Corvus was currently sitting in the stands of the small stadium. It had been constructed before the students came to Hogwarts. He had been plagued be a strange dream for the past few nights. He always came up to a group of four cages in the woods. Inside were for dragons, but only one caught his interest, the Hungarian Horntail. This one was the angriest and the one he seemed to understand the most. In the dream, he was speaking to the dragons. They had been subdued and captured while resting in their nests and brought here for some human activity. The dreams always progressed, returning to speak again. The last night he spoke to the Horntail Corvus told him to wait for the proper opportunity and to escape if possible. The Horntail, whose name was Kragen, agreed to the plan.
Currently Corvus sat, the sun barely even rising over the horizon. The smell of dew blew with the wind, the air smelling of a sweetness he couldn't quite place. He was familiar with it, but it seemed to skip inside of his head. A smell he couldn't quite place. He moved his feet, the wood creaking under his heavy weight. He looked down in sadness, his red shoes no longer on his feet. It was much to early to wear them, the grass far too wet with dew. Instead, he wore his backups. They were a pair of old leather boots. They were laced boots that were old military surplus from world war two. They were black and they had long lost their shine, meant for use in European Forests. They were old, but well kept and the leather well oiled.
Unlike most days, Corvus didn't wear his simple jeans and shirt. Today, he wore a much more elaborate set of clothing. He wore the black leather boots on his feet, the snug fit they had offering a comfort to him, letting him know they wouldn't fall off. Instead of his usual jeans, he wore a pair of black wool pants, this morning being in fall and rather chilly. The pants were well kept, clean and well made. They were designed for working in, but they still gave a somewhat formal look. His shirt was a long sleeved red cotton shirt, a deep shade of scarlet. It was designed for work as well, but still looked of a more formal sort. Over top of the shirt he wore a black wool waist coat. It had three golden buttons to keep it bound to him. Black fingerless gloves, ones he had wore in Quidditch, covered his hands. His watch was in the right pocket of the vest, the silver chain trailing out of the pocket, linking with his middle button. He finished the ensemble by wearing a simple black wool long coat. It was currently open, no need for it to be buttoned. His hair was in a pulled back in a tail, bound by a scarlet band. His remaining hair fell forward, parting and framing his face and falling in line just above his shoulders. It was getting to long to keep loose, it kept getting in the way of things
He had dressed up today, the day of the first challenge and come to support his friend. Why he had come early though, was so no one could see him dressed like this. Given his height, most would think him some reporter or something. He rather disliked dressing up in front of people he knew, not because he didn't think he looked handsome, but because he was just more comfortable in these clothes for some reason. He didn't want people to think he was some rich boy, so he rather liked wearing old clothing, simple and well kept. He never wore new things, none that cost money. He always kept what still worked and fixed what broke. It was just his way really, to fix what was broken and not to cast it aside.
He sat there, thinking and contemplating things in his life. He had been having many dreams as of late. They were dreams of that woman, the woman in black. He could never hear a voice or see a face, but something about her comforted him. More dreams were of a girl, but she was always playing hide and seek, running from him and laughing and he would always give chase. Some were of flying, soaring high and low in the sky. He always awoke in his bed though, letting him know they were just dreams. Some nights though, the dreams felt far too real. He could smell sweet rolls when he was with the woman in black, the air around them filled with the smell of sweet rolls and lavender. When with the girl, chasing after her, the scent reminded him of flowers and sweets. He always tried to catch the girl, but he never did.
Corvus waited, watching the sun rise up into the cloudy sky. It was gray, hardly a patch of the blue sky to be found. He rather hoped it would rain tonight, but the clouds didn't seem to be heavy enough. The wind whipped around him, kicking up his color slightly and his bangs moving in the breeze. He felt peaceful here, sitting alone and waiting. Soon, the students would pour in and wait to see what became of the four champions. For now, he could sit here in peace and think. Hermione had been spending time alone lately, studying and trying to get all her work done. It miffed her to no end that Corvus just seemed to breeze through everything. In truth, he had an eidetic memory, so he just had an easier go of it. He would be lying if he said he was smarter, for she had a far better knack at intuition and figuring things out.
Corvus had fallen into a rather comfortable pattern with his new friends. He would study with Hermione from time to time. He would often argue the finer points of history and magical theory with her, often getting into debates over transfiguration and its uses and properties. Then, when with Ron and Harry, he would get into debates over Quidditch and what teams were better and what the best plays were. He often would find the debates fun and exciting. Lately, he had been walking the grounds and spending his free time just sitting by the lake, looking up to the sky and day dreaming. Once in a while, his new friend from Ravenclaw would come by, sit with him and they would talk about things. He was rather fond of the girl, Luna. She was sweet, innocent and didn't seem to judge anyone. Often he found himself staring, but he just tried to place where she seemed so familiar from.
Sighing, he leaned back, his back resting on the bleacher behind him and him looking straight up at the gray skies. No birds or Thestrals today, just the gray sky greeted him. They gray reflected in his eyes, the blue seeming to turn to a silver. He felt as though the world was melting away, as though a weight was being lifted from him. He let out a deep breath, relaxing in the silence. He did this, only to sit back up when he heard the distant commotion of marching students, laughing and cheering in excitement. Surely, the first challenge would be something to see. He took a deep breath, the scent of sweetness that wafted in with the breeze once again relaxing him.
