Thea

Chapter 1: Get To Know Me

I dropped into the seat of a fortunately empty compartment and let out a huge sigh of relief. It was absolutely horrible trying to find seats in the train; you'd think they'd add in more compartments every year.

Oh, so sorry… where are my manners? My name's Thea… Dorothea Cole. Yes, I know, awful name but you have my father to blame for it. Edward Ziegler, the most stuck-up man I have ever known… and to think I have to call him 'Father'. I hope he is as embarrassed to call me his relation, as I am to call him mine. To make him proud is at the rock bottom of my list and I do not plan to ever go there. He thinks he is the most honorable man in the wizarding world for being one of the few purebloods to keep away from servitude of You-Know-Who but my mother and me know differently. He's dying and I'm damn proud of it.

Anyway, more about me… what else shall I say? I'm seventeen, in my last year at Hogwarts after which I shall be able to fly free for once. Not to say I won't miss life at Hogwarts; I just want to experience life! I don't have many friends… the other Gryffindors have cliques of their own but I have never fitted in. Nor do I plan to. I have prayed many times that my last year be as uneventful as the previous six. Weird, you say? Not if you knew my life.

For seven whole hours of bliss, I sat in tranquility, listening to my MP3 player. Just as I was about to declare this the best ride ever, the door slid open and I almost groaned. All I wanted was some peace! I turned towards the intruder. Marcus Flint, stood in the doorway, smirking for all he was worth.

"Get out Flint or you'll be smiling back with no teeth." I looked away, towards the scenery outside.

"Easy there, Thea… since when we were no longer on first-name terms?" He plopped onto the couch-like bench.

I snorted, then grinned cheekily at him. "Flint, we were never on first-name terms."

"Ouch." He touched the spot where his heart was, feigning hurt. I only rolled my eyes. I didn't mind Flint too much; he didn't offend me by trying to sweet-talk me, at least in reality, and in return I didn't insult him too badly when I was in facing off the other Slytherins.

"What do you want?" I asked, irritably.

"Just accompanying me boy Adrian. He wants to have a little chat with you." He made himself comfortable in his seat across from me, closing his eyes.

"Adrian?" I echoed, looking around for him. "Where is he?"

"Buying some Chocolate Frogs and the like." Flint answered.

I eyed him warily. "You aren't going to be sitting there forever, are you?"

"Nope." Flint replied, still not opening his eyes.

The door slid open for the second time and in came Adrian Pucey. He was perhaps, one of the better-looking Slytherins with dark brown hair, high cheekbones and gray stormy eyes. Just like me, he is a pureblood though we secretly know that I am a blood traitor, having no regard for those prejudiced views. Only him and Flint knew I wasn't the half-blood I claimed to be among the masses in Hogwarts. For that, I took whatever crappy offense the Slytherins threw at me with the pride that I was, in fact, a pureblood, so much better than whatever they were declaring to be. Adrian told me there were a few Muggle-borns in Slytherin itself and I almost burst out laughing at the irony of it. Imagine insulting someone for being a half-blood or a Muggle-born when you were one yourself.

We share a lot of things in common as well. For instance, we were betrothed while we were infants. In specifics, to each other.

It's not really that bad actually… our fathers knew one another and we often met one another when my parents visited his and vice-versa. We became good friends… well, that is until I was sorted into Gryffindor and him into Slytherin. That was when the drifting apart started. I guess I can't blame him all that much. He was growing up after all, as was I and we belonged to different Houses which happened to hate each other, no less. Then, for some reason after a project we were assigned to together in Charms, we became friends again and everything was dandy.

The only person who knew about our betrothal, aside from our parents, was Marcus Flint, which is why I tolerate him. A Gryffindor betrothed to a Slytherin; outrageous was the word for it. I remember when my parents found out; the Puceys almost annulled the engagement and I was almost happy. Until my father sweet-talked me back into their good graces.

"Hey, Thea." He grinned at me. I grinned back and he tossed me a Chocolate Frog. He threw one at Flint but since his eyes were closed and he was leaning back, he didn't see the small octagon-sized box coming at him, squarely hitting him on the nose.

"Oi, watch it you!" He rubbed his nose, grabbing the box, which had bounced, onto his lap.

Adrian just shook his head and closed the door, sitting beside me and placing all his purchases in the space between us.

"So Addy, what's been happening?" I asked as I decapitated the squirming chocolate frog, biting its head right off. "Flint told me you wanted to have a little chat."

