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•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-• “Come on, George, we need to be back before one of the professors catches us here,” Fred hissed, while carrying bottles of Butterbeer and bags filled with Chocoballs and Acid Pops. They had won the Quidditch game against Ravenclaw after Harry had cast a Patronus on Marcus Flint and his cronies. It had been brilliant. The whole Gryffindor Tower celebrated as if they had already conquered the cup. Even Hermione Granger, who had taken an absurd number of subjects for a third-year student and did nothing but study, had accepted a Butterbeer.But better, Gryffindor would be playing the finale against Slytherin. Something that George had looked forward to. May couldn’t come fast enough. Around midnight, Fred and George had snuck out to get some fresh supplies. But in their haste, the statue of the One-Eyed Witch had slid shut too quickly and Georges leg was stuck. It was the worst timing. The fires in the corridor had sprung on and it was just a matter of time until Filch or Mrs Norris would show up. “I cannot move, wait. I heard something.” George stopped wrinkling his leg and held his breath.Fred, too, remained silent. The twin cocked their ears. At the end of the corridor stood Mrs Norris. She looked at them and then disappeared. “I am done,” George said in horror. “Fred, go, quick, before Filch comes. Take the candy and go back to the Tower.”Fred didn’t allow himself to be told that twice. He grabbed the candy away from George and hurried out of the corridor.George tried to wiggle free and finally, the statue gave way and let George’s ankle go.But it was too late. “Well, well, what do we have here? One of the infamous Weasley Twins.” As soon as George had scrambled to his feet and wiped the dust off his jumper, he looked straight into the warty face of Filch; the care-keeper of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.“Good night, Filch, you old Squib. How are the magic lessons coming by?”“Shut up, you Weasel. Where’s that hideous twin brother of yours?”“I don’t know. We’re not attached from the hip, you see,” said George, who put his hands in his pockets.“Shut it. You’re coming with me.” Filch grabbed his ear and dragged him out of the corridor. “Sneaking around past midnight. Let’s see what your Head of House will think about that, ay?” His voice cackled with genuine pleasure. George sighed. He knew he was done. Staying up in the Gryffindor Tower was one thing, but wandering the corridors by night was another.He was right.McGonagall was furious. “Weasley! What are you doing up at this time of the night!” Her hairnet trembled ominously and she held the chequered nightgown close with her free hand. “Partying, professor. It is not every day we are competing in the finale for the Quidditch Cup.” George mustered a very charming smile. Behind his back, he crossed his fingers. McGonagall heaved a deep sigh and looked at him over the edges of her crescent glasses. “How much I want to tell you that’s true, I will not. For that cheek you will receive detention with me, Mr. Weasley. Tomorrow night, straight after dinner. I shall now escort you back to the Tower to make an end to that party. It’s almost past one o’clock in the night!”She didn’t take any points and for that, George was grateful. It could have been much worse. She could have taken away the points they had won with their victory against Ravenclaw. Behind her George limped up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower. An evening of detention with McGonagall was not the worst. He got off cheaply for once.Could that be because this time he was alone and not with his brother? That was a theory that required further testing. Back in the Tower, McGonagall stormed at her student and sent everyone straight to bed.“So, what did you get?” asked Fred when they stumbled to their dormitory. Behind them, Lee Jordan followed yawning.“Just detention, tomorrow night. Nothing too bad. At least she didn’t take any points from us.”“Thank Merlin, after all the points we have won today with the game. By the way, good one, to send the Bludger at Davies.”“Thanks, brother dearest.” George popped down on his four-poster bed and took off his socks. Lee fell down on the bed and didn’t bother to take off any clothes. George rolled onto his side. He felt how the sleep came over him. “George!”“Whatta?” Two hands roughly shook him awake. It was as if he had been resting his head on his pillow for only a minute. Drowsy he opened his eyes.“Sirius Black was in the Tower tonight. I can’t believe you slept through it all. Ron screamed like a slaughtered pig.”George was immediately awake. Through the window he could see the sun streaming in. “What? Is Ron okay?”“Ickle Ronnikins is fine. Black did cut the curtains of his four-poster bed to shreds, but apparently he started running when Ron was screaming his lungs out. The whole castle has been searched and you’re the only one who slept through it all.”“What can I say, I was tired after winning the match. Are you sure Ron is fine?” asked George, while he wiped the sleep out of his eyes.“Yes. He is already laying it on thick. Claiming that Black nearly slit his throat. I almost find myself wishing Black would have actually done it.”George grinned. “Did they find him?”“No. Went up in smoke. But, we are getting the Fat Lady back tonight. Thank Black we’re finally getting rid of Sir Cadogan.”George yawned and started searching for his clothes. Lee Jordan already left the tower. “Come on, I want to go to breakfast. I am hungry. Stealing candy in the middle of the night and not getting the chance of eating it is not good for my system.”“I’m coming,” muttered George, putting on his trousers and searching for the rest of his school uniform. “Listen, Fred. We have the OWLs this year, and our grades are going down. Are you still seriously considering opening a joke shop together?”“Yes, of course. Why? Are you having second thoughts?” asked Fred sharply, who tied his tie. “Well … I don’t know. I think that we need to seriously think about our OWLs. For real. I mean, we probably need to get our papers and licences in order so we will be able to carry out experiments and sell them legally and stuff. I do not want to get into trouble with the Ministry and the Regularisation for even selling a Ton-Tongue Toffee. That would only give us a bad name.” George put on his jumper.Fred was slight taken aback. “You’re right. I hadn’t given it much thought, but you’re absolutely right.” He kept silent and chewed on the inside of his cheek.“Do you know, I remember Percy saying something about career advice after the Easter holidays with McGonagall. Maybe we can talk to her with the idea.”George nodded slowly. He wasn’t keen on talking with his Head of House about their ambitions, but what choice did they have? Talking about opening a joke shop with his mum? They didn’t have a death wish.“Come on. That’s enough serious talk for today. Breakfast is waiting.”Down in the Great Hall students were already leaving for classes. Fred and George quickly sat down for some toast before they left to Potions. “Late again, Weasley? Ten points from Gryffindor,” sneered Snape. He closed the door of the dungeon after them.George looked down on his watch. They were just one minute too late, but well. Best not to get into trouble with Snape. Not with the OWLs-exams only a few months away and when one of them needed to pass that exam. Bloody Snape. Professor Snape only allowed his best students in his NEWT-class. That meant that one of them needed to pass for the OWLs-exam with at least an Outstanding. For the moment, their grades were not that wonderful. Fred had obtained an P for his essay about the properties of the Moonstone and its uses in Potion making and George had barely gotten an A for his Hair-Rising Potion. They needed to step up their game. While George shambled next to his brother to his place in the back of the Potions class, he made eye contact with two dark cedar brown eyes, taking him very carefully, as if he was a potion she had to dissect.He almost missed a step and the big chestnut rose lips beneath those dark eyes curled into a smile. She threw her dark ebony hair behind her shoulder, which fell into loose waves till her waist. With her wand she started to twist her hair into a tight bun.Eleanor Seymour. Slytherin’s own duchess. “Stop staring at pretty Slytherins,” hissed his brother when he sat down in his familiar place.“I didn’t stare,” hissed George back, but quickly hold his tongue when Snape shot them a warning look. He bowed his head and grabbed some parchment and a quill to copy the instructions for the potion they had to brew today.“Today’s potion will be a repetition of the brewing of the Draught of Peace. Who can tell me what happens when the brewer is too heavy-handed with the ingredients?”George slowly raised his hand, but Snape ignored him. “Miss Seymour, please.”Slowly Eleanor Seymour raised from her seat. Now that she stood straight, George notices that her skirt was approximately three inches too short. Suddenly he got a very funny feeling in his stomach.“Yes, professor Snape. The main purpose of the potion is to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. But, when the brewer is not consistent with his ingredients, just as you described, the drinker will be put in a heavy sleep. Sometimes the sleep will be irreversible.”“Very well, miss Seymour. Five points for Slytherin,” purred Snape. His eyes wandered of the pupils, until they lingered on the Weasleys.“Weasley, how many times do the potion need to be stirred?” Fred nudged George. “Eh, seven times, professor.”“Which direction?”George frowned his eyebrows and thought deeply. He knew this. Snape had explained it to him twice in the beginning of the school year, after calling him a dunderhead.“First clockwise, seven times and then seven times counter-clockwise, sir.” Snape didn’t say a word. His black eyes glittered and then he waved his wand.“You dunderheads have exactly one hour to brew a perfectly distilled Draught of Peace. I only want to see silvery vapours and O’s at the end of the lesson.”Fred and George silently went to work. While Fred was the best in the more practical classes such as Care of Magical Creatures, George had a knack for brewing potions. But brewing a potion with Snape in the background lingering was not that helpful. This time, George read all the instructions very carefully and gave very clear tasks to his brother.“Slowly add the powdered moonstone, Fred. I will stay stop. Slowly, little by little,” muttered George. He could feel the glares of Snape, but was determined to keep his focus.“Stop.” George turned down the heat. “Go fetch the powdered porcupine quills. Make sure they are fresh and give them a little shake.”George didn’t dare to take his eyes off the potions. He held his hand out for the little bottle and added a few sniffs. “Keep stirring, Fred.”The potion turned white, just as described in Snape’s directions. George silently let his breath escape.“We’re almost there.” With a wave of his wand he lowered the heat and took the bottle filled with hellebore. “Can you give me the pipette? This needs to be exact, or Snape will make the entire potion vanish.”With a shaky hand he added exactly seven drops and to his great relief, a silver haze rose up from the potion.For the first time in a long time, George walked out of his Potions class with the feeling he might have just gotten an E for his Draught of Peace.
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After dinner, George made his way slowly to McGonagall’s office. Fred had been quiet the whole afternoon and George knew he was taking in George’s remarks about their OWLs.McGonagall was nowhere to be seen. But next to the door of her office leaned Eleanor Seymour, her long legs stretched out. Her skirt barely reached the middle of her thighs and he could clearly see her suspenders. Her tie was undone and she had unbuttoned her shirt just until the beginning of her dark laced bra.She had her eyes closed and was wearing some kind of black earmuffs. George could hear the faint bass of some loud angry music, which appeared to be coming from those strange earmuffs.George halted. Her heart-shaped face was completely relaxed as she silently nodded along with the music. “Ah, mister Weasley. Miss Seymour. Good evening.” McGonagall opened the door of her office, stepped out and looked sharply at her students.“Good evening, professor McGonagall,” greeted George and he smiled. “You look ravishingly good tonight. Defeating Ravenclaw really gives you a healthy glow.”“Shush, mister Weasley.” The severe look of the senior witch couldn’t weaken his smile. “In you two go.” She opened the door of the Transfiguration class room.George looked at Eleanor, who still had her eyes closed.“Miss Seymour, could you please take off that device” McGonagall snapped. Eleanor’s foot started to tap.“Miss Seymour!” McGonagall marched forward and snatched the earmuffs off her head.“Hey! Those were-”“I don’t care what that horrible sound was that you apparently call music, but you know the rules, miss Seymour. No Muggle devices on the school grounds. Get inside the classroom, please.”Eleanor’s eyes sparked angrily. “There is no such rule, professor. I am very sorry to have found a way to make Muggle electrical devices work in an all-magical area, but I am not breaking any rules by doing so.”“Put the earmuffs away, Miss Seymour, or I will take them.” The professor’s lips became one thin line, while Eleanor slowly leaned forward to put the earmuffs and the black case it was connected with, in her schoolbag. “Good, thank you, miss Seymour. Now get inside, please.” George sat down beside Eleanor, who had taken place in one of the first rows. Her eyes narrowed as she leaned backwards.McGonagall gave them a sharp look. “You two are here with me tonight to receive your punishment. Mister Weasley, you will receive detention for being out in the corridors after curfew. Miss Seymour, you will receive the same fate for hexing a fellow student with an illegitimate spell during Transformation. Your parents will also be notified of your behaviour.” McGonagall glared at Eleanor, who didn’t seem to be impressed.“It was a good example of Cross-Species Transfiguration, don’t you agree, professor?” asked Eleanor. George put on a wide grin. Who would have thought that Slytherins possessed some nerve?“Miss Seymour, you already cost your house twenty points. One more word and I will take the double this time.” The voice of McGonagall was cold as steel.Eleanor crossed her arms, but held her tongue.“Good, well. Please leave your bags in this classroom. For tonight, you will help madam Pince with dusting all the book covers in the east wing of the library. Use of magic is prohibitedGeorge groaned. He hated cleaning without magic. Even his mum used magic around the house to help her. Eleanor’s gaze could freeze fire.They worked in silence. After half an hour, madam Pince made sure they hadn’t conducted an evil plan to set her beloved books on fire and left them to their task. “I can’t believe I am stuck in detention with George bloody Weasel for hexing Roger Davies,” muttered Eleanor, while she forcibly moved the duster over the backs of the books.“Why are you so sure I’m not Fred?” he asked curiously. He moved his duster a little bit slower. Maybe he could discover a good book with some nice spells in it to use in one of his experiments with Fred.“Because I am not blind,” she snapped, focusing her attention on the duster.George frowned. “Even our own mother has trouble telling us apart. You never spoke a word to us. So how?”“Then your mother should really visit an ophthalmologist.” Eleanor looked over her shoulder, pulled out an old dusty book out and began carefully reading the index. “We had classes together for almost five years now. Please. It isn’t that hard.”“An ophhtla - what?”Irritated, Eleanor looked up. “Please, Weasel. I am neither blind nor stupid. Let me serve this idiotic punishment in silence.”But George didn’t let her off so easily. “Why did you curse Roger Davies?” Eleanor rolled with her eyes and turned a page. “Because Davies kept spreading rumours about me. I had to curse him into oblivion.”“So you turned him into a pig?” George grinned. There was one wild rumour that Eleanor Seymour had hexed a Muggle boy last Christmas because he had the nerve to ask her out. Her mother, Astraea Fawley, had to bribe the Minister of Magic and Dumbledore in order to avoid an official investigation so Eleanor wouldn’t get expelled.“Are you Gryffindorks always so backward? I cannot turn Davies into a pig because he is already a pig.”“That’s very true. But, at least you know how the spell works.”The look Eleanor shot him, could have killed him. “The only reason why I hexed Henry Talbot, the son of the Earl of Shrewsbury, was because he kept drooling over my ass during Christmas dinner. He hinted that I even should sleep with him out of hospitality. I thought it would be only appropriate that if he wanted to behave like a pig, he could as least look like a pig.”Impressed, George looked at Eleanor as if he had never seen her before. Yes, he knew the rumours which went around. It was the kind of hearsay his mother loved to gossip about with her friends. Eleanor Seymour, the daughter of an important Muggle and Astraea Fawley. The Fawleys were once part of the Sacred 28, but they were kicked out when Astraea’s father married a Muggle.According to the rumours, Astraea had never forgiven her father for that treacherous betrayal. She tried to marry her way back into the Sacred 28, but after Sirius Black cold-heartedly turned her down, she seduced the richest man in the country. A rich Muggle who was a member of something they called nobility, whatever that may mean. George only knew that they were very important to Muggles and that they were among the richest of the county. It was whispered that Eleanor Seymour possessed even more money than the Malfoys.George guessed that those rumours were mostly true. But there were also other, more darker rumours. Whispers of the fact that Astraea had murdered her own mother out of vengeance and got rid of her father at the same time. Evidence was never found, but everybody agreed that old Lorcan Fawley and his Muggle wife had died in the most strangest circumstances.Others whispered that Eleanor Seymour was not a Halfblood, but that she was in fact the illegitimate daughter of Sirius Black, the mass murderer who had broken into the Gryffindor tower last night. These whispers always emphasized the fact that Eleanor Seymour - or Black, as she should be called - was the one true heiress to the Black family. It would make her one of the most influential witches, since she would have an almost Pureblood status and more money that anyone possessed in the wizardry world. “I didn’t think a Slytherin would risk the fact to be caught.”“That’s just because you Gryffindorks have stupid prejudices about us snakes,” she snapped, clapped her book shut and picked up the duster again.“You never try to show another side of yourselves,” argued George.“Because you couldn’t see that other side if it hit you in the head,” she snarled at him. Her eyes blazed angrily at him.George fell silent. They finished an entire row in quietness. From the corners of her eyes, Eleanor could see that George sometimes lingered at certain books, as if he tried to remember the titles.“What are you doing?” she hissed at him, when they started another row.George grinned mischievously. “You Slytherins are not the only ones at school that possess a little dash of ambition, Your Highness.”“It’s Your Grace,” she corrected him out of habit.George shrugged and turned his focus back on the books. Eleanor slowly turned her head to him, her eyes holding a calculated look as if she tried to see him in a different lighting.She knew the twins. Not that well, since they only had two classes together and never exchanged a word with one another, but enough to build an overall picture.Although there was a lot of ancient bad blood between the two houses of Slytherin and Gryffindor, Eleanor never much cared to keep the hatred alive. She just didn’t care that much about house pride. Most of the Gryffindor thought with their chest hair instead of their tiny brains, but so did the majority of the male Slytherin population and probably the rest of the guys from the other two houses. The only two boys who acted like they possessed just a little bit more quantity of brains were the Weasley twins. Although they lived for pranking everyone around them - Eleanor remembered vividly how they once managed to turn Mrs Norris into a hairless creature in one night -, she always thought there was more to them than the eye saw. For her, it was no surprise that the twins managed to receive good grades, no matter how shocked the teachers were by that fact. Most students and staff thought the Weasley twins didn’t have the brains to study or master difficult spells. But, as Eleanor went through all the pranks she had knowledge of, she knew that those pranks consisted of some difficult spells.And that, she decided, was sneaky. Daring. Bold. She nibbled on her bottom lip while she intensely focused on George. His duster was laying forgotten on the floor while he slowly read a page. His face was pulled in upper concentration as his index finger traced the lines, no doubt searching for a spell to use in a new prank or to experiment with. It was a real bummer that he was not in Slytherin, since the twins had all the traits the great Salazar would have admired.Unlike any other student in Hogwarts, Eleanor could keep easily keep the twin brothers apart. George Weasley was not a bad looking guy, just like his brother Fred was. They had flaming red hair that was kept messy and they were covered in freckles, but somehow it looked good on them. The twins were tall, even taller than Eleanor when she walked around in five inch heels, and they had broad shoulders, due to their Quidditch training as Beaters.But the real difference was in their personality. George was the quieter, gentler half of the twin. He moved more graciously and hold himself somewhat differently than Fred. “Staring much?” George smiled, while he looked over the page at her. He had that devious smile around his lips that Eleanor reminded of a naughty five-year-old. His light hazel brown eyes sparkles and he gave her a wink. “Can’t blame you.”Eleanor rolled her eyes and focused on the books in front of her. “Keep dreaming, Weasley.”
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It was just after the Easter holidays when George ran into Eleanor.The holidays had consisted of training for the upcoming match against Slytherin, experimenting with some spells and studying hard for their OWLs exams. Fred had reluctantly agreed with George that they needed their OWLs and NEWTs if they wanted to run their own joke shop selling their self made magic items The Careers Advice Meeting with McGonagall had proven George right. Before they had wanted to talk with professor McGonagall, they had asked if the meeting was confidential. They were both relieved when McGonagall had assured them that the whole conversation would be kept between them. “Opening a joke shop?” had McGonagall frowned, after Fred had expressed the vision for their future.“We were just playing around with the idea, nothing too serious,” added Fred, while glaring at his twin brother.“If you are really set on making your own merchandise and obtaining a license for experimenting, you need NEWTs for Transfiguration, Herbology, Potions and Charms, all on E-level. Those are required by the Regularisation of Experimental Spells and Charms. If you want to go into breeding with some magical species, a NEWT at O-level in Care of Magical Creatures can become very useful, since a permit is necessary.” It became clear that McGonagall had taken great interest in the two brothers. “George, for the moment you have an E for Herbology, Transfiguration and Charms. For those classes you’re safe, granted you keep up the good work from the past months. If you’re serious about going for an NEWT in Potions, you need to study very hard. Currently, you’ve managed to achieve an A with professor Snape. He denies every student who hasn’t gotten an Outstanding for their OWL in his NEWT-class.”George had nodded and McGonagall reverted her gaze upon Fred. “Fred, for the moment you have an O for Herbology and an E for Charms, so you’re good for those classes. For Transfiguration you have an Acceptable. I only accept students with Exceeds Expectations in my NEWT-class, since the material is very complex next year. And for Potions you’re currently having Poor, so you need to concentrate on these exams.”“What do we need to do after we’re finished with our NEWTs, professor?” had George asked, while Fred had whitened by the thought of actually trying to pass an exam.“First, you need to find investors to help you start up your first business. I would strongly advise that if you two are willing to pursue this career, you need to network throughout the Wizardry world, make a name for yourself. You’re both already known to be pranksters,” had McGonagall said, while looking at them sternly, “but you also need the reputation of trusted businessmen. I am not exaggerating when I say that you both need to work on that skill.”During the Easter holidays Fred had nicked an old study timetable from Percy. They had tried to adjust it, but they had no idea how much they needed to study.Studying was a very new concept for the twins. It was Fred who came up with a strategy. “Listen, we will never both get an O for Potions. You have the best shot at Potions and Transfiguration, since McGonagall said you were safe for her NEWT-class. My grade for Care for Magical Creatures is much higher at the moment, so I can study for an O. I will help you with Potions, and maybe, just maybe, you will receive an O.”George nodded. “Spreading our chances. I like it, Fred. This actually could work.”“I know. That’s why I am the oldest.”“By three minutes.”“Still older.”So that was the reason why on Tuesday afternoon the twins were dealing with three years of Charm notes at a desolated table in the library. Lee Jordan, their best friend, was sitting next to them and was making summaries.Before they began to study, Fred had insisted to cast a Notice-Me-Not-Charm, so no-one would ask what they were doing. “I have to say, this feels very weird,” Lee muttered, while he grabbed a new piece of parchment.“I feel dirty,” answered Fred, while shuffling his notes. “To actually try to pass an OWL-exam. And not only pass, but aiming at high results. It feels like cheating on myself. Or as if I am turning into Percy. ”George rolled his eyes and opened his Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk to search the theory of Levitation Charms and to make a diagram. They worked for a good hour, until Fred complained that the nerves for the upcoming game against Slytherin were getting the best of him and they decided to chuck it in. Fred and Lee went to search for Harry Potter, the Seeker of their team and the favourite target to sabotage in Quidditch. George, however, went to the Great Lake. Oliver Wood, their Quidditch Captain and the team’s Keeper, had advised every one of his players not to wander alone in the week before the game, because the atmosphere between Slytherin and Gryffindor was slowly boiling over. Just yesterday a fourth-year Gryffindor and a sixth-year Slytherin ended up in the Hospital Wing after an incident went wrong and leek was growing out of both of their ears. But George need some alone time. He plopped down, threw his bag a few feet before him and sighted.For a lot of people, the twins were the same person. While Fred was the undisputed ringleader of them two, George was the more introverted one.“Was that actual studying I just witnessed the Weasley twins do in the library?” George heard an amused voice say.He turned around, just to stare into the dark eyes of Eleanor Seymour. She sat a couple of yards away from him. In her hands she was holding a book. “Maybe,” he answered. He leaned back and stared in front of him. Although the days began to lengthen, it was still chilly here up in to North.“Ambitious career plans?” Eleanor sat very upright. She put the book down and looked at him with the same gaze he had noticed once before in the library during detention. “Probably too ambitious,” George admitted. “But then again, wouldn’t it be the best joke to try to get into Snape’s NEWT-class? Imagine the shock on his repugnant face when he realizes that he’s going to have to teach another Weasley brother for two more years.” Eleanor laughed silently. George could see how her white teeth stood out against her ruby lips. “What are you doing here?” he asked, while his fingers started tossing out some blades of grass.“To get away from all the fuss about the upcoming game this Saturday. The obsession some of the housemates have for Gryffindor this moment is very unhealthy.”“Ey. It is the final match this season,” George objected, feeling personally attacked. Eleanor rolled her eyes. “I know, but all that talk is making me wish it would be over already.”George smirked. “So you’re admitting that the Gryffindor team is the most superior Quidditch team of the school?Eleanor blinked. “When did you hear me say that? Are all Gryffindorks this deaf? And, for the record, I still think we’re going to win.”George rolled his eyes. “We have a Seeker with a Firebolt.”“Please,” scoffed Eleanor. “Since when do Gryffindors possess something called patience? As soon as Potter sees the Snitch, he is going to grab it.”“So? We win.”“You only win by a lead of fifty points, since we have two hundred points more at this exact time. Catching the Snitch gives you only a hundred and fifty points and ends the game.”“I think Harry is smart enough to realise that.”Eleanor smiled. “So nice to see that you actually believe that. Cute, Weasel.”“Don’t worry, duchess. At the end of the week you will see that Gryffindor is the superior team.”“If that helps you sleep at night, sure. But don’t except any words of comfort from me when our team wins the Quidditch Cup.”“You mean our team.”“Do shut up, Weasel.”A silence fell between them. George looked at the mountains in the distance.“I have to admit, you’re the first Slytherin I encounter this week who doesn’t try to hex me.”Eleanor smiled. “That’s because I am probably the only one who sees how stupid it is to try to scare you before the game. As if we’re lack the confidence we don’t have what it takes to win this game on our talents. It makes us look daft, or worse, like foolish Gryffindorks.”“We’re not that easily impressed, you know. Braveness of lions.”This time it was Eleanor who rolled her eyes. “Braveness equals impulsiveness and impulsiveness equals stupidity. We Slytherins like to think before we act. It’s called preservation. You might want to look that up in the dictionary.”“Some people call that backstabbing.”“It is also called being a smart cookie.”George grinned and leaned back on his elbows. It was nice sitting here, at the edge of the Great Lake, laying in the grass and watching how the shadows of the mountains slowly became darker.Even the silence was pleasant. Eleanor had picked up her book again and this time George could make out the title.“Pride and Prejudice? For which class is that a study book?” he asked Eleanor bewildered.Eleanor shook her head and turned a page without taking her eyes off. “It is not a study book, Weasel. It is a novel.”“A novel?”“A book that people read for fun,” explained Eleanor.“I know what a novel is, thank you very much. I just can’t believe that people actually read for fun.”“I am not even going to react to that slow-witted statement.” Eleanor stood up, pulled her bag onto her shoulder and looked down on him. “Good evening, Weasel Gryffindork.”With those words, the girl turned around and left him alone. He could see her black hair bouncing against her back.George stayed for a few minutes in the grass and realised that he just had a civil conversation with one of the last persons he thought he would ever talk with.
