Chapter 14: How to Apologize the Slytherin Way

"So, if we put a teaspoon of grounded Bouncing Bulb after putting in foxglove we… get a different result?" Ernie asked out loud while Matthias watched bubbles form inside the cauldron filled with the orange liquid between them.

"No," Matthias shook his head. "You get the same result but it makes it lasts longer. Give or take a couple of day's maybe? It's great for petty revenge – Don't taste it Justin."

"Sorry," the Muggle-born apologized meekly. "It just looks a lot like pumpkin soup and smells like it too. Can I have one taste?"

Hannah shook her head amusingly while she carefully tended her potted plants. "We just came from lunch Justin," she reminded him. "How are you still hungry?"

"I remembered my mum's cooking. Can you blame me? I haven't seen her in a month." Justin looked over by the fireplace and hummed to himself, "Maybe I can ask the elves to make some."

"You can, but they can't make you any," she said as a matter-of-factly, "there's no pumpkins to make them from."

"Oh, right…" Justin sighed. "Guess I'll have to wait till Halloween then."

"That's not too far from now though," Matthias positively added.

"Yeah it isn't!" Justin agreed. "You're going to love Halloween here, Matthias. Everything they serve in the Halloween feast is candy flavored. I actually got a toothache from it once, but after that, we finally get to go to Hogsmeade!"

Matthias merely smiled at Justin's enthusiasm while the latter talked about the shops he wanted to check out. Ernie then chipped in that he wanted to check this gag-shop called Zonko's Joke Shop, and Hannah reminded them that they must absolutely stop by the herbology shop for supplies.

Their enthusiasm didn't quite resonate with Matthias however. He hasn't heard about any of these shops from the Slytherins, nor did they tell him about Hogsmeade itself aside from the passing talks that they go there during the holidays. He sort of wished they did, but for now, he'll talk about them with the Hufflepuffs.

Matthias really enjoyed being with Ernie and the others, or the Hufflepuffs in general really. They're just so warm and so people oriented that it's hard not to like them for just being who they are. He gets to put down his personal and emotional shields whenever he's with them too because he knows that no matter what he does or say, the Hufflepuff's will accept him for who he is.

In Slytherin, Matthias was primed to constantly look over your shoulder just in case someone decides to stab him from the back or catch him unprepared. Everyone's always on the edge and serious, that smiling has actually become a task. Which is saying something since Matthias has always seen himself as the cheery kind. If even he's tired of smiling then there has got to be something wrong.

But in Hufflepuff, everything is as relaxed as it can be.

It feels like a provincial rest house where everything is always warm and vibrant. He doesn't have to keep second guessing himself and his actions when talking to others, because it doesn't matter. What he says will never be used against him. He can just be who he is and everyone will accept you. Of course, there will be some people that are generally unlikable, but that's another story.

During his five night stay with the Hufflepuffs, Matthias came to realize just how stressful it is to be in the snake house. He didn't even realize he's actively been ignoring it till now.

Immediately after waking up, the first thing that registers in Matthias mind is the smell of freshly baked pastry coming from the fireplace, and the lingering aroma of morning dew from the plants hanging from the ceiling and crawling from the walls. He also wake up to the warm feeling of sunlight gracing his skin, which immediately fuels him with rejuvenated energy and motivation to start the day with a smile and spreading happiness of your own.

It was a breath of fresh air he didn't know he needed. For in stark contrast, the Slytherin common room is far darker than the Hufflepuff basement. The dungeons is always dimly lit with green tinted lamps and candle infested chandeliers. The dark waters of the Black Lake doesn't help make their surroundings any brighter either. It's always cold and damp under the lake too, so much so that it's hard to discern whether it's the sun or moon that's up. People have to literally drag themselves, or each other, out of bed to even make it as far as the door to get ready for the day.

He laughed to himself, just now realizing why so many of them looked too tired to even begin the day with a smile on their face, or at all for that matter. Everyone squinting and hissing at the sun the moment they step out of the dungeons suddenly didn't sound so funny anymore.

"You miss them don't you?" Ernie suddenly asked amidst his thoughts.

"Hm?" Matthias squeaked, clearly missing the question.

"Your friends," Ernie laughed. "You looked like you were thinking really hard there for second."

