Stand Strong
By: Kryptonite
A/N: I updated, yay. This is the longest chapter I've ever had on Fanfiction, it's also the longest chapter in this whole story. Sorry but all the other chapters are going to be short. Just the way it wrote out.
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Two Days Later: New York- 4:46
Ron took a deep breath and knocked on the door in front of him, Hermione squeezing his other hand comfortingly and Harry standing in the back, shuffling his feet. The door swung open to reveal a girl two inches taller than Hermione with her red-streaked brown hair in a messy bun and dressed in bicycle shorts and something resembling a sports bra.
" Is Fred Weasley home?" Ron asked after swallowing and looking resolutely above the girls' head.
" Fred?" The girl who opened the door called back over her shoulder. " You have company and from the looks of it it's family."
" Go away!" A male voice called from behind several walls and at least one door.
" You heard the man." Ron, face set, moved to shove past the girl's outstretched arms.
" FRED! Move you stupid little mug-" She shoved him back before he got two feet.
" Finish that sentence. If you want in my house, don't insult me." With that she slammed the door and the group heard the sound of a deadbolt falling into place.
Seething, Ron tried to apparate into the apartment. He fell back seconds later, dizzy and disoriented. The door flew open on the trio.
" Consider that a warning. Next time you end up in Africa. I don't appreaciate people trying to apparate into my living room. Maybe if you try the whole knocking and asking nicely I'll let you in." She slammed the door again. Shaking his head, Harry stepped up and knocked.
" Sam? It's me Harry. Let me in please." The door opened again, but at a more moderate pace.
" Oh Harry, it's nice to finally meet you in person, this way please." She smiled and led the trio into the living.
" Thanks Sam."
" Can I get you anything? Something to eat, something to drink?"
" You can get us Fred." Ron was still trying to get his vision to stop tilting. Sam frowned once and walked into another room. The group of friends could hear voices arguing before Fred was rather roughly shoved from the room and into the back of Harry's chair.
" Hi guys." Harry, Hermione and Ron were shocked at Fred's new accent, or lack thereof.
" Hello Fred."
" Hi Harry. How have you been?"
" Good." Ron growled and lunged for Fred's throat.
" Immobilis!" The word rang from behind Fred and Ron froze in mid-leap.
Fred shook his head in sympathy and moved around Ron to sit in an empty chair, leaving everyone staring at Sam. Her eyes were blazing and her wand was quivering in her hand.
" You really shouldn't have done that."
" I was hoping I'd never have to use my magic again but you need a lesson in manners now sit down properly or you'll end up seeing Jupiter's rings very closely, understand?" She released Ron and tucked her wand back into an inside vest pocket.
" How have you been Hermione? Harry tells me you're a professor at Hogwarts." Fred tried to drag the attention away from his still quaking girl friend.
" Fine. Did, uh, Harry also tell you that, uh, Ron and I are engaged?" She tried to ask conversationally.
" Why did you run?" Ron asked, being as blunt as ever.
" It's good to see you again too Ron. How is everyone?"
" Don't play stupid Fred!" Ron roared. " How could you leave Harry like that? When he needed you the most?!" Sam came back in and handed Fred a teacup. She whispered something in his ear and he nodded.
" He didn't leave me Ron."
Ron was about to yell some more when Harry's words sank in. He slowly turned to look at his best friend. " Wha?"
" Fred it's time they knew the truth."
Sam molded herself into Fred's side and started whispering in his ear as his body went stiff and his eyes got this kind of wild look. The group noticed as Sam wiggled herself around on Fred's lap and eventually managed to drape almost her entire weight on his legs.
" You have to tell them eventually and don't even think of apparating." Sam said, sinking her fingers into his arms.
" Ow! Okay, okay. Ron I didn't leave Harry alone to fight Voldemort."
" You bloody well did and don't say his name!"
" VOLDEMORT!" Sam and Fred shouted together. Ron shuddered.
" He didn't Ron, honest. If not for Fred Voldemort would still be alive." Ron stared at his friend, speechless, which was getting to be quite a common sight. Taking a deep breath, Ron turned to Hermione.
Frowning he asked, " What's that?" And pointed at a box in her hands.
" I don't know." She muttered before opening it and pulling out the necklace. " Oh no!" A small sucking noise was heard and both Ginny and Draco were in the room.
" About bloody time you opened it."
" Ginny you tricked me!" Hermione accused looking over the back of the sofa at her friend. Ginny shrugged.
