Year One at Hogwarts
Chapter 6: Wizard Duels before Christmas
Ever since the incident at the corridor, the Marauders were a lot cleaner about their pranks. They did basic pranks like jinxing the cups to spill the drinks down people's robe fronts and making all the food at the Slytherin table become salty when eaten. However, Severus was hit harder than any one else in Slytherin House. It seemed that they jinxed all the anti-human portraits and the statues/armor on the main route to the common room to shoot out insults to Severus when he walked by all. They were all about his hair or his nose. Even though Tyler was a first year he had long studied magic + curses/jinxes so he recognized what the Marauders had done. It was a recognition trigger jinx, which was designed to recognize a being's overall outline and set off desired effects. Tyler felt that he should pay his friend back for trying to help him from the Marauders so he eliminated the jinx on the portraits. He couldn't eliminate it completely because the Marauders obviously did it together to make it unbreakable but changed it to trigger when a blue haired, red eyed boy come by instead of Severus' outline. Severus graciously thanked him by promising a superb holiday present without rejections.
The holidays were fast approaching and students were either staying or going home. After having Pandy deliver a message of him definitely going home Tyler thought he should play with Chaos. After getting him he spoke in Parseltongue when it was clear.
"Chaos. Do you want to play or anything to pass the time."
Chaos answered. "Tyler, maybe we should talk instead because you seem troubled and tense."
Chaos was right. Tyler was troubled. He was very tense and on alert for anyone so he can't let it slip that he's a parselmouths. He dropped his voice to talk to his snake.
"Yes, you're right Chaos. I am troubled. Do you know that my gift to communicate with snakes such as you is rare?"
"No, I didn't."
"Well, it is. Not only that, but people consider it a dark art and have been wrongfully accused of being bad wizards. If I'm discovered I could lose everything dear to me."
"Everything? How so Tyler? You are one of the greatest humans I've encountered."
"My house friends would abandon me once they find out and I would scare my fellow classmates and my best friends would believe me to be a dark, untrustworthy wizard because they would of heard of my heritage from their housemembers."
Tyler looked like he was on the verge of tears. He had told Chaos his true feelings. His fellow Slytherins wouldn't hang with him if they knew because it would make them suspicious to everyone by association and his friends wouldn't stay friends with a parselmouth. Chaos seemed to not know what to say to his friend to make him feel better being he didn't truly know human emotions at all but it seemed like he still wanted to try.
"Tyler...if you lose your friends over this then they weren't really good friends. I know I shouldn't recommend this but try to be closer to people and then reveal your secret over time. Then you will find out if your fears were correct."
With that Chaos slithered to the crack in the wall. Chaos always explored Hogwarts on his own and got around by the walls making sure he wasn't seen. Tyler went onto the grounds and reflected on his pet's advice for him.
('sss)
The subjects were getting easier to understand as time went on. Defense Against the Dark Arts was Tyler's best subject being as his family history and knowledge. Although Tyler and his family weren't dark wizards they were acknowledged in the dark arts. Even though they loved dark arts they didn't consider themselves bad people. Tyler always impressed the DADA teacher Professor Gellman with his speed of getting the hang of a lesson. His worst subject is Potions. He sometimes had a hard time getting his ingredients blended or stirred the wrong way. Though, the potion master, Professor Reckler is his head of house he still had problems but always sits next to Jacke so they could face it together. With all the classes and activity going around, Tyler still thought time was going fast when he realized that it was 1 week until Christmas break. He wondered if his friends were staying over or going home. He went to Severus, Regulus and Matt first.
"So guys, are you going to go home or stay for the holidays?"
Severus answered first. "I thought about it and this year I'm going to go home. I don't really spend time with my mother and my father isn't around me too much so I hope to have good family time if he'll let it happen."
Tyler couldn't hide his curiosity. "Why? What does your dad do that makes it hard to spend time together?"
"Well, I'll tell you but keep it quiet or let bubuter pus go on your skin."
All three said, "Promise"
Severus dropped his voice as if he was going to reveal an important secret. "Okay, here's the truth. My dad is a servant to the Dark Lord and his services take up his time."
His friends were giving sounds of understanding except Tyler. He couldn't believe Severus' father was a Death Eater for his cousin.
"He wants me to be able to join after I leave the school. Says it will get me in the right circle of people."
"Well, are you going to do it?"
"Tyler...I honestly don't know. I mean, mudbloods are disturbing the balance and I don't like them."
