A/N: An unexpected visitor helps put things into perspective for Elodie, while she decides what her next step would be.
~Fred's POV~
"Now you look over that care guide, you hear lad?" I said to a little boy who stood in excitedly waiting for his pygmy puff.
"I will!" He said reaching for the crate.
"Thank you so much Mr. Weasley. Tate, say thank you," His mother said.
"Thank you," He said before they turned to leave the shop.
It was slow for a Wednesday. Even though business had been booming lately, Witches and Wizards were still wary about coming to Diagon Alley. More and more shops were beginning to close, calling it a safety measure, But George and I knew that people could still use a laugh.
"Thank you for the lunch break. I can take over now," Verity said as she stepped up to the counter.
"Of course, I'm just going to grab some boxes to restock right now that we're slow. You see George around?" I asked her as I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt.
"Yes, in the back office with your wife. Looked like he was doing a small inventory, while she was reading," She said kindly.
As much as I enjoyed having Elodie in close quarters, I knew she was mostly doing it to avoid being alone at the house and having Remus or Sirius pop in on her unannounced. Though given that they'd been withholding information from her, I couldn't' necessarily hold it against her. It was a tough situation from my point of view. On the one hand, I understood where they were coming from in not wanting to being up old problems, especially ones that weren't as easily fixed. But on the other hand, they had promised to never keep secrets from her. And this was one dragon sized secret.
I knew her well enough to know when not to push it. But what made it worse was that she wasn't supposed to be dealing with stress. Merlin, all she knew was stress. It seemed like these last few years all she'd had was stress with only a few moments of plateau in between. I tried to be there for her and listen to her when she decided to vent. But I was still trying to figure out how to help her. How to take her pain. But there was only so much I could do.
The door to the back office was cracked open, and I heard her laughing. The both of them were laughing, that was a good sign. When George first told her that he and Angelina were dating again, I thought it would have put a riff in their friendship. So, it was nice to have them laughing and spending time together again like we all used to.
"You feeling peckish? I could run out and pick up those mini cupcakes from the tea shop? It'll only be a few minutes," I heard George ask.
"Have you ever thought about how mini cupcakes are twice shrunken cakes?" She said before George let out a laugh. I could almost picture the look on his face because it was the same, I had. I loved when she had these little random thoughts. "It's true! Think about it. You have cake, then you shrink it down to be a cupcake, once more and it's a mini cupcake. Why not just get the cake and eat it over the course of a few days?"
"I'm not saying you're wrong, but about how much thought did you put into that idea of yours?" George asked.
"Only a few minutes. I thought about it the day I went to go grab coffee and saw that rubbish," She answered him.
"Aren't you not supposed to drink coffee? I could have sworn I heard mum telling Fred to make sure you quit.," George told her.
It was true. I'd popped back to the burrow to pick up lunch and mum had lectured me the entire time about how I needed to remind Elodie that she shouldn't be drinking certain teas, much less coffee. Any other man would oblige and see that she walked a straight line. But I knew my wife, and if she wanted a cup of coffee, she would have it.
"I'm allowed one cup a day. And if I'm happy, the baby is happy. And Coffee makes me happy. So, leave me alone," She said, sounding very cheeky.
I decided the time for eavesdropping was over, so I walked in and let my hand glide around her middle so I could rest my head on her shoulder for a moment. "Having fun back here?" I asked them.
"Oh yeah, we were about to call the mates over. It's a riot!" George said sarcastically.
"Look, I'm thinking of getting Ginny some new quidditch gear before she goes back to school. She could really use it if she's going to go pro someday," Elodie said to me as she held up a catalog opened to a page of padding.
"That's an investment. Wouldn't it make a better graduation gift?" I asked her as I stood upright and leaned back on the table next to her.
"You've seen her play. She'd be worth it. The two of you could have gone pro if you had wanted to. At least I think so," She said as she continued going through the catalog, jotting down notes and flagging pages.
"Yeah, now she tells us," George said as he turned to look through another box.
It had always been easy for me to forget just how cold she could be if she wanted to. Then again, I didn't know what the proper way was to deal with finding out that there was a chance her maiden didn't belong. Much less, that her adoptive fathers knew all along. Yet here she was, laughing, going on with her day as if I hadn't had to apparate us home a week ago after she nearly tore Sirius's house apart. I'd had to turn them away when they tried to come over to our house to talk to her, but what else could I do if she wasn't ready?
