Heron

“... and then Malfoy and Nefarias both agreed that the hearing is to remain.” Hermione explained what she had heard from Hagrid to Orion the next day.

The boy wasn’t sure why she was talking to him, yet alone about this. He was incredibly impressed, however, with the fact she was managing to balance out school and now Buckbeak’s case. Even with him knowing the textbooks cover to cover, it still took practically two thirds of his free time to finish the assignments he had, with the most annoying ones being Trelawney’s, since he had to resort to making up dreams which she found to be “positively boring and frustratingly mundane”. 

“How do you have enough time for all this?” he let out, partly subconsciously.

“Oh, well, Harry and Ron are helping... in their own way.” she sighed.

Even though she said that, Orion noticed she looked exhausted, despite only a week having gone by.

“I need to go.” she said. “See you in Runes.”

“Later.” he watched her walk away.

“Do you think she likes you?” a voice came from mere inches next to Orion’s right ear, slightly startling him. 

“I reckon she does. But the question is - do you like her?” came the same voice but from his left.

Orion raised an eyebrow at the Weasley twins.

“Listen, Ori,” Orion raised it higher, “you saw Penelope take a few things from us the other day.”

“Well, we weren’t really worried,”

“We have tons of the ‘prototype’ with us,”

“But we didn’t realize we had one of the ingredients we nicked from Potions in our pockets.”

“Stupid blunder, really.”

“I am not taking it from Penelope.” Orion quickly intervened.

“No, no, no, you’ve got the wrong idea.”

“We want you to steal it from Snape again... no, just kidding,”

“We simply want you to... give her a bit of convincing,”

“You know, put us in better light.” 

The two then proceeded to do their best impression of a cat that was silently begging for food.

“I want something in return.”

“OF COURSE!” the two excitedly put an arm on both Orion’s shoulders. “A deal needs something from both parties. What do you desire?” they said in unison.

“A prank on someone you don’t really like?” said the one.

“A bit of the ‘prototype’?” said the other.

“We can’t guarantee you won’t get to visit the hospital wing, though; unless that’s what you’re looking for.” they quickly added in a rather low voice.

“In which case, we can definitely arrange it!”

“Shhhhh!” Mrs. Pince warned the two.

“We can try and get the best seats for our first match.”

“No, I guess you don’t really care for Quidditch.”

“I need something from Peeves.” Orion finally put an end to their list.

“Ol’ Peevers?”

“Yes.” Orion said matter-of-factly.

“Sure, what will it be?”

---- 

“There you are, there you are, / I’ve waited all-” began the poltergeist.

“Save your rhymes, please.” said Orion who was a bit sleepy, as it was already well past midnight.

“I’ll have you know, were it not for the twins, you would be in much trouble. You managed to slip by last time, but I can make sure they get you.” Peeves stuck out his tongue.

“I thought you liked when people broke rules.” Orion brushed casually and continued on his way, knowing what Peeves’s reaction would be.

“No! No! No! Trouble is what I like, and you don’t seem to be causing nearly enough, if any. The Weasleys, however, they know a good prank.”

“I thought you’d follow me.”

“Hmph.” Peeves crossed his arms, “I would, but I can’t seem to go that deep down. Don’t you think I’d’ve tried already?”

“I don’t have much time to chat. Just do as the Weasleys told you.”

Orion managed to just catch Peeves making a funny face as he turned and headed further down.

“THERE. YOU. ARE! I’ve been expecting you for so long now; I thought you’d be more than eager to have your first proper trial.” Aurenadle greeted.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Busy? With what?”

“Well, I am a student.”

“I thought you had no problems with schoolwork.”

“I don’t, but I don’t have an infinite supply of time, so can we get started already?” Orion yawned.

“Sure, sure, sure, Mr. ‘I’m too important for this’.” Aurendale continued the banter that both had gotten so accustomed to. In a more serious tone he added, “Ok, if you’re ready, I want you to take a deep breath and stand still right where you are.”

Orion felt his heart start to race a little and with a quick nod he signaled he was ready.

