Seeing Fred

Move in?

Fred was watching as it happened. He saw Leah touch his mother's hand while saying those words, the words that let her conjure the spirits; he saw how his mother gasped at something behind him, but when he looked behind him, he didn't see anything. That's when he knew that they saw someone, someone's spirit. Then his mother uttered his uncles' names and his mouth fell slightly open.
His eyes were so fixed on his mum and Leah, he didn't see that his twin and his father had the same look on their faces as they watched the two women in shock and confusion.

Then all of the sudden Leah's eyes rolled back and she collapsed to the ground. Fred was up before she hit the stone floor, but he was too late to catch her as he sat on the other side of the island. When her head hit the ground, it made a sickening crack and within seconds everyone was kneeling around her. His mother came into hyper gear.

"George, make up the couch. Fred, you lift her, gently!" She instructed fiercely but calm.

Everyone was quiet as they did as they were told. Fred was shaking as he held her close to his chest, waiting for George to finish enlarging the couch. He put her down gently and sat on the edge of the couch, holding her hand still shaking. His mother worked quickly, casting spells on her head, different colours swirling above her head. George was pacing behind his mother, looking at Leah while their dad sat on the love seat nervously tapping his foot.

"Shouldn't we be taking her to St. Mungo's?" George asked as he ceased his pacing, looking at his mother. But she just shushed him as she focused on Leah, and he started pacing again. Arthur was watching his wife as he had his hand over his chin and mouth.

It felt like hours for Fred, but it had only been about five minutes before his mum stopped waving her wand over Leah and let out a breath of relief. "She's going to be fine. I healed her concussion and fracture, but you need to watch her tonight." She stroked her hair softly. "Do you have any ice?" She asked the twins. "Otherwise, she's going to have a large bump."

"Yeah, she has a sort of ice pack. I'll get it." And George disappeared out the room.

"Does this always happen?" His mum whispered as she sat down on the coffee table.

"She has only tried it once before, last week. It was her Nan then. She was out for about an hour then, but how further away the bond, how harder it is on her. She could be out for a few hours, since she has no close connection to Uncle Fabian and Gideon." Fred said as he traced circles on Leah's hand. "I should get her to bed."

"Do you want us to stay?" His father asked.

"No." Fred shook his head slightly. "I'll let you know when she wakes up." Fred looked up as he heard George coming back in the room, holding an icepack in his hand. "I'm going to put her in our room." He said to his twin as he rose from his seat.

"Keep the icepack on her head for a while." Their mother said as they both stood up. "Let us know the moment she wakes." She gave his shoulder a squeeze before hugging him tight and moved on to his twin to do the same, their father did the same before they walked out of the house, leaving the three of them alone.

Fred carefully picked her up and let her head rest on his chest. He looked at her for a moment, taking in a trembling breath before he started walking to the stairs. George followed them up the stairs as they walked in silence to the room. With a wave of his wand, George opened the door before Fred would reach it. Fred placed her in the middle of the bed, and slowly retracted his arms from under her, before tucking her in. George came up to the other side and placed the icepack on the back of her head. George and Fred sat on the bed, looking at her in complete silence, just listening to her breathing. Fred was leaning against the headboard as he stroked her hair while George rested against the wooden poster of the bed, facing them.