LUCKY FLOWER||FRED WEASLEY {REWRITING/MOVED}

YEAR THREE: CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep here?"

"I'm sure, go have fun with your friends."

Rapunzel pouted up at Remus, her insistence that he stay at the Leaky Cauldron with her overnight being all for nought.

"Are you sure, though?" Rapunzel prodded, mostly just trying to push her father's buttons now, but she was a little anxious about renting a room for the night and being alone. "Like, one hundred percent?"

"It'll be alright," Remus assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You'll see me tomorrow."

"Fiiiine." Rapunzel drew it out, wrapping her arms around Remus and standing on her toes to get a little closer to his height. "I love you."

"I love you too." Remus smiled, ruffling the hair on top of Rapunzel's head, earning a pout as she tried to flatten it. "Now go have fun."

Rapunzel started towards the Leaky Cauldron, luggage in hand. Opening the door, the warmth of the pub was a welcome change from the chilly winds outside.

Glancing over her shoulder, she sent Remus a quick wave before entering the building and shutting the door behind her.

Remus stood outside with his hands in his pockets, smile slowly fading. The pang of guilt had made its return, stronger this time. For a moment, he doubted his decision. But if it meant that Rapunzel was happy and smiling again, just like she used to be, he could live with his choice.

~*~

Rapunzel yawned, stretching her arms above her head as she awoke, sighing in relief as her muscles loosened. She could hear a train in the distance, turning her head to look out the window at an overcast sky, she frowned.

She'd much rather at least a little bit of sun.

Rapunzel groaned as she stood, wishing for a little more sleep, but making her way to the pile of clothes she'd decided to wear that day. A purple long-sleeved shirt, a pink t-shirt on top of it, and jeans embroidered with flowers.

Then she spent an absurd amount of time brushing her hair until she couldn't find anymore tangles, longing for the day she could do magic outside school and fix her hair with that instead when she wasn't at Hogwarts.

Finally putting her hair into thick twin plaits, she slumped back onto the bed to allow herself to rest after her tiresome routine. It wasn't as if she didn't appreciate her powers, but did she have to have that much hair?

For a moment she enjoyed the peace, only the distant sounds of chatter and traffic outside. No worries, no obligations. Everything was wonderful.

Well, until a groan and several banging sounds could be heard from the room across hers.

Rapunzel propped herself up on her elbows, listening for any indication of the same noise or if she was just hearing things. There was nothing, so Rapunzel shrugged and laid back down.

This time it sounded like something was knocked over, and Rapunzel sat up fully this time. Worry twisted her stomach, her mind jumping to the idea that someone was hurt.

Quickly exiting her room she followed the noise to one of the other rooms, door shut and the thuds behind it persisting.

She didn't expect to find Harry standing on a small table in the middle of the room, a vicious book at his feet. He looked up, surprised, and tried to smile. It looked more like a grimace though.

"Uh...help?"

The book noticed Rapunzel's presence, turning quickly and rapidly approaching, snapping its teeth.

"Oh!" Rapunzel leapt to the bed, clambering on top to avoid the book's jagged teeth. "You opened the monster book?!"

"I didn't realize it would try to kill me!"

"Did its eyes and teeth not give it away?"

"Why would I assume a book would try to kill me?!"

"It's magic! Assume everything is trying to kill you all the time!"

Harry shrieked as the book nearly bit his feet, scrambling over to the bed and clinging into Rapunzel for dear life.

"Just help me with this, please. I've survived Voldemort three times and a basilisk, it'd be really embarrassing if a book killed me."

Rapunzel snorted. "Fine. Give me your shoe."

"What?" Harry blinked at her, brow furrowing incredulously, not noticing how the monster book had gone under the bed.

"Just give me your shoe, Harry." Rapunzel insisted with a heavy sigh, half-ready to just rip it off his foot herself.

Harry, reluctant and confused, slid off one of his sneakers and passed it to Rapunzel who dropped it on the floor in front of the bed.

"What's that supposed to—" he jumped back as the book lunged out from under the bed at what had to be terminal velocity and closed its mouth around his shoe. Before any damage could be done, Rapunzel lunged for the book and clasped its mouth shut with both hands.

"Bind it, hurry!" Rapunzel shouted as the book struggled in her grasp.

Harry, terrified and with bulging eyes, grabbed the leather binding strap and struggled to connect it with unsteady, frantic hands.

"Do it faster, I'm holding a book with teeth dangerously close to my face!"

"I'm trying!"

As Harry finally managed to bind the book, it ceased struggling and Rapunzel was able to safely set it down on the bedside table before flopping on the bed in relief, Harry joining her at her side.

"Next time, just stroke the spine."