Chapter 36

Everyone was wearing their new Weasley jumpers as they sat down for Christmas lunch. Mrs Weasley had put an apron over hers.

"Just in case I get a mark on it, such a lovely thought," she said as she passed out the plates.

"Cheers for that Eliza." Ron said from across the table. "We'll never be able to top that!" Eliza smiled at him and the other Weasley children nodded in agreement.

"Until one of us pops out a sprog." Charlie said, accepting the plate from his mother.

"A sprog?" Ginny asked, laughing.

"Yeah, you know a Weasling," George said, nudging Eliza. Fred almost chocked on his drink.

"This is delicious, Molly." Mr Weasley said, standing up to kiss his wife on the cheek.

"Arthur!" She said suddenly, pointing to the window. "Arthur- its Percy!"

"What?"

Eliza felt herself lean slightly closer to Fred and he looked at her, confused.

"Arthur, he's…he's with the Minister!"

Percy and Rufus Scrimgeour walked into the kitchen, Percy looked very pale.

"Merry Christmas, Mother." He said stiffly.

"You've got some nerve, Percy." Mr Weasley said quietly; he put his arm around his wife who looked on the verge on tears. Eliza could tell how much she wanted to hug him, still.

"I'm surprised to see you home, Fred, you look well." Percy said, ignoring his father and looking over to Fred. His eyes briefly skipped to Eliza and she felt herself pale.

"You must forgive the intrusion. Percy and I were in the vicinity- working, you know- and he couldn't resist dropping in and seeing you all."

"I bet he couldn't." Charlie muttered darkly.

"We've only looked in for five minutes, so I'll have a stroll around the yard while you catch up with Percy. Well, if anybody cared to show me your charming garden…ah, that young man's finished, why doesn't he take a stroll with me?"

"Yeah, all right," Harry said. "It's fine." He added as he moved round the table; Remus and Mr Weasley both looked like they wanted to say something. Scrimgeour and Harry left and the rest the Weasley children were all glaring at Percy.

"Well, I can see why you were put in Gryffindor, Perce, must have taken courage to walk back in here." Ginny said, looking at him.

"What's happened? What don't I know?" Fred asked, looking at Charlie and Eliza particularly hard.

"We had a little visit from our dear brother the night you two were attacked. What was it you said again, Perce?" Charlie said, standing up but not moving out of his chair.

"I…I apologise to you, Charlie." He said, looking at his shoes.

"It's not me you should apologise to you arrogant…"

"Charlie." Mr Weasley warned, putting his hand on Charlie's shoulder and pushing him back into his seat.

"What did you say?" George asked.

"I don't…"

"He said "She's as…" Ron started, but Hermione shook her head and nodded towards Eliza. Eliza was grateful, she didn't think she could hear it again.

"What the hell did you say, Percy?" Fred asked, his voice dangerously quiet and his ears flashing.

"Only the truth, someone needed to, don't tell me you weren't all thinking it!" Several of the Weasley's stood up shouting and in the commotion Eliza slipped out of the room and walked up the stairs, shutting herself in the bathroom.

She could hear the sounds of them defending her but she couldn't stand it, she sat on the edge of the bath sobbing. It wasn't just the wand wall that bothered her, Fred had been tortured to torture her and it was working. Her mind was painting a horrible, yet probably truthful, scene of Fred writhing in agony beneath Bellatrix's wand, her face laughing, enjoying the pain she was inflicting. All to punish Eliza Potter.

The voices downstairs had stopped and she could only hear the sound of Mrs Weasley crying. And footsteps.

"Eliza, can I come in?" It was Fred, of course it was Fred. He had come to tell her that it wasn't her fault, that he didn't blame her, that he still loved her, despite the danger that loving Eliza Potter would bring him. Eliza cried harder and buried her head in her hands.

She heard him open the door and she shuffled her body away from him. He sat down on the toilet.

"Eliza, please." Fred said, reaching out to touch her, she shifted away again.

"Percy is an idiot!" Eliza shook her head, still sobbing. "He is, don't let him ruin Christmas." Eliza sobbed even harder; she had ruined Christmas, not Percy.

"Eliza look at me, look at me!" Eliza looked up at him, unable to stop herself.

"You kept me sane, our love saved me Eliza, it kept me sane!" Eliza shook her head.

"Percy's right…they only went after you to get to me."

"That's probably true, and they used the wand wall to hurt you as well." Eliza sobbed and Fred moved to sit next to her and put his good arm around her.

