I was right. This year is going horribly. The toad isn't teaching us anything, Snape is especially bitter this year, and it's only the middle of November!
Yes, I'm still numb and depressed. The toad and Snape certainly aren't helping any, though.
Today is a Hogsmeade day. Fred, George, Betty, Sammy, and I were told a few weeks ago by Hermione to meet at a pub called 'Hogs Head' for something.
I have no clue for what, but we're currently making our way to this pub. I looked around the small village, taking note of the light in most of the windows, the scrape of our feet on the ground as we walked. It all just felt so... cozy.
Fred was walking next to Sammy, his arms sling around her shoulders as she and he talked about all the ways they could prank Umbridge.
I couldn't help the wave of jealousy that swelled up in my chest. They can't like each other, right? Right?
George and I exchanged glances as we arrived in front of the Hogs Head, our faces clearly conveying the unease and confusion of being asked to come here for something that Hermione wouldn't explain. Oh well, here goes nothing.
---
Harry is going to teach us how to defend ourselves!
During the meeting a few other students wanted Harry to tell us more about Cedric's death, but I could tell that Cho really didn't want to know more and Harry didn't want to tell anymore. It was clear in the way they fidgeted and the way Cho kept looking at the ground.
Hermione told everyone about how Harry can produce a patronus and how he's fought and survived Voldemort. I'm quite surprised so many people doubted it, since Harry is The Boy Who Lived.
Eventually everyone signed up, including the students who questioned Harry.
I'm excited. Harry is going to be a great teacher and this is going to be so much more fun than the toad's version of teaching. Plus we can actually learn how to defend ourselves now that Voldemort is back.
The twins, Sammy, Betty, and I had just left Hogs Head.
I was looking around Hogsmeade when I felt a hand close around mine and I was suddenly dragged into a shop. I turned around and saw Fred grinning at me. "Bloody hell! Don't do that!" I said quietly before I smacked his arm.
"Sorry, but you weren't following!"
I was startled by a loud 'bang' and I realized we were in Zonko's. Imagine that.
I leaned against the window and watched Fred and George pick out what they needed.
Betty was following George, leaving Fred by himself. Sammy was walking around on her own.
Fred was in my line of sight. There was concentration in his eyes as those blue orbs scanned over everything, leaving nothing unseen. His eyes rake over everything like a true professional. He takes this quite seriously and I get to see a side to Fred Weasley that most people don't get to see. I studied the freckles that dotted his face, the way he bit his slip slightly in concentration and how his eyebrows were just slightly furrowed.
It was quite attractive and brought a smile to my face, the first genuine one in a while.
He went to grab something off a shelf when something whizzed by his feet, causing him to lose his balance and to bump the shelf, causing it and all its contents to fall onto him.
There was nothing particularly heavy on the shelf and the shelf itself was made out of plastic, so there was no possible way he could have hurt himself.
I started laughing, but quickly clamped my hand over my mouth.
His head snapped up and a grin spread across his face. He got his wand out and waved it to return everything back to normal before getting up and making his way over to me.
"Did you laugh at me?"
My hand fell to my side and I suppressed my grin.
"Er... no."
He smiled, "No, it's okay. I'm glad to hear you laugh; it's cute. It's so much better than seeing you frown."
I looked down and let my hair fall into my face to cover my blush. I stared at my black boots, suddenly noticing every wear and tear in them. The scuffs on the top of them suddenly became the most interesting things in the world.
I could practically feel his smirk at seeing me blush and try to hide it.
Finally when I thought it safe, I looked up, "Are you ready?"
He furrowed his brow, "R-Ready for what?"
I laughed, again.
"To pay for what you got, silly!"
He grinned, "There's the Elle I know and love!"
I felt the heat rise up to my cheeks, "You love me?" I couldn't stop the words before they fell out of my mouth. Seriously, I need to work on this.
I saw his ears turn a shade of red. "We-well, yes. A-as a friend of course."
I tried my best to conceal my frown, "Right. Well I'm going to go over to Honeydukes real quick. I'll catch you later, Fred."
"Elle, wait!"
I acted like I hadn't heard him, turned around and walked out the door. Little did I know Fred was on the other side, banging his forehead against the door and calling himself stupid.
Instead of turning to go to Honeydukes, I turned to go back to Hogwarts. I want to be alone and I know he's going to try to find me.
I took my time walking.
"Elle! Wait up!"
I stopped and turned around. Draco was running towards me. It wasn't long before he caught up.
"What are you doing?"
He shrugged, "Walking with my cousin."
I sighed, "What do you want?"
He smiled, "So I see the Elle that doesn't take any bullshit is back."
I chuckled, "I guess so. I also guess I missed the day you started cursing."
