Overthinking Finished

Leonard knew, right from the moment he'd seen the boy, he was interesting.

It was like a second sense, he supposed. The way he knew some of them were going to be trouble, and some of them would rather die than be expelled.

There were several signs. He'd been making a list of them over the years, pinning one sticky note atop the other until it amounted to just over forty-four. Most people Leonard met hadn't been very interesting, for lack of better wording.

One, the stance of him. Leaning against the wall meant one of two things: one, they were troubled and trying hard to think of a solution for said troubles. Two, they were going for a Danny Zuko vibe, and from the closed eyes, lack of visible eyeliner and leather jackets, Leonard figured it was the first.

Two, the talking to oneself out loud. Most uninteresting people, such as Leonard, kept their thoughts to themselves. It was only the brave, and therefore, interesting people who were brave enough to share their thoughts, even if it was to an empty hall. Well, almost empty, which led to Number Three.
His reaction when he saw Leonard. When he did, Leonard had half a mind to run away and a quarter to pretend he was one of the ghosts of Hogwarts.

But the best of all was something that hadn't been put on a sticky note just yet: he was a fellow overthinker. Even then, he'd been overthinking about overthinking. It was a paradox. And the only way out of a paradox was to exit.

"You can call me Leo." He said, not thinking. It was weird, really, not consulting his extensive script for words to say. It also felt slightly relieving. "Seems like you've got a few problems, putting it lightly."

And the boy heard him talking aloud to himself. 'Great' this was just what he needed. Might as well go tell everyone that's what he does to redirect himself won't ya?Almost a form of self parenting in a sense It was quite the predicament. When he'd come here there was nobody here at all. So of course he'd only assumed there still wasn't and he was wrong. Alec offered the boy an awkward smile. "S-Sorry. Um-Leo is it?" He asked. "I thought nobody was here. It's what I get for assuming things. My bad.." He said apologizing but also mumbling the last part of it.

It was a bit of a lose, lose situation either way. It was still a bit embarrassing. More then he was willing to admit. It was like having a conversation with someone and mid-conversation someones walking by and you yell at them. It-um didn't exactly shine very good light on Alec.

And the last thing he needed was some kid thinking he was weird. It was probably going to be added to the list of problems he complained about to himself soon enough. Blaming the whole incident and his stupidity in that incident for why he didn't have very many friends.

That and his social anxiety and stuttering at times. Were also at fault for why didn't have many friends. Who'd want to be friends with the socially awkward kid who stutters? Not himself that's for sure. It was really saying something compared to everything else and his outward appearance to everyone else who probably didn't notice or care

@Leonard Oaksworth

Honestly, it was a good thing Leonard didn’t need to think. This was a situation never encountered before.

Hogwarts seemed to like giving him new situations that would throw him off, his carefully curated scripts all for nothing.

He wasn’t sure whether it was completely awful or not.

But no matter what, some part of the point one per cent he used of his brain was always active, listing the facts, following the methods of science in a magical world.

Fact number one: this was the first time he’d ever introduced himself as Leo first, rather than Leonard. He was strangely comfortable around this stuttering, curly-haired boy.

Fact number two: this was the first time he’d been in close proximity with literally any being (he couldn’t even say living, nor human without excluding some) without worrying about whether or not his hands were sweaty, or whether or not he was saying the correct things, conveying the correct attitude, and so on and so forth.

Hypothesis from the limited data? If Leonard Oaksworth met somebody of the same general level of awkwardness, his own self-consciousness decreased.

Experimentation began.

“I know it’s none of my business, not at all, but can I ask what exactly your problems and whatnot are?” He asked, trying not to adjust his posture too much, trying not to think about the estimated million and three different possibilities that ended in him unconscious in the Hospital Wing. “Sometimes it helps to talk to someone. Or, I could just keep on walking and ignore everything that’s just been said. I’m very good at that. Just ask the teachers.” He laughed, still slightly clipped, still slightly uneasy, but otherwise okay.

