A/N: Song fic! Song is "Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind
Da da da dummm!
"Bloody hell?"
Ernie Macmillan abruptly stopped observing the doorbell as Justin Finch-Fletchley swung open the door. "Ah, Ernie! Charmed!" Justin wore his typical good-natured one-dimpled grin as he waved Ernie inside.
"Punctual as ever! You were always first to every class, even the exams!"
"Especially the exams," Ernie said with an awkward smile. He was a wizard so pureblooded he'd never even stood on the doorstep of a house-a mansion, really-so Muggle, complete with a four-car garage, enormous yard, and the unusual mechanical bell that chimed Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. But if he squinted hard enough, the turrets and old worn bricks and koi pond almost resembled Hogwarts. With that comforting thought, he followed Justin into the foyer, feeling like the first wizard on the moon (Amajiki, 1894).
The interior was even more intimidating. A parlor of pristine white furniture, gold-framed portraits that didn't move, and a large grand piano in the corner beneath a chandelier. And in the middle of it stood Justin, in a baggy t-shirt and jeans. Was that Muggle formal wear? Ernie rolled up the sleeves of his wizard robes to feel less out-of-place-even to a wealthy wizard, Muggle high society was a mystery.
"You're the first here," Justin said. He cleared a book off a white plush armchair. "Have a seat, have a seat. Don't mind the mess."
"Who else is coming?"
"Some old Hufflepuff friends-Hopkins, Jones, you know. And some others that were in the D.A. I extended an invitation to Potter but…"
Justin didn't need to finish his sentence. It had been two weeks since the Battle of Hogwarts, and almost two weeks since Potter had last been seen. The Boy Who Lived Yet Again was either laying low or, as Ernie would more readily believe, already on a top-secret mission to capture all the Death Eaters that had escaped after Voldemort's defeat.
So many friends lost to that battle...
"Do you play?" Ernie asked stiffly, pointing to the piano.
Justin chuckled. "Me? No, my studies always kept me too busy. But how's this instead?" He opened a drawer and pulled out a small rectangular object (Ernie recognized it from Muggle Studies - a corvette tape, was it?) and popped it into the radio on the table beside Ernie.
"I hope you don't mind Muggle music. It's something I always missed at Hogwarts."
Justin didn't answer. He didn't know whether he minded Muggle music or not.
A song Ernie had ever heard began to reverberate throughout the room, bouncing off the walls. The cooling emotion sunk into his skin as a chorus of "Do-do-do, do-do-do-do" echoed off the walls, relaxing him even as the situation grew more and more unfamiliar. Was this really Justin's kind of music? Ernie had thought he had him pegged for a classical wizard composer kind of person.
Justin poured them each a cup of tea from the tray set on the coffee table. As Justin handed the fine china cup over, Ernie asked, "Is Hannah coming?"
"I thought it best not to invite her," Justin said as he plopped down on the couch across from Ernie. "I wasn't sure what the situation between you two was."
I'm packed and I'm holding
I'm smiling, she's living, she's golden
And she lives for me
She says she lives for me
"It was nothing," Ernie said, staring at his tea. "Seven years and I never had the guts to do more than flirt with her! ...But it doesn't matter now, Longbottom's already swept her off her feet."
Justin took a sip of tea. Ernie thought he caught a brief shift in the boy's expression behind the tipped cup.
"I wonder," Ernie continued, "if she'd look at me the way she looks at him if I'd done something in the battle. Proven myself. But I did nothing. I might as well have not been there."
"Ernie."
Do ever what you want to do
Coming over you
Keep on smiling, what we go through
One stop to the rhythm that divides you
"What?" Ernie said.
"You think you did nothing in the battle?," Justin said. "I was knocked out in the owlery in the first ten minutes. I'm lucky someone put a Disillusionment Charm on me or some wandering Death Eater would have killed me."
For the first time since they'd sat down, Ernie locked eyes with Justin.
"My mother didn't want me to go to Hogwarts," Justin plowed on. "My name was down for Eton. Four generations and I'm the first Finch not to attend."
