Notes and Disclaimers: This story is about Eileen Pierce's summer between "Father Figure" and "Eternal Knight", she visits several of her friends and learns some interesting things about them in the meantime. Each chapter of this story will be about a different person she's staying with and the secrets they indulge. The characters starring in this short story are: Eileen (of course), Cheryl and Gregory Applegate, Artemis Prewett, Lucas, Page, and Roderick Beowulf, Fred and George Weasley, Remus Lupin, and Severus Snape. Special thanks to Starr and Otaku for helping me find my inner New Yawkah! XD Enjoy and make sure you read it, some of this might be referenced in the next story! ~_^
Chapter 10: Scotland
Eileen woke early her last morning at the Weasley house, making sure all her clothes were packed and ready for her next long trip before ambling down for breakfast. Mrs. Weasley had gone all out making sure she had snacks for her bus ride so she wouldn't go hungry, packing it all in a brown parcel for easy management.
"You didn't have to go to so much trouble, Mrs. Weasley." Eileen held her snacks with both hands, finding it to be almost as heavy as an armful of books and wondering what she had packed inside.
"It's no trouble, dear; I can't let you eat rubbish on your trip! This should keep you going until you find your way." Mrs. Weasley beamed happily, grasping the girl by the shoulders and pulling her into an awkward hug, crunching the snacks a bit.
I think I'll be eating these for weeks…Eileen thought as she smiled and allowed herself to be hugged, unable to return the gesture. Quickly she was released and put back together with a motherly hand, something she missed greatly and envied the Weasley children.
"Don't forget to write!" Ginny smiled. Despite spending most of her time with the Twins, Eileen had befriended the youngest daughter who kept her up on student gossip and discussed boys with her – though she omitted anything regarding her brothers.
Eileen gave her a kind smile and nodded, "I have a lot of letters to write, I have a feeling I'll spend most of the ride doing that."
"I don't see how you could; I spend most of my time just holding on for dear life!" George smiled as he deposited his breakfast dishes in the sink.
"I'll manage, I'm used to writing in awkward places." Eileen felt a pang of sadness; she'd gotten so used to spending her days with the twins that she wasn't sure how she could have fun without them.
Coming up behind her and giving her a bear hug, Fred moaned, "Can't you stay one more week? I might have to come and kidnap you!" Leaning down, he whispered, "Come upstairs before you leave."
A slight flutter settled in her stomach as she nodded and tried to smile, "I don't think Lucas would be happy if I didn't show up, I have to share my time with all my friends."
"Alright but you better make it up to us at school!" Fred winked as he danced away and romped upstairs, acting as goofy as usual.
Eileen watched him go for a brief second before glancing at George, catching a slightly awkward look on his face as he looked away to collect more dishes from the table. Smiling at Mrs. Weasley, Eileen said, "I'll make sure I got everything from the room before I go."
"Don't take too long or you'll miss your bus!" Mrs. Weasley called as Eileen ran briskly up the stairs.
Cautiously, she went up to Ginny's room and shut the door before apparating to the twins' room to avoid suspicion. The second she appeared, she was pulled into a fierce hug as warm lips planted themselves on her own. He was doing it again, that kissing thing, but this time it was different. It wasn't a silly flirty kiss; it was a serious kiss with emotion backing it up. A dizzying rush of heat trickled down her spine and melted her legs as she desperately clung to her attacker, confused and yet oddly excited by the feelings. This didn't happen the first time he'd kissed her, what changed? When she was finally released from the kiss she was breathless, staring up at Fred's flushed face as he breathed heavily and watched her with an odd intensity that scared her.
"Fred…?" Eileen gasped, feeling tingles all over her body where he touched her, slight snatches of fear making her tremble.
"I wanted you to know that…I fancy you a lot, Eileen." Fred whispered, still holding her close in his arms.
"Fancy…me?" Eileen knew that term from her talks in the past with different women and girls. She had thought long and hard about the concept of love and wasn't too sure she had decided it was the thing for her to pursue.
"I know I'm 16 and you're only 12 but…" Fred looked down awkwardly, his arms pulling her closer.
Unsure of what to say, Eileen grimaced and looked away, pushing him back half-heartedly, "Please…don't do this. I don't know what I want to do with my life, I can't think about this too."
