"It's been a week now," said Nicolai, flipping through her book whilst talking to Florence, who was just as engrossed in her studies, "You have History of Magic four times a week... And you've managed to avoid Fred every single time?"

Florence looked up from her book, "I don't avoid him. I just prefer not to interact with him."

"Sounds just the same to me," Nicolai huffed, "Honestly, when are you going to talk to him? This is getting ridiculous, Flo. He's sorry and he only wants you to start acknowledging his presence again."

"In overly excessive manners, I might add," Florence scoffed, turning a page on her book, "He doesn't have to be so obnoxious about it..."

Fred Weasley had been nothing but excessively obnoxious on their first week back. He often wrote notes to Florence on the chalkboard before classes started, and she would have to get up and erase it herself.

With the obvious help of George and Lee Jordan, he had somehow managed to spell out 'I'm sorry' with a huge amount of chicken wings and a gigantic silver platter, and was served on the Ravenclaw table during dinner.

Nicolai wished that George still talked to her, so she could atleast know what they were up to. But there she was, trying to figure out her best mate's complex mindset, and slightly judging her for it.

"He did try the non obnoxious strategy... When he talked to you during the world cup. But did it work out for him? Not at all. Maybe that's what drove him to resort to extreme gestures, hoping you'd appreciate the effort." Nicolai told Florence.

"I sure don't appreciate getting embarrassed by his publicity."

"Is there ever, ever a chance to get you to talk to him again.

"Look," Florence sighed, "I have a lot of work on my plate right now," she glanced over at the clock, "And I need to get to fifth period. What time does your start?"

"Not until another hour."

"Alright, well, can we please just talk about this later at the commons?" she asked, in an urgent manner as she started shoving all her books into her book bag.

"Fine," grumbled Nicolai, watching her friend wave at her before exiting the library. It wasn't until Florence was completely out of eyeshot that she stood up, and made her way to the bookshelves at the far back.

Where Fred and George were waiting patiently, the two sitting down on the floor and looming over a small object.

"Did you hear all that?" Nicolai asked them, returning one of the plastic, ear-like object.

"Only bits and pieces," said Fred, annoyed that their invention still did not function the way they wanted it to.

"So it really does work," said Nicolai, greatly impressed, "What do you call them?"

"Extendable Ears! Authentically a Weasley product ofcourse. First of it's kind, ever, in the wizarding world" said George merrily, "Although we need to work on a few kinks with the hearing part. Perhaps we shouldn't have made them wireless... The charms we use clashes with other surrounding magic that makes the reception unclear."

"Yes but joining them together with a wire makes it's function limited to closer ranges only." interjected Fred.

"Well these are just prank toys, Freddie, not muggle spy stuff."

"You two!" said Nicolai to catch their attention, as the two almost forgot that the brunette was still standing there, "So? Did you hear all that, Fred? Well, atleast the important bits and pieces."

He shrugged, "I thought she'd atleast have liked the chicken wings gesture."

"But that was still really good chicken wings, I'll give you that," she chuckled, "Why don't you try talking to her again?" She suggested, Fred looking deep in thought.

"Well, from the way she was talking, it was clear that she just wanted to avoid the topic forever."

"But... you see, Fred, George, this is how the situation really is." Nicolai began, sitting down on the floor with them, "Ravenclaws are stubborn—"

"Yeah, and the whomping willow is dangerous," snorted George, "Tell us something we don't know, Clearwater."

"I would if you just shut your mouth and let me talk first," she retorted, silencing the redhead. "Okay, now. As I was saying, Ravenclaws are stubborn as hell. And yes, it takes one to know one."

"My point is I know that Florence really wants to talk to you already, but what's preventing her from doing so is her stubbornness. She refuses to admit that she's being petty. You hurt her feelings—"

Fred was about to interject, had Nicolai not flashed him a warning glare.

"And this is sort of her way to get back at you passive-aggressively." Nicolai finished, the two looking like they were still in the middle of processing everything.

"So it's like," George pipped up, "You think I'm attractive, but I call you shorty so there for you try to get back at me passive-aggressively by never admitting what you feel?"

"Exactly—wait no!"

"Ha!" Clapped George, a childish grin on his face, "So you do think I'm attractive!"

"If that was just made an example then yes it's agreeable. But it's not like that for real!" she said vindictively, frowning.

"No, no, no take backs!"

"Damn you, Weasley..."

"Clearwater thinks I'm attractive, Clearwater thinks I'm attractive, Clearwater thinks I'm attra—"

There was a loud shushing sound that cut off George's celebratory chants, the three seeing Madame Pince, finger pressed against her own lips as she continued to shush the three.

"First and last warning. The next time you make me get off my seat to shut you three up, I'm banning you from the library," she said, glaring at them before disappearing out of eyeshot.

"Looks like someone's got her knickers in a twist today," chuckled Fred.

"Doesn't she always have twisted knickers?"

---------

Alexander had not seen Jillian all day long, even throughout classes that she was supposed to be in with him, which worried him. She wasn't one to skip classes without a valid reason.

Maybe she was sick, he concluded to himself, walking to the library to find that neither Nicolai nor Florence was there anymore. He huffed, wondering why people kept disappearing on him that day.

He decided to ask around the other Hufflepuffs that he saw down the hall, if any of them had seen Jillian anywhere. But he couldn't find any of her close friends, and so opted to ask random hufflepuffs.

"Excuse me," he said, approaching a girl with bright red hair, but she had not heard him call and continued to slip out of sight.

Alexander tried getting to her, but the amount of people in the hall prevented him from doing so faster. He had to mumble a lot of 'excuse me's and 'pardon me's as he accidentally bumped in to people's shoulders.

Until he had bumped into someone, hard, completely knocking down all of the things she carried in her arms. He immediately swooped down, gathering the papers that were scattered on the floor before other people were to step on it, Sketches—and beautiful ones—of brooms and Quidditch robes.

He stood back up, handing it to the stranger, whom he had immediately recognized to be Olivia Banks, another hufflepuff.

"Olivia," he said, not really sure what to call her as he had never really had the need to talk to her before. "I'm sorry... I was just in a hurry." he said awkwardly, handing her back the papers that she dropped because of him.

"It's fine, er, not really since I'm in a hurry. Thank you for stopping to help though." she said, excusing herself so that she could start walking back to her next class again.

"Wait," said Xander, making the hufflepuff stop in her tracks, "What is it?"

"Have you happened to see Jillian anywhere?" he asked, making Olivia snicker—one that did not sound all too friendly.

Wrong move Alexander's subconscious told him, as he had completely forgot that she probably hated Jillian because she used to date her brother.

"Dunno," she replied, after a few short seconds of silence, "Probably snogging a girl in the broom closet," she said, before resuming her walking,

He stood there dumbfounded, what did she mean by that?

"Xander!" called a familiar voice, whipping around to see Florence walking against the crowd's current to get to him. "There you are! I was looking all over for you. Where have you been?"

"Oh, I went to the library to look for you as well... and I was also asking around if anyone saw Jillian. I haven't seen her all day..."

"Now that you've mentioned it, I think I saw her brother pick her up from Dumbledore's office this morning. She might have went home for family matters or something."

"She didn't mention anything about it, though." He muttered, Florence casting him a sideway glance as they started towards their next period class.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it's nothing that big. Jillian will be fine..."

/////
a.n: HAPPY THANKSGIVING to my American readers! I'm such a shitty person because I promised to give you guys a double update that I was supposed to post...er...four days ago, and I'm four days late and not posting a double update, and also this is really short. Forgive me.

-Denise