Have to say, I've really been enjoying all of the reviews for this story!
Without further ado; ze chapter!
...
The journey to the headmaster's office had taken far longer than the pair had expected. Surprisingly enough, the way through it hadn't included a detour via the Great Hall; to Tracey's misfortune, given the girl had wanted to at the very least grab a snack along the way.
The two were currently standing in front of a large stone gargoyle, waiting for something to happen.
Rodrick had already made to reach out with his hand to try and find some hidden switch to no avail.
After a long moment had passed, with frustration grazing his modified face, he took out his wand and pointed it at the offending statue. The barest hint of sparks appearing briefly.
Tracey took on both shock and amusement at the sight before she started laughing, causing a frown to appear on his face.
He promptly turned towards her and asked her what was so funny.
"You're crazy!" She giggled. And before Rodrick could respond, she turned toward the gargoyle and uttered the password given by the prefect.
The gargoyle statue moved, in its place appeared a staircase.
Rodrick, after questioning why the prefect hadn't told them of that particular part, albeit quietly, refused to look at the girl's face.
The two quickly made their way up the stairs, though he had a scowl set on his face the entire time while Tracey couldn't help snorting.
All the emotions, however, were quickly replaced when they saw the inside of the office for the first time.
It was a vast and beautiful circular room, filled with funny little noises. All around him, he spotted many unique silver instruments currently stood ontop of spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses; there were one or two who looked to be asleep in their frames. rather cozily.
Rodrick decided then and there, should he ever come close to perishing, for whatever reason, he would have himself installed into one such portrait. For the simple purpose of lazily going through his after-life.
Kind of like his grandfather; if Nurmengard Castle could be considered a portrait of its own.
He idly made a note to see if the idea had merit.
Other portraits quickly looked their way, albeit ignoring them almost immediately after.
There was also one enormous claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, was a shabby, tainted wizard's hat. Rodrick immediately recognized the sorting hat. Tracey meanwhile was fixated on a miniature flying broom that whizzed around the room.
The redhead was probably thinking if she could ride it, given her fanatism to the sport.
A cough was heard, prompting the two students to turn and face Albus Dumbledore.
Rodrick held in the urge to comment on the man's appearance.
The headmaster was currently dressed in purple robes; a long white dangling beard with half-moon glasses perched over his nose.
After a further moment of amusing staring at his guest; likely having assumed he'd show up himself, he directed the two of them towards the two seats stationed on the other side of his desk.
...
Dumbledore was curious, very curious about the two in front of him or more specifically the boy.
An orphan.
He had meant to meet the boy again sooner and yet never really got a good chance to do so with the holiday's preparations, though he had gotten some form of a break after Severus Snape had informed him of the boy's plans to stay in the castle.
Not unlike a certain other orphan who'd never once entertained any notions of leaving the castle during the very same season.
The boy in front of him, much like the aforementioned wizard, was unusual, he'd heard the reports from most of the teachers about his prowess, and the more he heard, the more worried he became.
Everything he'd seen or heard about the boy so far painted an image, an image he did not wish to see again. At first, most of his teachers had told him that he was an average student, one of many currently inhabiting his home, and admittedly he had been quite relieved to hear such a thing.
Until he'd found out from his Transfiguration teacher about the boy's half-successful attempt, of very advanced magic. The seeming start of a long list of inconsistency's surrounding the boy's talent. Her report of him having a supposed teacher, beforehand, only intriguing and worrying him more.
A fact, both, made worse and better following the infamous troll incident; the one that had forced his hand into changing his mind regarding the former Defence professor.
Admittedly enough, he'd had his own worries when Professor Quirrel had returned far more paranoid of shadows and monsters.
Though even he hadn't expected what had turned up in the man's trial. Nor had he expected The Dark Lord to so brazenly attack a student.
Worse, a student that wasn't in fact his prophesied enemy.
Which frankly spoke wonders to him about the boy in front of him.
If there was one person, as... Damaged as he may have been, that could so easily see through another's hidden talents to the point he would risk discovery if only to be rid of him, it was Tom.
Yet despite all of that, Albus Dumbledore felt calm.
Even when he'd seen Harry Potter, particularly after hearing of a troubling encounter the boy had had with a certain boa constrictor in a muggle zoo, there had been a level of anxiety there worried about the level of influence that Voldemort might've had on the boy.
