Bloom | George Weasley

5. The Hunt for Shakespeare

"Cedric! Of course it's Cedric!" I shake my head as we leave. "Why didn't I think of it? The boy is perfect!"

Ainur nods along.

"Clever, caring, athletic, and a Hufflepuff." She lists off and I give her a confused look. "Let's face it, if a Slytherin campion was chosen, half the school would riot."

"You're not wrong. But what about Potter? He's - what - 14? How did that happen?"

"Maybe he got an older student to put his name in."

"Seems a wee bit suspicious, if you asks me."

"Joshi!"

I stop in my tracks, grabbing Ainur's sleeve and pulling her closer to me.

"Please say that there's two of them." I whisper urgently to her as she's looking back. She nods. I internally jump for joy as I turn.

"Weasleys." I turn around to greet their identical looks. There's so many freckles between the two, I bet it rivals the stars in the sky. How on Earth would I be able to tell them apart just by that?

"Congrats on your friend, Diggory." One of them says.

"He's not really my friend, more just friendly." I correct, and Ainur clears her throat. I don't mention their childish rivalry. "Congrats on your friend, Potter."

"Not really our friend-"

"-more our younger prat of a brother's best friend." They finish off, and I'm looking back and forth between the two, one of them has a noticeable birthmark on their neck that the other doesn't.

I smile unconsciously.

"I heard you two thought you could get past Dumbledore's age line?" Ainur asks them and they laugh.

"Of course we did-"

"-nearly worked, too."

"Got a couple beards to prove it." One of them rubs at his chin with pride.

"I guess you prefer a clean shave then?" Ainur laughs and the twin shrugs.

"If it means anything, I was routing for you to be champion." The one with the birthmark turns to me.

"Thank you." I go, then grab Ainur by the arm to leave. "Well, I'll see you two later, cheers."

"I don't think they were done talking." She whispers as I drag her up the stairs.

"Did you see their necks?" I ask and she gives me a bewildered look.

"What are you, a vampire?"

I roll my eyes, dodging the faulty step.

"One of them as a birthmark on their neck. A large one that I can use as identification!" I explain hastily.

Ainur jumps over the fake step after me. "Alright, but which one was it?"

"I've yet to figure that out. I can tell you that it wasn't the one who started the conversation." I ponder aloud. "But he was the one routing for me."

"You're going to drive yourself mad with this." She tells me.

"At least I'll know who's giving me flowers."

She rolls her eyes.

"It'll be your last moments of sanity." She mumbles and I mock her.

"So you think the birthmark one gave you the flowers? Not the outgoing one?" Ainur asks.

"I guess?" I step out of the way of a few Ravenclaws coming out of the common room.