Disclaimer: All standard disclaimers apply
As night turned to morning and morning to mid-afternoon the two slept on oblivious to the going ons around them. Soon enough though night-time rolled around once more and children trudged up to bed. And in the middle of the night the house elves came in and started to stack presents under the tree next to the fireplace.
Early morning came with a myriad of colors caused by the sun and two welly rested benders. Standing both stretched and let out identical sighs of contentment as joints popped back into proper placement. With a jaw cracking yawn and a small twitch of their noses the two set off to their rooms to take a shower.
After a long refreshing shower the two walked back into the main common room to find it still to be quite empty. Making a quick decision Hadrian ran to his room and grabbed the animagi book. Putting up a silencing barrier they settled themselves on the couch for a bit of reading.
It was an interesting read; mostly because the people that put the book/guide together took out most of the redundancy that almost all of their textbooks had. About halfway through the third chapter the universal sign for hunger struck. Closing the book they decided to head to the great hall for some breakfast.
Upon arriving they found it to be almost completely deserted. A few students sprinkled here and there and the staff table only having three people. Sitting at their house table they tucked into a large spread of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and toast. Six hefty sized servings and a satisfied belch later Toph and Hadrian stood to leave.
On the way back to the common room they where stopped by the Potions Professor. Once he passed on a message to meet him in his office the following afternoon he wished them a Merry Christmas and sent them on their way.
Upon arriving back they where met with a flurry of activity. Students of all ages where gathering around the tree. The prefects where knee deep in boxes of all shapes and sizes; every few moments one would reach down to grab a box and then call out the name of a classmate before throwing it towards the excited child.
"Bei Fong, Toph" called the one furthest from the door.
"Here" she called moving away from the entrance. A quick heads up being the only warning that something was being sent airborne in her direction. This continued on for a while as the large pile dwindled to nothingness and little piles where being stacked everyone's feet.
With sharp whistle from the head-prefect she had everyone's undivided attention. "Alright guys it's present time so try not to make too much of a mess. Also don't forget about the feast this afternoon , personally I suggest wearing sweatpants or any pants that stretch under your robes but that's just me. Prefects there will be a brief meeting tomorrow at seven." With that said she sat down and started at her own pile of presents. Soon the sound of tearing paper and squeals of delight where all that could be heard.
Toph not entirely knowing what to do followed Hadrian's example and calmly opened her gifts. She and Hadrian mostly got the same things with differences lying in the type range of the candy they received and the cuts and colors of the clothing. The latter being completely lost on them.
Around three in the afternoon all those staying at the school converged to the Great Hall where the Blessing of the Elements began the feast. Students left and right where filling their plates for all they worth. Toph and Hadrian still recovering from their magical exhaustion were still starving.
Piling their plates full, tucked in. Surrounding students would swear that by the way they where eating that they were in an eating contest with the youngest Weasley male, though after a quick glance toward said male everyone concluded that if they where at least they had better manners and where a hell of a lot neater. By the conclusion of the feast both looked to be in a family way.
~*~ Back in the common room ~*~
Settling into a large bean-bag chair the two nearly drifted off to sleep when Rhonda came over. 'Seeing' as nearly everyone had left the common room they rolled off and started walking towards the badger statue that guarded a smaller and more private common room.
Realizing that they were waiting for her she walked over. Following the two in the door slid shut softly behind her. Glancing around she took note of the rounded corners and sparse furniture and the two doors on the far wall.
Taking a seat on the couch Toph motioned to one of the chairs. "You wanted to speak with us Ms. Magnus?" Hadrian asked after everyone was comfy.
"Yes Hadrian I did. I wanted to ask why you both were covered in unicorn's blood a few nights ago."
"Is that what that creature was?" Hadrian asked in soft wonder, having of course heard from older students that they never go near males, before returning to the topic at hand. "Sorry about that, anyway Ms. Magnus the short of it is that it was hurt and we had to heal it, if we didn't it would of died."
Subconsciously raising her eyebrows she couldn't but ask "and the long of it?"
