Chapter Fifty-Two
Hagrid was being unusually quiet his classmates noticed. The first-year kept hanging outside the hospital wing during his breaks. Not daring to go in for fear of being asked questions. Lucy briefly walking past him as she had finished potions and was keen to know what he told Kettleburn and Dippet. She heard a loud cough before she stepped inside as the half-giant boy tried to get her attention. Turning back around as she stared right at him and he thus began dawdling over. He had a toad in each pocket...
"How is squibby? I heard about 'im and was worried. Should we all be worried?" Hagrid nervously asked in his thick West Country accent.
"I...It's not my place to say" Lucy replied as she stood by the entrance in a protective posture as she suddenly placed one hand on her wand.
He stood back with a small sigh. He was use to that as a lot of the students heard how violent giants can be. The lad stood back a bit as if to prove he wasn't a threat and understood boundaries. Lucy may feel sorry for him but that doesn't mean she's unaware he could be as dangerous as people make out. Hagrid walked towards her again as he briefly looked over her shoulder. He towered over her and she felt awfully small.
"Squibby. You look well" Hagrid dared to say as he gave him a wave.
Argus remained in bed (now with his nightshirt on) looking unimpressed and irked. He couldn't stand the lad as he knew he couldn't discipline him due to fear. So Hagrid could do anything he wanted to him. He just looked away from the half-giant and muttered..."Bloody fool" under his breath.
"You really ought to go. He's not in a good way" Lucy reminded the first-year.
"You're right...You're right. Sorry bout that. I'm just a curious lad" Hagrid insisted as he finally stepped back.
Lucy watching as he wandered back down the hallway. He felt like he made it worse now somehow. She just breathed in before finally retreating to his bedside as she sat on the chair and held onto his hand. Argus giving a smile as he could relax again now he was in her company. Though he couldn't help but think about that strange encounter. The last thing he needed was the half-giant boy sniffing around after last night.
"What did the headmaster and Professor Kettleburn say?" Lucy asked when the two of them were alone.
"They just asked me questions. I told them what I told you...I had to show Kettleburn my scars. He thinks it's thestrals" Argus paused as he saw her confused face as he added..."Invisible flying horses"
"Invisible? That sounds like a bunch of tommyrot"
"No it's not. Only those who saw death can see them. I haven't seen death you see and so they are invisible to me" Argus answered.
He watched as she stood up and paced around the room a bit. Her face screwed up which made him know she was thinking and not getting anywhere. He saw somebody run into that woods! She turned back around to face him again but remained standing. Her mind wandering in each direction but every direction led to things that made even less sense.
"You saw somebody, Argus. You know you did" Lucy began as she leaned her hands on the end bedframe.
"It could have been delirium. I was so sleepy" Argus suggested.
"Delirium doesn't drag somebody into Ogg's cabbage patch" Lucy reminded him.
"Well...There's no point now, is there? The case is solved as far as I'm concerned. If it was Walburga or her friends. Then surely the answer is to stay quiet...she might do worse next time"
"She shouldn't be allowed to treat people like this"
"Well she does, Lucy and she will. Her family are wealthy and have a good standing with the Malfoys. Nobody's going to care what she did to a nobody squib like me. We're not even on public record"
"What?"
"We aren't going to Hogwarts and thus we aren't on public records. When we die, nobody would even know we existed. Unless somebody insists we have a grave" Argus replied with a sigh.
"I'm sorry" Lucy spoke in a very sad tone of voice as she sat back down on the chair with a tear falling down.
Argus held onto her hand as he assured her it's fine. It's not her fault and he wasn't that fussed about it. He was just trying to make her see that's it fruitless for him to wage war against Walburga Black. She has all the power and he has none, it would never work. Lucy being a muggle-born from a family line whose greatest achievement was a 'History of Magic' alumni award wouldn't fare much better either. As nice as she is. Nonetheless, it made her think about it and it made her want to do something more.
...
"I promise Tom. I didn't attack the squib" Walburga told him firmly later that night.
Tom paused for a moment as he examined her expression. Diving into her mind as she babbled on about how she wouldn't be that stupid. He could see nothing of the attack and only that she was tucked up in bed that night. He snapped himself out of it and came back to reality. He just nodded at her before retreating upstairs without a further word. His friends busy doing homework...
"She's telling the truth. It wasn't her" Tom informed them before sitting cross-legged on his bed.
"How do you know, Tom?" Lestrange asked as he suddenly looked up.
"Would you mind no longer calling me Tom when you address or talk about me?"
"But...It's your name" Nott replied in confusion.
The other lads were equally confused at this request. Why would somebody not wish to be addressed by their own name? Tom looked slightly irritated that they even wished to question him on this. He lifted up his wand and suddenly made Nott's bed shake backwards and forwards until he was thrown onto the floor. The other lads were startled. Even more so when Tom got up...
"You really need to start to trust me, Nott. Questioning me when any eavesdropper could be listening in. Learn the meaning of discreet" Tom paused before pulled the lad up by his collar and continuing in a quieter tone of voice..."Don't think I haven't noticed your looks of disgust when I talk about killing muggles and mudbloods"
"I...I don't care about that. I just don't want to go to Azkaban. I have a bright future" Nott nervously answered.
