It’s hard to believe that it has been a whole month since Cedric’s funeral. I have my bad days where I cry a lot and want to be left alone to pity myself, but luckily, I have more good ones than bad ones. Usually, I’m anxious to fight back against Voldemort, only I’m not sure what to do so I sit around all day scheming trying to get a glimpse into his future.
Today I’m sitting underneath a tree in the orchard, talking with Fred. Together we are scheming on ways to have Gryffindor’s test the joke store products. Lately Fred and George have been on many breakthroughs to new inventions, mostly thanks to Harry who gave his Triwizard winnings to them. I’m not supposed to know, though.
“Hey, you two! Come play Quidditch against Ginny, Ron, and I!” George bellows from across the orchard. I give a fake laugh and continue my scheming.
“Why not?” Fred prods trying to pull me off the ground, to the other side of the orchard where we will play. It’s too nice of a day to die from a tragic fall.
He continues to pull at me so I wrap my arms tightly around the tree. “I’m going to need some help over here!” Fred yells to his siblings. They happily oblige and soon I’m grudgingly being told what I have to do, throw a ball through a hoop, and try not to die. Fred hands me a broomstick looking all too pleased with himself. I scowl as I mount it and soar in the air. I grip my broom tightly as I look down.
“Guin catch!” Fred yells throwing me the Quaffle. I, surprisingly, catch it. I hold for a moment staring in disbelief. “Guin, go!” He yells at me again throwing me back into the game. I speed off towards the goal, only I cannot remain in a level position
“NO! NO! NO! NO!”I scream at my broom as I’m flying to the ground, tip of the broom about to pierce the earth. My broom doesn’t listen to me and I go tumbling off leaving my broomstick upside down sticking out of the earth like a post.
“Guinevere! Are you ok?” I hear Ron, Ginny, Fred and George’s voices all mingles together. I groan as I roll over and wipe the mud off of my face. If I could spit fire, I would. All four of them have a good laugh at my expense.
“Wow, thanks!” I yell sarcastically getting up and trudging back towards the house to get in the bath but no sooner than I get to the door, I feel myself being lifted from the ground. Either twin has a grip under my arm and they are soaring through the sky, me dangling between them.
“Put me down!” I scream completely terrified. I hear the twins laugh evilly so I shriek louder and they stop. At first I think I have won but instead notice Myron, lead singer of the Weird Sister’s, a few feet in front of me. I look down and smile, momentarily forgetting my life is literally in the hands of two evil boys.
“Can we talk for a minute?” Myron yells up at me, grinning at Fred and George. I roll my eyes as the twins put me to my feet and leave to put their brooms in the shed. “So, how’s everything been?” He asks suddenly becoming serious. My eyebrows rise in surprise so I hurry to act as though nothing out of the ordinary has happened.
“What do you mean?” I ask stubbornly, pretending that I don’t know that he is asking me how I’m coping with Cedric’s death. He takes the hint and drops the conversation.
“Do you think Voldemort has really returned?” Myron asks looking out towards the setting sun. He looks just as scared and confused as the rest of the wizarding world right now.
I study him before I decide to tell him about my vision and how I seen everything. He looks absolutely mortified. “I had hoped that it wasn’t true.” He finally says after a while of comprehending the meaning of our current misfortune.
“I think the rest of the world is in your shoes. But fact of the matter is it is true and the sooner we accept it, the sooner we can find a way to end it.” I tell him still observing his reactions. He gives me a half smile and places his hand on my cheek.
“So, I’m guessing this summer is a no go? If there is one thing I have learned about you, it’s you’re a fighter. But, at least, do the show with me in London next weekend.” He says nearly inaudible towards the end, his lips are closing in on mine. I wait for the familiar warmth of a kiss but it never comes, and I’m thankful because all I can think about is Cedric.
“Let’s have a talk, man to man,” Fred tells Myron tugging him away by his shirt collar. I can see jealously written all over his face and it makes me laugh.
“Kind of reminds me of when you and Cedric started dating. Fred would take every opportunity to sneak up on Cedric and curse him from behind.” George tells me laughing and draping his arm of my shoulder. The thought of it makes me happy and sad at the same time. I turn away from George and take a seat by the pond. I hear George coming up behind me.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have—“He begins but I wave it off.
