What’s left of Christmas break
After presents the group made their way to the Christmas feast. Unlike before the giant room felt warm with only the one fire despite the lack of students to warm it. A large Christmas feast was held serving several roast turkeys, mountains of roast and boiled potatoes, platters of chipolatas, tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce, and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. the many Weasley boys, Harry, and Lirum found themselves together at the Gryffindor table. Twins siting on either side of Lirum, while Percy sat across the table. Not much time passed before Harry left the table to go sit by the fire. As the rest began to eat Ron stared at Lirum.
“So, what’s so special about you anyway?” Ron said, taking a bite out of some of the Turkey on his plate.
“I'm sorry what?” Lirum said caught off guard
“Ronald!” Percy snapped.
“There has to be something for you all to be so obsessed.” Ron argued, challenging his older brother before Turning back to Lirum.
“Blimey Ron! Couldn’t make it sound worse if you tried!” The twins said together.
“Fred and George practically haven’t let you go! You even have Percy following you around!” Ron claimed, shocking the whole table silent.
“Well, I don’t quite think I’ve figured that out either honestly. It’s quite a new thing for me to I hadn’t really noticed before you said that.” Suddenly very much aware of the twins' arms crossed behind them holding on to the bench holding them in place.
“Well go on, tell me about yourself there has to be something.” The first year insisted. Causing Lirum to scramble for interesting facts about themself.
“Well, I’m no Harry Potter, so I’m not too special. '' Lirum joked, trying to get some attention off themself.
“That’s not-“ Ron started getting cut off by a glare from his prefect older brother.
“Though I am an Ollivander, like the wand maker, you know. I’m a metamorphmagus. That’s pretty cool I guess but other than that I’m just some Ravenclaw kid.” Lirum listed all the interesting things they could think of about themself.
“A metamorphmagus?” Ron asked.
“Yeah, it means I’m kind of like a shapeshifter, see.” They said transforming into the boy at the other side of the table.
“Wow bloody brilliant, it’s like looking in a mirror. Harry! Come look! There's two of me!” Ron called before running over to Harry’s table alone. Harry turned back to look before returning to the fire. The boys stayed together to talk.
“Well, that was rather rude. I'll be sure to have a conversation with him after.” Percy said before taking a bite of his food.
“It’s ok, Perce. At least he didn’t ask if I was a boy or girl, like some first years.” Hearing this caused Percy to choke.
“Some first years what?” Percy said, covering his mouth with a hand towel.
“That was my reaction the first time too. It’s been happening since first year actually, so I guess it’s just become normal. That or being asked if a have a twin brother or sister based off of how they saw me first. That nice first year boy, Neville. He did the second.” Lirum said plainly earning shocked looks from the three remaining Weasley’s.
“And you just accept this?” Percy questioned the confusion written over his face.
“Well yeah, what would you have me do? Go screaming at every curious eleven and twelve year old trying to figure things out?” Lirum teased.
“You should go to their prefects and tell them they need to have a conversation about what is and isn’t appropriate to ask a stranger. Have any of my first years been to blame?” Percy insisted. Lirum knew in his mind that was right but refusing to ask questions results in ignorance Lirum wouldn’t stand for.
“So, tell them not to ask questions. How would they ever learn? would you have them just assume whatever they believe? I would much rather them ask; it helps get rid of the staring.” Lirum argued, attempting to show Percy a different perspective.
“Don’t bother with him, Lirum Percy is obsessed with what is appropriate.” Fred said leaning in towards Lirum.
“Yeah, arguing with him like this I’m surprised he hasn’t blown his top yet. George said sandwiching Lirum between them.
“Hush now adults are talking.” Lirum said putting a hand on either shoulder and pushing the twins away.
“We’re not arguing we’re having an intellectual discussion. Now, as I was saying I would have them go look up resources to learn for themselves.” Percy had a point.
“When you where a first year would you have been comfortable asking for information and resources for queer identities?” Lirum asked, crossing their arms doing something they despise, looking Percy dead in the eyes.
“I-um-“ Percy started reaching up to push his glasses getting cut off by Lirum.
“Would you now?” Lirum said. Moving to maintain eye contact with Percy who was clearly avoiding it.
