For the next few weeks I was the most in demand person at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Nobody could get a hold of Fred or George so instead all they wanted was to talk to me. They all wanted information on Weasley's Wizard Wheezes or on what Fred and George were doing now. They all wanted to know what George had given me, but I wouldn't tell. I hadn't even told Harry, Ron, or Hermione. In fact…I didn't even know. I hadn't looked at it yet.
I tried to tell myself the reason I hadn't opened the letter was because everything was so hectic. I was studying for O.W.L's! People were attacking me in the halls for the whereabouts of my boyfriend. Then there was the small matter of Harry Potter, who seemed to be everywhere that I was even when I really didn't want him around. I was still dating George, and Harry's constant presence in my life was making it difficult to remember that. I told myself I hadn't opened the letter because so many people were asking me for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to perform 'copy-cat pranks' but I knew differently. I hadn't opened the letter because I was scared. I was afraid of what it might say. But mostly it was what Megan had said all those weeks before that got me.
"When George gives you the letter. Let Harry down easy."
I didn't want to read the letter. I didn't want to have to let Harry down easy. I didn't want to have to know what George had to say. I wanted to live completely oblivious to everything about the letter. I wanted to lose the letter. I wanted to burn the letter or rip it up into a thousand pieces and perform an Unforgivable Curse on it! Instead I just hid it safely away in the music box that Harry gave me for Christmas.
Hogwarts had been turned upside down with the absence of Fred and George. Everyone was trying to be the new 'head pranksters' but not quite living up to their standards. Someone was letting nifflers into Umbridge's office, Dungbombs were being let off at five minute intervals forcing most students to perform a Bubble-Head Charm on themselves before they left the classroom, and Filch was patrolling the halls ready to whip anyone who looked like they were thinking about causing trouble.
The Inquisitorial squad was also suffering their fair share of losses at the delight of the rest of the students. The Slytherin Quidditch captain went to the hospital wing for a strange skin disorder that made him shed his skin like a snake. Malfoy's hair would not stop changing colors (not that I had anything to do with that) but the best attack on an Inquisitorial Squad member came from me to Pansy Parkinson.
I was walking down the hall minding my own business, reading from the Charms textbook when Pansy came up behind me.
"I know what you did to Draco," She said. "And you won't get away with it."
"Pansy," I sighed, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Yes you do!" She shrieked dropping her books. "You attacked poor innocent Draco while he was in the library and made his hair change colors!"
"Pansy, Pansy, Pansy," I laughed, "As amusing as it was that Draco's hair turned all the shades of the rainbow…and as much as I wish I had been the one that did it…It was not."
"Yes you did!" She pulled out her wand and waved it in my face. "And now you'll pay."
I slowly took out my wand while she was trying to figure out how to hex me. "I really don't want to do this but you leave me no choice."
"This one's for you, James Potter," I muttered. "Prongsortious!"
Pansy screamed and clasped her hands to her head where two large antlers were growing. She didn't say a word, but ran up to the hospital wing as fast as she could. I placed my wand back into my pocket and whistled merrily as I walked down the hall to charms.
Another strange 'coincidence' of the Weasley's disappearance is that whenever anyone was in Inquisitorial Squad or Umbridge's detention something would seem to go wrong right outside the classroom door disrupting the entire process. Malfoy had gotten so frustrated with the Dungbombs that kept going off whenever he tried to hold detention with me that he finally just cancelled the entire process. Umbridge didn't give in that easily the next week but it never mattered much because there were so many pranks being held about the school that she was barely in the room to make sure that I was writing 'I will not disrespect my teachers' for an hour and a half.
Yes, life at Hogwarts was growing more interesting by the minute.
"You know I don't think all of these pranks are doing much good," Hermione said as we watched Peeves unscrewing a chandelier. "And I think we should tell someone about Montague and the vanishing cabinet."
"Umm Hermione," I said. "How about…not?"
"Yeah Montague deserves what he got!" Ron exclaimed as we took our seats in Transfiguration and began our work transfiguring a teacup into a newt.
"And if you want to worry about anyone these days worry about me." Ron said.
"You?" Hermione laughed. "What's wrong with you?
"Mums next letter probably hasn't gotten through Umbridge's screening process yet but when it does I'll bet their leaving will have been my fault!"
"That won't happen Ron," I assured him. "You're mom knows better than anyone that when Fred and George get something in their heads you'd be crazy to try and stop them."
"You know what I've been wondering?" Hermione said tapping her teacup. "How they got premises on Diagon Alley."
"Yeah me too…I mean…you don't think they've been selling dodgy cauldrons for Mundungus do you?" Ron said.
I hadn't really thought about how they had gotten premises. I had always assumed they just had the money, but now that I thought about it, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes didn't make nearly enough gold for that. It was all very suspicious.
"Don't worry," Said Harry, "The money is good."
"How do you know?" We all asked together.
"Because," Harry took a deep breath, "I gave them my money from my Triwizard winnings last year."
