Seeing Fred

A Day in Diagon Alley

When the black spots in front of her eyes disappeared, she stared up to three sets of eyes on her, Mr. Ollivander, Minerva and Fred. They all looked down at her worried.

"Are you alright, miss?" The wandmaker asked. Fred held out his hand to help her up, she looked from his hand to his face before she accepted it, still shivering as they touched. Mr. Ollivander didn't even blink at the invisible force that pulled her up.

"What happened?" Minerva asked. Leah tore her gaze away from Fred and looked at the headmistress.

"Mr. Ollivander told me to look around, to see if I could find, sense the right wand for me. Then I found this one." She twirled the silver stick easily between her fingers. "When I touched it, a warm feeling ran through my body and then I saw ghosts, a lot of them. My grandfather, Nan... Addie. They said my name and disappeared right as I fell to the floor."

"Let's sit down, you still look a bit shaken." Minerva gestured to the armchairs at the window. They sat down and Mr. Ollivander conjured another one for him. Fred crouched down next to her seat, his eyes didn't waver from her. "Here." Minerva offered her a smile and a piece of chocolate. "How do you feel?"

"Better now. It was just shock, I think, seeing them all."

"Did you recognize them all?"

"No." Leah's eyebrows gathered. "But I think I must have some kind of connection to them, otherwise I would see every deceased person in the world." She let out a hollow chuckle.

"How does that stick feel in your hand?" Fred grinned, and for the first time in days she smiled back at him, making his heart jump once again.

"Like it always belonged there, but I still think I look stupid."

"Nothing stupid about you, love." He placed his hand over hers as they stared at each other, forgetting for a moment they weren't the only one in the room.

Leah cleared her throat and looked back to the others, Fred dropped her hand reluctantly. "We better get going, Minerva. Still have to pack up my things and send the letter."

"Yes." Minerva said as she saw Fred's colour change. "I made us an appointment at Gringotts in two hours, we can go to your flat first."

"Gringotts?"

"Yes, you'll need your own account here in the wizarding world. We can transfer some of your funds to Gringotts."

"Oh, alright." She said as she rose from her seat. She looked back at Fred, who was still crouched down next to her seat. "I - uhm- see you later."

And the two witches walked out the shop. Mr. Ollivander stood up slowly and looked in Fred's direction. "Well, whoever you are, you are free to wonder about. But don't mess up my system."

"There's a system?" Fred chuckled in surprised as the older wizard walked to the back of the store.

Leah was twirling her wand between her fingers, looking at the engravings as they walked through Diagon Alley. Minerva was watching her from the corner of her eye. When they arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, Leah tucked the wand in her back pocket as she started going for the door to the muggle world.

"Leah, maybe we should apparate. I don't think we'll have enough time otherwise."

"A-apparate? I've only used the floo."

"Just hold onto me." She held out her arm and Leah looped hers. "Close your eyes, it will help."

Leah did as she was told and closed her eyes and she gripped Minerva's arm tight, but the headmistress didn't say anything. It felt like her stomach had done a few backflips as they apparated, she kept her eyes closed, feeling nauseous.