Of Redheads and Pranksters [George Weasley] ✓

EIGHTEEN

That night, George Weasley didn't show up at the Gryffindor common room. Angelina and Alicia were only mild preoccupied while Fred seemed completely unfazed, playing Exploding Snap with Lee. Cassie, however, was feeling more and more worried as the minutes passed after curfew, especially after having seen him in the courtyard with Mavis. It hadn't looked like a happy conversation, more like an end-of-relationship argument.

"Stop worrying, Cass." Fred called out from where he was sitting.

Cassie sent him a glare and stood up from the loveseat, stepping closer to him.

"How can you be so calm? Your twin brother is missing!"

Fred just shrugged, placing his cards on the table and turning to her.

"It's not the first time. He'll eventually show up."

At that point, some other students had started paying attention to their conversation, but Cassie didn't mind. Her friend was out there after curfew and, even though she was well aware of the twins' talent to get out of every sticky situation, there was something that just didn't add up. It didn't feel right.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Fred steered the girl towards a corner, far from all nosy ears.

"Listen, Cassie." He said, lowering his voice. "I know all this 'George with Mavis' thing must suck for you, but he's my brother. He most probably is on some classroom or secret passage snogging her, nothing new."

There was a silence after his words. Cassie didn't know what to say. Obviously, that was a possibility, but they had been arguing...

Fred turned to leave but stopped after a few steps and went back.

"Anyways, why are you worrying about this all of a sudden?" He asked, intrigued. "George has been doing this like, every three or four days in the past month."

Cassie bit her lower lip hard. Should she tell him? Her demeanour already looked weird enough, and Fred knew about the kiss in the Yule Ball, so he could think that she was obsessed with George. Or that she liked him. Which she didn't, of course.

"Cassie." Fred snapped her out of her train of thinking.

"What?"

"You always bite your lip when hiding something. Tell me."

After a moment of hesitation, Cassie finally spoke up.

"Just... don't tell George." She started. "I was drawing next to a window a few hours ago and I saw him, with Mavis. They were arguing."

Ginny Weasley, who had been standing not to far away from them clearly listening to their conversation, intervened then.

"They have been fighting a lot these past days." She piped up.

Fred frowned slightly.

"That's true. Maybe they're making up?"

He seemed unconvinced, and so were Ginny and Cassie.

"It wouldn't hurt if we just checked if he was okay." The youngest Weasley suggested. "We have our reasons to do so."

"Alright, alright." Fred finally caved in. "There's one way to at least know if they're together without interrupting them."

***

"I don't have the map."

Harry looked uncomfortable as Fred and Cassie glared at him. Ginny, who didn't quite understand what was going on, looked alternatively at the dark-haired boy and at the redheads in mild confusion.