Frank made his way slowly down the stairs to the dungeons. He really wished he could remember that spell Patrick had used earlier on the stairs in the quidditch field, he was tired of walking. Honestly, he was just pretty tired at this point in the day.

With what was left of the day, Gerard and Frank had decided to walk the castle. Rain had discouraged any outside travels.

Frank rubbed his eye with his palm as he made it to the corridor where the Slytherin house was. He was wracking his brain for the password when obnoxious laughter filled his ears.

"Say it!" A taunting voice demanded as Frank rounded the corner of the corridor.

Three large figures were surrounding Tyler, who was shaking as he looked between them. He was surrounded by sheets of parchment and barely clutching a few thin sheets to his chest.

"I said, say it!" The same demanding, dark haired boy growled. When Tyler shook his head, defiantly, he shoved Tyler against one of the other sneering figures.

"Hey!" Frank yelled, feeling anger boil in his chest.

The three turned with glares, while Tyler looked with wide eyes.

"Who's that?" One of the boys asked, pulling out his wand.

"Who the hell are you?" Frank questioned, stepping towards the group. He hand his wand up his sleeve, ready to go, if needed.

"Who cares," The dark haired boy smirked, "it's the mud blood we're dealing with."

"Take that shit back." Frank said, darkly, feeling his fists clench.

The dark haired boy pointed at Frank. "Don't talk to your elders like that, punk." He growled, narrowing his eyes at Frank.

A small smirk crossed Frank's face, "If I didn't speak like that, my elders obviously wouldn't be able to hear me."

"Little shit!"

"Flipudo-"

"Expelliarmus!" Frank yelled, extending his arm and letting his wand slide down his sleeve. He gripped it tightly, letting a red beam shoot out of its tip. He managed to finish the spell before the taller figure could, sending the bully's wand up into the air.

The three had a mixture of glares and surprised expressions as they looked at Frank. The two that still had wands were holding them at the ready, when the wall behind them opened up as a Prefect began to walk out with a raised eyebrow.

"Problem, boys?" He asked in a strident tone.

"None." The dark haired ring leader replied quickly. He kicked some of the papers on the floor while one of the others muttered a soft 'accio' charm to bring the wand that Frank had blown aside back. "We were just trying to see if our friend here knew the house password." He sneered as he turned away from Frank and Tyler.

Frank hid his wand back in his sleeve and hurried over to where Tyler was. The other boys left, letting the entrance to the common room close behind them.

Tyler was shaking as he attempted to pull his wand out of his robes. When he finally did manage, after getting them caught in a few instances, he pointed it shakily at the ground.

"T-ter..." Tyler let out a sigh, instead dropping to his knees to pick up the floor scattered papers.

Frank knelt down next to him with a furrowed brow. "Are you okay? What happened?" He asked as he helped gather Tyler's things.

Tyler shook his head. "I'm fine. They threatened to hex me if I took out my wand... They threatened again when I wouldn't say the new door password..." He grabbed the papers Frank extended to him with a soft 'thank you' when he was finished.

"Why? What's the new password?" Frank asked, pushing himself to his feet.

Tyler stayed low. He looked down at the ground, clutching his papers close to his chest. Finally, in a voice barely audible, he replied. "What I am..."

Confusion flashed across Frank's mind before realization set in. The others had even spat it at Tyler like nothing.

"Since when?" Frank asked.

Tyler shrugged, "I have no idea. It wasn't changed before I went for extra transfiguration help..." He looked at the wall in a way that made Frank feel terrible. Even people in his own house mocked his blood status, just for being born to muggle parents. "I think they charmed it, or something..."

Tyler looked down at the ground again. Frank looked at the wall. There was no way he was going to say that word. No one could make him say it and, if that meant not entering the common room at all, so be it.

"Guess we're stuck." Frank shrugged, earning a curious look from Tyler. "Feel like sleeping in the library?"

A soft laugh escaped Tyler's lips as they curved into a confused smile. "Books for pillows?" He asked.

"The paper back ones work best, I have experience." Frank grinned.

Tyler's smile had fully formed, but it dropped a bit. "You don't have to suffer because of me being too weak to say it." He whispered, "I'd understand if you'd like to go inside."

Frank shook his head immediately following Tyler's words. "I was taught to never discriminate against someone for who they are, blood or whatever reason. I don't want that word to ever willingly come out of my mouth for any reason."

The smile curved back on Tyler's lips. "Thank you, Frank."

