A Boy With Green Eyes

Chris blinked in the bright sunlight and breathed fresh cool air and moist grass. She was standing in a crowded courtyard. Not just any courtyard but the courtyard of Hogwarts where she had spent countless days and nights with her friends. 

The courtyard was as usual crowded but unlike when Chris was in Hogwarts, this time the students were not wearing school robes. All students were bustling around with different color medieval clothing. But every student had a specific color of clothing on, some wore red, some blue, some green, and the rest yellow. People talked in groups, some practiced spells, some played games and some boys ran one side to the other and went through Chris.

Chris stepped aside so as not to ran over by people and tried to see if she knew any of them or whose memory she was watching. That's when her eyes landed on a small kid hiding behind a pillar. He was so small and his hiding place was so good that nobody saw him. Chris would have missed him as well if she wasn't standing so close to his hiding spot.

The boy looked around and watched the students curiously. Chris guessed he wouldn't be more than six years. Abruptly, he looked where Chris was standing and smiled. And for a second, Chris's heart skipped a beat very fast. The boy had messy jet black hair and bright green eyes and for a split moment, Chris thought it was Harry but then she realized the little boy had no scar on his forehead. Her realization gave into surprise when the little boy kept grinning in her direction. Could he see her?

But after a moment Chris realized he was looking at something behind her, like in most of her memory dreams. Chris turned around and saw a group of young boys playing with some Nifflers and Puffskins. Chris turned back to the little boy trying to figure out where she had seen him before and noticed the wistfulness in his eyes. He really wanted to play with the animals as well but why couldn't he?

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Helga Hufflepuff emerged in the courtyard. She looked around as if searching for something. As she passed, students turned to her and bowed and greeted her "Good afternoon" before resuming whatever they were doing. Helga didn't stop until she reached beside Chris. She looked over at the hiding boy like she already knew he was there. The boy looked embarrassed to be caught but nodded at Helga when she signed him to leave the courtyard.

The little boy sneakily started to leave the courtyard and Chris found herself following him, but not on her will. She was pulled after the boy with an invisible force and realized it was the boy's memory she was in. 

The boy left the courtyard and slowed down when he reached an empty hallway. Helga appeared after him and started walking with the boy.

"What were you doing there, Fergus?" Helga Hufflepuff asked the little kid and Chris jumped. She was in the memory of Fergus, the son of Vampire Queen Wilma and Godric Gryffindor.

"I wanted to get out," Fergus, the cute little boy mumbled. "I was feeling confined."

"Fergus," Helga's voice softened and she sounded motherly. "I am sorry, but you know you can not be outside without your father. That's the rule, remember?"

"But father barely comes to see me anymore. Where is he now?" Fergus pouted angrily.

"He is away, looking for magical students for our school. I thought he told you before leaving," Helga frowned.

Fergus shook his head vigorously.

"He didn't come to see me for . . ." He counted his fingers. "For seven days — that's a week."

"Yes, it is. I am so sorry, darling," Helga looked sad as she guided Fergus to the astronomy tower. "You know what, I will talk to your father as soon as he comes back. And scold him well." Helga added looking stern then smiled and Fergus giggled.

"You can't scold him. He is so big and brave," he said. "Mama says he is the bravest man in the world."

"Maybe he is but I can still scold him for you," Helga smoothed Fergus's messy hair. "I am braver than him."

"Really?" Fergus looked at Helga, surprise rising in his doe eyes.

"Yes."

"I thought if anyone is braver than father then it's that Snake sir—I mean Slytherin sir," Fergus corrected himself at the last minute.

Helga chuckled.

"Any why is that?"

"He is so big and scary looking, so I thought . . ."

"Fergus, bravery has nothing to do with how big or small someone looks," Helga explained. 

"So I can be brave too?" Fergus asked as they reached a large door.

"You can be the bravest," Helga smiled at Fergus then opened the door and Chris saw it was a decorated big room.

Fergus grinned at Helga and walked inside the room happily. 

The memory dissolved like liquid gas and a new memory materialized in front of Chris.

Chris shivered when she realized she was standing at the top of the astronomy tower this time. She remembered the last time she was at the Astronomy tower when Dumbledore was killed. 

Trying to shake off bad feelings, Chris looked around and saw a couple of years older-looking Fergus was standing beside her. He was staring down at the students practicing duel on the Hogwarts ground, Godric Gryffindor was teaching them. There was a bitter look on Fergus as he watched his father and the students learning from him.

"Fergus?" Someone called, and Chris and Fergus turned together to see Genevieve Gryffindor standing there.

"What is it, Genevieve?" Fergus asked stoically.

"You fought with brother?" Genevieve asked kindly.

"It wasn't much of a fight," Fergus smiled humorlessly. "I wanted to learn to duel and your brother forbade me. I tried to request that I am ready but he warned me that if I don't obey him, he will cancel our plans to meet mama next month. And that is all. Now you know the story, so leave me alone"

"I am not here to know what happened, Fergus. Brother was worried about you after you ran out, he asked me to check on you. I didn't find you in your room and came here. Are you okay?" Genevieve said calmly.

"How would you feel if you are locked up in a room for years and are threatened that you won't see your mother if try to get out?" Fergus glared at Genevieve.

"It's not like that, and you know it, Fergus," Genevieve said. "In fact, it's for your own good and brother had said that you can join the other students after you are ten."

"I know," Fergus replied looking desperate. "But I don't want to be the boy in the tower forever, I want to learn with them. I want to —"

Fergus abruptly stopped as if he sensed something. Genevieve sensed that too and she quickly went to check the stairs and returned looking confused.

"There is no one, Fergus but I think —" Genevieve began but Fergus cut her off.

"Someone was here, listening. I know what that means, Genevieve, you don't have to explain. It's back to the room and stay there for at least a week before coming out again so that you guys can find who was eavesdropping on me. And this is for my own safety. Right?"

Genevieve looked a little uncomfortable this time. She clearly didn't want to lock up her nephew but it was necessary. She nodded.

"Sorry, Fergus."

Fergus didn't reply, he just walked away and Chris noticed Genevieve's worried face before the scene dissolved again. 

And Chris had a feeling she knew who was eavesdropping.

⟦To be continued⟧