Mentions of abuse, and homophobia.
Harry followed after Anthony. He seemed to be heading in the direction of the Owlery. He kept his distance for a bit to give Anthony some alone time, and space, but after a few minutes, he went up the steps, and entered the Owlery.
He, and Jasper had discovered a lot, Harry couldn't stop thinking about it. Harry figured it made sense though. Why Christopher wanted Anthony to stay away from Jasper – it was because he had feelings for him, a crush. It wasn't something you saw every day, a boy having feelings for another boy. It was rare. It was frowned upon.
You could get hurt or even killed for it.
It made sense why Christopher was acting the way he did. It wasn't good, he could have been nicer about it, a lot nicer, and had a better approach, but he was trying to protect his brother from the dangers that he would face if people figured it out. That is what Harry gathered from the conversation anyway.
Maybe Anthony didn't understand.
Harry thought it would be best to try to explain it, in a nicer way than what Christopher was doing of course.
Anthony was looking out at the castle grounds, with a tawny owl beside him on a perch. "Hey..." Harry said slowly.
Anthony turned, wiping his eyes as he did so. "Oh...hi."
Harry went over to him, and said, "I - I heard what happened."
"The whole library did." Anthony whispered.
"No..." Harry said. "I mean I know about your - your crush...on Jasper."
Anthony's eyes widened. "Will you hate me too?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't."
"Do you think I'm not normal?"
"I think you are normal." Harry said, trying to forget what he had learned in Sunday School. The topic of queer people had been brought up a few times, and it was never a positive conversation, but his parents had always told him to accept, and love anyone no matter what. Harry was not sure if this is what they meant, but it could have been, and it seemed stupid to hate someone just because of who they had crushes on.
"I mean it isn't common...but it is okay." Harry said.
Anthony scratched the back of his neck, nervously. "You don't think it's weird I have a crush on Jasper?"
Harry shook his head. "No, I mean I get it."
"You do?" Anthony asked.
"Not like that." Harry said quickly. He was not gay, he did not like boys like that. "I mean...I get why you would have a crush on Jasper, he is great! He is really nice, and cares about people a lot, and he has, er...nice hair!"
"Oh, he does!" Anthony exclaimed. "He is really nice looking."
"Yeah." Harry said. "And he has a really great smile."
"He really does." Anthony said. "It lights up the whole room, have you noticed?"
"Well..." Harry said slowly. "I am around him a lot, so yeah, but it is really nice, and I get why you would have a crush on him." Harry smiled. "Not that I would have a crush on him though." Harry added quickly.
"Yeah of course." Anthony murmured. "Thanks for not hating me."
"Of course, I am not going to hate you, it does not even affect me." Harry said. "It doesn't affect anyone, but you, really."
"I just wish my brother was okay with it." Anthony murmured.
Harry bit his lip. "I know you may not believe me, but I think he is."
"It doesn't seem like he is." Anthony said. "You heard what he said."
"I think he is worried for you." Harry said. "Because if you aren't careful you could get hurt. Or worse..."
"All because of who I like, huh?"
Harry sighed. "It isn't the norm, I am sure you know that. Didn't you ever go to church? I even went to Sunday School..."
"So your parents don't like it?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know." He really didn't. The topic of people who were queer got brought up when he was in Sunday School one day with this specific teacher, and they had gotten a super long lecture about how those people weren't okay. His parents were never there, so he didn't know their opinions. "But they always said to accept anyone no matter what, I think this is what they meant."
Anthony nodded. "Well, I am glad your parents are nice about it, I wish no one hated me for it, why would they?"
"Because it isn't the norm." Harry said. "There is one norm, and anything out of the norm is frowned upon. Boys, and girls have always dated, and were always allowed to get married. That is the norm. A boy having the same feelings for a boy is wrong to many people, the same goes for girls feeling that way about girls too."
"I just wish people wouldn't think there was something wrong with me because of it."
Harry shrugged. "It is just the way it is, but I don't think there is anything wrong with you."
"So, you think Christopher keeps yelling at me about it because he wants to protect me?" Anthony asked.
"Yes, but he could have explained it to you better." Harry said. "Instead of yelling at you, and telling you rude things he could have told you to be more careful, and that he would love you no matter what."
"He isn't really good with people." Anthony said.
"I have noticed..." Harry said, slowly.
"I'll talk to him." Anthony said. "I really don't want to lose him, he is all I have."
"What about your dad?" Harry asked.
"Chris said he would hate me because I like boys."
"Well, he could be wrong." Harry said.