“It’s alright. I just wonder if I will ever get over it, over him.” I tell George, tears streaming down my face. I pull out my locket and ring from its hiding spot under my blouse. I hear George gasp so I tuck it back in very quickly.
“You didn’t—you know, did you?” He asks sympathetically. I nod and cry harder. He doesn’t say anything but scoots closer and wraps me tightly in both of his arms. “It will get better. Hell, everything between you and Fred is normal again.” He tells me laughing lightly. I smile shakily and watch the sunset knowing tomorrow will be a new day.
**
I spend all week practicing my routine with the Weird Sisters. Myron seems to be a bit put out by the conversation that Fred and him had, which makes practicing all the more exhausting. At the end of the week, everything has come together and Myron is over his lecture. He has even secured seats for my entire family.
I’m behind stage getting ready for the show when I hear a soft knock on the. ‘Come in.’ I call and the door opens slightly and Percy slips in.
“Percy?” I say in surprise. Nobody has seen or heard from him since he got mad at dad for supporting Harrys claim that Voldemort has returned.
“Hey.” He replies nervously. I raise my eyebrows at him.
“What?” I say more harshly than what I meant to. He just had that arrogant ‘I’m going to lecture you,’ look on his face.
“Fudge is completely irate at Dumbledore for all the accusations he made back in June about Voldemort returning. Fudge reckons he wants to get the wizarding community in an uproar to steal his job.” Percy tells me in his matter of fact tone. I gape at him and Percy looks satisfied. “I knew you wouldn’t stand by him if you knew what was going on.” He adds proudly.
“P-p—Percy. Dumbledore isn’t lying and neither is Harry. I saw it.” I tell him, nearly pleading with his sanity but all he does is stare disbelievingly at me.
“Dumbledore told you to say that, didn’t he?” Percy yells looking absolutely disgusted. “You’re his puppet!”
I stare at Percy completely stunned. “What makes you think I owe Dumbledore loyalty? I watched Cedric being murdered while Harry fought Voldemort. Why would I owe a man to whom I told that something like this would happen and he didn’t stop it? I stand by Dumbledore because he leads the resistance and he is my way to avenging Cedric’s death. He will lead us to win something that wasn’t even possible during the last war. Both Dumbledore and Harry deserve our undying gratitude and support for what they will have to face. And you” I am yelling my lungs out and pointing to Percy who is petrified in his seat. “Are the minister’s puppet! The minister is helping Voldemort because he is telling everyone, including you, what you want to hear rather than speaking the truth and getting everybody prepared for what is to come! Because of him, and people like you, dozens of more innocent lives will be lost.” I finish yelling at Percy and storm out to Myron’s dressing room.
“Ready.” He asks smiling up at me while tying his shoe.
“Yes.” I reply taking a deep breath and forcing myself to forget everything.
“Alright, cause we’re on!” He says throwing me my guitar.
**Fred’s POV**
The concert was—amazing to say the least. We all enjoyed it, except mum and dad who didn’t like the way Guin was dressed, or how she danced, or anything really. I knew mum would die seeing Guin exposed on stage like that. I think George was the same way. He mumbled something about wrapping her in his jacket and forcing her to come home because she was way too young. The only thing I minded was the prick beside me ogling her. If mum and dad had just looked away for a split second, I would have cursed him into oblivion.
After it was over, we all went home to pack. We were relocating for the rest of the summer. Mum was rather sad by it but she insisted that this would be far easier and the other members of the order would have easier access at the headquarters.
My parent’s enthusiasm for joining the order in the first place took me by surprise. They both have put in all their efforts to protect Harry. Mum fought for him to come and live with us but Dumbledore didn’t allow it so it didn’t happen. Nobody ever argues with Dumbledore.
I walk into the kitchen where the majority of the order is which includes: Dumbledore, Snape, Tonks, Lupin, Bill and Mad Eye Moody. They are all in deep discussion on how we will get to headquarters.
“Hey Fred,” Guinevere says walking in behind me. I turn to smile but she looks sick. Her eyes have dark bags under them and she looks on the verge of tears. I mentally groan knowing it’s about Cedric.
