Chapter 10: Friendship goals

■■■

"When is Gwen coming?" Fred asked his brother, Angelina and Alicia. George shrugged while the two girls exchanged looks.

"Do you think-?" Angelina started to say but Alicia cut her off. "The two? No! Of course not."

Fred and George looked at each other, each with questioning looks on their faces. Fred was about to ask what they meant but the two gossiping girls took no account to the boys beside them.

"Let's be real. Gwen wouldn't just admit her feelings to a guy who she barely knows, that's just not her. And Cedric, well there is a reason he's not a Gryffindor. The guy is too modest and also a tad shy." Alicia explained to Angelina.

Fred couldn't help but roll his eyes at the mention of Pretty Boy Diggory. He thought that the Hufflepuff was overrated, he wasn't that handsome. Besides, he knew that Gwen was too smart to fall for the guy's looks and charms.

Suddenly Angelina let out a loud gasp which made the twins turn to look, thinking that something might have happened.

"Oh my! Look at that!" She exclaimed to Alicia as she pointed in a certain direction.

Alicia along with the twins looked at where she referred to and immediately saw Gwen and Cedric next to the Hall's doors.

Looking at the two together was enough to make Fred's jealousy emerge but when he saw her kiss his cheek, he wanted to explode.

Fred, whose face was redder than his hair turned to his plate. His brother and the girls noticed his strange attitude when he harshly stabbed at the mashed potatoes.

"You okay?" Angelina asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Fred brushed her hand off and continued stabbing.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be? I just wish that Gwen wouldn't have been blinded by his good looks to notice that he isn't that great. She deserves someone better than that idiot. Someone who likes her for who she is and not because of her looks, someone who loves her and her flaws. Not him!"

Fred hit his plate so hard it left a crack in it. Some people from the Gryffindor table were even staring at him in curiosity. Alicia's eyes opened wide.

"Wait a second do you-?"

Alicia stopped in mid-question as soon as she saw Gwen next to her.

Gwen sat down next to Alicia, facing Fred and noticed his strange behaviour. She also noticed that his hand was shaking. Gwen reached her hand out and held it to try to calm him down. Fred looked up and took a glance at the girl in front of him. He pulled his hand out of her reach.

"Is everything alright?" Gwen asked, worried about her friend. Fred didn't say anything to her and simply nodded his head. Gwen sighed.

"Okay, you gave me no choice," Gwen stated as she cracked her knuckles. George, Alicia and Angelina shared a terrified look.

"Why? Merlin, why?!" George yelled as he looked up at the enchanted ceiling. They all knew what was coming. "What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta." Fred didn't say anything and kept looking at his cracked plate while the others gave out identical groans.

"The furniture store keeps calling me. All I wanted was a one-night stand." Fred still didn't speak.

"Okay, no? Fine, last one. It's not that the man did not know how to juggle, he just didn't have the balls to do it." This time Fred finally let out a laugh which made Gwen feel proud of herself.

"Okay, you must admit they were pretty funny," Angelina told Alicia and George. "I know right?" Gwen exclaimed as they high fived.

Gwen turned her attention back to Fred. "You sure that everything is alright?" Gwen asked again and Fred nodded his head. His face was turning back to its pale colour.

"I'm alright, it's just that there's a flaw in a prank that I'm planning and I can't seem to fix it." Fred quickly lied. He might be bad at hiding his jealousy and anger but he can lie like a boss.

Gwen bit her lip. "I can help you tonight if you want, but you might have to wait for a little. With practice today and my prefect rounds, I didn't have any time to do my homework."

Fred perked up at the thought of spending some time alone with Gwen. Fred grinned at her. "I would like that very much. Thanks."

Now all Fred needed to do is make up a prank.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

Gwen dropped her quill on the desk and opened her arms to stretch. Angelina looked up as soon as she heard movement from the other side of the room.

"So, about what happened with Cedric...” Angelina started as she painted her nails. Gwen groaned, “Do we have to do this every time?” She asked. She folded up her twelve-inch History of Magic essay about Giant Wars and packed it in her bag.

Angelina nodded. “Uhmm. Until one of you ask each other out. Look you both clearly like one another and if Cedric isn’t brave enough to initiate step two then you do it.”