I want something else
To get me through this
Semi-charmed kind of life
I want something else
"I convinced my mother to let me attend Hogwarts instead by showing her Lockhart's books, " said Justin. "She couldn't wait to have a master wizard in the family after that.
And then Lockhart turned out to be a fraud. I never told my mother. I went to Hogwarts to spread rumors about Harry being the heir to Slytherin and mock him for being a Parseltongue and be petrified half the year by a giant snake! And my mother still let me go back. And then I made life hell for Harry again during the Triwizard Tournament and when he said You-Know-Who had returned. I'm just as much a fraud as Lockhart."
"I did all that too," Ernie blurted. "Well, except being petrified by a giant snake. But we made it up to Harry and we did become great wizards. We were in the D.A.!"
"Then where were we in the battle, Ernie?"
Ernie faltered. His untouched tea shook in his hands. "I put the Disillusionment Charm on you."
"What?"
"I didn't know it was you until now. The owlery was dark. I saved your life."
Justin was at a loss for words.
"You didn't really invite anyone else, did you?" Ernie said, eyes flashing towards the tea set on the table. There had only been two cups on it, both of which they now held.
I believe in the faith that grows
And the four right chords can make me cry
When I'm with you I feel like I could die
And that would be all right
All right
"Thank you," said Justin. His face had gone pale. "I don't know how I can repay you."
"I joined the D.A. because you did," Ernie said. "I've always been at your side. If you hadn't joined, I wouldn't have either and I wouldn't have learned the charm that saved your life."
Justin's face contorted, fighting to keep tears from falling. He poured himself another cup of tea and downed it in one gulp.
"Wait!" Ernie said. "Give me your cup."
"What?"
"I took Divination. Give me your cup."
Reluctantly, Justin handed over his teacup. Ernie swirled the dregs around and tipped it over on the tray to drain.
"Hey, that tray's an antique!"
Ernie ignored him. He turned the cup back over and observed the contents. Ignoring the black mass shaped like a dog, he pointed out a circular clump of dregs to Justin. "Look, a sun! That's a sign of a bright future...And there's a smiley face. So you'll be happy. And this clump shaped like a trophy means you'll achieve great things."
"Incredible!" Justin said. His face had brightened considerably and he looked up from the teacup into Ernie's eyes. Ernie blushed but did not look away.
Justin placed his hand on Ernie's. Ernie did not pull away.
Now you hold me
And we're broken
Still it's all that I want to do
The music that Ernie had long ago tuned out rushed into the delirious scene once more. Ernie's face was flushed and his words - thousands of words - were caught in his throat. Justin's timid touch was more exhilarating than any time he'd held hands with Hannah Abbott. The swift notes pounded like a heartbeat to the scene, saying what the boys wished they could.
I'm scared but I'm not coming down
And I won't run for my life
"I'm never going to be weak again, Ernie."
"You were never weak."
I want something else
To get me through this life
I want something else
I'm not listening when you say
Good-bye
Several hours passed before Ernie Macmillan left the Finch-Fletchley home. He would have stayed longer were it not for the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Finch-Fletchley, which necessitated sneaking out of Justin's second-story bedroom window. Justin undid the latch and hurriedly turned down the Muggle music they'd been listening to as Ernie crawled onto the roof.
"Why don't you come back tomorrow and read me my fortune again?" Justin said.
"I already told you. It's all sunshine and rainbows. Quite boring to a Seer like me." Ernie pushed a pair of imaginary spectacles up the bridge of his nose and held out his hands as if he was trying to feel his way through a pitch-black maze. "You do not challenge my third eye."
Justin pressed the tips of his fingers to his temples. "I am receiving...a vision! A prophecy: Ernest Macmillan will return to the Finch-Fletchley home for a dinner with the one Justin Finch-Fletchley!"
"I guess I have to come back now."
Sounds in the hallway outside Justin's bedroom door startled them both. Ernie was gone when Justin turned back around. Justin leaned against the windowsill and smiled into the night as if his old classmate was still there.
"Such a powerful third eye, Ernie," he muttered, "for someone who didn't take Divination."