Feet Off the Ground PV Alec Mason Fin

When Alec shook his head no, Jack was relieved he wasn't hurt, at least, but it was clear the psychological damage must have been far more devastating. He pulled his hand back when he felt the Gryffindor tense under it, realizing what he was doing and deciding it was probably better not to. Some people didn't respond well to being touched, especially when they were in a state of mind like Alec was just then.

At last it seemed like the other teen's breaths were starting to even out a little and Jack noticed Alec staring at his shaking hands. What could he do other than simply remaining there by his side until he got better? But then Alec started breathing hard again and Jack really began to worry. What if time wouldn't help the scare that the other boy had just gone through?

When he started to talk, though, he noticed Alec pay attention to his words. Of course; maybe he just needed to focus on something else. It was like how he had tried to distract Sienna Lenoir from her thoughts of her dead family members by changing the subject of their conversation to something else. If he could just get Alec's mind on something other than his traumatic experience, maybe Alec would be able to calm down.

He noticed his peer flinch away from him when he said his last name and recalled Alec's pervious reaction when Jack had first called out to him. Was it his last name he didn't like being referenced by? "Do you...not like being called by your last name?" Jack asked tentatively, watching Alec hug his knees to his chest. "I'm sorry. I call everyone by their last names because it seems a bit intimate to me to call them by their first names. But I can make an exception for you if you prefer." It was the least he could do.

@Alec Mason

Relief could be provided in the fact that Burnett had chosen and continued to choose to stay, sitting by Alec despite Alec being in a rather(as he thought) pathetic state. Alec could only hope it wasn't pity that made him stay but as far as Alec could tell pity seemed to be the only thing that would. The very thought of pity made his skin crawl. At least Burnett had enough sense to remove his hand from Alec's back and finally allow the Gryffindor the pleasure of personal space. Being able to listen to Jack made everything easier, he was glad Jack had been talking, filling gaps where nothing was said. Alec usually talked more, it was unlike him to be so quiet, and ironic because you could never get him to stop talking. Alec knew he bored people with the way he tended to drone on, he still had fun with it, he liked doing so.

Alec had flinched away at once again hearing his last name. He hadn't planned on doing it... The reaction sort of just happened. As if getting away from the vile sound that was his last name. He wouldn't have put anymore thought to it- As it turned out he would have to when he found out that either he was the problem, and much less subtle than he thought he actually was, or Jack was observant and he'd been paying attention to Alec's reaction. Both lead to the same outcome, Alec suddenly began to look like a guilty person who'd just been caught. He wasn't sure how to react or being called out though in the end he was thankful for it. He nodded.

Jack apologized... again. Admitting his reasoning for why he preferred the use of last names. Followed by the offer of an exception. Alec looked surprised, he blinked, stunned by the offer. Alec appreciated the offer more than he felt words could describe. It was scarcely there, easy to miss, a smile just barely edging at Alec lips. His eyes stayed focused on the grass, so focused on it, it would have to make one question if Alec were intently studying the grass. Exhaling a shaky breath Alec spoke, “I-” he started, Alec's face scrunched up, expressing distaste for his already improperly carried out sentence.

Continuing to hug his knees to his chest, his grip would tighten every so slightly as he decided to try again. “I would like that.” Alec spoke softly with a nod, Alec would have preferred it, however, his face shown a hint of uncertainty about the matter. With him an the constant readjusting of his shoulders it looked as if he seemed to be squirming uncomfortably. At least the distraction had been useful in helping calm his body. The problem was, Alec didn't want to force Jack to do something that felt too intimate or personal to him, “but, you don't- you don't have to.” Alec spoke up, adding quickly, even while wanting Jack to avoid the use of Alec's last name. “Don't feel obligated.”

Alec rested his head on his knees. Closing his eyes to focus on his breathing. Alec let the silence sit. Feeling the in and out of his chest and the way in which his racing heart was begging to slowly start slowing. Beginning to see an end in sight was the good part, it never went on long, short and intense, It always felt longer than it had really been. “Fun way to spend a day, huh?” Alec joked. He didn't want to remember how fatigued he was going to feel after this, when the panic induced adrenaline wore off and he found himself exhausted, utterly wiped out from it all.

