Lesson Disaster
Everyone has secrets. Some are small, some are big, a few are harmless, and more are harmful. No matter your age, your race, or your identity, we all hide secrets.
Even the most innocent person in the world can hide an ugly secret.
We keep secrets to protect something. And most of the time, to hide what's behind that beautiful smile, there's a dark lie lingering in the deepest part of our existence.
And we will do everything to hide that secret.
When I say everything, I mean, Everything.
***
As everyone noticed an owl flying at them, some stopped eating and stayed still. They anticipated another show. What show? The landing of the infamous Weasley's owl,Eroll.
However, Cale has already seen what will come and adjusted his position by taking four steps back. Midway through Eroll's landing, Cale raised his arms and caught the owl easily... most likely.
"Ack..!" Cale yelped from the impact as Harry, who's behind him, caught him before he lost his balance.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked as Cale took a second to respond, but eventually he nodded weakly.
After regaining his balance, Cale stood again, and Harry removed his arms from Cale's shoulder.
"Nice catch." George gave Cale a thumbs up, but Fred shook his head in disapproval.
"It was quite a show, but a show has to meet no injury." Fred walked near Cale and held his hand as Cale winced a little.
Fred's from became visible as he gave the owl to whoever was near them and examined Cale's hands.
"Oh god, should we go to the infirmary?" Hermione cuts in after seeing the small scratches.
"It hurts." He said, nodding at Hermione's suggestion.
The twins panicked 'slightly' and hurried him to the infirmary, but got stopped after Malfoy came and interrupted them.
"It's just a bruise; don't sweat it." Malfoy said, causing the temperature to drop a few degrees.
"Let go of Cale." Fred started. He's annoyed by the appearance of the Slytherin, but he's more concerned about Cale's injury.
"There's no need. I'll guide him in the infirmary." Malfoy insists, which Ron rebuts, "Outsiders have no business here, so back off."
"I-"Stop it, it's almost time. You won't want to be late on the first day, right? We'll tend it ourselves." Cale interrupted as Fred glared at Malfoy even more.
"Cale- "Brother. I'll see you later, alright?"
Fred's intense gaze slowly softened as he sighed. "Alright, But make sure to treat it right away, and you-"
"Brother."
"Fine." Fred sighed and turned his gaze to the floor.
Cale sighed and gently pushed Draco on the shoulder away from the scene. He looked at them and said, "We'll go now. See you later." He says this, hoping he did not upset them by what happened.
"You don't have to do that." He mumbled to the latter he was dragging out of the hall.
"I do." Draco whispered back while looking in front of him with a visible defensive frown.
Cale took a short glance at his arm but saw no slight sign of injury on it.
'What...'
- That's... -
***
Meanwhile, Harry looks at the owl on his arms, which Fred gave him earlier. He noticed an ornament that the owl had been holding the whole time. It is a silver necklace that looks quite similar to the one he has. He got curious about the appearance of the pendant and tried to take the necklace off Eroll. The moment he tried to take it, the owl struggled and flew at the other Weasleys, giving them the necklace and leaving.
Ron gave him a sideways glance as he placed the necklace in his inner pocket. Ron gave him a short smile and asked him about muggle stuff, which eventually distracted him from the necklace.
A few minutes later, students began to disperse from the hall to their perspective lessons.
***
Arriving at the Potion classroom in the dungeon, Cale saw that all of the students were already here. The professor's presence is visibly absent from the loud talk of his peers.
They arrived on time because he insisted on Malfoy not going to the infirmary anymore due to an unknown cause of his wounds' disappearance. Thankfully, Malfoy is not being persistent about it and immediately agreed.
But Cale is still thinking about what Malfoy said earlier.
[In the Hallway ]
"Cale.." Draco continued walking as he talked.
"Hm?" Although Cale was already tired of today's talking, he tried to respond.
"I think you should avoid getting near that four-eye." Draco said. His voice creates echoes throughout the empty dungeon.
"Harry Potter? Why so?" Cale asks, thinking about why Draco wants him away from the boy.
'Did they fight or something?'
"He's... I heard him planning something against you." Draco stopped walking and faced Cale intently.
