Disclaimer: I don't own and never will.
AN: Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition round 5. The character we have been given is Caradoc Dearborn, a member of the original Order of the Phoenix who died and who's body was never recovered. Also written for the portrait challenge by Silverbirch, although it's a bit late. (The challenge went up on April the 10th 2011!)
Some things never changed.
No matter how often I see their new faces and new laws and new dark lords, there are some constants to life at Hogwarts that never seem to change.
Oh who am I? Nobody you need to bother with. Just one of the paintings you pass without looking or really noticing. I don't pretend that I'm a great work of art, but some appreciation would be nice once in a while.
Anyway I digress. I'm meant to be talking about one of those universal constants of life at Hogwarts.
Rather more specifically, I'm meant to be talking about finding friends at Hogwarts. Almost every single student at Hogwarts has to find friends somewhere along the line, even if it's just because nobody else can stand them.
Well, there are some people who have no-one, alone and rejected or just loners by choice, but the point is that there is almost always someone for everyone.
I'll have to tell you about one, an example to illustrate my point about everyone finding friends. Just look at that blue-eyed, blond-haired boy fiddling nervously with his watch. He's right there, right in the middle of the Hufflepuff table and even though he's been at Hogwarts for almost three months now, he still hasn't made any real friends yet. It's not that he's unfriendly as such, just…a bit single minded.
And also very shy. He isn't very comfortable talking to people it seems. His grades are average, not too bright and not too stupid, just an absence of anything to make him stand out. Indeed, there's no reason for me to notice him at all. So why am I bringing him to your attention? Well, because I think he's a good example of my point, even if he doesn't know it yet. His name, if you're interested, is Caradoc Dearborn. I wouldn't try remembering where you've heard the name before, dear reader. He died during the first wizarding war and his body was never found.
That sounds just a bit morbid I suppose. Well, when you're basically an immortal portrait of someone who died a long time ago, you stop thinking about these things.
I'm sure you're probably wondering why I didn't go for someone who didn't die before his time. Well…that's a bit more complicated. And I wouldn't want to give the story away too soon. That would be cheating if you ask me. Anyway, I digress.
Anyway, the day I'm about to show you was, if you'll pardon the almost cliché expression, just like any other normal day at Hogwarts. Students woke up, they got cleaned and dressed, they ate breakfast and worked on last minute homework. All the usual things that students at Hogwarts have done for years and years and will probably continue to do for as long as Hogwarts continues to exist.
The subject of our story was eating his breakfast at the Hufflepuff table. Oh damn, I think I've already mentioned that. Never mind, I'll continue from there.
There was nothing particularly remarkable about him. His homework was already done, so he wasn't rushing through it like certain other students I could mention. (Sirius Black, I'm thinking of you, you no good layabout!) He wasn't being aloof either. No he was just busy minding his own business.
Okay, fine, I'm procrastinating. I don't get a lot of attention and I want to try drawing this out a bit. Wait, you'll leave me anyway!? Well, if you insist, I'll stick to the relevant parts. Honestly, there's no respect or patience for…for the more mature witch. You know, you should really consider learning a little patience. It would make my life a lot easier and-
Fine, fine, I'll get on with the story.
As I was saying, he was eating breakfast when the mail arrived. It's one of the most interesting sights at Hogwarts, seeing literally hundreds of birds arriving all at once. This being the early nineteen-forties, there were a handful of ravens as well. There was quiet a fad for them back then. You didn't really see that during Harry's years at Hogwarts, but every once in a while, there are trends for certain kinds of birds other than owls. With Britain fighting a major war, there was a line of thought that Ravens were patriotic birds. Something to do with the legends about the ravens at the Tower of London. You know how it goes. If the Ravens leave the Tower, the country will fall. But I digress once more.
Young Caradoc received a raven bearing a letter. He opened it and the raven proceeded to steal what was left of his toast. Greedy birds ravens. At least messenger ravens are if you ask me. He didn't appear to notice. He stood up and left the table in something of a daze. He must have bumped into at least a dozen people on his way out, but he didn't seem to notice.
Unfortunately, it drew the attention of some rather nasty people as well. Hogwarts isn't only made up of nice people, I'm sure you know and unfortunately for him, these particularly unpleasant individuals were like jackals. They could always tell when they had an easy target and it seemed that they had noticed our young protagonist. Another constant that never really changed either.
Anyway, young Caradoc set off away from the Great Hall into what was presumably his first class. Behind him, the two unpleasant individuals I mentioned before. A pair of Slytherins I think, but I'm not sure. Anyway, they followed him and so did I. What can I say, I was curious and I wanted to see what happened. It's a very dull life at times, being a portrait and I like to…observe.
Anyway, he was in an empty corridor when one of the boys pulled out his wand, presumably to hex or jinx or curse him. I never really knew why wizards and witches insisted on such names, to be honest, they all do harm one way or another.
Caradoc didn't appear to notice anything amiss until the spell levitated him into the air. He noticed then of course, but then I imagine that most people would notice. Being levitated. (Although I remember a certain Gryffindor who reacted like nothing was happening. That was fun to watch.) The normal reaction of most young witches or wizards is to panic. Young Caradoc did not.
He threw a spell at the first boy and hit him between the eyes. As he fell to the floor, the second boy moved in to hit him with another spell.
"Roll!" I yelled and Caradoc did just that. A green-blue spell shot past him and he soon threw another spell back. This one sent the second boy sprawling. Then he did something I did not expect. He offered me his friendship.
And that is how he made his first friend at Hogwarts. I told you he was special, didn't I?