[ssowowow]

SIRIUS.

“ of course not, i can’t afford to be flawed now not when others expect too much of my looks. “ he jested with a smirk plastered across his features. sirius appreciated benjy’s seeming concern, though. he couldn’t recall anything he’d done good to him that he’d be willing to help him out; he could only hope benjy wasn’t a victim of the many pranks they’ve pulled before. “ potions room is the closest. we’re halfway there, anyway. “

the main motive behind his kindness is neither to gain shelter from the marauder’s seemingly endless pranks or to gain sirius’ approval  ( which he knows many people do, )  benjy’s just been trying his hand lately at potions and it’s been a success,  his first willing victim to prove his talent aside from himself being sirius, who suspects no inexperience on his part at all. ‘ are you done with your food ? ’  actually it’s best if he has an empty stomach for ingesting these potions, he reminds himself, so he waits for no answer.  ‘ alright, potions room it is. ’ 

[ssowowow]

NARCISSA.

           “ I ?? …  DO NOT…  SNEAK, ”  she rebuts first,  as if it’s the most offensive amongst his insults. “ I did not drop anything.  I wanted to study,  but stumbled into what resembles the beginnings of a serial killer  —  engaging in full blown conversations with himself and and OBSESSING over plants.  And now,  result of your incompetency,  the pair of us may very well have permanent hearing damage.  May I also remind you,  the greenhouse and it’s content does not exclusively belong to Benjy Fenwick ??  —  No matter how often he guards it,  disturbingly,  like a TROLL under it’s BRIDGE. ”  Hands fling up to clamp over the muffs,  their screeches growing louder.  “ If they like you so much, you ridiculous hobgoblin,  how do we shut them up ?? ”

it’s a first in that benjy actually finds narcissa HUMOROUS, laughter gulped back in exchange for what he hopes is a satisfactory attempt at being stony faced.  was she actually offended by him accusing her of sneaking around ? the girl had either heard it all, or had her priorities all backwards regarding what she found offensive and what she merely let float over her head.  ‘ let me make it clear that if i do BECOME  a serial killer like you prophesize, people who tip-toe around greenhouses are going to be at the top of my murder list.’  a quick turn sees his back to narcissa’s form continuing to nag, making sure that the two uncovered mandrakes are tucked back into soil with a sort of practised tenderness,  silencing their screeches almost at once. ‘ like that. for future reference, you can also twist their roots – but that KILLS them, and I actually find them sweet when they’re not bursting my ear drums. ’

[ssowowow]

LOCHY.

“Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben,” Lochy muttered in between breaths with every hop he took sprinting down the hill. One final rushed turn into the greenhouse, and he took a sharp inhale to swallow down any utterance that could cause his friend to drop another– too late. Tired, bloodshot eyes stared at the broken pot. “Sorry,” he whispered, offering a small, apologetic smile, and then lifted up a wad of scrunched up illegible notes. “Two things…” He huffed, attempting to catch his breath. “I’ve… I’ve figured it out, and… Narcissa Black…” His smile widened, “–wants to tutor me?”

‘  you’re bloody lucky it’s you or i’d have hexed your arse from here to DURMSTRANG. ’ the reply is laced with faux-annoyance, because really, it’d be a very grim day indeed if benjy found himself actually aggravated by lochy. in fact - he doesn’t think it’s possible - being annoyed by the timid hufflepuff is like kicking a puppy or something. just plain wrong. ‘ s’okay, wasn’t important anyways,’  the blood-shot eyes paired with heavy bags alert the smaller to the lack of sleep the other male has had, and as he talks, benjy finds himself momentarily experiencing the side effects of whiplash. ( did he just hear him correctly ?  ) ‘ you sly dog, d’ya wanna get tutored by her, or.. ’ he slides an arm across the plants to snatch up his wand, eyebrow raising flirtily. ‘ tutored by her ? ‘

[ssowowow]

MOLLY.

“ it’s awful, isn’t it ? they should know better than to experiment in a place where food is made and stored. the smoke is terrible too, you’re right. “

‘ I’VE heard we’ll be having smoked bacon and crispy potatoes for the foreseeable future as punishment. i think we should revolt, i mean, the m a j o r i t y shouldn’t go down just because a few dickheads thought it’d be wise to do that in the kitchens. what even were they experimenting on ? ’

[ssowowow]

i love ur benjy

my benjy loves u ! unless ur a death eater ! or a hufflepuff apologist !

[ssowowow]

SIRIUS.

