May the Best Man Win |×| Fred Weasley | 1 |×|

×| THIRTY-FOUR |×

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The third floor corridor was quiet and empty, most people either outside in the mellow sun or gathered in the library or their common rooms in an exam-induced panic. Evelyn had to employ a fast walk to keep up with Fred's much longer and suddenly more purposeful strides. She supposed the speed had something to do with the conversation she'd stolen him away from his brother to have.

"I just wish you wouldn't act so nasty around him all the time. I know how you feel about him, but you could at least try and be civil." She tried to reason, trotting along behind him.

"He doesn't think I'm so great either, Evie, you said it yourself. You can't put this all on me."

"I'm not," Evelyn protested, "but he's not the only one at fault."

Fred sighed as they reached the end of the corridor and stopped walking. Evelyn very nearly barreled straight into him, but registered the change in pace just in time. It was just as well, because Fred had stopped at the top of an enchanted staircase and Evelyn didn't think that her knocking him down the stairs would benefit her case at all - although perhaps him getting a concussion would make him forget his unnecessary bias against Ethan.

Then again, she didn't much fancy being the reason he got said concussion. It was probably better to stick to the plan and ask him to behave himself.

"What do you want me to do then?" Fred said. Evelyn smiled.

"Nothing. Just stop being so weird about it." She told him. Fred sighed again and shook his head lightly, but smirked back at her all the same.

"Fine. Only because it's you. But rest assured, if he starts something you won't stop me from speaking my mind."

"Thank you."

They bid goodbye, and Fred turned to head back downstairs and outside to his other friends. Evelyn turned to go back upstairs, then remembered she'd forgotten to add something.

"And don't try and prank him or anything. No replacing his shampoo with hairloss potion or pouring dragon dung on his shoes in herbology." She called down the stairs. Fred looked back up at her, seemingly disgusted, before the smirk returned to his lips.

"Boring. But fine. Those are good ideas though, pity I'll have to use them on someone else..."

"Evie?" Someone spoke, drawing Evelyn from her thoughts. She shook her head to clear it before she answered.

"No, he can't. He hasn't got the creative side. But you've helped me before. You're good at it." Evelyn said. Fred stroked his imaginary beard, eyeing her as though deep in thought, "Please. It's free ice cream." She added, flashing him a smile, and the smirk grew to a grin on his freckled face.

"Oh well in that case," he teased, turning in the direction of the kitchens and waving for Evelyn, George and Lee to follow him, "how could I say no."

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Evelyn's eyes were fixed on Fred as he squinted at the pile of ingredients the house elves had put before them. She ignored the shrieks of laughter that came from Max, Nikki, George and Lee behind them (what had induced the giggles, she did not know, nor did she care to find out) and focused herself on trying to figure out something original to make. Quickly. She hoped that, with Fred's help, they would be able to create something before Ethan finished his divination exam and came by to inevitably cause chaos.