Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Bingo

"I can't believe it", Percy said as he sat on the teacher's desk in the transfiguration classroom. Despite him promising that we would have detention two days after the start of term for the stunt we pulled on the train, it didn't get scheduled until Sunday evening. Apparently, it's not actually against the rules to have a scavenger hunt on the Hogwarts Express, and Percy had to convince McGonagall that we deserved to be in detention. Honestly, I'm surprised it took this long to get it organized. McGonagall usually doesn't need much convincing when it comes to us. Percy crossed his arms and fixed us with a disappointed frown. "I can't believe that four out of my five younger siblings earned detention before the start of the second week of school". The fourth sibling being Ron. When Malfoy had arrived at the hospital wing throwing up slugs, Madam Pomfrey, of course, got the full story. Which led to Ron receiving detention with the rest of us.

"Why can't you believe it?" Lee asked from the desk he was sitting in next to George. "You're the one who gave me and the triplets detention".

Fred nodded from the desk he was sitting in which was next to mine. "Seems to me that you put a lot of effort into this".

"What's the matter, Percy?" George asked. "Did you miss us that badly? It's only been a week since school started".

"It's too bad you didn't find a reason to give Ginny a detention" Fred continued. "Then we could have had a family get-together. With Lee, included of course".

Percy clenched the sleeves of his robes with both hands as his eyes tracked whoever was speaking. He looked like he wanted to interrupt but was unsure when he should. "So, what are we going to do?" I asked. Mostly, because I didn't want to spend this whole hour watching Fred and George bait Percy. It's fun for the first five minutes. But any longer is like listening to It's A Small World on repeat. "Homework? Dust the classroom? Scrub the floors? Organize McGonagall's transfiguration animals in alphabetical order?"

Percy stared at me for a good solid minute. I ended up propping my chin on my hand with my elbow resting on the desktop as I waited for him to formulate an answer. It was like he couldn't decide if I was being serious or mocking the sanctity that is detention. Sarcasm has a tendency to go over his head. "You'll be writing lines", he said after a moment.

Lee, Fred, and George groaned in sync as Ron exclaimed, "That's boring!"

Percy uncrossed his arms just so he could push his glasses further up his nose. "Don't complain", he snapped. "The only reason you're in detention with me is because I was already supervising one for these four. Otherwise, you'd be polishing trophies in the trophy room or helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail. Now, take out some parchment and quills", Percy said, directing the last part at everyone. Rolling my eyes, I complied. Better lines than being stuck with Lockhart for an hour.

With much moaning and grumbling, the boys did the same. Though, only so they could play with Percy's nerves. "Ron", Percy started once we all had writing materials in front of us. "You'll write, 'I will not use magic against other students". George raised a hand before Percy could continue. Percy looked at him for half a second before turning to the next person, but George started waving it aggressively in the air so it was impossible to ignore. "What?" Percy asked, bitingly.

"I think Ron should write something else", George said as he lowered his hand, imitating a model student. Percy was probably regretting making a big fuss out of the train scavenger hunt by now if his twitching eyebrow was anything to go off. "Something like, 'I will not use slugs to teach prats to not be elitist scum'".

"Or how about, 'I will not torture innocent slugs by conjuring them into a Slytherin's mouth'?" Lee offered up his own suggestion.

"I think I prefer the sentence, 'Malfoy eats slugs', myself" Fred added his two cents. I glanced over at Ron, who had taken to staring down at his parchment to try and hide his smile. Despite what Ron felt or thought, Fred and George always had Ron's back when it comes to forces outside of our family. He was just so fun to mess with that it wasn't always obvious.

Percy cleared his throat, looking down at the floor. He was in charge of this detention. He was tasked with the challenge of helping us see the error of our ways. Even if he was of a similar mind as the rest of them. "If Ron wants to", Percy said slowly, refusing to look at anyone. "He may write 'In the future, I will not waste slugs'". We all beamed at Percy, as Ron dipped his quill into his inkwell before writing the second option Percy had given him. Sometimes it is easy to forget that under Percy's rule-following demeanor, his compulsive need for control, and order there is a Gryffindor. "Fred, George, and Jordan will write, 'There is no acceptable reason to steal someone's hair or prefect badge". This time there was no complaint, as the three best friends started writing once Percy had finished talking. It was a win to get him to relent with Ron. No need to push it. "And Holly will write, 'I must not instigate misbehavior from others".

I wrinkled my nose. "I don't instigate things", I insisted, mustering up my best offended voice.

Percy glances at me with his chin tilted downward and his glasses rested at the very tip of his nose. He had never looked more like a librarian. "Weren't you the one keeping score?"

"Yes, but-"

"She also came up with the list of items for us to find", George piped up.

"So, technically it was her idea to get your prefect's badge", Fred pointed out.

I turned my head so that my fellow triplets could see my narrowed eyes. They just smiled. Traitors. "I never specified that it had to be your prefect's badge", I defended myself as I looked back at Percy. The unmoved look on his face told me that that little detail didn't make a difference in the slightest. "I was blackmailed into participating", I blurted out as a last-ditch effort. Of course, I know that nothing I said would get me out of writing lines. I just didn't want to be known as the instigator.

