←O-O→

Q U E N T I N

Someone rapped on the train window. I put my book down and pushed my glasses back up, unsurprised that it was Caro wanting a shortcut. She waved from the other side, smiling charmingly in a yellow-striped sundress.

Wrapped around her suitcase handle was her corn snake, which I'd met earlier this summer. It was red, white, and orange and called Chorizo, which meant sausage in Spanish and proved she had a problem.

Nevertheless, it was better than all the food names I'd imagined.

Next to her was her brother, holding Taco's leash and staring into the compartment a little mournfully. He was eleven now.

I opened the window. "Hey Caro, Julio."

"Sup, Q?" Julio stuck his head inside, brown hair curly but neat, unlike his sister's. "Did you know I'd be going to Hogwarts this year if I wasn't a Squib? I've never been more depressed. Proper crying in the shower and everything."

Caro swatted his arm. "You can't keep saying that to get free candy!"

"Aww," he slumped against the windowsill and lifted his head at me pitifully, "can I have some anyway? I'm starving and need a pick-me-up."

"Sorry," I said, spreading my hands. "I haven't got any yet."

"How about money?"

I almost checked my pockets but resisted in time. "Er...no."

He made a face at me. I was thinking that this guy couldn't possibly be more dangerous than Caro, but then I remembered that he'd convinced his parents that Taco was at home for months — without magic.

Just as I realized this, he lifted Taco and held him in my face. "How could you say no to him, man? I can't believe you." And to my horror, he plopped Taco beside me and commanded, "Eyes, Taco."

Taco placed a paw on my leg and stared up at me with eyes of pure distilled sorrow. My heart had already shattered, but it didn't stop there.

"Beg," Julio commanded, and Taco got on his hind legs to shake his clasped paws at me, and began to whimper.

Oh no. His manipulation tactics were very similar to Caro's. I was already on the verge of selling my soul.

Xavier appeared beside them, and he pulled Julio out by the back of his shirt. "If you keep doing this, someone will eventually steal the dog. Put your money back, Quentin."

I pocketed it and got some last pats into Taco before Julio seized him. That was close. Julio fist-bumped Xavier. "Have a good time in magic school, X."

Xavier nodded respectfully. "Thank you. Enjoy boarding school."

Julio walked off, and Taco barked a happy farewell. I tried to telepathically tell Taco I'd die for him.

"Hey!" Caro shouted after her brother. "What about me? Wish me a good time too!"

"You're not as cool!"

"¿Me estás jodiendo? Xavier has never been 'cool' in his entire life!"

Julio disappeared through the barrier with a wave, and Caro huffed and puffed for a while. And because she never stayed the same for more than a few seconds, brightened again and carefully placed her trunk inside before starting to climb in herself.

Once she was seated, Xavier squinted at the window. He was obviously analyzing the situation and finding the best movement to maximize dignity.

He eventually came in the same way as her, nearly dropping his suitcase on his foot. Right after I laughed, he gave me a once-over. "Wow, you're still short."

"Because I'm sitting down." But I also wasn't about to stand up and prove anything, because I could tell he was still unfairly taller than me by a few inches.

Xavier sat next to me and looked at the top of my head, doing mental measurements. He met my eyes to find me glaring at him, and he smirked. "Nice glasses."

I blinked. "Oh, thanks."

←O-O→

On the first of October, Xavier and I did our homework on the empty stands of the Quidditch pitch. Caro was not, because I was doing her essay for the final time. She wanted me to imitate her loopy handwriting like in that new Heathers film, and I did my best.

Xavier was on the verge of a seizure the first time he saw me do this. "That's an entire essay you're making him write for you."

"I worked hard that entire year," Caro had said back.

"In one class!"

"And look at me now! Low effort, high profit. You would usually be proud."

She was currently under the stands, hissing with her corn snake in the grass.

Xavier held his star chart up to the evening sky as if it that would bestow him with knowledge. He seemed frustrated as he lowered it. "Do you think Astronomy is a useless subject?"

I readied myself for the hundredth argument about this topic. "No. It's great for astronomists, and it can be used for navigating, Potions, Herbology, and every branch of divination."

He was not impressed in the slightest. "I noticed that you like defending things."

I shrugged, really just proud that I'd laid out all my points within five seconds.

"Anyway, this is what I'm really asking: what's the constellation of the bow and arrow guy called?"

