The Trouble With People
Disclaimer: HP doesn't belong to me! DUH!
Summery: Adelaide and Roux are two teens that don't have any direction in their lives, until they both end up exchanging at Hogwarts. Will the culture shock show them what they want? Or will they just end up wanting each other?
Chapter 2
Roux sat in his dorm plucking the bass line to a song he'd written on his anti-muggle technology "electric" guitar. He played in front of a mirror, trying to avoid his reflection yet at the same time studying it. Why was it so surprising that he was smart? Was it his hair? He doubted it. Although it wasn't plastered to his head and combed neat, it was hardly anything crazy. His choice of clothing? He didn't see anything wrong with following the Muggle style of dress and wearing his pants low, letting his snowman boxers show he didn't give a damn whether it was Christmas or not. His face? He didn't think so; blue eyes had been worn on the faces of geniuses as much as morons. Perhaps it was because he played pranks? He didn't even want to get into that.
Instead, he flicked his shaggy dark brown (which looked almost black) hair out of his dark blue eyes to reveal the frustration in them. He was tired of being accused of cheating on all his tests, and he was tired of people always dismissing his ideas. Why do people have to be stupid and stick to stereotypes anyway? He sneered at his reflection, and put down his guitar. He stumbled a little over his big, unlaced shoes and he laid down on his bed. What did he want? What did he need? His hair fell over his eyes again, but he didn't flick it away.
A fresh start. That was it, plain and simple. But he had to admit; it would be kind of hard to get a fresh start entering your sixth year. His mind ached beneath the ceiling of Knollys School for the Magically Inclined, and he wished for a way out.
He shifted his weight, uncomfortable because of the presence of something in his back pocket. Lifting his small (but great, he reminded himself) butt he pulled something out of his back pocket, and rolled it between his fingers. It was a Filibuster Wet Start Firework, and suddenly Roux found himself smiling. He rolled over onto his stomach and pulled the whole bag out of his bag and smiled. That's when he realized that he wasn't alone.
"What are you doing?" it was his dorm mate, who was possibly the most anal retentive boy in the history of the world. It was Sunday night, and undoubtedly he had come into the room to organize his underwear for the rest of the week.
"I'm doing some thinking," smiled Roux, revealing a perfect row of teeth and the most dashing smile in the country.
"Oh you've started to do that then," smirked Anal Boy, who had of course started to lift his tighty whities from his trunk. "Are you trying to remember how to start the fireworks?"
"Shut up," said Roux, pissed at being reminded of the stereotype he had just been pondering. He decided to shoot one out in return. "You're so gay."
"I am not, I'm just effeminate," Anal Boy argued, but Roux just laughed at him.
"Mummy's boy are you? Piss off," but when he didn't comply Roux stood up and pissed off himself. He had decided what he was going to do, and perhaps it would get him expelled like he hoped.
He left his house's common room and proceeded down the halls until he reached his least favorite teacher's room. Just to the left was his target; Mr. Ollis' private bathroom door was a dark mahogany, and it was locked. Roux pulled out his wand (also dark mahogany, and dragon heartstring) and he whispered the magic words. "Alohomora."
The door's lock gently clicked, and Roux was granted admittance on his own accord. Smiling, he turned to the toilet bowl, and poured in the whole bag. All two hundred and fifty wet start fireworks (miniatures, of courses) touched the water and started to fizzle. Immediately after, Roux flushed the toilet. He turned on his heel, and slowly left the room to avoid the shower of sparks and toilet water that ensued. He had no doubt that the crime would be traced back to him, and laughing he returned to his dorm to await the teachers.
When he returned he found Neil (aka Anal Boy) just as he had left him, trying to decide if he wanted to wear white or blue underwear on Thursday. Just to be an irritant, Roux allowed his boot to connect with the neatly folded pairs. Neil threw down his hands. "This is hard enough without stupid muggle-born skater punks messing it up!" he screeched at the top of his lungs, and Roux just laughed, as usual. Neil, for once, was truly perturbed by his sarcastic, mocking, laugh, and he rolled his eyes. "You are going to get yourself into a lot of trouble one of these days."
