➣ 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝟗 “𝙊.𝙒.𝙇.𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙨”
⋆｡°✩°｡⋆
As they barely entered the Gryffindor common room — after being scolded by Uncle Remus, and Harry feeling like shit; with no Marauder’s Map, and no Invisibility Cloak —, Hermione approached Ron and Harry, handing them the letter she received from Hagrid earlier.
Dear Hermione,
We’re back at Hogwarts, and with news.
I won’t forget all the help you gave us.
Please meet me on Saturday morning, bring the boys.
Hagrid.
After that, worry and dread crept up Harry’s stomach at the mere thought of Buckbeak being executed as Lucius Malfoy requested.
With the new safety measures imposed on the students after Uncle Sirius’ break-in, it had been impossible for them to meet up with Hagrid to question him. Their Care of Magical Creatures classes had been canceled for the week, so they couldn’t question Hagrid in class.
It was early, before breakfast, a week later, that the kids got out of the castle, running towards Hagrid’s hut while under the Invisibility Cloak—which had been safely retrieved a few days prior.
“Hagrid, we are so sorry, we—”
Of course, the moment he pushed the door open, he wasn’t expecting the sight in front of him. Sitting around Hagrid’s hut were the four people Harry was getting to know very well by now, and who had a very special place in his heart.
“Abu Pedro? Aunt Caro?” he tilted his head like a confused puppy.
“Nico?” asked Hermione.
“Caelum?” asked Ron.
The five people inside the small hut were sharing tea, all with satisfied smiles on their faces, all looked up to them.
“Come in, kiddos!” called Abu Pedro.
“What – what happened – we got the letter – where’s Buckbeak? What are you guys doing here?” stuttered Harry, looking from one person to the other.
“Harry! Ron! Hermione! Come in, come in! We was just talking bout Buckbeak!” Hagrid hurried them in with a large grin.
Harry hurried into the very small place, quickly hugging Abu Pedro and Aunt Caro, before standing there and asking, “Hagrid, what happened with Buckbeak?”
“How did the trial go?” pressed Hermione biting her nails, Ron beside her.
“We won! They won’t execute my Bukie!” Hagrid exclaimed.
“Oh, that’s marvelous!” said Hermione, letting out a long breath in delight.
“No way!” Ron said in bewilderment, “How?”
“It was all thanks ter Mr. Pedro,” Hagrid said, his eyes watering. Abu Pedro merely waved a hand, trying to calm the half-giant.
“Hagrid, it’s really not—”
“He went against all o' them! Not even Malfoy could say anythin'! An' don't even let me tell yeh 'bout Carolina,” Hagrid said enthusiastically.
“Please don’t, Hagrid, thank you,” Carolina said sipping from her tea with a smile.
“They offered, even if it was more of a demand, fer Buckbeak ter be taken to their Magical Creature Reserve in Colombia,” finished Hagrid.
“Which is the reason we wanted you all here,” said Abu Pedro as he stood, smoothing his robes, “The carriage will arrive any moment now to pick up Buckbeak, we should move, if you want to say goodbye,” he walked to the door, ruffling Harry’s hair before walking out. The rest followed suit.
Harry walked in a half hug with Aunt Caro, who was threading her fingers through his hair, staying behind everyone else.
“I just thought you ought to know that the papers are almost done,” she said softly, without the others hearing.
“The papers?” Harry asked, before the conversation before boarding the Hogwarts Express came back to his mind. “Oh, wait… and… Uncle Remus hasn’t mentioned anything, I… is he okay with it? And Nico?” he asked slowly, his voice small and unsure.
Carolina chuckled. “They were the ones who helped me make up my mind. I don’t—" she crouched at Harry's level, "I don’t follow Dumbledore any longer, Harry. I only follow my family, and you’re a part of it. I will never be able to forgive myself for letting you be taken from us, but forgiveness doesn’t matter, all that matters is that we can change our present and our future, and I want that. I want you to do that with us.”
“So, they agreed?” he asked, being unable to ignore the need for confirmation.
