Everything Changes // Fred Weasley

chapter 30: two very powerful witches

April 6th, 1995

"So you're spending the holiday with Weasley again?" Cass asked as we sat in the DADA classroom, waiting for Moody to arrive. Our presentations were the following class, and Moody hadn't taught us anything useful in weeks. It wouldn't have surprised me if he had decided to no longer even show up for class until our presentations. I was beginning to learn that wizard schooling was much different than muggle schooling.

"Sure am." I responded, not bothering to look up as I doodled a star in the corner of Naomi's textbook.

"My offer still stands." He continued, "If you want to come to my house instead, I have plenty of spare bedrooms. It could be fun. I could show you how proper wizards spend their holidays."

"I don't think Fred would like that very much." I responded. He was kidding, sort of. "But thanks for the offer."

There's also the matter of your dad absolutely despising muggles. I thought to myself, but didn't want to bring it up, in case it was a touchy subject.

"Don't come crying to me when you're forced to sleep on a cot in the living room when you could have slept on one of my five waterbeds."

"I think I'll survive." I laughed as I shaded in the largest star with the edge of my pencil.

Behind us, the classroom door burst open and Professor Moody walked in, followed by Professor Dumbledore, who, up until that point, I had never seen in any classroom.

"What's he doing here?" I whispered to Cass, but he shrugged his shoulders, paying more attention to Moody than he did Dumbledore. He didn't seem too phased by his presence, so I released the tension I was holding. Ever since the beginning of the year, I had associated Dumbledore with getting caught, so whenever I saw him walking through the halls or seated at the head table of the Great Hall, I immediately tensed up, thinking that somehow he knew who I was, and any day now he would be sending me back home.

Dumbledore stayed at the back of the classroom as Moody walked past all the tables, taking his place at the front of the room and writing the title of the day's lesson on the empty side of the chalkboard. I was shocked that Moody planned on actually teaching today. Maybe that was why Dumbledore had shown up to class. Maybe he had heard complaints about Moody's lack of teaching and wanted to see for himself.

I could feel Dumbledore's stare from behind me creeping up the back of my neck, and it took everything in my power to keep from turning around. I focused on the stars I had scribbled in the corner of the textbook, outlining each one for the hundredth time and adding smaller, six-point stars all around them.

This is fine. I thought to myself as I sketched the tiny stars. He's probably just observing Moody's teaching. He probably hasn't even noticed anything strange going on.

At the front of the classroom, Moody nodded his head towards Dumbledore once he had finished scribbling the lesson plan onto the board. Footsteps clattered on the wooden floor behind me, growing louder and louder until suddenly they made no sound at all when they fell upon my desk. Dumbledore placed a hand on my shoulder and my entire body stiffened beneath his touch, but I continued to stare down at the textbook, terrified to turn towards the headmaster.

"May I have a word with you in my office?" Dumbledore asked calmly. All heads turned towards the two of us, and my face instantly began to flush. I had to learn to get that under control.

I took in a deep breath before nodding my head and standing up from the desk. As I collected my books off the table, I noticed the look Cass was giving me was etched with worry. Inside, I felt the exact same as he did, but I tried my best to hold it together as I gave him a reassuring smile and turned to follow Dumbledore out of the classroom. I couldn't seem to give Fred and George the same courtesy as I passed by their table.