Side story 4 Learning about students and classes
"Before everyone leaves, I have some question about the two returning students?" I asked
"What would you like to know?" Madam Prince asked.
"What they are like in class and anything you can tell me about their work habits?" I asked she frowned before saying she would leave that to the other professor but would bring me their files later tonight. I was told Granger worked extra hard on her past assignment and tried more than often to turn them in before they were due. While the youngest Weasley boy was a little lazy when it came to his assignments. But he always had them on time even if they seemed rushed and were below the assigned length.
"I take it there is something you wish to talk about," I said after opening the door of my chambers to find Snape there.
"I would like your help in getting all my students back and felt I should warn you of Granger's bad habits as no one else did. And Madam Prince would not have to know about them as she is not a teacher," he said; I nodded at that than step aside so he could enter my office. Madam Prince had left my office over an hour ago herself; while not a Professor she had noticed so things about the students while in the library. She had also told me he more than likely would be to see me at some point for help.
To most, he seemed like a man that did not care about his students but she assured me he cared very much. She knew what I had done for students in the past that had come from uncaring homes he had taken it a step more and made sure they never returned home even if that meant housing them over the summer. Over tea, he told me how Granger always went over the limit on assignments. How she had to be the one to answer the questions asked in the class. Even if that meant shouting out the answers when not called on. He also told me he had not put up with it but her former head of house overturned the punishments he had given her.
"It was right of you to not put up with her behavior in class. I never did nor will I now and I have to say I am proud of how you held your class," I said he blinked at me and asked me to explain.
"Severus you know how deadly potions can be, yet you have had no one die while you were teaching. You might have been a little heavy handed with the younger years but you had no one to help you learn to be a Professor. When I was told you were ready to take over my old job I assumed you knew what you were doing. I should have made sure that was true, but the letters I had from the Slytherins said you were a better head of house than I," I told him the man blushed.
"Thank you, sir," he told me.
"Now give me a few days to work out some plains," I told him he nodded at that. "Now what can you tell me about the youngest Weasley? All the staff say he is lazy in his assignments and must leave them till the day before they are due," I said.
"I have seen him start on assignment but he seems to get distracted by others things while working. While they are rushed and shorter than assigned yet he always has what I had asked for in the paper. I keep copies of some students works I have some of his if you wish to read them. I think you will like the one about the uses of moonstones," he told me. We talked for hours making plain on what we needed to do so he could get his classes back after sending an elf to collect the papers he had saved from Mr. Weasley.
"Severus hopefully by next year you will have your classes back, but at some point, I wish to speak to all the potion classes if you will allow it," I said he just nodded at that before thanking me and leaving.
"I see your grading Miss Grangers work first brave of you. I save it for last as it is longer than most Ravenclaws," Sprout said as she sat down. I hummed at that it would have been nice to know about the girl's habits sooner like when I asked. I flicked a spell at the paper to mark the length I had assigned. She blushed as did the other Professors in the room.
"What was that if you don't mind me asking?" Flitwick asked.
"Just a spell to mark the required length of the assignment," I said as her work was just short of touching the floor.
"Oh why cast something like that?" he asked I wanted to roll my eyes at that stupid question.
"I do not go over the assigned length. I have too much to do than waste my time with extra work," I said.
"But my Ravenclaws go over more than often too," he said I sighed and took one of his Ravenclaws papers out of the bag I held ungraded work in. I unrolled it and cast the same spell it was only a few inches over.
"I will grade this but not something like Miss Granger's work. I go over no more than four inches. I have too much to do and do not plan on wasting time on a child who knows better than this. We still make them sign the homework agreement do we not," I told them.
"What if they are short some? Ronald Weasley is short more often than not on his assignments from what I have been told," Madam Prince said.
"If it is too short and all the time I will mark them down, but if they get the point of the assignment across I do not see the problem with giving the marks deserved. I will also speak to the student before I mark them down." I said.
"How can you not have the time? I mean you're not a head of house and you only teach the First year through fifth years," Sprout said as Snape came into the room. I did not like her tone I knew what she had said was a jab at Severus.
