The book landed none to softly on the table, the mahogany tabletop shuddering allowing the crystal glass that held his whiskey to clang noisily. He sighed butnever let his guard down, nodding imperceptibly at the empty lounge. “Sit.” he said genially, offering her a glass of the amber liquid. “I’m not going to hex you.” he said his swand still poised as he cast a few protective charms around their area. “For… protection.” he said tactfully, not wanting to give away the truth.
He never understood how all the lions could be so happy at any given time, it was amazingly unnatural. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow and simply reopened the book just as a rather interested Ravenclaw student walked by. “What brings you here?”
“Sure,” she then shrugged as she sat quietly in a chair across from his own. “Alright then Rodolphus..” Mina then told him, as she watched him set protection charms up. She didn’t really know why he was doing that, because they were in a school library and there were teachers everywhere. Mina then accepted a glass of the whiskey even though she had never drank too much of it before. She raised an eyebrow at him as she watched him reopen the book once again. “I needed a book,” Mina then explained as she shrugged. “Then you said to show yourself, so I came out,” she then added in, wondering why he wanted to know all of this information. “Why do you want to know all this?” she then asked as she tilted her head to the right and flipped her brown hair over her shoulder. She knew that Rodolphus didn’t really have the right to ask for all this information, but she didn’t really mind giving it, so she talked to him. If he wasn’t going to hex her, a little chatter wouldn’t hurt anybody after all.
He simply smirked and chuckled at her confused, slightly bemused state. “Merely making conversation, love.” he said from behind the book. A few minutes of quiet later, he heard the unmistakeable sound of Bella making her way through to the library. “And you wonder why I cast the charms?”
“Hmm. Alright,” Mina said as she shrugged and continued to take cautious sips of her whiskey. She had never tried normal whiskey before, and the taste was different on her tongue. Mina also wondered if Alecto tried this drink before. Maybe she should bring Alecto some. Then she also heard the unmistakable sound of Bellatrix heading toward the library. “I see,” she then told him as she giggled. It seemed that Rodolphus knew how to protect himself from the wrath of Bellatrix. Right now she wanted to learn how to cast these charms as well.
“Where did you get the whiskey?” Mina then asked as she smiled at him. She continued to take hesitant sips of it, while letting the alcohol burn through her system. It was a nice feeling, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. “Do you always protect yourself from Bella like this?” She then asked him curiously.
The book landed none to softly on the table, the mahogany tabletop shuddering allowing the crystal glass that held his whiskey to clang noisily. He sighed butnever let his guard down, nodding imperceptibly at the empty lounge. “Sit.” he said genially, offering her a glass of the amber liquid. “I’m not going to hex you.” he said his swand still poised as he cast a few protective charms around their area. “For… protection.” he said tactfully, not wanting to give away the truth.
He never understood how all the lions could be so happy at any given time, it was amazingly unnatural. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow and simply reopened the book just as a rather interested Ravenclaw student walked by. “What brings you here?”
“Sure,” she then shrugged as she sat quietly in a chair across from his own. “Alright then Rodolphus..” Mina then told him, as she watched him set protection charms up. She didn’t really know why he was doing that, because they were in a school library and there were teachers everywhere. Mina then accepted a glass of the whiskey even though she had never drank too much of it before. She raised an eyebrow at him as she watched him reopen the book once again. “I needed a book,” Mina then explained as she shrugged. “Then you said to show yourself, so I came out,” she then added in, wondering why he wanted to know all of this information. “Why do you want to know all this?” she then asked as she tilted her head to the right and flipped her brown hair over her shoulder. She knew that Rodolphus didn’t really have the right to ask for all this information, but she didn’t really mind giving it, so she talked to him. If he wasn’t going to hex her, a little chatter wouldn’t hurt anybody after all.
“Yes, yes I am! Cause it’s part of my homework, but I don’t understand it!” Mina exclaimed as she took a deep breath. “But how can in be unanswerable! It says I am supposed to answer it! Stupid professor… I hate her,” she muttered. “Thank you for your help Arthur.” Mina them told him as she smiled at him. At least she could put something down for the question. She took a deep breath and watched him closely, wondering if he was okay. “How are you Arthur?” she then asked him with a smile as she fixed her hair. There was nothing else really to do as she waited for a response from Arthur. She hoped that he was okay, considering Arthur was a good person, and she heard that Bellatrix had recently talked to him. Mina knew that Bellatrix would hurt anybody, and that she had hurt people in the past. It was really good that he wasn’t in the hospital wing at least. Thought emotional trauma was also a bad thing, and that couldn’t be seen throughout physical appearance.
