Chapter Eight

Confidence and Uncertainty

After wishing his friends good luck at Quidditch tryouts on Saturday, Quintin went to the Owl Room for a quiet lunch and then an hour of study before making his way out to the back grounds. He stopped to say hello to the Elf Willow before walking past the Greenhouse to where the Tennis courts were. It was deceptively small from the outside; taking up what would normally be just enough for four courts, but inside there were sixteen courts. The only one occupied at the moment was the court closest to the door, where Andrew, Laura, and Rus were standing.

"Don't expect much out of this first session, Quintin, a lot of club members are still at Quidditch tryouts," Andrew warned when he walked up.

"I don't mind. It'll give me a chance to play Rus anyway," Quintin said. "I thought you'd be at practice too, Rus."

"Our team is only replacing one Chaser this year, and they have a good idea who might fit that role already," Rus explained. "So I left a little early. Really, there aren't any teams that need more than a couple of players this year. Your new house is going to get some deep competition."

"That's okay, they'll still learn from the experience and have fun, right? That's more important than winning," Quintin said, catching a can of balls that Andrew had thrown him.

"If you say so," Rus replied.

"That's one of the reasons I don't want to play Quidditch. Everyone in this school takes it way too seriously," Quintin said critically.

"I thought it was because you don't like heights," Rus teased.

"You know perfectly well that I can handle a broom at any height, it is simply not what I'd call entertainment," Quintin replied defensively.

"You are a good flyer, Quintin. Rus, you're old enough not to point out stuff like that, it's not polite, especially for a Truth Seeker," Andrew reminded him.

"Well, yeah, I know, but he's family," Rus said.

"Another good reason to be nice to me," Quintin informed him. "Before I start pointing out some of the things that you don't like."

"When is your next Truth Seeker lesson again?" Andrew asked with exasperation.

"Good afternoon, gentlewizards!" Jennifer interrupted from the covered chain-link door, hooking it back to the fence for them. "You're not fighting, are you?"

"Not exactly," Rus said, then decided to walk over to the other side of the net opposite Quintin.

"It might have turned into one if I hadn't stepped in when I had," Andrew admitted.

"Well, everything's still a bit new, isn't it?" Jennifer pointed out with a smile. "Rus, Quintin, why don't you and Jay come to breakfast in the Headmaster's Study tomorrow for some family time before our lesson?"

"Okay! What time?" Quintin asked enthusiastically.

"Breakfast time, of course," Jennifer chuckled. "See you later," she added, heading to the Quidditch Pitch while Quintin smiled happily at that.

"Of course we're going to have family meals sometimes, Quintin," Rus said, seeing his expression. Andrew glanced over at them thoughtfully. "They're just busy with work and they assume we're busy with school too. Did you want to serve or should I?"

"Go right ahead," Quintin said. Not long after they began, other students started to wander in. Pretty soon there were enough of them that Andrew assigned them to other courts and began taking down the names of some of the students who had shown up to watch out of curiosity.

After a quick change, Quintin sat down in the Common Room to study. Most of the house was there, gathering in groups to get some homework done before dinner.

"Are you sure you don't want to play Quidditch?" Jeremy asked Quintin. "I mean, tennis is fine and all, but it's just an instructional club and I heard they're not even having any sort of a tournament or anything."

"Which is exactly why I prefer it. Competition breeds animosity," Quintin explained. Jeremy was about to answer, but then paused, going to the research shelf to double-check the meaning of 'animosity' first before continuing his rebuttal.

"My friend, you are the smartest and wisest first year I know," Jeremy declared. "You're good at everything, every first year in the school admires you, and you even have the charisma and looks to back it up."

"What would you know about a guy's looks?" Quintin challenged him. Jeremy gestured over towards where some of the girls were gathered on the sofas. The moment Quintin glanced around, they all quickly turned around to face the opposite direction, whispering to each other.

"They won't give me the time of day, because they're all interested in you," Jeremy informed him bluntly. "So! Since you're used to being on the top of the totem pole, I need to school you in a very important lesson. Competition is a necessity of life!" he said resolutely.

"Is that so," Quintin said dubiously, turning back to his book only to have it pushed down.

"It's like an economy thing," Jeremy explained. "There's only enough resources to go around, and therefore, wizards, like all other living things, need to compete to get their needs and wants fulfilled. You can't go through life without competition because life itself is a competition. Do you follow me?"

"Sure, but I don't see that has to do with Quidditch," Jeremy said.

"Not just Quidditch... all sports. It's a training ground for the trials of life, so that you can rise to the top!" Jeremy explained.

"But I thought you said I was already at the top," Quintin reminded him.

"Well, true, but..."

"Then what do you want me to do? Defeat myself?" Quintin asked, amused that his friend was backpedaling.

"But what happens when the next wizard comes along and takes over?" Jeremy asked.

"It could be a witch," Quintin pointed out.

"You're not getting out of an answer that easily! What would you do?" Jeremy challenged him. Quintin shrugged.

"Step aside, I suppose," Quintin said. Jeremy rolled his eyes and shook his head, picking up his Transfiguration book.

"I don't believe it, not even for a minute. You're a Snape, and the moment someone bested you, those Snape instincts would kick in and you'd rise up to take him... or her... down a peg," Jeremy informed him. "Therefore, you need training to do that!"

"Did you want to join Sparring Club with me?" Quintin asked. Jeremy, who had his finger up as if ready to come up with another point, finally put his finger back down again.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you had to do that," Jeremy admitted sheepishly. "Do you want to play Quidditch anyway?"

"No thanks," Quintin said. Jeremy ran out of arguments, begrudgingly turning back to his homework.


