A/N: So for those of you that don't know I post this story to AO3 as well, with I kind of prefer because It allows me to post little summaries before the story. It's little but it makes me happy lol. Let me know if you would like more of these or if you'd want me to post the summery on here as well? You guys know I love talking to you in the comments! Also, as things begin to heat up, just know I gave a warning in the story description so if you're uncomfortable I apologize, but I'm going to write it anyway 😘Anyway, here are the songs I listed to that inspired this chapter when writers bloke almost kept me from posting.
TRRST - IC3PEAK, ZillaKami
With or Without you (Remastered) - U2
Final letter - Deborah Lurie
~Elodie's POV~
I arrived at my Divinations class a bit earlier than usual. Now that I was back to sleeping in my own bed I didn't have to worry as much about waking the entire room on mornings that I couldn't sleep. Which tended to be most nights now that I had grown used to Fred's light snores. It was actually quite soothing, similar to falling asleep to the sound of rain. He was rather dramatic last night when I went to sleep in my own bed, going on and on about how there were too many steps between us. I did like it though.
"Come in my dear!" I heard from the other side of the door.
I opened it and proceeded inside. "Good morning Professor Trelawney. I wondered if I could have a quick word before class?" I asked her.
"Yes? How have those visions of yours been coming along? Still spotty I see," She said as she rummaged through one of her shelves.
"A bit, is there something I should be doing?" I asked her.
"Take this," She said and handed me a jar of the familiar tea leaves she'd given me before that I hated. "Once in the morning, we'll see what's clouding that inner eye of yours," She told me. "Remember, books can only take you so far."
People began filing in and taking their seats. Just as I had been the last two years, I was stuck at a table with Draco. He and his friends had remained silent since I told off Pansy in the library. After Potions one day Adrian told me they were all properly scared of me, which I didn't mind as much as I thought I would. Umbridge walked in, perky and pink as ever, quickly causing the noise level in the room to drop dramatically which seemed to make Professor Trelawney uneasy.
She finished passing out dream oracles and began distribution textbooks. As Umbridge made herself comfortable, I noticed that Professor Trelawney's hands had a slight tremble to them, as if she were nervous.
"We shall be continuing our study of prophetic dreams today," she said in her usual nervous tone of voice. "In your pairs, interpret each other's latest nighttime visions with the aid of the Oracle." She said.
I looked to Draco who had snatched my journal from in front of me as he flipped through the pages.
"Is this the part where you pick apart my dreams?" He asked me in a snide voice.
"That's the assignment," I said as I opened my text after finding the last entry Draco had made to his journal. "Do you really dream of being an Alchemist?" I asked him a bit surprised.
"Is it so hard to believe I have interest outside of these classrooms?" Again, with the attitude. "Did you really name your cat, Cat?" He said, he must have come across an entry from about a week ago, about when I had a dream that Cat was actually a Kneazle who grew in size when I'd gotten into the fight with Ginny and Angelina and scratched both of their faces in one swift motion.
"Seemed like a far better name than Dog," I answered.
I looked across the room and noticed that Umbridge was quick to scribble away on her clipboard over every little thing that Professor Trelawney did. At this rate she'd need more parchment soon. "Now, you've been in this post for how long, exactly?" Umbridge asked rudely.
"Nearly sixteen years" She said as he held up four fingers. This woman was absolutely precious, I hated what Umbridge was doing to her. She looked like she was about to unravel.
"Well, if you could just predict something for me, then?" Umbridge asked. She walked towards the door like she was about to leave, but held her pen to her clipboard, waiting to scribble away. "Just one tiny prophecy?" She asked further.
Trelawney looked both confused and insulted. Everyone that actually knew anything about the way visions worked knew that very rarely could they be conjured on demand. Especially prophecies. We watched as Trelawney's eyes shifted back and forth as she tried to think of anything to say.
"Pity," Umbridge as she turned to leave.
"No, no, wait, I think I do see something. Ahh, yes...I do, something dark. You...are in grave danger," She said with a hand outreached towards Umbridge.
"Lovely," Umbridge answered her before walking away scribbling her nonsense. I felt myself slump back into my seat, I felt like that hadn't gone lovely at all. Not in the slightest.
"Why do you do that potter?" I heard Draco ask next to me?
I turned to look at him thinking maybe he'd read something that he could be referring to. "What?" I asked.
"Gawk at people the way you do. As if you're turning everyone's problems into your own? Haven't you already got enough of your own?" He asked.
"You know, it's not required for you to be an arse all of the time," I told him as I went back to flipping through the pages of my textbook.
"Not all of the time," He repeated. "Do you really not dream all that often?" He asked, reaching the end of my entries. "I have to say, that's rather boring. Here I was hoping to read all of your secrets."
