Pranking hearts

It has already been a week of Harry being with the Weasleys. He has stopped Rhea on a few occasions to talk to her as he was confused about a few things regarding life in the Weasley household. What saddened Rhea the most was the fact that Harry seemed to be entirely stunned by the fact that everyone here seemed to like him. At that moment she had the urge to go to his uncle and aunt and hex them hard.

At that moment she felt as if she had jumped back into her first year. When she felt quite alone with only just her uncle as the source of affection. How the Weasleys changed her whole point of view on the world. How she fully opened up after the holiday she spent with them. So she believes that if anyone can help Harry to feel welcomed and loved it sure would be the Weasleys.

One morning Rhea was sitting next to Ginny during breakfast. The girl had to fight with her two older brothers to win the Black girl for herself. So it was no wonder Fred and George sat opposite to them frowning in Ginny's direction every time they had the chance. Once Harry and Ron had finally trudged down the stairs, Ron still looking half asleep as they made their way to the breakfast. Once Ginny noticed Harry's appearance in the room she had gained the, for her unnatural, trait of clumsiness. Not so gracefully knocking over her bowl of porridge which landed on the ground, slightly splashing Rhea's jeans as it went falling.

"Merlin, I'm so sorry," The ginger said quickly, apologising to the older blonde who just shrugged it off with a smile. Ginny seemed very prone to knocking things over whenever Harry entered a room. And it usually ended up somehow involving Rhea as she was always present during these accidents. She dived under the table to retrieve the bowl and emerged with her face glowing like the setting sun. Harry sat down on the other side of Rhea, opting to rather ignore the weird behaviour of the Weasley girl.

"Letters from school," said Mr Weasley, passing Harry and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows you're here, Harry doesn't miss a trick, that man. You three have got them, too," he added, handing the three envelopes to the pranking trio. Rhea smiled kindly at the man while taking the yellowish envelope from his hands.

She carefully opened it. Already knowing what to expect from the letter. The usual coordinates as to when and where the train will be and what to bring and buy in Diagon Alley for this year. What confused Rhea was the fact that every single book seemed to be written by Gilderoy Lockhart. A wizard who seemed to be appearing in every single newspaper of the magical world. He was everywhere and seemed far too stuck up and cocky for Rhea's liking.

Sure what he was writing about was far beyond amazing but to think that someone who looked like Lockhart would be able to do all of that sounded like a phantasmagory to the Black girl. But she was trying to keep her mouth shut as Mrs Weasley was quite a fan of the seemingly good-looking man. She finished reading through the letter with a displeased look on her face. If someone was to teach from all these books she was sure it would not be very educational.

Out of nowhere, her letter was snatched out of her hands by Fred. He brought it closer to him scanning it through with his eyes. One of his hands held his letter and the other Rhea's. A frown rested upon his face when he noticed that there was no significant difference between the two letters.

"You've got all books from Lockhart as well? Was hoping it was just a mistake in my letter." He said sourly, handing Rhea back her letter. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan, bet it's a witch." Fred chuckled at the end. Not expecting to be hit by a toast in the face for that comment by Rhea.

"Shut it," Rhea muttered, glaring at her friend as she slowly turned back to her letter.

"That lot won't come cheap," George mumbled uneasily, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive..." He confessed his worries.

Rhea felt quite saddened that a kind family like Weasleys had to be so strapped for money and struggle with affording school supplies for their kids. If there would be any justice in the world they would not be struggling as much. For how kind they were it wasn't fair at all that they were living in fear of what they would be able to afford.

But it never stopped to amaze Rhea how Mrs and Mr Weasley handled everything that came their way with smiles on their face. They never let their kids see how they were struggling with money. Even though their kids were very aware of that but not thanks to their parents ever letting it known to them.

"We'll manage." Mrs Weasley assured her son with a kind smile. "There's only one place we're going to get all of this. Diagon Alley." She said even more cheerful as her eyes sparkled with joy. The kids look at each other all of them quite excited to go to Diagon Alley again.