“You know, I believe you. I don't think-” Alec inhaled a breath sharply and suddenly, he waited a second before exhaling slowly. He had to remind himself he was going to be fine and it was likely to end soon. He was past the worst of it. “I don't think you did what you did for fun.” There was more, it was clear he had more to say. None of it lead to why him saying this mattered or why he had said it at all, if anything it felt he wasn't even at his real point for what he was trying to say. “However, committing an egregious act and following it up with 'I had my reasons' is suspicious.” It screamed suspicious without the need to use words. Especially since the only obvious and reasonable reason once could come to in Jack's case what that he had indeed done it for fun and he was lying to Alec's face. Alec would think he could realize when a person was lying to his face. Thus it was simply weird to say something like having your reasons and leaving it at that.

When Alec had finished speaking he found himself focusing on his breathing again, working on steady breaths. He was fine. He wasn't feeling as panicked as before, he was fine, he was doing something right. Removing a hand from hugging his knees to his chest, he used one to hug both to his chest so he could hold out his hand in a 'stop' or 'wait' gesture in case Jack wanted to speak. Part of Alec was worried he was going to lose his train of thought and where he left off if Burnett were to start responding now. Alec took time steadying his breath, and when he felt ready and like he could speak he let his hand fall. “It's like if I were to admit to you that I've kissed a hag and I try to use the I had my reasons line to get out of explaining that one.”* Alec spoke, when he finished he took a deep breath and opened his eyes, removing his head from it's resting place on his knees.

Smirking Alec glanced at Jack. So all the build-up had just been so Alec could tease Jack for using 'I had my reasons' as an excuse? Yes, and it was worth it. Alec wasn't going to prod where Jack didn't want him to prod, but he could gently tease. Slip the hag kiss comment in there for the insanity of it. It was most definitely the greatest regret thus far in his lifetime. It was kind of funny though, no? Besides, this way he wasn't making up stories... It was crazy enough to sound like a made- up story, which was exactly the appeal in saying it. Chances were low that Jack would take him seriously anyway.

Reducio

*“It's like if I were to admit to you that I've kissed a hag and I try to use the I had my reasons line to get out of explaining that one.”

@Jack Burnett

Jack was trying to monitor Alec, but not so closely or intently that the other boy felt awkward being watched. Thus he missed the ghost of a smile, especially since Alec was facing the grass. Still, he looked up immediately when his peer started to speak again, ready to heed whatever words came out of that mouth.

When Alec said he would like that, what Jack had offered regarding the address of his name, Jack nodded slowly in affirmation. He couldn't help but smile a little when the other boy told him he didn't have to and that he shouldn't feel obligated. "It's no trouble. Besides, it's the least I can do." He did wonder what it was about his last name that Alec had a problem with, but he wasn't about to ask if the information wasn't going to be offered up by its keeper. Perhaps the matter had something to do with his family as surnames tended to. "Unless you'd rather me call you something else? A nickname or something?"

He continued to sit and wait for Alec to get his bearings when the curly-haired teen said something about how it was a fun way to spend a day. Jack smiled sheepishly at that. "It's relaxing." Which was certainly what was needed to balance out the excitement from earlier. "And I'm the reason we're doing this anyway, so it's not as if I'd have any right to complain even if I wanted to."

But then Alec brought up why he did it and how his explanation was suspicious. Jack hadn't been sure if Alec had wanted to talk about what had happened, as that would have continued to keep his focus on the frightening experience. But if Alec was the one bringing it up, Jack didn't mind the subject of conversation. Before he could say anything, though, the Gryffindor made a gesture to keep him from speaking. It seemed he wasn't yet done talking himself.

The mention of kissing a hag caused Jack's eyes to widen and his brows to rise. Funny Alec should mention hags, let alone kissing one; especially since Jack had come horrendously close to kissing one himself. Had Alec actually kissed one perchance? Now Jack was curious. Just how much did Alec know about hags? He had just assumed most students were in the dark about them, but he supposed students in their year had more reason to know about hags than most.

He met Alec's blue eyes when the other boy lifted his head and smirked at him. Jack felt embarrassment redden and heat his face like a warm summer's day. "If you want my real reason, I can give it to you," he offered eventually. "It's just...I'd rather it not be spread around. The less people who know, I figure, the better. But if anyone would deserve to know, I suppose you would." Honestly, he hadn't thought Alec would care why he did it so long as he was sorry and never did it again. But if Alec was really curious, who was he to deny him that information?

