Fred woke up with a groan, realising the pain in his jaw finally had settled in from last night. As he pushes himself from his pillow, hair stuck to the side of his face he tries to recall the events from the previous evening. There was punching, yelling, people chanting as his fists kept meeting Ambrose's dumb fucking face. He had managed to get a good couple of throws in before it took two burley Durmstrung boys to drag him of Fudge, then he remembers McGonagall yelling. Lots, and lots, of her yelling.

She had questioned him as he sat in the hospital wing, but he wouldn't give her a straight answer. Fred remembers her becoming particularly enraged when she had asked him why he had done such an incredible stupid thing and he had shrugged his shoulders and told her he felt like it. He had never seen her turn that shade of red before, not even when he had sent that toilet seat home to Ginny.

Of course, he would never tell her the real reason, and he didn't care if anyone thought he was a raving lunatic for doing it, it wasn't exactly anyone's business.

As he sits up, he realises George and Lee had already disappeared down to breakfast and with a yawn he finally gets out of bed, searching for some clean clothes from the floor before heading down himself.

Fred walks along the corridor rubbing his jaw, feeling the bruise still raw against his skin. As much as he had enjoyed beating the absolute snot out of him he still couldn't shake that sick feeling from his stomach, he remembers seeing Lilith watching the spectacle looking absolutely horrified, right then he was waiting for her to jump out from behind one of the statues any minute and start yelling at him.

It was slightly worse; it was Malfoy who was heading out of the great hall. Usually whenever he saw the little ferret he was met with a look like Draco had just seen the thing he stepped in, but this time it wasn't the case.

"Nice punch last night Weasley." Is all he says as he brushes past and Fred can't help the look of surprise that's plastered on his face, but he manages to get over it as he enters the hall and takes a seat next to George whose already deep into his breakfast.

"How's the face?"

"Painful." Fred says with a sigh as he reaches for the bacon.

"Worth it?"

He looks at his twin and smirks. "Always."

George scoffs as he keeps chewing. "Are you going to tell me what happened then?"

Fred remains silent as he shoves the bacon into his mouth.

"That came for you by the way."

His eyes finally spot the red envelope on the table and his stomach drops.

"When did that come?" He says as he attempts to swallow.

"Couple of minutes ago. Guessing McGonagall wrote to mum."

"Oh, bloody hell we haven't received one in ages!"

"Who the bloody hell is we? You're the one that decided to go all Sir Cadogan on him."

Fred picks it up and he can already feel it start to warm.

"You better open it."

"I'm not bloody doing it here!"

"We'll all hear it wherever you are, open it!"

Fred sighs. Fine, he'll take the plunge.

FRED WEASLEY!

As soon as he hears his mother's shrill voice, he places his head on the table, hands over his ears.

OF ALL THE STUIPD, IRRESPONSIBLE THINGS TO DO. FIGHTNING! AT THE YULE BALL OF ALL PLACES WITH CORENLIUS FUDGES SON! I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO DISAPPOINTED IN YOU. YOUR FATHER AND I HAVE BEEN CALLED INTO THE SCHOOL TO DISCUSS YOUR PUNISHMENT! I HOPE YOU'RE PROUD OF YOURSELF!

The letter tears itself into shreds and Fred sits there absolutely stunned.

"McGonagall said I was going to get a detention...why are mum and dad coming in?"

Every person in the great hall is now staring at him and he starts to feel sick again.

"Worth it, was it?" George asks in complete disbelief and they both stand from the table and head to McGonagall's office.

It was worse than he feared. Bloody Cornelius Fudge was insisting that Fred should be expelled for fighting with Ambrose. McGonagall disappointed face was almost too much to bear as she told him, that at three pm sharp he was to head to Dumbledores office to find out his fate. As he sat in the courtyard, he felt like a complete idiot cursing the fact he was such a hot head. Why couldn't he just leave well enough alone.

He huffs and looks up, finally noticing Lilith stood there looking down at him. He hadn't seen her after what happened, not up close, and it was only now he was seeing the mark on her lip and throat, and he wonder what fudge had done to even cause that. He could feel his blood start to boil again.

"Can we talk in private, please?"

He nods and follows her out of the courtyard into Flitwick's deserted Charms class, as he closes the door behind him, he stares at her for a moment, and he realises despite the amount of trouble he was in, he didn't regret it.

