These Are Small

[Graeme Fergusson]

Finding himself waking up in the hufflepuff dorm. For one, this was the first time he'd woken up in a room so large. Which he was pretty happy about, but this happiness later a short while, as the greyish eyes drifted to glance out the window beside him, and he was faced with a place that was not his home. Silently cursing the ma he loved, he was frustrated at the lack of Scotland that was this country. New Zealand was not his home. And really Graeme just wanted to go home. He was just stuck in this place for the next while. He didn't even mind about being sorted into Hufflepuff. He knew the houses meant something to most, but to him it was just a way to get classes to be less crazy. Give people places to sleep. The young boy had been part of a house before and it hadn't meant anything at all. He transferred this thinking to this new school. A house was a house, nothing more, nothing less. The part that Graeme didn't like about the school was it's location. Rather than something close to home, he was just too far. Great idea, ma his mind uttered as he sat up in the bed. Pushing the strands of his dark brown hair away from his eyes. He pushed his back against the headboard of the bed, and sat with his knees brought up against his chest. Graeme was just very homesick. He had grown up knowing nothing else but that place. That tiny house in the hills. The abandoned hostel. The sheep. The mist, the red setting sun. Those freezing winters, and incredibly wet autumns. He didn't really know what New Zealand was really like. But in his mind it wasn't home, so it could be the best country ever and he'd still find faults with it. It just wouldn't be where he wanted to be. Glancing around the boy noted that he was actually alone in the dorm. It occurred to him that it might not even be morning. He'd arrived in New Zealand not a week before, and with all the travelling, his body clock hadn't really adjusted. And right enough, as he glanced at the time, the puff noticed that it was nearing two in the afternoon. This prompted him to jump out the bed and scramble around for clothes. If there was one thing that Graeme really hated it was wasting a day. There was no need for that. None. So it being this late really frustrated him. Muttering swears under his breath. The boy quickly slipped on his jeans, and a t-shirt that didn't smell overly old. He pulled out his worn trainers, and the good grey zip jumper. He glanced at himself in the mirror and have a small shrug, "Could be worse" his voice was coarse, and dry. Having slept for so long it wasn't quite at it's normal pitch. His accent, however, was clear as ever.

Once ready, the boy just headed out. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed. Hair in all places, an air of slight tiredness about him. All in all, probably not the best way to start the term. He fiddled with the Scotland wristband on his left wrist, something he did when he was nervous. The big didn't really know the school. He had heard all about the forbidden areas, but the puff had no idea where those were really. Or anything else for that matter. However, he didn't want to stay in the school. He much prefered the idea of spending this first day outside. So that was where he ended up. The air was chilly as he stepped out. That was right, rather than it being summer it was winter. But this coldness didn't phase him just yet. He smiled to himself, taking a deep breath of the cold air. That familiar-ness was good for him. It caused a small smile to erupted on his face. He looked around. Noting the gardens, and lake. Neither of them interested him. Instead he just walked. Heading in the direction of the forest but not actually heading to it. Instead he had one place in mind that he was determined to find. The cliffs. A forbidden area that he was quite interested in finding out why it was forbidden. He had seen huge cliffs. He'd stood at the edge of steep, massive cliffs, this would be fun to see. Luckily, the hufflepuff was very easily able to find to the cliffs. Almost like a sixth sense when it came to finding things. Happily he found himself at the cliffs in not time at all. He was able to right up to the edge and just peer over. Laughin to himself out loud at it. "Forbidden, aye, this looks dangerous." he joked to himself. His thick accent not able to escape any of his words. This to him was ridiculous. "Isnae even high." he joked looking out at the water, while laughing to himself.
​

 

[Matt Greene]

Matt Greene needed to find a way around the area of castle, but the place was just so big. The Gryffindor wished that he knew what a Gryffindor really was, but he did not even begin to know what it was. The eleven-year-old felt that he was the youngest, and that he was all alone here without his brother that he had raised since they were young. It was why Matt looked rougher, why he was colder and somewhat distant from everyone. Anyone he got close to ended up vanishing or getting left behind somewhere. His mom was dead, and then there was his dad that was in Azkaban because he got himself caught with all of the fraud that he was committing (Matt thought that it was to raise them but it was so much more than that). Matt just thought of that, and wondered if he would end up going through the same thing that his dad since he had been through a lot of obstacles with getting food and money for Mason and himself. Matt sighed and knew that his future would be bleak but he wanted to make sure everything was good to go with Mason first, as he was number one. Mason had always been, and there was nothing wrong with that, not to Matt. He sighed and he walked down the lawns where he wondered around for a fair bit. Matt wondered what his brother was up to right now, and figured that he would be really good right now. The only thing that Mason knew right now was how to survive, and he would do that with or without Matt’s help. He would have to realize this sooner or later. Then again, he had no idea that Mason was working on finding his way through everything. Mason was using everything Matt had taught him plus other skills too. Surely Hogwarts could not be that bad so that he could just go out and see how Mason was doing. Were there some breaks during the weeks of classes? He needed to see his brother. It was not a want, he actually needed his brother. Maybe New Zealand would not treat them as harshly now that they are magical (and did not know how magical they were). Matt knew nothing about his family, if they were alive or not. He did not really care, because there was only one that he really cared about.

