One for All; All for One {Matthew)

5th Year Posts : 21 Stats : 17 Join date : 2014-08-12

The stairs up from the Hufflepuff basement common room to the Great Hall were daunting to Sebastian as he made his way to a late breakfast. It was the morning after a spectacular quidditch loss to Ravenclaw, and he barely had the energy to pull himself out of bed let alone trudge up the staircases. He was in a sour mood, so to speak, and the thought of coming face to face with any member of his house or team while he was on his way did not sit well with him. Of course in the back of his mind he knew everyone in his house understood the loss and did not hold it against him, but it did little to ease his feeling of guilt. He had let them all down, had slacked off in his role as seeker and allowed the other team to catch the snitch. After the match Seb had vowed to spend more time practicing so it did not happen again, but with his mountain of homework and prefect duties he was slightly over stressing himself.

Eyes focused down on his feet, he did not notice the pair of students walking down the stairs towards him. “Hey little hufflepuff. Nice work losing the last quddictch match for us.”

He looked up, spotting the two other kids. An older Slytherin that Seb could not place was standing with his arm around a dainty Ravenclaw girl he recognized from his year. It took a moment of thought to realize why the boy had said what he did; losing the match yesterday had also bumped up the Slytherin team in the standings, and clearly this boy was happy about that. The girl – Olivia? - must have felt the same way, for she smiled at the boy holding her and giggled.

Saying nothing, Seb continued on his way, effectively ignoring the remark and the speaker. It was not worth it to reply, because all he would have to say was 'you're welcome' and somehow that didn't seem the right thing to do. Only a few more steps had passed under his feet when the boy spoke again, this time his tone harsh and demanding. “I'm talking to you, you little runt. Show me some respect and look at me when I'm speaking.”

Seb stopped his climbing and finally looked the boy in the face. He was perplexed. Wasn't respect something earned? That's what Seb had always thought; he was fairly certain he didn't have the wrong idea about it. “That doesn't make any sense; you haven't done anything for me to respect. Why would I do that?”

The look on the boy's face would have been funny if Seb had been more keen to laughing at other people. He untangled his arm from the girl and took a few steps down the stairs toward Seb. Sebastian had always been tall, and now that he was in the final throes of puberty he was gangly and somewhat awkward with his long limbs. With the older boy standing a few steps up from him, Seb felt small and breakable, though he did nothing to let that show.

“Because if you don't, I'm going to find those little twins you're always fussing over like some old maid and show them a thing or two.” The Slytherin was...threatening him? Yes; that's what this was about now. Seb marveled over how fast the conversation had gone south. Was it something he had said? At any rate, the mention of his brothers was inappropriate. They had nothing to do with this, and the older boy should really know that. It was common knowledge to those that paid attention that Sebastian kept an eye out for his first year brothers, but it was not something that should involve other people.

“Leave my brothers out of this.”

“I'll do whatever I want, thanks.”

Seb saw the other boy's hand reach for his wand, saw him grasp it tightly in preparation. Magic in the corridors was not allowed. Just because they were having a disagreement did not mean they should resort to breaking the rules. Seb couldn't let that happen. “You can't do magic out here. Fighting's not allowed.” His voice was calm, as if he was reciting the rules straight from a book.

“There he goes again, Livvy. What's the matter with this kid?” The boy looked back up the stairs where the girl was still standing, and laughed.

“There's nothing the matter with me...” Seb's answer was more mumbled than spoken this time, as if the older boy had finally struck a nerve.

Subject: Re: One for All; All for One {Matthew) Tue Aug 19, 2014 6:43 pm

Matt usually woke early and he ate his breakfast early too, even back home, because auntie wouldn’t let him go outside before he ate. The earlier he woke, the shorter his nightmares, but sometimes, like today, they stretched far longer and he woke up terrified, exhausted and late. He dragged his feet slowly up the stairs, possessing none of his usual cat-like grace. His eyes looked forward, but Matt didn’t really see what was in front of him. He was dazed from sleep and his body moved on its own, placing one leg after the other, swaying his arms a bit.

