Serendipity (Fred Weasley HP)

Chapter Five - Back To Black

The Gryffindors were sent back to the Great Hall to await further instructions, while the heads of houses went to instruct their students to do the same. The tiredness that everyone had been feeling previously was now gone, replaced with a hunger for information. Halley didn't say a word as everyone gathered in the hall, the other houses joining them soon after. She was too busy going over what Peeves had said. Her father wouldn't have done something like this... But why would Peeves lie? To Dumbledore no less. 

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle." The headmaster informed the entire student body as the other teachers sealed the doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. Prefects will stand guard over the entrances and I'm leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbances and I want to be informed immediately. Send one of the ghosts." He spoke to Percy briefly who looked exceedingly obnoxious with his chest out and his nose stuck in the air. The old wizard waved his wand casually and the tables stacked themselves nearly at the sides of the hall, then with another wave, the floor was covered with hundreds of purple sleeping bags. 

"Sleep well," Dumbledore said and closed the door behind him. An ominous tension hung in the air as people shuffled noisily around the room, trying to grab friends and sleeping bags then looking for a space to make their bed. Percy stomped around the room shushing people and ordering them to move faster. Lee waved the trio over to some floor space he'd laid claim to and they made their sleeping bags up in a sort of circle. The three boys talked quickly and quietly to each other while they all got comfy, but their attention was divided by the quiet dark-haired girl who just curled her self up in her sleeping bag and turned away from them. 

"Hal..." Fred said and put his hand on her shoulder, but the girl didn't answer, she just shut her eyes tightly and tried to tune out the whispers around her... whispers about her and her father. 

"Anyone who says another word against Hal will end up with dung bombs under their bed for an entire year," Fred said angrily to those surrounding them, having also caught on to what everyone was whispering about. 

Halley reached up silently and placed her hand on top of Fred's and squeezed it gently then curled herself up again and tried to put the whole thing behind her. 

"The lights are going out now, I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!" Percy said sternly and the candles all went out leaving the ghosts as the only source of light left in the vast hall. This didn't stop people from talking and Percy spent the next few hours pacing up and down between sleeping bags, shushing everyone he had caught talking. No matter how much she tried, Halley couldn't get to sleep her mind was busy arguing with its self and the floor was not the comfiest place to sleep. She turned in her sleeping bag and looked over at the three boys. She had expected them to already be asleep and was shocked to see them looking back at her with small smiles. 

"Can't sleep?" George whispered and they all shuffled a few inches closer. Halley shook her head and rested it on her folded arms. "You doing okay?" Lee asked while he kept one eye on where Percy was to make sure he didn't spot them. 

"I've been better." She mumbled back. This for the moment seemed to satisfy the lads and they laid their heads down to try and sleep. Fred poked her head gently and gave her a lopsided side, glancing down at his hand which rested on the floor in between their heads. Hal closed her eyes with a relaxed smile and slowly placed her hand in his enjoy the little bit of human contact which lulled her off into a dreamless sleep. 

Meanwhile, a few sleeping bags over, Harry laid awake listening to a conversation between Dumbledore and Snape that set him on edge. He wanted to talk to someone about all of this but Hermione and Ron were convinced that he shouldn't go meddling... maybe he just needed to speak to another Black...