Ch 3 - Speeches, Both Short and a Bit Longer

The park was warm, even at this early hour. Though, Fred amended himself, nine o'clock wasn't really that early for most people. But the air still had that early-morning crispness to it.

He knew Harry would be upset he had left without saying anything, but he figured that if he got too angry he could just move out. He needed somewhere to think, and if he tried to think at home Harry would ask him what he was thinking about and did he want to talk about it and if he could help and Fred didn't want to deal with that right now.

And besides. He knew that when Bill spent summers at home he would go jogging through this particular park, and Fred didn't Apparate all the way back to Ottery St. Catchpole to sit on a bench.

"Hey," said Bill. Fred started. He hadn't heard his footsteps on the path. "What, ah, what are you doing here?"

"Just, er, sitting. On the bench. You know," he mumbled. Bill smiled a bit and sat down next to him. Fred said nothing.

Bill sighed. "So you come to me, after all this time, because why? Because since I wasn't there, so you think I'll be easy? Be on your side?" he asked. "I know what you said." Fred looked uncomfortable at that. "What, you didn't think they'd tell me every gory little detail?"

"Well, I'd kind of hoped they wouldn't want to talk about it," Fred admitted.

"Yes, well, you know our family. Loves the gossip," Bill laughed. That was good. Laughter was a good sign.

"You're laughing. That's a good sign," Fred said.

Bill snorted. "I'm laughing because I can't believe you're here, trying to make amends with the only one you didn't insult. Personally, I didn't think you'd ever try to make amends with anyone, so good for you." He stood up to leave.

"Bill, wait," Fred said, standing up."I am trying to make amends, so why can't you try, too?"

Bill stooped to retie his shoe. "I have nothing to make amends for, Fred," he said before rising and jogging away down the path. Fred cursed. Twice.

Fred apparated to the alley near Harry's flat. Harry's wards knew to let him in, but he needed time to clear his thoughts and wipe the tears from his face.

It also allowed him to hear raised voices from inside before actually being inside, which proved to be very fortunate very soon.

He quickly fished out an Extendable Ear from his pocket (he was too preoccupied to think about why it was there) and slipped it under the door. The voice became clear at once.

"Harry, you're not listening. He's bad people!" Ron shouted.

"Ron, you're talking nonsense. He's not 'bad people'. "

"You don't even know where he is right now, do you?"

"I don't have to keep track of him every minute—"

"Harry," Ron interrupted. "Look. I know you really liked Malfoy, but-"

"This has nothing to do with Malfoy," he shouted. There was a pause. "This has nothing," he continued in a low, dangerous tone, "to do with Malfoy."

"Fine, sure, nothing to do with Malfoy. But still, Harry, Fred's no good! He's probably out cheating on you right now! He never could settle down."

"I know him, Ron."

"I lived with him all my life. I thought I knew him, too," Ron said quietly.

Fred heard steps coming towards the door. He knew if he Apperated away they would be able to hear it, so he leaped beautifully to his left, behind a shrub. The door started to open. To Fred, it seemed to go in slow motion until he realized that the door was stuck on something. Ron tried to force it open, resulting only in the door rebounding into his face.

He rubbed his nose angrily and muttering something about 'only trying to help and look what it got me', he reached down. With horror, Fred realized that in his haste he had left the Extendable Ear under the door.

He couldn't read Ron's face as his brother stared at the Ear, but then there were leaves in the way and he didn't have a good angle. He imagined Ron rushing back into the flat, yelling, "See how untrustworthy he is, he was eavesdropping on us!", but Ron merely pocketed it and closed the door.

Ron walked into the Three Broomsticks and couldn't help but grin. This place reminded him of his easier, younger years. Not that having a psychotic murderer after him and his friends was a walk through the park, but at least 'don't die' wasn't too complicated.

He waved off Madam Rosmerta (who Ron still thought was really quite attractive, despite her advancing age) and sank down into a chair opposite his brother.

"What, not getting anything to drink?" Bill asked, raising his own glass of Firewhiskey.

Ron shrugged. "Too warm for Butterbeer, and I never liked Firewhiskey all that much anyway."

"That's right," he smirked. "You like those fruity concoctions. Those are for birds, you know."

"Ha ha," said Ron irritably. "So, why did you want to meet me here, anyway? I was going over to the house later, we could have talked then."

"Yeah, well, I wanted to talk about Fred." Bill carefully gauged Ron's reaction.

Which was, admittedly, a bit comical. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open to a small 'o'. When he finally regained himself, he started to say, "Bill-" but he was cut off.

"No, Ron, I know what you're going to say and we - sit back down! - we have to talk about it." Ron crossed his arms and glared. "Good. Well. He- I talked to him yesterday."

"When?"

"Oh, um. The morning. Around eight thirty, nine, I think," Bill said. "Why?"

"No reason."

"Oh, well, yes. I think... I think we should give him another chance," he finished. A short speech, all in all, he thought, but concise and to the point was always the way to go in the Weasley family.

Ron stared at him. A few seconds ticked by. "Another-" he started to yell, but caught himself. "Another chance?" he whispered fiercely. "Bill, he only went to you because you weren't there. He's just trying to win you over so he'll have an insider!"

"Exactly," Bill said calmly.

"What? What d'you mean, exactly?" Ron demanded.

"Just what I said. I wasn't there. I'm neutral - well, more neutral, not exactly neutral," he added hastily at Ron's furious look. "But he can't just go to you all and ask forgiveness. Look how you're acting right now! Of course he couldn't. He needs support from one of the family. He needs someone telling him he's alright. He's taking it in steps, you know? And I'm sure he did come to me because he thought I would be the easiest, but what's so wrong or even surprising about that?"

Bill was much more proud of this speech, and a little surprised that Ron didn't interrupt.

"Bill," Ron sighed. "You don't know. What he did, what he said-"

"Yes, I do. I heard about it from Mum, from Charlie, from you, Ginny. Everybody. Even Percy complained to me about it. So I know all about what happened. And I agree, it wasn't... it wasn't nice." Bill ignored Ron's unimpressed snort. "But he's trying, Ron. We can't just kick him out of the family."

"Think we already did," he muttered.

"Look," Bill said tiredly. "I'm not asking you to forgive him. I'm just asking you to give him the chance to earn it." And with that, Bill stood and walked out of the pub.