The Big Dipper

The Reason

"So," said George, coming into the kitchen while Fred was busy writing a letter. "Ursula Black, huh?"

"What about her?" said Fred, trying and failing to be nonchalant. The letter he was writing was, in fact, addressed to her, as he had finally decided on a time and place for their date. Just thinking it gave him butterflies.

"Oh, you know," teased George. "Your little crush on her. Who would've thought she feels the same."

"Yeah, lucky me," said Fred.

"What is it about her that you like so much?" asked George. "Your crush has lasted for what, two years now? What is it about her that makes you like her so much?"

"It's..." began Fred, unsure how to put it into words.

~~~

Fred remembered the first time he had met Ursula, way back in August of 1989. He had been in Diagon Alley with the rest of his family, there to buy textbooks and supplies for his first year at Hogwarts. Charlie had introduced them, after Tonks had briefly split from their group, only to return with her cousin...

"Hello Ursula!" said Charlie, catching the attention of his brothers. "Fancy seeing you here."

The girl he greeted was small, with long, curly black hair and large grey eyes. She was undoubtedly a first year like Fred and George were. Tonks had dragged her over and Fred could tell that she was a little nervous. Nevertheless, she beamed when she saw Charlie, and waved at him.

"Hi Charlie," said Ursula.

"Everyone, this is my favorite cousin, Ursula Black!" said Tonks proudly. Fred and George both nodded and smiled at her.

"Ursula, this is my brother Percy, he's a third year," said Charlie, pointing to Percy, who was paying more attention to the books he was carrying. "And this is Fred and George, who are first years like you."

Fred didn't even have to look at his twin to know that they would pull their usual trick on Ursula.

"I'm George!" he said, mock indignantly.

"And I'm Fred!" added George.

"Our own brother!" they chorused. "Can't even tell us apart!"

Ursula looked startled and a bit suspicious. Her eyes darted back and forth between them. Fred and George grinned identically.

"Just kidding!" they said together.

"I really am Fred," said Fred, and Ursula smiled, relaxing.

"And I'm George," said George.

"It's nice to meet you, Ursula!" they said together.

"It's nice to meet you as well," replied Ursula. She spoke like a posh person, and had the accent to match. She turned to Tonks. "It was great to see you, Dora, but I've got to finish shopping." She waved again at Fred and his brothers. "Bye Charlie. I'll see you all at Hogwarts!"

"'Dora?'" said the twins incredulously, rounding on Tonks. "She makes us call her Tonks!"

Tonks blushed, her hair moving from magenta to red. Ursula winked at Fred and George, her grey eyes sparkling mischievously. Fred grinned back, but a moment later she had ducked around another customer and vanished.

~~~

The first class that the Gryffindors had with the Slytherins was Defense Against the Dark Arts. There was a longstanding rivalry between the two houses, one that had been all but embraced by the brand new first years. Fred had taken a seat beside George in the second row when, to his surprise, Ursula Black sat down next to him.