Deus Fax Machina

Deal for the Devil

Spring broke across Hogwarts with unbelievably good weather. Sophie was eager to finish her homework and get outside into the sun. She also had to post her letter to Max so, to put off starting her potions essay, Sophie took a meandering walk to the owlery.

The owlery was high above the school and looked down on the grounds through many large openings in the circular walls, designed for the owls to fly in and out as they pleased. There were so many owls it always took her breath away, perched high in into the rafters. Sophie selected a big brown school owl and attached her letter to Max. It spoke of all the excitement of Hogwarts but slipped within her ramblings about OWLs and wishing for the simplicity of algebra, were comments about their grandmother. Sophie hoped Max would pick them out and find a way to tell her what he knew. Though she did not expect him to know more than herself nor express it via post if he did.

Sophie took the owl to the lowest opening and let it propel from her arm, watching it as it flew away. She turned away once she could no longer see it (and could no longer put off her potions homework). Avoiding owl droppings and mouse remains Sophie made her way to the door. As she was taking one last look, hand on the doorknob, at the wonderful scene of the owlery, the handle turned within her hand and the door was pulled open. Sophie yelped and snatched her hand away, though she needed to, it was not magic, only a person on the other side of the door. It was Fred.

'Alright, Soph? What are you doing up here?' He laughed.

'Sending a letter to my brother, what about you?' Sophie crossed her arms. 'Not with Lee and George?' Sophie peered around Fred.

'I have my independence. Sometimes.' Fred moved around Sophie to select an owl. 'Speaking of George, when are you two going to hurry up and make things official?'

Sophie's mouth dropped open. She had been that obvious? Fred wrestled a tawny owl.

'Alright, I'll ask George out when you ask Angelina out. Then she might relax about quidditch a bit.' Sophie tried to hide her embarrassment with confidence. She thought she'd over done it.

'Deal.' Fred extended his hand. They shook on it. As they walked back to the common Sophie tried to hide the searing embarrassment she was feeling as they chatted about the swamp, among other things.

'Hey, did you guys hear; Fred Weasley asked out Angelina Johnson?' Lavender sat down at a table with Sophie and Parvati. Sophie spun around and, sure enough, on the other side of the common room Fred was sitting with his arm around Angelina, smiling and joking. She was horrified that Fred had followed through on their deal so soon. Sophie caught George's eye. George merely mimed throwing up behind his brother. Sophie laughed, she couldn't help it, she was into George Weasley and she was going to have to do something about it.

A few days later Sophie found herself alone with George for the first time. They were returning from the library together. George was only checking the swamp but Sophie was happy to see him. Her stomach knotted as she thought about her deal with Fred. She wasn't listening to George as they passed into a secret corridor. Sophie replied with a nod and 'oh wow'.

How was she going to tell George she had a huge crush on him? It just had to be done, Sophie sighed to herself.

'Why are you being so weird?' George had stopped walking. Sophie turned back to him. He stood looking at her, books under one arm, head tilted slightly and a look of concern that made Sophie feel weak all over. Her chest tightened.

'I like you.' Sophie blurted.

That was it, she said it, and Sophie's brain was no longer doing its job. She looked at George, he smiled but his brow furrowed.