GIDDY UP: BOTTOM

Emmeline gawked at him. Clearly he had done something with Amycus Carrow, or he wouldn’t be acting like – well, Emmeline decided he was acting pretty much like himself. She shrugged as she said “Sorry!” - and watched as Gideon sobbed. Crossing her arms, she leaned back in her chair. “I just can’t believe you screwed my mortal enemy in life.”

Gideon stopped fake sobbing, but the expression of horror remained on his face. “Okay — you’re right. I’m sorry, I’m just, so damn embarrassed! And he keeps fucking telling everyone.” He admitted, his face contorting back into Kim Kardashian Crying. “Well,” He began, looking up apologetically. “More like he screwed me.” 

Emmeline was taken aback by the sudden show of emotion. They were alone in the room, she noticed, as she awkwardly patted him on the back, hoping to comfort him. “There, there…” She said. Emmeline was always terrible at the emotional side of things - but wait a minute, he had just been talking about Amycus Carrow being in his knickers! “Gideon, I have to ask. Did you shag Amycus Carrow?”

“Emmeline!” Gideon called out, managing to look indignant in between fake sobs. At this point, he must be looking damn hysterical, but he couldn’t stop, because that would mean telling her what he did — even under the influence of Amortentia — and that was bad. Why did he have to be such an idiot? “I can’t believe you’d ask me something like that! And while I’m crying over my dead grandmother!”

His kick missed, and the snarl developing in his features burst out in the form of an angry yell when he knocked the chair away instead. Any students in the surrounding area were fleeing, and he was certain someone would come to break this up eventually. With a move surprisingly acrobatic for someone of his size, Amycus lurched to his feet with a spring, and then launched himself at Gideon. His attack missed in his over-zealousness, and he went careening off to the side. However, before doing so, he managed to knock his fist against the side of Prewett’s head, clipping him against the ears. It wasn’t much, but it was better than missing.

He stumbled into the bookcase, using his hands to steady himself. Done now, with this foolish muggle fighting, Amycus yanked his own wand free, using it to send an entire shelf of books flying at Prewett’s head.

Gideon was back to a healthy mixture of fear and anger now, after the earlier high. The cause was probably the horrifying yell coming out of Amycus’ mouth — but also the fact that he couldn’t get to that stupid wand. He looked up just quick enough to see the other launching himself towards him, and thought he was done for. By some stroke of luck, though, Amycus went off course and only managed to clip him against the ear. Momentarily disoriented, it was enough to be hit by an enormous amount of books racing towards his head. 

“Motherfucker,” He felt blood running down his forehead and out of his nose — the books had done more damage than he thought they would. The lucky side was that they had also knocked over the table, and Gideon now had access to his wand again. Unable to think of anything with the way his head was hurting, he shot off the first thing he could think of, if only just to distract Amycus while he healed himself — a Bat-Bogey Hex. 

Where was Amycus — or even Bellatrix? Alecto stood in the corner of the room, a glass of punch in her fingers as her smouldering gaze flickered over the various individuals that mingled together in the room, a bored look upon her features as she regarded them with little more than distaste. Yet when she began to be approached by the irritating blood traitor whom she usually would have hexed to got into her personal space, something seemed rather vaguely appealing to Alecto; be it his boyish looks, or perhaps the endearing way he seemed to be rather enamoured with herself. “Prewett, of course I know your name.” She purred as she began to take a step closer to him, a small smirk upon his lips at the way he seemed to stumble over his words.

“Y-you do?” Gideon was surprised about that. Even more so that she also knew his last name. Oh boy. He had not taken that into account. Not that Gideon took much into account to begin with. Merlin’s beard she was just so gorgeous! He tried to compose himself, keep most of the stupidity to himself, unlike usual — but being so close, his heart felt like it was pounding out of its chest. “Do you maybe want to dance?” He managed to get the sentence out without stuttering much, which was quite the accomplishment. Aside from that, dancing was an activity that didn’t require much brain activity from him, and with how distracted Alecto was making him feel, that was something he desperately needed right now — if he wanted to get somewhere tonight, anyway. 

Emmeline twirled between her fingers, considering it for a moment. “Your nan’s a strong woman, Gideon. I’d like to meet her someday.” She was always fond of strong women with a fighting background. Emmeline’s eyes widened as she sat down next to Gideon, her voice lowering. “Yes, I remember last Halloween. Did you do something… Unsavory?”

“She died two years ago —” Gideon told Emmeline, which was true. Then, he dramatically let his face fall into his hands, loud sobs shaking through his body, as he was trying to force himself to produce actual tears. “I-I mwiss h-wer so mu-much!” He cried out, thankful there was no one else present in the room. Gideon wasn’t very intelligent, which clearly showed in his attempt to get out of telling Emmeline the truth. 

Gideon caught him by surprise. While watching for an attack on the wand, he completely forgot to guard anything else. Gideon’s attack struck true, slamming him in the jaw and sending his head snapping to the side. He stumbled backwards into a bookshelf and Gideon’s wand fell from his fingers and clattered to the floor, rolling underneath a nearby table. Blood poured from his mouth where his lip busted across his teeth. He spat it away angrily and rose to his feet, an angry snarl developing on his face. He didn’t say anything, the time for talking finished the moment Prewett lay a hand on him. They were due for another round, it seemed. 

Without much time do anything else, Amycus swung his foot out, aiming for Gideon’s kneecaps.

Gideon felt kind of high. He hadn’t expected that hit to land, and the blood pouring from Amycus mouth — holy shit, that felt good! That’s what the bastard got, for constantly trying to rile him up. His father making him work on being able to defend himself even without a wand paid off in situations like this, and he made a mental note ( that he’d likely forget, because he was still Gideon ) to write the old man a thank you note later. 

