The weather was drab during the last few days October. The wind settled in the valley, and a permanent frost covered the ground causing students to slip and slide up and down the hills to and from classes allowing Peeves to have a great amount of joy at the sight of the students struggling to regain their balance.
The castle, however, was warm and cozy. An Autumnal atmosphere filled the air. Pumpkins, candles, and spiced tea filled the aroma of the Great Hall with a calming vibe allowing Tessa and The Weasleys to stay in the warm cozy Great hall, whom were procrastinating to stay away from the cold, drafty, musty, Hall of Hexes.
"I don't understand why we can't go up there it's just a bit of cold air," said Tessa annoyed.
"A bit? A bit of cold air," said Fred offended. "It's like the Arctic up there."
"Wouldn't be surprised if I saw a Polar Bear or two," said George jokingly.
"How about we go up there and find out," eased Tessa slowly closing her book and waggling her eyebrows.
"No," said Fred and George in unison.
Tessa rolled her eyes and opened her book taking notes on cures for boils, cursed and not. Tessa looked up from her notes to see Cedric smiling at her and waving slightly. Tessa smiled and waved back unaware of Fred boring his furious eyes into Cedric's stupid head.
"Looks like you friends again," said Hermione sitting down next to Tessa.
The boys grew silent as they waited for Tessa to answer.
"Yeah, but just friends. I've had enough of him," laughed Tessa slightly. "Heard he's got a new girl anyways."
Tessa felt Fred lean in closer to her after she said "new girl" which caused her to blush and jump in surprise. Hermione smiled at Tessa opening her books one by one so that all three were in front of her as she read each one simultaneously.
"Hermione, classes are over for the day," laughed Tessa as she stared at her with admiration,
"Still have the right to study," said Hermione quickly. "Unlike the Elves that cook our food."
A rumble of groans erupted throughout the table causing Hermione's cheeks to blush pink in frustration.
"Alright," said Tessa quietly. "I'll have a button please."
Hermione whipped up from her books staring at Tessa with surprise.
"I'm serious," said Tessa with a with smile.
Hermione smiled back and dug through her bag pulling out a S.P.E.W badge and placed it on Tessa chest.
"Alright, alright," said Lee sitting down next to Fred and George. "The Beauxbatons and Durmstrang schools are to arrive soon we should go check it out."
"Sounds good to me," said Fred quickly before Hermione could place a badge on his sweater. He dodged her arms, which caused Hermione to fall into Tessa's lap, and briskly walked out of the Great Hall with George and Lee intow.
"Honestly," said Hermione trying to pull her hair down to a suitable puff. "I don't know how you stand to be with those three."
"How do you stand to be with Harry and Ron," said Tessa jokingly.
"Touchee," said Hermione situating her sweater and continuing her studies.
The feast, after the two schools' arrival, was extravagant. There were foods of all kinds on the table ranging from each school's normal diets. Hermione grumbled in frustration at the abundance of plates and decorations on the table refusing to eat for a moment until, finally, snagging a piece of roasted pheasant and nibbling at a biscuit grumbling between each bite.
"Hermione's in a slump," mumbled George jokingly a dribble of gravy and turkey falling from his lips.
"And you're a mess," responded Tessa laughing. She threw a napkin at George and giggled as gravy smeared over his cheek from a lazy swipe.
"e'cuse me."
Tessa turned around to see a girl standing over them smirking at Tessa. Her Satin blue dress swayed lightly around her hips making Tessa look down at her legs and backup to her face.
"Vill that be eaten by your table," said the girl eyes still on Tessa.
"No it will not be eaten," interrupted Hermione handing the plate over Tessa's head to the girl.
"Is very good you know," said the girl to Tessa still not breaking eye contact.
"Maybe I'll try it tomorrow," sputtered Tessa blushing a shade of light pink.
The girl smiled and placed the snail on Tessa's plate elbowing George lightly and nearly grazing her torso on Tessa's shoulder.
The girl curtsied slightly, once she leaned away from the table, and winked at Tessa walking away with a trail of boys staring at her swinging hips until she turned the corner back to the Ravenclaw table.
"Bloody Hell," sighed Ron. "Did you see her flirting with us."
"She wasn't flirting with you Ron," stated Hermione sternly.
"Who was it then?" Asked Ron defensively.
Hermione sputtered trying to avert her gaze to Tessa's blushing face, now a shade of red.
"Of course he was flirting with me Ron," stated George confidently. "Women like her aren't attracted to boys."
"Oh shut it,"muttered Ron stuffing his face with pumpkin Pie.
Tessa sighed relaxing into her seat as George winked at her.
The walk back to the Common Room was dismal, compared to the extravagant entrances and dinner. The two other schools were scattered throughout the Grand Staircase eyeing their new home with amazement and disdain.
"Beauxbatons seems to be a snobby school," said Fred jokingly as he pointed at two girls shrieking over Nearly Headless Nick greeting them.
"Too stuck up for us," said Lee with a laugh.
