Annabelle felt her hands shake and gripped the chair arms tightly in her fists. Her eyes were fixed firmly on the woman in front of her. Being shorter than five feet tall, Dolores Umbridge hardly towered over Anna in the chair, but that didn't make her any less terrifying. Her bulging, blue eyes glinted coldly with an insane sparkle, as if she was very much looking forward to making Anna talk in any way she could. Her wide mouth was stretched in an eager, maniacal grin that emphasized the wrinkles on her flabby face. But the most terrifying thing about her in that moment was the incredibly short wand gripped in Umbridge's stubby, ring-adorned fingers. There's nothing more terrifying than being at the mercy of an armed psychopath.
Anna shifted her arms a bit, instinctively wanting to get away from this woman, but the rough ropes chafed against her skin and she knew that she was stuck.
"Now, are you ready to talk, Ms. Black?" Umbridge asked in a cold voice.
Anna swallowed thickly, trying to stop herself from trembling with fear as she glanced at the tip of Umbridge's wand.
"I don't know where any of them are." Anna insisted, her voice shaking like the rest of her.
"Ah, but if you did, you said you wouldn't tell me anyway." Umbridge reminded her sadistically. "So how can I possibly believe you?"
"I swear, I don't know anything!" Anna shouted, hoping against hope that someone would hear her.
"There's no point in shouting, girl. I put up a Silencing Charm. No on will hear you." Umbridge told her, her smirk widening as she stepped even closer. "Now, you're going to give me answers now. Tell me where Harry Potter is."
"No." Anna answered firmly, knowing there was no use in insisting she didn't know. Even though she was telling the truth, Umbridge would never believe her.
"Very well. Crucio!"
Searing pain ripped through every cell in Anna's body, causing her to scream louder than she ever had before. Her back arched against the chair and her head flew back, smacking into the brick wall behind her, but she didn't even notice. She'd never felt anything so painful in her entire life. The pain Flint caused her years ago was nothing compared to this.
Then, it stopped.
Anna collapsed against her chair, gasping and trembling as she tried to catch her breath.
"Now, are you going to talk or not?" Umbridge asked casually, as if she hadn't just been torturing the girl.
Anna tried to catch her breath before gasping, "I don't…know…anything."
"Crucio!"
Anna wasn't sure how long it continued. It could've been days for all she knew, but she doubted Umbridge would've been able to continue that long without a break for herself. There were a couple times where Umbridge stopped long enough to step out of the office, but she kept the door locked and the Silencing Charm up. And she returned both times within a few minutes, much to Anna's disappointment.
"If you would just tell me where Potter or the Weasleys are, you wouldn't be going through this." Umbridge told her after one of the longer episodes. "Just tell me something, and it'll stop."
Anna sat slouched so low in the chair, her bum was on the edge of her seat as she gasped for breath. Her whole body ached and her ears were ringing. At one point she'd bit her lip to hard to quiet her screaming that she swore she bit through it, so blood was dripping down her chin. Part of her just wanted it to end. Part of her was scared that Umbridge would torture her into insanity, or even kill her. But she merely looked Umbridge in the eye, stayed silent for all of three seconds, and said:
"Go to hell."
It got worse after that. She swore Umbridge tortured her for fifteen-twenty minutes at a time before giving her a moment's break and a chance to talk. But Anna never gave in. She wanted to finally be brave. To finally do something for the war. And if enduring this torture without giving Umbridge what she wanted was something she could do, then she wasn't saying a word.
Anna had no idea, and no way of knowing, how long the torture continued. But finally, Umbridge stopped and looked at the clock on the wall above Anna's head.
"Well, it appears to be later than I thought." she said in her normal, girlish voice, as if she were talking about the weather. "I should be getting home. I have an early day tomorrow."
Anna didn't respond. She was once again slouched in the chair, gasping for breath as the pain eased. Her body felt heavy and sore, and she was sure she wouldn't be able to move for a while. She could barely understand what Umbridge was saying.
"Now, I hope you'll be in a much more talkative mood in the morning, Ms. Black." Umbridge told her in that once-again sugary sweet baby voice, as if talking to a child. "Perhaps a night in here will encourage you to be more honest."
With that, Umbridge grabbed her things and left, closing her office door behind her.
Anna sat there, slouched in the chair with the ropes digging into her flesh, as she tried to make the pain ease. Her hands were sore from clenching the arms of the chair. Her chin and neck felt sticky with dried blood, and her bottom lip stung from where she bit through it. Her stomach was hollow since she hadn't eaten since that morning.