Amycus’ foot swung out, and still on his high — Gideon managed to avoid that too! Instead, making a dive towards the table his wand rolled underneath. Taking the risk of the other being off balance enough from Gideon’s hit and the subsequent kick for him to have enough time to do so. Unfortunately for him, though —

“Knitting club used to be fun, but what if we’re under attack, once again, while I’ve got a knitting needle in my hand and I can’t get to my wand? I’ll have to learn hand-to-hand combat.” Emmeline’s frown matched Gideon’s. She raised her eyebrows at him. “Lately? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Y’know, knitting needles can be quite the weapon. Rumor has it, my nan, she once fended off a Wampus cat with nothing but two needles.” Gideon was entirely serious about his defense techniques — before realizing his mistake in adding ‘not lately’ to his previous sentence. “I, uh... Crap. I forgot I never told you. Thought the whole school knew at this point.” His face fell into an awkward expression. “So, remember last Halloween?”

“I know it doesn’t.” She answered, giggling a moment after. In truth, she found it difficult to worry over Gideon’s graduation prospects. Should he fail, it would mean another year to be spent with her. Although, such a thing would make him frown, and then she would not see his smile. Gideon was one of her favorites and she liked his grin. Alas. She twirled the quill around between fingers, acting like she was contemplating his suggestion. “I suppose that sounds like a good idea.” And then her smile dissolved into a smirk that was somehow both suggestive and innocent all in one. “Perhaps we ought to bring a blanket, too?” 

“Then again, I don’t think anything, or anyone could ever have anything on you,” He knew he shouldn’t think that way, but maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to not graduate. It meant he could spend another year with Pinky. But in his heart, he knew that the thought of being at Hogwarts without his brother to share the memories with, it didn’t feel right. “Mum sent a nice quilt with the Christmas presents. I’ll bring all the goods, you don’t have to worry about anything at all. Though I guess, if we’re nicking some pastries from the kitchens, it would be fun to play — what’s the name again? That one Muggle couple, Billie and Charles? No, wait... Bonnie and Clyde!”

Gideon should not even be thinking about one of the Carrow twins. And yet there she stood, dress that hugged every single curve of her body, the lighting of the room falling in the perfect way to her look like a goddess among men. How he could’ve ever even looked at Amycus when that glorious creature walked the same halls, he couldn’t fathom. “Alecto, I —” Gideon hadn’t even noticed how close he’d stepped towards her, but he was too focussed on the way her name rolled off his tongue so beautifully, like he had been made to say it. Merlin’s beard, he must be looking like an idiot right now! “Uhm, hi. I’m Gideon. I don’t know if you know that. But I’d very much like you to.”

“Ahh, but you, Prewett!” Amycus took a step back, holding the wand even higher. “You were worth all of the hype. You’ve got the Amycus Carrow certification.” He leered at Gideon, big unnatural smirk taking precedent on his face. “High praise, I promise you.”

“Yeah, I know — I’m prime real estate.” His frustration from weeks of being cooped up in study was boiling over again, though it might just be Amycus who brought out the worst in him, but there was just something about the way he was dangling that wand... Gideon’s anger just took over. Pretending to lurch for the wand with his left hand, his right was balled into a fist — and making an uppercut right for Amycus’ jaw.

She scoffed - it wasn’t like Gideon to talk back at all. “I am not slacking, I am just a little preoccupied right now.” Emmeline furrowed her eyebrows together. She handed the needle back to Gideon. “What’s got your knickers in a twist?”

“With what? It’s knitting club.” He frowned, before turning slightly more agitated at Emmeline’s question. Gideon was taking his mood out on her. “Amycus Carrow. Though I assure you, he hasn’t been anywhere near my knickers. Not lately, anyway.”

She shook her head, blonde hair swinging lightly over her shoulders as she looked at Gideon. A teasing smile pulled at her lips. She brought the quill to her face, tapping it lightly against her cheeks. “You can’t have it back.” She said, raising her eyebrows in his direction. “You’ve ignored me for weeks in this library. I’m actually quite jealous over this quill. It’s getting all of your attention.”

“This quill has nothing on you,” He replied, trying to look apologetic over his actions. “I’ve just — I’m just trying to make sure I graduate. My odds are pretty slim right now, but I know it would break my parents’ heart.” Gideon’s face fell at the thought but quickly turned back to normal. Pinky had that effect on him. “Tell you what, I was due for a break anyway. How about we steal some pastries from the kitchen and have lunch in the Astronomy Tower?”

Emmeline took the knitting needle out of his hand and scolded Gideon. “This is not a time to be playing with needles. We are getting paid to create dance team outfits.” 

“Hey — I’ve finished more than half my outfits already. You’re the one who’s slacking.” He kept the retort of Emmeline not seeming to know Ludo Bagman’s measurements very well despite their proximity out of his mouth. 

“Oh, were you?” Amycus said, holding Gideon’s wand just out of reach. “And here I was, thinking you were remembering our night together.” He grinned. “My mistake.”

“You’re not the legendary shag you think you are, Amycus.” Gideon let out a sigh. He just wanted to graduate, dammit. “Now give me back my fucking wand.”

“Oops! How silly of me. I didn’t realize this was a playground”

“I think I heard Flo talking about suggesting we get one of those near the greenhouses. Think that for now, I’ll have to settle for here, though.” 

“Have you heard anything I’ve said?”

Gideon tried not to look embarrassed. “Uh, not really?"

“You looked like you were gonna hit me, man”

“Amycus Carrow is on the other side of the room. If I was going to hit anyone, he’d be the first choice — not you.”