[1] Lemons into Lemonade ✓ | FRED WEASLEY

Chapter Sixty Eight

The next month passed in dream-like slowness, mainly due to the odd process of completely adapting to being in her body once again along with working out her budding relationship with Fred. As was their style they took it slow, kissing only three more times although this was enough for them - and they weren't half bad ones too.

The first one was a week after the Third task when Aubrey had awoken from a terrifying nightmare, the events from that night playing on her head in repeat until she awoke in a cold sweat. Instantly, she attempted to contact Fred before remembering Barty Crouch Jr. had severed that part too.

And yet Fred had known.

When she staggered out of bed in the late hours and snuck into the Gryffindor common room, he was sitting on alone one of the sofas, looking somewhat agitated. When she'd asked him why this was, he simply shrugged and replied, "I dunno ... I just do."

Although she didn't tell him this, in the back of her mind, she hoped that maybe this was the remnants of their telepathy, their adventure having left a permanent connection in multiple ways. Despite his tendency to joke, he'd been surprisingly serious that night, discussing the events and trying to figure out how to deal with their guilt. At the end of the night, when the sun was starting to rise again, she slipped out, the pair sharing their second fleeting kiss before parting ways.

The next two had happened after inconsequential events such as Fred bringing her roast chicken she stayed too late in the library with Kenny. It was prompted by small things but they'd been so happy in those moments that they simply couldn't help themselves and in dark times like this, that was reason enough.

Sadly, the month also gave way to other developments which weren't so positive: ugly rumours and theories that seemed to multiply and thrive off hatred. At the start of the year, Harry had been an annoying blip on her radar but now she found herself adamantly defending the boy behind his back on a regular basis from cruel theories. Despite having had little contact with him, she'd found odd consolation in knowing he'd shared the experience in the graveyard with her which had earnt him the intense loyalty Hufflepuffs were so famed for.

At the very least she found out Dumbledore was on Harry's side, after a brave, impassioned speech to the whole school about the frank truth on Cedric Diggory. Her innate hatred of shifty leaders had been lessened somewhat with Aubrey gaining a newfound respect for their old Headmaster. Was she still suspicious? Yes, especially considering the Grindlewald letters they'd found but perhaps she'd trust him enough to speak to him if disaster struck.

Sadly, it appeared not everyone was so open-minded as Dumbledore. Having been away from Angela for so long, Aubrey found herself craving time with her so on the last day, when the girl asked if she wanted to join her for a last hurrah in the fight against Madam Pince, she'd jumped at the chance. 

"Do you think the books will snap at the right times?" Aubrey asked, examining an animalistic book warily as they stood in the library. Angela's prank was ambitious even for her, involving the Care of Magical Creatures textbooks Aubrey had long since wanted to forget.

"I think so," Angela replied, "Even if they don't actually bite, Pince, they'll give her a fright and this ... this will be what I'm remembered for."

Aubrey laughed, looking back over her shoulder, "Really, hon? A feud with a librarian?"

"There are worse things to be remembered for," Angela shuddered, "Like being kidnapped for half an hour by an utter lunatic."

At this, Aubrey stiffened, "Don't call him a lunatic, that's an awful word."

Angela raised an eyebrow, "Well, that's what he was, it's just like me saying I wear glasses," With a slight snideness, she returned to the bookshelf in the hunt for an even more vicious book, "My Mum reckons only someone you know ... insane would claim You-know-who was back anyway - "