And yet when faced with someone whose upbringing copied the Dark Lord and if his Potions teacher and Transfiguration teacher were correct, with potential to match, potential he wanted to hide. Another eerily similar occurrence.
Even with all that he felt calm.
It took him a moment before he realized why.
His Occulemency was at an all-time high.
More focused than it had been in a very long time.
That very thought itself worried him; something about the boy set his mind and magic on edge.
Looking closer, he found the boy's eyes purposefully avoiding his.
Does he know about Legilimency? The headmaster thought, an eery sense fluttering throughout the room.
There was something very wrong with the picture before him.
It took him another moment before he, his worry ever-growing, realized the boy or at least his magic was very familiar to him, too familiar though why he couldn't guess, given he didn't recognize the child at al-
Albus Dumbledores' thoughts stopped at once.
The boy's appearance was tampered with.
That was why he could sense his magic so openly.
Someone had modified his appearance.
Could he have done it himself? No, it couldn't be... Where could he have learned such a thing? There were very few people currently alive who could change their appearance with such ease, and not a single one of them was accessible for teaching.
Albus quickly put it to the back of his head, even as sorely tempted as he was to remove the transfiguration. The only thing holding him back been that it would only distance the boy. Far, depending on how necessary said modification might've been.
The last gifted student he'd distanced from him, after all, had become a dark lord.
Still, for all he knew, it may have been a form of protection the boy relied on.
Dumbledore let out a cough to bring the student's attention towards him, young Tracey's eyes immediately darting to his own, eyes filled with curiosity and amazement for what was around her. While Rodrick still refused to meet his eyes.
"I must say, I am rather surprised to see you, Miss Davis." He remarked, earning a sheepish expression from the girl.
"At any rate, my office is certainly always open for any wandering students. Now. Back to the matter at hand, do you know why you're here Rodrick?" he asked the universal question every teacher used in hopes of learning about any of their students, as well as offering the boy a chance to speak. If he wished to.
Rodrick raised his head slightly before shrugging his reply.
"That depends on Professor Snape..." He blinked at the words, mild confusion showing through his aged face. A reaction seemingly caught by the far younger wizard given his sudden exclamation.
"In that case, no idea; am I in trouble?"
Dumbledore's eyebrow rose, 'Is he that wary of me?' He thought with a frown, his mind idly noting the fact Severus was once again likely hiding another facet of truth regarding his Slytherins. A, not exactly, uncommon occurrence born of the man's history with his house.
'Has he done something he's afraid of me finding out?' Dumbledore racked his head trying to think of any recent unexplained incidents, but all that he could come to was the troll incident.
He'd remembered that particular night in detail; the night a child had managed to, not only stall a mountain troll long enough for help to arrive but somehow manage to overcome a Dark Lord's, weakened as he was, Imperius.
With naught but a Confundus charm, if his Potion's Professor was to be believed.
An advanced spell all on its own, even if the circumstances more than likely made it easier to cast.
Dangerous situations, more often than not, helped wizards and witches perform far above and beyond their natural abilities.
Minor worry filled the headmaster when he considered the odds of Severus having understated the spell used.
Unlike the Confundus, the Unforgivable in question wouldn't need too much power behind it to overcome itself... Dumbledore turned his eyes towards Rodrick, his panic growing by the second. If the child was already capable of casting one of the three Unforgivable curses...
"I admit I am rather curious as to your reasons for not even considering to go home for the holidays. Not to say you did anything wrong by doing so of course," the headmaster mentioned. "Is there a problem with the orphanage?" he added. He'd of course asked the boy the same question before, only to receive a guarded answer. Not to say he expected much of one now, though he could at least try-
"I am really not a fan of the place," Rodrick deadpanned, copying his previous words almost word for word. The answer quickly drawing a look from his red-headed friend.
"I don't like the place all that much; I feel like an outsider," The boy chose to add on, echoing words he'd heard a lifetime ago.
"I mean, you can't really blame him," Tracey remarked bemusedly; only to promptly turn her head the moment she realized she'd spoken out loud.
"I see... I don't suppose you'd wish to go back for your summer either?"
Tracey to his surprise, stiffened at his wording as her eyes darted towards Rodrick, the hints of pity showing through her expression.
"...Are there other options?" Rodrick chose to question, a twinkle in his eyes. "If there are, I'd definitely like to hear them!"
Dumbledore blinked at the wording, entirely unsure how he'd gotten to this particular point before he sighed.
