𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰!
act one, chapter two
" 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒚 "

𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟕

          𝑾𝒀𝑨𝑻𝑻 𝑺𝑨𝑾 𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑶𝑫𝑶𝑹𝑬 𝑨𝑮𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑻 𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑲. It was September first and it was the day Wyatt's suspicions were confirmed ─ Mr Nott wasn't one for seeing the light of day, because Theodore was escorted out by who, one can assume, was his nanny/butler/whatever word you would use. In fact, for the first time in history, Wyatt saw the Nott Manor doors open and close. It was all very exciting ─ she even got a glimpse of the walkway. From the little she saw, Wyatt concluded that it was as dark inside as it was outside ─ cold coloured walls, wood painted black. But that was none of her business.

          Platform nine and three quarters was buzzing when Wyatt and her parents emerged from the brick wall separating the platform from Muggle territory at half-past ten in the morning. Seeing the nervous first years dart around like headless chickens resulted in reality daunting on a rather flustered Wyatt Buckley ─ this was her last September first. Not literally (or at least she hopes not) but her last September first visiting platform nine and three quarters as a student, witnessing the beautiful chaos unfold like a panicked painting. Hearing the sobs of parents and the rustic tune of the train leaving the station. Watching the dramatic hugs from children and the excited skips from those who couldn't wait to be away from their parents for four whole months.

          Wyatt wasn't one of those teenagers ─ the ones that dreamed of September first because it granted them a parent-free card for a while. Wyatt loved her parents and their company, so saying goodbye was always bittersweet.

          "We'll see you at Christmas." Lucas Buckley had his arm around his daughter, crushing her closer and closer into his side. He peered down at Wyatt and squeezed his hand tighter against her shoulder. "Don't combust before then," he joked.

          Wyatt rolled her eyes ─ he made this joke every year. "I won't dad; I never do," she promised.

          Megan Buckley observed the embrace from a short distance and chuckled at the repeated interaction. "You stress yourself out too much, darling. What with auditions and everything." Megan swept a finger over her daughter's cheek.

          Wyatt had the same response every year when it came to burning herself out with stress. Her parents think she works too hard ─ with school, with helping Flitwick and the plays (no one else acts and makes props and helps backstage as Wyatt does), and everyone else agrees. Wyatt just thinks she has a strong work ethic and shouldn't be criticized because of it. And this year, she will take no suggestions from anybody ─ that leading role is hers, even if she has to move a mountain to get it.

          "I do not," Wyatt argued. "This year's important to me, you know that."

          "Of course we do, Wy," Lucas said. "As long as you promise to get eight hours sleep, we won't worry."

          Eight will be a bit of a stretch when she's leading lady, but Wyatt promised her parents that anyway, and they were on their way a minute later.

          Being on Platform nine and three quarters on your own is much different than being there with parents or with a friend. You feel so small, in a world of great intensity. Wyatt shuffled backwards, up against the brick wall, her bag now stowed on the train already, and stared at the blurry wave of people as she waited for a friend to appear in view and for the clock to strike eleven.

          Wyatt had agreed via letters and owls to locate her friends, Rudy and Teddy, on the platform in order for them all to board the train together. They thought this would be easier since if they looked for each other on the train, it would take far too long and they'd all be boarding at different points in time, and inevitably, going around in circles. But now, their plan appeared to be flawed, and Wyatt could barely identify child over parent in this fuzzy image before her. She could barely even hear herself think over the noise.

          And to her delight, someone did find her, hidden behind the crowds of frantic wizards and the odd Muggle, practically blending into the wall. It just wasn't Rudy nor Teddy.

          "Good morning."

          Wyatt may not be able to process the thoughts running through her mind due to the hectic atmosphere, but nothing could prevent her, from acknowledging her rather aggressive sigh, albeit, internal.

          This was the second sighting of Theodore Nott today.

          Wyatt only ever speaks this monotonal when it comes to this particular boy. "Morning," she replied, her eyes fixated on the red wagon before her. A few moments passed, and Wyatt could sense his body movements from how close he was standing to her. He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked backwards and forward on his feet. Wyatt even thinks she heard him whistle, but that could have been the train.

          Had this been any other student, this wouldn't have been abnormal. But considering it is Theodore Nott, the boy who is desperate to be liked by every single one of his classmates, Wyatt credits this rather odd. Because Theo didn't say a word after that.

          Theodore Nott has always been the centre of attention. Maybe not at home, but in school, he always thrived in populated environments; the epitome of an extrovert. Wyatt can hardly relate, but she can sure as hell vouch for his superiority complex and need to be loved by all. So for Theo not to continue babbling on in conversation with her right now, is something out of the ordinary.

          Wyatt stood, puzzled, her eyebrows beginning to furrow, waiting for a word train to fall out of his mouth. But it never came. And Wyatt never thought she'd see the day where she started a further conversation with Theodore Nott.

          She drew her eyes away from the train and cautiously trailed them up to the side of his face. He was lost in thought; chewing on his bottom lip, his eyes carefully browsing the crowds. He was rather peaceful.

          "That it?" Wyatt asked.

