The End of Year Feast felt like a funeral. Students filled in, some quiet, others loud and excited but mostly subdued from the maze events. Harry felt sick as he realized his fellow champions were looking at him, then behind him, clearly searching for Ness for some reason before they focused on him.
Flur and Victor -who seemed completely out of it—were frustrated, Cedric was confused and searching for answers while Alexander and Adaliz were shooting their headmasters—well, Alexander was glowering at his headmaster's empty chair—glares, as if blaming them for something.
But what? They were still in the maze when they had been warped to the graveyard…right? He sat down at the Gryffindor table, taking note of how Ginny was missing along with Luna. They were probably with Ness and his family, comforting them. Selvis was at the Slytherin table which was speaking in muted tones and hushed whispers. None of them bothering to spare Harry a glance until the food was served.
He knew he should eat something. But his stomach was still churning from the shock wave rock music he had endured at the graveyard. Perhaps he should have used his free hour to rest instead of sort through his endless list of questions, but he doubted he could from the slowly returning migraine.
"Are you alright Harry?" it took him a moment to realize it was Hermione who spoke and even longer to face her. Was he alright? No. he was not. Hermione sensed this and gently backed off as Ron mumbled to himself, wondering where Ginny was before he shot Harry a look then focused on his ham, noticing the look Hermione was giving him.
Eons seemed to pass before Dumbledore stood up, a light but strained smile on his face as he clasped his hands together starting the end of year feast off with…something…Harry couldn't tell, his vision swam from a bit before it clicked that Dumbledore was basically saying, "If you're in danger, you can come to us. No matter what school or house you belong to."
He was probably saying that to-, "Voldemort is back." –ease the news of the Dark Lord's return. Gasps and ripples of shock exploded throughout the room, affecting everyone but the Slytherin's who were coolly staring Dumbledore down, waiting for more information.
"He has been revived with the help of a spy who has been posing as Professor Mad Eyed Moody and a fugitive you know as Peter Petigrew." Loud exclamations echoed into the air before Dumbledore silenced the room, "The final tournament was a trap, set for Harry and Ness, one that nearly killed Ness in the process after the boy was forced to play along to protect his family."
Dumbledore studied the room, the scared, white washed face of older students, the twisted look of horror on the middle students face and the frozen fear on the newly crowned Hogwarts students who had just finished their exciting year.
"Now, the Ministry isn't going to tell you that. No, instead they shall twist the bitter truth until it is too late. They nearly did that tonight, bringing a Dementor against my orders to silence Barty Crouch Jr. after realizing what was going on. It almost killed Ness's parents, two innocent muggles who merely wished to see pay their unconscious son and brother a visit."
"That's messed up." Ron breathed, shooting Harry a worried look as pieces of chocolate began to appear on their cleaned or half empty plates. Harry gratefully accepted it as Dumbledore went on. Being firm in that they should stand together as Voldemort prepared his next move, that they should be careful in what they read and that they should follow their instincts instead of other's words' as darkness slowly descended upon them.
The feast ended with a sudden shift in mood as Dumbledore announced the points in a melancholy tone and stunned everyone by giving Ginny, Luna Lovegood and Selvis Karma 500 hundred points each for being vital in discovering that Mad Eyed Moody was a fake. The Slytherins all grinned to Selvis who was coldly regarding Dumbledore while the Ravenclaws gave themselves whiplash to look at Luna who didn't seem affected by her contribution.
Gryffindor still won however, thanks to Ness and Harry winning the cup but it felt like a hollow victory as Harry reminded himself that Ness had done all the work. He had been spoon-fed every answer, probably by Barty Crouch Jr. to ensure his victory.
Morning arrived in a blur as light chatter started back up and Gryffindors gave Harry's 'Congratulations.' And 'Stay safe mate.' As they headed outside to enjoy a day of freedom in the warm June sun.
He stayed behind, sitting on his bed and mulling over questions, questions that only Dumbledore had the answer to. It was a relief when Professor McGonagall appeared in his room, unheard thanks to his bouncing thoughts and stated that Dumbledore was ready to see him in a neutral manner.
Harry couldn't help but carefully study her expression, wondering if she knew the truth about Ness as she stiffly lead him to the office. Small thoughtless mutters of annoyance and disbelief being eaten away by the castle's blanket of quiet.
