"We just have to get through study hall." Bernard said to Thomas and Lars after their last class of the week — potions. Thomas's mind was racing through the whole class, and in his defence he had a lot to think about. To Thomas, it felt a bit awkward to look at Professor Nocturne, but he was trying to change. He spent a great deal of time between the two ideas. Luckily, Thomas could worry and whip up a burn-healing paste.
The same couldn't be said for Pipa, who in all honesty shouldn't be allowed near a cauldron. Or anything that involved a recipe. Thomas had watched, as a simple burn-healing paste. Turned into a small volcano shooting out small fires. Daniel and his group had ducked for cover. Throwing unhelpful remarks. Professor Nocturne waiting to see how poor Psto would react. Thomas was about to step in. Psto used his cloak to beat the creation back into Pipa's cauldron. Pipa grabbed a small lid and smothered the rest.
"I am so sorry!" Pipa said patting Psto cloak, like it would fix the holes she had burn through it.
"Maybe I can fix it?" He looked rather lost.
"I'll get you a new one! I'll write my parents at Study Hall." Pipa promised. Psto looked skeptical but accepted it with a nod.
"Next time — don't add anything unless I tell you too." Psto told her. Pipa nodded, and Psto left the class with a sigh and a bundle of books under his arm.
"Okay, I'm ready!" Pipa turned, looking happy. Like she hadn't turned a burn heal into a small fire. It was kind of impressive, if Thomas stopped to think about it.
"Potions is a mandatory class right?" Thomas asked Lars.
"For the first six years." Lars said with a smile on his lips. He had found the whole thing amusing. Thomas shook his head, Lars hadn't even bother hiding his smirk.
"Well — you can't fault her enthusiasm." Bernard said, walking in time with them.
"What I lack in skill, I make up for in creativity." Pipa said hugging her books to her chest, and joining in her group.
"True." Bernard said with a shy smile. That Thomas noted that he only used with Pipa.
"I noticed how you dodged her creativity, by taking Evan's as a partner." Lars said dryly. Evan's was another Gryffindor student — first year. He didn't seem to mind Thomas's group, but wanted to avoid the drama, and Thomas couldn't blame him. Bernard looked away a strike of red running across his nose. Looking as guilty as charged.
"Thomas doesn't mind my creativity!" Pipa said with a pout. "Do you Thomas?" Pipa turned towards Thomas.
"You are very good at cutting things." Thomas had partnered with her once. All you could do with a train rack like Pipa, was give her a task, far away from the cauldron as possible.
"See!" Pipa stuck her tongue out at Bernard.
"Trying to make the woodworm pretty — by cutting it into a fun shape. Is not helpful." Bernard said, walking into study hall.
"Thomas said it was." Pipa pointed to Thomas, who looked away from Bernard eyes. "He can't lie."
"Doesn't mean he can't find loop-holes." Lars chuckled. He had figured out his plan to keep Pipa busy in potions class. He had even used it himself when they partnered up.
"Loop-holes?" Pipa asked with a frown.
"Oh, look out table!" Thomas avoided further questioning by darting ahead. Together they worked on their Herbology homework. Thomas was good at labeling the parts of plants — as related to potions class. Otherwise, he failed, horribly, at anything else in the class. Today a plant had crawled up into the ceiling to avoid Thomas. Professor Frost had partnered him with Bernard for the rest of the school year. He now had to write a thousand-word essay on how to approach magical plants. Bernard was helping him.
Pipa was sluggishly dealing with History of Magic homework with Lars. Professor Bins was another ghost that wasn't afraid of Thomas. Thomas suspected it was because he didn't even see him. He came in and lecture without missing a beat. Professor Bins classes were so boring that many fell asleep to his monologues. Pipa included.
Every study hall it was a battle to keep up for Pipa. Study Hall went by fast, and during dinner Pipa wrote that letter to her parents. Explaining what she had done to Psto cloak, Bernard, who had no interest in writing to his family; helped her out.
