Fools Seldom Differ
A week had passed, no was any the wiser about Lirum’s breakdown, or them inviting George round. Cedric and Lirum though hadn’t been able to find a good night. They were both prefects and all the students were still in the castle. It wasn’t nearly as easy as their Christmas escapades. They’d never understood how Tonks simply strutted them in like it wasn’t a big deal.
Cedric and Lirum stood sadly watching the flubberworms they’d been assigned to care for. As if flubberworms needed much care. He was leaned over into their little dirt enclosure. They didn’t mind so much they where more focused on devising a plan to get Cedric into Ravenclaw Tower.
“Why don’t we use the disillusionment charm?” Lirum remembered, Flitwick hadn’t really covered it much in class but he’d assigned the reading.
“The what?” Cedric asked, giving Lirum an odd look.
“If you did the reading in Flitwicks class you would know.” Lirum sassed.
“Oo, feisty, today aren’t we. But I’m sorry some of us have lives.” He shot back, poking the worm.
“It’s like a minor Invisibility spell, you can be invisible and I can open the door?” Lirum suggested, giving him a reassured wiggle.
“That actually might work.” Cedric said, looking back up at them. “But please, never do that again.
“Is your girlfriend put out with you ? Why are you so grumpy?” Lirum asked, watching him poke the worm again.
“This class could have been so great! But that bloody Malfoy git had to go and ruin it!” Cedric said, sitting down on the ground.
“Well I can’t help that but, what would you think if I invited George?” Lirum asked carefully.
“You’re actually going to take my advice?” Cedric shot up shocked.
“I’m not shagging him!” Lirum snapped, hitting him playfully.
“We definitely can’t invite Luna if you do that.” Cedric shivered. “And not yet. Snogging first.”
“I’m not snogging him either!” The Ravenclaw asked, before the became confused. “Why can’t we invite Luna?”
“Oblivious as always.” He sighed “She’ll try and play matchmaker.”
“Oh,” Lirum replied, understanding that was probably best not happening.
“Also you’ll owe me three galleons when you snog at the party.” Cedric said overly confident.
“I will not! Because it won’t happen! I like Percy, we've established that!” Lirum argued.
“You’ll like Percy until you realise other people treat you better.” He argued back. “Also I saw you turn pink so you can’t lie to me.”
“I did not turn pink!” Lirum snapped, at his giggling.
“You can’t deny it! Your hair literally changes colour!” Cedric teased as class ended and they where allowed to go back to the castle.
“Are we doing this thing or not!” Lirum said, crossing their arms and turning around to face him.
“Doing what?” Hermione asked, walking toward the forest presumably for her care of magical creatures class.
“Extra revision in the library before patrol. You know, since we're both prefect.” Cedric answered, nodding to Hermione with a wide smile.
“Oh alright, it just sounded…suspicious.” Hermione said, hoisting her stuffed full bag back up her shoulder.
“We’re prefects Hermione, we won't be out breaking rules! You do that enough for the three of us.” Lirum cut back. Then took Cedric’s hand dragging him back towards the castle.
“That was a good dig.” Cedric joked. “And we’re on!”
He ran up the hill towards the castle. Leaving Lirum to walk alone. It was Arithmancy next, and based off the week before it was with Slytherin. Adrian would be there. They still hadn’t talked, he hadn’t talked to them the first day in potion’s either despite being their table partner so maybe things weren’t too ruined. When they arrived they found their desk for the first time. Of course all the other seats had been filled the first day they’d missed all but the three in the back saved for the prefects. After all, professor Vector could expect them to behave.
They took their seat between the Slytherins in silence and began pulling out parchment for notes. Until a small paper bird landed in the corner of their desk. They unfolded it to read “I hope you’re feeling better.” Written in a neat font.
Lirum knew who the note was from. It was quite obvious even if they hadn’t seen him pass notes this way before. They scanned the room for a moment making sure no one was looking before writing their reply “Thank you, I apologise for all the screaming. It was unnecessary.”
They heard him sigh before the sounds of a quill scribbling on parchment, another sigh the sound of him flipping the parchment and scribbling again. Before the note appeared back on their desk. “You had every right to scream at me. You were right. I hadn’t asked what you wanted or how you felt. I was too caught up in doing what I thought was right to think about that.”
“I still shouldn’t have screamed at you.” Was all they wrote before sliding it back into the corner of his desk.
More furious scribbling became the background of Professor Vector's lecture. As she passed the front of the class. “Stop being nice to people when they hurt you!”
They stared at the parchment confused before penning back. “You didn’t hurt me?”
They could hear him groaning under his breath as he almost tore a hole through the parchment. Then didn’t bother with folding, just shoved it onto the edge of Lirum’s desk. “Not physically! You were on the verge of a breakdown! You’ve been on the verge of a breakdown! You’re not just passing out, you're becoming so overwhelmed and distraught you’re shutting down! You’ve ended up in the hospital wing three times now! Salazar thank whoever found you after you ran off!”
They weren’t quite ready to admit to that yet. That everything had been too much to the point they couldn’t function. They felt guilty telling people they couldn’t handle their emotions. They were angry because they couldn’t, They were guilty for standing up for themself, they were angry they hadn’t done it sooner, they were guilty people stood up for them, they were angry because they hadn’t asked. They felt guilty for wishing they hadn’t, They were angry people were pushing them into doing things they didn’t care for. They were guilty because they should have said no, they were angry no one listened, they were guilty they wouldn’t answer if they asked.
