Closed Eye of the Storm

[Eric Holland]

Not going to Brightstone as punishment was... fine. Whatever. Eric hadn't really liked the village that much anyway, though he would have liked to show Connor around. But whatever, he could do that anytime. He would be here six more years, and he was sure he would be sick of Brightstone by the end of it anyway. But even Eric couldn't deny he felt a little sad as he watched his classmates leave for the village, knowing he wasn't allowed to join. It wouldn't have been different if it had been his own choice, but now it just kind of sucked. But Eric had been surprised to hear Nova wouldn't go to Brightstone either, and he'd asked her to hang out with him. It would be a lot less annoying with someone else, and Nova was pretty much the best company he had at Hogwarts. He was still very grateful to her for showing up during the fight, even if he wasn't going to tell her that. Hopefully she just sort of knew. He was waiting for her at the lake, sitting on the grass and throwing rocks into the water. He sighed as he watched them sink to the bottom. Even though he was trying not to think about it, his mind kept straying to the fight in the corridor. It hadn't all been his fault, but he still felt... strange about it all. He knew that if he hadn't pushed Alice, none of it would have happened, even if it was her friend who had taken it too far.

 

[Nova Valtoria]

Nova didn't like going to Brightstone. It was just a stupid place to go where people stupidly spent all their money on things they didn't even need. Even if it wasn't her punishment, she wasn't planning on going to Brightstone anyway, so happily accepted Eric's invitation to hang out. Merlin knew the both of them needed a friend, and Nova didn't really know why the fight had happened in the corridor, but she was happy to jump in if he needed help, and she knew he would do the same for her. It was a weird type of friendship that they had, but it was perfect for Nova; he wasn't as needy as most 'friends' were. Heading to the lake, Nova spotted Eric throwing stones into the water. "Hey dude," She announced as she arrived, plopping herself down next to him, grabbing a stone and throwing it into the water as well. "Imagining someone's face at the other end?"

 

[Eric Holland]

Eric nodded in greeting to Nova, making a noise that could be a word or just a grunt. He wasn't feeling very chatty. He smiled a little as she followed his lead and threw a stone into the lake too, and he watched it go. "No." He said as she asked if he had been imagining someone's face at the other end. "I would've thrown it harder if I had." He muttered. The next stone he picked up he kept in his hand, turning it over a few times. He glanced at her. "So... thanks. For the other day." He said gruffly. He knew she would know what he meant, and he wasn't going to add more to it than this. But he had really appreciated her quiet support in the corridor. He had felt very cornered and trapped, like everyone was against him. It had meant the world to have at least one person there who hadn't been there to just gawk at him and assume he was crazy or violent and the only one at fault.

 

[Nova Valtoria]

Nova let out a little snort of laughter when Eric mentioned he'd be throwing the stone harder if he imagined someone on the end. She grabbed another stone and threw it, before noticing that Eric had stopped throwing his, and was just holding onto it. Nova turned her body to look at him easier, when he thanked her for the other day. The Ravenclaw knew he was talking about the fight he had, so she nodded her head. "Anytime." Nova said sincerely. He was her only friend at Hogwarts, and that was because he was the only one she actually liked and got along with. So she meant it, she would be there for him anytime he needed her. "Is Connor okay?"

 

[Eric Holland]

Eric couldn't look at Nova right now, so he threw another stone into the water and watched the ripples instead. When she said 'anytime', he got the feeling she meant it. She would be there for him anytime he needed her, and that was a strange thought. It was new, having a real friend. Eric was a little nervous about it. If she decided to drop him, he'd be so pissed he wouldn't know what he'd do. But reluctantly, he trusted her. Eric sighed. "He's acting like someone was murdered in front of him. He's such a crybaby." He spat, glaring at the water. "But he's fine. He's just dramatic." His shoulders drooped, and he sighed. "But... I didn't want to upset him, but I didn't want that stupid girl to talk to him. He's gullible, he'd believe anything she said."

