Rhydian had never been particularly keen on returning to Hogwarts. Coming through the gates and slinking through the halls, he felt its weight settling in on him again - detention, docked points, extra essays. He'd had his good times here, more than enough of them - but he couldn't imagine working here again, never mind living here. It was a bit different when one's sister was an authority figure, of course. No one was going to flag him down in the halls and ask him his business.
He could have given them an earful, though, if he had. It wasn't every day he heard (read?) Essery talk that way about anything; it was clear she was annoyed, possibly more upset than that. It was all the more disturbing for its rarity. He wasn't the sort of brother who jumped to his sister's defense at the drop of a hat, but ... well. This wasn't any ordinary hat.
He waited in the entrance hall for her, pretty sure he wouldn't be permitted to wander of his own accord without being hassled by ghosts.