The Slytherin leaned over so Alec could hear him when he whispered, "But...did you really kiss a hag?"

@Alec Mason

Burnett had made attempts to affirm Alec that making an exception was no trouble, and it worked, at first. He said it was the least he could do. Alec wanted to give him the side-eye. The least he could do? To Alec, it sounded as though Jack was acting on what was owed. Alec didn't care about what was owed. It wasn't important to him, he didn't care about helping clear Burnett's guilty conscience, Alec wanted to make sure he was comfortable. He would have felt different had Jack affirmed the exception would not feel too intimate to him or anything of the nature. Alec felt helpless and uncertain. A feeling that only helped in making Alec want to squirm. Though disquieted Alec held his tongue. He felt he was supposed to be assured, despite how he'd the statement taken, and was conflicted.Burnett must have taken Alec's continued silence as a cue to talk again. He asked if there was something else Alec preferred to be called, like a nickname. Slowly, Alec shook his head no.

He breathed. “I prefer Alec, I think it suits me.” Alec loved his first name, perhaps far more than he should have. Hearing his first name out loud filled him with a certain sense of euphoria. It could have been blamed on the fact he was happy and relieved to not be hearing his last name. That wasn't it. Alec's first name was his. In the end he made it's meaning as people referred to him. First names were almost like little life-long buddies. After fourteen years of life Alec could safely say he was going to grow some sort of attachment towards his first name. Still Alec would make the effort to pause, to put more than a second's thought into the matter, pursing his lips as he put thought into it.

No matter how much he looked back there were no nicknames, or at least he fairly lacked in good options. “...You could call me Al but it almost feels more intimate,” he answered truthfully. Alec couldn't remember the last time someone had called him Al, it was an old nickname. Nobody at Hogwarts used it. Even at home use out of it was rare now. There was no way he was going to suggest AJ, for multiple reasons, and the only other nickname he'd ever gotten was Duckie. To this he only asked one thing, why? Out of all he could have been nicknamed Tone decided to go with Duckie? Duckie? Alec was slightly petty, in moments of annoyance and weakness part of him wanted to quack to annoy Tone and make him regret the nickname Duckie. Alec thought it before and he'd think it one million times over; Alec needed to get know people who were better at giving nicknames.

The Gryffindor had joked about this little sit down being a fun way to spend the day. What better way to lighten the mood and pass time than joke about the whole situation while Alec attempted to pull himself together? Jack said it was relaxing, causing laughter from Alec to bubble up and escape past his lips. “For you maybe,” playfully Alec rolled his eyes. His laughter continued though Alec would finally quiet down and sober up from it as Jack spoke. Jack said he was the reason they were sitting here. He added he would have no right to complain if he wanted to. Alec squinted as he stared down at the grass, perplexed. “You didn't make it happen.” Alec cut in, if anything Alec felt it was more his fault than Jack's own. It was Alec's body. Alec was acting this way. Even if he felt it was something he could exactly control.

It was a relief their conversation could reach lighter tones when Alec teased Jack for saying that he had his reasons. There were different excuses he could have given. Instead he picked the one that got him called out instead. Alec would notice the way Jack face reddened though barely put a thought to it, focusing on listening to him speak. Pleasantly surprised when he offered to give up his reason. Jack said he'd prefer it not get around, meaning the less people who knew about it, the better. “I want to know. I'm not going to spread it around if that's what your worried about.” Alec assured him, and he wouldn't, at least not on purpose anyway, his inability to keep a straight face might however cause his problems in the long run.

Jack leaned in, to whisper and ask if Alec had really kissed a hag. There was a moment in which Alec froze up, caught off-guard by Jack's question, flustered as he tried to work out what to say. Alec hadn't thought he was going to get a follow-up on that one. He was wrong. Quickly the Gryffindor regained his composure and cheekily whispered back, “wouldn't you like to know~” In that moment Alec would recognize he felt... fine. He was still a bit of a mess in the aftermath of it all. Heart racing, not the way it had before, it was a normal slightly nervous reaction to being questioned on the hag incident. His hands were slightly shaky still, one of those things he'd had to wait on to stop while he settled. He was relieved it was over and now he could feel the incredible waves of fatigue washing over him.

