Septem - Sidemen/Harry Potter fan fiction

Stones

Instead of directing the first years straight to their common rooms, after the feast they were allowed to congregate outside the doors of the Great Hall, shivering slightly in the poorly heated entrance. A light draught blew through the gap beneath the main door and the stone floor, causing the candles to flicker in their stands. The individual routes to the different common rooms were lit by coloured flames, directing Slytherins towards the dungeons and the rest of the school towards the moving staircases.

Tucked away to one corner, Josh and Vikk stood with Stephen, the three introverted students doing their best to avoid the eye contact of the groups of first years that had started to form like wolf packs. Despite Vikk's tendency to ramble in social situations, he in no way enjoyed the idea of speaking in a whole group, often allowing his tongue to run away with itself until his stammering ceased, a deep red coating his flaming cheeks. Josh was more than happy to stay with the two quieter members of his year group, especially seeing as they were muggle-born. It was hard, coming from his background, not to have a negative opinion of every wizard and witch he came into contact with; his judgement well and truly clouded by his dad's abandonment.

Simon, who was on good terms with the brown haired boy named Will, happily performed for the half-blood wizard, telling tales of growing up in a wizarding family, shocked to hear of the magic ban in the other's house. Eventually, the two separated and Simon watched Will approach Stephen, his eyes occasionally wandering to the pale skinned boy who stood with Vikk and the ginger.

"Alright Stephen?" Will checked mildly as he reached the three boys, nodding to the other two in greeting, "It's a shame we aren't in the same house, eh?" The shorter boy nodded, his eyes trailing off sadly and fixating on a flickering candle on the other side of the room, causing Will to frown in concern, backtracking on his words.

"Not that there's anything wrong with it," he lowered his voice as Josh and Vikk stepped away politely, the sound of the room swallowing their conversation as Will continued to talk.

"I feel you've made quite the impression on a couple of people," Vikk commented meanwhile, leaning against the wall casually and nodding his head to one side. Josh followed his gesture, swiftly noticing the eyes of a darker skinned boy meeting his own before turning away with a small sigh.

"I think he said his name is Tobi," he replied, "He seemed to be the sort to care a bit too much for someone they've barely met." He recounted their journey by boat, remembering the feeling of two brown eyes trailing every hair on the back of his turned head. Vikk smiled slightly at the oblivious tone Josh carried in his words.

"People are allowed to care, you know?" he finally said, "I can be concerned about you even if I only met you an hour ago." Josh shook his head slightly, his reactions conflicting as he winced but shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"Is there a reason why anyone should be concerned about me in particular?" He asked with raised eyebrows. Vikk grinned again at the perplexed boy, throwing his head back slightly to laugh, the look of sheer confusion he received in response only adding to his amusement.

"It was an example," he breathed out finally, "You're not exactly a walking party but no, you don't look particularly in need of help." Josh nodded contentedly and turned back to his survey of the room, persuading himself to meet Tobi's unwavering glance at least once and, when he finally did, return the small wave the dark haired boy sent in his direction. Vikk gained a look of superior satisfaction, one that Josh wiped from his face with a poke in the ribs.

Simon's head reached above most of the crowd and he saw the two boys leaning against a nearby wall. Not noticing the teachers turning away to leave the first years unattended, he barely registered JJ's figure invading his view of the two boys until he blocked them off from Simon's curious eyes altogether.