"Done and done my friend," smiled Roux, gloating from his triumph. "I just blew up Mr. Ollis' bathroom, so I doubt you'll be seeing much of me next year."
Neil's jaw dropped, and he stopped mid-underwear sorting to stand up and look Roux in the eye. "You did that? Why?" On the one hand he was obviously in awe of the Roux's defiance towards the most loathed teacher in the school, but again he was shocked. He thought Roux was smarter than that. "Why would you do that?"
"I want a fresh start, to be able to remake myself in any way I want. I figure that the only way I can get out of here is get expelled, so here I am," Roux grinned his dashing grin again, proud of his prank.
"You are a twat, did you know that?" Neil shocked him by closing his eyes, and unfortunately revealing the truth. "Why didn't you apply for an exchange? You-Know-Who was overthrown, so they've decided to open up the exchange circuit that's been closed for the last couple decades."
Roux, at that moment in time, realized what an idiotic thing he had just done. Why didn't he think of that? It was obvious; he had been moody. When he was moody he didn't think clearly, but that unbeknownst to him, had been his downfall. An exchange! What an idiot.
But it was too late now.
Undoubtedly Mr. Ollis had gone to check on the explosion by now, and would soon find the toilet. Of course, Roux would be an immediate target because he had been doing a lot of that lately. Not blowing up a lot of toilets, but just playing pranks. Like itching powder in the first years flying robes, or the sleeping draught in the vice principal's tea (that had not gone over very well, and Roux was surprised she hadn't expelled him then. Especially since she had fallen asleep on a jam tart in the middle of a parent teacher conference). Panicking, Roux picked up his broomstick.
"What are you doing now!?" Questioned Neil in outrage, shocked at how truly stupid Roux was proving himself to be.
"I...I don't know," stammered Roux. "I was going to fly out the window!"
"How the hell would that help anything?" bellowed Neil, shaking his head. "You've got to remain calm and face the consequences now. Flying out the window isn't going to make anything better."
"It could..." Roux tried to save himself, but it was impossible. Flying out the window would only make it worse. He was about to leave the room to wait in the common room when there were three loud knocks on the door. Roux and Neil froze; it was Mr. Ollis.
"You facking boys," said Mr. Ollis, trying to censor his rage. "For fack's sake why did you go and blow up my private toilet?"
Neil nervously went to open the door, and Mr. Ollis stormed into the room. All 3'6" of him. "Roux McClay, this time you have gone facking too far."
Neil stifled giggles (effeminate giggles) and Mr. Ollis glared at him. Neil promptly shut up and went back to organizing his underwear, while pretending not to hear.
"You forgot my middle name, sir," tested Roux. If he was going to go down, he was going to go down as a martyr.
"Shut up Roux. You may have all the girl teachers charmed but you aren't going to charm me! Follow me Roux CHASE McClay," and he stormed out of the room. Roux hesitated, but Neil urged him to follow, so he did. He walked about ten feet behind Mr. Ollis the whole way, while he muttered to himself. "Damn boys can't let me have one piece of happiness (mumble mumble) expulsion (mumble) strive for!"
It continued like that all the way to the statue of Eccentric Enid (who was a great part of North American Magical History) to whom Mr. Ollis barked at. "Filibuster!" he bellowed (no doubt angry with the irony), and Eccentric Enid leaped out of the way, obviously frightened. Mr. Ollis continued to roar. "Ms. Holiday if this boy is not expelled for this I will have your cats guts for stockings you hear me?"
"Do not threaten Tiddlywinks, Mr. Ollis, or I will have you expelled," sighed Ms. Holiday calmly, as she pointed to the door. "I can take it from here." Nodding her head she looked puzzled at Roux. "Roux and I go way back."
Mumbling some more, Mr. Ollis stormed out, clenching his fists. Ms. Holiday sighed. "It's no wonder he's the most loathed teacher in the school," Roux was about to nod and agree when Ms. Holiday cut him off. "But that did not give you the right to do what you did."
