(Nathan POV)
After I moved out of the compartment, the rest of the ride was a blur. I had to keep myself in check so that something like that would not happen again. He kept nagging at me. Saying how I hurt a little child who trusted me and all that. But eventually, he gave up and went back to sleep. I tried my level best to stay away from everyone. I was not in one of my best moods and being around people did not help at all. So, I spent most of my time in the corridor or the toilet. And then finally we reached our destination. Once more I was at the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.
Last year we were taken to the castle using boats but now we were second-year students. The boats were for the first years. All the second years were led to strange carriages.
"Wow that is soo cool" I heard someone shout.
"Look at those carriages, they are being pulled by themselves."
"Yeah, What do you expect. It is a magical school."
(Huh? Are these guys crazy or what. Can't they see the creatures tied in front of the carriages.)
I was confused as to why everyone was saying such things. There were clearly animals pulling the carriages. Horses to be exact. Black, Bat winged horses.
I turned my head around and looked at many students who were still awestruck. That was when I noticed that those people were not goofing off. They could not see the horses at all.
(They can't see the horses. Am I the only one who can see them? Is it because of my crimson eyes?)
I moved closer to the horse. It turned its head and looked at me. And then it placed its head in my embrace as if asking to be petted. I was startled at first. They were like skeletons and kind of spooky. I petted its head and neck. And it turned out that it was gentle creature.
(I'll ask sis about this later.)
Making up my mind I walked back to the carriage. I did not pay any attention to whom I was sitting with but the others might have known about me because I heard them whisper something.
"Ist that...."
"I heard he hates ......"
"Yeah, we should avoid...….."
I could not hear all of them as their voices were muffled but I did not care in the least. I simply sat inside the carriage and started to read one of the books. The carriage filled up and we started our journey towards the castle.
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We walked to the great hall. The castle looked just like the last time. Made of stone bricks and lighted with candles. All the students except for the first years moved to the great hall. We all sat in our respective seats. The kids from the last year still remembered me so none of them tried to start any kind of conversation with me. In fact, as I walked, they all moved out of my way and allowed me to pass. I found a place next to sis and wanted to sit there.
oooooo the little child wants to sit with his sister now. That will be fun. Seeing her cute face burn from your flame|
The obnoxious voice echoed in my head. Instantly My mind went to the past when we were in the train and I had lost control. I could see the scared expressions of Aug and Anna. It felt as if there gazes were penetrating my sould.
Magic flared up in my body and My eyes started to glow.
SHUT UP YOU SON OF A| I cursed at him.
NO NO NO NO. No curses. You know it is bad to curse someone.|
Although that remark pissed me up even more, somehow that also helped me regain my cool. I immediately put a lid on my power and calmed down. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened my eyes the glow had disappeared and I was back to normal. But even that little disturbance was enough to have some people on guard. Most of the staff was looking at me with suspicion.
(Damn they must have felt the sudden surge in my magic. I need to be more careful until I can control it.)
Even the students were looking at me. Although I did not believe that they had felt anything, still it was weird enough that I had been standing in the same place for the past few minutes. All around me the students were starting to whisper.
"Hey, Nat...….. You okay?" I heard.
My head turned around subconsciously towards the sound and I saw sis looking at me with worry in her eyes.
(How can you be worried about me after what I did.)
I could not comprehend why she was worried. I was the one who had hurt Aug and she was worried about me.
(She should not be worried. She should be disgusted right now.)
"Nat.... Come on sit with me." She gestured me with a smile on her face.
My mind simply went blank. I slowly walked towards her.
Don't say I did not warn ya|
"I am going to be sitting at the corner. This place is not right for me." I said and left my sister in confusion.
(I need to stay away from everyone)
I sat at the corner of the table.
(If I do not want to hurt the ones I love I have to stay away from them. The demon inside me wants to hunt and any who gets in my way will be killed. So I have to stay away from them. Sis, Anna, Aug, Jac, Beatris)
I opened my book and started to read.
(Wait. Why the fuck is Beatris Potter on that list. Why the hell did I include her. She is not even my friend. How did I even think like that? This is unlike me.)
*CREAK*
The doors of the great hall opened and Professor McGonagall entered with the first years behind her. I looked up. There were many new faces. They all entered the fall and formed a crowd in front of the stool that had the hat placed on top of it.
"Hey, have you heard? Apparently, Beatris Potter was not on the train." I heard someone say.
My attention was drawn towards the sound.
"Is she not at school."
"No one knows that."
