Re: Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy-Warty Hogwarts!

[Preffy~]

In all honesty, Arthur had not expected Alfred to sit with him. He imagined he knew someone else to grace his presence with in this class. But still, he smiled as Alfred sat with him and focused on the front of the class as their airy Divination teacher joined them and welcomed them back.

".... I have, of course, been following your fortunes most carefully and am delighted to see you have all returned to Hogwarts - as, of course, I knew you would!" She had started walking around the room, her jewellery jingling as she moved - as always. It was hard, sometimes, to listen to the professor seriously. Even if her dramatics WERE impressive. Still, Arthur played the good and interested student, even when he questioned the subject and thanked god for Ancient Runes. He glanced over to Alfred, thinking that maybe this year, that the lesson would improve.

"You will find on your tables before you," Professor Trelawney continued, her voice cutting through Arthur's thoughts again, "..copies of The Dream Oracle, by Inigo Imago. Turn, please, to the introduction. Then, divide into pairs and use the dream oracle to interpret each other's most recent dreams. Carry on!" With that, the class set of to work, grabbing their books and reading the introduction. The professor walking about the tables with interest.

After having read the introduction, Arthur looked at Alfred again, hardly being able to hide his amusement. He coughed, replacing the look of amusement to a more serious one. "So, should you or I go first?"

[Guest]

Alfred waited patiently as the teacher finished her dramatic speech and then went on to reading. He tried to focus on the reading, but he couldn't focus at all. Instead he kept reading the same line again and again. When Arthur looked up and coughed, Alfred looked up too.

"Uhm..." Alfred hesitated, "yeah, I'll go first."

He tried to recall his most recent dream. He remembered it had something to do with flying on his broom above his old home in New York and then he was packing his bags with his parents to get ready to go back to Hogwarts but all of a sudden his parents turned into his friends from Hogwarts and Arthur was telling them that his clothes were not packed up properly and they would have to refold them....

Alfred sure had weird dreams. He shook his head to clear his mind again and turned to Arthur.
"Well, I had a dream that I was getting ready to go back to Hogwarts," he said slowly, "and I was flying my broom, too..." Alfred trailed off. They were just looking for the main ideas in their dreams, right?

[Preffy~]

Why was he not surprised that Alfred DREAMT of flying as well?

Arthur flipped through the pages to attempt the task at hand. "Not that I need a book to tell me what THAT means of course but still...." It probably just something referring to quidditch... like most people their age. Still he flipped through the pages, to look for 'dreams of flying'? and briefly thought about how Alfred had seemed hesitant in telling him. Well, it none of his business, of course.

"Let's see... the book says 'To dream that you are flying, signifies a sense of freedom where you had initially felt restricted and limited'" What on earth? There was more.. "Or 'To dream that you are flying with black wings, signifies bitter disappointments.' .. Well we know it was a broom.. but still.. do you think Trelawney helped write this? That part sounds like her kind of thing!" Arthur laughed a little and shut the book.

"If you ask me, it's just quidditch nonsense!" He leaned on the table and grinned. "Maybe, if I do my job properly with helping you, my dream of you passing will come true, huh?" He sighed dramatically, a small grin on his face.

"An interesting dream indeed, Mr Kirkland.." Came the husky voice of their teacher behind him, they both jumped and immediately Arthur tried to explain why he wasn't doing the work properly (or why books weren't even open), but instead the Professor continued. "Ahhh yes, I see it! I see it!.. Too bad it will all end in disaster" She sighed in her usual dramatic way. Disaster? Oh right.. Alfred was her 'chosen' student for their year... But..

"Wait... what exactly will end in disaster! See what?" He demanded, this teacher spoke in such riddles sometimes.

[Guest]

Alfred had been focusing too much on what Arthur had been reading from the book that he hadn't noticed Trelawney until she started speaking. He jumped at the sound of her voice and noticed Arthur trying to explain himself. Alfred just watched the professor.

"Ahhh yes, I see it! I see it!.. Too bad it will all end in disaster."

