Drowning

When Elías arrived at the Ravenclaw table the next morning, he was in a wonderful mood. Kyle and Nicholas were seventh years, so they were not in the same dorm as him, but the sixth year boys who did share rooming with him were just as amiable and sharp. Irvin Jonas, Garret Shaklebolt, Giorgio Avanzini and Oliver Bruce had officially become his friends overnight. He loved everything about Ravenclaw house, and that very much included the Common Room and the Head Teacher, Flitwick, who had given him a very warm welcome after he arrived inside the tower.

Oliver, who was a chaser, was giving him information about the houses and other Quidditch data that he might not know. Nicholas was doing it as well, while Giorgio just kept pushing more and more food into his mouth, as if he'd been stranded on an island instead of sleeping for seven hours. It was Irvin who took pity on Elías and sent everyone to hell by placing a small silencio. Garret and Juniper, who hadn't been speaking Quidditch, turned to the brunet with infuriated eyes.

"Hey, is that Lyssandra Yaxley?" Kyle broke out from the spell, frowning at the Slytherin sixth year who walked with purpose to the table of blue and bronze. "What the bloody hell...?"

"She's my fianceè," Elías explained, rendering his new friends speechless and Lyssandra rushed to wrap her arms around Elías' neck from behind. "Good morning, love."

"Hello, handsome," she kissed his cheek. "Did you like your Common Room?"

"Absolutely," the Spaniard nodded with a grin. "This entire place is incredible. I can't wait to see the rest of it."

"We'll share some classes together," she rested her chin on top of his head, and he smiled at her. He really did like her, she was a very nice girl. He wondered when in their life she'd realize she wasn't really his cup of tea. "Schedules will come soon, so I better go back to my table. See you later?"

"I'll sit with you at lunch," he nodded.

"Thank you, darling," she kissed his cheek once more before floating away with a grin.

"She's your fianceè," Kyle choked out. "Lyssandra Yaxley?"

"Bloody hell," Oliver slapped his back. "You're one lucky bloke."

"She's... a bit naïve," Lorrained winced, sighing a little. "Not really good conversationalist."

"She's a good girl," was Elías' automatic response. His mind betrayed him when he interpreted Nicholas' silence as another point on the gay scale. Shaking his head, he took a long gulp of apple juice.

"I never understood the marriage thing," Giorgio, muggleborn, frowned. "I mean, that's medieval, mate. Why would you want to marry so young?"

"Because it's my duty," Elías didn't mind answering, knowing the response he was supposed to give by heart. "It's what's right for someone in my position, with my blood status, with a wealth such as mine and a family tree to expand."

There was silence on the table for a moment, and just when Elías was thinking that maybe he'd said it to the wrong people, Nicholas burst into hysterical laughter, followed by Juniper and Irvin.

"Mate," the Quidditch Ravenclaw Captain wiped off a tear with a giggle still bubbling from his lips. "Not even you believed that."

"It was so bloody rehearsed," Irvin slapped his back. "It's alright, Elías, you don't have to be like that with us. You're fine. We don't care about blood, we only care about brains."

"And your speed," Nicholas added, then suddenly lifted his hand and squeezed Elías' forearm, making the Spaniard blush furiously as he nodded. "Or beater. You have really nice arms."

"T-thanks?" he stuttered out. "Uh, you, too?"

Nicholas gave him a grin and quickly turned back to his breakfast. Soon enough, the schedules began to be handed out by a flick of Professor Flitwick's wand and before him, Elías found his classes for the reminder of the school year.

"Transfiguration first with Hufflepuffs," Juniper nodded. "Okay, I'm alright with that."

"Who teaches it?" Elías stood as soon as his house mates began to leave their seats, the Ravenclaw table the first one to move from the Great Hall.

"Professor McGonagall," Giorgio kept glancing at the Hufflepuff house, looking to be searching for someone. "She's the Head of Gryffindor House. Kind of spooky, but she's proper nice when she knows you're tryi - Lulu!"

A girl, who looked like the female fourteen year old version of Giorgio, looked up from the Hufflepuff table with a yawn on her lips. Waving, she went back to sipping on her goblet.

"Is that Lucille?" Lorraine grinned at the Italian. "Wow! She's grown so much!"

"Your sister?" Elías looked at the girl, who smiled tiredly in his direction as soon as he laid eyes on her. He gave her a chuckle and a small wave of his hand.

"Yes," Giorgio grinned at her. "Do you have any siblings, Elías?"

"I actually do," he followed them up the stairs, wondering how many flights and how many changes it'd take for them to reach the Transfiguration classroom. "Five. Two brothers, three sisters."

"Whoa!" Garret took a step back.

"Seriously?" Irvin frowned. 

"Miguel is the oldest," Elías explained. "Then there's Cristina, and the twins Luis and Ángela, Iris, and then me."

"You're the little one, eh?" Garret threw his muscled arm over his shoulders. "I'm the oldest brother in my family, but my two sisters are squibs."

"That must be hard," Elías knew how squibs could be treated. Just like house elves in a pureblood family.