"Sagitarrius," I answered promptly.

"No, no," he said, showing the map to me. "I wrote that one already. See?"

"That one's Orion. The other's Sagittarius."

He scribbled them onto the worksheet. "Why are there two bow and arrow guys?"

"The word is 'archer', and Orion actually carries a shield and club, which is probably why you couldn't find it."

Xavier frowned. "I can't believe you still remember this stuff. It's been a year."

I felt embarrassed. "I guess my brain only remembers random useless facts."

"Huh," he said, not looking at me, "you're pretty smart."

The compliment was unexpected. "Oh. Thanks."

"XAVIER!" Caro yelled.

He rolled his eyes so hard that his pupils briefly disappeared. "Yes, Caro?"

"Can you help me find food for Chorizo?"

"Yeah, okay." He shoved his things into his bag and started climbing down. "Quent, it's getting dark and I don't know how long it'll take. We'll meet you at the library later."

"I can come too," I protested.

Xavier gave me a disbelieving look. "Are you okay with kidnapping a baby mouse and letting a snake devour it?"

"...Not really."

"Then go to the library. Penelope might be there, so better hurry."

I went red. "STOP."

←O-O→

Penelope really was there, and she raised her eyes as I walked by the shelf she leaned on. "Hi Quentin."

I couldn't stop getting surprised every time she greeted me, and I let out a small "hi."

She grinned like she could sense my fluster, then raised the book in her hands. Magic's Role in Muggle Epics: Iliad to the Gilgamesh.

"Do the cool glasses thing," she urged, pointing at the last word.

I obliged, staring hard at the word until the definition appeared next to it as my glasses worked their magic. Xavier was right to tell me I should bring them.

Gilgamesh | ˈɡɪlɡəmɛʃ |
n. a Babylonian epic; the subject is a king's quest for immortality.

After I reported the definition to her, she hmm-ed, "Impressive. Thanks, Quentin. You're very helpful." She patted my shoulder and walked off, curly blonde hair swinging.

That interaction would sustain me for the rest of the day, and I was at peace.

At least until I turned the corner and saw Louisa Skull walking in my direction.

I hustled to the section I'd originally planned to visit, keeping myself busy so I didn't have to acknowledge her. But to my revulsion, she actually spoke to me. "Quentin!"

I gave her a passive-aggressive nod of greeting, and she indicated the shelf with a tilt of her head, "What are you doing in this dodgy section?"

It was the part dedicated to the history leading up to the Statute of Secrecy, and some accounts of Muggles working with wizards. None of it should make my pulse race, but this was Louisa. I should have picked a different aisle. "Er, I'm just doing some extra reading."

"For Muggle Studies," she correctly guessed, curling her lip in distaste. "Why would you take a class for blood traitors?"

I stared hard at the book titles, trying to block out her voice. "That's not all it is."

"Right. It is also a free pity credit for Mudbloods because they can't do magic well."

I faced her. "Don't say that word. Purebloods aren't automatically better at magic, and plenty of Ministry jobs require an O.W.L. in Muggle Studies. It's not about you and making your life harder."

She scoffed, though she did seem taken aback that I was attacking her with my prepared speech. "We should not have to accommodate for Muggles," she scorned. "They give us nothing but trouble if you ask me."

"I'm not asking."

Louisa pulled a history book out of the shelf, and she flipped through it randomly. "I always wondered why you people are so obsessed with Muggle rights and whatnot. I suppose the Fernándezes weren't smart enough for a job outside activism, and the Columbuses make money from Muggle banks. But you? Your parents just work at Flourish and Blotts. Why on earth would you care?"

I was unnerved that she knew so much, but I stayed and answered anyway. "Because I'm a decent human being. The same goes for my friends."

Louisa ripped a page out of the book, and I flinched. She crumpled it up and dropped it on the ground. "Your parents are Muggle-borns. That is why you care. And you call yourself a half-blood to grab as much of the benefits as you can. But it is not your fault, you know. You were not the one who took magic."

I was in disbelief, and I definitely did not rehearse this argument enough. "That's not — you're crazy."

She gave me an odd look. "I am telling you that it is not too late to give it back. To fix your parents' mistake and return the magic. There are Squibs out there because of people like your parents."

"Well," I said haltingly, "if it's possible to steal magic, the Squibs should just steal it back. But that's never happened."