“This is a ridiculous hypothetical.” He said before fully taking off his glasses to fidget with pretending to clean the already pristine lenses.
“I thought so. Regardless of what house they were in, I wouldn’t be telling you or the other prefects, I won’t risk outing some poor kid because they were curious.” Lirum said earning the faintest trace of a smile from Percy.
“That’s respectable. I’m sorry, I hadn’t thought of that.” Percy said, putting his glasses back on.
“Why would you? You’re not wrong. From your perspective it’s easier to keep it a secret if you never ask it out loud. To just learn about it in safety, behind closed doors.” Lirum said calmly trying to explain they understood where he was coming from.
“At any rate, we should finish with dinner and go study. Exams are just after the holiday, so we only have what’s left of Christmas break.” Percy spoke as he stood from the table.
The group began to walk together back towards the gryffindor common room. Just outside the corridor lay mountains of snow. It held Lirum’s attention as they walked. They had never really played in the snow save the recent incident of them pushing Fred and George. Even as a kid their weren’t many other kids around to play with, And snow is just cold when you're alone.
“I can think of something better than Percy forcing you to study.” Fred hinted nodding toward the snow.
“Are you thinking what I am Fred?” George said looking at his brother.
“What are-“ Percy was caught off guard and hit squarely in the face with a snowball.
“You should watch out Percy running into snow like that can’t be good for you” Fred teased making a mad dash towards the snow.
“Why you little-pfff-you’ll pay for that!” Percy said, brushing the show off his face and running after his brother.
“Come on Harry, it's a snowball fight!” Ron said, grabbing his friend and ducking to find cover to make some snowballs.
“Well, aren’t you coming?” George said, waving Lirum towards him as he dashed into the courtyard.
“I’ve never done this before.” Lirum said, taking cover with George behind a small tree. They watched his hands so naturally scoop up the snow, packing it perfectly into a tight and round ball.
“You can’t tell me the pitiful handful you threw at me before is all you’ve ever done. No wonder your form sucked so bad!” George laughed.
“It’s not funny Diagon Ally is mostly full of adult’s trying to run businesses not family’s with several children to go play with.” Lirum said scooping up some snow trying to recreate what they had seen George do.
“Oh well, we can’t have that you need a proper education on having fun, yeah. Who better to formally be your teachers than the Wizarding wheezes themselves. Follow me.” He said taking Lirum’s hands into his own.
“Is that what you boys are calling yourselves now I’ve heard twin terrors, the troublesome two, those weasley wankers, but never Wizarding wheezes?” Lirum joked, trying not to think about how warm his hands were in comparison to the snow they were holding together.
“Hey, pay attention class is starting, there will be a quiz later. The snow right now is perfect, if it were too flaky it wouldn’t stick, but if it’s too wet it could hurt someone. You want to grab enough snow to fill both hands.” He said gently pressing Lirum’s hands together between his.
“Pack it together firmly just like that, right not too tight or you’ll take someone’s eye out, but if you don’t pack it right it’ll fall apart before it hits your target. And don’t worry so much about the shape it’s gonna explode when it hits them anyway if you do it right!” George explained methodically guiding Lirum’s hands making a perfect snowball.
“Your hands are so warm.” Lirum realized had they completely forgotten gloves, it slipped their mind given they were only supposed to be going to the gryffindor common room and then supper.
“No you're just freezing! You should’ve brought gloves your likely to get hypothermia at this rate.” George teased. Rubbing Lirum’s red hands.
“You’re right but, I hadn’t thought we’d be outside let alone doing this. Maybe I should just go back. It’s my fault for not coming prepared after all, right.” Lirum said a little melancholy.
“You think I’d let you miss your first snowball fight? After teaching you how to make them! Take mine!” George said, pulling off his gloves.
“No I can’t-“
“Just take them! Go! Enjoy your first snowball fight!” George said, forcing his gloves into their hands and pushing Lirum out of their hiding place behind the tree. Throwing them right into the heat of battle.
Snowballs came flying from several directions. Harry and the other Weasleys were all still playing in the snow together while George taught Lirum. And now they were in the open, a target with no cover.
“Lirum over here!” Percy called from across the courtyard.
