A week had gone by and Fred was still at it. Small things that wouldn't cause anyone permanent harm but were driving Lydia crazy. She didn't know that Fred and George were prankster kings as far back as anyone could remember. That they had gone into business selling others pranks and spreading mischief whenever possible.

So, when her socks turned colors and made near permanent stains on her legs, when her shower head suddenly had icicles on it, when her clothes would spontaneously change in size as she ate in the grand hall, when the door to her rooms disappeared completely and she couldn't get in, she knew who to blame. But the last straw was the staff meeting and the constant loud indigestion noises coming from her chair.

Lydia stormed off to the room of requirement where she could shout obscenities to her hearts content at the top of her voice. "Fred Weasley you come here this instant!"

"HA! I thought you said you can't summon the dead?" He was laughing at her. "I'm not going to stop until you help me, so get used to it!"

Lydia growled and exploded with a special stunning spell on the whole room. She felt Fred float by her unable to move. Spinning and bobbing about like a speck of dust in a sunbeam. Now it was her turn to laugh. "Don't bother trying to move. You'll stay that way until I release you. You may be just a spirit here, but you exist as a solid on the astral plain. I can land any spell I like on you and there's nothing you can do about it. How would you like to spend the next decade as a wall ornament? Now this is my last warning. Leave me alone or suffer the consequences, and just to make sure you've received my message, you'll stay this way the rest of the week!"

Lydia knew he had no idea of how long a week was anymore, but it would do her a world of good to know she didn't need to check her shoes for mice until she released him.

oopOqoo

It was a lovely quiet week without Fred being a pest. She released him and he didn't bother her again at the end of it. Things were settling down and she was once again relaxing in her rooms when there was a very timid knock on her door. She almost missed it as she was very engaged with her book. But there it was again. Someone tapping gently as if they weren't sure that they wanted to talk to her.

Lydia sighed, put her book down and went to the door. It was Hermione. She looked pale and tired. Lydia was immediately concerned that she was having some kind of side effect from being, you know, dead, eight months ago. "Hermione? Are you okay?"

She looked at Lydia with a helpless indecision. "I need to talk to you Lydia, about a friend."

Lydia stepped aside and led her to the couch and helped her very pregnant friend to sit. "Would you like a cup of tea?" She'd learned by now that everything can be solved for Brits with a cup of tea. Hermione nodded quietly. Going to the kitchen she set it up. By the time she came back Hermione looked as if she wanted to bolt. "For heaven's sake Hermione! What is it? You know I consider us friends after what we went through. You can ask me anything."

She took a sip and seemed encouraged. "Yes, we are friends, but… Do you remember when you told me about Fred's message to George?" Lydia rolled her eyes, Fred again, she sighed agreeing. "Well, I decided to tell him. He didn't react the way I was expecting. I kinda thought he would be angry and tell me to get out, but he didn't. He was very sad at first and then he smiled. I haven't seen George smile since the war. He thanked me for telling him and then he looked at the ceiling and said, "You got it bro." It got me to thinking we might be able to help Molly, his mother, as well. She has been getting steadily worse over the past several months, almost catatonic now. We've tried everything to pull her out of it, but nothing works. Something tells me this is more than just Fred. I don't know what to do. If she doesn't snap out of it, they will have to send her to St. Mungos." Her eyes were filled with unshed tears and hope. The way she said it, was like she didn't expect her to ever come out again.

Lydia owed Hermione a life debt when she'd saved Lydia from Bellatrix, though she had never mentioned it. The debt weighed on her now. "I'm not sure what I can do Hermione."

Hermione sighed deeply. "Please try Lydia. Molly is my friend. They are all in so much pain. We can't bear it anymore."

Now it was Lydia's turn to sigh heavily. "I will try Hermione. If you think they would be open to it. But… I don't want to, you know, get hexed. People in pain can lash out."

Hermione smiled "I'll be there, and I'll talk to Severus about coming too."

Allies are a good thing. The more the better. "How about the rest of the family? Do you think they would be open to being there for support, for me as well as her?"

She thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, but I will find out before we arrange for you to come. Is there anything you need? We'll have to do this at the burrow. She's too fragile to bring here. So many bad memories."

She thought for a moment. "No, there's nothing I need but cooperation. If I get the slightest hint of anger from her, it's off."

Hermione nodded understanding. Fred had obviously gone around me to her subconscious. The man was determined I'll give him that.

oopOqoo

Hermione was true to her word and called a gathering of the family, except Molly of course, at Harrys house. Minerva would be staying with her until it was settled. Hermione stood before them all not really knowing how to say what they needed to hear, so they would believe her. "Thank you all for coming. I… We must… Molly is getting worse, I think we all can see that. I am not family and it's not really my place to interfere, but she is my friend, my… my mother too, now that my own is gone." Tears filled her eyes, but she willed them away to speak. "If allowed to continue she will need to be hospitalized. I know someone who might be able to help, but she is afraid you will react badly to her advice." She scanned the faces around the kitchen table. They seemed open to anything that could help. "I know George is aware because we have already talked, but have any of you heard about the new Divination professor at Hogwarts? Her name is Lydia Thornwood."

Hermione decided to just jump in and let them get the yelling out of their system. "She can speak to the dead."

No sooner had she said it, when an uproar of disbelief rattled the cupboards. Hermione let them rage and then slammed her hand loudly on the table. "That's enough." It was spoken quietly but with conviction. "I know it sounds absurd. I know you are all questioning my sanity right now, but listen to me." They were silent for her out of respect, but none of them believed her. "When she first came to Hogwarts I was a skeptic. I mocked her and didn't believe in her any more than Trelawney… Until the night she saved Severus and I from Bellatrix Lestrange." There were puzzled looks around the table, but at least they weren't shouting. Hermione looked to Severus standing there, her refuge and strength, forever by her side. He looked lovingly at her in reassurance and then took over the story from there.

Severus stood tall and confident to address them in full professor mode. "I'm going to tell you what happened. I don't care if you believe me nor not, it's totally inconsequential to me how this is received, but you have my word, it is all true." Severus told the whole story, from the time Lydia stopped them in the great hall until Hermione lay in his arms, back from the dead.

The room was silent as they accepted what he had to say. Harry left immediately after and came back with a bottle of firewhiskey and a dozen glasses.