"Kol, ah Kool," my friend's voice brought me out of my thoughts. - How much is it possible, huh? Aren't you bored spending all your time reading books? Correction," he lifted his chin up to make it more convincing. - absolutely all the time! No, of course, I understand everything, knowledge is power and all that, but you also need to rest," his hands raised in both directions expressed his emotionality. "If you look at him like that, you'll wither away," Nev told me, making a grimace as if he were dying.
How natural, as if in his place there really was a person dying. What emotions, what acting. I believe!
Or maybe he owns a school of illusions? He'll be fine. Everything looks too convincing. Suspicious...
*Eh* With a tired sigh, I closed the book. This conversation again.
"Listen Neville," my serious gaze settled on his eyes, which were looking at me expectantly. "You and I talked, it's not a burden to me." And besides, who said that I don't rest? You yourself know that this is not so.
"I know that," he answered, folding his arms over his chest and pouting slightly. - But judge for yourself, few people at our age relax by changing activities. Where have you seen children take a break from reading educational literature through physical activity? And they are not small, believe me. Or the practice of spells? Yes, just the feeling of the complete depletion of the reserve makes you want to puke, but you moved on. Every day you spend all your mana. How did you not overstrain yourself? Do you know what nickname they came up with for you at Hogue? — a questioning look with a gleam of cunning stared at me. A mysterious smile seemed to be stuck to his face. Something is not clean here.
"Your cunning face is just begging for a brick," I answered tiredly, lowering my head. - No, I do not know. I hope it's not a boy who? Otherwise, honestly, two boys will be too much. Maybe she was cramming? As for exhaustion, I don't bring myself to absolute zero, only to the point after which, as you say, "I feel like vomiting." So you don't have to worry, especially since it's incredibly useful for our reserves. I am a clear example of this.
"Only one person has this honorary title," a raised hand with a protruding index finger, together with an inspired face, was supposed to symbolize the importance of the moment. However, at this moment I just wanted to laugh. However, I decided to ignore my words about the reserve. Although I'm sure he heard them and will think about it later. Maybe even ask questions about this. - Miss Hermione Granger. The brains of the golden trio. And how did they become friends?
As luck would have it, precisely at that moment this person entered the library. As always, immaculately dressed, with a pile of books and an unkempt mane of hair. A comb through this hair cries, to say nothing of specialized household spells. They would have made her life so much easier, but alas. And yes, we were in the library, Nev was doing his homework, and I was reading.
Let's return to Hermione. She heard everything, at least one could judge it from her slightly offended face. Noticing her, Nev immediately hesitated and turned red in the face. I just waved my hand in greeting. Do not forget about the banal greeting and culture of behavior.
However, she no longer saw this. Even when Nev noticed her, Hermione walked offendedly into the depths of the library. I hope she thaws out quickly, otherwise it will be a shame. At least Neville. I don't intersect with her. She didn't love me for some reason.
"Ehehe," Neville laughed slightly nervously, sitting down opposite me. - It didn't turn out nicely. I need to go apologize.
- Don't worry, you'll apologize later. I think she will forgive you," my hand lightly patted him on the shoulder. To do this, I even had to get up from my seat. "I hope so," the reassuring smile on my face slightly cheered him up. Well, that's good.
Silence reigned. Sitting opposite each other, we each thought about our own things. He stared intently at the wooden plane of the steel, his tense cheekbones showed that his thoughts were not very cheerful. Well, I turned my gaze to the window. The view is mesmerizing.
Evening, the sun has already disappeared behind the horizon. Only the lights of the castle along with the stars illuminated the area around. Nature was sleeping. The snow enveloped her like a benign feather bed. It seemed that a little more and he would be able to cover even the castle itself.
To the left of the castle, at the border of the forest, a forester's hut stood lonely, surrounded by two-meter snowdrifts. Smoke from the chimney, as well as traces leading to the hut, indicated that this hut was inhabited, and someone was now in it. Apparently Hagrid was at home now. It seems that even the half-giant doesn't really want to walk through the forest in such cold weather, and this is an indicator. After all, Hagrid spends almost all his time with the "little animals." And the fact that they can kill with one bite or something else doesn't bother him. An unbreakable person.
A vast field of whiteness. It stretched to the very horizon. Life stood still, there were no traces of living creatures right up to the Forest itself, but there everything was much more interesting. The seemingly dead forest was no more alive than it was, but only in the warm season. Many representatives of magical flora and fauna become active precisely with the arrival of cold weather. Believe me, they are no less dangerous than other magical beasts, and in some cases they are much more dangerous.
Still, life in such harsh conditions either kills or hardens. And there is much more of the second in the forest than the first. An amazing thing is magic.
"As you know," Nev continued, finding the strength within himself. — Each faculty has its own distinguished individuals, who are assigned a certain "title-nickname". For example, Potter is the boy who lived, Weasley is the sixth, Malfoy is the silver prince. And so on. They are not given to everyone and for a reason. Each of them carries subtext and meaning. Even the Sixth," smiling at a petty joke and falling silent for a couple of seconds, he took a deep breath and continued. - But you stand out even against their background.
"Well, don't tell me," I objected, looking up from the window.
- Yes, yes, that's exactly how things are. Do you even know what topics come up when the conversation is about you?
- Bookworm? Professor's pet? — I asked, tilting my head to the side.
"Well, not without that," Nev said with a grin. - But I'm talking about something else. No matter what conversation they start about you, the two most important themes come up in each: Incredible knowledge and your magic. From the outside it seems as if you are one with her. Every wave of your wand, every word of a spell, and whatever, your presence alone is special. As if you and magic are two sides of the same coin. I'm not talking about strength or anything else. No, you live it. You are her. This is amazing.
