I wake up, filled with excitement. Today we get to find out who will be in the tri wizard tournament. I hurriedly get dressed and ready for the day before running down the stairs to the common room.
"Excited Van?" Fred, who is seated in one of the plush chairs next to the fire, asks.
"Yes... don't call me Van." I say, my level of excitement somewhat lower.
"Okay, Van." He replies with a smirk.
I glare at him for a moment, but then turn my attention to George who is complaining about how their plan to enter the tournament failed.
"Did you ever really think it would work?" I ask him.
"I hoped it would." George answers glumly.
"Well at least you get to watch. Now come on guys, breakfast is starting." I say, grabbing their arms and pulling them out of the portrait hole with me, Lee follows.
We eat breakfast quickly and then head to Charms class, we have to make it through the school day before the choosing will take place at dinner tonight. Once class starts, we begin to practice a charm that makes you sing uncontrollably.
"Would anyone like to be a demonstration?" Professor Flitwick asks.
It's a strange question, and no one raises their hand. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Professor Flitwick decides to choose a student at random.
"You, Miss Redwood, would you please stand up?" He asks. Of course he chose me...
I shake my head aggressively, and he is about to choose someone else when Fred and George lift me to my feet. I glare at them.
"Very good, thank you." Flitwick says, "Cortis!"
I immediately start singing the first song that comes to mind.
"I see the whole world in your eyes it's like I've known you my whole life
you just feel so right
I pour my heart into your hands
it's like you really understand
and love the way I am
It feels like I've opened my eyes again,
and the colors are golden and bright again. The sun paints the skies and the wind sings her song.
It's a better place since you came along,
It's a better place since you came along."
"Finite Incantatum!" Professor Flitwick says after a while.
"Thank Merlin!" I say, sitting back down. I stare at my feet. The whole class just heard me sing...
"What song was that? I've never heard it before." George asks.
"Em... It's a muggle song, one of my favorites." I say, not looking up.
"Well that was very good. I've never heard you sing before." Fred says. George smiles and nods.
"That's because I don't like singing in front of people." I say, punching them both on the shoulder, they don't seem to mind.
We practice the charm on enchanted dummies until class is over. We have Potions next, so we head down to the dungeons and find Lani and McKenna there. George sits next to McKenna, who blushes and bats her eyes, and to think that she talks to ME about obvious flirting... Lee sits next to Lani and I sit with Lee on my left and Fred on my right.
"Today we will be making a rather complex herbal draft, so you will be working in partners." Snape says, causing the room to break out in excited whispers until he speaks again, "Don't get too excited, I will be assigning partners."
Snape walks through the rows of desks, assigning partners.
"Miss Riot, you will be with Mr. Weasley. Miss Davidson with Mr. Jordon, Miss Redwood with the other Mr. Weasley." Snape goes on like this, giving everyone a partner.
"Working with you, I might actually get decent marks." Fred snickers.
"Yeah yeah. I'll chop, you stir." I say, unamused.
"Okay, love." Fred smiles.
I do a double take. "Did you just call me love?" I ask.
"Yeah, I've done it before. Something wrong?" He asks, smirking as he stirs the potion.
"No..." I trail off, looking for something else to say, when I notice he's stirring the wrong way.
"Oi! Stir left, not right." I instruct, pointing to the textbook. He starts stirring the right way, which is actually the left.
By the time class comes to an end, we have a perfectly brewed potion that is a light lavender color. Snape tells us we can go.
"I've never gotten out of potions early." Fred says as we leave the classroom.
"Well we have free hour next anyway, so where should we go?" I ask
"Erm... How about the owlry?" He suggests
"Ok, I haven't seen Athena in a while." I say.
We walk to the owlry together. I spend a few minutes stroking Athena's back and in return, she nips affectionately at my fingers.
"Want to see something cool?" Fred asks.
"Sure." I reply with a smile.
"Follow me." He says, returning my smile.
Fred leads me to the top of the owlry and out a window. We're sitting on the window ledge, looking out over the school grounds in the chilly mid-morning air. Did I mention that I'm afraid of heights?
"What do you think?" Fred asks
"I think the view is amazing." I say. If I told him I'm afraid of heights, I would never hear the end of it, so I don't mention it.
After a few minutes of sitting on the ledge, Fred stands and climbs back inside the owlry. I attempt to follow him through the window, but my foot slips, making me lose my balance, and I fall, letting out an ear-shattering scream as I tumble towards the ground.
Fred leans out the window and grabs my arm, pulling me back up to the window.
"Don't worry, I've got you." He whispers in my ear as he pulls me through the window.
"Thanks." I half whisper, still breathing hard, "That was terrifying."
"No problem, love. We should probably go find the others now." Fred says, I nod.
I guess I've never really noticed him calling me love before, but I sure notice it now.
We walk silently to the Gryffindor common room. When we get there, everyone stops what they're doing and stares at us. Why are they staring? I look down, and realize that Fred has an arm wrapped around my waist... Great, I'm sure Lani and McKenna will be full of questions, just like I am.
Fred retracts his arm and I walk away awkwardly. I go straight to the my dorm and lay down on my four poster bed, closing the curtains around it before Lani and McKenna can reach me. When they come into the dorm, I pretend to be asleep, when I'm really going over today's events in my mind.
I think mostly of Fred, with his messy orange hair, chocolate brown eyes, perfectly straight white teeth... Wait what? Why do I even pay attention to that? Is it possible that I'm falling for my best friend?
* Time Skip *
"The champion from Beauxxbatons is..." Dumbledore says, holding a slightly burnt piece of parchment, "Fleur Delacour."
Fleur stands, met by applause, and walks away from the Ravenclaw table, to stand by Dumbledore, shake his hand, and then enter a room just off the great hall. The goblet spits out another piece of parchment.
"The next champion, representing Durmstrang is... Viktor Krum." Dumbledore announces
Viktor also stands, shakes Dumbledore's hand, and goes into the same room Fleur went into. Yet another slip of parchment is thrown in to the air by the goblet.
"And the last champion, representing Hogwarts..." Dumbledore pauses, "Cedric Diggory."
The great hall bursts into applause again, this time even louder. Cedric shakes the headmaster's hand, and enters the other room as well.
Dumbledore is about to wrap things up so he can meet with the champions briefly, when the goblet spits out another slip of paper.
Whispers break out all around me as Dumbledore retrieves the parchment and reads it, a confused look spread across his face.
"Harry Potter?" Dumbledore says.
The whispers get louder. Harry, who was standing, sits down, but Ron and Hermione force him to get up. Harry nervously shakes Dumbledore's hand and exits the great hall. Dumbledore and the heads of houses follow him, and I can hear them shouting shortly after they close the door. I would not want to be in Harry's shoes right now.
AN: I included the song that Vanessa sings in charms class if anyone is interested in listening to it, it's one of my favorites.