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Chapter Text

The prosecution had made their case, and a strong one at that, thought Jonathan Grimsby. He stared down at his tightly clasped hands, only faintly listening to the opposition's final summation. Grimsby, the Advocate for the Defence, would have his turn to speak momentarily, but he found himself in something of a quandary.

For the most part, he agreed with what he was arguing. After all, he was widely thought of as one of the Ministry of Magic's more progressive voices. On this occasion, however, with the way he was feeling, Grimsby found himself questioning whether he was worthy to count himself among that small group.

He reminded himself that every case deserved an Advocate's best effort, in spite of any personal views they may harbour. On top of that, his case record could really do with a point in the win column. Even so, he wasn't sure his heart was really in this one.

He knew that his only chance was to appeal to the panel's better nature. Unfortunately, the Head Magistrate, like most on the bench, was a relic of the past. One who had lived through the dark times and whose rulings, Grimsby suspected, were often based on fear rather than any real desire to uphold law or tradition.

Grimsby absent-mindedly noticed the opposition take his seat. He rose from his own with purpose and a confidence that masked his true feelings. His colleagues might think of him as "young", "naïve”, or even a "bleeding heart", but he was still good at his job. In addition, unlike his opponent, he was also a handsome man and wasn't above using that to his benefit.

The demands of his heavy workload and a new baby at home had aged Jonathan Grimsby beyond his years, but the slight greying at the sides of his wavy, golden hair was barely noticeable, and his pale-blue eyes shone brightly beyond the dark circles underneath. He swept his golden locks from his face and began his speech, making sure to make eye contact with each of the Magistrates—the women for a little longer.

His monologue touched on magical law, history, and ethics, and even included comparisons from the non-magical world of the Muggles. Grimsby made some strong points and observed a softening of the brow from some of the panel members. Sadly, when he noticed that the Head Magistrate, an older witch with a bouffant hairdo and far too much make-up, appeared unmoved by neither his words nor his charms, he couldn't help feeling he was fighting a losing battle.

Grimsby drew breath and delivered his final point, 'In closing ladies and gentlemen, we judge others based on their actions, but it is only with awareness of those actions that we can hold them truly accountable. This incident was tragic but proceeding with the proposed sentencing is not only unjust, it is an archaic practice that defies nature itself. I plead with you all, let us find another way.'

He took his seat with a final nod to the panel and a steely glare toward his opponent, whose large, white moustache barely concealed a smirk. The Head Magistrate rose and announced in a surprisingly squeaky voice, 'Thank you, Advocates. The panel will now convene and render a verdict within the hour.'

Grimsby left the courtroom side by side with his opponent, quite the achievement given Alfred Gentry was something of a portly man.

Gentry was also rather short, so Grimsby had to bend down to hear his whispers as they made their way from the chamber, 'Come now, Grimsby, my boy,' he said. 'Between us, where do you really stand on this issue?'

Grimsby was surprised to sense sincerity in the older gentleman's voice. He took a moment before replying, 'Honestly? I'm not sure. I know the Ministry has to take some action, especially given the publicity of the incident, but denying a child their birthright when they have already lost so much? I don't know how to reconcile that.'

Gentry jerked his head in a way that seemed to indicate some understanding, and replied, 'And if he were left unchecked only to journey down a dark path?'

Grimsby didn't need to consider his response to this question, it was the very crux of the matter, 'That's just it, Gentry. We all have that potential, don't we? I was always taught that it's our choices in life that define who we are, and we're arguing about whether to take away someone's choices. I worry about the precedent that sets.'

As they reached the end of the hall and started up the stairs to level nine, Gentry said, 'Yes, that is a concern I share. Alas, my boy, it's out of our hands now.'

They made for the golden-grilled lifts and headed back up to the Department for Magical Law Enforcement on level two. Gentry nodded him farewell and took the corridor to the right while Grimsby headed left.

As he arrived at his office, Grimsby realised a couple of inter-departmental memos had followed him from the lift. He watched as the self-flying paper aeroplanes landed and unfolded themselves on top of his already overflowing inbox. It had surely doubled in size since he'd left for court that morning.

He took his seat, leaned back, and closed his eyes to ponder the case and how it had reached this point. It had been only four days since he was assigned to it. He had been summoned to what turned out to be a task force headed up by the Department for Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.

Aurors, Obliviators, Healers and more had all been gathered to respond to a high-risk incident. A ground team had already been dispatched, but there was plenty to do behind the scenes, not only to control the incident but also to ensure that the Muggle world did not catch wind of what had transpired.

It was designated Class Four (a magical accident where there was a high probability of Muggle witnesses and one where deaths had occurred). Luckily it fell short of a Class Five (a catastrophic event), but it had been a while since anything above a Class Three was reported.

Grimsby had arrived at the response room, where he was surprised by the level of activity. It was a very large semi-sphere-shaped room with manned stations all around, and concave glass panels adorning the walls above. He had only been there once before. However, this time almost all of the panels were active and displaying visual records of events, presumably from the incident, judging from the chaotic scenes on display.

He made his way toward the Head of the Department, Madam Valerie Oswald, recognisable immediately by her floating flower-patterned armchair, which zoomed around the room as she monitored the different screens and consulted with the desk operators below.

With a point of her wand, the bespectacled, black-haired witch's chair flew her over toward Grimsby and other arrivals, to brief them on the situation. In a clear and controlled voice, she informed them, 'At approximately eleven AM today, a sizeable magical explosion occurred outside a busy Muggle shopping centre. Reports are still coming in, but we understand that this may have been the result of a kidnapping attempt.'

The crowd listened with rapt attention as Madam Oswald used images on the glass screens as visual aids, 'An unknown wizard is among the dead and believed to be the kidnapper, but not, however, the perpetrator. Aurors have been dispatched to seal the area, and the Investigation Department are already on the case.

'So far it looks like an isolated incident, but there are many victims with varying levels of injury, including six confirmed deaths, and—I'm afraid to say—evidence of dark magic. This means the incident will be highly scrutinised, not only by the wizarding world but by the Muggles as well. As such, there is a lot of work ahead of us all.'

The witch began assigning individual tasks to the group. One by one they went on their way until only Grimsby remained, at which point Madam Oswald had finally said, 'Follow me, please, Grimsby.'

He complied as her chair hovered away to an adjacent room, which turned out to be her private office. Inside, the armchair rose and then plopped itself down with a thud behind a large desk, and she gestured for Grimsby to take the seat opposite.

She poured the two of them a cup of tea from a silver serving tray and drew a long breath before taking a sip. 'So,' she said, 'why have I brought you here?'

'Well, if there was a kidnapping involved, there may have been just cause for a magical response, obviously not one that would result in a Class Four, but I expect I've been summoned to represent the perpetrator's interests?' Grimsby deduced. 'Has the witch or wizard responsible been located?'

'Well, you're correct. However, there are exceptional circumstances that can't be repeated outside of this room. The wizard in question was a minor.'

Grimsby couldn't help adopting a look of perplexion before asking, 'You're saying an underage wizard performed dark magic responsible for a Class Four incident? Was it a Hogwarts student?'

Madam Oswald took another sip from her cup, peered down at him over her spectacles and answered in a grave tone, 'The wizard in question is not a student. He is an infant. 10 months and 12 days old to be exact.'

Grimsby shuddered. 'An infant?' he exclaimed. It wasn't uncommon for young witches and wizards to perform accidental acts of magic during times of stress or high emotion, but an infant using magic on this scale and without a wand? Dark magic at that? It was positively unheard of.

He knew immediately that this revelation could have serious implications for the wizarding world, and the baby boy. 'What happens next?' he asked the solemn-looking witch.

'The investigation is ongoing, but I've been instructed by Minister Shacklebolt to keep this piece of information secret, at least until we know more. As such, I will be recommending that a panel be convened to address your question. You will Advocate for the boy. I'm sure you would agree that an open trial would risk word spreading, even with gag orders in place.'

Grimsby didn't relish the idea of being involved in a Ministry cover-up. That said, he understood the reasons for it. In the Muggle World, the incident would be remembered as a tragic accident; a gas explosion would likely be the story. In the wizarding world, though, it would be remembered as a threat to the fragile peace that had been enjoyed over the last decade.

Grimsby was startled out of his reverie by another memo landing on his desk. He straightened up in his chair to see that this message was marked "urgent". The verdict was in. He hurriedly made his way back down to the courtroom, his mind plagued once again with thoughts of whether he had done enough, whether he had done his best for the boy.

He arrived at the chamber to see that Gentry and the panel had already taken their seats. He drew up his robes, sat down and clasped his hands in front of him again, perhaps a bit too tightly as he could see the colour drain from his fingers.

The chamber was sealed, and the Head Magistrate arose. She cleared her throat and began to speak in her oddly high-pitched voice, 'This panel was convened to determine appropriate action following an unprecedented and tragic Class Four incident.

'The severe lack of information available to this panel after four days of investigation is worrying. We know little about how this incident transpired and even less about why. Next to nothing is known about the identity of the kidnapper, or for that matter, the child he was after.'

The Magistrate did not look happy as she continued, 'However, a decision has to be made. One might speculate that this case will be judged on the presence of dark magic at the crime scene, and what that could mean for our community. That kind of assumption would be mistaken. This panel's judgment has been based simply on whether there is a clear and present danger to the child and those around him, as well as a high exposure risk.'

Grimsby felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

'After careful consideration, we have concluded that there is. As such, we have decided that the proposed sentence will proceed without deviation,' the Head Magistrate stated. 'Seeing that his mother was one of the victims and the only living relative that has been identified, the child will be listed among the deceased in all records.

'Following sentencing, he will become a ward of the Ministry until a suitable placement can be arranged. Mr Grimsby will remain the Advocate of record and oversee the arrangements. This decision is final.'

The Head Magistrate jabbed the air with her wand and a loud bang concluded the trial. As the panel made their way from their seats to the rear exit of the chamber, Mr Gentry walked over to Grimsby and while offering him a handshake, he said, 'Well argued my boy. Perhaps for the best, though, eh?'

Grimsby returned the gesture, and replied with a forced smile, 'Perhaps.'

Back in his office, a dejected Grimsby filled his afternoon with busy work like sorting through his inbox and replying to mail. Eventually, the court clerk's office sent up the paperwork required to start the necessary arrangements. Grimsby begrudgingly completed the forms and sent them for processing before finally heading home.

It had been a while since he had worked a Saturday. The Ministry was always so much quieter and emptier on those occasions and the food vendors were usually closed. Grimsby wasn't sure if that was the reason, or if it was because he had been so distracted, but he hadn't eaten a thing all day and was suddenly ravenous.

The good thing about Saturdays was that there wouldn't be any queuing for the Floo Network that would magically transport him home by fire. As Grimsby arrived at the Ministry's atrium and its many gilded fireplaces, he waved good night to the guard and paused to observe the Fountain of Magical Brethren.

Its golden, water-spouting figures seemed quite different than they had years ago, despite the many restoration attempts. Somehow, Grimsby thought, the witch, the centaur, the goblin, and the elf just didn't look as happy as they once had while staring up at the wizard above.

After a minute or so, he dropped the change from his pockets into the water, knowing the proceeds would go to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, his first destination come Monday morning.

Grimsby walked to the closest dormant fireplace, stepped in, and took a handful of the complimentary Floo powder from the wall bracket. He threw it down, and announced clearly, 'Number 15, Redwing Close.' The fireplace burst to life. He was engulfed in emerald flames and felt his insides pulled and pushed, as he whizzed through a series of twists and turns until he felt the ground beneath his feet once more.

