Chapter III: Of Cauldron Cakes and Captain Crushes
The first leg of the return trip to Hogwarts was complete terror for Eleanor. Despite numerous threats and dirty looks to Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins, the tarantula had to make numerous appearances. Eleanor Diggory could face the darkest of wizards with the gumption that rivaled most, but place a bug, spider or another squirmy critter in her vicinity, and she crumbled.
The boys had a marvelous time daring to get the tarantula as close as possible to Eleanor without her bolting from the carriage or socking them in the stomach. Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet were almost in the carriage, joining in the laughs and squeals. They did their best to come to Eleanor's rescue, but when Fred and George had their minds made up, it was a lost cause to differ them. Eleanor seemed to be the only one that could ever talk some sense into them, and nine times out of ten, even that failed.
"George!" Eleanor pleaded. "You promised!"
She used the tall, lanky red head that was standing in the middle of the carriage as a shield; her hands on either side of him tightly gripping his arms for dear life and making her already petite frame as small as possible to hide behind him further.
"You did promise, Weasley," Angelina commented from her seat in the trolley.
"Aren't you a man of your word?" Alicia dramatically joked from beside Angelina, coming to Eleanor's defense.
Lee was guarding the trolley's door, so that Eleanor couldn't make a quick escape. While Fred with tarantula in hand was coming closer to Eleanor than she liked with taunts and jests of placing the creature on her head.
"Don't listen to them Georgie!" Fred warned. "You promised you wouldn't let the Mr. Spidey hurt out little Elle! He's just a tiny thing. He wouldn't harm a fly."
Lee starting to cheer on Fred, while the girls reminded him that he wouldn't have the spider forever and Eleanor would throttle him the second it was gone. George, still be used as a human shield, had his signature mischievous look upon his face. He served as the middleman. He would scold his brother till he felt Eleanor's grip begin to relax and loosen just to change sides at the last minute and give her a scare.
"Ladies," Fred spoke matter-of-factly. "Eleanor Diggory loves her Freddy. She wouldn't harm a single one of my gorgeous locks."
Eleanor had drug herself and her shield as far as the trolley compartment would take her for now she was pressed firmly against the windows with George the only thing standing between her and what she felt was eminent death.
George turned to look at the annoyed and terrified girl behind him, and the smile on his face falter. She looked up at him with her big, green eyes filled with fright. As much as he loved pulling pranks with his brother and their teasing of his best friend, George Weasley's heart broke at the sight of the brave and bold Eleanor Diggory in a rare vulnerable state. He and Fred were more protective of Eleanor than her own brother most days, and he couldn't bare the thought of his best friend in danger, whether it real of blown out of proportion. He would soon learn that he would put his own self in harms way to protect the green-eyed girl behind him.
"George… please!" she pleaded once again.
The waiver in her voice was all it took for George Weasley to cave.
"Freddie," he said, while turning back to face his brother. "I think we've given our Ellie Bellie enough of a scare for one day."
"Georgie, we're just getting to the good part," Fred countered.
"Fred, that's enough" George said firmer this time and bringing ay argument to an end.
Fred pouted as he return the tarantula to Lee who in turn returned it to its box for safekeeping the remainder of the trip.
"George Weasley, my hero!" Eleanor squealed, removing her hands from her death grip of his arms and wrapping them around his waist giving him a quick squeeze from behind.
"You're getting weak my dear brother," Fred joked, returning to his seat in the carriage. "That Diggory charm has got you wrapped around her finger. It's pure evil, I tell you."
Eleanor took her traditional spot beside Fred with George flanking her on the right.
"Just imagine the vile pranks I can have your own brother pull against you," she winked with a devilish smile. "I'll have him turned against you before it is over with."
"She'll be the death of us mate," George added, ruffling Eleanor's hair just because he knew how much she hated that.
She stuck her tongue out in retaliation.
"Grow up," he joked, rolling his eyes.
There was a knock on the door of the compartment and a fellow Gryffindor student joined the group.
Oliver Wood.
Eleanor took one look at Oliver before she quickly darted her attention out the window o hide her blush while reminding herself to breathe. It was no secret to anyone, except Wood himself, that Eleanor Diggory fancied Oliver. It was so painfully obvious that everyone was shocked that he was blissfully unaware of the extra attention she often gave him or how shy she acted in his presence. Fred would usually go out of his way to make jokes about her crush when Oliver was around, yet still the Scottsman didn't pick up on any of the hints. George, however, never said much when Oliver and Eleanor were in the same room. Eleanor noticed, but never asked why.
Eleanor knew that Oliver would never return the same affection she longed to give him. He was handsome with chestnut eyes to match his hair. He served as the Keeper for Gryffindor's Quidditch team, and his years on the pitch had made his tall, lean form muscular. He was in his fifth year at Hogwarts and was on pace to play professionally once his time at school comes to a close.
Eleanor was just a friend and a teammate in his eyes. She was a lowly third year that didn't look anywhere near as mature as the fifth year girls that vied for Oliver's attention. It seemed like a hopeless case in her book, yet still here see was …for the third year… blushing over Oliver Wood.
"O, Captain, my captain," Fred Weasley boomed with a salute, gaining a chorus of laughs from the other members of the car.
"Knock it off, Weasley," Wood said with a smile on his lips. "We're starting practice early this season. I expect you all to be ready to review game plans after classes tomorrow evening. We could have the best team Gryffindor's seen in years. We need to be sharp."
