Hi ! Hope everyone is doing well!
Here's the new chapter - it's a little short, but I personally quite like it, so I hope you do too.
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Enjoy xx

wildest dreams
VOLUME I

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

It was late May when Fred and George finally decided they had had enough of Ludo Bagman. We were sitting with Angelina at the Three Broomsticks, one Saturday afternoon, enjoying Butterbeers and Cornish pasties, when the Ministry official entered the pub and ordered something to drink.

"Now's the time, George" said Fred. "I'm tired of waiting."

"I was hoping you'd say that, Freddie. Let's go get him."

They both stood up and made their way to Bagman, looking very determined.

"I hope this whole thing ends well" sighed Angelina.

"Me too" I nodded. "But I don't trust that Bagman for one second. I mean, it's been what – 9 months ? And he still hasn't done anything."

"Yeah. What if they never get their money back? What will they do?"

"I dunno" I shrugged. "They'll have to find another way to get the funds…"

"Aren't things going well with their products? I mean, they are making money, aren't they?"

"Yeah, but it will never be enough. Not if they want to open by next year…"

I stopped – Fred and George were coming back to the table, looking more furious than I had ever seen them.

"I'm gonna bloody strangle him, I swear" said Fred between his teeth.

"What happened?" asked Angelina.

"We suggested to buy him a drink, like we did before, and of course – he said no, coming up with some excuse. So we said that we wouldn't leave until we got our money back, and he got all fed up" explained George.

"Told us we were too young to bet, and that he never thought we were serious anyway. Git" finished Fred.

"But that's rubbish!" I exclaimed. "You gave him all your savings!"

"We know that, Addy" said Fred, looking grim. "But he doesn't seem to care. We asked him to at least give us back our part of the bet, but he said no."

"That's not fair!" said Angelina.

"That git!" I hissed. "He can't do that! I won't bloody let him!"

George shrugged.

"There's nothing we can do, really."

"Don't give up that easily, George" said Angelina.

"I'm not giving up, I'm being realistic ! What can we do against a Ministry officiaL? We're only students, no one will believe us."

I sighed loudly.

"I say we send him another letter" suddenly said Fred. "And this time, we won't be nice."

"Fred, we talked about this, we can't take the – Adds, where are you going?"

I didn't bother answering, already turning on my feet. I was fed up. I couldn't just sit and watch the twins be so miserable, and not at least try something. I knew that what I was doing was stupid, and probably wouldn't change anything, but I had to do it – at least just to feel better. I made my way to the bar and tapped on Bagman's shoulder.

"Excuse me?" I said, trying to remain calm.

Bagman turned around, eyebrows raised.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes – yes you can. You see, I'm a friend of Fred and George Weasley – and I know everything about the bet they made with you at the World Cup, and –"

"Wait – who are you?"

"Who I am doesn't matter. You owe them money. It's their money, they won it. So you better stop being a prat and give it back to them."

"Look, Miss, I'm sure that –"

"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses, you cretin ! You will give them their money, or I swear you will regret it. Understood?"

Without waiting for an answer, I swirled on my feet and walked back to the table, feeling a little breathless. I sat back down, and took a long sip of my Butterbeer.

"Addy, that was –" started Fred.

"That was brilliant!"

"And absolutely idiotic."

But the twins were both smiling – even Angelina was. I chuckled as George slid his arm around my shoulder and kissed me on the side of my head.

"It did make me feel better."

"And looks like you scared him off" noted Angelina.

I glanced behind me – Bagman was leaving the Three Broomsticks, looking rather pale.

"I can't blame him. You're kind of scary when you're mad" shrugged Fred.

"Completely mental, you are" nodded George.

We all bursted out laughing.

But even if I had managed to put a little scare in Bagman that day, it didn't do anything. A week later, he still hadn't contacted the twins. There was no sign of him, or the money. Fred had therefore decided to write a very explicit letter, 'without holding back', he had said. George was still skeptical, arguing that they could be accused of blackmail if they ever sent it. I had tried to dig up as much information as I could from the library – they could very well be accused of it, from what I had gathered, but Fred didn't seem to care.