"Well the long of it starts out with me and Toph heading out to our usual clearing in the forest for a sparing match. It's a nice place really. Anyway we were really getting into it, boulders flying in nearly every direction, tripping each other up, you know normal things that happen in a sparring match. Well as I said we were really getting into it when this horse-like thing came crashing into the clearing frightened beyond belief before collapsing in a heap. The smell of blood was so strong that we could tell even without seeing that it was injured quite badly, Toph and I decided to try and heal it. We did it once before on a badgermole that broke its leg in an accident. So we placed our hands on the side that was torn open and focused on the wound being healed; it worked but we were really tired afterward and the...unicorn nudged us before leaving. I want to think that it was thanking us." Hadrian recalled while stifling a yawn at the end.
Blinking a few times she spoke up, "well that explains the both of you sleeping for the past two days as well as eating like you haven't been allowed food for over a month. But if you were so tired how did you two make it out of the forest; much less make it all to the castle?"
With a small sigh pressed onwards, "well we had just lain down when something that was half man, half horse came from somewhere and said something to us. Truth be told I don't remember what it was that he said everything sounded so far away and muffled. The last thing I remember before waking up this morning was being pushed under something cold and wet."
Having the decency to blush even though they couldn't see it she explained. "Um, well you see, the thing is when you and Toph walked into the castle you where soaked in the unicorns' blood. You see there has been something out there that has been killing the unicorns as of late I thought it best to get both of you cleaned off before anyone else saw you and it cause a mass panic throughout the older students before you had a chance to explain what happened. Sorry about that."
"No need, I understand," gently shaking Toph, who had fallen to sleep, into some semblance of wakefulness he spoke softly to her, "come on Toph it's time for bed." With a small amount of grumbling Toph got up and walked to threw the door on the far left; meanwhile Hadrian led Rhonda to the entrance and said "Goodnight Ms. Magnus."
~*~ The Next Morning ~*~
Early morning found our benders lounged out in their common room. Hadrian stretched out on an area rug and Toph on the couch. Becoming board with the silence Toph decided to try a spell she stumbled across in one of the books she "read". Holding up her wand Toph preformed the summoning charm on her copy of the animagus book; moments later the book impacted softly into her hand. Excited about her success she activated the auto-play button and set it to read the next two chapters. Every now and then one would state reread on a paragraph or section when they didn't quite understand something.
After the book finished it's auto-play Toph spoke up about a question that was bugging her. "Hadrian, what exactly do you think these tokens are? I mean are they part of the inner animal or just objects that appeal to them? Like say if someones form was that of a snake, would they token a rat or even a scale from another snake? Or are these tokens just random objects?"
Hadrian had to admit, at least to himself, that ever since they had gotten here he noticed her changing in slight ways. She would ask thought inducing questions and not so upset about having to follow rules. Lets not forget that the library had become a favorite place for the both of them; sadly though by end of this or the beginning of next school year the library would be tapped out of new books for them to read. He would admit that it was a nice change being treated just like everyone else, with some exceptions of course, and he thought that that might actually be a big part of it.
After taking a moment to think about her questions he answered. "Well to tell you the truth I'm not sure. It could be all those things with the only common factor being that that is what the inner animal wants. But either way we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves with this. The book said that we first have to meditate to find out if we even have a strong enough presence in our being, and then after that we take a potion that will take about a month to prepare. Only after that do we begin the token-ing process."
Sighing softly she said "I guess your right. Do you have any idea as to what Professor Snape wants?"
"Nope. But how about we go get some grub and then we'll try this meditation thing. Sound good?"
"Yeah"
After breakfast they made a detour to the library to see if they could find a book on meditation techniques and poses. Quickly finding one in the back before the metal cage, that held other books, they checked it out with Mrs. Price before running back to their common room.
Once back inside their little common room they spent a little over an hour skimming through the meditation book, before Hadrian pointed out that it sounded like what the earthbending teacher was teaching them. Finally deciding on the half lotus position before settling into it. Three and a half hours later they where brought out of their trance by a familiar buzzing that was their alarm. With a sigh both got up and headed down to the great hall for a light lunch before heading down to Professor Snape's office.
Upon arrival they were about to knock on the office door when a disembodied voice telling them that he had someone in his office at the moment. So they stood by the doorway waiting patiently for whoever was inside to finish up. They didn't have to wait long as not but five minutes later that the door opened and both their Head-of-House and Professor Snape stepped out into the hallway.
Realizing this both bowed respectfully and coursed a a quick "Good afternoon Professors." Professor Sprout returned the greeting fondly before walking off to go to the greenhouse to tend to some plants. Turning back to potions' professor Toph spoke up. "You wanted to speak with us about something, Sir?"
