Secrets Only Trouble Knows - George Weasley

03 - Back to Hogwarts

I eagerly looked ahead of me along the corridor, recognizing the familiar voice, and found my favorite person in the world staring my way: my best friend, Adrian Pucey.

Mine and Adrian's families went way back; our dads had been childhood friends, just like us. Both of our grandfathers worked in the Ministry of Magic, which was how they'd initially met and eventually introduced their wives and children to each other. Still to this day, even with everything that had gone on with my father, we'd all remained close. The Puceys consistently joined us at the elegant New Year's Eve party my grandparents threw every year, where Adrian, Jasper, and I had made some of our favorite memories together as kids.

I was certain us Pierces and Puceys would always continue a meaningful friendship and partnership, even in future generations. Adrian and his family may be Slytherins and me and mine Gryffindors—and I suppose that naturally made us indisputable rivals—but they were very much unlike the stereotype that typically accompanied their House. It seemed most of the Slytherins I knew at school and the lineages in which they came from were a bunch of privileged, entitled purebloods— as in, witches and wizards that had no known ancestors of non-magic origin.

But Adrian and the other Puceys were nothing like that. Although they were in fact considered purebloods themselves, they disagreed with the majority of their Slytherin fellows that such blood status inherently made them superior to half-bloods and muggle-borns. They couldn't care less whether or not someone came from a family in which some members possessed no magical abilities, which was a belief my own family had always held with the utmost importance too. We were morally and politically on the same page, and for that reason we'd always been close.

As much as I certainly loved his parents and grandparents, Adrian would always be the Pucey I held closest to my heart. He was my best friend. My protector and fighter. The person I could always turn to no matter what. One of the few people who had stuck beside me for the longest and hardest.

Aside from me and those few we acquaint ourselves with at school, Adrian doesn't have many friends. He prefers solitude, unless it comes to us, and for that reason he frequently appears very quiet and closed-off to the untrained eyed. But with those he knows best, he's very different. Outgoing, even. He doesn't particularly care much for anyone unless they mean a lot to him. But if they do, then he would do absolutely anything to ensure their safety and happiness. I knew if I asked him to, he'd walk through fire for me. He was my angel.

Eyes landing upon his face, my lips immediately broke out into a giant grin. It had been way too long since I'd seen him; he and his family had traveled to France this summer so I hadn't been able to visit him at his manor or invite him to stay with us in Castle Combe.

An excited squeal escaped my throat as my feet started carrying me forward. I dodged a couple of students as I ran up to him, ignoring their weird looks and scoffs.

I threw my arms around his neck and jumped on him in greeting, giving him the biggest bear hug known to man. He caught me but staggered back upon impact, grunting.

"Merlin, what happened to a simple hello?" he chuckled.

"Missed you too much," I mumbled, squeezing him to me harder.

"Well, I assure you I missed you just as much, Nov," he struggled to get out with my arms now clasped as tightly as they were around his neck, "but I would enjoy being able to breathe again."

"Right. Sorry," I giggled, dropping to the ground.

"It's okay," he laughed, adjusting his now wrinkled button-up shirt.