Chapter 9
Rebecca managed to escape any interrogation-related detentions, but her hand was never given the opportunity to fully heal as she was in two-to-three detentions every week for one infraction or another.
During the second round of interrogations, the morning after a particularly rough detention where her hand radiated pain, Rebecca knew she was going to have to use their emergency plan.
"Miss Potter, you really expect me to believe you aren't up to anything devious? With your track record, that's quite the far-fetched story you've conconcted. Or, did your brother come up with it like the others?"
Rebecca's mind screamed in panic, in anger. But she wrangled herself into control and lilted her voice in mild-mannered confusion. "Concocted? I'm sorry, I don't think I've heard that word before...what does it mean exactly?"
Umbridge pursed her lips. "To make up, just like you have the lies you're telling me."
"Oh, see now that makes a lot more sense." Rebecca nodded thoughtfully. "I thought you were talking about Fred and his-"
"That's enough!" Umbridge interrupted, raising her hand to silence the girl. "You are a nasty, foul girl."
"Me, professor? I don't know what you're talking about. I was only trying to-"
"Good afternoon to you." Umbridge pointed at the door, commanding her to not say another word.
Rebecca did as she was told until, at the door, she turned her head on a whim. "Good afternoon to you too."
Fred laughed harder than he had in ages when she told him all that had happened during her questioning, and Rebecca thought that made it all the more worthwhile.
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The days passed into weeks and winter embarked onto the castle with a strength unrivalled. The child sent the students into miserable moods more often than not, especially with the fifth years bogged down with extensive amounts of homework.
The war on Umbridge continued, Nigel taking charge of the younger years. He had gone as far as to create a map of each Gryffindor hour with Umbridge to randomise who was to 'fall ill' so a pattern didn't arise. Nigel had proven to be a formidable diplomat--prodigy level. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw who had worked with him to organise their own houses had quickly become his friends.
"Now, Louis," The Hufflepuff boy in Nigel's year. "Make sure they have the salve if they end up sentenced. You hear me? I've got extra, take this one." NIgel slipped the tin into Louis' hand as the boys swapped backpacks. Nigel's was full of prank-sweets for the week and Louis' was filled with goods the other Hufflepuffs had crafted in thanks. There were scarves, gloves, hats, non-magical sweets given from their own students, as well as notes of thanks addressed to the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes comment box.
Rebecca threw her arm around Nigel's shoulder as they crept back to the common room in the quiet after supper. "You're out of salve, aren't you." There was no question to be answered in her tone.
Nigel looked at her a moment before nodding dejectedly. "I know. But..." His voice trailed away.
"What?" Rebecca asked, smiling at him goofily to encourage him to speak.
Nigel's voice couldn't seem to raise above a whisper, though he tried. "You would have given it. When I knew it's what you would have done, I knew I had to."
"Bloody hell." Rebecca whispered, clutching at her heart. "You've got to be careful saying things like that!" She reached up and patted around her head, "Not sure how I fit such brilliance in me!"
Nigel giggled, glancing over their shoulders to make sure no one had heard them out.
"Seriously though, there's a line." Rebecca caught Nigel's eyes. "There's a line that is, admittedly, hard to find. But it marks the point where we start to give up too much. Keep that in mind." Rebecca dug around in her pockets and produced more salve in an old potions jar. Actual containers had run out weeks ago, now they used whatever they could find that sealed.
"This isn't yours, is it?" Nigel raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't want to cross the line of giving too much."
Rebecca reached over and mussed his hair. "I'll be the mature one here! Just because you've assumed ruler of the short-ones, doesn't mean-"
"Oi!" Nigel puffed his chest out. "I'm as tall as you are and I'm still growing!"
Rebecca's mouth hung open in shock, he had stooped so low--pun intended. "Now you've done it." Rebecca threw a small handful of dust at him from an equally small bag from another pocket.
Nigel dropped to the floor, writhing in silent laughter. Rebecca kept track of how long the effect took place and, fifteen seconds later, Nigel was able to take in a long breath. "Why? What would make you need tickling powder?"
Rebecca held her hand out and helped him up--grateful that he had dropped the salve-related questions. "Long story short, Ginny woke me up violently one too many times."
Nigel sighed and held the portrait door open for her, following her in. "This never ends well."
Harry waved to Rebecca discreetly from his seat beside Hermione. She was grilling them on the importance of doing their homework well. "How on earth can you hope to pass your O.W.L.s if you're not even going to do your homework?!"
Rebecca pulled a chair up and listened to the rest of the scolding. When Hermione paused, Rebecca raised her hand to speak like she was in class. Hermione rolled her eyes and nodded. "I finished my work."
Hermione waited for Rebecca to show her--not oblivious to tricks from this particular Potter--and skimmed it quickly. "This is complete and correct. Why're you sitting here with these two?"
Rebecca shrugged and smiled. "Didn't want to be the one to break our routine." Hermione handed Rebecca's homework back and pretended she didn't see it end up in front of Ron. The last D.A. meeting before the holiday was later this week, then just a few days of classes before the holidays ended coursework.
Rebecca left them as quickly as she had joined them, jogging up the boys' stairs to find Fred and George. "What's got her so giddy?" Ron wondered, not even trying to hide how he copied Rebecca's answers.
