The Black Lake
Once Leigh made her way out of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes she was immediately tackled by Nova, who was giggling profusely, having watched Leigh's conversation with Fred from a distance.
"He was so flirting with you!" Nova's excited words were shushed by Leigh, who immediately looked around them to make sure no one had overheard Nova's, albeit false, statement.
Leigh rolled her eyes at her friend. "He was definitely not."
"He was! It's as clear as day!" Nova practically squealed. This was her forte: crushes, flirting and, most importantly, delusion. Nova seemed more excited than Leigh at the prospect.
"He was not flirting with me," Leigh stated. Once she realized Nova wasn't easily convinced, she rolled her eyes once more, this time in semi-defeat. "He's just flirty like that with everyone. That's how he is." Leigh replied instead, kicking a pebble at her feet and scanning the street to know where to go next.
It was true, even Hermione said it. Fred was flirty. If she occasionally happened to be on the receiving end of that behaviour, that didn't have to mean anything.
Nova didn't seem too convinced. "Really? What was the last thing he said to you?"
Leigh looked at her friend with a look of confusion. "What?"
"What's the last thing he said? Before you left?"
Leigh looked at Nova suspiciously, but replied nonetheless. She looked up towards the sky with a squint, thinking back to her conversation with Fred moments prior. "He wanted me to come back soon. Didn't want me to wait another month," she blushed at her own recounting of the words.
Nova flung her head back. "Oh, don't make me wait another month, darling!" she imitated, giggling.
"Shut it you absolute prick," Leigh mumbled, happy they had reached a far distance from the shop at this rate.
-
After they returned from the Hogsmeade trip she agreed to follow Nova to dinner before deciding to go on a stroll down to the black lake.
Hermione, sitting at the same table in the hall, offered to come with down to the lake, but Leigh quickly shook her head, telling the girl to enjoy the rest of the meal. The desserts had yet to show up, after all. Besides, Leigh needed some time to herself.
Being late October, the night had already started to darken, and she looked through the dusk across the water once she made it to her destination. The lake laid silent, its mere movements being the few ripples spanning across its surface.
She had gone here with the hopes of some peace, and huffed quietly under her breath when her mind went back to the event that transpired in the corridor some days ago. She wanted to shove the memory out of her mind, but the view of students glancing at her the last few days, snickering, made it difficult to forget.
Although she understood the underlying cause she wasn't able to do the charm, even if it was a charm she had mastered years prior, she was still annoyed at herself for it.
She fished her wand out of her pocket before determinedly pointing it in the direction of the water. With a focused look on her face she uttered the familiar words: Expecto Patronum.
Her grip on the wand tightened, yet nothing happened. Nothing at all. No mist, no light, nothing. She clenched her jaw angrily.
Her mind went back to her time in Dumbledore's army, remembering how she had diligently practised beside her peers. Remembering the first time she had successfully cast the Patronus charm, or even yet, the first time she had successfully cast a corporeal Patronus. The way Harry had clapped her shoulder, praising her, while Evan had tackled her to the ground once her Patronus had disappeared through the window: "You did it! I'm so proud of you!" She had laughed, attempting to wriggle out of his grasp.
Her face arranged itself into a focused expression once more, and she raised her wand into the air. She tried to remember that moment: the way he caught her in a hug, his wide smile, his lit-up eyes and his words of pride. She held the memory close, but once she attempted to cast the charm his warm eyes gradually started to turn grey, his arms around her cold and lifeless. She quickly ripped the memory from her mind before other scenes decided to follow.
Breathing heavily, she angrily threw the wand to the grass beside her before plopping down with a huff. She pulled her legs up, crossing her arms upon her knees in front of her. This is some bullshit. You practise and strengthen a skill for years only to have it ripped from you with the snap of a finger.
She sat like that, staring at the water for a while, before she suddenly heard something to her side, soon seeing a form moving in her direction.
"Hey."
The voice surprised her, and she immediately straightened up on the grass, wiping her trousers, not quite sure how to act. "Oh, uhm, hey."
"Sorry if I scared you," he chuckled slightly, and Leigh saw him clearer as he moved closer, his flaming hair sticking out like a sore thumb in the evening shadows.
"Oh no, uh, it's fine. What are you doing here?" She had spoken to Fred a mere few hours ago, but still it felt unfamiliar having him in front of her. It had been a month since they had a conversation alone after all.
"I sent an owl to your dorm but received a response from Nova, your friend I suppose, saying you were out here. Thought I might as well come by instead of sending a letter."
