SONG OF THE CHAPTER -
losin' control • russ
The Hogs Head Inn was a rickety old place. The walls were grimy, the floors dusty, and the people that usually visited were quite scary looking. Addy managed to dupe Graham and Cassius into leaving Hogsmeade early, reminding them of their Transfiguration essays. She said she had to stay to buy Draco and Christmas gift. She almost laughed at the number of times she used her brother as a reason to abandon her friends. The excuse worked every time. When she walked in, she immediately remembered the last time she was present. The same night she pledged her allegiance to The Order. She saw students already crowding, students from every house but her own. She was the only Slytherin. Addy was met by the smiling faces of Fred and George. Her presence was growing on her boyfriends twin more and more each day. Now, he would consider her a friend.
"Hey, guys." She took a seat beside Fred, closer than she would anyone else. She placed a hand on her leg, which he did with his own. They were close enough to touch fingers, but not enough to hold hands. She was warming to the idea of a public relationship, but wasn't completely comfortable with it just yet. Fred was letting her call the shots. He was okay with whatever she wanted. She saw Tyler across the room and gave him a mischievous smile.
"What brings you in here?" The two asked, grinning at her.
"I may reckon it's the same reason you guys are here." She offered.
"Geez, Head Boy and Head Girl? Dumbledore needs to pick better rule enforcers." George quipped, causing her to chuckle.
"Maybe he picked just right. After all, now you don't have to worry about being caught by us." She reminded. He gave a nod of understanding and brought his attention back to Harry, Hermione and Ron. Fred stood and went to the bar, asking the angry employee for twenty-five butterbeers. The reluctant man brought out twenty five bottles and Fred took them around, giving everybody one.
"Cheers," he smiled. "Now cough up, everyone. I haven't got enough gold for all of these." He said. Everyone rummaged through their pockets to give him the money. He took the coins and handed them a bottle. When he reached Addy, he refused the money and instead, gave a goofy smile. "Not you, git." He returned to his seat beside her. "What's a guy good for if he can't get his girlfriend a drink?" He whispered. Her cheeks burnt red as she took it gratefully.
"Thanks, Freddie." Her attention turned to Neville Longbottom, who had greeted Harry. Hermione began to speak.
"Well, er, hi." She started. All of the students gave her a nod of greeting. "Well, you all know why you're here. Well, Harry here had the idea—" she was cut off by him giving her a glare. "I had the idea that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defence Against the Dark Arts—and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish Umbridge is doing with us." She was cut off by a 'hear, hear' by Anthony Goldstein. "Well, I thought it would be good if we, well, took matters into our own hands." She paused, looking around. "By that, I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just in theory, but doing the real spells—" she was cut off again.
"You want to pass your Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL too, though, I bet?"
"Well, of course I do. But more than that, I want to be properly trained in defence because... because Lord Voldemort is back." There were a chorus of reactions around the room. Adalinda stiffened at the name. Fred put a comforting hand on her knee, giving it a slight squeeze. In following her statement, Zacharias Smith began a heated argument about whether or not he was back. Hermione began stuttering a response, who was cut off by Harry. He argued that he wasn't there to convince everyone about Voldemort's return.
"Listen to him." Addy piped up. "He isn't lying." Heads turned towards her. Zacharias gave her a snide look. Harry gave her an appreciative one.
"And you'd know?" He jabbed. Fred gave him a glare.
"He doesn't have any reason to lie about something like that." She reasoned. He conceded.
"So," Hermione started again. "So, like I was saying, if you want to learn some defence, then we need to work out how we're going to do it, how often we're going to meet and where we're going to—"
"Is it true that you can produce a patronus?" A girl with a long plait in her hair questioned. Hermione was not having luck today with getting out a full sentence.
"Yeah," Harry answered.
"A corporeal patronus?" The same girl asked. He questioned whether she knew Madam Bones, which she told him was her aunt. "So, is it really true? You can make a stag patronus?"
"Yeah." He said again.
"Blimey, Harry! I never knew that!" Lee Jordan chimed. They progressed into talking about what else Harry had accomplished. Harry tried to brush it off, to make it seem like it wasn't as impressive as it sounded.
"Are you trying to weasel out of showing us any of this stuff?" Zacharias quipped again.
"Here's an idea," announced Ron. "Why don't you shut your mouth?"
"Well, we've all turned up to learn from him and now he's telling us he can't really do any of it," he said.
"That's not what he said." Fred snapped.
"Would you like us to clean out your ears for you?" George added, pulling out a metal instrument from his Zonko's bag.
"Or any part of your body, really, we're not fussy where we stick this." Fred continued.
"Maybe if you do, he can keep his mouth shut long enough for Harry to get a word out." Addy added, finishing it off. The three made a deadly trio when they wanted to put someone in their place. Hermione interrupted the three's insults, bringing the attention back to the topic. She said that it would be unwise to meet less than once a week, to which the Quidditch players piped their concerns. They didn't want these meetings to overlap with their practices. Hermione said that they could find a suitable date, as it was important work that they learned to defend themselves against Death Eaters. Instinctively, Addy gripped her arm at the sound. She tensed, to which Fred grabbed her knee, calming her. She relaxed for a moment, and made sure nobody witnessed the encounter.
