Black
Everyone was staring at Lirum. They knew they should’ve just gone back to their dorm and changed, or went without.
“I was taking a nap before patrol, and was woken up to all this!” Lirum said gesturing a around the room. “I just grabbed a jumper off the floor! The first thing my hand landed on, really!”
“Oh yeah? And why was Percy Weasley's jumper on your floor?” Alicia pushed, glaring at them.
“Well, Cedric dug it out-“
“Why was Cedric in your room?!” Patricia gasped, shocked.
“He was helping me get ready for my date, really!” Lirum rushed out in their own defence. “He’s straight, what was gonna happen?”
“You’re not!” Alicia snapped, giving Lirum the worst death glare they’d ever received.
“But I am!” Cedric interjected.
“George was straight too, until he started spending time alone with Lirum.” Kenneth, the Gryffindor boys prefect joked.
“That’s debatable, but regardless, why was a Hufflepuff in the Ravenclaw dorms?” Haneda asked, stepping forward.
“Oh come off it I know you were planning to go to the Halloween party in the Hufflepuff dorms tonight before all this happened.” Cedric defended himself.
“There was supposed to be a party tonight?” Lirum asked, the whole group looked like they’d been caught. They crossed their arms trying to contain their anger. “You were all going to go to a party tonight and are giving me shit for Cedric helping me get ready for a date?”
“Well, erm.-“
“Well, erm-explain yourselves.” Lirum pushed angrily.
“W-well, we were talking about you wearing your exes-“ Lirum cut Alicia off.
“First off, don’t change the subject. Second, not my ex, we never dated. Third, I think all six of the other prefects in this year knowing there was a party happening in the dungeons tonight is more important than a jumper I accidentally put on.” They listed smouldering.
“I did actually pull out the jumper as a joke. Lirum was angry with me when I did so I don’t think they would have actively chosen to wear it out.” Cedric said awkwardly.
“Don’t change the subject! This party was happening in your common room and you didn’t even think to invite me? Some friend you are!” Lirum snapped in his direction.
“I understand that you’re mad, but let’s be real. Large parties aren’t your thing. You like quality time.” Cedric said confidently.
“Don’t tell me what I like and don’t like.” Lirum snapped. “I’ve never been to a party how would either of us know.”
“I assumed George told them.” Kenneth mumbled to Alicia just loud enough Lirum heard.
“Oh, alright then. You want to meddle in out relationship Alicia? Why don’t you tell me why he didn’t? Because George never told me about this secret party.” Lirum said, turning back to face them.
“Maybe we should talk about this later, you seem a little…angry?” Adrian chimed in.
“Livid.” Lirum, and Haneda corrected at the same time.
“So go on, tell me! Why wasn’t I invited?” The group was dead silent.
“You’re friends with Head Boy.” Patricia said under her breath.
“I’m also friends with Cedric, Fred, and Lee. Oh and don’t forget dating George.” Lirum replied, impatiently.
“Well clearly, he didn’t think it was a good idea either.” Kenneth chuckled.
“Kenneth!” Alicia gasped, elbowing him.
“You know what, thank you Alicia you’ve very clearly pointed out some issues that need to be-“
“The students are trying to sleep! Why is it that this group of prefects can’t seem to control themselves?” Percy continued his rant as he stormed towards them. “Ever since the start of this year it has been one thing after another with you. What is it now?”
The pit of their stomach dropped. The whole group was frozen. Percy came to a stop in front of them all scanning over them. Lirum begged he would notice.
“Is that my jumper?”
“It would appear that way and we were attempting to find out how a Ravenclaw ended up ‘accidentally’ wearing a Gryffindor upperclassman’s jumper.”
“They spent last Christmas in Gryffindor Tower. There was something on the loose petrifying people. As a prefect I gave them something appropriate to wear so they wouldn’t be walking the halls back to Ravenclaw tower alone.”
“You don’t think it’s a bit odd they wore it on the night they became official with your brother.” Alicia pushed trying to get a reaction.
“I’m done discussing this. All of you will start acting like prefects before I have to send word to the headmaster” Percy snapped, before turning to leave. “As the other prefects in your year can’t seem to contain themselves when your around Lirum, you will come with me.”
“Percy-“
“That wasn’t a suggestion.” He said pulling them behind him.
Lirum looked back awkwardly to see a variety of reactions from the other prefects. Adrian didn’t take his eyes off them as they were dragged away, Cedric was unamused, Alicia rolled her eyes and began a seemingly intense argument with Haneda. Kenneth, and Patricia seemed to be having their own side conversation. It was not a great look and they had to admit it. Getting dragged away by the person the person they were being accused of, well, Lirum wasn’t quite sure what they were being accused of. Cheating maybe? Scandal whatever it was.
They remembered being told the year before everyone thought they were in a relationship with Percy, or at least shagging him, and Fred, and George. So it stands to reason people would jump to conclusions about what Lirum was wearing. The main problem being that it was not now, it ever true. Percy thought of them as a child, nothing more. They’d barely even call him a friend at this point.
“Percy, I think it would be best for me to stay with my years prefects this is a bit overboard.” Lirum said trying to have him see reason.