"He's never gonna tell on us!" he exclaimed as we made our way to the Owlery one night.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"He's a coward, and I'm pretty sure he's hiding something –"

"That doesn't change anything, Fred" argued George. "That letter – that's blackmail, that is, we could get into a lot of trouble for that –"

"We've tried being polite; it's time to play dirty, like him. He wouldn't like the Ministry of Magic knowing what he did –"

"I'm telling you, if you put that in writing, it's blackmail!"

"He's right!" I sighed. "Try to think about this…"

"Don't you side with him! You're as angry as I am!" snapped Fred.

"I'm not taking sides!"

"Yes you are!"

"Shut up, both of you! We're all angry! But we can't risk everything –"

"Yeah, and you won't be complaining if we get a nice fat payoff, will you?"

I opened the door to the Owlery, exasperated – to come face to face with Harry, Ron and Hermione. I froze – I hadn't expected anyone to be there so late at night.

"What're you doing here?" asked Fred and Ron at the same time.

"Sending a letter" answered both Harry and George.

"What, at this time?" I asked with Hermione.

We all glanced at each other. I was very curious to know what the three of them were doing – but at the same time, I didn't want to have to tell them what we were doing. I had promised Fred and George not to talk about it – only us and Angelina knew about it.

"Fine" said Fred. "We won't ask you what you're doing, if you don't ask us."

Nobody moved.

"Well, don't let us hold you up" added Fred, gesturing to the door.

"Who're you blackmailing?"

I bit my lip, as silence followed. But George quickly smiled at Ron.

"Don't be stupid, I was only joking."

"Didn't sound like that."

I glanced at the twins. They looked very uncomfortable.

"I've told you before, Ron, keep your nose out if you like it the shape it is. Can't see why you would, but –"

"It's my business if you're blackmailing someone" said Ron. "George's right, you could end up in serious trouble for that."

"Told you, I was joking."

He then snatched the letter from Fred's hand and started attaching it to the closest owl.

"You're starting to sound a bit like our dear older brother, you are, Ron. Carry on like this and you'll be made perfect."

"No, I won't!"

"Well, stop telling people what to do then. See you later."

"Addy, tell me who they are blackmailing!"

I stared back at Ron, eyes wide. I could feel Fred and George's stare on my back.

"No one" I said quickly. "They're just jokes, Ron, stop worrying. Good night."

I hurried out of the Owlery behind the twins, sighing loudly. Lying came easy to Fred and George – I still needed practice, even after all those years. I was good at making impulsive decisions, or at saying what nobody else wanted to say – but never at lying.

"Do you think they know something?" I asked as we made our way back to the castle.

"I reckon they don't" said Fred. "Otherwise they would have said something."

"Or gone straight to Dumbledore" added George.

"Well… maybe that isn't such a bad idea."

Fred and George glared at me.

"I'm just saying! Maybe he could help you."

"Dumbledore has better things to do with his time, I'm sure. Besides, we can take care of it ourselves. I'm sure that letter will do something" said Fred.

"Yeah, send us straight to Azkaban" mumbled George.

"Stop making such a fuss, Georgie. Anyway, it's done. We can only wait now."

I glanced at George – he really did look worried. I grabbed his hand, squeezing it. He gave me a smile. We had reached the portrait leading to the kitchens when George stopped.

"I'm hungry" he said. "Anyone up for a piece of cake?"

"Yes, please, I'm starving" I sighed.

"But we ate just before – Oh, never mind. I get it. You two disgusting love birds want some time alone."

Neither me and George bothered denying it. Fred rolled his eyes.

"Very well. I'll walk back on my own."

"We love you, Freddie!" I said as he walked away.

"Traitors" I heard him say before he disappeared at the corner.

I chuckled, glancing at George. Quickly kissing him, I then went to tickle the pear on the portrait. I didn't know what you would happen next with the whole Bagman story, and if the letter would have any consequences – but I did know that a piece of cake never hurt anybody.