Kelvin had practically begged Patrick to help him get out of the house.  It had been over a month since he had told his parents he wasn't straight and while his mother wasn't exactly making his life hell, she was not making him feel welcome at home.  At least he was able to stay clear of her most of the time, the benefit of living in a house that had to be big enough that magic could be used on one side and computers on the other side.  But it was all taking it's toll on Kelvin; there was only so much reading and talking to his dad and trips to the library with his dad and cold-shoulders at dinner from his mother he could handle without a break, and he was quickly reaching the end of his rope. 

Which was why he had pestered his brother over the last week, by every means imaginable, to get him out of the house.  To go anywhere really, though he hadn't quite planned on ending up in Diagon Alley.  But that was where Patrick had said he was going, and that was where Kelvin could tag-along to while Patrick took care of whatever he needed to do there.  So Kelvin had spent the last few hours shopping.  Not that he had really brought enough money to buy anything, but he had managed to talk his brother out of a few galleons, which added to his own allowed him to buy a a couple second-hand transfiguration books and an ice cream.

With a sigh, Kelvin sat down outside the shop and cracked open the first book, an old musty stiff volume that had obviously been sitting on the store's shelf for a long time.  He wouldn't be able to practice any of the spells, but he could at least be ready to try some out once he returned to Hogwarts.  Sitting in Diagon Alley reading waiting for his brother to do whatever it was he was off doing wasn't necessarily what he had hoped to do today, but it was certainly better than sitting at home reading a book, without the ice cream, while his mother tried to pretend he wasn't there.  Proping up the older book on the other one, Kelvin alternated between eating his dessert and watching people walk by, and skimming through the different spells in the book.

It had been an eventful two weeks[1] but Casey had survived his first attempt clubbing, getting mother the care she needed out of the house and unexpectedly following her into St. Mungo's a scant time later. He hadn't meant to be hospitalized but, confound it all, sometimes a man was tired of being short! A passion that clouded his judgment on why it may be a bad idea to make the Stretching Jinx permanent but all was not lost, the rest at St. Mungo's had fixed him up. Technically he should still be under Healer care, although today he had convinced the staff to let him wonder out provided he remain in observation overnight. There was only so much work you could get done when bedridden, even with the house elf bringing you all your materials.

As a bonus, anyone from school would be gobsmacked that Casey O'Doherty actually had a growth spurt. The inches made him on the smaller end of heights for boys his age, in some ways he would always be short but at least there was now a foot difference between him and Clogg-Spleen, undoubtedly the shortest specimen in their year.

Walking was slightly awkward (even more than trying to dance with a different center of gravity, something echoed from his subconscious) given his legs were not yet completely even but that would clear up in a day or so. He'd be checked out of the hospital before next weekend for sure.

While he could check out with ease, mother was going to be a prolonged recovery even with magical healing. And once she was out by no means was he subjecting her to Doherty Manor again. So, with every Prophet and magazine with classifieds that floated over his hospital bed Casey had been searching for rooms for rent, preferably safe yet easily accessible. Though mother had no once of magic in her, the wizarding world was still rated an overall safer location.

The trek brought Casey to Fortescue's, middle of the list. Back when Fortescue had been alive he had owned the whole top to bottom of his slice of the building over the shop that still bared his name in honor. One floor up had "studio space" available, suggesting it was better sorted for business than domestic but layout was negligible.

However, all thoughts of renting or family drifted from his mind when Casey caught sight of the peer outside reading and eating ice cream. Kelvin Watkins, meaning he was in Alvis Norling's house. Reading, not for pleasure, but a Transfiguration text. How very much like a Ravenclaw (as Casey conveniently forgot how much extra reading he did out of class, but that was different as he was only expanding his spell casting repertoire).

"Racing ahead or catching up, Watkins?" Casey said, stopping level with Kelvin's fleeting gaze.

1.	read: stuff that hasn't been posted yet! But I say 'pooh!' to strict chronology!

