Chapter Eight
The excitement of the Battle of Hogsmeade Station (as it came to be known by many of the younger students) was momentarily shelved in lieu of a new bit of news: Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had arrived after all, and in a flying car no less! Nobody was certain who had let the information slip in the first place, but soon the word had spread throughout Hogwarts like wildfire. The tension was heavy in Gryffindor Tower, where nearly everyone was crammed into the common Room, anxiously waiting to congratulate the two on their stroke of genius. Percy, however, was crammed in the common room, anxiously waiting to give the two a telling off along with Hermione.
When Harry and Ron finally did show up, they didn't stay in the common room for long, much to everybody's chagrin. Catching sight of the irate Percy had considerably accelerated their escape to the second year boys' dormitory.
The night was still young, however, and not everyone could so easily escape a lecture. Only moments after Harry and Ron had disappeared, in walked Professor McGonagall bearing her infamous tight-lipped expression. The room fell silent before she even opened her mouth.
"Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Oliver Wood and Alicia Spinnet, please accompany me to my office," she began, stating each name firmly. "The rest of you are to go straight to your dormitories. Lights out in fifteen minutes."
A collective groan rounded the common room and the students reluctantly began to trudge off to bed. Lee Jordan (who had been planning to listen on the stairs and was now more than slightly disappointed) thumped both twins on the back and silently assuring them that he would continue their scheme in the event that they did not return.
I went up to my dorm along with Ange, as Katie went to the third year dorm. There was tension in the room as neither one of us speaking as we got dressed ready for bed.
"I'm sorry. I completely forgot you were in the compartment. Alicia and I were only teasing him, no harm intended to either of you." Angie began to explain.
"I don't want to hear anything." I said getting in bed and closing the curtains. I heard Ange sighed as she too got in bed; casting a silencing charm, I cried myself to sleep that night.
The next morning at breakfast, I was up and ready before the rest of the girls, Alicia must have come in after we had gone sleep as her curtains were closed. I walked to the Great Hall and sat with Phoebe, Harry, Ron and Hermione. It was not long before the rest of the students filled in for breakfast. I saw Flint and the rest of the Slytherin walk in; his hand in Abby's as she pulled him to the Slytherin table. He looked in my direction and gave me a sympathetic smile, before turning his attention back to the Slytherins.
Alice, Ange, Ollie, Fred, George, Lee and Katie, came and sat near me; Alicia, Ange and Katie tried to engage me into their conversation, but I completely ignored them. Fred did not even look in my direction and made no attempt to try and speak to me. Making me even angrier than what I felt. After getting my schedule, I began to walk to first class, when a hand grasped my wrist and pulled my behind a tapestry. I turned and found Flint staring down at me.
"I'm sorry about what happened last year. I don't really like Abby; I'm just going out with her to please my parents. Pureblood traditions and all. I meant what I said, I really like you."
I sighed, rubbed my hand across my face, the anger which had risen from being pulled by Flint behind the tapestry slowly dying down.
"It's my fault that you and Fred are not speaking, isn't it?"
"No! He was mad when I told him about what you did. But it was Ange and Alicia on the train, teasing him about fancying Abby; completely forgetting I was there." I could feel tears running down my face, but I did not care. "I'm sorry Flint, I need to go." I quickly left and made my way down towards potions, which I had with the Slytherins.
"Hey, You ok?" George asked as he came and sat by me. I turned and saw Lee and Fred at another table, with Ange and Alicia close by.
"Yeah." I said turning to face the front. I saw George frown.
"It's not. Ange heard you cry last night and you obviously being crying this morning. What's up? It's Fred?"
I thought I put up a silencing charm so that she couldn't hear me, oh well. Sighing I answered George's question. "Maybe. Why is he avoiding me?"
"The girls feel ashamed for starting that conversation back in the compartment and forgetting you were there. Fred is the same; he knows you are angry with him at the moment; especially over the fight at Hogsmeade."
"Yeah I am angry, ever since he saw that Lestrange back in Diagon Alley, he been hell bent on getting revenge on the Slytherins for what they did to Percy. I understand that you both want revenge. It's just I meant to be going out with him, he has completely ignored me since that day in Diagon Alley. It's like we drifting apart." I tried my best to try and hold the tears in but a few slipped.
