Darker Shadows (A Harry Potter Fan Fiction)

Chapter 28- Unexpected Customer (Fred)

“Aren’t we all?” I asked as I put the Instant Darkness Powder in a bag and passed it to her.

The woman nodded gratefully,

“In times like this… who wouldn’t be?”

Before I could say anything else, she thanked me and left the shop.

“In times like this…” I muttered.

George poked his head through the gap in the shelf,

“Our customers get drearier everyday.”

I dropped the money into the till and closed it,

“The perks of being a shopkeeper, eh Georgie?”

“Perhaps when the summer holidays come around the students will be a bit cheerier.”

My smile faltered for a moment. Who knew what the situation would be in the summer? It could be the same… or worse.

“Excuse me?”

I looked up, slightly startled to see a figure standing in front of me in a cloak, their face concealed by the hood.

I cleared my throat,

“Good afternoon. What may I help you with on this wonderful day?”

The person didn’t answer my question, instead simply looked around at the shop in wonder. After a moment, the person whispered,

“Your shop… it’s beautiful.”

The person’s voice told me that she was female. But something else made me step closer to her.

Her voice sounded so familiar… the softness of it was something I immediately recognised.

I just didn’t know who she was.

“You could come here,” the girl muttered softly, “and just forget… forget about everything else.”

I gulped. That was what I’d been thinking about before… I didn’t realise that someone else had noticed it as well.

I cleared my throat,

“What would you like me to assist you with then?”

“I…” The girl trailed off.

At first I didn’t know why- perhaps she was just pausing for breath. It was only when I heard the gulps and sniffs coming from beneath the hood that I realised she was crying. The girl in front of me was crying.

I attempted to lighten the mood,

“I didn’t realise our shop was that good, madam.”

I glanced over at George as he opened another box of pranks to place on the shelf. He raised an eyebrow questioningly, but all I could do was shrug.

The girl took a deep breath,

“Fred? I need your help.”

My eyes widened slightly- how did she know which twin I was? George and I were completely identical. Sometimes even I forgot my own identity. Perhaps it was a lucky guess.

“Please, Fred.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw George stop stacking the shelves.

“Fred.” My brother muttered. He stood by the shelf, frozen with a box in his hand. He didn’t move a muscle.

I frowned at him and turned back to the girl in front of me,

“What’s the matter? What do you want?”

She whispered,

“Help.”

Before I could respond and ask her what kind of help the girl needed, she pulled her hood back and revealed her face.

My heart stopped and her name passed my lips in a soft whisper,

“Ava.”