\\Blinding Love// (Fred Weasley)

Just as I had expected, Harry Potter had told his friends of our detention date and the conversation that had occurred afterwards. I had gotten stares from everyone at breakfast. I caught them all staring at me and they all looked away, except Fred. He waved and smiled at me; I just ignored him and made my way to where my friends were. They weren't even speaking to me for some reason and I wanted to know what it was.

"Elise." Blaise snapped his fingers in my face.

"Huh?" I blinked at him.

"You might want to beware of Danni and Cheryl for awhile. They want to speak to you about something and I'm pretty sure you aren't going to like it."

"Blaise, you know what they're going to speak to me about don't you?"

"How are you speaking inside of my head?"

"Just answer my question."

Blaise was silent and that was the normal him. That only meant one thing and it made me furious.

"No one is going to tell me, are they?" He simply nodded as I abruptly got up and left.

My 'friends' watched me as I left and returned to their conversations. I scoffed and muttered to myself as I went to my classes. I sat far away from everyone today. I hated when my friends didn't tell me what was up. I mean, I usually was the first one to know everything but recently...have my powers depleted? I could only wonder. I guess not using them for a year makes the power weaker than what it should be. I was being emo, so what? If no one was going to speak to me right away, then I didn't want to speak to anyone at all. I didn't even want to speak to Fred who actually came up to me after Care of Magical Creatures.

"Hey Ellie. What's got you down in the dumps lately?"

I didn't respond to his ridiculous analogy.

"Aw come on. You know you could tell me anything right?"

"I could but won't."

I was now walking very briskly, just trying to get away from him.

"I'm serious though. You can tell me anything."

"HA!" I forced out a laugh. "If I were to tell you everything you didn't know about me, you'd most likely never speak to me again." I shrugged as I picked up my pace once again, but his long legs easily matched it.

"Ellie don't speak rubbish."

"Please Fred will you just....please, just leave me alone."

I sprinted all the way up into the castle and down into the common room. When I entered, everyone seemed to be in the common room. I threw my stuff next to Blaise who was on the couch and then…I began to raise hell.

"Alright, what the bloody hell do you guys need to tell me? Out with it! I don't care who speaks."

I was pacing back and forth, holding a glare with everyone as I looked at them all. Everyone had on a frown or a displeasing face. Draco was the only one who seemed to have enough balls to speak up.

"Ellie, it seems that we'll be joining in a lot sooner than you thought."

I stopped my pacing and gave him a disbelieving look.

"What?"

"Elise, we just got an anonymous letter from someone of the DE saying that once Christmas comes, we'll be joining."

Blaise was trying to calm me down as I threw a tantrum. I screamed and yelled curses.

"Elise what's the matter with you? You used to talk about-" Montague asked with a raised brow.

I spun around to face him.

"I know what I used to say! I was stupid ok?"

Everyone glanced at each other as I rubbed my temples out of frustration.

"I might as well get this out in the open."

I took a deep breath to calm myself down. We were the only ones in the common room since everyone else was at dinner; there was no need to whisper.

"If you all haven't noticed, I hate Voldemort."

Everyone's eyes grew wide.

"Don't say that! Oh Elise! You're going to be in so much trouble if anyone else hears that!" Danni cried out. Tears were forcing their way out of her eyes. She was such a big cry baby…

"I'm sorry but, VOLDEMORT doesn't scare me as much as you all. I would rather join Potter than team up with him." I crossed my arms and leaned against the fireplace.

"Then you aren't the Elise we used to know." Cheryl spit out at me like it was a curse. I really did despise her snobby side.

"Maybe it's because I realized something you all haven't yet. What is a life of misery worth? All he's doing is causing chaos, death, and destruction. I want peace."

"Ha, like that will ever happen. This world is already messed up anyways so might as well mess it up even more." Cheryl scoffed.

"Whatever," I shrugged. "If you all were smart, you wouldn't follow in your parent's footsteps. My father was a fool for jumping straight into the darkness and my mother was a fool too for following like a lost puppy. That's why the ministry found out about them and murdered them! I'm not going to fall into that path." I started walking out of the common room when I stopped.

"Oh, and believe me, if any of you ever mention to his 'royal highness' about what I've said, you will surely regret it and you can bet, my revenge on you all won't be pleasant." I slammed the door shut and walked out of the castle.

Once again it was a gorgeous night. The moon lit over the Black Lake, creating a luminescent world on top of the waters' surface. My friends would never forgive me for technically making fun of their parents and threatening them, even though some of them probably didn't care. The real reason they would probably be upset with me would be because I said that I'd rather join Potter than them. I shook those thoughts from my mind.

