thank you so much for 700+ reads ! (21.10.2020)
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December 6th, 1994
Walking into the Great Hall for a study period was always slightly overwhelming. The silence was strange and not something that Alleta thought suited Hogwarts at all. Though she had grown used to the sound of gentle mutterings and the scratching of quill against parchment, it was still rather odd.
What was even more offputting, was the way that the two Weasley's on either side of her had also quietened, the chatter lulling to a comfortable silence. Of course, she had been around them without talking before, but it never failed to be disconcerting. They were loud and the types of people who were meant to be seen. If that made sense.
Still, the lack of noise did give her a good opportunity to get some essay assignments out of the way. Oh how she despised essays. Her hand would constantly cramp, her generally scrawly writing grew barely legible toward the end of them, and she always, without fail, smudged the bloody ink. Who the fuck thought writing with quills and ink was a good idea? Why couldn't she just use muggle pens like when she was at home?
It irritated her to no end. Especially when the ink would rub off onto her hand and she had to scrub at it for ages, in order to remove it. Such an inconvenience.
Taking a seat across from Fred and George, who were sat with Angelina diagonal to them and just down the row from Alleta; how she had wormed herself into their vicinity was beyond her.
Glancing around, she didn't fail to note that the twin's younger brother Ron, was sat beside his two best mates, Harry and Hermione. Harry Potter. As in, the chosen one. She had never actually spoken to the boy, but from what she gathered, he was rather lovely. Alleta had conversed with Ron and Hermione on more than one occasion, as they were often found together, and she was quite fond of them.
Cedric had immersed himself on a different table altogether, among some of his Hufflepuff mates. The two made eye contact and exchanged matching grins. Isla was.. Well, who knew? She did her best to avoid having to come here to study. Studying of any kind, really.
Pulling out her parchment, ink and quill, Alleta inwardly groaned, scrunching her face up in distaste at the assignment. Divination. It was some nonsensical question about Venus and how the alignment of planets effected love. Entirely rubbish.
"Divination?" Fred raised his brows, snorting in a hushed tone. "Imagine being the sort of sucker to carry it on. 'Ay George." He nudged George and chuckled to himself, thankful he had the sense to quit. He had seen some of the shit George and Alleta had been writing down. Absolutely not for him. No thank you.
"Piss off. Let me focus. It's hard enough having to write bullshit as it is. Did you know that? It's so bloody difficult to write things when you know they don't make sense. Why? I personally think it's just rude. Let me make a twat out of myself if I want to. But my brain won't allow it."
Listening to her mumble, mainly to herself, Fred grinned and flicked a scrunched up ball of parchment at her. "Where's that good ol' Ravenclaw spirit of yours gone? Even George is doing better at Divination than you are."
"George has a fantastical way of thinking. So do you. You can both create the unexpected. My brain doesn't work that way." She paused, frowning. "In fact, I don't doubt for a moment, that if you were to pick up Divination now, you would still get higher than me in the N.E.W.T.S."
"I call bullshit."
"Nope."
"Nope? You can't just 'nope' my calling bullshit. It doesn't work like that mate."
"It works the way I say it does. Got it?" Casting him an overly sweet smile, Alleta returned her focus to the essay at hand, with her eyes downcast, she reached for the parchment Fred had previously thrown at her, clenched her hand around it and threw it so it hit him in the middle of his chest; careful to avoid the beady eye of Snape, who, much to her dismay, was overlooking their studying. Dickhead.
"You're so in for it when we get out of this hall, Blake."
"Try me, Weasley."
"Happily."
"Good."
"Grand."
"Marvelous."
"Wonderful."
"Spiffulent."
Spiffulent? Why, in Gods name, did I say 'spiffulent.' Alleta rolled her eyes preemptively at Fred's attempt to bite back his laughter. The hushed, mocking words already being chucked her way.
"Spiffulent? Ouch Blake, I didn't realise you're vocabulary was so extensive. Now I'm quivering in fear at your feet. Forgive me, my darling."
"Fuck you."
"You wish."
The two were cut short, their attention being captured by Snape shoving Ron's head back toward the desk, so he would turn to face inward. Ron's look of both confusion and outrage was brilliant. He was always complaining about the professor, and to see him being told off was, unfortunately for him, amusing.
Noticing the way Fred scribbled down something on paper, Alleta narrowed her eyes, trying to reach over and see what it said.
