Forever Mine: My Time With Fred Weasley

Forever Mine Chapter 42

*Fred*

George and I handed the test puking pastille to the kid and waited, holding a cauldron out to him.

“Hey, have you noticed Seph’s been acting odd lately?” George asked me. I glanced up at him.

“Yeah. But I bet it’s nothing.” I knew it wasn’t nothing though, it was definitely something. I just had to find out what. “I’ll be back, ‘right?” I handed him the box of antidotes and he nodded. If Seph wasn’t didn’t want to tell us what was wrong then George didn’t need to know. But I did. I was a bit confused that she didn’t tell me what was wrong with her but I guessed I understood. Hurrying to the hospital wing and glancing around to make sure George wasn’t following me I ran into Madame Pomfrey.

“Excuse me, Mr. Weasley.” She said primly, walking past. She was exactly who I needed though.

“Wait, Madame Pomfrey!” I called after her, catching up. For a little woman, she walked fast.

“I already know what you’re going to ask me. I suggest you just go back to your house.” She avoided my gaze.

“Please. Please. I need to know. What’s wrong with Seph?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“You have to!” I didn’t mean to shout but it obviously startled her. “Sorry. It’s just… I love her, so much but she won’t tell me and I have to know.”

Pomfrey scowled. “I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

“No, Mr. Weasley, I cannot. That business is personal and only for family. Now go back to your house.” She stomped away and I gaped after her. I thought all hope was lost. But then I heard footsteps behind me. I turned, realizing that I was standing in the hallway in front of Professor Dumbledore’s office. And walking away from the office was exactly the person I needed.

“Ms. Raise!” I ran after down a staircase. Sylvia Raise stopped and looked back at me.

“Fred?”

Her eyes were red and puffy. Oh no. “What is it? Why are you crying?”

“Fred…”

“What’s wrong with Seph?”

“I can’t-”

“Don’t tell me you can’t tell me! I have to know.” My last sentence came out as a strangled sort of cry. She gave me a dry sob, wiping her eyes.

“She has a- a hereditary disease that she got from her dad.” That was all I heard because she broke down in tears again. I stumbled back. This was bad. So, so bad. I turned and left her there, crying, and hurried away, hurried towards the library.

*

*Seph*

I walked to the library, books in hand, planning to return them. I’d just come from taking my report to Professor McGonagall who, as soon as she saw me, gave me a hug and took my report with wet eyes. Of course all the staff knew by now but no one else did. My mother had asked for it to be kept strictly confidential.  Handing my books to Madame Pince, who took them with a sympathetic smile, I made my way to the back of the library, looking for a book that I needed for Snape’s essay. He was the one teacher who didn’t treat me any differently and honestly, I appreciated it. I didn’t like being treated like I already was. It had only been two days. But telling the truth? I was okay with it. Madame Pomfrey explained that I wouldn’t have really terrible symptoms until I was about thirty. The freeze up the other night was just a premature symptom. Nothing, really. I searched the bookshelves, looking down at the book title I’d written on my hand. Then I saw Fred. He was at a table, books strewn all around him. I was very surprised. I’d never ever seen Fred in the library before. I went to him and sat in the chair across the table.

“Hey, what’re you doing?”He didn’t look up. I reached out and shook his arm. “Fred.” This time I caught his attention. He raised his head, which was streaked with tears. “Hey,” I cooed. “Hey, what’s wrong.” His tear-filled eyes flitted back down to the page and I stood up, curious to see what he was seeing that was making him cry. I looked down at the tear-splattered page. And this was what I saw.

Blaine Raise

1958-1996

Cause of death: Suicide.

Mr. Blaine Raise committed suicide in February 1996. Doctors believe that the state of his genetic condition (Huntington’s Disease) he was depressed and-

That’s all I read because Fred pulled a book in front of that one and began reading. I noticed another open book beside his arm. It was opened to a page that had an extremely descriptive definition of Huntington’s and symptoms.

“Fred.” I said, pulling on his shirt. “Fred we need to talk about this.”

“We can’t talk about this right now. I have to find it.”

I looked down at him. He looked absolutely distraught. His eyes were glassy and his cheeks were splotchy. “F-find what?”

“A cure. I have to find a cure.”

I bit my lip and pulled a chair over beside him. “Fred, there’s no cure.”

“There has to be a cure.”

“There’s no cure, Fred. Fred, look at me.” I took his face in my hands and turned him towards me. “I’m okay with this, really.”

“But you’re not okay, Seph.”

“I really am.”

“You’re not!” He yelled, slamming his fist down on the table. I swallowed a lump in my throat. “I have to find a cure, Seph. Because I can’t lose you.” I took his hand.

“You’re never going to lose me.” I brought my lips to his and kissed him.

“What,” He said slowly. “is the point of being a wizard if I can’t even heal you? I have to try.”

I knew I wasn’t going to get him away so I sat back in my chair and watched. It hurt me to see him like this. I wished I hadn’t gotten sick. I wished none of this had happened…