31 Mar 2018, 17:50
An Unexpected Sorting
One Blackbourne getting sorted into the house of Lions was truly unexpected that evening, but two of them? The world must be ending! Zed was still conflicted on this result, not just because he'd been expecting to be sorted elsewhere, but because he'd been sorted into the same house as his twin brother.
Before he would've been thrilled to be in the same house as Ali. They were practically inseparable when they were younger after all. Things only changed when their parents had separated momentarily. It was the first time that they were really apart for an extended period of time. Zed could still remember the day it happened. He was so confused as to why things were happening the way they were. Eventually things were patched up, but Ali didn't come back. Zed winced at the memory.
As he was walking towards the table, he couldn't help but spot his already seated brother. A familiar face was supposed to be a welcoming one, but this one didn't exactly make him feel welcomed. He looked further down the table, trying to scope for an empty seat but found none apart from the one beside his brother. Maybe there was one that he'd already passed by? Damn. Maybe he should've paid closer attention.
Taking a deep breathe to steal himself first, he walked to where his brother sat and plopped on the seat next to him. "Hello, Ali," he greeted with the nickname he'd used for him since they were little. Zed wasn't quite aware he did this until the words bounced back to his ears. His lips pursed into a thin line at the realisation and looked away. He wasn't supposed to do that. He was supposed to still be hurt by what he did.
Before he would've been thrilled to be in the same house as Ali. They were practically inseparable when they were younger after all. Things only changed when their parents had separated momentarily. It was the first time that they were really apart for an extended period of time. Zed could still remember the day it happened. He was so confused as to why things were happening the way they were. Eventually things were patched up, but Ali didn't come back. Zed winced at the memory.
As he was walking towards the table, he couldn't help but spot his already seated brother. A familiar face was supposed to be a welcoming one, but this one didn't exactly make him feel welcomed. He looked further down the table, trying to scope for an empty seat but found none apart from the one beside his brother. Maybe there was one that he'd already passed by? Damn. Maybe he should've paid closer attention.
Taking a deep breathe to steal himself first, he walked to where his brother sat and plopped on the seat next to him. "Hello, Ali," he greeted with the nickname he'd used for him since they were little. Zed wasn't quite aware he did this until the words bounced back to his ears. His lips pursed into a thin line at the realisation and looked away. He wasn't supposed to do that. He was supposed to still be hurt by what he did.
31 Mar 2018, 19:55
An Unexpected Sorting
There was some solace to be gained, at least, from the knowledge that he was not the sole Blackbourne to ever make it to the House of the Lions.
From the corner of his eye, Alistair watched as his estranged brother fumbled about towards the Gryffindor table. There was some hesitance in Zedekiah's step, a certain tension in his furtive glances. Even after so many years apart, Alistair could tell what he was thinking, but he could not blame him. The two had never been quite the same after all they had gone through during their childhood. Alistair's decision to live with his grandfather shortly afterwards only irrevocably severed what semblance of a relationship was left between them.
Neither one had recovered. They had seen each other a few times since the incident, but only scarcely, and interacting as little as they could get away with. It was at once painful and awkward to be no more than a stranger to someone whom he used to share a womb with, someone whom he had considered a part of his soul, someone whom he had shared half of his life with. But this was the reality of their lives now, no matter how much it pained them both.
There was very little that Alistair gave away when it came to emotion. He greeted his mirror image with no more than an abrupt nod, scooting to the side to give his brother some room. What he truly wanted to do, however, was excuse himself from the table and find someplace where he could be alone. But it was too late for that now.
"How are you?" Alistair asked, framing the question more as an obligatory query rather than a sincere one. As ever, he spoke with more maturity and politeness than what would be expected from his age—all these done as he filled his plate with food. He refused to meet Zedekiah's eyes. "Strange that we're in Gryffindor, innit? Percy would have a fit if he knew."
From the corner of his eye, Alistair watched as his estranged brother fumbled about towards the Gryffindor table. There was some hesitance in Zedekiah's step, a certain tension in his furtive glances. Even after so many years apart, Alistair could tell what he was thinking, but he could not blame him. The two had never been quite the same after all they had gone through during their childhood. Alistair's decision to live with his grandfather shortly afterwards only irrevocably severed what semblance of a relationship was left between them.
Neither one had recovered. They had seen each other a few times since the incident, but only scarcely, and interacting as little as they could get away with. It was at once painful and awkward to be no more than a stranger to someone whom he used to share a womb with, someone whom he had considered a part of his soul, someone whom he had shared half of his life with. But this was the reality of their lives now, no matter how much it pained them both.
There was very little that Alistair gave away when it came to emotion. He greeted his mirror image with no more than an abrupt nod, scooting to the side to give his brother some room. What he truly wanted to do, however, was excuse himself from the table and find someplace where he could be alone. But it was too late for that now.
"How are you?" Alistair asked, framing the question more as an obligatory query rather than a sincere one. As ever, he spoke with more maturity and politeness than what would be expected from his age—all these done as he filled his plate with food. He refused to meet Zedekiah's eyes. "Strange that we're in Gryffindor, innit? Percy would have a fit if he knew."
31 Mar 2018, 20:37
An Unexpected Sorting
He had turned his head away from his brother and watched as the rest of the first years get sorted into whatever houses the hat deemed they belonged to. ‘Slytherin!’ the hat had called out. Zed watched with envy as the boy bounded off towards the house of snakes.
At his brother’s question, Zed slowly turned back to him with a frown. It was tempting to tell him that he had no right to ask that question. As he tried to think of an answer that was civil enough, he saw him begin to place food on his plate, making a comment on how their dearest grandfather would react to the two of them getting sorted into the rival house. Zed visibly winced at the reminder. He could already hear the disappointed words he’d write to him.
“I’m fine,” he finally answered, keeping his eyes trained on the food that his twin was scooping up. In his effort to try and distract himself, he’d nearly missed what was possibly the best there can be sitting in front of him: food. Following his brother’s example, Zed began to pile on a feast onto his own plate before continuing, “I think the hat needs to retire. It placed us in the wrong house.”
A voice at the back of his mind was telling him this wasn’t true; that he knew exactly why he was in Gryffindor. Zed ignored this, instead focusing on a question that’s been dancing around his mind since the moment their grandfather was brought up. “Are you going to tell him?”
At his brother’s question, Zed slowly turned back to him with a frown. It was tempting to tell him that he had no right to ask that question. As he tried to think of an answer that was civil enough, he saw him begin to place food on his plate, making a comment on how their dearest grandfather would react to the two of them getting sorted into the rival house. Zed visibly winced at the reminder. He could already hear the disappointed words he’d write to him.
“I’m fine,” he finally answered, keeping his eyes trained on the food that his twin was scooping up. In his effort to try and distract himself, he’d nearly missed what was possibly the best there can be sitting in front of him: food. Following his brother’s example, Zed began to pile on a feast onto his own plate before continuing, “I think the hat needs to retire. It placed us in the wrong house.”
A voice at the back of his mind was telling him this wasn’t true; that he knew exactly why he was in Gryffindor. Zed ignored this, instead focusing on a question that’s been dancing around his mind since the moment their grandfather was brought up. “Are you going to tell him?”