Episkey (Fred Weasley Story)

Time Travels

      It was a day before Claire's leaving for Hogwarts. She was so excited when she received her letter that she started reading the books of the subjects she was going to study. Fred blamed it on me and that I've passed my book worm blood to her. But today when I watched her from the window of the kitchen she somehow looked nervous.
"Fred?" I called out and his steps echoed in the corridor before he came. "Did Claire told you something today?" He stepped beside me and followed my gaze.
"No, love. Why?"
"She seems quite off today." I explained with concern in my voice.
"Oi! Claire- Éclair!" He called out to her from the kitchen door for the garden.
She turned around, but didn't smile, which for our sunny girl was something abnormal.
"Guess you're right." He took my hand and led me outside to where Claire was sitting on a blanket.
    With the years she was starting to look more and more like me, the only thing which no one could mistake that was from Fred was her hair colour.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" I asked as I sat down next to her and Fred on the other side.
"What if I don't get sorted in the right house?" My eyes immediately locked with Fred's remembering of the argue we had the previous night about the houses.
"Oh, darling, it doesn't matter in which house you get accepted in. We will be proud with you in any way." I ran my fingers through her hair and she looked at me with disbelief.
"What if I get into Slytherin? Daddy sais that all evil wizards go there." I immediately sent a death glare at Fred and he bit his lip looking away.
"Well... your father is wrong. Do you think William is evil?" I asked knowing that he was the best person I could prove her she thought wrong. Will loved my daughter so much and Claire did in return.
"No." She quickly shook her head.
"Well he was a Slytherin. And he is one of the kindest and bravest men I know." She made a pouty-thinking face and spoke again.
"What if I get into Hufflepuff? Daddy said that there is no way I could go there because I am smart, but still." I looked back at Fred, who I could bet was searching for a hole in the garden in which he could hide.
"Hufflepuffs are the most loyal and kind of all, Claire. They are smart, but they have other characters which stand out more than that."
"Do I know someone that was from that house?"
"Well... no. But if things were different, maybe you could." I said and remembered how brilliant in everything Cedric was.
    A water drop pulled me from my thoughts, followed by another one and before we knew it, it started to rain. We quickly ran inside the house where it was warm and I made some tea before sitting in front of the television.
    Later that day Fred was helping me prepare the dinner.
"I cannot believe you said all of that to her." I mumbled while making the salad. "How can you be so egocentric?"
"Come on, love. It is not a big thing."
"Not a big thing? Fred! She was scared that she will enter in a different house than ours, because of what you told her." I turned around and looked at him with disbelief. "Cedric was a brilliant man and he was a Hufflepuff! William is a man of respect and kindness and he was a Slytherin!"
"Enough, Daniels!" He yelled back and cut my breath. "I said what most of them are. Don't defend the houses with few exceptions."
"I hope she gets in one of those houses, Weasley! I really am! And then I will watch you defend our daughter from people thinking the same way you do!" I said between teeth and turned around to finish the salad.
We didn't speak to each other that night and it felt weird. I packed Claire's luggage and slept with her in her room, not because of Fred, but because I wasn't sure I was ready to have her away from me for such a long time.
     In the morning we all hurried, because we overslept, but luckily, we reached the train station in time. The whole passing through the wall was new for her, but holding my hand we both passed it. While waiting for Fred to pass as well with the luggage Claire spotted a familiar face.
"Will!" She ran towards him with open hands and he lifted her up in the air.
"Hello, my beautiful princess."
"My dear prince, I missed you." She hugged him tight around the neck.
"Claire!" I chuckled out and Will put her down.
In her thoughts William represented the princes from all the story books and princess fairytales. True, he looked like one and even I found his appearance decent to be a prince one, and he treated her as a princess as well. The whole romance came to its end when the princess's father came in the picture.
"William." He greeted shortly, still grumpy from last night.
"How are you, Fred?" Will patted Fred's shoulder and gave him a bright smile.
They began talking about the weather and stuff, while Claire looked around for someone.
"Uncle George!" She excitingly called out and ran into his arms as well.
I watched her and how loved she was. People looking from aside probably thought she was too childish to be in first year, but I didn't care, because I knew my daughter was smart and well mannered. She loved beyond measure and possessed more kindness in her finger than most people did in their whole body. George was giving her butterfly kisses all over the face and thank Merlin that Angelina wasn't there to see that.
"Hello, Paige." He came to me with Claire in his hands and pecked my cheek.
"George, put her down, she is not five anymore." I said and he obeyed.
"She's light as a feather, Paige." He stated, while I was fixing her dress.
I was about to say something but the train whistle gave us the sign that it was time for the kids to get inside.
"Send me a letter tomorrow. Don't be scared you will have a wonderful time." I pecked her forehead with tears in my eyes. "I love you."
"I love you too, mama." She hugged me tight and quickly got in the train.
    The four of us waved goodbye to her and watched the train disappear in the distance slowly. My whole night was spent in worries if she had arrived, or if she made friends and all these crazy things a mother could think. Being a mother was a very hard job.