Hi everyone! I'm back for a brand new Marauders fic! I know I was supposed to work on it much earlier this year. But my year at University being very tough, I prefered to wait till I'm on holidays, when I have time to write.
For those who discover me with this fic, I try to update as regularly and as frequently as possible. And I'm French, you are warned, I may do a few mistakes, despite the fact that I obviously proofread all my chapters before posting them.
I hope you like this new story. I tried to make a rather original plot, I hope you will like the change. I don't reckon anyone had a similar idea before on this website.
I love writing this story, and I hope you will like reading it just as much as I like writing it.
The next update will be on Sunday.
Please, tell me what you think about it, don't forget to leave a review! :)
One Year, Two Schools
It was strange not to go to Hogwarts.
It was strange not to go to the train station, not to run through the wall to the platform 93/4, not to hear the sound of the train as it was about to start its trip to Scotland.
It was strange not to walk with Sirius through the Muggle crowd, not to hug Remus and Peter on the platform after weeks without seeing his best friends, not to recognize Lily's hair coming out of the blue through a cloud of smoke.
It was strange to think that he wouldn't be at the feast this year, nor play a few pranks at the first years, nor see the Sorting Ceremony.
It was strange to think that he would not walk to his dormitory in the Gryffindor Tower, relieved to abandon his robes for his pyjamas, and claim a good night of sleep in the welcoming school he loved so much.
Instead, James was walking in Muggle clothes towards the portal of a private High School in London.
A Muggle school.
All around him, no one was wearing robes, nor holding wands. They were in uniforms, but only with a black tie, a white shirt and black trousers. No one was wearing gold and red, nor blue, yellow, or green. He knew that they didn't have schoolbooks about charms or potions in their bags, but chemistry and literature.
He didn't recognize anything as he walked through the wooden gates and into the schoolyard. The walls were all made of stones, and there were trees that grew through the paved yard, just like they did at the magical castle, but it wasn't his school. He couldn't find back this feeling of coming home that he felt every time that he walked into Hogwarts.
Clearly, Saint Peter School was nothing like Hogwarts.
Although, there were some things that never changed...
"Well, that's what I call a statue," Sirius said, whistling and nodding towards the impressive statue of Saint Peter that seemed to watch over the yard, its serious figure staring at them with a disapprobative glance. "Even in Hogwarts, this lad would look proud."
"It would make a good friend for Mourning Myrtle," James answered.
Sirius laughed, but the boy on their right merely rolled his eyes.
"We haven't been here for five minutes, and you're already being stupid," Remus complained.
"Come on, Moony, you can't deny it was funny!" Peter protested, finally catching up on his friends.
There was a flash of red, like a wave of fire through the crowd, and even if James could only see it for a second, he had recognized to whom this hair belonged in an instant. His heart started to beat faster into his chest, and he felt his stomach doing crazy flip-flops.
"So... Ginger Devil's already here, hey..." Sirius said, a mischievous smile badly hidden on his face.
James merely walked on his friend's foot purposefully.
"Don't start, Padfoot."
"Come on, Prongs, relax. I'm sure you'll finally manage to seduce her this year. After all, she didn't jinx you that much last year... she only made your head swell once, okay, but it wasn't that bad..."
"If this was supposed to make me feel better, it didn't, Pads."
"You're always so touchy when it comes to Evans..." Sirius complained.
"Well, I don't know, perhaps it's because I've tried to convince her to go out with me for years and that all I ever received from her are shouts and jinxes."
"You don't have the most delicate techniques though."
"Oh, shut up!"
Remus chuckled, patting James's shoulder.
"Don't worry. You're Head boy now after all. And she's Head girl. You'll have plenty of occasions to hang out with her, and chat, and... try to seduce her."
James heaved a sigh.
"I hate you, guys."
"We know you don't, Prongs," Peter replied, laughing.
Sirius finally recognized the group of Hogwarts students that stood in a corner of the yard.
"Looks like we've found our classmates," he said, walking towards them, his friends following close.
They shook hands with Frank Longbottom and Caradoc Dearborn, along with some Hufflepuffs who played in the Quidditch team. But when James recognized Severus Snape in the crowd, apparently talking to Bellatrix Black, he couldn't help but frown.
"I didn't think we would see any Slytherin here," he mumbled.
