The rest of the trip continued without incident and Hu Yetao began to relax. No one had noticed anything other than the fact that he looked rested and healthy, which was not enough in itself to raise any sort of suspicion. Zhang Xinyao, as an Alpha, seemed entirely unconscious to Hu Yetao's new Omega status, which went a long way to calming his anxieties as well.
The only thing he had to worry about now was the way his gaze kept unconsciously shifting to stare at Oscar across the corridor. Zhang Teng left the doors wide open when he returned from the loo, which resulted in Hu Yetao suddenly having a perfect view of the blond. He couldn't get up and close the doors without arising suspicion, so he just had to endure it and hope no one noticed. Luckily, Oscar didn't look his way again for the rest of the journey.
He didn't know if he was pleased about that fact or not.
They finally reached their destination and piled into the waiting carriages for the short trip up the dirt track to Hogwarts. The castle loomed dark and imposing against the inky-blue sky in the distance, the flickering of hundreds of candles glowing warmly from each tiny window. The castle looked just as it had before the final battle; it looked like home.
Jing Long sidled up to Hu Yetao as they walked up the drive towards the castle in the cool night air. "Is there something you want to tell me Hu Yetao?" he asked quietly.
Hu Yetao stopped in his tracks and turned to stare at him. "What do you mean?"
Jing Long glanced around to ensure that they were alone before continuing. "Well, it's just that I noticed you looking at Oscar an awful lot on the train..."
Hu Yetao sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He had planned on telling Jing Long and Zhang Xinyao all about his Omega problem until his friend had reminded him that Zhang Xinyao was an Alpha, and suddenly the idea of telling them had seemed too humiliating.
"I know you watched him a lot in the sixth year, but I really couldn't come up with a plausible explanation for you to still be suspicious of him, so... I wondered if perhaps there was something else going on."
Hu Yetao swallowed, feeling inexplicably nervous. "There is something I want to talk to you about, but not right now. I wanted to write to you over the summer about it but it isn't something that I can put in a letter, and I'm not sure I ever want to tell Zhang Xinyao..."
Jing Long's eyes widened. "Do you... have feelings for Oscar?"
"Shhh!" Hu Yetao shushed him then grabbed his arm to start them moving again.
Jing Long chewed his lip before venturing to speak again in a hushed voice. "I feel I should tell you that while Oscar is an Alpha, he's still a pureblood, and will be seeking out an Omega who can carry on the Wang line. Not a Beta," he added cautiously.
"I know."
"And I've heard rumors that he's already engaged to Zheng Naixin -"
"I know!" Hu Yetao snapped, feeling a flash of such red-hot jealousy over the idea of Oscar with someone else that he couldn't even stop the sharp retort in time.
Jing Long stared at him in surprise.
Hu Yetao sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout. It's just... a lot is going on and I'd rather not get into it right now. Later, okay?"
Jing Long nodded in understanding and gave his hand a supportive squeeze. "Of course."
Fu Sichao and Zhang Xinyao caught up with them then and the two fell silent as they entered the school with the rest of the masses.
As new Headmistress, Amber Liu stood at the front of the huge dining hall to make the traditional opening remarks once the Sorting Hat had done its job. She welcomed them all back to the newly reconstructed castle and spoke of the importance of encouraging house unity. Zhou Keyu had raised his glass to Hu Yetao at that with a nod of his head and a smile. Hu Yetao had returned the gesture with his pumpkin juice, happy that at least that aspect of the school year looked promising.
The part that wasn't promising was the awful realization that there was indeed something powerful drawing him to Oscar Wang. He steadfastly refused to look at the blond throughout the meal, but it was a real struggle. He didn't know much about the world of Alphas and Omegas, but he knew enough that Betas didn't feel drawn to one person in particular, that they were basically the same as Muggles in that respect and could settle down with an Alpha or another Beta. The fact that he felt this strongly towards Oscar only confirmed what Xiào had told him: that he was indeed an Omega.
He couldn't wait to speak to Jing-Long about all of this. He had so many questions - and reservations - about the whole thing, and he needed answers as soon as possible or he wouldn't be able to sleep.
After dinner, Hu Yetao pulled Jing-Long aside as they marched out of the Hall towards the Gryffindor dorms and quickly told him to meet him in the Common Room at midnight. He nodded in acknowledgment and the anxious churning in his stomach abated somewhat at the prospect of discussing his problem with someone; someone whom he knew would either have all the answers or would stop at nothing to get them.
