Hogwarts: Era of Darkness

The next day, waking up, my first thing to do was to hold my wand, examining it once more, making a few swishes in the air before climbing out of bed to get dressed. Squeaky was already there, my clothes prepared, my trunk packed, ready to leave at a moment's notice. 

"Master looks good with wand in hand. Master will become a powerful wizard; Squeaky is sure about it!"

"Thank you, Squeaky. Will you be okay while I'm gone?" I asked, knowing that with me gone, she would have to attend to my mother.

"Squeaky is a good house elf."

"I don't doubt that," I replied, not asking anymore, seeing the look in her eyes.

Walking down to the lobby of our manor, I came face to face with the one person I wasn't keen on seeing. My mother… Isolda Arcania.

"Good morning." I greeted her with courtesy, and she returned with a nod but ignored me, walking past me and heading up the staircase, seemingly going towards my Father's study. 

Good. At least I did not have to start making small talk. Whenever we had to do that, it somehow always turned into her shouting and me leaving the room… I just hated being talked down to, and arguing with a brick wall is as pointless as trying to make a troll learn ballet. I know she was forced to marry my Father by her family; I would be pissed if I had to marry someone I do not like… but she never complained when she was allowed to spend my Father's money when she could have her own house elf when she could enjoy the flattering of others. I can't remember if she ever took care of me… maybe when I was really little? But my memories don't go that far back. To me, she can only demand, demand, and demand things but never give something back for it… I can't fathom why Father tolerates her even when he knows she is cheating on him… because I told him. But he just laughed, telling me not to worry about small things and ignore her… how could I when she is representing our family's name? If that gets out…

"Master, your face looks horrible… is it because of the lack of sleep?" Squeaky said, jolting me out of my thoughts, making me look into the mirror on the opposing wall as I was standing, unmoving at the bottom of the stairs, in Squeaky's way. She was dragging along my trunk, making sure everything was ready for leaving the house an hour later. "Squeaky told you that you should rest!"

"Yes, yes, you did." I forced a smile onto my face, ignoring the troubling thoughts and wiping off the dark look from my face.

By the time I finished my breakfast, Father also came in, dressed up and stretching, followed by my mother, also in a pretty dress. Her black hair was tied up in a bun, and her silver-colored eyes were even more eye-catching with the makeup she put on. Her black and violet dress was made from the finest materials a wizard could buy… yet her face looked as if she just took a bite from a lemon. Well, too bad. Now she surely had to accompany me and my Father to the station. We had to keep up a certain appearance. 

"Are you excited?" Father asked, patting my shoulders as I stood up.

"I would lie if I said no."

"Yep, you would~" He grinned, fixing my clothes, which was unnecessary as on the train, I would have to change anyway. 

When we left the manor, a luxurious, deep-blue Bentley Arnage was waiting for us, courtesy of my Father's arrangements. 

"Do we really have to?" My mother asked when the driver stepped out, opening the door for her.

"We are going through places where muggles live and rule. The station is swarming with them this time of year, so yes, we have to." Father answered her calmly, like explaining something to a kid. I always found it funny, and I couldn't help but smile while climbing in. He usually treated me more like an adult than my mother, who was more like a whining little girl. Especially when she threw tantrums… the one that was slowly brewing inside of her. I could see it.

Throughout the way to King's Cross, she was bringing it up again and again. Why did she have to come? Everything was a problem; The car was uncomfortable. It was hot. It was cold. She did not want to walk amidst muggles. Then the weather was bad again, as soon as the sun went behind a small, white cloud… and it was going on and on and on. Looking at Father, I simply couldn't understand how he managed to ignore her so well and just smile, enjoying the changing scenery and watching the muggle's different cars go past by as we entered London. I rarely see my Father angry or raise his voice. Even when I made some minor troubles for him when I was younger, he never shouted at me. He always listened to what I had to say and punished me accordingly. Even if I protested, deep down, I knew when I deserved it. 

My mother? Well… taking a glance at her, seeing how her face was already a shade of red, her voice sounding like the car's windows would shatter soon enough… That was enough for me to know what kind of man I didn't want to be when I grew up. It was horrible to listen to, and she was getting louder and louder as if that would achieve anything. It just made my Father ignore her even more. Will she ever learn that it is useless? I guess not. I just hope, when in school, I won't show my mother's skills in comprehension. Mastering spells and learning things… Oh, I hope it goes well…

…

….

……

Walking through the streets and crowd was somewhat of a new experience, and I quite liked it, I'm not going to lie. I wasn't that used to being looked at by so many people as they watched us get out of the expensive-looking car… although I think they would think I'm some kind of freak if I told them it was the most inconvenient way of travel. Like… ever. By the end, I felt myself getting nauseous. I don't know if it was the car or my mother's constant, loud complaining, but I was glad to be out of that box of uncomfortable mess finally. In the end, my mother only shut up because Father looked at her with a glint in his eyes, making her behave at once. I never knew how he does that, but I do hope they will teach it at school. 

Walking in, I had to admit; I really like the way muggles build things. It was pleasing to the eye. The fact that they achieve it without using any magic is also fascinating. I wonder what else they may invented that we could also make use of. Although those kinds of thoughts were never spoken out loudly, my Father made sure I remembered that. Arriving at the designated station, I saw some of our kind passing through the barrier, hidden in plain sight from the muggles. I was familiar with it, doing similar things when once in a while, I was going out with Father when he let me come along, watching him work and check upon people who were obliviated of our presence, making sure they did not recover their memories. It always struck me odd to do that; it shouldn't be possible… but I saw Father sometimes cast a spell, saying it is for reinforcement of the previous one… well, I know no real spells yet, only the theories behind some. Once again, before starting to fall into a spiraling thought process and jumping from idea to idea, a loud whistle dragged me back to reality.

"Woah…" I exclaimed, making my Father laugh.

"Beautiful, eh?" He laughed as we watched the red steam engine standing there, billowing out white smoke while witches and wizards were saying goodbyes to their families and boarding the train.

"You told me about it, but seeing it is a different experience." I nodded while ignoring my mother's sour face, appearing behind us.

"Listen," Father looked at me while we started walking, getting out of the way to head towards the back of the train where I could get on and find myself an empty cabin. "School won't be easy. Keep yourself out of trouble and obey the rules. Breaking some of them is fine… but if you get caught, my name won't save you."

"I wouldn't rely on that, Father." I answered honestly, "I'm not like… others." I added, stealing a quick glance over my shoulder.

"I know. If you ever find yourself in trouble, go to your House's teacher or… to the Headmaster."

"To the Headmaster?" I asked, letting my surprise show before reigning it in, reforming the indifferent look that I used to put up. As Father always said, you don't know when someone is watching… always keep your thoughts to yourself and ensure only those you truly trust know about them.

"Yes." He repeated. "Don't ask more. Just remember this… trust him, no matter how much you may start to dislike him. Okay?"

"That is… weird." I smiled, which I bet looked weird too. 

"Son?" He asked, and his voice was oddly serious, making me nod. "Good. Now!" He chuckled, patting my back and seeing that my trunk was already up on the train, waiting for me. "Good luck! And make me proud!"

"Hehe… I will!" I said, laughing with him and giving him a hug before boarding the train. I was still watching him from the window inside until the steam engine whistled loudly and the doors closed by themselves. I watched as the platform, along with my grinning Father and sulking mother, was gone, and I held onto my trunk's handle and started to look for a cabin that was empty, and I could have it all for myself.