Doesn't Mean a Thing

Angelina led Elise through the corridors and to a portrait. She said a password and repeated it to Elise to remember. They stepped inside and Elise saw a room of dark red velvet and bright gold. It felt heavy and warm in the room; it smelled faintly of butterbeer, perfume, and cologne. She felt slightly sick to her stomach, but sucked it up.

Angelina coughed. “Up on the left are the boy’s dormitories, and up on the right is the girls. Just go around the spiral staircase until you come to a room with a six on it. It should open for you. Your bed is the empty bed next door; that was Teresa’s old bed.” She said.

Angelina waved over the twins and their friends, who were sitting on the couches. She pulled
Elise towards them. “Hey you guys, this is Elise Seymour, our new sixth year.” She said smoothly. Elise noticed her wink at the taller redhead.

“Bonjour merdes de trempette.” She said, winking at the redheads. They blushed heavily and both ran their fingers through their hair at the same time.

“What?” Angelina asked, confused.

“Oh, I met them at the World Cup.” She said, biting her lip. The two boys were so red, it was amusing.

“Yeah, you were the girl all chummy with Draco.” One said.

Elise rolled her eyes. “Please, I wasn’t chummy with him, or whatever you’re trying to imply. He’s very clingy, and he also has a head far too big for his body.”

The black boy laughed. “You’re funny. Hi, I’m Lee Jordan.” He said with a toothy, pearly white grin. Elise shook his hand.

Two of the girls stood up. “Hi, I’m Katie, and this is Alicia.” One said.

Alicia smiled. “I’m in sixth, looks like we’re roommates now. Come, sit with us.”

Elise sat on the couch next to the girls, lazily crossing her legs and smiling at the two. “I never really got your names before I insulted you.” She joked.

The stockier built, lighter red-haired twin smiled at her and held out a hand, leaning across the gap. “The name is George Weasley.” As Elise leaned across to shake it, he took her hand and kissed it. Winking at her, he sat up.

The other grinned. “I’m Fred, Mr. Suave’s brother.”

Angelina shook it off. “There’s no use trying to remember; it took all of us at least three months to even start distinguishing the differences between them.”

Elise shrugged. “I can tell. George is a bit shorter, a little stockier, and his hair’s a shade lighter. Fred’s taller, a little less muscle, darker hair.”

Lee squinted. “Hell, they’re barely a half an inch different in height! And how can you even tell about the build or hair?” he asked incredulously.

Elise shrugged again. “I don’t know; I’ve always been able to tell a lot of things about people.”

Lee leaned closer to her. “What can you tell about me?” he asked, grinning again.

Elise chuckled. “Very loud, you are. You like talking and joking around…and you’re very flirtatious.” She said.

Lee backed away. “She’s gifted, I tell you.”

George gave her a sly smile and she blushed.

“So you moved into the house over the hill?” Fred asked. What attention he had for Angelina had now disappeared. Angelina sat on the arm of the couch, her arms crossed.

“Yeah, my mum always wanted a country house and I hated all the places Malfoy suggested to us. Dad found that house. I wasn’t sure of it, but I knew it was a place my mum would’ve liked. I haven’t stayed in it long enough to grow fond of it yet.” She said.

“Are you French or British?” Lee asked, confused. “I can’t really tell. You talk like us, but you act so French…”

Alicia slapped his shoulder. “Lee, that’s rude!” she said.

Elise chuckled. “No, it’s perfectly fine. I’m British by my father, but French by my mother. She was veela.”

George and Lee looked at each other and the girls all stared at each other warily. Fred however, kept a gaze at her, blinking heavily, as if watching her burned his eyes.

“So…you have special powers?” Angelina asked.

Elise shrugged. “If you guess guys staring at you like dogs is a power. It’s more of a curse, really, unless you start to torture them. It’s really rather fun.”

The girls giggled and the guys looked at each other again, warily.

“I never use it for bad reasons, boys, trust me.” She said, winking.

The night grew late and they headed off to bed. Lee waved goodbye to the girls. Fred did the
same, but gazed at Elise for a while before leaving. George gave her a subtle smile and a wink before turning around to the stairs.

The girls went up to their room. Elise found her belongings already put away. A gold and red tie, sweaters, and patches were on her bedside. She magically affixed the patches onto her robes and set them in her drawers.

Elise’s bed was next to Alicia’s. Katie and Angelina were on the other side.

“It seems like George has a thing for you.” Alicia whispered. Angelina was fast asleep and Katie was reading.

Elise blushed. “He’s cute. So…are Angelina and Fred together?” she asked.

Alicia shrugged. “More or less, I suppose. They were last year, but things kind of stopped over the summer. She said they stopped writing each other. But it seemed like they were today. I’m not quite sure.”

Elise nodded, laying back. “Wow, the first day tomorrow. My schedule is a mess.”

Alicia chuckled. “Don’t be worried; I promise you’re going to love Hogwarts.”