Nevermore
“Oh em gee, I missed you!”
Wednesday had barely sat down her bag before she was attacked by a rainbow blur. Enid clung to her like a bur, her arms tight around Wednesday’s torso while Wednesday hesitantly returned the embrace.
“It’s been a week,” Wednesday said with a dramatic sigh. “Eight days, to be precise.”
The endless damage done to Nevermore during the fight against Crackstone had been repaired quickly thanks to the assistance of the new instructor of magical arts, Mister Frump.
“Eight days with my family might as well be an eternity,” Enid declared. She let go of Wednesday and smiled, her amber eyes glowing warmly. “Notice anything different?”
Wednesday raised a brow when Enid did a slow circle in front of her. Obviously Wednesday saw the streak of black added beside the pink in her hair, but it was more amusing to feign ignorance.
“You bought a new lipgloss?” Wednesday said. She rolled her eyes when Enid pouted. “I see you’re stealing my aesthetic, any official cause?”
“Yup.” Enid smiled mischievously before she dropped to one knee in front of Wednesday and smiled up at her.
“Don’t you dare,” Wednesday hissed, seized by fear.
“Shut up,” Enid laughed. She pulled a small box from her pocket and Wednesday couldn’t breathe.
“Wednesday Addams,” Enid fluttered her lashes at Wednesday, showing off her sparkly pink eyeshadow, before she opened the jewelry box and Wednesday looked away from her sparkling eyes to the onyx colored anatomically correct heart dangling from a matching black chain.
“Will you be my girlfriend?” Enid asked, holding the necklace up enticingly.
A wave of relief swept over Wednesday. It wasn’t that Enid was unintelligent, but Wednesday had been struck with irrational terror that the girl had been about to propose marriage to her.
“Can I expect many changes to my current lifestyle depending on how I respond?” Wednesday asked.
“Yup. If you say no then I’m going to start singing like sooo much louder than usual,” Enid said, still kneeling with her bribery held up high. “And if you say yes then I’m going to hold your hands in the hallways and kiss you sometimes.”
Wednesday debated her options carefully, weighing them up in her mind. Enid’s singing was terrible…
“Fine,” Wednesday said curtly. “But if you irritate me, I will still be subjecting you to the same torture every other person is entitled to receive.”
“Yay!” Enid jumped up and squealed before she wrapped Wednesday in another hug that Wednesday reluctantly returned to her. “Here, I found this at the cutest shop in San Diego. You have got to come see it this summer, you’ll love it.”
Wednesday doubted if she would like any shop found in San Diego, but she could admit that she was rather fond of the necklace that Enid secured around her neck…
Nearly as fond as she was of the ridiculous girl herself.
*****
Harry was beaming when he quickly tossed his suitcase back in his room, briefly waving at Ajax, before jogging down the corridor and knocking on Xavier’s door.
“Who is iiiiiit?” Xavier sang playfully. Harry could see him peeking through the keyhole and he laughed at his antics.
“Let me in!” Harry yelled. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet with excitement. “Come on, don’t be a prat!”
“Harry,” Xavier opened the door with a gasp, “was that a curse?”
“No,” Harry laughed. He launched himself at Xavier, relishing in the warm hug he was wrapped in. “I missed you!”
“It’s been a week,” Xavier laughed. He moved his hand from Harry’s back to the side of his face and tilted Harry’s chin up so he could duck his head down and kiss Harry slowly and sweetly.
“A week is a long time,” Harry breathed afterward, smiling happily directly up at Xavier. “Is Ty here yet?”
Xavier pointed over his shoulder at the previously empty bed on one side of the room. It had a single black suitcase thrown on it alongside a stack of white sheets and a dark red comforter.
“He went to go grab his schedule and uniform,” Xavier told Harry, looking just as thrilled as Harry was. “I don’t want to spoil anything, but I think he’s going to try and get the same schedule as you.”
Harry let out a loud cheer, feeling himself bubbling over with happiness and excitement. Everything, everything, was so perfect.
And to think that Harry hadn’t wanted to return from his parents’ side just a little over a week ago.
Harry finally had everything he ever wanted, if not maybe in the way he thought he’d want it.
He had a family in the Addams, who let him stay there the past week and surprised Harry with guardianship papers. Gomez had been smiling so wide that Harry thought his face would crack right in half when he asked Harry if he’d like to legally join their family.