Cale was taken aback by what he said. That Harry Potter? He thinks about the boy and sees nothing alarming about him. He returned to reality after feeling the tap from Hong on his chest.
"Are you sure you heard it right?"
"I do. I don't know what it is, but I heard him talking about it with a third-year Gryffindor. I thought you should know."
Cale looked at the sincere face of Draco and sighed slightly. He then started to walk again, with Draco following him.
'Should I believe him?'
- Yes. I mean, you should. What if it's true? You'll get hurt again, Cale. -
'I don't know...'
"You don't believe me?"
'I don't'
"I do. Don't worry. I'll try not to get too near him for now." Cale smiled as they continued walking.
[Present]
Cale decided not to think too much about that for now. But he needs to be sure he won't get hurt.
As he shrugged the thoughts off, he noticed that there is only one unoccupied table in the room. And for whoever hates him, it is right next to Ron and Harry.
'It's awkward.'
After the conversation earlier, Cale felt uneasy being near Harry. Although he doesn't truly believe what Draco said, there's still a chance it's true.
Cale looks at their desk. There is one old cauldron in front of him and some suspicious-looking ingredients on the table. All of the other tables have the same materials, so he concludes that they'll already create something in their first ever lesson.
Suddenly, he heard a loud slam from behind coming from the door as it opened forcefully. He saw a shoulder-length black-haired man who looked like he had just gone to a funeral due to his overly black clothing.
The 'mostly likely' professor did his grand opening, lavishly walked past the students, and stopped at the end of the room. He turned his whole body toward all of them and smiled.
No, it is not a kind or benign smile; it is the smile of a boastful, 'I am above all' kind of person he had seen somewhere.
Cale felt the coldest chill he had ever felt in his life, and most likely it won't be the most.
"For your dumb fool's information, this is a potion class. Playing with those sticks is irrelevant in my class. I know you brats put value only on such things. I'll let you have your first lesson. Brewing tea." The professor's smile became a smirk as he turned around from everyone in the room.
He picked up a chalk and continued to write on the board, putting unnecessary force into it. The sound of the chalk touching the board went through Cale's ears as he felt more uncomfortable than before.
'Severus Snape.'
"And, Make sure to remember that name. Any other question, class?" He asks, but his face clearly suggests anyone stay quiet.
However, there's someone who is either brave enough to raise a question or too oblivious not to notice cues. Hermione raised her hands.
"Oh, what's there to ask, bushy hair?" Professor Snape called, not really in a mocking way but clearly not without hidden mockery beneath it.
As though she had been called, Hermione smiled and stood up. "It's Hermione Granger, sir. Why do we need to brew tea in a potion class?" She asked, then immediately sat down.
"Infants need to learn to use their hands and feet to be able to walk. And you, people, have to appreciate brewing before handling potions. It's that easy; don't ask such an obvious question. It seems like Mr. Potter has something to say; why don't we listen?"
Everyone's attention is now on Harry. His eyes became tense, as did his body. He looked around and hesitantly stood up.
"Um.. What tea are we making?" Harry asked, even though he already knew what it was.
Professor Snape leered and stepped forward to his seat, saying, "It seems like Mr. Harry Potter doesn't know anything even for brewing tea. Very well, I shall say it. It's lemon tea, Mr. Potter, Le-mon Tea."
Of course, the remark made almost all the Slytherins in the room chuckle, while Cale noticed the vague grin creeping on Draco's face.
"And you'll brew them whoever seats next to you. Of course, you'll taste them. Don't worry, if I see you're on your way to death because of your terrible brewing, I'll personally tend you up." His smirk tells them that it will be better to continue death than to be tendered by him.
'He's scary'
- Well, kinda -
'"Kinda"? What kind of 'scary' do you have there?'
- Well, we have you, so It's no wonder. -
'Huh?'
- You ki– -
'No
Oh, Cale, what now, oh, Weasley? Do you have any more questions?" Cale was shocked after Prof. Snape called his name but composed himself.
"None, sir."
"..."
The response made Professor Snape squirm his eyes in annoyance, "Tsk. Whatever. You mongrels, do it. The time is ticking."
