Mudblood • Fred Weasley

20. something's wrong with millie

"WHOA, GIRL." Willa said gently, Millie was in a mood today. She had taken up with Willa, and usually was very gentle with her. Today, though, something was different. Millie was on edge.

Willa chalked it up to Lukas. Lukas had fed her this morning and she had been nervous ever since. Willa knew Lukas had never hurt her, but Millie tended to mock the emotions of her caretaker and Willa felt that Millie could feel Lukas' anxiety regarding her.

"What's up with her today?" Thatcher hollered, tending to his favorite dragon, a swedish short snout named Scout.

"I don't know.. She's uneasy about something." Willa rubbed Millie's snout gently. Willa had been here for a few months, a few months that Charlie had to leave for official order business. Sirius had been killed. Willa longed to go with him, longed to see Fred. She longed to be with her family, especially in time like now. She knew she couldn't. His last trip back, he brought her a small silver locket with a moving picture on the inside. It was her and Fred; an old picture, but that's all they had for now. On the back was carved: "property of Fred Weasley". Willa cried like a baby when she opened the gift from her boyfriend.

Thatcher, Lukas and Willa returned back to the cabin. Charlie was away at another meeting. "Did you say earlier you were making soup for lunch?" Thatcher asked as they all kicked off their boots; Charlie had bought Willa a pair that actually fit.

"Yep. Already on the stove." She smiled, "help yourselves." She watched as the boys dug in, noticing that both of their bellies were slightly more plump since she had began cooking regularly.

Willa sat down with her bowl of soup and got lost in conversation with the boys; all three confused as to why Millie was acting the way she was. "We'll have Charlie give her a good once over once he comes back." Thatcher suggested, Willa agreed. Something was wrong with Millie and it wasn't just Lukas.

•

Three weeks earlier

Draco had left his 5th year at Hogwarts and returned home for the summer holiday. His mother welcomed him with open arms, but his father was cold per usual.

"Welcome home, darling." Narcissa said, embracing her only child. She sniffed his hair as she hugged him close, appreciating that he was home safely. Narcissa enjoyed every moment that she had with her son; she feared that the older he got, he would be recruited into the family business.

"Thanks, mum. Happy to be home." Draco smiled, side eyeing his father, who was fresh out of Azkaban. Something was off about him. Draco had seen the way he scanned the crowd as he waited for Draco at the train station; Draco knew exactly who he was looking for.

Draco didn't know what he was going to do, but he had to do something. He didn't know where Willa was, or if she was safe, but he could control one thing - or at least try to - and that was to protect Willa from their father. After dinner, Draco retired to his room, exhausted from the trip home and exhausted from worrying about Willa. He flopped on his bed, fully clothed and stared at the ceiling.

Draco's head raced with options. He just wanted to know if Willa was safe; every time this summer that his father left for work, or whatever, Draco would fear that it would be sister's last day on earth. Draco suddenly felt overwhelmingly guilty for the way he had treated the Weasley's - but why did he care?

Draco shook his head and stood up, gripping onto his dresser. He was sick of being his father's shadow - though the Weasley's were blood traitors, but they had shown nothing but love and hospitality to Willa. They had protected her all these years. Draco opened his bedroom door, he was going to find his father... he had to ensure the Weasley's safety. Draco wasn't sure why he wanted too, but he wanted to make things right after all the ruckus he had caused last year.

He met his father at the door. "Sit." Lucius demanded. Draco obeyed and walked back to his bed, not even wanting to turn his back to his father. He knew, deep down, his dad wasn't all evil... but something shout the person he had become terrified Draco.

"I noticed Willa wasn't on the train." Lucius said blandly, running a long, pale, finger across the dresser. Draco nodded, careful not to give away too much information. "Where is she?"

There was a lot Draco could've said; there was a lot he was angry at his father for. He wanted to ask why his father was so concerned about Willa's whereabouts if she wasn't his daughter. Draco knew that Lucius wasn't wondering where she was out of fatherly love; he was wanting to know where she was so he could get to her, so he could eliminate the problem.

"I don't know. Weasley told everyone she left him, they broke up. All I know is she's not at the Burrow." Draco said quietly, waiting for his father's reaction.

"Very well." Lucius said, walking out the room, cane clanking against the floor. Draco sighed a sigh of relief; Willa would be happy to know he had protected the Weasley's.

Draco knew this still wasn't enough; his father wouldn't stop until Willa was gone, for good. Draco knew there was only one option, one option that would out his father has a blood traitor and make him the prime suspect if anything happened to Willa: tell his mother.

•

Willa lay in her bed, writing a letter to Fred. She clutched the locket in her left hand as she wrote. She thanked him for the locket and said she would treasure it always. Willa imagined what she would have done if he'd gave it to her in person, she closed her eyes and smiled to herself, wishing the scenario in her head was true.

Charlie still hadn't returned and Millie hadn't got any better. Willa was concerned for health, but deep down knew it was something else. She as scared. But why?

Thatcher burst through Willa's bedroom door. "It's Millie." He said quickly. Willa jumped out of bed and threw on one of Fred's jumpers she had brought. Thatcher, Lukas, and Willa made their way out to the barn where flames were spewing from Millie's mouth. Something was terrifying her. They all had wands drawn as they approached.

"Millie girl, what's wrong?" Willa said gently, stroking Millie's neck. Millie stared at the back door of the barn, she seen something that Willa, Thatcher and Lukas couldn't see. Lukas stood on the other side of the barn, wand drawn. He was checking the other stalls to make sure their were no hidden visitors. Thatcher attempted to help Willa calm Millie down, but that was impossible. Suddenly, the back door of the barn slung open and a green light emitted from the darkness. It knocked Lukas flat on his back; he was dead as soon as he hit the ground, just as Willa's mother.

A large red wing swooped in front of Thatcher and Willa, knocking them both back behind her. Millie was protecting her. She only hadn't had time to get to Lukas. "Death eaters." Willa whispered, "they've found me, Thatcher."

"Shhh..." Thatcher said they hid under the shaking wing of the young dragon. He waited until he seen two masked figure enter the building, then he gave Millie a gentle nudge on her back, signaling her to spit fire. "Get em, Millie!" The fire erupted towards the two masked men, who promptly apparated into black smoke. Thatcher grabbed Willa and attempted to comfort her; she was panicking. They had found her. No where was safe anymore.