It was always unnerving when the end of year came, the sounds of the living slowly pulling away as everyone prepared for break and enjoyed themselves. It had never bothered him before but…but that was before he found himself surrounded by terrified mental noise. Wondering if the Sphinx was right about Ness, if he had truly made a friend worse than Voldemort and if he had pulled himself into another mess that would be worse than his current one of being the Boy Who Lived.
"After you, Potter." Professor McGonagall said, gently pushing him forward with a small ghost of a sympathic smile before she turned around and headed down the long flight of stairs, her boots making soft 'thuds' that seemed to vibrate his very core as he stared the door down and braced himself for the truth.
The truth that seemed ten times bigger than him and on par with how his parents' truly died.
He wasn't braced for something dressed in dark clothing tackling him and pulling him into a giant, awkward hug. Yanking him into the room and allowing the door to slam shut with a loud bang.
"Who are-," Harry started when a gruff voice whispered, "Thank Merlin's beard that you're alive." Sirius tightened his grip on him before reluctantly letting go, leaving him utterly confused by his Godfather's sudden rush of affection.
Sure, they had been talking to one another using the fireplace, mostly for hints and basic 'how are yous' but he didn't feel it was enough to warrant such a parental action. Or that his tussle with Voldemort was enough to earn Sirius's ire as the man turned away and shot daggers at Dumbledore.
Who seem all but prepared for the hateful glares, "I had my doubts about the boy last year, but this just proves they were right." Sirius hissed, his hands twitching as if he wanted to lash out and harm Dumbledore, "Why are you allowing a PSI student to come here. Did you learn nothing from Belinda? Wilson?!"
"It was a gamble, one that may have just worked out in our favor-," Dumbledore started when Sirius slammed his hands on the desk, "Right! So, having a PSI freak have a meltdown against the Dark Lord is working in our favor! Now Voldemort's going to try twice as hard to get Harry!"
He was? Harry tried to move forward, ask a question but Dumbledore unknowingly cut him off, "Ness has had no problems until this year. Had Barty Jr. Not appeared then we wouldn't have a reason for this meltdown."
"But he did appear." Sirius hissed, "And it's because of Barty Jr. that we're going to have more freaks coming over here. You're going to start a war Dumbledore!"
"H-hold on," Harry started, a little surprised that the one-sided argument quelled enough for him to get a word in as the grown men looked at him, Sirius angry and Dumbledore weary. "What's PSI? Why is so bad that Ness's magic is known as PSI?"
"Because Harry, Ness doesn't use magic." Sirius stated, reeling in his anger when he gave his Godfather a baffled look. How could Ness not use magic? Only wizards were allowed into Hogwarts, right? Then again, Lupin was allowed in despite being turned into a werewolf…
"Or, at least not our magic." Sirius corrected, struggling to put the answer into a neat little package as Dumbledore knit his hands together, "Tell me Harry, do you remember what the students were talking about when Ness first arrived?"
"Oh um…they said he was like the comic strip the Daily Prophet had." But that had quickly died down when Sirius had started his attempts to grab Wormtail.
"And he is. Or rather was. That entire comic series was real. Treated as an update for those who knew about the Wizarding War." A cloud moved over the sun casting shadows on Sirius and Dumbledore's face.
"Voldemort mentioned that—they invaded the war, and that the Ministry went so far as to blacklist books about it." But why?
"Yes, because that was how dangerous PSI users were, are." Sirius stated glowering at Dumbledore who nodded as if silently agreeing with him.
"Harry, do you know how Wizards are naturally born with their magic?" he gave a small nod, "Well, PSI users weren't, at least not until what we estimate to be 1902. Where reports of American muggles were using an inhuman being to gain power." Harry gave a small laugh of disbelief as Dumbledore calmly finished with, "They had discovered an alien. And stole it's magic which we soon learned was PSI."
"Aliens sir?"
"Sadly, yes. In fact, in 1982 we believe the alien invaded America to take back its dormant power."
"Power that escalated all over the world." Sirius interjected, "Muggles and Wizards were being attacked by inanimate objects suddenly given life, new places of the world were being rediscovered with changes and new lifeforms, lifeforms that quickly migrated over into America when a group of kids came and completely overthrew the balance."
"How'd they do that?" Harry asked, a little unnerved to find the answer out.
