Apparently the snobbish Johnson girl was the only one who'd gotten a sour look upon me joining Gryffindor. Everyone else was warm and welcoming, it was truly reassuring.
"So your Harry's sister then? Where've you been going to school?" asked a boy name Neville.
"Yeah. Well I was living with our dad's side of the family. I transferred from a school in Rome." I replied.
"Was your school as big as Hogwarts?" asked a pretty blonde girl named Vicky Frobisher, one of my new roommates.
"It was a bit smaller. Not nearly as welcoming though." I replied before Hermione interjected.
"And did your old school have house elves working oppressively in the kitchens?" she asked, still clearly annoyed by the comments Sir Nicholas had made earlier.
"I think most places of that enormity do, Hermione." I told her as kindly as I could. The look on her face was one of resignation. Passion like hers could get tiring. After the sorting had finished, and Hermione had ceased her ranting, Professor Dumbledore waved his hands and mounds beyond mounds of food appeared on every table. I gawked, never before seeing a feast as brilliant as this.
"Wicked, isn't it?" whispered Fred clearly amused.
"More like fantastic beyond any measure." I replied shoveling some mashed potatoes onto my plate before reaching for ham, and pear pudding. The conversations thinned out as the main focus for the moment was the delicious feast. Fred had his arm around my waist, so as to still keep some physical contact while we ate. If it was at all possible, the dessert looked better than the main course. As if it was fate, the decadently sinful devil's food cake was right in front of me. I cut a rather large piece and began devouring it before it had even touched my plate.
"Rather fond of the cake there, I see." Mused Fred.
"Oh don't be jealous, Fred. She'd take to you like that if only you tasted better." Laughed George. Fred retaliated by launching some of the sprinkles from his ice cream at George. It escalated into a full on sprinkle war between the two until Dumbledore cleared the plates. The talking died down as the headmaster got up to speak.
"Splendid! Now that we are content and nourished, it is time for a few start-of-term notices. Mr. Filch has once again submitted a list of banned items for this year. The list can be found posted in each of your house common rooms. Again, a reminder that the forest is forbidden to students, as is Hogsmeade village to all those who do not have the proper permission forms." Dumbledore let a small pause go by before utterly ruining what was sure to be the best part of the year, "And it is with a heavy heart that I tell you the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
"What?" Harry and I shouted immediately along with half of the hall. Fred and George were surprisingly very quiet, apparently too outraged to form any actual words. What they and Lee lacked in speech they made up for in glares directed at the headmaster.
"Now, now," said Dumbledore quieting the hall, "This is due to an event taking place at our school that will commence in October. With that said-"
But before Professor Dumbledore could finish his statement the doors to the hall barged open, and the most peculiar looking man I'd ever seen began to limp up to the head table. This man had one normal eye- the other swiveling around in his head- as well as scars on his face, and a missing chunk of nose. It was only when he reached Dumbledore that he was introduced as Professor Alastor Moody, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor.
"You know, Hogwarts is unique for having that class." I muttered absentmindedly.
"Why's that?" asked Ron.
"Most schools simply teach the Dark Arts. Not how to defend against them." I replied looking up at him.
"Is that what you learned at your old school?" asked Harry. I smirked.
"You'd be surprised and slightly appalled at the things I learned at the institute," I replied, "A conversation for another time."
"What happened to his face?" asked Hermione looking at Moody.
"Well the man is an ex-auror isn't he? I mean, Death Eaters don't go around aiming bushels of flowers at people?" I replied sarcastically making Fred chuckle beside me.
"As I was saying," continued Dumbledore, "The house cup is cancelled this year, because in its place Hogwarts will play host to the Triwizard Tournament." People around the hall began exclaiming in delight. I had to admit, I was myself excited at the prospect of entering.
"YOU'RE JOKING!" shouted Fred. Dumbledore laughed.
"I assure you, Mr. Weasley, I am not joking." Replied Dumbledore. He went onto explain that the prizes were "eternal glory" and 1000 galleons prize money.