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On the morning of the Quidditch match, the Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall with thunderous applause. Also Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were dressed in gold and red colours.“I cannot believe that Potter has a Firebolt,” muttered Adrian Pucey, who sat next to Eleanor and looked gloomy over at the Gryffindor table.“Potter has no patience. If he catches the Snitch before any of their Chasers score a goal we will still win the cup,” said Eleanor, without looking up from her novel. In her free hand she held her cup of tea and took a nip.“We were crazy to allow Malfoy on the team,” went Pucey on. “I cannot believe Flint would actually accept a bribe for someone without a shred of talent.”“Since Flint was probably fathered by a troll after his father had a drop too much, I am not surprised.” Eleanor licked the tip of her finger and turned the page.“Can you please stop being yourself right this instant? This is the Quidditch Cup we’re talking about,” snapped Pucey, who pulled the novel straight out Eleanors hands.The brown eyes of Eleanor flashed fire with restrained fury. “Did you just grab my novel, Pucey? Out of my hands? Are you really that stupid?” asked Eleanor in a calm and low voice that was stripped of any emotion.Slowly Pucey looked at the novel in his hand and came to realise what he’d done. “I am sorry, Nell.” He shook his head and took a deep breath. “I don’t know what came over me.”Eleanor snorted and took her novel back. “Probably just nerves, Pucey. That mixed with brain loss and low blood sugar. Eat your porridge and drag that absolutely fine ass of yours to the Quidditch field.”She thumbed back to the page she had been. Across her a smile slowly appeared on Pucey’s face. His green eyes glittered.“Did you just actually give me a compliment?” “Eat your porridge, Pucey.”After Adrian had wolfed down his porridge, the colour had come back to his cheeks and he looked a bit better than before. He took a deep breath and stood up, carefully ignoring the Gryffindor table.“Don’t fall off your broom, Pucey,” said Eleanor, who took a moment to look at him sincerely.“I’ll do my best, Nell. Cheer for me?” His green eyes looked at her pleading. “Only when you deserve it,” she teased him, leaving Adrian grinning before he left the Great Hall.Eleanor sighed and took a sip of her lukewarm tea. She pulled a face and glanced at the Gryffindor table.She just witnessed how Wood, the fanatic Keeper for Gryffindor and their captain, urging his teammates to inspect the Quidditch field. Potter just barely had the chance to put a sausage in his mouth before being ushered out. From her place at Slytherin's table she couldn’t distinguish the difference between the twins, but she thought George - or was it Fred? - looked paler under his freckles. Before following the rest of the school out to the Quidditch field, Eleanor went back to her dormitory to fetch her shawl. The sun may be tempting, but Quidditch finals could take hours and the weather in Scotland could take a turn for the worse in the blink of an eye.She was just in time to witness the presentation of her houseteam.“And there’s the Slytherin team, under the command of Marcus Flint. He made a few adjustments to the formation and apparently he went for force instead of talent -““Oi, Jordan, you prejudiced brat, shut up!” yelled Berenice Yaxley. Her white-blond hair was pulled into a tight braid and her grey eyes shone with fury. On her cheeks she had drawn green snakes, the symbol of their house.“Can you believe it?” she muttered, when Eleanor slipped in the seat beside her and crossed her legs. “He cannot even recognise some players who have been on the team for years! Adjustments to the formation, is he having a laugh? Some of our players actually work out!” she yelled again, her voice getting lost in the noise of the screaming of the whole school, packed here together in the stadium.Eleanor rolled her eyes and focused on the game. Madame Hooch blew her whistle and fourteen brooms shot into the air.“I am surprised to see you here, Nell” said Berenice, focusing her eyes onto her friend. “Didn’t you want to take this opportunity to do a long study session in the empty library, with OWL-exams so near?”“I felt a sudden urge of house pride. It was so rare that my body didn’t know how to resist it,” answered Eleanor smoothly. She ran a hand through her hair and focused on the players in front of her. “Well, you picked the right match to watch,” retorted Berenice, while vigorously waving her Slytherin flag. It was one of the most violent Quidditch games Eleanor had ever witnessed. Marcus Flint wasn’t ashamed to lower himself to dirty tactics. Much to Berenice’s dismay, who yelled furiously at Flint and the rest of the team, cursing them for besmearing Slytherin’s name of cunningness.“What idiot would grab another player’s head! Montague, you absolute tosser, do you need to loan Potter’s glasses or are you just thick in the head?” screamed Berenice, forgetting all her dignity.“Calm down, Bunny,” hushed Eleanor, pulling Berenice down on her seat.“Don’t call me that in public,” Berenice snapped. “I just hate the fact that our team cannot think strategically for even one minute, let alone on the most important game of this year. No wonder that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff decided to cheer for the stupid Gryffindorks today. If anyone else was our Quidditch Captain, we would had better players and a bigger chance to win.”“You mean, when you would have been Quidditch Captain and star Chaser,” teased Eleanor with a smile.Berenice snorted. “The only decent player on the team right now is Adrian, and maybe Malfoy with any proper training. Sometimes I believe that Snape hates every Hogwarts student, also us Slytherins. Why else would he have made Flint Captain? He cannot recognise Quidditch talent even if it bit him in the nose.” Eleanor shrugged her shoulders and didn’t reply. Truth was that she just thought professor Snape was as ruthless as Flint himself, only he was better at disguising it. Lucian Bole, one of Slytherin’s Beaters, hit Alicia Spinnet in the head with his Beater’s club. Eleanor was shocked when Spinnet tumbled down a few meters. When George Weasley hit Bole a few moments later with his elbow in his face, Eleanor couldn’t suppress the feeling that she was proud of the Gryffindor. Bole really deserved that one.“Come on, Malfoy. Just find the bloody Snitch,” muttered Eleanor. Since Flint and Montague were more interested in cutting off the Gryffindor’s players instead of scoring, Adrian Pucey had the hard job of trying to snatch the Quaffle and score.It was 40-10 for Gryffindor. The sooner it ended, the better. Madame Hooch gave Gryffindor penalties after knocking the Gryffindor’s Watcher with two Bludgers to the stomach when the Quaffle was not in the goal area.Berenice was beside herself with anger. “You daft idiots! You are sabotaging our chance of winning the Cup! Stop with this peacocking and start playing!”Unfortunately, nobody on the Slytherin Quidditch team listened to her. With horror Eleanor saw how their house team threw away any chance they had of winning the Cup.“Oh bloody tosser,” muttered Eleanor, when she saw that Potter had seen a glimpse of the Snitch. Three quarters of the school screamed their lungs out, hoping that Potter would catch it.“Come on, Malfoy, be faster,” wished Eleanor, against all rational thoughts.But instead of trying to catch the Snitch before Potter, Malfoy lowered himself to grab the tail of Potter’s Firebolt, to prevent Potter of going after the Snitch. Berenice cursed loudly and even Eleanor felt a sting of fear. Would it result in Malfoy getting disqualified?It only got the Gryffindors a penalty, but luckily Spinnet was so furious that she missed and lost the Quaffle.“Yes, Pucey!” Eleanor leaped and saw how Adrian caught the Quaffle and stormed right onto the rings.“Pucey scores! 70-20 for Gryffindor!”Eleanor and Berenice cheered loudly, just like the rest of the Slytherins. Finally, the Slytherin team gained their self-respect after the score of Pucey. Johnson had the Quaffle. Montague and Flint went after her, but out of nowhere Potter appeared and stormed right at them.“Bloody Potter!” yelled Berenice. “That was our chance!”“No, look!” Eleanor grabbed Berenice’s arm. “Malfoy has spotted the Snitch!”“Ah, those Gryffindorks,” smiled Berenice, who watched satisfied how Potter protected Johnson and didn’t see how Malfoy flew into a nosedive. “Always so busy trying to be a hero.”Eleanor looked at her friend and saw how her smile froze. “You must be kidding me.”Potter had finally remembered his task and went after Malfoy, who luckily had a lead of yards.“A Bludger!” yelled Berenice, which Bole promptly did sent at Potter. It only missed Potter by a hair’s breath. The distance between Potter and Malfoy dwindled down to a few centimeters …“NO!” roared the entire Slytherin section, while the others houses exploded with relief. Potter managed to grab the Snitch and Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup.Berenice stared at the field in bewilderment. Supporters of the winning team climbed over the fences. Everyone wanted to congratulate the Gryffindors with their, well, Eleanor had to admit, deserving title.“I cannot believe it,” Berenice slowly muttered. Eleanor gave her a little nod. “Come on, Bunny. Let’s find Adrian,” she said, pulling Berenice up.They found their friend sitting at full length on the grass, his face hidden in his hands. The rest of Slytherins team had the same defeated air around them.“Hey,” said Berenice slowly. Eleanor said nothing and just looked over at the Gryffindor team, sitting already on the shoulders of the housemates and losing theirselves. Adrian did not answer Berenice, but shook his head slightly. Eleanor pulled her look away from the winners to her friends and sighed. “Stop moping, Pucey,” she said before nodding at Berenice. The girls bended forward and grabbed Adrian's arms to help him upright. Eleanor yanked away his hands from his face.Just like Eleanor expected, the green eyes of Adrian glittered with fury.“I cannot believe it. We had the chance to win the Cup and it just slipped right out of our hands,” managed Adrian to say. Berenice huffed, but said nothing. Flint was still sitting within earshot.“Let’s get wasted,” suggested Eleanor. “I still have some bottles of Muggle alcohol.”Berenice raised one eyebrow, but Adrian’s eyes flickered. “That’s the best idea you’ve had in a long time, Nell.”Eleanor grinned and casted a glance at the stands, where Dumbledore was holding the Quidditch Cup. Adrian followed her glance and frowned.“Come on, let’s go,” said Berenice firmly, pulling Adrian away. “Stop with the self-blaming.” Before Eleanor turned around to follow her friends, she caught the glance of George Weasley, smiling from ear to ear.A tiny smile played around the corners of her mouth. She hold his glance and finally gave a little shrug. His smile became wider, although Eleanor didn’t know how that was possible. She winked and turned away from the sickening view of Potter holding the Quidditch Cup over his head.There was some alcohol waiting for her to smother these conflicting emotions.
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The euphoria of winning the Quidditch Cup didn’t linger very long with George Weasley. The end of May not only brought excellent weather, but also the endless studying in order to try to pass the OWL-exams.“I will never learn any of this,” shouted Fred, before throwing away his notes that belonged with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander. “Whose stupid idea was it anyway to try to pass for our OWLs?”George looked up from the comparison of two theories on Vanishing and Conjuring Spells.They were sitting in their usual spots in the library, hidden away safely by Notice-Me-Not-spells. The atmosphere in the library was thick with stress and contained crying fits from mostly fifth and seventh year students.“I mean, what is the point?” Fred continued. “And why does every teacher feel the need to emphasise the importance of the upcoming Ordinary Wizarding Levels? This week, every class had a little warmup speech, as if the teachers were afraid that their OWL-students were one day going to wake up and forget about them.”“Because we need them to open up our joke shop, Fred,” explained George calmly, nibbling on the end of his quill. “Think about that when we’re studying.”Fred muttered something unintelligible. With a flick of his wand he Accio’d his notes and fumbled them in order.George sighted and turned his thoughts to Intermediate Transfiguration, while making a diagram.“- so yes, Slytherin’s own Muggle princess gave it away -““- after the match, I heard -““- woke up with the three Chasers next to her -““- Slytherin sluts, so easy -“Three different, barely whispering voices broke through George’s concentration. His quill lingered above his parchment. Slowly he shoved his chair a few inches to the left.In one of the empty library corridors he could see three Ravenclaw girls from their year gossiping. He thought of them was called Lydia, but he wasn’t sure.“- I heard she performed a lap dance for the whole team. You know, to cheer them up after that horrible display of a match.”One of the girls turned up her nose. “Slytherins really have no shame,” she stated. “No wonder her own housemates steer clear of her. Filth.”George’s mouth dropped open.“Oi, George, come on. I don’t want to be late for Transfiguration. According to Davies, we will be given the timetable of our examinations from our head of house today.” Fred snapped his fingers. George turned his head and saw that Fred was impatiently standing next to him.“Coming.”It turned out that Davies was correct. McGonagall started today’s Transfiguration class by explaining the proceeding of the Ordinary Wizarding Levels.“As you can see, your OWLs are spread over two weeks. In the morning, you will sit the theory papers and in the afternoon the practical examination. The practical examination of Astronomy will, of course, take place during midnight.”George bowed his head while he carefully copied the timetable from the blackboard.“Now, I must warn you that the most stringent anti-cheating charms have been applied to your examination papers. Auto-Answer Quills are banned from the examination hall, as are Remembralls, Detachable Cribbing Cuffs and Self-Correcting Ink. Every year there are students who think they can get around the Wizarding Examinations Authority’s rule. I can only hope that nobody in Gryffindor will make such a feeble attempt.” The eyes of McGonagall rested on her students.“Professor?” asked Alicia, raising her hand in the air.“Yes, miss Spinnet?”“When will we find out our results?”“An owl will be sent to you some time in July,” answered Professor McGonagall.“Perfect,” said Fred in a very audible whisper, who set next to George. “So we don’t have to worry about it till the holidays.”“Now, before we begin today’s rehearsing class, has someone come across any difficulties during studying? Yes, mister Towler?”The rest of the class was dedicated to independent study. Fred finally managed to turn his rat into a very nice flowered china cup, which earned him 5 points.“Two weeks of endless torture,” muttered Fred, when they went back to the library to start studying for Charms, their first exam on Monday.“It is just two weeks,” George assured his brother, while setting up the Notice-Me-Not spells. “How bad can it really be?”Sunday afternoon, George melancholy thought about those words. Even two days of studying seemed endless.While in their dorm, the three boys were practicing their spells. Lee Jordan was laying on the bed, citing the definition of a Accio-spell, while Fred checked if he was right. George went through his summaries of his five years with his fingers in his ears.The hours passed and George felt how the stress was weighing him down. He wanted nothing more than to open up his own joke shop with his brother. They needed their OWLs to avoid any trouble with the Regularisation and, more importantly, to show their mother they were being serious about their future.“George, are you up for dinner?” Fred, white as a sheet, tapped on his shoulder.“No, I don’t feel hungry. You two can go. I’m heading tot he library, so I can rehearse a bit …"“Come on, Georgie. You need to eat something,” pleaded Fred.“No, don’t worry. I will be back before curfew and stock up during breakfast. You go, Fred.”With a doubtful look in his eyes, Fred left the dorm with Lee Jordan on his heels. George sighed and rolled off the bed.The silence was deafening in the library. Only a handful of people were found to be studying. Quickly, before anyone could spot him, George dived into an empty corridor and went to his favourite spot.“Is that a Weasel Gryffindork studying or are my eyes deceiving me?” A familiar voice crept up behind him.“Good evening, Your Grace,” answered George, without taking his eyes off the pages of the book in front of him.Eleanor, dressed in dark blue Muggle pants that fitted her snugly and a white T-shirt, flopped down on the chair across him.“You remembered my title,” Eleanor smiled widely, while she crossed a leg underneath her and rested her head on her fist. “Consider me impressed.”George grinned. “Is a Quidditch Cup not enough to do that job?”Eleanor folded her hands across her heart. “Ouch.”“Too soon?” asked George.“Too soon,” nodded Eleanor, while wrapping a lock of hair around her finger. Her eyes wandered to the book in front of him.“Achievements in Charming? My my, someone is taking his studies seriously.”George rolled his eyes, while Eleanor pulled out her own books.“You’re also studying?” asked George.“Of course,” answered Eleanor. “I know you boys would like to open up a joke shop, so you need your licences and papers, but I don’t have my future carved out of stone yet …”“How do you know about that plan?” asked George stunned.Eleanor raised one eyebrow. “So you don’t want to open up a joke shop?”“Yes, yes, of course. But how did you find out?”Eleanor smirked. “What else are the famous Weasley brothers going to do? Healer or Ministry official?” She laughed when George pulled a face.“So, a joke shop for the jokers. It seemed so logical, so straight-forward, for you boys. And it explains the studying, which is smart, as well as trying to maintain a serious attitude.”Again, George was baffled by the girl in front of him.“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked him, while she thumbed through her own Achievement in Charming and pulled out some parchment and a goose quill.“Nothing,” answered George, before turning his attention back to his own notes.They studied in silence for a few hours. Only the rustling of fresh parchment pieces disturbed them from time to time.Every now and then George looked over Eleanor, who was furiously scribbling notes on the parchment. Her nose was wrinkled with concentration, while she was biting on the end of her quill when she studied a diagram in Achievement in Charming. Her dark eyebrows frowned together.George couldn’t help but smile and look sideways before giving himself away.Only when other students in the library began to slip away before curfew, George and Eleanor raised their heads“Well, it was nice studying with you, Weasel Gryffindork,” mentioned Eleanor, before she got up.“That’s the weirdest compliment anybody has ever given me.”“Are you sure it is a compliment?” Eleanor smiled, her cedar brown eyes glittering in the candle light, before she turned around and almost disappeared in thin air.Slowly George made his way back to Gryffindor’s common room. Fred and Lee had let off some steam by putting on a display of Dr Filibuster’s Fabulous Wet-Start, No Heat Fireworks. They were grinning while Hermione Granger furiously lectured them, not aware of the fact that she only made the attention to the star sky greater.George nodded at his twin brother, who ignored Hermione and walked with him to the dorms.“We saw the examiners after dinner,” said Fred slowly, while they took off their clothes.“And, what were they like?” asked George, when he put on his pyjama pants.“Ancient,” replied Fred. George smiled, but his stomach felt empty.“‘Night, George.” Fred climbed into his four-poster.“Night, Fred.”Sleep didn’t come easily. George tossed around underneath the sheets and couldn’t get the image of Eleanor Seymour out of his thoughts.Breakfast was a very silent affair. Some of the students, such as Alicia Spinnet, charmed the salt cellars to make them dance, while others rehearsed their notes.The tension was palpable. Together with the seventh years they waited in the hall while the Great Hall was transformed into the depths of Hell where they had to take their exams.“This was the most stupid idea we’ve ever had,” muttered Fred, while he nervously tapped his wand onto the stairs. Red and golden sparks spurted out of the tip of his wand.“Just try your best,” said George very curtly. His foot tapped onto the tiles, until professor Flitwick mentioned that the Gryffindors could enter the Great Hall first.The four house tables were replaced by little tables. Professor Flitwick directed them to their places and George was relieved that he sat directly behind Lee Jordan.At least he wouldn’t be taking this exam without his friends.A few rows to the left he saw how Eleanor Seymour elegantly sat down. She crossed her legs and the hem of her skirt just barely covered the curve of her bottom.When everybody was seated, professor Flitwick walked to the front and turned the giant hourglass.“You may begin.”Slowly George turned over his assignments and dipped his quill into the ink.
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Even years later, George was unable to wrap his head around how he could have passed his OWLs with the constant distraction in the shape of Eleanor Seymour.After the written assignments for Charms, which went smoothly, they had a little break. The house tables were put back together for lunch and George’s appetite returned. A few places away from George and Fred sat their older brother Percy, studying and looking a few shades paler than he normally did.Percy was in his seventh year and was aiming for a job at the Ministry. George knew - from all the proud letters his mum had been sending him the past year - that Percy wanted to pass his 10 Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. It was not an impossible goal, given that their oldest brother Bill had achieved his 10 NEWTs.“Did you do okay?” asked George, while Fred loaded his plate with sausages and beans.“It went better than I had expected,” whispered Fred. “You?”“Same.” After lunch they were ushered into the small room next to the Great Hall where they waited until they were called in for their practical examination. They were being summoned in alphabetical order, which meant that Fred and George were one of the last ones to undergo the examination. Carefully George tried to avoid any eye contact with Slytherin’s duchess while he practiced his movements for the Wingardium Leviosa spell. His wrist began to ache. “Less swish, more flick,” mumbled Fred to his brother.“I know,” snapped George, before he accidentally jabbed his brother in the ribs. “Ouch, you don’t have to levitate me,” grumbled Fred, but he was able to continue, George had levitated him a few inches off the ground.“Hey, put me down!” Around them, their fellow students burst out in laughter.“Mister Weasley and mister Weasley, please go inside and demonstrate your levitation skills in front of the examinators instead of your fellow classmates.” Professor Flitwick ushered them inside. “Please. Professor Marchbanks and Professor Tofty are available.”Fred walked straight to Professor Marchbanks, whose desk was located closest to the door. George walked over to Professor Tofty, who was by far the oldest and baldest Professor in the room. “Is it Fred or George Weasley?” asked Professor Tofty, with a very old, shaky voice.“George Fabian Weasley, Professor,” answered George, while nervously rubbing his wand.“Ah, the nephew of late Fabian Prewett,” smiled Professor Tofty, who adjusted his glasses. “Incredible boy. Such a shame, such a shame.”George swallowed anxiously. “No need to be nervous, boy,” Professor Tofty went on. “Would you like to make this teapot grow a few feet, please?”George immediately felt at ease. “What do you mean by a few feet, Professor?” he asked politely, while he waved his wands and concentrated on his wrist movements. “Two feet of five feet?”To be fair, George had expected a lot more of the Charms exam. Fred had outdone his Levitation Charm until Professor Marchbanks had begged him stop somersaulting his plate so wildly because she was afraid it might break.There was no time to rest. After dinner, Fred, George and Lee immediately went to the library to revise their Transfiguration notes.“You know, George, you may have been right. It was fun pranking the old examinators with our skills,” admitted Fred when they went back to the tower.The written assignments for Transfiguration went well. George made up some of the theories he couldn’t remember. The practical examination went smoothly. Again, George ended up with Professor Tofty.“Ah, mister Weasley again,” smiled the old Professor. “Would you like to turn this mouse into a lovely china cup, please?”“Do you have a preference to a specific pattern, Professor?” asked George. “My mum likes a classic rose flower pattern, but I consider myself more a polkadot man …”On Wednesday and Thursday the examinations for Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts went smoothly. George almost forgot to put on his earmuffs for the repotting of his Mandrakes, but thanks to the teaching of professor Lupin, the practical examination for Defence Against the Dark Arts was a piece of cake.“Thank Merlin we’re got three days to study for Potions,” said Fred, when they walked up the stairs together on Thursday after dinner. George frowned. “I am just thankful that Snape is not our examinator. But it is not going to be easy.”“You’re still on for the plan of you acing Potions and me acing Care for Magical Creatures?” asked Fred. “Yes. I need time to sleep after Potions, so I will skip the exam of Magical Creatures. You can study for Magical Creatures during the Potions’ exam, since you promised to help me study for Potions. McGonagall never told us that we were obligated to take the examinations.”Fred nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”George spent his whole weekend in the library, studying. Fred sometimes rehearsed with him to exact order of some potions that were likely to be treated on the exam. It was very late when George went to bed Sunday night, with his head spinning with potion ingredients and effects.“Get even with Snape, George,” said Fred the next morning, before George went to the Great Hall. “Good luck, little brother.”“Have fun studying,” answered George, who felt nauseous. The writing assignment was not easy, but George could almost answer any question without much doubt. The practical examination went better than he had hoped, since Snape wasn’t in the room to breathe over his shoulder. Maybe, just maybe, he might have gotten himself an O. At least his potion had the same colour as the one Eleanor Seymour had concocted.“So, how did it go?” asked Fred as soon as George passed through the portrait hole. “Better than we hoped for. But now I just want to sleep for a bit …” George patted Fred’s shoulder and walked straight to his dorm.George slept for a solid fourteen hours. When he woke up, the first rays of sunshine crept waveringly into the Tower of Gryffindor. Lee and Fred were still asleep. A quick glance on his watch told him it was just past five o’clock in the morning. His stomach grumbled and slowly George got up. On his nightstand stood the letter to his brother Charlie, which he had finished the past weekend. Why not, he thought by himself and grabbed the letter on his way out. He probably was the first one, but when he almost reached the top of the stairs to the Owlery, he could hear an all too familiar voice.“Here, wait, Pegasus. I still need to add the stamp.” George heard some low, agreeable screeching and a fierce sway of a wand. “There. And please, for the love of God and all that’s holy, don’t bring it immediately to Father’s desk. The letterbox, Pegasus, please, in it. And be on time, before the mailman. And not on the letterbox, you hear me, Pegasus? In the letterbox. I know you can do it.”The screeching became an outraged hoot. “Yes, yes, I know. It’s just that Mother cannot find out, you know that.” George heard the soft ruffles of feathers and then the spreading of wings.George kept perfectly still and slowly counted to ten. He didn’t even dare to breathe.Only then did he go in.Just as he suspected, Eleanor Seymour stood abandoned in the Owlery. She leaned her head against a stone pillar and stared into the distance across the lake. If George had even the tiniest sense of what he had heard, he knew enough. He scraped his throat.“Goodmorning, Your Grace.”From the bulge of her cheek, he could see that his intention had succeeded. She smiled.“Weasel Gryffindork.”“At your service, ma’am.” He saluted and this time Eleanor’s smile became a sincere laugh.Her dark ebony locks fell loosely over her shoulders. The sun slowly rose behind the mountains.Because it was so early, neither of them wore their school uniforms yet. George wore a worn out jeans and a soft T-shirt. Eleanor on the other hand wore expensive looking trousers and a blouse made from very fine fabric that clung to her curves.“I didn’t know any Gyrffindorks aspired to take classes with Professor Severus Snape for two more years out of their own free will,” he heard her say while George tried luring one of the school owls down.“Oh, well, you know. Making sure that my brother and I can sell our own Amortentia legally, without poisoning our future customers.”“Amortentia, now? Are your seducing skills lacking that badly?”George smiled. “I believe my sweet smile is enough to seduce any witch. Natural charms.” He flashed a quick smile at her before turning his attention to the owl that flew down towards him.“What are you doing up so early anyway?” asked George, while he fumbled with folding his letter.He could almost physically feel the burn of Eleanor’s eyes measuring him up as he attached the letter for his older brother to the outstretched leg of the barn owl.“Making sure that my father receives his weekly letter from his daughter up in boarding school in Switzerland with the normal Muggle mail.”George’s fingers suddenly struggled with tying the knot smoothly. “What do you mean?” he asked slowly, not daring to turn his head around.“My father doesn’t know I’m a witch.” Eleanor shrugged her shoulders. “It doesn’t matter.George wanted to say something, but Eleanor held up her outstretched hand. “Don’t, Weasel. Just don’t. I don’t need your sympathies. Save them for someone who actually cares.”She stomped off and he could her the angry clicking of her heels as she made her way down the stairs.George stood in the Owlery for a very long time. During the Astronomy practical examination on Wednesday night Eleanor didn’t deign to glance at him. She sat very silently behind her telescope and only moved to re-adjust her tripod. While filling in his chart, he kept glancing at Eleanor. The way the moonlight hit her hair and illuminated her soft skin was like a beacon for him.George frowned and turned his attention back to his own telescope. He pressed his eye back to his telescope and tried to find the sign of the zodiac Orion, looking for the moon. He had never been so glad when Professor Tofty announced the time was up and George could turn in his chart.Thursday was dedicated to the only two exams without the practical examinations. Before lunch they sat History of Magic, in which George made up the most bloodiest Troll War since Elfric The Bald. In the afternoon they sat their theoretical examination of Muggle Studies. George would never admit it to his brother, but he really like Muggle Studies. The world of Muggles had always fascinated him and he had often sneaked to the shack of his father. He knew that Professor Charity Burbage only asked for an Acceptable to take his NEWT.“We’re done,” breathed Fred after they handed in their examination form. “Freedom, it never tasted so sweet.”George smiled. “What do you think, brother dearest, of a nice prank to celebrate?”“Well, I thought you’d never ask.”
