Just Between You and Me PVJack Burnett Finished

@Flash Holmwood

Jack had to admit - when he found the note tucked into one of his school books, he was impressed that whomever had slipped it to him had been stealthy enough to have done so without his notice. He hadn't thought there were too many people who even had the guts to try. Even if the promise of 'payment' and his usual curiosity hadn't been enough, he thought he might have gone to meet this mysterious note-giver for that reason alone.

And so it was that the redheaded Slytherin boy casually ambled down the hall to the trophy room the moment he had the time. He certainly didn't want to keep this secret stranger waiting until 8pm and his own impatience demanded that he get to the bottom of the situation as soon as possible. It may have been a trap from one of his many enemies, after all, or even one of his dorm mates simply attempting to pull a prank. Still, Jack wasn't about to back down.

Not wanting to waste time, he wondered if he might have been a bit too early for the note-giver, but was pleasantly surprised to find someone present in the small quarters of the room once he opened the door. There was only one person, so it didn't seem to be an ambush, but he still couldn't be positive that said person was the one who had given him the note. Said note hadn't had a name on it, either, so how was he supposed to be able to tell who had sent it?

Jack knocked gently on the door to alert the other boy to his presence so he didn't startle him on accident. "Hello," he greeted cautiously, hazel eyes regarding the other first year as he looked him up and down, taking him in. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about a note I was sent...would you?" The corner of his mouth curved upward in a crooked grin as he asked, entertaining the possibility that the boy before him had been the clever fellow who had gotten his message through.

Flash audibly sighed, relieved that his wait hadn't been a long one. He tried to gain his composure and put on a act of cool confidence, but blatantly telegraphed it. He couldn't help but be nervous, despite goading himself on to go ahead with the impulse. In that moment, it sank in that he was far away from family, and he was in control of his own path moving forward.

"Yes, Burnett, thank you for coming." He said, striding forward with his arms out, as if motioning him into his own personal trophy room.

Burnett came closer, no apparent sign of trepidation as he smiled, his eyes darting around the room nonchalantly. Flash moved to shut the door behind him, though he doubted that kind of precaution was actually necessary. He took a quick glimpse at the watch on his wrist-- punctual, intuitive he thought. His judgement of others needed to be quick and accurate.

"If you read the note you already know my problem. How do I say this..." His visitor had arrived so quickly that he hadn't had time to rehearse what he would say, "I want to know everything. Everything I ought to know. I need all the cards in my hand if I'm going to play. And you have cards, right?"

@Jack Burnett

@Flash Holmwood

The other boy's very adult and business-like behavior regarding his words and welcoming gesture caused Jack to blink rapidly in confusion before laughing aloud. He couldn't have been any older than Jack was, surely. Was he one of those kids with a wealthy, prestigious background who had been bred from a young age to behave ten years older than they actually were? He certainly acted like it. Idly, Jack wondered if his peer was a pureblood or not.

"Of course, of course - wouldn't want to waste your time or mine," the redhead chuckled, acting as though he, too, were playing the role of a professional adult talking business. "I have to say, I was impressed with your method of contact, but...was that really necessary?" He beamed at the other boy. "Couldn't you have just asked me about what you wanted in person rather than having to leave a cryptic note to meet somewhere else like some school girl anxious to confess their love?"

He couldn't stop grinning even though he knew the other student might have taken offense at his obvious amusement. And that amusement only grew once he heard the 'details' of the other young man's request.

"Everything, is it?" he laughed. "Okay, first things first. If you want information from me, I'm going to need information from you. Sound fair? For starters, how about how you know me, what you know of me, who you are, and just what sort of game it is you're intending to play here."

He gave his fellow housemate a knowing smile. "Besides...if you're going to stick with the whole, 'be professionally polite to your partners and connections' deal, shouldn't you begin by introducing yourself? I mean, I'm no expert on manners, but I'd think that demanding to know 'everything' right off the bat without giving anything in return is pretty brazen...particularly for someone who's supposed to have been selected for the house of the cunning and ambitious."

How frustrating...The truth was Flash hardly knew anything about Burnett besides hearsay. From what he gathered, he assumed he was some sort of bully with a cheshire smile. Lots of people didn’t like him, and Flash didn’t care if he liked him either. He usually went out of his way to make sure he left a good impression on everyone, but that kindness stopped at troublemakers. Even if Burnett went around saying something bad about Flash, not many people would believe him. That was the price of reputation, that was the reason it was important to save face.

