16. The Almost Question
The twins' orange hair stood out brightly at the long Gryffindor table surrounded by blacks and browns and blondes like seeing embers of fire in the dead of night. Averting my eyes from Darren and the Slytherin table, I kept my head low and followed my feet.
"Oi, what happened to you? Do I need to get a leash?"
I was greeted by George's smirk and Fred's frown. Considering my trepidations for socialising around wizards and witches George seemed completely at ease. I was irked at his blasé attitude but shrugged it off, knowing it was for my own good and that if George showed his apprehensions – if he had any – I would be even more reluctant to progress.
Alicia swatted George and scolded him. In return George grabbed her hand a placed a soft kiss on the back of it, sharing a wink with her as he did.
"Alright, Ella," Angelina welcomed, patting the seat on the bench next to her and offering me a muffin once I'd settled. I peered at the students around the Great Hall and was relieved that no one paid me any mind.
"Cheers," I said, biting into the English muffin, yolk running down my chin. I rubbed it off with the back of my hand before anyone could notice. "How are you?"
"Dead on my feet," Angelina grumbled, "The girls kept me up all night in the commons."
"Why's that? More gossiping or what colour suits who best?"
I got along with all the girls but had a special relationship of sorts with Angelina in that we didn't get excited over the latest scandals, couples or shoes. Ange was more of a sports nut, discussing game tactics and Quidditch players with the boys whereas I was more attentive to my studies and duties. Of course, they weren't always on my mind but recent events had them at the top of my priority list. I was still adjusting to my new environment and needed distractions I was familiar with.
"I wish. Alicia couldn't stop giggling over George and Katie was gushing over the pair of 'em."
My eyes flickered over to them and I was surprised to see Alicia reciprocating the usual one-sided flirtatious behaviour from George.
"Oh, didn't he tell you?" she asked. I shook my head.
"Bad Georgie!" Fred's voice boomed. He was seated on Alicia's other side and had been attempting to confuse her using his twin identity, touching and whispering lowly but obviously gave up when Alicia failed to be fooled by him. "Did he forget to tell you, Princess?"
"He asked 'Leesh to the Ball last night. You'd have thought he would've yelled it across the common room like the lunatic he is, but no, went out for a walk with her and next thing you know she's all giddy and…weird," Angelina explained.
"Surprised he didn't tell you?" Fred asked.
"I was getting around to it," George said, defending himself as a red flush began creeping up his neck.
I smiled at them, ignoring Fred's biting words and the cotton in my throat. "Good for you, George! Finally made a move."
"What d'you mean 'finally'?" Alicia asked, looking between the two of us.
"Nothing for you to worry your head about, Peachy," George replied, squishing her cheeks until she pushed him away.
A long time ago when magic was but a tattered old doll forgotten in the dustiest corner of the cellar, I vaguely remembered Super Mario, the sweet little Italian plumber who dedicated his life to his love. George had jokingly drawn on a fake moustache and sprayed the water hose in the garden at a ferocious dragon called Jimmy to save me from the tree I was stuck on, dressed in dungarees and a pink t-shirt. He never actually saved me though; once he'd passed the fearsome beast he would raise his water hose and splash me until I fell. He was Mario and I was Princess Peach. We played this game several times in the summers, alternating between playing with the Gameboy and roleplaying. It was his way to cheer me up whenever my thoughts drifted to another world.
"Come on Ange, we have to go before we're late." Alicia stood up and pulled her bag on her shoulder with a huff. Many other students were beginning to rise also to get to their first lesson on time.
"Coming," she replied, shovelling a final spoon of porridge into her mouth and following after the blonde with a quick wave over her shoulder.
"Where the bloody hell did Lee get to?" George murmured to himself, looking around the Great Hall for any sign of Lee. "Git wants me to be late."
"I should be going now. I'll see you later, George."
