Hope is for Fools- chapter 6
Disclaimer- All rights for to JK Rowling. Nothing here is stolen.
Chapter 6-
Holiday season was in the air. Everyone was ready for the break to start, and it caused the teacher to have an increasingly hard time. Hope, Fred, and George could be found spelling snowballs so they would fly at passing students, teachers, and even the back of Quirrell's turban.
The lake was frozen solid and, out of the blue, the ground became covered in several feet of snow, which never seemed to fade. Roaring fires were a must have in the Gryffindor common room, Hope realized one night as she sat in one of the most comfy chairs in the room, working on a potion's essay. Her feet were clad in fuzzy socks and was in one of her sweaters she had bought after realizing that she had a small fortune to her name.
"Why does it have to be so bloody cold," Hope groaned.
"Because it's the middle of December," Ron said. Hermione and Ron had explained to her that Hagrid had dragged them to his cabin after the match where he accidently let slip that Fluffy was his and he was guarding something to do with Nicolas Flamel. Hope got increasingly more and more annoyed when she thought about that because she knew who Flamel was because she had read the name so many times, but it kept slipping her mind.
"Doesn't mean it has to be cold," Hope grumbled.
"Oh calm down, Hope," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "It's not too bad." Hope pouted, making the two of them laugh.
"Hello Hermione," Fred said, coming to where they were sitting, George right on his heals. "Do you mind if we borrow Ron and Hope for a minute?"
"Well, I can see when I'm not wanted," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. All of them tried to protested that no, this wasn't what they meant, but Hermione just laughed. "I'm fine," she said. "I'll see you two later, yeah?"
"Yeah," Ron and Hope both said.
"What do you two idiots want," Hope said, a grin on her face.
"Well, we were thinking that with your two's ideas and our expertise of the spells, it might work if the Weasley twins team up with the Modern Marauders," Fred said, also grinning.
"Well I'm not sure," Hope said. "Mr. Weasley, what's your opinion?"
"It depends," Ron said grinning. "What are the two Mr. Weasleys willing to offer us."
"You two are impossible," George said. "Fine, what are we willing to offer them, Fred?"
"Aren't our dashing good looks enough?" Fred said with a wink towards Hope.
"Maybe for her," Ron said scoffing, "but not for your brother."
"Well, if we team up we won't be pranking you anymore, little bro," George said.
"On that case, I'm all for this, Miss Potter," Ron said.
"Then I guess we better start sharing our plans for tomorrow night," Hope said.
"End of term prank?" Fred asked. "That's my girl."
So the next night, it wasn't a surprise for the Weasley twin's when everyone's hair started changing colors to red and green for Christmas and a banner came up boasting the works of the Gryffindor Gremlins (the name change seemed need in all of their opinions). Hermione sat and laughed along with them, begging the four to tell them how they did it.
"It was in the standard book of spells, grade 7. I used capmutio," Hope explained, showing Hermione the page.
"Wouldn't it have been easier to use colovaria instead?" Hermione asked, causing Hope's eyes to widen.
"Hermione, we might just need to recruit you," Fred whispered, and all of them laughed.
X
Hope awoke on Christmas day in a rather good mood. She went through her usual morning routine, throwing on a rather comfy sweater and fuzzy socks as well as a pair of jeans and throwing her hair into a messy bun. When she walked back into her dorm after using the showers to grab a book, her foot hit against something hard.
She looked down, and her heart gave a funny jolt. There was a small pile of presents seated at the foot of her bed. Hope felt her face break into an exuberant grin. She had never before gotten presents. Then again, she had never before had any friends to have presents from.
She left out a little cheer, happy that there was no one else in the dorm to yell at her for being up so early. She sat down on the ground with her legs crossed and pulled her first ever present towards her.
She ripped open a lumpy parcel to reveal a container of fudge and a scarlet sweater with a large H sewn onto the front in gold. She pulled out a letter and read-
Hope-
Ron informed me that you weren't expecting any presents, so I thought I would help with that little problem. Thanks for taking care of my sons for me, Hope, and a very merry Christmas to you.
