#i encourage anyone reading this to check out sorting hat chats

[islandfate]

using sorting hat chats to determine the true placement of lost's characters within the hogwarts houses. this is such a fun exercise in exploring these characters and i will probably be talking more about this soon. and my hot take?? ben is a ravenclaw.

[sambinnie]

1. Happy Mabon! Every autumn, I forget that the darkness comes clanging down in a great rush in the mornings. One day, I am greeted by a pinking sunrise. 48 hours later, it’s so dark on my run to the river that I have to stop a passing runner and check the time, in case my disturbed sleep sent me dressing and leaving the house at 2am. This summer may not have given us those mornings where it’s so hot I can barely get out of the water, where those early hours feel like full silent days carved out just for me to sit in the light and wait for everyone else to wake up, where the only extra thing I put on to run home is my trainers — I look at my waiting winter gear, neoprene socks and gloves, head torch, two more thickening jumpers, hat, thermal mittens — but every season, every day, is beautiful.

Today we go early for celebrations, and the water is silky, and Orion hangs over us with his phallic sword dangling and Betelgeuse winking on one shoulder. The near-full moon spotlights us and I feel almost ready for the shortening days.

2. Hilary Mantel continues to be a literary god. How does she write with that clarity? How can I ever speak with her calm good sense and wit? 

3. We have two main problems at the moment, as far as I can see. a) What we’re doing (“curating” our lives; twitter spats; purity spirals; division and isolation; wanting ‘debates’ that can only be won or lost; encouraging people to buy more things; trying to buy our happiness; letting marketers tell us how we feel about the world rather than encouraging major moral lessons from throughout the ages to challenge us on our weaknesses; refusing to accept that life is suffering; asking self-care to be a plaster for everything we don’t have) and b) what we’re not doing (joining together to stand against those with more money and power; protecting the people who have even less power and voice than we do as a matter of course; learning from history; protecting nature above all else; prioritising going for walks; learning to repair things and campaigning to make things repairable; having a basic belief in human dignity for all, not just those with whom we agree; accepting that truly, we are all different and no amount of shaming or disgust will change that; working to shape our societies, culture, economies, production, food supplies and communications around improving — not just sustaining — the air, water and land, and fighting to ensure all of those new shapes protect women and children).

Individualism has morphed into something so completely self-destructive that we’ve forgotten we need nature more than anything — literally, more than anything — and we need to unionise and unite and put aside differences and work together even with people we don’t like. 

Because when there are wicked people in power, when it’s genuinely exhausting to think about all the corrupt, venal, toxic, divisive, false, and cruel things they have done since coming to power, those people love to watch everyone below pointing their fingers at one another, saying, You, You’re The Enemy, You’re The Problem, while corrupt populist leaders rub their bellies and chuckle at another promise broken, another mass death on their hands, another building site on a protected forest. Do you understand the stakes here? Do you understand that it’s actual survival? It’s not about being right any more, it’s not about besting someone in the argument. It’s about having decision makers who can not only ensure there is still food to eat and air to breathe, but that relations both within a country and between countries are built on care, and support, and compassion, and believing in human dignity. And while it sounds wishy-washy and hands-clappy it’s the schmaltzy, sentimental truth. It’s the only one, really. 

If we instead continue to believe every single day that my feelings are the most important, that my beliefs are the right ones, that I’ve got to prove those baddies there are evil and awful and wrong, then honestly, what the fuck? If we’re happy to live in a country where hostile architecture is the starting point for all public builds, where we send refugee boats away from our shores, where affiliate links are a career goal, where we haven’t stormed the Daily Mail offices with accounts of all our lovely immigrant friends and family and had a huge feast together and compared our long and tangled family trees, then come on. It’s only a race to the bottom if we all keep running. 

Because, pressingly, whatever the spark of a major global conflict — assassination, fuel shortages, hyperinflation, invasion — the kindling is almost always a populace fed pure hatred for months, for years, until they can’t even taste it anymore but are ready to spew it out again, and are ready to use another populace as the receptacle. And hatred is brewed up in silence and isolation, and in the ashes of bridges burned between disparate groups. 

And on that note, I’m not a conspiracy theorist, mainly because I don’t believe governments are generally competent enough to manage Grand Plans, but it’s annoying that technology and social trends and culture have developed in such a way that no one knocks on anyone’s door for a chat as a matter of course now, that it’s a given that a ringing phone triggers anxiety, that it’s not the norm for cups of tea with your neighbours, that we don’t know each other’s neighbourhoods, that we don’t even talk on the phone, with live words and intonation and synchronised laughter, but in text, in WhatsApp chats, in tapped out words and symbols that we know can be screen-grabbed and misinterpreted, that we know are kept, filtered and sold by the tech companies. It’s not a conspiracy. It’s just a reality that every single one of us can choose to do differently. 

Sometimes exactly the right thing comes along at the right time. All of us here watched About a Boy at the weekend, a film which is so wonkily weighted and oddly rhythmed, but a perfect depiction of everything I’m banging on about here. Hugh Grant’s character likes being alone. He’s happy that way. It suits him. It’s his choice. Then, between one thing and another, he finds himself drawn into a world of a suicidal single mother, a duck-murdering young boy, more single mothers, more tricky teens, plus exes and mothers-in-law and awkward support groups. And it turns out that actually, being with people is better. Being uncomfortable often develops you as a person. Constantly prioritising only yourself produces a waxen, pointless baby. Making shared sacrifices might just be the point of being alive. Remember that to be human is to be flawed. That no one is ever completely right, and no one is ever completely wrong. That the boring stuff makes us feel good, and the glossy stuff, if all we strive for is gloss, doesn’t. 