After a while, Anna braced her feet against the floor and pushed herself upright in her chair. She swallowed, but her throat was dry and she didn't think she had any saliva left in her mouth. Glancing around, she realized the office was dark, so it was sometime in the evening. When her eyes landed on Umbridge's desk, she realized there was a wand sitting on the flowery table cloth.
Her wand.
Anna licked her lips, wincing at her tender bottom lip. But an idea had popped into her mind.
"Accio wand." Anna croaked. She cleared her throat after the words barely came out. Her throat was sore from screaming so much, and she couldn't wet her throat without any saliva and nothing to drink. "Accio wand." she repeated, this time a bit more clearly and firmly. Still, nothing happened.
Anna took in a shaky breath, fear starting to bubble up in her stomach and making her feel sick. If she couldn't get out of there, she'd be stuck in that chair overnight. And then Umbridge would return the following morning, fresh from a goodnight's sleep, to continue where she left off. And Anna wasn't sure how much more she could take before she broke one way or another.
Growing desperate, she yanked at her arms, causing the chair to rock. "Relashio!" she yelled at the ropes on her arms. Nothing happened. "Relashio!" she yelled with even more conviction. The ropes twitched, but otherwise remained still.
She turned to look at her wand again. "Accio wand!"
The wand twitched, but didn't move any closer.
Anna's head fell back, thumping against the wall. Her eyes closed, causing a tear to fall down her temple into her hair. She didn't know what else to do.
Then, a new sound reached her ears.
Forcing her heavy head upright, Anna held her breath and listened.
Footsteps.
She fixed her eyes on the office door, and they traveled down to the small crack at the bottom of the door. A shadow moved across the sliver of faint light, before pausing in the middle; right in front of the door.
Anna held her breath, unsure if she should scream for help or not. This person could be someone who would help her, or it could be someone who was just checking up on her for Umbridge.
The doorknob jiggled for a moment. Then, the quiet click of a lock echoed in the room. Finally, the door slowly eased open.
Anna didn't realize she was still holding her breath as someone, a familiar someone with red hair and horn-rimmed glasses, peaked his head around the door.
Anna met Percy's blue eyes and felt the breath leave her in a whoosh.
"Percy." she whispered as his eyes widened. Quickly stepping into the office, Percy quietly closed the door and hurried over to her.
"Annabelle, are you okay?" he demanded quietly as he crouched in front of her.
Anna swallowed thickly as she looked down at herself. "I've been better." she admitted in a croak.
Percy glanced back at the door anxiously before pulling out his wand and pointing it at the ropes. "Relashio."
The ropes flew from Anna's body and dropped limply to the floor. Anna rubbed one arm with her hand, wincing as she touched the tender red marks from where the rope had dug into her skin.
"Thanks." she whispered.
"We need to get you out of here." Percy whispered hurriedly, standing up straight and gently grabbing her arms to help her stand up. She stumbled, feeling weak, but Percy caught her and helped steady her while she found her footing. "Where's your wand?"
"It's on Umbridge's desk." Anna whispered.
Percy left her to grab the wand, handing it to her when he returned.
"Is there anything else you need to grab? Anything at your desk? We probably shouldn't risk it unless you absolutely need it."
Anna shook her head. "Nothing that important."
Percy nodded once seriously. "Okay. I'm going to put a Disillusionment Charm on you. There shouldn't be very many people around this late, but it's better to be safe. If anyone sees me sneaking you out…"
Percy didn't bother continuing, he just waved his wand and Anna felt the tickle of the Disillusionment Charm concealing her from view.
"You can grab onto my robes or something. Just stay close to me. I'll get you out of here. You can walk, right?"
"Yeah." Anna answered quietly, loosely grabbing the back of Percy's robes in both fists after she put her wand in her waistband.
So, the pair slowly made their way out of Umbridge's office and across the floor of level one toward the nearest lift. They rode it in silence, both tense and waiting in case the next level or corner brought them face-to-face with someone that might cause trouble.
But they miraculously met no problems as they reached the Atrium and headed toward the fireplaces to Floo out of the Ministry.
Percy stopped in front of a fireplace and glanced around, ensuring no one was watching him. Then, he slowly reached back and gripped Anna's work robes in one hand.
"We're going to step into the fire and go to my flat. Hang on as tight as you can, alright?" he whispered.
"Okay." Anna whispered, tightening her grip on his robes.