George put an arm around me, as I leaned my head on his shoulder and let all my emotions out. I heard the door open and quickly wiped my tears away and sat up straight. I could have sworn there was a look of anger and compassion on Snape's face as he walked past to start the lesson. I saw George pass a note to Fred, who opened and frowned before looking in my direction; I turned the other way and carried on with my work. I managed to avoid the group for the rest of the day.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Howlers erupted all over the school that day. Flint and Pucey both received theirs during lunch though neither took a great deal of notice, having gotten their share of Howlers in their time. Flint did grind his knuckles at a few of his father's comments but Pucey positively laughed when his mother's voice began to go after her screams reached a record length of five minutes. All attention immediately shifted across the Great Hall as a double-volume Howler exploded on Fred and George. Molly Weasley sounded absolutely livid as she went on about receiving the letter on them not ten seconds after sending Errol with Ron's Howler.
Alicia's turn came in Charms class and her father's bellowing left everyone with their jaws hanging open and poor little Professor Flitwick hiding under his desk. It wasn't until supper that evening that both Abby and Ollie got a response. Dumbledore had just stood to address the student body when a large tawny owl and the Malfoy eagle owl soar in, each clutching a scarlet envelope in its beak. Several students were forced to cover their ears as the bone-chilling shrieks of Mrs Wood competed with the infuriated hissing of Narcissa Malfoy.
"Well, then," Dumbledore said after both letters burst into flames. "Since Mrs Wood and Mrs Malfoy have said everything for me, let's eat."
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Back in the Gryffindor Common, I selected one of the tables in the far corner of the common room; so that no one would disturb me, but I could still see and hear things which were going on.
"Throw her in the lake!" I heard Lee's voice; I turned and saw that he was sitting with the twins, having the same idea as me. The three of them were sitting off in one corner of the Gryffindor common room. Sitting far enough away so that they couldn't overhear them were Angelina and Alicia, immersed in their whispered conversation.
Fred and George slowly turned their heads to look at Lee. "I meant 'what are we going to do about Oliver?' Lee," George restated himself. "He hasn't spoken to us all day."
"Oh. I thought you meant-"
"We know what you thought, you git," Fred laughed. "But I reckon we'd best put those plans on hold for a while at least."
"You what? Why?"
"Because if we do anything now, Alicia and Angelina will have a field day broadcasting all the gory details of Fred's dirty little affair with Abby Lestrange," George grinned.
Fred shook his head. "Honestly, the rubbish those birds come up with."
"That's not even the lot of what you have to worry about," George motioned over his shoulder as Percy entered the common room through the portrait hole. He glared at the twins and then quickened his pace.
"Bloody hell," Fred grumbled. "Everybody's taking this so seriously. It's doing my head in; I've got to get out of here. Up to sneaking some nosh from the kitchen?"
"Aye, you're on," George grinned and the three of them rose and hurried to the portrait hole before Percy could come back and demand to know what they were doing. "You still need to talk to Liesal as well. It's not fair on how she is being left out over this. Thought you loved her, after asking her out last year, but you have not being a good boyfriend since Diagon Alley."
I heard Fred sighed. "I know. I do love her; I know I need to talk to her, but every time I try, my nerves get the better of me."
I had heard enough. I gathered my things and made my way towards the girl's stair case. I saw George give a nod to Fred in my direction and I quickened my pace. But before I could climb the stairs, Fred grabbed my arm causing me to drop my things and started to drag me out of the common room. I tried to protest.
"It's okay Lie. We've got your things." Ange said as she helped George gather them up.
After Fred found a secluded place. He pushed me against the wall and pressed his lips firmly but passionately against mine; I responded back, missing this feeling. One arm went round my waist whilst the other moved it way to neck, causing his fingers to brush through my hair. I moved my arm, pulling him closer, running my hand through his soft hair. Unfortunately, we pulled away, both needing air, but still stayed wrapped in each other arms.
"I'm sorry I've been ignoring you. I just needed space. Then with Ange and Alicia talking in the compartment about Lestrange. I don't know what came over me."
"Fred. Forget about it. Let's just move on. Okay?"
"Okay" Before his lips were back on mine. We made our back to the Common Room, to find that George, Lee, Alicia and Ange had waited up for us; all supporting big grins. Fred went and sat on one of the sofas near the fireplace and pulled me down onto his lap.
We stayed up laughing and playing exploding snap before sleep overcame us and we made our way to our dorms.