Fred and George had spent the morning passing out blood-flavored lollipops to the first years. "Hey! This isn't cherry flavored!" A Hufflepuff first year had his face scrunched up as he licked the candy.
"Oops, I guess I misplaced my cherry flavored ones!" Fred giggled as he turned around, walking backwards as he spoke before spinning back around and nudging his brother. "Did you leave one of those acid pops for Filch?"
"Of course. Snuck into his office last night while he was patrolling." George smiled at his twin.
"Excellent." Fred readjusted his bag. "Well, I'm gonna go off to the library."
"The library? Since when have you ever gone to the library?"
"Since I still need to do that essay for Snape's class." Fred scowled, he hated doing essays.
"I thought you did it last night?"
He shrugged. "I was but I didn't feel like it. I'll catch up with you and Lee later." Fred scurried off to the library. He knew if he was in the common room he would get distracted and never finish it.
Fred walked down the aisle of the enormous library, stopping as he walked passed an aisle before backing up. Something caught his brown eyes. A familiar black haired Slytherin jumping up and down trying to reach a book on a high shelf. Fred leaned his shoulder against the shelf before crossing his arms over his chest. He chuckled as he watched her jump. Claire whipped her head around after hearing the ginger laugh.
"Are you going to help me or stand there and watch?" She sighed.
"I'm quite enjoying this." He laughed holding his arm out. "Go on. Continue."
She turned back around and continued to jump for the book. After a few moments she turned back around. "Can you help me?"
Fred held his hand up to his ear. "What's the magic word?"
She rolled her eyes. "Please." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
His lips curled into a smile. "Of course. I love helping the vertically challenged." He pushed himself off the shelf and pulled the book down off the shelf.
"An Anthology of Eighteenth-Century Charms." He read the title of the book aloud as he handed it to her. "Looking for a charm to help you get books down off tall shelves?"
She clutched the book to her chest. "Now if I did that, what would I need you for?" She cocked her and smirked. Fred playful gasped.
"Hurtful." He placed his hand on his chest as he spoke. "You could use me for a lot more than my height ya know. I will have you know I'm good at annoying people as well." He smiled softly. "But seriously. What do you need the book for?"
She shrugged. "Just to read."
"Wow you're a nerd."
She playfully punched him."You know you're in the library too."
He puts his index finger up. "This is true. However, I'm not here for fun. I'm here because I'm a slacker and waited till the last minute to do Snape's essay."
Claire rolled her eyes. "Somehow I find that completely not shocking you haven't done it yet."
Fred jokingly bowed. "Glad I could keep my reputation up."
"Since you helped me get my book. I could help you with the essay if you want. I finished mine ages ago." She ran her fingers through her hair.
Fred's smile morphed into a smirk. "You know your housemates are right, you should keep better company."
"I like your company. So shove it and let me help you."
He put both of his hands up in surrender. "Fine, lead the way."
She brushes past him, her shoulder lightly touching his. Fred chewed on his bottom lip and followed behind her. Finding an empty table near the back she throws her bag on top of the table and sits down. Fred took the seat in front of her.
"Have you even started the essay?"
He puts one finger in the air. "Hang on." Fred takes out a piece of parchment along with a quill and ink. At the top of the parchment he writes his name. "Yes, I've started it."
Claire glares at him. "Bloody hell, Weasley you really are a slacker. Okay what you do know about moonstone?" She opens the Charms book she pulled off the shelf and flips through the pages.
"Snape's going to want to know what it is, other names for it, what you can use it for, what form it comes in." She listed off. "The more information you put in the better. Trust me."
"Well. I know it's called moonstone, and also that it can be used for a Draught of Peace."
Claire looked up from the book and blinked at him. "That's it?" He nodded at her.
"Yep."
"Let me guess, you didn't take any notes during the lesson?"
"Honestly now, do I look like the kind of person to take notes?" Fred ran his fingers through his red hair, pushing it out of his face.
Claire flipped her bag open, pulling out several pieces of parchment. "Here. These are my notes."
He took the pieces from her and began to flip through them. "Thanks." He smiled softly at her.
"Don't mention it." She brought her eyes back to the book in front of her and began glancing over it.
The library was quiet, the only noises heard were Claire flipping pages in her book and Fred shuffling through her detailed notes.
After about an hour Fred laid his quill down on the table, leaning back in his chair. "So what's your family like?"
Claire glanced up at him from her book. "Aren't you supposed to be writing an essay?"
