Tightly Knit ⟶ Fred Weasley

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Curious, are we?" Fred asked her. "Well, we have the answers that you're seeking, but I think we should get something out of this trade. So, what's in it for us?"

Eleanor stared blankly at him before looking at Lee and George, of course, they were grinning along.

"You do realise that if you don't tell me, I could literally walk over to someone else and ask them, right?"

"Well then, why don't you?"

Fred's counter did not exactly go as he planned because Eleanor simply gave a shrug of her shoulders before walking away to ask someone else in the Gryffindor house. But he quickly changed his mind as he motioned George to stop her. And right before she could ask anyone else, George jumped in front of her.

"Alright, we'll tell you."

She folded her arms across her chest, as George started to tell her that the Gryffindor students were headed back to the Tower when there was a hold up at the entrance. They could not get into the Common Room because they couldn't deliver the password, and they couldn't deliver the password because the Fat Lady had fled from her portrait. He claimed that her canvas had been slashed, large tears that draped over as someone was desperately trying to get in.

"Someone was trying to get into the Gryffindor Common Room?" she repeated. "But who?"

Suddenly, Fred appeared behind her with a coy grin as he whispered in her ear. "You've heard of the one they call Sirius Black, haven't you?"

Immediately, Eleanor turned around to face him while putting some space in between them. "You're lying," she said quietly, "there are dementors all over the school, how would he get into the castle? And how would he manage to go unseen until he reached the Gryffindor Tower?"

Fred placed his hands up, claiming he knew nothing else. She watched him for a minute or so, waiting for him to break out in laughter and tell her it was all a joke. However, the expression on his face softened and came across as sincere. She went to ask if he was really telling the truth but was interrupted by Percy Weasleys' loud voice echoing in the Great Hall.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" he yelled. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

Fred looked positively annoyed at his older brother sending everyone to bed, but it gave Eleanor the quick opportunity to say 'goodnight' before finding her way back to Marnie.

Cedric had finally managed to return to his friends, as they grabbed three sleeping bags to remain together. Picking one of the bags at the end, Eleanor slid inside, finding the squashy bag to be rather uncomfortable as she tried to adjust to her comfort level. Meanwhile, Cedric filled them in about what he had heard and surprisingly, his story lined up with what Fred and George had told Eleanor earlier.

"Sirius Black in the castle?" Marnie repeated. "How are all the professors so calm about it? He's a murderer and they're just having us all have a slumber party in here?"

"Well, what else can they do?" Cedric whispered to her. "They're not going to panic in front of all of us and have the whole school go mad with worry. And it's best if they keep everyone in one place to keep an eye out. Isn't that right, Ellie?"

Only, Eleanor did not answer as she laid on her side, her back facing her friends as she pretended to be asleep. She wasn't upset with them by any means, but more upset with Sirius Black himself. She was always fearful that her mother was going to learn about the chaos that took place inside the castle walls over the last couple of years, and demand that she remain at home. Eleanor only had to make it two more years before she would be of age and then, she felt as though she wouldn't have to worry about Margaret having a say about anything she did.