‘Sorry I couldn’t be more help. I really do just think it’s a toy of some sort.’ he sighed. He hated anything alluding him. He looked at her closely as she spoke her next words. She seemed to be worried about him but he couldn’t think why.
‘I’m perfectly fine. How’re you?’ Arthur hadn’t had any effect from Bellatrix’s meeting. It hadn’t bothered him in the slightest. As far as he was concerned they were having a debate that needed to be had, he didn’t realise that Bellatrix was close to hexing him or that she wanted to kill him. He thought it was a perfectly normal debate. ‘Should I not be fine?’
“Alright,” Mina told him with a sigh as she took the duck and threw it at the plant that sat across the room. “Well, that’s good! I’m fine to say that least, just a little lonely.” She told him as she shrugged. Mina was just worried about him because of his meeting with Bellatrix. Meetings with Bellatrix never ended without someone hurt.
“I hear about your meeting with Bellatrix,” Mina then confessed as she looked at him. “And well meetings with Bellatrix never end well,” she then added in as she smiled at him. Mina had certainly had her fair share of meetings with Bellatrix, and none of those ever ended well. She shrugged as she looked up at him. Suddenly her stomach growled, and Mina started to blush. “Did you want to go to the kitchens? I’m a little hungry..” Mina then asjed as she started to laugh.
In the darker recesses of the library, Rodolphus Lestrange could be found poring through a book. the large tome having no name or any hint of information on either cover looked as if it were of an ancient time.
Despite him denying it, he was very much avoiding Bellatrix, his intended. A litany of curses flew from his mouthas he scanned each page. A rustle was heard somewhere between the stacks of books behind him. “Show yourself” He held his wand aloft
Mina was ruffling through the darker corners of the library, searching for a certain book that she wasn’t able to find. The fact that she was here made her a little bit jumpy. At least the talk with Sirius had made her feel a little bit better. Sirius was the first person she had seen in days, and Mina knew that it was possible she may not get to see any more people for a while. She felt like she was a little bit detached from the world, like it was moving too fast, and without her. Mina wanted to try and keep up, but it only got more difficult as time went on. She knew she wasn’t supposed to be like this though. Professor Bobinsky said to enjoy her youth, yet that wasn’t quite happening yet. As she continued to ruffle through the books, she suddenly heard a voice. It sounded a lot like Rodolphus’, or Roddy, as Mina liked to call him. She always made sure to avoid him when he was holding bubble wrap though, but that joke ended a long time to go. Mina peered from behind the shelf and indeed saw Rodolphus on the other side. He was in the most lavish corner of the library, the spot with large couches and other comfy seating for people to work in.
“Hello!” she said merrily as she waved at him, and stepped from behind the shelf. Her hands were raised by either side of her head as she noticed he was pointing his wand directly at her. Mina wondered if he was alright, because it was a little bit hard to tell in the lighting situation of the room. “How are you?” she then asked softly as a small smile crept onto her lips. She hoped that Rodolphus wouldn’t hex her. He had never hexed her before, so she didn’t know why he would start too, but there was always the slim possibility that he was under the influence of alcohol. It seemed a lot of students started drinking more recently. She wondered why that would be, because Mina had never drank enough to get so intoxicated that decision making would be messed up. She was still usually able to walk straight and get back to her dorm, because it was usually only a pounding headache after a couple of drinks. As she thought about these things, Mina waited patiently for Rodophus to say something to her. Hopefully he would recognize her and not hex her, but either way she would of found something to do.
The fact that Mina hadn’t really been able to talk to many people other then Professor Bobinsky, had Mina worried. Where had all her friends gone? Last time she checked they were still there, but now it was like they had disappeared of the face of the planet! Today, Mina decided to search for Sirius, because he knew how to have a good time, or at least Mina thought so. It would be better than just staying quiet all day. Maybe a little firewhisky would make her feel better. She hadn’t had a lot of it in the longest while. Mina hadn’t even had a chance to ask Alecto where her firewhisky supply was because she tended to always be with Sturgis. She then began to search the halls diligently, looking for where Sirius was. Mina figured it would be easy to find him because he was usually the one surrounded by a bunch of girls. It was possible to get him mistaken for Gilderoy Lockheart apparently, because she tended to see Gilderoy with a lot of girls too.
