Chapter Three: Sometimes there's those people that get all the attention whether they like it or not. Oliver rather likes it.

0-0-0-0

0-0-0-0

The entirety of Hogwarts knew the year was going to be a long one once Alfred Jones and Arthur Kirkland discovered each other. Really, it had been Jones' fault for goading the other boy when an apology would have done, but Arthur had a reputation for being overly emotional and a tendency to grate on people.

Alfred had stepped on Arthur's tail in the middle of charms class.

"Oi! Watch where you're walking!" Arthur had hissed.

Alfred (Who everyone would learn was terrified of snakes, 'Indiana Jones is scared of snakes!' but only a handful of people knew he was talking about those muggle movies) immediately became defensive, "Watch where you're crawling! Not my fault you take up half the floor!"

Which was exactly the wrong thing to say to someone who was self-conscious of standing out (Not so much of his appearance, but it was appearance that made him stand out and it was a complicated feeling for an 11-year-old).

Alfred ended up with a levitating goblet being thrown at him. Arthur hissed and recoiled when Alfred cast a spell that sent a small mass of fireworks popping and whirling in his face.

Arthur demonstrated his talent for transfiguration when suddenly Alfred was face first on the floor with an uncontrollable lower body of octopus legs.

"See how you like it!" Arthur had wailed, and fled the room with some mild scorch marks.

The entirety of Hogwarts knew something bad was going to happen when Oliver Kirkland and Ivan Braginski befriended each other. Not that they had given anyone a reason to think so besides having the occasional, mutual bouts of strangeness.

Oliver had taken to making Ivan wear him like a backpack, wrapping his body around the hulking Hufflepuff's torso and propping the rest of himself against Ivan's shoulder so they were back-to-back. There was no particular reason other than Oliver liked to watch the looks on peoples' faces.

"Let me make sure I understand," Oliver was saying as he reclined against Ivan while they walked the grounds, "There is the muggle world, the magical world, and then Cards."

"Yes." Ivan confirmed cheerfully. He waved at someone who was gaping.

"They are all different layers of reality." Oliver mused, then he grinned to himself, "Like a parfait."

"This is an odd comparison, but yes. Layers. Will you walk yourself? You are getting heavy."

Oliver slithered away to lower himself to the ground. Ivan continued walking and Oliver moved at the other's pace. Even at most of his height he barely came to Ivan's shoulder. Oliver tapped his fingers together thoughtfully, "Even though the layers are separate, the people born in each reality can exist within each layer. Most of the time."

Ivan nodded and clarified, "Sometimes the realities are too different and the people cannot jump the in between." Ivan glanced at Oliver, "But Cards is similar enough to the magical and muggle worlds that we do not have the problem."

Oliver clapped his hands once, "I would like to see a purple tree," He nearly giggled, then glanced up at his companion, "And," He continued, "People from Cards are all magical, but not all magic people have a Gift."

"This is correct. The Gifted may have magic, but the magical may not have a Gift."

"And what is your Gift?" Oliver asked lightly.

Ivan raised an eyebrow, "It would seem to bend people's will to my own."

Oliver laughed, "Oh! That is delightful! Persuasion." He grinned with a gleam, "What do you do with a Gift like that?"

Ivan smiled brightly, "For now I enjoy the terrified looks on people's faces as they sense instinctively that they would not be able to fight anything I say or do."

Oliver pouted, "You mustn't abuse something like that."

Ivan's smile never changed, "I do not," He said, "In the same way you do not demonstrate that you can squeeze the air out of someone at a whim's notice but can display exactly how strong a snake's body can be."

Oliver's blue eyes may have flickered for a moment, "And who says I do that?"

Ivan laughed unnaturally, "No one did. I only said you can."

Oliver's expression was stiff before he brightened and switched the topic, "So I convinced the house elves to show me how to make these adorable little pastries…"

And such was the nature of their relationship - Odd and slightly threatening at best.