THE TRAIN ARRIVED and the group was waiting for a new carriage to come by. The air was definitely colder compared to London, the Autumn crisp coming early in Scotland. The sun was set and the lights from inside the castle were welcoming the students in. Although, Wendy was looking on the other side, opposite of the castle, expecting the new DADA teacher.
"Wendy, let's go?" Ron called out for Wendy who was the only one left.
Wendy let go looking for the professor, knowing he'd be there soon anyways. She jumped on the carriage with Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, and Neville. She was the closest together with Harry to the Thestrals and only then she noticed how she could see them, despite never witnessing any death in person.
She glanced over at Harry, hoping he'd understand, but she only received a confused look from the boy, "forgot something on the train?"
"You can't see them?" She asked puzzled.
He was supposed to see them, wasn't he? In the books and movies he was the one who saw the Thestrals. She then thought of the events, Harry only saw the magical creatures after their fourth year; after Cedric's death. But she wasn't going to let that happen.
"You can see them too," A soft voice spoke.
Luna Lovegood appeared almost out of thin air holding her magazine close to her chest and with sparkly sunglasses on her head. Wendy couldn't help but smile, one of her favourite characters, she wondered how she didn't meet her yet.
"Hello Luna Lovegood, I'm Wendy."
"Yes, Wendy Stone from Gryffindor—last year a lot of Ravenclaws were speculating where you popped out from."
"Oh, well—good to know." She looked at her friends, "these are Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and of course, Nevile Longbottom."
"Hello," She smiled.
Everyone smiled back and Neville offered his hand to help the girl up on the carriage. Weird things were happening and Luna Lovegood wasn't supposed to be there with them yet. Not that she minded it, but so many things weren't going as the books and movies wrote. Was it because of her?
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Fred asked.
"Are you thinking of participating?" George questioned the brother.
"YES!"
"You won't be able to get pass Dumbledore's magic," Wendy spoke walking pass them.
The two followed behind her, "are you saying that because you know the future?"
"No, I'm saying it because you'd have to be the greatest wizards of the century to find a flaw in the headmaster's magic."
"She's right, simple charms nor spells such as yours won't do the trick," Hermione commented them.
"You're right..." George admitted.
"...THAT IS WHY WE WON'T BE USING CHARMS NOR SPELLS." They said together.
Hermione sighed as she watched them run away with their devious plans. Wendy and Hermione continued their way to the Gryffindor Common Room after the welcoming feast of the night. So many bright students were sorted in Gryffindor and Wendy swore they would get enough points to win the house cup.
"Wendy!" A voice from behind them startled the two.
Wendy turned around hearing her name and saw the silver boy running towards them.
"Malfoy is running, is someone chasing him?"
Hermione chuckled, "I'll go first—don't wanna start the year by talking with him."
As Hermione left, her absence was filled by Draco. Hermione was probably the most understanding of her relationship with the Slytherin boy, but even she couldn't pretend to be nice to him. Harry and Ron were very disapproving but Hermione was able to lay them off a bit.
"Granger can't really stand me, can she?"
"She punched you last year, I think you have that doubt answered." She chuckled at the memory while Draco grimace at it, "what was it?"
"Oh, nothing—just letting you know I brought all of your stuff from the Manor and that my parents told me to say hi to you for them—they were very against you staying at the Weasel's 'house' but couldn't force you to move after what happened."
The girl frowned at him, "thank you... Do you mind not calling them names? They're actually really nice."
Draco never would have even put that in consideration, but he made an exception for the girl and nodded, "sure... I'll see you tomorrow!"
Wendy watched him walking away and smiled at his promise. She really hoped he changed so he wouldn't have to go through what he was destined for. She walked back to the Common Room where she was greeted by Ron and Harry on the sofa waiting for her and a relaxed Hermione with a book in her hands, probably advance studying.
"You were with Malfoy again?" Harry asked spitting the name like it were vegetables.
"We can't believe you! How can you be friends with him? You have no idea of what he's done the years before you came," Ron said.
Wendy shot a look at Hermione, knowing fully it was her who told them, "don't look at me, I'm not a snitch."
Wendy looked at the only two people left in the room, the twins, "can't believe that out of everyone you two snitched on me."
"It's for your own good!" George protested.
"You have no idea what Malfoy's intentions are," Fred backed him up.
"And you do?"
George shot Fred a look, who in turn just stood up from his chair and with hands in his pockets left to the dormitory. George sighed and followed his twin, part of him not believing he'd leave a conversation without having the last word.
"He's better than you think, just wait for it," George heard Wendy say before he'd close the door behind him.
"You are starting to be obvious," He said.
"I don't know what you mean," Fred said jumping on his bed and laying down.
"You do know."
Fred looked at the brother in the eyes, and spoke, "No, I really don't."
George studied his face, his brother seemed to be either seriously unaware or he seriously didn't want to talk about it, but serious nonetheless. Making it a bigger situation than it seemed to be.
