Chapter 16: Grave Loyalties

Melody was surfing through the internet for any jobs that sparked her interest. "Professor? I'd kill myself. Auror? Not likely. Research department? Ugh...just petrify me." Everything seemed mundane and pointless to her and it was beginning to frustrate her. The flat was pristine at all times which was difficult as the twins were the most unorganized men she knew. However, she didn't have a job so she made sure they had a clean home to come back to every day to make up for the lack of salary coming in. Fred came up the stairs and placed a kiss on Mel's head; noticing her job search.

"Nothing today?" He asked, releasing his tie from his neck.

"I'm so picky. I don't want to be stuck in a cubicle all day and I really don't want to put my life on the line either." Melody explained. "I want to make a difference somehow." Fred nodded in understanding. "It seems so easy for everyone else to have a plan. I'm so lost." Melody groaned and placed her head on the desk in exasperation.

"Love, the Dark Lord is hammering down pretty hard right now. Lives are being lost and families ruined. No one will blame you for not having your life planned out at this very moment." Fred pointed out. Melody groaned again and Fred smiled at her. He placed a comforting hand on her back and whispered into her ear; "Position for stay at home wife is open." Melody shot up and glared at Fred.

"I will petrify you." She warned, but a hint of tease was in her eyes.

"There she is; thought I lost you there in that self-wallowing." He wrapped her up in an embrace and stroked her hair. "Everything will work out, we just have to make it through tonight." Melody groaned into his chest as she remembered what they promised they'd do.

"We should probably get going then. It's almost time." Melody said.

They apparated to where the Order instructed them to be right on time. Harry was already arguing with everyone about their plan; vehemently against it.

"Taking that, becoming me!" Harry was fuming. "I won't have it!"

"Well, none of us really fancy it mate." Fred pointed out honestly, followed by George cracking a joke about being stuck as a speckled git forever.

"Yeah, why would I risk this...?" Mel smiled, pointing at her face. "Unless it was extremely important of course." Harry looked frustrated at her, but she continued. "Harry, you're not winning this; we're doing it, end of story. We need to get you somewhere safe." Harry growled some more but Moody shook up a vial and approached Fred and George.

"Polyjuice potion, I won't lie; it tastes like Goblin piss." He growled and handed the vial to Fred.

"Have a lot of experience with that, do you Mad-Eye?" Moody just glared at Fred. "Just trying to diffuse the tension." He sang; taking a swig of the potion.

The vial went around the room as each of the members turned into Harry. "We're identical!" Mel heard the twins say. She smirked as she looked on at the group, fully aware not everyone will make it through this.

As soon as the brooms were in the air, death eaters surrounded them. Sparks flew everywhere at all the Harry's. Mel barely missed a shot aimed at her and she almost lost her balance. She desperately wanted to look around for the twins; but she knew she couldn't distract herself, she had to get back to the Burrow.

Wind stung her face as she battled through the curses when suddenly she got hit with a blinding yellow light and fell a few feet through the air until she regained her balance on the broom. She shook her head to clear the cobwebs but she was unharmed. She landed safely on the ground and ran into Hermionie's open arms. "That was a terrifying experience I don't want to have again." She felt herself changing back to herself as Hermionie checked her over.

"Did you get hit? I saw a yellow flash." Hermionie asked worriedly.

"I did, but I feel fine; no mark or pain. It was strange." Melody shrugged. George and Lupin appeared suddenly, George's ear bleeding profusely. "George!" Mel screamed and grabbed him.

"Take him inside! One of Snape's curses got him." Lupin said to Molly. Mel let the mother take her son and turned to wait for Fred nervously. Ron appeared suddenly and Hermionie ran to his arms. Melody smiled slightly at the reunion; so far everyone was alive. Where was Fred and Arthur?

Suddenly the two appeared with no obvious injuries. Mel sighed and ran to Fred; jumping into his arms. "Thank Merlin you're okay." She whispered into his neck. Fred squeezed her hard and kissed her neck. For a second, things were okay and she detached herself from Fred. "George is hurt, he's in the living room." Fred froze and followed Melody quickly into the house. George lay on the couch, his mother brushing her fingers through his hair comfortingly.

"How are you feeling Georgie?" Fred asked, kneeling at his brother's side.

"Saint-like." George mumbled, Melody cocked her head to the side.

"Come again?" Fred asked, equally confused at his brother's comment.

"Saint-like. I'm holey Fred, get it?" George smiled, pointing at his missing ear.

Fred smiled and rolled his eyes. "In the whole wide world of ear related humour, and you go with "I'm holey"? It's pathetic."

"Still reckon I'm better looking than you though, eh Melody?" George smiled at his friend behind Fred. She approached George and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"It'll be our little secret." She whispered, winking at the twin. Suddenly pain ran through Melody's head. She screamed and clutched her head tightly. Flashes of magic, death eaters, and Voldemort buzzed through her head as she screamed through it.

"Mel? Lupin! Dad!" Fred yelled, trying to hold Melody as her body shook with pain as another wave hit her. "What is happening to her?" Fred asked, fear in his voice.

"I think...ahhh! I'm seeing the future." Mel screamed, squeezing her eyes shut. Hermionie ran in with Lupin and Arthur behind her.

"It's the yellow flash! She got hit but she said she was fine!" Hermionie explained to the group. Mel screamed again and fell to her knees. The pain was becoming too much as she saw flashes of Harry, Voldemort, and shadows fighting endlessly. Hermionie ducked out of the room quickly.

