AU meme, out of schedule

[madam_rosmerta]

HARRY POTTER AU MEME You're a wizard! Or perhaps you're a magical creature or a ghost. More importantly, where do your loyalties lie? Are you the Dark Lord or one of the Death Eaters? Perhaps you teach at Hogwarts or work at the ministry. Are you a member of the Order of Phoenix? Are you a student in Hogwarts? In which house did the Sorting Hat place you? Leave a comment with your character's name and canon and your preferences in the title line. Then put down a few ideas about your character in your top level. Both AU characters and canon characters are welcome. List of prompts: (Choose from these or make up your own.) 1. HOGWARTS Are you a teacher or a student? Which house are you in? What subjects do you teach? Next week might be the most important quidditch match of the year and you're the team captain! Maybe you're the potions professor and someone just blew up their cauldron. 2. AURORS Are you a trainee? The head Auror who has been dueling with dark wizards all your adult life? A dark wizard? Catch you if we can! Or maybe you're an auror breaking curses in a Death Eater safehouse. 3. DIAGON ALLEY A bustling locale filled to the brim with wizarding shops and taverns. Are you a business owner? Perhaps you're a wand maker or a student buying your books for the next year in Hogwarts. Maybe you just want to get a shot of firewhiskey in the Three Broomsticks. 4. MINISTRY OF MAGIC Do you work here? You could be in the Department of Mysteries, handling a new case about vanishing cabinets. Or maybe you work in the misuse of muggle artifacts office, dispelling singing teacups or flying cars. Is it a busy day, a slow week, or just another day in the office? Maybe you're one of the gossips who just heard of the newest bit of juicy gossip. 5. THE OLDEST AND PUREST BLOOD Were you born to a pureblood family? Perhaps you're an heir of great, questionable fortune. Maybe you'd like nothing to do with your family who supports the Dark Lord. What if you fell in love with someone your family doesn't approve of? Or maybe both of your parents are muggle born and this is still all new to you. 6. FLYING There are great many ways to fly: broomsticks, hippogriffs, dragons. Take your pick and soar through the skies! 7. DUELING/SPELL CASTING What's the fun in being a wizard if you can't cast spells? Are you good at something specific? Do you use silent spells a lot? Perhaps you're the best dueler with a wand that's been seen for ages. Or maybe you're just starting out, and a spell just backfired in your face. 8. ST. MUNGO'S HOSPITAL FOR MAGICAL MALADIES AND INJURIES Did your spell go haywire? Did you stick a satsuma up your nostril? It happens. Happily there's a hospital for your needs. Or maybe you work there, healing all those poor and silly wizards who turn up in desperate need of your care. 9. AZKABAN A fortress island in the middle of the Northern sea, full of the most dangerous dark wizards. Are you a resident, or visiting? Watch out for those dementors! 10. POTIONS You brewed the best pick-me-up potion but something went wrong? Maybe you ended up purple in the face. Or you gave a love potion to the wrong person. Maybe you mixed your hangover potion with magical viagra? It happens. But now you have to deal with it. 11. MAGICAL CREATURES Do you work with dragons? Perhaps you have some giant blood in you. Or maybe you were bit by a werewolf and your first full moon is nearing. Maybe you found an injured unicorn. Or your house has become infested with boggarts. 12. WILD CARD Come up your own scenario.

Comments

[midship]

"Not so bad."

Apparently, he also knows the shades of Archie's smile. He practically feels the flash of nerves. It's oddly comforting, given the flutter in his own stomach.

"Shall we?"

[betteralready]

"Yes, let's."

He manages a grin at him as he grabs at his trunk again.

[midship]

Any other day, it would have been time to look for Bush. Any other trip, he would have been nearly brimming with the relief of having friends to talk to after the long silence of being home.

Today, his lower lip caught between his teeth, there's just a quiet sort of searching for a compartment near the back of the train. Today, he's unable to stop from checking repeatedly that Archie is still with him.

