Originally Posted by weasleytwinsROCK (Post 11398129)

“Fair enough, but that bread is not good bread,” he chuckled quietly, feeling himself starting to ease around the boy, even if he didn’t know anything about him. He watched him as he ate. “Good first impression for me to see, then. I will forever remember you as the boy who was so desperate for bread that he nearly made me fall into a pond by impersonating a duck...” He nodded, agreeing that the boy acted before he thought. At least he wasn’t totally insane, just a bit... Weird. Harrison smiled as Harland started throwing it back out to the ducks, watching as they eagerly came back over.

“Oh, homeschooled?” He asked. That was interesting to him, for some reason. “I recognise you, though... Which is strange. I’ve been here since first year, but kind of kept my head down for most of it. I don’t like the idea of school too much...” He mumbled, before nodding. “Hufflepuff. Yes, the common room is rather untidy, but I spend most of my time out here anyway. Don’t like school common rooms much, either. But Dementors?” He blinked, raising his eyebrows again. Was it some kind of joke? Why on earth would their be Dementoors in the common room... “Uhm... No... No dementors,” he half smiled, worrying it was a joke.

Originally Posted by Fred is awesome

"Any bread is good bread, mate, that's the beauty of it." Harland nodded wisely, patting Harrison on the shoulder. "So long as I can stick it in my mouth, it's good!" That was his proverb that he liked to live by. "Hey, hey, you have to add something to that there, my fellow student. The man,"He was so not a boy. Nope. "Who was so desperate for bread that he did an awesome impersonation of a duck to get it." You couldn't leave out the fact that it had been an awesome impersonation. He'd even done the facial expression! That was dedication! He looked to the pond and nodded. Mission accomplished; ducks were back!

"Yep! My folks let me come here for sixth year and seventh year, though, they didn't trust themselves with teaching me through the NEWTs."Neither did he, if he was honest. He'd prefer to have professionals. "Well, I got here about two weeks-ish ago? Maybe you've seen me around in those couple of weeks?" Or... "Or maybe you've been secretly stalking me! Or we were childhood best mates! Or you're a ghost! Or I'm a ghost!" He nodded, a serious expression on his face. He couldn't keep it up for long, though, and finally let out a small laugh. "I just didn't expect it to be that messy!" He shrugged. "I expected it to be clean, and nice, and warm, and not dusty, and... Yeah." That was pretty much it. He just hadn't been expecting that. "It was creepy... It felt..." Slowly, Harland shook his head. He couldn't really describe it. "Cold."

Originally Posted by weasleytwinsROCK (Post 11398203)

Harrison chuckled and nodded. “I guess bread is bread. Especially if you like food... I’m just not quite as keen as you appear to be,” he smiled. Harland obviously seemed to enjoy his food a lot, if he was excited about and desperate to eat stale bread, but he didn’t look like he ate too much, not at all. “Man? Already?” He laughed, “whatever you say, -” he broke off, realising he didn’t know the boy’s name yet. Hopefully it would come up in the conversation; he wasn’t exactly the most easygoing when it came to talking to new people, but he seemed like a nice bo- man.

He nodded, imagining what it would be like to be homeschooled. It was an appealing idea – no organised classes or lessons or groups. It would be much more free. Of course, the teaching wouldn’t be as good, but Harrison hated anything organised like how school was... Too many rules and behaviour patterns to follow. He only kept to rules and the correct behaviour so as not to draw attention or kick up a stupid fuss, or because he purely wanted to keep to them himself. “I would like to have been homeschooled, but I get what you mean about the teachers. And my dad couldn’t cope with teaching me and his job.” He laughed, “seeing you around is probably the most likely explanation... You don’t look like a ghost, and I’m certainly not.”

He thought back to the Hufflepuff common room, thinking mainly of the plants. He liked the plants... Much better than a lot of the people. And it was the human messiness that bugged him. A little natural dust was okay. “I just disliked the lack of personal space,” he admitted, “we have plants everywhere, but they’re the best part.” He felt Harland’s tone become lower as he mentioned the dementors, turning away from the ducks and looking up at him. They said those who got too close to dementors for too long were never the same again... And he seemed to show an essence of that even from feeling them once. “Why are they in there?” He whispered.