If you want anything practical, here are the things that have really helped me over the last few years:

Writing a letter or email regularly to my MP, to CEOs of organisations, to anyone I want to communicate my strong feelings and how I’d like things to be done better. Tweeting eats your soul. It’s a horrible myth the media pretends is important. It really, really isn’t.

Inviting people to go in front of me in queues, in traffic, getting on to buses and trains. It lowers my stress levels right down.

Learning the names of my neighbours and people I meet regularly on walks and letting them learn mine. (I definitely haven’t just decided I loathe a neighbour because they cut a bird-hatching tree down in their garden on the last day of the year it was legal to do so. It’s fine.)

Joining a few political parties, and the closest thing I have to a union

Making something, anything — everything can be done with love, and learning to not get sucked into the capitalist conceit of having to make it perfect, sellable, exhibitable is a genuine gift to yourself; making a cake or a film or a coaster and not putting it on social media, letting it be ugly or serviceless and loving it anyway. I felt extremely overwhelmed the other evening, but instead of doom-scrolling I knitted a… I don’t know, something flat and woollen, and it helped to have my hands and eyes working on directionless introspective creation. 

Trying to stop hating. Every time I want to tell a negative story in my head about someone, I attempt to turn it into something positive: how unhappy that person must be, what they must be missing out on. It’s so nauseatingly Pollyanna-ish, and of course it isn’t always successful, and of course every single day brings a hundred thousand examples of cruelty and injustice and wickedness, but the alternative only makes my life feel worse, so why would I indulge that? 

Teaching myself the names of birds, trees, flowers, clouds and constellations. I’m still at the most basic levels on all of these, but the difference one feels in the world when you can name things  — let alone use them and know their stories — is a very real sort of magic. (For that reason I hope to read this book very soon.) This episode of The Cut is also good on the wonder and power of learning the names of the weeds that grow in your nearest pavement crack. 

4. Creating anything is always a gamble, isn’t it, but writing a book you actually like for once and seeing it slowly and beautifully sink to the bottom of a river never to be seen again is ever so slightly crushing. However, it turns out even Thom Yorke feels that way, so I am comforted. 

5. I’m sure I’ve mentioned plenty of these before, but if you want some suggestions of where to find joy, here are my favourites from the last year or so:

I was given Lucy Easthope’s book, When the Dust Settles, for work recently, and I was surprised and delighted to discover the most uplifting, hopeful, human and rightfully angry book I’ve read in a long time. Do yourself a favour and preorder it. I bought this other book for my own birthday, gave it to a housemate to give to me, forgot about it, and was delighted to later unwrap He Used Thought As A Wife. Laughed a lot, cried twice. Marvellous. 

Now even the youngest housemate here can recite John Finnemore sketches and sing the songs. Has also taught them various composers, gods, logical fallacies and gothic story tropes. Also v funny. Oh, Kate Beaton! Her two books (Hark! A Vagrant and Step Aside Pops) are a bit like a comic-book version of Finnemore, but swearier and sexier and utterly unsuitable for all the housemates who have read it and been educated about the Brontes, Katherine Sui Fun Cheung, Tom Longboat, Nancy Drew, Ida B. Wells, Sacagawea, and the Borgias. 

Had to give Inside a restraining order against me for the sake of us all, but Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade is a masterpiece of writing, acting, sound design and optimism. Spy is dumb action comedy polished to perfection, and Yasujirō Ozu’s Good Morning seems like the inspiration for almost all US arthouse films since 1990, and is also beautiful, funny, thoughtful, and good. 

Taylor Swift’s Evermore, like all brilliant albums, isn’t completely perfect. But most of the songs are. And Hole’s classic Live Through This is still just ideal for turning up very, very loud after a tricky day, for the enjoyment of any neighbours who may have hacked down a bird-friendly tree on the last day of February. 

Watched both series of Liam Williams’ Ladhood when I had a week off this summer, and really relished the location, the intention, and the writing. More please. 

Miles Jupp and Justin Edwards continue to be my comforting bedtime listening in In and Out of the Kitchen. Has it ruined Nigel Slater for me? Well, a bit, but no more than any of us deserved. 

I thought this would be a book I’d mumble through the first chapter of, then let get buried in my To Read pile, never to re-open. Instead, I found Whatever Happened to Margo? laugh-out-loud funny, drily written, and full of humanity. Excellent Women has made me want to read everything written by Barbara Pym, a goal I am slowly but surely working towards. 

6. I’ve spent the last few years trying to find hazelnut trees, and finally found a copse between a car park and a play area, full of nuts the squirrels hadn’t noticed. Now I’ve found them, the spell has been cast and I see hazel trees everywhere, on walks and on pavements and running along motorway slip roads. A tray of green and brown frilled hazelnuts now dries with the laundry. They are so beautiful. 

[missjosie27]

Year 1 Part 1: Arrival at Hogwarts

A boy of average build, bright hazel eyes, dark brown hair, and a naturally illuminated face took in the scene around him.

David Grant couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer grandiosity of the institution he would be calling ‘home’ for the next seven years of his young life.

Jacob had been right. You really had to see Hogwarts to believe it.

So overwhelmed was the young wizard, he almost forgot to pay attention to a rather stern looking late middle aged witch dressed in light green robes and a tall pointed hat. Though not frightening, she certainly gave off the impression of being ‘no nonsense.’

“Welcome to Hogwarts,” she said in a short, brisk tone. “I am Professor McGonagall. Before you take your seats, we must sort you into your houses. There are four houses of which you may be selected- Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, each one representing a characteristic or trait. Be aware that these houses will be something of a second family to each of you. Faithful deeds and achievements will earn points, while dissidence and failure to act accordingly will result in the loss of said points.”

