The walk to breakfast was an interesting one. Many of the staircases leading up, also went down, then right and left. Made Thomas's head turn at every step, luckily Bernard had a good grasp on their location. Paintings were talking and moving along the walls. One even snickered when the staircases tried to move under Thomas's feet.
Pipa was quick to tell him off, but it's hard to yell at target that could disappear at any moment. Travelling this castle was looking like a necessary group activity. Going solo Thomas wasn't sure if he would make it to his destination. If it wasn't paintings, it was the other students heading to breakfast, if Thomas wasn't getting bumped into.
They were even doubling back to stare at Thomas. Many voiced there disappointed that Thomas's pointed ears hiding under his hair. Thomas was once again, grateful that his hair was long enough to hide it. Other whispers in the halls, and the curious eyes were not much of a bother to Thomas. It was like the orphanage but on a larger scale. Soon they would begin to ignored him, or, so he hoped. Bernard, and Pipa were a different a story.
Bernard back was stiff and ram rod straight. Many turned away by his cold look in his honey coloured eyes. Pipa acted bubbly at first, which was typical Pipa. Then when her hellos went unanswered by their fellow Gryffindor's. She soon deflated, playing with her hair.
They got to the dinning room where they got place into their houses last time. The doors opened up into a dead silence. Word had spread, it seemed. Thomas thought with a sigh, When Lars flagged Thomas down from the Slytherin table he was grateful.
"If you guys want to." Thomas decided to offer them a way out. Otherwise, Thomas felt that Bernard, and Pipa would be exhausted before the day began. "You can go to sit with Gryffindor," Thomas pointed to the tables given Thomas a swarm of angry glares. "Make amends?"
"They would have hated me one way or another." Bernard shrugged his shoulders. Pipa shook her head tails swaying.
"I rather stick with you guys." Pipa said. "At least I know where I stand with you." Pipa turned and glared at the Gryffindor tables. "Rather than judge someone on gossip!" Pipa said louder for the Gryffindor's to hear.
"Are we allowed to sit here?" Bernard said walking with them to the Slytherin tables.
"Given what I heard." Lars said when they go to his table. "They would understand. He gave Thomas a one sided smile. "You managed to stir things up over there."
"Sorry." Thomas hoped this had nothing to do with the vision he was trying to avoid, because if it was. He messed things up.
"If I was going to suck someone dry. It wouldn't be a Potter." A big round kid in glasses laughed with a trumpeting honk. "Make catch their stuck up."
"I can't bite people yet." Thomas said, sitting down beside Lars.
"You can bite me when you're older. I have a feeling your going to turn into a cutie." A chubby girl with big blue eyes winked at him.
"Thanks?" Thomas said in a question.
"Welcome." She blew him a kiss from her finger tips at him.
"Thomas." Lars pointed to the two across from them. "These are the Tinder twins. Ethan, and Victoria Tinder."
"I'm Ethan." Leaned on the table towards Thomas pushing a tray filled with red berries. "Lars pulled these aside for you."
"I'm Ethan!" He blue eyes magnified by his glasses. Narrowed as much as they good at, Thomas paused; looking at the girl who laugh with a ho-ho sound.
"But of course dear brother." Victoria said laughing once again behind her hand.
"They are playful pair." Lars said. "I bunk next to Ethan." Lars poured Thomas some juice. Thanking Lars Thomas took a deep drink, feeling refreshed.
"Nice to meet you." Thomas said.
"Some of us more than others." Victoria's eyes sparkled, and bite down onto the biggest breakfast bun Thomas ever seen.
"I'm Bernard Malfoy." Bernard sat stiff in his seat next to Victoria. "I hope that won't be a problem."
"I would never have a problem with a cutie like you." Victoria pulled his arm in and hugged it. "I'll even share my bun with you." Holding her bun out to him. Pipa had started up a conversation with Ethan who was showing of a white mouse. Giving Thomas a chance to speak one on one with Lars.
"What happened?" Lars asked seeing the others busy as well. Thomas explained what happened, and passed on the teachers message. Lars sighed ans hook his head, but his stormy eyes looked clear.
"I'm sorry." Thomas finished off with an apology. Lars had switched houses to avoid trouble, and he started some instead. He felt bad for disappointing Lars — who he was trying harder to be more like.
"Things happened, but not as I saw them." Lars muttered to himself, then raised his head to star at Thomas. "Which is good." Placing a hand on his shoulder Lars gave him a fierce rub. "Everything is okay."