"Oh, no, no," Matthias waved his hand dismissively. "I was just thinking of how I can repay you guys for helping me out this much. I mean, smuggling a Slytherin inside your common room? I've never heard of that before."

"Please, Matthias," Ernie scoffed. "There's no need to do that. We're your friends, and friends always help each other out. The higher years always sneak someone in here every time too, so it's really not a problem."

"I saw someone bring in a Slytherin last year too," Justin added. "You're not our first Slytherin, nor will you be the last in here."

"Really?" Matthias wondered out loud.

"Yes," Hannah said, disinterested. "We've had at least one guest from the other houses every year. It almost feels like we're a refugee camp or something. No one really minds though. Unless you make a scene then you should know what you're up against."

Matthias laughed, "Do I know."

When they found him camping outside the stack of barrels where the Hufflepuff common room is hidden, they immediately asked him what was wrong. He gave them a vague explanation of what happened and asked them if he can sleep the night in. Ernie was more than willing to let him in without asking more questions, but Hannah refused him of that right and pressed as to who was responsible.

Matthias and Hannah never quite saw eye to eye, so he didn't think she'd do something to get back at Zabini when he dropped his name. It definitely came as a surprise to find out the very next day that she sent Zabini a very flowery present the night prior.

He promised to pay her back for the kind gesture, and apparently, their little agreement from last month remained in play. A favor for a favor. She wanted a rare lotus plant that's native from Germany as payment. It's a little hard to get because the rarity she just mentioned but Matthias will figure it out somehow. Hopefully Johann knows some botanists in Germany.

"Hey!" Justin suddenly snapped his fingers, "He did it again!"

"What?" Matthias looked around him, confused. "Did what again?"

"You changed the topic again," Justin said pointing an accusing finger at Matthias. "Like, you completely dodged Ernie's question."

"OOO! Nice find, Justin," Ernie clapped the other boy's hand and did their special best-friend handshake.

Ever since Matthias lodged in with them five nights ago, they've been quick to pick up on his diversions. Dodging topics he didn't particularly want to talk about was a quirk the Slytherins also figured he'd do, but they weren't as vocal about seeing it unlike the Hufflepuff's who treat it like it's a scavenger hunt. It was actually pretty amusing to see Justin think he's learning to spot a lie from a mile away.

"I wouldn't really call it dodging though," Matthias mumbled. "I just don't think I miss them enough. Except maybe Theodore... I hope he's doing fine without me. They can be a bit hard to be with at times, especially Zabini."

"We know," Ernie agreed. "We've been classmates for three years. We have some ideas as to how he is."

"Yeah well, he's more of an asshole than I gave him credit for," he said bitterly.

"He still hasn't apologized?"

Matthias laughed sarcastically. "Zabini? Apologize? That would be the day I go back to Slytherin with a real smile on my face. Hasn't happened yet right? Yeah, because he's being too damn stubborn."

The Hufflepuffs exchanged glances with each other, before looking back at Matthias. "You know you're being equally stubborn like he is right?" Ernie said.

"I have every right to be!" Matthias fumed. "He's the one who called out my mother like he knows everything about her."

"I may not like the guy," Justin started, "but it's been a week, Matthias. Don't you think it's about time you faced the problem? And it's not that we don't want your company here or we're throwing you out but…"

Matthias sighed and nodded in understanding. "It's okay Justin, I get it." He's been lodging with them for a week now, and if that's not an indication that he's overstayed his welcome and their generosity then he doesn't know what is. "I'll go back to Slytherin tonight, but you don't mind if I tag along with you guys still, right?"

"Definitely not!" Ernie and Justin both exclaimed. Hannah just shrugged at him. Mathias smiled at her in gratitude. Progress with Hannah is slow, but progress is still progress. She's beginning to warm up to him.

Matthias excused himself from their group after Hannah asked them to assist her in caring for the Mandrakes in the greenhouse. He used the 'I have to meet someone' excuse that Ernie already understood as his code for needing some time to be alone and backed him up.

After a quick goodbye, Matthias was out the door and left to wander in the castle halls. He's been doing this quite often during the past week. He's been thinking and contemplating on the next best move only to come up with the same conclusion over and over – that he's never going to apologize to Zabini for something he didn't do. And thus the cycle of stubbornness - as Ernie labelled it - avoidance and occasional hex throwing between them begins anew.