Anthony shook his head, and sighed. "I don't think he is." Anthony petted the owl that was still beside him. "I'll be careful." He looked at Harry. "You sure it isn't weird?"
Harry shook his head. "No. Many people will hate you, but that is why you have to hide it, but some people, like me, and Jasper will be fine with it. There is nothing wrong with you, I promise."
Anthony nodded, and continued to stroke the tawny owl's head. Harry didn't get it, not really, but if Anthony liked boys it really wasn't his business. He would still be friends with him of course, it wasn't his fault he liked boys. It was just the way he was, and that was totally okay.
"If you hurt him, I will kill you." Christopher said darkly.
Jasper put his hands up. "I won't, I promise." Christopher looked unconvinced. "But I am going to talk to you about your behaviour."
Christopher scoffed. "Excuse me? You will?"
Jasper nodded. "Yes, so sit down."
"You can't tell me–"
"Sit down!! Now!"
Christopher was shocked by the power in his voice, and a bit affronted that he was being told off by a twelve-year-old, but he, to Jasper's surprise, sat down. "What Odair?"
"Just because your brother likes me, does not mean you have to be so rude to him." Jasper said.
"I'm not."
"You are!" Jasper yelled. "You have been mean to him ever since I met him. You need to be nicer, and let him do things without you following him everywhere he goes. He is allowed to have his own life, you know?"
"I don't want him hanging out with you." Christopher told him.
"Why?"
Christopher blinked. "It is obvious now isn't it?"
"People have crushes Christopher!!" Jasper stated. "You need to accept that, and grow up!"
"Oh, so you're fine with him having a crush on you?" Jasper was about to say something when Christopher said, "Oh please don't say you like him like that too, it will make everything worse."
"I don't." Jasper said. "I don't like anyone like that right now, but if I liked your brother you would need to accept it. You need to accept him."
"People like him get hurt or - or killed."
"I - I know."
"So he can't be." Christopher said. "He'll get hurt or – I don't want my brother to get hurt or worse..."
"That is why you need to tell him this." Jasper said. "Have you ever actually told him what would happen if it got out? You can't hide the truth from him, you need to tell him, and he will be more careful about it." He sat down at the desk closest to Christopher. "What matters is that you need to show him that you accept him for who he is."
"I do."
"You don't." Jasper said. "You say it, but you don't show it."
"I do love him." Christopher said. "I am just not really good at showing it."
"I know." Jasper said, thankful he was at least self-aware. "But you need to show it, for both of your sakes. Do you want to lose your brother more than you already have? Do you?"
"No!" Christopher said quickly. "He is everything to me, he is all I have Odair, I can't lose him."
"Then I suggest you start being better to him – to everyone if I am being honest." Jasper suggested. "You've been pretty awful."
"I - I just – I just want to protect him." Christopher said, voice slightly shaky. "And Anthony isn't really good at hiding his feelings for people."
"I didn't know, so he must be good at it." Jasper said.
Christopher shook his head. "No, I mean...people who really know him, know everything about him, grew up with him..."
"Well, you won't hurt him." Jasper said. "Right?"
"No, of course not!" Christopher looked offended that someone would think that. "It - it - it is just..." His voice trailed off.
Jasper remembered Christopher's words; He is all I have. "Would your father be mad if he found out?"
Christopher looked nervous. "Well...yeah."
"Then don't tell him."
"See that is the problem." Christopher said. "I think he may already know, he made some comments in the summer about Anthony that freaked me out, and if he has it confirmed, it would be bad, even now, it's bad..." Christopher was now looking panicked.
"Would he get kicked out?" Jasper asked. He hoped he wouldn't be, were some people really that cruel? He briefly wondered what his parents would do if one of their kids was gay. They'd probably try to beat it out of them or hopefully not even bloody notice.
Christopher got up, now pacing. "He wouldn't have to worry about getting kicked out."
Jasper slowly stood up. "Well...isn't that good?"
"You don't get it." Christopher said.
Jasper bit his lip, now quite nervous. Both of the Goldsparks seemed really jumpy, in different ways, but jumpy nonetheless. One was overly nervous, and the other had anger issues. Their mother had left a few years ago (the reasons unknown to Jasper), but surely if they were in that type of situation she would take her kids with her...?
"I may." Jasper said. "Would your dad hurt him?"
Christopher said nothing, just kept pacing.
"Christopher?" Jasper asked, urgently.
Christopher kept pacing. "Sometimes - sometimes our dad gets angry with us, and sometimes...it gets out of control. It's fine though, it's all fine."
Jasper closed his eyes, feeling like a chill had passed through him. They were in a similar situation. "You have magic though." Jasper said. "You can use it."