George's head snapped to me and he gathered his bag in his hand and made to stand. "I'll walk you down before-"
"George! Hurry up!" Lee's voice carried through the Great Hall from his position just outside the large doors, his arms wildly waving around himself and almost hitting a few Beauxbatons students in the face.
He was about to shout a response until a twin voice spoke. "Go on, George, I'll walk Ella to the kitchen."
"Are you sure? I don't mind, s'not like I've never been late before," George said, eyeing his twin dubiously like a teacher would do to a student claiming to be ill for the third day in a row.
"I can go by myself, you don't need to go out of your way, I'll be fine," I said, thinking on my feet for a reason not to be alone with Fred.
Fred patted George on the back before lightly shoving him. "Go on. It's almost Christmas break and the last thing we need is for you to be in detention when we have better things to do."
The struggle to decide whether to stay or leave was evident in his expression, but his eyes lingered on his brother for long seconds before he grinned and ran out of the Great Hall. He actually left me with his devil twin. I would have been angry but just then Fred beckoned me to follow him with a kind smile.
I kept my head low as we squeezed through the mass of students exiting the Great Hall. Fred's lithe body was easily moving through the crowd. In fact, the students seemed to be parting for him in an exact replica of the Red Sea parting for Moses. Or Musa, however you liked to call him. Unfortunately I wasn't as rewarding of the same treatment, as people began pushing their way through as soon as Fred had passed, closing the gap and separating us.
A warm hand gripped my own and I looked up meeting twinkling blue eyes.
"Come on, Princess, keep up."
This time as the students split for him Fred quickly pulled me with him and before I knew it we were on the other side. The walk was silent and rather tense. What could I possibly say to someone who hated squibs? I'd heard plenty of stories about the treatment of squibs from witches and wizards, and none of them were in any way pleasant. Not that I thought Fred would stoop so low, not that low. Only few had spoken about some squibs being welcomed with open arms, but that was a rare occasion, one which I was glad to have experienced from Dumbledore.
As surprising as it was for Fred to offer to walk me to the kitchen, his presence was somewhat comforting, if tense, for once. Sure, he may not like me but at least he had the decency to show kindness in my moment of anxiety. Whatever the reason, his parents brought him up well for sure.
"I'm not going out of my way," Fred's voice cut through my thoughts.
"Huh?"
He cast a quick look at me before facing forward again. "Escorting you back to the kitchen; I'm not going out of my way to do it."
"Oh. So…you don't have a lesson now? What about George and Lee?"
"They have herbology right now, the only class George and I aren't in together. Surprised?"
"Um, yeah. I just thought-"
"That we'd pass and fail all the same subjects?" I nodded shyly. He chuckled. "Almost. Passed charms and defence against the dark arts together and then he passed herbology and I passed transfiguration."
My eyes widened. "You two only got three OWLs each?"
"Yup."
I didn't know what else to say. I had thought that the twins would have had far more lessons and OWLs like all their classmates.
"You must have a pretty decent timetable then," I muttered, but Fred heard and laughed, shocking me.
"You could say that. With only three subjects there's a lot of free time to cause havoc," he grinned and I found myself smiling back. "Shame that Filch is catching on though."
My smile slipped, replaced by a frown. "Why do you torment Filch so much?"
"It's fun," Fred shrugged.
I crossed my arms over my chest. "It's cruel. Just because he can't defend himself doesn't give you the right to…to…bully him. Think of how hard it must be for him."
I honestly didn't know why I was defending Filch as much as I was, for I knew he could be a terrible nuisance to the students, provoking them to pull out their wands in a show of supremacy. Hell, he had even done so to me and I had often felt myself itching to get a whack at him. But for a wizard to consciously do that to a defenceless squib…it was bordering on barbaric. And why would he stop at Filch? The power one got from defeating a weak prey could be addictive. Who's to say one day he wouldn't do that to me?
Fred scoffed. "Oh yeah, must be real hard stalking the castle at all hours with a ruddy cat."
"That isn't all he does."
