Peace for Once
'Well, it's not that bad.'
Cale observes his surroundings, feeling a bit nervous about how they'll treat him.
He doesn't care about that; however, it would be troublesome to be in the same house, same room, same space, and take the same air to breathe with someone who'll cause trouble for him.
Rather, he doesn't expect them to be this welcoming, in a sort of -
"Ahh"
As he heard an 'ah', he leisurely opened his mouth and felt the smooth, sweet taste of food in his mouth. Sweet potato, he wondered.
After a soft swallow, he managed to speak: "Thanks, Draco. You can eat yours too." "Well, if you insist, you can continue", was left unsaid.
"No worry, I don't have two arms for nothing." Well, he insisted, so Cale didn't refuse.
Right now, Cale's wondering if what he's been raising up until now is a friend or a dog. Looking at this treatment, he's contemplating whether he charmed the latter without knowing.
However, Cale dismissed the thought immediately, knowing there were more important matters to think about.
He looks at the long table next to theirs and immediately makes eye contact with none other than his siblings, Potter and, unexpectedly, Granger.
"Hey... Do you think they're glaring at me?" Cale let out his thoughts. Pointing at the Weasleys and friends, expecting Draco to answer his question.
But this time, it is the person next to him who entertains his question.
"It's more that they're glaring at him." Pointing at Draco, the boy said. Cale remembers that his name was Blaise Zabini.
How unexpected. He'd think the boy was mute if he didn't speak just now. But to think he'd initiate an answer for him.
The boy looked at him, realizing something, and let out an 'ah'. "You already know me, right? Blaise Zabini is my name. Your sorting earlier really is something." Cale didn't know if he just got complimented or mocked, so he just retorted:
"It's nothing special."
"If you say so..." The latter returned his attention to his food as Cale looked to the Gryffindor side again.
He heard another unknown voice ask, "Is being away from your protectors hard?" He'd like to ignore it, but knowing it's a house full of self-preservative people, simply feigning ignorance won't end it.
He looked at the person in front of him. Another first-year Slytherin who got sorted before him, Pansy Parkinson.
"Not really." He said, trying to avoid unnecessary eye contact by picking food by himself.
"Really then? Being babyed around is nice, right?" Another mocking banter.
Slytherins' being bullies is not just a stereotype, he guesses.
- She's annoying. -
Glutton said out of nowhere, which caught him off guard.
"What's 'matter, scared? Ah! I wonder why you've been chosen here for how cowardly you are."
'Should I just ignore her?' Cale slowly closes his eyes and asks Glutton, but she stops responding again.
"So..." He opened his eyes to the sudden softening of her voice and looked at her, who was deliberately avoiding his eyes.
"What I mean is, what has that hat told you?" The Parkinson girl demanded.
'Is that how you ask someone?' He asked himself. But seeing no harm, he decided to entertain her question for a bit.
"If it'll be Gryffindor or Slytherin, my house, I mean." He didn't bother telling how the hat tricked him into picking a different house than he asked for.
"That means your Slytherin traits overshadow your Gryffindors, that's all." Draco sneaks into the conversation and gets another food for Cale.
"Hmm..."
"Ha! As if a Weasley like him would." Another unnamed Slytherin scoffed.
"Weasleys are no doubt purebloods. I won't wonder why he shouldn't be here. If that's all, can you just eat and shut your mouth?" Draco hissed at the kid, who met him with another glare and then turned away.
"It seems like everyone hates you, Brat." Parkinson gave him another insult, but this time there was no hostility or whatnot.
"Their opinion is, in any way, unnecessary. Once they saw Cale's potential, they'll eventually bow down to him." Draco smirked.
Cale agrees with the first sentence but not the latter. He looked at Draco as if he were crazy, but he ignore it without any problem. Then again, Zabini looked at Parkinson and shook his head.
"Hah, I'll be waiting for your demise then." Parkinson then gave her one last mocking smile and continued her meal.
Cale can't understand if it's in their blood to bully someone they first meet or if it's because it's him. However, he doesn't need to bother thinking about such things.
