Walking up to the castle with Gold was incredibly heart wrenching, and Jacob almost turned around and ran back to Indigo's. Only Gold looking over at him every minute stopped him, that, and his pride.
"You look like you're going to be sick," Gold commented, stopping them in front of the gates. "Once we get in, we're going to Dumbledore's office, then after that we can go to my quarters." Gold paused and took a moment to look through Jacob's thoughts, only to be surprised to find shields in certain areas. "Well I wasn't expecting that. You'll be fine, they don't know you."
"Exactly," Jacob whispered, giving Gold a hard look. "But I know them. I just need a minute, okay?"
"Of course, you can take it while we finish our walk up to the castle," Gold said, taking out his wand and opening the gate.
As they walked up to the castle, Jacob focused on clearing his mind, not looking anywhere but the few feet in front of him. He could do this. And chances are, his old friends had changed a lot, and would be quite different from what he remembered. Taking a deep breath, he nodded to himself. He would be fine.
"You all set then?" Gold asked, as they walked through the entrance doors.
Jacob nodded and a smile spread across his face. "I'd like to thank you for the birthday gift you sent me, I haven't had time to read it, with all the other books I've collected, but I'm sure it's a promising read."
Gold took a second to look at Jacob before laughing. "Roman told me of your reaction, and for your information, I owl order such things. Quite convenient."
Before they reached Dumbledore's office, a student ran up to Gold to ask him a question. The random student happened to be none other than Draco Malfoy, Jacob cursed his luck. "Professor," Draco said, only sparing a curious glance to Jacob, "I received a very important letter from home today. Would you please consider postponing my detention tonight?"
"Just what was this important letter? As far as I'm concerned, unless someone died, you'll be in my classroom at seven sharp. Is that understood Mr. Malfoy?" Gold questioned, his intense gaze hammering Draco into the floor. It was with a heavy sigh, and a sour look, that Draco walked away. "Just as I thought," Gold commented to himself, moving his eyes from Draco's retreating back. "Well, I'm sure by the time we get to the Great Hall, everyone will know of a mysterious person accompanying me to the Headmaster's office."
"Let's just get this over with," Jacob said, making his way towards the gargoyle just in front of them.
"Are you alright? Seeing Draco must have resurfaced some old memories," Gold spoke, directly into Jacob's mind.
Jacob sent him another look, "Are you going to give the password, or are we waiting for the price of tea to go down?"
"What's this, developing your own sense of humor?" Gold laughed. Turning to the gargoyle with a smirk on his face, he gave the password, and waited for it to turn to let them in. "The headmaster expects us, so you won't be a surprise, or you might be, I just said I had a friend coming along that was to stay for a few days."
"So you're hopeful Roman won't take the entire week?" Jacob questioned, climbing the stairs.
"I would be surprised if he did," Gold remarked, lifting his hand to knock on the door. "Why you don't want to see me?"
"Gold, seeing you is only giving me more and more ideas for your birthday," Jacob said and entered the office before Gold could nail him with a glare.
"Headmaster," Gold said, walking right in behind Jacob. "This is my friend, Jacob Green. Jacob, this is Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school."
"Pleasure," Jacob said, bowing his head.
"Indeed," Albus responded. "Minerva told me about the chat you two had at Oswald's, I would like to extend my own condolences."
Jacob nodded but didn't say anything else. He quietly took to looking around the room while Gold and Dumbledore spoke.
"I'm not sure how far along he is with his studies, his mentor didn't have a chance to let me know," Gold said, casting Jacob a curious look. He hadn't really noticed before, but the boy's eyes had become quite unfocused, and had done that a lot since he picked him up at Indigo's. "Jacob, where would you say you were in your studies?"
"Somewhere in my fourth year, why am I to attend classes?"
"That's the idea," Gold said. "You won't have to attend all of them, but I thought a few of them you could perhaps benefit from."
"I'd like that," Jacob said before going back to looking around the room.
