Because I - George Weasley

3: Because I Read Minds

When the train finally stopped, everyone was dying to get off. News of Dumbledore planning to make a huge announcement had spread through the train. Rain was flooding down onto the crowds of students making everyone rush to get into a 'horseless' carriage.

Lee and Fred jumped off the train before me and George came after. Fred seemed to get distracted laughing at a few first years slipping in the mud that led down the lake where they were getting into their boats. As the pack of students grew closer together around the carriages, Lee slowed down but Fred wasn't paying enough attention to do the same.

I jumped out of the way as Fred ran directly into Lee and stumbled back towards me. George seemed to be following the same thought train as his twin because he was also staring at the first years when he ran into me. I slipped on the soaking path and lost my footing. George grabbed my arms to keep me from falling, but in turn knocked the bottle of pumpkin juice out of my hand. He grimaced when it shattered on the ground, sending juice onto both our shoes.

"Wow, now you owe me a butterbeer and pumpkin juice. Well done, Weasley."

"I'll pay you back for that... eventually."

I rolled my eyes, shook my head, and walked away from the three boys. I hopped into the nearest carriage trying to get away from them, but they just jumped in with me.

"Listen, Winters!" said Fred cheekily. He sat next to me and wrapped a long arm around my shoulders. I tried to knock him off, but he either didn't realize, or he didn't care. "Georgey here, has never been light on his feet. Good on a broom -not as good as me, keep in mind- but just walking around offers its hardships for him."

George smacked his brother on the back of his head, "Bug off. You're the one who's always pushing me into stuff."

"Or off of stuff," added Lee.

"Don't forget through things," agreed Fred, smiling brightly at the thought of putting George through unnecessary hardships.

I finally managed to push Fred off me, and the boys were suddenly caught up in a conversation about their future joke shop.

I looked out the window and through the rain.

My conversation with Igor Karkaroff kept coming back to mind. Did he really find me that much of a threat to his institution's 'eternal glory'? Or was Viktor and I's relationship just too close for comfort? It was practically Karkaroff's fault for Viktor and I meeting in the first place. He'd known all along that I would play some part in Viktor's life, but it seems like he always assumed I'd be more of the house servant then a guest when I stayed with the Krum family for a summer.

I was bad for the dark reputation he wanted. My parents were good people, and I, unlike my sisters, followed in their path. He never wanted someone with my good intentions to come into the life of his puppet of a student.

"I didn't think you'd still carry that thing around with you," said Lee.

I pulled my attention from my thoughts to the old, worn baseball I was rolling around in my hands.

"Only thing I've got to keep me sane."

I tucked the ball back into the pocket of my robes as we stopped in front of the large doors of the castle. Before getting out of the carriage, I looked towards George.

"Maybe, don't run into me again."

All of us could see his ears turning red, even through the dark.

The four of us ran towards the castle and into the Entrance Hall. There we were met by water filled balloons hitting the floor all around us.

I pulled my cloak up and tried to stay on my feet while I walked through the mess that Peeves had made. The floor was slick with water and our shoes were already lacking traction from the rain outside.