Enemies - Fred Weasley X OC

Christmas

~Fred~

My dad was alive, thank Merlin. It had been a stressful few weeks but he would make a full recovery.

I was feeling useless. Unable to help him or the Order or even my relationship. I didn't really know how to feel about it all. So I did as I usually did and threw myself into work.

George and I had been talking. Talking about leaving school early and starting our shop. It was the only thing I actually wanted to think about. The rest of my life was a bit miserable.

The truth was I wanted Zephy, but that wasn't something I could control - not yet at least. So I settled for wanting something I could manage. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

I didn't talk to Zephy at school. I ignored her and was ignored in turn. She seemed to have thrown herself into work as well, spending a lot of time holed up in McGonagall's office or in the library.

The only time I found it impossible to ignore her was when, in the Great Hall, she had one of her episodes. She knocked over her goblet as her hand shook, face a grimace. I'd stood up, ready to help her but George pulled me down and Harry took her away before too many people saw.

When it was time to go home for Christmas I felt a great sense of relief. Sure, we were going to Grimmauld Place, but I felt so fed up with Hogwarts that it was welcome.

"Dad," I said, giving him a light hug, so as not to hurt his still fragile form. I was pushed away by everyone else as they spoke to one another. Charlie was there. He'd come home when dad had been injured and seemed to be staying indefinitely, working with the Order.

Zephy was in the corner, looking as though she was struggling to breath in Sirius' tight hold.

We sat down for a meal that my mum had made us at the long, thin table. Potatoes and beef and greens and sausages wrapped in bacon.

The conversation flowed between everyone easily. I stayed quiet and, up the other end of the table, Zephy was quiet too, eating her food in what looked like a peculiarly slow manner. I could see her chewing and swallowing carefully.

"How have you been finding revising for NEWTs, Zephy?" My dad asked.

Zephy finished her mouthful, looking up with her cheeks tinged pink.

"Ith alrigh'" she said, her voice sounding strange and lisped.

Besides her, Sirius sniggered. Zephy sent him a glare, blushing darker.

"Sthorry, I have a mandwake leaf in my mouth," she slurred.

Sirius laughed harder and a few chuckles rose from elsewhere around the table.

"Mandrake leaf," Remus clarified, clasping Zephy on the shoulder proudly, "for the animagus incantation." He looked rather fond.

Around the table a few people let out gasps and sounds of understanding. A mandrake leaf was needed for the potion drunk during the initial attempt at becoming your animagus form. It had to be kept in a persons mouth for a month for it to work.

"You're becoming an animagus?" My father said, leaning in, fascinated. "How long have you left until you can take it out?"

Zephy held up 1 finger and Sirius replied for her, "one week."

That must have meant it was at least three since I'd talked to her. It felt like less.

"Do you know what form it will take?" Ginny asked.

Zephy looked up at Sirius, pleadingly. He chuckled before replying, "a falcon. A white falcon, which are rare. There is a meditation you do while making the potion that shows you and she told me in a letter."