Do Me A Favour || Fred Weasley x OC

PROLOGUE I

September 1st 1989,

Sorting Ceremony

    Hogwarts always seemed like a fictional place to Idalia, she couldn't fathom a place like Hogwarts could exist and not be in some children's fairy tale, but when she first laid eyes on the grand castle the reality of it all finally set it.

    Idalia Longbottom was an eleven-year-old girl, who lived with her grandmother and younger brother in a small townhouse in Leeds. When Idalia was only 3 years old, her parents had been tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange, a death eater and one of the most dangerous witches of the century. She left them in such a state that her parents now reside in St Mungo's Hospital unable to recognise each other, themselves, or their own children. Idalia was proud to be their daughter and kept their photo in a heart locket she never took off, on the other side of her locket was a photo of her Grandmother, Augusta, and her little brother, Neville.

    Growing up, her Grandmother always approved of Idalia, constantly showing her off to anyone who would listen. Idalia was like her Grandmother in many ways, they were both natural leaders, dressed elegantly, loved to learn, and both had a instinct to protect Neville. For Neville was sensitive at times, shying away from his full potential, and felt like he needed reassurance on every decision he made.

    On the train to Hogwarts, after bidding her Grandmother and Neville goodbye, Idalia had found herself sat in a compartment with 3 other girls in it. One of them was named Tabitha Berry who had knee-length, frizzy, auburn hair, brown eyes and a pale yet freckly complexion, much opposite to Idalia, who had collarbone-length, straight dark brown with striking blue eyes. She was a muggle-born and asked questions about the wizarding world the entire train ride. Idalia answered all her questions and when they got off the train she realised she had never spoken to the other 2 girls sat in front of her, she didn't even recall what they had looked like. The long journey from London to Scotland felt much shorter than it ought to have been (possibly due to Tabitha and Idalia's chatting) that when the train had come to a halt and a wave of robed students began to leave the train, Idalia felt shocked that they had arrived already.

    Once in the castle, her and all of the other first years stood and waited outside of the Great Hall, a professor named McGonagall had told them about the different houses and briefly spoke about them. Idalia waited towards the side, continuing her conversation with Tabitha about how the wizarding world was hidden from muggles.

    "Did you prepare for the sorting ceremony? I heard it's a gory one." A boy said, making multiple pairs of eyes turn to him.

    "Yeah, I just hope I don't have to battle a dragon." Another boy replied.

    "What do you mean battle a dragon?" Tabitha piped up and the two boys walked over to her.

    "What? You don't know?"

    Tabitha went even more pale, "Don't know what?"

    "That to get sorted into a house-"

    "-you have to duel a magical creature."

    Suddenly all the first years went quiet as the 2 boys gave gruesome, disgusting, details of the "Sorting Ceremony". The two boys had bright red hair, they were tall and slim and had a freckly face like Tabitha. They were identical in almost every way except one of them had a small scar on the palm of their hand.

    "What a load of rubbish!" Idalia spoke up, making the twins glance at each other and smirk. "You know that isn't true!"

    "Where's your proof it isn't?" One of them challenged.

    "Well why would parents send their children to a school that put them in danger as soon as they stepped inside. Also it's utterly ridiculous to believe you could duel dragons in there. Do you hear one? No. Besides Professor McGonagall just stepped in there and I don't know about you but I didn't see any dragons or anything of the sort." Idalia fired back.

    Just as one of the boys was about to argue back, McGonagall had returned, "They're ready for you."

    Idalia huffed as she barged past the boys and followed behind McGonagall, Tabitha linking arms with her. She looked around at all the faces of the other years peer at them. She looked up and her breath was momentarily taken away from the starry evening night in replace of the ceiling. They came to a halt at the front of the hall. McGonagall continued walking and stood next to a stool with a hat on it. She called out a name and a girl stepped forward, sat on the stool and the old hat was placed on her head. A few moments later it yelled out HUFFLEPUFF, while the first years who had believed the boys sighed of relief the Hufflepuff table burst into applause.

    "Berry, Tabitha."

    Tabitha squeezed her friends arm before she broke off and went up to the chair. The hat was on her head for almost 5 minutes before it finally yelled out RAVENCLAW. She smiled and quickly went over to sit at Ravenclaw table who were clapping.

    "Davis, Roger."

RAVENCLAW

    "Diggory, Cedric."

HUFFLEPUFF

    "Dubois, Clemence."

RAVENCLAW

    "Johnson, Angelina."

GRYFFINDOR

    My feet hurt. Idalia thought.

    "Longbottom, Idalia."

    Taking a deep breath in she walked up to the stool and sat down, she looked at the remaining first years stood and felt glad to be sitting. The hat was placed on her head.

"Ah a Longbottom. Haven't had one of these in a while... right let's see, let's see. Good amount of courage and bravery, determination and ambition but a lot of knowledge and creativity. Hmmm what would be the best place for you... what place... I know... RAVENCLAW"

    Idalia smiled realising she was with Tabitha. Ravenclaw table cheered and Tabitha waved her over, "I saved a seat for you I asked the hat to put you with me! I hope you don't mind but you're already the bestest friend I've ever had!" Idalia hugged her before watching the rest of the first years get sorted.

    "Walker, Opalette."

RAVENCLAW

    "Weasley, Fred."

    One of the boys from earlier walked up and sat on the stool. Not Ravenclaw... not Ravenclaw... oh who am I kidding that joke about duelling dragons wasn't clever I don't have to worry about them being sorted into Ravenclaw. Idalia thought.

GRYFFINDOR

    "Weasley, George."

GRYFFINDOR

    Good luck Gryffindors... Idalia thought as Dumbledore began his speech.