"Apparently, they all came," Frank said.
"Why?" asked Peter.
"Trouble I guess," the Hufflepuff Seeker answered. "I'm sure they hope to fuck up the whole program. You know?' Muggles and Wizards will never be able to live peacefully together' and all the shit."
"Yeah, I bet they're hoping it will go ill..." Remus nodded gloomily.
"I don't reckon it would have been easy even without them..." Sirius said, nodding towards a group of Muggle students who were staring at them like they were animals in a zoo.
"I'm sure it will be fine. I guess... we all have to get used to it, that's all," Remus reassured him.
"Hmm... not so sure."
"Don't be pessimistic, Padfoot."
"All I'm saying is that... if there are some students coming from Hogwarts who want to make all of this fuck up because they're too stupid to think that we could all live as equals and in peace, you can be sure that some students from this High School will think exactly the same. We'll have allies and foes on both sides, and it's naive to think the contrary."
"It freaks me out when you actually speak intelligent things, Pads."
"Fuck off, Moony."
"Here, sounds more like you."
On the other side of the schoolyard, another group, made this time of Muggle students, had formed. They were looking at the Wizards and Witches with curious expressions...
"You think they're the students that we're going to study with?" Franck asked the four Gryffindor boys.
"I guess," James shrugged."Apparently, they started class yesterday, they already know who their referent teacher is."
"And we didn't have our traditional feast..." Peter complained.
"I guess we'll just have to follow them to class then," Dearborn said.
James merely shrugged again in response. But the suspense was not to remain for long. Soon, Albus Dumbledore, followed closely by Professor McGonagall and a Muggle woman, that seemed to be the Headmistress of the Muggle school, walked into the yard.
"Your attention, please, children," Dumbledore said, in his loud and warm voice.
All the Wizards and Witches approached him in an instant to listen to his speech, though the Muggle students seemed more hesitant. But they approached anyway, and listened as well to the Headmaster of the Wizarding school.
"All of you who are gathered here have volunteered to be part of this program, that I hope, shall prove to the world what we all believe in. That Wizards and Muggles can live in peace, together. It's been five years now since our existence was revealed to the eyes of Muggles. And I'm sure that there is no need to remind you that the situation between our two communities have never been more uncertain. Many of us, in both sides, have suffered from all this hate, and I am sad at the thought that we all shall suffer from it again before it is all over."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"But this is our chance to show the World that hate can be overcome," he went on. "This is our chance to show to all who still doubt that we can live peacefully, and that we all have things to teach and learn from each other."
The Headmistress of Saint Peter school stepped forward, and came next to Dumbledore.
"Until February you shall all study here, at Saint Peter School," she said in a very high-pitched voice. "During this time, you shall spend half the day together, studying Muggle classes. During the other part of the day, the Wizards and Witches will follow their own classes, so that they can get prepared for their NEWTs After February, you will all be sent to Hogwarts, the Wizarding school, where you will all follow Wizarding classes half the day. Muggle students will next be separated from Wizards to follow their own lessons and prepare their own exams that are coming at the end of the year. Thus, both Muggle and Wizarding students shall be ready to pass their own examinations."
"I hope you will remember," Dumbledore went on, his tone serious, but full of hope as well, "that it is a chance that will probably not happen again before a very long time. And if things were to turn ill, the tensions between our two communities would only rise. So, even if I know that you are only children, I expect from all of you to behave like the adults you have already partly become..."
He stared for a moment at the Gryffindors, his electric blue eyes fixed upon the four boys.
"Now, I guess we should all get to work," he added, and there were sparkles of mischief back in his eyes.
It was McGonagall's turn to step forward.
"Before I tell you which class you are going to follow this morning, and thus with which Muggle students you're going to study until February, I'd like to remind you that as long as you are studying Muggle classes, you cannot use Magic."
She intensely stared at Sirius and James.
"Is it clear for everyone here?"
They all nodded, though it was hard for the two boys not to laugh.
"We can begin then," Dumbledore nodded, but he was awful at hiding the smile that curved up his lips.
"The four houses shall be mixed with four classes from Saint Peter School," McGonagall said. "Ravenclaws shall follow Mrs Arthur's students to Mathematics lesson."
The Ravenclaws followed the group of students who started to leave the yard and head for the stairs.
"Slytherins shall go join the class of Mr Lewis for English literature."