"Oh, do enlighten me on the wondrous efforts of Filch."
"Stop it!"
"I haven't bloody done anything!"
"Leave Filch alone and go bug someone like yourself," I said, unable to think up more reasons for my argument.
"Why don't you stay with people like yourself?"
"Why do you hate squibs so much?" I yelled. His words stung deeply and I almost flinched, recalling words so similar like a repressed memory crawling out of an ancient grave.
He was contemplating with a face of calm. A passer-by would never have thought we were yelling at each other moments prior. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and tickled the pear, pushing the portrait open when the doorknob popped into existence. He held the door open and gestured me forward with a nod of his head.
The house elves had finished clearing the mess from breakfast already and many had already started on the makings of lunch. Dobby was having his break on the armchair, attempting to read my fairy-tale book upside down which I had lent him after finishing it to Bonnie. He was wearing violent odd socks again and a dangerously ugly hat. Fred was still quiet, resuming his stance of insouciance against the wall with his hands in his pockets, staring into the galaxies of nothing.
"Hello, Dobby," I greeted the house elf, angling the book until it was upright between his long emaciated fingers.
"Misses Ella! Thank you! How is your morning?"
I giggled at the over excited creature and perched myself on the arm of his chair. Dobby always had a fine way of cheering me up. "I had a fine morning, thank you, Dobby. Had breakfast up in the Great Hall with all the other students."
He nodded. "Yes, Mister Wheezes say he take you up there."
"George? Is he here?"
"No, Misses Ella, he says it last night," Dobby explained and pointed to the book. "What is this story?"
I peered over his shoulder. "That's Cinderella. The one before it is Beauty and the Beast and the one after is Sleeping Beauty. Have you read any yet?"
His large orbs dimmed in sadness. "No, Dobby cannot. Bonnie read the Beasty story though."
"Oh yeah? And how did you like it?" I asked, smiling in pride at having taught Bonnie to read well enough to read to others.
"It was wonderful!" Dobby grinned, throwing his arms up in the air as he recounted his favourite moments. "And Belle was very nice to Beast, even though he was very, very different to everyone around him. Ooh! Misses Ella! You are beautiful like Belle."
I laughed. "Thank you, Dobby. But I'm sure she was far lovelier. After all, she does turn into a Princess by marrying the Beast."
"But Beast isn't really a beast. He is just like all others underneath."
I smiled affectionately and rubbed his hat as he returned to looking at the pictures in the book. Fred's hand on my shoulder alerted me to his presence.
"I didn't mean it."
"I know."
"I'm sorry," he apologised.
"Me too."
The corner of his lip twitched upwards, showing a hint of a smile. "What are you sorry for? Being right?"
"For yelling. It was out of order. I have a bit of a temper when I'm pissed off enough."
"Noted. Now then," he flopped into the vacant armchair, spreading his arms and legs out, "What's there to eat?"
"You just had breakfast!"
He quirked his eyebrows up and down, one at a time, slow and then fast. "So? I'm a growing man. I need to maintain these bad boys," he flexed his arms.
"Maintain?" I laughed to distract myself from the sudden gentle fluttering of my stomach. Did Angie give me a rotten egg for breakfast?
"Oi! Cheeky cow. I didn't even get to each much up there, not with Georgie and Leesh petting each other."
"From the sounds of it you shouldn't be one to complain," I said, recalling to Angelina's words from the other day.
Fred scoffed. "Not when there's food around I don't."
"So what does Mister Wheezy desire for breakfast?" I asked, gathering random ingredients, tying an apron around my waist and smoothing my hair into a tighter bun.
He jumped off the armchair and stood beside me, nudging my hip with his. "Pancakes?" He asked sweetly, batting his eyes and smiling. It looked creepy rather than innocent.
"Pancakes it is then!" I giggled, covering his face with my hand. He swept his tongue in a long lick across my hand and ran, laughing wildly as I shrieked.
"Merlin, I haven't had pancakes that good in ages," Fred exclaimed.
