A/N: Hey everybody! This is probably not gonna make the Friday deadline, so I apologize for that, I've been really tired over the past week. But I still really should have been working hard on this. I start working again in a couple days and I won't really have the time for it for a while. I'll work something out, don't worry. Anyway, here's the second chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything or any of the characters in this story except for Kyle and a few others. Oh, plus the plot. That part's mine.
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It was weird to be back at Hogwarts after everything. After the war. After the carnage. After the deaths . . . The giant castle itself - though now completely repaired over the few months school had not been in session - gave the impression that every crevice in the centuries old structure was as unsure, unnerved and subdued as the students that dwelled within it. As though it was still grieving from the loss of so many. It made the place more somber than magical.
These were the thoughts Hermione had as she walked up to the castle and through the halls once more, while other familiar faces trailed along right with her. It was the sort of thing one couldn't help but think while being in a place that held so much pain, no matter how hard it was tried to be forgotten.
There wasn't much that she could do about that fact, however. And as unbelievable and unfair as it seemed, life went on, the world still turned, and lives were still lived. Just not all of them.
The only comfort left to her was in knowing that Voldemort, and the people who followed him, were no longer a threat. All of them had either died in the war, or were being rounded up and imprisoned. None of them would dare to come out for an attack for fear of being caught. They couldn't hurt anyone she cared about anymore.
Hermione thought about the two boys that were the only things dear to her which held any significant value in her life. Yes, school still mattered to her, of course it did, but not like it used to. It wasn't as much as a safe haven as it used to be, not since the whole thing happened. Ron and Harry, her relationship with them, their still beating hearts, they were the only things that mattered. That was a precious gift that she wasn't about to take for granted, especially considering the fact that Harry was alive when he shouldn't be, and Ron and her were finally together.
It upset her more than she let on that they'd chosen not to come back with her. But she understood the reason why, they had both decided to work with the Minister, rounding up the rest of the Death Eaters that had escaped after the war. It worried her that they would be hurt, and for a while she'd tried to persuade them not to do it. Eventually though, she had to let it go.
She slowed her steps until she was with Ginny, now the only Weasley left at Hogwarts, and took her hand in her own. She gripped hers without hesitation. "It's strange to be back." Ginny stated. She said nothing else as the crowd moved into the Great hall and took places at the four tables, but Hermione silently agreed with her.
She noticed a couple things as she sat down at the Gryffindor table.
One, being that there were fewer familiar faces there than she had remembered surviving. Of course, that was to be expected, not everyone was ready or able to come back to Hogwarts, and she understood it, though it saddened her.
The second, was the boy who was sitting next to the Headmistress . . . he was too young to be a teacher.
Hermione looked up at the Head table, just like all the other students started to the longer they sat through the sorting ceremony and dinner. It was like there was a magnetic pull, like they had no choice but to watch the pale boy sitting next to Professor McGonagall. His movements - or rather, what appeared to be more accurate, his lack of movement - seemed forced. Like he was either trying to keep still, or when he was moving, trying not to draw attention to himself. Every muscle in his body screamed that he knew he was being watched by almost every being in the hall, even though it seemed that he was denying it himself. Or maybe, Hermione thought, not denying, just choosing to ignore.
"Who's that sitting next to McGonagall?" One of the younger students asked across from her to their friend.
"No idea." The other replied, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
Hermione turned back to the head table as the tink tink tink of a spoon on glass sounded sharply across the hall. Voices quieted down gradually while the Headmistress stood up, her face gazing across the faces of the students, and Hermione imagined her eyes flashing when they met hers.
"To those who are new additions to Hogwarts, welcome. And to those who have chosen to come back, thank you. It is heartening to see familiar faces at these tables once again." She said. Throughout the hall was a mixture of still-bodied silence, and heads nodding in acknowledgement. "A few things need to be said before we all head to bed tonight," McGonagall continued. "The first of which is that, while it's unusual for students to come back for an eighth year at Hogwarts, I thought it necessary due to the way things were run last year. I know it must be hard to be back, but for some of you this will be your last year at Hogwarts, and I would much rather send you all off with some happier memories."
The Hall remained silent as she finished talking, her last sentence spoken sadly to the upperclassmen.
"The second," She continued. "Is that I got a few owls over the summer about if the grades from last year will actually be counted towards your classes. I can assure you," She said, her expression slightly darker than before. "That any marks against you that were given while the Carrows were here are null and void. This new year is a chance for a fresh start. And I won't have it marred further by regrettable preceding grades."
Students all around started smiling at this news. A lot of students had gotten bad grades last year, and to some, this problem probably hadn't occurred to them until Professor McGonagall had brought it up. Their expressions became worried when it was mentioned, and then cleared when she told the Hall that last year's bad grades were irrelevant.
