Broken Bits

35. Attempted Murder

-some scenes may be inappropriate for young readers-

Charlie stepped back into the Burrow just shortly after lunch, his hair curled around his head from a wall of steam he had endured and his hand a bloody mess.

"Why must there always be blood." Molly whispered, standing to greet her son and heal his hands.

"Do you two own an elf?" Charlie ignored his mother's words, and her clicking her tongue at a scar running up his forearm from a dragon that he had yet to show her. He turned to face Fred who was seated beside Hermione at the table, each nursing a cup of tea.

"Merlin no!" Hermione coughed as her throat strained over her sudden outburst. "Of course we don't." Hermione shook her head, reaching for Fred's hand under the table. He grasped hers quickly, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"Your house is pulsing with elf magic, it's in everything." Charlie explained, pulling away from his mother the second the wounds had closed up. "Whoever it is, has touched nearly everything in your house." Charlie sat down across from them, nodding at his father as he set a mug of tea down in front of him.

"Including the-" Fred was cut off by Charlie launching into things, much like he did when he was a child. Always first to get to the punchline. Never waiting around for everyone else to catch up, always entirely to impatient. 

"Including the shower. Though I don't know how they knew you were going to use it that night Hermione, nor how they coexisted beside you two without either of you noticing." Charlie shook his head, estranged with the idea that an elf had attacked his sister in law. It was odd, and rather concerning.

"You are saying..the elf was there, while Hermione got in the shower?" Fred asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he thought about just what Hermione had been doing before getting in the shower. It made his skin crawl just thinking about it, he gave a shiver as goosebumps crawled up his arms. 

Hermione without realizing it begin rubbing her hand up and down the arm closest to her, warming his skin at the touch. 

"Yes, must be a rather sneaky elf." Charlie whispered, glancing up as Ron strolled into the room followed closely by Lisa who had come by as soon as she was able.

"Do you think the elf is acting on it's own accord, or under the commands of someone?" Fred asked, tightening his grip on Hermione as she began to tremble in his hand.

"I'm not sure." Charlie sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I think we should have the other couples come over, see if they noticed anything odd. Perhaps it's not just you two." Charlie wished into the air, but everyone knew in the room this was likely not the case.

"I'm going..I need.." Hermione said, her voice cracking. Fred rose at once, pulling Hermione with him.

"A short walk in the garden, then we'll be in tip top shape." Fred grinned at her, and without permission from his parents lead her out the backdoor for her first breath of clean air since Sunday. Ron trailed them with his eyes, the second they were out of sight he turned to Charlie. 

"She doesn't deserve this." Lisa spoke up, her voice timid as she clutched Ron's hand in her own.

"Neither of them do." Molly whispered, gazing out the window as a stray Quill fluttered through the air, before lodging in the wood of her front door. The gentle thump knocked the Burrow into silence, until Ron broke it asking Charlie to repeat everything to him. 

Fred led Hermione to his favorite spot in his mother's garden. It was a welcome moment of alone time, and he was going to treasure every second of it.