They stood in silence for a few moments before she gestured Roux to sit. She also sat, preparing herself for a lecture. "I know you are a brilliant student, Roux," she started, "and I am very disappointed in the way you have conducted yourself, especially over this past year."
She pulled out a file, and placed it on her desk. Roux noticed that it had probably doubled in size. "Setting the kitchen on fire, the itching powder incident, sleeping draught, the switching potions escapade need I go one?"
Roux shook his head.
"Good, because now it shouldn't come to a surprise to you that you are facing expulsion from our facility is that true?" Roux shook his head again, and Ms. Holiday sighed. "Although the other teachers in this building might not have come to terms with your extraordinary intelligence, I have. They would all pull and strive for your expulsion, but I won't. You will be a great asset in this world one day if you keep your studies up, so I feel like I cannot rob the world and you of your education."
Roux brightened for a moment, before she continued. "But I'm running out of alternatives here. Detention, extra homework, peer tutoring, nothing seems to work with you. Unless I come up with a good one soon I will have no choice but to expel you, but that is the last thing I want Roux."
Roux then saw the light. He saw his chance to make this all right, and to do the thing he should have done in the first place. He cleared his voice. "You could send me on an exchange program."
Ms. Holiday looked at him, and leaned closer. "What?"
"Haven't they opened the exchange circuit again this year?" Roux's tone was becoming increasingly brighter. "I mean, you could send me to some really strict institution, overseas or something."
Ms. Holiday smiled. "That's brilliant Roux. You get placed in a new environment, you get to experience different discipline, and in the meantime the rest of us teachers get a break! The board will love it!"
"So I'm not expelled?" Roux brightened.
"Not yet, Roux," Ms. Holiday starting digging through her drawers, looking for something. Suddenly she pulled out a big packet, and on the front was a picture of a beautiful castle across a lake. "How does England sound?"
"Hogwarts," Roux pronounced the name of the school slowly. "Hogwarts sounds great."
"Good, I'll post them," with a wave she dismissed him, and Roux left with a smile, happier than he had been in months.
Disclaimer: HP doesn't belong to me! DUH!
Summery: Adelaide and Roux are two teens that don't have any direction in their lives, until they both end up exchanging at Hogwarts. Will the culture shock show them what they want? Or will they just end up wanting each other?
Chapter 2
Roux sat in his dorm plucking the bass line to a song he'd written on his anti-muggle technology "electric" guitar. He played in front of a mirror, trying to avoid his reflection yet at the same time studying it. Why was it so surprising that he was smart? Was it his hair? He doubted it. Although it wasn't plastered to his head and combed neat, it was hardly anything crazy. His choice of clothing? He didn't see anything wrong with following the Muggle style of dress and wearing his pants low, letting his snowman boxers show he didn't give a damn whether it was Christmas or not. His face? He didn't think so; blue eyes had been worn on the faces of geniuses as much as morons. Perhaps it was because he played pranks? He didn't even want to get into that.
Instead, he flicked his shaggy dark brown (which looked almost black) hair out of his dark blue eyes to reveal the frustration in them. He was tired of being accused of cheating on all his tests, and he was tired of people always dismissing his ideas. Why do people have to be stupid and stick to stereotypes anyway? He sneered at his reflection, and put down his guitar. He stumbled a little over his big, unlaced shoes and he laid down on his bed. What did he want? What did he need? His hair fell over his eyes again, but he didn't flick it away.
A fresh start. That was it, plain and simple. But he had to admit; it would be kind of hard to get a fresh start entering your sixth year. His mind ached beneath the ceiling of Knollys School for the Magically Inclined, and he wished for a way out.
He shifted his weight, uncomfortable because of the presence of something in his back pocket. Lifting his small (but great, he reminded himself) butt he pulled something out of his back pocket, and rolled it between his fingers. It was a Filibuster Wet Start Firework, and suddenly Roux found himself smiling. He rolled over onto his stomach and pulled the whole bag out of his bag and smiled. That's when he realized that he wasn't alone.
