Only Joking
Chapter Three
"Coming to dinner, Kaydy?" Haley asked straightening the tie around her neck.
"Of course," she replied tying her long hair into a loose ponytail. "I never miss a meal, Hales."
"That's right. I should know that by now," Haley said with a soft laugh.
"Honestly, I thought after being my friend for close to three months you would have picked up on that," Kaydy teased as they exited their dormitory together.
"It's about time you two," the twins said in unison as the girls reached the common room.
"Nobody told you to wait for us," Haley said flipping her platinum blonde hair over her shoulder.
"We've been meeting for dinner since school started," George said linking his arm with Haley's.
"Yeah, going without you would just feel wrong, now," Fred said with a heart-stopping smirk.
"Right you are, Fred," George said leading Haley towards the portrait hole.
"May I have the honor of escorting such a lovely young lady to dinner?" Fred asked holding out his hand and bowing slightly.
Kaydy laughed and laid her tiny hand inside of his.
"Why of course, kind sir," she joked.
Neither of them released their grips until arriving at the Gryffindor table, each earning suspicious stares as they sat down beside each other.
"What's going on with you two?" the youngest Weasley asked excitedly as she sat down across from Kaydy.
"What ever do you mean, baby sister?" Fred asked casually piling food on to his platter while Kaydy did the same.
"Were you or were you not just holding hands?" Ginny whispered across the table, her bright grin dissolving.
"I don't recall holding hands," Kaydy said glancing at Fred. "Do you, Freddy?"
"Us? Holding hands? Never," he replied winking at her subtly.
Ginny rolled her eyes and continued eating her dinner quietly.
"Where's Lupin, Kaydy?" Haley asked, and Kaydy turned her head to survey the staff table.
Low and behold, Remus was not sitting in his usual seat beside Professor Flitwick.
"That's odd," Kaydy said quietly.
As the realization hit her, she dropped her fork against her full plate with a clank.
"I'm going to go check his office. He shouldn't miss supper."
"We'll come with you," Fred said preparing to stand up as Kaydy had.
"No!" she shouted accidentally. "No, I'll be alright."
He sat back down, but kept a watchful eye on her as she left the hall.
Kaydynce rushed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and walked in without knocking on the office door.
"Blimey, Kaydynce, you gave me quite a start," Remus said holding his large bony hand over his heart, staring at the young girl as she burst through his door.
"Why aren't you at dinner?" she demanded staring up at him sternly.
"I'm not feeling up to it," he said calmly. "Darling, don't worry," he said as Kaydy hurried to pull a small vile from the deep pocket of her school robes.
"You haven't taken your potion, Remus," she stated popping the cork out of the tiny glass bottle. "It's not going to work so well since it hasn't had a chance to settle inside your body."
"Right you are, but it's better than no potion at all," he said taking the bottle from her and gulping the foul, green liquid.
"It's a bit ripe," he said tossing the empty vile in the top drawer of his desk.
"It usually is," she said not bothering to hide her annoyance.
"Why are you so upset, Kaydynce?" Remus asked leaning on the end of his desk.
"I got worried, Remus. You know how I get around these times," she said exasperated.
"Which is exactly why I wish you would let me handle things on my own," Remus said as nicely as he could.
"Because you've done a marvelous job of that lately," Kaydy snapped.
Remus glared at his loafers shamefully.
"I'm sorry, Remus, I didn't mean that," she apologized quickly.
"No, no, you're right," he said. "I have been rather irresponsible, haven't I?"
The bitterness in his tone did not go unnoticed.
"I just meant that…" Kaydy paused trying to find the correct words to use this time. "I worked really hard to brew this potion, Remus. The precautions we must take are even greater now that we're at school; it isn't just me and you in danger here."
"I know that, thank you," he said curtly.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you," she apologized again, but Remus waved his hand.
"You are absolutely right, though, darling," he said patting her hair lovingly. "Go on up to your common room, Kaydy."
She nodded and walked away from him.
"And stay there, Kaydynce!" he called after her.
She shook her head to herself and frowned a little bit. She would not be staying in the Gryffindor tower tonight.
"Fred, will you calm down, please," Haley demanded through her teeth, and Kaydy listened to her voice travel down the dark tunnel between the common room and the school corridors.
