The question left the twins silent in thought. They didn't know what to tell their mother and what to hide until she was in a better condition.
"Well." Fred started then hesitated, looking to his brother for help, and George continued after him. "Our Familial bond with you lit up when you woke up so we flooed here to see you."
"Yes but how did you floo? And why didn't Molly -who I'm guessing is your guardian- come with you?"
"You're right about the Aunt Molly part, but as for why she didn't come with us, well…she doesn't really…know we're here." Fred answered slowly, growing really quiet at the end.
That made Victoria pause, and she shared a look with her friends before she asked in a calm and soft tone. "Why doesn't she know, Freddy?"
"Because well…" Fred drifted at the end, not knowing what to say to that question5.
"She wouldn't have allowed us to come!" George said hurriedly, looking furious and sad at the prospect. Their reaction and words worried Victoria immensely. What had Molly done to her sweet boys?
"Why not? You have a right to see your mother when she wakes up." Alice asked softly, feeling like she was walking on eggshells with how careful she was being.
"Well. Aunt Molly doesn't really…like us that much." The two said at the same time, reverting to speaking in unison as their defense mechanism when nervous.
"Is that so?" Victoria said calmly, making everyone tense at that. You don't want to cross a Potter when they're calm, and the two Longbottoms knew that all too well.
"Well it's not that bad. I mean she treats us a little meaner than she does with Ron or Ginny, but she did that with Bill, Charlie and Percy too, so we're used to it. Promise." Fred rambled from nervousness, worried about his mother's reaction. While he knew deep down that his mother was nothing like his aunt, he couldn't help but subconsciously think that she would treat them the same. But he was proven wrong by her next words.
"Oh, darlings. I'm not mad at you, not at all. I'm mad at Molly for treating you wrongly. And believe me, she'll pay for whatever she did to you two." Victoria said fiercely, eyes shining with love and protectiveness for her two sons. The twins had never seen someone look at them like that, or said something like that in defense of them, but they liked how it made them feel safe and loved. She pulled them into yet another hug -she'd never get enough of hugging her boys- and ran her hand through their hair in comfort, knowing that they used to like it when they were young, well younger. The two sighed in happiness at the action and their heads subconsciously moved towards her hands.
Once they pulled away, Victoria straightened in determination and looked at her two friends with a glint in her eyes that told them she had a plan.
"We're getting out of here today, and I know exactly who'll help us."
Dowager-Lady Augusta Longbottom rushed into the Janus Thickey ward, or not exactly rushed as that was unbecoming of a lady of her status, she more like walked hurriedly into the ward.
She had just gotten a call from her son and his wife's Healer, asking her to come to the Hospital immediately. She had put on her going out clothes in the nick of time and rushed to the Hospital, not telling her grandson anything, as she feared that the call meant her Frank and Alice were-, she couldn't think of that now though as she made her way through the hospital and to the damned ward that housed three of the most important people in her life, her beloved son, his lovely wife and her precious God-daughter. She sure hoped the news wasn't also about Victoria, as that would break her heart into tinier pieces than it already was in.
Augusta had lost many in her life, especially during the end of the war. She had lost her closest friend, Lady Dorea Potter, her Husband Christopher, her best friend's two children-her goddaughter Victoria had fallen into a coma and James had passed away-, and her son and his wife had lost their sanity due to being tortured, but she had still held out hope for Victoria, Frank and Alice, as they still had life in them, but if she found out today that she had lost one of them, she didn't know how she'd handle it.
And so, she walked into the ward purposefully, keeping her expression as cold as she always did even though she was filled with anxiety on the inside. As soon as she walked in, however, her mask crumpled as she was greeted by a sight she'd never thought she'd see again. Frank, Alice and Victoria were sitting cross-legged on a bed with Victoria's twin sons, their heads huddled together as they seemed to be discussing something. As soon as they heard her shocked gasp, they turned to her and their faces lit up in smiles at the sight of the normally fierce woman, their smiles softening as they saw the normally composed woman with tears streaming down her face, smile wobbly as she laid her eyes on them.
"Oh mum." Frank said softly, standing up with little struggle and going over to take his mother into his arms, hugging her tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder. He felt his own tears fall at the agony his mother must have felt from the ten years he's been…away.
