Before you (Fred Weasley)

CHAPTER 39

"Got everything?" mum asked as I slung my bag over my shoulders. I nodded, grabbing her arm. I took one last look at the Malfoy Manor, the place I had called home for the past few months.

We apparated to King's Cross Station. I was met with the familiar sights of Hogwarts students crawling all over the place, bidding goodbye to their families and boarding the train, ready for the year ahead of them.

"Wait, before you go, I have something for you" said Mum, digging her hands in her purse, pulling out a bunch of envelopes and handing them to me

"These are letters from your boyfriend, I didn't want to give them to you at the Manor because I was scared Bellatrix would find out, it's better to keep her out of the loop when it comes to these things, the Weasleys are blood traitors, Bellatrix would give anything to torture them"

"I know you hid the letters mum" I said, taking the letters from her and placing them in my bag, above the box that held the locket. I still had to return that to Fred, he hadn't given it to me, I couldn't keep it.

"How come?" she asked.

"Because I met Fred"

"When?" Her eyes widened.

"When we went to Diagon Alley, he has a shop there now, and mum, he's not my boyfriend. We broke up almost six months ago" I said.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry. I knew you really liked him"

I didn't make eye contact with her.

"You still like him don't you?" My mum said suspiciously.

I shut my eyes and nodded slowly. I could deny it all I want but I still liked him. I hadn't stopped liking him, things had jut taken a terrible turn.

"Why aren't you going out with him then?"

I flashed my forearm at her, the dark mark as prominent as ever. I pulled my sleeve over it, hiding it from the world after showing it to her.

My mother didn't say anything but hugged me instead.

"I know what it's like to lose someone because of the dark side" she whispered.

"You do?"

"Before your father, I was head over heels for this boy, a prankster, just like your Fred. He was a bit arrogant but he loved me too"

I stared at her as she relived her memories.

"Alas, some things are too good to be true"

"Was it Sirius Black?"

"How on earth do you know?" mum asked, surprised.

"He told me you dated, he called you the prettiest girl in Hogwarts"

"He did?" mum's eyes began to water.

"When he died, I-I felt like a piece of me had gone with him. We hadn't talked for a long time save a few letters. I miss him Alice" she said shakily.

"You never loved father did you?" I said.

She hesitantly shook her head.

"If it wasn't for my family, I wouldn't have married Cadmus" she smiled sadly.

I hugged her once again. My mother had sacrificed so much in her life, it made me realise that I was beginning to do the same by giving up Fred.

"Alice is that you?" squealed a high pitched voice.

I spun around to see Bella standing there, her eyes wide in excitement. She had grown much taller over the summer.

"Bella! So nice to see you!" I enveloped her in a hug.