Just Outside The Hospital Wing Closed

How do you go from serious mental disorders to backpacks? That was simple. Either low attention span or just changing subjects in general. Most likely the second one.

"Some pure-blood like me had one on the Hogwarts express. Their name was Cassie something.. They said something about how they only wore it to upset their parents" Alec explained. "Are you sure though? They really do look like they'd hurt your shoulders, " Alec asked. To be fair, looks can be deceiving. But not that deceiving, right?

Either way, Clifton was right about one thing. Hufflepuffs do 'melt faster than ice cream' one minute he's this full on prankster the next he's saying very sentimental things. It was sweet. But it did get Alec thinking. Maybe Clifton was right. Maybe there was just more to Wyatt than some mean slytherin.

Who clearly wanted to start things with people. Kinda like the backpack then, maybe? It looks like it'll hurt your shoulders. But Clifton says otherwise. Maybe if Alec was willing to try a backpack on, he'd realize what Clifton meant. And maybe if Alec was willing to get to know Wyatt also, there'd probably be more reason behind just wanting to start things with people.

Alec's eyes practically lit up. Turning to his hopefully friend and looking him in the eyes, Alec said. "Clifton! You're a bloody genius!"

@Clifton Troublefield

Clifton looked over at Alec laughed. "I hate to break it to you, Alec, but outside of Hogwarts, you're not a genius for knowing what a backpack is. Just so you know."

But he could tell the boy's thoughts were already elsewhere. Formulating something. It was a similar look to when he was about to announce his plan about the howlers. Clifton smiled and turned his attention back to making sure they went down the right corridor toward the Gryffindor common room.

His friend seemed a lot better now and, if Clifton was a better friend, he would be walking with him to class instead. But he suddenly wondered what Alec was thinking and he hoped he would share some of his ideas. So far, he'd been the real genius.

Besides, what in the world did a backpack have to do with anything they'd talked about this morning? Clifton knew that his own brain had that weird and sometimes exhausting talent for constantly connecting ideas and events. That--as his previous teachers and principal had emphatically pointed out--was part of why he ended up landing himself in so much trouble. But Alec's mind must've worked on a different level because this one had him stumped.

Alec shook his head, grinning. "Not what I meant" Alec said. It was truly something, though. The way it all fit together. So the solution to his problem was to get to know Wyatt then or something of that sort. How come Alec hadn't realized this before. People aren't mean just for no reason. There' more behind it than that.

So was he just realizing that Wyatt was an actual human with thoughts, feelings, and emotions? Yes. Alec just thought that those stereotype slytherin kids were being with no feelings or something. They did love to tease people after all. They didn't even care if they made someone cry or anything.. But Wyatt did care enough to help Alec to the hospital wing.

"Now Clifton. I know this realization is going to sound stupid. But I haven't thought of it till now. What if there's actually a reason behind him just being mean? People aren't just mean for no reason. There's got to be more than that to it," Alec said.

Surely your only mean to people because they're mean to you. It's almost like a never-ending cycle. People bully, the victims get upset. And retaliate eventually. Then they do it because they think it's okay because they're sick of it and other have done it to them.

@Clifton Troublefield

"You mean the Wyatt kid that gave you those bruises?" Clifton looked over at his friend in surprise. He was genuinely impressed that Alec was already trying to think of a way to make sense of it or resolve it. Clifton would've probably just resolved to hate or avoid whoever hurt him.

That's what he was currently doing with the quidditch beater anyway. But that was probably because Clifton knew he might've deserved that one. At least a little bit. Because what Alec and Leo heard hadn't been the first smart words out of his mouth before it got slugged.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Clifon sighed. "It doesn't sound like you knew him very well, so maybe the reasons he decided to hurt you or said those things had more to do with him than with you. I don't think that's a stupid realization at all, Alec. A lot of people forget to think of that, especially on their way out of the Hospital wing."

They turned another corner where the Hufflepuff prefect gave Clifton the familiar you-better-not-be-losing-us-points-again glare. He turned his attention back over to Alec.

"Still. If that's what's going on, I'd be careful about trying to talk to him again. He must've really done some damage if you were planning on skipping classes all day."

@Alec Mason

"I'm getting mostly O's anyway it's not like it could make my grade that bad." Alec said."To be honest I've just skipped class before for the reason being I just don't wanna do work.. I haven't gotten in toruble for any of that.. yet.." Alec said with a small awkward laugh.

"And what do you mean people wouldn't normally think of that? Isn't that what's adults do.. so kids do it too? Life is all about problem solving and finding solutions about how to live in this crazy world isn't it?"Alec suggested.

Truth be told he was one to act on his emotions way to often then think back on things.. His emotions always affected the way he acted even if he knew the logical answer to everything, 'suppose that's where the saying 'young and dumb' came from. Younger people do have less control of their emotions.

Like toddlers. They throw temper tantrums. Most often because they can't have what they want and they don't understand why they can't. It's a small little world to them. Their parents have bathed them, fed them, and changed their nappies ever since they were little so was it wrong of them to expect other things as well? Toddlers don't have the mental capability to understand those types of things. Like stupid twelve-year-olds trying to find the boundaries and lines.

Between what's wrong to what's right. From what's bad to what's good. Picking up their own definitions for it learning as they go. Evolving to the changed person they'll once become.

@Clifton Troublefield

"And what do you mean people wouldn't normally think of that? Isn't that what's adults do.. so kids do it too? Life is all about problem solving and finding solutions about how to live in this crazy world isn't it?" Alec said.

Clifton shrugged. "It's what adults tell you to do. doesn't mean they always do it." It was kind of a cynical comment, especially coming from him. But he knew it came from how he'd seen teachers go ballistic in front of the principal when explaining yet another stupid scenario he got himself caught in. Or how he'd seen his parents react to the idea of him coming to Hogwarts. Emotions had dominated almost the entire conversation.

Not that he could blame his parents. They liked having everyone close and Hogwarts wasn't just far away physically. It was an entirely different world.

"But yeah, you're right," Clifton mentally changed topics. "I guess they're still better at it. Especially the problem solving and finding solutions part." He laughed a little. "Once in school we learned about how our brains aren't fully developed until another ten years. My life made a lot more sense after that."

"All I meant is that you're a pretty mature kid. You're not one of those people where everything is on the surface. Here I was trying to cheer you up, but you were already thinking of how sad the other person probably is. Sheesh, no wonder you hear about so many Gryffindor heroes."

@Alec Mason

Alec listened to Clifton's little speech before shaking his head. "A lot of them may be heroes but over half the gryffindors I know are super arrogant"Alec said then gave an awkward laugh. "I wouldn't doubt that at times I am too" Alec said.

This had gotten to be a bit of serious conversation. But also an interesting one. He'd learned a bit about Clifton's viewpoints on the world. Which was interesting.. Because you never really think about that type of stuff? All people ever think about is how bad their life is and how much better it could be.

Alec knows people has it worse than him. And he does feel upset for those people that do. But, at times all Alec could think about was himself and what was going wrong is his life. Like the howler he got from his parents or- Alec stop just stop don't let your head even think to go there with that one.

For all you know someone could be reading your thoughts.. There's probably some potion or spell for that. Hmmm he'd have to ask the potions professor about that later it'd be interesting. Alec shook his head, finally clearing his very random thoughts. "Moving on from this topic" Alec said a bit awkwardly.
And that's when Alec realized they were there. "Thanks for pep talking me, I guess" Alec said giving Clifton a fond smile

@Clifton Troublefield