"Yes, but I need a break." He placed his hands on the book in front of her. "And so do you." He pulled it away from her, placing it to the side of him.
"Hey, no fair!" She reached for it.
"I'll give it back when I start writing again. Now, what's your family like?" Fred reached into his bag and pulled out a box of Every Flavored Beans sitting them in the middle of him and Claire. Opening the box, he took one out popping it into his mouth. Claire glanced at the box. He held his hand out, signaling for her to help herself.
She grabbed a green one and tossed it in her mouth, smiling. "Yum, apple. My favorite."
"What's with you Slytherin's and apples? Is it because they're green?" Fred asked as he took another bean throwing it into his mouth, making a horrid face as he chewed.
She giggled. "Snape gives house points when we eat fruit. Apples don't squish in your bag, and if I wanted to I could throw it at someone's head." She paused for a second before continuing. "As far as my family, there's really not much. My parents don't live with me, so I don't see them but I write to them a lot."
"Who do you live with then?"
She popped another bean into her mouth. "My aunt and uncle. What about your family?"
Fred looked off as he ate another bean. "Mum stay's home. Dad works for the Ministry in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. My brother Bill works at Gringotts. My other brother Charlie works with dragons. Percy is Head Boy. And you know George and Ron. Oh and my sister Ginny." He looked back at her.
"Oh yeah, I remember hearing about her last year with that whole Chamber of Secrets incident." She paused for a second as she mentioned it.
"Yeah, she's still a little shaken up about that whole thing. Terrified of bathrooms now." Fred looked down at the table.
"Hey I would be too. I might be a Slytherin but I hate snakes." She shivers at the thought of them.
"You seriously are in the wrong house then." He chuckles as he grabs another bean.
Claire scoffed. "Hardly. It's pretty accurate. Plus my whole family was in Slytherin."
"Same here. All of us Gryffindor's."
Claire tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Are you done interrogating me now?"
He smiles at her. "Well I can't decide if I want to be friends with you if I know nothing about you."
She rolled her eyes. "My favorite color is green. I hate snakes. I love quidditch. And as you eloquently put it, I'm a nerd." She cocks her head to the side. "Happy now?"
"A little. You're not off the hook yet Fienley." He hands her back the book, and picks his quill up to finish up his essay.
Another hour passes by, the box of Every Flavored Beans is now empty and the sun is beginning to set, turning the sky a mix of orange and purple.
"Thanks for letting me use your notes." He pushes them back to her as she closes her book. "You're welcome." She pushes them back into her bag along with the book.
They both left the library, Fred holding the door open for her. He watches as they part ways and she saunters down the hallway. Jogging several flights of stairs he finally makes it back to the common room, a line forming on the stairs. He peaks over the crowd to find his twin, pushing through the crowd. "What's going on?"
"The Fat Lady is gone!" Ginny, the younger of the Weasley's yells.
"Wicked! No more concerts from her." He was holding back his laughter.
Ginny scoffs. "Fred this is serious! Someone tried to break into the common room!" The crowd is pushing, everyone trying to get closer to the portrait.
"Move!" Dumbledore pushes through the crowd.
"Make way for your Headmaster!" Percy barked. Fred moved through the crowd to find his brother George, watching as Dumbledore assesses the painting. "Filch, gather the other paintings and have a full search for the Fat Lady." Filch nodded, turning to walk down the stairs.
"Uh, Headmaster. No need for a search." He pointed to a painting of a pig, the Fat Lady was ducking, hiding behind the animal.
The line of Gryffindors ran to the painting, almost knocking Percy over. "Hey, no! Stop!" He shouted. "Stay where you are! I'm Head Boy listen to me!"
Dumbledore was able to push through the crowd and question the Fat Lady. "Sirius Black! He's in the castle!" She screamed, shaking and ducking back behind the large pig. Whispers began to fill the stairway from the other paintings.
"Get everyone to The Great Hall."
"Alright, you heard him! Get to the Great Hall." Percy yelled moving his arms as if he was trying to herd cattle.
Every student from each house filed into The Great Hall, the tables had been moved and sleeping bags littered the floor.
"How fun. A sleepover with all the houses."
Fred whispered to George and Lee, both of which began to giggle. Fred began to stare off as Claire's laughter echoed around him.
"Look George, Fred found his girlfriend." Lee said, nudging George's arm.
A small muffled, scream escaped the brown skinned boy as Fred hit him in the face with a pillow. The three boys settled into their sleeping bags, staring up at the starry sky.