"Did he now?" Adrian glared at Flint who suddenly seemed to appreciate the greenery outside. Then, he turned back to me. "Just wanted to ask how your summer was."

"Oh-kay…" I said slowly, not really knowing what was going on. "And what triggers your sudden concern, may I ask?" It was not a question. He squirmed under my gaze, which turned into a full-on glare. "Adrian…" My tone was low, yet the threat in it was obvious. Even Flint had the sense to keep on 'admiring' the countryside.

"Well… as you know… when we graduate, we're going to have to get…" He seemed unable to complete his sentence.

"Hitched?" Flint suggested, but turned away again when Adrian turned a glare on the Quidditch Captain.

"Yes." Adrian gritted his teeth. "Hitched."

I almost laughed in relief. "Oh, what are you worried about?" I exclaimed, causing him to look up at me in surprise. "I mean we've probably got years, maybe decades to worry 'bout that."

He gave me a look, one that said that I didn't know what was really happening, and one that I didn't like. "What?"

"Don't you know?" He asked. When my face remained blank, he sighed in frustration. "Thea, once we graduate, that's it. You and me. Husband and wife till death do us part and all that jazz."

I opened and closed my mouth thrice, trying to find words that I couldn't speak. "B-but… t-they c-can't do that… I mean we're seventeen for Merlin's sake!"

"Your mum's already sent your clothes to the Mansion." Adrian said quietly.

Traitor! The word flashed in my mind dangerously.

"But Adrian… I… I have… dreams. Hopes I have to fulfill before…" I stuttered. Suddenly, I wasn't looking forward to my last year anymore.

"I know. And I'm sorry… but we're not in charge here."

I fought back tears. It wasn't fair! Here I was with what seemed like barely months to enjoy Hogwarts one last time… and if I did survive graduation then…

I sighed. "Yeah, well… since when have pureblooded people's lives been in their control?"

He forced out a laugh. "Oh, cut it off, both of you…" Flint suddenly exclaimed. "Pucey, I dunno what you're complaining about; you've got a nice young thing here promised to you. Zie—I mean, Cole… now Adrian may not. be the best Quidditch player, but you know he's the Quidditch player with the best arse."

I laughed as Adrian cast a funny look at Flint. He really did know how to lift people's spirits that Flint did. It was a side of him, which only Adrian and me got to see; otherwise, he was known as the meanest Quidditch Captain in Hogwarts.

"Best arse, Flint?"

"Shut up, Pucey. I was trying to win the girl for you and you know it."

"Didn't know you swung that way…"

"Pucey, keep talking and you'll sport matching black eyes during your wedding."

"Oh stop it, you two!" I covered my mouth with one hand to try to stop the giggling.

"Well, look at the girl now… she's all giggles." Flint smirked.

"Stop flirting with my fiancée, Flint." Adrian mockingly told off his Captain.

I became quiet. Fiancée. In ten months, I would no longer be Dorothea Elizabeth Cole-Ziegler. Mrs. Adrian Pucey. Dorothea Pucey. I wasn't so sure about it.

"Thea?" Adrian asked gently. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm?" I was about to tell him that I was fine when the train suddenly jolted to a stop. The lights flickered, then went out completely. Then, I felt it. The chill. It became so alarmingly cold in the compartment. My breaths were coming out in small cloud-like mists and I could see Adrian and Flint's too. What was happening? A shadow seemed to pass on the other side of the door and I felt my heart beat a thousand times faster. Then it passed. The train, after a moment, started again on it's journey. The lights came back on and warmth gradually seeped back into the compartment.

I still felt cold; I was shivering in fact. Adrian noticed this but as he didn't have a cloak on him, had nothing to help me warm up.

To my surprise, he leaned over, wrapped me in his arms and pulled me towards him, letting me lean on his chest. I squirmed slightly at first, unused to this kind of intimacy although we were friends but his body warmth helped a lot so I settled in.

"Aww… look at the two of you." Flint just couldn't seem to shut up! "All lovey-dovey. I swear it was yesterday when you were this small." He held up a hand and leveled it with his knee. "And then you turn back and they'll all grown up."

Simultaneously, Adrian and me reached for some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and threw a handful at Flint who raised his hands in defense. Flint needed some lessons in silence… if only they had a course in it like they did for Squibs trying to learn magic…

A/N: This is rather AU… for once I am tired of having to squeeze my brain to fit in OCs into the universe; I tried to squeeze Charmed into a Covenant story but my perfectionist thinking banned me from doing so and since there's a lot of AUs in this category, I might as well write one too. Please review on this chapter.