In the years following the snake-like Cerrit magic going into his body from birth, Jimmy grew up vigorously with a healthy body in addition to a strong immune system. He never suffered any form of disease during his time growing up, not even a cough or some form of a cold.
His father, true to his word, monitored Jimmy as the boy grew up. The Baron Eastwick was anything but a man with free time, as his duties of monitoring the city under the nation's watch truly drained him of his energy, leaving no space for his son to interact with him.
Aurora tended more for Jimmy, and paid attention toward him. She had no quarrels about the Cerrit magic being implemented into his body, not until a particular morning, when Jimmy's screams pierced the walls of their home. She rant up to his room, her eyes widening in horror at his skin shredding.
"Mother!" Jimmy cried out in immense fear. "What-What's happening!"
"Jimmy! Calm down son." she ran toward him, patting him on the shoulder as she saw a portion of his skin tearing out from his arm, although the skin torn out seemed white and thin, while his arm maintained a much lighter color. His flesh was not seen by any means.
"Is something wrong with me?" Jimmy asked. At this time, he was about 8 years of age.
Aurora cursed herself. "It's a condition, Jimmy." his mother lied. "An extremely rare condition. You're not the only one having this." she assured. He bought the entire story.
Even as Aurora complained to Baron Eastwick for Jimmy's matter with his skin, their son continued on to be a disciplined song for the longest time. In Gilvenheim, children had to spend most of their early years studying at home, understanding factors such as the overall flora and fauna of the nation in addition to the economy and how trading is conducted.
Though gold coins already existed for the longest time, trading became a key part of knowledge for people in general.
One day, after spending time studying trading with his father, who conducted shipping and trading in his spare time, Jimmy wandered around the front yard, seeking friends to play with, or at the very least conduct some activity that could be fun.
His mother watched on from the window initially, before returning to her duties as a housewife. About 15 minutes later, Aurora heard a knock on the door, and sighed in relief.
"Thank goodness he hasn't spent too much time." Aurora whispered under her breath. "Who knows what would happen if he did make a friend."
"I made a friend's mother!" Jimmy yelled as he opened the door and entered the kitchen.
"A friend?" Aurora spoke with a small amount of concern in her tone. "Oh, who is it Jimmy?"
"He's a bit shy."
"Shy you say? Well bring him in-" Aurora stopped as she turned around to see a light green snake slither into the kitchen. "Jimmy!" she shouted. "That's a snake right there!"
"He doesn't bite mother." Jimmy spoke. "I promise."
"You don't know that."
"I do. Look." Jimmy allowed the light green snake slither up to his hands, before he picked it up and opened its mouth slowly. "Look mother, no fangs, so that means there's no poison."
"I believe he is just a grass snake." Jimmy spoke. "He seems striking for such a creature. Could I keep him as a mother?"
"I-" Aurora stopped herself, before the thought of him befriending other boys and girls his age came to mind. There's no telling when his Cerrit abilities would kick in, she thought, before she sighed deeply but soon returned a smile to her son.
"Of course Jimmy, you may keep him, as a friend for now."
***
Aurora felt like tearing her hair out as the years went by. Jimmy's skin shredding still occurred for every week or less than that, oftentimes happening in the morning following his sleep. He had panicked multiple times, but the lectures from his father and mother had taught him to be used to it.
When he had reached 13 years of age, he was enrolled into the Amadeus Academy of Magic Arts. He was all dressed up in a cleaner black uniform with white stripes, in addition to a navy blue tie. He was in the horse carriage in which his father accompanied him.
Jimmy looked out the window of his carriage, and saw the school gates just not far from him. In addition, he saw the giant building made out of stone, and behind the building were two towers with cones like roofs.
He looked at his father, the Baron Eastwick.
"Father? My skin won't shed again, right?"
"It's alright Jimmy, it won't. I shall speak to the headmaster about it." The Baron Eastwick assured. "Bear in mind, your condition will most likely have you be slower at learning magic compared to others. Just keep a positive mindset and all will be well.
Following his speech, Jimmy entered the school, and was enrolled with a class filled with an equal amount of boys and girls. They did not question his looks, judging by their blank expression on his introduction toward the class.
He would later spend the next few hours studying about the history of Gilvenheim, in addition to flora and fauna of the nation. These subjects would become the ordinary subjects he learnt for the next few months. He was especially interested in the snakes around the nation, such as the Blue Eyed Whiptail, or the Sundance Rattlesnake.
Few classmates giggled and laughed at this spectacle.
"For a noble's son, he's pretty funny." said one female student.
"Some boy who likes snakes." said another student.
30 minutes before lunch time, the students would often have an early recess. Many of which played in the fields that were available around the building, many of which played a game of whiskball. Jimmy was involved in the game, being part of a team belonging to his class, A-1, and they were all against the class next to them, A-2.
Jimmy smirked at the sight of whiskball near his feet as the game went on, boys crashing and tackling each other to see who gets the whiskball first. He passed the ball to his classmate Willy, a messy haired boy.
Willy caught the ball, and attempted to throw the ball toward the enemy team's goal. A larger boy by the name of Boyd charged at Willy, and soon knocked the boy down.
