AN
I think I've been keeping up with the schedule lately, another row of exams will follow the next few days, but I'll do my best.
Also, I've been working on 2 different stories (still our freddie here). Mostly developing characters and storylines, since there are about ten chapters left of Marooned. I'll never thank you enough for reading, honestly. I love you all so SO much!! Enjoy,
Lots of love,
s
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Here lies Dobby
A free elf
He was a free elf indeed. Bravest out of all of them.
Sarah spent a while hugging her knees and looking at the tombstone, warm tears still falling down her face, thinking of this fallen soldier.
Bill's house was down the hill. It was beautiful that he was resting here, a view on the sea, waves crashing on the shore, bringing on sand just to take it away as soon as it came. Was there something about it that was so reflective? They had the illusion of peace all this time, hidden away into the woods, and in a second, it all shattered. Hermione and Selena were still in shock. Sarah set to brew a treatment for their wounds made out of whatever herbs and plants Fleur had. She had to retreat from everyone once they had started discussing about what had happened.
Her wrist was bandaged, half her hand was as well. Harry had managed to take her wand back from Peter so treating her hand hadn't been as difficult. It will still take another day before she could think of using her hand for serious spell movements.
The wind was shuffling through the dried up grass around. She was drawing shapes into the sand, circles and stars, enjoying the softness of it through her fingers and in the palm of her hand. If only she could, she would take this sand and her wand, turn back time. Change the course of the winds so they wouldn't carry them out here, instead somewhere peaceful. Not that this wasn't peaceful, but it seemed it had consequences. Every sweet moment came with retaliation.
She was deep in thought, playing with the sand and the small x from her necklace. And almost as if she had summoned him by doing so, Fred climbed up to join her, a plaid blanket, one of Bill's that was knitted by Molly and a mug in his hands.
"You've been here for a few hours," he faltered, this whole situation had gotten to him as well. "I'll go back inside, give you some space if you want. I was just checking." He handed her the mug filled with hot tea and placed the blanket on her shoulders.
"Wait, please," she prayed when she saw him preparing for his descent in the sand. "Don't go."
Fred turned to her with hesitation. He had promised himself to stand at arm's length while she processed what had happened instead of tackling her into a hug and keeping her as close as he could, so he lingered longer than he'd anticipated when he hugged Bill. She could see the wheels turning, the way he was keeping himself in check, a quizzical curve to his brows.
"Come here," she lent out her hand towards him, inviting him into her space and maybe he was incredibly exhausted but that made want to cry.
Retracing his steps back to her side slowly, he sat down next to her, pressed a deep kiss on her head in the process.
Their bodies shifted to mold together, each set an arm around the other and they stayed silent while staring out into the vast horizon.
"How's your hand?" he whispered so quietly she might have missed it if she wasn't actually so tuned in to whatever it was he was doing, breathing, sitting, just existing next to her.
"It's fine. It needs a day or two for the spell to do the trick," she explained softly, nuzzling into his neck. She knew he was holding back, he would have tackled her into a corner of a the couch, because that was usually what Fred needed when he was sad, feeling out of place, tired, but she had to get away, for once in her life come to terms with what happened to her and not brush over it so quickly.
How had she found the strength to stand up to Bellatrix? Why was she petrified as soon as she stepped back inside the manor? How much damage hearing her two best friends get tortured before her eyes had done to her? Were they okay? She planned on asking them as soon as she regained her strength to stand. Maybe it wasn't something she was ready for yet. What she needed was exactly this, retreating in Fred's arms instead of within herself.
She turned to him, the cold air was making his eyes watery, and she felt she had to squint so she wouldn't get any sand in. He had changed, wearing at least two layers, a brown t-shirt and a borrowed plaid shirt from Bill and it fit him well since they were built about the same way, Fred and George were a whisker taller, something Bill will never live down. The shirt wasn't buttoned, the collar and both sides were flapping softly against him from the wind.
