CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

.  .  .

"HEY Enoch," Elijah's voice whispers through the darkness, "Would you like to go to an exclusive Christmas party?"

It takes Enoch a long second to respond, mostly because he'd been half-asleep until he heard the older boy's voice cut through it. Then he grunts, mostly in confusion. 

"Exclusive Christmas party?"

"Yeah. Only... specially chosen students get to attend." Enoch is silent, everything taking him slightly longer to comprehend. But Elijah takes this as uncertainty, or more confusion, and he keeps talking. "You know Slughorn? He has a club—Slug Club—where we all get together, have dinner, talk. I got invited because of my family, had planned on declining or skipping but Mother said it was good for connections."

"Slug Club is an awful name. Sounds like you... do gardening or something, kill slugs, support slugs. Slugs."

There's some soft snorts of laughter in the beds around him. Evidently more than just Elijah and Enoch are listening to this conversation.

"It's all about the popularity and potential. A load of bull if you ask me." The boy in the bed across the room pipes up.

"You're only saying that because you weren't invited, Alexander." Another voice says. This starts an argument between the two boys, one that Elijah chooses to ignore.

"So yeah, anyway, would you like to be my plus one?" The curly haired boy asks, now propped up on the edge of his bed. Enoch can't see him, but he can hear him moving around. "You can borrow one of my suits if you'd like, Mother always makes me pack too many."

"Are you suggesting that I wouldn't have my own suit?" The brunet retorts, before he pauses, realising that he doesn't have his own suit. His bags were so full of comfortable clothes and his wizarding ones, he hadn't even thought to pack any in case of a formal event. He's not even sure he actually owns a suit, even at home. "Because... you'd be right."

"So you'll come?"

Enoch isn't sure he's making the right decision but, half asleep, he's not really sure of anything. He just hums in response, closing his eyes to the darkness.

The two boys are still arguing over why they weren't invited to the Slug Club.

.  .  .

Elijah looks at least two years older when he dresses up, hair slicked neatly back, suit fitting him perfectly. Something about it seems to make him stand up a little straighter, like dressing up boosts his confidence just a little—Enoch can't blame him. Though, on the other hand, he feels a bit silly all dressed up in his friend's suit. He'd feel silly dressed up in his own suit. He's never been much for dressing up, putting up a fight every time his parents told him to, wearing as casual as he can. Suits make him itch, feel suffocating in a way he can't even explain.

"Thanks for coming too." Elijah says as they're walking down the corridor. He hasn't stopped talking the entire way, though it's mostly been rambling about all the muggle movies he plans on watching when his Mother lets him out over the break. "Gee and Philip both said they had things on but I think they both really just didn't want to go. Can't say I blame them, it's going to be an absolute bore but appearances are important, I guess. Have to make those connections if I'm going to get anywhere in life."

"It's no problem." Enoch smiles, because it really isn't a problem. He's half curious about this 'Slug Club' anyway, to see what kind of thing gets landed with that kind of name. It's one unfortunate name, if you ask him.

"If it's really boring, I'm sure we'll be able to leave early. I don't think Slughorn likes me that much—likes my family more, like most people." Enoch frowns, goes to ask why but he doesn't even get a chance to speak. "There should be food. We can just scoff our faces and leave, maybe talk to some people. Harry Potter will probably be there."

"The Chosen One." Elijah hums affirmatively. "Why is he Chosen again?" The curly haired boy stares at him like he's insane for a second. Then he bursts out laughing.

"I can't imagine living a life not knowing about Harry Potter." The boy says once he's stopped laughing. "Harry Potter survived the killing curse. Apparently he's the one who can defeat You-Know-Who. He's been against him the whole time, but people have only just started listening to him recently."

"Why?"

"You-Know-Who came back." Elijah's voice is small and all Enoch can taste is vinegar. Waves and waves of it rolling off the other Hufflepuff, almost unbearably so. He can't help but shudder slightly, which makes Elijah pause. "Emotion thing?" Enoch nods, not fully used to them being in the know. "Sorry, it just... makes me nervous."

"It's alright, probably not the best pre-dinner topic anyway." Elijah shakes his head. Chatter starts to fill the corridor as they approach the room the party is being held at. The pair of them both get quieter as they join the party, both very clearly feeling out of place.

The pair spend most of it standing awkwardly at different spots of the room, moving about at random so they don't feel entirely stupid. Small snippets of conversation pass between them, punctuated by the scoffing of food Elijah promised. Enoch doesn't eat a lot, nervous to eat some of this fancy, unrecognisable food; he's been sticking to vegetable pasties all term, as they're safe.

The room—Slughorn's office, as Enoch learns—is surprisingly large and full of people the brunet barely recognises. Not only are there students, but random adults he assumes must be famous or associated with the teacher. Most seem to be sticking to group, talking and smoking amongst themselves, while the students do the same, only brought together when the host drags them.

"Benton! So glad you could make it." Slughorn calls out as he approaches the pair, right as Enoch shoves an pie into his mouth. The brunet stares at him, cheeks full like a chipmunk, and does his best to swallow his food before the teacher potentially addresses him as well. The large lump of food hurts as he swallows it, but at least he's not stuck talking with his mouthful.

Elijah looks absolutely uncomfortable as the older man places a hand on his shoulder, and Enoch can feel the emotions radiating from him, but he smiles politely all the same. The curly haired Hufflepuff compliments Slughorn on his party, getting a nod of agreement from Enoch.

"Who's this—Who did you bring to the party?"

"Enoch Desrosiers, sir." Enoch is quick to introduce himself. He's used to meeting strangers in busy parties—it's about the only setting he's quick to adjust to the mess of emotions. His parents frequently hold them, though they're always small and consist of close friends or workmates. He shakes hands with the teacher.

