12 The Talk

A/N: A bit boring chapter, but not all chapters can be climactic.

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3rd January, 1934:

It's been about a week, since my ritual, and my talk with Helena, and we were now back to helping each other again. I showed her the books I got on Sorcery, from Salazar's library, and she did not know about it.

(I also took her to meet Salazar, so she has someone to talk to in the castle while I'm busy.)

I promised to teach her once I've mastered it. But, now, was the time for another talk. This time, with Darla.

Over the past year, Darla's been getting a bit frustrated, troubled, and down. She hid it from everyone, but I knew her more than they did. I had been in her head before, so I could see she was troubled. I did not go into her mind, as she's one of the very few people I genuinely like, but I could guess what her troubles were.

So, I approach her once she's alone, and say, "Darla, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Darla tenses, looking at my serious face, and then nods.

"Where are we going, Mason?" Darla asks, following me up the stairs.

I turn back, and smile at her. I say, "You'll see. It's something I discovered in the holidays."

She nods, trusting me not to lead her anywhere dangerous. I lead her towards the 7th floor, and in front of the blank wall that leads to the Room of Requirements.

I turn towards her, and say, "I want you to do something for me. Close your eyes, think about what kind of place you might love to be in right now, and walk in front of this wall three times, back and forth. Get it?"

Darla sighs, and says, "Sure. If it gets you off my back." She closes her eyes, thinking for a moment, and then does as asked.

At the third turn, a grinding sound is heard, making her open her eyes and look at the suddenly appearing door in the wall. She looks at it in shock, and whispers out, "What the fuck is this, Mason? This wasn't here before."

I smile at her, and say, "Open it."

She hesitantly does, and a gasp leaves her mouth. She enters the room, and I follow after her, leaving even me shocked. There was a beach, with ocean waves coming close to us, but not too close.

"Wow! You imagined an amazing place!" I say, whistling out in appreciation.

"Okay, Mason. We're here now, wherever here is. Now, answers. Why did you bring me here?" Darla says, coming out of her shock, and awe.

Shaking my head, I sit down, a chair forming beneath me. No, I did not create it. I just used the magic of the room to form it. As Darla looks shocked, I say, "Sit down, Darla." And point at the chair behind her.

Darla checks if the chair is real by tapping a few times, and then sits staring at me.

So, I begin speaking, I say, "This.. is called the Room of Requirements. It can turn into whatever it's user needs. You imagined this place, so you know better what this place is. What is this place, by the way?"

Darla has a shocked look on her face as she absently mumbled, "It's the beach we used to go to. Somewhere in France, I don't remember the name."

I nod, and say, "Well, I showed you this place so you have a private place, for yourself. No one can enter the room if someone is already inside. So, if you're inside, and someone else walks in front of the door 3 times, while thinking what they want, the door won't appear. Pretty good, right?"

Darla numbly nods, so I become serious. I drop my hand on her hand, and softly ask, "What's bothering you, Darla? You've been distracted this whole year."

"It's nothing. Leave me to solve my own problems." Darla says, immediately shaking her head and getting up to go out.

"Is it your family? Did they do, or say something to hurt you?" I ask, not backing down.

"No. It's nothing. I'll be going now." Darla says, panicking a bit.

I immediately hug her, calming her down, and whisper, "I know you like girls, Darla. I know." I feel Darla tensing in my arms, and begin to struggle, so I continue, "I know and I don't care. You're my friend. My first friend. I'm not going to stop being that simply because you like girls. Don't be an idiot, and speak. You're not alone in this, you have me."

She stops her struggling, and begins crying, and I let her. I rub her back as she cries, and lets it all out.

15 minutes of crying later, she chokes out, "How did you know?"

I snort and answer, "How could I not know? You've been drooling at Cassiopeia for 3 years, and you only stopped because she left the school. You still stare at Professor Rowle's arse when you think no one's looking, and you do the same with Ana. If it wasn't for you looking at Ana, I would have thought you liked older girls."

Darla groans, still in my arms, and tightening the hug, asks, "Does anyone else know?"

I hum a bit, thinking, and answer, "Cassiopeia does. But I don't think anyone else does. Ana suspects, I think. While Dorea thinks you have a crush on me."

Darla snorts and then sniffs her nose. Wiping her eyes, she gets out of the hug and looks up at me, as I was a few inches taller than her. Narrowing her eyes, she asks, "How do you know what they think? Did they tell you?"

Oh, crap. I brought that one on myself. Sighing, and saying fuck it, I say, "I am different too. Although, not the same as you, if anyone found out, they'll try and kill me. Or experiment on me."

"What?" Darla demands.

I shrug and answer, "I can move things with my mind, and if I wish it, I can go inside anyone's minds, view their memories, manipulate them, erase their memories, and even hear their current thoughts." I told her this, so she knows that she has one of my secrets too. I.. didn't want to feel like I was blackmailing her, my friend.

