House Rivalries And Why They're Bullshit

It was their fourth year at Hogwarts and Draco Malfoy was in the library searching for a DADA book. After all, the last time they had a competent DADA professor was (as much as he hates to admit it) the werewolf, Remus Lupin.

So there he was, searching the shelves for the book that would teach him DADA this year. It was a tradition he started his second year after seeing the disaster Lockheart was. When a name caught his eye. Sebastian Lunar. An old pureblood name, loyal to Slytherin. There were no more Lunar's after Sebastian never married and (allegedly) shut himself away from wizarding society. Draco didn't know the whole story, why would he need to know something so unimportant and mundane.

Draco picked up the tattered book that looked so out of place on the shelf and read the cover. House Rivalries And Why They're Bullshit. Draco balked at the vulgar (in more ways than one in his opinion) title but flipped the book open nonetheless.

To the Slytherin who found this book (because only a Slytherin would pick this up and I'm willing to bet you only picked this up when you saw my name) house rivalries are bullshit. Now before you close this book in disgust, I can explain. Fair warning though, it's a very long story.

My first day of Hogwarts was an eventful one, even before I actually got there. I was a normal pureblood child, I had all the arrogance and prejudice that I was supposed to have, but if I had to pick the moment where everything started to change it'd have to be when I met him.

It was a warm summer day at platform 9 3/4 and eleven year old Sebastian Lunar was waiting for the train to arrive to take him to Hogwarts when a hard weight slammed into him, sending him sprawling to the floor.

"You bumbling fool! Watch where you're going!" Sebastian yelled at the figure.

"I'm so sorry!" the figure exclaimed, pushing itself up onto its knees before making eye contact with Sebastian. It was a boy, around his age, with medium brown hair, hazel eyes, and a light dusting of freckles across slightly sun kissed skin. "I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," the boy, that Sebastian was now seeing was shorter than himself, scrambled to his feet. A crow flew down and landed on the boy's shoulder. "Ah, sorry Christmas," the boy smiled blindingly (just like the rest of him) at the crow, scratching at his wrist in what seemed like a nervous tick.

Sebastian was so shocked at the exchange, and maybe he was tired, maybe there was no excuse for what he said next (no excuse that he continued speaking to this fool). "You named your crow Christmas?" Sebastian cringed slightly.

The boy straightened slightly, glaring (Glaring! The audacity!) at Sebastian. "I did. You have a problem with that?" the boy spoke in a defensive tone and looked like he was one second away from tackling the pureblood.

"Not particular," Sebastian shrugged, wondering why the boy was getting all puffed up over something so stupid.

The boy's hazel eyes, cold and calculating, swept over Sebastian's form. "What's your name?"

"Sebastian Lunar," he stood tall, proud. He said his name like it meant something, because at the time it did.

The boy seemed to brighten once he was given a name. "I'm Oliver Smith!" the boy exclaimed. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know when the train comes do you?"

I remember how much pride was in his voice when he told me his name. But it was different from how I said my name. Oliver spoke his name proudly, he was proud to be Oliver, to be himself. I on the other hand was proud to be a Lunar. Proud to be associated with my family. I wasn't proud to Sebastian. How could I be? I never lived for myself until I met him. Oliver was already free when I met him, and he helped me break my chains.

They got separated in the crowd but if he was being honest, Oliver's not so bad, for a mudblood. He was loud, blunt, and curious, he didn't know anything about the wizarding world. But Sebastian was content, disappointed but content, to never see Oliver again. Until he stumbled into Sebastians little seating area.

"Oh hey," Oliver waved at Sebastian, taking a seat next to him.

There was another boy sitting across from them, reading the year two potions textbook. He had his long legs pulled up onto the seat, resting his book a top his knees. He had messy black hair that seemed to fall around his face, and slate grey eyes glared over the top of his book.

"Hi I'm Oliver!" Oliver's legs kicked out slightly as he introduced himself.

Grey eyes passed over to Sebastian in silent question. "Sebastian Lunar,"

"Daniel Harrison," the boy spoke with little emotion.

"Awesome! What're you reading?" Oliver leaned forward slightly and tilted his head. His eyes shining with curiosity.

"The potions textbook for next year," Daniel spoke quietly.

Oliver's eyes quickly scanned the cover of the book before looking at Daniel again. "So you're going into your first year?" at Daniel's nod Oliver perked up. "So are we!" Oliver exclaimed, leaning into Sebastian's side.

