The Monster of Hexley Hall
Summary: *Based loosely on The Hunchback of Notre Dame.* Cedric is a reclusive sorcerer who was taken in by Grimtrix the Good many years ago, now living within the confines of Hexley Hall and never daring to venture beyond the school grounds. When a newly recruited student named Sofia begins attending the school, Cedric is immediately drawn to her for some reason. In addition, there is a dark secret lurking below the surface of the pristine magical school's exterior: students are getting severely injured, and some have even perished. When Sofia appears to become a target, Cedric will do anything he can to protect her while also trying to solve the mystery of what is happening to the other students. (An AquaMan Production. Read Me a Story format. Takes place 5 years after my "Season 5" stories.)
Disclaimer: I own neither Sofia the First nor The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Tanya and Nana belong to MarionetteJ2X. Serena and Charlie belong to me, and so do a few OCs mentioned in this story.
Chapter 7: We Meet Again
A few days passed after 'the incident,' and all the incoming or returning students began their classes. Sofia had been really apprehensive about attending the school at first, especially after what had occurred recently, but her mind was set at ease when she didn't see Grimtrix much at all. If anything, she saw him at a distance, chatting with other students or tending to his responsibilities.
She shouldn't have to make a notable effort to avoid her own headmaster, but considering what she saw and what she knew already, she felt more secure distancing herself when possible. Interestingly enough, she really liked her professors, who were extremely knowledgeable of their field and very courteous to their students. She enjoyed the classes, earning high marks, and she'd even begun making some friends.
Most nights, she spent her time in her dormitory (Hexley Hall had the option for students to either accept room and board or commute, and she chose the former due to how far her home was from the school), and she would study and complete her homework while eating a modest meal. Lights out would happen at 9:00 PM, and the dorm monitors were very strict about this, as she and several others had found out the first night. It wasn't anything too bad, but it only took one instance of a senior student yelling at her to 'turn off the stupid lamp and go to bed' for her to realize she wasn't one to push the boundaries. On top of that, random bed checks throughout the week had students on high alert, making sure that they were where they were supposed to be at all times, lest they run the risk of getting expelled or something. It was a way to cut down on 'student fraternization,' or so Sofia had heard, but she wasn't exactly one to vacate her room unless absolutely necessary anyway.
It was about 7:00 PM one Thursday evening when Sofia finished her studies in the library, and she was about to head back to her room when she happened to spot Cedric at a distance, peering cautiously around the relatively empty hall, before he disappeared behind a door that she knew to lead to the underbelly of the school. Curiosity getting the better of her, she hurriedly yet quietly followed after him.
Once she was out of earshot from the main area of the school grounds, Sofia caught up to Cedric and gently spoke his name, smiling at the startled noise he made while turning to face her. "Sorry about that," she told him sincerely, giggling. "I saw you on the main floor, which was kind of surprising, since you weren't wearing your robes."
Indeed, he was wearing a simple white tunic with modest black pants and boots, his marks very visible for a change. He shook his head. "I don't really go up very often, though since everyone has already seen me and knows that I'm linked to Master Grimtrix in a way, I didn't see the point of continuing to hide behind the robes… He wouldn't like that I was upstairs though, so if you don't mind…"
"I won't say anything," she assured him, noticing his relieved expression. For someone probably fifteen years her senior, he sure did seem nervous and even afraid of Grimtrix. Sure, she understood that he was Cedric's 'guardian' or whatever, but even that didn't make a lot of sense to her. Maybe the older man had taken Cedric in as a child, but he was an adult now. Perhaps he was just concerned about disappointing him or losing his home, if one could really call this place a 'home.' She was glad she only had two years of her secondary studies left, and she couldn't wait to continue her education at a university (hopefully far away from Grimtrix).
"What were you doing in the main hall so late?" Cedric wondered as he continued walking, and he became a little nervous when he realized that Sofia was following him rather closely, her hand even lightly grasping his tunic as she did, since the narrow hallway that led to his dwelling space was usually somewhat dim and hard to navigate if someone wasn't used to it.