"Yeah,"mumbled Tessa as she looked over the stair's railing.
"That girl did not have it for you George," continued Lee. Tessa grew stiff as she marched up the stairs faster.
"Are you out of your mind," stated George. "She practically fell into Tessa trying to ignore me obviously she was trying to get my attention."
Lee put a hand to his chin in deep thought.
"Girls always act that way i suppose," said Lee after they reached the Common Room entrance.
"Fox Trot," said Tessa as the door swung open to reveal a loud Common Room.
"George is always right," said Fred jokingly as he walked into the Common Room behind Tessa.
Lee shrugged in response and walked over to Angelina and Hannah sitting by the fireplace talking animatedly.
"Thanks," said Tessa to George once he stood beside her.
"No worries," said George winking. "I wouldn't be worried about it though. We don't care."
Tessa nodded her throat dry casing her to cough lightly.
"Tess," yelled Hermione waving Tessa over to the table surrounded by books and sheets of paper. "Thank god you're here."
Tessa laughed as she sat down across the mountain of books that Hermione began to rearrange so that she could see Tessa's face.
"Now," said Hermione situating her sweater. The books were stacked high enough to hide them both from the growing crowd of students. "How about that girl."
"What about here," stuttered Tessa shrugging her shoulders.
"Look," said Hermione. "I know about it, and it's okay. I saw the way you looked at Fleur prancing about between the tables." Tess sighed leaning back into the chair. "You looked like a pubescent boy seeing boobs for the first time. Don't deny it." Hermione laughed slightly as Tessa rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Maybe I think Fleur is a very pretty lady," said Tessa smirking.
"Not as much as that girl," said Hermione seriously.
"Yeah," sighed Tessa her cheeks growing pink. "I don't know. I kinda had mixed feelings about the whole situation."
"Well you're used to boys hitting on you, not girls," said Hermione smiling.
"Yeah it felt good, but also felt weird," sighed Tessa rubbing her face.
"Well you'll get used to it," said Hermione motherly. "Especially when you get out of Hogwarts."
"Yeah," said Tessa cheerful. "Thanks Hermione."
"Any time," said Hermione grabbing a book of Creature's Civil Rights from the stack and began reading it jotting notes down on a messy sheet of paper.
"How does this even happen," yelled Tessa as she walked into the study Room to see a mass of green goo glowing on the walls, floors, and table surrounding Fred's cauldron.
"Fred tripped over the table," laughed Lee scraping some goo off of his trousers.
"It went everywhere," laughed George, as a red faced Fred vigorously scrubbed his hair getting green goo out of it.
"Thankfully," said Fred shaking his head around. "The potion wasn't active."
"You would've been an old man," laughed Tessa as she laid her bag on a dry chair and pulled out her wand. With a swish, the goo began to shrink until there was nothing left of the potion except for in the cauldron.
"We are getting closer to correcting the potion," said George excitedly.
"She be done by morning," said Fred happily. "And thanks."
Tessa nodded as she pulled out some ingredients from her bag.
"You're the best," said Lee as he grabbed them from Tessa's hands one by one and walked over to the cauldron placing them on the table neatly.
"I actually, only, came to give you guys the ingredients," said Tessa happily.
"Aw, you're not staying?" Asked George sullenly.
"No," said Tessa picking up her bag and placing it back over her shoulders. "Have to study for N.E.W.T.S."
"With whom?" Asked Fred curiously.
"With classmates, of course," laughed Tessa as she walked out of the room shutting the door behind her.
"With Cedric," mumbled Fred slumping over the cauldron.
"Oh bollocks," said Lee. "Cedric isn't even studying the same subjects. Obviously."
Fred shrugged his shoulders in protest. Lee sighed as he pulled out notes for the aging potion.
"Come on Fred," sighed George, walking over to his brother. "Cedric's not anywhere near her. He is, still, avoiding her."
Fred nodded, still slumped over the cauldron leaning his elbows on the edge slightly.
"Oh Merlin," said lee annoyed. "You're going to spill the goo again."
Fred perked up from his hunched slouch and smiled wickedly at the door.
"We need to scrape this potion anyway," said Fred menacingly.
"Yes?" Said Lee hesitantly.
"Maybe we need to pay the kitchens a visit," said Fred happily as he began to run to a chest in the corner of the study room. He pulled out muggle water balloons, ran back to the table, and stuffing the goo into the balloons until they were engorged with slime. He pulled out his wand as sprays of water, coming out of the tip, filled the balloons to grow two times the size. He tied them shut lightly placing the first filled balloon on the table.
George and Lee grinned menacingly, as well, and followed Fred's steps until the entire bag of balloons were filled with the gooey water mixture lined on the table easy to be thrown.
"I bet Peeves will be happy to see these lying around the dungeon," said Fred as he began to place the balloons, carefully, into his bag motioning George and Lee to do the same.
"Maybe, in a broom closet, by the kitchens," suggested George grinning as he clasped his bag shut following Fred and Lee out of the study room.