Scratches (Fred Weasley)

(42) Weary and Wary

"Florence you need to come out." Jane pleaded with her, as she had been standing outside her daughter's door for quite some time now, knocking repeatedly. However there was no sign or sound of her approaching the door.

She had wanted to give her daughter as much space, and on the contrary Jane did not want to disturb her for a maximum of a week. But the number of letters that Nicolai was sending was quite alarming. Jane thought that her daughter needed to read them—maybe it was something important.

She didn't know how Florence managed to be unseen for the past few days. Jane figured she was extra cautious whenever she did come out of the room, careful not to leave any trace that she had been there.

Although the house elf had reported that she was infact eating the food that she was brought, and did not look depressed in any way. Jane just didn't know what kept her inside her room for so long.

And as if it was a christmas miracle, she heard the knob click, Jane being able to open it after. The room was bright, curtains drawn as the sunlight occupied as much of the room.

It almost looked normal, except for the crumpled pieces of parchment scattered across the carpeted floor. And there Florence was, sat hunched over a piece of parchment, scribbling away.

Jane raised a brow, crouching down to pick up one of the crumpled pieces of parchment. It was only a few words, a starting of a letter, scribbled on top.

Dear Nicolai,

End. Jane picked up another one, and it had read.

Dear Fred,

I don't really -*scribbled* FÜCK WHAT SHOULD I SAY? I sound like a twat.

Even more suspicious. And as she looked up, she found her daughter staring back at her, a nonchalant look on her face.

"Sorry...." said Jane sheepishly, throwing the crumpled papers into the bin that was also filled to the brim with crumpled parchment. She had to shove it down. "I was just curious. Nicolai sent these over, by the way." she said, holding up a pile of thirty or more letters. 

"I thought that you'd atleast pick up your mail when you would come out... But you didn't, and they were already piling by the door..."

She placed the envelopes on the desk beside her. Florence raised a brow at the scratch marks.

"Miss Mimsy kind of tried playing with them. I don't think she did too much damage though."

"Thanks... I guess." she mumbled under her breath. Jane sighed, plopping down on her bed. "Are you and Nicolai quarreling? Is everything okay?"

It was in this moment that Florence had turned to look at her mum in the eye. She could confide in her right? That's what mums were for. But she looked almost hesitant, that Jane had to speak for her.

"You and Nicolai and Xander have been friends for a long time now. I don't think whatever's going on right now is enough to ruin a long running friendship, right?"

Florence sighed, "But Nicolai... She did something, mum, something I told her not to do. And then she kept it from me."

"That usually happens you know, in friendship. There are times when your friends do things because they think it's what's good for you and it can make you happy. And sometime's they're wrong. So you have to be patient, and continue giving chances if you think the friendship is worth it."

"I don't know what to say to her, though." she said truthfully, eyeing the bits of parchment littering the floor.

"You will eventually. You always know what to say."