School: Ilvermorny

Year:1

Theme: Confiding in the wrong person

Prompts: [Image] Disappointed Muhammad Sarim Akhtar (MAIN)

[Word] Ink

WC: 1717 words


The Need For Filters

Blaise pushed open the large door, entering the empty Hogwarts staff room. His cloak whipped around him as wind from an open window caught it. He hurried towards the window and pulled it shut.

He walked over to the coffee machine-–sometimes Muggleborns working in Hogwarts was a beneficial thing-–and pressed the button, waiting for the dark, bitter liquid to flow into his mug. He whistled a tune in time with the flow of the coffee before switching to hum and tapping a beat on the counter.

"You're upbeat this morning. Classes get cancelled?" Blaise jumped at Theo's voice filling the sparse room, the man in question flopping down on the worn leather sofa.

"No, I've had the delight of first-years at 9am for a double and fifth-years at 11. Some of us just enjoy our jobs."

"You don't. So again, why so happy?" Theo crossed his arms and legs, scowling at Blaise.

"Am I not allowed to be happy?" Blaise picked up his filled mug, cradling it between his cold fingers, allowing the heat to penetrate the skin.

"No. It's not in our nature."

"Our? Since when am I like you?"

"Since you were sorted into Slytherin as an itty-bitty first year." Blaise watched as Theo pushed himself off the sofa, the leather releasing an indignant squeak, and stalked over to him. Theo leaned in close -– so close that Blaise could smell those sickenly sweet caramels that he constantly chews -– and glared at him. His nose wrinkled like a rabbit smelling carrots, and disgust filled his eyes. "Why do you smell like dirt? And… something else gross?"

"It's called fresh air, Theo. I'm starting to think I should be dragging you out of the dungeons more often."

"I'm out of them now."

"One floor up doesn't count." Blaise sipped from his mug before sidling around Theo and settling in a garish green armchair, its tartan back and arm covers betraying who favoured it. He rested the bottom of the mug on the red and black stripes, waving his wand to summon the parchment from his bag. Hopefully, the delight of correcting second-year homework gives him reason to ignore Theo in his current, annoying state.

"Why does it not? I'm still out of the dungeons." Theo fell back against the counter, huffing as he crossed his arms. Then his eyes widened, "You're changing the subject."

"I was trying." Blaise tapped his quill against the first piece of paper. The misspellings glared at him in the student's crooked handwriting, the ink smudges the result of a hurried finish.

"I just want to know what's brought a smile to my best friend's face."

"Since when am I your best friend? I thought Draco got that privilege?"

"Well… no. He's my oldest friend." Theo gestured as if that helped. "That is not the point. Tell me why you're happy." He stamped his foot and scowled.

Blaise laughed. "Fine. But you have to swear to not tell anyone."

"Deal. Tell me."

"I had a date."

"Outside? During a school day?" Theo tilted his head.

"Yes."

"Why outside though? The only one who would need to be out there is… You're dating Neville?" Theo yelped, slapping his hand on the counter.

"Merlin, shout that a bit louder, why don't you? Yes. I had a date with Neville."

"But he's Neville."

"So?" Blaise crossed his arms, legs stretched out in front of him and raised an eyebrow, daring Theo to continue.

"He's very… outdoorsy." Theo grimaced as the words stumbled out of his mouth.

"I like outdoorsy."

"No, you don't."

"No, I don't, but I like him." Blaise tipped his head back onto the tartan cloth.

"Aw. That's cute. Nauseating but cute." Theo wrinkled his nose at him. "I can't tell anyone?"

"Not a soul." Blaise looked at his watch, sighing as he realised his final free period of the day was over. He pushed all the papers into his bag and stood up, slinging it over his shoulder. He walked to the door and pulled it open before looking back at Theo. "I mean it, Theo. One word, and you will learn just how many charms I know to torture you with."

"Yeah, yeah, I believe you. Go, you love-struck idiot." Theo waved him away.

"I already sense this is a bad idea," Blaise muttered as he let the door close behind him and strode down the hallway to his class of seventh years. Maybe teaching them to not hit their heads on the ceiling when learning Ascendio will keep him occupied.


The sun shone down on Hogwarts' grounds, bouncing off the Lake's murky water and warming all the students that roamed the school. The shrieks of some of the girls echoed off the looming stone walls as water was splashed at them by the tentacles of the flailing squid.

