Problems

[Paige Rivers]

Paige knew she was horrible in her actions, the rumour has it magazine even said it about her. She was an evil and horrible person that wanted to be a prefect, and because of her personality she would never be a prefect, why would she even bother to do stuff in classes if they were useless anyway. Paige needed someone, someone older that would understand her but still listen and maybe to tune her done, she even acted like a complete b*tch. Professor Styx would now hate her, he would not even want to know that she wanted to be a prefect and all her chances would be lost because of that stupid magazine. A voice in her head said that she would not think about that magazine too much, because it only said rumours and not the truth.

Paige knew she was walking on the Seventh Floor walking in some random corridor that was almost deserted, some Gryffindors shot her a very nasty look and Paige could not even return them with an even nastier one that she saved especially for those Gryffindors. Paige did not want to be so evil, her parents said that if you got sorted in Slytherin you needed to act like one and defended the house with pride. Paige her exams from this semester would be starting soon and Paige could not get herself to learn, the magazine had made her depressed. She walked farther into the deserted corridor passing some creepy looking statues, when she wanted to go back to her favourite place the dungeons she was lost. Paige could not see something familiar and decided to just sit down into the deserted corridor, breaking down in loud sobs, her Slytherin robes getting wet at the collar.

 

[David Pike]

While David was walking down the seventh floor corridors, he heard a curious sound. He stopped and looked around. The only people in the entire hall were some Gryffindors, but they were in a group and relatively far away. He turned the corner to another corridor, and looked down at the floor. There, on the floor was a little girl. Probably a first year, maybe a second. He couldn't tell anymore. But she was in Slytherin robes. David thought he had seen her around the common room a few times. She was sobbing, and the collar on her robes was wet with tears. He walked slowly over to her and sat down next to her, holding his knees in his hands. He wasn't very good at the whole comforting thing, do to lack of experience comforting anyone but himself. He reached out with a hand and put it on her shoulder, "Um..." He said aloud, "Hi." Wow. He really was bad at this.

He wasn't in the worst mood today, and he guessed that was good. You gotta count your blessings, right?

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige who was now looking more like a mermaid or a wet cat than a normal Slytherin student, until she heard a noise coming from the corridor her eyes still red and her vision cloudy from all the crying she had done in this corridor. Paige knew it was too late to wipe of her tears and put on her static face and posture, so she decided to just not move and looked at the person that came near. The person had not walked past her, she knew that he had stopped his pace and sat right next to her.

Paige felt that the person had laid a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her of some sort, Paige thought this was one of the sweetest things some one had done for her, but all her friends did not even know she could cry so they would never have to comfort her. Paige could feel that the person was not very good at the comforting thing, but he did a pretty good job in it. Paige looked at the person and found a Slytherin boy sitting next to her, he was taller and looked like a sixth or seventh year. ''Hi, back to you'' Paige said still sobbing, she tried to wipe all of her tears away, but it ended into more sobbing more her part. Paige did not want to know his name, she was glad he even took the to comfort her.

 

[David Pike]

David just kind of sat there shyly, since he wasn't much for forced conversation. He smiled a little when she greeted him back through her tears. He had transferred to Hogwarts NZ in his fifth year, so he didn't know if first year exams were stressful. He kind of doubted that that was why she was crying, because who cries over finals. He had never actually had anyone to comfort him. The orphan's life was hard. He had gotten in the habit of comforting himself. Since he'd never really been comforted, he didn't really know what he was doing. Was he supposed to give her a hug? Or tell her that it was all going to be okay. Maybe tell a joke. No. The joke thing was a terrible idea. He was pretty sure he wasn't supposed to ask why she was crying. Being sensitive was hard. He reached down and offered her a corner of his robe to wipe away her tears, "Here." said David quietly. He was pretty sure he was doing this right, but only pretty sure. He almost asked her if she was okay, but that was relatively obvious.

 

[Paige Rivers]

''Thank you'' Paige stuttered, wiping away all of her tears with the piece of robe that was provided by the boy. Paige was unable to cry any more, she was over the crying part now she was just sad about everything that the magazine had said about her. ''Why don't you hate me?'' Paige muttered through closed lips, she knew he had still heard her little mutter. Everyone had ignored and walked away from Paige since that horrible piece of paper came out and they looked like she would spread some dangerous disease if they would look at her for one minute to long. Paige was maybe not the nicest of all, but the person that claimed the title of being nicest was probably a big fat liar, you can't be nice all the time that was impossible right.

