**Chapter 1: The Unsettling Silence**

Fred Weasley sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the wall as the silence in the room grew thicker and more oppressive by the minute. It was a silence that seemed to have a life of its own, a heavy, palpable thing that pressed in on him from all sides. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, that something had shifted in the air. He glanced over at the empty space beside him, where Reader usually lay, and his heart skipped a beat. Where was Reader? They had been together all day, just lounging around the Burrow, enjoying the lazy summer afternoon. But now, as the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the room, Reader was nowhere to be found. Fred's brow furrowed in concern as he threw off the covers and got out of bed. He padded softly out of the room, his bare feet making barely a sound on the floor. The hallway was quiet, the only sound the creaking of the old house settling into the night. He made his way to the living room, hoping to find Reader sprawled out on the couch, but it was empty too. A faint sense of unease began to creep up Fred's spine. This wasn't like Reader. He was always around, always getting into mischief or teasing one of the other Weasleys. As he turned to head back upstairs, he caught sight of a piece of parchment on the coffee table. It was a note, scribbled in Reader's messy handwriting. "Gone to take a walk. Will be back soon. -R" Fred's eyes narrowed. A walk? At this time of night? It didn't sound like Reader at all. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he wondered if everything was okay. He decided to go check on him, to make sure he was alright. The Burrow was surrounded by woods, and it was easy to get lost in the darkness. Fred's heart was racing as he made his way out of the house, calling out Reader's name. But there was no response. The trees seemed to loom over him, casting long, ominous shadows on the ground. Fred's anxiety grew with every step, his senses on high alert. He had a bad feeling, a feeling that something was seriously wrong. And then, just as he was starting to get really worried, he heard a faint rustling in the bushes ahead...