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The last week at Hogwarts passed in a haze.On Monday, George and Fred managed to turn the clothes of the entire Slytherin house into the latest Muggle fashion with Gryffindor colours. Malfoy shrieked with horror when he discovered that he was dressed into a golden swim short and a red button-down shirt. The only one who ignored her sudden transformation was, of course, Eleanor Seymour.She nipped her tea and was oblivious to the fact that she was now wearing a golden ballet tutu with a flaming red bikini halter.George couldn’t take his eyes off her, just like most of the male population of Hogwarts.On Saturday the twin spent their last free days in Hogsmeade, loading up their pockets with their favourites from Zonko.It was only when he plopped down on his favourite spot next to the Black Lake, he heard the familiar voice of Eleanor.“Hello, George Weasley.”Immediately George turned around, just to find Eleanor laying in the grass, a novel pressed to her chest.“What, no Weasel Gryffindork this time?” he asked teasingly.Eleanor shrugged. She tapped her wand to the black box next to her and suddenly, loud music blasted through the box.George gave a start and Eleanor laughed. “What, never listened to The Cure before?”“What cure are you talking about?” asked George cautiously, before he sat down, one eye firmly on the black box next to her.Eleanor laughed again. “Cute, Weaseldork.”George huffed, but didn’t react. Eleanor rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her novel.“What’s it about?” asked George after a few moments in silence.“What is what about?” asked Eleanor, before turning a page.“Your novel,” specified George. “Pride & Prejudice.”Eleanor smiled, as if his question amused her. “About a proud woman and a prejudiced man who fail to see they love one another,” explained Eleanor.“A love story,” concluded George.“It is a very famous love story,” argued Eleanor. “And I can identify with Darcy. He doesn’t like people much.”“I figured.”Eleanor’s smile grew bigger. She leaned back into the grass and focused her attention to her novel.George stretched out and looked out at the Black Lake. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and the Giant Squid came to the surface to bathe in the sunbeams.It was nice sitting out here, out of the view of the school and hidden away from spying eyes, with the music playing in the background.“That black noisy box of yours. I’ve never seen anything like it.” The device piqued George’s interest.“It’s called a boombox,” explained Eleanor. “It is a portable music player with a radio and two cassette tape players.”“Oh, I know,” said George eagerly. “We covered it in Muggle Studies.”Eleanor smiled. “May I?” asked George. Eleanor nodded.“Has it got anything to do with the Muggle device you were playing during detention?” asked George, while he was studying the boombox. The music changed into a different song.“It is the same principle, but that was a walkman connected to a headphone, so only I could hear the music.”“The earmuffs, that’s the headphone?” asked George.Eleanor nodded. “Yes. Muggles call it headphones. Earmuffs don’t play music,” she laughed.“And the music, does it come from the radio or the cassettes?”“These are tapes that are playing. I don’t have any good reception up here for radio. The Muggle radio works with the same principle as our radio.”Eleanor fumbled in her bag and pulled out a couple of silver little boxes, not bigger than an envelope. “These are cassette tapes,” she said, while she handed them over.George studied the thin little boxes. “There’s music on these?” he asked, before shaking it and holding it to his ear.“Yes, but you’re only able to hear it while it’s in the boombox,” said Eleanor, who tried her best to hold her laughter. “Otherwise, it won’t work.”“And how does it actually work?” asked George.“Well, you put the tape in the boombox and press Play, that’s this button right here,” she pointed at the button. “That’s it.”George was impressed. “What do the other buttons do?” he asked.“That’s Forward to the next song, Back to previous song, Pause the current song and Eject, to eject the tape and replace it with another tape, so you can play a different set of songs.”George pressed on Forward and the next song came up. It was a lot faster and happier than the other song.“I like this one,” said George. “Those Muggles know how to get their groove on.”“Of course you would like Rick Astley, Weaseldork,” grinned Eleanor. “Typical Gryffindor.”George grinned back at her and nodded his head in the rhythm of the song.“So this is the kind of music Muggles like to listen to?” asked George at Eleanor.“Well, not every Muggle,” she hesitated. “My father hates this kind of music. He likes more classical music, with violins and such. You know the kind, it is very similar to what Pureblood families play at their high society parties.”“I never went to those parties. Family of blood traitors, remember?” smiled George. “But I think I know what kind of music you mean.”“Good.”The silence lingered for a long time between them. Out of his eye corners George studied how Eleanor read her book. He felt the urge to soften the frown between her eye brows with his thumb while she absorbed the story.“Nell! Listen up, Nell! You’ll never believe it!”Behind them, the voice of a girl disturbed them both.Berenice Yaxley showed up and immediately went silent. She looked from George to Eleanor and back. Her grey eyes narrowed slightly.“Well, well, a Weasley. This is interesting.”“What is it, Berenice?” asked Eleanor, who sat upright. She put her novel down and looked at her friend.George scrambled to his feet. “Well, ladies, I have to go. Some pranks to prepare, some Slytherins to torment as good Gryffindors do.”“You’re a duffer, Weasley!” yelled Berenice him. One quick glance over his shoulder learned George that her white blond ponytail was almost standing upright, like the tail of an angry cat. He smiled an angel-like smile at her.“What are you doing with a Weasley?” asked Berenice, who came down with a thud on the same place George had been sitting a few moments before.“Nothing. What do you want to tell me?” Eleanor asked her friend.“For starters, you’re going to tell me exactly what Weasley was doing here. And don’t tell me it was nothing, because that didn’t look like nothing.”Eleanor rolled her eyes.“Spill the beans, Nell. Come on.”“Fine. We studied together a few times during our OWLs. In complete silence,” she added hastily, when she saw that Berenice wanted to interrupt her. “And he found me sitting here minding my own business and sat down and a civil conversation with me about the boombox.”This time it was Berenice who rolled her eyes. “So fascinated by Muggle stuff.”“Hey!”“Joking. So you like him?”Eleanor sighed. “No, I don’t. It is just nice talking to him. That’s it.”“Good. Because otherwise you’re going to break Adrian’s heart. Remember, after the Quidditch final?”Eleanor gave Berenice a little shove. “Cut it out. It was an accident. We both had too much to drink and …”“And then you woke up next to him, completely unaware of where all of your clothes could have wandered off to,” finished Berenice teasingly.“Stop it. We both don’t remember anything from that evening.”“Well, there was a lapdance involved,” began Berenice, but she was cut short by Eleanor.“Please stop. I don’t want to know.”“So it is okay for you to traumatise me with your behaviour, but it’s not okay for me to remind you that you were actually the one who made it all happen in the first place?”“Exactly. Nice to see we’re on the same page here. Now, what did you want to tell me that made you come all the way here?”“Oh, yes, that. Uhm,” Berenice sat upright and looked at her friend with glittering eyes.“I have the best news ever. The news just got out, but apparently Sirius Black was captured earlier this week. On the grounds of Hogwarts”The eyes of Eleanor grew large. “What?” she gasped. Her heart thumped down her throat.Sirius Black had been captured in Hogwarts? She wanted to scramble to her feet, but Berenice held her down.“No, that’s not all. Apparently, he escaped the very same night.”Eleanor let go of the breath she didn’t know she was keeping in. “Are you sure?”“Yes. I overheard Snape complaining to Dumbledore, accusing Harry Potter of it. Which is of course the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, but maybe Snape sustained brain damage by getting hit with a sunstroke. That would actually explain a lot, to be honest. I’m not sure why everybody in this school is so obsessed with that skinny Gryffindor, but that’s a question for another time. Well, so, long story short, Black escaped.”Eleanor smiled and heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you. That’s good to hear.”Berenice smiled encouragingly. “It thought that news would cheer you up, with the summer holidays creeping so near.”“It did. Thanks, Bunny.”“Anytime, Nell.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Reluctantly, Eleanor got off the Hogwarts train in London. The train whistled steam around her, while she took Pegasus’ cage and her trunk.“Come, let me get that for you,” said Adrian, who popped up next to Eleanor and offered to carry her trunk.“Thank you,” she said absentmindedly, searching the crowd in vain. She felt silly, like a little girl waiting for Christmas morning.Of course he wouldn’t be here.“So, I will see you this summer?” asked Berenice, while she dragging her own trunk behind her.“I guess. Is your father still okay with me visiting?”Berenice rolled her eyes. “Please. His bark is worse than his bite. My mother always looks forward to your visits.”Eleanor laughed. “Of course she does. Since I explained Muggle nobility to her, she cannot stop comparing it to the Pureblood families.”“Well, is she wrong?”“Your mother is never wrong,” Eleanor assured Berenice. “But I’d love to come visit.”Berenice smiled. “Thank you. Write to me as soon as you’re home.”“I will, Bunny.” Eleanor watched how Berenice disappeared into the crowd. “You know, my parents probably want to go to the Quidditch World Cup,” said Adrian softly next to her. Eleanor smiled. “Berenice cannot hear you anymore, you know,” she said teasingly.“Oh, she knows already. Maybe you want to come too?”Eleanor understood the underlying message immediately. “Of course. I would like that very much, Pucey, thank you.”Adrian smiled and Eleanor resisted the sudden urge to wrap her arms around him.“Darling, I have been looking everywhere for you.” A clear voice behind them made Eleanor tighten.“Good evening, Mother,” Eleanor muttered, before turning around.Behind her, Astraea Fawley stood waiting for her only daughter. Her ash-blonde locks were pulled together into an elegant updo and her dark eyes - the same as her daughter - were accentuated with dark eyeliner. She was fashionably dressed into one of the latest robes straight from Paris. The dark plum colour stand out against her fair skin. She had a regal air around her. In her ears glittered pearls and on her left ring finger she wore one of the biggest diamonds in England. “Hello, mister Pucey. Thank you for assisting my daughter with her trunk.” With a light wave from her wand her mother made the trunk weightless and thus levitated the trunk out of Adrian’s hands.. “Miss Fawley,” greeted Adrian Astraea uncomfortably, not exactly knowing what to do. He knew at least better than to use the surname of her husband. “Goodbye, Pucey. I will write you very soon,” said Eleanor, dismissing Pucey back to his freedom.The relief nearly dripped off his face. “Goodbye, Eleanor. Miss Fawley.”Her mother nodded her head and Eleanor resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Around them, people began to stare and to whisper.“Come, daughter. Our chauffeur is waiting for you. Please stand up straight, shoulders back. Good girl.”“Yes, Mother,” said Eleanor barely audible, pushing her shoulders back and lifting her head, before following her mother.From the corner of her eye, she could see the Weasley family. George was being hugged by his mother and his little sister flung to his side. His father looked very proud and hugged George’s younger brother tightly.Jealously crept over her, before she quickly looked away.“How did your OWL-exams go, Pleione?” asked Astraea when they finally sat in the car and the chauffeur seamlessly drove through the busy traffic of London.Eleanor flinched at the name her mother used. It was the name her mother had wanted to call her, but her father, the Duke of Norfolk, insisted in using the name of his grandmother. Her father didn’t even want to use Pleione as her second name - which was Anne, the name of Eleanor’s grandmother.Astraea was the only one who called Eleanor Pleione.“They went well, Mother. I expect my results be the end of July.”“Very good, Pleione. I want to see excellent results. We need to plan for your future, darling. ”Eleanor kept silent. She knew exactly the future her mother had planned out for her. “It is a pity that Berenice Yaxley’s brother is only six years old,” mused Astraea, tapping her bottom lip with her perfectly manicured finger. “I know Corban Yaxley is an uptight prick, but maybe he can be useful. He is still one of the most influential members of the Sacred 28. If Slughorn still taught at Hogwarts, but it is no use crying over spilled milk …”Eleanor closed her eyes, but couldn’t block out the voice of her mother, rambling over every single Pureblood family.It was a relief when the car stopped in front of the old country house that had belonged to the Seymour family for years. It was grand and could easily be mistaken for a small castle. When Eleanor’s grandparents were alive, the castle was open for day visitors, but after they passed away, Astraea Fawley had put an end to that practice. She hated being surround by Muggles and only kept the Muggle servants, claiming she liked them better than their house elves. The chauffeur opened the door and helped Astraea to get out. Eleanor rejected his hand and followed her mother inside. The great entry hall seemed to bring them back into history. The walls were high and decorated with swords and the coat of arms from the Seymour family.“We are expected to go to Euston Estate tonight. Apparently, a party is being held for the son of the Duke of Grafton, who came over from the United States.” Astraea pulled a face. If there was one thing Astraea hated more than Muggles, it was American Muggles. “You will wear the dress I laid out for you. You can find it on your bed, and please, be on your best behaviour tonight. I don’t want to end up having to beg that old fool Dumbledore for your admission at Hogwarts again.”“Viscount Ipswich should know how to behave, Mother,” said Eleanor icily. “I know, darling, I know. But we need to make an effort. I cannot afford any more skirmishes with Fudge.” Astraea twirled a lock of Eleanor’s dark ebony hair.Eleanor recognised that look on her mother’s face and slowly took a step back.“Where is the Duke?” asked Eleanor tentatively.“In his study.” The soft look disappeared out of Astraea’s eyes and her voice turned cold.Eleanor slightly nodded her head and walked away.Her father was sitting behind his large mahogany desk, reading several newspapers. Just like the rest of the house, the study looked like it belonged in a museum. Expensive furniture and antique paintings decorated the room. Behind her father hung a painting from an old English queen, who once belonged to the house of Seymour.“Eleanor,” he said, dropping the newspapers and smiling widely.The Duke of Norfolk was a lot older than his wife Astraea. Astraea was only in her mid-thirties. Philip Fitzgerald Seymour was already in his fifties. Some grey hair was showing through his pepper and salt coloured hair, but his big blue eyes still shone brightly. “Daddy.” Eleanor smiled.“How was boarding school in Switzerland?”Eleanor’s smile froze for a tiny moment. “It was fine,” she replied. “I am getting my exam results in July.”“I know, darling. Your mother was very stressed out about them,” her father went on. “You know she doesn’t like to worry, darling.”Eleanor smiled sadly. It was no secret that Astraea had never used magic on Philip in order to get him to adore her. She simply didn’t need to.“They went well,” Eleanor assured her father. “I already told her.”“Good. I hate to see your mother unhappy. Why don’t you get ready for Graftons’ get-together this evening? I know your mother has picked out a wonderful dress. I know Viscount Ipswich would love seeing you in white.” He patted her on her elbow, before he turned his attention back to the newspapers in front of him.Eleanor silently left her father’s study and headed for her room. As Astraea had promised, an ivory gown was waiting for Eleanor on her Queen Anne style bed. Eleanor sighed and resisted the urge to plop down on the dress. She knew her mother would refuse to use magic to get rid of the wrinkles.She sat down at her dressing table. The staff had already put her trunk in front of her bed. Pegasus’ cage was standing on the nightstand. She had left Pegasus in Scotland, knowing that he would love to fly back to the south on his own. On the armchair, a big white Persian cat lay snoozing in the warm sunlight that came through the big windows. As soon as the cat heard Eleanor, it opened her eyes and stretched out, longing for much needed belly rubs.“Hello, Nemea. Did you miss me?” she asked, perking up and scratching Nemea behind his ear.The cat began to purr and Eleanor scooped her up so she could sit in the chair herself. Absentmindedly she stroke Nemea. She knew she needed to start changing, but she didn’t feel like it.Her mother would spend the whole summer planning for her daughter’s future, just to make sure her offspring would end up in high society if the Wizarding World, while her father would have rather preferred to gain a better standing with the Muggle nobility. Lady Eleanor Anne Seymour, the future Duchess of Norfolk was related on her father’s side to the royal house of Windsor and was a very good catch for any man, from a duke to a baron. She knew that she had her looks going for her and that she could have her pick of the litter.But the only suitors her mother deemed worthy of Eleanor’s time, were all members of the old Pureblood families that had shut the door in Astraea’s face sixteen years ago. The fact that Astraea’s mother, Lady Annabel Stuart, was a Muggle, was enough to consider Astraea’s blood status as impure. It didn’t matter that the blood of Annabel’s husband, Cepheus Fawley, came from a long generation of the purest wizard blood. Astraea was considered a bad marriage candidate for any of their sons. Eleanor had never met her maternal grandmother, but she knew that Lady Annabel Stuart was considered the most beautiful woman of her time. Her beauty was the only reason that Cepheus had married her, a simple Muggle. Astraea Fawley never got over the denial. She sought out the richest Muggle in the United Kingdom, seduced him and ended up marrying the poor duke. Eleanor knew that she had more money than the 28 Sacred families combined. But she also knew very well that she was but a mere pawn in the scheme of her mother’s sweet revenge.“Lady Eleanor, your mother has sent Poppy to remind you to get ready for the Viscount Ipswich’s party, miss.” The door silently opened and Poppy, her own personal house elf, came in.Eleanor put Nemea back on the chair and gathered her dress from the bed. “Thank you, Poppy. Can you fill up a bath for me? If I need to bear with Viscount Ipswich’s hideous sexual snide remarks, I better feel clean to start with.”After the bath, when Poppy was busy with putting all of Eleanor’s hair into a tight bun, Pegasus came flying in through the open window, holding a letter in his beak. The tiny boreal owl looked very sure of himself.Proudly Pegasus stretched out his leg and immediately Eleanor snatched the letter.She couldn’t think of anyone who would write to her on the first day of the summer holiday.Eleanor unfolded the letter.
Dear Nell
I sent you this letter to let you know that you always have a place to stay with us, even if Father doesn’t agree with me. We both know the truth. Don’t listen too much to your mother. I will see you soon.
Bunny
PS: I cannot wait for the World Cup. I really hope that Father will be able to get us good seats with an excellent view. Ireland against Bulgary, can you imagine?
PSS: it seemed that Pegasus knew you needed to hear this, he showed up a few minutes after I wrote this letter to you.
“Lady Eleanor has very good friends, miss,” said Poppy behind her softly.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Fred! George! The OWL-results are here! Percy! The NEWT-results are in!”The shrill voice of Molly Weasley yelled at them from the bottom of the stairs.“I feel sick,” muttered Fred, who was laying on his bed while holding his belly. “I don’t want to know our future.”Fred and George’s room was one big mess. Pieces of parchment and candy wrappers were laying on the ground. Two small beds were crammed in the room, only separated by one big chest of drawers. Yellow banners of the Wimbourne Wasps, Fred and George’s team, were hanging on the wall.“Come on, Fred.” George hastily opened the door, missing Percy’s face by half an inch.“Oi, Fred, can’t you look out,” Percy said irritatedly. He re-adjusted his horn-rimmed spectacles.“It’s George,” corrected George out of habit. Percy mumbled something under his breath and thundered past.George followed his older brother in a slightly slower pace into the kitchen. Next to the open window, three owls were waiting on the kitchen table. The Burrow breathed a very homely atmosphere. On the stove simmered fresh soup, while a knife was cutting meat in the corner. The radio just played a song by Celestina Warbeck on the Wizarding Wireless Network. The round kitchen table had some burns in it, but it was very clean.“Ah, George, dear.” Molly looked at her son. She was wearing a white apron and had her red curls pulled back into a messy bun. Percy was already busy trying to undo his own letter. His hands were shaking so badly that his whole owl shook with him.George took a deep breath and opened the envelope addressed to him. He heard how Fred entered the kitchen.“Mother, we already know our results. We two deserved Exceeds Expectations for everything because we actually showed up at our examinations …”George didn’t listen and unfolded his letter.
ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS
Pass grades:
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Fail grades:
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
George Fabian Weasley has achieved:
Astronomy P
Care of Magical Creatures P
Charms E
Defence Against the Dark Arts E
Herbology E
History of Magic D
Muggle Studies E
Potions O
Transfiguration E
George read the parchment through several times, his breathing becoming easier with each time. He had done it! He had achieved “Outstanding” at Potions.Their plan for the joke shop was still on. He felt how a big balloon was being pumped up in his belly.Behind him, he could hear his mother looking over Percy’s shoulder.“Well done, Percy,” said Mrs. Weasley proudly, ruffling his hair. “Ten NEWTs, that’s amazing news. You can write Mr. Crouch for that job opening, I heard from your father that he desperately needs …”“How did you do,” whispered George at Fred. “Better than expected,” Fred gave his results to George. His eyes shone with expectation and hope. “We did it,” smiled Fred, while he looked at his brother’s results. George glanced a look at Fred’s results.
Fred Gideon Weasley has achieved:
Astronomy A
Care of Magical Creatures O
Defence Against the Dark Arts E
Herbology E
History of Magic T
Muggle Studies A
Potions T
Transfiguration A
“Six OWLs each, boys,” said Mrs. Weasley surprised. “I am so proud of you. I knew you could do it if you set your mind to it.” “Mum, are there any more of those sausages?” asked Fred, who looked around.“Of course, dear. George, I need you to help me write a letter to Harry’s aunt and uncle. I want to invite Harry to watch the World Cup with us and to spend the rest of the holidays here at the Burrow.”“Father has obtained tickets for the World Cup?” asked Percy, who sat at the kitchen table writing a letter. “He did,” said Molly. “He even got hold of a camping ticket, so you can all stay the night.”“Wicked,” said Fred, while he put a piece of sausage in his mouth. “George, are you up for some Quidditch?”“No, there is no time for Quidditch. Your brothers Charlie and Bill arrive home within a few hours and we need to clean the house for them. You two will sleep with Ron, in his room,” interrupted Molly in a stern voice.“Mum,” groaned Fred, but their mum had already put a mop in their hands.“No Mum. Start with cleaning out your rooms. I need them for Charlie and Bill. And please, clean out your mess. No Fake Wands or Ton-Tongue Toffees,” she looked at the twins very sharply. Their mother was still angry with the twins after discovering the order forms for their plans of the joke shop and their collection of magical candy and fake wands. The fight had escalated very quickly when Fred had told their mother that they didn’t ambition a career at the Ministry. Luckily Arthur had calmed both sides, sons and wife, down by saying to wait for their OWL results to arrive before discussing any further plans.Fred sighed and averted his look. “Yes, Mum.”When Charlie and Bill arrived at the Burrow a few hours later, the Burrow was spick and span.“Hello, Mum.” Charlie was the first one to enter and pressed a kiss on his mother’s cheek. “We’re home.”“Oh, Charles,” sniffed their mother, who hugged him tightly. “I am so happy to see you.”Charlie looked happily around him. He was short and stocky, with muscled arms. His face was so much covered with freckles that he looked tanned and was weather beaten from working outdoors with dragons. At a slower pace followed Bill Weasley, George’s older brother. Bill was tall, thin and handsome. He wore his red hair long and in a ponytail. In his ear dangled a ring with a fang. “Oh, William, dear.” Their mother finally let go of Charlie to hug Bill.“Hey, Percy, Fred, George,” greeted Charlie their brothers. “Where’s Ron and Ginny?” he asked, before sitting down next to Percy.“Cleaning their rooms,” said Percy stiffly, who watched the window impatiently. George knew his brother well enough to know that he was waiting eagerly to hear from Bartemius Crouch, his future boss.“I am hurt that the welcoming committee didn’t consist of our youngest sister,” smiled Bill, who finally was free from his mother’s grip. “How were Romania and Egypt?” asked their mother, before she waved her wand at the teapot to make some tea. With another wave, cookies came flying from the cabinet and dinner service placed itself on the table.Bill told them stories about his job as a Curse-Breaker in the pyramids of Egypt. It had been just a year when they all visited him in Egypt, but apparently they found a new tomb that had belonged to a very powerful Egyptian pharaoh. Charlie didn’t want to be second to his brother and told them about the dragons he treated and studied in Romania. He had just gained supervision over a Norwegian Ridgeback called Norberta and he was very proud of that particular dragon. “But how are things here?” asked Charlie, after his fourth cookie. “Percy, gained your ten NEWTs?”“I did, brother,” said Percy. “I applied for a job with Sir Bartemius Crouch, the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Normally, I should have an answer this afternoon.”“It is a very important position,” said Molly affectionately. Percy blushed.“And you boys,” asked Bill the twins. “Passed your OWLs, discovered the other sex?”“We passed our OWLs,” answered Fred. “And why the sudden interest in our love life, Billius? Afraid we might surpass your long list of conquests?”Bill laughed, while their mother looked severely at the twins. “Frederick Gideon, please behave.”Fred grinned widely. “I always behave, Mum. It is the girls who don’t behave around me.”Even Percy had to fight back a smile while the entire kitchen table burst out in laughter.The only one who didn’t laugh wholeheartedly was George. His mind was far away, thinking of one particular Slytherin who was at the exact moment awoken by her Muggle staff.“Lady Eleanor. Your mother is waiting for you in the drawing room.”Eleanor groaned and put her pillow over her head. “It’s morning, Alfred. I sleep in the morning. I don’t want to wake up to receive a sermon from Mother. Please.”“Your exam results have arrived, Lady Eleanor. Your mother wants to see you.”Eleanor opened one eye. Alfred looked at her expectantly, his livery in the colours of the house of Seymour freshly pressed.“I am coming, Alfred. Tell my mother that I’m getting ready for her. You’re dismissed.”“Thank you, Lady Eleanor.”When Eleanor came down, dressed in soft pants and a white shirt, her mother was already waiting for her on the floral couch from the time of Queen Victoria. On the coffee table, a Hogwarts owl sat waiting for Eleanor.“Ah, Pleione. Please, don’t keep me in suspense.” Astraea gesticulated to the owl, which hooted softly.Eleanor untied her letter and unfolded it. Her hands shook slightly. The large barn owl ruffled its feathers before taking off through the open terrace doors.
ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS
Pass grades:
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Fail grades:
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
Eleanor Anne Seymour has achieved:
Arthimancy O
Astronomy E
Care of Magical Creatures A
Charms O
Defence Against the Dark Arts E
Herbology E
History of Magic E
Potions O
Study of the Ancient Runes O
Transfiguration O
“I passed,” said Eleanor. The grip on the letter relaxed a bit, and she smoothed out the parchment.Astraea held out her hand and reluctantly Eleanor handed over the parchment.“Hmm. What went wrong with Care of Magical Creatures? And why didn’t you score higher on Herbology? Last year you obtained an O.” Astraea’s fingernail tapped on the parchment.Eleanor kept silent. She had no answer that would satisfy her mother. During Care of Magical Creatures, she had been distracted by the fact that only Fred Weasley had showed up. It was only after the practical examination, when she overheard Fred speaking to his friend Lee Jordan and heard him mentioning that George was still asleep after the Potions examination, that she felt at ease. Before getting angry with herself. Why did she care so much about George Weasley?Sure, he was kind. And he had very nice biceps, which had been showing during the practical examination of Herbology, while he was repotting Fanged Geranium and had taken off his cloak.“I don’t have an excuse, Mother. I will do better this year,” Eleanor said.“Stop mumbling, Pleione. Articulate, but in a soft, delicate voice. Have I taught you nothing?” snapped Astraea, while she rang for tea.“This came this morning.” Her mother leaned back and tapped the Daily Prophet, the wizarding newspaper.
