NOVEL WEB Chapter 16: Want to Come Along?
Aldric finished his hot dog quickly and felt thirsty. He picked up a water bottle someone had left behind and took a long drink. To his surprise, it wasn't water but something sweet and fruity.
He set the bottle down and looked at Franklin with a small smile.
"You know, Franklin, I've actually noticed you for a while," he said. "You're stronger and smarter than most people realize. You don't say much, but it's obvious you care about having real friends.
Don't sell yourself short. You're my friend, Aldric Thistlewaite's friend. And for what it's worth, your magical talent is impressive."
Franklin's dark face flushed a faint red. It was the first time since arriving at Hogwarts that anyone had genuinely praised him. Aldric watched with mild amusement as Franklin's excitement bubbled to the surface. 'This kid really doesn't get enough attention, he thought.'
A few simple compliments, and Franklin was already looking choked up.
While Professor Quirrell droned on from the textbook, occasionally glancing at the patch of blue in the sea of yellow robes, Franklin finally began to open up. He talked about his difficult family life and the uneasy stares he got at Hogwarts because of his size and his quiet nature.
Aldric responded now and then, listening while he sipped the sweet drink until the bottle was empty. Honestly, it was really good. He made a mental note to ask the Hufflepuff boy after class what brand it was.
When the bell finally rang, Franklin went quiet, though his gaze stayed fixed on Aldric. Feeling a bit uneasy under the scrutiny, Aldric quickly gathered his things and left the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Franklin trailing close behind.
After finishing his two morning Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, Aldric found himself wandering the halls of Hogwarts. He'd eaten a bit too much during class and needed to stretch his legs. He wasn't interested in visiting Ravenclaw again; he felt like he'd already seen everything there.
After thinking it over, he decided to check out Gryffindor instead. The Defense classroom wasn't far from Gryffindor Tower, so he took a ride on one of the moving staircases and soon found himself standing in front of the Fat Lady's portrait.
She was humming to herself and brushing her hair inside the frame. Aldric tried to remember the Gryffindor password. 'Wasn't it something like Dragon head?'
Before he could say anything, the Fat Lady paused her grooming and turned to look at him.
"The password's changed, dear," she said in her warm, slightly musical voice. "Oh, and you're a Ravenclaw! Such a handsome little Ravenclaw, what brings you all the way up to Gryffindor Tower?"
Then she struck a dramatic pose, one hand to her chest, her chin tilted proudly. "Well, Are you my Prince Charming!?" she teased with a playful smile.
"That's right! Looks like our Prince Charming finally remembered his Gryffindor friends," came a familiar voice.
Just then, the Weasley twins, Fred and George, approached from a distance.
"You're just in time, George, Fred," Aldric said with a shrug. "I was about to come find you. But seriously, what's with the whole 'Prince Charming' thing?"
"Don't you know?" George replied, pretending to be shocked. "Your heroic deeds in the dining hall have turned into legend."
"Poor Cinderella Hermione was cornered by the bully Malfoy in the dining hall," Fred added dramatically, clasping his hands over his chest and staring upward in mock admiration. "Just when things looked hopeless, her Prince Charming appeared and rescued her from the scoundrel's clutches."
Aldric was left speechless. He never imagined the dining hall incident would be spun into some grand heroic tale. But judging by the mischievous grins on the twins' faces, he suspected they were the ones spreading the story.
Thankfully, they didn't keep teasing him, they knew how to keep their jokes light and fun, which was one reason Aldric enjoyed hanging out with them. George then noticed the young black boy following behind Aldric and asked, "By the way, who's this? Your new friend?"
"That's right, this is my new buddy, Franklin," Aldric said with a helpless shrug.
Since the Defense Against the Dark Arts class ended, Franklin had been quietly following Aldric without saying a word, just silently tagging along. Poor Aldric had tried to make conversation early on to avoid the awkward silence, but after climbing several flights of stairs with Franklin still in tow, he gave up and ignored him.
After some introductions, the Weasley twins finally opened the Gryffindor common room door for Aldric. As soon as he stepped inside, a girl with big, wavy hair appeared before him.
"Aldric, how did you get into the Gryffindor common room?" Hermione's asked in surprise.
Usually, students weren't allowed into other houses' common rooms.
Then she quickly softened her tone. "I mean… what made you think to come here looking for me?"
"I was worried about you, Hermione. When we parted yesterday, you didn't seem yourself," Aldric said smoothly. "By the way, where are Harry and Ron?"
Hermione sneered dismissively. "They're in the dorm playing wizard's chess. I'll take you there. I don't get what's so fun about it, it's a waste of time."
Hermione led them quickly to Harry's dorm. The door was open, and from the hallway, the sounds of Harry and Ron shouting were clear.
"Oh my god, Hermione! This is the boys' dorm! If you want to come in, at least knock first!"
Ron was startled by Hermione's sudden intrusion. He was in the middle of hastily hiding a pair of boxers on the floor when he noticed Aldric.
"Aldric! You came to see us? Great! Harry and I are deep into wizard's chess, want to join?"
Neither Aldric nor Franklin said no. Even though they were Muggle-borns, both were curious about wizard's chess.
After some introductions, the four gathered around the chessboard. But Aldric only glanced briefly before looking away.
Aside from the fact that the pieces talked and moved on their own, it was basically just a version of regular chess, and honestly, he found it boring. Hermione was pleased to see Aldric share her lack of interest in wizard's chess and immediately started lecturing Harry and Ron again. Franklin shifted uncomfortably beside them, looking like one of those "waste-of-time" kids Hermione was always complaining about.
Aldric didn't join in when Hermione started criticizing. Instead, he suggested they all head down to the Great Hall for lunch. He'd wandered around enough for one morning and didn't want to miss the meal.
As soon as they left the dormitory, Franklin quietly drifted to the back, trailing after Aldric again. Aldric walked ahead without a care, though Harry and the others exchanged a look, clearly noticing something was a bit odd, but no one said anything.
Today's lunch was roast chicken with mashed potatoes, one of Harry's favorite. He tore into a chicken leg in each hand, grease and sauce dripping down his fingers, while a dark brown ring of mashed potatoes and gravy formed around his mouth.
"You should try some, it's really good," Harry said, offering Aldric the chicken leg he hadn't touched yet. "Oh, and by the way, Aldric, Ron and I are planning to visit Hagrid this afternoon. Want to come along?"