Sebastian stared down at the top of Oliver's head in shock when he felt his weight sink into his side.

"Um, can I sit with you all?" another boy, stood in the little doorway, asked, fidgeting with his hands. He was already in his robes. He had neatish bright blonde hair, and pale blue eyes.

"Sure! I'm Oliver, and this is Seb and Dan!" Oliver beamed at the newcomer, kicking his legs out and then back in.

"Don't call me that!" Sebastian snapped at Oliver, who smiled apologetically, before turning back to the boy in the doorway. "I'm Sebastian Lunar,"

The boy seemed to straighten up when he heard Sebastian's name.

"Daniel,"

"I'm Henry Summers," the boy, Henry, introduced himself before sitting down next to Daniel.

Henry fit in with our odd little group quickly and easily. His shyness was still there but by the time the train arrived he was initiating conversations and openly laughing along with Oliver. Daniel never did put his book down, but as time went on it was obvious that he was no longer paying attention to it. The rest of our train ride was spent educating Oliver on the ways of wizarding society. This included buying candy from the trolley and watching him freak out about the chocolate frog, and watching his face scrunch up at the bad tasting jellybeans.

Oliver was a muggleborn with absolutely no knowledge of the wizarding world, he didn't even know of the house system of Hogwarts. Back then I passed it off like I was annoyed at the fact that he didn't know anything, and maybe part of me was. But I also thought it was really fun to break his reality, the constant look of wonder he had on his face easily trumped the small feeling of annoyance I felt.

Draco stared as he read the book. The house rivalries weren't mentioned yet but Draco was shocked at how Lunar spoke (written) so fondly about a mudblood. He was hooked on the book though, not a lot was known about the last ever Lunar, and no one knew why no one knew anything. By reading this book he could possibly uncover one of the biggest mysteries of pureblood society.

Draco wandered into an abandoned portion of the library and sat down at a stray table and continued reading.

I was sorted into Slytherin (obviously), Henry was in Hufflepuff, Daniel was in Ravenclaw, and Oliver was in Gryffindor. I once again thought that would be the end of our short little friendship. I think it's pretty obvious that I was wrong.

He wasn't sad. He wasn't. Sure the first friend he ever had that saw him and not his name was sorted into Gryffindor and therefor would never talk to him ever again, but he wasn't sad. Maybe a little disappointed, but he wasn't sad. Sebastian was wandering around the castle and not sulking. 

"Seb!" Sebastian's head snapped up from where he was staring down at the ground to see Oliver waving him over with a massive smile on his face. Daniel and Henry were right beside him, all of them clad in their house colors. Oliver bound up to Sebastian. "It's awesome you got into the house that you wanted!" Oliver picked up his tie and presented it to Sebastian. "Look, I got into Gryffindor!" Oliver smiled up at him. "The common room is pretty ugly though. Everything and I mean everything is red and gold! Poor design choices really," he pouted.

Sebastian's mouth opened and closed like he was a goldfish as he stared down at Oliver. "H-hi,"

Oliver tilted his head and stared up at Sebastian. "Are you okay Seb?" 

"It's Sebastian. But uh, why are you talking to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"House rivalries," Henry stepped forward. At Oliver's confused face Daniel spoke up.

"Slytherin and Gryffindor have a rivalry that goes back to the founding of the school. But its evolved past that and now Slytherins and Gryffindors just hate each other purely for the fact that they're Slytherins and Gryffindors," Daniel shrugged.

Oliver's face scrunched up (adorably). "Well that's just stupid,"

"I agree," Daniel spoke with no emotion, moving to lean against a nearby wall and stare out the window.

"We're still friends though, right Seb?" Oliver asked, looking up at Sebastian with a pleading expression.

"The library is closing Mr. Malfoy,"

Draco slammed the book closed and looked up. "Ah, thank you. I'll get going now," Draco slipped the book into his robes and exited the library, heading back to the Slytherin dorms.

Draco was currently processing what he had just read. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor were friends. The Gryffindor said that the generational rivalry (hatred) between them was stupid, and the Ravenclaw agreed! What did they know? Oliver Smith was just a stupid mudblood who didn't know anything! Surely as the book went on Lunar would realize that a Slytherin and a Gryffindor could never be friends.

Draco snarled when he saw Harry Potter run past him, presumably heading back to the Gryffindor dorms. Yeah, Slytherin and Gryffindor could never be friends.