"Will he sit with the students or with you? I'm sure you know where he would feel most comfortable," Albus remarked quietly, unsure of what to think of the young lad. When they had seen him in the cemetery he had looked a lot more put together, seeing him now he looked just a bit unhinged, definitely not in a bad way, but in a way that made him curious.
"He'll sit with me, unless that's a problem?"
"No problem at all," Albus replied. "Would either of you like a lemon drop before we go to the Great Hall?"
"No thanks, Jacob?"
"To dinner then?" Jacob questioned, taking a moment to focus his eyes.
Both men noticed this and became even more curious. It was as if he was seeing things that wasn't there to the naked eye. "To dinner, you'll be sitting with me, unless you wish to mingle with the students?"
"With you is fine," Jacob said, walking to the door.
They all were quiet as they made there way to the Great Hall, but as they got close to reaching it, Albus spoke up, "I'll introduce you before we start eating, if you could just stand and maybe give a wave when I mention your name, that would be perfect."
"Of course," Jacob said, and with a deep breath, they entered the Great Hall.
Every head was turned as they watched Dumbledore and Professor Gold walk towards the head table, along with the mysterious person that had apparently accompanied Gold to the Headmaster's office.
Hermione, Ron, along with the twins, recognized him, and eyed him harder than the rest of the students. McGonagall had spoken to them all concerning the events that transpired after the funeral, but they were still cautious. "Do you think he's here to teach along side Gold?" Ron questioned.
"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione said, "he's probably just visiting. Although I wonder if he'll join us in classes."
All conversations stopped as Dumbledore took to standing in front of them all, clearly waiting to give a small speech. "Everyone, I'm sure you noticed the man come in with Professor Gold and I. So I can squash the rumors before they begin, his name is Jacob Green, and he will be staying with us for the week. If you see him, please don't be shy and say hi. Now, let's eat."
Jacob had stood for a split second before sitting down once more. They had all seen him walk in, and were all giving him curious looks, trying to figure out how old he was, and just who he was to Gold.
"Would you like to make a bet that at least one of them will think you might be my son?" Gold questioned.
"Oh, Father, why do you make such jokes?" Jacob said, enjoying how the smirk fell from Gold's face.
"Do you want to be punished?" Gold remarked, the smirk easily reappearing on his face. "I will take your books away if you push me."
"Do you want to start a war, you take away my books, your birthday present will be a lot worse than what I already have in mind," Jacob said raising his eyebrows.
All through out the hall people were wondering just what the two men were talking about. Usually during any meal Gold would sit quietly, and not bother with conversation. Jacob seemed to pull him out of that.
Hermione and Ron were once more whispering. "But everyone comes to Hogwarts," Ron said, "so why not him?"
"Maybe he's not from here? He could be from a different country you know," Hermione commented, looking straight at the new boy. "I just don't know Ron, we'll have to wait until Defense on Thursday, then we can ask Gold."
"Because Gold is so straight forward," Ron muttered. "Maybe he'll join us in Potions tomorrow."
"I don't think Snape would like that too much," Hermione said, looking over to the Potions master. "He looks even more interested in him than all the other students combined."
Tomorrow Jacob did indeed join them in their Potions class, taking a seat nearest the board. The second Hermione realized it, she dragged Ron right to him, and sat down.
"Hello," she spoke, introducing herself and Ron. "I'm Hermione Granger, this is Ron Weasley, you were at Harry's funeral."
"I was," Jacob commented, and before anymore could be said, Snape entered the classroom. He gave Jacob a cold look, clearly unhappy he was attending his class.
"Mr. Green, is it?" Snape questioned, stopping in front of him. The Slytherin's barely contained their snickers, as they thought Snape was getting ready to tear into the new boy.
"Professor," Jacob nodded. "I hope you don't mind I'm joining your class today, I was told it would be fine."