The Slytherins followed the second group of Muggles that left the yard in silence.
"Hufflepuffs will follow the class of Mrs Willows of Physics and Chemistry."
The Hufflepuffs disappeared as well. And now, there were only the Gryffindors left, along with ten Muggle teenagers that stared at them like they were in a circus...
"Gryffindors, you shall go to History class with Mrs Hamilton."
When James turned around towards the Muggle students they were already leaving the yard, and heading towards an impressive wooden staircase that climbed into the main building directly to the third floor. They then turned left and walked down a corridor, that seemed dusty and smelled like moist.
All along, no one talked. No one really knew how to start a normal conversion. No one really knew what they were supposed to do, except walking to class. And so they did just that, and James tried to memorize the map of the school already. He guessed it was just a reflex after all these years spent mapping Hogwarts.
First one corridor on the left, then turn right, second door on the left, climb up a flight of stairs, and then the third door on the left.
A Muggle boy opened the blue door, upon which the old paint was cracking, letting guess the colour of the wood under the worn-out colours. But instead of stepping inside, he turned towards the rest of the students.
"Hi," he breathed.
He sounded like he was afraid of these unknown faces. Lily merely smiled at him, a reassuring warmth in her green eyes.
"Hi," she answered, a little laugh in her voice.
She sounded amused. James had stopped looking at the Muggle guy. He could never look at anything but Lily when she smiled anyway...
"Mrs Hamilton won't arrive before 15 minutes," the Muggle boy went on. "Apparently, they thought it was best if we explained how the school works before our first class."
Remus smiled and nodded, encouraging the boy to continue.
"To make sure that we would all interact with each other, our teachers have already decided for us where we would sit in class."
James and Sirius exchanged a horrified glance... If McGonagall was involved in this, they would never be able to sit next to each other this year...
"So, the list is here on the teacher's desk. Let's go and find our seat, shall we?" the boy went on, before stepping into the classroom, and heading towards the long and old wooden desk at the front of the classroom.
Everyone gathered around him to take a look at the sketch of the room, searching for their names on the piece of paper.
And McGonagall was most definitely involved in this...
"Oh, Fuck!"
They all turned towards Sirius. His eyes were round, he looked absolutely horrified.
"I'm on the second row! I'll kill McGonagall for this!"
James finally spotted his name. He was on the first row, next to the door, on the right of the classroom. Sirius was on the second row, on the opposite side, next to the windows. There was no way they could interact during classes without being noticed.
"Shit, man... She's got to be kidding me!" he breathed.
Lily rolled her eyes.
"We've been in class for less than two minutes, and you're already complaining..."
"It does suck, though..." James replied. "I bet you won't be particularly happy to learn that you're at the back of the class either, are you?"
"What!?"
Whilst the Gryffindors were complaining about their position in the classroom, the Muggle students had all walked to their seat, without a single word.
"At least we're together Lils, look," Alice reassured her.
Lily smiled at her friend.
"You're right. It's not that bad."
Meanwhile, Sirius had walked to his seat, and let himself fall on his chair with a desperate sigh. Remus merely chuckle when he walked next to him to reach his own seat.
"It's not that bad," he told Sirius, as he sat two rows behind the boy.
Sirius merely glared at him.
"I hate you," he said, which only made his friend laugh harder.
Marlene McKinnon sat right before Sirius.
"Oh, wonderful..." he sighed, but this time his tone wasn't annoyed, it was mischievous. "Now, I even have an arse before me."
The blond girl turned around, glaring at him.
"Don't start, Black."
"Start what?"
"Calling me things like 'arse'. Don't you know you're not supposed to insult people every time you open your fucking mouth?"
"Language!"
She rolled her eyes.
"Come on, I just said you were an arse..." Sirius went on. "...And a lovely one too, by the way."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Don't start."
"Start what?"
But she merely turned back towards the board, and chose to ignore him.
"She doesn't seem to like you very much."
Sirius turned towards the black haired girl behind him.
"Nah... she likes me," he answered.
He offered the girl his open hand, staring right into her big blue eyes.
"I'm Sirius, by the way."
"Angel," she answered, shaking his hand.
He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was...
"So... how is that teacher of yours?" he asked.
"She's okay I think."
"Yeah, she's a kind woman," the blond boy next to Sirius added.
