Great minds think alike

It was the first week of the Hogsmeade trip since the weather had been to horrible to go to Hogsmeade and Shadow was eager to go back to Hogsmeade to get a butterbeer. She felt like she was a third year who was on there first hogsmeade trip. Laughing at the though of it, Shadow shook her head and headed towards the three broomsticks. It always been Shadow's favorite shop in Hogsmeade besides Honeydukes the candy store. "I'll go there later."Shadow thought to herself as she walked through the crowd of Hogwarts students.

Finally reaching the three broomsticks Shadow pushed opened the door as the bell tinkled above her head making her smile. As she went to the bar she smiled warmly at the bartender. "May I have a butterbeer?"Shadow asked him.. "Sure thing hun."said the bartender as she put down his rag and got a glass and filled it with butterbeer and sat it down in front of Shadow. Getting her money out she set it on the counter. "Keep the rest as tip!"said Shadow giving him a soft warm smile as she took her butterbeer.

"Now to find a place to sit in this crazy place!"said Shadow to herself as her sapphire eyes scanned the place. Seeing a couple of kids leaving she smiled and headed towards the booth by the window. Taking her seatShadow gotten out her wand and cleared the glasses before pocketing her wand. Reaching into her black bag with the Slytherin crest on it she gotten her book out and started reading.

Andrei found a hidden spot in the corner of the Three Broomsticks where he enjoyed a large cup of Butterbeer and some pudding, something he indulged in more often than he should. But food was always his weak spot and he wasn't planing on working on it any time soon. What could a bit excess of sugar really do to him anyway. As much as he enjoyed this shop, he hated the popularity of it. The amount of people that flooded this room just created chaos and ruined the usual tranquility of this place. It was just too loud, noisy and he started feeling claustrophobic.

Standing up from his seat, he wondered through the room with his gaze. He needed a change that was sure, but he didn't know what kind of change just yet. He left his table after leaving money and a generous tip for his waiter, who was rather good at his job. As he approached the door, for a second he decided to leave. Perhaps it was best just to go back to his dorm. Opening the door an inch, he felt a strong rush of cold air attack him. The next second he closed the door back. Obviously, a journey back to Hogwarts wasn't quite appropriate.

So he came back to the bar and took one of the rare empty seats. But with a few glances through the room, he saw a familiar face in the crowd. Andrei sat down in front of the girl with a smile on his face, but she was too busy still reading her book. "You can hurt your eyes that way you know", he suddenly said with a playful smirk on his lips.

Shadow rolled her sapphire blue eyes at him and smiled. "No actutally it's good for you, you should try it some time!"said Shadow before bookmarking it and putting it back in her bookbag. "So trying to make a early break I see."said Shadow smirking and glanced at the door. She sknew that Andrei didn't like large crowds, to be honest neither did she but she wasn't going to pass on a good butterbeer. "So... what's this I hear your with this Hufflepuff chick? you know rumors are going around school."said Shadow smirking. Shadow loved giving him a hard time just as much as he loved picking on her. It was just the way they were with each other.

Taking a sip of her butterbeer her sapphire eyes looked at him before she cocked her head to the side. "Do you really like her or is this another one of you games?"Shadow asked him softly. "Cause from I heard she really likes you Andrei, so don't mess this one up like you did the last ones."said Shadow. Shadow been best friends with him ince her first and his second, they basically knew each other like the back of their hand. She knew how he was at time, but maybe he finally found love at last.

Although Andrei was a rebellious bad boy charmer, he did have some good in him although he always considered that to be a weakness. Alot of people thought they should be togehter, seeing how they were both hot Slytherins and they knew each other there whole lives almost. Although Shadow did like him at one point, she simply gotten over him. Besides, it was just a silly stupid crush she had on him in her third year that didn't mean anything. Or did it? she didn't know, but he was just her best friend and that was it there was nothing more.

"Ha! Read? Perhaps later. I'm sure I have a copy of the History of Hogwarts stashed somewhere in my room. I'll give it a look when I get back", he replied with a playful laugh. Reading wasn't his strong point either, which was one of the reasons he was always so behind homework. That and the fact that he was just so darn lazy most of the time. Motivation to study was truly hard to find since he didn't think his education at Hogwarts to be that significant in his life. "No, definitely not. I hate the cold, you know that. But this is just another level of hatred that I feel towards the weather today. Can't be worse really. I'm afraid I'm going to turn into an icicle if I leave this place"

Andrei raised his eyebrows at her mentioning a Hufflepuff girl. Oh, he must mean Alice. "Bloody hell, gossip travels fast", he commented rather displeased that information leaked out. He hated sharing his private life with the rest of the school but most days he felt like he didn't have a choice or say in it. "You mean little miss Longbottom? No, there's nothing going on with us. We just hang out sometimes that's it. And, if you don't already know, she's a kid. And probably the most naive little girl I've ever met, so of course I'm not with her or anything like that. That's just nonsense" he said shaking his head to that idea.

