When Isabella started Hogwarts, she had stayed in the shadows of her brothers willingly. Luckily for her, one of her brothers was in the same year as she was, making things much more comfortable. Unfortunately for her, her two older brothers were much more active and had ran off to wherever while she opted to stay away from all of the craziness. Of course, then she found herself almost running late for the train, much too distracted by listening to some older people discussing some up and coming Quidditch players. She remembered running onto the train and finding it rather packed, people bustling about everywhere making her rather uncomfortable. Not long after getting on the train, had she heard someone calling her over, offering for her to join his compartment. That had been the start of her friendship and she remembered feeling so glad that he was a Slytherin with her when her brothers were both in different houses. Now, she was just glad that their friendship had continued to grow, even if he went around dating all of the wrong girls and thinking he was better at Quidditch than she was. Everyone had their flaws, she supposed, smirking to herself.

This new girl he was dating just didn’t make sense to her in the slightest and she had attempted to bite her tongue on the subject. Though, she was never known to be someone who bit her tongue, often slipping with what her real thoughts were. Because of this, she was finding it almost suffocating to not given her opinion on the matter, even if it wasn’t asked. She would try, she supposed.

The wind felt absolutely wonderful today as Isabella found herself that no one else was outside flying in the beautiful weather. It was their loss. She pushed her broom to fly faster, feeling freed in the moment. In the air, every piece of drama that existed on the land was gone, the person left only to the judgment free air. “Don’t hate me because I’m clearly the better flier,” Isabella joked, laughing at her friend as she watched him pull her broom to a halt. “I don’t know, you seem to lose your touch when you’re dating clingy witches,” she shrugged casually, eyes twinkling in amusement. She really hoped that would cause him to ask her opinion so she could give it after much persuasion, not looking like she actually cared all that much. She flew her broom in a circle around him while she contemplated what they could do, all the while waiting for his response.

Roman wasn’t sure what he would do without his best friend. She really had been the glue that held him together all of these years. He loved her brothers, but they had always been the closest out of everyone which was probably why her family had always figured they would date. Truth be told they were just better as friends. Anything else would just complicate things and Merlin knew he didn’t need any more complications in his life. If things went south who else would fly around with him while he talked about things that he wouldn’t dream of telling anyone else? Not to mention how awkward would summers be at her family’s home when her brothers invited her over after a terrible break up. No he was absolutely not going to chance that.

He laughed loudly shaking his head when she said she was the better flier. ”Keep telling yourself that you bloody nutter.” He said with a roll of his eyes. She was quiet the good flier and he would venture to say that at times she could really give him a run for his money, though he would never say that out loud. Merlin knew she would never let him hear the end of it. He groaned as she slyly mentioned his new girlfriend. Yes she was quite a bit different than any other witch he got involved with but he still felt there was some good in her and maybe she just needed the right people in her life to figure it out. They had only been dating a month or so and he had absolutely no clue just where exactly it would go. He had to smirk as he realized what she was trying to get at. She had been quiet about the girl though he knew she was just waiting to explode into a rant of some sort. He figured they both could use the entertainment as he sighed dramatically rubbing the back of his neck. ”No Bella… tell me how you really feel about her.” He chuckled lightly.

Isabella was glad that she ran into her friend out here when there wasn’t his fan club around or whoever else of his friends that he had. She supposed people probably wondered how they got along so well when socially, they appeared slightly opposite. In reality, she was a lot like him, she just didn’t see the point in most friendships when they ended so quickly anyways. Because of this, she much preferred to keep to herself, though she didn’t hate people. They were fascinating…from afar. Besides, she had her brothers and Roman…both of which were quite the handful. Though, they also kept her sane and balanced, not that she would ever tell them that. It wasn’t like they had to talk about bloody emotions for them to exist; clearly, they all knew how important they were to her without her saying anything.

