Chapter 1: Quincey Stein

It has been too long since the Hogwarts Express have left the platform for the castle. By then, the group had done quite a lot. After Percy went for a prefect's meeting, eventually coming back, a game of Exploding Snap that almost left them fingerless and raiding the food trolley, their source of entertainment dwindled to idle chatter. This was, to Quincey's sanity, extremely boring.

"I swear, it used to be really fast and fun. Now we're reduced to gossiping like old bats." Roderick Close, their fellow Gryffindor and roommate, once said. Thereafter, he left his compartment to search for his new girlfriend from Hufflepuff.

Not that talking with long time friends was as bad as it sounds. With Oliver Wood staying in Scotland every year, Quincey Stein busy in London, Roderick Close visiting in America and Percy Weasly in St. Ottery Catchpole, there were happenings simply better told in personal.

For the better part of the talk grew surprisingly fast on the topic of it being their last year in Hogwarts. ("I swear the wee midgets are getting shorter every year!") But soon it turned into what they'd be doing after Hogwarts and, for the life of them, could make Percy shut up about joining the Ministry.

As Roderick stumble back into the compartment slightly daze and a glassy look on his face. A smile was etched on his face and Quinn asked who Confunded him. Oliver suggested he keeps his masculinity level in check and Percy simply nodded at his appearance.

"I am not under a jinx. I think." Roderick said, "I guess she's just an amazing girl."

Quinn, Oliver and Percy glanced at each other. Or at least they tried to catch the latter's eye seeing as he looked permanently concentrated on his book to worry for their friend. Roderick was known to be the biggest player in Gryffindor, maybe second to Davis in the whole school. His latest girl? The popular Hufflepuff named Stone. Quinn briefly wondered who was playing who in the relationship.

"So," Roderick said, trying to be nonchalant about the looks he got. He cleared his throat, "Any girls that caught your eye yet?"

"None for me. I want to focus my game on quidditch. There are scouters usually that pitch for the seventh years. I'm aiming for Puddlemere." Oliver said proudly.

It wasn't like there weren't girls that stalked him in the halls or tried to chat Quinn up and trying to pry inside information on what Wood likes for breakfast. He was Oliver Wood. He had no time for girls or romance. Or atleast that was what he liked and that's something Quinn admired about his friend. His independence, his determination, albeit borderline idiotic.

"Penny and I haven't hit any rough waters yet." Percy said with a smug smile.

Quinn fidgets in his seat. The last time he ever liked a girl was back in his third year on a fifth. It ended badly once he learned that she only hang out with him to be near Roderick. No one just likes him, he guessed. He was inconspicuous between the jock, prefect and popular. "I- I kinda like Bryce Booth from Ravenclaw."

"What?"

"Since when?"

"The prefect?"

"She's a prefect? Good Godric man, what are you thinking?"

It wasn't, he was sure of it, that the remarks that he was given were backhanded insults. Quinn, albeit lanky was tall. His golden hair sat like woven sunlight on his head and his blue eyes crinkled in a gentle manner whenever he smiled. Which was often. It was a great attribute that added his brains that girls usually like about him. It's his cluelessness about relationships and shyness that turns them off.

"She helped me last year on Runes. You know how I need them if I want to be a code breaker like my uncle... and well, Professor Vector had me tutored... And she had this perfect smile every time I screwed up..and she's just wonderful."

He remembered the long nights in the library struggling on Ancient Runes. A memory of someone helping him came into his mind. How can he forget when he spent so many nights thinking of what he should've done and what could've happened.

"And you've liked her since then?" Quinn nodded to Oliver, "Okay are you sure you're not under a love potion?"

"I've been hanging out in the library more often. That's where she studies you know."

"How come you just told us that?" Roderick asked more interested with his friend. Oliver who sat in the seat in front leaned over to listen more. Percy, on the other hand, snorted, whether it was from the book or of his friend's enthusiasm, no one knew.

Although he muttered something like 'Waddly load hats' under his breath.

"We'll, I didn't want to bother...and it's just a little bit of a fancy..."

"But I haven't even heard of her." Wood frowned.

"Believe me Wood, she's perfect!"

"No, she's a prefect. There's a difference." Wood shook his head. "Anyone who can be trusted with authority usually are a bore. Just look at Percy-" and they did so "and see what happened."

