so keep your head up, my love

⊰ quinn mccarthy ⊱ ⊰ seventh. hufflepuff. pureblood. neutral. ⊱

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

valurquhart.

“But I’d like to think we’re friends, Quinn,” Val smiled, almost too sweetly, at him, “And friends share secrets.” Taking the glass of water in hand, she rolled her eyes but fought to keep a grin from overtaking her expression, “A sip—-if you want anything more than that you’ll have to give me something a little JUICIER.”

           “ Really?? I’d like to think WE’RE FRIENDS too, Val. And  f r i e n d s  don’t use each other for info. How about we just... talk?? No secrets, just the two of us and the things friends talk about. ” Quinn suggested, amusement glittering in his eyes and showing itself in his voice. She had been trying her  b e s t.  “ And they’re pretty, that’s what he said. Do I get another sip?? ”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

valurquhart.

She hid a grimace—-Quinn was hot and had the whole hero thing working for him; it physically PAINED her to see someone not taking advantage of it. “Right—super great, anyway, not talking about Lily, talking about you. Speaking of your friends,” Her tone was nonchalant, “How are they? Any super fun bro secrets you want to spill?”

              At her question, genuine laughter ( and for the first time, not the uncomfortable kind, ) sounded from Quinn. “ I wouldn’t be a super fun bro if I spilt their super fun secrets, would I, Val?? ” He momentarily pulled himself up onto the edge of the pool to collect a cup of water from the drinks table, before settling back in and handing it to her. “ Do me a favour, please?? Drink a bit of this, and I’ll tell you what Alex said about your eyes. ”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

valurquhart.

“Oh no, you’re a regular HERO around school, didn’t you realize?” Making Quinn uncomfortable was too fun, and he was just nice enough that Val could usually get away with it without much trouble. At the mention of Lily, she sighed, flopping back into the water, “Personally, Lily Potter gives me nothing but a bad case of indigestion, but to each their own. Have you been working out, Quinn?”

              “ Really, I’m... I’m just Quinn, ” he assured ( if words as passive as his could be considered assurance. ) His brows furrowed at her attitude towards Lily. “ Why?? She’s so nice. She’s great. ” Again, the boy began fidgeting awkwardly, rubbing his arms somewhat at her question. “ Not anymore than usual. I mean, I always go to the gym with Alex, but that’s about it. Have you?? ” He asked,  o b l i v i o u s l y,  in an attempt to make conversation. 

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

valurquhart.

“You should stay and talk to me, Quinny—-” Valeria’s smile was bright, eyes dancing in amusement despite being a bit glazed, “What was that they call you? COURAGEOUS Quinn? You seem a bit nervous—-what’s wrong?”

               “ I should?? Uh, sure. ” Quinn’s eyes drifted upward, away from the intensity of Valeria’s. “ Yeah, that’s it. It’s... it’s not true, though. It was just a one time thing. Anyone would’ve done the same. ” He babbled a little, rubbing the back of his neck. “ It’s just... Lily’s gonna’ be here, y’know. ” In her swimsuit. 

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

valurquhart.

“Okay, slow down—-”

               “ You okay, Valeria?? ” Quinn asked, somewhat concerned, idly playing with some bubbles. “ I should get you some water... I’m gonna’ get you some water. ”

[lionheartedlily]

Lily raised an eyebrow at Quinn, questioning the motives behind the quickness of his response before motioning for him to follow her. “–I guess he has been a bit off, but yeah, he does have a reason to be…” she replied, not about to divulge all of her worries with a near stranger, as genuine as he seemed. “Notice anything particularly unusual though?”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

He fell into step, determined to keep up with Lily. “I mean, it’s weird —- it wasn’t really a gradual thing. He was cool with me one day, and then the next, it seems like everything I, or anyone else in our dorm does annoys the hell outta’ him. Except Nate.” Quinn shrugged, “I dunno. Rough times, right? Can’t blame anyone for being a little off.” He didn’t want to raise any alarms, not when Lily was likely already worried enough about her family. 

[lionheartedlily]

“–yeah, that’d be great if you don’t mind. Don’t you room with James?”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

“I don’t!!” Quinn rubbed the back of his neck, having answered a little too quickly, “I mean, I don’t mind. Yeah, I do. He’s been acting kinda’ off lately, by the way? I dunno, less... friendly? Not that he doesn’t have a reason to or anything, but... yeah.” 

[lionheartedlily]

“Hey, you seen my brothers around lately? I have things for them, from our mum. Kind of important.”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

“Lily, I —- I, uh, no. Sorry. But I could help you look, if you want?”

[mollsweez-blog]

Of all nights, this was the one she needed it the most. Molly had spent at least ten minutes staring down at the firewhiskey bottle in her hand before she lifted it to her lips, eyes growing teary she dropped it back down to her lap. “Fuck. I can’t do it.”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

Quinn frowned in concern. “You, uh, you alright, Molly?”

[ablcze-blog]

“Hey, can someone pass me that letter that says, ‘To my favourite loser.’? That’s mine.”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

“Loser? Accurate. Favourite? Debatable,” Quinn joked, before swiftly collecting the letter and moving to the seat by Camila. He handed it over, “let me guess, older sibling? I call my baby sister the same thing.” 

[queeniegudgeon-blog]

“Oh my–! This is so not allowed! Who’s party is this? Tell me right now.”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

“I don’t... really know, sorry. I don’t know people who throw parties.” Though, apparently, nowadays they knew him.