“All day, every day,” Isabella grinned in response, shrugging her shoulders cockily. If she had to choose, flying was definitely the activity that she enjoyed the most and had done the most often. It almost seemed like every Quidditch player loved flying, all of them coming to the conclusion just how freeing it could be. She bit her cheek to prevent the laughter at hearing his groan, knowing that she was about to gain her way in. He continuously dated all of the wrong girls, as irritating as that was. It was like blokes dated with bloody blinders on, seeing only a pretty face and nothing else. Apparently, she had to look out for all of her brothers and Roman as they continuously made stupid decision after stupid bloody decision. Idling her broom as she relaxed casually on her beloved stick, she shrugged her shoulders lightly. “Well, if you’re asking,” she grinned, sighing heavily as if it were a burden on her. “Break up immediately, you bloody fool,” she stated bluntly.

“Rumors exist for a bloody reason. What, is this a charity case of yours? Are you really this bored?” she asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction accusatorily. “She hates people. She hates…everything. She’s just going to bring you down, using you as a shag and for your ridiculous popularity. Though, I think the entire school is going crazy if you’re the one that they love,” she joked. “I thought you had higher standards,” she continued, sighing in a disappointing manner.

He sometimes felt that Bella could be a bit too on the harsh side when it came to girls he was dating, then again he didn’t do much better with guys that tried to get involved in her life. He wasn’t sure why that was though he chalked it up to just being protective of her. That’s what friends did; they looked out for the other’s best interest. It had been apparent that Bella didn’t like the blond the moment she saw him holding her hand in the halls. Hell he would venture to say that the moment he started spending time with Cecilia Bella got irked, convinced the girl was no good.

He chuckled when Bella began to speak telling him to break up with the Gryffindor. ”That bad, eh?” He asked with a shake of his head knowing his best friend wasn’t even close to being done. This was just the beginning and while he knew he would defend his girlfriend the way Bella delivered opinions was too amusing not to let her have a go at it. ”Charity case? I wouldn’t say that. She is an okay person she just needs to learn how to be more… social I guess is the word I’m looking for. And maybe I am bored because you’re never bloody around.” He joked before rolling his eyes. ”But seriously you think this is about boredom and I can promise you it’s not.” He added arching an eyebrow at her.

”She does not hate everything she just doesn’t know how to really enjoy people as a whole. Though the shagging thing does occasionally cross my mind.” He said honestly. It was strange the way she clung to him in public, but maybe she just needed someone to care about her and that was her way of getting it. ”Hey I am loveable… and damn good looking. You should feel lucky that I even grace you with my presence.” He dead panned before smiling widely at his friend. ”Like the guys you get involved with are any better. He added sarcastically giving her a look.

Isabella never approved of any girl that any of her brothers or close male friends had found themselves interested in. After spending years in a girl’s dormitory and because she was a bloody girl herself, she knew what was on their minds. Although she hadn’t had many friends, she did have two ears that worked really well, hearing all of the gossip that passed through the lips of her roommates. After many years, she decided that dating shouldn’t even be a thing until one graduated school as clearly everyone was simply too immature to even try. A lot of the girls at this school seemed to be about the Quidditch players, wanting to get in the ridiculous popularity circle that came with dating a good player in the hopes that they would one day become a professional Quidditch player. It was despicable and annoying and she always found herself growing a bit cocky when the relationships she claimed would fail actually did.

“They’re all bad. What’s so wrong with being single, eh?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him. “Well, that’s unfair of you to expect of her if she isn’t social,” Isabella countered, surprised that she was even defending the girl on that point. “If she wants to be unsocial, that’s her decision. If you want someone more social, go date someone more social,” she explained, rolling her eyes. “Oi, don’t blame me. I’m always around…hiding from you,” she shrugged jokingly. “Not about boredom? Fine, go shag someone else who isn’t just dating you for your bloody name,” she stated, giving him a look, smirking slightly. “You know, one of these days you’ll realize I’ve been right about every girl you’ve ever dated and actually…oh, I don’t know…maybe you’ll listen to me?” she inquired, shaking her head.