Burnett wasn’t pulling any punches though, he was aiming straight for the foundation of Flash’s insecurities. Perhaps it was silly to call him into a private room, or to act so formally. It was all an act, after all, and it seemed like it hadn't had its intended effect. Burnett kept grinning like the whole thing just amused him. Insightful, precocious.

He then started listing his own demands, particularly the things he wanted to know. This, at least, Flash could feel comfortable with. One of the advantages of living in a house of well-established business people was that everything became a negotiation. Even at a young age, he was told to back up his claims and use evidence to support them, that was just the kind of family they were. Even if he had tears streaming down his face, they would insist he use his words, not his raw emotion, if he really wanted to be heard.

”How I know you is simple: we attend the same house in the same school. We even both live in the boy’s dormitories. If you weren’t paying attention during the sorting ceremony that’s your own problem, it’s not my job to spoon feed you widely available information.” Flash spoke with a bit more venom than was strictly necessary, a bit riled by Burnett’s own pattern of caustic accusations. ”And it’s not some game I’m playing, I…”

Flash realized he was messing with the narrative of his own argument, he did sort of imply it was a game to him. How did he lose this thread so quickly? He had to get his head back in the right spot, Burnet was trying to get him to lose his confidence and drop his facade, neither of which Flash wanted to happen, no matter how little he cared about Burnett’s opinion of him. Even still, it wasn’t as though he called Burnet out just to be antagonistic at each other for a while. Flash sighed, and corrected his posture.

”Well, what I really said was ‘everything I ought to know’. That’s a much smaller pool of information. I don’t care about what you had for breakfast, for instance.” Flash grimaced, Burnett’s smile really annoyed him. ”And if you don’t mind, I’m not accepting criticism of my manner of speaking at the moment. I don’t intend to use this time to bicker with you, I’d rather it just be a smooth, clean transaction.”

Flash moved to sit on a bench nearby. It was a simple marble bench, it made Flash imagine an old man coming back to Hogwarts to admire his past accomplishments.

”So let me be more clear: My name is Flash, and I want to hear about the Valentine’s Day tea party. I’ve been hearing about nothing else for the past few days, and some of it has to be hyperbole. I want to know what really happened, and you were there.” Flash had hoped he might have been able to get Burnett to spill his guts on multiple topics, but after only a short amount of talking to him, he knew he would have to be very specific. ”That’s easy, right? I want you to be detailed and honest, that’s the deal. Now, I’d rather get the manner of payment out of the way immediately.”

@Jack Burnett

@Flash Holmwood

Upon hearing his housemate's first response to his question, Jack smiled and shook his head, wagging a finger scoldingly. "Ah ah ah...nice try, but that's not how you know me - that's how you know of me. Coming to me particularly for information means you heard something about me to make you think I had information to give. Otherwise you could have asked anyone else in our house who live in the boys' dormitories. Not to mention it gives you even less of a reason as to why you didn't just talk to me there instead of arranging a private meeting like this."

Regarding Flash with a tilt of his head, he continued, "But if you want to play coy, that's fine. Only, you can be sure my information for you will be just as...'useful' as yours is for me." The bite in the other boy's response caused Jack's brows to rise slightly, but otherwise he only smiled a little more broadly as he continued to listen.

As he pondered his peer's words, he began to pace the room, eyes drifting over the various display cases, trophies, and medals without actually seeing them. He really couldn't help the grin on his face now, but as he felt he'd already annoyed the other boy enough, Jack thought facing away from his fellow Slytherin might have mitigated the frustration directed toward him somewhat. Especially with what else Jack had to tell him.

"Critisim is only critisism if you take it as such, which I cannot force you to do. Therefore, any critisism you fail to take well is entirely your own fault," the redheaded Slytherin said, watching the other first-year's reflection in a glass case. It was kind of refreshing he could have someone to banter with in such a way. Most people he had met as of late usually didn't have the intellect to follow his comments, but it seemed this one did. Jack was beginning to enjoy himself throughly.

