Mudblood • Fred Weasley

18. thatcher and lukas

FRED AND GEORGE HAD BEGAN TO FOCUS HIGHLY ON THEIR JOKE SHOP. After Willa had left, Fred needed something to distract him. DA done some distracting; but that was short lived when Marietta Edgecombe ratted to Umbridge.

"You know, George, I've always thought our futures lay outside the world of academic achievement." Fred grinned mischievously. With a pocket full of Harry's winnings, a girlfriend hundreds of miles away, and a devil of a headmaster at Hogwarts... now was the perfect time to leave and open the joke shop.

"I was thinking exactly the same thing." George beamed.

Now, all the pair had to do was plan their exit. Fred wished Willa had been here to witness it; she would've scolded them for not focusing on school, while also appreciating them following their dreams. Fred longed to hold her again, or even just hear her voice.. Fred would even settle for a letter. He couldn't even write Willa for safety reasons. His heart broke, he just wanted to know how she was doing.

•

Willa followed clumsily behind Charlie and the two boys he shared a cabin with. She wore a pair of Charlie's old boots, far too big. Charlie warned her that her shoes were not suitable for the mud and... other things they were about to trek in. As they stomped through the mud, up to the dragons, Willa thought about Fred. She remembered all the times that she, Fred and George played in the mud together when they were children. She smiled fondly remembering the time, wishing she was at the Burrow with Fred, wrapped up in his old quilt, sleeping soundly against his chest.

"Millie has been in a mood since you were gone." The taller of the two scraggly men said to Charlie. He was as tall as Charlie with curly brown hair; slightly cleaner than the other boy.

"You don't say!" Charlie laughed as they entered the large barn where the dragons were kept. "They're only locked up here at night." Charlie smiled, "they're free to roam during the day. They know not to get too far."

Willa's eyes widened as they entered the barn, the strong stench of feces hitting her nose. She snarled her nose at the smell, her eyes still gaping at the magnificent creatures before her.

"First time you've seen dragons, eh?" The boy said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Not the first, no. We had the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts last year. The first task involved dragons." Willa explained, slightly nervous to be in such close proximity to these dangerous creatures.

"Yes, I know." He explained, "Charlie and I were the ones who delivered them to the school." He reached out a calloused hand. "Thatcher. Thatcher Wilkins."

"Wilkins..." Willa whispered, fearing the worst. "I don't remember Raven having a brother.." Thatcher laughed.

"A cousin. Outcast of the family. My dad's a Wilkins, mums a muggle. Didn't go well with the rest of the family."

"Just like Tonks." Charlie laughed, Willa nodded and shook Thatcher's hand, knowing then she could trust him.

"This is Millie."  Charlie introduced Willa to the dragon before her. "She's quite fond of me. Only a year or so old. Chinese fireball." He smiled, reaching up to pet the snout of the young dragon before him. Willa stood slightly back, until Charlie nudged his head towards Millie, signally Willa to pet her as well. "She loves affection." Charlie smiled.

Willa reached up and stroked the snout of the dragon; while still a baby, she was massive. She nestled her large red and gold snout into Willa's hand, appreciating the affection she was getting. "She's a sweet gal." Willa smiled.

"She seems to like to you." Thatcher laughed, "she doesn't take up with many people. She hates Lukas over there." Thatcher nodded his head to the second boy, scruffy in the same nature as Thatcher but his face was round.  Lukas rolled his eyes and grunted.