Staring at the boy with his beady eyes, Snape immediately started questioning him. "And just how much experience to you have when it comes to brewing? Certainly can't be too much if this is your first time ever in a school."
"Sir, your allegations are not well founded," Jacob replied, trying his hardest to reel in his anger. "If you don't want me in your class, you just have to say so, and I'll pack my bag and be gone, but I do not appreciate your attitude towards me."
"And you will respect me," Snape barked. "Tell me, since we are brewing the Sleeping Draught, what properties does is contain?"
With a heavy sigh, Jacob started packing his bag.
"Not so good at Potions then, are you?" Snape remarked.
"Actually sir, the reason I'm leaving is because I am," Jacob said. "That potion is something I brewed last year, not something I was expecting to have to brew in a fourth year class." Once he was at the door, he turned back around and found everyone was watching him. "The properties include lavender, standard ingredient, flobberworm mucus, more standard ingredient, after that it's two more measures of standard ingredient, along with valerian sprigs, and no, I'm not looking at the board, but you do have steps six and seven mixed up, you might want to fix that so no cauldron's explode." With that, Jacob left, and the class all turned to see Snape was fuming.
Jacob, deciding not to bother Gold, walked out of the castle, and went to sit on the edge of the Black Lake, he really shouldn't have expected anything else out of the potions professor. After an hour or so, he heard the students continue about their day, and realized it was now time for lunch.
Grabbing his bag, he made the way towards the Great Hall by himself, and was glad not to be stopped by anyone. A few of the students did wave at him, and he did give them warm welcome smiles, but everyone else just made sure to stay clear.
Finally Jacob sat down next to Gold, gave him a pointed look, before he began eating.
Gold understood the look and quickly went through the thoughts on Jacob's mind. He too, wasn't surprised to find out what happened in the potions class, having been regarded by Snape as someone suspicious since he got here. "So what has Roman been teaching you? Is he a better teacher than me?"
"I didn't realize it was time for your ego to be stroked," Jacob laughed. "He's great, he's got me working in an obscure branch of magic, which is interesting. We've continued my magical theory and other courses, of course, but there has definitely been a focus on that branch."
"Oh? That's good, excited to get back to learn more from him?"
"Absolutely," Jacob said. "I've only been here less than a day, but it's definitely not the same as having your own personal mentor."
"Are you under an apprenticeship?" Professor Flitwick asked, hearing the conversation.
"I wouldn't classify it as such," Jacob said, "but that's kind of what it is."
"And what of this 'obscure branch of magic'?"
Smiling, Jacob put his hand flat and asked Gold if he could borrow his wand. "You best not send it to Antarctica," Gold said handing over his wand.
"Lie your hand flat then," Jacob replied, and as soon as Gold had his hand out, Jacob performed the magic and Gold was once more holding onto his wand. "It's very useful if your wand is across the room and you're in the middle of a fight. It doesn't matter if they're holding the wand or not, it'll come to you."
"How interesting," Flitwick exclaimed, before going back to his meal.
Jacob too turned back to his meal and finished it. When he noticed Gold was done, he brought up something he was hoping Gold would help him with. "I know you know I've been practicing my oclumency, I was just hoping you would check how strong my shields are."
Snape, having been sitting besides Flitwick, heard this, and wondered just why the boy was learning oclumency. Now that was an obscure branch of magic. Deciding to try and find out, Snape put out his mental projection and tried to break into the young boy's mind. All of a sudden screaming pierced his ears and he realized it was his own.
Everyone in the hall turned to see just what was going on, although a lot of them had already been looking up at the head table, still trying to figure out what they could from Jacob's appearance.
Gold had a firm grip on Jacob's shoulders, speaking quickly and quietly to the young boy. As Dumbledore made his way over to find out just what happened, he noticed Snape was holding his head in his hands and appeared to be having a mental attack.
As soon as Jacob started walking away, in a brisk stride, Snape stopped holding his head and the mental attack appeared to be over.