          Theo was pulled out of his state of restraint and overlooked the girl staring up at him. He shrugged, "Yeah well I can't find my friends, and I don't want to board the train alone," he said. Wyatt was doing the exact same thing, and so she stared straight ahead once more, her eyes briefly inspecting the iron clock, screwed into the wall. It read 10.47 and Wyatt hoped that in ten minutes, she wouldn't be in the same situation as Theodore.

          Wyatt now considered their interaction over, and their presences completely separate ─ just two students, unbeknown to each other's situations, simply waiting for their friends, and for a new year at Hogwarts to start. Theo had other ideas:

          "That was your queue to offer to walk onto the train together by the way."

          She could feel his breath on her neck, and she didn't even need to move a muscle to know that he was right up against her face, and no doubt grinning. Wyatt turned her head to look at him. Theo was leant down, his eyes hooked on hers.

          Wyatt pretended to be surprised. "Was it?" she asked, her face sporting a look of deep, mocked concern. "Oh shit. For the first time ever, I didn't pick up on my queue," she quickly went robot again, and stared on ahead, hoping Teddy and/or Rudy were going to appear any second and save her from this mess. "Maybe that's because you're on a different planet and shouldn't class this," she waggled a finger between the pair of them, "as a friendship. So no I will not walk on with you."

          Theo straightened out, and stood tall; the height difference made clear once more. "No offence," he said, "but I think it would really boost your social status if you walked onto the train with me."

          "What a lovely statement for you to make, Theodore," Wyatt replied caustically, holding a hand to her heart. "Thank you."

          Theo adopted a smug smile. "I do like helping people sometimes."

          Wyatt contained a second sigh of irritation and began scanning the platform for anyone to salvage her from an interaction such as this, and she never thought she'd see the day where Draco Malfoy came to her rescue. Wyatt pointed out the platinum blonde boy to the one beside her and two seconds later (after another incredibly irritating grin), Theo was gone.

          Wyatt wasn't on her own for that much longer, and it was Teddy that escorted her onto the Hogwarts Express, where they found an empty compartment, and where Rudy found them five minutes later, just as the train was departing from its station.

          The wheels made a horrible screeching noise and all three of them were grateful they didn't choose a compartment with a clear view of the parents on the platform, teary-eyed, waving at their children, who had their heads wedged out of the window, and blotting tears from their ducts.

          Teddy had already rolled up his jacket into a little cylinder that looked like an enlarged spring roll and lodged it between him and the window, and he was sat comfortably against it, with his feet on the cushioned deck; his newspaper (Teddy always, no matter where he was, had a copy of The Daily Prophet on hand) at his disposal.

          There's one thing you should know about Teddy Morley ─ he's not a people person. And, in turn, there's very little Hufflepuff in him. It's a surprise he even managed to pick Wyatt Buckley and Rudy Paisley up in their first year, with his resting bitch face, and constant need to be reading a newspaper he doesn't even agree with (you should hear him complain about the journalists who write for The Daily Prophet, even when he reads it religiously). But he did, and even though it's never very obvious, he loves his friends and is forever grateful that they chose him, and didn't leave him lonely. Wyatt always saw it as some people express love differently, that's all. Although that being said, Teddy has never loved September first, because being away from a select few of their classmates (*cough, cough, Draco Malfoy and Co) for seven long weeks, is a gift from God himself.

          Rudy was sat next to Teddy, leaving Wyatt on the other bench by herself. One leg was crossed over the other, and she looked ever so dainty next to Teddy. It was strange, considering they have an eight-hour train ride ahead of them. But Rudy looked happy, and Wyatt didn't want to question that.

          Rudy Paisley, is, to this day, the nicest person Wyatt Buckley has ever met. And so, there is a shit tonne of Hufflepuff in her. Wyatt still wonders how and why Rudy chose Teddy and herself to be her friends. Teddy is a surly, blunt Scrooge of a boy, and Rudy is a lovely, supportive Mrs Claus of a girl. Opposites attract and all that, Wyatt guesses. Rudy has been to every opening night, every closing night, every dress rehearsal that Wyatt has ever been in, which is incredibly nice of her seeing as every one of those has been Shakespeare and he's not for everyone, let's be real. But Wyatt can't thank Rudy enough, for being the friend everyone needs.

          "Good summer?" Wyatt asked her two friends, once the English countryside had made an appearance.

          Teddy clasped his hands together and rested them on his stomach. He shrugged bored, "Nothing to report."

          Rudy bobbed her head encouragingly, "Not a complete disaster," she said.

          Wyatt winced a little as she looked over at Rudy, "Sorry to hear about Austria, Rue."

          Rudy and her family were supposed to go skiing in Austria over the break, but she informed her friends over the letters they exchanged over the holidays, that they had to cancel and didn't end up going because Rudy's dad's boss pulled out of their agreement, and demanded he stayed in work for the whole six weeks.

