Stunned silence filled the Hospital room.
Charles broke it. "Wait that means…"
Dreogan said nothing, looking down, sad.
"No, his father's deeds are not Felix's fault. My nephew making friends with his cousin without either of them knowing, though…what are the chances of that?", Hope stated.
"Astronomical", Jordan Ives remarked.
"Astronomical…and now? Does that friendship still stand?" Dreogan whispered.
"Your mum's right can't get rid of me that easily", Charles cracked a smile. A trying one.
"My mum…your aunt…I guess someone has a letter to write."
"That'd be my responsibility", Adams said. "I'm sure you two…three have a lot to talk about but I'm afraid it is very late and Mrs Burton has to come with me to my office. Not to worry, Dreogan I'll be bringing her back to you safe and sound, tomorrow",
Hope gave him a hug and a kiss on his forehead. "Don't worry, ain't nothing going to separate us, again. I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart", He smiled hugging her back.
The professors left, bidding them goodnight.
"How's everyone?" Dreogan asked his friends.
"I don't know how you didn't scream…It felt as if every cell in my body was exploding in excruciating pain," Charles breathed.
"It was not the first time I've experienced Crucio, not by a long shot", Dreogan shrugged.
"I don't think it's something you get…used to", Claudia replied.
"How are you not a drooling mess? If you grew up with it?" Charles asked him.
"I dunno…I think I'll go now", Dreogan tried standing up from his bed.
"And where do you think you're going? Lie on the bed!" The nurse pushed him back down, covering the distance in a stride.
"I'm feeling okay," Dreogan complained.
"You won't be feeling anything if you don't lie down", She held him down.
"Uhm…Yes, ma'am", Dreogan chuckled.
"Watch out mate, Nurse Filterwolf means business!" Emerick quipped.
"You betcha", She kept taking their vitals, the three of them, stuffing chocolate frogs in their hands. "Eat those, you'll feel better."
"Elario Felix…I've had neither. Do we know any lawyers?" Dreogan asked no one in particular.
"Uh…my father? Your uncle I guess…" Charles shrugged.
"Right, but does he take Wizarding world cases?"
"Doubt it."
"I need someone who does", Dreogan said.
"I'll ask my dad, he is bound to know someone", Claudia commented, feeling perkier.
"Thanks."
"Right, Mr. Stalwart you can go now. Your friends will be out in a few hours, come morrow", Nurse Filterwolf told him.
"A few hours? Come on! Why, because I vomited?" Dreogan protested.
"Because you were tortured with one of the unforgivable", She sighed. "I understand you want to see your mother, but she's safe and not going anywhere, a few hours of sleep won't kill you."
Dreogan didn't reply.
"I'll see you in a few, I'm really glad you're all okay", Emerick said, preparing to leave.
"I wouldn't go that far, I still ache…" Charles whined.
"Everywhere…" Claudia joined him.
"Every cell and muscle…" Dreogan admitted.
"I thought you had gotten used to it!" Charles said. Dreogan wasn't sure if he was irritated or teasing him.
"Not that much…"
"Yeah, thought so."
"What's up with you?" Dreogan asked, worried.
"Nothing", Charles tried to switch to his side.
Two hours later, Claudia and Charles were fast asleep, yet Dreogan was fully awake.
"Ms. Filterwolf, may I please take Dreogan? I need to speak to him", Professor Jordan asked, speaking low as to not awake the other two.
"He should go to sleep, but somehow I don't see that happening. You may leave, Mr. Gaunt", He nodded, jumping up.
Professor Jordan took him outside and in the Great Hall next door.
"How is my mum?" Dreogan asked losing no time. Professor Jordan motioned for him to sit down in one of the seats nearest.
"Her physical health is good. She was…well looked after in terms of nutrition and sleep and she was not physically tortured other than what your father did to her twelve years ago. Her mental state is to be…determined. She is, as you can imagine, traumatized. Both by your father's actions and by what your siblings did to her since", Professor Jordan replied, taking a seat opposite him.
"Can't you obliviate that part out of her?" Dreogan asked.
