Silver Tongues and Silverware
Lirum’s study period with Percy ended far later than the last. Though it had been quite awkward at first when they entered a mutual understanding, one more chance pretending the first study session never happened. No judgmental rants or putting the prefect back in his place, though forgiveness for his previous behavior still had to be earned they could pretend for the sake of Lirum’s grades and his “duty” as a prefect. He became far more tolerable given his active effort not to be a judgmental prat and they became far more tolerant of his snide comments.
“We made good progress today however I do believe you have detention to get to. You’re lucky though because your previous detention was postponed due to the troll incident. You’ll be with Professor Flitwick polishing the silverware in the kitchens.” Percy said gesturing to windows and setting sun slowly darkening the room.
“It couldn’t have been that bad would it?” Lirum asked collecting their things as they packed to leave.
“I shudder to think of what your original detention on professor Snape’s watch would’ve been. I heard he made Fred and George clean the hospital wing chamber pots their first year. I’ll never truly hear the end of it.” He let out a slight chuckle as he stood from the table offering Lirum the last of their parchment from the table.
As Lirum looked up they saw the last of the setting sun wrap gracefully around Percy. He looked to be glowing with the sun glittering in his orange red curly. the warm remnants of a smile and light dusting of freckles across his face paired perfectly with the suns afterglow almost breathtakingly so.
“Yeah! Sorry, can’t have that- can’t be late I mean, don’t want a second detention! gotta go!” Lirum quickly realized their own thoughts and left the library as quickly as they could.
“Am I gay? Is it gay though? I mean I can be both or neither so like I guess? IS HE GAY? He has a girlfriend of course he’s not gay! But I can be a girl? He has a girlfriend, it doesn't matter. Oh Merlin I have to get to detention!” Lirum cut themselves off from their momentary panic to run down the stairs towards the kitchens.
Upon their arrival to the kitchens they saw professor Flitwick. He stood in front of the unassuming portrait of a pear that hid what Lirum knew to be the entrance of the kitchens.
“Ah Mr. Ollivander, glad to see you made it on time. I was beginning to worry you’d forgotten.” Flitwick chimed turning to face the door
“Of course, how will we be helping you today professor.” Lirum replied looking for a distraction from the earlier events.
“You and the other two students we’re waiting for will be polishing the castles silver and if you finish early helping me charm a few keys, Revelio” he answered before casting the charm that would reveal the kitchen door.
“Looking for us“ Fred and George spoke in tandem abruptly and from behind lirum, starting them.
“You two are-“ Lirum started clutching their heart almost doubled over from the fright. before they could finish the twins cut them off
“Wonderful, amazing, dreamy!” The twins took turns listening traits
“Not funny!” Lirum snapped as they stood up straight, tried to take a breath, and walk it off. “I swear I’m gonna put a bell on the two of you so you can’t sneak up on me anymore. There has to be a spell for that.” They said aloud as they walked into the same room they had promised Tonks some time earlier they would talk with the pair in. They still heard as the twins laughed behind them questioning if that talk would be worth it.
Large bowls sat in the middle of the kitchen counter surrounded by a pile of rags . Upon closer inspection they were filled with a mixture of water vinegar and baking soda and held all the castles silver ready to be polished by the three third years. The smell was abrasive and the bowl appeared frothy, much to Lirum’s dismay.
“There has to be a spell for this.” Lirum said looking at the bowls in disgust.
“There is, but it won’t be much of a punishment for us to use it.” Fred said joining Lirum at the counter.
“You realize pretty quickly their spells for most of the things they make you do in detention,” George joked, joining on the other side of the pair picking up his first piece of silver.”
“At least tell me we get gloves. I’ll smell for weeks.”
“Oh come on, it’s not as bad as a misfired dungbom!” George said bumping Lirum
and caused them to stumble sideways toward his brother.
“But don’t worry there is a spell for that.” Fred nudged and pushed them back to center.
“Do the two of you always have to push me around?” Lirum said holding onto the cabinet for stability. As they sent a glare in the direction of the boy who just pushed them.
“Well if you didn’t look like a bunny when you get frustrated, we probably wouldn’t.” Fred said in a sing song voice.
“It’s far too entertaining!” But if you plan to go to bed before midnight I suggest you keep polishing.” George chimed leaning back to push Lirum toward his brother still polishing silver.
“I know I’m a shapeshifter but I think I would know If I looked like a rabbit.” Lirum said, grabbing another piece of silver trying their best to ignore the boy who never seemed to learn about the concept of personal space.
“Although you’d look cute with ears to match, it’s the twitch in your nose and the occasional thump when you get too mad that makes you a bunny.” Fred said, making his way quickly through his portion of the sliver.
“I Do Not Thump.” Lirum argued, putting emphasis on every word.
“There it is right there thumper!” George poked fun as he polished. He seemed quite skilled which made sense given how frequently these two have detention.
“Don’t make me add learning the unforgivable curses to my to-do list.” Lirum spoke deadpanned.
“You wouldn’t curse your only friends would you.” Fred spoke more of a statement than an actual question feigning concern and hurt.
“If you were really a friend you would stop teasing me. Or at least have a real conversation with me once. At this point the two of you are more akin to bullies than friends.” Lirum snapped, taking another piece of silver from their own bowl.
