It's been two weeks already since the diner incident and the atmosphere is pretty tense. Kieran doesn't talk to Malfoy at all and neither do I. The rest of the group got really close to him though; he became part of our friend group - to my regret. But I was pretty successful at avoiding his company - when everyone's usually hanging up in the common room with him Kieran and I isolate ourselves and do something together instead.
Kam told me that Malfoy started dating Pansy which didn't really surprise me since she's been obsessed with him anyway. Also things at school got really hard and stressful; I am barely getting enough sleep and I am always missing lunch or dinner.
"At least eat this." Kieran throws over an apple. He's laying on his bed whilst I am sitting on his chair drowning in work. Forcefully I bite into it. "Good girl."
"Stop saying that." I cringe and lay back on the chair hiding my face behind my hands.
"Why? Does it make your heart flutter?" He jokes and playfully blows me a kiss but ends up messing it up by bursting out in laughter. "Y/N."
"Yeah?"
"I need a girl."
"You don't."
"Yes, I do. I didn't do it for like a week."
"Wait- only one week?"
"Granger. Storeroom. After Potions."
"Ew." I retch and shake my head hoping to get these images out of it.
"Yo, I am telling you. That girl is flexible as fuck. And her mouth is not only good when it comes to saying smart things bu-"
"Too much information, Kieran.", I interrupt him and throw a rubber at him. "Ever heard of the saying 'a real gentleman doesn't kiss and tell'?"
"Of course I did. It's not like I am Malfoy."
"We don't talk about it." After he revealed the secret about the kiss Blaise and Kieran both promised to keep it to themselves and as far as I know they've kept their promise. Kieran stopped asking me questions after I asked him to since it was a really embarrassing matter that I didn't want to be reminded of.
"I am curious, though. Why would you kiss him?"
I groan. "I don't know. I guess I - I don't even have an explanation. He just didn't look like that big of an ass in that moment and kind of... cute, I guess?"
"I'll just pretend that you did not just call Draco Malfoy cute."
"I didn't!", I oppose and jump onto him with my elbow crushing into his ribs. "I was just saying that he appeared to be cute in that very moment."
"Disgusting." He pokes the sides of my belly. "You really need to eat more. You're loosing weight. Having a lot on your plate doesn't justify you not having anything on it."
"I know.", I confess. "But I have so much to do and take care of. Besides I am also studying for the muggles' finals."
"I still don't really understand why you'd want to work in the muggle world when you have the opportunity to work in the magical one."
"I told you." I lay down on my back and look up at the ceiling of his room. "I want normality."
"You're not normal, though."
"A girl can pretend."
"Oh I wouldn't know. Girls never pretend when they're with me." A sneaky smirk grows on his face and I know exactly what's he's thinking. I make gagging sounds and push him off his bed. "Okay but,', he gets up and lays down next to me also on his back and looking up. 'did you like the kiss?"
"It was a solid kiss. Nothing extraordinary.", I lied. Even though I hated it in my guts to admit it to myself, he was a good kisser- a really good one.
"I can't believe he's dating Pansy now. She never seemed like the dumb type that can be easily fooled."
"She's been crushing on him for a long time though, even back then in our first years. And when he was gone the guys she dated all looked like him."
"That's creepy."
"It is.", I agreed and turned around to face him. I didn't want to talk about stupid Malfoy anymore. "Let's do something fun. It's Friday. I'm skipping tutoring lessons with Malfoy today."
"What do you have in mind? We could go out and grab a drink.", he suggests and I scoff. "Oh yeah, I forgot. Your tolerance is pretty low."
"The last time I drank I ended up in Zabini's and Malfoy's room. Remember?"
He laughed. "How could I forget? People in the dorm still talk about it."
"Of course they do. Everyone is obsessed with Y/N and her wild love life.", I sarcastically say. My love life couldn't be any less spectacular but apparently people don't seem to realise it and rather imagine me as this crazy outgoing it-girl.