"Ah - guilty as charged I have to say. I'm not exactly playing with her. I'm pretty sure she knows what's really going on, or so I think. But it's nothing too bad, so don't worry about me. Still a good boy as ever", he said with a chuckle on his lips. "Others? What do you mean like with the others?" It might have been true that Andrei had his share of dates and girls - good and bad - but he never credited his bad behavior to their end. More like a result of bad circumstances. "I'm surprised you haven't heard about something else to be honest.", he said with a mysterious smile, playing with her as always and turning the topic to something else. "What about you? How is Shadow's eventful love life going? Hopefully enough eventful to overshadow mine", he said with a grin.

Shadow rolled her eyes playfully at him. "Mhm Andrei, last time you read a book you ended up burning it out of boredom!"Shadow replied smirking at him. "You know if you need help with your homework, all you had to do is ask."said Shadow knowing he hated doing homework. "I can't have my best friend not graduate and be stuck here forever!" said Shadow with a playful laugh. Shadow laughed. "At lease you wouldn't be frozen for long, your hotness would melt the ice!"said Shadow winking at him. Shadow and him always flirted with each other, they always had a teasing flirting relationship.

Shadow laughed when he said that gossip travels fast. "What do you expect it's Hogwarts, the home of gossip and drama!"said Shadow. "Hm... interesting, you know I think she might be in love you from what I hear the kid on cloud nine."said Shadow shaking her head. Shadow wasn't a type of girl who gotten all lovey dovey when it came to love, after all she never really knew what love was. She was rasied to know seriousness and power, her parents nevered really loved her. All they cared about was her carrying out the family name with pride.

Shadow shook her head. "Andrei I don't think she does, I think she thinks you like her."said Shadow. Shadow looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, not all your dates were perfect, you had a couple of broken hearted girls."said Shadow her sapphire blue eyes pircing through him. Shadow looked at him and tilted her head. "Oh really huh, what else is there that your hiding from me?"Shadow asked him smirking before taking another sip of her drink. Shadow snorted at his comment. "Pff... yeah right, guys think I'm to mean to date, do I look mean to you?"Shadow asked him.

Andrei laughed out loud at her words, just know realizing how bad he could get at times. His disinterest in books and reading couldn't be greater than it already is. It simply wasn't the way he learned. He liked to try out things in practice, to use spells and see things for himself. Reading some boring theory that has nothing to do with reality never helped in the real world and probably never will. Again, he used this as yet another excuse for turning in homework late or not turning it in at all. "Help with homework? Not, I don't really need that. What I need is for someone to DO my homework. Since I know you wouldn't do that....", he said with a teasing smile. "Hey! I'm going to graduate on time thank you. Guys like me can always find a way to get out of failing, don't worry. I'm getting quite good at it."

He smirked at her comment about his appearance, knowing that only Shadow would be able to say something like that without him getting upset or taking it seriously. After all, she knew him well. "See that's my problem with winter. It's against my nature. I'm just too hot for it, that's it", he spoke with a playful grin on his lips. "Don't you agree?"

"In love? Well that's drastic, let's not overreact about it", he said rolling his eyes. He hated that word 'love'. It was so full of idealistic illusions that always lead to disappointment. He didn't deny that there was love between a family or two people, it just wasn't that kind of love that teenage girls imagined. So now wonder they got heart broken, it was there fault for being so ignorant in the first place. "She can't be in love with me. I haven't done anything with her, I swear. She's a kid, and even I have my boundaries. Besides, her father seems to not like me already. I'm afraid I'll wake up one day with a wand pointed at my neck", he said with a chuckle.

