Magical Little Raven

Now that things were in motion, Dream was able to focus on Reggie for a while. So the next day, after she had fallen asleep, he created a dream landscape for her, so she could practice. Lucienne had informed him the girl had read about elemental magic and that, after questioning, she seemed to understand it. Dream had promised her that during these lessons, she would be human, so when Reggie opened her eyes after falling asleep as a raven, she found she had a human body. Which was…odd. She stood from the ground and carefully stepped around. She moved her arms, bent her fingers and brushed her hair with them. She was dressed in simple black cotton clothes.

‘How does it feel?’ Dream informed. He himself could turn into most animals but preferred his cat shape the most. It felt the most natural. ‘Hello sir.’ She turned around and smiled at him. ‘Feels a bit strange, actually.’

‘Are you ready?’ She nodded enthusiastically sow he motioned her to sit down, mimicking his own way of sitting. Cross-legged, on the sand. The landscape was barren, with lots of sand, a couple of rocks, and clear skies. ‘The first element I will teach you is air. It is the easiest one to learn. If you master it, we will continue to earth, water and finally fire.’

Dream had a very pleasant, deep voice and Reggie found herself hanging onto every word. ‘Lucienne said that fire is the most dangerous one, is that the reason I will lean that last?’
Happy that she asked more and more questions and seemed more relaxed in his presence, Dream nodded and asked her what she had read about elemental magic.

‘It comes from the elements, but humans can have a preference, sir. Because I have a magical….uhm…well that,’ ‘Core,’ Dream added. ‘Yes, a core, a magical core, I will be more comfortable with wand magic, combined with spells, but that doesn’t mean I cannot master elemental magic as well, sir.’

‘Very well, I am pleased that you have studied diligently.’ Reggie beamed and blushed. She was not used to praising, even though the last couple of days, Lucienne had complimented her a lot and Matthew too. ‘Watch this.’

Dream hold out his hand and Reggie could feel the wind blowing. At first, a light breeze, which gradually become stronger, until the wind was picking up. It was now making a complete mess of her hair and she started laughing. ‘This is very cool! Uhm, sir!’

Letting the wind lie dormant, Dream chuckled. ‘Thank you for that assessment, little witch.’
He didn’t push the matter that she only used his name once. She kept calling him sir. Which was fine, although he hoped she would come around. The girl was polite and respected him, but he didn’t think he would mind of she was less formal.

‘Try to find the part of your body that has your magical core. It can be in your chest, for some people it’s near the heart, some have it more closely to their stomach and others feel it in their belly.’

‘How does it feel?’

‘Well, as you are a wand-wielding witch, what I understand about it, is that it feels like energy.’ Furrowing her brows (which Dream thought was adorable) Reggie thought about it. “What if I can’t feel it?’

‘I have no doubt that you will be able to feel it. And if is it not today, then perhaps tomorrow.’
Reassured that it would be fine if she didn’t do anything special today, Reggie started focusing on her body. She flexed her toes, thought about the muscles in her legs and wiggled her bum. She had kept her eyes closed, but when she heard Dream chuckle, she peaked at him. Seeing his smiling face, she giggled. And that did the trick. Inside her, just under her heart, she felt a small tingle. She gasped in shock. ‘I felt it!’ she cried. ‘It was there, just here,’ and she pointed at her ribcage. Dream smiled broadly. ‘Very good.’
He stood from the sand and offered Reggie his hand. She took it and he hauled her up. ‘Now that you know it’s there, concentrate on it and try, just try, to let it flow through your arm, and let it reach your fingers.’

Reggie looked at the man, who now towered over her. She was still very small, and Dream was a big man. When they were both sitting on the sand, he was far less intimidating. She had started to trust him a bit more, however, there was still a weariness. A fear that he would become angry with her. She believed Lucienne when she had told her that Dream would not hurt her. She believed Death when she told her the same thing. But her entire life, she was hurt by Vernon. If she did something wrong, or just because he felt like it. What if she couldn’t do this…would Dream become disappointed with her? And if that was the case, should he even keep her around?

Reggie didn’t realize her worries hadn’t escaped Dream’s eyes. He saw her go from happy that she found her core, to unsecure about using it. He needed to be clear with her. He moved, so he sat on his knees in front of her. If his subjects would see him now…

‘I will not punish you, I will not be angry with you, I will not be disappointed in you if you cannot do this. I will not send you away, I will not leave you. You are under my protection and I, as King of the Dreamlands, offer you a place here. Always. Do you understand?’

Reggie was choking up, tears in her eyes. Unable to speak, she nodded. And then, to his and also a bit her own, utter surprise, she crashed into him and hugged him tightly. It took but a moment for him to put his arms around her and hug her back. She was still too skinny and he could feel her ribs. Once more he was pleased with the punishment he had doled out to her relatives.