Just as he had experienced several times before, a warm feeling as though being engulfed by warm water came over him and everything began fading to black. Orion took out his wand, ready for whatever he was about to face.

“Oh, you won’t be needing that.” said Aurendale.

“What?” Orion managed to say before getting teleported.

He slowly opened his eyes. In front of him there was a large frame, a portrait of a chair. 

He was in the same room.

“Wait a moment... wait a moment.” much like the first time they had met Aurendale’s voice came from the painting, though he wasn’t yet in it. “Ah, here I am.”

Orion looked around; everything was identical. Everything... but the air about. It felt hotter and a lot drier.

“Where are we?” he turned to the painting.

“I’m glad you asked! We’re in Africa!”

A short silence followed.

“...In Africa!!!” repeated Aurendale, hoping to get a reaction from the boy. 

He was unsuccessful. 

“Listen, I’d appreciate it if you were a bit more excited, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a couple of years now.”

Orion clapped slowly and sarcastically four times.

“Good enough for you, I suppose. Now, let me introduce you to your first trial.”

A door opened and seven people walked in. Two of them were slightly older and both were incredibly dark-skinned, one man - who was very large; and one woman who was leaning forwards. Orion thought that if this really was Africa, then they were certainly locals. Three men were the polar opposite – they were all from Asia, two wore identical suits and by the flag on them, he figured out they were from China. One was quite a young boy compared to the rest, and the last was an incredibly beautiful woman.

“Let me introduce to you the five other ancient mages of the world.” said Aurendale. “Starting with our most experienced ones, we have Nardos Zewdu from Sudan and Farouk Ali from what I’ve been told is now called Eritrea.” The lady bowed with a friendly smile, while the man only raised his hand slightly without revealing too much emotion. “Then we have Tianyu Sun from China. The two men beside him are Changwei Li and Zhihuan Guo.” The three took a deep and respectful bow. “From Ecuador we have Valeria Troche,” the tanned pretty lady waved, “And finally, the second youngest after you – Robert Winks.” Robert winked. “Now, everyone, this is Orion Hawthorne, but I’m sure you’re already tired of me speaking about the boy.”

“I thought you said five.” Orion questioned Aurendale.

“Mr. Changwei and Mr. Zhihuan are similar to what I was to your grandfather Atticus.”

“Colleagues?”

“I’d like to think of myself as more than a colleague, thank you very much.” Aurendale said, irritated. “We both looked for ancient mages all over the world and had we not done that, we wouldn’t know these people existed. But we’re getting sidetracked, your task for today is to meet these people. In the following months, perhaps the whole year, you’ll be learning from them, since I can’t teach you anything myself.”

Orion looked at the unusual group of people and felt a strange emotion he couldn’t quite put into words, slowly come over him. Though he was surprised and excited to finally be meeting people of his abilities, he also couldn’t believe there were others like him. 

Perhaps he didn’t want it to be true.

“Oh, mate, finally a younger face, I’ve been stuck with these old relics for a year now.” Robert interrupted his thoughts.

“Who are you calling a relic, Robobo?!” Valeria kicked him in the heels. As Robert pulled his leg up in pain, she offered her hand to Orion. “Valeria, nice to meet you.”

She really was gorgeous; her wavy brown hair and deep olive skin accentuated her bright hazel eyes that seemed to radiate nothing but joy and from the way she was dressed, she looked like someone who enjoyed spending time partying.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Orion shook her hand.

“This brat will brag about his age only when he’s doing well.” she rummaged Robert’s curly blond hair, making sure it was as uncomfortable for her victim as possible.

“Lera, you need to stop hurting Robert.” the elderly lady came over and supported Robert while he was hopping on one leg.

She had very short curled hair and from up close Orion could see the lines on her face much clearer than from afar.

“He was asking for it.” Valeria fought on.

“Don’t I always tell you to be like a bigger sister to him?”

“She’s doin’ a spankin’ job.” chuckled Robert, finally stepping on both feet. “Old hag.” he said to Valeria, but immediately had to dodge a most sincere slap.

“HAG? You’re an old fart too, in that case. Just five years younger!”

