A Snake in the Gryphon's Den: A Riddle in Gryffindor {Completed}

The Weasleys

"All right, I'll catch up with you later?" Ronald Weasley waved as Harry and Hermione lingered in the common room with Ginny. It had already been almost three years since Elizabeth had transferred out, and with all their adventures it was really hard to stay bored. "I wonder what Elizabeth's upto now," Ron pondered aloud as he entered the boy's dormitory. It's been a long while since any of then had received any letters from her, the last being sent to the three of them on Harry's birthday. Pulling open his bedside drawer just leaned back against his pillow and reread the words in fancy font. Smirking at how her own writing had become artistic, " Hehe, to think your handwriting used to be so horrible."

"Whose handwriting is so horrible?" Came the dual harmonious echo of his twin brothers.

"Is that a love letter?" Fred whipped it out of Ron's fingers, "Let's see it then?" He then waved it about while reading the blue font, " Ooo it's from Beauxbaton!"

George folded his arms and smirked, " I didn't know you had a French girlfriend!" He laughed heartily as his youngest brother whipped the parchment out of Fred's hands.

"Give me tha'," Ron snapped as he folded the pages an stuffed it into his pocket. "What are you doin here anyway?"

"Why shouldn't we be here?" Fred grinned as George completed his thought, " We live here don't we?" They both then quizzed in unison, " What are you doin' here?" their tones as annoying as ever.

"Why, can't I be here?" Ron scoffed as he sat back down, " Don't you have some trouble to get into?" the ginger flicked the folded letter and began reading it, quite irritated. " And for your information it's a letter from Lizzy."

"Lizzy?" The twins both echoed. " With that fancy writing?" George laughed, " Stop joking," Fred smirked, " What would she be doing there anyway? She was moved to Slytherin."

Ron just drew a shocked profile and sat up straight, brows arched high as he put on an indifferent expression as he lay back down lazily, " Oh," he paused causally," she transferred there."

"She what?" The twins uttered again, " Since when!?" Fred burst as he turned to George who was also plainly confused.

"Since almost three years ago, that's when!" Ron declared, quite satisfied for being the one well informed for a change. "Honestly, and you call yourself her friends!" he rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"She didn't tell me!" The twins now sat down on the bed beside their brother's as they exchanged angry looks.

Ron sat up again and sat cross legged," Why would she tell you?" he fixed them both with a rarely seen serious stare, " Maybe if you'd have stopped provoking her maybe she would've said something," he pointed out; hinting that night when Fred had pressed all the wrong buttons.

Sensing his twin's sinking energy level, George glanced at Fred before frowning at Ron, " How is she..?" He asked quietly.

Ron sighed, he really didn't like to see Fred upset, and meeting George's soulful eyes made him feel worse. " Honestly, I think she's doing too well." Pausing looked out the window solemnly, "None of us had heard from her since Harry's thirteenth birthday.

"What about her sweet heart Malfoy?" Fred asked bitterly, " Bet he's heard from her."

George mentally scowled. { You're only making it way too obvious..}

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did," Ronald huffed, " The two are too close for my taste, I've even heard they live together under the same roof."

George noted Fredrick's clenched fist, " Not helping," he snapped.

"What?" Ron retorted, " You think I'm not upset about it?" He lay back down, hands folded under his cranium, " I'm furious."

"Why? Do you like her mate?" Fred threw back bitterly.

Frowning, Ron drew a twisted canvas and partially turned his head, " Are you mad?" He then rested his head again so that he could stare right into the ceiling, " Why would I like someone like her.." He began to mumble as his words trailed off. The dimly lit room, seemed all the more lonely now- this heavy topic made him feel uncomfortable. It was quite rare that he would actually talk with his brothers on this deep level, so rare that it actually made him feel weird. Sighing deeply sat back up again, " If you're so worried, why don't you just write to her?"

"That's a great idea!"

All eyes turned to find Harry awkwardly standing behind them.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" Harry rubbed his right arm feeling out of place.

"Nah, we were just leaving," Fred stood up and tapped George on his shoulder, before looking at the boys in front of him, " Well see you tomorrow then!" he said cheerfully.

"He seems to be in a good mood," Harry chuckled as he walked over to Ron, the soft carpeted floor tickled his toes as he sat down.

Ron and George exchanged glances before they looked back to the dark hall to which Fred had exited. His shoulders were slumped, and his pace was wide and fast. The lad was obviously angry, and only the Weasley's would be able to pick up his flickering hints of disappointment.

Harry felt the awkward tension, the sensation that he had just interrupted something important tugged at his gut, " Was it something I said..?"