They held his note. Unsure of how to reply. After a few long moments he ripped another sheet of parchment. He began writing for so long they thought he’d switched back to taking notes, except every few lines he’d stop and tap the quill on the paper before looking back at them and continuing on. Finally he gave them the long piece of parchment he’d used for his note. “You’re allowed to be upset. I know I don’t have a right to your story. Nor should I have assumed I knew it well enough to make decisions on your behalf. The only part that I’ve seen is the part that chooses kindness and forgiveness even when it is undeserved. The second we’re sorted into the evil house. We were taught that our ambition makes us enemies. That the only people who will stand with us, is each other. But you said otherwise. You saw us on the train and reached out with a warm smile and welcoming words. Everything we were taught not to expect. One of the first things you said to me was; we are not our houses. I was determined to prove to you you were right. I’ve been so focused on being the good Slytherin for years. Being fair and good and honest but no one cared because I am still just a Slytherin. It must be a trick. Then you said that, and I had a real chance but I failed to consider that you weren’t just a Ravenclaw.
I asked around the next morning, after everything happened. They said your boggart was a werewolf covered in blood. Given what you’d said the night before I put some things together. I’m sorry for the way I treated you. Equality and fairness do not always equate to treating everybody exactly the same. Not everyone has had the same experiences and life doesn’t look the same from every angle.”
Lirum was shocked and a little confused after they finished reading. They hadn’t realised they’d left much of an impression at all the first day. Let alone one worth an essay. “I’m not upset anymore. I was already so overwhelmed with what happened earlier I was overly sensitive. But you don’t need to worry about proving yourself to me or anyone else, alright. Just be yourself and people will see the difference. Besides, going over the top is most likely the reason people think it’s a trick.”
He stared at the note. Before sighing again and writing back. “If we were really our houses I’d be a ravenclaw and you’d be a Hufflepuff. Stop discounting your feelings for the sake of others. Stop discounting your feelings at all.”
“Are you two finished passing scrolls?” Professor Vector asked. “I would say notes if it didn’t sound like you’d written four inches on how to be a better friend. Five points each from Ravenclaw and Slytherin. I expect you to come to my class prepared to learn.”
The remainder of their class was dead quiet. When it ended they stood for a moment trying to prepare themself for what would come next. It was time for their first study session with Percy this year. Well technically time for their second but the first one they’d ended up in the headmaster’s office fighting for their badge back.
“What class do you have next? If you don’t mind my asking.” Adrian asked timidly.
“I don’t actually, free period. This is my last class for today.” Lirum said, awkwardly.
“Then why the hesitation?” He asked, concerned.
“I have a study session…in the library…with Percy.” They explained slowly.
“I don’t mean to assume, but I thought you were…friends?” The Slytherin asked skeptically. “He seems rather…partial, toward you?”
“You can say you thought we were dating. We weren’t, he doesn’t feel that way toward me. He made that very clear.” Lirum huffed. “You would not be the only one surprised.”
“They say great minds think alike.” He joked, shrugging.
“Though fools seldom differ.” Lirum shrugged, earning an odd look from Adrian. “It’s how the phrase ends.”
“You’re far from a fool, I think.” He said coming to stand beside them. “Can I walk with you?”
“I think everyone sees me very differently, and I don’t mind.” they said, turning toward the door.
“What do you mean?” The Slytherin said following them. “No one thinks you’re a fool, you know that right?”
“Roger does.” Lirum answered shortly, still looking back at him when they ran into Hermione. “Oh, I’m sorry. Wait, what time is it? We must be running late if you’ve made it back already?”
“No class has just ended.” Adrian said, stepping out from behind them. “Did you leave class early? You shouldn’t have made it back to the castle, let alone up here yet?”
“No, sorry I’ve got to get to class!” She said rushed diving through the classroom door.
“Odd, but not important. And neither is Davies!”
“True but I phrased that poorly.” Lirum sighed before starting down the stairs. “What I mean is, if you asked Percy, Fred and George to describe me, you’d get three different answers and none would match yours.”
“What makes you say that?” He asked, stopping on the landing.
“Percy says I’m stubborn and snarky and spiteful. Fred said that I’m a calm, shy little perfect ravenclaw that rolls my eyes at all his jokes. And George,” Lirum stopped waiting for Adrian, but he just looked back at them expectantly. “George told me that I’m funny, and a good friend, and that I deserve to be treated well.”
“You were wrong then. I agree with George.” He said, starting down the stairs.
“You don’t know me well enough to say I’m funny, or a good friend or what I deserve.” Lirum said crossing there arms walking away.
“I saw you and Cedric on the train, and the way you’re friends come out when anything happens to you!” He started after them. “And I could if you’d actually tell me about yourself.”
“What about when I do, and you no longer agree with him?” Lirum asked, sharply.
“Well, at the moment I’m also agreeing with Percy. I think they might all have stone truth to them.” The Slytherin smiled.
“George would argue with all of you that he’s right.” Lirum laughed thinking about it.
“It sounds like you should be studying with him instead.” Adrian said, following them once more.
“George only studies enough that his mum won’t kill him.” They joked, though they knew they were right.
“Have you asked him to study?” The Slytherin asked.
“No, because I know he doesn’t study.” Lirum answered matter of factly. “He loves me but not enough to spend the rest of his school year in the library.”