Head Boy Cal

“Spent most of the day in the forest; had to check up on my lil’ buddies. You’ll be pleased to know that our favorite kneazle is doing well – scruffy as ever.” James beamed, but his smile quickly turned to a pout at Cal’s last words. “I’ll have you know I’m as fit as ever. You see this bod? You think that just happens?”

“I have to say, the one thing that I will never compromise on as Head Boy is my favorite kneazle.” It may have seemed ridiculous from someone outside the conversation to hear how serious Cal was. “We need to get back to our weekend runs, bro. I’ve been vegging out all summer break.” 

His handwriting is horrendous and that’s the reason Electra writes most of the Head students’ notices and letters.

Cal doesn’t mind the uniforms all that much. It’s less time in the morning spent thinking and having to function.

When he was a first year, Cal got lost on the way back to the dorm. Since he became a Prefect, he’s made sure very new student is supplied with a castle map on their first day.

His parents grant him a monthly allowance, which he gives half of to various wizarding charities.

He wishes to spend his first year after Hogwarts traveling, but he also debates going straight into the Auror Program.

Cal once had a debacle with tea leaves, a unicorn, and a lost pygmy puff in fifth year which he shall not discuss in public again.

He has a crush on Headmistress Wilder. He knows its inappropriate and never work, but he admires the older witch immensely.

Cal usually eats a double portion during lunch because he’s just that hungry. If he’s been training hard for Quidditch, he usually does the same for supper as well.

If he’s up past his bed time, Cal can be either incredibly cranky or pouty.

“Oh to be young and think you’re too cool to follow curfew.” Dori smiled, shaking her head as well. She’d overheard the conversation as she was leaving the Gryffindor common room and had stopped to reminisce. She’d certainly done her fair share of sneaking around past bedtime for one reason or another. “My last year has me feeling all sentimental.” 

He gave a generous smile to Dori, he truly wished Dori could have been a prefect this year. It was a disagreement he still had with Electra. Traditions were nice and all, but Dori deserved it just as much as Riley. “I’m sure many of those cool first years will have a rude awakening this week.” He gave her a warm smile, “I know the feeling, Dor. Have you stared at the empty Great Hall yet? Because it was my first stop on my reminiscing tour this morning.” 

“Just the same as usual,” Mia replied softly. Her break wasn’t the one she wanted to dwell on - it hadn’t been bad, really, but she was grateful to be back at Hogwarts where she had more freedom. “What about you? I bet you got up to something exciting.”

Cal was happy Mia was a prefect this year, she was the best listener they had in their ranks. He gave a smile alongside a long sigh. “Would you believe me if I told you I behaved myself? Because I had no other choice seeing as my mum forced me to go to all these fundraisers and balls. It was dreadful.” 

“We’re going to have to agree to disagree there.” Lux sighed, shaking his head as if to say there was nothing to do about it now. Frankie and Shay were both odd ducks, but then again so was he. They got along decently well anyway. Still, Cal’s offer of support didn’t mean much when the issue wasn’t so much that he couldn’t inforce the rules- though as a devoted pacifist it did make it occasionally difficult- but rather that he didn’t want to. He didn’t like telling people how to live their life- as long as no one was getting hurt, what was the big deal? Still, he appreciated the gesture. “Damn Maganti. This is revenge for accidentally killing that Hyena Tree everyone was so excited about cross planting. Oh well, I suppose I did the job last year and no one died, right?”

Cal gave a long laugh, but chose not to disagree any further. After all, he was sure Lux knew his roommates better than he did anyway. He’d grown a confidence in the Prefects this year, especially considering he was wearing down Wilder to let him do some teambuilding events for them. He didn’t know much about the outside world, but he was willing to bet things would get worse before they got better. Why not create community? He was sounding more like his brother every day. Turning his attentions back to Lux, he nodded, “Never betray the plants. First rule of Hufflepuff.”

Relaxing somewhat at his words, Zoe felt immediately embarrassed at her aggressive attitude. Opening and closing her mouth, she tried to think of a way to tell the vaguely familiar looking Hufflepuff that coming back to the castle put her on edge, that she was used to living very much under her own rules, with a parent who respected her choices. Coming back to a castle full of people, most of whom couldn’t string a sentence together around her without making a fool of themselves somehow- well. It left her aggravated. Still, it didn’t mean she could just be rude to people. “Sorry.” She muttered, uncrossing her arms uncomfortably. “I just- don’t like being in the same room as my roommates sometimes. Not because of them. They’re fine. But because I need time to myself.“ Sometimes she found empty classrooms to sleep in instead, but she wasn’t about to tell him that.

Cal had gotten used to seeing the hesitant nature from being around first years all day, but not coming from a sixth year. Still, he’d prided himself in his patient nature and waited for her to say whatever she wanted. He shrugged his shoulders with a sideways smile, “Don’t worry about it. I understand that. We all need our alone time. It’s important considering how closer we all can seem in this castle.” Uncrossing his arms, he gave a small motion towards the hallway before them. “Would you care for a walk? I’m headed back towards Hufflepuff so you’re welcome to suddenly disappear from my view when we arrive. I’ll pretend I did a thorough search of the halls, but couldn’t find you.” 

“As a first year..?” Melissa repeated, putting particular emphasis on the word ‘first’, eyebrows raised in amusement. “Does that mean I, as a sixth year, have a shot of getting away with it? Because if that’s the case — I might actually start considering school as fun.” 

“I wouldn’t recommend it, being Head Boy and all.” He gave a soft grin, “But Electra and I can’t be in every place at the same time, so there’s only so much I can say to convince students to abide by the curfew.” 

