I know it took me forever to update…I don't really like this chapter – writer's block or something… thanks for being patient with me :)
Enjoy!
Jade woke up in the middle of the night, hearing voices coming from downstairs.
She tiptoed out of her room, her bare feet making no noise on the wooden floors. There was yellow light shining through the cracks of the stairs.
She slowly made her way down, stopping in the last corner, where the stairs were turning ninety degrees and leading straight to the kitchen.
"…he woke up for a few minutes and first thing he wanted to know was if George and Jade were alright. He was so brave Arthur, they gave him another dose of the potions and an ointment for the bite and it had to hurt him so much, he was trying not to cry but Arthur…" Molly's voice was shaking "He's such a brave boy."
There was a silence and Jade was sure Arthur was hugging Molly. Weasleys were such generous huggers, it made her smile just thinking about all the bear hugs she got since moving in with them.
"They gave him a sleeping potion to calm him down" Molly continued after a while "He'll be asleep until late morning so I thought I'll come home and check how you're doing."
"Everyone's fine honey, don't worry, I've put them to bed and everything's been quiet since then." Said Arthur and Jade could hear the smile in his voice, and just then, as she was standing on the cold wooden floor, admiring all the love which was literally radiating from the kitchen Jade sneezed. It was so sudden that she had no time to hide it.
Molly's face appeared at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at Jade.
Jade wasn't sure what to do, she didn't talk to Molly since the incident and she was sure Molly's still angry with her.
But Molly could never be angry for too long, and she was more scared than angry anyway.
"What are you doing up Jade?" She smiled and walked up to her, putting an arm around Jade's shoulder. They both walked back to Jade's bedroom and Molly tucked her in, smoothing the covers.
"I'm sorry…" started Jade and tears started to form in her eyes. She needed to apologize and she needed Molly to forgive her and tell her everything will be fine again.
"Aww honey, I know you didn't want to put yourself in danger, but it happened, and we can do nothing about it now. Everyone's alright so don't worry about it." Molly kissed Jade's forehead and then wiped a couple of stray tears from her own cheeks.
She knew how lucky the three mischief makers were that night. And she also realized it could have been much worse, and so Molly was thankful for the outcome, even though Fred was still in hospital.
"There will be consequences for all three of you of course." She said strictly, looking at Jade with straight face.
"You can all expect at least a week of extra chores this summer." She announced and got up from bed.
"Go to sleep sweetheart, you'll see Fred in the morning and he'll be absolutely fine soon…. I love you so much Jade, we all do. You know that right?" asked Molly standing by the door.
"I know, and I'm really sorry…" started Jade, but Molly shook her head smiling. "Just go back to sleep."
"I love you too." Whispered Jade when Molly's footsteps disappeared back down to the kitchen.
Jade woke up just before the dawn. She was having the worst nightmare ever. Fred was dead. At first she saw him lying on the forest floor, pale face and open eyes, which no longer saw the world. But soon the scene changed and they were standing in the corridor of Hogwards. Nothing made sense. Fred looked older, he was adult now, but Jade knew for sure that it was him, dead again. And George was there too, crying, just as he did in the hospital earlier yesterday, but this time he had a face filled with despair and terror as he hugged Fred's body close to his heart.
Jade couldn't look at them, she wanted to turn around and run away, but she couldn't move in the dream.
When she finally woke up, she wished her old nightmares were back. She no longer minded if Weasleys didn't want her in their family – she could handle those nightmares. Now she knew much bigger fear in her life, fear for someone else, and it was stronger than the one she felt for herself.
She climbed out of bed and sneaked into the room of twins.
It was strangely empty. Cold shadows filling the space between two beds. Rag rug which looked grey now, but Jade remembered it was pale blue had one corner flipped over – probably still from Christmas when they were rushing to get back to the train on time. She could almost see George pulling his trunk to the door and ruffling the carpet.
And the rubik's cube which Arthur brought them one day in summer from work was still unresolved on the bedside table.
Jade sneaked to Fred's bed, careful not to make a sound and covered herself with his blanket, breathing in the faint scent, and with a silent promise to herself, that she will never ever let Fred sacrifice himself for her again, she fell asleep.
Arthur woke her up around nine. Sun was already high and Molly left for hospital good two hours ago.
"Jade." He whispered and shook her shoulder gently until she opened her eyes.
"Good morning honey, we'll be going to visit Fred soon. Do you want to get dressed and eat something before we go?"
Jade jumped out of bed. "I don't need breakfast, let's just go there!" she hurried to her room to get dressed for the day.
When she run down the stairs, expecting everyone to be ready by the fireplace she was disappointed to see Ron still in his pajamas and Ginny already dressed but just starting her morning meal.
"There's no need to rush Jade, visiting hours started just a couple of minutes ago and they wouldn't let anyone in before that. Mom's been there since seven so I'm sure Fred has enough company for now."