Gomez acted like it was Harry doing them some great honor when Harry signed his name with a shaking hand. And Pugsley had cheered, declaring he always wanted a brother.
A brother.
Pugsley thought Harry was like his brother.
When Harry had been overwhelmed by Pugsley’s words, stupidly crying even though he’d been so happy, Morticia swept over to him and wrapped Harry in a sweet hug and welcomed him home.
Now Harry had a family and a home with the Addams. He had his godfather at his school, teaching magic. And, almost best of all in Harry’s opinion, Tyler had been transferred from his normie high school to join them at Nevermore since he was very obviously not a normie.
“Let’s make his bed,” Harry told Xavier, still sporting what he thought might be a permanent smile on his face.
Xavier rolled his eyes and went to flop down on his own bed.
“I’m not his maid,” he told Harry. “Tyler can make his own bed.”
“Don’t be a bad roommate,” Harry scolded him jokingly. He practically jumped over to Tyler’s bed and began shaking out his sheets. “He’s new, you’re supposed to help him.”
“Ajax didn’t help you,” Xavier pointed out.
“Ajax doesn’t snog me after curfew either,” Harry smirked over his shoulder. “C’mon, help me.”
Xavier huffed dramatically, but he had a small smile on his face when he conceded and helped Harry make Tyler’s bed neatly and tuck his suitcase in his wardrobe.
“Don’t tell him I’m here,” Harry told Xavier. He pulled his Invisibility Cloak from his backpack and raised his brows at Xavier. “This was my dad‘s,” he said proudly. “Watch what I can do.”
“Wait!” Xavier closed his eyes and hummed. “Mm… does it… turn you completely invisible?”
“How’d you know?” Harry demanded after throwing the cloak over himself and hiding beside the door.
Xavier laughed and laid across Tyler’s bed, messing up their work.
“‘Mister Frump’,” he used finger quotations to say Sirius’ cover name, “made me wear it to hide me from Enid the night you… that one night,” he finished quietly.
“The night I died, part two,” Harry said with a shrug. “I reckon I’m on my last life.”
“That’s not funny,” Xavier scowled. “Don’t joke, Harry. I- I can’t lose you again.”
Harry pulled the hood of the cloak down so that he could smile gently at Xavier.
“I’m bad at jokes,” Harry told him, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Xavier said, dropping his scowl. “I think you’re funny… sometimes.”
Harry blushed, ridiculously pleased by the minor compliment, then ducked back beneath his cloak to surprise Tyler.
It didn’t take long before Harry had to hold his breath while the doorknob turned and Xavier rolled flat on his back to smirk at the ceiling.
“This school is crazy,” Tyler laughed, walking in the room with an armful of uniforms and his dimples flashing in Xavier’s direction. “Fencing? Botany? What kind of jobs do they expect you all to get when you graduate?”
Harry waited until Tyler shut the door then he crouched down and leaped at his back. Harry quickly wrapped his legs around Tyler’s waist, locking them in place, and winded his arms around his neck.
“Us,” Harry laughed, holding tight when Tyler twisted around and tried to find his invisible assailant. “What kind of jobs do they expect us to get.”
Tyler laughed too after recognizing Harry’s voice and he dropped his clothes on the floor so he could reach around and blindly grab at Harry’s waist. Once he had Harry in his much stronger grip, he tossed him on his bed, causing Harry to land next to Xavier and the cloak to slip off his head.
“Hi,” Harry grinned up at him.
“Hey,” Tyler said with his own crooked grin. He climbed on the bed, his body wrapping so he could toss his legs over Harry and Xavier’s while his head rested in Harry’s lap. “You got contacts.”
“Obviously,” Harry drawled with a short laugh. It had been the first thing he’d went and accomplished on their eight day break. “I’m sick of losing my glasses every time something crazy happens.”
“Mm, maybe nothing crazy will happen now,” Xavier said. He picked his head up and pressed a sweet kiss to Harry’s cheek before dropping back down on the pillow. “Maybe everything can be peaceful now.”
Harry tangled his fingers in Tyler’s curls, his lips twisting in an amused smirk when he looked between the two of them.
“I kind of doubt that it’s going to be peaceful, but at least we’ll deal with it together now.”
