𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, fred weasley

˗ˋ 78

CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
✧
-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH BEST FRIENDS REUNITE

. . .

In the final week of the summer holidays, Elodie arrived in Diagon Alley with Bill Weasley by her side. Her meeting with Fleur had been arranged, and the girl was incredibly excited to go.

Of course, Bill was the perfect escort for her, even if Fred wanted to do it himself. But alas, the eldest Weasley child was heading for his day at work at Gringotts and Elodie had no clue where Diagon Alley was like and how she would get to it.

Fleur was staying in a small apartment over a sweet shop, something which the Delacour girl had bragged about in her many letters. And it was under the red and white striped awning in front of it that the two girls reunited in a loud exclamation of French that Bill could never understand and flurry of hugs.

They had until the end of Bill's shift to catch up and talk enough to last long enough until they next saw each other. Because that would no doubtedly be a while - Fleur's internship with Gringotts was ending that Friday and then she was returning to France for her last year at Beauxbatons.

The Weasley boy left them by the sweet shop with promises of meeting up in front of the Wizarding bank at the time he finished. And with that, Fleur began her tour of the place she had been staying at for the majority of the summer holidays.

Diagon Alley was incredible - and both similar and different to the French equivalent ( which was named Place Cachée). Having technically attended both Hogwarts and Beauxbatons, one of the main things that Elodie noticed was that each of the schools seemed to match the energy to it's country's shopping area.

Place Cachée had that almost royal-like elegancy to it that matched up with the area of Paris it was in, Montmarte, and the school that resided in the Pyrenees mountain range. And Hogwarts was exactly the same for Diagon Alley - which most likely wasn't intentional but just something the girl had noticed.

Diagon Alley was lined with busy shops squished into tiny-looking buildings that opened up on the inside, overflowing with strange artifacts and magic pouring out of every nook and cranny. A kneazle darted around the cobbled street nearby the Magical Menagerie, several fairies fluttering around one of the twisting street lamps.

There were so many different shops, but Fleur and Elodie spent most of their time in Madame Malkin's, talking to the owner in French as they discussed the Triwizard Tournament and their once shared school, all whilst Elodie was getting fitted for another set of blouses just in case her others got dirty, one of the pinafores and getting the skirts of that and the set that Célia Beaumont altered shorter. 

And with several bags lining their arms, the two girls collapsed into seats outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. "Merlin I've never been so hot." Fleur fanned herself with one of the colourful menus that stood at the centre of the table. "Don't worry about ordering, just wait a few moments-.." The Delacour girl said, Elodie watching with wide eyes as a boy darted out of the shop.

"Fleur - hi, what can I help you with?" He asked, flicking dark hair out of his eyes as he glanced between the two girls. "I see you've brought a friend with you."

"She's all acounted for, Nathan." Fleur replied, Elodie's eyes almost falling out of her head when she heard how good her friend's English was. "Too of the usual, please. Lavender and earl grey." 

Nathan rushed off inside, Fleur giggling as she turned back to her friend. "You sounded so fluent! And has he been acting like that all summer?" Elodie looked shocked.

"I can only say that well because Bill taught me it after he brought me here for the first time. Talking of Bill - he's the only time when Nathan doesn't act like that. I think it might be the veela charm, it's been getting me free ice cream all summer long. It comes in handy at times." Fleur smiled, sitting up.

"Talking of Bill.." Elodie repeated the girl's own words with a smirk. "What's been going on with you two." 

Fleur smiled, beginning to explain that their relationship was there - but for now it was just casual. Despite being of age, Bill was very much aware of the age gap and refused to do much else other than spend time with her. He was incredibly respectful, but there was a lot of flirting. "He's perfect.. I just wish that we could do something more now. But I'm sure when I finish school it'll be a little different." Fleur looked confident, Nathan placing two cups of the purple ice cream under their noses.

"He looked happy when he was talking about you. And Fred and George have been teasing him about it - which surely means something?" Elodie took a scoop of the ice cream.

"Bill's been talking about me?" Fleur's smile was so wide it was the type to hurt your cheeks. But that seemed to be the perfect segue into Fleur's questions about Fred and Elodie's relationship.

For a couple more hours, the two girls sat at the table outside of the ice cream parlour, talking about anything and everything in their quick French, occasional cups of the same lavender ice cream being served every now and then.

And Elodie couldn't be happier.

✧