The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Tori’s P.O.V.
This was an absolute bloody disaster.
I glared at Flitwick as a took my assigned seat, I did get in trouble a few times a year, but I had decent grades and was well liked by my peers, I felt like this punishment was unfair.
My look turned from my head of house to said punishment.
Beside me, meeting me with a glare, sat non other that, George f*cking Weasley.
While many of the girls in my grade, including my best friend Ana, was usually swooning or more like drooling over said boy I had a different point of view. It was difficult at this point to pin point exactly when my hatred towards the Weasley twins had begun. It seems weird to some to hate someone with no basis, however the reason was that it was sometimes difficult to remember what exactly set off our rivalry – because of all the pranks, tattling, sabotaging and insults we had traded over the years. Eventually, in our fourth year after we had all gotten each other detention I proclaimed that we should just stick to keeping our feud purely in terms of insults. They had seemed to reluctantly agree.
The small truce did not keep me from glaring at my current punishment: George Weasley.
Since some teachers had figured out that especially me and George, did not like each other – they tended to put us together thereby ensuring that neither he nor I was a distraction during class.
While he and his brother had a tendency to whisper or be loud or even do pranks in class, I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut, resulting in swear words flying out. To put an end to both we were occasionally told to sit together to shut each other up. Today was different.
We had a big charms project that would last months, and had to be paired up. Unfortunately for both me and George, Flitwick had decided to put us together, probably a punishment for losing 5 points for skating in the halls last week. So now, I was doomed for an hour every day for two months plus preparation time with the stupid red head in front of me. He glared right back, not hiding the fact that he did not like my company either. While I hated both brothers George seemed extra keen on fighting with me or annoying me, and my hatred for him ran much deeper than for his brother.
“Tori.” He said smugly as a greeting and I sighed.
“George.” I said back annoyed.
“So, I imagine we only have to schedule around my quidditch practice, since you won’t win no matter what.” He said confidently, leaning back in his seat and I scoffed crossing my arms.
“Oh you wish. But I guess reality will hit you, when I hit you with a bludger in the first 5 minutes of the game.” I said confidently and he just rolled his eyes.
“I’m still surprised Ravenclaw let a girl be a beater, aren’t you scared you’ll break a nail?” He said making a mocking face and I just chuckled.
“Funny, I thought the same thing when Wood picked you c*nts.” I said ending the sentence with a smirk he scoffed at me sarcastically but looked away to hide his annoyance, but I just sighed seeing that most of the class had found their new seats next to their partners.
“But since I am probably gonna end up doing the whole project. Mind doing the world a favour and shutting it?” I asked annoyed referring to a while ago where I had to do the whole project for us, while he did look at me miming annoyance. The silver lining is that he did keep his mouth shut, and I turned my attention from the cancer of my life to Flitwick who started going over the practical stuff for the project.
As class ended I gathered my stuff to leave but both me and George were told to stay behind by Flitwick. We made our way to the teacher as the rest of our classmates filed out of there. When we were finally alone my head of house gave us both a warm smile and I sighed, I could never be too mad at Flitwick, the man had always been helpful and kind to me. Except when it came to George of course.
“Now, I have paired you two up on purpose as you might have expected, but not for the reason you might think. While some competition is good you two have done nothing but fight since first year. Please take this assignment as an opportunity to get to know each other and maybe settle whatever feud you have going on.” He said with a smile and George looked at him with furrowed brows.
“Professor, can you actually order us to be friends as an assignment?” He said and I did nod thinking he as a point and Flitwick just chuckled.
“Of course not! I am merely suggesting it. I hate to see two brilliant quidditch players and students fight, that is all. You can go.” He said with a smile. I returned it and nodded pick up my stuff, glaring at George as we headed out.
“Of course he can’t! Are you thicker than you look?” I mumbled to him and he just rolled his eyes.
“Whatever. When you wanna meet to research and write the first essay?” He said, as we were walking to our next lesson. Annoyingly we both had the same class, thankfully Snape did not care enough to pair us up. I took a deep breath to calm myself trying to be at least be cordial when it came to our assignment, I could hate him in my freetime, and sometimes in classes.
“Well, you have practice tuesdays, fridays and I have wednesdays and saturdays, plus monday mornings practices. So, sundays? Preferably afternoon or night?” I said and he nodded but looked at me with a small smirk.
“Wait. How do you know my training schedule? Did you begin fancying me enough to stalk me?” He said confidently and smirking all over, I just hit his shoulder hard.
“Course not you donkey! But I do, know how to read the bloody pitch booking schedule.” I said annoyed, I had memorised it in case I wanted some extra practice in during the season. He rolled his eyes but returned to smirking afterwards.
“Nah, I think your hatred is just a thin facade for how much you’re in love with me.” He said and I scoffed, almost laughing.
“You’re so full of yourself. Or maybe you just wish that because you’re in love with me?” I said smirking, his fell and he glared at me.
“Please, as if I would ever go for an immature, rude, masc-girl, like you.” He said trying to sound confident as we finally reached the dungeon floor. I smirked and shrugged.
