The atmosphere at King's Cross was different this time. Tense. There were more Aurors around, more cautious glances exchanged between parents. The events at the Ministry had shaken everyone—there was no more pretending now. Voldemort was back, and the whole world knew it.
But despite the dark cloud hanging over everything, Fred and George were in good spirits, standing among the crowd of waiting families. Fred bounced on his heels, craning his neck as the train came to a screeching halt.
"Think she'll make a big scene?" George mused, arms crossed.
Fred grinned. "Wouldn't have it any other way."
The doors opened, and students began spilling out onto the platform, some greeting their families, others rushing past, eager to leave the watchful eyes of the Aurors. Fred barely had time to scan the crowd before he spotted a flash of familiar blonde hair.
Addie had zero hesitation. She ran straight from the train, dodging other students, and launched herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist like she didn't care who saw.
Fred laughed as he caught her, staggering back a step before holding her tight against him. "Miss me, love?" he teased, burying his face in her hair.
"Like hell," she mumbled against his shoulder.
Over her head, Fred saw Draco Malfoy lingering near the train, his usual sneer faltering slightly as he took in the sight of Addie clinging to him. Fred only grinned wider, sending Malfoy a wink before turning his full attention back to Addie.
George, meanwhile, had his hands full with Angelina. "Merlin, Angie, you look ready to pop already," he teased, eyes flicking down to her growing bump.
Angelina rolled her eyes. "Four months, Weasley. Still got a ways to go. Gotta tie the knot before they show up."
"Still doesn't seem fair," Addie muttered, pulling back just enough to glance at Angie. "You get the big, proper wedding, and I get a quickie at the Ministry like I'm some criminal getting sentenced."
Fred frowned slightly, nudging her chin up with his fingers. "Hey. Don't say it like that."
She sighed, leaning into him. "I know, I know. It's just… not how I pictured it, you know?"
Fred understood. But with the way things were going, a small, quiet wedding was the safest option. He hated that for her. For them.
"Oi," George interrupted, "we can talk wedding stuff later. Let's get out of here before someone spots us and ropes us into some Order business."
Fred didn't need telling twice. With a quick glance around to make sure they were clear, he tightened his grip on Addie's waist, while George looped his arm around Angelina, and in an instant, they disapparated.
They landed with a soft pop in the flat above Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. It wasn't much, but it was theirs. Fred had been excited about surprising Addie with the setup, but as soon as he saw her expression upon taking it all in, he realized maybe they still had work to do.
Angelina snorted, glancing around the mostly empty space. "So… you did try. I can tell."
"That bad, huh?" Fred muttered.
Addie stepped away, taking in the mismatched chairs, the half-built bookshelf in the corner, and the lack of anything resembling décor. "I mean… it's better than a cave."
George scoffed. "Oh, come on, we got a bed in here and everything!" as he gestured to one of the bedrooms.
Angelina patted his arm. "Sweetheart, you also have a cardboard box as a nightstand."
George frowned, looking over at the box beside their bed like he hadn't noticed before. "Ah. Right. Well, it's, uh… temporary."
Addie turned to Fred, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "We'll be fixing this."
Fred sighed dramatically, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Guess that means we're getting dragged to a furniture shop."
"Damn right," Addie said, poking his ribs. "Because I refuse to start my married life in a flat that looks like a teenage boy's first apartment."
Fred smirked, pulling her in close. "Long as we're starting it together, love."
Addie huffed but didn't push him away. And despite the rough start, Fred could tell—she was happy to be home.
A few weeks later, Fred Weasley stood outside the Ministry courtrooms in his dress robes, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He had never thought of himself as the nervous type, but today was testing him. His entire family was there—Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, Ron, and Ginny. Even Fleur had come along, standing beside Bill with an amused expression, and Angelina was tucked under George's arm, her baby bump just beginning to show. The only person missing, of course, was Percy, but no one was particularly surprised about that.
Ginny was practically vibrating with excitement. "I've never been to a wedding in a courtroom before," she said, grinning up at Fred. "It's so…romantic."
Fred rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, dead romantic," he muttered. "Nothing like a bunch of ancient wizarding laws forcing your fiancée to marry you to really make the heart flutter."
George snickered. "At least you don't have to bribe her into it. Though, to be fair, she is stuck with a Weasley now, so I suppose that's punishment enough."