Lirum ran trying to pick up snow and pack it the way George had taught them. They almost tripped trying to dodge the snow flying at then on their way over. Some mixture of the running, tripping and inexperience made the ball they where forming sort of lopsided, hoping it would still fly straight they threw it in the direction of the ball that almost took them out hitting Fred in the chest as they ducked behind the wall to the corridor where Percy was hiding.
“Is this your first time?” Percy said with a tone so light it almost sounded teasing, shocking Lirum for just a moment.
“Yeah, why? Is it that obvious?” They asked, already knowing the answer.
“Just a tad, you don’t appear to have much practice throwing things at all. I know I might not be as sporty as my brothers but I could help?” Percy offered, seemingly nervous.
“Would you? I’m sorry I know it must be more fun to just keep going than stop to teach me.” Lirum said thankful for the boy’s patience he only seemed to have for them.
“It’s no bother Lirum, I want to help. Are you right-handed or left-handed?” He said taking a step closer as another snowball hit the side of the pillar.
“We’ve studied together for weeks, how do you not know?” Lirum teased.
The constant attack of snowballs forced them so close they could feel his breath. Looking up just the slightest to seePercy cheeks and nose rosy from the cold making his sweet dusting of freckles stand out more than normal. If they didn’t know better, they would think him flushed with embarrassment. He looked cute. He would look cuter red being bashful and smitten. The second Lirum realized their own thoughts they pulled away. Suddenly getting hit with a snowball before getting pulled back.
“Where are you going? You wanted help right?” Percy asked. Suddenly close again Lirum was overly conscious of the hands resting in their shoulders.
“Yes! Sorry I got ahead of myself.” Lirum said. He withdrew his hands crouching down to his neat little stack of snowballs Lirum hadn't realized were there.
“It’s ok, go ahead and take another shot so I can see what you're doing wrong.” He said handing Lirum a snowball he’d already packed from his little pile.
Lirum took the ball looking at it for a second thinking about how nicely made it was. in comparison to their lumpy and lopsided ones they where perfect. Remembering the day at the lake with Tonks they readied themself. they peaked their head out from behind the pillar to find their victim. Seeing Ron pop out from his hiding spot they took and threw the ball missing him almost completely.
“You really haven’t thrown much of anything in your life have you?.” Percy teased
“Oh Merlin! it’s a Christmas miracle!” Lirum cheered much to Percy’s confusion.
“What are you on about?” Percy said.
“I never thought I would hear you tease me, not condescending or patronizing. That was friendly teasing.” Lirum said, causing Percy to turn more pink now from actual embarrassment.
“You told me not to act like I was a prefect, but now you’re making fun of me for speaking to you relaxed.” Percy said, crossing his arms sending a glare in Lirum’s direction.
“I’m sorry if it came off that way, I promise I didn’t mean it that way. I really want you to keep this up. it’s nice you know to actually talk to you Percy not just the perfect prefect. .You’ll still help me right?” Lirum said, trying to stop the damage from spreading. Percy picked up and handed them another snowball.
“Here, try like this.” Percy said moving so he was behind them tapping on Lirum’s leg to have them move one leg forward. Chest pressed against their back And holding into their throwing arm rising it up. “Now just follow through.” They heard rapid footsteps, it was so sudden.
They felt like they were shoved forward. Then as quickly as it started he was gone. They turned around confused only to see Fred running past holding Percy’s prefect pin above his head, and Percy angrily dashing after him. Lirum laughed not to worry about Percy hearing, until the felt a hand on their shoulder again, turning to see George.
“Did you have fun for your first snowball fight Love?” George said feeling how cold his hands were through their sweater.
“Here take your gloves back, you're freezing!” Taking his gloves back off giving them back to him as they spoke.
“Oh don’t tell me I braved the cold for nothing?” When he said that Lirum looked up at him confused.
“No, not at all George, Thank you for this. I had an amazing time.” Lirum said, pulling him in for a tight hug.
“You better be careful if they see we’ll be in big trouble Thumper.” George said, hugging them back loosely.
“Why would we be in trouble?” Lirum asked, pulling back slightly to look at George.
“Wouldn’t be much of a secret if I told you now, would it?” George said before they both returned to their common rooms.