Chapter 6

This is ridiculous! I don't even know what Felicity looks like today! Yet here I am-looking for her! The things I do for my family...

Oh, by the way, this George speaking. Sorry about that. And now to explain my troubles: Flashback"What about this one?" Lee asked out of the corner of his mouth. Fred and I turned to see a small Ravenclaw walking our way. I'd seen her in a few of the 7th year classes I wasn't taking. I took a quick inventory: Long, dark brown hair; big, bright green eyes; pale; short; slim."I give her... an 8.7" I announced after she walked by. "Are you kidding me?" Fred snorted. "She's not even CLOSE to an 8.""Really? I give her a 9" Lee told girls is what we do when we are having "inventors-block"; or in this case, when we just need a break. It helps us to relax. And makes us laugh at how different our tastes are.

"Hey look! Here comes a Hufflepuff" said Lee. "Boy, she's booking it..."And indeed, she was. Wait a minute..."Isn't that MJ?" Fred asked.

Our cousin dashed across the courtyard and halted right in front of us, panting for breath."Lis... have... you... seen... her?" she frowned. "Your Slytherin friend? No, I and I don't plan to." Fred nodded in agreement.I sighed. They had obviously missed the fact that something was wrong.

They don't call me the sensitive twin for nothing.

"What's up, MJ?" I asked was still out of breath. "Really upset... can't... find her..."Fred rolled his eyes. "C'mon, guys, let's get back to work on the Skiving Snack-boxes." Lee followed him towards the main doors.

I looked at MJ. She looked like she might cry. I hate it when girls cry. Especially when they're girls I care about.

Argh."I'll help you look for her." I told Flashback

So here I am. Looking for a girl that could look like anybody. Any girl I came across, I had to go around looking at their face to make sure it wasn't Felicity. MJ had sent me off to the fourth floor and up, while she checked the lower levels of the castle. I was heading towards the library because MJ had said that would be a likely place for her to enough, I found her in a back corner, wrapping her hand. It was bloody. I remembered seeing her trip numerous times back in my second year, so I announced my presence with a"Fall down again, Byrd?"Her head snapped up, her jet-black bangs partially obscuring her eyes. When she saw who it was, she gave me a wry grin. "No, George, I punched a werewolf in the face."My immediate thought was, Lupin?I must have looked alarmed, because she said, "Never mind; Muggle book reference" as she went back to wrapping her hand. I couldn't believe she read Muggle books...I leaned on a bookshelf and watched her for a moment. Then I thought of something."How did you know I was George?"

She shrugged without looking up. "It's pretty easy to tell you two apart."

I was thunderstruck. "Really?"

She nodded.

I waited for a moment. She was obviously not in a talkative mood. I tried to find out what had happened. "So… your hand…" I started once she was almost done with her bandaging."... I punched a wall."I blinked. "... You-""Yep" she gave the binding a final tug and leaned against a table."... Why?"Felicity rolled her eyes. "Because I couldn't very well punch your brother's face while MJ was standing right there, now could I?""Fred?" I exclaimed."No; Ron." She looked down at the floor. "He said he couldn't trust me and called me a bloody Slytherin."

This was interesting. "Well, that shouldn't be surprising." I told her. "You know about the House rivalries—"

"Yeah, but no one has ever come out and said something so stupid to my face before!" she interrupted angrily. "I wasn't offended by you and Fred and Lee not trusting me; you only just met me! But Ron hung out with me for almost a whole summer, and he still hated me as soon as he found out I was a Slytherin! I just wish I could've punched him…" she cracked her knuckles, and then winced.

I grimaced as the metamorphmagus gently massaged her hurt hand. "I suggest that next time, you punch something softer. Like Malfoy."

"Ha ha" she laughed sarcastically. Then she sighed and added "I just can't stand it when people are so prejudiced…"

This surprised me. I always thought the Slytherins were the most prejudiced out of all the Houses. Then I realized; she's friends with a Hufflepuff; she can't be THAT prejudiced…Not to mention, she rode with a bunch of Gryffindors in the carriage to the castle…

Hm…

"So… you don't hate Gryffindors?"

Her gaze snapped up from the floor to my face, her green-blue eyes sad.

"No, I don't! I just hate that everyone is so biased."

At that moment, MJ rushed around the corner. "LIS!"

"SHHHH!" Madam Pince hissed at her from the other side of the library.

"Sorry" MJ sheepishly muttered. She rushed over to Felicity, who hid her bandaged hand behind her back. "Where have you been?" my cousin sort of whisper-yelled.

"Whatever happened to ME searching up here?" I asked her.

"Well, you see, I saw Malfoy and asked him where Lis was. He sent me this way."

"Malfoy?" I was about to tell her off for talking to scum like him, when I looked at Felicity. She was morosely gazing at the floor again, so I thought better of it.

"Yeah, Malfoy." Then, as if she knew what I was thinking, "Ya gotta problem with that?" my cousin challenged.

