Philophobia // Fred Weasley

V

V Defense Against the Dark Arts

Rowen slammed her textbook shut and ran a frustrated hand through her dishevelled hair. Herbology was undeniably her worst subject and she was already finding it hard to concentrate. It had been a week since Fred had asked her out on a dare as if she was worth nothing more than some foolish game. Her hand moved to the bracelet tied around her wrist and her mind wandered to when it had been placed there.

"You look like you desperately need a break." Rowen turned to see a pair of Durmstrang students, a boy and a girl, staring down at her. The boy spoke in a harsh Russian accent again, "I am Nikolas and this is my younger sister, Annika."

The girl scoffed, "You are only three minutes older Nikolas."

Nikolas waved off her statement as if it wasn't important. "We have been watching you, Rowen Bishop."

Rowen stood up, an uneasy feeling washing over her at the boy's unusual words. Annika smacked her brother upside the head and scolded him in Russian. "What my idiot brother meant to say-" she shot a look at Nikolas, "well you see, we do not have many friends at school. We are, how you say, particular about the company we keep. You stand apart from your classmates, so we notice you. We offer you our friendship."

Rowen thought for a moment, her Herbology book clutched to her chest. She looked between the Durmstrang twins. Annika had a polite, almost rehearsed, smile on her face. Meanwhile, Nikolas was staring at her, as if dissecting her every move. She didn't know why, but she couldn't help but trust the twins. Rowen nodded and neither seemed surprised.

"Alright then." Nik clapped his hands together. "We shall go somewhere private, yes? There is much we need to discuss. Do you speak Russian?" Nikolas asked the last question in his native tongue and Rowen nodded.

"I speak four languages. A perk of coming from a wealthy family. Many foreign language tutors as a child." Rowen responded in Russian, though she was a bit rusty. "I have to get to class now. We can speak afterwards, before dinner. May I ask what's so important?"

Annika shook her head. "There are too many listening ears here, and we can not be overheard."

Rowen made her way towards Defense Against the Dark Arts, knowing that she would be able to focus solely on her conversation with Nikolas and Annika. What did they want, and what did they need to talk with her about? She sat at her usual table, next to Adrian. She twisted the bracelet on her wrist, the gears in her head spinning at record speeds as she desperately tried to put the pieces together. No matter what the girl did she couldn't think of any particular reason the twins would need her specifically.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the dull sound of Professor Moody's uneven steps. Side conversations were silenced as the Professor began the day's lesson. He pulled a jar full of spiders out from under his desk, plopping it on the table where every student could see them clearly. "I demonstrated the Unforgivable Curses for the fourth years today. It is one thing to watch someone perform one of these curses, but another thing entirely to perform one yourself. Since you are far more advanced then the fourth years are, you will be doing just that. Now, who can tell me what an Unforgivable Curse is?" An uncomfortable silence washed over the room, and Rowen hesitantly raised her hand. "Very well, Miss Bishop."

"I'm sorry Professor, did you say that you demonstrated the curses for the fourth years? As in a bunch of fourteen years old? That is highly inappropriate, don't you think? We aren't supposed to cover the Unforgivable Curses until this year, and even then we can't perform them, it's illegal."

Moody cleared his throat. "Stand Miss Bishop." Rowen didn't move. "Stand!" His voice boomed and Rowen stood immediately. "Do you know what class this is Miss Bishop?"

"Defense Against The Dark Arts, sir."

"Yes, very good. The Unforgivable Curses are some of the darkest curses out there. They remain favourites of The Dark Lord and his Death Eaters." The air seemed to get thicker at the mention of Voldemort. "There is a reason they are unforgivable. My job is to teach you to defend yourselves against these dark curses. And I am a firm believer in hands-on learning. Now Miss Bishop, will you please name the curses for the class, I assume you know them."

Rowen's throat tightened. "The Imperious Curse, The Cruciatus Curse, and The Killing Curse."

"And which would you like to demonstrate for the class?"

Rowen looked around the room. The entire class was staring at her, except for Fred Weasley, whose eyes were glued to the professor in a death glare. She looked back at Moody. "I won't be demonstrating anything." Rowen forced herself to look in Moody's eyes, as best she could considering they were both pointing in different directions.

"Is that so?" Rowen didn't falter, as much as she wanted to look elsewhere. A wicked smile appeared on Moody's disfigured face. "Very well." He turned away before quickly reaching for his wand and whipping around, directing it at the girl. "Avada Kedavra!" He yelled, a green light emerging from his wand and shooting towards her.

She ducked out of the way just in time for it to hit the wall behind her. She scrambled back to her feet. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Rowen yelled as Moody tucked his wand back into his robe pocket. "That could have hit me, you crazy old git!" Rowen's could feel her heart pounding furiously against her chest.

"If I wanted it to hit you," he said, "it would have. Class dismissed. I'll see you all tomorrow to continue this lesson. Miss Bishop, stay behind. I need to speak with you."

Rowen plopped back onto her seat, placing her chin into her hand and silently taking a few breathes to calm her still-beating heart. Students began to file out of the classroom, Adrian sending a slight smile to Rowen before joining the crowd.

"Are you alright?" Rowen looked up at Fred Weasley, who was towering above her, worry dotting his expression.

She rolled her eyes. "Like you care. Buzz off Weasley."

Fred furrowed his brow and sat on the stool beside Rowen. "Listen. About what I said the other night."

"Weasley!" Professor Moody yelled from the front of the room. "Take your pitiful teenage drama to another classroom immediately."

Fred stood. "Can we just talk sometime, please? I need to explain." Rowen didn't say anything and after a few moments, Fred turned away and walked out.

"Miss Bishop." Moody began. "I admire your willpower. That's not something the Bishops are known for. What with your father following You-Know-Who so blindly, even now."

Rowen's throat went bone dry. "What do you want?"

"Do not interrupt my class again with your silly morality. Do you understand, Miss Bishop?" Rowen's jaw tightened and she nodded grudgingly. "Good. Now get out."

Rowen quickly gathered her things and rushed out of the classroom. Two familiar faces were waiting for her. Nikolas' legs were stretched in front of him, and he was trying to balance his wand on one finger. Annika was reading a leatherbound journal, her face crowded together in excessive concentration. Nik looked up first and upon seeing Rowen, nudged his sister with his elbow. They both got to their feet.

Nikolas was the first to speak. "How was class? Interesting, yes?"

"That's one word for it," Rowen said, glancing back at the door. "You said we needed to talk. So talk."

Annika shook her head. "Not here. We must have privacy. I assume you know a safe place for us to speak?"

"Follow me." Rowen led the twins to the astronomy tower, where she kicked out a pair of third-years who were snogging. She cast the silencing charm at the door and turned back to look at her new friends. "Whenever you're ready."

Annika cleared her throat and continued in Russian. "How much do you know about what happened to your uncle?"

"He was the Potter's secret keeper. He escaped from Azkaban a couple of years ago. Been on the run ever since." Rowen responded, wondering what the twins could possibly want to know about her mother's older brother.

"Your other uncle," Nik said shaking his head, his arms crossed over his chest while he leaned impulsively against the wall. "Regulus."