Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [4]

⚡️ Chapter 2 ⚡️

Later that evening, Mr. Weasley gathered Vega, Ron, Fred and George to come accompany him to the Dursleys' house which he had managed connect to the Floo Network. It took some time for him to come back and neaten himself so it was already half past five, while they had given Harry the time of five o'clock. Vega hoped that his relatives wouldn't make a fuss of it when they arrived a bit late.

"We should hurry – Harry's uncle might lock him up if we're late," Vega said, knowing very well how short-tempered Vernon Dursley was. "They don't seem to like wizards much, but I don't know why," Harry had never mentioned to them exactly why they were so cruel with his magical blood.

"I'm sure they don't mean it that way," Mr. Weasley said, much to the doubt of Vega, Ron, Fred and George. He had finally brought the new Floo Powder over. "I'll head in first – follow one by one,"

Once they had nodded, the teenagers all stepped back to watch Mr. Weasley throw in the Floo Powder into the burning flames, and there was a burst of emerald fire that rose up. He easily stepped inside once and called out the Dursley house address before he vanished from their sight.

"I guess I should go next," Vega said to Ron, Fred and George as she reached for some Floo Powder and stepped into the fire with it, calling out, "4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey!"

Vega found the surroundings spinning but she held on sanely and waited for the right fireplace to come by before she stepped outside. She looked up when she saw the darkness and cramped place.

"What's going on, Mr. Weasley?" Vega inquired as she looked around, finding Mr. Weasley banging on planks of wood that was keeping the fireplace boarded up.

"The fireplace is boarded up, Vega," Mr. Weasley said worriedly. "We need to go back, before other's come back through – Ouch! Fred, no – go back, go back, there's been some kind of mistake – tell George not to – OUCH! George, no, there's no room, go back quickly and tell Ron –"

"Fred!" Vega complained as they were squeezed against the wall together. She suddenly felt a jab against her abdomen. "Your elbow is cutting into my stomach, watch it –"

"Right!" Fred said quickly and raised his arms to put his hands on the wall either side of her head, caging her inside as the four of them struggled in the tight place. "Are you alright now, love?"

Vega nodded dumbly, not really finding it in herself to speak when he was so close to her. She felt like that they have never been this close to each other before and it made her rather bashful. Behind Fred, Mr. Weasley was still trying to think of a way to get out of the boarded-up fireplace safely.

"Maybe Harry can hear us, Dad –" George said over them. "– maybe he'll be able to let us out –"

"Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked, calling out as he continued to bang on the wood. "Harry, can you hear us?" Vega wished that Harry would find his way down to the living room before Ron came, too.

"Mr. Weasley?" Harry's voice graciously called out from the other side of the wooden boards. "Can you hear me?" Vega, Fred and George stopped, and Mr. Weasley stopping hammering on the wood.

"Shh!" Mr. Weasley shushed the teenagers behind him.

"Mr. Weasley, it's Harry..." came through Harry's voice once more, now closer to the wood. "The fireplace has been blocked up. You won't be able to get through there,"

"Damn!" Mr. Weasley responded. "What on earth did they want to block up the fireplace for?"

"They've got an electric fire," Harry's voice explained.

"Really?" Mr. Weasley said excitedly. "Eclectic, you say?" Vega laughed. "With a plug? Gracious, I must see that.... Let's think ... ouch, Ron!"

Vega, Fred and George all groaned as the fifth body joined them in the cramped fireplace, and it was now that Vega reconfirmed that Fred had never been this close to her before. Her face was pressed against his shoulder and she could feel his chin lightly brushing against the top of her head.