"Is there any teacher we should be worried about?" James asked from the other side of the classroom.
"Arthur is very strict," the boy answered. "And Mr Howley is completely crazy."
"Really?"
"Yeah, he teaches biology. He's fucked up. You'll see. We have class with him right after Mrs Hamilton's lesson."
"When will we have our time tables ?" Lily asked.
"No idea," the boy shrugged. "Probably this morning."
They were finally all talking together. For sure, of not very important things, but still...
It felt good to see the ice melt between them all.
It was the moment their teacher chose to walk through the door and enter the room. She was young, not older than thirty, with long blond curls falling on her shoulders. She grinned at the sight of the teenagers all talking together across the room.
"Ha, I can see that you're talking together already. Perfect, I was scared you would all be a bit shy at first."
She walked to the desk, and put her coat on her chair, before sitting on her wooden desk, rearranging her blue dress.
"I'm Mrs Hamilton, and I teach History. I will also be your referent teacher in the Muggle school," she added for the Wizarding students. "So, if your Head of House is not at Saint Peter, it is me you have to call for. Before we start, I'd like you all to quickly present yourselves to the class. Let's start with you."
She pointed at James, and the boy merely shrugged in response, getting up and saying his name.
"What is your favourite class at Hogwarts, James," she asked.
"Transfiguration," he answered without an hesitation.
"What is it?" the teacher asked, an obvious curiosity in her voice.
"It's the Magic used to change the form of objects."
"Could you make us a demonstration?"
James shrugged again, and took his wand out of his pocket. In the back of the class, Lily cleared her throat.
"We are not supposed to use Magic during Muggle classes, professor," Lily told her.
"I'm sure your teachers will forgive you if I am the one who actually asks to use Magic, Miss..."
"Evans, Lily Evans."
The teacher nodded, before focusing on James one more time.
"So... could you show us?"
James turned towards the Muggle girl sitting next to him. He pointed his wand at her book, and with a quick flick of his wand, the pages had turned into feathers, and a beautiful raven was walking upon her desk.
All the Muggles in the class looked at the animal in awe.
"That's beautiful, James! " the teacher clapped.
Another flick of his wand, and the bird had disappeared, the history book back on the desk.
"Well, thank you, James," Mrs Hamilton nodded. "Now, please, everyone, when you present yourself, tell us also what your favourite class is, and for the Wizards and Witches, a demonstration is more than welcome."
All the students rose one by one, and spells were cast (Sirius's firework in the shape of a dog was clapped for a long while), until it was Remus's time to stand and tell his name.
"My favourite class is Defence Against the Dark Arts," he explained.
"Dark Arts? What are these?" Angel asked.
"Dark Magic. Magic can be used to hurt people as well. And there are some magical creatures that use this kind of powers against humans too. It teaches us how to defend ourselves."
"But, you mean that only creatures can use Dark Magic?"
"No. We are taught how to defend ourselves against dark creatures. But we are also taught how to fight."
"So... you can use your Magic to hurt people as well..."
A rumour shook the Muggles gathered in the room.
"We are not supposed to. But there are evil people in both the Muggle and the Wizarding world," Remus tried to explain. "If we have this kind of class, it is to avoid that people could use Magic with evil means."
But it wasn't enough to stop all the whispering.
"Could you show us one of the spells, Remus, please?" the teacher asked.
He thought for a moment, before closing his eyes and raising his wand, a smile slowly forming on his face.
"Expecto Patronum," he said.
And all the whispers died out when a white wolf came out of the boy's wand and walked across the room in mid-air. It was like light in the shape of an animal. When Remus made his patronus disappear, the whole class clapped, and it seemed that the mention of Dark Wizards was forgotten.
But not quite yet...
"What do you use this spell for?" the black haired boy next to him, called Joey, asked.
"It's used to repulse Dementors," Remus answered.
"Dementors?"
"They are Dark creatures, they nourish themselves on happy memories. They steal all the joy from the world around them."
"How lovely..." Angel snorted.
"They are also the guardians of the Wizarding prison here, in Britain. It's called Azkaban."
"So... you have a prison especially for Wizards?" Joey asked.
"Yes, of course."
"So there are dangerous Wizards out there..."
"Like there are dangerous Muggles," Sirius answered in Remus's stead.