"What will end in disaster?" Alfred asked quickly. Alfred was pretty nosy after all, she couldn't just say something like that and not expect them to just accept it. "Is someone going to die?!" Alfred began to panick. He heard Arthur asking a question to Trelawney too. Why did the woman have to be so damn mysterious, and of course she only did it on purpose!

[Preffy~]

He heard Alfred ask the same question as him, and yet all Trelawney did was look at them as though they were both a great failure because they didn't get what she was talking about it.

"Ahhh, I knew this subject was wasted on you both. Surely if you were open to the art of Divination, you would see or the signs would point to the bond!" She said, with great disappointment in her tone. " I feel as though I must attend to another student!"

This declaration came after someone from across the room called the Professor.

Arthur was left spluttering, his face turning redder by the second. "B-bond? What the bloody hell is she talking about?" He looked at Alfred, eyes widened, "Bond with you? Now I have heard everything" He said, tone filled with disbelief, but his face still very red. Thinking about it, they kind of did. Even though it had always been a bond to annoy the hell out of each other for the past four years, it was still there. They had always noticed each other. Maybe this year would be different!

[Guest]

As Arthur turned to Alfred with wide eyes, Alfred held the exact same expression. What did she mean by bond? Alfred had no bond with Arthur... they certainly never got along, and now it seemed like they were forcing themselves to get along with one another... Was Trelawney actually seeing this bond or was she just making one of her bogus predictions? Alfred had to assume that it was fake, how could she see a bond between Arthur and himself?

Besides, before this class Alfred never shown any signs that he was close with Arthur... But in the past, Alfred had usually poked fun of Arthur in front of the whole class... Maybe this is what Trelawney was talking about? It was obvious to anyone in their year that Alfred and Arthur never really got along, but maybe that was what their bond was... their bond was the strange relationship that they have had with each other, the one in which they never really can seem to leave the other alone. Alfred always teasing Arthur, Arthur always pestering Alfred...

So maybe Trelawney was right... they did have a bond.

Alfred looked at Arthur's red face and fought the urge to say that he looked like a blond-haired tomato and coughed slightly to ease a bit of the tension in his throat.

"Maybe... uh..." Alfred started, "Maybe she was just kidding?" He gave a bit of a nervous laugh and felt his own cheeks slowly beginning to color. Maybe he and Arthur could just pretend this never happened?

[Preffy~]

Arthur had been staring (more like glaring) at Trelawney's back, as she looked to be explaining more unknown truths to students, when he heard Alfred cough beside him! How embarrassing!

Just kidding? Just kidding??"Oh please! That woman wouldn't know joking if peeves himself hit her with his best trick!" He spat, cheeks still red. "She's a great fraud, is what she is!" He muttered, again questioning what on earth made him take this subject. He would tell himself it was because of the study of all magic, but to be honest he wasn't really sure any more....

Turning to Alfred again, trying to get some kind of an answer that apparently only he could help with. "Why exactly would she say that? Everyone knows we don't exactly get along...." He drifted off, messing with book again, flipping page to page.

[Guest]

Alfred blinked and watched Arthur flip through his book nervously, his face still red. Alfred thought for a moment.

"Well.... we might not have a close bond now..." Alfred said slowly, "but maybe... maybe we will in the future?" He frowned a little. "I know we never really got along... but so far this year we've been civil to each other. Maybe she's talking about later on..... I mean, I know you don't like me at the best of times and you can sure as hell get on my nerves sometimes but... I guess I wouldn't mind getting to know you a little better.........?" Alfred trailed off.

He hoped he didn't sound like an idiot. He knew as much as Arthur did about why Trelawney would say something like that, but maybe they shouldn't take it offensively, maybe they should learn from it. They could possibly.... embrace it even and see where it takes them. Of course, Alfred wasn't expecting to become best friends with the guy, just... get to know him a little more.

[Preffy~]

As Alfred trailed off in his line of thinking, Arthur smiled and crossed his arms over the book. "Well, if you're willing to put the past behind us, then I guess I can as well. Although, I don't expect our.... disagreements to stop" He said, laughing at the thought of them being the best of friends all of a sudden.