They stood like this for a minute, until Dream felt the wind picking up, ever so slightly. He felt Reggie’s arms leave his back and he ended the hug. He held her off to get a closer look. She had her eyes closed tight and there was a look of utter concentration on her face. And then she opened her eyes, causing the wind to stop blowing. She offered him a huge smile. ‘I did it!’

Dream could not be more proud and he conjured up chocolate. He offered it to her and she looked at him, confused. ‘For a job well done,’ he smirked. ‘I never had chocolate before,’ Reggie mused, before taking a bite. The rich flavor melted on her tongue and she decided that this was the best thing she ever tasted. Her tastebuds exploded and she looked up to Dream. ‘Thank you, sir…Morpheus.’

And so it started. Dream would show her, Reggie had a little doubt she could do it but ended up doing it all the same. And after she was done, Dream would give her a sweet. It took her 4 days before she could produce a wind that ruffled Dream’s hair to a point where it became more like a bird’s nest. She giggled for a couple of minutes and continued to giggle while eating her lollypop.

‘Having fun at my expense, huh…very well,’ Reggie squealed when a strong wind picked up that lifted her up in the air. ‘Argh, no, hahaha, sorry sir, hahaha, sto-ho-ho-stop!’ She laughed in earnest now and Dream joined her. ‘That will teach you,’

Dream tried to sound stern, but failed miserably, for he loved the way Reggie laughed. The girl had softly landed on the sand and kept chuckling. She suddenly moved her hand and the wind that followed blew Dream’s coat up from the ground. He was very impressed. Air was the most easy to learn element, but she had done remarkably well.

‘Tomorrow, if you want to try, that is, we can start with earth. But for now, you have to choose your reward.’

‘My reward? But you already give me rewards…the sweets.’

‘A bigger reward. Tell me, what would you like to do? Visit the Tower, maybe the Cliffs of Dover? Or…’

‘Well, uhm…’

‘Well?’

‘Could you take me to see Hogwarts?’

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

As it turned out, as long as there was no way that Remus would be around the children during the full moon, the Governors would accept him as a teacher. Binns needed to go and like today, rather than tomorrow. Lucius was given permission to teach DADA and had roughly 4 days to make sure he had a valid lesson plan. Severus helped him and the day before the students came in, they were working in de DADA classroom, to look over the plans for the final time.

A knock sounded on the classroom door and when both men looked up, Remus Lupin stood in the doorway. Shabby clothes, tired face, but intelligent brown eyes looked at the two former Death Eaters. ‘Good afternoon. Minerva told me that I had to come see you, Lord Malfoy, for you would have a solution for my, uhm…furry little problem?’

Lucius snorted very un-Lordlike, and Severus tried to remain impassive. That was one way of putting it…

‘Yes, welcome Professor Lupin, please come in and join me and Severus for a cup of tea.’

Lucius explained that during the full moon, Remus was to Floo over to Malfoy Manor, where a large patch of land was warded and charmed to contain him. He would be free to run around, without the risk of being seen or injuring anyone. The wards kept him in and everyone else out. Remus was very grateful for this, for it meant he could work and get an income. He kept scooting glances over at Severus, who looked out the window. Lucius noticed this and decided the two men should talk, without him there.

‘If you will excuse me, Severus, Professor Lupin.’

‘Please, call me Remus.’ Lucius nodded. ‘If you call me Lucius?’ Remus smiled and stood to shake the man’s hand. ‘Thank you.’

And so it was that Severus was alone in the room with Remus, a man that had helped make his schoolyears miserable, the man who, admittedly not his fault, almost ate him. Now, Severus was not afraid of Remus when he was human. But he was most definitely afraid of the wolf. ‘Thank you, Severus, for suggesting my name for this position. I have done nothing to deserve this.’

Severus looked at the man standing opposite him. Being a werewolf was awful. They couldn’t hold onto jobs, most lived on the streets and even more became hateful towards wizards. Like Fenrir…the maker of Remus. There was a twinge of empathy. It wasn’t Remus’ fault that he was a werewolf. Fenrir bit him to get revenge on Remus’ parents. And Severus was determined to become a better version of himself. ‘It was nothing. You were the only one I could think of that had a NEWT in history.’ He downplayed it.

Remus nodded. ‘Still, thank you.’ Remus turned around, to leave Severus alone. He was almost at the door before he decided to ask about Regina.

‘You found her body?’ Severus tensed. It was something he still saw in his dreams. ‘Yes,’ he uttered softly. ‘What I read in the papers, was Skeeter her usual self or…’

‘It was all true, for a change. I am sorry.’

Remus looked at Severus with a golden gleam in his eyes, that caused Severus to very carefully put his hand around his wand. ‘You have nothing to be sorry for. But when I find Albus, the wolf wants a little heart to heart with him.’

Both men, of course, didn’t know, that Albus, at that moment, was lying in his own drool inside his house in Godric’s Hollow, reliving his worst nightmares.