"Come work with us! We could invent things together and remake the face of magic completely! Don't you like working with us? With me?" Fred corrected himself, unwilling to let her go as he gazed into her eyes hopefully.
"Fred…" Eileen begged, feeling her heart pounding desperately, torn between going with him and going her own way. Looking back in hopes of talking him into releasing her, she was pulled into another kiss deep with passion that was beyond her understanding. Weakly her hands trembled, gripping the front of his shirt as she softly whimpered.
Awkwardly Fred pulled away, head bowed to hide his red face behind his red locks. Scuffing the floor with his shoe and scratching his head, he turned and went to his desk, "Just…think about it, okay?"
Eileen swayed as she desperately tried to regain control over her body, feeling her powers welling up inside. Catching her breath, she nodded her head, unable to respond verbally.
Anxiously, Fred glanced back at her before pulling a package out of his desk from a secret compartment, holding it out to her, "Here, take this. It's just a prototype but…I want you to have it. If I can't be around to keep you safe, at least my work can protect you for me."
Taking the package gingerly, she unwrapped it with trembling hands and produced a black cloak made of soft cotton and imbued with strong protective spells. Blinking away the haze in her mind, she ran a hand over it curiously, looking up at him with quizzical eyes, "A cloak?"
"A magicked cloak, this thing will protect you from the vilest of curses, even the Unspeakable ones." Fred smiled through his awkwardness, hands stuffed down in his pockets.
"Even…how? It's impossible to block Unspeakable curses! How did you do it?" Eileen gaped at him then the cloak, feeling a rush of awe bathing over her giddiness as her mind raced with the possibilities.
"Sheer Weasley ingenuity, we don't always waste our time with silly jokes and pranks." He smiled softly, relaxing his stance.
"Does your mother know about this? This is amazing…has it been tested?" Her brain immediately begged to test it and prove its worth.
"Yeah, we have a friend who's a certified wizard who helped us test it with all the curses and stuff we would get in trouble doing with our own wands. And by friend I mean my brother Bill." He grinned and winked, "But don't tell anyone, this is one of our crown jewels, Mum doesn't even know about it. We're afraid she'll make us work for the Ministry for sure if she knew about our more serious products."
"She would be so proud of you two…" Eileen admired the craftsmanship, knowing they were smart but still impressed by the level of quality put into it.
"Someday…" Fred sighed, running a hand through his hair, "You should get going, George has stalled for us long enough."
Feeling the awkwardness setting in again, she nervously looked up at him expecting another kiss. Instead he gave her a slow hug, burying his face against her soft white hair. She shivered at the gentleness of the embrace and closed her eyes, inhaling his scent. He usually smelled like whatever experiments he had cooking, but occasionally he wore cologne that reminded her of spiced apple pies. Today was one of those days, and she savored the scent as much as she did his warm arms around her, making her feel as safe as she felt when she was with her guardian.
Hearing his mother calling up the stairs, he quickly let go and jumped back to his desk, "Go on, before she catches you in here!"
Flush with embarrassment, she apparated into Ginny's room and donned the cloak, feeling it instantly warming her and humming with the magic it held in every fiber. As she ran her hands slowly over it, Mrs. Weasley popped her head into the room, "Eileen, dear, are you alright?"
Hesitating, Eileen spun around and flew into her arms, burying her face in her bosom, "I'm going to miss you, Mrs. Weasley!"
"Oh my darling, I'll miss you too. Why don't you call me Molly?" She smiled softly, hugging the frail girl warmly, a little surprised by the sudden display of emotions.
"Okay…Molly." Shutting her eyes and clinging tightly, she fought away the tears that welled up in her eyes.
"There there, dear, don't cry. We'll see each other again, don't you worry. Why don't you come to visit before school starts? We can go shopping for your supplies together; I know just where to get all the best bargains." She smirked, proud of her thrifty shopping.
"Thank you, Molly." Looking up from her nestled spot in Mrs. Weasley's plush figure, she smiled through the tears, "You've been so kind to me."
"You kept my boys in line, why I haven't had to yell at them half as much as I usually do during the summer! I ought to have you over every year, if it'll spare my house any further damage!" She laughed, wiping away the girl's tears.
Sniffing, she giggled too and reluctantly pulled away from her comfort, "I just might take you up on that offer, I feel at home here."
