International Love | Fred Weasley

Chapter 27

Anna Cole, the brown-haired Ravenclaw girl I shared an Alchemy class with last year, waves at me. Beside her is sitting a blonde-haired girl I recognize from the Alchemy class, Evelyn James. I head over to the two and Evelyn pulls me into a hug when I sit down beside her.

"I overheard Diana talking to Flitwick about a new girl in our year," Anna says, "I didn't expect it to be you!"

She proceeds to introduce me to the other Ravenclaws sitting around us. The girl with different coloured spikes through her hair beside Anna is Diana Shafiq. The pin on her robes tells me she is the Headgirl. She smiles warmly at me and shakes my hand.

Next is Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain. He pulls a piece of parchment from his pocket and shoves it over the table in my direction.

"I think Dumbledore is going to introduce you. Would you mind saying something for me?"

I nod and take the parchment.

On Roger's other side is Kieran Stanton. A black-haired boy smiles shyly at me. Lastly, there is Tom Hunter, one of the Beater for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.

Roger is right. After all the first-year students have been sorted, Dumbledore introduces me: "Many of you might recognize Elena Dubos from last year. She has joined us here for her final year. Please, Elena, stand up."

All eyes are on me and I smile at the students staring at me. Dumbledore gestures for me to sit back down but I say: "Excuse me, professor. Could I maybe say something?"

The man looks surprised but nods.

I look at Roger before unfolding the piece of parchment he handed me. As I look around the Great Hall, I announce: "To all Ravenclaw students, this Sunday, the try-outs for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team will be held. Captain Roger is looking for new recruits. Please note, first-year students are not allowed to participate."

The Ravenclaw students begin chatting excitedly with each other. 

"For the other houses," I let out a laugh, "you are welcome to see what team is going to kick your asses this year."

I fold the parchment again and after nodding at Dumbledore, I sit back down. The Ravenclaw students start cheering and Roger laughs and raises his empty goblet at me. The students of the other houses whisper to each other and I catch Fred's eyes who shakes his head while laughing. Dumbledore asks for silence again and introduces Professor Umbridge, the pink-wearing professor I have been avoiding since I got sorted. I noticed none of the staff particularly likes her. She gives a weird speech that has an undertone I don't fully understand before everyone is allowed to start eating.

After dinner, we head back to the common room. Diana doesn't come with us as she has business to attend to as Headgirl and disappears into the crowd of students in the corridor. The door of the common room is already open when we arrive and Anna heads to a sofa near one of the two fireplaces.

When we are all seated, Anna leans forward and wiggles her eyebrows: "Tell us, Elena, what is the real reason you are here for your final year?"

I explain the whole situation and the people on the sofas and chairs around me laugh when I am finished. We spent the rest of the evening catching up on everyone's summer before heading back to our room. As we get ready for bed, I learn that the strings of lights are Muggle technology that Evelyn brought in her second year and spent months trying to make them work as Muggle technology doesn't work at Hogwarts. They are enchanted to respond to the brightness outside and turn on when dusk settles.

The next day, the two days before classes start, Fred invites me for a walk over the grounds. I meet him after breakfast at the entrance of the castle. Fred is leaning against one of the walls, holding a colourful piece of parchment in his hands, when I arrive.