His ears picked up on voices and his mind stirred from the dark it had stumbled into. Matt paused in his step and focused on the sound, if only to escape himself. He was mildly aware that he had heard them before and picked up his feet, turning a corner at the last step. Near the top of the second staircase he saw Erik, a sixth year Matt knew for helping younger Slytherin with their DADA. Jinxes especially. Matt knew he showed the spells to other houses too, although usually by demonstration directly on the person. Shifting his eyes, Matt saw a Ravenclaw. He knew her face from class. He did not know her name. They took no notice of him; their attention on the third student some two or three steps beneath them. He wore Hufflepuff colours, but his back was to Matt and Matt did not recognize him until he climbed higher. Sebastian. You can’t do magic here. Matt stuck a hand inside his pocket. Fighting’s not allowed. His fingers squeezed around the handle of his wand. There he goes again, Livvy. His arm flew up along with the wand. He didn’t even know Sebastian that well. What’s the matter What’s the matter What’s—

There's nothing the matter with me.

Unlike Seba, whose stance was entirely defensive, Matt moved forward with an offence, his wand clearly pointed to Erik. There was a reason he had been placed in Slytherin. There must have been. “What are you doing?” he said, the words echoing in his head. He’d spoken those words before once, to another group of bullies. Just like then, he wanted to hurt them; just like then he caught himself before he did, the wand was only there to show he was not afraid of them. And yet—back then he had not been wired after a nightmare. This time it seemed harder to control the urge to rip something to little pieces and let it fly away on a wind.

He took a breath, his eyes void of expression as he waited on Erik’s reply. That wasn’t him. That was the nightmare. That wasn’t him. Did Sebastian look at him like he’d lost his mind too? Matt lowered his wand an inch, cracking a smile to the other Slytherin. Only his lips smiled. “You weren’t saying anything bad, were you?”

5th Year Posts : 21 Stats : 17 Join date : 2014-08-12

A voice broke the tension between Seb and the older boy. With little regard to the possible danger of the situation, Seb turned fully to see who had spoken. Just a few steps down from him was another Slytherin, this time one he knew. Matt was glaring at the other boy like he meant to destroy him, his wand raised at angle up the stairs. Recognition flashed in the other Slytherin's eyes, and Seb knew they must know each other as well. Probably better than he and Matt knew each other, as they had only spent one afternoon on the quidditch field in each others company. From the facts he had, Seb would have assumed the two to be on the same side of this confrontation, yet here Matt was in Seb's defense. Even if he couldn't grasp the reason why without further thought, Seb was glad to have someone who had his back.

“We're not doing anything. Keep on walking, Matthew. We don't have a problem with you. Little hufflepuff and I were just having a conversation.” Seb noticed the boy's hand emerge from his pocket, wand still gripped tightly, and hang down by his leg. It seemed a casual gesture, but Seb guessed there was more menace in it than what it appeared. They weren't just having a conversation; that boy was lying. Matt must have realized that though – why else would he have drawn his wand?

Looking between the two boys, something seemed strange about Matt, but Seb couldn't place what it was. He would have to ask the other fifth year about it after this situation was resolved. Perhaps he could help.

He inched over on the wide stairs, slightly closer to Matt. The air around them felt charged, like something was going to happen soon that would send sparks flying. While he didn't know Matt too well just yet, he couldn't stand by and let a fight occur, especially one that was started due to him. Ignoring the older slytherin boy yet again, Seb turned his attention to the boy nearer him.

“Matt? You should probably put your wand down.” Seb was concerned; if Matt didn't listen he might get in trouble, or hurt. The older boy looked tough by comparison, and if he threw a jinx or hex this way Seb didn't know if he could act fast enough to stand in the way of it. He wouldn't draw his own wand to aid in defense (that would be against the rules) but he could step in and protect Matt in other ways if necessary. It never once occurred to Seb why he felt compelled to do so; he just did.

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