Oliver Wood II

“Please, just go home.” Minnie looked at him pleading. She couldn’t tell him why, she knew he’d want to stay, but that was exactly why she couldn’t risk it. He just had to trust her. “Because I know. It’s obvious. I don’t need to ask his side. If you let him in he’s going to try to manipulate you.” 

“It’s obvious Harry Potter was a hero. It’s obvious I’m just some weird little freak. It’s obvious that you are the one manipulating me and you stole my butterfly. I’m not going home. I’m going to hang out with my friends.”

“I’m not trying to trick you. It’s nothing like that. Remember our conversation? The one about truth and action; about being on the same side and wanting the same things? This drink will calm you down and help you focus on what we talked about. Do you understand?”

“So it’s a focusing solution?”

“No, I do have lice!” she squawked indignantly, a second away from telling him how rude a question that was before she decided to just paste on the sunny server smile. “Why no, sir. Please help yourself.”

“You do have lice?” Oliver dropped all the quiche back onto the tray and backed away. “Every be careful! This server has lice! She should be quarantined!”

“Smart move. You could hit the wrong person and no one wants that.” There were all kinds of people here tonight and she was worried what tonight would bring. It was best to be safe rather than sorry. She chuckled, smiling fondly. “I guess we do.” 

“We forever did. I don’t have a date tonight if you’re curious. I’m not curious. I know I don’t have a date. I don’t know if you are here with someone. Are you?”

Victoire’s eyes mirrored the lights in the room for a moment. It was easier than expected. ‘’I could write a piece on you. Definitely. I’m sure there are still many secrets you would like to expose this time. Owl me after the third? You should, or I will.’’

“You owl me a list of questions and I’ll owl you my answers. That’s how we do it. I don’t talk great, but I can make a good point if I can prepare.”

‘‘It can only be good luck to free a butterfly, even if they’re made of plastic,’‘ Lawrence simpered in an agreeable manner, being aware of his villain role that night, especially compared to Jonathan and his glowing halo of peace and new forms. Still, he didn’t identify himself with that villain most people took him for and decided to go strong with his actual personality. ‘’You’ll be fine. Eleven cancels out all bad lucks.’’

“If I freed it in the tray of quiche and somebody swallows it that’s bad. You could be right otherwise. I know who you are. Your nose isn’t bleeding so I think you’re safe right now. Who is watching the dragons and the castle? It would be funny if someone was claiming Hogwarts back while you talked to me about butterflies.”

‘‘I don’t know if that’s a thing that actually exists. It sounds pretty superstitious to me. Number magic is mostly a scam.’‘

“Number magic is not a scam, but this is not that. It’s just even numbers. Everything should be even or it goes off balance.”

‘‘We’re already cursed and it has nothing to do with the butterflies. But it’s nice you still try. Aren’t those a girl’s accessory? I’m sure my sister was wearing something like that in her fifth grade.’‘

“We’re not cursed. We’re blessed. We’re special. The Ministry treats us like a curse because they are jealous and frightened. They are small. We can be big if we teach ourselves and remember we are not a curse for our powers. You’re a curse for making fun of my butterflies. They are hair accessories. Men have hair.”

Without questioning the oddity of the question, she took a pin from her hair and transfigured it into a butterfly, similar but not of the same fabric and exact same size as Oliver’s. Still, though displeased with the result, she stretched out her arm to offer it to Oliver. ‘’It’s the best I could do. But you surely were alright even without it. Hello.’’

“Hello” One odd butterfly that didn’t match the others was worse than eleven matching butterflies, but Lara had made it. The butterfly pin was the red queen’s favor. Oliver took the pin and slid it into his hair. Then he took it out and slid it back in again at a different angle to be even with the clip on the opposite side. “Did Jon tell you about the party? He didn’t tell me. I could have brought his Christmas present. I thought I was dreaming at first, but this can’t be a dream. All the people in the room have faces. I’m not good at faces. I start repeating them.”

@poppy-poppers​

‘‘No. You’re cursed forever, dandy.’’ Still, the wheels in Victoire’s mind started spinning as his face started pointing to a name from her memory. ‘’Wait. Oliver Wood? The small one? It’s a pleasure seeing you here. I’m sure you’re not all that cursed.’’

“I’m not small. I’m not Junior. I’m my own man.” He should change his name. He was tired of being Oliver Wood Jr. “ I want you to write a story for me like you wrote for Jon.”

“I am pretty sure I saw one lying around by the kitchen…You should go and check.” It was a blatant lie, but the best she could come up with. Minnie couldn’t have Oliver at risk again. He was her little brother, it was her job to protect him and make sure he’s safe. “Jonathan Marks is not your friend Ollie. He’s manipulative and dangerous. You’re misunderstood, they treated you unfairly, but he got what he deserved. He’s not a good person.”

“I’ll check after the party. Eleven is still lucky enough.” The more his sister tried to make him leave, the more determined he was to stay. “How do you know? Did you ask his side?”

“Did you try accio-ing it back?” Then again if anyone else had butterfly accessories they could come into his hand to which would be quite impractical. “I like that you went outside the box, though.” 

“The room is too crowded for accio. I didn’t want it to hit someone. I could die.” Lucy didn’t seem to be making fun of him. She liked his hair clips, which made Oliver a little bold. “Your flowers need butterflies to pollinate them. We go together.”

“I’m sorry,” Nerissa broke in, hearing Oliver lamenting his lost butterfly to someone else. She reluctantly unclipped the hair clip she had just stuck in her hair a few minutes before and held it out to Oliver. “I think this is yours. I found it by the bar. I love butterflies.” She tossed out the last sentence like it was an actual explanation of why she’d just taken it instead of checking around to see if anyone had lost it. “Oh, do you want any baby quiche?” She angled the tray she was balancing on her other hand toward him.

Oliver looked uncertainly at the butterfly the redhead held and didn’t take it. “You don’t have lice, do you? It’s not smart to wear a clip that’s been in someone else’s hair.” He took one quiche off the tray and then another and then a third. “Is there a limit?”

“Hey trainwreck!” Scorpius gave the less than flattering words the air of an enthusiastic greeting of an old friend. “What are you doing here? I thought you didn’t do crowds anymore.”

“Why are you making fun of me? I thought we were friends since you gave me your clock and Christmas tree. This is a calm crowd. I don’t like noisy and close crowds. I had to come. I was curious. Jon is here. Have you seen him?”

“Yes, absolutely, though, incidentally, who told you prime numbers are unlucky? One and seven are some of the luckiest numbers there are.”

“Are you Emma or Not Emma? I can’t tell tonight. People act differently at parties.Lucky seven is a superstition, but one is a lonely number.”