Chapter One
Finn blinked groggily, trying to focus on what Professor Corcoran was saying about Ancient Runes. He thought he heard something about hydras as symbols, but he wasn't entirely sure. He was just so tired, he had been up all night studying for a Charms test with Rachel.
His mind drifted to his girlfriend, and a goofy smile spread across his features. He jumped at the sound of Professor Corcoran's voice snapping at him. He gave her an innocent look. "Huh?"
"Mr. Hudson, what are you grinning about over there?"
"Oh, um, I was just thinking about Runes . . ." At her dubious expression, he amended. "School . . ." He sighed inwardly at her still incredulous look. "I was just thinking."
She smiled slightly at him before continuing on in her lecture, her voice too monotone to keep Finn's attention. Finn did his best to pay attention- and by "best" he meant he stared out the window and wished a meteor would fly by outside. Just something interesting, was that too much to ask?
He locked eyes with a smirking Artie across the room. Finn rolled his eyes at his friend. Artie was in line to be the next big thing in Arithmancy and was smart as a whip in every other subject, he didn't have to pay attention. Artie wasn't even supposed to be in this class. He was too advanced for his year's other students in this subject, so he studied Ancient Runes with the seventh year students instead.
Finn used to not care much about school- still didn't. But he wanted to make his mother proud so he pulled on his big-boy pants and made a decision about what he wanted to be when he left school and stuck with it.
Finn pursed his lips at the thought of leaving Hogwarts. It had been his life- his home- for the past seven years. He didn't know if he could function without it, or the people he had befriended here. What would he be without Professor Schuester's advice? As much as they annoyed him, how could he live without Professor Sylvester's rants?
Finn twirled his wand in his large hand. He wondered how he would keep in touch with all the people he knew here. Artie was just one of the many.
You're a Gryffindor, Finn. You're supposed to be brave. C'mon, be a man! Finn, thought trying to pep himself up. He felt much better. He would leave school, become a Curse Breaker, and spend his life with Rachel. It seemed like a good future if he thought about it in a simple way, like that.
He liked to imagine what his life would be like as a Curse Breaker. He knew it was dangerous and, oh, how the idea of danger toyed with him. He wanted the adventure of it, traveling through Egyptian deserts and making curses cast thousands of years ago obsolete was appealing in a weird way. And if there was some running in the opposite direction of a huge rolling boulder, then he was okay with that- actually, he was kind of excited about it.
But the greatest reason, was his father. His father had been a Curse Breaker before dying in a freak accident while on the job. Any normal person would be freaked out, but he longed to be at least half the man his father was, and he figured joining the same profession would be a step in the right direction.
He again shook his head and tried to pay attention to the Ancient Runes stuff being talked about. Professor Corcoran asked a question to the class and Finn ducked when she searched the crowd for an unsuspecting victim. He didn't even know what the question was, and if he had to ask, he would lose points for sure.
He actively participated in the rest of the class, answering a few questions and overall understanding it. He was still amazed at how much he could understand if he actually payed attention.
In the back of his mind, the fears of his future still lurked, waiting for him to be vulnerable enough so they could capture his attention once more. It wasn't until the end of the class, when he was gathering his things, that he let one of the thoughts slip through his defenses.
He didn't want a boring life of an Arithmancer like Artie was in store for- he wanted to really live. But he was also scared of living, too.
It's kinda like a paradox, he thought. Wait, paradox is the right word, isn't it?
Quinn was different than she used to be, she knew that, but sometimes- in her mind- the differences were so hard to see. Sure, she had been a bitch for a long time, pretty much since she had first realized that everyone was at least, somewhat jealous of her, but that wasn't her anymore. She wasn't that much of a bitch anymore, she did have her moments, but they were seldom.
She was over the "I will plot to destroy you" phase of her life now. She had made too many damned mistakes for only being around seventeen years. She tried not to think of the biggest one, the one everyone knew of, but no one except for Professor Corcoran knew the consequences of.
Quinn sometimes just couldn't separate the two different sides of her; unfortunately this morning was one of them.
Quinn shook her head and paid close attention to Professor Schuester's lesson on how to conjure a fully-formed Patronus. Quinn really didn't see the point in learning how to cast one of those things. She wasn't going to be an Auror like Santana was trying to become, she was going to be a Healer.