“They are actively harassing you, again.” Percy huffed, dragging them toward the center of the hall. “What kind of Head Boy would I be if I allowed harassment in the ranks of my prefects.”
“I mean you didn’t seem to have a problem the first time.” Percy froze instantly. “Or when the teachers-“
“Lirum, of course I had a problem with-“
“You told me to put up with it for my position as a prefect. Does that sound like something someone who disagreed with their behaviour would have done?”
“What do you want me to say?” Percy asked, turning back toward them. “I’m sorry, I’ve already told you I feel terrible for what happened. There was nothing I could, I would have helped you if I could.”
“You couldn’t, or you wouldn’t godric forbid you actually stood up for me. No instead five near strangers did?” Lirum argued, this was the last thing they wanted to talk about while a serial mass murderer was on the lose in the castle.
“Not all of us have the privilege of being able to argue with the headmaster!” Percy snapped.
“Then you could have been understanding when I told you that I didn’t want want to be a prefect. You could not have told me to keep putting myself in distressing situations so I could stay in a position I never wanted.” Lirum hissed trying not to wake everyone in the hall up. “Even now I’m having to do the work of two people because no one asked me what I wanted, and ignored me when I tried to tell them.”
“Lirum, if I could go back, I can think of a thousand ways I would change the way things went down. I understand that you’re upset with me and why, but please understand I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Percy said softer. “I still care about you. You are my closest friend, and we haven’t spoken in weeks. After our last conversation I’ve been worried about you.”
“Then why didn’t you try to talk to me?” His breath hitched. “It’s been almost a month Percy. You see me every day. If you were worried about me, why didn’t you ask me if I was ok?”
“Lirum, I didn’t think-“
“No, you know that I think Percy?” They asked, looking up at him. “I think you’re trying to clear your conscious because theirs a murderer on the lose.”
“That’s not true!” He argued, panicked.
“Then why? Why didn’t you ask me if I was ok? Why didn’t you talk to me about anything really?” Lirum questioned, only to receive silence in return. “You were perfectly content pretending nothing happened between us, until you thought one of us could die. You did the same thing last year with the basilisk, and I’d bet galleons in the fact the reason you wanted to start again after our first study session was because of the troll in the dungeons!”
“Is it wrong for me to be scared to lose my friend?” Percy huffed.
“It’s wrong to only show remorse, to only care, when it’s life or death!” Lirum answered, harshly.
“If I didn’t care what is this! Trying to stop them from harassing you, apologising in the library, apologising now!” He stressed, moving closer, but they took a step back. “I know I was out of line before, and it seemed like my presence was bringing you more distress. So, I steered clear of you.”
“We’re meant to be patrolling now right? We should probably do that.” Lirum said, trying to end the conversation .
“Lirum, are you alright?” Percy said, reaching for them. Lirum jerked their arm back out of reach. “Please don’t run away from me.”
“Says the one who’s been avoiding me.” They said, trying to walk away. “You keep telling me to stop running from my problems, but sweep it under the rug when they have to do with you.”
“That’s what I’m trying to fix now!” He said, moving closer again. “Lirum please, It’s to dark in here for me to tell if you’re alright. I’m worried about you.”
“Do you realise how awful it is to be told how I feel all the time?” Lirum snapped turning back to him. “It’s incredibly intrusive! Maybe I just want to feel how I feel without everyone making it the topic of conversation!”
“I’m not trying to-“ He started.
“Yes you are Percy! You were going to see what colour my hair turned so you can shift the conversation there! So you can go jumping to conclusions about why I feel that way instead of asking!” They hated being angry, but the Weasleys had a talent for pulling it out of them. “The only reason you’re asking now is because you can’t see! Even then, if I told you how I feel you would start in on why I feel that way, without ever letting me get a real word in about why I feel how I feel!”
“That’s not-That’s only partially true I just wanted-“ He stumbled, trying to defend himself.
“You know that’s why I never talk about anything, right? Why ruin everyone’s favourite game? Go ahead tell me how I feel and why. Don’t worry everyone else does, you’ve done it plenty yourself so don’t pretend you haven’t!” Lirum snapped, furious.
“I didn’t realise it bothered you so much.” Percy said, sombrely realisation finally dawning on him. Though it only made them more angry
“How many times have I told you not to tell me how I feel? How many times have you heard me say the same to others? How could you not know?” Percy felt guilty, that much was obvious, but they were so tired. “You would know if you ever actually listened to me, if any of you ever actually listened to me. How I feel about my own life, and the things happening in it don’t matter! Just how everyone else thinks I should feel right?”
“Lirum, I-“
“No it’s my turn. Let me guess, you’re upset and frustrated with me because you’re not getting a word in? Maybe because I’m telling you how you feel about this situation? Welcome to my world.” They scoffed walking back towards the far entrance of Great Hall.
“I’m sorry, I-“
“I’m done just forgiving everyone. I’m tired of being the bigger person.” Lirum cried.
“That’s alright, you don’t have to forgive me. If anything I think it’s best that you let it out.” Percy said, choosing his words carefully. “I wish I could have been better for you when you needed me.”