“Yes, Love, they did. Remus doesn’t want to say anything until everything is sorted out, and it’s still a bit of a surprise for Nicolás, he’ll be over the roof with it. We all will be, if you still agree with it.”
“Oh,” was all Harry’s brain could come up with.
He couldn’t stop the blossoming feeling in his belly. Was this how it felt to be loved? To be cared for and protected?
Because, for the longest time, Harry’s dreamt about having siblings, someone who shared his pain, or who could sooth it, but they never came. Until now, because Caelum and Nicolás were the closest thing to that.
And for months he felt envious. He felt envious of them for having had a good childhood, for having loving parents and not abusive uncles and aunts. And above all, he felt a deeper sense of abandonment, because they were supposed to be there with him, to save him, but they didn’t. Of course, at the time, he didn’t know any of the impossibilities of it, but still.
It was so natural to be with Nicolás and Caelum; orbiting around them, and so seamlessly to trust them. And barely knowing him, they simply took him under their wings and defended him against everyone. Maybe seeing how Nicolás defended him against Riddle back in the Chamber of Secrets was his first wake-up call, but he didn’t want the feeling his family brought to go away.
“I reckon you don't know this, but our houses have always had a room ready for you,” Carolina said.
“How so?” asked Harry.
They stopped at a small clearing in the forest, still apart from the rest. The others walked up to where Buckbeak rested.
“After… after the night your parents died, the plan was to take you back with us, but we couldn’t find you, because Dumbledore had gotten there first,” Aunt Caro started to explain, looking forward and clenching her fists. “He knew Sirius and I were your godparents, and he still took it upon himself to decide your fate.”
“Why would he do that?” asked Harry, for the second time now, feeling his own perception of Dumbledore changing, and not for the good.
Why would Dumbledore do such a thing? He surely knew about his mother’s relatives; about how much they despised magic. Why would he bring a magical child to them? How could he have expected them to care for him? Or… was that his intention? For him to not be cared about, so that once he came to Hogwarts, with a few words Harry would trust him completely?
Because he surely had the responsibility of checking up on him to see how he was doing, how his family was doing with magic, but he never did, he never really cared for him, did he?
“I don’t know, Harry. Dumbledore is the kind of man who sees people as nothing but pawns, you and your parents included, my family included. Do you know why we couldn’t find you?”
Harry shook his head.
“He put the Dursleys’ house under the Fidelius Charm. It’s a very ancient and powerful spell to hide a location.”
“But… why?” asked Harry again, feeling helpless. What could he have done for Dumbledore to condemn him in his so-called wisdom?
Dumbledore had explained that his mother’s sacrificial protection worked because he lived under the Dursley’s roof, but why would he need protection if he went to live on a whole another continent with his real family?
Maybe that was the point, wasn’t it? He wanted to have Harry in close watch. Close enough to be certain about his next moves, but far enough as to not interfere with any of the abuse he suffered, or the injustices placed upon him.
“I couldn’t tell, not with Dumbledore. The only thing for sure, is that he had his own reasonings when deciding your fate that would somehow benefit him, but as I told you, now you’re with us, and it is up to you to decide your fate, and to us to guide you.”
After that, a big carriage arrived, being pulled by two Abraxans, gigantic, winged horses. The Abraxans, Harry had met back in Colombia over the Christmas holidays. They had two large crests in their chest, tied in soft-looking chains; a Hippogriff surrounded by trees. The Cardona Family crest.
It was all a quick business. The workers from the reserve got a few ropes around Buckbeak, ensuring he was restrained, but completely unharmed. And in between Hagrid’s sobs, and hands waving in the air, the carriage flew away once more, taking Buckbeak to his new home.
And with a feeling of renewed hope, Harry clung to his aunt’s side, before they had to part, Harry and the other back to the castle, while she and Abu Pedro went back to the Ministry.
•─────⋅☾☽⋅─────•
“No, listen, I think is brilliant! It’s the Cheering Charm!” said Nicolás as they entered the Great Hall.
