tradition

10

Eloise's gaze lingered on Briar and Harry throughout the week, their playful banter filling the common room with warmth and an unmistakable energy. Yet, as much as she enjoyed seeing her friends in such high spirits, her thoughts began to drift. She leaned back into the plush armchair she had claimed, her mind wandering to a secret she had guarded fiercely for months—a secret that left her heart both exhilarated and aching in equal measure. George Weasley. His name alone stirred something deep within her, a mix of longing and uncertainty. It was a secret she had told no one, not even Georgia, her confidante in nearly everything. The letters exchanged between her and George had become her most cherished possession, each word scrawled in his untidy handwriting holding a piece of the charm and humor that had ensnared her the year before.

She hadn't meant to fall for him. George had always been the jokester, the older Gryffindor who seemed to view life as one endless adventure. Yet, last year, during a particularly trying time, he had been there for her in a way no one else had. His jokes weren't just distractions; they were lifelines, pulling her out of dark moments with a warmth and understanding she hadn't expected. The connection had been unexpected, and it terrified her in its intensity. Eloise hadn't breathed a word of it to Briar, knowing her best friend would never understand. To Briar, George was an older brother figure, someone to laugh with and trust implicitly, but not someone to fall for. Eloise couldn't bear the thought of tarnishing that image for Briar, especially when her friend was already navigating her own romantic entanglement with Harry and the lingering complexities of Adam's avoidance. She didn't want to add to Briar's burdens.

Instead, Eloise had carried the weight of her secret alone. Each letter she received from George was a moment of unspoken joy and relief, yet also a reminder of the gulf between their worlds. George, with his unshakable confidence and ambitions, seemed so far removed from the everyday struggles of Hogwarts life. But the letters bridged that gap, if only for a moment. They were filled with his sharp wit and unexpected tenderness, making her laugh even when she felt like crying. She poured her heart into her responses, ensuring each letter struck the delicate balance of lighthearted banter and quiet vulnerability. It was a dance they performed through ink and parchment, and though it thrilled her, it also left her questioning what it all truly meant. Did he feel the same way, or was this just George being George, kind and charming to a fault?

Her thoughts turned to Georgia, the one person who might understand her predicament better than anyone. Georgia, too, had her own secret connection with one of the Weasley twins—Fred. While the two didn't write letters as often as Eloise and George, Georgia had made her feelings known in other ways. During the previous summer, she had made it a point to visit Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes as often as she could, ensuring she'd catch a glimpse of Fred. Eloise had pieced it together from Georgia's sly comments and sudden expertise in joke shop products. Georgia's eyes had sparkled when she spoke of her visits, though she had always been careful to mention them only when Briar wasn't around. Eloise understood why. Like her, Georgia knew that Briar wouldn't see the Weasley twins in a romantic light. To Briar, they were family—mischievous, loveable, but firmly in the realm of sibling-like affection.

Eloise couldn't help but marvel at the irony. Both she and Georgia were entwined in complicated, unspoken connections with the Weasley twins, yet neither dared to share their truths with the person they were closest to. It wasn't out of distrust, but rather an instinctive desire to protect Briar from the messy realities of their feelings. Briar had enough to contend with, between her growing relationship with Harry and the lingering hurt caused by Adam's distance. Eloise didn't want to add her own uncertainties into the mix, and she suspected Georgia felt the same. They each carried their secrets like precious, fragile things, to be protected at all costs.

As Eloise's mind wandered back to George, she couldn't suppress the flutter in her chest at the memory of his last letter. He had written about the new products he and Fred were developing, but there had been a subtle note at the end that stayed with her: Wish you were here to test them out. Bet you'd have a laugh. It was such a small thing, so casually written, but it had meant the world to her. She wondered if Georgia experienced the same whirlwind of emotions when she saw Fred, or if her visits to the shop were tinged with the same blend of hope and fear. Eloise didn't know how either of their stories would end, but she found comfort in the thought that at least one other person might understand the quiet complexity of loving a Weasley twin.