Gwen raised an eyebrow. “Step two? What is Step two? Or Step one for that matter?”

Gwen heard Angelina clear her throat in a sophisticated way and couldn’t help but smile at the girl.

“Step one is blushing and gazing at each other from a distance stage, so double-check. Step two is the first date stage. You go on a first date and see how it goes. If it goes well you continue to date. If not, well, you don’t.”

"Maybe I'll ask him but I'll think about it later. I still have to go and help Fred." Gwen told Angelina as she stood up to leave.

Angelina started waving her hands to dry the nail polish. "Oh, Gwen. The naïve, young, innocent girl is all grown up. How fast the years go by!" Gwen decided it was better to not say anything and waved her goodbye.

Fred was about to leave the Common room. He assumed that she must have forgotten.

He figured out it wasn't the case when he saw Gwen girl tumbling down the last few steps.

"Seriously?" She exclaimed as she pulled herself up from the floor. "You'd think that after five years you'd stop falling down the same stairs," Fred told Gwen, looking at her from where he was sitting.

Gwen sighed and laid on the couch, pulling her feet up on Fred's lap. "I think that too. Anyway, how can I help you?" She looked down at her elbow and that it was already turning purple.

Fred choked on air for a second as he forgot to think of an excuse but he quickly regained his composure. "Actually, I managed to solve the problem while waiting for you."

Gwen's face showed a look of guilt and disappointment. "Oh."

Gwen wanted to be part of another prank. Sure she had done a few pranks here and there, but Gwen was so busy that Fred and George had done most of them alone.

Fred noticed the sudden change of expression on the girl's face. "But that's okay, we could do something else," Fred reassured the girl. Gwen grinned at Fred.

"Oh, really? And what might you be referring to?" Gwen asked, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

Fred let out a laugh and pushed Gwen's legs off his lap. "You wish! I was leaning towards sneaking out by using the map." Gwen pointed her finger at Fred.

"I like the way you think. Let's go!" Gwen exclaimed as she jumped up to her feet.

Fred for his school bag and took out of a piece of 'parchment'.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Fred stated, his wand touching the parchment. The map's content quickly appeared on it.

Gwen stood next to Fred to survey who was in their area. Gwen noticed something on the map and pointed her finger to a certain spot. "What's wrong?" Fred asked the girl, he too was looking to where Gwen was pointing.

"I didn't know that there's a boy named Peter in Harry and Ron's year," Gwen told Fred, referring to the boy who appeared to be running all around the boy's third-year dormitories.

Fred shrugged in response. "Huh. Must have missed him. Look, Filch is at his office with Christian Rouge and Danielle Blake, whoever they are. Probably got caught snogging somewhere."

Fred and Gwen left the Gryffindor Common room, ignoring the pleas of the Fat Lady who was trying to call them back. With their wands lit up, the two travelled through the castle as Fred lead the way.

They dodged every prefect, teacher and Poltergeist until they were safe outside the school grounds.

"Psstt... Fred... Where are we going?" Gwen asked curiously. Fred didn't answer immediately and kept on walking. "The Forbidden Forest." He finally replied.

Gwen raised her eyebrows. "Forbidden Forest? Why are we going in there?"

Fred pocketed the map after saying 'Mischief Managed'. "You'll see."

The two continued walking silently on the Hogwarts grounds. It didn't take too long of a walk in the Forbidden Forest, and they haven't gotten in too deep.

Fred stopped and Gwen collided with his back. "Ow! Are you going to tell me why we're here?" Gwen asked her friend, finally having enough with not knowing.

Fred turned and shushed her. "Be quiet. Look over there by those trees covered in moss." Fred said, pointing at a certain area. Gwen's gaze followed where Fred was pointing. Gwen didn't see it at first but once her eyes got used to her surroundings, she knew exactly what it was.

Gwen's eyes widened. "Is that..?"

"A hippogriff? Why, yes, it is." Fred exclaimed excitingly. Gwen looked at the creature in awe.

“Oh, my Godric. He’s beautiful. Wait, is it safe to be here?” Gwen asked, remembering the Malfoy accident.