And true to his words, Arthur didn't rush at all, making everyone eat big breakfast. He knew Molly will probably fuss around Fred all day and as much as he wanted to see his son awake and fine, Arthur knew Molly needed her time alone with Fred.
"Alright, everyone dressed? Shoes on?" Arthur checked holding a jar of floo powder.
"Let's go then, one at a time, and wait for me by the fireplace, no wandering around the waiting room." He instructed as they stepped into the fireplace and flooed to St. Mungo's.
The waiting room was full of patients. And healers were calling their names every few seconds, and despite their effort to work fast, it seemed as if the waiting room was fuller every second.
"We are here to visit Fred Weasley." Yelled Arthur, trying to make himself heard over the noise in the room.
"He was moved to the second floor, recovery room number 215." Said receptionist without looking up, franticly scribbling notes to her parchment.
Arthur opened his mouth to ask for the directions but she interrupted him:" Through the blue door, straight and then to the right. Next please! "
They hurried through the corridors, trying to get out of the way of busy healers and impatient patients.
"Here we are." Smiled Arthur and knocked softly on the door and opened it just a crack, looking inside.
"Come on in." they hear Molly's voice and Jade relaxed visibly, hearing the smile in Molly's response.
They walked in to the room. There were several empty beds, Fred was the only patient there. Molly was standing by his pillow, constantly smoothing back his bangs.
"Hey Fred!" exclaimed George, forgetting all the jokes he had prepared for this moment. He was too happy to see Fred awake. He run to his brother and almost jumped on the bed, but Molly pulled him down, frowning a little, but then she smiled. Her two baby boys were finally together again.
Jade walked to Fred and hugged him too. It was much easier now, when he didn't look as sick as yesterday.
"Hi." She said softly and giggled when Fred hugged her really strong.
"I'm so glad you're ok." He said looking at Jade. "and you too," he turned to George. "Do you have your school bag?" asked Fred looking at his brother with that mischievous sparkle back in his eyes.
"No, but I know exactly where it is, I'll get it as soon as we go back to school." Winked George.
Jade couldn't believe it, after all this, they wanted to go back to the forest? She was starting to protest but boys pulled her into another group hug and she didn't say anything – not now when everyone was so happy. She'll talk to them later.
The visit was cut short by the healer coming in to check on Fred, so they said good-bye. Mom told them they will have to go back to school as the lessons were starting tomorrow and they were not going to miss classes on top of all. They were in enough trouble already.
Fred looked sadly at them as the healer rushed everyone except Molly out.
Arthur kissed her on the way out, promising to come back as soon as he got the kids back to school.
Back at the Burrow they gathered in the kitchen, eating ice cream with chocolate sprinkles (Arthur made them promise they won't tell mom).
There wasn't much packing to do as they all came with nothing but a set of clothes, and soon they were all sitting on the porch, enjoying the spring sun, waiting for professor McGonagall who was supposed to come take them back to school. You could only use floo to headmaster's office with special permission or accompanied by one of the professors.
Jade was sitting on the porch swing, next to George, with Ginny leaning back against her knees while Jade braided her hair.
Ron was sulking. He was in bad mood since they came back from hospital, because there were still weeks of school year left and he'd be stuck at home alone with Ginny.
The sound of blasting flames was heard from the kitchen and Arthur got up to greet professor McGonagall.
"Alright, let's go. You have everything you need to take back?" professor asked strictly, checking the watch strapped to the inside pocket of her robes.
Arthur pulled Jade and George into a big hug and Ginny snuggled between Jade and daddy, sobbing. She wasn't excited about them going back either, but she showed it differently than Ron, who was still pouting, but shuffled closer and hugged George.
The flames flashed again, just before professor McGonagall wanted to step into the fireplace, revealing Molly, slightly covered in ashes.
"Oh good, I was worried I will miss your departure darlings." She exclaimed, rushing to her children.
"Now, you two be good, and don't worry, Fred should be back at school in a couple of days. No more mischief and I expect you to work hard and get ready for the final exams. Understood?" she asked, looking down at Jade and George, before pulling them into a bone-crushing hug.
"I'm going to miss you both so much." Molly wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Off you go, no time to waste." Instructed Arthur, putting his arm on Molly's shoulder.
Professor McGonagall took them back to Hogwards. The journey was brief and chaotic. They all landed on the soft carpet in Dumbledore's office but headmaster wasn't there.
"Now, you may go back to your common room, headmaster decided that no further punishment should be administered, because as he said, your parents will make sure you remember not to do anything this foolish again. I however disagree, so to make sure you will remember to keep out of dangerous situations in the future, I take twenty points from Gryffindor. For each of you." Professor McGonagall nodded at them and closed the door to headmaster's office, leaving George and Jade standing at the spiral stairs which were slowly descending down.
"You want to go visit Hagrid?" asked George, seeing how upset Jade was.
And because she really didn't feel like facing her roommates and all the questions right now, she gladly agreed and so instead of climbing the stairs to the common room, they took off for a walk across the grassy fields towards Hagrid's hut.