“Yeah, I don’t know how cheering they can be,” Cedric mumbled, as he hummed to himself, probably trying to remember the incantation.
They’ve spent the entire night going over the topics that could be evaluated in their upcoming O.W.L.s.
Nicolás had come up with a rather extensive list after having a very deep conversation with Professor Flitwick and the list for Charms was not exactly short.
Professors weren’t supposed to give this kind of information to students, but Nicolás had probably made the Sorting Hat proud with his Slytherin-ish abilities.
The other lists he had made for study were not much better, in fact, they were dreadful and synonyms of early death for any common Hogwarts student. Thankfully, studies in Castelobruxo were so much more advanced, that most of the spells for the upcoming exams, Nicolás had learned in his first and second years.
After all, the fact that Castelobruxo successfully instructed dozens of twelve-year-olds into becoming Animagi was the biggest giver. That, and the fact that most of their thirteen-year-olds received Apparition licenses.
Nicolás and his study group—Caelum, Cedric, Dorian, Alec, Amelia, Willow, Lilith, Amara, Ruby, and Aurora; very occasionally the Weasley twins joined—, had been meeting at least one hour each day, and their progress was marvelous.
What Nicolás had not expected, was for Caelum to appear in his vision range like a blur, grab his arm, and tear him apart from his boyfriend.
His cousin had a clear plan in mind, as he only grabbed his arm, and after a quick, “Good morning, Cedric,” he dragged Nicolás out of the Great Hall and far away from his well-deserved and most-needed breakfast.
They walked until they reached a small alcove at the end of the hallway, once they sat, he took out a letter from his pocket, opening it so the two of them could read it.
Dear Caelum and Nicolás,
I would’ve sent two letters, but you're separated conjoined twins, so there’s no use.
I don’t even know what to tell you, boys, but thank you for bringing Padfoot home, Nico. I don’t even know why it surprised me that it was you who sent him back with a bag filled with notes on healing spells. Your mother has been helping me, she’s always been better at them.
Boys, our canine friend is just fine. He was in a disgusting shape when he came, even if he told me Nicolás had been feeding him and taking care of him—thank you again, Nico.
Cae, baby, don’t blame yourself because he didn’t want you to know where he was. He’s been crying and whining nonstop over that. Over not having enough time to speak with you.
We’re taking care of him for now, but I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to stop him from going back to the castle, he is obviously desperate to catch that rat, but I don’t know how it will happen.
You, more than anyone, know how reckless and stupid he can be, and he's restless, so please, keep an eye out.
That’s all I wanted you, dearies, to know, please take much care of yourselves with those nasty Dementors still around Hogwarts.
I’ll be having strong words with Fudge over that. This is what he gets for wanting to name a Hit Witch as Head of the Auror Office.
I trust you guys will do more than wonderfully in your O.W.L.s., but also remember to have fun and enjoy as much as you can! I also heard about your little movie business! Please have fun, guys!
Yours truly,
María Cardona-Black
Well, that was the most Aunt María letter Nicolás expected. And she very cleverly had talked about Uncle Sirius without needing to mention him. Clever Hit Witch his aunt was.
That was one thing to take out of his mind for the time being. It was true what she said, though. Sooner or later, Sirius would pressure her enough to take him back to the school grounds, or he would simply run away and come back.
•─────⋅☾☽⋅─────•
The weeks approaching the Quidditch Cup finale—Gryffindor vs Slytherin—, had everyone on edge; even those of other houses, because nobody seemed to want Slytherin to win. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that Flint, their Captain, had made it his goal to have the team to play as dirty as he could—not that he could ever make Dorian play dirty.
After breakfast, Nicolás dragged Cedric down to the Quidditch Pitch along with all their friends.
“Come on, Ced, take that frown off your face,” said Nicolás, pinching his boyfriend’s cheeks. “There’s no use for it now.”
“I guess you’re right,” Cedric sighed, weakly smiling. Let’s say that losing to Ravenclaw had been a bit of a hit to his ego, even if he had stolen the attention by catching the Snitch after tricking the Ravenclaw Seeker, Zhang Mei, with a spectacular Wronski Feint.
