Name: Garuku Bluemoon
Age: 15
House: Ravenclaw
Blood-Status: Half-blood, but I tend to identify more with the muggle side of my family since my mother, whom was the witch of the family, abandoned us when I was young.
Sexuality: Pansexual. And no, that does not mean I screw pans.
Favorite Subject: Defense Against the Dark Arts, I find it interesting to study.
Favorite Professor: Professor Sprout. I'm not too keen on Herbology nor am I Hufflepuff but she is like the mother I never had to me.
How do you feel about the other houses? Well, I would say this: Gryffindors are too arrogant for my taste (or at least, the ones I've met.) I try to avoid conversing with them if I can help it because the pride in that house is not something I can tolerate too long. The Hufflepuffs, for the most part, are some of the most misjudged witches and wizards I have met. They're so friendly and kind but they're mostly too shy to really associate with anyone. I try to reach out to them best I can, with help from Professor Sprout, of course. Slytherins are the same as they always have been: malicious, cunning, and even more arrogant than the Gryffindors. But I will say the house intrigues me greatly. Being a half-blood, I would never be accepted among them but that only heightens my curiosity.
How do you feel about YOUR house's stereotypes?I can't really complain too hard about being characterized by intelligence in this house. I try my best in school, but the stereotype that Ravenclaws are all geniuses who need to barely try to succeed, yet still enjoy studying for the fun of it is not something I would like to be associate with too much. I don't enjoy studying or doing work. I do it because I have to and that's that.
~~~
Name: Patrck Static
Age: 15
House: Slytherin
Blood-Status: Well, I'm in Slytherin so obviously I'm a Pure-Blood. If I was anything less I would be a different house.
Sexuality: What kind of question even is this?? No one needs to know this! And I'm straight, just so you know! Completely straight. There is no part about me that is even the slightest bit...sinful like that. It's completely unnatural!
Favorite Subject: I'm rather keen on Herbology in all honesty. I know most Slytherins find it stupid but I find it interesting. One more reason for my house to hate me, I guess.
Favorite Professor: I think Professor Flitwick. He's friends with my father so he has ties to my family. He also was the only person to treat me with any form of decency up here, no matter what kind of trouble I get myself into.
How do you feel about the other houses? I refuse to answer this. All I know about them is the ways my housemates speak about them and the general stereotypes. I don't know anyone from other houses. Or at least, no one I've ever been able to actually talk to..
How do you feel about YOUR houses stereotypes? I would rather not start on this. They're all so stupid. I don't identify with any of them. It was a mistake putting me in here. Yeah, okay, I'm not a nice person but most of that is for reputation. Reputation and blood-status is everything in Slytherin. People don't realize the expectations placed on you as soon as you're sorted into Slytherin. If you don't have the right last name or mentality, you're banished. My first night in the castle first year, I accidentally let slip that I didn't understand the discrimination of muggle-borns and they locked me out of the dorms for a week, I was forced to sleep in the freezing corridors. If Flitwick hadn't found me the second night and brought me with to sleep in his quarters until they lightened up, I would have been really screwed. Since then I kind of played the part, forcing myself to think like them and to live up to their intensity. I hate it but I hate being scrutinized and banished even more.
~~~
It was a week after the detention that brought the four students together. Patrck and Gar still had not spoken to each other since the interaction. Gar wanted to so badly but every time he would see Patrck, the latter would run away from him. Granted, the Ravenclaw never truly tried too hard to speak with him, but it was still infuriating to him.
Patrck had become a mystery to Gar over the past week. So much of one that Gar found himself almost craving the other. He could not stop thinking about the detention: the things Patrck said to him, the desperation in the Slytherin's voice when he said he wasn't like the others, the way he kept contradicting himself, the confusion Gar felt every time he would pull something like that...
But the thing that lingered the longest in Gar's mind was that stupid kiss. When Patrck pushed him up against that tree like he did, he was expecting a punch or something violent like that, not what actually happened. The feeling of Patrck's lips against his was stuck in his head and he couldn't stand it.
It had been a week and Gar felt completely haunted. What did that kiss mean? Why did Patrck act like he did before it happened? It almost seemed like he had wanted to do it for a while. But how? Why? Patrck was Gar's bully, had been since they were sorted into separate houses. So why now???
And why did Gar's first kiss have to leave him so confused and messed up? This whole scenario wasn't fair to him.
But it had been a week, Gar and Patrck alike knew that the latter couldn't hide from the inevitable conversation forever. He could try to, but it wouldn't work.
But maybe he didn't keep trying to.