Cale, not knowing what he did wrong, starts to look at his seatmate and partner in this activity, Draco. He seems to be quite lax for someone who warned him earlier. But the thought left as soon as the others started to move.
Cale looked at the ingredients firsthand. There don't seem to be any fatally dangerous ingredients. If you look at it carefully, it is just creating lemon tea.
Wait. Lemon Tea?
"Cale?" Draco called his name after noticing the subtle change of expression from neutral to disgust.
"Nothing; is there any sugar?" Cale asked. He recalled what the professor had said earlier, they'll try it themselves.
If anyone doesn't know or has forgotten, Cale absolutely despises lemon tea—no, any sour things. If you ask him whether to drink a cup or meet the god, he guesses it'll be more enticing to drink it. Still, it was number 1 on his hate list before meeting the god.
"I don't think there is. Should I ask for one?" Draco ask. Seems like seeing an angel, and Cale immediately said, 'yes'. Or so he wants to say.
"No. Don't bother."
"I see.."
Cale looked at the vicious professor, who was looking at him like he was some sort of rabbit hiding from his predator named Snape. Cale decided not to go against the professor instead; he might decide to curse him or poison his drinks if he went otherwise.
After a few minutes of glaring and staring, they've finally finished their work, or Draco has finally finished their work. Cale's too busy to keep his cats from the cauldron, but he sometimes helps stir the tea.
"Cale, are you finished?" Cale heard Ron whisper as he looked at him. They seem to be done as well.
He nodded as he noticed the contents of their Cauldron. Is lemon tea supposed to be lime green? No? Cale rubbed his eyes and looked at it again. Slowly, he turned his gaze to the two people who had made the tea.
"Are you innovating lemon tea?" He asked in slight horror.
"Cale..." Ron gave him a pleading, horrified face, clearly asking what they'd done wrong.
Harry gave an embarrassed smile and showed another ingredient he'd never seen before. Slowly, he put the suspicious-looking substance in the simmering cauldron, and the odd color of the tea became more poisonous than ever—a glaring pink tea.
"Eh...? I think it's not supposed to be like this?" Harry asked in an innocent, soft voice, matching his confused look.
Ron became more horrified and wiggled his hands, saying, "I don't want to die yet..."
Cale sighed at his brothers' cowardly act and shook his head. He turned around and looked at Draco earnestly. "Be my partner here from now on." He declared, which Draco accepted with delight.
"... We can share ours. Clear the cauldron before Professor Snape notices."
The two widened their eyes and saw a halo above Cale's head.
"Cale!" "Thank you!"
Harry immediately took their cauldron to clean it but stopped midway.
"Huh?" Harry let out a sound.
"I think you should avoid getting near that four-eye."
Draco's voice filled Cale's head as he witnessed Harry let go of the hot cauldron and saw his white cat licking its foot, not knowing what was coming above them.
"He's... I heard him planning something against you."
"Cale!"
"Ohn!"
- Cale! -
Cale felt some hot liquid flow down his back.
He let go his grasp on Ohn. He looked at her and noticed her watery eyes.
He let out a tired smile and shakily wiped some tears from the cat's eyes.
"Don't worry. I'm not hurt."
That's right. He's not completely hurt, which he knew was odd. Cale fixed his posture and observed his surroundings. The cauldron, and so the pink liquid is gone. Even the students are visibly frozen in place.
He doesn't know what happened. What he had just seen was a large amount of dust above it as it vanished all together.
"What the-"
"Class. Is. Over." The threatening gaze and voice coming from the professor make the students step out of the room, leaving Cale to just follow them while still in the dark about what had happened.
He noticed how the two cats on his arms are petrified from what they've experienced. Without a word, he tightened his embrace and closed his eyes.
***
After arriving at his room, Cale sat there for some minutes, trying to feel the burning sensation from the hot liquid earlier, which was strangely absent.
Draco didn't let their two other dorm mates go inside the room for now and is trying to distract them while Cale is 'tending' his wounds.
And obviously, the so-called wound is nowhere to be found, as it seems like it never was there.
'Hey, do you know the reason why I heal this quickly? Is this our power? It doesn't seem like it.'
- It's not. It's my other sibling's power. I can only create shields to protect, not to heal. -
"Shield..?"