He looked at the table next them again to see where his brothers were. They are still looking at him. Although he can't hear them, he knows that they're plotting something. He asked himself if they hate him now that he's in the house of their mortal enemy; well, not really, but still, it's not something they'll be glad to call an acquaintance.
He didn't know that it's not like they're planning anything. But in actuality, they're plotting something. However, that's not something he needs to know for the moment.
Hey, let the boy rest for at least one chapter.
🐈🐈🐉🐈🐈
*Warning: Too much perspective transition for the first part. We need to see all their perspectives on this.*
While Cale is being bullied by his housemates, Hermione, who's been happy all day, looks at the gloomy Weasleys and one Potter in front of her.
She didn't wonder why they looked like this. Seeing that they are too attached to Cale, their so-called baby brother, and how much they despise the Slytherin, it's no wonder they feel lost now. However-
"Stop being so gloomy and eat. Shouldn't you be happy for him right now?" She asked. Although she understands that they are sad without their brother around, she knows that he has a life of his own and is not just around his brothers.
"I guess." Harry mumbled as he picked up the nearest food his hand could reach. Which is, ironically, a red apple. "Ah." He sighed; he couldn't understand why he cared so much about what happened. Maybe because he's one of the reasons why Harry decided to be in Gryffindor. Yeah, that's why.
Hermione took the apple from Harry and ate it. That caught him off guard. "Don't look like he died or something. Look, he's there, right? It's not like you won't see him again." She shook her head and continued to eat the apple.
"Right." Ron stares at Cale. Although he isn't much affected by what happened (not much means too much), but he still can't accept one thing. It's that "That bastard... He keeps fawning over Cale!"
They look at Draco, who is too happy for their liking. He keeps on giving Cale food, who's gladly eating it all.
"I knew this would happen. That sneaky chav... acting so close to my brother." George chewed the meat aggressively.
"It must be that hat's mistake. There's no way Cale is, in any way, like them." Fred said it a little more seriously this time.
"What do we do, then?" Ron asked; eyes are still on Cale.
"Sort him again?" Harry added.
"Don't tell me you're going to steal the hat, now." Hermione looked at them with furrowed brows.
"That's it! I never knew you were like us!" Fred changed his tone and became cheery, but he still had a lingering scheming grin in his face.
"I would never."
"Oh, planning to get expelled on the first day of the year, aren't we? Sounds fun; I'm in." Lee Jordan grinned as he stuffed a piece of bread in his mouth.
"Stop your horses. This is not the best solution for that." Hermione interrupted as they stared at her, their eyes asking, 'Then what is?'
"I-I think we should tell Professor Dumbledore about it, or convince them that he's not a Slytherin, if he's really not." She hesitated but still expressed her view.
"He really isn't! How can our gentle, kind, sweet, and unambitious brother be a Slytherin?" Fred claimed. Clenching his hand tightly.
"Don't do anything." They heard someone say They looked to see who it was, and it was Percy Weasley.
"What do you mean?"
"I know how desperate you are to remove him from that house. However, I won't allow it. It is against the rules to switch houses once it's decided."
With the response, George scoffed, "Just say you care about your image more than Cale."
Percy narrowed his eyes, "I never sa-"
"Then are you willing to let him get bullied by those pure-blood supremacists? I won't stoop that low, Perce." George rebutted, gaining the silence of Percy.
"Sigh. Whatever. I hear nothing. It'll be the first and last time I'll turn a blind eye to your shenanigans. But don't get me wrong, I didn't say it because of your plot to make me agree." Percy seems hesitant to continue, but he looks at Cale for a second before turning his gaze to his badge.
"I'm also Cale's brother." Percy finally said, but in a low voice. It's a once in a blue moon situation that Percy will be like that; the twin and Ron know it the most.
George grins, and Fred gives a thumbs up and says, "We know."
"So, what's the plan?" Asked Ron as the twin's lips puffed up.
"Later, in the common room. We'll create havoc." Fred grins. Hermione has no idea if he's being serious right now, but she knows they'll create trouble.
Although she still has no idea what their plan will be, she already feels sympathy for him in whatever mess they are going to make later. She felt excited, though, and somehow; nostalgic.