"Sprout please watch your tone and think before you speak. I remember when you started teaching here. You had the help of your old Professor for two no, three years before you took over the job by yourself. So the students used to you and most were not so close to you in age. Severus did not have that, next to care potion is the next deadly class within the school. It says something too about his skills that there have been no deaths in the class and outside them," I told her she looked at Severus as did the others. Why they never realized how deadly potions could be if done wrong. And then we had to make sure our stents understood that by any means possible.
"I never thought of it like that. Is that why you teach the boil cure first?" Flitwick asked.
"Yes, and as to Professor Slughorn's free time he has been spending that helping me learn to be a better Professor," Snape said before leaving the room he had just entered.
"I have already spoken to my students and I do mean all my students about his actions and why he took them," I said before going back to my grading. Hours later I was joined by McGonagall, she smiled and helped herself to some of my tea. I said nothing to her it would teach her a lesson if she got an upset stomach from the potions I laced my brew with.
"I see someone told you about Miss Granger's work," she said.
"Yes I was told and I graded it first, just wanted to see what else it held," I told her and at her confused look I explained to her just how I grade my assignments.
"Really there is no need to pick on the girl," she told me.
"Mark your work how you like I will mark mine just have I always have. She is not the only one that went over the mark," I said before rolling up the scroll and leaving. She sputtered and said Miss Granger was the brightest witch in the year so far very much like Lily Potter. I wanted to tell her the few times Lily had gone over on my assignments I had marked her down. And from what I remembered of the late witches work she did not quote the books word for word like Miss Granger seemed to do. But I knew once her mind was made up it was not likely going to change.
"Mr. Weasley please stay behind everyone else collect your homework on the way out," I said. Everyone quickly fled before I could change my mind about not giving them homework. I could tell the boy was nervous I was about to tell him to relax as he was not in trouble. But before I could speak the door was slammed open.
"Professor someone messed with my homework," Miss Granger said before all but shoving the scroll into my hands. I opened it to see the P; I had given the work.
"What seemed to be the problem?" I asked she looked at her classmate before whispering that someone must have changed her grade. It was clear to me she thought Mr. Weasley did it while else would I have held him back.
"Miss Granger no one changed your grade it is the mark I gave it. There are notes explain just why you received the mark and how to make it up. Now please leave I have something to talk to Mr. Weasley about," I said when it was clear she was not going to leave I told Mr. Weasley to follow me. When she started to follow I told her she was free to speak to her head of house about this if she wished. The girl glared at me stomped off I just knew she would be doing just that.
Which is why I had sent a copy of her assignment to both her head of house and Madam Hooch along with what had been assigned them to do. "Professor?" Mr. Weasley said as we walked.
"Right sorry, I asked you to stay behind as I wanted to talk to you about your homework," I said.
"I didn't copy, you can ask Bem and Seamus they helped me with my work," he told me.
"Rest assured I did not think that but have a few questions. While you are reading do the words seem to run together or fly off the pages or jump around even?" I asked.
"How did you know? I mean I told my mom that once and she said I was just being lazy and not wanting to do my reading," he said I sighed at that I would have to send word to his father and oldest brother about this.
"It is something that happens from time to time. I best let Madam Pomfrey explain everything to you as she can do it better," I said as I dropped him off in the hospital wing.
"Sir we never talked about my homework," he said
"I just wanted to know about your reading. After you are taken care of I think you will do better with it," I said he smiled at me it was after dinner that night when Madam Prince told me she owed me some of those candies I liked.
"Whatever for?" I asked
"For what you did for the youngest Weasley boy. But I really going to have to get something good for Poppy first," she said as the woman came into the staffroom.
"You owe me nothing I am doing my job and before I forget here," she said giving the other heads of house slips of paper.
"Just what are these for?" Flitwick asked.
"Times I want your house in the hospital wing for their testing," she said.
"What kind of testing are you doing?" Dumbledore asked.
