Exponent: A Fred Weasley Love Story

Exponents: Chapter Five

Chapter 5:

Hogwarts

I hate it when people try to whisper, but they are actually talking louder than they would if they were speaking normally. That is what Madam Pomfrey loves to do. I can hear her all the way from my bed.

"Fred, it's no use! I can't try anything until she wakes up!" She hisses. Fred.

"What if she doesn't wake up?" Fred yells at her. I slightly open one of my eyes to get a look at Fred's face.

"Do you even suspect what it is?" He asks in a much calmer voice. Madam Pomfrey sighs.

"I do, but it's not likely. Arielle is such a lovely girl. Someone must have cast a curse on her. They probably did it that night because of the weather. It would have seem as if she only caught a cold. They made the curse much stronger than they intended, if that was the cause of this. I have to go speak to Professor Dumbledore." Madam Pomfrey quickly walked away. Fred just stood there. Looking sadder than I have ever seen him.

"Fred, I'm not dead. I won't be for a very long time." I mumble. Fred's head quickly turns to face me. A big grin appears on his face. He walks over and sits on the chair next to me.

"Ari, you gave me quite a fright! Don't ever do that again." He gives me a boquet of some of my favorite flowers. Lovely.

"I'll try. How long have I been out?" I ask.

"Three days. Don't worry, I collected your homework, lesson plans, and such stuff like that." I giggle. Fred knows that I freak out when I get sick, because I hate missing lessons.

Thump, Thump, Thump. I turn to look where the noise is coming from. Outside the window, is a great owl. Fred opens the window, and the owl comes flying to me. It sticks out it's leg. Attached to the leg, is a blue envelope. Written on the side is my name. I look over at Fred. He just shrugs. My heart stops when I see the familiar crooked handwriting.

Dear Arielle,

I was having tea with Professor Dumbledore a week before school started, (We had to discuss a situation with my grades and Quidditch skills) and I just had to ask him when the next Hogsmead trip was for his students at Hogwarts. He replied saying that he had actually planned one for this coming Saturday. I'm going to be staying in Hogsmead for a while, and if it's not too much to ask, would you like to get a butterbeer at Rosmerta's? Please reply as fast as you can, because I want to make sure I can see your pretty, smiling face.

Sincerely, 

Oliver Wood 

My heart is skipping several beats now. I don't think this is very healthy, especially for a person that just woke up from a coma of some sort. I notice that Fred was reading over my shoulder.

"You and Oliver? I just can't see it." Fred says. I roll my eyes.

"Did you read that last line? He can't wait until he sees my pretty smiling face!" I squeak. Just that moment Madam Pomfrey decides to walk in. She rushes over to me and gives me medicine. She tells me that if I start to feel sleepy at random times or if I actually do fall asleep to rush over to the Hospital Wing as soon as possible. She hesitates before releasing me to be on my own. Fred gives me my bag that contains my homework and such items and we skip over to the Great Hall. George and Lee start clapping as I make my way over to the Gryffindor table. I might not be a Gryffindor, but that doesn't stop me from being with my friends.

"Feeling better Ari?" Lee asks. The grin on my face gets bigger than ever before.

"Yes. Better than ever before. Guess who invited me for butterbeer?" George looked over at Fred, and Fred shot george a look. 

"Who?" Lee asks. I had to stop myself from screaming out his name.

"Oliver Wood." I say. George looks over at me and smiles.

"That's good for you Ari. Haven't you fancied him since your first year?" George takes a bite from his pastry.

"Yeah, a bit." I take sip of my soup. Yum. I love the Hogwarts food. It can't beat Mrs. Weasley's, but it can come pretty close.

"Wait, are you going to sneak off to meet with him?" George asks. I shake my head.

"We're having a trip to Hogsmead this Saturday." I tell him.

"Oh yeah, Professor McGonagall mentioned something about that. Oh! That reminds me Ari, you were right. Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament. You were also right about restrictions. Only wizards and witches of age can enter." That means I can enter. I am of age, but am I good enough? I've read about the tournament, and it sounds pretty scary. They stopped it because of the death tolls. I'm pretty good with my wand. Every spell I've ever heard of I can do almost perfectly. Except the forbidden ones, of course. But would that be enough? Oh well. I should at least try.

"I'm entering." I spit out.