"You will always have a home here with us, Eileen." She tucked her hair behind her ear before frowning a little at the cloak she wore, "Where did that come from?"
"Oh, I left it in here by accident." Eileen blushed lightly, tucking herself away in its folds.
"It's a very nice cloak; I'd hate to lose it too. Looks like it could keep the strongest winds out." Molly smiled, patting her shoulders.
"And then some." Eileen smiled before she was ushered downstairs and into the kitchen for one final farewell before heading outside to meet the bus by the street.
As the bus hurdled to a stop at the curb, Eileen waved to the small gathering that had followed her out, feeling more tears pricking her eyes as she boarded with her belongings. Settling into a seat by the window, she watched as Fred gazed at her as if he wished to join her and George looked somewhat jealous of their bond, their mother oblivious of the looks all together. A second later, they disappeared into the whirl of the world as she was carried away on a breakneck ride through the countryside.
"Where to this time, miss?" Stan smiled down from his post at the front of the bus, somehow managing to remain standing through all the rough twists and turns.
"The highlands of Scotland, the Beowulf Estates. I'm going to see my friend Lucas for the next week." She smiled, seeming to float in her seat like a cushion of air kept her stabilized.
Whistling, Stan grinned, "Ya sure know a lot o' rich wizards, doncha?"
"I just know people, I know the Weasleys too and they aren't rich. Lucas is my classmate from Hogwarts, it'll be his second year this year, he's anxious about his classes and I promised I'd help him prepare." Eileen replied as she pulled out a roll of parchment and a quill.
"Awful kind o' ya. Well I hope ya have some fun while yer there." Stan cheerfully called out the next stop as they raced through their destinations.
She spent the next couple of hours writing to Snape and Lupin about her adventures, omitting the bits about Fred and his confessions lest she find it awkward to face them later in the summer (or find news of Fred's death by the hands of her step-father). After a nap and some snacks of meat pies and delicious pastries, she arrived in Scotland around late afternoon.
Eileen gazed around and up in wonder. All around her grassy hills of the most brilliant green rose up to the sky in lumpy mounds and steep slopes. Smatterings of trees and brush sprung up here and there among the shallow grass where bare faded rock didn't show through, forests and marshes in the distance. Fresh air and faint bleats of sheep being herded through the countryside greeted her as she got off the bus. Looking around for signs of the homestead she would be staying on, she discovered a gate standing open and leading to a small pebble path leading over a hill and through a patch of trees.
"Just follow that path there and it'll lead ya straight ter the estates, miss. We'd take ya ter the door but last we did, nearly ran o'er some sheep." Stan chuckled from the door.
"That's alright, I could use the walk. Thank you!" Eileen waved as Stan popped back in the bus and it disappeared from sight. With a sigh, Eileen began her trek up the road and over the hill, hoping it wasn't too far from the front gate to her destination. At the top of the hill, she was treated with a view of a lush valley full of pine trees and a smattering of stone buildings peeking above the greenery. Admiring the sight, she slowly made her way down into the valley, heading for the civilization she'd spotted and hoping it was the right place. She passed pastures of wildflowers and scraggly shrubberies, herds of sheep and cows freely wandering around without a care in the world. A stream babbled by on one side of the dirt path, winding through the valley and disappearing into the woods, carrying with it a variety of fish including some young trout.
As she gazed about at the countryside all around her an echo of metal against wood rung out through the quiet land and caught her attention. Curiously she followed the chopping until she found a bridge leading over the brook to a property hidden behind a wall of trees. Slowly she crept across the wooden structure and peered around a clump of trees to see who it was. Eyes widening, she was treated to the sight of a tall young man with tawny skin and a trim but muscular physique, long brown locks tied back at the nap of his neck by a cord of black leather. Sweat gleamed off his shirtless torso as he swung the hefty axe and cleanly cleaved a log in two, stooping to pick up the pieces and toss them onto an already decent pile of firewood. A breeze swept by as he bent to grab another log, sweeping up his dark and light green kilt and flashing a glimpse of his equally tawny upper thighs. Eileen cleared her throat hoping he'd hear her so she wouldn't be caught staring.