"I suppose I haven't ever said anything like that around you, have I?"
"Nope. I honestly didn't expect that. I always thought you were a perfect little angel for your mummy."
"Watch it, Elle."
I laughed. "Seriously, what do you want?"
He stopped and turned me to face him.
"I... I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry about your mum."
I smiled sadly.
"There's one other thing."
"Yes?"
"It... it was that wretched man I call my father that... that killed her."
I gasped, "What?"
He nodded with a sad expression on his face.
"How do you know this?"
"I-I heard my dad bragging about it. I'm not supposed to know, but I thought you would want to know who the monster was that... did that to your mother."
I nodded and choked back my tears, "Thank you for telling me, Draco. I know it couldn't have been easy."
"I'm sorry that I had to tell you at all. If it wasn't for my father your mother would still be here."
I nodded, "I'll talk to you later, Draco. I need to be alone right now."
"I understand. I'll see you later."
I walked back to the castle and to the dorm, leaving Draco behind.
How do I feel about knowing my mother's killer? Angry. I want to hurt him like he hurt her.
I was staring out the window, trying not to imagine Lucius Malfoy and Mum in a duel.
----
After a few hours Betty and Sammy walked in.
They sat down on the edge of my bed.
"We heard that Elle is back."
I smiled softly, "I guess I am." I pushed away my thoughts, as I didn't feel like explaining everything to them.
"We also heard about the incident with Fred..."
"I should've known I didn't have a chance."
"You drove him crazy this afternoon. He was running all around trying to find you."
"I wanted to be alone."
"I'm sorry. Maybe he was going to profess his love for you but chickened out!" Sammy mused.
I snorted, "Yeah, right. He sees me as a sister. That's all he is ever going to see me as."
"Don't say that! I bet he's already head over heels for you!"
"Probably not. But as long as he's happy, I'm happy."
I saw Sammy and Betty exchange glances at one another.
"You should tell him how you feel. We promise you won't regret it."
"Yes I would! He'd laugh in my face and it would ruin everything!"
"No, he wouldn't. You know Fred, he's not like that. Who knows, maybe he would sweep you off your feet!"
I shook my head.
I heard them sigh and felt them move off of my bed.
I turned over and tried to fall asleep. When did they figure out I like Fred? Is it that obvious?
----
A few months later I was walking with Fred and George to the DA meeting. Not much had happened lately, since the pink toad was literally leeching all of the fun from the castle.
It was nearing exam time, which means that soon my time at Hogwarts will be over. It feels like just yesterday I was a little girl looking for a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. It feels like just yesterday I met the twins. It feels like just yesterday a war wasn't looking over our heads like an ominous cloud. It feels like just yesterday everything was just so simple.
Now nothing is simple, there's a war just around the corner, I am head over heels for Frederick Gideon Weasley, and about to leave Hogwarts.
But onto a happier note. I am so happy I joined the DA, as it is quite a bit of fun. We learn quite a bit and Harry is a great professor.
The toad is running Hogwarts like a tyranny. She is the high inquisitor, meaning she can fire the professors. She already fired Trelawney. Dumbledore hired a centaur in Trelawney's place, which greatly irked Umbitch. Good for him. I'm not taking Divination, so I don't know how the centaur's teaching is, but I can't see it being as bad as Umbitch's.
She also has the Inquisitorial Squad, which consists of mainly Slytherin students who run about trying to get other students in trouble.
At least George and Betty are still going strong. They make the cutest couple!
Harry had told me that tonight we would be learning how to cast a patronus.
We had learned the encantation and were currently trying to cast one. I tried multiple memories but not a one worked.
All of a sudden a hyena was sprinting around me. I grinned and turned to Fred to see that his eyes were following the hyena. He grinned back at me, his eyes lighting up.
Seeing him gave me a memory.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Then a fox jumped about and began to play with the hyena; my fox. I did it! I actually cast a Patronus Charm!
It was quite adorable to see them bouncing around and playing together.
The memory I used? The feeling I had when Fred's hand would grab mine.
I wonder if Fred's memory had to do with me.
At the time, I had no idea that Fred used the same memory I did.
All of a sudden Dobby appeared, making the animals vanish. Dobby warned Harry that the toad had found us and was coming, causing everyone to disperse and everything to turn into chaos.
I felt Fred's hand grab mine and pull me out of the room.
I paced when we got back to the common room, safely thanks to our knowledge of the castle from the Marauder's Map. I was worried Harry hadn't gotten away. Finally he returned.
I rushed over, "Harry! What happened? Are you okay?"
"Dumbledore's gone. He took the blame for me."
"Oh, Harry. Do you know what this means?"
He looked me in the eye. "Hogwarts is doomed."