“‘Just’? I know you’d give your right arm to still be in your early twenties.”

“I’d give my right arm to make you disapp-”

While they continued to bicker, Nardos approached Orion.

“Nice to meet you, young man. We have high hopes for you. We’ve all learned most of what we know from your grandfather’s works.” she said as they were shaking hands.

“You have a book of his??” Orion asked louder than he was used to, but cared very little, since this was very important to him.

“Four, to be exact.” Robert sneaked up behind Orion, his hands on his shoulders, using him as a human shield against Valeria. “I had two on me, Farouk and Tianmisun (A/N: like Tiramisu), Tianyu rather, had one each.” he rotated Orion to face Valeria.

“Are they here? Can I read them?” the boy said excitedly.

“Errr, no, but of course.” said Robert, “They’re at the American chamber.”

Orion looked at him inquisitively.

“We believe there is an ancient mage there, so we are setting up another chamber like this one, which is also like the one in England.”

“Scotland.” corrected Valeria.

“Same thing.” sighed Robert.

“Stop it.” a very deep voice killed the playful atmosphere. Farouk was looking at both Robert and Valeria. “You are children no longer, act your age.”

“Oh, don’t be such a buzzkill.” Valeria said, her Spanish accent more recognizable in disappointment.

“He’s always like this.” whispered Robert who was still behind Orion. “I’m old, wise and-” he began to say mockingly, but stopped once the one he was mimicking glared at him.

Orion looked towards Tianyu Sun who was the only one yet to speak.

He spoke in Chinese and Orion looked confused until Changwei Li translated.

“Mr. Tianyu Sun is pleased to meet you. He wishes to express his gratitude towards your grandfather and to also apologize for his inability to speak English. For that reason, please refer to either me or Zhihuan Guo, if you wish to speak with him.”

“So, how exactly are you to teach me?” asked Orion once everyone had calmed down, “everyone” being the two other young members.

“What do you know about ancient magic?” asked Farouk. 

He was a pragmatic man one would never expect to see smiling, but not because he hated everything nice, but because he valued calmness, responsibility and seriousness more.

“I know only what my grandfather wrote in the books I’ve read. He isn’t particularly descriptive of what it’s supposed to feel like nor what I need to focus on when trying to perform it.”

“Good, then you already know the basics.” smiled Nardos.

“It’s unique for everybody.” said Valeria and made the ground beneath Orion rise. She looked like she had expected a better reaction from him. 

“You are also not expected to have a mastery of everything this magic has to offer.” continued Nardos. “Lera, for example, is most comfortable manipulating the soil, the earth, while I - ” she paused and pointed her wand towards the ground where a small fire kindled, “am most comfortable manipulating fire.”

“Tell me, though,” interrupted Robert, “is it true you can’t perform magic without an incantation? Ancient magic that is."

“For the most part.” said Orion, half-thinking this wasn’t the most unusual thing in the world, but the rest of the room looked at him with either worry or curiosity. Tianyu had to wait for the situation to get explained to him fully before he reacted.

“Interesting...” murmured Valeria, as she eyed him up and down. “But never mind that!” she continued with a sudden burst of energy, “Show us a little.”

Orion concentrated and with the little experience he had gained thus far he managed to make a detailed statue rise from the ground.

“This makes three, I guess.” said Robert. “I mean, you are the third after Valeria and I to be most confident with earth.”

“Are all of you capable in only a single element?” asked Orion.

“No, not at all. As Nardos said, though, we are most comfortable with a specific type of magic.”

“What Atticus and I supposed was the case,” began Aurendale, “is that, since the roots of this particular magic are very, very old and at that time people had different priorities than ours, the magic is more focused towards earth, water, fire and other... general elements, let’s say, that would have been useful to control.”

Tianyu said something to Changwei Li and Zhihuan Guo.

“That is not to say it hasn’t evolved,” continued Aurendale, “Atticus made immense progress in ‘modernizing’ it.”

“As Tianyu Sun says,” began Changwei Li, “our goal should be the same - to continue Mr. Hawthorne’s studies.”

