Enemies - Fred Weasley X OC

Unplottable

~Fred~

"Could you try to have some self-preservation instincts? Please," Angelina said. I was back in my apartment where Angelina and George had been waiting. They'd heard all about the near-death experience Remus and I faced the day before.

"I wasn't trying to get into that situation," I started, but she cut me off.

"Really? Well, try harder then," she scoffed.

George was looking down at the table and saying little. I knew from having spoken with Angelina before the she wouldn't be acting like this unless George had been worried.

"George, I'm sorry, okay? I'll be more careful next time."

He let out a shallow laugh. "Next time, huh? Fred, you've spent so much time focussing on how shit everything is without Zeph that you haven't even thought about how shit life would be without you. I know you're hurting. I know you miss her. But I can't lose you, Fred, it would break me," he said quietly.

My throat went dry, and I felt a pained feeling settle over the table. Oh.

I hadn't been thinking of much when I went into the ministry with Remus - from his outburst I knew he wasn't either. My recklessness tended to lead to trouble, although it was rarely as life-threatening as this. I usually had George by my side too, so he never had the opportunity to wonder what I was up to before.

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling chided.

He was still and quiet for a few more moments, taking in the apology before poking me affectionately in the shoulder.

"Nah, don't worry about it. It forced Angie here to have to come over and play therapist," he joked. Angelina glared. "Just don't do it again, alright?"

I nodded, dutifully.

"There's a meeting tomorrow to talk through plans - real plans not just break into the ministry and hope - about how to reach Zephy and Sirius."

"Are we allowed to talk about this stuff in front of Angie?" I asked, gesturing to her as she grinned back at me. I already knew the answer.

She shrugged. "I've gotten used to tuning you both out for years, I'm used to it."

***

The meetings with the Order were not going well. We worked on solution after solution for reaching their room and no one could come up with much.

It was three weeks after our initial attempt, and I was feeling restless. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny had gone back to school already, although all of them other than Hermione seemed to do it very grudgingly.

Ron and Ginny hadn't spoken to me about my near-death situation, but I supposed they knew they didn't have to, after hearing mum yell at me about it in the Burrow. Even dad had looked pale and jittery when I'd seen him, seemingly as shaken by my audaciousness as George and mum.

Harry had spoken to me before he left, and I was left with strict instructions to call in the event of any Sirius or Zephyra updates. I got the distinct feeling that he would be useless at school until we sorted everything out, constantly waiting for a call to the office by the headmaster, or a letter from me about their return.

"This is getting ridiculous," I complained to Remus after the last unsuccessful meeting.

He sighed, resting back on the countertop in the Grimmauld Place kitchen.

"I know. The Unspeakables have been making unplottable rooms for years - their expertise simply stretch beyond what we're capable of," he replied.

He turned and placed the kettle on the stove before opening a cupboard and freezing. It was Sirius' tea. The ones he'd collected and ordered in during his bored isolation at Grimmauld Place. The ones he'd argued over with Zephy when I first met him.