Hermione shook her head, filled with worry. "I have no idea, she must be tired. She's hardly sleeping."
Harry pursed his lips, revealing only a fraction of the worry that filled him too. "How do you know she's not sleeping well?"
Hermione knew by his tone that he, too, was having dreams. "She's staying up as long as she can, well into the morning. When she can't keep her eyes open any longer, she's drinking the draught and still fighting sleep."
Harry looked away, deciding to be more forthright than he was usually. Hermione's concern was so obvious and deep, he wanted to soothe her any way he could. "It's different--the dreams. We're still in the dark halls, still running. Now though," Harry felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead as he spoke. "But we're running away now. There's a shadow behind us, something in it that's getting closer and closer. We get to a door and try to open it, but it's locked." Harry took a breath, shaking the darkness from his thoughts. "Something wraps itself around us and drags us down, then we wake up."
Ron nodded, speaking without looking up from his homework. "Wake up drenched in sweat."
"That makes sense," Hermione said quietly, mainly to herself. "The dreams with how she moves around." Her eyes turned out to the window where they could see the snow falling gently. "We just need to make it a few more days; everything will be fine." Something nagged at her though, something that made Hermione think that everything would not, in fact, be alright.
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Rebecca found perfect peace inside of Fred and George's room. George had been taking stock of their ingredients to figure out him much more could be made before they could replenish over the holiday. Fred had been, seemingly, waiting for her on his bed where he quickly moved to the side and wrapped his arms around her.
"Did you ever get a list to Nigel?" Rebecca asked quietly, hoping George could hear her through Fred's chest. Her own arms wrapped around his waist and she couldn't force herself out of his embrace for something as trivial as a question. The sound of his heartbeat was steady and calming.
"Yes, I did." George replied, cheeky as ever. "Did yu not ask me to?"
"Just making sure." Rebecca said defensively. She might not have seen it, but she felt George's eye roll at their positioning. "He said he'd bring the comments by later, too."
"When'd you see Nigel?" Fred murmured, looking down at her.
"It was my turn to partner for the swap with Hufflepuff." Rebecca explained. "Nigel gave away his salve so Louis would have, can you believe that?"
"How are we on salve?" George asked, realising he may have to reallocate resources.
Rebecca sighed. "Low, very low. We should make it priority number one with how many of us are in detention."
Fred's arms tightened around Rebecca so slightly, she wondered if he meant for her to feel it. More students than not had one phrase or another etched into their skin. The dormitory's walls had grown accustomed to hearing the soft sounds of children crying themselves to sleep, the salve unable to eliminate the pain entirely.
"You gave yours away?" Fred asked, knowing.
"I told her not to." Nigel answered from the door, taking the pack off and sitting by George. "Here, take it back."
Rebecca shook her head. "No, no--you take it and make sure it gets put to good use."
Nigel gave her a face before opening the bag and taking out the box of comments. "More responses this time." Nigel rattled off a few facts, the briefest of status reports so far, before making his way back to the door to return to his business. "We're meeting tomorrow, right?" There was a panic in his voice, a fraility that needed to hear that there would be a reprieve.
"You know it!" Rebecca sat up so she could see over Fred, calling towards the door. "Nigel? Fred keeps extra salve on him. No one is going without, okay?"
Nigel nodded once.
Fred kissed Rebecca's forehead. "What is it, love?"
"It's just-do you know what he said to me earlier?" Rebecca lowered her voice, embarrassed. "He said that he gave Louis his salve because he knew I would have."
Fred smiled. "You're a role model! The way you help the younger ones...it's fitting that they look up to you."
Rebecca kissed him, bringing her fingers to his hair. George glanced at them and turned towards the desk, smiling. Fred was surprised to find himself below Rebecca as she pushed him so his head fell against his pillow.
"When did Neville say the plants would be ready for another harvest?" George asked, not turning back around.
Rebecca paused, packing Fred's cheek and looking over her shoulder. "Not until after the holidays."
George nodded, muttering to himself and running calculations.
Fred guided Rebecca so that she was laying her head on his chest, her hand over his heart. Fred rested his hand on top of hers and ran his free hand over her hair. Rebecca tried to keep herself awake, counting by two's and three's until she forgot what she was doing and found it impossible to keep her eyes open any longer.
When George turned around ages later, his paperwork completed and options of what they could make with that they had made, Fred was still stroking her hair and Rebecca dozed peacefully. "She really shouldn't..." George began, concerned that Rebecca hadn't had any of the draught.
"Look at her, Georgie. She's exhausted." Fred frowned, seeing how tired she really was as she was still for the first time in what seemed like forever. Her face had lost nearly all of the tension she carried, all of the shadows of worry and sleepless nights. "A few minutes won't hurt." "I hope." Fred finished internally, knowing if George thought this was a bad idea Fred would wake her.
But Rebecca showed no signs of duress. Her breathing stayed even and her body never tensed because her mind was dark and blank. She was spared both dreams and mysterious images for the first restful sleep in days. Somewhere inside of her, she was aware of Fred's comfort, but she was lightly snoring all the same.
