Chapter 8 - A 'Muggleborn'

"Master," said a black robed figure, speaking into thin air, "We can no longer locate the fourth."

A deep sourceless voice replied, "He must awaken. Relocate him or feel my strongest displeasure."

The black robed figure turned, seemingly unaffected by the threat.

"And before you go"...

The black robed paused.

The voice spoke a single word.

"Pain."

The black robed was suddenly stricken to the floor, writhing in agony. He did not make a sound.

"This is but a small fraction of what awaits you if you fail again."

The voice grew louder and louder.

"Go!"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Marco strolled happily along the path, going home from school. He had no especial friends here, but he was generally friendly with just about everyone. The only people he was not at least loose friends with was the bullies.

He had gained a reputation for strongly disagreeing with bullies in another town, when he broke the nose of a ten-year-old boy. That was the day he met her...

Seven-year-old Marco walked through the playground. It was a beautiful day, and he was enjoying the fresh air.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that looked like trouble. He turned and headed over there.

A five-year-old girl was backed up against the wall by the bully gang - a ten-year-old and his two similarly aged sidekicks.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked as he came up behind the little assemblage.

"Mind your own business," the lead bully said, "unless you want this to happen to you."

"Excuse me," said Marco, "But you need to stop."

The bully turned. "That's enough, mama's boy." He pretended to remember something. "Oh right! Your mother abandoned you, so the bitch you suck up to isn't even your real mama. I gotta give your real mama credit for her decision. She made the right choice, being ashamed of what was produced by her body and dumping it."

Marco's eyes glinted dangerously as his hands balled into fists. "Take that back."

"No," the bully said mockingly. "In fact, I'll even give you a little bit more."

The bully slapped Marco full force on the cheek, driving his neck sideways.

This was too much for Marco. "Only girls slap," he taunted. "I'll show you what a real man does."

His fist shot up, hitting the bully in the nose. Blood came gushing out.

"Now you've done it!" The bully cried. "Hold him, boys!"

The two sidekicks grabbed Marco's arms as he flailed, pinioning him so that the lead bully could strike. "You will suffer!"

The little girl had watched all of this, the bullies forgetting her presence. But now, as Marco looked to be in a bad position, she suddenly kicked the leader in his crotch. He crumpled to the ground in pain.

When the sidekicks dropped Marco to check on their leader, Marco said to the girl with a smile, "looks like you didn't need me."

From that day forth, Marco and the girl became the best of friends. Her name was Illia Ertanæ, and she was recently adopted. For her whole life prior to that, she had lived on the streets, which is where she gained both the guts and the knowledge to take down the bully.

They bonded over being adopted, and Marco had his first great friend. Since Illia lived nearby, they spent multitudes of time together in joyful play.

Marco loved her.

Not romantically - although he thought he might feel that way one day - but as a sister.

But then came the terrible day...

Marco jerked out of his reverie. He would not sully this day with those thoughts.

For today was his eleventh birthday!

Well, technically, yesterday was his birthday, but his dad had been away, so they postponed it to today.

When he walked into the house, he called out cheerfully, "Mommy! Daddy! I'm home!"

His dad replied in an unusually subdued voice.

"We're in the den, son. There is someone here to see you."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Last night, Marco's birthday celebration had been postponed again. A lady named Professor McGonagall had come to visit him, and their talk with her had lasted four hours. The long and short of it was that Marco was a wizard.

Professor McGonagall was coming back today to take him to buy his magical school supplies. They were going to Diagon Alley, and she would arrive any minute.

When she did arrive, she did a strange poppy magic thing to transport them there. Marco's parents were staying behind regretfully, but where they lived was too far from London for them to drive him there. They stopped at the bank first. It was run by strange little creatures that Professor McGonagall called goblins.

Then, with his money acquired, they stopped at multiple stores to purchase his books, cauldron, telescope, cauldron, and robes.

Eventually they had only his wand left to get. He had been looking forward to this part.

As they were walking towards the wand store, Professor McGonagall suddenly froze.

"Do you hear that?" She asked, more to herself than to him.

Marco listened carefully. He could hear faint screams coming from a dark and damp looking alleyway.

Seeing that nobody else has planning to take any action, Professor McGonagall gripped Marco's arm tightly.

"Stay here. Do not move. I will come back for you soon."

Suddenly, Marco was alone, on the edge of a busy street, deserted by the only person whom he knew in this crowd.

The screams were gaining volume, and people were starting to take notice.

All at once, a massive beast bounded out, causing people to shriek and scream. The press grew tighter as people attempted to escape, leading to Marco being swept along.

When he managed to get out of the crowd, he was far away from where he was supposed to be for Professor McGonagall to find him.

He peered into a dark opening as he heard some suspect noises emanating from it.

What he saw made him gasp, scream, and run that way..

His parents were on the ground, screaming in pain as black clad wizards cast spells on them. When they saw him coming, they cast one last spell at each of them and disappeared.

Marco ran up to them, crying.

When they did not answer, he put his ear to their chests, his whole body trembling.

It was the worst. Not a breath of life stirred in their chests.

He felt something begin to give in his chest, something rising up to pour out of him.

But it did not come out.

He knelt there.

And that is where Professor McGonagall found him half an hour later, kneeling by his parents' bodies, crying his heart out.

He did not react when she gently led him away, taking him to his house to gather his possessions.

But his heart almost burst from shock when he saw his parents, healthy and whole, sitting in the den.

And as he rushed to hug them, crying with joy, the thought kept running through his mind..

How on earth were they alive?

Before this chapter, I had been having a hard time with Marco's character, but I think I've got him now. The next chapter is almost finished, so I will post it next Saturday.

Coming up: Chapter 9 - Train Ride

Please review!