Frank smiled in response. "C'mon, I know a real quiet corner to doze off in." He said, wrapping an arm around Tyler's shoulders as they began to move back up the steps, away from their common room.

---

Gerard stuck his tongue out of his mouth, absently, while going over his astronomy notes. He was sat next to Patrick, who was observing Max and Elisa while they practiced charms.

"Just try it on me, see if you can nail it." Max encouraged Elisa as she pointed her wand nervously at him.

"I don't want you to end up hurting yourself!" She exclaimed, "Maybe we should try a different charm."

Max shook his head. "Just one go! You won't hurt me, I swear. Just remember the counter spell."

"I'm going to use a different charm, I'm too afraid of hurting you!" Elisa said, steadying her stance. "Get ready." Max looked ready to argue, but Elisa spoke before he could. "Rictusempra!"

Laughter immediately burst out of Max's mouth as his hands shot to hold his sides. He doubled over, unable to control his outburst.

"Tickling charm!" Patrick exclaimed from where he was sat on the floor against the armchair Gerard was sitting in. "I thought you were going to go for confundus?"

"O-o-orig-ginal pla-a-an!" Max gasped between his short breaths in the laughter. He had gotten down on his knees and was falling onto his side with a red face.

"I think he may pass out." Gerard commented with a laugh building in his own throat. The laughter was contagious.

Elisa pulled her wand back with a squeal, spewing out apologies as Max gasped for air on the ground. She knelt down next to him with worry as the sound of the common room door opened.

"Melanie?" Patrick called out.

Melanie hurried into the main part of the common room with a look of worry on her face. Her hair was a faded blue on the blond half of her head.

"What's wrong?" Gerard asked, closing his astronomy book.

Melanie didn't speak. She instead waved everyone to come follow her. Gerard and Patrick exchanged looks while Elisa helped Max into a sitting up position. They all rose up to their feet and followed Melanie out of the common room and into the brightly lit corridor just outside.

In the corridor, three Slytherin students leaned against the wall. Tyler was on the ground with his knees close to his chest, Frank was standing with crossed arms, and Spencer stood with his hands held politely in front of him.

"Hello." Max said as soon as he caught sight of them. Elisa and Patrick gave waves and warm smiles in replacement of words.

Gerard looked at Frank with curiosity. They hadn't parted ways that long ago at all; what was his Slytherin boy up to?

Melanie stood by Spencer, looking at her fellow housemates sadly. "They don't have access to their house at the moment." She said, scooting closer to Spencer.

"Why? What happened?" Gerard asked.

Frank shook his head. "An outdated password." He replied. When he did reply, Tyler looked down.

"They can't sleep in the library." Melanie continued, "Peeves is likely to get them. You know how much he loves to meddle with sleeping students."

"You'll probably wake up in the lake!" Elisa exclaimed with worry, "Remember what happened to Kenny, that poor Ravenclaw that got pranked with that sleeping potion slipped into his pumpkin juice? If the Bloody Baron hadn't of stopped Peeves when he did, I don't even want to imagine what added unpleasantness would of happened."

"Exactly." Melanie nodded, "That's why they should stay in our common room."

The Hufflepuffs looked between each other with nods of approval. They couldn't just leave students in need out to roam the halls all night or fall victim to a mischievous poltergeist.

"The girl's dorm has extra bedding on the two beds we don't use." Elisa said with a smile, "Melanie, would you help me with them?"

A look of happiness crossed over Melanie's face. "Yes! Oh, thank you guys for letting them stay, it really means a lot!" She hugged each member of her house as she moved to go get the bedding.

"Like the alternative was even an option." Gerard said with a smile as Melanie hugged him. When she rushed into the common room, Gerard looked up at the three Slytherins against the wall. "Come on, then. Don't want to get caught out by a teacher or something."

Spencer and Frank nodded. Max hurried out into the hall to help Tyler to his feet with a smile. The group made their way into the Hufflepuff common room; Gerard let himself fall to the back of the group, knowing that was where Frank was lingering.

"You seem really upset." Gerard commented, "How bad of a word was it?"

Frank's lips sucked in, as if he was reluctant to say it. Gerard looped his arm with the Slytherin and lead them to the dorms. Frank began to protest, but Gerard simply shushed him. Once they were in the room, Gerard shut the door and turned to Frank. "Scale of one to ten?" He asked with the crossing of his arms.

Frank crossed his arms in retaliation. "Why do you always end up as the interrogator, my little Hufflepuff?" He questioned.

"Because you need to let this out before it eats you away, like it's doing as we speak." Gerard countered as he stepped closer to Frank.

