Chapter 30. Back To School

Christmas break soon ended, and we would all have to get back to school. Draco, Pansy and I all met up at the train, the mothers all seeing us off while our fathers were all busy at work. “You’re still reading that?” Draco asked, looking at the worn and torn book I borrowed from his house. I nodded while flipping a page. I had to see if there were any others like Merlin and me. So far, there weren't any, I had to assume the author of this book wanted to keep any Slytherin’s that did have similar beliefs out of this book, only including Merlin because they had to.

Eventually I sighed while slamming the book shut. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment. I need some fresh air.” I said, getting up to get some fresh air at the caboose. Already near the back of the train, it wasn’t long until I was at the final door to the outside. The train was speedily moving along across the bridge over the empty fields of England. I opened the door, and stepped out, looking at the horizon passing by underneath us. “Are you sad?” Val asked worriedly, like a child seeing their parent disheveled after a long day.

I sighed while taking in some of the cold refreshing air, the wind blowing through my hair. “I’m not sad… I don’t know what I am right now.” I mumbled the last part, not sure if someone so young should know of my problems. “I’m Val, you’re Lucas!” Val cheered the answer making me laugh in response. After I was done laughing, I finally felt I could say at least a bit to him. “It’s not like that. I just… I don’t hate mudbloods or muggles. The only one in a thousand years to appear in Slytherin. I’m the strange one. The odd one out. Almost wanting to just believe in what I feel is wrong.”

Val slithered around under my robes, billowing in the wind. He finally made his way up to my neck, tickling me a little with his tongue to get me to smile. “What’s wrong with strange?” He asked, endearingly, making me chuckle at his innocence. “I guess, nothing…” I pet Valdemar’s head a bit, happy to have him comfort me. “Thank you.” “Mh Hm!” Val happily hummed his response while traveling back down my sleeve.

Arriving back at the train station closest to the school, we were directed not towards the boats, but to carriages instead. I was astonished by the school using Thestral’s to pull them. I had only seen them in books, but now there were 20 at least right before me. The Slytherin’s and I all walked to the front of the carriages. I noticed that each Thestral bowed while we walked past them, but rose back up for other students. When we reached the front carriage, Draco, Pansy and I all placed our luggage on it, but I was the only one not getting on.

Instead I walked over to the front, and watched the Thestral bow before me. “Lucas, what’s wrong?” Pansy asked, clearly not seeing what I was seeing. ‘That’s right… These can only be seen by those… Who’ve seen… Death…’ I paused, wondering what ‘death’ I had witnessed to see such majestic and beautiful creatures. My head pained as I thought, the vague memory of yellow eyes looking into me came fuzzily in my mind. However, I felt I should instead focus on the amazing creature bowing in respect before me.

I slowly raised my hand, rubbing the beak of the blackened, skeletonized creature. Its white, chalky eyes looked back at me, before using its head to direct me to the back. I nodded, and was about to head back to the carriage, but it let out a small chirp, making me pause to look back. There I saw it was looking at its own back, its spine clearly visible from underneath its flesh. It then looked back at me. “Really?” I asked with no small amount of excitement. The Thestral lowered its head, and I quickly moved to get on.

Everyone watching hung their mouths open in shock at my actions. Particularly sitting on top of an invisible creature. I was surprised how few could see Thestral's. I was sure that there would be a few students that could also see one. But That turned out to be false, considering their gazes. I smirked at Pansy looking just as stunned as the rest of the Slytherin crowd, before whispering into the Thestral’s ear. “Can you take us to school?” I asked, and it cawed like a raven before trotting along the dirt path.

Dumbledore sat in his office, getting everything ready for the students’ return back from break. However McGonagall burst into the room, hardly knocking before she entered. “Dumbledore, I must inform you that Mr. Peterson is riding one of the Thestral's!” Dumbledore looked out his window, down the courtyard, and saw the brown haired boy casually riding a Thestral into the school, pulling a carriage of two other Slytherin students behind himself.

“I have already discussed with you, and I still feel it is a violation of school rules for that boy to have a pet with him at all times, however this is something else entirely!” Dumbledore gained a small smile watching the boy continue to pet the blackened, horrifying creature with the same care and attention one would give to a small cat. Ever since he saw Fawkes accept the boy’s approach, he knew that he would be a caring child. Normally Fawkes’ favorite students were Hufflepuff's, given their calm and loving nature, but Fawkes never touched them, only going so far as to fly around them, and rest comfortably. Not brushing her beak in their hand, to a Slytherin no less.

Dumbledore knew Peterson was different from other children of his age. Having to grow up quickly to hide his clear love for magical creatures, or his Parselmouth from his own parents. It was almost ironic seeing his love for creatures, knowing why his parents somewhat rightfully disliked them. Would Peterson hate creatures after finding out the truth? Dumbledore didn’t know for sure, but he didn’t want to tempt fate ruining this young boy’s happiness at such a young age. This place being the only safe space from his parents' reach. “Our Thestral's are taught well… He has already headed inside, let us flow this water under the bridge.”

After unpacking my luggage from my room, I headed to the library. After looking into my own library, I found that Merlin was hardly inside any books. Almost like my parents didn’t want to acknowledge Merlin for being close to a muggle. The school library was my only choice for finding more history on the strange man.

Heading inside, I went straight towards the section on alumni, specifically Slytherin alumni. It was buried deep in the back of the library, close to the restricted section. I took the book from the shelf, and sat down at the table beside the window. The book was the earliest years of the school, just the second book of alumni that was recorded. I carefully turned the cover for the table of contents, and found the Slytherin pages.

I scanned through the pictures of students, all smiling and laughing with each other through the pages, but froze when I turned the page. The next page was full of disdain, every student glaring towards one direction. I followed their eyes to a scribbled and ripped out portion of the book. The name and face hidden from view. My stomach sank in horror, seeing my own future life here if I let slip my different ideals. The hiding from Draco and his constant ‘pranks’, Pansy’s look of disgust, and perhaps even being ostracized from every single member of the house I was under.

“Hi…” A voice made me jump in fear, as I slammed the book closed. I gasped for air while looking towards the source of the voice. It was the Hufflepuff girl I had helped earlier. I never got her name, but had known her better than most Slytherins at this point with how often we ran into each other, and this strange feeling of closeness. I sighed while scowling at the shivering girl. “Don’t sneak up on me like that. Now what do you want?” I asked, placing the book back on the shelf. I was done with it now.

The girl bit her lip in angst, finally speaking after gathering her courage. “Umm… c-can we be friends?”