"I'm not hiding anything from you - just saying. But, even though Hogwarts in a world of gossip, I'm glad you already don't know about this which would mean the whole school does too. But I went out with a girl a few days ago. No surprise there obviously, but you'd be surprised when I tell you who it is. It's Summers, you know the Gryffindor girl in our year". Andrei was use to sharing everything with Shadow including his dating life. Why wouldn't he, they were so close after all? And she was one of the rare people who wouldn't judge him. "She was a 'date' virgin. Can you believe it?", he said with a playful chuckle. "Oh nonsense, you don't look mean to me. But come on, there must be someone. Tell me a name at least and I'll tell you what can be done. We guys are not all that complicated you know"

Shadow looked at him and rolled her eyes playfully at him. "Your never going to learn anything that way!"said Shadow in a playful laugh. Shadow looked at him and cross her arms. "Oh really is that so Mr. Dolohov? well when you get your 'help' let me know."said Shadow smirking. Andrei was a very lazy person, although he was very cute and one of the hottest guys in Hogwarts he was the type of guy who had others do stuff for him, Shadow knew him to well. "Eating as always I seen."said Shadow smirking at him as she seen him eating some pudding.

"Oh yes Andrei, I agree with you a hundred percent I think winter just can't handle your hotness."said Shadow winking at him. "Although with the both of us, I think we can probably melt the snow!"said Shadow smirking at him. He knew she was just playing with him, besides she was the only person who could say this to him that he didn't get upset or take it seriously.

"Hm... interesting, that's not what I heard from around the school, people are talking like you two are a bloody couple it's sicking!"said Shadow rolling her eyes. "They say she's has like a necklace and bracelet you gave her and she wears it everywhere and blah blah."said Shadow smirking at him. Shadow laughed at his reply. "Ooh... a overprotected pops, wow has he done anything to you yet?"Shadow asked him curiously. "Jeez my father is protected of me but he doesn't do that, he'll just kill the guy he doesn't like!"said Shadow seriously. That was the way her family was, they didn't believe in protecting charms or talking things out, it was downright killing if they didn't like you.

Shadow chuckled at his story. "Oh bloody hell, are you freaking serious she was still a virgin?"Shadow asked him chuckling. "Wow you dating a Gryffindor, I thought you didn't do Gryffindors much?"Shadow asked him tilting her head to the side. I twas a bit of the habit of hers, she always did that when she talked to Andrei. "Hm... I haven't heard about that, you two must of kept it a secret very well."said Shadow giving him a 'well done' look. "So... what do you think of her? if I was a guy she wouldn't be my type."said Shadow honestly. Shadow looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Like I said there isn't no one, they think I'm to damn mean!"said Shadow honestly.

"Nonsense! I learn plenty of things, I just choose not to learn about the things I'm never going to use. I mean do you honestly believe that you one day you will be so grateful to Hogwarts for having you sit through years of History and Divination classes? I mean no one ever said, quick tell me who was the first witch caught in the Salem Trials, your life depends on it", Andrei said with a mocking tone. He was all for expanding someone's general knowledge about the world as he thought that it was important to be well educated. But Hogwarts might have just taken it a few steps too far for his taste and placed less than necessary emphasis on the more useful and important classes they had.

"Quick, lets run outside and let winter now it's done! Dolohov and Macnair have allied against it and we shall so no mercy", he said with a loud laugh. One of the things he loved about Shadow is that she had this very rare and useful quality of making him laugh. For someone like Andrei, that was a true breakthrough in personal relationships for him. He got so used to Shadow's personality and her constant presence in his life that he couldn't have imagined Hogwarts without her.

"A couple? Really? And you truly believed that?", asked Andrei rolling his eyes. He was never the type for a relationship, especially with someone like Alice Longbottom. But he wasn't surprised that rumor was going around. People have strong imaginations and often see what they want to see and not what is really there. "Well - the necklace and bracelet part might be true", he admitted to her although not so gladly. He didn't share his plan of action with Shadow because he knew she wouldn't approve. And now that he had gotten himself so deep into this and created many problems as well, he just wanted to handle alone. If he could that is. "It's a long story, never mind", he said shrugging it off as if it didn't really matter.

He chuckled at her comment about Avis' innocence and he playfully jabbed her with his elbow. "This is why people say you are mean", he pointed out with a chuckle. "Dating? Oh no far from it. Just exploring options I guess. I've never really been with a Gryffindor you know and it's quite intriguing. She's strange as well, in an interesting way. And as you said, Gryffindors might not really be might thing, but it keeps things unpredictable for me. We will see I guess", he said with a shrug. Not being a great romantic, Andrei never liked to make predictions about any date he has because he knew very well it could go both ways. "I think she's pretty. Don't you?", he asked curiously.

