CHAPTER TWO

"I don't know about this, Freddie," Elodie wrinkled her nose in response to the deal Fred had made with James. "Did you even consider the consequences for the poor girl in this arrangement?"

Fred abruptly slammed his palm against his forehead as he realized the gravity of his blunder—he hadn't even considered the implications of the deal he had randomly made with James. As he internally criticized himself for not thinking it through, he muttered, "Bloody hell—Why hadn't I thought of that?"

Fred murmured under his breath, "I didn't even think he'd agree," a defeated feeling evident in his slumped shoulders.

Elodie gently patted his head, her voice filled with a mix of contemplation and determination. "How about we consider my involvement in this situation? Since I have no romantic feelings toward him, I could potentially assist with the whole ordeal," she offered.

Without hesitation, Fred swiftly shot down her suggestion, his expression stern. "Absolutely not, Elle," he exclaimed firmly. "I refuse to make you do something like that."

Elodie shifted to leaning on her palm, her voice expressing a hint of resignation. "Well, if you're truly dedicated to finding a way for him to stop his promiscuous habits, why not let me take on the task?" she proposed. "I have no romantic interest in him, so it's highly unlikely I'll suddenly develop feelings as those other girls have," she pointed out.

Fred pondered her words for a moment before asking, "But what if it did happen?"

Elodie arched an eyebrow, her expression filled with scepticism. "Are you actually under the impression that I'm interested in someone who casually breaks hearts for the thrill of it? Of course not," she responded firmly, shutting down his words immediately.

Fred nodded in agreement, a sense of reassurance and determination in his expression. "Exactly, Elle. Of course not. You're not the kind of person to go for guys like him," he affirmed, expressing his conviction in her strong sense of character.

Elodie's features displayed a mix of determination and consideration, her words laced with a sense of resolve. "If the ultimate goal is to prevent him from causing further harm by choosing a girl, and I can contribute to that, why should you be so adamantly opposed to the idea?" she posed. "It seems like a straightforward win for everyone involved," she continued.

Fred's expression softened, and he reached across to gently grasp her hand.

Fred's grip was tender as he held her hand, his voice filled with unwavering sincerity. "I just can't allow you to put yourself in a situation where you might end up getting hurt," he murmured softly.

She flashed him a reassuring smile, her expression filled with confidence. "Freddie, I'll be absolutely fine," she reassured him. "If I have the opportunity to go against him in all this, it would be the perfect outcome, wouldn't it?"

Fred's voice lowered to a soft whisper, laced with a touch of inner conflict. "It does feel a bit like I'm playing favourites by tampering with our deal," he admitted. "But the thought of treating him cruelly... he is still my family and it doesn't sit well with me."

Elodie reasoned, "James has such unwavering faith in his own victory in this bet; the odds of your plan being successful are significantly slim. So, if he emerges victorious, there will be no lasting consequences."

Fred countered, "But what if that doesn't happen? What if you miraculously manage to make him develop feelings for you?"

Elodie chuckled softly, her confidence unfazed. "I firmly believe there's no chance of me capturing his interest; you're aware of the particular type he tends to pursue -- a preference for individuals who are not Slytherin."

Fred shot back quickly, "How can you be certain of that?"

Elodie posed the question, her words confident and matter-of-fact. "Freddie, during all those occasions when you've caught him snogging or shagging who knows what he does with a girl, while strolling past—you've never come across a single Slytherin girl, have you?"

Fred was taken aback by her observation, realizing the truth in her words. "I... I don't think I have," he muttered, his voice tinged with a hint of surprise.

"Exactly. Just consider the fact that the majority of girls within my house are well aware not to fall into his path, mainly because our egos are practically as significant as our sense of pride," she continued, her voice filled with a sense of assurance.

Elodie pressed on, "I mean, you must have noticed how they all steer clear of his antics, right?" she asked, making sure he understood the point she was trying to get across.

He shook his head in agreement, acknowledging her words. "Yeah, I have noticed they seem to avoid him altogether," he responded honestly.

Elodie nodded, pleased that he had observed the trend. "Exactly, they steer clear of him because they know he's not the type to take their feelings seriously," she pointed out.

As he pondered over her words, Fred realized that she was right. "Yeah, I can see how they'd be aware of his careless nature," he conceded.

She smiled, satisfied that he understood her point. "Precisely," she affirmed. "He's not exactly known for being committed or serious about relationships, is he?"

He let out a soft sigh, shaking his head in acknowledgement. "No, he's definitely not known to be anything close to that," he confirmed.

Elodie chuckled and dismissed the issue. "The plan is solid. It's not like it will cause any harm, and I have no intention to make him fall for me anyway, i'll just keep him busy for three months. Let's be honest, the chances of him having any interest in me are slim to none," she stated with a nonchalant wave of her hand.

Fred sighed, a hint of uncertainty in his expression. "Well, what if the plan fails, and James wins the bet? I mean, there goes any chance I had at changing his mind about romance entirely," he admitted.

She shrugged it off. "Well, Freddie, we're both firm believers in the power of love and the hope that everyone finds their happy ending," Elodie replied a hint of nonchalance in her demeanour. "Some people find that concept unsettling, but hey, we're just conducting a social experiment, so who's to say it's wrong?"

He nodded slowly, his mind still grappling with the unexpected turn this conversation had taken. "You're right," he conceded, a hint of resignation in his tone. "We're just exploring a different perspective, and if it fails, well, what's the worst that could happen, right?"

Elodie gave him a gentle nudge, a small smile on her face. "Exactly! Sometimes, life thrives on the unexpected. Who knows, maybe this little experiment of ours could lead to unexpected lessons or realizations down the line," she encouraged.

He returned the smile, a sense of determination in his expression. "You're right," he reaffirmed, his voice tinged with a newfound sense of curiosity. "Life has a knack for surprising us in ways we never expect. I guess we'll just have to see where this experiment takes us."

Elodie cracked her knuckles, her expression filled with determination. "Alright, let's grab a piece of parchment and a quill," she declared, ready to document their ideas.

Fred made a comically exaggerated face, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "You know, writing down our plans always seems to lead to trouble in those books and movies."

She chuckled playfully, her voice laced with a hint of mischief. "I know, but I've always wanted to say it, Freddie," she teased.

He rolled his eyes, a hint of exasperation in his expression. "Oh, great, we're diving into cliche territory now." He sighed dramatically, feigning disappointment. "I guess we're just like those characters in predictable stories making the big mistake of writing things down."

She couldn't help but snort at the notion, a wry smile on her face. "Yes, of course, it falls into the wrong hands," she agreed an air of playful sarcasm in her tone. She rolled her eyes for emphasis before shaking her head dismissively.

He couldn't help but crack a grin at her response. "Yes, and then we're stuck in a whirlwind of chaos, drama, and plot twists," he continued, playing along with her dramatic flair. "Oh, the suspense! It's all too much to bear," he exaggerated.

"Exactly!" Elodie chimed in with a melodramatic flourish, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "'Tis a tale as old as time," she intoned, her voice dripping with faux seriousness.

Their laughter echoed through the room as they scribbled away, their attention entirely diverted from their original plan. The paper was soon covered with a mix of doodles and miscellaneous notes, far removed from their serious plans. It was clear that while they may have been foolish enough to consider writing down their plans earlier, their combined smarts had prevailed in the end, and they wisely decided against it.