"Wait, wait," I wave my hands in protest. - Hold your horses. Somehow you have entered the wrong steppe. What's behind these conclusions? I'm not such an outstanding magician, and I'm not even the most magically powerful. All my knowledge and skills have been developed. Anyone can do this if they want.
"You may be right, but even the professors treat you slightly differently." And this is also an indicator, don't you think? — a questioning look that seemed like it could burn a hole in me.
I was silent. There was nothing to cover it with. Still, it's true, where others have to make their way through the jungle, I fly by without noticing. I've already gone too far from Hoag's program, and practical skills are not far behind knowledge. Of course, I don't show anything that goes beyond Hog and exceeds me by 1-2 courses, but apparently this was not enough. Even the children noticed it.
- So you want to tell me that the first-years discuss me within the limits of these topics? Why such an honor?
"Well, not really," Nev hesitated slightly. "You know that I take extra classes with Professor Sprout?" — I nodded in agreement. Indeed, he has been attending these classes for at least two months now. Well, like classes, more like a circle of interest and in-depth study. — Well, about a month ago I started training fifth-year students and older. Somehow it happened that they started asking me about you. After all, I'm the only one with whom you communicate so much," he finished with a bit of pride.
Indeed, it's already mid-December, and I only communicate with Nev. No, I communicate with everyone, regardless of age, gender or faculty. But it so happened that only Neville became my friend. Although attempts to make friends from other students still appeared.
- It turns out that the representatives of the senior courses are talking about me, right? — I asked him a question. And then the silence drags on.
- Well, basically yes. At least in three faculties.
- Well, what did they come to? For some reason I don't see a crowd of people like Potter.
- It's customary to stay away from you. Don't avoid it, just don't distract it. Still, the reasons for the distance between you and the same golden trio are slightly different. You will not be disturbed, at least until the end of the third year, by the tradition of growing up in Hoga, but after the third... - he answered with a shrug.
- Well, I feel better, less problems from them. — I summed it up with a smile.
"That's all you are, Kol." - Nev finished with unreadable intonation.
Well, it is what it is. After all, I play this role. A kind of low-social genius. And as you can see from Neville's words, everything is going well for me so far, which can't help but rejoice. My efforts were not in vain.
- Okay, let's leave this topic. Better tell me, what's wrong with my "title"? — I continued the unfinished topic, yet I even became interested. What do they call me in narrow circles? As I understand it, this nickname will soon go global Hoag.
"Oh, that's right," he hit his leg with his palm. - Where did I stop? On the meaning. Well, the golden trio is already clear. Golden boy and so on. There's no need to explain much here," one could read mockery in his voice. - Silver Prince - this is a little more complicated. They call Silver Draco because of his father, after all, he is not the last person in the Ministry, and his finances also mean a lot. And the prince is such a mockery. By himself, he doesn't mean anything in Slytherin yet, so he's not a king. Unlike the Ice Queen - Daphne Greengrass. Now she has managed to prove herself from the best side.
- Daphne? Emotionless blonde? - I asked.
"Yes, she is," he nodded. - Icy - it's clear why. Queen - it's not clear for sure, after all, snakes are very conservative, but there are rumors that she was nicknamed the queen from the first days in Hoga. And that means a lot.
"How comical this is," I said. "Wizards cling too much to these nicknames and titles. Although I must say, they know how to select them. Still, both Daphne and Draco are very suitable. Yes, wizards are strange people.
"By the way," Nev exploded. "I've long wanted to ask why you call everyone in Hoga wizards?" And yourself as a magician? It seems that you also mentioned sorcerers, but I don't remember exactly," Nev thought a little.
- Let's do it another time, okay? This is a topic for a separate lecture, and believe me, it is not entirely simple. Better tell me what's wrong with my nickname? We've been harping on this topic for too long.
"Well, don't tell me," he objected. - Well, okay, in some ways you are right. As you understand, titles carry some meaning. Which one do you think is yours? Hint: the first word symbolizes your magic, the second - your mind.
Then I started thinking. What can they come up with? Nothing even comes to mind. Hmm, a problem.
- Maybe some Mystical Librarian, no?
"Ha ha ha," he laughed. Tears started flowing. "It's a good nickname," he continued after laughing, "but alas, no." Come on, second try.
Hmm. What else? Magic? No. Books? Also no.
- Fairies?
- No.
- Okay, I give up. Let's lay it out.
- Actually, your second attempt was close. At first they called you Fairy from the Library, but somehow this nickname disappeared by itself. Still, Fairy is too vague. Now, over the past month, you have been called by one nickname. I think it will stay with you," and fell silent. Only his mysterious face. How did he get it?
"Listen, I had an idea," I began. — Do you think the transfigured brick feels the same on the face as a real one or differently? Shall we check?
"That's it," he jumped up and waved his hands. - ready?
- What kind of intrigue is that, huh? - I begged.
- Sid.
- What Sid? - I didn't understand.
— Sid is the abbreviated name, but the full name is Wise Sidhe.
"Pfft," I couldn't resist. - What a fantasy. Too loud a nickname. Certainly not now.
"Well, I'm sorry," Nev was indignant. - I didn't invent it. If I did, I would call it a magical oak. Such a blockhead.
- Okay, let's get out of here. Dinner is coming soon. We need to move forward.
Having collected our things, we headed to the Great Hall. Hermione came out right behind us. Nev stood back slightly to apologize. Well, I moved on.
Sidhe, that is.