|
|
Post by Hyacinth Duprel on Aug 2, 2012 22:31:13 GMT -5
It was Hyacinth's first trip to Diagon Alley entirely alone. He'd waited some time for Jory that day he'd truly been introduced to the magical world, but he'd arrived with an instructor, and left with a prefect.
He could have asked Jory to come with him. He could have asked Indigo. Either or both of them would have been glad to come, but this was something he needed to do on his own. One of the very first things he'd ever done alone, though he couldn't think of another.
His break with organized religion, though it hadn't been purposeful, and it wouldn't be permanent, was dragging on him. He'd told Professor laSalle that he needed the connection to feel whole, and though he was happy, he could feel its absence. He'd told Jory where he was going, and that he'd check in when he got back to Hogwarts, but aside from a walk outside the gates to the Knight Bus, he'd been alone with his thoughts. And Remiel.
It was too hot for hoodies, but Hyacinth carried his book bag with him, and the flap was open so that the kitten could peer out as he made his way to the ice cream shop.
No, the man behind the counter wasn't Roman Catholic, but he was religious, he was a Muggle, and he was getting to know the same world Hyacinth was.
Hyacinth's hair was the soft white streaked with pale grey which matched Remiel's fur, and despite the heat, he was wearing slacks and a long-sleeved white dress shirt, thin enough from wear that his undershirt was visible. He'd been talked out of his robes and sweater.
He looked out from behind his hair as he entered the cool of the shop, and reached down to rub absently at Remiel's ears. He didn't know what he'd say, and he was terrified of being on his own, but he wanted something he couldn't get at Hogwarts, not with things as they were.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rhys Moreau on Aug 2, 2012 22:43:53 GMT -5
At Matthew's gentle pushing Rhys had taken over a table in the main area of the shop today rather than locking himself upstairs. He didn't have his electronics with him other than his phone, but the table was littered with various things. A notebook, a textbook, and some fliers surrounded him, joined by a pencil because he just couldn't manage to write something without mistakes. The notebook was filled with tiny, messy handwriting.
He looked up when the door opened, as he had every other time he heard a sound, and saw a familiar face. "Hyacinth, right?" He was the religious boy, if he remembered correctly.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hyacinth Duprel on Aug 2, 2012 22:48:17 GMT -5
"Yes, Hyacinth," he said. He hovered by the door a moment before daring to take a few steps into the shop. Then he was torn between heading to the man's table or toward the counter. They always bought something when they came, but it felt like pretense when it wasn't what he'd actually come for. This was when he almost wished he'd brought Jory, after all. He shifted his weight slightly and looked down at the nearest chair. "You are Rhys, yes?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Rhys Moreau on Aug 2, 2012 22:51:31 GMT -5
"Yeah," Rhys said. Then he reached to clear off a little bit of the table. "You can sit if you want, we could get some water for that kitten." The boy always carried that little ball of fluff with him, didn't he? It seemed like Hyacinth wanted to see him, though he couldn't really imagine why. No, on second thought, he could. They were both religious, that alone was enough for a connection in the middle of this wizarding world.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hyacinth Duprel on Aug 2, 2012 23:21:47 GMT -5
"Thank you," Hyacinth said gratefully. He managed to get his feet moving, and then crossing the shop and sitting were easy. He lifted the kitten out of his bag, and though he'd thought ahead and brought some bottled water, he wouldn't turn down hospitality. He cuddled her against his chest, and though he wouldn't let himself look at the things on the table, he watched the shopkeeper a bit.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rhys Moreau on Aug 3, 2012 0:01:05 GMT -5
"How are you? It looks like a lot of people are out today," Rhys said. There were many people passing the windows and coming in the shop today. The girl Matthew had hired to help out came to the table with a low, wide saucer of water, then left. Matthew had been so proud to be able to hire someone new.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hyacinth Duprel on Aug 3, 2012 0:16:54 GMT -5
Hyacinth had murmured thank you, though he hadn't managed to make eye contact with the girl. He set Remiel on the table beside the water and kept his gaze safely on hers as he tried to form his mouth into words. "I want to ask," he started, then paused to think of the rest of the sentence. "Is it... difficult? Accepting magic? It is... witchcraft." Did he need to explain better? Would the man understand?
