Dandelions

VARIOUS OBSTACLES, ONE MIGHT CALL IT AN OBSTACLE COURSE

Autumn approached quickly after the school year began, coming on rather quickly in the form of crunching leaves and harsh, dry breezes that had a habit of chilling its victims to the bone in a matter of seconds. The scent of the dry forest spread around Hogwarts like the season, too, was simply attempting to attend its classes. Students could be seen dotted along pathways and corridors in their full uniform, robe and hat, some going so far as to start sporting their house scarves before winter had even shown its face.

"Much too early in the year to be so cold," Maggie complained frequently, "Much too early indeed."

She'd taken to walking right beside Rory, close enough that if she wasn't careful, she'd stomp all over his heels. Rory couldn't help but smile when he saw the pile of layers he called his best friend hobbling toward him, grumbling about the weather like a little goblin.

"I think it's nice," he'd reply every single time, if not to just get a rise out of her. "Means quidditch'll be picking up soon."

"You boys and your quidditch," she huffed, "It's like you think of nothing else. Don't you know you're at school?"

"Yes, yes," Rory sighed.

He definitely knew he was at school, that fact was inescapable. Third year was a different beast, and first and second were domesticated when compared to it. In addition to the typical host of subjects to fill Rory's schedule, third years were offered elective classes--in fact, they were required to take at least two. He'd settled on taking all of them, save for two: care for magical creatures and muggle studies.

His mother had thrown a fit when she learned what care for magical creatures entailed, even if there was little to no actual contact with the animals. In her words, no son of hers would be touching 'gross, mangy animals', nevertheless in public.

Muggle studies had been a given, though. Rory felt like if he'd taken it, it would have been cheating. He practically was muggle, in everything except ability. To listen to lectures on how muggles lived, 'wielding' electricity and technology rather than magic--it felt a little weird. Too weird to take seriously as an academic class, to Rory, anyways.

"Silly," that's what Fred had branded Rory's train of thought, "The silliest thing I've ever heard."

"Complaining about a class being easy?" George muttered, "It is quite silly."

"Tell me how much fun you're having in there, Fred," Rory tiredly replied, looking at both of them with raised eyebrows.

"Oh," he hummed, "I guess you're right, it's rather boring. Did I tell you our dad works for the misuse of muggle artifacts department of the Ministry?"

"Mm, maybe once or twice," Rory shrugged, "I'm shocked he didn't make both of you take muggle studies."

"Money is one hell of a motivator," George joked.

That was the funny thing about the twins this year, their mother had them divvy up the elective classes between them--so as to not pay the same fee twice. George had chosen ancient runes and arithmancy, while Fred had taken care of magical creatures and muggle studies. While Rory didn't get to see much of Fred, he got to see a lot of George. Meanwhile, he and Maggie were alone in divination, something about the twins' mum thinking it was 'a bunch of loony taught by a loon'.

But, aside from the workload, there was something building up tension inside of Rory that he hadn't anticipated at all when he was imagining his return to Hogwarts.

Dean.

Sure, he knew Dean would be there with him. There wouldn't be any more guilt about leaving him in a quiet, cold house that barely paid him any attention. But he hadn't thought that Dean would have so many questions, that he'd interrupt Rory's finely tuned balance he'd been crafting since he arrived in the wizarding world.