Mudblood • Fred Weasley

21. portkey

TWO WEEKS PRIOR.

Narcissa stood in front of her vanity. She looked at her face, stained with tears. She believed Draco.. there was no denying Willa Bishop was Lucius' daughter. Narcissa had previous suspicions, beginning from the day Willa and Draco collided in Diagon Alley.

Narcissa was an observant woman. She always had been. She was the youngest of three sisters and, even from a small girl, she watched the behavior of everyone around her. She noticed the horrified look on Calliope Bishop's face... the thoughtful look on her husbands, then the same horror crossed his as he came to the realization that the icy haired girl before him was his offspring.

Of course, she had spent the last 6 years thinking of every excuse to for it it not to be true. Deep down, she always knew in her heart it was.

Draco had came to her room late at night, while Lucius was out. Narcissa remembered thinking it was odd; Draco hadn't came to their bedroom since he was a small child and had a nightmare. He sat on the edge of her bed and cried. He told her everything; even including the fact that Lucius had killed Calliope.

Narcissa had her suspicions about that, as well. Nonetheless, Willa was an innocent girl. She didn't ask to be brought into this world via one night stand. She, from what Narcissa could gather from Draco, had a bright future... a loving family... happiness: all the things that Narcissa wished that Draco could have.

"Don't let him hurt her, mum." Draco sniffled, "I love her. She's my sister."

Narcissa sighed, remembering the bond she , Andromeda, and Bella shared in their younger days. They had all grown apart; Bella was busy with the death eaters and Andromeda was erased from the family line, basically. But, when they were younger, they were inseparable. That was before everything fell apart. Narcissa looked out the window and Draco sat silently, wondering what was going through his mother's head, her face looked like a mix of worry and betrayal.

"I'll try my best, love." She whispered.

•

"Willa, you have to hide!" Thatcher whispered, standing behind Millie's wing. Willa stood with her back to Thatcher, that way all areas were guarded. Willa tried to keep her mind on Fred, she tried to think of a warm Sunday morning at the Burrow, the first time Thatcher, Lukas and Charlie ate her cooking; anything good, Willa tried to think of.

"Thatcher I am not leaving you." She hissed, standing firm in her spot. Thatcher tensed, knowing he was up against someone as equally stubborn as hisself.

"And I'm not leaving Lukas. I'm not carrying two dead bodies tonight, now go! Get to the cabin and go get Charlie." He growled, Willa jumped at the sound of his harsh tone. She knew this wasn't the real Thatcher, she knew he was only doing this to get her to go. Before she made a run for it she turned to face him, Millie still shielding the two.

"Thank you, Thatcher. For everything. I know I haven't known you and Lukas long, but you two are..." she looked at Lukas' body and flinched, "were two of the best friends I could ask for." She kissed Thatcher on the cheek. "Please be safe."

Thatcher smiled, "you go be happy with Fred. Kill the man that done this." Willa began to run off, "and Willa?"

"Yes, Thatcher?"

"Remember me when you're naming your kids one day." He winked just as the back door of the barn burst back open. "Expelliarmus!" He yelled, Willa ran as fast as he legs could take her towards the cabin.

•

Willa ran, hearing screams and spells being cast from the barn behind her. She heard Scout and Millie make a sound almost like a cry, if dragons could cry. She didn't want to turn around. She didn't want to face the fact that Thatcher had possibly faced the same fate as Lukas; she hoped he was safe. She burst through the cabin door and once she was out of sight, she reached for her wand.

It wasn't there.

Willa always kept her wand in her back pocket or stuck through her hair; it was neither place. Panicking, she ran straight to her bedroom to make sure she didn't leave it there. Willa knew she had it in the barn, she had to drop it. When she entered her room, she seen her locket and grabbed it quickly as she figured out the best and quickest escape route.

The room spun. Willa was confused; this was the same feeling she'd had when she touched the boot with Fred and the rest of the Weasley's. As she felt as if she was falling, hurdling through the air... she realized. Lucius had been in her room. He made her locket a portkey.

•

Charlie returned from the meeting to find devastation. The barn was scorched from Scout and Millie's countless attempts at defending their home and their caretakers. Charlie ran directly to the barn, where he seen Millie and Scout were safe and sound.

"Thatch?" Charlie yelled, knowing that sometimes Millie could be a bit contrary and maybe she'd had one of her mad spells. "Willa? Lukas?" Charlie stomped through the scorched hay, looking for any sign of the three. That's when he seen a pair of boots sticking out from underneath Millie's quivering wing. "It's okay girl." He whispered, Millie moved her wing.

"Thatcher!" Charlie yelled, running to his friend. He was alive, but barely. "Come on buddy, we got to get you to St. Mungos." Charlie said, tears forming in his eyes. He blinked them away quickly, not wanting Thatcher to see.

"Is Charlie Weasley crying?" Thatcher coughed. Charlie laughed, tears finally pouring down his cheeks. "It's not looking good mate." Thatcher said weakly. "I'm not okay. I've came to terms with it. I've been laying here for quite a while." He laughed darkly. He pointed to the barn entrance where Willa's wand lay in the ground. "She was supposed to have apparated to the Burrow, Charlie. I think he's got her."

Charlie's eyes widened. There was no way she apparated without her wand. "I can't leave you... not at a time like this-"

Thatcher cut him off, "Listen, Charlie. We've all grown quite fond of that girl. Lukas would want the same thing." He sniffled as the two stared at Lukas' cold body. "Man, just lay me next to Lukas. Go find Willa, please." Thatcher sobbed. Charlie lifted him up and drug him over next to Lukas. "All he ever wanted to do was work with dragons... he got his wish." Thatcher cried, holding onto Lukas' cold hand. "I'll be okay, Charlie. Now go. I love you, brother."

"I love you too, Thatch." Charlie cried.