As long as I stay relevant in their lives, I don't mind.
"You are this school's Blair Waldorf after all."
"The fact that you watched Gossip Girl is still the funniest thing that happened this summer." Kam told me that she forced him to watch the first episodes with her while they were at their grandparent's mansion this summer. And while she got bored after a few episodes he really watched the whole thing within a week.
"Shame on you for not telling me about the show any sooner."
"I didn't know you'd be into that.", I defend myself. "Anyway. What do we do?"
"We could go to the forbidden forest.", he says in a low and raspy voice hoping to sound scary.
"I'm down."
"Wait. For real?"
"Yeah." I stand up. "The last weeks have been boring and monotonous. I want to do something risky. Let's ask a few people to join us, though."
"Kam?"
"For example.", I nod. "Maybe Luna? She's chill and we barely hang with her."
"Zabini's chill, too."
"If we bring Zabini, Malfoy will join.", I remind him and he hastily takes back what he said. "We could ask Cedric though, you get along with him, right?"
"Okay. So just Luna, Cedric, Kam, you and me?", he sums it up and I agree. We text them asking if they're down and all of them agree. After picking a time and a place I pack my stuff and walk back to the girls' dormitory without getting caught by any professor. When I enter my room Luna and Kam are already sitting there, getting ready.
"Hey, you." Luna greets me and hugs me as I sit down next to them on the bed. She has more makeup on than usual. "Don't look at me like that. Kam made me wear it."
"I didn't say anything. It suits you.", I compliment her and sit behind her to comb through her hair. Kam is meanwhile sitting in front of her to apply some more makeup. Those are the simple moments that I'll always cherish and carry with me. Don't get me wrong. I love being able to practice magic and have all those great powers but sometimes I just wish for some normality in my life. Where I don't have to worry about my family getting killed by a muggle-hating traitor, and where I don't have to worry about messing with the wrong people so I don't get hexed or get killed myself. Just a simple life with normal friends who worry about nothing but ridiculous things like boys or what they'll wear for the next college party.
This is also the reason why I am participating in the muggle exams so I can eventually pursue a career in the muggle world. I'm not quite sure if I'll only live there or do something like a double life but I still want the option. "What were you guys talking about?"
"Harry."
"Harry?"
"Luna has a crush on him."
"No way!", I exclaim putting my hand in front of my house. "You like Potter?"
"I mean', she giggles and blushes. 'he is kind of cute. And like he's not that bratty like the other guys are. And he's been nice to me since the beginning when everyone else wasn't. And now after his break up with Ginny Weasley there might actually be some hope for us. I know it's silly."
"No it's not!", Kam and I say at the same time. I continue. "If you told me sooner I would've invited him to the hangout as well. I mean- we can still do it."
"No, no, it's fine. I doubt he feels the same way about me anyway.", she lets her head down, sadness clearly visible on her face.
"Why'd you say that?", Kam hypes her up. "You're the prettiest, cutest and most interesting girl I know. No offence, Y/N."
"None taken.", I reply, laughing.
"Ginny is like the total opposite of me. She's confident and outgoing, and I'm kind of confused all the time. He wouldn't date me."
Kam scoffs. "You'll never know. Types can change. Look at our little it-girl here.", she looks at me and I raise an eyebrow. "One day she's dating Ron Weasley - the cutest guy ever and the other she's sleeping with some random muggle at a party."
I feel bad for not telling them the truth especially with them reminding me of it all the time. "Okay listen. There's something I didn't tell you. But you have to promise not to tell anyone else."
"Please don't tell me you caught any STDs . Or worse. That you're pregnant.", Kam gasps.
"I- what. Why would I-", I close my eyes to collect my thoughts against. "Anyway. No. I lied when I said I slept with that guy. He was just a cover up so no one would suspect who actually gave me those hickeys."
"What? Why'd you lie about that? Especially to your best friend?", Kam asks. She doesn't exactly sound mad; more like surprised or disappointed.
