Chapter 7
The poets were huddled into the prefect’s bathroom way later than they should be. Because Charlie had this wonderful idea to brew the Confusing Concoction potion and Professor McAllister wouldn’t let Charlie do it in class. Pitts and Meeks were there to help Charlie, considering they’re really well at potions. Todd and Knox were intrigued to find out how this plan would end. And Charlie was just lucky that Neil and Cameron wanted to be there to prevent anything stupid from happening.
“Please Cam?” Charlie asked as the two were watching Neil practice quidditch.
“No Charlie.” Cameron shook his head. “This is extremely dangerous and I don’t really trust McAllister as a potions Professor considering the cauldron has blown up in his face multiple times.”
“Please Cam, I need your smart brain there and your handsome face.” Charlie reached out and pinched Cameron’s cheeks and Cameron immediately started swatting his boyfriend’s hands away.
“Also!” Cameron whispered- shouted, face red. “Why did you tell Neil?”
“Come on! He’s my best friend.” Charlie whined. “He’s my best friend. And you wanting to keep us a secret should be a crime. Every time someone mentions you, I have to bite the inside of my cheek to prevent me from word vomiting anything about you.”
Cameron gave a small smile. “I know you want to tell everyone but I just want to wait.”
“And I understand that.” Charlie sighed. “Just sucked having to do Valentine’s Day gifts in secret when everyone was getting notes and gifts during breakfast.”
“I’m sorry.” Cameron sighed. “How about this? We can tell all our friends this weekend?”
“Really? Cam, are you sure? I don’t want to pressure you-“
“I’m sure Charlie.”
“Oh finally! God I could kiss you right now!” Charlie smiled from ear to ear as he grabbed his boyfriend’s arm and shook it. “Like you didn’t already tell Todd.”
“He figured it out on his own!”
So, that’s how Cameron ended up in the Prefect’s bathroom, surrounded by his friends and watching his boyfriend read over some notes. Because he remembered that he’s in love with Charlie and Charlie is in love with doing things that he shouldn’t. And god forbid something happens and Cameron has to hear about it while Charlie is in the hospital wing.
“Care to help Cam?” Charlie asked, while sitting criss crossed on the floor in front of his cauldron. Pitts and Meeks on each side of him. Neil and Todd sat a few feet away from the three, watching everything. Knox and Cameron stood even farther and Cameron shook his head even though Charlie’s back was facing him.
“No thanks.” Cameron spoke up. “I’m allergic to scurvy grass.”
“Oh yeah.” Charlie said quietly. How could he forget?
“So it says to stir until it thickens.” Meeks read from the book.
“How long is that going to take?”
“I don’t know, Knoxious.” Charlie rolled his eyes and Cameron could hear the attitude immediately. “I guess until it thickens.”
“Well no shit.” Knox narrowed his eyes.
“I can’t believe you dragged me into this.” Cameron muttered.
“You know everyone, there’s been some real tension in our friend group lately-“
“No there hasn’t been Charlie.” Neil quickly butt in, unsure of where the conversation was going. A very common thing when Charlie was talking. And now that Neil knows Charlie’s secret and that Charlie knows Neil’s secret, it was best to just butt in.
“I suggest that we all just kiss it out,” Charlie had a shit eating grin as the group collectively let out a groan. Cameron just shook his head and Charlie smiled brighter. “I call kissing Cameron first.”
“Oh shut up!” Knox let out a frustrated sigh and threw a crumpled up paper Charlie’s way.
“Geez Knox, you get grumpy when you’re tired.” Todd commented quietly and a few of the boys laughed. Knox turned red with embarrassment and plopped himself down on the floor.
“We’re all tired.” Cameron reminded the group. “It’s two in the morning.”
“Guess I’m skipping breakfast.” Pitts said to Meeks who just gave an agreeing nod.
“Oh! It’s bubbling! Is that good?” Charlie bounced with excitement.
“Umm,” Meeks scanned through the pages. “It doesn’t say?”
Cameron took a few steps closer. “I don’t-“ Cameron began but was quickly cut off.
“Duck!” Charlie shouted, sending everyone to the floor and covering their heads with their arms. The pot in front of him exploded sending the liquid flying everywhere.
The poets were all scattered on the floor, shouting and yelling in fear as the liquid landed all over the place. The smell of burning overpowered the air. Todd took a few deep breaths before looking around, and the poets decided to finally look up. The black liquid covered the entire bathroom and the cauldron shattered. The potions notes next to it were completely burned and ash was all over the floor.