-Molly Weasley
Hope smiled and slipped the sweater on over top of her current one. The sweater was incredibly soft and incredibly comfortable. It was her first ever present and happened to be her favorite.
Her next present also contained candy. Hermione had sent her loads of books on History and Ancient Runes as well as a large box of sugar quills.
Hagrid had made her a roughly whittled flute that Hope played a few notes on. She had to admit that it sounded a good deal like Hedwig.
Ron had gotten her some more books, much to Hope's delight, as well as a quidditch chess set.
Another parcel contained a letter from Gringotts and it had the multiple books and different things from her vault that she had requested from Griphook.
Angelina, Alicia, Katie, and the twins all pitched in to get Hope a new camera since her old one had finally broken after it had been passed around from person to person in the Gryffindor common room as well as a box of prank supplies.
She opened her second to last present to find a note written in loopy handwriting. Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.
A Very Merry Christmas to you.
There was no signature on the bottom, and the package held a shimmering cloak like thing. Hope picked it up and switched it around in her arms. T was made of some lightweight fabric that made it seem almost like sewn water. Hope debated trying it on but thought better of it and decided to open her last present.
This present felt rather heavy compared to all of her other ones, and Hope was surprised to open it and find a picture frame with a moving picture inside.
Hope herself smiled back up from the picture, as did the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and her friends. It was after a particularly rough practice, and Angie, Licia, Katie, and Hope were all sprawled together on a couch, Fred and George sitting on the arms poking the girls and making them squirmed. Hermione was laughing at them from her spot on the ground, letting out a shriek as Hope toppled onto her. Ron laughed at his two best mates, shoving at his two brothers.
Hope, the letter attached began
Merry Christmas! I hope (hahah get it) that it's a great one. I convinced Hermione to steal your old camera from you and I found this picture. I thought it was a good one to have framed. Merry Christmas, Hope, and thanks for always being there.
Your dashingly good looking friend,
Fred
It was such a sweet present, Hope couldn't help but smile. She stared at the picture for a few more moments before deciding to get up. She grabbed a sugar quill and made her way out of her dorm and towards Ron's.
"Oi," she said. "Get up. Presents." Ron groaned and sat up. He looked slightly confused but a grin broke over his face when he realized what was going on.
"It's Christmas," he said cheerfully.
"What an observation," Hope teased.
"What are you wearing?" Ron asked, looking at Hope. "Is that… oh no. My mum made you a sweater. Ugh, I shouldn't have told her that you weren't expecting anything. She made you a sweater."
"Don't worry, Ron," Hope said. "I really like it. Anyways, it looks like you got one too."
Ron jumped off his bed and ran at his presents, pulling the lump parcel towards him. Hope plopped herself down on Seamus's vacant bed. Her mind started to wander back upstairs to where the picture frame was now sitting on her night table.
"What's that look?" Ron asked. Hope's flush seemed to be his confirmation as Ron gagged. "Bloody hell, you're thinking about Fred. You two are so disgusting!"
"Shut up!" Hope cried. "We're not a thing! There's nothing to be disgusting about!"
"Oh you two have been a thing all year. Stop denying it," George said, walking in.
"Have not!" Fred and Hope said at the same time.
"See? A thing," George said while Ron gagged again.
"Merry Christmas to you, too," Hope grumbled. Both twins looked as Ron did, both probably having just rolled out of bed.
"Look! Hope's got a Weasley sweater too!" Fred said..
"Hope's is better than ours, though. Se obviously puts more effort in if you're not family," George said. Looking more closely, Hope realized that he was wearing the sweater with a F while Fred's had a G. She stifled her laughter at that behind the book.
"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" Fred demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm!"
"I hate maroon," Ron moaned, but he pulled the sweater over his head. His seemed to be the only one in the room that didn't have a letter on it.
"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she doesn't think you'll forget your name. But we're not stupid- we know we're called Gred and Forge and that right there is Disbelief!"
"Haha, very clever," Hope said dryly. "Yet another joke on my name."
"You never find my jokes funny!" George protested, his eyes twinkling. "You're Hopeless."
Hope rolled her eyes, something she seemed to be doing a lot now after meeting these boys.
"What's all this noise?"
