The Queen of Vipers || Fred Weasley

II.V

Electra,

I'm sorry, I don't know who your mother could be. Nor who that Death Eater could be talking about. I only see your father in you.

As for the blonde woman you refer to, her name is Marlene McKinnon. She was a good friend of your father's and I. To hear she saved you from You-Know-Who... I know she'd be happy to know she found a way to stick it to him. I don't know if she is your mother, but I must say you remind me greatly of her. You both have that no-bullshit attitude. It was why we liked her.

I should have known when I saw you with your wand in your hair. That was Marley's signature.

Now, I don't know what you mean by you're working on something for my post-full moon, but put a stop to it immediately. I mean it Electra. You leave it be.

Stay out of trouble,

Moony

Electra folded her letter and stuffed it back in her bag.
Like hell she was leaving it be.

"He's nuts," said a voice behind her.

"I heard he transfigured Malfoy into a ferret yesterday."

"He did, Ron saw it."

"Malfoy deserved it, he attacked Harry while his back was turned."

Electra sighed through her nose. How Potter always seemed to get into trouble was beyond her. Sirius had his work cut out for him.

Cedric had abandoned her and was on the other side of the Defense Against the Dark Art classroom chatting up his housemates, so she was left to shamelessly eavesdrop on the loudmouth Gryffindors' conversation in the back of the classroom; Fred and George being the loudest naturally.

One of the Gryffindor girls gasped. "Harry's alright though, right?"

"Don't worry Ang," said Fred, "you'll have your Seeker next year."

A chair scraped across the floor and stopped beside her. She turned her head as Adrian settled backwards on the chair. He rested his elbows on her table, gazing down at the open book before her. He tilted his head to better read. "The Odyssey?" He hummed. "I prefer the Iliad."

"What are you doing?"

His green eyes found hers and he grinned. "Why, courting you of course."

Electra's eyebrow rose. "I thought we were taking this the friendship route first," she mumbled, low enough for just Adrian to hear.

"What do you think this is?" His brow arched. "Personally I thought we were having a friendly conversation between two budding mates." Adrian ducked his head, leaning in closer to her. "And it doesn't hurt that we have an audience." Electra fought the urge to glance behind her to where the lively conversation died.

She narrowed her vision on him. She huffed a sigh. "So you've read the Odyssey?"

Adrian's smile grew softer, genuine. "I wouldn't go so far as to say I've read the Odyssey, but my governess did like to read aloud to me when I was a kid."

"Governess?" She blew out a breath. "I knew you were wealthy, but not governess-wealthy."

Adrian shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not uncommon for families of our status to hire governesses. For us it was necessary as my mother wasn't around to teach us as some mothers would."

"Where was she?" she asked stupidly.

He shook his head, his lips pursing as he made a face. "Dunno. She abandoned my brothers and I before my first birthday."