"Because I really really didn't want anyone to find out."
"Who could possibly be that bad to kiss that you would rather lie to your best friends?", Luna adds. They both turn around and look at me.
I hesitate to answer but eventually do in a low voice, so silent that they don't hear it at first.
"I couldn't hear you."
"Malfoy!", I repeat, this time more clear and loud.
They both go silent. Not even flinching. Just starring at me in disbelief and with their mouths open.
"Say something.", I beg.
Suddenly Kam starts bursting out in laughter.
"Not the reaction I was expecting but I'll take it."
"Sorry.", she starts midway through her laughter, not being able to breathe normally. Luna joins her abs they both fall onto their backs, clearly enjoying this way more than I do.
"Okay, y'all. It's not that funny.", I say after a while, undeniably being annoyed. "Stop it!"
"Okay, Fine, Fine." Their laughs slowly fades. "I don't mean to judge you, especially considering my taste in men and women isn't the best either but Malfoy?"
"Oh shut it, Kam. I know. You don't have to tell me."
"I mean, he is kind of attractive, to be fair." Luna tries to comfort me.
"Pansy once also mentioned that he is packing so-"
"That's not-", I interrupt her. "That's not why I kissed him. And please don't ask me why I did because I can't explain it. And I definitely do not need your judgement. Kieran already judged me more than once."
"Wait- so my brother knew before me?" Okay now she's mad. "Wait- is that why he and Malfoy fought that one day?"
"Bingo!", I lean against the wall.
"That actually makes sense." Luna takes a finishing look in Kam's hand mirror before standing up. "But Y/N looks clearly uncomfortable talking about it, so unless I am completely wrong and you actually want us to question you more, I'd suggest that we just forget it?"
"I'd love that." I smile.
"But-", Kam starts but I hush her with a hushing spell.
"Don't.", I wink at her and stand up. She tries to scream at me but thanks to the spell all I hear is a muffled noise. After enjoying her despair for a few minutes I mute her again and run away with Luna so she can beat me up. We run downstairs silently- since it's after curfew and meet up with the boys behind Hagrid's hut.
"You're late.", Cedric says when we arrive.
"Sorry. I was busy trying not get killed by Kieran's sister who suffers from anger issues."
"Oh and I was busy trying to kill Kieran's best friend who casted a silencing spell on me.", she counter-backed.
"You have to teach me that one.", Kieran high fives me. Kam gets pissed and takes the lead as she walks into the forbidden forest. Cedric and Kieran brought some weed and cigarettes. We all collectively decided to cut short on alcohol for a while since some students got caught sneaking some into their rooms.
"Lets sit here.", I suggest after ten minutes into the forrest and point at a big empty area under a tree.
"Okay." We put our things down and sit in a circle. After talking about bunch of school-related stuff we get bored and collect ideas of what we could do.
"I've got an idea." I take out a dusty old book from my bag. "We could practice black magic."
"How did you get that?", Cedric gulps his eyes fixed on the magic book in my hands.
"I found it in our cellar last summer. It must've been from my grandparents.", I explain. "I haven't used any of the spells before but I read through it a bit and they seem quite fun."
"If risking to get caught and be sent to Azkaban is fun to you, then yes, I guess it's a joyful experience.", Kieran replies. "We're not practicing black magic, especially not in the forbidden forest."
"Where else would you do it? Look.", I open the book to a page I marked and put it into the middle of the circle. "With this spell you can summon a deceased soul and ask them questions and they can't hurt you since you hold complete control over them."
"We're not summoning the death, Y/N." Cedric declines my idea and attempts to close the book but Luna pushes his hand away.
"Actually- what could go wrong?"
"We got get caught, expelled, possessed, accidentally someone an evil soul, lose control and mess it up.", Kieran enumerates.
"Please, Kieran.", I beg pinching his cheeks. "Nothing will happen. I am quite powerful."
