Ethereal ✭Fred Weasley✭

43.

Sophia stayed in Fred and George's room for the next few hours catching up with Fred about his new inventions from their Weasley Wizard Wheezes range. She was content with seeing how happy he looked when he would bring out product after product, talking nonstop with a big smile on his face. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Sophia couldn't stop her bright grin when Fred was explaining how the Puking Pastilles worked.

"And you just eat the other end to- what? Why are you smiling like that?" Fred stopped mid-sentence with a confused look. Sophia laughed at his obliviousness and stood up from the bed, walking over to stand in front of him.

"You're just so cute Freddie," she beamed up at him, taking the oddly coloured sweet from his hand and juggling it between her palms.

"Pfft cute?" he scoffed and straightened his shoulders unconsciously. "I'm not cute Lupin. I'm a man! I'm seventeen now you know?"

Sophia laughed as he narrowed his eyes down at her. She had half a mind to pinch his cheek just to annoy him more and try to further prove her point, but refrained as a knock was suddenly heard from the door. The two turned their heads only to see Sirius standing there with raised eyebrows and eyes switching between them. They were standing quite close, closer than you'd expect from people who were' just friends'.

"Um sorry to interrupt-" Sirius started as a knowing look suddenly dawned his features. "-your dad's leaving now. The meeting just finished and he wants to talk to you Soph."

The girl suppressed a groan and settled with an irritated look instead. She thought he had left when she had walked away from him without a goodbye and the settling into seeing her friends made her forget about how angry she was at her father. None the less, she nodded back at Sirius who still stood in the doorway. The man took this as his time to leave the room but not without casting a look towards Fred who stood there with an awkward esk for once.

"Does he know?" Fred questioned once Sirius had left, jabbing his finger towards the door while turning to look at Sophia.

"About us? Not sure," she answered and huffed with the reminder of having to speak to her father. "I never really said that we were officially dating to my dad. I've been too angry at him."

"I didn't say we were to my parents either. But Bill and Charlie definitely worked it out for themselves," Fred retorted, reaching down and taking hold of Sophia's hands in his own.

"I guess I better go downstairs then..." Sophia sighed. "Can you come with me?"

"I'll go find Georgie first, I'll meet you down there."

Sophia descended the stairs of the gloomy house and walked past a very large portrait that was covered by some very long curtains. Confused yet wary, she continued past it and didn't want to find out what was behind the moth-eaten barrier. Once she made it to the bottom floor, she turned to head towards the kitchen that now had its door open for her to see. Sitting at the dining table was Sirius, Remus and Bill while Molly seemed to be stirring a huge cauldron that wafted the smell of garlic. Bracing herself, Sophia made her presence known by standing in the doorway and crossing her arms over her chest to communicate that she wasn't ready for this conversation.

"Lunch will be soon deary, I'll get you to run up and tell the others after your father leaves," Molly sweetly informed her before turning back to her soup that could feed an army. Sophia nodded back at the Weasley and heard the scrape of a chair being pushed back, a hollow feeling settling into her stomach when she sensed her father walking over to where she stood. Forcing her head to turn in his direction, she followed up the scruffy suit to meet his lined and scarred face.

Sophia gulped when he shuffled past her and into the hallway, reluctantly following after him away from the eyes of Sirius and Molly's listening ears. With a heavy heart and suddenly wishing that Fred and George would appear behind her, she stopped in front of her father who stood with his hands shoved into his trouser pockets.