We will meet again ~ Fred Weasley

23| cursed necklace

"COME ON RON!" I screeched from the stands, it was a cold rainy day but seeing how nervous Ron was I had to come and support him. Hermione of course came along to see her 'friend' in action, but we all know she sees him as more than that.

The match began and Ron was trembling from his post and it quite literally melted my heart, he looked so vulnerable and adorable it was sweet. We payed attention to Ginny, who was better than I had ever seen.

She looked badass.

Cormac, who was also trying out for keeper blocked every shot with ease making me infuriated. Ron deserved this, and he was going to get it. "Confundus." I whispered into the back of my hand while holding my wand to the side of my leg, out of sight to everyone. I smiled at the outcome watching McLaggen being forcefully moved out of the way of the post when he needed to save a goal, was the highlight of my week.

"Confundus." I heard whispered from the spot next to me, I turned to see Hermione with her wand at her side like I had done with mine and I smiled at the worried expression she had for him. I have known since third year that she had loved him, and he loved her. They just were both too scared to do something about it, but god I wish they would.

...

"For weeks you carry around this book, practically sleeping with it and yet you have no desire to find out who the Half-Blood Prince is?"

"Half-Blood Prince? But either way you should of handed that back in ages ago Haz!" I spoke as we walked down the snow filled bridge towards the Three Broomsticks, all of us covered with layers including hats and scarves prepared for the winter chill.

"I didn't say I wasn't curious, and I don't sleep with it!" Harry sent a glare to Ron who obviously gave us that piece of information, my brother was clearly getting agitated with our judgement even though we made complete sense. "Well it's true, I like a nice chat before I go bed but all you do is read that bloody thing. It's like being with Hermione!" Ron pointed out making Hermione back hand his arm for his intentional insult.

"Well I was curious, so I went to the-"

"Library." Ron, Harry and I all spoke in sync making us all burst out laughing before letting Hermione continue. "And nothing, I couldn't find a reference anywhere to a Half-Blood Prince!"

"That settles it then-"

"Absolutely not, it won't be that easy Harry." I spoke with a mocking smile on my face at his attempt to rid the group of the subject, failing miserably.

-

I felt extremely relieved at the warm atmosphere in the pub finally feeling my hands ease of their numbness. I grabbed everyone's sickles and headed to the bar front, sat on a stool was Professor Slughorn. I gave him a friendly smile keeping my distance not really wanting to get caught up in a conversation with the man. My shoulder was then knocked back almost making me topple over, but thankfully I gripped onto the bar stool to keep me upright.

"Malfoy?" I asked when turning to see who the culprit was, to my surprise he had his head down looking troubled and unsettled as he walking towards the toilets. I quickly glanced at my friends seeing they were distracted and followed him, grabbing his arm before he opened the door dragging him around the corner.

"What are you doing Potter?"

"What's wrong with you, you look like you've seen a ghost?" He swallowed the lump in his throat and just shrugged his shoulders, pulling his arm from my hand leaving back to where he was headed. I was glad Draco and I were in good terms, but seeing him like this made me question his true intentions. After a few minutes standing in the same spot waiting to see if he would come out so I could question him more, with no luck I returned to the bar buying our drinks.

I walked back over to the table placing a drink in front of each of us, receiving a thankyou from everyone. I got Ron to switch seats with me so I could keep an eye on the bathroom Draco had entered, I quickly disguised it as a need to watch over Slughorn to gather information like Dumbledore had wanted.

"No way Ginny and Dean!?!" I screeched harshly in a whisper pointing a finger to a corner spot where they were seated.

"Sly git!" Ron muttered making me chuckle, he didn't suit the big protective brother act.

"God chill out Ronald, they're only holding hands." I joked at his moodiness.

"...and snogging." Hermione added making me quickly sit back up in my chair with a gasp, clapping my hands slightly at Ginny success.

"I'd like to leave."

"You can't be serious?" I said with an obvious tone of 'stop being over-dramatic'.

"That happens to be my sister!" He snapped at Hermione and I for giving him a pinched face at his stupidity.

"So? What if she looked over here and saw you snogging me, would you expect her to get up and leave?" My eyes widened biting my lip to contain the gasp that was trying to escape.

It got pretty awkward from then, everyone sitting silently drinking their Butterbeers until we were interrupted by a loud and clearly drunk Professor. "Ah my students!" He slurred his words as he wobbled walking to our table making me cover my mouth to not be tempted to chuckle. "In the old days I used to put together the occasional supper party, select a few students. Would you be game?"

"I'd consider it an honour sir." Harry responded taking any opportunity to get more out of the man.

"You'd be welcome too Katherine, Miss Granger."

"We'd be delighted sir!" I responded before chugging my drink in one.

"What are you two playing at?" Ron asked staring at us blankly with a shocked face at our interest in Slughorn.

"Dumbledore's asked us to get to know him, what better opportunity?" I shrugged before standing to leave returning my coat, gloves and hat to my body.

The wind outside had increased, feeling more blizzard like forcing us to speed walk back to the castle in order not to catch hypothermia. We were happily talking among ourselves walking with our all our arms linked to each other, until an ear piercing scream was heard from a little in front of us.

"I WARNED HER! I WARNED HER NOT TO TOUCH IT!" A girl screamed from her place next to a now unconscious one, I released my arm from Ron's running towards the girl I now recognised as Katie Bell in Gryffindor. Before I got to close she was being thrown about along for the white coated floor before being pulled up to the sky being held there, she looked and acted possessed making every one of us unsure of what to do in a situation like this. She let out an almighty scream even worse than her friends, this one physically banged on my ear drums before forcefully being slammed to the ground.

After collecting myself from the traumatic event I stepped closer to the girl reaching my fingers out to check for a pulse "DON'T GET ANY CLOSER, get back!" Hagrid called making his way over to the girl causing me to jump back at the sound of his shouting. He was quick to pick the girl from the ground to get her to safety but not before warning us about the item that had cursed her in the first place.

-

We all stood before the Professor whilst staring at the necklace "And you're sure Katie didn't have this in her in her possession when she entered the three broomsticks?" McGonagall questioned Leanne, Katie's friend about the item she confirmed as a cursed necklace.

"It's like I said... she left to go to the loo and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it."

"She went where?" I asked her once more to confirm my suspicions,

"the toilet...?"

Oh My God.

Was all I could think, Malfoy had done this to Katie. She was lucky to be alive as it should have killed her instantly, making me feel sick to my stomach knowing who the perpetrator now was. "Did she say who she was to deliver it to?" The Professor asked the girl once more clearly needing an answer to get to the bottom of the crime.

"To Professor Dumbledore." My eyes widened at her response. Draco Malfoy was trying to kill the Headmaster.

"Why is it when something happens it is always you four?"

"Believe us Professor, we have been questioning that for the past six years..."