"She can't take much more!" Fred pleaded to his dad. Fred held Melody's crying head as another wave hit her. "Do something!" He yelled at the men just standing there.

Lupin looked lost, he had never seen this before. Arthur looked down at his son and Melody and looked just as lost as Lupin. "I think we have to let her ride it out." Hermionie said, returning to the living room, with a book in hand. Fred shook his head at Melody's cries, desperate to end her pain. "It's a temporary hex, it'll hurt bloody murder, but it will stop. They wanted her to see what future they had planned. Almost like a threat." She explained sadly.

Melody could barely breathe at this point; each wave hitting her harder than the last. Fred squeezed her to his chest, kissing her hair soothingly. A few minutes went by that felt like hours and the flashes finally stopped.

"Ow…" Melody whispered as Fred rocked her in his arms. "My brain feels melted."

"Fred, take her to your old room, she's probably exhausted. Everyone, give George some space too. We all must rest when we can." Molly ordered. The room emptied and Fred helped Mel up the stairs.

"Easy love, I've got you." Fred whispered, helping her into bed. Mel was silent but her body was shaking. He pulled the covers back and took off Mel's boots. She tried to take her shirt and jeans off but she was too weak. "I think sleeping in your clothes for tonight won't be a bad idea." Fred smiled, placing her boots on the ground.

"Help me please. I hate sleeping in jeans." Melody asked, her eyes tired. Fred froze and a flash of nervousness appeared. "You've seen me naked Fred. How is this any different?"

"I didn't have the threat of my mother barging in for one." He pointed out, shifting his weight on his feet. Mel rolled her eyes and waited for him to approach her. "Alright, here let me help."

"So I can add 'surviving a curse' to my resume." She joked but Fred was stoic. "Hey, I'm alright Fred."

"You and George. I could have lost you both." He whispered, anger and fear in his voice.

"You didn't though. We're alright. George is joking around and I'm...half-naked." Mel shrugged her shoulders.

"I can't lose you; either of you." Fred said as his eyes burned with unshed tears. "I won't survive it." Melody's eyes softened and reached for Fred's hands.

"Come here." Fred lay down beside her and heard her heart beating. "I'm alive. We'll be more careful and we will survive this war." She promised, brushing Fred's hair with her fingers. "Let's get some rest." The couple didn't take long to fall into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Melody was back in her fighting form; despite a slight headache. George was up and bandaged and making jokes with everyone around the table. Fred was unceremoniously quiet and Melody knew why; he was still thinking about George and Melody's injuries. "Hey, buck up. There's a wedding today; it's a happy occasion." Melody smiled, kissing Fred warmly.

"I'm sorry. I'll try harder to smile." He winked at her. The morning was spent setting up Bill and Fleur's wedding and Molly was almost impossible to please. Melody had managed to avoid her wrath for the most part but when it came to setting up the food; she made the mistake of placing the soft rolls too far from the jams and all hell broke loose.

"I'll take care of this! There is no time for mistakes. All must be perfect!" Molly wasn't Fleur's biggest fan so Melody could only imagine how she would be when Fred and her got married. Wait what? When? Melody shook her head clear of those thoughts and slipped out the kitchen before she was ordered to do anything more. It was time to get dressed anyway.

She chose a teal blue dress that stopped at her thighs. She was already tall so most dresses would stop at that length anyway. She slipped on her silver flats and silver teardrop earrings when she heard a knock at the door. Fred walked in with a small box in his hand. "You look beautiful already." He smiled warmly. Melody blushed and went to start on straightening her hair. "I have something for you."

"Oh? It's not my birthday love." Melody laughed.

"It doesn't have to be a special occasion for me to give you something." Fred rolled his eyes. "I've had this for a few weeks and I thought that the wedding would be a good time for you to wear it." He handed her the box and she opened it gently. Inside, a beautiful charm bracelet lay in the satin with a crescent moon shaped charm already latched on it. "I would never dream of giving you a necklace when I know how important that one is. So a bracelet was my option." Fred explained, seeing Melody blink away tears as she wrapped it around her wrist.

"I love it, thank you Fred." She sniffed, capturing his lips warmly. They walked down to the wedding and enjoyed the festivities.

Everyone took to the dance floor to enjoy this rare time of happiness as the music tranced the tent. Fred and melody clung to each other in a slow song. "I never thought I'd be this happy. With you, with this family, in this life. I owe this all to you Fred Weasley." Melody whispered,

"I'll only take partial credit; you made your own life and your own happiness. I'm just lucky enough to be involved." Fred corrected her, pulling her close to him. Suddenly a patronus appeared in the center of the dancefloor and announced that the Minister was dead and everyone was in danger. Death eaters surrounded the tent and started hexing the guests. "Melody!" Fred called her as the shadows separated them. Melody could see Hermionie, Ron and Harry apparate away to safety.

"Fred!" Melody screamed as a death eater grabbed her and pulled her into the apparition. Fred reached for her and just made it as they tumbled out onto a cold, stone floor. "Where are we?" She coughed as dust filled her lungs.

"Fear not my dear; we just want to ask you a few questions about your dear friend, Harry Potter." An eerily familiar screech sounded. Bellatrix Lestrange stood in front of the couple with an evil smirk on her face. Fred gulped as he reached for Melody but another death eater pulled him away from her. "And if we all cooperate, you'll live."