Closed Lost

[Amodeus Jones]

Amodeus wasn't usually supposed to go out alone. But he was fourteen now! Surely he should be allowed out by himself. He'd gotten his allowance, a nice sweater, and headed out to explore. The only problem was that now he was lost. He'd wondered for about an hour and he wasn't sure where he was or how to get home. Eventually he found his way to what he thought was a park he'd been to before. He wondered in, looking around to see if he couldn't find a familiar path that might take him somewhere he knew.

 

[Michael Beech]

Michael sat on a swing at the park, his eyes fixed on the boy who had wandered in, a similar age to him and probably a wizard. Four years had passed since Michael's Hogwarts letter hadn't come, but the sting of it still clung to him, especially this time of year with witches and wizards returning home, their world so bright and magical, and so completely out of reach for someone like him. A squib. A word that had burrowed into him, that had made him feel like he didn’t belong anywhere.

His gaze lingered on the boy, who looked lost. For a brief moment, he wondered what it would be like to go over and talk to him, to offer directions, maybe even some company. But Michael wasn’t the type to do that. He stayed where he was and watched from a distance.

 

[Amodeus Jones]

Amodeus spotted another boy in the park and smiled brightly. Clueless, he walked over. "Hi! I'm Amodeus, whats your name?" He asked, offering out his hand. "I'm lost, do you know the area at all?" He questioned, eyes bright and carefree as they ever were. He'd heard his mother say once that his eyes were open, then his father responded by saying they were so open you could see the lack of thoughts running in his mind.

 

[Michael Beech]

Michael tensed as the boy approached. He kept his eyes down, focusing on a spot in the dirt while his fists clenched instinctively, bracing a confrontation. Then the boy spoke and it wasn’t what Michael expected. He looked up, surprised by the friendliness in his tone. Michael stared for a second, caught off guard by the bright, carefree look in the boy’s eyes. The name Amodeus was unusual, fitting for someone as odd as this kid seemed.

It took Michael a moment to gather himself. "I'm Michael." Michael muttered, unsure how to match the boy’s energy. He didn’t take the offered hand, but his fists unclenched, the tension easing. "Where are you trying to get to?" he asked, glancing up briefly before returning his gaze to the ground.

 

[Amodeus Jones]

Amodeus let his hand fall, moving to sit next to Michael on the swings. "Oh, I don't know- home, or Marleys house," He responded easily, like somehow the boy would know that. "Or the candy shop- thats why I left the house you know, but I got lost." He looked to Michael with a bright smile. "Wanna get some candy with me? We can share?"

 

[Michael Beech]

Michael’s jaw tightened when Amodeus sat down on the swing next to him. He wasn’t used to people being so open and unaware of boundaries. Most of his interactions were hostile by default, which was why he tended to keep his distance from others.

Michael wasn't sure what to make of the way Amodeus spoke either, like he expected a stranger to just know where he lived, or who Marley was. He stayed quiet for a moment, glancing sideways at the boy, who smiled back as if none of this was strange. "Candy?" Michael repeated, he could feel himself wanting to say no, but something about Amodeus made it hard to push him away. "I know where the candy shop is." He found himself standing up and stuffing his hands deep into his pockets. "Lets go."

 

[Amodeus Jones]

Amodeus lit up, jumping onto his feet. "Yay! Thank you," He followed behind Michael easily. "So you live around here?" He asked, already curious to know more about his new friend. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was and what he could remember. "That must be cool!"

 

[Michael Beech]

Michael shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, glancing over his shoulder at Amodeus. "Yeah, I live around here," he muttered, keeping it short. He hesitated before adding, "It’s not cool," a hint of bitterness in his voice. "It’s just where I live. Don’t really feel like I belong here." Curiosity getting the better of him, he decided to turn the questions around. "Where do you live?" he asked.

 

[Amodeus Jones]

Amodeus tilted his head. "Why wouldn't you belong?" He asked, oblivious. He smiled at the question. "Oh I live nearby- not in Brightstone but like, the next town over, not too far," He chattered. "I like to walk over sometimes though I'm not usually supposed to be going out without my brother or a friend. I get lost a lot," He admitted.