Fate Set Right

Chapter 58

"How the bloody hell am I supposed to spread the word to the Order? Not like I can cast a Patronus without drawing attention to myself."

"Why do you think I wonder if he saw me in my pants? Had to know you were still here, didn't he?"

"Yes, well, I'd like to think he knows I'm smart enough not to just go gallivanting once we were away from the Burrow," she replied. "Patronuses don't provide two-way communication."

"Well, not with only one Patronus." He smirked, summoning his wand. "Expecto Patronum," he said, easily calling forth the bright silver guardian.

"A ferret?" she laughed.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on stealing your future husband from you. Ferrets are the mischief makers of the Weasel family. George has one, too." And then, after instructing it to pass along the message from her father, he frowned. "What's yours, anyway? I know you can do corporeal, you're too bloody smart and powerful not to."

"A squirrel," she replied.

"Really?" he asked. "Suppose Neville's is the same."

"I don't think he can produce a corporeal one," she replied, feeling only a bit uncomfortable with the mention of him. It was odd, after all, speaking of her former lover to her newer one. Or was it former former lover? Bloody hell, she had multiple lovers and that was off considering who she was. Probably had to be some sort of Snape family record to have more than one, considering how the looks tended to run, if not the personalities.

"I'm sorry," Fred said after the silence lingered too long. "Gin told us why he left, but... but it can't be ... easy. And you're probably hoping he'll come to his senses."

"Neville's made it perfectly clear that the reason we parted ways will not change for him."

"And what are you going to do next year?" Fred asked. "Because, Rory, I'm scared for you."

"Why?"

He blinked at her. "Aurora... you're going in there with a target on your back, from both sides."

"And you don't worry about Leo?'

"No! The kid was sorted into Ravenclaw, which is at least a somewhat neutral house. Add the fact that he has your dad's sense of humor, he's too bloody smart for his age, and he has not made any truly obvious alignments, he could get through Hogwarts with his head down. You have another two years, two years in which no one can ever really protect you. I'm bloody terrified of what might happen to you."

"Me too," she said softly. "And I don't know what I'm going to do, how I'm going to play it. Dad will probably have some insight he can share tomorrow. And I can't do anything about it until I have a bigger picture."

"Too true, that," Fred sighed, leaning his head back. "It's still late. Or early, 'suppose. Can probably get some sleep now that you don't have to worry about your dad so much."

"Maybe," she agreed, rising from the ledge and heading to the bed. She pulled back the covers and climbed in, burrowing a bit under the covers. She stilled when she saw Fred watching her. "What?"

"Just... remembering. Taking in the details."

"The details?"

He shrugged. "It's one night, right? And, well, not like we're promised a tomorrow, what with all that's going on. Just... you're in my bed. You're wearing my shirt. And I won't say anything else that's running through my head, 'cause I understand. It's a night and that's all this is supposed to be. But bloody hell if I don't have a running stream of variations on how lucky I am right now."