She had realized, somewhere down the line, that she genuinely liked helping people, even in the tiny, minuscule ways, like telling them they looked pretty. And she still had problems with not feeling loved, so here was the perfect solution. If someone had just saved her life, she would sure as hell love them.
It gave her a sweet, swelling, and warm feeling in her chest when she helped a sick person live- she'd only done it once, but it was glorious. It was kind of like falling in love for the first time. But better.
Maybe she should have realized what her future would be when someone mentioned that if the core of your wand was the stalk of a dittany plant, it had an unusual affinity with healing spells. All she did was say, "Hey, dittany stalk is the core of my wand! How weird is that?" and then called it a day and never thought of it again. She used to be such an idiot.
"Miss Fabray?" she heard Professor Schuester call. She gave him an expectant expression and tilted her head to the side. "Have you ever been able to cast a fully-formed Patronus?"
Quinn bit her lip. "Once."
"Bravo." He smiled kindly. "Now, maybe if you pay attention, you can do it again."
Quinn internally rolled her eyes, but only nodded positively. Santana leaned over and whispered, "Maybe if he watched more Fashion Police, he wouldn't wear that vest again."
Quinn snickered. "He wouldn't give those things up for the life of him."
Santana snorted and refocused her attention on Professor Schuester's words. Quinn was pretty sure she'd heard all she could about summoning a fully-formed Patronus. Santana had been obsessed for a whole month about successfully conjuring one and seeing what animal it would be when they were in fourth year. Santana was a bit disappointed when she finally did, though, after realizing the animal was a badger.
"I might as well be in Hufflepuff," she had muttered sourly. Brittany had given her a look about that, being in Hufflepuff herself, so Santana had quickly amended her statement.
They were the Unholy Trinity still- a bit more unusual than they had been to begin with- but still those same three girls who had formed a friendship seven years ago. It hadn't surprised her when Santana and Brittany started dating, she had predicted it years before it actually became a reality.
She looked around the room at the faces. It was a class that all the N.E.W.T level Defense Against the Dark Arts students took and almost every face she saw was a familiar one, some more than others. There was Finn and Rachel, sitting beside each other, and holding hands under their table, while Kurt examined his nails in the back of the room.
Mike was sitting behind Quinn and Santana, and Quinn didn't really feel like being weird today by turning around to stare at him so she could see what he was doing. Probably listening attentively like a good little student.
Puck- Quinn frowned when she saw his face- was busy doing anything but paying attention, though she wasn't paying attention either. She had no room to talk.
"Any volunteers?" Professor Schuester asked. He was rewarded dead silence. "Really? No one? I'm surprised by the lack of participation in the class today."
Everyone stared glumly at him and he sighed. "I guess I'll pick a guinea pig." He looked around and shook his head a few times. "Ah! Miss Fabray! Would you care to join me up front? I think it's time for you to be successful a second time!"
Quinn really wanted to punch him in his upbeat mouth. She was angry at pretty much everything and hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. She smiled though as she walked up to the front of the room. She glanced back and saw Santana grinning and giving her a thumbs up.
Quinn raised her eyebrow at the girl before turning to face Professor Schuester, who was grinning broadly at her. He retold her everything she already knew. Apparently she was just going to cast it, though she didn't see the point in that when you'd be scared out of you freakin' mind if a Dementor or Lethifold was after you. In a horrible situation like that, it wouldn't be the same.
She picked out her happiest memory, having her daughter in her arms after she had given birth to her and let the memory feel her up, before casting the spell, "Expecto Patronum!"
The blindingly white, translucent animal sprang forth from the tip of her wand, cantering around a bit before dispersing. Professor Schuester clapped, clearly impressed. "Well done, Quinn. I can't say I'm surprised, though."
Quinn laughed. "I guess I'm a natural."
The professor nodded. "I find it interesting that your Patronus's corporeal form is a horse. I've heard that signifies great strength in a person."
Quinn gave him a blindingly fake smile, trying to hide the pain underneath it caused by thinking of her daughter. "Well, I am a wonderful person, I think it fits."
Puck wanted to snort in disgust at the fact Professor Schue thought Quinn was genuinely happy with herself and with him. Instead, he chuckled at her comment about being "a wonderful person." His first thought was that she was being sarcastic, but something about the way she said it made him doubt she was making a joke.
After a moment of thinking about it, he decided it felt like she had been trying to convince herself of the words.
He'd always been partial to the idea she was so cold she couldn't feel anything anymore, not even happiness. This new development seemed to disprove that, though. It was fine, he had many more theories as to why she wouldn't give him another chance.