It seemed to be different today, because Sirius had no girls next to him. That was a very odd sight, considering that she knew Sirius enjoyed having girls next to him. Mina did think that he had a thing for Marlene though. No one had told her, but it was really easy to see if you looked hard enough. Honestly, she thought that Sirius should go after Marlene, but since she was dating Gilderoy it was kind of a bad idea now. “Sirius!” she then called out with a wide smile as she caught up to him. “Hello!” she then exclaimed. It looked like Sirius was a little out of the normal today. There was no Marauders, no girl and the look on his face was interesting. “Have you seen James? I figure he should have a Quidditch practice going. I saw the snakes on the pitch yesterday, and we can’t let them get ahead now can we?”she then explained to him. Quidditch was something that Mina and Sirius had in common. It may of been the only thing, but probably not.
Mina then realized that indeed she had been rambling a little too much, so Mina stopped talking. She decided to just wait for Sirius to say something, since he hadn’t really said anything yet. Mina only watched him with a simple half smile placed on her lips, and a little twinkle in her eye. She hoped that Sirius was doing well because it would of been a pity if he wasn’t. Mina thought of Sirius as a generally nice guy after all, even if Alecto didn’t like him. It seemed Alecto didn’t like any of Mina’s friends, and liked to keep Mina to herself, bit that didn’t matter because it wasn’t like it was going to stop her from talking to her other friends.
Mina was sitting in the Common Room with a textbook open on her lap and a plant sitting on the low coffee table. On top of the plant sat a rubber duck. For the amount of time Mina had been sitting here, she had divided her attention between the duck and the plant. She had Herbology as well as Muggle Studies homework, but she wasn’t very good at either of them. Plus she didn’t really get the purpose of this rubber duck. Ducks weren’t rubber, and this duck din’t bite you.
The pant just confused Mina to end. She couldn’t even remember the name of the plant sitting in front of her. All she knew was that she had to answer the questions about the plant. She let out a deep sigh due to frustration. Mina had just hand enough of all these things jumbling around in her head that she just wanted to stop working. Sadly it was the last day to do both or the assignments, so Mina continued to sit there and try to figure the answers.
Then Mina saw Arthur appear in the Common Room. She knew Arthur was good with muggle things, so she thought that he might be able to help her. “Arthur!” She called out as she swiped the rubber duck of the plant and hoped off the couch. She ten ran and almost knocked him over, but managed not too. “Can you help me with my homework!?” She exclaimed loudly as she held up the rubber duck that Dirk had told her about.
‘You are not bringing that rubber duck to me are you Mina? What is the function of a rubber duck? I think it is a completely unanswerable question. What does it do? Is it created simply to decorate a bathtub. Honestly even I don’t get it Mina.’ he laughed and took the duck out of her hand examining it. He honestly never understood the things. They were obviously just some form of flotation device which had no other purpose. He smiled at the girl though, he felt bad he couldn’t help her. It did mind boggle him though.
‘It’s some sort of flotation device but apart from that I’m useless. I apologise Mina. Why on earth are they setting you homework on something that seems to have no purpose. If you ask a muggle they will probably tell you the same thing. I just think they are a toy that muggle children play with in the bath.’
“Yes, yes I am! Cause it’s part of my homework, but I don’t understand it!” Mina exclaimed as she took a deep breath. “But how can in be unanswerable! It says I am supposed to answer it! Stupid professor… I hate her,” she muttered. “Thank you for your help Arthur.” Mina them told him as she smiled at him. At least she could put something down for the question. She took a deep breath and watched him closely, wondering if he was okay. “How are you Arthur?” she then asked him with a smile as she fixed her hair. There was nothing else really to do as she waited for a response from Arthur. She hoped that he was okay, considering Arthur was a good person, and she heard that Bellatrix had recently talked to him. Mina knew that Bellatrix would hurt anybody, and that she had hurt people in the past. It was really good that he wasn’t in the hospital wing at least. Thought emotional trauma was also a bad thing, and that couldn’t be seen throughout physical appearance.