“Hurtful, we tease everyone” George defended taking a piece of silver from Lirum’s bowl instead of his own. He couldn’t be done already. Could he?
“And that’s why I said you act like bullies, it’s not that you can’t tease people, sometimes you just exclusively tease people. And I don’t thump!” Lirum argued snatching their silverware back from George to polish it by themself.
“You know if you want a real conversation you could start one. It doesn’t have to be us every time, if you never give an inch how do you expect us to know what you want. All you ever say is leave me alone. To everyone.” Fred started taking another piece of silver out of Lirum’s bowl.
“Exactly all I’ve wanted was to be left alone unless someone actually wanted to know me! And would you stop that! There’s no way both of you are done already!” They snatched the silver back from Fred, turning fully to face him. Before suddenly feeling the pressure of George leaning against them leave them and in that instant being fully pushed into Fred.
“Maybe you should pay attention to the people who are trying then. We've been trying to get to know you since first year and we’re trying to help you now.” George said as he quickly dumped all three bowl’s together as the contents combined with a splash the mixture spilled everywhere.
“Look at this mess Flitwick is going to kill us!” Lirum said panicking and backed away trying not to get any of the smelly solution on their robes and bumped straight into Fred whose hands went straight to their shoulders to steady them on reflex.
“He’s been busy with those keys since the beginning of the year he’s not going to notice.” Fred said simply hands still gripped lightly on Lirum’s shoulders
“Tergeo” George pulled out his wand and rolled his eyes
“That may have been a bit of an overreaction, my apologies…um have you really been trying to get to know me since first year?” Lirum said as they pulled themself of Fred and straightened out their blue and black robes.
“Yes very obviously so, but you are always so stuck in your own world you wouldn’t notice. Thumper” George said and flicked Lirum’s forehead, getting more fed up by the moment he took another piece of silverware from the bowl before polishing it aggressively.
“I’m sorry for not realizing sooner. I’ll try to work on that, I might be a tad oblivious it seems.” Lirum said as they rubbed the now sore spot in the middle of their forehead.
“Clearly, oblivious towards yourself and others bunny.” Fred said, taking two pieces of silverware from the bowl, handing one to Lirum.
“Bunny, you're sticking with that huh?” George said, swiping another piece from the bowl.
“Better than thumper you-” Fred retorted, throwing a side-eyed glance at his brother before getting cut off and returning to polishing the silver.
“I think that’s enough with the rabbit jokes, yeah? Can we have a real conversation then?” Lirum said slowly getting accustomed to the way the boys act.
“Happily!…um I know you’re not into quidditch like me and George or anything but do you have anything you like to do, besides reading I mean.” Fred asked looking for a good place to start while he kept his attention on the silverware in his hands.
“I like wizards chess? And occasionally muggle films I get as gifts from my mothers side of the family.” Lirum answered softly, not quite sure how to answer and even less used to talking about themself.
“Was your mother a muggle?” George asked but never stopped his work.
“Does that change anything? Even if she was a witch I wouldn’t be a pure blood I’d still only be a half blood both of my grandmothers are muggles” Lirum said defensively ready for a fight that never came.
“Of course not! our father is practically obsessed with muggle stuff he’d probably love to hear you talk about it maybe even see a film or two if you’d let him! Right George…uh…you like wizards chess I don’t think I’ve ever seen you play with anyone?”
“No my grandfather taught me I usually only play with him…you know at school I just focus on studying and keeping up that perfect Ravenclaw image you know.” They said as they tried to add a little pep at the end but not quite convincing enough
“We should play sometime, and also sorry for teasing you about the whole perfect Ravenclaw thing it was the only thing that seemed to get your attention…but you don’t have to do that anymore we’re gonna be friends now so no more pretending to be perfect ” Fred said reaching for another piece of silver.
“You play wizard's chess? Scratch that, you know how to play chess?” Lirum teased slightly in disbelief.
“Nope, but I guess he does now.” George answered, taking from the now dwindling silver.
“If I can beat you in a game of wizards chess you have to start talking to us we’ll be friends.” Fred said, determined.
“know your brother is gonna hate that.” Lirum said, pushing Fred this time. Taking the last piece of silver from then bowl
“I could care less what he thinks about it, after all you were about in tears last time you talked to him” Fred spoke and took the last piece of silverware from Lirum to polish himself.
“He apologized for that and he’s doing a lot better thank you. I still have to spend an afternoon every week with him for the rest of the year, by the looks of it. I would appreciate you not antagonizing him even more.” Lirum said, grabbing the large bowl that was quickly scooped out of their hands and dumped out by George.
“You two continue I’ll handle this” George have an uncharacteristic wave to the pair.
“What is he up to?” The confused Ravenclaw mused.
“Nothing to worry about, trust me. So is it a deal, if I can beat you by the end of Christmas break we’ll officially be friends.” Fred chimed, sticking a hand out to shake on the deal.
“I didn’t know these sorts of things needed to be made official, but yeah if you can beat me FAIR I’ll be your friend.” Lirum shook on the deal as Professor Flitwick came back to the group of third years.
“Ah perfect timing it appears you have finished your work exactly on time. Now I hope you can all be trusted to make your way back to your own common rooms tonight.”
“Yes professor” the trio answered together before leaving heading in their own direction’s.