"But I don't care Eliza, I don't care!"

"Well I do!"

"So what are we going to do? Break up?" Eliza froze, horrified.

"Didn't think so. We carry on, because we love each other and that is stronger than them."

"How would…you feel…if…joke product hurt someone?"

"Well, to be honest, Eliza, that would probably be your fault." Eliza glared at him through swollen eyes.

"Okay, fine. I'd feel horrible, but I'd know that they brought they product despite the warning. I'd know that the many hundreds of people that enjoyed that product cancelled out this one that got hurt by it."

"You wouldn't take the….product off the shelves?" Eliza asked, sniffing.

"Nah, I'd just adjust the warning. McGonagall said that the Order will help us with protection."

"When did you see her?" Eliza asked, confused.

"She came to visit me last night, before I came home. She said and I quote 'If you ever put Potter through anything like that again I will turn you into a Flobberworm', I assume she meant you and not Harry, although I'm sure he was worried."

Eliza giggled in spite of herself.

"Can we go back downstairs now?" Fred asked, standing up. "Percy's gone, with a tail I might add."

"You gave him a tail?" Eliza asked, standing up.

"Nah, I reckon it was Bill although no one owned up to it. Mom's upset, not with Bill, I think everything got too much." Eliza nodded and allowed Fred to lead her back into the kitchen.

"We kept your plates warm." Hermione said, standing up to give Eliza a small hug.

Eliza and Fred finished their meals quickly and then joined the others in the living room.

"D'you want to play chess, Eliza?" Ron asked from the corner. Eliza nodded and walked over to him, thinking that Ron wanted to talk about something and chess was the cover. She was right, after five minutes Ron started talking.

"Eliza, I don't think Hermione got any Christmas presents from her parents." He said quietly so that no one else would hear.

"No, I don't imagine she did Ron. Just wait till she comes to you and Harry about it, it's not my place."

"Okay, but they're not hurt or anything are they?"

"No, they're fine."

"So…Lavender got me a Christmas present?"

"Really, what is it?"

"It's a horrible necklace with 'My sweetheart' written on it." Eliza, tried not to smile.

"What did you get her?"

"I didn't, she sent me an owl saying she's angry at me for not saying goodbye."

"That's ridiculous, surely she could understand." Eliza was looking at the board carefully, she could see a way to win.

"I was thinking of just not replying."

"That's an option. What do you want though? Do you want to finish with her?"

"Of course I do!" Ron whispered frantically.

"Then maybe send her an owl and explain."

"Over an owl, isn't that a bit mean?"

"Yes, it's effective though. There's a chance that if you do nothing she'll just throw herself on you, the second you get back to Hogwarts."

"That's true. Eliza, you know it wasn't your fault that Fred got hurt, don't you?"

"Of course it is Ron, don't be so naïve. Check."

"What? Oh bugger!" Ron stared at the board for a good five minutes before making his move.

"You're not going to break up or anything are you?"

"No, that's what they want."

"Good, you and Fred are perfect together, everyone knows it."

"Thanks, Ron. And checkmate!" Eliza watched with delight as Ron's king was conquered. Ron stood up quickly and looked around the room.

"Alright, Ron?" Bill asked from the sofa.

"Eliza…she just beat me!"

"Good work, Eliza. 'Bout time someone gave Ron a run for his money!" George said, laughing.

"Can we play again?" Ron asked, looking down at the board. Eliza knew that this time he would be playing to win.

"Maybe another time, Ron. Hermione, why don't you play?" Hermione nodded and walked over to take Eliza's place.

Eliza woke with a start, Fred shifted next to her but didn't wake up. She eased herself out of the bad and put the Moonstone blanker over him before pulling on her new dressing gown and slippers and creeping out of the room.

The odds felt like they were attacking her every time she closed her eyes. She walked downstairs and when she noticed Remus sat at the table drinking tea she nearly turned around, he had been trying to catch her alone.

"Eliza? Couldn't sleep?" He asked, looking worried.

"I'm fine." She mumbled, walking forwards.

"Tea?" She nodded and Remus stood up to fill the kettle, it hadn't even boiled before Harry entered the room, scratching his head and looking confused.

"Alright, Harry?" Remus asked, picking up another mug and pouring the boiled water in the teapot. Harry sat down next to Eliza and sighed.

"Bad night, Harry?" Remus pressed, as he sat down again.