Blaise pulled the collar of his cloak away from his sticky neck, the sweat clinging to the fabric. He longed to be on the receiving end of one of those splashes. How nice it would be to feel the coolness on his damp skin, the water soaking through and refreshing him. But no, he had to be an adult and "supervise".

He skirted around some running children and headed towards the school's front doors, the shadow from the castle giving respite from the unnaturally warm day. Blaise leaned against the wall by the large wooden entrance, his gaze drifting to the side where the roof of the greenhouse was just visible over the edge of the tower, its stark white contrasting against the dull grey of the building. Resisting the urge to walk towards the light, Blaise closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall, letting the sounds of nature wash over him.

He opened his eyes at hurried footsteps echoing inside and watched as the door yanked open, revealing a harried-looking Theo. His hair stood at all angles, his cloak slipped off a shoulder, and ink stains splattered across his palms. His heaving breaths reached Blaise's ears, who raised an eyebrow.

"I made a mistake."

Blaise frowned, "Decided to fight an inkpot and lose?"

"No, not that." Theo blinked in the light, his nose scrunching up as his eyes constricted in the change. "It is very bright out here. I don't think I like it."

"Focus, Theo. What mistake?"

"Oh yes." Theo turned to face him. "I told Draco."

"Told him what?" Blaise furrowed his brow, wracking his brain for an answer to Theo's riddle.

"About you and the elusive florist."

"He's a Professor, not a florist," Blaise said, his mind still mulling over the rapid change of directions. "And what do you mean you told Draco?" Blaise pushed himself off the wall and placed his hands on his hips.

"He was talking about Granger. I mentioned that everyone was pairing off and may have thrown your name in the mix."

Blaise took a deep breath, the air whistling through his nose as he exhaled. He clenched his fists to stem the anger that was building up under his skin, the heat of it trailing along his spine.

"One thing, Theo. You had one thing to do. Keep your mouth shut."

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Theo wrung his ink-stained hands together, Blaise sure that the almost certain glint in his eye was close to making him crumble.

"You're right. It won't. Because if it does, you won't be leaving your dungeon for the foreseeable future." Blaise pushed past Theo, heading for the respite that the greenhouse gave him. Theo made the mistake. He can watch after the darling little brats for the next while. It was the least that he could do. After all, Blaise needed to prepare for the inquisition from hell.


Blaise stormed down the corridor, a snarl edging its way out. He shoved a wooden door out of his way, not flinching as it slammed against the stone wall but watching as Theo jumped, knocking over his inkpot.

"Theo."

"Blaise, what a delight to see you in the dungeon," Theo said, scrambling for the roll of parchment that had the river of ink heading for it.

"If only it was. Why, Theo, did Minerva congratulate me?"

"Because you are a successful professor in your own way with the highest level of N.E.W.T. results?"

"No. My students failed remarkably. There is little I can do with the lack of brains entering my classroom. Theo, I asked you to do one thing. Not open your mouth. And yet, in the past month, I have heard that Draco knows, I have been given date ideas by Granger and Professor Sprout - she doesn't even work here anymore. She made the trip especially - and have been congratulated by my fifth and sixth form classes. So again, Theo, I ask, why is Minerva congratulating me?" Blaise planted his hands on his hips, glaring down at the scrambling man.

Theo's hands quickened as the ink continued to flow onto his belongings. They shook as he turned with bundles of parchment, the ink dripping off them.

"Where do these go?" He muttered, waving the papers back and forth.

"Theo."

"I'm sorry, okay. I'm sorry. I left the dungeon, and suddenly, my mouth moved. Someone asked if anything was going on in my life, and the only interesting thing is that my best friend is dating the Herbology Professor."

Blaise scowled at him and opened his mouth to retort, but a voice sounded behind him.

"You're who Professor Longbottom is going out with? No wonder he's been happier the last month."

Blaise turned towards the voice, jaw-dropping at the sight of fourteen third years standing behind them. He inhaled deeply, pinching his nose and turning back to Theo.

"You are a blabbermouth. This was an incredibly poor judgement call for me, and I now understand the error of my ways."

He made to leave the room, stopping in front of the students. "If any of you have a secret, do not mention it in front of Professor Nott. The entire castle will know by tomorrow." He walked past the group and made to leave.

"I'm sorry." Theo's voice followed him down the corridor.

"Hate you," he called back, sweeping around the corner and away from the filterless Theo.