A.J RYAN IN THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

Chapter 39 - The Swamp

The following day was the first day back at lessons after the Easter Holidays, and A.J spent her Monday between fighting a smile when she thought of last night, and dreading Fred leaving today.

Fred's morning classes were both with A.J, and he took the opportunities to keep distracting her.

Alexis-June. He called through her thoughts.

She covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile. This was the fourth time this morning he had used Legilimency to talk to her. And it was with simple things like; that he loved her, thoughts of last night, and when she had finally said she loved him.

Fred and George's afternoon was free while A.J's final lesson for the day was double Potions.

Before she headed off to the dungeons, Fred grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a suit of armour, pressing her against the wall. He gently held her face in his hands and gazed at her intently, before kissing her softly on the lips.

She was smiling when he pulled away; "You're so beautiful Lexi." He pulled something from his pocket and placed it into her hand. "Come see me soon okay?" He gently kissed her again before going to walk away. She reached for him quickly, catching his wrist, and pulling him back to her. He smiled as his face moved closer to hers again. Although she hadn't said anything, her lingering kiss was enough for him.

As the bell sounded to end lessons for the day A.J disappeared to Umbridge's office to make sure Harry wasn't caught while he was using her fireplace to talk to Sirius. Fred and George were causing a massive distraction in the east wing near Gregory the Smarmy's corridor, to draw her right away from her office. It was taking place just after lessons because everybody would be in the corridors and according to Fred this meant it would cause "maximum impact". If all went to plan Harry had twenty minutes.

Screaming and yelling had broken out on the floor above and Umbridge went running from her classroom towards the distraction, Harry arrived in the corridor of her office less than a minute later. A.J stood silently and unseen watching him. Harry ducked behind a suit of Armour. A.J only discovered him again when she heard a quiet click and the door of Umbridge's office opened. He was under his invisibility cloak.

Fifteen minutes had passed when Filch started heading along this floor.

"Quickly, quickly! Ah she's left it open-" Filch wheezed excitedly.

A.J stood outside the door prepared to distract Filch, but when she looked around Harry couldn't be seen. Filch rattled through the desk draws; "Approval for Whipping... Approval for Whipping...I can do it at last...they've had it coming to them for years..."

Filch took a piece of parchment and hurried from the room, back along the corridor. The door wrenched open moments later and she heard Harry's shuffling footsteps from under his invisibility cloak. A.J appeared on the marble stairs in the Entrance Hall towards the end of the commotion. She edged her way through the students standing all around in a circle. Most of the school was here, including ghosts and the professors.

In the centre of the circle were Fred and George. "Accio brooms." They both raised their wands and called together.

A large crash sounded before two brooms, which A.J had just seen earlier in Umbridge's office, came soaring down the stairs to stop in front of Fred and George.

"We won't be seeing you." Fred said, mounting his broom.

"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch." George mounted his also.

Fred looked around at the crowd; "If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley. Our new premises!"

"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat." George pointed at Umbridge.

The twins kicked off from the ground and soared into the air.

Fred turned to the bobbing Peeves; "Give her hell from us, Peeves."

Peeves took off his hat and gave them a salute before applause broke out to Fred and George speeding out the open front doors into the sunset.

A.J found it hard to feel anything but slightly depressed. She had known today was the day they were leaving, so, she didn't feel the buzz in the Great Hall now during dinner, where everywhere the details of Fred and George's flight to freedom were retold. A.J remembered the box Fred had put in her hand earlier. She would go to her office after dinner and open it.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were back in the rowdy common room when she retreated to her office.

She sat on a squishy armchair and pulled the box from her bag. It was white and almost the size of a deck of cards, but square. She pulled open the tabs at the top and emptied a folded piece of parchment onto her lap. She opened it;

I love you, Lexi

This ring is my promise... that I'll always be thinking of you.

Stuck to the note was a silver ring, it came away at her touch. She twirled it between her fingers; there was a single heart-shaped clear stone – which she was pretty sure was a diamond – set in the middle.

She closed her right hand around it and held it against her chest while she stared thoughtfully out the window.

The amount of chaos caused by Fred and George's departure over the next week had Umbridge shrieking with rage. Not to mention Filch, with his whip ready, unsure which rebellious student to stop first. There were students constantly leaving classes with Bubble-Head Charms to avoid Dungbombs and Stink Pellets in the corridors.

A.J had kept herself distracted by throwing herself into studying with Professor Snape, – now he had refused to resume his Occlumency lessons with Harry he had more time – and watching out for Peeves, who hadn't taken lightly Fred's final words. The only stunts she cared about were the ones where he seriously endangered students with things like, juggling burning torches over their heads, or trying to topple statues on them when they walked by.

She had learnt through listening to Hermione nag Harry about closing his mind that he hadn't progressed in any way to stop himself sharing Voldemort's visions in his dreams. One Friday after morning Herbology lesson she had had to convey this to a furious Sirius when she visited.

"But I asked you to give him a lesson, why isn't he paying attention." He ranted.

"Sirius, he doesn't know what's so important to have in that room and I think he's not trying because his curiosity is working against him."

"And he's stubborn." Sirius said frowning, but there was still a tone of fondness in his voice.

"Dumbledore's really concerned too. I can see it when I look at him." He continued.

"Do you want me to walk Harry off the Astronomy Tower in his sleep?" A.J offered.

Sirius looked shocked before he settled on a hollow laugh.

"What's the matter with you anyway, Lexi?" Sirius asked genuinely. "More boy troubles?" He smirked.

She laughed; "Isn't it always." She knew she appeared sad because with Sirius she didn't have to pretend everything was okay. Apart from hiding Fred. And the humongous secret that she knew Sirius was going to die, and soon, she was herself with him.

"Come on, which one is it this time?" He coaxed.

A.J couldn't help smiling at how amused he was. She shrugged and told him everything about her and Fred. In the end he had fell out his chair laughing; "You're kidding me, Fred. You fell for him. Molly's going to kill you when she finds out."

"She won't find out." A.J smiled.

"You've protected that information, haven't you?" He smirked.

"Yep. There are four people that know, and only one of us can tell."

"Can't say It's much of a surprise, I said to Molly it might not end." Sirius nodded happily.