Born in this world

13 September 2017

Amadeus Valentine

"When dealing with people, let us remember

we are not dealing with creatures of logic.

We are dealing with creatures of emotion,

creatures bristling with prejudice

and motivated by pride and vanity"

- Dale Carnegie

September the fourteenth were a grey and rainy Wednesday, everyone wore extra sweaters and knitted socks. This would usually be considered a violation against the dresscode but halfway through the day all the professors had given up with the reprimands. Instead they resorted to allow tea during classes, with the exception of potions and herbology (simply because that would be quite dangerous). Amadeus sat at the far back in the Advanced Arithmancy lecture room, with a knitted grey scarf he had borrowed from Marla around his neck. Since this was an advanced class they had the luxury of studying in a small lecture hall instead of a standard classroom. This meant comfortable chairs, something Amadeus and Marla currently took full advantage of. While Marla curled up in her chair, Amadeus stretched his legs over her knees.

If professor Stonewall had asked them, they would of course claim that they where studying, and, truthfully they really should be studying. But Amadeus had boy troubles, and so had Marla even though she refused to admit it to him. She had been annoyed since the start of class, Amadeus had studied her as she tugged on her ponytail and frowned. Amadeus wasn't really sure that he should say anything, even though he hadn't seen Marla so preoccupied since the George Thomsson incident in fourth year. Still contemplating he nudged Marla's knee with his foot.

"Marla, darling, are you quite all right? I don't mean to pry, or well, actually I do… But, I do it out of love! Which isn't all that bad! Is it a problem that could be solved with lemonade and pizza in the kitchen or do you need alcohol?" Amadeus asked carefully.

"I'm fine! Honestly!" Marla rolled her eyes and scribbled something in her notepad. "But if the pizza offer remains I might just take you up on it."

"The pizza offer always remains! But now tell me whats wrong, and don't lie!" Amadeus said and nudged Marla's knee again. Seeming slightly exasperated, Marla slamed her notepad back on the desk and pushed away Amadeus feet.

"I can't! Mostly because I don't know myself what the problem is. Or well, I kind of do, but I can't do anything about it. Even if I could, I wouldn't! Because, lets say, that would hurt someone else. Someone I love." Marla said as she rested her chin on her knees. "Honestly, I really don't want to talk about it. I will just ignore it for the time being. What are your troubles my dear friend? I'm not the only one mimicking the weather!"

"Clever. Well, I do kind of have a problem. But my guess is that its even more impossible than your situation. And yeah, I do know that!" Amadeus sighed and stared dramatically out the window.

"Mr. Valentine and miss. Valiéere, would you like to share you seemingly intresseting conversation with the rest of the class?" Professor Stonewall called out, her arms crossed and eyebrows raised. Amadeus straitened and smiled brightly.

"We discuss the impossibility of life, love in particular. Do you have an opinion on the matter, professor Stonewall?" He asked jokingly.

"The only opinion I have on the matter is that it should be discussed outside class!" Stonewall said sternly, then she sighed and threw a glance at her wrist. "Which, luckily for you, is right about now! Alright, everyone! Remember that I want you to write three feet of parchment on todays assignment to next weeks class."

Amadeus where one of the first out the room, practically dragging Marla along. When there was even the slightest shot of gossip, Amadeus wasn't about to let the opportunity slip out of his grasp. He dragged Marla along all the way to the kitchens. As always they where bustling of life and activity, several house elves ran around caring dishes of food.

"Mister Amadeus, Miss Marla! I's there anything you'd like?" A tiny house elf with large ears came up to them smiling brightly.

"Hi, Bobby! Yes, please, we would like a pizza to share and a glas of lemonade each. If it isn't to much trouble of course!" Amadeus asked smiling.

"Of course not, sir! Would you like the ordinary pizza? With mozzarella and arugula?" Bobby's large eyes shone brightly.

"Yes, Bobby! That sounds great, and we would like to eat in the cupboard please. The one with the window and armchairs!" Marla said and smiled brightly at Bobby. The little elf blushed, if you could call it that, and rushed of motioned for them to follow him. Amadeus, contemplated whether or not to tell Marla that the house elf had a crush on her. She probably already knew though.

Bobby left them in the kitchens coziest cupboard. It was still quite small, with shelfs on two of the walls and a small window casting a ray of natural light over the room. Right under the window stood a coffee table and two armchairs in a light dusty green color. Perhaps that was a sign that the cupboard originally had been decorated by Slytherins. Or perhaps someone just thought it was a nice colour. Amadeus threw himself down in one of the armchairs and looked inquiring at Marla. She just sighed and sat down in the other armchair, resting her chin on her knees.