It would be better to be alone, he's fairly certain.

[betteralready]

There's nerves between the both of them. There's nerves that linger in the air. Archie can't help but be just a hint fretful as they slide into the compartment.

He waits until they're settled to ask, "Are you-- all right?"

[midship]

"--I am."

He'd tried to plot this out in his mind. He plots most of his life out, not infrequently partially out loud to the other young man in this very compartment.

It's all slipping away now, tongue knotted uncomfortably in his mouth.

[betteralready]

"Are you-- sure?"

He seems anxious, after all. Archie has always wanted to be able to help, when he's anxious.

[midship]

"I am."

He sounds a bit more certain of himself, this time, at least. His shoulders are lifted and arms are crossed uncomfortably, but there's something calm in the deliberation with which he speaks.

"Just-- lots of time to think."

[betteralready]

"Oh?" he asks with obvious curiosity, "What about?"

[midship]

"I don't know if-- you'd remember."

Maybe that would be for the best. Maybe it had all been an odd, terrible mistake. Maybe this would just fall to the side and things would go back to the way they were.

[betteralready]

"Remember what?"

And now Archie can't help the spark of his own nerves.

"Was it-- something I said? Are you mad at me?"

[midship]

Thank goodness he hadn't been on any rails to begin with. He imagines that would have thrown him off completely.

As it is, he simply needs a moment to blink.

"What? No, Archie. Why would I be mad at you?"

[betteralready]

A fretful shrug.

"Dunno." It's mostly the truth. He isn't certain, after all, if his own hinted words would even have been noticed enough to spark any anger, "Just-- you weren't writing as much, and you seemed-- upset."

[midship]

"Merlin, Archie, no. That wasn't-- I'm not upset. I was-- thinking. That's all."

He isn't sure how much better that makes it. He leans forward very carefully onto his knees.

"About last year. We-- made Amortentia in Potions."

[betteralready]

Having Horatio settle has him following suit, a small frown still on his lips. There's a flicker of hope in his chest for the comment, but it doesn't stop his nerves.

"--Yeah?"

[midship]

It's impossible to feel fully still. His fingers fidget, lower lip briefly worried between his teeth.

"Do you? Think-- about that?"

[betteralready]

A nervous little nod.

"--I do, yeah."

[midship]

"Really?"

Of course it isn't impossible. With any luck, it's likely.

It still brings a confused patter to his own heart rate.

[betteralready]

"Yeah."

A somewhat shy smile.

"What-- part have you been thinking about?"

[midship]

That's a somewhat new smile. It briefly requires proper study and attention, his brow furrowing slightly with the same intent consideration usually reserved for a new spell or a tricky potion.

"I was so worried about how it-- didn't have a strong scent."

[betteralready]

"Yeah," he says with a still-nervous smile, "Did you-- figure out why?"

Merlin, he hopes so.

[midship]

"I-- I suppose--"

There's no more plotting. There's no more planning. There's no more sorting through to find the right words.

"I've been thinking that it must-- mean I'm quite fond of your soap."

It's a good effort, surely.

[betteralready]

A soft, bright laugh, his eyes merry.

"And did you-- smell my soap in the-- Amortentia, then?"

[midship]

It's a friendly laugh. It's a friendly look.

It could be the prelude to a gentle brushing off, of course. Horatio is aware enough of his own failings in reading cues, after all. There's always the off-chance that he's completely misread the letters--that he's failed to catch something and is building toward disappointment.

The thought keeps caution in his features, something nervous in his shoulders. "Is that-- all right, Archie?"

[betteralready]

His smile gets even softer, his nod a touch eager.

"I-- yeah, Horatio. It-- really is." A beat, before he adds, nervous in his own right, "If it-- is with you."

That will never stop being devestatingly crucial to him.

[midship]

He needs a steadying breath. His fingers shift but don't quite untangle from themselves, not quite ready to actually shift forward.

"I... I think so."

It's less terrifying to contemplate with Archie looking pleased about it.