When he stepped out of the mahogany fireplace of his contemporary living room, his hunger peaked with his first inhale. The smell of his wife's cooking wafted from the kitchen, luring him toward it like a siren's call.

Mrs Grimsby was sat at the kitchen table reading a folded newspaper with one hand, while the other casually pointed a wand in the direction of two saucepans on the stove, which were stirring themselves in sync.

Mr Grimsby made his presence known with a wry smile, 'What's cooking, good looking?'

Mrs Grimsby visibly jumped, then, immediately giggled at her husband's silly joke. She got up and gave him a kiss while keeping her wand arm on the pans. 'It's a surprise,' she said. 'I'm trying something new.'

'Uh oh!' he jested, making his wife swat his arm gently. Samantha Grimsby was very attractive. Warm brown eyes peeked out from beneath a neat fringe of strawberry blonde hair. Her clothes, on the other hand, were a little worse for wear.

Grimsby sat down at the kitchen table and placed his jacket and briefcase on the empty chair beside him. 'Is the baby still up, Sam?' he asked his wife.

'Sorry no, he's been down for a while now. These stains have even had time to dry!' she answered, pointing to several multi-coloured patches on her shirt. She checked the oven briefly before broaching the subject, 'So, how did things go today, Jon?'

Grimsby had enjoyed the distraction from the case but knew it would be short-lived. He and his wife had been discussing it every night since the incident, after all. Mrs Grimsby was currently on maternity leave from an independent firm specialising in magical patent law, but she had also worked at the Ministry of Magic in the past. They often discussed cases and Mr Grimsby appreciated her perspective on this one in particular, even if the details were supposed to be confidential.

'Bad news, I'm afraid,' he revealed, noting the disappointment yet lack of surprise in her expression. 'I've got to be at St Mungo's on Monday.'

'That poor boy. It's barbaric!' said Samantha Grimsby, while shaking her head in disbelief. With a sigh, she added, 'Dinner won't be long if you want to poke your head in upstairs?'

Grimsby visited the baby's room, careful not to let the light from the ajar door flood in too far as he entered. He sat in the chair next to the cot and looked down at his sleeping son in amazement. He watched the baby like that for ten minutes or so, before softly re-tucking the blankets and heading down to dinner, a little more relaxed than before.

***

A repeated tapping at his bedroom window woke Jonathan Grimsby the following morning. He peered through one eye to find a screech owl pecking against the glass pane. In its talons was a rolled copy of the Sunday Prophet, the wizarding newspaper he subscribed to.

Grimsby retrieved the paper and unfurled it to scan the day’s headlines. As expected, the full details of the incident had finally been released. There were a few omissions, of course, but it was far more accurate an account than any that had or would appear in the Muggle press.

The Prophet had reported the incident as the work of an as-yet unidentified dark wizard, who had died at the scene by his own hand after a botched abduction attempt. Grimsby read on and saw that the full list of victims of the incident had also been revealed, including he noted, a young woman, Ms Gwendoline Drake and her infant son, Gideon Drake.

Chapter Text

The rest of Jonathan Grimsby's weekend was spent alternating between playing with his son and going over his case files. He had done a lot of research since the incident but now that there had been a judgment, he thought it best to go over the information pertinent to the next steps.

If Grimsby had to oversee the sentencing, he would memorise the procedure and ensure it was carried out above board. After all, it hadn't been used in over a century, so no living witch or wizard had performed it. Grimsby made a mental note that if this became a problem, there might be grounds for an appeal.

When Monday arrived, Grimsby reluctantly got ready for work and bade his wife and son goodbye. He left via the front door in lieu of the fireplace. Inside the front porch, still safe from prying eyes but outside of the house's security spell, he turned on the spot and Apparated to one of the many designated safe zones in London. This one was an alleyway unnoticed by Muggles, adorned with rather smelly rubbish bins.

He crossed the road at the end of the alley and stopped at a nearby newsstand to review the Muggle newspaper headlines. They too had revealed the list of victims but had reported the cause of the incident as a gas explosion, as Grimsby had predicted. In addition, the Muggles would be holding a vigil for the victims that evening. He made a mental note to attend, feeling that he owed Ms Drake that much.

Britain's largest wizarding hospital was disguised as a condemned, red-bricked department store called Purge & Dowse Ltd. Grimsby arrived and quietly gave his name to the worst-dressed mannequin behind the dirty display window. Then, when it waved a finger, he walked straight through the glass to find himself in St Mungo's busy reception.

The bored-looking Welcome Witch surveyed him from a desk beyond the seated waiting area and seemed to perk up. Grimsby made his way towards her, careful to avoid staring at some of the stranger afflictions that had befallen the occupants of the seats, and careful to avoid a large purple puddle, the origins of which he did not care to learn.

'Can I be of assistance?' the witch asked in a come-hither voice.

'I hope so,' he replied. He used his wand to project his magical ID, a glowing Ministry of Magic logo with an image of his face and name, and announced himself, 'I'm here on official Ministry business, Jonathan Grimsby, Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I believe you're expecting me?'

'Mr Grimsby?' called a voice from behind him. A short but stern-looking woman with cropped, grey hair quickly approached the reception desk. Her lime-green Healer's robes flowed behind her while a pair of gold-rimmed glasses swung rapidly from her neck on a matching chain.

The Welcome Witch returned to her seat looking quite perturbed. The Healer offered Grimsby a handshake and greeting, 'Welcome, I'm Senior Healer Dandridge. If you would follow me, please.'

He strode after the Healer, into the lift across the hall. Grimsby had vaguely wondered what floor they would be heading to. He was surprised when the Healer pointed her wand, rather than a finger, to the control panel, and a hidden button marked "B" appeared, which she then pushed. "B" apparently stood for "Basement", as the lift started moving downward.

The Healer noticed his mild surprise and informed him, 'The restricted floor. It's a secure area for managing and treating difficult or dangerous cases such as untamed magical creatures, and criminals. It also houses the Ritual Spell Theatre.'

Her explanation made some sense, but it also irked Grimsby. A baby, in the basement, with the criminals, he thought to himself in disbelief before remembering why that was.

As they exited the lift, he noticed that the basement looked just like what he remembered of the other floors of the hospital, except it was devoid of people and the walls were clear of any notices or posters. There was also an ominous-looking corridor to the left with a heavy set of double doors and a guard.

The Healer led him to the right. Grimsby began to realize they were heading in the direction of an intermittent noise that grew louder as they approached. They made a turn and arrived at a room housing the source of the noise. Two guards stood outside the room while inside, a baby cried alone in a cot.

'What is this?' demanded Grimsby. 'Why isn't he being attended to?'

Dandridge picked up a chart from a wall hanging and replied, 'The guards are only here for security. We've been instructed not to enter except on regular intervals, and the record does show that the patient was seen under an hour ago.'

Grimsby was still vexed, 'So, the rest of the time, he's just left here on his own and ignored?'

The Healer did not reply, so Grimsby used his wand to flash his magical badge at the guards. They waved their own wands over the doorless entrance to the baby's room, and a two-tiered magical barrier became visible for a moment before dissolving into the air.

Grimsby entered with Dandridge. He watched her assess the baby with a glowing green light from her wand and then she muttered some words under her breath before telling him, 'Just needed a change.'

He then picked up the baby and cradled it in his arms. One of the guards approached as if to object to this contact but seemed to think better of it after a glare from Grimsby.

After bouncing baby Gideon for a few minutes, his cries gradually diminished, and he nodded off. Grimsby realised his anger had to be partly prompted by thoughts of his own baby boy, and hoped someone would do the same for him if circumstances were different.

Grimsby made another mental note, this time to review policy on this matter. He suspected there wasn't anything specifically related to unaccompanied minors. After all, they were in uncharted territory here.

The Healer's stern expression had softened, as had her tone, 'I apologise if I was curt with you before, Mr Grimsby. It was short-sighted of me to assume the person overseeing the procedure would be a typical Ministry lackey. I suspect we find ourselves in similar situations. If you ask me, this business sullies the healing profession. However, only a Healer would have the skills necessary to perform the procedure, and I volunteered to ensure that mistakes can be avoided, if possible.'

Grimsby had calmed down now. He found Dandridge's words and confidence reassuring but he also lost any hope of being able to file an appeal. He admonished himself for even thinking that was an option given what a mistake could mean when such intricate magic was involved.

Another Healer arrived at the entrance. She kept her distance and announced, 'The Theatre has been prepared, Sister.'

She departed and Dandridge gestured for Grimsby to return the baby to the cot. He did so and followed her out. The guards recast barrier spells with their wands but this time directly on the cot like a bubble. They then proceeded to levitate it out of the room and down the hall towards the lift.

Grimsby and Dandridge followed them to the lift area and then onward, through the now-open heavy doors, which were promptly closed behind them by its guard. Grimsby peered into the windows of the rooms they passed. He saw some interesting healing magic at work and even caught a glimpse of what he thought sure was a dragon before a bright flash caused him to avert his eyes.

At the very end of the corridor, was the Ritual Spell Theatre. It was different from the other rooms he had seen or any of those on the floors above. Its torch-lit stone walls resembled those of a dungeon, but the floor appeared to be smooth and metallic.

Grimsby was directed to the right-hand side, where the stone wall jutted out into tiered levels. He surmised that this was an observation area and took a seat on the third level. From that height, he could just about see into the cot in the middle of the room. That didn't matter, though, as the cot was suddenly dismantled, leaving only baby Gideon floating in the centre of the room, above a large circular marking on the floor.

Grimsby was feeling very ill at ease. He found himself unable to recall his research. Instead, his focus was on the baby's welfare. His concern was alleviated some by Senior Healer Dandridge announcing, 'We will now begin the procedure. Vocal detail will be used where possible for the benefit of our observer.'

The guards erected their barriers once more, this time a large wall around the Healers and themselves. Only Grimsby was outside of the magical field. He noticed the guards had opted for a more defensive stance before they nodded to Dandridge, and she began, 'First, the sterilisation field.'

One of the other Healers performed this spell while the second performed the assessment magic Grimsby had seen Dandridge use earlier, presumably to monitor the baby's vitals.

'Now I will sedate the patient', Dandridge explained as she gently flicked her wand in the baby's direction. He was then lowered to the floor inside the large circle while Dandridge stood just outside of it. 'And now the ritual incantations will begin,' said Dandridge. With this, Grimsby observed her muttering under her breath and waving her wand in continuous, unfamiliar patterns.

Not before long, tiny lights began to emerge on the floor over the circle. This went on for some time and the lights became larger in number and size. Grimsby was transfixed until the lights began to join up and he finally recalled what this part of the procedure was about.

Ritual magic like this was old magic and often required the use of magic circles. The circle on the floor was merely a template to aid the caster in the placement of runes, which is what the tiny lights were. The pattern began to take shape after half an hour or so. Grimsby was impressed by the skill and fortitude of the Healer. She appeared to be in her sixties but had been casting non-stop.

After about forty-five minutes, the pattern started to come together. Dandridge finally paused, then more audibly than before, uttered some incantations unknown to Grimsby. Then, with one word, the pattern began to increase in brightness. The next caused a surge of light to make its way clockwise around the fully formed magic circle until it caught up with itself and unleashed a flash brighter than anything Grimsby had seen up to that point.

