𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 | 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲

Ride a White Swan

𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁

The festivities after a quidditch win had never been small, but this time they were especially substantial.

It must have been a redemption of sorts; to make up for the dispirited attitude of the school from the attacks. Even Hermione, who had made a fuss about Mcgonagall finding out, had settled herself on the couch with some butterbeer, humming along to the music.

Fred and George, as always, were the center of attention; tossing Filibuster's Fireworks around the room jovially. Elodie hung back, still slightly ill at ease from the events of today's match. Maura snuck up behind her, grabbing her waist.

"Els! You did great!" She congratulated.

"I only scored four goals, Maurs. Harry did all the heavy lifting." Elodie shook her head.

"Forty points isn't bullocks, Elodie, it's great." Maura rolled her eyes. "Besides, at least you don't have a deflated arm."

She had a point.

Ride a White Swan was playing, which Elodie had always enjoyed a good deal. She wondered vaguely where George (resident DJ) had heard it.

"Nice one, Georgie!" She shouted at him from across the room, gesturing at the enchanted record player.

He winked back at her, and threw the last of his fireworks in the air. They exploded with a loud BANG, forming the shape of a bass guitar in the sky.

"Never pegged you for a T. Rex fan, Florence." George made his way to where her and Maura were standing.

"Look at me, full of surprises." Elodie responded dryly. She took a lengthy sip of firewhiskey.

"Y'know, tonight might be the night." George cocked an eyebrow at her.

"That what? You get a shag? Long awaited day, Georgie." Maura smirked.

"Shove off. I meant the day Els decides to stop being a prig and make up with my brother." George corrected slyly.

Elodie glanced at Fred who was still enjoying the crackling fireworks in the sky and adoring crowd around him. He too was singing along to the blaring music. Merlin, he looked gorgeous. Fred's hair always got disheveled when he was pissed, and it was a flaming burst of color amongst the brunettes and blondes. And his arm was around a Ravenclaw girl. Fuck this.

"No." She said firmly, tearing her gaze away from Fred and his newest conquest. George glanced back at him.

"Ah." He bit his lip, sharing a glance with Maura.

"Either you two stop speaking in silent code, or you let me go up to bed. I'm knackered." She said annoyedly.

"Bed it is." Maura decided, putting her arm around Elodie's shoulder and leading her up the stairs. Elodie let herself be dragged to their dorm, very glad to be out of the noisy common room.

The two girls had almost reached the top step when a booming voice echoed around every wall in the tower.

"THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER ATTACK. ALL STUDENTS MUST RETURN TO THEIR DORMITORIES AT ONCE, AND MAY ONLY EXIT FOR CLASSES. STUDENTS WILL BE ESCORTED TO THEIR LESSONS BY PREFECTS AND TEACHERS HENCEFORTH. GOODNIGHT."

Elodie jumped, covering her ears with her hands. The voice was clearly Mcgonagall's, magically magnified to reach the entire school. Maura blinked at her, alarmed.

"You don't think it's anyone we know, do you? You don't think they died, do you? Oh, Elodie, what if they send us home? They wont, will they?" Maura was blurting, as the two girls hurried back down the stairs to find a panicked common room.

George and Lee rushed over to them immediately.

"Do you have any idea who it might be?" Lee asked.

"No, of course not, Lee." Maura snapped. "We were just on our way to bed. Where's Freddie?"

"Escorting his... friend... back to the Ravenclaw common room. I don't reckon that's allowed, but it is what it is." George shrugged. Elodie made a face.

"'Lax, Els, I'm sure they were just mates. Otherwise he would've snogged her by now, hm?" Lee chuckled good-naturedly. Elodie sent a harsh glare his way.

"Like I care. It was Maurs who asked, not me." She reminded him.

"Keep your hair on, Merlin!" Lee lowered. "Birds." He added under his breath.

Elodie realized she had been too harsh-probably all day-and gave him an apologetic look.

"Els is just in a mood today, aren't you Els?" Maura chirped.

Elodie shrugged. Most of the students had emptied out, nervously retreating to their dorms after receiving this new bit of news.

Fred came barging through the portrait hole, panting.

"It's a little bloke called Colin Creevey. He was Gryffindor." He sighed, rushing up to where their group had congregated by the stairwell.

"Dead?" Maura gasped.

"No, just petrified." Fred sighed. "At this rate only the Slytherins'll be left in the school."

"And you two." Elodie glared at the twins.

"Hey, it's not our fault we're purebloods. That was purely coincidence." George raised his arms in surrender.

Fred's eyes shot daggers at her. "Leave it, Georgie. She's just trying to pick a fight."

"She is just making a valid point. You two are safe." Elodie sniffed.

"She is thinking about herself, as usual, and doesn't realized that we (unlike some) care about others." Fred shot back.

"You slimy little-" Elodie lunged at Fred, but was pulled back by Maura. For a girl of her size, Maura was impressively strong. George shook his head in desperation.

"When will you two drop it?" He said tiredly.

"When she is done being a prig." Fred sniffed.

"When he is done being a tart." Elodie retorted.

"Can boys even be tarts?" Maura frowned.

"I dunno, but if they could, he would be poster child." Elodie jerked her head at the fuming Weasley.

"I was just walking her back, you minger!" Fred shouted.

Elodie took a deep breath, and marched up the stairs, her hair swinging wildly behind her.