Chapter Five: Memories and Mistakes Revisited
A/N Sorry I took so long to update (stupid job) but I also write almost all of my chapters twice before I post, to make sure I'm happy with 'em. Next chapter might take a while, but if I do it right it should be worth the wait.
As Darrin pondered what he had seen in Clanker's dream he wandered off toward the Quidditch field. He knew from what Clanker had told him before that in his life he was not a popular person. Clanker had explained that he had been framed for several incidents but he had never elaborated.
"Hey, Clanker" hey thought wondering if he was awake or if he had merely stopped dreaming.
"…Yes?" Clanker hesitated, perhaps wondering if Darrin had seen his dream.
"About your past… what exactly…" but Clanker interrupted him.
"Ah, so you did see. I suppose you want an explanation" he paused here though the answer was obvious. "As I have told you I was not highly thought of in my life, to the point where people began blaming random bad luck on me, the Johnsons' daughter for instance fell ill and they blamed me. I suppose I could take some responsibility though, I should have been much more careful about when and where I used my magic. However I wasn't and rumors started to spread, leaving me the center of blame for the inexplicable."
"But that doesn't explain where that oaf got off with your MURDER!" thought Darrin
"No it doesn't, but you saw the woman there too right? She does explain the murder. Half the rumors were my own fault, the other half I believe, were hers, her name is Mordra, she, well, we once were in love."
"What the heck happened, she surely didn't harbor any warm sentiments for you there!"
"She only harbored the hatred that was left when we were split apart; but that story is for another day, suffice it to say she may have used Derrick to kill me, he may have had no real malice towards me at all"
"Uh, Clank, he hit you in the head with a pickaxe….."
"Yes, he did, but he did not know the truth of the situation he blamed me for, thanks to her, and she may he done things more directly anyway"
"What do you mean" questioned Darrin. However Clanker seemed reluctant to say so he changed the subject slightly
"Why haven't you ever dreamed this before now?"
"I hate to say it but recent events in this school reminded me of the happenings that surrounded my death."
"I don't think anyone's been cruelly cut down on the sidewalk lately Clanker."
"I know, and hopefully I'm wrong on this" he said somberly "anyway take a right here, your getting lost in thought again" It was true Darrin was about to head the wrong way and miss the Quidditch field completely.
Hanging a right to correct his course, he completed the rest of his walk in silence. He had a moment's hesitation before entering the Stadium gates as he really didn't feel the desire to talk to anyone at the moment. Clanker however urged him on.
"Get over there, your not going to clam up on account of my bad dreams, give the dead their regrets- and I'll make sure you live well by not making the same mistakes."
Darrin didn't quite understand but thought he got the jist of it and entered the Quidditch field to watch practice.
Upon entering he saw his walk was in vain anyway as Liz was not there, instead Avalus ward was playing a ward he didn't recognize from Salem.
However he stayed to watch, having nothing better to do until lunch anyway.
After a while and just before he knew their practice would end he saw Terth and Clarius in the stands on the other side of the field Probably watching the practice to gain a tactical advantage for their team, it's the type of thing they would do.
He decided to leave early, not feeling like conversing with his friends at the moment. He walked through the corridor underneath the stands and made his way out of the stadium. As he walked he drew his wand, he admired it once in a while when he felt down. It was a special wand crafted for him by Arthur Ollivander. The man was a strange guy, but a master craftsman. Darrin remembered early in his second year how he was toying with his school wand outside his dorm. Mr. Ollivander (who wasn't a teacher but had been requisitioned to procure a wand for the headmistress) had seen him and taken him aside. He had said several strange things about the way his magic was coursing through the wand and that it would soon give out under the strain. (Darrin had found this hard to believe given the fact that he thought he'd be a squib if not for Clanker) Promising to see him again in two weeks time, he had dissapparated.
As he had promised he had appeared two weeks later with a new wand for Darrin. Short, only 9 ¾ inches, made from teakwood with a Blast ended Skrewt sting (he said his brother had sent him several) for a core, also he said he had given it Dragon's blood varnish so that magic could flow over its surface as well as through its core.