'Get a move on or all the good ones will have gone.'
Bold of him to say, considering he hadn't got a date.
But.. If he didn't ask her did that mean-
No, she wouldn't let insecurities take over. It was clearly because he didn't think of her that way. Like she very obviously didn't think of him like that either.
Turning to look at Ron, she didn't miss the laughter on George's face when their eyes met. 'Who're you going with then? Alleta probably.' Ron had mouthed, winking at the Ravenclaw, who frowned in response.
However, Fred simply allowed a smug smile, before scrunching yet another piece of parchment. Did that boy not care for waste? And throwing it toward-
Oh.
Of course.
Why did she allow herself to think otherwise.
Even for a moment.
Angelina glanced over, raising her brows expectantly.
Alleta's heart rate sped up and anxiously, she twisted her fingers under the table, watching them interact. They would make an attractive couple. It was no secret Angelina was fucking gorgeous. Just a shame she could be so nasty sometimes.
Fred pointed at her 'Do you.' He stopped, 'Wanna go' He made a dancing gesture with his hands, and moved his shoulders in a swaying motion.
Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it.
Alleta wasn't going to concern herself over what her pleading meant for her feelings. Just that she really was. Pleading, that is.
'To the ball.' Smirking, Fred moved his thumb in the direction of himself.
Her stomach sank.
'With me?'
Watching him with an expression that almost resembled fondness and warmth, Angelina nodded, making a thumbs up. 'Alright then.' She mouthed, grinning at him, her friend giggling beside her. Before turning to face her friend, she made eye contact with Alleta, who had been doing her best to summon a simple mask of amusement, and shot a smug smile.
Charming.
Fred looked back at Ron and gave a largely, over-exaggerated wink.
Ron rolled his eyes, looking beside him at Hermione, who, up until that point, had been very successfully ignoring him. "Oi, Hermione. You're a girl." He said, his voice low.
"Oh well spotted." Hermione's voice dripped with sarcasm as she scoffed, looking at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to get to the point.
Alleta liked her already.
"Ball?" Ron mimicked his older brother's actions, a proud and frankly, stupid smirk plastered across his face. Though it was quickly wiped clean when Snape came up behind them, parchment hitting the backs of their heads.
Both Alleta and Fred snickered in accompaniment.
She could feel him looking at her, but Alleta, unwilling to face both him and the unwelcome feeling that was stirring in her gut, studiously ignored him, watching the 'Golden Trio' As the students of Hogwarts had gradually come to refer to them by.
"It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone." Ron continued, seemingly unfazed by Hermione's contorted face. "But for a girl it's just sad."
So perhaps Alleta's prior opinion of the younger Weasley boy had been too high. That was a dick thing to say.
"I won't be going alone, because believe it or not, someone's asked me." The brunette Gryffindor retorted, her words rushed and practically tripping over one another. She shot up from her seat, grabbed the book she had been writing in and walked over to Snape, handing it to him.
Ron and Harry both had a bemused look to them. It was clear neither of the boys knew what to make of her words.
Oh, and here she came.
"And I said yes." Hermione snapped, gathering her remaining things and storming out. She both looked and sounded furious. For a long minute, Alleta considered whether or not to follow her our and check on her, before deciding against it. Hermione didn't strike her as the type of person to appreciate somebody they had rarely spoken to before, approaching them and intruding on their personal life.
No, that wouldn't be one of her better ideas.
"Bloody hell... She's lying, right?" Ron raised his eyebrows, his words were mumbled, but still loud enough for Alleta to hear, along with Fred and George, who were both clearly listening and finding the situation absolutely, painstakingly hilarious.
"If you say so." Harry shrugged, and they both lowered their voices further, whispering about dates and the common room and whatnot, when Snape tugged at his sleeves sharply, and pushed their heads down to look at their work; both boys grunting in annoyance.
She despised Snape, but sometimes she could not help but find the man funny.
Moving her focus back to her Divination essay, Alleta groaned, craning her neck in an attempt to subtly check what George wrote; who, shockingly, was actually decent at getting assignments done on time.
"Take it, Lettie." He chuckled, handing her his work with a light smile, though his eyes held hints of curiousity and concern. He knew. He had seen through whatever facade she had put up earlier in regards to Fred. That would be fun.
"My saviour. I adore you, Weasley." Allie moved past her concerns and cracked a wide grin, skimming over what he had written.
