Shooting Stars

“What about Evangeline Mack?” George asked

Fred grimaced behind his goblet. Evangeline wasn’t exactly ugly, (she had the perfect shade of red hair and stunning blue eyes) but she wasn’t the epitome of beauty either (she had lots of freckles and wore glasses). She also was usually seen with her nose in a book and her hair pulled back.

“Maybe,” he started. “When Blast-Ended Skrewts fly,” he finished in a whisper. Both boys sniggered as they walked to Transfiguration.

~*~

The whispers were nothing Fred wasn’t used to but these whispers that followed him through the corridors today in particular seemed different.

Lee Jordan enlightened him of the gossip that night at dinner.

“Hey you,” he greeted Fred, skidding to a stop across from him. “I heard that you like Mack and you’re going to ask her to Hogsmeade this weekend.”

The clanging of a spoon hitting a plate was the only reply Lee got.

~*~

“Hi, Fred,” a quiet voice greeted Fred from behind as he was walking to the Gryffindor Common Room that night. Turning around he saw Evangeline Mack standing there and looking very self-conscious.

“Hi, Evangeline,” Fred replied. “What’s up?”

“Well,” she addressed the floor. “I heard that you were going to ask me to accompany you to Hogsmeade this weekend.” When Fred didn’t say anything, she rushed on. “Of course I realise that it was probably just a silly rumor, it’s okay-”

“Wait, wait,” Fred interrupted her. “I was going to ask you. Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?”

Evangeline’s face lit up and she smiled. “Yes, thank you! I’ll meet you in the Entrance Hall after lunch. Did you know that only forty-three Gryffindors have ever dated someone outside their house?” And with that announcement she walked off to the Ravenclaw Common Room.

As she disappeared Fred wondered what had just happened. Was it normal for her to announce random trivia in everyday life? But he hadn’t meant to ask her out, but she had looked so sad that he had wanted to say something and his mouth had acted of its own accord.

~*~

“Nope,” George was looking out the window. “I don’t see any flying Blast-Ended Skrewts.”

“Shut up,” Fred threw a book at him as Lee snickered. “What am I going to do?”

“You know, we could give them wings-” Lee started but had to cut off to dodge the book streaming toward his head.

“You two are no help,” Fred grumbled, throwing his things together and retiring to his dormitory to think.

~*~

In the safety of his bed Fred desperately tried to think of a way to get out of the date.

He could suddenly get “sick”… but that meant that he wouldn’t be able to go to Hogsmeade at all.

He could just ditch her… but he wasn’t that kind of person.

He could… he was out of ideas. It looked like he had a date tomorrow.

~*~

Fred woke up to a yell coming from the Common Room. Wondering what was going on and why he wasn’t there and taking part in it he took the stairs two at a time. Skidding to a sudden stop he saw a very strange sight indeed.

Three curtains were on fire and there were about five Blast-Ended Skrewts flying about the room with angel wings stuck to their shells. Fred couldn’t believe his eyes. Several students were cowering under tables or valiantly trying to put out the fires, which only got re-lit once they had been extinguished.

“What is going on in there?” Fred heard McGonagall’s voice from outside the portrait and decided that he really needed to get dressed and so he turned and sprinted up the stairs.

~*~

“Hey, Fred, could I talk with you?”

Fred paused on his way back down from his dormitory to see Alicia Spinnet walking toward him.

“Are you really going to take Evangeline Mack to Hogsmeade today?” she inquired as soon as she was close enough.

“Yeah.” Fred grunted, looking out the window.

“And you aren’t going to play some stupid prank on her?” she pressed.

“No.” He replied, still looking out the window.

“Good.” This made him look at her face. She looked… relieved? “She’s really looking forward to it.”

“You know her?” Fred asked.

“Yeah, we’re friends.” She smiled at him approvingly. “I think that it’s really nice that you asked her out, she really is a nice girl. Oh, just as a warning though- she sometimes says these random trivia facts that may or may not have anything to do with what you’re talking about but that’s just how she is.”

“Okay, thanks for the warning.” Fred continued on his way to breakfast and not looking forward to what the day had in store for him.

~*~

Walking to the Entrance Hall after lunch later that day Fred felt nervous. He was partially worried that Lee and George might have some more tricks up their sleeves, but mostly he was worried about this date that he didn’t even want to go on.

Evangeline stood to the side of the Hall. Fred thought that she looked okay; her hair was down so that was a plus.

“Hey, Evangeline,” Fred greeted her as he got close.

“Hi, Fred,” she smiled back. She really did have a lot of freckles, but Fred was glad that she at least hadn’t brought a book and she hadn’t given him a trivia fact either… yet.

Fred figured that he might as well get this over with. “You ready to go?” he asked her.