"Just because you lived with witches who practice dark magic doesn't mean that you're as good as them. This is a powerful spell and you've never used it before. No one here is experienced with this. If anything goes wrong-"
"-It won't, Ced.", I promise. "Just trust me on this. Dumbledore and the ministry is just scared of black magic because it's new to them. It's not necessarily dangerous, not if you use it with good intentions."
"Well-", Kam finally links in. "I am in. And that makes us three meaning we're at the upper hand meaning you can either help us and join or leave and regret it later on."
"You guys are crazy.", Kieran rolls his eyes at us but eventually gives in. We set everything up and sit closer in a circle.
"So I brought some salt with me. If I understood it correctly we have to draw a circle with salt first." I hand it over to Luna and she proceeds. "Great. Now I need a knife or something like a needle."
"For what?", Kieran gives me a pair of scissors.
"For this." I carve a cross onto the palm of my hands causing blood to get released. They all gasp and hiss. "Don't worry. It's part of the spell. I'll do the spell. You guys just need to focus on clearing your heads and sending me positive energy."
They nod and hold their hands. Meanwhile I look down at the piece of paper in front of me. I clench my hand into a fist and let the blood drop on the salt while constantly repeating the spell: "Carissimi spirituum omnipotens. Te, et vocavi te quaerere quaestiones. Inhabitare facit unius moris in conspectu tuo."
As I repeat it over and over again I feel the weather getting more stormy, the gentle raindrops turn heavier and the already darkened sky gets even more dark turning almost black. I feel my friends' energies flowing trough my body giving me strength making the strong pain that storms through my limps less painful and unbearable. "-Inhabitare facit unius moris in conspectu tuo!" A sudden pressure causes all of us to fall back.
"Did it work?" Luna asks. Her hands are shaking.
"If your goal was to summon a stunning bachelor from 1730, then I ought to say 'yes'." An unfamiliar voice echoes. We look up and discover a tall man dressed in a suit standing in front of us. We actually did it!
-
"Have humans lost manners over time or why would you stare at me like like that?"
I look my friends and they all still look really surprised.
"Well. Then I must be the one to make the first step.", he kneels down in front of me and stretches his hand. "Nathaniel Arthur Ainsworth. The second."
I - who's still startled and can't comprehend what just happened - stretch out my hand as well. He grabs it and gives me a kiss on the back of it. Oh right, he mentioned that he's from 1730. "May I ask for your name, Mylady."
"Um...", right. I have a name. "Y/N."
"What a beautiful name.", he smiles at me. The others are still confused and it takes them another minute to actually say something.
"So you are dead? Like a ghost?", Kam asks and I shoot her a deadly glance telling her to shush. Even though I intended to summon a good and peaceful spirit you never know. And I don't think that asking someone questions like that is a good idea.
"No, it's fine, Mylady.", he hushes me softly and turns around to Kam who's just looking up at him with big eyes. "I am indeed a ghost. I was a minister assisting the great King George the second of Great Britain. And I suspect you are also interested about how my life came to an end."
"You don't have to answer it, if you don't want to.", Kieran tells him. He's clearly still in shock but other than the rest he seems the most calm.
"I don't mind it. Not at all. I was actually poisoned by my psychotic wife after I caught her cheating on me with my brother.", he starts.
"Is that vampire diaries vintage edition?", Kam whispers to me sarcastically and I try to withhold my laugh.
"Why'd she poison you when she was the one who cheated?", I question him.
"I wanted to divorce her. And if people found out that she committed adultery she would have been a disgrace for her entire life.", he explains.
"I'm sorry your life had to end that way.", I simply say.
"And we are sorry for disturbing your... well... death like that. By summoning you." Cedric adds, apologetically. His eyes meet Luna's and he tries to make her say something. Luna is the best when it comes to comforting people. But she looks just as helpless as the rest of us.
"No worries." He meets my eyes and kneels down in front of me. What is going on? "I was never in peace anyway."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Since the truth about my death has never been revealed, I never had peace. I was wandering through the woods, through cities, hoping that one day someone would come for my rescue. And it seems like my prayers were heard."