Everyone seemed to agree with this statement, though Farouk seemed to have second thoughts.

“I will leave you to it for today.” the large man said.

Everyone looked at him, until he left the room.

“He’s in a bit of a situation.” said Nardos, “He has a lot of work now that Eritrea has declared its independence from Ethiopia. They have to create a new Ministry, and though they are getting some assistance from the Ethiopians, the muggle party is incredibly unhelpful, especially when it comes to the new generations of witches and wizards.”

 (A/N: Did I randomly pick out a country from Africa? Yes. Do I understand its conflicts? Hell no. Am I gonna keep it anyways because it sounds kinda cool? Yes. I am watching videos and reading a bit on the history of the country, which is interesting by the way, and I apologize in advance for anything I might get wrong).

“At the moment it looks like unless you are born into a magical family, it will be impossible to enter magical schools.” said Valeria disheartened.

Zhihuan Guo spoke up again, “We must also excuse ourselves, unfortunately, as we have important business at our Ministry.”

“Have you not caught that criminal yet?” asked Robert.

“We cannot disclose such information at the present time.” said Zhihuan Guo matter-of-factly. “You can trust us that you are not in any danger.” he smiled, bowed and together with Changwei Li and Tianyu Sun disapparated.   

“Well, I guess that was that for formal introductions.” said Valeria, “I’ll be helping you out first, I’ll send you an owl when I’m available, ‘kay?”

“Sure.” nodded Orion.

“Don’t expect too much, mate.” whispered Robert just loud enough so that she could hear them.

Instead of fighting, she just waved them goodbye and saying “I’m sure you’re still sore after our last competition.” she disapparated as well.

“Tch. One contest.”

“She has outperformed you in all your duels.” smiled Nardos teasingly.

“The score is twelve to three. And I still win all our regular magic duels.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we’re all ancient mages, isn’t it?” she chuckled, “I will see you sometime soon too, Orion. I’ll send over an owl to let you know when I am able to teach you as well.” and with that she vanished.

“Lame, the lot of them. I hope you’re better.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think I will be.”

“We’ll have to wait and see.” Robert shook Orion’s hand.

“That’s that. Odd bunch, aren’t they?” said Aurendale once they were alone. “Let’s get you back, it is quite late.”

Orion found himself sitting alone comfortably on one of the many armchairs in the Ravenclaw dormitory. Despite no one being able to apparate or disapparate on Hogwarts grounds, this was now the second time Orion had been transported directly from one of Aurendale’s chambers to the Ravenclaw common room.

--- 

“He really knows his stuff.” said Caspian after another Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, which by now had become the most anticipated subject for most students.

“Pity he’ll be gone by the end of the year.”

“Don’t tell me you believe that, Si.” said Terry. “It’s just a silly coincidence.”

“A how many-year long coincidence?” asked Silas with a fair amount of confidence.

“It doesn’t matter.” 

There wasn’t really an argument to be had, everybody knew that the position was cursed; it wasn’t just Quirrell and Lockhart who had lost their spots, but nearly two dozen people before them.

“He at least doesn’t seem as arrogant as Lockhart to obliviate himself...”

“Quiet!” shushed Terry.

The three had promised not to spread around the fact that Lockhart had stolen his glory from other witches and wizards by erasing their memories. That was Orion’s condition for telling them, though they didn’t know the rest of the story about the Chamber of Secrets.

“I know, I know, I wasn’t going to mention that.” continued Silas, “...nor as... well I’m not sure what happened to Quirrell.”

“Most believe he died.” said Caspian.

“Well, everyone also thought Lockhart was great before they met him.”

“Can’t see how that’s relevant.”

“I don’t doubt you can’t.”

“But didn’t Potter let out Quirrell was You-Know-Who?” raised Terry.

“I highly doubt that, too.” said Silas, though now with less confidence.

“It wasn’t that he ‘was’, but rather that he was possessed by Him.” corrected Caspian.

“Makes it less believable if anything.”

