In her dormitory, she quickly changed into her pajamas, drew the curtains around her bed, and stared up at the ceiling, bemused at all that had happened that night. When she thought of the look on Cedric's face, she felt sharp pangs of guilt radiating through her chest. She hated that she disappointed him. All she had ever wanted was for Cedric to admire and respect her as much as she admired and respected him, but this was a bad blow to Cedric's perception of Avery, and she knew it. But, she reasoned to herself that it was probably for the best, anyway- Cedric clearly didn't fancy her, and maybe knowing that he was disappointed in her in addition to dating Cho would help Avery really let the possibility of she and Cedric ever being an item go.

In contrast, when she thought of her interaction with Fred at the top of the tower, and their kiss at the top of the stairs, she couldn't help but smile. She was both shocked and flattered- she would never have guessed that Fred would have taken any sort of interest in her. And now that it was clear he was, in fact, interested in her, she allowed herself to consider the possibility of she and Fred being something more. She imagined how it would change their relationship, and what it would be like to kiss him when she was actually prepared to kiss him, until she drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later, Avery woke early to go to breakfast, hoping to avoid Marilyn. However, Marilyn must've had a similar plan, because when Avery drew back the curtains of her bed, she saw Marilyn slipping on her shoes, fully dressed. Marilyn looked over her shoulder at the sound of Avery's hangings moving and smirked.

"Did you ask them?" She murmured haughtily, as she adjusted the fastenings on her cloak.

"None of your business," Avery sneered back, pulling her hangings back around her, deciding she would go back to sleep since Marilyn had beaten her to an early start. Marilyn must've walked over to Avery's bed and been standing up close to the curtains, because seconds after, she heard her whisper through them.

"That sounds like a no. Maybe you're afraid to hear the answer."

Avery felt a surge of anger at this. But before she could come up with a retort, she heard the door to the dormitory shut quietly, and knew that Marilyn had already left.

Avery threw herself back into a sleeping position, but it was no good. She was furious with Marilyn. They had been best friends since their first Hogwarts Express ride. But this girl Marilyn had become was not someone Avery recognized anymore, was not someone she wanted to know. And the fact that Mailyn was going out of her way to try to instigate problems between her and the twins was just unnecessary- they had told her they were hiding nothing, hadn't they? She didn't have any reason to distrust them. But why would Marilyn continue to harp on this point? Could she just be jealous that Avery had been forging new friendships? That Avery wasn't willing to be guilted and manipulated by Marilyn any more? She wasn't sure. But after another forty-five minutes of tossing and turning, she decided she wasn't going to let it bother her any longer. Their friendship was effectively over. It hurt her to admit it to herself, but she couldn't be friends with someone who was actively and openly prejudice, as Marilyn clearly was now. Instead, she vowed to focus her energy on her schoolwork, Weasley Wizarding Wheezes, and her other friendships.

With a pang, her feelings from last night came rushing back. Her shame over being caught by Cedric, her confused and nervous feelings about Fred. She began to dread the idea of heading upstairs to breakfast. How was she supposed to act? Should she apologize to Cedric again? Or should she pretend it never happened and hope the awkward tension resolved itself? Should she ask Fred about the kiss, or wait for him to approach her about it? These questions whirled around her head and filled her with more and more anxiety. She debated playing sick for the day (maybe even morphing some of her features to look more haggard so that she could spend the day undisturbed in the hospital wing), but decided she should go about her day as normal. Delaying the awkwardness would probably only succeed in making it worse, anyway.

So, half an hour later, in her uneffected appearance, Avery made her way up to the Great Hall and sat herself at the Hufflepuff table, nervously glancing around for the twins, Cedric, or Marilyn. Cedric was seated at one end of the Hufflepuff table, closest to the staff table with a few other 5th years. He did not seem to notice Avery's arrival, and was looking down into his bowl of porridge with a dejected expression. Avery decided it was best not to dwell on him or why he was looking so unhappy. She noticed Marilyn was at the opposite end of the hall, closest to the entrance, seated with a few fourth year Hufflepuffs and a Ravenclaw. She did not see the twins anywhere, so she sat midway down the Hufflepuff table, equi-distant from Cedric and Marilyn. She helped herself to some eggs and kippers, though she wasn't particularly hungry.

It wasn't until another Hufflepuff named Megan Jones sidled up to her and asked if she would be able to perform a break-up for her that she spoke to anyone. She hastily agreed to the job, but asked to discuss the details that evening in their common room instead, as she saw Fred walking into the hall over Megan's shoulder, and was far too anxious and distracted to focus on what Megan was saying. Megan agreed and bid her farewell before moving back down the bench to rejoin some of her friends, and Avery's attention turned to Fred. The absence of George caused her to frown; she had never really seen the twins separately, and it occurred to her that George was not present the night before, either.

