small smiles as they watched my mother lead me to my bedroom. She sat me down on my bed, making sure to shut the door behind her.

"Tell me everything?" it was more of a question than a statement.

"D-Dumbledore's gone" I managed to croak out.

She stayed silent for a few seconds, stroking the back of my head. I tried to stop the tears from flowing but they were uncontrollable.

"Who did it?" she asked.

"Snape" I replied.

"What about you and Draco?"

"We fixed the cabinet and called the death eaters and everything" I said, not wanting to go into the details.

"Then why are you here?"

I thought of the look on the trio's faces when they saw the dark mark on my arm.

"Because I think I may have just lost everybody" my voice cracked.

All of my friends now knew that I was a death eater. They would never look at me the same way again.

"Oh honey, you'll always have me. I'm never leaving your side" she said softly, pulling me into a hug. I hugged her tighter, inhaling the scent of her hair.

"I love you mum" I whispered.

"I love you too darling"

We stayed in each other's embrace, the temperature was beginning to drop and I was starting to feel tired.

I suddenly realised that Draco and I had ended up failing our mission. Did that mean that Voldemort would live up to his promise? Would he really kill my parents?

"Mum?"

"Yes?"

"What about Voldemort? I've failed, th-that means"

"Shh, I have it all planned out"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You will not be returning to Hogwarts next year" she said.

I pulled away from her, my eyes wide.

"What?"

"Voldemort will come to know that you have failed your mission, he will come after you, he has decided to..change his promise to you a little bit" she sighed.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Your father has proved to be a loyal death eater, losing him wouldn't be beneficial to The Dark Lord"