"As for a smooth, clean transaction, that also depends entirely on you." He turned back to face the other young man who had chosen to seat himself on a bench. Jack approached him with his hands neatly clasped behind his back.

"Let me explain: I admire tricksters. I have studied their ways and utilize their methods as best I can. One of the concepts associated with the Trickster archetype is balance - equality. Therefore, I will provide you with as much and with as accurate information as you provide me - no more, no less. Equivalent exchange. Isn't that only fair?"

His grin had dwindled down into something more serious and subtle as his hazel eyes met blue ones. "I also don't do well with vagueness. If you want specifics, you'll have to tell me the specifics you want. Wanting to know the events of the Valentine's Day tea party is much more narrowed down than the description of 'everything you ought to know', but it's still awfully vague. I don't know what you've already heard, so if you don't specify further, I might just give you information you already know. But again, if you're fine with that, please...by all means, be as vague as you like. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

He waved a hand carelessly as he went back to slowly ambling a lap about the trophy room. "Okay, so you know I was there. That at least explains some of how you heard of me and why you're asking me for information. And regarding getting payment out of the way immediately, you're a man after my own heart."

Jack dramatically put a hand on his chest over where his heart was located as he paused to smile again at Flash. But then his eyes narrowed and maliciousness licked at the corners of that smile, his eyes flashing with something dangerous.

"However...how am I supposed to provide you what is asked of me if you have yet to provide me with what I asked of you?" He cocked his head again, taking in the other young man as if for the first time. "My payment is information for information. I already asked you for certain things, some of which you have only provided me with indirectly or partially. Furthermore, I have reason to believe that at least one piece of said information directly provided is even false."

Jack took his time making his way back to the bench Flash sat at, but he made every step count, refusing to break eye-contact with his housemate. "'Flash', you said your name was? Funny...maybe I wasn't paying that much attention during the sorting ceremony, but I'm certain I'd remember a name like that..." His grinning mouth twitched with irritation.

"...You...wouldn't happen to be lying, would you, Snake? I don't abide lies. There's no cleverness or intelligence in them. Tricksters utilize many ways of loopholing, bending, twisting, and avoiding the truth...but lying? Tsk, tsk, tsk..." He clicked his tongue disapprovingly as he shook his head at the ground. "That's just an easy way out for idiots. They always get exposed in the end."

Peering back up at Flash, his brows furrowed and pinched as if in disappointment. "...And here I thought we might be able to trust each other."

Good Lord… Flash was inconsolable. Talking to Burnett was like trying not to scratch at an inflamed rash. Scratching at it only ever made things worse, but there was nothing in the world you’d rather do. He instigated an anger deep in Flash’s gut, and it felt like it was kicking him from the inside. Burnett certainly knew how to make someone’s blood boil. Even when trying to remain perfectly calm, a scowl stayed fixed on Flash’s face as he spoke.

”It isn’t a lie. That’s the name I answer to. The only name I answer to.” He hated having to explain himself. He didn’t want to start giving out free information either. The two of them weren’t equals. It seemed the conversation wasn’t going to go anywhere unless Burnett got his jabs in. ”What else do you want to know? How I knew about you, why I called you into a private meeting? Have you ever considered--"

Flash had to stop himself again. He was too angry, he had to calm down. He sighed heavily-- how many times had he sighed already, was he holding his breath?-- and raked his hand back through his hair to get it out of his face. Burnett was looking right at him, so Flash returned the gaze.

”I don’t want people to think we’re friends. Is that so strange?” Flash was a bit more expressionless now, but his eyes relayed the contempt in his heart. ”I know you by your reputation, that’s all. I thought if anyone had the details I wanted, it would be you. Maybe I made a mistake. If all you’re going to do it flirt with me, then I should just take my curiosity elsewhere.”

@Jack Burnett

@Flash Holmwood

"Ah, yes...names are very important things. Especially birth names," Jack agreed. "But you already know mine, so I'd like to learn yours. Fair's fair and all. And I will learn it, one way or another. But consider this - if you don't willingly just give it to me now, nice and simple-like, who knows what else I might uncover upon doing my research on you?"