"I just finished studying in the library with some of the other students. We have a test tomorrow, and I wanted to be ready." She grew quiet as he stopped before a door, using a strange brass key to unlock it, and then he moved forward into what appeared to be his bedchambers. She blinked as the room lit up when they entered. "Is this your room?"
"Yes…"
Cedric's bedroom was modest, as one would expect of the lower part of the school. It was about as small as Sofia's dormitory room, but the bed was bigger. It was nestled on the right side, the headboard flush against the wall with a bedside table on either side. The covers were simple beige and brown colors, the sheet and bedspread pushed aside to the middle, likely because Cedric hadn't made the bed when he'd awoken that morning. There wasn't really anything on the walls except for a few flickering lamps and one large portrait of Grimtrix, which looked so out of place amongst the dimmer and darker colors of the room (since the man was well known for his outlandishly colorful outfits). Directly to the right of the room next to the door entrance was a dresser, a few of the drawers slightly ajar with clothing sticking out haphazardly. On top of the dresser were a mirror, a comb, and what appeared to be a medical kit. There was even a window on the other side of the room, which didn't make a lot of sense, due to the position of the room being below the surface of the school. However, it appeared to magically link to the outside world, and the muted sky with dimly glowing stars and the slowly appearing moon were visible, just beyond the swaying trees.
"It's…nice."
Cedric found himself chuckling at Sofia's attempt to pay his pathetically drab room a compliment. "You don't have to lie to make me feel better, Sofia… I'm well aware of the modest condition of this room."
She grinned playfully at him as she set her bag aside, moving over to sit on his bed instead. "Well, you know… It could be worse…" She frowned as she looked at the portrait of Grimtrix. "No offense, but why do you even have that hanging up? I would have hidden it under the bed or buried it outside or something by now."
He sighed, walking over to the window and leaning against it, his eyes trailing up to the portrait. "It wasn't exactly my choice for it to be there, and I'd rather not face the wrath of Master Grimtrix if I removed it. He might consider it insubordination or ungratefulness or something…" He frowned, rubbing his side and remembering the lashing he'd received the other night for his previous act of 'insubordination' and disobedience. Even though the wounds were now healed and magically removed, that didn't take away his mental pain of enduring it in the first place. He didn't really know what it was like not to be on the receiving end of Grimtrix's angry outbursts from time to time, and he'd become that outlet for his anger on occasion… He probably deserved it, he'd often reasoned with himself. He'd made him upset somehow, and he was just getting his comeuppance.
"Sounds like he can be a hard person to be around," she reasoned, watching his shoulders slouch a bit as she mentioned the man. "I'm… I'm sorry for what happened to you the other day. You didn't deserve that."
Cedric turned to face her. "What about you? You were harmed trying to defend me, weren't you?"
She smiled, shaking her head. "If there's one thing Grimtrix got right, it's that I do possess Light Magic… It protects me from physical harm, and I've learned how to use it pretty well."
"That's interesting…"
The girl blushed a bit as she saw him smile, and she self-consciously tucked some of her hair behind her ears. "So, tell me about yourself… What do you like to do?"
Cedric blinked, faltering a bit as he rubbed the back of his neck. He'd never been asked about his interests before, and he wasn't really sure what to say. "Oh, well, I…" He shrugged before telling her, "I like to study magic and…read."
She giggled. "Me too. What else?"
He found himself relaxing a bit as she patted the bed next to her, and he moved over to sit next to her, tensing up ever so slightly when he felt her arm connect with his. However, once they both began discussing their hobbies, their dreams, and their ultimate goals, he relaxed even more. It was the one time he could talk about himself and his ambitions with someone, because Sofia was someone who would give him a chance and not dash away in fear over something she didn't understand. To her, he was just a person with thoughts and feelings and interests… He wasn't some dark form to be feared, or so he assumed she believed…
After several minutes of talking and sharing things about themselves, Sofia finally decided it was time to address the elephant in the room: the dark marks on the sorcerer's body. "So… You said it was a long story." She lightly traced a few marks on his forearm, smiling as he shivered a little bit. "What's the short story?"