          Mr Paisley works for the Improper Use of Magic Office in the Ministry of Magic and his boss happens to be Corvus Nott, the father of their insufferable classmate, Theodore. The two men had previously agreed that Mr Paisley could have the two weeks off to go to Austria with his wife and daughter, but Corvus later abandoned their agreement right at the last minute, and their Austria trip was cancelled. Wyatt feels terribly sorry, because she knows how excited Rudy was for it. She's also fired up with rage because there was no real reason behind keeping Mr Paisley in, except for the fact that Mr Corvus Nott is a selfish prick. Even when Mr Paisley tried to negotiate and cut their holiday down to five days, Corvus denied his appeal. Rudy and her mother keep advising her dad to quit his job, due to poor treatment, but they both know they can't afford it.

          Teddy unfolded his newspaper and flicked to the first page. "Yeah," he sighed, and for once, it seemed he was going to show signs of empathy. That was later disproved: "That musta sucked."

          Rudy pursed her lips and gawked at her male friend. "Thank you for your sweet sweet pity, Teddy," she said, her voice tightened. "It makes me feel a lot better."

          He smiled sarcastically, "That's what I'm here for."

          Rudy sighed, and turned to Wyatt, "It was okay though," she said. "Dad promised to take us next year instead. And to visit Paris on the way home. How was your summer?"

          Teddy hummed, "Last I heard, you were writing William Shakespeare's biography."

          Wyatt's tongue smacked against the roof of her mouth. "Har har," she said to Teddy, before quickly changing her expression to a sweet one, and looking over at Rudy. "But it was quite nice, thank you, Rue."

          Teddy's eyes didn't leave his page, but he hadn't left the conversation yet, "Learnt every line of every play written before the twentieth century yet?" he joked, stifling a smirk, keeping his bland expression and dry tone.

          Wyatt rolled her eyes playfully. "No, but I'm not far off."

          Teddy finally looked up from his paper and smiled in mock pride. "We're so proud, Wy."

          The rest of the train journey to Scotland was like a haze. The train beneath them rocked calmly along the rustic tracks, painting the countryside behind the window like a masterpiece on an easel. The sun sank slowly, behind the mountains and the highlands they passed, until the sky was blue no more, and the landscape was bathed in the dark glow of the night.

          Although September, a chill brushed over Wyatt as she exited the train at Hogsmeade station. But the sight of the Hogwarts castle standing tall in the glow of the street lamps, made her feel all warm inside and provided a comfort she couldn't even explain.

          The three of them found an empty carriage, and their seventh year was but a trot away.

          "What do you think Flitwick's going to choose for this year's play then?" Wyatt asked curiously, as she unravelled her black and yellow scarf from her backpack, and tucked it under her hair.

          Wyatt can't lie ─ she's been wanting to ask this question since closing night of Much Ado About Nothing. The endless opportunities, the exciting new leads. Wyatt just hopes she doesn't bore her friends. Then she silently promised them, the three of them can talk about whatever they like next. After all, the feast does have a tendency to drag on when all anyone wants to do is go to bed.

          Teddy had reopened his copy of The Daily Prophet and was comfortably reading the last page by the time their carriage jolted into a move. The rattling of the wheels against worn gravel, and the excited chatter of returning students blended into one pretty tune until Teddy shot Wyatt down: "I'm going to take a wild guess and say Shakespeare." His eyes were glued to the black and white of the paper, and his tone was laced with pure sarcasm, as his eyes popped open briefly.

          Wyatt sunk further into her seat opposite the boy, defeated. "I wanted your honest thoughts, not sarcasm please, Teddy."

          Rudy was watching the trail of carriages behind them, and the Scottish Highlands surrounding the castle. It was now that Wyatt learned that neither of them were that interested. Maybe they were just tired?

          "He has a point," Rudy said uninvolved. "It's technically a very solid and plausible guess," she nodded her head and knotted her mouth into a ball. Teddy continued to read his paper disinterested in the world around him. Wyatt now noticed how he was not in his Hufflepuff robes and was probably the only student who hadn't bothered to get out of his Muggle clothes.

          Wyatt sat up straighter. "Okay, fine then," she said. "Which one?"

          Rudy clawed her eyes away from the outside and landed them on her best friend. Rudy cocked her head and elected for a supportive smile. "One with a strong female lead I bet."

          Wyatt hadn't smiled yet ─ she wanted raw, genuine answers. After all, if they predicted the right play that Flitwick is going to choose for the summer of 1998 play, no one is going to be more prepared than Wyatt Buckley. Maybe she's too obsessed.

          "Thank you for saying that," Wyatt said to Rudy, and it was like Teddy had disappeared from the carriage (he has a habit of doing this (not literally)). "Even if its purpose was just to make me feel better."

          Rudy's shoulders sagged a little, "It's our last year, Wy," she said. "We should enjoy it. You especially. Please don't beat yourself up about this play. It'll be great fun no matter what."

          Wyatt wasn't too sure whether her friend was saying that because Rudy didn't believe Wyatt could get the lead, or whether it was because Rudy's true intentions were simply that she was just looking out for Wyatt. But nonetheless, Wyatt can confirm that her not putting excruciating efforts into getting the leading lady, and therefore even harsher levels of effort with the play that follows, was highly unlikely.

¨. ༢ ͎۪۫ ༊*·˚