I knew that she was powerful. Time and time again, she'd proven to not just me, but to everyone just how powerful she could be, should she have the motivation. Yet the way that the house shook, pulling me and Harry away from our conversation about the shop, making us run down to see her fighting against Remus's hold. I'd never been more convinced. The incident at the ministry left me scared. I had to go through my head and wonder if she had a death wish, I wasn't willing to leave it to blind recklessness.
The way our magic had bonded made me realize that I wasn't sure I'd really be able to comprehend just how much of a gifted witch she was. The way her magic would dance through her fingertips into me, as if it were refilling me and floating back. As if she had magic to spare. I didn't think I'd ever fully understand it. It was just part of what made her, her.
"Where is Gin by the way?" I asked them.
"Uhm, I think she had a date today. I'm not sure with who, just that she didn't want to spend time with Fleur," She said casually as she continued looking through the catalog. "Look at this, I can't decide between the set of padding or a new broom," She said as she showed us a full set of padding that would put any one the house teams to shame.
"Oi, go back!" George called as he came out. "Not sure with who? What's that mean?"
"What is there more than one bloke?" I asked with a bit of a scoff in my voice. She didn't say anything, only pursed her lips and continued looking through the catalogue. George shot me a look. It was news to us that she was dating at all, but dating different blokes? He looked over her shoulder on one side as I looked over the other and we both leaned in.
"What aren't you telling us?" We said in unison.
"There's nothing to tell. She's just dating. Honestly, not every girl jumps into a relationship. Some girls like to take their time, they get to see what they like in a person, what they don't like, don't be so close minded," She said casually.
"Isn't she a bit young to be dating?" George said carefully.
"Well, I was fourteen when I started officially dating. You two were what? About thirteen when you started?" She asked.
"I wouldn't really call it dating. But I really hope she doesn't follow our lead," I said as I grabbed a box that needed to go up front. I thought back to all the trouble we'd actually gotten into. Yeah, I really hoped Ginny wasn't like us.
There was a knock on the door as Verity popped her head in. "Uhm, there's someone here to see you."
"I'll be right out," I said and hoisted the box further up to have a better grip on it.
"Actually..." She said hesitantly. "He's here for Elodie. Said it's important," She said and tilted her head toward the front of the store.
Elodie rolled her eyes and put her reading down before standing up angrily to go towards the front of the store. I eyed George before setting the box down and following behind her. If Remus or Sirius were going to show up, she should have someone in her corner to let her know to just hear them out.
Stepping out into the front of the store, it wasn't either of her dad's that we saw there. Nor was it her brother, or anyone from my side of the family. I would have guessed a friend from school, or even someone from the ministry.
"What are you doing here?" I heard her say before I stepped out.
"Can we go somewhere private? Rather people not know that I'm here," Draco Malfoy said as he nervously looked around. "Look, I know you probably don't want to, but I really need to talk to you." He looked nervous. Like if someone would storm through the door any minute and slit his throat just for being in here.
"The flat. Up the banister," She said, pointing him in the correct direction. "Give us a minute," She said to me.
I gave him a look before looking back at her. She was more than capable of defending herself should she need to. But that didn't stop my dislike of him. "Just let me know if you need me," I said and gave her necklace a little tap.
The best invention I'd come up with. If I could even call it my own. It was mostly Mr. Ollivander, I brought him the idea though. Taking a piece of my wand and turning it into an altered Portkey. Making my wand burn in my pocket when she needed me. And when she wanted to come to me, all she had to do was grab onto it. She'd yet to use it, part of me thought she hadn't figured it out yet. That was okay. She was smarter than me, she'd know when to use it.
~Elodie's POV~
"Tea?" I asked Draco as he stepped into the flat and shut the door behind him. "I have herbal, black and breakfast. Or if you prefer, I could make some coffee?"
"Fine, put the kettle on," He said quickly.
"Now if you're going to be sour, I won't hesitate in asking you to leave," I said and set the kettle on the stove with a loud flop. He looked tired. Ghostly even. As if he'd spent the last few weeks sick and out of the sun. As if he was withering away. "You and I both know I'm more than capable of throwing you out without my husband's help."
"Is it true?" He asked a bit softer, eyes wandering down to my stomach.
"It is," I said and let me hand graze over my lower stomach. "Is that what you came here to talk to me about? I can assure you, I have more than enough people telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing—"
"You can't go back to school," He blurted out. I looked at him, trying to see if there was a meaning behind his words that I could easily read on his face. But he barely looked like him anymore. His childish features, hidden away, behind a loss of innocence.
"I'm only going back twice a week for one class. How did you even know about that?" I asked, eying him suspiciously. "Have you been following me?"