The boy was quiet, but she knew he was pretty sweet for a Slytherin, Paige thought about Slytherins were changing. Paige her parents had always said that Slytherin was for evil and horrible people so Paige started to act like one, but Paige was not that bad and liked learning, heck she loved learning for her exams. Paige could not even look straight at her friends, she already thought they did not like her and only hanged out with her because she was another lonely first year to be friends with. Paige was kind of lost without her cat, he knew all of her tiny secrets and he comforted her if she was sad, but he could not be kept in a cage so Paige lost him all the time. ''You know that everyone hates me right?'' Paige said still stuttering, because of the big lump in her throat from all the crying she had done the past days.

 

[David Pike]

"No problem." said David. She asked why I didn't hate her. He thought for a second. Why would he hate her? He just didn't hate people. "Why would I hate you? I don't hate people." She had stopped crying, which was great. Because crying is well, bad. He just kind of sat there for a second and tried to use his presence to comfort her. It probably wasn't working very well, but anything was good. He looked her in the eyes, and she said that everyone hated her. He doubted it simply because that would a certain type of skill. To get everyone to hate you. You would have to individually go out and piss off each and every person that existed. Of course, she was using hyperbole.

"See, not everyone hates you. Because I don't hate you." said David quietly, "And I like to think of myself a person, which means that I am a somebody."

Afterwards, he smirked at the young girl. Silently, he wondered if it was just normal drama that was upsetting her so much. Probably not. He stood up and rearranged his robes before reaching down and offering the little girl a hand up, "People aren't likely to hate you if you have a big scary seventh year friend with you."

 

[Paige Rivers]

''Everyone hates me since that Rumour has it thing called me an evil b*tch'' Paige said with her lips still shut, she hated the name and even said it with a disgusted tone in her voice. Paige tried to remodel her hair, so she could take a real look at the boy. Paige could not be bothered with doing her hair since she had read the magazine, so her hair looked like the stereo-type of bed hair. Paige needed someone older to teach the little things that other first years could not provide to her, she was still struggling with her hair until she just gave up. Paige did not even know if she cared about something, when she was asleep she even dreamed of that stupid magazine a piece of paper was taking over her life. Everyone that had read the piece of horror looked at her in a special way and Paige almost felt like she belonged into a mental hospital. The boy had made Paige smile and that was something that rarely happened to her. Paige felt that she was smiling for the first time after she had read the magazine, she knew that when the next Magazine came out she had to avoid it like the plague.

"I am glad you do not hate me and yes you are a person.'' She tried to say in a much clearer voice ''Oh and my name is Paige Rivers'' Paige found it polite to at least introduce herself, that was the least thing she could return to the boy for comforting her. Paige took his hand and got up, that was the nicest thing that someone had done for her in ages. ''Yes, a very scary Seventh Year'' She said in an almost sarcastic joking voice.

 

[David Pike]

Rumor Has It? Wasn't that the gossipy tabloid thing about Hogwarts Students? He hadn't read it. David didn't waste his time on poorly written journalism with no real purpose. He preferred his time be spent writing poetry or stories himself, or reading literature that actually added something to the world. But he could care less about poorly written rumors and lies, especially if they made little girls break down and cry. "I somewhat doubt that you're evil." he smiled, "You seem like a perfectly cool person to me." David brushed his black hair out of his eyes. He considered offering Paige a hug, but he thought it would be awkward. Instead he smiled,

"Nice to meet you Paige, I'm David. David Pike. Seventh Year, Slytherin." David was surprised that a gossip magazine spread rumors about a little girl like this. She seemed to be a really nice person. It was unfortunate that young children like this could already be called rude terms by others. And he was angry at whatever scrum was willing to write trash about 12 year old girls.

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige found it strange that talking to his boy had made her comfortable, she liked his personality and that he did not run away the second that he had seen her. Why on earth had Paige even bothered to read the horrible magazine, it was nothing then lots of rumours and lies about everyone. Paige straightened her shoulders making her hair hang loosely on her shoulders. Paige was just a normal Slytherin first year, with all there first year problems, so the magazine had no right to even call her remotely evil.

