Finding Yourself : Fred Weasley

24

     When we walk into the Three Broomsticks we are invited by the warmth and by sweet smells. All around the tables are filled by all the different students from the three schools and by the people in the village. If one of Fred's brother isn't here already then I doubt we would be able to find somewhere to sit.
      We stand for a minute while Fred looks around at all the faces. He leans down so I can hear him. "They are near the back. Come on," he says before walking in the direction he sees them. I follow, careful not to trip over anything or anyone. He sits next to George at a table. Across them, they are two other red-haired boys.
      The one across from George is short and stocky and has muscled arms. His face is weather-beaten, handsome and so freckled that he looks tanned. His fingers are covered in calluses and blisters. His hair is long, almost to his shoulder. His clothes are rather ordinary. He is dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt and jeans.
     Across from Fred, the boy is tall, thin, and handsome. He is wearing his hair long and in a ponytail, and he has an earring with a fang dangling from it. His clothes are something you would find someone at a rock concert wearing. His boots seem to be made of dragonhide.
     I nervously pull my chair out and sit in between the four boys. They all are grinning. Especially the twins. I notice Ron isn't here, he must be with Hermione.
     "Was your hair that short last I saw you, West?" George asks, his eyes on my hair. I slightly smile. "No, I just had it cut."  "That must be what took you two so long," George says while looking between Fred and me.
     "Char, this is our brothers Bill and Charlie," Fred says with a smile. Char? My face burns a light red that I try to hide. I can see George is a little confused by the sudden nickname as well. Bill and Charlie don't seem to notice, they both give me a warm smile.
     I force myself to smile through my nerves. "This is our friend Charlie West," George finishes. "It's nice to meet you, Charlie," Charlie says. "It's nice to meet you too Charlie," I say while holding in my giggles. He smiles more. "Fred and George have hardly told us anything about you," Bill says while glaring at them.
      "Same for you," I give a glare as a joke. They lightly laugh. "Well we figured you would want to do the explaining," Fred says. "Seeing how we hardly know anything anyway," George adds.
       "You know the general parts of it," I point out. "Yea, so now you can explain to them the general parts," George says looking amused. I turn so that my chair is more so facing Bill and Charlie.
     "All they told me was that you are a Hufflepuff in their year who needs help," Bill informs. Charlie nods. "Me too." I lightly sigh. I was really hoping the twins told them at least more than that.
     "Okay, then I would like to start by saying you don't have to help at all if you don't want to. And I will completely understand if you don't want to or can't help," I try to keep my hands separate from each other so I don't scratch my arm.
     They look at each other before looking at me to continue. "When I was two I was adopted into a Muggle family. I didn't know I was adopted until I got my letter from Hogwarts, that's when my older brother told me. My parents refuse to tell me anything about the adoption. They say it was closed and they don't know anything. But they won't even show me the paperwork," I explain, messing with my sleeves.
      They sit quietly, so I take that as a hint to continue. "Moody made a comment at the start of the year about how I must have my real mother's intelligence. And Malfoy said that his father told him I'm adopted into a Muggle family."
      "How would the Malfoy family know anything about you?" Bill asks, confused as he tries to follow what I'm saying. "I don't know. Moody gave me a book-" I say while getting it out and setting it on the table in front of them. "And he said it might help me find my family. But all that's in it is a list of criminals."
     They take the book and look through a few of the pages. By the looks on their faces, they recognise some of the names.
     "So what if my family was murdered by someone in this book or something?" I suggest. "It's possible. But there are holes in that," Bill says as he continues to look through the book. "If your real family was murdered then not just the Malfoy's would know. It would be public knowledge," Charlie says while looking at me.
      I sit quietly for a while. "As I said, none of you have to help. I understand." The four boys look around at each other. Charlie looks at me. "We will be happy to help you. Do you have any information yet?"
     I can't help but slightly smile as I lean forward a little. "Not yet. My mom isn't sending me any more letters if I talk about it. Dumbledore said he didn't know anything. Remus Lupin is looking in on some Muggle adoption agencies to try to find some paperwork that might help. So far nothing."
      Charlie and Bill give each other a look like they are both thinking of the same unpleasant thing. "What?" Fred and George ask at the same time, also noticing their shared look.
     Bill sighs and brings his voice to a whisper. "Back when all of the stuff with You-Know-Who was going on there was a black market for very young children. They were used for bribery and blackmail for the most part."
      No one says anything, Charlie continues for Bill. "It was a small and very well hidden business. The ones at the top of the chain would do very detailed research on specific families and determine if it was worth it. And if it was they would hire someone, kind of like a hitman, to steal the child."
      I suddenly feel very dehydrated and nauseous. Bill continues. "From there they would either sell the children for whatever reason. Or use the child as a bribe to their families. Most of the children were found and returned when You-Know-Who fell. But there are a few who were killed or never found."
      "They searched for years for the missing ones. But they eventually gave up and just claimed them to be dead. It wasn't a very big business. And not very many people knew about it."
      Silence hangs over us for a few minutes as what Bill and Charlie said sinks in. Is there a list of kidnappers and missing children in the book Moody gave me?
     "Are you suggesting that Char is one of those missing children?" Fred asks what the three of us were thinking. "It's a possibility," Charlie says with a slight nod.
      "The Malfoy's might know about it. Their family was very devoted to You-Know-Who. Do you have your adopted family's name?" Bill asks. I lightly nod, not being able to find words just yet. "They might have known the Muggle family that the child was given to. As for Moody, I have no idea."
      "How would we be able to find that out?" George asks curiously. Everyone is silent again. I don't know if it's because there isn't an answer or because no one wants to say it out loud. I decided to dig deep inside and say the only one I can think of.
     "Either from my parents, which isn't going to happen. Or from someone in the business..." By the looks on their faces, Bill and Charlie had thought of it.
    "How would we do that? Aren't they all in Azkaban?" George asks again. Charlie lightly shakes his head. "Only the ones who got caught. Which is very few."   "We would have to do some really deep and dangerous searching though to find someone."
     "It is really hard for either of us to get time away from work though," Charlie says sounding sympathetic to the situation. "It is. I'm in Egypt working as a curse breaker and I hardly get time away," Bill says both proudly and titred. "And I am usually in Romania, Dragonologist," Charlie says, also sounding rather proud. "We will try to do what we can though," Bill adds. 
      Charlie looks at his watch then stands. "I have to go. If I find anything I'll let you know," he says with a smile. I slightly smile back. "And it was nice meeting you Charlie," he says with amusement in his voice. I smile a little more. "It was nice meeting you too Charlie." He lightly laughs then leaves.
      "I should probably get going as well. It was nice to meet you. I'll help all that I can," Bill says as he stands. I slightly smile at him. "It was nice meeting you, thank you." He tells his goodbyes to the twins them leaves. I quietly sigh then lean back in my chair.