" Hey Fred."
" Hey Ginny."
" This is your little sister?" Sam asked, interested.
" Hi. I'm Ginny."
" Sam." The girls shook hands and then Draco and Ginny started looking around for a place to sit. " Oh, right." Sam waved her hands and two of the chairs from the kitchen dragged themselves into the room. Fred stared at the woman like she had grown a second head.
" What?"
" It's just-"
" Look, I've already used it once today, why not make the total higher?" She shrugged and readjusted her seat.
" So what were you talking about?" Ginny asked cheerfully from her seat.
" Voldemort." Ginny, Ron and Draco shuddered as if on cue.
" Oh come on." Sam said a little disgusted.
" What about he-who-shall-not-"
" NO! If you are going to be in my house, well, er, area, you are going to use the man's proper name. Not any of this 'he-who-shall-not-be-named' crap. Got it?" Everyone nodded their heads as Sam started muttering.
" What about… Voldemort?" Ginny whispered out. Draco draped his arm over her shoulder and she leaned closer to him for comfort.
" I didn't kill him." Harry said rather loudly to draw attention to how serious he was. Ginny started laughing anyway.
" Oh Harry, you've been saying that for four years now. Of course you did." Her giggles slowly died. " Didn't you?"
" No. I did not."
" But he's dead. We saw his body. He's gone." Ginny was starting to get hysterical.
" I killed him." Fred's voice was quiet but clearly heard. The sound of a ringing phone shattered the silence that had settled.
" Excuse me." Everyone was silent as Sam answered the phone in the kitchen.
" Hello?… What?… No, no. I didn't say that… Of course not!… What!… No I… I can't… No I'm not avoiding it… I just… this isn't a good time… Please…"
" What do you mean, you killed him?" Hermione asked calmly as everyone tried to obey Sam's obvious wishes and ignore her half of the phone conversation.
" Harry fell. I was laying right there, right next to him and I could still get up. I told Harry to stay down and when Voldemort turned I stood up and cast the spell." Fred looked down at his hands as the people in front of him tried to absorb this information.
The sound of banging pots and pans was heard in the kitchen followed by a very audible, " Shit!" Fred stood up and walked back into the kitchen to talk to Sam.
" What happened?"
" I just cut my finger." The other people didn't want to listen but couldn't find anything to say so they stayed quiet.
" What's really wrong?" Their voices drifted from the open kitchen door.
" Nothing." Sam's voice was strained and Fred caught her shoulders.
" I know you better than I know my own hand. Something's wrong."
" Jules." Fred closed his eyes and opened them.
" What'd she say this time?" Sam only got this flustered when her sister called.
" She wants me to baby-sit. Apparently Richard got these absolutely to die for tickets. They'll be gone for a week and guess who gets the kids. Just guess."
" Us." He guessed brightly.
" Bingo. I can't do this. Not now." Fred pulled Sam into his arms, stroking her hair.
" We'll do fine. We had the kids that one weekend a couple of months ago."
" But Jules didn't know about you then. I can't have the kids lie to her when she knows you exist and are living with me."
" So don't ask them to. Just give them a happy… rose-colored version." He suggested. Sam shook her head.
" No magic. From either of us, or anyone else, while they're here. Do you understand that?"
" Yes ma'am."
" Good, come on." With a sigh, she led Fred back into the living room. Just as the two were settling down a knock was on the door.
" It can't be. Not already!" Sam cried, exasperated. Walking to the door she opened it to her sister.
" Kids!" Jules called down the hall before looking at Sam.
" Talk about advanced warning." Fred muttered.
" What if I had said no?"
" You did say no, sister dearest, yet here we are." She finally got a look at the room's occupants. " This isn't one of those swing things is it? Cause you're about one short and I really don't want my kids exposed to that kind of thing."
Sam's face turned a red color to beat any Weasley blush.
" James, Maxine get in here quick before mommy decides to get her face smashed in!" Once the kids were in the room Sam avoided having to hit her sister by literally slamming the door in her face.
Everyone heard the 'ow' from Jules as the door hit her square in the nose.
" Alright you two, do me a favor and go get the guest room ready, okay?" She asked them cheerfully.
" Okay!" The two ran into the next room.
" And be nice!" She called after them. Another knock and Sam opened the door to an elderly gentleman.
" Hey Sam."
" Hey daddy." The two hugged quick and her father shoved another two bags into the room by the door.
" Thanks for doing this kid."
" Big problem but I'm happy to do it. More junk?"
