I spend the days following the rescue from Warrington Manor at the Burrow. After a day of sitting around, I offered to help Molly with tasks around the house, but the woman had declined at first. She insisted I should rest, but when she had seen me pacing, she reluctantly gave me a basket of laundry.

Fred has taken his work home in order to spend time with me. We talked about what happened and Fred told me to let him know what he can do to help. George has moved back to the twins' flat in Diagon Alley and has opened their shop again, but still joins dinner at the Burrow.

A few days later, on Saturday after breakfast, there is a knock on the back door. I offered to do the dishes while Fred is seated at the table with George, going over some of their latest inventions. Occasionally, one of them asks for my input and I'm leaning over their latest plan when the knock sounds.

The first thought I have is that it might be someone of the Order, but Fred made it clear to Kingsley and Mad-Eye that I'll write them when I'm ready to talk about it. He had been quite angry that first day and I'm sure the older wizards know better than to try to go against Fred.

It turns out it's an Order member but not the person I expected. My uncle smiles at me as he enters and nods at Fred and George who have narrowed their eyes at the man. I dry my hands and accept a hug from my uncle.

"Good to have you back, Elena," I hear him say and when I let go of him again, he smiles down at me, "I came to see how you are doing. I was really worried about you."

Fred scoffs at those words and I frown, looking between him and my uncle. Fred and George both have crossed their arms, the plans in front of them forgotten, as they regard my uncle with narrowed eyes.

My uncle ignores the two men and turns to me, "Shall we go outside to talk?"

I look over at Fred before nodding at my uncle. I grab my wand from the counter – ever since I returned from Warrington Manor, my wand hasn't been far from me – before following my uncle outside.

My uncle offers me his arm and I accept it. In silence, we walk off the property. As we walk through the fields around the Burrow, my uncle speaks up: "How are you doing, Elena?"

"Good," I answer, "Or, as good as one can be after almost being forced to marry someone they hate and being kept a prisoner by a crazy pure-blood family."

I stop walking and remove my hand from my uncle's arm. Gripping my wand for security, I look up to my uncle and ask: "Why didn't you put a stop to it?"

It has been bugging me for the past few days. Fred slipped something about how my uncle was acting when I was at Warrington Manor but had shut his mouth just as quickly. When I asked what he was talking about, Fred refused to answer and told me I should talk with my uncle. He didn't want to cause a fight.

"Elena..." my uncle starts in his 'I-know-you-are-hurt-but' voice.

"No," I shake my head, "No. The Warringtons said it themselves. They contacted you, but you didn't respond or... and then Fred said something yesterday and..."

"Your boyfriend has never liked me, Elena," my uncle interrupts, "You need to know-"

"What?" I ask, "Because it doesn't add up. Back at Hogwarts and Beauxbatons, you were terrified something would happen to me and now something happened and you- you- you didn't even bother to try to contact known Death Eaters in an attempt to get me out!"

"It's more complicated than you think."

"More complicated than the promise you made to Mom?"

The tone of my voice is sharp, and my uncle's face falls the moment the words register. I clench my fists and tilt my head, "You were the one who brought it up last year with Umbridge at Hogwarts."

My uncle closes his eyes and takes a few breaths before opening his mouth again: "I'm sorry, Elena, but yes, it's more complicated than that. I wish I could have done more, and I would have if it didn't jeopardize my position within the pure-blood circles."

It feels like I have been punched in the gut as I stare at my uncle. Slowly, a chilling realization on me.

"You would have had me marry Warrington if Fred didn't get me out."

"Your boyfriend didn't get-"

"You would," I repeat, more to myself than to my uncle, "You wouldn't have stopped the wedding if you had the chance. Did you know they were planning on obliviating me after?"

This makes my uncle snap his head up. A weird sound leaves me, a combination of a laugh and a sob, as I stare at my uncle. "That was their plan. Obliviate me and have me become someone's wife."

Softly, barely more than a whisper, I add: "And you would have let it happen."

With that, I'm suddenly tired. My palm hurts from gripping my wand so tightly and a bone-deep exhaustion washes over me. I stumble back a few steps before turning on my heels and walking back to the Burrow. Behind me, I hear my uncle call out my name, but I ignore him.

Fred and George are still seated at the kitchen table when I enter and look up as I walk past them. Fred makes a move to stand up but I shake my head at him and tired, I tell them I'm going to bed and would like to be alone.

I spend the rest of the day in bed, feeling numb, the conversation between my uncle and me replaying over and over in my mind. It all seems like a bad dream. Molly brings me lunch and dinner, but I barely get anything down with the lump in my throat. When Fred softly knocks on the door late that night, asking if he can join me or if I want to be alone tonight, I burst out in tears. Fred quickly shuts the door and crawls into bed with me. He doesn't say anything, doesn't tell me how he never liked my uncle – even though I know he tried to be civil after our fight last year. He only runs soothing fingers up and down my back, muttering nonsense until my breathing evens out and I fall asleep, my hands still clutching Fred's shirt.

The following day, I drag Fred with me to Spinner's End. Molly and Arthur offered me to live at the Burrow and I decided yesterday that I'm taking them up on the offer. Fleur and Bill are living at the Burrow as well and I'm not going back to living alone at Spinner's End. To be precise, I'm not planning on returning to Spinner's End at all in the near future.

