Hell's Coming with Me

 Everything felt frozen. As if the passionless air that pervaded through the hallway made everything dwindle and pass. Dabi barely felt Mr.Fontaine grab his arm, moving him forward as a means to usher. The headmaster attempted to converse with the ex-hogwarts student, but there was never a response. Dabi kept his head down, only looking around to note his surroundings. Being led down the long, descending hallway, they soon found themselves in a circular room. It was if it was made of complete marble, it was seraphic. Ebony statues stood next to each of the four doorways into the area. Balcony’s were above, almost looking into the room to judge. It was also scintillating, as the roof was completely open with a glass-like dome.

 Mr.Fontaine looked back, seeing the student be astonished by the sorting room. Smiling slightly, he moved back towards the student. Humming, he watched Dabi look around the room, taking it in. Letting Dabi have the moment, he soon spoke up.

  “I agree, it is astounding, we got funding for this sorting room after one of our graduated students donated from some of their research earnings. It is spectacular, and it allows our students to have a goal and a standard for their education. We will get back to this after I bring you to the office, where you will be given your educational resources. ”

 Dabi listened, giving a grunt of a response, wanting to get away from the headmaster to figure out how to get back. Back to Hogwarts. Back to his home. He did not want to be sorted here. He was a Slytherin, through and through. Understanding that he would have to motion for the headmaster to continue on through the school, without alerting him, he cleared his throat.

  “Yes Mr.Fontaine, please, continue on to the office. I will keep my… observations to a minimum until I am sorted.”

Watching the older man, Dabi sighed in relief as the headmaster nodded, moving forward. They soon made their way to the two-floor library, where students were quietly snickering. Walking in, the students stiffened and continued working as Mr.Fontaine was seen. The ashy tiles led to a huge window, and on each side of the walkway were tables and desks. With each shelving unit, each corner had a relaxation area for students. Mr.Fontaine led him through each area, naming where everything was, and describing the importance of permission-granted books.

The tour continued on as he was shown the houses, the classrooms and dining hall. Being brought to Mr.Fontaine’s office, he was given new robes, a wand, and his class list and books. Before long, there was an announcement to meet in the sorting room. Being led back to the marble room, he saw students crowding the balconies, trying to get a good look at the sudden, new student. Stepping onto the knot in the middle of the room, he studied the statues. Waiting for a reaction, he glanced at Mr.Fontaine, until the bird statue started to beat its wings. Stepping forward, alongside a young girl who had quite the bounce in her step. Mr.Fontaine cleared his throat.

 “Thunderbird has chosen Dabi over the other houses, Ms.Peiskos will be his assigned buddy for the day. Dabi, Astraea, Astraea, this is Dabi.”

Taking a step back, Mr.Fontaine told the other students to go back to their assigned classes. Meanwhile, Dabi looked Astraea up and down. Peiskos… clenching his jaw, he went to speak, however he was cut off before he could ask.

 “How about we get you to the thunderbird house? You must be tired from your journey.”

Astraea did not wait for his response, merely walking ahead out the door in front of them. Stumbling forward, he soon caught up in her pace, striding right along behind her. Dabi did not listen to her rambles as much as he maybe should have, only tuning in a few times to hear comments about things in the school.

 “So, you can sit with us if you go to the library, or else you’ll be stuck with the jocks or worse, the cliques. Eugh, my sister never had to deal with this. She always tells me ‘Oh Astraea, I am sure it can’t be that bad’. But it is! This one girl, Mary? She like, completely turned the horned serpents against one of the Pukwudgies because of a bad hairdo the girl gave her! Can you believe that?”

Yeah… Dabi merely followed. Though, he was relieved that the red and gold colour scheme was fading slowly. It was now a blue and cranberry interior, still not to his taste, but it was gentler on his eyes. Sighing, he tuned back in as Astraea continued talking, wondering how a possible family member of Ilaria’s could be so talkative like this.

 “Oh! Also, skip Arithmancy if possible, it’s super boring, and honestly, not needed. I know a much better thing to do, you know Mary Jane, right? Anyways, no one lets me do so. But! I can be in the room so scoreeee! But yeah, just be careful. I mean, I know Josh is kinda…a lot. But he is a good guy!”

Running a hand through his hair, he nodded, almost running into her as she stopped in front of a door. Opening the door, she motioned in, walking in. There was no colour scheme, only a lot of symbolisms to the house’s animal. Looking around, it felt bland, and made his chest hurt with a sort of… would it be longing? Dabi didn’t know anymore.

