Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 47

"I still can't believe you two are together!" Lee said in disbelief for the hundredth time when we finally arrived and were getting on the seemingly horseless carriages.

      "And why not?" Fred frowned.

      "You know," Lee shrugged with a grin. "I just never thought you would one day grow a pair and tell her how you feel."

     "Oi!" Fred exclaimed, kicking Lee's legs as he sat before him, making us all laugh.

"Well, on the bright side," Lee started, "we don't have hear him whine about it anymore."

"Oh, yeah!" George agreed, and then imitated Fred in a whiney voice, "Did you see her staring at Malfoy? Why did she go to the Ball with the other guy?"

Lee laughed, but then continued in the same lofty tone, "They're gonna get married, aren't they? I'm gonna die alone!"

"What!?" Fred exclaimed. "I never – when did I ever – you guys are jerks!"

Lee and George fell laughing, and I couldn't help but join them, but pursed my lips to stop myself when Fred glared at me.

"It's not funny," he said firmly.

"I know," I nodded, trying to hold back a snort.

"Then stop laughing!"

I finally failed and let out a chuckled, but when I saw him fold his arms and turn to look out of the window, I said, "Oh, come on, Freddie," I wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "We're just kidding around."

"Hmph!" he rolled his eyes, turning his head further away from me.

"You look cute when you're angry," I said playfully, giggling.

"Sweet talk is not gonna fix this," he said grumpily, still looking away as George and Lee kept laughing.

They were now too busy still imitating Fred in different tones and scenarios that couldn't even hear what we were saying.

"Alright!" I put my hands up defensively, grinning. "I'm sorry for laughing."

Fred looked at me sideways, but tuned away again, saying, "You don't look sorry."

I sighed and roll my eyes at his stubbornness. "Fine, then you tell me how I can make it up to you!"

By those words, his head finally turned on me and he grinned. "Are you taking requests?"

My smile faded. "I take it back."

"Nope," he smiled down at me mischievously. "Too late, love. You already said it."

"Uh oh."

***

The moment we entered the Great Hall, my eyes automatically traveled towards the staff table, immediately falling upon Dolores Umbridge.

I kept glaring at her all the way as we sat down over the Gryffindor table. I hated her with everything I had in me, and she still hadn't given me a personal reason to.

When everyone had settled down, the first years followed Professor McGonagall inside for the sorting ceremony.

Just then, I thought back at last year when I was being sorted and how I used to think that all of this was a dream. So many things had happened since then that I didn't feel out of place anymore, even though I was incapable of using magic.

But then, out of nowhere, the same nasty voice in my head which caused my overthinking through the last few weeks, started up again.

Could I really be related to the Black family? Perhaps that was why Kreacher bowed to me. Maybe that could explain how I could see the Knight bus and Hogwarts. Could my mum be a witch too? But then I shook my head. This is not possible. Stop making fake excuses in your head.

After the ceremony, Dumbledore stood up to have his first-of-term-speech like always and the hall fell silent immediately.

"To our newcomers," said Dumbledore in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, "welcome! To our old hands — welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"

On cue, plates after plates of delicious looking food appeared before us and we helped ourselves with everything.

"We should put up the notice in the common room tomorrow, Fred," said George.

"Oh, yeah! I almost forgot!" said Fred, putting more mashed potato on his plate.

"What notice?" asked Lee.

"Didn't we tell you?" George mused. "We want to have new testers for our products. I mean, as fun as it is to have our noses bleeding, but we should still try it on others as well."

"We'll pay them, of course," said Fred. "We need to see the effect it has on different people."

"You know," I started with a joking grin. "If I had just a little bit less self-respect and self-care, I would've given it a go. I could really use the money. The school's already paying for my stuff."

"Sure!"

"Hell no!"

Fred and George said at the same time, making my grin widen. "Just kidding, relax."

     But after a few seconds of being quiet, Lee broke the silence by suddenly saying,

"Hang on," he raised a brow suspiciously. "What do you mean the school pays for you?"