"No, I- I just" He said, stuttering over his words.
"Have you been keeping tabs on me or something?" I asked taking a step closer to him. "Because if you have-"
"No that's not it I just can't-" he said turning away before looking back at me as his hand grazed his forehead.
"I mean what is it with this weird fascination you have with me Draco?" I asked, speaking over him. He let his hand drop to his side before he went silent, staring at me. His eyes were screaming, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. Surely his wicked aunt had been trying to get inside his head, for all I knew, she'd asked him to come here as a way to get to me. I couldn't give in to what he was asking, he didn't have my trust enough to follow his instructions blindly.
He let out a sigh as his head fell only slightly. He wasn't looking at my face anymore, just me, as a whole. "It doesn't matter anymore," he said.
"So, you spend the last six years taunting my brother and my family name, being kind to me only when no one else is looking, and then now you want what? To warn me? What, did your aunt send you? What, as some...wicked way to get me where she wants me?" I asked, pressing for an answer.
"You know I can't tell you. I- I've already taken a risk in coming here, just... don't go back. You have to trust me on this," He pleaded with me.
"Trust? You know the funny thing, about me... trusting people... it tends to bite me in the arse more than I care for," I said in a deadpan manner, eyeing him up and down. "I think it's best you leave now. Last thing I need is for someone to think you're here paying me off for helping your father."
"Help?" He scoffed as a disgusted look taking over his face. "Yeah, he's still in Azkaban because of your help."
"Don't fool yourself Draco. I could have done a lot worse than just breaking his wand. You and I both know that," I said and walked over to the door. "Now, it appears I'm out of tea," I said as I stood there, waiting for him to leave. He walked over and lingered before walking out. He looked me up and down one last time, stopping to look at the ring on my finger for a moment.
"We were friends once... In a way. You said so yourself. I'm the last to say this, but in a twisted way, we're family now. And family is supposed to keep eachother safe," He said in a serious manner. Even at his best, I'd never seen him like this. So... untoxic. "Just consider it.'
He walked out the door and down the steps to the shop. I closed the door once he was out of sight, enough time to allow Cat into the room. 'Family keeps each other safe'. He was related to Lucius and Bellatrix, what could he possibly know about keeping someone safe? I couldn't shake the feeling that it was outwardly ridiculous that he would come here and tell me that.
Advice is all around miss...
Sometimes we may not want to hear it...
But it is there...
I shot a look at Cat before he hopped up onto the window to watch the people walking outside. I had more advice around me than I wanted right now. Between Molly with her baby advice and Fred constantly looking at me as if he was waiting to talk about Sirius and Remus, I was about to lose my mind.
"Family," I said under my breath as I took the kettle off the burner. "What could that prat possibly know about family?" I said to Cat as I summoned a cup. "We're not even related!"
The adoption miss...
Fuck. I hated when he was right. And if Cat was thinking it, it had to have meant that deep down I was thinking it too. I let out a grunt of frustration and put both of my hands on the back of my head as I looked up at the ceiling. Calm, calm. I had to keep calm.
But it was true. I knew that not only had I done, but I'd continue to do whatever it took to keep Harry safe. And Fred. Not to mention George and Ginny. Was that what Sirius and Remus were trying to do all this time? Just keep me safe? If so from what? Or better yet, from who?
"Hey, everything okay?" Fred asked as he stepped into the flat.
"Brilliant," I answered. And poured the hot water into my mug. "You know it's as if my kindness gets mistaken for as instant friendship," I said with a chuckle as I took a sip from my tea.
"Well most of the time it is. Isn't it?" He said as he stepped behind me, wrapping his arms around my middle. "It's not really him you're upset at though, is it?"
"Godric what I wouldn't do for a drink right about now," I said, reaching around to place a hand in his hair. "I don't even know what I'd say to them," I whispered as I leaned back into him, feeling a growing warmth in my core as our magic swirled together.
"Maybe just listen," He said, moving my hair to the side and placing a kiss on my neck. "You're good at holding grudges. It's accepting an apology you've always needed a push with," He said as he placed another kiss. Was everyone right except for me?
"Well, this time I may need a catapult," I said before turning around to look at him.
"Maybe start with telling them we're having a little girl? See if they agree that Freddie can be a girl name," He said as his face inched closer to mine.
"We're not naming her Freddie!" I said dramatically before he placed both of his hands on my face, pulling me in closer to him. I felt his tongue trace along my bottom lip but pulled away before he had an entrance. "I'm going to close up tonight so George can go over to Angie's. Go see them. You've been upset too long," He said before placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.
