"Leora?"
Playing hide and seek in order to test Leora's abilities was definitely a good idea. In fact, it was probably one of the best ideas Frieda ever had, though having to search for her own child became more worrisome than fun after a few minutes passed them by. "You're getting really good at this, so it's about time to come on out~!" Please? She couldn't voice that plea, not yet. It was just a silly game! No point in worrying the kid over things.
Besides, this forest didn't hold any dangerous creatures. She'd checked it over several times.
"Mornin' hen. It's awfy nice to see you," He kept smiling and gestured towards Leora. "And this little lass here." Frieda wouldn't say she was panicking or anything, but she did end up apparating between him and her child without thinking. "What did you do to her?" He simply chuckled at the venom behind her words, not seeming to mind.
"Calm down hen, we were just havin' a bit o'fun."
Leora piped up with a, "Yeah mum, he's pretty nice!"
Of course, Frieda didn't calm down one bit. "Just let us talk, dear." Talking's a shit idea.
He glanced between Leora and Frieda, still smiling the smile that made her hair stand on end. "Never thought yew'd settle down, Weasley. Ye finally chose a side," She seemed visibly stricken at that, but he continued. "An' had yerself a wee bairn! I'm so proud." His eyes flashed with something unreadable once he said that. "Yer daughter here showed me some of her magic, an' she's pretty good. Although..." he trailed off, fixing Frieda with a knowing look.
"She could be even better with trainin'."
The word sparked something in Frieda, and her eyes glinted with murderous intent, but she instead held on to Leora and backed away from him, not taking her eyes off him for a second. This goddamn /pig/. "You won't touch her." Her narrowed eyes implied that he wouldn't even have the hands necessary to attempt such a thing.
"Mum, you're hurting me..." Leora squirmed under her mother's grip, trying to gently ease her out of her hyper-vigilant state. This was honestly a lot easier to deal with back home, especially when it usually meant they had stuff in the house to help with this sort of thing. But something about this guy kept Mother like this. Who was he?
Frieda's grip loosened at her child's protests, but she didn't let go. Not around Oliver. And then he stepped forward, of course he did. A reflexive plea was bitten back, instead replaced by a harsh, "Don't come any closer, Oliver."
That was the name....Mother said that name before. Leora's eyes widened at the realization. She hadn't heard the whole story--as if Mother would sit there and tell it to her--but the way Mother acted was a good enough indicator of how bad it was.
"Mum, we should just--" You don't want that man around your mother. In response, her magic caused the air around them to crackle slightly, though neither of the adults seemed to notice. Oliver seemed to think Leora was just scared because of her mother, which was true, but still. "We should just go. The game's over..."
He's a pig.
"Oh, yew've put her off her fun. Tsk, tsk."
Goddamn him! You should kill him~! Make up for lost time, Frieda. As good an idea as that seemed, that wouldn't really set a good example. But what else was she supposed to do? She didn't even know if he'd gotten any better at dueling, and while she was pretty sure she could force a nonverbal Full Body Bind, the thought of an aftermath terrified her. Leora's my priority... She held Leora close as he closed the space between them, visibly growing more and more distressed. Before he could touch either of them, they were gone in a blink.
Tears spilled from her eyes as she put them through the series of apparations, but she held strong until they reached the portkey. She apologized to a shaken Leora through hiccuping breaths as they stopped to take a break. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, just hold on a little longer..."
Leora looked up at her helplessly, unsure if she could even touch her to comfort her. What if it was like some of those other times, and she ended up getting hurt? The look in her mother's eyes concerned her, but she simply forced a smile and nodded, trying to say things were okay. She seemed to accept it for now, though her hands had a noticeable tremor as she reached for the portkey. Once they both touched the portkey, it took them back to the motel they'd started from, and Leora quickly disengaged from Frieda and went inside. Not that Frieda really minded, having sunk to the ground as soon as they landed. Leora simply watched from afar, seeming almost...disappointed.
Mother just wouldn't stop screaming.