"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever."
-Winnie the Pooh (Winnie the Pooh)
Fred glanced at his watch for what felt like the millionth time. Scarlett was late. Earlier, he had actually been hoping she'd be a few minutes late. He had tried his hand at cooking something other than eggs and bacon, and it had taken longer than he thought. Granted, he had only made macaroni and cheese from a box and a salad, but it was cooking nonetheless. Making the salad was the easy part; all you had to do was throw vegetables in a bowl. But the macaroni and cheese required him to actually use the stove. He may have been a few minutes late and he may have burnt his arm on the stove, but he had managed to make something besides scrambled eggs and bacon. He was proud of himself and he knew Scarlett would be proud if she were actually here. But she was now going on thirty minutes late.
Fred anxiously tapped his feet against the floor as he waited. He had been so excited for tonight. George had even gone out with Lee, which would have given Fred and Scarlett some alone time, but that wasn't going to happen if she didn't show up. He supposed Scarlett could have ended up having to work later and gotten so busy that she hadn't had time to let him know. But the longer Fred waited, the worse he felt about the situation. Something wasn't right. Scarlett would have found a way to let him know if something had come up.
He waited until seven o'clock—an hour after Scarlett should have arrived—before he made a decision. He was going to check her flat first and see if she was there. Then, if he had to, he would go to St. Mungo's and see if she was working. Nodding in satisfaction, Fred left the food as it was and Disapparated.
The moment he arrived at Scarlett's flat, Fred began frantically knocking on the door. The more that time passed, the more nervous he was becoming.
Finally, after what seemed like decades, the door swung open. But it was Erica who answered, not Scarlett like Fred had hoped.
"Fred?" Erica asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Did Scarlett happen to get in touch with you to say she was working late or something?" he asked, his voice a bit shaky despite his attempt to keep calm.
"What are you talking about?" Erica asked. "She had her date with you tonight. She came home at five, got ready to leave and left for Diagon Alley a little before six….Why, what's going on?"
"She never showed up." The words came out in a hoarse whisper as a wave of nausea and panic passed through Fred's body. Scarlett wasn't at work. She had come home and left to come see him. That meant that something bad had happened to her, most likely in Diagon Alley.
"What do you mean she never showed up?" Erica asked shrilly. "She left here and went to your flat. She had to have shown up. If this is a prank, Fred, so help me—"
"Why would I joke about something like this?" Fred asked, his voice finding its way back full force. "Scarlett's missing. She could be hurt. And okay, maybe she isn't dead yet, but who knows what they'll do to her—"
"They? Who's they?"
"Umbridge and her crazy Ministry friends," Fred answered swiftly. He just knew that was what happened. They were the ones who had taken Scarlett. The Muggleborn Registration Commission had been officially announced on Monday and now Umbridge was out to get Scarlett for telling Justin. There was no other reason for her to be in danger.
"What should we do?" Erica whispered.
"First, I think we should go make sure her mother's okay. We have to tell her what's going on anyway. We'll also have to tell her that Scarlett warned the Finch about the Registration Commission. Scarlett won't be too happy about that, but I don't really care. All I want to do is make sure she gets back okay."
Erica nodded. "Sounds good to me. Let's go now."
Fred nodded as Erica stepped outside, closing the door behind her. She loosely grabbed Fred's wrist and Disapparated them both to Scarlett's mother's house.
Scarlett was sitting in an office of the Ministry of Magic, staring down at her hands that had been trembling violently ever since she had been captured.
It didn't help that the person who had captured her, some creepy guy named Scabior, was pacing around behind her, guarding the door to make sure she couldn't leave. They were the only two people in the room; the owner of the office hadn't arrived yet. But it didn't matter because Scarlett knew exactly whose office she was waiting in. Unless, of course, another Ministry employee was obsessed with cats and the color pink.
The room was eerily silent as she waited for Umbridge to get there. The only sounds were the ticking of the clock on the wall and Scabior's footsteps. Scarlett almost wanted him to say something only so it wouldn't be so quiet, but on the other hand, she might puke if she heard his voice.