"Calm down? Nobody's seen her for an hour and you want me to calm down?" Fred shouted.
Kaydy kinked her eyebrows and continued to walk towards the common room.
"Reckon we should pull out the map, mate?" George's deep voice asked quietly.
"The what?" Haley asked in confusion.
"Maybe we should," Fred replied ignoring Haley.
"What map? OH! There she is!" Haley shrieked as the beautiful brunette bounced into the golden light of the Gryffindor common room.
The twins nearly snapped their necks turning to meet Kaydy's confused stare.
"Where have you been?" Fred shrieked.
"Calm down, Fred, you're beginning to sound an awful lot like Molly," Kaydy teased.
Fred stared at her astounded, his anger slowly draining from his face, and poked her stomach playfully, earning a loud giggle.
"Really though, Kaydy," Haley said seriously, "where were you?"
"I just went to find Remus, like I told you," she said honestly. "He didn't feel up to dinner. He's a bit worn out, you see; apparently his third years are giving him a bit of trouble."
Fred and George eyed her suspiciously, but Haley shrugged believing every word. She avoided their curious gazes, knowing that after nine years of friendship, the twins would be able to tell that she was lying.
"Come on, Kaydy, I need help with my Potions," Haley said tugging Kaydy towards the stairs.
"Now, what is the proper way to ask for my help, Hales?" Kaydy asked.
"Uhm…please help me?" Haley asked uncertainly.
"No. Boys," Kaydy called to the twins as they sat down heavily on the scarlet couch in front of the fire. They stared up at her, listening intently. "Perhaps you could teach Haley, here, how to ask for my help with her Potions work."
"Oh, allow me, I think I've perfected it by now," Fred said sauntering over to the girls.
He cleared his throat and dramatically dropped to his knees in front of Kaydy grasping her dainty hands.
"Kaydy, my darling," he began, "would you please help me with my Potions assignment since you are, after all, the Almighty Potions Master?" Kaydy grinned down at him and flipped her hair arrogantly over her shoulder.
"That's how it's done," Fred triumphantly said returning to his seat beside his twin.
"Yeah, I have a little bit more dignity than that, so, help me now, or I'll curse you later," Haley said with a sweet smile.
"You should've been in Slytherin!" Kaydy shouted while Haley dragged her up to their bedroom.
After spending an hour doing Haley's Potions assignment for her, Kaydy stepped into George's gray sweatpants and a tight gray t-shirt and let her hair fall in gentle waves down her back.
"Are you coming downstairs?" she asked Haley once she exited the bathroom.
"No, that Potions work really wore me out," she said through a long yawn.
Kaydy shook her head as she slipped a heavy white sweatshirt over her arms and pulled her converse on before heading back to the common room.
"Hello, love," Fred said watching Kaydy walk down the stairs slowly.
She smiled at him and sat down beside him.
"What are you up to?" she asked as he scribbled quickly across a sheet of parchment.
"Just thinking of some new joke ideas to run by George and Lee," he said dipping his quill into the ink.
"Can I help?" she asked excited to take part in the twins' insane antics.
"I don't know," he said as though he were thinking deeply about it. "You did call me my mother earlier."
"Oh I'm terribly sorry you found my statement insulting, Freddy," she said leaning her head on his shoulder to read his writing better.
She inhaled his warm scent and allowed the aroma to cloud her brain for a moment. As she tried to force her eyes to focus, she caught a glimpse of something incredible on the coffee table in front of her.
"What do you have the map lying around for?!" she cried scooping the Marauder's Map into her lap, glancing around the common room to make sure nobody had seen it.
"Relax, nobody's down here, love," Fred said taking it from her fists. "I'm using it."
"For what?" she asked perplexed.
"I have to research where my next victim will be at this time tomorrow night," he whispered staring at the map for a moment. "He's been going to the fifth floor lavatory every night for the past four days." Kaydy nodded and smiled at Fred's commitment to his devious work.
"If only you put this much effort into your school work," Kaydy teased watching her friend's hazel eyes twinkle mischievously.
"Hey," Fred said, scrutinizing the map. "What's Lupin going into the Forbidden Forest for?" he asked as the little flag that read, "Remus Lupin," disappeared from the yellow map.
