Trouble → Fred Weasley

XLViii| PROTECTION WITCH

She paused with a longing look before her head snapped to the teacher's table.

"Aha! I'll just ask Professor McGonagall," Sapphire beamed.

"Don't be stupid, you can't just ask for Quidditch!" Hermione argued. 

"I could ask Dumbledore himself but I don't like him," said Sapphire with a shrug.

"You can ask Dumbledore?" Alicia questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Just like that?"

"Why don't you like him?" Angelina added.

"I have my reasons," Sapphire hummed. "Anyway, I'm Minnie's favourite and she loved Quidditch she'll fix it."

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Thankfully, Sapphire had managed to get Umbridge to let Gryffindor play — she wasn't sure if it was Professor McGonagall, Alex or herself that had convinced her but whoever it was, she was happy about it. The year would have been incredibly depressing without Quidditch and though their first practise since hadn't gone well, it was better than nothing.

"Welcome to the room of requirement," Sapphire introduced as she spun around.

It was late in the evening and the Black Twins were showing the Golden Trio where the first meeting would be before people arrived.

The walls were lined with wooden bookcases, and instead of chairs, there were large silk cushions on the floor. A set of shelves at the far end of the room carried a range of instruments such as Sneakoscopes,Secrecy Sensors, and a large, cracked Foe-Glass.

"These will be good when we're practising Stunning," said Ron enthusiastically, prodding one of the cushions with his foot.

"And just look at these books!" said Hermione excitedly, running a finger along the spines of the large leather-bound tomes. "A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions ... The DarkArts Outsmarted...Self-Defensive Spellwork... wow..."

"Yeah, it's better than the library. It's where I'd get the books Sapphire and I would practise with," said Alex. "It'll be fine to use for us too."

Sapphire and Alex stood at the front of the room as the other students began to floor in. They were all curious, looking around at the different books before taking a seat on the cushions. By eight, they were all full.

"Hello," Alex announced. "This is where we'll be practising from now on."

"It's fantastic!" said Cho, and several people murmured their agreement.

"It's bizarre," said Fred, frowning around at it. "We once hid fromFilch in here, remember, George, Sapphire? But it was just a broom cupboard then..."

"Oh I remember that," Sapphire pointed at him. "He couldn't find us."

"Hey, Sapphire, what's this stuff?" asked Dean from the rear of the room, indicating the Sneakoscopes and the Foe-Glass.

"Dark Detectors," said Alex, stepping between the cushions to reach them. "Basically they all show when Dark wizards or enemies are around, but you don't want to rely on them too much, I find them a bit rubbish." 

"Anyway," Sapphire added. "Alex and I have been trying to decide what to teach you and— what's up, Hermione?"

"I think we ought to elect a leader," said Hermione.

"Sapphire's leader," said Fred.

"Alex is leader," said Jaden at the same time.

The two looked at each other. They narrowed their eyes as Sapphire and Alex shared a look.