Percy Weasley came into the dormitory, his hair messed up and looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten through some of his presents for he too was holding a Weasley sweater, one with a large P on it.
"P for Prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Hope got one!"
"I-don't-want-" Percy tried, but the twins were unrelenting and forced the sweater over his head, messing up his already sideways glasses.
"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," George added. "Christmas is a time for family!" He marched Percy out of the room and Ron, taking one look at Hope and Fred, followed.
"I really like your present," Hope said, folding her legs.
"That's good," Fred said, coming to sit next to her. "I hope you don't mind that I had Hermione borrow your camera."
"Of course not," Hope said. "It was really sweet of you." And Fred, feeling a surge of confidence, swooped down and kissed Hope on the cheek, causing her to blush fiercely.
"I'm going to kill you for that!" she called. Fred stood up, laughing, and bolted out of the dorm. Hope followed at a sprint before catching up to the boy and jumping on his back, making him carry her all the way down to the Great Hall.
X
Christmas dinner was one of the most amazing feasts that Hope had ever experienced. It seemed that most people went home for Christmas, leaving only Hope and the Weasleys at the Gryffindor were a hundred roasted turkeys all fat and juicy, bowls upon bowls of buttered peas, boats of thick gravy topping herbed mashed potatoes. And on top of that all, there were piles of wizard crackers every few feet. Of course, Hope had to ask just what made wizard crackers so special, and Fred was more than happy to show her. It went off with a blast so loud that Hope almost had a heart attack, causing Fred to burst out laughing. But it was worth it because in the end she got a book on wizarding chess strategies.
"I guess the fates must know I'm a failure at chess," Hope laughed. She ended the dinner with a pointed wizard's hat, a new necklace, and a hair pin. Up at the head table, Dumbledore was trading a hat with McGonagall and Snape looked very grumpy as he had on a witches hat. Hope secretly took out her new camera and snapped a photo of this, causing all of the Gryffindors to burst out laughing.
"Going to add that to the scrapbook?" Fred whispered, mentioning the book that Hope had been working on all year.
"What do you take me as?" Hope asked innocently.
"I'll take that as a yes," Fred laughed.
Christmas pudding followed the turkey, and Hope piled her plate high with pudding, treacle tart, and even some peppermint humbugs. All in all, by the time Hope left the table, she was pretty sure all she wanted to do for the rest of the day was sleep. But Fred and George found out that Hope had never been in a snowball fight so, twenty minutes later, Hope was outside bundled up under layers of sweaters and scarves and robes.
"Firsties vs. thirdies!" Ron called out.
"Oh you're so on," George said, picking up a ball of snow and chucking it at the boy. Hope followed suit and lobbed it at Fred.
It seemed that challenging to very talented beaters to a snowball fight wasn't the best idea on Hope and Ron's part. Both twins had very, very good aim. But Hope was tiny and fast, years of running for fun and running away from Dudley had prepared her for this. Hope ran at Fred and jumped on his back, shoving a handful of snow down his shirt.
"Get off me, woman!" Fred teased, reaching back and grabbing hold of the smaller girl before pulling her up over his head and placing her into the snow. He picked up a pile of snow but before he could drop it on her, Ron nailed him in the face with a snowball. Hope got up and ran for cover, making a couple of snowballs before volleying them at the twins.
All of them collapsed two hours later panting and numb from the cold but looking as if they had the time of their lives. "Quidditch?" George asked. Hope's smile was all the answer that they needed. They all ran back to the common room, passed a disgruntled Percy, and changed into more dry layers before grabbing brooms and going back outside. Hope, who was very good and had the best broom, teamed up with Ron who didn't have much experience playing on a school broom. Fred and George were, of course, a team. The game of pickup quidditch didn't last long, however, as Hope, being the accident prone girl she was, managed to catch the quaffle but smacked into the stone wall of the castle as well.
"Hope!" all three boys called out, landing and running at the girl.
"Is the broom alright?" Hope groaned. All three boys rolled their eyes. Fred lifted her up and Ron got the broom before all three of them made their way to-
"Oh no way," Hope groaned. "No way in hell. Put me down, Freddie. I am not going to the Hospital Wing ! Put me-"
"What did you do this time," Madame Pomfrey cut her off as George opened the door. Fred placed her down on a bed and Madame Pomfrey and her wand over the girl. "What? Did you run into a wall or something?"
