Clue shifted a little awkwardly upon discovering that because he was not "womenfolk" that meant his... unexpected thoughts about Narcissus were not magically caused by Veela potency. That meant... what did that mean? That he wanted to picture his friend wading half-naked into the lake? Or from the lake, rather.

Towards him.

No, these thoughts weren't welcome at all. But why? Because society, of all things, had a hold on Clue, who'd been shunned and discarded by society his whole life? Surely he didn't care for such rules.

There was so much to think about, so suddenly and all at once, and he was barely even awake yet. He needed to distract himself. "That must be irritating", Clue replied vaguely, running a slender hand through his hair once more.

  

---

Oblivious to his friends thoughts, Narcissus sat back down with a sigh. The Gryffindors had managed to disturb a peaceful moment but he was hopeful that it could be recaptured.

"It can be," he said when Clue said it must be irritating. His eyes caught on a stray strand of hair rebelling against the hand running through it and he reached over to tuck it behind Clues ear before lying back on the grass. "I'm used to it, though."

  

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As Narcissus raised a casual hand to brush away a strand of Clue's platinum-blond hair, the blond in question knew at once that what he was feeling was real, and wasn't going to go away. In fact, those feelings had been there for a while, pawing with yearning at the back of his heart. But he was not sure what, if anything, he was supposed to do with those feelings. Being a strange, singular creature, Clue was open to doing and saying things that nobody else did — but he did not want to risk his friendship with Narcissus.

And so those feelings returned sullenly to the back of his heart.

"I prefer being invisible", Clue replied dully, not joining Narcissus on the grass but leaning his head against the tree trunk and looking up at the cold blue sky.

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   Narcissus Laurent

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"I know," Narcissus said with a smile. It often somewhat amused him. He enjoyed getting attention and being sociable while Clue was the opposite. And yet they had gravitated together and become quite close friends anyway.

"But I'm glad you allow for me to see you," he said. He didn't even know what life would be without Clue being close to him. Strange, mysterious Clue - how wonderful he was in Narcissus's eyes.

  

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His only friend... no, Clue wouldn't do anything to jeopardise this. Things were fine as they were. Close to perfect, in fact.

"Yes, well, that's because you're strange", he responded, giving Narcissus a gentle kick.

  

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Narcissus laughed as Clue kicked at him. "And I am glad for it for it must be frightfully dull to be ordinary." Perhaps that was why they had gravitated together - two outsiders albeit in very different ways.

  

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Clue put his book aside, and wrapped his arms loosely about his knees as he looked at Narcissus, agreeing. "Maybe you should chase after those Gryffindors and ask them", he nodded at their now-distant figures.

  

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Narcissus chuckled in response to Clue's words. "I think sitting here with you is a better use of my time. You were still awake with this book when I went to bad - what is it about for it to interest you so deeply?"

  

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Clue passed the bookmarked tome to Narcissus so he could take a look. "It's by the alchemist, Pavesio. Remember I told you Valenduris was considering me for a summer internship with him and Pavesio in Hogsmeade? Well... it's been confirmed. I'm... I'm in."

  

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Narcissus took the book and leafed through it idly. He looked over at Clue at his admission, a smile of pride blossoming on his lips. "That's amazing, Clue! It will open so many doors for you," he said. "Does this also mean you will stay in Hogsmeade over the summer instead of going back to London?" If that was the case, they could more easily spend time together outside of school, Narcissus felt.

  

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Clue gave a rare smile, watching his friend as he leafed through the alchemy book. He nodded, with quite a contended sigh. "I'll be staying at Valenduris's house all summer. I'll... report back on what that's like", he promised with some amusement.

A professor's house was always quite a mythical concept. For Professor Valenduris, Clue pictured either a poky cottage full of bubbling cauldrons and hanging herbs, or a sweeping manor house with threadbare rugs and secret passageways.

  

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"He has like a million kids, I wonder how many still live at home?" He pondered out loud. "Maybe one of the weekends, you could come sleep over at my place." His family lived in Bartonburg while the professor lived in the wealthier area so it wouldn't be quite as grand but he doubted that would matter to Clue.

  

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Clue blinked — he didn't know Professor Valenduris had offspring, but... he supposed it made sense. Professors couldn't all be chaste loners, could they. And it was all very normal for high-ranking elites like Slytherin's Head of House to find himself married and breeding at an early age. Maybe that mean Clue would be meeting them...? For one wild moment he pictured little children with long white beards.

He didn't know how much time he'd have off during his internship, but he would absolutely want to spend some of that time with Narcissus. "I'd like that". He'd never had a friend outside school. Hell, he'd never had a friend at all until Narcissus. "Where do you live? What's your place like?"

  

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Narcissus smiled in delight when Clue reacted positively to his suggestion. "In North Bartonburg! My place has a garden in the back. I have my own room and then there's a few other rooms. I guess it sometimes feels kind of lonely since it's just me, my dad and a few staff? But it won't feel that way when you're there, I'm sure."

  

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Clue had never had his own room in his entire life; unless you count curling alone up by the kitchen hearth. The very concept seemed quite the luxury.

"I've never been in a house with... staff", he realised, wondering what they did and how they behaved. They were likely of more quality than Clue himself, that was for sure.

  

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"Will it be odd for you? We only have four," Narcissus said. Sometimes he actually forgot that Clue was not as fortunate wealth-wise as he was - it was not a thing that tended to come up in Hogwarts as often as it would outside the castles walls.

  

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