7 Oct 2024, 19:21
A Glum Bacon Sandwich
It was a sullen Alan that sat down to his first breakfast in the Great Hall. The noise of the other students around him was indecipherable - a hundred separate stories telling themselves in front of him, all of them unreadable.
He stared at the clean, empty plate in front of him, and then at the feast in front of him. It was like the best hotel breakfast in the world. All of his favourite foods - bacon, sausage and eggs for sandwiches, a plethora of various cereals, milks and granolas, even croissants! - but he just... Wasn't hungry.
The fact he hadn't slept last night might have had something to do about it. The fact he had an unopened letter on his bedside table, maybe more so. He knew his mother would write to him, of course. All mothers did. Alan's mother, though? She might not just send one. Even now, a new one was likely on its way.
He took a deep, steadying breath, and used his shaking hands to start taking some items of food. He didn't look at anyone, didn't speak to anyone. Everyone looked too busy, and he'd only be bothering those that didn't want anything to do with him.
As he reached for a pot of tea, Alan banged his hand straight into another Slytherin's arm. Hot tea splashed over Alan's hand and he yelped, dropping the teapot with a great clatter, and a large pool of quickly cooling tea on the stone.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Alan gushed, still shaking scalding tea from his hand, rapidly turning red. His teeth gritted, and he clasped it tightly with his others. "Are you okay?"
He stared at the clean, empty plate in front of him, and then at the feast in front of him. It was like the best hotel breakfast in the world. All of his favourite foods - bacon, sausage and eggs for sandwiches, a plethora of various cereals, milks and granolas, even croissants! - but he just... Wasn't hungry.
The fact he hadn't slept last night might have had something to do about it. The fact he had an unopened letter on his bedside table, maybe more so. He knew his mother would write to him, of course. All mothers did. Alan's mother, though? She might not just send one. Even now, a new one was likely on its way.
He took a deep, steadying breath, and used his shaking hands to start taking some items of food. He didn't look at anyone, didn't speak to anyone. Everyone looked too busy, and he'd only be bothering those that didn't want anything to do with him.
As he reached for a pot of tea, Alan banged his hand straight into another Slytherin's arm. Hot tea splashed over Alan's hand and he yelped, dropping the teapot with a great clatter, and a large pool of quickly cooling tea on the stone.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Alan gushed, still shaking scalding tea from his hand, rapidly turning red. His teeth gritted, and he clasped it tightly with his others. "Are you okay?"