Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [6]

⚡️ Chapter 42 ⚡️

In addition, Harry had been thwarted in his attempts to find out what Malfoy was doing time and time again and Vega wasn't having a good time around him.

Although, Vega wasn't the only one.

"For the last time, just forget about Malfoy," Hermione told Harry firmly.

The four of them were sitting in a sunny corner of the courtyard after lunch. Hermione and Ron were both clutching a Ministry of Magic leaflet – Common Apparition Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – for they and Vega (who had turned her leaflet into the paper bird) were taking their tests that very afternoon, but by and large the leaflets had not proved soothing to the nerves.

Ron gave a start and tried to hide behind Vega and Hermione as a girl came around the corner. Vega ignored him, still watching her bird fly around their heads.

"It isn't Lavender," Hermione told the ginger wearily.

"Oh, good," Ron said, relaxing.

"Vega Lestrange?" asked the girl, unexpectedly. "I was asked to give you this,"

Vega looked at her in surprise while Harry froze and Ron let out a surprised gasp. Realising that she was just staring, Vega quickly moved to take the small scroll of parchment from the girl, muttering a quick, "Oh, thank you very much, dear,"

Once the girl was out of earshot Harry quickly said, "Dumbledore said we wouldn't be having any more lessons until we got the memory!"

"I almost don't want to see what it says," Vega whispered as she unrolled the parchment.

But rather than finding Dumbledore's long, narrow, slanted writing she saw an untidy sprawl, very difficult to read due to the presence of large blotches on the parchment where the ink had run. Vega blinked and focused on what it said. It read:

Dear Vega, Harry, Ron, and Hermione,

Aragog died last night. Vega, Harry and Ron, you met him, and you know how special he was. Hermione, I know you'd have liked him. It would mean a lot to me if you'd nip down for the burial later this evening. I'm planning on doing it round dusk, that was his favourite time of day. I know you're not supposed to be out that late, but you can use the cloak. Wouldn't ask, but I can't face it alone.

Hagrid

"This is... horrible," Vega mumbled, upset while Harry sighed as he finished reading over her shoulder. Ron and Hermione all looked at them expectantly. "It's about... just have a look. It's from Hagrid, and it's about..."

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Hermione said, scanning it quickly and passing it to Ron, who read it through looking increasingly incredulous.

"He's mental!" Ron said furiously. "That thing told its mates to eat Harry, Vega and I! Told them to help themselves! And now Hagrid expects us to go down there and cry over its horrible hairy body!"

"It's not just that," Hermione said. "He's asking us to leave the castle at night and he knows security's a million times tighter and how much trouble we'd be in if we were caught,"

"We've been down to see him by night before," Harry said.

"Yes, but for something like this?" Hermione said.

"It's true that we've risked a lot to help Hagrid out," Vega interjected. "But Aragog's dead, I think we can spare a little time, even if less. If it were a question of saving him –"

"– I'd want to go even less," Ron interrupted firmly. "You didn't meet him, Hermione. Believe me, being dead will have improved him a lot,"

Vega took back the letter and looked down at the writing, looking at all the inky blotches all over it. Tears had clearly fallen thick and fast upon the parchment... She looked up at Harry, and it was clear that she wasn't going to take any no from him.