It wasn't like he didn't want to fix things between them. It's just that he wanted to hear, or at least see, Zabini be guilty about it for once. He wanted Zabini to see his own faults for making this fallout between them happen and so far, he's seen none of that. All he's seen from Zabini is that he's irritated at the lengths Matthias is doing to avoid any form of interaction with him.

As he turned to a corner, he saw Hermoine standing there looking a little vigilant. He could've sworn she hid something glinting gold under her collar.

"Hey, 'Moine," Matthias greeted meekly.

"Oh, Matthias!" Hermoine squeaked, surprised. "I didn't see you there," she mumbled, blinking curiously at his lonely state. "Something happen?"

Matthias shrugged. "Can we talk? I need an opinion."

Hermoine tilted her head and asked, slowly, "Is this about Zabini?"

"In a way," he replied. "Ernie kind of, sort of, kicked me out. Like very politely. I over stayed my welcome so I thought it's about time I go back, but…"

"You don't to want to yet," Hermoine finished for him. "You mind if we talk while walking? I have to drop books in the tower first." Matthias shook his head. "Great!" she exclaimed and led their way to the Gryffindor tower. "Are you scared or are you still angry at him?"

"I don't know if I'm angry at him anymore," Matthias said truthfully, "maybe a little pissed? I mean, he didn't know. Granted he's still a scheißkopf for calling her that, but it wasn't his fault? I… I know he won't apologize for it, he's Zabini for Merlin's sake. But I just want him to… you know? Maybe show some kind of guilt. He doesn't even look like he's the slightest bit sorry for it. You've seen him in class. He's ignoring me like I'm the one who made him snap."

Hermoine hummed to herself. "Well, if it was me, I'd go and talk to him. It's been a week hasn't it? I'm sure both of you have thought about it long enough to know that both of you had faults in it."

"Even if he did," Matthias mumbled, "I doubt he'd apologize on his own accord."

"But he thought about it," Hermoine repeated, "and so did you. All it takes is for one of you to reach out and then it doesn't matter who apologizes first. Apologizing would just happen naturally at that point."

Matthias frowned. Hermoine might be right, and is subconsciously telling him to talk to Zabini first and open themselves for a heart-to-heart discussion about their realizations. Matthias wants to, he really does. He'd be lying to himself if he says he doesn't miss them despite the stress they constantly give him. But something was holding him back from doing just that.

Maybe its dignity or maybe its pride, whichever it is, Matthias knows within himself that his stubbornness to do anything to solve this stems from his refusal to lose to Zabini.

Matthias sighed, "Why does he have to be so difficult?"

"Why do you?" Hermoine asked him the same thing.

Matthias threw his arms in the air, unsure of it as well. He really didn't know why he's making it harder than it has to be. He can just be the bigger man between them, swallow it up and reach out first but he absolutely refuses to.

"Look," Hermoine said, turning around to face him with a sincere look on her face. "You don't have to think about it too hard. Just prepare yourself to go back in there. I'm sure everyone else in Slytherin did their best to make Zabini realize his fault -" She abruptly stopped, eyes staring at something behind Matthias. Hermoine chuckled and smiled. "Probably enough to make him apologize first."

"You make it sound like you know what they're doing," he said in a soft grunt.

"I am," Hermoined grinned, confusing the Slytherin further. She waved a hand at someone behind Matthias and greeted, "Hello, Theodore."

"Don't – Don't call me that. It's Nott," Theodore corrected her, his eyes narrowing a little in annoyance. "But yes, hi. Do you mind if I borrow, Matthias? For unknown periods of time."

Matthias blinked and turned around almost too shockingly to find Theodore stopping within a feet radius away from Hermoine. This is as very, very unusual.

"Of course," Hermoine said. "Take all the time you need."

"Thank you," said Theodore, not really meaning it. He grabbed Matthias' wrist without hesitation, giving Matthias no time to say thank Hermoine for her time, and dragged him off the corridor.

"Theodore, where are we going?" Matthias asked impatiently as he followed behind Theodore, no longer fighting his hold.

"You'll see," Theodore said with a small smile.

He led them to a couple of more turns around the castle halls until they exited out into the Quidditch pitch, where the entire Slytherin Quidditch team stood in some sort of formation like they were waiting for them. In front of the team, stood Zabini, holding his head high, looking proud of himself per usual.