Her mind was buzzing wildly as she continued to sit in the dark wooden chair with a pink cushion. She wondered if Umbridge had gone after her mother as well. She hoped not, but at the same time she knew why she was here. This was happening because Umbridge had found out that Scarlett had warned Justin about the Muggleborn Registration Commission ahead of time. It was the only option. Scarlett only hoped that she could get Umbridge to agree to leave her mother out of this completely.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of heels clicking down the hallway and Scarlett found herself holding her breath.
"This is going to be fun," Scabior chuckled, opening the door.
Umbridge breezed in, her nose buried in a stack of papers. She didn't acknowledge Scabior or even look up until she was behind her desk, where she raised her eyes to meet Scarlett's She smiled that annoyingly fake smile that Scarlett hadn't missed one bit.
"Hello, Miss Callaway," she said with a giggle. "It's certainly been a while."
"Not long enough if you ask me," Scarlett said through gritted teeth.
Scabior laughed. "Ooh, this one's got quite the attitude."
"I know," Umbridge answered, smiling wider. She tossed her papers onto her desk and leaned forward, resting her palms on the shiny wood of the desktop and staring at Scarlett intently. "Let's get straight to the point, shall we? Where is Justin Finch-Fletchley?"
"I don't know," Scarlett answered swiftly. It was partly the truth. She knew he was at his aunt and uncle's house, but she didn't know where that was.
"You're dating him, are you not?"
"Not anymore. We broke up."
"Ah, such a pity. Why?"
Scarlett shrugged. "We felt it was necessary. We weren't meant to be."
"Seems to me that it ended on a bad note if you haven't kept in touch and he didn't tell you where he was going."
"It didn't end on a bad note. We just drifted."
Umbridge stared at her for a few seconds. "I want to know where he is. He hasn't come in for questioning."
"I don't know. I haven't spoken to him," Scarlett lied with a shrug. She was waiting for Umbridge to accuse her of warning him months ago, but she didn't bring it up. She simply seemed to think Scarlett had an idea of Justin's whereabouts. Was it possible that Umbridge didn't know that Scarlett had warned him?
"I'm tracking down and any and all Muggleborns that didn't show up, you know," Umbridge whispered menacingly. "So I will find him sooner or later."
"Which means I can leave now?" Scarlett asked raising an eyebrow. "Because you aren't going to get information from me."
Umbridge laughed. "You think I'm going to let you leave just like that? So you can go find your little friend and warn him?"
For a second, Scarlett thought Umbridge had known all along and was just waiting for Scarlett to confess on her own, but then again, she would have been more likely to show her anger right away and she would have gone after Scarlett's mother first. But then, Scarlett thought, she didn't actually know if Umbridge had already dealt with her mother or not. She tried to convince herself that if Umbridge had done anything to her mother, she would have said something right away to make Scarlett upset.
"I've already told you that I don't know where Justin is," Scarlett said, staring back at Umbridge unblinkingly.
"I don't think you're quite telling me the truth."
"But I am."
"Fine, let's just say you are," Umbridge whispered leaning closer and narrowing her eyes. "You'd still try to track him down and warn him if I let you go and we can't have that. So you're going to be staying with me for a while. Besides, your mother's been a bit…out of hand this past week."
"My mother?" Scarlett felt her stomach clench.
"Oh, yes," Umbridge sneered as she walked out from behind her desk and began circling Scarlett's chair. "Once the news of the Muggleborn Registration Commission came out, let's just say she has made her feelings on the subject quite plain."
"What did you do to her?" Scarlett asked, glaring at Umbridge as she passed in front of the chair.
"Nothing…yet." Umbridge stopped directly behind Scarlett's chair and giggled. "That's another reason why you'll be staying here. Drastic measures need to be taken to make sure your nosy, good-for-nothing mother behaves."
"Don't talk about her like that!" Scarlett cried.
Umbridge laughed. "I'll talk about her any way I please." She grabbed Scarlett's arm and yanked her to her feet before dragging her across the room and pulling back a book on the bookshelf. A section of the shelf opened to reveal a tiny room about the size of a small closet. The walls and floor were made of stone, it was dimly lit and pretty dingy.
"Welcome to your new home for…well I can't really say, can I?" Umbridge giggled. "Let's just say it'll be for a long time."
As Umbridge and Scabior laughed together, Scarlett was roughly thrown into the small room. The last thing she saw before the door closed was Umbridge's sneering, toad-like face.
