a n c h o r

t w o

"Happy birthday, Harry," Alexandra smiled, hugging her friend. "I wasn't allowed to leave the house to get you a gift, so I made the cake."

"It looks wonderful, thank you," Harry grinned.

"You should've seen that grin of his when he was missing a tooth," Ron whispered to Alex once Harry was out of earshot, making them both laugh.

"Have you seen Hermione's bottomless bag?" Alex asked him, still amazed by the charm. "I was cold last night and she pulled the biggest blanket I've ever seen out of that thing."

"Is that the Minister of Magic?" Ron interrupted, looking at where the man stood next to Harry at the front door.

"It's about Dumbledore. He'd like to see the four of us," Harry explained, gathering the two as they joined Hermione in the living room. The Minister carefully read from Dumbledore's will, explaining each item as he disbursed them to Ron, Hermione and Harry. Finally, his eyes fell on Alexandra.

"An anchor," he started, pulling what looked like a necklace holding an anchor charm out of his pocket and handing it to her. "To represent peace, strength, determination and passion, all of which you should never let go of."

"Thank you, sir."

"A cherished memory," he continued, taking the girl aback as he handed her a small key. "So you will remember who you are at the time you feel the most lost."

"Remember who I am at the time I feel the most lost," Alex whispered to herself as she examined the key in bed that night. Making sure Hermione was asleep, she placed the key into Hermione's bag for safe keeping. She couldn't let the item fall into the wrong hands if she was ever separated from her friends, and she trusted she would be reunited with her friends before she would need it. What she would need it for, though, she didn't know.

Unable to sleep, Alexandra made her way down to the kitchen and made herself some tea. She sat in the living room and began reading the Daily Prophet when she heard a noise.

Cautiously, Alexandra placed the paper and tea on the table before pulling out her wand, holding it in front of her as she slowly made her way back into the kitchen.

"Fred," she sighed, lowering her wand.

"Can't sleep either?" He asked, pouring himself a cup of the tea Alexandra made. "I'm surprised George is sleeping, having lost an ear and all."

Alexandra had woken up when the lot returned from Harry's extraction three nights ago, all except Mad-Eye and Mundungus Fletcher. Mundungus fled, and Mad-Eye had been murdered. There were few injuries, the most severe being George losing an ear. His injury was the only one unable to be fixed having been caused by dark magic, presumably by the same curse Harry used on Draco. It should, however, grow back over time.

"I'm just nervous, that's all," Alexandra explained, making her way back to the living room as Fred followed her.

"Why? It's not like you're the one getting married tomorrow," he joked, suddenly realizing exactly what she meant. "You're safe here."

"Exactly how long do you think you can hide me here?" Alexandra asked, voicing her most recent thoughts. "I can't go back to school with Ginny, you and George have got a joke shop to run, and Ron is leaving with Harry and Hermione any day now. Plus, your father will be busy with the Order, and your mother-"

"You're safe here," Fred repeated. "We can make you a room above the joke shop if it'll make you feel better."

"I won't risk that. You've worked so hard for that, and if they come looking for me-"

"Every one of us is willing to fight for you, no matter the cost. We've already discussed it and made up our minds. You're not only a friend, but a daughter and a sister to some of us as well."

"The Order wants me to take Polyjuice Potion tomorrow," Alexandra sighed, sitting on the couch. "Harry, too."

"Are you going to?" Fred asked, sitting next to her. Alexandra shrugged.

"I'm afraid if I refuse they'll force it down my throat," she explained. "I'm sick and tired of hiding."

"I see why they might be nervous. With you and Harry both having ties to our family, this wedding could be the perfect opportunity to pursue you both," Fred explained, becoming exponentially more nervous about tomorrow's big event.

"Having a wedding now seems rather odd, after everything that's happened."

"I think now a wedding is exactly what people need. We need to be reminded that love is powerful; that it's the light we need to defeat the darkness," Fred told the girl.

"I suppose," she replied, leaning against the arm of the couch.

"Save me a dance, will you?" Fred smiled, creating something for both of them to look forward to.

"Of course," she smiled, staring off into the unlit fireplace in front of her until her eyes fell tired.

Fred sighed, making himself comfortable as he began reading the paper Alex left on the table. About an hour passed before Fred heard Alex's breathing become deeper as she fell asleep. He noticed a slight smile on her face and smiled himself, covering her with a blanket before taking the rest of her tea and heading back to his room.