Chapter 27: What I want to know

Zoey followed Fred as he brought her to the Quidditch Pitch. She observed that no one was playing and the place was practically deserted. She sat on the stands and Fred joined her. Zoey watched as Fred fidgeted slightly as he kept his eyes glued to the map. She watched as he trailed after a particular name. It was George.

"Does he know that you skipped?" Zoey asked making Fred jump. It seemed that he forgot she was there.

"Not exactly," Fred said as he tapped the map with his wand and muttered a spell. Zoey watched as the names and places disappeared and it took the appearance of a regular piece of parchment. "I told him I needed to get something –"

"But that was a lie," Zoey interrupted.

"He owes me!" Fred blushed.

"He does? Why?"

"Back in third year when he said he nee –" but Fred stopped in the middle of his sentence. He brought his hand to his mouth and shook his head. Zoey watched as Fred turned to the side a bit and looked down. His hand moved to the seat and his cheeks were flaring making his freckles a bit more noticeable.

Zoey raised an amused eyebrow as a smile appeared on her face. She never seen Fred act so embarrassed before. Zoey took the piece of parchment from Fred's hand and opened it. It was blank like the pages in the diary. She flipped it over and it was still blank. She looked up and saw that she had caught Fred's attention.

She tilted her head to the side, "So why'd you want to come here?" she asked as she folded the paper again but didn't return it. She liked the feeling of it in her hand. She felt a connection.

"I just realized something is all," Fred said as he looked over at the Quidditch Pitch, not at her.

"And that is?"

"I don't really know you," Fred replied as he looked her in the eye, "I've known you since we were both eleven but I don't really know you"

"Fred… you know I can't tell you. I'm n –"

"I know," Fred interrupted, "I didn't mean that part of you. Sure, I want to know that part of you but not now. You're not ready."

"Then what do you want to know?" Zoey asked. She didn't understand what he meant.

Fred brought his hand to her face and pushed away a strand of hair. "Anything," he said, "Your birthday, your favorite color, your –"

"Basically whatever Professor Lockhart asked in his quiz?" Zoey asked, "Sorry, ruined the moment"

Fred laughed, "Exactly. I've known you for four years now and I don't even know your birthday"

"April," she said, "twenty ninth of April"

Fred gave her a look of shock, "Are you serious?"

"Very much so, yeah"

"Twenty eight days," Fred whispered, "George and I are twenty eight days older than you and we never celebrated your birthday!"

"It's just a day, Fred. Echo and Bridgit don't even know it. It's not that important," Zoey reasoned.

"Not tha – Zoe! It's the day of your birth! Blimey, when you think about it you're truly a stranger to me," Fred said as he ran a hand through his hair.

Zoey laughed, "The feelings mutual. I didn't even know you and George were born on April Fools until you said you guys were twenty eight days older than me"

"April what?"

"April Fools. It's a muggle holiday… well not really. It's just a day where they pull pranks on each other," she paused, "Very fitting for you guys when you think about it"

"An entire day of pulling pranks," Fred whispered his eyes twinkling mischievously, "I know what George and I are doing for our birthday"

"Don't bother"

"Why not?"

"You both play pranks everyday anyway. Why do the same thing on your birthday?"

"Cause then we can't be blamed for it. We're excused, we're supposed to," Fred said in a matter of fact voice.

"Not really," Zoey said

"But you said –"

"Yes, it's a day to pull pranks for muggles and it's not an actual holiday so you and George can't get off the hook for anything you pull," Zoey explained, "Last time I checked you aren't a muggle."

Fred stuck out his tongue, "You ruin my fun"

"You're starting to sound like Echo"

Fred grinned.

"I thought you wanted to get to know more about me. All that's happening is that you found out that you were born on April Fools," Zoey said as she re-tied her hair in to a ponytail.

"How about we play a game of Twenty Questions then," Fred suggested.

Zoey looked at him with confusion, "Twenty what?" it was her turn to ask

"And here I though you knew everything about muggles," Fred said with a shake of his head, "Twenty Questions, it's a muggle game. You each ask a question and you have to answer until you both equally asked twenty questions. Get it?"

"Sort of," Zoey said, Fred wasn't that good in explaining, "So any questions about anything?"

"Yup"

"Can I put another rule?"

"What rule?"

"If the question is too personal we can skip it," Zoey said

"You can't do that!"

"Who says?" Zoey asked, "If you skip a question then that questioner gets another question added to his twenty questions. Just say 'Skip'. Get it?"

"Sort of," it was Fred's turn to say, "Let's start then"

Zoey nodded her head and racked her brains for any question she could ask. She opened her mouth, "When's your birthday?"

Fred's palm collided with his forehead, "You already know that. That was a waste of a question"

"I panicked!"

"How can you panic in twenty questions?"

"Just answer it!" Zoey said with a blush on her cheeks

"April one!" Fred said, "My turn," pause, "When's your birthday?"

Zoey's rubbed her eyes and with a laugh she said, "This is going to be a long game"

Minutes passed and Zoey was glad that her free-period was still far from over. So far they had accomplished ten questions each. Zoey had learned his favorite color and favorite Quidditch team. She learned his ambitions and dreams and vice versa. She was really enjoying the game. She never knew how poorly she knew Fred till now. She then asked:

"Why did you want to get to know me?"

"Because you are really a mystery to me, Zoe," Fred said with a shrug, "And to be honest whenever I try to, you end up in tears. I was just hoping that I would be able to get you alone, talk to you and have your face tear-free"

Zoey blushed, "I see. That's nice of you"

Fred grinned, "If you could have any pet, what would it be?"