It was nearly midnight and Fred was just returning to Mrs. Callaway's house with Erica and Mrs. Callaway herself. After he and Erica had gone there earlier, they had hurriedly given her the news, and from there, an almost in denial Mrs. Callaway insisted they look everywhere for her missing daughter.
They had checked Diagon Alley, where Scarlett had last been. They had checked Hogsmeade, St. Mungo's and even the cemetery where her father was buried, but Scarlett wasn't at any of those places. It was then that they returned to Mrs. Callaway's house.
Finally seeming to come to the realization that Scareltt was truly missing, Mrs. Callaway sunk into a chair at the kitchen table. Instead of being in hysterics, she just seemed lifeless and in shock. The three of them all thought it made sense that Umbridge had captured Scarlett and the thought not only made Mrs. Callaway worry for her daughter, but also for herself.
"I'm actually surprised they didn't come after me first," she said as Erica began making them all tea.
Fred sat down at the table across from Mrs. Callaway and looked up at the ceiling. "I keep thinking about that too. Why wouldn't Umbridge go for the two of you at once if she suspected you of leaking the news early? Not that I want you to be captured as well, or captured in place of Scarlett, but Scarlett couldn't have found out about the Registration Commission on her own. Umbridge must know that."
"Unless she doesn't know that Scarlett warned Justin and Hermione," Erica said, setting three mugs of tea on the table before sitting down. "Maybe there's another reason for why she took her."
"Once the news of the Muggleborn Registration Commission got out," Mrs. Callaway said slowly, spinning her mug in her hands, "I wasn't exactly…shy about expressing my feelings about it. But, again, I don't see why they wouldn't just come after me." She buried her head in her hands. "I don't know. I just want Scarlett home where she belongs."
"We all do," Erica said gently. She glanced at Fred. "And we know she's alive at least."
Fred swallowed and stared into his tea. Sure, Scarlett was alive now, but what would happen tomorrow or the next day or the day after? He didn't really think Umbridge would kill anyone, but then again, what did he know? The lady was nuts. There was no telling what she might do.
"Do you need us to stay with you tonight?" Fred asked, looking at Mrs. Callaway.
"No, of course not," she answered with a laugh and a wave of her hand. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Really, if they haven't come after me by now, then I don't think they're going to."
"Are you sure?" Erica asked slowly. "We're more than happy to stay."
"I'll be fine," Mrs. Callaway said again.
Erica sighed and stood up from the table to wash her now empty mug of tea. After a moment, Fred the same, taking Mrs. Callaway's empty mug as well.
"I'm going to stay with her," Erica whispered when Fred reached the sink. "I don't care what she says. I think at least for tonight, she needs someone."
Fred nodded. "I'll stay too," he offered.
Erica shook her head. "No, I think you should go back and tell George what's going on. I'm sure he's worried about you."
"I can send him a note," Fred said, but only half-heartedly. The truth was that he did want to go back to the flat and tell George everything. George was the one person whose presence alone could make him feel better.
Erica seemed to know this and gave him a sympathetic look. "Sending things by owl is too risky right now, especially for you. You're being tracked. Just go home and talk to George. I'll stay here with Scarlett's mum. We'll be fine. I might stop home quickly and get my D.A. coin, though. That's how we can communicate if we need anything, so keep yours on hand once you get home."
Fred nodded. "Good idea." He paused. "Do you think Scarlett has her coin?"
Erica shook her head sadly as she turned and leaned backwards against the counter. "It's sitting on her desk in her room. I saw it there the other day."
Fred sighed heavily. "Okay, I'll head home, then. Let me know if you need anything or hear anything and I'll do the same."
"Sounds good," Erica whispered.
Fred swallowed and nodded before turning away. He said goodbye to Scarlett's mother and left for his flat, letting himself in and rubbing a hand over his eyes. He was exhausted, but felt like if he tried to sleep, he wouldn't be able to.
"Fred?" George stuck his head out of the kitchen and let out a visible sigh of relief when he saw Fred standing in the doorway. "Where were you? I saw all the untouched food when I came home and didn't take it as a good sign."
"Scarlett's missing," Fred sighed, making his way to the couch and sitting down, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes.
"Missing?" George asked, coming over and sitting next to Fred. "What are you talking about?"
"She didn't show up earlier," Fred answered, lowering his hands from his eyes. "I waited an hour before going to her flat. Erica said Scarlett had come home from work on time and then left to come here for six o'clock. But she never arrived."