Even if she was as cold as ice, he still loved her. Love was a big deal for everyone, and for him- since it rarely ever happened- it was even bigger.
As she walked back to her desk, Puck couldn't help but watch her move with the detached grace she had mastered to mesmerize everyone around her. She had "turned over a new leaf" but she still kept a hint of her bitchy, former top-of-the-food-chain attitude with her, especially in the way she walked.
Professor Schuester gave them their work- three rolls of parchment on the effects of casting a Patronus on the caster and the effect on a Dementor- that was due next week on Monday, something Puck would probably scare some dweeb into doing for him. Maybe he'd just give a Galleon or two to Mike . . .
Everyone gathered their stuff and began to leave. Puck jogged up to Santana and Quinn, giving Santana an acknowledging nod, which she returned with a roll of her eyes. Quinn raised an eyebrow coldly. "Yes, Puckerman?"
"Puckerman?" he asked, blinking in shock. "Woah, what did I do to piss you off?"
Quinn looked at Santana. "You go on, I'm guessing he'll be a while."
Santana nodded before leaving. Puck stared after her, thinking that she seemed more quiet that usual . . . "Well?" Quinn snapped. "You're going to make me late for class."
"How are you?" he blurted, and then looked around, making sure no one heard him ask that gay of a question.
"How am I?" Quinn replied incredulously. "Really, Puck? Well, if you have to know, I'm great."
"You didn't seem that great in class today," Puck said quietly.
Quinn ground her teeth together. "I'm moody and tired today. Satisfied?"
Puck couldn't help but smile. "Not quite. The Hogsmeade trip is coming up-."
"No, Puck, I will not go with you," Quinn sighed. "I'm sorry, I really am, but I'm not interested in you that way. Maybe I was, a year or two ago, but after what you did . . . I can't look at you in the same way."
Puck sighed and looked down. He then lifted his head and met her eyes. "Guy has gotta try, right?"
Quinn actually smiled. A slight one, but it was there. "It's better than not knowing."
Puck rubbed his hands together awkwardly. "Well, you should get to class. Our Head Girl can't be late."
Quinn checked her watch and groaned. "Ugh, she already is. I'll see you around some time, Puck." She took off in the opposite direction, jogging lightly towards her next class.
Puck took his time walking to Muggle Studies, his favorite blow off class, wallowing in the defeat her rejection had thrown him into.
All Will wanted to do after a long day of work was go home to Terri, give her a kiss, and take a long, very deserved nap.
But he couldn't do that because of the stupid meeting that Figgins had called. He wanted to be nice and supportive about these frequent faculty meetings, but no one could be happy with all the free time lost on them.
He gave Emma a glance out of the corner of his eye. She was just as OCD as usual, but there was something different . . .
Emma noticed him staring and blushed a tiny bit. "Yes, Will? There's something on my face, isn't there?"
Will laughed. "No, you just look . . . different."
"Yeah?" Emma replied, smiling brightly. "Well I did get my hair trimmed, does it look okay? I only ask because you said it just looked different, which isn't very specific."
Will chuckled. "No, it looks great."
"Do you think I should get a bit more cut off or leave it like it is?" Emma questioned.
It was then that Sue Sylvester, the bane of every faculty member's existence, walked up. "Edna, you're really asking hair advice from Will Schuester?"
"It's Emma," Emma said faintly. "I don't want to do this today, Sue."
"Suit yourself," Sue replied, holding up her hands in defeat. "I'll just say 'I told you so' when you show up tomorrow looking like you dumped Crisco into your ginger locks."
Will groaned. "Why don't you go bother Edwyna or Donatello?"
"I was just giving Elmo here some friendly advice, William." She rolled her eyes. "But I could go tell them about your hair products too..?"
"No, I'd rather you not."
She mockingly made her face fall. "I had all eighty-seven of them memorized just if this day ever came. Alas, I'll have to wait a while longer."
She walked away and Emma gave Will a pleading look. "Do you think there's a chance she may get fired one day?"
Will shook his head. "She's got Figgins wrapped around her little blackmailing finger."
"Would this be an inappropriate time to head desk?" Emma joked.
A/N: Hey guys! This is my first attempt at a Glee fic, so please let me know what you thought. And there are going to be a few things that are different in canon Glee and my own personal world, some of which I'm sure you've noticed by now. There are more to come. Muahahaha.