She was staring, the way she often would when he was sleeping, in such a way she felt her cheeks turn pink because he was awake and he'd noticed. He wasn't feeling like joking, nothing but exhaustion reading on his face and for some reason she was grateful for it, he had caught in this intimate moment that belonged to her and simply murmured, "What's wrong, Sarah?"
How much she loved this man was beyond reason, beyond words, she hoped it was written all across her face and he could see that in this specific moment nothing, and she meant absolutely nothing, was wrong. Instead everything was right, and she convinced herself of it when she closed the small gap between them, connecting her forehead with his. "Nothing. Just hold me, please."
And he did. For a long a time. An arm draped around her shoulders. A long silence neither wanted to break, he kept her glued to him. Counterbalancing the horror they had to sit through last night.
"You're brilliant," she mused, her voice trailing off into a gentle whisper. "And thank you," she pressed a kiss on the corner of his mouth, "For checking in," another kiss higher over the creases of his smile, "Getting through all this with me. I know you didn't ask for sentimentality right now and I'm definitely not used to it but it's happening, I can't help it—"
Fred stopped her rambling by bringing a hand up to her face, "Doesn't mean I don't like it. Keep going."
After a small pause she spent gathering her thoughts again, she continued, "I think I feel a bit guilty for having such a safe space to run to in times like these."
He let out a small sigh that indicated she'd voiced out some of his own thoughts that he hadn't dared to do himself. "Me too."
"But at the same time, I don't care. Because I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm not one for expressing my feelings, but I've had a lot of time to think these past hours alone out here. I was watching the waves, reaching the shore. There were a few minutes with no wind at all but, and they still crashed onto the sand. Like it's inevitable for them to come back to it. And it sort of made me think how beautiful it is. For something you lose to inevitably come back to you. For every bit I've lost...it's come back to me in so many different forms, in a beautiful found family, the best friends I could have asked for, but most especially, you. You see that troubled sea out there? Unstable waves. Meeting an unwavering shore, for evermore. You and me. Isn't it the most beautiful thing in the world?"
With her last words, she felt droplets on the hand she kept on his chest. For a second she looked up at the sky, trying to spot the gray clouds but it wasn't raining. "Oh," she breathed, "You're crying, Freddie, I'm sorry—"
He cut her off with a kiss, a couple more tears rolling down his cheeks when he closed his eyes. "Don't apologize, never apologize for saying things like that," he murmured into the kiss, closing the gap right after.
She smiled fondly against his lips, "If I tell you I love you, will you start sobbing?"
"Yes," he chuckled, sliding a hand into her hair. "God, only you could make me smile right now."
She pulled away, her hands cupping his face as she thumbed away his tears, somewhat glad she was the one doing that for once. "I love you, Fred Weasley, so much."
A small whimper escaped his lips although he was still smiling. He was the one to say things like that and make her swoon and blush or tear up, she usually showed her love through actions instead of words but the way he was reacting made her promise herself to do it more often. Fred shifted so she'd rest between his legs, her shoulder against his chest. She looked up at him as he brushed away some hairs that the wind had fanned over her face. He had such a loving gaze whenever it was bestowed upon her, it felt overwhelming at times, but so powerful, that fierceness would be enough to warm up the coldest winter.
Fred rested his head over hers, whispered he loved her over and over again, his arms twisting around her every time he reiterated it, until she was flush against him. They didn't say anything after that, let themselves be engulfed by the other's presence and hold as they watched the sun go down, watched as it took with it the glum glow and tucked the burden of their hope beneath its rays, carrying it along for them until they met again the next day.
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"ARGH!" Sarah screamed and brandished her wand immediately, Hermione held her hands up over her face and crouched down, readying herself for a Defensive spell. "Oh my God! It's completely mental!"
"Sorry, I should've spoken before I walked it," Hermione apologized softly and straightened up.
"It's okay—wow, seeing your voice coming out of her mouth is extremely unsettling."