“Anyway, it’s Wood’s last chance to win the Cup, you’ll still have two more years, eh?” Nicolás tried to lift his spirits. And it seemed to work, as Cedric chastely kissed him, nuzzling their noses, because he seemed to love doing that.
“Ugh,” someone said from beside them. “You guys became an item and now are trying to shove it down everyone’s throat,” it was Lilith, with mocking offense. All the others laughed.
“Want to give them a run for their money?” asked Aurora, suggestively raising her eyebrows at Lilith.
“Oh, shut up,” with very red cheeks, the redhead pushed Aurora, before running laughing, Aurora following her.
In between the usual chatter, the extensive group arrived at the Pitch. Nicolás was relaxed, the conditions seemed to be just perfect for the finale, so he didn’t have to worry about ensuring that Harry didn’t fall from his broomstick to his death or something.
Three quarters of the crowd— including most of Nicolás’ group, because Amelia and Lilith, even despising the Slytherin team, refused to support Gryffindor—, was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans like “GO GRYFFINDOR!” and “LIONS FOR THE CUP!”
“And here are the Gryffindors!” yelled Lee Jordan, the usual commentator. “Potter, Bell, Johnson, Cardona, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years—”
Lee’s comments were drowned by a tide of “boos” from the Slytherin end.
“And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He’s made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill—”
More boos from the Slytherin crowd. The captains shook hands and mounted their brooms, being followed by their teams, and with a whistle, and the roaring from the crowd, the players took off and the game began.
Harry was lost from sight in seconds, but Caelum made sure to make the game his, facilitating the first fours scores for Gryffindor, and making two more of his own much later in the game.
There was a penalty after Fred hit Flint on the head, making him bleed from the nose—this was in retaliation after the Slytherin tried to push Angelina off her broom, deliberately—. Then, Wood made a show of his Keeper skills, stopping three shots from the Slytherin Chasers.
Montague, one of the Slytherin Chasers tried to throw Katie Bell from her broom by grabbing her head instead of the Quaffle in her hands.
Madam Hooch’s whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Keeper.
“THIRTY–ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING—”
“Jordan, if you can’t commentate in an unbiased way—!”
“I’m telling it like it is, Professor!”
“Those slimy bastards know they have no chance of winning, at least not fairly, anyway,” Alec commented by Nicolás’ side.
“How legal is it for two Beaters to close on the Seeker of the other team?” Nicolás asked Cedric.
“What do you mean?” Cedric asked. Nicolás pointed up to where Harry was looking for the Snitch, but suddenly, the two Bludgers were sent his way, he was able to maneuver out of their way, but the Slytherin Beaters started to go his way.
Harry was able to turn his Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch.
“Ha haaa!” yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. “Too bad, boys! You’ll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it’s Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! — it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke — oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save —!”
But Flint had scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end of the stands, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.
“Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won’t happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession—”
Even with his boyfriend being the Captain of his own house's team Nicolás didn't know much about Quidditch, but even he could recognize that this game was quickly turning dirtier than the Dragon dung they used in Herbology. The Slytherins, except for Dorian, were going to any length to get the Quaffle, gaining penalties left and right. They even resorted to sending the Budgers to Wood, and Madam Hooch was beside herself.
“YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!” she shrieked at the Slytherin Beaters. “Gryffindor penalty!”
And Slytherin grew more desperate the more Gryffindor scored.
“Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I’ve never seen such tactics!” Madam Hooch screeched.
“YOU CHEATING SCUM!” Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall’s reach. “YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —”
Professor McGonagall didn’t even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously.
And by the time Gryffindor was at the lead with eighty to twenty, Harry zoomed, and in quick seconds, caught the Snitch, granting the Gryffindor team the Quidditch Cup.
And after that, in a rain of scarlet, was a whole show. Wood was crying, everyone was roaring and patting the teams’ backs, only Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder than Wood as Harry’s hands were clutched around the silver Quidditch Cup.
