|Red ➼ Fred Weasley|

➼chapter 10; train rides and water balloons

Magnolia perked up, letting out a laugh at Ramona's blushed face. "I'd better get going if I were you. Wouldn't want to keep Pretty Boy Diggory waiting, now would we?"

"No we wouldn't!" Serena smiled, grabbing the Hufflepuff by her arm and forcing her out of their compartment. "Go on then, and have fun!" Ramona gave her a shy smile, turning around and walking over to the Prefect's compartment with fidgety hands.

"Amazing how you can turn the attention off of you, and onto someone else." Magnolia said without looking at Serena when she sat down, focusing on her copy of the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6.

"Amazing how you immediately jump on board when I do so." Serena retorted, grabbing the girl's book and tossing it out of her hands. "And no reading ahead. Classes don't start until tomorrow, so it's still summer. Gosh, you're such a Ravenclaw sometimes."

Magnolia snorted while Serena reached into her trunk for her Exploding Snap cards. "I may not do my work on time, or study at all, but there are so many cool spells are there. For example," Magnolia pulled out her wand, pointing it at Serena.

Serena instinctively protected her face with her arms. "Are you trying to hex me?!" But Magnolia didn't answer, instead she muttered something Serena couldn't hear, and in the next second, she felt hot steam encase her still soaked body.

Peaking open an eye, Serena glanced down at her clothes before lowering her arms, eyes widened in amazement. "I'm... I'm dry!" She hesitantly touched her hair, taking a few curls and examining it. "So is my hair! What spell was that?"

Magnolia performed the same spell on herself, coolly blowing the tip of her wand. "Hot-Air Charm. Interesting, isn't it?"

Serena nodded, saying, "No wonder you got an O in charms. And probably everything other subject."

Magnolia tilted her head, trying to remember when she got her OWL result letter. "Actually I got an Exceeds Expectations in Muggle Studies, which Ramona certainly got an Outstanding in. Oh, and a poor in History of Magic. But I didn't bother trying in that one."

"But an O in Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, Astronomy, Ancient Runes,and Defense against the Dark Arts." Serena said, counting the courses on her fingers, to which Magnolia nodded.

Serena shook her head in disbelief. "Eight OWL's... For someone that barely studies and only does homework when Mona tells us to, I'm too impressed to be annoyed."

"How many OWL's did you get again?" Magnolia asked as she spread out the deck of Exploding Snaps.

"Let's see... three E's in Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Muggle Studies. O's in DADA, Charms, and Potions, surprisingly. Thought I failed that one. But I actually failed Astronomy and History of Magic with a Poor, but no one likes those."

Magnolia looked offended. "What do you mean? Astronomy is amazing! My favourite subject, actually."

Serena snorted, picking up a card. "You love Astronomy, and Ramona's a genius in Divination. The two worst classes."

"Actually, History of Magic earns that title." Magnolia said before quickly tapped her wand when she saw two identical cards together, earning a point.

Serena laughed. "Yeah, you're right on that one."

~~~

The two girls spent the rest of the train ride playing multiple rounds of Exploding Snaps, to which Fred, George, and their friend Lee Jordan stopped by to challenge them, practicing useful hexes, and theorizing what could possibly be taking place at Hogwarts that all adults knew about. Well, the last was mostly Serena.

Ramona joined them around lunch time, and was abruptly bombarded with questions regarding Cedric, but refused to answer anything.

Soon, after the sun had set and the rain fall harder, the train finally rolled to a stop at Hogsmeade Station. Already dressed in their robes, Ramona cradled her kitten in her cloak while Magnolia draped an extra jacket over her owl before the three ran through the rain and into the closest carriage. Ramona wrung the water our of her burgundy hair, looking at the lake through the window. "I feel bad for the first years. I wouldn't fancy crossing the lake, especially in this weather."

"Eh, maybe they'll learn to bring a raincoat next time." Magnolia said ironically, unbothered by her soaked appearance.

A minute later, the carriages were off, splashing through the muddy grounds toward the Hogwarts Castle. As much as Serena despised schoolwork, she'd always loved Hogwarts, watching in excitement as the shimmering and twinkling lights drew nearer.

Once the carriage finally halted in front of Hogwart's large oak front doors, the three girls immediately bolted out of the carriage and up the stone staircase. They finally stopped running when they were safely into the magnificent, candle-lit entrance hall. Serena immediately performed the spell Magnolia taught her earlier, satisfied that her clothes were once again dry. "You know, that was a real neat spell, Magnolia, thanks- AHH!"

Serena's scream combined with Ron Weasley's as a balloon filled with water dropped on her head. More water balloons dropped from the ceiling, one narrowly missing a frantic Ramona, while another failed to hit a bored Magnolia, who casted an Impervius charm above her just in time.

"Are you kidding me!" Serena glared at Peeves the Poltergeist, floating twenty feet above them with his stupid bell-covered hat. She saw her younger sister, Iyla, a few feet away, clutching her stomach from laughing her Ron and Serena before a red balloon dropped on her own head. "Karma's a bitch." Serena muttered.

While Professor McGonagall shouted furiously at Peeves, Serena, Magnolia, and Ramona slid and slipped their way toward the Great Hall, parting to sit at their house tables. Serena plopped down beside Fred, George, Lee Jordan, steam practically coming out of her ears. Even the beautiful decorations around the Great hall didn't pick up her mood.

"Well, someone seems to be in a sour mood." George said, eyebrow raised at her dripped hair and robes. 

"Just when I managed to dry myself off, that damned Peeves decided to drop water balloons on us! Of course my mood is going to be a little sour, George."

"Stupid Peeves got me, too," Lee said, taking off his sneakers and flipping them over, a stream of water falling out of it.

"You'll be fine once the Feast rolls around. Your love for food is quite impressive, Mallard." Fred said, grinning from across her. 

Serena groaned, putting her head in her arms. "But that's after the Sorting." Just then, the Great Hall doors opened, McGonagall leading a long line of first years toward the front. "Wake me up when it's over." The girl mumbled tiredly.

The Sorting only lasted a few minutes, and when the last first year, Kevin Whitby, was sorted into Hufflepuff, George nudged Serena, who looked up just in time to head Professor Dumbledore announce with a smile, "I have only two words to say to you. Tuck in."

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Author's note:

Hey lovelies! This chapter was getting rather long, so I decided to stop it here for now.

I'm sorry if I'm taking too long in getting to the point, but characterization, ya know! And some hidden details added for future use. :)

Since it's the weekend (finally), I'll be writing and editing a whole lot, and will try to post as early as possible.

Thank you for reading, anyway! And with golden Galleons of love,

~Lena