Matthias slowly made his way to meet him in the center, turning to Theodore to fish for some answers in an unsaid question, but the latter said nothing.

"I'm surprised you actually came," Zabini drawled.

"More like dragged into it," corrected Matthias. He looked around the field cautiously, half-expecting a well-placed prank to explode on his face anytime soon. Malfoy and his cronies aren't around so they could be setting that up. Matthias clicked his tongue. "Okay…" he mumbled, "What's going on?"

"A game," Zabini grinned. He threw a Nimbus 2001 at Matthias which the latter caught nonchalantly.

Matthias raised a skeptical brow at the Zabini. "What kind of game?" he asked.

Zabini merely smiled, further baffling Matthias.

"If you brought me here for Quidditch and not apologize like you should, then you can win by default," Matthias hissed, his eyes narrowing at the taller Slytherin. He had absolutely zero patience with his games right now. "I'm not playing kuhscheiße with you." He threw the broomstick on the ground and turned to leave.

Zabini sighed expectantly and ran after him, stopping in front Matthias and blocking his exit. "Look, Braun, I wouldn't be here if Nott didn't ask."

"Theodore doesn't need to ask anything of you," Matthias spat, "you should have realized that you wronged me and the only thing you need to do to fix this is apologize! Not make –" he gestured behind them "– a game out of it."

"It's the only way he knows how to, Matthias," Theodore mumbled from the side. "At least hear him out."

"You agreed to this?" Matthias gaped in disbelief. Theodore nodded slowly. "I can't believe it…"

"I asked the entire team to help me out and," Zabini added proudly, "I actually put effort into this. If you want to hear that apology, you're going to have to beat me in Quidditch."

"Doesn't sound like a good deal," Matthias mumbled nonchalantly. "I only want an apology, Zabini. Why is it so hard for you to swallow your pride and say it?"

"Because that wouldn't be fun," Zabini argued. "And you're never going to let me forget it if I did, so I added stakes that I would want to win for too."

Matthias groaned, rolled his eyes, and pushed Zabini out of the way. There is no way he's going to play into Zabini's gamble just like that. Zabini most likely rigged this game to be in his favor, that's just the kind of gamble he is. He wouldn't play unless he's certain of a victory.

"Just hear me out," Zabini said almost begging when Matthias walked about a meter away from him. "You versus me, first 5 Quaffles into the ring wins. If I win, you apologize and do all my homework till the end of term. No questions asked."

"No deal."

"But if you win," Zabini grinned. "I apologize, maybe even send your mother's grave her favorite flowers or something, and apologize to her grave too if you want. I'll also pay you enough Galleons to buy yourself a new Game Boy. Nott said I add the game I torched with the system too, but that's cutting me a little too dry."

Matthias looked at Zabini, watching his eyes for any indication that he's lying about that deal, because as it is… It's too good. Matthias is actually tempted to accept it. Not only does he get what he want, but there are benefits in it that Matthias will never refuse on a good day. He laughed bitterly, "That's kind of hard to ignore."

Zabini smirked. "I know. Had to put something on the table that'd you're sure to agree with. So? Are you in or what?"

Matthias weighed his options. Zabini offered an apology, coupled by a visit to his mother's grave to apologize in person, and a new Game Boy which is simply too good to pass up. In stark contrast to that, if he lost, he'll have none of those and he'll have to apologize to Zabini and do his homework for the rest of the semester.

If they were to play a game Matthias is good at, or at least had a chance to win, he'll take it. But Zabini chose Quidditch, something Matthias admittedly sucks in and the former is more versed in.

All it takes is for one of you to reach out… Hermoine's advice echoed in his head.

Matthias groaned to himself. This isn't what he expected from an attempt to meet halfway but he supposed he can humor Zabini for all the effort he did. Didn't mean he had to like though. "Alright, fine," he finally agreed. He walked back to where he threw the Nimbus and added, "Don't think I'll go easy on you."

Zabini laughed, "Says the one who has never played Quidditch."

Matthias and Zabini stood opposite of one another, brooms tucked neatly between their legs. Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team captain, clapped both of their shoulders and reiterated the rules and terms of the game. Upon agreeing to the stakes, both of them kicked off the ground and hovered above the field, waiting patiently for Flint to start the match.

