FOOL FOR ME, george weasley

03, charms partners

Another roar of outrage erupted, and Maeve laughed when she heard Fred and George call out, "That's rubbish!"

"is a measure that we feel is necessary, given that the Tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion. I, therefore, beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October, and remaining with us for a greater part of this year. I know that you will extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

Maeve trickled out of the hall with her housemates, contemplating entering her own name. No. She wasn't an idiot. And she wouldn't risk her life for eternal glory. Then, she pictured Nova and Cedric. Both brave, both stupid. She swallowed. She only hoped they had enough sense in them to evaluate the dangers. She knew they wouldn't.

The next morning, as she glanced at herself in the bathroom mirror, Maeve pursed her lips. The bags under her eyes were too prominent, her cheeks too angular, and the black eyeliner framing her umber eyes only added to her already ghostly appearance. Sighing, the girl pulled on her leather satchel, green converse echoing on the dungeon floor as she departed from her dorm. She always woke early. Although she hated the process of actually waking up, it always took her about twenty minutes, the morning was her favourite time of day. It was comfortingly cold, apart from the warmth sprinkled across the courtyard by the first rays of the sun descending onto Hogwarts, and even though Nova and Lorelei were always asleep, Cedric often joined her.

When she collapsed into her seat at the Slytherin table, Maeve found herself briefly reading this term's transfiguration textbook, picking at bacon and toast as she did so. A familiar ginger slid into the seat beside her, earning a dirty look from one of her peers, and the girl furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Hi?"

He ignored her shocked tone, only giving her a dazzling grin, "Just came to say hi, love, and see how you're doing."

"Hm. And is your other half asleep, then?" She tried to ignore his cheerful voice, shovelling another piece of bacon into her mouth, followed by a large sip of tea.

"Always is," George sighed in mock disappointment, "Are you eating those? Great!"

He didn't wait for her response, but still picked up a fork and casually ate the eggs off of the side of her plate. Maeve shifted slightly, not uncomfortable but certainly not comfortable, either. George was confusing. Why was he acting like they were old friends? Acting so... domestic? She didn't dwell on it, she hated eggs, anyway.

"So, how're you doing? Is your shoulder okay?" George asked through a mouthful.

Maeve nodded meekly, feeling her face warm considerably, "Yeah, uh, Amos fixed it but I have a scar now, so..."

"Cool!"

The Slytherin flushed and gave him a small, flustered smile. He returned it happily and reached over her to pluck her schedule out of her hands.

"Look at that, we both have Charms first! Oh, and we have Transfiguration and Defence together." He nudged her playfully and Mae grinned, snatching it back from him, "All my classes with the darling Maeve Fahey, how exciting!"