Butterbeer

Adeen Kalama didn't like pranks.

It wasn't anything surprising; at a single glance anyone could tell Adeen wasn't one for childish banter.

It was a wonder how Wendy and Adeen became best friends. They say opposites attract and it was evident with their strange, out of balance friendship.

But somehow they made it work effortlessly. Their personalities fit like two perfect puzzle pieces and Adeen wouldn't trade her friend for anything in the world.

But sometimes, Adeen wanted to hit her friend with the Silencio hex just to get some peace and quiet for at least ten minutes.

Nonetheless, the fire bender was thankful to have such amazing friends by her side. She knew Wendy would be with her till the end of time.

But for the first time ever, Adeen felt abandoned by Wendy Gilmera.

Adeen stood by the entrance of Hogwarts, glancing quickly at her silver watch, and letting out a frustrated sigh. She pulled her jacket closer to her body as she waited for Wendy. She peeked out from the open halls and scrunched her nose at the soft snow falling.

Adeen didn't think she was going to go to Hogsmeade that morning, especially with the light snowfall. She didn't have any need to go, but after being bombarded by Wendy and her desperate begging to go along with her, Adeen decided to sacrifice her own comfort for her friend.

Only to be stood up.

Adeen's deep frown didn't leave her face as she stepped out into the snow cautiously. She cringed in disgust before heading off towards Hogsmeade on her own. Despite her original plan of not wanting to leave her dorm, she was bitter with Wendy and now, Adeen was in the snow out of spite.

The snow crunched as she carefully waddled her way to the small, quaint town. The only thing in her mind was the sudden need for a warm butterbeer and a roof over her head. As soon as she reached the Three Broomsticks, she swung off her sufficating scarf and sat at the bar.

"Miss Adeen Kalama, what did I do to deserve such a presence in my bar!"

Adeen's lips twitched up with a small sudden prick of amusement before her face fell back to it's usual stoic expression.

"Madam Rosmerta, you look well."

Rosmerta was Adeen's favorite grownup. The cheerful blonde reminded the Slytherin of a mature Hannah. Despite the teenager's cold mannerisms, Madam Rosmerta never greeted Adeen with anything but a smile.

"How is business, Madam Rosmerta?" Adeen asked as a hot butterbeer was placed before her. She placed down a couple of sickles but hesitantly took them back when the blonde bartender gave her a stern look.

"Good as ever, my darling! I tell ya, never seen so many fresh faces all at once... Those international students are something else, ay?" She said with a wink before gesturing to a group of Drumstrang boys that were sitting in a booth a littles away from Adeen. The boys all snuck nondiscreet glances at the Slytherin with cocky smiles.

Adeen scoffed and frowned with annoyance. She straightened her back and continued to sip on her drink.

"Boys are pricks, Rosmerta," she snapped and Rosmerta laughed.

"Wise words, ol' Slytherin. You should've been in Ravenclaw," the bartender teased. Adeen glared at her but didn't say anything. Madam Rosmerta glanced over to the silent child and hummed.

"So... Who is it, Adeen?"

Adeem frowned and looked up at her with questioning eyes.

"What are you talking about?" She muttered. Rosmerta scoffed.

"You play coy with me, Kalama. Who's the boy playing with your heart?" She asked again while cleaning some glass mugs. Adeen shifted in her seat.

"There's no one playing with my heart; just some Gryffindor boy who has decided to pester me to no end," she replied. Rosmerta placed a bowl of candied hazelnuts before Adeen and she immediately began eating some.

"Ah, you can't fool me, Kalama. I've known you for at least two years now. I can tell when somethings wrong... So who is it?" She asked with a twinkle in her eyes. Adeen growled lowly and lifted her drink to her mouth to hide her red face.

"His name is Fred Weasley. And I hate him."

Madam Rosmerta let out the loudest squeal and gave a little jump.

"Oh, Dee! I'm so happy for you!" She exclaimed as if Adeen had announced a pregnancy or something. The Slytherin blushed furiously as she tried to calm the bartender down.

"Oi! Keep it down, will ya!" Adeen hissed. Rosmerta turned back to the redhead and grinned widely.

"Come on then, tell me all about him," she said as she pulled a stool in front of Adeen and abandoned her bartending responsibilities.

"There's nothing to tell! I told you I hate him," Adeen started but Rosmerta immediately interrupted her.

"Oh no, you have that look in your eye," she teased and Adeen scoffed.

