A week after classes start as usual the twins come running up to me.
"Ash, you'll never guess what we just found out," George pants, "That guy you liked. Redburn or whatever. He's not great. Not good enough for you."
"What George means to say is that after some light stalking we have found out that he's cheated on his past three girlfriends. If you two were talking we would've scared him off but it seems you're just acquaintances from what you told us," Fred explains.
"Oh, that's a bit disappointing," I frown at the twins, "Good thing I didn't grow too attached."
I go into my room and tell Luna exactly what happened.
"Well I did sense something was off with that boy, like I told you. You should explain that you're disappointed in your failed crush and not them though. The way you walked away made it seem like you were disappointed in them," Luna says.
Luna did tell me something was off about Axel, still, he seemed too nerdy to do something like a cheat. He wouldn't even cheat on tests. Which now that I say it, is a red flag. I really did appreciate what the twins did for me though.
The twins were having their own discussion. Already planning to apologize for overstepping boundaries. Instead, during dinner Ash thanked them.
I thanked the twins for looking out for me and cleared up the misunderstanding. We hugged and went back to the food. I was lucky to have them. Although they were a bit noisy and sometimes noisy. Their pranks were always on the verge of too far too.
Gryffindor won the quidditch cup and the house cup. Obviously. After Dumbledore gave them 100 points at the last minute. Annoying. Ravenclaw was a close second. I like to think I played a part every week during our mentorship meeting McGonagall would give me house points depending on what we talked about. The golden trio broke into the cursed vaults. That's something that seemed fun. Instead, that night I took a bunch of potion ingredients from Snape. I had a hunch he'd be out. Not trying to stop the golden trio but out. Just enough potion ingredients to make the animagus potion. I had already soaked the mandrake leaf in my mouth for a month and a lightning storm was going to be at Malfoy Manor in a week. Exactly where I'll be. All I had to do was brew the potion that Draco was going to help me with. Even though he didn't want to take the risk to be an animagus himself.
I say goodbye to my friends and promise to write. I don't actually write. Only to Hermione and Luna. Which ended up fine because Hermione was staying at the Weasleys. They knew I was safe.