Kaydy's eyes widened and then darted to the nearest window, catching the brilliant, white light of the full moon hanging in the night sky. The time had flown right by her and she had nearly forgotten where she needed to be.
"Put it away," she demanded.
Fred looked down at her in confusion, shaking his head slightly.
"Please, Fred," she pleaded. "Turn it off!"
"Mischief managed," he muttered.
And the second the words left his lips, the words melted away, slowly fading back into the page they came from.
"What's the matter, Kay?" he asked in concern.
"Nothing," she lied quickly. "I have to go."
She jumped up from the couch abruptly, pressing her wand against her thigh from inside her pocket. Fred watched her, utterly befuddled. He called after her, but Kaydy ignored him, sprinting through the porthole, her sneakers slapping the stones as she propelled forward.
The cold, early-winter, night air stung her cheeks once she made it outside of the castle. The Forbidden Forest was about a mile west: she would never make it there in time. Unwilling to accept defeat, Kaydynce forced herself to morph into her animagus form, right then and there. Thin blades of green grass bent beneath her massive, black paws, and her thick, gray fur blew in the gentle breeze.
And Kaydynce took off, headed straight into the forest in a matter of minutes. It didn't take long to find Remus, even in the black forest. Many creatures wandered these woods, but even so, only one werewolf walked the forest floor. Kaydynce crouched behind a tall bush, watching Remus beneath the pale light of the full moon that seeped between the thick cover of leaves above them. For a moment, their eyes locked between the thin branches.
Her muscles tensed up instantly, and her heart thudded against her ribcage. Kaydynce watched Remus stalk her from the moonlit clearing, waiting for her to charge him. But when she made no efforts to attack, he took the liberty upon himself and launched towards the brush, razor sharp claws shredding through the foliage. Kaydynce jumped back cautiously, avoiding the massive roots of the enchanted trees. She hastily ducked behind the trunk of one of the countless trees in the forest. She knew what must be done, but she had not had the chance to prepare herself for the task at hand. So her state of mind: whatever happens, happens.
She poked her snout around the damp bark, trying to catch a hint of Remus's scent in the night air. She knew that he was close. Just on the opposite side of the thick tree trunk, actually. And with impeccable speed, she dashed from her hideout, sprinting past the gray werewolf. Emerald eyes that did not belong to Remus glared at her, and he too, ran full speed, chasing her further into the forest. Kaydy's chest tightened with each breath she took, but she knew that she could not stop running; if Remus caught her, she would undoubtedly be bitten, if not killed on the spot. She weaved meticulously through the flora, praying that she would not stumble over the weeds. The second her paws sunk into the moss floor of a meadow, she faltered. And his claws sliced through the thick fur of her back, straight through to the delicate flesh.
She yelped in pain and tumbled across the cool ground, whimpering weakly. She was thankful, as she usually is, to be in her animagus form, otherwise his claws would have infected her easily. She watched him lunge towards her again, deflecting the fatal blow just in time. Had she not thrust her legs into the air, her throat surely would have been ripped open by his sharp teeth. Remus soared across the meadow, colliding violently with a Dogwood branch in the distance. He stayed put for a moment, scrutinizing his competition, drinking in the image of the enormous, dark-colored wolf, lying on the ground in a heap of exhaustion. She stared back at him, cringing as he tossed his furry head back in fury, allowing a shrill howl to erupt from his long snout. She pushed herself to her feet and awaited the attack, positioning herself for the upcoming bloodbath. He too, crouched low to the ground, preparing for a vicious battle.
The two circled the meadow with a decent distance between them, spinning in a dizzying war dance. But when Remus crossed the circle with inconceivable swiftness, Kaydy was caught off guard, and his nails dug deeply engraved cuts into her side, across her ribcage. She reacted almost instantly, dragging her own claws against his wide chest, watching thin lines of red drip down the gray fur. He snarled and snapped at her, trying his hardest to bite any part of her that he could, and Kaydynce was barely able to dodge his teeth. And with hatred in his eyes, Remus ripped through the skin below her right eye. Kaydy let out a shrill bark as she felt the hot liquid pour down her face, matting itself into her fur as it had across her underbelly. But she couldn't back down, now. When she had finally pushed the werewolf away from her, she took off deeper into the blackened woods. This is what she needed to do: she had to get Remus as far away from the castle as possible until he was in his right state of mind. He chased after her with vengeance, unwilling to let her walk away from their battle. And when she collapsed on the cold ground, exhausted and unable to push forth, Remus stopped running after her, skidding to a halt in the brush.