(What. Wait a minute. Beatris is not in the school. She was not on the train. What is going on here? Is it..... By any chance because of that.)
I immediately thought about that scene. What we had seen during our pursuit of the rogues. My mind played the scene back and forth. The girl with wavy black hair and emerald eyes inside a window and a fat man sealing that thing with iron bars. She looked scared. She was not allowed any magic outside of school premises so she could not get out.
(What if she could not attend Hogwarts now. What if she is still trapped there. What if those people are starving her. What if...….)
Possibilities after possibilities were spawning in my head and I could not think straight.
(I should have helped her. Damn it. I promised that I will become strong enough to prevent any of what happened to me from happening to anyone else and here a girl from my house, from my class, was being oppressed by her own family. I found out, even then I did nothing. Just because it was none of my business. What is wrong with me.)
All the misery I had faced, I never wanted anyone else to go through that. That was why If there was one thing I hated more than any thing it was family members fighting among themselves. Beatris was being oppressed no doubt about that, but I had never done anything simply because it had nothing to do with me. That was when a feeling rose from deep within me and stroked against my conscience. Guilt. And then as I remembered all the past moments of my life another emotion got mixed in. Fear
I grabbed my head with both my hands. My body was trembling now. Many scenes from my own life were playing in my head.
Don't worry about it. It's not like you would have been able to do something. You are too weak. You could not have saved her. Just like you lost your mother.| He spoke in a smug tone.
Immediately an image popped in my head. A beautiful woman with sparkling white hair and dazzling emerald eyes. She was standing in front of me and she extended her hand.
"Nathan" That was the sweetest sound I had ever heard in my life.
"Mom?" I looked up.
The scene changed and then there was her dead body.
"MOM"
"Are you alright?" I was immediately snapped back to reality with a touch to my shoulder.
I looked at the person who had called me. It was Nevill Longbottom.
"Is everything okay? You were shivering. Do you need to go to the hospital wing?" He asked with concern in his eyes.
"No there is no need. Thank you." I said. Then after thinking for a moment. "Has Beatris been found?"
"Who, Beatris. It is rumored that she rode a flying car to the school. Professor Snape has gone to confront her and Ron." He explained
"Oh," I spoke. Then I turned my head away.
The sorting ceremony was almost over. Most of the kids had been sorted and I had been absent-minded throughout the entire thing. Right now the one sitting on the stool was none other than Anna.
"It's rare to see this kind of guts. It's been a long time since I have seen anyone like you kid. There is only a single house for you. GRYFFINDOR." The hat shouted and the table burst into cheers.
(So, she was admitted into our house.)
She jumped off the stool and skipped happily across the great hall. Then she stopped for a moment and searched across the table. She must have spotted Sis, as I saw her wave at Anna. She waved back and skipped towards her. Everyone greeted her happily.
"Augustine" The hall fell silent again.
The kid walked over to the stool and sat on it. The professor placed the hat on his head...............… Even after minutes had passed nothing happened. The hat was silent. The whole hall started to whisper.
"What is going on."
"why is the hat not saying anything."
"Is he a muggle?"
After about three minutes the hat uttered its first words.
"Boy, and I thought that the Potter girl was difficult. I have never seen potential like you before. You are suited for every single house. I can't decide where to put you. But I have a duty to the school and I shall fulfill it. You will belong to....... Ravenclaw. The blue robes burst into cheers this time. I looked towards Anna and I saw that she was worried. She said something to sis who also looked kind of worried.
(If Aug is transferred to another house, it will be a problem since he can't talk. But why do they look so worried? He will manage eventually.)
I was not able to understand the cause of their anxiety. And then something unexpected happened. There was no announcement. McGonagall was supposed to call the next student but she never did. I turned my head and saw that Aug was still sitting on the stool holding the hat on his head with both his hands. McGonagall was trying to lift it but he was not letting it go.
"Mr.Augustine please let go. Some students still need to be sorted."
"Let go of me for a moment professor." Instead of Aug, it was the hat that spoke. "It will only take a moment."
The professor let go of the hat, A little bit confused.
"So what is the reason boy.......... Hmmmmm ...….. Well, that is a problem now......... You should have said so before." The hat was talking and everyone in the hall was as confused as I was.
(What is going on right now. Is the kid talking to the hat? How? Ligilimency?)
"This is going to be a problem if not looked after. Then I shall have to change your house. I appologise for the wrong sorting. This kid belongs in Gryffindor" The hat announced but this time there were no cheers. No one clapped and no one shouted. There was complete silence. There was probably a single thing on everyone's mind.
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?"