Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, as it is the property of the very talented JKR
Behind the Exterior
Cormac McLaggen sat on his bed in his dormitory; he ran a hand through his hair nervously and sighed, resigned to his thoughts.
After sitting there a while he told himself he couldn't stay in his room for days on end, and left the room, sauntering into the common room and on seeing it full leaving.
He walked through the castle and soon found himself near the outskirts of the quiddith pitch. There was something oddly comforting about the quidditch pitch - perhaps the fact that most of his time on the qudditch pitch was filled with sucess, and so if he was on the quidditch pitch, nothing bad could happen.
He'd walked around twice before he noticed that he wasn't the only person in the area.
' Cormac? ' called Stara Holmes - a Ravenclaw student of the same age, who was a reserve for the Ravenclaw quidditch team.
Cormac stopped walking so that she catch up with him.
She smiled as she reached his side,' I thought it was you - out here on your own? '
He shrugged,' I could ask you the same question.'
It was her turn to shrug,' Just fancied a walk - my two best friends have just decided that they love each other, so I feel like a gooseberry now. '
He nodded but was barely listening and began walking again without aim or purpose. She walked beside him and also had little to say - they didn't know each other especially well, as being in Ravenclaw and Gryffindor meant that they had no lessons together. The only time they spoke was when they passed in the corridor, and then it was only a brief hello.
' How are you, anyway? ' asked Stara,' you seem very far away - thinking of something important? '
Cormac offered her a brief smile,' I'm sure it's nothing you'd want to be bothered with. '
' Are you - '
' Stara, just leave it,' he said shortly. After a moment he shook his head and said,' God, I'm sorry - that was quite rude, wasn't it? It's just . . . . ' he sighed,' today is the anniversary of the day my little brother went missing. '
Stara's mouth fell open a little,' Oh no, that's awful. I didn't even know you had a brother. '
He stopped walking, and ran a hand through his hair again a couple of times,' It was years ago,' the 7th year told her,' my brother was - is - two years younger than me. But he disappeared 6 years ago - I was 11, and he was 9. They - the muggle police, and the ministry - don't know what happened. They've given up looking. It's unlikely he'll ever be found. '
When he finished speaking he swallowed hard and tried not to give away the emotion in his face.
' Hey,' Stara said, laying a hand on his upper arm,' it's OK, you know. It's a big thing for anyone to deal with, let alone a teenager who lives away from his family for most of the year. '
Cormac closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose,' I just still don't know how to deal with it and how to cope with it. And there's no-one I can talk to, and - and - '
He broke off, as his voice was in danger of cracking.
Stara frowned and rubbed his arm soothingly,' Look, if you ever want anyone to talk to, then you can come to me. I'm not a bad listener, you know. '
And though they barely knew each other, Cormac and Stara became closer - Cormac found that she really was a good listener, and he felt at ease after telling her all. Stara was suprised to find out that there was a softer, more vunerable side to the wizard whom everyone thought was a conceited show-off.
And several years later, Stara McLaggen held her first born child in her arms and looked up at her husband.
' D'you have a name for him? ' asked the midwife.
' What was your brother called, again? ' Stara asked Cormac with a smile.