The Sixth and First

[Henry Lordings Jr.]

It was a fine April day, and the sun was shining down into the courtyard; A cool breeze stole over the yard to offer contrast to the warm sun, and Henry Lordings found himself on his favorite stone bench in the courtyard, scribbling down notes into his newly completed notebook. He watched his own neat, slanted scrawl work it's way across the pages, left to right, left to right; Turning the small, leather bound book into a makeshift pensive.

Piertotum Locomotor: Used to animate inanimate objects, specifically statues, to perform...

But what exactly the statues were to perform, Henry could not write; A disturbance had rent the relative calm; Laughing, jeering, the sounds of first years. Henry looked up; There, across the courtyard stood three boys picking on a fourth. Henry looked around; No teachers, and no prefects anywhere to be seen, and only a handful of second years milling about to make up for the courtyard's lack of authority. The one boy being teased was wearing robes of black, red, and gold, clearly identifying him as a Gryffindor; His assailants appeared to be Slytherins.

It was such a cliched rivalry that Henry had to work very hard indeed to suppress a laugh. He closed the small leather notebook that had been gifted him by his uncle, Peter, and tucked it away into an inside chest pocket of his robes, slipping the fountain pen with which he had been writing into the same pocket, filling what little room was left within the pocket. He straitened his robes, pushed his spectacles further up his nose with the index and middle fingers of his right hand, and walked toward the quartet of first years.

As he drew closer, he could make out what they were saying; The three Slytherins appeared to be doing all the talking, and Henry wasn't surprised on that count. The Slytherin's backs were to him, otherwise he was sure they would have stopped, there was an unsaid, and unwritten authority in one's years. Only the small Gryffindor seemed in any position to see him, but Henry wasn't sure the small boy had noticed the elder Gryffindor's approach.

"What's with your eyes eh?" said one of the boys, who appeared to be the leader of the small gang "You look permanently surprised, you do! Ha!"

His pair of buddies appeared to find this incredibly funny.

"Yeah, and with those arms he looks like a...a..." said a second one; he seemed to be trying to find the right words, it looked like hard work to Henry. "...Like a big eyed ape, he does!"

Henry, who felt that he had let this go on quite long enough, cleared his throat loudly. Instantly the trio of Slytherins turned on the spot, looking slightly frightened, but when they saw that it was neither a teacher, nor a prefect, they seemed to regain some of their unpleasantness.

"What do you want?" said the little leader, casting a sickening inflection upon the third word of his sentence.

"Nothing much." said Henry, surveying the three of them "Just wanted to make sure everything is alright."

"And what's that to you." said the Slytherin, again casting that disparaging inflection upon the word you.

"You must not know much about Gryffindors." said Henry "You see...we stick together. Isn't that right my young friend?"

[Cedar]

[Cedar Ethat]

Fine day, I'll go outside, class is over, yes, to the court yard maybe? Yes. Cedar headed out to the court-yard and found his way, after a short bit of wandering about, to a bench. He untied and took off his shoes, then took off his socks, and placed them both under the bench and lie down on top of the bench. It was fairly quiet in the court yard, or at least it was until a group of rather loud boys entered. He watched them approach. They were from his year but not from his house, they were loud but seemed to be just passing through. No threat. He closed his eyes again.

But suddenly one of the boys stopped mid-sentence and resumed speaking with, "Look at that thing over there? Weird isn't he?" And he knew before he opened his eyes they were coming towards him. He watched them come closer but did not move other than to turn his head to better see them. This was not their territory, this was free ground, really no reason for them to target him. But he was from a different pack and he understood their was a deep and well-lived rivalry between the two houses as as they reached him he sat up.

They did talk a lot, didn't they? He wasn't really listening to what they were saying. That was until one of them suddenly shoved at him. He stood up instantly, a deep growl rising in his throat. He was about to shove him back when he realized one of them had his wand out. It would be a stupid thing to do, take on three of them, one who already has his wand out. No, better play smart and not jump right into an attack.

They continued their jeering, but it was just words, he would not back down from talking. Though he did find it a little offending that they compared him with a primate since he had never at all liked monkeys and had had a rivalry with the two monkeys he had lived with much more satisfying than the one between Slytherin and Gryffindor. He noticed an older boy walking over, and they didn't. Wow, they were bad at this. So the older boy, another Gryffindor came over and said some words, and they turned around and responded. Wow they were stupid.