•─────⋅☾☽⋅─────•
The last week of May, and June’s first one, were the worst ones for the fifth-year students, as those were the ones in which they would have to sit their O.W.L. exams, not to mention the seventh-years would be with their N.E.W.T.s. Thank Merlin they had a whole day for each subject.
Fifth and seventh years started their exams a whole week before the other years started their normal end-of-the-year exams, as their exams were fundamental for their academic future.
During the entire approaching month, Nicolás spent hours down in the dungeons, after curfew brewing Draught of Peace for himself and his studying group. Thankfully, he had his copy of the Marauder’s Map, and his Invisibility Cloak to help him sneak into one of the potions labs with no trouble.
They could’ve asked Madam Pomfrey to give them, but it would’ve taken much more time.
He brewed it, and instead of directly drinking the potion—because Nicolás’ personal adjustments made it more potent in its calming properties, hence, increasing the risk of generating a dependency on it—, Nicolás would mix it with tea, and hand it down on their study sessions.
Each day that he avoided a nervous attack, he thanked his mother and all the breathing and relaxing exercises she taught him when he was little. Yes, he already knew everything he needed to know for his O.W.L.s—and even probably, his N.E.W.T.s—, and more, but tell that to his brain so he can calm. There were moments in which he lost control of his mind for seconds, and that was all it took for the synapsis of his brain cells to take him down a rabbit hole of panic.
Monday started with Charms, divided into two sections: theoretical and practical.
Professor Flitwick oversaw their theoretical section, in which they were asked about an infinity of charms, spells, and enchantments—exactly a hundred questions on it—, with a pretty diverse range of topics. From the basics like the Levitation Charm, passing through the Softening Charm, the Disarming Charm, the General Counter-Spell, the Slowing Charm, and the Cheering Charm; with an exhaustive revision of the Summoning Charm, the Banishing Charm, the Mending Charm; and finally, the Locomotion Charm, the Substantive Charm, the Confundus Charm, the Disillusionment Charm and the Slowing Charm.
Completely confident in his answers—in multiple choice, and open answer about theoretics—, Nicolás passed to the next classroom for his practical test.
The first part was ridiculous. They had to take an egg cup and make it do some cartwheels. Using Locomotor, Nicolás did so in seconds. Then, he simply had to use the Levitation, Color Change, and Growth Charms in the cup, and his test was completed.
He walked out knowing that at the very least, an Outstanding was guaranteed. After him, only by around fifteen minutes later, came Caelum—bragging about how, apparently, and for some reason beyond Nicolás, he became a fan of the Confundus Charm—, and then Cedric. The rest of the students started to walk out about an hour later.
After a good night's rest, and with his anxiety subdued thanks to his previous success, he woke up on Tuesday. Nicolás walked down to greet Professor McGonagall and start his theoretical exam on Transfiguration.
The multiple questions—this time, over a hundred—, included basic Transfiguration spells like the Avifors Spell, the Switching Spell, the Reparifarge, Vera Verto, Beetle Buttons, medium-level spells like Animagi information, Owl to Opera Glasses, the Felifors Spell, and the Draconifors Spell. And at last, came what Hogwarts considered the hardest transfiguration spells for their academic level: Hedgehog to Pincushion, the Switching Spell, Cross-Species Switches, the Snake Summoning Spell, and finally, the Vanishing Charm
For their practical exam, they were given a small box, which they needed to transfigure into different shapes, before applying on it what Professor McGonagall spent weeks instructing: the Vanishing Charm.
Again, Nicolás was the first to come out, waiting for Cedric and the rest.
Next, on Wednesday morning, Nicolás did his theoretical exam on Herbology, which requested of him to give an extensive list of characteristics, properties, uses, care, and maintenance of around fifty plants.
For his practical part, he simply performed some care and maintenance duties with a Fanged Geranium, a Chinese Chomping Cabbage, and a Screechsnap, and guaranteed his Outstanding. He didn’t spend hour after hour, with his Abu Angela, learning about plants in the reserve since he was five for nothing.
The next day, on Thursday, Nicolás was more than excited about seeing his father for the theoretical part of his DADA exam.
