Love Triangle

Return To Hogwarts

  It was finally here, the day we all were anticipating. Our return to Hogwarts.

Somehow, things felt different than ever before. As I ran through Platform 9 and ¾ and into a sea of Hogwarts students, I could feel the tension in the air. Everyone wanted to be happy to return to their beloved school, but after last year's events and the death of Cedric Diggory, no one felt the same.

"Be safe, Nixie." My mother asked me with stern eyes. She gave me a hug, her arms so frail and thin around me. "I love you."

"I will, and I love you, too." I promised. I could see the sadness in her eyes, and I had to turn away before we both started to cry. It was my final year at Hogwarts, but the first year my father wasn't there to bid me goodbye.

My mother quickly disappeared back through the platform, and before I had the chance to dwell in my dark thoughts, George was standing next to me.

"Ron's so pleased to be wearing that Prefects badge, it's sickening." George grumbled as he looked over at Ron and Hermione.

I gave him a playful nudge before saying, "Give him a break. He's proud of himself, as he should be."

"If his head inflates any more, he'll float away." George pointed out with fake concern. "I'm just worried for his safety."

"And what a caring big brother you are!" I snickered. "Now let's go find an empty compartment."

George and I boarded the train. As I peeked into compartments, trying to find an empty one, I also was searching for Fred. He said he'd be just a second so he could say hello to Angelina, and then he'd be right back. The fact that he wasn't back and with George and I annoyed me more than it should have.

"I guess Fred's not joining us this time," George smirked, nodding his head over at a closed compartment.

After George passed, I looked inside only to wish I hadn't. Through the increasingly foggy glass, I saw Fred and Angelina's lips locked together. His hands were tangled in her hair, completely oblivious to the rest of the world as he kissed her. Without realizing, I had completely stopped and was just staring.

"Nixie, come on!" George urged, tugging at my wrist.

George pulled me into an empty compartment and began to set his things down. I slumped into my seat, staring out the window. Despite the crisp autumn air, my face was burning.

I've had two boyfriends my entire life, and neither lasted for more than a couple of months. Joel was sweet, but there just wasn't much of a spark. We're still friendly in the common room and during classes, but never anything more. Levi was incredibly bright and witty, as many Ravenclaw students are, but he was too jealous about my friendship with the twins. He insisted I pick between him or them, and well, that was the end of our relationship.

Until Angelina, Fred didn't date anyone for long. George, like me, rarely dated anyone either. Ever since first year, it was really just the three of us and that was exactly how I liked it. Angelina, however, disrupted everything.

"Are you okay?" George asked full of concern as he took a seat across from me.

"Doesn't it ever bother you?" I asked curiously, feeling like George would be able to relate to me better than anyone else. "Fred spending all of his time with Angelina..."

"I reckon he's happy, and well, that's good enough for me." George shrugged. "Besides, I know he'd be a good sport if the two of us ever started dating." He paused, thinking over his words, and suddenly turned a shade brighter than his hair. "I mean started dating other people, of course. Not of course in a bad way because... well, er, it's just... we're best friends."

"It's okay, George, I get it." I smiled reassuringly.

George ran his hand through his short hair and stared at me for a long moment, long enough to make my face flush for a whole different reason. "It actually wouldn't be that crazy," He mused slowly, causing my heart to stop, "you and me..."

A strange feeling bubbled in my throat, causing panic to spill over and flood my veins. His words were so unexpected, so out of the blue that they nearly knocked me over. Despite the many times we've been alone since, we haven't had a conversation like this since that night. "George," I whispered carefully, "I thought—"

Before George and I could discuss the forbidden matter any further, the compartment door slid open and Fred walked in. George and I snapped up straight in our seats, not realizing just how far we were leaning towards each other. With a grin on his face, and growing marks on his neck, Fred sat down by me and unwrapped a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"Sorry I'm late, I was a bit caught up..." Fred smirked, giving me a playful wink. "Anyway, what are you two up to?"

"Nothing," I replied quickly.

George added, "Yeah, nothing."

Fred raised a brow and shrugged, "Alright... well, let's get to work, shall we?"

George tried to catch my eye, but I couldn't face him. Instead, I pulled out my notebook with all of their pranks and inventions and began to prepare to take notes.

 

The Sorting Ceremony began with a strange song from the Sorting Hat. It gave us a warning that chilled me to the bone. As I glanced over at the Slytherin table and the sneering students, I couldn't imagine ever uniting together with them. Were they not the children of the monsters that murdered my father?

As I pondered over my thoughts of unity as Dumbledore gave his welcome speech, a woman dressed from head to toe in pink stood up.

"Hem, hem."

"That's Umbridge!" Harry whispered with a snarl. "She was at my hearing and just dying to see me sent to Azkaban."

Immediately, my eyes narrowed as I gazed at the woman with a terrible toad face and an even worse voice.

"Thank you for that kind welcome, headmaster," Umbridge said in a voice displaying anything but gratitude. "I am so very pleased to be at this... historic school. The Ministry has always considered educating young minds of absolute importance, and I'm eager to begin teaching defense against the dark arts the proper way.And i'm sure we will all be great friends."

Fred and George exchanged looks as my face scrunched up in disgust."Less likely" I hear them say. I look over and laugh silently. By far, Lupin was my favorite defense professor, but I'd even be willing to go back to Lockhart rather than deal with this woman.

"Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that out to be... prohibited!" Umbridge finished her icy words with a curt smile that sent shivers down my spine.

As she finished and finally took her seat, dread overcame me. I looked at the twins, and they stared back. The three of us silently agreed that this year was going to be hell.