Little Talks | Fred Weasley x Cedric Diggory

Five.

The latest meeting had a much more profound effect on Fred than he expected. In the days following, he finally started feeling something that resembled happiness.

Smiles came more easily. When Lee made a joke in their dormitory, it wasn't only George laughing. Thoughts of Cedric didn't immediately stop conquering his every waking moment. But the comfort in knowing that his love would always be waiting for him to return eased some of his pain.

George was the first one to notice his change in demeanor. Fred had started consistently joining his friends to hang out in the common room. Before, he preferred to stay hidden away in the dorm, holding that white box full of photos he treasured so much. The day that Fred came walking down the stairs, George's eyes widened and he smiled. Together, they relaxed on the sofa across from Lee and the other Gryffindor girls. Lee cracked a joke towards Angelina and Fred didn't even try to stifle his laughter. The sound he let out made the whole group turn their attention on him. Everyone looked like nothing pleased them more than to see their best friend let a glimpse of his old self return. No one was more delighted than George. He pulled his twin into his arms, resting his chin on top of Fred's shoulder.

Others asked him what had happened as well. He found ways to avoid giving away the true answer. Doing so wasn't easy. With Umbridge unleashing her rule of terror onto the students, there wasn't much for him to be happy about. The first few people who asked only received complete dismissal ("It's nothing," with a smile). But they got more persistent each time they were denied. So Fred decided he needed a consistent story. It wouldn't be too challenging; he was creative, charismatic, and charming. Not to mention that it wasn't likely anyone would try to question him. George would never allow that.

He decided to play on the universal hatred of Umbridge by telling everyone who asked that he was in the process of planning to unleash his biggest prank yet onto the professor. They believed him. Lee started rather enthusiastically demanding details. Fred thought quickly to provide him with copious explanations; he laid out possible dates, all the materials they would need, who would be involved, and most importantly, the actual event. By the time he was done, all the people who sat anywhere near them at the breakfast table were leaning in out of their seats to hear his every word.

After that, word started spreading. Hushed whispers throughout the hallways told that Fred and George Weasley were lighting off a huge explosion in the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom sometime in the near future. The whole school was convinced. Nobody asked him about his happiness anymore.

And somehow that brought him comfort.

Hermione approached them soon after with a proposition. She found Fred, George, and Lee lounging about in the common room.

What she had to offer was the potential formation of a club. The idea intrigued the three of them. Even the twins, with their reputation of being excessively careless students, were finding their defensive education this year to be beyond lackluster. The proposal had everything they wanted. There was the idea of rebellion, the excitement of adding a few more spells to their arsenal and having Harry as their teacher, something that resonated within those who had never been in doubt of the boy's honesty. To Fred especially, there was an added incentive. The word that was rapidly becoming ingrained in his internal vocabulary: distraction.

"Do you think it'll be strange? Being taught by someone younger than us, I mean." Lee asked after they had told Hermione of their interest.

"Not when that 'someone younger' has seen twice as much as any of the professors we've ever had." George quipped.