"What are you doing?" it was his dorm mate, who was possibly the most anal retentive boy in the history of the world. It was Sunday night, and undoubtedly he had come into the room to organize his underwear for the rest of the week.
"I'm doing some thinking," smiled Roux, revealing a perfect row of teeth and the most dashing smile in the country.
"Oh you've started to do that then," smirked Anal Boy, who had of course started to lift his tighty whities from his trunk. "Are you trying to remember how to start the fireworks?"
"Shut up," said Roux, pissed at being reminded of the stereotype he had just been pondering. He decided to shoot one out in return. "You're so gay."
"I am not, I'm just effeminate," Anal Boy argued, but Roux just laughed at him.
"Mummy's boy are you? Piss off," but when he didn't comply Roux stood up and pissed off himself. He had decided what he was going to do, and perhaps it would get him expelled like he hoped.
He left his house's common room and proceeded down the halls until he reached his least favorite teacher's room. Just to the left was his target; Mr. Ollis' private bathroom door was a dark mahogany, and it was locked. Roux pulled out his wand (also dark mahogany, and dragon heartstring) and he whispered the magic words. "Alohomora."
The door's lock gently clicked, and Roux was granted admittance on his own accord. Smiling, he turned to the toilet bowl, and poured in the whole bag. All two hundred and fifty wet start fireworks (miniatures, of courses) touched the water and started to fizzle. Immediately after, Roux flushed the toilet. He turned on his heel, and slowly left the room to avoid the shower of sparks and toilet water that ensued. He had no doubt that the crime would be traced back to him, and laughing he returned to his dorm to await the teachers.
When he returned he found Neil (aka Anal Boy) just as he had left him, trying to decide if he wanted to wear white or blue underwear on Thursday. Just to be an irritant, Roux allowed his boot to connect with the neatly folded pairs. Neil threw down his hands. "This is hard enough without stupid muggle-born skater punks messing it up!" he screeched at the top of his lungs, and Roux just laughed, as usual. Neil, for once, was truly perturbed by his sarcastic, mocking, laugh, and he rolled his eyes. "You are going to get yourself into a lot of trouble one of these days."
"Done and done my friend," smiled Roux, gloating from his triumph. "I just blew up Mr. Ollis' bathroom, so I doubt you'll be seeing much of me next year."
Neil's jaw dropped, and he stopped mid-underwear sorting to stand up and look Roux in the eye. "You did that? Why?" On the one hand he was obviously in awe of the Roux's defiance towards the most loathed teacher in the school, but again he was shocked. He thought Roux was smarter than that. "Why would you do that?"
"I want a fresh start, to be able to remake myself in any way I want. I figure that the only way I can get out of here is get expelled, so here I am," Roux grinned his dashing grin again, proud of his prank.
"You are a twat, did you know that?" Neil shocked him by closing his eyes, and unfortunately revealing the truth. "Why didn't you apply for an exchange? You-Know-Who was overthrown, so they've decided to open up the exchange circuit that's been closed for the last couple decades."
Roux, at that moment in time, realized what an idiotic thing he had just done. Why didn't he think of that? It was obvious; he had been moody. When he was moody he didn't think clearly, but that unbeknownst to him, had been his downfall. An exchange! What an idiot.
But it was too late now.
Undoubtedly Mr. Ollis had gone to check on the explosion by now, and would soon find the toilet. Of course, Roux would be an immediate target because he had been doing a lot of that lately. Not blowing up a lot of toilets, but just playing pranks. Like itching powder in the first years flying robes, or the sleeping draught in the vice principal's tea (that had not gone over very well, and Roux was surprised she hadn't expelled him then. Especially since she had fallen asleep on a jam tart in the middle of a parent teacher conference). Panicking, Roux picked up his broomstick.
"What are you doing now!?" Questioned Neil in outrage, shocked at how truly stupid Roux was proving himself to be.
"I...I don't know," stammered Roux. "I was going to fly out the window!"
"How the hell would that help anything?" bellowed Neil, shaking his head. "You've got to remain calm and face the consequences now. Flying out the window isn't going to make anything better."
