Just a short chapter today, please be patient with me, it's crazy at school right now.
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I hope you'll like this chapter, I'll be back to the usual story length next time.
Enjoy.
The first few days of school passed quickly. There were different rumors running around school, whispered during recess, early breakfast and late studies. People asked, students followed George and Jade around, wanting to catch new bit of information about what happened in the forest.
Jade hated the attention. She still felt nauseous when she had to think about that terrible night.
George on the other hand, used the week to build up the atmosphere of expectations and mystery. He promised his friends and anyone who would listen that as soon as Fred gets back, they'll tell the tale of Three siblings (how he called it).
And naturally, everyone was excited. Weasleys twins were masters of telling stories.
But George wasn't himself completely. Jade has met him more than once, sitting silently at the breakfast table, while the rest of the castle was still asleep and it was just two of them, sitting silently at the table.
Fred came back one Saturday night. Professor McGonagall called George and Jade to follow her after dinner and the Great Hall was instantly filled with whispers and excited exclamations. It could mean only one thing. Fred was back.
And he was, indeed. Standing in the middle of McGonagall's office, a little bit paler than normally and with fading blue circles under his eyes, but alive and well enough to get back to mischief making…ahem, I mean studying, of course.
"Mr. Weasley, I told you to sit down, I don't want you fainting in my office. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't be pleased and I guess you don't want to spend night in the hospital wing, do you?"
"Now, I want to ask you three to not share any stories about what happened in the forest. As you know, professor Dumbledore already told the rest of the students the official version of the events and I believe there's no need to reveal further details.
Understood?" she asked looking at the three children standing in front of her desk.
"Understood." Nodded George, smiling widely, swinging on his feet, ready to leave.
"Alright." Said McGonagall slowly, not really trusting them to keep the story secret but she couldn't do anything else. "Off you go then, and I expect your homework by next Monday."
They almost run out of the office and the moment the door was closed George jumped on Fred, hugging him around his neck.
"Ouch." Whispered Fred, holding his side with one hand, but hugging his twin back.
"Jade." He waved at her, looking over George's shoulder.
Jade didn't hesitate any longer and she hugged both of her brothers, unexpected tears escaping her eyes.
"We missed you so much!" she sobbed, hiding her face between the twins' shoulders.
"And now I'm back and never leaving again." Fred winked at her and adjusted his sweater which slipped off his shoulder.
"Ready to tell the great tale of three siblings to the public? I'm sure everyone's waiting for us in the common room." Said George, pointing behind him in the direction of Gryffindor tower.
"Why, of course. I expect you've placed orders for snacks?" asked Fred hopefully. "I could use a handful of popcorn, McGonagall wouldn't let me eat dinner – orders of Pomfrey – I just got some jello and soup. I'm starving my dear great siblings."
"Popcorn, butter crackers, caramel fudge and gallons of juice dear great brother, are waiting for us, but we'd better hurry because Lee is going to eat everything."
Laughed George and the boys started to run up the stairs with Jade following them.
She was keeping close eye on Fred. He might pretend he's ok, but she noticed how his breath would catch every once in a while.
The common room was warm and welcoming, like always.
One of the sofas was pulled to the front of the room, standing with it's back to the fireplace. Rest of the armchairs and couches ware arranged in half circle with almost everyone from Gryffindor already sitting there, waiting for the twins to show up.
When the portrait swung to the side, revealing the entrance to the common room, loud roar and applause erupted and Fred, George and Jade entered the room, fighting the need to cover their ears. Twins walked right to the front, waving at their friends and nodding their heads at older students who congratulated them.
Jade was about to hide in one of the back rows when Fred grabbed her hand, without hesitating, as if he could read her mind, and pulled her to the sofa.
The cushions were pleasantly warm from the fire and once they sat down, George sitting on the back of the sofa and Fred leaning against his brother's knees, Jade realized it's not as intimidating as it seemed at first.
The room looked almost small, and certainly even more cozy than normally. The faces looking at them weren't just simple gossip seekers. They were friends and fellow Gryffindor. Fred squeezed her hand before letting go and saying out loud.