Making the pancakes had taken far longer than it should have with Fred there, throwing things at me from across the bench and then pulling my hair out of its bun. He didn't stop until the pancakes were all cooked, many burned. Eating the pancakes was no struggle, for I now came to the conclusion that the Weasley twins were completely identical in terms of their anatomy. Their bottomless pits of stomachs were black holes, forcing in anything edible in sight and then destroying the evidence, leaving no trace of it ever happening.
"I'm glad," I said.
We cleared the mess together, much more calmly now that our stomachs were full.
"Were you actually upset, before?" Fred asked, leaning against the counter as I washed up.
"About what?"
"About George and Alicia."
Was I? Well, yes, of course. "I guess," I shrugged.
"Why?" he asked, his tone genuinely bemused.
I honestly did not know how to answer. So I said nothing. Sometimes silence is the best answer you can offer.
"I'm sorry," he said again.
"I know."
"Are you coming to the Ball?"
I shook my head. "No."
"You should," he insisted. "Ella…"
My hazel eyes met his shining blue orbs. I had never imagined this scenario ever playing out. He was going to ask me. Just as we were bordering on friendship. In the few seconds between his words my mind conjured up a million and one thoughts. And I found myself really wanting him to ask me. If I couldn't go with George, surely his twin brother would be the next best thing, especially as we were on good terms. It would be a great excuse to attend the once in a lifetime Ball. I focused on his moving lips and the words his voice carried, willing my mind to stop twisting it into what I wanted to hear.
"You should come. You'll regret it if you don't. I've heard it's supposed to be something special."
Oh. "Oh." Damn. "I'll think about it."
Fred grinned. "Good. And if you chicken out you can expect a visit from a devilishly handsome Weasley twin," he ended with a wink.
Damn. I really wanted to answer that almost question.
His twinkling blue eyes were the most comforting things in the world to me, in this world. Everything about him was soothing and lovely. His voice, gravelly yet soft; his face wrinkly and youthful; his smirk crinkled and cheeky. I was growing to love this man.
"Ella. How nice to see you again," he smiled as I entered the loud spherical room and perched myself in the usual armchair.
"Dumbledore," I nodded in greeting.
"How is everything? Well, I hope."
"Yes, everything is fine."
"I heard you are excelling in care of magical creatures. I must say I'm very pleased you are acquainting yourself so well with the creatures from our world."
Our. He said our world. I was a part of this world, of his world.
"Thank you," I chuckled nervously.
He peered over his moon spectacles, his marvellous cerulean eyes shining, knowing. "Is there something you wish to discuss, Ella dear?"
I shook my head. "No, no. Just thought I'd come and see you." My leg bobbed up and down and I scratched the skin beside the nail on my thumb; my nervous twitches.
Dumbledore's gaze was firm and solid. "I was just…wondering if perhaps…if it was permissible for me to…perhaps I could- can I go to the Yule Ball? Not that I've decided to go or anything but I'm still thinking about it and if I need to decide on the spot I'll need to know then and there."
He leaned back in his chair and smiled. Fawkes squawked from his pole, his wings flailing before relaxing, his magnificent red feathers glowing. "I do not see a reason as to why you are not to attend. I have noticed your ever growing friendship with the Weasley twins. I expected this, of course, with all their kitchen rendezvous'." He winked. "By all means feel free to attend the Yule Ball. Everyone is invited, after all. It would be a shame for you to miss it."
I chuckled in relief. "Why am I always so nervous when I come to you?"
"My dear, know this: whatever fear burns at you, whatever worries cloud your thoughts, whatever achievement you wish to pride yourself in, remember that there will always be someone there to hear you, hold you. I hope I can be this person for you, Ella. Now then, onto the business of your outfit. I assume you will not be wanting to wear the traditional dress robes, rather a dress? And we mustn't forget your date…after all, I have noticed your growing relationship with the Weasley twins and a certain Mr Jordan…"