✧. ┊ And I know you could fall
for a thousand kings.
𝗂𝗇 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗁， 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝖺 𝖿𝗎𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗊𝗎𝖾𝖾𝗇
𝗈𝖿 𝖾𝗇𝗀𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝖿𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗈𝗋
𝗐𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗌𝖾𝗒 𝗍𝗐𝗂𝗇．✧˖*°࿐
george weasley...
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THIRTY ONE
The Gryffindor common room was warm and lively, the glow of the crackling fire casting flickering shadows across the room. Victoria sat on the plush sofa near the hearth, curled up with a book, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere. The weight of the past few weeks lingered, but tonight, the atmosphere was lighter. Laughter and chatter filled the space as students settled in after a long day of classes.
It had been several days since Sirius Black's appearance at Hogwarts and while the commotion had died down, the students were still on edge.
Fred and George were seated across from her, engaged in a spirited game of Exploding Snap with Lee Jordan. Angelina and Alicia sat nearby, watching and occasionally throwing in playful comments. Victoria smiled softly, feeling a rare moment of peace.
Suddenly, a soft flutter of wings drew her attention. A pure white dove swooped gracefully through the open window, its feathers gleaming in the firelight. The room fell silent as everyone watched the elegant bird glide across the common room and land gently on the armrest beside Victoria.
"A dove?" Fred asked, eyebrows raised. "That's a bit fancy, even for Hogwarts."
"It's from my mother," Victoria whispered, recognizing the royal seal attached to the delicate letter tied to the bird's leg.
She gently untied the letter, her hands trembling with a mix of excitement and curiosity. The dove cooed softly before taking off again, disappearing into the night.
Victoria unfolded the parchment, her eyes scanning the familiar elegant handwriting of her mother, Diana. The room buzzed with quiet curiosity as they watched her read.
Her eyes widened, and a radiant smile spread across her face. "She's expecting," Victoria breathed, barely able to contain her excitement. "I'm going to be a sister again!"
The room erupted in cheers and congratulations. Fred let out a loud whoop, and Lee clapped enthusiastically. Angelina beamed, and even Ron, sitting nearby, offered a wide grin.
George, however, was the first to move. He crossed the room swiftly, enveloping Victoria in a warm hug. "That's amazing news!" he said, his voice filled with genuine happiness.
Victoria laughed softly, hugging him back tightly. "Thank you, George. I'm so happy."
As she pulled away, George's hands lingered on her shoulders for a moment, his eyes shining with pride and joy. Across the room, Alicia watched the interaction with a clenched jaw, her eyes narrowing in irritation. She tried to maintain a neutral expression, but the jealousy was evident in the way her fingers gripped the edge of her chair.
Victoria, oblivious to the tension, returned to the letter, her smile unwavering. She continued reading aloud, "She says I should stay here for Christmas... given everything going on."
The excitement in her voice dimmed slightly as she glanced up at Fred and George. "Are you staying? For Christmas, I mean."
Fred glanced at George, who was already nodding. "Of course we are," George said with a grin. "The Burrow's great, but Hogwarts with you is better."
Victoria's face lit up once again, and she sighed in relief. "I'm so glad. It wouldn't feel like Christmas without you."
George smiled warmly, his gaze lingering on her a moment longer than necessary. "Wouldn't be the same without you either."
From her corner, Alicia crossed her arms, her eyes flicking between George and Victoria. The soft, lingering looks, the way his face lit up when she smiled—it was all too much. Her lips curled into a silent snarl, jealousy simmering beneath the surface.
Angelina leaned over, whispering something to Alicia, but Alicia barely acknowledged her, too focused on watching Victoria and George.
Victoria, meanwhile, was too wrapped up in the joy of the moment to notice. She folded the letter carefully and placed it in her lap, her heart brimming with happiness. Another sibling, a Christmas with her closest friends, and the warmth of the Gryffindor common room—it felt like everything was falling into place, even if just for a little while.
As the room buzzed with excitement and talk of holiday plans, George caught Victoria's eye once again and gave her a reassuring smile. She returned it with a brightness that made Alicia's nails dig into her palms.
"Christmas at Hogwarts," Fred said, grinning. "This is going to be brilliant."
Victoria nodded, her eyes glancing once more at the folded letter in her lap. "Brilliant indeed."