With that, Percy called out an address, probably for his flat, and lead Anna forward into the fire. They were instantly swept away, and Anna had to close her eyes to keep herself from getting sick.
Finally she was thrown forward and stumbled into someone's back.
"Are you alright?" Percy asked worriedly, turning around and holding her up with his arms.
"Y-yeah. I think so." Anna answered quietly.
Percy lead her to a nice couch, where he helped her sit down before sitting next to her.
"Is there anything you need? Pain potion? Food or water?" Percy asked anxiously.
At the mention of food, Anna's stomach gave a loud grumble. Blushing, she covered her stomach with both hands and glanced sheepishly up at him. "I haven't had anything to eat or drink since this morning before work." she admitted.
"I'll make some sandwiches and tea. Would you like some water while I get that ready?" Percy offered, already standing up and heading toward the kitchen.
"Yes please." Anna answered.
Percy gave her some water and helped her heal her lip while the sandwiches magically made themselves.
Soon, both were sitting on the couch eating and drinking.
"I should contact my parents. Or go home." Anna mumbled with her mouth full.
"You'll need to go into hiding. Umbridge won't just let you get away with this." Percy pointed out. "Why did she do this?"
"She was interrogating me on the whereabouts of Harry and your family." Anna admitted.
"What'd you tell her?" Percy asked worriedly.
"Nothing. I don't know where they are. All I really told her was to go to hell. Probably not my smartest move." Anna admitted with a slight smile.
Percy returned it, though he still looked worried. "So,…Cruciatus Curse?" he guessed.
"Yep. Off and on pretty much since I stepped into her office." Anna answered. "How'd you know…I mean, what made you check in there?"
Percy grimaced slightly. "Well, I never saw you leave her office. And when I got out of work, I waited for Audrey, my girlfriend who you apparently work with. She mentioned being worried about you because you never returned to your cubicle and all your things were still there. So, I came up with an excuse, saying I forgot something and I'd see her tomorrow, and went back to Umbridge's office. Sure enough, there you were, tied to a chair and covered in blood."
Anna bit her recently-healed lip at how pale Percy was, seemingly disturbed by how he'd found her. "I wouldn't say covered in blood…" she tried to feebly reassure him.
Percy smiled shakily at her. "Well, I'm glad I found you."
"Me too." Anna agreed. "I hope you don't get into trouble. I won't say anything to anyone about you helping me. For all Umbridge will know, I managed to escape on my own.
"Well, thank you. And you're free to stay here as long as you need, but I'm sure you'll want to get going. Your family is probably worried about you, and you'll need to figure out where to go to hide."
Anna nodded, swallowing the last bite of her third and final sandwich. "You're right. I should get going. Can I use your Floo?"
"Of course. I'd be careful Apparating for a little while if I were you. You still seem a bit shaky after what that horrid woman put you through." Percy pointed out.
"Good point." Anna agreed as she stood up, swaying slightly as her legs shook. She slowly approached the fireplace in front of the couch, grabbing a handful of Floo powder off the mantle. She paused, turning back to look at Percy, who was watching her worriedly.
"Thank you again. For everything you've done." she told him sincerely. "I don't know if you want me to tell your family about this the next time I see them, but I know they all miss you very much."
Percy swallowed thickly, looking down at his feet for a moment. "Thank you." he finally said in a thick voice. When he looked up at her again his blue eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "Don't tell them. I can tell them another time. After they've forgiven me for how horrible I've been. I don't want my one good deed to influence them."
Anna nodded in understanding. "Okay. Well, thank you again, Percy. And good luck."
With that, Anna threw the Floo powder into the fire, called out the address of her childhood home, and stepped into the flames.
She was instantly swept away and once again had to close her eyes against the nausea. Finally, she was thrown from the network, but this time wasn't able to catch herself. She stumbled out of the fireplace and landed clumsily on her hands and knees.
"Anna!" her mum's voice called loudly before Anna was wrapped in a tight hug. She hugged her mum back tightly before peaking over Wren's shoulder.
She was in her living room, but to her surprise, Remus and Dora were both looking worriedly down at her along with her father.
"Anna, what happened?" Sirius demanded worriedly, approaching his wife and daughter.
"Wait." Remus interrupted, causing everyone to stare at him, but he was staring at Anna. "We need to remember to be cautious. Anna, why is Sirius's nickname Padfoot?"
Anna's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. "Um,…because his animagus is a dog? And dogs have padded feet?"