Arthur then extended his hand, for them to shake hands and begin a new strange friendship "We won't always get along I'm sure, but I guess I wouldn't mind getting to know you along the way!"

The smile then turned into a grin, "Even if it is apparently going to end in disaster!!"

[Guest]

Alfred smiled back and took Arthur's (smaller) hand in his. He laughed at what Arthur said about their supposed tragedy.

"Yeah, well I guess we should make the most of it?" He pulled his arm back and rested his elbows on the table in front of him and put his hands together.

"So uh..." he said, using his chin to motion towards the book, "should we continue this? Or are we just certain it's gonna be end in complete peril for both of us?" He smiled, showing all his white teeth.

Before Arthur could say anything, the bell rang for the end of class. Trelawney began to speak to the class before everyone could exit.

"I want everyone to make their own dream diaries for the next for weeks. Record your dreams and we'll interpret them next class!" she said in her misty voice.

Alfred grabbed his bag, stood up, and stretched. He waited for Arthur to grab his bag, too, not really sure if he should wait for him or not, but he decided that, to be a good (new) friend, he would wait for Arthur. He smiled when Arthur stood up straight and found Alfred still standing there.

"Maybe... we could just walk to our next class together?" he suggested.

[Preffy~]

As Alfred had taken his hand to shake it, Arthur took notice of much smaller his own hand was and how warm it felt.

The signal for the next lesson had gone off before he had chance to answer, so after Professor Trelawney had given them their assignment for the week, Arthur collected the book into his bag and turned to leave.

His eyes widened in surprise as he saw Alfred waiting for him, smiling. Walk to our next class together?"Alright. To Charms then?" He said, shuffling the bad more comfortably. "Also, I'm sure that as long as you keep to the peril.. she'll be happy" He laughed, then climbed down the ladder to normality.

Arthur then waited at the bottom of the ladder, smiling at two girls that came down the ladder before Alfred did. When he did eventually come down the ladder, the walk to their next class began, which at first was a little quiet.

"You know.." He began, a little hesitantly. "After our... awkward first meeting, I did try befriend you. I don't think you ever took notice though..." He drifted off into thought. He had done, a few times, but Alfred had just run off laughing... or never took the hint.

[Guest]

Alfred met Arthur at the bottom of the ladder.

"You did?" Alfred asked, actually very shocked. Alfred had never been one to read the atmosphere, so this came as a bit of a shock to Alfred. "Well... sorry, dude, I never really noticed..." he trailed off sheepishly. Alfred felt a little bad he was always making fun of Arthur now that he knew that he was actually trying to be friends with him.

"Well... I'm glad we can be friends now," He added with a smile. He was glad that Arthur allowed themselves to restart, because Arthur wasn't that bad, his eyebrows were just huge!

[Preffy~]

Arthur shook his head, dismissing the apology.

"There's no need to apologise. I know how awful you are reading these situations" He said, dismissively. Well.. Was Alfred expecting him to start complimenting him of a sudden? "But, I know I'm also stubborn. So.. Sorry for that I guess.." He said, with an awkward smile.

They were now walking one of the main hallways, students all busy walking to their next lesson, silence seemed to have fallen between the two of them though and Arthur was stuck for anything to say.

[Guest]

Alfred shrugged off Arthur's apology and as they walked, silence fell between them again.

But Alfred, not wanting their talking to end, brought up their conversation from before.

"So.... can I know what you want in return yet?" He asked with a curious smile, "I mean, I know you haven't fully agreed to our arrangement, but can't I just know?" He pouted a little, because surely no one could resist puppy eyes, right?

As Alfred waited for Arthur's reply, he studied his companion's face. Aside from his eyebrows, Arthur wasn't a bad looking guy, and even those weren't all that bad. His green eyes were a nice shape and his nose was small and cute, and even Alfred had to say his lips were full and a very nice color. Alfred focused his eyes on Arthur's again as he listened to his response.