Crossing his arms across his chest, the redhead leaned his shoulder against a trophy case, watching Flash coolly. "Relax. Knowing your name doesn't mean I'll call you by it if that's not what you want. I guess you must not know all that much about me after all, because I make it a point to be clear that I have no friends. The closest associations I make are partners I do business with - like my contractual partner and dorm mate, Fangs."

He shrugged. "I imagine you have the same apprehension about the intimacy of calling others by their true names as we do - Fangs and I, that is. That's why we use nicknames. But we still had to exchange real names for the purpose of our contract. How else are we supposed to be able to trust each other to conduct proper business?"

Jack sighed, a little more irked to have had to explain more of himself than he had originally thought would have been necessary. He'd assumed the other Slytherin had done at least enough research to find out his stance on friendship. That was one of the things Jack was most adamant about making clear when meeting new acquaintances - they could either only grow into enemies or potential business partners. Not friends.

Still, maybe it was a good thing that Flash didn't know as much about him as he'd thought. It would be so much easier for Jack to be underestimated that way.

"I seem to have a number of reputations, many of which contradict each other and a good portion of which aren't actually true. Care to enlighten me more as to what, exactly, you heard?" He raised a single brow once more. "And perhaps you can explain what you know of what happened at the Tea Party already while you're at it so I can fill in your blanks for you."

He sneered at the suggestion that he was 'flirting', curious as to what, exactly, had given the other boy that notion. Perhaps it was nothing more than an attempt at an insult. In any case, the other boy seemed to be pulling away. Jack sighed. That wouldn't have been any fun.

"The Flying Professor, Professor Bercegeay, announced an errand to Hogwarts students - that anyone to attend her Valentine's Day Tea Party on February 14th would earn three house points if they stayed long enough for her to pair them up with someone else. I, like many others, attended specifically to earn said points," he elaborated.

"An acquaintance of mine approached me for unknown reasons; presumably to mock me for being there. She seemed to quickly grow uneasy, though, because she got up to head to the refreshments table - only to have boiling tea dumped over her head by yet another acquaintance of mine."

Jack's eyes grew hard at the memory and he idly bit the inside of his cheek as he stared off into the distance. "Everything went to shit after that."

No matter how much he insisted, Flash didn’t want to say it. Go ahead and do your research, there’s nothing to uncover. Unlike you, I made sure of that. He thought, doing little else but giving Burnett a side eye. He continued to explain nicknames, and how he dealt with ‘contractual partners’ rather than friends. That was all good and fine for him, but Flash didn’t care. If he had any luck in the world, this would be the last time he ever spoke to Burnett, but he knew that wasn’t likely.

”I’m not about to acquiesce to every tiny bit of information you’d like to know. Unless you’re trying to ghostwrite my autobiography I’m done telling you things about myself.” Flash put his foot down on the subject, whether it would have any effect or not. Many reputations-- some of them lies-- what did it matter. In the end he was just a dodgy kid. ”About the tea party, just the objective truth about what happened. Names and events, as they really occurred. No one’s story is straight, all the details are conflated. I just want to know the truth. Explain it like you're giving an official report, if that helps you understand what I mean.”

Flash calmed down a bit when Burnett finally started to explain, but there was one thing Flash almost forgot. As the story hit a natural pause, he jumped in.

”Burnett, the price?”

@Flash Holmwood

Jack had begun with a minimum of information in the hopes of at least wheting Flash's appetite and giving him a basis of information from which to start. However, instead of asking for more details regarding any aspects of his story so far, when the brunet finally made an inquiry, it was to ask about the price.

The redhead stared at his peer for a good ten seconds before groaning in exasperation and slapping his palm to his face.

"Have you not been listening, Snake? Or have I simply overestimated your ability to follow this level of conversation?" His voice was quiet, but strained with weariness and annoyance.

After rubbing his eyes and temples for a few moments, he finally looked back up.

"For the last time - the price is information for information," he said slowly, quite certain this was at least the third time he was trying to get that particular message across to Flash. "Do try to keep up."

He began to hold up his fingers one by one as he ran through a list, using a manner of speaking akin to one used to try to explain something to a toddler with a short attention span. "I'd like to know why you wanted to meet me here, how you heard of me, what you know of me, and your full name." Jack exhaled deeply at the slightly taller boy. "I was also curious as to what game you seemed to want to play at, or at least your angle, but it sounds as if even you don't know."