"Testing for learning disorders Headmaster," Poppy told him,
"Surely that is not needed after all some families cannot afford the potions needed for the treatment," the man said I wasn't to shocked by his statement. He, after all, had not changed from the man I knew in the past. He still held on to the belief family would not hurt family due to their blood ties. In the past, I had Poppy test all those in my house and proved the needed potions myself if their family could not or would not. Poppy glared at him before Madam Hooch told him she had already spoken to the governors and they were more than happy to pay for those that cannot or would not. As I had spent years working for the man I could he was not pleased she had gone around him.
"Before I forget Miss Granger has demanded she is allowed to speak to the Governors about the marks was getting in your Horace class," She told me I sighed at that.
"It will only get worse before it gets better. Most of the Professors have agreed to do the same as I am about assignments. Madam Hooch thanked her for the warning before going back to the paperwork Madam Pomfrey had given her.
Side Story 5 Granger troubles
"Thank you for coming on such short notice. Normally a letter would have been sent out to handle this. But I felt it best if we spoke in person as to my knowledge there has never been a case such as Miss Grangers," I said to the Diggorys.
"Is she having trouble settling back in?" Mrs. Diggory asked.
"So she hasn't written to you about this like I told her told to," I said.
"No, we haven't heard from her so we thought she was settling in until you asked for this meeting. What is going on?" Amos Digger asked I offered them tea before telling them what was happening.
"I remember Professors Slughorn's assignments but did not realize the other Professors were doing the same," Amos said.
"It is something they just started after the Yule holiday. Horace pointed out they did not have to grade paper like the ones Miss Granger keeps turning in. All her Professor save for Minerva are marking them down because she is not following the given instructions," I told them.
"I still do not see why we were called in. What is the problem?" Amos asked.
"This is Miss Granger's homework from Charms. It is triple the assigned length, she is not to listen to anyone when it comes to her assignments. She, in fact, has demanded to speak to the governors. I have been told they will start to mark her down a letter for each assignment," I said.
"What did she say to that or were you waiting to tell her? Tasha Diggory asked.
"I told her myself and she told me they could not do that. I did not wish to argue with her. So I dismissed her and sent for you two," I said.
"Did the girl sign the agreement of work?" Amos asked.
"Yes, and when she returned I had her sign a new one. And when the other Professor change how they were doing there marking I had a house meeting where they all signed new ones. I asked if there were any questions then she asked none. I have all my meeting in a pensive if you wish to see them," I said; they took me up on the offer it did not take long for them to view the meeting I have had with the girl.
"I fail to see why you have called us in here. Give her a detention and keep them up until she learns to do as told," Amos said.
"I had planned to but wanted to tell you both the full story. Miss Granger has said more than once we are picking in her due to the fact she is a muggle born. And McGonagall's treatment of her has not helped matters," I said they looked at each other.
"I see thank you for letting us know in person. But feel free just to owl us if she keeps giving you problems," Tasha said.
"I will, but before you leave would you like to speak to the girl?" I asked hoping they would. Thankful they said they would speak to her and it did not take her long to reach my office.
"Finally are you going to make them mark my work correctly," She said once in my office. Amos just told her to sit down and pointed to a chair. I raised an eyebrow when she rolled her eyes but she did sit.
"Once we finish this meeting we will be having a talk. You will only speak when spoken to or I will since you until we are finished," Amos said.
"When you first started Hogwarts you signed an agreement of work. You also signed one when you returned for your new professor." Amos paused to her answer and she did by nodding "You also resigned one when the Professors changed just how they were grading. So please tell me why you cannot follow the given instructions?" Amos asked.
"Professor McGonagall grades my work right I do not see why they can't there just being lazy," she snapped out.
"Detention, I will not take point as it will only hurt they house and you do not seem to care about them," I said only to have her tell me I could not do that but before she could get into telling me off she was silenced.
"You were warned child," Mrs. Diggery said only to get glared at.
"Madam Prince I believe we are finished here. If we could borrow your office to have a word with our ward," Amos Diggory said I nodded at him before telling him I would be in the common room and that they could just shut my door it would lock by itself once they finished.
- Summer Time-
"Hello boys; how has your summer been so far? Ms. Figg asked as stopping on the walk. "It has been fine so far just doing some choirs," Dudley told her.