"Most of my dreams turn into nightmares," I said and flipped through the pages of his journal.
"Funny. Thought you'd be dreaming of you poor boyfriend every night," He said and closed my journal.
"I've told you," I said and looked him in the eye. "You don't know me that well," I told him.
"Clearly," He responded. "Just seems that you're more like your brother than I thought."
I looked up at Harry and saw that he had his head down but was looking over at us. Trying as hard as possible to not say anything. He was too far away to hear anything, but that didn't stop him from looking uncomfortable.
"Now is that because of the company I keep or my distaste for your opinion on it?" I asked him.
"You're really not intimidated by me, are you?" He asked.
"Please, you must at least know me better than that," I said. "Are you one of the poor git's that's scared of me?" I asked.
"Isn't everyone?" He asked.
Professor Trelawney dismissed class for the day. I had no desire to linger behind and continue my conversation with Draco. I took my belongings and made my way to my potions class that I shared with Fred. Though Snape would hate to admit it, Fred actually did really well at potions. It came in handy whenever he'd come up with an idea for a candy or a prank needing an extra element. It was incredible how he rarely took it seriously, yet he still managed to pass the course. I knew that if he would study more, he'd surpass a lot of people passing the course, myself included.
***
Before I knew it, the weekend had arrived which I really looked forward to. This one in particular. Fred knew that my birthday wasn't a day of great importance to me. So when he asked to spend the day with me a few days before, it was a bit worrisome at first. I'd hoped he wouldn't try to do anything crazy like he was often prone to. I'd honestly be perfectly content just spending the day in Hogsmeade the two of us. I slept in for the first time all week, the only reason I woke up was because Cat had moved to lay against my back, and when I rolled over he yelped. But when I woke up I had a feeling. Not something I had particularly known, I just couldn't put my finger on it.
When I got ready for the day I dressed in an oversized mustard yellow sweater his mother had given me last christmas and jeans. I threw on a jacket just in case, and when I went downstairs to see Fred was dressed just as casually I knew I'd made the right decision. We made our way out of the castle nearly running into umbridge who was walking down a corridor we had rounded before we turned around and walked a different way. It felt like we all had to sneak around the castle when she was around. It didn't feel like home at all anymore.
"I am rather surprised you didn't invite George," I told him.
"I told you I wanted to make today all about you didn't I?" He answered as we approached an empty table.
"Can I get you two anything?" the server at the three broomsticks asked as we were taking our seats.
"Two butterbeer's please," Fred answered.
"Oh, can I have ginger in mine please, and a pot of vanilla tea," I added before he walked away.
"Vanilla tea? That's not really a birthday type of thing? Where's the joke?" Fred asked innocently.
"Well it's not my birthday, but since I'm indulging you, I think that means I get what I want. And I want tea," I informed him. The server came back and left our beverages just as more and more students began filling in.
"Right, well tea it is," Fred said as he lifted the pot to pour it. "You never told me how your conversation with Ginny went?" He asked as he crossed his arms on top of the table. A record came on behind the bar playing a song I felt I hadn't heard in ages. Quite frankly I was a bit surprised that Madam Rosmerta listened to muggle music.
"See the stone set in your eyes. See the thorn twist in your side. I'll wait for you"
"There wasn't really a conversation. You heard her apologize," I told him. "I told you, she's your family. I'm not going to be holding grudges that are of no use in the long run," I told him.
"Sleight of hand and twist of fate. On a bed of nails, she makes me wait. And I wait without you"
A devilish grin creeped over his face as he leaned forward until his pecks hit the top of his hands. "The long run?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
I smiled back at him, realizing what I'd said. "Watch it Weasley," I told him and pointed my index finger at him sternly.
"You're the one that said it, love. Not me," He said and leaned back in his seat and took a big drink of his butterbeer while I blew on my tea. "Do you see me in the long run?" He asked, not looking at me.
"Through the storm, we reach the shore. You give it all but I want more. And I'm waiting for you"
"Of course, I've always seen you in my life," I told him honestly even though I knew that wasn't what he was referring to.
"Well who doesn't Potter? I'm amazing," He said, taking the joke. "That's not what I meant though."
"I can't live. With or without you"
"I know. You just set yourself up for that one," I answered him and took my first drink of Butterbeer. I thought about telling him right then and there. Telling him I thought I loved him, but would he want to know that it was still a thought that I was working through or would it be better to wait until I was certain and able to say it in full confidence? "I actually think-" I began to say.
"And you give. And you give yourself away"
"Hey there love bird's, hope we aren't interrupting," Lee said as he and Katie stood next to our table. "Mind if we join?" He asked as they had already begun sitting down.
"No, not at all," I said as the song along with the moment faded away..