Thomas and Lars wrote one to his parents. Thomas remembered to ask for some potions ingredients he needed. Christmas was coming, and he had a few ideas in mind for his friends. Lars at first wrote a quick couple of lines, but Pipa intervened. Once done, they used one of Lars's ravens as a carrier, and off their letters went.
After dinner Bernard and Pipa went to the library — to look up things about Harry Potter. Lars and Thomas, made their way back down to the Potions classroom. Where Professor Nocturne was waiting for them. He wore a rusty red robe over an old fashion suit. He sat in a large backed chair with a small owl sitting on his shoulder.
Thomas gave Lars a sideways glance. He could see his jaw twitching. Lars looked his way — his lips flattened into a thin line. Thomas nodded, he wouldn't say anything. Lars gave the corner of his lip a quick turn up. A force smile, was better than no smile in all, and rather brave Thomas thought. For a bloke he knew not a fan, and scared of owls. The classroom looked the same, but Professor Nocturne had moved most of the tables away. Leaving a chair in front, that he sat in, and two chairs; presumably for him and Lars.
"I had an interesting talk with Professor Barlow." Professor Nocturne raised a thick white brow into a high arch above his black eye.
"Insisted. I tell you about Vampire Bonds. Despite this being our first lesson." He raised a thin hand to scratch the white stomach of the owl. Their black eyes turn to crescent moon slits — Thomas thought he looked happy. "That is why — Star is here." Professor Nocturne turned and looked and Lars. "Will that be an issue — Mr. O'Sullivan?"
"No." Lars said through gritted teeth.
"Good. Sit." Professor Nocturne said crossing his right leg over his left.
"I am interested in hearing about it." Thomas said. Trying to drive a wedge between Lars and Professor Nocturne's electric stare off.
"Why?" Professor Nocturne offered his finger to the small owl — Star. They walked over to his fingers with a small delicate claws.
"Full details. I'll know if you leave anything out." Professor Nocturne gave him a long eye stare. One that stared right into his soul. He felt it from the tip of his toes to the tops of his pointed ears. He was glad his hair was long enough to hide their quivering.
"Last night after..." Thomas paused.
"The troll?" Lars said hos eyes on the owl on Professor Nocturne's hand.
"Yeah, and my new..." Thomas sighed and rolled his tongue over his teeth.
"Fangs." Lars finished for him.
"I went for a walk. I felt something pulling, or a pushing." Thomas frowned, trying to explain the feeling that was inside him. "It was dark and heavy. It felt like it could consume me." Thomas looked at the stone ceiling. With night and fall, the potions classroom was colder than it was in class. "Also, it felt like it was trying to help me?" Thomas said the last bit like a question, since he wasn't sure himself. Looking at Professor Nocturne, his face was unreadable like always. "I don't know. I'm not having that feeling now."
"Professor Barlow," Thomas gulped, Lars's hand on his knee helped him finish. "Said I should ask you about Vampire Bonds."
"Where did this feeling lead you?" Professor Nocturne asked, placing Star on his knee.
"To the girl's lavatory." Thomas remembered the small snake he fingered on the tap side. "The entrance to the chamber of secrets."
"Why didn't you mentioned this at breakfast, or even lunch?" Lars shot out of his chair. "I thought you couldn't lie?" Thomas winced, technically he didn't lie...but Lars sound hurt, and that hurt him.
"Sit down!" Professor Nocturne demanded his voice stern. His owl let out a high-pitched cry. Sitting Lars right back down. "Things are not black and white. You change your visions often enough." Lars gave a sharp intake in breath. "You are far from the first one I have encountered." Professor Nocturne said, his narrowing eyes into dark slits, Star imitating him to a t.
"Now sit, listen and learn." A wave of pressure filled the room. Turning the very air into a heavy weight that pressed down on them. Thomas slunk into his seat, shaking with the force of it. Lars was panting but remaining up right. His leaned form shook harder than Thomas was. He could see the vibration hurting him. Bead of sweat pooled on Lars's forehead.