Tyler interrupted. "May I remind you Severus that one of my bestest friends is a muggleborn wizard. If you get involved in this nonsense of Voldemort's, oh don't flinch at me please, would you kill Brad even though you know we are close?"
Severus looked dumbstruck, again by Tyler. This time, however, Severus actually looked angry with him. Tyler regained some of his calm nature after a few deep breaths.
"However, I will respect you personal life since it's none of my business. I won't repeat it to anyone."
Severus looked like he was ready to kill and then had his face in an expression that weakly showed he was trying not to laugh.
"How is it that it is so hard to stay mad at you!"
"It's a gift. Well, I gotta find my friends. I'll see you later tonight, bye guys."
Tyler stepped out of the common room and met his friends at the Great Hall. After hearing how all of them were going home for the holidays they decided to turn in to their common rooms before the curfew was up. Tyler stayed longer to have a drink and after having pumpkin juice, headed back to the Slytherin common room. On his way, he heard some yelling and signs of a struggle.
"Let me go!"
"No way, unless you was up."
"What are you talking about? I just did."
"Really? Because you still look like a filthy mudblood."
Tyler turned to a corridor to the right and saw two 3rd year Slytherins picking on a 1st year. Tyler pulled his wand out and yelled..."Stupefy!"
A stunning spell hit one of them but the other became alert and drew his wand. He saw Tyler's figure and yelled..."Locomotor Mortis!"
Tyler was ready and activated his shield charm and threw another stunner which hit it's mark. The Slytherin fell next to his already stunned comrade. The 1st year went to Tyler and said his thanks and when he turned to leave, Tyler pointed his wand and said..."Obliviate". He couldn't risk his talent going out into the school's populace. It would lead to questions Tyler didn't want asked. The kid looked like he was in a daze and continued walking after a while. Tyler made it so the boy wouldn't remember what happened for the last half hour. He levitated his fellow Slytherins to the common room entrance and modified their memories too. He remembered Matt's words of concern of how the entire house would be against him. After he erased their memory of the duel, Tyler quietly gave himself credit for studying good dueling spells before coming to Hogwarts. Tyler went on to bed where he bumped into Regalus on the staircase.
"Tyler, how was your time with your friends?"
"Oh it was very eventful but I'm tried and I could use some sleep to get us through tomorrow's classes before the Christmas holiday."
"I wish you luck Tyler. By the way, Severus asked me to tell you to meet him at Hogsmeade Station before we leave. He said he wouldn't have time to talk with you before that time, okay?"
"Sure. I'll be there."
Then he went off to bed and slept for the rest of the night.
Before they left, all Hogwarts students who were leaving waved goodbye to fellow classmates or insulted their rivals before going. Tyler looked up in hopes of finding Severus and finally spotted him waiting in the middle of the platform.
"Tyler, you made it!"
"Yeah, so what did you want to talk about Severus?"
"Listen, I wanted to remind you not to spread my dad's secret to your friends, especially Walker! If he knew then he would leak it to the Marauders."
"No way! He wouldn't do that, Severus. Besides, I already said it was your family's business so don't worry about it, mate."
"Thank you Solemn. You know...you may be a great friend after all."
Severus + Tyler boarded the Hogwarts Express and went up to the train. Severus joined the other 7th year Slytherins while Tyler found his friends.
"Hey guys. So this is it, huh?"
"Yeah. But the holidays will go fast and we'll be back at school together at no time."
"Wow Brad, you're eager to go back and we just started pulling out of the station. Lets make the most of the time we have away from homework, the professors and classes."
"Look, Jacke. It's not that I don't like the holidays but its that I got used to all the magic and it grew on me like all of you...although I could escape all that Slytherin ridicule. No offence, Tyler."
"None taken. Reggie, are you eager to return or enjoy the holiday?"
"Hey, I love fun as much as anyone but it would be good to get back soon."
They merrily chatted until they reached platform 9 ¾. All of them waved goodbye and promised to write over the holiday. Tyler found his dad at a corner of the platform with a candlestick without the candle in his hand.
"Hey dad." He rushed to hug his dad. "I missed you."
"Whoa. Hold it right there son. Save some for Christmas. This is a portkey I have here (indicating the candlestick) so touch it so we could go home. Your mom really wants to see you again. Okay 1, 2, 3, now." They touched it and disappeared.
Author Notes: End of Chapter 6. I hoped you are all enjoying the story so far. The next chapter "A Slytherin Family Christmas" will have the Slytherin family's holiday cheer and new secrets and powers. Please Review as much as you want.