Boxing Day gave off such a sinking feeling; it was a silly reminder that the Christmas Holiday was coming to an end. Normally, Beth couldn't wait for the holidays to be over so that she could get her head back in the books and go to classes, but this horrible, horrible feeling in her head and stomach made her want to stay in bed for the rest of her life. 

Beth didn't usually get ill or feel ill, but it was about time nevertheless. Better now than when classes resumed. Groaning quietly, Beth threw off her covers and sat up in her bed, noticing that all the other girls had already left the dormitory and it looked like it had been that way for quite some time. Beth looked up at the clock -- it was almost time for lunch. The girl couldn't remember the last time she had slept in this long. 

She quickly got ready for the day and tied her hair back into it's typical braid, and left her dormitory. In the common room, Beth could see that some of the students lounging around were getting a start on their homework that they had neglected the first week of the holiday. Beth loved the feeling of not wondering if she had forgotten to do anything. 

Adding to the aching in her head and stomach, Aleks had just rounded the corner Beth was heading towards. He'd had a simple, plain look on his face, one that made it look as though he was a sweet boy, one that would never have given the thought that he wasn't what he had made himself truly out to be. And then Aleks sneered, curling his lip and squinting his eyes. 

Beth almost rolled her eyes.

"You're a little tease, you know that?" Aleks spat, not caring that passers-by were giving them curious looks and whispering. Beth glared up at the boy. "You think you can just go around leading people on, do you?"

Beth scoffed loudly. "Excuse me? You were the one who started talking to me in the first place, you're the one who couldn't keep away from me. You're nothing but a liar and the only reason you ever showed any interest in me is because --"

"Because you're a Black?" Aleks scoffed, a small, amused smirk on his mouth began to creep through. "Please. You think that makes you special or something?"

"I sure do. What, does your dad want an autograph or something?" Beth spat, and she knew her icy stare and her response was throwing him off guard -- he clearly expected different behaviour and responses. 

"You think you heard that my father is a news freak? You heard wrong," Aleks sneered. Beth crossed her arms. "And if you thought you'd heard otherwise, why'd you say yes to me in the first place?"

"I didn't hear it, somebody else did. And I should've listened to him," Beth said quietly with a scoff, making to move but Aleks blocked her exit. "Would you mind moving your scrawny body out of my way?"

Aleks stammered for a moment as he stared down at Beth, who turned her head to the side in mock imitation that she was waiting to hear what he had to say. 

"Move," Beth seethed at him as he continued to stammer. "Or I'll give one side of your face the same treatment I gave the other last night."

Aleks grunted loudly, angrily, and stormed forwards, bumping hard into Beth's side as he passed her. As Beth exited the dungeons, she hoped that that was the last she'd be bothered by Aleks... but she doubted it. What else would entertain him somewhere outside of his usual school, other than to find amusement in annoying people?

Gasping, Beth stopped immediately -- a redheaded Gryffindor had just jumped down over the railing of the marble staircase and landed right in front of her, at the top of the dungeon stairs. Beth's heart slowed down to it's usual pace and she sighed, continuing her journey up the stairs. 

"It's a good day, isn't it?" Fred grinned goofily at her. Beth said nothing as Fred continued to walk by her side. "How are you feeling today?"

Beth stopped for a moment and frowned, looking up at Fred, whose Adam's apple just bobbed up and down as though he'd swallowed harshly. 

"Not exactly a hundred percent..." Beth said slowly, still eyeing the boy. Fred sighed with a small, quivering smile and couldn't quite look Beth in the eyes. "What's with you? You're acting weird. Oh, what am I saying?" Beth finished quietly, rolling her eyes. Fred was always weird. 

"I, er, I saved a plate for you in the Great Hall -- I figured you wouldn't come down for breakfast," Fred said nervously, looking at Beth and then away again, looking quite guilty. 

Beth had never taken Fred as someone who couldn't keep something to themselves, unless it was her presence that seemed to slowly pry it out of him.