Maybe this was a sign. Maybe It was the universe's way of telling me to think it through. It wasn't long before Alicia showed up with Olivia. Then Angelina with Adrian. Everyone was drinking their butterbeer and even doing a round of shots while I stuck to my tea.
"Comeon, shouldn't the birthday girl get a drink?" Lee asked.
"It's okay really," I said with a laugh.
"It's your birthday?" Olivia asked before receiving a look from Alicia.
"Uh, soon actually. This week," I said kindly.
"We should actually be going. I have the whole day planned," He said as he stood up. We left and began walking aimlessly around the village kicking leaves and slowly making our way back to the castle.
"That was a good save back there," I told him as we stopped on the cross bridge.
"Looked like you could use a Fred Weasley lifeline," he said. He stepped behind me to wrap his arms around me and rest his head in the crook of my neck.
We settled into our position and I leaned back into him a bit. Breathing, using him to help me breath. "I can't stand everyone sometimes. Expect you," I told him.
"I know what you mean Ellie," He whispered into my ear and pressed a kiss into my hair.
"Can I tell you a secret," I whispered as I shifted so that my feet were on his, allowing me to lean back into him more.
"Only if I can use it against you later," He said.
"I think this has been my favorite birthday so far," I said and turned my head to look at him. "Thank you," I said softly and kissed him.
"For you, anything," he said and began walking with me still on his feet. "Say the word Potter! And it's yours!" He said as we kept waddling with me laughing uncontrollably. "Comeon, say it," he said. As we reached the fountain just outside the castle i felt like i was going to fall, but he wouldn't have it. He lifted his arm so that I was seated in his lap now that he was sitting on the edge of the fountain.
"Fine," I said and held his face in my hand. "Parsnip," I said, hovering my lips a hair away from his.
"Ooo," He said and backed away quickly. "The word was actually garden gnome, sorry."
I leaned back laughing and smiling more than i think i ever had. "Is it now? Well in my defense that's two words."
***
As much as I enjoyed spending time with Fred, I felt as though I'd seen less and less of George. The only time we really spent together was in D.A.D.A class, but even then we didn't speak due to Umbridge refusing to let anyone talk once they crossed the threshold. A few times I'd asked him as we walked away from class what had been bothering him, but he always brushed it off.
Today class had been dismissed as Umbridge quickly left and a commotion led to the courtyard where students were all gathering. We ran into Fred and Katie along with Lee and Alicia but no one knew what was going on.
"It's Professor Trelawney!" little Nigel said as he saw us approaching, and I quickly took off running until I found Harry standing with Ron and Hermione in an archway.
Professor Trelawney was standing, surrounded by all of her suitcases that Filch was bringing out. Before I could even process what was going on, Umbridge emerged from the castle.
"Six... Sixteen years I've... I've lived and taught here. Hogwarts is my home," Trelawney said as she cried. "You... You can't do this."
"Actually, I can," Umbridge said with an evil smile on her face as she held up a piece of parchment.
I felt a hand on my waist and turned to see Minerva cutting her way through before running over to comfort Trelawney.
"Something you'd like to say, Dear?" Umbridge asked her in a threatening manner.
"Oh, there are several things I would like to say!" Minerva told her fiercely. "There, shh, shh," She said, turning her attention back to Trelawney.
I let out a breath. I knew what it was like to have Minerva comfort me as my heart broke. To Professor Trelawney, this was her equivalent. The door to the castle rattled before rumbling open to reveal Dumbledore approaching.
"Professor McGonagall, might I ask you to escort Sybil back inside?" He said confidently as he approached Umbridge. Minerva wasted no time, and quickly moved to take her back into the castle.
I turned to Fred and said "I'll see you later," Before cutting through the courtyard and helping Minerva take her back to Dumbledore's office. As it turned out, all of Professor Trelawney's classes would be dismissed. Umbridge had the power to do that, the awful woman. I placed a blanket over Trelawney's shoulders as I motioned for her cup of sherry and tea mixture to refill.
"Is there anything else I could do for you Professor?" I asked as I kneeled in front of the three of them with my attention focused on Trelawney.
"My dear girl, you've done more than enough. Thank you," She said and gave my hand a gentle squeeze with her shaking hand. She took in a gasp and I felt my eyes go cloudy white as I took in a breath. In that moment I saw a glance of her scribing my name onto a ticket and placing it onto an orb. It was cloudy but I could hear the distant speaking of her voice, though not clear enough to make out the words. Flashes of a room with black tile and orbs with tags stacked ten feet high zoomed passed me. Then I was back in the present.
"Yours was always my proudest," She told me. I looked at her in awe and then looked at Minerva as she watched our shared moment. Then my eyes cleared.
The second prophecy...
"I best be off to bed," I said, not knowing what else there was to say.