How to Master Sulking

Gregory was not happy to be in La Petit Dragon by himself. His cousin, Autumn, promised that making a friend -or enemy- in this pub was all part of the Beauxbatons experience. She told him that she'd meet up with him later.

So Greg sat alone, doing absolutely nothing in the middle of the crowded tavern. He tried to concentrate on doing nothing, but he discovered that thinking 'nothing' was indeed something.

So he sighed and sat back against his chair, waiting for Autumn. Maybe, just maybe, his sulking would not attract people.

But of course it didn't. There was always someone getting in his space when he was irritated.

Wolf was like an excited puppy as he entered the pub, wanting to see everything and running from this point to that. He had never been to Paris before and had been practicing his French he had been studying in muggle school in the years prior. Now he wished he had paid more attention in those classes. Especially since he was determined to attend Beauxbatons academy rather than Hogwarts when he became of age.

The two toned haired boy was determined to meet friends here. He could tell his Mum wanted to get going and get the shopping done, but he had escaped from her grip in order to talk to people. He spotted a boy with a rather somber look on his face. Wolfgang didn't know why he was attracted to someone who looked so moody, maybe because it was a most safe bet that he would annoy the boy and that would be fun, but he took a seat across from the boy.

"Hello!" He said, this word in French he knew well. "Why the long face? You look as if you learned your puppy had just died." He would be sympathetic if such had been the case. Wolfgang loved dogs, specifically wolves, but dogs were the version of wolves that was legal to own as a pet. Not that he owned a dog. The place he lived in wouldn't allow dogs, so Wolfgang instead got acquainted with the neighborhood dogs and strays.

Greg suppressed a sigh. He knew that Autumn would pinch the back of his arm if he were rude. Especially since the boy looked so different than himself. She was all about the "I don't care how you look you have some value" concept. Even though she wasn't here, she would find out. She was sneaky that way.

"Hi," Greg replied.

The boy with weird hair asked a very odd question. But its oddity was enough for Greg to open up. "No. There have been no recent deaths in my family. I'm just frustrated with my cousin," he explained. "She's a little... interesting," he stated, shaking his head. She was his best friend, but she was so wild. "Are you waiting for someone?" Greg asked.

Wolf didn't understand the boy's melancholy, but he supposed it was just how the boy was wired. "Well I am certainly glad to hear that no dogs have died recently," Wolfgang replied chipperly. He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with having to sit still. He wanted a butterbeer but didn't have the money for it. His Mum had the money and she probably wouldn't spare a few coins for the drink since they had a lot to buy that day and the Mavericks were far from well endowed.

"Are you frustrated with the fact that she's peculiar?" Wolfgang inquired. The boy was sitting alone so he wondered where this cousin of his was. "She sounds fantastic! I'd very much like to meet her. Not that you aren't intriguing enough," He added on and grinned amiably at the boy as he suddenly leaned forward and asked. "Can we flag down a waiter and ask for butterbeer?" with the complete intention of having his new friend pay for his drink as well.

"In an indirect way, I suppose I'm frustrated with her strangeness. She has a different point of view than I do," he admitted, trying not to smile. "But I'm really frustrated because she left me here by myself. She's going to meet up with her friends and says that being in this place is necessary for a 'well rounded first year experience'," he said, making air quotes around her ridiculous words. "She's just... herself."

Greg reached in his pocket and pulled out two sickles. He dropped them on the table and pushed them toward him. "Go for it. I hate butter beer," Greg encouraged, wrinkling his nose at the memory of trying it.

Wolfgang nodded. He thinks he understands. He didn't always get along with his parents views, but he still loved them very much. Sometimes it was frustrating, but he hung in there because he loved them. He could tell the curly haired kid loved his cousin, her quirks and all.

"She's coming back, right?" He inquired. "I really do want to meet her." He beamed as the boy slide him two sickles and then flagged down a waiter to place his order. He didn't understand how the kid didn't like butterbeer. Butterbeer was so sweet and filled you up inside with warmth. It was like the dream beverage of every kid.

"Try not to be offended that she left you on your own. Sometimes family wants to spend time with their own friends," Wolf offered, as the glass bottle of butterbeer was placed on the table before him.

Greg was thinking really hard. He knew he had forgotten something. "Autumn? She'll be here," he said absently. Then it hit him. "My name is Greg. I apologize for not introducing myself sooner."

Greg felt awkward. He had an almost full-length conversation about his life with someone whose name he did not know. Was he always that reckless? He wasn't sure anymore. If recklessness was a new part of his personality, he'd blame it on Autumn. She'd just do her own thing and not care about the trouble she could get into.

"Nah. I'm not offended by her. Just annoyed at the situation," Greg explained. "Being alone in a room full of people is kind of frightening."

Greg needed to move away from whatever philosopher he quoted. He was being weird. He could tell.

"And you never did answer me. Are you waiting for someone, too?"