"It could..." Roux tried to save himself, but it was impossible. Flying out the window would only make it worse. He was about to leave the room to wait in the common room when there were three loud knocks on the door. Roux and Neil froze; it was Mr. Ollis.
"You facking boys," said Mr. Ollis, trying to censor his rage. "For fack's sake why did you go and blow up my private toilet?"
Neil nervously went to open the door, and Mr. Ollis stormed into the room. All 3'6" of him. "Roux McClay, this time you have gone facking too far."
Neil stifled giggles (effeminate giggles) and Mr. Ollis glared at him. Neil promptly shut up and went back to organizing his underwear, while pretending not to hear.
"You forgot my middle name, sir," tested Roux. If he was going to go down, he was going to go down as a martyr.
"Shut up Roux. You may have all the girl teachers charmed but you aren't going to charm me! Follow me Roux CHASE McClay," and he stormed out of the room. Roux hesitated, but Neil urged him to follow, so he did. He walked about ten feet behind Mr. Ollis the whole way, while he muttered to himself. "Damn boys can't let me have one piece of happiness (mumble mumble) expulsion (mumble) strive for!"
It continued like that all the way to the statue of Eccentric Enid (who was a great part of North American Magical History) to whom Mr. Ollis barked at. "Filibuster!" he bellowed (no doubt angry with the irony), and Eccentric Enid leaped out of the way, obviously frightened. Mr. Ollis continued to roar. "Ms. Holiday if this boy is not expelled for this I will have your cats guts for stockings you hear me?"
"Do not threaten Tiddlywinks, Mr. Ollis, or I will have you expelled," sighed Ms. Holiday calmly, as she pointed to the door. "I can take it from here." Nodding her head she looked puzzled at Roux. "Roux and I go way back."
Mumbling some more, Mr. Ollis stormed out, clenching his fists. Ms. Holiday sighed. "It's no wonder he's the most loathed teacher in the school," Roux was about to nod and agree when Ms. Holiday cut him off. "But that did not give you the right to do what you did."
They stood in silence for a few moments before she gestured Roux to sit. She also sat, preparing herself for a lecture. "I know you are a brilliant student, Roux," she started, "and I am very disappointed in the way you have conducted yourself, especially over this past year."
She pulled out a file, and placed it on her desk. Roux noticed that it had probably doubled in size. "Setting the kitchen on fire, the itching powder incident, sleeping draught, the switching potions escapade need I go one?"
Roux shook his head.
"Good, because now it shouldn't come to a surprise to you that you are facing expulsion from our facility is that true?" Roux shook his head again, and Ms. Holiday sighed. "Although the other teachers in this building might not have come to terms with your extraordinary intelligence, I have. They would all pull and strive for your expulsion, but I won't. You will be a great asset in this world one day if you keep your studies up, so I feel like I cannot rob the world and you of your education."
Roux brightened for a moment, before she continued. "But I'm running out of alternatives here. Detention, extra homework, peer tutoring, nothing seems to work with you. Unless I come up with a good one soon I will have no choice but to expel you, but that is the last thing I want Roux."
Roux then saw the light. He saw his chance to make this all right, and to do the thing he should have done in the first place. He cleared his voice. "You could send me on an exchange program."
Ms. Holiday looked at him, and leaned closer. "What?"
"Haven't they opened the exchange circuit again this year?" Roux's tone was becoming increasingly brighter. "I mean, you could send me to some really strict institution, overseas or something."
Ms. Holiday smiled. "That's brilliant Roux. You get placed in a new environment, you get to experience different discipline, and in the meantime the rest of us teachers get a break! The board will love it!"
"So I'm not expelled?" Roux brightened.
"Not yet, Roux," Ms. Holiday starting digging through her drawers, looking for something. Suddenly she pulled out a big packet, and on the front was a picture of a beautiful castle across a lake. "How does England sound?"
"Hogwarts," Roux pronounced the name of the school slowly. "Hogwarts sounds great."
"Good, I'll post them," with a wave she dismissed him, and Roux left with a smile, happier than he had been in months.