"You don't sound so sure." Remus pointed out warily.
"No one's ever specified where you all got your nicknames, I just assumed!" Anna argued defensively. "You're a werewolf, which is why you're Moony. Prongs has antlers because he's a stag, and Wormtail is a rat, so his tail looks like a worm. Is that good enough?"
Remus smirked tiredly. "Yes, sorry. Anyway, what happened to you?"
Anna cleared her throat slightly as Sirius helped both her and Wren to their feet. "Uh, well, long story short…Umbridge called me into her office this morning, and when I didn't give her the answers she wanted, she tied me to a chair and locked the room and put up a Silencing Charm so she could spend the whole day torturing me with the Cruciatus Curse. When the work day ended, she decided she would leave me there overnight and see if I'd be more talkative tomorrow morning. I tried to escape on my own, but I couldn't, but then someone came and saved me and here I am."
Everyone gaped at Anna for a few moments.
"I'm going to kill her." Sirius stated seriously, heading for the front door. Remus stopped him by grabbing his arm while not taking his eyes off Anna's face.
"What was she asking you about?" Remus asked Anna.
"Harry and the Weasleys." Anna answered quietly, starting to feel true relief being safe in her home with her family.
"Why would she single out Anna?" Wren asked worriedly, wrapping an arm around Anna's shoulders. "No one asked me anything."
"Maybe it's because she's closer to Harry's age, so they figure Harry might open up to her more. Plus, a lot of people know how close she is with the Weasleys. Maybe they figure Ron would've told one of his siblings, who would've told Anna." Remus guessed.
"Did she give you a Truth Potion at all?" Dora asked worriedly, her hand subconsciously resting on her large baby bump.
"She might've tried." Anna admitted. "She offered me tea when I sat down, but I didn't trust it and declined."
"Good. She probably was trying to feed you a Truth Potion." Sirius agreed.
"Who got you out?" Dora asked curiously.
Anna looked down at her feet. "I'd rather not say. Just to be safe. And he or she asked me not to."
"That's a good point." Remus agreed. "But you'll have to go into hiding, now. When Umbridge returns to find you gone, she'll hunt you down, or more likely have someone else hunt you down."
Anna nodded. "I figured. But where should I go?"
"Shouldn't we all go? Not just Anna?" Wren questioned worriedly.
"If you all go, it'll raise suspicion. You'll just have to make sure you're believable when they come here." Remus explained, glancing at Sirius. "As far as you know, Anna never returned from work tonight and you haven't seen her since this morning at breakfast. You have no idea what's happened. Play the part of worried parents who have no idea what's going on. But also be prepared to flee should that not work."
Sirius and Wren both nodded in agreement.
"Anna, go quick pack a bag. I'll work out a place for you to go." Remus added to Sirius and Wren, "The less you two know about her whereabouts the better for everyone."
Again, Sirius and Wren nodded, Sirius moving to wrap his arms around his wife in comfort.
Anna hurried up the stairs to her bedroom, her legs still a bit shaky. She pulled her old school trunk out from under her bed, plopping it down onto her bed before rushing to her drawers. She wasn't sure what to grab, so she just started grabbing fistfuls of clothes and stuffing them into her trunk.
On her third trip from her drawer to her trunk, her door creaked and she looked up, expecting her mum or dad.
Her eyes traveled down the empty doorway and landed on her little brother. Aslan was watching her with big green eyes that were both curious and scared; his black hair messy.
"Anna, where are you goin'?" he asked in a scared little voice, hugging his favorite blanket to his face.
A lump formed in Anna's throat as she set her latest handful of clothes in her open trunk. Despite knowing she was limited on time, Anna sat slowly on the edge of her bed and held her arms out for her brother. Aslan scurried over to her, letting her pick him up and place him on her lap. She wrapped her arms around him and held him to her chest.
"I have to go away for a little while." Anna admitted quietly, unsure how much she should say. If people came to interrogate her family, Aslan wouldn't know what to say and not say. He may even slip up and say she'd come home for a little bit.
"Why?" Aslan demanded, tears filling his green eyes.
"Grownup stuff." Anna answered vaguely. "But I'll be back before you know it."
"For breakfast?"
Anna smiled sadly. "Probably not for breakfast. I'm not sure when, Aslan."
Aslan pouted, resting his head against her chest and holding his blanket up to his face. After a few moments of the two just sitting there, snuggling, Aslan sat up straight and lifted his blanket up toward Anna's face.
"What?" Anna asked, perplexed.
