“if i had planned it, you would have received one,” he admitted.  it was really a last minute thought, having been too preoccupied bribing some of the owls to do his bidding.  in the back of his mind, peter reminded himself to at least be coherent enough to do his show later.  but for the time being, he would enjoy himself.  “don’t remind me.  did you know i thought i was gonna be a hufflepuff?”  he pulled in as tightly as he could against amos’ body as they walked, more for physical contact than for warmth.  “my mum was, i just assumed i would be too — joke was on me, wasn’t it?”

    “ironically enough, my house was dead set on my being sorted in gryffindor. i on the other hand wasn’t entirely sure where i was going to be place. i just let the hat sort it out for me.” he gave a small shrug as he pulled peter in closer. “i think you would be a good hufflepuff— you’re loyal, just, and i bet you’re good at finding things. though, i’m not really sure how that trait holds up because i can never find anything.” 

“shut up, you’re too sweet,” he muttered, leaning his head on amos’ shoulder.  pete had never been good at taking a compliment, as much as he unashamedly enjoyed the attention.  “you say that like i haven’t been drinking since this morning,” peter admitted as he pulled his flask out of his pocket.  he took a quick drink and offered it to amos.  “does that make me a gryffindor again? — of course i’ll join you.”

      “this morning? —and where was my invite?” amos would have been offended had the flask not been offered. he took a quick swig before handing it back to it’s original owner. “okay, apology accepted.” with a laugh the boy took ahold of peter’s hand and started leading him towards the party. “yes, i guess so. although it would be much more convinent if you were a hufflepuff. your bed would be so much closer.”

“it’s all i know how to do,” he admitted, only partially kidding.  feigning surprise at the boy’s thievery, he grabbed amos’ wrist and pulled him in close.  “somehow i’ve only got the one of him.  it’s like even his cards don’t wanna be around me any more than they have to.”  pete gave amos a kiss on the cheek, thankful for at least a little bit of alone time with him in the midst of this crazy day.

    “i want to be around you more than i have to.” amos smiled warmly as the boy’s lips pressed against his cheek. “so peter we come to hogsmeade. there is a wild party. the first thing you decide to do is get candy instead of a beer? that is kind of a hufflepuff thing to do gotta say.” the boy tended to poke fun at his own house quite a bit, but it was all in good spirits. “you care to join me or will i have to leave a candy trail to get you to drink with me?”

if all had gone according to plan, the owls should be dropping a ton of fliers for his radio show on the students who were still stuck up at hogwarts at any moment now.  he’d had to bribe the last few that didn’t hate him, so it better have worked.  hopefully, hundreds of leaflets would drop during lunch, detailing how to trick the radios into allowing peter’s still untitled pirate radio show to play on the wizarding wireless network.  they would be charmed to escape the clutches of the professors and filch, of course.  he wasn’t stupid.

in the meantime, pete walked out of honeyduke’s, stuffing his pockets full of sweets.  “oi — i think i might’ve just eaten my weight in chocolate frogs.”  he admitted, a little bit of chocolate still smeared across his smug grin.  “haven’t checked the cards yet, hope i got some new ones!”  he felt almost drunk on power — and also perhaps a little tipsy as well.  

     “your weight? —looks like we’re still making those unhealthy choices aye peter?” amos teased as he pulled a sweet from the boy’s pocket. “i always get the same card. which seems kind of unlucky. since i’ve gone to school here i keep getting dumbledores. do you think he stacks his cards around here on purpose? a self promotion of sorts?”

“i guess— i would FUCK hestia. MARRY remus. KILL ( hypothetically ) amycus. although i’m sure that amycus could take me and i would be the one getting killed.”

“i don’t know what the best feeling is. i think one of my favorite feelings is when you’re super tired and you finally get to lay down? that feeling of relief your body gets right before you fall asleep? i like that feeling.”

“i would FUCK rabastan ‘cause.. i mean.. look at him. i would MARRY emmeline, because i just think she seems really nice. i would KILL sirius ( hypothetically ) because he’s a tool and i do not like him.”

“i would never play quidditch again if i meant i couldn’t kiss peter. —there are other hobbies i could take up.”

“yeah, but when you’re as impatient as i am …  ?  all of those make for a really long time.”

“did you mistake me for someone who makes healthy choices?  i’m shocked, amos.”

     “—well i would consider myself a healthy choice. so, yes, i do consider you someone who makes healthy choices.” the boy smiled playfully, with a shrug of his shoulders.

“a week is an awfully long time to wait, don’t you think?”  he pouted for a second, jokingly, before returning to normal at the thought of food.  “i plan to eat my weight in bacon.”

     “i think you will be able to survive a week. in the long scheme a week isn’t that long.        —months and years are longer.” he teased, “that seems very unhealthy, but also something i can entirely get behind.”

“TRUE – i need to keep you around, diggs.  you keep me true to my ROOTS–” 

      “i’ll try my best to keep you GROUNDED i guess. maybe you can make me a little more wild in return.”

     “  I can’t watch ‘em, “  kitty admitted.  “ that’s too much time sitting in a room staring at something; one of my brothers really likes them, but my mom sorta hates that. so it works out that I don’t care for them. “   she cocked her head at amos, gave him a quiet look, and considered the ideas he was positing. that sort of optimism was enviable, but kitty knew she’d sooner give up on philosophizing than admit she couldn’t just think the best.  “ you’re right. there’s tons of nice people still around here. loads of people I adore who’d be a mess in a relationship, “  kitty said with a laugh.  “ I’m not  —  I like people very much, I promise you, but I’d be a mess, too, so it’s just me. “

     “see i don’t mind sitting and watching as long as there is action. star wars is a lot of flashing lights and fights, so it can actually hold my attention. my mother really enjoyed watching movies as a family when i was younger. although, she’d fall asleep half way through.” the boy admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. “i don’t know. i think when too people are the right amount of messy it could work out. i wouldn’t knock yourself out of the running just yet. i am sure someone will come along that will make you view things differently. if i have found that twice then i’m almost positive you can find it once.” amos patted the girl’s leg while giving her a sincere smile. she wasn’t giving herself the credit she deserved. “you’re a great girl. i can see that just by talking to you for a few minutes.  —someone else would be crazy not to see it.”

              “  no you’re good   “     his eyes widened, eventually softening at the edges at mention of the ‘understandably’ loud music. the boy’s gaze traveled to amos’ moving feet and his lips stretching into a smile at what looked closer to  a  dance-like movement than nerves.  “  um  “   sturgis glanced over his shoulder, taking in the haphazard state before stepping out, the door swinging closed and his smile stretching in a rare moment of uncertainty.   “  let’s head out, yeah ? i’ve been sitting in there all day,   “   he explained with a light laugh, chin tilting up as he searched for agreement before clapping amos on the shoulder and turning them in the direction of the common room.     “  i’ve got loads to tell you  “  

     “loads? —well you better get started we don’t have a ton of time before curfew.” although amos had played his cards right the first time he had stayed out late he was not looking to risk getting in trouble ( or worse ) by venturing out again. “i’ll let you go first then i care share my stuff.” the large smile on his lips shared more than his words. he had missed spending time with the other hufflepuff. the two had been friends before they had become a couple and he was glad that they hadn’t lost that side of them.

“i could be leading you to _death _– diggs, we need to work on your STANDARDS–”

“—eh, who needs standards anyways?”

“peter, sturgis, and i. —also, i’m sure this isn’t a suprise, i would want rita, kitty, and i.”