Fred felt a weight lift off of him at knowing Rebecca was sleeping, and he kept his hand over hers even as he too drifted into a doze.
George set their cauldron down onto his desk as quietly as he could, laying out the ingredients that needed to simmer overnight for the salve. "Aloe vera, drops of nettle juice, lacework salive...damn, nearly out of the Sefrenda root." He had enough for this last batch, but after that they would be unable to make more.
"It's supper time, what're we waiting for?" Harry asked, peeking into their room. When just Rebecca was off, there was no telling where she could be. But if Fred was off too, this lessened the potential places significantly.
George gestured to them over his magazine. "Look at them, I'm a prankster--not a monster!"
Harry laughed, nodding. It really would take a monster to wake them as they were.
"Well!" Ron bellowed, appearing behind Harry and entering the room shouting. "Are they ready?!"
Fred jerked at the noise, pulling Rebecca into him tighter as they identically startled out of their rest.
"Oh," Rebecca groaned, laying her head back on Fred's chest. "Why?"
"I'm...starved..." Ron tried to explain weakly, his resolve crumbling under the look Fred gave him.
Fred sat up and brought Rebecca with him gently, patting her back. He wished she had been able to rest more. "C'mon love, we'll eat and sit downstairs before an early bed. Sound good?"
Rebecca nodded, but knew that she wouldn't be getting any rest as comforting as she had with Fred.
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The hall flew behind her faster and faster, the black and white tiles blurring as she raced low to the ground. There was a harsh pounding sounding in her ears; all she could think was to wonder how fast her heart could go before it burst.
The pain in her chest grew and grew until everything went black and the silence threatened to smother her.
Rebecca's eyes fluttered open from where she had rest her head on her propped up hand, the Great Hall appearing in front of her. Days had passed since her nap with Fred and she had yet to sleep without dreaming.
Hermione looked at her pitifully, wishing there was something she could do to help her friend. Hermione slid a piece of tart onto Rebecca's plate, looking away as Fred turned to Rebecca.
"Are you sure you're alright with-"
"Yes, Fred." Rebecca answered flatly. "It's the last meeting and even though it's pointless for me to go, I won't miss it."
Fred patted her hand before straightening in his seat and facing his plate, falling silent. The others took similar positions, chewing and looking ahead noiselessly. Umbridge's footsteps echoed behind them and none of them relaxed until she had walked far enough ahead for their hushed conversation to resume.
"You need to see Dumbledore." Hermione whispered. "You cannot just not sleep, it's not healthy!"
Rebecca stabbed her fork through her tart quickly, upset that the conversation had to revolve around her again. "Dumbledore's busy enough and, besides, I just was sleeping." Rebecca hated that she had to stifle a yawn before she could speak again. "I'm fully rested."
At the far end of the Gryffindor table, Nigel whistled the opening to Weasley is Our King. A Ravenclaw first year turned around into the aisle as Umbridge walked behind, holding their hands to their mouth as if they were going to be sick. The student quickly projectile-vomited all over the professor, coating the woman from her skirt to her shoes and only finishing when a puddle formed where she stood.
The students around the mess giggled, sending a wave of humiliation at the High Inquisitor. Umbridge reached down and grabbed the student by the ear, dragging her out of the Great Hall to Filch's office. McGonagall surveyed the hall proudly, well aware of the actions being taken against the blight on Hogwarts' name.
Rebecca used the distraction to take the last bites off her plate and stand. "I've got to go on a walk or something--something to wake me up before tonight. I'll see you all, yeah?" She turned and left, not waiting for answer.
"Wait!" Hermione called, shaking her head at Fred who had moved to stand as well. "You shouldn't be alone, I'll come with you." Fred wondered why Hermione would want to go instead of him, but trusted her enough to sit down without pushing the matter.
Hermione fell into step beside Rebecca in the corridor, not saying anything until they neared the pathway towards one of the courtyards. "Rebecca?" Rebecca continued outside, walking into the snow buried, once-green space. "You don't even have a coat! What are-"
"Hermione? You came with me!" Rebecca took her hands out of her pockets to hold them under her arms, hopping in place. "I'm trying to wake up a little."
"We could always go to Madam Pomfrey." Hermione offered once more. "She could know something that could help." Rebecca shook her head, she wouldn't get Madam Pomfrey into trouble for helping Umbridge's favourite student to punish. "Are you ready for tonight?" Hermione changed the subject.
"Oh yeah," Rebecca scoffed. "My favourite lesson. Like I said, I don't even know why I'm going tonight."
"Remember what Lu-Moony said." Hermione caught herself, almost forgetting to use the nicknames for those back at headquarters. "Maybe you need to try a different memory."
"I can't. I have a memory and I have to use that one." Rebecca's voice was soft as the beginning-to-fall snow, but Hermione heard the pain behind it.
Hermione stepped into the biting wind to where Rebecca shivered. "What does that mean? Why couldn't you use a different memory?"
Rebecca wouldn't look her in the eye, realising that she wanted to tell Hermione about her greatest failure so that someone else would blame her besides herself. "My memory is of the first day I met Harry, that should be my happiest memory. How can I use someo-something other than the day I met my brother--my twin, at that."
Hermione realised what was actually being said. "I see."