Originally Posted by Fred is awesome

"Without bread, we would have no sandwiches! Or toast! Or, heaven forbid, bread and butter pudding!" A world without bread and butter pudding... Butter pudding just didn't have the same ring to it, and he doubted he could eat that. He liked butter on things, but not plain butter. That was somewhere he just wasn't going to go. "Well, we'd die without food! I'm grateful it's here!" He laughed, before nodding seriously. "Of course I'm a man! Dude, seventeen! I count sixteen as a man, therefore I am a man." That was his logic, anyway. In America, you were practically an adult at sixteen, so there was some logic! He'd probably be very ecstatic once he turned eighteen...

Harland nodded. His parents had to take it in turns to teach him, his mother working a night job so she could teach him during the day, his father teaching him on his days off. He reckoned the fact that he was homeschooled had something to do with his behavior now. He was unruly because of the lack of rules. He didn't know exactly how to interact with other people. That was obvious from the whole impersonating a duck incident... He just wanted to make conversation and get bread, and that had been the first thing he'd thought of. "It was pretty cool. But longer hours because they couldn't sit there and mark every single bit of homework..." It had been rather boring, actually. No friends to mess around with, either. "Well, I'm glad we've sorted that out! I would hate to have not realised you were a ghost!"

"There were only two other people in there when I got there, and they scarpered because of the..." He trailed off, knowing he wouldn't have to explain any further. And he didn't really want to, if he was honest. "Plants? Man, we don't get many of them..." He wasn't good with plants. He liked them, sure, but he wasn't any good at looking after them... Most of the ones he owned ended up dying, thanks to him forgetting to water them, usually. When the question was voiced, he threw his arms up in the air. "I don't have the foggiest clue!" He was actually pretty annoyed about that, too. Why were they there? "They were just... There... Three of 'em..." He muttered, before shaking his head. No point in dwelling on the past. "But I guess it was okay." He was pretty sure Harrison wouldn't fall for that, who found Dementors okay? But it would hopefully get them off the topic.

Originally Posted by weasleytwinsROCK (Post 11398230)

“My goodness,” Harrison laughed softly at his companion, “you really love food. It’s okay, I don’t think the world could ever run out of bread. And if it did, I’m sure you’d find some other food which would be even better. Is it only bread that you love?” He grinned. “I guess... And seventeen is of age... But it’s hard to meet someone who introduces themself as a duck and call them a man straight away, you understand?” He fed the ducks some more bread, watching how easy and lazy their life was, wishing he could escape from the stupid control of school from time to him. “But by your standards, even I’m a man. And I don’t feel like one yet,” he smiled.

Harrison smiled as he watched Harland nod. He didn’t seem to care about what the others thought of him – if he was impersonating ducks to complete strangers. The lack of caring was something he held on to desperately whilst his peers started to flirt mindlessly with every girl in sight. It was sickening, but he really wasn’t interested in girls. It was much easier to sit by a pond and talk to a strange, random boy about ducks and bread. No expectations. “Homework...” he rolled his eyes and sighed. “I really can’t wait to get out of school and actually do something with my life, do you get what I mean?” He asked. He was a little jealous of Harland’s life at home – no having to make friends with people he wasn’t too keen on, and no overly organised systems. “I just don’t like systems...” He shrugged, “organised sports or school or beliefs just seem fake and forced to me. “ Harland had probably got bored and wouldn’t listened, but venting his feelings even just like this helped, somehow.

“Woah...” He nodded, wondering what on earth had happened. “Yeah, plants. I just kind of like them... They don’t have to follow a freaking system or set of rules. They’re cool, plants,” he said, before laughing sheepishly at how stupid he sounded, “sorry, I sound so strange. But, anyway, Dementors... They’re not okay... I’m not surprised there were only two other people.”