"Can we do anything for you?" I asked as I knew she had us help out with her yard work in the past.
"No I just wanted to ask if I would be watching you two this summer at all," she told us. I gave Dudley a look we both knew she was one of Dumbledore's people.
"No; mom got a job while we were away at school and we are going camping in a week or so," Dudley told her she frowned for some reason. Hopeful Rok would be dealing with her soon it was really too bad he could not do something about her before now.
"Well have fun boys," she said before hurrying away.
"Is it wrong of me to hope she is handled with soon?" Dudley asked.
"No, I was thinking the same thing the woman is a thief. Stole my mother's cat and when it couldn't breed sold it off. Lucky Janie was able to find him for me before someone else bought him. It was a week later I found myself getting yelled at willingly. A fact that did not change over the next three weeks just what I was doing while getting yelled at did.
I yawned as I made my way to my bunk but stopped short of said bed when I spotted the guy I have mentally calling asshole number 1 smirking. He was still protesting me being here said it was no place for a child. And when I wasn't sent packing he so-called worry turned into dislike that quickly turned into hate when I outperformed him at our assigned tasks. The closer I got to my bunk the more he smiled. I rolled my eyes before starting to checking the bed the idiot could not be more telling he had done something to my bunk. He wasn't too bright as I was bunking under Colonnello.
"What you doing brat? Maggot" Colonnello asked as he jumped up to my shoulder.
"Asshole did something to the bunk and I am sure the twin idiots helped him," I said I knew Colonnello was glaring at them. I took time to glance at them when he jumped off to have a talk with them. They lost more color the closer he got to them, I had not minded their childish pranks but this must have gone be owned a prank. As I was the youngest female here he had me bunking below him. And I think they just realized they had messed up big time. I blinked after I moved my pillow, I moved slowly as the snake drew up from where it had been hidden.
'Hello' I hissed out.
'A speaker' It hissed back.
'Want out of here?' I asked it only to tell me told it would stay with me as its nest mother would be proud of it for finding a speaker. 'Just don't spit or bite anyone but the one who placed you in my temporary nest,' I told it before joining it in bed. "Night everyone" I called before pulling my blanket up. I felt the snake move next to my head on the pillow and as I drifted off to sleep it was singing a lullaby of all things to me.
The next morning asshole and the two idiot twins where gone along with one of the nicer girls in the camp and the one guy who had yet to say a word to anyone.
"I can understand why three of them would leave but why did the other two book it?" I asked
"One had family business and the girl was not sleeping in a room with a snake. She is scared stiff of them it seems," Colonnello told me as we went for the morning meal. It was a few days later when Hedwig showed up with a letter. I sighed at that looks I was getting and I had just stopped getting them due to the cobra I was caring around. She flew off without waiting for a reply so I knew this was just an update on my brother. But the news inside was not just an update but great news they had unsealed him. I may have done a little dance of the spot and it was well worth getting yelled at but I was also quick to move on to my targets.
"So what was the letter about and why did is come by an owl of all things?" Alice asked as we sat down for dinner.
"Just news about my youngest brother and she is trained to carry mail," I told her as I added more spice to my curry.
"Maggot, you're going to burn up with that much spice," Colonnello said as he joined us.
"Nah; I normally eat it spicier," I said I knew I was getting looks but I had always liked food with a bite to it. I had always heard time flies when you are having fun and it must have been true because before I knew it was time for me to return home.
I yawned as I came down starts breakfast but paused when someone rang the bell. I looked at the clock even though I had slept in it was still too early for people to come calling. I did a double take at the person on the front step.
"Good morning Madam Bones how might I help you today?" I asked after opening the door.
"Good morning to you Mr. Potter, I came to make sure you were alright," She said I blinked before asking her why.
"I am a little sleepy but fine has something happened?" I asked a little-worried someone had found out Dudley and I were on our own.
"A friend came to collect you last night but was stopped by some aurors due to how he chose to travel," She told me.
