*chapter 3*
A Repetitive tapping woke Fred, squinting his eyes and forcing them open with a haze of confusion in the bright white room full of beds,the hospital wing? Fred looked up at where the repetitive sound was coming from at the foot of his bed. A ball of frizzy curls was sitting in a chair tapping her foot in a pattern" Tilly?" Her head shot up at his voice,she had dark lines that glistened in the light "are you ok,what's going on? "Fred asked with concern, it was obvious Tilly had been crying her cheeks and nose were tinted pink " shhh ,George is still asleep."She sniffed pointing at his brother in the bed across from him"you shouldn't be asking me that, you're the one that's in the bed."
He didn't like seeing her like this, It didn't feel right. She's always calm and collected making everyone around her feel safe " but you're crying," It wasn't a question it was a statement.It was shocking how hard Tilly was to read but yet still tell you something with her eyes "what happened ?" " well I don't really know exactly what happened I was walking back to my dorm but I heard an explosion in the great hall and saw promfry wheel two old men out on gurneys out cold ," her hand covered her mouth Her hand started to shake as tears started to bloom,this kick started Fred pushing all of his energy into getting himself against the headboard "hey,no,come on." He held his arms out to her, " what are you doing?" She sniffed looking at him like a puppy " offering you a hug." Fred said with a smile at her.
The silence in the room was loud as her brown eyes stared into him " you don't need to if you don't-" a puff of sandal wood and lavender wafted around Fred as she wrapped her arms Around him, her head resting against his chest.Instinctively he wrapped his one arm around her soft waist ,his other on top of her head and started making little circles on top of her head "hey ,hey everything's fine,Tilly! Look he's snoring like a pig,We're fine," he whispered, feeling her tears wet his shirt."y-you were so s-still Fred-d , I thought I k-killed you." She hiccuped holding on tightly to his shirt.They were stuck together for however long Fred didn't care, Tilly was in his arms though he wished for a better reason but she was there.
"Am I interrupting something?" Ask George looking between them with a knowing look " George you're alive !" Tilly jumped off of Freds bed and side hugged George who accepted it with a laugh,funny enough Fred felt a bit of jealous.Tillys eye shot open letting George go "oh I'm sorry George I should have asked you!" George laughed even more" I thought someone was up starting a ruckus in my wing! " Madam pomfrey exclaimed walking out of her office,Tilly left Georges side and opted for sitting on the floor looking a bit scared " after you boys got old and gray you beated the living daylights out of each other, nasty blackeye there." She handed George a cold pack " I had to knock you boys out but I gave the spell a bit too much juice. You've been out almost all day. It's already past lunch and dinner ." pomfrey added with a nod.
Almost all day more like almost all night! Fred looked at Tilly on the floor, her mascara running on her face, her uniform was wrinkled, and the darkness under her eyes made him wonder" Tilly, when did you get here, dear?" Her eyes expanded looking up at him " oh she was here the whole time saying some nonsense that she killed you with old age." Madam promfry replied writing something on her board walking away ,Fred watched Tillys Olive face turn red quickly looking at the rings on her hands.George looked up at him giving him a thumbs up making wild faces mouthing "this is your chance!" Quickly going back to his original position smiling at Tilly " so uh , anything else happened-d, when we were gone-e? " Fred's voice cracked of course it cracked now!
Tilly sat in between her legs wiping her running mascara "Lee Jordan came running in here yelling that the champions had been chosen and its just shocking." Rolling her eyes at the shocking,it peaked both their interests to "go on what happened." George asked Tilly started throwing her hair into a messy bun. "Well there's kumb from dumstrand, Fleur from Beauxbatons,and Cedric Digory from yours truly's house." Fred looked at Tilly who looked the least bit excited by the news "that's great right? Hufflepuff hardly ever does anything extraordinary,no offense,dear." Fred was honestly surprised he expected his house or Slitheren "but of course that wasn't a big enough surprise ," Tilly was annoyedly pulling at one of the lose curls framing her face "Harry Potter had to somehow be evolved in the main school gossip,he's the fourth champion." That made Fred sit up straight and look over at George. It did for him as well "what!?" They asked "yeah apparently after the original three were chosen the goblet started spurting flames and Harry's name was on a paper that shot out!" Tilly slumped against Freds bed "Wicked!"