Alec let go of his knees. Slowly stretching his legs out. He moved to lay down, splayed out, his backside against the grass. Alec took a moment to bask in the sunlight and grinned. “Thank you. For staying. It's absolutely terrifying, and it's even worse when your left alone.” Alec was still very thankful Jack had stayed. It was always worse when he was alone, he never had someone there to make sure he was going to be alright. Alec turned, rolling to lay on his side to face Jack. “I had my reasons for hag kissing,” Alec spoke sarcastically and dramatically, making sure to accentuate each word, he kept his tone at a whisper, the same as how Jack had addressed the subject. He'd already dug himself a hole, he may as well admit to it and move on. Playfully Alec's lips would form a pout. “In my defense, at the time I didn't know that the girl was a hag.” Alec would whisper, a slight whine to his voice. It really wasn't fair. To not know she was a hag and then to have to be told over breakfast. “It was terrible. Worst kissing experience of my life. Word to the wise, don't kiss hags, Burnett.” Alec face once again seemed to screw together in a look of disgust and he reminisced. There were a lot of terrible kissing experiences to top. SOMEHOW the hag had done it. Just when you think it can't get worse and you jinx yourself.

@Jack Burnett
This feels like a relevant time to mention that Alec's lips look dark,
-unnaturally dark as if he were wearing dark lipstick... but he's not.

Alec did put on lipstick of a neutral shade to cover it up bc George Henry is a sweetheart and gave Alec lipstick , but one can assume with the events that have taken place that it's gotten smudged or rubbed off at some point and Alec hasn't noticed.

Listening when Alec said that he preferred Alec and that it suited him, Jack nodded. Alec it would be, then. Even after Alec supplied 'Al' as an alternative, he also mentioned how it felt more intimate, so Jack decided it was best just to go with his first full name. "Yeah, I'll just call you Alec then," he stated aloud.

He chuckled lightly when the curly-haired boy pointed out that if it was relaxing, it was only so for Jack. Of course it wouldn't have been for Alec. He felt bad for even having said such a thing, but the other boy's laughter made him feel a little better about it. At least he could laugh about it now. When Alec went on to say Jack didn't make it happen, though, Jack shook his head in disagreement. If he hadn't shot up into the air like he had, Alec wouldn't have needed to take the time to recover. He decided not to argue about it, though, relieved enough that Alec seemed to have forgiven him for the most part.

In response to the Slytherin's offer to tell him, the Gryffindor expressed that he did indeed want to know what Jack's reasons had been for doing what he had done. Grateful that Alec assured him he wouldn't spread it around, the redhead took a deep breath before plunging into his explanation. "I needed...a scream of pure terror," he whispered, covering the side of his mouth conspiratorially with a cupped hand. "There's a ritual I needed it for - a ritual to help someone I care about. So I really needed that scream and it's not exactly easy to get one without invoking one on purpose." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the skull-shaped crystal bottle with the black cork that he had used earlier, holding it out for his companion to see.

Upon being whispered to back in response to his own question, Jack smirked. He should have known he wasn't going to have been able to get a proper answer that easily. It had just seemed like a very peculiarly specific example to have used unless one had experienced it for oneself.

In a little while, Alec let go of his knees and stretched out to lay flat on his back. He thanked Jack for having stayed, but Jack still felt like thanks was more than he deserved after what he'd done. "Of course. You don't need to thank me for that. Like I said before, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have needed anyone to stay by you in the first place." His gaze was downcast and he picked at a few stray blades of grass idly. "I really am sorry it had to be that way."

And then Alec turned and spouted words that dripped with drama and sarcasm, causing Jack to smile again involuntarily. At least until Alec continued. "Was it...was it Marion?" he couldn't keep himself from asking, the words out of his mouth before he could consider that maybe Alec didn't want to talk about it. So he quickly followed it up with, "Tell me about it. I just barely managed to escape kissing one by sticking a fizzing whizzbee into her puckered mouth. And that hag wasn't disguised as a girl."