" Yep." The two hugged again and he walked away, hands in his pockets and whistling.
" Have fun on the cruise!" Sam called before shutting the door.
" More junk?" Fred asked, slightly incredulous.
" Of course. Dad hates mom for kicking me out after… well… that's not important. Anyway, this just means more money." Fred turned back to the five confused people sitting around him.
" Antiques for the pawn shop." He explained, shrugging away Sam's glee at what was in the bag.
They started talking about anything that led them away from the subject that Harry was not the destroyer of the most feared wizard of the generation when Sam let out a soft, appreciative sigh.
" What is it?" Fred asked, looking at the girl on the floor.
" I can't believe my dad took this. She is so going to kill him."
" Kill him for what?" Fred got up and sat next to her, rummaging through the contents of the bag.
" This." She showed him a jewelry box in which there was three pairs of diamond studs on what appeared to be silver posts, two amazing necklaces which had a mixture of multicolored gems and to top it off, five of the biggest and brightest rings Fred had ever seen.
Sam wriggled out the smallest ring, a simple ruby, and slid it on her finger. " These were mom's pride and joy. I was supposed to get this when I graduated high school but I went to the Salem academy instead. Do you have any idea how much this one ring alone is worth?"
" No, and I'm not letting you sell that ring."
" But-" Sam looked horror-stricken at the command.
" No buts. You can sell the other stuff and if you don't want the ring I'll hang on to it but you aren't selling the ruby." Piercing her lips she nodded and handed the ruby over to Fred, who promptly pocketed it.
" Still poor as ever, huh Weasley?" The words left Draco's mouth before he could think twice. Ginny hit him squarely in the stomach.
" We're doing just fine."
" Then why-"
" Doing just fine and living in the lap of luxury are two different things. Not to mention we don't need these items so if we sell them we can save more money for a better apartment or even a house."
" Oh." Draco decided to leave his mouth shut after the scolding he had just received from Sam.
" So you want to take the kids while I go sell this junk or should I take them?" Sam asked, getting over the initial disappointment of losing the money the ring would provide and ignoring Draco's cutting remarks.
" James, Max come in here please!" Fred called, ignoring for the moment that anyone else was in the apartment. The kids came running in giggling and laughing and launched themselves into Fred and Sam's laps.
" Yes?" They breathed out between laughs.
" Do you want to walk around downtown with Aunt Sam or do you want to stay with Uncle Fred?"
" Uncle Fred!" " Aunt Sam!" The two looked at each other and both changed their answers.
" You wanna go with me James?" The little boy nodded his head. " You wanna stay here Maxie?" His twin nodded her head. " It's settled then. Is your room ready yet?"
" No." They chorused, embarrassed.
" Okay. Finish that and then I'll take you with me, okay James?"
" Okay." The kids ran back into the other room and started situating their junk.
" Anyway one of us could convince you to tell other people the truth?" Hermione asked, smiling after the twins.
" No."
" Fred." Sam admonished.
" What? Do you want owls flying at us from every direction? Or reporters like Rita Skeeter on our doorstep?"
" No, but the world has a right to know. And you have a right to go home without your family thinking you turned tail and ran."
" I'm not telling, we've been over this."
" Fine. James, you ready?" Sam had pulled the half cart out again and shoved the duffel bag into the bottom.
" Coming!" He shouted about three minutes before he actually peeled out of the room. Laughing at his enthusiasm, Sam picked him up and spun him around after he once more launched himself up into her arms.
" Let's get this over with. I'll teach you how to negotiate with stupid people." Their eyes seemed to glow in anticipation. Fred walked over and snagged a kiss on both their cheeks before they started to the door, Sam carrying James and pulling the cart behind her.
" Uncle Fred!" Max called from the guestroom.
" Coming. Uh… I'll be right back." Fred half-smiled/shrugged in apology. " What is it, sugar plum?" The little girl's laughter tinkled throughout the apartment.
" Sheets."
" Ahhhh!" Fred said. The uncomfortable group could hear him struggling with something. " Now that that is done, come meet my friends." Fred came back out with Maxine in his arms.
" Hello." Ginny and Hermione smiled kindly at the little girl who turned and buried her face into Fred's shoulder. Even the boys had to smile at that cute gesture.
" Maxie, this is Ginny and Ron and they're my little brother and sister." Max peeked her head out and looked the two redheads over before falling on purpose out of Fred's arms and into their laps.