SIRIUS BLACK HIDING IN THE SOUTH OF SPAIN? SPOTTED IN ANDALUSIA
Eleanor didn’t bother to read the article. “He escaped Hogwarts past June. It is plausible, Mother.”Alfred came in with a serving tray with tea and freshly baked scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Thankfully Eleanor took a saucer with a scone. Astraea took a cup of tea and gestured that Alfred could go.“I don’t think so. Sirius is too smart to be sighted when he doesn’t want to.” She took a sip. Eleanor kept silent and spread clotted cream over her scone.“It is a diversion. He was in Spain, but has returned to England.”Astraea looked thoughtfully while she took another sip. With her other hand she readjusted the midi dress she wore. “But why? Why would he take such a risk?” Astraea looked at her daughter and her dark eyes narrowed. “He hasn’t opened any of my letters I sent him. They all returned unopened. He doesn’t know the truth, or he would have showed up by now,” Astraea said.“It was rumored at Hogwarts that Harry Potter had something to do with Sirius Black’s escape,” mentioned Eleanor, after she had finished her scone and had poured herself a cup of tea.“Harry Potter?” asked Astraea, her voice surprised, before she was absorbed in thought.“Sirius was best friends with James Potter. I never believed he was the one to sell them out to the Dark Lord. Sirius despised Dark Magic,” Astraea thought out loud.“But Harry Potter … I know for a fact that Sirius was the best man of James’ wedding and he was made godfather after the birth of Harry, since James didn’t have any immediate living relatives, after the horrible death of his parents. Could he have returned for the boy?”Astraea’s dark eyes blinked at Eleanor and Astraea sat up straight, while she snapped out of her thinking. “Good. Pleione, you are excused. Please wear something more appropriate to the Yaxleys today. I need to write some letters.” With her hand she dismissed her daughter.“Please give Isabeau Yaxley my best, Pleione. Don’t forget to be perfectly polite to Corban Yaxley.”“Of course, Mother.” Eleanor fought the impulse to make a curtsy for Astraea and just nod her head in acknowledgement.“You’re a darling.”
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The Yaxleys lived in the north of England, close to the Scottish border. The manor was built in Tudor style and lay very secluded.“Miss Eleanor Seymour,” announced the ancient house elf Eleanor, when she got out of the fireplace in the great hall. Eleanor dusted down her emerald green robes and went with a hand through her hair. She hoped that she was looking respectable and elegant.“Ah, miss Seymour.” In the hallway Berenice’s father, mister Corban Yaxley, appeared. His light gray eyes were cold as marble. He wore his pale blond hair in a long ponytail and he was dressed in dark robes.“Welcome to Falestone Manor, miss. My family is delighted that you were able to accompany them to the World Cup of Quidditch.”Eleanor shook his outstretched hand. “Thank you, mister Yaxley, for that generous invitation. Berenice told me that she was very ecstatic with the tickets you obtained.”“Yes, they are very good tickets indeed. Of course the name Yaxley is well remembered within the Ministry and I managed to obtain tickets for a very nice box with only the best of families of the Wizarding World.”Eleanor lowered her gaze.“Come, miss Seymour. My family is in the sitting room, enjoying some tea.” Eleanor followed Berenice’s father in silence. They passed paintings from Yaxley’s ancestors, who looked at her with sceptical eyes.Berenice’s mother, Isabeau Fonteyre was the youngest daughter of one of the oldest French wizarding families. Her light mahogany hair was cut on shoulder length in a classic Parisienne haircut and her light blue eyes sparkled with joy when she discovered her guest behind her husband.“Ma chère Eleanor. I am so ‘appy to see you.” Isabeau got quickly to her feet and kissed Eleanor on both her cheeks. Her French accent was hardly noticeable. “How are your ‘olidays? Is your mother well?”She guided Eleanor to the settee. “Some tea, chèrie?”“Yes, thank you, ma’am. My mother is doing very well. She is very thankful for having extended your invitation.”Next to Eleanor sat Berenice, who held a watchful eye on her father. “I must go. I am afraid that a meeting with the head of the Magical Law Enforcement cannot wait.” Corban nodded at the ladies.“But, mon chèri, Eleanor just arrived,” objected Isabeau.“I know, darling. But I am afraid that Amelia Bones will not understand.”“Hmmph,” said Isabeau reluctantly. Corban gave his wife a kiss on her hand and nodded at Berenice and Eleanor. “I will see you three ladies at dinner.”As soon as her father had left the room, the atmosphere lightened. Berenice seemed to grow a few inches and a big smile seemed to appear on her face. “Did Adrian write to you that his mother got tickets to the same box as father did? He wrote that we would have the best view of the stadium, after the Prime Ministers himself!” blurted Berenice out. Isabeau smiled half-hearted and filled a plate with pastries for Eleanor, before leaving to girls to themselves.“No, Pucey didn’t,” answered Eleanor, while she took a sip of her tea. The tea was strong and she put a little bit of sugar in it. “I am sure I will receive an owl from him soon.”“Weird,” shrugged Berenice. “Oh well. Do you want to practice some Quidditch after? I really want to make the team now that Flint has officially graduated.”“Even with Malfoy as Captain?” asked Eleanor incredulously.“Still. Adrian said I would make a great Chaser.”Eleanor shook her head and smirked. “Of course Pucey said that to you.”“What do you mean with that?”“Nothing, Bunny. Passed all your OWLs?” Eleanor quickly changed the subject.It worked better than a charm. “Yes, except for History of Magic,” exclaimed Berenice. “Not that I will take that class again - the dreariness!”After discussing in length for which subjects they would go for their NEWTs, Eleanor let herself be persuaded to go out to the great lawn behind Falestone Manor for some Quidditch practice.Eleanor wasn’t a bad flyer, but she wasn’t half as good as Berenice was, who lived for Quidditch. She was nearly as bad as Pucey was.Berenice wanted to practice the Porskoff Ploy by all means after they had practiced some reverse passes. Eleanor wasn’t a bad catch, but she hated to dive after the Quaffle.“Can we just stop already? I cannot feel my butt anymore,” complained Eleanor after a particular nasty manoeuvre that she missed just by the tips of her fingers.They had been flying for a good hour and now the sun was setting below the hills, the cold came creeping in.Berenice huffed, but gave in. “At least we can sleep in tomorrow. Can you imagine that some people have to wait the entire day on the boring Muggle camp site to watch the game?” Eleanor shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t think that much about other people, Bunny.” “Of course you don’t,” grunted Berenice quietly, before leading the way to the manor.It was a relief that Corban decided to have dinner with the Bones family. During dinner, Isabeau wanted to hear all the gossip and news from the British Muggle aristocracy, which Eleanor happily told her. Isabeau was the only one from her world who was truly interested in her life as a duchess. She was the one adult who would never let Eleanor feel like an outsider. Eleanor never quite understood how someone so kind as Isabeau ended up with a Pureblood supremacist like Corban Yaxley, but she knew better than to ask Berenice. Her best friend was many things, but she was unable to stand criticism concerning her father, whom she adored. Berenice was smart enough to see the unpleasant truth, but that didn’t mean she would tolerate the truth spoken by someone else.In the morning, Eleanor learned that Berenice’s father was already on the camp site to take care of a few things. They killed time waiting on the Portkey by amusing Berenice’s little brother Castor with Hogwarts stories. Little Castor was a delight, who looked every inch his mother. “Hold on tight, Castor,” urged Berenice her little brother when one of the house elves announced that the Portkey was about to be activated any time now. They were all dressed in impeccable Muggle clothing. Eleanor had helped them find suitable and matching clothes. Isabeau wore a very nice patchwork paisley-print midi skirt with a simple white top and a brown blazer. Berenice wore a long satin dress with a floral print that accentuated her light colour and Eleanor was dressed in a simple white T-shirt with a black skinny jeans. Isabeau started counting. “Five, four, three, two, one.”They arrived in a desolated field, but they could hear the excited noise of thousands and thousands of international wizards together.“The 14:10 from Falestone Manor,” said a very bored voice. “Madam Yaxley,” said a Ministry official. “Your husband has asked me to accompany you to your tent. Madam Malfoy is already waiting for you.”“Thank you, Radford,” said Isabeau with a smile. She took Castor’s hand and followed the Ministry official. Berenice and Eleanor exchanged glances. There was to be no doubt that wherever Narcissa Malfoy was to be found, a young Draco followed closely in her footsteps. “Oh, Izzy, you look splendid,” exclaimed Narcissa Malfoy as soon as they arrived at their tent. The pale blonde woman, dressed in a long black dress, eagerly hugged Isabeau. Behind Narcissa stood Draco Malfoy, looking like he smelled something foul. “Merci beaucoup, Cissa. Eleanor ‘elped to pick out the right clothes. She ‘as very good taste. You look stunning as well.” Isabeau beamed at Eleanor.“Of course, who better than Eleanor would know her way around Muggle fashion?” sneered Draco, which earned him an irate look from his mother.Eleanor clenched her fists. Who did that little slimey git think he was?“Why don’t you girls go look for Adrian Pucey, Berenice? I am sure Madam Malfoy and myself have some catching up to do. Draco will guide little Castor around the camp site, won’t you, Draco?” smiled Isabeau, already smoothing out any possible wrinkle. “A splendid idea, Izzy,” clapped Narcissa. “Of course, mother,” smiled Berenice, who dragged Eleanor away. “Come on, Nell,” whispered Berenice. She knew that murderous look on her best friend’s face. It was the same look she had just seconds before she had hexed poor Davies during Transfiguration.“That prick,” grunted Eleanor, who kicked at some blades of grass. “Did you hear what he said?”“Don’t let him get under your skin, Nell,” said Berenice, before changing the topic. “Let’s find Adrian Pucey.”The campsite was filled with a city of tents. Every nation was represented. Most of the tents looked ordinary, but many of the wizards had been putting too much effort in it. They had added chimneys or bell pulls or weather vanes. Some other wizards hadn’t even bothered to follow the security measurements of the Ministry and looked so obviously magical.Eleanor and Berenice walked around on the campsite and tried to avoid the busier parts of where the Irish and Bulgarians were staying. The Irish had decorated their tents with a thick growth of shamrocks, while the Bulgarians had chosen to display pictures of their beloved Seeker.It was crowded with wizards dressed up in the strangest Muggle clothes combination. Berenice and Eleanor passed an old wizard dressed in a long flowery nightgown. He was followed by an agitated-looking wizard who tried to persuade him to change into a pair of pin-striped trousers.“Please, Archie, be a good chap and just put them on -““I’ll do nothing of the kind!” said old Archie angrily. “I like a healthy breeze down there, thank you very much.”Berenice nearly split her sides with laughter after the two wizards had disappeared in the crowd. “Please don’t choke on me,” said Eleanor with as much dignity she could grasp, while Berenice was doubled up. Eleanor groaned and leaned down to grab her friend’s elbows. A shadow fell over them.“Oh, there you are. I was looking for you.”In front of them stood Adrian Pucey. He was dressed in a jeans with a green T-shirt that made his eyes pop. “What’s the matter with her?” asked Adrian, who gestured at Berenice, whose shoulders still shook with stifled laughter. “She saw a wizard in a nightgown,” explained Eleanor, who pulled Berenice back to her feet. “What are you doing here?”“Searching for you girls. Our families have tickets to the same box according to my father and my mother wants to invite you girls for dinner.”“That’s awfully nice of her,” replied Eleanor.
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Adrian guided them to his family’s tent. The tent was located close to the very edge of the wood at the top of the field.“This is one of the best spots,” explained Adrian. “The Quidditch field is just on the other side of the wood here.”“That’s convenient,” commented Berenice. “Yeah, I know.” Adrian held up the flap for them and gestured them inside.It was as if Eleanor had stepped into the living room of a country house, decorated in warm brown and red tones. The furniture was made of walnut and polished until it shone. A woman with dark blonde hair that was pulled back into a tight bun, was arranging plates on the dinner table. She looked up and Eleanor recognized the same green eyes of Adrian. “Mum, this is Berenice Yaxley and Eleanor Seymour, my friends from Hogwarts. Eleanor and Berenice, this is my mother, Florence Pucey.”Berenice, whose position was better than Eleanor’s due to her blood status, took the first step. “Good evening, madam Pucey,” greeted Berenice Adrian’s mother warmly. “Thank you for your kind invitation.”“Welcome, miss Yaxley.” The voice of Adrian’s mother was deeper than Eleanor had expected, but still feminine. “Adrian told me very much about you.”“Thank you for the invitation, madam Pucey,” greeted Eleanor, who nodded her head slightly. “I am sorry that we arrive with empty hands, but Adrian found us on the campsite.”Adrian’s mother looked back at Berenice. “I will sent your mother a Patronus, miss Yaxley. I don’t want Isabeau to worry,” said Adrian’s mother firmly. She waved her wand and a silvery swift appeared. “Find Isabeau Yaxley and tell her that her daughter and guest will be escorted to the Quidditch box by the Puceys at nine o’clock,” instructed Florence the bird, who had landed on her arm. The swift tilted its head before taking off.“Thank you, madam Pucey,” said Berenice. Florence only smiled. “Oh, dear, it was no problem at all. Please, make yourself at home. I will be in the kitchen, looking over the preparations for dinner.” With a dazzling smile Adrian’s mother disappeared in the kitchen.Berenice was the first who took Adrian’s mother’s invitation to heart. She draped herself over the leather couch and looked over at Adrian, who poured them some elven-made wine. “Who do you think is going to win, Bunny?” Adrian asked. He handed Eleanor and Berenice a glass. Stiffly Eleanor took place next to Berenice and crossed her legs at her ankles. “Difficult to say. Ireland has smashed Peru in the semifinals. That save from Ryan was priceless.”“Yes, but the Bulgarians have won the last twelve Eastern European Championships. Every game Krum has played, he has been unbeaten,” countered Adrian, who had taken place in the armchair across of them. Berenice huffed. “Bulgaria has one excellent player. Ireland has got seven,” rebounded Berenice. “Touché.” Adrian raised his glass at her. In Berenice’ grey eyes lay a hint of teasing and something slowly started to dawn on Eleanor. “Have you received the Quidditch Captain badge over the summer, Pucey?” asked Berenice, who leaned back into the cushions.“No,” answered Pucey, before placing his glass on the table in front of them and looking slowly over at Berenice. “I thought Malfoy has received it.”The frown on Berenice’s face deepened. “I don’t think so. If that was the case, Malfoy would have began bragging about it the minute we ran into him.”Pucey shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe his mother has gotten through his thick skull with etiquette lessons and he finally started to behave like a true Slytherin, instead of a bad Gryffindor.”Eleanor listened in silence while Pucey and Berenice went over the upcoming match and discussed Quidditch tactics. During dinner, madame Pucey did her share to the discussion while doing her best to ignore Eleanor.She pricked in her food, but didn’t taste much. It was clear that Adrian’s mother thought Eleanor was nothing more than a foul Muggle. Every now and then Adrian threw Eleanor an apologetic look, but it only made Eleanor feel worse, like she needed his pity.Astraea had told her many times that people would treat her like dirt just because the assumption of who her father was, but Eleanor would have never guessed that the mother of one of her closest friends would give her that treatment. Of course, in the Slytherin common room, she always acted like she was better than most. Every time someone dared to comment on her blood, she retorted with that her Muggle blood was the best Muggle blood in the world. Eleanor pushed her shoulders back and threw her hair back, while smiling sweetly at Adrian’s mother. She wouldn’t let the older woman ignore her that easily. After dessert was served, Eleanor got up. “Please excuse me, I need to get a bit of fresh air.”Adrian looked at her worryingly, but Eleanor shook her head and mouthed that she was fine. Once she was outside, Eleanor relaxed her posture. Her jaws hurt from the smile she had plastered on during dinner. In her leather shoulder bag she searched for a pack of cigarettes.Around her, Eleanor could hear the sound of thousands of wizards shouting, laughing and singing while they slowly made their way through the forest to the Quidditch stadium. It was an atmosphere of feverish excitement, but Eleanor just wanted to escape. She lit her cigarette and leaned back to a tent pole, while she studied the passing wizards. While she blew out the smoke, her eyes fell on two familiar silhouettes in the shadow of the tents next to her. The voices of the two silhouettes were hushed. Prudently, she sneaked closer until she was within ear-shot range. “Fred, are you sure about the outcome? This is absolute madness, you know.”“Oh, George, please. Think of the money if we actually win. We could start our shop all by ourselves, without going to Gringotts to ask for a loan or beg investors to consider us …”“I mean - wait, what is that smell?” George stiffed. Quickly Eleanor dropped her cigarette and hid her body in the long shadows of the tents. “What is it?”“I thought - no, never mind. Let’s get back inside and get ready for the match.”Eleanor waited until she saw the Weasley Twins enter their own tent before she retreated from the shadows. Her heart pounded in her throat. She almost didn’t notice that the tent of the Pucey’s opened up. “Come on, Eleanor,” called Berenice, looking as excited as Adrian Pucey. “Come on, let’s go.”Eleanor slowly nodded and followed the Pucey’s into the wood, following the lantern-lit trail. She almost couldn’t hear the sounds of thousands of people moving around her, their shouts and laughter, the snatches of singing. Berenice walked beside her and slowly the atmosphere of feverish excitement came also over Eleanor, who slowly started grinning. After walking for about twenty minutes, they found themselves in the shadow of a gigantic stadium, which could easily fit ten cathedrals. “Seats more than a hundred thousand,” said mister Pucey proudly. “The Ministry task force have been working on it all year.” He leaded the way toward the nearest entrance. Berenice smiled only and eagerly looked around her, while the Ministry witch at the entrance checked their tickets. “You need to go straight upstairs, mister Pucey, until you see the sign for the Golden Box. I wish you a very good evening.”Adrian and Berenice talked about the upcoming match, while Eleanor followed them. She thought about the conversation between the Weasley twins she had heard. It was clear that they had placed a bet on the match, but she didn’t knew with whom.As long as it isn’t Ludo Bagman, Eleanor thought. Bagman was a Ministry official who was notorious for not paying back his loans. He was addicted to gambling. Just before reaching the top of the staircase, mister Pucey leaded them inside a big box. Berenice’s family was already seated in purple-and-gilt chairs. Two house-elves were standing close to the door, waiting until they could serve their masters with drinks and snacks during the game.Curiously Eleanor looked around. Their box was located next to the Top Box, where the Irish, British and Bulgarian Ministers were seated, just as the Malfoys and, strangely, the Weasleys. “What are they doing here?” Berenice hissed to Adrian, who just shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t know, don’t care.”They took their places and Eleanor looked around the stadium, which bathed in a mysterious golden light, coming from the stadium itself. The field was a long oval, smooth as velvet. Just right opposite from their box, on their eye level, was a gigantic blackboard, which flashed advertisements across the field. An elf popped up next to them to offer them ice cold pumpkin juice and Eleanor gladly took one. Her eyes darted to her right and she could see the silhouette of George Weasley, sitting only a few feet away. Just a few seats further, she could see Harry Potter with his friends. No wonder why Draco Malfoy looked like he just swallowed a lemon. Next to her, Adrian and Berenice pulled out their Omnioculars and waited impatiently until the match would start. Little Castor flipped through the velvet-covered program. “A display from the team mascots will precede the match,” he read aloud, before looking to his father to clarify.“The national teams bring creatures from their native land to put on a show, Castor,” explained mister Yaxley, before being cut off by the loud voice of Ludo Bagman, who just arrived in the Top Box. His voice echoed into every corner of the Quidditch stands. “Ladies and gentlemen … welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!”Everybody screamed and clapped, while thousands of hands waved the flags they were holding. The blackboard now showed BULGARIA: 0, IRELAND: 0. “And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce … The Bulgarian National Team Mascots!”The right-hand side of the stands, a solid block of scarlet, roared loudly. Eleanor leaned forward in her seat to look what the Bulgarians had brought with them and she could feel Adrian smirk next to her. “Ah, Veela.”Berenice looked very sour at Adrian, who leaned back and watched happily how the Veela started to dance.“Stop smirking, Pucey,” snapped Berenice, whose eyes shone with fury.“Just enjoying the show, Yaxley,” said Adrian lazily, before looking at her with a big grin. Bagman announced the Irish National Team Mascots and Eleanor watched that display out of the corner of her eye, while keeping her focus on her friends. When the heavy gold coins rained over their heads, it was Castor who eagerly plucked the coins before handing them over at his mother. As soon as the Irish leprechauns had disappeared, Bagman spoke again.“And now, ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you - Dimitrov! Ivanova! Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov and …. Krum!”Wild applause roared around the stadium. “Two Galleons on Krum catching the Snitch,” whispered Berenice to Adrian, who only smiled. “And now, please greet the Irish National Quidditch Team! Presenting Connolly, Ryan, Troy, Mullet, Moran, Quigley and … Lynch!”“Who do you think is going to win?” asked Eleanor at Castor, who watched eagerly at the Irish team. His program lay forgotten on the ground.“Ireland, of course!” said Berenice’ younger brother happily. The referee, Hassan Mostafa, blew on his whistle and the fourteen players shot into the air. “This is real Quidditch,” whispered Adrian in awe, as the Irish Chasers threw the Quaffle so fast that Bagman only had time to say their names. Berenice pressed her Omnioculars hard against her eyes, while Eleanor only saw flashes of red and green. “TROY SCORES!” roared Bagman, while the crowd applauded and cheered. “Ten zero to Ireland!”While Ireland kept building up score, Eleanor felt how her attention wavered. Not far from her, George held his gaze focused on the game. Was this only the first time Eleanor ever saw George in a simple white Muggle T-shirt, she wondered while she watched how his biceps contracted as he balled his fists before cheering when Ivanova managed to break through the Irish ranks and took possession over the Quaffle. She only came back to her senses when the Irish Seeker Lynch followed Krum into a feint and he crashed into the ground. “It’s a time-out!” yelled Bagman’s voice, “as trained mediwizards hurry onto the field to examine Aidan Lynch!”“He’ll be okay, don’t worry,” mister Yaxley reassured Castor, who was on the verge of crying. “It was just a feint, he’ll be better in no time …”Eleanor grabbed the Omnioculars out of Berenice’ hands, pressing the replay and play-by-play buttons to see what she had missed. WRONSKI DEFENSIVE FEINT - DANGEROUS SEEKER DIVERSION explained the shining purple lettering before showing Krum’s face, contorted with concentration, before he pulled out of the dive just in time, while Lynch met the ground. “Pay attention, Nell,” said Berenice, before taking her Omnioculars back. “You don’t want to miss this match.”“I’ll do my best,” retorted Eleanor, while Mostafa blew his whistle again and the match resumed.
