intoxicating. / / fred weasley / / under revision

Chapter 100

"Why can't I come?"

"Because Maeve, this is my thing. And I have to do it. Ron and Hermione won't listen to me, and they'll come even if I tried to leave without them.." Harry paused, looking up at her, "Please stay."

She wish she had the power to fight him, but she couldn't. She was ready to give up.

"Come home, please." She pulled him into a hug

"I always come home, Maeve." He held her tight, "When this is all over, we can be a real family. Do real family things." He looked at her, wiping the tear from her face.

"Please be safe, little one." She cupped his cheek.

"Always."

Maeve and the twins stood in front of the trio and watched them disappear in front of them. The three walked back into the house, the wood of the door was damaged and worn out by the sea air. The kitchen was small, the walls looked rustic with unpolished stone. It was light and airy, Maeve felt like she could finally breathe. Leading up to the trio leaving once more, she could tell Harry wouldn't let her come. She had noticed that something was going when Harry, Ron and Hermione only emerged for mealtimes. They wouldn't let her join in, which hurt her. But she knew Harry wanted to protect her, protect the girl he truly saw as his sister. They shared bond, and familiar traumas that connected them. They were able to share one last happy moment together before he left. Remus had visited, telling them that Tonks had their baby. A baby boy.

"Yes, yes, she's had the baby!" shouted Lupin.

"Congratulations!"

"Yes-- yes-- a boy," said Lupin again, who seemed dazed by his own happiness. Which finally brought a small smile, to the Hufflepuffs face. He got up and pulled Harry and Maeve into a hug.

"You'll be his godparents." He smiled at the two

"What?" Harry stammered

"Us?" Maeve giggled

"yes, of course-- Dora quite agrees, no one better—"

Maeve felt overwhelmed, astonished, delighted; she felt happy for once, during these times.

"To Teddy Remus Lupin," said Lupin, "a great wizard in the making!"

"I think we should go home." Maeve finally spoke. The three had been standing in the kitchen, kind of just staring off, in silence.

"Yeah." The twins said.

Apparating to The Burrow, they made their way to the front door. They hadn't been home in months, they only left a note when they left. Honestly, when Julia died, everyone figured she would leave and the twins would follow. They just didn't expect it to be this long, without seeing them. Maeve looked up at the twins and then the door. Once it was opened, they were all engulfed into hugs.

"Oh dears! Thank Merlin you are all safe!" Molly cried into Georges neck, as Arthur had Fred and Emmeline and Sirius had Maeve in their grasp.

"He's gone." She cried into Sirius' neck, "he wouldn't take me with him."

"You are the closest thing he has to family, Maeve. You're his big sister, he wants to protect you." He held her, "You'll see him again, soon enough."

Weeks had passed since Maeve had seen Harry, she tried her best to distract herself. Her and Fred took a trip to Romania to see Charlie, they looked at houses by the sea but couldn't find the perfect one.

"It's yours." Emmeline handed Maeve keys.

"What?!" Maeve exclaimed pushing the keys back into her mother

"The cottage by the sea, it's yours." She smiled, "We expect that when this is all over, we can go back to Grimmauld Place."

"Really?" Fred asked, "You really don't have to, we have been looking and this is too much to ask for."

"No, this is the perfect home to raise children and start a family. I know it is, because I raised an amazing women in that home." Emmeline placed the keys in Freds hands, "You two deserve happiness, and that home will bring you so much."

"Thank you Mum." Maeve engulfed her mother into a hug.

But like always, these happy moments vanish quite fast in Maeve's eyes. Because in the time that her mom put the keys into Freds hands, and pulled her mom into a hug. Sirius was already sprinting into the room. Smiles had fallen.

"It's happening.." He breathed out, "I've just heard the message."

"Lightning has struck, I repeat, lightning has struck!"