"Hey!" Jimmy yelled as he ran toward the hurted Willy, and the still standing Boyd. Willy was holding his chest.
"Back off Stark." Boyd spoke in a mocking tone. "It's a game, we're supposed to be rough."
"My friend there is literally placing his hand against his chest. You could have broken it!"
"So?" Boyd spoke. "He's the one who wanted to play."
"Boyd, for a big person, your brain is smaller than a damn nut!" Jimmy yelled. "Apologize to Willy!"
"I said back off." Boyd spoke angrily. His face was red, and he took out a small stiletto from his pocket. The stiletto was thin and small, but everyone backed off. "Come on Jimmy, go ahead, provoke me."
"You wouldn't dare use it." Jimmy challenged. He felt his heart beating.
Boyd grabbed Jimmy's left arm with his hand, as the students screamed in surprise. Boyd held his knife against one of Jimmy's fingers; his pinky finger specifically.
"Challenge me one more time and I won't hesitate to cut off your finger." Boyd argued. "I don't care if you're Baron Eastwick's son, my father is also in the highest of places."
"Jimmy, stop." Willy spoke in a coughing tone. "I'll be fine."
"And let this abomination get away with it?" Jimmy yelled out, before he saw Boyd's angry eyes. "Yeah I said it, you're an abomination! An embarrassment for your parents!" he stopped his speech as Boyd cut off his pinky finger, enabling some female students to scream at the top of their lungs.
"Too bad little piggy." Boyd threw Jimmy's pinky finger far away. "Now, still wanna talk smack-" he stopped, seeing Jimmy's pinky finger slowly grow back due to thousands of miniscule snakes piecing it back together.
"WHAT IS THIS!?" Boyd spoke in a horrified tone as he let go of Jimmy before tumbling down to the ground. "Oh no, no." he soon saw Jimmy walking toward him, the boy picking up the knife before grabbing him by the neck.
"Jimmy, I'm sorry." Boyd cried out and started to whimper at the sight of Jimmy's eyes turning dark with red piercing pupils akin to snake. "I'm so sorry."
"Apologize not to me! But to Willy!" Jimmy held the knife against Boyd's neck. "Now!" Jimmy opened his mouth, and Boyd saw his upper teeth becoming fangs similar to a snake's.
"What is going on here!?" a teacher with robes spoke as he ran outside, he saw the sight of Jimmy and his face, in addition to streams of black and gray smoke appearing.
"By the eyes of Stravos." the teacher spoke. "He's a Cerrit."
"A Cerrit!" one student pointed at Jimmy, followed by others with the same gesture and the same chant.
"Cerrit! Cerrit! Cerrit!" they all shouted.
"Be quiet! All of you!" Jimmy spoke, before he felt a beam of light hitting him, and the white light soon circled around him, letting Boyd go in the process.
The teacher turned to see who fired the beam. "Headmaster Hargrave."
Hargrave was a tall slender man with gray hair, who passed the students before seeing Jimmy.
"I did nothing wrong!" Jimmy's voice was disoriented. "Boyd started it!"
"Indeed he did." Hargrave agreed. "But nobody is innocent in this manner, Jimmy."
***
"I can't believe this!" Aurora spoke towards her husband by the time Jimmy had arrived home with him. Boyd's parents were still sympathetic enough to excuse Jimmy from punishment, since Boyd himself was in the wrong first.
"All these years James." Aurora said to the Baron Eastwick. "It's happened!"
"It's just a minor setback, Jimmy will have to learn how to control his abilities."
"James, open your damn eyes. Jimmy has made it this far without any form of demonic influence let alone some other magical man or woman trying to get at him."
"It's not just for himself Aurora! It's for us and those around him! How can you expect him to protect his own family if he lacks any powers from now?"
"He could have just lived his life normally! Just like other people! Just like other humans."
"Other humans can be dangerous Aurora. I know that there are people who dislike me for even my allegiance to the King and his family."
"You are speaking in paranoia! It is getting to your head."
"I am not paranoid, I am being cautious."
The Baron added. "Besides, the man who helped get the magic inside of Jimmy, I have decided to have Jimmy be sent to the School of the Cerrit."
"Oh not you don't." Aurora pointed at him angrily. "I am not a naive woman, I know what that school is. Jimmy will not be safe there."
"I have it all planned out, we just need to explain to him that what happened with him was just a setback with his condition-"
"No you do not, and I won't spend more years lying in his face." Aurora countered. "I will take him with me, and find a way to release this curse from him."
"I can't allow that." Baron Eastwick gripped her arm hard, she winced at how tight he was holding her arm. "Do you know what happens if a Gilvenheim based wife leaves her husband without any form of consent from him or his family members?"
Aurora sighed in defeat and anger.
"I did not make Gilvenhemite traditions and cultures Aurora." Baron Eastwick reminded. "Get some rest, I will make supper for us, and not a single word to Jimmy. Is that clear?"
"Yes, husband." Aurora spoke as she went upstairs, and saw Jimmy near the railings. He looked at him in a sad tone.
"Am I really….a Cerrit?" Jimmy asked sadly. It pierced his mother's heart and soul.