"What do you want me to tell you? That my best friend, don't look so offended, is going out with a boy I like. And I encouraged her to do so, because they would be sweet together." Marla paused and looked down at the floor. "Actually, that is a lie. I'm not particularly found of the boy in question, and I should know better than to lie to you. Especially since you know about the whole Johannes thing."

The Johannes thing was a situation, that had begun the previous spring and lasted all summer. Johannes Amos had been a seventh year the previous semester. While their relationship had started of rocky Marla ended up living with Johannes for the majority of the summer. But now he lived in Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia), and now they hadn't seen each other in over a month. From Amadeus point of view this wasn't an entirely hopeless situation.

"But why are you so miserable? The situation hasen't really changed, right? Oh, thanks Bobby!" Bobby had entered the cupboard carrying a tray with pizza and lemonade. The house elf put the tray down on the coffee table, took a bow and then left the room.

"I don't really know why I'm miserable, me and Johannes still write each other every week. It's just a bit annoying that he is so far away. Honestly, I just think I'm coming down with the flu. My stomach have been upset for days." Marla continued as she took a pice of pizza. But her haunted expression didn't ease.

"While that might be mostly true, I think it's more than that. You look completely exasperated! Like you just found out you aunt died, not like your potential boyfriend lives in another country." Amadeus said as he frowned and took a pizza slice. The silence seemed to grow a bit heavy, something that rarely happened with Marla and Amadeus. Marla put her pizza slice back on the plate and curled up.

"I say it's nothing, because I don't know what it is. It's just that I have this feeling…" Amadeus thought it seemed as she shrunk down in the armchair even more. Becoming tiny and unnoticeable. "Amadeus, sweetheart, I think that I might… That I might be pregnant."

Well. That certainly wasn't what Amadeus had expected. He vaguely remembered that there had been a pregnant girl during his fourth year, but she had graduated before she had her baby. The idea that Marla, who always had been the most levelheaded of his friend, was pregnant was quite hard to wrap his head around. Amadeus knew a lot of girls whom had been through several pregnancy scares, but he had never imagined that it could happened to Marla since she (while incredibly sarcastic) was so mature.

"Actually, I don't think I might be, I know that I am. A couple of days ago I started to get really nauseous and I've been sensitive to smells for weeks. So I did this check up spell, and it was positive. And just like a muggle test it isn't certain, but I tied the spell again this morning and it's still positive." She wrapped her arms around her knees, almost looking at the brink of tears. Amadeus rose from his armchair, went around the coffee table and hugged her tightly.

"What do you need?" Amadeus rested his cheek a top her head, not letting her go. "Do you wan't to talk? Or do you just want to be quiet? I could try to get a hold of Johannes if you like. Have you told him?"

"No, I haven't told anyone actually. Except you." Marla muttered into his shirt. "I know that I'll have tell him, and I'm not really all that worried about it. But I just have to adjust a bit first. I really don't know what to do. There is a few spells, but the wizarding community is over all quite against abortion. So they aren't all that safe. Then there is the option of going to a muggle clinic, but that would mean sneaking out of school and you need check ups during the recovery period. I could keep it, but it scares me, it scares me so much. Not necessarily the having a child part. It's the thing that I need to tell everyone, and I'm really bloody afraid of McGonagall finding out. Flitwick I could manage, but McGonagall scares me half to death. I'm more afraid of telling her than telling my dad and sister."

"That actually sound quite accurate. McGonagall once found me making out with Henry Bloom in a cupboard, and I was afraid she would skin me alive. But she brought me and Henry to her office and gave us biscuits. I don't think you should be afraid of telling her, Minnie is a real softie." Amadeus said hugging Marla even tighter. "But you'll have to tell Angelica. She's your best friend, and she can give you far better advice than I can. All I can say is that I support what ever you do."

"Yeah, I know I'll have to tell her. But, you wanted to say something as well. Didn't you have boy troubles?" Marla asked, still with her head resting against Amadeus shoulder.

"Well, yeah. I do, but you kind of stole my thunder with the pregnancy thing." Amadeus almost laughed.

"Sorry, I just needed to tell someone… But now we'll talk about you! Just because I manage to get pregnant it doesn't mean that you shouldn't pour your heart out every once in a while." Marla actually laughed this time.

They sat there for hours, until the very last rays of sunshine almost had faded away and the heat of cooking food yet again came from the kitchen next door. What started out as pregnancy announcements and boy troubles soon turned in to discussions about memories and nostalgia.

And life went on, as it always did.

But now Amadeus knew how to get the boy, and that was something worth smiling about.

A/N: I know, this was a bit of a weird chapter. But I promise that everything will make sense further down theline! Pleasereview and share!

REVIEW!