[Preffy~]

He knew Alfred was bound to bring it up again. Even if he hadn’t agreed to help,

He huffed and glanced over, noticing that he was under Alfred’s gaze for a moment, completely searching his face. His eyes staying a little too long on his eyebrows… he was used to that. He turned away, his cheeks flushing, he could tell Alfred was still staring at him. He tilted his head slightly and caught his gaze with Alfred’s again, his eyes narrowing slightly

“I swear, Alfred Jones, if you tell anyone what I am about to say, then short of using an unforgivable curse, I will hurt you” He said in a hushed voice, then taking a deep breath.. He admitted his secret. “I’m not too good with.. What I mean to say is…Ineedhelpwithflying” He admitted to the Gryffindor captain of all people. The last of the sentence was rushed… he’d be amazed if Alfred even understood.

[Guest]

Alfred's smile widened.

"Is that all?" He asked casually, "No problem!" His eyes lit up as his met Arthur's. He could show him how to fly if he wanted. No problem! This would actually be pretty fun!

"And you don't have to worry," he leaned in closer, "I won't tell anyone."

When they reached the classroom, Alfred turned to Arthur before he opened the door.

"Maybe we could talk about this more at lunch?" he suggested. Then, opening the door for him, Alfred followed Arthur inside. They went their separate ways to sit next to their own friends, but as Professor Flitwick stood up on his tall tower of books and began speaking to the class, Alfred found himself spacing out and staring at Arthur rather than paying attention. That is until one of his friend jabbed him in the ribs.

"Hey, how did your walk with Mr. Prefect go?" his friend asked mockingly.

"It was fine," Alfred replied honestly. He turned back toward the front of the classroom to listen to the professor, he saw his friend exchange glances out of the corner of his eyes.

"Well... what did he want?" his friend tried again. Alfred looked back at them.

"Nothing really..." Alfred said, "He just wanted to make sure I didn't come to class late." His friend just stared at him and Alfred started back.

Suddenly, Flitwick walked up to their row.

"Get to work, boys!" he squeaked, "You need to practice your Summoning Charms! They will show up on your O.W.L.s!" Alfred and his friends started to work, and as Flitwick walked off to review the other students, Alfred spotted Arthur practicing his Charms and a small smile formed on his face.

[Wow.... really long post this time...! Sorry!]

[Preffy~]

Arthur returned the smile with an incredulous stare.

“What do you mean ‘is that all’?” He repeated, eyes wide. Didn’t he realise how embarrassing it was for him to admit. “It’s not easy for top of the year to admit he’s bad at something you know!” He was almost pouting at that point, even as Alfred leant closer, saying he wouldn’t tell anybody.

“I’d appreciate it thank you!” He said, standing straighter, as if to rid himself of the embarrassment. “ At lunch? Sure. I’ll um see you then!” He nodded his thanks after Alfred opened the door, and quickly joined his own group.

He could immediately tell that Alfred’s friends were teasing him about being seen with Arthur, they were all immature of course. But his own group seemed to dismiss the fact he had been with Alfred at all, they weren’t known for getting along after all. Professor Flitwicks’s voice was soon heard, as he gave them their instructions for the day. Summoning charms? Really… too easy. But still, he began the task at once, noticing Alfred looking his way again.

He turned away, a small grin forming, as with a flick of his wrist the charm was performed perfectly.
****

Their lunch break quickly came, and the group had just entered the hall. He had seen Alfred and his friends ahead of them on the way, so he began to search the table. He noticed them and an empty space opposite, so he headed quickly for the space.

“Arthur, what are you doing? There’s a space over there!” Came a voice from behind him.

“This one is closer!” He shrugged, and continued for the space. Managing to catch the conversation from his friends behind him (’Since when did he start being on speaking terms with Jones anyway?’ ’I don’t know, this year is already messed up’). He sat opposite Alfred, smiling as he did so, then started looking around at the food to decide Lunch.

(( Long post is love. I return with long post also XDD Even if it is bad XDD ))

[Guest]

Alfred looked up from his lunch to see Arthur sitting down across from him. Alfred smiled back.

"Hey!" he greeted, "So, I just thought that maybe we could figure out some of the finer details. Like... what time we should get together and study. Obviously, that's only if you decide to actually help me..." he laughed, "and then we could arrange something so I could help you."

Once he finished explaining himself about his spontaneous lunch meeting, he remembered something.

