Chapter 2 – Musings-about-home
Blue. That and bronze were the house colors of Ravenclaw. Everything in the common room and dorm were in those shades. The couches, the throw pillows, the rugs, the curtains, the beds in the dorms, the school robes – everything was in varying shades of pastel blues and glittering brass.
He could see himself quickly getting tired of the color scheme.
But despite his new house's apparent obsession with blue and bronze, he was excited to be in this school. Hogwarts was one of the schools he was not allowed to attend as a child unfortunately. Being the family secret did come with its discretions and disadvantages. And one of them was appearing non-existent to the world over.
Thankfully, even though he was not allowed to attend a real school, their library had more than enough books he had needed for his home education.
But he had always wondered what it was like to go to classes and be though by someone else other than his parents.
It felt surreal now that he was actually there. He kept thinking that this would just again be one of those strange dreams of his that he would soon wake up from.
He would be back in his bed in France waking up to the golden European sun that was bright and shone through the large French windows of his room, illuminating the white walls and colorful paintings that hung on them. The works of art were creations by own mother who placed them there to try and bring color and vibrancy in the otherwise bland space.
Most of the paintings were that of their estate, especially the gardens as the sun's golden rays would slip through the white mist casting a heavenly look on the green fields. The light would make fresh dew glisten on the grass, shrubs and trees. But nothing was as breathtaking as his father's roses of white, red and pink. The roses were his father's hobby, a labor of love as the old man would be up at dawn tending to the beautiful but dangerous plants by his own.
His mother if not up to create another masterpiece would still be in slumber, often waking up almost till noon. And later would lounge on the wooden chairs near the lake, reading a novel and sipping tea.
Feeling restless, Adam had ended up going for a walk and somehow wondered inside the forbidden forest. Despite the dangers that lurked inside the place, the green and feel of nature was comforting to him as he missed home. The cracking of dead leaves and twigs he stepped on gave him a sense of déjà vu as he would often hear the sounds back home when he went out for his morning walks.
Feeling a sense of calm that had eluded him since he boarded the Hogwarts Express, he began to reminisce how he ended up there in the first place.
White. Bright and stinging.
He blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the luminescent lights of the room. As his vision settled he looked about his surroundings and saw the familiar setting of his room. Everything was the same – the white walls with his mother's painting on them, the taupe carpet, the antique furniture, the photo on his desk of his parents and him when he was five years old.
Everything appeared to be the unchanged, even the afternoon sun that shone through the large windows as the light wind breezed through the mint green curtains.
Warmth. He felt something pressed against the skin of his right hand, a warm sensation only found in the friction of skin against skin.
Glancing down, he found his mother's small, pale and delicate hand entwined with his, his own hand practically dwarfing hers. He had pianist fingers – long with neat, trimmed nails and unblemished, alabaster skin.
His mother was sitting on a chair, upper body crouched over as her head rested on the white silk bedspread. Locks of her hair tickled his arm as they splayed about messily in dark chocolate waves.
With worry, he wondered if she had slept in her bed at all these past few hours or maybe days. He didn't know how long he'd been in slumber.
He looked up at the door as it opened with its signature creak.
"Ah, you're awake." His father looked pleased, a relieved smile present on his face.
"How long…" he coughed momentarily. His throat was sore from being unused and his voice raspy. He tried to reach for the pitcher of water on the small table near the bed to try and soothe his dry and aching throat, but his father beat him to it, pouring a glass and handing it to him.
He took a few sips, gratified for the cooling sensation the water had brought, before speaking again. "How long…how long have I been asleep?"
"Not very long, a little more than a week at the most"
He watched as his father gently took his spouse into his arms and carried her towards the plush sofa on the other side of the room. With much care, the aged wizard settled his wife down and covered her with a blanket he had brought with him. After making sure she was comfortable enough, he turned back to his son.
"How are you feeling?" the old man took a seat on the chair his partner had previously been occupied on.
"Fine. My throats a bit sore but that's all."
His father nodded. "Good." The old man stared out the window for a moment, seeming to be lost in thought before speaking. "Do you remember Albus Dumbledore?"
"He's a friend of yours and mum's."
"Yes, but he's also the headmaster of Hogwarts and…" his father trailed off.
The adolescent waited patiently for his father to continue.
"He's…he's asked if you'd like to attend Hogwarts this upcoming semester."
He was surprised. "That's rather odd. Shouldn't I have been asked this when I was eleven?"
"Yes, but concerning certain events that have happened recently…" he stopped for a moment, his brows furrowing on a distressful thought. "Your mother and I thought it best that you go."
He continued, "It'll be a good experience, Adam. You'll get to socialize with people your age and you've always wanted to go to a real school haven't you?"
The adolescent sat quietly on his bed, trying to process what his father was saying. He knew there was something his father was hiding but he also knew that whatever it was it'd have to remain hidden for now.
Secrets, after all, were nothing new with this family.
