Counting the Stars (A George Weasley love story)

Chapter 7

Fred and Lee look at me pointedly as I eat a chicken drumstick in the great hall. They smirked at me like this all the way through muggle studies. I decided immediately that I would not bite, if I wait long enough their faces will just start hurting.

'George' starts Fred. I make a point of thoroughly finishing my mouthful of chicken before responding.

'Yes twin' I reply in my well practised voice of innocence.

'You appear to have something in your eye' he says taking a bite of roast potato.

'Oh yeah,' interjects Lee, 'it's just in the corner, just there.' Fred and Lee squint at me together. I won't bite.

'Now what do you think that is Lee' Fred asks his neighbour.

'I think,' Lee replies in deep thought, 'it might be a twinkle.' The two boys chuckle together.

'Good one' I say insincerely, flicking a pea in their direction. The pea heads directly between Fred's eyes but stops short before hitting him, suspended in the air. Fred stares cross eyed at the little green ball , beside me I see Hermione's wand quivering in the air.

'I think a witches influence is just what you boys need' says Hermione, letting the pea drop onto Fred's plate, 'at the very least it might teach you some table manners'.

Later I'm sitting alone in the common room. Fred and Lee are putting spiders in Tom Brady's bed, I refused to participate on account of it being a rubbish, overused prank. The common room is half empty, groups of younger Gryffindoors are huddled together. Fred and I have our betting box ready to go, with very good odds on Harry calling it a day.

Suddenly there's a heavy tapping at the window, I turn to see a scrawny little owl repeatedly bumping into the pane. All of the other Gryffindoors turn to look but no one gets up to help, I run to the window and open it letting the owl zoom into the room and crash into the far wall.

I walk through the tittering of young Gryffindoors to the little owl scrambling to get to its feet. I pick up the owl and carry it to the table I was sitting at before, I notice a little roll of paper tied to its leg. The owl picks up its leg to offer the roll to me, rolling over to its side in the process.

'Good effort little guy,' I say to it under my voice. I take the tiny scroll and uncurl it, it reads

George,
Meet me in the kitchen at 7am. The stars demand it.

I chuckle at the note. The kitchen is down by the Hufflepuff common room, Fred and I go there when we miss usual breakfast hours. I stroke the owl on the head and he chirps happily, I carry him back to the window and let him fly back into the night.

I watch him flap clumsily towards the owlery when a sharp scream comes from the boys dormitory, followed by unshackled laughter.

'Poor spiders,' I say to myself.