Closed Unaware Observance

[Nolan Burke]

Nolan would never admit it, but the boy was observant. He would notice a difference in something whether it be the colour change of your hair, or even just a small thing like an ear piecing you told no one about. Yes, it's a bit creepy, but he liked to observe people and noticed certain movements people did when they were nervous or lying. In the last few weeks, Nolan had noticed and observed a certain change in his dorm room. It wasn't as chaotic or as fun as it used to be. The mood had shifted a lot and had noticed that some of his roommates had been a bit distant. The mood that once felt like vibrant happiness had slowly turned into something gloomy and cloudy.

Nolan had decided to try and clear his mind from the slight gloom and sadness, and made his way to the towers, bringing his guitar along with him. It was just after dinner, and the sun was almost about to set. The Hufflepuff wanted to see the sunset as he played a sweet tune on his guitar. He usually had done it with his dad back home almost every day during the summer, but since Nolan had gone to Hogwarts, he lost the habit of doing so. Once Nolan reached the top of the tower, he huffed and puffed from climbing all those stairs. Man, he was not fit as he thought he was. He looked around when he noticed his roommate, Charlie. "Oh... Hey... Charlie..." Nolan says, huffing and puffing, his guitar on his back and his hands leaning on his knees as he tried to gain his breath. "You all... good?" Nolan puffed out, his breath slowly gaining back to its normal state.

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie had a lot on his mind this semester. He wanted to sit down and talk it out with his dad, but his dad felt so far away. Eventually, he made his way up to the towers and waited there, watching the sky. He was lost in thought, contemplating life in general, when a familiar voice broke through his reverie. He straightened, and looked over. "Oh, Nolan. Hi." He greeted. "What are you doing up here?"

 

[Nolan Burke]

Nolan held up a finger to signal "hold on", as he was try to regain his breath from walking up the stairs too fast. It took a few minutes, before he put his finger down, finally gaining his breath again. "I was thinking of looking at the sunset. Maybe and try to play a bit of music. It's what my dad and I used to do every evening during the summer before I went to Hogwarts" Nolan says with a small smile, as he walks closer to Charlie, as he then looked through the big window archway, looking up at the sky. "What about you? What are you doing up here?" Nolan says with a small smile, as he looks at Charlie.

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie smiled, waiting for the boy to be ready. He listened to what Nolan said, looking up to the window as the other boy did. "I was just thinking," he replied easily. "Music is nice, what do you play?" He asked, curious now as he looked to Nolan. He peeked at the instrument. "Is that a guitar?" He questioned.

 

[Nolan Burke]

Nolan nodded when Charlie had mentioned that he was just thinking. "Anything in particular in your mind?" Nolan asked, curiously. He wanted to let his friends and roommates know that he was there for them no matter what. "I mean, if you're comfortable with sharing of course" Nolan quickly added on. He didn't want to pressure Charlie into anything. He looked at his instrument when Charlie had asked what it was an instrument. Nolan nodded when Charlie then asked if it was a guitar. "It sure is! My dad gave it to me ages ago for my birthday. Do you play any instruments?"

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie blushed as Nolan asked questions. He sighed. "Well... I'm embarrassed by how easily I lost that duel." He started. "And I'm worried about dating." He snuck a peek at his roommate. "Eugene hasn't thought about it. Have you?" He asked, thinking maybe the other boy might know more about it. At the other boys question, Charlie nodded. "Sure, yeah. I play the violin," He told Nolan. It wasn't something he had really made public, but he wasn't so concerned about hiding it anymore either.

 

[Nolan Burke]

Nolan nodded when Charlie had explained that he was a bit embarrassed about his loss in the duel. "That's understandable. Are you thinking about trying again next year? Cos there's always next year to try again. I'm sure you did great though" Nolan says with an encouraging smile. He wasn't really into the idea of duels and whatnot. "Oh, dating aye?" Nolan says with a chuckle. "Fancy anyone?" Nolan teases a little as he wiggles his eyebrows mischievously. "Honestly, Nah, I haven't really. I mean, I guess it would be nice to date someone? It's different for everyone. I've been focused on my friends and music stuff. So I haven't really" Nolan says with a small shrug and smile. Nolan personally hadn't really thought of dating or crushing on anyone. He thought that he was a bit young to think about it. Nolan smiles as Charlie mentioned playing the violin. "Oh, that's awesome! How long have you played for?"

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie snorted and shook his head at the question. "No. No way, I'm never dueling again," he shook his head. "It's probably stupid, since my mom is a professional dueler." He sighed. He had wanted to win this year, take home that title when he met his mom. The thought made him frown, and he sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.

He shook his head as Nolan talked about dating. "It's probably dumb of me to be worried about it anyway." He frowned. "I don't think anyone is going to be wondering the same about me." He shrugged. "I'm just trying to figure it out." He told Nolan. He smiled as the subject shifted to his violin. "I've been playing since first year. How long have you been playing guitar?"