"Go on, let me have it."
"What?" Hermione didn't know why Rebecca's shoulders raised as if she were bracing herself for an insult or a fight.
"Tell me how horrible it is."
Hermione took a moment to think about what she could possibly say and then wrapped Rebecca in her arms tightly. "Rebecca, you are one of the greatest sisters in the world. If I had a sister, I would be lucky if she was like you." Hermione paused, holding Rebecca an arm's length away to catch her eyes so she knew how truthful Hermione was being. "Try the memory you're thinking of tonight and see what happens, I think you'll be surprised."
"It feels wrong, picking-picking a different memory."
"Can we stop pretending we both don't know exactly who you're talking about?" Hermione waited for Rebecca's assent to continue. "It's a different kind of happiness, okay? Don't think about it like choosing one over the other, you still have both memories."
Rebecca thought that over and nodded. "You really do know everything."
Hermione giggled. "I've been told."
"Hey!" A voice shouted behind them. "Students aren't to be outside of the Great Hall during scheduled meal times!" Blaise Zabini was one of the Inquisitorial Squad, Umbridge's deputies who took their duties with the perfect bias and cruelty that Umbridge had hoped.
Something bit inside of Rebecca's head, something mean. "We were going to the toilet!" She turned around entirely to face Blaise. "Not all of us have so much shite pour out of our mouths that we don't ever need to go!"
Hermione clapped one hand to her mouth in shock at Rebecca's response and used the other to grab her arm, pulling her back into motion as Blaise stammered and tried to come up with a response.
He didn't have one even after both girls were out of his sight and he turned angrily. A quick glance around to make sure no one else heard what she had said to him and then Blaise was marching back into the castle to find a rule-breaking student to take his anger out on.
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Rebecca and Hermione approached the Room of Requirement along their assigned path, careful to make sure no one was following them. Hermione used a different tactic with Rebecca, sensing turmoil inside of her similar to the first night of the term--the night with Lavender. Hermione pleaded instead of scolded.
"Please, Rebecca," Hermione tried to think about which angle would be most likely to garner a response. "Just think about how much it hurts the rest of us to see you after a rough detention."
Rebecca said nothing, but the thought stayed with her. Inside the Room, Harry was directly off to the right with a persistent-looking Dean speaking to him quickly. Hermione was waved over by Ron and Rebecca made her way to the situation.
"I don't know why you would bring him." Harry hissed, glancing over Dean's shoulder. Rebecca understood why Harry spoke like that when she saw who Dean had brought. "He doesn't believe us, he has made that plenty clear!"
"I brought him because I thought this group was about helping people." Dean snapped, his tone sharper than Rebecca had ever heard it--as sharp as hers would have been if someone had tried to speak about Fred like this. "About helping to make sure they could defend themselves and others when they have to."
"It is." Rebecca answered. Harry looked at her, shock replacing his scowl for a moment. Seamus had been cruel time after time to the Potters, but particularly to Rebecca in odd moments through the years. "Seamus?"
Seamus took a few tentative steps, looking at Rebecca with eyes filled to the brim with guilt and regret. "My cousin...she's b-been-she was found." Seamus didn't have to say anything else. Voldemort's movements were tracked by random, brutal killings. Killings that the Prophet continued to excuse and justify with claims of 'natural occurrences.'
Harry looked to the ground, his stomach falling as he understood what had brought Seamus here. "I'm sorry about your cousin."
Seamus looked away too, his sight blurred by tears. "Me too. She was a good person, someone who would have kicked my arse for how I've been acting."
Rebecca took a deep breath, taking the step both boys wanted but weren't sure how to. "What's passed has passed now. Dean, you'll show him around? We're just waiting on our..." Cedric entered, his face covered in a wide grin as always.
"Waiting on our greatest member?" Cedric called to finish, waving to those who greeted him.
"No, just waiting on you!" Rebecca called back, sending the room into boisterous whoops and laughter. Returning to the conversation at hand, Rebecca gave Seamus a serious look. "We're kind here. Kind, or we're not here."
Seamus nodded, understanding what she was saying. Dean motioned for Seamus to follow him and led the two of them to a spot at the end of a line.
Harry looked Rebecca over as they slowly made their way to the front of the class. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah, loads." Rebecca gave him a little smile, not wanting to worry him. "Ready?" Harry returned her smile and turned towards the rapt eyes looking to them. Rebecca began the introduction to the introduction, knowing Harry was the one who ought to lead the lesson today. "This is our last meeting before break, but we've planned something a little more exciting." The frowns that had formed lightened.
"Today," Harry began. "We're going to finish the bulk of our work on the Patronus charm. Most of us managed to get something started last week and, I think, if we all pull together and help each other we'll get some creatures in here today."
The students split up into the groups they had formed a few meetings before, those who they had been working with as they found their happiest memories.
Harry made his way to the left as they began their rounds, Rebecca going to the right. Harry stopped by Neville, concerned that he would hurt himself with how tightly his face was scrunched up.
The first group Rebecca came across was, gratefully, well on their way. She felt like a fraud offering any advice on wand movements for a spell she was unable to fully perform herself. When she got to Fred and George leaning on the back wall, both entirely occupied with the quiet conversation happening between them, she was heavy with discouragement. "Everything up to order here?" She asked, tapping her wand to her shoulder as she crossed her arms.
