Decree No.29 (O.C) Fred Weasley/ Draco Malfoy

Gryffindor's Assemble

"Well...fuck."

"Shitting hell."

"Fuck me."

"And me."

"Well, that settles it; our chances of being bloody murdered are now extremely high."

"Now you know how I feel."

"Oh, whatever Harry."

Jessica listened to the bleak atmosphere in the common room from the middle step of the Gryffindor Tower staircase. She listened intently in plain school uniform, waiting for the fallout to simmer down and settle in.

After falling asleep exhaustedly in the owlery, she and Fred woke up to golden sunshine the following day with nothing but each other to keep themselves warm. After discussing it for a short while, Fred convinced her that the others had to know if she would stay with them for the next couple of days, and Jessica reluctantly agreed that Fred was the one who had told them. They took a slow early morning stroll back up to the castle whilst it was still sunrise and waited in the seventh-year boys' dormitories until everyone had gone to breakfast. Fred had gone ahead and pulled Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and George back to stay behind, and Jessica just waited...waiting to go through the explanation again.

"Guys, don't be so down about this!" Fred said as he stood in front of them. "It's not a big deal!"

"Not a big deal?" Ron questioned worriedly from the sofa, his voice squeaking in parts, "not a big deal? She's got her back marked for Voldemort with that necklace of hers, and you're saying it's not a big deal?!"

"Well, yes, that's true, but we don't need to worry, do we," said Fred encouragingly, knowing Jessica was listening and trying to keep it positive, "Harry is the same, and yet he's still here!"

"Barely," Harry responded abruptly from the floor next to Ginny. "You try avoiding death every year, mate."

There was a pause, and Jessica knew Fred was doing his best not to jump forward and ring Harry's throat at his pessimism. "What I mean is," Fred continued, "we're used to Voldemort being an issue. We just need to keep her safe like we do Harry. This doesn't change anything."

"I don't think that's particularly the case, Fred," spoke Hermione from the sofa. "If Voldemort wants to use her as a weapon, there's little he won't do to try and get her. Right now, she's a higher priority for him than Harry. He's already proved that with what Draco's done. She's in danger, and so is everyone who gets in Voldemort's way."

Hermione was the brightest witch in the year for a reason, but that didn't mean she was the most emotionally intelligent. Jessica was glad she had told Fred first about her past; otherwise, Hermione's logical observations would have made her drown herself in the Black Lake if she had found her instead.

"Well, thanks, Hermione, for that positive input as always," Fred muttered frustratedly. "What does anyone else think? Literally anyone else."

"Well, I'm sold," said George, who was casually lying across one of the comfy armchairs and eating a string of liquorice. "I knew she was way cooler than any of you idiots."

"No, Hermione's right," Ron argued, the tremble in his voice growing stronger. "The Order didn't want us to know for a reason. They don't want us involved. We shouldn't even be discussing this."

"Ron-"

"No, Ginny. Ron's on to something," Hermione interrupted, causing Ginny to be silent. "With her being in Slytherin, it was always suspicious, but now, with Dumbledore advising her to give herself up...maybe we should listen to him. I trust his judgement. He knows what he's doing. He must know she's not going to be hurt."