Strays

Donald Leonardo Westwood

It had been an exhausting week, a week full of stress and studying. Perry had been up to his ears in homework for the past week, a thing that he thought was more annoying than anything. They were only third years. What were their teachers trying to prove? That they could handle it? He wasn't sure, but it any case it was getting annoying. He thought that he had received multiple paper cuts from the different Theory  books that he had been scouring. Theory and Arithmancy... Those had been the problems that week. At least their teachers were interesting, and they certainly were the best in their fields. They worked them overtime, but they were the best. They knew what they were talking about. They knew how to teach. They were just going overtime this week, and he wasn't sure why. Maybe they had forgotten what it was like to be kids. Maybe they just wanted them all stressed out. Perry was currently thinking that they didn't really care that there had been a Valentine's Day ball the other day, because he still had a whole days worth of homework to get to. He had decided to retreat to the library to work on it, tugging Donald with him.

He didn't like being alone. He preferred to be with his friends or his family, even if it was something silly. Perry just liked being surrounded by people. It was always more comfortable. Anything else made him really nervous, and he really had to focus on getting up the strength to ask the librarian for things if he needed them. It was easier to take Donnie along with him, even if his friend didn't want to go. When they weren't together he had to go ask Amelia or one of his other family friends to go with him. Sometimes she would go, but other times she didn't want to. On even rarer cases he could get Althea to go, but that was only when he heard something that he wasn't supposed to. She wouldn't even talk to him, most of the time. She would walk with him, wait impatiently, and then walk back. Perry liked it better when Donald went with him, but he knew that he didn't really get a choice. He was the one who was constantly nervous, so he had to put up with it. It was really his fault. He knew that it was.

With a sigh, he turned the page in his Arithmancy book, looking towards Donnie. "Sometimes I think our teachers are trying to kill us," he grumbled, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. They were constantly falling off and it was getting a little annoying. Maybe he could ask one of the older students to fix that. He wasn't sure it was possible, but a simple shrinking spell could adjust the fit just enough... 

((OOC: Donald's Outfit ))

It didn’t take too much of convincing from his friend, Perry, for Donald to go to the library. It was like a second home to him while he was at Hogwarts, or maybe a third home. It was in close competition with the quidditch place after all. Still, it was one of the places that the spikey haired boy tended to come to, so being asked by his friend to go along with him was something that the 13 year old boy would jump at the chance to do. While he often when to the library by himself, it was nice to go with company every now and then. It was nice to hang out with other people.

Grabbing his school bag, so he could easily take his homework to the library, the third year set off with his friend. They did seem to be getting more and more homework in this third year. He supposed that they were no longer young children and being treated like older students now. The workload would only pick up and the older got so he wasn’t really complaining about it. Besides in some ways the Welsh wizard sort of liked doing homework. It was just the shame it was interfering with his quidditch practice as well. He might be performing very well as seeker, indeed he was exceeding all expectations in the role, but he still needed to practice. Especially with his broom. Having a good relationship with one’s broom was a vital part of the role of the seeker. More so than any other quidditch position Donald felt.

Donald sat next to his mate and dug out the textbook, parchment and quill from his own bag and placed it on the table before him. It was lucky that he had used a charm to make the school boy seem lighter than it actually was, otherwise he would be visiting the school nurse frequently complaining of shoulder injury and strain. He had been lucky so far to avoid seeing the nurse this year. Especially as he feared that having such an injury might put him out of being able to practice, or even worst play quidditch. He would hate to miss a game and then be dropped from the team. It was better to play it safe and use magic.

The boys were studying Arithmancy, it was a tough subject and one that Don did sort of regret taking, in a way. He wasn’t going to drop it but he did sometimes wonder if it was more trouble than it was worth. ”I know. I think that the Dark Arts Professor actively is.” he shuddered a the though of that subject. It was not one that he wanted to dwell on. ”I am sure we can get through this though, Perry. I am sure that both our minds can sort the problem out.” that was another good thing with working with a partner. They could put their noggins together and solve the problems quicker than if they were working solo.

The library was quieter than the common room, if only by a little bit. A lot of students in the common room were there to study, but it was still the common room. People could talk if they wanted to. They could be wild and free and Perry knew that they couldn't complain about it. It was easier to go to the library when it was time to study, and although there were less books to be able to read he knew that it was worth it in the end. They could study and work on things without having problems with any of the other students. Everyone had to be quiet there or they risked being kicked out. Perry never really had that much of a problem. He hadn't gotten kicked out of the library yet, and he was trying to keep it like that. As long as he and Donnie were pretty quiet, they should be fine. 