The crow cheered loudly as they waited for the event to start. They stood all along the stadium, waving homemade banners and flags in support of who they wanted to win. Students from all three schools occupied the stands. Corvus stood in the row in front of Ron and Hermione. They had all just witnessed three of the events take place, each successful. The final challenger was preparing, Harry Potter. Corvus hoped his friend would succeed. He had quite the foe to face, a Hungarian Horntail. What disturbed him though was how similar this dragon was to the one from his dreams.
The dragon was large, with spikes on its head and it's club like tail. The Horntail was large, but not the largest by far. It was a beautiful beast in Corvus' opinion. It's scales were a slate gray, shining in the low light of the day. It's teeth were sharp and fine, each a bright shining blade ready to tear the flesh from whatever it could grab. It was perched atop the egg, waiting for it's prey to come forth. Corvus knew the Horntail had very few faults. It was an excellent flier, but it's heavy tail slowed it down and severely reduced it's agility. The only way Harry was going to win was to be faster than it.
Harry made his way out into the pit below, the crowd cheering as he did so. He looked around, nervousness clear on his face. He seemed to be unsure of himself. Corvus had faith in his friends ability. From what he knew of Harry, he was quick, good on his feet and creative. If that dolt Krum could do it, so could Harry.
"You can do it Harry, you just have to be fast!"yelled Corvus. He heard more cheers erupt as Harry started to creep, wand out at the ready, around the pit. He avoided the dragon, trying to sneak to the egg. The dragon was relying on it's smell, trying to find Harry without it's eyes. Harry quickly pointed his wand up, yelling what sounded like an accio spell. The dragon heard him, lunging towards the sound. Harry dodged, although barely. Hermione gasped, covering her mouth with her hand and her eyes filled with fright.
"If he corners you, run under him and to the left out the back of his wing! He won't get ye!"adrenaline filled Corvus as he yelled. He knew the counters for this fight. Harry followed his directions, diving under the dragon and running behind it, out of the cover of the right wing and hid behind the rock. The dragon turned, unleashing it's flame upon Harry's makeshift cover. The rock melted, the flame reducing it to molten lava, rapidly cooling as it separated from the stone.
Many held their breaths. They thought the young champion was doomed for certain. Corvus knew better, he heard something though, a whistle in the air. His eyes widened a bit as he ducked, just in time for a broom to fly over him. He watched as the broom flew to Harry, the boy climbing on and kicking off. This drew a loud cheer from the crowd. Harry flew, out of reach of the dragon, circling the ring. Little did Harry knew, that this was taunting the Horntail. The dragon was getting far angrier than before, the chain holding it in place straining. Corvus could hear the chain creaking, it wouldn't hold for much longer. Before he could voice his warning, the chain snapped. Harry quickly flew away through the teachers stands, flying over their heads but under the canvas canopy.
The dragon followed, it's tail smashing apart the stands and the canopy ripping in half. Teachers and Professors jumped to the sides to avoid the mace-like tail as it ripped through. People cheered as they watched Harry fly away, the dragon giving chase. The whole stadium erupted in cheers until Harry and the dragon were out of sight, the noise soon dying down into whispers and eventually silence.
Corvus watched the Horizon, then remembered his spyglass. He opened his over coat, searching the inner pockets. He knew he had it on him, but where? He found his hidden pocket, sticking his hand in and searching through things. Ron stared at him, then his jaw dropped as Corvus stuck his entire arm, shoulder deep, inside the small pocket.
"How big is that bloody pocket?!" Ron half asked, half yelled. Hermione just rolled her eyes.
"He obviously has as expansion charm on it Ronald." she said. In truth, she had done the same charm to a few bags herself. Corvus' face lit up as he finally found what he was looking for. He pulled his arm out, a brass cylinder in his hand. He pulled a cap off of one end, then extended the opposite end. He brought the spyglass up to his right eye, closing his left to look through the instrument. He looked towards the castle, searching for anything. He started to walk up the steps, stopping at the top so he could see. He searched, then he finally saw Harry, flying through the castle, between towers and turrets. The Horntail was quick to follow, smashing through towers and roofs trying to follow. Harry cut through between a bridge, the aqueduct to be precise. He looked behind him, watching the dragon smash through the bridge, then tumble below. He quickly flew towards the stadium, but before Corvus could say anything, someone else spotted Harry flying to them. As he flew over, the crowd erupted into cheers. He came to rest in the center of the arena, picking up his egg and showing his prize to all those around.
Corvus hadn't followed the large group of people that carried Harry to the Castle. He would congratulate his friend later. Instead, he decided to walk about the castle, away from the celebrations of the winners. He didn't like crowds, he rather enjoyed small gatherings and events. He loved the time he spent with his friends, but the more things went on the more he started to realize they were the type that everyone focused on. It was like they were the celebrities around here or something. He didn't mind, it just meant he would have to be uncomfortable. He had been rather uncomfortable all day really, he kept feeling people stare at him.