"I think I am still missing something can you tell me who tried to collect me?" I asked all my friends knew I was going to camp. I had written them all and told them so and made to point out it was going to be a muggle camp. That if they felt like writing to me I would be changing my owl ward so that all my mail would go to the drop point in the ally. But they all had returned letters asking me to send word when I returned we could make plans to get together later in the summer before school started up once more.
"Ronald Weasley chose to fly his family car to collect you when none of his letters were answered," she told me I could not help but laugh.
"Sorry but I am not friends with that boy. He reminds me of a bully that lives just down the street. But I have been at camp for most of the summer just got back last night. I set up a letter drop for my mail. I was going to pick it up later today or tomorrow," I told her.
"I see if you allow me I can take you today. That is if it is okay with your Aunt and Uncle," She said.
"They have already gone to work but they won't mind so long as I leave them a note telling them where I have gone to," I told her she frowned but nodded. I left a note telling Dudley were I was going and with whom I had left with as I knew he was out on his morning run. He would worry if I left without telling him where I was going. Hopefully, he would contact Rok and Janie because I had a feeling Madam Bones would want to speak to Vernon and Petunia at some point.
"Hello, Mr. Potter did you have a nice trip? "Mr. Ozk asked as we came into his shop.
"I did thanks; she brought me something came up and she needs to see some of my mail," I told him.
"I am shocked it took one of the higher ups this long to look into Potter's case," she said I was a little confused with his statement. And I could say the same about Madam Bones.
"I can tell you both have no idea what I am speaking about. Mr. Potter when you sat up the mail ward with my firm after returning to the Magical world. You were sent quite a large amount of curse and hexed mail. There was also mail that had been treated with potions be they poison or love potions you received both. I collect all the mail and contacted the Aurors about this. They sent Auror Proudfoot to collect the copies, the list I had of spells and potions and the list of names," he told us.
"Names? You mean people were stupid enough to sign a treat!" I said I wanted to laugh at that.
"A third of them were signed Mr. Potter. I had all the originals sent to the vault you had set up to store the mail and any items sent," Mr. Ozk said
"Why did you not turn them over?" Madam Bones asked only to be told it is his policy not to just in case something happened. Madam Bones mumbled something had clearly happened before asking for copies of everything Auror Proudfoot had taken. I thanked him for his hard work and let Madam Bones explain why we were here.
"Odd there are no letters from Ronald Weasley but a few from this brothers," She said as she looked at the list that held all the names of people I had gotten mail from over the last month.
"I don't see why that is odd we are not friends I told you that before we left. The only Weasleys I know in person are the twins and Percy. And their older brother became a pen friend due to Percy point out he could answer my questions about dragons," I said.
"All this means is a lot more work for me, Mr. Potter. So I best get you back home as I have more than a few people I need to talk to today," She told me.
"I can get home on my own if you need to go," I said as I collected my mail.
"I would feel better if I took you," she told me. Thankfully she did not go in when we returned and both Rok and Janie where there having tea while Dudley ate his morning meal. It was one of the few times we allowed Tilly to cook for us as we did so much in the morning.
"I think we will need some people to plain the rolls of Vernon and Petunia sooner than we thought," I said as I sat down. I ate as quickly as I needed to explain just what happened Rok was pleased a little too, please. But I knew if I needed to know he would tell me. Janie, on the other hand, wanted to go and hex my former Aunt and Uncle.
"I think it would be best is my husband and I played the parts of your family. We have done so in the past when need be and we both can protect our minds in need," Janie said.
"I was going to ask that if you both after we left the boys to themselves," Rok said. Over the next hour, we hashed out a quick and dirty plan of action that hopefully would stand up to what everything was tossed at it. Janie said she and Max would be here in time for dinner and asked if we would like to go out for a pizza or send in for one.
"We could just make one. It would be better for us and we do need to go to the store at some point. There is not a lot of food here as Harry just got in last night and I returned the day before," Dudley said.
"Tilly can be shopping for everything you boys have works to do," she said as she popped into the room.