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The game quickly became foul riddled. Ireland got not one but two penalties after the Bulgarian Keeper cobbed one of the Irish Chasers. The Beaters from both teams acted without mercy. Players shot straight at each other and penalties piled up quickly. A Bludger was thrown at Krum by Quigley, who didn’t duck fast enough. It hit him full in the face. Eleanor groaned. Although Krum was not her type, he was still one of the best players on the field. One of the few who was keeping the game interesting, thinking back at his Wronski Feint.The sight of Krum was macabre. Blood was spilling everywhere, but Hassan Mostafa didn’t blew the whistle for a time out. “Oh, come on, ref, he cannot play like this,” complained Adrian.“Wait, watch!” yelled Berenice, who grabbed Adrian’s arm and pointed at Lynch. The Irish Seeker had suddenly gone into a dive. “He’s seen the Snitch!” Castor shouted, who almost started dancing in his seat. “He’s seen it! He is going to win!”The Irish supporters rose from their seats and cheered their Seeker on, but Eleanor saw how Krum was already on Lynch’s tail. Flecks of blood flew through the air behind Krum as he drew level with Lynch. The pair hurtled toward the ground again.“Oh no!” shrieked Eleanor, who leapt to her feet. Around her, she could hear Isabeau gasp. “They’re going to crash!”“No, they won’t,” yelled Adrian, who grabbed Berenice’s hand. “Lynch!”For the second time that night, Lynch hit the ground with tremendous force. Staff workers tried to the keep the angry Veela at bay before they stampeded the Irish Seeker.“Where is the Snitch? The Snitch?” roared mister Yaxley, along with the crowd around them. “Krum! Krum’s got it!” yelled Eleanor. “The game is over!”Krum rose into the air, his fist held high with a glint of gold in his hand. The scoreboard flashed BULGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170 across the crowd, who slowly realized what had happened. Castor screamed in delight. “IRELAND WINS!” Bagman shouted, who was taken aback by the sudden end of the match. “KRUM GETS THE SNITCH, BUT IRELAND WINS.” “By Merlin’s beard, I don’t think anyone was expecting that,” said Adrian’s mother, who looked at her husband, who was staring at Krum in confusion.“Why did he catch the Snitch? If he waited until one of the Chasers made another goal, they would have become victorious.”Mister Yaxley shook his head, while applauding along with the crowd. “The Irish Chasers were too good. Krum knew they were never going to catch up.” “He wanted to end it on his terms alone,” added Adrian, who looked at Krum, who had just finally hit the ground before being stormed by a swarm of mediwizards. “Stupid boy,” shook mister Pucey his head. “Stupidly proud boy.”“A shame it didn’t last longer,” nodded mister Yaxley. The two teams were welcomed into the Top Box next to them. Castor leapt into Eleanor’s lap to get a better view of his idols. Eleanor wasn’t looking at the messy Quidditch players. Her eyes were glued to George Weasley,’s face who beamed with joy when Troy and Quigley lifted the Quidditch Cup into the air. A small smile appeared on Eleanor’s face. She was still smiling when the Yaxleys and Puceys slowly made their way down the purple-carpeted stairs. Berenice, her white-blonde hair cascading down her shoulders, and Adrian were discussing the vast array of different tactics the Irish Chasers had managed to pull off. Next to her, little Castor was holding Eleanor’s hand while he tried to bite a big yawn away. “Are you tired?” asked Eleanor softly, while she gently squeezed in his hand. “A little,” Castor confessed. “Who was your favorite player tonight?” asked Castor, while they returned to the campsite. Eleanor frowned her eyebrows. “I don’t know. I think Troy, the Irish Chaser, because he was really good. Who was your favorite?” “Lynch,” said Castor happily, his blue eyes gleaming. “I am glad he won.”Eleanor didn’t have the heart to point out to Castor that his favorite player fell not once but twice off his broom tonight, but she decided to let it rest.“One last cup of cocoa?” asked Isabeau Yaxley when they were back in their tent. Mister Yaxley looked at his wife. “Why don’t you take the children back to Falestone Manor, dearest? I’ve arranged a Portkey and I will send Polly, our elf, with our belongings when I am finished here. Keep an eye on our guest, please.”His voice sounded strained and tense. Eleanor and Berenice shared a look. Eleanor’s fingers gripped her shoulder bag.“Of course, mon chèri,” said Isabeau, who grabbed Castor’s hand. Mister Yaxley nodded and left the tent. “Come on, children. You’ve heard your father. Miss Seymour, please keep close to me.”“What is going on?” Eleanor asked Berenice quietly while making their way to the Portkey Point. “No idea. It sounded very serious.”Eleanor nodded. It seemed as if mister Yaxley was expecting problems. Madam Yaxley lead them across the campsite and they were soon joined by Madam Malfoy, wearing a travel robe over her Muggle clothing. Her white-blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun.Narcissa Malfoy didn’t even glance at Eleanor or Berenice as she struck up a hushed conversation with Isabeau. Their heads were close together while they walked swiftly.“Good evening, Madam Malfoy, Madam Yaxley,” greeted Basil, the keeper of the Portkeys. “Your Portkey is ready.” He presented them an old teddy bear with a missing eye.“Thank you, Basil,” said Isabeau. She ushered everyone around the teddy bear and tightly held on to Castor.They arrived into the hall of Falestone Manor. “Dippy?” asked Isabeau while taking off her cloak. Next to her, an old elf popped up. He was wearing a clean table cloth and had big dopey eyes.“Yes, mistress?” He asked, in a shaky voice.“Please prepare some hot cocoa for us, Dippy. Madam Malfoy will be staying the night with us. See that a room is ready for her.”“Of course, mistress.” The elf made a deep bow before disappearing. “Come,” said Isabeau, while guiding her guests to the living room. A fire was already crackling and Eleanor welcomed the heat. She sat right beside Berenice on the dark red chaise longue, while the older women chose the armchairs.As soon as everyone was seated, Narcissa turned to Isabeau.“I cannot believe that Arthur Weasley used that Potter boy to get his family tickets to the Top Box for free!” Narcissa bristled. “All that talk about honour and Gryffindor bravery. How dare he use that boy?”“Are you sure that’s what he did?” asked Isabeau calmly, while Dippy gave everyone a big mug of hot cocoa.“Absolutely certain. As soon as Fudge got wind of the fact that Weasley was going to bring the Potter boy, he presented them those tickets for free! For every member of his family! Do you know how much Lucius spent on those tickets? And that, that …” A deep red blush appeared on Narcissa’s face. “- blood traitor gets them for free!”Isabeau shook her head in disgust. “I would never have thought that Arthur Weasley would fall so low.”Eleanor bowed her head and took a little sip of her cocoa. She felt nauseous. Something was off tonight, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Why would mister Yaxley have insisted that his family spend the night back home and not in the rented tent - which would have cost a nice Galleon or two? And why would he ask his wife to keep an eye on their guest, on Eleanor? And now Narcissa Malfoy was having a fit because the Weasley patriarch had gotten free tickets to accompany the Boy Who Lived? Something was off. Narcissa would never lose her cool in such a manner unless there would have been a good reason for doing so. Across the table, Berenice was firmly grasping her cocoa mug. As soon as Dippy had popped up to take young mister Castor to bed, a Patronus in the shape of a big silvery dog appeared in the living room. It ran straight to Isabeau, who placed her empty cup on the side table. “Good evening, madam Yaxley. I am sorry to disturb you at this late hour, but I’ve heard the news regarding the issue that has taken place on the World Cup’s campsite. I would feel safer if my daughter would return home tonight. Thank you,” spoke the dog with the voice of Astraea Fawley, before dissolving into thin air.“What issue?” echoed Eleanor wonderingly, but Isabeau immediately sprung to her feet. “You’ve heard your mother, miss Eleanor. I am so sorry to break the news like this to you, but apparently some drunken fools have made quite a scene by cursing the cursing the camp manager’s Muggle family. The crowd was out for blood, and we felt safer to keep you away from the campsite.”Eleanor nodded slowly, while her fingers became cold. She knew better to ask for more information.“I understand,” Eleanor said emotionless. “I am sorry to leave your household like this, madam Yaxley, but my mother wishes me home. I thank you for the kind hospitality you have shown me. I will pack my belongings and go home. May I please use your Floo, madam Yaxley?”“Of course, darling.” Isabeau pulled Eleanor into a tight hug. “We only wish for you to be safe, my dear. I will have Dippy pack your belongings and sent it after you, don’t you worry about that,” Isabeau said, while stroking a strand of hair out of Eleanor’s face. “I guess I will see you on the Hogwarts train,” Berenice said, after her mother had let go of Eleanor.Eleanor turned her ruby lips into a smile. “Don’t miss me too much, Bunny,” Eleanor said, before bidding her farewell to Narcissa Malfoy and being led by Dippy to the Floo into the entrance hall. “Arundel Castle,” Eleanor said loud and clearly before stepping into the flames. “Oh, darling!” As soon as Eleanor stepped out of the fireplace, she felt the arms of her mother around her.“Are you alright? Did someone attack you?” Astraea asked, while she looked over her daughter. “I am fine, Mother. What is going on?” Eleanor muttered. Her mother released her tight grip and Eleanor thankfully took a deep breath of fresh air.“Weren’t you at the campsite this night?” Astraea asked bewildered, before taking a seat on the armchair that was located across the hall. “No, mister Yaxley insisted that we returned to Falestone Manor as soon as Krum caught the Snitch,” Eleanor said, while looking at her mother. Astraea wore an ivory cotton-voile nightdress and hadn’t bother to throw on a robe to cover herself up. Her ash-blonde hair was tangled and undone, as if she had come straight out of bed. “What exactly happened after the Quidditch match?” Eleanor ask edbluntly. Her mother directed her into the drawing room and rang for tea.“Oh, darling,” Astraea sighed and sat down on the chaise longue. “I don’t want you to worry, Pleione.”Eleanor raised one of her eyebrows. She waited while one of the house elves came in with strong tea. “Thank you, Poppy” Astraea said. She poured herself a cup of tea. The delicate china with the hand-painted sunflowers trembled slightly as Astraea raised the cup and brought it to her lips.Only when Astraea placed her cup back onto the saucer, she looked at her daughter.“This information is still confidential,” Astraea confessed. She folded her hands in her lap. “But apparently, some foolish Purebloods got drunk. You know how the campsite manager is a Muggle?”Eleanor slowly nodded. She didn’t have a good feeling about this.“They used the campsite manager and his family as an amusement,” Astraea said silently. “The youngest child was not yet five.”The revolting image made Eleanor’s stomach turn. She leaned forward to grab her cup of strong tea and took a sip. “But that wasn’t everything,” whispered Astraea. “According to my spy at the Ministry, when they finished having their fun with those Muggles, some of those stupid men, appeared to be …” Astraea’s voice died away. “What, mother? What did they appear to be?” asked Eleanor. She leaned forward.Astraea took a deep breath. “They appeared to be Death Eaters. They summoned the Dark Mark.”Eleanor’s cup fell on the ground, shattering into a million pieces.
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The rest of the summer went down in a minor key.Astraea spent most of her days writing letters behind her desk. The fine lines at the corners of her mouth grew more anxious by each passing day.Eleanor sent Pegasus to Berenice, but Berenice didn’t respond to her letters. The only contact that she held with the Wizarding World was her correspondence with Adrian Pucey.He told her that the Dark Mark had indeed appeared on the night of the Quidditch World Cup, but that the Ministry hadn’t caught the offender yet.Several newspapers were pointing in the direction of Sirius Black, but no one came forth with more information and the whole case slowly wound down.It was almost a relief when Eleanor opened her eyes on the first of September and saw how fat raindrops wiggled down the window.At the foot of the bed lay Nemea, who looked at Eleanor with scowling eyes.Apparently the cat still hadn’t forgiven Eleanor for forgetting her last Christmas. In Eleanor’s defense, the white Persian cat had refused to crawl into her cage and had sought refuge under the dressing table.As soon as Eleanor had dressed into comfortable loose pants and a soft blush sweater, she made her way down the stairs, into the dining room where the family normally took breakfast.“Pleione, darling. Did you pack all your belongings?” asked Astraea, who sat at the table and took a sip of her coffee. She was dressed into a white wool sweater midi dress. Her ash blonde hair was styled into a French chignon and she was only wearing just enough make up to accentuate her sharp features.Eleanor’s father sat opposite his wife and was completely engrossed in his newspaper. Eleanor recognized the glassy eyes and knew that her father would not be able to hear a word of the conversation between her and her mother.It pained Eleanor to see, but she didn’t show any of her feelings. She knew what would happen if she showed any weakness in front of her mother.“Yes, mother, I packed everything last night,” Eleanor answered, before she sat down. “I only need to lure Nemea into her cage. Is it possible to send Pegasus after me when you arrive back home from London?”Eleanor reached for some toast as a servant filled up her cup with hot coffee.“Of course, dearest,” Astraea nodded. “We leave within an hour.”“Yes, mother.”After breakfast, Poppy the house elf walked with Eleanor to gather her trunk and owl cage. Eleanor went on her knees to lure Nemea with a piece of chicken into her travel cage.“Give the cat to Poppy, Lady Eleanor. Poppy will make sure nothing happen to the cat, miss,” Poppy said.“Thank you, Poppy. Will I see you back at Hogwarts, or do you wish to stay here?” Eleanor asked out of habit. She knew the answer all too well, but she would like to offer the choice to Poppy.“Poppy will return with Lady Eleanor to Hogwarts, miss.” The big green eyes looked innocently at Eleanor and Eleanor nodded.“Very well, Poppy. You are dismissed.”With a loud plop, Poppy disappeared into thin air. Eleanor straightened up and looked around her room to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Of course, her mother could always owl forgotten objects with Pegasus to her, but she didn’t like to bother her mother with such trivialities.The rain only became worse when Astraea and Eleanor were driven to London. It was almost impossible to look out of the window and see anything of the view.Next to her, Astraea kept silently to herself. Her fingernail tapped against her lips and Eleanor recognized the signs.Her mother was in two minds about something.“Do you promise to be safe this year, Pleione?” Astraea asked out of the blue when they reached the outskirts of London.Eleanor turned her head to her mother, unable to hide her surprise.“Of course, mother.”“I am serious, darling. I want you to look after yourself and stay away from dangerous situations.” A rare hint of thoughtfulness crept into Astraea’s voice.“What do you mean, mother? Did you receive news from anyone?”Astraea sighed. “Yes. I have received some upsetting news in the past week. Dumbledore, old fool he is, is holding the Triwizard Tournament this year at Hogwarts. I want you to not compete. Is that to be understood?”“The Triwizard Tournament?” Eleanor gasped. “I thought it was cancelled in the eighteenth century after two champions were deadly wounded?”“Yes, indeed it was cancelled, and for good reason. But Dumbledore, Crouch and Bagman have succeeded into resurrecting the Tournament. I am not sure if Dumbledore will speak of the Tournament this evening at the Welcoming Feast, but again, I do not want you competing. Do you understand me?”“Of course, mother,” Eleanor nodded. It was unnecessary to add that Eleanor didn’t hold a death wish. “I am more than happy to be a bystander during the Tournament.”Astraea let go of a sigh she was holding. “Thank you, Pleione.” Softly Astraea stroke the hand of her daughter.When they reached King’s Cross station, the rain was coming down even harder than before. Astraea put a spell on the chauffeur’s umbrella to avoid getting completely soaked while making their way into the station.Clouds of steam were billowing from the Hogwarts Express as they went through the barrier. Eleanor saw how the gazing eyes of the most important families observed their arrival.Astraea straightened up and walked as if she was the Queen herself. Eleanor followed closely next to her.From the corner of her eyes she could see George and Fred talking with their brothers. A little smile appeared around her lips, before she tried to gather her neutral expression.“Madam Seymour,” greeted Lucius Malfoy her mother coolly. Astraea nodded and offered her hand, which Lucius casually kissed. “Mister Malfoy. I am glad to see you here. Mister Yaxley,” nodded Astraea to Corban Yaxley, who appeared next to Lucius Malfoy. Him too she offered her hand.Eleanor shared a look with Berenice, who had followed her father. “Shall we find some seats on the Express?” Berenice suggested, before taking Eleanor’s hand. “I will see you at Christmas, Father.”“Goodbye, mother,” Eleanor nodded at her mother, who waved her aside.“Goodbye, darling. I will sent Pegasus this afternoon,” Astraea held her icy gaze on Lucius Malfoy.Berenice’s father nodded at his daughter and Berenice dragged Eleanor away from the adults.“Why didn’t you respond to my letters?” Eleanor asked Berenice, as soon as they were out of hearing distance.“Because I didn’t know how to respond, Nell,” Berenice answered, before charming their trunks. Eleanor kept Nemea’s cage close to her.“I didn’t have any answers to satisfy you. I assume your mother has told you, the incident was swept under the carpet to make sure it wouldn’t endanger the Triwizard Tournament.”“She just informed me in the car,” Eleanor muttered. “Even your father hasn’t received any information?” Eleanor pressed on.Berenice just shook her head. “He didn’t share anything with us. I am sure it was an outsider who made the Dark Mark appear …”“I really misjudged you, Berenice, if you truly believe the appearance of the Dark Mark was done by an outsider.” Behind them, Adrian Pucey showed up.“Adrian!” Berenice looked around them, but nobody paid them attention. “What are you doing?”“Trying to find you girls. Apparently that’s my life quest.” Adrian ushered them to an empty compartment at the end of the train and helped them to stow their luggage.“Who do you think did it, then?” Berenice asked, while she looked out of the window. Yaxley and Malfoy had received the company of Adrian’s father Pucey. Astraea was nowhere to be seen.“I don’t know. Not an outsider, since only the closest circle would have known how to summon the Dark Mark,” said Adrian in a quiet voice before he sat down. The pistons hissed loudly and they felt how the train started to move.“One of the old guard?” Eleanor sat down and tugged at the leather straps of Nemea’s cage.“Nah. They’ve tried their best to stay out of Azkaban for more than fourteen years. Why would they throw it all away?” Berenice commented with a sharp voice.Eleanor kept silent and opened up the door of the cage. Nemea carefully held out her head before leaping onto the space next to Adrian.“And with the Dark Lord still gone, there would be no logic for a Death Eater to summon the Dark Mark,” said Berenice in a timid voice.The silence hung heavy in the compartment. The rain beat against the window and the sky became overcast. Slowly the lanterns were being lit, although it was not even yet noon.Nemea stretched herself and climbed on to Adrian’s lap. Soon Berenice and Adrian were reliving the Cup match, while Eleanor grabbed a novel from her bag.Around a quarter past one the lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor. Berenice opted for homemade salad she brought with her, but Adrian stocked up on Pumpkin Pasties to share in the afternoon and Eleanor bought some ice cold pumpkin juice.Soon the conversation shifted towards the Triwizard Tournament.“Who do you think is going to compete as Hogwarts Champion?” Berenice asked, after she had finished her salad.“At least three quarters of Gryffindor. They would never miss an opportunity to put on a show while jeopardizing their life.”Eleanor shook her head. “There will be restrictions, of course. There is no way they would ever allow first years or second years to compete. Pucey, didn’t your father work at the Department of Magical Games and Sports?”“Yes, but he only informed me of the Triwizard Tournament this week and wouldn’t elaborate. I have a slight suspicion there will be an age limit. I guess Dumbledore would only let the fifth years and up compete, don’t you think?”“Yeah, probably,” Berenice agreed. “Do you think anyone of our year would compete?”“One of the Weasley twins, without a doubt,” Adrian assumed.“I want to say Kenneth Towler or Roger Davies, but my money is on Cedric Diggory,” Eleanor had her say.“The Hufflepuff?” Berenice’s eyebrows went up to her hair line. “Are you insane?”“No, but thank you for your concern regarding my mental health.” Eleanor turned over a page of her novel.“Can you believe this?” Berenice bristled to Adrian, who thoughtfully stroke Nemea, who was asleep in his lap.“Actually, yes. Diggory has a lot of ambition for a Hufflepuff, plus he has the kind disposition Dumbledore likes. He actually has a pretty fair chance.”Eleanor allowed herself to smirk at Berenice, who snorted and looked out the window.“Come on,” Adrian remarked. “We’re almost there.”Eleanor took Nemea and put the cat firmly into her cage, before changing into her school robes. The rain up north was coming down thick and fast.“I almost pity the first years for crossing the lake in this weather,” Adrian said when the Hogwarts Express slowed down at the Hogsmeade station. At the far end of the platform they could see the gigantic silhouette of Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper.“Better them than me,” said Berenice, who braided her white blond hair before they left the train and hurried off the platform towards the horseless carriages.The rain kept rattling down the roof of the carriage, which splashed its way up the track towards the castle. Eleanor’s hand were almost freezing. She cursed herself for not bringing any gloves.“The rain is merciless,” Adrian commented while looking outside. Eleanor peeped over his shoulder and saw the many lights of the castle shimmering behind a thick curtain of rain. A lightning bolt came crashing down in the Forbidden Forest and with a jolt their carriage came to a full halt.“Finally,” said Berenice, after they dashed up the stone steps into the torch-lit entrance hall of the castle. “I don’t think I could get any -““Watch out!” Eleanor pushed Berenice out of the way. A few seconds later a large red water-filled balloon exploded on the spot where Berenice had been standing.“Peeves!”Above them floated a little man in a bell-covered hat and orange bow tie, who took aim again. His wide, malicious face was contorted with concentration.Eleanor grabbed Berenice and made way to the Great Hall, Adrian hot on their heels.“Thank Merlin for your attentiveness, Nell,” Berenice said, while they walked to the Slytherin table.It was much warmer inside the Great Hall and Eleanor was happy to be back.“Anytime. And besides, it wasn’t like you could get any more soaked,” grinned Eleanor. Adrian smiled.The golden plates and goblets for the Welcoming Feast gleamed by the light of the candles, which floated over the tables. The four long House tables were packed with chattering students. The staff was seated along one side of a fifth table, facing its pupils.“I hope the Sorting doesn’t take too long. I’m starving,” Adrian said, before they sat down. Hestia Carrow, who was a year below, scoffed when she noticed Eleanor sitting not that far from her. Eleanor raised one eyebrow icily and the mouselike girl quickly diverted her gaze.Eleanor rolled her eyes and the doors of the Great Hall opened. The Hall immediately went silent as Professor McGonagall marched in, leading a long line of first years up to the top of the Hall.“Did they swim across the lake?” Adrian whispered quietly to Berenice and Eleanor fell how the corners of her lips went upwards.Professor McGonagall placed a three-legged stop on the ground before the first years and, on top of it, an extremely old, dirty, patched wizard’s hat. The Sorting Hat. The first years stared at it, curious and afraid as to why the entire school was staring seriously at the hat.For a moment, there was complete silence. Then a long tear near the brim opened like a mouth and the Sorting Hat sang its Welcoming Song.“I swear to you, these songs get longer by the year,” Someone at the Ravenclaw table whispered, before being hushed by his housemates.As soon as the Hat had finished singing, Professor McGonagall unrolled a large scroll of parchment and soon the first boy walked forward. He was the first to be sorted into Ravenclaw.The second boy, Malcolm Baddock, got sorted into Slytherin and Eleanor, Berenice and Adrian politely applauded their new housemate.However, the Gryffindors did not agree. From the corners of her eyes, Eleanor saw how Fred and George Weasley hiss at poor Malcolm Baddock as he sat down.Eleanor’s mouth fell open, while the rest of the table angrily glared at the Gryffindor’s table. Did George Weasley really hissed at some eleven year old kid because he was being sorted into a different house?She felt tears prickling in her eyes and she blinked furiously.“What’s the matter, Nell?” Berenice whispered.Eleanor focused her gaze at the line of first years.“Nothing, Bunny. Absolutely nothing.”
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Eleanor kept quiet throughout dinner. She hardly touched her plate of food and didn’t make eyes with the Gryffindor table.She heard how the other first years and housemates tried to comfort Malcolm Baddock, who was quite shaken by the fact that he was hissed out for being sorted into Slytherin.“What do you mean, this is the bad house?” Eleanor heard Malcolm ask one of the fourth years. How could George do that? She really thought he was different, after their conversations last year. They talked about the difference between their Houses and George had admitted that not all Slytherins were Dark and Evil. So why hiss out some poor eleven year old for being ambitious? She moved around some boiled potatoes on her plate and leaned with her chin on her fist.Her stomach clenched together and she didn’t even care when her food vanished from her plate and the puddings appeared.Berenice and Adrian were used to Eleanor’s sudden mood changes and didn’t give it a second thought. They loaded their plates with treacle tart and chocolate gateau and talked about Quidditch. It was only after the puddings had been demolished and the last crumbs had faded off the plates, that Berenice and Adrian took in Eleanor. The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, got to his feet and silenced the room before they could ask Eleanor a thing. Only the howling wind and pounding rain on the roof of the Great Hall could be heard.Eleanor almost didn’t notice. She was trying too hard to ignore the Gryffindor table. She felt silly and allowed herself to look. Why did she care so much about a silly Gryffindor boy who she hadn’t seen in months?While the Headmaster talked, Eleanor caught a glimpse of George looking at her and she felt how her cheeks blushed. Quickly she concentrated on the words of the Headmaster.“… that the forest on the grounds is out of bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year.”“Merlin’s pants, what?” Adrian gasped, while looking around the Slytherin table at his fellow members of the Quidditch team. Montague and Bole, Slytherin’s Beaters, looked dumbfounded and stared at the Headmaster. Even Berenice looked paler than normal.Dumbledore went on. “This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers’ time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -”Before Dumbledore could speak further and elaborate on the Triwizard Tournament, the doors of the Great Halls opened with a loud bang and a deafening rumble of thunder.“Mad-Eye Moody,” puffed Berenice, who glared at the man in the dark traveling cloak. He limped while walking towards the teachers’ table, due to his wooden leg, ending in a clawed foot.When he turned and the lightning shed lit up the man’s face, Eleanor instinctively backed away. Moody’s face was scarred in every inch of his skin. A large chunk of his nose was missing, as if something had tried to bite it off. His eyes were not the same. One of them was small, dark and human. The other one was large, round as a coin, and a vivid electric blue. That eye was moving in all directions, without blinking. Moody greeted Dumbledore in hushed tones before sitting down at the right hand of Dumbledore’s empty chair. “What the hell is he doing here?” Berenice asked, while she watched how Moody sniffed at a sausage, as if the Hogwarts elves were trying to poison him.“There was only one vacancy,” Eleanor answered. She threw a dirty look at Malfoy, who watched the newcomer with horror. He was responsible for the resignation of Lupin, one of the best Defense of the Dark Arts teachers they had ever had. Who cared that their professor suffered from lycanthropy? It was treatable and he never posed a threat towards his students.Hestia Carrow threw a nasty look at their new professor and Eleanor remembered that Moody was responsible for putting away nearly half the Carrow family. Azkaban protruded with criminals who were caught by Moody.The Headmaster cleared his throat.“As I was saying,” he said, smiling with gleaming light blue eyes, “we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year.”“You’re JOKING!” said Fred Weasley loudly.The tension in the Great Hall broke and everyone laughed. Eleanor caught a look of the identical flabbergasted expressions on the faces of the twins. “Didn’t his father work at the Ministry?” Montague whispered to Adrian, who shrugged. “Not every lowly official at the Ministry would be informed of the Tournament, Montague,” Adrian answered. “I am not joking, Mr. Weasley,” Dumbledore said once the laughter died down, “though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all walked into a bar …”Professor McGonagall, a stern-looking witch who taught Transfiguration, cleared her throat loudly and Dumbledore hastily went on the explain the Tournament towards the Muggleborns who didn’t know the event.At the Slytherin table, students were whispering excitedly to one another and Eleanor heard Warrington making plans to compete in the Triwizard Tournament and her face contorted. Warrington had been one of Flint’s cronies and was one of the least clever students in Slytherin. “Please not Warrington as Hogwarts champion,” Eleanor whispered at Berenice, who nodded.“-along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration.”“No!” Davies outraged, who would turn seventeen in November, but Dumbledore raised his voice slightly. The Weasley twins were looking furious, since they would turn seventeen in April. “This is a measure we feel is necessary, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no under-age student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion. I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.”Eleanor caught the mutinous look in the eyes of George Weasley. Of course he would try to outsmart the greatest wizard of their age. She shook her head slightly while Dumbledore asked them to be courteous towards the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang who would arrive at the end of October. “Do you think we have a shot?” Berenice asked when Dumbledore finished his speech and all the students got to their feet to make way for their dorms. “Probably. I have no clue how the impartial judge will choose the champion, but I don’t think something as simple as Aging Potion could do the trick,” Adrian said, while they walked down the stairs. “Will you try?” Eleanor asked. The torches in the hallway gave off a nice heat while they walked towards the bare stretch of stone wall. “Let me think about it,” answered Adrian, before giving the password. “Praemonitus praemunitus,” he said. “I heard it from a prefect upstairs.”The wall moved and revealed a dungeon-like room with greenish lamps and chairs. The common room extended partway under the lake, giving the light in the room a greenish tinge. Students sat in the low backed black and dark green button-tufted, leather sofas, while others took chessboards out of the dark wooden cupboards. It was warm, thanks to the burning fireplaces. Tapestries featuring the quests of Merlin and other famous Medieval Slytherins decorated the stone walls. Eleanor loved the grand atmosphere the room breathed and the sound of swishing water. It was the only place in the castle she felt like home. Here, they didn’t even notice there was a storm raging outside the castle. This was safe and sound. “I am exhausted,” Berenice yawned. “I will see you tomorrow morning, Pucey.” Eleanor cracked her neck and followed Berenice to their dormitory.They shared their dormitory with Lucy Vane, a quiet witch who sported dark auburn locks and light green eyes. “Hello, Lucy, did you have a nice holiday?” Eleanor asked, when they opened the door and entered the room. The dormitory was large, with three queen sized four-posters. In front of the stained glass windows hung heavy velvet curtains, all in greenish tinges. On Eleanor’s four-poster lay Nemea curled up. The house elves had lit the fireplace and a nice heat gushed over their bodies.“Oh, hello, Eleanor. Yes, yes, it was quite nice, I suppose. We went to visit some relatives in Germany,” Lucy answered, while throwing a lock of hair behind her shoulder. “How was your holiday?”Berenice flopped down on her four-poster and took off her cloak. “Very good. We went to the World Cup match together with my family.”“Oh!” Lucy’s eyes shone with anticipation. “I wanted to go, but my mother didn’t want to. She thought the tickets were too expensive.”“We had very good seats, thanks to Berenice’s father,” did Eleanor say. “We saw the players right up close, after the match.”“Is Darren O’Hare, the Keeper for the Irish team, really as handsome as they say?” Lucy asked eagerly. “Oh,” Berenice said, “he was so handsome. Broad shoulders, smoldering eyes …”Eleanor tuned the conversation of her dorm mates out and sat down on her four-poster. She pulled Nemea towards her and stroked the cat while she thought about that one particularly handsome Gryffindor. She had to admit she had thought, as the first of September kept approaching, more often about those light brown eyes with the golden freckles. Every time she remembered his smile, a warm feeling sneaked into her stomach. Eleanor was very confused. She felt oddly enough protective of the first year Slytherins. Slytherin House was very protective of their own. Sure enough, Eleanor was not thick as thieves with everyone in her house - such as Draco Malfoy or Hestia Carrow - but to the outside, Slytherins kept together. She knew that every Slytherin would have her back outside the Common Room and for that fact, Eleanor was grateful. Lucy and Berenice chatted about the upcoming Triwizard Tournament and the likely candidates to become the champion for Hogwarts, and slowly changed into their pajamas. Before Eleanor crawled into bed and closed her eyes, the last thing she thought of, was the smile of George Weasley during the World Cup. Nemea sneaked into her Eleanor’s arms and Eleanor fell asleep.
