Still Not For Sale (Book 2 of I'm Not For Sale) COMPLETE

Chapter 18

    The following morning, Lucy, Fred, George, and Lee all woke early and dressed in black attire before apparating just outside the gates of Hogwarts. The sky is a muted gray, echoing the sullen dismay of the mourners gathering on the grounds. The ceremony was held in a respectable silence, the only sounds coming from the few openly sobbing at the loss of the Headmaster. To Lucy's surprise, the Headmistress of Beauxbatons attended, spending a while sobbing on Hagrid's shoulder. Lucy stood between Fred and Lee with her fingers threaded through theirs, her head resting on Fred's arm. She cried silently for the fallen Headmaster that she couldn't save, a man that saved her own life a time or two before. Bethany wasn't in the crowd to Lucy's dismay, but once they returned solemnly to the house, she noticed a letter dropped through the mail slot by an owl, promising her visit the next day. The group kept the shop closed for the day out of respect, though they shot fireworks off of their rooftop that night, the same ones they'd used the day the twins left Hogwarts.
Bethany showed up at their doorstep the next afternoon, instantly tackling Lucy in a hug before smacking her arm and scolding her for making her wait to figure out what happened. Lucy waves at Bethany's father who returns it before disapparating. Lucy pulls the blonde inside before locking the door and dragging her into the kitchen. Bethany's gaze wanders around the house and Lucy answers her unspoken question, telling her that the boys were in the back playing Quidditch with Ginny. She nods and accepts a drink from her before launching into a series of questions. Lucy lets her ask them all before finally stopping her and promising to start at the beginning when Bethany left her in the Great Hall to finish the essay. She ends her story when she attacked Malfoy and got knocked out, the rest afterward would just be unnecessary. Bethany sits there silently, her gaze practically boring holes into the table top before she suddenly launches herself out of the chair and pulls Lucy into a tight hug. Lucy raises an eyebrow and hugs her back, then even tighter as the younger girl's shoulders start to shake.
"Why are you crying Beth?"
"I-I shouldn't have l-left you! I'm so sorry!" She sobs out.
"No one could've known it would have happened. Even if you hadn't left that night, he probably would've gotten me later on. It doesn't matter any longer anyway. He's gone and if he comes back I'm going to kill him. Now, it's summer time, let's try to enjoy it. Did you get permission from your parents to stay over here?"
"You're right. And they said I could stay two weeks maximum if you all were okay with it. They're taking the kids to some muggle amusement park, Disney Land or something like that."
"Well I am totally fine with it. You'd have to ask the Things, though it wouldn't matter anyway."
The two look up in time to see the back door burst open and the trio stumble in laughing loudly. They stop when they notice the girls still hugging each other. Bethany and Lucy share a look before releasing each other. The twins announce their victory over Ginny and Lee, who complains that he only commentated the sport, never played it. They then tell Lucy that Mr. Weasley had come and taken Ginny back home again so they decided to come back inside.
"Bethany is staying for two weeks while her family goes to Disney Land, alright?"
"Sure thing, but what's a Disney Land?" Fred and George ask, looking at the two.
"Muggle amusement park. Your father would probably never be seen again if he went to one."
They nod in agreement before Fred tries to hug Lucy who scurries to hide behind Bethany while whining for him to take a shower first. He finally concedes and wanders off with the others to go clean up in their respective bathrooms.