Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [4]

⚡️ Chapter 64 ⚡️

Once Fred and George had left the Owlery, Vega, Harry, Ron and Hermione turned to stare at one another. Vega shook off what she was feeling over this secret and tried to think of what could've prompted the twins to be sending letters so early in the morning. There could be so many things.

"You don't think they know something about all this, do you?" Hermione whispered, looking more at Vega than the boys for answers. "About Crouch and everything?"

"Oh, no," Vega replied quickly. "They wouldn't have kept those sorts of secrets – I'm sure they realise that there are serious things that need to be reported rather than used for 'blackmail',"

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked Ron, who was still looking plenty uncomfortable.

"Well..." Ron spoke up slowly. "I dunno if they would. They're... They're obsessed with making money lately, I noticed it when I was hanging around with them – when – you know –"

"We weren't talking," Harry finished the sentence for him. "Yeah, but blackmail..."

"It's this joke shop idea they've got," Ron told them. "I thought they were only saying it to annoy Mum, but they really mean – they want to start one. They've only got a year left at Hogwarts, they keep going on about how it's time to think about their future, and Dad can't help them, and they need gold to get started,"

"What are you saying?" Vega asked, slightly frustrated. "You know Fred and George wouldn't go against the law just to get gold. They could've used their smarts for wrong reasons but they've been earning fair money by selling products they made. This is something else entirely. They wouldn't,"

"Wouldn't they?" Ron asked, looking sceptical of their true reasoning despite Vega's assurance otherwise. "I dunno... they don't exactly mind breaking rules, do they?"

"Yes, but this is the law!" Hermione exclaimed, looking scared. "This isn't some silly school rule... They'll get a lot more than detention for blackmail! Ron... Maybe you'd better tell Percy..."

"Are you mad?" Ron asked. "Tell Percy? He'd probably do a Crouch and turn them in," He stared at the window through which Fred and George's owl had departed.

"I don't think we should be thinking this way about them," Vega said. "Fred and I have discussed the shop but he never mentioned that he was going to get money by blackmailing. He is earning it by selling their products. There must be something else going on... they don't think it happens,"

"Try asking him outright," Ron muttered. "Come on, let's get some breakfast,"

"Do you think it's too early to go and see Professor Moody?" Hermione asked as she followed Vega, Harry and Ron down the staircase slowly. Vega glanced over at them.

"Yes," Harry replied. "He'd probably blast us through the door if we wake him at the crack of dawn; he'll think we're trying to attack him while he's asleep. Let's give it till break,"

For once, Vega didn't eat much during breakfast as she was more distracted by what had happened last night, and what was going on with Fred and George, and the concern that they were going to talk to Moody about it. She followed her friends to their first class of the day, still bothered by it all.

History of Magic had rarely gone so slowly as it did that morning – for Harry, Ron and Hermione. Vega just remained calm, trying to focus on her books while Harry kept glancing over toward Ron's watch, trying to see what time it was – but it was moving extremely slowly, which agitated him.

Truly, all four of them were very tired, especially after breakfast – so much so that they could have happily put their heads down on the desks and slept; even Hermione wasn't taking her usual notes, but was sitting with her head on her hand, gazing at Professor Binns with her eyes out of focus.