rise | fred weasley

chapter fourteen

On Christmas morning, Hermione and Sophia had woken up smiling. They both opened their presents,

Sophia had received another book on Pureblood history from her parents, as well as some pearl earrings that she could only guess were from them, she liked them so she put them in. Hermione had gifted her several books about Quidditch. Ron had gotten her a guide to the Chudley Canons, still trying to convert her. Harry had gotten her a fancy broom care kit. Mrs Weasley had knitted her another jumper, she was eternally grateful for that woman. And Cedric had gifted her a locket, on the inside was a projection of a golden snitch flying around and an inscribed message read,

always yours

The card had only been signed with a heart, so she assumed it must've been from her fake boyfriend.

"I should get myself a fake boyfriend if they give you those kind of gifts" Hermione joked, Sophia laughed before putting it on and the two went to find Harry and Ron.

"You got a firebolt too!!" Sophia smiled as she saw the broom in his hands,

"Two players on firebolts! We'll be unstoppable" Ron beamed, they began to discuss who could've sent it, whilst Sophia and Ron were excited, Hermione seemed skeptical. She wanted them to get the broom checked before anyone rode it, then Crookshanks attacked Ron in an attempt to get to Scabbers and the two girls left.

Hermione complained about Ron the whole way to lunch, to Sophia, Hermione's complaints about Ron were so frequent that she'd learned to drown them out. Of course, she complained right back when necessary. There were so few students that they were invited to sit at the teachers table.

Trelawney's arrival caused much chatter on the table, according to Trelawney, Lupin wouldn't be staying very long. Sophia noted that there were two nervous first years were shaking at the mere fact of being near Dumbledore. And a fifth year, Tiberius Yaxley. He was a close friend of her elder sister, his family were Death Eaters and Sophia despised him.

After the lunch, Hermione stayed behind to talk to McGonagall, after the latter had made a remark about Trelawney's predictions (which made Sophia laugh), and Harry, Ron and Sophia returned to the common room.

McGonagall walked in with Hermione and the latter took a seat next to Sophia, she stared shocked. McGonagall then confiscated Harry's new firebolt, claiming to need to check it for jinxes. Apparently Harry would have it back in a few weeks.

Ron then began shouting at Hermione, who'd decided Sirius had sent the broom. After Hermione had gone to sleep, Sophia pulled out the mirror, she needed to talk to Sirius.

"Hey Sophie" he'd smiled, she didn't smile.

"You have a lot of explaining to do" she stated, he sighed, seemingly realising how much information she now knew,

"Sophie...you have to believe me, it's all a lie...I never betrayed them... I wasn't even the secret keeper" she stared back confused,

"Then who was?" She questioned,

"Wormtail..." he answered, but before she could ask who Wormtail was, Sirius had vanished, she looked behind her and saw Hermione folding her arms,

"What was that about?" Her best friend glared, Sophia sighed and told Hermione everything that had just happened, "I think you should turn that mirror in, it could help catch him" Sophia rolled her eyes,

"I don't think it's traceable, 'Mione you're my best friend. Just don't tell anyone, please" it took another hour to convince Hermione to keep Sophia's conversation to herself, she'd agreed on the condition Sophia never did it again. Sophia didn't intend to, Sirius had to be lying again, or he really had gone insane. Wormtail couldn't be a person, she hated to admit it, but Sirius probably had been lying to her for her whole life,

Sophia spent most of her time huddled in the library with Hermione, she was incredibly bored. Harry and Ron were mad at Hermione and Sophia had decided in first year that she'd always side with Hermione, no matter what she actually thought.

Sophia had run to hug Cedric when he'd arrived back at Hogwarts, he hugged her close and spun her around before kissing her. Several people around smiled in awe at the interaction,

"How have you been?" He asked as they walked around the corridors, Sophia attached, to his arm,

"Well..." she didn't know why but she told him about all the events of the holidays. She trusted him.

"Well, that sounds eventful..." she laughed slightly and he started laughing too, "you don't ever get to have a normal time, do you?"

"The most normal experiences I have are when I'm with you" she replied without thinking, he smiled down at her and kissed her once again, it was an unnecessary kiss, but she didn't mind.

"That's sweet" as they kept walking, she spotted Fred, he was angry, she could tell. A smirk appeared on her face, Cedric looked over and smiled too, moved his arm so it was around her waist and she clung onto his middle. Fred's glare grew and he stormed off, "our plan appears to be working very well" he smiled, Sophia nodded.

Once lessons started back, Hermione had some pressing information to tell Sophia.

"I've been keeping a secret from you" She'd whispered as they walked down the corridor, she stared back shocked and confused,

"No...." Hermione apologised then revealed what it was, Professor Lupin was a werewolf. Sophia's eyes widened in shock, she couldn't believe it. But it made sense, the days he'd disappeared, Snape's werewolf lesson. Sophia didn't think it made much difference, Lupin was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher they'd ever had, and him being a werewolf didn't change that.

One night in the common room, Sophia had been looking through the Marauders Map with Harry, he'd been telling her how Lupin was friends with his dad at Hogwarts and knew Sirius.

"You know, George said Fred absolutely hates Cedric" he'd smiled, Sophia returned the smile.

"Good" she stated, matter of factly, as Harry closed the map, she saw the names.

Moony. Wormtail. Padfoot and Prongs.

Her eyes widened in shock. Wormtail! She'd immediately run off to find Hermione,

"Wormtail is real!" She shouted, Hermione stared up at her confused,

"What?" She questioned, clearly confused.

"Wormtail! He's real, he's one of the creators of the map" Hermione rolled her eyes,

"I knew that map was bad news" she rolled her eyes, "look if you think you know something you should tell McGonagall" and with that Hermione had gone back to her homework. But Sophia was determined to figure out the truth,

"And then moomy said..." Bree was telling some kind of story, but their words snapped Sophia out of her head. Moomy.... Moony. Papafoot.... Padfoot. Her eyes widened,

"Oh my god!" Everyone in the common room stared at her shocked, hurriedly she sat back down and rushed to tell Hermione what she'd figured out.

"So you want to go talk to Lupin, ask him who Wormtail is when all you've got to go on that he knows is a nickname of some sorts on a map and information from Bree of all people" Sophia nodded, "and you expect me to come too" Sophia nodded once more, Hermione sighed before slamming her book shut and leaving the common room with Sophia.

"Professor?" Sophia asked as they knocked on his office door,

"Ah Sophia, Hermione, what can I do for you?" Lupin asked them, Sophia didn't bother wasting time,

"Who's Wormtail?"'she asked, he seemed taken aback by her question, "you're moony. Sirius is Padfoot. Harry's dad must've been Prongs... so who's wormtail?" She asked, Lupin chuckled slightly,

"Which one of you has come into possession of the map?"

"Harry" Sophia and Hermione answered in unison,

"I see" he paused, trying to decide whether to answer their question, "Peter Pettigrew" a dead end. He was dead. So Sirius had lied. Again. They thanked him and left.

"So that's another dead end" Hermione folded her arms as they walked back to Gryffindor Tower. Sophia sighed, Hermione was right. And she didn't know how she could argue Sirius' innocence anymore.