Hermione looked exactly like Bellatrix, Polyjuice potion did that to you but it still took her by surprise. "How are you doing? Embodying the woman who hurt you?"
"I've been better. I try to steer clear of windows and mirrors." Hermione fumbled with the strings of her black corset, clearly a bit uncomfortable with the outfit but she didn't say anything about it. "How's Selena doing?"
Sarah pursed her lips and glanced at the couch where Selena was seated. "I made her tea, she's still a bit shook."
"Thankfully Fleur had the Dittany, it did wonders," Hermione answered, a desolate look on her face, glancing at her sleeve bitterly. "But I reckon we'll always have the reminder."
"I know it's awful, it's not fair, but it doesn't have to be that kind of a reminder. It's the reminder you've survived. You're a warrior, Mione."
Hermione bit on her inner cheek and looked down sheepishly, "Selena, too."
Sarah nodded, "Selena, too."
Harry's head peeked from around the corner and asked Hermione, "You ready?"
"Sort of."
"Brilliant," he tapped the door frame before leaving but quickly returned, "You look horrifying by the way."
Hermione belted out a laugh, getting people who happened to be around to chuckle as well.
"What are you going to do?" she asked Sarah. The adventure Sarah, Fred, George and Selena inadvertently got themselves wrapped up in ended the second they arrived at Bill's cottage. They had other responsibilities with the Order while Harry, Hermione and Ron had to go to Gringotts and enter Lestrange's vault.
"Harry still agrees with us that there's something about Hogwarts. We'll reach out to the Order and get ready for the fight. As soon as noise starts about Harry Potter in Hogmeade, because I'm sure the three of you Apparating will trigger every kind of alarm, we'll jump right in."
"Do you ever stop and think: what on earth are we doing out here?" sighed out Hermione.
"Every day."
"Okay, I'm not alone, then."
"Certainly not," she reassured her, glancing at Selena again. She parted ways with Hermione, because the tea was getting cold and Selena had frozen again. She needed a bit of time to come to terms with what happened and had trouble with it.
"I hate that I can't get over this," she whimpered to Sarah as she set the cup of tea down on a side table.
"What?" her best friend blurted, she hadn't expected her to actually talk, it hadn't happened in a while. She suspected she talked to George a minimum but that was it.
"I can't brush over it, I can't move or think about anything else, and I feel the time moving through me but there's nothing I can do about it." She took the cup of tea from the table and started sipping on it, letting her eyes close after every sip like it was the best thing she'd ever tasted.
"That's completely fine," Sarah sat down next to her, rested a comforting hand on the knee she kept up next to her chin. "Merlin, Selena, no one expects you to twirl around gleefully after what happened."
"But you're fine, you're doing fine, and Hermione, too. I don't know why I'm so bloody weak that I can't—"
Sarah cut her off immediately "Hey! Weak? Are you joking? You are anything but weak. You have stood up to one of the scariest witches I've ever seen in my life, she scares me more than You-Know-Who. It was a bit stupid, I'll give you that but what she did is not something you simply brush over. Hermione has something else to think about, if she didn't have that mission to Gringotts, she will most likely be here next to you. It's perfectly normal. You aren't used to brutality and that is a good thing. And me? I have such an unhealthy way of dealing with all my traumas, you do not want to react the way I do to things, believe me. Do you not remember I started sobbing when you asked me if I loved Fred and then said I wanted to be distracted? You know what I did with that feeling that made me cry? I brushed over it. I did the same thing with Sirius' death. And I broke down after I came back from Manchester."
Selena smiled softly at her, like she was grateful to hear someone top her misery, she felt less troubled all of a sudden. "Anyway, " Sarah checked, "Case in point, what you're feeling, is normal. It isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of a well balanced mind that has been through a great ordeal and deserves a bit of time. That's all."
Selena blinked back tears and threw her arms around Sarah's neck, let out some mixed up sobs and chuckles while she thanked her.