Seeing her scared face, I raise my hands and say, "The last time I used this power on you, was the first month of our first year. At that time, I was still in my phase of entering every mind I encounter."

Darla takes another step back, so I whisper, "Darla. You've known me for 4 years now. Please, trust me. Please trust that I won't do anything to your mind or the memories within."

Darla squares her shoulders, and nods. She says, "I'm sorry, Mason. It's just.. you said before that you knew.. and now you said you can read minds."

Slapping her head softly, I say, "Mind is not a book to read. I can either view the previous memories, or listen to current thoughts. There's no reading." Well, except for my own books I have in my Mind Palace Library.

Darla smiles at that, but rubs her head. Seeing her smile, even I smile, and hug her reassuringly. I say, "Don't worry, Darla everything will be alright. Now, tell me what's wrong."

Darla nods, and sits down. She says, "My family does not know about.. me, and they will not accept it. I heard mother planning to talk to one of her friends to introduce me to some kids of theirs, so I can get a boyfriend. But I don't want a boyfriend, Mason! I don't even want a girlfriend yet, I just want to be free!"

Nodding my head in understanding, I pat her hand, and say, "Did you talk with your parents? To tell them you don't need a boyfriend?"

She nods, and says, "Yes, I told my mum. But she doesn't listen. She says, 'Nonsense, Rose has a son your age. You'll like him.' I hate this situation." She grumbles the last part, holding her head in her hands.

"How do you know they won't accept your preference?" I ask, in curiosity.

Darla tenses, and answers, "One of our neighbors sons. He.. got caught with his lover.. in bed. My parents had a lot of words for the pair."

Sighing, I say, "I.. I know now, that telling them about your preference is not something viable right now. But, if you decide to do it, and if anything, anything goes wrong, you have a place in my home Darla. Well, I don't have a home yet, but in 3 years, I will. And then, you can stay with me for however long you like."

"No.. no. Mason. I can't do that." Darla says, denying the help.

Is simply shut her up with a look, and say, "You're my friend. My first friend, and my best friend. I will always help you. Take this help, Darla, and don't think you're alone in this. Okay?"

Darla nods, so smirking at her, I ask, "Want to see what else this room can do?"

Darla nods, and exclaims, "Fuck yeah. I've been thinking about it since you brought me here."

Chuckling at her enthusiasm, I decide to show her the Room of Lost things. She isn't out of her troubles yet, but her mind is a bit lighter. Whatever happens, I'll help her through it.

---

"Where the bloody hell were you two? Me and Ana spent hours trying to find you!" Dorea asks, as soon as I and Darla enter the Library, and our usual spot.

I just look at Dorea confused, and say, "We were gone only for an hour, Dorea. How did you spend hours?"

Dorea flushes, and says, "Well it did feel like hours, because you weren't there with me."

Shaking our heads at her flirting, even when embarrassed, we sit down. Tom wasn't there today, as he had gone off for Quidditch practice. Oh, yeah. He's on the team, as a chaser.

Dorea looks at me, then turns to Darla, then back at me again. Finally, with a horrified look on her face, she whispers out, "An hour?! At 14?! I'm going to have to up my game, if Darla can keep up with him for an hour."

Darla immediately has a grossed out look on her face, while I slap Dorea on the head. Ana simply starts laughing loudly, not caring for the place, ie the Library. Thank God, I'd cast "Muffliato" as soon as I came here.

Huh. Snape hasn't invented it yet. So I think, I invented it. Nice. Gotta patent this spell.

"Ignoring Dorea's dirty mind, what are we doing today?" I say, and ignore Dorea's indignation.

Ana controls her laughter, and answers, "Charms. But not the one's we have for this year. I want to learn the Patronus."

Smiling at her, I say, "Of all the spells in the book you chose the one spell I haven't tried yet."

Everyone looks shocked at that, and it's understandable. I was at least 3 years ahead in every subject. So me not knowing Patronus, was a shock.

"The Great all powerful Mason Aves, does not know the Patronus charm?" Darla asks, elbowing me.

Frowning at her, I say, "I never needed to learn that spell, so I didn't. Now's a good time though, isn't it?"

Dorea nods, and shouts, "YES! NOW I'LL SHOW YOU DARLA! ME AND MASON WILL HAVE MATCHING PATRONUSES!"

Groaning, all three of us simply get up and leave to find an empty classroom to try the spell in. Leaving the excited Dorea to follow us.

Time to learn the Patronus baby.

---

A/N: I really hope I did the talk justice. Now, a lot of people want both Dorea and Helena, but I simply can't do that as long as Mason is mortal, and yes, he is mortal.

So, for now, it'll only be Helena. He still thinks of Dorea as a cute puppy. But, he will be immortal some day. Literally every Self Insert becomes immortal anyway.

Tata!