"You can't judge a book by its cover, Rhea"
"Yeah well, I can judge a person by their thoughts"
For Rhea Devereux, being in other people's mind was as easy as taking candy from a baby. Being born with the gift of Legilimency, it was something she wa...
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"We've been practicing the Disillusionment Charm for quite some time now. I don't expect you all to be experts at using it, considering it takes years to master, but I do expect you to hide yourselves with the charm for at least 20 seconds... If any of you can use it for more time, well that's simply wonderful!" said Professor Flitwick.
"I've been practicing" said Lily to her friends, "but I can't get a hold of it"
"Me neither" said Marlene, "barely 8 seconds"
"I can only hide myself for 18" mumbled Rhea, "and I counted it"
"You're lucky!" said Josie, "I can't do it for more than 5 seconds"
Josh smiled, "I can do it for 30 seconds" he said, "I'm better than you all"
Josie took a breath, "your wand it's perfect for charms"
"Josephine, dear, the wand does not make the wizard" he grinned.
"All right now, everybody, try your best!" said Flitwick happily.
Rhea murmured the incantation, twirling her wand around herself. She felt coldness envelop her. A second passed when she said, "do you see me?"
"Nope," smiled Josh.
Rhea made a heart with her hands, "what am I doing?"
"Sticking out the middle finger?" Marlene asked.
Rhea grinned and after some seconds, she felt the charm wearing off.
"A HEART" smiled Marlene and hugged Rhea, "I love you too, darling"
"I love you more, Marls" responded Rhea, hugging her friend back.
Lily murmured the charm next, and for a few seconds she was invisible.
Josie did it as well, and her charm lasted a few seconds more than Lily's.
It was Marlene's turn and she turned invisible. Few seconds passed and she smiled, sticking out her middle finger, "can you see me?" she asked.
"That's very rude of you," said Rhea.
Marlene snorted and dropped her hand, "you were not supposed to see that!"
Suddenly, Josie giggled.
"What I said wasn't that funny, was it?" said Marlene with genuine curiosity.
"I don't think so," said Josh.
Josie tried to hide her smile but failed miserably. She was blushing, too.
"What's got you so happy and giddy?" asked Josh, confused.
"Me?" Josie said, "um, just one of Marlene's jokes... came to mind". She laughed again, "shush"
"We didn't say anything," said Lily.
"Not you" smiled Josie, "I mean- what I meant- well- I mean the class is being too noisy, wouldn't you agree?"
Rhea furrowed her brows. She thought the class was not being noisy at all.
Josie cleared her throat and then smiled, "sorry, it's just that joke I remembered was really funny"
"What joke was that again?" asked Lily.
Josie cleared her throat, "the elf one"
"Wait, the rich elf one?" Marlene grinned happily, "that's one of my favorites" she added and noticed her friends confused expressions, "go ahead Josie, tell them"
Josie looked at them and took a breath, "what do you call a rich elf?"
Lily and Rhea shrugged; Josh just looked amused.
"Welfy" murmured Josie, a small smile on her face.
Rhea furrowed her brows; she was never good at getting jokes.
It was Marlene who laughed heartily, a huge smile on her face.
"Oh! I got it!" smiled Rhea after a couple of seconds, and Josh looked at her, bewildered "rich is a synonym of wealthy... a rich elf... a wealthy elf... welfy" she murmured to him and he looked at his sister with an arched brow.
"Merlin, that one's funny," Marlene said.
"It wasn't that-" was saying Josh but got a nudge from Rhea in return, who looked at him with narrowed eyes, "I mean, it's good"
"It really is," said Josie, but she didn't sound convinced at all.
Marlene kept laughing and repeated the joke to all of them after class.
✧☽✧
"What are you thinking about?" asked Rhea to Josh after dinner, both of them seated in front of the greenish fire of the Slytherin common room.
"Josie" said Josh, "I mean, you noticed her smile, didn't you? And that giggle?"
Rhea nodded, "yeah, I did"
"I just... I don't get it. Josie is always happy but never like that"
"Isn't it obvious?" smiled Rhea, "there was someone near her"
"How can someone-" he started to say but felt silent, "the Disillusionment Charm" he murmured.
"The Disillusionment Charm, indeed" responded Rhea.
"You must know who the person was," said Josh, a curious expression on his face.
"I... don't" said Rhea honestly, "you know I don't look for that kind of information in other people's minds..."
"Why wouldn't she tell me?" Josh said after a moment.
"Well, I mean, would you talk about Theo with me or with Josie?" smirked Rhea and Josh blushed.
"That's not- It certainly isn't the-" he said and then looked at Rhea, "and you wouldn't talk about Lupin with me... or with anyone"
"I don't talk about my feelings, like, at all, Josh. You know me" she whispered, hugging her legs with her arms.
Josh looked at her, "so you do have feelings for him?"
"I didn't say that" responded Rhea.
"I think you just did, Rhea"
"Did not" she said, stood up and walked towards her dorm "see you in the morning, Joshie. Sleep well, I hope you don't have nightmares"
"I hope you don't have nightmares either, Ree" he responded, smiling and waving goodbye.
