Chasing Love

Chapter Sixty-Four - Blackmail

Letting out a sigh, Eliza looked around the room. Light peeked through the closed curtains, Angelina and Alicia were still both fast asleep and on the spare bed Eliza's clothes for the day were lay out. Being quiet, she carefully changed into her clothes and crept down into the common room. She was to stay there, waiting for the twins, and then to follow them to where they were intending to go.

Soon enough, two sets of feet were heard walking down the stairs and into the room. Eliza turned her head over so she would be able to see their expressions. As they caught sight of their best friend sat staring at them, they broke out into big grins, "Of course you knew what we were up to!"

"Here to stop us?" Fred asked her.

"Of course not, I'm here to help you." Eliza told them, "There's a reason we're best friends!"

"Come on then." George opened the common room door, "Won't be long before everyone else is up."

"Don't want anyone to know what you're up to?" Eliza asked them as she raised an eyebrow.

"They'll think the worst of us." Fred replied, "Or try and stop us."

The three began to make their way up the stairs to the owlery, "So what's in the letter?"

"We're just asking Bagman to give us the money he owes us!" Fred told her.

"Just that?" Eliza asked, slightly bemused.

"Well, basically." He shrugged his shoulders, "We're just saying that if he doesn't then we'll tell everyone that he stole money from a pair of teenagers."

"And you think he'll listen to a pair of teenagers?"

George and Fred both let out a sigh, "Hopefully."

"Read out what you wrote." Eliza said to them.

"Dear Mr. Bagman,

During the Quidditch World Cup, we placed a bet with you that Krum would catch the snitch but that Ireland would win. There has been no proper payment though, even though we have contacted you on numerous occasions.

If you do not repay us then that will give us no other option than to inform the Ministry of Magic that you - their employer - have stolen money from two young, innocent teenagers.

Sincerely,

Fred and George Weasley"

Eliza replied, "Doesn't that -"

George cut her off, "That's blackmail, that is, we could get into a lot of trouble for that!"

"We've tried being polite; it's time to play dirty, like him. He wouldn't like the Ministry of Magic knowing what he did."

"I'm telling you, if you put that in writing, it's blackmail! Isn't it Eliza?"

"It is." Eliza agreed with George.

"Yeah, and you won't be complaining if we get a nice fat payoff, will you?" Fred told his brother.

The Owlery doors opened with a loud bang and the halted as they caught sight of Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down. "What're you doing here?" Ron and Fred said at the same time.

"Sending a letter," Both Harry and George replied.

"What, at this time?" Hermione and Eliza said in unison.

"Fine - we won't ask you what you're doing, if you don't ask us." Fred smiled at them. Eliza watched as Harry tried to read the name on the envelope causing Fred to move it out of his eyesight, "Well, don't let us hold you up." Fred said as he made a mock bow and pointed towards the door.

Harry and Hermione both went to stand up but Ron didn't move. "Who're you blackmailing?"

The grin fell from Fred's face as Eliza and George both glanced at Fred before smiling at Ron, "Don't be stupid, I was only joking," George lied easily.

"Didn't sound like that," Ron told his brother.

Fred, Eliza and George looked at each other, before Fred spoke again, "I've told you before, Ron, keep your nose out if you like it the shape it is. Can't see why you would, but -"

"It's my business if you're blackmailing someone," Ron interrupted his older brother, "George and Eliza are right, you could end up in serious trouble for that."

"Told you, I was joking," George told him and he pulled the letter out of Fred's hand and began to attach it to the leg of the nearest barn owl. "You're starting to sound a bit like our dear older brother, you are, Ron. Carry on like this and you'll be made a prefect."

"No, I won't!" Ron shouted angrily.

George carried the barn owl over to the window and it took off and then he turned around and grinned at Ron. "Well, stop telling people what to do then. See you later."

Fred and George both made their way out of the Owlery and just as Eliza went to follow, Ron shouted, "What are they up to Eliza?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." She replied.

"They're my brothers, if they're up to something then I need to know."

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "You've never needed to know when they been up to something before so you don't need to know now." Just as she reached the door she turned back around, "Don't worry, they're not doing something terrible. I've made sure it's not too bad." Eliza then left the room and ran to catch up with the twins.

"Nosy little git." Fred muttered.

"The new Percy of the family." George said while he shook his head.

"He's only worried about you two." Eliza told them.

"There's no need for him to worry about us."

"Of course there isn't, but he'll still worry."

The three looked at each other before bursting out laughing, "What's going on here?" A Scottish accent was heard from behind them.

"Nothing," Fred told him between laughter, "I really don't know why we're laughing so much."

"We're just happy to be spending time together."

Oliver raised an eyebrow, "What have you three been up to?"

"What makes you think we've been up to something?"

"You're always up to something!" Oliver told them, "Everyone always knows that when you three are together, especially this time of the day, that you are up to something."

"I fancy some breakfast." Fred said in a weird tone, "Shall we go and have some breakfast?"

"That sounds marvelous." Eliza said and then the four of them started to make their way to the Great Hall.

"So what are you up to?" Oliver whispered to Eliza.

"What are they up to, you mean." She replied, "And nothing too bad, they just want to collect their winnings."

"Winnings? What winnings?"

"The ones they're owed from the World Cup." She told him, "Bagman hasn't payed them yet for the bet they won."

"Oh, right," Oliver replied, "Does he not want to give them the money?"

"No, he keeps putting them off. So now they've resorted to writing him a letter about what they will do if he does not pay up."

"Blackmail?" Oliver asked.

"Shush, they wouldn't want you to know." Eliza said with a smile.

"Only you." Oliver told her, "You are amazing!"

"So are you."