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Adrian waited for Eleanor and Berenice in the common room before breakfast next morning.“Slept well?” asked Adrian, before they made their way upstairs.“Well enough,” Berenice replied. “Have you thought about which lessons you will continue?” she asked, before they entered the Great Hall. The storm had blown itself out, but the ceiling was still gloomy, with heavy clouds of pewter gray.“Of course I have thought about it,” answered Adrian. “My O.W.L.s were well enough and I think I can aim to pursue a career as Healer.”“Do you think Alchemy will be available this year?” Eleanor asked, before they sat down. She loaded a plate with scrambled eggs.“Perhaps. I overheard Kenneth Towler and Melinda Quimby talking about it last year. Maybe there will be sufficient demand.”“You guys are so boring,” Berenice complained. “Do you reckon that I could have made the Quidditch team, if old Dumbledore didn’t see it fit to cancel Quidditch this year?”“It would have all depended on who he would have made Captain,” Adrian answered. Eleanor focused on her breakfast as the conversation drifted again towards Quidditch.From the staff table, Professor Snape made his descent to distribute class schedules.As soon as the lower years had receive their class schedules, Professor Snape looked at his sixth years.“Shall I do this alphabetically or should I begin with the person who achieved the highest marks?” Professor Snape drawled.Nobody answered and Professor Snape groaned.“Mister Clark, I will begin with your achievements. Your application, please.” From his robes, he took the lists of the O.W.L. results of his students.Nobody had dared to apply for N.E.W.T.s that they wouldn’t gain acces to due to a lower O.W.L. grade, so distribution ran smoothly.“Miss Seymour, your application form, please,” Professor Snape held out his hand and Eleanor handed her application.“Excellent scores, miss Seymour. I must again congratulate you with your fine technique of the anti-clockwise stirring method. The elbow and wrist movements were perfect, according to Professor Tofty.”“Thank you, Professor,” Eleanor diverted her gaze. “Will the class of Alchemy become available this year?”“I have to consult with the other Head of Houses to see who applied for the course, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Alchemy hasn’t been available in more than thirty years.”Eleanor heaved a sigh. Professor Snape focused on her application.“Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, Herbology, Arithmancy, Study of Ancient Runes and History of Magic … One would think one didn’t need to unbend.”“As of our last conversation in April, Professor Snape, I still don’t know which path I want to take upon my future. I thought it was a bright idea to keep all my options open, don’t you agree, Professor Snape?”“Indeed.” Professor Snape tapped a blank schedule with the tip of his wand and handed it, now carrying details of her new classes, to Eleanor.“Thank you, Professor.”Eleanor waited outside for Berenice and Adrian for their first class of Arithmancy together.Professor Vector, a witch with long, thin black hair and a fair skin, waited for them.“Welcome to the N.E.W.T-class of Arithmancy,” began Professor Vector, after she directed everyone to their assigned seat. “This is not a class for anyone who wants to get off easily without putting the effort in. Contrary to Divination, Arithmancy is a necessary N.E.W.T. for anyone who wish to pursue an advanced career as Curse Breaker or Legislator.”The small class - only a handful of Ravenclaws and Slytherins, enlarged with two Gryffindors and one Hufflepuff - didn’t say a word and listened to the speech of Professor Vector.“Please take out your copy of Numerology and Grammatica,” instructed Professor Vector. “This year, individual study is stressed. Working together for this class will be strictly forbidden. For today, we will begin with a review of the linguistic system of Latin, since it is one of the counter-stone within our magic.” With a flick of her wand, Professor Vector wrote today’s assignment on the blackboard.“You may begin.”They spent the entire class stuck with reiterating the theories that belonged to the linguistic system of Latin. Eleanor took notes, while Berenice reread several paragraphs.After Arithmancy, they had a free period until lunch. Eleanor, Adrian and Berenice went to the library to research the theories that they just had studied to grasp the deeper meaning of them.They worked together, helping each other to explain different theories of the linguistic systems that they had learned over the years.“How do you think Defense will turn out?” asked Berenice when they were packing their bags and made their way downstairs to the Great Hall.“We have Defense together with the other houses. We all know that Mad-Eye hates Death Eaters. He probably rates all Slytherins as young Death Eaters in the making. Let’s hope he won’t kill us before we have effectively learned to defend ourselves,” said Adrian jokingly.Eleanor rolled her eyes. “This is not something to laugh about, Adrian. Mad-Eye was removed from active duty because he saw a Death Eater in everyone. What possessed Dumbledore to employ such a person? How can Mad Eye teach us fairly?”With angry steps, Eleanor walked to the Slytherin table and plopped down. From her bag she took a novel, which she had read to death, and ignored Berenice and Adrian, who sat down opposite her.The real reason she became angry at the thought of Defense with the Gryffindors had nothing to do with Mad-Eye Moody.It had everything to do with the teasing light brown eyes of a familiar redhead.After lunch, Eleanor reluctantly followed Adrian and Berenice to the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom.The Gryffindors were already waiting for the professor. Eleanor ignored the Weasley’s gaze and sat down between Adrian and Berenice, her eyes fixed on the door of Moody’s office. She took out her copy of Confronting the Faceless before they heard the pounding footsteps of Moody in the corridor. The Slytherins sat up nervously. No family was unfamiliar with Moody’s ruthless approach.As soon as he entered, he snorted. “Gryffindors and Slytherins together in one class, during Defense. Good. Put those books away,” he growled, hobbling over to his desk and sitting down. “You’re not going to need them now anyway.”Slowly they put their books back in their bags. Moody took out a list, frowned his twisted and battered face and began to read out the names. He paused at each name and his magical eye wandered around the classroom looking at the student, while his normal eye was fixed on the list.“Good,” he said when it turned out that everyone was present. “Professor Lupin has written to me about this class. Apparently he has very high expectations of you. Last year you worked a lot on defensive spells and curses. I don’t think you have any experience with such spells in practice. That is why I am here, to teach you what wizards do to each other in real life. I have one year to introduce to non-verbal spells and the preparation for more powerful curses.”“You’re not staying?” asked Lucy Vane hopefully.Mad-Eye’s magic eye turned to her in a flash and stared at her. Lucy almost seems to sink into the ground.“A Vane, aren’t you?” growled Mad-Eye unkindly. Lucy barely nodded noticeably.“Hmmpf,” Mad-Eye growled. “Yes, I’m only staying for one year. After that, I’m going back to enjoy my retirement.”He rubbed his gnarled hands. “Okay, to get down to business. Curses. When you’re face to face with a Dark Wizard, he’s not going to use an ear-shrivelling curse or a full-body bind curse, no, he’s going to go for the real thing. He’s not going to just tell you what he’s going to do and roar his curse around like a fishwife, no, he’s going to try to cast his curse non-verbally. Weasley, what is the advantage of a non-verbal spell?”“Which Weasley do you mean, Professor?” asked Fred Weasley.“The one who knows the answer,” Mad-Eye hummed.“Euh,” hesitated Fred, looking at his twin brother. “The opponent doesn’t know what curse is coming at him?”Mad-Eye smiled. It was a strange sight, as if a block of wood was trying to grin. But it was reassuring to know that Mad-Eye could do something as normal as smile.“Indeed. Non-verbal spells give you a split second advantage. A small advantage, nonetheless, but one that can save your life.”Mad-Eye looked around the classroom. “Therefore, you must be vigilant and alert at all times. There are some curses that require being spoken aloud. The three most familiar are also the three most dangerous. Speaking one of them over a fellow wizard will get you a single ticket to Azkaban without mercy. Do any of you know what I am talking about?”Hesitantly Adrian raised his hand in the air.“Yes, Mister Pucey?”“The Unforgivables, Professor.”Mad-Eye looked at Adrian for a long moment. “Yes, I assume your father is familiar with those. Which three are they?”“The first one is the Imperius Curse, Professor.”“Yes, of course. Your father obviously knows all about that one,” Mad-Eye scowled, taking a spider from a glass jar.“Engorgio,” he said, pointing his wand at the spider.Berenice pushed her chair back resolutely as the spider took on the size of a breakfast plate.“Imperio.”The spider slipped on a thin silk thread from Mad-Eye’s hand and began to sway back and forth, as if hanging from a trapezium. It somersaulted backwards and landed on the desk and began to tap dance.Nobody laughed.“Total control,” Mad-Eye said calmly. “I can force him to throw himself out of the window. Drown himself.”The spider began to do cartwheels on the desk.“There was a time when countless witches and wizards claimed to be under the influence of the Imperius,” Mad-Eye said, glaring at the Slytherins. “The Ministry has had a tough time finding out who was telling the truth and who was lying. It is possible to resist the curse, but you need a strong character to do so. Not every wizard has that. It is much better to avoid the curse. BE VIGILANT!” he barked suddenly, and everyone jumped half a meter in the air.Mad-Eye waved his wand and the spider was completely motionless. “Right, the next one. Miss Johnson.”“My mother told me about the Cruciatus Curse,” answered Angelina Johnson, a Gryffindor.Mad-Eye nodded and pointed his wand at the spider. “Crucio.”Immediately the spider wrapped its legs around itself, rolled back and forth and began to convulse terribly.Eleanor felt the blood drain from her face and averted her gaze.“Can’t you take it, girl?” Mad-Eye growled, pointing his magic eye at Eleanor. “You don’t need thumbscrews if you’ve mastered the Cruciatus Curse. Has been very popular for a while. Right, the last spell.”George Weasley gently raised his hand. “Avada Kedavra,” he whispered quietly.“Yes, indeed. The last and also the worst one. The curse of death.”He pointed to the spider on the desk en bellowed the curse.“Avada Kadavra.”A dazzling flash of green followed and the spider lay on the desk, stone dead. Not even a scratch.A tense silence hung over the room.“Not nice. Not pleasant. There is no defensive spell for it. You can’t ward off the curse. As far as we know, only one person has survived the curse and that person is one of your fellow students today.”Mad-Eye clapped his hands.“Good. This to refresh you on the Unforgivables. Many Dark Wizards resorted to more creative spells that could also be casted non-verbally. One of the most famous was the Blasting Curse, which Sirius Black wielded to finish off twelve Muggles in a busy shopping street.”For the rest of the lesson, Mad-Eye told them about cases he had dealt with and let them work out how the would-be wizard could have made his curse stronger by applying it non-verbally.As soon as the bell rang, most of the students got up as quickly as possible. Eleanor put away her notes, and was the last to leave the classroom.Before she had even taken a few steps, George Weasley stopped her.His hands closed around her arm and pulled her along into a dark corridor not far from the Defense classroom.“What’s wrong with you? You didn’t even deigned to cast a look at me.”Eleanor jerked her arm away and looked at him furiously. “What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you, you mean.”George’s eyebrows furrowed against each other. “I don’t understand.”“You and that stupid brother of yours hissed out poor Malcolm yesterday evening. For what reason. Because he’s a Slytherin? Because he values ambition over bravery?”George’s mouth became stubborn. “Seriously. Is that why you’re angry with me? Since when does Eleanor Seymour, Slytherin’s arrogant duchess, care about first years,” he asked her defiantly.Eleanor’s eyes shot fire. “My point is that you are still a stupid Gryffindork. I thought you were different from the others. You were supposed to be different. Apparently, I was wrong. Apparently you’re just as retarded as all the boys in our year.”With those words, Eleanor stormed off. Her eyes welled up with tears.
She didn’t understand why she was so worried about George Weasley turning out to be a stupid idiot.
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In the weeks that followed their quarrel, Eleanor ignored him in icy silence during their lessons together.In any case, one of the few bright spots was the horror on Snape’s face when Snape realised he had to teach a Weasley for another two years.“A miracle has occurred. A Weasley who is not totally useless. Pair up with Miss Seymour, Weasley,” Snape snarled.Eleanor looked at him with a hateful look in her eyes when he sat down next to her and concentrated on the blackboard.“I have prepared some potions you dunderheads should be able to prepare for your NEWT. You should be able to at least recognise them,” Snape drawled, while pointing at the cauldrons on his desk.“Gather around. Who can tell me what potion this is?” He asked, pointing to a cauldron full of what appeared to be plain water.Eleanor raised her hand.“Miss Eleanor.”“Veritaserum, Professor. A colourless and odorless potion that forces the user to tell the truth,” she said.“Perfect. Five points for Slytherin. The next one.” Snape gestured to a muddy potion. George did not want to know what that potion would taste like.“Mister Davies.”“Polyjuice Potion. It temporarily transforms the drinker into another person.”“Correct. Five points for Ravenclaw.”Snape continued with the next potion, with a pearly sheen. George smelled the rich aroma of new quidditch brooms, baked bread and something floral that reminded him of a warm summer afternoon in the grass.Carefully he raised his hand.“Mister Weasley,” Snape sneered.“I think it’s Amortentia.”Snape’s upper lip curled. “Indeed. Amortentia is the strongest love potion in existence. It is almost the most dangerous potion here on the desk, as it is poisonous in large quantities and can stop the user’s heart.”Finally, everyone looked at the last cauldron. It was Diggory who raised his hand.“Mister Diggory.”“It’s Felix Fortunatis, or Liquid Luck, Professor,” Diggory replied. George saw Eleanor cast an admiring glance at him and for a moment George had to fight the urge not to slap the Hufflepuff on the face.“Indeed. Five points for Hufflepuff. It’s the hardest potion on the table. Every little mistake is disastrous for the potion.”Snape clapped his hands.“But before your dunderheads can brew these potions, we’ll be two years away. Let me first see what you can make of the Draught of the Living Death. For today you work individually. The instructions are on the board.”Everyone went to work diligently. Next to George, Eleanor lit the fire under her cauldron before walking to the pantry to get her ingredients.George studied the instructions carefully before starting. He wanted these lessons to be a success.Only when he had gathered all his ingredients did he get to work. Eleanor was already chopping valerian root.George wanted to say something to her, make her smile, but he was too proud. He was still furious with her for making her so angry over that little matter of Sorting Night.How could he have known that she would suddenly care so much about a first year? It had just been a joke.But, said a small voice in the back of his mind, wasn’t she right? Wasn’t it low to tear down a little first year just because he had been sorted into a different house?Her voice echoed in the back of his mind. You’re supposed to be different.George shook his head and focused on his potion. He was glad that his potion was the same blueberry colour as Eleanor’s, although his was not as smooth.The next step was to crush the Sopophorous bean with a silver dagger.George looked hopefully at Eleanor’s knife. Her potion was already light lilac.“May I borrow your knife, Eleanor?”Eleanor didn’t even look at him, but slide the knife in his direction.For a moment, his fingers touched hers, before she withdrew hers with a jolt. With red blushes on her cheeks, Eleanor bent over her cauldron and began to stir.George added the juice and looked intently at the blackboard before putting his spoon into the cauldron.Seven times anti-clockwise, one time clockwise. Wait for a bit. Seven times anti-clockwise, one time clockwise.He was delighted when his potion became lighter in colour and could match Eleanor’s.“And stop!” echoed Snape’s voice through the dungeon. “Stop stirring, all of you. I want you to pour your potion into a bottle and put it here on my desk. Don’t forget to label your bottle. I will judge your pitiful experiments.”Eleanor took a crystal bottle, filled it and placed it on the desk with lightning speed. As soon as she turned around, her eyes met George’s.Her eyes widened before narrowing. She bit her lower lip and hastily averted her gaze.For a moment, George wanted to grab her arm, but he changed his mind.No. She would curse his balls off if he dared to touch her in class.With a heavy feeling, he watched as Eleanor picked up her bag and hurried out of the dungeon.Potions lessons always proved to be a great ordeal for George. During his other lessons he could more or less ignore her, but standing next to her, he struggled to keep his attention.His mood dropped far below zero and his friends did not notice.“Merlin’s beard, George, what’s the matter with you?” asked Fred one evening, after they had drafted a letter for the lying Bagman. George almost cursed the parchment on fire in anger.George said nothing. He turned over in bed and tried to shake off all thoughts of the dark brown eyes of a familiar Slytherin.“Nothing. I’m just angry about the fact that we lost all our savings,” he grumbled. “That was our money for the shop.”Fred sighed in frustration. “That would have been your idea too. If Bagman had been honest, we’d have enough now to open at least two shops.”George stomped on his pillow.“We’ll talk more about this in the morning, okay?”The next morning was when the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were due to arrive. The Great Hall was lavishly decorated with giant silk banners, symbolizing the various houses of Hogwarts. Red with a golden lion for Gryffindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff and green with a silver snake for Slytherin. Behind the Head Table hung the largest banner of all, bearing the coat of arms of Hogwarts, where the lion, eagle, badger and snake were united around a large letter ‘Z’.Fred and George sat down.“Bagman arrives tonight to introduce the Tournament. We can just press our demands into his hand. We are within our rights, right? Even though we are minors and have no say whatsoever in the Wizarding World.”“Yeah, really worthless. But if he doesn’t want to talk to us in person, pressing our letter into his hand isn’t such a bad idea. He can’t keep avoiding us forever, can he?”“Who’s trying to avoid you?” asked Ron, their youngest brother suddenly sitting down next to them, flanked by Harry and Hermione.“If only you were,” said Fred irritably.Ron ignored him.“What’s so worthless?” he asked George.“That our little brother is such a nosy brat,” George replied.Fortunately, Harry changed the subject to the Tournament and George could glance at the Slytherin Table.Eleanor was eating breakfast next to Pucey, engrossed in a novel that she had set against a teapot. George automatically thought back to their conversations last summer, when she had told him about the novel she had been reading. Could it be another Muggle author she was reading? Probably.George sighed and answered Harry’s question.“I asked McGonagell how the champions are chosen, but she didn’t let on. I had to shut up and continue transforming my raccoon.”They chatted for a while about the Tournament, before Hermione started to whine about the house elves.George was fed up. He couldn’t take it anymore.“Listen, Hermione, have you ever been in the kitchens?” he asked, leaning towards the younger witch.“No, of course not,” Hermione said gruffly. “I don’t think they like students to -”“Well, we have,” George interrupted her. “So often, to steal food. And we’ve seen those house elves and they’re happy. They think they have the best job in the world -“But Hermione stubbornly countered, until she was drowned out by the entry of the owls.“Say, listen,” said Fred, as Harry, Ron and Hermione bent over a letter. “I don’t know what’s got into you lately, but make sure you sort it out. The Tournament is coming up and we still have to figure out how we’re going to participate. We can put that prize money to good use.”George sighed and his gaze wandered back to the Slytherin table. Eleanor was shaking out her long black hair and George could almost smell the heavy jasmine fragrance.“Yeah, okay.”He waited until Fred had left for Care of Magical Creatures and then followed Eleanor.He did not know yet what he would say to her. To apologise, certainly, but how exactly?Strangely enough, Eleanor led him to the seventh floor. She slowed down in front of the painting of Barnabas the Barmy in the left corridor. George quickened his pace.Immediately Eleanor turned and pressed the tip of her wand against George’s throat.“Weasel,” she almost spat out, before releasing her grip. “Didn’t your mother ever teach you that it’s life-threatening to follow dangerous Slytherins? Do you pay any attention at all in Mad-Eye’s lessons?”George grinned. “And a good morning to you too, Your Grace.”Eleanor’s eyes narrowed. “What do you want, Weasel Gryffindork?”“Ouch. Have we fallen so far back?”“Please answer my question.”George took a deep breath. “I want to apologise. It was stupid to hiss out a first year just because he was sorted into a different house. I shouldn’t have done it, and I should have stopped Fred. I’m sorry.”Eleanor looked at him inquiringly, as if she were trying to catch him in a lie or a joke.George could not help but stare into her almond-shaped dark cedar eyes surrounded by thick lashes. His eyes wandered over her heart-shaped face with fine bone structure, her full lips showing a row of perfect white teeth.“Apology accepted,” she said calmly. Her tongue licked her lower lip for a moment before she smiled broadly.“Friends?” asked George, before holding out his hand.
Eleanor’s smile widened. “Can a Gryffindor truly be friends with a Slytherin?” she asked, before turning and walking away, leaving George bewildered behind her.
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It was only during the banquet that George saw Eleanor again.She was sitting next to a handsome Durmstrang student who had just taken off his fur coat and was leaning towards her while Eleanor apparently laughed at something he had said.George clenched his hand around his knife. Fred followed his brother’s gaze and suddenly all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.“No way. Is Slytherin’s own duchess the reason for your sour mood?”Slowly George let go of his knife. “Maybe,” he replied.“How did that happen?” hissed Fred. “Since when had this been going on?”“Detention last year,” replied George reluctantly.“Merlin’s beard. My brother, the traitor.”“Shut up! Eleanor is not like the other Slytherins. She’s different.” George’s ears turned red.“How can you know that? Have you ever had a real conversation with her without her trying to curse you?”“Yes, several,” George objected. “You mustn’t believe the gossip.”Fred just shook his head and concentrated on his steak. He looked up and saw that Ludo Bagman had just come in.“Just concentrate on our money, Georgie. Forget about handsome Slytherins for a while.”As soon as the desserts were gone, Dumbledore stood to explain the course of the Tournament. George and Fred listened attentively and as soon as Dumbledore opened the chest and held the Goblet of Fire in his hands, Fred and George grinned widely.“Perfect,” said Fred Weasley, as soon as Dumbledore had given his speech and everyone had stood up. “An Age Line. You can certainly exceed that with an Ageing Potion, can’t you? Once you’ve put your name in it, you’re done! How could that Goblet possibly know how old you are?”George nodded enthusiastically. For a moment he did not think about Eleanor any more. “An Ageing Potion can’t be that hard to brew. I’ll start it tonight and it will be ready tomorrow morning,” George said.“Okay, where do we do it?” asked Lee Jordan, who was walking beside them.“In the abandoned classroom on the seventh floor, but I’m doing it alone,” said George. “I need to concentrate.”Fred patted his twin brother on the shoulder. “That’s the way I like to hear it.”George walked with his brother and friend to the Tower of Gryffindor and took out his Potion supplies.“Good luck. Try not to poison us,” Fred grinned, sitting cross-legged on his bed.On the lookout for Filch, George made his way to the seventh floor.He opened the door of the deserted classroom and stood for a moment.Instead of the abandoned classroom that George remembered, the room had been transformed into a luxuriously furnished room.Surprised, George put down his bag of Potion supplies.“Hello?” he asked, his wand held out in front of him.“Weasel Gryffindork. Again out after curfew in the corridors?” asked an amused voice from a low sofa. “My my, the nerve.”“Your Grace - this is bordering on obsession, don’t you think?” replied George, tucking his wand away.Smoothly, Eleanor straightened up. Her dark ebony hair fell over her naked shoulders.She was dressed in a gold silk-blend satin chemise, which flowed around her body. The curve of her form was clearly visible under the fabric.“What are you doing here?” asked Eleanor, waving her wand. A silk dressing gown came flying towards her and she put it on.“Brewing an Ageing Potion.”Eleanor’s eyes flickered. “Someone wants to put their life on the line. Are you sure those Galleons are worth it?”George grinned. “Not everyone has Galleons to spare. 1,000 Galleons, my dear. We could be rich.”Eleanor shook her head. “I won’t stop you,” she said, laying back down on the sofa. She picked up her book again.George walked over to the table and began unpacking his things. “What are you doing here anyway?” he asked, lightning the fire under his cauldron. “Doesn’t Slytherin have a cosy Common Room with comfortable seats?"Eleanor turned a page. “We do, but I didn’t feel the need to listen to Warrington bragging about his plan to become Hogwarts Champion.”“Warrington?” gritted George, as he finely chopped Newt Spleens and added them to his potions. “The horror.”“Tell me about it,” nodded Eleanor, without taking her eyes off the page. “So hence my presence here.”For a long time, there was a pleasant silence between them. George paid attention to his potion, which turned out the be quite simple in practice.“Voila, just a few more minutes of simmering and Hogwarts will have a decent Champion.”“I thought Diggory had already turned seventeen in September?” was Eleanor’s comment.“Please. Diggory is too stupid to put two words together,” George remarked irritably. He poured the potion into a bottle and tucked it safely into his cloak.“Duchess, it was real pleasure to enjoy your presence. I wish you another pleasant evening. Sleep well and don’t dream too much about my beautiful self.”Eleanor grinned and turned her head towards him. “Oh my, Weasley, so concerned about the fact that I would have nightmares. Gentlemen, they obviously still exist. I never thought Gryffindor was capable of delivering such specimens.”“See you tomorrow, Your Grace.” George saluted and left the classroom, his whole body full of energy.The next morning, George, Fred and Lee got up a lot earlier than usual. With trembling hands, George took the Ageing Potion from his cloak and transfigured a paperclip into a teaspoon.“Everyone a drop. We only need to be a few months older,” George said happily.The bright orange potion tasted like banana and George felt a warm sensation travel to his fingertips as soon as he had taken his dose.“Everyone, ready?” asked Fred triumphantly. He handed out pieces of parchment. “As soon as one of us is chosen, we’ll split a thousand Galleons between us.”Lee Jordan nodded.In front of the Great Hall, many students were hanging around the Goblet of Fire. More than George had expected.Of course, his youngest brother was also present. Ron’s friend Hermione immediately questioned the use of an Ageing Potion, but Fred, George and Lee ignored her.“Ready?” asked Fred, his voice trembling with excitement. “Okay, I’ll go first.”Fred walked to the golden line of the circle that Dumbledore had drawn that night and stood there wobbling for a moment, as if he didn’t quite trust it after all. He took a deep breath and stepped over the line.He had done it. The potion had worked.George let out a cry of triumph and jumped in after his twin.The next moment, the twins heard a loud crackling sound and they were thrown out of the circle by an invisible ball thrower. They landed a few meters away, wearing two long white beards.Laughter erupted. George stared as his twin brother for a moment and then burst out laughing. He crawled over to Fred and pulled at his beard to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Fred did the same to him and for a moment they nearly peed their trousers laughing.“I warned you,” said a cheerful voice. The Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, came out of the Great Hall. “I suggest you pay a visit to the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey is already patching up some students who also wanted to look a few months older. Though I must say their beards are not as impressive as yours.”Lee, who was nearly choking with laughter himself, helped George and Fred to their feet.George was still grinning.On the way to the infirmary, they passed a bunch of Slytherins and George couldn’t help but wink at one particular Slytherin.All he got in return was an eye roll.Madame Pomfrey had made them beardless in no time. She had ignored Fred’s please to let them keep their beautiful beards a little longer.“Please, madame Pomfrey. I will not get such a beautiful beard like this in my entire lifetime again.”“Hush, mister Weasley,” she tutted, before waving her wand.“Too bad,” Fred pouted, stroking his clean shaven chin. “I was just getting used to it.”Fred turned to his brother. “But, Eleanor Seymour.” He whistled for a moment. “I want to know everything. How did that happen?”George sighed. “Just. I ran into her in the library, when I was studying for our OWLs. She was polite to me, not at all like I expected her to be.” George’s voice died away as he thought back to that study session in the library. “I don’t know. She’s quite different from what you’d expect from a Slytherin. Still some poisonous comments - she’s a snake after all - but in a funny way, like she thinks you’re worthy of her attention.”Fred said nothing and George rattled on.“And she’s smart and funny and surprising. She sees everything. And she can tell us two apart, though Merlin knows how she does it. She even realised that the only reason we were studying for our OWLs was to open up a shop. Instead of laughing at me, she was understanding. As if it seemed only logical to her.”George sighed. “But she was furious with us after the Welcoming Feast.”“Why?” asked Fred.“We hissed out that first-year, Malcolm, remember? She didn’t think that was acceptable. She accused me of being a stupid biased Gryffindor and honestly?”George turned to his brother. “She was right.”Fred remained silent.“I don’t trust her,” Fred said finally. “She is and always will be a Slytherin. But I also know that she is not treated well within her house and she is looked down upon because of her blood status. So I partly believe you. But the fact that she knows about our plans could come back and bite us.”George rolled his eyes. “What’s the worst she can do? Send a letter to Mum. We’ve got our OWLs and we’re studying for our NEWTs. Mum really can’t whine. And you know Dad’s on our side, even if he doesn’t say so.”Fred grumbled something unintelligible.“We need to get hold of Bagman. If we want to open our shop effectively when we graduate, we need that money. And now we don’t even stand a chance of getting those Galleons if we can’t compete in the Tournament.”“We can try to get hold of him when we pass him and press that letter into his hand.”“Good idea.”