"The easy solution…is not always the correct one. We could do that, indeed. But we run the significant danger of removing the memories, the cause of the sorrow and trauma and leaving behind the sadness without her being able to remember why she is sad, and to such a degree. Would you want this for her? Forever wondering why she is sad and in pain yet never able to know why? If she does not know why, how will she attain the ability to deal with it and reach some sort of peace of mind? People have gone insane for less."
"No…I guess not…" Dreogan shook his head.
"You both, are tormented souls and you will have to help each other through it, I think."
"Hopefully her sister and her family won't blame me for all that's happened to her", Dreogan whispered.
"You mean like you do?" Professor Jordan made eye contact. "From what little I know, I think it'll be alright", He formed a warm smile to assure Dreogan.
"Maybe I can have a real family who love me…for a change. That'd be nice", Dreogan smiled back.
"It'll be quite a while before your mother is done with the people from the Ministry and the Headmistress. I know this might be difficult for you to hear right now, but you should get some sleep. I have a pass for you, so you can get to your dorm, as we are after hours."
"What time is it, sir?" Dreogan realized he had lost all track of time.
"Very late, somewhere between three and four after midnight."
"Classes start in three hours…" Dreogan groaned.
"You have been excused from potions tomorrow, your first class of the day, so with the empty hour after you should have some four or five hours of sleep", Professor Jordan gave him the pass.
"When do I get to see my mum?"
"After classes tomorrow. Headmistress' order."
Dreogan groaned, burying his head in his elbows and hands.
"Goodnight Dreogan, or should I say, Felix", Professor Jordan stood up and left with a nod.
"Goodnight, Professor."
Dreogan walked to his dorm and lay in his bed. "As if I can sleep…" The next thing he knew he was waking up in the morning.
"Maybe it was a dream…wait! It wasn't!", he thought, sitting on the bed's edge, stretching his hands above his head. Standing up he realized he did not even change to his pajamas before falling asleep.
Throwing some water on his face and re-arranging his long hair not to look as messy as they did, he headed to Defense against the dark arts.
Claudia and Emerick greeted him, while Charles seemed distant.
"Dear god, I want this day done", Claudia stated, sometime later, amidst taking notes on vampires, imps and dealing with werewolves.
"Tell me about it!" Dreogan nearly yelled.
"Didn't get much sleep last night", she said.
"Sleep? What's that?" Charles whined.
"What we didn't get last night", Dreogan answered.
"Do you know if my parents are coming today?" Charles asked, with some hesitation.
"Uh, sorry no", Dreogan raised his shoulders.
"Didn't you see Hope…your mum last night?" Charles raised an eyebrow.
"No, Professor Jordan came and spoke to me after you two had fallen asleep, he sent me to sleep after we talked some. I'll see her today, after classes end", Dreogan elaborated.
"Well, okay then."
"What I'm wondering is when the Aurors will want to talk to us. Can't be losing classes, we already lost potions", Claudia said.
"Oh, the humanity!" Charles retorted.
"We can't be missing classes now, I need to maintain first for my year in my house at least", Emerick said.
"Oh, the humanity!" Dreogan said, making Claudia and Emerick swallow a laughter.
"I was surprised Ethel got first for our year, last year. It's not often a Hufflepuff does so. Usually it's Ravenclaws and Slytherins who battle for first, and sometimes A Gryffindor will sneak in."
"If only I wasn't in Slytherin…I don't want to get points for Slytherin."
"House cup's done deal this year. What with the one thousand points you got", Charles pointed out, bitterly.
"Not why I did it…"
"Result's the same."
"What is the matter with you? I thought you said we're okay, have I done something to upset you?" Dreogan asked.
"No", Charles went back to his taking notes.
"What's going on?" Dreogan asked. Neither Claudia or Emerick knew.
"This day needs to end…", he said.
"You are going to ruin your knee, calm down!" Claudia told him, his knee pistoning up and down, impatiently.
"We need to change the dictionary for the word "hyperactive", Dreogan laughed at Emerick's quip.
"And for "git" Charles mumbled under his breath. Dreogan ignored him.
"She's not going anywhere, relax", Claudia tried to calm him down.
"What would you do? If you were me?"
"Oh, I'd be out that door ages now", Claudia replied.
