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 9: Galaxy
A month had passed, and Sofia had gotten used to her schedule at Hexley Hall. Most of her weekdays were spent in class or in the library studying, but she also made time for her new friends. She'd even made friends with Hugo, whose job she discovered was protecting not only the students but Grimtrix as well. She didn't quite understand what the headmaster needed protection from, but she didn't question it. After all, Hugo was probably just following orders.
Speaking of the young guard, it was pretty clear to both Sofia and some of her new friends that the other teen had a crush on her. He would get flustered and shy when she spoke to him, and he seemed really giddy if she asked if he wanted to spend time with her and her friends on the weekend (which he usually affirmed). Hugo was a really nice person, and Sofia admired him, but she wasn't really sure if she could reciprocate his feelings. Even still, she was nothing but pleasant to him and enjoyed his company.
The evenings were reserved for Cedric. With some surprising help from Wormwood and his uncanny knack for 'mischief magic,' Sofia had figured out a way to magically manipulate her dorm room to make it look like she was asleep while she instead teleported to the sorcerer's bedchambers after lights out and head checks. Nothing salacious ever occurred, of course. After all, she and Cedric were now really good friends and enjoyed spending ample amount of time together, sometimes up to or past midnight.
They would talk for hours, practice neutral yet intriguing magic together, teach each other spells, and even discuss their future. Talking to Cedric was the easiest thing in the world—dark marks or no dark marks. Sofia found him to be the most intriguing and genuine person she'd ever met, and that was saying a lot for someone who'd been raised under the influence of Grimtrix the Good.
One evening, the duo had managed to sneak out of the school, and they were lying side by side on a blanket under the lovely display of stars. They pointed out constellations, shooting stars, and other things they noticed as they enjoyed the late autumn breeze that rustled the leaves around them.
When it had gotten quiet between them, Sofia made a rather odd comment that got her friend's attention. "You're like the galaxy," she whispered as she turned her gaze from the darkened skies to the sorcerer beside her, her thoughtful expression never fading as he blinked curiously at her.
"The galaxy?" he wondered, seeing her nod with a pleasant smile on her face. "What do you mean, Sofia?"
She slowly sat up, facing him as he followed suit. "The galaxy is filled with darkness, just like your background with the marks." She reached up, tracing some of the wretched symbols along his face and down the line of his neck, causing him to shudder a bit at her delicate touch. "But what's in the galaxy? The stars: the little points of light that make it something amazing and…beautiful…" She trailed her hand back up to his cheek, gently cupping it, her fingers considerably warmer than his night-chilled skin (a rather pleasant notion for them both, whether they admitted it or not). "And you have so many stars, Cedric, that you shine brighter than anyone…"
Such words were foreign to the sorcerer. He'd spent his entire life either alone or in very secluded and limited company. Just over the last few months had he actually opened up to anyone and allowed himself to feel things and want things—more than what he'd ever had before. He'd spent Sofia's seventeenth birthday with her last month, and the fact that she lit up over a pillow he'd made for her (lavender with black trim) warmed his heart. She'd told him she'd think of him each time she hugged it closely each night, and that statement had both surprised yet endeared him. Speaking of hugs, he'd gotten better at those too; they felt so nice, and he loved the closeness he and the young aspiring sorceress shared when they did hug.
He sighed softly, his hand lifting to cover hers. "And you, my darling Sofia, are like the sun in my galaxy: my ray of hope and light, my warmth and comfort, when I need it so desperately…"
Sofia observed him for a few moments before lifting her free hand to his other cheek, and she leaned forward and kissed him, which startled him a bit. The kiss was a little awkward since it was their first time, but she smiled shyly at him nevertheless after they'd parted. "I've wanted to do that for a while now…"
"Y-You have?" Seeing her nod, he frowned curiously. "What about that guard you've been hanging around though? The one who's shooed me back to my room? I almost believed you fancied him, with the way you were interacting."
She shook her head. "No, Hugo's just a friend. In fact, it's kind of the other way around. He likes me, but…" She smiled gently as she lowered her hands to both of his, holding them comfortingly. "He's not you, Cedric…" She glanced down at their hands after he hummed lightly. "You know… This might sound crazy, and I'm prepared for you to say no, but here it is…" She then looked up at him, saying, "We could escape this place and run away together. We'd be away from Grimtrix and any other dark forces around here. We could start over in a new place, where no one knows your background, and we could live freely."
He chuckled quietly, lifting one of his hands to caress her loosened hair. "It sounds wonderful, Sofia… But I'm afraid it's impossible. That Hugo fellow has been trained to protect Grimtrix and the Hexley Hall students, but you already know that he is following orders to keep me detained. Granted, he's not doing such a great job of that right now…"
Sofia laughed, moving closer to him so that she could lean her head against his shoulder. "I know… We can dream, though, right? Someday, things will be better for us, and we can be happy."
"I'm already happy." He wrapped an arm around her, enjoying the gentle warmth she provided against the chill of the air. "But you're right: it's a nice dream to have, and one I'd love to see come true."
She turned to her friend, his form outlined by the glow of the moon, and whispered, "Kiss me again?"
Cedric didn't have to be asked twice. With little hesitation, he lowered his lips to hers, kissing her gently under the large expanse of the galaxy above, the chaotic world quiet for a change, and both of their hearts filled with happiness and…maybe something more.
To be continued…
Next Chapter: Losing Light