"Did you really cry when you told her you loved me?" they heard a voice by the door opposite to them. Sarah rolled her eyes and turned to face him.
"You have got to be kidding me, Weasley. We're having a moment, here."
"She did, yeah," Selena sniffed and laughed through her tears, "A blabbering mess."
"Hey!" Sarah gasped angrily.
Fred grinned and quickly trailed off into a snicker with Selena, Sarah scoffed at both of them, and started walking away, "You can both go to hell."
"McCauley!"
"Sarah!"
She didn't turn around, she flipped them off instead and exited the room.
Fred continued chuckling while he caught up with her on her way to the kitchen, linked his arms around her waist and prevented her from walking any further. Bill and Fleur were talking in the kitchen and he backed away a few steps so they couldn't see them anymore.
"Let go of me right now," she tapped his arms and tried to walk again, unsuccessfully.
"Can't do that, sorry."
She turned to face him with a contemptuous sigh, nothing on her face indicating she found this amusing in the slightest. Maybe she was too tired to see the humorous potential here, either way, she couldn't be troubled to laugh on this.
Fred bit on the inside of his cheeks to keep from smiling, but the way she kept her arms crossed instead of touching him and looked up irascibly at him made it difficult. "You're adorable."
She frowned a bit and shook her head like she was rejecting his statement, even though her stupid heart started fluttering.
"You can let me go, now."
He twisted his arms tighter and shook his head childishly. He ran his tongue over his lips because he smiled brightly, reached for her crossed arms and set them around his neck. She didn't fight that, linked her arms loosely around his neck and that made him believe he could move forward with his plans. So he leaned in the way does before kissing her and she usually meets him halfway, only this time she didn't, he had to lean in closer still until his nose touched hers, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh."
"McCauley, come on," he whispered invitingly with a wide grin.
She knew what he wanted but she was also bored and since he got his kick out of it, so will she. So she shook her head, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly although she tried to prevent it.
Almost like it was timed perfectly, the voices of Harry, Hermione and Ron resonated through the hall, they were approaching the door. That meant they could contact the Order.
"No," he pleaded when she pulled away. She felt Fred's fingers flex, trying to grip onto her jumper and keep her against him, "Please don't do this to me—"
But she did, she absolutely did, and to only make it worse, she winked at him before leaving his surroundings completely.
Fred let out a frustrated groan as he rested his forehead against the wall for two reasons: the first to be dramatic, the second because the wall was cool whereas his face was not.
He couldn't help himself from smiling though, because he loved this kind of tension and the fact she was doing it out of her own stubbornness drove him mad and further in love with her. Moments like these convinced him that she indeed was the person with whom he wanted to grow old.
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"Shouldn't they be here by now?" Bill wondered anxiously.
Sarah checked her watch again, they had contacted the Order for an urgent meeting a while ago. Coded information, of course, but that didn't mean the situation was utterly risk free.
They were all dressed and prepared to flee at the first sign of danger. Sarah kept thinking 'the Order' but Bill had told her it wasn't much left of it. He and Fleur seemed completely battered and exhausted, but the apparition of Harry here gave them a new glint of hope.
The Order of the Phoenix was and remains a movement of resistance. As long as they believe in it, and they do, as their duty because combat isn't solely on the battle field, it will keep standing. That was what Sarah told him and still told herself in this moment while they waited.
There was a whooshing sound outside and everyone gripped onto their wands, Bill threw a last glance at Fleur before stepping lightly towards the door.
No one dared to move an inch before Bill reached the handle. He turned it slowly, surprisingly it didn't make a sound. Everyone's heartbeats quickened in anticipation until he peeked through the slim opening of the door.
"Don't just stand there, idiot, come out and greet us!" a familiar voice cheered, everybody around the room let out a breath of relief.
Bill opened the door widely this time and ushered them inside.
Charlie threw his arms around his older brother, Fred and George hurried to hug him, too.
