xli. any way the wind blows

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FORTY ONE

AROUND NOON ON AUGUST THIRD, a familiar face entered The Gemini Cafe

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AROUND NOON ON AUGUST THIRD, a familiar face entered The Gemini Cafe. Her last customer before she was to leave the bakery and finish the workday at the joke shop. Given the fact Cleo and Zane would be leaving for school at the end of the month, Madam Maryam was going easy on Rory since she was going to have to work a lot more in the fall with them being short staffed. However, since it was the McDowell twins' birthday, the cafe itself was closing a few hours early.

The boy walked in, looking rather flustered but still sharp as he always did. A woman the girl only assumed to be his mother accompanied him with a stern look on her face. They both shared the same pale complexion and platinum locks. Although Rory did not wish to see him in the cafe, she was being paid to be nice to people.

"Hello, Draco! What'll it be for today!" She said with a plastered on smile.

The boy sneered and raised an eyebrow, "Do I know you?"

Rory hesitated, "Yes we... we went to school together! I was Head Girl and you were prefect. Er... I was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team." It appeared she hadn't rang a bell for the boy yet, "I'm Rory Archer. I'm Fred Weasley's girlfriend."

"Hm," he grunted, "Didn't know that blood traitor got himself a girlfriend. Good for him, I suppose. Just two coffees."

Rory sighed and nodded, she knew Madam Maryam was in earshot and didn't wish to lose her job over fighting with a sixteen year old. She prepared the coffees and the woman paid and gave Rory a small nod which she could only translate to "Thank you". They left, and Rory was free to go to the joke shop. Before she did anything, she needed to switch uniforms. She went up to the flat and exchanged her pink and white for orange and purple, not even seeing the twins on her way up.

Entering the shop again, she still didn't see either of the Weasley twins, just Verity, the girl they had hired to help the shop when they needed an extra hand which was... most of the time. The shop was always packed. It seemed what people needed most in dark times was a bit of laughter.

Across the shop, Rory did see a few heads with flaming red hair. She smiled as she recognized Ginny and Ron immediately. Hermione was with them, but not Harry.

"Oh, hello, Rory!" Ginny beamed, her ginger hair flowing behind her as she turned her head.

"Hello! It's good to see all of you! Where's Harry?"

"Getting the tour from George and Fred, here they come —" Hermione jerked her head towards the twins and Harry who were coming up behind them.

"Oh hello, love. Haven't you girls found our special WonderWitch products yet?" asked Fred. "Follow me, ladies...."

Rory followed them towards the wall where the collection was, most of the items very pink.

"There you go," said Fred proudly. "Best range of love potions you'll find anywhere."

WILD ➞ Fred WeasleyWhere stories live. Discover now