“Whatever, Weasel, see you sunday afternoon, library, if you’re late I’ll bludger you!” I yelled after him I put down my air-skateboard wanting to clear my head, and get away from the nuisance before dealing with Snape. I got on it and rode off away from him.
I took a deep breath and sighed it out trying to relax as I enjoyed the slight wind I created from my board that I had built to fly. I made it inspired by my muggle cousins skateboard and to try and improve my balance for quidditch, had ended up liking it. Turning around the other students until I arrived at the door, I turned and stopped before picking it up with ease and heading in to find Ana. I sat down besides her with a sigh of relief, she looked over at me smiling.
“So, enjoy talking to George?” She said, she always thought I deep down did like them, but that was not the case at all.
“Never. If I ever did, please, take me to Madam Pomfrey.” I said and she rolled her eyes.
“Urgh, fine! But they are not as bad as you think, you just have to look away from your little rivalry.” She said and I shook my head at her.
“Nah, you just think that because you think they’re fit. I on the other hand, don’t care about how they look, just how big sh*ts they are, and would you look at that? Huge sh*ts.” I said making her chuckle.
“Fine. I’ll drop it. But know that I did wish you would give them a chance. Because they are VERY fit.” She said and I chuckled at her. She was the girlier of the two of us, but we had bonded first year over quidditch and she was now my best friend in the whole world.
George’s P.O.V.
I sat down at the Gryffindor table for lunch sulking. I just could not believe I had to spend that much time working with the absolute worst person I knew. My brother sensed my sour look and hit my arm lightly.
“Oi, you okay mate? Still sad about getting paired with Tori?” He asked and I shrugged once, this made Lee laugh.
“What’s wrong with that? You got paired with the girl you fancy right?” Angelina said, her and Katie sitting down beside me and both my brother and I turned to look at her confused.
“Sorry, what?” I said along with Lee and Fred, Angelina put her hands up and shrugged.
“Sorry, I just assumed you fancied her. And I get it, she is pretty wicked.” She said and I furrowed my brows once more.
“First off, no, she is the devil incarnated, secondly, what in the bloody hell made you think I fancy Tori Chang?” I asked and she chuckled and shrugged.
“Hey, I don’t feel like I pulled it out of thin air! The constant pranking her to get her attention all these years, flirting with witty banter. You talking about her a lot.” Angie said pointedly Katie nodding beside her, silently saying that she agreed. I looked around at the rest of them confused.
“You know, when put like that, maybe you do like her George.” Lee said Fred nodded and I chuckled a little, but it did sound a little like a scoff too.
“Please. Come on Fred, you know better than that. We have been fighting and pranking each other since first year, because of something stupid. We don’t flirt, we trade insults. Besides, I would never go for someone as brutish and rude as her. Right Fred?” I said trying to somewhat defend my honor and seeking support the only place I knew I would always find it, my brother.
“Right. Well forget about her and let’s talk business. Because while you were busy flirting with the devil, I had a brilliant idea.” He said and I smirked turning my attention to that. We worked perfectly in sync like that, Fred came up with the ideas, and I figured out how to execute them.
*The next day, lunchtime, in the great hall.*
*The next day, lunchtime, in the great hall.*
I was sitting in the great hall chatting away with the other Gryffindors, having a tremendous time being the center of attention with my brother. I quickly noticed a slight change in atmosphere around us, and it seemed like the whole hall slowly went quiet and turned their attention towards the other end of the room. I was about to do the same, when everything was interrupted by a loud.
“WEASLEYS!”
The almost scream came from a Ravenclaw girl, who was stalking towards them clearly fuming with anger. I almost stumbled a little and tried to contain my laughter as I saw Tori, angrier than I had seen her in years, walking towards us covered in green slime which only slightly concealed how red her face was from anger, as it was hugging her closer the more she moved with it. I laughed a little at the sight but when she walked over and grabbed the two of us by the ears we knew it was serious.
“What the f*ck is the meaning of this? I thought we had a bloody truce ye wee sh*ts!” She yelled though not as loud as her initial scream. I chuckled lightly still at the sight of her but I put my hands up in defence.
“We do! As funny as this is, sorry love, but this wasn’t us.” I said with a smirk she let go of our ears and looked at both me and Fred for a moment trying to read us before getting a little closer grabbing both of our collars.
“Please. This reeks of Weasley!” She whispered threateningly.
“But fine. I thought you two learned last time not to mess with me. If you wanna go again sh*theads then it is on. Watch your backs Weasels!” She said gritting through her teeth in a threatening manner. Before letting go of us walking away, it seeming to become more difficult with each step as the slime continued hugging her. I grinned and I could not help myself.
“Oooh I’m scared. There was a reason you had to call the truce last time, let’s see how long you make it this time Chang!” I yelled after her, she turned around probably ready to hit me like always making me laugh. Thankfully for my potential bruises Ana pulled her away quickly, and she ended up just flipping us off before leaving to get cleaned up.
