Blood Magic ✤ George Weasley ✓

30 - The Boy and the Boggart

musical mood: prey - the neighbourhood

"I swear to God, go away or I will strangle you, Colin Creevey!" Bethany hissed at breakfast, to Colin, who held out a petunia in one hand, and his camera in the other - a polaroid camera, this time, instead of his old one. Apparently he kept it every time he asked Bethany to be his girlfriend, so he could take a picture when she said yes.

"Alright." He gave her a bright smile, and skipped back over to the Gryffindor table.

"That was quite rude, Bethany." Luna commented from her pudding.

"Good." She rolled her eyes. "I'm sick of that kid. It's so fucking annoying."

"Oi, do any of you fancy a potion? It'll make all your problems float away." Theodore plopped down next to Ana, wrapping an arm around her and holding a vial of blue liquid in his free hand.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes wide, shrinking from his grip. It was the first time Theodore had spoken to the Ravenclaws since school started, and that was likely because Henry had skipped breakfast to do whatever it is Henry does, so Theodore didn't have to worry about running into his brother. Though, it was just as likely that Theodore was simply avoiding the Slytherin table. Malfoy had gotten injured in Care of Magical Creatures, and had been complaining to anyone who would listen for the past week.

"What's in it?" Naia eyed him sceptically.

"Rose hips, mandrake leaves, rabbit hide-"

"We'll pass." Cass interjected, ripping the vial from out of his grip. "This will kill you in minutes."

"You don't know that-" Theodore protested, letting go of a very confused Ana and reaching for his potion, but she held it away from him.

"Trust me, I do. The combination of rabbit hide and anything with rose is lethal." She tucked it into her pocket. "Next time you try to sell drugs to my friends, run it by me first. I'm not letting you kill anyone with your incompetence."

Theodore raised an eyebrow. "Drugs? What the hell is that?"

Cass shook her head. She truly hated wizards sometimes. "Forget it."

Naia and Terry began yet another discussion about Quidditch - try outs were today, apparently, and Cass zoned out.

Until Theodore suddenly shot up from the table and walked away, without any warning.

"Is he alright?" Ana blinked.

"I don't know..." Cass trailed off, as Henry approached their table.

Oh.

She'd has her suspicions, but this solidified them. Something had happened between the brothers, though she didn't quite know why just yet. Did it have to do with their mothers death? John's abuse? Both?

"Sup, you lot?" Henry gave them a smile as he sat down next to Cass.

"Theodore's mad at you." Padma said matter-of-factly, her nose still in her typical divination book. Cass wondered how she hadn't finished it yet - was she rereading it?

"He's always mad at me." Henry rolled his eyes, though Cass could see he was bothered by this, even if no one else noticed the flicker in his expression.

"Yeah, that's kind of how siblings work." Bethany added. "I hate Dahlia and Adelaide half the time, but we always make up. Well, usually."

"I never fight with Parvati." Padma shrugged.