LIBRARY: October 1976 -- October

You know the kid that nobody wants to hang around because he just happens to be the most unpopular, nerdy, shyest kid in the entire school? Yeah, that was me. It always had been, and it probably always would be. Not only was I belittled by the Quidditch stars and the popular kids, but now even my own friends were beginning to turn on me. I did not understand why, either. All of a sudden they turned their backs to me, seemingly uncomfortable with my presence.

I had just walked in at the tail end of a conversation they were having -- about me, of course; they were mentioning the fact that I had never had a girlfriend... that I might possibly be... And that was a lie. It was a damn lie. I liked girls. I loved girls. Girls, however, just didn't love me back.

There had always been a girl that caught my attention, but any time we had spoken, it was always platonic and fluffy. A quick hello, or the faintest flicker of a smile when we made eye contact in those drafty corridors -- no, it had never been much. But I hunted her down, and I was about to prove all those boys wrong.

"Hi, Tobi," I said in the library. I'd noticed that she was in there perusing the aisles as though she were looking for something. "What are you looking for? Maybe I can help."

"Oh, hey Avery," I said, smiling at him. "Something to help me with the Herbology essay that's due ina few days. I haven't even started working on it and I have no idea what to do it on. Any ideas?" I asked. Herbology was the one subject that just got me down. I hated it... I just didn't like the plants and stuff; it was boring and I'd hardly ever use it if at all. I wasn't going into anythign that dealt wiht herbs. If I needed to use them for something like a potion, I'd learn about them in Potions class.

"I haven't even thought about mine yet, either," I said, starting to look at the spines of the books to see if there was anything interesting that might spark an essay topic. "I really don't like that class. I don't know if it's the class or Professor Sprout -- she's mad! Stark, raving mad!

"Hmm, what about this?" I asked, grabbing a very old, very dusty book. "One Hundred and One Ways to Escape a Tentacula. Sounds... dull as shit if you ask me... err, I mean great!"

I laughed. "Oh, that good then?" I asked. "I've been weighing how bad it would be if I just skipped out on this essay..." I sighed and leaned against the books. "I really don't feel like doing this. What do you think about getting out of here and doing something more interesting that Herbology work...?" This was really one of the first times that I had been willing to hang out wiht a guy for awhile. So we'd see how it would go. I mean, Avery was a Hufflepuff... not a dirty old Slytherin. He couldn't be that bad.

I had no idea what she had in mind, but anything would be better than finding a topic for the Herbology essay. I put the book back on the shelf and looked at her with a desperate grin. "Yes, that sounds fantastic," I said. "If I decide to do the essay, I'll do it the night before it's due and just pretend like I know what I'm talking about. I work best under pressure anyways.

"So... what do you have in mind that's 'more interesting' than Herbology? I think that's pretty vague, and anything could be more interesting."

I shrugged. "I haven't thought that far ahead yet," I told him. "But I'm sure that we could figure something out."

"You're probably right...," I said, and waving my hand out in front of me, I added, "Let's get out of here. After you."

I stood up straight and then headed out of the library. "So, Avery, why doesn't it seem like you hav ean active... social life?" I aske as we entered teh corridor so we could actually talk in a normal voice because it was getting irritating whispering in teh library.

Her question caught me off guard. She really did not beat around the bush, did she? Talk about bluntness... I stopped walking for a quick moment and blinked at her, stupefied by her blatant question. I wondered if she knew that she sounded a little rude, especially considering that she and I never really had had a real conversation before. Maybe this was just who she was, and if that was the case, maybe I could let it slide.

"I just... don't, I guess," I decided to say. "I'm always the invisible one, you know? People see right through me, but I think it's okay. Sometimes I like it better that way."

I realized that he was lagging behind a little bit. "Sorry for teh bluntness, but let's just say you aren't invisible in my group of friends," I told him. "It's been a lingering question and I was just curious." I shrugged. If I had a question I was perfectly okay wiht asking it... but if hte questions turned on me then I'd definitely stop asking. My life was way too complicated to explain easily and I didn't exactly like sharing. But I Loved getting information... just on eof my quirks I suppose. Somthing that bothered Ember, actually.

I didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted by my apparent opaqueness. She sounded genuine, almost as though there were some sort of hidden meaning by not being invisible, but at the same time, just knowing that I wasn't invisible made me feel scrutinized, like an insect under a microscope. I chose to give October the benefit of the doubt, however, and accept what she had said as a compliment.

"Thanks...," I said, "I think. If I'm so quiet and stuff, how is it that you and your friends see me so clearly?"

I wondered for a brief moment if it was the sort of situation where my reserved timidity and shyness seemed to spark something intriguing to October and her friends. My stomach churned with anxiety; I did not like feeling inspected at all times. I just wanted to go through the motions of life with as little trouble as possible. And this? Yeah, this was trouble. I could smell it.

I chuckled. "Let's just say we don't like the type of guys who try to control us... the quiet ones are so much better," I said, half joking half being real. No, I didn't like to control guys, but I at least wanted them to take in my opinion and such... besides, Avery was cute. He had that going for him -- which is why I think most o fmy girlf friends found him intriging... his quietness and his cuteness. As though he were all secretive or something. And for some reason secrets translated into sexy for my friends.

"Quiet doesn't necessarily translate to not being controlling, at least not one-hundred percent of the time," I warned her. "I'm sure there are plenty of quiet guys who would take the reigns hardcore if given the chance. Just be careful."

I did not really know why I felt the sudden urge to protect her from bullying, controlling boyfriends. It was not as though October and I were close friends; we barely ever spoke to one another. But there was something that just told me to watch out for her. Maybe that just made me a good guy, or maybe there was more to it.

Well well, someone seemed... protective? But that didn't seem the right word since it wasn't like we were friend sor anything... we just knew each other. Barely. "Yeah, I know... but there's less of a chance I guess," I said, shrugging. I really didnt' want to get into that, but I wasn't a good one for changing the subject either unless I changed it to the weather, but that'd be waaaay to obvious that I was avoiding the boy subject and I didn't want that either. So I just stayed quiet. IF he didn't like the quiet, he'd talk about something Iwas sure.

"Yeah...," I said, noticing how quiet she was getting. "So... about this something more fun than writing the Herbology essay. I hope you have some ideas because I don't do fun very well."