"Just what is going on?" Dumbledore questioned looking from Gold, to Snape, to Jacob's retreating back.
Gold actually ignored the headmaster, to the students surprise, and turned to a haggard looking Snape. "Just who do you think you are? I'm positive that you know that it's illegal to look into someone's mind! You should be incredibly happy that he has those shields, because if you got any type of glimpse into his mind, you would see hell unleashed. And I'm not talking about his memories! Roman would be here before you could even think of getting a potion for your headache! He would be who you would have to grovel to. And you do not want to have to grovel to him! I can't believe you tried that Snape, certainly after how you acted when he joined your class! You should have been honored to have someone like him in your class! You're a disgrace! You disgust me!"
"PROFESSOR GOLD," Albus had charmed his throat so his shout was heard through out the entire castle, and one could be certain a few animals and wanderers in Hogsmeade had heard him. With the charm no longer on his throat, and the man's attention, he continued, "Calm down and tell me what happened."
Gold spun around to deal with Dumbledore and everyone could see the fire in his eyes. It terrified the first years, and some of the seventh years were certain they would see a spell fired.
"Your Potions master just attempted to break into Jacob's mind, that's what! I've told you that I know important people, and Jacob is just the tip of the iceberg! You can be certain that Roman will hear about this, and he is much more scarier than you are, so if you'll excuse me, I have to go send an owl, and calm down a very agitated young man."
As he left, everyone in the Great Hall was wondering just who Roman was, because Dumbledore didn't even look as if he knew, and he looked afraid.
Before Gold had completely exited he left one more message for the headmaster and Snape, directly into the men's minds', "You both best hope I can calm down my charge, or so help you, I won't be able to stop him."
One look between the two men had them agreeing they would convene in the office upstairs. The question of just who was Jacob Green and Silas Gold, ringing loud in their ears.
The next day the Great Hall was still talking about whatever Jacob had done to Snape. It didn't help that no one had seen Jacob or the Professor since they had left the day before. Gold had even canceled the classes he had had.
The fourth years were very apprehensive as they waited for the door to open, and when it did they were ever so quiet as they took their seats. It didn't go unnoticed that in the front of the class, Jacob had taken a table for himself.
Hermione and Ron showed their Gryffindor roots as they approached the table and sat down next to him. Hermione even gathered enough courage to ask him just what he did to Snape.
She wasn't surprised to see that he ignored her, but she jumped out of her seat as a curse was flown and effectively blocked by the young man.
Everyone except Jacob turned to see that it was their Professor who fired the curse, and was shutting the door. No one dared to breath as he cast another curse at the strange boy.
"Really Gold? You're going to do this?" Jacob said harshly, but everyone heard him. He got out of his seat so quietly everyone was shocked to watch as a duel started between the two.
"Stop sulking and I'll stop firing curses at you," Gold remarked calmly.
"I have every right to sulk, and you know exactly why I am," Jacob snapped, and before everyone's eyes his staff was transfigured to its full size. When the two started firing more powerful and advance curses the class found themselves almost hiding on the other side of the room. "I don't even want to be here! I was happy to see you, but I don't see why I couldn't have just stayed with Indigo!"
"Because he is on the same mission as Roman, I thought he would have told you as much!" Gold said, and was surprised to find himself hit with a curse, one that he didn't think anyone but Roman knew. "So he's teaching you his own curses? It's too bad you haven't mastered them yet!"
The class all screamed as Jacob sent three curses towards their professor. They couldn't relax though, even though the professor blocked each of them.
"We're cutting in to my class time now Jacob," Gold said, not taking his eyes off his charge.
"You're the one that started this, you can stop any time," Jacob replied, letting a stinging hex hit him. "Oh, that hurt," he said, but everyone heard the sarcasm in his voice.
"Jacob," Gold said, after what seemed like a hundred curses had passed between them. "Do you really want them to see you like this? What happens if the truth gets out?"