He looked Alec over from where he sat. "Are you...okay? You didn't get cursed by it or anything?" As he regarded Alec, it struck Jack that the other teen's lips were darker than might have been natural for some reason and he frowned, his brows drawing together in bewilderment. Had it had something to do with that kiss?

@Alec Mason

His breath seemed to halt for a moment. In order to heed Jack's words, get some kind of answer or explanation for everything. Alec needed to know, he was being offered the information and he may as well take it. Any excuse to put the situation past him in his mind. All his earlier anger over it had left him, other than that very aggressive reaction at first. Everything was replaced with hurt confusion, and being rubbed the wrong way by the entire situation, even then he tried to push those feelings away. Getting upset wasn't going to help anybody. Part of Alec had expected Jack was going to admit to doing it for fun anyway, of course, he didn't. The answer was far different from any answer Alec had expected. Alec took a moment to process the information given to him. Eyebrows furrowing. “A ritual... and you needed a scream of pure terror?” Alec repeated confusedly, still obviously digesting the information. It was a lot to take in, he needed to give it a good amount of time to skin in. “What kind of ritual are you doing?” What crazy ritual requires a bottled scream of pure terror? It was what Alec wanted to say but did not, for fairly clear reasons. Alec's eyes squinted and his nose scrunched up as he thought into it.

“Isn't that kind of... -er dark?” Alec spoke, he paused his wandering scattered thoughts continued. “I bet if you needed anything else for the ritual, it's ten times worse. It's how books go, some of it has to apply to reality.” Either that or he was looking for an excuse for reading the darkest horror books imaginable. Alec had to justify his purpose for the times he stayed up reading till dawn and could barely keep his eyes open the next day. “You better not be doing anything that gets you thrown in Azkaban,” Alec warned, he was joking... Well, sort of. He didn't know Burnett well enough to claim he wasn't going to be one of those kids that end up in Azkaban someday!

All Alec had to do was tell him thank you, and say he appreciated Burnett being there. The other continued, keeping on, acting as if it were only an obligation. It wasn't that way. Not everybody would have chosen to sit and stay. He groaned in annoyance, though he barely felt any, a bit maybe, Alec enjoyed playing it up. “urgh why do you have to make this hard,” Alec whined, he pouted, “accept my thank you, it's an insult if you don't.” Alec folded his arms across his chest, Alec wouldn't be able to focus on his played-up annoyance as Burnett apologized. Alec sighed letting his arms untangle themselves and fall slowly off his chest, back to the ground. Burnett said he was sorry it had to be that way and Alec only said two words in turn, “I know,” the words slipped from his lips easily, he didn't know where they'd come from, he hadn't approved the words out of his mouth first.

If Burnett wasn't speaking, there would be resting silence among the two. Alec didn't feel it was the uncomfortable kind of silence, more the bad feelings, not sure what to say now type, he tried anyway, “but I'm okay now,” a good start. Time would be the only tell if Alec could keep it going, “-so none of it matters.” Maybe that wasn't true, still, ignoring everything that said otherwise was an easy habit to fall back to. He didn't mind falling back into it this time. “Also if you keep saying it's your fault, I will throw grass at you. I am letting you know now, it's a very viable weapon,” yes, throwing grass solves anything and everything...

Jack asked if it was Marion. Alec's eyes widened in surprise and recognition, okay, something was up here! It was two for two now. This has happened twice! “How- How did you know?” Twice. Two times. What are the chances? How often does that happen? Two people have done that. “It's freaky actually,” Alec would make sure to add quickly. Alec would go on to explain what he meant. “I barely tell you anything, I spared the details and you knew who it was,” Alec spoke, it was strange, wasn't it? Alec was reasonable here in thinking it was weird. How much hag stuff did Jack know? He seemed to know a little more than most. “There aren't many hags at Hogwarts, still, it's odd,” Alec added as an afterthought. He shifted. “Then again, you weren't the only one.” Was hag knowledge more common than Alec thought? Was Alec out of the loop? That didn't seem right. It couldn't be.