"Wolfgang Maverick," Wolfgang offered in return to the boy's introduction. He didn't find it rude for it to take this long for an exchange of names to occur. In the time they could've wasted earlier exchanging names, they instead exchanged chatter and now Wolfgang had somewhat of a vague idea of what sort of person Greg was. And now he had the name to match it. It felt more natural this way to him and like time well spent.

Wolfgang fell silent as soon as the butterbeer was placed before him. He chugged about half the bottle as Greg voiced his annoyance. "Not so much when you're with a friend though," Wolfgang noted and grinned at the boy. Were they not considered friends at that point? Surely the idea must be somewhat calming to the other boy.

"I was hanging around to make friends. I'm actually hiding from Mum. She wants to get this shopping thing done and over with. I want to meet some new people. I'm from Liverpool so it's not likely for other Liverpudlians to be attending Beauxbatons Academy as well. I figure my chances of meeting fellow classmates is higher here than it is back home," Wolfgang reasoned and finished off the rest of his butterbeer. He sighed as he dropped the empty bottle back onto the table. Nothing good lasted. And certainly nothing sweet lasted when it was placed in front of Wolfgang.

Greg watched as Wolgang drank most of his butterbeer. Greg was trying not to remember the taste of butterbeer. He hadn't eaten anything since before he left home, he didn't want to dry heave. He could write a book about his embarrassment, if that were to happen. How to make someone completely disgusted with you, by Gregory Bell, It was a decent title. He could already see himself signing autographs.

"True. It is better this way," Greg responded. Friend. That sounded right to him. If Autumn were there, she would undoubtedly have more attention. That's how it always went.

"I don't blame you. Do you think she'll find you?," he asked. Greg's own mother would find him easily. She was weird like that.

Wolfgang's last comment in particular got his attention. "You're from Liverpool? I live in Wilmslow. We're only an hour away from each other."

"Yes. Meeting Beauxbatons kids would be easier to do in France," Greg agreed with a smile. "Have you met any other students yet?"

Wolfgang grinned, baring his crooked teeth as Greg agreed with him. They were indeed friends at this point. It felt like a personal victory for him. If he could make a friend at school this fast, he was sure he wouldn't have too much trouble fitting in at school.

He laughed as Greg asked if his Mum would find him. "With this hair?" He tugged on a dark lock of his moppy hair. "I'm surprised she hasn't already found me. Maybe she's being nice and pretending she doesn't see me because I am talking with someone," Wolfgang suggested. His Mum was a nice woman like that.

He beamed as he discovered his new friend was from the united kingdom as well. "That means I can bother you on holiday as well," Wolfgang joked, though there was certainly some truth behind it. It did mean he was close enough to visit him during vacation. "You're the first person I talked to, lucky bugger. There was just something about that sulky face that made me want to try and see if I could change it to a smile." He figured he managed that, or at least befriended the scowling boy.

Greg laughed, too. "I don't know why I'm laughing. I don't have much room to talk. There re a lot of frizzy curls on this head," Greg said pointing to the top of his head. "I think my mom would do the same thing. I don't go into town by myself very often. My sister usually accompanies me."

"You could probably bother me during the holidays. Unless I bother you first," Greg threatened, fighting a smile. Gregory wasn't the most smiley child. Smiling and laughing weren't common for him, even when he was happy. But Wolfgang's comment about making him smile made him lose the no-grinning battle. "You are the first person I've talked to, as well. Funny how that works."

"You didn't choose your hairstyle though," Wolfgang noted, ruffling the boy's curls. He was sort of a touchy person and tended to get into people's personal space, regardless of how short a time they've known each other. "I spend most of my time talking to stray dogs. My parents do their best to be understanding, but I swear my Mum is sighing out of relief after seeing us talking," Wolfgang confessed and laughed. It bothered him none.

He grinned uncontrollably as the boy promised to bother him as well. They were definitely friends now and Wolfgang was glad that he happened to befriend someone who lived somewhat close to him so he could still see him when school was not in session. He liked Greg and liked how the scowling boy's face turned to a smile when he picked on the fact that he didn't smile. He wasn't a mean natured boy. Perhaps he wasn't the most outgoing but it was definite that the boy was a good one. "I'm not surprised. With that sort of attitude, I can't imagine many other people approached you before I did," Wolfgang noted. Usually when people saw other people in a pissy mood, they tended to leave them alone.

Greg didn't even consider that his friend chose his own hairstyle.

Greg laughed and put his hand over his face when Wolfgang touched his hair. "Everybody loves my hair. I don't understand. It's just curly," he joked.

"I would say that my parents would do the same thing. I spend a lot of time by myself. The other kids my age... Well, we've never seemed to see eye to eye."

Greg was really bothered by the fact that his classmates in his old school didn't like him. He just found their behavior ridiculous and refused to be a part of it.

"I would love to have animals around. I've never been able to have a pet. My brother and sister are very allergic to animal dander, so I can't even play with animals." Greg explained. "I'm always the odd one out. I've never been allergic to anything."

"I'm glad you decided to approach me," Greg replied smiling.