"Are you telling me you expect us to help you?"
His smile fades. "You're not going to?"
I stutter. "I mean, that wasn't our intention when we summoned you."
He just nods, clearly sad.
"But', I continue. "I guess since you're already here, we can try." I smile and his face brightens up again.
"Splendid!" He exclaims.
"Hold up." Kieran stands up and grabs me by my wrist. "We'll be back." After leaving the group we find a spot where no one can hear us. "Are you crazy? You want to help him? We did this so we could ask him some questions and that was going to be it. There's no way we're taking this any further."
"I agree.', Kam joins us. "Listen. I know you feel bad for him and it's really sad that he's stuck and can't come to peace but we know nothing about black magic and ghosts. You can't help someone you summoned when you know nothing about him."
"I know it's crazy but I can't break it to him. How am I supposed to tell him that we won't help him anymore. The least we can do is try and-"
"No.", Kieran shakes his head. "This isn't happening. Kam is on my side and so is Cedric. Even if Luna was with you you're still the minority. That's how we decide things in our group. The majority wants him gone- so he'll go. Okay?"
Even though it's the last thing I want I nod.
"Good." We go back and they all exchange meaningful glances. I see Luna's eyes fill with sadness as soon as she realises what they are hinting at.
"Go ahead.", I tell the others. "I need to explain him."
"Explain me what?" He's clearly confused. My heart is breaking the more I think about it.
"We'll wait in front of Hagrid's cottage for you.", Kieran announces and packs his stuff. They all look at Nathaniel one last time before disappearing in the darkness of the forest.
"Mylady? What is happening?"
I look at him with watery eyes. My voice breaks. "Sorry."
-
"Hey. Are you okay?", Cedric asks me after I come back. I ignore them completely and angrily walk pass them. "Y/N! Wait up!"
"No!", I yell at them. "Do not talk to me! It's your fault that he's still out there wandering in the midst of infinity seeking for some kind of redemption!"
"We are sorry!", I hear Kam say in distance. "We wanted to protect you. Dark magic is dangerous and you're not familiar with it so we couldn't possibly allow you to mess with it any further."
"Hey! Y/N!", Kieran grabs my arm and forces me to look at him. "We really are sorry, okay? But you can't put your life at risk like that. We are your friends. We only want to protect you."
I take a deep breath. "Okay."
"Okay?", Luna steps closer.
"I was just overreacting. I am sorry." I apologise. They all look surprised to see me give in that quickly but are happy about it anyway. When we decide to head back to the school to watch some movies in our rooms since it's gotten really cold and stormy outside, we hear a loud scream coming from the woods.
"What was that?", Kam wonders.
"No clue.", I panic and follow the shrilling scream; the other ones running directly after me. When we reach the source of the sound we all gasp and hastily stop moving. There's a giant who's holding Pansy in his big hands. Malfoy and Zabini are meanwhile trying to free her with spells - unsuccessfully.
"Zabini!", Kieran shouts. "What is going on?"
"We're having a little dance off with a giant, what does it look like, Kieran?", Zabini shouts back. Everyone draws out their wands and try all the spells they know hoping that one of them will help. But they don't. None of them works.
I take out my wand and point it at the monstrous giant and cast the spell. "Cadas tu et mortuus est." He instantly stops moving and falls to the ground. "Vola!" While the heavy weight of the giant crashes to the ground causing not only a loud sound but also a slight quake, Pansy is kept in the air thanks to my spell. I carefully let her down right next to the giant's dead body which slowly dissolves into ash and dust.
"What the fuck just happened?" Everyone looks at me.
"Where'd you learn that spell?", Malfoy spits. "That's not one you learn at Hogwarts."
"Where did you learn it?", Luna repeats Malfoy's question. My breathing gets heavier. Why can't they just appreciate the fact that I saved us all? Why do they always need to question everything I do when it's none of their business?
