White Heather for Protection

Obsession and Paranoia

Heather put her quill down just as the time charm rang. She confidently handed her scroll in and walked out of the room. With the HoM paper done, she had officially finished all her exams this term.

Out of nowhere, someone knocked into her from behind. "Oops, sorry Heather. Didn't see you there!" Her eye twitched tetchily at Fred's remark. The twins had been making size jokes ever since they had seen her Patronus.

"Gred! You should be more careful!" Heather smiled at George's disapproving mien. Perhaps he was finally getting over these jokes. "She can be quite delicate you know!" And that hope died a swift death.

Shaking her head despairingly, she stalked to the Great Hall for lunch. She would need sustenance to deal with them. "Really, guys, these jokes would be marginally funny if I were male. Now, people just think you're being mean."

"Ah ah," Fred said, smiling meaningfully, "but our small group knows what these jibes are about. Don't we, Forge?"

"Of course Gred. But where did Heather learn about lewd size jokes?" Wiping an imaginary tear, he said, "Our little girl's all grown up!"

"See if I ever show you guys any new spells again, if this is what I get," she muttered irritably.

"Oh come on Heather. You know your Patronus is totally awesome." Fred's eyes were wide and pleading, begging for forgiveness.

"Yeah Heather," George said, grinning mischievously, "it's just a tiny bit of teasing."

Heather groaned and whacked them lightly. "Incorrigible. Let's just go for lunch."

~~~

"Hey FredGeorge, do you think those three are acting a little weird today?" Hadrian, Ronald and Hermione had been shooting odd glances at Professor Snape and whispering feverishly. Then they had disappeared for most of the day, only showing up briefly for dinner.

"Must be scheming. They've got our genes, after all. Well, except Hermione, but peer pressure is a strong thing."

"Did you see how they were eyeing old Snape? My bet's on red and gold hair tomorrow."

Heather brushed off that comment. As if three firsties could get one over Professor Snape. He was much too vigilant for that. "They looked pretty stressed and nervous. D'you think they're in trouble?"

"Really, Heather, stop harping on it."

"Yeah. Paranoid and obsessive, remember?"

"We know you're a bit – we mean, a lot – protective-"

"-but give the boy some breathing space!"

"We should be celebrating."

"The exams are over!"

Fred then tried to pluck her book out of her hands. Heather swatted him away and tucked it into her robes. It was one of her Prince's books.

"Come on, then," she said, "where are those pins you wanted to charm?" They were planning to make all the Gryffindors roar tomorrow.

~~~

Heather slid under her covers and did her customary check on her brother. As usual, Hadrian was tucked...safely...in...the third floor corridor?! She leapt out of bed, summoning her robes and wand.

It didn't have to mean anything. Just one of Rian's night-time wanderings. He occasionally walked all the way to the dungeons too. Heather was probably rushing there like a lunatic just to find her brother ambling about in his pyjamas and invisibility cloak. Then she would chastise him for walking on the cold stone floors barefoot. Simple.