It was the fifth year of fear when they all sat in a circle in an empty classroom and introduced themselves. The five students and Professor Fink. Fink went first, showing them what to do and say when their respective turn came. He told the students to hide nothing. They all obeyed, trusting in each other to never share these secrets with anyone. Darren went first.
"Uhm, hello. My name is Darren Hemmingway. I am a fifth-year Gryffindor and I can... I was born in a burning building. Amidst the destruction and death, I was the life brought. But my life came with a price. My living was never supposed to happen, I was supposed to die in my mother's womb. But here I am. Here I am..." He paused a second and swung his head down in silence. He lifted it again after a moment and pushed his black curly bangs away from his face. His face was red and his brow furrowed. "Here I am, orphaned and cursed! With no one but the devil on my side!" He yelled in frustration. He stood and lashed out at a nearby stand, fire bursting from his hands as if they were flamethrowers. after the fact, he turned to us. "This is my curse: a short temper accompanied with the gift of total destruction. My name is Darren Hemmingway and I can make fire with my hands."
They all stared at him in silence, giving him a moment to himself, to cool down. Next was Orchid.
"Ahem. Hello, I am a sixth-year Slytherin named Orchid Kelsey. You may know me as the slut, the skank, the bitch from Slytherin. Before I say anything, though, I would like to start a clean slate with a new group of people. I have lost every one of my friends through the course of my actions over the past five years, not to mention my family. I regret every moment. But what I regret most of all is that I never told anyone my secret. The fact that I can see into the lives of other people. Six people other than myself. They are all complete strangers whom I have never met. I see things I do not wish to. I see through the eyes of strangers what love, jealousy, torture, abuse, betrayal, and even murder looks like. And I do not know their names. They don't know that I know what they do every moment of every day. So, my name is Orchid Kelsey and I have seen everything."
The circle let the dust settle for a moment before it was the next person's turn to confess. His name was Zachary.
"My name is Zachary Williams, and feel free to call me whatever you like. I am a third-year Ravenclaw and I sense things no one else can." He was very to the point about the confession. "I have a sixth sense. I call it 'knowing'. You name it and I can probably sense it. I sense lies, noises through brick walls, movement across a castle. I can tell what you are thinking. This gift haunts me in the sense that I rarely sleep. I can hear the movements of hundreds of students and professors and sometimes I hear their dreams. Their thoughts are so loud... It is a gift and a curse, but nonetheless, I am Zachary Williams and I know more than I should."
It struck them dumb how a boy so young, only a third year, was so haunted. Next was Summer.
"Hey, my name is Summer Scott. I am a Hufflepuff in fourth year and I can talk to animals. Any kind of animal. They understand me on more than just the literal level. Animals are my only friends. I know, it sounds weird, right? A Hufflepuff with no friends. Yet here I am. But I did have a friend once, before I came to Hogwarts. We had been friends for years, and I thought that it was time to reveal myself to her. My true self. She did not accept me. Oh, how I wish to remember what friendship feels like. I see it all around me, but my friends hide in shadows and we never speak in public places. My name is Summer Scott and my only friends are animals."
They could practically feel her loneliness as they all sat in silence. Last was Vivian.
She coughed. "My-my name is Vivian Hawkes and I am a Gryffindor fifth-year. I think it might be better to show you than to tell you my ability." She stood and walked over to a corner, mustering up the courage to reveal herself. Once she was ready, she pointed her wand at her face and muttered something. She turned back to the circle, her face now tinted blue-green and shiny with scales. Her hand went to her hairline on her forehead. She pulled back her perfect blonde locks, apparently a wig, to reveal long tentacle-like hair. The trademark hair of a mermaid. "I am half-mermaid. You have no idea how long I have hidden this from even my dearest friends." She stole a glance towards Darren, who seemed positively calm. "So, what with my being a mermaid and all, I can breathe underwater. I can't really demonstrate in here, but once you see me under water, you can tell. So, yeah. That's me. Vivian Hawkes, half-mermaid."
After Vivian had re-charmed her face to hide the scales and put her wig back on, Fink dismissed them all and told the students that they had exceeded his expectations for a first meeting. The only reason they shared as much as they did, though, is only because they needed someone to tell. Keeping secrets isn't easy. None of them really knew what the meeting was about, though. Why had they called the students all together? Students from all across the spectrum, what did they need them for?
All five of the students returned to their dorms and sat in silence.
As Orchid walked into the Slytherin Common Room, people teased her, pestered her about where she had been. Perhaps snogging another Gryffindor? Or maybe seducing a professor? They will never know the truth. She went to her bed and cried herself to sleep.
Zach moved silently into the Ravenclaw Common Room and sat down on a seat near the fireplace, which was currently burning bright blue. No one bothered even looking in his direction. He had his world he lived in 24/7. He was left to sense things he shouldn't, had no right to. But he did anyway, he had no choice. Eventually, the sun had risen and a new day had begun, Zach having not a blink of sleep, as usual.
Summer clumbered into the Hufflepuff Common Room, drawing unwanted attention when she walked in. People just stared at her as she passed them on her way to her dorm room. She reached it without being spoken to. Checking around her room, she saw that the coast was clear and proceeded to open the window, letting in a tawny owl about the height of her forearm. They talked until Summer heard footsteps, which wasn't very long at all. She positioned herself casually in her bed just in the nick of time. She just so happened to share a dorm with the girl who was dating her brother. she was three years younger than he, and Summer was beyond jealous of the attention she got. Summer pretended to sleep, but eventually let herself go into the blackness of dreams.
Vivian walked into the Gryffindor Common Room with Darren, drawing some suspicious eyes, but not many. It was a known fact that Vivian and Darren were nearly siblings. The had known each other forever. They went over and talked with their group of friends until everyone had gone to bed. Vivian and Darren were left alone in the dark. Without a word, the two separated and went up their own staircases to their own dorms. Vivian fell asleep dreaming of Darren. Darren fell asleep dreaming of fire.
If anyone wants to read more, please tell me, or this will be the only installment.
P.S. Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weasley will be in the story along with other chracters from the next generation, it won't be entirely OCs.