"Take my blankie with you." Aslan told her.
Anna's eyes widened in disbelief. "But, that's your favorite blanket. Are you sure you want me to take it? I don't know when I'll get it back to you."
"You take it." Aslan insisted, pushing the blanket into her chest. "So you don't forget me, and now you have to come back so you can give it back."
Anna blinked her eyes quickly to ward off the tears burning her eyes. She kissed the top of his head, staying there for a few moments to compose herself where he couldn't see. When she pulled back, she smiled at him and took the blanket. It was a thick, fluffy blue knit blanket Molly had made for him when he was born. He'd used it so much, it was slightly faded and worn, especially on the ends from being dragged around on the floor.
"I'll keep it safe until I see you again." Anna told him, looking him in the eye. "I promise."
Aslan nodded once before wrapping his little arms around her neck. "Love you." he mumbled into her hair.
"Love you, too." Anna whispered, hugging him back.
A quiet knock on the doorway made Anna glance up. Her mum was standing in the doorway watching them with a sad smile. Anna returned it before pulling away from her hug.
"Come on, Aslan. It's past your bedtime." Wren told him, walking towards them.
Aslan nodded tiredly. Anna hugged him one more time, kissing him on the cheek.
"Goodnight, little brother." Anna whispered before lifting him up for her mum.
"Night-night, Anna." Aslan mumbled, already half-asleep in his mother's arms.
Anna watched them leave before standing up and carefully placing the blanket in her trunk. She surveyed it's contents for a moment before deciding to grab a couple more handfuls of clothes and calling it good. With a wave of her wand, she placed a Feather-Light Charm on her trunk before carrying it and Ariel in her cage downstairs. When she got there, Sirius and Remus were both talking quietly together in the living room, and Dora was nowhere to be seen. The two men stopped and looked at her when she entered the room.
"Where are we going?" Anna asked.
"Still not a hundred percent sure." Remus admitted. "But I'm taking you somewhere so we can discuss possibilities with some other people."
"How come other people can know where I'm going, but my parents can't?" Anna asked warily.
"I'll explain when we get there." Remus told her, approaching and taking the trunk from her hand. "Nice Feather-Light Charm." he complimented.
Sirius followed and pulled Anna into a tight, almost-bone-crushing hug. Anna returned it just as tightly, unsure when she'd see him again.
The steps creaked, causing Anna and Sirius to pull away as Wren approached them. Anna hugged her mum tightly, trying not to cry or think about not seeing her again for a long time.
"Be careful." Wren whispered in her ear. "We love you, Annabelle. We'll see you again soon, I know we will."
Anna nodded quickly against her shoulder. "I know. I love you, too, Mum. Be careful while I'm gone."
She pulled away and hugged her dad once more. "I love you, Dad."
"Love you, too, Belle."
Finally, Anna pulled away and followed Remus out the backdoor of the house without a glance back. When they reached the cover of the dark forest behind the house, Remus silently reached over and took Anna's hand tightly. She returned the grip instantly, and seconds later, she felt the familiar sensation of being pulled through a small tube, her body spinning away into nothingness before she reappeared somewhere else.
Before she opened her eyes, the crashing of waves and smell of salty air reached her ears and nose. Blinking her eyes open, Anna shivered as cold air hit her skin. Glancing around, she realized they were on a beach, the rising, nearly-full moon shining over the sea. Anna briefly noted that Remus would be going through the full moon in a week or less before she turned around.
There was a lone cottage sitting on a nearby cliff overlooking the sea. It was small and whitewashed.
Remus started approaching the cottage, his wand in one hand. Anna pulled her own wand out as a precaution and followed him. She had no idea where she was or what to expect. As they approached the front door, Anna saw one of the downstairs lights was on through the window, illuminating a small garden. Remus knocked on the front door just as Anna joined him on the front step. She realized there were shells embedded in the walls as she waited for someone to answer.
A familiar voice called through the door. "Who is it?"
Anna glanced sharply at Remus as he replied, "It is Remus John Lupin and Annabelle Black! I'm a werewolf, married to Nymphadora, and you, Bill; Secret Keeper of Shell Cottage, told me the address and said I could come in an emergency. I just contacted you a bit ago about Anna's situation."
The door was wrenched open and there stood Bill, his scarred face shadowed by the night and his long, red hair hanging past his shoulders, and dressed in his pajamas.
"Come in." he said hurriedly, waving them over the threshold.
