Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Train Extravaganza
With the diary safely in our possession and no Dobby-related incidents when we boarded the train, we were feeling confident. Apparently, so confident that Fred and George couldn't settle for a quiet train ride. "Alright", George announced to our compartment as we pulled away from the train station. We had just finished waving goodbye to Mum and Dad and empowering Ginny to feel brave enough to sit with some of the other first years. "This is the start of a 291-day school year, not excluding weekends and holiday breaks".
Looking away from the window, I glanced over at George. When we had filed into our compartment, we ended up with Lee and I taking the window seats, with Fred sitting next to me and George next to Lee. "When did you calculate that?" I asked. But what I really want to know is why he calculated that.
My question is ignored. "Which means we have 291 days to decide who gets to date Angelina", Fred continued. His comment had me rolling my eyes.
"Oh, Merlin", I complained. Though Lee had perked up considerably.
"And we'll do that through a series of competitions", George said.
"The one with the most wins at the end of the school year gets to ask Angelina on a date", Fred declared as he locked eyes with George like he was making sure the conditions were agreeable to both of them.
"Or you could both ask her out and see who she says yes to", I gave them an alternative. Though if they did that, Angelina should say yes to Fred since he's the one she's been writing to over the summer.
Fred shoots me a look. "Jolly Holly", he said in dry humor as he bumped shoulders with me. "If you get to force your boyfriend into breaking curfew, we get to compete for Angelina's attention".
I clicked my teeth as I tried to come up with a retort. But I couldn't. Touché. So, I settled for saying, "We haven't defined anything". And by that I mean, Adrian and I haven't sat down and discussed the terms or titles of our budding relationship.
"So", Lee interjected. He waits until I am looking at him to continue. "Does that mean there's still hope for me?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows. I frown. If Lee ever wants to get a girlfriend, he needs to stop doing that.
George steps in before I can say anything particularly hurtful. It's probably for the best. "Want to judge the whole thing, Lee?" He asked.
"No", Lee answered as he turned his head away from me; his voice adopting an air of seriousness. "I want in".
Lee's answer causes Fred and George to grin in a camaraderie that's been absent for the last couple of weeks. It is enough that it almost makes me appreciate Lee. Almost. "You like Angelina too?" I asked, skepticism coating my tone of voice. Though it may be more dread than skepticism on my part. I don't think Hogwarts could survive if George, Fred, and Lee all decided to fight over the same girl.
Lee maintains his serious disposition. He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. "I like all of the girls, Jolly Holly. But don't worry. You'll always be in my top ten".
I blink once as a little part of me dies for the second time. Then I blinked again before coming to a decision. "Alright, it's official". I said. Hell, I'd say anything if it would get Lee to turn down what he thinks is charisma. "Adrian's my boyfriend and no one should flirt with me ever again", I declared, directing the last bit at Lee.
Fred snorts. "Shouldn't you talk to Pucey about that first?" I flapped a hand at him to wave off his concern. For some reason, I don't think Adrian will mind.
George shakes his head, though there's an amused smile on his face. "Okay, us three will compete for the right to ask Angelina on a date", he amended. "And Holly will judge".
"No, I won't", I immediately said, already imagining the drama this would create in the fourth-year girls' dorm.
"Yes, you will", Fred argued.
"Unless you want us to write to Bill and Charlie about your new Slytherin boyfriend". George threatened in support of Fred. I bit my lip. . These gits. They would do it too.
"Fine", I relented, almost growling. Hopefully, Angelina wouldn't be too offended by this when she finds out.
Fifteen minutes later, the boys were tightening their shoelaces, stretching in the limited compartment space, and riling each other up by talking smack. We had decided the first challenge in their year-long competition would be a scavenger hunt on the train. As they prepared themselves for general tomfoolery, I was busy with some spare parchment and a quill; coming up with rules and items for them to find. "You guys ready?" I asked once I was satisfied.
All three boys nodded eagerly. This would probably be the most entertaining train ride we've ever had. "Alright, here's the rules. To win you have to be the first one to find every item on the list and bring it back to me. You have to bring them one at a time and I'll tell you the next item after you complete the previous one. You can't use magic to conjure or summon any items, and you can't use magic to interfere with each other". That last rule is there mostly because I think the odds of us getting in trouble for this stunt was greater if we accidentally started a duel on the train.