"Oh, also, about earlier, I wanted to apologise. I didn't mean to make you feel bad about..." he glanced around and then leaned in so only Arthur could hear his next words, "not being good at flying," he leaned back and talked normally again, "I just was surprised that you would actually want to learn that, is all." He laughed again.

"Anyways, if you are going to help me, I think we might need to figure out a schedule, because my practice shifts alot, but I think maybe we could work something out."

Alfred's friends, John and Peter, had been talking next to him and hadn't realized that Arthur was sitting across from them. When they saw Alfred talking to Arthur, they turned toward him.

"Hey, Jones, what're you doing?" John asked.

"Just talkin' to Artie," Alfred replied indifferently. John looked at Arthur and then leaned into Alfred and spoke more quietly.

"Since when are you two so close?" he asked Alfred in a whisper.

"We're not all close," Alfred replied truthfully, "We're just talking-"

"People are going to think it's weird," John hissed, "You two never got along before and now you do? People are going to wonder." But before Alfred could say anything in response, his friends got up from the table. "We'll see you later, Al," John said, and walked out of the Great Hall with Peter.

Alfred turned back to Arthur, a slight frown on his face.

"That was weird," he admitted to Arthur and continued to eat his lunch.

[Preffy~]

Arthur returned the greeting and listened as Alfred immediately started talking about arranging days for them to meet. If anything was even agreed, Alfred seemed to think so. He never managed to get a word in, that was until Alfred's own friends repeated what his own had said not too long ago, then with a weird look directed at the two....they had left.

Arthur laughed quietly as Alfred turned and mentioned the weird behaviour.

"Don't think too much of it! I've been getting the same comments" He shrugged, sipping a cup of tea. "Anyway, you have your practice and I have prefect duties, so we'll figure something out"

That pretty much confirmed it... "I guess, we can agree to help each other out. Any sign that I think you're not taking it seriously, then I quit. But that can go both ways!" The last part was barely heard, when was he never serious about learning?

He then briefly looked down to his drink, refusing to look Alfred in the eye. "As for why I want to learn...it doesn't matter. But I do have my reasons"

[Guest]

Alfred looked up and smiled widely.

"So does that mean you are going to help me??" he asked excitedly.

"Okay! I promise to do my part if you do yours!" he said with a laugh.

When Arthur looked down, Alfred's excitement died down a little.

"Hey," Alfred said, to try to get Arthur to look back up at him, "that's okay. It doesn't matter why you want to learn it, I'm just excited that you do! I really didn't mean to sound so rude when you said that you wanted to learn to fly, it's just that I was worried that whatever you asked in return, I wouldn't be able to give you..."

Now Alfred was avoiding Arthur's eyes, but he quickly looked back up with a smile when he added, "But I'm excited! At least I know that I'll be able to teach you...!"

[Preffy~]

He replied with a much smaller smile, and nodded. “I’ll help with your schoolwork, and promise to do my part also!” He offered his hand for Alfred to shake in agreement. If I can that is, He thought to himself. After an enthusiastic hand shake, Alfred’s own excitement died down, like his own. It was most likely because of him.

To hear that Alfred was afraid he wouldn’t be able to help him, made his own eyes widen a little. He didn’t think he would be that concerned by it. “I promise, I’ll tell you why eventually. You have my word. But for now, we’ll just keep to our agreement” He laughed a little at an afterthought he had. “No offence… But I never thought I’d be asking you to teach me anything”

He was briefly aware that there was 15 minutes left of break, he quickly grabbed a scone to munch before lessons restarted. “What’s your next lesson?”

[Guest]

Alfred was excited to know why Arthur wanted to learn, but for now he could wait.

Alfred laughed at Arthur's statement.

"Honestly, I never thought I would teach anything to you either!" He laughed with Arthur about that little fact.

He continued to eat his lunch as Arthur ate when Arthur asked what his next lesson was. Alfred pulled out his schedule to check.

"Uhm... It looks like we have Herbology next. You wanna start walking there? Looks like we're gonna have to go to Greenhouse 3..." Alfred said, studying the schedule.

