Patricia Stimpson always felt like she didn't belong. As a child she had learned that she was a witch. That meant she was very different from most of the people she knew because she grew up in a mostly Muggle neighborhood. Her mother was also a witch, but she was the only other one in their whole extended family. So Trish, as she liked to be called, grew up feeling like a freak. Perhaps it was her own perception of herself that turned others away, or the fact that she was naturally quiet and shy, but whatever the reason, she never had any really close friends. It didn't really bother her; as she was an only child, she had her parents' undivided attention.
Another unusual thing about her that kept friends at bay was her tendency to have panic attacks. Trish was afraid it had made bad first impressions on her classmates when she'd been frozen with fear and gasping for breath at each new encounter when she'd started school. Others tended to shy away from her when it happened.
Her family was also Christian. That again separated her from many of the peers her age. Especially once she went to Hogwarts. She found that the majority of the wizarding world held greater trust in their own powers and abilities than they did the existence of an all-mighty God. Oddly enough, having others denounce her beliefs only made her lean more heavily on what she knew to be true and strengthened her faith.
Trish was sorted into Hufflepuff when she got to Hogwarts because she wasn't ambitious or brave or exceptionally studious. She was however loyal and a hard worker, so she supposed Hufflepuff really was the best place for her to be. Though Hufflepuff house was known for being friendlier, it didn't mean that Trish made a ton of friends. No matter the reason, she still remained mostly on her own and though the others never pointedly excluded her, she still found herself by herself the majority of the time. She decided that she didn't mind, that she actually enjoyed being a loner, but there were moments when she would watch enviously as a group of close friends interacted.
The group that most often caught her eye, and that she sometimes wished she belonged to, was a bunch of Gryffindors in her year. At it's core was the Weasley twins and the ever popular Lee Jordan, and they were closely surrounded by members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. This group of friends always seemed to be having a good time together. Even as a Hufflepuff, she had heard many stories of the twins and their outrageous exploits, and experimental magic.
Trish's first close encounter with the Weasley twins was when she passed out studying for OWL exams. Sitting on the floor in the library, surrounded by books that looked helpful, she hadn't thought she'd have a problem. But as she pick up the first book, titled "Easy ways to pass the OWLS", and started to read, the familiar feel of a panic attack started to set in. After only a few chapters, her brain shut down and she fainted.
A sharp smell startled her back to life. In an instant she realized someone had their arm around her shoulders and was speaking softly to her. "Easy now. You're okay." Trish opened her eyes to see two fellow students looking at her closely. It only took a glance to know that it was the Weasley twins, Fred and George. There was no mistaking that red hair.
"Thank you." Trish stammered as she sat up.
"I think we're in the clear this time Fred." Said the twin kneeling in front of her. "I don't see even a tiny change in her hair color." He held up something small and round and green. "The contents are so strong they wake anyone up, but the first few times we tried it, it turned our hair green. Think we got it right now."
"Maybe." Said the twin at her side, staring intently at her. "Have your eyes always been hazel?"
"Yes." Trish answered nervously, staring back at him.
He nodded. "Let's give it a few minutes to be sure." He got comfortable sitting on the floor beside her. "So, lady fair, why were you sleeping in the library of all places?"
Trish chuckled. "My name's Patricia Stimpson. And I… well I get these panic attacks sometimes, and that's what happens." She shook her head angrily and motioned towards the books. "I'm just all worked up about my OWLs and was reading these books with tips in them, but with the dementors hanging about, I'm just feeling worse than usual. There's just so much, and I just don't know what to do, and I just…" Feeling the panic returning she stopped and tried to catch her breath.
"Easy there!" Fred gave her shoulder a shake. "Keep breathing." With his free hand he fished inside his robe pocket a moment, and pulled out a purple stone. "Hold onto that a bit."
As soon as her touched the stone she began to feel better. "Oh my!" Trish smiled at him. "That's so much better!"
"We'd heard you were having problems so we'll let you keep it. It's still experimental, so you have to let us know if you experience any strange side effects." George said.
"All it's supposed to do is help you feel calm. If you notice anything else, let us know as soon as possible." Fred added.
"Keep a journal." George suggested. "When you held it and for how long. Or if it goes queer, describe it in great detail. Oh, and tell no one." He added with a wink.
Trish stared at them both for a minute, then grinned. "I know it's working because all of that would have sent my brain into a tizzy!"
"We know, we've heard." Fred smiled and rolled his eyes.
"We've been hoping to catch you at it, so we could test our new charms." George added.
"Imagine a girl fainting over tests when she could be swooning over my good looks!" Fred tried to look serious, but she could see the laughter in his eyes.
"Oh yes," she nodded. "Good thing I've got this stone to keep me from succumbing!" Though she tried to keep a straight face, she started laughing when he looked indignant.
Trish made it through the rest of the testing without fainting once. Every now and then she'd catch one of the twins looking her way and assumed they were checking to see if the stone was doing its job. Trish returned their questioning glances with a smile and a wink.