"What was - OW!" She shoved him, and it kind of hurt, the anger very apparent on her face. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

"Are you an idiot? Do you and George share a sodding brain cell between the two of you? Why did you attack him!"

"Is that a serious question?" He says with utter surprise.

"When did I ask you to do that? How did you..." She pauses for a moment and lets out a breath. "Fucking Johnson. What did she say to you?"

"Nothing." He shrugs but the stare he's receiving forces him to talk. "Just that she saw the marks on your neck, that she was certain - "

'Oh well that's perfectly fine then. Just jump to bloody conclusions why don't you."

"Well it wasn't exactly a big leap!"

"I fell." She says and Fred could have laughed. "Angelina shouldn't be sticking her nose in, neither should you."

"I get it, what I did was dumb - "

"Understatement of the century."

"but...when I saw him just standing there fucking laughing after what Angelina told me...I saw red ok and I just wanted to wipe that stupid smug look off his face for even laying a finger on you."

"You should have talk to me - you should have asked - "

"Would you have told me the truth?"

He can see her jaw clench as she looks away from him, and he already knows what her answer would be.

"You should have told someone."

"It's no one's business, it's not your business and if I didn't want to tell anyone I shouldn't have to."

"Well you seemed to tell Malfoy; I saw you holding him back..."

"Draco is my cousin and he already knew about - " She stops herself and Fred can feel his heart race.

"Knew about what?"

"Nothing." She says rather coldly.

"Knew about what Lil?"

"Nothing." She says again, angrier this time.

"Well, I've learnt my lesson, Considering I'm going to be expelled anyway."

"They aren't going to expel you for fighting."

"Oh really? Because Fudge is insisting on it. Got a meeting in... twenty minutes actually, even dragged my bloody parents in for it."

They stand in silence as the severity of the situation washes over him. What if he is expelled? His mum was going to end up chopping him up and burying him under the floorboards. He'll have to live in the attic with the poltergeist.

"Serves you right for being a prat." Lilith finally says as she turns and storms out of the classroom slamming the door behind her.

Fred sat in-between his parents unable to believe his luck. Six years of school and had never had his parents in, hell, even Ron flew a bloody car to school and all he got was a sodding howler!

Fudge is ranting, going on about what a disappointment to the school Fred is but all he can do is stare at Ambrose, rather pleased with the bruising he had left on his face. All he wants to do is punch him again, and if there wasn't a room full of people he would have.

"I don't expect this kind of behaviour from your students Albus, attacking my son, unprovoked, I won't stand for it."

"Fred, is there something you want to say? Perhaps explain yourself?"

Fred glances at Dumbledore whose he's never seen look more disappointed at him.

"Not really." He says in a low voice and receives a glare from his mother.

"Fred Weasley you will apologise right now - "

"I'm not apologising to that arsehole."

His mother glares at him. "Fred!"

"You see, absolute hooligan!" Fudge holds back the yells.

"Professor?"

Fred never thought he would ever be pleased to hear McGonagall's voice. He turns to look at the old witch but is more shocked when he sees Lilith stood beside her.

"Professor McGonagall we are currently in the middle of - "

She ignores Fudge and looks directly at the elderly wizard. "Professor I have been made aware of some information regarding last night's incident that you should be made aware of immediately."

"And what is that exactly." The headmaster asks as he leans forward in his seat.

"Weasley's perhaps you wouldn't mind waiting downstairs for a moment." McGonagall says as she gestures towards the door, but Ambrose is suddenly rising from his seat.

"This is complete nonsense."

"Nonsense?" Lilith repeats as she finally speaks, as if she's unable to believe that was the word Ambrose decided to use. Fred can see the anger on her face and she's moving towards the pair of them, but McGonagall is the one that grabs her arm and pulls her back.

"Ms Lestrange, we are in the middle of a meeting, how dare you just interrupt like this. I thought you would have better manners than that."

He sees her take a deep breath, as if she's trying not to yell. "Minster I insist that you stop this tirade against Fred. "

"Fred Weasley attacked my son - "

He sees it then, like something in her snaps.

"Fred attacked your son because your son attacked me!" Her voice echoes throughout the room, and everyone's eyes fix on her as she stands there staring down Fudge who now has a look of complete disbelief on his face.

"What utter rubbish."