He was walking by people, most of the time when it was girls they would giggle or start whispering. They were probably making fun of him or something, he was used to that. Why wouldn't they? He had top marks, dressed in muggle clothes, loved dragons and theoretical magic and was a Black. He still didn't know much about his family in all honesty. He just knew they were the oldest wizarding clan in Britain. He needed to do some research some time and try and figure out why he had never been contacted before. That was something that concerned him, why had he never heard of his family until recently? Also, what of the rest of his family? Who were his parents and why did they give him up? His head was filled with questions.
He walked the halls and eventually came to the library. Inside it was empty, except for one other person. He recognized the white blond hair and her small form. He walked up to her table, sitting opposite of her. She looked up to him, giving him a small smile and a mystified glance. She went back to reading her magazine, although it was upside down. She was oddly dressed today, but not extremely so. She war a long black skirt and an old blue sweater. The sweater was old and looked far to big for her, it was draping her frame really, but she looked rather adorable really. She reminded him of someone, but he couldn't quite place it. He had trouble placing things lately, like his memory was slipping and letting old thoughts go.
"Hello Luna." he said, a small smile on his face. She smiled in return.
"Hello Corvus. That's a very nice outfit." she said while she smiled. His cheeks reddened slightly, no one had really said anything about it. She smiled a little more, placing her book shut on the table.
"Thank you. With the first challenge today, I thought something a bit better looking than what I usually wear would be more appropriate."said Corvus.
"I think you look good in your normal attire."Luna said with a small smile and a neutral look on her face. She was stating a fact after all. Corvus was a rather handsome man who happened to look good in whatever he was wearing.
"Thank you." He said. He looked down in embarrassment, only to done a confused look. His gaze met her feet, which were bare once more. Why did she not have any shoes on? In fact, she had never had shoes on when he had seen her.
"Luna, why do you not have any shoes?" He asked her. Her face fell slightly, a sadness filling her gray eyes, seeming to darken. She pulled her hair behind her ear, avoiding meeting his eyes.
"Well, sometimes the other students in my house tend to hide my things."she said. Corvus wasn't convinced though, she still wouldn't look at him.
"What happened to your shoes though?" He asked her. She just looked at the floor, moving her bare feet. He noticed that they were red and looked rough and even a little blue. Had she went to the event today with no shoes on? Luna cleared her throat, preparing to speak.
"The students thought it would be funny to throw them into the Black Lake. I searched for hours, but I never found them. I haven't had shoes in a month. Everyone just ignores it though, they seem to think its just me being 'looney'." she told him. It actually made Corvus mad, knowing that she had been so long without shoes. The fact that no one would help her because she was odd just made it all the worse. She was unique, true, but that didn't make her looney. Corvus was angry, but his anger vanished as an idea formed in his head. A smile graced his face. He reached into his jacket, searching for something. His hands found purchase on a familiar material. I pulled, bring out two objects from his pocket. In his hand was a pair of shoes, his red canvas sneakers to be exact.
"Here, you can have mine." He said, offering the shoes to her with a smile. Luna looked up to him, a look of disbelief in her eyes. He was always wearing those sneakers, the odd muggle shoes that they were. They were practically a part of him. He would give them up to a girl he barely knew?
"Wha...why?" she asked, her voice still filled with disbelief. Corvus just smiled wider.
"Because, you're my friend and I'm more than happy to help." he said. She was at a loss for words. In truth, she didn't have any friends really. She was alone most days. Even Corvus she thought of as just someone else coming to see the 'looney' Lovegood girl.
"We're...friends?" she asked, almost too afraid to do so. He smiled, his eyes shining like to blue pools of shining blue water. She searched for any trace of a lie, but found none. No deception or misleading emotions crossed his face.
"Of course we are. Anyone who wouldn't want to be your friend is a fool. You're a spectacular person. I would love to be your friend." he said. She smiled at him, the darkness leaving her eyes. She had a friend! She couldn't wait to write her father about her new friend, the mysterious young Corvus Black. Corvus moved to his knee before her, bowing down and placing the shoes on the ground. He held up a hand, asking for her left foot. She obliged, raising her leg and allowing him to slide her foot into the large shoe. She was quite taken really, no one had ever done something like this. Corvus followed, doing the same for her right, before tapping the shoes with his hand, whispering something under his breath. The shoes shrunk down, becoming the perfect fit for her small feet. Luna smiled wide, her grey eyes shining with joy.
"Thank you, it really means a lot to me." she said. Corvus smiled, sitting opposite her once again.
"You are quite welcome miss Lovegood. Should anyone besides you or I touch those shoes, they will be met with a very unpleasant surprise by the way. Nothing to bad though, just a little shock." he said, flashing her a devious look. She giggled when he did so. She was filled with joy. Not only had she made a friend, but he had given up something that obviously meant a lot to him for her out of the kindness of his heart. Luna may not know everything, but she did know that Corvus was going to be a very special person and an amazing friend. She felt overjoyed, a pleasant warmth filling her as she smiled with the young Black.