บท 9: Banquet Conversations

Charles Gaunt POV

Charles sat at the table with his head low, paying the sorting only the most minimal attention required. Occasionally, when someone he knew put on the hat, he would look up but everyone else, was destined to be ignored.

After he got sorted into Slytherin, Hermione was sent to the Gryffindor table, as was Neville. In fact every one of his new acquaintances were sorted into Gryffindor. There was Emily, Hermione, Neville, Harry, Ron, Fay and Lavender, and only Isobel was sent to Ravenclaw. Charles felt frustrated that friends one through seven were all in a different house to him, but Charles could get over that, however, what he was struggling to come to terms with was that there was something about him that everyone else seemed to know that he didn't.

He remembered when he had got back from 'changing his clothes' and Emily had looked at him strangely. She was fine before he left, so what happened?

'One of those girls must have told her about whatever this thing I don't know is, shit.' The more Charles thought about it all the angrier he got. What was it? How come everyone knew? If the students knew then the teachers must have known also, so why didn't they tell him? He ground his teeth in silence, searching his memories for any clues and then it hit him, 'Of course!' He raised his head abruptly, shocking the people watching him. 'I was thinking that everyone reacted that way after they first saw me, but that's wrong. It wasn't when they saw me, but instead when I introduced myself. That's why not everybody reacted, some people didn't know there was a reason to. Other than this, nothing else makes sense. It's my name!'

Gaunt. A name that Charles hadn't had for long, a name that was his yet still felt foreign in his mind. All his life he had been just Charles, with no surname, and even now he had to remind himself he actually had one. That was why something so simple had alluded him for as long as it had. He had tried to think about his surname as little as possible the months. It was a reminder of the family he didn't have, and it hurt to think about it. He couldn't go on hiding from it any longer, it was clear there was more to the name than he could have imagined and no matter how long it took, he had to find out it all.

"It's Charles, right?" from across the table came a familiar voice. "I'm right, aren't I? You should really eat something, its honestly delicious."

Charles looked at the boy talking to him. 'It's the guy who almost got pushed from the boat, Theo I think.' Theo was stabbing into a piece of steak and looking at him curiously. Charles looked around the table to see it covered in glorious amounts of delicious looking food. Roast chicken, roast beef, steak, potatoes of any kind, be it roasted, boiled or sliced into chips and crisps. There was everything he could ever want sitting right in front of him and he hadn't even noticed.

Charles reached forward, grabbing whatever he could to put on his golden plate. He ended up with a rather hearty looking roast dinner with roast potatoes and chicken, with a side of peas, parsnip and pigs in blanked, with a little too much gravy on top. He only stopped when he realised the other close by first-years started to look at him funnily.

Theo was holding in a laugh as he watched it all happen, which was when Charles spoke up, "Thank you for telling me, I hadn't noticed." That seemed to set Theo off as he let out the laugh he was suppressing.

"You hadn't noticed? You, did you even listen to the Headmaster's speech?" Theo questioned after speedily resumed a less joking manner.

Charles realised he hadn't. "No, did he say anything important?"

"Not really. You looked deep in thought, wasn't sure if I should disturb you."

He was definitely deep in thought, but Theo didn't need to know why. "Did I? Well I'm glad you did, otherwise I might still have been hungry right now. Your name's Theo?"

"Oh right I forgot to introduce myself, my dad would've hit me if he were here," Theo straightened his posture and said jokingly. "Theodore Nott, happy to meet you Charles," he held his hand out across the table and added on when it was not immediately taken, "It's rude not to shake you know."

"My apologies," for some reason Charles spoke more politely than usual. They shook hands and went back to their meals. It hadn't passed Charles by that their conversation was being listened in on. Blaise, the darker skinned youth who had also been on the boat, and two girls he hadn't seen before, were hardly being secretive as they leaned towards them a few seats away, trying to better hear what was being said.

Charles gestured towards them with his eyes to Theo. He chuckled, "Sorry, don't mind them, they're just curious. They're my friends, you mind if they join us?" Charles didn't really care, so he quickly shook his head.

"Great! You can stop sneaking around now guys. Come over."

The three shuffled over, the girl with short dark brown hair and hazel eyes sitting next to Charles while the blonde and Blaise sat on the other side.

Theo introduced them, "This is Blaise, you might remember him trying to kill me on our little boat trip."

Charles smirked, Theo was quickly growing on him, "I remember. Charles Gaunt, happy to meet you." He copied Theo and reached his hand out, thinking himself a little funny.

However, Theo and everyone else just smiled approvingly. "Blaise Zabini, and likewise." Blaise had a small smile on his otherwise stoic face as they shook hands.

Theo moved on to the blonde, "And this is – "

"Daphne Greengrass, a pleasure," she shot a piercing glare towards Theo that seemed to say, 'I can introduce myself.' She directed her attention back to Charles and he got a better look at her. Daphne was as tall as Charles sitting down and her eyes stood out the most from her face. Deep blue and cold, her long hair pulled back to show them off. Charles liked the colour.

"I like your eyes," he told her plainly and looked to his left and waited to hear the last girl's name.

She grinned with a hint of mischief, "Tracey Davis." She looked back and forth between Charles and Daphne, "Mum said I should look out for boys like you." She didn't elaborate any further, and Charles grew curious as to what she meant.

"How come?" he asked her.

Tracey didn't get a chance to answer however, as Daphne interjected too quickly. "Just ignore her, Charles. She doesn't know what she's talking about."

'Neither do I,' thought Charles, 'But if she doesn't know.' "Then you tell me." Charles genuinely wanted to know, but Daphne thought he was teasing her.

Tracey thought so to and eagerly joined in, "Yeah go on, tell him Daphne."

Daphne's cheeks were going pink and having noticed, Charles sought relieve her of the cause, right before she was about to speak. "Actually don't worry about it Daphne. I'll just figure it out in my own time," he added a reassuring smile but for some reason her she got even pinker. She looked and Charles was sure he sure her pouting.

Blaise and Theo were laughing to each other and Tracey was looking at him with admiration. 'What did I do?' Charles was confused but they seemed to be enjoying themselves, so it was fine.

They continued talking and when Daphne joined back in, Charles learned that they had all known each other since they were little. Apparently, they were also friends with that Draco Malfoy, but he was off trying to scurry favour with the senior students, along with their other friend called Pansy.

They ate as they talked, and Charles was able to mostly forget the troublesome matter to do with his name. He was sure they knew something, but they were holding back and deliberately avoiding questions to do with him, other than surface level things like, 'what's your favourite food' or 'hobby' and what not. Charles didn't mind as luckily, they were in the same house and he could simply ask them later, after he was more familiar with them.

And so, when the deserts appeared magically, Charles simply filled his stomach and enjoyed the conversation with his new friends. A silent agreement to speak about the more important matters at a later time.