 “Okay so! Welcome to Thunderbird, the least… newsful? Yeah that sounds like a new word- using! anyways, it usually is the horned serpents and the wampus houses that get into fights. Thunderbird is usually independent, but has a lot of pride when it comes to their image. So please be careful… uh- so you’re from Hogwarts, right? Mr.Fontaine told me. I promise he is a good principal, just very strict on certain rules. No drugs or anything on school grounds, no blasting music in the library… y’know, the usual. But anyways, did you know Ilaria at all? She is my older sister. Unfortunate, I know. She never lets me borrow clothes and…”

Pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, he leaned against the wall. Glancing up at the ceiling in “how do I deserve this”, he leaned forward, looking at her.

 “Astraea, right? I can’t answer if you keep talking. Yes, I know Ilaria, we were in the same house. Yes she was correct, Hogwarts never had cliques like you mentioned. But we did have an issue with other houses.”

Astraea nodded, blushing as she rubbed the back of her neck. Sitting down in the middle of the room, where it looked like a …. couch in the ground. Following her, Dabi sat down too. Taking a deep breath.

 “Look, whenever Ilaria could talk to me, would be great. ”

Her face seemed to turn into a wince, as she sunk down slightly.

 “Well.. that won’t be for a few months. She left to Germany for a meeting about… something. And Mr.Fontaine took my flip phone away because I was playing jeopardy on it during Xylomancy. ”

 Clenching his jaw slightly, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Getting up from the weird furniture, the stress from the situation not even registering in his head, he walked towards the main door. He needed out. Though, Dabi did not precisely know if that meant outside, out of his body, mind, or out of America. What made it worse was Astraea pulling him back, his back hitting the cushions of the couch.

 “This isn’t funny Astraea. I need time to process, okay?”

Watching her shake her head and get up, he huffed, feeling the familiar annoyance of the Peiskos’s stubbornness.

 “You are precisely like Ilaria. Let me go.”

 “Nope. You are staying here and that’s final.”

That annoyance, stubbornness and unregistered pain stayed as the outside changed from mushed, dimmed greens and browns to vivid crimsons, ceruleans, and ferns. During this time, the newly-thunderbird student changed as well. Sitting with Astraea in the library, Dabi had one headphone in his ear, writing notes in gel pens. 

 “No… Astraea. I’m not listening to this.”

Humming, Astraea kicked her feet gently under the table, snatching the ipod off the table before Dabi could. Smiling, she pocketed it. Leaning in, she watched his notes get messier with his annoyance at the music. And not anything else. 

 “Come on Dabi! This song embodies what you need! Plus! I know you are high- Josh told me!”

 “A song about… okay listen here kid, I do not need what Living La Vida Loca is offering. Plus- shush! Ancient Runes was stressing me out, its only a little bit of a high. A buzz, if you prefer.”

Some of the friends around them started to snicker at Dabi’s reaction. Meanwhile, Astraea was punching the air and lip syncing, not even listening. Closing his books, he watched her with an annoyed amused expression. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he waited patiently for the song to change, hoping it was not worse than it was now. His jaw slacked slightly as he sighed, putting his head on the table. Putting his books in his bag, he swung the bag onto his shoulder. Which, only prompted them to get worse with their administrations. Sitting back in shocked amusement, he watched as they unplugged the ipod, blasting it. Humming quietly under his breath, he motioned for her to continue, feeling it was futile to stop her. However...

Standing on the table, Astraea smirked. Clearing her throat, she got the other friends to hit the table to the beat. Getting up, knowing full well Astraea was pulling him towards a detention, he started to walk away.

 “LADIES up in here tonight! no fighting no fighting!”

Astraea pointed at Dabi, singing at him, before dancing with the other friends and any students who did not leave in annoyance. Keeping his head down, he noticed the onyx door open, and he quickly ducked into one of the aisles to pretend to look for a book to study. Hearing a familiar gruffness, he looked up to see Mr.Fontaine.

 “Ms.Peiskos, you did just get points deducted, yes? Should I put you into detention?”

Sadly, his threat became powerless as milkshake started to play soon after, making them all giggle. Dabi leaned against the shelf, watching with a glint in his eyes. The calming draught mixed with the weed was working against any rules currently. Dancing slightly to the music, he motioned for Astraea to continue yelling the lyrics, watching the Headmaster get more frustrated. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he threatened more, before walking out of the library. Going to follow him out, Dabi was soon stopped right at the door. Surprisingly by an old friend.

 “Now what, pray tell is going on here?”  

“Ilaria?”

Pausing, his glance was thrown down to the ground. The music stopped, and Astraea quickly got off the table, as if scolded by an invisible entity. Pursing his lips, Dabi knew this was going to be a very long night. And his thoughts were already cursing America as Ilaria spoke.