...

All things considered, Daphne had definitely missed the castle. Oh she loved her family, her parents, sister with all her heart! Curses to anyone that considered otherwise! ...But still, she's known them all her life, and only recently started getting to know those in Hogwarts so she could hardly be blamed for been a tad bored at home, which is why she'd returned a week earlier than the end of the Yule holidays, though of course after their Christmas Eve- She wouldn't miss spending that with her sister for the world!

Getting off the train, she was somewhat surprised to see Tracey and Rodrick waiting for her-

What was wrong with Rodrick?

Tracey looked as bubbly in expression as her personality as ever and while Rodrick was somewhat subdued as a person... This was taking it to a new level.

He looked downright depressed!

"Daph-" Tracey's call was promptly cut off as she watched something flash through Rodrick's eyes, the boy immediately walking past the redhead, and to her complete surprise, promptly put both of his hands on her shoulders!

"You're back..." He whispered, almost hauntingly. "You're finally back!" His expression practically lit up.

She blinked a few times at the reaction, watching as Rodrick seemed to notice his hands and promptly pull away.

"Uh... Yes?" She remarked, an amused smile on her face. "Are you ok-"

"She's your problem now!" Rodrick continued, an excited tone to his voice. "I am finally free!" The usually calm boy practically punched both hands into the air, genuine delight in his voice.

...What the hell had she missed!?

Turning towards Tracey, she found the girl twitching at the reaction.

"...What did I miss?" She pointed the question towards her best friend, given Rodrick was clearly not in the right state of mind. Yet, he was the one that answered.

"What happened?" He questioned humourlessly as his hands dropped to the side. "Tracey happened!"

When the boy failed to clarify more, she turned a bemused look towards the redhead.

"...I may have introduced him to fun." A single beat passed. "He didn't like it."

"Fun!" Rodrick echoed out, not giving her a chance to reply. "Fun she says! Three bloody weeks of constant warring with Gryffindors because the Headmaster, in his infinite wisdom, decided to make everyone eat at the same table!" He haphazardly pointed an accusing finger towards the redhead. "And when the food fights got boring, she decides to introduce everyone to water balloons!"

Oh dear.

"Oh but that's not enough!" Rodrick continued, practically manic. "No, when I am not busy trying to keep her out of trouble, she's busy trying to introduce me to every. Bloody. Game in existence!" Another beat passed. "Forty muggle games! Fifty seven magical games!" Rodrick had both of his hands opened out before him, as if his fingers represented the double digit numbers.

Tracey had somehow broken him it seemed.

"And don't get me started on the whining! She couldn't win a single bloody match in any of them! And blamed me for it!" His hands now cupped his own face. "Three bloody weeks Daphne! Three bloody weeks since I opened up a goddamn textbook!"

She was visibly sweating as she stared at the unhinged boy, while Tracey was trying and failing to whistle innocently behind him.

His hands rapidly snaked their way onto her shoulders again.

"But now you're back! And she's officially your problem again!" Rodrick grinned, showcasing a set of white pearls she hadn't noticed before. He dropped his hands again, now looking at the ground almost in a daze. "I am freeeee..."

And without wasting a beat, she watched as the boy turned on the spot and made his way back to the castle.

"...So, how was your holiday?" Tracey deadpanned towards her, entirely unashamed of having broken Slytherin's resident genius.

"Tracey," She started off calmly as she stared at her friend. "When did he start acting like... That?"

The girl raised a finger to scratch at her cheek.

"About a week ago." A single beat passed. "It was after Granger came back."

She tilted her head at that.

Hermione? What did she-

"She asked him a question about a topic I think we we're supposed to learn later? And he didn't have an answer." Another beat passed. "He didn't know the answer."

...That's it? That's all it took!?

"...Wait... When he started acting... Unhinged." The redhead had the decency to flinch at the word. "Did you atleast... I don't know... Stop with the games?"

"Weelll... I mean, I would've but with Hermione back, we had three people so..." The girl remarked sheepishly. "Three player games you know?"

"...Tracey..." She let out a sigh. "Did you unhinge Hermione Granger as well?"

"...In my defence, it wasn't the games that broke her!" The girl deadpanned. "It was the amount of homework I'd finished. And she wasn't even close to as bad as him!"

"...And how much-"

"None of it."

"I see." A single beat passed as the two stared at each other before falling into a fit of giggles. "I think we need to take them to the library for the next week or so at the very least!" She couldn't help the words.

They definitely couldn't find out she hadn't done any of her homework either.

...

Small slice of life update to help indicate the end of the Christmas holidays! Next update should stat continuing the plot once again!

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