hogwarts au

[keythatconnects]

Sora was fifteen and it was his first day at Hogwarts. Students usually had their first days when they were eleven, but Sora had been taught by teachers back home. He had only transferred to Hogwarts the moment it was possible. He knew it would take some getting used to, but it was worth it to see more of the world. England was so utterly different than the Islands.

He felt like he was doing well, though, all things considered. He was even managing being away from his dearest friends once everyone retired to their common rooms. At least the Hufflepuff common room was cozy and comfortable and everyone had made him feel welcome.

The morning he had caught up with his friends before heading to his first class.

He was trying to find the potions room now, and he felt completely lost. He knew the class was in the dungeons, but the whole castle felt like a maze. He was probably going to be late, and that made him feel frustrated. He was terrible at potions, it required too much patience, and he was going to give the professor reason to dislike him right off the bat by being late.

Maybe someone nearby would be willing to give him directions?

Comments

[findingheart]

Riku mostly picks at his own food, not minding that he's being used as a leaning post. His side is warm, and that's kind of nice. He finishes chewing the roasted potato in his mouth before replying.

"Double Transfiguration, Magical Theory, Divination, Potions.. and a free study period..You?"

[keythatconnects]

"Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, and Muggle Studies." He knew it was probably unrealistic to hope that they might have a class together. Riku seemed older, they were probably in different years.

"It should be a pretty easy day for me. Maybe that's to make up for how horrible today was." Then, after a moment, because he doesn't want to dwell on memories of the dungeon and how terrible he was at Potions. "Say, can I ask you a favor that you can totally say no to if you don't want to do it?"

[findingheart]

"Some days are easier than others, depending on what classes are happening and for what year. Tuesdays are usually my light days, though I have Quidditch practice in the afternoon."

Riku sits up straighter, looking at Sora quizzically. "Sure?"

[keythatconnects]

Sora's face brightened a bit. "That's exactly what I wanted to ask you about," he confessed. "Quidditch, I mean. It's really popular here isn't it? But I've never seen a game. I don't even know if I fully understand the rules." He wasn't sure why that felt embarrassing, but here he was smiling in a slightly embarrassed way and rubbing the back of his head.

"Do you think... Could you teach me?"

[findingheart]

"The rules are pretty simple. There's a game between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw over the weekend. I can explain them there. It's easier to explain it when everything is in play."

He doesn't mind, really. For those who aren't familiar with it, it can be confusing, but Riku honestly loves it. He feels at home on a broomstick, flying the field.

[keythatconnects]

"So I'll meet you before the game and we can sit together?" Sora asks, feeling pleased with the idea that he has a plan on how to deal with missing something that seems so important to others.

"You won't mind if I ask a lot of questions?"

[findingheart]

"Answering a lot of questions comes with the territory, I'm used to it."

Not simply about quidditch, but in general about a lot of things. It can't be his approachable face, because it's generally a sour expression. It's good that Sora isn't put off by that.

[keythatconnects]

Sora seems beyond pleased with how willing Riku is to help him. "Thank you, Riku," he says with a smile. "I can't tell you how much I feel like I've been missing out when people talk about it. I know it's a really big deal, but my island has been pretty closed off for generations now.

We're lucky we even have brooms. You'd think they would have banned them for fear that we'd use them to fly away."

[findingheart]

"Your island doesn't let you fly them? Why not?"

He sounds incredulous, because honestly, it sounds stupid, having magic and not being able to fly. He's privileged because he was born into a mostly-magical family, so Riku grew up flying broomsticks and playing 'quidditch' in the backyard with fallen apples.

[keythatconnects]

"Oh, no! I can fly brooms. We race them mostly. I was just being ornery," he explains, chuckling a bit at the use of that word.

"That's what my mom calls it when I talk about wanting to leave the island. I think if the mayor thought he could get away with it, he probably would ban brooms because he'd be worried one of us would use them to fly away. He can't because too many people use them, but I could see him try it."

[findingheart]

"Oh." Riku shrugs. "Still..Can't imagine living on an island cut off from everything."

He and his family live just outside of Edinburgh, so they're fairly close to everything.

[keythatconnects]

"I bet you'd be going just as stir crazy as I was," Sora teased lightly. "But, this does mean I get to rope you into teaching me about Quidditch so I'll call that a win in my book."

[findingheart]

"Yeah. Maybe sometime I can take you out on the Quidditch pitch."

[keythatconnects]

"Careful, once I know the rules I bet I'll be great at it, and then you'll be beaten by a newbie and how embarrassing will that be," Sora challenged with good spirit. He didn't mean the threat entirely seriously, but it was nice to have someone around to tease.

[findingheart]

"If I'm beaten by a newbie, I'll deserve to be off the team."

Riku sounds cocky, but he's pretty damn confident in his abilities as Keeper. Not a lot gets past him, but if Sora was good? Maybe he could use an edge in practice. Riku smirks at him, his face lighting up.

[keythatconnects]

"Or maybe it means that I deserve to be on the team too," Sora joked. He felt his face heat up a bit at the sight of Riku's smile. The way his features seemed to brighten with the expression made his chest feel a little tight.

"I think I have the basics of the rules down. I just feel like maybe there's more to it that I'm missing because I've never seen a game before."

[findingheart]

"Yeah, maybe. We'll have to see how you do- don't get too cocky." Riku shrugs, resting his chin in his hand. "Don't worry, you'll catch on pretty easy.

[keythatconnects]

Sora beamed at Riku, a smile spreading across his face. "I sure hope so," he said.

They were nearing the end of the meal now, and Sora realized he couldn't spend all night with the Slytherins. They typically tried to get people to sleep in their own dorm rooms.

"So... I should probably head back," he said, with some disappointment in his voice. "You promise you won't forget to teach me about Quidditch though?"