Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 54

After emptying the box of chocolate chip cookies, Fred and I strolled back to the castle, walking the empty halls.

We had to take a secret passageway which Fred was aware of in order to dodge Filch. When we were finally out of sight and in a safe distance from him, we broke into laughter.

Ever since last year on Valentine's day when Fred, George, and I pranked Filch by setting Peeves on a kissing spree on him, we sniggered each time we saw him and among us three, we still called him Filchykins.

When we got back to the common room, it was empty seeing as it was way past midnight, but I didn't feel sleepy in the slightest.

So when Fred said goodnight, I just pursed my lips together and stared at him miserably.

"What?" he raised a brow.

"I don't want to go to sleep," I groaned.

"Then what would you prefer to do?" he grinned mischievously down at me, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer.

"Nothing of that sort, so don't get your hopes up, Weasley." I pulled back and pointed a warning finger at him teasingly.

"I didn't say anything," said Fred innocently.

"You didn't have to. Your cheeky smile said it all."

"Oh, well," he shrugged, grinning. "Can't blame a man for trying."

I laughed, shaking my head at him.

"But seriously," he started, putting his hands in his pockets. "What do you wanna do?"

"Nothing," I huffed, dropping myself down on the couch before the fireplace.

"Ah, yes. My favorite activity," Fred sighed in satisfaction, sitting next to me, "doing nothing."

I giggled, nuzzling to his side and wrapping an arm around him as we sat there in silence, staring at the dancing flames before us.

"Hey, Fred?" I said, breaking the silence as I kept my eyes on the crackling fire.

"Yeah?"

"You know what I've been thinking as of lately?"

"Um... about the possibility of your mother being a witch because Sirius knew her?" he asked hesitantly.

"Not really..."

"Then what?"

"Why are cookies called cookies and bacons called bacons, if you cook bacon and bake cookies?"

Fred stared at me blankly for long seconds before he shook his head in disbelief with a grin, leaning forward and bringing me to a kiss.

I pulled away slightly, narrowing my eyes at him playfully, "Is that your way of telling me to shut up?"

"Exactly," said Fred, kissing me again as he smiled against my lips.

***

The next morning, as Lee, Fred, George, and I sat in the Great Hall for breakfast, Lee suddenly choked on his drink as he came upon an article in the Daily Prophet.

"What is it?" George asked, looking at him impatiently.

"It's Umbridge," said Lee, handing the paper to them. "It says that she's been appointed as high inquisitor."

I gulped by those words, my gaze falling down on my plate as I felt my heart sink. Umbridge had more chances of figuring out about me if she was to lurk in the classes.

It was one thing to fool the students with the help of the Professors, by asking me to fetch something for them when it was time for a practical lesson, or by excusing myself to go to the bathroom or saying that my wand was broken.

But it was a whole other thing if Umbridge decided to dig deeper into my case and find out why I made no effort as to do magic.

Because Umbridge, as I already knew, hated and despised the mere presence of any being other than a wizard or witch; such as werewolves, merepeople, centaurs, and in my case, Muggles.

"That awful woman," said Fred through gritted teeth as he read the article, throwing a quick glance at my knuckle. "She's evil."

"Yes, well," I rolled my eyes. "That's Umbitch for you."

I felt the three of them turn their heads on me, staring at me blankly.

"I'm sorry..." George started with a grin, "Um-what now?"

"That's just a nickname me and my friends gave her," I said, chuckling.

"Hang on," Lee frowned in confusion. "How would your friends know about Umbridge?"

Fred, George, and I shared uneasy looks to see if either one of us could come up with a quick excuse.

"Er — their parents worked with her at the ministry," I said hesitantly, praying that he would buy it.

And thankfully, Lee didn't pressure the matter any further as he said, "Better get to Charms, then. We don't want to be late if Umbitch's gonna be there," he winked at me and so the three of them waved, leaving.

I got up as well, making my way towards Professor Binn's class. I really wished that Umbridge would be there, because it didn't require using a wand; neither did Herbology or Potions, but to my bad luck, she didn't show up then.

When Snape's class started, he gave us back our essays, which on mine, there was a black A scrawled on an upper corner of it.

"I have awarded you the grades you would have received if you presented this work in your O.W.L," said Snape with a smirk, as he swept among us, passing back our homework. "This should give you a realistic idea of what to expect in your examination."

I read through my paper, confused. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it, and yet I hadn't received full marks on it.

I raised my hand and when his face fell upon me, I didn't wait for him to give me permission and I said promptly, "What is wrong with my paper?"

"Excuse me?" Snape snarled, walking towards my table.

"There's no mistake in it. I believe I should've gotten an O," I reasoned. "Or at least an E. What made you give me an A?"

"For your poor excuse of a handwriting, that's why," by that, his lip curled up as he gave me a cold look. "That would be five points from Gryffindor for questioning my grading methods, Miss Hooper."

Feeling furious, I greeted my teeth together and the moment Snape turned his back on me, I gave him the finger.

***

"Did you have Umbridge in any of your classes yet?" Lee asked me as we met up for lunch in the Great Hall.

"No," I said quietly, staring down at my plate blankly.

"Why aren't you eating anything?" Fred asked, watching me go paler and paler.

"Nothing," I mumbled. "You guys don't happen to have your Puking Pastils ready, do you?"

"No," said George. "Why?"

"Because I think I'd need to get out of the classes now more than ever," I said bitterly.

The seventh years had a free period so I departed with the three and made my way towards the Transfiguration class, trying to block every negative thoughts out of my head.

But when I got there, I came to a halt as I saw Umbridge and her clipboard sitting in a corner, waiting for the class to start for the inspection.