Turning, the man shielded his eyes against the sun to see her, revealing a handsome face that seemed somewhat familiar. A second later he grinned and set down his axe, brushing his hands off on his kilt as he strode across the yard. He had the longest legs she'd ever seen, taking the expanse in barely a few steps before he was upon her, towering over her by more than a head. Placing his hands on his lean hips, he smiled broadly before speaking with a deeply rumbling voice, "Well there ye are, lassie! Pup was aboot tae carve a rut in the foyer wid his pacing!"
"Pup?" Eileen blinked, straining to look up at the man's face instead of his nicely sculpted abdominal muscles. She wasn't sure why this man's near nudity made her feel giddy but something about him caused a slight blush to color her cheeks, she hadn't felt this way in the past.
"Ma Wee brother, Lucas, I like tae call him pup cause he's not a full grown wolf like I am." The man winked, "I'm Roderick, it's nice tae finally meet you."
"I didn't know he had an older brother, have you already graduated from Hogwarts?" Eileen looked around at the estate, mostly taking a break to stretch her aching neck.
"Actually, this is ma last year coming up. I'm nae as smart and clever as ma younger siblings so I goat placed in Gryffindor for ma charm and chivalry." Roderick stretched his back lazily, showing off more of his tight muscles as he did.
I bet you did…Eileen thought, trying not to stare at the fine example of physical fitness, shifting her stance awkwardly.
Cocking his head to the side, he eyed her curiously before asking huskily, "Tired? We are a little ways from the main road."
"I'm okay, it was a long ride though." Eileen admitted, feeling slightly fatigued from the trip.
"Well then, cannae have ye on yer feet for a moment longer! Let me take ye inside." Roderick grinned, scooping her up with one strong arm as if she weighed nothing, whistling, "You're even lighter than ye look!"
Gasping in surprise, she desperately clung to his broad shoulder, feeling her cheeks warming up even more as she sat on his forearm, her legs held securely against his stomach by one large hand. Flustered, she squeaked, "What are you doing?"
"Carrying ye inside, what sort of host would I be if I let ye walk another inch on those tired feet?" Roderick grinned at her shamelessly as he picked up her suitcase in his other hand, "Ye have the most amazing eyes, ye know that?"
"Amazing? They're unnerving." Eileen blinked in surprise as she was carried across the patchy lawn to the front door.
"I donnae think so, they remind me of a she wolf that runs in our woods, she's an amazingly strong creature. Took down a twelve point stag just last winter wid her pack, even our best hunters couldnae catch the beast." Roderick's gaze set Eileen's heart racing with excitement, just as it did when Fred was thrilled about one of his experiments going well.
"Sounds quite impressive, I don't see how I could really remind you of her. I'm not very impressive at all."
"Sometimes the most impressive things come in small packages." He gave her another charming smile, a hint of wolfish cheek mixed in to give her a chill down her back. Stepping into the foyer, he stood tall and proudly announced, "Why I was just in the front yard chopping wood, yes I was, and found this adorable wee bint peeking oot of the woods. Can I keep her?"
"Eileen! Ya big galoot, put her down!" Eileen's young friend Lucas came scurrying over from his pass through the sitting room and fussed at his brother. She noted his appearance, he was wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows and a kilt of the same color as his brother's, his shoulder length brown locks hanging freely around his concerned face.
"Away, I wis only being nice, she looked jeeked." Roderick made a face at his brother as he held out the suitcase for him to take, ruffling his hair as soon as he had, "Be a good pup and run her things upstairs."
Embarrassed, Lucas swatted his hand away and replied indignantly, "She should go upstairs too, I'm sure she'd like to change."
"Oh, ye have a point," He turned his attention to her and purred seductively, "Shall I carry ye tae yer chambers and help ye into something more comfortable?"
"RICK! She's only 12! Stop it!" Lucas shouted at his brother, threatening to beat him with his fist as he struggled with Eileen's luggage.
Completely clueless of the act suggested, Eileen responded calmly, "I would like to change and perhaps take a shower, I think I can manage on my own though."
"We only have baths here, lass, I hope ye donnae mind. Let me show ye tae yer room." Roderick smiled warmly, ascending the stairs with her still seated safely on his arm.
"RICK, WAIT! SHE'S MY GUEST! RIIIICK!" Lucas scrambled up the stairs behind his brother, trying to keep up as he took them two at a time and told jokes about family life at the Beowulf estates, charming Eileen all the way while ignoring his brother's pleas.