"Godric! You're alive!" Charlie bellowed when he saw Sarah, he ran towards her and picked her up in a tight hug.
"Achievement of the year, I reckon," she chuckled, feeling her feet touch the ground again.
He had stormed in first, followed by everyone that was left of the Order: Molly, Arthur, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Remus, Tonks, and two other people Sarah didn't know. But they were talking to Tonks and she looked a lot like them.
"Sarah, darling—" Sarah immediately jumped towards him, she hadn't seen him since August, she realized, and he had no idea she was alive until now. "Oh, dear Merlin, I missed you so much." He had never held her this tightly but she didn't mind, and before she knew it, she also started crying.
Molly teared up while hugging the twins, Arthur engulfed the three of them into a great hug, calling Selena in as well.
Everyone else stood sort of awkwardly a few steps away, giving the reunions a bit of space.
"What happened?" Remus cupped her face and looked at her worriedly, "How did— Where were— Did they hurt you— Are you—"
"I think we'll take the time to catch up later, don't you think, Remus?" suggested Kingsley from around the room.
"Yes, yes, we'll have plenty of time later," he nodded and pressed an affectionate kiss on her forehead. "I'm so glad to see you again."
"Me, too," she smiled and glanced at Tonks who was watching them fondly. "Oh my goodness!"
Tonks was holding a little baby wrapped up in a blanket. "Who is this?" Sarah asked, overwhelmed by happiness and cuteness, approaching her and the baby slowly.
"Teddy," Tonks introduced them. He had just opened his eyes, they were a warm brown and adorable, he had the same eyes as Remus. "He'll stay with my mother for a bit, but we left in such a hurry, we'll part ways here. You want to hold him?"
"Can I?" she quavered with a small gasp, stretching out her arms. Since they weren't outside anymore, Tonks unwrapped the blanket and left him in the miniature outfit. "How old is he?"
"About a month," Remus answered her while Tonks handed her Teddy and instructed her to mind the head.
"Hey," Sarah cooed, holding him carefully, "Oh, you have your father's eyes. I can tell you from experience you will never hear the end of that."
"I reckon he'll have a lot to learn from his older sister, won't he?"
Teddy had just gripped onto her finger when she heard that. She looked up to see Tonks and Remus gazing at them like two proud parents.
She was speechless, looking at the three of them wonderstruck, her mind not quite processing what this meant. A family. She instinctively looked at Molly who has been like a mother to her all these years then back at Teddy with a smile, "Did you hear that?"
He still kept a tight grip around her finger and looked right at her. And for some reason it was the most hilarious sight because he squealed from laughter, reached out his other tiny hand to grab onto her hair.
It must have been his first laugh because Tonks, Remus and Molly all exclaimed and gasped. Sarah isn't exactly a great fan of small children or babies but she found it incredibly easy to love Teddy more and more with every second she spent holding him.
"We should get started on the combat plan," Arthur informed them.
"Right," Sarah nodded reluctantly and gave Teddy to Tonks' mother, Andromeda. If Sarah recalled correctly, she was Bellatrix and Narcissa's sister. She had thick and curly black hair, tints of silver through it, much like Bellatrix, but there was something kind in her eyes, much brighter than Narcissa even though she had it too.
The members all sat on the couch and chairs surrounding, Sarah noticed Fred's gaze following her intently then smiling down to his feet.
"What?" she whispered once she had reached his side.
He wrapped an arm around her waist to bring her closer and brushed his lips over her temple with a small head shake. "Just a lovely picture."
Her jaw dropped suddenly and she did her best to stay composed while everyone had started talking about more dreadful things than that. Her younger self would have started running the other way at the mere thought. But now she stayed. Smiled. Put an arm around him in response. Felt another bit of her heart heal in this chaos that was their reality.
Remus stood tall before them all, his gaze doing a final sweep over the remained allies here, and clapped his hands, "Let's begin."