I sighed. "I just want you to be careful. Not necessarily because he's a Slytherin" I looked at Felicity, "but because he has been known to be a foul git" I finished gently.

My cousin's friend chuckled darkly. "This is true. That's why I told Ron I'd keep him away from MJ."

"I can take care of myself, Lis! I'm not a little kid!" MJ insisted.

"But he's my cousin." Felicity explained, looking up at her. "And you're my best friend.

And you are younger. Therefore, it is my responsibility to watch out for you and keep him in line."

MJ rolled her eyes. I was impressed. Not a lot of people would go against their families like that, especially if they were purebloods.

I watched the two girls walk off to their next classes. Maybe Felicity Byrd wasn't so bad after all.

I frowned as I exited the library. She never told me how she can tell Fred and me apart...

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Never fear, Readers. It is I, MJ, and I am here to tell you: My encounter with Malfoy was quite tame. He's not so tough when he's lying in a hospital bed.

Having had no luck anywhere else, I decided to see if Malfoy was awake. When I had reached the Hospital Wing with Ron earlier, he had been fast asleep.

Just as I'd hoped, he was awake, and my cousin was asleep.

"Yo" I greeted him softly. He glared at me. "What do you want?"

"Ooh, not very friendly" I mocked him. "Where do you think your cousin went?"

"Which one?" he mocked back.

I sighed. "The one that doesn't call me 'sweet thang.'"

He looked as if he wanted to give a snappy retort, but then decided against it. "She probably went to the library. She loves that place."

I slapped my forehead. "Duh! Why didn't I think of that?" Then I rushed out without another word.

What? Did you expect me to apologize for my cousin beating him up? Puh-lease.

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Hello. It is I, Draco. When I finally got out of the Hospital Wing, I ignored my cousin and her friend for a couple days. That Friday evening, I was hovering over the Quidditch pitch. I looked over at the Slytherin stands where Felicity and Quarters were sitting. Our first real practice was going alright, but having Crabbe and Goyle as our new beaters unnerved me. Sure, they were strong, but their aim was awful. I wish Derrick and Bole hadn't graduated. Oh well.

I watched as Quarters said something and Felicity almost fell off her seat because she was laughing so hard. She seemed to sincerely enjoy that Hufflepuff's company. If it made her happy, I supposed I shouldn't be too horrible about it. At least Quarters wasn't in Gryffindor; that would've been the last straw.

"Malfoy! See the snitch yet?" Montague hollered.

I snapped out of my reverie. "Not yet!" I shouted back, and then I went back to looking for it."Alright, that's all for today!" Montague yelled once I had caught it a half hour later. The entire team immediately stopped their various drills. I flew over to the girls in the stands. They were whispering and giggling about something.I swooped down behind them and landed softly. Sitting on the bench at the back of them, I leaned in until I was inches away from the posterior of their heads. Then I said in a no-louder-than-usual voice, "What are you two up to?"My cousin just started a bit before turning around, but Quarters squeaked and jumped. I smirked. "Are you a witch or a mouse, Quarters?" She glared at rolled her eyes as she brushed her snow-white hair out of her face. "Just for that, we won't show you the amazing spell we just invented."I raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "Amazing?" "It's awesome!" Quarters chimed cousin nodded. "It is EPIC.""It's beyond awesome!""It's BE-awesome!"I groaned. "Are you two going to tell me what it is, or make me leave by being so utterly annoying about it?"Grinning mischievously, Quarters turned to me and said, "As tempting as the second offer is, I guess we'll show you."I leaned back against the stand behind me, crossing my arms. "Go on then."The girls looked at each other and grinned. Then, they simultaneously pointed their wands at their throats and muttered, "Vox vocis Tamias striatus".I waited. Lis then counted to three with her fingers. Upon reaching three, they started singing, "Chriiistmas, Chriiistmas tiiime, is neeear"I blinked, shocked. Their voices had become disturbingly high-pitched! "What the-" I they kept singing; and in harmony. "Tiiime for toooys and tiiime for cheeeer! Weee've been gooood but weee can't laaast! Huuurry, Chriiistmas, huuurry faaast-"I stood up, shaking my head. I mounted my broom, flying off as they burst into hysterical (and squeaky) laughter. I mentally sighed, as I walked to the Slytherin lockers. I'll never understand those two.

As I got ready to shower, I remembered that Gryffindor was holding their tryouts this evening. Should I go…? I wondered.

When I left the lockers after my shower, I saw Weasley heading toward the pitch. He was trying out?

I smirked. That settled it, then. I simply could not pass up the opportunity to torment him.

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Holla! MJ here again.

Poor Ron looked super nervous when he stepped out onto the pitch. Lis and I had moved to the Hufflepuff stands to watch his tryout. We would've sat in the Gryffindor ones, but we figured Lis wouldn't be welcome there. My family still didn't like her. I was able to sit in the Slytherin stands when we watched their practice because everyone in that House knows not to mess with Felicity Byrd.