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They did not manage to speak to Bagman separately. He always seemed to be surrounded by teachers.Disappointed, Fred and George trudged to the Great Hall. The Halloween Feast awaited them, and the sight of the Goblet of Fire cheered Fred up.“Well, it might not be us, but I hope Angelina becomes the Hogwarts champion.” Their classmate had turned seventeen last week.George grinned at the prospect of a Gryffindor champion. “Yeah, I hope so too,” he said, before filling up his plate.Across the Great Hall, Berenice looked inquiringly at Adrian.“Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?” She asked, for the sixty-ninth time that day. Eleanor had counted them all.“We’ll find out in a minute,” Adrian replied cheerfully.“Come on,” complained Berenice, stubbornly popping a bite of tiramisu into her mouth. “You can tell me, can’t you?”Adrian just smiled. “Patience is a virtue, after all, Bunny.”“Don’t call me that,” Berenice’s braid almost agreed with indignation. “There are people around.”Eleanor looked at the Head Table. The crumbs disappeared from their golden plates and everyone became silent as Dumbledore stood up. Beside him sat Karkarov and Madame Maxime, the heads of the other Wizarding schools. Ludo Bagman winked at several pupils as if he knew them personally. Eleanor was horrified by his behavior. Crouch, on the other hand, sat up straight with a stoic expression.“The Goblet of Fire is almost ready to make its decision,” Dumbledore said, glancing at the Goblet of Fire. “We will know in a minute. As soon as the names of the champions have been read out, may I ask them to come to this side of the hall, walk past the Head Table, and into the adjoining room.” He gestured to a door diagonally behind the Head Table. “There they will receive their first instruction.”The lights were dimmed and all eyes turned to the Goblet of Fire. It glowed brighter and the light from the twinkling blue-white flames almost hurt Eleanor’s eyes.“Any moment now,” Lee whispered to Fred and George. Fred glanced at Angelina and nodded.The flames turned fire-red. Sparks shot up, followed by a stinging flame and a charred piece of parchment swirled upwards.Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and read it aloud.“The champion for Durmstrang is Viktor Krum.”A few places away from Eleanor, the gruff Seeker got up from the table and trudged under enormous applause to the Head Table before disappearing into the room Dumbledore had indicated.The Goblet of Fire lit up again and the second piece of parchment flew through the air.“The champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour.”The half-Veela rose gracefully and followed Krum into the room.Berenice pressed her lips together and applauded briefly.“Tell me, Pucey.”“Listen to the headmaster, Bunny.”The Goblet of Fire turned fire-red for the third time and this time the tension was palpable. Dumbledore caught the third piece of parchment.“Please not Warrington,” Eleanor prayed softly.“Let it be Angelina,” George prayed quietly.“The champion for Hogwarts is Cedric Diggory.”The Hufflepuff table almost exploded. All the students rose in a wave as Diggory walked past the tables to the room. The applause of the four houses lasted so long that it took some time before Dumbledore could say anything.“Not a bad choice of the Goblet,” Adrian said to Berenice, with a wide grin.“Shut up, Pucey.”“Well, now that we have our three champions, I’d like to urge everyone to support and encourage their champion. By doing so, you are contributing -“Dumbledore was interrupted by the Goblet of Fire turning red for the fourth time.Everyone watched with icy silence as Dumbledore caught the fourth piece of parchment.Slowly, as if he could not believe his eyes, Dumbledore read out the name of the fourth champion.“Harry Potter.”The icy silence continued. Everyone looked at the boy at the Gryffindor table, who looked at his friends in bewilderment and muttered something faintly.“Harry Potter,” repeated Dumbledore. “Harry! Come forward, please.”Harry’s friend, the one with the indomitable hair, pushed him forward. Nervously, as if he couldn’t believe it himself, Harry shuffled into the room.As soon as the door closed behind him, the students began chatting to each other.“Can you believe this?” asked Berenice to Adrian. “How on earth did Potter get across the Age Line?”“Beats me,” replied Adrian.Several professors followed Dumbledore into the room, while McGonagall looked at the students with a haughty expression.“Everyone to their Common Rooms,” she said.Malfoy was telling anyone who would hear it that he refused to believe what had just happened. Eleanor rolled her eyes and considered slapping Malfoy. It would make a lot of people’s lives easier.“I don’t believe he did it. For a start, Potter isn’t a genius at all. If any of those Gryffindors could have crossed that Age Line, it would have been that Granger kid.”“I wonder if they’re going to allow it,” Berenice wondered. “Two champions for Hogwarts, and one still a minor.”“There’s going to be blood, I’ll tell you that,” Eleanor heard Warrington say behind them. “Potter won’t even make it through the first task.”“It does increase our chances. Remember that Potter seems to have luck on his side,” said Lucy Vane, who suddenly walked past them.“The Gryffindors love this, of course,” sneered Berenice. “As if their complacency wasn’t already big enough.”“Ah, since when is that new?” replied Lucy. Adrian nodded in agreement.Over the next few weeks, the conversation kept turning to the unexpected participation of Harry Potter. Eleanor got tired of listening to the wildest theories that were circulating. Malfoy managed to sell badges to stir up the feud between Diggory and Potter. Not for the first time, Eleanor seriously questioned Malfoy’s obsession with the skinny Gryffindor.Fortunately, the sixth years were given so much homework that Eleanor did spend every evening in the library.After a long study session for Ancient Runes, Eleanor remembered that she still had to send the letter to her mother with Pegasus.Clutching her letter in her hand, Eleanor headed for the Owlery.She had just reached the second floor when she heard a nervous laugh from Bagman, followed by the irritated voice of Fred Weasley.“Well, boys, it’s late. I’ve got another appointment with Barty.”“But, Mr. Bagman, our money -““No, no, that’s for another time. You’re still young.”“Not young enough to make a bet.”Eleanor squeezed her eyes shut. So the Weasley twins had indeed bet money during the World Cup at Bagman. Those stupid idiots.“Well, well, you have yourselves to thank for that.”“But -““I really must be going now, gentlemen. I wish you another good evening.” Hurried footsteps echoed down the hall.“Can you believe this?” heard Eleanor George ask Fred.Eleanor rolled her eyes and left her hiding place.“Have you two fallen completely on the back of your heads? Who puts money in at Bagman? That man is up to his ears in debt to the goblins. Jeez, are all Gryffindors so stupid?”Fred and George looked at her in amazement, before Fred looked furiously at his brother.“George, did you snitch?”“What, when, did you? I’m not stupid, unlike you.”“Oh, you -““I just overheard you,” Eleanor interrupted coolly. “Just like on the World Cup. Unlike you, I can put one and one together, thank you very kindly.”A silence fell for a moment.Fred looked at Eleanor calculated. Eleanor raised one eyebrow.“Face it, Weasley. I am currently your best hope of ever seeing your money again. Now, how much had you placed in that bet?”George and Fred exchanged a look.“Thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, and three Knuts that Ireland would win, but Krum would get the Snitch.”Eleanor whistled for a moment. “Let me guess, your entire savings? Not a bad bet, especially since you were the only ones who correctly predicted that outcome. But with the wrong person.”Eleanor tapped her finger against her chin. “Has he paid you back some of it yet?”George looked sour. “With leprechaun money, the bastard.”Eleanor grinned. “And what did you guys do then?”“Wrote a letter. That it was probably a mistake and that we were entitled to our winnings. There was never any reply,” George replied.“We’ve been trying to get hold of him for days here at Hogwarts,” Fred added. “But he’s been avoiding us.”“Of course,” Eleanor sighed. “You’re playing this game like the good souls you are.”“What do you suggest?” asked George.Eleanor grinned broadly. “Are my ears hearing this correctly? Is a Gryffindor asking a Slytherin for help?” Eleanor took a step forward.Fred folded his arms in front of his chest. “Why should we trust you?”Eleanor pursed her lips and looked at George. “I think your brother can give you plenty of reasons.” She shrugged and turned her body away.“Wait!” She heard Fred say. With a smile, Eleanor turned back around.“Say please,” taunted Eleanor.Fred squeezed his eyes together, while George tried to suppress a smile.“Will you please help us out?” Fred managed to squeeze out eventually.“Oh, Weasley, I thought you’d never ask.”
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Eleanor did not reveal to the twins how she had managed to convince Bagman to pay them off.All the twins knew was that the night before the first assignment of the Tournament Bagman took them aside and nervously handed them a bag of gold.“Here, boys. This is your gold with your share of the profits,” grinned Bagman, while his eyes did not want to meet theirs. His hand trembled and Bagman balled his fist before putting it in his pocket.“Okay, then I’ll see you at the Tournament tomorrow,” he added. At a trot, Bagman left them behind.“Open up,” hissed Fred, pulling the bag from his brother’s hands.Golden Galleons shone down upon them.For a moment the brothers looked at each other speechless.“Slytherins,” Fred sighed.“Slytherins,” George agreed. He buttoned the bag back up and tucked it safely under his cloak.“They’re not all untrustworthy after all,” Fred admitted.The next morning, during Herbology class, while picking Knotgrass, Eleanor received a muttered thank you from Fred.“Thanks, I guess,” Fred muttered from the corner of his mouth, as he bent down to pick a bunch of Knotgrass.“What was that, Weasley?” asked Eleanor sweetly. “I didn’t quite catch that?”“Thank you, Seymour.”Eleanor smiled broadly. From across the field, George could see her whole face light up. “Pressuring Ministry officials is my favorite pastime as a Slytherin. It’s common knowledge.”“How did you manage to get Bagman to do that?”Eleanor’s smile turned angelic. “Oh, in the Common Room of Slytherin you do catch a few things, Weasley. It’s a matter of unloading the right information at the right time, so to speak.” Her smile widened. “And of course the opportunity to make suggestions as to what might happen if Bagman didn’t follow my good advice, of course. After all, I only have the best of intentions for everyone at heart.”Fred didn’t believe a word of those last sentences, but he was still relieved.“Well, thanks again.” Fred turned to Eleanor and examined those big chocolate-coloured eyes. “But that still doesn’t explain how you knew about our future plans about opening up a joke shop. George told me you knew that last year.”Eleanor sighed and her nails went through the Knotgrass that was already in her basket.“It was a good guess,” Eleanor shrugged.Fred’s gaze darkened, but he said nothing.Eleanor looked up and saw George’s gaze. She couldn’t help but wink.After class, Berenice pulled Eleanor aside.“Nell, you need to be more careful.”‘With what?” asked Eleanor, as she used her wand to decent her hair.“You know what I mean,” Berenice said softly. “Warrington is on to something and he is the last person you want accusing you of house hypocrisy.”“What is Warrington going to do?” asked Eleanor defiantly. Her brown eyes sparked.“Eleanor,” said Berenice. She pulled Eleanor into a side corridor and looked around carefully before turning to Eleanor.“This is serious. Something is hatching, even outside of Hogwarts. Remember, they still haven’t caught the perpetrators of the Dark Mark at the World Cup. You may be able to avoid the Common Room, but I can’t. The whispers are getting louder. Things are about to happen and I have a nasty feeling that we are only at the beginning of the misery. Please, be more careful. Keep your distance.”Eleanor clamped her fingers around Berenice’s wrists. “What do you know, Bunny? Tell me.”Berenice hesitated and glanced over her shoulder.“I don’t think Harry Potter was chosen by accident,” she finally said.Eleanor’s eyes grew big. Her nails set deeper into Berenice’s soft skin.“Have you,” breathed Eleanor, hesitantly, before she had checked the corridor. She drew her wand and muttered a Muffliato, before examining Berenice’s grey eyes again. Her voice was just a whisper.“Have you Seen anything?”Berenice shook her head. “I don’t know. The nightmares are getting worse. There’s a storm coming, Nell. Please, be careful. Stay away from Gryffindors. Please. Do it for me. Maybe it’s a storm in a teacup, but I don’t want you to take this risk.”Eleanor hesitated.“Please, Nell.”“I promise. I’ll do my best. That’s all I can do.”Berenice breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”Eleanor sought Berenice's hand and squeezed it gratefully.During lunch, Eleanor kept an eye on the four champions. It seemed that only Viktor Krum had his nerves in check. Of course, he had already had years of experience in which he had been the center of attention.The other three could not get a bite out of their throats. Cedric Diggory even looked deathly pale."I'll bet twenty Galleons that Harry Potter faints in the first five minutes," Eleanor Warrington heard a fellow classmate say.She rolled her eyes and averted her gaze as Professor McGonagall led the champions away.In the chill of the November air, the Hogwarts students walked down the stone steps towards the Forbidden Forest.A gigantic tent had been erected. Eleanor walked close to Berenice and Adrian. Many pupils were chatting excitedly and speculating about what the first task would be.In the crowd, Eleanor caught George's eye and smiled broadly before controlling her expression again. Her heart was racing slightly, and that had nothing to do with the enormous dragon cage that stood in the middle of the tent."You've got to be kidding me," Adrian said softly. "They let the contestants compete against dragons?""Apparently so,'' replied Berenice, who ran ahead to pick out the best seats. She looked with a cool expression at a couple of first year Hufflepuffs, who quickly made way."I have a feeling at least one candidate will be flambéed," Eleanor said boringly, stretching her legs. "I just haven't figured out who it will be yet. My money is on Fleur Delacour.""Is that because she's the only woman?" asked Berenice irritably."No," replied Eleanor. "Logical deduction. Harry Potter is going to do something typically heroic again, Viktor Krum is from Durmstrang and they have an extensive curriculum on magical creatures anyway. Remain: Cedric and Fleur. Cedric is a star student, so that plays to his advantage.""Well reasoned," complimented Adrian. Before he could continue, Bagman entered the tent and began to address the audience."Welcome, boys and girls! This first test is specially designed to test the boldness and guts of our champions! Are they prepared for the worst that can happen to them? The goal today is simple: they have to get the golden egg! Let the first test begin!"It was pure horror to witness.Cedric transformed a stone into a dog in a clever diversionary move, but narrowly avoided the fickle Dragon –a Swedish Short-Snout – when she changed her mind. The female half of the stage screamed heartily as the side of his face flamed.“Bet those war scars are going to make him even more handsome,” Fred muttered to George.“Afraid you won’t get any more female attention, little brother?” asked George cheerfully, as the judges awarded the points.Cedric wasn’t the only one who got acquainted with fire. Fleur Delacour tried to drug her dragon, but it only half worked. Her Sleeping Charm was not strong enough. During one loud snore her skirt caught fire.To everyone’s surprise, Krum managed to produce a decent Conjunctivitis Curse. The only drawback, as Bagman informed the terrified audience several times, was that the Chinese Fireball roared furiously and destroyed half her real eggs. The dragon tamers had the greatest difficulty calming the beast after Krum managed to get his egg and the dragon realized what had happened.Berenice hid her face in Adrian’s cloak. “I can’t watch this. How did Dumbledore ever think this would be a good idea? Potter won’t survive this.”Eleanor looked at the section of Gryffindors and saw how George’s younger brother had gone pale as a ghost. Granger tried to talk to him, but he looked as if he might faint at any moment.“There really is something wrong with this school,” said Lucy Vane, who was sitting a few seats away.Finally, Potter appeared, nervous and shaking. Eleanor felt very sorry for the young Gryffindor. The Hungarian Horntail was the most of the four dragons to face.Everyone around them was screaming. Even some Slytherins were shouting encouragement. It was one thing to face a Gryffindor on the Quidditch pitch, but quite another to see a fellow schoolmate staring into the eyes of death.Potter raised his wand and roared: “Accio Firebolt.”“Has he lost his mind?” asked Adrian in bewilderment.“No, he’s a genius. Look!” Berenice pointed to the sky, where the Firebolt was approaching. All around them, everyone freaked out when they realized what Potter was up to.“He’s going to do this his way.”With the biggest grin, Harry jumped on his Firebolt and flew up like a rocket, before taking a dizzying dive.He narrowly avoided a fire attack from the Horntail. Eleanor noticed that she too was shouting encouragement. Had she jumped up from her seat?“Great Scott, he can fly!” shouted Bagman. Harry took another dive, this time avoiding a fire attack. He had not reckoned with a swirling tail.“No!” shouted the whole stage in one breath, but Harry continued to fly undisturbed.“He’s not handling this well. She’s never going to give up her eggs if he attacks her like that,” said Berenice. Her fingers had clawed further into Adrian’s cloak.Harry, too, had noticed this. He challenged the Horntail by flying further and deftly avoiding her fire attacks.From her seat, Eleanor could clearly see Harry’s face twisted in concentration, looking for the slightest clue.Even before the Horntail had unfurled its wings, Harry dived and managed to retrieve the golden egg.The whole stage erupted in relieved cheers.“Look at that!” Bagman was yelling. “Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr Potter.”While Harry was being led away, the dragon keeps tried to subdue the Horntail. The beast was still trying to reach Harry, seeking her revenge.“Do you still think we’re stupid Gryffindors, Duchess?” Eleanor hears say in a cheerful voice close to her ear as the students made their way back to the castle, talking excitedly to each other.Eleanor’s heart jumped with excitement. Out of the corner of her eye she looked at her housemates, but they had already left.“Stupid Gryffindorks with a clear death wish. As you prove once again.”A husky laugh followed over her shoulder and she felt a warm hand squeeze her fingers.“Slytherins.”Carefully, Eleanor squeezed back, before letting her fingers slip from his hand and walked a pace faster. That husky smile followed her until she was in the Slytherins Common Room.
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“Have you all heard?” Lucy Vane caught her fellow Slytherin classmates after a particular nasty Transfiguration class. McGonagall had given them another sermon to underline the dangers of Human Transfigurations. She had also stressed to them that she expected everyone to use the upcoming Christmas break to catch up.“What should I have heard?” asked Berenice with a sneer, as she hefted her satchel higher on her shoulder. The back of her hand glistened with scales.“The Yule Ball is coming up. I just got the news from a Ravenclaw. At eight o’clock sharp on Christmas Day.”“What!” cried Berenice. Her forked tongue shot out for a moment before she clamped her jaws together. “How can that only be announced now? We have less than two weeks to go! How are we supposed to get new gala robes?”“And are we expected with a partner or not?” asked Greg Jennings, a fellow Slytherin who was also in their year.“I believe so, yes.”Berenice groaned and her eyes darted in all directions.“I think we should take Berenice to see Madam Pomfrey first,” said Eleanor, glancing emphatically at Adrian. “We don’t want her to keep acting like a chameleon.” Adrian nodded and hurried along.“What’s the matter, Bunny? Aren’t you the one who’s been crying out for a traditional Yule Ball for ages?” asked Eleanor, as they rushed through the corridors to the hospital wing.“And besides,” Adrian added, “the Triwizard Tournament has always had a Yule Ball.”Berenice sighed. “Yes, I realized that somewhere, but I hadn’t thought about it more.” She stopped in front of the double doors leading toward the hospital wing and rummaged in her satchel, pushing a folded parchment into Eleanor’s hands.“My father sent me this yesterday.”With a glance at Adrian, Eleanor unfolded the letter. Her eyes wandered over the words. Over her shoulder, Adrian read along.“Oh.”“We’ll talk more about this tonight,” Berenice said, pushing open the double doors and walking inside.Together, Adrian and Eleanor walked back in silence to the Slytherin Common Room.“Everything okay?”“No,” Eleanor replied truthfully. For the past few weeks she had had no idea what to do with herself. She had kept her promise to distance herself from the Gryffindors as best as she could, and now she had read those words from Mr Yaxley, she was grateful that she had listened to her friend.Thanks to the Triwizard Tournament, the fuss over the Dark Mark at the World Cup had subsided somewhat, but in the minds of the most important wizarding families, the questions remained unanswered. There was still an official investigation, but something stirred.Berenice’s nightmares persisted. The girls hadn’t said anything to Adrian yet, but every time glanced at Harry Potter, she shivered.No wonder Berenice was surprised by the news of the Yule Ball.“Is there anything I can do for you, Nell?” Adrian asked softly. His hand sought Eleanor’s and squeezed it gently.Eleanor sighed.“No, I don’t think so. I’m expecting my mother to send me a letter any minute now with detailed preparations for the Yule Ball.”Adrian smiled encouragingly. “You don’t have to go, you know.”Eleanor did not reply to that remark and loosened her hand. Her heels tapped ominously through the dungeons.“Dulce periculum,” Eleanor said. The walls of the dungeon obediently moved aside for her and she entered the Common Room before Adrian.With her head lifted, she passed the comfortable-looking seats. She didn’t bat an eyelid at anyone.Lucian Bole, who was one year above Eleanor, stopped her by literally blocking her path to the dormitory.“Bole.”“Seymour.”Eleanor raised one eyebrow.“So, I’ve heard that the Yule Ball is being organised.”Eleanor did not reply but raised her eyebrow half a millimeter higher.“To give scum like you a chance too, I’m asking you to come with me to the Yule Ball.”Around them, all conversations in the Common Room fell silent. All eyes were on Lucian Bole and Eleanor Seymour.Eleanor tried her best to hold her tongue, but she failed.“Scum like me,” she repeated. Her voice seemed to be an icicle.“Need I to remind you, Bole, that despite having a Muggle surname, my blood is still a lot purer than yours?”Bole’s mouth fell open, but Eleanor didn’t give him a chance to reply to her.“My father may be a Muggle, yes, I will not deny that. But he is still richer than everyone in this Common Room put together, even if I include Malfoy. My father’s surname is Seymour and he is the Duke of Norfolk. That means it’s the purest Muggle blood you can find in this pathetic land. My father has the blood of kings running through his veins. That also means that all my blood – wizard and Muggle combined – is still more pure than yours, Bole, since I don’t have single drop of troll blood flowing through my veins. Other than in your case. Don’t you ever dare to breathe near me again.”During her reply, Eleanor had drawn her wand and placed it against Bole’s throat.“Did I made myself clear enough?”Bole managed only to nod.“Good. Step aside, Troll Blood.”In the silence that haunted Eleanor to her dormitory, she could almost distinguish the heartbeats of her housemates. A self-deprecating smile graced her blood-red stained lips.That little incident was going to cost Eleanor dearly. She knew it down to her bones. Bole would make her pay for it. She did not know when and how, but she knew it would come eventually.Just as Eleanor had predicted to Adrian, Pegasus brought a detailed job description for the Yule Ball from Astraea that next morning.“And?” asked Berenice, as Eleanor neatly folded and bound the five pages of heavy parchment together.Deep in thought, Eleanor tapped her dark red nail against her teacup.“Is there a trip to Hogsmeade planned before Christmas?” she asked, before taking a sip of tea. Her face twitched when she noticed her tea had become lukewarm and she poured herself a new cup.“No, our last trip was before the First Task. Terrible. It’s as if Dumbledore doesn’t know what it takes to prepare for a Yule Ball,” Berenice complained.Their friend looked a lot better today, after a visit to Madam Pomfrey. Her eyes had regained their natural storm grey colour.She had been dismissed late yesterday afternoon and had been in the dormitory doing nothing but making plans for the Yule Ball.“I think it’s time to bring out the privileges of being a prefect once more, Bunny,” Eleanor grinned, as she swung her legs over the wooden bench and took out her bag for History of Magic.“I’ll see you this afternoon, just before lunch, in the Great Hall. Sounds good?”Berenice stood up. “Fine. But I want a huge slice of chocolate cake from Puddifoot’s afterwards!” she said loudly, before rushing off to Divination.Eleanor only grinned.“I suppose I’m just free to study?” muttered Adrian, as he loaded up a plate with friend tomatoes and scrambled eggs.“Unless you feel the irresistible urge to try on some better gala robes with us, Pucey,” Eleanor said with a wink.Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor Common Room, Fred and George pondered how to invest the money Eleanor had given them a month ago in the smartest way possible.“I suppose it’s not the smartest move to just hide the money in an old stocking under our mattress, Fred,” said George, for what felt like the hundredth time.“What else are we supposed to do with it?” asked Fred irritably.“I don’t know. That’s why I suggest we talk to Bill.”“Bill! As in, our brother Bill?”“Yes, that Bill. Do you know another Bill?”“Why?”“Do you want the reasons in alphabetical order or in order of importance?” asked George. He sighed when he saw his brother’s impatient look.“Firstly, Bill works for Gringotts. Secondly, he is the only one in the family who will understand our plans and thirdly, we literally have nothing to lose by searching for information. At the very worst, Ma could accuse us of behaving responsibly with our money."In the end, Fred agreed to draft a letter to Bill, to meet at Hogsmeade on the next free weekend to discuss any investment plans.Just as the ink was drying on their undersigned names, their youngest brother Ron sett of a card castle. Half of his eyebrows disappeared and his face was covered in soot.“Nice look, Ron … Goes well with your dress robes, that will,” Fred grinned.George wiped the sand from the piece of parchment and folded it carefully. “Ron, can we borrow Pidwidgeon?” he asked in a quiet tone.“No, he’s off delivering a letter. Why?”“Because George wants to invite him to the ball,” Fred replied, which earned him a shove from George.“Because we want to send a letter,” George said in a decided tone.That tone was lost on Ron, who stubbornly kept asking.“Who do you two keep writing to?” asked Ron curiously.“Nose out, Ron, or I’ll burn that for you, too,” Fred said warningly, before diverting the conversation from himself. “So, you lot got dates for the ball yet?”“Nope,” replied Ron.“Well, you’d better hurry up, or all the good ones will be gone,” said Fred.“Who’re you going with, then?”“Angelina,” said Fred promptly.“What?” asked Ron. “You’ve already asked her?”“Good point.” Fred turned his head. “Oi, Angelina!”Angelina, who had just been engaged in a conversation with Alicia Spinnet about the past match between the Wimbourne Wasps and the Montrose Magpies, looked up.“What?”“Do you want to go to the ball with me?”Angelina looked puzzled. “All right, then,” she replied, before continuing to discuss the Magpies’ techniques.“There you go,” said Fred to Harry and Ron, who looked flabbergasted. “Piece of cake.”“But we’d better use a school owl,” continued Fred, getting to his feet. “Come on, George.”“Don’t forget to ask Slytherin’s duchess to the ball, little brother,” said Fred, as soon as they had tied the letter to the leg of a tawny owl.George said nothing but looked out from the open windows.Ever since McGonagall’s announcement about the Yule Ball, George had been toying with the idea of asking Eleanor to the Yule Ball.But every time George had plucked up the courage, it seemed as if Eleanor was looking past him. Since she had pressed Bagman’s gold into their hands, she had not spoken to him once.“I don’t know,” George began, until his eye fell on the Beauxbatons Carriage, close to the Forbidden Forest and, more importantly, close to the access road to Hogsmeade.Two figures were making their way from the village back to the castle, walking remarkably slowly.He did not recognise the white cloak, but he knew immediately to whom it belonged. The white-blond hair of the person next to her only confirmed his conclusion.He looked back at the Beauxbatons Carriage and immediately saw the reason why the two figures were walking so slowly: several students from the French wizarding school came running up to them and escorted them to the carriage.Was it his imagination, or did he hear the triumphant laughter of the two girls all the way to the Owlery?“You know what? I’ll just stick with the team,” said George. Somehow he was not surprised by the cool sound of his voice.