She paused for a brief moment, as if entertaining the notion any of the bright eyed first years in front of her might be brave enough to ask a question.

“Now, I will call each of you by name and when prompted will come up to the stool to be sorted.”

David, young and inexperienced as he was, knew this much. Jacob had told him about that part when he was a little kid…before he had disappeared that was.

Jacob was the teasing sort of older brother, not a bully, but also the type that never withheld a chance to remind his sibling just how ‘little’ he was. Therefore, whenever he had questions about Hogwarts, he wouldn’t get very many specific answers. Practically a hero in his eyes, David’s ignorance of his brother’s true machinations while at Hogwarts remained unknown to him until the Daily Prophet ran its headline one fateful morning. Only then did big questions about what he had been up to form in his mind.

Even so, David knew enough about Hogwarts that the place was HUGE and from the looks of things that wasn’t the only impressive aspect of it. A nighttime sky hung over like a vast sparkling canopy of stars and constellations, candles hung in the air, suspended in place by some spell he did not yet know (his parents had been rather strict on no magic outside of school). But he was also aware of the prying eyes of the older students, even ones not even a year older than him. The brother of Jacob Grant wasn’t stupid. He knew the moment his name was called, the whispers and pointing would commence. Fortunately, he knew how to deflect such gossip- be quick with a joke and a smile.

Disarm them before they even get a chance, he thought to himself, easing out a breath he had been holding for a little longer than previously realized.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud, raspy voice that seemed to originate from a dusty, brown looking hat.

Come on and see

You were meant to be

And my job quite key

 To peer inside

Look and find

Which house you will reside

 The lion’s den

Or Slytherin?

Either one will do

 Perhaps Ravenclaw?

A badger’s crawl?

Which one is for you?

 So don’t be shy

The time is nigh

To begin your schooling days

 Let’s have a chat

About all that

And send you on your way

 The song was quite short, but the rest of the students began clapping loudly as if it were the greatest hymn in the world. He could hear a red headed boy next to him mutter, “So that’s what Bill meant by a song.”

In any case, the sorting began without another moment as Professor McGonagall began reading out the names.

‘Badeea Ali’

A girl wearing a kind of strange scarf covering over her head David had never seen before walked towards the stool where McGonagall placed the hat on her head. It only took a matter of seconds before it called out ‘RAVENCLAW’

The third table from the right erupted in cheers as the girl gave a bright smile and headed towards her seat.

‘Charles Billingsley’

An awkward looking blonde boy with shoulder length hair shuffled on over and did the same as Badeea Ali. The hat took longer this time, but only just slightly.

‘HUFFLEPUFF’

The fourth table to the left erupted in cheers.

‘Ben Copper’

If the previous boy had appeared awkward, this one was downright terrified. He was sandy haired, with brown eyes, and a body language that practically reeked he didn’t want to be here in the slightest. Nevertheless, he took his place on the stool.

This time, the hat wasn’t so decisive. It took its time and the longer it stood on the boy’s head the more frightened he became. After what seemed like close to two minutes it finally belted out loud.

‘GRYFFINDOR’

The third table to the left immediately stood and hollered, notably much louder than the other two tables had. David knew that was the house Jacob belonged to and it had a reputation for bravery and boldness- that or obnoxiousness depending on who you asked. Jacob, ever the daredevil was a perfect fit, until the day he was expelled of course, in which he became vilified forever. He idlely wondered if he was destined for the same house as his brother.

After a tall black boy named Andre Egwu was sorted into Ravenclaw it was his turn to be sorted.

‘David Grant’

On cue, the whisperings and gossip began.

“Did McGonagall just say ‘Grant’?”

“Is that the brother of the guy who went missing?”

“I heard he went crazy trying to break some curse.”

He gave no outward sign the chatter bothered him, instead casually hopping the steps towards the stool. It may have been his imagination but he swore he saw some of the Professors at the head table give some whisperings as well. Professor McGonagall, however, gave the smallest of smiles, a gesture that David appreciated. He could do this. He’d made it this far hadn’t he? He wasn’t about to back down.

Feeling the hat being placed on his head, a quieter version of the noisy rasp entered his mind as though it were coming from his own conscious.

Well THIS is interesting. You are David Grant, the brother of Jacob.

‘That’s my name last time I checked.’

He hoped the attempt at levity wouldn’t be missed by that hat. Indeed, the old piece of topwear seemed to be amused in its tone.

Apple didn’t fall far from the tree did it? And not just in terms of humor. He too, was difficult to sort.

‘We’re not entirely alike. For example, I happen to know I’m much better looking.’

You are quite the young wizard, aren’t you Mr. Grant? I see great things in your future, indeed. The only question is where to place you.

David thought for a moment, briefly unsure himself. Though not averse to any house in particular (except Slytherin), he could remember the crimson and gold colors that adorned Jacob’s room when they played together. Being a Gryffindor was a sense of pride for both brothers, but the question was, would they have him if the hat chose as such?

You worry what they’ll think of you? The hat probed.

‘Who wouldn’t? Doesn’t mean I’m going to act like a bloody prat am I?’

Indeed, you have quite the determination, Mr. Grant. The mind is keen and you certainly don’t lack ambition despite your dislike of Slytherin.

David’s heart skipped a beat. The hat really wouldn’t put him there, would it?

But I think your intentions are quite clear. Best of luck in GRYFFINDOR!

The third table from the right, rather than shunning him, hollered and whooped as loud as ever as Professor McGonagall lifted the hat, allowing him to join his newfound companions. Several shook his hand, and although a few were a bit apprehensive, the response was by and large a positive one as a great relief fell from his shoulders.

