Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 125

My eyes widened and my heart sank at those words. Ron suddenly looked guilty, as if only realizing what he had blurted out. Not daring to move, I glanced at Fred sideways, only to see that all color had drained from his face.

      Both him and George then turned to face me, raising a brow at me expectingly, waiting for an explanation.

       "You know what?" I finally said in a weak voice after long seconds of silence. "I'm tired of trying to explain myself to everyone. It's stressful enough without you lot accusing me. I've had enough."

       And with that, I stormed out of the kitchen, nearly bumping into Mrs. Weasley as I left the house.

       Sighing to myself in frustration, I sat down on the porch's stair, staring up at the sky through blurry eyes.

I sat there for long minutes, wishing with everything I had in me that a miracle would happen so I could see my parents for a few hours.

Mum always had the right words to say to make me feel better. And even though Dad was no help at all and he'd say something to make things worse, I always ended up having a laugh at him.

I remembered the time I had a fight with my friend, Kiara, back when we were thirteen. Mum spent hours trying to convince me how we were both at wrong and our friendship was worth so much more.

But when Dad arrived and asked me what was wrong and I told him about our fight, he just shook the matter off and said, "I say punch her. Stupid gits aren't worth our time."

And in response, Mum kicked his leg from under the table and glared at him, but he only made a silly face at her, making me chuckle.

I sat there, lost in my own memories, but my thoughts were cut short and I was forced to look up when I felt a presence behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Fred approaching me and so he sat down next to me.

"Harry explained what actually happened," said Fred, finally breaking the awkward silence after a pause. "George and I will make sure to send our love to Ronald as a special Christmas present, for passing on false information."

I said nothing and didn't even bother to look back at him, my gaze still fixed on the snowing sky.

"It's cold out here, don't you wanna go inside?" he said, looking worriedly at me, but I only shook my head. "Look, I know Ron can be a git sometimes. But he was only saying those stuff to piss me off. Not to hurt you."

"It's not that," I said in a small voice, my gaze falling down.

"Then what's the matter?" he asked apprehensively.

"It's too much, Fred. Everything..." I sighed miserably. "Having to lie for the greater good, finding out who I am, keeping secrets for the sake of my family's safety, having to worry about the mistakes I have made with no idea how to fix them and no one to help me, and to know all the terrible things that will happen... it's too much! And it's like nobody even cares how I feel! They don't know what I'm going through, they don't even consider it, but they keep expecting things from me! I'm — I'm done. I've had enough!"

I huffed, burying my face in my hands as I felt the tears surge again. But then I heard Fred sigh sadly and then he moved closer, wrapping an arm around me.

"I'm sorry that you have to go through all this," he muttered and I finally looked up at him, a single tear running down my cheek.

"I just want to go home..." I whispered. "Why can't I have both? Why can't I be able to see my parents again, without leaving here... without leaving you..."

Fred opened his mouth to reply, but he stopped when we heard a crack in the distance. When we looked up, we saw that Remus and Sirius had just Apparated, approaching us.

If it were any other time, my heart would've jolted with happiness. But it was as if I was frozen on my spot, watching them walk toward us.

"Hello," Remus gave us a warm smile, but Sirius said nothing as he watched my face carefully.

"Hi," I smiled at the both of them, waving lightly as I kept seated on the porch.

"Were you crying?" Sirius asked me without any other word, before his glance fell upon Fred. "You didn't have anything to do with it, did you?"

"No! Of course not!" Fred retorted, but Sirius didn't look too convinced.

"It's fine," I shook a hand at him reassuringly, "I'm just a little homesick."

"Oh..." Sirius mused, apparently having no idea what to say to that.

Remus was glancing between Fred and I with a knowing look, and to our great relief he again managed to save us when he cleared his throat, catching Sirius's attention.

"Let's get inside, Sirius," said Remus, slightly pushing him forward. "Harry's probably waiting for you."

"And leave them alone?" Sirius raised a brow at him and I chuckled, meanwhile Fred rolled his eyes.

"Yes," Remus nodded with a warm smile. "I'm sure she's in good hands."

Fred grinned up at Sirius at those words.

"Now listen here, you two —" Sirius was saying but before he could get the chance to scold us, Lupin grabbed onto his upper arm and dragged him toward the house. "But — but if we go inside we won't be able to hear what they're saying!"

"Yes, that's the general idea, Padfoot," said Lupin, walking in the house and closing the door behind him.

"Absolute man-child," I muttered, shaking my head at him in disbelief. "No wonder no woman's been insane enough to be with him."

"Not to compliment myself or anything," Fred started with a grin, "but I'm pretty sure I'm worse than Sirius when it comes to being mature. Yet you've been insane enough to be with me."

"True," I nodded, "but that's mostly because we're equally idiots. No one else would've been able to handle us."

Fred laughed at that and then it faded into a warm smile as he looked down at me. "I swear you're something else, Hooper," he whispered, leaning forward and pressing his lips gently against mine.