Yellow - {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 14

The school year was officially over. After Mum died, I didn't bother going back. I'd already taken my O.W.L.'s and I refused to leave Dad's side. I mostly laid in bed staring blankly at the ceiling. Sometimes Dad would join me, or bring one of the kids in there as well. All I could think about was the fact that I was responsible for my mother's death. It's all I've been able to think about for the past two weeks. 

On June 18, 1996, my own stupidity cost me and my siblings a mother and my Dad his wife. My younger siblings won't remember her. But I will. It hardly seems fair. But I don't blame anyone else but myself. And Bellatrix. People had been in and out over the course of these two weeks, but I barely remember who. 

I sighed and turned to look out the window to my right. Bright beams of sunlight streamed into my room and I glared at it. How could something so bright exist when everything around me is surrounded in darkness? 

I heard someone coming up the stairs, startling me from my bitter thoughts. I turned to the doorway just as Mrs. Weasley appeared there. She smiled warmly and said, "Good afternoon, dear. Would you like to come with me to pick up the others?" She looked so hopeful and I didn't want to disappoint her. So I plastered a fake grin on my face and sat up. 

"Sure," I replied, adding, "Just let me get dressed real quick." Mrs. Weasley beamed and exited the room, going back downstairs. I let the grin fall off my face as I shuffled over to the door. It closed with a dull thud and I went over to my closet to get some clothes on. Even though it was the middle of June, I pulled on a sweater, a pair of jeans, and sneakers. I went and sat in the desk chair in front of my mirror and sighed heavily. 

The circles under my eyes had turned purple, my skin pale, and my eyes looked haunted. It was no wonder people were so concerned. I sighed again and pulled my hair away from my face. I then grabbed foundation from my makeup bag and applied it to the dark circles. While it hid the fact I'd been avoiding sleep, it didn't hide the empty look in my eyes.

I put the foundation back in my bag and stood up slowly. With one final glance in the mirror, I pushed the chair under the desk and left my room. I took the stairs one at a time and went as slowly as I dared to. I didn't want to make Mrs. Weasley late to pick up the others. 

As I got closer, I could hear the twins' voices as well as Mrs. Weasley's and Dad's. I turned the corner and entered the kitchen quietly. It took a while, but Dad finally noticed my presence. "MJ," he said cheerfully, forcing a smile on his face. He was going through emotions very similar to mine. "Hey Dad," I said quietly, going over and hugging him as I always did. I was kind of shocked to realise that I now came up to his shoulders.

He hugged me back and rested his chin on top of my head. "You're gonna have to stop getting so tall," he teased, pushing me back to get a good look at me. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the makeup I'd used. "And you need to start sleeping more." He shook his head. "But nevermind that... are you ready to go?" 

I nodded and turned away from him. Fred and George were standing behind their mother. I raised an eyebrow at their jackets but didn't bother asking. I probably didn't want to know why they had green dragon skin jackets -- or how they got the money to afford them. 

"Alright. Let's get going then," Mrs. Weasley chirped excitedly. "I'll see you when you get back," Dad said to me, patting my shoulder as he walked by. "Love you," I said as I followed the Weasley bunch. Dad smiled and said, "Love you too."

Mrs. Weasley disappeared with a quiet crack, followed by Fred. George sighed and linked his arm with mine. "Since they're just gonna leave us here," he said jokingly, smiling when I rolled my eyes. Side-along apparation was really quite unpleasant, but I'd gotten used to it from travelling with Dad so often.