"If they were truly the friends I've known almost all of my life, then they would forgive me and respect my decision."

Of course, things aren't always as I thought it would turn out to be. The rest of the week went on as I thought it would turn out. They weren't talking to me. They wouldn't mind me sitting with them but, they wouldn't say anything to each other until I left. I was using my power more than ever now. I was trying to figure out who was mad at me and who wasn't.

Danni didn't seem to mind and neither did Blaise, Draco was unsure of what I've said, Cheryl just didn't want to talk to me, and Adrian and Montague just thought the words that flew out of my mouth were insane. I thought about speaking to Danni and Blaise but, they seemed like they didn't want to interact with me while everyone else was around.

Even the Potter gang was giving me stranger looks than normal. I read a few of their minds as well. Hermione felt sorry for me, even though she didn't know what was happening. Ron thought it was no big deal. Harry wondered what was going on and wished he could help. Fred and George though almost made me smile.

Whatever they thought was happening with me and my friends, it seemed as if they were going to sneak Puking Pastels into their drinks and watch them puke their guts out. The weekend came and now came the Quidditch Tryouts. Draco was Captain now and I was just now a plain old chaser. There were a few good people trying out but, I wasn't happy with any of them. Blaise actually came and spoke to me for a little while.

"Ellie," he spoke in a whisper. "I don't care what ever you think about the Dark Lord but, I'm scared for you. His skill is invading people's minds. If he ever were to try and do that to you, he would find out about this little event and then, who knows what he can do to you? I'm still your friend because I care for you. I don't think I could watch a friend of mine be tortured to death."

"You obviously don't know what I've been through with my dad then and I'm pretty sure you don't want to know anyways." I smiled at him sincerely and thanked him for talking to me.

The rest of the time of tryouts, we ignored each other, just because he had told me everyone else was on the fence with me, besides Danni. I felt super emo now. I was alone as usual now. I never went to dinner; I just ate it outside because Dotty would bring me something. I didn't even want to sit in there anymore with all the stares. It was so awkward and uncomfortable.

Sunday, I finished my homework. I was outside practically from before dawn, sitting under my usual spot with my special tree. Caim had come to comfort me I guess you could say.

"You said what?! Are you insane girl?!"

"They're my friends."

"Who by the way are mostly corrupted already by their parents who are making them follow in their footsteps."

"If they are truly my friends, they won't hate me...forever." Caim shook his head as he put his dog head in my lap as I caressed him.

My silence was stolen by people on the bridge. I didn't bother to see who it was and I was hoping whoever these people were would just keep on walking. Of course, nothing I ever want ever happens.

"Elise, what are you doing here?"

It was Harry of course and his posse.

"What does it look like?" I huffed annoyed.

"Isn't it obvious what it looked like I was doing?"

"Well, why aren't you with your friends?"

I got up with Caim by my side, who growled at all of them.

"I know what you guys really want to know. You all have been wondering what's happened to me and them. Well frankly, it's none of your business, and the other reason would be, I would sadly have to end your lives." I said menacingly as I walked away.

I heard Ron though with a shaky voice asking if I was joking.

Again I walked with Caim to the shore of the lake and sat down on a log.

"Those people are so nosey!"

"Oh well, that's a humans nature."

I had skipped breakfast, lunch, and now dinner. It was possible the teachers were also wondering what was going on with me and why I wouldn't show up. Not that Snape checked or any of the others either. After dinner time was over, I decided to go in. I was sort of tired anyways. I walked through the halls and past the Gryffindor stairs when I heard some conversations going on.

"Why don't you just ask her straight out?"

"He can't! Are you mad? What if she's betrothed or something like all the others in Slytherin?"

"Hello, what do we have here?" I was intrigued by this as was Caim.

"Well, I'm not sure you should be falling for her anyways. I mean, she's a Slytherin! She's an enemy of us."

"Oh stop it Ronald! You always say that. Remember Viktor Krum?"

"Don't bring up HIM again."

I assumed this was the Potter Posse. I knew Hermione and Ron were there. I peeked my head around the corner and saw Harry, Fred, and George also. I had no clue who had been speaking before.

"Come on, you guys, the paintings and walls have ears." one of the twins spoke up.

I think it was George.

"Well still, she is different. She can't be exactly who you think she is."

That was Fred.

"Do you honestly think she's in league with the Dark Lord?"

"HER PARENTS WERE! That's why they burned to death!" Ronald roared.

"Ronald, shush! It doesn't mean that she is."

"Oh yeah right, an example would be Draco."