They spoke about Fudge and how he didn't want the kids trained for combat, and then decided once a week would be good enough for a meeting. They discussed possible meeting places, and eventually couldn't decide on one. They said they would figure it out in the meantime. Hermione suggested they all sign their name so they knew who was present at the meeting. She also said that we shouldn't talk about what they discussed, and if they signed, they had to agree not to tell anyone. Some disruption was caused, but everyone eventually decided to sign. Fred, George, Addy, and Lee stood to sign. Fred and George signed an atrocious signature, and she went next. She wrote her name neatly down, turning to the twins.
"Well, times ticking on," Fred told everyone. "George, Lee, Addy and I have got some items of a sensitive nature to purchase, we'll be seeing you all later." The four trundled out of the pub and headed off to their next destination. While the twins and Lee purchased what they needed, Addy waited outside of the building. She shivered, bringing her jacket closer to her body. She saw her brother and his friends walking by, and caught Draco's eye. She gave him a smile and a wave. He deserted his company and came over to talk to her.
"What finds you here?" She smiled.
"Nothing better to do at Hogwarts." He answered. "You ready for your big Potions test?" He asked. She gave a brisk nod, remembering the nature of the last conversation they had. She told him about the gruesome assignment Snape gave them to prepare for their next test.
"Yeah, Snape likes me, anyway. Even if I do bad he'll give a good pity mark." She laughed. As she finished, her three friends stepped back outside. The siblings turned to look at the Gryffindor students, and Draco took it as a cue to leave.
"I'll see you later, Ad." He said, walking back in the direction he came from. She noticed Fred stiffen when Draco came around. She was aware that he didn't like her brother, but it still bothered her slightly. She knew Draco could be a prat at the best of times, but that was still her little brother. She hoped he would grow out of it, much like she had.
"Well, uh, Addy," Lee started. She looked over to him, giving a sweet smile. "I was wondering if maybe you'd... like to grab a butterbeer?" Fred shot a bewildered look at his friend, unsure if he really just asked her that.
"Sorry, Lee," she laughed. "Actually, Fred and I were going to catch up a bit." She said. Lee gave an incredulous look at his friend, who gave a smirk.
"Like... a date?" Lee asked. Fred and Addy looked between themselves. She shrugged.
"Yeah, like a date." She answered. Fred looked shocked at her proclamation, but went along with it anyway. "Ready, Fred?" She reached for his hand. He grabbed it and nodded, following after her.
"As long as you don't take me to Madame Puddifut's tea shop!" He argued.
"As if," she scoffed. "I wouldn't be caught dead in there." The two laughed. Lee and George shared a look between themselves after the other pair disappeared into The Three Broomsticks.
"Well, I wasn't expecting that." Lee was still baffled at the situation. "Never thought Fred could get someone that pretty." He snickered.
"Yeah, well, I think we're all shocked." George was surprised that Addy said they were going on a date. She was completely open about it, as if secrecy didn't matter anymore. Though, he thought, now that they were all friends it might not look strange for her to be hanging out with him. At least, like she stated, it wouldn't be in the tea shop.
In The Three Broomsticks, Addy and Fred found an empty table. They slid in, giggling like children. "So, this is our first real date?" Fred asked. She gave a smile and a nod.
"I guess it is, Mr. Weasley." She responded, reaching for his hand over the table. She didn't care anymore. The likelihood of her surviving the war was slim anyway. If Voldemort figured out her allegiance to Dumbledore, he would kill her in an instant. If she was doomed, why not enjoy the last of her time anyway? Fred has obviously proven that he wanted to stay with her, and the longer they kept it a secret, the harder it would be. When they moved in together the following year, it would never be kept a secret. If she told her parents she was forming relationships on Voldemort's order, they'd have to believe her. She was done lying and hiding; she really cared about Fred.
"Well, I wish I had've known. I might've dressed up a bit more." He joked.
"You look great just as you are, Freddie. Don't worry about dressing up for me." She said, running a thumb over the back of his hand.
"I'll go get us a drink, yeah?" He grinned. She gave a nod and he stood, walking to the bar. She looked at the faded wood on the table, sighing in content. A few students had given them stares as they came in, but none said anything. She believed they might be too afraid to ask. Fred returned with two butterbeers in hand, sliding one over to her. She reached for money, but he shook his head.
"That's twice in one day, Freddie." She complained. He brushed it off. "I don't mind."
"Like I said, who would I be if I couldn't buy my girlfriend a drink?" He asked, giving a small smile. She conceded and took a sip, giving him a loving gaze. She was falling hard for Fred Weasley, but she was terrified that he wouldn't be there to catch her if it came down do it. She wouldn't blame him if he wanted to give up, desert the messy relationship they were building. Adrian ruined her, but Fred was helping her build herself back up. The two were so different it was scary. As she realized that, she knew if she stayed with her parents morals, she'd never find a boy who truly loved her. She'd always be miserable, reaching for a better life. Now, she got to cherish it, because a boy with red hair showed her what it was like to truly be happy.