"Not at all, Felicity and Lana are both really happy with their studies," the blonde explained. "We're very close."

"I'm close with Lulu, too," Giorgio grinned as he sat down on one of the empty tables, near the front of the classroom. Elías did not feel homesick, or missed his siblings. After all, one can only miss something if they've had it before. 

Probably sensing his discomfort, Oliver pulled on his arm and drifted him towards a table next to a window. Smiling gratefully, Elías sat right next to the glass and Oliver began to pull out his materials. Surprisingly, it was a nice day out. The second of September had been bound to have a disastrous weather, but clouds barely covered the sky. Elías saw the Quidditch Pitch, hoped that the following day would be nice enough for tryouts, and turned his head to the front where Professor McGonagall had just arrived.

"Hello, everyone," she smiled at both Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. "And welcome back to Hogwarts for another year of learning. We'll start with the basics for today, but tomorrow I'll start expecting of you NEWT level. This is, after all, sixth year. Let's begin."

***

"I like her," Elías stated as they began to pick up their parchments. "She's smart. I mean, I knew she was smart, but she explains very well. I actually do like her."

"I'm glad you think so of me, Mr. López," McGonagall made him jump and turn around with wide eyes. She was trying to hold in laughter. "Don't you have a class to attend to?"

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am," he scurried away with Oliver laughing full-blown behind his back. 

They had Care of Magical Creatures now. Well, Elías, Lorraine, Oliver and Irvin did. Giorgio, Garret and Juniper were off to Arithmancy, waving goodbye at their house mates while they walked downstairs towards the outside of the castle. Elías then took in the fresh air, the humidity and the wet grass against his thick shoes. He watched it all with a smile, and although he missed Salem he had to admit that Hogwarts was the most beautiful place in the world.

Soon they were near the woods, the ones Headmaster Dumbledore had said were called the Forbidden Forest. How catchy. This was one of the subjects that Elías knew was bound to be completely different from Salem's, as the schools were in different continents and the fauna was surely different as hell.

The Hufflepuffs arrived as quickly as the Ravenclaws did, followed by Slytherins and then Gryffindors. Elías turned when he felt a pair of eyes on the back of his neck. Just as he was turning to see who it was, two small hands covered his eyes. It was so sappy it was almost nausiating. Still, Elías played along until he grasped her waist and pressed her to him.

It amazed him sometimes, how delicate girls were. Lyssandra barely reached his chin, with big eyes and porcelain skin and a tiny little nose. She was a beauty, a rare jewel amongst purebloods. It ate him away that he couldn't even appreciate what he'd been handed on a silver platter.

"I'm glad you're here," she grinned.

"I'm glad I'm here, too, love," he chuckled, laughing harder when she smacked his arm teasingly. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, as was expected, and soon he was waiting for Professor Kettleburn between Slytherins and Ravenclaws. 

When he glanced behind him, Regulus looked away.

***

"Mr. Flint with Ms. Andriev," Professor Flitwick placed Lorraine's books next to Lionel's, who nodded at her and scooted away to leave her more space. "Mr. López with Mr. Black."

Of course it'd be like that.

Elías smiled, gave a grimace to Lyssandra, and sat beside Regulus, who was tense as his pearwood wand. Elías took a little bit of sick enjoyment on it, knowing that he was the reason why Regulus was wounded so tightly. He wondered if it was about all those years ago when the Spaniard had robbed him of his first kiss, or if it was the way he'd kissed him back two days later.

So Elías amused himself for the rest of the class - sat closer to Regulus, leaned against him when he wrote, breathed in his direction and even chuckling whenever he felt his eyes on him. When the class ended, Regulus sprinted out of his seat.

"What did you do?" Lyssandra frowned at him. "Regulus is acting weird lately."

"He doesn't like me," Elías shrugged. "Maybe because we lost contact as friends, or maybe he just doesn't like you with me. Who knows?"

"I'm sure he'll be friends with you soon, Elías," she looped her arms around his as she directed them to the Great Hall. "Just give him some time."

"If you say so," he sighed.

"So I've heard you're trying out for chaser tomorrow," Lyssandra bubbled with excitement. "And beater, too! I'll be there to cheer for you!"

God, how he wished he wasn't goddamn homosexual. Elías stopped for a moment, looked at Lyssandra, and wondered what the hell was wrong with him for not wanting her, for not liking her like he was supposed to. Was it really so hard to do it? Was it really so hard to pretend long enough for it to be mistaken with true feelings?

"Elías?" the Slytherin frowned.

They weren't really alone. The hallway wasn't packed either. So with a mental shrug, the Spaniard gave it a try and lowered his lips to her so he could kiss his fianceè for the very first time. Lyssandra melted like butter against him, hands on his shoulders and lips soft as clouds against his own. 

When he pulled away, she still had her eyes closed.

"What was that for?" she whispered to him, eyes wide.

"You look beautiful today," and it was the truth. He'd rather not lie and tell her it was because he was desperate to feel something for her. She was everything a guy could ever want yet - yet he was fucked up and he couldn't feel a single fucking thing.

It was too fucking bad his life would be based on a mountain of lies.