"Who is ready to hear the tale of Three great siblings and the giant bloodthirsty spider from the Forbidden Forest?"
The audience got crazy, boys clapped and exclaimed and girls squealed. This was more information than they had before. Dumbledore wouldn't tell them anything. He just announced that accident happened in the forest, but he wouldn't tell what.
Now, after hearing about one of the spiders being involved, most of the first years cuddled deeper under the blankets they were hugging.
"The tale of horror and danger, uncertain future and darkest corners of the Forbidden Forest itself." Exclaimed George.
"The story of poisonous fangs of giant beast, tearing chunks of meat from my hip!" yelled Fred, jumping up on his feet lifting the side of his shirt, revealing a huge bandage covering most of his side.
A wave of "Eeew!" and "Awesome!" flew through the common room.
Fred and George looked expectedly at Jade who felt the eyes of entire Gryffindor population on her.
"If you don't think you can handle rivers of blood and moments of terror followed by nerve wrecking uncertainty, leave now!" Exclaimed Jade, finding courage as she watched her friends hang on each and every of her words.
"I warned you, there are things you can not imagine now, but once we tell you, you will never forget." She finished in creepy whisper.
The story telling continued long after bed time. There were moments of silence when only silent sound of nervous first years' whispers could be heard, and suddenly Fred would run his finger nails over the wooden table, pretending it was the sound of spider's legs scratching the forest floor.
There were moments of hysterical exclamations and scared yells when Jade had to shush everyone so they wouldn't wake up McGonagall.
"And that's when they stitched my skin together, just like Muggles do. With needle and all." Finished Fred.
Everyone protested, they wanted to hear more disgusting and scary facts about the accident, they wanted to sit in the common room forever and let themselves be captivated by the story, but George looked at Fred and saw him get a shade paler and he knew it's time for bed.
"Thank you for being such a great audience tonight, we are delighted you liked our story. Don't worry, we won't disappoint you. You may expect at least one more night like this before the year ends. There is more mischief in our agenda." George bowed in front of the students who laughed and started to leave. It was almost three in the morning.
"I'm glad you're back." Said Jade softly when she was left in the common room alone with her brothers.
"Me too." Answered Fred and hugged her gently before he climbed up the stairs with one hand around George's shoulders.
Jade snuggled under the blankets, pressing her face into the pillow. It's been a long day, but she didn't sleep properly since the night of their trip to the forest. She felt exhausted, but knowing Fred was safely back and alright might help her sleep better.
Next day was slow. Most of the Gryffindor students woke up around lunch, and they decided to call it really late breakfast, earning strange stares from the rest of the school when the Gryffindor table lunch included scrambled eggs and porridge, which the students really enjoyed, still half asleep.
"The elves always know how to welcome us back." Smiled Fred, winking at Jade who watched in awe how the twins got two huge bowls of porridge covered in chocolate syrup.
"Good morning." Came ice cold greeting from McGonagall who was standing right behind George. He looked up, smiling at the professor upside-down. "Good morning professor. Did you come for the porridge, or maybe a toast?" asked George innocently.
"We've noticed other tables lack the breakfast selection, but we're willing to share." Fred added, holding a plate of toasts up.
"I'm glad you're back to your old self Mr. Weasley, but I would appreciate it if you could limit your story telling to day hours and not keep all the house up until early morning." She said strictly before her voice softened a bit and she added. "Madam Pomfrey wants to see you after breakfast…I mean, lunch, to change the bandages."
"Thank you professor, I'll go to see her right now. And we apologize for not inviting you to our story telling soirée. Next time we'll be more careful when issuing invitations. Yours will be the first we send…" started Fred but McGonagall interrupted him.
"Don't you worry Mr. Weasley, I heard every word of your story last night. Splendid interpretation of …how did you call it? Tale of Three siblings? Clever, very clever title." She almost smiled, but decided to keep her face and walked away, joining Madam Sprout who was leaving the Great Hall.
"Well…" started Fred awkwardly.
"Good to know that Common room is not a safe place for late night mischief planning then." Finished Jade, laughing at twins' startled expressions.