The Lost Witch | Fred Weasley

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

"You're worse than girls at shopping," I scolded the boys as we left Zonko's joke shop. "Oh don't act all high and mighty, White, I saw what you bought in there," Lee mocked me.

I smiled. I had purchased half a dozen Dungbombs and a nose biting teacup I was planning on giving to either Nym or Sirius for Christmas. I had also bought something for the boys' birthdays coming in April, but I couldn't tell them that of course.

"So where's this Hog's Head?" I asked playing dumb in front of Lee and Lucy.

"Over there," George pointed. "That shabby old pub that group of students is walking into right now." Lucy did a little happy dance. No one was looking forward to a secret organization that went against Umbridge more than her.

She was more of a rebel than I thought. Granted one of my first memories with her is sneaking into the Forbidden Forest I guess I should've seen that coming.

Up ahead at the entrance of the Hog's Head, there was indeed a group of students on their way in. Amelia, Alicia and Angelina had headed with another girl called Katie Bell while I had gone to Hogsmeade with the boys and Lucy. I spotted them all heading into the pub.

Just as the last person walked into the pub, we reached the entrance and stepped in. I spotted Harry, Hermione and Ron in a booth and shot Ron a smile as we made eye contact.

Harry was staring at the group completely dumbstruck.

I leaned into Fred on my right. "5 Galleons says Hermione didn't warn Harry how many people she had recruited," I whispered to him.

He turned and took in Harry's expression before smiling down at me. Fred pushed through the crowd and went over to the bar, dragging me with him by the hand.

"Hi," he said cheerfully. "Could we have..." he turned around and started counting heads, "Thirty Butterbeers, please?"

The barman gave us a glare before he bent under the counter and started handing over Butterbeers.

"Cheers," Fred said, way too cheerfully for the Bar's atmosphere. We started handing the bottles down the line of students.

I noticed Dylan was here as well and shot him a smile when I passed him a Butterbeer, earning me a scowl from Fred. "Shut up, he's your friend, remember?" he just rolled his eyes at me.

"Cough up everyone, I haven't got enough gold for all of these," Fred called to the group. I started collecting coins from the people I handed bottles to, placing it all on the counter.

As everyone had a drink we went and sat down at the seats in front of Ron, Harry sitting in the middle of the booth in front of us. He still looked shocked beyond words.

George sat down on Fred's right, Lee beside him. Lucy sat down in the seat beside me sending me a smirk. All week she was the one looking forward to this the most. We clinked our bottles together and then all chatter seized.

Everyone was looking at Harry. "Er," Hermione got out. Everyone then turned to look at her.

"Well – er – hi." She cleared her throat. "Well... you know why you're here. Erm... well, Harry here had the idea..." Harry shot her a disapproving look.

"I mean, 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 that Umbridge is doing with us –"

"Umbitch," George corrected her, earning a few chuckles.

"Not the rubbish she's doing with us because nobody could call that Defence Against the Dark Arts –"