The rumor had died quickly, with no time to spread after having been born right at the end of their first year, and every time someone would try to bring the subject up, everybody involved would get uncomfortable and find an excuse to change the subject. Everybody except the Gryffindor trio who refused to speak in much detail but were adamant on the fact it was Voldemort behind Harry’s late-term hospitalization.

“What do you think, Ori?” asked Caspian.

“Professor Lupin hardly ever looks well; I doubt he’ll manage more than a year.”

“That’s truee- why does he always look like he’s been cuddling with a not-so-hug-enthusiastic cat?” Silas had heard that description from an upperclassman and was glad he finally had gotten the chance to use it.

“And isn’t he also fairly young? And yet he has tons of white hairs.” added Terry in a slightly concerned voice.

“I still hope he gets to stay or that if we once again get someone new, they at least are as knowledgeable. I don’t know if I can manage another Lockhart.” 

“Hawthorne!” a girl’s voice called out from a corridor on their right.

Hermione waved her hand invitingly, once Orion had made eye contact with her. The boy didn’t even bother turning towards the other three, knowing they had already altered their faces into devious expressions, and walked over to the Gryffindor.

“Yes?”

“Hagrid received a letter,” said Hermione, “The committee supposedly decided that a trial isn’t necessary for Buckbeak, as there wasn’t anyone severely harmed…”

Orion still wasn’t sure why he was being involved in this.

“…but then Malfoy pushed on, saying  that it had ‘caused visible mental trauma onto his son’. So, now they are going to send a team of ‘experts’,” she made sure to air quote the term, and Orion knew very well that she’d meant ‘bought officials’, “and will examine him to make sure he isn’t dangerous.”

“Ok,” said Orion, at which Hermione eased up a bit, “what do you want me to do?”

This response was not something the girl had expected, though once she thought about it she realized she didn’t know what she had wanted to hear.

“I-…I’m sor- I just thought maybe you’d want to know.” 

“If you’re worried about Nefarias, he won’t be part of the examiners, as long as the date is before the second of November.”

“Wh-…”, ‘Why?’ was the word she wanted to say, but at that point she was, much like a metronome, switching between feeling relief, which she couldn’t explain, that Orion was continuing on with the conversation; then a sudden burst of anxiety at the mention of Nefarias; then doubt at how Orion knew the man wouldn’t be available.

“I spoke with his daughter last time they were here; unlike her father she isn’t a complete –” the boy stopped himself from saying something unpleasant, “Either way, she said they were going to be busy until the second of November; didn’t mention why.”

“Well…that’s good,” Hermione continued, having regained her composure, “that does increase our chances somewhat. Perhaps if Dumbledore also intervenes in the selection somehow…”

A pair of steps from around the corner stopped her halfway through, as she recognised them by their weight.

“Hermione! There you are! I’ve been looking all over the school for you and more importantly –” Ron was furiously pointing at her.

“For the last time, Ron, I haven’t seen Crookshanks today and stop blaming him for your incompetence at keeping that rat safe.” She answered just as passionately.

It seemed this wasn’t the first time they had argued about this.

“My incompetence?! You are the one that can’t control that beast, you shouldn’t have it.” The Weasley boy said confidently, as though stating a well known fact.

Harry didn’t seem to be on either one’s side, but there was a glimpse of worry in his eyes.

“And more importantly,” continued Ron, “Scabbers is gone. Your cat ate him!”

“You said that the last two times as well. Stop accusing Crookshanks!”

“The last two times were different.”

“Oh, I’m sure they were.”

“I managed to find him instantly then, but I’ve been looking since after breakfast and…” Ron continued.

“I’ll be going now.” Orion was tired of listening to this argument.

“SURE!” Hermione said heatedly, unable to discern whom she was talking to. “Sorry.” She quickly added after realising, but then returned to speaking loudly “…and you’ve had him lost since when?”

“Since Care for Magical Creatures! Now, if you don’t…” was the last thing Orion heard before turning away towards his next period.

From one of the windows near the staircase he managed to catch a glimpse of a very large orange cat, running from the grounds towards the Forbidden Forest. It seemed incredibly focused on something, but all Orion could see from the distance was a large black spot.