“ maybe, maybe not. life’s too short to be settling down anyway. don’t ‘ya think so too, fenwick? “ he offered the other a small genuine smile. truth be told sirius almost forgot about the swelling— he didn’t care about it, but now that it was brought up he realized how nasty it did look. his appetite for supper popped like a bubble. “ sweet, then i am in your care. “

‘ of course, i mean at t h i s age it’d be sad to. ’   he guesses, anyways. that’s not to say that he won’t fall head over heels for somebody by this time tomorrow, it tends to happen to him quite a bit. benjy notes the other’s deflated look, and quickly takes back his statement. ‘ it’s not that bad, i mean, if you look at it with one eye closed you’re still the same old sirus ! ’ and then, before he can say anything else that’ll upset the other, ‘ potions room or hufflepuff common rooms ? i can whip up a batch in either place.’ 

[ssowowow]

EROS.

           Clearly amused with himself,  he barks a laugh at the smaller boy’s stumbling. The insults,  however,  turn Eros’ expression SOUR.  “ Watch it, Fenbitch.  You’ve made your show of being tough in front of fifth years,  now,  so don’t step too out of line and make me embarrass you.  Both of us know how much of a fucking weakling you really are, yeah ?? ” To drive his point home, the Slytherin takes a menacing step forward. Muggle fighting,  the kind with fists,  is frowned upon in the Selwyn home  —  but Eros has been known to engage in it regardless. 

and now he’s out-and-out SNICKERING, that sort of breathless laughter that leaves the tips of your fingers tingling with nervous energy. ‘ fenbitch, wow – i really can see now why y’ weren’t placed in RAVENCLAW, truly, ’  of course, the laughter dies down much alike a kindred flame once he starts calling him a fucking weakling, because he’s nothing of the sort. never has been. he’s been brought up to be exactly the opposite of that. ‘ you’re going to square up to me now ?   didn’t think you knew how to fight without havin’ a stick of wood lodged between your fists. GO on then,’  now or never, he guesses. ‘ h i t me.’ 

[ssowowow]

MOLLY.

molly gasped in surprise as the clay fell to the floor. she hadn’t meant to cause any disturbances — all that she had in mind was completing her small herbology project. “ i’m so sorry, i didn’t mean to interrupt or cause that to happen. is there anything i can do to help ? “

‘ OH ! molly !  it’s alrig – ’  and as if some sort of exterior force is messing with him ( benjy stands quizzical for a moment: asking himself if ghosts can break into the greenhouses ) he backs into another pot which knocks it off it’s ledge, not knowing how or why he’s being so jittery today.  ‘ you don’t happen to know a charm that clears stuff up do you ? that’d be pretty handy. ’

[aikcterina]

“ merlin’s beard, the kitchens were up in flames again. i still don’t know why they thought it would be a wonderful idea to test out that ridiculous theory. “

[ssowowow]

‘ tell me about it ! i’ve been coughing up l u n g s full of smoke for the past twenty four hours. people think it’s a blessing having your common rooms by the kitchens. oh, how WRONG they are. ’

[ssowowow]

NARCISSA.

               BEFORE NARCISSA EVER DECIDED WHO SHE WANTED TO BE,  she was already a string of rigid concepts.  A prejudiced pureblood,  a daughter and youngest sister,  a vapid little girl.  (  Never mind that she clings desperately to these predetermined identifiers like her life depends on it  —  because look at Sirius,  she reminds herself.  LIFE DOES DEPEND ON IT.  ) She feels like a THING,  not a living,  breathing,  evolving person.  This is what she hears in Benjy’s sharp,  mocking words.  “ I suppose not, ”  the Slytherin relents  f l a t l y,  neglecting  ( with strict self control )  to lash out at the comment about her family.  “ Well, Fenwick, I need to study for Herbology, so — ”  Her sentence breaks off into a cringe at the sound of the SCREECHING.  Swift steps bring the fifth year to the rack of ear muffs,  where she swipes two pairs.  Narcissa,  wearing a begrudging frown,  beelines for Benjy and sort of, well, smacks the muffs around his head,  before she pulls on her own pair.  “ THIS IS BRILLIANT,  truly, ”  she half - yells above their screaming.  “ Your stupid butter fingers set them off !! ”

OF COURSE, he notes the offensiveness of his tone implying things that benjy may or may not be sure of. ( he’s NOT ) he speaks in such a manner to girls once every blue moon, and it’s partially down to imagining his mother’s own rebuttal to such words –– a homebody by default and by choice,  benjy often finds himself thinking about what various family members would do in this situation. the brunette in front of him has probably never experienced this, tight-knit bonds existing between pureblooded families almost that of a myth these days, and benjy half-chokes back the apology that creeps up his throat like that of an acid reflux. well, that is, until he’s smacked out of his daze by a pair of fluffy muffs, wincing at the piercing scream of the plants ‘ my ‘ butter fingers  ‘ are in these herbology rooms t h r i c e daily, i’ll have you know, they LIKE me. if you weren’t sneaking around like the bloody invertebrate you are, none of this would’ve happened ! ’

