International Love | Fred Weasley

Chapter 29

Like last year, I start my week with a Potions class. Different than last year – besides the fact I'm not a Hogwarts student – is that I know the way to the dungeons. Diana is also following N.E.W.T. level Potions and we head to the dungeons together. As we descend the stair, I feel the air getting older and I'm glad I decided to wear a sweater his morning.

The doors to the classroom are already open and we step into the dark room. We take a table near the front of the room. Angelina sits down in the last seat and smiles at us. Fred and George sit down at the table behind us. Fred waves when he sees me and I wave back with a laugh.

Snape enters the dungeons when all the students are already seated. His eyes shift to me and he says: "Hello again, Ms Dubos. I heard you are joining us this year."

I roll my eyes at him but nod.

"Since you got sorted in Ravenclaw, it means that when you misbehave, points will be taken from Ravenclaw."

My lips curl up in a smile when I think back to my first Potions class last year.

"At the end of this schoolyear, you will take your N.E.W.T. exam in Potions," Snape turns to the rest of the students, "I expect you to show that you haven't been slacking in my class the past years. We will start this year with a simple potion you mastered last year. You have the next hour and a half to brew me a perfect Hiccoughing solution."

All students around me practically run to the ingredients closet. I open my textbook and light the fire under my cauldron. With a flick of my wand, the cauldron is filled with water that can start to boil. I see that most students have returned to their cauldrons with their arms filled with ingredients, so I head over to the ingredient closet.

The Hiccoughing solution isn't a difficult potion to brew and I prepare it with ease. Diana seems to be doing well, her potion is a deep purple and I see she is about to add the lionfish spines, so she is right on schedule. Angelina's potion on the other hand doesn't look the deep purple it is supposed to be now. When my uncle isn't looking in our direction, I push a newt spleen in her direction and gesture for her to add it so it will balance out the excess amount of ginger roots she added.

When the class is almost over, Snape announces: "Pour your potion into your flask and place it on my desk. Do not forget to write your name on the table, no name means no potion turned in. Your homework for Wednesday is one roll of parchment about the ingredients you used and how to balance them."

I clean up my cauldron after pouring my potion in the flask with my name. I pack my bag and place the potion on Snape's desk before heading out of the classroom.

"Hey," Fred comes up to me, "What's your next class?"

"I have a free period," I answer, "I'm going to start on the homework Snape gave us."

"I've Muggle Studies, will I see you in Transfiguration before lunch?" Fred presses a kiss on my cheek and I nod. George is waiting for his brother to catch up and rolls his eyes at me when I look over.

Diana has her Advanced Arithmancy class and bids me goodbye. Unlike most students who take six of seven N.E.W.T. classes, Diana takes eight, so she barely has free periods.

I head to the library to start on the homework and end up writing part of my letter to Flora telling her about my first days at Hogwarts. I'm waiting for the team set-up to become known so I can let her know if I made the team or not.

After my free period, I head to Transfiguration on the other side of the castle. Fred is saving me a seat and I sit down beside him. Taking out the textbook and my quills, I ask: "How was Muggle Studies?"

George, who is sitting in front of us with Lee, turns around in his seat and answers: "We learned some interesting things we can use."

"Use for what?" I frown and eye the two boys.

"I told you about our plan to set up our own joke shop, right?" Fred says and I nod.

"Well, we need inspiration for more products and we learned from Dad that Muggles are really good inspiration. We can use their ideas and infuse them with magic."

Fred wrote to me about the money Harry gifted them after winning the tournament last year. The twins are close to opening the shop and have been coming up with products all summer.

From the corner of my eye, I see Evelyn entering the classroom. She waves at me and takes the seat beside Anna on the other side of the small path in between the tables.

"Did your first Potion class go well?" the girl asks as she takes out her notebook. I nod, "Yes, but Snape already gave us homework." 

Evelyn smiles and grabs her things from her bag. On the curious looks of the twins, I explain quietly: "One of my roommates."

Moments later, professor McGonagall enters the classroom and begins with the same speech as professor Snape about the upcoming N.E.W.T-exams. Then she starts her lesson and I begin with taking notes. Halfway during the lesson, Fred leans closer towards me and whispers: "You're pretty when you look like that."

"Look like what?" I whisper back, eying my boyfriend before turning back to McGonagall.

"Looking all serious and taking notes and that kind of stuff."

"If this is a trick to get my notes to copy, I'm telling you now, you can forget it," I warn. Fred pouts and nudges my shoulder with his. I stick out my tongue at him before turning my attention back to Professor McGonagall and continuing to take notes.

I share most of my N.E.W.T. classes with at least one, if not all, of my roommates. Kieran is in our Charms class as well and since that is our last class of the day, we head back to the common room. There is another period now where Kieran, Evelyn, and I have nothing. Diana has Ancient Runes, and Anna has Care of Magical Creatures. Evelyn is walking in front of us on the stairs to the common room and Kieran asks: "Hey, Elena, do you already know if you made the quidditch team or not?"

With all the demanding classes and the vast amount of homework we have already been given, I have completely forgotten the setup for the Quidditch team that will be available today. I secure my shoulder bag and brush past Evelyn to sprint up the stairs. Kieran's laugh follows me and I sprint through the open door of the common room in the direction of the notice board.

It takes me a while to find the setup between all the flyers advertising homework help, missing belongings, and much more (I even spot a coloured piece of parchment from Fred and George looking for students to test out their products).

Having finally found the team setup, I scan the list of names and shriek.

"Did you make the team?" Evelyn asks over my shoulder, also scanning the list of names. I nod excitedly and Evelyn pulls me into a hug, "Roger would have been a right fool if he didn't select you for the team after you kicked everyone's ass at the try-outs."

I quickly finish my letter to Flora, adding the exciting news before sending Fuzzle off to deliver it.

Before dinner, I bump into Fred and George who I tell the news. Fred immediately pulls me into a hug, "I'm so proud of you! I knew you could do it!"

George nods approvingly. As Fred lets me go, his facial expression falls and he mutters: "This means you will be competing against us."

I laugh and nod. The two boys share a look before turning to me with matching smirks on their faces. 

"Prepare yourself Elena, are you sure you can handle us?"

I roll my eyes at the two and elbow Fred in his stomach. I attempt to whack George who ducks out of the way. They both laugh and Fred presses a kiss on my cheek.

"Quidditch practice is on Tuesday and Thursday after dinner," Roger says when he walks past on his way to the Ravenclaw table, "Don't be late! Otherwise, you'll have to run rounds around the pitch."

"That's something for Muggles," I laugh. Roger winks playfully at me for which he receives an angry glare from Fred. 

"I hope that Angelina isn't as bad as Wood," Fred mutters after exchanging a look with his brother and George nods, "If she is, we will give her hell."