Just as the older Gryffindor asked said " Isn't that right" he sprung suddenly and swiftly. He struck out at the first boy, the bottom of his palm connecting firmly with the back of his skull and causing him to yelp and stumble forward. Then he sprung at, or rather onto, the leader of the boys, knocked him the ground just as he turned around, and pulled out a short wooden knife from one of his pockets as he did. Of course it was not super sharp but he was skilled at making them and it could easily cut skin. He pressed one hand firmly down on his throat while planting both of his knees in his belly, all of this happening within seconds of hitting the ground.

Before he even knew what he was doing he had the knife at the boys throat and was an instant away from stabbing him through the jugular to eliminate the threat before he remembered himself and stopped. He held the knife at his throat, though not as close, and his other hand plunged for his wand as he looked around. He realized that he was snarling, now when had he started that, when he had landed on his fellow first year? He instantly stopped, and breathing heavily, spat at the boy, "Weak."

He then, calming down and breathing slower but not moving his knees or hand looked at the older Gryffindor for a moment. He could be a prefect, even though Cedar saw no badge. He looked back at the boy under him, who was positively cowering, and realized that this could look very bad. He slowly stood up, keeping all four of them in front of him, and loosened his grip on the two wooden objects in his hands, but only slightly.

[Henry Lordings Jr.]

Henry watched the scene unfold before him in a state of semi-shock. He had seen many, many odd things in his life, many odd things indeed, but a first year attacking another first year with a wooden knife definitely fell somewhere in the top fifty. Without really thinking about it, his gaze fixed upon the small Gryffindor who stood there, defiant, Henry gave his wand a twirl, and the Slytherin boys who had been knocked over were lifted to their feet.

"Off with you." said Henry. It was not a suggestion or a request. Even though he was no prefect, an authority commanded his voice that he heard as though from far away.

"We don't need to..." began one of the Slytherin boys, but Henry cut him off.

"I may not be a prefect, but I assure you, I can best all three of you in a duel. So unless you want to try your luck, you will go...Now."

Grumbling slightly, the three Slytherin boys slunk away.

"You." said Henry, rounding on the small Gryffindor with a frown. His voice was quite even as he spoke, though there was a numb shock that dripped, like water, from ever word he spoke. "That was extremely foolish."

[Cedar Ethat]

He watched as the one who he had jumped on, lie their, quivering. One boy was already backing up, but one boy protested. He left grumbling after a reprimand of the older boy but the other two, the ones he had hit seemed either to scared or in to much shock to protest like the other and they went quickly on their way. He watched them intently as they left, he could see hatred on their face already when they glanced back. But they were leaving, he might have to deal with them again later but not now. Now the older Gryffindor was talking and he turned his eyes to him.

He had been expecting to be told off, to be threatened or chased off, or just to be left alone so he had to consider for a moment how to answer. Putting his wand and knife back into his pockets gave him something to do as he thought of the socialy acceptable and polite way to respond. He did not think it had been foolish, but he had to show respect to the older boy, he had a high ranking position in the school than Cedar did.

"Foolish?" He asked calmly. "How so, I was only proving to him that I was the dominate one. If they had been quick with their wands and over powered me, I would have accepted their dominance." He explained with the air of talking to a younger person who needed it explained why stealing cookies was bad. He would have loved to pick up his shoes and socks, turn around and walk away but he knew that would be disripectful as weel as exreamly foolish. He did not know this older boy adn did not know how much of a threat he posed. He had come to help him and was from his house but he might want to assert his domiance over Cedar and turning his back on him would only provoke that.

[Henry Lordings Jr.]

Henry regarded the boys words carefully, fixing him with the kind of look that pierced. There was a moment's pause when neither spoke; Henry could feel the eyes of the second years huddled in the corner upon him, though he did not look around. He felt a kind of odd mingling of confusion, and pity; The boy's was indeed an oddity, the likes of which Henry had never laid eyes upon. The boy spoke of dominance, and, unless Henry was much mistaken, the boy seemed to be sizing Henry up, almost as if he wanted to attack Henry as well. None of this concerned Henry as much as the fact that the boy had almost no regard for the fact that his actions were wrong; That attacking three boys in such a way was akin to casting an illegal curse upon them.