He was glad that his friend had come with him. He knew that he could have found someone to go if Donald didn't want to, but it was better that they got their homework out of the way together. They had too many things to do, anyway. If they wanted to be able to focus on Quidditch they had to get their work done as soon as they could. Perry felt like they were falling behind with how late he had gotten started, but he was sure that they could manage it. He dug his textbooks out of his ever-present school bag and dropped them onto the large desk, crinkling his nose. There was so much that they needed to do.

"One of the older students told me that we don't get to drop Dark Arts after our O.W.L.s," he muttered, shaking his head. While Perry didn't detest the course, he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He grew up being told that magic was neither Dark nor Light, and his Hogwarts education was clearly trying to tell him otherwise. That was stupid, though. Perry thought that it was the person who used magic, not the magic. You could use even the sweetest of spells for something evil if you really wanted to. Maybe it was because Perry had grown up celebrating magic, not just having it. Maybe it was because of his parents. But he hated how they taught the Dark Arts course. "It's really rude. What if you have a different focus? You have to pack your schedule tight just to keep it." He knew that it was so far away, but he was still concerned. 

Donald got a bit distracted again by the restricted section. He looked over towards it, the restricted section held a strange attraction for the 13 year old boy. It was not that he was a dark wizard or wanted to become a dark wizard. Heck, his family would surely disown him if he fell to the dark side. No, it was noting like that for the youngster. It was more of an academic interest, a curiousity. He wondered what kind of spells were in those books, what kind of secrets they held. Of course they were having dark arts lessons anyway, and he found the subject off putting and intimidating in the classroom. Maybe the professor was intimidating or maybe it was the idea of putting those spells into practical use. It was always more the learning for him. Maybe the fact it was a forbidden section was also tempting the young lad.

The Ravenclaw seeker was tempted to try and break into the restriction section but he was also worried about the consequences of getting caught. It would certainly be a detention at least, but could it even mean a expulsion? Or worst still, removal from the quidditch team? He wasn’t really sure that it would be worth the risk. It he was patient it was possible that he could be going to the restricted section in a few years time but then it wouldn’t be forbidden.

As he pondered this a statement from his best friend snapped him back into things. ”Hmm? he said looking at Perry for a moment before nodding ”I know, it is something we are stuck with. As I said if we hang together, I am sure that we would be able to stick it through in the end.” he reassured his friend ”Besides, I suppose it is kind of interesting learning about the dark arts. In a way.” that was true. After all, how can you protect yourself against black magic if you didn’t know about it? That was his approach anyway.

”I am sure that we can sort it out. I mean other students manage to balance different focuses in their older years…” he looked thought for a moment ”…heck, even we do to a point. I mean we have to do all the mandatory classes, and some electives, and homework. On top of that we also have quidditch practice! Sometimes it is hard to even get a chance to socialise properly.” that was true. Donnie always tried to make time for his friends and family, but it could be tough to make the time. ”I suppose it will only get more difficult as we get older though” the third year conceded. Maybe they should be making the most of things at the time.

However, finding the time to make the most of things was a problem. He would never give up quidditch, oh no, Donnie loved being the seeker, and he felt that he was pretty good in the role. The only issue was that he sometimes felt that the older students were a bit snobby towards him, and looked down upon him for being a third year. It could make it difficult for him to socialise with his team mates. The pale skinned youngster sighed slightly. They were alright to him, he supposed. At least he was actually on the team. Don hoped that Perry would get his chance soon.

The thing was, Perry understood Donnie's clear fascination with the Restricted Section. He wasn't stupid. He was quiet, but he noticed things. His closest friend was really interested in what was there, and Perry definitely supported it. The Restricted Section was there, in their sights, but they couldn't go searching within it quite yet. He thought that it might have been because there were a bit gruesome things within, but he wasn't sure. There was no such thing as dark magic to Perry. His father had told him multiple times that there were possibilities for light magic to be used darkly, and he knew that. You could make any type of magic evil. It was why he thought it was so confusing that they renamed the course, especially since they didn't seem to be using any of the darker spells. Well, not yet. They might in the future. Right now they seemed to be focusing on some minor stuff and creatures, and he knew there were far more interesting things than that in the Restricted Section.

