LIONHEART ❃ george weasley

023 | losing faith

"Done," Fred announced, grinning at his work. He was the person Albany least expected to be good with hair, yet the second she had complained that her ponytail was too loose, he had jumped to the rescue.

"Thanks," she murmured gratefully, pulling herself out of her head. She reached back to tug at it curiously, and then shook her head vigorously, impressed with how secure it felt. "Damn, Ferdinand, how'd you manage that?"

"We're still not dropping that, huh," Fred deadpanned.

She managed a weak grin. "Nope."

"How do you feel?" Carly asked, a hopeful smile warming her face.

Albany inhaled slowly. "Horrible," she admitted. "But the show must go on, I guess."

George didn't seem completely assured. "You have a plan?"

"No," Albany sighed, and then had a second thought. "Well, sort of. I have... something, but I dunno if it'll work."

"Something's better than nothing," Fred said encouragingly.

"Yeah, and if it helps, we're gonna cheer on all the other dragons!" Lee exclaimed, grinning wide. "Except Harry's, though, we like him."

Angelina elbowed him in the side. "Lee!" Her voice was playfully chiding.

"What?" he laughed.

"What is your plan?" George asked curiously, bringing the attention back to the Slytherin champion.

Albany shrugged, not sure how to say she didn't quite know. "Er... well, you'll find out soon enough if it works."

"I'm sorry my spells did not work out," Carly said, frowning slightly. "I tried starting a new one yesterday, but I do not have a dragon to practice, and no time."

Albany offered her a comforting smile. "That's okay, Carly," she assured her appreciatively. "There's two other tasks. If I survive, I'm sure they'll come in handy at some point."

"You will survive," George said, grinning. "Or I'll kill you."

"That's reassuring," Albany joked, rolling her eyes. The fluttery panic in her stomach didn't feel so sickening in the optimism of the others.

"Look at us," Fred said, grinning broadly. "At the start of the year, we were rivals, and now it's like we genuinely care about each other."

Albany quirked an eyebrow. "Bold of you to assume I like you," she teased. Fred pouted. "I'm joking, obviously. Though I wouldn't say we were rivals... I was just really determined to get revenge."

"Ah, yes, the dungbomb," George sighed, smiling with nostalgia. "An iconic prank."

"Indeed," Albany agreed smugly. "Though two is better than one, I would argue."

"You're such a Slytherin," Fred laughed. "Course you had to one-up us when you did get revenge."

"I'll always stand by it though, you'd make a fine Gryffindor," George said, grinning.

Albany rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Gred."

George was quick to return her banter, though she missed his response, eyes drawn across the hall where Faith and their roommates had risen from the Slytherin table. It was not their movement that distracted her, though — Faith had shot her an irritated glare as they locked eyes, and Albany felt her face flush with anger. She had enough on her plate without someone who was supposed to be her friend constantly giving her shit for hanging out with other people. Faith had been pissy with her for weeks now, and it had to stop.