At one minute to midnight, Hu Yetao snuck out of the dormitory, leaving his snoring dorm mates behind, and tiptoed down the stone steps in his pajamas. Jing Long was already seated on the squashy sofa in the weak light of the dying fire.
Hu Yetao quickly settled himself on the other end of the sofa and drew his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and dropping his chin onto his knees.
Jing Long neatly tucked his legs underneath his and patiently waited for Hu Yetao to start.
Hu Yetao licked his dry lips and took a deep breath. "Okay... I... I guess I should start from the beginning," he ventured uncertainly.
"That's usually the best place to start." Jing Long nodded encouragingly.
Hu Yetao turned to look into the glowing embers of the huge hearth beside them. "I woke up on my birthday over the summer feeling sick and like my magic had a mind of its own." Jing Long frowned and he pushed onwards. "So I called for Xiào, thinking that maybe he could bring me some potions from Chen Zihan to help." Hu Yetao paused and exhaled shakily before continuing. "He came and said... he said that I was coming into my inheritance, that he could smell it on me."
"You are an Alpha?" Jing Long interjected in confusion. "But you don't-"
"I'm an Omega."
Jing Long's lips parted and his brown eyes widened in disbelief. Hu Yetao could see a hundred different thoughts and emotions flash across his face in quick succession before she finally swallowed and looked at him worryingly. "And... and you believe him? Does it feel true?" he asked.
Hu Yetao dropped his chin back to his knees with a sigh. "Yeah, it's true."
"How do you know?"
"Because I'm drawn to Oscar," he replied emotionlessly.
Jing Long's indrawn breath spoke volumes and Hu Yetao could see him fitting the pieces together.
"Jing Long, I don't know anything about male Omegas or Alphas or mating or... or anything," Hu Yetao continued, beginning to feel desperate and wholly unprepared for this new direction his life had taken.
Jing Long's academic expression immediately slotted into place as he sat up straight and took control of things. "Alright, calm down. I just have a bit of knowledge of male Omegas since we are so rare, but we can research that tomorrow night in the library. I know quite a bit about Alphas and Omegas though, so what did you want to know?"
Hu Yetao tried to get his agitation back under control so that he could think rationally. "I think the thing I want to know the most right now is, just because I'm drawn to Oscar, does that mean that I can't ever be with anyone else? Can I feel this way towards another Alpha? And does he feel the same? Just because I feel drawn to him does that mean that he's going through the same thing on his side?"
"Okay," Jing-Long replied calmly, "let's start with whether you're only bound to Oscar Wang now. As far as I know, an Omega can feel the pull towards multiple Alphas in their life until they're mated or officially bonded, then it's just the one. I know Alphas will only be drawn to one Omega until that Omega is officially claimed or bonded with another, and then they are free to find someone else. Does that make sense?"
Hu Yetao nodded. "So... I will able to feel this way towards another Alpha other than Oscar?"
Jing Long nodded.
Hu Yetao exhaled in relief.
"Did Oscar react to you in any way?" Jing Long asked curiously. "Do you think he's drawn to you too?"
"No," Hu Yetao replied, and even though the human side of him was rejoicing in this fact, the Omega in him felt distinctly hurt. "He just scowled at me when I looked at him. He certainly wasn't staring at me like I was him."
"Wait a minute!" Jing Long shook his head, holding both hands up as something clicked in her mind. "Every Alpha on that train should've been able to detect that you were an Omega, they should have been all over you Hu Yetao but they weren't."
"I've been taking scent masking potions since my birthday," he explained. "And no they wouldn't be all over me Jing-Long; they all want beautiful female Omegas, not some abnormal male one."
Jing Long gaped. "First of all, you are very attractive Hu Yetao, even more so since coming into your inheritance. Secondly," he stressed loudly as he opened his mouth to argue, "while it's true that male Omegas are rare, they're also covered much more than female ones. Imagine being a gay Alpha and having to mate with a female just because she's the only choice you have? They'll flock here just for the chance to be with you, Hu Yetao."
Hu Yetao's eyes widened in horror at the thought of a bunch of strange men clamoring for his attention. "No," he said resolutely, shaking his head. "That's not what I want; I don't want someone to want me just because I happen to be an Omega. If someone can fall for me without knowing the truth, then I'll know that they truly want to be with me. Surely being an Omega or an Alpha doesn't mean that you have to forsake actual feelings?"
