Marooned - Fred Weasley

Chapter 44: Transitionary

Before the eyes of a large group of students, Filch hung the ultimate decree, the one they dreaded the most:

Dolores Jane Umbridge has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Sarah passed it again that evening, and shrugged. She turned the corner and crashed into someone, dropping every book and paper sheet she was holding on the ground.

"Shit!" she heard a familiar voice, and looked up to find Alexander.

"Oh, you-" she got out her wand and pointed it at him, he held up his hands, eyeing it.

"I can explain, please, Sarah," he pleaded.

"For the sake of our seven years of friendship. Give me your best shot at this," she said, frowning at him.

"It's my dad-Umbridge told me she'd send out for him if I talked. And I didn't do it the first time, but I swear she slipped me something, Veritaserum. I know the taste, because I know how to make the Antidote, you know that. We both know, but I swear-"

She lowered her wand, "Okay, okay. I believe you. Wait- Your father?"

He sighed, rubbing his eyes, "The second I told her about the DA, he stumbled on our front porch, my mum sent me an owl. We had spent the holidays without him and he showed up bloodied and hurt-"

"Oh my God..." she whispered. It made much sense now, but it didn't make it any easier.

"It's fucked up, and I'm sorry. I need to tell the others," he breathed out, and the light flickered over his face, his eyes were hollow, his face pale, his eyes didn't hold that joyful feeling they always did. He hadn't slept in a while.

Sarah took him into her arms, "I'm sorry about your father. And the serum. I'll tell them, it's best if they don't see your face up close until they know."

She walked with him into the common room, arms around him. He needed a friend, and by the looks of it, she was his only one right now.

They entered to find Sarah's friends gathered around the fire, they turned around. Alexander winced, taking off his arm and gently squeezed her shoulder before going up to his dorm, "Thanks."

She nodded briefly and he left. She turned to her friends, Harry, Hermione and Ron were glaring at her, George and Selena were staring wide eyed, and Fred wasn't looking at all.

"It's not what you guys think," she said plainly, walking towards them.

"Depends on who you're asking. They think you're being nice to a traitor," said Selena, pointing at Harry, Hermione and Ron, "And we think you two were snogging." She pointed at George, Fred and herself.

"You all right?" Sarah asked Fred, he was tense, jaw clenched, like about to be sick.

"Totally," he mumbled with a shrug.

Sarah pursed her lips then turned to frown at Selena, "That 'traitor' happens to be one of my closest friends-"

Selena hummed, "You see, I'm worried now, because you aren't denying either of them."

Sarah scoffed, "Selena! I'm not snogging AZ, what's wrong with you?"

She sat on the ground, looking up and Selena, George, and Fred, who was doing his best impression of a cool face, hoping it would work.

"Then?" asked Hermione expectedly.

"He explained to me what happened. The Ministry must have been involved with what happened with his father, and Umbridge slipped him Veritaserum. She's still the villain in this, not him," she explained.