"Rin, can you imagine how great it would be to win this thing? George and I could finally have some money to open the shop!" whispered Fred excitedly as Dumbledore explained the history of the tournament.
"No word yet from Bagman, then?" I asked. The miserable thief had given Fred and George leprechaun gold instead of real galleons, and so it had disappeared a day later.
"None yet. But don't worry about it. We'll get his attention one way or another." He said giving me a wicked grin. I kissed him sweetly as Dumbledore began to explain the rules of the tournament.
"The tournament had been discontinued because the death toll mounted so high," he said, earning a loud gasp from Hermione, " So as a precaution the ministry has placed an age limit. No student under the age of seventeen may enter." Again, the hall was not happy. Fred and George among them, as they weren't turning seventeen until April. Fred's face fell, breaking my heart just at the sight of his disappointment. I'd have to help him find some way to pay for the shop.
"Don't worry, love. I doubt I'd have been savvy watching you risk life and limb for eternal glory." I said resting my head on his shoulder. He gave a low groan and pulled me closer.
"The things you do to me, woman." He said making me giggle. I could feel Angelina's glare, not caring one bit.
"The tournament will be overseen by the Departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports," Fred and George's ears perked up. That was Bagman's department, "And there will be a slight change to the tournament this year. Rather than have only three schools participate, the tournament will be opened to a fourth. Hogwarts will be host to the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, the Durmstrang Institute, and the Roman Institute of Mediterranean Wizardry."
My jaw felt like it had dropped about five feet. They were coming here. Claudius, my loving cousin who'd been like a brother to me all these years, Lena, my oldest and most dear friend, and Angelo, one of my best and most trusted companions. They were all coming here!
"Fred, do you know what this means?" I turned to look at him excitedly. His face fell slightly.
"Your ex will be coming." He stated simply. The thought suddenly crossed my mind. Yes, avoiding Septimus would be annoying, but we'd parted ways and that much should've been clear. I wanted nothing more to do with him.
"I don't give Merlin's left buttock if Septimus is coming, love," I said making him chuckle, "It's just, I'm happy because you'll get to meet my cousin and my friends."
"Well, that I can be happy for. And your ex has another thing coming if he thinks I'd be willing to give you up." He said giving me a kiss on the cheek.
"Harry, you'll finally be able to meet Claudius! This is so exciting." I said enthusiastically to my absentminded brother, who from what I could tell had been looking at a girl at the Ravenclaw table.
"Huh? Yeah! That's great." He said dazed.
"Who is she?" I asked looking over at the table nonchalantly. "Is it the one who looks like she lost in a fight to a blast-ended skrewt?" I teased.
"What? No, no. It's…" he lowered his voice, "Well if you must know it's the dark haired girl two seats over. Her name is Cho." I looked back at who he was referring to. The girl was Asian and pretty with long dark hair. She seemed alright, but I didn't get a good vibe off of her.
"She's cute. You can do better though." I replied, casting Ginny a sly grin. She looked away as her cheeks gained a rosy tint. Soon after we left the hall and headed up to Gryffindor tower, which seemed like a never ending trek up staircases. First thing I was going to do was to write to Lena and Claudius.
"They're not going to stop me from trying to enter." Muttered Fred to George and Lee.
"But you heard what Dumbledore said about that age line." Replied Lee.
"Lee, dear boy, when have you ever known something as silly as an age line to stop the Fred and George Weasley?" replied George. Lee merely chuckled.
"Alright, I'm right behind you guys if it just so happens to work." He replied.
"Always the loyal friend." Joked Fred as he intertwined our fingers together. He pulled back on my hand, letting the others walk on without us up to the tower.
"What are you doing?" I asked skeptically. He merely reciprocated with an innocent- and hot- look on his face.
"Me? Nothing. I just wanted to show you something." He replied simply as he took me down the hallway opposite the common room. We passed a tapestry of ballet-dancing trolls, then stopped, turned and walked past it again. Then did it again.
"Fred, you're acting strange. Why are we walking in circles?" I asked looking confused.
