There is a moment for every Hanover when they discover that no matter what, they are not alone, they are a Hanover, and Hanover's always have each other's backs.
Danny Abbot's moment came when the house threw a party to celebrate him for him, and when Wes Hughes discovered his secret and taught him courage. Merril Portman's came only a few moments after she walked in the doors, when the boys accepted her unconditionally for who she is.
Justin Bancroft didn't experience his moment until second semester of Freshmen year. The surly English boy had not been settling in well at Dalton, like many he had been sent here by his parents to 'straighten him up, teach him responsibility'. His prefect had been less then pleased with him ever since he found himself fighting Charlie Amos on the first day of school.
But McKenzie was a good prefect and when Spencer Willis came running up to him telling him that "The British Idiot is still serving his detention for Mr. Tamerlane outside in the torrential downpour" he knew he needed to go get the kid in and probably tell him off for skiving his detention and running off somewhere else.
What he didn't expect was to go out to find the boy absolutely drenching wet, covered in mud, and still weeding the gardens in front of the front office.
"Bancroft!" The boy looked up covering his eyes with his hands, not such a good idea since they were dripping with mud, but effective for stopping the rain getting in his eyes.
"McKenzie?" the prefect looked the gardens over, seeing that they were quite noticeably cleaner of weeds. "What are you still doing out here Bancroft? I'm pretty sure your jobs done"
The younger boy shook his head "I have to finish all of the gardens in front of the building still." this meant about 20 more feet of weeding.
"Don't be stupid Justin, come back to the house and warm up, you can finish it another day, this weather isn't something to laugh at." The boy shook his head adamantly "I did the crime and got caught, I have to do the time"
The prefect was surprised by this new side of the boy who usually had a devil's may care attitude.
"Fine, I'm going to at least get you a warm coat" He turned around and walked back to Hanover house, like hell he was just going to do that, none of his charges would be left in the rain for hours for a stupid detention.
"Hanovers!" his voice echoed around the large entrance hall "Meeting in the kitchen, now!" There was a thundering of feet as the Hanovers ran to the kitchen, you never messed with the prefect, ever.
The rain persisted as Justin knelt over the flower beds, pulling at a particularly stubborn weed. The weeds leaves broke from the root suddenly and he was sent tumbling on the ground, only to be met with laughter. Looking up, he pushed his hair out of his eyes, only to see quite a few of the Hanover boys walking towards him. "Needed" he did a quick count "12 boys to help you bring a coat over McKenzie?" The words were biting but tinged with the exhaustion he was feeling from working outside for hours.
The prefect just smiled "No these are my weeders, here is your coat." he tossed Justin a raincoat, and bent down in front of the flower bed beside him, starting o pull weeds from the garden. Justin looked on in surprise as the other boys did so as well.
"Do you want to finish your detention or not Bancroft?" he shook his head, pulling his coat on and leaning down to start weeding again. A small smile on his face.
That was the moment for Justin that he understood what being a Hanover meant, although he never showed to the others except for a grudging thank you afterwards while they were all warming up in the common room.
Well at least that's what he thought, Spencer was known to have relayed to each of the boy's working out there that Justin had grudgingly admitted they "were all nice blokes those Hanovers"