June 15th, Cloudy

Draco Malfoy watched as Flami, with a dark expression, was dragged away by Joey. Once they were out of sight, he finally turned and headed toward the Great Hall for dinner.

"Draco, is she really your sister? She's quite… bold," Goyle remarked, grinning as they walked.

"She's not "that" bad," Draco muttered, avoiding a direct answer. No one noticed his evasion, but he didn't correct them either.

Joey, meanwhile, had pulled Flami all the way to the edge of the Black Lake. Flami, pale and out of breath from the run, leaned heavily on Joey for support. If it weren't for Joey holding her up, she might have collapsed onto the grass in an undignified heap.

"Are you insane? Standing guard outside the Slytherin common room alone? Did Fred not stop you?" Flami gasped, her voice a mix of anger and concern. "Do you have any idea how many lunatics are in Slytherin? You're going to get yourself killed one day!"

"But you wouldn't come out to see me!" Joey protested, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. "I wrote you so many letters! I had no choice but to come to you! And that Green Finney was bullying you—I've wanted to punch her for ages!"

Flami groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Wait, wait, stop talking like some tragic heroine abandoned by her lover. It's embarrassing."

"But I—"

"You're not the victim here!" Flami interrupted, poking Joey's forehead with a slender finger. "You're the one causing trouble, not me!"

Joey grabbed Flami's finger and kissed it playfully. "Hey, doesn't this feel familiar? Remember when you were crying by the lake that one time? I kissed your finger then too. You looked like you were about to throw up, hahaha!"

Flami's face flushed, and she yanked her hand back. "You're impossible!"

Joey laughed, but her expression softened as she noticed the tears welling up in Flami's eyes. "Hey, hey, don't cry! I'm sorry, okay? I'll stop!"

Flami wiped her tears, trying to hide her emotions. "You're such an idiot," she muttered, though there was no real anger in her voice.

Joey grinned, pulling Flami into a hug. "Maybe, but I'm "your" idiot."

Flami sighed, leaning into Joey's shoulder. "You have no idea how lucky you are, Joey. Your life is so… simple."

Joey tilted her head, confused. "What do you mean?"

Flami didn't answer. Instead, she closed her eyes and let the breeze from the lake wash over her. Joey, sensing her friend's mood, didn't press further. She simply sat beside Flami, their shoulders touching, and enjoyed the quiet moment.

———

Later that evening, Joey returned to the Gryffindor common room with the twins. Flami had agreed to help them study for their exams, but her demeanor toward George had become noticeably colder. Joey couldn't help but notice the tension.

"George, did you do something to upset Flami?" Joey asked, her tone half-teasing, half-serious.

Fred, ever the instigator, wrapped an arm around Joey's shoulders. "Our little Joey's growing up. She's finally noticing things."

Joey elbowed him lightly. "Shut up, Fred. I'm serious!"

George, however, seemed oblivious. "What are you talking about? Flami's fine. She's just… Flami."

Joey rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless."

Fred, seizing the opportunity, pulled Joey into a kiss, much to the delight of the other Gryffindors in the common room. Cheers and whistles erupted around them.

Ron, watching from across the room, frowned. "How can they just kiss like that in public? Don't they feel embarrassed?"

Harry chuckled, clapping along with the others. "They're happy. What's wrong with that?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't mind him, Harry. Ron doesn't understand anything."

———

As the school year drew to a close, Joey found herself less concerned about her own exam results and more invested in Ryan's O.W.L. exams. She waited outside the exam hall like a proud parent, eagerly listening to the other students' praise for her brother.

"Ryan's amazing! He got four extra points from the examiners!" one Gryffindor fifth-year exclaimed. "With grades like his, he could get any job he wants after graduation. Honestly, I can't believe you're his sister. Are you sure your parents didn't mix you up at birth?"

Joey's pride quickly turned to indignation. "Excuse me?" she snapped, before setting the boy's robes on fire with a flick of her wand.

"Hey! This is my last robe!" the boy yelped, frantically putting out the flames.

Ryan emerged from the exam hall just in time to witness the chaos. He quickly extinguished the fire and apologized to the boy, who scurried away, muttering about Joey's temper.

"Joey, you can't just set people on fire," Ryan scolded, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"He said I was the wrong child!" Joey protested, crossing her arms.

Ryan smirked. "He's not the only one who thinks that."

"Ryan Forest!" Joey shouted, her face turning red.

Angelina, who had been watching the exchange, laughed. "Oh, don't worry, Joey. You'll always be our favorite troublemaker."

———

At the end-of-year feast, Professor Lockhart announced his departure, reading a melodramatic poem that left most of the staff unimpressed. Dumbledore clapped politely, while the other professors continued eating as if nothing had happened.

Joey, however, was moved to tears. "I can't believe he's leaving. He was such a great teacher!"

Fred snorted. "He's a fraud, Joey. A handsome fraud, but still a fraud."

"But he gave us all O's!" Ron chimed in, clearly thrilled with his grades.

"That doesn't make him a good teacher," Fred and George said in unison.

Joey sighed, leaning against Fred. "I'll miss his face, though."

Fred frowned, pulling her closer. "What about my face?"

Joey grinned, leaning up to kiss him. "Your face is my favorite."

The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers and applause as Fred deepened the kiss, completely ignoring the fact that they were in the middle of the Great Hall.

Professor McGonagall, watching from the staff table, smiled fondly. "Ah, young love. Isn't it wonderful, Severus?"

Professor Snape, sitting beside her, scowled. "Disgusting."

McGonagall chuckled. "Don't be so harsh. We were all young once."

Snape didn't respond, but his scowl deepened as he turned his attention back to his meal. Meanwhile, Joey and Fred, oblivious to the world around them, continued to bask in their moment of happiness.