Victoria also stood up, with a little help from George as she was a little weaker than the other two, and walked over to her Godmother, who pulled her into the hug when she was close enough.
After they had reunited, and Alice had gotten a hug from her mother-in-all, the adults sat on the floor, except for Augusta who sat on one of the beds, and the twins sat on either side of their mother, both leaning against her as she put her arms around them. Victoria immediately began explaining her plan.
"Look, I don't know what happed these past few years, but what I do know, what I was told by Healer Goldstein doesn't make much sense. So I…" Frank and Alice gave her a look that made her change her words "We need to get out of this hospital as soon as possible. I'm also not allowing my sons to go back to Molly without me."
Augusta immediately understood that Molly had done something to the twins, especially from the way the two boys hid against their mother at the mention of the woman's name.
"And I will help however I can. Tell me what you need." Augusta said, looking at her God-daughter with a determined look in her eyes.
"I have an idea, but we'll need Amelia's help as well."
Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, had been peacefully going through her large stack of paperwork in her office at the Ministry of Magic when she got a call she hadn't been expecting.
"Amelia!" A voice said, surprising her so much that Amelia jumped, her quill flying from her hand as she turned towards the noise and found Augusta Longbottom staring at her and trying to hold in her laughter.
"Oh, Aunt Augusta." Amelia sighed, smiling lightly and rolling her eyes at the woman's silent laughter.
"Hello dear." Augusta said lightly, smiling slightly at the woman. "How are you doing?"
"I'm doing well."
"That's good. I wanted to ask if you were available to come to the hospital."
"Is there something wrong?" Amelia said in concern, as that statement could mean a lot of things.
"No dear. I just needed to tell you something about Alice and Frank." Augusta said with a serious face, worrying Amelia greatly.
"Are they okay?"
"Yes, they're fine. When are you free however?"
"I can take my lunch break now and come through the floo." And so, after Augusta had removed her head, Amelia got off her chair and went towards her fireplace, throwing the green powder into the fire and getting into the fire. She called out "St. Mungo's Hospital" and spun around, walking out of the Hospital's fireplace on the other side.
As soon as she arrived, she passed the receptionist's desk without a second thought, climbing the stairs and walking through the halls towards the Janus Thickey ward. She did all of this while lost in thought, and didn't notice what she was doing until she found herself in front of the door. She got in and was immediately brought into someone's arms. She was about to push this person away when she heard the person say one word.
"Amy!" Those words, from the voice that she'd recognize anywhere, caused tears to fall from her eyes.
"Aly!" Amelia said, hugging her sister tightly as they both sobbed into each other's shoulders.
They all sat on the floor in a circle, the twins had fallen asleep leaning against their mother and she didn't want to wake them up so she let them sleep for the time being. Augusta still sat on the bed, and they were discussing what they would need to do.
"I believe everyone here knows as well as I that a lot of things in the story of the fall of Voldemort is unbelievable. Especially the part about Sirius, which makes me believe that my adopted brother was illegally imprisoned, and that is just unacceptable. I also don't know where my nephew is, which makes me very worried."
"The last thing I remember is that he was sent to relatives in the muggle world?" Frank said with a questioning tone, unsure of the fact.
"He was sent to Lily Evans' muggle sister." Amelia replied simply.
"What?! Why?" Victoria asked, shocked and indignant by the news.
"Well, aside from you, she's his other aunt apparently." Amelia said, her tone unsure as she knew subconsciously that that wasn't true but this was what had been told to everyone in the Wizengamot.
"I beg your pardon!" Victoria said in surprise, eyes widening at the words. "I'll have you know that my brother never married that woman! Amelia you know this, James's wife was Aurelia Malfoy." As if that was the secret spell, Amelia was immediately overwhelmed with memories that had been erased from her mind.
"Oh, I'm going to kill that man." Amelia said in anger, eyes closed as she saw flashed of her real memories.
"Get in line." Alice and Victoria muttered at the same time, sharing a smirk.
"Let me guess." Frank said with a sarcastic tone. "Albus Dumbledore erased everyone's memories of Aurelia."
"How did you know?"
"Because Dumbledore was the reason Alice and I were here for ten years."