[siriusblvvck-blog]

after a few seconds of idle silence, sirius finally decided to break the ice. “ — you’ve been staring, haven’t you? “

[ssowowow]

‘ well y’ can’t blame me. MERLIN that’s a nasty jinx. you been messing with two birds at once again black ?  never turns out good, hell hath no f u r y like a woman scorned, or whatever that sayin is. ’ and just because he’s  feeling equal parts generous and sympathetic today, ‘ i’ve got a potion that’ll help the swellin’ to go down, if you want it. ’

[clarasavery-blog]

              “am i the only one who remembers the beauty of a good old heating charm ?? merlin, just because it’s november doesn’t mean we can’t still have quidditch practice in the morning. we’re wizards.“ 

[ssowowow]

‘ nah –– i have this pretty S W E E T charm i learnt from this book i got over the summer for camping durin’ cold nights. tried it once and nearly blew up two entire tents. gotta hand it to them though, it really did warm me up. ’

[ssowowow]

EROS.

               “ I’m the fucking twat ??  MATE,  you and your lot should thank me.  I’m doing that little bellend a favour.  Shit like this, ” he bops his head down at it,  “  is why muggles and, apparently Hufflepuffs,  too,  are always on the butt end of jokes. BUT HERE, ”  Eros near shoves the board to the other student’s chest.  “ Please,  do go on giving us something to take the piss out of. ”

one breath in, one breath out. as the wheeled wooden object is thrusted into his chest, benjy ACTUALLY stumbles,  ( he’s of small stature, it doesn’t take much ) just about catching himself before he falls flat on his arse. ‘ first of all, don’t call me your MATE, i’m not your fucking mate. ’ he sets the board down, kicking it so it goes off to the side of the corridor in which they’re having the argument. ‘ y’ seemed pretty interested till you realized your lanky arse looked like the bellend on it. how’d you manage to keep steady on a broom ? y’ can’t even balance yourself on solid floorin ! ’ he punctuates his statement with a laugh, because if he’s going to get his ass beat, he’ll make damn sure he does down with a smile. 

[ssowowow]

NARCISSA.

             A small,  high pitched squeak escapes the momentarily stunned Narcissa.  Upon registering the ridiculous noise made by her own lips:  the fifth year is met with an inner barrage of searing embarrassment and ANGER.  “ Benjy Fenwick, ”  she wields the words less like a name, and more like an accusation.  “ I want to,  just once,  enter a greenhouse without the odd,   a l a r m i n g  sound of someone chatting away at himself. ”  She touches a hand to her forehead,  allows a mere slither of pent up frustration to slip out in a brief sigh. “ Salazar’s sake. ”

‘ well i’d like to walk through hogwarts’ four walls without having to hear the surname black follow me like the PLAGUE, but we can’t all get what we want, now can we ? ’ he speaks to her slowly mouthing syllables through gritted teeth, tone prissy like the princess he assumes she thinks she is. g o o d, she got a fright. the only fright she’s probably ever had before is watching her gringotts account go down from five figures to four. ‘ again, what are YOU doing here ? ’ he really hasn’t got the time for her whilst pottery lays broken on tiled flooring, and judging by the mandrakes that have just started to squeal, neither have the plants.  

[ssowowow]

‘ i mean, i can’t BELIEVE it.. ’ here he was again, mumbling away to himself, breaking the herbology greenhouses serene with his constant chatter. benjy always finds it (  t o o  ) quiet, feeling the need to fill up the empty space with his own noise. he’s quick to notice a new presence in the room however, which halts all noise but one - a shattering of clay hitting the floor. and damn, now he’s dropped the bubotuber he spent half an hour planting. he’s kind of pissed, kind of embarrassed.   ‘ what do you want ? ’

[mvllyii]

‘ d’ya reckon having a swim with the merpeople ?? ‘ 

[ssowowow]

‘ d’ya reckon you could SAVE me if i happen to cut m’self and the merpeople fancy the smell of my b l o o d  ? ’

[slwyn-blog1]

              Fooling around idly with the skateboard (  taken forcefully from a fifth year muggleborn, )  Eros finds himself largely unimpressed.  “ This is the stupidest muggle nonsense I’ve seen yet.  Apparently, in America, there’s competitions with cash prizes for it. Fucking twats. ”

[ssowowow]

oh yes, he’d WITNESSED the disgusting display play-out between the boy he was largely unfamiliar with and the small fifth year from his very own house. it took the smaller all of five seconds to decide that he’d be confronting the other, and in not too nice a way, either.  ‘ then you should p r o b a b l y give it back to the muggle it rightfully belongs to,’ selwyn wasn’t even standing on the CORRECT side of the skateboard, for crying out loud. but benjy was certainly not going to stop the other from breaking his ankle ‘.. y fucking twat. ’