The Boundary of Magic

Chapter 19: Socks

"They're cute together, aren't they?" said Perce, as they strolled.

"Merlin, yes they are. They're probably one of the most famous couples in Hogwarts." Subash grinned. "I heard the Hufflepuff common room went crazy when Parker sneaked in and turned Pattinson's nose into a balloon on his birthday, and popped it."

Perce chortled. "Talking of birthdays - you still haven't told me who told you about my birthday." His eyes narrowed.

"Why are you pressing?"

"I assumed it was my dad because he's certainly the only human who would remember, but when I asked him last summer, he looked as ignorant as a rock." Perce said. "So now, spill the beans. I want to - why on earth are you laughing, you cabbage-loving flobberworm?"

"Oh God - wait - wait a second -" Subash laughed. It took one punch from Perce to cease his fits of laughter. "Okay, okay, well - we wrote to your dad around last December, hoping your birthday hadn't passed already, since there's a very high chance you forgot about it."

"Why in Merlin's name would -"

"You were literally eating up the library. We were worried you forgot even your name, and one day McGonagall would call you 'Jordan!' and you would be staring at the wall like a bread loaf -"

"Oh for Merlin's sake, you're exaggerating. I spent only about - six hours a day, on average. That's alright."

"Kill me."

"But go on, you were talking about a letter to my father?"

"I wasn't narrating a bedtime story. We wrote to him and he told us, that's it. Oh and he also added that it's impossible to surprise you - I entirely forgot to write to him telling how bloody baffled his son was, I think Roger did -"

"Wait, my dad told you?" Perce stopped in his tracks.

Subash carried a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Yes, you realize that now? Oh Merlin, I so love your father."

"Yes, I hate him too. Alright now, I'm writing to him. Come with me."

Subash laughed till the point Perce threatened to hex his hair off.

"I had actually planned to surprise you all on my birthday. That stupid Ravenclaw -" Perce sighed as he led Subash to the common room.

"That's an anti moron or whatever you call that."

"Oxymoron."

"Okay, you moron."

Perce punched him again.

"What was your grand surprise anyway?"

"Not saying." Perce received a cold glare from his friend.

Subash failed in trying to extract any information from Perce. The exchange ended in a groan from the former. The walk was not a long one; they entered the common room after uttering the password ("Salazar"). Subash promptly seated himself in one of the couches, while Perce picked up a spare quill to write his letter. Subash was prepared to protest in hunger, since he expected nothing less than two scrolls of parchment from Perce as he expressed all his emotion and feelings of betrayal. Before he could open his mouth, however, Perce had folded the parchment. Stunned, Subash then peeked to read what Perce had penned.

"Dear loving father,

I HATE YOU.

Yours sincerely,
Perce

P. S. No birthday gift for you this year."

Subash guffawed. "Merlin, that's cold."

Perce just raised his eyebrows.