I chuckled a little sitting down once again, Fred beside me. Angelina hit his arm lightly and he looked at her confused.
“Why are you idiots doing this again? I was enjoying peace, and more importantly, not losing more housepoints than necessary.” She exclaimed and I shrugged.
“We didn’t. Honestly, this wasn’t us.” Fred said and I nodded supporting him, she just rolled her eyes at us and turned to talk to Katie. Fred turned to me so we could have a bit of a private conversation, we got close so hopefully only we could hear each other.
“So, is this you? Respect brother.” I said with a smirk but Fred just shook his head lightly and I furrowed my brows.
“It really wasn’t. It wasn’t you either was it?” He asked and I shook my head.
“Then we have another prankster in this school. That is alarming, and interesting.” Fred said and I nodded in agreement.
That was certainly interesting.
*The next day, after dinner, in the library*
Tori’s P.O.V.
I was sitting in the library with Ana, my sister and Hermione who had not minded that we had joined her table since everywhere around us was full of studying students. I was just sitting there trying to read, while I had gotten most of my anger out during that mornings Quidditch practice, I could not help but still fuming at those stupid boys. I had bitched already to Ana, wondering why on earth those idiots had thought it was a good idea to bring back the war between us? Was this punishment for having to work with George in charms or what? I was annoyed and confused. Even though my sister as always told me to calm down and not let them get to me. Easy for her to say. I did love my sister, but we were vastly different, especially when it came to things like this: Cho was patient, I had a short fuse. Cho was quiet and well mannered, I was according to her loud and rude, I liked to call it opinionated and passionate.
The quiet of the library was interrupted when the doors busted open, and even though Madam Pince got up to stop them, she was not fast enough, and two Gryffindors covered in feathers stalked over to me.
“Chang!” George yelled getting my attention as he neared, I could not help but laugh at the state of the two boys as they neared me. I had no idea who had had the brilliant idea of covering them in feathers, and making them carry heavy books. But they were effectively getting my revenge before I could, but I greatly appreciated whoever had done it. I turned to them smiling.
“What do you want, chicken weasels?” I said calmly and he glared at me annoyed.
“Turn this off, right now. It was clever, hell maybe even funny enough, but immature considering we didn’t break the truce.” He said sarcastically I got up getting in his face not taking this.
“Hey, you can claim innocence all you want, but I know it was you Weasels yesterday. But while I love it, I didn’t do this!” I yelled in response, anger surpassed words at this point and both me and George seemed to try instead to kill each other with glares I got close to his face trying to come off as threatening.
“Of course this was you! Making things fly is your specialty. If only you’d fly off.” George finally said rolling his eyes at me, and I put up my arms in an annoyed gesture.
“No it wasn’t. But who else would it have been yesterday you donkey!” I yelled back.
Finally there was a loud slam, we all turned our attention towards the loud noise, silence falling over the room.
“If the three of you would stop fighting for two seconds!” Hermione yelled at the three of us, stand up, she had gotten up and slammed her book down on the table.
“Right, outside now! Stop disturbing the library!” Madam Pinch said, and we reluctantly all filed outside, Hermione followed as we now stood in the hall the girl standing there looking up at us her hands firmly on her hips, in a ‘you are about to get scolded by a parent’ sort of way.
She first waved her wand and undid the boys curse which annoyed me. But they looked relieved to be able to drop the books without flying off of the ground.
“Now! I have heard a lot about you threes fights over the years. Now, Fred and George, honestly, did you prank Tori yesterday?” She said and I turned to them crossing my arms in an awaiting manner.
“No.” They both said in zync with grins on their faces, and I rolled my eyes assuming those Weasels were lying, now Hermione turned to me just the same.
“Tori, did you do this to Fred and George?” She asked in the exact same manner, and I uncrossed my arms.
“No!” I said annoyed and she smirked as I saw the boys turning back with the same roll of their eyes as I had had.
“Now, if neither of you three pranked each other, then MAYBE, someone else did it!” She said and we all seemed to look at her confused.
“But who would-“ I was cut off by George and Fred going:
“Why would-“
We were however all stopped my Hermione holding up her hand to shut us all up, and we did. She just rolled her eyes.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you three team up and figure it out?” She yelled frustrated before walking back inside.
I sighed and I knew she had a point, so I turned to the lads who seemed to share a look before reluctantly turning to me.
“She might have a point.” Fred said and I nodded.
“Yeah, and we swear, yesterday wasn’t us. We would have made that gel stiffen the instant it hit you.” George followed up with a grin, and I sighed nodding.
“Yeah, and trust me, this wasn’t me. I would have come up with something cooler than feathers that make you fly.” I said with a small smile which both lads met. It seemed like we all went silent after that.
“So…” George said after a while.
“Should we do what the probably smartest Witch in school says and figure out who did this so we can take our revenge?” Fred said with a small smirk, his brother looked to him and grinned as well. I looked at them both for a moment contemplating it, before sighing, and smirking slightly.
“Fuck it. As a wise man once said: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”