"Stop it!" Thomas couldn't take it anymore, and nether could Lars, if his stubborn friend would only omit it. "Both of you!" Thomas stood up himself. He threw up his arms and tossed the weighted air off of him. Lars sat down, his eyes wide and a swirl of colour that was unable to stop at only one. His mouth opened a few times, only to click shut again.
"See?" Professor Nocturne leaned back in his chair. His little white bellied friend. Puffed u and hopping higher on his knee. "Thomas has abilities, like you, but unlike you. He can learn control them, or is that why you are interrupting it?"
"What is that suppose to mean?" Lars said pushing himself up right on his chair.
"What would your life be like without your cards?" Professor Nocturne asked Lars. Thomas kept quiet, and sat back down. Watching the two carefully. This was the most he had ever seen the Professor talk. "Think about it." Professor Nocturne turned his attention back to Thomas.
"I will only explain this once, so listen." With a wave of his hand a pale red glow lit up the darkened space around them. Thomas looked at them. Watching intently, knowing Professor Nocturne would keep his word, and only explain once. Thomas was grateful he was explaining it at all. "Sirens. Your second mother. Was your father's Animal to Call." The figure of a tailed woman formed from thin red light formed in the air.
"A vampire needs help he can trust." Professor Nocturne continued to explain. Thomas fingers dug into his knees, at the mention of his father. "Siren's are an odd choice, but spoke volumes of his soul."
"His soul?" Thomas asked, leaning forward.
"Siren's are cold. Uncaring beasts, very different from the merpeople, that are more relatable." Professor Nocturne magic turned into a vampire. Thomas could tell by the pointed ears. "They do own a nature much like vampires. Care only for territory, or in this case a select few." Professor Nocturne's voice turned warm. "He was a vampire, with a vampire soul. A rare and powerful thing."
"Before the soul bond forms... darkness can bloom." Professor Nocturne's image change into a dark flower. "Beat it and become a master." The flower bloomed into a rose with brilliant shinning red petals. "Earning your bond, gives you a power and anchor." The flower turned into an owl. Soaring outwards and disappearing into one of the dark corners of the classroom.
"How do I find this bond?" Thomas asked breathless. It sounded amazing, and scary. All at the same time.
"What if he doesn't?" Lars spoke up, bringing Thomas's attention back to him. Lars looked a bit pale, but his hands were folded calming across his chest.
"Then he'll not be a master." Professor Nocturne said. Thomas flashed back to an earlier conversation.
"You would place me under the care of a master." Thomas said, not liking the sound of that idea.
"For yours, and everyone else safety." Professor Nocturne said, the old chill returning to his voice. The earlier warmth gone — like a dream.
"What can he do?" Lars said his voice rough, his brogue rough and vibrating.
"Follow your instincts. Don't shut them off, or down, and trust in them." Professor Nocturne looked Thomas in the eyes. His black gaze so dark. It reflected Thomas like a mirror. He was pale, and his long hair didn't help him out at all, and worse of all. He looked wide-eyed and sacred.
"Is there a time limit?" Thomas asked in a whisper.
"You have until I leave. Fail and you come with me." Professor Nocturne said. His owl flew back to his shoulder. Tucking himself into Professor Nocturne's long white hair.
"You can't take him!" Lars said throwing his arm out, and snapping them back to fist on his lap.
"Ask your parents. If Thomas can not control his vampire nature, and gain his animal to call by the end of the year. He will leave with me."
"To protect others from me?" Thomas felt his confidence crumbling. Could he be the monster that everyone accursed him of?
"I will." Lars said standing up, he pulled Thomas up from his seat.
"Are you going to give him a hint?" Lars asked. Professor Nocturne only gave a thin smile.
"He never gives answers." Thomas said, feeling numb. "Or you'll never learn."
"Help or hinder. Mr. O' Sullivan. Thomas's fate is entwined with your decisions." Professor Nocturne's owl gave a small hoot.
"Goodnight Professor." Lars said his voice low in controlled anger.
"Goodnight." Professor Nocturne gave them a nod, and Thomas was pulled out of the classroom by Lars. His mind in a whirl, he let Lars drag him away.