“Of course.” She started walking down the front lawn while Fred continued alongside her.

“Did you know that thirty-six percent of wizards will be able to see thestrals by the time they come of age?” Evangeline informed him, gazing towards the Forbidden Forest.

“Erm, really?” Fred couldn’t see anything when he had followed her gaze.

“Oh yes, and only sixteen percent of wizards won’t ever be able to see them in their lifetimes.” She continued absentmindedly. She was obviously used to announcing trivia and having no one listen. Fred just continued along the path. Maybe she would find his lack of knowledge less than endearing…

Once they entered Hogsmeade, Fred turned to face Evangeline. “So, where do you want to go?”

“Oh, I don’t know. How about we start at Zonko’s? I know you’ll probably want to go there.” She winked at him.

She actually didn’t look half bad without a book in front of her face and with her hair down. Fred gave himself a mental shake and winked back at her. “Sounds good.”

In Zonko’s Fred bought some Dungbombs as his stock was running low and a Fanged Frisbee as Filch had managed to find and confiscate his last one.

As he went to check out he saw Evangeline standing at the door with a small parcel in her hands. He was slightly surprised - she didn’t seem like the type of person to be buying things from Zonko’s.

“You know that Fanged Frisbees are banned at Hogwarts.” The cashier reminded Fred, eyeing the Frisbee skeptically.

“Yes, I know.” Fred told him. “Is there a problem?”

“No, sir. I’m just required to say that to any Hogwarts student wishing to purchase one.” The cashier amended, tying Fred’s parcel together without another word.

“So,” Fred approached where Evangeline was waiting. “Where to?”

“This is your date,” she responded. “Where do you want to go?”

He looked up and down the street. “I really don’t care. You can pick.”

“Most males think that letting their date pick what to do on the date will make the date think that it’s sweet and make the male seem more sensitive,” she informed him.

“No, I really don’t care. I don’t want to seem more, erm… sensitive or anything,” Fred interjected.

“Oh, sorry,” she flushed and apologised, but Fred wasn’t sure what for. “How about we just walk around for a bit?”

“That’s fine with me,” he agreed and followed as she set off at a slow sightseeing pace heading up the main street.

Fred watched the other students as they walked by laughing and joking with their friends. He also saw many glances shot in his and Evangeline’s direction and whispers in the ears of others.

“I’m sorry,” Evangeline apologised again as they neared the Shrieking Shack.

“For what?” Fred asked.

“Well,” she looked uncomfortable. “Your social status is probably going to be lowered because you have been seen with me.”

“It’s alright,” Fred assured her, not entirely sure who he was reassuring more - Evangeline or himself.

~*~

After some more walking, talking and shopping it was close to dinnertime.

“Want to head into the Three Broomsticks for some food?” Fred asked Evangeline.

“Sure.”

They got a booth against the wall of the dining room. Madam Rosmerta came to take their orders and left to prepare them.

Before Evangeline or Fred had a chance to say anything the door flew open by a gust of wind and they clearly heard someone say something about “Weasley’s bet.”

When Fred looked back at Evangeline she looked crestfallen and Fred realised that she was actually rather pretty.

“You can go now.” Evangeline spoke tearfully. “Go collect your bet.”

“No, no, it’s not me,” Fred tried to explain. He might have to kill George or Ron tomorrow. “It’s probably one of my brothers.”

“I knew it was too good to be true.” Evangeline started talking really fast. “I mean, I’ve liked you for a long time, but I didn’t think you were ever going to notice me-”

“Wait, wait,” Fred cut her off. What had she just said? “Did you just say that you’ve liked me for a while?”

Evangeline flushed as she realised that she had indeed said that out loud. “Yes.” She looked away and Fred grinned. “I mean, you’re smart, you’re funny, you’re not all arrogant, and you’re just a cool guy.”

Madam Rosmerta, looking slightly confused at the sounds of their conversation, walked up then with their dinner orders.

As they ate they both tried to avoid talking about their recent conversation so they talked about school and classes instead. Fred kept Evangeline laughing with his jokes and Evangeline kept Fred amused, perhaps inadvertently, with her random trivia knowledge. During this time Fred couldn’t help but think about how cute she looked when she laughed and how nice she was. They talked easily together and got along well.

After dinner they walked some more and watched the sun set.

~*~

Once the sun had set it was time to go back to the school.

“Now there’s something you don’t see every night.” Fred observed, looking at the sky. There were so many stars that it looked like they were raining.

“Some cultures say that the first person you see shooting stars with is the person you’ll stay with forever.” Evangeline commented offhandedly, gazing up at the sky as well. Fred looked at her. Realizing what she had just said, she flushed and looked away. Fred smiled and reached for her hand. She grinned shyly but didn’t remove her hand from his.

Together they watched the stars.