He stared at her from a few yards away, watching her chest rise and fall rapidly. She knew that this was the end, he would not allow her to live, and even if he did, she would not have the strength to keep fighting him off. In her head, Kaydy began saying her goodbyes. Goodbye to Remus and Harry, Molly and Arthur, Ginny and Draco, Hermione and Ron, Haley and Lee, Fred and George. For a brief moment, the two wolves locked eyes. And in that moment, Kaydynce could swear that it was Remus staring back at her, not a rabid werewolf.
She watched him for a moment longer, before he bolted past her deeper into the forest, running as far away from the beaten and bloodied wolf as possible. She tried her hardest to steady her breathing, struggling to rise up on her wobbly feet. Slowly, she forced her way out of the forest.
Once she stepped out of the trees, she morphed back into her human form and limped to the castle, willing herself not to pass out until she was, at least, back to the common room. By the time she finished the mile long hike, the moon had faded, replaced by a dull blue sky, scattered with sparkling white dots; the last remaining stars of the night. Kaydynce sighed in fatigue, and strained to walk up the seven flights of stairs to the Gryffindor tower.
The warmth of the common room brought goose-bumps to her frosty skin, and she shuddered as the cold ran up her spine. She lurked in the shadows of the porthole, groggily scanning the common room, hoping that she would be able to slip inside unnoticed. She stared in surprise, at the orange spot on the couch that caught her eye instantaneously. She walked silently to the boy, sleeping soundly in front of the calm fireplace, only glowing orange embers remaining in the grate.
Kaydynce had never known Fred Weasley to look childlike, let alone innocent. But in his peaceful slumber, the devious smirk was no longer present on his lips, and the mischievous glint in his eyes was concealed by heavy eyelids. She combed her fingers gently through his fiery red hair, pushing the thick locks away from his pale face, trailing her fingers lightly down his smooth, freckled cheek. And as his tired eyes fluttered open, she took her hand back hastily, returning it to her sore, bleeding side, silently hoping that he would not be able to see the darkened spots on the blood-soaked t-shirt she wore in the dim common room.
"Why are you still down here?" she whispered, forcing her hair to fall to conceal her scarred face.
"I was waiting for you to come back," he said as he sat up hastily, the roughness of his voice confirmed his tiredness.
And Kaydy glanced down at his chest, seeing the parchment draped tightly between his body and his arms, wand in hand. She would not look into his bloodshot eyes as he rubbed the sleepiness from them. Instead, she stared at her feet shamefully, biting her lip in embarrassment as she backed away slowly.
"You didn't have to do that, Fred," she mumbled.
"You didn't honestly think I was going to go to bed while you were in the Forbidden Forest, did you?" he asked, rubbing his eyes free of sleep. "You know I can't see within the Forest."
"Well, I'm back," she stated. "Go upstairs to bed."
She turned away from him and stepped slowly up the first few stairs, trying to hide her limp, before Fred wrapped his long fingers around her wrist, forcing her to come to a stop. She did not turn around, and she prayed that the blood from her back and side were invisible to Fred in her current position. She knew what he wanted, but she simply could not give it to him.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Fred," she whispered.
And he dropped her wrist, allowing her to drag herself upstairs and into her bed for a few hours of restless sleep, before she would be forced to endure the day of classes.
The following morning, Kaydynce made certain that she was the last to wake in her dorm. She remained hidden in the confines of her four poster bed, drapes wrapped around the mattress. She did not want to face the questioning stares of her roommates as they observed the damage upon her once flawless face. She crept into the lavatory quietly once the other girls had gone to breakfast, and stepped under the warm water of the shower. She winced as the water stung her fresh wounds, but they desperately needed to be cleaned. She bit her lip to keep from crying out in agony, until she could not endure anymore and a low groan rumbled behind her teeth. She stepped out of the stall feeling lightheaded and let her hair dry into its natural loose curls. Kaydy carefully dressed herself in her school uniform, cursing the designer of the dreadfully heavy robes. Standing in front of the mirror, she did her best to hide the cuts and bruises with makeup, but not even a heavy coating of cover-up, foundation, and bronzer could hide the violent gash beneath her right eye.