With the blow of a whistle, the Quaffle flew up in the air and Zabini immediately tailed after it. He made a huge turn above Matthias head, forcing the latter to dive down and follow after him after making a sharp U-turn.

The Nimbus 2001 proved a lot harder to maneuver than his rundown Comet 360.

Even if this was just a match for keeps, Miles Bletchley, Slytherin keeper, didn't make the game easy for both of them. He effortlessly blocked Zabini's first few tries until the latter managed to score two points past him using a dirty trick. Bletchley wasn't happy about that and kicked the Quaffle off course after Zabini tried to make it three.

Matthias was immediately under it and flew back up to make his first attempt in scoring, but Zabini denied him that chance by tackling the Quaffle off him. Matthias veered off course and almost hit the high-rise stands around them, but was able to avoid them and steal the Quaffle back in mid-air when Zabini took his shot.

Matthias wasted no time immediately after that and hooked the Quaffle under Bletchley's broom to finally score his first point.

"That's a foul!" Zabini yelled. "You can't steal a shot if it's within the scoring area."

Matthias laughed. "No official rules other than what Flint said, remember?"

"He gets the point, Zabini," Bletchley growled, "Let it go." He throws the Quaffle back into play and Matthias immediately flew after it, while Zabini grumbled profanities to himself.

After a few more dirty tactics from Zabini, and a couple more from Matthias, the game finally ended with a score of five-to-two in Zabini's favor.

Matthias returned to the ground, clutching the Nimbus 2001 in his hands like he could break it. He agreed to play a game where the odds are stacked against him, and only now realized how stupid it was to do just that. He only wanted an apology for his mother. This isn't even about him nor the Game Boy anymore.

Zabini landed beside him, laughing and relishing at his obvious win.

Matthias glanced over to his side and regretted ever taking the deal. He's angry, he's pissed, and he feels like he's going to cry, but he can't because he'll be a sore loser for doing so. He inhaled deeply and sighed. They agreed on the deal and he has to honor it, even if it left a bad taste in his mouth. Zabini made the first step. All he had to do was follow.

"Alright Zabini," he started, "I'm so –"

"I'm sorry," Zabini blurted out first. Matthias blinked in surprise and stared at the older Slytherin,

"I shouldn't have involved your mother like that. I may not have known that she was dead but, that was still rude of me, even if she wasn't. I still hate Muggles, don't get me wrong," he added, "but you're my friend. I shouldn't have said that. So… I'm…" he coughed, steeling himself to say it again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being a huge dung cough."

Matthias snickered, covering his mouth to not laugh out too loud. Zabini was trying his hardest to apologize first and tell him that he regretted his actions but here he is laughing at him. "It's dummkopf," he corrected him, "but yeah, you were being stupid."

"Really?" Zabini asked. "Nott sounded like he said dung cough. W-Well, whatever. I'll expect my homework done earlier than yours, Braun. I've never been late," he finished with a smug grin.

Matthias smiled. It wasn't quite the apology he was expecting but for Zabini, he supposed this was the best he can do. "Hey," he started with a shrug, "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have pushed my luck with the Game Boy or the pens. I knew you were against that but I kept using them anyway. So… Forgive me?" he asked with a small smile.

Zabini scoffed, "Only if you forgive me."

"Done," Matthias said immediately and raised his hand for Zabini to clap. Zabini looked at his hand questioningly before raising a hand to high-five him, only to miss it because Matthias avoided his hand. "But if you think about insulting my mutter again," he warned, "I'll punch you twice as hard."

Zabini laughed. "You call that a punch? I'll bet six Galleons Greengrass can hit harder than you."

"That's not fair," Matthias grumbled, "she can kick a wall down if she wanted to! Hell, she might even punch my lights out."

"You'd want that though, don't you, Romeo?" Not even minute has passed and Zabini was already back to his usual teasing self, and surprisingly enough, Matthias didn't want it any other way.

The Hufflepuffs were right. He did miss his them.

Malfoy and his cronies, came running towards them from the other end of the field, holding up what looks like to be a moving photograph of Matthias almost falling off his broom and making the most amusing face ever.

Matthias immediately turned beet-red when the Slytherin team crowded around the pure-blood to get a glimpse of his picture and taking turns at it. He ran towards them screaming for them to quit it, but their heights, with the addition of their arm span, was undeniably hard to fight against.

Theodore watched from a far, relieved that things were finally back to normal.