The circle then dimmed slowly. Apparently, this meant it was complete because Dandridge visibly took a breath, and the first Healer came to her aid with a cloth to dab her forehead and a goblet of water for her to drink from. Grimsby realized he was somewhat breathless as well.

After just a minute or so, Dandridge said, 'The magic circle has been completed successfully. We will now proceed with The Weaving.'

Grimsby remembered that this was when the patient was to be imbued with the magic. It was the most delicate part of the ritual—and the most dangerous. However, if done correctly, it would not take as long as the magic circle's construction.

Dandridge looked to the second Healer for approval of the baby's condition before beginning. Then, she stepped up to the circle and held her wand over him while her assistant walked around it, stopping at intermittent points to create blue orbs of light that hovered over the runes.

After ten orbs had been placed equidistant from each other, she uttered a spell and swept her wand sideways. The orbs landed softly on the runes one after the other and appeared to sink into them, leaving ripples across the magic circle like pebbles breaking the surface of a pond.

Dandridge started a fast-paced chant and suddenly the brightness of the circle returned. The runes began to move like ants scurrying in unison, first as one around in a circle, and then they all closed in at once towards the baby.

Grimsby had one arm around his middle, but the other had worked its way up to his face and he now found himself watching the scene through his fingers. Any lingering doubts he had about whether this was a just sentence had disappeared. He had never seen magic like this. It just looked so wrong. Felt so wrong. He couldn't help but imagine his son on the cold metal floor inside the magical circle.

The runes reached the infant and began to move from the ground and crawl over his skin, swirling at the command of Dandridge's wand and flashing at the urging of her chant. Eventually, the runes covered him entirely before turning black as night. Grimsby's eyes moved to the Healer monitoring Gideon's condition. The green light of her wand had turned orange and seemed to be steadily darkening.

One last word from Dandridge triggered a whirlpool of blackness until all of it shrank down into one swirling point in the centre of the baby's chest. The assistant Healer's wand light suddenly turned red, and a wave of energy was released, powerful enough to make those inside the field stumble backwards and cover their faces. The barriers visibly shuddered, and the room's torches flickered in unison.

The guards moved in with their wands raised, and Grimsby got to his feet, convinced that something had gone horribly wrong. Dandridge raised a hand, the guards halted, and everyone turned to the assistant Healer. They saw that her wand light was green again and Dandridge moved to the baby's side. She waved her wand over him several times, examined his body, then stood and announced, 'It is done.'

The guards removed their barriers, and the assistant Healers summoned the dismantled cot parts from the other side of the room, reassembled it and placed the baby inside.

Grimsby headed down towards the cot. He looked in and saw that Gideon appeared to be quite calm, certainly calmer than he was. He quickly drew back the hand he had rested on the cot, feeling foolish, and addressed the guards, 'Sorry, do you need to re-cast the barriers?'

'No need for that anymore, Sir,' one of them replied before they both left the room.

'So, everything went okay?' Grimsby asked the Healers.

Healer Dandridge tiredly confirmed, 'Yes. No complications. High blood pressure but he'll recover. Under different circumstances, I would consider it quite the achievement, but, well, you know...'

One of the assistant Healers spoke up, 'Yes, Sister, the first successful binding in over a century, a flawless one at that! If it weren't for all the secrecy, you'd surely make it into the journals.'

Dandridge's grim expression changed ever so slightly to one of mild embarrassment, and she replied, 'Yes, well, that's neither here nor there. Besides, I'm not sure we can call it "flawless" just yet. This type of magic always leaves marks.'

'How do you mean?' Grimsby worried. 'Is there a scar? Or some kind of curse mark? I've read about that possibility, but I didn't notice anything.'

Dandridge observed the baby sympathetically and answered, 'Not quite. We can't be sure of the long-term side effects but in the meantime... Well, it looks like he's coming around, so you can see for yourself.'

Grimsby watched the baby boy fuss, scouring his tiny body for marks until his eyes slowly opened and returned the man’s gaze. One green. One blue.

Chapter Text

Gideon Maxwell had hoped his very last day of primary school would be spent simply exchanging well wishes, playing games or maybe re-enacting the Year Six musical one last time. Unfortunately, his classmates had other ideas. After a vote, they decided on an extended PE session with the whole year group.

Gideon was sure it wouldn't be anything particularly strenuous or educational, but he would sooner just spend the time reading. Still, he could endure it knowing that the summer break would finally begin at three fifteen PM. He begrudgingly got changed into his PE clothes for the last time and hastily re-flattened his long fringe over his forehead.

After a quick warm-up followed by some games with bean bags and hoops, the teachers suggested a round of dodgeball, which Gideon despised. The pupils began to split into teams and Gideon waited patiently until his name was finally called, last, of course. He was used to that. With his health issues, he couldn't even be angry with his classmates for picking him last.

He had always been something of a sickly child and physical activities just weren't his forte. In fact, on the rare occasion when he performed well in PE, it was usually preceded by him requiring a puff from his inhaler.

Gideon wasn't disliked, but he'd never made any real friends at Johnston Primary. In his first few years at the school, his differences weren't that noticeable to the other children. It was only when they were seven or eight years old that his classmates started to notice Gideon's health issues—and odd looks.

He was easily the shortest boy in his year. He was also very pale. It was his eyes, however, that stood out the most. Gideon had heterochromia, which his parents told him meant he was born with two differently coloured eyes. His right was a deep blue while the left was a vivid green, with hazel around the centre.

Gideon didn't mind his left eye, he thought it looked interesting. Unfortunately, the contrast of bright and different colours against his dark hair and pale complexion was extremely noticeable. To Gideon's way of thinking, it made him look creepy. That was why he had grown his hair out enough to cover the right side of his face with his fringe, although, it didn't really make much of a difference.

When Gideon was younger, there were occasions when he was invited over to the other pupils' houses for birthdays, sleepovers and such, but something would always happen to him to ruin the fun, and his parents would have to collect him.

Whether it was because of his asthma, his anaemia, his allergies or simply being unable to keep up with the other boys, eventually the invitations just stopped coming. He soon found himself playing and eating alone most days. Then, the teasing began.

Gideon had begged his mother to let him be home-schooled on numerous occasions, but she always maintained her belief that it was important for him to learn about the Muggle world and mix with Muggle children. So, he adapted to the pressures of school life by keeping his head down.

He spoke only when spoken to in classes and found quiet areas of the playground to read or draw by himself during break times. When bullies targeted Gideon, he quickly learned not to fall for their provocations or even to react at all, and eventually, they opted for pretending he didn't exist, which was just fine by him. Johnston Primary School had been a lonely place for Gideon, but he had stuck it out knowing that it was only a temporary inconvenience.

After the dodgeball teams had been picked, Gideon decided to head to the back of the hall, where he wouldn't get in the way, and where he could avoid getting hit or having to throw for a while. It would at least look like he was making an effort to join in.

As he absent-mindedly made his way to the far corner, Gideon failed to notice the whispers making their way around the room. Jason Crawley was his team's Captain. He was also something of a bully, and top of Gideon's list of people he would not miss come three o'clock. As the two teachers engaged in conversation, it was Jason who called a start to the game, 'NOW!'

Gideon took a stance and prepared to look busy. He watched in what seemed like slow motion as Jason and the rest of his team's players turned away from their opponents and towards him. They all seemed to be wearing the same devilish grins as they simultaneously launched their balls in the wrong direction. Gideon's direction.

Recognition slowly dawned on Gideon as the first ball, Jason's ball, hit him square in the mouth. The others followed quickly, landing blows all over his body as Gideon's embarrassment became apparent, and the room echoed with laughter. Just one more day, he thought, couldn't they have left him alone for just one more day?

He knew he wouldn't be seeing these people again, but after all the years he had spent keeping to himself, carefully avoiding them, barely speaking, barely existing, only for this to be their last memory of him. It was just too pathetic, too frustrating, and too much to bear.

As Gideon fell to the floor, his frustration turned to anger, and suddenly, he felt the pain. Not from the barrage of balls, but from somewhere inside his head. It was a pain he instantly recalled having just once before, but he couldn't remember the circumstances.

Gideon, at last, felt the impact of the floor, but it was nothing compared to the searing pain in his skull. The laughter around him slowly dissipated until all he could hear were the screams, his screams, reverberating around the large hall as he writhed on the floor with his hands clutching his head.

'Wha... What are you doing, idiot?' yelled Jason with a mingled look of anger and horror on his face. 'It was a joke!' he pleaded to no avail as Gideon continued to roll around, 'They're just rubber balls! Get up! GET UP!'

As the teachers rushed over to Gideon and ordered someone to go get the school nurse, the screaming finally stopped. He had passed out. The Year Six students were all in shock and some of the girls were crying. Even the teachers were terrified.

***

Gideon awoke sometime later, squinting against the bright lights of what turned out to be the school medical room. He raised himself off the paper-covered examination bed and tried to get his bearings. It was a few seconds before he could recall what he was doing there.

He remembered being hit by the balls, falling to the floor, and then the screaming. Some of the feelings of embarrassment and anger came rushing back, but it was confusion more than anything else that he felt. It wasn't the balls which had hurt him. So, what had happened to him?

Gideon made to stand up when he heard raised voices from the corridor outside the room. He recognised one of the voices as his mother's. It was rare for her to shout, but he was sure it was her. Gideon guessed that the other might belong to the headteacher, Mr Cahill.

'And what's going to be done about it?' Mrs Maxwell demanded. 'What about this Jason boy?'

'We can, of course, contact his parents, Mrs Maxwell, but given that it's the last day of term, there isn't much we can do in terms of disciplinary action,' said the other voice.

'I don't accept that. I know that boy's caused problems for Gideon and others over the years, and what he did today was beyond cruel,' she asserted strongly.

'As I said Mrs Maxwell,' Mr Cahill replied, 'I will contact Mr and Mrs Crawley, but I think we should bear in mind that what happened to Gideon today was not likely a direct result of Jason's actions. I think the best thing to do now is to have Gideon examined by a doctor.'

Gideon didn't hear the rest of the conversation if there was any. The sound of the door startled him, and Mrs Maxwell pulled back the curtain at the back of the office to find her son awake.

'Are you okay, sweetie?' she asked in a very different tone from before. He nodded in reply as she felt his forehead. 'Come on, we're leaving. I've got your things here.'

Mrs Maxwell led Gideon out with a hand on his shoulder and gave the headteacher a severe look on the way to the reception area.

As they left together through the doors and out towards the car park, Gideon asked, 'Are we going to the doctor's, Mum?'

'The doctor's?' she replied. 'No, no.'

'Then, what's wrong with me? Didn't Mr Cahill tell you what happened?' he questioned hesitantly.

'Of course, and he's going to speak with that Crawley boy's parents, but you're feeling better now aren't you, honey?' she answered.

Gideon considered it as they approached their aged red Ford Fiesta, 'Well, yes, but I don't understand what happened. My head. I thought it was going to explode or something!'

Mrs Maxwell unlocked the doors and got in the car without meeting his gaze. Gideon got in the passenger side and watched his mother as she started the car, waiting for a response. When it didn't come, he added, 'I think I remember it happening before, but I don't know when. Maybe when I was little?'

As they drove away, Mrs Maxwell sighed, 'I know you don't like to hear it, honey, but you know your health isn't great. It's just one of those things we'll have to manage.'

Gideon was not satisfied with this answer, but he had experienced plenty of other embarrassing incidents due to his health. In the past, he'd had asthma attacks, heatstroke, and even fainting spells. Maybe this was just something else he would have to put up with. At least it didn't happen often.

