Friendless » Fred Weasley

lxvii. the leaky cauldron

"Harry Potter's here. Just came in this evening, he's finished up a meeting with the minister just now."

Victoria Silvers perked up from her butterbeer she was drinking while sitting in The Leaky Cauldron. She leaned over the counter with a grin on her face. "Uh, Tom!" She called out to the barkeeper. "Did you say, Harry's here?"

Tom glanced over at her, nodding multiple times. "Do you know the lad?" He asked, scratching the top of his bald head. "Um. Yeah, we go to school together... you don't happen to know his room number?"

Tom quietly slipped it to her and Tori gave him a quick thank you. She paid for her butterbeer, running up the stairs. Harry's room was the next one on the right to her own. She swiftly knocked three times, hoping she wasn't waking him.

She could hear footsteps and the door opened. "Tori! Hi!" Harry stared at her, surprise written all over his face. "Hi, roomie... well, not really since I'm in the next room..."

"Oh, well... come in," He opened the door wide enough for Tori to step in. He offered her a seat and she took one across from him. "What are you doing here?" She asked him.

Harry explained to her what had happened with his aunt at his house. Tori had to calm herself down several times but mentally promised to hex these people whenever she met him.

"What about you?" He asked her once finished. Tori sighed, hesitating. "It's a long story," Harry shrugged will stealing a glance at the clock. "We've got time."

"Well... I started the summer with the Weasley's as usual. I stayed there for about three weeks. Arthur won a ton of money over in The Daily Prophet, so they ended up going to Egypt to visit Bill. Molly tried to invite me to come... but I can't intrude, I'm there most summers anyway. So, I reached out to a couple of friends and spent some time at Angelina's. Unfortunately, there was an incident with her family and they had to leave for a little while. No one else was available, Alicia had all her cousins around, Katie's parents were out in business, and Lee and Dad went to... Italy for work.

"Yeah, apparently it was a vacation filled summer. So, I went home. See, my family is on this new thing, instead of sending me glares and treating me like dirt they just ignore my entire existence. So we're making progress, I guess... I was there for ten days or so before one morning I woke up and they were gone."

"Gone?" Harry repeated.

"Gone. My house elf Luman informed me they were on a trip to Rome. Again, a very vacation filled summer. So, I freed him just to spite them. See, Luman's been working for our family for generations. So most likely my father will be pissed. Anyway, I hopped up on the Knight's bus for a night and then came here. That was a little over a month ago."

"Wow. That seems... hard."

"I rather have that then have to stay with your nasty family. Say, next year if we have to, you should join me on the hopping from house to house. We'll be like that muggle thing... a traveling circus."

"Fine with me. Do the Weasleys know you're here?" Harry asked, glancing around his room. Tori nodded, "Yeah, Molly wanted to know what I was up too. She thinks I've been here for a week or so. I don't really want to tell her about my arrangements. She'll probably get upset about the whole house hopping. The Weasleys are getting back next week though. I've been spending my days in Diagon Alley. I'll take you tomorrow, it'll be fun."

Harry agreed and the two spent the next several hours talking. It was past midnight by the time Tori left and went to her room next door. Athena, her owl, was sitting in her room's windowsill with a large envelope in her hands. Tori took it from her, opening the letter to see Fred Weasley's familiar handwriting.

Dear Tori,

Egypt's pretty cool, very hot though. Ron's been so excited since we're being put on the front page of The Daily Prophet. Do you reckon they'll take our advice and write "HUMONGOUS BIGHEAD" over Percy's face? He's been even worse than before ever since he's been granted Head Boy. George and I tried sealing him in a pyramid. It didn't work, Mum caught us. How have you been? Mum's standing over my shoulder demanding to know if you're alright. Now she just slapped me over my head. I'm having so much fun. George says hi, and so does Ginny, and Ron, and, okay everyone says hello. George says a ton of things I'm not going to bother to write down because they. are. not. true. george.

Hi Tori, it's Georgie. I'm stealing the quill from my older, dumber, brother so he can work up some courage and I can get money from Lee. See, Freddie here—

There was a long line going on and off the paper. Tori could already imagine the two fighting over the quill. She laughed to herself, continuing to read.

Alright, I'm back. Anyways, sorry about the paper. Egypt's been great, though we really wish you were here. It'd make sealing Percy in a pyramid so much easier. I should probably end this here since Ron wants to use the quill to write to Harry. Can't wait to see you when we get back.

Yours,
Freddie.

Tori smiled, folding the letter back up and allowing Athena back in her cage. She decided she would write back to him tomorrow and use one of the Leaky Cauldron's owls. They were better with long distance anyway.

Tori fed Athena, stroking the owl gently before getting ready for bed. She had already spent the day in Diagon Alley and was exhausted. She collapsed onto her bed, shutting her eyes as she fell into a dreamless sleep.

this year is going to be pretty fun for me to write! i'm super excited.