“Whatever gets you through the day, Rudolphi,” she shrugged. “I won’t bring down your only means of confidence,” she joked, laughing lightly. “Oh, I feel so lucky it’s ridiculous. So lucky, I just want to leave and bask in my luck.” Isabella quirked an eyebrow at his next statement, giving him a look. She had never dated in her life, not really seeing the point. Though, it wasn’t like blokes were necessarily asking her out, not that she had noticed anyways. So if apparently she was involved with anyone, she wasn’t even aware of it. “I don’t know what beans you’re eating, but please, name to me the guys I’ve ever gotten involved with?” she asked, amused.

He knew this was coming and it was amusing, but sometimes it was a little irksome that she seemed to dislike any girl that even attempted to get his attention. He guessed he did a good bit of the same, but he wasn’t completely convinced on that she really understood exactly what goes through a blokes brain at any given moment. Teenage boys were not well known for their clean thoughts. He would be a hypocrite to say he had never had off-color thoughts about girls on occasion though it didn’t happen as often as his peers, at least from what he heard it wasn’t.

”I never said there was anything wrong with being single. As a matter of fact, I believe up until a month ago I had been single for almost an entire year. You act as if I bounce from one girl to another.” He said with a roll of his eyes. He did have periods where he may date a few girls in the course of a year, but he had calmed down a bit. His eyebrows rose as he heard, what he thought was Bella defending his girlfriend in her own odd little way. ”She’s had it rough, and has used her uh… less than desirable personality as a means to keep others away. She’s trying.” He said not wanting to say anything really about Cecilia’s home life, or what she had told him of it since he knew it was a sensitive subject. He laughed at her next comment before narrowing his eyes slightly. ”It’s nice to know you think all I ever look for his a shag.” He said crossing his arms. He knew she probably didn’t mean it that way, but it had rubbed him the wrong way. ”Maybe.” He said curtly as she said that maybe one day he would listen to her.

It was almost impossible for him to stay angry at his best friend for longer than a few minutes as her next comment made him laugh. ”Please, you bring down my confidence? Now that is funny.” He said with a chuckle that quickly turned into loud laughter at her ‘basking’ comment. ” I know it must be overwhelming with all the luck you have from me. It’s okay… I promise you aren’t alone.” He teased patting her shoulder as if to comfort her. He arched an eyebrow at his friend. ”Any bloke that tries to get really close to you has some kind of agenda. You don’t want to know the amount of blokes that have made a comment about you that I’ve had to set straight.” He said giving her a look as if she should already know that information.

Roman had been her only friend for a long time and she found that she was protective of him and judged every girl he ever dated. Of course, in her personal opinion, no one their age should be dating anyways as the relationships never lasted and it just sounded like a waste of time. If something was bound to fail, why even put forth the effort? At least, that was Isabella’s perspective. She would much rather spend her time on things that were bound to make a difference…like playing Quidditch or football. Dating just got in the way of other things that were more fascinating.

Isabella grumbled to herself at his response, rolling her eyes dismissively. It all seemed so pointless to date even one person, when they were simply going to break up anyways. “There is nothing good that can come out of dating right now,” she stated, firmly holding to her belief. She definitely would not be wasting her time with such nonsense. “Less than desirable personality…that’s quite a way to put it,” she grinned, shaking her head. It almost sounded as if Roman thought that the girl would change, which was absolutely ridiculous. People shouldn’t expect something like that of anyone.”Oi, you know that’s not what I meant, you wanker,” she stated, giving him an incredulous look. “I’m just saying you probably have other options,” she shrugged. Isabella hadn’t meant to insult him, but he knew her well enough to know that her mouth spoke before her brain phrased things, making certain things come out the wrong way.

