Their cabin felt a lot smaller when Hunter eventually got back to it. Severus had given him an awful lot to think and worry about, especially with what had happened in the Great Hall playing a large roll in his life slowly unravelling. His mind and body were exhausted, drawing him too quickly into a restless sleep.
Dreams of faceless people, a bright green light and a menacing laugh tortured him as he slept, a picture too blurry to recognise that felt all too familiar. The deeper he fell into the sleep, the darker the dream got; the faceless people morphed into all of those he loved, each falling to the ground at his feet from the hooded man's curse.
His family didn't notice the threat that loomed behind them, laughing and talking together. His parents, both birth and adopted, were the first to fall, then James and Remus who had watched the others fall, knowing their fate. Tonks, Andromeda, Ted, even little Ianthe - lifeless.
It wasn't until he looked to his right where Viktor stood, just as he fell, that he realised how hard it was to breathe. To his left, his brother's eyes were shut with laughter.
"DRACO!" He screamed, launching himself into the curse to save his Dragon... but he was too late. Draco fell, just as the others. Listless eyes staring back at him. Hunter dropped to his knees, overcome with despair.
Slowly he got back up, throwing curse after curse at the hooded figure. Each absorbed into a shield as the man laughed, taunting him.
"You'll never equal me, child." The toneless voice says, "I am a part of you. We... Are... One..."
His vision goes black for only a moment, a shaking feeling drawing his eyes back open.
"Hunter! Hunt, c'mon wake up. Please you're okay," someone says softly, almost drowned out by the hallowing screams that echo the room, "I've got you."
He almost throws whoever was there off the bed as he jerks awake, sitting straight up, gasping for air. His throat burns, making his breathlessness even more painful. The realisation that he was the one screaming sets in as he looks up to the figure straddling his legs.
Viktors eyes show no judgment as Hunter lies back on the bed, slapping his hands against his eyes, still breathing heavily. He gets off his legs and disappears from the limited view of the space between Hunter's fingers; only to reappear seconds later with a glass of water that Hunter takes gratefully as he sits up properly.
"Would you like to talk about it?" Viktor asks.
Hunter looks at him, realising that he no longer pronounces his 'W's in a Bulgarian accent, but instead sounds almost as he and Draco do - not quite British, not quite Bulgarian.
Eventually, he shrugs, "Not anything to say about it," he says, yawning, "just a stress dream I guess. I should've expected it after that spat of bullshit Sev gave us earlier."
"Do you want to... you know, talk about that too?"
Hunter took a deep breath, "Do I want to talk about how the 'Saviour' is going to return, or how he's going to 'Change the Wizarding World for the better'? Or how about my favourite part that the almighty saviour will be 'The light in the darkest period of Wizarding History'" spitting venomously at the quotes from Severus.
"The Prophecy might not even-"
"Vik, I swear to the Gods, if you're about to say it might not be about me then I will feed myself to the giant squid in this lake," Hunter says, rubbing his temples to relieve the stress headache, "who else has "Power so potent it can't be tamed' at the 'Union of Three'. I mean that ain't Ron sodding Weasley that's for sure."
Viktor knows he's right, so he just makes himself comfortable sitting at the bottom of the bed in easy silence.
"You can go back to sleep now, I'm fine, honest. Thanks for waking me up." Hunter whispers, even though he knows that Viktor knows he won't sleep at all tonight.
The Bulgarian boy rolls his eyes, "Budge up, let's get some sleep."
When Hunter first met Viktor he would often have nightmares, mainly from being separated from Draco. Viktor got used to talking him down, often just falling asleep in the bed with him, it was a lot less embarrassing when they were eleven and didn't know any better. Even then, Hunter hadn't had a nightmare for years, but it seemed the comfort of having a body next to him kept the bad dreams at bay as they fell into an easy sleep.
The next morning they woke up from back to back and got ready as normal, Viktor wasn't going to make Hunter uncomfortable for needing support. It wasn't until they were ready to leave that Hunter grabbed his arm and without looking at him whispered a quiet, "Thanks..."
"I'm always here when you need it, Hunt, always."
Draco had left early that morning, so when Hunter and Viktor arrived in the Great Hall he was already sat with the morning paper and a cup of tea. Only a few students were up and awake at this time, mainly Durmstrang students, so little attention was paid to Hunter when he slid himself into the seat beside Draco.
