MATILDA - fred weasley

Chapter 7

Unfortunately for Matilda, Potions was not any easier than she had spent hours last night thinking about. In fact, it was possibly even worse.

Snape had given them directions on how to brew the Draught of Living Death and had instructed the class that they had the whole double to complete their potions. If they did not reach his standard, they were to serve detention later that week to repeat the potion.

Matilda had entered the class feeling agitated and anxious, unsure about how to act around Fred after his announcement at dinner last night, and it seemed Fred's ego had not shrunk as she had hoped. He greeted her as the picture of arrogance, winking and grinning in a way that only Fred Weasley could achieve which irritated Matilda even more.

To make matters worse, Fred was so consumed by his attempt to please Matilda with his stupid pickup lines that he managed to add the wrong amount of ingredients to their potion multiple times, and it was now at the point where it was beyond saving.

"Are you incapable of reading, Miss Diggory?" Professor Snape drawled at the end of the lesson, leaning over to inspect her potion.

"No, Professor," Matilda answered, clenching her jaw. "Perhaps you should ask Weasley whether his intelligence is impaired by his ego."

Snape raised a brow – ever so slightly – and turned to Fred. "Is this true, Mr Weasley?"

"No, sir. You see, I was just doing what felt right. Trusting my instincts," Fred replied, shrugging. Matilda could see a smirk tugging at his lips and she felt hatred fill every bone in her body.

"Then it is your instincts that have earned you and Miss Diggory a detention for Friday night." Snape waved his wand and the potion disappeared. He glared once more at Fred before turning to examine the next potion.

Matilda stepped on Fred's foot. "You insolent little–!"

"It's not nice to call people names, love," Fred scolded lightheartedly, "especially not your future husband."

"I swear to Merlin I won't hesitate to sever both your ears off, Weasley."

Fred smirked, "Come on, now, I'm just talking aren't I?"

Matilda drew her wand slowly, making sure no one watched and pointed it at his chest. "Give me one more reason, I dare you."

"No need for that," Fred said, nudging her wand away and tilting his head when it didn't budge. "Godric, you get fired up easy, don't you?"

"One more word and it'll be you who's on fire," she threatened, retracting her wand and tucking it back into her robe and pulling her bookbag over her shoulder. "I'm serious, Weasley. Leave me alone."

Fred only grinned and left the classroom, laughing at something George said to him. She watched him look back over his shoulder and send her a wink.

Matilda rolled her eyes, turning to Angelina who stood beside her.

"I hate him."

"I think he's rather brilliant," Angelina answered, following Matilda out of the classroom. "You're possibly the only girl in the school who doesn't like him."

"Then I'm the only one with common sense," Matilda countered.

Angelina shrugged. "He's really not that bad, Matilda. I don't understand why you hate him so much."

"You can't see it?!" Matilda exclaimed and her eyes widened when Angelina shook her head. "Oh, Ange, he's only the most arrogant, snobbish, egotistical boy to exist!"

"He's a bit full of himself, yeah, but I think you're exaggerating it."

Matilda frowned, "Did you not experience dinner last night?"