Finding Yourself : Fred Weasley

9

    "Charlie, you can't keep avoiding him," Cedric tells me as we walk to Defense Against the Dark Arts about a week later. "I know... But I don't know how to explain it to him. It's embarrassing," I say trying to walk fast so I can sit next to Cedric or Reno, who is already in class.
     "I think it will be okay. Trust me. It'll be okay," He says while walking at a normal pace. "And slow down. We have plenty of time." I sigh and slow down to meet his pace. When we get in the room it's just as I feared. Only two open seats. One in the very back next to Fred and one in the front next to some other Hufflepuffs.
    "Cedric please sit next to Fred... I'll sit next to Malcolm," I whisper quickly. He lightly laughs. "It'll be okay," he says before walking to the front and sitting next to Malcolm. I sigh and slowly sit next to Fred while setting my stuff on the table.
    Fred and George look at me, they both look a little surprised. Probably because I have been avoiding them for like a week and a half. They look at each other and George looks at some parchment they had out and starts to work on it while Fred turns to face me.
     I decide to play dumb and smile at them. "Hey, guys, whatcha working on?" "Just a few plans. I haven't seen you in a while," Fred says while looking at me. "I um... I've been busy recently," I say while not fully lying. I have been busy with homework and trying to find ways to find out who my parents are.
    He lightly nods. "There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about," he says while getting what seems to be nervous. That is weird for him, neither of the twins ever seem nervous. That makes me feel a little scared.
   "Okay..." I say quietly hoping that class would start already. "So what was up with that first day of class?" Here we go with playing dumb. "What about it?" He drops his voice down to a whisper. I'm pretty sure George can hear, but George also probably already knows. "You know. When you held my hand."
     I turn a light shade of red and pull the sleeves up so he can see my arms. I point to the red splotches that are all on my skin. "Those are scars from scratching my arm too much. When I get uncomfortable or nervous or anything like that I have a habit to scratch my arm. Cedric and Reno have been trying to help me break that habit, so whenever I feel the need to scratch my arm they distract me or take my hand so I can't. And I guess I just took your hand out of habit because the curses and spiders were making me uneasy," I explain as quickly as I can.
    He lightly nods and smiles at me. I pull my sleeves back down. "Glad that we have that cleared up now. See I thought you were trying to make a pass at me or something, West," He says with a light laugh. I for some reason turn another light shade of red and force myself to let out a stiff laugh. "No, that isn't what that was at all."
    He looks like is about to make another joke when Moody suddenly starts class. For the past few days, he has been putting us under the Imperius curse so we can fight it off. I think I do okay at fighting it. It definitely took me a couple of tries. But I eventually started to resist.
    It is the weirdest feeling when you are under it. It feels almost like you are floating and as though every thought in your head and worry is just wiped away. Leaving nothing but vague happiness.
    I walk with Reno and Cedric to the dining hall that night, as we are about to pass through the doors we see Harry, Ron, Hermione, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle standing there talking with a paper in hand.
    "So tell me, is his mother really that porky or is it just the picture?" Malfoy says while looking amused. Harry and Hermione both grab each of Ron's arms to keep him from going at Malfoy, Harry speaks next. "You know your mother Malfoy? That expression she's got like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that or was it just because you were with her?"
    Malfoy's face goes slightly pink. "Don't you dare insult my mother Potter!" "Keep your fat mouth shut then," Harry says while starting to walk away. Malfoy pulls his wand out and points it at Harry. Several people start to yell.
    "OH NO YOU DON'T LADDIE!" Professor Moody yells as he limps his way over, his wand in hand pointed at where Malfoy was standing. But now a pure white ferret is replacing him. Silence falls over the hall.
    Moody speaks to Harry. "Did he get you?" Harry shakes his head. "No, missed." "LEAVE IT!" Moody suddenly yells. "Leave what?" Harry asks confused. "Not you, him!" Moody says while turning around.
     Crabbe was leaning down about I pick up the white ferret. Moody's magical eye can see through the back of his head.
    Moody draws his wand up and the ferret goes about ten feet in the air and then down then up again. "I don't like people who attack when their opponent's backs are turned," Moody growls. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do. Never. Do. That. Again," he says each word as the ferret hits the stone then goes back up.
    Professor McGonagall raises over. "What are you doing?" She asks, her eyes following the ferret. "Teaching," Moody answers shortly. "Teach-... Moody is that a student?!" She yells. "Yes," he again answers shortly.
    "No!" She yells while pulling out her wand. A moment later the ferret turns back into Draco Malfoy. He is laying in a heap on the floor, his hair extremely messy over his bright red face. He quickly gets up.
    "Moody and we never use Transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that!" She yells angrily. "He might have mentioned it." "We give detention, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!" "I'll do that then."
    Malfoy's eyes are watering with both pain and humiliation as he starts to mutter something about his father hearing about this.
    "Oh, yea?" Moody snaps. "Well, I know your father of old boy! You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son! You tell him that from me! Now your head of house will be Snape will it?" Malfoy's quietly mutters a, "yes." "Another old friend. I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape. Come on you," he says as he limps off towards the dungeons. Malfoy unwillingly follows.
     McGonagall looks at all of us before quickly walking away. Harry, Ron and Hermione look at Reno, Cedric and me before walking inside the dining hall and sitting at the Gryffindor table. The three of us sit at the Hufflepuff.