[2] The Great Orangenie | FRED WEASLEY

Chapter Sixteen

"Okay Aubrey, give me the secret books you're hiding," Lexy said as Fred and Aubrey prepared to leave the Great Hall. Their date had brought quite a crowd, mainly Fred's friends who kept raising their eyebrows and stuff. Even Kenny and Angela who were sitting a little way away seemed to be interested even if Angela made a big show of turning her head in the opposite direction. Kenny offered her a weak smile before she turned back to Lexy.

"I don't have any secret books on me, hon..."

Ley hadn't been expecting this, blinking a few times, her blue eyes wide, "You don't? Aw, I thought it would be so funny if you produced one from under your robes or inside your shoes."

"Or the cuffs of your trousers," George added, "Nobody ever checks there."

"Except Mum," Fred grumbled.

"I don't have any secret books on me," She assured Lexy once more, surprised when the girl pulled her into a hug.

It seemed that Lexy was using the hug in the same way Fred did: to whisper secret information, "Don't worry, Aubrey, I'll babysit your child for you."

"My child?"

"Saskia... she's clueless and obsessed with you. Don't look so horrified, it's a joke!" Lexy giggled, "I'll make sure she doesn't run into trouble ..." She broke apart looking around as her voice trailed off, "Oh, she's gone."

"Who? You mean Saskia?" Lee guessed, "Yeah, she said she had something to do..."

Aubrey was about to look around for her but Fred, sensing where it was going, quickly grabbed her arm, leading her towards the door, "Come on, Aubs, we have a few hours and lots of date stuff to get through."

"Oh, you have a plan?"

"Nope, not at all."

She would have preferred a slightly more structured day but Fred had a knack at using circumstances to his advantage so she trusted his judgement.

"Alright, before we start, one rule."

She grinned at him, "I thought rules were made to be broken..."

"Not this one, it's for our own good," He replied firmly, "We don't discuss Saskia nor Umbridge or anything to do with the mystery really."

A vague sense of panic washed over her as this knocked out half of her planned conversations. She'd just been expecting they'd discuss theories but she was sure they could talk about other stuff. 

"Okay, how about we go outside..." He trailed off as they neared a window. Rain was lashing down on the glass so hard Aubrey half expected it to shatter. She turned to Fred, a faint smile on her face whilst his displayed a look of vague frustration, "... later. For now though, let's stay indoors."

"Where indoors?"

She watched as Fred's mouth opened and close, his fingers resting on his forehead as he thought, "The ... Arithmancy classroom?"

"No way!" She laughed, "That's where we plan and snog on the desks! We can't go there ..."

"Okay, let me think..." He leant against the wall, "Problem is I have a lot of good places to prank and spy on people but nowhere romantic..."

"Yeah, me neither really..." Aubrey sighed, leaning against the wall with him as they pondered in silence, before Aubrey clicked her fingers, "Apparently the Slytherin common rooms have brilliant lake views ... do you know how to get in there?"

"No. do you?"

"No, me neither!" She huffed, "Why are we so bad at this?"

"We're not bad at anything, just clueless gits," He replied before suddenly pushing himself off the wall, "Wait, I think I've got it ... oh, nevermind - "