The Slytherin smirked at Gerard as he continued to step closer. "Don't you know me so well..." Gerard hummed with a nod. Frank let out an airy laugh, uncrossing his arms. "They changed it to... The slang word for a muggle born wizard." He said, making his small smile immediately drop into a frown.

"Oh, dear." Gerard frowned, "Why would they do that?"

"Because unprogressive dicks will always exist." Frank spat, looking off to the side. "Always believing their ideals, outdated or not, over any other..."

Gerard reached out his hand to place on Frank's shoulder. He smiled at the Slytherin. "At least there's guys like you trying to progress." He encouraged, "It always takes time."

"How much time, Gee?" Frank asked with frustration, "I swear, there's still people out there that act as if Volde-he still runs things and pulls strings! He's dead! We don't need to resort to blood status or-or..."

"Frank..." Gerard slid his hand up from Frank's shoulder to his cheek, "I can think of countless muggle references, that you won't understand, about how long some of these things can take. It can be years, but many can still fear a whole group of beings for a single person or extremist actions. People can gain their rights to openly express who they are, but others can still try to knock them down because it's against their beliefs. Time heals wounds. Things take time. Just give it that."

Frank smiled at Gerard. "You always know what to say, don't you?" Frank asked.

Gerard felt a warmth in his cheeks. "I try."

Frank stepped forward and leaned up to press a kiss to Gerard's lips. Gerard let his arms wrap around Frank as he kissed him back. It started sweet, but was becoming rough as Frank began to tug at Gerard's lip. The Hufflepuff pulled away with flushed cheeks.

"Let's get the bedding, yea?" He mumbled, retracting his arms from around Frank and making his way over to the unused bed in the room.

Frank looked a bit disappointed, but nodded in agreement. He hurried over to help pull off the heavy blanket, unknowingly ending up on the side closer to Gerard's bed. Gerard was untucking the blankets when he heard the soft laugh.

"Hey, Gerard, are those the flowers I gave you first year?"

Gerard shot upright, receiving a jolt of lightheadedness as a result. Frank was looking at his bedside table, where the flowers were sat, looking fresh as the day they had first been placed there. Gerard had tended to them much of their first year, but forgotten them during the summer. When he came back their second year, he was surprised to find that they were still thriving. He strongly suspected Bitsy's help in the flower's long lasting life.

"Those are, aren't they?" Frank asked with an amused grin, "After all this time?"

Gerard blushed, focusing back on the bedding. "They add a nice touch of color." He defended as Frank walked around the bed.

Frank rolled his eyes, pulling the top blanket into his arms. "So sentimental and sweet, it's sickening." He teased, nudging Gerard playfully.

Gerard looked down, holding a smile on his face. The two left the dorms and traveled back into the common room. The girls had already brought things from the two spare beds in their dorms. Elisa, Max, and Patrick were all sitting with Tyler as they tended to the fireplace. Melanie was sat under a blanket with Spencer, leaning on him with a small smile on her face and a golden hue to her ever changing hair.

Gerard walked towards an empty couch a bit off from the group. Frank followed. Gerard set the pillows down as Frank plopped himself onto the spot just next to it. Gerard stood next to the couch, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Don't care to sleep with me?" Frank asked with a sly grin.

Gerard hummed, blinking rapidly as if he had been zoned out. Frank laughed, reaching out to take Gerard's hand.

"Sit next to me, at least." Frank encouraged, pulling Gerard closer. "This place is so bright compared to our nice, dismal dungeon."

Gerard nodded, letting Frank pull him down. He felt Frank scoot closer to him before the blanket was covering both of their bodies.

"Sorry, I just got caught in a thought." Gerard said.

"It's just a thought." Frank shrugged, leaning against Gerard, "It's okay."

Gerard nodded. He felt tired, all of the sudden. He had been so awake during studying, or so he thought. Now, he just wanted to sleep.

"Gerard, you're zoning again." Frank yawned. His eyes were already closed and his breathing was starting to even in pace.

"Sorry," Gerard apologized, "now I'm just tired."

"You can sleep... I don't bite..." Frank mumbled as he slid an arm over Gerard's stomach, "It's nice to lay next to someone..."

"We're sitting, though."

"Same difference..."

Gerard laughed as Frank let a soft breath out through his nostrils. The Slytherin was so relaxed against him, he had to nearly be asleep if he wasn't already. Gerard let out a content sigh before closing his own eyes. It actually felt nice to have someone so close... That was the thought on his mind as he slowly drifted to sleep himself.