Lost and Found [Newt Scamander]

Interlude

The only two classes the Ravenclaw's shared with the Hufflepuff's were potions and charms. However, the proclamation that only two houses occupied the class was a generous statement. In their eighth year, many students dropped out, choosing not to continue, and those that did, over the years, slowly fell into one class. So while Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs made up the majority, there were few robes of red and green loitering around the edges of the class.

And in class that day, Kel's usual partner was absent. A head cold, they'd claimed. And Kel, lacking otherwise sympathy, didn't care much if he were alone in the class or if his partner was actually sick or faking it for the tenth time that month.

Potions was a partner-based class as the professor simply didn't trust any single one of them enough to successfully brew a potion without setting flame to someone's hair or robes.

And so today when Professor Aravile announced they were to curate a draught of Wideye, Kel stood and crossed the room instead of turning to his would-be desk-mate.

Typically, members of the same house worked together, preferring not to mix colors. Kel crossed into a small sea of yellow without another thought, ignoring the curious glances being sent his way.

After he and Newt met in that little clearing in the woods, Kel had felt a sort of pull toward the boy and each time coincidence drew them into the same room, he found himself indulging in it more frequently. He didn't know why but the idea of chasing that feeling and trying to pin it down just for the chance to dissect it and discover its contents appealed to him in some strange invariable way.

Newt was talking to a Slytherin girl when he arrived at his desk across the room. Kel's steps stilled as he watched. He turned on second thought and went to get the ingredients for the potion. Billywig stings, snake fangs, Wolfsbane, and Standard. He glanced too occasionally over to Newt and the girl than he'd like to admit and watched them out of an eye as he gathered the ingredients in his hands and made his way back.

The Slytherin said something else and turned away with a dazzling smile. When Kel rounded in front of Newt, his cheeks were still flushed red.

Kel set the ingredients down. "Your new partner?" He asked. "Should I leave?"

"What? N-no. She's... no one." Newt said, eyes flitting as common to Kel for a moment before dancing down to the tabletop, skimming the elixirs and vials of all sorts.

Kel didn't push the matter of the subject. As much as he learned Newt had a hard time conveying his thoughts in anything continually congruent, he had also learned to read between the lines, and these lines were empty messes of confusion. Not by Kel, but by Newt.

"What does this potion do again?" Newt asked feebly. "I was up all night with Frank I didn't sleep... much."

Never before had they been partners for potions. Kel didn't ask. He just assumed and took the risk and Newt, though he didn't say anything in the subject, looked relieved when Kel started taking control.

"Wideye." Kel narrated as he arranged the ingredients along the surface before them he didn't look when he felt Newt's gaze burn into his as he explained. "Also called the awakening potion. It can be used to keep someone from falling asleep or awaken someone." He added the Billywig stings to the cauldron and muttered the heating charm when he drew his wand. "One of us is to ingest the potion once checked and write a report. I'll do that because you need to sleep."

At this, he did glance out of the corner of his eye to Newt. He must have been discreet because the boy with the standoff-ish gaze didn't flinch away and he could look at bright blue eyes for a moment longer than a second. Kel tucked his wand away. "How's Frank?"