The rest of the sorting seemed to go by quicker after that. Various first years, most of whom he didn’t recognize, were assigned to their respective houses. The good news was that Rowan, the only friend he had made thus far, was also sorted into Gryffindor and he happily plopped down beside him. The last to go was an olive skinned boy named Talbott Winger, who went to Ravenclaw.

Soon afterwards the murmur of the crowd hushed into nothingness as tall man with a long white beard and royal purple robes stepped to the podium. David didn’t need anyone to tell him who this was- Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the most powerful wizard of his time.

“Welcome all, to another fantastic year at Hogwarts!” he said in a clear but calming tone that indicated a great deal of warmth yet also wisdom. “To our returning students I say ‘welcome back’, to our newest students I say, we are all quite pleased to see you here. Now, I could continue with an old man’s babble but for now the only statement I wish to say is this- enjoy.”

Food practically sprouted from the plates themselves as an array of dishes were eagerly fed upon by the hungry teens and preteens in their midst.

For his part, David was quite thrilled. Nothing could beat his mum’s cooking back home but this definitely appeared to be a close second. Without wasting any time, he dug into some chicken and mashed potatoes.

“I can’t believe this, Dave!” Rowan nudged him excitedly. “We’re both in Gryffindor. And from what I’ve read, mealtimes happen exactly like these three times a day!”

“At least someone’s excited,” moaned the boy across from them, whom David recognized as Ben Copper from the sorting. “I’m not even sure I belong here.”

“You belong here,” cut across another voice near them and they turned to see a tall, lanky red headed boy with shoulder length hair giving them an encouraging smile. “Anyone sorted into this house is here for a reason. My name is Bill, Bill Weasley.”

He extended his hand which all three boys took, even Ben.

“Thanks, Bill,” Dave thanked. “I take it you’re no first year.”

“Third,” he laughed. “So I’m not that far off from where you are. But if you have any questions let me know. Hogwarts can be a little bit intimidating at first.”

David could tell Rowan was already awestruck and it wasn’t hard to see why. Anyone observing Bill could tell he embodied a very laid back, cool personality, one that was bound to attract other students, especially impressionable ones like Rowan.

“By the way, this is my little brother, Charlie,” Bill said indicating another red haired boy, one who was much shorter and stouter and had a mouth full of chicken leg. Nevertheless, he smiled and shook everyone’s hand as well.

“Yu dun haf to ca me iffle ah no,” he said through his stuffed face.

“Easy does it there, Charlie. Mum will have my head if you choke on your first day.”

The younger Weasley gave an enormous swallow and replied more clearly.

“I said, you don’t have to call me little, you know. I’m only two years younger. And what was that rubbish about a song?”

“What do you mean, rubbish? It was true wasn’t it?”

“Yeah but you made it seem like a weird test or something.”

“Didn’t want to spoil the surprise,” Bill winked. “Anyway, you’ll be glad it’s just two Weasleys at Hogwarts for now. Believe me when I say our family is quite the crowd.”

David laughed as he nudged Rowan.

“Told ya it wasn’t going to be so bad.”

“We got sorted into the best house too!” he replied enthusiastically. “I can’t wait to dig into the entire extensive history of Godric Gryffindor!”

“How bout saving the books until tomorrow?” David teased. “Have a leg.”

“Don’t mind if I do!”

The meal continued for another hour or so while the students stuffed themselves to their hearts content. By the time it was over, David had more than his fill and was feeling a tad lethargic.

The leftovers vanished and this time Dumbledore reappeared at the podium.

“Another excellent feast if I do say so myself,” he said cheerfully. “However, before I send you off to bed, I must make a few annual announcements. The first, to our first years, the Forbidden Forest is strictly out of bounds to any student of any age here. The second, is Mr. Filch, our caretaker has updated his list of banned items to one hundred and twelve at last count. Anyone desiring to know the specifics can see the posting on his door. Be on the lookout for Quidditch tryouts which Madam Hooch will be post to the board in a couple weeks’ time.

“Lastly, I would like to extend a personal word to all of you. It has been three years since Voldemort’s defeat, and we are currently living in a time of extraordinary peace. But even peacetime can bring its own challenges. I implore you all to take the opportunity that many did not receive for many years and take advantage of what this place can offer you, both as a student and as a person.”

With that, he clapped his hands twice.

“Off to bed you go. Prefects, please escort the first years to their dormitories.”

And with that the crowd of students made for the Great Hall exit, the first years hanging back to find their respective prefects.

“Gryffindor first-years!” a female voice called out. “Over here!”

The ten combined male and female students rushed around a teenage black girl of average height and build, her prefect badge glistening with authority.

“I’m Angelica Cole,” she said kindly. “I’ll be your prefect this year and as such it’s my job to make sure you know your way around while simultaneously preparing you for life here at Hogwarts. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Follow me.”

She proceeded to give them a grand tour, purposefully lagging behind the other students, whose knowledge of the castle was no doubt sufficient to find their respective dormitories.

“Be aware that the staircases change constantly,” she explained to them as they made their way to Gryffindor Tower. “Some of them have trick steps, while others move during certain times in the day. Once you get your class schedule, memorizing it will be helpful in navigating them.”

“That sounds scary,” Ben spoke aloud softly.

“It’s no big deal once you get used to it and find your way around,” Angelica smiled.

David for his part, wasn’t overly concerned as he peered over the railing.

“Wonder what would happen if you dropped a rotten apple from this far up,” he cracked while Rowan, Charlie, and another Gryffindor boy snickered.