"What are you frowning about?" Fred smirked, seating himself beside her very closely. There was plenty of room to his right, too- the nearest person was a good three seats away, yet he sat so close their legs touched from hip to ankle.

"Uh, nothing," Avery started, smiling nervously, playing with her eggs. "Just that George isn't with you. He alright?"

"Of course," Fred said with no hesitation. "Lee was showing him something in the common room. I didn't care to wait for him."

Avery turned her head only slightly to look at Fred, and he was looking at her intently with a shy smile. She smiled back, not sure how to speak. Fred leaned closer to her

"Lovely eyes," Fred chortled in her ear before turning back to his breakfast. Avery flushed red, realizing she must've assumed his eyes again, like she had during the detention he and George realized she was a metamorphmagus. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Marilyn glowering at the two of them from the end of the table. Avery stared back for a moment, before looking back to her own breakfast, determined to ignore Marilyn.

"So, how was your night last night?" Fred asked, tipping a few more sausages onto his plate, his leg still firmly pressed against her own.

"I got caught sneaking back into the common room," Avery muttered, suddenly feeling guilt stab her in the gut once more. "And with your bottle of firewhiskey in my hand."

Avery felt Fred's eyes on her and turned to look at him. He was gaping.

"I was actually referencing something else, but… Blimey. What happened? Have you been given detention?"

It wasn't until Fred said this that Avery realized Fred had been coquettishly bringing up their kiss. She felt stupid for missing this cue to discuss what was going on between them.

"Oh… Well, erm, he let me off with a warning. He owed me a favor," Avery replied slowly. She didn't think it wise to bring up that the Prefect who had caught her was Cedric, seeing as how there was now something happening between her and Fred and she was determined to figure out what it was.

"Oh," Fred started, looking relieved, "someone you transfigured for in the past, I expect?"

Avery made a noise through a strategic mouthful of eggs she hoped came off committally.

"Good," Fred said, beaming, "I was a bit nervous you were suspended or something, you looked so miserable."

"Oh, it was just uncomfortable, I suppose. Gave me a real talking to. Told me they wouldn't let me off next time they found me out late."

"Well I'll be sure you don't get caught again, then," Fred replied, winking. He rested his left hand on hers and resumed eating with his right. Avery flushed again. She was dying to ask him what this meant. Were they dating now? She hadn't expected him to be acting this way so openly, at least not right away. She thought that they would either ignore the incident altogether, or they would discuss it and proceed accordingly. Avery had no real romantic experience up until this point. She had had crushes, obviously, Cedric being one of them, and over the previous Summer she had briefly "dated" a muggle boy she met on holiday, which really only meant they held hands and kissed a handful of times before they went back to their separate, far different lives a few weeks later. This situation was entirely new to her, and the uncertainty of it was filling her with just as much anxiety as excitement.

"So, what is this?" she blurted out, before she could stop herself. Fred looked at her, amused. Avery thought he might start laughing at her the way his mouth was twitching.

"Don't give me that bollocks," she frowned, shoving his shoulder, feeling a little less anxious. This felt more natural with Fred; him giving her a hard time, her telling him to knock it off. This was more familiar.

"Well, obviously I. Fancy. you," he began, as though explaining how to do the simplest of math equations to a thick child. Avery rolled her eyes at the way he chose to deliver this information, but smiled all the same.

"So, it's really up to you from here, isn't it?" Fred continued matter-of-factly. "What is this?"

Just then, the bell rang, indicating it was time for their first lessons of the day. Avery looked up, as though she would actually be able to see the bells ringing. All she saw though were storm clouds accumulating over their heads.

"I'll let you know later, then?" She said, the coquettish one this time, looking back down to meet eyes with Fred. He was smiling.

"If the suspense doesn't kill me first," he said with a wink, and then he stood. He held onto her hand until the last possible moment as he shouldered his bag and walked away from the table, his hand finally releasing hers and falling to his side. Avery turned away from Fred's retreating back to collect her own things for class. She she stood, she noticed several pairs of eyes were on her, including Marilyn's. They had obviously noticed how cozy she and Fred had been, and their curiosity was apparent in their stares. Avery pretended not to notice, and began to walk to her Divination class alone.

When she arrived in Trelawny's heavily perfumed classroom, she chose a table near a window. As the rest of the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors filed in, Avery set about getting her parchment, quill, ink, and book out of her bag. She felt someone draw the seat next to her out and sit down, and was quite shocked when she looked up and saw that it was Marilyn.

"Mind if I sit here?" She asked smugly.

