Fragmented

Theadora the FRIEND MAKER

I stared blankly at my transfiguration paper. Why was it so difficult? Discarding it, I looked around the library where I sat.

I was tucked away from the main area, sheltered by 10 foot shelves, but anyone could see me when they walked past. There was no one of importance around me, which was supposed to help me focus on my work more.

All I wanted to do was go to bed. It was raining outside too, making the atmosphere even more miserable as I sat here trying to figure out what Professor McGonagall meant with this brief. 

Deciding that I would get nowhere without any material, I got up to search for the transfiguration books. Scanning the shelves, I was forced to stop when an arm swung around my shoulder, "Hey T!" Adrian said.

"Shh!" Madam Pince glared at us. I shrugged his arm off, "Brother." I greeted him cooly. I was finally doing something about this work, I couldn't get a distraction now. 

I grabbed the book I wanted, taking it back to where I was sitting and away from Madam Pince. Of course, Adrian followed me, his friends following him.

"Gosh, why the frigidness, darling sister?" Adrian asked, sitting down next to me. 

I sighed, turning to him. "Unlike others, I actually try to work in the library." Nodding towards my parchment and quill set up for me to write. 

"Ahhh. I stopped meddling in things as trivial as doing my own work many years ago. Thats what Ravenclaws are there for!" I rolled my eyes at his antics. Of course he wouldn't do the work but still get top grades in the exams.

"What will it take for you to go away?" I asked, cutting to the point.

Adrian let out a small fake weep. "Why don't you want to spend time with me?" He cried. "You know what? I don't need you. I've got friends." He gestured to Caspar and Xander who were standing awkwardly next to the table.

"Great!" I smiled at him. "Go bother them!"

He huffed. "Well if you must know, I wanted to have a nice family meal to celebrate Bertie's birthday some time soon." Of course under all his joking he had a kind reason. That was exactly who he was.

I nodded. "Okay, that's a good idea. Why don't we all have dinner together in the Hall at say... 6.30 on the day?"

"I knew you'd be the girl for the job, T! Sounds good to me. Who's going to tell the others? Bagsy not." He quickly finished.

I shot him a glare. "Why don't we just talk to them at breakfast tomorrow, together? This was your idea after all, do you not want any credit?" I asked.

"Nah that's fine. Just as long as he's happy." 

I smiled. Not letting the moment get too sappy and quiet, I moved topics. "His birthday is in 10 days, have you got him a present yet?"

"Oh yes..." Adrian looked proud of himself. "Get ready for this... Sugar quills." He imitated an explosion.

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's it?"

"Hey! Don't judge!" He said, offended. "I might get him some cauldron cakes, too." He grumbled.

I sighed. Obviously I would have to be in charge of presents as well. "Why don't you go to Hogsmeade this weekend and get him a little bit of different things from Honeydukes?"

He beamed at me. "That's a great idea!"

Looking up, I realised his friends had walked away. At that moment, Astoria walked up to our table.

"Hey Thea!" She greeted. "I was just wondering if you could help me with this charm I've been learning. It's really difficult, but Daphne said that you're a great teacher and helped her loads."

"Got a little fan club, have we T?" Adrian joked. I hit his chest. 

Astoria glanced at him, not noticing him when she first came to the table. Immediately, you could see the change in her posture, she tried to hide herself more.

"Ignore him." I said. "I would be happy to help you out! What spell is it?" 

She smiled awkwardly, "The Legilimency spell."

Next to me, Adrian burst out laughing. Being my brother, he obviously knew what I could do, and why I had never needed to learn the spell. I hit him repeatedly to get him to stop. 

"I'm sorry," I apologised for my brother's behaviour, "He's not laughing at your request. It's just that I've never learnt that one, so I can't really help you. If you had asked for literally any other spell-"

"What about the Occlumency spell?" She asked, eyes darting between us, knowing there was something she was missing.

Adrian sucked in a breath through his teeth. "Unfortunately, that one is also not often used by my sister." He was still lightly laughing. 

Astoria went crimson when Adrian spoke to her. "Don't worry then. I'll just find some books on it!" She turned away. 

"What about the Patronus Charm?" I asked her, trying to help.

She looked back at me. "Maybe another time!" She squeaked, her eyes flitting to Adrian, who stared right back at her. 

"If you don't want my sister's help, run along then!" He made an obvious shooing gesture in her direction, and she hurried away quickly.

I turned to him, frowning. "What was that?" I asked him.

"What was what?" He pretended to be oblivious, twiddling my quill in his hand as a distraction.

"You being mean to Astoria! You're not a mean person!" I burst out.

He sighed, finally looking me in the eye. "She just really annoys me. Every time she's near me or I speak to her, she goes red and then wants to get away. Merlin forbid I want to talk to her! So instead, I just fuel her hatred for me by being mean." He explained. 

I laughed internally, Adrian could be such a guy sometimes. To me, it was obvious that Astoria had a crush on him, but he thought she hated him! How can he be so blind that he mistakes her nerves for animosity?

I promised myself that I wasn't going to meddle in their relationship like I was with Pansy and Theo, it was obvious neither of them had realised their feelings yet, and that shouldn't be forced. Instead, I indulged his fantasy of how she hated him. 

Eventually, Adrian left me in peace so I could finally do my work.

I was about halfway done when someone else sat down in the seat beside me. I turned to see Hermione smiling at me. 

"Hey Thea!" She said. "I just wanted to say I'm so sorry for what Harry was saying the other day, I didn't believe any of it, I think you're great!" 

I smiled back at her. "You don't have to apologise for him,  it's obviously the opinion of me that he is sticking to. I don't see why that doesn't mean we can't be friends though."

"That's exactly what I was thinking!" She gasped.

I gestured to the work in front of me, grinning. "You wouldn't happen to have any ideas on Professor McGonagall's transfiguration essay, friend?"