AMOR FATI . . . fred weasley

V. KISSES AND QUIBBLERS

    'Is that a crime now?' Fred retorts. 'Getting mail?'

    Umbrella's nostrils flare. 'Be careful, Mr Weasley, or I shall have to put you in detention.'

    'No,' Joey murmurs, panic flowering within her. Umbrella can't hurt the twins, hurt him, like that. She doesn't know if she'd be able to cope. Fred slips his palm into hers and she clutches to it desperately, forcing herself to calm down with every circular movement of his thumb.     'Well, Mr Potter?'

    'People have written to me because I gave an interview,' Harry says slowly. 'About what happened to me last June.'

    'An interview?' Umbrella repeats, her voice thinner and higher than ever. 'What do you mean?'

    'I mean a reporter asked me questions and I answered them.'

    Joey might not be the brightest wand in Ollivander's, but she can't help feeling that this probably isn't the best time for the famous sarcasm of Harry Potter. And, judging by the fact Umbrella gives him a whole week of detentions and bans the Quibbler by mid-morning, yeah, her sneaky suspicions turn out to be correct.

    But hey, at least everyone's finally talking about Cedric! Joey's so happy that people maybe will begin to realise his you-know-what wasn't an accident, she doesn't even care that everywhere she goes she's bombarded with whispers and glances. Normally, knowing everyone's watching her because she's mates with him would've made her feel sick sick sick and really blooming self-conscious. Today, though, she doesn't even care when she nips into the loos before Potions to find every occupant of the cubicles talking about it. She doesn't even care that Snape's particularly harsh towards her Pepperup Potion. Merlin's mismatched socks, she's just so emotional!

    At their Dumbledore's Army meeting there's a definite atmosphere of excitement, Joey can practically feel it warming her. She can't control herself, buzzing around like a bee drunk on honey, murmuring eager words of encouragement to the twins and Lee and Lola (not that Lola needs it, mind). Normally at these meetings she feels about as useful as a Honeydukes chocolate teapot, considering that a Puffskein's probably better at magic than she is. She'll just snuggle with her baby pygmy puff (can you tell he's her favourite thing ever?) cross-legged in a corner, creating crystal grids to harness love and positivity for her best friends, watching on wishfully. But today, it's like seeing Cedric's name proudly in print, where it should be, has whispered Alohomora in her heart and unlocked her a little. That might be cringey, whatever, she could not care less!

    And, the super-duper-sweet cherry on top of all of this, is the fact that she swears her wand is starting to feel a little warmer in her hand, and not just a boring old stick she sometimes jokingly pokes Fred with...

    Fred and George exchange a glance when she tells them. 'Maybe your magic's finally decided to show up again, Joeypoos,' Fred says cheerily. He's pretending that he isn't rubbing his freckled forehead in pain because of the beautiful Confundus Charm Angelina cast on his forehead, but Joey's not totally stupid.

    'Yeah, so nice of it not to take its time,' George retorts oh-so-sarcastically, as usual. But he's smiling. (Again, that may be because he also witnessed Angelina's attack of his deserving twin brother!)

    'You two really think so?' Joey feels hope flutter within her like a butterfly that's fixed a broken wing.

    George's smile softens. 'Mate, you're too good of a witch for it to never come back, isn't that right, Fred?'

    'Nah, she isn't a good witch, really,' Fred says nonchalantly, leaning against the wall with his hands shoved in his pockets. Joey can't help it, that hurts. Like, really really hurts. 'She's the best witch.'