Enemies - Fred Weasley X OC

Goodbye

~Zephyra~ 

The twins birthday came and went. The pranks continued in a mixed up craze that left Umbridge irritated and unreasonable. 

Gryffindor was not a terrible place to be, I was loathed to admit. I liked being able to talk with friends easily - not fearing for your life is a bonus too. 

Harry stormed into the Gryffindor common room, a strange expression on his face. 

"Harry?" I said and he glanced towards me, as I sat in the window seat. I beckoned him over and he hesitated before walking over. "You okay?"

He shrugged, though his face stayed sombre and confused. I shuffled over and made space for him beside me. He sat down and I wrapped an arm around his shoulders, squeezing briefly. 

"I think my dad was a bad person," he said quietly after a few minutes. 

I looked over at him baffled. "What? Why?" I didn't know where this was coming from. 

"Snape left his pensive unattended and I saw a memory of his. My dad was a bully, he hung him upside down and made fun of him - I just - no one told me he could be so cruel. He almost reminded me of -"

Draco, I thought he was going to say but he didn't. 

"That makes no sense," I said, stroking his shoulder in a way I hoped was soothing. "Sirius talked to me about him quite a lot when we were living together. He always said he was a great guy. There must be something more to it."

"Maybe."

"You could talk to Sirius on the mirror, ask him about it?" I suggested. 

Harry looked a little sheepish as he replied, "I actually forgot it at Grimmauld Place after Christmas." 

I thumped the side of his head, playfully. "Wally."

"Ow."

I chuckled and Harry did as well. 

"Okay, so write him a letter," I said. 

"I just wish I could speak with him - and Professor Lupin."

"Oooh, sounds like someone -" Fred began, sauntering over to us from where he and George had been on the sofa.

"-Needs our help," finished George. They jumped up onto the other end of the window seat.

"What do you mean?" I said, struggling not to role my eyes. Did they have to do everything with a flare of dramatics? Couldn't they read the room?

"Well, we might know something about contacting people on the outside..." George said with a smirk. 

"During a detention we found out that Umbridge's office is the only one where the floo is switched on," Fred replied. 

"You want me to break into her office?" Harry asked. 

"We can distract. We've got a good idea and it will drive her mental," George assured, settling an arm on Harry's shoulder in a brotherly fashion.

"What idea?" I said, narrowing my eyes at them.

"Zephy, you'll love it - we're going to recreate your natural environment," Fred said, teeth showing as he smiled. 

I raised my eyebrow expectantly. 

"We're going to recreate a swamp," he said. 

I heaved a put upon sigh. 

"Brilliant, you can go now," I said, curtly. 

"But you'll miss us," George teased.

"I hate you both, leave me and my brother alone. Go work on the swamp."