Stumble - A Fred Weasley Fanfiction

Chapter 33: 173 Days Before

The other side of the bed was empty when Addie woke up, but she wasn't surprised. She had known Fred wouldn't stick around to watch her leave.

She was still groggy as she stumbled out of bed, nearly tripping on the shoes she had haphazardly kicked off the night before. When she finally made it to the kitchens, she found George awake, making sandwiches. He tossed her one, and Addie quickly snatched it before it hit the ground.

"Did you sleep at all?" she asked, her eyes falling to his pale face and the deep purple bags under his eyes. His red hair was sticking up in all directions, and although he had dressed, his clothes were wrinkled.

He shook his head. "I tried, though."

Addie took a bite of the peanut butter sandwich, her stomach twisting uncomfortably at the unwanted food. It was too early to eat and besides, she was much too nervous. George eyed the hands at her stomach with understanding. "You know, you can still change you mind," he told her. "We can meet him, grab Charlotte, and hex him before he has a chance to get to you."

"He's probably prepared for something like that," Addie said. "I mean, we can try, but I'm sure he'll stop us. And then he'll be angry, and everything will be so much worse."

George nodded. "Okay, then if you're done eating, should we go?" He looked as scared as she was.

"I guess so," Addie said, although neither of them took a step forward. They stood there awkwardly, neither one brave enough to make the first move. Finally, George took a step forward, although not towards the door. Instead, he stepped towards Addie, pulling her into a hug.

She was so surprised that it took a couple of seconds for her arms to wind around him as well. "I just want you to know," George said quietly, "That I appreciate every second you've spent out here, helping me. And I'm sorry that it had to end like this."

"I'm glad I could help," she mumbled back.

"You're a great friend, Addie. And you're so good for my brother." George finally let her go. "And when we get you back, I can't wait to continue our adventures together."

"Can our next adventure not include me being voluntarily kidnapped by a Death Eater?"

George smirked at her. "No promises," he said, and Addie laughed. She was surprised she still could.

With their goodbye out of the way, Addie finally found the courage to walk out of the tent. Dirk Cresswell was stoking the fire, and he turned to face them as they walked past. He held out a hand for Addie to shake. "You be careful," he told her. "And if you ever find yourself in trouble again, you're welcome to come stay with us."

"Thank you," Addie told him earnestly.

He shook George's hand as well, and then there was nothing to do but exit the cave and apparate.

**

The Shrieking Shack was as rotten and decrepit as ever, and the howling wind only added to the chill that ran down Addie's spine. George and Addie trudged across the muddy, uneven lawn of the house, to the back of the house, where Thomas was waiting for them.

He was exactly as Addie remembered him, with his tall lanky build and short, dark hair. His skin was paler than usual, she noted, and his eyes seemed darker. Almost haunted. "Did you bring anyone else?" he called over the wind as they approached.

"It's just us," Addie called back, her hand trying to pull back the hair the wind whipped in her face. She stopped walking when she was within feet of Thomas.

"Where's Charlotte?" George asked, taking one step closer to him than Addie had, so that he was between the two.

"She's safe," Thomas promised. "And I will bring her here, as soon as you lay down your wands."

"How do we know you won't hurt us when we do?" Addie asked. "How are we supposed to trust you?"

Thomas shrugged, seeming unbothered. "You don't need to trust me. You just need to want your friend back badly enough that you're willing to risk it. And since you're here, I'm sure you'll do as I just asked. Now lay down your wands."

"As soon as we do, you're going to bring her here?"

Thomas nodded. "A deal is a deal."

There was no other choice. Addie slowly pulled her wand from her pocket, and noted that George had done the same. With a deep breath and a sudden bout of courage, Addie dropped her wand to the ground, and with it, her only way to defend herself.

"Thank you," Thomas said, pulling his own wand. Addie, flinched, expecting him to point it at her and George. But instead he pointed it at a spot in front of him, muttering a spell under his breath. A moment later, Charlotte was laying before him, her body limp, her eyes drawn shut.

George went to run towards her, but Thomas pointed his wand at him, keeping him in place. "What have you done with her?" George asked.

"Nothing," Thomas said, his casual demeanor about the whole situation setting Addie on edge. "It's a simple Sleeping Potion, just so she didn't try to interfere. As you can see, I haven't left a single mark on her."

Addie scanned Charlotte's body quickly, noting that this was true. "Then let George take her home and let's get this over with."

Thomas shook his head. "It's not that simple, Addie. I don't trust you to go with me so easily." He pulled something from his pocket, tossing the small object at her. Addie caught it, opening her hands to discover a small phial of green liquid in her palm. "This is the same Sleeping Potion that I gave Charlotte. You take this, me and George switch places, and we both go on our way."

Addie eyed the green liquid with distaste. "You're not going to hurt me after I take this? You're not going to give me to some other Death Eaters for me to be tortured?"

Thomas's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "You really don't think much of me anymore, do you?"

Addie scoffed. "Look at you. Look at this situation we're in. Can you blame me?"

"I guess not," Thomas admitted. "But I promise you will not be hurt by me or anyone else."

Addie didn't know whether she believed this, but Thomas seemed genuine in his response. She figured she had little choice anyway. She unstoppered the small, glass phial, raising it to her mouth. She was just about to swallow the potion when another voice rang out.

"Addie! No!" She swung around, nearly dropping the phial in surprise as Fred bounded out of a smashed window of the Shrieking Shack, his wand raised. He shot a curse at Thomas, who deftly blocked it before sending his own back.

Unfortunately, Fred was not fast enough and Thomas's curse hit him right in the chest. Addie screamed, but Thomas was entirely focused on Fred, his eyes blazing with anger. He approached Fred's fallen body, his wand pointed at his chest. He started to utter a curse.

"Thomas!" Addie screamed. "Stop! Don't hurt him!"

Thomas's gaze snapped up, his eyes locking with Addie's. She flinched back at the anger there. This was an entirely new Thomas, no trace of the one she had known left. "I thought you said you came alone." He did not yell, but his flat, emotionless voice was even more terrifying.

"I thought we had," Addie explained quickly, trying to draw his attention away from Fred's defenseless form. "I didn't know he would be here! I didn't plan this! I swear!"

Thomas eyed Fred in disgust, giving him a swift kick as he stepped over him. "I should kill him for trying to pull a move like that," he muttered as he walked away.

"Please," Addie begged. "I'll come with you. Just don't hurt him."

Thomas glared once more in Fred's direction before turning back to Addie. "Fine," he spat. "But let's hurry. Take the damn potion already."

Addie lifted the phial back to her lips, but before she drank it, she turned to George. "Make sure he doesn't hurt him," she said. George nodded, and Addie quickly swallowed the potion.

She had just enough time to grimace at the sour taste before her world went black.