But then Fred, George, and Lee started to laugh through their noses with their mouths closed, and I knew that I had taken a misstep. Percy pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, canceling out his librarian look. "How were you blackmailed?" Oh, bother.

I cleared my throat. "So, how many times do you want to write, 'I will not instigate others?"

"Holly, how were you blackmailed?" Percy repeated his question, having picked up the snickering of the other fourth-years in the room. Even Ron was looking up in curiosity.

"Oh, I wouldn't call it blackmail", Fred said, jumping in. He waited until Percy was looking at him before continuing. "It was more like buying Holly's help by agreeing to keep a secret".

"That is literally the definition of blackmail", I said with a slightly raised voice as I gestured with my hands.

"But we really only agreed to not tell Bill or Charlie", George pointed out.

"What secret?" Percy asked. His eyes flashed in my direction, but seeing as Fred and George were being more forthcoming, he turned his attention back to them.

"It's not a secret", I tried to interject. "Just something personal".

But no one was listening to me anymore. "Holly got herself a boyfriend", Lee piped up, stealing Fred and George's thunder. Not that they minded. Since it was technically Lee who spilled the beans, I wouldn't be completely justified in being peeved at them.

Ron snorted. The brat. "That's old news", he said, having already turned back to his lines. And by the unmoved look on Percy's face, I'd say Percy agreed with him.

"Oh ho", George disagreed with humor. "But Holly only declared her and Pucey as official on the train". George said, putting air quotes around the word official. And they say girls are terrible gossips.

"And our dear older brothers don't know about how close Holly and Pucey had gotten over the summer", Fred continued, grinning in my direction. He was just asking me to slip toad guts into his socks. "Imagine what Bill and Charlie would do if they learned that their little sister was getting cozy with a Slytherin".

I gestured with my hands again to express how ridiculous this was. But really, I blame myself. I should have just written the lines without making any sort of comment. "How is that any different from their youngest sister being in Slytherin?" I asked.

"So", Percy stepped in before anyone could answer me. In a way, I was grateful. Ginny being a Slytherin was still fresh, and we didn't need to say anything and risk it coming out wrong. "You only ran the scavenger hunt to keep them from telling our older brothers that you were dating Pucey?"

"Yes", I answered. Maybe, Percy would see it from my point of view. Even though I did have fun running the scavenger hunt once it was underway.

Percy cleared his throat. "Right", he said. "Holly will write, 'I am too young to date". I slapped a hand on my face as my fellow triplets, Lee, and Ron immediately started laughing. Merlin, spare me from overprotective brothers.

"What are you doing?" Adrian asked as he peered over my shoulder, holding his arithmancy book open with his left hand.

I glanced at him from the parchment that I had made into a grid containing twenty-five squares. Each square, except for a blank one in the middle, had a word or phrase on the inside. Fred, George, and Lee had one as well. Except their boxes had different phrases or words. I had made them the previous night in detention when I was supposed to be writing lines. So far, I was glad that I did. "We're playing word bingo", I whispered as Lockhart struts around the front of the classroom in violet robes. He looked like a peacock. Word bingo would be the second challenge in the yearlong competition. Mostly because I was bored, and Lockhart was the perfect teacher to do this too.

Adrian squinted his eyes, making his eyebrows slant inward. "What in Merlin's name is bingo?" I had to stop myself from giggling. Hearing the word bingo come out of his posh mouth made me aware of what a silly-sounding word it was. Bingo. At least he didn't have to ask who I was referring to when I said we.

Sliding my parchment closer to him on our shared desk, I explained, "It's a game. Each box has something inside of it, and when it's said aloud you get to mark it off. You win when you have a full row marked off, and then you have to call out bingo so the other players know you've won. The version we're playing uses words or phrases, but the traditional version uses letters and numbers".

"Why?" Adrian asked slowly. That was often his response to what my brothers and I do for entertainment. It makes me wonder what he does to amuse himself. Huh. Now that I think about it, as his girlfriend, that is something I should probably figure out.

I shrugged as Lockhart started talking about his personal robe designer. "We're bored and stressed and this is both fun and distracting". I answered as honestly as I could without mentioning the Angelina contest. Adrian can keep a secret; I have no doubt. But if someone was listening in, they could spread it around. And I was trying to avoid Angelina finding out as long as possible.

Lockhart mentioned his award-winning smile for the first time during this class. Hurriedly, I glanced down at my paper to mark off a box. Two more and I'd have the left diagonal. Adrian understood the boring part. Everyone in this room, except Lockhart, was bored. Adrian wouldn't be working on Arithmancy if he wasn't. So, when he asked, "why" a second time, I knew what he was asking about.

In response, I gave him a hard look until he caught on. Adrian directed his eyes back to his book before rolling them. Of course, I couldn't tell him about the diary without explaining how I knew what it was, so I had to let him fill in the blank. "Your sister is fine", he assured me in a voice that sounded more annoyed than comforting.

