Chapter 1
“God Cameron, do you ever shut up about Potions?” Charlie asked while pushing past a group of students that was blocking the corridor.
“I’m just saying, there’s probably a reason that how potion blew up in his face, endangering the students-“
“Shut up!” Charlie groaned, the two of them making their way into the great hall.
“What’s he going on about now?” Pitts asked through a mouth full of food.
“Talking about how the new potions professed is a danger to the society of a potions classroom.” Charlie rolled his eyes taking a seat next to Neil.
Even though they weren’t all placed in the same houses, downtime like this they always say with each other. Todd and Pitts were sorted into Hufflepuff. Meeks and Cameron in Ravenclaw. Knox and Neil in Slytherin and Charlie in Gryffindor. He doesn’t know how either, Charlie doesn’t get the whole house sorting thing.
“I don’t care, I would take potions over transfiguration any day.” Neil smiled. “What about you Todd?”
“I like herbology.” Todd said quietly.
“Keating is the best.”
“Well I don’t need muggle studies, Knoxious. My father is a muggle.” Charlie ignored Knox’s glare and continued to keep the duh tone. Charlie never forgets to mention how his dad is a muggle with a job in finance and how his mother works at the ministry in the department of magical accidents.
“Anyways,” Meeks said. “Neil, are you ready for the game today?”
“Of course, Meeks.” Neil smiled brightly. “It’s the first game of the year and my team is pretty good.”
“I heard that Chet is actually really good this year, as goalkeeper and everything.” Charlie shrugged, waving around his fork.
“Come on, Charlie. I’ve been a seeker for years, I’m doing pretty well myself.” Neil smiled.
Nobody argued with that. Neil was pretty good, made the house team in second year and became captain this year, during their sixth year at Hogwarts. Not that Neil wanted to brag, he just wanted it to be known.
“What do you think, Todd?” Charlie asked, earning a small glare from Neil. But Todd wasn’t paying attention to the conversation at all, he was staring over at Mr. Keating, the whole time they’ve been in the great hall, actually. “Todd?”
“Huh?” He turned to look at everyone else. “Oh? Yeah, it’ll be good.” He shrugged.
“Geez, thanks Todd.” Charlie rolled his eyes dramatically. But Neil shook his head towards Charlie, small enough that nobody really noticed.
“Everything okay?” Neil asked once the group began talking to each other again.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Todd shrugged. He finally turned his attention back to the rest of the group.
“Someone asked about your dad.” Charlie said offhandedly to Neil.
“Gross.”
Mr. Perry is a well known doctor in both the wizarding and non wizarding world. Mr. Perry is mostly known for creating a potion that helps with memory loss for wizards who have gone under the unforgivable curses. And figured his skills shouldn’t be hidden from muggles, so he sold it to muggles who have memory lost from non magical incidents, like dementia. So, he’s a very well off wizard who wants his son to follow in his footsteps.
Except Neil won’t. But he won’t tell his dad.
Neil wants to be a famous wizarding actor or a famous quidditch player. He wouldn’t mind either one, just the fact that people get to cheer him on makes him excited.
Todd’s father is also a doctor. However, he keeps his studies inside the wizarding world. Todd says it’s because the non-wizard folk scare his dad but his dad would deny it. Todd’s mother works the receptionist desk at St. Mungo’s. And his older brother Jeffery followed closely behind his parents into the medical field. Todd comes from a long line of medical professionals and Ravenclaws. So, when he was sorted into Hufflepuff, his parents were extremely surprised and his brother was a little relieved.
Knox’s father was a Ravenclaw turned broom-maker. A little disappointed that his own son didn’t make the school’s quidditch team, but instead occupied his time with care of magical creatures. But as long as his son was happy, Mr. Overstreet didn’t mind too much of what he did. However, a Mrs. Overstreet was nowhere to be found and Knox never talked about it.
Meeks, smart just like his parents, also came from a long line of Ravenclaws. His father is an Astronomy professor who mostly teaches at muggle schools because the pay was just better. His mother was always fascinated with magical creatures and is overjoyed everyday at her magizoologist job. Meeks knows his older sister, who’s already graduated, is going to work with their mom to keep her happy.
