Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 174

It was around the beginning of April as we were all gathered in the living room and Mrs. Weasley had brought us hot cups of tea to warm ourselves in the cold evening.

Ginny had also returned from Hogwarts for the easter break. And with the things she was telling us about the new Hogwarts, I counted myself lucky to not have been there that year.

Because even though I had some clues as to what had been happening at school that year, hearing it in person made it all sound more horrifying; from torturing kids to forcing elder ones to do dark magic on others.

Things were going smoothly now for a few days, but of course Aunt Muriel had to ruin the peacefulness as always.

She was sitting on her usual armchair next to Mrs. Weasley as she glanced at me every once in a while in a judging manner, shaking her head with a sigh.

"Anything you would like to say, Muriel?" Mrs. Weasley asked her sharply, yet still smiling, even though it was obviously fake.

"Is your son ever going to ask for the Muggle-born girl to marry him?" Aunt Muriel whispered to Mrs. Weasley, but it was loud enough for all of us to hear. "He better get a move on."

Fred choked on his tea while George snorted. Mr. Weasley acted like he hadn't even heard it as he raised the Daily Prophet even higher to read.

I felt my face flush and go red and so I looked away, staring down at my cup of tea as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Now, Muriel, there's no need to rush the kids —" Mrs. Weasley was trying to say, but Aunt Muriel cut her off.

"Oh, they've already rushed things on their own, all right," she said bitterly, sending a nasty glance at Fred and me.

"Old bat," Fred muttered under his breath.

"What did you say!?" Muriel snapped at him.

But before Fred could reply, we all heard a knock at the door. Mr. Weasley jumped to his feet and drew out his wand promptly. Mrs. Weasley looked terrified.

George scoffed. "Yeah, as if a Death Eater would knock."

But Mr. Weasley only glared at George as he made his way over the door. Moments later when he came back, we all jumped to our feet when we saw Bill there, supporting Mr. Ollivander up as they walked into the living room.

"Bill? What happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked urgently, her eyes fixed on Ollivander.

Everyone except me looked surprised to see him here, seeing as they all thought he should've been in captivation at the moment and had no idea how Ollivander had ended up here, supported by Bill.

"It's a long story," said Bill. "I'll explain everything later. Mum, can you show Mr. Ollivander to one of the rooms?"

"Y-yes, of course," said Mrs. Weasley without hesitation, walking forward.

"Before we go, there's something I'm supposed to give you," Ollivander told Muriel and so he took a velvet box out of his coat, giving it to her. "Miss Delacour wanted me to give this back to you."

With a suspicious glance at Ollivander, Aunt Muriel opened the box to reveal her tiara which she had burrowed to Fleur for her wedding.

"Good, finally," she said, closing the box and rolling her eyes. "I though you had stolen it."

Bill looked like he was just about to retort, but held himself back. Meanwhile, Fred and George were only grinning in the back.

"Follow me, Mr. Ollivander. I'll show you to your room," said Muriel, walking him up the stairs.

"Charming woman," said Fred.

"Yes, the sweetest," said George.

"What's the meaning of all this, Bill?" Mr. Weasley asked his son. "What happened?"

"Harry and Ron and Hermione are back."

The moment Bill said the words, Mrs. Weasley gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth. Mr. Weasley looked just as shocked and Fred and George's eyes had widened.

My heartbeat picked up. Not because of the surprise, but because I knew what had happened to Hermione in the Malfoy Manor and how Dobby had died. I had never met the house-elf in person, but even the mere thought of it made my heart ache.

There was nothing I could do to save him, because his death was a sacrifice, and if he hadn't saved them, Voldemort would've arrived at the Malfoy Manor and probably killed Harry.

"How are they?" Ginny asked quickly. "Harry and Ron and Hermione?"

"But how did they get Ollivander? What happened?" Mr. Weasley asked again.

"We don't know." Bill sighed miserably, sitting down. "But we were at Shell Cottage when this house-elf showed up with Luna, Dean, and Ollivander. Then he leaves and when he comes back, he's with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She looked like she was tortured. The elf died, sadly... but the rest are all right now. They've brought a goblin with themselves too, by the name of Griphook."

"But where have they been all this time?" asked Mrs. Weasley anxiously, at the verge of tears.

"We don't know," said Bill earnestly. "They won't tell us what they've been up to, nor what they are going to do now. But they say they're going to have to leave soon again."

"But where to?" Mrs. Weasley sobbed. "We're worried! They can't just leave us hanging like this!"

"Dumbledore has left them a mission, Molly, and asked them not to tell anyone about it," Mr. Weasley reasoned, even though he too looked extremely worried. "He wouldn't even let Lexi talk to anyone about it. He must've had a reason for all of this."

"But did he?" Mrs. Weasley argued. "What possible reason could there be!?"

"You've read Rita Skeeter's book, Mum," said Ginny. "You mustn't let the stupid beetle get to you and change your morals."

"I'm not — it's not that I'm changing my morals — but I'm a mother! I have every right to be worried!"

"I understand, Molly," said Mr. Weasley gently. "But this is what it is. We need to have faith. Because faith is all we have left."