Fred can see the anger on her face growing by the second and she's suddenly tugging at the sleeve of her jumper, pulling it back to reveal the mark on her arm. "This is the bruise your son gave me when he pushed me against the wall, and this was handy work as well." She says pointing at her lip.

Neither of the fudge's say a word which Fred's glad about, because if they had he wasn't going to leap across his mother and start throwing his fists again.

"Would you care for me to carry on, Minister?"

"There is no proof any of those marks came from my son."

"I would be more than happy to take Veritaserum if needed, or I've seen Rita Skeeter sulking around the place. I'm sure her gossip column would be very interested to know about this."

Ambrose's face starts to turn bright red. "And who is going to believe a nasty little whore like you."

Fred's dad practically nails him to the seat, even his mother places a hand on his shoulder to stop him from leaping up and finishing the job.

"Maybe no one, but it doesn't look good does it? The minsters son, attacking a young Hogwarts prefect, even if she does happen to be a Lestrange."

Everyone in the room is silent and Dumbledore raises from his chair. Fred's never seem him look angrier.

"I feel perhaps, this matter is now at rest Cornelius?"

The minister with his still bright red face nods in defeat.

"Father!"

"Be quiet Ambrose!"

"Fred, Lilith, I think you should head back to your common rooms." McGonagall says as she attempts to usher them out. Lilith doesn't say another word as she turns and heard down the staircase.

"Mondays going to be interesting at work." His dad says in a low voice as he pats him on the back.

"Bye dear." His mother plants a kiss on his cheek. "No more trouble."

"No promises." He says while shooting Ambrose a final glare before heading down himself.

Fred spots her walking down the corridor and for a moment he considers leaving her be, but it doesn't last long as he immediately runs after her. "Hey! Wait!" But she's still marching until he finally catches up with her, skidding to a halt in front of her and forcing her to stop.

"So, what you just swoop in and save the day and that's it?"

"What do you want?"

"Oh, come on you're not still mad at me? Not after – "

She brushes past him and marching down the hallway and he follows her, completely confused with what's happening.

"Hey, I almost got expelled for you!"

That was it. She stops and spins around to face him then, looking completely furious.

"I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO!" Her yell seems to fill the corridor and Fred feels the breath catch in his chest. "I wanted to forget it, I wanted to just pretend it didn't happen but now Dumbledore, McGonagall and your bloody parents know!"

"I didn't ask – "

"Well we're even now aren't we? I didn't even want you to know but Angelina had to go running off her stupid mouth – "

"She was worried about you!"

"I DON'T CARE. She had no right to tell you, she doesn't even know we're –" She pauses for a moment, like she's frightened to say the wrong thing. "And you'll probably go and blab your mouth to George."

"I didn't tell him, actually – "

"And what you don't think Angelina isn't telling everyone she knows? She had no reason to tell you and she did, you don't think she's going to tell everyone else?"

Fred hoped that wasn't true.

"Lil – "

"I don't want to talk to you right now."

He sees the tears she's fighting back as she turns away from him and he wants to do anything other than just stand there like a prat. He reaches out, gently grabbing her arm which forces her to turn back to him. The desire to hug her, say anything comforting is overwhelming, he needs to do something to fix it but he doesn't know what.

"Please?" She murmurs quietly. So he drops his hand and just nods, feeling the quilt swarm him as he watches her go.

As Fred enters the Gryffindor common room everyone is staring at him.

"Well Freddie?" George asks and Fred sighs.

"Not expelled."

There's a round of applause that follows his words from his fellow housemates.

"Look who survived another day." Jordan shouts and there's another round of cheers. Usually, Fred would be lapping this up, but he heads directly over to Angelina who's sitting over in the corner with Alicia and asks her if they can talk. There's a few wolfs whistles as Fred rolls his eyes and they exit through the portrait. At least the hallway was quiet.

"No expulsion then?"

"No, uh…" He doesn't even care about that anymore. "Did you tell anyone?"

"Tell them what – "

"About Lil…Lestrange. About what you saw." He's hoping to Merlin that Lilith wasn't right.

"Oh, no – not really."

"Ang – "

"Me and Alicia talked about it." She shrugs. "I mean she kept asking why you did that and…honestly I didn't know – you don't even talk to her."

Fred rubs the back of his neck as he tries to think of a convincing answer, but he can't.

"Don't tell anyone else and tell Alicia not to either. Just, don't bloody mention it. Ever."