“Moving on,” Angelica said clearing her throat. “You’ll find that there is a unique way of entering Gryffindor Tower. I cannot stress enough that no one is allowed to bring a member of another house into our common room.”

Soon enough they came across a portrait of a rather plump lady in a pink dress who seemed to be expecting them.

“Password?”

“Carpe Vinum.”

The portrait swung open, revealing an entrance way to a much larger room. Inside was a sight not quite as grandiose as the one in the Great Hall but no less intriguing- the common area consisted of an assortment of comfy armchairs, pillows, couches, and fireplaces, complete with desks and a bulletin board. Upon the mantle sat the portrait of a lion, surrounded by many large windows that had a view of the grounds down below.

All in all, it was better than David ever could have hoped.

“This is the common room, where you are free to study, play games, or relax as you see fit,” Angelica told them. “Upstairs are your dormitories with boys being on the left and girls on the right. Speaking of which, it is late, and you all have classes tomorrow. Please come to me if you have any other questions. Good night!”

They did as instructed and were almost to their respective rooms when the first test of Hogwarts confronted David Grant. A third year, returning from brushing his teeth took a sour look in his direction and remarked.

“I can’t believe they let you in here. Especially after your mad brother almost single handedly ruined us.”

David, for his part, was not one to be offended easily, even when it came to snide remarks about his brother. He had heard it his whole life, but Rowan of course did not know this.

“Back off!” he shouted at the third year. “David’s going to be one of the best Gryffindors there ever was.”

Touched by the display, he knew Rowan getting beat up on the first night at Hogwarts wasn’t in anyone’s best interests. Best to laugh it off in the best way he knew how.

“It’s okay, Rowan. Look at the bright side, I could be in this house and look like freckles here at the same time.”

That brought another round of laughter, including some from inside the third year dormitory.

The boy flushed red and muttered something that sounded like ‘first years’ before slamming the door shut.

“That’s the way to handle a bloke like that,” David said to Rowan. “Humor is a great tool to have at your disposal.”

“Can you teach me?”

“It’s more of a natural skill if you ask me.”

Truth be told, however, that kind of deflection was years in the making, a constant practice of hiding his true feelings on the subject. Because reality was, despite being able to laugh off most things that came his way, there was still a longing within the recesses of his heart. He loved his brother and would give anything to see him again. Hogwarts wasn’t just the start of a second home, it seemed as though it gave new life and possibility to find out what happened to Jacob.

His mother’s words echoed to stymie that notion.

‘David John Grant, listen to me. Your father and I do not want you going on some ludicrous adventure to find your brother or these cursed vaults he was supposedly after. Do you understand me?’

‘Mom…’

‘Do you understand me?’

In the end he acquiesced to mum’s demands because one did not tell a witch like Heather Grant ‘no’. When she meant business, you had best adhere her words.

That didn’t make them any easier to follow, however.

“Hey, Dave.”

He saw Charlie nod towards him as he put up a poster.

“Don’t pay any of these people any kind of attention. If they’re going to blame you for what happened with your brother, they’re dumber than a sack of dragon dung.”

David nodded in appreciation.

“Thanks, Charlie. Speaking of dragons, that’s quite a poster you got there.”

“Isn’t it amazing?” the red head said proudly, as the photo of the Hungarian Horntail moved about menacingly, occasionally breathing fire. “Someday I’d like to train one of those beauties.”

“I’ll stick with safer jobs,” another voice interjected. “Namely things people actually want.”

An Asian preteen extended his arm out as David took it.

“Jae Kim at your service. I’ve already taken a brief glance at Filch’s list and I sense an opportunity. You know what they say when something’s been banned.”

“What’s that?”

“A market develops for it. And I’ve got my eye on items I suspect the student body will be keen to get their hands on.”

Charlie chuckled, while Ben pulled the blankets over his head, not wanting to hear about anything that was possibly illegal.

“Good night, Dave.”

“Good night, everyone.”

Soon, the light was extinguished and the boys on their way to sleep. For his part, David couldn’t help but think back to Dumbledore’s speech. Was he warning them in some way? Or merely issuing a challenge? Either way he didn’t feel up to it, even with the hoopla surrounding him and his brother.

Achieving some measure of content, aided by the still large amount of food in his belly, the eleven year old drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

[thisgirl-writes]

“You’re On” ~ Chris Evans One Shot

Summary: Chris decides to hang out with some old friends at a bar when he sees someone he can’t help but be drawn to. He finds himself going out his way to get this mystery girl to talk to him (Written from Chris’s POV)

Word Count: 4k

Warnings: Swearing, drinking

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You hadn’t been out with your old friends in a long time, your schedule had not allowed for it until recently. Finally you were back in your hometown for some well deserved time off, so you figured ‘Why not?’ go out to a bar and hang out with the people you grew up with. They named the place and the time, all you had to do was show up.

It felt good to be home, to be away from the fast lane and the pressure of Hollywood. You loved what you did, it was your passion, but sometimes you just needed to slow things down and get back to the roots. You had been to the place before, it was a place you used to hang out before you got your big break. Which by the way your friends never let you live it down, which is another reason why you were more than thankful that they wanted to go out tonight, and not hang out at your place. It never failed, after a few drinks, someone would find your Captain America shield and attempting to quote some of your lines back to you. 

You had gotten a little bit of a late start, so by the time you got to the bar, your friends were already there. There was a decent crowd for a Friday night, but it wasn’t over crowded. You ordered yourself a beer and started catching up with your friends. The jukebox was just loud enough to where you could hear the music playing could also still hear the conversations that were going on. Your friends where filling you in on the little things you had missed since the last time you had been home. That is when you heard her. You turned to the end of the bar where the voice came from. Her voice had you zoned out of everything else that was happening around you. Your friends voice faded into the background when you saw her.