- Tsuna's Summer Time-
"Are you alright Mr. Sadawa?" someone asked after I had hit the floor. I slowly sat up not because I was hurt. But in shock that someone seemed to bother to see if I was alright. Before I tell the man at our table I was okay, my mother told him I did that every day.
"I am Rok Stone form Youth Springs Summer Camp, you are this year's winner for a free summer session," He told me.
"I don't remember entering any contest," I said something as off about him I just did not know what it was.
"It was a random draw; well draws and we drew the school than the student," he said.
"I see, what if I don't want to go?" I asked.
"Oh, Tsuna you must they have so much for you to do at the camp. And with their help, you might not be so dame. But that will take a mercurial on their part," my mother said it was then I knew she was going to make me go no matter what I wished. I hoped it wasn't like all the other times she had made me do something for my own good.
Less than a week later mother had dropped me off with a bag of clothing and a bag that held most of the items I needed for camp. Along with things I needed because I was her dame son. I tried to tell her I did not have all the things on the camp's list and the things she packed were not needed. Only to be told she knew what she was doing and as her silly no good son I should let the adults handle things. I knew there was no point in arguing with her when she got like this so I just let her do what she wanted. Hopefully, I could fix everything before I left the bus station.
I sighed after getting my things out of the car. Mother had told me that the camps nursing staff wanted to look over the campers before we left so she was dropping me off at the doctor's office and I could just bus over with the others.
"Have a good summer Tsuna-kun. Try not to be son dame remember mama won't be home for the next two weeks. So you have to stay at the camp that long before you quit," she told before pulling out. I didn't even wave as she drove off what was the point in doing so when I knew she would not look back. I sat my bags along the wall out of the way before going to the front desk to sign in.
"Hello dear; I'll need your parents or guardian to feel out this paperwork. I will also need a copy of your insurance card and if you have an identification card I would like that too," the woman behind the desk said I frowned at that.
"I can feel them out," I said as I pulled out my wallet to get the card she wanted.
"Your guardians really should feel them out," she told me I was quick to tell her she had dropped me off and said I should bus over with the others to leave for the camp. She gave me a look but handed over the paperwork. As I made my way back to the seats I knew something was wrong because she hurried from her seat. I was about done with the paperwork when Mr. Stone came into the lobby.
"Mr. Sawada I have been informed that you where dropped off here for camp," He said.
"Yes, is something the matter?" I asked.
"Camp does not start for a week yet," he told me I groaned at that. "What is it?" He asked I explained to him that my mother had dropped me off and left for a trip and would not be back for two weeks. I could go home but might not be able to get in as I was not allowed a key as she feared I would lose it.
"You are too young to be staying alone. While camp does not start for a week the counselors are there and some of the senior campers are there. It will be no trouble if you go early but first, we best let the doctors look at you," He told me. He even asked if I wished him to go to see the doctor with me when I was called back. I blushed at his question and told him it was okay as when I did go to the doctor I always went by myself.
"Hello Mr. Sadawa I am Doctor Mills;" The doctor said as he came into the room.
"Hello Doctor Mills," I said
"Did your parent or guardian step out to the bathroom?" the doctor asked.
"No, I am used to seeing doctors by myself," I told him he hummed and stepped out calling for a nurse to join us. Once one did join us he started in with the normal questions. He went on to ask a few dozen more that I had not heard before. Along with poking me in a few places and asking if that had hurt. He also had me go for a lot of x-rays as it seems Mr. Stone had told him about my fall down the stairs. I wasn't sure if it was my answers or the results of the exam and x-rays. But I could tell he was displeased.
"Mr. Sadawa I am not displeased with you. I cannot say the same for the adults in your life," He said and after learning just how bad some of my injuries where. I had 27 broken or fractured bones including a skull fracture. Four bones that had been broken in the past and healed wrong.
"Mr. Sadawa are you okay?" Mr. Stone asked as he came into the room.
"No, it would seem I am not," I told him.
"The doctor told me about your skull fracture. As a member of the camp staff, I need to ask if you might know when you got it? It is to heal to have come from the fall you had at your home," he said I sighed before telling him about my end of the year gift from some of my classmates. At some point I had started crying much to my shock he hugged me and let me cry on him.