"So it's true what they say..." Joey went on, ignoring Sirius's remark. "About this Wizard and his followers."
Remus took a careful look at Marlene.
"Yes, it's true," he said slowly.
"Like the Free Minds Movement is real on the Muggle side," Sirius added, but he was once again ignored.
"So... there are Wizards who want to kill Muggles," Joey insisted.
"And there are Muggles who want to kill Wizards," Sirius replied.
"There is evil in both the Muggle and the Wizarding societies. It doesn't mean that we can't show everyone that there is nothing to fear in sharing our two worlds," Lily said.
"I know, it's just..." Joey stuttered. "Don't get me wrong, if I'm here it's because I want to learn about Magic and everything, but... It's still scary to think that some people are ready to do pretty much anything to make sure that we will never live together in peace. "
"But... I heard that some Wizarding families were attacked as well by this... Voldemort or something..." Angel asked.
Peter winced.
"Don't say his name," he shrieked, and Angel blushed as she saw terror in his eyes.
"It's just a name, Peter," James replied, his voice deadly cold. "Don't react like that, like you were just a coward."
"James is right," Marlene said slowly. "It's just a name. It is this kind of reaction that have led us to this situation. To fear and sorrow..."
All the Gryffindors stared intensely at her, and there was a moment of silence, broken by the teacher when she cleared her throat. None of the Muggles could understand why they were all staring at her this way, but it was obvious that something terrible had happened, or would happen...
"Let's continue," Mrs Hamilton said. "Maggie, it's your turn," she added to the girl sitting next to Remus.
Once everyone had been introduced to the class, Mrs Hamilton jumped down from her desk, and picked up a white chalk, turning towards the blackboard.
"Alright, there isn't much time left for the lesson, but we'll start anyway. Please, take out your notebooks and pencils. This year, we'll start by studying the 1920s..."
She turned around as the class was shaken by a wave of whispers.
"What is it?" she asked her students.
The Wizards and Witches had picked up their parchment, quill and dark ink from their bag, and the Muggles couldn't refrain their chuckles.
"Wait, are you serious?" Maggie asked Remus.
"What's wrong?" James asked.
"You use quills?" Joey asked, aghast.
"Yes..." James answered, narrowing his eyes. "What about it?"
"Why do you not use pens and pencils?"
"I don't know... we all use quills and parchment," James merely answered with a shrug.
"When you will be done with talking about quills and paper," the teacher interrupted the two boys, an amused smile curving up her lips, "let me know, so we can begin the lesson."
They immediately stopped talking, and turned again towards the blackboard, to copy the title of the first chapter they would study that year.
"So, what happened during this period?" the teacher asked the class. "And for the Wizards and Witches, you can tell us about this period too of course. It is History class, and I intend to study both History of the Muggle and the Wizarding World with you this year."
As always, Lily's hand was the first to rise.
"Yes Lily, go on," the teacher nodded.
"The 1920s were mostly marked by the raise of the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald. He was very active in Europe and America during this period of time. It was also the period of rebuilding after the War..."
"Wait... do you mean that you fought during World War I?" Joey asked, aghast.
"And World War II," James nodded.
"Really?"
James nodded.
"What kind of fighting did you do?" the teacher asked.
"Normal fighting," Sirius shrugged.
"The British Communication Center is known to have been the most efficient and the safest service for the exchange of information during the two World Wars," Lily answered. "The British army was also most feared for its knowledge in dragons warfare."
"You used dragons?" Angel gasped.
Lily nodded.
"The British army was very good at it," she said, but there was a bitterness in her voice, like she didn't approve the use of magical creatures.
James smiled. It wasn't surprising that someone like Lily would not approve something like that...
"What about this dark Wizard you were mentioning?" the teacher asked Lily.
"Gellert Grindelwald was a Dark Wizard. He wanted to reveal the existence of Wizards to the Muggles, because he thought it would provoke a war between us. And he thought Wizards could win it."
There was a heavy silence across the classroom for a moment.
"Why did he want to do that?" Mrs Hamilton asked.
"He thought that Wizards and Witches should not have to hide and be afraid of Muggles. He thought they were more powerful. He saw Muggles as enemies."
"Why did you hide in the first place though?" Angel asked.
"There are less Wizards and Witches in the World than Muggles," Peter answered. "To protect ourselves, and our traditions, we thought it was best to hide."