The brilliant red slits stretched from the bridge of her nose, across the tan skin of her cheek, swooping upwards to meet her ear in three jagged, puffy lines. It was evident that she had been damaged, there was no denying that. How could Kaydynce convince the entire student body, as well as the authorities at Hogwarts, that she had acquired these abrasions by no fault but her own?
"Kaydy," Haley called from the bedroom. "You're going to miss breakfast."
"You guys can go ahead without me. I'll meet you downstairs," Kaydy called back, running her nails nervously through her thick hair.
With a final, deep breath, Kaydy walked insecurely downstairs to the common room. Most of the Gryffindors had already gone down to the Great Hall for breakfast, and Kaydynce limped down the last set of stairs. She looked up slowly, watching Haley laugh loudly beside George as they exited the common room together. Kaydy's thoughts were occupied with finding a believable lie to tell her friends, and she was only brought back to reality when warm fingers wrapped gingerly around her wrist. Although she was surprised at the sudden physical contact, she dared not look up into the hazel eyes she knew she would find.
"Come with me," Fred said, not giving Kaydy the opportunity to object as he gently pulled her up the boys' stairs.
As Fred led her into the dorm room he shared with his twin and Lee Jordan, Kaydy walked ahead of him and lifted her gaze slightly to survey the bedroom. Faded scarlet walls, dressed with posters of quidditch pro's and team banners, needed a good washing and maybe a new paintjob. All three beds in the room were unmade, sheets draped half off the bed, grazing the wood floor. On the right side of each bed, nailed to the wall, hung identical calendars of beautiful witches dressed in skimpy versions of quidditch robes. Kaydy's cheeks burned as she stared at the nearly naked women on the wall as they danced around and struck sexy poses, wondering why they were hung up on display. She wondered whether Fred enjoys looking at the women, and if so, why? She wondered if he found them attractive. She shamefully wondered if he'd ever find her as appealing as them, or at least close.
"Start of school tradition," Fred's voice pulled Kaydy from her thoughts, and she bowed her head to the floor once more. "Every year, the three of us exchange naughty calendars before school. Sort of a joke to get us through our time here. We all picked the same one this year."
Kaydy simply nodded her head, her long hair falling in front of her face. The truth is, as much as the pictures would normally bother her, she was much too preoccupied with the reason Fred brought her up here in the first place. He wanted answers, and he deserved them, but Kaydy wasn't sure how she could tell Fred and protect Remus at the same time.
Without another word, Fred stood in front of her and tilted her chin up with his index finger. As her hair fell away from her face, his eyes doubled in size and he took a sharp breath. He parted his lips to speak, but upon noticing the tears rimming Kaydy's brown eyes, Fred closed his lips and wrapped his arms over her shoulders, cradling her head against his chest.
Conflict whirled through Kaydy's mind, trapping her in their vicious waves of do's and don'ts. If she tells Fred the truth, Remus will be in danger. Remus's condition is not Kaydy's secret to reveal. Doing so would not only put Remus in danger of losing his job and having to go into hiding, but it will also betray the trust he instilled in her. But lying to Fred seems completely impossible. Fred has been her best friend since they were little kids, she couldn't possibly lie to him.
Then again, hasn't she been lying to him all this time? Every time he had asked where she went off to late at night; why she'd sleep all day long the following morning; where the several blue bruises on her arms came from. Every response she had ever given him had been a lie. Maybe it's finally time to tell Fred the truth.
"Fred," Kaydy began, her voice shaking, "I have something I need to tell you."
"You don't say," he said sarcastically.
Kaydy ignored his sarcasm and looked past him at the bed nearest to them. On the left side of the four poster bed, stood a night table with several papers and trinkets cluttering the surface. The only segment of the night table that was remotely tidy was a small section beside a lamp.