“Ah, troubles of being Head Boy, innit?” Loren quipped over in return once Cal finished gently scolding the first year she’d seen slip out of the common room shortly before she did herself. Where the first year, however, feigned an expression that might match someone who’d just seen a ghost (someone that didn’t see ghosts on the regular as they did in the castle, at least), Loren’s lips were curled into a sly smirk. 

Although he was the Head Boy now, Loren had always found Cal more tolerable than the rest of the lot of prefects and such. And more fun to mess with, especially. “Oi, you gonna punish me for stretching my legs after curfew then, too?” 

He relaxed slightly at the familiar face, letting go of his official vibe now that the first year was gone. Cal grinned at Loren, “With authority comes responsibility. Headmistress Wilder told me that before the term started and I’m not about to let her down.” 

Laughter poured from his mouth at her joke as he leaned back against the wall behind him. “I think if I took away points from Gryffindor so soon in the beginning of the year, there would be an uprising.” 

“I’m nothing if not always right.” He joked. “That depends. How many exclamation points did she put after ‘congratulations’? Three means a little tipsy and any more means she made a mistake and didn’t want to let you down by correcting it.”

“I don’t think Headmistress Wilder would ever be capable of letting me down.” His tone turned serious for a brief moment. “Do you think she drinks scotch or a strong wine?” 

Staring at the other with distrust, Zoe recalled her own plans to go for a midnight walk with annoyance. She couldn’t always sleep at night, especially when expected to share a room with three other people. Returning his smile with a frown that verged on scowling territory, she crossed her arms.”Children are annoying. But I’m not a first year.” She pointed out after a moment of awkward silence, her tone aggressive. Taking a few deliberate steps in the direction of the staircase, she raised her eyebrows expectantly as if asking him if he intended on sending her back to her bed as well.

Cal raised an amused eyebrow at Zoe, holding off the urge to lead against the doorjamb. Holding up his arms at her agression, “Hey, I’m merely stating the rules to the young ones so they at least know them when they break them. Which we all do from time to time.” He crossed his arms leisurely, hoping to diffuse the tension the Ravenclaw created. “First night jitters have you up late?” 

“… Ach damn I’m a Prefect again this year, aren’t I?” Lux muttered with dread, having watched the interaction and suddenly remembered his own responsibility in that area. With an expression of someone who deeply regretted allowing his mother to talk him into accepting the badge, he ran a hand through his near always messy hair, shaking his head. “Honestly Cal, who looked at me and went ‘ya know who looks like an authority figure? Lux Fairburn, get the lad a badge!’.”

“Mate, out of you and your roommates, you’ve got the most potential. Plus Professor Maganti made a solid argument for you from what I heard.” He gave him a light tap on the shoulder, “You’ll do great, Lux. Just remember that your fellow prefects, Electra, and I are here to help.” 

“Snacks are free at all times of the day for all of us as long as we don’t get caught. That’s all I ask. Go big or go home, right? True, but It’s the job you wanted, Spiderman.”

“That...” he paused a moment, “That’s actually very true. On both accounts.” Cal offered a light laugh in response, “It is. I’m still convinced Headmistress Wilder must have been smashed when she wrote me that letter this summer.” 

“It’s only a downside if you’re a kill joy.” He teased. “Of course the party thrown by Hufflepuffs has a Jell-o shot tower. Sounds like fun though. I’ll definitely stop by, but I’ll be very disappointed if you guys don’t live up to your reputation as the friendly house by sneaking a bouncy house into the castle. Just saying.”

“I have a title to uphold these days. It may seem like a buzzkill but it has its perks. Like free snacks all times of the day.” He laughed, “I’ll put in a good word for a bouncy castle with the planners. I personally think they need to go all out but I also know they’ll be asking for the Head students help for set up.” He gave an exaggerated sigh, “With great power comes great responsibility.” 

“You gotta love it, all the lil’ squirts running amuck. Brings me back to my youth.” Jamie let out a long sigh. “Remember those days, Cal? We were so full of life. And now look at us – Elderly. Senile, practically. I mean, you’re a seventh year – you might as well buy a walker, old bones.”

“Jamster! My bud. Where have you been all day? I was ready for an epic reunion but you weren’t there. We are in the prime of our life. Well I am, I don’t know about you there.” 

“If it does exist, I’ll be a little disappointed if my name isn’t at the top of the list. I’ve been working so hard to get it there. In my defense, I was a curious eleven year old left to my own devices. Speaking of parties, know if anyone’s throwing one any time soon?”

“That’s the downside to magical boarding school, I’ve learned. Kids with free time. Actually I do! In honor of my final year at Hogwarts, Hufflepuff will be hosting this years Opening Term party. I heard there may be a tower of jell-o shots.” 

“I don’t think all of them are plotting for world domination,” Mia said with a smile as she watched the first year scurry away. He was one of the more excited ones - Mia knew most of the first years were more nervous than excited as they tried to fit into their new surroundings and make new friends. There had been a few homesick ones in the Hufflepuff common room before she left, but a few kind words and muggle candy had cheered them up considerably. 

“I’m sure not all of them, but I like to be prepared for anything. You never know when one of them will end up pranking a cauldron in Potions.” He gave a semi-serious nod at his fellow Prefect. “How’re you doing, Mia? Have a good holiday break?” 

“Gotta put ourselves in their shoes. I distinctly remember getting caught trying to explore the castle at one am when I first got here. They took it easy on me because I was new, but I think they put me on some sort of watch list after that.”

“I will neither confirm nor deny that there is a book in the Head Prefects office with names of troublemakers. But chaos so early on in the term is not appealing to me. At least wait until the first party.”