"So what did you do after you talked to Erica?" George asked in a whisper.
"Erica and I went to Scarlett's mother's house and told her everything. She was in denial at first, so we checked a bunch of places that Scarlett liked to go to before we went back to her mother's house for a bit. Erica's staying with her tonight."
"How is she? Scarlett's mum, I mean."
"More in shock than anything right now," Fred shrugged.
"So…what do you think happened to Scarlett?" George asked quietly.
Fred only needed to glance at his twin to communicate his answer, which George understood.
"Umbridge?" he asked in surprise.
"Yeah, it makes sense, doesn't it?" Fred answered impatiently.
"I suppose it does," George agreed. He was quiet for a minute. "I also suppose it's not much consolation to you if I say that we at least know Scarlett's not dead."
Fred half smiled. "No, not really."
George returned the half-smile. "I didn't think so."
"I just—I mean, I'm glad she's not dead, but I want to know that she's safe. I want her home," Fred said, staring intently at the wall.
"What happens if she does die?" George whispered.
Fred looked up, immediately detecting the fear in George's voice. He knew what George really meant, of course. His twin didn't want Scarlett to die by any means, but what he had really just asked was what would happen when—if—Fred's connection to Scarlett through the vow caused him to die.
"She won't," Fred told George reassuringly, even though he knew he couldn't promise it and George knew that too. "She won't die," he repeated, swallowing.
"But if she does?" George asked.
"You'll be okay, Georgie," Fred said, his voice gentle, but also firm, almost like an order. "I know you will."
"Would you? Would you be okay? If it was me in your place?" George asked.
Fred looked down at his hands. "I know it sounds impossible, but you'd have to try to stay strong. For me. Okay?"
George didn't say anything for what felt like hours. Finally, he nodded. "Okay," he whispered.
Feeling even more exhausted than he had when he walked in the door, Fred stood up and stretched his arms above his head before lowering them and sighing. "I'm going to try to get some sleep," he said, patting George's shoulder and turning to head for his room.
"Fred?"
"Yeah?" Fred turned and looked at his twin, who was staring at him over the back of the couch.
"What are we going to do? How are we going to get Scarlett back?"
Fred couldn't help but smile at George's use of the word 'we'. They were always in it together, no matter what.
"I think all we can do right now is wait," Fred answered. He hated the answer, but he found it easily pouring out of his mouth and he knew in his gut that it was the best option, even if it didn't seem like it.
"What if we just sneak into the Ministry and get Scarlett out? I'm sure we could do it. I mean, we have plenty of disguise and distraction stuff in the shop and—"
Fred shook his head. As much as he wanted to take George up on his plan, he found himself shooting it down, which was actually kind of odd. Usually, George was the one who thought things through just a little bit more than Fred did.
"It's too risky, George," he found himself saying. "We're being watched as it is. We can't put our family in danger. Besides, we don't really know for sure if Umbridge has Scarlett. It's just a very strong hunch. And even if she does have her, we don't know where. She might not be holding her captive at the Ministry at all. I mean, I want nothing more than to get Scarlett home safe, but doing anything would be too risky for us—for anybody. Umbridge or whoever has Scarlett probably knows it, too."
George stared at him for a moment. "I want her back, too, you know. Not just because her life is linked to yours, either. She's a good friend, always has been. And she also makes you happy." George shrugged and smiled. "And when you're happy, I'm happy."
Fred smiled a genuine smile this time. "Thanks, Georgie."
George smiled back. "Anytime."
Ten minutes later, Fred was lying on his stomach in his bed, his hand resting on the pillow beside him as he turned his D.A. coin between his fingers. Even though he knew chances were slim, he kept hoping it would heat up with a message from Erica saying that Scarlett was safe or that she had come home, or even both. Even though he doubted that news would come that night, the night after, or even the night after that, he felt comforted holding the coin in his hand, and eventually, he fell asleep with it held tightly in his fist.
A/N: I just know everyone was looking forward to the return of our favorite pink-obsessed villain, right? She's just so much fun to hate. :)
I just wanted to say thanks for all of the awesome reviews so far and to everyone who's added this story to their alerts or favorites! It's definitely encouraging to see that so many people are enjoying it!