"Thank you." Remus told him. Anna echoed it as Bill gave her a brief hug. She hadn't really seen him since the wedding the previous summer. Remus set Anna's trunk by the door, and Anna did the same with Ariel's cage at Bill's insistence before the three headed farther into the house. They passed through the entry hall and turned into the kitchen. Fleur was across the room near a basin under a window that overlooked the ocean. She turned toward them, wearing a silk dressing gown.
"Oh, Anna. We were so worried!" Fleur cried in her French accent, hurrying around the kitchen table to hug Anna tightly.
"Remus stopped by a little bit ago and told us briefly what happened." Bill explained when his wife pulled away from the younger woman. "You don't need medical attention, do you?" he asked, looking her over protectively. Anna noticed his eyes lingered on the collar of her robes, which were stained with blood from when she bit through her lip.
"No, uh, someone helped me with that already." Anna answered. "Thank you, though. So, what's going to happen now?" she asked, glancing between Bill and Remus. She didn't want to assume she'd be staying here, but why else would Remus bring her here?
"Well-"
"Anna?"
Anna whipped around at the familiar voice. Harry stood in the doorway, his glasses askew and black hair sticking out at all angles. He had a wand in one hand, but he hurried forward and hugged her tightly.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded, pulling back and looking at her worriedly. He also noticed the blood on her collar. "What happened? Is everything okay? Is everyone-"
"Everyone's fine, Harry." Remus assured him before Anna could answer. "Anna has to go into hiding."
"Why?" Harry demanded just as a couple more shapes appeared in the doorway.
"Umbridge tried to torture information out of me." Anna answered as Harry stepped back. Ron and Hermione entered the room, the curly-haired girl rushing to Anna and hugging her tightly.
Anna gave them a brief explanation of what happened, and she instantly saw the guilty look on Harry's face.
"Don't even go there, Harry. It's not your fault. Umbridge was just desperate for information. I definitely didn't help myself when I got mouthy with her."
"Mouthy how?" Bill asked curiously.
Anna shrugged sheepishly. "I may have told her to go to hell."
The room chuckled briefly.
"You've been hanging out with the twins too much." Bill told her.
"Anyway, did you contact your dad?" Remus asked Bill.
"I did." he answered with a nod. "I told him I'd get back to him with an answer by morning at the latest, but it'll probably be in less than an hour."
"Answer to what?" Harry demanded.
"About whether Anna's going to stay here while she's in hiding, or at Muriel's with the rest of the Weasleys." Remus answered.
"That's where they all are?" Anna asked. "Merlin, I bet the twins are driving Muriel up a wall."
Bill laughed. "You can say that again. So, what do you say? We honestly don't have much room here, only three bedrooms; Muriel has a lot more. That's why most everyone here will go to Muriel's after they've healed up."
"And you'd be with the twins." Ron added with a slight smirk.
Anna blushed. "Am I that obvious?" she asked rhetorically with a slight chuckle before turning to Bill, "Yeah, if it'll be easier for everyone else, I could go to Muriel's, I suppose. She won't mind, will she?"
"Muriel's always grumpy." Bill assured her. "Don't take anything she says personally. And no, she won't mind. She realizes things are serious, and she's not so cruel as to send someone away."
Anna nodded. "Okay, then. When do we leave?" she asked, looking at Remus.
"Bill will be taking you there." Remus told her. "You're safe now. And don't worry about your family. I'll be sure to let you know if anything happens."
Anna nodded, giving Remus a tight hug.
After saying quick goodbyes to everyone, Anna found herself once again following a man who was carrying her trunk, except this man had red hair.
"So, who all is staying at your house right now that may end up at Muriel's later?" Anna asked curiously as Bill lead her down a path toward the dark beach.
"Well, aside from me and Fleur, as well as Harry, Ron, and Hermione, a few people came with Harry and them when they escaped from Malfoy Manor." Bill admitted. "Did you know Dean Thomas or Luna Lovegood from school?"
Anna gaped at him, even though it was hard to see in the dark. "Yeah. I've been worried about Luna since December, when Ginny told me Death Eaters took her off the train."
"Well, don't worry anymore. Her and Dean are safe with us for now. Not sure how long they'll stay, if they choose to leave. They also brought Ollivander and a goblin named Griphook."
Anna nodded slowly. "Wow…And all of you…nine people…have to share three bedrooms? Bet you're glad I chose to go to Muriel's." she joked.