Jack spoke saying he'd just barely managed to escape one. It explained a lot. Alec smirked at Jack's creative use of a fizzing whizzbee to get out of it just in time. He mentioned the hag hadn't been disguised as a girl and Alec made a face. He didn't want to imagine. “Ew haggier hag,” Alec laughed and stuck his tongue “that would have been so much worse,” the creative wonders Alec's mind could come up with for visuals were beyond limitation he didn't have to try hard to see how much worse it would have been. “Was it still the same hag, Marion?” Alec asked, he was far too eager to know. The way he saw it any information on her was good to have around.

She'd appeared and disappeared pretty quickly last time, there wasn't much to know about her. The cursed mental image of the hag kiss always seemed to be fresh on his mind. Revolting... A disgusting hag kiss, It insighted a want to get rid of her, deal with her, have her gone and not a worry in the back of his mind. He didn't know what she was capable of... That was what scared him about her being out and about roaming freely. No telling what she would do.

Alec's mind wandered past what Marion could do each thought worse than the next as Jack carried the conversation. He asked if Alec was okay, he asked if Alec had been cursed. Silence ensued from Alec, his eyes now downcast, the Gryffindor would frown.“I- ...” Alec took a deep breath, attempting to prepare himself for the mental image of a curse. “I'm not sure,” you never know. If it seemed like anything Alec wasn't sure curse was the right word for it. “I thought I was fine but I've begun to get wary,” not wary because he was worried either. Their certain things you couldn't ignore symptoms and physical signs alike.

“It wouldn't matter, whether it's something else entirely or nothing at all,” Alec said eventually, shaking his head and saving himself the mental debate of whether or not something bad had happened because of his makeout session with a hag. “There's no healer that would believe me,” Alec might have given up on it too fast, he was all too familiar with the ways in which could at times carelessly regard kids. Nothing new, it wouldn't have been a surprise, “they would hate to even think of wasting time trying looking into it.” Alec didn't blame them it was just frustrating. Frustrating to go through, and frustrating to have to deal with. “That and I can't walk in and blame my symptoms on a hag kiss.” Not that hags were unheard of, it was far more complicated than that. “I'd be called crazy,” more than crazy. With Alec's home situation... well, he just knew it was going to be called one of those things. Acting as if he acting out for some reason and attention-seeking.

Ale let out a melancholy sigh. Great, he was telling his problems to a random person. He couldn't act as if there wasn't a reason for why he didn't like to burden people with having to listen. “Maybe I'll just lie here for forever,” concede to whatever comes. Lying here forever didn't sound so bad. “I was panicking this morning. At least if I die of hag cooties I would die somewhere pretty.” His last sentence was supposed to be a joke, and yet suddenly as it came out of his mouth, it didn't feel like it was a joke anymore. Alec glanced towards the sky. Death was worst case scenario, George had literally said today that Alec's lips made him look like a corpse! He might as well prepare for the worst. “Sorry, you probably don't want to listen. You can go. I won't be offended.”

@Jack Burnett

The Slytherin nodded slowly when Alec repeated back to him his words about a ritual needing a scream of terror. When he was asked what kind of ritual he was doing, he simply said, "The kind that's supposed to undo whatever curses this hag put on my dormmate." Nevermind that the very same hag was the one who had instructed him on doing the ritual in the first place.

"Yeah, I'd say it's pretty dark," he confessed uneasily, rubbing his arm in a self-conscious gesture. "But it's the only thing I know of that I can do for him. Still, don't worry; I'm probably not going to Azkaban for any of it." Probably. And though Alec was most certainly right about what else was needed for the ritual, Jack felt uncomfortable confirming as much. The whole thing was difficult enough for him to proceed with as it was.

When the Gryffindor groaned at him, asking why he had to make it so hard and telling him to accept his thank you, Jack gave a reluctant laugh. "Okay, okay, you're very welcome," he answered at last. At least Alec had to have an idea by now of how very sorry he was. The English teen continued on saying he was okay now so none of it mattered and that if Jack kept saying he was at fault, then Alec would throw grass at him. "I'm sure," he chuckled at Alec's claim that grass was 'a very viable weapon'. "Grass stains are a pain to wash out."

Alec seemed completely taken by surprise at the fact that Jack guessed Marion was the one who had kissed him. Then he asked him how he knew. Jack sighed and his shoulders slumped. "She's the only one I know of who's supposedly a hag in disguise. She's the one my dormmate, Flash Holmwood, said cursed him. I hope she didn't curse you, too." His smile was weak when Alec went on to say how it was freaky he knew and Jack agreed. He hadn't realized so many students were aware Marion was a hag. Well, the more that knew, the better. They could know to stay away from her and have as little to do with her as possible this way.