Illuminated by the lamp's golden glow was a picture frame, holding a photograph of a thirteen year old Fred. His ginger hair was disheveled and his bright hazel eyes sparkled as he glanced down at the small girl tucked under his arm. A twelve year old Kaydynce ran her fingers through her waist-length chestnut waves as a soft summer breeze pushed them back into her dazzling eyes. As the Fred in the photo pressed his lips to her forehead, the girl in the frame blushed violently and grinned brighter than the sun. And the scene replayed from the beginning.
Kaydynce blushed in the dorm room and pulled Fred by his fingers towards the bed she could safely assume was his.
"You really need to hear this," she said sitting him down beside her.
Fred's eyes reflected the concern he had been feeling since the night before and he watched her intently, awaiting her words.
"You cannot repeat a word of this to anyone," she said seriously. "Not even George."
Fred nodded slowly, reluctant to keep his brother in the dark.
"I've been lying to you for quite some time now," Kaydy began, watching Fred as a look of affront flooded his face. "The thing is, I couldn't tell you the truth because someone I care about would be in serious danger if this secret was ever discovered."
"Is this about Malfoy, Kaydynce?" Fred growled.
"Malfoy? What? No! Frederick, will you please just listen to me?" Kaydy cried exasperatedly.
Fred pursed his lips together and allowed Kaydy to speak, though his jealousy had not completely left his veins.
"Someone I love very much did this to me," Kaydy breathed. "It's out of his control, and he doesn't even remember he's done it most of the time. I've been dealing with this since I was five years old, just before I met you."
"Who?" Fred asked through his teeth.
"Fred, you can't do anything, or hate him if I tell you," Kaydy pleaded.
"Who's been hurting you, Kaydynce?" he demanded.
"Remus," she whispered. "Wait!"
Fred leapt to his feet in a huff. Kaydynce jumped up to stop him, and clutched her aching side.
"Fred, don't. I'm not done talking," she begged sitting back down.
The vein in his forehead glowed purple against his crimson skin, but he sat down beside Kaydy, nonetheless. His raging eyes softened once he realized she was in pain.
"Remus…he's a werewolf, Fred. I found out when I was five years old, and have been following him every cycle since then. All those nights you wondered where I was sneaking out to, the mornings I'd sleep in until lunchtime, the bruises you'd find when we went swimming in the lake, it was all because I followed Remus when he'd change. Truthfully, I believe that's why he introduced me to your family in the first place. He wanted me to have a safe place to stay whenever he'd change. He didn't want me following him. But I did it anyway. So all the pain I've felt, all the lies I've told, the damaged girl you see now…is no one's fault but my own, and I take full responsibility for those decisions. So, if you're going to hate anyone, it should be me," Kaydy finished, nearly choking on her words as they tangled with her tears.
She continued to cry quietly, and Fred continued to watch without uttering a single word. Kaydy was dying to know what he was thinking.
Would he forgive me for everything I've lied about? Or would he hate me forever? Would he keep Remus's secret? Or, in a desperate attempt to protect me, would he rat Remus out, taking away the only parent I have ever known? The thoughts spiraled through Kaydy's head.
Fred stared blankly ahead of him, his eyes drying out from not blinking frequently enough. There were so many thoughts soaring through his head, but he couldn't find the words he needed.
How could she lie to me for the past nine years? How could she keep such a huge part of her life a secret? What else is she hiding from me? I thought we were best friends, Fred thought to himself while Kaydy sniffled beside him.
"Say something," she whispered anxiously.
Fred remained silent, subconsciously picking at the dead skin around his nail bed. Growing frustrated, Kaydy dried her cheeks, carefully dabbing at the burning flesh beneath her eye.
"Please, Fred. Say something," Kaydy begged.
"What do you expect me to say to you?" he asked dully. "You were supposed to be my best friend, and I'm realizing that's not how it ever was."
"I am your best friend," she said shamefully, feeling in her heart how tainted the words have become.
"Best friends don't keep secrets from each other, Kaydynce," he said loudly. "And they certainly don't lie to each other."
"I'm sorry I lied to you, Fred, but you must understand. Protecting Remus is my first priority. If word got out of what he is, he'd be taken into custody," Kaydy trailed off biting her lip gently. "He's the only family I've got, Fred."