"I get really nervous sometimes, and I freeze up!" Christopher exclaimed. "Sometimes he throws my wand across the room, and I can't do anything! I try to, but it's hard."
"And if he finds out Anthony is - is gay he'll beat him?"
Christopher shook his head. "Worse."
Jasper was on edge, feeling quite sick. "What will he do?"
Christopher was quiet for a couple of beats. Then he whispered, "He'll kill him."
Jasper's eyes widened. "Kill?"
"He'll beat him to death!" Christopher cried, he was about to have a breakdown, Jasper knew it. "That is why mum left, our dad had issues with hitting, and she just left him!"
"But she had magic, she could have protected you, she should have taken you, and Anthony with her!" Jasper said, rather angry now.
"Not everyone has good parents!!!" Christopher screamed. Jasper backed away, he could tell Christopher was getting very overwhelmed, rightfully so. Christopher took a deep breath, and now quieter said, "Our mum really didn't care about us, I thought she did, but she left, and our dad takes it out on us sometimes, and - and if he figures out Anthony likes boys, he will die – my dad got pissed because he hugged a boy last summer, and if I wasn't there..." He shook his head. "This is why you need to leave him alone, so he can be normal, and be safe...safer."
Jasper closed his eyes. It made sense now. Even more sense. Christopher was trying to protect Anthony from their father. Jasper just wished he could have had a better approach to it.
"Oh, god, I just spilled my guts out to an eleven-year-old." Christopher realised.
"Twelve–"
"Oh, my god." Christopher said, wanting to hit himself. He had kept it quiet for years, and he had just spilled it all to a first year. Why was he revealing everything about his past, and home life today? What was wrong with him? "Sorry, sorry, just – you know what? Just stay away, okay? Go. Maybe I can erase your – no I don't know how to do that..." He cursed under his breath.
"We could get you both out of that house." Jasper said, suddenly.
Christopher stared at him, tears in his eyes. "W-what? What are you talking about? You're eleven. What the..."
Jasper understood that Christhoper's mind was not working very clearly right now, but as Christopher kept mumbling to himself about how stupid he was, Jasper's mind was working a mile a minute. "I know it's crazy. I know, but there is a wizard CPS, right?"
"Er, I - I guess?"
I'll look into that. Jasper thought, and said, "Well, since you're both wizards you would be under the Ministry, not the muggle government, and I am sure with some research we can figure out how the laws surrounding your situation works with wizards, and we can...go from there?"
"What - what if they separate us?"
That was the question Jasper feared the most. The prospect of being forcefully separated from your siblings was terrifying, and traumatising. He would know. It had happened before, which is why he really needed to be careful to ensure that the Goldsparks were not separated. Logistically, dealing with muggle CPS, two siblings close in age had a high likelihood of staying together. It was not like in his own case with five of them. In his own case, he, and his siblings would be separated no matter what.
But Jasper also didn't want to ship the two brothers off to foster care. That wouldn't be a good place for them. It was not a good place for him so the only way this could work was if they found a permanent family for them.
Jasper really needed to think this through. Carefully.
"Christopher–"
"What?!"
Jasper sighed, this was a really bad situation, but he needed to help. Somehow. If the Goldsparks' father already knew about (or suspected) Anthony was gay, and if Christopher was quite serious about their father beating him to death, Jasper needed to try something. "I'll help you."
Christoper looked at him, aghast. "What?"
"I will help you both get out of the house, and make sure you both stay together." Jasper told him, praying he would be able to find a solution. The Wizarding World had a different law system altogether as they learned in History Of Magic, so they must have had a different system to help wizard children in need.
"And how will you do that?" Christopher asked, distressed.
Jasper looked at him. "I'll find a way, we all will together." He walked up to him, slowly, giving him some space. "But what you need to do is talk to Anthony about this, I know it will scare him, but you need to tell him. You also need to go, and apologise to him. You have show you accept him, not just say it. Okay?"
Christopher took a breath, trying to calm down. "Okay...I will." He looked down to Jasper. "I'm sorry."
"You need to apologise to your brother." Jasper said sternly.
"I know." Christopher said. "Please don't tell anyone...about anything. I can't believe I even..."
"I won't." Jasper said, solemnly.
Christopher looked sceptical. "Will you really help us? Can you?"
"I can, and I will." Jasper said. "I will make sure you are both safe."
Christopher stared at Jasper, probably thinking why in the hell was he trusting a literal first year with this, but he was. He was overly stressed, and exhausted that he would question his sanity later. "Thank you."
Jasper nodded, and walked to the door, and signalled Christopher to follow. "Now let's go find him."