Freya's POV
"It was a collection of rare edition CD's and a copper dress I had wanted...that's what they were trying to pick up for me. It was a gift for my recital."
Fred and George stopped walking, they exchanged a guilty look-after Fred's little confrontation, the two were cautious about everything they did. Today we decided to get out of the house and take a trip to the market place. I smiled at them before walking on, it was brisk out today-not chilly, but just cool enough that you needed a jacket.
I nodded as we came to the entrance of an old looking subway, I smirked slightly as the boys realized that the stairs were basically demolished.
With quick steps I made it down, skipping between the few steps that remained; that's what made this place perfect for a plaza for wizards to shop safely-no muggle would be dumb enough to try and come down here. We continued walking until we came to a rather old looking wall, I tapped it once with my wand and it opened without hesitation, I heard the boys suck in a surprise gasp of air.
Wizard's Paradise as I liked to call it, was not your typical shopping venue, the entrance was located in a subway but the moment you walked through the door you were out in the open yet again. It was crowded for a Saturday morning but I supposed it was to be expected, there must be over a hundred stores around this plaza-it was a huge place.
"Freya, we really are sorry about everything. We didn't mean anything by it," George stated lamely.
"I told you both two weeks ago that it's perfectly fine, I'm use to it." I shrugged slightly.
"Well, you shouldn't be," Fred muttered darkly. I shrugged lightly. I was use to people bombarding me with questions about that night. With my brother being a moderately known quidditch player, people wanted to know all about his life and his fatal death.
"Just like interrogating me for not wanting to share my past, it's a good thing I kept my journal in my bag with me at all times...I wouldn't put it pass either of you to go snooping through that," I shot him a dirty look as George stepped between us.
"Come on guys, let's just have a nice relaxing day!" George held up his hands slightly, "oi, there's a quidditch shop over there! Let's go check it out!"
I smirked slightly, I wasn't exactly mad at Fred, but I wasn't happy with him either. I don't know why I told them what my parents and brother had died getting, it made their deaths sound so stupid, but I haven't told anyone this fact...and it felt like a small weight lifted from my chest.
"Oi, I know that smirk. I've known you well enough now to know that you're just playing him," George hissed in my ear as Fred sulked over to the brooms while I stayed to look over some Irish banners.
"Well, he did actually hurt my feelings!" I retorted as I put a green flower in my hair, I looked at myself in the small mirror in front of me-I loved the Irish team, the colors were so brilliant, especially with dark red hair.
"He's apologized everyday for the last two weeks! Come on, cut the guy some slack. He feels horrible, trust me, I know!" George pleaded with me.
"It's not that I don't want to forgive him...it's that...he's right. I can't talk about family or quidditch without needing to bow out of the conversation. And every time I do that it makes me feel pretty pathetic." I shook my head slightly as I removed the flower and picked up a scarf. "I haven't gotten over their deaths and after awhile, people left me alone but not all of them. I had to stop going to quidditch games because I was recognized for being Robert Matcox's surviving sister, hell I haven't set foot in this shop since my brother's accident before the crash....Hearing myself talk about the accident and actually speaking aloud what their gifts were.....I can't believe how pathetic I am, and Fred was the first person to make me realize that in awhile," I glanced over at George and noticed his eyes were watering and he was frowning.
"You listen to me, you're not pathetic. Not even a little, if I lost my family I would be just as heartbroken, stuff like that doesn't just go away in the blink of an eye-it leaves scars. Scars which are going to take some time healing, but," George paused for a moment, "hopefully if you let two wonderfully, handsome twins help you... Everything will slowly go back to normal though," George took my hands and smirked. "What do you say?"
I glanced over at Fred who was looking at some local quidditch gear that caused me to reflexively flinch, "I suppose I'll go apologize...I've been horrible. Haven't I?"
"Not horrible...just...distant...to him at least," George gave a small smile before I nodded and walked over to Fred.
I instantly noticed Fred's stance, he seemed guarded as I stood there regarding him, before Fred could speak I hugged him tightly. Fred gave a laugh as he shifted so his arms wrapped around me.
"Can I help you, Fey?" Fred chuckled as he pulled away.
"Sorry...for my behavior," I rubbed my neck as I blushed slightly.
Fred grinned, "nothing to worry about. I understand."
"Friends?" I grinned as I held out my arms for him.
Fred laughed as he pulled me into a hug, "Friends." Fred continued to look through the quidditch paraphernalia in front of him, I frowned as my anxiety started to creep up my body. "This was your brother's team," Fred whispered, I nodded as he continued looking through it. Noticing the small pennants with each player's name on them, he glanced at me before looking through and smirked slightly. "Ah that's a shame, sold out of Matcox. Would've loved to support the team, but I'm very elitist to players, you see."
I snorted slightly, "I bet I can find a few in the apartment."
Fred laughed slightly, putting an arm around my shoulders and leading back to George.
The rest of the day we spent walking through the different shops, I bought the twins a few more pairs of clothes and some travel cloaks. At the end of it we ended up lounging on the couch, squished together as we watched something on the television.
"This thing is so very weird to me still," George mused as he took a spoonful of his ice cream.
"Do you really not have any electronics at home?" I questioned, stretching my legs onto the coffee table in front of us.
"We have a record player, but nothing like you have," Fred shook his head, "we've never seen any of this before. We are Purebloods."
I gave a slight nod, "well....if you're interested we could play quidditch? There's a park about ten minutes away that many wizards around here use."
The twins jumped to their feet excitedly, "I'm itching to ride a broom," Fred beamed, I couldn't help but laugh at the identical looks of excitement on their faces.
