Chapter two
Time
Apart:
Fred didn't know where he was going
to go, all he knew was that he needed to be away from George! He
needed time to clear his mind. After leaving George, Fred just
started walking with no idea of where he was going. The night was
bright with the stars and the moon, but Fred didn't even notice. The
wind was picking up a little, and to Fred, it was a feeling of
refreshment. The cool breeze helped him to relax, if only for a
minunte. He didn't understand these feelings of jealousy. He had
always shared every thing with George, but how do you share a woman?
George was always the girls favorite even when they were going to
school at Hogwarts. Fred had never cared about that before because
it never lasted. They had shared every thing. Fred was starting to
feel guilty as he walked around aimlessly.
As
Fred roamed aimlessly around Hogsmeade, George had headed home. He
still couldn't figure out what had happened today that would make
Fred want to be by himself. As he opened the door to their apartment
and walked in, for the first time in George's life, he felt alone and
he didn't like the feeling. George thought back to all the things he
had done to Fred and none of them seemed so bad that Fred would want
to be alone. He had drank the last of the juice that morning and he
had forgotten to get more milk, but that stuff happened all the time.
He had borrowed some robes but they always did that kind of stuff.
It didn't last long though when the thought of Jenna came to his
head. He remembered how lovely she looked and what a wonderful smile
she had and her scent. Wow, he thought as he remembered the way she
smelled. He had all but forgotten about Fred as he sat on the couch
thinking about Jenna. That was until...his mother's head appeared in
the fireplace.
"Hello, boys. How was your day at work?"
asked Molly in that concerned tone of hers.
George thought it
was strange how their mum knew just when one of them needed her.
"Hello, Mum. Today went pretty well. Sales are at a all time
high."
"Where is Fred? What is going on?"
"Mum to tell you the truth, I don't know where Fred is.
We are twenty three now!"
"I knew it, I just knew
it," she said with a sigh. "I've been having this strange
feeling all evening. I had hoped I was wrong, or at the least , it
was Bill or Charlie I should worry about. I should have known it was
you two, " Molly stated matter of factly. "Ever since the
two of you were born, I've had to keep an eye on you. So where is
Fred? What happened? Why didn't he come home with you after work? Is
he all right? How could you just let him go without finding out
what's wrong? What is wrong?" Now Molly was getting a little
worked up.
"Mum, I don't know where Fred is or why he
didn't want to come home with me after work. He seemed himself."
George thought back and realized he had just lied to his mum. Fred
wasn't all right, and George knew it. They had always come home from
work together.
"Well ,why not? You're is brother. What
if something happens to him? What if some one mugs him, or worse,
what if a Death Eater gets him? You know they want to get those in
the you know what!" She had become frantic now. She knew the
boys had never been apart like this before and wanted to know what
had happened to make Fred leave and not go home with George.
"Mum,
I asked him if he wanted me to join him! He said no. I can't just
follow him around anyway! I'm waiting up for him, and if he doesn't
get home soon I will go out and look for him. Mum we are adults, you
know, and Fred can take care of himself." George hadn't thought
about the Death Eaters, since it had mostly died down now that Harry
had defeated Voldemort, but there were still those out there who
wanted the Order to pay as well as Harry. That made George a little
nervous.
"Well I hope you're right. You just call me as
soon as he comes back, and I mean right when he gets back."
"I
will Mum, don't worry." Even though George was starting to.
"I'll have him call you the minute he walks in the door."
"You
better."
And just like that Molly was gone. George had
forgotten to tell his mother about the woman he had met today and how
lovely she was. Oh well, he thought there would be time for that as
soon as Fred got home.
Fred had finally
gotten tired of just walking around, so he found a nice place near
the shrieking shack to stop and take a break. He just laid there and
thought about the woman who had stolen his heart. Why did George have
to like her too? That was his main problem. This was the first time
that either one of them had ever really looked at a woman before.
Fred could tell by the look on George's face that he felt the some
thing as he himself did. But what to do about it? George was his
brother, his twin brother for that matter, and it was George who put
up more of a fight to get to know the girl. Fred thought that maybe
he should just give up on her. Until he accidentally bumped into her
on his way home.
Just outside the Three Broomsticks , Fred
accidentally bumped into someone.
"I'm sorry. I guess I
wasn't watching where I was going." He then recognized the
smell and the face. It was the woman from the store, the one that
had stolen his heart and had caused him all this pain.
"Sure,
you didn't see me!" she laughed. "I only told you I was
going to meet my parents here for dinner or did you forget about me
already?" asked Jenna.
"No, how could I forget a
face like yours?" Fred just realized that Jenna must think he is
George. He decided not to correct her either.
"Thank
you! So, what are you out doing tonight? And where is your brother,
what was his name again? Fred, wasn't it, right?"