Hearing that didn't make him falter like Gold hoped it would, and the class was curious as to what he could be talking about. Almost everyone screamed as they watched their professor drop down to one knee, Jacob not relenting. "If the truth comes out, I think they'll have other things on their minds than this little duel. Do you give up?"
Everyone's attention squared on their professor whose eyes steeled over and they were so happy to see him get up and continue the battle.
Gold saw something in Jacob's eyes and for the first time he sent a look over to his class before turning his attention fully back to Jacob. "Don't do it Jacob, please."
It was the first time the class had heard Gold like this, as if he were going to lose, and Ron, with is Gryffindor courage, stepped forward. Meanwhile, Draco ran towards the door and bolted towards the headmaster's office.
"Mate, whatever it is, it can be worked out," Ron stated, and Gold once again took his eyes away from Jacob to look at his student. Making a snap decision, Gold turned his wand on Ron, and cast a spell that sent him easily back towards where the rest of his students were hiding. Some were crying, clearly scared of what was going on. The second Jacob's spell hit Gold, everyone screamed. Even Gold.
"Stop it," Hermione shouted, tears running unabashed down her cheeks. "Stop, you're clearly hurting him! Stop it!"
Jacob, hearing this, stopped the spell and looked over at everyone. They were all terrified, and he was certain they thought he would kill their professor. Looking back over to Gold, the last thing he saw over the man's shoulder was Dumbledore rushing in, with a scared looking Draco following.
"Just what is going on here?" Dumbledore shouted, seeing Jacob hit with the a spell that dropped him unconscious to the floor. "That wasn't a stunner," he commented.
"No it wasn't," Gold said, clenching his jaw shut. It was with a sigh that he walked over to Jacob and waved his wand over him, everyone was shocked to see him disappear from view. Turning back to his class, and Dumbledore, he spoke, "I'm truly sorry for scaring everyone. That was not my intention. I had it under control, but now we can get on with our lesson. So, please, take your seats."
Dumbledore gave him a hard look and he nodded. "I'll see you in my office as soon as class is over." Dumbledore left the room and headed to his office, there was only twenty minutes of class left, after that, he would be having a long discussion with his defense teacher.
"Class," Gold said going and standing in front of them all. He carefully look at each and everyone of them, easily going through their minds and finding them still quite terrified, which was expected. "What you just saw wasn't what I thought it would be. I didn't know Jacob would react like that, he has clearly gotten better since I last dueled him. I'm willing to answer any of your questions, whatever they may be."
"What was it he hit you with?" someone at the back asked, and in their voice, it was clear they were afraid of the answer.
"Another curse my friend Roman taught him, what it did was target my pain receptors, all at once," Gold said, and he frowned. "No, this was not the curious, but it is similar, and yes, it is dark."
"But why does he know that? If he knows dark curses he shouldn't be here!"
"Jacob does know dark curses, yes, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be here. I know for a fact that some of you know a couple dark curses, does that mean you shouldn't be here?" Gold didn't wait for them to answer, going on with his explanation. "Jacob knows a lot of curses, but I can tell you that he doesn't enjoy casting any dark ones, he is not a dark wizard."
"Just who he is? Is he your son?" Hermione asked. The rest of the class nodded, clearly wanting to know the answer.
"No, he is not my son, but I did teach him last year, not just defense either. Jacob," Gold paused, wondering just how to put it to them, "he is a very special young man, with a lot on his plate."
"What did you mean when you asked him if he really wanted us to see him like that? What truth were you talking about?" Hermione continued with the questioning, and the class was very willing to let her.
"I meant exactly that. How you just saw Jacob was, yes scary, but you also saw him vulnerable, he said many things that you wouldn't have heard if he wasn't in the thick of it all. And the truths I was talking about aren't mine to tell," Gold answered. "One more question and then you can all be dismissed."