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“Theron Beaufort asked you to the Yule Ball?” asked Adrian. He threw the copy of Advanced Potion-Making on the table in the library just a touch too hard.Berenice looked up from her roll of parchment with a confused look in her eyes.“Who told you?”Adrian plopped down. “Please, Bunny. The rumour mill has been running at full speed since last night. The son of Nereus Beaufort? The head of the Bureau de la Justice Magique? The man who narrowly missed becoming France’s Minister of Magic last year? Apparently, sonny boy rescued you from a snowstorm in the nick of time and pulled you into that ridiculous pumpkin coach. He took one look at you and sold his heart to you.”“Please. There was no snowstorm.”“So it was love at first sight?” asked Adrian huffily, looking up the section of Everlasting Elixirs in his copy of Advanced Potion-Making.Berenice angrily pushed the roll of parchment away from her. “Listen,” she said, in a voice trembling with restrained anger. “My father has literally ordered me to be seen with him at the Yule Ball. Didn’t you read his letter? Get close to him. I didn’t really have a choice.”“What nonsense, Berenice. You always have a choice,” Adrian begun, but Eleanor stuck her eagle feather into a jar of ink and finally looked up from her piece of parchment and interrupted Adrian.“As endearing as your argument is, I would suggest you continue your frisky discussion elsewhere before we have Madam Pince on our heads. Preferably in a location with fewer eavesdroppers?” Eleanor added as an afterthought, gesturing softly to the students seated around them in the library and looking interestedly at their table.It was the last evening before the Christmas break. A lot of students – especially the higher years – were still in the library, working diligently. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about forgotten work during the holidays.With an angry look at Berenice, Adrian rummaged through his school bag for a sheet of parchment and a quill.Berenice’s eyes squeezed together, but to Eleanor’s relief she said nothing.In the run-up to the Yule Ball, the atmosphere between Adrian and Berenice remained tense. Especially when Adrian asked Daphne Greengrass, a handsome fourth year, to go with him to the ball. The icy gaze Berenice had thrown at the Greengrass girl in the Common Room was sharp enough to cut through her porcelain skin. It was admirable that the Greengrass girl managed to answer that gaze with a polite smile and a nod. Someone else had long since crawled under the leather sofa.It was only a matter of days or even hours before the bomb would burst between them. Eleanor had planned to be very far away from her two friends at that time.Eleanor looked up from her parchment and her gaze fell on the Weasley brothers, who were sitting with their heads together in the furthest part of the library.Somehow Eleanor felt a stab of disappointment. She had half-hoped that George would ask her to the ball. The day before yesterday, she had heard from a Hufflepuff that both brothers would be going to the Yule Ball with Chasers from the Gryffindor team.Of course, the letter from Astraea had clearly stated that Eleanor was not to go to the ball with blood traitors under any circumstances, but still.Eleanor had thought that their friendship went a little further than total disregard.With a frown, she concentrated back on her parchment.Still, the letters of Astraea’s letter burned on her retina.
You must and you will appear at the ball with a decent pureblood. This opportunity is going to open doors for us. I will not accept you throwing away this chance for a foolish sense of teenage excitement.
Her mother’s calligraphic handwriting danced in her mind and Eleanor felt her temples begin to burn. Her stomach played up.“Sorry, I must run. Lie down for a while. Migraine,” she muttered, hurriedly shoving her things into her bag.“Do you want me to come with you?” asked Berenice, looking up worriedly. Her hand was on her book of Potions.“No, no, I just want to lie on the bed with a cold cloth on my eyes. I’ll feel better in the morning. Promise,” Eleanor babbled. She could almost feel George Weasley’s gaze burning on her skin.Before any of her friends could protest, Eleanor hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and hurried out of the library.Once outside, she leaned against the cold castle wall. The chill crept over her skin and for a moment she felt a little better.“Are you all right?”A deep voice that Eleanor recognised, but could not bring home, made her look up.Straight into two ice-blue ice in a face with sharp features, as if an ancient Greek artist had sculpted it. A lock of raven-black hair fell across his forehead.He wore a dark cloak of excellent quality wool and made with a French cut, though his voice contained no hint of accent.“Yes, yes, I feel fine. Just a migraine attack, but I’m fine,” Eleanor stammered. She felt something burning in her stomach and for a moment she wobbled on her legs.Immediately, the young man in front of her had his arm around her shoulder.“I’m sorry to say, but you don’t seem to be fine. I will escort you to the hospital wing.”Before Eleanor could protest, he trotted her along. Without hesitation, he led her through the corridors.“How do you know your way around here?” she asked frantically.The young man laughed. “I studied here for seven years. I spent more nights than I liked in the hospital wing.”“Let me guess, Quidditch?”“Indeed.” The young man grinned and Eleanor looked up.His eyes had lost a tiny bith of their chill.She swallowed. The young man pushed open the door of the hospital wing with his free hand.Mrs Pomfrey came running, alarmed.“Miss Seymour! Mister Rosier! What is going on!”Rosier. Eleanor’s eyes grew big and she almost missed a step.This could not be anyone else than Emil Rosier, the eldest son of Constantin Rosier and his French wife Hosanna Trouche. He had been four years above her and had graduated with excellent results.For a moment, Eleanor felt her heartburn rising. Emil’s uncle was none other than Death Eater Evan Rosier, who had been murdered by Alastor Moody during his arrest.Her mother had constantly whined about the fact that Constantin had sent his eldest son to the mainland. Emil would have been such a good match, so pure and flawless.If Eleanor remembered the lament correctly, Rosier worked for the International Confederation of Wizards. It could hardly be otherwise if Rosier had something to do with the Triwizard Tournament.Again Eleanor staggered on her feet and she felt her head grow light. “Oh no, just put her down on the bed, Mister Rosier. This will be exhaustion. The upcoming Yule Ball is not good for anyone, let alone the nerves of those who are already struggling so much.”“On the contrary, I would argue that the Yule Ball is the ideal opportunity to unload for a while, Mrs Pomfrey,” Emil Rosier said in a soft tone, as he escorted Eleanor to a bed and gently pushed her down.Mrs Pomfrey muttered something unintelligible under her breath as she waved her wand to take in Eleanor’s condition.“A migraine attack and a fainting fit. You did the right thing in bringing her here, Mr Rosier,” Mrs Pomfrey said approvingly.“Make yourself comfortable, Miss Seymour. I’ll be right back with an Acutus essence to perk you up,” she said, walking towards her little office.“Now this fuss,” Eleanor growled, swinging her legs onto the bed. Now that she was finally seated, she felt a little better. Her stomach had finally calmed down. She looked at Rosier. “Cold compresses on my eyes would have helped too.”“I’ll translate that as thank you then?”Eleanor squeezed her eyes to slits. “If that helps you sleep at night, be my guest.”For the first time, Eleanor could detect something of a faint smile from Rosier.“My sister told me about your stunt with Lucien Bole.”Eleanor groaned. She had completely forgotten that Emil Rosier had a sister one year younger than her, Thea Rosier.“He deserved it.”The faint smile widened by half a millimetre.“No, you shouldn’t apologise. Not when you were pretty much right.”At those words, the hairs on Eleanor’s arms stood up straight.She knew very well how families like Rosier’s thought of her. The idea that she had labelled a half-breed like Lucien Bole as scum would certainly never be received like that.Rosier leaned towards her, but before he could open his mouth to speak, Mrs Pomfrey returned with a large glass filled with a clear translucent liquid.“Here you go, Miss Seymour. Drink it all in one gulp, please.”Still confused by that comment from Rosier, Eleanor obeyed. The drink poured hot down her gullet and Eleanor immediately felt the effect. The headache disappeared and she felt renewed energy all the way to her fingertips.“That looks a lot better already, Miss Seymour. Stay a while longer until the effect has done its work completely. Only then may you leave. Mister Rosier, please escort her back to the Common Room.”“You may count on that, of course, Mrs Pomfrey,” Rosier replied smoothly.“Excellent.” Mrs Pomfrey nodded welcomingly and retreated to her office.For a while it remained silent. Rosier looked at the door that Pomfrey had slammed shut behind her.Eleanor felt the warm feeling take hold of her entire body. The headache had eased, but the worry remained.“Is something wrong with the potion?” asked Rosier suddenly to Eleanor.Eleanor looked up. “No, why?”“Because you have that frown between your eyebrows again. Right here.” With the cool tip of his thumb, he touched her forehead between her eyebrows.A shiver went through Eleanor.“My mind is on a Potions essay,” Eleanor quickly made up. She didn’t know if it was believable, but Rosier nodded.“Sounds like you really need a diversion.” The imagined smile from earlier now became a real one.“How about the ideal revenge on Lucien Bole, before he makes you pay for your remark?” Eleanor leaned back as her brain worked at top speed.She knew what his next words would be even before Rosier had formed them.“Go to the Yule Ball with me.”
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George was relieved with the fact that he had convinced Fred to order suitable dressing robes through the catalogue George had nicked from Katie Bell.“I must admit, this was not a bad idea,” Fred said, studying his own outfit while their youngest brother was teased merciless by his peers with his worn-out dressing robes.“Thank you,” George said, pulling his collar a little looser.In the Common Room, Katie, dressed in a burgundy robe that looked fine on her, approached him. Angelique followed her and threw a flirtatious wink at Fred.“Ready?” asked Katie breathlessly.“Of course,” Fred replied, gallantly offering his arm to Angelique.“Shall we?” suggested George, motioning Katie to the Fat LadyThe Great Hall had been transformed into a winter wonderland. The walls were covered in sparkling frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The house tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.Fred trotted Angelique to a table were Lee and his date, a Ravenclaw whose name George didn’t remember were also sitting.Katie and Angelique talked plenty about Quidditch, and Fred and Lee eagerly joined in. George grabbed his menu from his golden plate and studied the choices.“Beef wellington,” George ordered.“Oh, good choice! Beef wellington too,” Katie said, before smiling at him.George wanted to smile back, but then saw over her shoulder how Eleanor Seymour was led into the Great Hall by a handsome young man who looked vaguely familiar to George.She was dazzling. She was wearing a dressing robe that clearly came from the Muggle world: no witch would dare to wear such a thing. The velvet fabric enveloped her body in a way that should be forbidden, leaving her shoulders and arms bare. The colour was a deep green hue, almost black.Her dark curls were pulled up, but with a few strands surrounding her face. Her dark eyes were set on with something, making them look even bigger.George was not the only one staring. Almost every man in the Great Hall dropped his cutlery to stare at the Slytherins’ own princess.“Dear Merlin, that’s Emil Rosier. How did she get him to want to accompany her to the Yule Ball? I thought the Rosiers had higher standards,” George heard someone whisper at the table behind them.Rosier led Eleanor to a table with other official Tournament staff and Eleanor smiled endearingly.Somewhere George felt a sting. Was that why Eleanor hadn’t looked at him for weeks?With a sickening feeling, George watched how Rosier wrapped his hand around her fingers. Eleanor took her glass and set the rim at her lips.“Doesn’t it taste good, George?” Katie leaned towards him and her voice tore him away from Eleanor.“Oh, sorry. I was daydreaming.” George did his best to focus attention back on his plate.Occasionally he would pick up on something being said about Quidditch, but he was mostly busy trying not to let his eyes slide back to that particular table.George almost didn’t noticed how Dumbledore asked the students to stand up, until Fred yanked him up. The crowd went wild when the Weird Sisters were announced and the girls at their table began to shriek.“Oh, I just love this song!” Katie looked at George with pleading eyes.George smiled. “Can I have this dance, my lady?” he asked. After all, Katie wasn’t a bad person. She was a friend.“I thought you’d never ask.” Her smile widened and George felt a pang at his heart when he heard the echo in her words.He only realised it when he felt that dark look burning on his skin.He wanted to be here with her.At the other side of the Great Hall, Eleanor’s eyes followed George and Katie onto the dance floor.“Care to dance, Eleanor?” Emil’s hand on her forearm felt cool. Eleanor looked up, right into his ice-blue eyes.“Yes.”Emil led her to the dance floor before taking hold of her. His hand took her firmly around his waist, just an inch lower than she would have liked. His other hand held hers.“You look beautiful tonight.” Emil’s breath brushed past her ear. “Much better than when I saw you a few days ago.”Eleanor did her best to smile. “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself in your dressing robes. Zurich?” “A connoisseur’s eye;” Emil complimented her. “I told you you were in need of a diversion?”“Is that so? I remember it completely differently anyway.” Eleanor tore her eyes away from the dance floor and looked at Emil. His gaze held hers.His fingers stroked her dress and Eleanor shivered for a moment at the sudden warmth that crept up on her. From the other side, she saw Berenice, in the Frenchman’s arms. She looked radiant in ice-white robes. But her eyes were thunderclouds and the look she threw Eleanor did not bode well.As soon as Eleanor had told Berenice the news about Emil Rosier a few days ago, her friend had looked at her with an icy stare.“You know you should stay out of the line of fire, and yet you manage to wriggle right into the middle of it,” Berenice had snapped at her, before she had turned around. “I don’t trust him.”“I know that. I don’t trust the whole thing either, but I couldn’t refuse. Do you know what my mother would do if she got wind of this?”Berenice had sighed deeply. “I feel like a puppet on strings.”Eleanor’s fingers cramped as she thought back to that conversation. She felt Emil’s jaw resting against the side of her crown.The Weird Sisters started playing at a faster pace and Eleanor tried to lead Emil back to their table.It worked. “Shall I bring you something to drink?” asked Emil, after pushing her chair back.“Gladly,” Eleanor smiled. She managed to raise the smile to her eyes and look at him warmly.With an elated look, Emil left.Immediately, Adrian sat next to her at the table.“I really don’t understand you and Berenice. What in Merlin’s name are you planning with your partners?”Eleanor looked at him with one eyebrow raised. Warmth trickled out of her gaze.“I have no idea. He asked me. Berenice and I have been trying to figure out what his underlying motives are for several nights in a row, but we find nothing,” Eleanor said softly, as her gaze searched the dance floor.Adrian’s gaze softened. “Be careful, Eleanor. Rosier was an excellent chess player. He always thinks ahead until the endgame.”“Is this a warning or an insult, Pucey?”Adrian grabbed Eleanor’s hand. “A warning, Nell.”Next to Adrian, Emil appeared. He nodded politely to Adrian and handed Eleanor a glass of excellent champagne.“Thank you.” Eleanor very carefully took a small sip, before Adrian abruptly stood up. “Will you allow me to ask your date to a dance?” he asked Rosier.Rosier looked questioningly at Eleanor. “That is for the lady to decide. I’m afraid I have no say over her.”Eleanor managed to keep her face with the utmost difficulty. “For once, Adrian.”Adrian took her outstretched hand, spun her around in one smooth motion and led her onto the dance floor.“Where is Greengrass?”“No idea. One of her classmates asked her to dance. She nodded at me before she left.”Eleanor batted her eyes heavenward. “I don’t understand you and Berenice.”“You don’t have to.”Adrian spun Eleanor around and dropped her deeply backwards.With a swift movement, he pulled her back into her arms. “Do you have any news from the Ministry?” asked Eleanor, as she wrapped her arm around his neck.“Cover-up operation,” Adrian muttered inwardly, so no one could overhear or even lip-read their conversation. “They closed the investigation of the Dark Mark. Black is supposedly the culprit, but that won’t be brought out.”Eleanor’s mouth fell open and Adrian immediately responded by lifting her up and spinning her around, before lowering her again.“Control your face,” he hissed with clenched teeth. Eleanor managed to make her mouth form the perfect O and grinned at him.“Nothing is allowed to jeopardise this Tournament. The second task is coming soon.”“So the culprit is still at large?”“Let’s hope that on that particular night at the World Cup, the culprit simply looked too deep into his glass and may not even remember his actions. A storm in a glass of water.”“You know I don’t do optimism.”“Then I would start there.” With those words, Adrian delivered Eleanor to Emil Rosier, who immediately took her in his arms.An older and slower song was played. Emil’s experiences arms led her across the dance floor and Eleanor looked up at him from under her lashes.“So, what exactly does a delegate to the International Confederation of Wizards do here?” she asked in a graceful tone that was sure to meet with her mother’s approval.“They were looking for someone experienced in the workings of Hogwarts and I volunteered. It helps that this is a prestige project and provides an accelerated chance of promotion. And don’t forget that my sister still goes to school here.”“Thea,” Eleanor smiled.“Correct.” Emil smiled back approvingly. Eleanor held the smile.“But you still haven’t answered my question. What are you doing here?” asked Eleanor.Emil talked about his work, but Eleanor only listened with half an ear.She had mastered the art of listening since a little girl under the strict supervision of her mother. She managed to keep her gaze interested and to nod at the right moments and pick up on something small to keep Emil talking.Still, her eyes kept floating across the dance floor, looking for a freckled face with bright blue eyes and a smile that made her body tingle.Across the shoulders of the many dancers she saw a reddish gleam, but it turned out to be Ginny Weasley.Emil led her past the bar and handed her another glass of champagne. Eleanor took a sip, looked sweetly at Emil and concentrated back on the dance floor.“Shall we get some fresh air?” asked Emil.“Gladly,” Eleanor replied. She emptied her glass and put it back while Emil led her outside.It was cold outside, but Emil provided a warming spell. They walked past the rose bushes strategically set up and Emil offered her his arm.“Thank you,” she said.“What are your plans in the coming years?” asked Emil. His hand already felt warmer on her skin and Eleanor felt a little more relaxed.“Oh, I don’t really know yet,” she tried to brush him off. “I recorded nine NEWTS, but that’s mainly to keep all options open.”“Nine NEWTS? No wonder you were close to collapse.”Eleanor smiled. “Snape declared me a fool.”Emil grinned. “Most Slytherins take seven of eight, so you’re already there.”Eleanor’s smile widened and Emil led her back to the Great Hall.That smile froze when she entered and saw in one of the furthest corners a familiar figure, in a very close embrace with one of the Chasers of the Gryffindor Team, Angelique.Her vision instantly became cloudy. She just saw the lips moving violently before she averted her gaze. Her heart was spinning and blood was buzzing in her ears.“Hey, I meant it as a compliment.” She barely registered that Emil lifted her chin with his hand and looked straight into her eyes. His icy blue eyes sought something in hers before his face moved closer.Emil moved slowly, as if giving her every chance to pull away. Eleanor closed her eyes, gripping his arms tighter, which were suddenly around her body. She felt his lips on hers.Her heart sank, but she willingly opened her mouth. Her hand slid to his neck and she pulled him closer to her.If he held her tightly enough, he would be able to hold her together.
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“- so proud that you managed to go to the Yule Ball with a Rosier. Merlin may know how you managed it, since that family is almost as bad as the Lestranges with the whole pureblood supremacy ideas. I clearly did something right in my upbringing. Finally, the plans are bearing fruit. Pleione, I am so proud of you. You can’t know how happy you made me when I saw the picture in Enchanting Epics the day after the ball. Except that the shade of green was just too dark for you – you would have looked better in emerald green. What got into you?”Her mother’s cheerful tone only added to the nausea of Eleanor, who was lying on the velvet divan with a pillow pulled over her eyes.It was in the late afternoon on the Sunday after the Yule Ball and Eleanor was probably less than twenty-two minutes back home. This time her mother had not waited for her on the platform in King’s Cross, but had sent the butler who had been waiting obediently on platforms 9 and 10.As soon as Eleanor had plopped down in the divan, her mother had found her and had started to deliver her eulogy.Eleanor was already regretting her decision to come home from the Yule Ball.“But the Rosiers! What a wonderful choice, Pleione! Oh, I can’t wait to bump into Constantin at the Ministry! He wouldn’t dare to ignore me now. How about a light lunch in the heart of London tomorrow afternoon, just the two of us? Shall I make a reservation? I’ve heard Chago’s has a new salad on the menu.”A moan escaped Eleanor’s lips and for the first time since she had been home, Astraea fell silent.“What’s the matter, Pleione? I thought you would be more cheerful after this victory?”Eleanor threw the cushion off her and sat up straight.“My victory? Your victory, you will mean! That’s all you have been raving about these last hours. How glorious it is for you! I have no victory here, mother!”Astraea raised one eyebrow. “What do you mean?” she asked in a glacially calm tone.A knock on the door prevented Eleanor from answering.“Excuse me, miss Seymour. These flowers have just been delivered.” The butler entered with a huge bouquet of lavender-coloured roses. Poor Stevens had to carry it with both his arms. He was visibly trembling beneath the weight.“Did it come with a card?” asked Astraea, gesturing to a side table.“Yes ma’am.” Stevens took a card out of his pocket. “Your voice of all goddesses makes heaven drowsy with harmony. Signed, E.R.”Eleanor remained perplexed. She watched as Stevens arranged the flowers in a crystal vase and slowly left the room when he was finished.It was only when the door locked behind him that Eleanor beckoned to the vase. She took it and threw it with all her strength at the portrait hanging above the fireplace.“How dare he.”Immediately after, she felt a white-hot pain in her cheek. Astraea was standing right in front of her.A heartbeat later, Eleanor realized that her mother had hit her.Astraea raised her wand. “Reparo.”The crystal splinters gathered and the roses rearranged themselves in the vase.“How dare you?” said Astraea, turning to her daughter. Her dark eyes crackled with anger.“How dare you risk years of work? Because of what? What is it that Rosier did that makes you react like this? That boy is a gift from Morgana herself, the salvation to all my prayers.”“I,” Eleanor began.Another slap to her face.“No, you are going to listen, young lady. I am not stupid. I know perfectly well that there is someone else you’re looking at. And I know exactly who.’Eleanor’s eyes grew big.Astraea smiled falsely. “Did you really think I have no one to keep an eye on you over there at boarding school? Did you really think I would leave everything to chance? That I would squander this chance – this only chance – to something so frivolous as young love?”Eleanor opened her mouth. Astraea raised her hand and immediately Eleanor pressed her lips together.“You are of almost pure blood, Pleione. More Pure than I will ever be able to be. You are perfect, the most perfect witch to ever appear in our family. As good as Pure again. You are ready to marry back into the 28 to take what is rightfully ours. I will not let you waste all those years of hard work for a filthy blood traitor. You are royalty and you will behave like royalty.”Astraea’s face moved just in front of her daughter’s. The sparks in her eyes grew brighter.“Do you understand me?”“Yes, mother,” Eleanor agreed, looking shamefully down.With the back of her hand, Eleanor felt her mother caress her cheek. Softly. She looked up and saw how her mother searched for something in her face.“Good. Now, go to your room, write a thank you note to Rosier and if he is the Pureblood gentleman he was bred to be, he will invite you to a society event. I think the gathering of the Parkinsons will be perfect.”A last pat on her cheek and Eleanor slowly left the room, making her way to her bedroom to write three letters. One to George, one to Emil and one to Berenice. Only two made it out of the room. One ended up later that evening in the fireplace, warming the bedroom while Eleanor followed the smouldering parchment tips with tears in her eyes.The next morning the letter and invitation to the Parkinsons from Emil Rosier arrived, just like her mother predicted.“Oh, I just know the perfect dress to get you on Page Three of Witch Weekly!” Astraea exclaimed while examining the heavy parchment. Filled with ecstasy, she passed the note to her daughter.Eleanor’s fingers traced over the thick but elegant writing on the parchment.It’s time to show the wizarding world what glittering jewel they have been missing. Please accompany me to the Parkinson estate tonight at 8 o’clock.Something heavy dropped in Eleanor’s stomach. The Parkinson estate. She just knew it would be filled with Purebloods who all looked down on her. The eyes, oh, the eyes would be piercing through her skin.“Please show me some more enthusiasm, Pleione. I don’t want to see such glumness tonight.”“You will come too?” Eleanor perked up. The toast she had been holding, almost fell on the floor.“Tss, be more careful. Of course. You are underage and need a proper chaperone. Who other than your own mother can fulfil that role?”A quarter past eight Eleanor and Astraea arrived at the gates of the Parkinson estate. Astraea wore a simple black gown, which accentuated her ash blonde hair and regal features. Eleanor was dressed into a white gown that made her skin almost glow.“Come now, chin high, shoulders back. We belong here.” Astraea gave her final instruction before they were escorted into the hall.“Ah, welcome, madam Fawley, miss Seymour.” Cadmus Parkinson greeted them. “I gather you received an invitation from Emil Rosier, I take?”“You are correct, mister Parkinson.” Eleanor watched as her mother gave Cadmus her famous dazzling smile, the smile that made the knees of men weak. “Well, my daughter was invited, I am just along to chaperon.”“Of course, madam Fawley. Please, let me introduce you to Solon Rappaport. I don’t believe you two have met.” Parkinson led them into the ball room, filled with Purebloods and Ministry officials.A small wizard with white hair and gray eyes looked up at his name. “Please, mister Rappaport, this is madam Fawley. She is one of the directors of the charity for orphaned magical children you mentioned yesterday.”“Ah, madam Fawley, yes, I am so happy to finally meet you.” A light American accent crept through his voice.“Here you are,” Eleanor heard a soft voice.Emil’s hand lightly touched her forearm and Eleanor felt her neck hairs tingle.“Madam Fawley, it’s so nice to finally meet you. I am Emil Rosier, eldest son of Constantin Rosier. I believe you are on the Committee of Protection of Regulated and Nearly Extinct Creatures with my father? Mister Rappaport, nice to meet you as well. My father is also a board member of the charity for orphaned magical children. But Madam Fawley is, of course, the most important chairman.”If anything, Astraea’s smile became even brighter. “Pleased to meet you, mister Rosier. That’s correct. I hope Constantin only mentioned my good qualitites?”“Of course,” Emil said smoothly. “May I take your daughter for a glass of Pumpkin Juice? Then I can let you talk further with one of the key investors.”Astraea nodded, casting a glance at Eleanor before focusing her attention on poor Solon Rappaport. Emil led Eleanor to a cosy sitting room, where the fireplace crackled. A house elf appeared next to them and Emil took two glasses of Pumpking Juice from the tray.“Sit down,” he said, nodding towards the velvet sofa. Eleanor lowered her gently, arranging her dress over her legs.“There are quite a few rumours circulating about you and your mother, Eleanor Seymour,” Emil said softly.Eleanor stiffened.“Oh?” she asked, forming a perfect O with her lips. She twirled the stem of the glass around in her fingers. “Which of the many rumours had caught your ear?” she continued. Eleanor did her best to lean back with a relaxed back.“Too many to really pay enough attention to.” Emil dodged the question with elegant dexterity, Eleanor had to hand it to him.She satisfied herself by raising one eyebrow.“There are other rumours worthy of my attention. Rumours that have been buzzing since the Quidditch World Cup. I assume you know those rumours too? Of course, you were a guest of the Yaxleys,” Emil nodded.Eleanor pursed her lips. Her brain was working at top speed. What was his next move? Hadn’t Adrian said Emil had been one of the best chess players in the school?“You know one of my top priorities is to make sure that the Triwizard Tournament is not threatened by any outside dangers,” he said.Eleanor nodded. “Because you already have enough problems with school board members and the Potter kid,” she smiled.Emil smiled too. “I never said that.”“But you thought about it.” Eleanor rebounded.Emil’s smiled widened.“There is just one name that keeps jumping up in those rumours about the Quidditch Cup.” This time Emil sat down in the armchair directly opposite her. The fireside gave his icy blue eyes a golden glow.“Sirius Black.”