For this first part, instead of having questions to answer, they had to make small mini-essays about ten dark creatures: Imps, Ghouls, Banshees, Grindylows, Kappas, Werewolves, Vampires, Dementors, Boggarts, and Inferi—call it fate if you will—. Then, they had to make an extensive essay about the Unforgivable Curses.
After that, for their practical part, they had to make a line, entering, one by one, to what seemed like a small artificial field. There, they were fired at with different curses like the Full Body-Bind Curse, Leg-Locker Curse, Tongue-Tying Curse, Babbling Curse, Blasting Curse, and Conjunctivitis Curse, and they were expected to defend themselves and cast the counter-curses.
There were also cursed or spelled objects, which would sting, be electrified, try to freeze them, and so on; their job was to find the counter curse or spell for the object.
And, at last, they had to face their Boggart. This time, more prepared, Nicolás used his skill in Occlumency, to be able to cast the Boggart-Vanishing Spell before the creature could even take a shape. After finishing, the evaluator asked if he could cast a Patronus for some extra points, and Nicolás left the man with his wide-open mouth as he walked out with his silver wolf padding by his side.
After silently high-fiving his father, Nicolás knew his Outstanding was a guarantee.
The last exams of the week, both on Friday, were Study of Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies, both merely theoretical.
For Study of Ancient Runes, Nicolás translated the entire alphabet of the most common runes, going as forward as to make extra points suggesting how to properly mix the runes in a practical format, and how to intertwine them in alchemical crafting.
For Muggle Studies, a class he did not take, but for which he studied, he was asked about Muggle politics, as well as their economy, and given wizards' general lack of interest in muggles, they weren't very complex.
With the Sunday free, all the fifth and seventh years were the most eager to go to Hogsmeade to rest for an afternoon.
Nicolás and his entire study group spent the day lying in their usual grass spot near the Black Lake, talking about their exams. Everyone was expecting Outstandings and Exceeds Expectations, all apart from Alec, who was resigned to an Acceptable on Transfigurations, after making his egg cup explode instead of vanishing it.
The only other occurrence was Harry, Ron, and Hermione running to them to hand them some bags of candies and to wish them luck on their upcoming last week of exams.
Next Monday started with the longest exam, Potions.
The theoretical part was simple; almost two hundred questions about potions. From the basics, like the Cure for Boils, the Hair-Raising Potion, the Strengthening Solution, and the Antidote to Common and Uncommon Poisons; intermediate ones like the Wit-Sharpening Potion, the Calming Draught, the Pepperup Potion, Amortentia, and the most advanced they had studied like the Draught of Peace, the Invigoration Draught, the Polyjuice Potion, the Befuddlement Draught, and Felix Felicis.
For their practical exam, considering how most of the complex potions took days to brew, Nicolás brewed Draught of Peace, Antidote to Common and Uncommon Poisons, and Pepperup Potion.
Acing in record time, Nicolás knew Abu Pedro was more than proud of it, and his Outstanding was more than guaranteed. Brewing potions before learning his first spell—since he was eight—had its perks.
The next day, on Tuesday, Nicolas had probably the most entertaining exam: Care of Magical Creatures, which was only practical.
Thank the Lord that Hagrid had nothing to do with it—don’t get him wrong, to Nicolás, Hagrid was the coolest half-giant, but his classes were a hot mess, and let’s not even talk about the aftermath of Lucius Malfoy’s denounce of Buckbeak, and how Hagrid’s classes became painfully boring to attend.
It was built—like his father wanted to make the DADA end-of-the-year exam for the other years—to resemble some kind of obstacle course in a secluded part of the Forbidden Forest.
First, they would have to identify a Knarl hidden among a dozen hedgehogs; then, demonstrate the correct handling of a Bowtruckle; feed and clean out a Fire crab without sustaining serious burns; and finally, choose from a wide selection of food the diet they would give a sick Unicorn, a healthy Thestral, a foal Hippogriff, and an adult Chimaera.
