Finally Me ~

Chapter 78

**Alex's POV**

I sit staring at the porridge in front of me. I wish I was having porridge with my family.

"Alex, dear, would you like a cup of tea?"

"No, thanks, Mrs Weasley," I say with a soft sigh. Fred kisses the top of my head as he walks past. He and George had to close the shop down yesterday after someone in the Order told them the shop was being targetted. I pick at my porridge for a minute before giving up and clearing the table. I haven't felt like eating anything since my family left.

I walk out into the garden to feed the chickens. I've moved into the Burrow with Fred, George and Scarlett. Fred and I wanted to share a room, but Mrs Weasley insisted that it would be much better if Scarlett and I shared Percy's old room. We agreed, mainly because everyone is so stressed that it's not worth adding an extra problem to it. Besides, Scarlett and I are used to living with each other.

I tie Tuppy up to a tree while I let the chickens out. She has a habit of chasing the chickens and eating their food when she's off the leash. I scatter the pellets around the ground, then sit down on a bench to watch them eat. George picks his way through them and sits beside me.

"How're you feeling?" he asks.

"How am I meant to be feeling?"

"Tired, stressed, lonely, afraid."

"Pretty much sums it up."

He takes my hand and looks at me seriously.

"Al, we're not going to let anything happen to you," he says. I give him a small smile.

"It already has," I say, "I've lost my whole family."

"Not all of us," he says. I feel tears well in my eyes and he hands me a tissue.

"I'm so angry at You-Know-Who," I blurt out, "I just want to slap him across the face!"

George starts to laugh and after a moment I join in.

"I'm sorry," he chuckles, "but I could just imagine you storming straight through his army, slapping him across the face and walking off again."

I giggle, wiping my eyes. After a moment I look over at George.

"How bad is it?" I ask, "Fred waters everything down, he makes it sound like it'll be over in a week or two."

"It's bad," George sighs, "You-Know-Who is gathering followers, the giants, dementors, who knows what else? He's taken the Ministry and Hogwarts and practically shut down Diagon Alley. He has muggle-borns on the run all across the country and there are deaths and disappearances every day. I just wish there was some way that we could let everyone know what was happening, the truth, not what the Prophet is saying."

"Like another newspaper?" I ask. George shakes his head.

"Something harder to track and easier to get out," he says.

"Like a radio station," I say absentmindedly.

"Alex, you're a genius!" George cries, "a radio station!"

"I was kidding," I say, but George is already scattering the chickens as he runs across the yard to the house. I sprinkle the rest of the feed out and follow him. He's explaining his idea eagerly to Fred and Scarlett. Their eyes are glowing, looking excited.

"Alex, that's brilliant," Scarlett says as I walk in.

"Yeah, I'm a genius," I say, "I'm going to lie down."

"Are you okay?" Scarlett asks, frowning, "you look pale."

"I don't feel too good," I admit. Scarlett walks over and touches my forehead with the back of her hand.

"You don't feel hot or cold," she says, "have you been eating?"

"Not really," I sigh, "I just don't feel like it."

"That's probably the problem," she says, "I'll make you something, you go lie down."

"Okay," I say, dragging myself up stairs. I collapse on my bed and close my eyes. I can feel my heartbeat behind my eyes and a tight headache coming on. Scarlett brings me some bread soaking in warm milk and makes me eat it. I feel a little better and lie down again.

"I want to be out doing something," I tell her as we lie on our beds looking at each other.

"Me too," she says, "but we have to trust the Order. They'll let us know when there's something for us to do."

"I know, we have to trust the adults," I sigh, "when will we get to be the adults?"

Scarlett laughs and throws her pillow at me.

"You little anarchist, you," she says, "in case you haven't noticed, the adults can't do much at this point either. Other than try to keep people safe. And that's not an easy job."

I roll onto my side and look at her.

"I would have thought Harry would be here," I say, "he defeated You-Know-Who once, why isn't he trying to do it again?"

Scarlett frowns slightly.

"He has some kind of mission," she says, "from Dumbledore. He took off with Ron and Hermione after the wedding. We haven't heard anything from them except once when Remus saw them. They won't tell anyone what they're up to."

"Maybe they're just hiding?"

"Could be, but I doubt it," Scarlett says, "I guess we'll find out some day."

I roll over onto my back and look at the ceiling. Maybe this crazy radio idea will work out. At least it'll give us something to do.

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