They went through the rest of the class and herbology after divination and History of magic, learning slug repellents and bowtruckles. Claudia and Emerick had used the History of magic class to grab an hour's worth of sleep.
"Professor Horsewood, how is she?" Dreogan asked, they were cleaning up the area they had worked on.
"Have you thought of anything else today?" She smiled. "I guess your restraint is admirable considering the circumstances. I'd give you house points but it's ridiculous how far ahead Slytherin is."
"When can I see her? Is she okay?" Dreogan insisted.
"Turn around, Dreogan. She's outside the Greenhouse", Professor Horsewood pointed behind him with her right hand. Her lips curving in a very pleased smile.
"Behind me? Outside?" Dreogan had stood up, turned around and left before she had finished speaking.
"Mum!" he yelled excited, ignoring a few departing second-years' glances.
She hugged, caressing his hair.
"Have you seen the castle?" he asked her.
"Very little, only the distance between the Headmistress' office and here", she said, smiling.
"I'll be your guide for the afternoon!" he grinned wide. "Buckle up!"
"I think you have best clean up first, sweetheart", She pointed at the bits of soil and mud on his robes.
"Oh, that's easy!" He took out his wand, pointing it at his robes. "Scourgify!" The soil and mud vanished.
"Amazing!" Hope uttered.
"Cleaning charm", Dreogan explained.
"Well, consider me charmed!" she exclaimed.
"Eeewww, pun!"
"So, guide me, my handsome prince", She held his arm by his elbow.
"I don't know about prince, but this is the Herbology greenhouse one, where first and second years take Herbology classes, and the Herbology corridor leading to the Great Hall and entrance on the one side and Herbology tower on the other", Dreogan beamed.
"Herbology? What's it used for?"
"Lots of things, I guess. Potions, poisons, cures, ingredients and so on. For example, Mandrake root when adult can be used to cure petrification. If you unroot it without ear protection on, on the other hand it will kill an adult."
"Sounds scary…" she said, worried.
"Nah, a teacher is always present, plus not even seventh years would be allowed to handle an adult Mandrake, we only deal with juveniles", He walked them to the Transfiguration classroom.
"What happens here?"
"Transfiguration classes. Changing one thing into another. Like for example…" He pointed his wand at a cauldron on a wooden desk. "Avifors!" The cauldron warped into several different songbirds.
Hope gasped. "Are they real?"
"Uhu, the real thing", Dreogan nodded.
"That's your wand?"
"Yeah, which has decided to work for a change", He gave it to her.
"What's the hole in the back?" she asked, after examining it.
"No idea was like this when I bought it", She gave it back to him.
He continued the tour of the castle, three hours later they were in the boathouse, looking on the lake and the grounds beyond.
"What's that hut over there?" She pointed at a ruined stone building.
"I don't know. I think it used to be the Gamekeeper's hut, now it's ruined and not used anymore. Beyond it is the forbidden forest."
"Looks ominous", she said shivering. It was getting colder as the afternoon moved on.
"It's full of beasts and the like so, naturally it is forbidden to students", he explained.
"Beasts?"
"Oh, you know…unicorns, centaurs, bowtruckles and so on…acromantulas. Some say there's even dragons in there", He cracked a mischievous grin.
"Acrowhatnow?" she said, trying to take in all the information.
"Oh, huge talking spiders."
"A boarding school wasn't what I had intended. Are you sure you…" He interrupted her, his eyes bulging out.
"I want to be here? Absolutely. It's home. And the only school in Britain I can go to", he stated matter-of-factly.
"I thought you couldn't do magic without your wand?" she inquired.
"I don't have a wand to do magic, I have a wand because I can do magic. Wands are conduits, conducting magic ensuring it's not erratic or dangerous for both caster and anyone else around it. I can do wandless magic, all wizards and witches can, but it's unfocused, dangerous and potentially lethal and only the most powerful and highly trained wizardfolk can do it, safely.
"It'd be dangerous for me to go to a muggle…nonmagical school. Wands are there to help us focus magical energy, make it safe. Let me give you an example, say you take me with you when you leave Hogwarts and take away my wand, say you put me in a muggle school where someone, a bully makes me angry, really angry and without meaning to, unable to control magic or my emotions I end up hurting him."
