Chapter 18 – Much Needed Comfort
Fred sat in the Great Hall beside George, a mostly untouched plate of food growing cold in front of him. The warm hum of clinking cutlery and cheerful chatter filled the space, but he wasn't listening. His eyes flicked again toward the doors.
George noticed. Between bites of biscuit, he followed his brother's gaze. "Think Ava's still outside the hospital wing?"
Fred shrugged, but his posture stiffened. "She said she'd head back to her room… but I haven't seen her since."
George picked up a drumstick and took a colossal bite, chewing thoughtfully. "My twin sense is tingling," he mumbled through the mouthful. "You want to go check."
Fred shot him a sideways look. "I just want to make sure she's alright."
With a sigh of mock exasperation, George wrapped two biscuits in a napkin, added a drumstick for good measure, and grabbed a chocolate crème puff like it was a final flourish. "You're lucky I snack for a living."
They pushed back from the bench and made their way out of the Great Hall, past the enchanted ceiling now dimming with early evening clouds. The torchlit corridors of Hogwarts were quieter now, the bustle of dinner left behind as the brothers approached the hospital wing.
The doors were ajar which was odd, at this hour.
Inside, one of the privacy screens lay knocked over, and the unmistakable silhouette of Professor Lupin sat propped up in bed, looking pale and bruised but alert. As they passed, his voice rasped out, "Fred! George!"
The boys paused and Lupin's eyes landed on them. "Have either of you seen Ava?"
Fred took half a step forward, heart skipping. "No, Professor. We left her outside the wing before dinner. You saw her?"
"She came in," Lupin said, reaching with some difficulty for the water cup on his nightstand. "We didn't get to talk. She left in a rush. If you see her, tell her… tell her I'd like to speak with her."
George and Fred exchanged a glance. George spoke up. "We will, sir."
But Fred lingered a second longer. "Why did she leave?"
Before Lupin could answer, Madam Pomfrey swept into the room with a tray, her presence brisk and no-nonsense. "What are you two doing in here?"
"They were just passing by, Poppy," Lupin said quickly. "I asked them in. Only a quick chat."
"Well, your chatting days are done for tonight. I need to monitor your vitals before I discharge you. And I can't do that with these two stirring you up."
Fred and George offered polite nods and backed out the door. Once in the corridor, George exhaled and shook his head. "That was weird."
"Yeah," Fred muttered. "Something spooked her."
Before they could puzzle further, a blur of robes and wild curls came tearing down the corridor.
"Fred! George!" Lee Jordan skidded to a halt, grinning like he'd won the Quidditch Cup. "You will not believe what just happened! Flitwick tried to levitate a dish and bam… his wand turned on him and started chasing him around like an angry pixie! It was bloody brilliant!"
Fred blinked. "Wait–how did he get one of our wands?"
George beamed with pride. "When I left you and Ava in the lab, I ran into Lee. We did the switch after Charms. The timing was perfect."
Lee clapped a hand on Fred's shoulder. "And now everyone's asking where they can buy one. You lot are about to become legends."
Fred shook his head, half-laughing. "You lot planned this without me?"
"You and Ava needed time," George said pointedly. "Looked like something was finally happening. Didn't want to interrupt destiny."
Fred rolled his eyes but didn't argue. "I just wish I could've seen Flitwick. Maybe the business is kicking off sooner than we thought."
The three of them started down the hall, talk drifting to pranks, products, and which corridor would be best to test a decoy dungbomb prototype. But the mood dimmed again as they passed a familiar figure in the distance.
Oliver Wood.
The seventh-year had a fifth-year girl cornered against the wall, whispering something in her ear that made her eyes dart toward the floor. Fred's shoulders tensed.
George didn't miss it. "Some things never change," he muttered as they passed.
They reached the Fat Lady's portrait. Fred paused, hand on the frame. "I forgot something in the lab. Go ahead–if you see Ava, tell her I'll be back in a bit."
George nodded. "Got it. Don't blow anything up."
With Lee and George disappearing behind the portrait hole, Fred turned and doubled back through a side corridor. The castle had gone still again, a quiet hum of ancient stone and candlelight. He moved quickly, footsteps echoing as he approached the nondescript wooden door tucked behind a tapestry. Only the door wasn't shut. It stood slightly ajar.
Fred froze. No one but him, George, and Ava knew about this room.
His wand slid into his hand, muscle memory from years of mischief and too-close calls. Slowly, he eased the door open, descending the tight spiral staircase into the brothers' hidden lab.
And then he saw her. Curled up on the old sofa, arms wrapped around her knees, eyes puffy and red. Ava.
Fred lowered his wand, heart twisting. "Ava?"
Her head jerked up, startled. But when she saw it was him, something in her broke and the tears came again.
Fred crossed the room in two long strides. He didn't ask. He just knelt beside her and pulled her into his arms.
She didn't speak because she didn't need to. Whatever had happened… she just needed someone to hold her through it. And Fred would stay as long as it took.
She didn't know where else to go. The corridors were too loud. The hospital wing was too close. Her dormitory didn't feel like mine anymore.
So she ran to the only place I could think of.
Fred and George's secret room was tucked away, hidden behind an old tapestry most students ignored. It smelled faintly of parchment, cinnamon toffee, and something unnamably Fred. Safe. Familiar.
She slipped through the door, bolted it behind her, and collapsed into the far corner of the room. Her legs gave out beneath her like a string had been cut. She didn't even try to stop the sobs. They came in waves, hard and fast, leaving her gasping. Her ribs ached. Her lungs burned.
And still, she cried.
She wasn't sure how long she stayed like that, knees pulled to her chest, forehead pressed to her arms. Time lost all meaning. Eventually, the tears slowed. Her breathing steadied. But the ache didn't fade.