Bill chuckled. "Just a bit, but you would've been welcomed anyway. The hard part would've been the fact that the bedroom Hermione and Luna are sharing is about the size of a cupboard."
Anna grimaced sympathetically. "Ooh. Snug."
"Just a bit." Bill agreed with a grin. "Well, this is far enough." he said as he stopped. He offered Anna his hand, which she grabbed tightly. With another familiar twist, they spun through nothingness and reappeared. Anna stumbled as her feet touched the ground again, but Bill kept a firm grip on her hand until she was steady. When he released her hand, he pulled out his wand and lit the tip so they could see as they approached a nearby house.
Anna looked it up and down. It was a fairly nice house, and at least two stories, three if you count the window near the roof that suggested an attic. And there was a perfectly straight chimney sticking out of the roof. A couple lights on the first floor were on, shining out a couple windows.
They reached the front door, the step illuminated with a small yard light sticking out of the wall by the door. Bill set Anna's trunk on the step next to his feet and knocked on the door. There was a moment of silence before Anna heard muffled footsteps from just behind the door.
"Who is it?" Arthur's guarded voice called through the wood of the door.
"It is I, your eldest son William Arthur Weasley, husband of Fleur and older brother to Charles, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. I've brought Annabelle Black, soon-to-be-Weasley, to stay here with you." Bill called, giving Anna a teasing wink at the end. She rolled her eyes, but couldn't fight the tired grin.
There was the click of a lock before Arthur cracked the door open. He peaked out at them, smiled briefly, and opened the door the rest of the way to let them in.
"I take it you've already checked that she's really Anna?" Arthur questioned his son as they entered the house.
"Remus did, but you can check if you want." Bill told him. "She's already hugged Harry and didn't murder him, so I'm guessing she's not a Death Eater."
"Gee, thanks." Anna joked tiredly.
"Well, I'm not sure what to ask her. Why don't you check it's her, Fred?" Arthur suggested with a slight smile as he looked past Anna's shoulder and farther into the house. Anna spun around in the entrance way and found Fred staring at her from just inside what looked like a living room.
Fred grinned slightly at his dad before meeting Anna's eyes again. "What kinds of flowers do I always get you?" he asked, grin widening.
Anna didn't realize she was smiling widely in return, too. "Oriental lilies and tulips. Preferably not pink." she answered.
Fred laughed shortly. "It's her." he answered, closing the distance between them in two strides before wrapping her up in a hug that nearly lifted her off her feet. Anna gripped the back of his pajama shirt tightly, burying her face in his chest and breathing in his familiar scent. Just the night before, which felt like days ago at least, they'd been saying goodbye to each other as if they may never see each other again. It almost made Anna glad she'd been tortured and had to go into hiding.
"Alright, alright." Bill laughed. "Move it out of the entryway."
Fred laughed, pulling back but not letting Anna go. He kept an arm around her waist as he pulled her further into the house.
"Oh, simply wonderful." a familiar, croaky voice called sarcastically. "Another stray. I'll never get my home to myself again."
Fred's grip tightened around Anna's waist as they both looked to their right. There stood Muriel, dressed in her dressing gown at the foot of a set of stairs. She was scowling at Anna, glancing between her face and Fred's arm around Anna's waist.
"Be nice, Aunt Muriel." Bill told her calmly. "She's been through a lot tonight."
"Oh, Anna!" Molly called loudly, racing down the stairs and nearly shoving Muriel out of the way. She yanked Anna from her son's grasp, making Fred grumble, and hugged her tightly. "Bill told us what happened. Are you alright? Do you need anything? Medical attention? Food? Tea? Oh, yes, you certainly need some tea. And a Calming Drought. Perhaps a Dreamless Sleep Potion?" she rambled.
"Mum!" Fred laughed.
"No, no, Molly, I'm fine." Anna insisted, gently pulling away from the motherly witch. "Really, I'm okay. I've already had some medical attention, and food and water. To be honest, I just want to sleep right now, if that's alright." she admitted sheepishly.
"Oh, of course, dear. You've been through so much. You'll be sharing with Ginny, okay? Here, how about-"
"I can take her, Mum." Fred interrupted. "I'll show her where it is, and carry her trunk up."
"Well,…" Molly seemed hesitant, glancing from Anna to Fred. "Oh, alright, but you're not sleeping in there with her." she told her son sternly. "And don't keep her up talking all night, either, she needs rest."
"Yes, Mum." Fred agreed, discreetly rolling his eyes as he picked up Anna's trunk and owl cage.