Everyone looked to Hermione and with a deep breath, she asked what they had been wondering all morning, "Can I ask two?" When Gold nodded he'd allow it, she made up her mind on what to ask. "What did he do to Snape? And who is Roman?"
Gold nodded and once more looked at each and everyone of them. "Do you all understand what Snape did yesterday?" At their blank stares, he continued. "Snape tried to perform a legilimency attack on him, what that means is he tried to break into Jacob's mind and see some of his memories. In turn, Jacob performed a reverse attack that made Snape see and relive his worst memory, whatever that memory is, it's not pleasant, as I'm sure if that happened to you, you too would be in pain." He quickly looked through their minds again, they had calmed down, but they would probably now give Jacob and even wider berth, and the events that happened would definitely be over the castle before lunch even began. "Homework for next week, write me your best essay on how to handle yourself in a duel, class dismissed."
"Sir," Hermione said, no one had moved to collect their belongings. "You didn't tell us who Roman is."
"No I didn't," Gold remarked, turning away from them and going up the stairs to his office. "Class is dismissed, I'll see you all at lunch." He didn't wait for them to reply, but shut the door to his office, and went over to where he had transported Jacob. Casting the counter curse, he waited the minute it took him to wake up. "You weren't ready to be here."
With a heavy sigh, Jacob shook his head. "No, but I didn't have a choice," he commented. "How much trouble am I in?"
Gold looked at him, trifling through his mind at the same time. "I'll go explain the situation to Dumbledore as best I can, hopefully Roman will be here tomorrow evening, the day after at the latest. "You're someone to be reckoned with, that's for sure."
"I learned from the best," Jacob said, sitting up and squeezing his eyes. "Any chance I can get a potion for this headache?"
"No, payback for hitting me with that pain-splitter," Gold commented before leaving the room and heading off to see Dumbledore.
An hour later, Gold still had yet to return, and Jacob wondered if he would be welcome to lunch. Deciding to just get it over with, he made his way to the Great Hall once more, and with another deep breath, opened the door and walked in.
Every set of eyes were on him as he made his way to the head table towards Gold. When he finally reached the table, Gold stood up, walked the couple of feet to him, and whispered in his ear, "The whole school knows. The headmaster wants you to make a public apology to all those kids you scared. You can do it now, or at dinner. Just insure them that you weren't going to kill me and it will all blow over."
Searching Gold's eyes, and in turn having Gold search his, he nodded. Quietly he commented just for Gold, "This joke isn't even remotely funny, so don't think about laughing in your room later tonight, or I'll curse you again."
Apparently he wasn't quiet enough, because Dumbledore heard him, and gave him a very sharp look.
To get rid of the stare, Jacob turned to the Great Hall, and realized that every single student was here, and they were all watching him with such fear, he sighed. He didn't even need to cast a charm to make sure his voice was heard, he had all their attention. "It's probably a bit juvenile to say hello, so I'll get straight to the point. To every single person that had defense this morning, I am very sorry you had to witness that. I wasn't, nor will I ever, hurt Professor Gold more than he's ever hurt me," Jacob heard Dumbledore choke on his pumpkin juice at that statement, and produced a shield from the hex that Gold sent to him. "I'm sure he explained that he taught me last year, and probably a few other things, but only I can extend my sincerest apology, so, truly, I am sorry." With that, Jacob turned around and joined Gold at the table.
"More than he has ever hurt you?" Dumbledore questioned in the silence that followed.
"He's a good defense teacher sir, but Roman is better," Jacob said, and with nothing else to say, grabbed a sandwich and began to eat it.
Through out the room, people were wondering exactly what happened this morning, other than what rumors they heard, and what he had really done to terrify the fourth years.
Before more questions could be asked amongst themselves, the doors opened once more, and a man looking like a twin of Godric Gryffindor walked through it. When he spoke though, his voice rang loud and clear, and Jacob looked as if he had seen a ghost. "Oh yes, Jacob, I know."
A/N: Don't forget to review!