Flame || F. WEASLEY

Chapter 18 - Veritaserum

George and I part ways briefly to change out of our clothes. I throw on my quidditch sweater over a pair of comfy pants and grab a jacket as I spot the snow falling outside of my window. I hurry back downstairs and find George waiting for me by the door leading outside. He's ditched his dress robes as well.

"Lead the way," I tell him.

We hurry through the snow to the quidditch pitch where a small tent leaks light out onto the ground. I raise an eyebrow at him. What kind of party would this be when the tent was so small? Had he lied?

He smirks at me as he lifts the flap and gestures me inside, almost reading my thoughts.

Being a witch I probably should've expected it but I inhale sharply through my nose as the tent opens up in front of me. Bodies mill about and I see flashes of firewhiskey bottles. A radio plays and people continue to dance if I could call it that. Flitwick and McGonagall's heads would explode if they saw this kind of dancing.

Avianna waves at me from where she dances with her date. Nora and Cedric sit in a corner, heads tucked together with cups in their hands. Even my sister, Stella, and Adora are there. I'm not surprised to find Mini, Hollyn, and Malein missing.

"This is brilliant," I say as I turn to George except he's gone. I survey the party looking for him. Instead, I find a sullen-looking Fred and Angelina sitting next to each other. Angelina's gaze is focused on someone and as I trace it back, I find George approaching me with two cups. It seems Fred ruined not only two people's dates, but a third as well. Perhaps I can make something happen tonight with George and Angelina.

I accept the cup George offers.

"Thanks." I bring it to my lips and find butterbeer with a hint of firewhiskey mixed together. This night will certainly be interesting.

We find a spot to sit down on some oversized pillows and watch the party in comfortable silence, sipping on our drinks. I down mine in a matter of minutes.

"Someone's thirsty?" George teases.

"All that dancing made me parched," I say. I rise from my seat to get myself another drink. "Want anything?"

"Sure."

He hands me the cup and I make my way over to the table filled with treats and a huge bowl of punch. When I get there, I find another Weasley waiting for me.

"It looks like you're having fun," Fred practically sneers at me as I set the two glasses down.

"And it looks like you're not," I retort, glaring up at him. He holds my gaze and I refuse to back down first. I hope he can see the anger I feel swelling in my chest. This is all his own stupid fault, I will not feel sorry for the decision he made.

Finally, he looks away. I turn back to the punch and ladle it into the waiting cups. Fred is gone as I turn and make my way back to George. I hand him his drink back and take a sip of mine. Someone had added more firewhiskey to the punch. I drain half of my second cup in a matter of moments, feeling the firewhiskey burn on the way down. George simply cocks an eyebrow at me.

"Wanna dance?" I ask.

George shrugs and pushes himself to his feet. A lazy grin stretches across his face.

"I thought you were tired of dancing."

"It seems I'm newly invigorated."

We leave our cups on the low table next to where we were sitting and join the others on the dance floor. The radio is playing some of the newest hits, most of which I recognize. They all have a nice driving beat that makes me want to stamp my feet and sway to the music.