Enchanted
Going home.
“So this is the Potter I’ve heard so much about? Pity, I though you’d be taller.” The wicked voice cackled. “No matter…I can still kill you. I will get my revenge for his death!”
Suddenly Alex’s eyes shot open and she sat up in bed, screaming. Charlie was on her in a second. “Alex.”
She looked at him. “What happened?” Her mind still reeling from her "dream".
He sighed and stroked her cheek. “You passed out. From lack of sleep, we think. You lied to me.”
She looked down, guilt-ridden. “I’m sorry. I hate worrying you.”
He nodded. “Are you feeling any better?”
She nodded immediately. “Yes. Honestly.” She said when he gave her a look. “I am.”
“Think you can handle some floo powder?”
She nodded. “Yeah…”
“Good. After you passed out I decided that maybe a change of scenery would help your insomnia. We are going early to my parents place for our holiday vacation.” He said, while throwing some things in their bags.
Charlie watched her stand up slowly, and she sighed. “I’m fine. Really. Now let me help you. When do we leave?”
“Tonight. They know we are coming. I talked to them by means of our small, but effective fireplace.” He joked and she smiled, shaking her head at him.
“How can you go from overly concerned to jokester in just a few seconds?” She inquired.
He shrugged. “It happens. I think it comes with watching five younger siblings grow up in a time where Voldemort was a threat to everyone. You learn to adapt.”
She looked down. Picturing his siblings growing up made her happy, but it made her think of Fred. She sat down and he knew what was wrong. “I miss him too.”
She looked p at Charlie. “I know. This is going to be the first Christmas without Fred. It’s going to be hard for everyone…I feel bad for Arwen too.”
Suddenly she realized what she had said and mentally smacked herself. Charlie looked at her questioningly. “Why Arwen?”
Alex racked her brain for reasons. But was having a hard time coming up with something. Arwen had been her best friend since they had been at Hogwarts. Alex was three years older than her, but they became fast friends after they met on Gryffindor’s Quidditch team. Back in school, Arwen, Fred, and George had been a little group. After Bill and Charlie left, Alex needed someone to hang out with, so they welcomed her in. The girls had grown especially close and were practically sisters. When Alex announced that she was moving away to live and work with Charlie, she thought her friend’s meltdown was the worst she’d ever seen. She was wrong.
Crap. She thought. Now I have to tell him.
“Well you know, they were good friends and you know…it’s had to be hitting her hard this year too.” She could have kicked herself as she spoke because even as it was coming out of her mouth she knew it was bull shit.
Charlie chuckled. “Now how about you tell me the real reason.”
She rolled her eyes. “You can’t tell anyone! She made me promise!”
He nodded. “I won’t.”
Alex hesitated, but then sighed. “For a long time before his death…Arwen and Fred were dating. Only George and I knew. They made us swear not to tell. When he died, she almost killed herself in sorrow. It was horrible. But then again…we all kind of knew what that felt like.”
He nodded. “Wow. Fred had a steady girlfriend. Who would have thought? Have you spoken to her recently?”
Alex shook her head. “No. But I probably should write her when we get to your parents place.”
Charlie nodded. “Okay.”
She eyes him. “What?”
He shrugged. “Nothing.”
She let it go, but watched him very carefully as they spent the rest of the day getting ready for their journey. Finally they were ready to go. Charlie decided to go first with the luggage. She went in and in seconds he was whooshed out of there. She knew someone would be along shortly to put out the flames so she quickly stepped in and shouted her destination. When she stepped out her heart nearly froze with the sight in front of her. Her eyes went wide, and she screamed.
Suddenly Alex’s eyes shot open and she sat up in bed, screaming. Charlie was on her in a second. “Alex.”
She looked at him. “What happened?” Her mind still reeling from her "dream".
He sighed and stroked her cheek. “You passed out. From lack of sleep, we think. You lied to me.”
She looked down, guilt-ridden. “I’m sorry. I hate worrying you.”
He nodded. “Are you feeling any better?”
She nodded immediately. “Yes. Honestly.” She said when he gave her a look. “I am.”
“Think you can handle some floo powder?”
She nodded. “Yeah…”
“Good. After you passed out I decided that maybe a change of scenery would help your insomnia. We are going early to my parents place for our holiday vacation.” He said, while throwing some things in their bags.
Charlie watched her stand up slowly, and she sighed. “I’m fine. Really. Now let me help you. When do we leave?”
“Tonight. They know we are coming. I talked to them by means of our small, but effective fireplace.” He joked and she smiled, shaking her head at him.
“How can you go from overly concerned to jokester in just a few seconds?” She inquired.
He shrugged. “It happens. I think it comes with watching five younger siblings grow up in a time where Voldemort was a threat to everyone. You learn to adapt.”
She looked down. Picturing his siblings growing up made her happy, but it made her think of Fred. She sat down and he knew what was wrong. “I miss him too.”
She looked p at Charlie. “I know. This is going to be the first Christmas without Fred. It’s going to be hard for everyone…I feel bad for Arwen too.”
Suddenly she realized what she had said and mentally smacked herself. Charlie looked at her questioningly. “Why Arwen?”
Alex racked her brain for reasons. But was having a hard time coming up with something. Arwen had been her best friend since they had been at Hogwarts. Alex was three years older than her, but they became fast friends after they met on Gryffindor’s Quidditch team. Back in school, Arwen, Fred, and George had been a little group. After Bill and Charlie left, Alex needed someone to hang out with, so they welcomed her in. The girls had grown especially close and were practically sisters. When Alex announced that she was moving away to live and work with Charlie, she thought her friend’s meltdown was the worst she’d ever seen. She was wrong.
Crap. She thought. Now I have to tell him.
“Well you know, they were good friends and you know…it’s had to be hitting her hard this year too.” She could have kicked herself as she spoke because even as it was coming out of her mouth she knew it was bull shit.
Charlie chuckled. “Now how about you tell me the real reason.”
She rolled her eyes. “You can’t tell anyone! She made me promise!”
He nodded. “I won’t.”
Alex hesitated, but then sighed. “For a long time before his death…Arwen and Fred were dating. Only George and I knew. They made us swear not to tell. When he died, she almost killed herself in sorrow. It was horrible. But then again…we all kind of knew what that felt like.”
He nodded. “Wow. Fred had a steady girlfriend. Who would have thought? Have you spoken to her recently?”
Alex shook her head. “No. But I probably should write her when we get to your parents place.”
Charlie nodded. “Okay.”
She eyes him. “What?”
He shrugged. “Nothing.”
She let it go, but watched him very carefully as they spent the rest of the day getting ready for their journey. Finally they were ready to go. Charlie decided to go first with the luggage. She went in and in seconds he was whooshed out of there. She knew someone would be along shortly to put out the flames so she quickly stepped in and shouted her destination. When she stepped out her heart nearly froze with the sight in front of her. Her eyes went wide, and she screamed.