"Sounds fair", Fred and George said at the same time. While Lee nodded his assent; bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Alright, I'll tell you the first item, then on the count of three you can go", I said. I waited for all three of them to nod before continuing. "The first item is an unopened chocolate frog".
Lee guffawed as a confident smirk overtook his face. "That's easy! Couldn't you have come up with something harder"
"One", I counted.
"But the trolley won't come around until noon", George pointed out, effectively wiping the triumphant look off of Lee's face.
"Two".
"How are we going to get a chocolate frog before the trolley comes around?" Fred asked, looking towards the other two to see if they had any clue.
"Three". Immediately, the boys scrambled for the compartment door, just about climbing over each other. They fumble with the handle before managing to slide the door open with a bang. Spilling out into the hallway, they dart off; pushing and shoving each other as they fight to be in front.
Sighing, I stood up with the quill and parchment in hand. Briefly, I weighed the benefits of closing the compartment door and locking it. But I kind of want to see how this plays out. So instead, fighting a smile, I sit in the door jam of the compartment with my back keeping the door open. This way I can watch the boys' comings and goings. I also hoped, vaguely, that they slowed down when they changed train cars. It would be hard to explain to Mum how Fred, George, or their best friend got pushed from a moving train. Though this is a magical train filled with children. Maybe someone had the foresight to make that impossible.
I get a few strange looks from passing students for sitting on the floor in front of an empty compartment. Though a little blonde first-year did stop and said, "You're quite right, you know. That compartment is absolutely filled with nargles". I knew who she was the moment after she said that. She was short, as all first-years tend to be, with long curly hair, silvery eyes, and she was wearing mismatched socks. At once, I was very sad that J.K. Rowling didn't include Luna earlier in the series, because as an eleven-year-old she was absolutely adorable. I sent her in the direction of where I knew Ginny was sitting. Hopefully, the two girls would hit it off. I think I need a bit of Luna Lovegood in my life.
The first one back was Lee. He was huffing and puffing as he tossed an unopened chocolate frog into my lap. "Where did you get it?" I asked as I marked down one point for Lee on my piece of parchment.
"There's no time for that, woman!" He said between pants. "Give me the next item!"
Just for that, I spoke painfully slow as I told him, "Find a pink quill".
"Pink quill", Lee muttered to himself as he took off in the opposite direction than he last came from. "Pink quill! I need a pink quill!" He yelled as he ran.
Fred came back next. "Begged it off of a second-year Hufflepuff", Fred explained as I sent him off to find a red quill.
George had taken the longest, but he had taken the most logical path by tracking down the trolley witch at the front of the train. "You need to find a purple quill", I told him. George nodded as he worked to catch his breath. He turned and took one step before turning back around.
"Holly", he said, much calmer than Lee had been. "Don't you have a purple quill?" I smiled at my brother. Out of us triplets, George has always been the cleverest.
"I do", I answered.
"Can I borrow it?"
"Sure", I said as I bobbed my head into our compartment. "It's in my trunk. Should be near the top". With a grin, George hopped over my legs and started rummaging through my trunk in the overhead racks. Meanwhile, I unboxed one of the chocolate frogs, Lee's I think, and took a bite. A moment later, I accepted my purple quill, which had been a Christmas present from Bill, from George.
"What's next?" He asked.
"Something quidditch related", I said around a mouthful of chocolate; having fun despite myself. It's hard to not have fun when you're related to Fred and George. George leaves in search of the next item at a slower gait than the others. His strategy is probably smarts over speed.
At this point, we were gaining the attention of our neighbors. Some were peeking their heads out, while others asked what was going on. A brief answer of, "it's Fred and George", was enough to get the veteran students to lose interest. However, one compartment on the other end of the car did not.
"Oh, I should have known you'd be behind all this ruckus", a prissy voice said that made my skin crawl as two pairs of shiny, well-maintained leather shoes entered my field of vision.
I fight the urge to groan as I look up. One of the pairs of shoes belongs to someone I absolutely want to see. While the other belongs to a person whose facial composition hadn't improved over the summer holidays. "Holly", Adrian said as he ignored the girl standing next to him. "Why are you sitting on the floor?" He sounds almost concerned. How sweet.