Both of Pitts’ parents also attended Hogwarts, his mom was a ravenclaw and his dad a hufflepuff. His mother is a well known alchemist and his father helps his mother. They own a little shop where they sell potions and all sorts of materials for witches and wizards. His mother has been teaching him and his other seven siblings about magic since they could walk.
Cameron, the only muggleborn in the group. His parents own a laundromat that they live a block down the street from. It’s not a super big and fancy business but it gets them by. Cameron is the only magical person from his family that he knows of. That’s why when he graduates he’s going to become a genealogist. He has two older brothers, already out of school and own a law firm together. A younger sister who just turned eleven and no luck with a Hogwarts letter. Cameron doesn’t talk much about his family.
“Do you think Todd and Neil are ever going to confess their undying love for each other? Or will we all have to suffer in the future?” Charlie asked Cameron on their way to Herbology. Charlie has this great idea that all seven of them live together once they graduate. It’s not a bad idea, but Cameron knows they can’t all live together forever.
“They’ll tell each other when they’re ready.” Cameron shrugged. He just wished they were ready now. If Cameron had to sit through another study session with the two playing footsies and glancing at each other instead of reading, he might actually cry.
“Then they can get married and be famous for publishing wizarding books and playing quidditch.” Charlie shrugged as the two of them reached the doors leading outside.
“Then they can pay our rent.”
Charlie let out a small laugh. “Speaking of people confessing their feelings,” Charlie sucked in a deep breath.
“Charlie-“
“Come on, isn’t it time that everyone knows?” Charlie asked as the two walked into the greenhouse. Cameron couldn’t help but notice the small pleading in his voice.
“Know what?” Neil asked the two as they took their seats. Cameron’s face turned red as he tried to stutter out an excuse.
“Just that I’m actually a huge quidditch fan.” Charlie smiled.
“We knew that.” Pitts said.
“Fine, Cameron is a huge quidditch fan.” Charlie shrugged.
“No, he’s not.” Neil laughed. “Fine, keep your secrets.” Neil shared a small smile with Charlie.
~~~
“Okay, so what’s your secret?” Neil asked Charlie as the two left the greenhouse, leaving Pitts, Todd, and Cameron to walk to their next class.
“Which one?” Charlie smiled. “The fact that I’m in love with Cameron or the fact that I finally know how to make the Babbling Beverage. You know that one potion that just cause anybody to speak nonsense-“
“What? You finally perfected it?” Neil jumped with excitement. “That’s so cool!”
“And about the other thing?”
“You know you shouldn’t really be bothering Cameron like that, Charlie. People are going to think you’re serious and give you guys a hard time. Gloria won’t ask you out if she thinks you’re dating Cam.” Neil explained. And then Charlie suddenly remembered who the hell Gloria is.
“I’m serious Neil. Cameron and I have been dating for about six months. We started dating on august 13th because I spent most of the summer with him since he lives close by-“
“Wait, what?” Neil asked and by this point the pair stopped walking.
“And yes I know what you’re thinking, and yes I really do like him. I’m in love with him. I’ve had feelings for him since third year when I saw him cheering you on at that stupid quidditch game.” Charlie felt like he was just vomiting words and couldn’t make himself stop. Not that he wanted to, he finally got to tell someone about him and Cameron and it feels like his greatest accomplishment.
“Oh my god!” Neil shouted. “You’re telling the truth! I can tell!” Neil jumped into his friend's arms to give him a huge hug.
“But you can’t say anything to anyone! Not even Todd. He wants to keep it a secret until he’s comfortable telling everyone.” Charlie pointed a finger in Neil’s face with a stern look. “I mean it Perry, the last thing I want is for him to break up with me because of my big mouth.”
“I promise I won’t tell a soul.” Neil smiled. “So what? Everyone before him was a distraction?”
“Yes.” Charlie sighed as the two began walking again. “You know how hard it was to convince him I wasn’t joking?” Neil let out a loud laugh right before then entered their history of magic class.