"What look?"

"A look I have never seen before. I've seen you in every mood before, Adeen. Happy, sad, angry, always bored and uninterested... But right now, just speaking about him, I see a twinkle in your eyes."

Adeen stayed silent as she stared at her now empty butterbeer. Madam Rosmerta's words rattled Adeen for a moment.

A twinkle in her eye?

She doubted it.

Fred Weasley was a loud, annoying, Slytherin-hating Gryffindor that in no way interested Adeen Kalama. It was ridiculous to think about a Gryffindor and Slytherin together. The rivalry between the houses was at an all-time high with Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter butting heads all the time.

Nevertheless, Adeen Kalama knew one thing for sure.

Fred Weasley had to keep his distance from her.

She will make sure of it.

"There is no interest of any kind going on with me and Fred Weasley, besides him starting to pester me."

"Does he want to be friends?"

Adeen frowned.

All Fred did was annoy her in class and talk to her when he wasn't wanted. Something about him looking at her already made her stomach hurt. She didn't want to be friends with him if he physically caused her pain without even trying.

"No. Of course, he doesn't. Why would he ever want to be friends with someone like me?"

~

Adeen was thankful when Madam Rosmerta left the conversation about Fred Weasley alone. Adeen managed to finish her third butterbeer before saying her goodbyes and standing back up.

"Won't you come and visit me soon? I've missed our conversations, Miss Kalama," the bartender whined as she cleaned more mugs. Adeen nodded fast as she smoothed her skirt. After promising to visit often, Adeen picked her scarf off the rack before adjusting it back on. She opened the door and peeked out with a deep frown.

The snow was still falling. Adeen didn't want to step out into the wet slush again but she had to get back to the school.

She tightened her scarf even more.

As she hurried back to Hogwarts, Adeen hated the gross feeling of the snow she was getting under her boots.

Adeen had reached the courtyard when she heard some crunching behind her. For a slight moment, she slowed down, but regained her speed. She kept a careful ear on the rhythm of the steps and determined about four pairs of footsteps.

When she finally was able to take shelter under the protection of Hogwarts, Adeen stopped bluntly. She turned on her boots and glared furiously.

The four Drumstrang boys behind her stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the Slytherin's ferocious eyes. They nearly tripped over their own feet as they tried not to bump into Adeen Kalama.

She didn't say a single word, Adeen didn't need to. Her eyes said it all. The boys all took various steps back, scared of the look the girl had.

"We weren't following you, we swear! Just trying to get back to the school!" One of the boys insisted loudly.

Adeen still didn't say anything as she stared at the foreign boys angrily.

All she did was scoff before turning again on her heels and walking away.

Adeen Kalama didn't like to waste her time on those who didn't deserve it. She didn't bother wasting a single breathe with the Drumstrang boys and headed back to the Great Hall. She let out a sigh and scoffed.

"What a drag," she muttered.

She stepped into the hall, ready to grab a single biscuit before isolating herself in her room again. As soon as she reached her table, she heard a sudden commotion from the Hufflepuff table. Adeen peeked over her shoulder and frowned when she saw Cedric holding back Wendy by the waist. Wendy's eyes blared with anger as she tried to reach for a Ravenclaw boy's throat.

As much as Adeen would've wanted to intervene and see what was happening, she didn't have a single string of worry. She knew Wendy could take care of herself and could throw a fist whenever she needed to. And with Cedric at her side, Adeen wasn't needed.

She bit into an apple and picked out a warm biscuit. As she gulped down some of her pumpkin juice, she watched as two professors ran towards Cedric and Wendy.

Then she grew concerned.

At a single glance, the redhead could see Wendy's hand now wrapped around the random Ravenclaw's throat. Adeen sniffled a chuckle and watched as it took two teachers and a Cedric to yank off the crazy Slytherin.

"Miss Gilmera! What on earth are you doing?!" Professor Sporut snapped as Mad-Eye Moody neared them.

"If he ever places another finger on Hannah again, I will cut him a new one!" She screeched loudly as Cedric struggled to hold her back.

At the sound of Wendy's words, Adeen immediately stood up. Her glass of juice tipped and spilled over the table. The students at the Slytherin table snapped their heads towards the juice, but instantly returned to their own business when they saw Adeen Kalama rising to her feet. They saw a familiar light growing in the pupils of her eyes.

The Slytherin house knew better than to stick their noses into something Adeen Kalama had an interest in.

*unedited*