Fred didn't see what others would have in the move, there was no frustration in her body. Fred saw that she was holding onto herself tightly to reign in whatever was running rampant inside her head.
"Of course." George answered, turning to the space in front of them. He closed his eyes a moment and let his head fall forward. When he had gathered his thoughts and focused, he held his wand out in front of him and cast the spell. "Expecto patronum!" There was a flash of light and then a shape took form in front of them, flying in a small circle before landing on his shoulder. "It's a magpie!" George cried happily, laughing and turning back to his best friends as his patronus nudged his cheek with its beak.
Rebecca and Fred clapped proudly his elation nearly contagious. "Are you going to give it a go now?" She asked, looking up at him.
Fred thought for a moment, shrugging. "Are you?"
Rebecca blinked quickly, wondering not-for-the-first time if he could read her mind. "Maybe...maybe we could together."
"I think that's a brilliant idea." Fred took his wand out and went to step away from her side, but hesitated. He turned to face her directly and kissed her, pausing before stepping away from her to look her in the eye and gather his favourite memory.
Around the room, students who had succeeded and were still trying alike froze in their attempts to watch as discreetly as they could manage.
Rebecca closed her eyes and let her mind go entirely blank save for one memory: Fred was standing above her, his hair clinging to the sides of his head as his eyes held her captive. One of his hands was cupped to her cheek, his thumb running under her eye to wipe away the rain that dared make it seem like she was crying. Rebecca leaned up into Fred as he began to kiss her deeply--passionately--breathtakingly. The child of the steadily increasing rain was fought off by the heat that spread through both of their bodies, the steady thrum of the rain drops quieted by the pounding of their hearts.
When Rebecca opened her eyes, the most perfect of perfect moments were rolling around her head. Their time in the forest after the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, flying over the dark hills around home, sitting at the top of Grimmauld Place with London's lit-up expanse at their feet.
Fred's mind was filled with similar images, his main memory more recent than Rebecca's--a memory he found himself returning to whenever he needed happiness: The record player spun in the corner, Rebecca's body was warm and perfectly in his arms as they danced around the room. He raised his hand and spun her away from him, kissing her as she returned to his chest and causing her to giggle.
Fred's ears practically hummed in happiness as the sweet sound flowed over them. Rebecca returned her hand to his and Fred's gravitated back to her waist as they finished the song. She looked up at him with her eyes full of love, the same love that filled him. He couldn't help but grin as he picked her up and held her over his shoulder, tossing her onto the bed before climbing up with her.
Fred and Rebecca stood tall and tightened their holds on their wands. "Expecto patronum!" The spell was cast in unison, two white wisps leaving both wands at a speed too fast to leave any hint of what their shapes could be.
The room filled with applause, all apart of the Army knowing to one degree or another that Rebecca's corporeal patronus had never been reached before.
The shapes flew back down from where they chased each other around the high ceilings, the birds slowly swooping down around Fred and Rebecca in entwining, synchronous flight paths. Fred reached for Rebecca's hand and held it tightly in his, bursting with pride.
A bird took each of their shoulders, Fred's a magpie like George's and Rebecca's a cardinal. The students slowly returned to their own attempts while George wandered over to Ginny to give them a moment.
"I knew you could do it." Fred said quietly, smiling.
"I figured out what I was doing wrong, what I needed to change." Rebecca glanced at Fred's magpie, watching as their birds seemed to have a conversation of their own. Fred's magpie hopped down his arm as Rebecca's cardinal did the same, the two birds settling on their wrists before nuzzling each other lovingly.
"I thought of you." Fred confessed just as quiet as before.
"And I you." Rebecca looked away from Fred, raising her hand to brush against the top of both bird's heads.
"Rebecca!" Colin shouted, "Look!"
Ginny's patronus, a massive horse, galloped around the room wildly. Duty called and Rebecca and Fred separated. Their birds took to the air again, never straying more than a few wings' lengths apart. "I've got to go help." Rebecca said, stepping up to kiss his cheek. Fred turned his head, pecking her lips before grinning wildly and going the opposite direction to help anyone he could.
Hermione's face was red when Rebecca found her, her wand only producing a slight white flash whenever the charm was attempted.
"Trouble?" Rebecca asked, her cardinal and Fred's magpie alternating which of the two they flew by.
Hermione's determination faltered. "Evidently."
Rebecca stepped up to Hermione's side and ran her hand down the length of her arm. "Relax, for one. You're tense." Hermione tried, but couldn't seem to relax her arm entirely. Rebecca took more dire measures and shook Hermione's arm until they were both giggling and Hermione had managed to loosen herself. "Hold your wand looser, too. It won't fly away. Yeah, there."
Hermione rolled her shoulders, facing the space in front of them again. "Expecto patronum!" A shape took form in front of their eyes, the embodiment of Hermione's self. "An otter!" Hermione grinned proudly as Rebecca applauded the success. Ron smiled too from immediately across the way, his Jack Russell Terrier sniffing Hermione's otter curiously.