Paige liked reading and drawing, she was not the person that people would define as evil. Paige did not want to think about the magazine any more and just move on with her life, she had enough of crying and feeling sad. ''Thank you, for being nice to me, it means a lot to me.'' Paige said to the boy, she was beginning to like him, he had even cared about her. Paige tried to tuck a stranded hair back in its original place, she tried to look into the deserted corridor and when she found it completely empty she was calm enough to ask some questions to the boy. ''Did the magazine trash you when you were a first year?'' Paige slowly said with a curious expression, Paige thought about the fact that it was horrible and to easy to trash some young first years, they did not know what the magazine was so they read it anyway.

 

[David Pike]

"Well, firstly I would have had to be here for my first year for that to happen." He chuckled lightly, "and secondly, I imagine people would have to know that I exist for that to happen." David was practically invisible. He had been at Hogwarts for two whole years at this point, and he still didn't know very many people. He tried to keep to himself most of the time, because that's just how he was. He was glad that Paige seemed to be feeling better. That was always good. He smirked, "No one notices the quiet Slytherin."

There were times when he wished he could be noticed. He'd never had his first girlfriend, or his first kiss. Or any of that stuff that teenagers get to look forward too, and he was already almost done being a teenager. But, no one he knew had ever really found him particularly attractive, so he just kind of assumed that it wasn't going to happen and moved on. Maybe he could actually get a date to the yule ball this year. That'd be pretty cool.

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige her bright blue eyes never left watching the boy, she was fascinated by his quiet and nice personality. It was a shame that Paige could not get to know this boy better, he would be finished with Hogwarts in the next semester. Paige nodded when David said he was never a first year on Hogwarts, since she was not on Hogwarts when he was 11. ''You are not that quiet and being quiet is good.'' Paige muttered to the boy. Paige could be quiet for hours with her head stuck in a good book, but she had a bit of a talkative personality.

Paige did not have so many friends, but she had a date for the Yule ball she did not want to go alone and a boy was so nice to ask her for the ball. her dress was already ready to be worn and she was excited to go. Paige had a crush on the boy, she liked it when he smiled to her. David would be a good mentor for Paige, he would send her down to earth. ''Well, you noticed me and I am a bit quiet too.'' Paige muttered slowly to the boy. Paige wanted to ask more questions, but decided that the boy was not someone that liked her twenty questions game. Paige was more of a book reading girl and not the type that was addicted to mischief and misbehaving themselves.

 

[David Pike]

"I guess I just notice people."

He smiled. Paige seemed very friendly, but the age difference was a little big. He supposed they could still be good friends. He wasn't much for people his age anyways. They tended to be rude or otherwise mean. And when they were nice, it was often false kindness. Only on the outside, rarely on the inside. But there he was being negative again. David really tried to see the best in people, he really did. Just so rarely was it possible for him to look past the hypocrisy in others. He hadn't seen it in Paige yet. Which was good.

He smiled down at her. He hadn't made friends with a child in quite some time. He seemed to remember a little girl who he met in his fifth year. A cheery Gryffindor who had been nice to him for awhile during his first year there. He hadn't talked to her in awhile. In fact, he didn't actually remember her name anymore. She had been nice, maybe he'd try to meet her again. She'd be a third year at this point. He wondered if she'd remember him. Probably not, he was pretty forgettable. There's that negativity again. He tried to push the bad thoughts out of his mind.

Although, they likely showed on his face. Whatever. Hopefully Paige wouldn't notice. David didn't want her thinking he was a freak this early on. He thought back to his time at the orphanage. That's what they called him. "Freak". The words rolled of their tongues with menace. And he was slipping, slipping into another mindset. He was getting bad again. David tried to shake it off and put a slight smirk on his face.

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige her blue eyes were still looking at the boy, she liked him as a friend. ''Yes, you do and I am thankful for that..'' Paige said with a clear tone in her voice, on Paige her face appeared a slight smile, but the smile did not reach her eyes yet. Paige could see his face change when it went quiet for a couple of seconds, Paige looked at him and figured that he was thinking about something that happened to him. Paige liked the boy, he was nice, but not cocky. All of the older Slytherins that Paige had met were a bit cocky or even arrogant, and Paige could not stand that in a person. Paige was slowly making friends in Slytherin and other houses, but Paige must say that she liked this boy she wanted to help him with every problem he might had.