"Is that important? I saved us all!"
"Y/N. Was this black magic?" Zabini hesitates to say.
"How do you know black magic?", Malfoy walks up to me. This jerk.
"Are you fucking serious right now?" I scream at him. "Instead of yelling at me and questioning me you should comfort your girlfriend! She's panicking right now!" Pansy is laying on the floor trying to control her breathing.
"Answer me.", he demands.
"I don't have to tell you shit.", I refuse and cross my arms in front of my chest. His hand tenses up and his jaw clenches. His eyes filled with anger and the redness ascends to his face.
"Let's all calm down.", Luna stands in between us.
"I agree." Kam says and gently pulls me away from him. "You go and comfort your girlfriend and you stop picking fights. You're not in the position to."
"Exactly. We will talk about this.", Cedric warns me.
"Tomorrow. After we all get some rest because Merlin knows we need it.", Kieran adds. Everyone nods and silently walks away. This is a déjà-vu all over again. I walk behind all of them and when everyone is entangled in conversations or focused on something else I stop for a second and turn around.
Nathaniel's figure appears out of nowhere and he smiles at me, so do I. If they found out that he's the one who helped me they would be furious.
[EARLIER]
"What do you mean by that? You won't help me?"
"I can't.", I sob.
"Please, don't. I- I can help you as well. Please just listen to me. Don't send me back, I can't live another eternity like that."
I am curious and ask him to evaluate.
"I am a wizard."
My breathing stops. Did he just say-
"Yes. Wizard. You heard me. I know many spells they won't teach you at your school. I'll help you. Assist you. Teach you. And all I am asking is for you to help me seek peace."
"What kind of spells?"
"Black magic."
Convinced. I smirk.
[NOW]
"How come I am the only one seeing you?", I whisper.
"Because I want you to be.", Nathaniel answers.
"How do you know about Hogwarts? I forgot to ask you earlier when you mentioned the school."
"I went there.", he explains. "And so did my wife. Here's where we met. Here's where we fell in love. Here's where I confronted her. And here's where she poisoned me."
"A poetically beautiful story."
"With a tragic ending.", he adds as he follows me. "How do you plan on explaining them how you knew about the spell?"
"I'll find a way. I am quite a good liar."
"Oh I already sensed that, Mylady."
"Another thing. Don't call me Mylady. It's weird. And also I won't call you sir Nathaniel Arthur Ainsworth."
"Well- what do you prefer then?"
"I'll call you Nathan. And you just call me Y/N."
"In that case, Y/N." He stops and so do I. "I'm looking forward to working with you."
He bows down and attempts to kiss the back of my hand again. "We don't do that either. Just give me a fist bump."
"That sounds aggressive and violent."
"It's not.", I laugh and stretch out my fist. "Just clench your hands into a fist and bump it."
"Like this?" He hesitates but does so. I laugh and not and we keep following the others. Kieran turns around once to check on me but since he doesn't see Nathan walking next to me he doesn't suspect a thing and I am more than grateful about that.
They can never know.
-
One week later
"Nathan, this isn't working.", I groan and blow the candle out. We've been trying to revive this dead plant for like two hours now but it's still not working.
"Because you're not trying hard enough. There are still thousands of things on your mind. I can sense that. Try it again. Light up the candle.", he instructs.
I breathe out and close my eyes. "Ignis." The candle lights up and I close my eyes again focusing on the spell. "Vivificet hoc mortuis herba." I repeat this multiple times.
"Focus on the plant.", Nathan whispers in my ears from behind to help me focus more. "Focus on it's roots. Transfer your energy into them. Your head is clear. There's nothing haunting your mind except the plant in front of you. Revive this plant, Y/N."
When a sudden steam of heat meets my skin I open my eyes hastily. The candle's fire has gotten bigger and is now burning up the plant. "No!"
I reach for the bottle of water in the corner of my room but Nathan holds me back. "No, look."
