The Chaser : A Fred Weasley Fan Fic

Forty: Fox

I was plunged quickly back into life at Hogwarts the moment we returned. My first match of the year as Captain came around in the blink of an eye and I couldn't have been more relieved that it was Hufflepuff we were playing.

Though it had thrown me off at first to see Hufflepuff with a new a captain in place of Cedric, we thrashed them, winning with 280 points to their 200. Even with Ron's first match as keeper and the bitter rivalry between Angelina and I, it was an easy victory and I felt more confident than ever as the team's captain.

Not only was the Quidditch season going well so far, it finally felt as though I was making good progress at our DA meetings. When we started learning how to cast our patronuses, it only took me a few tries to discover that mine was a fox.

"I just can't get it" Fred grumbled, watching me in a Thursday evening meeting as I flourished my wand and produced a somewhat weak, but clear shimmering fox from the end my wand.

"You have to think of a memory that's completely untainted by anything. A truly happy memory" I sighed, stepping to his side to watch his wand movements. He was getting the flourishes and his pronunciation perfectly right, so it must have been whatever thoughts he was trying to use to create his patronus.

"What are you thinking about it?" I pushed.

"Giving you that locket at Christmas" Fred huffed, giving his wand another flick. The locket warmed at the mention of it and I could feel it against my skin as it was concealed beneath my shirt.

"As lovely as that is, that memory isn't untainted" I said quietly, putting my hand over his and lowering his wand so he would listen, "We were there, together, because something awful happened. No matter how wonderful that part of the day was it's going to linger in your mind the circumstances it happened in"

Fred paused for a moment, then nodded his head solemnly. He hated admitting I was right, but it was undeniable.

"Try thinking of something you and George have done. A really good prank or just a nice day you had" I suggested, stepping back so he could try again.

"Fine" he rolled his eyes and flicked his wand. Blue sparks shot from the end, much more promising than anything that had happened before. I could see the grin spread from ear to ear even with his back turned to me.

Fred tried a couple more times and suddenly it burst forward. It slunk between the other members' patronuses, slipping out of sight every now and then until it returned to him. Hermione gasped and I held my hand over my mouth to stop it from hanging open. It was a fox, nearly identical to mine.

"Oh Fred," Hermione gushed, looking between us, "You know what this means, don't you?"

I stared at Hermione. I didn't have an answer. Everybody in the room had different animals to one another, even George's was a basset hound, different to Fred's and everyone who didn't know them well enough assumed they were practically the same person.

"What does it mean?" Fred chuckled uncertainly, furrowing his brow at her.

"Patronuses match when there is a deep, unchanging love connection" she smirked.

"I beg your pardon?" I laughed.

"Yes, it's right here in Essential Protection Charms: Volume Three" she stabbed a chapter with her finger in the book she held open and began reading it aloud, "On the rare occasion that you find two identical patronuses or a caster's patronus changes to match another's, it will signify the pair falling into an eternal and unchanging love"

"Stop it, that's impossible" I laughed, peering over her shoulder at the book.

"It says it right here!" she huffed, showing me the paragraph. I could tell she was getting frustrated with me not believing her so I dropped it.