"Hogwarts is not a den of wolves, my young friend." said Henry after a long moment's contemplation, during which his eyes did not move from the eyes of the younger Gryffindor; Brightest royal blue eyes locked upon the deep and vivid blue of the younger, and Henry continued. "Dominance, as you call it, rests with the teachers and prefects. It cannot be won in such a way in these halls. More importantly; It wasn't the meaning behind the action, it was the action itself...Students are not permitted to attack each other. Ever."

[Cedar Ethat]

He returned the boys gaze, blinking even less than he normally did. He saw the boys action of holding his gaze so intently not a sign that he was serious or anything else but the action of a challenge. The boy was challenging him, he would not subit so easily but he would not attack. He had seen how with just the lightest flick of his wand the older Gryffindor had lifted the other boys to his feet. He still had trouble unlocking doors. Still he had to fight back the growl that rose in his throat. Instead he listened carefully and responded calmly.

"To be sure the teachers are the leaders and the prefects close behind, each pair the highest student authority among their own house. But dominance exists in lesser extents among each class and each group that comprises that class. The quidditch players, for example get respect and adoration from the rest of their house. And you, you have dominace over me because you are in a higher year than I am." He felt a little silly having to explain such things to the older boy, but perhaps all he needed was a little reminding. What he did was not wrong at all. He continued, "But students do fight, I've seen them and even you threatened to dual with them. I did them no harm and they brought the results about themselves."

He thought about what Katie would say in such a situation, or Roger. Roger would never have fought them, he would have sat their and taken it all with his head bowed, but his twin was weak. Katie would certainly be yelling at him, telling him what he did was wrong, what he did was not normal, and the continue to say how he should never do such a thing again. He suspected that this boy was more like Katie. He did not look away but backed up slowly until his legs bumped the bench, and then he sat down.

[Henry Lordings Jr.]

Henry looked at the boy still more intently. Again the boy spoke with a measured calm. Again he was, in his way, condescending to Henry, but Henry was not the type to be spurred by some eleven year old's twisted sense of right and wrong.

"If they had chosen to fight me, then it would have been a mutual arrangement." said Henry, calmer still than the boy had been, calmer...but more imbibed with matter-of-factness. "They understood my abilities in some fashion, and chose to leave. You, on the other hand, attacked them, with provocation perhaps, but without warning. They neither understood your abilities, or your intentions, and so were unable to decide upon whether or not to pursue the encounter."

Henry paused here, and seriously considered the boys comments; His meaning, and continued.

"Dominance may rule down to which ant has the largest pincers, but attacking fellow students will do nothing to make you more dominant over anything."

[Cedar Ethat]

Clearly the boy didn't get it and it didn't sound like he would soon. He didn't want to get hexed, that wouldn't be pleasant, so he broke the gaze and looked to ground and shrugged. He didn't like giving up but he knew he had to for this to end well. "We are from different worlds within this one." He said and shrugged again, keeping his eyes down and shoulder hunched forward. He waited but the boy did not leave. What should he do now? Well, what would Katie tell him to do. They both seemed to have the same ideas of things. She'd say be polite, introduce himself. So he would introduce himself.

He returned his eye to the boys face, but did not look right into his eyes. "I'm Cedar. What's you name?" His tone was friendly but cautious. He didn't know how the boy would respond to this, he didn't think he posed a threat. He seemed apposed to fighting, that was odd but safe for him. They were from the same house, he didn't think any major conflict would arise between them, it shouldn't at least.

[Henry Lordings Jr.]

Henry simply stood there, casting upon the boy the kind of suspicious look he rarely fielded. This boy's ideals were bizarre in Henry's mind; They rang of purism. Henry regarded the boy for a moment more, then spoke.

"Henry Lordings."

He left his introduction at that, but didn't move. Henry slipped his wand back into it's holster under his left arm, and straitened his cloak, waiting for the boy to say anything else. He still had the strangest, and most inexplicable feeling that the boy was sizing him up for some reason, as if he was trying to see whether he could take Henry in a fight.