If Draco noticed how Hunter was a little closer to him than normal, he didn't mention it.
The Slytherins start to arrive slowly, eyeing the sudden repeat of that first night sitting together with the boys sticking very close together, Hunter right in the middle. The conversation is slow as it is most mornings with most of the group still shaking away the last of the night's sleep.
Hunter notices some students casting him troubled glances as if he was going to explode. He scoffs, it's like first year all over again when everyone thought he was a basket case with anger issues. His peers at Durmstrang got used to the occasional temperature change or smashed glass his magic caused, it wasn't even that big of a deal. Luckily for him, the only people who seemed to be looking were the Gryffindors; the Ravenclaws were too smart to possibly anger him and the Hufflepuffs were too kind to hold a grudge.
His first period was free, so he watched as his friends started to file out of the Hall to their respective classes. Hunter finishes his second cup of tea before getting up to settle into his spot in the library.
"Hey, Atticus! Wait up!"
He turns to see Katie Petrova walking over from the Ravenclaw table, holding a book in her hands.
He smiles at her, "Hey Katie, how have you been? I've not seen much of you since we got here."
She grins right back, "Yeah well I suppose we each found different groups here at Hogwarts, haven't we? But that's okay because otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to find this for you." She beckons for him to follow.
The castle seems endless as he follows her up countless staircases, before at last taking a left into an empty corridor. She stops in front of an empty wall across from a tapestry of some loony trying to dance with a group of trolls.
"You found this... empty wall and thought of me?" He asks sceptically, "Gee Kates, I'm flattered."
She dramatically sighs and holds up a finger signalling him to wait and then proceeds to pace back and forth in front of the empty wall. Hunter starts to jokingly question his past decisions of befriending Katie when a door suddenly appears, seemingly out of nowhere.
"I present to you... The come-and-go room!"
The room is huge inside, decorated similar to the Dreven common room, with couches, armchairs and bookcases dotted around. Most noticeably, there is a grand piano in the centre of the room, identical to the one back at Durmstrang.
Katie looked up at him shyly, "I noticed that you hadn't been yourself recently, even if we haven't talked much. I remember how whenever you were upset or stressed you would fill the common room with beautiful music."
"Yeah, once I got over my fear!" Hunter laughed, "I've never trusted a silencing charm fully since then, I still swear one of the older students would just drop it whenever I sat down."
"I guess I just thought you might need something from home to help with the stress, oh mighty champion."
He had never appreciated how good of a friend Katie was, her kindness wasn't something she wanted recognition for, she just did things because she wanted to. Tears started filling his eyes, from gratitude for his friend, or because of how rough his previous night was he didn't know.
He pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and resting his head on top of the short girl, "Thank you, Katie. You truly are one of a kind."
She squeezed his middle and looked up, "Hunter... can I... can I kiss you?"
Startled, he took a step back and looked at her wide-eyed, "Katie I-"
"No, no I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry, I'll go." She spins to go, but he grabs her and pulls her back into a hug.
He takes a deep breath, "Katie, this doesn't change anything. It's got nothing to do with who you are, you're caring, smart and funny. I just - I don't-"
"Like girls." She finished.
His heart stopped as he came to the same realisation, his life had been so jam-packed with exciting things, that he never had time to even think about dating or girls. Maybe that wasn't the real reason he never thought about girls though, maybe there was another reason that the only way he could describe Cho Chang was pretty but yet he could describe the exact colour of Theodore Nott's eyes. Maybe the reason he didn't feel attracted to the girls his friends point out, is because he just isn't.
"Hunter, I - I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume." She started.
He shook his head, even though she couldn't see him, "Don't be sorry, I think I've just got a lot to think about. I think I need to -"
"Talk to Draco. I wonder if you two will ever not be close." She steps back and gives him a small smile.
"Not if I can help it," Hunter says, "but I suppose for now he's in class, and I really do want to play that piano."
They spend the rest of their free period on the piano bench. Hunter playing any song she requests, throwing in some of his favourites; he feels more relaxed in this half-hour than he has in weeks.
Back on the boat, Hunter asked Viktor if he could have some time with Draco alone to discuss some family matters. Viktor happily agreed to, saying that he'd spend some time in the Hogwarts library. Once the door closed behind Vik, the fear made itself comfortable in Hunter's stomach.
Draco raised an eyebrow questionably at him, he knew there was no 'family matters' going on right now that Hunter would be first to know about.
