Seeing Fred

In a Blink of an Eye

"You got a little something-" Fred snickered, pointing at his ear. George's hands quickly went to his ear and when he found the last piece of squid he threw it at his twin, who didn't duck in time, a got it right in his face.

"Hiya, Harry." George greeted, smiling while Fred patted his face trying to be sure he got everything.

"Hey." Harry said with a small wave.

"George."

"I know that." Harry rolled his eyes, pointing at his ear.

"Just wanted to make sure." His eyes full of mirth. "Leah, sweetheart, come give me a hand."

Leah rolled his eyes playfully at him. She told Harry to take a seat and walked over to George getting the last tapas ready. Harry was explaining who they have been hunting for the past few weeks, a death eater that kept disappeared right under their noses while George and Leah finished everything.

Once everything was finished, they walked with the food and drinks to the living room where Leah had already put everything ready. When she placed the food on the table, she looked up at the three boys who already made themselves comfortable on the couch. "Who first?" She asked, holding out the controllers.

"Me! Me!" The twins put their hands in the air as they bounced on the couch like little kids, shaking Harry with them, who snickered at their reaction. Harry's eyes found Leah and he gave a defeated shrug as he leaned back in the couch, patiently waiting his turn.

"Leah, calm down." Minerva said from her desk. When she didn't stop pacing the headmistress stood up and walked towards her, placing her hands on her shoulder to make her stop. She looked up at her with panicked eyes. "You'll be fine."

"Fine?" She squeaked. "First of all, school is almost starting, kids are going to rely on me. ME! And in a few minutes some ministry bloke is going to come here and take me to Hogsmeade for my apparation test. I'm not ready! I'm not ready."

"You are." Minerva said confident. "Just remember the three D's."

"I heard enough of the triple Ds for the last two weeks." Leah laughed and her shoulder relaxed a bit more.

"Are the boys coming?" She asked as took her hands of her shoulders.

"No. I – I didn't tell them." She bit her lip. "I wanted to surprise them if I passed. And if I didn't-" She shrugged. She heard the floo and turned, expecting to see a formal ministry employee, but to her surprise Harry stood there.

"Harry?" Leah lifted an eyebrow as he sauntered over, giving her a kiss on the cheek to greet her. "What are you doing here?"

"Hermione couldn't make it. Kingsley found her parents and they took a portkey late last night to Australia. So, I offered to go in her place, offer emotional support." He grinned.

"Thank you, little cousin." She pulled him into a side hug and rubbed the top of his head, Harry trying to put a stop to it, but he didn't really try. Minerva looked fondly at the pair, happy that they have found each other and got along great. She knew they couldn't replace Addie or Harry's parents, but at least they now have each other to lean on.

Another few minutes passed before a balding man, with long purple robes walked through the fireplace alongside a man with grey thick hair and a large moustache. After singing a few papers for the two men, they took the floo to Hogsmeade train station. Leah started to get nervous and wringed her hands together as they walked to an empty field not far from the station. Harry took a hand in his and gave it a tight and reassuring squeeze.

"Miss Derijker, would you stand in the circle right there." The balding man pointed at a bright red circle near a tree. After a short nod, she walked over to the circle and waited for further instructions. The ministry worker conjured another circle about three hundred meters away from her. "Try to apparate to the second point miss."

Leah glanced at Harry and Minerva, who both gave her a thumbs up. She chuckled at the two, especially at the ever so serious professor. She had seen the more relaxed side of her, and it always left her with a big smile. Minerva had told her about the daydream charm that she had gotten from her. She had actually used it and was so impressed with the twins' work; she went over to the shop to congratulate them. The boys had to recover from that for a week, before they made a large poster with Minerva's quote on it and hung in proudly in their window.

She looked back to the circle and closed her eyes, concentrating on the three fucking D's. She felt the weird pull in her stomach, and she braced herself for the landing. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that she had landed right in the middle of it. She heard the clapping of both Harry and Minerva a little further away. The balding man whispered something to mister moustache and walked over to her, while the other walked in the other direction. The ministry worker looked at her, trying to see if she had left anything from her behind. A curl of the mouth suggested that she passed the first test as he scribbled something down on his paper.

"Right. Now, miss Derijker. Can you apparate right in front of the door of Honeydukes? My colleague is waiting for you there."

"Alright." She said a bit nervous. Her wand tightly in her hand and her eyes firmly shut, she thought about the exact place she wanted to apparate to. She let out a trembling breath before she felt the same pull again. She concentrated at her stance when she 'landed' and when she opened her eyes, she saw the moustache man already circling her, looking her over. He scribbled something down on his paper before he gestured with a nod that they should walk back to the others.

"You did great." Harry whispered when she walked up to them, while the ministry workers went over their findings. Minerva squeezed her shoulder and shot her a smile as the others walked up to them. Leah turned around and gripped both their hands tightly.

"Miss Derijker." The balding man smiled. "Congratulations."

"Really?" Her voice and octave higher than normal.

"Really." He handed over her permit and with a polite and quick goodbye the two men apparated away in front of them.

"That's reason to celebrate." Minerva smiled. "Let's go to the three broomsticks, drinks are on me."

While Leah was used to seeing this side of Minerva, Harry looked shocked for a moment at his old professor as she already made her way to the pub. Leah chuckled and dragged her cousin with her.