 

[Nolan Burke]

Nolan chuckles a bit when Charlie refuses to participate again next year. "That's okay. Again, I'm sure you did well" Nolan says with a small smile, hoping that it would somewhat try and cheer Charlie up, but he felt like he failed that mission a bit. Though, he didn't have much interest in duelling. "I'm sure you're mum would be proud of ya. At least you tried" Nolan says with a small smile. He noticed and observed that Charlie's mood had changed again, though, he didn't want to push any of it. Nolan was a bit jealous at the fact that Charlie's mum had a cool job as being a professional dueler. He thought that his parent's jobs were a bit boring, in his opinion.

The Irish boy shook his head as Charlie spoke. "Don't say that man. It's not dumb at all to think about those sort of things" Nolan says with a small smile, as he pats Charlie's shoulder for reassurance. The boy hadn't really thought about the idea or concept of dating. Sure he had small crushes on some people from primary school, but he didn't think it was dumb. He nods and smiles when Charlie mentions that he's played the violin since his first year. "That's cool man! Just something you're doing for fun?" Nolan says with a small smile. He chuckles a little with fondness as he responds to Charlie's question. "I've played since I was little. I forgot how old. I've borrowed my dad's guitar for a while until on one of my birthdays my dad decided to give me his guitar"

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie bit his lip. He wasn't sure what his mother would think. He wanted her to like him, and he had to admit he was just worried that after her decision not to keep him as a baby she would decide again that she didn't want him. He sighed, letting the matter drop for the time being.

He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck as the boy said it wasn't dumb to think of dating. "If it isn't dumb, why am I the only one thinking about it then? I asked Eugene too, and he didn't care either." Charlie sighed. "Maybe I should just kiss people and see what happens. I heard the older kids had a spin the bottle game a while back. When do we get to do that?" He asked, looking to Nolan.

He smiled as the boy talked about the violin. "It started that way, but I'm really passionate about it now." He told the other boy. "That is really nice of your dad. I know my dad was pretty cool himself. When he found out I stole an old violin from the school he made me return it, but went out and bought me a nice new one." He smiled fondly at the memory.

 

[Nolan Burke]

Nolan shrugged at Charlie's question. "Maybe there are other people thinking about it. You just gotta ask the right people I guess. But maybe if I do think about it myself, I'll come to find you and we can talk about it, I guess" Nolan says with a small smile, as he did a friendly pat on Charlie's shoulder. I guess his thirteen-year-old mind wasn't exactly on the idea about love just yet. Though he didn't think it was dumb to think about it. He perked up a little at the mention of spin the bottle.

"Yeah, bro! I did hear about that. Might be interesting stuff. But no idea when dude" Nolan said, as he responded about the spin the bottle. He had heard about it around school one day, he thought maybe it would be a fun idea to do. Nolan smiled and nodded when Charlie spoke about his violin. He gasped jokingly and dramatically when Charlie had mentioned that he had stolen the violin. "Stolen?! Oh Charlie, mate I am shocked" Nolan says sarcastically, as he then dramatically placed his hand on his chest.

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie shifted a bit nervously. Who was he going to talk to if he'd already struck out with Eugene and Nolan? Maybe he needed to sit down with his dad. If his dad was going to be talking to his mother again, maybe he might be able to help Charlie with dating advice. He was curious about kissing, but he didn't know who to ask about that. "What year would we need to be before we could throw one ourselves?" He asked. He was sure they would be too young for it this year, perhaps next year as well. "What about fifth year?" He asked.

Charlie chuckled at Nolan's reaction to the stolen violin. "Hey, I'm from New York." He winked playfully. "I'm quick on my feet, you know." He teased the other boy. "Of course, my dad made me put it back." He sighed dramatically.

 

[Nolan Burke]

Nolan shrugged at Charlie's question. He had heard about the small event from older students, but he completely had no idea when they could do it. Nolan nods a little. "That probably sounds about right. I guess it may also depend on who's hosting it too? They might decide what year levels will join and whatnot" Nolan explains with a small shrug. He knew for sure that he wasn't going to be hosting it. It had sounded like a lot of work that he was not prepared to do. Nolan chuckles at Charlie's comment about him being in New York. "What's it like in New York?"

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie considered the spin the bottle game and tucked it away in his mind for later reference. He turned his attention to Nolans question and chuckled, shrugging. "It's... well, it's New York. It's loud and crazy and dangerous and beautiful. It's a maze of chaos, but it's home." He smiled, missing the city again. He knew he wanted to stay in New York. Maybe go to Julliard. But that was just a thought. "Where do you live?"

 

[Nolan Burke]

Nolan chuckled a little as Charlie explained what New York had sounded like. It sounded very hectic compared to back home. In Ireland. He never really got to experience or travel much, but it was on his list of goals to go travel the world. Nolan smiled when Charlie had asked him a question. "I currently live up in Auckland. But I was born in Ireland. I moved to Auckland when I was about five?" Nolan says with a sad smile. He had missed Ireland, even though he was quite young when he was growing up there. His family didn't go there as often as he had liked. His parents had been struggling with money for a while, even though his parents wouldn't admit it. But he knew.

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie nodded. He'd never been to Ireland, but he could see in Nolan's face that the boy must have loved it there. "Well, hey, maybe some day you can take me there and show me around. I've heard Ireland is really beautiful," He offered, thinking it was a good way to show Nolan that he had Charlie's support.