The Outlying Serpent { Fred Weasley }

Prologue

First Book

September 1st, 1991
Third Year

The lulled rumbling of the Hogwarts Express as it pushed through the Scottish highlands was something Fred Weasley would always love.

Standing at the end of his train carriage, tucked away in a corner by himself, Fred took a moment to appreciate peace, for what would probably be the last time in a long time.

Not that he minded, he'd never been an aficionado for peace. Fred much rather preferred bustling, hectic environments. But, peace needed to be experienced from time to time as well, if for no reason other than to appreciate the preferred.

"So, where's your better half?"

Not taking his eyes off the beautiful scenery flying by, Fred tried to hold back the smile that was beginning to form.

"I haven't the slightest idea, he's probably still looking at Lee's-"

"Stop!" She shuddered, remembering the tarantula Lee Jordan had brought onto the train.

Her friends had forced her to go take a look but she quickly left after getting a mere peek of the atrocious thing.

"-Why'd you need him, anyway? Looking for a quick snog?"

Out of the corner of his eye, trying to seem as casual as possible, Fred watched, nearly intoxicated by her sarcastic laugh.

George was a lucky man if she did snog him.

"Very funny- Freddie," She crossed her arms, and unlike him, did not try to hold back her smile, "-I wanted to talk to him about last years exams, I didn't get a chance to before we left,"

And Merlin forbid you wrote and your insane family found out.

"I always do forget, he's not as stupid as he seems,"

Fred finally turned his head over to the enticing witch. He looked her over and then smirked before turning his gaze back to the fast moving scenery.

"Well, Georgie is smart, maybe you forget because it's one of the few qualities you two, unfortunately, do not share," Her voice, and demeanour, were both coated in smugness.

She leaned her shoulders onto the window that Fred was gazing out of, the small of her back pressed the railing under said window. As she stood beside him, patiently waiting for him to say something back, Fred felt his breath hitch. Her big blue eyes stared up at his face expectantly, practically enchanting the boy.

Fred was snapped back to reality when he noticed her smirk and raise an eyebrow, shaking his head he quickly brought his attention back to the landscape.

"I'm just as smart as him, when I want to be,"

"Perhaps, but then that's much worse. It means you chose not to be,"

"And how would you know? I don't recall telling you my final grades?"

She shrugged, realizing he was right.

Thank goodness, if she had probed further I would've had to tell her my actual grades.

So, Second Year hadn't been the easiest on Fred's marks. They were by no means bad marks, but not necessarily good either. She didn't need to know that though.

A comfortable silence fell over the pair, they both turned to look at the moving landscape outside of the train window.

"I've heard that we're to be blessed with another Weasley this year,"