"Shove off," Fred muttered, though his heart wasn't really in it. He exhaled, rubbing his palms against his robes. It wasn't the wedding that was making him nervous—not really. It was the Malfoys. It was Addie's parents and whatever fresh hell they were going to bring into what should have been a happy day.
As if summoned by his thoughts, hushed, angry voices echoed down the hallway. Fred turned his head just in time to see Addie striding toward them, her parents flanking her like a pair of wolves herding prey. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy looked as impeccably put-together as ever, but their faces were taut with irritation. Behind them, Draco trailed along, looking even paler than usual, his lips pressed into a thin, grim line.
Fred barely took notice of them, though, because all he could see was Addie.
She looked breathtaking. A simple white dress hugged her frame, elegant yet effortless, and her platinum hair was pinned up in a delicate updo. He could tell she'd used a glamour to hide the mark on her forearm, but he knew it was there. Just like he knew, without even asking, that something was wrong. Anger rolled off her in waves, tightening her posture, as she clenched her jaw.
The Malfoys finally reached them, their low argument ceasing as Narcissa took in the gathered Weasleys with a barely concealed sneer.
Draco scoffed, his eyes flicking between Fred and his sister. "You're really doing this, then? Adding another Weasley to the world?"
Fred felt George tense beside him, but before either twin could make a retort, Narcissa sighed, brushing past them all as though they were nothing more than an unfortunate inconvenience. "Let's get this over with."
Fred ignored them, reaching for Addie's hand. She squeezed his fingers, and as soon as he leaned down, she whispered, "They're mad that I told my aunt to stay home."
Fred stiffened, his stomach twisting unpleasantly. "That aunt?"
Addie gave a small, nearly imperceptible nod.
Fred felt heat rise in his chest—anger, protectiveness, maybe a bit of sheer horror at the thought of Bellatrix Lestrange looming anywhere near Addie today. But there wasn't time to dwell on it. The wizarding judge was calling them in.
The ceremony itself was brief and entirely impersonal. Fred barely absorbed the words being spoken, only grounding himself in the warmth of Addie's hand in his own. He felt the weight of the moment settle over him when they said their vows—when he promised, without hesitation, to be hers forever. And when the judge finally declared them husband and wife, Fred didn't waste a second before cupping Addie's face and kissing her.
His wife.
Adelina Weasley.
For a split second, he let himself revel in the moment. But just as quickly as it had come, the mood was shattered.
The Malfoys left. Without so much as a pause or a word of acknowledgment, they turned on their heels and strode out of the courtroom, their robes billowing behind them.
The Weasleys were stunned for a moment before Molly, ever the mother, gently placed a hand on Addie's arm. "We had a feeling they wouldn't stay," she said softly. "So we've got a surprise for you."
Addie blinked, clearly thrown off. "A surprise?"
Fred grinned. "You'll like this one, I promise." He offered her his arm, and when she took it, he spun them into the tight pull of apparition.
A second later, they landed in front of the Burrow.
As the familiar warmth of the Burrow settled around them, Addie's eyes widened in disbelief. The backyard, usually a patchwork of wild grass and mismatched garden furniture, had been transformed. A large white tent billowed gently in the evening breeze, glowing softly from the floating lanterns inside. Through the open flaps, she could see tables covered in deep red and gold tablecloths, a long banquet-style feast, and—most shockingly—a crowd of people waiting for them.
The second she and Fred appeared, the gathering erupted into cheers and applause. Addie froze, overwhelmed as she took in the sea of familiar faces. There were Weasley relatives she recognized from stories, her heart swelling at the sight of them all smiling at her, welcoming her. Order members filled the space, their presence a quiet reminder of the war that loomed over them, but tonight, they weren't soldiers—they were friends.
Lee Jordan was whistling obnoxiously, throwing his arms around George and Angelina as they made their way forward. Alicia Spinnet was laughing, her eyes bright as she raised a glass. Hermione, Neville, and Luna stood off to the side, looking thrilled to be there. Addie had known them from the DA, but she wasn't expecting them to come, and seeing them made her throat tighten with emotion.
And then—her breath caught.
Standing just behind the others, looking slightly awkward but unmistakably present, was her Aunt Andromeda.
Uncle Ted stood beside her, smiling warmly, and next to him, looking as though she had been waiting for this moment for years, was Tonks.
Addie's eyes stung. She had barely interacted with them over the years—her mother had ensured that any association with the blood traitor of the Black family was severed. But now, seeing them here, she felt a strange, unfamiliar ache in her chest.
"You alright, love?" Fred murmured, his voice full of quiet amusement as he squeezed her hand.
