"Fred, I think you should get up…" George stood in the doorway.

"What's the point of getting up?" Fred turned away from him, pulling the blanket over his head.

"Opening shop?"

"Shop's closed. Shop's been closed. What's the point of opening shop?"

"Paying Riley back?"

Fred swore and burrowed deeper into his covers. "Just sell everything!"

"Everything?" George raised an eyebrow.

"Just get rid of it all, we don't need it. Don't know why we bought it in the first place."

George turned around and headed back into the other room that was now just his.

An owl flew in the window and dropped something by Fred's bed.

Fred groaned. "Not another goddamn Howler…."

George poked his head in. "How many?"

"From mum? Only three."

"Oh, that's not too bad. Did any explode yet?"

"No." Fred rolled over, reaching for the pile of red envelopes. "The ones from Verity did."

"Open the ones from mum."

"No."

"Fred-"

One letter lifted from Fred's hand and caught fire.

"ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY GALLEONS?"

Fred covered his ears as the other two lifted out of his hand.

"I EXPECTED BETTER OF YOU TWO!"

"I'LL BE THERE 10 A.M. TODAY!"

George checked his watch. "Fred, it's ten now…"

Fred pulled the blanket further over his head and groaned.

There was a knock at the door downstairs.

George stopped in the mirror on the way down, fixing his hair. Fred was by no means presentable; unshaven and unkempt for three days.

"Hello, mum."

"George, I'm very unhappy with the two of you."

"I'm Fred."

"Then, I'm very VERY unhappy with you."

"Just kidding, I'm George."

Fred sighed upstairs, and grabbed a sheet of paper.

'Lee-

HELP

-Fred'

Fred glanced around for an owl. "Dammit, where are Fred and George?"

There was a screech and Freddums flew in.

Fred quizzically stared as the bird sat on his bedpost and held out a talon.

He slow headed over and fastened on the note for Lee.

Freddums nipped at Fred's finger.

"Ow!" Fred stuck his finger in his mouth as it started to bleed. "Did she tell you to do that?"

The owl took off out the window.

Fred spun around to find his mother in the door way.

"Well, when did she leave?" She asked, hands on her hips.

"Three nights ago…" Fred collapsed on the bed.

"Oh no, you aren't sleeping. Get up, look presentable, we are having a rummage sale at the Burrow, come come."

xxXXxx

By the end of the day, Fred's ear was talked off by his mother and her scolding, but they had more than enough to pay Riley back, and they had gotten rid of just about everything they didn't need.

Ginny sat next to Fred quietly and slid him a sheet of paper.

'Riley's upstairs.'

Fred looked up at Ginny. "Really?"

"She was this morning, in your old bed."

Fred practically leapt out of the chair and ran into the house.

"Ginevra!" Molly's shrill voice cut the air, but Fred was already outside his old room.

He banged on the door. "Riley? Open up."

He was met with silence.

"Riley, I'm sorry, okay? I know I should've asked first and I didn't. And I know I should've treated you better, and I didn't…" Fred leaned against the door. "You're my only real friend, Riley, other than George…" Fred slid down and sat on the floor. "And the truth is… I can't do any of this without you…"

The door opened.

Fred spun around.

An apologetic Hermione stood over him. "I'm sorry, Fred… But, I'm sure she'd have loved to hear that…"

Molly Weasley stood in the hallway. "Your sister was mistaken. But you and I, we're gonna talk a bit, alright?"