Chapter 12

He had made a point of walking slowly back to the Slytherin domes after Snape had finished their pleasantries, hoping to avoid a stitch. When the man 'suggested' he leave, he took large gulps of the glass of delight, not wanting to waste it, and then left the man to his demise. He had been dreading entering the dormitories and having to socialize.

As he rushed towards the dorms he stared idly at the names at the side of the door as he reached the Slytherin common room.

Carl Florante

Rolland Carey

Leonis Black

Atticus Sayre

As he walked in there was silence, but he was glad he had t been the one to cause the silence seeing as the other three students seemed too already be keen on being on their own. He glanced around the dorm room, taking it all in, only having seen it once before when he rushed through the area.

Leonis stepped over the bags his other roommates left lying around as he allowed himself to really take it all in. His first impression of his dorm room- well second, but a proper impression, was that it was rather underwhelming, and he knew straight away he wasn't going to spend any more time over the time needed to be in this room, here. All it was, was a place to sleep, he wasn't even sure he would bother doing his homework there.

The exact same went for the common room.

Neither of them was what he would describe as comfortable. Maybe he should have picked the house, which was most likely to be more comfortable, with that literally all the other houses came to mind. Ravenclaw, the house of the brains, people just expect them to read for fun, so surely, they would get comfortable seating and surrounding areas to do so.

Gryffindor, they most likely rather comfort than style, so most likely rather comfy, at least more than the Slytherin's… nothing needed to be said about Hufflepuff, they most definitely had a comforting common house and dorms. It seemed, as though all hated Slytherin, even the castle itself.

Their common room was simply dark and gloomy. Kept in the dark, everything seemingly blending in, with the muted colours, which consisted of mostly dark greens were decorated around the area, with the occasional silvery high lights.

Just as he reached the only bed that was still neat and untouched, which was the only option he had. He wasn't sure if he even liked the bed at all, it was right beside one of the two windows in the room- it's fine, there's charms to keep the cold out. He sighed, maybe it wasn't too bad after all.

He quickly grabbed Aquila's cage after spotting it and resting it on the bedside table, on the right side of his bed, opening the cage. Aquila in response gave a squawk, letting himself free through the open door, spreading his wings widely, promptly whacking Leonis in the face with no care whatsoever. He watched as the bird flew to the owl stand which he much appreciated.

As he began to unload his stuff, a voice sounded throughout the room, and it was very much underappreciated.

"Hey!" one of the boys yelled out towards the other. He had curly blonde hair, with a freckled face, but unlike the girl on the train he had been sitting with, he didn't have overly sized glasses, let alone glasses at all. Looking at his features it was obvious he wasn't a mudblo… muggleborn.

The curly-haired boy then walked to the middle of the large room, looking at each and every one of them. "We haven't actually introduced ourselves yet, so I thought I'd start. I don't really remember the names from the sorting- I'm Atticus, Atticus Sayre. Pureblood." The boy proudly said as he puffed his chest out at the last mention.

"Carl Florante, pureblood." One of the boys answered, yawning through his rather short introduction, not that a long one was needed. The boy seemed like a rather chill and lazy type, seeing as he had to get up to respond. He had already changed into his pyjamas and was obviously exhausted, with the silk duvet slipping off of him.

"We can talk tomorrow" the boy- Carl, rather stated, before the curtains draped around the four-post bed all closed.

Interesting.

"Oh… well I'm Rolland Carey, Half-"

Rolland, the boy seemed to be the tallest out of them all, but he wasn't sure seeing as Carl decided to lay down when he had entered the dorm. The boy Rolland didn't have blonde hair like Atticus, nor did he have short hair as Carl had. Rolland had a deep auburn shade of hair that was wavy, leading down to his shoulders.

Although, the boy was promptly cut short at an interruption, it was Atticus, it was obvious the boy heard 'half' and didn't want to hear anything else from the boy and approached Leonis, was this his chance to finally make a friend?

"Are you Leonis Black?" Atticus Sayre asked.

Leonis opened his mouth to speak, finding it hard to say something, just anything would do- "Yeah…?" he finally let out. He found himself looking at the boy, Atticus with a bewildered expression, trying to understand why he specifically asked him if he was Leonis Black, why not just wait for him to introduce himself?

"Well then, well met" the boy stuck his hand out for him to shake. What was it with people shaking hands?

He found himself holding his breath as he forced himself to shake the poor boy's hand. It was a quick one. He didn't miss the odd look Atticus gave him as he snatched his hand away.

"Well met" he mumbled back.