"I do, actually," Avery replied, irritably.

"Everywhere else is full," Marilyn said with a half-hearted shrug, keeping her eyes locked on Avery's. "Guess you'll have to make due."

Avery turned away and tried to focus on Trelawny. She was announcing that they would be continuing their study of palmistry. Students were to pair up and read one another palms with the help of their textbook Unfogging the Future.

Marilyn held out her hand to Avery, whether to indicate she wanted Avery's hand or wanted her own palm to be read first, Avery wasn't sure. She stared at Marilyn stonily, before seizing her hand, deciding she would read her lines first.

"What do you see?" Marilyn asked airily.

"Your stupidity line is the longest I've ever seen," Avery said, dryly. "You must be the biggest git to have ever had their palm read."

Marilyn yanked her hand away impatiently and seized Avery's hand. She let Marilyn survey her palm, eyeing her warily.

"Do you remember what Trelawny told you during our first lesson this year?" Marilyn

asked nonchalantly. Avery very rarely paid much attention to Trelawny, which Marilyn knew. Neither of them had taken her very seriously and had even discussed opting for a different class the following year, back when they were on speaking terms. Avery said nothing.

"She told you 'beware red haired men,'" Marilyn continued, still surveying Avery's palm.

"Oh don't pretend you put any stock in what that barmy old bat has to say," Avery snapped, rolling her eyes. It was Marilyn's turn not to respond. Instead, she continued looking at Avery's left hand, and then gestured for her right hand. Avery complied, rather than put up a fight in case Trelawny were to see them scuffling and draw attention to them by predicting their deaths or something.

"The heart lines on both your hands are broken, which means you've suffered emotional trauma in your past, and you're in for more in your future," Marilyn said with finality, looking up to meet Avery's eyes. Her face was quite impassive, which only made Avery more irritated.

"I can't believe you would joke about that," Avery hissed. Marilyn knew better than anyone that Avery had undergone emotional trauma in her past, and to make light of it just to irritate her was a low blow.

"I'm not joking," Marilyn began, staring at her fixedly, "I'm really just reading your palm according to the book."

"And acting like you know something I don't," Avery, finally jerking her hand away.

"Apparently I do. Because I doubt you would be so cozy with Fred Weasley if you knew what I know."

"Oh yeah? And what is that, Marilyn? That he's mischievous? That he plays pranks and participates in harmless rule breaking that you don't approve of? If you know something, and I mean really know something that would change my opinion of the twins, then spit it out. I don't have the patience for your cloak and dagger games any longer."

They had finished with any pretense of reading each other palms. And while Avery's words had been quiet, they had been filled with venom. Some of the tables nearest to them had began stealing curious glances their way, but most of the class was focusing on Trelawny telling Harry Potter that he had the shortest life line she had ever seen.

"He's the reason you didn't make the quidditch team," Marilyn said, the slightest smile playing on her lips. Avery was taken aback, her mouth slightly open for a few moments before she stammered out a "what?"

"He confunded you during tryouts. I was sitting in the stands near them, remember? They were being sneaky, but I saw. I mean, honestly, what other explanation is there for you doing as poorly as you did?" Marilyn continued, her slight smile still tugging at the corners of her mouth, no doubt because it had taken Avery by complete surprise.

"You're wrong," Avery said flatly, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "They would never do that."

"Felt strange, didn't it? Like your body was taking too long to do what you wanted it to? Like you were moving in slow motion or something?"

Avery thought back to that day. That was exactly the feeling she had experienced. But the twins had come to cheer her on. They were there for her after her devastating performance. They had no reason to confund her and ruin her chances at making the team.

But that wasn't entirely true. Hadn't Fred been furious when Avery told him she was going to prioritize making the quidditch team over helping them with their joke shop? Would he really have resorted to confunding her so that she would be free of distractions, so that she could be at their beck and call? A distant memory floated into her mind- of Fred saying that they were even, but not explaining what debt he owed her.

"I saw it, Avery. I'm not lying."

"If that's true then why didn't you tell me straight away? Why wouldn't you have stopped them?" Avery choked, trying very hard to stay calm. Was this all just a clever ploy to destroy her relationship with Fred and George? What reason did Marilyn have to want to hurt Avery so badly?

"I thought about it," Marilyn shrugged. "But I talked myself out of it. Didn't think you would believe me, or that anyone else would have, either. I mean, what would you have done? Gone to Cedric and insisted that you be allowed to redo your tryout? It would have made you look mad and like a poor sport if you had. And honestly I didn't think you would, anyway- you would've been too anxious and embarrassed to say anything, so you would've just brooded some more. There was no point."

