Risen- Drarry COMPLETE

Chapter 9

—Teddy POV—

I fastened my tie and hastily combed my hair. I was never one to clean up for dinner, but a comment Gabriel made put me on the spot and made my face grow hot. I hated to admit it, but I really did look kind of messy.

Ew. My hands were full of this sticky gel called... "Moco de Gorila"? It was something his mom sent a bucketful of at the start of every week. I can't even begin to pronounce it. It was weird enough that Gabriel didn't have a British accent.

...I look ridiculous. My face scrunched up in the mirror after I looked at my slicked-back, combed hair. I ended up ruffling it up a little, trying to rub out any as much of the hair gel as possible. Hopefully he doesn't say anything.

I half-jogged, half-walked on my way to the Great Hall, unable to decide between straightening my collar or keeping it loose. I puffed my cheeks and made my way to my friends' table, dodging other students as they walked by, especially the first-years, who trudged deliberately and carefully to find their place. Did I really look that lost last year?

Even then, I do get a strange feeling of nostalgia upon seeing the first-years look absolutely bewildered and amazed at even the floating candles here. And hearing the "oohs" and "ahs" when the Hogwarts Express first treads on is both funny and endearing. How does it feel far away and just like yesterday that I did the same?

...No clue. But I am glad I was able to share that with the people close to me. Luca, Bonnie, Wendy, and now Gabriel, who was very adamant about having me put on that gel, though He somehow pulls it off, makes it look good... really good. I hadn't heard from Aminata, and I didn't even see her walking by. I guess she must have gotten better at hiding. I do see a lot more of her friends, though. More like lackeys. And, oddly enough, I hadn't heard anything... rumor-like. It was strange. A few sideways glances, but nothing about lycanthropy in particular. Maybe it's because I don't spend time around the first-years.

"Hey, Ted!" Luca waved to me, and I quickened my pace to get to him.

"Hey guys!" I sat down at the table. My breakfast appeared in front of me, which I immediately began eating. I looked up and saw Gabriel and Bonnie opposite to me, eyeing me with amusement, giggling.

"Well, Teddy, it looks like you took Gabriel's suggestion to heart." Bonnie covered her mouth to keep from laughing outright. I grumbled.

"Does it look that bad?" I attempted to say, to which I almost choked on my food and started coughing. They both looked at me incredulously before erupting in laughter. The others, Luca and Wendy, noticed, and I couldn't keep myself from laughing.

"Ay, Ted, it's okay, it doesn't really look bad. Ask me to help you next time, and we'll stop at the bathroom before breakfast." Gabriel waved at me dismissively and broke into a smile, before talking to Bonnie again.

"Hey, Teddy... You have some bacon on your face." I whipped around to my right where Luca was sitting. I went to wipe around my mouth haphazardly with a napkin.

"No, not there, you silly bloke!" I wiped around again. "No- never mind, I'll do it myself." I saw Luca's hands go up toward my face, to which I stayed completely still and stared at his hands. He wiped the crumb of bacon away from my face, but I stared at him a little bit longer. I... don't know why. Luca however, quickly retreated his hands and looked towards the table, gripping the sleeves of his robe.

"Ooh, my dad sent me a letter... 'Break a leg in Quidditch tryouts, though I know you certainly won't need luck, Wendell. You're a Lundy, so you'd better blow them away, yes?'" Wendy suddenly read the letter with a mock accent, elongating his syllables when reading his first name.