There was one positive aspect to this incident, Gideon realised. He was done with Johnston Primary School. Forever. Summer had finally begun. This thought cheered Gideon up a little, as did his mother turning on the radio.

She turned the dial as far as it would go and tapped it with her wooden wand in an attempt to tune into the hidden Magical Modulation (MM) stations. Strangely, it took her a few tries to make it work, but after a few more taps, the old radio came to life, and Gideon's favourite band, The Stargazers were playing on Moonlight MM.

He sang along quietly until they turned down a country lane and into a wooded area. After another few turns, they reached the long, gravelled driveway of Maxwell Manor, and suddenly, the old car looked quite out of place. The driveway ended in a large circular area with a fountain at its centre.

The natural stone house beyond it was very grand. It wasn't quite a mansion, but it had all the impact of one, standing tall against the backdrop of the surrounding trees. Immaculate white rose bushes lined each side of an arched entranceway with huge, black-panelled doors.

The house had belonged to the Maxwells, an esteemed but otherwise average wizarding family, for generations. With its six bedrooms, there was plenty of room for Gideon, his parents, his older brother and sister; Anthony and Jennifer, and his paternal grandmother, who had moved in with them some years ago after a fall and hadn't ever gotten around to leaving.

Gideon and his mother parked the old banger haphazardly and entered the house's gleaming, marble-floored foyer. They were quickly greeted with big smiles from the family's little house elves, Tilly and her son, Tolly.

Unlike others of their large-eyed, bat-like-eared kind, Tilly and Tolly wore close to full outfits. Each wore a multi-coloured patchwork wraparound toga, made to their tiny sizes, and held together with a gold tasselled curtain rope tie, and both had little hand-made shoes.

They had, however, only consented to wear such garments as Gideon's sister, an up-and-coming designer, had fashioned them out of scraps of spare fabric, old tea towels, potato sacks and other materials. This way she convinced them, they didn't count as "clothes", per se, which when given to a house elf, would dismiss them from their position.

Tilly was a very polite but serious, older elf who took great pride in serving the Maxwell family, just as her ancestors before her. She mainly saw to the needs of Gideon's parents and grandmother, while Tolly looked after the children.

'Afternoon, Tilly, Tolly,' Gideon's mother greeted them. 'Is my husband home?'

'Good afternoon, Mrs Maxwell, Young Master Maxwell,' said Tilly as she took Mrs Maxwell's bag and coat from her, 'Master Maxwell is in the study. Will that be all Mrs?'

'Yes, thank you,' she replied. 'Gideon, take your things up to your room. I want to speak with your dad.'

Gideon headed up the winding staircase with Tolly in tow. Tolly was perhaps Gideon's best friend. They had grown up together in the house but were careful not to let their friendship interfere with Tolly's work or to play when Mr Maxwell was home.

Mr Maxwell was rather strict, especially, Gideon thought, with him. More so than he was with his siblings at least, but then, why wouldn't he be? Jennifer had talent and drive, Anthony was a star player on his school Quidditch team, and then, there was Gideon, who on top of everything else, was now having seizures.

That's why Gideon threw his bags into his room, kicked off his shoes and socks, and doubled back with Tolly to the end of the hall. If he was going to be in trouble over what had happened at school, he wanted to know ahead of time.

'Think you can do your trick, Tolly?' he asked the eager elf.

'Tolly will try, Sir,' he replied.

They had learned a long time ago, that if you adjusted the old-fashioned heating vents in a certain way, you could sometimes make out conversations from some of the rooms downstairs. Tolly had become particularly adept at this since house elves had considerably better hearing than humans.

After a while of playing with the different vents and their nobs, Tolly found a combination that connected with the study, and they heard Gideon's parents having a discussion.

'...you called him, then?' they heard Mrs Maxwell ask.

'Of course. He said he'd be coming by, probably anytime now,' Mr Maxwell confirmed just before the doorbell rang. 'Speak of the devil!'

Gideon was disappointed that they hadn't heard anything interesting but at least his father didn't seem to be in one of his moods. He made his way back to his bedroom as Tolly headed downstairs to answer the door.

Curious about who his parents might have been talking about, Gideon held back behind the wall at the top of the landing to observe the door discretely. Mr Maxwell, a distinguished-looking, full-bearded gentleman in navy blue robes shooed Tolly and Tilly away before opening the door himself.

'Thought that might be you, how are you both? Come on in,' Mr Maxwell said as he stepped aside to welcome a man in his early forties with wavy, golden hair, and his equally blonde, shaggy-haired son.

Gideon recognised them. The man worked at the Ministry of Magic with his dad. He visited once a year or so, but not always with his son. If he recalled correctly, this was Mr Jonathan Grimsby, and his son, Alex.

Chapter Text

Gideon watched his father usher Mr Grimsby and his son inside. Mr Maxwell started towards his study before correcting himself, 'Tolly? Go fetch Gideon, would you?'

'As you wish, Master,' Tolly answered, arriving from the other room, and then hurrying up the staircase. Gideon quickly ducked back behind the wall, so as not to be caught eavesdropping. As Tolly rounded the corner, he put a finger to his lips, indicating for the elf to be quiet.

He waited a reasonable amount of time before emerging from behind the wall with Tolly, pretending they had made their way from his bedroom. 'You wanted me, Dad?' Gideon said as they walked down the stairs.

'Yes, Gideon,' his father replied and indicated to their guests, 'You remember Mr Grimsby and his son, Alex?'

Gideon responded with a nod.

'We have some business to discuss. Why don't you and Alex go play?' he suggested. Then, addressing the visitors and Tolly, 'Some cold drinks? I think we have some fresh pumpkin juice?'

'Pumpkin juice sounds great, thank you,' Mr Grimsby answered.

With a look from Mr Maxwell, Tolly bowed out towards the kitchen while the two men headed to the study. 'Want to go up to my room?' Gideon proposed timidly.

'Sure,' said the other boy with a smile and they jogged upstairs. As they reached the landing, Gideon glanced at the vents at the end of the hall. He was briefly tempted to try listening to the conversation taking place in the study, but with Alex for company, he decided against it.

Gideon's bedroom was the smallest in the house but still a good size. There was plenty of room for all of his bookshelves and his drawing desk, as well as a wardrobe, dressing table and a double bed. The walls were adorned with some of Gideon's drawings and a selection of magically-moving posters, including one of The Stargazers, and one of his local Quidditch Team, the Chudley Cannons.

'I forgot you supported the Cannons,' said Alex Grimsby as they entered. 'They haven't been having a good season, have they?'

'No,' Gideon conceded, 'but that's mainly because of the new line-up. Once they've had time to work on their team dynamic, I think they could be real contenders.'

'Come off it!' Alex responded. 'The Cannons are going down, it's their keeper they should have sacked!'

'What? Denton's a legend!' Gideon contested.

'He was a legend, you mean. He's been going downhill ever since he took that Bludger to the head against the Magpies,' Alex joked. The boys both laughed. It was such a refreshing change for Gideon to talk to someone his age about Quidditch, the popular wizarding sport played in the air on broomsticks, or someone his age full stop, for that matter.

'Oh, you like the Stargazers too?' asked Alex. 'Was that poster up when I was here last?'

Gideon had to think about it, 'I've liked them for ages. Though, I'm not sure if the poster would have been up. I got it a couple of birthdays ago, so just over two years ago.'

'Maybe not, then. I guess it's been a while,' said Alex. 'I don't know many other kids who like them. I'm not sure about the new album, but I have a signed copy of Nightshade!'

'Wow, really?' Gideon exclaimed. 'That's so cool, Nightshade is my favourite!'

Just then, Tolly arrived at the door with a jug of iced Pumpkin juice and four tall glasses on a tray. 'Cheers, Tolly!' Gideon said as he poured out two drinks for them and let Tolly head to the study. The boys sat down on two big bean bags.

'So, how come I don't see more of you?' Alex enquired. 'I only see you when I visit with my dad, and that's not often.'

Gideon took a big sip from his glass and replied, 'Well, I don't see many other kids from magical families. I go to a Muggle primary school. Or I did, that is. Today was my last day. Finally!'

'Oh, we're the same age!' Alex said in surprise. 'So, that means we'll be going to Hogwarts together?'

Gideon nodded into his glass, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, realising that Alex must have assumed he was younger given the foot or so difference in their heights.

'Yeah! I can't wait!' Gideon replied. 'I've been dreaming of going for so long, and not just because of how bad my school was. I just can't wait to do magic!'

'Cool. Well, I know two more guys who are going, so I can introduce you. I met one of them because of magic,' said Alex. He told the story of how he had met a boy named Greg when they were four years old, and how their families had bonded over an incident of underage magic.

'It was at the beach and Greg's brother had nicked his ice cream cone without their parents noticing,' Alex explained. 'He got upset to the point he accidentally summoned the next nearest ice cream cone to him, which turned out to be mine! Pulled it right out of my little hands! I didn't know what was going on when it just floated away!'

Gideon laughed along with the story, but he was also confused by it. 'But how did he do it?' he asked Alex.

'What, summon the ice cream? Dunno, it's just one of those things, isn't it?' Alex answered jovially. 'I hiccoughed bubbles one time! The babysitter thought I'd swallowed washing-up liquid! And once I silenced the neighbour's dog when it wouldn't stop barking. The biggest thing I ever did was cause a power cut during a tantrum. Once I finally shut up, my mum and dad seemed pretty impressed by that!'

Now Gideon was very confused. 'You've done magic too? More than once?' he asked.

'Well, not on purpose. It just happens, doesn't it? During moments of stress and stuff,' Alex offered matter-of-factly. 'My dad says it's something to do with "not being able to regulate the magic that builds up inside of us". Once we get wands and start using magic all the time, it stops for the most part. Haven't you ever done any magic, then?'

Gideon knew immediately that he hadn't. He had been waiting so long for it, but he always thought the first time would be this Autumn at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with a wand. He thought that was what it was like for everyone. Apparently, he had been misinformed.

'Well, it's not the same for everyone. It probably just means you're a little less magical,' Alex suggested when Gideon didn't answer. Upon noticing Gideon's face drop, he quickly added, 'Or maybe you have better control of your emotions? Stronger personality or something?'

Gideon perked up a bit at hearing this. After all, he had taught himself to shut down emotionally at school, hadn't he? Maybe not having performed any accidental magic was a mark of character?

After the boys finished their juice, they spent the afternoon playing Gobstones, Exploding Snap, Wizard's Chess, and then with Gideon's miniature flying broomstick set, which they used to recreate popular Quidditch formations. The whole time they speculated about life at Hogwarts.

Eventually, Tolly reappeared to tell them that the Grimsbys had to leave. The boys headed downstairs, agreeing to stay in touch over the summer and to arrange a date to go to London together to get their school supplies.

'There you are, Al. You boys have fun?' Mr Grimsby enquired.

'Yes, Dad,' said Alex in a way that sounded like he was embarrassed by his well-meaning father.

'Well, it was good to see you, Maxwell. Good to see you, too, Gideon,' said Mr Grimsby with a smile on his handsome face as he extended a handshake in Gideon's direction. Gideon was caught off guard by the gesture but returned the handshake. As their hands met, he felt a short but definite pain in the palm of his hand, like a pinprick.

Mr Grimsby didn't seem to have noticed anything, but when he withdrew his arm, Gideon could have sworn he saw something black in the palm of the man's hand. Mr Grimsby then departed with his son, disappearing into thin air a few feet from the front door with Alex on his arm.