|
|
|
|
Post by Rhys Moreau on Aug 3, 2012 0:21:31 GMT -5
Rhys tilted his head at Hyacinth, wondering what the appropriate answer was. The magic wasn't the strangest thing he had needed to accept. At least magic could be proven with physical, tangible things. "I learned about magic by finding Matthew's wand. It was...a difficult conversation," he said. "I don't really think it's the witchcraft mentioned in the Bible. I think that in the Bible it's mentioned because pagans believed in it, and anything relating to the pagans was condemned. But this is real, and I've met some incredibly religious magic folk since moving here."
|
|
|
|
Post by Hyacinth Duprel on Aug 3, 2012 1:10:55 GMT -5
Hyacinth had been startled for a moment at the reminder that the man was homosexual, but that was quickly forgotten. I don't really think it's the witchcraft mentioned in the Bible. I've met some incredibly religious magic folk. His entire face brightened at the thought. But no, the things he'd done had definitely been considered bad.
"When I would do magic, it was accident, always accident, the Priest came," he said. "They would pray for me, and I would pray." He reached without thinking for his rosary. "When we prayed, it stopped." Which had only proved to them all that it was against God. "They did not blame me. I prayed, it stopped. We believed that I was possessed." He'd finally been convinced otherwise, but then, he hadn't spoken to a priest in months. He had much to confess.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rhys Moreau on Aug 3, 2012 8:54:21 GMT -5
"When people don't understand something, it's demonized, turned into the bad guy," Rhys said. That hit a little close to home. "I'm not really sure how magic works, but I think people have said that kids don't have control of their magic, that you can't really control it until you get a wand, right? Maybe praying gave you an extra bit of control over it."
|
|
|
|
Post by Hyacinth Duprel on Aug 3, 2012 9:52:59 GMT -5
Hyacinth nodded. That was definitely true. He prayed, he concentrated, the magic faded, or at least came under control. "My parents do not know magic," he said. "They do not know Hogwarts. They think it is a school for special students, and it will make the magic stop so I can be normal." And yet he carried a wand on his person at all times, and his cat was part kneazle.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rhys Moreau on Aug 3, 2012 10:18:31 GMT -5
"Are you going to tell them?" Rhys asked. He held back on possibly telling Hyacinth not to until he knew where the boy's mind was at on the matter. He couldn't lie and say he never wondered what it would have been like if his parents had never found out about him. He picked up his pencil and turned it round in his fingers just for something to do.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hyacinth Duprel on Aug 3, 2012 10:27:35 GMT -5
"I want to," Hyacinth said helplessly, "but I can not. When I was eleven, they came from the magic school in France to tell, but my parents sent them away. We prayed very much. Professor laSalle said we might try again, but it will take time, and still I must lie." Thou shalt not bear false witness. He had so much to confess!
|
|
|
|
Post by Rhys Moreau on Aug 3, 2012 10:44:22 GMT -5
Rhys was silent for some long moments. This boy needed help, that was obvious, but Rhys had been through so much recently that it was hard to want to talk again so soon. Eventually, he heaved a heavy sigh and sat forward in his chair, leaning on the table. "I'm not going to tell you what to do. But you have to figure out what's more important. Do you want them to know, no matter the consequences, or would you rather them never know and not risk losing them?
"When I was thirteen my parents found out I was gay, dad's a minister so I got put on prayer lists, sent to camps, anything you can think of. I left home when I was eighteen because I couldn't handle it anymore. They did nothing to keep me and I haven't heard from them since. I mean, I haven't reached out to them, but it still stings." Stings was putting it lightly. Very lightly. "I don't know your parents, so I can't tell you one way or the other."
|
|
|
|
Post by Hyacinth Duprel on Aug 3, 2012 10:54:42 GMT -5
Hyacinth's brows were drawn together as he looked at Rhys, torn in a hundred directions and still wanting this guidance. They did nothing to keep me and I haven't heard from them since. No, he couldn't accept that. He couldn't lose his parents. It was wrong to hold such secrets and tell such lies, but he needed his family's love. Was that selfish?
"To be gay, is like to be magic," Hyacinth suggested, trying to sort things. "It is not a choice." He believed that. If it had been a choice, he would have chosen to be normal, to remain a Muggle and never know that magic existed. "The church says that the acts are still sin, but it is... you are born like this. I am born like this. I did not choose. I can not stop magic."
He wanted to ask so badly how something could be an acceptable state only if it was ignored, but it sounded accusatory in his own mind. He accepted Rhys, he liked Rhys and didn't see that changing, but the technicalities were beyond his understanding.
|
|