You had never seen her before, but you absolutely wanted to make sure you say her again. Her laugh was what had gotten you to turn her direction, but then you noticed her long, wavy hair that stopped right about the waistline of her jeans was a beautiful shade of chestnut, but when she moved into the light you noticed red highlights dancing throughout. You heard her laugh again, but this time you saw her while she was laughing, whatever her friend had said must of been hilarious for her to react the way she did. 

As her laughter quieted down, that is when you noticed her smile. It could light up the whole city. The crimson red lips matched her complexion perfectly. Just as you found yourself wondering what her name is, one of your friends snapped his fingers in front of your face. Causing you to focus back on reality.

“Earth to Chris, bro did you hear a word I just said” you thought about lying and saying yeah you did, but there was no point.

“Honestly? I was zoned out. I heard this laugh and then I saw the girl that the laugh belonged to” you trailed off.

“Oh look, now Chris is in love with a mystery girl at the end of the bar”  One of your friends joked causing everyone to break out into laughter. Part of you hoped they would stop, the other part of you hoped they were loud enough to get her to look over.

“Guys c’mon. Knock it off” you pleaded with them. “I’m not in LOVE with her, I just wanna know her name and buy her a drink” you told them.

“Alright point her out”  As you casually pointed her out to you friends, you all saw some other guy walk up to her and start talking. Your face dropped, but the grip on you beer bottle tightened.

“Looks like you might have missed your chance, better luck next time”  which earned you a pat on the back as their way of saying sorry.

“Nah bro, I still have a shot”  You said as you watched her face change from a smile  to annoyance. 

You wondered where her friend had just gone, just then you saw the girl that was with her before come out of nowhere and stand right next to this mystery girl. You could tell her friend was the more outgoing one of the two of them. You couldn’t quite hear what was being said, but you could read lips a little bit. You tried to keep tabs on what was going on, but without staring.

The longer you attempted to read lips to stay in the loop of mystery girls conversation instead of talking with you friends, the more your friends noticed. They didn’t say anything aside from the casual joke. You decided it would be a good idea to  walk past mystery girl and her friend,after all you did have to pass where they were sitting at the bar to get to where the restrooms were located. 

“I’ll be right back guys” you inform your friends as you set your now empty beer bottle on the bar “Order me another before I get back, if you can” you say as you walk off.

As you get closer you can actually hear the conversation that is happening

“Let me buy you a drink, pretty lady, then we can go back to my place” you heard the guy say

“You can buy me a drink, but I’m this one's ride home, so I can’t leave” Mystery girl said, you kinda smiled to yourself because 1) she wasn’t interested in him, and 2) she could handle herself. She is absolutely is not from Boston originally, you could detect a slight accent, but it wasn’t Boston’s but yet you couldn’t put your finger on  it. You made a mental note to ask her, once you actually got the chance to talk to her.

Since you didn’t actually have to go to the restroom and your whole plan was to just put yourself in her line of sight, you walked in, checked you outfit in the mirror, smoothed out your white t-shirt, made sure that your flannel wasn’t too wrinkled and since you were wearing your “Guns-N-Roses” Hat, there was no need to fix your hair. You washed your hands, and headed back out.

In the short time you were gone, the random guy had left mystery girl and her friend alone and was nowhere in site. You headed back over to your friends to grab yourself another beer. You needed a tad bit more encouragement before you went over to her. You were just mustering up the guts to walk over there when you say mystery girls friend head your direction. Your mind was racing trying to figure out the reason she would come over to you and your friends. You didn’t have time to come up with any logical ideas before her friend was in front of you and your friends.

“Hello there, My name is Callie.”  She introduced herself, you all politely introduced yourselves to her as well.  “My friend Sarah over there, has never played quarters before, and you guys look like the only non sketchy bunch in this place, so do you guys want to come join us?”  She continued, before anyone could give their answer, she directed her gaze at you and opened her mouth to speak again “or are you just going to keep admiring my friend from afar lover boy?”  As the  words left her mouth, you instantly felt your face get red.Your friends were laughing, and as you opened your mouth to try and defend you “actions” your brain froze. No words were leaving your mouth. Earning a chuckle from Cassie. 

“Relax loverboy, she hasn’t noticed. Only me. Now what do you guys say? Let's teach her how to play quarters and get this one to actually say something to her” Cassie said to everyone made their way over to an open table as Cassie went to grab her friend. “Everyone, this is Sarah. Sarah this is everyone.” 

“Hi Sarah, nice to meet you, I’m Chris” You said as you took her all in now that you have seen her standing up. She had on ripped skinny jeans, which fit her perfectly, and had them paired with a maroon Def Lepard shirt, which she had modified to make it more revealing than a normal t-shirt should be, which you were not complaining about in the slightest.

“Hi Chris, I’m a big fan of your movies.”  Sarah said back you. You were about to ask her which one was her favorite, but before you could Cassie came back from the bar with a big glass of some sort of concoction and started explaining the rules to everyone, but mainly to Sarah since she had never played before.

“Alright, babe, repat the rules back to me, so I know you got them” Cassie said patting her hand on Sarah’s back, and in that moment you wished it was your hand on her back, and not Cassie’s. Your thought process was interrupted when you heard Sarah’s voice again.