'Dad,' Gideon said apprehensively, 'I-I think Mr Grimsby just did something to me, m-maybe accidentally. I think I saw him holding something when we shook hands and, I don't know, it burned me or something.'

Mr Maxwell looked affronted, 'Don't be ridiculous, Gideon! I was standing right next to you both. It'll be static electricity. Now, go get ready for dinner!'

Gideon considered this for a moment as he looked down at his bare feet and the smooth marble floors, and mumbled to himself with confusion, 'Static electricity?'

***

The Maxwells almost always dined together as a family. The large, polished oak table in their formal dining room sat twenty, but they used one end with Mr Maxwell seated at the head.

Gideon had always found this annoying because it usually made the seating uneven. When his siblings were away at school, the adults on the opposite side of the table tended to exclude him from the conversation. When his siblings were home, they would sit in age order, pushing him down to the furthest seat from the end. Because of this he often spent meals entertained only by the sparkling chandelier that hung above them.

'Alright, short stuff?' said Gideon's brother, Anthony with a gentle bump on the shoulder as he and Jennifer joined the rest of the family at the table.

Gideon feigned a frown, but he was used to Anthony's teasing and knew it wasn't mean-spirited.

‘Oh, Gid, I need you to try something on for me later,’ said Jennifer. ‘I’m experimenting with a new fabric, but I can’t get the fit right on my dress form.’

Gideon's frown was genuine this time. His sister’s occasional requests for him to model her designs brought back embarrassing memories of their younger years, when Jennifer would dress him up in their mother’s clothes.

'Why the two of you always need to be last to sit down, I'll never know,' their grandmother said indignantly before Gideon could object, using the reflection of a knife to adjust the elegant tiara atop her coiffed hair.

'You never heard of being fashionably late, Gran?' asked Jennifer with a smile, while sweeping her long brown hair over her shoulder.

'Don't talk to me about fashion, young lady,' she replied eagerly as if presented with the perfect setup. 'I've seen those robe designs you've been working on, Jennifer, and really!'

'I think they're great!' Anthony told their grandmother with laughter in his voice.

'Well, of course, you do! I've seen house elves with more material on them!' she replied reproachfully.

The children laughed quietly. Shocking their grandmother had always entertained them. She had old-fashioned values and little patience for subtlety, so it was easy to provoke a response from her.

'Styles are changing, Annabeth,' commented Mrs Maxwell. 'They won't be for everyone, but I think Jenny's designs have real potential.'

'Oh, yes. Potential to end up in a window down Knockturn Alley, that is!' the older woman retorted.

'That'll do, Mother,' said Mr Maxwell flatly as Tilly and Tolly approached from the adjacent kitchen with dinner.

'You know, Gran, the Knockturn Alley boutiques are actually quite on-trend this season,' Jennifer joked.

Mrs Maxwell Senior clutched her pearls, looking quite scandalised, but before she could open her mouth to admonish her granddaughter, Mr Maxwell repeated, 'That'll do!' with a look and tone of finality that made her purse her lips, and the children stifle their giggles.

The elves had prepared a sumptuous-looking fish dish in a buttery sauce, with mashed potato and roasted green beans. The children and Mrs Maxwell thanked them as they shuffled back out of the room.

As the family began their meal, Gideon thought now would be a good time to ask the question that had been on his mind, 'Did Ant or Jen ever do magic before they went to Hogwarts?'

The room seemed to go quiet for a moment. 'Why do you ask that, honey?' his mother replied.

'Well,' Gideon said hesitantly, 'when I was talking with that boy, Alex earlier, he mentioned he'd done some magical things by accident, and that friends of his had too. Is that common?'

'It happens—' his grandmother started.

'Sometimes. Sometimes it happens,' his mother interrupted, 'but no, it's not common.'

Everyone continued eating, but the atmosphere seemed to have changed. 'So, Ant and Jen didn't? Do any accidental magic, that is?' Gideon pressed.

'No,' his father responded simply. 'Now eat your dinner, Gideon,' he added before changing the conversation to the regular daily troubles of inheriting a department from "the chosen one".

Gideon got his answer, but he couldn't help thinking that his grandmother's raised eyebrows had a furtive look about them.

***

Gideon felt exhausted after dinner. The day had seemed so long, even though he had left school early. He pressed his finger to the magical calendar hanging on the back of his bedroom door and an animated frog exploded over the day's date. His first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was now just over five weeks away!

Gideon climbed into bed and quickly fell into a deep sleep. He dreamed that he and Alex Grimsby were being attacked by a swarm of his miniature brooms, which now had stingers and made dangerous buzzing sounds.

They ran down to the foyer to get help from their fathers, but Mr Grimsby had morphed into a crab-like creature and was insisting Gideon shake his snapping pincer. Gideon looked to his father, but Mr Maxwell seemed quite unconcerned, merely saying, 'It'll be the static electricity.'

Gideon escaped through the front door and jumped into the car, now a convertible, with his grandmother at the wheel. She floored it and the car soared into the sky. She repeatedly tapped at the radio with her wand to no avail.

'What's wrong?' Gideon asked her.

'It happens—' she started to say before she was interrupted by Tilly, who had emerged from the back seat.

'Sometimes. Sometimes it happens,' said the elf as she lunged for the steering wheel. 'Hold on!'

The car took a nosedive and somehow landed softly in the Johnston Primary School car park. They got out and were immediately assaulted by a deluge of dodge balls with devilish grins and pointed teeth. Gideon was forced to the floor where he began writhing in pain.

Just then, the dream changed. Gideon was small. Smaller than usual. He was in his childhood buggy, riding a Muggle bus. To his left was his mother in the nearest seat, struggling to keep a rambunctious Anthony away from the bell buttons. When the bus next stopped, Anthony made a dash for freedom through its open doors.

'Anthony Maxwell come back here this instant!' his mother commanded as she immediately chased after him. She quickly caught him by the wrist and pulled him back to the bus, but the doors closed. Gideon watched nervously from his buggy as she pounded on the door and screamed for the driver, but slowly began to disappear from his sight.

The toddler began to cry for his mother. The passengers around him began to fuss and make noise. The bus wasn't stopping. His mother had left him all alone. Gideon was scared, confused, and desperate. His cries intensified and then he felt it. A relentless pain somewhere inside his head.

His ear-curdling screams were punctuated only by his uncontrollable shaking. The passengers, now barely discernible, looked down at him with terrified expressions. The bus came to a stop, Mrs Maxwell appeared, the toddler's vision faded to black, and Gideon woke up covered in a cold sweat.

He bolted upright in bed and tried to calm down. Parts of his dream were fading fast, but his brief journey on the bus remained clear. Gideon realised that he had recovered a memory, perhaps triggered by his episode at school. It was from the other time that he had experienced that searing pain. But what, if anything, did it mean?

Chapter Text

Gideon had the dream every night for over a week. At first, he wanted to talk to his mother about it. However, she had been unusually preoccupied of late. On top of that, he recalled how she had reacted when asked about his fit on the last day of school.

Gideon didn't know if she had lied or simply hadn't wanted to talk about it, but either way, he was sure she would have remembered the bus incident. Instead, he had asked his brother. Anthony claimed not to recall what happened, though.

Gideon would have put this down to how young they were at the time, but the fact that Anthony then offered to play with him, something he rarely did these days, made him wonder if his brother was being truthful. That said, Anthony's idea of playing together was having Gideon lob balls at him in the garden while he practised flying.

Ultimately, Gideon had decided he didn't need to hear how sickly he was for the umpteenth time, which he was sure would be the response his mother would give if asked. He resolved to forget about the dream and enjoy his summer. The summer, however, was not enjoyable.

Gideon ended up spending more time than usual in his bedroom. Granted, he usually enjoyed the solitude when he wanted to read or draw, but it was more out of necessity than choice, that he was shutting himself away so much.

The rest of the family had begun to act very strangely. Gideon seemed to be interrupting whispered chatter and arguments all over the house. Whenever he entered a room the conversation would grind to a halt, and his appearance would even cause alarm. It happened so often that Gideon was beginning to feel like a stranger in his own home.

On the few occasions he had asked what was going on, he would be told off for things like eavesdropping, or in his grandmother’s words, "sneaking around like a goblin short of a Galleon". Soon, the family started to avoid each other altogether, Gideon included, since he'd had quite enough of their peculiar behaviour.

Mr Maxwell spent more time in his study while Mrs Maxwell spent a lot of time cleaning—much to Tilly's dismay. Jennifer insisted she had design work to do in her room and wasn’t even drafting Gideon to model for her, while Anthony was always in the garden on his broom. Their grandmother rarely appeared at the dinner table anymore, opting to stay in her large corner of the house, where she had the house elves wait on her.

When the family did spend time together in the lounge or the dining room, they usually did so in near complete silence. Gideon's attempts at using the heating vents to get to the bottom of this oddness were, of course, futile now that nobody was speaking. He was furious with himself for not having tried before, but it was so rare that they argued that he was taken by surprise.

Somewhere deep down, Gideon wondered whether he might be the cause of the bad feeling in the house, but he couldn't see how, and more than that, he didn't want to. Rather than confront those kinds of thoughts, he chose to distract himself.

His parents had always forbidden him from learning anything about Hogwarts, or anything to do with magic for that matter, while he was underage. They claimed to not want anything interfering with his Muggle schoolwork for one thing. They also said that surprises were supposed to be part of the experience of becoming a wizard, and apparently, they had done the same with Jennifer and Anthony when they were younger.

Even so, Gideon wanted to get a jump on his studies. Whatever was going on, he wasn't going to let it ruin the excitement of his first year at Hogwarts. Since Anthony was spending so much time outside, Gideon took the opportunity to sneak into his brother's room and borrow one of his old spell books.

He climbed into bed that evening with the book and his handheld crystal Glowglobe, a gift he'd once received from his grandmother. He shook the small sphere gently to activate the light charm inside. Tiny glowing orbs appeared rapidly until they filled the sphere with enough light for him to read The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 under the covers. Gideon read with fascination into the night, practising wand movement instructions with his index finger while sounding out the various incantations under his breath.

He couldn't believe the things that he would be learning and doing in just under a month. Once his eyes became too tired to continue, he placed the book and Glowglobe in his bottom drawer, and he blew up yet another animated frog with a press of a finger on his magical calendar. As he observed it, he smiled, realising that his Hogwarts letter would be arriving any day now.

Gideon woke with a start every morning of the next week. Each day he would jump out of bed, throw on his dressing gown and charge downstairs to await the morning post delivery. Tilly and Tolly worked around him without a word of objection as he paced backwards and forwards across the kitchen, staring out the window.

Each day, his excitement would peak suddenly and then drop just as quickly, as he realised only one post owl could be seen in the distance, undoubtedly bringing the Daily Prophet. It wasn't until Thursday that he saw two shapes hovering above the trees, heading towards the house.

This was it, the moment that would change Gideon's life forever. The moment he would take his first steps towards becoming a real wizard. Two brown owls clipped the top of the nearest ferns and swooped down in unison. They glided gracefully through the kitchen window and settled on the delivery perch.

Tilly went to collect the deliveries, but Gideon beat her to it. He cast aside the day's Prophet and hastily took the letter from the second owl's talons. There it was, the Hogwarts crest. He excitedly flipped the letter over, and comprehension dawned on him.

