End of Sallow

Will I ever make a sound?

He was still in a good mood, much to Garlick's frustration.

"Again!"

He was flying, trying to catch a bubble. A floating bubble that blended in with the sky and everything else, while at the same time, Garlick was sending clogs of mud over at him. He tried to avoid the mud as much as he could as he tried to find and pop the bubble.

It was difficult. It was challenging. But he was in a hurry. He was missing DADA and Charlie. This was one of his least favorite punishments from Garlick, and she knew it. But he thrived today.

"Fine, get out of here," she muttered as he popped the bubble with the tip of his finger for the fifth time. "Go shower."

Not a chance in hell. He was already late. And he wanted to see Charlie.

He sped to the locker room to store his broom before he raced across the pitch, through the courtyard and up the stairs into the castle.

When he got to Snape's room, he might have enthusiastically thrown open the door, which slammed back against the wall.

Whoops.

All heads spun towards him, which unfortunately meant he could only barely get a glimpse of Charlie, something inside of him feeling relieved at the sight of her before he was looking at Snape and striding forward.

"Mr. Hawke," Snape drawled, looking annoyed. "Nice of you to finally join us. Did you want to get yours over with?"

As if he had a choice. He pulled out his wand as he came to stand at the front of the room, where Snape released the Boggart. He watched as the man that haunted his every moment, asleep or awake, stepped out, yanking a knife out of the make shift cane he'd hide it in if he were ever forced out into public.

It was a mix between modern Podex and the past Podex who'd stabbed him in the stomach. He swallowed back every emotion it brought in him when Podex uttered some horrid thing or another and cast the spell that would make the knife turn into squirting flowers.

Appeased, Snape threw the boggart back into the wardrobe. "Hawke, my office so we can discuss your detention for being late." She said without even looking at him as the rest of the class stood to leave.

Fuck.

He sighed, tilting his head ever so slightly to see Charlie looking at him with a worried expression. He pushed away the urge to stop and talk to her for a moment, fixed his expression and walked into Snape's office, keeping the door cracked.

"Why are you covered in mud?"

"Garlick. Quidditch."

Snape stared at him before shaking her head. "I don't even care, she keeps you lot winning, that's all that matters, despite her... unusual methods."

Theo said nothing. Waiting. Snape sighed. "You'll be gone the whole weekend then?"

"Yes," he lied easily. He didn't care if he was caught in that lie, he was not going to give Podex a reason to summon him on his birthday.

"Why? Podex will want an update."

"He'll get one."

"How?"

"Monday. I need to do as much as I can, gathering information. He'll get it Monday."

Snape glared at him but sighed, having nothing else she could do or say. She rubbed at her forehead. "Fine. It's not like I can change anything anyway. Go."

"I so enjoy our talks," Theo muttered as he turned and walked out of the room, keeping his pace calm and casual, though he was jittery. He almost groaned in frustration when he saw Grace waiting for him at the door. But she seemed to be annoyed, talking to someone before she rolled her eyes and looked to him. Then she smiled.