REDEMPTION: Fred Weasley

The Riddle

Fred Weasley took his time walking to the North Tower, running his hands along the walls of the castle he loved so much, although he would never admit that out loud. 

He arrived at the study room ay 12:10 to see Aurora Malfoy already stood outside, leaning casually against the wall. They locked eyes.

"You are late." She said staring at him with an expression Fred could not decipher. 

"Apologies Malfoy." He bowed sarcastically before pushing past her and into the study room. "Lets get this over with." He mumbled. 

Aurora gritted her teeth and followed Fred into the small study room. As she entered she wondered why she had never been to these rooms before. It was a small comfortable space, with a roaring fire in the corner, luscious green and red carpets and a large window streaming light onto the set of tables and chairs that were positioned in the room. 

Fred was looking around too, clearly he had never made use of the study space either. 

"Did you get the task in your envelope?" He asked her taking a seat heavily. 

"Nope." She said popping herself down into a red arm chair near the table. 

WHOOSH

Suddenly out of the fire place, a creamy envelope appeared and fluttered down onto the centre of the table. 

"There we go." Fred said leaning towards the envelope and snatching it from the table before leaning back in his seat.

His hands still on the paper before opening it and he glanced up at the icy blonde head of hair that was looking at the floor.

"Well...are you going to join me?" He ask sarcastically, motioning to the chair opposite him.

Aurora sighed and moved from the comfy red chair to the hard, cold wooden one, trying her best not to give a snide remark back.

Fred coughed and ripped open the letter with zero grace, clearing his throat as he did so.

'I make you weak at the worst of all times.

I keep you safe, I keep you fine.

I make your hands sweat, and your heart grow cold,

I visit the weak, but seldom the bold.

What am I?'

Fred looked up at the Malfoy girl and tilted his head to the side slightly.

"What is this supposed to be?" He held the letter aloft and shook his head.

Aurora rolled her eyes and snatched the parchment from his grasp, reading over the words herself. 

"Its a riddle." She said softly reading the words over and over.

"I'm saying this now Malfoy, I'm terrible at riddles, my brain does not work that way." He huffed sitting back in his chair. 

The sound of her own name made her insides churn and bubble, she hated it.

"Im not good with riddles either Weasley." She said, her mouth full of callousness as she threw the parchment down onto the table and folded her arms. 

"What...is that it then?" Fred laughed in disbelief. "Are we giving up?"

"What makes you think that?"Aurora asked, looking down at her hands and picking her fingers. 

"Well, you just sat back!"

"And how are you sat Mr Weasley?" She said, eyeing him with contempt. "Surely you didn't expect me to do all of the work for you? Is that what usually happens?" 

"Shove off." He said, leaning forwards quickly, snatching the letter from the table once again."I make you weak at the worst of all times. What could that be?"