Louisa let out a cross between a scoff and a laugh. "Because so-called Muggle-borns are skilled enough to have stolen it in the first place. They could easily protect themselves. There are studies, you know, that Muggle-borns know more defensive spells than the average wizard."

"Maybe it's because they're attacked all the time."

"Seriously? Muggles and Muggle-borns get all the laws protecting them. Even though they were the ones burning us at the stake. That Gryffindor ghost was beheaded by Muggles! Remember?"

I hated when they brought up this point, because it almost made sense.

"You can't even argue with me," she snapped. "Sir Nicholas made a minor mistake he could have fixed. But they took his wand and locked him in a dungeon, where he cried the whole night. Even though they had a blunt axe, they did the unimaginable and tried to execute him anyway. It took FORTY-FIVE SWINGS for him to die. FORTY-FIVE."

"Yeah but that was centuries ago."

"So we should what, just get over it?"

"No, I-I mean, everything was different back then. Wizards did terrible things too. And are you forgetting that You-Know-Who and his followers committed mass genocide on Muggles only a few years ago?"

"They weren't the majority, idiot. My family never agreed with him. Do you think every pureblood family just wants to murder and enslave people?"

"But it's that mindset that caused it to happen."

"You're actually disgusting," she scowled. "I gave you a chance."

I picked up the crumpled page and Repaired it, shoving it back into place. I turned to her, "Try and take my magic then. Maybe then your grades can compete with mine."

For the first time, her face became flushed with colour. I wanted to get the last word this time, so I ended the conversation myself by walking away.

When she was out of earshot, I sighed in relief and gave myself a high-five.

←O-O→

"Did something happen?" Caro asked me when she and Xavier returned, and he looked up with concern. "You look like the Bloody Baron just yelled at you."

"Oh no," Xavier said, his eyes mockingly wide. "Did Penelope reject you? Shame, I like her."

"No," I groaned, momentarily distracted. "And you only like her because she said you were smart once. I tell you that all the time!"

He raised his eyebrows. "You say that as if I don't like you."

Caro spoke up, "I also think you are very very smart, Xavier."

"Yeah, still hate you."

The topic was about to veer away as they argued, and I had acted like everything was okay, so I cut in, "It's about Louisa."

My friends' expressions went serious. Caro lowered her snake. "What did she do?"

"She was bothering me."

"How exactly?" Xavier narrowed his eyes, intuitive as always. "She bothers everyone all the time, but you're acting a lot weirder."

Both of my friends could read me too well, and they knew I was much more freaked out than I was letting on. "Louisa found out about my parentage. Maybe she heard us talking about it. I don't know."

Xavier shrugged. "If that's all, then ignore her. Your parents are badass, and her opinion of Muggle-borns isn't worth a Knut."

"Yeah," Caro rolled her eyes, "I heard her say wizards shouldn't have to help Muggles. Even if there's a pandemic or a natural disaster. I'm glad she's got no friends to influence."

"Okay," I said slowly. "Yeah, that's wrong. But I could kind of see why she.... well, she brought up the witch trials."

Xavier glared at me. "What is this? In those witch trials, all wizards were burned, Muggle-borns included. We all suffered together. Even then, wizards constantly tested horrific spells and potions on Muggles. Muggles went missing all the time, got turned into animals and slaves, and lived in fear. But wizards don't want to talk about that, and want to convince themselves that Muggles were afraid of witchcraft for no reason."

"Okay. Yeah."

"Who do you think holds the power, Quentin? Wizards or Muggles? Which was more justified to be afraid? Right, Muggles."

Carolina nodded. "Quentin, so much of the hate for Muggle-borns stems from the idea that they stole their magic. Which isn't true. Honestly, you're a bit too understanding sometimes."

I was relieved and didn't say anything else. It was stupid of me to bother trying to see Louisa's perspective.

←O-O→

Louisa was off my mind by the time Care of Magical Creatures started, and I was trying to get Penelope to talk to me. It was true that starting the conversation myself would be much more efficient, but in this way I was assured that she wasn't busy or annoyed with me.

"Here you go, Quent."

WAIT I WASN'T READY.

She was already holding out the gloves Professor Kettleburn was handing out. Placing myself strategically behind her had worked better and faster than I anticipated.

"Thanks." I managed to unfreeze and take them. Then, forcing myself to take the chance before I lost it, I burst out, "Want to be partners?"