Patrck was just as anxious to know what was going on as Gar was; he was just too scared to face it. It was him who initiated the kiss, him who stupidly let his guard down enough to show he wasn't the cold snake everyone else in his house is. Who was stopping Gar from going around and starting rumors that he was 'faggot' or something? That one word could ruin any possible relationship he could have with anyone in his house. Not that it was likely as it was, maybe just with the few people who actually believed the lie he built for himself but that was very few.
All Patrck knew was that conversation had to happen, even if it was just to threaten Gar into not saying anything about that kiss.
So Patrck decided: the next day, most of the school would be at Hogsmeade. It was perfect. He had overheard from some of Gar's friends that he was planning on staying at Hogwarts for this visit. Patrck had noticed that this was normal for the Ravenclaw. Sure he would go a few times here and there but for the most part, he had noticed Gar preferred the secluded peace of a mostly empty Hogwarts to the hustle and bustle of Hogsmeade on the weekends.
So Patrck made a plan, one Gar did not expect.
Gar usually spent these Hogsmeade weekends in the library like a stereotypical Ravenclaw. It wasn't necessarily to study that he went, more because since most of the school would be in the village, the library would be empty. The empty library just helped him clear his head and think. But this weekend, his thoughts just annoyed him.
And the subject of the annoyance on his mind was just about to pay him a visit.
And visit basically meant Patrck quickly scrawled a note on a piece of paper, scrunched it into a ball, and launched it at Gar's head.
We need to talk. Come to the back corner in case someone walks in.
-P.S.
Gar let out a sigh upon reading the note, but nevertheless complied. He immediately knew who sent it. If he wasn't so anxious to talk with the person, he would have completely ignored the request.
Gar made his way to the back corner like he was asked. Patrck could be seen spilling over a piece of parchment fervently. He was hidden by darkened lighting, Gar wasn't sure he would have seen him just in passing.
Gar mentally noted that Patrck looked stressed. His hair was standing on end, almost as if he had been running his fingers through it, and his hands were shaking wildly as he scribbled something out on the parchment. What really caught Gar's attention, though, was the amount of emotion Patrck was letting out through his features. His eyes had a distant and desperate look to them, and that was probably the most surprising thing. Slytherin's almost always had some sort of wall up, keeping their feelings inside.
Before Gar could go into any further analysis of the man in front of him, Patrck noticed him standing there and quietly motioned him over.
Gar quickly and quietly made his way towards Patrck, slipping into the seat in front of the disheveled Slytherin. Patrck seemed to avoid his eyes, looking just about anywhere else.
In the meantime, Gar's eyes couldn't help but fall to Patrck's lips. He couldn't stop himself from wanting to feel them again his own once more. It was all he thought about the past week. After a while, Gar tore his eyes away from them, flushing slightly at his thoughts.
An awkward silence seemed to envelope them. Gar was anxiously shaking his leg, overwhelmed with nerves, whilst Patrck tried to get his thoughts together. Both kept awkwardly glancing at the other nervously. The tension in the air was so thick that they could barely stand it for long. Yet neither took the initiative to speak.
After what felt like an eternity to both of them, Gar finally broke the ice. He let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his messy hair in frustration. He had a bad feeling about this moment. Either way, Gar looked Patrck straight in the eyes, an intense look on his face, which seemed to startle the Slytherin a bit.
"Okay Static, listen here. I admit I have been dying for this conversation since the detention happened and that you have been plaguing my mind rather annoyingly but as soon as I see even a possibility that whatever's going on with you is just some kind of joke to get me to sympathize with you only so you can destroy me at the last second, I'm not sticking around, I hope you realize that."
Patrck just blankly stared back at Gar, an unamused expression taking his features. After a moment, he looked away, tracing designs into the table with his finger.
"Do you believe that's what's happening here, Gar?" Patrck asked quietly. The tone of his voice made the mentioned man freeze. It was quiet and stern, yet a small hint of sadness and desperation seeped through.
"I-I don't know." Gar admitted, sinking back into his chair. "But if not that, then what is going on here?"
Patrck let out a sigh, lifting his head to look at Gar once again, sitting up slightly.
"I figured you should know everything. You know, since what happened during detention. But I also figured that if you were going to take the piss about it, that I would at least threaten you into not telling anyone about...the thing." Gar blushed slightly at the acknowledgement of that kiss. Patrck himself even flushed slightly, although most of what Gar saw was distaste and confusion.
"I'm all ears." Gar stated firmly, more curious about the Slytherin than he should be.
Patrck ran a shaky hand through his hair, closing his eyes. Gar noticed the conflict in his brain about what to say in this situation. It was almost painful to watch.
"Look, whatever you have to say to me, it's just between us. I won't say anything to anyone. I promise." Gar assured. Patrck opened his eyes, nodding. Gar could see the relief in his eyes.
