Closer To The Stars || Fred Weasley

12. The Stars

Lorette couldn't sleep and when she glanced down at the clock, she noticed it said 2:00 a.m. She stood up and took her wand. She whispered "Lumos" and a bright light appeared at the tip of her wand. She walked out of the common room and into the corridors until she heard footsteps.

"Nox" she whispered and the light went out.

A small light started going closer to her, but she couldn't make out who was behind it.

"Lory?" George said as he got closer "What're you doing out at this hour? It's nearly three in the morning." He asked, concerned.

"Could ask you the same thing, Georgie." She said, raising an eyebrow.

"I couldn't sleep so I'm heading to-" George said

"The astronomy tower?" Lorette finished for him.

"Haha how'd you know?" George asked sarcastically.
...
Since their first year, George, Fred, and Lorette would sneak off to the astronomy tower when they couldn't sleep. You could see the stars perfectly, watching the stars helped them relax. They loved having each other's presence there, it was the one time where everything was at peace. But with the crazy events of the past couple of months, none of them had returned since the previous school year.

Lorette loved the stars, she talked to them because they always listened. Somehow she could always resolve her problems after telling the stars. She hadn't talked to the stars in a long time, would they even listen anymore?
...
"Just a guess." Lorette grinned as she linked her arm with George's. "Where's Freddie?"

"He's asleep, but I presume he'll be here soon." George said, looking up at the stars.

"Why do you say that?" Lorette asked.

"He's pretty crossed about Angelina and...um...other things." George said, giving Lorette a quick glance.

"And you? What are you telling the stars about?" Lorette said, nudging George's shoulder.

"Annabeth." George smiled. "She asked me what we were and I don't know what to tell her, so I came to ask the stars. What about you?"

"A lot of things." Lorette sighed "mostly about Oliver. He asked me to be his girlfriend today. I, um, said yes, but-"

"But you're starting to regret it?" George interrupted. You would think he was a mind reader by how well he knew Lorette. There was only one person who knew Lorette better than George, Fred.

"I don't know. It was so sudden and I mean we've been seeing each other for a while now, but it's just..." Lorette didn't want to finish her sentence because she didn't want George to know.

"What?" George asked, leaning his back against an arch way. "But what? Lory you can tell me."

"But its just that...maybe I'm not ready." Lorette said.

"Ready for what?" Fred said as he came and sat next to Geroge.

"A relationship." Lorette said. "Oliver asked me to be his girlfriend today."

"Oh yeah, I heard." Fred said in a jealous tone.

"What about you and Angelina? Are you two finally official?" Lorette asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Nah, the bloody woman's crazy!" Fred said, staring back at the sky.

"Oh Freddie! Don't say that! She seems like a really great girl..." Lorette's last comment sounded fake.

George scoffed "Psh oh yeah because she's been so great to you!"

The three laughed at George's comment. Already, their laughter began to relieve their stress.

"Well," George said as he stood up, "I've got my answer. I'm going back to bed."

"George?" Lorette asked.

George turned around "Hm?"

"Am I gonna have to kick your ass?" She said.

"No." George said, a wide smile on his face.

"Good, I'm glad." Lorette said.

George gave her a nod and walked down the stairs and down the corridor.

"What was that all about?" Fred asked.

"Oh nothing, I'm sure you'll hear all about it tomorrow." Lorette smiled.

"So why are you talking to the stars?" Fred asked, leaning in closer to Lorette. "Wait, let me guess. You're scared that you're not ready for a relationship with Oliver, but you already said yes and now you're afraid of breaking his heart because you regret your decision."

"How'd you-" Lorette said, practically speechless.

"I know you." Fred said, grinning proudly.

"What about you?" Lorette asked, scooting closer to Fred.

"Things. People." Fred said, noticing how close Lorette was. He could smell her perfume, strawberries and daisies.

"Angelina?" Lorette asked again, resting her head on Fred's shoulder.

"Sure, you could say that." He said. "So you and Wood?"

"Me and Wood."

"You like him?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Are you in love with him?"

"I don't know" Lorette said, truth was, she did know. She knew exactly that she was not in love, not with Oliver at least.

Fred frowned a bit "Looks like I've got my answer as well."

"Hm?" Lorette looked up.

"Eh it's nothing. I've got to go back to bed, you coming?" Fred asked as he stood up.

"No, not yet," Lorette shook her head "go on without me."

She sat and stared at the stars. She didn't speak until she knew Fred was gone.

"Hey Lily,"
...
Lily Potter had taught Lorette to talk to the stars. She was Lorette's godmother. Lorette had very few memories of Lily, but she always remembered how Lily would talk about the stars.

"See, Paws, if you tell the stars about it, they'll listen. They always will." She would tell Lorette "they've got nothing better to do."

Although she barely remembers Lily, Lorette has always looked up to her. How she heroically saved her son with her love. Harry didn't know that his mother was Lorette's godmother. They weren't very close. Lorette tried to be close with him and tell him what she remembered of Lily, but she just never had the chance.

"I believe I'll reincarnate as a star." Lily once said.

"What does 'reincarnate' mean?" Three year old Lorette asked quietly.

"It means to come back in another life. One day, when we go away for a little while, we'll come back, but not as the same person or thing we were before. We'll come back as someone or something different." Lily said.

"I wanna be a butterfly!" Lorette said brightly.

"So be a butterfly! My little Paws, you can be anything you want to be. There are endless opportunities in this world."

Lorette didn't just talk to the stars, she talked to Lily. And Lily somehow always had the answer. She never told anyone about that. Not even Fred.
...
"I'm sorry I haven't talked to you in a while. But, um, Oliver he asked me to he his girlfriend. And I said yes but I- I also fancy Fred and I don't know if I made the right decision." Lorette said to the sky. "Did I make the right decision?"

The star she had been talking to glistened brightly. Lorette thought she heard a familiar voice whisper:

For now.

And with that, Lorette had her answer.

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