Anna moved around Molly and Arthur to give Bill a hug. "Thank you again." she told him.
"No problem, Anna. We're all in this together. You're family, even though you're taking forever to make it official." Bill joked, ruffling her hair with one hand.
Anna stuck her tongue out at him, starting to feel too tired to actually come up with a comeback. She took her owl cage from Fred before taking his other hand and he lead her up the narrow staircase. George was standing at the top of the stairs with a grin.
"Nice of you to join us." he joked, not letting Anna pass without a hug. Anna returned it as tight as she could, but her arms were shaking with fatigue. "Get some sleep, Anna. You're safe here." George assured her, patting her back once before releasing her to his twin. They passed a couple doors, one on either side of the hallway, before Fred quietly opened one door on the right.
It was dark, and there were two beds next to each other. The bed farthest from the door had a lumpy shape with a pool of red hair spilling over the pillow.
"Gin's a heavy sleeper, but best keep quiet." Fred whispered, setting Anna's trunk down by the door and putting the cage next to it. "You can have the other bed. Want me to leave while you get changed, or are you going to sleep in your clothes?" he asked.
Anna yawned, stumbling into Fred's side. He caught her easily with a quiet chuckle. "Right. That answers that." he whispered, easily picking her up bridal style and setting her on the bed. He pulled off her shoes and placed them on the floor by her bed as he sat next to her hip.
Anna blinked her eyes open, staring up at him. "Can you get something from my trunk?" she whispered tiredly.
Fred nodded, already standing up. "What do you need?"
"There should be a blue blanket almost on top of everything." she mumbled.
Fred opened her trunk and fished around a bit before pausing. After a moment, he pulled out the blanket and returned, sitting down and handing it to Anna. Instead of spreading it out over herself, she pulled it up to her face, hugging it to her chest.
"Isn't that Aslan's?" Fred asked gently, rubbing Anna's arm with a hand.
Anna nodded, pressing her face more firmly into it as a few tears leaked from her eyes. She took in a shaky breath, trying to be quiet as she pulled her face away to speak. "He wanted me to have it. So I don't forget him, and I have to come back."
Fred's eyes softened. He slipped his hands under Anna's back and pulled her up, ignoring her protests and cradling her to his chest. He held her there for a little while, silently rocking her in place to sooth her.
"Are you okay?" he whispered after a while. "Bill told us a bit about what happened to you. Do you want to talk about it?"
Anna sniffed, lifting her head to rest her chin on his shoulder. "Not tonight." she whispered. "I've had to go over that a few times already tonight. Tomorrow. It's just…I was scared." she whispered. "I was scared I wouldn't be able to escape. I didn't escape, someone had to save me, but…I was just so scared. That she would hold me captive forever, or even kill me, and no one would know what happened to me. That I would disappear and you never would've known what happened to me."
Fred tightened his grip around her, crushing her to his chest as he turned his head and kissed her firmly on the cheek. "That would never happen, love. I would search for you forever. So would George, your parents, Remus, Tonks,…We would've found you."
"And if I was killed?"
Fred swallowed, burying his face briefly in her shoulder. He lifted his head again and leaned it against hers. "That didn't happen. You're here, safe with us and in my arms. Just where you belong."
Anna smiled softly, tucking her chin into her chest to rest her mouth on his shoulder. "Love you." she mumbled into his pajamas.
"I love you, too." Fred returned, turning his head to kiss her temple three quick times. "And if I ever see that pink hag again,…what she did to you will seem almost like a vacation. She'll wish for death or Azkaban over what I'll do to her."
"My hero." Anna murmured, slowly pulling away and looking up at him. She smiled, but it was an exhausted attempt. Fred smiled softly, reaching up to swipe his knuckles down her cheek.
"Get some sleep, love. And enjoy the peace and quiet, because Mum will dote on you incessantly in the morning." Fred joked, making Anna chuckle quietly.
Fred helped Anna lie down under the blankets, still in her work clothes, and made sure Aslan's blanket was tucked close to her chest. Fred kissed her forehead one last time.
"As much as I wish I could sleep in here with you, Mum would curse my left bum cheek off." Fred told her, once again making her chuckle. "But if you need me, I'm right next door. Door closest to the stairs, okay?"
"Okay." Anna whispered, already half-asleep. "Love you."
Fred kissed her forehead one last time. "Love you, too. Sweet dreams."
By the time Fred closed the door behind him, on his way to the room he was sharing with George, Anna was fast asleep.