She grinned as she heard him laugh, feeling successful since he was no longer mad at her. At least, for the moment, anyways. “How did I ever manage to get you to never leave me alone?” she complained jokingly, rolling her eyes. “Not alone? Who are you cheating on your best friend with?” she asked, raising her eyebrows at him defensively. “Wow, thank you for thinking that no one could possibly actually like me. Feels real good,” she replied, giving him a look. “The amount of blokes?” she asked, giving him a doubtful look. “Now I know you’re just exaggerating…and you should just let me deal with them and make my own choices,” she stated defensively, hating when her own brothers stepped in as well. She could handle herself, she thought to herself stubbornly.

Roman rolled his eyes at his friend as she said that nothing good could come from dating. He knew her views on dating though he thought she was being ridiculous about things. It wasn’t like dating was going to get him into serious trouble. It was all in fun. ”I will never understand your logic. There is nothing wrong with going out on a few dates here and there.” He said with a shake of his head. Why his best friend had such an issue with him dating was lost on him. It wasn’t like he dated complete psychos. Sure his current girlfriend was not his typical type but opposites did attract, at least that was the saying. ”Oi come off it. You are never going to like anyone I date.” He said with a shake of his head.

He had been pretty put off with her comment on his sex life. It wasn’t like he shagged every girl he met. As far as he was concerned as long as he was in a committed relationship that was fine. He could never be as bad as his fellow male quidditch players that used their status to get girls. ”I know I have other options. If I took every offer that came to me I’d be the male equivalent to a slag.” He said with a shrug. This conversation was exhausting.

Roman chuckled at his best friend. ”Don’t lie you would be lost without me.” He pointed out though it was equally true for him. She had always been a rock for him that kept him stable when everything around him was falling apart. ”It’s not cheating, it’s just browsing my other options.” He teased. ”I guess you’re likeable enough. But you are a girl; you’re not ugly… or at least too ugly.” He chuckled moving back in case she decided to try to knock him off of his broom. He was sure that she could take care of herself, but that wasn’t going to stop him from giving them hell.

”Oi!” He heard someone call from the ground looking down to see one of the quidditch players from Hufflepuff waving him down with a grin on his face. ”Are you trying to ditch studying already?! He yelled out. Roman groaned remembering that he was supposed to have a study session with his friend on an upcoming Ancient Runes test. ”We’ll have to catch up later before that tosser gets his knickers in a twist.” He chuckled speaking loud enough for the boy to hear.

“Yes, well, it’s part of being your best friend. I’m naturally supposed to dislike anyone you date, or have you missed that memo?” she asked, raising her eyebrows at him amusedly. At least, she supposed that’s what it was seeing as he was really her only friend. It really sucked having to share him with these girls that weren’t going to last, anyways. Just once, she wanted him to date someone that wasn’t going to mind him playing bloody Quidditch with her or something. Though, she supposed she could always accept going on a date with someone…no, on second thought, she’d still prefer to not waste her time with something like that.

Isabella rolled her eyes at her friend, wondering if he was bloody in a mood today or something. Perhaps she had gone too far, but that was her downfall…and he asked. She really needed to learn how to not say everything that came to her mouth…maybe actually thinking through things first or something. She wasn’t bloody suggesting that he took every bint that came his way; she was merely suggesting he was a bit more selective in who he decided to date. “Lost? No. Without a seat on the train during my first year? Possibly,” she shrugged jokingly. Though, she supposed she couldn’t really remember a time without her friend so maybe he was right. She really wouldn’t know what to do when she didn’t have him around…especially over the summers.

“Well, good luck finding someone to put up with you more than I do,” Isabella chuckled. “Your compliments make me swoon,” she deadpanned, rolling her eyes as he moved back. She wouldn’t hurt him…yet. She looked down as she heard someone calling up. “Only if I can’t avoid you,” she joked lightly. “See you later, Rudolphi,” she shrugged zooming straight up into the air on her broom, not waiting to see him off. Studying was definitely something she wanted far away from when she was in the air.

--End Thread--