[2] The Great Orangenie | FRED WEASLEY

Chapter Thirty Six

Lounging in the quad, looking just as bleak as the clouds above them, Fred, George and Saskia looked quite the sight. The twins were sat opposite each other in one of the wall nooks, one leg dangling over the edge with the other bent whilst Saskia paced back and forth in front.

"Saskia, you know what you're going to say?" George asked, "Umbridge's punishments involve pain and well, lines are one thing but that's another..."

"I think so," Saskia closed her eyes tightly, gripping her head, "It's all muddled though, I don't want to upset Umbridge by accident, that would be not good."

"Break her legs then?" Fred suggested, half playfully.

"That ... that was tiring," Saskia replied, "And it was sort of a reflex anyway to do that."

"No, a reflex is somebody tapping your knee and it kicking up," George replied, "That was old magic."

"Really? I didn't know," She laughed despite the evident stress on her face, "Legs are so funny, kicking at random points. I guess it's a reflex to me ... um, triggered by emotion not knees."

Fred craned his neck for any signs of Umbridge and Aubrey before turning to face the pacing girl, "Yeah, maybe for you but it's harder than it looks. I tried it and it failed. I did it with Aubrey too, we were dancing - it was very romantic if I do say so myself and I literally swept her off her feet - "

"And gave her a nasty bruise," Saskia chided, "She could have been hurt badly."

"Yeah, but she wasn't. And it didn't work then even when she was in pain so I reckon there's more to it, some spell you're not telling us to unlock it," Fred said stubbornly.

"No, we're just connected - "

A pang of irritation flared up inside him, "Oh, really? Well, I'm her boyfriend, we went through a lot last year together whereas you only knew her for ... what, a few months?"

Saskia sighed, finally coming to a stop and leaning against the wall, "I told you before it works differently for you," A curious emotion had crossed her face now, "And time doesn't really matter from what I can see. George and Lexy have been together for less time than you and Aubrey and they've done more than just kiss - "

"GEORGE, YOU TOLD SASKIA THAT?"

"No, obviously not, just you and Lee!" George replied, "Lexy must have done."

"She told Aubrey but I was there too. And look at Kenny and Angela, Aubrey says they're falling apart and they've been together longer than you as well," Saskia pointed out, "Anyway, you don't know how long I've known her," A faint smile crossed her lips, clearly getting wrapped up in a world of her own.

"Lexy's known her since First Year and didn't recognise you," George said, coming to Fred's defence.

"Maybe Lexy just didn't see me ... "

Both George and Fred exchanged horrified looks but before anything could happen, they finally spotted Aubrey coming into the quad, her cheeks unusually red from running.

"Aubrey!" Fred leapt down from the wall, getting to her before Saskia could and pulling her into a kiss.

"Woah ... that was nice," She laughed, "Unexpected but nice," Maintaining hold of his hand, they rushed towards the other two as she explained what happened, "She's not angry ... at all. Well, she didn't seem to be but she's not coming to the Quad at all."

"What?" George's brow furrowed, "You did tell her it was us, right?"

Aubrey looked a little guilty despite the fact it was pre-approved, "Yes, she didn't care ... it was great - oof!" She staggered back as Saskia pulled her into a bear hug around her ribs.