"It's not wicked at all!Harry's not even seventeen or a fifth year,he's in grave danger !" Tilly looked up at Him in the eye filled with worry."sounds about right,if Ron's telling us everything about their adventures." George replied shrugging his shoulders.Madam Promptly walked out of her office"everything checks out boys,get changed and go." Promptly looked at her board before walking away before stopping again "almost for got mr.weaslys you have detention and your parents have been notified of this," George and I groan mum was gonna kill us but Tilly looked quite pleased at this smiling smugly "including you as well Miss.Guhubble." "No!" She groaned, wacking her head backwards on to my leg.her eyes were covered a little huff left her mouth as she grab her bag and patted her skirt " Well that's lovely for us!thanks for not dying see yah at detention !" She started for the door " "where are you going?" asked George " I'm letting you change!" She yelled opening the door " you can stay and watch me ! " Fred took a chance watching her peak from behind the door " maybe next time,fred." She shut the door with a suggestive wink.
The next morning at breakfast Tilly sat down in her usual seat next to Tannis with her two slytherin friends across her,the owls started to fly in one in particular smack into the oatmeal at the gryffindor table right in front of the twins.This was a normal occasion at breakfast so when Tillys reach for an apple was interrupted with a shrill screaming"FRED AND GEORGE WEASLY! BREAKING MINISTRY RULES AND FIGHTING EACH OTHER LIKE MONGRELS ! I AM DISGUSTED WITH YOU,IF YOU STEP ONE TOE OUT OF LINE YOU'LL BE TAKEN RIGHT HOME IN AN INSTANT ! " standing up slightly she could see the twins pale as a ghost watching the howler rip itself into pieces,fred and her made eye contact and he began to smile.she was next.
Tilly looked at the window and saw her mother's bird, a scooty owl named Emo Coming at her,with a sigh of relief she looked back at Fred and stuck her tongue at him. The bird gracefully landed in front of her holding the letter out to her. the purple ink in her mom's bubbly stiff writing boldly stood out against the lime green envelope. Tilly gave the bird her apple to eat while she read the letter.
Dear Tilly,
I'm so proud that your potion worked so well! When I got the news I was overjoyed for you, your father is as well but he is more concerned about the boys. You never mentioned them before in your past letter is one of them your boyfriend. Oh your father looked over my shoulder and is pacing in front of the fireplace talking about cooties. If you want to introduce us to your boyfriend he can come visit during winter break! Please try to stay out of trouble,your father is going gray and is close to sending a letter of his own.
Love mother
P.s please tell Jensen to stop sending your father bones to find out how they died he's getting quite depressed.
"What did it say?" Jensen asked Petting Emo,Right as Tilly was going to answer, two hands landed on her shoulders, making her jump"yeah what does it say?" The twins said cheeky smiles at her.rolling her eyes Tilly simply replied" mom says to stop sending my dad bones cus he's getting sad." Jensen eyes still on her, took the paper he was writing and scrimped it up,and put it under the table along with a simple bag."No,howler?" "Just a letter,about whatever that was? "That's all!" The twins looked to say the least baffled watching Emo spread her wings and fly away with a nuge at Tillys hand.
"Yep sorry to disappoint you boys." Tilly responded, taking a bite of an Apple,"Fred, George ,come quick, the first year is going to open the door!" Lee Jordan ran over to them smiling like a mad man "wicked!" George ran off "See you later Tilly!" Fred followed close behind the boys.Tilly didn't realize how hungry she was until she basically ate the apple whole "what up with that?" Ollie asked "what I'm hungry," Tilly looked up from her toast "not that,with the Weasley twins,when did you suddenly get so close to them" ollie asked setting her pencil down " yeah,I thought you said they were obnoxious bigest." Tannis included."oh please just because there bigest that doesn't mean I'm going to be rude to them," Tilly looked at her friends that all look confused and worried "I'm fine! Really ,there harmless boys with undiagnosed ADHD that go too far messing with people -" "look you don't need to label whatever this is I just don't want to see a repeat of fourth year." Tilly didn't know what to call them. were they even friends, they hadn't even hung out,they just ditched detention to brew a potion that went wrong and she thought she had killed them.But Tilly knew somehow that The Weasley twins would not be a repeat of fourth year.Her Friends were all looking her " I promise I will never ever let it get like fourth year."
As days passed and the Detention was served,Tilly and the twins talked during classes and in the halls more,The days turned into a month and the First challenge was coming up.The halls where littered with students raving about the first challenge and the mystery of what it could be,Tillys only thought was that she was going to be late meeting up with Ron in the library.Lets just say lavender tea and a fire can put anyone to sleep,Coming around the corner towards the library Tilly smacked into somebody.falling to the ground everything in her hands scattered across the floor "oh my gosh are you ok?"TIlly asked looking up at the person she smacked into,there sprawled on the ground was Ambrosia who looked like she had swallowed a bee"I thought a fright trian hit me,Fatass!" Ambrosia exclaimed pulling her hair out of her face burning a hole into Tillys forehead"I'm sorry Ambrosia let me help you up,i was just meeting up -" Tilly tried to reach out to help ambrosia up but she smacked away her hands "don't touch me you filthy mudblood!" Ambrosia quickly got up with a mad look to her"Why do you think you can be friends me or the Weasley twins where far above you,mudblood! Learn your place,filth!" With a flip of her hair ambrosia stocked off turning her head "or i'll put you there." Ambrosia disappeared behind the corner leaving Tilly kneeling on the floor "fat ass,worthless,mudblood,filthy?" She thought of picking her things off the ground.