The boy Atticus shivered lightly where he stood. "Salazar, you'd think they'd already have heating charms in the rooms, but of course not their idiots- you, half blood ask a prefect to cast a heating charm" the boy stuffily said, barely even looking in the direction he pointed at, it was Rolland he had pointed at, as he basically asked him to do his biddings.

Rolland in return huffed at him, with a glare, "Since you're the one that's cold. You go ask" his tone annoyed as he walked over to his bed and sat down. Leonis wasn't even sure what to say, or if he should even speak at all in this situation.

Atticus looked baffled at the reply, utterly confused at being refused by a 'half-blood' someone beneath him. He scowled at the boy who had dared to sit down after refusing to obey. "Excuse me?" he spat out.

Leonis watched as Atticus stomped his foot like a child demanding sweets from the store. It simply reminded him of his little cousin Draco… maybe he'll be friends with someone else then.

The blonde boy stared Rolland down, "Do you know who I am?" he continued. Even the boy, Carl, was it? Yes, Carl Florante was now peeking through the drapes he had closed not long before, his curious brown eyes, glancing between Atticus who looked near to exploding and the unbothered Rolland, who wasn't even looking in Atticus' direction.

"Well yes, you're Atticus Sayre or maybe all that incest in your blood runs so deep, you're forgetting the most fabulous introduction you gave not too long ago" Rolland snapped back, rolling his eyes.

He heard a snort come from the drapes Carl was peaking through, the boy, seemed to just use the drapes to cover his mouth after hearing what he had heard.

Even Leonis couldn't hide his amusement as he looked away, trying to get rid of the smile on his face, having not expected that insult.

Atticus stood frozen, gapping at the boy in front of him. "…Wh-what? You filthy vermin! I am your better! I am Atticus Sayre, heir to the most noble and ancient house of Sayre and you're what? Nothing? That's right your absolutely nothing compared to me, what did you say your name was? Rolland Carey, was it? I heard about you. A filthy whore of a mother opening her legs for a filthy mudblood you call a 'father'."

The sneer of Atticus' face disappeared.

It all happened to face, before anything, before another word could be said, a fist went flying into Atticus's face, stopping him from continuing on with his outrageous speech.

Rolland was stood over him, his face red in anger, his fist in the air ready to punch him again after the boy fell backwards after the first hit, a ghastly look on his face, having not expected it.

Atticus held his now bleeding nose, staring wide eyes at Rolland. "B-Barbarian I tell you, filthy halfblood touching their betters" the boy on the floor mumbled.

"Talk about my parents like that again, and next time it won't just be your nose bleeding" Rolland snarled at the boy as he took a step back.

Atticus said nothing, only holding his nose before he quicky stood to his feet. Moving his hand, he spat on the floor beside Rolland. "Filth" he sneered before rushing towards the toilet.

Before slamming the bathroom door shut, he spoke again, "My parents will be hearing about this Rolland Carey." And just like that the sound of the door slamming was loud, knocking them back into reality. Leonis felt as though he just watched some dramatic scene in the theatres.

Drama on the first evening. They were all clearly off to a great start.

He had just wanted to actually make friends…

Silence reigned in the room, with just Rolland, Carl and Leonis left in it. Rolland nervously looked around, looking towards a stunned Leonis and Carl, whose face was red, he wasn't sure what he was expecting but his other roommates were purebloods just like Atticus, he was preparing to have to fight them both too.

The silence ended when Carl couldn't take it anymore, the red-faced boy burst out laughing, his body refusing to listen to him and stop, it just kept going and going, till his laughter turned into wheezing and silent laughter.

The sound had Leonis himself breaking out of his stunned state, finding himself strangely laughing too. That- it. Huh? he never expected something like that to happen on their first night.

"MERLIN HELP ME! I CAN'T BREATHE!!!" carl bellowed out as he tumbled off his bed clutched his stomach, struggling to stand. Rolland in response gave an awkward smile.

Finally, Carl calmed down, taking deep breaths. "Wow, I'm glad your loud talking kept me awake or I might not have seen all that. What an entitled prat, well done with that punch" Carl commended the boy.

"Ah… right. I think I should have just left it alone. His family is well more powerful than mine. His parents obviously aren't going to be patting me on the back when they hear of this."

Leonis waved his hand unbothered, "Don't worry, I'll have your back. If it's power you need, then you can count on my Black and Malfoy blood to help." Leonis helpfully contributed. Rolland raised a brow at him, "Really? You're going to help a halfblood?"

"I don't care, unlike Atticus." Leonis offhandedly answered and Rolland grinned.

"Let's have breakfast with each other tomorrow but now- sleep" Carl bellowed tiredly before his drapes were just like before… closed.