Jing Long couldn't help but smile affectionately at his friend. "No, of course not Hu Yetao, but I think most can't help but fall in love when they start off feeling so intensely attracted to someone. Don't forget that the Omega in you is only drawn to suitable partners, not just any old Alpha."
"Great, so my Omega is broken," Hu Yetao replied derisively. "Because there's no way that Oscar is a good match for me."
Jing Long's smile grew. "I don't know Hu Yetao; he might be perfect for you. You should give him a chance. And," he added enthusiastically, "the scent masking potions you've been taking might have thrown him off so far and that's why he hasn't been staring at you."
"Exactly," Hu Yetao scowled, "he doesn't know I'm an Omega so he's not interested in the slightest."
Jing Long pursed his lips but let it go. "Alright, what else do you want to know?" he asked.
"This is going to sound thick but... can I get pregnant?" Hu Yetao asked uncomfortably.
"No question is foolish Hu Yetao," Jing-Long lectured gently. "And yes, when you're on your heat you will be able to conceive. I'm not sure what sort of heat cycle male Omegas have so I couldn't tell you how often that will happen."
Hu Yetao sat back, stunned. For some reason, he hadn't expected the answer to be yes. He'd been exposed to the magical world for seven years now and he was still constantly amazed by the possibilities it held. It was probably the one good thing to come out of this whole Omega situation; he wanted a family of his own more than anything. He'd never really had one growing up and he'd thought having a child of his own was a lost cause because of his sexuality, so the unexpected potential to create his own was... incredible.
"Those scent masking potions will stop working during your heat as well Hu Yetao, so you need to be careful."
Hu Yetao blinked, coming back to himself. "Oh? So I'll have to hide in my bed for a week?"
"Or the infirmary," Jing-Long replied seriously. "Or else you'll attract every unmated Alpha in the school - teachers and students alike - and it won't be pleasant."
Hu Yetao swallowed. He didn't like the sound of that at all. "How will I know that I'm about to... you know?"
Jing Long shrugged, looking slightly irritated that he didn't know the answer. "I'm not sure Hu Yetao, but we can look into that tomorrow as well. I'll make sure we know everything there is to know so that you don't encounter any surprises."
Hu Yetao sighed, feeling exhausted; it had been a very long and emotionally draining day. "Okay, I think... I think that's enough for now. We should get some sleep." He looked up and smiled a little. "Thanks for all your help, Jing-Long."
Jing Long smiled and leaned forward to hug him. "Don't worry Hu Yetao, we'll figure this out."
Hu Yetao hugged him gratefully in return before they both stood and prepared to head off to bed.
"Oh Hu Yetao, what about Zhang Xinyao?" Jing Long asked suddenly.
"I want to tell him but..." Hu Yetao flushed in embarrassment. "But will he erm, want me?" he mumbled.
Jing Long giggled and Hu Yetao glared at him. "Sorry," he said apologetically. "But that would be so weird. I doubt that would happen, Hu Yetao, he's straight and he sees you as a brother, so I'm fairly sure you being an Omega won't change that. It might just make him more protective of you around other Alphas."
Hu Yetao nodded. "Yeah, alright, I can deal with that I guess. We'll tell him tomorrow."
"Goodnight Hu Yetao," Jing-Long smiled before turning away to return to his dorm.
"'Night."
Hu Yetao slowly walked back up to his dorm and slid into bed as quietly as possible. He laid back and stared up at the canopy over his four-poster, deep in thought.
He'd had questions answered but gained some too. He felt a little more settled about the situation but his stomach was still churning nauseatingly.
Hu Yetao frowned and turned onto his side, tucking his hands underneath his pillow.
He knew why he felt sick to his stomach; he still felt the pain of rejection because Oscar didn't want him. It was crazy and ridiculous but he couldn't help it. It was like his heart had gone and attached itself to another person and that person didn't want anything to do with him, and not only that, but Hu Yetao knew he would be forced to watch as Oscar found someone else to bond with and that was going to be truly upsetting to his Omega.
He closed his eyes and tried to remind himself that he could find someone else. He just needed to do it before he caught Oscar and Zheng Naixin snogging in the corridors because he wasn't entirely sure that his Omega wouldn't make a scene if he had to bear witness to that.