"Then what is the bloody point of telling me now?!" Avery said hotly, a little more loudly than she had intended. Other students were shooting glances her way again, but she was too focused on Marilyn's freckled face to care.

"You insult the company I keep, I thought it best you know what kind you keep. Besides, I've outgrown our friendship. There is no need for me to protect your feelings any more."

Marilyn turned back to her book, as Trelawny glided over to their table to inquire about their readings. Marilyn updated her as though nothing were amiss, while Avery averted her eyes. She felt sick and confused. Something told her that Marilyn was not lying. Something strange had happened to her the day of the tryouts, and the longer she thought about it and the way Fred had acted when she told him she was trying out, the more plausible it seemed that the twins may have had something to do with it.

The lessons continued that day, though Avery was not participating very actively. A loop of what Marilyn told her was playing in her head, and she wasn't sure what she should do. Her newfound interest in Fred confused the matter further. Would he really betray her like that, and then try to date her? Could he really be capable of something so... slimy? Avery decided not to attend lunch that day for fear of seeing Fred or his twin. She wanted to determine her plan of action before seeing them, so she went to the library instead. While she pondered there, she decided she would confront them on their way to the quidditch pitch that evening. So, after lessons, she hid in the Hufflepuff common room until after dinner when she knew the twins usually walked to practice. She braced herself and headed out of the common room and onto the grounds, waiting halfway between the castle and the pitch for the twins to appear.

Several Gryffindor team members passed her on their way to practice, and few waving or bidding her hello. She responded politely, but remained focused on watching the castle doors for the twins. A few moments later, she saw them come out of the doors and begin striding towards the pitch. When they saw her waiting, they waved jovially, Fred especially excited to see her.

"Where have you been? You weren't at lunch or dinner," he said. He stopped only a foot away from her. George nodded to Avery, but made to continue to the pitch. Avery was definitely getting an odd feeling that George was avoiding her.

"Did you confund me?" Avery blurted out, looking between them. George stopped in his tracks, looking very white, and Fred suddenly wasn't smiling. He furrowed his brow.

"What are you on about?"

"During keeper tryouts. Did you confund me so that I wouldn't make the team?"

Oliver Wood was passing them now, saying something about the twins needing to hurry so that they could begin practice. Fred waved him away impatiently, and Oliver continued on his way to the field.

"Where did you get an idea like that?" Fred asked. Avery thought he was looking strangely. Like there was guilt behind his dismissive question.

"That's not an answer," Avery said, working very hard to keep her voice even. Fred ran his hand over his face. George remained very quiet and very still. Avery turned to face him.

"Well? Did you? Or did he? Or was it a team effort or... what?" Avery asked him, her voice breaking. Their silence was making her anxious.

"Avery…" Fred began, cautiously, looking very contrite now, "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it, but I was afraid-"

Avery laughed a mirthless laugh and threw up her hands. She stared at him incredulously.

"A mistake? A mistake? You don't mistakenly confund someone. You don't mistakenly ruin their dream, Fred!" Avery cried, hot angry tears forming in her eyes, though she was trying desperately not to let them roll down her cheeks. "You ruined my chance so that you could use and manipulate me. You treated me… You acted like we were friends."

Fred was trying to explain himself, but Avery was talking over him. She only caught bits and pieces of what he was saying- "stupid," "worst thing I've ever done."

Wood was calling up to them now, impatient to start practice. Avery turned to leave, and the twins started after her.

"Don't!" she snapped, rounding on them, "Leave me alone or I'll be the one hexing you."

"You said last night you thought it worked out for the best- not making the team," Fred stammered. Avery glared at him, incredulous.

"Well, a lot of things have changed since then," Avery breathed. She turned toward the castle again. This time she did not hear or sense them following her, even though Wood was still yelling for them to get to the pitch. She walked into the castle and started for the passage to her dormitory when she paused. She was so heartbroken, so furious. She had really considered the twins her best friends. She had genuinely trusted them and wanted to help them with their business. She couldn't believe they would betray her like that. That they would use her and mislead her. She had helped them complete their skiving snackboxes. She had devoted hours of her time researching and developing for them, rather than focusing on her schoolwork or other activities. And it turned out it was all for people who didn't care about her or what she wanted in the slightest.

Suddenly, she decided she wasn't going to bed yet. She dashed up the stairs, along the familiar path to the room of requirement. Filled with anger and spite, she walked up and down the passageway three times, willing their laboratory to appear. When it did, she burst into the room and collected all their research. She scooped up all the scraps of parchment that had tried and failed recipes, the completed working recipes, and all the prototype candies they had created together. Anything and everything she had had a hand in helping them create. She then strode determinedly over to the fire crackling merrily in the corner, and tossed every last bit of their work into the flames.