The Queen of Vipers || Fred Weasley

I.III

Electra hoped her embarrassment ended with the train ride from hell.

She was very wrong.

She and Cedric ducked out of an empty classroom and slipped into the hall, tucking their Time Turners under their robes again.

The dark rain clouds outside doused the castle in premature darkness and the sconces and lanterns along the halls casted a warm glow that didn't do anything to dilute the chill that seeped from the large glass windows.

Electra patted her Time Turner against her chest as she pulled her robes closer to her to keep the warmth in. "Can't wait to hand these damned things over to McGonagall for good," she grumbled while the bell rang signaling the end of class. Cedric nodded in agreement as he yawned and the corridor filled with students.

The thrill of Time Turners was overly jaded to them by now. After two years of turning back time for extra classes and not enough sleep (and Circe did Electra love her sleep) had started to wear down on them. It was almost annoying to watch Hermione Granger just about jump out of her skin in excitement when McGonagall turned Harry loose and called Cedric and Electra to her office to hand over the Time Turners last night. Oh to be young and dumb.

Cedric and Electra made their way to the first floor for their last class of the day and the class they were most looking forward to.

"Anyway, so you were telling me," said Cedric as they climbed the Turris Magnus staircase, "that Pucey hasn't said anything? Anything at all about the dementor?" Electra shook her head. Cedric hummed in thought. "Why'd you reckon that is?"

Electra gave a shrug. "My bet is he doesn't want one of us," she eyed Cedric—whose popularity easily exceeded the whole of Slytherin House—, "telling anyone he nearly pissed his pants himself."

Cedric snorted and Electra fought a mean grin. "Yeah, I reckon you're right," he agreed with a smirk, but it quickly faded.

"Move out of the way!" Electra recognized the voice immediately.

"Everyone clear out! Lady Black is coming this way!" Her jaw clenched.

Fred and George Weasley pushed students aside, against the walls of the corridor. "Come on, move it! The Princess is coming through!" Some chuckled at their theatrics.

Electra kept her pace, Cedric pressing into her side. Fred gave her a coy wink as she passed. She felt her stomach flutter.

The twins had grown another few inches over the break. They were starting to surpass Cedric. Fred leaned over Electra's ear and whispered low enough for only her to hear, "Nice to see you showing up this year without a sling."

She whipped her head back, eyes wide. Fred grinned.

Electra had started last year with a trip to Madam Pomfrey. Vivienne had shoved Electra down the stairs of Our Fair Lady's stoop leaving her with a broken wrist and scrapes and bruises on her chin and cheek. He just had to humble her, didn't he?

Electra sneered, which only made him grin wider. She snapped her head back forward and continued down the corridor.

They turned down the hall as Lee Jordan hissed, "What are thinking provoking Black like that?! With her father out you don't know what—"

His voice trickled out as they kept moving. Electra closed her eyes and exhaled heavily. "They're asses," grumbled Cedric.

Electra opened her eyes, frowning. "They're annoyances. But their teasing is far better than any of their pranks."

It was true that the notorious Weasley twins had left her out of their mischievous plans and opted only for badgering her (save for the Slytherin-wide pranks, but those weren't so personal). It seemed her threat had withstood through the years. If only the Rowle twins were as smart.