[Cedar Ethat]

Henry, odd name. He thought but said nothing. Instead, after throwing a glance at Henry to make sure he hadn't moved any closer bent down and pulled his shoes and socks out from under the bench. He didn't want to put them back on but if he had to leave suddenly he didn't want to have to come back for them or get them before he left. He stuffed the socks into one of the shoes, tied the laces of the shoes together and set them on the bench next to him. The older boy still hadn't said anything.

He was looking at Cedar with an odd look but he didn't think it was one telling him to leave. So he would stay, he had been here before the older boy came over and if he didn't want him to leave, he wouldn't. He felt like he should say something, but what? Introducing himself had brought no results so what else was he supposed to say. He had heard a few conversations between other people and after their names they always said their houses and their year, well they were obviously of the same house so that just left...

"I'm in my first year. What is your year?" He asked.

[Henry Lordings Jr.]

Henry raised a singular eyebrow at the younger boy.

"Sixth."

Again, Henry left his answer at that; He simply continued to stare at the boy; A suspicious, and yet curious stare; A stare that seemed to pierce. He had the strangest feeling; Almost a foreboding. He thought hard about what to do; What he should do in this situation. After a moment's careful consideration, Henry decided to pose a question of his own.

"You used a little wooden knife on the Slytherin boys back there; Where did you get it?...Did you make it?"

[Cedar Ethat]

Sixth year and not a prefect. But he did seem to want to be a prefect, he was certainly had the supior personaility to be one. Perhaps that was why he wasn't though. Well, it didn't matter to him, the boy couldn't punish him through taking points away or detention and that was the king of punishment he didn't really understand and cared not to get. So as long as the boy didn't hex him, he should pose no threat.

He wasn't sure if he liked where this conversation was going. He didn't want to admit to anything that might get him in trouble and the other boys was giving him a very odd look indeed that Cedar couldn't quiet figure out the meaning to. He eventually answered, with the faintest note of pride in his voice, "I made it." He reached his hand into his pocket and gripped it tightly in case the boy tried to summon it to him. "Why?"

[Henry Lordings Jr.]

"It's a simple matter of curiosity really." said Henry, noting that the boy's hand had strayed to the pocket into which the wooden knife had disappeared mere moments before.

Henry pulled his wand out of it's holster under his left arm with his right hand and flicked it behind him. Instantly, a fine wooden hopewell chair appeared behind him, upholstered with a deep red fabric embroidered with gold. Henry took a seat in the chair, returning his wand to it's holster, and crossed his legs; Still peering at the small first year in a fixed way.

"Why would you make, or carry around a wooden knife?"

[Cedar Ethat]

He flinched when the boy pulled out his wand, certain something bad was coming his way. But he only conjured up a chair. Cedar thought he looked rather arrogant sitting in such a fancy chair in the middle of the courtyard. He really didn't like all the boys questions but it was only respectfully to answer. "Why do you carry your wand?" He answered stiffly, his hand still curled around the piece of wood. He had no claws or powerful teeth so he had to rely on tools. He was no good with his wand yet so he felt much safer with a weapon he knew how to use. "Protection." He answered his own question.

The boy just begging for a fight, the way he kept trying to stare down Cedar. He had already shown the older boy he was subordinate to him, so why did he keep looking at him like. He locked gaze and stared back at him, inviting him to move against Cedar. He hoped the other Gryffindor would do something that Cedar would recognize, so at least he would know where he stood. Right now he wasn't really sure what was going on.

[Henry Lordings Jr.]

"Yes, I realize the purpose of the weapon." said Henry, waving one hand in front of him as if to swat away Cedar's words. "What I mean to say is; You're a wizard. With a wand. And yet you carry around a wooden knife?...Forgive me, but it does seem rather pointless."

Effective enough though...at least against first years... Henry thought, though he didn't voice this addition aloud. A cool breeze swept the courtyard at that precise moment, causing the hem of his cloak to flap a bit around his ankles. Henry drummed his fingers on the chair's arms before continuing in a slightly more casual way; Still not breaking the eye contact between them.

"It doesn't matter much I suppose. You won't be able to use it much longer anyways."