Rebecca stopped in front of Luna who was perfectly content petting her rabbit patronus. Seamus' exultant shout dragged her eyes away from a Ravenclaw's success, the Irish boy's patronus taking shape. Rebecca made her way towards them, looking around for whose patronus the hound was--Seamus' fox had curled around it comfortably, as comfortably as Rebecca and Fred's patronuses interacted.
Dean and Seamus blushed matching scarlet. Seamus' fists clenched at his sides, tired of always keeping Dean from being entirely himself. He took a deep breath before looking to Dean with eyes afraid, but hopeful. Seamus was as ready as Dean had been weeks before. Dean hesitated, not wanting Seamus to rush into anything he wasn't ready for.
Seamus answered Dean's delay by stepping closer to him and pulling him down into a kiss.
The room was filled with clapping and cheering once more as a happy, happy mood took hold. There were only a handful left still trying, and their friends surrounded them. Most of them, at least.
Nigel stood in the corner, Louis not too far but also not with him. Nigel seemed to need help, but Louis couldn't stand to approach his friend if he couldn't give that help. Louis, stuck in his indecision, felt something inside of him cry out when Nigel gave up and sat against the wall with his head to his knees.
"Issues, mate?" Rebecca asked, putting her back to the wall and sliding down beside him.
Nigel nodded, not looking her in the eye yet. "I can't even get a flash! I don't understand, I've tried a hundred times..."
Rebecca paused, thinking it over and wondering if the issue was the memory itself--if Nigel was having the same problem she had been. "Are you choosing happiness for the sake of it, or simply happiness you've made in the face of shite circumstance?"
Nigel looked at her know, lost. "I don't understand."
Rebecca tried for a more direct approach. "Are you thinking about the things you've done to Umbridge?"
"Of course not." Nigel's blush said something else entirely.
"Well, even so, I think that's your issue." Rebecca looked over the room, at all of the happiness that was surrounding them. "Maybe you should think about the friends you've made. True happiness should come from memories without ill-intent, I'd think."
Nigel's eyes drifted towards Louis, one of the many friends he had made that year. Nigel got back to his feet, holding his wand tight with a renewed-determination. Rebecca stood up and patted Nigel's shoulder, continuing in her circle around the room.
Cedric was on his knees in front of his patronus, a golden retriever. "Great job, Cedric." Rebecca congratulated all she passed, aiding and assuring those still trying.
Harry was congratulating as well, Cho had managed corporeal and her white swan had his attention.
"Duck!"
Rebecca crouched to her knees, not prepared for the shock of Nigel's shout in her direction. His chimpanzee swung around the room madly, hooting happily for a whole revolution before returning to Nigel's beaming side.
"We are aware it's a little earlier than usual." Harry started, raising his voice for the room. "You've all done positively brilliant today. Everyone managed progress, and that's a feat in itself--this is advanced magic."
"This was productive, that's for sure." Rebecca took over, smiling at them all. "I hope you're proud of all that you lot have learned in these meetings. You certainly should be! Now, we're going to take this last bit before we need to start dismissing to chat, enjoy each other's company, and..."
Fred and George tore the sheet off the table at the very back of the room. "Treats!"
Harry took a little step forward, pausing the movement of the Army. "I just wanted to say one last thing." He paused, letting the room come to full attention and finishing his thoughts. "Every great wizard in the world has started as nothing more than what we are: Students. But, in all those great wizards, none have been as hardworking or as determined as you all."
His words left the room in silence, the message brief but heavy with pride.
"Well, get on!" Rebecca called, wanting to make sure Harry was okay. "Get something before Ron takes them all!"
The students swarmed the table, laughing with each other as they left the table with hands full. They were all occupied to not notice the quiet conversation between Harry and Rebecca, nor to notice how Harry nodded adamantly and shooed the topic away. Most of the others didn't notice, at least.
Luna wandered over to the group that formed around Harry and Rebecca once she had her treat, twirling her biscuit in her hand as she looked around thoughtfully. "Good call on the mistletoe. It attracts nargles, did you know that?"
Harry went to answer, but Luna had already flitted to another group by the time he had words.
Rebecca looked up above them and noticed the mistletoe hanging around the room randomly. "It's not Wizard's Mistletoe, is it?"
"Wizard's what?" Hermione asked, looking down from the ceiling with a crinkle between her eyes.
Neville's head popped up from his conversation adjacent Rebecca, George taking over the conversation without noticing. "Did you just say 'Wizard's Mistletoe?'"
"Yeah, Wizard's Mistletoe." Rebecca repeated, confused. Maybe Fred had been the only one to read about it so far--probably research for a prank years ago. "If you walk under it with someone and you don't kiss them, something bad will happen." Fred's eyes widened behind Rebecca, hearing what they were talking about. He tried to back away, wincing as Rebecca continued. "How have none of you known about this? You've been lucky so far!"
Ron laughed loudly, taking a fraternal note on the subject. Neville shook his head slowly, running through everything he knew about herbology in case he was mistaken. "I don't know about that, Rebecca..."
Hermione raised an eyebrow and focused on someone behind Rebecca, grinning. "Do we need to ask where you heard about this?"
Rebecca looked over her shoulder at Fred briefly, doubling back to look at him shocked as she realised what he had done. Her lips spread in a wide smile. "You didn't!"