Nodding his head and knowing that they somehow saw it he held his arm in an inviting manner towards his office door. "After you." As they walked in he silently prayed to every god, goddess, and deity for the safety of his office.
After seating and offering the two some tea, Severus sat behind his desk. Moving the papers he was grading into the top drawer and locked it. With a sigh he started the conversation.
"Mr. and Ms. Bei Fong, I have asked you here so that we may discuss an issue that has arisen."
"And what issue would that be, Professor?" Toph asked, an edge of annoyance coloring her voice.
"I'm afraid that it seems your summer housing has come into question. More over on that note is where you will be residing." Snape said.
"Well sir, with all due respect, why would our holiday residence be of any concern; wouldn't we be going home like all the others?" Hadrian asked, not quite understanding the upset.
"Under normal circumstances, Mr. Bei Fong, that would be true; but as it stands do to the nature of the spell that brought you here, it is not possible to send you back. At least as far as I know." Snape said before sucking in a breath of air as the room's atmosphere started feeling heavy.
"What do you mean you can't send us back. Up until now we've followed your rules all of which without complaint and now your telling us we can't go home!" Toph intoned in a voice that was steadily raising in pitch. Not realizing she had stood at the end of the sentence she stomped her foot causing a large fissure in the stone. As she continued ranting, what Hadrian had always called venting, the castle herself seemed to shake with rage and indignation, which in all truth it probably was. "We were taken off our property, that's kidnapping I hope you know, and stuck here with complete strangers without any real information about this place not once besides the extra lessons has anyone asked to see if we where getting overwhelmed with it all. Not to mention Dad's most likely frantic looking for us, and after all that your putting us through your saying that there is no way to send us home!" At this point the ceiling cracked and pebbles started to fall.
Then at the highest note in home some of the wall imploded behind Snape's head. Sensing that this was beginning to get dangerous and more importantly a break in her ranting Hadrian grabbed her shoulder softly and said in a low calming voice, "Toph, why don't you let him finish, besides I'm sure that there is more to this. Right Professor?" The last being directed towards Professor Snape, albeit with a slight edge, letting the professor know that he wasn't pleased about the development.
Clearing his throat Snape spoke up once more. "Quite, however now s not the time to hold that particular conversation. As to the issue of your summer residency; I believe I may have a temporary solution."
Toph, who at this time was in a justified hissy fit, left Hadrian to carry on the conversation by himself. So it was without surprise when Hadrian's soft voice came, "what exactly would this solution be, Professor, and exactly long is temporary? I'd rather not have us bounced back and forth like a piece of tasteless furniture. I also hope that someone will be working out how to send us home."
"Temporary, Mr. Bei Fong, is for the entirety of the summer. Depending on how it turns out, i.e. you like it there, we will keep that as your summer residency until we find a way to send you both home." Snape said.
"With all do respect, sir, why were we brought here in the first place? I mean it's not that we're unappreciative for the chance to learn, just curious as to why we're here." Hadrian stated.
"That I'm afraid Mr. Bei Fong, is another conversation best left for another time. Now as to where you'll be staying. If it is agreeable to the both of you I'd like to extend an invitation to my home."
Toph replied being more than slightly sarcastic. "Are you giving us a choice in this or do we just have to just do it and smile?"
Snape couldn't help but smirk at this, 'she would of made a great Slytherin.' he thought to himself before speaking. "Yes I'm giving you a choice. Unlike some of the others I realize if I force you into something like this you will end up resenting all involved. So if you choose to decline this offer we would still have adequate time to find a new and suitable arrangement, however I can not guarantee that the new arrangement will be to your liking or that they will give you a choice in the matter. But should you choose to live with me there will be rules that you will be expected to follow, most of them are basic and if you disobey than you will be punished accordingly."
After a quick thought to the matter and realizing that the man in front of him was being honest with him, he spoke again. "This is a very generous offer sir, but may we think it over before we give you an answer?"
"Of course. I realize that this is a big decision. I only ask that that you let me know before the spring holidays. This way I can make the necessary arrangements."
"Of course professor. If that is all?" Hadrian asked.
"Yes it is," standing up Snape led them out of his office before going back in and pouring himself a tumbler of fire-whiskey. Gulping it down he looked around once, shuddered, and poured himself another glass full thinking 'I do believe it is time to move my office,' as he glanced at the beach-ball sized indent in his office wall and shuddered.