𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎. fred weasley

𝚡𝚟. 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚗

─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ───

The Great Hall is a mess of students and teachers alike when Cress walks in with Hamlin and Cedric. After running into them outside of the hospital wing, having left with Fred and George, they demanded she spend quality time with them. For the rest of the day. As if she hadn't been about to go find Axel and Mallory. Even her indignant protests fell on deaf ears.

("Sure you do," Hamlin teased with a nudge as they walked towards the library. "Got time to flirt with Fred Weasley but when it comes down to spending time with your dearest friend. . ."

"Sod off," Cress mumbled.

Cedric laughed. Cress hated them both.)

Luckily for Cress, Axel's already sitting at the Hufflepuff table with Mallory, watching tiny Viktor balance on a spoon. Cress smiles and tries to walk forward but the Hall is packed, bodies everywhere, enough to make her uncomfortable. She runs into a Durmstrang and two Beauxbatons (who don't even bother apologizing) before she makes it to the Hufflepuff table. She huffs and sits down beside him, across from Cedric and Hamlin, as usual.

"Swear, I'll be glad when this whole thing is over," she mutters.

"You're telling me." Axel snorts. "Seems like none of them have manners back where they're from." He snorts and tilts small Viktor back on the spoon when he starts to get squirrelly.

"Axel!" Cedric chides in a hushed voice. Cress forgets that he's the walking epitome of good character and politeness.

"I won't apologize," Axel protests defiantly. "Why should I bite my tongue for those arses? They've done nothing good for me."

Cress thinks that basically means that Axel met Valko, it didn't go as well as he had planned -- or he has yet to seek the Durmstrang out. Neither of them sound too appealing and Cress wishes the Durmstrang man would just come forward and stop being a pansy about it. Aren't they supposed to be, like, unflinching in the face of danger? What's meeting a pen pal going to do?

"Still," Cedric continues, "we have to show them that Hogwarts is honorable."

Axel snorts. "I don't have to do anything."

Before Cedric can go into a long rant about being courteous, Cress says, "Would you look at that -- food."

Cedric gives her a suffering look but he drops it in favor of getting all the delectables on the table. He and Hamlin go into a conversation about Quidditch no three moments later. Axel and Mallory don't get much. Cress nibbles on a roll, not too hungry; after dinner means champions are going to be picked and Cress doesn't think she can handle that on a full stomach.

Her eyes find the Goblet of Fire, a look of disdain plastered on her face. It sits there, in front of Dumbledore's chair, mocking her in all it's wooden glory. Cress hates the stupid thing with its stupid flames.