"Perhaps that is a question for later," He remarked, idly reaching for the reason he'd called for the boy below his desk.
Tempted as he was, he chose to move on past the subject. If and when the boy was perhaps more comfortable to talk about his past, like all of his other students, he would be there waiting for him.
"I had in fact called you here for this particular reason; It seems someone has decided to send you a gift for the holidays." He idly remarked, not including the fact whoever had sent it had somehow known his personal floo, as he placed a small, locked, box on the table.
He'd recognized the magic surrounding it.
Nothing short of the boy's own hand would open it; not that he'd of course tried given it hadn't been intended for him.
It wouldn't do for him to develop such a terrible habit.
He had of course made sure there wasn't a hint of dark magic inside or around it.
Rodrick tentatively reached out, after blinking once, for the palm-sized gift. The boy gave it a bemused look over before, to his surprise and minor amusement, he shrugged and put it into his pocket.
Most children would've opened it without a missed beat.
"Aswell as this," The old man added on, catching both student's attention once again. The two quickly sharing an equally bemused look with each other. Reaching for one of the many letters sprawled across his desk, this one having come through the office's floo, he promptly handed the boy a very ornate looking letter.
He wasn't entirely sure what the contents of said letter was, though he recognized a party invitation when he saw one.
It seemed the boy in front of him had made a rather good impression on the Malfoy's heir, considering the blonde Pureblood was rather known to host a yearly tradition.
The headmaster admittedly had been a little worried, though not to the point he would actively intervene on the boy's behalf. He had no doubt Lucius would not let the matter rest when he inevitably found out.
Though given he knew who else was going to be in attendance, a majority of them merely been part of the Pureblood social circle; not particularly a certain subset, certainly helped relieve most of it.
If nothing else, it would prove to be a very good affair to help one, without much, integrate himself to a diverse view of Britain's magical society.
Even if he knew, personally, the man would never invite anyone who wasn't a Pureblood; not without reason at any rate. Which, really, only made him all the more curious about the student's background.
Admittedly enough, any attempts to gather any information; including the boy's family name, proved fruitless.
The orphan before him, for all intents and purposes, was a practical ghost to Magical Britain. It's muggle counterpart included.
Yet the one aspect of his background that hadn't been hidden away- If it ever existed- was the fact the castle had known to send him a letter when he'd reached the age of enrolment.
A letter, already, modified to omit his aforementioned second name.
Curiosities, both worrying and otherwise, seemed to revolve around the boy before him.
He wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that.
The headmaster's mood quickly turned somber as he noticed a lack of indifference in their faces.
Ah. It seems he was boring them.
"Did you know any of your family members?" The old man chose to ask, a small smile on his face.
"No sir," the other replied without a missed beat, a worried look growing in his eyes.
Tracey on the other hand seemed to find his floor absolutely fascinating.
A sense of guilt passed through the headmaster. It seemed the child was already wary of him for some reason or the other.
Scooping up several sweets, he passed them onto the children with a genuine smile. Whatever the case was, he had no right to make children feel like this; he was the headmaster. Rodrick seemed to deflate at this, the tension surrounding him appearing to dissipate.
Tracey had, once again without missing a beat, promptly thrown one of the pieces into her mouth. A sour look filling her expression as Rodrick snorted; pocketing his own.
It was an admittedly amusing sight, one that set his worries even further at ease.
Tom Riddle, after all, had never been quite so open with his emotions.
"I will speak to Hagrid about revisiting your orphanage, I will see if there is anything that can be done to make it more bearable." The old man said, surprising himself. He hadn't planned on doing such a thing, though it certainly wouldn't hurt.
He considered telling him to take care should he choose to make the trip to Malfoy's party, though he didn't wish to make the boy feel as if he'd gone through his personal belongings.
Those with not much to their name, tended to be very guarded of what they had.
Still, he was likely to find out whether the boy would go or not from Severus himself. The man likely already aware of the happenings given his own invitation and connections. Lucius, likely out of respect for the house didn't invite any of said house without informing its head.
Severus himself had already expressed his own refusal to attend said party. Despite, or perhaps, due to the fact he'd be one of few Halfbloods there.
At the very least, the boy before him would have students of his own year to mingle with. If he went at any rate.
Either way, he hadn't been prepared for the boy's reaction.
"Hagrid?" Came the confused reply.
