Wisdom and Victory {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 16

It's official! This is an OC x Fred Weasley fic :)

"Come on, Kirke!" roared the voice of Angelina Johnson, high above the rest of them. "Will you try to hit it?" In that moment, Ginny Weasley began to dive towards the ground, plummeting as she pressed herself to her broom. Victoria shot across the pitch, positioning herself just in time to hit a bludger in her teammate's direction. Hearing it roaring towards her, she barrel-rolled, narrowly missing it and closing her fingers around the tiny golden ball.

Victoria almost cursed loudly, but there was a whooshing sound from behind her as a bludger pelted towards her from the direction of a terrified Kirke. She grinned and sent it speeding towards Ron, who yelped and swung out the way just in time for Katie to send the quaffle through the centre hoop. Angelina blew her whistle and they flew to the ground.

Immediately she was approached by Kirke, who had a panicked expression on his face. "I am so sorry, Victoria," he said quickly, clutching tightly to his broom and his bat. "I-"

"You're supposed to hit them, Kirke," she reminded him with a gentle smile. "Next time just aim for any player in a different colour."

"Back to the changing rooms," called Angelina as Victoria soared back into the air to bat down the bludgers to Angelina and Kirke. "You all played well today. Keep it up next week and the match is ours."

"It's only Hufflepuff," Alicia told her friend quietly as Victoria dismounted her broom. "Their new captain's shocking. You don't need to worry." Victoria was reminded with a jolt of Cedric.

"But they beat Slytherin," said Angelina, biting her lip nervously.

Victoria mimicked her actions, suddenly nervous for the match that she'd so readily trained for. Would she be able to send bludgers flying at the Canary-clad players, when she still so frequently dreamed of her old friend's death? She was cut from her terrified musing when a pair of hands clapped onto her shoulders and she yelped in surprise.

Angelina and Alicia turned around up ahead, before heading back to their own conversation. "You've got your wand twisted again, Vicky," Fred pointed out, releasing her shoulders to walk beside her.

"No twin?" she asked, ignoring his previous comment. Fred pointed over to where Katie was chattering away to George, laughing at something he'd said.

"So," said Fred. "What was in your letter?" He referred to the thick, cream, Ministry envelope she'd received this morning.

"Some information," said Victoria vaguely. In all honesty, she was yet to open it, but she knew who it was from.

"And your trip to the owlery last month had nothing to do with it?" he asked with a sly smile.

"Are you stalking me, Weasley?" she demanded, her mouth producing a wide and shocked smile.

"Just admiring from afar," he said smoothly, and Victoria nodded, feeling the faintest blush sweep up her cheeks. Nothing she couldn't blame on the biting February air. "I think you could do with a little down-time, don't you?"

"Fred Weasley!" exclaimed Victoria, feeling the cool air dry out her eyes as they flew wide. Up ahead, George whispered something to Katie, who gasped and looked back at them.

Fred elbowed her. "Not like that," he scoffed, grinning, his freckled nose pink from the cold. "It's Hogsmeade this weekend. Wanna come?"

"Ha!" exclaimed Victoria as she stashed her bat in the broomshed. "With you?" He nodded, his eyes hopeful. "You're serious?"

"No, I'm Fred."

"What?"

"Nothing," he said with a small shrug. "Will you come?"

Victoria big her lip, before shaking her head. "Sorry, Fred, I can't. Thanks though."

"Oh," said Fred, looking disheartened. "You sure?"

Victoria nodded sadly as she reached the changing rooms. "I'm sorry, Fred, really. See you later."

"See you, Vicky," called an excited George as his brother approached. Fred shook his head quickly and George frowned, hissing something at him and pushing him back.

"No," Fred's voice wafted over. "Boundaries, mate. I've got a plan."

Victoria grinned, before entering the changing rooms and seeing Angelina stood there, hands on hips and scowling. "You can't?" she challenged, as Alicia giggled and Katie shuffled in behind Victoria.

"I can't," agreed Victoria, grinning as she made her way to her locker. "I've got other commitments."

"Other commitments?" repeated Angelina, dumbfounded.

"Come on, Victoria," said Alicia with a playful smile. "We're leaving in a few months anyway! Live a little."

"I just," she began, pulling in a clean jumper. "I don't think it's wise to mess about like that while we're on the edge of war."

"The edge of war?" asked Katie, looking bemused. "It's hardy as though there's duelling in Hogsmeade."

Victoria decided that she hated keeping secrets. "I don't want anyone to get hurt, that's all." It was bad enough that she was endangered from her stupid curiosity, let alone dragging someone else unknowingly into her mess. What would Riddle do to her if he found out how she'd betrayed him? Better yet, what would he do to Fred if he suspected she cared about him? It was enough to give her nightmares over a whole new person.

"Fine," Angelina huffed, looking dissatisfied. "I'm going to tell Kirke to hit more bludgers at you on Friday."

"But," began Katie, looking uncertain, "you do like him? I mean, I don't know how true it is, but George said you kissed him."

"He kissed me," corrected Victoria, much to the entertainment of her friends. "Shut up," she murmured as Angelina gave her a playful shove. "Really, I mean it. I've got other things to deal with."

"Yeah," said Angelina, "Like how you're going to aim those bludgers at Jordan when he announces it to the whole school."

Victoria grinned at that, before heading back to the castle with the others, admiring the darkening sky as she did.