- Hm. The one you used to complain about looks too 'divine'. -
'Shield.. Divine..'
- Cale? -
' Does it create the illusion of feathers and illuminate white light? '
- It does! Wait, how do you know that? -
'I've seen it.'
'I've seen it before.'
Cale finally remembers. The first time he saw Draco, it was not his hair that looked white. It is never that, white.
Then what is it?
Shield... Green eyes... Divine.
"Ack!" Cale held his head tightly from the sudden burst of memory.
"Cl... Clo... Draco..." Cale felt like there was something blocking his mind.
What is that? Who is that? He doesn't know.
Cale let out a critical smile as he removed his hands from his head.
- C-Cale, are you alright?! -
'I'm fine... Hey, do I need to touch the bearer to unseal you from it?'
- I don't know. But I'm sure to fully release us; it is a must. -
'Heh.'
- C-Cale... -
So that's it. He doesn't know why or what thing Glutton is sealed to, but he's now aware that he'd most likely have met or gotten close to it before.
'If my hypothesis is correct, by just getting near the bearer, there's a possibility that it somehow weakens the seal and makes me have some of the ability.'
He recalls how he had used the shield from Glutton's power once.
'I surely have gotten close to your seal before.'
- Which means... -
Cale's smirk perked up as he looked at the scenery from the window in front of him.
'It's close. Your other sibling is near us.'
- That's! -
'I should-' Before Cale continued what he was saying, he heard the door open and saw Draco looking gloomy, or rather, guilty.
Cale's smirk is replaced by his usual face as he continues looking at the latter.
Draco closed the door and used the lock to ensure no one would enter the room.
"Cale.."
"Draco."
Draco walks toward him, getting closer and closer. And as he began to go near Cale, he heard the two cats hiss at him without Cale noticing it.
"Are you alright now?"
"I'm fine."
As soon as they had only some foot distance from each other, Draco kneeled with his right foot on the ground.
"What are you-" He interrupted Cale's voice after he held one of his arms.
"I'm sorry..."
The apology made Cale freeze in his seat. He looked at Draco, who slowly tilted his head to meet Cale's gaze.
"I knew that Potter was planning something. I should've been really careful. If you're hurt, I don't know if I can be your friend anymore."
"Draco, I'm fine. Get up."
"Cale... please don't stay close to that Potter any longer."
"It's just an accident."
"It's not! I know it! I warned you, right? I knew that Potter was planning to have you re-sort your house again." Draco let out a desperate voice, contrasting his childish voice.
"What, is that possible?"
"It is. I heard of it. But you need to meet some certain condition to do it. Either make all teachers, especially the headmaster and your house master, to doubt your place in your current house, or from the petition of more than half of the school students."
"Why would he do that?"
"I don't know... I thought it would be just some harmless act. But to think he's ready to harm you. So please! Promise not to let yourself get hurt again by being close to him, alright?"
Cale looked at Draco, contemplating what he should do. Normally, he will agree for him not to get hurt, but...
Draco's eyes let out a tear, which he tried to hide by not showing his face to Cale. But of course, Cale saw it in an instant.
"Sure. I'll try not to."
Draco's head shook once, and suddenly he held the latter in his embrace.
"Thank you... Thank you.."
Cale awkwardly patted Draco's back and let him cry.
But the cry turned into a smile, no, a smirk—that hints at a decisive intent within it.
"Thank you, Cale."
His formerly black eyes turned into emerald green eyes as he let out an innocent voice behind his wicked smile, without the redhead even knowing.
***
Inside an unknown office.
"How's your first lesson with the first-years, Professor?" An old man asked.
"... Did you plan it?" Professor Snape glared at the old man who was sitting on the couch in front of him.
"Is that supposed to mean something?" The old man smiled as he placed the tea cup on the small plate.
"Don't mess with me. You ask me for that lesson that in the end almost kills that student! If I wasn't there, he..."
"It's just a simple, hm.. I should say, greeting."
"Using me for that greeting... Treasure your life a little, Dumbledore." Professor Snape said snarkily.
"I'm already past that age, professor." Dumbledore smiled and took another sip of his tea.
As then, both their and the students' days continued.