Opening the doors to the library the smell of books hit Tilly in the face as she looked around the tables,seeing a head of fiery red hair sitting in a secluded corner."sorry I'm late Ron,I ran into someone." Tilly set down the books and her bag onto the table,looking at what Ron was looking at "It's ok, I've just been trying to figure out how this charm works." The banishing charm was a very useful spell that has been carved into her mind from how she used it."I'm assuming you need to write an essay as well." Tilly said sitting next to Ron already knowing he did,Flickwick is notorious for giving an essay with every new charm being learned."why does he always do this,I'm suffering enough as it is." Ron grumbled resting his head on his hand"I think he enjoys it,makes him feel like one of the big guys." Tilly elbowed Ron's arm moving her eyebrows up and down,Ron laughed, shaking his head"ewww,why are you probably right." "Because I always am,let's get this essay started."
Helping Ron study was fairy simple really,he understood what he was reading it was just getting it down on paper,remembering the shape of wand movement,and sometimes the pronunciation of the spell it's self.Its what made Tilly realized that the weasleys at least the ones Tillys come into contact have an odd accent that randomly appears.It took an hour to get down the books information and have Ron be able to memorize it in his own way."nice job man,now that you've read these stuffy pages lets go practice it." Tilly started to pack her own bag and put away her own work,with Ron doing the same.
Walking down the hall towards the hufflepuff common room would only take a few minutes. Ron had been to the common room so many times he was in the lead of Tilly but a certain blond with a big mouth got in his way "How does it feel weasley knowing that Potter is going to die and you'll be a nobody." Draco snerid with crab and Goyle behind him "piss off, Malfoy,your just jealous that you won't be a remembered champion ." Ron said Tilly was a big supporter of letting people fight there own battles,they needed to learn how to ignore stupid people with family issues like Draco and ambrosia."not even the Mudblood will be remembered,she'll probably be on the streets like her kind belong." Draco said his goons Laughing,Ron was about to do something reckless before Tilly decided she had heard enough and placed a hand on his shoulder and walked forward . "Malfoy, what do you think you're doing." Tilly said looking at the blond boy who looked a little bit scared of her for a moment,good he remembers "I thought I told you to not repeat your bumbling fathers words ever again,why are you not enough to be your own person?" Ron felt a shiver go down his spine he had never heard Tilly talk with such coldness.
Draco was red in the face his hands balled up"shut up,Gubby,what do you know about-" "you try so hard to be like your father to make him proud of you but really he'll never be proud of you because your doing all the same things he did,not until you grow up,Draco and do your own accomplishment will he be proud of you,same for you two."Tilly finished in a harsh whisper unmoving her stare,Draco's mouth dropped in shock and his goons lookedJust as gobsmacked.you'll regret this ,ill tell my father!" Draco states pointing a finger at her "Your fathers shadow has more power than your own person has that must feel really bad,if you tell your father he will still look down at you like you were a child." Draco huffed and walked away with his goons "i wont forget this Guhubble." "Bye malfoy!" TIly replied warmly waving him goodbye.
Tilly adjusted her bag on her shoulder "well that was annoying,lets get a move on!" Turning to Ron he was pointing at her with wide eyes"what?" Tilly asked tilting her head looking behind her"WHAT?What the bloody hell was that!" Ron exclaimed, pointing to the corner that Malfoy had turned behind."come on." Tilly started walking to the common room hearing Ron following behind her "It was just some tough love that Draco needed to hear." Ron looked gobsmacked at her "TOUGH LOVE! Tilly you obliterated him!" Tilly couldn't help her self she had to mess with him "That's why you never mess with a Hufflepuff, Ronald, we know more about you then you think."She looked at him sternly with a blank face,Ron went stiffened bug eyed.With a laugh and wink "I'm only joking Ron!" Ron released a breath "or am I?" "TILLY!"
Tilly and Ron were practicing the banishing charm in Tillys dorm.Throwing books and shoes at Ron who was supposed to repel the things back but that didn't always work.It was far safer in her dorm then in the common room with everyone hanging out ,The field was full of too many people who would just tease Ron and hang around distracting Him.So Tillys dorm was perfect her roommates never came back until past curfew so they had loads of time to practice in peace.It had been almost two hours of Tilly showing him the wand movement and how to pronounce the charm until he could do it without her help "if you can get this one it will be the fifth and you've mastered it,Ready!" Tilly said tossing and catching a book in her hand,Ron got into position watching the book go up and down.Ron had learned the hard way that if he didn't watch the book Tilly would have no issues in throwing at his face"ready."
