October 22

Potions

Tomorrow is my birthday! I officially turn the big 1-8. I can't believe everything that's happened in such a short amount of time. I feel like just yesterday, I was taking OWL's….The six of us were all sitting around in the common room after classes, being weird and talking about random stuff, when Alicia brought up my birthday. This in turn, brought up my age, which led to a few comments.

"Hey, Twin, did you happen to know that your girlfriend is older than you?" George good-naturedly leered.

Alicia started to laugh but then remembered that she wasn't talking to George. I guess this included laughing or smiling at any of his jokes as well. She instantly sat back in her armchair and painted her face with an apathetic expression.

Fred slung his arm around me and I couldn't help but glow. The two of us were sitting on the couch, and George was sitting in the armchair across from Alicia. Katie and Lee were sprawled out on the floor.

"What can I say? I've always had a certain…fondness for older women," he retorted, flashing everyone a cheesy smirk.

Katie groaned.

"Oh brother. That was like….a negative zero on the humor scale."

"Yeah, better luck next time, mate," Lee concluded, grinning.

Fred rolled his eyes, dismissing their comments.

"Since we're on the subject of birthdays, I shouldn't be expecting anything deviously disturbing from the three of you, tomorrow, right?" I anxiously demanded.

To my horror, the three of them looked at each other and simply smiled.

October 23

Common Room

What an amazingly strange yet fantastic birthday! I was awoken around six in the morning by the peculiar croaking a very familiar animal…

So anyhow, I popped open my eyes, expecting to see this gigantic cake, covered in pink frosting or a bunch of streamers and banners swallowing every vacant space of the room. But when I groggily sat up and drank in my surroundings, my friends and boyfriend were nowhere to be found. The dorm room was void of anything new or bright banners.

I noticed the noise before I actually registered the feel of its slimy skin crawling against my bare arm. It was so familiar…and so surprisingly loud. But I wasn't fully conscious and my brain wasn't fully functioning that early in the morning, so it took me about eight minutes to realize my bed was COVERED with LIVE TOADS.

And they weren't just normal toads, either. Oh no, Fred and the boys couldn't bear to restrain their mischievous urges with this big fiasco. There must have been over five hundred toads scampering across my sheets. They all were decorated in bright pink scarves, mirroring those of a certain DADA teacher.

I probably would have laughed if I weren't consumed with utter disgust. One was actually writhing around in my braids! Ugh. I started screeching with horror, which is something I usually don't do. I'm by no means, one of those girls that start to tear at the sight of a broken nail. But I just can't handle frogs. Sorry.

I scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping on the covers and falling flat on my face. I launched a toad to the ground that had been caressing my leg, then another that had been attempting to leap up my arm.

Just when I thought I was going to scream, there was a loud POP and the entire mass of toads vanished into thin air. I looked around the room and sure enough, the gang burst out from behind my closet door. Don't ask me how the hell they all fit into that space, but somehow they did.

"SURPRISE!" They screeched, obviously taking sheer delight in my grief.

They all gathered around me, ignoring my distress and forming into a semi-horse shoe shape. Katie took out her wand and aimed it at Alicia's open hands. A split second later, a swollen chocolate cake drenched in vanilla frosting regally appeared. Lee pointed his wand under my bed and about a half a dozen presents zoomed into the sunlight.

Without a word, I snatched up the largest pillow I could locate and then stormed over to Fred. His eyes widened and with a sinister grin, I slammed the pillow onto his head. He let out a cry of protest but Alicia, Katie, George and Lee's hysterical laughter quickly covered it.

Fred rubbed his head, looking rather annoyed.

"Oy, what's the big idea? I go and do a nice thing for you and what do I get in return? Physical assault and battery!" he exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes, though unable to hide my smile.

"You dirty little wanker! I bet the frog thing was some brilliant scheme, entirely generated from your head. Am I right?" I forcefully demanded.

Fred grinned sheepishly, recoiling back a bit just in case I decided to attack once more.

"Not exactly. I simply agreed to the plan. George was the one that thought it up."

Fred turned toward his twin, shooting him a sly smile of accomplished revenge.

George scowled.

"Hey! Don't go blaming everything on me!" he snapped.

I shook my head, too tired to deal with all the politics.

"All right, all right. I've heard enough. As much as I hated waking up to a bed full of frogs, I will give you credit for such an elaborate scheme. Much better than throwing me into the lake. Less chilly," I praised with weak effort.

The boys let out a triumphant cheer. Fred stole a quick kiss and he was very glad to see that this time, this act of mischief hadn't been punished.

Alicia dramatically rolled her eyes and set the cake down on my oak desk.

"Can we eat? Kates and I spent about two hours making this for you last weekend."

I laughed.

"Kates? You actually spent time in the kitchens? You can't even boil water without burning your hand."

Katie shot me a glare, and then flashed a dazzling smile.

"Well actually, that's an exaggeration. We spent thirty minutes in the kitchens, trying to persuade the house elves to bake you a cake. It came down to my powers of persuasion, as usual. I'd make a damn good Ambassador to Britain, if I do say so myself."