Fred raised his hands in an 'innocent' shrug. "I would never?"
Rebecca tilted her head back to look up at him, stopping when she was close enough to him for their bodies to brush against one another. "You know, I've avoided mistletoe extensively for years, afraid of the penalties of not kissing someone else."
Fred chuckled. "I noticed."
Rebecca looked farther above his head, seeing how he had backed under another bundle of mistletoe in his attempted escape. "We don't want to risk it, do we?"
"Oh no, absolutely not." Fred kissed her in a remarkably thorough way, sending a heat across her face long before he considered pulling away from her. His teeth pulled at her bottom lip exploratorily.
During their conversation and then romance, dismissal had long taken hold. Only a handful of older students remained and they were deep in their conversations. Fred could feel the heat washing off his face, he hadn't meant to get carried away.
"Goodness," Rebecca whispered, holding her hand to his cheek. "Hope that's not as red as I get."
"It is." Fred kissed her forehead and left her to join their friends before, the haze she had left him in sticking around.
Ron was tossing a biscuit up in the air and trying to catch it with magic, while Hermione was trying to give him tips. "I know what I'm doing!" Ron snapped as Rebecca neared them.
"Do you though?" Rebecca teased, plucking the treat out of the air and taking a bite.
"Oh, you're back?" Ron sniggered. "Wasn't sure if you and-"
"So, what have you lot been talking about?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow at Rebecca's attempt to change the subject. Not wanting to embarrass Harry, but wanting him to be reminded about self-esteem, Hermione glanced at Rebecca and then Harry, then Harry to Cho and back.
Rebecca grinned, nodding once to show she understood. "Your big boy trousers on, Harry?"
Harry nodded, straightening his shoulders as if he were heading into battle instead of off to a girl. "Big boy trousers."
"We'll see you back in the common room then." Hermione put an arm through Rebecca and Ron's, leading them away before they could say anything else.
All the same, Harry could catch the end of Ron's beginning complaints. "A man does not say 'big boy trousers!'" Rebecca wished a happy holiday to those they walked to the exit with, trying to find Fred and George in the crowd and unable to as they had stayed behind to try and catch Harry by himself.
They succeeded, stopping Harry before he could get to Cho by their wall of messages and photographs with a box between them. "For our benefactor," George began.
"A sample of our developed products as thanks." Fred finished, handing the box to Harry and fighting a small smile when the smaller boy was clearly shocked by the weight.
"Oh, guys..." Harry managed, realising that the sheer heft of the box was a signal of how much work the three prank-makers had been doing. "This isn't necessary, I simply-well, I invested in a promising business venture." Harry looked around them at Cho, feeling his window of opportunity leaving. "Can't we talk about this tomorrow?"
George smirked. "Sure, tomorrow. Off we get, Fred!" Harry glanced over his shoulder as he reached Cho, hoping there was inspiration found for what he could say to her. His mind had gone extraordinarily blank. Rebecca's relief at Fred returning to her side was visibly evident, and George jumped back into his previous conversation with Cedric easily.
"Good for them." Cedric murmured to Rebecca as George thought of something that had to be passed to Fred and the two Weasley twins swapped conversation partners on the walk away from the Room of Requirement towards the fork in the corridors that would split between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. "They could both use some happiness--Harry and Cho, I mean."
"You deserve some too, Ced." Rebecca wished she could bottle up the sadness in his eyes and take it away from him.
"Not sure about that." Cedric's smile was tinged with the same sadness. "Life is my happiness, I think."
"Boo!" Ron called, giving him a thumbs down. "Go get yourself someone to snog."
Fred rolled his eyes, looking at Ron narrowly. "What is wrong with you?"
"No, I think he might be right actually." Rebecca said, causing Fred's judgement to fade to astonishment.
"You're taking his side?"
"Half, darling." Rebecca slipped her hand into Fred's and turned her head, looking at George deviously. "Say George, speaking of finding someone to snog, anyone caught your eye?"
George looked up from the nail he had been picking at, seeing how every pair of eyes had turned on him. "No!" George gasped, now the very focus of the gossip he secretly loved to be filled in on. He took off down the hall, not slowing as he disappeared around the corner to the common room.
"That was easier than I thought." Rebecca whispered to Fred, Hermione, Ron, and Cedric a few paces ahead of them.
"That was planned?" Fred asked, squeezing her hand gently. "Knew you were brilliant."
"More or less. I thought we could talk about tomorrow though."
Fred's nose scrunched at the reminder. "The last match before holiday...what do you want to talk about?"
"Read this," Rebecca handed him a wrinkled scrap of parchment from her pocket, the product of long hours of thought. "I've been working on it but want your thoughts."
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"Well, how was it?" Ron demanded, waving Harry over to their group by the fire the second he stepped through the portrait hole. He and Hermione were on the couch with George on the nearby armchair while Fred and Rebecca had opted to sit against the wall nearer to the fire. Between the warmth of the flames and the warmth of sitting between Fred's legs, Rebecca was comforted into a near doze she fought off to hear Harry's response.
"Erm...not bad. Wet." Harry frowned. "She ended up crying."
