[2] The Great Orangenie | FRED WEASLEY

Chapter Thirty Eight

"A rubix cube?" Aubrey examined the gift thoroughly, holding it in her hand as she returned to her friends, "What do I do with that?"

"Most people solve it," Lexy replied leisurely, heaving herself up to sit cross-legged, "Oh, let me try - I've had a lot of free time since the Old magic plan went dead. I'm not blaming the twins but I am blaming the twins, Fred with his caring about you and George with his - "

"Alright, stop!" Aubrey cut in.

"You don't know what I was about to say!"

"You had this look on your face," Aubrey explained, slumping onto the sofa next to Lexy, "I can't describe it, hon. Anyway, you really want to do it with me?" 

"Sure," Lexy shuffled up the sofa, briefly turning back to the arm chair, "Saskia, fancy joining us?"

"Huh?" Saskia looked up from the newspaper she was reading that was practically wider than her arm span, "Oh no ... I have bigger puzzles to work on."

Aubrey and Lexy blinked before getting back to their puzzle; by now they were used to it. So long as she wasn't breaking legs or trees, anything went with the peculiar puzzle.

"Why would Umbridge give it to me - hey, give it back!"

"I'm being a good friend ... checking it's not cursed."

"Well, I don't want you being cursed either!"

"Not really your choice," Lexy grinned, giving it a shake before handing it back, "I think you're okay."

"... good," Aubrey replied, taking it back in a firm, decisive gesture, "Anyway, we'd better get started. I think she likes tests, didn't I - "

"AUBREY!" They both jumped, turning to Saskia who had abruptly spoken, "How good are you at solving puzzles?"

"Um ... adequate, I suppose? Not the fastest, but I can get it done."

Saskia murmured something, thinking deeply before shaking her head, "How good are you at Multitasking?"

"Adequate..." Aubrey replied, "Surely you can figure this out though."

"Maybe she's bad at puzzles," Lexy murmured.

"That's ... okay," Saskia said, her head tilted down whilst her eyes remained fixed on Aubrey in a distincitly sinister manner, "... have either of you read the news lately? About the missing towns and people?"

"Yes?" Aubrey replied already fiddling around with the rubix cube, "It's quite creepy really," before returning to it fully. She only really had time for one puzzle in her life.

"Why?" Lexy inched slightly closer out of interest.

"No reason," Saskia slumped down in the chair with a sigh before adding, "Good thing you're not good at Multitasking..."

Even with all her attention on the rubix cube, Aubrey still found herself staying up until one to solve it. Lexy suggested more than once that she merely use magic but that felt like cheating and when she returned it to Umbridge later that week, she knew she'd made the right decision: Umbridge checked for enchantments almost instantly.

"Very well done, my dear," She replied, opening her desk drawer and carefully placing the cube inside, "Gil loved those, they passed the time well during her harder days. Just out of interest, how long did it take?"

Aubrey shrugged, unsure of the correct answer, "Well, I was so focused on um ... passing the time that I didn't really notice."

Umbridge's expression seemed to darken slightly, "Aubrey, my dear, I hope you know how much I appreciate honesty in this office..."