#They literally did offer 1mil to anyone with proof it didn't exist lmaooofveakj

[astrejlau]

OC Interview ➔ Al Rose

year five

name ➔ “I’m Al Rose.” Al has the air of someone who would rather be shoveling Chimera dung than be sitting talking to me, but I won’t pass up this chance to finally get into the closely locked mind of Hogwarts’ Infamous Curse-Breaker! A fidgety young man with a ponytail who smells of grass and honeysuckle stands nervously off to the side behind me.

are you single ➔ ”It’s whatever.”

are you happy ➔ “I was told you were interested in my charm work.”

are you angry ➔ “Getting there.”

are your parents still married ➔ Al grips their folded arms where their wand holster is clearly located. “They’re dead.” I begin to wonder on my publisher’s health insurance plan. Surely they updated it for St. Mungo’s latest legislation? Then, Al surprises me: “My grandparents raised me, they’ve been together over 60 years.”

-

NINE FACTS

birthplace ➔ “Bielefield...you wouldn’t know of it. No, really, there was a whole conspiracy theory where no one believed it existed. There was reward money involved and everything.”

hair color ➔ “Dark brown I guess, can you not see this yourself?”

eye color ➔ “Green.”

birthday ➔ “July 6.”

mood ➔ “Entertaining myself by picturing one of my Rotz-Vereitern at work.” I decide not to ask and press on.

gender ➔ “No.” Al appears annoyed at the harassed-looking young man gesticulating wildly behind me. “Charlieeee, I am plenty nice. Okay. Fine!” Al seems to take a deep breath and turns their attention back at me. “I just mean, it never really made much difference to me so I always identified as nonbinary. Look Char, an answer. Are you happy??!!?” I look behind me and the young man does, indeed, look exceedingly happy for this situation.

summer or winter ➔ “Winter, definitely. It’s still. It’s present but past at once. Liminal. Powerful.”

morning or afternoon ➔ “hmm...morning. It’s quiet.” There is a calm presence to Al now, and I too feel strangely comforted.

-

EIGHT THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE

are you in love ➔ The sense of calm instantly shatters. "Oh, Fick dich in Knie.” Something tells me I shouldn’t translate that.

do you believe in love at first sight ➔ Al once again looks over to their emotional support friend and breathes. “I don’t believe in love at all.” I am grateful for the young man’s presence too, as he makes gentle gestures to continue. “Maybe it could be true for others, but as for me I’m not sure I can feel that. I have been...learning to accept this as part of myself.”

who ended your last relationship ➔ Surprisingly, Al smiles. “I did.” I can’t tell if the smile is happy or not.

have you ever broken someone’s heart ➔ The smile grows definitively somber. “Yes. I wasn’t with them because I had any type of attraction to them. I was simply playing in a shadowed theatre that others projected onto me...I went through all the proper motions because I thought that was how relationships were supposed to go, but I grew tired of pretending to be something I wasn’t. So I let her go.” A genuine smile crosses Al’s face now. “I don’t want much to do with her anymore, but I think I know someone who could make her very happy. It’ll be fine.”

are you afraid of commitments ➔ “No, if I decide to have someone be a part of my life I give myself fully to it.” Ah, there’s the Gryffindor face.

have you hugged someone within the last week? ➔ “Yes.” Al is as stiff and closed-off as ever, but by now I can tell they are pleased by this.

have you ever had a secret admirer ➔ Al gives a long-suffering groan of annoyance and weary acceptance. “I genuinely don’t understand it. Does my personality seem like someone would fall for me? Of course not! And yet, here we are. I get various anonymous letters and gifts all the time. YEAH, exactly! I have NO idea, either.”

have you ever broken your own heart? ➔ Al gives a cocky grin. “Most would debate me having one in the first place.”

-

SIX CHOICES

love or lust ➔ "Love.” Al looks particularly disgusted. “Wait, you DID know I was Ace, right? Why on earth would you even ask me that.”

lemonade or iced tea ➔ “Lemonade was a good album.”

cats or dogs ➔ “Snakes. Yes, I know I have a cat. Snakes.”

a few best friends or many regular friends ➔ Al gives a panicked look over to their friend once more as if he could tell them how to answer. “I don’t...know how I feel about this question. I don’t know, sorry.”

wild night out or romantic night in ➔ Al gives a wicked smile that I’m beginning to see may be the reason for their many admirers. “Wild night out.” They exude a confident aura that clearly holds many stories never to be uttered here or anywhere, so I continue.

day or night ➔ Al is more in their element now and easily answers, “Night. Whenever I look at the moon and stars...I feel like I can do anything.”

-

FIVE HAVE YOU EVERS

been caught sneaking out ➔ “Yes.” Al’s expression holds no remorse whatsoever.

fallen down/up the stairs ➔ "w-who knows...” So...yes, then.

wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? ➔ Al’s eyes suddenly turn hard as stone with a determination that chills my insides cold. “I’ll get it.”

wanted to disappear ➔ “No. That’s stupid. Trottel.”

-

FOUR PREFERENCES

smile or eyes ➔ “For like....oh, do you mean enchanting? I wonder....I should study transfiguration a bit more to do that. Sounds fun, maybe I can get Jae in on it.”

shorter or taller ➔ "I like being tall, but shorter people can get in smaller spaces so they’re useful enough.”

intelligence or attraction ➔ “I don’t understand...certainly both have their uses? Smart people are usually competent, but attraction doesn’t really serve a purpose except for being able to get information out of people easier.”

hook-up or relationship ➔ “OH okay I see what these questions were now. That’s hilarious, I thought we were planning a heist! My bad. Char, did you put her up to this one?” I quickly decide to move along.

-

FAMILY

do you and your family get along ➔ “Yes, they are my world.”

would you say you have a “messed up life” ➔ Al looks bemused and slightly offended. “No, life happens for us all.”

have you ever ran away from home ➔ “No, I don’t know why anyone would ever want to leave a family like them.”

have you ever gotten kicked out ➔ “No? Obviously.” Al takes on that face of angry Gryffindor determination once again. “We’ve taken in others who have been though. Our house is always full of life and love and open to anyone who may need that.” Generally, Al exudes a cold aura and a blistering air of arrogance. I am starting to believe Al is not all they seem on first impression.

-

FRIENDS

do you secretly hate one of your friends ➔ Surprisingly, Al laughs. “They’d know it if I did.” I believe that.

do you consider all of your friends good friends ➔ “I don’t....know?” This is similar to my previous question, but I wondered if Al’s answer would change. Yet again they seem upset with themselves. I feel a hand lightly touch my shoulder and I look back to the young man shaking his head at me. Al has a guarded expression as they explain further. “I want to make it clear that I do not hate my friends. I just don’t understand how to think this way about relationships yet. I struggle with this a lot, I’m sorry.”

who is your best friend ➔ Fully expecting I knew the answer, I felt confident enough to press a bit further. “I...” Al takes a fortifying breath and the young man seems surprised they would answer this. “I guess...my snake?” An air of disappointment permeates the room. I try to choose another tactic.

who knows everything about you ➔ “Charlie.” Al gives a brilliant smile. It fills me with a confidence that they’ll grow to understand themselves better, and I thank them for opening up to us today.

tagging anyone who is still awake in EST like I am cauSE it’s past 4:00am why are you even reAdidnG THIS no wait I take that back GO TO SLEEP x