"Hurt him? How?" She was even more worried, now.
"Azrail never tortured you?" He knew it wasn't an easy question to answer.
"N…not physically", she stammered.
Dreogan turned his head left and right searching for something. "See that tree over there?" She nodded.
"Sectusempra", he voiced, and a silver jet left his wand, hitting the tree, splitting bark pieces off it as if it had been hacked by a sword. "Stand well behind me, please", She took a step behind him and three more back.
Pointing his free hand at the tree, he placed his wand in his robes' pocket. "Sectusempra!" There was a shockwave, deep silver and turbulent and a jet left his hand hitting the tree. This time there weren't some splinters but rather the whole tree exploded as if it had been hit multiple times by a grenade.
"Imagine this happening, and instead of a tree it's a boy my age. Imagine me losing control of my emotions and rather than casting a verbal or continuous spell, there's just an explosion of magical energy. Then imagine having to explain this to everyone else, let alone the fact I may have just killed someone…No, I belong here where I can learn to use this for good, to focus and channel it safely. And where all my friends are."
He took out his wand and cast Reparo at the tree a few times, it wasn't fully healed or repaired, but it'd survive.
"Your sister's husband said it best when he was explaining a muggle item to me, last year. So, I'll paraphrase him. Magic is a tool, it's up to us to use it to improve lives or destroy them. I chose to try and improve them. Please, don't ask me to forgo what and who I am."
"When did you get to be so wise? You're right…I have no right to barge into your life now, and demand you change…what you are", She nodded, trying to smile.
He beamed at her. "There's so much I want to ask you", They walked along the lake's shore.
"Like? I ain't telling you any embarrassing baby stories", She hid a smile.
"Spoilsport! Come on! Tell me everything!" She laughed.
"I was always the rebel and the warrior one. Sis was the mediator and diplomat, no wonder she became a therapist", Hope said.
"I'm sure you'd have become a world-class neurosurgeon if…you know…" Dreogan fiddled with his fingers, feeling awkward.
"How…?" Hope felt astonished at him knowing this.
"Your sister. Well, I didn't know she was your sister at the time, but one day I noticed Charles giving his mother white sand lilies, she looked sad and happy at the same time so I kinda knew who it was for. That day I saw a picture of you two and she told us about that night and what had been your dreams before. She has never stopped looking for you, you know", Dreogan recounted last summer's day.
"And I never would have, for as long as I lived", A voice came from behind them.
Startled, they turned to see Helen with Peter coming up to them from the castle's drawbridge entrance.
For a second time in two days Hope felt herself scream involuntarily while upon seeing her sister's face after twelve years, her knees gave way under her, her hands covering her face.
Hope run to her, falling on her knees, hugging her while Dreogan walked up to Peter offering his hand in handshake.
"H…hello, sir", Peter shook his hand, giving him a warm smile.
"I guess…this makes us…you my uncle?" He hesitated a moment.
"Yes, indeed. What an amazing and strange thing, you and Charles finding each other like this", Dreogan nodded, his eyes locked at the two sisters, who just stood there in each other's embrace.
"They've hoped for this moment for twelve years. For your mother, this moment comes second only to seeing you yesterday for the first time, I'm sure", Peter said, following the boy's eyes.
"Yeah…I hope so. My life has been filled with sorrow. The last two years leading to this have been…thank you", Peter patted his back.
Charles approached, his hands in his pockets, looking moody.
Dreogan waved at him. Charles ignored him, hugging his father.
"Hey dad."
"Charles, you must be curious to get to know your aunt. What a wonderous moment this is," Peter replied.
"Sure", Charles replied, trying to look cheerful.
"Last time I saw your mother even remotely as happy as this, was when she gave birth to you and your brothers."
"You think?" Charles looked up at his father's face, scrutinizing it closely.
"Absolutely. You three are why we wake up in the morning. Never doubt that, son."
Some few minutes later Hope helped Helen up, and approached them.
Helen gave Dreogan a hug, tight, close and more heartfelt than ever before. "Thank you, thank you so much for this. For bringing back my sister. So, you are officially family, now", she told him, wiping her eyes clean.