Everyone had a good chuckle at that one because we all know Katie has as good a chance of becoming an Ambassador, as Professor Snape has the chance of marrying a gorgeous super model. After we all had eaten cake, I went and got changed, then opened my presents. We all sat in a circle.

Katie, true to her usual Fashionista nature, bought me a bottle of Burberry Brit Perfume and a set of MAC lip-gloss. From Alicia, I received a one-year subscription to this newly published Quidditch magazine and a French Manicure set. Lee gave me a Manchester United jersey, which looks rather expensive. George offered me a matching Manchester United hat, which I graciously accepted. I opened up Fred's present last.

My jaw nearly smashed against the floor when I witnessed the gorgeous gift. It was a silver tennis bracelet, accompanied by a single, heart charm made out of silver. The medium-sized charm had been engraved with very small, delicate cursive words.

To The Angel That Saved Me. Xoxo, Fred

Even Alicia and Kates were stunned by Fred's gesture of affection. I put on the bracelet and admired the glimmer of the silver as it hit the light. The three of us girls looked at each other and simultaneously cooed, "AWWWW!"

I leapt from my spot on the floor and threw myself into Fred's arms. We toppled over and he chuckled, tenderly kissing me on top of my head and then eagerly meeting my lips.

"Hey now, save that for the bedroom!" George cackled.

Fred suggestively wiggled his eyebrows.

"My dear twin, we are in the bedroom!"

Everyone let out sighs of disgust. I had been slapped with the lamb-like stick of admiration and infatuation to even bother to join in. After we finished opening up presents and chatting, we all headed down to our classes. We had missed breakfast but nobody cared, because we were so full of cake. Katie parted ways with Lee and the rest of us headed into Care Of Magical Creatures, five minutes late. Luckily, our tardiness wasn't scolded or punished.

After classes, Fred convinced me to procrastinate and take a walk outside. It was around eight in the evening and dinner had long been over. I was a little wary of strolling around outside with Fred, seeing as how I couldn't see two feet in front of my face. I mean, it wouldn't be such a great birthday if all of a sudden, something vile popped out of the Forbidden Forest and ripped my head off, now would it?

Did I just confess that I'm a tiny bit afraid of the dark? Naw, didn't think so. Anyway, Fred, with his oh-so-seductive powers of persuasion, somehow got me to pile on the layers and sneak outside with him. He brought his wand for a source of light, but about three minutes into the walk; he got tired of holding it and shoved it in his back pocket. What a lazy git!

So we were walking along, hand in hand, not really saying much. But I didn't mind. Sometimes, you've just got to sit back in silence and enjoy it. I've always believed that the true test of a relationship is not what you say or how you say it, but the moments in between. The moments when you don't say anything at all.

When you're with someone and you actually mind yourself enjoying the silence, then you really know you've got something special. He had pulled me closer and my bracelet kept knocking against my wrist. I couldn't have been happier.

To my surprise, the night lacked the terror that I'd imagined. In fact, the darkness was hauntingly beautiful. It felt like Fred and I were the last two people on the planet, searching for survivors.

"You know, that was awfully nice of you," I began.

He shot a quick glance at me, then looked ahead.

"What was?"

"The bracelet, of course. I mean, I hope you didn't spend too much money on me. I thought you knew that I was never about the flashy gifts. It's the thought that counts," I firmly reminded.

He gazed at me in shock and slight anxiety.

"But I thought you liked it?"

I nodded, throwing him an assuring smile.

"I love it, I really do! But…I hope I don't sound…condescending or something but where did you get all the money to pay for it? I know this didn't cost two sickles."

He shrugged, annoyance crossing his features.

"It doesn't really matter, does it? I just wanted to buy you something special, all right? Don't worry where I got the money. The important thing is that you like it."

I sighed, not wanting an argument to erupt.

"I love it, I really do. I just don't like you spending a ridiculous amount of money on me. I could care less about the price tag."

He was silent for a moment, allowing himself to process his thoughts. I studied his face, which had suddenly adopted a very stony and hesitant tone. I wondered what he was concentrating on and wondered if I'd given him the impression that I was turned off by his lavish gift. I would have said something but I didn't want to inflict anymore damage. He sighed, weary resolution replacing his somber expression.

"Look, Angel. This year's going to be our last year, right?"

I didn't like where this was going. I shook my head slowly, dreading his approaching words. Whenever Fred tossed aside his usual joking mood, I became worried. Fred wasn't known to be all that serious, though I had the privilege of witnessing it on more than a few occasions. I guess I'm usually not that worried about the future.

Granted, I tend to strive for impossible perfection, rather than the results of the best of my own abilities, but I'm not one of those pathetic souls that will lose sleep over what's going to happen after Hogwarts.

But when Fred starts to have apprehension about the future, then it gets me a little frightened, uncomfortable. Like I'm itching in my skin. Because when Fred brings up the future, it suddenly seems a bit more darker, a bit more hopeless.

I start to think about what will happen to our relationship and if we'll be together. I start to think about where I'll be in the next ten years and if Fred will be there, as well. The future is a strange thing to think about, but when Fred ponders such an unreachable topic, it suddenly is like a big slap in the face.