" Cute kid." Harry said, watching as Ron's face turned from a happy-go-lucky look to one of pure terror.
" Maxie, this is Hermione, Draco, and Harry." Fred said, after kneeling down and prying her from around Ron. " Sweetie, isn't it time for your nap?" Fred asked, looking at the girl who resolutely turned into a picture of innocence.
" No." She said, lying through her teeth.
" Okay. Come sit with Uncle Fred." She did and almost instantly fell asleep.
" So what's the deal with the kids?"
" They're Sam's sisters, Jules. We watch them a lot."
" They seem awful thin." Fred's face contorted in anger but smoothed back out when Maxine moaned in discomfort.
" We've been trying for three years now to get custody. She starves them. I'm surprised they aren't worse off than they are now."
" That's dreadful."
" We even have proof of what she's doing but the courts won't accept it as evidence."
" Why not?"
" Insubstantial or some crap like that." Fred shrugged and leaned back into the La-Z-boy recliner.
" What kind of proof?"
" Video, audio and witnesses."
" Witnesses?"
" The servants in their mansion." Fred sneered the words 'mansion' but stopped himself from saying anything else.
" And they're calling that insubstantial?" Hermione looked ready to burst.
" Yes. Sam and I keep trying to find out… if they even have a little bit of… well… it doesn't matter." Fred mumbled wiping at the single tear that threatened to spill over.
" Little bit of what?" Hermione's eyes dawned in comprehension.
" If they even have a little bit of magic you can take this to wizard law and get the kids that way."
" Except it doesn't matter because Jules and her husband would never obey them."
" That could be a problem." Maxine stirred and blinked up at Fred owlishly.
" I don't want to go back." She whispered. Fred just brushed a lock of hair off her face and started rocking her back and forth.
" I know you don't sweetie. We don't have a choice." He whispered, eyes misting over. He kissed her forehead and she drifted back into unconsciousness.
" There's nothing you can do?" Ginny asked, a little desperate, now that this child had plucked so unmercifully at her heartstrings.
" Anything we do, we want to do it following the muggle rules."
" Makes sense, really. Since wizards can't reveal themselves to muggles, the Ministry wouldn't be able to have a say in this if their parents went to the Muggle Courts to get them returned. You'd probably be charged with kidnapping." Hermione mused. " Maybe Dumbledore could help?" She suggested, but Fred just shook his head no.
" We want to do this under our own steam. Once we get a better place to live, we stand a better chance."
" Can't the twins act as witnesses?" Ron asked, ignoring the part of him that wanted to scream that Fred shouldn't have left all those years ago. This change in environment had done him some good.
" Sam doesn't want them too. She knows how they'll react."
" How?"
" We tried using them in a court battle once two years ago, when we first started this. We presented all the evidence to the judge, brought forward a few of the more personal servants who really loved the kids. The judge ruled that Maxie and James would stay with their parents."
" What happened?"
" When everyone was getting up to leave Maxie started screaming bloody murder and crying her eyes out. She almost refused to let go of Sam. Sam promised that we'd do something to get them out. James ended up walking back, holding her hand and refusing to let the tears fall."
" That's awful." Draco pulled Ginny closer after her words. The door started to open and let Sam and James back in. James was sleeping soundly on the bottom of the cart, cushioned by half a dozen blankets.
" We're back." Sam whispered, not wanting to wake James. Fred looked out the window and noticed that it was almost pitch-black outside.
" What time is it?" He asked motioning to the sleeping lump that was his honorary niece.
" Eight thirty." Fred winced as Sam picked the little weight off of his lap and went to place her in the bed she was going to be sharing with her brother.
" We should go." Harry said, going to stand up.
" I wish I could offer you a place to stay but we don't have enough room." Sam said, coming out of the guestroom.
" It's okay, we have a hotel room we were planning on sharing."
" How about Harry stays here on the couch and the four of you go on to the hotel?" Fred suggested.
" That works." Ron sighed not wanting to think how they'd divide up the beds.
" Yeah, come on let's go." Hermione, Ron, Draco and Ginny stepped out of the door before apparating to the hotel lobby.
" Thanks Harry." Sam said, pulling the younger boy into a hug.
" For what?" He asked, confused.
" For telling them. Fred needed this." She whispered, hoping Fred wouldn't hear her.
" I did not need this, thank you very much." He said indignantly.
" Yes you did. Here you go Harry, some blankets and a pillow. The couch isn't very comfortable but it's all we have to offer. Night Harry."