Kelvin looked the other young wizard in the eye, as he placed his hand on the book to keep the breeze from turning the page.  Casey wasn't exactly someone Kelvin had hoped to have a chance meeting with on his excursion, but any human interaction was better than none, even if it was a Slytherin.  "Racing ahead, O'Doherty," he said addressing him by his last name, not something Kelvin usually did except in response to being addressed by his. "Though more like racing off to the side."  Glancing at the book, "Some advanced topics it looks like, but mostly parallel concepts and spells to what we learn and are supposed to learn at school."

"Did you get taller?"  Kelvin asked, though it was more an observation that he hadn't really meant to say.  Kelvin himself was on the tall side now for his age after several growth spurts since the beginning of the year.  "Sorry.  You're taller.  Congrats?...Yeah..."  An embarrassed blush crept across his face.

"Racing ahead, O'Doherty, though more like racing off to the side."

"Really?" Casey said, looking at the title of the book. One he didn't recognize. If his classmates were branching out in magic Casey should do so twofold. He usually rated Charms or Defense higher than Transfiguration, an experimental subject as much as it was built on established spells.

Casey smiled when Kelvin was confused on his height. "Yes, just enough in fact. Didn't upset the wardrobe too much, only a few old clothes I wouldn't need anymore."

He noted the short menu on the table, contemplating buying a treat. He'd have to stick to sorbet, nothing with dairy in it. "I pegged you the type to go on the Egyptian tour, although I suppose that's only if you have the time and if you're interested." Casey could have gone, he supposed, but summers gave him even more flexibility to get things done. Things he wanted to do.

Kelvin smiled at the clothes comment, his blush receding, "Yeah, I think all of my uniform clothes are now too short.  Not looking forward to replacing them."  Hopefully his mother would stop ignoring him long enough to go shopping for school supplies and clothes.  If he had to go with his dad, Kelvin would basically be on his own getting everything.

"My mother and father are historians.  I've been on school trips to Egypt a few times."  He said laughing, "Not to say I wouldn't enjoy another trip there, but I had other plans for the summer."  And my mother rescinded her permission, he thought to himself.  He saw Casey look at the menu on the table.  "You're welcome  join me."  Kelvin closed the transfiguration book after placing a piece of scrap paper in it to mark his place, placing the books in the chair next to him, clearing the table to everything but his ice cream and the shop's menu.  "The ice cream is delicious and I think they might have started enchanting the cups so it doesn't melt quickly.  Great for reading or talking."

"Supposedly there's also Non-Melt brands of ice cream, although it's side to give a nastier ice cream headache. Not that I've tasted any." Even with the choice of sorbet he had to be careful on fruits. He was tempted to tackle his annoying little allergies...but then look what messing with his height had gotten him.

"Give me a minute," Casey said, entering the establishment. He hadn't expected company. Being with other people was not something Casey took time to do. Previously in his life, at least. It was coming more apparent that such was the fuel for why everyone considered him a snobby git.

Well, one interaction at a time, like his repetitious spell practice. And after days in a St. Mungo's ward, anyone would want human interaction.

Casey returned to the table with a reddish-purple scoop, taking the open seat. A taste to make sure it was satisfactory. He realized he didn't have any idea as for a conversation topic. "Get the chance to go to Diagon often, then?"

Enjoying his ice-cream, slowly since either because of enchanted cups or the brand the ice-cream was not melting, Kelvin watched the witches and wizards going about their business up and down the street waiting for his yearmate to get back with his own dessert.

"Not so much this summer," He said with a frown. "But in the past, yeah.  My parents and brother let me come along.  I got my brother to bring me with him today, then he disappeared, off doing whatever older brothers do when they don't want you around." Laughing at the obvious attempt by both of them now to find a topic,  Kelvin asked, "And you? Do you come here often?"

Casey had another spoonful of his berry blend sorbet. "I can come whenever I want, although I don't choose to come frequently," he said, not going into details of how that was accomplished. If you mentioned the family not trusting the Floo, you had to have a better excuse for transport if you didn't want to say the elf took you.

"Easier than dealing with siblings. Not that I have any but my cousins are annoying enough. Unbelievable pentchant for descruction they have, makes you wish they stayed on thier wing of the manor." The day they got wands the magic outbreaks were only going to get worse until they were educated. Only because of the O'Doherty fortune could every single toy and item of theirs get replaced. Repeatedly.

