Chapter 2

"Fweddie?"

"Georgie! Are you there?"

"I'm here! Where are we?"

"I don't know. I scared."

"Me scared too."

"What that man do to us?"

"I don't know. It's vewy dark."

"I can't see you!"

"I'm here, Fwed."

"You ok, Georgie?"

"Yeah, but I want Mummy!"

"Me too!"


Arthur pulled on his coat and stepped outside into the growing storm and turned to magically seal the door behind him. Molly still wasn't back, and he was worried. All Bill and Percy had been able to tell him was their meeting with the strange man and that afterwards, they couldn't find Fred or George, so he was going to help his wife search.

He didn't have far to walk. Molly was standing by the stream, calling the twins' names desperately.

"Molly!" he hastened to her side to see that she was crying.

"Oh, Arthur!" she turned and flung her arms around his neck, sobbing, "What have I done?!"

"Molly, whatever has happened is not your fault!" he said firmly "Did you find them?"

"N-No! That man's taken them and I should have been watching more carefully! It's my fault!"

"It's not." Arthur repeated, hugging her close as her tears soaked his shirt. "Come home." He commanded softly "I'll alert the Order and we'll find them. They'll be ok."

"What if they're not?" Molly whimpered. Arthur led her slowly back to their house and he replied with,

"They will be."

"Mum!" Charlie jumped to his feet as they entered and ran over to hug his mother. "Did you find them?"

Molly shook her head, unable to speak and held her arms out to hug all her children desperately.

"Where are they?" Percy wailed and Ron too, was crying. Arthur picked up his youngest son and cradled him, drying his bright blue eyes.

"We will find them." He reassured them all "They'll be ok."

Just then, Bill pointed to the window,

"Dad, what's that?" he asked. Arthur opened the window and a jet black owl dropped a folded letter into his palm before flying off again. The paper was dark blue in colour and rain-spattered, but for some reason Arthur felt his hands shaking and he knew that this was not a thing to open in front of the others so, when he checked that they were all preoccupied, Arthur slipped next door and unfolded the letter. Written in cursive gold ink were the words,

Weasleys,

As you have no doubt realised, I have your sons. And they are alive. For now, at least. But if you, either of you, breathe a single word about what you know, I will kill them. And I will know if you talk-I have my ways, my spies, my messengers.

I suppose your choice is simple; keep quiet, or get them back as dead bodies. And I won't make it quick for them. Or painless.

I am watching.

Here the letter ended, and it seemed to Arthur as it was impossible to breathe. He forced a couple of deep breaths as the sound of many young feet pitter-pattering up the creaky stairs, and Molly soon came through the door.

"I've sent them to bed, it's late." She said, then her red-rimmed eyes fell to the letter in his hand "What...is...that?" her hand flew to her mouth and she stared in horror at her husband. "It's from him, isn't it? He's written to tell us they're dead!"

"They're alive." Arthur closed his eyes and Molly fell into the chair with a weak sob. "They're alive, Molly. But he says that if we tell anything we know, he'll..." Arthur couldn't finish his sentence. He didn't want to say it.

"W-What can we do?" Molly cried. Arthur opened his eyes, crouched down and gently wiped her eyes.

"I can tell the Order they're missing. Now tell me, what did this man look like?"

Molly straightened up and said,

"He was tall, with dark black hair that was nearly shoulder-length and he had a slight beard growing. He was quite burly and his face...i don't know, it was sort of...twisted." she looked at him "Is that enough?"

"If it's who I think it is, more than enough." Arthur said gravely, getting to his feet. "I'll contact Moody, and the others now."

"Who do you think it is?" Molly asked, confused. Her husband just continued to pull on his coat without replying. He didn't want to say it might be one of the men who had killed her brothers.

"I'll be back soon." He said softly, before heading outside and dissaparating with a crack!


A/N Sorry for the short chapter... the next one won't be much longer, but the final chapter will make up for it in all respects! pleeeeeeease R&R