''Is there something wrong?'' Paige muttered to the boy, even a monkey could see the face change that David did it went from normal to a bit sad. Paige stood on her toes and tried to give him a hug, to comfort him, he had comforted her and Paige was more of the hugging type to be honest. Paige let loose fairly quickly, she did not want to scare the boy or make him think she was some kind of mental person or ''freak''. Paige looked at him with a smirk on her face and a sparkle in her bright blue eyes.

 

[David Pike]

David hugged Paige back softly, and when she let go he kind of wished she hadn't. He didn't get hugs very often. Which sucked, because he actually rather liked them. Just as he liked Paige, in a platonic manner of course. Maybe they could hang out more often. That'd be fun. After pausing for a second his lips moved and he allowed his face to go from the slight smirk to a neutral look. "I'm fine." He lied quietly. Hopefully it wasn't all too obvious. He didn't want Paige to think badly of him. She probably already did. He tried to put the negative thoughts out of his mind. Mood swings were a regular part of his life, but still all too often he hated them. David silently wished that he could just have normal moods like normal people.

He shook off the negative feelings again and smiled down at Paige. She had bright blue eyes, like him. He wasn't sure how long he'd be able to keep up the happy charade. "Shall we head to the common room?" He asked softly, "I can walk you back."

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige looked at the boy who was obviously lying to her, but Paige decided to not push him into telling. Paige knew that if he wanted to tell her something he would have told her already what was wrong. Paige nodded and just went with him, she did not want to make him cry. Paige looked at him her blue eyes still glittering, she liked this boy and hoped she could see him again. The boy was a bit quirky and Paige liked that, it made him interesting. Paige decided that she wanted to dance with David at the Yule ball, she could still see Alan for the next sixth year, but David would graduate soon. Paige knew it was getting late and first year had a curfew, she did not want to come in late and have detention David would get problem too and Paige did not want that. ''Yes, that would be lovely'' Paige said with a clear tone in her voice, when she was relaxed her English accent was noticeable and she knew that he could hear it.

''You know, you are one of the nicest and sweetest students that I have ever met'' Paige muttered fast, but she knew that David had heard her. Paige wanted to hug him again and could not help herself to hug him in a tight hug, she did not want to let go, the first time she had hugged him he looked like he needed a hug. Paige eyes were glittering with tears of joy, she was finally making friends and everything felt in place. ''Thanks for everything, you are a really good guy.'' Paige whispered almost in his ear, after the tight hug she loosened her grip and shot him one of her most adorable smiles.

 

[David Pike]

David hugged Paige back, a little tighter this time. "I'm just not that great." he said as they hugged. Being hugged felt nice, and it was relatively rare for him to get open signs of affection because... well it just didn't happen. He wasn't that cool. When Paige loosened his grip he put out his arm in an escorting fashion; so that Paige would be able to loop her arm through his and they could walk together back to the Slytherin common room. "Shall we go?" he smiled. Of course, the smile was a little faked like almost all of his smiles. It sucks that his mood had to go all crazy today, but he was semi-used to it.

He lightly brushed some hair out of his face. Stupid hair. He always kept it long though. Long hair don't care. It was one of the few things that made him stand out from the crowd. Well, sometimes. When he was younger, before his face matured people sometimes mistook him for a female because of the length of his dark hair. At first it was offensive, but then he got used to it and eventually his face matured. Then it stopped. His hair also acted as a way to hide from problems. It would literally hide his eyes after more then a minute if left untouched, so that was useful also.

 

[Paige Rivers]

Paige saw that David made a loop with his arm and Paige hooked her arm into his. Paige nodded to David, she liked walking and now she was walking with him. She was not sad any more, the boy had calmed her well enough. Paige had a genuine smile on her face, she liked him as a friend and Paige almost thought about him as her protector and mentor. Paige hoped that they both could sit in the common room for a while, so they could talk more. Paige had just met him and she wanted to know more about him. ''Thank you, for walking me back to the Common room I was kind of lost'' Paige muttered to David, he was very nice for a Slytherin some Slytherins she had met were awful and arrogant.

Paige liked his long hair, but she did not want to compliment him about his hair, it would look weird and Paige did not want to scare him. All the hair in David his face almost looked like a cloak, Paige knew he was hiding under his hair. Paige knew that she could fall back on David, if she had to when she would be sad he would comfort her. Paige trusted David and Paige hoped that David did the same with her. Paige hoped that the boy was not thinking about cutting his long brown hair locks.