A Raven and a Lion

Let's Start

When Saturday came, y/n didn't feel like getting out of bed in the morning. At breakfast she already saw the twins sitting at the Gryffindor table. "Shit!"

"Come on now, it won't be that bad", Maggy said with a cheerful expression. Olivia nodded. "The guy may be annoying, but he's not a monster."

"He's not?", y/n grumbled and her friends laughed. Then Olivia gave her a little push. "Just get it over with."

So y/n stood up. Without giving it much thought, she marched to the Gryffindor table where the twins were having breakfast with their friends. Angelina Johnson spotted her first and immediately pointed in her direction.

"Freddie look, your new better half", Lee Jordan grinned as everyone's heads turned to y/n. She dismissed the comment by rolling her eyes and stepped in front of her project partner. "Come on, the sooner we're done, the less time we have to spend together."

Fred looked at his brother a little puzzled at first. George was also surprised. "She can tell who is who..."

"Right away", Fred finished and now looked at y/n. She rolled her eyes again. "Sure, nobody looks as stupid as you do, not even your own twin brother. And now let's finally go to the library. Around lunchtime all hell is breaking loose."

Now Fred grinned, grabbed two more slices of toast and then finally got up. Nevertheless, he turned back to his friends. "I understand, she wants to have privacy."

Y/n ignored the comment and was already walking away, but she heard the Gryffindors behind her burst into laughter.

They keep silent as they walked to the library together. It was probably as strange for him as it was for her. But when they reached the library, he acted cool as always. With a bored expression, he sat down at the table she had chosen and let her find all the books they needed.

"Just don't lift a finger, you might start sweating", she growled and slammed the books onto the table in front of him. He resisted her angry gaze unmoved. "It's better to be a little quiet so they don't throw you out. And it would be a shame if you'd lose your home."

"Your jokes used to be better", she replied as she sat down towards him. He shook his head. "That wasn't a joke."

"Whatever", y/n was tired of the back and forth. So she decided to divide the books into two equal stacks. "Write down what fits the topic and remember citing the source."

"I don't have anything to write with", when she pushed his books towards him, he crossed his arms demonstratively over his chest. Y/n sighed. "I could pretend to be surprised. But I won't bother."

Then she opened her school bag and handed him parchment and her spare quill. At least he accepted it without a comment. When he actually opened the first book, she was confident that she could take her eyes off him and concentrate on her own texts. But that barely lasted two minutes. "How did you know which of us was which?"

"What?" she replied, exasperated. He couldn't even concentrate long enough to read one page of the book. If this would continue, she would soon be on her knees begging Flitwick to be allowed to swap project partners.

"Well, earlier at breakfast. You haven't even thought about who I was and who my brother was. Even Lee has a hard time from time to time, and he spends a lot more time with us than you do," Fred pushed himself off the table and started rocking in his chair. Y/n snorted. "Well, thank god. If I had to spent as much time with you as Lee does, I would have thrown myself off the Astronomy Tower long ago."

For some reason that statement made Fred grin. But then he became serious again. "Now tell me. How do you know which of us is which?"

Y/n sighed. But then she had an idea. "If you do your job properly, I'll tell you."

But Fred could play this game as well. "If you don't tell me, I won't do any work."

"I'm going to go insane", y/n hissed and Fred's grin deepened. Nevertheless, she gave in. She hoped that if she did something to please him, he would finally do his job. So she leaned on the table and folded her hands in front of him. "Well, okay. George has a softer voice. Your hair is a lot messier. You both look terrible, but at least your brother still makes a little effort. You have more freckles and looking at your side profile, your nose is a little different."

Fred stayed silent for a moment, his eyebrows twitching as if he was thinking about her words. Then his look became skeptical. "These are little details. Are you somehow obsessed with us? It's almost scary."

"Obsessed? You'd like that, wouldn't you", she said contemptuously and shook her head. "No. You and your brother are two of the few people in this castle who really go on my nerves. I'll just take a closer look. I would never have noticed, if you hadn't thrown the first stone."

"Stone? No, you don't throw stones at such a pretty face", he laughed. Y/n raised an amused eyebrow. "Save your fake compliments. You know what I mean. You started it back then."

Fred shook his head. He was still rocking in his chair. "We just rushed to your rescue. Every now and then, busy little bees need a good blow to tear themselves away from their heavy books."

"With my grades, after school all doors will be open to me", she shrugged her shoulders. Now Fred stopped rocking and leaned over the table towards her. "And do you ever have fun?"

"Maybe I'll enjoy it", y/n replied. "You can't tell me what I'm supposed to like and what not."

Now he couldn't seem to think of anything to reply anymore. And indeed, as promised, he finally turned to his books. But then he raised his head again anyway. "Very pitiable, that's what you are."