The other members of the carriage nodded at their captain's word. The Weasley Twins served as Beaters and Angelina, Eleanor and Alicia were Chasers for Gryffindor.
"If we had a Seeker," George commented.
"That's where Ellie and I come in," Oliver continued, gaining her attention. "During lunch tomorrow, I want to discuss tryouts for the Seeker positions. I'll want your expert eye critiquing our recruits."
"Of course, Ollie," Eleanor squeaked, using the nickname that she gave him during her first year. "I'll get right on it tomorrow."
"That's my lass," he said with a wink and was out the door. If Eleanor wasn't blushing before, her face could rival the hair of the two twins she was squeezed between.
"That's my lass," Fred mocked in a horrible attempt of a Scottish accent. "When's the wedding then, Ellie? Can I be Maid of Honor?"
"Sod off, Fred" Eleanor said annoyed.
"Ellie Wood does have a nice ring to it," he continued, as he began to list the large lot of Wood children she would bring into the world, because, of course, they would have enough children to host their own Qudditch team. Before Fred could continue to pain the picture of Eleanor and Oliver's dream life, the trolley came by filled with cakes, candies and more. Everyone in the trolley rushed to the door to make a purchase, except for Eleanor. She remained rooted to her seat with arms crossed over her chest fuming at Fred Weasley.
Once everyone had settled back into their seats, talk of Oliver Wood had been forgotten and discussion of the new year at Hogwarts and Harry Potter began to fill the cart. Eleanor remained quiet in her seat, still annoyed at her friend.
"Here," George nudged her.
She turned to her right to see George holding out a Cauldron Cake he had purchased off the Honeydukes Express.
"They are your favorite," he said with his lopsided grin, handing it over to Eleanor.
"George, you didn't have too," Eleanor protested at the sweet gesture from her friend. With the Weasleys being such a large family, she knew money was always tight. George and Fred would always bring her treats and surprises when they snuck around the campus, and she always refused them a hundred times before accepting defeat.
"I won't hear of it," George said matter-of–factly. "Don't mind Fred. He didn't mean anything. He just loves to give you a hard time."
"He could spread the love around a little," Eleanor joked.
"You make it too easy sometimes Diggory," George quipped. "Besides, Wood would be a bloody git not to fancy you. Keep your chin up. He'll realize soon enough."
Eleanor smiled the most genuine of smiles at George Weasley. The one that people didn't see often, and the one the George went out of his way to make cross her face because there wasn't much in this world that could top that sight.
"Don't tell Fred," Eleanor whispered with the gleam of mischief in her eyes, "but you're my favorite."
"Like I didn't know that," George said with a wink, while the two returned to the group's conversation about professors and classes.
The lull of the train and the warmth inside the carriage shortly began to seduce Eleanor to sleep. She had a early start that morning and was too excited about returning to Hogwarts that she didn't sleep much at all the night before. Now with her group of friends, she felt comfortable. Her head slowly began to drift until it landed on the shoulder of George.
He looked down at the sleeping raven-head girl with a smile on his face and slowly wrapped his arm around her shoulder to make her more comfortable. He was unaware that every eye in the carriage was on the two with a knowing look on their faces. George Weasley was absolutely mad for Eleanor Diggory, and everyone knew it… everyone except Eleanor.
She was too busy chasing Oliver Wood that she couldn't see that her best friend would move mountains if she'd only ask. Any time an intimate moment, like this, or when George went out of his way to do something for Eleanor, the group of friends would share glances. They all would think that this would be the day that Eleanor would finally see George in a different light and realize he fancies her, but that day never came. He was George Weasley, her best friend, and to see him in any other light would ruin their perfect friendship, and she would often laugh at the hints that Angelina and Alicia presented. There was no way in Eleanor's mind that George fancied her. He was just doing things that any friend would do.
Fred was the most frustrated by George and Eleanor's relationship. He loved his brother, and he loved Eleanor like a sister. He hated to see his brother pine over a girl that didn't seem to even notice. He tried on more than one occasion to talk George into telling Eleanor how he felt about her, but George would argue against it. Always afraid she wouldn't feel the same way, and he'd lose his best friend. The duo kept going in a constant circle that neither seemed to want to break, and their close friends would give anything to shake the two out of it.
"You're pathetic, mate," Fred said, shaking his head. George shot him a look, but it was hard to find it very intimidating with his cheeks flushed red of embarrassment for being caught.
George looked back down at Eleanor as she nuzzled into his shoulder and internally cringed knowing his brother was right.
"Yes, I am," was all he could say.
Hope you have enjoyed the third chapter of Finding Eleanor. I apologize for the long delay in updates. As I have posted in the Author's Note in the updates for my other two fictions, I am well aware of how frustrating the wait is as a reader, and trust me, it is just as frustrating as a writer that I can not update as frequently as I would love. Please bear with me, because I have not given up on this or any of my stories. I cannot promise consistent updates, but I can promise that this story will be complete in the future and that I will update as frequently as I can. With my work and and graduate class schedule, it can be difficult to find time to write, but I will finish.
As always, I love hearing your thoughts and feedbacks for any and all of my work. You give me the motivation to continue and push through to make time when I have it! If you are interested in the world of the Hobbit/LOTR, I have posted the first chapter, prologue of sorts, in my first story into the world. Please check that out if you are interested.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Until next time.