"Ah my dear don't you worry. We will get you a fine, nice pureblood man that will please you're parents I promise you that", he told her with a grin, clearly joking with her. "Just enjoy being single for once. It's a lot less stressful to be honest. But if you wish - I have someone in mind. I can set you up on a date", he suggested with a mysterious smile.

"Oh wow, so he does know something other then eating I think I'm going to die of heart failure!"said Shadow smirking at him. Shadow cross her arms and gave him a disapproval look. "Ok those might be stupid classes, but potions does teach us a couple of things about life."said Shadow. "Plus not to mention making the wolfbane potion was awesome!"said Shadow honestly. Shadow loved potions, it was something she loved doing and was very good at.

Shadow laughed at his comment and her eyes sparkled with happiness. "Ah yes, will be well popular for ending winter early!"said Shadow laughing. Andrei was one of the few people that could make her laugh. Shadow wasn't that much of a people person, for one some people were just annoying and it bugged her. She was glad Andrei was here, or else she'll be screwed.

"Pff... of course I don't, I'm just telling you rumors are going like the bloody school like mad!"said Shadow. "Although I know that there not real, because your to good for Alice Longbottom!"said Shadow winking at him. "I don't think she can handle you, your just to much to handle."said Shadow smirking. Shadow tilted her head knowing he was keeping something from her but she simply let it go. It wasn't like him to do that, but she wasn't going to let him see that it was getting to her. Shadow was good at hiding emotions.

Shadow rolled her eyes at him. "Pff... yeah right if that's what makes me people are just a bunch of babies!"said Shadow crossing her arms. "Hm... interesting, so would you date her?"Shadow asked him curiously. Shadow was a very curious person, but when it came to Andrei they told each other everything. They knew each other since they were little or so her parents said but she doesn't remember anything. She met him during her first year on the train and they just clicked.

"You know, we so aren't following our parents standards they set for us!"said Shadow honestly. "My parents weren't be please we me by no means after what I done."said Shadow sighing. But then again she did alot of things her parents didn't know about, and if they did they wouldn't approve of. Shadow nodded. "Yeah it is, but having is nice as well."said Shadow honestly.

OCC: Sorry for making some things up about the ex boyfriends and all. Hope you don't mind!

"Only you could get that excited over potions, Shadow", Andrei said with a teasing chuckle. He didn't hate potions all that much, since he was alright at it. But still, to him it was just another boring subject to be tolerated and nothing else. And it is definitely not worth getting out of bed every day for it. "I can now see the real reason we are friends. If I ever need anything school related, I know I can count on you. And any other real and useful information you'll need, will come from me of course", he spoke with a joking tone and laughed at the end. Although sometimes him and Shadow were quite opposite, they blended into a perfect middle.

"I'm too good for Alice Longbottom? Aw how sweet! Are you taking those medications again Shadow?", he asked as he burst into laughter. Perhaps he's perfect for pureblood standards and even that only by reputation, but if you ask anyone else Andrei was definitely not someone you would describe as 'too good'. "Ah it seems I'm too much to handle for most girls these days. Since when has the whole female population of Hogwarts become so darn - well dull?! Merlin forbid you suggest some other place for a date than the school library and they flip out. Too much adventure for them I guess", he said rolling his eyes.

"Date her? I don't know. I really don't", he said shrugging his shoulders at the question. With another moment to think about it he finally came up with an answer. "Perhaps", he admitted out loud for the first time and it felt rather strange. "I think it would be a good change for me you know. Even if it would be short termed, since most are, I imagine it would do me well" Before now Andrei had never really considered the possibility of him actually dating Avis, since they were only hanging out and he wasn't the type to get ahead of himself like that. But since Shadow mentioned it, he could actually see it becoming true in the future. And he didn't mind what he saw for the two of them at all. If nothing, at least it would be fun, which was more than he could say about most of his past relationships.

"I don't really pay attention to that now. Or at least not as much as I use to", said Andrei putting on a careless smile and sipping on his drink. These days his parents were last on his mind, since he had so many things going on. That and his communication with his family was rather limited, so he doubted that his dating life would ever come as the main topic of the conversation. "And besides, think of what happened when we did follow their standars. Merlin can you remember my ex Jessica? The crazy Slytherin girl that had me followed and then it turned out she was on heavy medication for paranoia? Or what about your ex-boyfriends. David for example! Damn I hated him. It was like you were dating a drunk gorilla at best. Or the one that had mommy issues? But then again I never really liked any of your boyfriends at all", he admitted with a chuckle. "Anyway, my point is that was a disaster. Can't see how thing can go any worse than that."