***

"Oi Rhea, stop the sulking," Fred said once the train to Hogwarts took off from the station. They were just in time. The train was already about to leave when they arrived as they were quite late. Luckily all of them made it. At least that is what Rhea and the twins thought. Now they were sitting in their compartment with their friends. All of them are excited about the new year. But Rhea was pouting slightly.

Katie got a new owl from her parents for her birthday. Rhea maybe wasn't too big on owls she just didn't enjoy the flapping of their wings and the constant feathery mess that made her want to sneeze. But she still wanted some sort of pet. Too bad her uncle didn't yet find it the right time to gift his goddaughter with her dream animal. His main go-to excuse was that he didn't feel like Rhea was ready for such responsibility yet.

Might be because Rhea was particularly interested in quite rare animals and beasts that no one knew much about. Her main interest is in Nifflers or Crups. All of them were quite furry and not exactly something that Remus would want running through his house all Summer.

"I can't help it. I asked him so many times and he won't even get me a ruddy rat." Rhea muttered, folding her arms over her chest, and sinking more into her seat with a huff. Fred and George shared a look. They have been hearing Rhea complain about her current inconvenience with getting a pet of her desire and they were growing quite sick of it. They have considered gifting her with a garden gnome to shut her up but with Rhea's huge hatred towards the creatures that did not go well.

They even went as far as trying to make a pet for her. Taking a huge ball of fluffy cotton and spraying it with purple colour. They called it a Puffball. But even if it was cute and Rhea would give them an O for effort, it still wasn't a real animal that she could pet and that would accompany her when she is home during the full moon and she has to listen to Remus' agonising change.

It isn't the easiest time for her. Listening to her uncle who is obviously in pain down in the basement. Knowing that she can't help him in any way. If she tried she would just get hurt. The sounds of his painful wails hunting her at night. And she just wants someone to be there with her through all of that. Someone that isn't just a ball of cotton.

No one had anything to say for a while. Letting Rhea's bad mood sink in by itself. The most efficient way. If they would just pester her and tell her that it's nothing to fuss about she would just get irrationally angry at them. So leaving the girl to let it absorb it all was the wisest idea they had.

After the long silence was done and Rhea looked more at ease Lee couldn't help but ask the important question that has been nagging in his brain since his cousin visited him this Summer, he is a friend of Charlie's, working with dragons in Romania.

"Hey, I have a question." Lee started, leaning a bit forward capturing the attention of his friends. Every eye was now on him. Expecting what a mind-wrecking question he had in mind. "If a dragon says he wants to eat you...what would you do?" The compartment grew quiet after the question left his mouth. Lee stared at his friends expectantly. One of his dreadlocks fell into his face so he quickly pushed it away so it won't shield his view.

"Lee over here, asking important questions." Alicia was the first one to speak. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head at the seemingly absurd question.

"I'd run..." Katie voiced her opinion with a shrug.

"Mhm, and the dragon would just float over you and grab you without you even noticing you are no longer running on the ground," Angelina said back pointing to Katie as if to say that her idea would not help her in any way. "Anyway, dragons can't talk." She said matter of factly.

"I'd set off some fireworks...it might distract him," George suggested, pulling out the small box with pocket-sized fireworks that he carries around with him just in case. Fred snorted at his brother's answer, finding it more than absurd.

"Sure, if you want to anger the thing even more with the noise." Fred snapped shaking his head. "Should be listening to Charlie more."

"Oi bugger off mate," George said back with a frown.

"What would you do then Fred?" Angelina asked looking over at the older ginger smirking at him teasingly. Already thinking that what Fred would say won't be correct.

"I'd offer it a banana," Fred explains nonchalantly. Before any of them could oppose or in Lee and George's case burst into fits of laughter he held up his hand and continued explaining. "You see whenever Georgie and I come snooping into the kitchen for something sweet to eat for snack and our mother catches us, she usually scolds us for wanting to eat sweets before dinner. But she also gives us a banana and sends us on our merry way. So that's what I'd do." Fred explained.

"Yeah, she does that." George agreed with his brother, with short gentle nods of his head.

"You'd give a giant, fire-spitting dragon, that wants to eat you a banana and you think that would work?" Angelina asked sceptically, tilting her head to the side as she just stared at the confident twin.