"I fucking hate it in Slytherin." Is how Patrck started the conversation, tension noticeably rolling off his shoulders at the admission. He was once again looking Gar directly in the eyes. The Ravenclaw had no doubt about how true that statement was after seeing the look he saw. Patrck actually had tears brimming his eyes.
"Fuck.." Patrck mumbled to himself, burying his face in his hands, before speaking to Gar once again. "I'm not like the rest of them, I told you that already. Everything I said that day was true. Well, maybe not everything. But everything I said about my house is true. I'm tired of being grouped with them. It's not my fault I'm in that house."
"So you hate it there." Gar repeated, cutting in. "Then why try so hard to keep up a reputation? Why are you trying to appease with your behavior when you want to be away from them?" The questions came out a bit harsh, Gar realized that when Patrck lifted his head enough to send a glare his way. "Sorry..." Gar mumbled, looking down.
It took Patrck a long time to come up with an answer to that question. A bit too long, actually. In reality, he didn't know why he tried so hard, he just knew he was someone he hated in school. He wished he was someone else, anyone else, really.
Finally, Patrck did come up with an answer. Well, it was less an answer to a question and more a story.
"Do you remember our first weeks at Hogwarts back in first year? The beauty of the castle, the amazement of magic around every corner, the interest in the ghosts lurking the halls, and the fear of figuring out who you're going to be and where you'll be fitting in?"
Gar smiled at the memory. Those first few weeks he would always cherish. Your first few weeks can really decide who you'll be at Hogwarts, especially that first day at the Sorting Ceremony. It's your first true moment as a wizard and the first time you get to see who you're going to be.
"Yeah," Gar chuckled lightly. "Good days."
"Not for me." Patrck stated bluntly.
Gar let his feature furrow in confusion, willing Patrck to continue.
The Slytherin took a deep breath after a moment, trying to will himself to tell this story to a man he's barely even met. He couldn't tell if it was because he was desperate to let it all out or because he was growing to trust Gar a little bit, but he decided to delve into his past and let everything out, even if it would bite him in the ass in the end.
"My first night here as a student was hell. I knew it would be that way from the moment I got sorted. My dad was a Ravenclaw, like you, but my mom was a Slytherin. The night before the Hogwarts Express, my mom sat me down and told me that she figured I would be in Slytherin. Mother's intuition, I guess." Patrck let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "She seemed worried at the time, I never understood why. I realize now that it was probably because she went through the exact same thing I am currently going through. My mother is a good person, not like any other Slytherin I've met. She didn't deserve abuse or hatred, she was just sorted into a house that dished it out. She told me how often she had to pretend to be someone she wasn't, that showing kindness was a sign of weakness in Slytherin house. I really did think she was trying to scare me, that there was no way it could be true. I couldn't imagine my mother being mean to anyone. But I will say that after five years of living in Slytherin house, you begin to really understand how right she was and how stupid I've been."
"Patrck..." Gar cut in in a whisper, gently placing a hand over the Slytherin's, only for the latter to pull away, a slight glare growing. Gar could see the wall going back up and let out a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "Umm, why don't you just continue."
Patrck sighed, mumbling a quiet "alright" and closing his eyes, blocking the gateway to all his emotions for the world to see. Or, well, in this case, for Gar to see.
"My first night at Hogwarts, after the feast, is when things started going for the worst. I don't really remember how the topic came up to begin with, I just remember turning the whole of Slytherin house against me with a single sentence. I mentioned that I didn't understand the whole discrimination and hatred against muggles and those with muggle parents. I mean, they can't help who they are or who their parents are and who are we to judge them for being something they can't help?" Gar felt a certain warmness grow in his heart at that sentence, thinking about his dad who was a muggle and his worthless mother (who was a witch) who left them when he was young, leaving them flat. He overlooked that warm feeling, though, opting to just let the other continue.
"Anyways, what happened after I mentioned my views is something I will never forget. The looks they gave me where of pure hatred and loathing; they would call me names like "blood-traitor" and kick me down; they told me I was an embarrassment to my house and to my family name. I was ten years old at the time, I barely understood what was happening. What I did understand was when they kicked me out of the common room and changed the password. For weeks, no one would talk to me or let me in.
"That first night, I made my way to an abandoned corridor and just laid there on the ground, shivering and crying. I remember that I didn't get any sleep that night, or any of the nights to follow, really. The second night, though, Professor Flitwick found me and brought me to his quarters. He and my dad have been close since my dad was born so he holds a soft spot for me. He would be the only one up here, really. No one in Slytherin wants to associate with the "blood-traitor" and "muggle-lover" and no one in any other house trusts any Slytherins so I'm left on my own usually.
"But anyways," Patrck took a deep breath, opening his eyes again and looking at Gar. The latter could see the wall was fully back up in his eyes. He found himself wanting to tear it back down, bring the emotions back. Keeping emotions hiding behind a wall only leads to further self-destruction.