He knew he should invite Donald over for Easter. That way they could spend a lot of time in his library and they could look up everything that the school wouldn't let them. For logical and scientific reasons, of course. At home he had some Muggle texts, but mainly Magical. The Higgs family wasn't stupid, they weren't going to just ignore how the muggles had a bit of a leg up for some things. So he and Donnie could figure out everything that they needed to know, and then they could move on. They would have everything under control. Easter couldn't come soon enough, though, and he was also a bit scared that his friend might say no. What was he supposed to do then? He would be too embarrassed to say anything else. Maybe he could ask before he was supposed to go help Thea, that way he could recover if Donald said no. "It's definitely interesting," he confirmed, staring down at the book with a scowl. He needed to take a moment before voicing his rather lengthy and dramatic opinion on it all, but he knew that Donald had heard him complain before.

"I think it may be worse now," he said pensively. "Because we're still trying things out. You get to drop your core classes after O.W.L.s, don't you? And then you can decide what you want to be when you grow up." Which was also a daunting idea. What did he want to be? Perry had no idea. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be thinking about. Could he play quidditch? Race? Maybe he would just... Well, he had time. Not everyone knew what they wanted to be when they grew up. 

Donald was worried his friend has noticed his interest in the restricted section. He supposed that it wouldn’t really cause him too much trouble to be interested in the dark arts, it wasn’t like it wasn’t the norm. However, the only thing that worried Don was that people might also assume, wrongly, that he was a muggle hater. The 13 year old was nothing of the sort. Indeed he was very supportive of the muggle and helping his sister with her muggle group as much as he could. But the association with interest with the dark arts with the death eaters was something that he was very mindful of.

The young boy thought of the library as his second home while at Hogwarts. The Ravenclaw common room being his home in Hogwarts of course. The thought of doing something that could get him kicked out of the library was also what was holding Don back from doing anything too rash when it came to sneaking into the restricted section. That, coupled with a suspension or removal from the Ravenclaw quidditch team was enough to make the boy fearful enough of the possible consequences of his actions if he got caught. The spikey haired lad was split between it being a worthwhile endeavour for the pursuit of knowledge, and a risky and foolhardy move that would be more common for a Gryffindor to pull off.

”It is” he said, feeling glad that his Perry agreed with him. The third year was slightly worried that his friend would think that he was dangerous, or weird for being interested in the dark arts. He was glad to see the reaction from his housemate was one of agreement and not of horror. If the pale skinned lad was honest with himself, he would be absolutely gutted and crushed if he somehow lost the friendship of Percival. Donnie really liked him and he considered him his best friend. He felt that they had a connection and a lot in common. The Welsh lad enjoyed the time he spent with Perry. His friendship was something he cherished, and wasn’t something Don wanted to loose.

The young lad’s face fell a bit as Perry said it was worse now. He was right, trying the magic out was far worse than simply learning about it. Don had to confess he felt dirty using dark magic, he felt that it did blacken his soul slightly. He tried to resist being corrupted by dark magic, but he wasn’t sure that he would be totally successful at doing that. He was grateful that he had someone like Perry, or even his sister to keep him on track if needed. ”Aye, that is right.” the pale skinned youngster confirmed. OWLs were not that far off when he thought about it. It would be coming around for them sooner than they would think.

Actually, what did he want to be when he left Hogwarts? Being a quidditch player would be cool but he wasn’t sure that was something that he could reliably do. His problems with transfiguration were a hindrance to some careers like auror. Maybe he could follow his dad into potion brewing, but Amy had always seemed better at that sort of him, even if he wasn’t bad at it, not by a long shot. The 13 year old could become a Professor maybe, or a librarian? He would be surrounded by books all day then. Actually, that sounded like his idea of heaven. Donnie hadn’t ruled out trying to get into a career in politics either. A working class boy from the south Wales valleys would certainly have an unique perspective to being into politics. However, he also knew that it would be tough for a working class boy to get into politics to begin with. It was something for him to consider he supposed.

”I am not sure though, I mean, it still four years until we leave school anyway…and we still have to learn stuff…” he said avoiding referencing his own issues with transfiguration. Perry would know them anyway, he would have seen how much of a disaster he made in transfiguration lessons. ”….I mean I got a few ideas of what I want to be when I am older, like seeker for the Welsh national quidditch team, or librarian would be cool too.” the Ravenclaw lad decided to leave out his idea to go into politics. He felt that would be too weird, even to tell his best friend. Donnie decided that idea would be best left inside his own head.

