𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, fred weasley

˗ˋ 76

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH MOLLY EXPLAINS

. . .

The silence was far too loud as gazes turned over to the dark haired girl sat between the twins, whose mouth was now chewing mechanically, not enjoying all the attention on her. It was quite a contrast, considering she had been Triwizard Tournament the previous year.

"Hm? Oh that's  Elodie, I told you she was coming the other day." Mrs Weasley looked up from her own plate once more, eating another forkful of her wonderful shepherds pie. "She came from France, I picked her up earlier.

"France?" Sirius asked, a glimmer of amusement on his face. "Now I can finally put to use the french lessons mother forced down my throat." He mused. "So, how are you Elodie?" The switch to French was smooth, and the girl swallowed her mouthful.

"I'm fine, thank you. Your mother sounds like a rather disagreeable woman." The comment didn't go unappreciated, as a bark of a laugh came from the end of the table.

"You've got that right. I like her." Sirius shook his hair out of his face as he looked back down at his food, the others turning to each other and wondering who would go next.

Bill decided it was him, clearing his throat and peering down at the girl. "Elodie Beaumont right? As in the one Fleur talks about - from the Triwizard Tournament? I knew I recognised you from somewhere."

"Triwizard Tournament?" Tonks repeated, looking interested and turning towards Elodie. "Charlie and Kai were up - said about someone getting their arms sliced over by a dragon called Irene, was that you?"

"The Ukranian Ironbelly was called Irene?" Elodie asked, eyes wide. "And yeah, it was me." The girl put down her knife and fork, tugging up the ends of her sleeves. "This is the one from the dragon, it goes right up my shoulder and the other one is from the tournament."

"You're almost as bad as the both Kaida and Charlie." Mrs Weasley shook her head. "Both of them covered head to toe in scrapes, bruises, scars and only Merlin knows what."

"What happened with that?" Bill continued, pushing past Mrs Weasley's insinuated disapproval of what the two best friends were doing. "I remember all the blood and everything, but what on earth did they put in that maze to do that to you? Fleur was beside herself."

"She was, was she?" Fred wiggled his eyebrows, giggles erupting from all over as Bill shook his head. "I'm sure Ellie would love to know all about what Fleur has doing."

"Oh I already know." The French girl's revelation had the tips of Bill's ears turning pink. "We keep up quite the correspondence over the summer."

"But back to the scars, how did you get them?" Tonks pushed, her eyes still upon the scars. 

"Oh, the fake Mad-Eye cast the Imperius curse on Krum who became hell-bent on trying to kill all three of us. Almost got us as well." Elodie's nose crinkled at the memory, looking up as Fred swung his arm around her shoulder, leaning closer.

"If you'd rather not talk about it then just say the word." He mumbled, the girl nodding. "Perfect, I'll get them off of your backs." His arm slid off of her shoulder and half the kitchen jumped out of their skin as he clapped his hands together, beginning to reel off something about cleaning and finding something in the twins' room. 

"Speaking of rooms, is Ellie staying with us?" George piped up, after Fred's sudden change of subject had silenced any competion talk. "Her bags are up there already and there is a spare bed." 

"If Elodie is comfortable with that, and wouldn't prefer to be in with the two girls." Molly replied, Elodie's gaze flickering over to Ginny and Hermione before shaking her head gently. She liked the both of them, but it was too much of an age difference - and there was nobody in this house she was closer with than the two boys on either side of her. "Then of course she can." 

"Don't you two dare do anything whilst I'm in there." George mumbled, looking absolutely disgusted. "Or do anything in there at all. Save it for Hogwarts."

"Fine by me." Fred looked equally as grossed out. "I might do a lot of strange things, but that's just weird. But now I have something to look forward to when we go back." He winked at Elodie, who flushed pink before looking confused.

"But it's your last year - is there nothing else?" Elodie asked.

Fred and George's gazes flickered over to their mother, before leaning closer to the girl. "Harry gave us his Triwizard Winnings - 1,000 Galleons. With the way we're expecting to get orders from when we go back to school, we'll be able to properly start up the business as soon as we leave." Fred began to explain.

"We have our eyes on a property of Diagon Alley - it's been empty for years apparently, and isn't going to be filled up soon." George continued. "And we're going back to Hogwarts with lots more products than before, just need to design some posters."

"Oh - I can help with that." Elodie said, just a little too loud and people glanced over, Fred promptly placing his hand over her mouth.

"That would be perfect, love. But keep it quiet, alright?" Fred nodded, Elodie copying his actions and sitting up a little straighter.

"You three, less talking, more eating, alright? I have a crumble in the oven for pudding." Molly called from the end of the table, the three teenagers quickly returning to their meals.

And with her introductions over, Elodie felt right at home in 12 Grimmauld Place.

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