"You won't have any future if you don't listen to my words. I'll make sure of that just like I made sure of Eileen Prince's social standing. Pinning the squib's attack on you would be very easy"
"Are you saying it was you?"
"Oh no. I wouldn't waste precious time on a squib which knows it's place. Though it does sound like something you would waste your time on, doesn't it?"
"Sorry...Alright. I'm sorry" Nott managed to say with total fear in his tone of voice.
Tom finally let go of his collar and retreated back to his own bed. The other boys not daring to look him in the eye. Nott sat back down on his bed with head firmly down. That's when he knew that he had to be in otherwise he would become an outcast in the Slytherin house like Eileen.
"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted. I no longer wish to be called Tom when we aren't in public. I wish to be addressed from now on as 'Lord Voldemort'. Meaning any traces of my father is long gone" Tom announced.
"Lord...V-Voldemort?" Lestrange nervously asked.
"Yes and that's all I'm saying on the matter. You respect me and everything will be fine. You don't" Voldemort paused before glancing at Nott and adding..."You know what will happen"
...
Far away in Durmstrang was Abraxas Malfoy. He got in with a good group of like-minded pure-blooded students. He found wearing the entire uniform was the only way to keep warm. Thick snow covered the surrounding grounds and fire was barely lit here unlike Hogwarts. A blonde-haired witch called Vessela Georgieva was his closest companion. Though he did miss Eileen sometimes despite their fundamental differences. Which is why he found himself writing her a letter to send away to Hogwarts to ask how she's coping and how he would like to remain friends. His friends all sitting around the wooden table with books while he wrote away...
Dear Eileen,
Writing to you from Durmstrang as you well know. I told them here what Tom's doing over there. A lot of them think he's similar to a young Grindelwald and that Hogwarts could do with him. Though they don't understand why me and you are so against him as we are. I'm very sorry for ignoring you at home, Durmstrang is teaching me to be more of a gentleman. I know you only took muggle studies to avoid Tom and I know that muggle boy was just a bit of a distraction as you mourn your dear father. Please reply swiftly. I do miss your words
From Abraxas Malfoy
Thus the teenage lad folded the letter up and placed it in an envelope. His friend Vessela giving him the smallest smile. She was a Bulgarian witch with curly blonde hair and agreed with him on his views. He wished Eileen agreed with him as that was the only thing getting in the way of the friendship. She knew he had a friend back in England as she's mostly what he talks about. Speaking about tales of them growing up and sneaking away while their fathers spoke about important matters. How they would ride their broomsticks as young children or run around the grounds. Now she's barely like that happy little girl.
"She will respond. She would be a fool not to" Vessela spoke gently to him.
"Tom has ruined her mind, Vess. She's ran in the other direction because she wishes to be nothing like him" Abraxas insisted.
"Perhaps she needs you to direct her the right way" Vessela said with a smile.
Hiding her inner feelings of teenage jealousy. She secretly dislikes this Eileen as she seems to preoccupy Abraxas' mind. Which is a shame as he's an awfully good lad in her mind, one her parents would be pleased with. Yet he's wallowing over some girl who doesn't even seem proper. He told her he's going to send the owl and thus she let him go. Watching until he was out of sight as he wandered through the castle and outside to the owlery. A much smaller one than the one at Hogwarts, he approached his owl and tied the letter to it's leg. He briefly looking into the distance and found he missed his old Hogwarts friends dreadfully. He watched as the owl flew out into the open air and towards the mountains.
...
"He's written to me. He still cares" Eileen thought to herself with a smile.
Something that rarely happens and so it made some of her table look at her. She quickly put the letter in her pocket when she noticed stares. Eating the rest of her breakfast without a smile or a word. Over on the Ravenclaw table, Archibald was reading his own letter. Written by his mother who was asking after Argus, once again she would rather talk to somebody else over him. Archibald felt irritated by it and was half-tempted to respond with 'Ask him yourself' but he knew his father would give him a proper pummelling and so he wouldn't. He placed it in his pocket and went back to eating his breakfast. Lucy walking over as she could see he wasn't very busy now...
"Archibald" Lucy called; making him put down his fork again as he looked back up.
"Yes?"
"Did you know squibs aren't on public record? I found out yesterday and it really made me feel awful"
"Oh yes I know. Argus doesn't care"
"I care though...It's really sad"
"Well...That's for you to care about then, Lucy. I wouldn't cry over not being on public record"
"But I was thinking about it last night. If they get hurt or lost, nobody would know. Not the wizards or the muggles" Lucy spoke with a sigh.
"Well we' ll know, wouldn't we?"
"Well. I suppose so. It's just sad that's all" Lucy mused with another sigh.
Archibald just telling her it's alright and to go enjoy her breakfast. This she did as she retreated towards her table. Sitting besides her friends and getting stuck into the breakfast which consisted of boiled egg and beans. That was another thing she felt bad about, being able to eat three lovely meals a day while her family is on rations. She wished she could send some over to them but her friends reminded her it would only get cold and soggy on the trip over.
"Walburga's smug about it. Even if she didn't do it, she's still smug about it. She wishes she had that idea" Lucy insisted.
"Ignore her, Lucy. She's not worth the fuss" Ruth told her firmly.
Lucy just giving a shrug in response.
...
TBC