((seeing as future threads are typically so sketchy anyway, I’m putting Archer at 11, especially since I just don’t know how far in the future this is. Also... I'm so sorry.))
Sunny Dyllan always seemed to notice Archer. His parents did as well, of course, but the last day of August was a busy day indeed. Everyone was hurriedly finishing their packing, tracking down lost robes and books, attempting to cage pets that would need to make the journey too. Archer was packed and ready – he was the meticulous Dyllan-Morrison, after all, so organization and forethought was sort of his thing. While the home of Layabout Lane was overturned, he sat quietly at the end of his bed, a muggle book in his lap that had been given to him by “Uncle” Albus Potter. Plato. He had read it before, but he understood more and more of it with every reread. His single trunk was patiently waiting next to his door, his room tidy and orderly, and his owl asleep in her cage. Of course he had an owl – it was the most practical pet to have.
Sunny did not knock – a familial trait that stressed comfort and lack of privacy. Archer looked up at the woman he had called his cousin for the past eleven years, even though they both knew she was a sister. He called her by what she was technically because he was a technical boy, but Sunny was his sister more than anyone else in the world. And she was more his parents child than he could ever hope to be. Every trait of his parents had somehow skipped him, whereas Sunny had collected every good scrap of Jack and every wonderful bit of Max. Nevertheless, she seemed the most drawn to him of everyone in the house – and there was a small village within the confines of Layabout Lane. Rudy and Nikki were close because of the similarity of age, and Sunny and Archer were close because… who knew why?
“Big bad first year, reading Greek political theory,” Sunny said, leaning in the doorway, her dark red hair spilling out of the messy ponytail. “Is that what Master Potter gave you?”
Archer nodded. “Yeah – it was one of his copies, but he got a box set for Christmas a few years ago.”
“Fancy,” Sunny said, her American accent as strong as ever. She could not make herself blend in if she tried. She came into the room, closing the door behind her, flicking the overhead light on. Archer’s owl, Hypatia, hooted in irritation and Sunny stooped. “Sorry, Patia, I’m not nocturnal.” The owl shook herself indignantly and buried her head under her wing. Archer quietly memorized the page number and closed his book, reaching over to set the book on his desk. Sunny stood and walked over to his window, pulling the blinds to reveal the comfortable neighborhood that her mom had settled into with the man that was exactly the sort of father she had always wanted.
“This house can never leave the family,” Sunny said fondly.
Archer stared at her back and heaved a shrug. “Okay.” A house was a house. He guessed this house was nice, but he was sure it was as good as any. Then again, his experience was limited, he supposed. He didn’t want to hurt Sunny’s feelings, since she felt so strongly on the point, and he felt so little. “I like it.”
Sunny turned and watched her brother. “Excited?”
“No.”
“What are you?”
“Prepared.”
Sunny smiled, but it faded slowly. “Mom and Dad are trying to help Rudy and Nikki for tomorrow. They’ll be better tomorrow. You know how scattered Max can be. And Jack’s not exactly hypersensitive. But they’re so excited for you. And sad. But… you know… good sad”
“I know,” Archer said. He stared at Sunny, whose wide eyes seemed to want to see through what she thought was a carefully constructed exterior. Sure, Archer had been a little disheartened by the inattention, but he also knew himself to be skittish among a careful eye, so he had little right to feel jilted either. It was his first year, yes, but had he not been the one to insist that no one treat him any differently? “Tomorrow will be better, I know.” He smiled, certain that this optimistic phrase would win the ever idealist in Sunny. Archer was clever, and his deduction was correct. She smiled and headed for the door, before casting a quick look out the window.
“You should keep the blinds open,” she suggested. “Sometimes, when I got homesick at Hogwarts, I just wished I could look out and see my own neighborhood. You know?”
Archer stared at his sister, who seemed to love this house and this family more than she loved breath. This home would never be anything short of her favorite place in the whole world. He guessed it made sense, considering her strange gifts, and lack thereof. Home had always been the best comfort for her, where she most belonged. Somehow, Archer did not think he would be able to explain that to Sunny, though. “Yeah, I do,” Archer lied.
- - -
He was up first, surely. His alarm went off and he quickly showered and dressed, before grabbing his trunk and heading off into the kitchen with it. His eleven years in this life would indicate that he would be the first to rise. After all, he had set his alarm for an insanely early wake-up call – not out of nerves, but preparedness. He did his best to quietly carry his trunk to the door, setting it gently beside the door, before heading towards the kitchen. He would make himself a quick cup of tea, a light breakfast, maybe make a sandwich for the train ride.