"Bloody numbers, I'm sick of them it's driving me up the wall!" He exclaimed, in a stressed whisper.

"Numbers?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, numbers and rankings, I keep dreaming about them. Every night!"

"What are they about?"

"No idea, Eliza reckons they're about Quidditch, don't you Eliza?" Remus looked at Eliza and she knew immediately that he suspected she knew what the numbers were really about.

"Twin bond getting stronger then?" He asked, looking between them. Harry answered.

"Yeah, but what's that got…" He stopped talking and looked at Eliza, realisation flooding his face. "Eliza! You know what they're about!" He accused. Eliza closed her eyes and felt herself start to cry.

"I'm sorry, Harry." She said, putting her hand over her mouth.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"What are they about, Eliza?" Remus asked before Eliza had a chance to reply to Harry. Eliza shook her head.

"Tell me, it's been driving me insane!"

"Yeah, it's been driving you mad and you don't even know what they're about! If you knew…" Eliza saw Remus cast a silencing charm so that they didn't disturb the others.

"Eliza, what are the numbers about?" He asked, mildly.

"It's…they're the odds." Eliza confessed.

"The odds of what?" Harry asked, although his voice had lost its angry edge.

"Of survival, of us making it through this, all of us." Eliza whispered, through her hand. The remainder of Harry's irritation seemed to deflate and Remus sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry! I've tried not thinking about it, I told Professor McGonagall and she said I shouldn't think about it! It got better for a few weeks but…"

"Since Fred was attacked it's got worse. I didn't realise." Harry said, recognising the pattern at last. Eliza nodded.

"Eliza." Remus said, in a consoling voice.

"I'm sorry, I know its morbid but…I just can't stop thinking about it. Have you thought about it? Have you actually sat down and thought about how bad things are? I don't want to die…" Harry started to interrupt but Eliza talked over him, "…but I don't want everyone else to die and me to be left alone…"

"Eliza, you're not going to die." Said Harry but Eliza shook her head.

"We can't die Harry, I can't watch you die and be left…" Eliza's voice rose and Remus stood up and moved around to her.

"We don't know what's going to happen." Remus said, his voice as mild as usual.

"I know, that's what Professor McGonagall said but…I can't stop it. Even with the blanket I dream about numbers, when I'm really tired or stressed I can even see them floating next to people, it's making me crazy!"

Remus put his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder.

"You need to let this go, Eliza."

"I can't! I've tried! I even wrote in my diary but it's just a load of number now, I barely write anything else."

"Eliza, why didn't you tell me?" Harry said, quietly.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

"Let's go through it now." Said Remus, standing up and summoning some parchment and a quill.

"What?" Eliza asked, surprised.

"The odds of survival, we'll work through them together."

The rest of the night was spent with Remus and the twins carefully plotting everyone's chances. For every low number Eliza assigned Remus would remind her of something that would increase the odds.

At twenty to six they had finished, Remus pointed his wand at the parchment and set it on fire.

"Why are you doing that?" Eliza said, annoyed.

"Because we're not letting the numbers dictate our actions."

"But…"

"He's right Eliza, we're changed all the numbers but now you need to let them go." Harry said, squeezing her hand.

Eliza watched the parchment dissolve into nothing and then nodded, feeling strangely free.

The rest of the holiday passed far too quickly and on the last night of the Christmas holidays Remus finally managed to corner Eliza and Harry and sit them down in the kitchen, Mr and Mrs Weasley were also present.

"Right, you know what we want to talk about so don't make this difficult." Remus said, sitting down directly opposite Eliza.

"Eliza, how long did you sleep in the cupboard under the stairs?" Mrs Weasley asked kindly.

"Umm…I can't remember." Eliza said, staring at the table.

"You going to have to do better than that, Eliza." Mr Weasley said with a slight smile.

"Until…third year."

"At primary school?" Remus asked. Harry and Eliza exchanged a wary look.

"AT HOGWARTS!" Remus roared, making the twins jump.

"Why didn't you tell anyone, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, anyone?" Mr Weasley asked.

"I was at Hogwarts for that year, why didn't you tell me?"

"You spent the first few months ignoring me!" Eliza said, getting annoyed.

"But then I stopped, I told you about your parents…"

"You were just a teacher then Remus, I know you're not now but…" Harry trailed off and Remus nodded.

"Professor McGonagall though, Eliza, why didn't you tell her? You could have written it down." Mrs Weasley said, looking at Eliza with pleading eyes.