Tilly pulled back and just watched Ron fidget waiting for her to throw it,finally she slammed her foot down tossing the book straight at Ron's face.The force of the book coming towards him making a whistle "Depulso!" Magic shot out of the wand making the book flip backwards towards Tilly who had to duck to avoid it."You did it!"Tilly shot back up looking at an excited Ron,Tilly sat down on her bed "congratulations you're now a master at the Banishing charm and can complete your essay." Tilly tossed a pillow at Ron,who Caught it quite easily and sat at the end of the bed putting the pillow behind his back resting against the banister of the foot board pulling out his essay.Tilly did the same at the headboard putting a pillow on her lap and pulled out her own homework,They worked in silence there Quills filling the silence.Tilly took off her jumper,her dorm room was always terribly hot because of Lucy butterworth she couldn't stand the cold and would rather sweat she was also Ambrosia best friend "Ron,who was Draco calling that vile name?" Ron looked up "Hermione,he said it once to her face but she broke his nose so the only time he does it now is when she isn't around." Tilly smiled at the fact she wasn't the only one to punch Draco "A coward isn't he." Ron laughed at that setting his quill down "an annoying coward,I wish there was something I could do to make him stop."
Ron said resting his head against the banister "you could give him a pumpkin head." Tilly answered, Ron smiled at the idea but stopped when he saw she wasn't joking "wait really?"Tilly nodded her head"I could show you how if you're not too tired." She looked at her watch seeing it was an hour till curfew " I'm not tired show me h-how!" Ron was yawned.This was one of Tillys favorite spells,Audun had taught it to her after one of the boys at home had done it to him.Tilly set her books to the side and walked back to the center of the dorm room"well come on." Ron quickly got up and over to her standing adjacent to her"this spell isn't going to hurt anyone,most likely it will confuse them." TIly pulled out her wand and pointed it at Ron "Ready?" "Ready!" Tilly waved her wand and pointed it at Ron who's eyes were squinted shut "Melofors!" The spell hit Ron dead center of his forehead cencasing his head in a jack-o-lantern."blimey,it smells in here!" Ron stated feeling the pumpkin on his head,Tilly walked over to him and turned him towards the mirror to see the grinning Jack-o-lantern looking back at him"blimey!".
Tilly waved the counter jinx and removed the pumpkin off of Ron who was sweating and took off his jumper "do you want me to say it again or did you hear how I pronounced it?" She asked Ron who was tying his jumper around his waist "I'm not daft,I got this." Ron turned to her as she put up her hands and walked over to the other side of the room"then do it,then." Tilly tossed her wand on to her bed watching Ron mouthing the spell to himself.Ron raised his wand and got into position "MASTORBAITOR!"
Ron exclaimed pointing his wand at Tilly who was immediately red in the face laughing gasping for air.Ron looked confused but when the words got back to him, he was red as a Tomato,Tilly pointed her finger at Ron waving it around pretending it was a wand "MaStOrbAiToR!" She said in an odd voice through her laughing falling back onto her bed"It's not that funny Tilly…" Ron exclaimed, throwing his jumper at her embarrassed as he should be "don't tell Fred and George!" Tilly finally breathing evenly wiped the tear from her eye with his jumper "of course I'm not going to tell them,I hardly talk to them anyways." That seemed to calm down Ron "what do you mean they talk about you all the time." That surprised Tilly for sure,Yes they would talk briefly in class and at breakfast was the first time they ever did that."I hope it's all good things."Tilly replied tucking a piece of hair behind her ear "What else would it be,George thinks your a genius at reading and translating potion directions and Freds is always talking about how nice you are to younger years and how you always are helping people who don't deserve it." Ron said sitting on Tilly's bed across from her"I don't know about all that,how long have your brothers been stalking me,mastorbaitor ?" Ron shrugged his shoulder at her question giving her an annoyed look"I don't know about stalking but its all true Tilly." Tilly shook her head looking at her lap,catching a glance at her watch
"oh Ron we lost track of time! It's almost curfew you need to go now if you don't want filch to get you!" Ron looked at his watch and quickly started packing up his things.Tilly and Ron ran down the stairs to the common room where Tilly threw the door open "Thanks again Tilly,Ill see you later!" He ran out the door "Ron your jumper!" Tilly threw it at him as he ran catching it "goodbye Ron ,have a good night!" Tilly waved watching him run until he went behind the corner.