Had he just made friends? He'll surely have his grandfather know about this revelation. He was sure his Aunt Cassy and the old man had made a bet with each other. He wonders who'll win, he better be getting a cut.

It took longer than expected for him to unpack everything- he couldn't even use a spell to help him- he knew absolutely nothing to do with Wanda and he was raised in the wizarding world.

It was pathetic really…

He swore to avenge his mother yet here he was not knowing how to use a lifting charm. He had to learn- he had to be the best in every class- to understand magic, his magic.

To beat Bellatrix Lestrange he had to work hard.

He sighed closing his eyes.

He had to be the best if he wanted to survive because one day Voldemort will surely be back- someone like him should surely want revenge for his sudden vanquish.

Study hard. Avenge his mother since there wasn't anything he could do to bring her sanity back- she was practically a shell of her past self.

Right- study hard and figure out the truth about Sirius Black.

--

It has been a full week since the school had commenced and he was finding everything to be rather fine, well when he was ignoring the looks and whispers when he walked through the halls but thankfully after that full week all of that seemed to simmer down.

People no longer cared that the son of Sirius Black was going to school with them, mostly because they've forgotten, but they usually went back to their usual selves if the were in a situation where he had to talk to them, and it was like a flip switched- The murderer's son is talking to us!!!

The classes as a whole were perfectly fine and throughout the week h had only successfully befriended Rolland Carey and Carl Florante, who were interesting individuals. Carl was mostly lazy, with Leonis having to wake him up just in time for breakfast, every time and Rolland? Leonis was surprised the boy hadn't gotten into Gryffindor, to his 'surprise' Rolland mentioned how the hat couldn't decide between Slytherin and Gryffindor.

The lessons of the following days had been too boring, but some were in their own ways. Practical subjects were things that excited him, like charms, even potions he found rather interesting, doing quite well in them but the theoretical parts? Those were the parts he found boring. He enjoyed reading but, this? It was like the authors were trying to have the children learning to stop trying to learn all together with the boring speech and texts.

It didn't help at all that he already knew most of the theoretical things being taught so far.

Who on earth found relearning something they already know fun? Not him that was for sure.

It was the "Experience" Leonis thrived for when heading towards class. He wanted to be given a spell and be allowed to try and fail until he succeeded, not sit in a class for an hour listening to something about someone who was alive nearly a thousand years ago- who cares. They're dead, and whatever they did wasn't even that important.

He couldn't really care about listening about the History of the founding of Hogwarts… again, and again. It would seem the professors felt the need to drill such information into them each of them talking about different founders.

Transfiguration, for now, seemed to be mostly theory, with the first day being more fun than the rest of the lessons altogether. In addition, all the lessons Slytherins had in Transfiguration were shared with Hufflepuffs… that was when 'Pright' sat next to him.

Every.

Single.

Lesson.

The first few lessons of Transfiguration Leonis just opted to ignore the boy, seeing as he never said anything, it was weird. Leonis hadn't been sure what to think, did the boy need something? He wait and waited for the boy to say something anytime he had sat with Leonis but nothing was said, only speaking to each other when they needed to do something in a group.

In response, Leonis thought maybe just coming a bit later than usual would solve his problem of the strange boy but unfortunately, it was too late, it was around that time his other classmates had sat in specific groups or pairs and each time the only spare seat was beside the boy, Pright, a Hufflepuff.

He couldn't take it anymore, he needed to know what the boy wanted after feeling his gaze for so long, he turned to the nervous boy, all his politeness thrown away and forgotten.

"Why the heck do you keep sitting beside me?" he found himself blurting out. Thankfully, the lesson had yet to begin, and Professor McGonagall had yet to make an appearance, in human form or even cat form.

Pright stared at him for a moment, confusion evident on his face. He blinked several times before asking in a quiet voice. "I can't?"

"…It's not that you can't it's just you keep sitting beside me and you never say anything but I can feel you just staring at times…" Leonis responded, staring curiously at the boy who now seemed flustered, his cheeks reddening.

"I- um, I just wanted to be friends" the Hufflepuff whispered.

"I thought if I just sat beside you, I would eventually gain the courage to say something… but I never know what to say" the boy continued.

"Oh" was Leonis's intelligent response."

Great! Another friend!

"What's your name?" Leonis asked the boy, he knew his last name was Pright, but not his first.

"Oh, um it's Calum. Calum Pright."

It's been a week Hogwarts has started and he already has more than one person to talk to, he was sure Snape was proud, hoping that Leonis wouldn't come to bother him anymore.