[2] The Great Orangenie | FRED WEASLEY

Chapter Seven

"I'm going to warn you, it's properly awkward in there," Lee said, unable to stop himself grinning, "He won't talk, she will talk but keeps stammering - "

"She so fancies George," Aubrey whispered to Fred, "What a liar, saying she was unsure."

" - and I thought I was bad around Angelina."

"Angelina?" Saskia asked.

"She's only the fittest girl in Hogwarts," Lee replied to which Saskia nodded, "Wicked Chaser too but alas, she will never be mine," He brushed it off with a shrug, "S'alright though."

"Got it."

The four drew up to the carriage where Lexy and George were sat next to each other, finally talking a bit more freely. Fred suspected that the awkwardness had possibly been more to do with Lee making comments every few seconds. Lee opened the door for them, gesturing for them to inside. The moment they came in, Lexy's eyes widened, glancing between them as her mouth remained suspended open.

"Er ... Saskia, right?" She said, looking between Aubrey and Fred in the hopes one look could fill her in on everything. Unsurprisingly, it did not, "You're ... new? Or have you always been here and nobody at all noticed you?"

"New," Saskia replied.

"Oh ... right," Lexy nodded slowly before standing up. Seeing the girl, given what Aubrey had said about her, addled Lexy's brain somewhat. Fred stifled a laugh as she brushed down her skirt, holding out her hand for Saskia to either high five or shake. It became even harder to hold in the laugh as Saskia misjudged the signal and took Lexy's seat on the bench next to George.

"Um, no?" Lexy muttered under her breath, turning to Aubrey with a look of bewilderment. With a deep breath, she took a seat opposite, "It's alright, I can sit on this bench..." She tentatively sat down. Saskia grinned at George, who looked a little unnerved and Fred noticed Lexy's eyes widen slightly. He let out a snort of laughter, unable to contain it as Lexy casually kicked her feet up on George's legs.

Lee casually swung around the door frame with ease and plonking himself next to Lexy, "Do you know if Katie, Alicia and Angelina will be joining us?"

George shrugged, "No clue, they tend to sit as a trio on the train."

"Fair," Lee replied, noticing Aubrey and Fred still lingering in the doorway, "Do you two want to take a seat?"

"Yeah ..." Fred glanced at Aubrey, or his unofficial underage wife from their conversation earlier, "Aubs, let's sit."

"Um... we'll be right back," She abruptly slid the door shut, as a horrified Lexy looked in disbelief. 

" ... or not," for a moment they remained still before Fred, feeling a lot of second-hand awkwardness, pulled her out of sight of the glass window, "where are we going now?"

"Kenny and Angela, we usually sit with them but they're not here either... maybe they could explain some things," She said, "Ang's mum works in the Ministry and knows stuff ... not Hogwarts stuff mind you but a new student at Hogwarts in the final year no less is bound to cause stir. Plus ... I've missed them," She glanced back, peering around the door, "Should I bring Lexy? I don't think she likes Saskia."

"I would but I doubt she'd leave George alone in there," Fred replied, a smirk crossing both their faces.

"Yeah ... we'll be back soon, that's fine then, right?" 

• • •

It took them a while to find Kenny and Angela but they eventually stumbled across them, sitting together in one of the communal carriages. The moment they saw them, Aubrey dashed over, a smile on her face that fell slightly as Angela regarded her with a cool poker face.