Where The Sage Shrubs Grow,

Chapter 102

Sage's POV:
I crept down the stairs trying to be as silent as possible. The clock read 2:03am and the whole house was quiet. For some reason I hadn't been able to sleep. When I did doze off I was faced with night terrors that woke me up almost immediately. After tossing for a while I gave up and decided to head down the stairs. I crept into the kitchen going to get a glass for water when I noticed a little smoke. The toaster was on, meaning someone was awake. I looked around for someone but couldn't make anyone out in the dark.

I reached up trying to get the glass when hands found their way to my hips and a tired voice thundered in my ears
"What are you doing up darling?"
I jumped, dropping the glass in my hand, obviously confused as to what the hell just happened. Fred caught the glass before it broke on the counter and set it down quietly.
"Bloody hell." I gasped
I turned around to face Fred as his arms a wrapped around me.
"What are you doing up?" I asked
"Uh uh, I asked you first." He spoke

"I couldn't sleep." I replied
"Me either, tea?"
"Sure." I replied
I hoisted myself up on the counter letting my legs swing around a bit as Fred put on the kettle to boil.
"Why are you making toast?" I asked
"I wanted some, but I didn't know how to make it with just once piece so I put in two. You want the other one?"
"Why not." I shrugged "You know you can just put in one piece, both sides will open but you don't have to use both." I explained
"Oh."

"So why couldn't you sleep lovely?" Fred asked coming over to stand between my legs
"I don't know. Paranoia? Anxiety? It would be anything."
Fred ran his hands up and down my thighs comfortingly. The toaster popped open causing him to jump. I laughed at his reaction to which he playfully glared at me.
"Are you scared of toasters Freddie?"
"No, I'm not. You just never know when the toast is gonna pop out it catches me off guard every time."

He handed me one of the pieces of toast with some jam on it. He leaned against the counter next to me.
"Why couldn't you sleep?" I asked
"Anxiety." He responded flatly
You could always tell when Fred didn't want to talk about something so I didn't push him. We drank our tea and talked about random nothings. I gave him a quick peck on the lips and told him goodnight, heading into Ginny's room. He winked at me as he passed by. Typically Freddie.

Third Person POV:
The whole house was filled with cheerful laughter and chatter. Most of everyone, except for the adults were sat on the floor. Fred was behind Sage with his arms wrapped around her waist. Serenity practically had to hold Apollo down from attacking Fred when he noticed.

Everyone passed around gifts and handed out cards. Hallie had gotten a new pair of converse from Apollo and Serenity which Hallie rubbed in Sage's face that they were finally tied again. That was until Apollo and Serenity awkwardly handed Sage a package in which there was also a pair of converse. Clementine had received a lot of flower crafting supplies. Fred and George got some things that they had asked for their flat.

A knock at the door interrupted our happy chatter. Arthur cautiously opened the door only to be greeted by Tonks, Lupin, and surprisingly MC. George practically jumped over the couch trying to get to her. He was hopeless. The two of them has agreed this year would be the year she met his family. Hm she awkwardly stood there as he took her around the room to meet everyone as he proudly showed her off.

"Gimmie back my friend!" Sage cried pulling MC Into a tight hug
"Gimmie my girlfriend." George fake threatened to which Sage simply stuck out her tongue at him. Everyone went back to opening gifts. Even MC had some and she had brought a gift for everyone. Sage had painted the whole Weasley family from a photo she had managed to sneak out of Ginny's dorm. Molly cried and gave her a tight hug. Apollo had gotten Sage a little pocket photo album which had a family photo on the front only silly faces were drawn over their parents. Sage got a real kick out of it.

The whole day was perfect. To top it all off Molly ended the evening with a large feast. The twins messed around with party items, everyone sat around eating food and laughing. Everyone started winding down, Ginny had left to take shower. Lupin and Tonks decided to leave. Something about the first day of a cycle is always the worst. Lupin stood at the doorway looking out concerned. Something was wrong and the adults could tell.

A ball of fire falling from the sky proving that their concern was indeed valid. The death eaters has found the burrow. The fire landed in the fields surrounding the house. Everyone getting up and heading to the nearest window, you could see Harry chasing after Bellatrix Lestrange. Lupin tried to go after him but the fires flamed too high as him and Tonks tried to control the damage.

Ginny ran out the front door past her parents and into the fire in the direction of Harry.
"Ginny!" Molly shouted
That's when everyone got up and left the house.
You could hear the faint chanting "I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!"
Arthur went running after Ginny and Harry. A look of horror etched into Molly's face.

"Hello my Lovelies." A smooth voice spoke
Apollo and Sage swiveled around, they both knew who that voice belonged to.
"Mother." Sage breathed out
She could barley be heard above the flames and screaming, her voice barley above a whisper. Everyone Swiveled around to face the demonic looking woman. A lovely smiled rested on her lips her flawless body being hugged by the back dress she wore.

Apollo had a look of pure anger on his face.
"Have you missed me?" She spoke
Sage wanted to break down. Why did it have to be her parents? Her whole body trembled waiting for her mother's next move. Letting out a shrill laugh the woman disappeared into the darkness of the fields. Apollo looked back at Sage, his face reading exactly what he was contemplating.
Sage slowly shook her head looking up at him "No, you can't-"

Apollo ignored her plea and the feeling of his wife's hand in his, taking off in the direction of his mother.
"No!" Sage screamed trying to go after him
Fred grabbed ahold of her preventing her from leaving too.
"Let me go Fred!" She sobbed trying to claw her way out of his arms
Her mind filled with thoughts of her mother killing her only son, the only real family she had left. What would she do if he died.

As if it wasn't enough, black shadows crashed through the windows lighting the whole burrow on fire. Fires roared around them as everyone watched the house burn. Everyone backed away from the burning structure. Sage still wrapped in Fred's arms though her sobs had been quieted by the burrow. Albert Jackson appeared in the same spot his wife had just been standing. He made eye contact with everyone staring at him. His daughters lip quivered at him. She looked pathetic in his eyes, he almost felt bad for her.

He turned and walked away, their work was done.
"Sage!" Apollo shouted breaking through the tall grasses
He had potted his father in the air and had witnessed the burrow catching on fire. He found his little sister buried into her boyfriend's chest as he held her protectively watching his home burn. A sense of guilt settled into Apollo and Sage's chests. Was this their fault? Had their parents tracked them? Had they been the unwilling accomplices the time?

"Are you ok?" Serenity cried
Apollo was covered in cuts and cruises, dirt smeared on his face. He had fought his mother, who was in fact not afraid to kill him. He had hoped for different.
"I'm fine." He said placing a kiss to her hand "I'm alright."
She wrapped her arms around his neck "I-I didn't know what to do! I didn't know if I was going to see you again." She sobbed "And then the house caught on fire and I thought-" Serenity stopped mid sentence as another sob racked her body
"I know, I'm ok. Is everyone else ok?" Apollo questioned
What mattered most was that everyone was still alive.
"I think so."
The two separated enough to watch in horror as the burrow fell apart. It was the beginning of another Wizarding war.

1471 Words

I don't know why but I had anxiety to write this chapter, ask janexxkarl_jacobs she had to listen to me complain for days about how I kept getting too anxious to write more than a few sentences at a time. I finally got though it and I hope it was good.
-Jane