The only times when Fred was serious was when his family was in danger or about their joke shop plan, and with both cases he was still able to crack a joke out to lighten the situation. George was yet to see Fred in love.
Ron and Harry entered the dormitory too and to find Fred and George on their beds.
"what were you talking about?" Ron asked.
"Nothing," Fred quickly said putting his pillow over his head.
Ron looked at his other brother asking him what was wrong with Fred without the needs of words, like only brothers can. George only shrugged his shoulder and followed to get his clothes to change into.
Wendy was in the common room until late hours. She was thinking about Draco and how difficult their relationship was turning out to be, a simple friendship. She thought of her time at the manor, especially of the day they were in the garden that grey afternoon and the day she gave him his birthday gift.
She felt so happy, and decided to list down, mentally, all the good things that happened to her, all the happy memories. Not long after she managed to cast a patronous again and Diego popped out of the silver light. The dog snuggled close to Wendy, and even if he didn't feel as warm as her actual pet from her life before, she was happy to have a familiar face with her.
"You're still awake?"
Wendy turned around and Diego got up alerted. The small dog was soon to calm down after seeing that it was just Fred, still in the clothes he came to Hogwarts with.
"Couldn't sleep, you?"
"Me neither."
He looked beside her and Wendy scooched over to make space for Fred in front of the crackling fireplace. Fred looked at Diego, who was calmly in front of them before the fire, as to enjoy the heat it was producing.
"That's a patronous, isn't it?" He asked mildly surprised.
"Yes, his name is Diego," She smiled remembering the day she got the dog from his brother.
"You named him?" He chuckled.
"He looks like the dog I had when I was... when I was back home."
Fred frowned, he knew how much she was missing home, and hated how he started that topic. But didn't stop her from continuing her story, "Michael gave him to me when I got my first house on my own. It was a big step for me and I was scared of being alone. He told me that with Diego, I might be less lonely."
"Did it work?"
"Yeah," she laughed, "Diego was such an attention seeker, couldn't go without someone petting him for more than an hour. He made a mess of my house and wouldn't stop being so mischievous—kind of like you."
"Me?! Why me?" He pushed her lightly.
Diego, as he felt his owner being pushed, he looked at her and made sure she was okay not moving from his place. As protective the dog was, he knew she was safe with Fred. Something from Wendy's subconscious just transferred such feeling to her patronous.
"You might be a total pain and an arse, but you mean good," She simply said.
"Ill take the 'mean good' but you owe me for that 'pain and arse' thing," He laughed.
They stayed there for a while, enjoying the silence of each other's company. Something Fred never found himself doing as he preferred doing so many things at once, never really focusing on one. But a little exception was always needed.
"Why did you storm off earlier?"
"Uh?"
"when we were talking here, you stormed off, "Wendy looked up at the boy, "Seemed odd for you, you never act like that."
Fred looked at the fire, now a little dimmer, but Wendy could still see the sparkles of the fire reflect in Fred's brown eyes. Anyone who said brown eyes were boring never have seen what Wendy was seeing that moment. Something about his gentle face felt familiar to Wendy, but at that moment his look was something different, something deep and serious.
"You don't know what his intentions are," He repeated himself.
Wendy didn't want him to storm off again, she wanted him to stay a little longer, but she couldn't stop herself from asking, "and you do?"
Wendy wasn't sure why he didn't leave that time, maybe less pressure from people around being only the two of them. She allowed herself to feel special.
"He likes you," he almost whispered, scared of letting out his words.
Wendy looked at Diego, not wanting to leave her gaze from him. But the dog was starting to fade out, until it left them more alone than they already were. Worried thoughts started to come to Wendy and Fred knew it. Fred kept his gaze on the crackling fire, fighting to stay alive just like the image of the dog.
"Don't hurt him, please."
Wendy frowned and betrayed herself by looking at him. She thought he meant Draco, but why would he mind him getting hurt if what he passed the past years tormenting the guy.
"Who do you mean?" She whispered under her breath, scared of his answer.
Fred simply smiled at the girl, like nothing and stood up to walk back to the dormitory.
"Better sleep, Stone—first day tomorrow!"
"Don't call me that!" She nearly screamed back at him.
She wasn't sure what time it was, but she knew it was way too late to have a good night sleep. But she headed upstairs too so she could have herself some rest before the first classes of that new year.
So many new things were coming. She wasn't sure if she could stop all of them before time and all on her own, but she had to try. She knew she wasn't going down without a fight, she would have saved Harry from this death-wish competition and Cedric from actual death. She wasn't sure if she could stop Voldemort, but she would give her life if she had to. Something in her knew something bad was bound to happen.
Notes
Here's another chapter in the same day, as an apology for my hiatus. Also keep in mind, I didn't edit this before posting it so there might be some grammar errors and it might seem messy and confusing