Perry knew that his family had unique views on magic, and that he had been raised in a way that was unusual to most people. It had to do with the brightness, the eagerness, of his parents, of how they had managed to make it through a war that had cost the lives of so many of their friends. His parents had been brought up in a world with such a distinct draw between magic; light and dark were different, and spells were shuffled into categories without question. They had taught him different, and on purpose. They wanted him to know that it was the person who chose how magic worked, not the magic. Magic didn't choose allegiance, it simply existed, coursing through your veins and waiting to be used. His mother told him how people used light spells to lose the war, how they used dark spells and pretended like it came from someone else. She wasn't involved, she told him. Perry believed his mum, even when she gave him pumpkin juice and pretended like it was a potion. She didn't lie about the important stuff. She kept things in order. She wouldn't lie about something like magic, she would tell the truth. She was just that type of mother. 

Magic didn't choose what was right and wrong, so Perry kept his mouth shut when he saw people looking into the Restricted Section. He knew what magic was used for, and what dark spells could look like. They could look like lighter things, they could do lighter things... Donald was just curious, and Perry didn't fault him. He personally didn't care, not always, but that was because he knew that he could look through all of those books on his own, when he had time and when he was home. Donald didn't have that option, so it wasn't shocking that he was staring longingly at the Restricted Section. It was the one thing that they had in Hogwarts that they weren't allowed to go near. Perry knew it was because they said they couldn't go there. It was because of the name. "I wish we could be pickier with our schedules," he murmured, flicking through the book once more. That would have been nice. He wanted to be able to pick up and drop specific classes, and he knew that Donnie would like that also.

It would be nice. Donnie would be able to get extra help with Transfiguration, and he would be able to make Magical Theory a more focused course. He knew that a lot of his focuses were considered to be minor, and he was including Quidditch. Maybe he was thinking too much. Perry knew that he did that. He had a lot of ideas, and he tried to pay attention to all of them. It was hard, of course, because they flew out rather dramatically. He didn't know what he was supposed to do, not always. Sometimes he looked at them with a grin, sometimes he nervously acknowledged his fear. Most of the time he tried to pretend like he didn't have a million thoughts running around in his head, and he just acted like everything was just fine. "It's a good thing we don't need to know for a a few more years. I would fail career counselling if we had to do it now." 

Donald was still a bit nervous about his friend would react if the truth about his interest in the restrict section came out, but he guessed that a fellow Ravenclaw might understand some curiosity in wanting to learn something at least, it wasn’t as if they were not already learning about the dark arts anyway. It wasn’t something that the 13 year old really wanted to dwell on though if he was honest with himself. Curious as he was, he still felt very uncomfortable using dark magic, he guessed that that was normal, he guessed that is was how it should be.

The Ravenlcaw seeker did see Perry as his best friend, if he was honest, he really did enjoy his company and Don felt that his house mate was someone who understood what him, who got him. So Donnie really did value his opinion and wanted Perry to think well of him. The last thing the spikey haired lad wanted was to fall out with his best friend, especially over something like the restricted section. It was for this reason why he decided it was best to focus his attention back towards is butty.

”It would be a lot easier if we could pick the classes we wanted to” Don said in agreement with his mate. There was a few classes that the third year would drop if he could, some of them were not much use at all in his opinion. ”But I guess some of the alsses we have do have value. At least we don’t have to take things like Care for Magical Creatures or Divination, both of them are duff subjects in my opinion” he was pretty certain his friend would agree with him on those subjects, they were the worst. ”Sometimes I want to drop transfiguration as well, even though I know it is important” it was by far his worst subject and Donnie frequently struggled in the class. It plagued Donald, if he was honest about it, he kept awake at night sometimes, just lying on his four poster bed, worrying about his struggles with transfiguration and why he was so bad at it. ”Though, maybe it would be better to get extra help with it… yet again it crossed his mind to ask Perry for assistance. His best friend wouldn’t shaft him just so he could maintain better grades than Don, right? Perry didn’t strike Don as that type. However, the pale skinned youngster was just a bit too timid to ask.

”It is good to have some time to think about what we will do in the future.” he agreed. It was very possible that he would change him mind after leaving Hogwarts, even after they left they would still be learning and experiencing new things, picking up new skills and finding their way in life. It was very possible that something else would crop up and they would discover a talent that they didn’t even know that they had, or change this views on something, have their perceptions of how things work challenged. Life was forever a learning experience. There was no rush for the young boys to decide what their future would be there and then. It could wait and it could change.