Originally Posted by Team ronmione (Post 11397521)

Originally Posted by hermionesclone (Post 11398323)

Originally Posted by Team ronmione (Post 11398341)

Originally Posted by Slytherin's Talon (Post 11398406)

Krysti walked towards the Duck Pond and started watching the ducks. There weren't that many of them at this time of year. She sighed. There wasn't really anything to do right now, so she sang a tune of Erick Pimplechest.

Originally Posted by hermionesclone (Post 11398391)

Originally Posted by Deniiz (Post 11398266)

"Wait don't take it away yet!"

There was something in the ice-cream... something that made him crave for it more... he was happy... so much happy than he used to be. "I need to eat more." Please? Please? He wanted to be happy too! Now he saw the craze: it was the BESTEST thing in whole world!

Oh yeah ducks, not ice-cream. "Duck daddy? They have daddy?" Haha. Hahaha. That sounded so stupid, but who was he to argue with Minerva? "Si and Sal." Nod nod. Now he knew, though he wouldn't distinguish between them the next time.

Yeah sure it was endless to those who managed magic. But he was a 90%, if not 100%, a failure, so it was usually a pain to him. He didn't comment though. He just shrugged. He wasn't going to argue about his magical abilities either.

Blegh. American football. He made a face. But she was save-able yet! She was still young. "Wanna see a real match in real stadium?" 'Cos, like, that was when one understood football. Though her love for American football explained her passion for Quidditch as well... both were kinda brutal and all. "Yeah. It's alright, I guess." Shrug. He hadn't really decided whether Quidditch was alright or not yet.

Friends... funny word. Even funnier in plural. He fidgeted a little. "Yeah I've met a few." He could only call Tobias as his friend... and Kahlan. Kace wasn't his friend yet... nor was Asher. "School's fine too." He got shier suddenly, and looked like this was the last topic he would like to talk about. Advanced spells were much more interesting, and it showed on his face.

"Yes, try it please?" Faint smile.

Originally Posted by Fred is awesome

Harland nodded enthusiastically, crossing his legs together as he gazed out at the pond. That was one way of putting it, he guessed. "Yeah, I love food. I try not to eat too much because that would mean I would have to exercise and... Ugh, I hate exercising!" He said, wrinkling his nose up as he thought about it. Running around was not his idea of fun. His idea of fun was being a duck, evidently. "I love all sorts of food! Apart from squid and sushi. Those stuff are nasty," he said, "Heck, I'll eat octopus, beetles, etcetera, but I won't eat those." He had actually eaten octopus and beetles before. They weren't too bad, surprisingly. "Yeah, I understand where you're coming from! It's not everyday Harley Lewin comes up to you and pretends to be a duck!" He grinned, nudging him gently. Hey, this was easier than it looked, being nice and talking to people! "Well, you are a man!"He could say that, right?

"Yeah, no homework." Harland grinned, watching the ducks as his companion did. "It was pretty awesome, actually. Meant I could play on my games more!" That was the good thing with no homework, no work to do outside of school time. He always loved that, but the longer school still did make him groan whenever he woke up. People found it weird that he was homeschooled, actually, but he was never completely sure why. "Yeah, I get what you mean... I wanna go out and do something, actually give something back to the world. Maybe do something to help other people." He would quite like that, actually. Going to do proper work would mean being constricted... "Yeah, I don't like organised stuff. It just feels as if I have to conform, and I look bad when don't conform. Not that I care, though, or I wouldn't act like I do." He seemed to get excluded a lot back at his city. At least this guy didn't seem to mind at all! That made him feel pretty good, actually! "Hey, what is your name, anyways?"

"You're really against the system and stuff, aren't you? Are you a hippie?" Another thing people found annoying about him; he just came out and asked whatever he wanted. No subtlety, just blunt questions. He found it easier that way. He didn't think Harrison looked like a hippie, but then he didn't think they had a set view. They just acted like hippies. "Dude, you're talking to me. Can you actually sound strange?" He grinned, before nodding. "Mhm. Neither was I."