"I'm proud to be an annoying little brother, though given our age difference, I never got a lot of time to annoy him." Kelvin said smiling before eating the last bite of his ice cream.  "But it's not so bad having to deal with him.  Sometimes he even comes in handy, like today."  He looked down at the empty cup in front of him, wishing he had some more, though any more would probably make him sick since he had not yet had a proper meal that day.  Just snacks and ice cream.  "I'm glad though that I don't have to deal with anyone younger than me living in the house."  Though it would be nice to share the house with someone other than his parents at the moment, He thought to himself.

As they talked, there was something unbeknownst to the young Slytherin's perception. Blue splotches, like freckles having internal bleeding mass behind them, were sprouting on his face. Starting by the mouth, then spiraling up and down across the face and the neck.

"Just last month Kennedy, that's the youngest, decided to spray the drawing room with bottled ink. Without magic. It's a wonder how he got it done." And what that mess of ink uncovered, accidently. Still odd to dwell upon that, but then he'd never had done any of those stunts at Spellpunk if he hadn't realized just how authentic the Hexy disguise was going to become.

You'd think all Casey ever did was complain about his folks, so he decided to change subjects. "But already we are halfway through the summer and soon it'll be school and the Tournament. A pity that only the elder students can enter." Casey would gladly trade whatever for the chance to have a Potter fluke and be a fourth year competing in the Tournament. Although good luck of that slight chance ever happening again.

Kelvin laughed imagining a young kid spray ink everywhere before the change in subject.  "I have no desire..."Kelvin trailed off as he noticed the blue marks appearing on Casey's face. "Ummm Casey, there are bruises or something all over your face."  He moved aside so that Casey could see his reflection in the window behind him.

"What?" Casey sounded shocked, reaching to feel his face. No bumps. He tried the mirrored spoon trick put the reflection was too small and distorted.

"Confound it!" In an instant his wand was in his hand and the spoon was transfigured into a mirror. Kelvin was correct, as the blue splotches enlarged it did look like he had been beaten about the face with irregular bruising. Bruising colored in such a fashion that it would only be possible if instead of blood what flowed through his veins was the juice of...

"Blueberries! Salazar's Shiny Pate, I told them no blueberries!" It was coin flipping when it came to which berry left side effects in Casey. Strawberries were more deadly, raspberry or blackberry he could handle, and blueberry did this. And he knew he had ordered precisely that his Berry Blend Sorbet be constructed without blueberries.

Blueberries did this?  The boy across from Kelvin seemed more angry than in pain but... "Casey, I think we should get you to a healer?"  Kelvin said worry evident in the way he watched as the blue splotches grew bigger and Casey began to look like he'd been in a very rough fight.  He'd never heard of blueberries doing this to someone.  Some of his muggle friends were allergic to things, though they just tended to swell up, not turn blue and bruised.

"What?" Casey snapped, forgetting that he was sitting in the middle of Diagon Alley with a classmate. "Oh," his tone lessened as he stopped thinking about just himself, "it's not that life threatening. More of an annoyance, really. Stains my skin several hours although a good detoxifier will clear that up."

Turning blue was not one of Casey's favorite pastimes especially when he could avoid it, being one of the more obvious signs that there was something wrong with him. He pitched the remaining sorbet into the street in disgust.

"I suppose you've now seen a face full of it," Casey told Kelvin. "The mighty Casey O'Doherty, underhanded by blueberries!"

"I don't know." Kelvin said thoughtfully, "Kinda looks like you've been in a fight.  And given that a real bruise that color would still hurt like hell and since you don't seem in pain, makes you look tough."  Kelvin held his face in a serious expression for a moment or two before he smiled and chuckled.

"Too bad you aren't a Ravenclaw.  Would make showing house pride really easy.  Just a handful of blueberries for breakfast and you've got a blue face.  Cleaner than paint, safer than charming.  Though it'd need to be more blue to have the right effect otherwise you ..."  Kelvin rambled on before catching himself with a laugh.  "Sorry. Anything turn you green?" He asked with a smirk.