Categories > Books > Harry Potter > In Essence Divided
Chapter 2
Pacing always made Fred feel better. The constant moving made him feel like he was getting closer to an answer that was proving elusive. The healers had tried to give him a calming potion, but he would not accept it. His steady pacing through the hours unnerved them. He asked them no questions now; wanting them not to focus on him, but all their attention on his brother.
Fred didn't call the family. Kingsley had. He had followed Fred from the coffee shop. Just to make sure that he was all right after his strange behavior. When he saw that the door was open and he heard Fred call for St. Mungo's; he knew that whatever the situation was, it couldn't be good.
Fred had watched his family arrive in a strangely detached fog. A swirl of redheads engulfed him, but he felt distant from them. His head was locked in a stupor and he was apathetic to pull himself out of it. So he paced. Scattered sounds came to him, his mother crying, Ginny calming her. Bits of Ron and Harry's conversation. It was all nonsense to him. None of their stupid banter was going to get his brother back to him.
Fred looked about the room. Even their now estranged brother Percy had showed his ugly face. Fred wanted to lash out and hit Percy, and he could feel well-toned quidditch muscles tensing and itching for his beaters bat. Percy's presence unnerved him; his brother's prognosis was obviously dire if he was so compelled to be here. His pace slowly quickened and his steps became methodical and measured.
A healer emerged from the room. Fred noted the glazed and unfeeling look in the healer's eyes. Ominous and grave, the healer came to speak with Arthur, but Fred was quicker. The healer meant to pull Arthur aside, but Fred was on them like an animal. Arthur nodded his consent and the healer explained that the myriad of spells George had been hit with were proving to be a problem to heal. It would take time and it was in the air whether his brother would survive the night or not. Fred's hands clenched and unclenched unconsciously.
"Can I see him?" Fred growled, already reading the negative answer in the healer's face.
"That's not a wise idea right now, he needs his rest." The healer walked quickly away to avoid the protests that arose from the entire family.
Fred regarded the man's retreating back and fought the temptation to throw a chair across the small waiting room. Didn't they know that his presence in that room was good for his brother? Katie's sobs became louder. Angelina, usually brassy and loud, quietly came behind him and put her hand on his back.
Fred shook her off. He didn't want anyone to comfort him. Nothing could. What was the point of getting all emotional with her? All he wanted was his brother.
She shook her head sadly and looked into his eyes. Usually he could get lost in her deep brown eyes, but this time, his emerald ones grew cold against her gaze. Nothing could comfort him either.
"Go sit with Katie and my mum." Fred started to the doors and pushed his fathers hand away roughly as he tried to stop him. "I'm going to see George."
Pacing always made Fred feel better. The constant moving made him feel like he was getting closer to an answer that was proving elusive. The healers had tried to give him a calming potion, but he would not accept it. His steady pacing through the hours unnerved them. He asked them no questions now; wanting them not to focus on him, but all their attention on his brother.
Fred didn't call the family. Kingsley had. He had followed Fred from the coffee shop. Just to make sure that he was all right after his strange behavior. When he saw that the door was open and he heard Fred call for St. Mungo's; he knew that whatever the situation was, it couldn't be good.
Fred had watched his family arrive in a strangely detached fog. A swirl of redheads engulfed him, but he felt distant from them. His head was locked in a stupor and he was apathetic to pull himself out of it. So he paced. Scattered sounds came to him, his mother crying, Ginny calming her. Bits of Ron and Harry's conversation. It was all nonsense to him. None of their stupid banter was going to get his brother back to him.
Fred looked about the room. Even their now estranged brother Percy had showed his ugly face. Fred wanted to lash out and hit Percy, and he could feel well-toned quidditch muscles tensing and itching for his beaters bat. Percy's presence unnerved him; his brother's prognosis was obviously dire if he was so compelled to be here. His pace slowly quickened and his steps became methodical and measured.
A healer emerged from the room. Fred noted the glazed and unfeeling look in the healer's eyes. Ominous and grave, the healer came to speak with Arthur, but Fred was quicker. The healer meant to pull Arthur aside, but Fred was on them like an animal. Arthur nodded his consent and the healer explained that the myriad of spells George had been hit with were proving to be a problem to heal. It would take time and it was in the air whether his brother would survive the night or not. Fred's hands clenched and unclenched unconsciously.
"Can I see him?" Fred growled, already reading the negative answer in the healer's face.
"That's not a wise idea right now, he needs his rest." The healer walked quickly away to avoid the protests that arose from the entire family.
Fred regarded the man's retreating back and fought the temptation to throw a chair across the small waiting room. Didn't they know that his presence in that room was good for his brother? Katie's sobs became louder. Angelina, usually brassy and loud, quietly came behind him and put her hand on his back.
Fred shook her off. He didn't want anyone to comfort him. Nothing could. What was the point of getting all emotional with her? All he wanted was his brother.
She shook her head sadly and looked into his eyes. Usually he could get lost in her deep brown eyes, but this time, his emerald ones grew cold against her gaze. Nothing could comfort him either.
"Go sit with Katie and my mum." Fred started to the doors and pushed his fathers hand away roughly as he tried to stop him. "I'm going to see George."
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