Experimentation was, so far, a success.

Alec let out a small sigh. "P-parent problems" He said simply. "It's a b-bit of an idiotic situation." He explained. Well, that was one way of putting it. Probably not the best way to put off it of course. Not like he would've been able to put it any better in this state of mind.

So said 'Parent problems' weren't uncommon. People had them all the time. It made him wonder if Leo had any himself. He seemed very 'put together' he assumed that this was probably both a good thing and a bad thing. But it seemed great for first impressions. At least there was that.

He gave Leo an awkward half smile. "I'll be fine, though." He said. "It'll work out eventually" "I think" He added followed by a small awkward laugh. It was more of a lie. He wasn't exactly sure if 'he'd been fine' the situation put him in a place where it wouldn't exactly 'be fine' no matter what he did now

Lying was better than telling the truth at times. I mean if you knew your friend would die or how would you tell them? They'd live in fear for the rest of their life if they knew. It'd ruin the rest of your life. Probably was one of the few exceptions to why lying could be okay. If it means not ruining someone's life go ahead and lie.

Although he wasn't sure if his situation would ruin Leo's life. But just in case, he'd rather not take any chances.

@Leonard Oaksworth

There was also a list of dedicated to behaviours of those lying that Leonard had made. Really, it was unfortunate he hadn’t met Alec sooner. It would have saved him a lot of ink, as the other boy exhibited every single one of them.

The stuttering and nervousness was natural, Leonard worked out. He couldn’t judge, really. He probably sounded even worse when he talked to anybody who he didn’t know. Like he had hypothermia, most likely.
Alec failed to provide details, though that wasn’t surprising. They’d exchanged, what, twenty lines of dialogue? He wasn’t expecting a biography.

There were others, as well. The word ‘fine’ was the biggest. It was like a neon sign on fire, in rainbow cursive. When somebody said there were quote, unquote fine, they were not quote, unquote fine. Leonard has said he was fine many times, and it was a lie many, many times.

Leonard shrugged, trying to keep casual. “Parent problems. Can’t say I can relate, but it’s not, uh, good, obviously,” keep calm, keep calm. Remember that song from the animated movie that had several scientific inaccuracies. “Hopefully they’re not too bad? If you need a place to hide a Howler, and don’t tell this to anyone, I have some good places. A, you drop it from the top of the Owlery. The pros, all you have to do is run away, and there’s minimal trouble if you do get caught. The cons, it might wake up some people, and the owls peck hard. B, you drop it in the Black Lake. Pros, easy and safe, nobody to wake up except the Giant Squid. Cons, the Giant Squid. C, you sneak into the Forbidden Forest as far as you can, drop it, and then run. My dad had to use C a lot when he was here.”

Was this how people made friends?

Alec nodded, at least the boy didn't have parent problems. It wasn't that big of a deal, but he wouldn't wish it upon his worst enemy. Not that he even had any. But if he did, he assumed the rivalry would be more of an 'fun' mutual thing. A passionate relationship of hating someone. Also, an interesting concept. Then the boy went on to talk about places for hiding howlers listing both the pros and cons of each. Like he knew them off the top of his head. Jeez, what kind of information was this kid storing in his head?

Alec let out a small laugh, "Wow u-um.." Alec said. Alec was both amused and shocked. Mostly to why or how the kid knew this, anyway? The last one had something to do with the boy's father, so it was probable that all the others did as well. He tilted his head, unsure what exactly to say to the surprising amount of information. And the very accurate guess."Thanks?" He said although it sounded more like a question, with that and him raising a brow added.

"Your father must have been a bit of trouble maker then?" Alec asked. Either that or people just sent the boy's father Howler's for no reason. Both were equally amusing in the young boy's mind. Although if you'd been sent a Howler for no reason. Wouldn't you feel as if you didn't have shame for opening it then? Well, that almost completely ruled out idea number two. There was still a plausible chance. But not enough to make the boy think it was the actual answer

@Leonard Oaksworth

Clifton tore down the hall in a full sprint, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder to see that he'd almost lost the Quidditch player.