Percy didn't even put his nose out of his book(Philosophy of Philipps And Other Famous Prefects) and retorted. "Ha-ha Oliver but look, between us, which has a girlfriend."

"He does have a point Oliver."

"But she's a prefect too, so it technically doesn't count Rod."

"Go tell yourself that Wood. We all know you would marry a quaffle if you could."

Quinn couldn't help but smile at this. True, his best friend was quidditch obsessed and sometimes, admittedly difficult, but only certain people can tell it to his face. Like his friends or team. Which they remind him a lot of times. ("In case I forgot, I suppose." Oliver told him before bed once. The next day, he was gone before dawn and seen only in between classes.)

"If only-" Oliver hasn't finished his sentence when the cart gave a sudden jolt that threw bags, candies and people off the seats. The lights flickered off and Quinn thought the compartment grew cold. True enough, even with the dark clouds forbidding the thin sunlight, he saw his breath come out of his mouth in wisps of smoke.

In the back of his mind, the setting seemed awfully foreboding for the start of a school year.

"What was that?" Roderick besides him asked.

"Did the train just stopped or are we there?" he asked. Quinn faintly heard someone opening the door.

"Percy, where are you going?"

"Seeing why we stopped. We're not yet there are we? And I don't think we could've ventured any farther up for this atmosphere- it's bloody freezing!" Percy said.

Quinn nodded into the darkness, feeling too numb to speak. He knew how cold Scottish weather was but he didn't know he should've taken a jacket to London yet. It was like bringing an umbrella to the beach.

He tried to find his voice and he could see he was not the only ones. Outside, he heard shuffling and people going about. Faintly, he heard someone scream.

"This is getting suspenseful." Quinn shivered.

"I know." Oliver said. There was shuffling and Quinn half guessed, half knew Oliver was standing. The glass door opened, "Percy, what did the conductor sa-?"

"That I prefer you not touching my face. Please." a feminine voice filled the cold silence. Although soft, the voice sounded like a scolding mother with the tone laced with a quiet threat. "And did someone scream in here?"

"I would've if I knew girls would arrive willingly to my aid." Roderick sniggered, but Quinn knew he was trying to ease the tension in the air.

"Oi, you're taken." Quinn says as he nudged his friend. Or at least what he though was a friendly nudge was a rather hard punch to the stomach in the dark. "Sorry."

"Is that Stein?"

"Yes. And you are...?" Quinn frowned into the darkness. He knew that voice.

"Booth from Runes last year." she merely replied. Quinn was suddenly glad it was dark. He could feel his ears redden by her mere voice. "Just holler if you need something. I'm on duty, you see.

"Well, I better be off now-Oh Merlin!" Bryce sounded scared for once, and tumbled forward and into the cart. More shuffling could be heard as she whispered in urgency. "Move back! Move!"

"What? Why?" Oliver asked as he stumbled over feet.

"Ouch, watch where you're going!"

"Elbow! Elbow!"

"Sorry! Who's leg is this?"

"Mine and lady, this seat is taken. But you're all too welcome to stay where you are."

"Bloody hell Roderick it's Oliver!"

"Bloody hell I didn't need the mental images!"

"Everyone sit down and be quiet!"

The moment seemed to lighten but soon, but something outside their compartment had their hearts felt like it were suddenly gripped by a cold hand.

For the third time, the compartment door opened and a bony hand crept itself, menacing and seemingly rotten. It felt like the air grew, if possible, colder, as if death itself were in the room. The crisp of the chill felt hard to their lungs, like it were a mere task to even breathe. It felt like nothing could ever be good again, like an endless vaccum they can't escape. Like they can never be happy again. Someone lets lose a small whimper. Quinn himself felt numb, like he wanted to scream, or cry, or possibly both.

Someone produced a strangled cry. The thing, a Dementor, peeked it's hooded head into the compartment. Like in the muggle films where everything seemed too slow, forever passed in a loop as it looked around, breathing, inhaling, devouring every drip of happiness until satisfied. Bitterness filled him up like it wouldn't end, depression seemingly captivating him and grasping, never letting go.

He heard someone wave their wand once but nothing happened. Then twice, likewise. When everything began to slip, in a much louder tone, he heard Bryce mutter a spell and something white illuminated the compartment. Like it came, the Dementor passed but the eternity they felt left them cold and pale.

