𝐎𝐃𝐃 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐔𝐓 harry potter.

7: Alvona Weasley, heir of Slytherin

THE EVENTS THAT LED to the reconciliation between the opposing twins were not as complex as one might have imagined. There was no grand gesture or life-threatening situation that pushed them to make amends. Instead, on an unfortunate day when first-year Colin Creevey was discovered petrified near the hospital wing, Ally Weasley quietly took his seat next to Ginny during Charms. Ginny had grown cold—not in the sense of acting indifferent, but literally cold, with her hands freezing and sweat icy to the touch.

Concerned, Ally asked if Ginny was disturbed by the fact that her seatmate had been petrified by an unknown assailant. This question, however, seemed to trigger something in Ginny, causing her to remain silent for a moment before finally muttering, "I've been having nightmares." The eerie tone in her voice made Ally shudder, as if the very thought might be haunting.

"Have you told Mum?" Ally asked, now fully concerned, as she gazed into Ginny's eyes, which were filled with a mix of terror and exhaustion.

Ginny shook her head, but then added, "No, but I told Percy, and it's only a matter of time before he writes to Mum."

This brought a sense of relief to Ally. If Percy was involved, surely he would find a way to help Ginny. He was older and somewhat more responsible. Still, Ally advised Ginny to consult Professor McGonagall, hoping she might provide a tonic to help her twin sleep better.

For a fleeting moment, the usual Ginny—speckled and bright-eyed—seemed to reappear, as if she noticed a detail on Ally that hadn't been there before. "Your hair's so short," Ginny remarked. "You liked it long."

Ally smiled warmly, feeling a surge of emotion at the thought of being on good terms with Ginny again. "I know, I did," Ally replied, her voice soft with nostalgia.

During their Charms lesson, they were supposed to practice the Softening Charm, but before Professor Flitwick could even check on their progress, Ginny took out her wand and muttered something under her breath.

A strange sensation spread across Ally's scalp, making her giggle uncontrollably as her hair began to grow. Her brows furrowed in confusion, even as she laughed. "Did you hex me?" she whispered, trying to scratch her now-itchy scalp, feeling her hair lengthen rapidly.

The growth stopped just as her hair reached her shoulders, and Flitwick turned to check on their progress. Ally hung her head, fingers running through the newly grown strands. "Where'd you learn that?" she asked, curiosity tinged with concern.

Ginny, who had briefly returned to her old self, suddenly grew pale again. She stammered, struggling to form an answer, "S-someone taught me."

They had lunch together that day, much to the disappointment of Ally's friends, Amelia and Lottie. But Ally was over the moon, cherishing the moment even though Ginny wasn't as talkative or cheerful as usual.

After lunch, the twins parted ways since they didn't share any more classes for the day. Later, as Ally returned to the Slytherin common room after her last class, she noticed an unusual buzz among her housemates. The normally cold and unfeeling common room was alive with excitement, students craning their necks to see something.

"What's going on?" Lottie shouted across the room. Some students looked back, recognizing who had asked, and chose to ignore her. But a kind boy in their year responded.

"Professor Lockhart has started a Duelling Club! Isn't that brilliant?" the boy exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Ally could only imagine how much steam the Slytherins would blow off by legally hexing their schoolmates. The idea of hexing someone without getting into trouble thrilled her, too.

Due to limited time and interest, Professor Lockhart and Snape decided to merge all four houses for the first and second-year students who were interested in dueling. Upperclassmen, like the sixth and seventh-years, were instructed to conduct peer training under strict supervision by the Head Boy and Girl.