The Raven's Call

Pathetically Dimwitted

I manage to catch up with Cedric and his friends just outside the Great Hall in a conversation, dripping wet from the rain. "Atticus!" Cedric calls to me, wrapping his damp arms around me in a half hug. "Heya, Ced. You gonna put your name into the goblet?" I ask, wrapping my arm around him, completing the half-hug. "Yep! Got it right here." He replies with a grin, showing me the paper. "Wish me luck." Cedric smirks, running into the Hall, as his friends push the both of us forward.

"Come on, Cedric. Put it in!" One of his friends announce, lightly shoving him into the magic circle. He stands still for a moment, then reaches up, throwing his name into the blue fire. The students clap as he jumps back into his friends group, patting me on the head before leaving. But before he leaves, he gives Asteria a high five, I wasn't aware they even knew each other that well. As I take a seat next to Astra, the Weasley twins come running in the room yelling. "Yeah!" receiving cheers from the other students. "Thank you, thank you." They both say as they walk over to the stands, high fiving some students, who are looking just as excited as they are. "What the hell is going on?" Asteria asks, though the room is too loud, no one else hears her. "Well, lads, we've done it. Cooked it up just this morning." The boys say in unison. "It's not going to work." Hermione calls in a sing-songy tune. "Oh yeah?" Fred asks as both twins kneel beside her and alternate speaking. "And why's that, Granger?" George questions. "You see this? This is an age line. Dumbledore drew it himself." "So?" Fred asks. "So, a genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by a dodge as pathetically dimwitted as an ageing potion." Hermione continues, shutting the book on her lap. "But that's why it's so brilliant." Fred says. "Because It's so pathetically dimwitted." George adds.

"Ready, Fred?"

"Ready, George?"

"Bottoms up."

They both cross arms and drink the ageing potion. Once they do, they jump into the circle from the stands, but nothing happens, perhaps their potion worked? "Yeah!" They both cheer, as the other students cheer also. Just as they both put their names into the goblet, the blue flames swirl around them, tossing them out of the circle, before landing hard on the floor. As they sit up, they place their hands on their faces, and realise they have grown beards and white hair. Everyone erupts with laughter, including myself and Astra.

"You said!"

"You said!"

They both say one after the other, then begin to fight each other, yelling all sorts of nonsense.

"Oh, right, you want a piece of me?!"

"I'll tear your ears off"

"Now you're making me laugh"

"Take this! Come on!"

Everyone else yells, "Fight! Fight!" Then the doors open, everyone quiets down and turns towards the source. It just so happens to be Victor Krum. But as the twins continue to fight, Asteria and I head over to break them up.

"We're 'old school.' right?"

"Yeah, but you look older."

I cross my arms as we stand above of them. "Are you two done?" Asteria asks. "Uhh yeah, sorry Astra" Fred replies sheepishly. As Asteria and I reach our hands out to pull them back up, it only takes seconds before they both get the same idea. Before I even realise what's happening, they pull us down with them. I land right on top of Fred, a large blush grows across my cheeks as we bonk heads. "Ouch.." The four of us say in unison. "Didn't think that through, did ya?" Asteria asks, standing up before rubbing her head. "I'm sorry poppet. Are you okay?" George asks, now with a concerned look, as Fred helps me to my feet. "Yeah, I will be, but you two still need to go to the hospital wing. Hopefully Madam Pomfrey can get rid of your old man beards." She says, and I can't help but laugh. George wraps his arms around Astra, bending down and rubbing his beard on the side of her face. "Or we could keep it, I know you'll love it." He teases. "I don't, actually. Now hurry up before I change my mind about liking you back." She replies and starts walking out the Great Hall. Fred and I laugh as the three of us jog to catch up with her.

***

"Not you two again." Madame Pomfrey says with a sigh as the twins and I walk in behind Asteria. "They thought they could trick the age line with an ageing potion and well you see how that worked out." She says sarcastically, glancing back at the twins, poking out her tongue. "Follow me then." Madame Pomfrey announces, leading them to some of the beds. "Looks like you have this under control, Astra.." I say from the doorway of the hospital wing, rubbing my arm awkwardly. "No!" Fred objects from his hospital bed. "Don't leave me here with those two love birds, they'll drive me mad!" I couldn't argue with that logic, so I shrug, leaving a small grin on my face as I join Fred at his bed, while Asteria sits with George.
"So, made things official, have we?" I ask with a smirk spread across my face. The two blush deeply, looking at each other before turning their attention back to me. Their silence answered my question. No. They hadn't. Welp, I made things awkward. "So, how's the beard?" I ask, deflecting from my initial question, turning my head to face Fred. He laughs so hard, almost choking on his glass of water Madame Pomfrey had given him. 

Smooth recovery, Atticus. 

***

I've had the stupid Hogwarts song stuck in my head for a week. GET. IT. OUT.