"And why would you think I'd not come down for breakfast?"

Fred looked worried for a moment, but cleared his throat and straightened his posture. "Well -- it's Boxing Day and, well, last night was the Yule Ball and a lot of people stayed up late for it. There wasn't really anybody down here for breakfast. They were too busy sleeping in. I had a bit of a sleep in myself but I made it to breakfast just before it ended."

"Nice save," Beth said quietly. 

"What was that?" Fred said.

The Great Hall was back to the way it usually was -- four long tables stretched across the hall and one smaller one way at the other end of it for the teachers. 

"Well, come along," said Fred, grabbing Beth by the hand but then sliding his up to her wrist, loosening his grip slightly, as though he thought she'd yank herself away and scold him. She didn't blame him for fearing that. Fred took a seat and then motioned for Beth to sit beside him. "Here. It's the good stuff, trust me."

The plate Fred had set for her consisted of a small pile of scrambled eggs, pancakes with honey over them, and a separate small bowl of cut up bananas, nuts, and pickles. Beth cringed as her eyes landed on the pickles, especially as they covered the entirety of the bananas. 

"Thanks?" Beth said questioningly, but her face clearly showed her true feelings towards the food. 

"What? Is it bad?" Fred said quickly.

Beth looked at him to find he looked rather embarrassed. 

"Why'd you do this for me?" Beth asked not unkindly. "Surely you don't think we're..."

George and Lee, who were sitting across from Beth and Fred, exchanged a look and then took a sip out of their goblets.

"What? No," Fred said in a hushed voice, his ears turning red. He looked beyond humiliated at this point. Beth felt bad for making Fred feel bad after he'd gone out of his way to do something nice for her. "It's just, that food there helps with things."

"What kinds of things?" Beth asked daringly, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, loads of things. It's good for you."

Beth rolled her eyes. "Cut the crap, Weasley. How'd you know I'm not feeling well?"

Fred stuttered for a moment before sighing, and then saying, "You were acting strange last night. And it turns out..."

Lee went wide-eyed and started mouthing 'no' over and over again.

Fred shook his head and continued. "It turns out that you were actually drinking... er... an adult beverage mixed with your pumpkin juice."

Beth's eyes grew wide and she shot up out of her seat angrily, which was a huge head turner, so she cleared her throat and sat back down in her spot, not wanting to gain too much attention, and fixed her deathly stare on Lee Jordan, who gulped. 

"So," Beth started calmly. "Judging by your odd reaction to Fred's explanation, I'm going to guess that it was you who put a certain beverage in my drinks?"

"Guilty."

Anger flooded her in a second and she pursed her lips. Beth knew she looked angered, judging by Lee and George's expressions. 

"How --- who do you think you are?!"

"Er... Lee Jordan."

"What makes you think you have the right to just go and do that without my permission?" Beth scoffed. "That's so wrong. And, Fred, you just --"

"Don't blame Fred!" Lee interrupted Beth. "He had no idea. Nobody did. I just wanted you to loosen up a bit and plus, after that display with that Durmstrang git I thought you could've used it."

"That still--"

"That still doesn't make it right, I know," Lee sighed. He looked extremely guilt-ridden and apologetic. "I'm really sorry. I am."

Beth stared at him for a moment and then nodded, which resulted in Lee sighing with relief. "Where on earth did you even get the drink?"

"Durmstrang had 'em. Some of them were secretly selling them and I got word from... well... eaves-dropping on these seventh-years."

"Speaking of a certain Durmstrang," Fred said as he leaned over closer to Beth to talk quietly in her ear. "We're planning a special surprise for him."

"Don't," Beth said, turning to look at Fred. He was so close to her that her nose almost hit his when she turned. Fred gulped and leaned backwards a bit. "I can handle him myself."

"Well, maybe it's also for our own amusement," said George. "Nothing more satisfying than pranking people who actually deserve to be pranked."

"What is it?" Beth asked. 

Fred and George smirked together and said, "You'll see."