"I didn't realize we weren't family," he muttered rising from the bed.
He strolled to the window beside his bed and leaned his back against the wall, locking his arms over his chest while he stared into the distance.
"You know that's not what I meant," Kaydy argued, rising to her feet as well.
The pair stood in silence for another ten minutes. Breakfast would be ending shortly, and it seemed that neither intended to eat this morning, and attending classes was still questionable. Fred's hazel eyes fell to his messy nightstand, the photograph from two summers ago caught his eye. As badly as he wanted to turn the frame facedown, to tell the girl to leave his sight, to erase any feelings he ever had for her, he knew he couldn't. They've come too far to say goodbye, now.
"I just need some time to come to terms with all of this," he said quietly.
With no choice but to accept his response, Kaydy nodded her head and headed towards the door.
"I'll see you later," Fred whispered almost inaudibly.
"Yeah," she whispered back as she shut the door behind her.
With no desire to eat or attend classes, Kaydynce trudged up the steps to her dormitory and nestled into her bed. Lying on her left side, in plain view was a photograph identical to the one that sits on Fred's own nightstand. Kaydy pulled the drapes around her bed and closed her eyes before more tears could fall from her swollen eyes, and quickly drifted to sleep.
"Kaydy?" a soft voice called from the opposite side of the curtain.
The brunette grumbled in response.
"I just wanted to let you know, I'm going to bed. Fred has dinner in the common room for you if you feel like eating," Haley whispered.
"Fred?" Kaydy asked becoming more alert at hearing his name.
"Yeah, I expect he feels dreadful for harming you with that prank," Haley said, and Kaydy could hear her climbing into her own bed. "He says you're pretty hurt. He's been walking around like a zombie all afternoon."
Prank? He covered for me, Kaydy realized. He covered for Remus. And put the blame on himself.
She couldn't help herself from smiling at her friend's loyalty. However, her smile quickly faded, contorting into a fierce frown. Kaydy knew she didn't deserve his friendship, let alone his loyalty. As nervous as she was to face him, she knew that she had to. If Fred was ready to talk about this, she had to be, too. Carefully, she pushed herself out of bed and slipped her feet inside the black moccasins beneath her bed. As her feet hit the floor, her breathing quickened, anxiety creeping over her, weighing heavy on her chest.
But she forced herself to leave the girls' dorms and visit the common room. Reaching the landing, Kaydy paused, stuffing her hands inside the deep pockets of the crimson pajama pants she was wearing; Fred's pajama pants. She found him sitting on the largest of three couches surrounding the fireplace, the flames dancing in his lifeless eyes. The corners of his mouth pointed slightly downwards in a thoughtful frown. For a moment, Kaydy thought she was invisible.
"Come sit down," Fred's voice startled her, but she obeyed his wishes anyway.
She cautiously sat down on the cushion furthest to the left of him and twisted her fingers together. She refused to look at Fred although he had been staring attentively at her since her tiny feet hit the common room floor.
"Haley told me the story you told her and George," Kaydy said staring into her lap. "Thank you."
"You should have trusted me from the start," Fred said crossly.
"I know," Kaydy mumbled.
"I just don't understand why you never told me. I gave you plenty of chances to tell me. Every time I asked you where you went, you could have told me the truth," Fred said amicably. "Why didn't you?"
"I couldn't take the chance," Kaydy tried to explain. "Remus's condition is extremely taboo. You should understand that, your father working for the Ministry and all."
"I do understand that, but what I don't understand is how you don't trust us enough; how you don't trust me," Fred cried out running his hand through his thick hair. "Nine years, Kaydynce. Nine years you and I have been best mates. Yet you've been lying to me and keeping secrets from me all this time. What else are you hiding from me?"
"Nothing, I promise," Kaydy cried turning to face him on the couch.
"If I ask you questions, will you answer them?" he asked, and Kaydy instantly nodded.
"Honestly," he added pointedly.
Kaydy frowned at his lack of trust, but nodded all the same.
"Good. You can eat while we talk," he said pushing a full plate of food towards her across the coffee table.
Kaydy indulged in the delicious cuisine before her and glanced up at Fred, signaling him to begin speaking.
"Right, well," he said unsure of where to start. "When did you start following him?"