Hope grinned sheepishly. "You know me, Poppy! I'm way too careful to do that!"
"She hit into a wall," Fred confirmed. Madame Pomfrey tsked and waved her wand, causing the pain to go away.
"I don't want to see you in here again, Miss Potter. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal, Poppy. But you know these boys. They attract Problems." Hope hopped off the bed and nearly bolted from the Hospital Wing . Fred, George, and Ron, followed.
"Do you ever take a break?" Ron called after her.
"Just did! What d'you think the Hospital Wing was?" But the boys did manage to convince Hope who, just that afternoon was ready to go to bed, to sit in the common room and play a few games of chess with Ron where she broke in her new book of strategies by failing amazingly.
They all ate a dinner of turkey sandwiches and pumpkin juice, sitting by the fire in the common room.
"Is it time for bed yet?" Ron groaned.
"I wish," Hope said.
"Oh shut up. You're sleep schedule is so screwy it probably is time for bed for you," Ron answered.
"Be quiet you bloody idiot," Hope replied.
"What are those morons doing?" Ron asked, gesturing to where Fred and George were off sprinting away from a furious Percy.
"Where's my badge?" He was yelling at the twins who were cackling like maniacs. Hope had to stifle her laughter behind her book on Arithmancy.
"What are you laughing at?" Ron asked. "Don't tell me… you don't…"
"They gave it to me this morning," Hope cackled. Ron and Hope sat bemused, watching.
By the time Hope climbed into bed that night, she was so exhausted that the thought of sleep sounded amazing. But alas, Hope wasn't that lucky, and the cloak sitting at the foot of her bed was just too tempting so, groaning, Hope swung her legs around and grabbed the cloak and swung it on, curious to see what kind of things her father had. But when she looked in the mirror, her body was gone. It was like she was a floating head!
"Ron!" Hope whisper/yelled, opening the door to the first year boy's dorm. "Ron, look at this!"
"Hope, what the… it's two am Hope!" Ron said blearily.
"Really? It's that late? Wow. Anyway, look at this! I'm invisible!"
"Show me in the morning, Hope," Ron mumbled, not really hearing her, already drifting back to sleep.
"Spoilsport," Hope muttered, exiting the dorms. Now what was she going to do? She looked around the common room and momentarily debated going back to her dorm, before laughing at the idea and leaving the tower. She wandered around the halls for what seemed like a few moments before spotted Mrs. Norris and, forgetting that she was invisible, slipped into an abandoned classroom.
But… it wasn't abandoned. A mirror sat in the center of the room, one that had a golden frame with green jewels set inside of it. An engraving was at the top, saying; erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
I show not your face, but your hearts desire, Hope read. Somehow, some way, she managed to read those words. She looked into the mirror, but instead of seeing herself, she saw an older form of her standing next to what looked like an older form of Fred. They both looked beyond happy, their faces in exuberant smiles, and both of them were carrying a bundle of blankets. Babies. Hope felt herself have a sharp intake of breath. She turned away from the mirror to see if anyone else was in the room, but no one was. Turning her attention back towards the mirror, Hope realized that the reflection changed.
A woman who looked so similar to Hope that it was almost uncanny, and a male with messy black hair and hazel eyes stared back at her. "Mum?" she whispered. "Dad?" She lifted a shaking hand and placed it on the mirror. The woman inside did the same. Hope felt a small sob escape herself. It was her parents. Her parents… were looking at her. More and more people appeared, and Hope started to realize the resemblance she shared with them. One of them had her hair, another her smile. A third had her slim figure and bright, wide eyes. And then, her friends entered, All of them there, smiling with her family.
The tears were flowing freely now. Hope lifted her hand and brushed them off. She wasn't a crier. She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't sure how long she stood there, the reflection switching between that of her family and of her and Fred. Either way, she only left when a light shone in from the window, indicating the sun had risen.
"I'll come back," she whispered before exiting the room, glancing back before the door shut.