“We each get 6 quaters. We have to try and bounce it into that empty glass, one at a time, and it can only bounce once. If you make it, you get to pick someone to drink. First person to get all of their quarters into the glass wins. THe person with  the most quarters leftover has to drink whatever the fuck that fucking thing is” Sarah said with a scrunched up face as she pointed to he drink that was now in the middle of the table. You couldn’t help but laugh at how adorable her facial expression was. “ I would just like to say that is is 100% and COMPLETELY unfair, because I am the only one here who hasn’t played. Meaning I don’t know what the actual fuck I am doing here.”  her statement earned a laugh from everyone at the table.

“ANd you say that I’m the dramatic on in this friendship” Cassie exclaimed.

“Well I mean you were a cheerleader in high school” Sarah whipped back

“You were the one who was in ACTUAL drama!” Cassie threw right back at Sarah. Hearing that she was in theater made you more interested, and your friends noticed it right away too.

“Alright, alright enough chit chat. Let’s play” Sarah stated. Since it didn’t start with her, since you all agreed to let her go last so she could see how other did it, you decided to try and get to know her a little bit better.

“So what brings ya to Boston?”  You asked. You just had to know.

“Well I actually just moved here for a job a couple weeks ago, and Cassie here has been here for a couple years, so she offered to show me around and hang out like we used to.”

“How long have you known Cassie?” You asked

“We meet freshman year of high school so like almost 15 years now” The way she scrunched her face up when she was trying to count back how long she had known Cassie. 

The questions paused because it was your turn to go. Having played this multiple times before, you easily got the first quarter in. Like the rule states, you sink it, you pick one one to drink, this time you picked Cassie since it was her idea to play the game, and to call you lover boy. Sarah laughed, but got serious when she realized it was her turn. She was focused, and apparently when she is focused, she sticks her tongue out ever so slightly, you happened to find it adorable, and chuckled at the sight. Unfortunately for Sarah she missed. She frowned and then stuck her bottom lip out towards Cassie. Before you could get back to asking questions Cassie got her quarter in perfectly and she picked Sarah to drink.

“Love you!”  Cassie smiled in Sarah’s direction

“Yeah fuck you too”  Sarah sarcastically said as she took a sip of her drink while flippign Cassie off. Now it was Cassie’s turn to pout while everyone else was laughing at Sarah’s response. You had managed to get a few more questions off in between turns. You found things out like what plays she did when she was in high school, if she had any pets, and you finally got to ask her what her favorite movie was.

“Wait, do you mean in general, or my favorite movie of yours?” You really had only originally meant for the latter one, but at this point since she brought it up, you figured, why not both.

“Umm, let’s do both.” You replied with a smile. You swear you thought you say her blush, but with the dark lights of the bar, you couldn’t be 100% sure.

“Well as much as I love you as Captain America, I love Push.” Her answer surprised you.

“Oh really now. Okay so now what about in general”  This one had you more curious than the first answer she gave.

“Well. It’s a tie between The Breakfast Club and “  before she can say the second movie, Cassie cuts her off.

“The Princess Bride. She loves that movie more than life. She once put our friendship on hold because I hadn’t seen it yet”

“It’s not my fault that you hadn’t seen it yet. Don’t make it sound like I forced you!” Sarah countered back

“Alright yeah whatever. It’s your turn Sarah, and in case you didn’t notice, your losing”

Sarah just rolled her eyes at her friend, and focused on her turn. This time she made it. She jumped up and down and smiled so big and was so happy that she made it, you couldn’t help but be excited as well. Plus when she smiled her eyes crinkled just a little bit which made you smile even more. You thought she had forgotten that she now gets to pick someone to drink. As you opened your mouth to remind her of the rules you hear her voice

“Drink up bitch!” Sarah exclaims as she slaps her hand on Cassie’s back

“Ya know, if this is how nice you are to your friends, I would hate to be on your bad side.”  you chuckled as you made the joke. Sarah just turned and smiled and set her focus back on the game. Watching her become so focused was worth not getting the chance to ask her where she was from, you just decided you would afterwards. 

You noticed that Sarah was still behind in the game but slowly catching up. Without fail it was like you mentally jynxed everyone at the table, besides Sarah. Next thing you know, everyone has missed their shots, including yourself, and Sarah was caught up. Everyone was now down to their last quarter. It was now Sarah’s turn. She only had one quarter left.   She took her shot and made it. You couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction. 

“Beginners Luck”  one of your friends says.

“I’m from Cleveland! I know how to make a comeback!” Sarah screamed. Her response sent you into a fit of laughter that had you laughing so hard you were crying.

“What?”  She turned and asked you when she saw you almost crying from laughing “I can’t believe you just said that, are you drunk right now?” You asked her.

“Oh sweetie, it takes a lot more than this to get me drunk.” She said with a wink.

“Oh yeah it does! Dude it’s like in her DNA or something” Cassie chimed in. Causing you to raise an eyebrow.

“IS that so?”

“It is so.” Sarah stated.

“Oh you think you can keep up with me?”

“I know I can keep up with you!” She quickly replied.

“If you really think you can, then prove it”

“You’re on!” 

There was no way this was actually happening. This girl was actually keeping up with you, shot for shot and drink for drink. It completely blew you away that when Cassie made the comment about her drinking more than you, and you just took it as Cassie trying to be a good wingman for her best friend. You were finding out that Cassie was not joking, that she was serious.

“Damn.”  Was the only response that made its way out of you mouth after you watched her down her third tequila shot without making the stereotypical face most people make when drinking tequila.

“What?”  Sarah questioned. At this point she was starting to slur her words just a little.