It feels weird to be back in the house with my uncle gone. Somewhere I expected him to be waiting for me, wanting to speak with me, but there is nobody in the house when Fred and I enter. I sneeze when I step into the living room and as I open the curtains, the dust flies around. Fred stays silent as we walk through the house. We pass through the small library where I notice the picture of my parents, grandparents, and my uncle has disappeared from above the fireplace. The picture of me with my uncle on my first day at Beauxbatons that was standing next to it is also gone.

Heading upstairs with Fred on my heels, I step into my bedroom. From under my bed, I grab my Beauxbatons trunk and open it. From my wardrobe, I start loading clothes into the trunk. My Moontrimmer is standing in the corner of the room and I hand it to Fred. From the brewing room, I grab my own cauldrons and some ingredients I know my uncle won't need. After checking the house for anything else I might need, I head for the living room again. Fred squeezes my hand before I travel us back to the Burrow.

George notices the broom in Fred's hand as we make our way upstairs and suggests: "What about a game of Quidditch?"

Fred looks at me and I nod. George smiles and jumps up to look for Bill who might like to join as well. I drop my trunk in the room Fred and I share and grab my flying robes. After changing, I want to follow Fred back downstairs when he stops me.

"Hey," Fred says, pulling me close by wrapping an arm around my waist, "How are you feeling? You have been quiet all morning."

I look up at him and see him searching my face for any clues. I smile at him but I know it doesn't reach my eyes, "Conflicted. It's just... I never expected my uncle to act like that. He has never done something like that. Ever since I can remember, he has put my safety above everything. With Greyback, he didn't take any risk, and now..."

Tear well up again but I force them not to fall.

"I need some time, I think, before I can face him again."

Fred nods, a soft look in his eyes and he presses a kiss on my forehead. "Take all the time you need, love. I'm here if you need me."

Before we head downstairs, I whip at my cheeks and Fred presses another kiss on my forehead. George and Bill are already waiting for us outside, each having two broomsticks in their hands. Bill hands Fred his broom and George hands me mine. As he does, he says: "We were thinking about a game of two against two? Agreed?"

I nod and before anyone can open their mouth, Bill quickly says: "I take Elena in my team."

Fred looks offended and shakes his head. Opening his mouth, he argues: "She is my girlfriend; she will be in my team."

While George laughs, I tilt my head while looking between Bill and Fred. Placing my hand in my side, I ask: "Why are you deciding in whose team I am going to play?"

Both of the men frown and I continue: "I want to be in a team with George."

George lets out a laugh and pats my shoulder. "Good choice, Dubos, Let's go!"

Fred glares at me and I blow him a kiss. George laughs as he leads the way to the small Quidditch pitch in the back of the garden. Fred and Bill are softly discussing something as we make our way through the garden. George and I share a look and George shrugs.

"We want to make a bet, raise the stakes a little," Fred says when we are standing in the middle of the pitch. Bill nods, "If we win, you two have to do all chores Mum will give us after lunch. If you win – which won't happen - we'll do them."

As George thinks about the offer, a slow grin forms on my face. "This reminds me of something."

Fred and George share a look while Bill looks between us with confusion written on his face.

"We hoped you forgot about that already," Fred says, a little disappointed.

"Since you haven't used it yet," George adds.

I laugh, "It might have slipped my mind, but thank you for the reminder."

George glares at his brothers and mutters: "Yes, thank you for reminding her."

I turn to smile at Fred and remark: "You underestimated me before."

Before Fred or Bill can say something, George quickly says: "But we accept the bet."

With that, Fred quickly mounts his broom and takes off with the Quaffle. George and I quickly follow, trying to intercept Fred before he can score. We're too late and Fred manages to score the first ten points of the morning. In the distance, I hear Bill cheer.

As I fly past Fred, I yell: "It's on, Fred!"

"Bring it, love," comes the answer.

Flying truly is one of the best things ever and it never fails to clear my head. The wind sweeps around me as I shoot through the air, trying to catch up with Fred who is heading for our hoops again. Fred and Bill are leading with 50-20. As I get closer to Fred, I let go of my broom with one hand to reach out and snatch the Quaffle out of my boyfriend's hands. Before I can do that, Fred winks at me and drops the Quaffle. Instead of Bill catching it, as the plan seemed to be, George speeds by and catches it instead. George turns around in the air and heads for the hoops on the other side of the pitch. I prevent Fred from making a smooth chase and George manages to score: 50-30.

The Quaffle comes flying back – having been enchanted not to drift too far from the edge of the pitch – and Bill catches it with ease. George heads for him and manages to take it before Bill reaches our hoops. He throws it at me and I catch it. From the corner of my eye, I spot Fred heading for me but before he can get too close, I fly up. George blocks Fred and Bill's Cleansweep Six can't keep up so I score again: 50-40.

Right before lunch, the score is 80-80 and the game is interrupted by Fleur who enters the pitch and almost gets run over by Fred and George who are fighting over the Quaffle. Bill prevents George from scoring and with the Quaffle under his arm, he heads to the ground where Fleur is standing. Fred and George protest but eventually land as well.

Everyone is panting and I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the sleeve of my robe. Looking over at Fred, I snicker when I see his hair all messy.

"Who won ze game?" Fleur asks, giggling at Bill who is trying to get his hair out of his mouth.

"It was a tie," I answer.

"That means everyone has to do their own chores," George says.

"Not necessarily. I think I might finally use that bet we made last year," I say and see Fred and George's eyes widen. A laugh escapes me as I take my broom and make a run for it. George yells something and when I look over my shoulder, I see Fred sprinting after me and run a little faster back to the Burrow for lunch.