[1] Lemons into Lemonade ✓ | FRED WEASLEY

Chapter One

"When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade everyone knows that. Sometimes those lemons do require a beating with a mallet..."

• • •

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God Aubrey!"

Aubrey didn't need to even turn around to tell who the voice belonged to. There was only one girl in Sixth year, let alone the whole school, who would say 'oh my God' that many consecutive times within a few seconds. She spun around to see Lexy, her oldest and closest friend barrelling towards her, the two girls colliding in a dramatic hug.

"Hey girl," She said, dropping her suitcase due to the sheer force of the embrace, "Why the 'oh Gods'? I think you just committed a LOT of blasphemy there."

Lexy didn't seem to care, an exuberant grin on her face, "Sometimes blasphemy is necessary because Aubrey, Aubrey you will not believe this, guess who sent me an owl over the summer? Guess, guess... okay, fine I'll tell you - "

"I was going to guess!" Aubrey replied.

"You never would have got it. Are you ready? Are you ready for this? You're not ready," Lexy squealed, bobbing up and down on the spot. Aubrey sighed impatiently, raising an eyebrow at her friend, "Roger Davies. That's right, Roger Davies, you heard me right. He sent me an owl ... as in the bird not the test and we spoke."

"That's great, Lexy," Aubrey said, trying to muster enough enthusiasm to get even vaguely close to that of her friend, "What about?"

"Well... it was just about the summer potions homework," Lexy admitted, her voice growing softer, "But it still counts, I mean he could have gone to anyone yet he picks me. I'm actually still a bit in shock. Pinch me, Aubrey, pinch me so I know this isn't a dream!"

Although she already knew the consequences, Aubrey decided to follow her friend's advice and gave her a sharp pinch on the arm which prompted a yelp of pain from Lexy. Her friend glared at her, rubbing her arm.

"Why'd you do it so hard?"

Aubrey responded with a sly smile and a shrug, "You did say to pinch to you, only following orders." She picked up her trunk and began to lug it towards the Hogwarts' Express, "Come on, let's get onto the train, don't want to get stuck sitting with a bunch of first years again, do you?"

Despite Aubrey's rapid movements, this didn't stop her Mum from catching her for a lengthy emotional goodbye which involved a lot of unnecessary cheek rubbing and excessive usage of 'I'll miss you!'. It was an embarrassing ritual already but made worse as Lexy sniggered from afar.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aubrey spotted a flash of brilliant red hair and yanked her head out of her mother's grasp just in time to see George (or possible Fred, she never knew) rush by her. Lexy sniggered even louder as Aubrey's eyes widened in horror.

" - and I want a letter every week, honey, okay? Your father and I need to know you're safe plus your sisters - "

"Let's not pretend they care but yep, Mum, I will do, always do," She said, hastily pulling herself away. Under her mother's gaze it was hard to steal glances at George/Fred but somehow Aubrey managed it and was pleased to see that they weren't looking her way so had hopefully missed the embarrassingly public display from affection.

"I don't think you do, honey, but I won't cloister you, I remember what it was like to be young, believe it or not," Mrs Jackson replied before lowering her voice to a whisper, "What are you looking at? Is it some fellow - "

"No, Mum, I just don't want to be late," Aubrey hissed, slowly backing away, "Bye Mum!"

"Since when do you care about being late?" Lexy chimed in unhelpfully, really making Aubrey pay for the pinch.

"Since now," Aubrey replied, dragging her trunk behind her as fast as she could, "New school year, new me... now come on, let's just get on the train already."

The two girls made their way down the carriage, getting rid of their trunks as quickly as possible. Without her trunk, Aubrey moved a lot faster, darting away from her friend as she surveyed the compartments for either an empty one or someone she knew. In her haste, she completely zipped past the other two members of their gang which led to Lexy laughing at her for the second time today. She made a silent vow to get back at Lexy and find three instances at least to laugh back at her.

Inside the compartment, sat Kenny and Angela, the school's 'golden' couple... for the next few weeks until somebody else replaced them, of course. Aubrey couldn't help but roll her eyes as they sat closely pressed up against one another, their fingers intertwined. Still, it was kind of hard to judge, they were cute together and she knew that if she and George were in that situation, she would probably be doing the same.

"Oh my God, you are two are too cute," Lexy squealed, sitting down in front of them, clapping her hands together.

"We are, aren't we?" Angela agreed, beaming at the dark haired boy next to her.

"Alright, Aubrey?" Kenny said, quickly diverting the attention away from himself, "Good summer?"

"Yeah, it was - "

"Aubrey is a new person," Lexy interrupted, "Isn't that right? You said you were a 'new you' just now."

"That was kind of just to fend off my mother but I did actually have a few things in mind," Aubrey said which prompted an annoying, knowing look between her friends, "I think I'm going to try and get my head down for N.E.W.Ts and make notes on everything so revising will be easier."

"You said that for O.W.Ls," Kenny pointed out.

"I know I did but I kind of succeeded... right at the end," Aubrey brushed it off, "Baby steps though. That was a start but N.E.W.T year will be my year. I think I'll try and eat healthier too, no more roast chicken."

"I think that will be broken by supper," Kenny cut in again which earnt him a light slap from Angela.

"Ken, stop interrupting... however true you might be," The couple burst into a fit of giggles, so hard that Angela's glasses slipped off her nose.

"Stop laughing! I'm serious!" Aubrey said, pouting slightly, "Okay and finally, I'm going to try and get close to George. I think he's taking Herbology N.E.W.T and so am I too which could work. Now, I know that usually Gryffindor's go with Slytherins and I'll go with Ravenclaw but I don't think many people take Herbology so we'll probably be in the same class."

"And when you say get close to him, do you mean become friends?" Kenny asked and Aubrey shook her head.

"I mean if it happens naturally, then yeah," Aubrey said, "But I think I'll go in baby steps, start off by actually talking to him which I really will do this year unlike the others. Baby steps. Maybe stop by his Quidditch practice if the opportunity arises."

Angela giggled slightly, pushing her dark hair behind her ears, "I think you may have trouble with that, there may be some... stuff going on."

"Like what?" Lexy said, perching on the edge of her seat, suddenly excited, "Angela, you have to tell us, what stuff?"

"Can't say," Angela replied after a pause, a slightly smug smile on her face, "You'll know by the end of the day, I'll tell you that much..."

"Girl, you're mean," Aubrey said, lounging back against the wall and placing her legs on Lexy's lap, "What's the point in having a friend whose Mum works for the ministry if you don't tell us anything?"

"You can't even tell me?" Kenny pleaded, widening his brown eyes like a puppy in the hopes it would warm his girlfriend's icy heart.

"No, Kenny, I can't," She gave another laugh, "You'll know by the end of the day I swear and it is good..."

"If you say so," Aubrey replied, "But if it's anything like the Sirius Black thing, maybe don't tell me, I don't need that sort of stress for the new me... stop laughing, it's actually going to happen!"