"Turn around and you'll see." He replied with a grin. When I did in fact look back there was a door where only a moment ago blank wall had been. I looked between Fred and the door and decided to give in. "Always best just to trust me, love." When we entered the room it was as if everything we needed for a perfect evening was there. A comfy couch was placed in front of a roaring fire. The room was lit dimly with many candles, and the soft glow of the twinkling stars from outside the window, and in the corner of the room was a record player. "This is the room of requirement. Gives you exactly what you need when you need it. Care for some music?"
"Sure." I replied settling onto the couch. Fred walked over to me as the Weird Sisters' ballad "Bewitched By You" started to play softly. I snuggled into his chest as we lay back on the sofa. I turned around to face him, looking into his chocolate eyes as they glittered in the fire light. He was so handsome it was almost too much to handle. I could feel his ripped muscles underneath his school shirt. I could see the subtle laugh lines on the side of his face, remnants of the laugh that gave me butterflies like no other. I was falling for Fred Weasley. And I was falling fast.
"You're beautiful, you know." Said Fred softly. I blushed, feeling no embarrassment anymore. As my boyfriend I felt he had the right to make me blush.
"Am I now?"
"Yes. So beautiful in fact that I can't help but admire you every five seconds. Sometimes I can't believe you're really mine." He said caressing my face gently. I smiled and brought myself closer to him.
"You're too perfect. Perfect for me in every way. Don't ever doubt it." I kissed him sweetly on his soft lips. He reciprocated, moving his lips with mine as he moved his hand down to my hip. His taste was almost too good when his tongue moved gingerly into my mouth. I moved my hand up, cupping his face and running my fingers through his long red hair. He moved us so that he was on top of me. We moved together and in sync. His kisses were bliss- passionate and sweet, forceful yet kind, all at the same time. His hands ran down the length of my body, settling firmly at my hips as I rocked gently into him. He began rocking back into me, groaning all the while as he did. I could feel him growing and wanting. Every touch sent another sensation reeling through me. We discarded our robes as it began to get hotter. Fred was everywhere- holding my hips, rubbing my thigh, kissing my neck. It was passion like I had never known. It was…love. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before. But it made sense, even when it wasn't supposed to. As Fred caressed me and kissed me into numbing bliss, I couldn't help but listen to my mind as it screamed its love for Fred. Sure, I had been fond of Septimus and cared for him, but it was nothing like this. Fred made me complete. He made me feel utterly and irrevocably like putty in the palm of his hands. All these feelings, the giddiness and care, it was love at the speed that it wasn't supposed to have reached. We were going faster, matching the speed of my mind. Could I tell Fred that I loved him this soon? Yes? No? Who was to say? Suddenly Fred stopped, breaking me away from the thoughts and sensations I had been immersed in. He lifted himself onto his elbows, face flushed and breathing heavily, still quite obviously, and anatomically excited.
"Rin, I don't want to push you farther than you'll go. I'm in no hurry to do anything right now because- well, because the way I feel about you tells me we'll be together for a while and that I don't need to rush it because, well…" he heaved a few breaths before kissing me passionately as if to gain courage, breaking away, and looking intensely into my eyes, "because I love you. And I know it's kind of fast. But I felt like I was going to burst if I didn't say it. Catherine Alice Potter, I, Fred Weasley am your fool- hopelessly and ridiculously in love with you."
I stared at him, looking at his hopeful and questioningly cute face. He'd made himself vulnerable to me, something no one else had ever done before. He, Fred Weasley, was in love with me.
"I love you too, Fred." I said softly. "And it hit me about the same way it hit you. I don't care if it's fast. You make me happy, and whole. You're incomparable to anyone else, and I'm in love with you. And I don't think it's foolish at all."
He beamed at me, taking me into his arms and kissing me again, this time letting the love of the kiss overtake the passion.
"Dance with me?" he asked as the next song came on.
"Always." I smiled as he led me over by where the moonlit window was. We swayed as the song "Magic Works" played softly around us. We held each other tight and kept each other warm, loving each other completely and unashamedly. No past happiness that I'd ever felt could compare to that moment- the first moment that Fred and I had as two people in love.