MTL NOVEL Chapter 40: September 20 - Cloudy
Harry Potter had always been a name that held a special place in Joey's heart. But now, after seeing the little boy every day, Joey felt her heart melting. He was just too cute!
"Look at his little face! It's so chubby, I just want to pinch it!" In the Gryffindor common room, Joey rested her chin on her hands, gazing at Harry from a distance, almost drooling.
"Ron's just as chubby. Why don't you want to pinch him? Joey, let's not be so obvious about your starstruck behavior," Fred remarked, stretching his long legs. He was holding two cards in his hands, locked in a game with George.
"Ugh," Joey glanced at Ron, who was sitting beside Harry, with a look of disgust. "I don't think he's cute anymore after he wiped his nose all over me."
"Harry Potter must've had a runny nose when he was a kid too," Fred said, tossing a card to George. He thought it was more important to pull Joey's attention away from the Boy Who Lived.
"But he didn't wipe it on me," Joey emphasized.
Fred couldn't argue with that logic. He raised an eyebrow, kicked George—who was snickering—and moved to sit next to Joey, blocking her view of Harry. With a playful grin, he said, "There's a Divination class this afternoon. How do you plan to make up your recent misfortune?"
When did he get so bold? Joey stared at him in disbelief.
Fred sprawled on the sofa like a shameless troublemaker, calling out, "This is so comfortable! Push me again!"
Joey, amused by his antics, twisted his ear and hissed, "Is "this" comfortable?!"
"Ow! That hurts!" Fred grabbed Joey's hand, pretending to be in pain. He didn't hesitate to ham it up.
Joey hadn't noticed how Fred's little actions had been increasing lately. Under his casual demeanor, they always seemed to happen so naturally. But George noticed. He chuckled quietly, giving his brother a subtle thumbs-up.
Joey soon felt her palm sweating in Fred's grasp. "He must be hot," she thought, though she herself was starting to feel warm too.
She pulled her hand away, fanning herself. "Why is it suddenly so hot in here?"
Fred nodded solemnly. "Yeah, it's really hot."
"Hot? It feels pretty cool to me!" Ron chimed in, a gummy candy sticking out of his mouth.
---
Divination was a class Charlie had highly recommended. He'd called it the easiest way to score high marks. Joey had signed up for it without hesitation the previous year.
"But you've got to have a sense of humor, or this class will drive you mad," Charlie had warned before leaving for Romania. Joey and the twins had taken his advice to heart.
Joey, Fred, and George considered themselves the most fun people in the world, and even Ron agreed.
"Divination is perfect for you. You've got plenty of near-death experiences to draw from," Ron had said when he saw Joey's textbook, "Unfogging the Future".
Joey was convinced Ron was just jealous. After all, he'd never scored an "Outstanding" in Divination. According to her, it was because he didn't have enough "material." Ha!
---
The Divination classroom was on the eighth floor, not far from Gryffindor Tower. As Joey and the twins climbed the spiral staircase, they ran into a group of Slytherin sixth-years leaving their class.
"Just my luck," Joey thought when she spotted Shafiq leading the pack.
Shafiq had become the de facto leader of Slytherin's sixth year. After nearly losing his cool the previous year (Joey still thought it was a shame he hadn't), he'd become noticeably more composed. Once the top student in his house, he'd gone through a rough patch after his parents were sent to Azkaban. Many had turned their backs on him, and he'd become cynical, nearly causing a rift in Slytherin. But now, he seemed more mature. According to Flami, he'd even apologized to the graduating Quidditch captain, earning respect from his peers.
"Shafiq's reputation is pretty high now. It's impressive how he's risen above his parents' shadow," Flami had said with a hint of admiration.
Shafiq spotted Joey immediately. She seemed to have grown even more striking this year. He'd overheard some third-year boys talking about her in the common room. Though Slytherins were known for their disdain for warmth, they couldn't help being drawn to it. Joey radiated a kind of energy that was hard to ignore. But the two red-haired Weasleys beside her? Not so appealing.
As Shafiq approached, he deliberately stopped in front of Joey, blocking her path. "How was your summer?" he asked, a sly smile playing on his lips.
"None of your business!" Joey snapped. "Good dogs don't block the way!" Her summer would've been perfect if not for his occasional letters to Linda. "That jerk!"
A burly Slytherin behind Shafiq looked ready to lunge forward, but Shafiq raised a hand to stop him.
Fred stepped in front of Joey, trying to sound polite. "Excuse us, we're going to be late for class. Mind moving?"
Shafiq's smile turned icy as he looked down at Fred, who was only slightly shorter. "You're the one who should move, little boy."
Fred, though younger, didn't back down. He nudged Joey—who was already rolling up her sleeves—behind him and smirked. "Want to settle this the old-fashioned way?"
The tension between them was palpable. If there were special effects, sparks would've been flying. Gryffindors and Slytherins stood behind their respective leaders, some even drawing their wands.
Professor Trelawney emerged from the classroom, looking dazed. "Isn't my class over? What's going on here?" Her presence diffused the standoff.
Shafiq sneered. "Let's go." He shot Fred and Joey one last glance before leading the Slytherins down the stairs.
Fred yelped as Joey pinched his side. "Don't stand in front of me like that again!" she growled. She hated feeling like she needed protection. Gryffindor girls were brave and capable!
"Okay, okay! No next time!" Fred said, rubbing his side. He wasn't about to risk another pinch.
The Gryffindors burst into laughter, teasing Fred as they filed into the classroom.
---
Shafiq didn't follow the others. He lingered under the stairs, leaning against the railing, his wand twirling between his fingers. The laughter above grated on his nerves. His expression was cold, his thoughts darker.
"How do you make obstacles disappear?" he wondered.
---
Divination class was the perfect place to relax—if you had a sense of humor. The dim lighting and heavy incense were practically a lullaby.
Joey, Fred, and George had claimed the corner spot, hidden behind a curtain. It was their favorite place to nap or play games unnoticed.
Fred was already asleep, his head resting against Joey's arm. His red hair tickled her skin as he breathed. Joey and George were engrossed in a game of Exploding Snap, their cards locked in a fierce battle.
When Professor Trelawney approached, Joey kicked George under the table as a warning and elbowed Fred awake.
"Wha—? What's up, darling?" Fred mumbled, still half-asleep.
"Darling?" Joey's face turned bright red. "What's with him lately?" She glared at him, flustered.
George burst out laughing. "Fred, you're dreaming again!"
Professor Trelawney arrived, her tone stern. "What have you observed in your teacups?"
Joey panicked. "Uh, I saw a bow and arrow! I'm going to be dragged into the Forbidden Forest by centaurs and shot!"
Fred, still groggy, added, "And I saw myself being thrown into the sky by the Whomping Willow and hit by a Muggle airplane."
Professor Trelawney studied their cups intently. "My dear, what I see is far more serious. Your life will be ruined by a red-haired boy." She pointed at Fred. "Stay away from him."
Fred blinked innocently as the class erupted in laughter. George was practically crying from holding in his giggles.
Joey buried her face in her hands. "This class is going to be the death of me."