“Cameron!” Charlie shouted, pushing himself up off the floor and quickly throwing himself down next to Cameron. Cameron laid there, completely blistered up and red. Not the shade of red he gets when he’s embarrassed or shy. Hives covered his face and neck, the exploded potion splattered all over his clothes. “Cameron! Neil, go get help!”
“Shit!” Neil ran out of the bathroom.
“What the hell!” Knox shouted.
“Rich!” Charlie began shaking his boyfriend and lightly tapped his face. “Rich, wake up. Come on!” The poets waited patiently for Cameron to shoot up.
“He’s allergic to the stupid fucking scurvy grass!” Meeks shouted, quickly reminding Charlie.
“Shit, shit, shit.” Charlie quickly rushed over to his bag that he used to carry all the ingredients for the potion in. He dumped everything out of his bag with such urgency that none of the poets have seen him use it before. “Richard!” Charlie shouted.
“What is that?” Knox asked.
“His epipen.” Charlie was quickly to Cameron’s side. “Richard please.” With such swiftness and force, the poets watched Charlie slam the epipen into Cameron’s thigh. In a few seconds Cameron’s eyes shot wide open as he took in a deep breath. “Oh my god.”
“Ugh.” Cameron groaned and Charlie threw himself on top of Cameron, holding him tightly.
“Oh my god!” The rest of the poets bent down to his side and pulled each other into a group hug. The group slowly backed away but Charlie did not budge. The rest of the group quietly watched as Charlie held on, they watched as he finally let go and held Cameron’s face in his hands.
“In here!” Neil ran in followed by Professor Keating.
“Oh Cameron, my boy.” Mr. Keating bent down to examine him. “Ah, an allergic reaction, let’s get you to the hospital wing.”
“I’m so sorry.” Charlie kept repeating as he and Keating helped Cameron up off the floor.
“You all can explain to me how you ended up in this situation in the first place.” Keating sighed, taking a look around the bathroom. “Scourgify.” And with a flick of the wand, the bathroom began cleaning itself up.
The entire group made their way down the corridor and to the hospital wing. Cameron groaned and Charlie held him tighter. Keating glanced at the two boys but didn’t say anything, he just held up Cameron. The poets walked behind the three, their confused faces quickly disappearing and everything becoming clear.
“Keating?”
“Hello madam Maker.” Keating pushed his way inside. “Mr. Cameron here has had an allergic reaction and we just came to make sure that he will be taken care of, in secret.”
“Of course, come, bring him in.” Charlie helped Cameron sit down in the bed, not letting go of each other’s hands. “And the others?”
“Will be taken care of, you have my word.” Keating glanced at the rest of the poets, with guilty looks. Neil explained the entire situation on their way back to the bathroom. “Detention, all of you, and yes Mr. Cameron, that does include you.”
“You all should go get some rest. Mr. Cameron will have to spend the night here. So, say your goodbyes and you will see him tomorrow.” Madam Maker told the group as she fixed up a potion.
“Thank you so much my dear.” Keating gave her a huge smile.
“It’ll stay between us.” She returned the smile and Keating said his goodbyes and accepted the thank yous he received from the group. “Oh, and but the way Mr. Dalton, if you want to learn more about potions in a non conforming way, come see me.”
“Get some rest.” Neil made his way over to Cameron.
“I will.”
“I’m sorry.” Cameron watched Todd apologize and Cameron didn’t even have the energy to tell Todd he had no reason to be sorry.
“I’m sorry, too. Get some rest Cameron.” Meeks and Pitts both gave a small nod and a small squeeze to Cameron’s hand.
“We will see you first thing in the morning.” Knox mentioned. “Come on Charlie.”
“I’m staying.” He sternly replied and nobody was going to argue with him. The sight of seeing Charlie sitting next to Cameron, holding his hand so tightly and tears in his eyes was enough to convince them.
“We are happy for you guys, by the way.” Knox mentioned.
“We can talk about it later.” Neil said, pulling the group out of the room.
“Mr. Dalton, there’s blankets over there and I’ll be in my office if you need anything.” Madam Maker smiled and left the two.
“I’m so sorry-“
“Oh,” Cameron gently lifted his right hand and cupped Charlie’s left cheek. “Please don’t apologize.”
“But-“
“How’d you even get my epipen anyways?”
“Because you never carry it so I carry it for you.” Charlie stated.
“Well, thank you.” Cameron let out a small laugh.
“Well, everyone knows.”
“I know.”
“They’re happy.”
“So am I.” Cameron said.
“Does that mean I get to kiss you in public now?” Charlie laughed.
“No.”
“Worth a try.”