“Want to talk?” I ask offering her my ear. She shrugs and heads out of the house so we aren’t overheard. “Okay, what’s going on?” I ask watching her slide down the side of the house, rubbing her temples.
“Visions,” she mumbles. “Nonstop. Horrible headaches and none of them even make the slightest bit of sense.”
I slide down beside her. “Don’t you miss the good ole days where our biggest setback was you landing us in detention. Those visions of yours would have been a lifesaver back then.” I tell her trying to make her think of something else. There really wasn’t anything else to do besides that.
“Well, we haven’t put any dung bombs in Filch’s shoes here of late.” She tells me wiping the sweat off her forehead. Her eyes burn red and go back to normal all within fifteen seconds. “I have been trying my hardest just to ignore them but nothing works.” She pauses for a minute contemplating something. I nudge her ribs to continue. She sighs and looks at me square in the eyes, it makes me nervous. “What do you think would have happened if I never had that vision and you never kissed Angelina?”
I don’t know what to say or do. My palms get all sweaty, and my brain is a mess, so I kiss her. I expect her to pull away and be the same stand offish Guinevere that she has been since Cedric died but she’s not. Instead, she grabs my faces and kisses me harder.
“Mmhmm.” I hear dad clear his throat. We don’t pull our lips apart, but all four eyes peer up at dad. “Why do I always catch you two?” He mumbles rolling his eyes but I notice a faint smile on his face. “We are all about to head to headquarters. You better make sure you’re ready to go.” Dad tells us walking back inside.
I turn my attention back to Guin. “This,” I whisper and kiss her again. After a few minutes I pull away and stand up, offering her my hand. “Better get inside before mum comes looking for us.” I say. She grabs my hand and we walk into the kitchen.
“Are we all ready to leave?” Moody asks the room. Both Guin and I run to grab out trunk out of the living room. As we reach for our trunk we bump heads and laugh than head back to the kitchen.
“We are apparating. Guinevere, you are with Arthur. George, you are with Tonks. Fred, you are with Lupin. Ginny, you are with Molly. Ron, you are with Remus.” Moody barks at us as he checks his watch. It has to be closing in on midnight.
“Hey, we can apparate ourselves.” George tells Moody who shoots him daggers.
“And do you know where you are apparating?” He asks annoyed. I see Georges face fall and he doesn’t say anything else. “I didn’t think so. Now, pair up and if you see anyone out lurking around the headquarters, walk away. Oh yea, take these. Keep them in your pocket until it is safe to read it. Do not read until it is safe!” He adds handing us each a tiny piece of folded parchment. All of us find our partner and apparate.
We all end up standing in front of a large building at nearly the same time. You can tell which ones of us have never been there before; we all have a mingled look of awe and confusion.
“Take out your paper.” Moody growls so we pull it out and read it. Suddenly another large building is exposed and Moody leads the way inside.
“Paper.” He says holding out his hand. We each give it to him. He immediately throws it into the fire.
“Welcome to my home!” Sirius Black greets us shaking all of our hands. “The meeting will start here in an hour. Let me show everyone to you room.” He says gesturing up the stairs. Suddenly I see a curtain ripped back and a portrait begins to scream loudly making everyone jump. Sirius struggles to close the curtain but finally manages.
“Right this way, sorry about the mess. Nobody has lived here in ages. Oh and be quiet in the hall, the old hag won’t shut up if you’re not.” He adds walking up the flight of stairs. We follow and watch him assign Guin and Ginny a room; they will share with Hermione when she gets here tomorrow. Ron is next and he is to share with Harry when the time comes. George and I are last.
Once Sirius leaves both George and I throw our trunk on our beds. He leaves after a few minutes in search of food. I sit in my bed thinking about what Guin asked me earlier. I had thought about it too often.
“Knock, knock,” I look up to see Guin walking in and sitting on the edge my bed. “Sorry to interrupt your thought process.” She says, I smile and scoot closer to her.
“You are my thought process.” I say honestly but she laughs at me. “Well you are.” I mumble feeling stupid. She stops laughing and puts her hand on my cheek. I lean into her touch and whisper “I love you, beautiful.”