Enchanter

Chapter 34

There was mischief in the air when one of the infamous Weasley twins snuck inside the potions laboratory. Fred Weasley, ever the opportunist, was out hunting for Allihotsy leaves for the twins' latest prank while his brother, George, held the fort at the All-Hallows' Eve banquet. With his usual cocky grin and a spring in his step, Fred strolled into the lab, certain no one would be around. 

But his confidence faltered, the moment a sharp and biting voice, sliced through the quiet room.

"For someone who sneaks around this castle a lot, you do a terrible job at it," came the voice from a corner. It belonged to an ebony-haired witch, her pale fingers stirring a black cauldron with eerie precision.

Fred jolted in surprise, eyes widening as he spun toward the unexpected company. "What the—?" he muttered, glancing at her. Recovering quickly, he narrowed his eyes. "No one's supposed to be here. The lab should be empty. It's All-Hallows' Eve."

The girl, her expression unreadable, glanced up briefly before focusing on her potion again. "I could ask you the same thing," she said, her voice dripping with boredom. "If you're planning to sneak around and steal potion ingredients, at least cast a Confundus Charm first."

Fred's lips quirked into a grin, her snark piquing his interest. "Thanks for the tip," he said, deciding to investigate this mysterious witch further. "But shouldn't you be in the Great Hall with everyone else?"

"I prefer my own company." The words were flat and blunt, like a door slamming shut. "And unlike you, I actually have permission from the Potions professor to be here. So, if you don't mind..." She tilted her head just enough to glare at him, her eyes cold. "Get out and stop distracting me."

Fred's frown morphed into a mischievous smirk. "Ooh, detention with Snape, is it? What'd you do—?"

The girl shot him a look that could have curdled milk. "Nothing stupid like you." Her voice was icy, and her glare could have melted stone. If Fred weren't so used to receiving glares like that, he might've felt embarrassed. 

Leaning against a desk, Fred crossed his arms. His warm, brown eyes roved over her features, and after a moment of scrutinizing, recognition dawned. "Wait a minute... you're that transfer student. The one who got kicked out of Durmstrang!"

Sorrel's hands tightened around the stirring rod, but she said nothing. Her jaw clenched.

Fred's grin widened. "Heard you blew up your old school's potions lab. Pretty wicked." He leaned in as if sharing a secret. "If you ever plan on exploding this one, me and my brother would be happy to extend our services to you."

He held out his hand, as if striking a deal, "You might have heard some of the stories about the great works of Fred and George, the Weasley twins. Pleasure to meet you."

Sorrel cast a sideways glance at his hand, her lip twitching in mild disgust, and turned her back on him. "Really? A Stunner Handshake? What are you, ten?" she muttered, going back to her brewing. "Only an idiot would fall for that."

Some of their year mates have claimed that the troublemaking skills of the transferee from Durmstrang was on a whole different level from them. He took it as a challenge to test her out. 

Fred chuckled, lowering his hand. She's sharp, the real deal, he thought, his grin growing. "Caught me. But hey, even the old tricks can be handy at times. Get it, handy?" He wiggled his fingers.

Sorrel gave him a deadpan look. "Are you the younger twin? Because that might explain why you're acting so childish."

"Who knows?" Fred replied, undeterred by her coldness. "Maybe I'm Fred, or maybe I'm George. Or maybe I'm both—Gred and Forge."