Call It Home - Prinxiety [COMPLETED]

Chapter Five: Transfiguration Class

Virgil let out a sigh as his eyes fluttered open. His first Monday at Hogwarts had been eventful, or at least, overwhelming. So many new faces, so many new classrooms, so many new lessons to learn and essays to write. He squeezed his eyes shut as the headache he'd fallen asleep with the night prior surged back to full strength. 

It didn't matter what his mother had taught him, that much was obvious. They were all just expecting him to fail. The fury he felt knowing he was so heavily doubted made him want to scream and cry, but he wouldn't give anyone the satisfaction of seeing that. 

The sun was starting to rise and it splashed across his eyelids, making him flinch away. He knew he couldn't lay there forever. He had to get up and keep going. He'd made a promise to his mother and he was damned if he was going to break it. Nonetheless, he curled in on himself under the unfamiliar blanket and felt a stray tear leak from his eye.

As he felt it drip down his nose, Virgil chuckled humorlessly to himself. It's my second day and I'm already crying to myself before getting up for class, he thought with a sigh as he sat up. He wiped his cheek and shook himself. That's pathetic even for my low standards.

The home-schooled wizard got himself out of bed and began to get dressed. It was as he did so that he realized just how much more chaotic this would normally be in a house common room or dorm. He was staying in a guest room because of his desire not to be sorted, and in his first couple days here, he wasn't regretting the decision at all. He couldn't imagine having to explain to his dorm mates why he woke up crying in the morning or why he was so self conscious about undressing around other boys.

That was something he hadn't figured out how to address yet: the whole 'gay' thing. It seemed that Hogwarts was gradually transitioning to be more modern in its hires considering the DADA teacher was female-to-male transgender, but he wasn't so sure how well the students would react to him.

Virgil was already an outsider who dressed and behaved more like a muggle to them than a wizard. He could only imagine the reaction to him being gay as being less than ideal.

He shook the thoughts from his mind as he pulled on his plain black robe, lacking any house crest; a courtesy of the Headmistress. He figured as difficult as it was to distract himself from things that made him anxious, it would do him no good to dwell on conflicts that most likely wouldn't come up. It wasn't in his plans to fall in love with anyone this year. 

Once he was finished getting ready, he left his dorm to head to his first period class. Things were going as expected until he reached his fourth period, transfiguration. He'd been seated alone in most of his classes thus far, but in this one, he was paired with a vaguely familiar Hufflepuff.

"Hey! Virgil right?" he greeted as he sat down. He glanced at him shyly through his bangs as he nodded. "Can I call you Virge? I'm Patton! We sat together at the first feast?"

"Yeah, uh, I remember," Virgil managed to reply. The Hufflepuff's face lit up at his words, making him internally cringe. He wasn't prepared to be social with other students yet. He wasn't sure if he should force himself to try or just let this kid down early by telling him flat out he wouldn't make a good friend. Thinking of his mother, he opted for his first option. "Uh, thank you for that, by the way... I appreciated having someone to sit with."

Patton smiled and nodded. "It's my absolute pleasure!" he explained. "I love making friends with anyone and everyone I can. You seem pretty cool!"

The home-schooled wizard shrugged a bit and looked down at his notebook as the professor walked to the front of the class. Before becoming Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall taught transfiguration, but following her promotion she recruited a new teacher to fill her beloved position. Her name was Aubrey Bristlecone and she had been a student under McGonagall's instruction. She had some of the highest marks she'd ever seen achieved in her class, which was why went she pursued a career in teaching the subject herself, the Headmistress didn't hesitate to accept her application.

Virgil could tell that she was confident by the way she held herself in front of the class and when he looked around, he saw why. All the other students were gazing at her with the upmost respect. This was a teacher that had clearly proven her skills time and time again.

"Good mid-morning class, I hope you're prepared for some more advanced spells this year," she greeted, pulling her reddish-blond hair into a bun as she spoke. "I recommend you look around you to find classmates you know you can rely on. This year will most likely be very difficult for some of you, but with my assistance and the help of your classmates, I believe that you'll do just fine when your O.W.L.s arrive."

He felt a chill of fear run down his spine as he saw friends around him already nodding to each other like that knew they could depend on one another. He sighed heavily and stared at his lap. Then there was a light tap on his shoulder.

Patton smiled at him as he looked up. "I just wanted you to know that I'm really good at transfiguration, and that if you ever need help you can ask me, okay?" he said. 

"Really?" Virgil replied softly, cursing himself that he let some of his relief and hope slip into his voice. He was supposed to be the tough new kid that wasn't bothered by anything. He couldn't let this chattering Hufflepuff see through his walls already. He cleared his throat and recovered. "I mean, thanks, that's cool."

"You know, you don't have to act all tough," he said with a light laugh. "I'm really great with emotions, and some professors think I might be an empath. I know you're nervous about being new, but there's nothing to worry about! You'll make friends in no time! In fact, my friends and I were planning on going down to Hogsmeade in a week or so once classes really start rolling and there's no more schedule changes. Would you want to join us?"

The home-schooled wizard was taken aback by his kindness, having never had some be so upfront and nice to him at the same time. He rubbed the back of his neck with a tiny smile. "I'll think about it..."