sortinghat_rp | 04 [backdated to the early morning of the 19th]

[The giggles finally begin to subside.]

Yeah, alright. At least now we only look very suspicious, instead of INCREDIBLY suspicious.

You owe me for this, though. If someone had caught us, we'd both be in loads of trouble, and all I did was wake up and try to get you out of there.

I wouldn't have let them punish you. Had someone found us I would have bolted slowly enough to have been caught and say I came to beat you up. Having earlier punched Tony, they would assume I was in a state of mental distress and dealt with me without further involvement of you. If asked how I got in, I'd say I observed someone entering and learned the key. Nothing would lead back to you or anyone else. No worries.

[John blinks in confusion and opens his mouth to speak, comes up with nothing, and shuts it. Then he tries again.]

Well, that's... that's certainly an elaborate if rather odd plan. I don't know if I should be flattered or utterly baffled. Right now it's a little column A and a little column B.

Hardly elaborate. Just appealing to the lowest common denominator.

Do you need anything from your room before we head off now that you've safely escorted me into the hall?

Er... no, no I think I'm fine. Though again, can't really be expected to be thinking too clearly this early, so I could be wrong. Besides, if I went back in while there are people in the common room, I'm sure I'd get questions on what I was doing out so early.

What, a young man can't utterly destroy the plumbing in the public restrooms instead?

[Sherlock starts walking down the halls. He hasn't slept but that doesn't matter~ Things to do! Tonys to avoid~]

[John scoffs, but follows.]

Like I'd let them think that.

As long as they see me at breakfast, it doesn't matter. They'll think I just left when they did. You might be incredibly wrong about people not noticing you, but I know for a fact that people find me completely unassuming and gloss over me.

And yet you've managed to get yourself a reputation. I think perhaps you like proving people wrong.

"Reputa-"...

[He flushes as he realizes what Sherlock may be talking about.]

Ah. I didn't know you'd heard the nickname. And if I prove people wrong, well, show's them right for making assumptions.

I've researched you. You were a test subject after all.

[he smirks back at him.]

I'm sure just being a Hufflepuff you deal with all sorts of assumptions.

[John grins a bit in response.]

"Were"? So I'm not anymore? Willing to admit it's rather nice having actual friends instead of just research subjects?

[The grin turns a bit dry and sarcastic at the mention of Hufflepuff.]

Ah, yes, everyone's obsession with calling Hufflepuff the dumb also-rans of the Wizarding World, and of course all the jokes. I'll never understand why so many people forget that one fourth of everyone who goes or went to Hogwarts is or was a Hufflepuff.

Could be worse. You could be a Slytherin trying to live down that particular reputation. Though, in your case, that probably wouldn't be an option.

[He's certainly glad he chose Ravenclaw all things considered...]

I stopped taking scientific notations on you. One day I just.. enjoyed it. Us taking and just doing things. And now it's a little late to pick back on the habit. So by my own mistakes, I think I have admitted it.

Well, it's a habit I'm glad you've kicked. There's nothing wrong or shameful about enjoying the time you spend with friends. That's not a mistake. I like you and the things we get up to too, y'know.

Even when you shock me awake and all I can do is hurl a pillow at your face.

It could be a mistake. It just hasn't proven itself to be one yet. You can't prove a hypothesis, you can only attempt to disprove it.

[John squints in thought, then looks up at Sherlock with a cocked and curious brow.]

So is there a point where you'd declare that mistake hypothesis completely disproved, or will this be running as long as we know each other?

[Sherlock gives that a thought.]

All lives end. All hearts are broken. Caring is not an advantage.

I think, from an intellectual standpoint, there is really no arguing the point. Attachment will always lead to pain.

It's whether that still quantifies as a mistake, I suppose, that matters.

[John worries his lip a bit, thinking about Sherlock's rather bleak words.]

Well, then, that's why going at things from a strictly intellectual angle's just not going to cut it. You need emotion so you can look back on it all at the end and see if it was all worth it. You need a mix. Sort of like how the body can't take pure sodium or pure chloride, but put them together and you've got salt.

[Sherlock smiles at his use of chemistry.]

That's a fair enough point, I suppose.

Well, glad to hear it makes sense at all. Honestly, I think the only reason the salt thing popped to mind is because I'm thinking how nice it'll be on the eggs at breakfast.

You're downplaying your intelligence. No need. But as you seem to be hungry, let's not hesitate to get you to the banquet hall.

Right. Especially since it sounds like you'll actually be joining in eating, for once.

... though maybe don't start a food fight like you did back on your birthday.

That's the most fun you can have with food, though.

[John grins widely and almost lets slip the story of the time with his second girlfriend and the strawberries, but very quickly thinks the better of it. He clears his throat a bit more dramatically than necessary.]

Well, you may think so, but I'd rather not press our luck since we already beat the odds of escaping detention this morning.

[Sherlock shrugs, leading the way.]

I take it I'm not welcome back tonight.

Might be a bit much, yeah.

But... I suppose if there were an emergency or things were otherwise really bad, you could hide out there as long as you didn't get caught. Oh and before you get ahead of yourself, you're not allowed to intentionally make said emergency or mess things up just to have an excuse to sneak back into Hufflepuff. Clear?

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