Troublemakers • Weasley & Jordan

The Reason Why

"I want a girl with a mind like a diamond, I want a girl who knows what's best." – Short Skirt Long Jacket by Cake

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It was the weekend before semester exams, and to say the boys were stressed out was to say that Hogwarts was on the smaller side of castles.

"Shit, shit, Merlin's balls," Lee huffed as he paced back and forth, clutching a deck of flashcards but not allowing himself to look. "What's the charm for that blinding flash of sunlight? I can't name it! Shit!"

"It's not technically called a charm," George replied, perched on the edge of the common room couch, running his eyes over his own notes. "It's a spell. Lumos Solem."

Lee put his hands on his hips, aggravation hitting him like a bee sting. That's how it was before the tests– everyone was on edge. And they were seventh years now.

"That's not fair," he declared. "The class is called 'Charms', isn't it? Come on!"

"Try remembering it with this," George suggested– "Le most solemn spell that spills with sun."

Lee grinned. "You're kidding, right?"

"It's like speaking French, but not," he shrugged. "Plus, alliteration. Trust me, it works."

"But the most 'solemn'?" His friend scoffed. "You're calling a beaming-light spell solemn?"

"Don't question it, it's foolproof!"

Lee smiled and rubbed his forehead, sighing. He glanced at his notes once more and felt that familiar wave of anxiety hit him again, the thought of exams sending him into a spiral.

George could tell.

"Take a breath, Jordan," he said, leaning back– "we're all a bit looney with these exams. You'll do fine. You're the one with the brains, anyway."

"You're taking two N.E.W.Ts this year, including Potions," Lee pointed out, giving him a stern look. "You always sell your smarts short, you know."

George looked down at his notes, fighting a smile. Lee sort of did, too.

But he quickly returned his gaze to his flashcards, anxiously flipping through them. "I think Charms is gonna be the one to kick my arse. I can handle the rest... Transfiguration might be a handful."

"Maybe McGonagall will go easy on us for our last year," George suggested meekly. "Do you think if I try to seduce her, it'll help?"

"You try to seduce her every year."

"Yeah, but if I really try this time..." George sighed.

Lee chuckled, collapsing back onto the couch next to his best friend.

"At least it'll all be over soon," he said, turning his head on the back of the couch to look at George. "Then what are we doing again? Crashing holiday parties in some innocent village?"

George smiled, turning to do the same thing. God, he really couldn't wait for that. With Fred being gone with Padma all the time, he had lost his number two, but his second favorite person was actually going to spend the holiday with him. No girlfriend-stealing this Christmas.

Lee noticed a sort of excitement in George's eye and laughed a little. "What's got you so eager about this trip, anyway? I mean, other than my graceful presence, of course."