 

[Nova Valtoria]

Nova didn't react when Eric called Connor a crybaby, but she silently agreed. She had never seen someone cry that much before, and didn't think it was helpful at all that he was crying - it didn't help the situation, but probably made it worse. The Ravenclaw kept her eyes on her friend when he continued to explain, but he didn't explain much. Nova didn't want to push him into talking about something he didn't want to, but it felt weird to be sincerely interested in someone and how they were feeling - the only other person Nova had a feeling like that around was her mother. And Nova figured that her mother was the only other one she would jump into a fight for. "Why is she stupid?" Nova asked softly and slowly. She didn't quite know Eric's family history, but she knew that the girl was his cousin.

 

[Eric Holland]

Eric had been upset at Connor's tears, but he had also been angry with his brother for them. He hated that he'd made him cry, but he also hated how his dramatic crying had made him look even worse to the professors. If he hadn't reacted so badly, maybe he would have been in less trouble. But he was glad Nova didn't say anything about Connor. If she had agreed with him, he probably would have felt the need to defend his brother. He sighed at her question, though. It would be hard to explain. "She's my cousin." He said, though he thought Nova had probably picked up on that during the argument. "My mum and my brother and I were always alone when I grew up. She didn't visit her family or really talk about them. But I knew she had two older brothers, my uncles, but I never met them or their kids or anything." He shrugged. "She had to work so hard for us, and no one in our family ever helped. They were over here being all fancy and rich and related to the Minister, when we had nothing and no one." He scowled, still glaring at the water as if it was personally responsible. "Only now are they trying to pretend we're all friends. They're not family Family doesn't abandon you." His mother had explained the situation to him and had tried to tell him they weren't at fault, but Eric didn't buy it. Older brothers were supposed to look after their younger siblings. He would never let Connor struggle with anything if he could help it. "The flying Professor is also my cousin, daughter of my other uncle. It's why I was such a sh*t in her class last year." He added with a slight smirk.

 

[Nova Valtoria]

Eric began explaining, and Nova nodded her head when he said that the girl was his cousin. That part she knew. She continued to watch Eric as he explained the rest of his family history, scowling when he said that his rich side of the family didn't help. Nova didn't have much family aside from her mother, and they definitely weren't rich, so if they had a rich family that didn't help them, Nova would be livid. The blonde shook her head when he said that they were now trying to be their friends, what snakes! "Wow." Nova said when he finished. Being related to a horrible Professor would suck as well. "They are literally the worst. Why do you think they want to be friends now, though?" Nova asked, wondering what they would gain from it.

 

[Eric Holland]

Sorry that this took 84 years

Eric didn't show his uncertainty, but there was definitely a part of him that felt vulnerable confessing all this to Nova. He never shared much about himself with anyone, and though he trusted Nova, he was still a little nervous for her reaction. So when she told him they were the worst, he relaxed a little. He shrugged at her question. "Avoiding bad publicity? My mum's now all cozy with their parents again. I've even been to the stupid Minister's house." He scowled. "It's like they all wanna forget it happened. But it did. We were alone until it was convenient for them to acknowledge us again, and I'm supposed to just accept that?"

 

[Nova Valtoria]

Nova rolled her eyes when he said that his mom was cozy with his cousin's parents again. People trusted again way too quickly and easily. She nodded her head in agreement as Eric continued, before shaking it in disbelief. "Wow." She said again. "You're right then. She is stupid. They sound terrible." Nova didn't often sympathize with people, but again, felt a kinship with Eric. "I'm...sorry they did that. And that they're trying to be friends. Let me know if I can....do anything or whatever." Having friends was hard.

 

[Eric Holland]

Eric scowled. "It's all stupid. My mum should know better, right?" He sighed. "And she's smart too, just... I guess... maybe she missed her family or whatever." He hadn't told Nova the entire truth, that his mother had been the one to take distance and not the other way around, but to him that was a minor detail. He snorted. "Yeah, I will." He said, though they both knew she couldn't do anything. "Maybe just help me get back at my stupid cousins when the chance arises, that would be great." He said, grinning.