"Lastly," McGonagall went on. "Is that we have a new student, Kyle Grimm." The pale boy stood up when she motioned for him to, his expression blank. "Kyle happens to be a vampire half-ling who will be joining us here for a while. He will only be studying here for the year, and will continue his studies elsewhere once he's finished. I know that this is surprising news, especially to the newer students we have here. But to the older of you, who have known other vampires to have visited us here at Hogwarts, I expect you to treat him as any other student."
Kyle sat down as she finished talking, and there was a murmuring of interest around the hall. Those who hadn't been paying attention previously were straining to see who she was talking about.
Hermione's curiosity won out, and she couldn't help looking at him with more interest. So this was who Professor McGonagall had spoken of in her letters.
McGonagall waited for the chatter to die down again. "I know that while there is still much at Hogwarts that can not be reversed, or loved ones who can not be brought back, there is a future all of us can look towards. Without the fear that hung over us for many years. It is a long and hard road to travel back from, but even with everything that was lost last year, and even the years before that, you can be sure that what we fought for in the war wasn't for nothing. And I know that our loved ones would be proud to see the world they fought for is becoming a reality."
Hermione's eyes began to sting as tears came to her eyes. She looked around and saw that she wasn't the only one who had started to tear up with McGonagall's speech, and Ginny took her hand in her own without saying a word.
"Welcome, and welcome back, to Hogwarts." The Professor said with a sad smile. "Goodnight everyone."
Prefects started getting up and leading the first years to their house common rooms while the rest of the students started leaving the Great Hall on their own.
"I'll catch up with you later." Hermione told Ginny, who nodded and followed the crowd out.
Hermione turned back and waited for the Headmistress to come down and meet her, the only two other people left in the Hall was the Head Boy, and Kyle Grimm.
Kyle's P.O.V
Kyle followed Professor McGonagall down to the house tables, walking up to the only two students who had stayed behind when everyone else had left. One was a tall, dark skinned boy with short black hair, and the other was a girl of about average height, with fair skin and hair that was long, wavy and brown.
Both were too overly curious for Kyle's liking, but at least the girl tried not to show it.
"Ah, Granger, Zabini, it is good to see you both back." McGonagall greeted as she reached them.
"Hello Professor, it's good to see you too." The girl said, smiling. The other just gave a nod of acknowledgement.
Kyle kept his expression blank and showed no signs of annoyance. But did this guy really need to stare at him like that?
"Kyle," He looked over at the Professor, trying to rid himself of his irritation. "I would like to formerly introduce you to the Head Boy and Girl of Hogwarts. This is Blaise Zabini, and Hermione Granger."
Kyle looked back at the girl, Hermione, with disguised slight interest. Where had he heard that name before? She looked back at him, and although he could tell she was as curious about him as Blaise was, she said nothing about it and greeted him with a smile, holding out her hand.
"Nice to meet you." She said to him warmly.
The scent of blood rushed at him and he stared at her wrist. Watching the small drum movement of her pulse from the exposed skin. He tried not to show a reaction, but his breathing hitched slightly. 'No no no!' He thought suddenly, panicking. He hadn't expected things to be like this this fast. Lorcan never should have made him come here.
The girl's eyebrows furrowed at him and he straightened, folding his hands tightly behind his back and making no move to take hers, his face empty. Her hand lowered awkwardly and she glanced at Minerva, who gave him a look but said nothing otherwise.
"So we're really expected to live with a vampire all year?" Blaise asked McGonagall. Both she and Hermione looked over at him. It sounded more like a outrage than anything else to Kyle's ears, but he was glad for the distraction, it gave him time to get back under control.
The Headmistress raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, you are. I explained all of this to you both over the summer."
"Yes but I assumed you were joking, Professor." He remarked with false light-heartedness. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Grimm."
Kyle's mood darkened further and he held back a glare. There wasn't a single thing to like about his facade.
"Well let's get going. I''ll show the three of you to your rooms. And tomorrow, Granger, Zabini, I would like to speak to you about your duties for the year." Minerva told them.
She started walking out of the Great Hall with Hermione and Blaise on her trail, and Kyle reluctantly followed. The way up was a confusing mess of roaming stairways with a mind of their own. A couple times Kyle stepped on stairs that disappeared from under him, and if it hadn't been for his faster reflexes, he would've fallen through.
When they'd gone up about six stories or so, Professor McGonagall led them through a door and down a hallway, taking them through different corridors and at one point, a secret passage behind a book case. At the end of it, was a tall tapestry of a meadow with a colorful sunset, and she wrapped one of the tassels at the bottom around her wand and pulled down. As she pulled her wand away, a shot of green light raced from her wand and up around the border of the tapestry, speeding to the top. Once it reached the peak of it, the tapestry rolled itself up from the bottom and revealed a large oak door behind it.
