In Essence Divided

Chapter 7

As they guessed, Molly was indeed standing in front of their shop waiting with a worried expression on her face. She couldn’t have been there very long, but she looked on the verge of tears. She pulled the boys close to her in a crushing hug so fast that they nearly bumped heads. Arthur was next to her and he looked more mad than worried. They knew that they were in for a lecturing for not letting them know where they had gone, and Fred couldn’t help from being a little mad. He knew that George was feeling the same way by the look on his face. Is this what their life was going to be from now on? Checking in, reassuring, making sure that everyone knew where they were at all times? Harry faced the Dark Lord all the time, and he didn’t have to let anyone know where he was.

When were they going to realize that he and George were not children anymore? George unlocked the door and they let their parents in. Even is daylight, none of them wanted to spend any longer in front of the store than they had to, and the door was immediately locked once they were inside. Fred fought the urge to look out the window for anyone watching them as he led his parents up the stairs to their apartment. He was not going to show them that he was scared of anything. He may have let a lot slip in the hospital, but now; now he just wanted things to go back to the way they used to be.

George started the tea kettle and they waited for the lecture to begin and they shared a knowing look with each other as their mother started in on them. Their father sat back as he usually did and let Molly go to town, but when she finished he started as well. This was new. They now passed a surprised look between themselves and listened intently to their father as they brought them their servings of tea. It was rare that their father stepped in and said a word, he usually had the blase boys will be boys approach. The only time they had seen him anywhere near to this angry had been the time they tried to get Ron to make an unbreakable vow. And they had probably earned that one. This though, they travelled farther than the wand shop almost everyday, and never before had it been a concern. Didn’t anyone understand that they were just as cautious, if not mroe now; considering the fact that they were the ones being attacked?

Arthur told them how irresponsible it was to leave expected visitors waiting and especially after what happened and so on. What struck Fred the most was the look of disappointment that he had never seen in his father’s eyes before. George noticed the tiredness. They nodded and apologized one last time, just wanting to get over it and get their parents to leave. There was still a lot that they alone had to talk about and they were anxious to get the store back open. Katie and Angelina were going to come over later that afternoon and they wanted to have a peaceful walk around Hogsmeade just to get some air. Both were under the unspoken agreement that although their lives had changed enough to warrant new wands, no one was going to know the extent of it. That was a given.

They promised their mother and father that perhaps they would come by the burrow that night just to have dinner and maybe have a fly around the field. Molly looked thrilled and both of them seemed to forget their previous anger with the promise of a visit. Molly insisted that they had to be going, Fred and George both knew that she planned to get started on dinner early due to the fact that she suddenly had four more guests planned for the table that night. They said their goodbyes and left for a spot of shopping before they went back to the Burrow. Fred and George couldn’t help but smile at their mother’s typical reaction. It was just what they needed that moment.

Fred and George lounged around the kitchen and waited for Angelina and Katie to arrive. Fred felt bad about the way he had treated Angelina in the hospital and George hadn’t properly talked to Katie since they had come home. Fred took out his new wand and looked at it. George did the same. Before, their wands even had been identical, but now they both were although the same, they differed. It was the first time that something important in their lives had not been the same.

“Funny thing about the wands.” Fred said, trying for light conversation.

“Aye, never expected that to happen.” George aimed his wand and started the creamer to dancing around the lazy susan.

“So we’ve changed then?” Fred knew that they had, he wanted to forget the roiling feelings of anger and frustration that he had, but he knew that there was no getting rid of them now.

“I suppose. I know one thing for sure.” George halted the creamer and looked closely at his wand again.

“What’s that?” Fred vanished the tea arrangement to the sink.

“I’m never going to get caught like that again. Ever. Or let that happen to anyone I know.” George met his brother’s eyes with a determined look.

“Me either. I think we should talk to Dumbledore about our roles in the Order of the Phoenix. I don’t think we’ve properly taken them seriously.” Fred had thought about this since he sat with George in the hospital. He was sure that his brother would agree with him.

“We should. I’m not going to sit around and play games anymore. We have to get more involved. I think we thought that nothing like this could ever happen to us, but we were wrong." George looked at the approval on his twins face. “I mean, this has happened to a lot of people around us, but never personally. I can’t help but feel blindsided.”

They jumped when there was a knock at the door and both of them gave the same uncomfortable laugh as Fred went to open it. Katie and Angelina were there, both of them happy to see Fred and George. The twins made an unspoken agreement not to tell the girls about the wands, it was nothing that they particularly needed to know, and they themselves weren’t quite sure the extent of what it meant yet.

Their day went well, and by the time they reached the Burrow for dinner, they were ready for a game of quidditch. Both of the twins hated that they had been cooped up for too long, and they had been for days. Bill and Charlie were there and Ron had brought Harry and Hermione. Ginny was there as well, but there was no sign of Percy, and for that the twins were grateful. Fred was still angry about him being in the hospital. There was no need for Percy to be there. What was the purpose?

The dinner passed in an awkward silence. Fred and George knew that their mother and father probably warned everyone not to talk about what had happened, and for that the twins were happy. This was a good day for them, and they didn't want to spoil the good mood by telling anyone of their new plans just yet. They were going to Hogwarts to meet with Dumbledore as soon as they settled down a little bit. There was a lot of work to be done, and they wanted this night just to relax.

Fred was almost bursting with excitement and nervous pent up energy by the time he opened the broom shed. The smell if dirt and mahogany was the best smell in the world as far as he was concerned. Both he and his brother savored the feel of the heavy bats in their hands as they took flight. They were playing against each other, just one beater per team, Fred, Bill, Angelina and Ron against George, Charlie, Katie and Ginny; Harry was just seeking. But they didn't mind, it was a flight that they all needed. Hermione sat with Molly and Arthur and watched from the ground.

They still flew together even though they played for other teams, Fred was left handed and George was right handed. It was part of their strategy to fly together and hit bludgers from either direction, and proved far more effective than splitting up. Their siblings made fun of them and said that there were really three teams, Fred and George made up one themselves.

It was hard to say who was winning, no one really kept track, but they all stopped in mid-air when they saw Dumbledore walking up the garden path. Fred and George each caught a bludger on their way to the ground. They put the things away, knowing that Dumbledore was not out for a simple stroll in the garden. This was something serious. After what had happened, Dumbledore had become quite withdrawn; hardly leaving Hogwarts. As far as anyone knew that was. He walked into the house with a somber look and they all followed silently. Ten young people and two adults sat around Molly's enlarged table and waited for Dumbledore to talk.

He looked about the table with tears in his eyes. "Rosemerta has been gravely injured." Both Fred and George had spent many hours sitting in front of her drinking butter beer and shooting the breeze. Her shop was one of the few places that they had been frequenting since their school days, and she had always met them with a smile and an ear for their latest mishaps.

“She put up a fight by the looks of things, but there were just too many attackers. And Ollivander is gone. He was taken from his shop this very afternoon. In broad daylight." Dumbledore looked around the room. "I will be at headquarters, Fred, George, I would not advise going home tonight. You will be far safer with us."

With that, he got to his feet and left the room in a stunned wake as he made his way to the door to leave.