The grounds were still buzzing with news of what happened to The Fat Lady and Black's attempt to break in. Claire sat in the Slytherin common room, listening to the fire crackle and the water drip from the dungeons a book laid open in her lap.
"You're getting a little too close to Weasley aren't you Fienley?" Marcus Flint, Captain of the Slytherin team sat down next to her.
"So what if I am?" She scowled at him.
"You better keep your focus. We are not losing that cup because you have a crush. Not to mention, do you really think it's a good look?" Flint retreated almost as quickly as he sat down. She groaned, Flint was right. It wouldn't look good if she got with Fred but she couldn't stop thinking about him. His dazzling smile and floppy red hair that laid so perfectly in his face. His sense of humor and playful spirit, even when she didn't want to, he always knew how to make her smile.
Fred propped his feet up on the table in the common room, fire crackling in the background. His head leaned back over the chair, staring at the ceiling. "Not gonna be too distracted next week are you mate?" Oliver was sitting next to the twins reading a quidditch magazine.
"What do you mean?" His head jerked upward, his gaze landing on Oliver as he flipped a page in the magazine.
George glanced over at his brother. "Come on Freddy. Everyone can tell you like her."
"I do not." Fred kicked his feet off, placing them back on the floor. "I mean, yeah she's pretty. And brilliant. And a wicked great quidditch player." He paused for a moment, an image of Claire running through his mind. He shook the thought out of his head before continuing to speak. "But I do not like her."
Oliver flipped another page in his magazine. "Yeah okay. Just don't let her make you lose focus next week." He closed the magazine, throwing it on the table. "I want that cup!" He slammed his balled fist on top of the tossed aside reading material.
"Yeah, yeah whatever. Let's go! We are late for potions." Fred grabbed his bag off the edge of the table and stood up waiting on his brother.
George cocked his head to the side, glaring at Fred. "Since when do you like potions?"
"Since you have it with the Slytherins!" Ron yelled from the couch, unbothered to even glance back at his older brothers. Hermione and Harry held back their laughter.
"That's it." Fred swiftly turned around, pointing at his younger brother. "You're getting firecrackers under your bed."
"So scared." Ron rolled his eyes.
George chuckled, throwing his arm around his brother's neck and dragging him out of the portrait. The twins quickly made their way to the dungeons.
Claire had already taken her seat with another fellow Slytherin, she turned around as the door burst open and the twins entered smiling softly at Fred. Snape didn't even look up from the book he was holding. "You're late Weasley's. 5 points will be taken from Gryffindor. Each."
Fred and George groaned. "We were only a minute late, Professor." Fred argued.
"Continue Mr. Weasley and I will take more. Now take your seats."
The twins sat down next to Lee Jordan, the two of them throwing their bags on the floor. Fred gave a small wave to Claire before she turned back around. "For today's lesson you will be starting on making a Strengthening Solution. Once you complete the initial mixture you will add the other ingredients. The cabinet is open, you may all come to collect your ingredients." Snape's never changing voice filled the classroom. Chairs squeaked across the floor as student's began to get up.
"In an orderly fashion!" Snape barked.
Claire reached the open cabinet and started to pile ingredients into her arms, spinning around and hitting a large unmoving mass. "We have to stop meeting like this Claire." Fred looked down at her.
She took a deep breath, the smell of fireworks and smoke met her nostrils. "I don't know, I kinda like meeting this way." Fred's cheeks turned a rosy pink as she pushed past him, back to her seat. Fred gathered the ingredients he needed and returned back to his seat, George soon coming behind him.
The sounds of jars clanking together as students began on the potion soon filled the classroom. Fred took a bit of parchment and scrunched it into a ball and launched it at Claire. The ball soared past her, making the redhead duck before anyone noticed where it came from. The Slytherin stuck on her cauldron as she dropped in a few pieces of snake fang, blind to the balls of parchment flying towards her.
Fred pulled another piece of parchment out of his bag, scrunching it into another ball and launching at her again. This ball of parchment hits the back of her head, forcing her to turn around and glare at him. He waved his hand at her motioning her over to his table. He didn't really need help but he was looking for any excuse to speak to her.
Claire glanced at Snape who was looking down at his desk writing with a quill. She quietly pushed her chair back. "Don't get any more points taken away, Freddy." George whispered as he stirred his cauldron.
She ran her fingers through her hair as she sauntered over to the twins table, every so often glancing back to see if Snape was looking, She leaned against her elbows once she reached the table. "If you get house points taken from us I swear to God." She angrily whispered. Her hair falling in front of her face. The faint smell of sandalwood and apples swirled around him.
Fred chuckled softly. "Now would a friend do that?" Friend. The word made Claire happy, but also hurt at the same time. She had picked up on what she was sure he thought was subtle flirting. Fred wished he could take it back after he said it, but it was out now.
"What do you want, Fred?" She whispered.
"I need some help."
She rolled her eyes. "Really? You couldn't look in the book?"
'Yes, but I like your voice better.' Fred tried to push the words out of his throat, he wanted her to know that he wanted more. More than just a friendship. She turned to go back to her seat, but he caught her hand. "Wait." The words came out louder than he thought.
"Miss Fienley, return to your seat. Mr. Weasley, do I need to remove another 5 house points?" Snape barked from his desk. Fred closed his eyes for a split second as Snape's voice met his ears. Claire glanced at the ginger, her eyes saying what her mouth couldn't. "I'm sorry."
"Uh, no Professor." He watched her return to her seat as he spoke, her scent lingered around his table.
"One more incident and it will be detention Mr. Weasley."
"Yes Professor." Fred put his down glaring at the potions book in front of him.
"I told you." George whispered playfully, elbowing his brother. "I can not take another howler from Mum. She's still mad about us throwing snowballs at Percy." Fred and George both giggled as they remembered pelting their older brother.
The class put their cauldrons in the large closet for resting. Fred and George threw their bags over their shoulder exiting the classroom with Lee Jordan behind them.
"Mr. Weasley's!" Peeves the poltergeist came flying towards them, spinning around the group."Peeves found what Freddy wanted." He held his hand out, a green and silver striped scarf with an S and a snake on it fell from his hand.
Fred took the fabric in his hand, pulling it from the poltergeist. "Is this the right one? Peeves hides many things."
He brought the fabric closer to his face, it smelled of her. Sandalwood and apples. Fred nodded. "Brilliant. Thanks Peeves!" Fred wrapped the scarf up and stuffed it in his bag.
"Peeves only gives it to Freddy because Peeves likes Weasleys!" The poltergeist did front flips as he spoke.
"Thanks Peeves. We love having you to help us, and distract Filch." George watched him flip in the air.
"Bye!" The poltergeist vanished through a wall, his voice echoing and lingering as he left.
George assumed Fred would run to find Claire instantly, but no. He wanted to wait a little bit. Claire came out of the classroom, two Slytherins flanking her. She smiled as she walked by the twins and Lee, her eyes lingering on Fred for a moment before turning back to the front.
"Let's go, Wood has us on Potter duty today." Fred groaned, Wood was so afraid of Slytherin sabotage he made players escort Harry around the school. The twins couldn't help but feel sorry for him, not only was a murderer after him but now he had to worry about the Slytherins