𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴𝙻 𝙾𝙵 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙷 | 𝙵𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚆𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚢

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔳

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. 

The words echoed in Maria's head the entire week after Harry Potter had been found next to them in front of the entire school. Unlike most of Hogwarts, Maria knew there wasn't any possibility that Harry had been the one to open the chamber. It's wasn't only because of the ghosts she had talked to, but because she knew Harry could never do something so horrid. 

Maria was almost completely convinced it had something to do with Ginny's diary. She shuddered just at the mere thought of whatever evil was contained in the book.

The young girl was so caught up in her thoughts that when she turned the corner, that she didn't notice a familiar redhead in her way. It wasn't until it was too late and she had bumped into the tall boy that she finally noticed him.

"Sorry, Fred," the girl apologized absentmindedly as she moved to go around him, however, she was pulled out of her dazed state when the boy blocked her path and she was forced to look up at the taller boy.

"How do you know I'm Fred?" the boy questioned, confusion and curiosity covered his face as he stared down at the brunette. Despite all the other questions he had for her, it was the one that was bothering him the most. "Not even some of my friends can tell the difference, so how come you can?"

Maria automatically thought of the Prewett twins, who were almost identical and reminded her of the Weasely twins every time she saw them. Spending time with them, she had to find the almost nonexistent differences among them so she knew who was who. It had made it much easier to discern the little distinctions between living twins at Hogwarts, such as the Weasley twins. 

"I'm not sure," Maria lied with a small shrug of her shoulders causing Fred to narrow his eyes at her suspiciously. "I'm sorry, but I really have to go now."

Maria brushed past the boy, thinking it was the end until he grabbed onto one of her hands to stop her. Acting on instinct, she yanked her hand out of his grip, however, he held tight onto her glove as she found it slipping off her hand. 

"What the hell are you doing?" Maria panicked as she made a snatch for the glove with her other hand, only to have Fred hold it out of reach. She hugged her ungloved hand to her chest, terrified of what could happen if she touched anyone. 

"It's just a glove," Fred furrowed his eyebrows at her, perplexed as to why she was making such a big deal out of it. Nevertheless, he kept a tight grip on the glove, determined to understand what was going on. "Why are you being so jumpy about it?"

"I-" Maria opened her mouth, only to have to shut it again. She wasn't sure how to explain to someone that she could see dead people as well as get a glimpse of someone's death if she so much as brushed their skin. "You wouldn't understand, Fred. Now give me back my glove!"

"Not until you answer one of my questions," Fred demanded, wanting answers more than ever as Maria became vaguer and more confusing. 

"Ugh, why do you have to be such a pain in the arse, Fred Weasley," Maria was beyond frustrated as she stomped her foot like a child. She wasn't sure why she was acting that way, or why she feeling the emotions that were rushing at her. "Just give me my glove back."

"Or what?" Fred raised an eyebrow at her, curious to know where this was heading. It was the most emotion he had ever seen her show, and he wanted to know why.

"Or I'll hex you, that's what," Perseus emerged around the corner with his wand pointed at Fred, and just like that, Maria found all her emotions flitting away from her once again as she returned to her normal, almost completely emotionless state.

"Whoa, Perseus," Fred held his hands up as one of his best friends aimed a wand at his face.

"Listen, just stay away from my sister, Weasley," Perseus warned as Fred was taken aback by the use of his last name. "She's already been through enough. She doesn't need to deal with you too. There's a reason I've never mentioned her around you."

"Perseus," Maria's soft voice sounded wrong in the situation as she reached for her brother with her gloved hand. She gently pushed her hand against his arm as he reluctantly lowered his wand. "Leave it. I'm alright."

"I'm sorry, Fred," Maria turned to the redhead, who seemed to be struggling to comprehend his best friend turning on him. "But I'll really be needing my glove back now."

"Right, uh," Fred stumbled over his words as he held the glove back out for Maria to take. "I didn't realize the glove was that important. I'm, uh, really sorry."

"I know," Maria replied as she grabbed the glove back and slipped it back on, her lips once again twitching upward in that almost smile once again. "I'll see you around, Fred Weasley."

"No, you won't," Perseus muttered as he grabbed his sister's arm and started leading her away.

Fred stared after the two siblings as they left, more perplexed than ever before as he watched them bickering back and forth. It seemed more aggressive and intense than normal siblings' arguments at their age. Fred had never seen Perseus so serious, or harsh, in the entire four years he had known him.

"You can't tell me what to do," Despite trying to keep their conversation to themselves, Maria's words echoed against the corridor walls back to where Fred stood frozen. "Don't make me go to mom about this."

While those words would sound normal to any other student at Hogwarts, Fred couldn't help but frown at Maria's threat as he distinctly remembered Perseus saying his mother had died when he was a baby.