Fred smirked at the girl. “Of course he’s safe. We just have to be careful. I thought you would want to see him since you were upset at not getting the chance.” Fred was about to walk towards the magical creature but Gwen stopped him.

"Wait, isn't there some kind of procedure or something?" Gwen asked, her eyes still on Buckbeak. "There is but I read about it and it seemed simple enough," Fred replied. Gwen finally tore her eyes off the creature and snorted at her friend. "You did?"

"Yes, I did. Is it so hard to believe?"

Gwen bit her lip while thinking. "Yes, yes it is. Now let's go."

Fred grabbed her hand and dragged her slowly with him. "Alright, follow my lead." Gwen quietly groaned. "Ugh. Nothing good ever happens when you say that."

"Just trust me this time. I know what I'm doing. Sort of. Anyway, we just have to bow, he then bows back. Keep eye contact and don't blink. Don't ask why. And then we pet him. Easy peasy lemon squeezy."

"You did not just say that," Gwen said.

Fred cringed at himself. "I knew that I shouldn't have as soon as I heard myself say it."

Gwen nodded her head in agreement and patted his shoulder. "...Let's do it!"

The two walked closer to Buckbeak, trying their best not to make any sound. Gwen followed whatever Fred did and believe it or not, it actually worked.

"He is so adorable and so harmless. I can't believe that anyone can think of him as a monster." Gwen told Fred while caressing the Hippogriff's feathers.

"It's Draco Malfoy we're talking about, what do you expect?" Fred replied, watching from a few steps away.

Suddenly an idea came to Fred and a grin quickly appeared on his face. "We should ride him!" Gwen's heart started beating extremely fast. "We should do what now?"

Fred dismissed Gwen's question and climbed on top of the Hippogriff. "Don't you think that a flying Hippogriff would be noticeable?" Fred shrugged. "Probably but we're Gryffindors! Let us be brave!"

Gwen closed her eyes and sighed. "I am so going to regret this."

Gwen saw Fred slowly climbing on Buckbeak and when he was properly seated, he offered Gwen his hand. Gwen reluctantly climbed on the Hippogriff.

"What do we do now?" Gwen asked her crazy friend as Buckbeak just stood there licking his feathers.

"Um. I don't know. Up, Up and away!" Fred shouted but the two stayed where they were.

"Oh please, did you think that would work- OH GOOD LORD!!" Apparently, Fred did something right as the Hippogriff was slowly rising in the air.

It was only a matter of seconds until the two Gryffindors were flying up in the sky. Gwen was caught off-guard and quickly wrapped her arms around Fred's waist.

She was gripping on so tight that Fred felt as if his circulation stopped, but he didn't say a thing to her. He turned around to look at Gwen and saw that she had her eyes closed shut.

"You should open your eyes! The view is breathtaking!" Fred shouted at his friend through the noisy wind. Gwen took her some time to debate whether she should listen to him.

Gwen finally opened her eyes and was in complete awe of the scene around them. They had just passed the Forbidden Forest and were now passing over the large castle.

"It's beautiful," Gwen uttered out in disbelief as she saw the Black Lake coming to view.

The free Hippogriff ride didn't take long as Buckbeak landed on the ground a few minutes after takeoff. "Gwen?" Fred asked Gwen a few seconds after they landed. "Yeah?"

"Can you let go of me? I'm having trouble breathing."

Gwen realized what she was doing and retreated her hands back to herself. "Sorry." Gwen apologized.

Fred hopped down from Buckbeak and grabbed Gwen's hand to gently pull her down. That took Gwen by surprise and resulted in her falling on top of Fred. They both landed on the grass with a loud thud.

"I'm sorry. Again." Gwen admitted while looking down at Fred who merely chuckled. "It's okay. I've gotten used to this." He replied and brushed a lock of hair out of Gwen's face.

Gwen smirked at him. "You've gotten used to having a girl on top of you?" Gwen couldn't help but laugh at the horrified expression on Fred's face.

"You knew exactly what I was referring to," Fred replied as Gwen stood back up and brushed the dirt off her pants.

"Of course I knew. Just messing with you. Let's go before someone does see us." Gwen stated as she looked around the Forbidden Forest. The two made their way to the castle as Fred guided them by using the enchanted map.

​​​​​​​

▪︎▪︎▪︎