"We…we thought you knew." Harry said tentatively.

"How?" Remus asked, looking bewildered.

"Eliza's letter was addressed to the cupboard under the stairs!" Harry said, getting annoyed.

"Why does it matter? I have my own room now!" Eliza said, putting her hand on Harry to remind him to keep calm. Harry had a tendency to slip up when angry.

"That doesn't make it right! What about the shed?"

"I sleep-walked and then had nightmares, it was my fault!"

"IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT!" Remus shouted. Eliza backed away from the table and turned to bolt from the room but Harry caught her.

"Eliza, wait a second. What do you want to know?" Harry asked, turning back to Remus and the Weasley'.

"Why you didn't tell us?"

"Because we don't talk about this, not even to each other. Okay we're sorry we didn't tell you. That's it, it's over. We're nearly of age anyway." Eliza had never been so grateful for Harry. Remus seemed to sag as he realised the conversation was over, it was only weeks later that he realised that nothing had really been achieved.

Fred arrived via Floo and he pulled Eliza out of the Burrow and to the orchard.

"What did the Healers say?" She asked when they stopped walking.

"They said I was lucky with the torture but that I might have some memory problems, and that my arm will take time to heal so practice using my left hand for my wand."

"The wall did the most damage then?" Eliza asked, sinking onto the bench.

"Not at the time but now, yes."

"I'll never conjure one again for as long as I live." Eliza said, looking at the cracked apple tree and wondering vaguely if Mrs Weasley had noticed it yet.

"Don't say that Eliza, your walls are amazing!"

"My walls nearly got you killed. Fred, I'm so sorry."

"Nope, not listening to this again, I'm going to shut you up." Fred turned towards her.

"Shut me up?" Eliza asked. Fred smiled and then pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"I'm…going…to….shut….you….up….Eliza…..Potter." He punctuated each word with a kiss and by the end Eliza had grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him towards her, he manoeuvred himself so that he was partially lying on top of her, his good arm supporting himself and his bad one held tightly in a sling.

"Is this okay?" He asked, quietly, his face inches from hers.

"I thought you wanted to shut me up?" Eliza asked. Fred smiled and leant back down to kiss her, his body now firmly on top of hers.

Eliza's right hand was entwined in his hair and her left one was moving up and down his back. Fred groaned loudly and for the first time in their relationship Eliza could actually feel how much he wanted her.

"I…I'm sor…" Fred began, pulling away slightly but Eliza shook her head and pulled him back on top of her, kissing him.

"Don't apologise, Fred" She whispered as he pulled away to breath.

"I don't…tell me if…" He muttered, his cheeks flushing despite the cold. Eliza nodded and he kissed her again on the mouth before moving down to kiss her neck, she moaned slightly and Fred smiled against her throat.

They stayed outside for twenty more minutes, slowly and carefully pushing the boundaries of their relationship until they both agreed that it was time to stop before it went too far.

When theY returned to the kitchen Mrs Weasley gave them both a cup of hot chocolate before sending them up to bed. Eliza had been surprised by how understanding Mrs Weasley had been about Eliza staying in Fred's bed. On Christmas night Eliza had started off in Percy's bed but by the next morning she was in Fred's, with the Moonstone blanket, with no recollection of how she had got there. Even Fred and George had not noticed her enter, after that Mrs Weasley had simply sent Eliza straight up to the twin's room rather than risking another night time of wandering the landing.

Eliza walked in the twin's room and changed into her nightwear before Fred came up, she climbed into the bed and waited for him to enter. When he did he smiled at her and then pulled his robes off and changed into a t-shirt and shorts. He sat down on the bed and took his night-time potions and then lay down next to her.

"I'm going to miss this." Fred said, turning on his side and looking at her face.

"Me too, I still can't believe you parents let us."

"I told you, I'm their favourite. Eliza, did you really mean it when you said you were never going to do a wall again?"

"Yes." Eliza said, kissing his still numb arm

"Eliza, walls are part of who you are. And I love who you are."

"I love you too Fred, all of you, always."

A/N Thanks to mozie for beta-ing

Farrafelpies- Yeah the cupboard has always intrigued me. Why didn't Hogwarts notice? I imagine that it was some magical quill rather than being hand written.

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- I've seen the spoons in a few stories and always liked the idea. I had originally written it with just Harry and Eliza but then I realised how bad Hermione would have felt so I gave her a spoon too.