gloom [fred weasley]

prologue

My first memory of the Weasley's Burrow was probably from that time my mom took me there when I was 6 years old. We had just moved back to England and lived just a few miles away from the Weasleys. My mom had told me that her and Mrs. Weasley were close friends back when they went to Hogwarts. She was so excited to see her old friend again, she talked the whole morning, telling me about all the things she and Mrs. Weasley did at Hogwarts.

My first memory of Fred Weasley was just 30 minutes later when I couldn't find the bathroom and got lost in one of the many rooms of the house.

"You're in my room", I heard a voice behind me that made me turn around quickly. The voice came from a ginger boy, who must be one of the many Weasley children. I had only met Ginny so far and this clearly wasn't Ginny.

"I can't find the bathroom", I told him hoping he would help me.

"Can't tell you where it is. What if you steal our soap? I don't even know you."

"Do you want me to pee in your room?"

"It's the red door"

Throughout the day I was slowly introduced to all of the children and found out that I had been talking to one of the twins earlier, Fred specifically. Although I had no idea how to tell them apart.

Over the next few years my mom would go to visit Molly every so often and she would take me every single time but I never got really close with any of their children. They were nice and we would get along but I was always excited to go home and play on my own instead. The Weasley Burrow was always loud and after a whole afternoon there it was nothing but exhausting.

Around 5 years later I was about to start my first year at Hogwarts. Waiting for the train I felt my hands must be shaking so much that everyone around me would notice.

The Weasleys arrived at the gate late (as usual), so most students had already brought their bags inside and were now saying goodbye to their parents and families. Fred and George were the first to walk through the wall, followed by Percy, then Ron, who was starting this year with me, beside him a lanky, dark haired boy and lastly Molly and Ginny. I knew all the Weasleys up until now were Gryffindors and it was easy to guess that so would be Ron, and also Ginny next year. I didn't know what house I would be in. I barely knew what the houses were even about. I just knew they existed and their existence made me even more nervous. My mom was a Gryffindor, but my dad was a Ravenclaw, so did that mean I would probably in either of those houses?

My nervousness quickly transformed into excitement, mostly fueled by the many fellow students surrounding me on the train. However the nervousness kicked back in when Professor McGonnagall called my name for me to be sorted. My heart was racing and walking up to the Sorting Hat I was so focused on not falling I barely registered my surroundings. I shakily sat down, the hat being placed onto my head.

My mom had once told me that the Sorting Hat would talk to you while sorting you, however it did not say a word to me at first. Maybe it was broken.

"Ah... you're smart. You know what you want and you know how to get there", the voice felt like a cold hand on my shoulder and the words seemed barely real or like words at all like he pulled them out of thin air or made them up right there, "The idea of power excites you. SLYTHERIN!"

I heard a few Boo Sounds coming from other tables. This happened with some other Slytherin students earlier, too. Slytherin didn't seem to have the best reputation amongst the students.

I got up trying to ignore everyone watching me on my way to the Slytherin Table. I sat down at the first spot I could find next to another blonde first year, I think her name was Daphne. She gave me a quick smile before focussing herself back to the front.

A few minutes after I and a few following students had been sorted the Great Hall went silent. The blonde girl next to me leaned over to whisper to me.

"Did she just say Harry Potter?", she asked shocked and I nodded equally shocked.

"As in the Harry Potter?", she asked again, not turning her head away from the front, where the dark-haired boy I had seen with Ron Weasley earlier sat under the Sorting Hat.

"I don't think there are many more to be honest", I whispered back.

Harry Potter was sorted into Gryffindor and so did, as expected, Ron Weasley as one of the last students.

After the feast our prefect led us into the Slytherin common room and dormitories, which were to be found in the dungeons. There weren't many new Slytherin first years, a little more than ten maybe. Luckily I had gotten along with Daphne quite well at the feast, so we decided to share one of the dorms.

Laying down underneath the dark green sheets on my new bed and falling asleep I realized that I was ready to start my time at Hogwarts, although I had no idea what was to come.