Soon after the lights flickered on, Quinn saw his friends in front of him, wide eyed and scared. Although sorted into Gryffindor, encountering a Dementor was just something you can't be prepared for. He vaguely felt Rod inch closer to him. In the hollowness he felt, he can't enjoy the fact that Bryce stood in front of him. He could only glance at the scared face that stared back into his own. Although he could swear he could adore that pair of eyes anywhere.

She was shaking, obviously, hand clutched to her wand so tight that her knuckles turned white. She looked them over, panting a bit just like everyone else.

"I'll- I'll get someone." she muttered, turning to leave. Ungracefully, the bumped her shoulder on the door before it clicked shut behind her.

Not till later did they manage to get a few words out. They just couldn't jerk the feeling of emptiness out of their system. Quinn wondered worriedly for a while for Percy, but from the glass door, he saw the familiar red head run up and down the corridor. Perks of being a Head Boy, supposedly. After a while, the door opened again.

"Everyone okay in here? Just shaken?" A tall man in a patched coat asked. He looked tired, but the younger group looked worst. Someone must've nodded since Quinn could only stare, ears ringing in the silence. "Anyone have chocolate?"

"I have." Roderick said, voice cracking. He bent down to pick up their fallen goodies, some squashed from people going in and coming out.

"Good. You make sure everyone has a bit of chocolate okay. More if you could spare." He left without a goodbye.

Taking down his share of Chocolate Frog, Quinn felt amazing as the warmth spreads out to his fingertips.

"I guess the new professor knew his stuff." He spoke, earning nods of approval. He felt back to his old shy self when Percy came back and asked if they saw any prefects anywhere.

Soon the boys found that the Great Hall buzzed with anticipation, excitement and chatter as slowly the returning students took their seats. It was like the other years they had attended Hogwarts. The sky projected above showed clouds covering the stars, but the mood was certainly lighter than that of the travel to. Although the experience was nothing short of magical, it felt normal. Quinn vaguely wondered if he'll miss this, the fun, the adventure, swapping stories over pints of strawberry ice cream.

After the occurrence in the train, everyone had something to talk about. Their conversation was animated enough, although back in the train where they shuffled wordlessly in the carriages things were much more different. Word has been spread that famous Harry Potter fainted. Whilst everyone was concerned for him, a different cry escaped from the Gryffindor table.

"THAT WAS MY BLOODY SEEKER!" Oliver moaned as the gossip reached him. Angelina Johnson from two people down shot him a reproaching look as students glanced at their side.

"Oi, shout louder. I think McGonagall didn't hear you in her office." Roderick offered. He took a sip of his Pumpkin Juice. "Speaking of the devil, where is she?"

"She got Potter and Granger, you know, the brown haired third year? Anyways, must be some regulation." Percy said in his no-nonsense voice. Quinn wondered how he ever got stuck with him. Then he remembered a long time ago where they actually had fun. "Anyways, those Dementors were a handful."

"Pfft- they didn't even faze me." someone from down the table boasted loudly, "Gryffindor courage, you know."

"Sod off, you were shaking like a leaf Jordan. Sit down." the girl besides him laughed. He recognized her as Katie Bell, resident Gryffindor Chaser. Next to them sat the Weasly twins, hair as brilliant as of Percy that sat besides him. They wore the same smirks that he wondered if one of them was the other's reflection turned living.

Before he turned his eyes away, something exploded from Jordan's soup and left his short hair on its ends. In short, nothing surprising.

"Easy for them to boast. It was only one. Good thing a lot of the advance DADA students were going around." Percy said. Roderick smirked at Quinn at this and the latter tried to hide the creeping blush. "I just do hope they'll keep their distance now. I heard their guarding the grounds this year, with Black on the loose."

"Yeah. Better stick around prefects more offer, right Quinn?"

"If you don't want to be embarrassed with your partner, you should too."

"What about my Seeker?" Oliver wailed.

Quinn smiled. "I'm sure you'll do great this year. Stop worrying into your tart before Roderick can spike it." He supposed, yes, he will miss Hogwarts' different kind of normality.

By the time they stumbled into the common room("The new password is 'Fortuna Major' everyone!" said Percy, unknowing of Roderick copying him from behind.) they were well fed and groggy. Together they climbed the highest room in the boy's dormitory to get to theirs. Like always, their trunks were already set and all they had to do was change to their pajamas. This, minus Percy since he has his own Head Boy dorm now, had been a wonderful reoccurrence. Quinn wondered what'll they be up to this year.

