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Private message to Blaise
May. 11th, 2012 09:06 amBlaise, do you think you could slip away at lunch to meet somewhere? Oh, but you might have plans with Teds, I suppose, or need to run to the library. Well, I'll just-
No, this is fine, I really don't want to wait to tell you.
I've ended things with Barney. Or more truthfully, Professor Slughorn ended things, or helped them along a good deal, at least. Did you notice how he said he wanted to speak with me in his office after yesterday's lesson? Well, when I got there, Barney was there, too. I could see by look on his face that he wasn't expecting that. He probably thought Slughorn had brought him in to puff him up about his future in quidditch, maybe wheedle a promise for tickets out of him, that sort of thing.
The Professor sat us down and oh, it was so tense. He said that he understood how the passions of youth must have drawn us together, and that we both had bright futures ahead of us, but we were so tightly yoked that our path was becoming increasingly narrow, and before long it would be so narrow that it wouldn't be able to take either of us to the heights he knew we were capable of. And I could see from the way he was looking at Barney the whole time that he was trying to get Barney to say something, to break things off. He probably thought it would be easy, but it wasn't. I always knew it wouldn't be.
This bloody awful silence just went on and on, hanging there while he waited for one of us to respond. I glanced over at Barney and I could see from the way he was holding his jaw that he was furious. I'm sure Professor Slughorn didn't notice. It's the sort of detail you can only pick up on over time.
So that's when the Professor started looking to me to say something. He said I was very mature for my age, but that I must feel overwhelmed with someone older, especially someone who cut as striking a figure as Barney did. And he was sure that I knew that Barney would be meeting a lot of girls once he was out of school, didn't I? After that, he waited for me to speak. So I did.
I said that I didn't want Barney to be prevented from achieving his goals because of me. I said that I wanted nothing but the very best for him, and that's why I wanted us to just be good platonic friends, so that he wouldn't feel obligated to attend to me while he was starting out on his new life.
Surely he can't find fault with that. With me ending things because I'm only looking out for him? He always says that I don't think of him enough, that I don't put him first, but he can't argue with this, right? Professor Slughorn was right there, so he couldn't do anything to stop me. And besides, Professor Slughorn turned so cheerful right then and he got out some brandy and poured some for Barney like they were at the club together, and he even let me sip a tiny bit out of a tiny, wee cup. And I rushed out while they were still talking - I didn't want to walk back with Barney...
I'm just so relieved. And a little afraid.
But mostly relieved.
No, this is fine, I really don't want to wait to tell you.
I've ended things with Barney. Or more truthfully, Professor Slughorn ended things, or helped them along a good deal, at least. Did you notice how he said he wanted to speak with me in his office after yesterday's lesson? Well, when I got there, Barney was there, too. I could see by look on his face that he wasn't expecting that. He probably thought Slughorn had brought him in to puff him up about his future in quidditch, maybe wheedle a promise for tickets out of him, that sort of thing.
The Professor sat us down and oh, it was so tense. He said that he understood how the passions of youth must have drawn us together, and that we both had bright futures ahead of us, but we were so tightly yoked that our path was becoming increasingly narrow, and before long it would be so narrow that it wouldn't be able to take either of us to the heights he knew we were capable of. And I could see from the way he was looking at Barney the whole time that he was trying to get Barney to say something, to break things off. He probably thought it would be easy, but it wasn't. I always knew it wouldn't be.
This bloody awful silence just went on and on, hanging there while he waited for one of us to respond. I glanced over at Barney and I could see from the way he was holding his jaw that he was furious. I'm sure Professor Slughorn didn't notice. It's the sort of detail you can only pick up on over time.
So that's when the Professor started looking to me to say something. He said I was very mature for my age, but that I must feel overwhelmed with someone older, especially someone who cut as striking a figure as Barney did. And he was sure that I knew that Barney would be meeting a lot of girls once he was out of school, didn't I? After that, he waited for me to speak. So I did.
I said that I didn't want Barney to be prevented from achieving his goals because of me. I said that I wanted nothing but the very best for him, and that's why I wanted us to just be good platonic friends, so that he wouldn't feel obligated to attend to me while he was starting out on his new life.
Surely he can't find fault with that. With me ending things because I'm only looking out for him? He always says that I don't think of him enough, that I don't put him first, but he can't argue with this, right? Professor Slughorn was right there, so he couldn't do anything to stop me. And besides, Professor Slughorn turned so cheerful right then and he got out some brandy and poured some for Barney like they were at the club together, and he even let me sip a tiny bit out of a tiny, wee cup. And I rushed out while they were still talking - I didn't want to walk back with Barney...
I'm just so relieved. And a little afraid.
But mostly relieved.