"PSI." Dumbledore simply stated, "From what we can gather, it transform the mind into a weapon and releases waves of magic depending on what the user wishes. I believe Ness demonstrated that a couple times over the year."
A vivid memory of the loud rock music coming down in fast waves eagerly wormed its way forward, earning a grimace from Harry as he nodded.
"It's unblockable. At least for us wizards." Sirius stated, "To think, they don't ever need to say a word or perform a gesture. They can merely think it and it can happen. One moment you could be having a conversation then the next—you're writhing in pain for no reason. You're mind a muddled mess."
Dumbledore gave a solemn nod, "Indeed, it's a boon for PSI users. Especially with their limitless variations of power."
"Variations?"
"Before the American Wizards…disappeared, they recorded children and young adults with powers that were never the same. One could manipulate water, another could speak to animals, a third could lift objects with their minds—the list goes on and on."
"Why do you, a wizard allow an unknown to linger around him?"
Unknown…Ness had an unknown amount of power, one that could never be matched by wizards or defeated. "So…Ness is dangerous." Harry concluded feeling sick as he remembered how laid back the boy was. The boy who could most likely best Dumbledore in a fight.
"If that's the case, then why is here? Why isn't he back home?"
"Yes Dumbledore, why is that?" Sirius prompted the murderous anger reappearing. "Or did you conveniently forget the treaty created right after the war? The one preventing PSI users into Europe?"
"I did not forget, I merely worked my way around it." A chill settled over Harry as Dumbledore bluntly finished with, "I predict in the coming future, that we shall need both types of magic to stop Voldemort."
Sirius stilled for a moment then gave a low guttural growl of frustration, taking a couple steps back and shooting Harry an imploring look, "D…do you really think that will work?" Harry questioned realizing Sirius wanted to speak out against Dumbledore. Normally he would be against this but… This was suicidal, "Voldemort and Ness had an agreement, Voldemort would leave Ness alone if he left him alone."
"True, but do you truly think Voldemort would allow Ness to live? For his family to be ignored?"
Yes. Dumbledore hadn't seen the pure fear and anger on Voldemort's face. He hadn't felt Ness's attacks. He hadn't been there. But…Dumbledore had a point…
"N…not really." Harry admitted, a knot forming in his stomach as Dumbledore nodded and leaned back, slowly singling that this conversation was nearly over. "Now, it's growing late and I would hate for you to be pressed for time, do you have any other questions Harry?"
"Yes, how did Ness survive the killing curse?"
"…I'm afraid I do not know." Dumbledore admitted, "Remember Harry, variations."
Right…Variations. With a small sigh but relief that some of his more pressing questions had been answered Harry excused himself from the office, trying his best to ignore the anger burning in Sirius as he muttered something about joining Harry on the train after having a long talk with Dumbledore about something.
"So?" Ron asked, giving him a heart attack at his friend's sudden appearance, "How'd it go?" Hermione gave a small nod of agreement and studied his face, sensing that something was amiss, "Did he explain what happened to Ness?"
Harry opened his mouth, the information and fear eagerly waiting to be spilled when he stopped and looked around, "Yes…but I need to tell you this in private."
"Private?" Ron echoed the curious expression hardening into a serious frown of understanding. "Alright, the Common Room's empty right now."
The moment Harry was gone Sirius focused his burning glare on the headmaster, anger and disbelief roaring and wrestling deep inside his heart at the pure audacity Dumbledore had to omit the truth. The truth behind Ness's enrollment at Hogwarts.
"Really?" he managed after going through a long. LONG list of things to call Dumbledore, "That boy nearly killed Harry! And you just skirt around the real reason why he's here?!"
"It's to soon Sirius-," Dumbledore started, the perfect picture of calm. How could that man be so calm? When the key to stopping Voldemort, the boy who had scrapped by year after year by sheer luck and dumb help had nearly died?!
"He. Deserves. To. Know!" Sirius grounded out, well aware that he was waking up the other paintings who would begin their annoying gossiping. "Just because Ness wasn't thinking about doing it this time, just because—
He slammed his mouth shut with a frustrate snarl as Dumbledore coolly cut him off, "Ness is the second part of the puzzle Sirius. Unless you've forgotten the prophecy Madam Trelawny gave me."
"Yes, the foggy old coot's warnings to either be with Ness or against him." Sirius recalled, the anger slowly cooling to dread, "The warnings about some mythical magical items tainted by…THAT magic."