"Hermione's right Ron. We don't know for sure that she would do that."

"Lets talk about this later everyone."

"I knew that they were wondering that. I had a feeling all along."

"How did you even wind up in their conversation?"

I shrugged as I expelled that conversation from my mind and went down to the dungeons.

Another few weeks has gone by. Everyone was speaking to me except Cheryl really. I was still doing the same routine. I would do the same thing every day. Finish my homework during study hall or outside, stay outside, skip some meals and later at night, get Dotty to get me something, and avoid my friends and other people all day. Then, Friday night, Danni and Cheryl came to speak to me.

"Elise, can we talk?" they asked me as I was brushing my hair before bed.

"We've been awful friends lately. Especially me." Cheryl sighed.

"Damn straight. At least she admits it"

"It's just hard for me to grope that you would risk your own life and say that out loud! You must be berserk."

"Thanks for noticing. I can already tell that you guys are going to go through with it but I won't. I'm not going to be marked forever."

"If I was as reckless as you, I wouldn't join either. But I would like to live for a couple more years." She giggled slightly, her girly side coming out again.

I knew everything was ok between us now. There was no need to apologize. It really wasn't our thing; it was more like a Slytherin trade mark actually, sad really.

"How's Draco? I know he's been confused lately."

"More confused than you'll ever know."

I went down stairs to search for him and there he was sitting on the couch. I snuck up on him and tackled the little blonde haired kid to the ground, making him scream. I cracked up as we both lay down on the ground.

"You still scream like a little girl." I laughed as I got up.

"What the bloody hell Ellie?!"

"I'm still the same Ellie, I just don't want to be apart of anything so worthless and evil." I hugged him as he didn't know what to do.

"You need to go to bed mister. It's late!"

"I'm doing homework!" he called as I ran off back upstairs.

"Ellie," Danni started when Cheryl had fallen asleep not too long ago. I was up playing with Caim in ferret form.

"What?"

Danni came out of the bathroom and hopped onto my bed.

"You like Fred Weasley don't you?"

"As a friend. He always makes me laugh. The twins are just crazy."

"You don't have to lie to me. I've known you've liked him ever since first year. I can see it in the way you act around him." She said with a smirk as she got up to go to her side of the room.

"There's nothing more to us than friends...or, used to be friends."

"What are you talking about?" she asked as she came back to my bed.

"I heard the Potter Posse talking about me in the halls a few weeks back. Wondering if I was...in league with Voldemort and if I was going to turn into a Death Eater." She was taken aback.

"How do they figure that?"

"They were using Draco as an example. Not to mention that everyone now knows my parents were Death Eaters. That's the only explanation."

"Why should you care what they think of you?"

"I don't. I just find it fascinating how straight on they are."

She rolled her eyes at me. She knew how stubborn I could be and how good of an excuse maker I was. She was smart enough to know to not push me to admit something, unlike Cheryl who would bug the hell out of me until she got her answer.

"I know you don't want to join, but would you really give up your life this early?"

I didn't answer her but frowned.

"You're smart Ellie but, sometimes you have the worst ideas ever. So what ever you're planning in your mind, make sure it's fool proof."

A few awkward moments of silence ticked by until I thought of something.

"So, why did you bring up Fred anyways?"

She snickered like a sneaky little goblin that's done something naughty. I always hated when she acted like that. It meant that she was about to try and get me to realize something that I 'apparently' couldn't see.

"Ellie, I think you're blinding love. He likes you. Every time you walk away, he follows you with his eyes. Every time he talks to you, he always makes you laugh and makes you happy. That's called love. You just don't want to see it because you're probably afraid of him getting hurt." I stared down at Caim who was looking up at me. He squeaked in his ferret form.

"Just think about it Ellie. You two do seem like the perfect match anyways. Both always playing tricks on people, you guys always used to hang out with each other, you guys always used to sit next to each other whenever you got the chance. You look like you've been trying to get away from him but he just keeps looking for you."

"How do you know that?"

"Well," she started "He came up to me the other day and asked me if I'd seen you. He seemed like he really wanted to talk to you. But I told him that I didn't know where you could be."

"That still doesn't prove that he likes me."

"You're in denial."

I was about to argue that fact when she interrupted me as she walked over to her bed.

"Just think about it." she said as she climbed into bed and turned off her lamp.

I lay back as well as Caim who rested at the foot of my bed. I folded my hands behind my head when I felt the lumpiness of my left hand. I remembered when I first got this from Umbridge and her evil writing utensil. It said 'I must not be bad' which made me laugh every time I looked at it. Not this night though. It made me think and I finally decided what was best for me and the cause.