Why? A) She's Malfoy's cousin and B) They all somehow knew that it was her that had hospitalized Montague.

So as of now, 5 days into the school year, most Slytherins respect and fear her (other then Gwen and Willis), most Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws ignore her (other than Sadie), and most Gryffindors, including my cousins, seemed to hate her because she's in Slytherin (except for Katie Bell).

We sat through most of the tryouts in bored silence. I was nervous for Ron, so I didn't feel like talking.

He was one of the last in the line up. When he was about to go up in the air, we heard a familiar voice from the Slytherin stands,

"Another Weasley trying out for the team, eh? Where's Potter? Shouldn't he be here to witness your failure?"

Malfoy.

"Yeah, Weasel!" a nasally girl voice added. I recognized it to be Pansy Parkinson. I wondered why she hadn't exacted her revenge on Lis yet, after she had exposed her bra-stuffing habits to half the school. I also wondered why Malfoy still stuck with her.

I voiced my contemplations to Lis.

Lis frowned. "She's probably just biding her time. Either that or she figures giving me the cold-shoulder is punishment enough. And Draco has known her forever, so he might have already known about the"-she snorted-"bra-stuffing".

"Every fool finds a greater one to admire them. " I concluded.

"Yep" she agreed.

Malfoy and Parkinson continued to mock throughout the rest of the tryout. Finally, I had had enough.

"Be right back" I muttered to Lis.

"You gonna hurt him?" she asked in a bored voice.

"Not too badly" I told her.

She grinned. "Ok. You know, I really shouldn't, since he's my cousin. But it's ok if you do it."

I smiled and slunk off.

Once I got into the Slytherin stands, I snuck up behind Malfoy and Parkinson, who were the only ones there. I pointed my wand at Malfoy. "Incarcerous" I muttered, and then I quickly did the same to Parkinson. After they were both tied up with ropes (not too tightly, though), I performed a silencing charm on them both before they could say "What the-?"

I slipped out before they thought to turn around and see ''who done it''.

By the time I entered the Hufflepuff stands again, Ron was just finishing up. He didn't seem too shabby.

When I reached Lis, she asked me what happened. "You got them to shut up, I noticed. Did they see you?"

I smirked. "No, they didn't see me. And I may or may not have tied them up and performed a silencing charm…" I left that sentence dangling for a moment.

Lis chuckled. "So I guess we should check to make sure they're not still there later?"

"Eh, let's keep 'em there til tomorrow morning" I suggested.

So we did. When we got there Saturday morning, we found a very grouchy pair of Slytherins stuck under the benches.

Lis gasped in apparent horror before quickly releasing them. "Who did this to you?"

Parkinson just glared at her. Malfoy scoffed as he dusted himself off. "The coward didn't show himself. He snuck up from behind."

I stifled my laughter. "That's just low. I wonder who would do such a thing."

"Yeah…" Malfoy looked contemplative. "If I ever get my hands on him…" he trailed off with an angry expression on his face.

"How did you know we were here, anyways, Hufflepuff?" Parkinson asked me. I had never really spoken to her before, and I was amused at how she addressed me.

"This was the last place Lis and I saw Malfoy, Slytherin" I replied.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Really?"

Malfoy nodded. "They watched the Slytherin practice last night."

"Oh, I meant to come and watch, but I had a huge essay to write. If it wasn't for that, I would have been there to support you" she gushed, linking her arm in his as they walked off.

Gag me with a shovel.

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George and I (Fred) were helping Katie Bell to the hospital wing, her nose gushing out blood. I am never eating anything that was in my pocket, nor giving it to anyone else, ever again. Oh well. It's not like our afternoon practice was going that great anyway.

We passed the library, and out came a blonde Slytherin with blue streaks in her hair.

Byrd. Ugh.

She stopped once she saw us, and then kept pace with us as we walked. "Katie? What happened?" Apparently, she had reunited with Katie already.

Katie gave a muffled sigh, and jerked her thumb toward George and I in turn. Byrd raised her eyebrow.

"We er... may or may not have accidentally given her a prank sweet that causes nosebleeds..." George explained sheepishly.

The Slytherin snorted. "Oh wow. Did you guys just come from practice?" she asked, taking in our Quidditch robes.

"Yeah" I snarled. "And your wanker of a cousin was there, cheering us on the whole time."

She grimaced. "That numbskull" she muttered, hurrying off in the opposite direction. "I'll give him a piece of my mind!" she called over her shoulder.

I laughed bitterly. "Yeah, right."

"She probably is" George told me. "I heard her telling him off yesterday for bullying a first year Gryffindor. She's not as horrible as you think she is."

Katie made a noise of agreement from between us.

I sighed. "She's a Slytherin isn't she?"

"Yeah but-"

"Then she's plenty horrible" I concluded. We were all silent for the rest of the trip to the hospital wing.

End Chapter 6