"They shall come true, in due time. And we must be ready." Dumbledore stated with a tone of finality in his voice, ending the conversation. "Now, I believe we were due to talk about Harry's summer arrangements and the Phoenix's headquarters."
"Lupin. Give me strength." Sirius pleaded, resisting the animistic urge to tackle Dumbledore and shake the truth out of the man as he begrudgingly changed topics. Sensing that this would bite them squarely in the behind later in the future.
The empty castle seemed to loom in on them as the trio walked to the Medical Wing, hoping that Ness could answer their final questions. Ron was shaken, having remember some stories from his mother and father, Hermione was in disbelief and firmly believed that PSI wasn't a different type of magic and Harry merely wished to know if he could continue trusting Ness.
But it was clear that they weren't the only people with questions for Ness. Madam Pomfrey shot them one look then gave a groan of frustration before retreating into her office. Leaving them to deal with the small crowd of people hovering around Ness's bed where the boy was. Offering everyone a pained smile and blearily looking around the room with dull black eyes.
They landed on Harry for a moment, causing him to tense up in panic before they focused on Cedric who was asking something. "Never knew Ness had a fan-club." Ron murmured, looking ill at how many people liked Ness the wizard.
"He did have a comic strip-," Hermione started when a girl shot her a look to shut up, so she could eavesdrop in peace. Harry followed the girl's gaze and stiffened as Cedric gave Ness a smile, one mixed with relief and gratitude as he finished his sentence with, "Thank you Ness."
Ness blinked then rubbed his eyes with a laugh, "Dude, I am not the person you should be thanking. I'm the guy who nearly gave you a concussion."
A few Hufflepuffs stiffened with anger then relaxed as Cedric swiftly rebuked, "True, but you also chose to get the other champions out of the maze. If you hadn't done that then the monsters surely would have killed us. I'm in your debt."
"If you say so." Ness simply said before he turned his head to Selvis the Slytherin boy who was coolly eyeing them. "Is there a reason as to why I have a huge group of guests?"
"I didn't bring all of them!" Selvis protested, glancing at some Ravenclaws who were frowning at Ness before looking at Luna who was drinking some tea, as if trying to solve some puzzle. "Seems like it." Ness playfully retorted before one of the Ravenclaws spoke up, "How did you manage to get all the Champions into the classroom, Earthbound?"
"I teleported." Ness bluntly replied, unaware of the frustrated glares the Ravenclaws were giving him as he added, "I've said this like, five times now you guys. Take it or leave it."
"We'll get the answer. One day!" A Ravenclaw started to vow when his friends dragged him away, leaving the trio alone with some Slytherins, Ginny and Luna.
"Hey Harry!" he jumped but managed a casual wave back to Ness, "Came to ask some questions?" the boy glanced around the room before faltering for a bit, "Seems like everyone has one."
"Because you're a mystery Earthbound." Selvis drawled cringing as Ginny elbowed him, "Because you refused to explain what happened on your own, chicken."
"Am not!" the boy began when his housemate intercepted him by asking Ness a question, "So how did you guys know Moody was a fake?" the boy asked, his narrowed eyes wide with curiosity
"We pieced it together." Ness answered, "There were a lot of clues pointing to something going on with Barty Crouch's family. The fact that his 'dead' son was a Death Eater, that Winky was fired in a heartbeat but still cared about her master to the point of getting drunk and Barty getting 'sick' up until Barty Crouch Jr. murdered him."
"And the fact that Moody was attacked right before the school year started as well as showering Harry and Ness with praise while keeping a close eye on them."
"I'm surprised Snape didn't double your homework for getting on his good side." A third year mused, tapping a painted nail to her face as Ness laughed, "If he knew, then he would have done it."
"In a heartbeat." Ginny added earning snickers from the Slytherins.
"So, how did you guys know to show up and stop Junior?" another girl asked.
"Ness." They deadpanned shooting him a pointed look as Ness, "Hey! I'm the one who paid the price for being sneaky!" he protested folding his arms in light protest as Luna explained, "Ness normally doesn't isolate himself, or seem guilty about something. So, we figured Barty Junior caught him in the office and waited for a chance to strike."
"It's a miracle that news reporter got there first." Selvis noted with a small frown, "Junior probably would have murdered Harry the moment he stepped into the office."