"Yeah. Where are you going with this, Fred?" I demanded, cracked my voice raising an octave.

"Nowhere in particular. I've just been doing some thinking, is all. I just don't…I don't want you to get your hopes up about anything, all right?"

He bit his lip, searching my face for a reaction of rage or grief. But I was too stunned to even respond. What in the world had he meant by that? Was he trying to tell me something that I was clueless to?

"Fred…I don't understand," I weakly protested.

He shook his head and stopped in his tracks. I followed his action. In the distant, I could see the Whomping Willow, its heavy and stalwart limbs frozen in the air, ready at guard like a king's army.

"Look, I don't know what the fuck I'm saying. Or rather, trying to say. I don't know…just with this situation with Umbridge and school and all this other bull shit, I don't know if I can deal with it all anymore. And I don't know…like I said, I've been thinking and lately, the things that made sense are so blurry and confusing now."

And for some reason, as I wrapped my arms around his neck, I was reminded of a little boy, abandoned by his parents, homeless and hopeless for the bleak future that loomed before him.

"Growing up isn't supposed to be easy or logical. It's always going to be a mess. One great big mess. And we're always going to have their share of heartache and distrust and tears. But that's why we've got each other, you know? Don't push me aside. Because all that other stuff may not make sense to me, but with you…there's no second guessing," I softly confessed.

He chuckled and sighed, resting his chin on my collarbone.

"I wish…I wish I was as confident about things as you are. Or no, so…assured is the word I guess is better. I'm terrified about the future, I really am. And you're just willing to accept whatever's thrown your way."

I laughed, knowing he was only half-correct.

"Sometimes it's all a big charade, if you want to know. Just because I sound like I'm brave means I'm shaking on the inside. It's a lie but it's one of those things that you say to make yourself feel better."

His nose was in my hair, his lips near my ear and I shivered.

"I meant what I put on your bracelet. I meant it. All of it."

His voice was a raspy whisper, the miniature breeze threatening to sweep it away. And I knew he meant the words with all his heart and I knew that this conversation just hadn't been about colleges and the future and the price tag of a birthday gift.

Something else had been lurking beneath the surface. Something that had yet to be revealed, something that tugged at the bottom of my gut. Something sweet in disguise but sinister in truth.

"I know, Fred. I know," I whispered back.

And when he kissed me, for some reason, it felt more like a goodbye than a hello.

October 27

Common Room

Ugh, I can't believe this! Umbridge still hasn't decided whether or not she's going to let the Gryffindor House Team practice. She's such a wanker. Honestly, I never thought I'd actually hate someone but it seems as the months go by, the more Umbridge is worming her way onto my official "People I Wouldn't Mind Sucker Punching" List.

Fred appeared to be even more upset than I was when I revealed the news. But I also think that this incident gives him more reason to aggravate and terrorize the old bat. And all I have to say, is more power to him!

Speaking of Fred, he hasn't really mentioned anything about our discussion a few days ago. I attempted to bring it up again during breakfast, but he suddenly proclaimed that he had to go to the loo.

I probably would have believed him, but when he didn't come back after half an hour, I knew he was just avoiding the topic. The bracelet looks quiet snazzy, I must admit. It's so cute, because ever since he bought it for me, he subtly checks to see if I'm wearing it. Well, actually subtle for Fred is just as subtle as an elephant in a china shop. But nevertheless, it's very heartwarming.

Today, Katie complained to Lee that he never does anything nice for her. In attempts to prove her horribly wrong, Lee went outside and plucked a few dandelions from around the grounds, tied it up with a piece of string and then gave it to Katie.

It's safe to say she wasn't too pleased.

November 1

Potions

Let me just say, that I strongly believe that Professor Snape is suffering from a high amount of sexual frustration and therefore feels the need to lash out at anyone that seems one step above wretchedly miserable. Fred and I were passing notes to pass the time and unfortunately, Snape noticed. He nearly gave both of us a detention but then decided to enforce an even more embarrassing punishment.

Unfolding the note, he waltzed to the front of the class and read it aloud with a zealous enthusiasm.

"Angel, meet me by the fireplace after dinner." He paused, allowing a smirk to cross his features.

Meanwhile, I was beginning to feel slightly queasy, upon hearing Snape use my nickname. Fred rolled his eyes and propped his feet up on the desk in front of him. Honestly, nothing can get to him. Anyway, Snape continued, despite the fact ¾ of the class were too busy sleeping to know that he was even talking.

"Sure….Merlin, I'm so bored. How much more time do we have until this class gets out? Ange, I'm not sure…but don't look now, cause Snape's got a bogey hanging out of his nose!"

Well, as you can imagine, everyone snapped to attention at that last part and promptly began craning their necks like giraffes, in hopes of catching the infamous bogey. Snape got totally flustered and told everyone to "simmer down or he would hold everyone twenty minutes late."

Of course, this threat did little to calm down the zealous hysteria and half the males in the room either got up to give Fred a hearty high-five, or turned around to grin. I tell you, having a bloke like Fred Weasley for a boyfriend can have quite its perks!