Quintin got up bright and early, knowing that even if his mother wasn't up yet, his father would be. He quickly got dressed and hurried out the doors before curfew was even technically over and stepped out of the Doorlift at 5:58. He knocked gently on the door and it opened, his father looking at him questioningly.

"I wasn't expecting you to come that way. Why didn't you simply use the door in your room?" Severus asked him.

"It's marked for emergencies only," Quintin replied dutifully. Severus rolled his eyes.

"That was to inform you that I didn't want you using it at all hours or for silly reasons when you should be spending the majority of your time with in your house of undetermined name," Severus explained. "You may use the door as long as it is responsibly, and we were expecting you this morning. As long as you're by yourself, have a legitimate reason, and it's at an appropriate hour, feel free to use it. If it's a real emergency, use it immediately regardless of the time. Now, why don't you have a seat while I get your sister up?"

"Oh, I'll do it," Quintin volunteered.

"Very well, if you like. Perhaps I'll go in and inform that your mother that you're here, then," Severus said.

"This early? On a Sunday? I'm glad I'll be in the other room," Quintin said.

"Yes, thank you. No one said you had to come so early," Severus said, getting up. "Leave the Sorting Hat there, please."

"I wasn't going to touch him," Quintin said defensively, despite the fact he had been tempted He glanced over at the Hat sitting on the shelf before opening the door and going in to help Serendipity out of her cot. Serendipity was very excited to see him, giving him big hugs and attempting to drag him over to her toys to play tea party. "It's breakfast time, Seren," he informed her, helping her get ready. He led her out and found that his mother was sitting in her chair, groggy but ready for the day. Jennifer smiled warmly at him over the rim of her coffee, proud of him for getting his sister ready.

"There we are. I'm sure Rus and Jay will be here soon enough," Severus said, setting a juice tray.

"Sorry if I came too early," Quintin said.

"It's not your fault, Quintin, I didn't specify. I just said breakfast time, Severus," Jennifer explained.

"Considering it worked out to my advantage, I won't complain," Severus said. "Besides, it gives us a moment to speak with Quintin alone, now that he's had a week of school."

"Only a week," Jennifer warned.

"Yes, but I'm curious as to his first impressions, especially considering he's grown up in this castle. I am fairly certain that his perspective is quite unique compared to other students who have never been in the castle before," Severus explained. "So what do you think of Hogwarts so far, Quintin?"

"It's a lot different than I thought it'd be," Quintin admitted reluctantly. "I thought being in school together meant spending more time with my family, but it hasn't worked out that way. I don't even have a class with Mum this year."

"Hermione was in quite the scramble getting your schedule worked out. This whole new house thing took us all by surprise," Jennifer reminded him.

"Yes, I know, but I was disappointed. I know you're probably angry at me about the whole new house thing and all..."

"Do we have reason to be?" Severus cut off before Jennifer had a chance to reassure him.

"I might have helped the Sorting Hat a little," Quintin confessed. Neither of his parents looked the slightest bit surprised.

"I see, and how did you hex the Hat to do your bidding, exactly?" Severus inquired. Quintin stared at his father, but found his thoughts reflected back at him.

"I don't know how to do that!" Quintin exclaimed with surprise.

"Did you charm it, then? Pour a potion over it? Threaten it with scissors, perhaps?" Severus asked with an even expression.

"No, of course not," Quintin said with exasperation. "We just talked about it a lot, and I agreed it was a good idea and recruited all of my friends to go along with it."

"The fact that you agreed that it was a good idea implies that it wasn't your idea originally," Severus concluded.

"True, it was the Hat's idea," Quintin admitted.

"Yes, well, you are not telling us anything that we hadn't already worked out," Severus explained. "And since you are eleven and quite impressionable, it is also not something which you are entirely to blame for. However, this is something that you're are going to need to work on, especially as you get older," he warned. "You are a great deal like your mother, Quintin, and there are many people who are going to notice that naive, gullible nature of yours. They will attempt to take advantage of it if you're not careful." Jennifer blinked, wondering what he was implying by that. "Being a Truth Seeker will not protect you from being manipulated by outside influences. Trust me, I know," he added, ignoring the fact that Jennifer was staring at him with indignant disbelief. "You must learn how not to let your heart rule over your head, or sooner or later, you are going to be deep in something you can't get out of. More than likely, you will end up pulling in other family members in the process," Severus warned.

"As for the Sorting Hat's stunt, it didn't take me long to realize that the reason it forced my hand was because I should have acted sooner," Severus admitted. "Even while we were extending the current houses, Hermione and I both knew it was a temporary fix and adding more houses was inevitable. I only regret the abrupt nature of the addition, and that is why we haven't had the time to discuss it with you. We've been much too busy getting things in order and preparing for even the work ahead of us now that we've seen to your house's direct safety. It is likely to take a great deal of my time for the rest of the year regardless. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I'm just glad you're not angry with me," Quintin said.

"No, of course we're not," Jennifer reassured him.

"He really is a great deal like you, Jennifer. I was certain that his obnoxious popularity and his frustratingly strong charisma and confidence would protect him from having that sensitive side," Severus complained, Quintin's face reddening slightly.

"As fortunate as that is, Severus, he's still a Truth Seeker," Jennifer pointed out, then turned to Quintin. "We'll talk about it more during our lesson today, and how not to read too much into a situation when you can't read someone's expressions about something."

"Are you certain you're even qualified to teach that lesson?" Severus inquired.

"I'll get even with you later," Jennifer promised Severus, getting a thin challenging smile in response.

It was about then that Jay and Rus came in, and after giving Seren hugs when she came to greet them, they all sat back down for breakfast, turning the topic to the Order of the Owls and possible goal ideas.