Originally Posted by weasleytwinsROCK (Post 11398888)

“Basketball...” Harrison thought out loud again, trying to place the name with something in particular, “Muggle sport, I’m guessing. Which I’ve never had any desire to know about. But I imagine there’s a ball and a basket?” He guessed, chuckling. “Yes... Girls swooning has become a larger problem these days. Not for me, thank Merlin, though.” He wondered how on earth he would put up with it. Some boys in their year were followed around by girls to no end. It would drive him up the wall. “I’m not as soft as a puppy!” He shook his head and smiled, “no way. I could punch or raise my voice, if I wanted. I just... I don’t really want to...” He laughed. “I have things I’d rather be doing with my time.”

“Nothing...” He nodded slowly, still a little sceptical, but hoping Harley was being honest with him – because Harley was nice and it was nice to have a good friend - , or just having a laugh that he didn’t understand. “I don’t mind weird,” he smiled. “But I didn’t really care at that age, either. I wouldn’t have stopped my parents, but I can’t imagine having any other name.”

“Doughnuts,” he laughed, “have you been to Hogsmeade yet?” He asked, muttering about how perfectly organised the trips were, and how he was half tempted to go when he felt like it. “I’ve never even used one or really seen them,” he admitted, “I live with just my dad, and he’s a wizard, so we don’t go near that stuff.”

He smiled, starting to find some pieces of grass which others had pulled up and making them into a chain as Harley spoke. “Thankfully, they don’t. I’m not ‘hot’ enough,” he grinned. “And I am?” The idea was strange to him... He’d never considered it before. “I guess not, but I’m not going to take anything to harm my body like that.”

Originally Posted by Fred is awesome (Post 11398917)

“I like to play this one… It’s called… Oh, Lord… I can never remember…” Harland shrugged. He would be good at it, too, if it weren’t for the fact that he kept forgetting which goal was his own. And if he had any aim at all… That was one reason he would probably never play Quidditch.”Oh, I’m sorry to hear about your mother. I doubt you’re adopted, and if you are, it’s kind of cruel to tell you at such an older age… It would be a shock to the system, right?” He knew that he would probably be very angry at his parents if he suddenly discovered that he was adopted. “I was pretty good at Muggle Studies, somehow. Might be something to do with the fact I live around it.” He grinned, before blinking. Well, he knew he was good-looking, but it was surprising that others actually came out and told him. “Thank you!” He smiled, looking out at the pond again. “I would say the same, but you look too innocent for me to even try commenting on your looks.” He teased, before nodding. “I just don’t think about that sort of stuff. I don’t really think of people as perspective partners, they’re just… People!” That was how he liked to look at things, anyway. “Hey, I made a great duck!” He laughed, before shrugging. “I dunno…”

“Ah, well, that would ruin the secret, wouldn’t it?” Harland chuckled. “I like to have an air of mystery around myself!” But maybe Harrison would know what it was? Well, he didn’t want to risk it. “It’s really stupid, though…”

Oh, Dementors. He shuddered once more, pulling his knees up. “Yeah… I don’t want to run into them again… Twice is enough…” He muttered, resting his chin on his knees. He hated looking so weak; he was a Gryffindor, for Merlin’s sake. Which was probably why he decided to go out and help despite the fact he couldn’t produce a Patronus… Reckless to the point of stupidity. “Yeah, if you wanna, you can show me when we can go.” He nodded. “I had some once or twice… It made me feel warm inside, it was nice!”

“I couldn’t stand having someone control me, really. If I did want to be in a relationship, it would have to be with someone who would just let me be me. And didn’t mind my stupid names.” He laughed, wrapping his arms around his legs.

Originally Posted by weasleytwinsROCK (Post 11398920)

He laughed. “I wouldn’t know... The names mean little to me, unless I can work out the sport from the name.” He tried to think of Muggle sports... They all seemed about as stupid as Quidditch, just without magic. He’d never played Qudditch, and although some people thought he would be a good build for a seeker, he really didn’t care. And never intended to play it either.

“It’s fine,” he shook his head, “she probably wouldn’t be happy with me, and that would have reflected on me. I’m happy with just dad. And I suppose, but I wouldn’t really mind. I guess it would be a bit of a shock. It would for most people,” he laughed. “Yeah, I can imagine you are. I didn’t do too well in the exam,” he chuckled. It was his fault, because he didn’t revise enough, but he didn’t really mind. He knew the stuff he cared about and needed to know.