"What about Professor Barlow's house?" Thomas asked, still not sure what that all had meant.
"His house?" Lars dropped his hand with a laugh. "He was trying to say. That things can change. An old house can smell good or bad, depending on the windows." A light clicked in Thomas head.
"Like a drunk bar patron!" Thomas tapped his fist into his palm. Drunks could smell good or bad. It all depended on where you stood, and if the bar door sat opened.
"Yes." Lars said his accent thickening with his dry drawl. "Like that."
"You've worked at a bar?" Pipa asked, a white mouse now on her head. Both has there ears pricked in his direction.
"Aren't you underage?" Bernard grunted. Pushing a pushing Victoria off his side, who was not taking the hint.
"That's amazing darling!" Victoria said smiling with her face squished under Bernard's hand. "You have to whip me up a little something."
"Victoria!" Ethan said in a tone that Victoria ignored.
"I never serve someone underage." Thomas said, and he was serious, whenever he got to bar tend. Thomas took the job with great ride. Mixing things together, creating something new for someone else to enjoy. Was a precious thing to Thomas, but alcohol came with responsibilities. Handling that was a task he took great pride in.
"I can make you Hair Potion, if you get me the ingredients." Thomas offered seeing her eyes tear up.
"Hair potions!" Victoria perked up letting Bernard go while he was pulling. Leaving him to fall right of the table's bench.
"You can make potions already?" Bernard asked picking himself up off the floor. Dusty himself off, he looked at Victoria with a sigh. Before getting himself some breakfast.
"Thomas is a natural." Lars slung an arm around Thomas shoulders. Passing him a berry to eat. Thomas took it with a nod of thanks. Popping it in his mouth to munch. "He made some for my mother over the holidays."
"I did burn a hole in the floor." Thomas could still smell the burning wood. The waste of wood made him shiver even now.
"Once!" Lars laughed, passing him another berry. "You're going to be Hogwarts potions star." Thomas shook his head, but a part of him did like the idea. Being that good at something couldn't be a bad thing, right. "I see a smile Thomas." Lars pulled him in for a hug, and whispered into his ear. "Don't worry about Potter. I'll deal with him."
"Okay." Thomas said, "Nothing to bad." Pulling back Lars offered him a brilliant smile. One that promised many things, and non of them good.
"What do you think I would do?" Lars kept on smiling, and Thomas worry levels sky rocket.
"I don't know." Thomas shook his head. "Keep in nice." Thomas picked up a pastry he'd seen Lars eat at home, and passed it to him. "Or I'll tell Aunt Merry."
"Ohhh~" Victoria's cooed at them. Hands cuddle her face as she squealed. "I see what's going on here."
"I don't." Ethan gr umped.
"Never you mind." Victoria shot her brother a look. "I support you Thomas." Victoria smiled at him. "You can come and talk to me, anytime, about anything." Victoria stressed the anything part.
"Thank you." Thomas felt touched, the warm feeling in his chest telling him that she meant her words. "It nice to know there is nice people here in Hogwarts." He was a bit worried about the Gryffindor thing, but things weren't turning out all bad.
"I have Potter's number too." Victoria starting laughing in that foo-fuuing way. Thomas thought that was a bit strange, but she was a nice girl.
"Thomas please avoid this girl." Bernard said looking a bit pale.
"She's not what she seems." Thomas tilted his head, and looked at Lars to see what he missed. Lars lips were twitching.
"She's fine Thomas." Lars said, wiping his face with her hand.
"Hush you." Bernard got slammed in the side by Victoria's elbow. "Thanks Lars." Victoria's smiled sweet as can be at Lars. Who nodded his head.
"I'll take a hair potion, but I don't know how to get the ingredients." Pipa said, changing the conversation.
"I could ask Aunt Merry?" Thomas turned and looked at Lars who nodded.
"Great!" Pipa beamed. "I'll give you some money at lunch."
"Me too." Ethan asked his heavy face flushed red behind his glasses. "It could help with my frizz." His short blind hair was flying everywhere.
"Me three!" Victoria called with her hand raised up.
"Mother won't take your money, but if you all wrote her letters. She would love that." Lars said, settling into his breakfast. Thomas took the opportunity to get Lars a drink, like he had done for him. Victoria cooed the whole time. Thomas spared her a glance, but settled on thinking she was a bit strange and stop question her actions.
"It's a lunch date." Bernard said, eyeing Veronica with a sideways glances.
"What's our first class?" Pipa asked, letting the little white mouse travel up and down her arms. Thomas was disappointed to find out potions class wasn't first, but at least it was third. Right before lunch. Thomas couldn't wait!
