Abraxas is snickering when he says it. He’s just loud enough to grate - nothing new - but in what should be the quiet sanctity of the library, his tone sufficiently pulls Tom from his reading.
His eyes lock on Abraxas across from him and flick to the ‘they’ in question.
And, of course, it’s the Grangers.
Since entering the magical community, Tom has learned a thing or two about their societal norms. An interesting component being that it is surprisingly challenging to be seen as ‘odd’ here. A wixen can be any number of things: lazy, stupid, poor, muggle - the list goes on, but ‘odd’ is a category used sparingly when directed towards each other. Much unlike the muggles Tom has known and grown his whole life around.
He was always seen as odd by them - freakish - and continues to be whenever he returns to the orphanage for summer. So he doesn’t much care for the word.
Besides, if anything, the Grangers aren't even worth gawking over and snickering about. Their worst can be summed up to anti-socialistic, codependent, and exclusionary behaviours - probably a trauma response from the war. They clearly have no interest in playing house with their dormmates or the rest of the school, so why bother?
They are sitting beneath the second-story stair landing where the elves have managed to shove one last table. It’s one of the more tucked away and private places on this level — a place Tom would not consider and will not consider; he needs to be visible, available — and they’ve claimed it like it’s never belonged to anyone else. Like it was placed there just for them. Their ease of acclimation to Hogwarts as a whole has certainly raised some eyebrows, yet still, he isn’t concerned.
He had also known Hogwarts was his home the moment he had stepped foot in it, after all. He is not so foolish as to believe himself an outlier.
Hermione Granger’s hands are waving wildly, turning in circles and gesturing in a vague sphere-like shape. She’s talking aloud - not that Tom, or anyone else, can hear it - and doesn’t seem to like what she’s saying, given the harsh line between her brows. Ronald Granger is sitting in front of her and starts shaking his head. He says something and reaches across the table to take her wrists — expands them — the sphere becomes an oval.
Harry Granger sits beside them pensive, with his head down and reading carefully from a book in his hands. He starts to turn the page but pauses; he frowns and looks up.
He looks right at Tom.
Granger blinks once, slowly. He mouths something, but it’s not directed towards Tom because his siblings turn to look at him. It only lasts a moment before they suddenly turn around to stare at Tom as well, their eyes wide and alarmed.
Tom watches on as Harry Granger slouches - maybe sighs? He shakes his head and palms his face in something like dismay. It doesn't take a legilimens to read his lips now—
“You are both such idiots.” He says.
The corner of Tom’s lips curl. It’s possibly a smile. He’ll never call it that out loud.
People associate being a ‘good artist’ with understanding theory and skill level , which is true absolutely. Though as advice from someone who has done art for a long time, no matter what reason you make art for, having a healthy attitude towards yours and other people’s art will help you go the extra mile (or kilometre.. idk). Being able to view other’s pieces in a way that is inspiring (WITHOUT putting yourself down) and allowing yourself to improve are included in this.
Cellbit: It's a rotten Egg, what is this?! This is not Richas! [...] I think [Forever] made a fake Richas.
Antoine: I think he's really thinking it's Richas.
Cellbit: I think he’s pretending this is Richas.
[NOTE: To avoid causing panic, the admins confirmed to Cellbit that this is not the real Richarlyson, this is a fake Egg made of stone.]
[sits bolt upright from lying on the floor, idly contemplating the ceiling at 5:29 p.m.]
MAYBE I’M NOT WORTHLESS! MAYBE I’M NOT EVIL WRAPPED IN DISGUISE! MAYBE I’M NOT STAINED AND DIRTY AND CORRUPTED IN MY SOUL! MAYBE I’M NOT HORRID! MAYBE PEOPLE REALLY WEREN’T TOTALLY TRICKED INTO LIKING ME! MAYBE I’M NOT A BLACK STAIN AND DRAIN ON THE WORLD! MAYBE I ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING GOOD TO SHARE!
I laughed at this but it's unironically how all wataei fans sounded this summer when the first half of the fine climax dropped and we thought eichi hadnt told wataru about the arranged engagement with tori's sister And now theres some new girl proposing marriage? Eichi. You're still gay and that's FINAL