"He
went home. I thought it was too beautiful of a night to spend cooped
up in our apartment, so I decided to go for a walk. I had almost
forgotten that you would be here with your parents. So where are your
parents?" He couldn't help himself, he wanted to tell her the
truth but that wasn't what came out of his mouth. He used to do this
as a kid and once in a while to their mum as a joke, but he had never
lied to someone like this about his identity.
"Yes, it
is a beautiful night for a walk. My parents went home for the
evening."
"Would you like to go for a walk with me?"
"Sure, I would love to."
George
was really starting to get worried. Hours had past and the time was
getting late. He figured if his brother wasn't home in an hour he
would go out to try and find him. He hoped his brother had only gone
to Harry's or one of the other families' houses. He doubted the
latter, otherwise Mum probably would have known. Bad thoughts
started to creep in his head as he thought of all the possibilities
of what could have happened. George knew he didn't have to worry
about Lucius Malfoy, since he was locked up in Azkaban, but there was
always Draco and his group of thugs.
"So,
you and your brother own that shop?" asked Jenna.
"Yes,
and we even sell some of our own products. Fred is the smart one, he
came up with alot of our ideas. Why haven't I seen you around here
before? I mean you must have gone to school, but I don't remember you
at Hogwarts?" Fred asked her. He still hadn't figured out a way
to tell her who he really was and he didn't know if he wanted to. He
also felt a little guilty of making himself look better than George.
They had both worked hard to get the shop open and their products
made.
"I did go to Hogwarts for my first and
second year, but then Dumbledore was asked to step down by the
Ministry, and my parents decided to pull me out. They were worried
with Dumbledore gone that He Who Must Not Be Named might show up and
take over the school. I was home schooled after that. Oh, I know who
you are now!"
Fred became very worried; he thought that
Jenna had figured out that he wasn't who he said he was.
"
You and your brother were well known around Hogwarts. I can't believe
I didn't figure it out sooner. I hear you two raised some heck when
you were still in school. I didn't see it, but is it true that you
two flew right out of Hogwarts? I was already back at home but I
heard about it."
"Yes, that was also Fred's idea and
a good one at that. We couldn't stay there without Dumbledore. Plus
we already had the money to start our joke shop. Let's just say
neither one of us did well on our O.W.L.S. and we knew that our
N.E.W.T.S. wouldn't be any better." So she had gone to Hogwarts
for a time and that also meant she was younger than his sister by
two years, but he didn't care. He just loved being with her even if
it meant he had to lie to her about who he really was.
Jenna
looked down at her watch. "Oh my, I didn't realize what time it
was I have to be getting home. I have to get to bed, I have to go to
work in the morning. It was nice talking to you again George.,"
she said as she took out a piece of parchment from her purse and
wrote down her number and how to get a hold of her. "Will you
call me some time? I would really like to get to know you better."
"Ah, yeah, that would be great.," Fred said as he
took the paper from her. Now he really knew he was in love with her
and the worst thing was she thought he was his brother.
Jenna
gave Fred a kiss on the check and then she Apparated away.
Fred
touched his cheek where she had kissed him. He never wanted this
feeling to go away, but he knew it had to. She thought he was George
for goodness sake. How was he going to face his brother now? He
didn't know. All he did know was that he wanted to spend more time
with Jenna and get to know her better. He figured with time, he would
eventually tell her the truth, and hoped that she wouldn't be too
upset.
Fred decided it was getting late, and that he also had
to work tomorrow and that he'd better get home. He decided to walk
instead of Apparating. He need the time to think of what he was going
to tell George about his whereabouts . He knew he couldn't tell him
the truth.
Fred had finally got home and was just starting to
turn the door handle when the door was thrown open.
"Where
have you been? Did you know that Mum called, and she is worried about
where you are? What happened today? This isn't like you and I know
because I spend all my time with you.," screamed George. He had
just been about ready to go out and look for Fred.
"Sorry!
I just wanted some time alone. That,s our problem, we spend too
much time together. Have you ever stopped to think about all the time
we spend together? Too much. How are we ever going to meet other
people and settle down like Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione? I mean,
even Percy dates once in awhile. So do Bill and Charlie for that
matter. Other than the Yule Ball, when have either one of us gone
out on a date? I'll call Mum and let her known I'm home. Then I'm
going to bed, all that walking around has worn me out!'
"Yeah,
you better call Mum. I guess I never stopped to think of that before.
You know Fred you might just be right." George was thinking of
Jenna. Unknown to him ,so was his brother. "So, you realized I
liked that girl that was in the shop today, then?"
George
couldn't believe his brother knew about that and was glad that he did
and that he understood. He just wish Fred had come to him sooner
about it. That must have been what was bugging Fred. He knew that
George liked that girl and he didn't want George to be the one to
bring up the fact that they needed to start seeing people. George was
so happy. He couldn't believe his brother would do some thing like
this for him.
"Um, yeah, well I better go and call
Mum." Fred had to get away. He just couldn't face his brother
right now not with that kiss still lingering on his cheek. He went
over to the fireplace to call Mum.
