venomous

“Oh, that’s true. Do you ever go up to the towers just to look? It’s nice in the middle of the night, of course, astronomy and all, but they’re really lovely at all times of day. Sometimes I wish I could spend a whole day at the top of one of the towers to see all the colors as the light changes.” Once Jamie was packed up Xeno started off towards the exit to the corridor.

“I liked astronomy when it wasn’t so... magicky.” She knew it wasn’t a word, but the subject they taught at the school used a lot more magic than Jamie was used to back in the muggle world. Jamie followed them off as they made their way to exit to the corridor. 

“That’ll do.” Xeno bounced down from their perch, scooping up their abandoned things and shoving them into their bag. That done, Xeno smiled happily, bouncing on their toes, as Jamie got her stuff together to go. “I don’t think I could ever get bored of the grounds at Hogwarts. They’re lovely. A little bit of everything: dark forest, bright rolling lawns, a lake. It’s perfect walk material, really.”

She found it nice how they seemed so excited just over a simple walk. But Xeno did have a point. The grounds of Hogwarts were rather nice which is why she never minded going on a walk despite what weather it was. “I suppose you’re right. This place is also a castle, so it’s good view.” She commented as she took her books and slipped them back into her book bag. 

Xeno grinned, amused, and shrugged. “Up to you, I suppose. Doesn’t really matter.” They leaned backwards, still perched on the edge of the table, to look down an adjacent aisle of books to the window at it’s end. “It’s a lovely day. Would you like to go for a walk?”

“How about we agree to disagree?” She asked them. Jamie raised a brow before reluctantly nodding her head. She only liked walking outside when it looked miserable outside, mostly because the girl didn’t like the sun in her eyes. But she enjoyed their company so she found herself unable to refuse. “Why not?” Jamie shrugged.

Xeno blinked at her, head tilting. “Yes. Everything’s different from other things. Being good at potions and being good at hugs are just as different of skills as being able to balance on your head and being good at Tranfiguration. But them being different doesn’t mean that one or the other isn’t important.”

“I’m making the executive decision that being good at hugs are less important than knowing potions.” The girl finalized.

    ღ – “That’s not true. I’m gonna show you how everyone has kind of its own inside glory and they can or cannot achieve their full potential depending on themselves and the ones who teach them.” –ღ

“Glory. I don’t think I have ever achieved such thing. I’m sure you are capable of reaching full potential, maybe even with me. But I have deep seeded insecurities about my magic and my capability. Nothing that I can help.”

Xeno grinned, shaking their head. “Well, if you refuse to believe it I doubt anything I could say would change that. But I stand by hugs. Hugs are wonderful.”

“Hugs are... different.”

“ —- do you make them out to be? for you, i mean. ” his brow creased in curiosity.

“I wouldn’t call myself a saint... but I’m an orphan. Most people say it’s in our nature to want more. Sometimes that can come across as envy and I won’t deny that. I am envious, but at least I know what I want. Not everybody can say that they know what they want in life. Some people just are lost. And I’m not lost. Just abandoned." She explained with a small shrug of her shoulders. 

    ღ – “Don’t worry, you’ll see… I’m not gonna be evil or anything, I’ll just try to show you your own potential.” –ღ

“No evil. I deal with enough evil already. And potential? I’m used to professors who preach ideals about students with potential, but I was always taught that you’re either going to amount to nothing or that if you do amount to anything... it’s never anything good.”

    ღ – “I don’t know how it was there, what I know is that I consider myself very severe…” –ღ

“What is severe to you then? How do you act?”

Xeno’s eyebrows rose as they swung their legs cheerfully, still perched on the table. “Hugging, less useful than potions? They’re equally useful at the very least, but hugging seems a more versatile skill. Helps in a lot of situations. Potions is good too, though.” 

“Hugging is not more useful. I refuse to believe that. Potions can do so many different things while hugging is just... contact.”

    ღ – “You’ll try to try your best? That’s already something isn’t it…? I usually am very severe with my students… Well, I’ll be careful with that then. Thank you for the warning.” –ღ

“Severity I can handle. Remember, I grew up in a muggle orphanage. We were dirt and were treated like dirt.”

    ღ – “It’s complicated…” –ღ  he looked away with a glance of sadness in his eyes, however, did not blame her for being curious about this, it was a difficult situation and in his mind he had done the best he could. ღ – “I will make you an awesome witch if you keep believing in my teaching methods and try to do your best.” –ღ

“I’ll believe in you, and I’ll try to try my best. Though I should give you a full warning label now before you start putting too much hope in me. I don’t like confrontation, which especially includes the kind of confrontation that I am prone of running away from. Like... literally running away.”

“ that makes you a shit slytherin, ” breathed the boy in a half-hearted chuckle. 

“In most people’s books maybe, but I know what a Slytherin is. We are more than just sly. We are ambitious and resourceful, which is are only dark traits if you make them be.” She pointed out. Jamie knew of the house’s reputation for the kind of students it put out, but as a muggleborn in the house she couldn’t help but want to find an explanation for the fluke. “That’s a good thing to do. No one should be victimized. Because it truly is awful.”

Jamie hugging them back was a pleasant surprise, and Xeno simply hummed back a reply, letting silence lapse between them for a moment. And then they pulled away straightened, somewhat abruptly, smiling. “Sorry. Weird hugging position. It’s much easier from both ends when everyone’s standing, I’ve found.” They moved to perch on the table, still smiling over at Jamie. “You’re rather good at hugging though. Hugs, potions…”

“I... I’ve never really hugged anyone before. I must be starting to sound like a kicked puppy right now... but it’s true. Though– I guess it’s good to know I’m good at that, yeah? For future hugs. But potions is probably more useful than hugging...” Jamie replied a little awkward, mostly because she was starting to smile genuinely and that felt alien to her features.

    ღ – “I wasn’t preserving myself, I was preserving her, I could not stand seeing her there beside me and fighting for me and just watch as she did the wrong thing… I’m not worth having her friendship. I did it as my last act of platonic love towards my dearest old friend and let her go…” –ღ  he explained with a short sigh at the end. ღ – “Don’t thank me just yet… I haven’t even ‘fixed’ you.” –ღ

“How could you think you’re not worth having her friendship?” It was probably none of her business, which is why Jamie asked it but didn’t act like she expected an answer. Because she honestly didn’t. She knew some things couldn’t be said, and she certainly had her fair share of those. “You’ve gotten farther than most. I usually don’t have confidence in anyone to help me, but I think you can.”