"Oh, I keep telling you, Adrian", Stimpson gushes before I can get a word in. "Weasley's not cut from the same cloth as us. Why else would she willingly sit on the dirty floor?"
Her comment annoyed me, but it annoyed me less than normal because Adrian had maintained eye contact with me throughout it. "I'm currently in the middle of running a scavenger hunt", I said, speaking only to Adrian.
I could see the question forming on Adrian's lips, but Stimpson beats him to it. "How childish!".
I didn't have to respond as Lee, with his impeccable timing, appeared at that moment. He runs down the hall, waving a hot pink quill over his head. "I got it", he yelled. I marked another point for Lee on the parchment as he pushed between Stimpson and Adrian. Stimpson implemented an upfronted expression. While Adrian just looked resigned. "What's next?" Lee asked eagerly, the quill still clenched in his fist.
Before I could tell him, we were interrupted again. "Hey! That's mine!" Cried a high-pitched voice. The four of us looked down the hallway in the direction that Lee had come from. A red-faced, brown-haired girl from one of the younger years stalked towards us. Her hands were balled into fists and her arms swung angrily at her sides. We watched in silence, even Stimpson, as the girl plucked her stolen quill out of Lee's grip before going back to her compartment.
As soon as the girl was out of sight, Lee snapped his head to face me. "That still counts right?" I nod to tell him that it does. It was funny enough that I won't count it against him.
Adrian's voice was low and flat as he asked, "Stealing from second-years are we Jordan?" All of us and anyone else who might be listening could hear the judgment in Adrian's words.
Lee doesn't even need a second before reacting. "All's fair in love and war!" He declared jabbing a singular finger into Adrian's face to make his point. I choked on a laugh. Angelina was going to be absolutely horrified. "Next item?" Lee asked me, as Adrian shoved Lee's finger away from his nose.
"Something quidditch related", I told him. Lee stood still as he thought.
Stimpson huffed. "What an absolute waste of time", she said snottily. "It's no wonder you Gryffindors never amount to anything".
It is unclear if Lee heard her, or if he would have grabbed her by the shoulders even if Stimpson hadn't said anything. He gives her two little shakes, startling her with his abruptness before asking, "do you have anything that has to do with quidditch?"
"O-of course not", Stimpson stammers as she tries to get Lee's hands off her. "Quidditch isn't ladylike".
"Ugh", Lee complains as he spins the two of them around so he could get on the other side of Stimpson. Hurriedly, I slid my legs up, so my knees are bent against my chest to prevent myself from being stepped on. "Bloody useless", Lee said as he took off running again. Just for his last comment, I am almost tempted to give Lee an additional point.
I was working hard to keep a gleeful grin off my face, and Adrian must have noticed because he asked "having fun?" in such a sarcastic way that I know he already knows the answer to that.
"So much fun", I said looking up at him as I unbent my legs again. "This kills time at any rate". I spare a quick glance at Stimpson. Only to see that she's quickly regaining her footing, and looks like she's getting ready to insult me again. But we can't have that, so I said, "There's also something I should tell you, Adrian". I looked back at him and kept my gaze locked onto his steely grey pupils.
He raises an eyebrow and leans forward ever so slightly. "And what would that be?" He sounds almost teasing.
I shrugged nonchalantly as if it wasn't a big deal. "About an hour ago, I decided that you are officially my boyfriend by announcing it to Fred, George, and Lee to get Lee to stop flirting with me. So, we are now in a publicly recognized relationship. Congratulations".
I expected to get an exasperated eye roll and a lecture about how I've broken some form of pureblood social protocol. But instead, Adrian smirks down at me with a pleased and entertained glean in his eyes. "You couldn't wait for me to ask you properly?"
Stimpson had taken to opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water, and it was making my day. I genuinely smiled up at Adrian as I answered, "I'm going to be the one to call the shots in our relationship".
Adrian snorts as he stands up straight. "Debatable".
Stimpson finally lost it. She stomps her foot once and screeches. "Adrian, you can't date her! She's a blood traitor!" She's so loud that heads have started to peak out of their compartments again.