Mina was sitting in the Common Room with a textbook open on her lap and a plant sitting on the low coffee table. On top of the plant sat a rubber duck. For the amount of time Mina had been sitting here, she had divided her attention between the duck and the plant. She had Herbology as well as Muggle Studies homework, but she wasn’t very good at either of them. Plus she didn’t really get the purpose of this rubber duck. Ducks weren’t rubber, and this duck din’t bite you.
The pant just confused Mina to end. She couldn’t even remember the name of the plant sitting in front of her. All she knew was that she had to answer the questions about the plant. She let out a deep sigh due to frustration. Mina had just hand enough of all these things jumbling around in her head that she just wanted to stop working. Sadly it was the last day to do both or the assignments, so Mina continued to sit there and try to figure the answers.
Then Mina saw Arthur appear in the Common Room. She knew Arthur was good with muggle things, so she thought that he might be able to help her. “Arthur!” She called out as she swiped the rubber duck of the plant and hoped off the couch. She ten ran and almost knocked him over, but managed not too. “Can you help me with my homework!?” She exclaimed loudly as she held up the rubber duck that Dirk had told her about.
Mina then started to worry a little bit as Frank took his time to answer, but when his answer finally came Mina was happy once again. At least Frank wasn’t being sad in his room or something like that. She had definitely had enough of that for a while. After all the sadness and bad times she’d gone through, she hoped that it wouldn’t happen for Frank. He was to nice, big and funny! How could anybody be mean to him? Not want to see him smile?
“Alright Frank!” She told him merrily as she continued to cling to his neck. “You know it’s surprising how strong you are, considering all the chocolate you eat.” Mina joked with a wide smile on her face as the approached the Hogsmede gates. That was how they worked. Frank joked on how small she was, while Mina joked about how big he was. The both laughed, and it was a very good time.
“I want to get something for Mary, Doe and Alecto if that’s alright with you?” Mina then asked softly as Frank continued to walk.
Frank continued to smile as she didn’t get bothered by the time he took to answer her question, his own worries going away from his mind in a blink of an eye. He laughed loudly with her next question, seeing the entrance to Hogsmeade already.
“What?! I do not eat a lot of chocolate, okay?!” He said, poorly pretending to be insulted, still unable to contain a laugh. “I do eat a lot, but hey, at least I exercise!” He tried to explain himself. “Whatever, you’re just jealous I can carry you around. You’d rather me having chicken arms? You’d be walking right now, if that was the case!” He chuckled.
“Completely fine by me, I’ll just get me some chocolate frogs, since according to you I eat A LOOOT of chocolate.” He said, nearly screaming the last part, laughing as some people looked at both of them as if they were mad.
“I exercise too! But I’m still tiny!” Mina explained as she continued to laugh. “Oh yeah, but I can’t lift you!” Mina explained as she continued to giggle. “Alright, FRANK!” Mina yelled back as before bursting out in more laughter. Her face was turning bright pink, and she felt like she was going to fall right of Frank.
People we’re looking at them because of their loud yelling but people didn’t mind. With Frank around, Mina believed that people wouldn’t hurt her. She smiled as she kept herself on Frank’s back. Mina looked all around the bright town of Hogsmede. It was a lot different then it the daytime then in the night. The parties in the night were a lot better though.
As they approached Hogsmede Mina’s smiled widely. She ducked as the door opened and Frank walked inside. “To the chocolate frogs!” She exclaimed with a big smile. It was just like being a little child again, playing with the big brother that she was supposed to have.
Frank continued grinning as he stood in place, without going forward. He was happy that she was feeling good, and energetic like that - he hated whenever she was down about anything. Having Mina as his little sister, he always felt like killing anyone or anything that hurt her.
He laughed, tilting his head down and nodding. “Tired? Are you mad, woman?!” He said with a weird voice, holding back a laughter. “We Longbottoms do not get tired from holding a 10 pounds girl on our back. We Longbottoms are brave and strong, miss!” He said as if he was making a speech, breaking into a laughter as she pushed him forward.
He started walking, bouncing and pretending to let her fall every now and then, happily making his way to Honeydukes. He was so used to carrying Mina around, he could barely feel it. “Are you still there, tiny? Make sure you don’t fly away with the wind!” He said jokingly, laughing again.
