Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Things Change: cruor est lucus quam unda ❯ Chapter Three: Falling Appart at the Seams ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three:

Falling Apart at the Seams

Authors note: In case anyone was wondering I thought I'd randomly explain the name of this story;

Things Change: cruor est lucus quam unda

Well the first part is obvious....

The second is Latin for: Blood is thicker than water

Anyway- on with the story...

 

The normal hustle and bustle of shoppers eager to make their way around the isles and to the checkouts as quickly as possible surrounded the young woman. She had been nervous at first, but finally the fluttering in her stomach subsided and she began to settle into the swing of things. She had been pleasantly surprised when the manager had asked her if she could start right away-literally. It was thoroughly enjoyable for her to be at some kind of work, giving her back a freedom she had never really experienced before. Eager to do a good job, she buckled down to the task at hand, smiling at the new face in front of her.

 

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

 

Back at the Weasley's, the whole household was in uproar. Mr Weasley had begun pacing again, while his wife sat, hands covering her face in silent tears. The trio hadn't moved for hours but had no intention to stop trying to think of new ways to find the missing members of the Weasley family. Lupin and Tonks sat to one side around the dining table, silent as graves, their faces stony, giving away nothing.

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

 

Bill was red in the face and absolutely furious as he ran down the busy London street. As soon as he had read the note he had hastily to the city eager to find his wife. He arrived at his destination, slowed down and took a deep breath before entering. People swarmed everywhere despite the early hour. He was almost overturned as a tiny woman, with flowing grey hair and a trolley, pushed past him, desperate to find the cat food quickly. Bill walked down the isles searching for the beautiful blonde hair of his wife. Suddenly he spotted a shimmer and immediately directioned himself towards its source. He saw her, relaxed and sitting with the blue T-shirt and the bright orange logo of Sainsbury's on her chest.

“Fleur you've scared me half to death, I'm taking you home. Now.” His voice was full of authority, though inside he was shaking with a mix of fear and anger.

“Oh heya honey! I can't just now, I've still got ten minutes of my shift and the manager will go berserk if I tried to leave before that.”

Bill gave his wife one his most stern look, but it melted into nothingness as he gazed into her puppy dog eyes.

“Please?” Her tuneful voice broke his resolve and he agreed to stay, waiting at the end of her till, until she was allowed to go home.

The next customer approached Fleur's till, a large roguishly hansom man, which she smiled to.

“Hello, can I help you with your packing today?”

Bill crossed his arms, set a intimidating facial expression and began the long ten minutes for the shift to be over.

Time passed like one of Snape's potions classes and dragged for what felt like hours. Finally it was over and Fleur was ready to leave. Bill made sure to stick to her and that she made her way to a safe stop for him to apparate home, without any muggles noticing or getting in the way. Charlie's gunna be in BIG trouble when I find him for putting thoughts like that into my Fluer's head. I swear!

 

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

 

The sunlight poured into the kitchen of the Burrow and with the light of the new day brought with it some guests.

“Charlie, Ginny!” Molly Weasley ran to her children and embraced them in a tight tear stained hug. Mr Weasley waled to his children and laying his hands on their shoulders told them,

“Merlin, we're just so happy to see the two of you.”

Quizzical faces framed the two new persons in the cosy home. They exchanged glances, then Ginny answered one from her toher brother Ron, who was sitting at the table with his two best friends.

“I stayed over at Luna's and met Charlie on the way home, what's going on? Why the great homecoming gathering?”

But before anyone could answer a loud POP echoed around the room. Bill and Fleur found themselves hardly able to breathe under his mothers embrace, before anyone had even the chance to say hello.

“I'm so sorry mum, we didn't make it to dinner. CHARLIE has to answer for that one.” He now faced his brother as Molly let the embrace drop, giving Charlie a questioning look.

“HE got it into Fleur's head that she should get s job, she upped and left with a quick note, which I didn't find until after I'd spent hours already looking for her. I found her in Sainsbury's of all places, at a till!”

“Now, now, hold on a minute I CAN think for myself baby. AND it's not anyone's fault but your own that you didn't look for a note first.” Fleur's response that was meant to quell the argument-in- the- making did nothing of the sort and was promptly ignored by all parties involved.

“Now you can't blame me for that! I don't control your wife and apparently your word doesn't count much either!” Charlie had turned as red as Bill and was as angry too.

“Why you little-“ Bill had begun to move towards Charlie.

“STOP!!!” Mrs Weasley's voice rang out clearly for half the neighbourhood to hear, and probably frightened a few nearby rabbits as well.

“Not now. I mean it! Bill where are the twins? Why didn't you bring them back with you? It was very irresponsible for you to not contact us, you know we worry.”

“Wha...? Mum, I haven't seen the twins since last weekend, what's going on?”

The weight hit her swiftly, promptly she half-sat half- fell into the nearest chair, while all the others present in the room found the floor suddenly very interesting to look at.

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

 

The twins couldn't leave their mess, no matter how much they personally hated their captor. With a face that was such a deathly pale white, and the sheer amount of blood around them, all they wanted was to run away and hide, but they knew better. They could let this death hang over them.

“How can we help? What do you need?” Fred's voice shook as he spoke, his twin encouraged him with a slight nod of the head.

“I um, er, shit, don't you know any charms? Anything? I could only stop the blood for a little bit, now it won't sttttopppp....” Violent tears spilled from their captor, rendering them unable to speak. Now it was George's turn to voice his opinion,

“I...no. But we can get some supplies, water, bandages, you can't go so I will, Fred can try anything he can think of while I'm gone.” He left as soon as he had finished speaking. He ran with all the speed of his body could must right down to the nearby lights of a village...Hogsmade?

Meanwhile, Fred had knelt over the body and tried all the minor healing spells he could call to mind, knowing these wounds were far beyond his ability to heal. Nothing seemed to work.

Fred returned with armfuls of bandages and bottles of water. They cleaned the wounds and dressed them with the bandages, but no sooner as they had finished, blood began to soak through. George began to speak,

“We need to do something, none of this is working, we all need to go and-“

“No, I can't...I can't leave...”

 

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

 

Voldemort's voice rang out into the fresh morning's air, crisp and clear as he talked down to the small cloaked figure before him.

“Now my child, I know you don't have much time, tell me what you can and quickly. They will know you have left soon.”

“Harry Potter, the red head and the book-girl are going to Godrick's Hollow. I set a spell on the light fittings to record conversations.”

“Very good. You will be rewarded my young apprentice. You may leave.”

“Thank you my Lord.” The figure bowed, touched the dark mark on the skin of the stomach and apparated back to the room they had meant to be in all along. With no-one any the wiser of their presence having been absent.

 

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

 

“...her...”

The twins nodded their understanding and desperately tried more spells before formulating a new plan of action. Their captor wept as he replaced the already sodden bandages, while the twins crouched away from the woman's body and discussed their options.