Penelope turned to look questioningly at her friend, who shrugged and said, "I can work with Zoha."

She grinned at me. "Sure."

Behind her, Caro was pretending that she'd been shot in the heart, and I tried to telepathically tell her to stop it before her performance made me feel bad.

Penelope volunteered to get the Streeler and rushed off to the fenced-off area. A moment later, she returned with a huge bright blue shell.

We spent the rest of the class lying on the ground, coaxing the Streeler out of its shell and collecting its slime.

She nudged me. "You have a really calming voice, did you know?"

I tried to shrink into my robes. "Thanks," I said, mouth muffled by my collar. I figured I should compliment her back but wasn't sure where to start.

Penelope started talking about her day, and I found out that she was really into a Muggle band called Genesis. When I told her that I'd heard one song from them and that it was cool, she freaked out and made me promise to listen to every album when I got the chance.

She didn't seem that interested in Agatha Christie though. She said she'd watch one of the film adaptations, which I figured was good enough.

Class ended, and we'd made a lot of progress on the Streeler while we talked. Or more accurately, while she talked at me and I hung onto every word.

"That was fun," Penelope said warmly. She took off her stained gloves and ruffled my hair. "We should keep doing this."

"Yeah," I said while my thoughts went YESSS.

Professor Kettleburn was struggling with the large pail that everyone had scraped their slime into. To everyone's astonishment, Louisa offered to carry it to Snape's office so he could bottle it up while Kettleburn returned the Streelers to the Dark Forest.

"Of course!" the professor beamed, handing her the bucket. "Thank you, Louisa. And remember, don't use any magic to make it easier to carry — that could damage its properties! Now off you go."

Louisa nodded and dragged the pail a couple of feet before looking straight at me. "Help me out, Quentin?"

I froze in surprise. Penelope glared at her and said, "What, so now you're making sure it's someone you don't like who has to take it?"

"I will carry it too," Louisa snapped. "Come on, Quentin. Be a gentleman."

Resolutely, I shook my head. "Yeah, I don't think so."

"Quentin?" Professor Kettleburn stared at me with surprise. "Help Louisa, please. It's quite heavy."

Great, this teacher would hate me if I refused. I faked a smile. "Okay, sure."

Penelope shrugged and patted my shoulder. "I've got Transfiguration. See you at dinner, Quent. Good luck."

Thankfully, Caro stayed to accompany me. Louisa laughed at this. "If it isn't the little activist. Here to advocate for him?"

"I'm not an activist," Caro muttered. Then she seemed to regret her defensiveness. "It's a noble job though."

"Don't talk to her," I told her. I wanted to get this delivery over with, and it would go smoother if we didn't argue.

Carolina huffed and stayed silent, but Louisa wasn't done goading. "Poor little Fernández. Maybe you should check on your poor little serpent."

My friend's face fell. "What? What do you mean?"

Louisa's lip curled. "Not a great lock you've got on little terrarnium. That's all I'm saying."

Carolina edged towards the castle, hands shaking. "If you've done something to my baby, you'll never live to hear the end of it. Quent, I'm sorry, but I've got to —"

"Yeah, go," I urged. "And hurry."

She was quickly out of sight. I was still stuck with the bucket of Streeler slime, but maybe I should ditch it with Louisa. Snape and my next class be damned, now I had to see if Chorizo was okay.

But Louisa yanked on the pail, pulling me back until we were at a standstill. "Quent," she said mockingly, "do you know what Muggles threw at witches? What they throw at each other?"

"I don't care," I snapped.

"Acid. The answer is acid." And she hurled a bucketful of poisonous slime at my face.

Sizzling filled my ears as I sank down, all my energy going into fighting the agony of my flesh being eaten away by liquid fire.

I felt her boot slam into my side, and I nearly threw up. The bile was another set of acid going up my throat.

I didn't know what to do. My eyelids were burning and I couldn't see. My mouth was covered in lava. And it hurt too much to run. I was terrified that if I touched my face it would only be bone left.

Louisa didn't seem to know what to do either. And she stood over me, nervously panting. "Tell me you stole your magic," she ordered. "Just — just nod."

I wasn't an idiot. Pride could wait, and I nodded.

She leaned over me, so close that her voice filled all space. "I can't stand you, Quentin. Go back to the world you belong in!"

I slapped her in the face, and she shrieked. Then she let out a small gasp as a voice bellowed, "GLACIUS!"