Leigh nodded at his words. It made sense. Still, why would he send her a letter when they had a conversation just a few hours ago?
"Can I sit?"
She looked up at him in surprise, almost forgetting to respond. "Uh, yeah, sure."
She watched him as he took a seat upon the grass, not too far from her, and she looked at him warily. He looked as if he was considering something deeply, as if contemplating how to best deliver his words.
"I heard about the dementor thing," he finally said. "I wanted to say sorry."
"Oh, you don't have to–," she started. He really didn't, and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear it. Remembering it, and her inability to defend herself, was tearing her down enough already. Fred, however, had other plans.
"I do, I do, just let me apologise."
She huffed under her breath. He had probably overheard it from some students gossiping about her in the shop after she left. How embarrassing.
"We should've known it was a bad idea. We've decided to remove it from the shop." Once sensing that Leigh was about to protest, he quickly continued. "It's the right decision. It's way too realistic, I know, it feels like it's a real one. Can't have that available for anyone to buy." He looked sideways at her.
"Like I explained a while back - they were originally supposed to help with preparedness. If they need them for Defence Against the Dark Arts classes they will just have to contact us directly." He shrugged, leaning back on his elbows upon the grass. "I'm really sorry your run-in with one of them had to happen for us to realise that."
She huffed, rolling her eyes at the memory, before she copied Fred's movements and threw herself back against her elbows. "It's fine." Her eyes wandered across the lake. She had previously revelled in its stillness, but now she suddenly wanted it to move in the wind, bubble, or be filled to the brim with scary creatures.
"You feeling alright after the whole thing?"
"Yeah, fine. It wasn't real anyway."
He shrugged slightly, but didn't say anything else.
Leigh found herself starting to miss that mischievous jokester she had got to know. At least then she knew how to give him some witty reply. Now she didn't have a clue. She glanced at him, seeing him pulling some strands of grass from the ground and throwing it to the side. Thankfully, he was the one to speak up first.
"I meant what I said in the shop, you know." He looked over at her, and she quickly looked away after he managed to capture her gaze for a second. "You can come over whenever. Just study or read, or drink hot chocolate," he said, and she couldn't help but smile at the thought. "No need to sit freezing down by the black lake to have some quiet."
"Something tells me it's not always quiet over at yours," she said with a look. She imagined the two of them testing products and being generally annoying.
He chuckled. "We wouldn't dare to be too loud if you're there studying. Too scared to be beat up."
She shook her head with a smile.
Another moment of silence laid itself like a soft blanket across them, this one being of a comfortable nature.
"We can work on the spell too if you'd like." His voice was quieter this time, as if cautious with his words. She knew what he was referring to: the Patronus Charm. He must be confused - a top grade student not yet able to do the spell. Sure, it was an advanced charm for a lot of witches and wizards, but not every witch and wizard spent their school years together with Harry Potter. The spell had become almost common knowledge for the DA members after their covert trainings in 5th year.
She sighed, shuffling slightly upon the grass. "I know the spell, I was in Dumbledore's army and everything," she started, "It's just...," she trailed off, waving her hand in front of her face in the hopes that she wouldn't have to say more words than necessary. "...memories." Her hand fell to her side.
She wasn't sure if he actually caught on, but he nodded slightly. A faint "oh" left his lips and his gaze dipped into the grass.
"Anyway," Leigh started, desperately wanting to change the topic. "I guess I can try to come by sometime," she mumbled, almost unintelligible. He looked up at her words.
"Yeah?" He spoke, and Leigh nodded in response. "You can just study. Or cry however much you want."
She chuckled at his words, yet still feeling the blush rise upon her face, and sent him a playful glare. "Don't remind me of that. I'll change my mind."
He put his hands up with a grin. "I wouldn't dream of it." He let them fall again, tugging at the grass by his side. "Also please don't, I've been so insanely bored recently when George isn't here."
Leigh raised an eyebrow. So that's why he was asking her to visit every now and then. She guessed there had been lot of travelling back and forth between Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. "And you think it's going to be so much less boring with me sitting studying in a corner?"
He shrugged with a smile. "At least I'll have something to do; make you hot chocolate. And steal your books."
He stood up beside her, not bothering to brush the leaves from his trousers. "You want me to walk you back? It's getting late."
She considered his offer, glancing towards the castle before looking out across the Black Lake again, biting her lip. She nodded after a second. "Okay sure."
She stood up, careful to identify and grasp her wand from the grass beside her before following Fred up towards the castle.