menace to society ⋆ a fred weasley fanfiction

15. A New Potions Partner (and a Boggart)

*Emily's POV*

     We arrived at Hogwarts and everyone on the train piled out onto the platform. I saw Ginny tell Sam, "See you later" and she left him with the first-years.

     Ginny, Fred, George, and I got a carriage together up to the castle. There were rumors about strange invisible horses pulling the carriages, but I didn't believe it. Some people even claimed to be able to see them.

     Fred and George teased Ginny about flirting with Sam the whole ride to the castle while I sat there, cringing at the thought of my best friend flirting with my brother.

     We finally reached the castle and we all entered the Great Hall to sit at our usual seats at the Gryffindor table. It was as if nothing had changed in the past three months.

     "I hope Sam gets sorted into Gryffindor," I said to Ginny.

     "Me too!" She said, a little too eagerly.

     I laughed. "Somebody's got a crush."

     "Do not!" She protested. "I've only just met him!"

     "Alright," I said, skeptically.

     Lee Jordan came over and joined us. His hair had grown long, as well. What was it with all of the boys growing their hair long this year?

     "Alright, Emily? How was your summer?" He greeted me as he took a seat on the other side of me, across from the twins.

     "It was great. How about you?"

     "Fantastic. I met the most gorgeous-"

     He was interrupted by the loud crowd of first-years (and a single transfer student) bursting in through the doors and walking down the center aisle of the Hall to the front of the room.

     Professor McGonagall wasted no time in waiting and immediately called, "Abbett, Amelia!"

     I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire ceremony. Sam was last, of course.

     After a tortuous amount of time waiting, McGonagall called, "Winchester, Samuel!"

     He approached the stool and sat down, putting the hat on his head. Nothing happened. We must have been sitting there for at least a minute when the Sorting Hat called, "GRYFFINDOR!"

     The entire table roared in applause. Sam accepted high-fives from his new classmates as he walked down the aisle to sit on the other side of Ginny.

     The feast was fun. Ron had fallen asleep beside George and the twins were trying to balance as many bread rolls on his head as they could without waking him up.

     Several fits of laughter and a full stomach later, I walked with Fred and George and the rest of the House to the common room. It was exactly the same as we left it. Cozy, warm, with the smell of a bonfire and toasted marshmallows wafting from the walls. The suit of armor was in the corner, having not collected a single speck of dust over the summer.

     I was tired and went straight up to Ginny's and my room, changed into a t-shirt and pajama shorts, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

     In the morning, I had a very dull Transfiguration class, and then went to Potions class with Fred and George.

     "D'ya reckon you'll get a good partner?" George asked me.

     "I hope," I said. "Maybe this time they won't spike my drinks with Amortentia."

     We all laughed, but knew that my experience with James was a touchy subject.