"At one time, there were at least six hags at Hogwarts. Three in each of two covens," Jack explained. "I don't know how many of them are still around or if Marion belongs to either of those covens. I just know she's the only one I'm aware of masquerading as a student." He tilted his head curiously at something else Alec had said. "What do you mean I wasn't the only one? Did someone else guess who had kissed you, too?"

The face Alec made at the idea of a hag in her true form made Jack laugh as well. "Yeah...she looked and smelled pretty gross, too. Really glad we didn't end up kissing." He scratched his head at the question asked of him. "You know...I don't know if that was Marion or not. Thomas Lestrange had called her 'Aunt Petunia' for some reason, though, so I'm guessing not."

Silence was the first response to Jack's question about whether or not Alec had been cursed. Then Alec managed to say he wasn't sure and that he had thought he was fine but had begun to get wary. Jack would have been concerned himself, especially if his lips had darkened like Alec's had appeared to. Aside from that, one never knew if there would be lingering after-effects even if everything seemed fine at first.

He felt bad for Alec who pointed out that it didn't matter because no healer would believe him. "I'm not so sure," Jack answered. "The teachers know that there have been hags around Hogwarts. It's true we have yet to prove to them that Marion herself is a hag, but they might believe you kissed a hag if they see your mouth. I just hope there isn't anything worse that happens to you." He paused for a time before deciding to say something else. "A few of us are trying to set up a trap for Marion so the professors can see what she truly is. Part of that trap has to do with the ritual I'm going to perform. If all goes well, hopefully they'll be able to believe and cure you, too."

Jack sneered with amusement when the joking boy suggested just lying in the grass forever and that at least if he died of hag cooties, he would die somewhere pretty. "You're not going to die," he stated with a grin. If that was the case, Jack was fairly certain Alec's symptoms would have been a great deal worse. "I do want to listen, though. I appreciate you telling me all of this. The more information I can get, the better. Besides - it was nice getting to talk with you and know you a little more. Especially because we've never really gotten to talk before despite being in the same year. You seem like a really cool guy, Alec."

@Alec Mason

Jack nodded when Alec commented that it was terrible that Flash had gotten cursed by Marion. "You know him? Flash, I mean," he said, though he wasn't surprised. Flash was a pretty popular fellow, particularly in their year. He wondered how Alec knew him, though.

When George Henry was mentioned, the Welsh boy blinked. So Dealla had ended up telling George that he had been sharing a tent with a hag during summer camp after all. He supposed it was probably for the best that he had learned of her eventually even if Jack hadn't been the one to tell him. "Oh, you're friends with George? I guess it really is a small world," he commented with a laugh of his own.

At Alec's words about what could have been regarding him being 'Uncle Burnett', Jack grabbed a fistful of grass and tossed it at the Gryffindor, unable to hide his grin. "Oh, come off it," he responded.

He sighed when the brunet pointed out that the healers and nurses at Hogwarts wouldn't have been able to recognize a hag kiss even if they saw one since they would have had to have seen one before. He was right, of course. "Yeah, yeah...I guess that's true," Jack conceded. "Still, if we can prove that Marion is a hag, maybe they'll at least consider the possibility that her kiss is what turned your lips dark and they might try to find a cure."

Jack snorted at Alec's antics regarding him saying he thought he could feel death coming on already and proceeded to act out a pantomime of dramatically dying. Leaning over Alec's limp form, he playfully flicked his forehead with his finger and thumb.

"I did so just call you cool. And I meant it, too," he retorted when Alec called him a dork, his grin mirroring his peer's. "I may not know much about you, but I've heard of you. And coolness is in the eye of the beholder. How can you say what I know is the opposite of cool if you don't know what I consider cool?" He reached out to shove Alec's shoulder good-naturedly. "Don't underestimate yourself."

He couldn't help smiling more broadly at the question about his free time. "Definitely a one-off thing," Jack answered. "I much prefer reading history books and comparing their retellings of events. What about you? What do you spend your free time doing? Besides kissing hags, of course."