"He would have" Harry realized, ice shooting up his back as he saw himself, dead on the ground with his eyes frozen in panic and surprise. He truly was lucky that Ness had such observant friends, or it would be a different story all together.
The Slytherins asked more questions like, "What was the teleportation spell you used?"
"Teleport."
"What on earth possessed you to use a bat?"
"Baseball bats save lives." Ness stated with an air of finality.
"Is your mother okay?" that threw Harry for a loop at the genuine concern in the girl's eyes. Ness nodded and gave her a small smile for asking, "She's in-between strangling the Minister for allowing such a dangerous tournament to happen and just plain out strangling him for trying to murder a man without giving him trail. Tracy's trying to figure out how to sue him."
"So, Americans DO like to sue!" someone yelled earning cheerful laughter as Ness playfully tried to defend his nation then gave up with a huff of, "Okay fine! But it's not all fault repairs are impossible to get on the cheap!"
"Sure, sure." Someone called as the Slytherins' minus Selvis left, each one making sure to send Harry an icy look before looking at Ness and thinking better about it. As if deciding that picking a fight at the moment would be too much energy and disrespectful to the boy.
"So, what did you guys need?" Ness asked, shaking them out of their stupor of seeing Slytherins having a fairly straightforward conversation with other members from other houses.
"Just an answer." Harry replied glancing at Selvis then Luna who folded their arms and shot him a serious look. Making it clear they weren't going to step out of the room.
"It's sort of a personal question." Hermione gently added when she sensed the tension in the room.
"And?" Selvis prodded with a small sneer, "Is it so personal that you have to ask a sick person?"
"I prefer the term half dead." Ness deadpanned, earning a small shiver from Harry who had seen him dead for a couple moments.
"It's important enough-," Ron started when Ness wearily cut him off the light tone in his voice completely gone, "You're wondering how I'm still alive after tanking a death spell. Right Harry?"
A faint chill entered the room as Hermione and Ron gasped in shock. "Yes." Harry played with his sleeve as he stepped closer, Ness's unsettling, almost grey eyes never leaving him as the memories came back. "N…no one's able to survive that," Harry added, cringing as he remembered that he himself had evaded death as a mere baby, "Not without a lot of luck."
"Well then, I guess it's a good thing that I have a lot of Psychic power."
His eyes flickered to Ginny and the others, panic slowly spiraling up when Ness bluntly added, "They know. They've known from the very start. Before we discovered PSI was outlawed."
"And pretty much banned from practice." Ron quietly added, glancing at Ginny with some worried anger in his eyes. "Ness is fine." Ginny coolly replied returning the glance with some fire.
"Look," Ness interjected ending the siblings' brief stare down, "From what we've gathered so far, PSI and magic are similar but also extremely different. PSI is more nature related and deal with doing chunks of damage at a time then using one thing to end it all."
"Which explains you living how…?" Ron questioned, looking a bit frustrated.
"Because, that means that PSI users and wizards have a different reaction to their attacks and defenses." Ness deadpanned a rare hint of aggravation in his voice. "Wizards have been hard wired to take an attack and use another spell to counter the first one. If they don't and or can't then they do what the first spell tells them to. PSI users are hardwired to have a 50/50 chance of evading or taking less damage depending on their mental state or 'stats'. Sure, it doesn't help out too much with magic but since it's trying to force us to stop we can just evade it with a different attack since we aren't hardwired to drop everything and become submissive."
"So, you mentally fought against the death curse using your 'stats'?" Hermione folded her arms and pursed her lips, clearly unsatisfied with this answer. Ness shot her a withering look then forced himself to calm down.
"Sort of. When I take damage my health drains down like a timer, giving me time to recover and heal myself fairly quickly without needing to pause." He paused to take a shuddering breath and quickly stated, "During the maze I boosted my resistance to PSI attacks just in case Voldemort did anything. The spell shattered the shields but gave me a fair amount of health to recover with, so I spammed Lifeup Omega to heal myself while the curse tried to counteract it. I drained myself to barely any power to remove the status effect before I mentally collapsed."
"I find it a miracle that you're even functioning at this rate." Selvis muttered looking a little nervous as Ness glanced at him, "From what Harry told us, you sort of went mad and spammed some sort of earthquake attack."