Gar reached out again and grabbed Patrck's hand, staring the Slytherin in the eyes. He felt the latter tense at the touch, but he didn't pull away this time.
Gar studied Patrck's eyes, trying to see past the blockade. He was able to make out something intense, something that's been building up for years. Now what was it? Gar couldn't place the emotion exactly but he knew it had to be something built from pain. All the Ravenclaw knew was that Patrck was really starting to grow on him and he really hoped it didn't bite him in the ass.
"You're not alone, Patrck." Gar stated, his voice making it evident that he was in a bit of a daze. Patrck's features enveloped in surprise and something that Gar could only place as longing, but hesitation still stood. The sudden change in emotion snapped Gar from his trance and pulled his hand away, which seemed to snap Patrck awake as well.
Gar awkwardly cleared his throat while Patrck ran a shaky hand through his hair once more.
"Soo..." Gar started a bit awkwardly, a playful smirk appearing. "Shall we discuss that kiss?"
Patrck flinched at the word 'kiss', his vulnerability completely breaking and the wall completely back in its place. "Don't say that word." The Slytherin spoke through clenched teeth, a harsh air to his voice. "Whatever happened, it meant nothing." He stood rapidly,
Gar's face fell, disappointment and confusion clear on his face. His heart started pounding rapidly in his chest. "I should have known." He mumbled to himself so Patrck couldn't hear, mentally punching himself before letting out a sigh and speaking to the Slytherin directly. "It didn't seem like nothing, Patrck."
The Slytherin started backing away from the table. "I'm not fucking gay."
"Neither am I." Gar answered truthfully. "And no one said you were. There are so many other sexualities out there besides just hetero and homosexual." Patrck shook his head, looking as if he was about to either run or punch Gar. The Ravenclaw stood cautiously, walking towards the Slytherin.
"Stay away from me, Bluemoon. I don't need whatever disease you have." Gar paused in his strides, shock clear on his face.
"Need I remind you that you came to me? I don't think that would have happened if you hadn't kissed me. You kissed me, Patrck. Not the other way around."
The Slytherin's eyes were beginning to water and he was continuing to back away. "Y-you don't know what you're talking about." Anger and disbelief flared up in the Ravenclaw.
"Which of us just went on about 'Who are we to judge people for something they can't choose?' Being gay is just as much of a decision as being a muggle."
Patrck's expression softened in the slightest before it turned fearful. "You don't understand Bluemoon, I can't be gay! I-I can't.." The Slytherin backed himself up into the bookshelf behind him, covering his face with his hands.
"And why not?" Gar demanded, trying his hardest to keep his voice stern. Where he was curious about this reaction and truly felt for the guy, he also knew showing any weakness or sympathy here would be a bad idea.
"Because if I'm gay, then all that does is make me even more of an enemy in my house. They already hate me there, I just can't add onto their reasons." Gar felt his expression fall to one of sympathy as Patrck slid down the bookcase and pulled his knees to his chest, burying his face in them. It was in this moment that the Ravenclaw really saw the extent of what Patrck needed: a friend. He just needed someone who didn't persecute him for being who he is. For being a Slytherin, or being gay (or whatever sexuality he truly is), or even for being a decent person with non-asshole-ish views. Gar was beginning to realize that no matter what Patrck did or said, he would always be the enemy in everyone's eyes.
And all the Ravenclaw knew in that moment was how much he wanted to change that.
Gar walked over to Patrck and sat down next to him, placing a hand on the Slytherin's shoulder lightly, feeling him tense at the touch.
"Patrck, I want you to look at me real quick."
It took a few moments, but finally Patrck lifted his head, shyly looking Gar in the eyes with his own that were filled with tears that never once fell.
"Fuck them." Is all Gar said. Patrck gave him and confused look.
"What?" He questioned.
"Fuck them." Gar repeated. "Fuck them all, none of them are important. If you're gay (or any other sexuality besides straight), you don't need to live in fear of it, it will only make things worse for you and the people around you who car--"
"What people who care? No one cares about me."
Patrck looked away from Gar, closing his eyes and willing the tears to leave. He had already shown enough weakness without crying in front of the other.
"I care." Is all Gar said. He said it so quietly that he wasn't sure if Patrck heard him but apparently he did. The Slytherin's head shot up in surprise and the only thing Gar saw was a single tear sliding down his face before Patrck tackled him in a hug.
"Thank you.." Patrck knew that it was all probably a big joke on him but he didn't care. For now, he could live in the (not at all) delusion that someone cared about him. And that was enough for him right now.
And Gar. Well, the curly-haired Ravenclaw felt his heart swell at the moment the shared and mentally prayed to whatever deity existed that he was NOT falling for the Slytherin.
But he also knew it was too late.