Adrian, bless him, did not grow tense or irate under the scrutiny of the student body. Instead, he rolled his shoulders, as if working out a kink. "Stimpson", he said calmly over her hysteria. "Please don't refer to my significant other in such a way. After all, now that we are official", he said, throwing my words back at me. "If you insult Holly, you insult me". Damn, did I manage to prevent both Lee and Stimpson from messing with me? If so, I should have named Adrian my boyfriend sooner. Stimpson's bottom lip starts to poke out. She lets out a little whimper before the floodgate opens and the water pours out of her tear ducts. Clinging to probably what she thinks is her last shred of dignity, Stimpson spins on her heels and hurries back to their compartment. No doubt to complain to the other Slytherins in our year about how I've stolen Adrian from her.
"This is a good day", I said in satisfaction after I watched her disappear back into her compartment.
This time, Adrian does roll his eyes, as he offers a hand to help me up. I allow it by putting my parchment and quill to the side and gripping his hand. But only because I want to be on a more even level for this conversation. Once I am on my feet, Adrian uses our joined hands to pull me in closer. "Did you actually decide that we are a couple, or did you say that just because of Stimpson?" Good question.
"No, I actually meant it", I said, boldly leaning in. "Stimpson being there to witness was just a bonus".
"I suppose I can forgive you then", Adrian said in a deep voice. "for making work for me. You know, now I'm going to have to deal with a weepy Stimpson for the rest of the trip".
Well, that does sound awful. "You can stay here", I offered. "We have room in our compartment". We had leaned in so close, that Adrian had to look down, and I had to tilt my head back so our noses could touch.
"No", He answered, and I could feel his breath on my skin. "I should head off the rumor mill before Stimpson takes too many liberties. Or at least the Slytherin side of it". My lips twitched upward. Yes, it wouldn't do to have his good name tarnished. "That word, boyfriend. I know it's used as a more casual version of a suitor. Is it a muggle thing?"
"Hmm", I hummed, getting dangerously close to brushing my lips against his. "Maybe in origin", I said. In all honesty, it was never something I've ever thought about.
For a moment, I believed it was actually going to happen. I was actually going to get my first kiss as Holly, after attempting to do so for the majority of the summer. However, I really should know better by now. "One red quill", Fred exclaimed as he appeared out of bloody nowhere and shoved the previously mentioned quill between our faces. Successfully breaking Adrian and me apart. "Please, stop trying to snog my sister, Pucey," Fred said with a bit of an edge in his voice. "As you can tell, we are in the middle of something".
"So were we", Adrian grumbles as I accept the red quill from Fred and return to my seat on the floor to give him his point. I blush a little, and it kind of surprises me. Evidently, I have no problem kissing a boy in the middle of a train car, but I'm embarrassed to do so in front of my brother.
"Next you need to find something quidditch related", I informed Fred to stop any trouble that could potentially be brewing between him and Adrian.
Fred nodded and turned to leave after giving Adrian a hard look, but he turned back and asked, "Can I trust you to be alone with him?"
I scowled. "An item. Quidditch related. Go", I said each word slowly and pointedly. Fred snorts but leaves this time. As punishment for his question, I call after him "you're falling behind". Causing him to curse and run faster. "See you tomorrow?" I asked Adrian once Fred was gone.
During my conversation with Fred, Adrian had taken to using his thumb and index finger to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Tomorrow", he agreed. And he started to head back to his shared compartment. But he paused to add. "You know, I look forward to the day when I don't have to share you with your brothers".
I smile back at him. "Sorry, you'll always have to share me with Fred and George".
The next one back is George. He arrives steps ahead of the trolley, where we both have to step back inside our compartment to allow the trolley witch to get through. "I nicked Wood's playbook," He said as he handed me a dog-eared notebook that was labeled on the cover with the words 'top secret'. "He's going to kill me", George admitted with just a little bit of guilt mixed in with his tone.
"I'll keep it safe", I promised with a quirk of my lips. It seemed like neither, Fred, George, nor Lee were going half-assed in this competition. "You're in the lead", I informed George at the same moment that Fred came back.