"Get back here, first year!" the older kid snarled. "Get back here and tell me where you hid it!"

Clifton rounded the corner and pressed himself up against the wall. Several portraits drew back, startled, before shaking their heads disapprovingly. Clifton ignored their murmurs and stuffed his hand into his robe pocket for what was left of his snack stash. He chucked it down the other hallway to make it appear he'd run that direction and that they'd fallen out of his pockets, just as they had been since the third floor.

Sure enough, the larger boy trundled by, cursing first years and mudbloods and Hufflepuffs and the rest of Clifton's general existence.

A slow grin grew on Clifton's face and, when the coast was clear, he finally released some of the laugh he'd been holding back. Sooo worth it.

Only he suddenly realized that not all of the conversation belonged to the pictures. He turned to see two other boy--who he'd obviously interrupted.

"Oh," he laughed a little self-consciously. "I, uh. Hey. Sorry just...It was actually my girlfriend's idea."

Because that cleared things up. Besides, she technically wasn't his... whatever, that was a mess for later.

He cleared his throat and approached them. He probably looked a little disheveled but he figured it was probably better manners to introduce himself than to run off again. "Clifton, by the way. Sorry for barging in."

The first boy seemed friendly enough, if a little timid. The second seemed to be analyzing him, but Clifton didn't mind so much. They were already better company than the Quidditch player.

@Leonard Oaksworth @ @Alec Mason

Leonard was slightly confused, to say the least. As in, the very least. There were no words for the current sounds his brain was making. The closest would be him saying ‘what is happening’ for a decade straight.

This had not been discussed in Hogwarts: A History, Revised Edition.

Hogwarts had already proven itself to be incredibly spontaneous, and near impossible to plan for, and just when he thought he’d gotten the hang of conversing, a Hufflepuff with an unidentified source of laughter and a girlfriend (honestly, what?) comes horning in. Might as well have burned his notes to ashes.

Not that it was really a disturbance. The more that didn’t loathe him, the better.

“Well, hello, Clifton. Hope you and your, er, girlfriend are well.” Honestly, he’d rather the other boy not even try to explain. Even though he seemed friendly enough, that was a can of gargantuan worms Leonard would rather open later. He turned to Alec. “And, yeah, you could say he was a troublemaker. But sometimes he got Howlers for no reason. It was usually just his mates singing cheesy love songs, trying to serenade my mum, I guess. It didn’t really work, if anything, it slowed things down. At least, according to Mum.”

Alec was honestly a bit confused by the situation.

Not because there was some random kid running around in the halls. No, that was to be expected. But it was only the mention of a girlfriend. Not that he didn't believe the boy. More of the fact being, since when did eleven-year-olds get girlfriends? unless this boy was just extremely short for his age, Alec was pretty sure he wasn't supposed to have a girlfriend.

Alec pushed the idea aside as he listened to Leo.

Cheesy love songs? Alec laughed."I can only imagine that" He said then grinned."Now getting H-Howlers for that reason sounds like an interesting one. My reasons for getting Howler's would all be boring one's most likely. I imagine it wouldn't take much to get my mum to send me one." Alec said It would be an interesting reason for getting Howlers.

Imagine just trying to explain it.

Finally Alec turned his attention to Clifton was it? Alec wasn't exactly sure, he was horrible with names. Alec was still confused about this eleven-year-old having a girlfriend. But in the end decided it was probably better to not question it. "N-nice to meet you" Alec said offering the boy a half-hearted smile. "My name's Alec. Well-um.. Alec J. Mason to be exact. Not like it matters that much of course" Alec said. Now as long as a fourth being didn't come here, he'd be fine. He knew there was no way he could manage talking to two beings, let alone three.

@Leonard Oaksworth @Clifton Troublefield