Disclaimer: Once agian (tear) I do not own these characters.
A/n: Told from Lee's perspective.
Definition Two: exclusion.
Even as their best friend, there is definitely the impression that I'm not included in exactly everything they do. And that's just fine with me…but it is the Weasley Twins, so it can be slightly alarming. It means I never know if I'm going to be their next punch-line.
Honestly though, I doubt it. I've known them for a little over a year now – we're starting our second year at Hogwarts together this year – and it's easier to trust them. I remember meeting them on the train last year: these two pale-skinned, freckle-smattered, fiery-haired boys, finishing each other's sentences like it was their job; inseparable. Whether or not the teachers somehow knew not to separate them, I could never be sure, but even classes hadn't torn them apart. They shared every class.
But aside from classes, they seemed to share something else…then again, that shouldn't surprise me. They shared everything. But I'm not talking about scarves or quills or books…or even names for that matter (they enjoyed swapping names all the time). No, there was some sort of strange, almost emotional thing the two of them shared.
One thing that was hard to ignore was how they seemed to be disappearing a lot towards the end of our first year. I would be walking with them each on one side of me one minute, the next only to discover that they had vanished. I'd shrug it off and then find that they had beaten me to the class we'd been heading to. They always were – and continue to be – excellent at abruptly turning up in unexpected ways, and it's always wherever you need to be going.
This year, they're going to be trying out for the Gryffindor House Quidditch team; beaters, naturally…as for me, well, I'm just going to be commentator. I love Quidditch, really I do! It's just that, unlike the twins, I prefer to be on the sidelines. Besides, it's more fitting that they're in the spotlight: I'm just here to cast it.
I love how I'm involved in almost all their jokes and pranks. Whenever they say something that appears to be random, I usually laugh too, because I understand what everyone else doesn't. But of course, there are the times where they don't say anything. The times where all they have to do is look at one another, and they break out into identical grins of mirth…without me.
Sometimes, I must admit, I get the tiniest bit jealous. But who wouldn't be? To have a twin – another person who looked just like you, talked like you, thought like you…I bet it's amazing. They don't have to say a word. They just know. I wish I had that with someone; anyone.
So now, we're sitting together in front of the fire in the Common Room, and they're laughing, and so am I, but on the inside, I know that I can't completely understand what's so funny. As I said, there is always that sinking feeling of exclusion…but I have to wonder, do they ever feel excluded? From the rest of the world, I mean. After all, to be so close is to sacrifice a lot for the sake of closeness. If that makes any sense…
"Lee, are you coming?"
"It's pretty late."
I hesitate. "Yeah. Yeah I'm coming hold on."