"Not anymore", He taunted; waving a Chudley cannon pin in my direction. "I knew Ron had one on him", he said as he came to stand next to us. "Is that Wood's playbook?" He sounded like he was both scandalized and proud. "Wood's going to kill us", he repeated George's sentiment from earlier.
"Are you guys ready for the second to last item?" I asked as Diggory passed us in the hallway, slowing down long enough to give us curious looks. He's even taller and even more chiseled looking than he was last year. Alicia is going to be thrilled. At Fred and George's nods, I give them the next item. "A hair from a badger".
"A what?" Fred asked as if he didn't believe he heard me right. "Holly, we're not going to find a badger on the Hogwarts Express". I shrugged at him. This item wasn't as straightforward as the others, and that's why it's fun.
Meanwhile, George had taken to repeating the word badger to himself over and over again. "Maybe in the storage car", he said quietly to himself. "If McGonagall ordered new animals for transfiguration class". It is abundantly clear the moment George figures it out because his whole face lights up. "Oh! Badger! Hufflepuff!" George spins around, and his eyes land on Diggory's back who has already dressed in his school robes. "Diggory", George yelled as he dashed off. "Wait up!".
"Diggory?" Fred repeats in confusion as he turns ever so slightly to watch his identical brother charge at the Hufflepuff seeker. "Oh!" Fred exclaimed when it clicked for him too. And then Diggory had two Weasleys trying to pull at his hair. I wonder if being the game-master behind this whole scavenger hunt makes me a terrible person. Though I suppose that it isn't really important.
Lee comes back seconds later. "Here," he said as he shoved a copy of the daily prophet under my nose. He had it opened to the sports section that was reporting the scores from the last professional quidditch game. "Uh", Lee said as he glanced down the hallway. "Why are Fred and George wrestling with Diggory?"
I answered very nonchalantly. "The next item is a hair from a badger".
Lee didn't need further explanation. With two blinks of the eye, he was also down the hall, trying to get ahold of Diggory's hair. Yeah, I'm a terrible person.
Three plucked hairs and a string of half-hearted apologies later; Fred, George, and Lee are standing in front of me, waiting to hear the last item. "Okay", I said, setting the mood. "All three of you are tied for first. Whoever gets the item and brings it back here first wins". I pause just to build their anticipation. And to think I originally wanted no part in this. Funny how things turn out. "you need to get a prefect's badge".
"Percy!" Fred squawked, as he immediately knew who he wanted to target. He shot off in the direction of the prefects' car with George and Lee right on his heels. I snickered to myself. Poor Percy. Usually, Fred and George avoid him when we are on the train, so he's not going to see this coming.
It takes them a while to make it back. I ended up sitting on the floor again just so I didn't have to wait while standing. But it's worth the wait when I start to hear the sounds of stampeding feet. "Jordan! George! Fred! Give me back my badge this instant!" I heard Percy's vexed and enraged voice before I saw them. I stayed where I was as George entered the train car first, holding Percy's badge out in front of him as if the few extra inches made all the difference of keeping it out of Percy's reach. Fred and Lee came next. They were jogging behind George but instead of trying to get the badge from him or holding badges of their own, it looked like they were doing everything they could to keep Percy from getting to George. All three of them had wide grins on their faces. Percy brought up the rear. His face was so red that his freckles and hairline were invisible. I stayed still as I watched their approach, wondering when this stopped being a competition and started being a group effort. Maybe this silly year-long competition will be good for Fred and George.
"I got it! Here!" George said excitedly as he handed me Percy's prized possession.
I take it and barely glance at it as I declared, "George is the winner".
George pumps a fist in the air and Fred and Lee laugh; surprisingly being good sports. But I think that's mostly because of Percy's indignation. Now that Fred and Lee weren't actively trying to prevent him from reaching George, Percy pushed past them. "This was all a game?" He sputtered in outrage after he had heard me declare George the winner. Furiously, he adjusts his glasses.
"What else would it be?" I asked.
"We don't need your prefect badge", Fred added, face still bright from all his activity.
"But thanks for playing, Perce", George concluded.
"Detention!" Percy cried as he pointed an aggressive finger at all of us, including Lee. "Detention, the day after tomorrow". Hmm, detention assigned when we aren't even on school grounds. That must be a new record.