He was surprised, therefore, to see the kitchen already occupied, and occupied by none other than his mother. To further surprise him, she had made tea, rather than opened a can of soda. She was sitting facing the kitchen window, watching the sun rise, hands cupping the warm mug. She wasn’t even nearing forty, and somehow managed to look ten years older and younger all the same. There was something perpetually young in her face, her humor he supposed, that kept her skin firm and bright. But she also looked as though she had never slept a full night’s sleep in her entire life. Archer had never been sure what to make of his mother. Sunny kept assuring him that he would understand Jack when he got older. He supposed he had to trust her on that.
“Morning, mum,” he said.
She started and turned to see him. “Archer – it’s so early.” She grinned. “You’re like me, I guess. I like an early start.” He raised an eyebrow, feeling as though this trait did not fit his sloppy, jokester of a mother. But she was not one to lie, so he would take it for truth or denial. She overturned a mug and poured a handsome amount, before setting it before a chair. He slowly approached the chair and sat, taking a drink of the tea. Strong. His mother’s tea was always strong.
“It’s a good view,” his mother said. Archer followed her gaze, looking out the window. Their entire neighborhood was on soft hills, so he could see beyond the next row of houses to green pastures. The sun stretched orange fingers across the land, warming everything with a brilliant autumn haze. He had closed the blinds after Sunny had left and could not find it within him to regret the action – bed had called. But now, he supposed he understood what advantage this house had on other houses. Not every house could have such a nice view.
“I like it,” he said, this time, a bit more decidedly.
Jack looked over at him and smiled. “Now, I’ve said it to Sunny, and Nikki, and Rudy – the ‘your father and I love you and support you no matter what’ speech. And as you can see, they have took it to heart. Nearly one of every House. But, Archer, I think you know that a House barely says anything about a person. Look at your father – a Hufflepuff, and yet he sure knows how to trick you all into eating your vegetables like a true Slytherin. And I’m the Gryffindor who knows everything, because your mother knows everything.” She smirked. He tried to keep the sigh – jokes, always jokes.
Jack studied her son for a moment, before slowly waving her wand. A piece of parchment appeared and she handed it to him. “You remember me showing you this?” She muttered the familiar phrase, and the writing of the Marauder’s Map unfolded. Archer nodded, remembering the stories this map had birthed. “Take it with you.”
Archer looked up. “Mum-“
Jack shook her head. “Your siblings never needed help getting into trouble. Without the right encouragement, I’m afraid you’ll never break a rule.” She smiled, before firmly setting the parchment in his hands. “It’s my gift, Archer.”
He looked down at it for a long time, and then up at his mother. He whispered, “Mischief managed,” and the writing disappeared. He tucked the map away and his mother smiled. She looked back out the window, and sipped on her tea, falling into a long quiet musing.
He, too, was enjoying the silence and the peace of the morning, when Jack decided to break the silence. “Archer – you’re going to love Hogwarts in ways your siblings never have, and you’re going to dislike it for reasons they never even considered. I want you to go into Hogwarts and be unashamedly you. I can’t tell you to make friends or to watch out for yourself… because I trust you, love.” She looked at him for a long moment, and then lightened the mood with a smile. “And I don’t want to be too much of a mom, so I promise not to hug if you don’t want me to. I’m not sentimental anyway. And I won’t cry.” She grinned a bit wider. “Your dad might, but I promise I won’t.”
Archer nodded. “Okay, mom.”
Right before he boarded the train for the first time, he let him mom hug him, and he hugged her back. Nice and tight. It was for this reason that she broke her promise, and cried as soon as she and her husband were back at home all by themselves.
- - -
Archer had decided to investigate this Giant Squid rumor. Sure, his mother had always claimed to be great pals with the creature, but he was never sure of when she was teasing and when she was serious. He had spent very little time outside, choosing instead to put his mother’s map to use and get to know the ins and outs of the castle. Soon, he knew of every quiet place in the castle that provided the peace he preferred for reading. The boy knew, though, that the good weather would continue on its way and his chance to meet a marine oddity would be delayed until spring. If he wanted to see the Squid, he needed to begin trying now.
After his History of Magic class - a class he seemed to be the lone pupil of, for everyone else seemed asleep or brain dead within moments of the class beginning – he headed out of the castle and veered towards the lake. He found, as he approached the spot he had once spotted ripples, that he was not the only one enjoying the nice weather. Among others, his cousins (or something like that), the Hayes, were roughhousing along the beach of the Great Lake. He slowed his gait – he had not interacted much with his fellow students, yet, and certainly not with elder ones. But, he supposed it would be good to start with family. They would be more forgiving, after all.
As he approached, he called out, “Hi Kelly, Liam.” He looked out to the lake, clutching his History of Magic textbook, unable to keep some of the wonder off of his face. “Is there really a Giant Squid in there?”
by 