“You have straight up been through some shit if you can take tequila without making that face that everyone makes” 

“I would like to think a sting of dating narcissistic assholes who made me feel like everything was my fault. So here’s to them for raising my alcohol tolerance” She dramatic stated as she raised her glass. You almost laughed, but stopped when you noticed she wasn’t, and then you heard Cassie chime in

“You don’t need that fucker in your life hun, you are better off without him”  Cassie stated as she hugged her friend. A little piece of your heart broke when you saw how much that affected her, and you wanted to hug her. Maybe it was the alcohol running through your bloodstream, or maybe it was seeing a beautiful girl become slightly broken in your presence, but before you even realized what you were doing, you felt yourself wrapping your arms around her waist. You didn’t say anything, you just held her.

 Before too long, she shook those out of her head and very quickly suggested  moving on to the next activity.

“Alright, pool table is free! Let’s play! But first let’s drink! To new friends!” She yelled as she gave you a wink. You couldn’t help but smile at her. 

You all made your way over to the pool table and occupied they table nearby. 

“Are you as good at pool as you at out drinking me” You joked at Sarah. She giggled.

“To be honest with you, nope. I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to pool. Wanna teach me?”  She said seductively

“I would be honored to teach you.”

As you were racking the table, a couple of other guys had made their way over to the table. 

“Hey man, wanna play teams, we wanted to play a game you guys just beat us here.” The stranger said. You looked over at Cassie and Sarah who both nodded and since your friends left shortly after the ‘drinking competition’ started, you figured why not.

“Sure man, not a problem”  you told them.

“Awesome, thanks dude! I’m John, this is my buddy Dave and my other buddy Matt”

“I’m Chris, this is Sarah and this is Cassie. How about we just do teams of three, you guys and us?” Everyone nodded in agreement and the game started.

Before you knew it  you had played 3 games, and had several more drinks. Dave had spent most of the time hitting on Cassie, she was taking it all in and flirting back. At one point you looked over and Matt was trying to flirt with Sarah. It made you mad, but you remembered earlier in the night when she handled herself, bit that was with a significantly lower amount of alcohol in her system. You kept an eye on Matt as he made his way back over to the bar, but it was your turn.

When you were able to focus again, you had noticed that Sarah had another drink in her hand, which worried you. You were  about to go grab it when the song changed to “Porn Star Dancing” by the band My Darkest Days, and you saw her put her drink down on the edge of the table, and make her way over to Cassie who was sitting down.

“I LOVE THIS SONG!” Sarah yelled and started swaying her hips to the music. You became mesmerized by watching her get lost in the music. Before you knew it, you saw her straddle, Cassie in her chair. Cassie put her hands up, clearly enjoying herself. You watched Sarah grind her hips against Cassie, and Cassie running her hands up her friends side, stopping when her hands reached Sarah's chest. and you wished you were Cassie in the moment. 

“How much padding is in your bra right now?” Cassie drunkenly asked Sarah.

“None!” Sarah proudly exclaimed. You couldn’t help but shake your head at what was happening right in front of you right now.

“Holy fuck! I am so jealous of you right now” Cassie yelled at her friend. Sarah just laughed and put her hands on Cassie’s shoulders continuing moving her hips to the rhythm of the song against Cassie.

Sarah pushed herself off of Cassie’s lap and turned around doing the same movements as before, only this time Cassie had her hands all over  Sarah’s behind. You couldn’t help but be even more jealous of Cassie now. As Sarah turned around she ‘bumped’ the table knocking the drink that Matt had gotten for her off and all over the floor

“Oopsy” Sarah said as she looked up and caught you staring at her. Matt was offering to buy her another drink. Sarah just ignored him and made her way over to you. Everything started to fade into the background. Everything but Cassie yelling “Get it girl”  as Sarah reached were you were standing. You remained motionless as Sarah reached her arms around your neck and pulled you closer to her.

“If you liked what you saw, there is more where that came from”

“Oh yeah?” you raised an eyebrow at her comment

“All you have to do is kiss me first, Unless you wanna stare some more” She smirked. 

Before she could say anything else, you leaned forward pressing your lips against hers. The second your lips touched, it was like fireworks went off. Every touch felt like electricity was running between the two of you. You placed your hands on her hips and pulled her closer to you, deepening the kiss as you did. As your hands moved their way lower on her back, her hand made their way to your hair, giving it a slight pull, which made you slightly moan into the kiss. Next thing you know, she pulled away from your kiss.

“If I would have known you were that good of a kisser, I would have sent Cassie over to you sooner.” Sarah stated, letting you know that this whole thing was actually her idea and not Cassie’s.

“Oh is that so?”

“Yes, it is so” She smiled at you

Well if I had known that you were so good at this, I would have kissed you sooner” You smiled as you pulled her for another kiss. Silently thanking your friends for inviting you out in the first place, because if it wasn’t for them, you wouldn't have met Sarah, and you wouldn’t have had the best night that you have had in a long time. That thought caused you to smile into your kiss.

“What?” Sarah pulled away slightly.

“ I was just making a mental note to thank my friends for wanting to hang out tonight, because if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be where we are right now. And I am really liking where I am at right now”  You chuckled and she giggled.

“Speaking of thanking friends.” She paused. “CASSIE!!!” She screamed, causing you to pull away from her.

“WHAT?!?!” Cassie screamed back.

“Thank you for dragging me out tonight. I love you bitch!” She yelled back at Cassie, blowing her a kiss.

“Love you too bitch!” Cassie returned the statement

You couldn’t help but laugh at their most recent exchange and the dynamic of their friendship.

“Now where were we?” Sarah asked, wrapping her hands around your neck once again. You  smiled.

“I think we were right about here” You stated as you placed your hands around her waist, resting them on her hips once again, pulling her for another kiss.

This really was the best night you had, and you were so glad you had come back home to Boston.