"Rockin." Ness guessed with a grim frown, "It's my only offensive PSI attack. I guess my emotions got the better of me and pushed me to fight back."
"I guess." Harry echoed as Ness gave a hollow laugh, a pained look settling on his face, "Well, I guess that's why I have -209 Physic points."
"Negative-," Selvis spluttered while Luna shakily mused, "That doesn't sound…right."
"Or safe." Ginny added, looking a little sick as Ness tried to assure them that he would be fine with some rest and sugary foods. "You need a hospital! You are not fine!" Selvis and Ginny exclaimed earning a shaky laugh as Ness tried to deny that only to get hit with a pillow.
"Unbelievable." Harry breathed taking his leave with Hermione and Ron. A bit relived to feel the air warming up as they moved outside, trying to get some fresh air to sort Ness's explanation.
"So…he's like one of those 'video game' characters." Ron finally deduced breaking the tense silence between the trio. Harry nodded and pushed past the lump growing in his throat, "Looks like it…"
"That's just not… possible." Hermione stated, tapping her foot as thoughts spun in her mind, trying to form a reasonable answer to Ness's true status and powers, "You can't just cheat death by spamming a shield and healing spell!"
"He did." Ron and Harry replied, flinching as Hermione gave a soft growl of frustration at their flimsy answer.
"Besides, you heard him. His…kind are hardwired to deal chunks of damage and have 50/50 chances and build up their defenses. We…we aren't." Harry reminded her, feeling sick at the thought of Ness being something completely different than being a wizard, "That's probably how he was able to appear in front of Snape's office when I got in trouble. Or how he can fight without a wand or-,"
"We get it." Ron flatly interrupted, "But that doesn't put a lot in our favor, now does it?"
Hermione shook her head no, "It puts it out of our favor. Alien powers…untraceable skills…No wonder other wizards are so uneasy to mention them."
Harry mutely nodded in agreement and knit his hands together, trying to push the memory out of his mind, the memory haunting him about Ness's emotional reaction to it all and bluntly warning him that Ness was different. And dangerous.
"Dumbledore better know what he's doing." Ron muttered, looking up to see some First years observing the Whomping Willow, "Ness doesn't belong here, and it's only a matter of time before the others figure it out."
"He doesn't know what he's doing." They jumped as Professor Kale joined them on the hill, his expression impassive and his eyes hidden behind his glasses, "He's acting on a wrong assumption."
"Professor what do you mean-," Harry faltered and felt his heart jump at the memory of the man's warning "Hold on, how did you know that Ness would snap?"
"The stars told me." Professor Kale casually stated, not bothering to face Harry as he studied the sky, "They tell me a lot of things. Things like…beware of the forgotten objects hidden in the dumpster."
"What?" Hermione questioned growing aggravated at all the twist and turns the day had taken. Facing another 'seer' wasn't helping her mood. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know. I've…I've never seen such an enemy before." Professor Kale stated, turning slightly with a small worried frown, "What I do know, is that next year, Hogwarts won't be the safest place for students. And that Ness has started a chain reaction."
"A…chain reaction professor?" Ron questioned as Professor Kale abruptly stood up.
"That's all the stars told me," he stated before he left, walking down to the first years who were trying to throw rocks at the giant tree.
"He's mad-," Hermione started, smoke almost pouring out of her ears when Harry cut her off, "He's probably right though."
"What?! How can you-,"
"He predicted Ness snapping, Hermione," he looked at her, struggling to breath as the air thinned around them, "He saw it and warned me—told me to hit the ground when the one bound by earth snaps."
"Earth…bound." Ron muttered looking a little faint as Hermione pursed her lips and shook her head. But unable to disagree to his claim. "He's probably wrong." Hermione mumbled as lunch rolled around and prompted the students to head indoors.
"Let's hope so." Harry replied his eyes flickering to Dumbledore who seemed a bit burned out as he watched the students nervously but happily talking to one another.
Dun-dun-duuuunnn!
Explanations are here! With more trouble looming on the horizon ahead for our heroes as the authoress actually reads the wiki page for Earthbound's story instead of skimming it for PSI attacks and stats! Ah well, at least this is teaching me to actually plan out what I want happen in the future...and to be more careful when I'm reading for information that isn't school related...although I don't read those as carefully as I should either..._
Thanks HelenTheMoon for pointing out a small word mix up I had in the last chapter!