@Alec Mason

By the time your a fourth year at Hogwarts, one is expected to know a fair amount of people. If Alec didn't know Holmwood he thought that it ought to be considered far more strange than being aware of his existence. The two were in the same year, they would have shared quite a few mixed classes by now thought admittedly classes weren't where Alec knew Holmwood from. Despite this, Alec knowing Holmwood caused Jack inquire about the subject. “I do, though not well. A person I had picked at random. He was erm- supplying me with feedback on a project.” Alec awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke. His project still needed work, it had been quite some time since Alec and and Holmwood had met and yet Alec's joke jar continued to be in it's beta phase. Perhaps eventually to be lost to the scattered remains of time. At the mention of George, Jack called it a small world, and Alec took a moment to eye him curiously. “You know George?” It was Alec's chance to inquire. He may as well, Alec didn't know who George talked too... Besides that list of crushes and you know, Finnegan. It really was a small world.

Jack tossed grass at him and told him to 'come off of it' at Alec's uncle Burnett comment. The Gryffindor gasped in mock offense and made an attempt at dodging the fistful of grass thrown at him(an ultimately horrid try and failed attempt). Bits of grass would land in the Gryffindor's hair and he huffed. “Hey! No fair!” Alec laughed and reached to pull up a handful of grass, attempting to toss the grass at Burnett as payback. Clearly he was just annoyed Alec was right. Shaking his head Alec did his best to get the grass the had fallen is his hair out of his hair, some stayed, he was pretty sure he had gotten most of it.

Finally Jack conceded as Alec made what he considered rather undeniable points regarding Alec's situation with his cursed hag kiss. Alec was beginning to feel his pessimistic words were bringing down the atmosphere, even if the pessimistic, to him, was looking at the situation realistically. Jack brought up the fact that if Marion being a hag is provable there would be less trouble in getting people to believe Alec and them at least considering finding a cure. Alec nodded in agreement. “I just hope it stays as harmless as it seems.” It was one of Alec's biggest worries, especially since he had thought he had been fine at first. It took so long to get like this... He didn't know what to expect.

Alec had dramatically acted out a death scene, part of it was Alec trying to keep a neutral face while in death. However, neutral-faced death was interrupted when Jack flicked Alec's forehead and a smile began to edge on Alec's lips, continuing to break character as he started snickering over the whole ordeal.

Alec said Burnett could go and Burnett went on to say some things but Alec centered in on Burnett calling him cool. A compliment which Alec promptly rejected and Burnett defended. Jack mentioned eye of the beholder, which was a fair argument. “You've heard of me?” Alec asked and burst out in laughter interrupting Burnett for a moment, “do you realize how creepy that sounds?” As far as Alec knew Jack hearing of him only included what was needed to get the scream of pure terror.

Jack playfully shoved Alec's shoulder and told Alec to not underestimate himself. Alec wasn't sure how to respond to being called out so bluntly. Because he didn't know how to respond, an interesting sentence ended up being blurted out of his mouth. “Fine, I won't but If I have to be cool- then you do too!” Interesting indeed. Alec was already erasing the moment from memory. “Now, do tell, Burnett, what do you consider cool?” If Burnett was going to make such an argument, Alec may as well ask.

Alec moved back to lay on his side and face Jack. The conversation shifted as Alec began to inquire about what Jack did in his free time. Surely not dark rituals on the regular? Phew, it seemed not. It was a surprise to come to find out Jack was interested in history let alone spent his team comparing the retellings in history books. Alec's eyes lit up at the news. “I love history. I wish I had your patience. I wouldn't be able sit still.” A shame really, Alec wasn't left to focus on it long when Jack asked about Alec, interested in what Alec did in free time. The Gryffindor was silent for a moment, eyeing the other in a sheepish manner. “I um- I do art. I draw, mostly rough sketches. I also dabble in painting.” Alec glanced away as he spoke, fixating his eyes on the grass. “When I have the patience, I read anything I can get my hands on.” Alec wasn't able to read as much anymore, both with less patience and free time then he had once had before, still, he enjoyed it when he could. “It's nice to get lost in a book and be worlds away from everything even if it's just for a moment.” It was nice to be able to get away.

“What's your favorite period of history to read about?”

@Jack Burnett