I smiled. "That was nice of you." I said.
Hermione on the other hand, was not pleased. "Harry how could you!"
"What's done is done," Harry said. "And it's no good nagging me about it because I don't regret it."
She didn't speak much for the rest of the day.
xxx
As the days drew on Ron got more and more nervous about the final Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw Quidditch match. Nobody thought that Gryffindor was going to win but we all tried to heighten Ron's spirits anyway.
When the day of the game came around I tried to tell Ron that he would do great but he wouldn't listen to me and just stared blankly off into the distance. Harry, Hermione, and I took seats at the top of the stands so that we could get an excellent view of the game.
"Oh look Harry," I laughed, "It's your ex-girlfriend."
I pointed to Cho and kind of nudged him a little. He scowled. "I don't care."
Lee Jordan's voice came over the loud speaker though he sounded less enthusiastic and I had a feeling it had something to do with Fred and George leaving. "Here comes the Ravenclaw team…Bradley…Davis…Chang…" I felt Harry sit up a bit as Cho stepped out onto the pitch smiling at the crowd.
The game began and Ravenclaw had scored in no time. I sadly watched as Ron struggled and let in another goal. The Slytherins were loudly singing 'Weasley is our King' and I wanted to go down and kill them.
Suddenly Hagrid appeared in the stands. "Listen…" He whispered, "I need yeh ter come with me I got somthin' ter show yeh."
"Can't it wait?" Harry asked.
"No," Hagrid said urgently, "It's gotta be now."
"I'll tell you what happened." I assured him.
Harry and Hermione left and as soon as they did something miraculous happened. The Ravenclaw chaser came pelting toward Ron. He hesitated for a moment the chaser feinted left, but Ron blocked the goal.
"NICE SAVE BY RON WEASLEY!" Lee Jordan shouted.
And then it happened. Ron saved another goal. And another…and another….
That's when inspiration struck me. And I started to sing.
Weasley is our King
Weasley is our King
He didn't let the Quaffle in
Weasley is our King
People began to sing along with me and the roar from the Gryffindor section grew louder.
Weasley can save anything
He never leaves a single ring
That's why we Gryffindors all sing
Weasley is our King
Then Ginny caught the snitch, and Gryffindor won. I stood up in the stands and screamed. I had never been so happy in all of my life. I hurriedly ran past all the other Gryffindors and jumped on top of Ron as he thrust the silver Quidditch cup into the air.
"Where are Harry and Hermione?" He asked.
Thankfully, at that moment, they appeared from behind the stands.
"WE WON!" Ron yelled. "WE DID IT HARRY WE WON!"
"Ron was great wasn't he?" I asked them.
"Oh yeah fabulous." Hermione agreed.
"One of a kind." Harry said.
Ron was suddenly whisked away by a crowd of celebrating Gryffindors and I was left standing with Harry and Hermione.
"You guys blew it big time." I said.
"Yeah," Said Harry. "I know."
"So what did Hagrid want?" I asked.
"Well…" Hermione began, "Remember how we told you that Hagrid went up to see the giants and that's why he was gone…"
"Yeah"
"Well he err…brought back…someone."
My eyes widened. "Someone?"
"His little brother…Grawp…" Harry shifted uncomfortably.
"What?" I asked.
"He's been keeping him in the forest. That's where he got all those injuries."
"And…what does that have to do with you?"
"If Hagrid gets sacked," Harry said, "We have to take care of him."
"You're out of your mind." I said and briskly walked back up to the castle.
xxx
The Gryffindor celebration party was amazing, but I couldn't help but think that Fred and George should have been there. Megan got drunk (what's new?) but Fred wasn't there to keep her from acting too stupid so she ended up breaking a coffee table and I had to take her back upstairs to bed.
"You're scared," She said as I placed her onto her bed. "You haven't read the letter yet."
"I'm not scared of George's letter." I laughed.
"Yes you are," She said sleepily, rolling over under the covers. "You're scared to let down Harry like I said." She yawned. "But you have to…and you will…soon enough…"
I wanted to question her more but her light snoring told me that she was fast asleep. I slowly walked over to my little music box and took out George's letter. I knew I would have to read it soon enough. I tore open the envelope, sat down on my bed, and began to read.
Dear Addie,
If you're reading this if means that Fred and I have finally left Hogwarts I know that you might not love me the way that you love other people, but I promise you that I will take care of you and make you happy. I have never felt this way about any other girl. You are beautiful and perfect. I would die to keep you safe, please know that. I know you're only fifteen and that it will be hard to keep up a relationship while I'm away but please, please know that I will always be faithful to you and you'll never have to worry. Please wait for me while you're at Hogwarts. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes will make lots of money and I promise that I will take care of you. Please wait for me. If you don't want to I understand but I don't think I could just be friends with you. It's all or nothing for us Addie. Please wait for me.
Love ALWAYS,
George Weasley.