It seemed perfect. The right amount of mumbo jumbo to win Trelawney over. It was all entirely wrong, no doubt. But would work. Especially with the slight alterations she would make in order to differ it from George's.
"Copying. Disgraceful." Fred teased, though his voice only led Allie to tense and she made a point of not looking at him.
"Mm."
"Oh, Lettie! I forgot, I was going to ask you earlier. Have you got a date to the ball yet? I was thinking of asking you as mates, you know? Just in case. But I saw you with Cedric-"
"Yes. I have a date. But even if I didn't, I wouldn't take your pity date. I'm glad you'll have a good time with Angelina." Her voice was clipped and tone, short. It took her by surprise. She had never spoken to him in an unfriendly way. Fred had clearly noticed, because he slowly closed his mouth, looking beside him at George.
Yet, that wasn't her concern. Her main thoughts lay with the big question.
Why did she possibly think that the smart thing to do would be to lie?
Because now, she was doing exactly what Ron thought Hermione to be doing. She was lying about having a date. Something that would surely backfire on her at some point in the worryingly near future.
"You have a date? Who?" Fred asked, though he had an edge to his voice. One that didn't match hers, but was more... Ugh, who knew.
"That's not really any of your concern. I suppose you'll find out in a couple of weeks anyway."
"Yes. I suppose I will." He tapped his fingers on the table, watching Alleta as she scribbled out the essay. Who was she going with? Why wouldn't she tell them? Why was she being pissy with him? Was it because of Angelina? No. No, that was ridiculous. Maybe she didn't really have a date and was just feeling embarrassed. Did she want to go with him? Hah. What a suggestion. Although Fred would have loved taking her as his date, as he believed they both would have had a grand laugh and fuck, Alleta would be stunning, he knew Angelina was the better option. The safer option.
He didn't like the thought of her getting dressed up for some bloke who only wanted to get in her pants. And everyone knew most of the Durmstrang lads thought that way. Though it was rather hypocritical, considering he was taking a girl he knew full well he didn't have feelings for. Why he asked her?
Ron had put him on the spot.
Alleta was sat in front of him, looking very pretty, which he wasn't sure he had noticed as of late, and focused, withe the small dent between her eyebrows that he was growing to love. But there Angelina was sat, further down. There would have been no repercussions or danger with her. It would be so much easier to take her.
Hence his decision.
Huffing quietly, Alleta wrung her wrist, moving it around gently, due to having developed cramp. She did her best to not pay any attention to George. He always took the piss when she got hand cramps, because he had never, not one gotten one, and found them to be both terrifying and hilarious. She truly believed that if George's hand were to cramp, he would begin to panic and get stressed.
Oh what she wouldn't give to see that happening. Complete fucking gold.
Fred, on the other hand, confused her.
Alleta hated being confused.
Looking down at the essay, which was now 3/4's copied, she smiled at George, batting her eyelashes gently. "Would I be alright to take this to finish it out tonight."
"Fine. But have it back to me before the clock strikes midnight."
Alleta gasped and broke out a beam. "Cinderella! You remembered the muggle fairy tail. I'm so proud!"
"As if I would ever forget anything you tell me." George winked.
"Sure mate, whatever you say." She stood. "I'm going to go for a walk during my free. See you later." Smiling at George, Alleta piled up her things and placed them gently in her bag, briefly allowing her eyes to focus on Fred. He was already watching her; looking both upset and annoyed. Great.
The two had never actually argued before. While the previous conversation hadn't exactly been one -an argument- it still felt weird, and unsettling, if you will.
"Bye." She muttered to them both and hastily moved out from the table, walking from the hall, and not looking back. While she walked, Alleta tied her hair back in a scruffy low ponytail, huffing as it had been tickling her face.
Now she just had to find a date.
Without either of the boys catching on about how she lied.
How hard could it be?
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playlist :
little things- one direction
paper rings- taylor swift
i bet that you look good on the dance floor- arctic monkeys
you said you'd grow old with me- michael schulte
fire on fire- sam smith
just the way you are- bruno mars
heaven's not too far- we three
lost without you- freya ridings
arcade- duncan laurence
take on the world- you me at six
perfect now- louis tomlinson
wake me up when september ends- greenday
all i want- kodaline
i love you- avril lavigne
you shouldn't kiss me like this- toby keith
train wreck- james arthur
happiest year- jaymes young
cardigan- taylor swift
you're beautiful- james blunt
all of me- john legend