Now that Matt was actually out in the sunlight, he could feel the chill of the cold air, and suddenly wanted to go back and see if Mason was feeling and see if he was keeping warm. Mason needed to stay indoors if that was possible, and make sure that he was eating to keep himself healthy through the winter. Matt sighed and pulled the robes closed so that he would not be as cold outside. He walked along the grass, dead and crunching beneath his worn sneakers. There was only so much that he could get a year and indulge on it on himself. Not much at all. Matt walked toward the cliffs and wondered if anyone had ever fallen down them or something. He doubted it but it was an interesting thought no less. However by the time he got to the cliffs that were forbidden apparently, he noticed that there was another first year there looking and talking to himself. The boy sounded like he was not from around here. He was not either, as he was originally from Russia, from what he could remember. The boy had an accent that he could not recognize. He decided to make himself known and he stated in a soft, yet stern tone, “What are you doing, looking over the cliffs? Also, talking to yourself is not good.” Matt did not sound rude, neither did he mean to sound negative. He was used to only talking to himself. Matt did not have many social skills but he would learn them as time went on. Matt clasped his hands together and he cracked his knuckles as he felt that his fingers were getting a bit tough. It was the best way to get blood back in them before he shoved them in his pockets.​

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

The young boy hadn't really expected it to be busy at the cliffs, though he was sort of hoping to run into someone. The puff was pretty far from home, and he was pretty new, so he was hoping that at least in the first few weeks or months even he'd be able to make just a couple of friends. Maybe more than just a couple. But anything to really get started. Just a few people that he could hang out with on a somewhat regular basis. Rather than anything else. Of course, he realised the best place to do this, was very possibly not the Cliffs. Since they were pretty far out and forbidden. He was pretty sure that none of the other hufflepuffs would come out here so soon. But, as he glanced over the edge, and out at the water in front of him, he just smiled to himself. This wasn't home, but it sure was nice. It sure made him smile. Made him think of home. Made him feel happy about it. He for the first time, didn't entirely mind the fact that he was in New Zealand. It was different, it was new and odd, but it wasn't an awful place that much was for sure. He just had to grow used to it. The boy just kept staring. He knew that talking to himself maybe wasn't the best thing to do, but he didn't really care. It was what he wanted to do, so it was what he did. He had been a lone pretty often back home. His mother had always been pretty busy, and the boy had no siblings, talking to himself was almost a sort of norm. Of course he remembered that he was at school, and that the pthers in the school might think him a little nuts if he just went around talking to himself. It was a little weird.

An odd voice spoke behind him. Voicing somewhat his concerns, as well as asking why he was looking over the edge. Looking up at the other guy, Graeme flashed a small smile while shrugging. He didn't really have any reason for looking over the edge. Just general curiousness which often made him do things that he shouldn't be doing. He was the kind of person who just did. Yeah, sometimes he thought about it, but most of the time, he just did it. Without too much thought. "I dunno" He said, taking a few steps away from the edge, and a little closer to the other guy. "I wis curious" His strong scottish, or more specifically fairly Glaswegian accent, as strong as could be. "I wanted tae see how high it wis" He looked out, "No that high as it turns oot. Talking tae maself in this place feels pretty damn normal in comparison"" He said with a shrug as he watched the boy put his hands back in his pockets. He wasn't sure if he should introduce himself to the other guy, or if he should not say anything. Although he noted that the boy was a Gryffindor, if all his clothes were anything to go by. Graeme himself hadn't really worn anything that associated him with his house. At this, his hand drifted to the wristband, before he realised he should introduce himself. What harm would it really do. "I'm Graeme," He said as he extended his hand out to the other guy, although somewhat limply, as if expect the other to not want to shake hands. Graeme wouldn't mind. It was up to this guy if shaking hands was what happened or if Graeme would've extended his hand for nothing. "I'm a first year, and I'm guess you are tae."
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[Matt Greene]

Matt knew from there that the boy was definitely not from around here, and he wondered what the boy was on in order to talk to himself, but then there was the issue of understanding him. Matt was having a rough time with his accent, but after a few ticks, Matt knew what the other boy was saying. He felt bad for not understanding him at first though. At least they were a bit closer now, and Matt could see him properly. He was curious? Curious about what? "What's so curious about the edge of the cliffs? I heard that they were forbidden, but I don't really see what the big deal is." Matt shrugged his shoulders and his eyes were cast down to look at his worn shoes. He really wished that he could have gotten better shoes but he could get what were available to him at the time. The boy spoke more on how he wondered how high it was, and then he noted that it wasn't that high and how talking to himself was pretty normal in this place. Well, now that it was mentioned, maybe it was normal. Matt shrugged those shoulders again and he wondered if this other boy was as new to magic as he was. It would be an odd thing to ask but Matt didn't really know how to word it properly. After some moments of thinking, some quick moments, he figured out what he wanted to say. It was a lot easier talking to his brother than some other kids.

