Palette

They took the best spot under the tree. The water of the lake was serene, and the idea that a giant squid lived in the depths seemed impossibly stupid. Dolohov was about to disturb the quiet peace of the water, and everybody knew it because they were watching the younger boy gathering small pebbles. He wanted to make them jump off the water in a row. “I think I can make them go three or four times. Maybe five,” he said proudly. “I can make them go like fifteen or maybe twenty,” Orion Black, the new member of their small group, replied. “You just need to use the levitation spell.” “That does not count!” “It does!” “Does not!” “Shut up,” Theodor Nott looked at them above his book. “If I fail the Charms class tomorrow, I will kill you both.” “I wouldn’t worry much about the Charms,” Avery said thoughtfully, not even looking up from his notes. “Transfiguration is the thing we all should worry about…” “True. Why would I even need to turn a tortoise into a kettle? What demeted and perverted mind would want to fuck up an animal so much?” Mulciber growled, and Avery blushed. He hated it when others cursed. “Dumbledore would,” smirked Lestrange. “After that lecture about the basic difference between charms and transfiguration spells I started thinking that he was one of the Azkaban’s guards. He literally sucked every single drop of happiness out of me.” “Wow, I didn’t realise you had such a close and intimate relationship with Damby,” Mulciber was grinning now. “So… any good?” “Come on!” Avery rolled his eyes. “Some people are actually trying to learn here!” “Yeah, and those people would be grateful if you also decided to shut up,” said Nott absent-mindedly, making Lestrange and Mulciber smirk. Dolohov giggled and Orion Black let himself a small and cold smile. “I have a question for you all,” he said. Dolohov started throwing the pebbles enthusiastically, and the older boys looked at Orion. “Which one of you is Tom’s best friend?” “Is it an inquisition trial or something?” Nott raised an eyebrow. “What is an inquisition trial?” Dolohov asked, his hand working steady on the pebbles. Some of them did jump several times on the lake surface. “When muggles looked for witches and killed them,” explained Lestrange off-handedly and then shrugged his shoulders. “Why would you ask? We are all Tom’s friends.” “And followers,” added Avery quietly as if saying something really important and serious. “Yeah, but who is his best friend?” Orion demanded. “I was the first to become Tom’s friend,” said Nott. “I think we became friends during our first week at Hogwarts.” “I was having breakfast with him on our first day,” casually mentioned Avery not looking at Theodor. “So…” “We kind of have only one table and all Slytherins share it. So, technically, we were all having breakfast with Tom on our first day,” Lestrange laughed. “But you don’t see me bragging about it, do you?” “So… I take it that nobody is Tom’s best friend?” Orion looked a little puzzled but satisfied. It left the spot open. “I am,” replied Theodor. “You should ask Tom,” replied Avery. Mulciber and Lestrange exchanged looks and knowing smiles. “Why did you ask?” “I wanted to ask from someone who knew for sure… is Tom a pure blood?” Dolohov stopped throwing his pebbles and turned to Orion. The smiles on the other boys' faces dimmed. “Are you a bloody fool or something?” Lestrange asked almost gently. “Or maybe you are trying to say something you’ll regret?” “No. I was just wondering…” “Tom is the heir of the fucking Slytherin!” Mulciber spit on the ground. “What do you think, is he a pure-blood?!” “He can speak with snakes,” Dolohov nodded as if that proved something. “He showed me… they do everything he wants.” Orion Black suddenly felt very uneasy among his new mates. They weren’t smiling or joking anymore but they were looking at him as if he was in a lot of trouble. He didn’t like this feeling at all. “I wish he showed me,” Orion Black said and added quickly, “I wish we could tell everyone that he is the heir of Slytherin!” “He wouldn’t want that,” Nott returned to his textbook, and the atmosphere shifted. Then Mulciber started telling a dirty joke. “So… who do you think it is?” Avery asked Nott when they were left alone. Dolohov and Black had to go to the library, Mulciber went to the kitchen to fetch something to chew and Lestrange had to bring his essay to Slughorn as he had promised. “Tom’s best friend?” Nott looked at him and for a moment Avery had a very strange and unnerving feeling that he was being pitied. Then Theodor said slowly, carefully choosing his words: “I don’t think Tom does friendship.” “So he isn’t your best friend, then?” That was a very precious thing to hear because that gave him, Avery, such an advantage, such a leverage and… “No, he is my best friend,” Nott smiled thinly but his eyes did not. “But I am not his.” “Sad,” Avery tried to sound cold and mocking, just the way Tom could when he wanted. “Tragic even.” “I agree,” replied Theodor, packed his books and left. Avery watched him go and somehow felt that it was him who had lost.