"I'm a monster," he told her simply, pulling his arm from her hand, folding both of his arms across his stomach.
"What?" She sat up, turning to face him. "Why do you think that?"
"Because I was marked by a cult as a child… I'm filled with darkness that I can't understand or manage…" He couldn't finish his train of thought, because he found that he was growing more and more discouraged as he spoke about his reality.
Sofia reached for his arms, unfolding them, and slipped her hand into his. She smiled gently at his startled expression. "Cedric… You only see yourself as a monster because of those marks. That's superficial. It's an outward appearance that you didn't ask for. I don't think it's affected your personality or spirit in any way." She sighed as he continued observing her. "If anyone is a monster, it's Grimtrix, because of how he treated you the other day."
"N-No…" Cedric shook his head, frowning. "No, I don't think he's necessarily a monster, Sofia. He just… He wants the best for me, even if he has a bizarre way of showing it. Over the years, he's protected me from the world, from the cruelty of those who don't know my history and origins. You saw like I did that it didn't exactly take long for people to turn on me when they saw my outward appearance, and how ugly I look with all the scars and marks, so he was right to hide me away."
How could he think that? She was frustrated and sad that he couldn't see Grimtrix for who he really was. But it wasn't her responsibility to convince him otherwise… He had to see it for himself. "Well, if you say so… Maybe I'm wrong about him, but I'm not wrong about you." With their hands still linked, she offered a light squeeze to his fingers, her thumb brushing over some of the marks on the back of his hand. "You're not a monster, Cedric. And you're definitely not ugly." She smiled as he stared at her uncertainly. "You're beautiful, inside and out."
His breath caught in his throat when she leaned forward, brushing her free hand over his face. "Sofia…"
"You may wear these dark marks on your skin, but these are only skin deep. The darkness has not reached your heart." Her hand that was holding his own hand glowed a soft white hue, filling him with a warmth he'd never felt before.
Cedric was stunned at her words. "You… You see all that, but… You don't know me, Sofia…"
She smiled, lifting his hand to her lips and gently kissing one of the dark marks, causing him to gasp. "Then give me some time, let me earn your trust, and it will be an honor to say that I do know you… We could be friends. Or—" She sighed as she heard the clock outside the school chime 8:00 PM. It wouldn't be long before she'd be confined to her room, and she still needed to handle a few things. "Um…" She smiled sheepishly, releasing his hand. "I've got to go, Cedric. I'm sorry."
"I-It's fine. I understand."
"But we'll see each other soon, right?" Seeing him nod, she giggled before hugging him briefly, and she could hear him gasp at the contact. Had he ever even been hugged before? She sighed as his hands awkwardly lowered to pat her back, his fingers buried in her hair (and that felt really nice, she had to admit). She released him, smiling gently at him. "Have a good night. I'll see you later." Without another word, she slipped from his bed, grabbed her bag, waved at him, and then quickly shut his door and hurried back the way she'd come.
Cedric finally released the breath he'd been holding for a few moments, and he sighed happily, a lazy smile appearing on his face. His heart was beating rapidly from the sensation of her touch, a very unexpected but welcome experience. He could still smell the shampoo and fragrances that she must have used—that warm vanilla scent that seemed to cling to her. It was intoxicating and endearing and… "Sofia…"
While Sofia quietly and carefully slipped away from the entrance to Cedric's private room and back through the main hall, Grimtrix stood in a corner, his eyes narrowed as he watched her move along. He hadn't seen her exit the door earlier, but he'd seen her across the way in the main hall after he'd entered the area from tending to his other duties. What was she doing out there this late, alone?
A small smirk appeared on his face as he muttered, "And when will she do it again?" He chuckled, turning to leave for his own bedchambers, the night skies darkening as a storm began to form outside.
To be continued…
Next Chapter: New Hire