Mr A. Maxwell
Maxwell Manor
Shaftesbury
Dorset

This wasn't his Hogwarts letter. This was Anthony's letter. Gideon swore loudly for allowing himself to get caught up in the moment, scaring the birds and causing Tilly to fold down her floppy ears. He had known that Anthony would be getting a letter as well, but the anticipation had made him forget. Although, he had expected it would arrive on the same day as his.

'Master Gideon's letter must be coming tomorrow,' Tolly reassured him.

Gideon was rather grumpy for the rest of the day. He couldn't face eating breakfast with the family, especially after feeling something undoubtedly solid inside of Anthony's letter, which he felt certain was only going to vex him further.

Gideon's suspicions were later confirmed when Anthony opened his letter to find a shiny new Quidditch Captain's badge. Gideon tried to ignore the happy noises in the next room as he watched a programme on the lounge Telecrystal. When he heard his father congratulate Anthony and tell him, 'That's my boy!' Gideon turned the volume up considerably.

Anthony put the badge on immediately, wearing it for the rest of the day and drawing attention to it whenever possible. Gideon would have liked to think he didn't begrudge his brother this honour, especially since he knew that academics were not Anthony's strength, but secretly his insides were burning with jealousy.

It wasn't just that Gideon had thought today would be his special day. Anthony's achievement was just another sign of how different they were. A very shiny, visible sign at that. Gideon thought his brother might as well have been wearing one of those "I'm with stupid" t-shirts with an arrow pointed at him.

They didn't even look alike. Apart from Gideon's obvious flaws, his siblings both had light brown hair and brown eyes like their mother. Gideon, on the other hand, supposedly took after his father's side of the family, at least that was what he had been told. However, given his father and grandmother's grey hair and Gideon's odd eyes, he couldn't make a proper comparison.

Gideon had spent the rest of the day sulking, but when he woke up on Friday his excitement had returned, and it was just like every previous morning that week. He launched across the bedroom, into his dressing gown and towards the stairs. As he approached the top step, he stopped on the landing, distracted by the distant sound of raised voices.

Gideon thought It was unusual for anyone else to be up just yet, let alone having an argument. The voices seemed to be coming from the direction of Jennifer's room but as Gideon reached the end of the corridor, he realised they were coming from the heating vent, which apparently, had been left open in a convenient way.

Gideon crouched down and put his ear to the grate to listen. 'We can't let this go on any longer, Marcus,' he heard his mother yell at his father, 'we have to tell the truth!'

'The truth? That's out of the question and you know it!' Mr Maxwell snapped.

'Well, some version of it, then!' Mrs Maxwell responded. 'We can't all continue on as we have been around here. Everybody's on edge, nobody's talking to each other for fear of saying the wrong thing. We can't even have a proper celebration for Anthony. It's not fair to him, to any of the kids, to keep this up!'

Mr Maxwell paused before replying, 'Sarah, I know it's been difficult, but we discussed this. We agreed on how to handle it, didn't we?'

'Things have changed. I just don't want the truth to come out the wrong way. You know what your mother is like, she can't hold her tongue. If she were to let something slip...'

'Aaaagh! What are you doing, midget!' cried Jennifer, who had emerged from her bedroom to find Gideon huddled in the corner.

Gideon lurched with fright and instinctively changed the dial on the heating vent. 'It's cold! I was just adjusting the vent!' he snapped at her angrily as she stormed off towards the bathroom. Of course, he wasn't angry with his sister for the name-calling. It was because she had just interrupted a very interesting conversation, and at a crucial point.

What with being unable to get the vent to work the way it had been, and Jennifer's imminent return, Gideon reluctantly gave up. He replayed his parent's argument in his mind as he slowly made his way down the stairs. His parents rarely quarrelled, and when they did, it was just over little things.

This argument had been about "the truth". Gideon's parents were lying about something, or to someone, and it sounded like it was the source of the Maxwells' current family troubles. Was this why everyone was so jumpy? Did his grandmother know something? Gideon was more confused than ever.

It was a while before he remembered where he was going. When he did, he trotted off to the kitchen. 'Anything yet?' he asked Tolly hopefully as he sat down at the kitchen table.

'Not yet, Master Gideon,' the elf answered as he brought over a glass of fresh orange juice. Gideon accepted it gratefully and turned his attention to the window. As he scoured the distant sky in search of owls, he tried not to think of what he had overheard or the events of the last few weeks. Gideon couldn't shake a feeling of foreboding, but he knew that it wouldn't last.

As soon as his letter arrived, the uneasy feeling would go away. Once his letter arrived, the arguments wouldn't matter anymore. He would be going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A letter from Alex Grimsby would surely follow, and he would meet his new friend at Diagon Alley, the wizarding shopping district, to begin their magical journey together.

At last, Gideon would learn how to do magic. He would learn about spells, potions, and all kinds of magical creatures. He would learn to fly! He would study hard and make his father proud. He would finally make some friends.

But Gideon's letter didn't arrive that morning. He didn't expect it to arrive on the weekend. When it hadn't arrived on Monday morning, the feeling in the pit of his stomach grew like a slumbering dragon waking from a deep sleep. When the letter still hadn't arrived on Tuesday morning, the dragon rose to its feet and began to growl menacingly.

It was okay, though. Gideon reminded himself that Alex had promised to write once they received their letters. He hadn't heard from him yet, so he, too, must still be waiting. That thought sustained Gideon through to Thursday. However, when the Daily Prophet arrived in the talons of a lone tawny owl on Friday, he began to despair.

He tried desperately to rid himself of the thoughts racing through his mind. The whispers, the arguments, the secrets and lies, his dreams, his illnesses. Together, they all seemed to add up to something that Gideon simply wasn't ready to face.

Gideon took the newspaper into the dining room so his father could read it with his breakfast. He was surprised to find his father already sitting there with his mother, both fully dressed, with two mugs of coffee in front of them. He was momentarily relieved that they did not seem alarmed by his presence for once, but seeing them together like this, perhaps waiting for him, did nothing to ease the feeling in his gut.

'I didn't expect you up yet,' Gideon said as coolly as he could. 'Here's the paper, Dad.'

'Oh, thank you,' Mr Maxwell replied.

Gideon made to leave the room, all the while knowing somehow, that he wouldn't reach the door.

'Why don't you sit down for a minute, Gideon?' suggested Mrs Maxwell.

'What for?' he asked quietly.

'Your dad and I would like to speak with you,' she answered.

Gideon complied and took a seat while the dragon in his stomach flexed its wings. 'What about?' he asked, avoiding direct eye contact with either of them.

'Well, we wanted to talk to you about your next year of school,' his mother stated.

'Oh, do you have my Hogwarts letter?' said Gideon in a fleeting moment of hope.

'No, Gideon,' his father answered flatly. 'We need to make some decisions about your education. Where you want to go to school, what you want to study and such.'

The dragon was starting to claw at the walls of Gideon's stomach now. 'But I haven't had my Hogwarts letter yet,' he asserted weakly as his father looked down at his hands and his mother's kind expression changed to one of pity.

'Oh, Gideon,' she said with sorrow in her voice, 'I'm so sorry, honey, but I don't think you're going to get a letter.'

And there it was. The thought that Gideon had avoided confronting for weeks now. Everything was beginning to slot into place. This was it. This was "the truth" his parents had been hiding, and he was the one they had been hiding it from. Somehow, he knew. He knew what was coming. But he needed to hear the words.

Gideon's bottom lip quivered, and his voice cracked as he asked, 'And why wouldn't I get a letter?'

Mrs Maxwell took a moment before she answered, 'I... I don't think you're magical enough, sweetie. We think that... That you might be...' His mother couldn't finish her sentence. She couldn't bear to break the news to her little boy.

Mr Maxwell took her hand as she pressed the other against her mouth. He turned to Gideon and in a softer tone than he was accustomed to, he told him plainly, 'You're a Squib, Gideon.'

As the words that would shatter his life sunk in, the dragon inside Gideon finally stretched its wings and released an almighty breath of fire. He didn't know how to process this. It all made sense now. But it wasn't fair. He was suddenly consumed by so many thoughts and feelings, including the distinct feeling that he might be sick. Instead, he did something he hadn't let himself do in a very long time. He cried.

Gideon slumped out of his chair and broke down completely. His hopes, his dreams, his future. They were all gone, and he couldn't hold back anymore, even in front of his father. As his world crumbled around him, he barely even registered that his father was still in the room, or that his mother had rushed to his side and was holding him tightly.

Gideon was so lost in emotion that he didn't immediately understand what happened next. His mental anguish became physical agony, his sobs became screams, and his body began to thrash uncontrollably in his mother's arms. Once again, a pain like no other took a hold of Gideon, and soon after, rendered him unconscious.

Chapter Text

Gideon awoke with a dull headache. He tried to focus but it was pitch black. As his drowsiness wore off, the memories started to rush in, and he had to steel himself. He remembered enough to wonder if this latest attack had left him blind. Luckily, his eyes soon began to adjust, and he could start to make out the shapes of his bedroom.

Gideon swung his legs around and pulled himself up to the side of his bed while steadying his aching head. He jumped in surprise when a damp flannel peeled itself from his forehead and dropped to the floor. He felt too dizzy to fully acknowledge the caring gesture. He was also very thirsty.

As he rose to his feet, Gideon realised that somebody had drawn the curtains tightly. He preferred to leave them open at night to let the moonlight flow in through the window. He crossed the room and opened them to find it almost as dark outside. Just enough light shone in to let him read the time on his wall clock. It was after two in the morning.

Gideon retrieved his Glowglobe from his bottom drawer. It began to shine with a shake of his hand, and he headed downstairs to get a drink of water. He was mildly amused by the way the warmly glowing magical ball lit his way through the dark house, until it occurred to him that objects like this, items charmed by other wizards, were as close as he would get to having magic of his own.

A moment of sadness was replaced by a creeping anger before he physically jerked his shoulders as if to shake off the unwanted emotion. He entered the kitchen to find Tolly asleep in a chair with his head lying on the table. He had surely been trying to stay up in case Gideon needed him.

Gideon wanted to wake his friend but didn't. He told himself it was because he didn't want to disturb Tolly. Deep down, though, Gideon wasn't sure if he would be able to find the words to talk about what had happened yet. He was barely holding himself together as it was. For now, he needed to work through things alone.

He tapped his Glowglobe three times to deactivate it and placed it in the pocket of his dressing gown. As quietly as he could, Gideon took a headache remedy from the medicine cupboard and filled a large glass with water from the tap extra slowly. He carried it from the kitchen, through the lounge and out into the conservatory, where he sank into one of the big, wicker-framed sofas, swallowed the pill and drained most of the water.

He took a deep breath and released a long sigh as he felt the remedy get to work immediately. It was another marvel of the magical world Gideon was now unsure he belonged in. He lay down on his side and looked out into the garden; his eyes drawn to the stars above. As they twinkled in the night sky, he considered their importance in astronomy and astrology among other things. Somehow, they seemed further away than ever.

He continued to watch the sky. His body relaxed and the aching in his head had almost completely subsided. Bit by bit, he pictured releasing mental locks and opening the doors of his subconscious. Slowly and carefully, Gideon allowed himself to access the thoughts and feelings that had been scratching at the surface of his mind since waking up, and those that had been struggling to break free for much longer.

Tears streamed down his face as Gideon grieved for the life he had once pictured for himself; for all the incredible things he could have done and seen, for what he had imagined would be a chance to prove himself, for what he had hoped would be the key to finally feeling like one of the family, and so much more.

