April 25th, 1890 — The Black Lake

Clue had been up all night reading the English translation of a book by alchemist Caesar Pavesio. Come morning, he was very nearly finished... but not quite. So the boy spent the first part of Saturday morning hunting down somewhere peaceful to finish the book — his dormitory was rowdy with Quidditch talk, the common room was never quiet, he recognised some seething bullies in the library, and he didn't want to ask a professor to use an empty classroom. So he retreated outside.

It wasn't long before Clue found an idyllic spot by the Black Lake, under a craggy old tree. There was a chill in the air but he still wore his Winter cloak, so he was comfortable as he sat down beneath the tree. But most importantly, it was quiet here, for most of the students were still at breakfast, munching on toast and chatting up a storm.

Clue opened the book... but got no more than half a page before he promptly fell asleep.

Narcissus Laurent

  

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In comparision to his friend, Narcissus had slept as soon as his head hit the pillow a little after curfew. He tended to have busy days especially when he had Quidditch practice. He had been among those chattering away about Quidditch for the National tryouts had occurred and the roster had been announced a couple of weeks before. He noticed Clue's absence as the conversation ebbed into other topics.

He didn't think anything of it as Clue often wandered off on his own. He had struck Narcissus as having as much interest in befriending Narcissus's other friends as they did in befriending Clue - which was no interest at all.

Heading outside after breakfast, he hadn't been roaming the lawns for long when he spotted a now familiar head of shocking blond hair. He laughed to himself when he came closer and saw that Clue fell asleep. His eyes roamed over his friend and was struck by how angelic the other boy looked sleeping under the sun. It made his breath catch and his heart skip a beat but he shrugged it off as he sat down beside Clue. Instead of waking him, he looked out over the lake and acted as a sort of sentry against the students that probably would have found this the perfect chance to bully Clue even more.

  

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Clue didn't dream of anything at all, but the stillness and tranquility of his surroundings seeped into his subconscious. Even more so when Narcissus quietly came to join him beneath the tree, the older boy's protective intentions further contributing to his inner peace.

Of course, this was when outside forces came to ruin it. A couple of passing Gryffindor lads spotted them, and one smirked, glancing at the sleeping Clue and then hissing over at Narcissus: "did you kill 'im with your flamey talons, Veela?"

  

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Narcissus glared up at the Gryffindors. "Part veela don't get 'flamey talons', you dunce," he snapped as he stood up. "Try picking up a book once in a while, maybe you'll learn something." He stood up, his eyes flashing with annoyance at having his peace disturbed.

  

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"Books", sneered the Gryffindor. He glanced around, evidently wishing he could draw his wand, but not trusting that a professor wouldn't pop out of a bush or something. "Books won't help you when the next half-breed ban comes callin'. And it can't come too soon, I reckon", he added cruelly.

By now Clue had blinked awake and sat up, startled by the commotion that met him.

  

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"I'll still be worlds smarter than you and Minister Ross isn't the sort to let that happen." He didn't know much about politics but he did know that a Minister who reversed such a thing wouldn't be gunning to have it back in place.

He turned when Clue woke up and smiled. "Sorry, did these gutter snipes wake you?"

  

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Evidently not too sure how to react to solid logic, the Gryffindors rolled their eyes and slunk off.

Clue watched them go with wide-eyes, then his gaze moved to Narcissus. He sat up a little straighter; the book slid off his lap and he closed it lightly, placing a bookmark between the pages. "What... did I just wake up to?" he asked sleepily. "That Gryffindor said something about... half-breeds?"

  

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Narcissus watched in satisfaction as the wannabe bullies wandered off.

"Just a couple of idiots trying to bully me for my heritage - the usual," Narcissus said with a shrug that said that this happened often enough. "I'm half-veela." Did Clue not know? Narcissus couldn't remember if he ever said and had mostly assumed Clue had heard it from someone or puzzled it out. It was why he had to now be a fifth year instead of the year he should have actually been in, after all.

  

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Clue ruffled his hair distractedly, and then nodded. He knew. Narcissus — his best friend — was a half-Veela.

But he'd never really thought about it until now.

"It must be strange", he mused, "to study a beast in Care of Magical Creatures and then to realise that's your own parent you're studying." Clue was of course being tactless, and he didn't mean anything unkind by this; when it came to social things he was still an innocent, voicing whatever thought came to mind.

  

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"Veela are classified as beings, not beasts since they're humanoid and sentient," Narcissus said. "I mean, obviously, or I wouldn't exist. She was still killed like an animal for being one, though." Not that he'd had much to do with her in the typical way of Victorian parents but she had still been his mother.

  

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Beings yes, but they were still studied in Care of Magical Creatures class — as if they were creatures. Narcissus didn't answer him at all though, which Clue found odd. But he evidently wished to talk about his mother, and Clue was curious, so he asked (again tactlessly); "how did it happen?"

  

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"I was seven and my father has never seen fit to traumatize me with the details. The main thing I know is that a group of men took offense to a Veela trying to live as a mans wife. I assume they lynched her for that's what most mobs seem to do." In books and history, that is. He had not seen what happened to his mother and no one had seen the need to go into the details of what had caused her death with Narcissus.

  

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Clue looked up into his friend's hazel eyes, finally ashamed that he'd brought this up to begin with. Well, that snide Gryffindor had brought it up, but Clue was the one who'd asked questions about his mother.

With a spark more emotional intelligence, the boy said quietly; "I'm glad she was his wife." For if they hadn't met and married, there would be no Narcissus at all.

  

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Narcissus had the ever-changing temperament of his mother so he went from dark and gloomy right back to cheerful and smiling in an instant. "I'm glad too - I do like existing." He liked who he was as a person and had little patience for those that would try and make him feel otherwise. But as it was, his mind was back on the fact he was with Clue. "It's too bad that there's still a nip to the air, we could have went swimming."

  

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Although not as changeable as Narcissus, Clue could not help but give a faint smile in response. His friend's feelings were contagious.

He glanced across the lake at mention of it, and unexpectedly envisaged a shirtless Narcissus wading out into the lake; powerfully built, gleaming with cold water...

Blinking at the unwarranted thought, this reminded Clue of something. "One more Veela question", he requested hastily. "Do you have any... powers?"

  

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Narcissus chuckled at the somewhat unexpected question. "I don't think I have any powers in the way of turning into a harpy and fireballs. But it is genetically impossible for my skin to be blemished and I am supposedly quite beautiful." While most students were bemoaning pimples and the like, Narcissus's skin remained as smooth as ever. He was vain in his appearance but did not want Clue to realize this about him. "Womenfolk are also drawn to me which you've been witness to, I think." He didn't know if it applied to menfolk as well but it had never really come up.

  

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