Perhaps it could be considered cheating to have the Cardona Family gift on his side, but Nicolás didn’t care in the slightest, he only enjoyed another well-earned Outstanding.
The next day, he had his Divination exam. That was another class he had not taken since Castelobruxo, but for which he still studied on his own.
Nicolás wrote extensively about different divination methods, and for his practical made some vague but convincing predictions, using some things he caught from his stargazing, and solidifying them with his Arithmancy.
The next day, on his Arithmancy exam, as it was merely theoretical, Nicolás spent about three hours—notably less than everyone else—, resolving a hundred equations. He finished with an extra added essay—by personal choice—, about how to correct some of the formulas in the exam and use them in Spell and Potion Crafting.
The only ones who could almost keep up with him were Willow and Lilith, who finished about half an hour later.
The next day was the Astronomy exam. For the theoretical part, they answered around of a hundred questions about too many different topics, and at night, for the practical part, they had to look through their telescope and fill in a blank star chart with the precise positions of the stars and planets they were observing.
As the last one, they had their History of Magic exam. The longest one with about two hundred questions on many topics like Wand legislation, Goblin riots of the eighteenth century, Statute of Secrecy breach, and Formation of the International Confederation of Wizards.
Nicolás walked out of that one exam feeling as if smoke was coming from his head, which probably would explain the headache he had. That one exam, he was sure, would not be higher than an Exceeds Expectations.
•─────⋅☾☽⋅─────•
Two hours after his History of Magic exam, Nicolás was walking down a hallway, stretching his back and neck, when he heard hurried steps approaching. He barely had time to round the corner, before Harry bumped right into him.
“Nico!” Harry panted, breathless.
The younger boy' face was pale, and he was looking everywhere as if someone was following him. And if his memory served Nicolás right, Harry was coming from his Divination end-of-the-year exam.
“Little One, what happened?” Nicolás asked, moving Harry to a more secluded area, even if nobody else was in the hallway.
“I — I don’t know — I was — Divination, you know, for my exam — but Professor Trelawney started to talk — and it was so weird — and she mentioned Voldemort — and then she didn’t remember anything and I — I don’t know.”
Harry was rambling, probably still trying to make sense in his own mind of whatever had happened, before being able to make it make sense for others.
“Trelawney gave you a real prediction?” asked Nicolás, dumbfounded, and Harry’s nod felt more questioning than answering. “What did she exactly say, Little One?”
Harry shook his head. “She mentioned Voldemort, and that someone would go back to his master or something like that,” the poor boy looked helpless.
Okay, that was of no help, like at all. Nicolás needed to know the exact words, one by one, of everything Trelawney said.
“Little One, can I look inside your head to see it?” Nicolás asked softly. Harry seemed to think for a moment, before nodding, giving Nicolás permission to use Legilimency on him.
Nicolás nodded back, before grounding Harry by the shoulders, and looked into his eyes, before letting his mind-eye extend, until it reached Harry’s mind, and so the very first memory that came forward was the one he needed.
He saw Harry throughout his not-so-satisfying Divination exam. It passed with Trelawney uselessly trying to force a prediction out of Harry until the real thing started.
“Well, dear, I think we’ll leave it there... A little disappointing... but I’m sure you did your best,” said Trelawney.
Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag, and turned to go, but then a loud, harsh voice spoke behind him.
“IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT.”
Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were opened to their limit and seemed unfocused and her mouth sagging.
“S — sorry?” stumbled Harry.
But Professor Trelawney didn’t seem to hear him. Her eyes started to roll. Harry sat there in a panic. She looked as though she was about to have some sort of seizure. He hesitated, thinking of running to the hospital wing—and then Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own:
“THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, HE WHO BETRAYED HIS FRIENDS, WHOSE HEART ROTS WITH MURDER... SHALL TRY FOR THE LAST TIME TO BREAK FREE, BUT THE BLACK WHELP WON'T ALLOW IT... THE DARK LORD WILL TRY TO RISE AGAIN, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS, BUT HE SHALL KNOW BETTER THAN TO MESS WITH A LION'S PRIDE.”