She turned to him, still in shock. "Did you do this?"
He grinned, his freckles dancing across his nose. "Mum had the idea, but yeah. Figured if I couldn't give you the whole fancy wedding thing, at least we could have a proper party."
Her throat tightened. She was not going to cry in the middle of her own wedding reception.
"Fred…" she whispered, shaking her head in wonder.
"Not bad, huh?" he said, smirking.
She let out a soft, choked laugh. "Not bad? Fred, this is—this is more than I could have ever hoped for."
Fred's smirk softened into something more genuine, and he reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Good. Because you deserve all of it."
Before she could respond, Molly bustled forward, beaming. "Alright, enough staring into each other's eyes—come inside! The food will get cold!"
The crowd cheered again as they were ushered forward, and Addie felt herself being pulled into the warmth of the people who, for better or worse, had already become her family.
The reception was already in full swing by the time Addie and Fred were pulled into the tent. Warm candlelight flickered across the tables, and the air smelled of Molly's cooking—roast chicken, buttered potatoes, fresh-baked bread, and something sweet that Addie suspected was treacle tart. The warmth of it all wrapped around her, an overwhelming contrast to the cold, empty home she had grown up in.
The moment they stepped inside, Tonks practically launched herself at Addie.
"'Bout time, cousin!" Tonks grinned, squeezing her so hard Addie nearly lost her breath. "Didn't think you'd actually go through with marrying a Weasley. Bit of a rebellious streak in you, after all."
Addie let out a breathless laugh, still stunned by their presence. "You—you're really here."
"Course I am," Tonks said, nudging her playfully. "Wouldn't miss my cousin's wedding, even if it is to a redhead. You lot breed like gnomes, don't you?"
"Oi!" Fred cut in, crossing his arms. "I'm standing right here."
Ted chuckled, clapping Fred on the back. "Don't worry, son. We approve of you."
Fred puffed out his chest in mock pride. "Well, that's a relief. Thought I might have to duel Lucius Malfoy for her honor."
Addie rolled her eyes, though her heart clenched slightly at the reminder of her parents' absence. She wasn't surprised they had left immediately after the ceremony, but seeing the Weasleys, her aunt's family, and so many friends celebrating her marriage only made their absence feel more jarring.
But she pushed the thought away as the night carried on.
They ate until they were stuffed, Molly beaming proudly as everyone praised her cooking. George and Lee gave an impromptu, half-drunken speech about Fred's utter stupidity when it came to wooing women, which Fred pretended to be offended by while Addie laughed. Even Ginny, the one Weasley she hadn't spent much time with, surprised her by clinking her glass and loudly declaring, "Addie, if he ever annoys you too much, just hex him. We all do."
Fred gasped in mock betrayal, throwing an arm around Addie. "You see what I put up with?"
"Oh, I think I'll manage," Addie teased.
When the food was finished, the plates cleared themselves, and then—music.
Fred grinned as a lively tune filled the air, courtesy of a wireless radio someone had enchanted to play over the tent. He turned to Addie with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Dance with me."
She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "I don't dance."
Fred scoffed. "Liar. I saw you at the Yule Ball."
She flushed slightly, narrowing her eyes. "That was years ago."
"Then it's long overdue."
Before she could protest further, Fred took her hand and led her to the center of the tent, where some of the guests had already started dancing. The music was upbeat at first, and Fred wasted no time spinning her around, making her laugh as he moved with exaggerated, ridiculous steps.
"Merlin, you're awful," she teased, breathless from laughing.
Fred smirked. "And yet, here you are, stuck with me for life."
The thought sent a strange warmth through her chest, and she let herself be pulled into the rhythm of the music. For the first time in weeks—maybe months—she felt free. No war, no looming threat of Death Eaters, no expectations or obligations. Just her and Fred, surrounded by people who cared about them.
Then, as if sensing the shift in the air, the music slowed.
Fred's teasing grin softened, and he gently pulled her closer, resting one hand on her waist while the other held hers. Addie hesitated only for a moment before resting her free hand on his shoulder, letting herself sink into the warmth of his touch.
They swayed together, the world around them fading into the background.
Fred leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "You happy?"
She exhaled softly, looking up at him. "Yeah," she admitted. "I think I am."
Fred grinned, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. "Good. Because I intend to spend the rest of my life making sure you stay that way."
Addie closed her eyes, letting herself believe, even if just for tonight, that everything would be okay.