"Sorry to get you wet," I said once I had stopped.
"I have been cried on before and before you say you're sorry for the trouble you are no worse than my other wards. I could almost say you where related," he told me.
"Do they have it as bad as me?" he asked I felt bad once I had as he seemed to care so more than likely did not have the same life as I did.
"You mother cares for you in her own way. It might not be the best way but she cares. I will ask my wards if I can tell you more about their case. So you can understand them better because in a way you are better off," he told me
"You don't have to do that. But what happens now? I can't go to the camp with broken bones can I?" I asked
"Normally you could not but Youth Springs Camp is a very different type of camp," he told me. He told me about my father and his mafia famigla and about soul flames. How they could be used to heal me in time for camp. But before all that was done they had to remove a seal that had been placed on me that was blocking most of my own flames off.
"You have to be joking," I said he had to be.
"I am afraid not everything I told you is real. Your mother knows nothing about your father's actions or job," he said.
"What did I do in my past life to have this happen?" I asked more to myself than anyone in the room. But they still laughed at my question.
"I have asked myself that a time or two before. It will take a day to get everything ready to unseal your flames until than Doctor Mills wishes you to stay in the clinic overnight just in case," he told me even if I could have gone home it was clear I had no choice in staying. Sleep did not come easy that night. My so-called father was involved in the mafia and could care less what happened to us. And like all other times, my mother was off in her own little world and could care less about me.
"Good morning Mr. Sawada I hope you slept alright?" asked the nurse from yesterday.
"It was alright but fitful do they need me for anything?" I asked knowing I was supposed to be unsealed at some point today.
"No I came to collect you for breakfast a growing boy like yourself should not miss meals," she told me I wanted to protest but my stomach had other ideas on what would be happening this morning.
"Hello Mr. Stone," I said as he came into the room I had been in most of the days save for when I was taking out for meals.
"I hope you haven't been board Mr. Sadawa?" he asked as he sat his things down on a table.
"No, I have been trying to work on my summer assignment. Also, I wrote out a list of questions I have. Some I know you won't be able to answer but I might later on if I ask the right people," I told him, he said that was a very smart plan and to ask him what I thought he could answer.
"It is clear I did not win a placement at your camp. How much did this cost? And why me? And who is paying for this?" I asked.
"You are correct about the contest. We will cover the price later; but as why you. The person paying for most if this is family. And when they learned of your treatment they asked us to look closer. It was then we found out about the seal. Even if they did not wish to pay for the unsealing we would have. But to do all that we needed you away from your mother and on the off chance, your father noticed that you were away. We made a very good cover there is a camp by the same name it cost close to 437820.51 yen," he told me I winced at the price it would take about half a year of saving my allowance to pay back.
"Family?" I asked.
"Yes, I have been told if you wish to know more about the family you must find them yourself and ask them any questions you have. The only thing I can tell you is they are related to your mother," Mr. Stone said. I wrote that down as I knew I would forget what he had just told me. I sighed but went on to ask him other questions I had. Some he answered right out, some of his answers only lead to other questions that he could not or would not answer. Before long I was taken to a different office for the unsealing. It could only be described as painful and when I thought I would pass out from the pain my world exploded into fire only for it to quickly go black. I awoke to a lot of people yelling but is all stopped when I groaned.
"Do not try to sit up Mr. Sadawa," Doctor Mills said. I just groaned in answer as I wasn't too sure if I could move more than I had. As it hurt to groan and nod my head. Doctor Mills was very displeased they had unsealed my flames without him being notified. There were different ways to unseal people when one was injured and the reason I hurt so much was that my flames had rushed out and healed what it could. Because of that, I spent four days in the hospital and to my shock, Mr. Stone rarely left my side. He told me he this had been his fault and not to worry about any bills just to get better.
"Now that your flames are free there are a few more things you need to know before going to camp. One of them is how to control your flames. There are laws about letting those that do not know about flames or should know," I was told.
"How long would it take to learn?" I asked.
"There are two ways you can learn. The hard way or the easy and somewhat painful way?" Mr. Stone said.