***
I decided to walk instead of taking the floo or apparating. It wasn't too far, and it was such a nice day out. Cat was nearly stung by a bumble bee, but managed to scare it away before it got its little pecker in. I wished I were more like him, confronting my problems head on. I wasn't sure if I should knock on the door, or just walk in. Merlin's soul, why was I overthinking everything so much?
I knocked on the door and stood there firmly. I thought about what I would say, but I mostly wanted to hear what they had to say. Fred was right, I needed to listen. With a sudden motion the door flew open, and Sirius was there, hair tucked behind his ears with a sad look in his eyes. He was having a worse time than I was.
"You came, Remus said you would, but..." He said.
"I'd like to talk to both of you, if that's alright?" I asked calmly. I walked into the sitting room, the sun shining in perfectly. The plants I'd left were thriving, that meant they'd kept up with the watering. Or at least made it look like they had. I took a seat on the sofa across from them, as they sat together.
"How'd your appointment go?" Remus asked, as he broke the unsettling silence that had fallen in the room. "Molly mentioned you went last week... We never got to discuss—"
"I don't want to talk about that," I said softly, looking at him directly in the eye so he knew I was here for business. Both he and Sirius gave slight nods, ready to have the bandage ripped right off. "So, I," I began, my thoughts still not completely in order. "Uhm, I needed to see you... Don't exactly know why. I'm still rather angry, even though I thought I'd get over it. But I can't. And..." I said. My eyes had wandered away from them as I thought of the right way to have this conversation. But there wasn't a right way. It just needed to happen.
"I care about the two of you so much. You know, more than I show, maybe. And I barley know how to love someone, other than Fred. I mean I treat Harry like a bloody school mate for Godric's sake. But I know that I loved the two of you... And... You hurt me," I said as my voice began to break.
"Ellie," Sirius said as he leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees.
"You're not supposed to hurt the people you love," I said looking him directly in the eye.
"We're sorry," Remus whispered, almost too quiet to hear. "You haven't the faintest idea just how sorry we are."
"I just...Did everyone know?" I asked, questioning if I was the only one that had been left in the dark.
"No, no, it was only our circle of friends. The Weasley's didn't know. Nor did McGonagall. No one knew, because from the moment you were born, you were his," Sirius explained.
"Is that... Is that why they kept it a secret?" I asked, not sure why.
"No. Absolutely not," He said before moving to sit with me. "They wanted a better life for you. Much better than you could have during a war. They did what they thought was best to keep you safe. Their precious little girl," He said as he stroked my hair. "Our precious little girl."
"And her baby?" I whispered. I looked up and saw Remus looking at Sirius as a sad look fell upon their faces.
"You were always their baby. She was going to be ours," Sirius whispered.
"Your mum was doing us a favor. One that was extremely hard for us to ask of her, but we didn't have anyone else. All our efforts pointed to the war ending soon, and we wanted to emerge a family. With a bit of magic, she was willing to help us," Remus explained.
"That doesn't make it any easier," I said as I sat back. "Why would you keep all this from me? Why would you lie to me?" I asked as my voice began to sound bitter.
"They didn't want you to feel out of place. Especially when you were always the center of their world," Sirius answered, taking my hand into his. "We wanted to honor them and respect their wishes."
"But you lost your child too," I said calmly.
"Plans change. And then they change again," He answered, rubbing his thumb along the back of my hand.
"Who was it- who- who is it?" I asked, feeling my insides turn hollow.
"James never wanted to know. He said, it didn't matter who the father was, because he would always be your dad. No matter what," Remus answered. "They left it at that."
"And the baby? What was her name?" I asked, still wanting all of the information.
"We didn't get that far-" Remus said before Sirius turned to look at him with a sharp look in his eyes. "Calliope. We wanted to keep the sound similar. Elodie, Harry, Calliope. All having that same 'E' sound."
I stood from the sofa, and walked to the opening of the room. "I'm sorry, about the photographs," I said quietly. "And your daughter."
"You've always been our daughter," Sirius said instantly. I felt like I didn't need anything else. That was all the explanation I needed. My father was gone, my mother was gone. But my family was here.
"Uhh, Freddie and I. Our appointment... we found out we're having a girl. No name yet, but Fred thinks that 'Freddie' would make a suitable girl's name," I said, taking a forgiving step forward.
"Well that just won't do," Sirius said as he stood and walked over to me. "She'll need a good strong name. Just like her mum," He said as he gave me a loose hug and pressed a kiss into my hair. "Take the floo, It'll be dark out soon."