He also mourned the wasted years he had spent alone. He wondered if things would have been different if he had known what was coming, and if he could have tried harder and been more open to making friends with the Muggle children.

He was scared, too. There were as many questions to consider as there were disappointments. He had been raised in two worlds but belonged in neither. What would happen to him now? What would his life be like? What if people found out? Would he bring shame to the Maxwell name? Would the people that knew what he was treat him differently?

Gideon silently wept into a cushion as he wondered whether he could even bear to live in the wizarding world if it meant watching those around him casually using magic without a second thought. But would life as a Muggle be any better? A mundane existence spent pretending to be oblivious to a hidden world that was right under his nose? He wasn't sure which was worse.

He spent the whole night like this, curled up on the conservatory sofa, privately releasing his pain. Eventually, he was all cried out and tiredness took him over. Not long after, the sun began to rise on the other side of the house and Tolly arrived to cover him with a blanket.

***

A few hours later, Gideon could no longer ignore the light streaming in through the conservatory windows and its semi-transparent roof. He rose off the sofa to find himself feeling considerably better than he had done. He also found a newly filled glass of water on the adjacent coffee table and gulped it down immediately.

He absent-mindedly surveyed the garden as it dazzled in the morning sun. Tall trees and shrubs lined the edges of the verdant lawn and far into the distance. Just beyond the large patio were flower beds containing thriving plants and flowers of every colour imaginable. They were, of course, maintained by nymphs and other magical means, but the sight of them didn't embitter Gideon.

He didn't know what the future had in store for him, but he felt resolved to get up and face what lay ahead. Before spending any more time contemplating his loss, he would get some answers. First, though, he would get some breakfast.

Gideon wasn't exactly sure how many hours it had been since he'd last eaten, but the growling noises coming from his belly were a good indicator that he was long overdue for some of Tilly's cooking. He folded the blanket over the arm of the sofa, took a deep breath and prepared himself to brave the dining room.

Gideon slid open the double doors of the lounge-side entrance to the dining room. He was a little taken aback to find the family sitting at the dining table, his grandmother included. It was easily gone ten o'clock and the Maxwells usually did their own thing in the mornings. However, plates of toast, bacon, sausages and hash browns; dishes of scrambled egg, mushrooms, tomatoes and baked beans; and carafes of orange juice, water and milk, were all laid out in the middle of the table, untouched by all appearances.

Mrs Maxwell got up from her seat and gave her son a quick hug and peck on the cheek. 'Morning, sweetie,' she said lovingly. 'We saw that you were in the conservatory this morning but thought we'd let you rest. How are you feeling?'

'Better. I think,' Gideon replied bashfully as it occurred to him that the family might have been waiting for him. He knew he could be wrong, but he chose to feel touched by what he believed to be a rare show of support. He and his mother took their seats, and after Mr Maxwell helped himself to some sausages, the rest of the family eagerly tucked into the small feast.

The food was delicious. A full English breakfast was just what Gideon needed. He made short work of his plateful, then sandwiched a second helping of bacon and egg between two pieces of buttery toast. While they ate, Mr Maxwell recounted the day's newspaper stories as he did at any other mealtime, 'Apparently, "the Ministry's policies are becoming more divisive than ever among the magical community".'

Gideon knew that to be true because, while Anthony didn't much care about politics, the rest of the family were always at odds with each other over the Ministry's latest pronouncements. His grandmother was a hard-line traditionalist and his father usually agreed with her, despite his high-profile position as Head of the Auror Office.

Gideon's mother and sister, on the other hand, were big fans of the latest Minister for Magic, whom Jennifer contended, 'was building on the success of Shacklebolt, and had done more for the wizarding world in a couple of years than people like Fudge ever had.'

Nobody spoke about Gideon's situation and his spirits were lifted somewhat to see that the awkwardness and ill feeling had all but disappeared. Things were back to normal, for the most part.

'So,' Mrs Maxwell Senior said as the sounds of happy eating finally came to an end, 'are we going to discuss the issue at hand or not?'

'Annabeth,' Gideon's mother warned.

'I think I've held my tongue quite long enough, thank you, Sarah. You gathered us all here to talk about Gideon and now it seems nobody wants to speak.'

Gideon abandoned his illusion of the supportive family waiting for him. Apparently, this meal had an ulterior motive. He folded his arms and listened to his grandmother as she continued.

'It's wonderful that we can all talk about this now, but we really ought to be on the same page.'

'What does that mean?' Jennifer chimed in before her mother—who was beginning to look agitated—could respond.

'It means, that we need to get out stories straight, of course,' Annabeth clarified.

'Mother,' Mr Maxwell called.

'Get our stories straight? You make it sound like we're in the mob!' Anthony joked, reaching for his glass of orange juice with a smile.

Gideon's grandmother ignored the interruptions and carried on with her point, 'I only mean to say that we need a party line, something believable but easy to remember. We can't very well go around telling people that we have a Squib in the family.'

'Annabeth!'

'Mother!'

'Grandma!'

Anthony burst into laughter, spilling the juice he had attempted to swallow all down himself, while the rest of the family, Gideon included, stared daggers at the old woman.

'Now, don't you all look at me like that!' she protested. 'I'm sorry, Gideon, dear, but it had to be said. After all, no one in their right mind would expect such a thing from our family. The name "Maxwell" means something in the community.

'If your grandfather were still with us, he'd have known what to do. I remember when your Aunt Caroline brought home her O.W.L. exam results... Two Trolls, if you can believe that? Bernard told people she'd been hit by a bad Confundus Charm! Then, whenever we had guests that summer, he confunded her himself for good measure!'

'Annabeth, enough!' Mrs Maxwell admonished her mother-in-law. 'Gideon is going through quite enough without having to listen to you spout this nonsense.'

Gideon's grandmother huffed, then pursed her lips and fixed her eyes pointedly in the opposite direction. Mrs Maxwell turned to her son and spoke, 'The truth is, we did want to talk with you, honey. Firstly, we all want you to know that whatever you are or are not, whatever you can or cannot do, we're your family and nothing can change that!'

Gideon digested this and gave his grandmother one last reproachful glance before looking around at the rest of the table. His mother and his siblings gave him reassuring smiles and his father's stoic expression gave no indication that he disagreed with his wife's statement.

He nodded as if to signal that he understood and his mother continued, 'Now, I know everything has come as a bit of a shock and you haven't had much time to process the news, but we want you to know that there's nothing you can't talk to us about. So, how are you feeling?'

Gideon's first thought was that he was feeling incredibly uncomfortable. However, he appreciated what his mother was trying to say, and that most of the family were being supportive.

'Well, obviously I'm not happy about being a... a Squib,' Gideon answered, barely able to utter what felt like a dirty word, 'and I'm angry. For one thing, because you were all keeping this from me. Why did you?'

'We're so sorry for that, sweetie. We only suspected you might not be magical. We didn't know for sure until your letter didn't arrive on the same day as Anthony's. Once we knew, we weren't sure how to tell you because... Well, we were afraid for your health,' she answered.

Gideon found that answer irksome, but they had been right, hadn't they? The news of his lack of magic had been enough to induce another of those strange seizures. He pondered briefly about how on each occasion, he had experienced a moment of extreme stress or emotion.

'This is all new for you, and for us too,' Mrs Maxwell went on while clutching her husband's hand. 'We might not handle everything perfectly, but we all want you to know that we will support you how ever we can. We'll take our cue from you on what you want to tell people and when.'

'That's right, Gideon,' said his sister.

'We've got your back, short stuff,' his brother added.

'That's what I was trying to say!' muttered his grandmother, clucking her tongue in annoyance.

***

After one of the Maxwells' more excruciating breakfasts had finally concluded, Mrs Maxwell handed her son, with some difficulty, a veritable mountain of materials that she had either been collecting or had brought home from work. Gideon's mother worked part-time as a Librarian in the hidden magical section of the British Library. Apparently, they had quite a selection of self-help books, guides, and pamphlets for their patrons.

Gideon spent the day sorting through all the information in his room, resigning himself to reading materials with such titles as So, You're a Squib?, The No-Maj Guide to No Magic, Squibs and Squabbles and, naturally, Magic for Dummies. He scanned some of the books, quickly deciding they were not very helpful and were not likely to have been written by people who actually understood what he was going through.

Some of them were even depressing. Though clearly an important topic that would be relevant to him, Gideon felt it was still a bit too soon to be reading about movements and marches for Squib rights, especially the ones that had turned violent. He made a mental note to return to such things at a later stage, but at this point, the wound was still fresh.

Every now and then, Tolly would drop off drinks, bring food or just hover whenever he thought Gideon could use a break or a chat. Gideon was glad of the company and the easy conversation.

'You know, Tolly,' he said, 'these books are full of positive messages, affirmations and stories of how the wizarding world has supposedly evolved, but I've yet to come across the name of a single famous or well-known Squib.'

'Perhaps Master Gideon can be the first!' Tolly suggested encouragingly with a wide smile.

Gideon couldn't help but laugh. 'Yeah, that would be something, wouldn't it?' he said dryly, 'Gideon Maxwell, the poster boy for mediocrity! Or how about, Gideon Maxwell, the first non-magical Minister for Magic? And you can be my assistant, Tolly. We'll get some dragons to run the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and we'll have Rasputin resurrected to take over from my dad! People will love that!'

'Hmm. I think I would prefer to continue serving here, Sir,' said the elf with no ear for sarcasm. 'Speaking of which, I should go and get dinner started.'

'Okay, Tolly,' said Gideon. 'Thanks a lot for the blanket and water this morning, by the way. Oh, and for the cold flannel from last night as well.'

'You're welcome, Master Gideon,' Tolly said as he opened the bedroom door, 'Although, I believe it was Master Maxwell who was seeing to the cloth on your forehead.'

Gideon was honestly a little surprised to hear that it had been his father who had caringly placed, and perhaps even changed, the cloth on Gideon's forehead after his last episode. He had assumed it had been Tolly, or perhaps his mother. Somehow it seemed out of character for Mr Maxwell, so much so that Gideon decided Tolly must have been mistaken.

As he continued to scour through the pile he had stacked on his desk, Gideon came across some brochures for non-magical schools. Given how the new school year was rapidly approaching, and how his parents had always been so adamantly against home-schooling, he concluded they were worth examining. There were a few for local Muggle schools and one for a posh-looking Muggle boarding school that was not so close by.

There were also two brochures for Squib schools. The first, a rather colourful brochure for Kwikspell Academy, made all sorts of grandiose claims about turning "problem-wizards into sorcery savants", and sending Squibs on to "the most reputable of wizarding schools", but which it didn't say. As much as Gideon wanted to believe its testimonials and other assertions, they just sounded too good to be true.

The second brochure was a lot more realistic. There were no bright colours, wacky fonts or outlandish statements. It simply outlined an unremarkable but respected London-based school where Squibs and those of "low magical prowess" could get a non-magical wizarding education. The syllabus focused on theory and giving successful graduates the tools needed to become productive members of society.

The striking difference between the two brochures made Gideon feel sure that the first was some kind of scam, or at least that it would not produce the results it professed to. After considering them all carefully, Gideon narrowed down his choices, if you could call them that. He sat back in his chair, stretching his arms and neck, looked up at the ceiling and let out a deep breath.