Professor Trelawney’s head fell forward onto her chest. She made a grunting sort of noise. Harry sat there, staring at her. Then, quite suddenly, Professor Trelawney’s head snapped up again.
“I’m so sorry, dear boy,” she said dreamily, “the heat of the day, you know... I drifted off for a moment...”
“Oh, my God,” Nicolás gasped. Harry was horrifyingly pale.
“Nico—”
“Harry, I need you to go back to your common room, right now, and don’t leave the castle, do you hear me?”
“Nico, what—”
“Harry,” Nicolás stressed. “It’s not a very hard request, please go back now, and please find Caelum and tell him to find me in the library. Now,” probably due to the tension and urgency in his voice, Harry merely nodded, running towards Gryffindor Tower.
Half an hour later, in one of the secluded tables of the library, and surrounded by a Muffliato Charm, Nicolás explained what he heard to Caelum.
“Oh, my God,” Caelum gaped, “what are we going to do?”
“I don’t know!” Nicolás stressed. “There are too many things, too many factors, and it’s supposed to happen tonight!”
“A whelp, a lion, the fucking rat, Voldemort,” listed Caelum.
“Do you think that’s us?” asked Nicolás.
“The whelp and the lion?” Nicolás nodded, Caelum hummed pensively. “I don’t know, probably,” he finally said. “I mean, if I see that rat, I for sure won’t let him escape, and you want to stop Voldemort as much as any of us.”
“Should we watch the grounds?”
Caelum nodded, and they left the library, choosing to move to the Great Hall to have dinner.
Throughout dinner, Cedric kept trying to get Nicolás to tell him what was bothering him, but Nicolás tried, in the nicest and sweetest way, to tell him off. He was his boyfriend; they weren’t about to fight over this. And it was incredibly sweet how Cedric worried so much, but Nicolás was already anxious, he didn't need any more of it.
An hour later, while he was sitting on his bed, Nicolás chose to open his copy of the Marauder’s Map and keep an eye on the outskirts of the castle, but before searching for Harry, he felt his two-way diary vibrate. Caelum had written.
I need to see you, it’s urgent.
Without a second thought, Nicolás grabbed his invisibility cloak and wrote back.
Back entrance, Disillusionment Charm
And with the map in hand, and his Invisibility Cloak, Nicolás walked out, ignoring the worried look Cedric sent him.
After arriving, he waited for five minutes before Caelum appeared, showing him a small parchment, breathless from running. It was short but made everything ten times worse.
I’m so sorry, but he wouldn’t stop begging and threatening to leave. I took him back to the Forbidden Forest, but I will be going back in the night with Caro to watch for him, remember tonight’s the full moon.
María
“Why does everything get complicated now?” Caelum stressed, grabbing handfuls of his hair.
“Oh, no, no, no,” Nicolás mumbled looking down at the map.
In Hagrid’s hut were not only its owner, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but also Peter Pettigrew. And as he ran in that direction, Nicolás knew Caelum followed closely. But the kids and the rat moved, and Nicolás had to run faster.
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Author's note
sooo, I'm back yayyy
These past few weeks have been overly crazy for me, but now I'm much better and ready to continue this incredible story! Hope you guys liked today's chapter and felt like the long wait was worth it!!!
I want to take a moment to very deeply thank each and every single one of you who has taken the time to read this story, where I have poured so much of not only my time but also my very soul. Again, English is not my first language but I do my very best to deliver content of good quality and I hope you guys can feel that as you read the words I write.
As of now, we have 5 more chapters to go before Part 3 ends! Get excited, because things are going to start building up so much from here and on, and many things that seemed insignificant at the point they were first mentioned will come back more important than ever!!
Also, here's my very badly done Cardona Family crest! It's the same crest that Nicolás and his parents + Ember carry on their necklaces and the one the magical creatures of the reserve carry when out!
As always, your comments, votes and follows are always appreciated!!!
Thank you for showing this story so much love!!
- 𝐣.𝐟. 𝐜. 🐼💜