Tightly Knit ⟶ Fred Weasley

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

As if she had suddenly found herself in an interrogation room, all eyes fell on Eleanor, and she could feel her entire body tense up under Professor McGonagall's stern stare.

"Is this true, Ms Ross? Have they been with you for the last ten minutes or so?"

There was a quick pleading look in Fred's eyes as he silently begged her to go along with it.

"Yes, Professor," Eleanor answered finally, "we showed up a bit early to class because the Great Hall was too loud. We've been talking here for a bit."

While Professor McGonagall didn't look convinced, she wouldn't argue with Eleanor and she didn't say anything to the twins as they provided an alibi. But as soon as she walked away to investigate whatever it was, Eleanor turned to the twins and unleashed a series of smacks onto their arms.

"You gits! You're getting me to lie for you now?"

George smiled as he patted her on the back. "Congrats, Ellie, you're officially part of the crew. That was to test your loyalty and you passed. McGonagall didn't know what to do, that goody two shoe reputation worked well in our favour."

"Don't worry, Ellie," Fred reassured her, " we would do the same for you."

"The difference is you wouldn't have to lie for me!"

"You say that now."

"And I mean it!"

To cement the new partnership, the twins sat on either side of Eleanor at the table and if she didn't feel small already sitting between the two burly beaters, she certainly felt small when Professor McGonagall re-entered the classroom and gave her a passing glance. She turned around to avoid the professor's gaze, wanting to see if Cedric had entered the class and thankfully, he had taken to sitting with Marnie so that she wasn't seated alone. But as she turned around, Marnie looked away with a shake of her head, while Cedric looked worried.

What had she gotten herself into that year?

After class, the twins stole Eleanor away to join them for lunch, bringing her to sit with them at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. And it didn't take long for Fred to start up with the questions as to why she and Marnie weren't talking to one another. She tried to put it in a way that they wouldn't take offence to it.

"So, she's angry with you because you've been spending more time with us?" George asked as he wanted to confirm what they had been told.

"It seems that way, but don't take it personally," Eleanor said. "I think Cedric was right when he said that she's probably feeling left out."

"We never said she couldn't join us," Fred pointed out, but Eleanor shook her head.

"It's not that simple for her. I know a lot of people think that she's rude and blunt, or that she doesn't come across as friendly, but it takes her a long time to warm up to people. Her family has really done a number on her trust issues and insecurities. If it isn't her parents pointing out her flaws, it's her older siblings. She can't catch a break when she's home, so school is her escape. But even then, I don't think she feels comfortable around a lot of people."

Fred and George exchanged glances with one another, knowing they could relate to Marnie's dilemma in some way. Far too often they were compared to their older brothers and their mother had a tendency to nit-pick their interests to the point where they didn't think they could ever please her.

"I've always wondered what it's like to be an only child, "Fred said out loud, before getting a look from George, "oh, like you haven't been curious before!"