"Well, yes. I mean...it works for our mum..."

"Your mum uses it on the two of you...not on a hungry dragon." Alicia voiced her opinion, bumping into Katie who sat next to her.

"A different kind of beast," Lee muttered jokingly earning a laugh from the other people in the compartment. It was true. When Fred and George were hungry they could be compared to beasts. The amount of pranking and snappy jokes just multiply and they get a tad bit offensive at times. That's why the Weasley twins shall remain fed because otherwise, someone might break into tears.

The ridiculous conversation between the people in the group continued. Laughs were echoing through the whole wagon So even the students in the other compartments could hear how much fun they were having. Fred and George were trying extra hard to be heard all the way to the prefects' compartment where their brother Percy was.

"I'm gonna go change," Rhea announced after the laughing and chatter calmed down for a second. She stood up from her seat and grabbed her backpack where she had her uniform prepared. With one last look sent towards her friends, she stepped out into the corridor and started walking down the corridor towards the little bathroom at the end of it.

Once she changed, of course not forgetting to curse at the uncomfortable feeling the school skirt was giving her she let her tie hand loose around her neck, not feeling like tying it up properly yet. She exited the bathroom letting the other girl in. She was walking back to her compartment when she passed by an almost empty compartment where Hermione and Ginny were sitting. Hermione had her nose buried in a book that she was reading while Ginny seemed quite bored. Just looking out of the window at the scenery that the train was quickly passing.

Rhea couldn't help but notice the lack of boys in this compartment. She would have guessed that Harry and Ron would be here with them but those two were nowhere to be seen. Last year Fred and George at least made sure that Ron was safely on the train while Ron seems to be ignoring his younger sister. Opening the compartment doors swiftly, Rhea stepped inside, smiling at the two girls.

"Hey ladies, how is it going." Ginny immediately shot up from her seat and attacked Rhea with a hug. Glad to see someone who can speak with her. Hermione just lifted her head from the book and sent the older Gryffindor a smile.

"Hi, Rhea." After her greeting Hermione turned back to her book, letting Ginny and Rhea hug each other. Rhea smiled down at the ginger caressing her soft hair.

"Where's your brother?" Rhea asked curiously once Ginny's grip on her loosened a bit. The smaller girl just pulled away from her with a shrug.

"We don't know, didn't see him board the train, same with Harry," Ginny confessed. She was slightly worried that one of her brothers was left behind at the station along with the boy who lived.

"What happens if you don't board the train?" Hermione asked, closing her book. Suddenly becoming interested in the talk since it was revolving around her best friends. And what would she do if the two of them wouldn't be coming to Hogwarts this year? She was expecting an answer from the older witch but honestly, Rhea never had to face anything like that. There wasn't yet no one who would miss the train or anything like that. Whoever wanted to go to school always boarded it on time. So this was quite a strange situation for Rhea.

"Um, I'm not sure." She muttered, not intending to freak the two girls out. But noticing that her not so sure answer got the girls in doubt she quickly fixed it with a mild cover-up. "But I am sure those two are here somewhere. Maybe they are with Seamus, Dean and Neville or something," Rhea said, pushing in a cheery tone and a smile to assure the two younger students.

Hermione was of course sceptical about what Rhea was saying but she chose to not point it out to not frighten Ginny before her first year even started properly. She just nodded and gave Ginny a reassuring look.

"Would you like to know something more about Hogwart's history?" Hermione offered to the ginger who looked over at Rhea, seeing the older girl nod Ginny sighed and turned to Hermione.

"Um, sure."

"Great," Hermione cheered, immediately diving for her bag where she carried all her important books. Rhea chuckled at the pouting face Ginny pulled off and she turned to leave before stopping at the door.

"Oh, you girls should go change soon, we might be getting to Hogwarts in no time," She advised the two girls, not even knowing if they were paying attention as Hermione was already listing through her book and talking to Ginny about all the things that she found fascinating. Rhea was sure that Hermione will talk Ginny's ear off but at least they wouldn't be overthinking things. While Rhea will be stressing over where the two boys could be.