"I am used to pain so just how painful would it be?" I asked he frowned I wanted to tell him it was true but he had already said they had looked into my life so they knew at least somewhat how I was treated.
"I have used the easy and painful way a few times when I needed to learn something and did not have the time. I had a headache for hours but just slept it off," he told me.
"Can I learn other things?" I asked he nodded that I could as I did not have the time to learn I took the easy and painful way. I learned to control, how to read and write in 12 different languages, etiquette, and mafia law. They even added lessons to help get my education up to where it should have been if I had teachers that did their job. Mr. Stone had been right about a headache but I did not see the need to lie down it would pass and I had too much to do still yet.
"Mr. Stone before you make me lie down I have a question or two for you. Those flame control exercises I had shoved into my head how easy could I have learned them? And would I had to learn from someone with the same flame type as mine?" I asked.
"Those are the most basic ones we have paid for and most commonly taught to children within the flame even if they do not have flames." He told me. He did not need to answer my second question. He said he would leave me alone to think and I did need to think. He did tell me if I wanted to talk I was more than welcome to call on him as until I returned home I was his ward.
I wasn't even a teenager yet and I felt like brooding and I had a lot to brood about. My father was in the mafia and did not care about his family at all. He had allowed someone to place a seal on me and from what I had learned it was the reason I tripped over the air. It had blocked part of my brain off so it had affected my learning. But the worst part about all this I could honestly say out of both my parents my mother was the worst one. She was around when I was bully sure trip could lead to some of my injuries but the black eyes and the times I had to check myself out of hospitals. No, she was worse than him and I found myself wondering if anything could be done to fix the situation I was in.
I hadn't been allowed to brood long as I was shipped off to camp and told to have fun and let the adults handle things and for once I believed that the adults in my life would handle thing instead of saying it was my fault. As summer came to an end I found myself conflicted as I was looking forward to school and at the same time I did not want summer to end as I was having to much fun.
"Thank you for the ride home Mr. Stone," I told him as I loaded my bag into his car.
"Think nothing of it I had some things I wanted to speak to you about and some letters from my wards. They have given me permission to tell you about how they became my wards," He said. I blinked a few times I had forgotten he was going to talk to his other wards about me.
"There is nothing wrong at home?" I asked I had gotten a few letters from home but most were the same so I had really stopped reading them.
"Yes and no; but nothing you need to be worried about," He told me; he then went on to tell me how he wanted to make me his ward. I would still have to live at home because if I moved out it would alert my father that something was wrong.
"Can you even do that? Couldn't I live with my other family" I asked hoping he might tell me more about them.
"Yes, it is how my other wards lived for some time. They live on their own now and as to your other family. They are not of age yet and cannot take you in until they are," He told me.
"Wouldn't there be paperwork involved?" I asked he glared at the windshield. "They already signed off on this didn't they," I said.
"Yes, your mother just said if it helped you be more than her dame son. And the man did not even read what he had signed!" Mr. Stone said I could tell he was mad and on my behalf too.
"I had a feeling they didn't by your tone," I told him.
"Yes, but it does not go into effect until you sign it yourself. Unlike my other two wards you are old enough to sign for yourself," he told me.
"Just how old are your other wards? And how old were they when they became your wards?" I asked.
"Both just turned 12 this summer. My main ward was 18 months old when I took over her care after the passing of her parents. I took over her cousin's care about two weeks later both my ward have undergone some of the same learning you have. while they have blood kin out there it is clear they are unfit to care for them. After all who would leave children to people that left them to live alone at the age of 11," he said I blinked and wanted to ask if he was joking but I could tell he wasn't.
"Can I have a few days to think over this ward business?" I asked.
"Yes but I can only give you a week," he said.
"Thank you and if I choose not to be your ward can I still write them? Your other wards I mean?" I asked.
"Of course they would have yelled at me if I told you no," he said the rest of the ride home was felled with music and both of us trying to sing along. It took two days at home for me to sign the ward contact. And those two days I had spent in the house as I had truly missed my mother despite how she treated me.