I observe the flames slowly turning green and then turning into white smoke revealing a splendour of turnips which were broken, grey and dried out before. A smile grows on my face. "I did it. I revived the plant."
"I knew you could do it.", he supports me. "Are you feelings okay? No sign of nausea, no sudden feeling of tiredness?"
"No, I feel fine." It's Saturday and everyone else is at the library and studying. I've been studying the entire week just so I could have this day of for practice."
"Great. Then we'll level up."
"Why do you talk like that?" I laugh.
"I am trying to assimilate so I am observing everyone and listening to their conversations." He's not going to stay long but he's still trying his best to fit in, even though I am the only one who'll ever talk to him. That's cute. I shouldn't get attached to him too much. Especially considering that once anyone finds out about his presence, I will not only get expelled but also face consequences much worse. "Anyway." He snaps his finger and suddenly a dead bird lies in front of me causing me to shriek and jump up.
"What is this?"
"A dead bird. You successfully revived a plant already. But that was just a warm up."
"Isn't that the same thing like the reviving spell then?"
"Not quiet. The spell you get taught is limited. It doesn't bring people back from the death but people who are affected by the stunning spell. It has limits. This spell doesn't."
I nod understandingly and sit down. Don't lose focus now. You can do it. It's just a bird. You can revive him.
"Vivificet hoc animal mortuum.", he instructs.
"Vivificet hoc animal mortuum. Vivificet hoc animal mortuum. Vivificet hoc animal mortuum. Vivificet hoc animal mortuum.", I repeat constantly; clearing my head and passing all the energy inside me over to the lifeless cadaver in front of me. The pain going through my veins is even worse this time. My head starts spinning and I feel this weird type of pressure on my back, but I am able to hold it in. It's hurting but I am able to control it. I convert the pain, the stitches, the pressure into energy and allow myself to give myself into the process fully.
A coldness flows down my nose and drips on the floor. The metallic taste on my lips tells me it's actually blood. Nathan mentioned that this might happen especially when you're new to black magic. He also told me to remain calm and not to panic and to just continue with the spell. The worst thing you can do when practicing black magic is stop in the middle of the spell. You're always supposed to finish it. I keep on repeating the spell until the same heat meets my skin again; this time more intense. I open my eyes and the lifeless cadaver turned into an alive animal.
"You're a natural." Nathan is clearly impressed. And so am I. I didn't expect this to go so easily but I assume once you get used to it and succeed it's easier to work up and improve.
"Thank you.", I am still fascinated as I watch the little bird get up and spread his wings. He flies around in my room and I just observe him. "Why does everyone say that black magic is so bad? This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life."
"Because people use it for bad things." He sits down next to me in the floor. "Black magic is just like normal magic except it's more powerful and complex. Wizards are scared of using it because they don't know how. But if you have good intentions and I can sense that you, Y/N, do, and you get taught how to use it correctly, good things can be achieved."
"I want to achieve good things." All this talk about wanting normality suddenly seems so ridiculous and selfish when I realise what good black magic can do. I could Safe people, and actually make the world a better place. Thousands of ideas fly through my mind, crazy ones that I would have never dared to imagined.
"What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking of ways to use this to help people."
"You can't.", he stands up. "Listen to me, Y/N. I am teaching you all of this for emergency situations. So that you can protect yourself if it's needed. But you can't go around recklessly and practice it. Just because we see the great things black magic can do, doesn't mean others are, too. It's still an unforgivable practice. And using it can harm you."
"I understand.", I nod. If I get caught, it's not only my life that will be in danger. Cedric, Kam and Kieran were there with me when we summoned Nathan. They also participated in practicing black magic. I'd put all their lives at risk if I don't start being more careful about this.
"And', he continues as he looks out the window. 'I don't mean to be pushy - how the people your age might say - but when are we going to work on my case?"