"So..." He said, at the same time as Hunter blurt out, "There is something that's been bothering me."
Draco's mouth made a soft 'o' shape, before closing it and looking at Hunter expectantly. On the other side of the room, Hunter ran a hand through his hair.
"I think... I think I'm..." Hunter tried, Dracos brows scrunched, his nose pulling up at one side, "I think I'm...gay."
Draco's face scrunched up further, an eyebrow now raising, before his whole face dropping to a neutral expression. He takes a step towards his brother, who takes a step back instinctively, before pulling him into a hug.
"You-you're not mad?"
His brother looks taken aback, "Hunter, why would I be mad? You are who you are, and I really couldn't care less who that is with. I mean, of course, I care but-" he stops, trying to find the right words to use.
Hunter steps out of the hug and looks at him, "It's okay Dragon, I know what you mean... but what will Mother and Father think? And James, and Remus, and Sev." He runs another hand through his hair, the panic rising back up.
"Why would they care?"
"Because I wouldn't be able to produce an heir, the Black title falls onto me..." He says sadly.
Draco takes a deep breath to calm himself, "For someone so smart, you are so dense." Another deep breath, "I assumed you knew this, but just clarify it to me, you do know you're a wizard? Right?"
"What does that-"
"Honest to God, Hunter, of all people you should know that blood adoptions are a thing. And that they're as genuine as natural births." He rubs his temples as if pushing away a headache, "Not only that, but there's at least a dozen different potions and spells that allow Male wizards to get pregnant."
Hunter kept his gaze on the floor, not meeting his brother's eye. The latter came back over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so wound up, this is an important moment for you and I hope I didn't ruin it."
He finally looks up into his eyes, the shape matching his own and smiles softly, "I still don't know how Mother and Father will feel when they hear."
"Pup, you could fall in love with one of the Merpeople at the bottom of this lake and they would support you wholeheartedly. They don't give a toss if you fancy boys, girls, or no one at all, as long as you're safe and happy."
They spent the hour before dinner fire-calling their parents, Hunter sharing his news which was met with celebration rather than the expected horror, that he now knows was silly to envision.
Walking up to dinner, the pair were more like their usual selves than they had been since arriving, Hunter joyously filling Draco in on the room Katie had shown him. They take their seats just as Viktor walks in, chatting to...
Hermione Granger? Hunter knows better than to react in anyway, not that it was likely anyone would be watching. Instead, he makes conversation with Pansy and Blaise who are debating which spell is most effective for shielding jinxes.
Hunter finds himself re-evaluating his initial thoughts of the students surrounding him, particularly Theo, who was chatting to one of the Slytherins that he had yet to meet. The bond he feels with him isn't some strange phenomenon, it was an attraction to him.
He must've been staring too long because Draco leans in close to him and whispers, "You know, Blaise let slip last week that Nott had a fling with Diggory last year... I mean if he's your type."
Everyone at the table felt the enormous weight lifted, as Hunter returned to his normal self. The conversations flowed easier, with Hunter himself starting some of them and animatedly discussing brooms, skincare potions and Celestina Warbeck's newest album.
The table was shocked into silence when Hunter was tapped on the shoulder by a young Gryffindor holding a camera.
"Hello Mr Lupin," he gushed, "My name is Colin Creevey, and I must say I loved how amazingly you played at the World Cup! My Dad said that you and your friends are the youngest professional players in a century!"
Hunter chuckles a bit at the boy, he couldn't be older than second year. He was so small he was only just eye level with Hunter who was sat down.
"Two centuries actually, Colin," Hunter smiles, "but thanks for coming over to say 'Hello', it was real cool of you." Hunter sticks his hand out for Colin to shake, knowing by making the kid happy he'll get some of the Gryffindors off his back for what happened with Ron.
Colin grabs his hand with both of his own and shakes vigorously. He had already started walking away when he spins around and runs back, " 'M Sorry Mr Lupin, I almost forgot to ask you! But Professor Dumbledore asked me to ask you if you'd have tea in his office tonight an hour before curfew. See you later!"
As he watches Colin's retreating back skip away happily, the pit of dread that has formed in his stomach numerous times this month already returns. He keeps his mask up when the others ask what that was about, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly; the others didn't notice the three Durmstrang boy's faces going pale.
There only one thing that Dumbledore would want to talk to him about.
He knows.