A blast of cool hair swept past me, and Louisa struggled and screamed. "COLUMBUS, UNFREEZE ME THIS INSTANT."

"There's no time for you," Xavier said. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up.

His response to my injuries was not reassuring: "Oh... yikes. Come on, Quent. This way."

Xavier guided me inside the castle with determined efficiency. I could hear a few lone students hanging around and chatting, and he purposely placed himself between us until we made it to the Hospital Wing.

Madam Pomfrey tutted and ushered me onto a bed before casting a few spells. I heard bottles clinking in the back as they magically made potions.

Xavier sat next to me, his elbow touching my side so I could tell he was there. "You'll be fine," he said. And then, knowing what I'd ask, explained, "I met Caro on her way in and she told me to go find you. Had a bad feeling, I guess."

Caro came running in moments later; I recognized her light quick footfalls. "Quentin!" she gasped. "Oh God, I'm so sorry I left! I didn't think she'd do this!"

"He doesn't blame you," Xavier said, saving me from trying to speak.

Carolina sat beside me and took my wrist, probably looking at the acid that had burned my palm. "Does it hurt a lot?"

"Not much now," I replied. Madam Pomfrey had smeared on some paste that cooled my skin. "It's just itchy."

Xavier stood up. "I'm going to deal with Louisa." I nodded and heard him walk away.

Madam Pomfrey dripped something into my eyes, and slowly the pain in them cleared and I could see. The first thing I saw was Caro's messy hair, but she was too busy staring at my hand to notice.

"Stay still," Madam Pomfrey scolded, and smoothed out the paste. She handed me a potion. "Drink this slowly. It'll heal the rest."

I sipped it, and I watched the skin knit back together on my palm, then smooth over.

Caro looked up at me, smiling tightly. "You're back to normal."

"You're normal, too. And this wasn't your fault."

Tears came to her eyes, and one fell past her cheek to the burn on her neck. "Sorry," she sniffled. "This isn't about me. I'm just glad you're okay. And Chorizo is fine, by the way."

Of course he was. She gave me a side hug, and I patted her hair.

Xavier took so long that Caro went to check on him, and she returned to report that he was still in the Headmaster's office, giving Dumbledore an earful of what Louisa had done.

I wished he'd leave it alone and hurry back.

Eventually, I escaped Madam Pomfrey's dozens of checkups — "no, I didn't swallow any" — and we met up with him on the stairwell to Dumbledore's office.

He looked me over. "You okay now?"

"Yeah. Almost like nothing happened."

"Did it hurt a lot?"

"It was like, a seven I guess. On a scale of one to ten."

Xavier grimaced and looked away. "Dumbledore said that if you want to talk to him, his door is always open. And if it makes you feel any better, Louisa wasn't going to kill you."

That dark thought had been lingering in my mind, and to have it expelled made me feel better. At least Louisa didn't hate me enough to murder me.

Caro asked, "What's going to happen to her?"

Xavier shrugged. "Well, I recommended expulsion, but I don't know if the old man will listen to me. Honestly, she wouldn't even lose her wand."

Considering he'd seen half my face melted off, his nonchalance made me suspicious, and Caro looked concerned, too.

I said, "Don't feel guilty. You had barely any time to find me."

"Yeah," Caro agreed. "If anything, I'm the one who should blame herself."

"It's not that," Xavier said. "She said a lot of things about you, Quentin, and about how Hogwarts is too good of a school to have it overflow with Muggle-borns. Caro and I weren't exactly popular in our old Muggle school, you know. Rich kids and all that. So we know no matter how much you know it's not true, it's hard not to feel like it is."

I thought if he kept talking I was going to start crying, so I quickly cut in, "Thanks. That means a lot."

"So, I guess, Louisa is very wrong, but don't beat yourself up if you still care about what she thinks."

"Okay okay," I said, desperately trying to keep the tears in.

Xavier sighed and opened his arms.

My eyes widened, "Is that — are you —?"

"Yes, now hurry up."

I quickly hugged him before he could change his mind. I've never hugged him before, and he was surprisingly good at it until he started robotically patting my back.

Caro joined in from the other side. "I love you guys."








Yeahhh I've finally updated this, after it was sitting in the drafts for years getting revised every month 😂

Lemme know what you think! Future chapters will be more light-hearted.

Fun fact - 'chorizo' is also modern slang for 'thief'