Just a Glimpse

The Star

"What if I told you that this box here could show you your future?" Fred Weasley held out a small orange box to the young witch perusing the shelves of the newly opened Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Hermione Granger looked to the man at her right, then down to the box. "And what exactly are these?"

Fred's smile grew. "Seeing truffles. There are six in each box. Each one will give you a different glimpse of your future. What do you say, Granger?"

The brunette shook her head and moved to where his sister, Ginny Weasley, stood by the bin of Pygmy Puffs. She picked one up to examine as Fred followed her, chattering away.

"Think of the possibilities," he said. "You could see exactly how your life turns out - where you'll work, who you'll marry, what your kids will look like. Hours of fun here, Granger."

"And what makes you think I want to see any of that?" she inquired, arms crossed and an eyebrow rose.

"Curiosity," Fred answered rather assuredly. "I can see it in your eyes, you want to try them."

The redhead held out the orange box once again, but Hermione resisted the urge to take it.

"They're safe," Fred promised, reaching out with his free hand to pull her arm away from her body. He could feel her muscles tighten, but they both knew he was stronger. The limb slipped away from its protective stance and extended until Fred placed the small box on her upturned palm. "Just try them," he added before walking away.

A blush crept into her cheeks as Ginny's eyes bore into her. "I reckon my brother is up to something," she commented as Hermione toyed with the red and gold ribbon surrounding the small orange box.

"When isn't he?" Hermione mumbled, tucking the box into her pocket as Harry Potter gestured for her to follow him out of the shop.

Hermione sat on the spare bed in Ginny's bedroom, again the candy box in her hands. The debate waged - throw them away or give them a chance. Would it be so terrible to see what her future would be? Wasn't that the point of Divination in the first place? It was decided she would try one piece.

Carefully, she slid the ribbon off, letting it fall to the floor. The top was removed next as Hermione carefully examined each piece of candy. She took in each of the different shapes in the box, wondering if there was a reason for each shape. Methodically, it was decided she would eat them in the order they appeared in the box - the star, the heart, the square, the crescent moon, the clover, and finally the circle. Her eyes glanced towards the door, noting that no one was coming to the room, before biting into the milk chocolate, star-shaped truffle.

The world around Hermione began to spin, the room dissolving into another setting. It was familiar, a place she'd loved since she was eleven.

Hogwarts.

But it was different somehow. The Great Hall had been cleared of tables. A triage was set up where the teachers normally ate their meals. All around her people, bloody and dirty and broken, milled around looking for friends and loved ones. She passed by Draco Malfoy and his family huddled in a corner of the room, nervous expressions on their faces. Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnegan carried a boy she didn't recognize under the shoulders towards Madame Pomphrey. The Weasleys were crouched over a blanket-covered figure laid out on a cot. Her headcount of her extended family was short by one.

Fred.

It was Fred on the cot. Her heart caught in her throat at the possibilities. Tears clouded Hermione's vision as she willed her feet to move one in front of the other. She needed to know, needed to see, needed to be certain that Fred Weasley was still a part of her future. The Weasley family just couldn't be the Weasley family without the mischievous red-haired twin. She saw herself, looking not much older than she was now, positioned at the base of the cot, Ron's arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders as she cried.

George Weasley, the second half of the Weasley twins, was crouched low, holding his brother's hand. The Hermione that no one could see sidled up to stand behind the twin. Fred's eyes were closed, but she could detect the slight rise and fall of his chest. His forehead had a long gash that extended to just above his right eye and his right arm was in a sling, but he was alive and breathing. Her hand covered her mouth to stifle the gasping sob that escaped.

The room swirled again.

No longer was she in Hogwart's Great Hall. Ginny's room reappeared; she felt the bed beneath her. The half-eaten chocolate in her hand fell to the comforter as she scrambled away from the offending sweet.

A knock on the door startled the young witch.

"Come...come in," she stuttered, clearing away the orange box. The knob turned, the door opened slightly and ahead peered in.

"Everything okay?" Fred inquired, noticing the two points of the star that Hermione, in her haste, hadn't yet thrown away.

She nodded. "I'm fine."

"You tried the truffles I see," he commented, moving into the room to sit on her bed. "What happened?" His voice was full of excitement at the idea of her enjoying his product.

Hermione rubbed her eye, noting that her fingers came away damp. "Nothing," she answered. "Is dinner ready yet?"

"Oh, yeah, that's what Mum sent me up for," he replied, the excitement gone. Standing up, he made his way to the door. "She wanted me to let you know that dinner is ready."