Ethereal ✭Fred Weasley✭

27.

"Sickle for your thoughts?" a voice brought her out of her head. She turned to see Fred with chicken in his mouth while looking at her with an inquisitive look. He had been watching her stab at her mashed potatoes for about two minutes now, and had finally decided to say something.

"I'm just thinking about the tournament," she answered with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Haven't seen anything in your map about it?" he asked, not realising that he had just broadened Sophia's mind into something she had been brewing over for the past couple of hours.

"Oh yes, about that Frederick-" she started and Fred immediately groaned, putting down his fork. "-I don't like the fact that you and George made a bet around what I said about the Quidditch match. We could all get into a lot of trouble for that."

"Oh come on Soph," Fred attempted to sway her. "It was only a small bet. Bagman actually gave us fake gold! It disappeared right under our-"

"It doesn't matter Fred!" she cut him off, knowing full well that he was going to try and use his typical Weasley charm to change the subject. "Anyone could be suspicious at how you and George knew the exact outcome of the game. I could be taken into the Ministry for the misuse of-"

"But you won't love! Not if you keep quiet about it like George and I have been!" Fred took his turn to cut her off, leaning extra close to her face in order to catch her attention. "Just stop yapping on about it and no one will know! I'm sure people do it all the time in the betting industry. Just let it go, and eat your mashed potatoes."

Sophia huffed in response and decided to do as he said. There was really no point on dwelling on past events. She just had to be more careful about what she let slip to Fred and George about what she's seen through her map and the sky. The girl instinctively looked up towards the teacher's table, where her father once sat and would smile at her from his spot next to Hagrid, only to meet eye(s) again with Professor Moody. The man hadn't tried to talk to anyone at the table, only stare over to countless heads of students in the hall. His enlarged eye was pinning her in her seat, making her want to shrink away. She didn't like this man. Ex- Auror or not, he didn't seem safe at all.

---

The next day, classes started as normal. After breakfast, Sophia made her way to Defence Against the Dark Arts with Hermione, Ron and Harry. The four of them were slightly eager to have their first lesson with Professor Moody, but partially nervous as the man was so intimidating. Sophia's stomach churned slightly at the thought of being in such close proximity of the Ex-Auror, considering Hermione had decided to have them occupy a table three rows away from the front of the classroom. Once they had settled, the man stood at the front of the classroom and began to introduce himself in his harsh and clipped tone of voice.

"Alastor Moody, Ex-Auror," he wrote his name on the blackboard frantically. "And your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me to, good bye the end! Any questions?"

The class stayed silent with a layer of slight fear, as he looked over everyone. Much to Sophia's relief, he didn't stare at her like he did last night in the Great Hall. But he did do so to Harry, who fidgeted nervously in his seat from the Professor's penetrating stare. The lesson went on with talk of the three Unforgiveable Curses, and resulted in Neville Longbottom having a near melt down when forced to watch Professor Moody torture a helpless spider with the Cruciatus Curse. It was horrible, and Sophia found herself being terrified of the man. At the end of the lesson, she attempted to leave the room amongst the crowd of Gryffindors and Slytherins when the same gruff voice stopped her.

"Miss Lupin, can I talk to you for a moment please?"

Sophia stopped near the door and turned back to face the teacher with a nervous gulp down her throat. Professor Moody stood in the middle of the room between two desks, leaning against his walking stick with his enlarged eye settled on her once again. She took small steps back towards the middle of the class and stopped in front of him, looking up at the man with sweating palms. Harry, Ron and Hermione pitied the girl and decided to wait outside for her.