"Awfully good to start the year, huh Quinn?" Roderick said with an implying tone.

"Foreboding rather." Oliver said as he buries himself

"I'd rather not." He muttered. Roderick gave a snort and pulled the curtains on his four pos bed.

Quinn himself leaned back to his bed, staring at the ceiling until snores had filled the quietness in the room. Those deep enchanting eyes, filled with fear and yet awfully beautiful keep filling his mind. Turning over, he tried to think of other things again. He thought over his mum and dad back home to the summer and finally to the years that passed. He thought about how it felt, rushing in the corridors late at night to the eerie calm of the library, but there she was again. Standing, smiling, she took his arm off the page she was helping him on.

She raided his mind like how moths get attracted to light. Yet he didn't quite see her as the one who sprang and pursue something out of his grasp. No, she was the moth and he was the light; his lingering looks, the hopes she wouldn't catch him but also half wondering what would she do if she caught on. How many people had noticed the way he'd do something idiotic around her? The way something vile stirred in his chest when he sees her with someone else. It was maddening.

Quinn smiled as he tossed again in his bed. What has he become but a love sick puppy to a girl who doesn't even see.

"Oi, both of you lovesick puppies, stop squirming in your beds and scribbling in your books," Roderick finally said, "your brides can wait till tomorrow."

Quinn didn't want to wait for tomorrow but after his first period in the morning(Charms), he soon came into the realization that the lovesick him should have to wait. It was a few days into the term did he saw Bryce again.

"Ahh yes, the object of his great fascination. You know you shouldn't treat girls too seriously. They don't treat us either." Roderick once said over breakfast and Stone smacked him upside the head. Quinn learned her name is Isabella thereafter.

He forgot about the incident of the train all too soon once the teachers loaded them up with assignments. Now more than ever for their inevitable NEWTs, Quinn has been keeping a hard time to balance studies with friends.

Not that his friends had a better situation. Oliver has been going rabid, a natural occurrence and Roderick's been sulking over his row with Isabella. Percy was being himself, rarely there except for meals and even then, he sometimes sat on the Ravenclaw's seats.

By Thursday, hurrying up to Transfiguration with Oliver, Quinn had totally forgotten of his epiphany on love. He sat down next to Oliver, aware that most of the classes he took were mixed with other houses, now that fewer students took interest on harder subjects.

"Just relax."

"No. How. Can. I. Relax." Oliver said, banging his fist on the table.

He kept on reassuring Oliver that fretting about quidditch was in fact too soon into the season. He wondered if all this time the efforts were for naught.

"It's a month away. What could go wrong!" Quinn sighed which was met by a startled look from the Scott. "Fine, it's close, but it's too early for dawn practices! You're killing your team!"

"I supposed maybe just one session a day would suffice..."

Quinn smirked at his friend. How could someone so daft could be the closest he would have for a friend.

"Alright everyone, settle down, dungbombs to my desk Mr. Triff and detention on Friday for trying to slip it into Audry's bag- Yes, thank you- now, hurry up, back to your seat." McGonagall said in her authoritative tone, clock billowing as she strides to her desk in front. "Now, as said for the last days, today will be the day you'll be group by twos according to the seat plan. As soon as you reach your partner, gather around the teapot and work together to transfigure it into a duck. Stand up everyone now, back and get your things.

"Let's begin Aba, Florence! Left and in there..."

Quinn leaned toward Oliver, hoping they'd get a group to themselves. McGonagall had students lined up vertically to her table by their names. She was calling both Hufflepuff twins to stand in front of each other when a name catches his ear.

"Booth, Bryce!" McGonagall had the girl sit at the back, six people from the front.

His heartbeat quickens and his palms sweat. He didn't remember Bryce taking Transfiguration. But then again, she was a mystery to him, except that she was excellent in Runes and that she smelt like strawberry. He could feel the air thicken as he forgot to breathe, or was it only because he could spend a whole term as her partner. He couldn't wait to be called-

"Stein, Quincey!" McGonagall's voice rang out loud and his stomach fell. In front of Bryce's desk, Georgina Belen's face looked impatiently at him.

"What are you, brain dead?" She asked as Oliver Wood took the seat to the back.

"No. Crestfallen." He muttered under his breath, where he saw his best mate try to catch his eye with a apologetic look on his face.

Finished: 05/09/13; 12:47 am

Edited: -

Rights: None.