"When I found out what he was. I was five years old," Kaydy began her tale. "Remus had been urging me to get into bed for hours, and I had finally agreed to go up to bed. And then it happened. He went rigid and he began morphing into a whole new being, a creature I had never seen before. He screamed at me to run away, to stay in my room and not make a sound. I retreated, only to the staircase, and watched this doglike thing dart into the woods behind our home. I was terrified and crying hysterically, but something in my told me to chase him. I had to make sure Remus was alright. So, somehow, I took my animagus form and-"
"What? Animagus?" Fred shouted in shock.
"Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to mention that bit earlier," Kaydy smiled sheepishly. "It was an accident, really. Like I said, I knew I had to protect him, but the fear inside me told me I had to stay safe, as well. And I took the form of a giant wolf. I've been following him in that form ever since."
"You're an animagus," Fred said in awe. "Wicked. Can I see?"
"Maybe another time, Fred," she declined. "I'm still pretty sore."
"Right," he said masking his disappointment. "Is there more than just this here?"
Kaydy braced herself for the searing pain she anticipated feeling as Fred's finger reached to brush her cheek, but it didn't come. Instead, a warm tingling sensation flooded her cheek and goose-bumps rose across her entire body. She stared into his inviting eyes as his fingers seemed to touch past her skin, straight to her soul.
"Yes," she said pulling herself out of her clouded thoughts.
"Can I see that, then?" he asked worriedly.
Kaydy's eyes wandered around the common room, making sure they were alone before rising to her feet. She clutched the hem of her black t-shirt in her fingers and slowly lifted the shirt up her torso, careful not to brush the gashes with the fabric, and pulled it over her head. Her chocolate waves fell slightly tousled down her back, and she bundled the shirt inside her fist.
If it had not been for the ugly chisels left in her tanned skin, reminding him that she was severely injured, Fred most likely would have lost his senses and snogged his best mate right then and there. Although the thought crossed his mind for a moment or two, they were quickly replaced with concern as his eyes trailed the marks across her flesh. Kaydy turned around slowly, showing Fred the lacerations across her back. She heard him gasp and soon felt his warm breath kissing her exposed shoulder.
"Kay," he whispered, and again his fingertips traced the wounds, flooding her body with the familiar warmth and tingles.
She carefully turned to face him and his fingers found the cuts on her ribs. She watched his face closely and as his hands rested gently at her waist, his eyes filled with wonder. His curious eyes lazily wandered up her torso, lingering on her chest, before meeting her gaze once more. She laid her hand gingerly against his broad chest and allowed his familiar scent to cloud her mind.
Fred exhaled, in a sort of annoyance, and dropped his hands from her waist, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Kaydy stared at her feet and carefully replaced her shirt over her body and sat down in her respective spot on the couch. Fred sat down too, though this time, he found himself sitting a bit closer to her than before.
"So…" she said trying to diffuse the tension.
"So how do you forgive him for doing that to you?" Fred asked gesturing to her abdomen.
"He doesn't usually remember what happens when he's in that state," Kaydy defended. "I do an exceptional job of not letting him see any damage he's done unto me, so he believes I obey him and stay away from him during his change."
"How do you plan on covering this one up?" Fred asked out of pure curiosity.
"I haven't figured that out yet," Kaydy admitted. "I suppose makeup won't do it this time."
"It's not likely," he agreed sympathetically. "Maybe Haley can help."
"Then I'll have to tell her what's going on," Kaydy argued.
"Not necessarily. She already thinks I did it, so just go with that story," Fred said winking deviously.
"I suppose you're right. She'll only have to see my face," Kaydy said.
"Right you are, Kay," Fred said leaning back against the couch cushions.
"Fred," Kaydy said softly after a moment of silence slipped by, "is it really bad?"
"What?" he asked confused.
"My face? Is it ruined?" she asked sadly.
"It'll heal up in no time, Kay," he assured her lifting her chin to look into her eyes.
"But I'm hideous for the time being," she whispered trying to pull her face out of his hand.
"You're beautiful, love. Always," Fred promised pressing his warm lips to her forehead.
And Kaydy's cheeks burned the exact shade of red they had when Fred's lips first touched her skin two summers ago.