"Yes, ma'am", Dreogan nodded, smiling, and feeling even a little self-conscious.
"Don't you ma'am me, young man! I did not like it before, I absolutely forbid it now. Ya hear me Mister?" Helen told him, waving her index finger at him.
Peter, Dreogan and Hope laughed. "Aunt or Helen will do just fine."
Dreogan smiled. "Aunt Helen, uncle Peter. I like the sound of it!"
"Get used to it. Soon come all the embarrassing baby stories", Peter chuckled.
Dreogan grinned wide. "I have none…funny ones at least."
"It would seem you have an advantage over us, but that's what are families for!", Peter exclaimed.
"To undo my advantage and regret ever having it in the first place?" Dreogan wondered aloud.
"But of course, Dreogan, dear", Helen said. "Can't have you lording it over the rest of us."
Dreogan laughed. "I can't wait to hear Charles' baby stories."
"Don't you dare!" Charles spat at his parents before charging off towards the castle.
"What's the matter with him?" Peter asked, surprised.
"Search me...I thought he'd be ecstatic we are family and not just best of friends, but he's been like this since yesterday."
"I think I may have an inkling. If you'll excuse me a moment", Helen said, leaving after her son.
"Come on, there's still things I wanna show you", Dreogan told his mother.
"Lead the way", Hope said, giving Peter a hug.
"Who would have thought…my nephew giving me a tour of a school about magic, housed in an amazing castle, in Scotland!" Peter said, following them.
"I know. A lot of things, both good and bad, have happened the last few years", Hope replied. "This is definitely the best one, though", She passed a hand around Dreogan's shoulders.
Dreogan walked them to the main entrance of the castle, leading them to the Great Hall, and from there to the Grand Staircase.
"This place...never ceases to amaze…", Peter breathed out.
"This is the Grand Staircase, it leads to…well most of the rest of the castle", Dreogan told them.
"The paintings are moving!" Peter exclaimed.
"Well, yeah. It'd be boring if they had to be in the same place all day long. The stairs also move around as they so damn well please…", Dreogan replied, chuckling.
"How? Is it holographic animation?" Peter asked, examining one up close.
"There's a spell-potion mix that turns them quasi-sentient", Dreogan explained.
"Oh, my days!" A knight in a painting yelled. "Do my eyes deceive me? Normals in the castle? The days of yore are upon us! Pitchforks and pyres next! Sound the alarm! Fetch my sword!"
"Some are more…rowdy than others. Gadogan, the pale lady is looking for you",
"Shhhh! She cannot find me! A knight like me does not wear laced frocks!", Gadogan said, before vanishing to a nearby landscape painting.
Dreogan laughed, "Works every single time."
They climbed the moving stairs until the sixth floor where Dreogan led them past an arched doorway. On one side there was a vaulted corridor and on the other side the outer wall's parapets, a painting, an arched doorway with a winged gargoyle on it and some more parapets and doorways until the end of the corridor and a large oak, barred door.
"That's the Headmistress' office, guarded by the gargoyle", Dreogan said. "The colonnade next to it leads to the Gryffindor Common room and dorms. After it the door to the prefects' bathroom, the bridge to the Ravenclaw common room and dorms, the caretaker's office…vacant now then stairs leading to the seventh floor and…I have no idea what's behind the barred oak door at the end."
Half an hour later they were at the top of the Astronomy tower, tallest tower in the whole school.
"Hogwarts is…huge", Hope said.
Peter squeezed Dreogan's shoulder, trying to gain his attention. "A centaur! An actual, living, centaur!" he whispered, like a little boy.
"Professor Ixion, my uncle Peter and my mother Hope Burton. Professor Ixion teaches Astronomy and divination", Dreogan said, as the centaur approached them.
"Pleased to meet you, professor Ixion", Hope said, unsure of if she should extend her hand in handshake or not.
"A progenitor found, one lost to one's own shadow, the wheel turns for all and the wanderer realizes not", she replied, looking at Dreogan.
"Doesn't realize what, Professor?"
"Themself. In the end, our own mirror reflects brighter and stronger than any outside source of light or darkness. Either can illuminate or blind."