"Crying?" Ron slapped his knee and laughed loudly. "What'd you do?"
"I'm sure Harry's kissing was more than satisfactory." Hermione said sharply, glaring at Ron. "Cho spends half her time crying these days."
Ron tilted his head, ignoring Hermione's irritation with him for the moment. "I'd think a bit of snogging would cheer her up then."
Rebecca went to nod in agreement, but didn't as Hermione looked to her for support. "I don't know, Hermione...he might have a point." Rebecca let her head fall back against Fred's chest with a sigh as Hermione rolled her eyes at her too.
"She's sad about Cedric breaking up with her, conflicted about liking Harry. Then there's Umbridge threatening to sack her mum from her job at the ministry and O.W.L.s coming up on top of everything else there is to worry about."
Ron shook his head. "If one person could feel all that, they'd explode."
"Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon." This sent them all laughing, and try as she did, Hermione couldn't help but join them.
The conversation drifted towards the upcoming day, and Rebecca looked up at Fred worried. "Do you think Ron should go on up to bed? The match tomorrow..."
Fred leaned his head down so it rest on her shoulder, his arms tightening around her middle. "You should too then, love. You're clearly tired."
"I'm good right here for a little longer."
Fred sighed, knowing there would be no changing her mind. "How about this? You go ahead and close your eyes when you're tired and I'll wake you up in a bit to go to bed."
Rebecca didn't want to waste any time with their friends, not when the mood was so good, but she also remembered how peaceful her nap had been before Ron had woken them for dinner. "If you insist." She conceded, smiling at him.
Harry chattered with Ron about the match the next day, sending Ron into an extensive retelling of the plan Angelina had in mind. Harry's heart clenched painfully as his best mate brought Ginny into the conversation, talking about well she was doing as seeker. But seeing Ron filled with so much excitement was worth it, Harry thought.
Ages later, long after they had been the only students left in the common room, Fred caught George's eye and pointed at the still-Rebecca. "Sleeping?" Fred mouthed.
George nodded and stood up slowly, stretching as he did. "What're you going to do about-"
Ron threw himself off the couch, wrestling Harry towards the ground after the coincidental challenge--Harry had yawned at the same time as Ron, he'd asked for it. Both boys were grunting and laughing, hitting flailing limbs into tables and lamps without restraint.
"Herimione, George, please!" Fred hissed, gesturing to where they were watching the tussle and then to Rebecca who, miraculously, slept on.
Hermione and George were in motion instantly, pointing at one of the boys each to choose who they would shake to their senses. Hermione let go of Ron's collar with a frown and a sigh. "Really? Blind, I swear...
George was a little more upset than Hermione was, he having seen how peaceful Rebecca's rest had been before Ron had interrupted it earlier. He pulled Harry a little higher, making the younger and shorter boy climb to his toes for a second before George let him stand flat footed again.
Harry scowled and straightened his shirt before glancing at Ron, any trace of a sour attitude washed away. "C'mon, Ron. You've got the match in the morning." Harry turned to Fred and paused, realising for the first time that Rebecca and Fred hadn't been conversing quietly but that she had fallen asleep. "What're you going to do with her?"
"I'll figure it out. Surprised she slept through the bloody Wizards' Wrestling Expo you two just put on." Fred's mouth twisted in a wry smile, slightly saddened that Rebecca had missed it while also trying to figure out what he would do.
"Yeah, I'm surprised too." Harry grinned, shrugging sheepishly. "It feels good right now, you know?"
"I do know; I think she feels it too."
George and Hermione cleared the pillows off the couch in front of the fire while Harry and Ron climbed the stairs to their room. "Are you sure about this, Fred? I can just as easily levitate her to her own bed."
Fred shook his head at Hermione's suggestion. "No, this is fine. I'm going to sleep down here, too."
George rolled his eyes, whispering to Hermione loud enough that Fred could hear. "He's decided, you have better luck telling a brick to bend in half."
Hermione sighed. "Sleeping over night really isn't allowed in the common room..."
Fred stared at her a long moment. "I think your prefect duties can be put on hold for one night, don't you? Look at her, how tired she is. I won't be the one to wake her."
"She hasn't had any of the draught tonight, Fred." Hermione glanced up the stairs at the thought. "You know how important that is--what happened the last time she had a premonition."
Fred furrowed his brow. "I know, but it's just as important that she gets a good night's rest. Neither of them are going to be able to keep going like this..." He shook his head, adamant that he would only rest his eyes through the night in case it seemed if Rebecca was having a premonition. "I'll be right here in case anything happens, okay?"
Hermione and George said their good nights before going to the respective stairs, the final thing either say was Fred laying a blanket over Rebecca. Fred looked at the tops of both stairways, making sure they were both gone.
He couldn't help but smile as he and Rebecca were just the two of them, even though one half of the pair were sleeping. Fred brushed the hair off her forehead and laid a kiss gently, sliding her glasses off and setting them on the table at the end of the couch within her reach.
Making sure Rebecca was entirely covered, Fred lay a blanket on the floor and tapped his wand to the center. "Engorgio!" The pillow grew to a lump roughly the size of his bed. He couldn't help a final check on Rebecca before he stretched out on his makeshift bed.
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