Tyler hummed contentedly while Harry stroked his hair and scratched lightly on his scalp.
“Peace is overrated,” he said calmly. “I vote we figure out how to just completely fuck things up.”
Xavier sighed loudly. “Can we at least agree that none of us are going to die or kill anyone?”
Harry only felt a small bit of nerves before he tried to make another joke.
“Dibs on being the killer this time instead of the… er… one being killed,” he said cheekily.
“We can kill Xavier together,” Tyler offered brightly.
Xavier swatted both of them lightly with a scowl that Harry was pretty sure was fake.
“Maybe I’ll kill both of you,” he scoffed. Harry and Tyler just looked at each other and laughed.
Harry had no idea what was going to happen the rest of the year at Nevermore, but Harry was pretty sure Xavier killing him and Tyler wasn’t a big worry.
*****
It was cold outside, it looked like it might even start snowing soon. The trees had all lost their leaves and the sky was grey without any sign of the sun. Even so, Harry was happily bundled up in his coat with his new knitted hat from Enid and a pair of gloves while he walked arm-in-arm with Wednesday.
“This is absurd,” Wednesday snapped, practically a whine. “I shouldn’t still be subjected to this torture.”
Harry gave her an amused grin. “You’re just saying that because Dr Kinbott doesn’t like you.”
Unlike Harry, who Dr Kinbott spent their entire last session bragging about how much progress he had made. In fact, Harry made so much progress that he’d been dropped down to once a month meetings instead of weekly.
Which Harry kind of hated. He was worried he and Dr Kinbott wouldn’t be as good of friends if they only saw each other once a month, but Sirius had laughed himself sick when Harry said that so Harry wasn’t going to risk telling Wednesday his thoughts on the matter.
“I don’t like her,” Wednesday said with a roll of her eyes. “Perhaps I would have liked her more if she had turned out to be involved in murder.”
“You’re still going to come by the Weathervane afterward, right?” Harry asked. It was his first day of work and even if Tyler would be there, as he was apparently training Harry, Harry was still nervous about his new job.
Sure, Sirius said Harry was rich, but Harry liked the independence of having his own income and his own little bank account. Plus, Sirius didn’t have a chance to take Harry to ‘Gringotts’ until summer came, and Harry needed money in the meantime.
“Of course I will,” Wednesday said. “I expect you to learn my order, memorize it, and have it prepared for all future visits as well.”
“I have to memorize your coffee order?” Harry asked with a grin. “Really?”
Wednesday turned and raised a brow at Harry. “You and I are stuck together for life, Harry. Yes, you have to memorize my order.”
Harry gazed happily at his cousin. If it hadn’t been for Wednesday, Harry would still be alone, friendless, and just some random kid who only had a distant future to look forward to.
The two of them had already been through so much together. Harry doubted if two people had ever had so much of their pasts as tightly wound together as Harry and Wednesday’s had been.
Harry had the scar on his chest, right over his heart, as proof of their entwined lives. Harry expected him and Wednesday to be best friends for as long as he had the scar…
Forever, basically.
“Also, I expect a family discount,” Wednesday drawled suddenly, causing Harry to laugh.
“All the free coffee you want,” Harry promised. “Forever and ever.”
Wednesday didn’t smile, she never did, but Harry saw his own smile reflected in the pleased glimmer in her eyes all the same.
*****
“Hello! Welcome!”
Enid bounced on the balls of her feet and smiled at the group of new students starting the second semester of Nevermore.
There were only five of them, but Enid knew that Principal Weems had hand selected them from the dozens that applied now that Nevermore was open to witches and wizards.
If all went well, then Enid thought they’d have even more witches and wizards next year!
“This is Nevermore,” Enid told them all, beginning the tour of the school. “We’re the number one school for outcasts in the country.”
“Excuse me,” a girl with pretty red hair pulled back in a ponytail and braces still on her teeth raised her hand. “What does outcasts mean?”
“Outcasts means we aren’t normal,” Enid said proudly. “We’re different, special. It doesn’t mean we’re better or worse than the ‘normies’, just different.”
“Are normies no-maj’s?” a boy asked.
Enid hesitated. “What’s a no-maj?”
“People without magic,” the boy said. He had tanned skin and a bit of a drawl, so Enid assumed he came from somewhere warm to attend their school.
