Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original H.P. characters.
Also none of the original locations.
I plan to do this as chapters. So I'll publish them one at a time.
Chapter 2
Floyd was startled out of his reverie by his mother calling 'Floyd, honey! Mail call!' This is it. This could change my future. But probably not, so don't get your hopes up, you stupid metamorpha-git, Floyd told himself. He rushed down the stairs (all six flights) and jumped down the last set to see his mother, Jack, Tally, and his dad all sitting at the battered wooden table. "Look you freak of nature, hurry up. I'm going out with Jesse later, and I can't waste any time." Tally was such a charmer when she wanted. (Which she evidently didn't.) Everyone was looking at him expectantly, and so in response he blushed violently from head to toe. Even his hair turned a funny shade of reddish tan. Then Floyd flopped down in his chair. "Well, what is it? What's the mail call? Not like this could be the day. Nope. Not at all, and I really don't care. This is probably just a hoax or a flyer, or a takeaway menu. Nothing special."
"Oh honey, calm yourself down. We don't know anything for definite yet." Floyd's mother murmured. She was a willowy, dark haired woman with sharp features like Floyd's at the minute, but the soft exterior hid an iron will created by pain "like none of them should ever have to know." Her mother and brother were killed by Voldemort during his reign of terror, and he knew how thankful she was that the Dark Lord was gone.
"So where is it then?"
"Look squirt-" His brother started (or tried to start.).
"I'm not a squirt and I would please like my letter so I can retreat to the safety of my room."
"More like a shrine." Tally snickered.
"Talullah Viola, you shut your mouth." His father muttered.
"Here's your letter, and it's from Great-Aunt Marisa, no worries, I'm sure the Hogwarts letter will come soon. And do not stress. You'll get spots." His mother was really supportive, even though she didn't understand. Nobody understands. Not properly.
Floyd retreated to the safety of his attic room and flounced down on his window seat, his hair changing colors rapidly with his mood. "I just want my letter you come!" He howled. "Bloody letter and bloody family acting like a letter from Marisa is any big deal and stupid owl sitting outside my window and stupid-" There was a tap on his window. Penelope was hanging off the ledge. "Lopey! Jesus fuck Lopey, get in here and be quiet because my parents are downstairs!" Penelope Thomas was the girl-next-door. She'd been there for as long as Floyd could remember. It felt like she'd been there forever.
"Flo! Jesus, did you not here me? This got delivered to my house but it's addressed to you, so I decided not to open it, even though it looks kinda interesting, but there you go-" Floyd snatched the letter out of Penelope's hands before she even had a chance to finish her sentence. "Thanks Lopey, um, you can sit down if you want, but this might be important. So don't make a sound. A SOUND, Lopey."
Mr Floyd Martyn-Cole
73 Murray Road
Sheffield
England
S11 7GF
It was definitely addressed to him, definitely meant to be in his room, with him.
Startlingly green ink.
Rough parchment.
Funny smudged postmark.
A funny smudged crest postmark.
The Hogwarts crest postmark.
It was here.
It WAS here.
He was going to Hogwarts.
HOGWARTS.
Everything seemed to slide into place all at once, and he felt his hair go every color of the rainbow, and a thousand expressions flicker over his face. "Flo. Floyd? Floyd, dude, answer me. This looks like it's getting you shaken up, but it looks kinda like mine, so I can tell you-"
"Yours? YOURS, Lopey? Y-y-you? You, my girl next door? You're average, normal-"
"Excuuuse me, Floyd James? Normal? Average, for fudge's sake? Is that what you think of me?"
"No, Lopey, I just-"
"Jesus, Flo. Just tell me, am I really not that special? Because I really thought you were the best thing to ever happen to me, and the fact that you had a letter like mine, to Hogwarts just made it better, and that we were going there together, and that we'd be with each other for this bloody rollercoaster that you're keeping me on, but no. I'm the girl next door. You clearly don't think enough of me to give me the time of day. So explain. Explain to me what I am. What I am to you, and you're weird world. Cause, you know what? I'm just like you. I'm magic. I'm MAGIC, Floyd. Right from when we were little, I was just like you, but clearly you didn't pay attention, and didn't realize, because Floyd, you're so caught up in your own drama that you don't CARE."
"Lopey. Please wait. I've been waiting all summer, and you, you, my favourite person in the world, you're springing it on me that you're like me, it's amazing but I didn't know how to process it so I just yelled, and I'm sorry… and please forgive me, I can't do this without you, and I don't know how to keep sane without you. Please, Lopey, I need you."
"Jesus, Flo, fine." Lopey was hiding a smile, and Floyd knew. "You really scared me for a minute, Lo!" He grabbed her arm and yanked her into a bear hug. (Well, as close as he could get, because he was a skinny beanpole, and she was ridiculously tall.)
