Sorry for the delay. I actually ended up in the hospital for about a week. Long story. But I am back now and looking forward to finishing this story. Please take time to let me know what you think. :) Thank you!
Chapter 13
Arriving at the Burrow had been a much more alarming experience than they could have ever expected. The house, despite being slightly cluttered, usually ran with the upmost efficiency thanks to Molly Weasley's diligence and often remarkable uses of household magic.
Today, however, it was almost unrecognizable.
Dishes were piled everywhere, an odd assortment of books and magazines were strewn across the dinner table, and there was a strange smell coming from the cupboard.
"Hello?" Fred called out, searching for signs of life in his usually bustling childhood home.
"In here," Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out from the far corner of the living room. At first glance she looked the same, but upon closer inspection it was clear that her clothes were just as disheveled as the house and her arm was thrown casually over the side of her chair and her feet were propped up on the side table.
Fred and Hermione stared at his mother in shock. "Mum?" he asked slowly, even more startled as they realized she was reading a copy of "Witch Weekly" and smacking on a large wad of muggle chewing gum.
A sudden clanging noise turned their attention to the corner where they found Mr. Weasley, donned in a backwards muggle baseball cap, a sight which would have been comical had the situation not been quite so serious.
Hermione watched in horror as he grabbed for the bottle of firewhiskey and quickly downed a full glass. Never mind the fact that she had never seen the man drink anything stronger than pumpkin juice in his life, it was also only 9 am!
Ron, Harry, and Ginny were nowhere to be found and when Fred questioned their whereabouts his mother and father seemed slightly shocked to find they were not there.
"Mrs. Weasley," Hermione urged, "please think. When was the last time you saw them?"
"I'm quite sure they were here for lunch," Mr. Weasley chimed in proudly. "Yes, quite so."
"Dad," Fred exclaimed, "it is only just past breakfast now. Do you mean yesterday's lunch?"
"Is it really?" his father asked, evidently finding this information to be only mildly interesting. He shrugged and reached out to pour himself another glass of firewhiskey while his wife giggled in the corner.
"Dad, please!" Fred begged, grabbing the bottle from his Mr. Weasley's hands. "What is wrong with you and Mum? I have never seen you have even a drop of this stuff before. And since when does Mum care about beauty secrets and celebrity gossip?" His mother dropped the magazine and Hermione picked it up, flipping through it with obvious disgust.
"It's quite good though, isn't it?" Mr. Weasley asked, nodding at the bottle in Fred's hands. "Really takes the edge off, doesn't it dear?"
"Oh, yes, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley said, giggling again. "Do try some Hermione, dear. Oh, and let me see that." She grabbed the magazine out of Hermione's hands. "You and Fred made the couples' section!"
"What?!" Fred and Hermione shouted simultaneously.
"Yes, of course," Mrs. Weasley said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Page 34. There it is, right there. Look. Most eligible witch is off the market, it says."
Sure enough, blasted across the tabloid page was that exact headline, above a grainy photo of herself and Fred, clearly taken during their time in muggle London. But what did it mean? Was it just a coincidence or could it have been part of the bigger overall conspiracy? She had no idea.
Still, the current state of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley was far more concerning than a tabloid photo right now. What was happening to them? She grabbed the bottle of firewhiskey, slipping it in her bag to test for, well, something, later. She figured it wouldn't hurt them to lay off of it even if that wasn't causing the problem. She scanned the room, trying to see anything that might give her a clue as to why they were acting so strangely.
"Mrs. Weasley," she asked, "has anyone been by the house lately? Someone unexpected?" It seemed unlikely. Even with the war over the Weasleys had been diligent about keeping wards and precautionary spells up. There were still too many people out there that might be interested in revenge.
"Of course not, dear. You know that is impossible."
"What about outside the Burrow? Have you encountered anyone that seemed strange to you?"
"No, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, traces of her warm, matronly smile present in her response.
"In fact," Mr. Weasley added, "we have met some of the nicest people recently. Why at Diagon Alley just the other day we met the nicest couple. We have been really lacking in other friendly couples to socialize with since the war and they were so pleasant, weren't they Molly? We had a lovely pint with them at the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Pints? Leaky Cauldron?" Fred exclaimed. "Who are you and what have you done with my parents?"
"What were their names?" Hermione asked, ignoring Fred's outburst.
"Well, now that you mention it, I don't actually know," Mr. Weasley said, only seeming to find that strange for a moment. "But they were lovely people. Just lovely!"
"I'm sure," Hermione said grimly. This was clearly a bad sign. They knew these people were after the Weasleys, but they had obviously infiltrated their lives farther than they had realized and in a relatively short time. Hermione was torn at what to do. Part of her wanted to stay here and protect them, part of her wanted to search for the others, part of her wanted to confront Louis and his groupies, part of her wanted to hide and cry. She couldn't decide which part was winning at the moment, all of the options seeming so exhausting. This was so unfair. After all they had been through, it seemed clear another war was brewing, this one more frightening before if for no other reason than the unknown.
Fortunately, at that moment, Fred stepped in. "Mum, Dad, can you do me a favor?" he asked. "Please stay at home for awhile. Don't let anyone in, okay? And don't go to Diagon Alley or out anywhere away from the Burrow. Something is happening and Hermione and I are going to try and find out what it is. We need you to do this for us. Can you do that?"
"I really don't think that is necessary, Freddie," Mrs. Weasley began, but he cut her off.
"Please, Mum," he urged. "Dad?" he asked, looking intensely at them both, hoping to reach them through whatever spells or strange magic was affecting their minds.
"Okay," Mr. Weasley said finally, although Hermione wasn't sure how good his word could be after all the effects of the whiskey, not counting anything else.
"Thank you," said Fred. "Now, we will be back to check on you very soon. If you see the others, can you tell them to find us? We will be staying at our flat."
"Oooh, I knew it, "Mrs. Weasley said with excitement. "They are a couple, Arthur!"
"Mum! We are not a couple. Hermione and I are working together on fixing this, okay? That is all. Now can you do that for us?"
"Okay, dear. Whatever you say."
Fred looked at Hermione and nodded. She walked over and after one last hesitant glance around the Burrow followed him through the floo to the flat that he and George shared.