“Oh, yeah,” Enid nodded, “normies aren’t magic, but most of us aren’t. You five are part of the smallest clique in Nevermore, the magics.”
The group of kids exchanged eager smiles and then quieted down so Enid could continue her tour.
“This is the quad,” she told them, stepping out back. There were a few surprised gasps from the new kids that Enid smirked at.
“Mister Frump, our magical instructor, charmed the quad so it stays warm year round,” she told them all. The quad was filled with students enjoying the warmth, all separated at their usual tables.
“So the hierarchy is pretty simple,” Enid explained. She gestured to where Bianca, Kent, and Divina sat with the other sirens. “Those are the sirens,” she said. “They’re like… totally annoying.”
Enid pointed to where Cody and Jace were howling with laughter and tossing crumpled up balls of paper at each other. “And those are the wolves, werewolves,” she said when the new kids didn’t seem to understand. “Technically I’m a werewolf too, so like…” Enid popped her claws out and grinned. “Don’t mess with me.”
That got a couple chuckles, and Enid went on.
“Then of course we have our vamps and our stoners,” she said, pointing carelessly to the other two groups.
“Who are those kids?” The red-head girl pointed at the table where Enid usually sat.
“Oh, them?” Enid flashed a smile to the four students sitting at the table before turning to the new kids. “Those are my friends. Xavier’s a psychic,” she pointed to where Xavier sat beside Harry, laughing at something Harry was telling him. Tyler was laying on the bench, his head in Harry’s lap with his eyes closed. “Then that’s Tyler, he’s a Hyde,” Enid rolled her eyes at the gasp of surprise from one of the new girls. “Don’t act ridiculous, he’s totally under control.”
As long as Harry didn’t start ordering Tyler to kill anyone. Which Wednesday said he wouldn’t, but Enid didn’t really trust the boy with all those mysterious murders in his past.
“Who is the girl?” One of the boys, one with a pierced nose and small gauges in his ears, asked with an appreciative look toward Wednesday.
“That’s Wednesday, she’s a psychic,” Enid said. She popped her claws out and buffed them on her blazer nonchalantly. “She’s also my girlfriend.”
“Cool,” the boy muttered, dropping his gaze away from Wednesday.
“And him?” The third boy in the group pointed right at Harry. His grey eyes narrowed slightly. “Who is he?”
“That’s Harry, Harry Potter,” Enid said. “He was the first wizard here.”
“You’re joking,” the boy said in an accent similar to Harry’s. He let out a haughty scoff. “That’s Harry Potter?”
Enid tilted her head at the boy curiously. “Yeah,” she said. “Do you know him?”
The boy stuck his pointed nose in the air, but his eyes kept moving back to where Harry sat with his boyfriends.
“No, I don’t,” he said simply.
“Okaaaay,” Enid said, smoothing over the awkward moment. “So! If you guys want, I’ll let you know who your new roommate is and they’ll take you to get your schedule and unpack.”
Enid went down the list easily, thanking Weems in her head that she and Wednesday hadn’t been separated when they shuffled dorms to make sure all the new kids had an experienced roommate.
“Okay, Ashley Sanders?” The girl with the red ponytail perked up. “You’re with Vanessa.” Enid pointed to where Vanessa sat with the sirens and waved Ashley off.
“Brantley Rogers? You’re with Ajax.” The boy with the piercings headed off to where Ajax sat with his girlfriend Yoko at the table of stoners.
“Hannah Padgett?” A pretty brunette girl smiled at Enid. “You’re roomies with Billie. She’s also over at the stoner table.”
“Nicholas Castillo? You’ve got Eugene, he’s sitting over there in the corner.” Enid waited until the dark skinned boy with the drawl went to the table where Eugene sat, his nose buried in a book.
“And… Draco Malfoy?” Enid smiled at the blonde with the pointed features and pale skin. “You lucky duck! You’re with Harry!”
Draco looked back over where Harry sat and a small smirk curled his lips up in the corner.
“Brilliant,” he said coolly. “I’ll just go introduce myself then.”
Enid watched as the newest magical student walked off toward Harry with his held high and felt a ball of excitement wind up inside of her stomach.
Now that all the mysteries were solved and everything was safe and peaceful once again, Nevermore was such an amazing place to be and Enid loved it there.
The End(?)