"How can darkness illuminate?" Dreogan felt weird.
"By avoiding battle with it, by understanding it, by not becoming it to defeat it."
"Wise words", Peter said.
"Stargazers usually are. Good day", she said and left them.
"Are centaurs always so…so…enigmatic?" Hope asked, astonished at the event.
"Haven't seen any of the others in Hogwarts' herd, living in the forbidden forest, but I get the feeling she's rather chatty by centaur standards."
"What's the rings up in the air, in the distance?" Hope pointed at the three metal hoops.
"Oh, that's the Quidditch pitch", Dreogan said.
"Quidditch? What's that!" Hope cried.
"Where's Charles? He can live off the thing!" Peter laughed.
"It's the main wizarding sport, played in brooms, up in the air."
"That sounds dangerous!" Hope said.
"That's why we have a Hospital Wing!" Dreogan teased her. "Just kidding! Just kidding! No one's died from it in centuries", Dreogan chortled.
"It's a shame Charles didn't make his House's team, he'd be playing against Claudia later today", Dreogan said. "That'd have been interesting!"
"He did write to us about that. Perhaps he will be accepted next year, if there's an opening", Peter replied.
"You don't sound too disappointed he didn't make it", Dreogan said.
"I'd be glad if he had, I'm sad he didn't because he's sad he didn't and I'm proud of him regardless. He tried, that's what matters. He gave it his best regardless of the outcome, and that's all I ask of him or his brothers", Peter told him.
Dreogan smiled nodding.
"I want to ride a broom", Hope stated.
"Uh…not sure it's possible, but we can…attempt it…follow me."
"I'm new to this parenting thingy but is it good when your kid has this kind of mischievous grin about him?", Hope asked Peter, who laughed.
"No, it is usually quite the opposite" Dreogan led them down the various corridors and stairs of the Astronomy tower and in the Entrance Hall.
Dreogan stood in front of a small wooden door, looked left and right a couple of times before pointing his wand at the lock.
"Alohomora", The lock sprang open.
Brooms of various shapes and sizes were placed in the closet. Dreogan grabbed one, closing the door.
"Why do I have a feeling this is not entirely…legal?" Peter stifled a smirk.
"Welllllll…I wouldn't say it's technically illegal, just detention if I'm caught", Dreogan grinned. "Come with me", He walked them to the training grounds.
"Sit behind me," he told his mother, placing the broom between his legs.
She sat behind him, holding on to him. "Oh…I'm suddenly not so sure about thi….aaaaahhh!" Dreogan kicked his feet off the ground and the broom hovered before, with a nudge from him, flying off.
He made a few circles around the training grounds, then veered off closer to the lake and walls when Hope got used to the feeling and stopped screaming like she was in a roller coaster.
"That was…unsettling, yet it was interesting an experience!", she said smiling ear to ear, after they landed.
"There you are!" Helen arrived with Charles, who looked gloomy. "We've been looking for you."
"Hey", Charles greeted him.
"Hey", Dreogan responded.
"I must get this back to the brooms closet", Dreogan pointed at the broom with his head.
"We must be heading back", Helen looked at Peter who nodded.
Dreogan froze. "Will you… are you? Going with them?" He was looking at his mother.
"I'll be staying for a week, the Headmistress has made arrangements for me, so I can stay in a place called Hog's in, in Hogsmeade?"
"It's a wizarding village nearby, students can visit from third year on. A week only?" He looked happy yet disappointed.
"I suggest you get that broom back to its closet, Mr. Gaunt. Ms. Burton, Mr. and Ms. Blake, if you would please come with me."
"Right! Broom? What broom? Reducio!" The broom shrunk down, and he placed it in his pocket.
"Nicely executed, Mr.…" Dreogan interrupted her.
"Not Gaunt, Burton", Horsewood rolled her eyes.
"You shouldn't interrupt the Deputy Headmistress when she's about to award you five points", She cracked a smile.
"Whoops, still…thanks professor."
"I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart", Hope gave him a hug before kissing his forehead.
He and Charles left for the castle. "Mums are great", Dreogan stated.
"They are bloody amazing! Dads are good too", Charles replied, having regained some of his usual cheer.
14