Through the Pages of Time: Joey’s Hogwarts Tale

Ryan had been in a foul mood lately, and it was all because he'd gone against his principles. He hadn't told their mother, Linda, about Joey's injury during the Quidditch match. To avoid his enchanted quill from writing it automatically, he hadn't even touched his stationery for a week. This was completely out of character for him, and the guilt was eating him alive.

When he saw Joey, fully recovered and laughing with Cedric—a boy he'd always disliked—his frustration peaked.

The Ravenclaw common room was usually a quiet, cozy place where everyone nestled in their favorite corners with books. Cedric was no exception. He was a top student, well-read and gentle, rarely engaging in heated debates. During Ravenclaw's academic discussions, he would calmly present his views, never losing his temper, but also never backing down from his convictions.

Ryan had to admit that Cedric was a diligent and curious student, but that didn't make him any less irritating. After one debate, Ryan shook Cedric's hand and said, "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were a Ravenclaw. You're too gentle as Hufflepuff."

Cedric looked surprised. "Is that a compliment?"

Ryan nodded. "It is. But I'd appreciate it if you stayed away from Joey."

Cedric's smile faltered. "Why? That seems unfair."

Ryan leaned in, his voice low. "I've seen you watching the first-years since the start of the term. I don't want my sister getting hurt."

Cedric's face turned red, and he stammered, "I—I wasn't—"

Ryan didn't wait for an explanation. He walked away, leaving Cedric flustered and embarrassed.

---

Meanwhile, Joey was struggling through Potions class. Sirius had made it his mission to antagonize Professor Snape at every opportunity, showing up in the Potions classroom whenever he had free time. While this was entertaining for the Gryffindors, it had disastrous consequences for their grades. The only house not suffering was Slytherin, whose scores remained high thanks to Snape's blatant favoritism.

"Looks like we might not be last after all," one Gryffindor joked. "Ravenclaw's taking the hit in Potions!"

The back-and-forth between Sirius and Snape had turned into a game of point deduction and reward. One day, Professor McGonagall tried to intervene, but the result was a sudden surge of points for all houses, filling the gem counters to the brim.

"I've never gotten so many points before!" a Hufflepuff exclaimed. "Professor Black gave me ten points just for sneezing!"

"Sirius is out of control," Fred muttered, carrying both his and George's schoolbags.

Joey groaned. "And Snape's just as bad. He gave Slytherin points for 'perfect stirring posture' today. Meanwhile, I dropped my knife and got called clumsy."

Angelina shuddered. "Poor George. He got stuck cleaning all the potion bottles because Sirius made a comment about Snape's jars being dirty."

Fred and Joey exchanged looks, their eyes full of mock sympathy. "Oh, poor George!" they said in unison, though their smirks betrayed their true feelings.

---

As they walked through the castle grounds, they spotted Cedric standing by the edge of the courtyard, watching a group of students on the grass. Among them was Cho Chang, playing a bamboo flute.

"What's that she's playing? A stick?" Angelina asked, intrigued.

Joey was surprised. She hadn't expected anyone here to recognize a bamboo flute. "It's a bamboo flute," she explained.

Cedric, overhearing, chimed in, "Yes, it's a traditional instrument."

Joey turned to him, shocked. "How do you know that?"

Cedric took a step back, looking nervous. "I... read about it in a book."

Fred, ever the instigator, nudged Cedric. "Been here long, watching someone?"

Cedric's face turned red. "I wasn't—"

Fred grinned. "I didn't say who you were watching."

Joey's eyes widened. "Cedric, you can't like Cho! She's only a first-year!"

"She doesn't have a boyfriend," Cedric blurted out, then immediately looked horrified.

Joey frowned, her mind racing. If Cedric liked Cho, what would happen to Harry Potter in the future? Should she stop Cedric? But he was her friend. "At least wait until she's in third year," Joey said finally. "That's a good age to start dating."

Fred smirked. "Third year's not far off."

Cedric, thoroughly embarrassed, hugged his books and fled.

Angelina laughed. "Cedric's so shy! I've seen him glancing at Cho before, but you two really exposed him."

Joey sighed. "Pretty girls are always popular. I just hope Cedric doesn't get his heart broken."

Fred glanced at Joey, a hint of jealousy in his voice. "You're not upset, are you?"

Joey looked confused. "Why would I be upset? Unless he stops helping me with my essays."

Fred's mood lifted instantly. "Cedric's a good guy," he said, though his tone suggested he was plotting something.

---

Later, when George finally escaped Snape's clutches, Joey eagerly told him about Cedric's crush on Cho.

"That's great!" George said, holding up his pruned hands. "While I'm slaving away like a house-elf, you two are gossiping about love stories."

"Blame Sirius, not us," Fred said, pushing a plate of chicken legs toward Joey.

George groaned. "You're no help at all."

Fred handed George a glass of cranberry juice. "Here, have a drink. And don't worry, we'll make sure Cedric's nose stays intact during the next Quidditch match."

Joey laughed, and Fred grinned. The day had been full of surprises, but one thing was clear: life at Hogwarts was never boring.