"By separating the two communities, it insured a certain peace," Remus went on. "Muggles usually don't like much Wizards and Witches."
"It was a long time ago though, the time when we used to burn Witches," Joey said.
James laughed.
"You never burnt any Witch. An elementary spell allows us to be completely protected of fire."
"You only killed Muggles this way, not witches," Sirius nodded.
"But the persecution was still there. Witches and Wizards were always hated, and they grew afraid quickly," Remus said. "It was best for everyone to separate the two worlds."
"What was your reaction when your society was revealed to us?" the teacher asked the Wizarding students.
James shrugged.
"It changed many things on a daily basis, that's for sure. I don't think they changed for the worst though. We don't have to be as cautious as before."
"What about you?" Mrs Hamilton asked Lily.
The girl shrugged.
"I'm a Muggleborn, so..."
"A what?" Angel asked.
"Both my parents are Muggles," Lily explained. "Although, I have Magical abilities."
"So... even with Muggle parents, you can be able to make magic?"
"It is quite rare though," Lily nodded.
"So you already knew everything about us," the teacher smiled.
Lily nodded, smiling as well.
"Now I can practice my spells in my garden without fear of being seen by my Muggle neighbours during the Summer," Lily smiled.
They were interrupted by the ringing of a bell, signalling the end of the class, and soon everyone was walking towards the door. But Sirius couldn't help but notice that Marlene was taking her time to pack up her things.
A bit too much for it to be natural indeed...
"Hey, McKinnon, you're okay?" he asked.
She looked up at him. He seemed genuinely worried, which was rare enough to be noticed. Sirius was never worried about anything. He was the always-confident-always-reckless-and-childish Sirius Black.
Or at least, he never showed his worry to her...
"I'm fine, Black," she answered.
"You'd better hurry, or you'll get lost throughout the school without your Muggle guides," the teacher told them, smiling.
They both hurried out of the classroom and into the corridor, and soon found back their classmates. But Marlene didn't seem so keen on joining the rest of the students, and so Sirius remained with her, a few strides behind their friends.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again.
"Yes, I'm fine."
Her tone was cold, and defensive. It was a tone he knew only too well. He had used it for years with James and Remus. It was the tone that allowed him to run away from conversations. It was the tone he used when he didn't want to answer a question.
It was the tone he used to avoid talking about his family.
"Look," he said slowly, "with all you've been through this summer..."
"I don't want to talk about that now, Black."
"I know, I just mean..."
"I don't need your pity, Black," she spat.
He stopped her before she could follow their classmates into the classroom.
"It's not what I meant..." he added. "Pity is not what I had in mind."
She looked up at him. To prevent her from joining the others in the classroom, he had caught her by the arm. His hold was firm, but gentle as well. It was reassuring, somehow, like the gesture of a friend.
"I... I won't say that I know what it is to lose your family, to lose both your parents..." he went on, in a low whisper, making sure that no one could eavesdrop their conversation. "But I know what it is to find yourself in the home of a friend, and to have to act as if it was your own."
She could see that he was confessing something very personal, something he had probably never told anyone. She was transfixed, merely able to stare at his hypnotic grey eyes.
"I know what it is to unpack your suitcase in the home of your best friend," he went on, "and to have to start over. So... if you need to talk about that, you can come and see me, okay?"
She wanted to laugh. Sirius Black offering her his help... it was hilarious. Or well, under any other circumstances it would have been. The subject of their conversation was everything but funny though...
She gave him a sad smile.
"Thank you, I'll think about it."
He nodded, letting go of her.
"Let's go for a new adventure then," he said, his mischievous smile back on his lips, as he pointed at the classroom.
"What is it supposed to be about again?" she asked.
"Bio... something."
"I have a bad feeling about this class," she shook her head, starting towards the open door.
But Sirius was frozen on the spot, staring at something down the corridor, a serious frown on his face. Marlene followed his gaze.
Down the corridor, the Slytherins were talking together, and anyone who didn't know them would have thought they were not less innocent than any teenager in the school. But Sirius knew better. He had seen through their games a long while ago. He knew they were playing a game of appearances. They were wearing masks of innocence, only to hurt more in the end.
When he spoke again, his voice sounded stern and cold.
"I have a bad feeling about this entire year..."