Kyle had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He knew all about magic and wands and spells, it just got old how often wizards liked to flaunt it around.
McGonagall opened the door and headed into the room and the three of them followed her inside, Kyle biting the inside of his cheek when they walked too close to him and the smell of their blood met his nose. When they were in, Hermione stood right next to him and he had to resist the urge to move away. Focusing instead on the interior of the room.
It was a mix of colors made up of silver and red. The main room consisted of a giant fireplace, a couch, a couple chairs, and table with a few chairs around it. There was a small stairwell at the center back of the room by the windows that led both up and down, and a doorway Kyle assumed led to storage, was positioned in the front corner of the room by the fireplace.
It was strange, and Kyle wasn't sure if it was in a good way or a bad way. A lot about this place made him think of his family's estate. It was both a constant dreaded reminder of what he had to do, and a home away from home.
Another words, it was probably a bad thing.
"That way leads to two separate bedrooms." McGonagall said, pointing towards the stairwell. "So does the entrance over there, however there's a kitchen directly across from it. You're things have, of course, already been brought up and are over there. Although since you'll be deciding which rooms you would like for yourselves, they haven't been moved to your bedrooms yet." Kyle looked over at the table and saw that his things, as well as what he guessed were his roommates.
"How's Kyle going to get into the common room Professor? He doesn't have a wand." Hermione asked Minerva.
'Way to point out the obvious.' Kyle thought, the constant scent of her blood making him irritable.
"The tapestry requires a password from you two while using your wands. But Kyle will be using just a password." McGonagall answered her kindly.
Hermione frowned. "But wouldn't that be a security risk?"
"It only works that way for him, Miss Granger. Although I won't tell you how." Hermione looked back at the door with interest and Blaise rolled his eyes. "I'll leave you to work out your sleeping arrangements. Pleasant dreams." McGonagall said to the three of them. Hermione and Blaise both wished her a good night while Kyle gave her a silent nod.
When the door had closed behind her, Kyle immediately went over to the table to get away from the two of them, and searched through his suitcase to see what his family had packed for him.
"So I have to be stuck with you two for the rest of the year, do I?" Kyle heard Blaise complain behind him.
"Don't start Zabini, we just got through the door." Hermione shot at him, sounding annoyed. At least Kyle wasn't the only one who thought he was insufferable.
"Oh please, you can't tell me you're not just as disgusted that we have to share a room with that thing can you?" He asked her. Kyle narrowed his eyes at his bag.
"Knock it off Zabini! I swear you're so pig headed. He's probably nervous enough as it is." He heard her defend him.
He just loved how he was right freaking here and they were talking about him like he wasn't. And she was standing up for him now too? Fan freaking tastic.
"Well, this is going to be great isn't it?" Blaise said sarcastically. "Rooming with a Mudblood and a vampire. Perfect." Kyle zipped the suitcase back up, taking it off of the table and scowling at the wall. "Oh wait, you're not even a full vampire, right? You're just a Halfbreed. How wonderful." Blaise continued.
Kyle swung around and gave him a look so venomous both he and Hermione stepped back.
Good.
He walked over and stopped a couple feet away from them so the smell of their blood wouldn't be so strong. "Okay let's get a few things straight." Kyle snarled. "I may only be half vampire, but that doesn't mean I don't have fangs. It also doesn't mean I can't rip right through your jugular and leave you bleeding out on the floor." Both of their eyes widened in fear and he would've smiled if he wasn't so ticked off. "I came here to study and get the hell out of here. I did not come here to make friends, or to listen to a mightier than thou speech from a walking buffet."
Kyle could usually be pretty respectful to other people, but these two were insignificant and getting on his last nerve. It was bad enough he had to live here for a year, he didn't need two worthless humans bothering him too.
He took a step closer and Blaise paled, then he pointed over to the bedroom by the fireplace. "That, is my room. Got a problem with that?" He growled out aggressively. Hermione seemed upset and shook her head, but Blaise appeared to have gotten over his fear and was just looking at him nastily. "You don't come near me or bug me, I don't drain you dry. Got it?"
He didn't bother waiting for an answer, and left them standing there while he went to check out his new room.
He was going to be here for a while.
Might as well set up some boundaries.
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End A/N: Okay, that's it for the second chapter! I know that this is kind of late, and I'm sorry! There was a bunch of factors, and one of them was that I was working on another of my stories A Veil of Smoke (maybe go check it out?), and it was supposed to be updated every day which was throwing me off of my other stories too. But I think I'm going to be moving the posting date to Mondays for this one (even though it's Tuesday cause I wanted to get this to you guys), since that way I'll have more time to work on it over the weekends when I'm the least busy. Also, school is coming up soon and I won't be able to work on it during the week, so this should work out better. Anyway leave a review to tell me what you think so far, and fav and follow if you like it and want more. Love you lots! Later! :)
