Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Things Change: cruor est lucus quam unda ❯ Chapter Two: Dissapearances ( Chapter 2 )

True Colours

Chapter Two:

Disappearances

 

“Oh wow, well dearies it's lovely to see you, but, what brings you here?” Mrs Weasley yammered on at the trio. Smiling serenely as she wiped down her hands on the flowery apron.

“Well, we were actually hoping to catch Bill. Have you seen him lately?” Hermione tried to sound as natural as possibly, but seeing Mrs Weasley's questioning glance she hastily added, “no, no, it's just a little something we wanted to ask him, nothing important.” Mrs Weasley shook her head absentmindedly still harbouring a curious expression on her face.

“Well, you'll be wanting some breakfast then, I guess...”

“Actually mum, we've already eaten” replied Ron. Her hurt expression caused them all to shift uncomfortably, guilt coursing through them.

“But, we'd love a cup of tea, your tea is the best, you know.” Harry said enthusiastically. Her face warmed immediately, as she proceeded to waltz around the cosy kitchen turning on the radio with a flick of her wand, to then turn her attention on the kettle. The three teenagers sat down around the large dining table, patiently waiting for their refreshments.

The back door slammed open, stunning them all, they twisted round to face the intruder. As soon as Mrs Weasley caught eye of the figure dimming the light from the doorway she dropped her wand to the floor with a clatter. She sprang towards her pasty looking husband, her face full of concern.

“Molly....” he stuttered, barely composed, “ you better sit down.”

She sat, full of questions she was too afraid to ask, waiting.

“It's the twins. They're.....missing.” Instinctively Molly looked up at the family clock. Travelling? Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in stunned silence, unable to process the information. Mr Weasley combed his hand through his hair, lost for words. He had barely even walked through the door of his shabby office, when the cruel tone on the loudspeaker had brought him the bad news. He had rushed to the twins shop, dread in his heart at what was left for him.

“There's more, what... what is it?” Molly wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to this question.

“I, um, went to their shop, it...”He took a deep breath, trying to quell the shake in his voice, before continuing, “...it looked like there had been some kind of fight.”

Mrs Weasley turned a paler shade of white if that was at all possible. Her eyes downcast, her husband looked around the rest of the room. Coming upon the intent gazes from the rest of the company he spoke again.

“The front door had been shattered, forced entry to an extreme. Shelves all over the place, merchandise scattered around everywhere. A total mess. We looked around but they just weren't there.” Mr Weasley let his head lower in defeat.

“But... we'll there wasn't any blood and they weren't there, they probably got away...” Mrs Weasley gazed up at Hermione hopefully; turning her fragile gaze upon her husband her hopes were instantly crushed.

“There was blood...alot of blood.”

The silence that proceeded seemed to become an actual presence in the room. Squashing everyone deeper into their own grim thoughts.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * *

 

She was gone.

He had searched everywhere he could think of. There was no sign at all. His breath quickened as he lost his fight with the panic he had been trying to contain for most of the day.

They had got her.

He glanced around one last time, but only the dark streets of London met his gaze. With the decision already made he prepared to leave for his next destination.

POP

He walked into the kitchen of his new surroundings and turned on the lights with the flick of his wand. Eyes drawn to the counter-top his stomach dropped. A few tears escaped, meandering down his cheeks as he stared at it. The harsh light coated the room in a white light, giving a sterile look to the room. Apprehensively he inched closer to the crumpled, dirty note. His hand outstretched he reached for it, his hand shaking as he silently read the note. A tiny gasp left his lips when he came to the signature at the bottom.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Harry, Ron and Hermione still sat around the Weasley's dining table, the initial shock over from the loss of the twins. Mr and Mrs Weasley had left together to continue the search, dread filling their every thought, leaving the trio to themselves.

“I should have gone with.” Ron's voice still portrayed some of the earlier shock.

“You know we wouldn't have been any help. We have to carry on. It's the only thing we can do to help them now. They would have wanted us to.” Hermione tried to choose her words carefully, but as she spoke Ron's face began to redden.

“No, we could have looked for them! How the hell is this gunna help them?!?! We don't even know what to do next!!!!!”

“Godric's Hollow.” Harry's voice was steady and deliberate.

“What? Harry we told you before. There's probably traps and Merlin knows what...” Hermione's reply was cut off by Harry's deadly tone.

“It's our only option. We'll know where to go once we've been there.” The twins disappearance momentarily forgotten the trio broke out into a loud row.

A fire jumped into being in the grate, glowing green embers supported a small shadow. This development surprised them all, even more so when Tonks followed by Lupin walked out of the fireplace and each took up seats opposite the trio at the table. Tonks seemed to be in some kind of shock, while Lupin tried to reach her unsuccessfully. Hermione asked what happened but as Lupin relayed what had happened earlier everyone came up at a loss. After telling Lupin about the twins and that Ron's parents had gone to search for them the mood grew even more sombre. Deciding to wait for Mr and Mrs Weasley the stared at the table, each enveloped in a shroud of their own disturbing thoughts.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * *

 

“What the hell did you do to us?”

“Where is this place?”

“Who the hell are you?”

“Untie us now!!!”

“Ok, ok, it's just you would never have come otherwise. I need help. I'm...sorry.” The voice was distant and it echoed around the walls even though it was no more than a whisper. Immediately the ropes that bound them began to untie, snaking around their bodies. Once free they were able to get up and move around, drawing their wands cautiously trying to find the owner of the disembodied voice. One stumbled, the other stopped dead.

“Oh....shit....what the....so much....” His voice was laced with fear.

“...blood...” Both voices echoed as one, shaky but clear none the less. They had to get out of where ever this was and fast.

Lumos

A stark white light lit the horrifying scene before them. Both recoiled slightly as they looked down at the blood covered floor.

“Please...help...please.”

 

* * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Cold air sped into the cosy kitchen as the wearied husband and wife entered. Mr and Mrs Wealsey looked at the trio, tears glistening in their eyes. Without needing to ask, Mr Weasley answered the unspoken questions that hung in the air.

“We can't find any trace of them.” He exhaled and went on, “and we can't find Bill and Fleur. Apparently he didn't come into work today, and no-one has seen Fleur in their village."

Mrs Weasley burst into uncontrollable tears, unable to comfort her Mr Weasley gently guided her over to a chair. Everyone was stunned into an uncomfortable silence. How much more of this could they take? And what was going on? Why is everyone disappearing and how?

No-one could bear to be the one to mention what they were all thinking. You-know-who was getting to them. Hunting them down. One by one. All slowly disappearing. Recently he had been gathering great forces, wreaking all manner of evil upon the wizarding world and the unsuspecting muggle world had suffered the consequences too. It had begun bad, but now it was worse. With the mass breakout at Azkaban all his former followers were loose, combining with new support, his force was beginning to take over everything, even the ministry had been subject to a range of terrible and messy incidents.