Gillygate - 17. A Jar of Lacewing Flies

It was the weekend and my mood remained foul and miserable. Let me tell you why.

While I'd not seen Quintin and Huet up close, it was only a matter of time until I passed them in the corridors, or in Hogsmeade. They'll be holding hands and kissing, proud of their cheating because look at the good it did them. Now every student at Hogwarts knew about the cheating too and indulged the sadism with their stares.

Quintin and I were the longest-running gay couple here, now we're broken up and in less than a fortnight Quintin's dating someone from his own house. The news was gossipped about and eyes eagerly turned to me, burning with mirth. Human nature, this schadenfreude. It didn't really matter who, people just liked to see others break and fall apart. I'd not broken yet, but I was far from a good headspace and my earlier source of comfort left me aching with shame.

I'd slunk off to be alone, outside in the grass and I sat near a colonnade. Not far from me were a group of first years playing gobstones. They didn't give me a second glance, either weren't informed of the drama or too involved in their game. I watched it idly, chilly gusts tousling my hair and the honey tints burned gold in the evening sun.

A fat Ravenclaw rolled a yellow stone down the path, it missed its target by a hairsbreadth. The stones all belched, spraying him with yellow slop. His friends laughed, though their robes sported various stains too. I told myself I could smell it from here. As the Ravenclaw turned to argue that they needed a better spot, a trick of the light caught my eye. Not a ghost, I realised. Someone under a disillusionment charm was sneaking through the grass, toward the gobstones. I wasn't about to rat them out. My mood was unchanged, but I enjoyed the distraction of this drama here.

"Philkin," someone had approached me, hidden in the sun rays.

"Oh hello, Ericus."

He sat beside me. I realised he was the only person I did want to see right now. He smiled openly, also facing the gobstone match. His hair showed no hint of blue in the evening brightness, just a jet black. His eyebrows were like spiky catterpillars. I studied the cut of his nose and the roundness of his jaw. Ericus was so inexperienced, and I would not use him as my rebound.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

I didn't even have it in me to be sarcastic. After a few seconds I just grunted.

Ericus reached into his satchel, "I wanted to wait until night to show you and let them out together, but it might be dark enough here in the shade."

A glass jar was thrust into my lap. I picked it up and saw the glowing bugs flying inside.

"Lacewing flies. Why let them out at all? Why not keep them for potions?"

"It's also beautiful to let out a whole jar at night on top of the astronomy tower, you can watch them fly off over the castle and beyond…"

I was struck by the romantic imagery, unable to respond.

"Colovaria!"

Then I was distracted as the camouflaged sneak finished changing the colour of two gobstones. The players were arguing and hadn't noticed but they would soon.

"...Why is an older student going to these lengths to mess with those first years?" I began and Ericus squinted at the transparent blur trying to stay hidden in the grass.

"Actually I think that's Eggy, he's a first year," Ericus told me.

"A first year can do the Disillusionment Charm?" I said in surprise, then confessed: "Even I can't do it."

"You're not a Slytherin," Ericus smirked. "I also learnt it in my first year. Spent months practising every night to master it. Helpful if you have an inclination to sneak into out-of-bounds areas."

I nodded, scowling a bit as I was reminded of the proclivities of my least favourite house.

"Excuse me!" A scrawny Hufflepuff called out to us. "Did you swap around our gobstones?"

"No," my response was gruff and Ericus shook his head. I didn't want to snitch on the prankster, but I didn't want to be blamed either. Us two were the only other students in sight now.

The first year group all started discussing before deciding to continue their game.

I looked down at the lacewing flies again and a realisation dawned: we didn't have to wait for night! And not just the castle, yellowed farm fields with a lone cabin would also be a beautiful place to release these.

I jumped up, "Ericus!"

The boys nearby paused and I thought Eggy tensed, worried he'd just been noticed.

Ericus stared up at me, "What?"

"Come with me! There's someplace I'd like to show you!" I was so excited that I'd thoughtlessly offered my hand.

Ericus blushed like he had by the Forbidden Forest. He took my hand and we were up. Then I raced around the grounds and he followed.

"Where are we going?" He called.

"Firstly, the Room of Requirement! Secondly… I'll tell you when we get there!"

Φ

spellman's syllabry

Disillusionment Charm - taught by hunk Sebastian Sallows.

Colovaria - Colour Change Charm.