Then she felt it, the gentlest pressure on my shoulder. She flinched and looked up, wide-eyed.
Fred.
He was kneeling beside her, his face etched with worry, but his hands were soft, steady. He didn't say anything. He just pulled her into his arms, wrapping himself around her like a shield. He rocked her back and forth in silence, the only sound was her stuttering breath as she buried her face into his shoulder. He held her like he meant it like he would hold on even if the world cracked open beneath them.
At some point, she whispered hoarsely, "He's my father…"
Fred stilled, arms tightening slightly. "Who is?"
"Lupin," she murmured, her voice raw. "Remus Lupin is my father."
His body tensed, not in judgment, not in fear. Just a quiet surprise. "How?" he asked gently.
She pulled back just enough to look at him. "I overheard him and Dumbledore in the hospital wing. He said… he didn't want to lose me. Like he lost my mother." She drew in a shaky breath. "That's why my father… I mean Anthony… that's why he always looked at me like that. Like I was never enough. I was… never his. I was someone else's mistake."
Fred cupped her face in his hand, wiping a tear from beneath her eye with his thumb. "You are not a mistake."
"I feel like one."
"You're not." He said it like a vow. And something inside her cracked.
"I've always felt alone," she admitted, her voice trembling. "Unwanted. Like I was too much for one person and not enough for another. And now… I don't know who I am."
Fred leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers. "You're Ava," he whispered. "You're brilliant. You're fierce. You're kind. And you're wanted. I want you."
The words undid her. Before she could think, before she could talk herself out of it, she kissed him.
It wasn't urgent or desperate. Just… real. Soft lips meeting in the dark. A promise wrapped in quiet. He responded with the same tenderness, his arms slipping around her waist, pulling her closer. The warmth of his body soaked into hers, chasing away the chill she hadn't realized had settled in her bones.
Somehow, they ended up on the floor, tangled in each other like they were pieces of a puzzle that had finally clicked into place. His hands were reverent as they moved, not demanding, not rushing just memorizing. Tracing the curve of her waist, the small of her back, the line of her jaw. He kissed her like he had all the time in the world. She felt safe and wanted, and something more. Something that sent her heart spiraling.
Fred's body pressed against hers, the weight of him igniting a yearning that pooled in her lower abdomen. The contact sent ripples of desire coursing through her. She tangled her fingers in his tousled hair, tugging gently, eliciting a breathy sigh from him. He pulled away just enough to plant soft kisses along her cheek, trailing down to her neck, where his warm breath sent shivers cascading over her skin.
She felt emboldened, her fingers slipping to the hem of his shirt. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice a mix of surprise and curiosity, pulling back slightly to meet her gaze.
"I want you, Fred," she breathed, the urgency of her need palpable in the air between them.
His brow furrowed with concern, his eyes searching hers for certainty. "Are you sure? I don't want to push you… I want you to be completely sure…"
Without a word, Ava pulled him back to her, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss that silenced whatever doubt he was feeling. She felt the rush of adrenaline as he unbuttoned his shirt, tossing it aside carelessly. Soon, her clothes joined, leaving them raw and exposed on the floor.
Fred's hands roamed her body slowly, each touch igniting a spark that made her skin tingle. She shuddered under his caress, the anticipation coiling tighter within her. He lowered himself, capturing her nipple with his warm mouth, sending waves of pleasure radiating through her. As her back arched instinctively, his fingers brushed against her most intimate warmth, exploring her slickness.
Ava gasped, her body responding to his touch. But just as she neared the precipice of bliss, Fred withdrew his fingers, replacing them with his full weight atop her. The ache for him grew unbearable; she craved the depth of their connection, the heat of their bodies mingling entirely. He held her gaze, searching for permission to cross that final threshold.
With a subtle lift of her hips, she welcomed him, gasping as he entered her. The sensation was a mix of pain and pleasure, a delicious melding that sent her heart racing. Fred pulled back instinctively, concern etched on his face, but she silenced him with a soft kiss, urging him to return. "I want you, Fred…"
Her body ached for him, a primal need that transcended the confines of their small room. She wanted to lose herself in him, to forget the world outside and become one with the boy who stole her breath. Fred brushed a tender kiss against her cheek, his voice a husky whisper against her ear. "I love you, Ava…"
Emotions swelled within her, overwhelming and intoxicating as he pressed back inside her. The sensation of him filling her sent her spiraling, her body numb yet alive with pleasure. She closed her eyes, surrendering fully to the waves of ecstasy that crashed over her, each thrust making her moan louder.
As the rhythm between them intensified, Ava felt herself teetering on the edge. Every kiss, every touch, every whispered promise wrapped around her like a cocoon, isolating them from the outside world. Fred's movements became more urgent, his breaths mingling with hers in a rhythm as old as time.
"Let go, Ava," he urged, his voice low and coaxing, pushing her closer to the brink. "I'm right here…"
With one final thrust, the dam inside her broke, and she fell over the edge into a sea of pleasure. Her body trembled, waves of ecstasy crashing through her as stars exploded behind her closed eyelids. She felt Fred's warmth envelop her, and he was not far behind, his body melting on top of her.
As their breathing slowed, tangled together on the floor of the hidden room, Ava let her eyes drift open to the ceiling above. Fred's arms remained wrapped around her, his heartbeat a quiet, steady rhythm against her cheek. For the first time in what felt like forever, the ache inside her had dulled. The hollow places…the questions, the grief, the confusion… they didn't vanish, but they quieted. He was still there. Holding her. Choosing her. And that mattered more than anything else right now. She closed her eyes, a soft breath slipping past her lips as sleep began to pull her under. And as the darkness settled over her, Ava realized something she hadn't allowed herself to believe in a long time she didn't feel lost. She didn't feel broken.
She didn't feel alone.