“Alright, Longbottom! Ten hut then!” She told him before bursting out in another fit of laughter. It was mysterious how Frank could cheer her up so easily after being hurt for so long. Mina was glad he actually did start walking forward, because knowing Frank he might of just stayed there forever. She clung to his back even harder every time he pretended to drop her, even though she knew that he wouldn’t do that. Frank was concerned with keeping her safe, and letting her fall wouldn’t really help with that. “Still here big guy!” Mina joked back as she smiled widely.
“What were you doing all this time cooped up in your room all this time Frank?” Mina asked softly as they walked along. She figured that since there was time to kill on the way to Hogsmede that they might as well talk. Mina was genuinely curious as to how Frank could be cooped in his room for so long. She then clung to his neck as they continued bouncing along towards Hogsmede.
After a short while of uncomfortable silence, Mina started humming just because. She didn’t feel like silence was a good place for them, especially since Frank and Mina could both be reasonably loud people. Suddenly she stopped humming as Frank started to speak to her, probably answering her very easy question.
Frank kept laughing along the way as the girl told him she was still there. He always liked mocking her for being too short and thin, him being tall and stronger. At least he could make sure to protect her, if anything.
His grin faded a bit when she asked about what he was doing these days. He spent the last weeks living at his worst ways. All these things about the war, the death eaters, some people even saying the school wasn’t safe anymore. His family was worrying and getting crazy about it, so he spent the days going there and coming back, using all his energies to keep people from losing their minds at his home.
“Studying, pranking people, the normal stuff. I’ve lost track of time, that’s all.” He shrugged violently on purpose, shaking her on his back, laughing again. There was no need to worry her over nothing.
Mina then started to worry a little bit as Frank took his time to answer, but when his answer finally came Mina was happy once again. At least Frank wasn’t being sad in his room or something like that. She had definitely had enough of that for a while. After all the sadness and bad times she’d gone through, she hoped that it wouldn’t happen for Frank. He was to nice, big and funny! How could anybody be mean to him? Not want to see him smile?
“Alright Frank!” She told him merrily as she continued to cling to his neck. “You know it’s surprising how strong you are, considering all the chocolate you eat.” Mina joked with a wide smile on her face as the approached the Hogsmede gates. That was how they worked. Frank joked on how small she was, while Mina joked about how big he was. The both laughed, and it was a very good time.
“I want to get something for Mary, Doe and Alecto if that’s alright with you?” Mina then asked softly as Frank continued to walk.
Frank continued grinning as he stood in place, without going forward. He was happy that she was feeling good, and energetic like that - he hated whenever she was down about anything. Having Mina as his little sister, he always felt like killing anyone or anything that hurt her.
He laughed, tilting his head down and nodding. “Tired? Are you mad, woman?!” He said with a weird voice, holding back a laughter. “We Longbottoms do not get tired from holding a 10 pounds girl on our back. We Longbottoms are brave and strong, miss!” He said as if he was making a speech, breaking into a laughter as she pushed him forward.
He started walking, bouncing and pretending to let her fall every now and then, happily making his way to Honeydukes. He was so used to carrying Mina around, he could barely feel it. “Are you still there, tiny? Make sure you don’t fly away with the wind!” He said jokingly, laughing again.
“Alright, Longbottom! Ten hut then!” She told him before bursting out in another fit of laughter. It was mysterious how Frank could cheer her up so easily after being hurt for so long. Mina was glad he actually did start walking forward, because knowing Frank he might of just stayed there forever. She clung to his back even harder every time he pretended to drop her, even though she knew that he wouldn’t do that. Frank was concerned with keeping her safe, and letting her fall wouldn’t really help with that. “Still here big guy!” Mina joked back as she smiled widely.
“What were you doing all this time cooped up in your room all this time Frank?” Mina asked softly as they walked along. She figured that since there was time to kill on the way to Hogsmede that they might as well talk. Mina was genuinely curious as to how Frank could be cooped in his room for so long. She then clung to his neck as they continued bouncing along towards Hogsmede.
After a short while of uncomfortable silence, Mina started humming just because. She didn’t feel like silence was a good place for them, especially since Frank and Mina could both be reasonably loud people. Suddenly she stopped humming as Frank started to speak to her, probably answering her very easy question.
