Opening Closed Doors(Part 2)
A moment of silence passed through the table as Poppy exited the room through the great doors. Natsai and Sebastian exchanged looks, whilst Ominis sat there in an awkward silence.
After this moment, Sebastian cleared his throat, speaking to Hans, who had still not looked up from his plate, “Hans, are you okay?”
Hans took in a sharp inhale, staring at his plate with focused eyes. Did they really have to do this right now? Hans sighed, looking up at the others with a relaxed expression, a gentle smile on his lips.
When he was calm, these things were easy to fake. When Poppy wasn’t there to peel his feelings apart, these things were easy to fake, “Yep.”
They all looked doubtful, and Natsai remarked, “Then why are you avoiding us?”
Hans’s smile faltered, and looked between them all, “I- I’m not-“
“Hans,” Natsai demanded, “we are your friends. You can trust us.”
Hans gulped, looking between Natsai, Sebastian, and Ominis. His gaze hesitated on Sebastian, who immediately looked down into his lap, realizing why Hans had looked at him.
Hans didn’t know if he could trust Sebastian.
Hans looked back at Natsai, meeting her gaze with his, then sighing. The boy hung his head in shame, accepting defeat. “I- you’re right. I’m sorry.” Hans raised his head, looking at them. “I thought I was protecting myself, protecting myself from questions and any more conflict by just- by hiding-“
Natsai shook her head, hitting Hans on the shoulder, “What are we going to do? You’re our friend, and we have your back. That’s what friends do.”
Ominis shook his head, “Honestly, Hans. After everything you’ve done for us, you think we would try to wrong you?”
Hans once more looked at Sebastian, their gazes met, and it was Sebastian, this time, that hung his head. Natsai did not miss it this time, and she looked between Sebastian and Hans, “What? What is it?”
Sebastian shook his head, “It’s- it’s nothing.”
Hans gave Sebastian a knowing look, but Sebastian only shook his head again. Sebastian knew that eventually he would have to tell Natsai of what happened in December, but that didn’t have to be now, right?
Natsai opened her mouth to protest, to insist that she be told, but Hans used the current malleable situation to distract attention from Sebastian, to save him socially, in a sense. “It doesn’t matter, Natsai. Look guys, I’m sorry, I’m sorry for giving up on you all. Thank you for not giving up on me, I promise it won’t happen again.”
“You’re welcome, my friend, of course,” Natsai said, “But what is going on between-“
Sebastian and Hans exchanged look, but this time he couldn’t distract, Sebastian needed to say something.
Sebastian sighed, opening his mouth to speak, but just then did Poppy enter the Great Hall, moving toward them with an anxious expression. Sebastian changed focus, leaning toward Hans and grabbing his arm, whispering as quietly as he could, “Meet me in the undercroft, tonight.” Hans nodded, and their gazes parted.
Natsai had lost focus on Hans and Sebastian for a moment as Poppy exclaimed, “I’m back!”
Hans grinned at Poppy as she sat back down, “Welcome, darling.”
The slightest bit of blush came across Poppy’s face, but she shook it off and leaned against him. So nobody had stormed off in anger, nobody seemed distraught, everything appeared to be fine. Poppy couldn’t help but grin at this, hoping that it went well, “What did I miss?”
The group all exchanged looks, and Poppy was glad to see smiles. Hans answered her, “Not much, just… making amends.”
Poppy’s smile widened, glad to see it had gone well, “Really? I’m glad.”
Hans returned the smile, turning to his food as Natsai opened her mouth, still being persistent about what the looks Sebastian and Hans exchanged meant, “Yes. But what is going on between-“
This time Natsai was cut off by the screech of hundreds of owls. The students all looked up, smiling as the mail owls descended upon the Great Hall.
As the owls all landed before many of the students, Poppy looked up expectingly, something Hans noticed, “Expecting something?”
Poppy nodded, not taking her eyes off of the circling owls above, “A letter from Gran.”
And so it was, a brown barn owl landed in front of Poppy, narrowly avoiding her bowl of porridge. Poppy reached for the owl’s leg, where a yellow letter was tied. After untying the letter, she opened it and her eyes began to rove it’s writing.
Hans averted his eyes, not wanting to appear nosy, and instead looked around at his other friends. Ominis was busy eating, not focused on the owls above. A white owl had already landed before Natsai, and she was busy reading the Daily Prophet that she just removed from the white owl.
Hans noticed Sebastian looking up at the owls with a hopeful expression, and Hans realized to what he was hoping to see. A letter from Anne. Alas, though, as the last owls fluttered out of the Great Hall, nothing arrived for Sebastian.
Sebastian let out a great sigh, staring at his lap now that he realized there was nothing for him. Hans reached across the table, patting Seabstian’s arm. Sebastian looked up, and Hans gave him a reassuring smile, “It needs time.”
The Slytherin nodded, sadness in his eyes, “I know,” Sebastian looked at the area around Hans, noticing that the Ravenclaw didn’t have any owl swoop down upon him. “What about you, you’re not expecting something?”
Hans shook his head, “There’s nobody to expect something from.”
Sebastian opened his mouth to question Hans of his statement, but before he could, Poppy suddenly exclaimed, “Gran!” interrupting the moment between Sebastian and Hans, staring at her letter with a look of both shock and amusement.
Hans jumped, looking at Poppy with a bewildered expression, “What?”
“Read this,” Poppy turned the letter to Hans, pointing her finger at a place near the end of the letter. Hans took the letter, looking down at the spot Poppy pointed at.
…I am very glad you have found new friends. It is nice to see you coming out of your shell now and befriending more than just beasts. From what you have told me the boy who helped you find the snidgets sounds very nice. I do wonder have you kissed him yet? Even through your letters I can tell you fancy him. Tell Highwing I say hello, and…
Hans raised his eyebrows in amusement, a smile spreading across his face. He looked at Poppy, who was blushing just slightly, a look of indignation on her face as Hans said, “What have you told her?”
“I-“ Poppy thought about this question for a moment, “I told her about our adventures, somewhat. I didn’t tell her everything, just- just the stuff that didn’t sound like we were getting into too much danger. I told her you are really nice and a great friend. I also told her I told you about my parents, and… uh… I told her that you were pretty cute after she asked what you looked like in one of her letters. And I think that’s about it.”
Hans smiled, “I’m flattered, it does kind of sound like you fancy me. Do you?”
Poppy elbowed Hans in the side, shaking her head, “Git.”
Poppy and Hans began to have a teasing banter, making jokes at one another whilst Sebastian and Ominis began to talk about Quidditch with Natsai occasionally putting in a comment. The group continued to eat and make jokes with one another, smiling and laughing, and for once in a long time, each of them enjoyed themselves.