"A rock"

Fred laughed.

"I'm serious!" Zoey blushed, "I hate animals"

"No you don't," Fred said

"Fine, I don't exactly hate them but I don't like them either," Zoey paused, "Living beings are hard to take care of. Rocks are easier. Easier to dispose when they die and easy to replace."

"Rocks can die?"

"Hey it's my turn to ask the questions here, Who are your parents?"

"Zoe, you know that. You're wasting your questions"

"I can do whatever I want with my questions," Zoey said childishly, "Now answer it"

"Molly and Arthur Weasley"

"Thank you. Your turn"

"What's the name of your mum?" Fred asked

"Lucy Alena," Zoey answered

"Dad?"

"You already asked a question. It's my turn," Zoey said

"That's not fair! I told you both my parents' names!"Fred exclaimed

"That's cause I asked parents as in plural – both. You asked my mom so singular – one," Zoey said in a smart tone and grinned at Fred's cheated look, "What exactly is this?" she asked as she held up the piece of parchment.

"I was wondering when you'll ask," Fred said with a grin as he took the map from Zoey, "Remember the night I visited you in the Hospital Wing?"

"Yes"

"This is the map I was talking about. The Marauder's Map. It shows –"

"Everyone. What they're doing of every minute of every day," Zoey said as she remembered his explanation.

"You listen well," Fred said

"So how does it work?"

Fred brought out his wand, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good," he recited as he tapped the map. Zoey gasped as words and images started to appear.

"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP
"

"Whoa," Zoey whispered. She opened the map and scanned all of Hogwarts with it. She looked over at the Astronomy tower and saw Echo's name. "It's Echo!"

"Hmm, yeah. She's been staying up there for most of her free time lately," Fred said as he looked where Zoey was pointing

"Why's that?"

"According to George she's already studying for the O."

"But that's not till next year"

"She's Echo. You don't really have to understand what she does. You just go alone with it," Fred said with a shrug.

Zoey nodded her head, "So how do you close the map?"

"Simple. Just tap it again and say Mischief Managed," Fred tapped the map and everything disappeared. Zoey was faintly reminded of the diary in her bag.

"Now, if I may say so myself, you only have four more questions to ask," Fred said as he pocketed the map.

"Who says?"

"Me"

"But I had seven left, right?"

"No, and from your extra three questions you only have two more questions to go," Fred said, grinning.

Zoey opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it. She couldn't risk losing anymore questions. Fred laughed at expression as Zoey bit her lip keeping herself from asking anything else.

"If it makes you feel better, I have seven more questions left," Fred said through laughter. Zoey raised an eyebrow

"Do you honestly think that would make me feel bett – Wait! NO! Don't answer that!" Zoey exclaimed as her eyes widened. Fred laughed even harder. "Oh, just ask your questions," Zoey said defeated.

"What do you fear the most?" Fred asked after he controlled his laughter.

Zoey bit her lip as she gazed towards the Quidditch Pitch. She racked her brains for her fear. Was it heights? Could be. Was it her aunt? Most likely. How about perfection? She didn't know. Zoey's eyebrows knitted in concentration. What was her fear?

"Ah..I – I don't know," she stuttered out as she looked back to Fred.

"That's alright," Fred said as he readjusted his position

"But… I didn't ans –"

"You did actually," Fred said with a grin, "You said 'I don't know' that was an answer"

Zoey looked at him with wide eyes, "I could answer like that?"

"Yep"

"So when you asked what was my most embarrassing moment I could have replied 'I don't know' and you wouldn't pester me to answer?" Zoey asked again

"Yep," Fred said now having a devilish twinkle in his eye, "I didn't know your most embarrassing moment was when we pulled a prank on you"

"I couldn't think of anything else," Zoey said with a shrug, "Now it's my turn to –"

"Oh contraire my little sugar plum," Fred said making Zoey give him a very odd look, "I believe you just ran out of questions"

Zoey opened her mouth to retaliate but then her last two questions ran by her mind. She really did run out of questions. Curse her curiosity. Zoey looked down and shook her head in defeat. "Just finish of your questions before I head of the History of Magic," she said. Fred had six more questions left.

"Alright, alright. I'll make this fast," Fred said in a rush as well, he just realized his next subject was Potions and he didn't fancy a detention that night. He already has one with Filch, "What is you happiest memory?"

"The time I got my Hogwarts letter?"

"That sounded more like a guess than an answer"

"That's because it was," Zoey laughed, "You have five more questions"

"Do you have any other friends besides those in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw?" Fred asked

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't really know," pause, "three more to go"

Fred paused and liked his lips, "How do you feel about Ron?"

"He's my friend… like a little brother," Zoey answered looking at him with a curious gaze.

"What about with George?"

"Friend…brother even, but when you think about it, he's closer with Echo than with me so… yeah," Zoey replied with a scratch of her head.

Fred paused for a moment. He looked directly into Zoey's gray eyes and searched for any proof that she was lying. When he confirmed that she was being completely honest he took a deep breath, "What about with me?"

Zoey's eyes widened with shock she didn't really expect him to ask such a question. She felt her cheeks warm up and her heart hammer in her chest. She bit her lip and looked back at the Quidditch Pitch. Should she tell him? She wondered. She took a small breath and said "Skip"


Okay, I just finished this chapter this morning and I have to get going to school now so sorry if I can't answer any of your questions at the moment. I promise I'll answer them in the next chapter.

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