“Not at all,” he smiled, plaiting the grass longer and longer, “I don’t look innocent, though! I just look like... Harrison.”

He laughed, watching Harley. “Ruin your secret? Or you just don’t like it?” He asked curiously, chuckling. “I bet it’s not as stupid as you think, really.”

The boy shuddered and Harrison watched, frowning concernedly. He wanted to help Harley, because he was cheerful and suddenly seemed so upset and worried. He moved a little closer to the boy and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “We’ll avoid them. And keep some chocolate on you.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, “I wouldn’t pretend to be someone else for the sake of going out with someone...”

Originally Posted by Fred is awesome (Post 11398924)

“La… La… I don’t know…” Harland closed his eyes and thought, brows furrowing in concentration before it finally came to him. “Lacrosse! That’s it! I used to play that before I came here!” He grinned, nodding. “Run around with a massive stick, chuck the ball to others from the stick, score goals!” That was the basics, anyway. Sounded easy enough, but there were loads of rules.

“I guess some muggles just can’t take having a magical child… It’s sad…” He couldn’t imagine life without his mother, she was everything he could ever hope for. He just couldn’t imagine not having a mother’s love. “I would be very angry with my folks… It would be like keeping my whole life from me… That would suck!” He said, before laughing. “Exams don’t really matter, at least!”

“Well, Harrison looks very innocent. I’d say ‘cute’, but… I think that would just sound strange coming from my lips. As it just did.” He laughed.

“What is a man if he hath no secrets?” He mused, pressing a finger to his chin to imitate thinking. “It really is. It’s ridiculous, but… It is unique.” Very unique indeed.

He blinked when he felt the hand on his shoulder, but then relaxed, realising that it was just Harrison, Harrison who was as soft as a puppy. “I don’t think I would trust myself with chocolate. It’d be gone within the hour. Half an hour, maybe… I just don’t want to be sucked again.”

“I wouldn’t pretend to be someone else for any reason!” He shrugged. “Too much effort! I just wouldn’t be able to keep up!”

Originally Posted by weasleytwinsROCK (Post 11398925)

“Lacrosse?” He smiled, “It sounds French...” He nodded slowly, knowing that he had never heard of it. The description sounded like most Muggle sports, though. Strange and kind of pointless. “I’ve never heard of it, though.”

“Yeah...” He nodded, “I guess a lot of the children will grow up in the wizarding world and not see their parents much when they get older... I’ve never had a mother, though, so I don’t even know what I’m missing,” he smiled. “Exams are really pointless... I’d like to leave school now.”

Harrison laughed and groaned, shaking his head and burying it in his hand carefully, so as not to break the grass chain. “I can’t believe you actually think that, Harley... You have reached new levels of weird.”

He nodded, wanting to know it, but not wanting to push him into saying it. “At least you can shorten it to something you like,” he smiled, “imagine being stuck with names you didn’t like and being unable to shorten them at all.”

“Well, I’ll start carrying it around, in case we come across them together,” he smiled, feeling Harley relax a little as he put the hand on his shoulder. He wasn’t used to the contact, either, but it seemed sort of instinctive. “And pretending to be someone else if something I really wouldn’t want to do...”

Originally Posted by Fred is awesome (Post 11398932)

“Well, it’s a famous Canadian sport, and there are French Canadians, so I guess it is French! In a way, anyway.” Harland chuckled, looking up at the sky. “And no one flies. I like muggle sports more than wizard ones, they’re… Well, there are so many.”

“I think my folks would kill me if I stopped coming to see them! They’re worried that I’m going to leave them soon and never come back…” He shook his head. “I can’t imagine life without a mother. My Pa is lovely, but he doesn’t like to give out much affection… Mam does.” He nodded, before laughing. “Yeah, me, too!”

Harland grinned and nudged him with his foot. “Better get believing I think that, Harrison, or I’ll have to tickle you into believing. I didn’t realise there was a weirdness level after ‘impersonating a duck in order to get bread’.”