"I'll be right back," I smiled, I walked to my room and took my own broom in hand.
With a deep breath I opened Robert's bedroom and looked in the corner where the Firebolt and Nimbus sat, ready to be used, I gingerly took the brooms and walked back to the living room with both brooms in hand. I laid the Firebolt and Nimbus 2001 along the couch.
"Aren't these-"
"Your brother's brooms?" George whispered, his eyes met mine. His blue eyes swimming with concern and slight shock that I was offering something I wanted to preserve.
"He would want you guys to use them. Not me though," I gave a sad smile, trying my best to keep a positive attitude. "Besides....they've been sitting in that room untouched, and deserve to be ridden."
The twins looked at each other, frowning slightly, "I mean....when's the next time we'll ever ride a Firebolt, Georgie?" Fred mused, rubbing his neck slightly.
"You're right, Freddie," George gave a single nod, running a hand through his hair.
"So....what do you say?" I grinned excitedly.
The boys looked at each other once more before each taking one of the brooms, "lead the way, my dear Fey," Fred nodded to the door.
"Wouldn't two on one be unfair?" George asked as we walked down the deserted street.
I laughed, pushing my hair over my shoulder as I grinned, "for you."
The boys shared a look, their eyes flashing with mischief, "oh I like this girl, George." Fred rubbed his hands together.
I rolled my eyes, as we got to the park, no other family was around as we continued walking to a small playground. I walked over to the giant sphere structure made of hexagons and pulled out of the rods from the structure. I looked at the twins and grinned, revealing a door in the structure, the boys' jaws dropped.
"Don't just stand there, get in," I motioned for them. The two nodded and ducked inside, I closed the door behind me, we were now standing in a mirrored version of the park.
"How....."
"Honestly. Aren't you wizards?" I laughed.
"Love, your ways around here keep astounding us everyday." Fred called as they looked around, I shook my head and dug through my bag for the three brooms I had shrunken for the walk.
"Well, pick up your jaws. I'm going to kick your asses and I need you to focus to the ass whooping."
I looked at the boys who shook their heads as I handed them their wands, "engorgio," I murmured to my wand before sitting and taking off. I dug through my bag again for the quaffle I'd taken from Robert's room and dropped my bag to the ground below. The twins floated up across from me and grinned.
"God this feels good," George commented excitedly.
"God this broom is a beaut, is this why Harry was so good at getting the snitch you think?" Fred turned to George as he sat upon the Firebolt.
"My brother said his Nimbus was a better ride than the Firebolt for games, but I think he was bias."
"This is going to be fun," George grinned as he gripped the Nimbus.
I gave a small nod, it did feel good to be on a broom, but a pit was forming in my chest the longer I stared at the twins. With a deep breath I readied my nerves and chucked the quaffle as hard as I could at George who caught it easily.
"Oh, now that was an arm." He looked at Fred and laughed, "she's got an arm on her, Fred."
"I doubt she can be a quidditch player's sister and not exist without a good arm," Fred countered.
I laughed, "hope it's not too much for you two." I motioned my head over to the area where two sets of rings stood, awaiting a friendly game. I turned back to see the boys nod before barreling toward me, I readied myself and watched both of them.
George smirked, holding the quaffle under his arm as he sped toward me, with a wink he dropped the ball below. I rolled my eyes as Fred popped up in front of me and grinned as he tossed it behind me. I lazily hit it away and tucked it under my arm, zooming to the opposite field. George was next to me, pushing against my leg as he tried to veer me away from the goals. Fred was readied, hovering between the three posts as evenly as he could. I dove down fast and laughed when I heard George shout as he pulled up short, i barrel rolled out of the dive and soared up quickly, tossing the ball above me. When the ball started to barely descend I caught Fred's attention before harshly slapping the ball into the far goal that was unguarded.
"This feels good," I grinned as I rolled out my shoulders while George retrieved the ball and the boys floated toward me. I started laughing to myself, I haven't felt this good in a long time, I....I was happy. Tears pricked my eyes as I steadied my broom.
The boys shared a dark look, "beginner's luck," Fred commented.
"That dive was nuts!" George laughed.
I laughed feeling giddy. the adrenaline soaring through me like a bullet. I felt like I was vibrating. "Whatever makes you feel better about yourself. Care to go again?"
"Oh it's on, little girl," Fred grinned as he readied his broom.
"I'm the same age as you two," I snorted.
"You're still shorter than us," Fred smirked. I glared in response, "oh are you mad now? Good. Let's do this."
*Georges POv*
"Freya has some spunk in her," Fred laughed as he rolled out his shoulders.
I laughed, you could hear Freya's singing floating down the hall. Her voice was angelic and soothing as it flitted down the hall.
"Looks like we did some good for her," I commented, sipping the hibiscus tea Freya had made.
"She seemed genuinely happy in the sky, I think we're getting her out of her shell," Fred agreed.
"I was worried at first playing a game, if she could barely talk about her family then wouldn't a game set her off?"
"Yeah, I had thought about that. But you're right. She was genuine out there, she seemed carefree and happy." Fred was thoughtful for a moment. "Still think it's a bad decision to pursue anything."
"I realize that," I nodded. The singing was still going down the hall.
"But you're going to anyway," Fred rolled his eyes at me.
"I never said I would," I denied, "but if the cards fall..." I shrugged.
Fred sighed, "oh George....you're going to break that girl's heart for no good reason." He got up, shaking his head as he headed into the kitchen. I felt my face flush as I studied the cup in my hands, tracing the handle slightly as I nodded. "I'd come back for her," I called to the kitchen, I could hear Fred laugh. "If we leave, I'd come back for her." I nodded with confidence.