I'm not a coward, just shy (Hogwarts fanfic)

Book 4 ch 1 - Deals

I flipped though my stack of postcards. I had received 58 from the south of Canada to Australia. They were comforting. I was lying in bed wrapped in every blanket Mrs Weasley could  find, breaking to break my fever. This was one of my rare moments of consciousness when Mrs Weasley would force feed me some soup and check my temperature. It had stopped raising but it wasn't going back. I felt weak and wasn't able to stand for very long. Ron was hoping I would get better by the following week for the Quidditch World Cup with Mr Weasley had gotten everyone tickets for. My condition was only getting worse and my fevers were becoming harder to break. I would become tired easily and I just felt so weak. It made me wonder how much time I had left, I knew I was going to need help.

Someone knocked at the door and I quickly put the postcards under my blankets.
"Co-me in" I croaked, before clearing my throat and trying again, trying to sound like I was dying. A second later Fred and George came in with that look in eyes which meant they were up to something. They came and sat on either side of my bed, making the bed groan under the weight.
"Hey, Taylor, your a wiz at potions, right" Fred asked.
"It's my favour subject" I blushed not wanting to boast.
"Well, you know we are planning to open a joke shop...." I nodded getting curious.
"Well...." George continued, "we are good at charms and not half bad at transfiguration, however as you can probably tell we never payed attention in potions, which looking back wasn't unreasonable, Snape is a total git"
"Ok, I am listening" pushed myself up Fred and George helping me sit up.
"Will you help us with a line of joke sweets and threats " they said in unison.
"Yeah, sure" I smiled. George gapped at me
"We'll give you a percenta- Wait what" Fred smiled.
"I said yes" I flicked, grinned.
"George, pass that potions book there" I pointed to a stack of books I had received from Percy who had finished his final year at Hogwarts and was working for the ministry.
"Jeez, this is an advanced N.E.W.T" he said looking at the cover but passing it to me.
"Mrs Weasley said I could read it" I flushed and moved on, "it's fascinating, I am going to see if I can brew Wolfsbane to help Remus and maybe make somethings better. But when I was looking I came across a section of funny potion, let me just... Here!" I found the page of the text book with instructions for a throat Clearing potions.
"What's this got to do with a joke sweet" Fred raised an eye. I couldn't help but laugh.
"A side attention of forgetting to stir eight times clockwise after putting in the jabber weed" I pointed to the fine print at the bottom.
"Remember to stir eight times clockwise after the adding the jabber weed otherwise this bottom may turn the drinker into a cannery. Side affects will where off after 10 minutes."
"I didn't even see that" Fred sounded impressed.
"You would be surprised how many potions can become dangerous if you don't brew them right, but some have wonderful side affects-" I flushed redder realising that I was blabbing and were staring. Slowly they're shock widen into grins.
"Wow, we picked right, our other choice was Hermione but we get an ear full from her."
"There is one thing I want" I said making up my mind. They tensed, before looking at each other and looking back at me,
"What?" The asked in unison. I reached under my bed and pulled out a thin battered book. In faded lettering it read. "The Truth about the inner eye: the affects by Arthur Bengram".

Fred lowered the booked, his face one of worry and sadness mirrored by his brother.
"There is nothing we can do?" I shook my head, smiling. I had come to some care of weird acceptance. Finding a cure or even just furthering the research for lycanthropy had given me a purpose, but it was becoming harder to hide and I was becoming worse by the year. I knew if I was going to go everything I would need more than Lupin, Dumbledore or the rest of the staff.
"Not unless there is some kind of break through in medicine however I want to hide it from everyone." They were shocked unsure what I was asking.
"My condition is going to get worst and one day I will build up an immunity to magical treatments, in the end I will die, I don't wish for pity or to be worried about, if I am going to die, i am dying with dignity" I said stubbornly, George opened his mouth.
"I know I am asking a lot but something is coming something big, I can sense it, i can't have people worrying about me. So please, will you help me"

Fred looked to his twin as George looked to him. They had always been together, since birth, partners in crime, where one went the other wasn't hard to find. I don't know what they were like before I arrived but I imagine they were small versions of what they were now. They were either both in or out.
"Deal" Fred said.
"We will stand by you but..." George give me a mischievous smile.
"You better go do fighting" Fred grinned. Their atmosphere was infectious. They stuck out there hands. I lifted my heavy arms.
"I never said I would back down from a fight. I'm shy, not a coward" I grinned taking there hands and shook them.
"Deal"

It wasn't long until we had successfully created a canary cake and a tongue-ton toffee. The eating of the first would turn the eater into a canary for 10 - 15 minutes, coughing feathers being the only side effect. The toffee would make the eaters tongue swell to a huge size with could be reversed with a sinking spell for now but there were plans for an antidote for the sweets as well. Fred and George were the ones who came up with the names and they did the test. I volunteered but Fred and George were having none it. They were eating like over protective parents and it bugged me a little but it was nice they cared.

Hermione had arrived a week later, Ron having invited Harry and Hermione to the Qudditch cup finals. I really wanted to invite Luna but I was having trouble writing the letter. If I asked would she take it as a date? Do I want it to be a date? What if see says no or doesn't like me in the same way? In the end I sent and letter getting her reply a few days later. She wasn't able to come because you was on holiday with her father hurting some creature, but she in her letter she seemed pleased on being asked.

My recovery was slow but with see help from Mrs Weasley and a few potions, my temperature started to go down. This made Ron very excited than he already was which before in my mind was impossible. The game was Ireland against Bulgaria. Not really following Qudditch the way the rest of the Weasley family did, I put on whatever colours were given to me. Soon the day came and Ron looked as though he may burst. He talked so quickly I was amazed that Harry Understood a word.

I felt Hermione's and Harry's eyes on the claw like scar which now started from my jaw line and ran beneath my jumper. It had been the same when I went home, the Weasley's only recently gotten used to it. Many stared nowadays, I tried not to let it bother me... For Remus. The seven of us marched up the hill where we were told a portkey would be. Bill, Charlie and Percy, knowing how to apprerate, were meeting us there. When we got to the top of the hill I was surprised to see to others, one of which I knew.

Cedric Diggory was the hufflepuff seeker and a very talented one at that. Even I knew without him Hufflepuff would have a problem. I knew him and Harry had bad blood since there last match were Harry had been attacked by Dementors and not knowing this, Cedric had carried on. I closed my eyes looking for the portkey while they made awkward greeting.
"Taylor Fleet, right?" Cedric said appearing beside me, just as I managed to located the key.
"Yes. Fred, the wet newspaper by your foot" I called and he noticed the object picking it up, reluctantly.
"How you do that?" He asked.
"A hunch, your Cedric right we meet last year after Harry was injured. He smiled.
" you remember?" He seemed surprised. I nodded.
"Your very popular with the girls, words and jealously travel like wild fire" I chuckled. I walked towards the group.
"I guess your right. I guess I'll see you around this year, friends?" he asked and I nodded. I took a corner of the paper.
"Sure, friends" I said only having a moment to think why he was being so friendly when my feet disappeared from under me and we were off to the the Qudditch World Cup.