"I know", I muttered, although I really didn't... None of us Gryffindor Weasleys had seen any mistreatment when we passed Ginny in the halls. But it still felt concerning that we don't get the chance to verbally check in with her every day. "It's just", I said, pausing as I planned my words out. From the desk in front of Adrian and me, I watched as George hurriedly marked off one of his boxes. Lockhart must have said one of George's buzz words. "Ginny said some things on Saturday that I have questions about".

Adrian sighed as loud as he could in class without being called out. "Of course, you do".

I nudged his foot with mine under the desk to tell him that I didn't appreciate the attitude, but otherwise ignored him. "Why can't I give her hugs in public?"

"Do you want her to look weak?" Adrian retorted. "If she looks like a little girl needing comfort from her elder siblings, she'll get exploited". I tried to think of a time that I had hugged Adrian in public to refute his argument. But I couldn't come up with one memory. I have hugged him. Just not in front of people that weren't family. I guess we weren't a really affectionate pair. "She said there were rules she'd have to follow to get respect. What rules?" I asked, moving on. No point in arguing if I wasn't sure I could win.

"The same variation of rules all houses have", Adrian answered. But at my inquiring look, he went into further detail. "In your common room, where do the first-years sit?"

Weird question. "Anywhere they like", I said, giving my knee-jerk response. But then I thought about it a bit more. Oh. "But they are expected to give up their seats if an older student wants it".

Adrian nodded to signal that I was thinking in the right direction. "In Slytherin, we have an unspoken rule that cushioned furniture is reserved for the upper years. The younger years may use the wooden furniture unless otherwise invited". Well, that didn't sound too bad. "And I've heard that Hufflepuff has their first years sit on the floor during house meetings", Adrian added. Yeah, I guess we did all have our own rules. "She'll also run into trouble if she lets any non-Slytherins into our common room, if she doesn't support the Slytherin quidditch team, and if she doesn't respect her mentor, which is me".

Mentor? "Ginny said something about you being her mentor. And you're making it sound like an actual thing". My comment caused Adrian to shoot me a surprised look as Lockhart started explaining all the loops and curls in his signature by writing it very slowly on the blackboard.

"You don't have a mentoring program in Gryffindor?" He asked.

"A what?" I questioned further, wrinkling my forehead in confusion.

"Gryffindor's new students. You don't pair them with an older student to help them survive the first semester? To orient them to Hogwarts?" Adrian asked, describing what he meant as a mentor in the process.

"No", I answered, drawing out the word. He makes it sound like we're leaving the first years to be devoured by lions. I mean, it's not like Gryffindor house has lost any of its first years. "They can ask for help if they need it, I guess. But if they do something stupid it's their own fault and they need to fix it".

"Unbelievable", Adrian said to himself as he shook his head. "No wonder Gryffindors are so brash; having to figure out things for themselves".

"We like independent thinkers", I said, getting a bit offended on my house's behalf.

"No", Adrian disagreed with a quiet snort. "Your house likes rash actions. Thinking has never been Gryffindor's forte". I squinted my eyes at him. Well, gee Adrian. Tell me how you really feel. "The older Slytherins are responsible for the younger students until they find their footing. Mentorships are usually set up between families in advance. It is seen as a way to encourage business relations between different bloodlines. Those that aren't organized ahead of time get matched up by the prefects after the sorting. Usually, girls are placed with girls and boys with boys. But due to my connection to you, I was able to petition to be Ginevra's mentor based on a familiar obligation". Well, that sounded both protective and awkward at the same time. Though, I suppose, I should just be happy that Ginny didn't end up with Stimpson as a mentor. Now, that would have been a nightmare.

All of Adrian's answers were calming me down, as evident by my loosening back muscles. But I still had one more question. "Why are you calling her Ginevra?"

Adrian had turned back to his book, and this time he didn't bother to look at me as he answered, "Ginevra is a respectable and dignified name for a witch. Ginny is a sentimental, childish nickname. No one, other than your family, is close enough to your sister to use it". So, it's a manners thing? That's why Ginny's going by her full name? I thought as I looked back at my bingo boxes. "Holly", Adrian said after a brief moment of silence. Well, silence for us. Lockhart was still going on about how great he was. I hummed at Adrian, to let him know I was listening. "I don't mind assisting your sister, but the next time we meet can we just focus on us?"

That had me snapping my head back up to look at the boy sitting next to me. He kept his gaze focused on his book. Though I doubt he was actually reading at this point. Right, we've accepted that we're in a relationship and should, therefore, do relationship things.

I could feel my face get a little warm as I smiled at Adrian, although he didn't see it. "Want to meet up in the library sometime this week?"

"I was thinking we'd take a walk around the grounds. Perhaps during our lunch break".

"That sounds nice", I agreed.

In front of us and slightly to the left, Lee suddenly sat up straight; causing his chair to make creaking sounds. "Bingo!" He declared right in the middle of class. Lockhart paused in his assessment of himself as he stared at Lee in shock. Out of all the things he imagined people would say when he presented them with his skill set, bingo probably wasn't one of them.

"Mr. Jordan-", Lockhart started to say, but Fred spoke over him.

"Ah", He complained. "I was only one away".

I looked back at my bingo sheet. Seems I had completely forgotten I was playing.