"This place in general is just weird. Moving staircases, professors that seem to want to eat your face off, I suppose talking to yourself isn't nearly as bad. I am just getting used to magic myself." Matt did not have a rough time admitting this. He did not think that there was anything wrong with not knowing about magic. How could he have known? It was not like his parents were around or alive to tell him and Mason about it. He was just glad that Mason inherited some magical genes too. After all, if he were a wizard, so was Mason, right? The other boy introduced himself as Graeme, and held out his hand. At first Matt was a little confused by the action, but he remembered what it was. A handshake. Something that people do when they meet. Matt reached out and took his hand into his own to give a tiny shake before withdrawing it, placing it behind him. "I'm Matt. Not short for anything, so just Matt. Yeah, I'm a first year, whatever that means." He wondered why they were called first years. He wasn't used to such labels. "Are you a Gryffindor too?"​

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

The other boy didn't have a similar accent to Graeme's. That was one of the first things he really picked up about the other boy. But that much was understandable, since he was going to be a minority with this kind of accent. When if he tried to speak clearly, the scottishness would still push through. It would just be a posher version of what he spoke right now. Less fast, and just in general better he figured, but Graeme didn't care. Right now, his accent was soomething that made him stand out from the crowd, and he sort of liked that. The other boy who was at the cliffs didn't look so convinced about how normal it was to be talking to himself. Graeme had been from a quiet village. There were few people that lived close to him. He spent a lot of time mumbling to himself. Watching as people walked around their house with backpacks and a cold expression. Enjoying themselves but sincerely wishing for hotter weather. Something a little warmer. Even in the summer, the weather was pretty cold. For the most part. Their summer was nothing like the summer's of other places. He looked over the cliffs once more, when the boy spoke. He had exactly explained why Graeme had been so curious in the first place. They'd forbidden the cliffs, and he had been curious about the reason why. Only an idiot would fall from the cliffs, and considering this was a magical school, surely there was some protection against the crumbling of the cliffs. Surely. "That's exactly why I wis curious" The boy said with a shrug. "I wanted tae see why these cliffs were forbidden, and now, am thinkin' that there's no much to make them forbidden. Arenae even that high" He looked out over the edge, and just shrugged once more. Maybe the water was super shallow at the bottom, or there were sharks or something. That made them forbidden. he doubted that he'd be really punished for being out here. Even if they were caught, Graeme would really question them on why they were forbidden. Graeme didn't like getting into trouble for nothing. The boy spoke again, Graeme looked back over, and nodded along.

Being pretty much in the same boat. While he had always known about magic, his mother wasn't magical, so there was no way of his knowing much about it. Just what she had told him. Which hadn't been too much. Just that it was a magical thing. Though Graeme had always found the pun funny. It didn't help explain much. "I wis the same. Ma ma's a muggle, so I know practically nothin' aboot magic. A load of wand waving I figure." Shrugging slightly he chuckled. Wondering if he'd look as ridiculous as those muggle magicians with their black and white fake wands with disappearing rabbits. That was hopeful not what this kind of magic was about. The guy introduced himself as Matt. Graeme smiled, "Am pretty sure it just means that we're the young ones. The youngest of the flock. This is our first year." He gave a little laugh. His primary school had years, but the classes had been so small, they shared the rooms for the most part. The guy said he was a Gryffindor. Graeme shook his head. "No, Am a Hufflepuff, no idea what that makes me. Considering in ma last school I wis in Harris. However, when I wis last sorted there was no singin' hat. Magical schools are weird."
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[Matt Greene]

Matt was not surprised when the boy named Graeme said that was exactly why he was curious. Matt slowly approached the edge of the cliffs and leaned forward to see just how far down they were. It was not too bad. Surely one could get hurt, but killed? Not likely. He looked over at the Hufflepuff boy and he agreed. They were not even that high. Sure, the school could have talking pictures, but they could not go on the cliffs? That was stupid. "I wonder why they are forbidden. I guess the changing staircases and the talking paintings were not weird enough. Maybe someone fell off or something." He shrugged his shoulders, and that might have sounded cold, but he was just suggesting out a reason why they were forbidden. There had to be a logical reason why they were forbidden. The Gryffindor first year leaned back over and he took a few steps back from the cliffs. He looked to the other first year and knew that they were both thinking the same thing. They both had questions over the cliffs, and Matt did not feel like getting in trouble for something that he saw no reason for. The cliffs were just that, cliffs. Nothing bad about them at all. Just don't fall.

His mom was a muggle, and it took him a little bit to remember what that was. Matt let out a sigh and he said, "To be honest, I don't know my parents, if they were magical or not. I figure it was a lot of just weird things from dreams and nightmares." Graeme seemed so relaxed about not knowing about magic and stuff, but Matt on the other hand was a bit worried. His expression with that betrayed him. He did not know anything about magic, and he wanted to know a bit more too. Matt nodded when Graeme said that the first years were the youngest of the flock. That made sense, and he thought that it could be better, but it was not his choice either. He had no voice in things like that. Graeme was not a Gryffindor but a Hufflepuff. They both did not know about the houses then. "I didn't go to school beforehand so I virtually know nothing except self taught common sense and literary skills. I don't think that magical schools will ever be easy. Houses, weird things..."​