The Girl who Survived (Fred Weasley)

CH 88. Dumbledore's Truth

"Tea with Dumbledore, remember darling?" I said softly as I walked behind him and ran a hand through his hair in the hopes that it would ease him a bit. "I told you about it yesterday, I'll be back this afternoon. Would you like me to stop by the market on the way home?" I asked, directing my question on Molly who was keeping herself busy with feeding Ruby.

"That's alright, Bill and Arthur said they'd do the shopping," She informed me, before stealing a quick glance from the window where I spotted Sirius and Remus outside smoking a cigarette. "Again? I've asked them to keep it far from the house."

I leaned in closer to Fred until my lips rested at his ear as he snapped another photo. "I'll be back before you have a chance to miss me," I said and pressed a quick kiss to the corner of his lips.

"That's just not true," he said and turned his face to look at me. "I already miss you," He said, stealing a kiss from my lips. Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps he was feeling back to normal. His playful nature had stayed in tack, so perhaps I was the one overanalyzing his actions. "Go on," he said, pulling away. "Before I give you a reason to stay. Don't think the children would care to hear about how you can be easily persuaded. Especially when I-"

"Oi!" George yelled, not wanting him to continue.

"Alright! Alright! I'm going!" I said, quickly rinsing my glass out and grabbing my bag. "Merlin's Beard, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" I said and looked over to Molly who was trying to hide her laughter as she patted Ruby on the back repeatedly, trying to coax the cutest little burp.

"Do a lot more with it," He said, catching the opening I instantly regretted leaving. He had an evil grin come over his face just before I tried to swoop in. "Don't you remember just last night-"

I cut him off, quickly giving him one more kiss and running toward the chimney to enter into Dumbledore's office directly. Laughing as I did so, surely while she'd found humor in it, Molly wouldn't let him get away with it as easily.

***

"I must apologize my dear," Dumbledore said as he sat a tea cup in front of me. "I happen to be out of cream for your tea," He said, taking his seat at his desk, leaning into it, showing just how tired he was.

"Knowing you as I do, I'm sure you didn't invite me here just for tea," I said and took a sip of the drink in front of me to show him it was alright. "Did you ask me here to discuss the fire?"

"Ahh yes, your brother has informed me well about that," he said and reached over to pour himself a brandy. Opting for something stronger than tea. So, it would be one of those conversations. "I trust you're all adjusting well under one roof? Not an easy task, especially with a new baby."

I gave him a smile, knowing he was dancing around the subject. "We're adjusting," I said. I looked at him for a long moment, noticing that he wasn't holding as strong of a shield of Occlumency as he normally would. I tilted my head to the side, wondering why he was letting his veil be so obviously weak.

"It's still there Elodie. Not as thick as before, but you'll tire yourself trying to break through. I'm told you're not as well practiced as you were when you left school," he said casually, almost as if it was nothing.

"That's rather presumptuous of you," I said, reaching for one of the biscuits he'd arranged on a dish on his desk. "You and I both know, even at my weakest I'm still an inherently talented legilimens," I said confidently, putting on a smug face.

"That may be," He said, finishing his brandy. Hissing as it hit the back of his throat. "But you're not a fool. Even you have to admit you're out of sorts lately."

While I didn't care for the blunt nature the conversation had fallen into, I knew he wasn't wrong. It was one thing to be well educated in my spells, but another to be practiced in dueling. Especially in the specifics of dark magic.