"Ah, yes, you're in my class, aren't you?" Enoch nods his head, not sure how to take this. "You wouldn't be related to Valerie Desrosiers, by any chance, would you?"

"Valérie Desrosiers is my grandmaman." In an instant, Slughorn's whole demeanour changes. His hand still rests on Elijah's shoulder but it's clear his interest lies on Enoch now. He smiles in a warm manner, some kind of glint in his eye.

"Oh, that makes you Odeda's son—how wonderful! I've never had the pleasure of meeting your family but, oh, the stories I've heard." Slughorn glances back at Elijah, talking to him now. He points at Enoch, "His grandmother took down a dragon all by herself, heavily pregnant too. And the dragon came out completely unharmed as well!"

While Enoch was unaware of his parents' claim to fame before attending Hogwarts, he'd known plenty of tales from his grandparents. This is mostly because their tales usually serve as good bedtime stories for an excitable boy. His mother, when tucking him in bed, would always tell him something his grandparents had done. And then, when they visited the manor in summer, his grandparents—especially his grandpapa, always full of stories—would tell him even more.

"An amazing woman, I've heard so many stories about her all the way over here. They works closely with Newton Scamander, don't they?"

"Sometimes. When they get a creature they can't take care of." Slughorn nods as though he already knew this, as though he hadn't just been asking for some kind of clarification only moments before. The old man's gaze travels across the room, before his eyes light up.

"You'll have to excuse me, I've just spotted someone I have to talk to." Neither boy is sad to see him go. "Wonderful to meet you properly, Enoch. Don't be a stranger. Say hello to your mother, Elijah." The Potions teacher then rushes off to the entrance, calling out, "Harry! Harry, m'boy!"

"Well he's a character, isn't it?" Elijah chuckles lightly as they watch him go, but Enoch can sense that something about him rubbed the curly haired boy the wrong way. But he doesn't push it, simply chuckling as well. He watches as Slughorn approaches the Chosen One with his pale haired partner, talking to him rather excitedly.

Elijah and Enoch are planning on leaving when it seems the final (unwanted) guest arrives. Filch interrupts the party and conversation, drawing most attention to him. Enoch sees the blond boy in his arms, tastes the lemon, and his attention is taken too. He watches as Filch speaks to Slughorn, looking far too happy. Draco, on the other hand, looks furious; the painful chilli only confirms this. He shoves himself away from the caretaker, glaring poisonous daggers at him.

"All right, I wasn't invited!" Enoch hears Draco spits over the general noise of the party. He's surprised, with what little knowledge he does possess, that a Malfoy wasn't good enough to make Slughorn's cut. Though, he's not quite sure what the requirements are exactly: he didn't make it either, and Slughorn seemed to like his grandparents.

Words pass between the teachers—Slughorn, Snape, Filch—and Draco. The blond Slytherin doesn't get any happier, even after Slughorn seems to dismiss the intrusion quite happily. All Enoch can taste is anger, sadness and fear, all rolling around his mouth—all radiating from Draco. And, in turn, all Enoch can feel is concern.

There's a moment, a brief second, when Draco's attention moves from the teachers surrounding him. Enoch is certain, though it's hard to tell from the distance, that they make eye contact. Maybe he just hopes they did. But, whether or not they did, there's a small flash of honey and a warmth in the pit of his stomach. The feeling goes as soon as it came, as soon as Draco looks up at the dark, greasy Head of Slytherin.

Enoch, along with Elijah, watches as Draco follows that same teacher out of the room. Harry Potter is almost seconds behind. The party quickly resumes as normal.

"Wonder what that was all about." Elijah pipes up, both boys still staring at the doorway. He gets a shrug from Enoch.

"Don't know..."

Draco doesn't know what it is but, not long after he's dragged in by Filch, with everyone staring at him—their eyes dragging all over him, and stupid Potter sticking his nose in something that doesn't concern him, as usual... not long after all that, he feels something. An unnatural warmth settling in his stomach, not unlike the feeling that remains after he's finished a bowl of soup or a hot drink. But he hasn't consumed either of those things recently. He hasn't even eaten since breakfast, which was a piece of toast; he's finding it harder to work up an appetite lately.

With the warmth feeling far too nice and comforting to be something that's originating inside of him, the blond quickly scans the room. Sure enough, there's a Hufflepuff very obviously staring at him; even at the distance, the concern in his eyes is noticeable. It's the same look he was given the first day they met, then again when they were in the sickbay together—a look that seems to be a common expression of his.

Whatever he's doing, Draco hopes it doesn't make him faint again.

He looks away quickly, both to avoid raising any suspicions and because he's being spoken to.

"I'd like a word with you, Draco." Professor Snape says, peering down at him. Draco doesn't like the way he's looking at him. He doesn't say anything, not wanting to make any more of a scene and give precious Potty more to talk about, but he does make sure to glare at Snape as he leaves the room.

The warmth leaves the second he does, and all he's left with is the usual cold. Normally he's used to it, able to ignore it, but now... Now he's had a taste of the warmth, he's not quite as willing to go back.

( AUTHOR'S NOTE )
Barely finished this in time for Christmas Eve. Not sure that bodes well for the rest of this December special. Apparently we're having a family-filled Christmas this year. You guys got many plans (if you celebrate)?

It's like half an hour til Christmas, I'm gonna go sleep now

Actually before I go, while I remember, a question:

Elijah's faceclaim (Tom Hiddleston), I love him but I'm not 100% sure he fits entirely. It might just be me being lazy, not wanting to constantly search for elusive gifs of Tom where he kinda looks young enough so, what do you guys think? Does he fit? Could someone else be better?