Johann shook himself awake as he jumped out of bed. He was abnormally tired, and his shoulder, where Will gave him that half nelson started to ache. "I should have known..." Johann muttered as he massaged his shoulder helplessly, trying to get the pain to disappear.
"You got some guts," a boy muttered from behind the long green couch that was set a few feet from the fireplace. Johann wasn't surprised to find it was Will, but he was surprised that he could identify who he was.
"How did you know?" Johann asked the young man as he stood a seat at a chair near the intimidating boy.
"You're too noisy. You need to learn to relax, I ain't going to kill you. To tell the truth I hate fighting," Will sighed. Last night Will had taken the time to think about Johann, and what he would do in the stubborn first year's place, a smile appeared on his face, he had never been fond of the slytherin's either. No matter how much control Will had of his thoughts, he still couldn't help but realizing that he would have done the same thing, and that could have been even worse.
"It's kind of hard with a stiff shoulder," Johann muttered sarcastically, surprised to find that Will was chuckling, Johann guessed that Will wasn't kidding when he said that Johann reminded him of himself.
"Sorry, I figured I'd have to put you in your place. You'll need to get control of that temper quickly. You almost got kicked out," Will advised as the fire held his gaze.
"Yeah, I guess I have some ridicule to get rid of as well. That little show at the Great Hall couldn't have said much for me, " Johann said as he placed his cowboy hat on his head. "Got any advice for me?"
"You bet," Will said, as he got to his feet, as he headed out of the common room. "I'll explain at breakfast, come on!"
Johann chuckled and shook his head as he followed behind Will.
As they trotted down the main stairway, Will stopped to say "hello" to a few students that he knew. Entering the Great Hall, Will sat down at his usual spot near the front of the table, leaving room for Johann at the very end. "First thing you should do, is find some quiet time so you can meditate, maybe during lunch. Best if you have someone to accompany you. I have lunch at a different time then you, so I won't be able to. Next you should think before you say anything," Will said as he slapped some scrambled eggs on his plate, followed by a castle high mountain of ketchup.
Johann just had a bowl of cereal, and started pouring milk into it as he kept his ears tuned into Will. "Easier said than done," Johann muttered as he took a spoonful of cereal and shoved it in his mouth.
"You can say that again," Will chuckled as he mixed the ketchup in with his eggs. Before Johann had a chance to say it again, Will added, "Better yet, just keep your mouth shut until someone is talking to you. And if it's a slytherin, unless you know what he or she wants, just play it cool."
"I think I can manage that," Johann said shaking his head, as he finished off his cereal and sat around talking with Will.
* * *
"Good morning," a boy said to Alvender as he came down the stairs. "I just wanted to ask you something."
"Sure, what is it?" Alvender asked wearily, as he slowly approached the boy, dodging in and out of the already forming crowd in the common room.
"You know that guy that was causing the trouble at the feast last night?" the boy asked.
"You mean that Jordan kid?" Alvender asked, yet some how he knew the guy meant Johann.
"No, the kid who punched him," the boy added, knowing that Alvender was playing games with him.
"No," Alvender answered evenly, he had no wishes to get Johann into a fight, being cautious about Erica's advice.
"You're lying," the guy smirked, as he chuckled. "I suggest you tell me everything about the kid, or he might be in deep trouble."
Alvender flinched, why was he the one to always be blackmailed? What was he to do? "Fine, he's my best friend."
"I knew we could come to terms, now follow me to breakfast and I'll explain the plan," the guy said patting Alvender roughly on the shoulders.
"Alvender!" a girl's called from behind them. Alvender sighed with relief, but made it seem like he was annoyed, he was glad that Erica had been looking after him.
"Yes?" Alvender asked alittle too eager, he wanted nothing less than to get out of his situation.
"You said you'd sit with me and my friends today at lunch right?" she asked equally eager, except Alvender knew it was just because he was famous, and he turned out as nice and as soft-hearted as she had hoped.
"Yeah sure!" Alvender said as he turned his attention back to the boy, who was now looking annoyed. "I'll catch you later maybe. I have to go."
The boy muttered something inaudible, and Alvender grinned from ear to ear as he let Erica drag him off to meet her eager friends.
"How did Alvender end up being the chick-magnet?" Johann sighed as he watched Alvender come in with about 5 girls on either side of him. Alvender waved as he found what he was looking for, obviously he was looking for him.
As Johann waved back, Will commented, "It seems to be doing him some good. He is Alvender McCollan, one of the best young authors in the states and elsewhere. He deserves to feel famous. It seems he's a bit timid. Having girls waiting on him every second, will do some good for his self-esteem."
"I guess I just take it for granted. I mean I never saw him as anything special, I guess that's why he picked me as a friend, because I saw him for not being a famous author, but as the person he was. I suppose you're right about him though, he was always lacking self-esteem, probably because he was my shadow everywhere I went," Johann reasoned.
"See, you're already taking my advice. You might get along get in Ravenclaw after all," Will cut in, Johann just looked at Will, then they both had a hearty laugh.