[Preffy~]

Arthur leant closer as Alfred began to check his timetable, leaning across to look himself, to see that indeed they did have Herbology.

"Alright, I guess we can!" He stood up after collecting his belongings, lunch wasn't over for another 10 minutes but since Alfred had offered to walk down already.. he wasn't going to refuse.

Arthur almost felt victorious already, Alfred Jones was showing up early to class for once.

As they headed towards the greenhouse, Arthur looked around the chaotic hall for any sign of either of their groups. He sighed and shook his head. "Honestly, anyone would think we've broken school rules by associating with each other!"

They were heading outside of the school, talking about how odd the others were behaving. Alfred carried on walking and he stopped and looked towards the bit of the forbidden forest that he could see. Alfred got a little further ahead before he realized that Arthur stopped and headed back, Arthur never turned to face him as he asked what he was doing.

"Have you ever wondered what it's like in there? What kind of things are in there? I've heard that there are unicorns in there!" At the last statement, his voice seemed more filled with awe. What he would give to see a unicorn.

[Guest]

Before they left the Great Hall, Alfred shoved some cookies into his pockets, just for later. He and Arthur walked out onto the castle grounds and Alfred breathed in the fresh, clean air. The grass was beautiful and green and it was perfect weather for flying, too bad he'd have to wait until practice to go flying though.

"Honestly, anyone would think we've broken school rules by associating with each other!"

Alfred thought about this for a moment. He remembered the way his friends acted at lunch, just because Arthur had sat there, also.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't get what's so bad about it..."

As they kept walking, Alfred headed forwards towards the greenhouses when he realized that he didn't hear footsteps next to him. He looked around behind him and found Arthur looking off into the Forbidden Forest. Alfred came up next to him and looked in the direction that Arthur was. Then he looked down at the smaller boys face. His green eyes were focused on the trees.

"Hey... uh... what are you doing?" He asked calmly. Arthur answered in a serene voice. It was almost mesmerizing the way he talked about the forest, like it was something of awe and wonder to him.

"Well... I never thought about it. I mean I always heard there was scary stuff in there, like werewolves and everything..." The awe in Arthur's voice when he mentioned the unicorns caught Alfred off guard. "You like unicorns?" Alfred asked him with a smile. He wasn't trying to make fun of Arthur, it just seemed so... unnatural. Arthur was such a serious person and unicorns seemed so bright and carefree. It was actually somewhat adorable.

"Well, Artie, I'm sure someday you'll see one," Alfred said, smiling down at Arthur. Arthur's eyes were still lit up with amazement and Alfred just wanted to laugh. It made him feel happy that Arthur was so easily inspired by something he loved. He never would have thought Arthur was like that. Alfred's smile widened as he looked back over the trees.

[Preffy~]

What was so bad about it? Them acknowledging each other after years of arguing and snide comments and making fun of each other. “I guess we just influenced them over the years. Remarks, comments and arguments and all that” He said with a shrug, his gaze still on the forbidden forest.

That was when Alfred had realized that he had stopped and headed back, asking what he was doing. He never replied and so he carried on, listing what he.. What everyone had heard existed in the forest, the reason no one was allowed in there. Werewolves and everything. Arthur turned to face him, a playful grin replacing his wonderment, as Alfred spoke of the scary things. “So those little rumours that I heard a few years ago are true? That-”

“You like Unicorns?”

His face immediately turned red, seeing Alfred’s smile only made him blush every more. He was making fun of him? Arthur started to splutter a reply. Of course Alfred would make fun of him, a couple of days of them finally getting along and he was making fun of him already-

"Well, Artie, I'm sure someday you'll see one,"

At those words and his kind smile, Arthur could tell, he wasn’t really making if him. His face lit up at the idea of being able to see such a wonderful creature. Not that he would break the rules to go see one!… Or would he?…. No, no. Prefects do not break the rules.

“I hope I get to see one….It’s bad I would actually consider breaking rules to go in there and see one….” He said, laughing a little. The fact that Alfred hadn’t made fun of him, had been rather encouraging even had surprised. Had made him more at ease around him. He didn’t think Alfred would be like that.

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