“Yup! Harley or Har, just not Harland.” He said, wrinkling his nose up, before blinking. “No! I hath no secrets now! I am not a man!” He whined, lying back on the floor and holding a hand to his heart. Of course, he had the middle name secret, but that wasn't as mysterious!

“Oh, thanks! But that means that you’re planning to talk to me again, doesn’t it?” He grinned. That was a relief; otherwise he’d have no one to talk to! He nodded. “I don’t see the point. I’m happy as I am!”

Originally Posted by weasleytwinsROCK (Post 11398943)

“Oh, of course, must be Canadian,” he smiled, nodding, “I’ve heard,” he said thoughtfully, “thankfully there aren’t many wizard ones people will try to force me into,” he followed his gaze.

“Yeah, especially after homeschooling you,” he nodded, “you must know them really well.” He thought of his father back home and smiled. “I get on well with my dad... We can be different, in ways, but he respects my views and understands why I have them. And he’s probably bigger on physical affection than most dads, but we don’t exactly hug all the time... That would worry me,” he chuckled.

Harrison jumped slightly, eyes widening as Harland threatened to tickle. He really was ticklish, from lack of being tickled by friends, he hadn’t had much chance to block it. Soft little Harrison could start curling into a ball of helplessness if he wasn’t careful. “I think you altogether makes up the top of the weirdness scale, but that’s a good thing.”

“Harland...” He mused over the name, smiling. “I kind of like it, and it’s not as bad as you make out,” he said kindly. “How does it relate to boats, though?”

Originally Posted by Bazinga (Post 11398759)

Minerva's smile grew and she bounced a bit.. "You want more? Of course you can have as much as you want. If we run out we can just go back and get some." Yes because the kitchen was the best place to find it. That amazing frozen wonderful treat.

Laughing.. she was laughing hard at Forrest... "Yes they have a daddy, his name is Daichi... He's a seventh year.. Oh no.. what are they going to do without their duck daddy next term. Maybe he will take them all home with him, but then there won't be any left for us." She rolled with laughter more. She didn't even know why that was so funny. "Si... oh Si.. where are you.. Don't you want ice cream." Seriously duck.. Come get your ice cream.

She jumped to turn fully facing him. "A soccer match? Sure I love to watch sports." Of course that sounded fun. She wondered if Ethan would like to go as well. Then she gasped, "I need to teach you quidditch so than you will know all about it. Then you will love the game. It's a great game. It's so fun and exciting. It's FABULOUS!!" He just needed to know more about it was all.

Minerva gave him a huge smile, "Well I really hope you think of me as one of those friends." because all her badgers should think of her as a friend. She loved her friends. Oh he wanted her to try.. Alright she would.. Pulling out her bag she looked around in it.. "Oh no... " It wasn't in her bag.. Where could it be. She had dropped things out of her bag in Herbology and again in a corridor. Could it still be there. "My Ipod's missing..I guess I can't do the spell." Well that was sad, but she just kept laughing and had more ice cream.

Originally Posted by Fred is awesome (Post 11398945)

"Moose don't play it, though." Harland joked, before nodding. "When I went to the playground, boys always tried to make me play football. I absolutely detest football." He said, frowning at the mere thought of it. He wasn't good at it at all, he couldn't aim his kicks and he wasn't the fastest runner out there.

"I like to think I know them really well..." Harland said slowly, before shrugging. "I know them as well as most muggle children know their parents. Not many of us go to boarding schools like this..." And by not many, he meant hardly any. They were way too expensive. "I'm glad you and your father get along, that's something, right? Mine gets annoyed at me quite a lot because of how I am, but that's fine, because... Well, it just is." Not many could stand his... Attitude, and he understood that.

Harland smirked as he observed his new friend's reaction to being tickled and began to move forward, hands held in front of him. "You believe that I think that, then, Harrison?" He asked, jerking his hands forward but not touching him once. "Of course, being weird is better than being normal. Being normal is boring and way too much work."

"Ugh, I hate it. It's too fancy." He grumbled, before shrugging. "I don't know. All I know is that he made ships and was based in Belfast. A company or something."