Chap. 16: Troubles

Vladimir decided he'd lay off on the pranks on the twins. He figured if he got them to feeling any negativity, they'd get heated up and strike. He didn't know who they would strike at, but he was pretty sure it'd be Snape. Sure they might try him, but they'd soon learn that they'd not be able to get one by on him, and there for, strike at Snape- which they also know Vladimir doesn't want them to do, so it's almost getting back at him. Quite funny, really, because while they think it'll get back at him, it'll actually get the entire school- and especially the Gryffindor's- caught in Snape's furry.

So it was very important to keep them distracted and happy. Crimson kept her eyes on them, making sure they weren't planning anything.

Two days after the indecent, Vladimir was starting to think they were simmered down from the whole thing. Ron certainly was… Well, sort of. If it were brought up, then he'd get huffy and complain, but other than that, he wasn't constantly mad; though he did have at a bit more hatred in his eyes when he looked at Snape.

Vladimir sighed. They'd apparently have Snape for DADA again. He'd been subbing ever since the first time.

Quirrell was apparently sick; but there were some kids claiming to have seen him wondering around the school. They said he looked normal; but then, his normal did look sick. So they couldn't really tell. But he was always told to be wringing his hands and muttering.

"Mr. Hellsing, would you be so kind as to tell us what the difference is between casting a spell with a wand and casting one without one…?" Professor Flitwik said with a clipped tone. Perhaps he had attributed Vladimir's expression to not paying attention to the lesson. Actually, he knew the lesson all too well. He'd finished it about twenty minutes ago. And really, it wasn't all that difficult. Petrificus Totalus was simply a freezing of the nevers system that inables the victom from moving, and they practicly turn into a bored, they become so stiff. The person becomes quite cold, and with out the ability to shiver, they sometimes feel like they might go into hypothermia, though it is never that bad.

Anyway, he might as well enlighten the class on what Flitwik asked him. "One must use a wand to cast spells because it is a focus point for the magic to travel through. Wandless magic is much more difficult and can even be dangerous, not because it takes more energy, but because it can be random in where it hits. It takes a great deal of practice to be able to use wandless magic and hit the right target. It also takes a strong mind-"

"Oh, so I guess that would mean that you could do it, huh?" said a Slytherin.

Vladimir looked over at them and said blankly, "Perhaps, but I believe the Professor was just wanting me to explain the difference, not to give a demonstration."

There was a little silence at this. Some were left wondering if he just said he could do it, some thought he was just acting, and others were just confused as they hadn't been paying any bit of attention until the Slytherin boy had spoken.

"So….. can you do it…?" asked one of the girls.

"Show us!" another girl asked.

"Yeah! Come on, mate!"

"Please!"

"I'll bet he's just bluffing."

"Yeah, he's only a first year like us. What makes him so special?"

"Huh… Mr. Hellsing, if you could please put the class to rest. Can you or can't you preform wandless magic? And, I suppose, if you can, you may give a demonstration…" Professor Flitwik said, sounding exasperated, though the glint in his eyes said he was very much interested to know if he could do it too, and would very much like to see it.

Integra had said it was okay for him to use wandless magic if so asked.

Sighing, Vladimir thought of all the possible outcomes this could bring. People would undoubtedly be badgering him with questions for weeks.

Of course, if he didn't, they'd go around and try and say that he's just a pretender. Though, this was hardly troubling. Bullying only went as far as the victim let it. And Vladimir certainly wasn't going to be a victim.

Now let's think of what could be positive about this.

And like that, it was almost impossible to not show them. If they saw that wandless magic were possible, then just maybe they'd be inspired to do better so that they too would be able to do it someday. Vladimir hardly thought the majority would stick with it for long, but who knows? At the least, there'd be a boost of good marks.

Standing- and resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the intake of breath from his peers- he lifted his hand and without saying anything, cast Wingardium Leviosa at a heavy tome across the room. There was nothing dramatic in the motion. No "swish and flick" that the wands had. Simply a raising of his hand in the direction of the book.

He could do anything, really. Snap his fingers at the book, clap at it, do some odd motions with his hands. Really, when it came down to it, all he had to do was look at the book and concentrate on the spell as he cast it out. The hand gesture was just to show in what direction they should look to see where his spell was targeted.

There was a gasp as the tome levitated in the air and made its resting place on a bookshelf.

"Wordless, wandless magic…..?" Professor Flitwik stuttered.

The class was an odd explosion of whispers, though it soon turned into actually chatter as people tried to question him, and others were trying to come up with possible ways as to how he might have faked it.

It was speculated that, maybe, he had someone else doing the spell unseen to everyone. But others said that that simply didn't fit, as this was an unexpected event. Others pondered on if it was his snake. They knew it was vampiric snake, and the more intelligent ones proclaimed that vampires had the ability of telekinesis.

Vladimir stayed out of it all, and simply sat back down and pondered about his being this boy-who-lived, Harry Potter.

He'd been pondering on it a lot lately. About what his biological family must have been like. What were their names? Would they have liked him how he is now? Would they have approved of how he was raised? He didn't much care if they'd have disapproved… not really. He loved his mother and father Hellsing, and couldn't imagine trading them for anything. But for some reason, not knowing anything about his biological family irritated him.

Walking down the corridor to his next class, he passed by a griffin statue. It seemed to be staring right at him. Stopping, he looked at it, and realized it was indeed enchanted.

Uncoiling herself from his neck, Crimson slithered to the floor and up on the griffin, coiling around its beak and looking at him.

{This leads to the Head Masters Chamber, Master Vladimir.} she hissed.

Vladimir raised an eyebrow. {Oh…? Hard to believe I've not noticed this before now…}

{Perhaps, it is because you had no reason before, to find it…}

Looking at the griffin again, Vladimir mussed. {You think I should see the Head Master…?}

{I think that only you can decide that, Master. It is your mind that is plagued with thoughts of unease.}

Translation? Get your butt in there and talk to the old coot.

Nodding, Vladimir stepped back.

Crimson slithered around to the place between the Griffins wings, and must have pulled some trigger, because the Griffin gave a shudder- almost looking delighted, like a cat when its back is scratched- and rolled onto the floor, much like a cat.

Behind where the Griffin had been, a staircase opened up and spiraled upwards.

Picking Crimson up, Vladimir assented the stairs.