Chapter Five

Diagon Alley was busy with witches and wizards all getting ready for the new school year. I had managed to persuade Stefani in letting me get my supplies for my fourth year with the Weasely family; seeing as Fred and I were now seeing each other. As we headed down the street towards Gringotts, I saw four figures hanging around outside; three figures I easily recognized as Marcus Flint and Graham Montague, chasers for Slytherin Quidditch team and Terrance Higgs, seeker, who also liked Phoebe, Harry's friend, from a number of rumours going round. The final figure I had not seen before but it was not long before I found out who it was.

"Oh no," Percy muttered under his breath.

Fred and George heard the sentiment, paused in their curiosity, grabbing me and letting the rest of the family pass by and into Gringotts. "What is it, Perce?" Fred grinned. "Lose your Prefect badge?"

"No." Percy glowered at them.

"Are you certain?" George feigned concern. "We could search Diagon Alley for you. In fact, give us a minute and we will have the Ministry of Magic on the case."

"They will leave no stone unturned!" Fred declared. I rolled my eyes at the twins and tried hard to contain my laughter.

"I have not lost my badge, thank you," Percy stated firmly. "I have only just seen someone I did not care to see anytime soon."

"Oh. Who is that then?" Fred asked. I knew who Percy was referring to. Percy quickly jerked his head over his shoulder and the twins turned their attention to the gang of Slytherins at the bottom of the steps.

"Oh," George said in recognition. "Them."

"Or more specifically her, I had imagined," Fred added. "Has it been a whole year already? I had gotten rather used to having her gone."

"Who is she?" I asked. "Why, if she has only been gone a year, do I not know her?"

"See no recognition, love?" Fred asked teasingly. I turned and looked at her. My eyes opened in shock; standing there was the clear replica of Bellatrix Lestrange. So that was Abigail Lestrange. "Do not know why you have never seen her before. It was only last year she was missing."

"Oh," I stated, not knowing what else to say.

"It is naught to joke about," Percy snapped. "Excuse me." He pushed by us and entered the towering building. Fred, George and I followed quickly and, once inside, moved behind Harry, Phoebe, Ron and Hermione.

"Funny how you mentioned seeing Draco Malfoy earlier, Harry." Fred scratched his ear.

"Why is that?" Harry asked, not particularly seeing anything funny about seeing Draco Malfoy at any time.

"Because we have just seen his cousin outside," said George as Mr Weasley spoke to the goblins.

"Which side?" Ron frowned deeply.

"Lestrange. She is Bellatrix's daughter."

"That is all we need. I expect she is just like Draco then?"

From what I have heard Abigail Lestrange had been living with the Malfoys ever since her mother was put in prison. Even though she looked exactly like her mother, she did not have the same attitude as the Lestranges but the attitude of the Malfoys.

"Of course not, Ron – she is a girl." George grinned.

"I meant that she is horrid, you great lump!" Ron snapped.

"She is all mouth and no sense to shut it," Percy said stiffly, obviously wishing they had changed the subject. "Nothing more."

"Not quite," George went on. "She is quite the looker. Shame how a big gob ruins that."

"Must be a family trait," I replied sarcastically.

"All you need is a good Silencing charm …" Fred winked.

"Fred Weasley, do not even think about it!" Mrs Weasley turned around suddenly. We had almost forgotten she was there. "I seriously doubt it would be seen as an accident after the second time."

"Fred blasted her with a jaw-locking jink in our second year," George said, stifling a laugh. "Worked better than we thought it would."

"You did not!" Hermione looked horrified at Fred.

"Brilliant!" beamed Harry and Ron together. Phoebe was being extremely quiet.

"She had to have her meals through a straw for a week," Fred nodded.

"Most relaxing time we have ever had," George added.

Harry, Ron and Ginny were laughing. Phoebe, Hermione and I were shaking our heads and trying not to smile. Even Percy's eyes revealed that he had not entirely thought it to be the wrong thing to do.

"Of course, old McGonagall had a go at me for it," Fred continued. "And I had detention with Filch for every day she could not move her mouth." He thought for a moment. "And I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"You most certainly will not!" Mrs Weasley interjected. Honestly, the woman had ears like a fox. Mr Weasley, however, was silently laughing to himself, hoping his wife would not see.

"And that was it?" Ron asked. "I cannot see a Lestrange – or anyone, really – forgetting something like that too easily."

"Oh, she did not forget," Fred shook his head. "Especially when George and I made the Quidditch team."

"And since she is dating old Flint …." George trailed off.

"Wait! She is dating Flint? For how long?" I asked.

"Erm… about two years. Why you ask?" Fred asked soundly a bit jealous.

"Just wondering. Flint was trying his hardest to get me to go out with him last year, before you asked me out. He had asked me to go Hogsmeade and kissed me whilst I was making my way back to the common room from the Hospital Wing. I wonder what Abby would say?" Fred looked angry, and I soon gave him a quick kiss on the lips and continued. "Do not do anything. He means nothing to me, you are the best thing that has happened and I love you." Fred soon calmed down but wrapped a protective arm around my waist, so that I was always by his side.

Flint? Of all people. Now I hated him. I mean I know Fred and I were going out, but what was all that last year? He was dating her and still trying it on with me; plus the rumours go round saying he had thing for me, but this was obviously not true seeing as he dating someone else. Typical Slytherin! That was all I could say.

"I cannot believe Flint did that," George said, sounding shocked.

"Yeah well. Leave it."

"Oh," Harry groaned as he realized what they were saying. He had met Marcus Flint last year in Quidditch match against Slytherin and knew him to be a nasty piece of work in his own right. Harry did not like to think of the consequences of really angering him.

"But it was still worth it," Fred grinned.

Another silencing look from his mother and no more was said about it. Harry, Phoebe and I, and the Weasleys made the trips to our respective bank vaults and soon returned to the surface where Hermione was waiting with her parents. She looked contemplative.

"Fred?" She asked. "I have been wondering. Just why did you cast the jinx? Surely not for fun?"

"Never you mind," Percy said quickly and brushed by to go his way, muttering something about quills.

"What, Hermione?" Fred shrugged in response to her question and kissed me. "You mean to say I needed a reason?"

Hermione, Phoebe, and I looked at each and instantly knew we were thinking the same thing. There was more to this than met the eye.