"I already have a plan." I walk next to him at the window also looking outside and seeing all the younger pupils running around in the front yard. He told me that in order to be set free and be in peace we have to find his ex-wives ancestors and tell them about her crime. I won't even question it. I don't understand half the things related to magic anyway.
"Enlighten me?"
"I told you that I find it creepy if you are always around me, like all the time so you will just do your ghost-stuff kinda thing, and I will socialise with my friends. And tonight at midnight you'll meet me at the entrance of the cellar. There's this big archive down there where they keep a record of every student who ever attended Hogwarts. If we find your ex wives file we can see who she's related to since the files are classified according to the blood line."
"How do you know about this?"
"I had detention at Dumbledore's office once and that man just loves talking about the school.", I explain and open the window. The bird that's been flying through my room the whole time finds its way out disappearing in the highs. We both observe it.
"Will I ever be that free?", Nathan wonders and I put my hand around his shoulder.
"You will."
"Your generation is really unbothered when it comes to touching, you know that? This would be a grotesque and scandalous faux-pas in my time."
"Yeah. I prefer that over racism and homophobia any day.", I laugh and he joins.
"I was actually quite bold back in the days. I even had a little hanky-panky with another man when I was in college.", he seems so proud of himself; it's adorable.
"Gosh, it's so weird for a twenty three year old to speak like someone from a Shakespeare novel.", I look at him.
"Shakespeare. Great man. I was friends with his grandson.", he looks back to me.
"You're weird."
"Says the one who's having pictures of strangers hanging on her walls."
"I told you! Having an obsession over boybands is completely normal nowadays!", I exclaim and he just laughs about it before dedicating himself back to the view my window offers.
-
"Apertum.", I speak and the door to the cellar flings open. "Be quiet."
"Y/N, I'm a ghost.", Nathan reminds me as he follows me down the stairs.
"Not when you let your guard down. Someone saw you earlier. You're lucky it was just someone from first year who we could fool easily by saying he's just someone applying for a job.", I groan.
"I already explained to you that it's very energy consuming to always have this invisible spell on."
"And I understand. But it's not very clever to do it when other people are around. Imagine if one of my friends saw you. Or a professor. They would immediately know that you're a ghost."
"Weren't ghosts in Hogwarts all the time? What happened to that?"
"A few years ago Dumbledore decided that it's best for everyone to keep them away since some children were traumatised by them." The only reason Nathan was able to come here is because I knew the reverse spell for the one that Dumbledore put onto the school.
"Understandable. Some ghosts can be pretty terrifying.", he agrees and opens turns the light on once we arrive downstairs. Hundreds of shelves and drawers decorate the dusty old cellar room. "This will be a long night."
"It will." I throw my hair back and start digging and so does Nathan. Even though things are supposed to be classified alphabetically there is still a big chaos making it nearly impossible to find anything in here. Emphasis on the 'nearly' because after an hour and a small tracking spell we find a document
that's titled 'Hayhurst'. That's his ex wives last name. "Okay so apparently she graduated from Hogwarts in 1725. And the documents say that she even worked here for a while."
"Must be after I died." He takes the file out of my hand. "Here. She had one daughter. Amelia Ainsworth."
"Also makes sense. She married your brother after all." I search the files for her daughter's name and find it. "She also had a child. One son. Timothy Ainsworth." We keep this chain going and going for another two generations. "Here is where the last name changes. Their daughter Druella Rosier married someone called Cygnus Black." Why does that name sound so familiar?
"Here's Druella's file. She had many children. But the youngest one is highlighted."
"What's her name?", I ask.
"Narcissa."
I heard that name before. It's so familiar. But I can't remember where I know it from.
"Look for her file. I think I might know her."
"Here it is." He hands me the file and I open it.
"Okay let's see.', I read it out loud. "Attended Hogwarts. And got married to...' Of course. That's how I know the name. ' to Lucius Malfoy. And they had a son. Which brings us to the newest generation of your wives ancestors, Nathaniel. Draco Malfoy."
Wow. And I really thought that this couldn't get any more complicated.