Cherry Red - George Weasley

30 - Acceptance

Autumn Carrow had witnessed death.

She had watched as the soul was ripped from Adrian Pucey's body and she'd never imagined the guilt she'd feel when he was dealt the karma for his actions, she however hadn't ever believed it would result in his death. His death that was in her hands.

She hadn't wanted to wed him and so she'd told her father what he'd done. At the time she hadn't thought he'd be as vindictive as he was, she'd assumed he would banish Adrian from the household, refuse his offer of a wedding between the two but now she had known how naive that was. Of course he would murder a school boy, her father was evil in the most cynical form. He knew how to twist his actions into lessons, he knew how to get people back on side after betraying them.

She sat alone and cold in a cellar which she'd wanted to be released for days, only now she found herself believing she'd be safer in here than out there.

She hadn't known that her best friends were working with the man she loved to break her out, she had just assumed they were keeping themselves safe or perhaps they hadn't even noticed her absence. It wasn't totally irrational to believe she'd lock herself up in her dormitory for days on end, she'd done it often enough after her meetings with her father.

However George Weasley was currently sat in the dormitory of Draco Malfoy with his twin and two closest friends besides Fred. Pansy Parkinson also sat by the window, already having had the run down Draco had discussed with Autumn's mother. George had picked up on the wanting glances Oliver Wood gave to Pansy who refused to meet his eyes. It hadn't been the time nor the place but he knew, he knew that Oliver cared for her in some capacity, he just hadn't known how serious it was. That whenever Oliver had been sneaking off since the start of the year, he was meeting Pansy, that they had started off as friends with benefits or rather rivals with benefits, George hadn't known that even though Oliver had offered to help because he'd known deep down George cared for Autumn more than he'd admit but he'd also offered his assistance to ensure Pansy's safety along with it.

"Tonight" Draco started sitting on a unit at the bottom of his bed, "Pansy and I will go to the front entrance of the Carrow residence" he looked over to Pansy who gave him a nod, "we will portray ourselves as being utterly clueless" he confirmed, "ask Amycus if he'd known of Autumns current location, tell him she has not attended any recent classes" Pansy finally made her way over to sit by Draco, "we can act as though we are there to notify him of his daughters recklessness when it comes to her education"

Oliver looked at Pansy who finally met his eyes with only a weak smile.

"Are ye sure that's safe?" Oliver's accent which had sounded similar to Autumns only he tended to be more partial to slang which had been beaten off of Autumn, "what if he see's through ye?"

Draco thought of his mother who had let him known she would be in attendance this evening as well after being invited by Amycus, she would ensure their safety and that he was certain of but either way he knew Amycus was too quick to believe everyone seen the worst in his daughter.

"We will be perfectly fine" Pansy spoke up.

"And what have we to do?" George leaned forward arms flat against his calves, "stand around like spare parts?"

Draco shook his head, "you, George Weasley, will be doing the dangerous part" he smirked waiting for him to back out, knowing if he did he wasn't worth Autumns time or love, but he only nodded, "you and Frederick-"

"Fred will do"

"You and Fred" Draco corrected himself after Fred's interruption, "Will find your way to the underground exit, it leads straight to where I know she will be" George looked unsure, "he has a cellar, originally created during the first war for safe keeping, they built an exit in case of being unable to leave through the front door" the first wizarding war, "the door has been enchanted since so the cellar can be used as a type of prison, the exit can only be accessed from the outside" Draco confirmed once again, "Fred you will stay by the door so it can be opened when George retrieves Autumn, I suspect she will be pretty low on energy and poorly so be prepared for what you may see" George hated the thought.