[lucesweez-blog]

It had been a night, one where finding her sister had not been easy when it usually wasn’t supposed to be this hard. Her extended family was as per usual causing quite the uproar and it left Lucy to pick up the pieces – not that she minded. Still, tonight her sister was her priority, why? Molly Weasley wasn’t drinking. What was wrong with her? In the middle of looking for her at the party ( which was quite the dirty event ) her body collided into Quinn McCarty’s, someone she was relieved to see though he didn’t seem to be relieved to see her. Or anyone. Looking around the scene, finally coming into it, clearly Lucy could see why with the cult like chanting for the boy in front of her. “Courageous Quinn!! Courageous Quinn!!” Bloody hell, she needed to find Molly. 

Her voice boomed as she directed everyone around them to back off. Being bossy had its advantages, “and lastly, you, if I see you a n y w h e r e near me in the next five seconds I’ll make sure to stick Victoire on you.” Watching as they all scattered, Lucy spoke to him, “help me find my sister, you owe me one now. Technically. You do realize you can’t go to parties or public things like this anymore without that happening, right? Take it from someone who knows.”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

Quinn executed a shrug, as if to say, ‘well —- Lucy said, so,’ at the bunch of kids when they gawked between her and him questioningly. Though, by her second demand, they had scattered anyways. “Uhh, thanks. Really,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “That all was kind of... embarrassing, actually. Sorry, Luce.” He nodded once, “you did save my butt back there, so yes, I owe you one.” Retiring to bed could wait for awhile, he supposed. “Any idea where she could be?” 

Quinn drew a breath, that soon became a heavy, deflated sigh. “A few months ago barely anyone even knew my name. I’m pretty sure at least half of them didn’t know I existed before this,” he ran a hand, brows drawing together in a rather tense manner, through his hair. “I dunno. I just don’t want all the people to be disappointed when they realise I’m... just... Quinn.” Shaking his head once, he brushed the topic aside, “y’know, I thought I saw Molly talking with Macmillian earlier by the DJ table.” At least, from a glimpse, he thought it was those two. 

[lionheartedlily]

“Meet me in Hog’s Head in thirty. In desperate need of alcohol. Bring what you can find.” Lily hit the enter button on her cell phone as she rushed down the staircase, determined to make it out of the common room before all of the party goers arrived. The night was still young, and all of the invitees were slowly trickling in, but the lion’s den was already starting to look like it was breaching on full capacity. This had to been some sort of fire hazard, not that it really mattered much to her. Normally, she would be all for a Lance and Kiran’s pardy, but right now, she just needed to escape the chaos, find somewhere with less people, and feel the burning sensation of firewhiskey make its way down her throat.

But unfortunately for her, there was a massive crowd of people blocking the entrance, all of them chanting for some boy, and for some reason, he seemed familiar. Furrowing her brows as she studied his face, it suddenly came to her when someone brought up a death eater. He was that boy who’d been on the Prophet for saving his entire hostage group, and judging from how taken aback he looked by all the attention, he was still humble about it. And had no clue how to deal with all the admirers.

Lily couldn’t help it. She laughed. Moving closer to him, she leaned in to murmur into his ear, “Mm, maybe try saying no comment? You’ll come off even more mysterious–bet everyone will decide you have ninja super powers or something.” Another chuckle escaped her lips before she pulled away and she gave him a small supportive smile before she started to walk off again. She did have a relative to meet after all. “Good luck.”

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

“I wasn’t trying —- I didn’t mean to —- I, I’m not a,” Quinn blew out a inaudible sigh. It, too, was promptly drowned out by the crowd like the rest of his attempts at an explanation. I’m not a hero, that’s what he wanted to say. He’d tried telling people before, and they took it as some form of gallant humbleness. He wasn’t courageous. He was just Quinn. Amicable, easy going, flying under the radar Quinn. Never causing trouble, never sticking out in any shape or form. It occurred to him that more than half of these people hadn’t even known his name until the hostage situation. Still stunned by the ambushing, he didn’t notice the girl approaching him. 

By the time he did, she was whispering in his ear. It only took a moment for the recognition of her voice to seep in, and it sent the hair on his arms standing on edge. Lily Luna. He may have parted lips to roll out a greeting, but the nerves that shot up his spine didn’t allow it. All Quinn could do was listen. Listen to the girl he’d been crushing on from a distance for a year, giggling practically by his neck. He was sure she hadn’t spoken as much as a full sentence to him since she arrived at Hogwarts. He was just Quinn. And just Quinn had Lily Potter finally noticing him. 

Just as quick as she’d appeared, though, the red head was disappearing. His eyes on her the entire time, half wondering if it was a dream, when she offered a final smile and a good luck wish before she turned away. And all of a sudden, fly under the radar, don’t make yourself noticeable Quinn felt himself following. He brushed past the crowd, mumbling distracted apologies, and came stumbling out on the other end just as she reached the portrait. “Wait, Lily,” he called after her, coming to a halt. “Were you... were you leaving?” Quinn rubbed the back of his neck stiffly. “I could, uh, walk with you, if you wouldn’t mind. I need some air.” He slid his hands into his trouser pockets.“Keep it mysterious, right? The less they see of me the better,” Quinn joked and breathed a clipped laugh, lifting wide shoulders into a shrug. 

[quinnmccarthy-blog]

Sneaking through the party discreetly being held in the commons and toward the safe haven of his dorm, he ducked and, —- “Courageous Quinn, there he is!!” Ah, shit. Quinn turned toward the squeal reluctantly, pulling his features into something resembling amicability from the tired frown they’d previously been sitting in. The crowd erupted into a short burst of his name being chanted repeatedly, and then the questions started. How’d you do it, Quinn? Was it scary, Quinn? Did you get a look at the Death Eater, Quinn? “Uh, I... uh.” 

[acandleandawick-blog]

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[quinnmccarthy-blog]

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