Darrin thought back to the first time he tried the new wand; he stood and waved it lightly shooting a massive geyser of multi-colored sparks into the air in front of him.
"Perfect" Mister Ollivander had said. Once again he dissaparated with a bang.
The fidelity of Darrin's own memory shocked him- the bang had sounded as if it had just happened.
What shocked him more was looking suddenly into the face of a surprised looking muggle when he turned out of the stadium gate.
He had no time to react or even to think- he had his wand out, which was a violation of new school policy! He was no longer allowed to use magic to escape from such an encounter!
As his mind reeled and sprawled for a foothold on the situation the muggle (who seemed to be slightly less shocked than Darrin) acted first.
"Halloween party huh, lovely costume!" He raised a small silver box with a circle in the middle and Darrin was blinded by a flash of light.
"No, No! Not a camera that's exactly what Professor Thorpe warned us about the other day! Never let your picture be taken! The muggles have enchanted artifacts so they might actually work in the presence of magic!" He thought panicked and thinking as hard as he could for a way out that wouldn't give further proof of wizards to this muggle.
The muggle raised the silver box again; Darrin could still not focus clearly after the first attack. Then the blinding flash went off again, but it was different this time. Now as the light died away Darrin noticed several things, he was no longer holding his wand but the camera instead (which was smoking just a little.) The Muggle was holding nothing and looking confused. Lastly as his eyes met the Muggle's he noticed pain- lots of pain shooting through his right forearm. Still looking at the muggle he dropped the camera and screamed hoarsely as he collapsed curling about his searing limb.
The muggle having been yelled at, and apparently robbed, was running for his life back out into the trees that surrounded Jersey Devil Academy.
Darrin barely remembered what happened next. All he could make out were the faces of his friends Terth and Clarius for a brief second, and a series of loud bangs and then nothing.
The next thing he found he could focus on was the ceiling in the healer's office. As he slowly dared to open his eyes wider he noticed he was not alone. Surrounding him were several instructors and his friends Terth and Clarius. He lay motionless and listen to their conversation for a moment, talk of where his wand could've gotten to, the possibility that (god forbid) the muggle may have taken it. He also heard it mentioned that Headmistress Saowynn should notify the Washington Wizards Delegate about all the muggle troubles they had been having lately.
"What happened" he struggled to produce the words, although he felt better his arm still hurt badly.
"We were hoping you could tell us" said Instructor Thorpe.
"Tut tut tut! There will be no interrogation of my patients!" Nurse Beckett scoffed from her desk some yards away from where Darrin lay on a cot. "Terth, Clarius, you may stay and talk, quietly to your friend, the rest of you out!" She said shooing several annoyed instructors out of the room.
Terth and Clarius sat motionless for a minute seemingly deciding what in the world to say. Or perhaps what questions they should avoid out of courtesy.
Darrin broke the silence for them.
"Did they catch the muggle" he asked.
"Oddly enough no, they saw him running away from you when they apparated in a few minutes later, torn up from running straight though a briar patch, but somehow he got away" Clarius explained
"Why did the muggle attack you?" asked Terth looking nervous.
"He didn't" Darrin blurted out.
"Then how in the world did you break your arm" asked Clarius still holding onto his calm and quiet demeanor.
"I don't know, I can't remember much of the encounter" Darrin stated honestly. He didn't seem to know how himself, he just remembered a flash of light and then pain…
"Well the important thing is you got away" Terth relieved him of the spotlight "we'll leave now so you can rest, after all we have a test tomorrow in Charms."
"You guys do- but I have O.W.L. prep tomorrow" complained Clarius.
(A/N remember Clarius is 4th year and Darrin is 3rd, so its feasible for Clarius to be taking an extra prep class for the upcoming O.W.L.s in fifth year, esp. here in the states where testing seems so darned important SATs, ACT, ETC…)
"Ugh that'll help me sleep" moaned Darrin at the news of his upcoming Charms test "Later guys"
Terth and Clarius departed, leaving Darrin to the nurse Beckett who helped him drink some skelegrow to repair the break in his arm and some sleeping potion to help put his mind at ease.
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