Switching Sides | Cedric Diggory vs. Fred Weasley

Chapter 24: Cameron Barrett

They proceeded to spend the afternoon together as Mrs. Weasley wanted to learn everything there was to know about Millie and her family. She'd seen how happy she'd made her sons, so she had considered her a part of the family before they'd even met.

She practically took Millie in as a second daughter the very moment she stepped into the Burrow for the first time, making her sweaters every year for Christmas and taking care of her just as much as she did her other kids; loving and supporting her unconditionally.

-

It's not like Molly was mean to Victoria in any way, Fred just noticed that she hadn't received anywhere near the amount of attention and excitement as Millie had. A part of Fred was kind of glad for this; he didn't like the thought of another girl being higher up in his mother's mind.

It was going to be weird not seeing Millie every day, but Fred knew it was a good thing. He needed a break from her. Even while she was with Cedric, having her around all the time left this overwhelming sense of hope in his chest that maybe they'd be together again, but he liked Victoria a lot, so he wanted that hope to go away. Not seeing Millie for two whole months was his official opportunity to finally and completely get over her.

He tried to force Millie out of his mind when he felt Victoria's hand wrap around his own and pull him towards Bill who she hadn't met. Bill wasn't very happy Fred had a new girlfriend; he loved Millie like a sister and was disgusted Fred would even think about being with another girl not a year after they'd broken up. Imagine how Bill's gonna react when he finds out about Cedric, Fred thought with a sadistic smile. He'll fuck him up.

-

As they apparated into the house, Millie and Killian were overcome with nerves. Their mom officially announced that their father had developed something called pancreatic cancer and he was in a muggle hospital in London. He'd been there for about a month and she'd been living in a hotel right next door so she could be with him every day.

Their mother looked much older than she had when they'd seen her last. Her eyes had bags and her hair was beginning to gray along with the pigmentation of her skin. She was still beautiful as ever, but there was just a very empty, tired look to her.

The Barrett's have been in love since their first year of university when they met at a pub in muggle London. Some guy was harassing young and beautiful Lucinda Heaney as she sat at the bar, and when she tried to get up to leave, he wrapped his arm around her waist and wouldn't let her go. Not a second later he was knocked to the ground by a large, blonde man who almost resembled a viking. Lucinda soon found out that man's name was Cameron Barrett and they went to the same school. They had spent nearly every single day together since then, and they fell deeper in love every time they looked in one another's eyes.

Now he sat weak and sick in a hospital bed, and there was nothing poor Lucinda could do about it. She was terrified, and now that the kids were home, she couldn't visit him as much. She loved her kids just as much as him, which is why it hurt so bad to have to pick between them.

"I'll be visiting him Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and you two are permitted to come with me on Saturdays during the visiting hours starting in two weeks once you've had your check ups," she stated, full of sorrow.

"Why can't we come with you during the week?" Killian asked eagerly.

"And why isn't he at Saint Mungo's?" Millie asked. "Couldn't they fix this within minutes?"

"Killian, to answer your question it's because he's...he's..." she got caught in her tears for a moment before pulling herself together. "He's very sick, and the nurses want as little interaction with the outside world as they can get. We can't risk him getting even a common cold right now. And Millie, Saint Mungo's only accepts muggles if the wounds are magical, and unfortunately there's no magical cure for cancer,"