—"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?" ASKED AN AMUSED RIGEL AS A SCARLET DRACO SAT DOWN AT THE SLYTHERIN TABLE IN THE GREAT HALL, LOOKING EXTREMELY EMBARRASSED WITH BLAISE, WHO WAS TRYING HIS HARDEST NOT TO LAUGH. "He— that— he—!" Draco stuttered, earning a small snigger from Blaise.
"Who's he, Draco?" Rigel asked, ignoring the sniggering Blaise.
"Mad-Eye. I— Daily Prophet— Ferret—"
Suddenly, Blaise choked on his juice, laughing so hard that his whole body was shaking, while Rigel still looked confused.
"What?"
When Blaise finally stopped laughing, he explained. "Draco made fun of Weasley because his father was in the paper. When Weasley turned his back on him, Draco tried to shoot a spell at him, but Mad-Eye was there right on time and turned him into a ferret."
Rigel's eyes widened, while Blaise started laughing again. "W.. What?"
Draco looked even more embarrassed, knowing the fact that Rigel was on the verge of laughing as well.
He was right when Rigel couldn't take it anymore and joined in on Blaise's laughter, both of them laughing harder than ever.
Thomas Gaunt, who was quietly reading and eating, immediately looked up, his lips quirking upwards for a moment at Rigel's laugh.
"A ferret?!" asked a highly-amused Rigel.
Draco glared at them, kicking their shins, making the two stop laughing and groan in pain. "Shut up. It's not funny!"
"...He was bouncing in the air." Blaise added.
Rigel and Blaise looked at each other for a few seconds— both of them laughing hysterically once again, making Draco groan.
••
Thomas Gaunt lifted his head up from the book in his hands when Rigel Black walked into the library. He had been trying to get over his small crush over the boy, and was positive that he succeeded, but as soon as Rigel was around— his hope was crushed.
Rigel, not noticing him, tried not to hug the dark blue hoodie he had on, since the library was freezing somehow.
He nodded at the librarian respectively, and walked over to the bookshelves, trying to seem like he was looking for a book.
When he was positive that the librarian couldn't see him anymore, he walked over to the restricted section. "Alohamora." He whispered, and opened the door.
Tom's brows furrowed. What did Rigel want from the restricted section so badly that he was doing it under the librarian's nose?
Not noticing someone following him, Rigel pulled his wand out and whispered, "Lumos."
He walked over the many bookshelves, stopping at one. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated the books from the rest of the library, he held up his wand to read the titles.
Someone cleared his throat, making him turn around and point his wand at the person.
Tom raised an eyebrow.
"What are you doing here?" asked Rigel harshly.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Nevermind what I am doing— why are you following me?"
"To find out what you're doing."
Rigel glared at him. "You are the most insufferable person I have ever met."
Tom smirked, "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
The two shared an alarmed look when they heard the sound of footsteps. Tom grabbed Rigel's hand, pulling them behind a pillar.
"Don't touch me." Rigel harshly elbowed him, earning a groan from the boy.
"Right. Sorry, I forgot." Tom murmured, both of them trying to see if the person had left already.
"Did she leave?" whispered Rigel.
"... She did now." Tom whispered back, both of them walking out behind the pillar. "What book do you want?"
"I don't need your help." said Rigel immediately, a hint of panic in his voice. "It's not here, anyways. I'll ask Sirius and Remus to send it to me."
••
"Are you always so careful with your letters?" asked Tom as Rigel was writing a letter to Remus and Sirius, both of them now in the corner of the library rather than the restricted section.
"Yes."
"Why? It's just a letter."
Rigel raised an eyebrow, pointing to Tom's homework that was so neat— Blaise could never.
"Are you always so neat with your homeworks?"
"Yes."
"Why? It's just homework." Rigel shot back, making Tom's lips twitch.
"touché."
Rigel gave him a sarcastic smile and went back to writing, not noticing the way Tom had to clear his throat to snap out of his daze.
Rigel groaned, tearing his letter up.
"Why—?"
"I gave too much information." Rigel shrugged, burning the letter wandlessly.
Tom put his quill down. "Alright. What book do you want? I won't judge, I promise."
"Pride and Prejudice." Rigel answered a few seconds later.
"The muggle book or magical?" Tom asked, already up to look for the book.
"Magical."
"What do you want beliefs on?" Tom curiously questioned. "You've been raised in a pureblood household. Surely you know what their beliefs are."
"Well— the beliefs change every now and then, and the book shows it." Rigel shrugged, not giving too much away.
Tom nodded. "That's right." He mused, still looking for the book.
"You won't find it." Rigel sighed. "I looked all over the library—"
"Found it." Tom put a book in front of him, giving him a smug look.
Rigel pursed his lips, looking at the book, 'Pride and Prejudice—By Cantankerus Nott.' and then back at the older boy.
"How the fuck did you do that?"
"It just happened." Tom shrugged, unbothered, and sat back down, continuing his homework.
"Right.. Thank.. you." Rigel quickly said, walking away before Tom realized what he had just said.
Tom's head snapped up, but Rigel was gone already.
••
That night, Rigel snapped his book shut, having all the answers he needed. Members of the LGBTQ+ were all accepted by the pureblood families for decades, (Mostly because there were now blood-adoptions and potions for the same-sex couples to have babies— for having heirs and heiresses), but... they weren't accepted by most muggleborns or half-bloods that were raised in the muggle world.
Why? Because muggles were stupid as heck.
Rigel's head snapped to the door when it opened.
Blaise walked into their dorm, closing the door, and flopping himself on his bed.
"Blaise?"
The boy hummed questioningly, sitting up.
"You're bisexual, right?" Rigel asked.
Blaise looked slightly shocked and confused. "Yes... The whole school knows that by now.. don't tell me that you just found out about this—"
"No." Rigel cut him off.
"Okay, good, because it was obvious for years and if you didn't notice, then you weren't as smart as I thought you were." Blaise said.
Rigel rolled his eyes. "Look— I.. I think I'm gay." He blurted out.
Blaise shrugged. "And?"
Rigel gaped for a few seconds. "That's it? That's all you say?"
"Well— I thought that was obvious.. I've known that you were gay for years."
"Hold on— how the fuck—?"
"You never wanted to be with a girl. Heck, you never even looked at a girl." Blaise pointed out. "Or the Veelas in the world cup. Merlin, you didn't even bat an eyelash."
"Oh.." Rigel frowned, now realizing how obvious it was.
Blaise let out a snort, knowing what the boy was thinking. "Honestly, Ri, you're so oblivious at times. Anyway— what advice do you need?"
"How can I come out? I'm..." Rigel cleared his throat. "Frightened."
Blaise merely smiled softly, not looking shocked at the fact that he was frightened. "Ri, if Sirius and Remus accept you, then that's all you need. Which I'm sure they will— what with the fact that they are gay, as well."
Rigel rolled his eyes, but had a smile on his face. "Thanks, Blaise."