I sing some songs and get déjà vu
WILL: "Humming to yourself again, Will? Tell me, what song is it this time?" Asked Frank Zhang, a fellow Hufflepuff and my best friend. The sorting had just ended and all Hufflepuffs were back to their conversations.
"Billy Joel: The Stranger. It's a great album, great song. Muggle music is underrated. Old song, but a classic nonetheless."
I carried on with my meal, mumbling the words to myself as I cut into my meat.
"When are you going to sing for us, Will? I mean, so we can all hear! You love music enough as it is." He encouraged. I laughed at the thought.
"Will," Hazel, another Hufflepuff friend of mine turned to me. "You're phenomenal. I've heard you when you think you're alone in the common room!" Hazel and Frank laughed. Funnily enough, I don't think those two have talked much, which is ironic. They could be great friends.
"Shut it!" They cut their laughing short and smiled.
"Only joking, Will. But really, there's a rumor floating about! A dance? I'm sure you've heard the gossip, I don't think it'd take much convincing to request Dumbledore add a karaoke machine." Hazel said enthusiastically. Susan Bones chuckled beside her.
"Could you imagine? Dumbledore and McGonagall singing a duet together? I could easily picture them singing Don't Stop Believin' together!" Frank looked at both of us in confusion.
"Honestly, Frank. You need to be caught up on your muggle classics!" I lectured, jokingly.
Frank laughed, then suddenly his face brightened.
"Hazel, you're a genius! A karaoke machine isn't a bad idea at all! I could totally talk to Dumbledore about that. Hogwarts purebloods, me included, really need to get caught up on our muggle culture."
Hazel's face reddened slightly. She was sorta shy. Not much around me though, as I've been decent friends with her for a while now. Even if she was a year below me, she was still pretty great to hang around. Same with Frank being a year above me, he'd always been a good friend.
Hazel smiled, happy that her suggestion was appreciated. She turned back to Susan and continued their conversation.
"So, if we did the karaoke think, would you test it out?" I laughed once more. Ah, these jokes were quite humorous.
"No."
"Will, come on! You really need to get out there mate! It's your fifth year, you obsess over music, you-"
"Frank, that would be like me asking you to play Quidditch just because your tall and athletically built! Does it make sense, yes? But will you do it, no? Because it isn't something you'd enjoy doing, and I respect that. Respect for one's decisions: When you may not agree with something, but because you admire the person to the point where you think it's acceptable for them to make there own decisions!"
"Merlin, Will. Are you a wizard or a walking dictionary?"
"Both, and I gladly accept those titles." I took a bite of my chicken leg. Frank cringed in disgust.
"What's wrong?" I asked. He shrugged.
"Over the summer I had a bit of a change in character. I've considered becoming a vegetarian." I nearly choked on my chicken.
"What? Frank, Mr. I'm all about my protein, buff, meaty Frank, a vegetarian?" Frank laughed.
"Respect for one's decisions..." he mocked, "When you may not agree with something, but because you admire the person to the point where you think it's acceptable for them to make there own decisions!"
"Okay, point taken. Good on you, man. And it may be rude of me to ask you this, but can you pass me the sausage bowl?" He handed over the bowl in disgust.
"Here."
I added a sausage link to my tray. Frank added an extra helping of mashed potatoes and beans. For a few minutes, he ate on without a word. It didn't take me long to gather that something seemed to be bothering him.
"Everything okay?" I asked. He nodded, putting on a smile.
"And this change in character over the summer isn't because of any specific reason, is it?"
"William, I've become a vegetarian. It's not like I've transformed into some serial killer."
He called me William jokingly, of course, same as how I called him Franklin on occasion. Our full names were Will and Frank, people often asked us if they were nicknames.
I took a moment to swallow my food before answering. "Franklin, I can't believe that. If you did become a serial killer, would you really tell me?"
Frank laughed a genuine Frank Zhang laugh, which made me smile.
"You always know how to make me laugh."
"Don't get all sentimental on me, Franky, it's only the first day of school. We save the manly crying for the last, you know that!"
"Correction: we save it for exams." Suddenly, Frank's face fell.
"What's up?" Judging by his expression, I knew exactly what he was thinking. I was thinking it too. So was every other Hufflepuff student.
"He didn't even get his last day," Frank said glumly.
I sighed. "I know man, it's rough. It's all a big, confusing mess. But, chin up! There may be a lot of rubbish out there, but look at just how much good is in this place still! Our house is here to support one another, we're a family! And we have each other to-"
Again, Frank used my own words against me.
"Don't get all sentimental on me, William Solace."
I paused for a moment before chuckling lightly.
"When're you gonna realize my full name is Will; just Will!" I joked. He knew I didn't take him seriously, of course.
Frank shrugged. "Maybe by the time you realize nobody cares about your endless rants about Shakespeare."
"Hey, Shakespeare is fascinating!"
Frank pretended to yawn with boredom.
"You know, for being obsessed with those romance novels of yours, you really have nothing to show for it."
I rolled my eyes. "Common misconception: Romeo and Juliet is not a romance, it is a tragedy. Shakespeare did not write Romances!"
"A tragedy? Not a romance? Oh, then I guess tragedy is a more accurate description."
I set down my now finished chicken bone.
"Frank Zhang, you bloody Savage."
Frank shrugged to himself, scooping a small spoonful of peas onto his tray.
"I try my best."
I examined my chicken bone curiously.
"Say, since I'm a wizard and this is a bone, doesn't that make every bone a wishbone?"
Frank shook his head in disappointment. He hated puns, lucky for me I loved that about him!
"Oh, my mistake. You're a vegetarian now. I suppose if I held this wishbone up to you, you'd melt into the darkness."
I paused. I think Frank said something, but I didn't quite catch it.
"Will, earth to Will?"
I realized now that I was staring. I was staring in the direction of the Slytherin table, right into the eyes of Nico Di Angelo. An odd sense of déjà vu coursed over me.
"Huh? Oh. What?"l
Frank laughed. "You good there, bud?"
"Yeah, heh, it's funny. Déjà vu can happen at just the darnedest times!"
Frank sighed.
"Only you, Will Solace, can get déjà vu from a stupid comment about a bloody wishbone."