Together they travelled to the classroom. By then Gryffindor was given him, and by association; his other friends. A wide berth. Charms was taught by a terrifyingly robust women who was a Professor named Marshall. Thomas found it strange she was wearing not one hat but two. Neither went with the dusty pink robe she wore, but no one dared speak up to either.
In class Thomas couldn't sit together with Lars, but with Bernard to sit with he wasn't alone. Professor Marshall, despite her odd, and rather scary height; was a kind teacher. Who talked things out thoroughly until everyone got it. By the end of class, everyone had gotten the hand of moving their wands in the correct manner. There were no spells, but also no homework. Leaving everyone feeling good about the class.
Herbology was next. Thomas was happy to take a chance to go outside where the classes were held. Hogwarts, had amazing sets of greenhouses. The greenhouses were located behind the castle. To Thomas who spent much of his time basking outside. To avoid the Rows; it was a nice to free the cool breeze of the coming fall.
Professor Frost was part frost giant, she told everyone straight off. Explaining her great height, and icy white skin. She wore a simple black and yellow robe with a pony-tail mo hawk, and as explain by Pipa — was aces. Thomas nodded, not sure what that might mean, but assumed it was good. Since it was coming from Pipa. Bernard looked thrilled to be there. His face lit up in the first free and happy smile he'd seen. He was also the only one to enjoy the class.
Professor Frost carried on and on about every detail. Of what they would be learning that year, and though she paused to answer questions. That to drag on. Bernard was the only one to raise his hand every time. By the end of class Thomas had counted every crack in the greenhouse windows. There was thirty-two, maybe thirty-three, Thomas could tell if the last one was dirt or a crack. For homework, they had to pick a plant to raise throughout the year.
Thomas was a bit worried about that, but Bernard assured him he had a perfect plant for a potion lover like himself. During there fifteen-minute break. Thomas had settled on raising a mandrake, along with the others. They had many uses for potion making, and Bernard said he had experience raising them. Settling everyone opinion on the matter. Thomas's wanted to get to the next class. It was potions, and Thomas was sure it was going to be his favourite one.
Potions were all the way down in the dungeon, because as a castle, of course it would have a dungeon. Pipa was a bit scared, but Ethan offered his white mouse for companionship. Bernard was against it, but Thomas saw the way Pipa looked at the mouse. Bernard didn't stand a chance. The pair were in love. As much as a mouse and a girl could love.
The classroom was of an oval shape and relatively large, with large tables. In the middle resides a stone basin used to wash students' hands and ladles. Looking around Thomas didn't care a wit for the chilly air making the other student rub their arms. Or the musty air that wrinkled even Lars's nose. It smelled like herbs, and burnt potions. Of age and wisdom's.
Thomas stopped and then his nose did wrinkle. Looking around Thomas saw bottles filled with animals he could name. Floating in different colours of liquids he couldn't even begin to guess what it was. He would have loved to look at them in detail. To check over the brews along the back wall where a teaching black board stood tall, but that scent. Thomas sniffed the air again, the scent became stronger. Like it was...
"Greetings Thomas." A familiar voice rolled. An aged timber that strung Thomas heart alive with memories. With flashes of pain, pain of loss, pain of fear; of pain without him around any longer. Whirling around his world shook with the settling of his school robes.
Standing tall and straight — like a proper man would. Dressed in dusky reds, and purple robes. With an all to familiar two-sided medal. That has a Celtic knot on one side and an owl on the other. A dull black colour. Thomas knew this because he carved it himself as a gift.
Gulping Thomas looked up, tears gathering in his eyes that he couldn't stop. White hair, that dared not be anything but pin straight. Dark set eyes and a face filled with sharp angels. All that changed was his ears. They were no longer human round, but pointed -like his.
"Old Man?" Thomas whispered, the only thing his tight throat could do. Old Man nodded, with his version of a smile flatting his lips.
"Professor Nocturne. Thomas." Placing a hand on his shoulder. Confirm to Thomas how real he was. He was alive. Thomas's heart bounced in his chest. Happy. His mind swirled though. With doubt, with questions. Many, many questions.
"Later Thomas." He promised. A man who he swore was dead spoke once again. Shocking Thomas to his core. His mind lost to the meanings behind it all. For to have pointed ears, one had to be a vampire. A vampire like him?
"Class will now begin. Take your seats." Leaving Thomas behind in a swish of his robes. Only Bernard and Lars, kept Thomas from the floor.