Chapter 1
Dumbledore announced the end of the feast and students started leaving to their dorms. Harry continued to think about what Hermione meant when she said that Ministry had started to interfere at Hogwart. Suddenly flustered voice brought him out of his throughts.
"Ron, first years! We're supposed to show them where our dormitories are."
"Oh, I completely fogot." said Ron looking lost for a brief moment. "Let's go."
"See you in the Gryffindor Tower, Harry!" they quickly said goodbye and made walked to afraid firsties.
Harry was left alone and made his way out of the Hall. He felt eyes on him, that make him uncomfortable. Decided to took longer route, where no one will stare at him. Empty corridors, marble staircase, concealed shortcuts. He wasn't expecting anyone, but suddenly, out of thin air, one student appeared in his view. Fifth year Slytherin, was leaning against the wall, he looked out of the window. His head snaped in Harry direction.
"Oh, hello Hadrian." slytherin said with a small smile.
Harry instantly recognized the boy, Aurelian Selwyn, the only person who used that name without malicious intent, even though he is Slytherin.
Aurelian, in Harry's opinion, is a strange person, most of time silent, invisible. He found out about Selwyn in his third year, surprisingly late adding the fact that they are the same age. How can he missed someone existence for wholly two years. It was one of the many mysteries that was wrapped around Aurelian.
Their first meeting was contemplating. Like always boy appeared out of nowhere, nobody paying attentions to him. That time he said staring at the book on his lap.
"Have you ever wonder why Black went to Weasley and not to you? Everyone thinks that he wants to kill you but is it really a true?"
"What do you mean?"
"If he wanted to kill you, you will be already dead." responded still reading. " together with Weasley."
"When why did he break in?"
Selwyn without looking at him once, stand up and shrugged.
"How could I know, Hadrian?"
He left, leaving Harry dumbfounded. Aurelian didn't sound like he didn't know, more like he know but will not tell. The things he said were logical but hard to believe. And the use of his name, only a few people know this name and he was sure none of them told Selwyn about it. Did he just guess it? Fred and George called him Harrison, but that was playful, even they know it wasn't his real name. So Selwyn couldn't have heard it from someone else.
The next meeting was even stranger, it was only one sentence.
"What is a reason why dogs and cats don't like rats?"
It worded as question but didn't feel like it. And a few days after he and his friends found out about Pettigrew, a strange coincidence. He wanted contront Selwyn but couldn't find him. He supposed to attend with them to classes. He wasn't there and Proffesors made an impression, they didn't notice it. The third year ended.
He succeeded on the start of the fourth year.
"Hey, ca we talk after class?" Harry asked during potions, when he spotted boy on the slytherin side of the class.
"Yeah, sure." he replied stirring his potion.
Class went on forever, maybe it was his fault. He couldn't wait for the end, when all his questions will be answered. And he was disappointed, he learned a little, too little for his expectations.
"So let's start from the beginning. What's your name?" One of the most important questions. It was hard to search for somebody not knowing his name or surname. The description led to nothing. People didn't know who was he looking for, even slytherins didn't have a clue.
"Aurelian, Aurelian Selwyn" Boy extended his hand in greeting.
"Nice to meet you Aurelian" Harry said shaking his hand. "Harry Potter"
"So what do you want to discuss?"
"How did you know Sirius was innocent?" The question that kept him awake at night. He desperately seek answer to that.
"I didn't know."
"What?"
"I didn't know Black was innocent, I just highlighted my observations and some inaccuracies ." Aurelian cleared.
Harry was once again stunned by Selwyn. He didn't know? He quickly came back to previous conversations with him. Why Black didn't kill him when he was occasions and why other animals hated rat. It was only simple observations. He never once said Sirius was innocent.
"Why I could find you in class on the end of last term?"
"I took the exams faster because I had to leave. Family problems."
"Oh..." That explained a lot. Proffesors didn't ask about Aurelian, they knew he had left. Harry couldn't find him because he wasn't in Hogwart in the first place.
"Anything else?"
"No.. no, that's all.." Harry was surprised. It was so simple and yet so unbelievable. His stupid head came up with all sorts of theories, from boy being a seer or spy to partnership with Sirius. The latest was denied by his godfather. So easy, so obvious.
"I have to go, see you later Hadrian." Without waiting for reply, Aurelian disappeared around the corner. In that moment Harry reminded himself, that we wanted ask him, where he heard his name. But it was too late. Slytherin was nowhere to be found.
[Back to the present]
"Hey... Aurelian" Harry slowly greeted slytherin, called him Selwyn didn't fit because they knew each other a little and also boy called him by his name. But Aurelian sound strange on his tongue. Slytherin seemed to sense it and said.
"You don't have to be this formal. Call me whatever you want." Aurelian tilted his head. Black, curly hair which were to his shoulder covered left part of the face. The sun shone on his nearly white skin. For a boy his feature was a little femine. He could dress up as a girl and if you don't look too much, you could easily mistake him for one.
"Create a nickname for me." Amusement was dancing in his hazel eyes. "Something adorable, please"
Did he flirt with me? It was one of the a few thoughts that at the moments was occupied his head. If so, Harry wasn't good in this games. Today is already tiring for him and he didn't want to torment his brain even more. Aurelian looked in the emerald eyes for a second and sighed.
"I don't flirt with you. I just want you to feel comfortable."
"Oh.." It was only word that escaped Harry's mouth.
"I was thinking that maybe small, playful chat helps you relax before you go to the lions den." His voice was sincere and there was sympathy in it.
"Um.. Thank, I guess" Harry thanked hesitantly.
"Those horses are called thestrals."
Harry for a minute didn't know what Aurelian was talking about. And then he remembered the carriages pulled by those skeletal creatures similar to horses. There was one question on his mind.
"Have you.. have you seen them too?"
"Yeah." He nodded.
"Why nobody else could see them?" If Aurelian can see those horses, thestrals, then maybe he isn't insane. Even though Luna said she can see them, he wasn't comforted. But Harry thinks of Aurelian as very logical and sane person.
"Not everyone can see thestrals." He add with a sad smile. "Only those who saw someone die."
Cedric. He saw Cedric die. Green Light and those empty eyes.
"Are you okay?" These word brought him back from the memories like nightmares. Concern painted Aurelian face. He didn't notice when boy moved closer to him. And at that moment it dawned on Harry that Aurelian too, saw someone die.
"Who?" Harry mumbled, not specified the question. But it's looks like slytherin understood.
"My best friend." His eyes were looking at something in the distance. "We were six, he loved reading books. One day in Knockturn alley someone gave him a book, it turned up that book was cursed. His family was really influential, it was deliberate."
"I'm sorry.." Harry didn't know what to say.
"Don't be." Aurelian cut him off. "It was culprit fault and adults who watched over us."
Harry didn't say anything. He couldn't imagine small child watching his friend die in front of his eyes. Six. Only six years old. If something happened to Ron or Hermione, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. Just thinking about it made him sick. And then one thought struck him.
Has he forgiven himself for Cedric's death?
"You know, it's getting late. I have to go back to the dorms." Aurelian voice snapped him out of depressing thoughts. "Nott will be asking too many questions that I don't want to answer and I can't lie to him that I was in the library."
After a moment of thought, he added.
"Take this, you might find it useful." He gave him the book and quickly moved away, Harry didn't have time to protest. He watched the boy walk away.
Harry glanced at the book.
Introduction to occlumency