He did not introduce himself when he visited? Dumbledore thought with a small frown.
"The Keeper of Keys, he came to you when you received your letter." Replied the headmaster, the slightest bit uncertain.
A wary nod from the boy later, and not wanting to hold the two for too long, the headmaster dismissed them with another smile while urging them that if there were any problems they were more than welcome to visit him.
The two took their dismissal well; in that, they'd practically ran out of the office, Dumbledore figured with amusement.
The tension returned once the two students were out of sight as he quickly called on his Keeper of Keys if only to get some kind of idea about the boy's home.
...
When the two students were out of the headmaster's office Tracey let out a sigh of relief.
Expecting Rodrick to make some sort of joke about expecting trouble, her expression slowly disappeared as she took in his.
He was staring at the floor with a frown on his face.
"What's wrong?" she questioned "You got a gift and a letter! Thought you'd be happier," she said trying and failing to sound relieved.
Rodrick stared up at her before sighing. "You heard him didn't you?" he questioned. "He said Hagrid was the one to come to me at the orphanage; he mentioned me receiving a letter,"
Tracey blinked.
Had he received a magical creature instead? The stories surrounding the friendly half-giant did tend to steer towards ridiculous- At least until she'd remembered a particular passing remark Daphne had once made regarding the other student.
"You received two... but if you got two then why did Hagrid tell the headmaster you only received one? Didn't you mention it to him?" She let out at a rapid pace, her eyes slightly widened.
"I did, but there's another problem here," Rodrick said, earning a quizzical look- "It wasn't Hagrid that came to see me; it was a blonde man who did."
Tracey's mouth stretched to an o shape. They both stared at each other for a few minutes trying to contemplate what was going on. She questioned him on who the man was.
"He wouldn't tell me, every time I asked he avoided the question."
"Oh... Sounds like a mystery!" Tracey deadpanned, earning an incredulous look from the boy.
Probably at the excitement in her tone.
She should probably tone it down, given how serious the other was been.
Still, whatever she'd been about to say promptly died out as her stomach chose that moment to rumble.
"Ok, scooby-doo mystery aside-" Merlin she loved that show, though, given the increased incredulity, the boy before her clearly didn't know about it. The outrage! "Let's go get some food! I am starving!"
"Then we figure out who stole Hagrid's job?"
Honestly, she'd rather introduce him to a classic muggle cartoon. Though she doubted he'd care all that much...
"I wouldn't really know where to start? I don't know too many blonde wizards- I mean there's one... But... I don't think anyone would trust him to introduce someone to the magical world... Let alone a-"
Tracey blinked.
"What exactly are you?"
"Hmm?"
"Half-blood? Muggle-born? You never really said; I am a Half-blood myself."
"Oh. None of the above."
She blinked again.
"Huh... Guess he's not out of the running... What did the wizard look like?"
"From far?"
Tracey nodded, albeit somewhat bemu-
"A woman," Rodrick deadpanned causing her to snort, rather loudly for that matter, before it turned into laughter.
"That-" She took in a breath. "-'s exactly what Daphne said the first time she saw him!"
"You know who it is?" Rodrick questioned, eagerness filling his expression.
She nodded, hesitantly. It was, probably, either Lucius Malfoy or that... rather eccentric Lovegood that ran that silly, amusing letter. She certainly didn't know of any other long-haired blonde wizards.
She wasn't even sure which one was admittedly better to introduce someone to a magical world.
All things considered, she hoped it was neither and that she was in fact wrong. Though it might explain why Draco had never actually antagonized them... Despite going after near everyone else-
When Rodrick's stomach rumbled, her own likely about to protest as well, the two effectively started making their way to the Great Hall in hopes of finding food.
...
They found food.
It was everywhere.
"Oh man, we missed it!" Tracey remarked, a pout on her face.
Rodrick twitched at the sight of the sheer mess in the hall.
Evidently, some idiot had started a gods damn magical food fight.
He held in the sigh as he watched Professor McGonagall, and her fellow head of houses barring his, march the large group of offenders elsewhere.
He supposed it was fortunate they'd been with the headmaster... Not that Tracey was likely to agree, given the expression on her face.
...
That evening, as a less-hungry Rodrick opened the strange box he'd been given, he was rather surprised to see a key fall out. With a note hidden inside with it.
It was the key to the Grindelwald vault in Gringotts.
...When on earth did grandfather get the time to set that up?
...
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