When his parents inevitably pressed him about secondary school, he supposed it would have to be between two options: Taunton Preparatory School, the Muggle boarding school, where he might have some semblance of the experience that he had always looked forwards to having at Hogwarts—albeit without the magic, or the simple but aptly named Squib school, Middling Academy.

Chapter Text

Mrs Maxwell managed to secure a last-minute tour at each of the schools Gideon had expressed an interest in. Actually, Taunton Preparatory School's Admissions Office had been quite insistent that the cut-off date for the new school year had passed. However, with some persuasion, in the form of the auditory suggestion Charm Mrs Maxwell cast on herself, the lady on the other end of the Magiphone was able to accommodate them, after all.

Middling Academy, on the other hand, had no problems making room in their schedule. As a matter of fact, upon hearing the family surname, they were only too happy to make the arrangements and promised that the headmaster would be available to meet with them personally.

The following Tuesday, Mrs Maxwell and Gideon were in the foyer pulling on their coats, which had been retrieved from the cloakroom by Tilly and Tolly, when Gideon's grandmother appeared on the landing. She descended the staircase, barely using her crystal-topped cane, wearing a smart, dark-grey dress coat over a long, black skirt, instead of her usual witch's garb.

Upon reaching the ground floor, she began to put on a smart pair of black suede gloves but stopped in her tracks, doing a double take upon noticing the dumbfounded expressions of her daughter-in-law and grandson. 'Yes?' she asked them irritably.

'You're coming with us, Gran?' Gideon asked in surprise.

'Of course,' she replied. 'We can't have you going to just any school, can we? Someone needs to make sure they don't try to pull the wool over your eyes.'

Gideon's mother rolled her eyes but politely said, 'You're welcome to join us, Annabeth, but just so you know, we're taking the car.'

'Oh, not that blasted contraption,' she protested. 'Why can't we Apparate or use Floo powder?'

'We will this afternoon for the second school, but first up is the Muggle school,' Mrs Maxwell explained. 'Besides, Gideon and I wanted to listen to music on the way.'

'Very well, very well,' she said impatiently, and strode out to the car, 'but I shan't be sitting in the back!'

Gideon and his mother exchanged knowing looks before smiling and following her out. 'We'll be back for a quick lunch around one o'clock, Tilly,' Mrs Maxwell called to the elf as she departed.

'Yes, Mistress,' Tilly responded with a bow before heaving the large door closed.

The journey to Taunton Preparatory School wasn't as enjoyable as Gideon had hoped. He was worried at first when his mother had trouble getting the radio to work again, but his grandmother drew her hidden wand from the end of her cane and rapped it furiously on the old radio until Moonlight MM finally kicked in.

'There we are,' she said in a self-satisfied tone while giving Gideon what seemed like a questioning glance in the mirror of the passenger seat sun visor. However, Annabeth Maxwell did not share the same taste in music as her grandson. Whenever a song he liked began to play, she would quickly change the station. When he and his mother objected, she would simply list the various woes of modern music.

They ended up listening to an awful lot of Celestina Warbeck until Mrs Maxwell finally turned the radio off and feigned wanting to talk to her mother-in-law. Gideon enjoyed the breeze from the slightly open window hitting his face while watching the sun-drenched countryside whizz by. Distracted so, he only faintly listened to their conversation.

'How do you think Marcus is doing lately, Sarah?' said Annabeth Maxwell. 'I do worry about him, he works so hard, you know.'

'Oh, I think he's fine, Annabeth,' Sarah Maxwell replied. 'It's just a difficult time with all the changes the Minister is asking for, but it's nothing Marcus can't handle.'

'Yes, I suppose that's it, and you're right that he can handle it,' she said of her son proudly. 'Of course, things would be less stressful had he been in the job longer, as he always should have been. All those years running the Investigation Department while you-know-who was heading the Auror Office.'

'I'm not sure it's appropriate to refer to Harry Potter as "you-know-who"!'

'Yes, well the boy was always a capable Auror, but he never should have been heading the department, let alone been given another promotion! To think that that's the only reason Marcus finally got his chance to progress—and that he's still his superior...'

'It couldn't be helped. He was the one who defeated the real You-Know-Who, after all. Anyway, Marcus always took it on the chin, and he's been doing well since the promotion.'

'He should be in the running for Minister by now! His father always wanted that for him.'

'I'm not sure Marcus wants that, though, Annabeth,' Mrs Maxwell suggested. 'Ah, I think this might be it!'

They arrived at Taunton Preparatory School, and once again the old red car looked quite out of place. The handsome school and its grounds were obviously very well looked after. Gideon could immediately imagine himself reading a good book on the manicured lawns. They parked the car and made their way to the reception area, where they were greeted by a suited man in his fifties.

'Mrs Maxwell?' the man enquired, offering a handshake. 'And this must be Gideon,' he said as she returned it, 'I'm Joseph Gordon.'

'Ah, you must be the headmaster?' said Annabeth Maxwell.

'I teach History here,' said Mr Gordon.

'Isn't the headmaster going to greet us?' Gideon's grandmother asked in consternation.

'I'm afraid it's just me, Madam,' he said, trying to maintain his happy disposition.

'That's quite alright, Mr Gordon,' Mrs Maxwell interjected, giving her mother-in-law a look. 'Please continue.'

Mr Gordon proceeded to give the Maxwell's a tour. For Gideon, it was hard not to be impressed by the facilities. The idea of being away from home was still a little daunting for him, but Taunton Preparatory School was definitely an elite school. Gideon's grandmother, however, seemed to find fault with everything.

When they viewed the dormitories, she asked how often the maid service came, only to be shocked to learn the students looked after their own rooms. She was equally dismayed to hear the catering facilities were self-service, that there were only two tennis courts, that there was no astronomy elective, and that lessons ended for the day as early as three thirty PM.

Mr Gordon took her comments in his stride, but Mrs Maxwell was clearly embarrassed by her mother-in-law's behaviour. Gideon could tell that she was getting cross, so he tried to contain his amusement with his grandmother's odd comments about non-existent dust, and how the Muggle technology in the classrooms "did nothing for the decor".

After an hour or so, they returned to the reception, where they said goodbye to a slightly frazzled Mr Gordon, and headed to the car. Gideon's grandmother continued to complain endlessly about the school's questionable standards as they set off for home.

'Just what is the matter with you, Annabeth?' Mrs Maxwell blurted out.

'I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Sarah!' she answered.

'That school was beautiful, well-kept and modern. The facilities were excellent, and the teachers sound wonderful. Why have you been nit-picking over the silliest details?'

'So, ensuring my grandson has a quality education is "nit-picking" now, is it?'

'You're trying to influence Gideon's decision and I want to know why?'

'I'm doing nothing of the sort!'

'If I'd known you were going to act like this, I wouldn't have invited you.'

'My dear, I think you'll find I invited myself, and a good thing, too, or else there wouldn't have been anyone to ask the hard questions.'

'"The hard questions"? Well, as much as I'm sure Gideon's quite cut up to hear about the shortage of tennis courts, I wanted him to get all the facts for himself and make up his own mind.'

'Perhaps then if you would let the boy speak...'

'Me, let him speak?' Gideon's mother exclaimed. She refused to let her mother-in-law bait her any further. She bit her bottom lip and took a few minutes to regain her composure before asking her son, 'So, Gideon. What did you think of the school?'

His mother and grandmother's eyes were both watching him from the visor and rear-view mirrors respectively, clearly waiting to see who Gideon would side with.

'Err, I'm not sure yet,' he said diplomatically.

However, there was truth in that. Had Gideon known nothing of the magical world, he would almost certainly have jumped at the chance to attend a school like "Taunton Prep", as Mr Gordon referred to it. He would also be lucky to do so, given his family's wealth and the private school's fees. On top of that, the entry requirements wouldn't be a problem with his grades. Still, something was holding him back.

'Well, maybe this other school will be a better fit?' suggested his grandmother.

'Annabeth,' Mrs Maxwell threatened politely through bared teeth.

'Oh, Sarah!' the older woman snapped, thumping her cane on the floor of the car, 'I'm sure that place was a fair establishment for Muggle children, but don't you want your son to get a proper education? A wizardingeducation?'

'That,' she replied very clearly, 'is for Gideon to decide!'

'Gideon has already spent long enough in a Muggle school! Now it's time for him to learn about his heritage! One day things might change, and he'll be even more oblivious to what he is—'

'ANNABETH!' Shouted Gideon's mother, causing him to jump in his seat as the car jerked slightly. 'Enough! I won't hear any more of this!'

The two women shot each other furious looks, but it was Annabeth Maxwell who backed down first, then turned her attention to the passenger side window.

The argument left Gideon a little shaken. His mother and grandmother didn't agree on much, but they had always been civil toward one another, or at the very least, expressed their true feelings passive-aggressively. Hearing them shout like this was unpleasant.

They spent the journey home in silence. Gideon's grandmother sulked with her head turned to the window the whole way. Mrs Maxwell seemed thankful for the quiet, but Gideon did catch her checking on him in the mirror a few times. He gave her a weak smile when their eyes met once, but he couldn't help but feel sorry for himself. Once again, he had been the subject causing a rift in his family.

When they finally reached the house and entered the foyer, Gideon's grandmother turned to him and said rather louder than necessary, 'I don't think I'll be able to attend your afternoon visit, after all, dear. I could use a laydown.'

'Okay, Gran, thanks for comi—' Gideon started.

'Besides,' she continued loudly, turning to Mrs Maxwell, 'I know when I'm not welcome.'

Gideon's mother looked annoyed yet slightly embarrassed as she watched her mother-in-law ascend the staircase, before turning to her son.

'Well, at least that's ov—' Mrs Maxwell began.

'I'll take lunch upstairs, Tilly! And fetch my pills, would you? I'm feeling a little faint,' Annabeth Maxwell called down dramatically.

'At once, Mistress!' the elf responded in a panic-stricken tone, scurrying off to the kitchen.

Mrs Maxwell closed her eyes and bit her lip.

'Shouldn't we go after her?' Gideon asked.

His mother turned to make sure her mother-in-law had cleared the landing before answering him, 'No. It won't do any good right now. Just let her stew for a while. Come on, let's get a bite to eat!'

Gideon's siblings joined them for lunch in the dining room. They made quick work of Tilly and Tolly's ham and cheese toasted sandwiches and tomato soup. Anthony and Jennifer eagerly badgered their brother about Taunton Prep. Gideon suspected his mother had told them to do so, but he appreciated it anyway.

In telling them about the school, Gideon discovered his own feelings about it. He thought it really would be a nice place to go. Also, the children who went there would probably be more concerned with their education than most, meaning they might be less inclined to bullying.

Even so, his grandmother's comments were on his mind. She may not have expressed it in the best way, but she obviously had a strong opinion on the matter of his schooling. Was a wizarding education that different or important? Even for a Squib?

Would he really be depriving himself of something by turning away from his roots? Or was his grandmother asking too much of him? Gideon had been agonising over his predicament for some time now but had concluded that he could still make something of himself in the Muggle world. His knowledge of the magical community might even come to be of use somehow. He wasn't sure if the same could be said of the reverse.

'How long have you got until your other tour, Gid?' Anthony asked.

'It's at two o'clock, isn't it?' Gideon confirmed with his mother.

'Yes, so we should be off soon,' she said while gathering up the plates.

'Gran's not going with you this time?' Jennifer enquired.

'No. No, she isn't,' Mrs Maxwell sighed with relief as she entered the kitchen.

Jennifer and Anthony rounded on Gideon, and his sister asked, 'What was that about? What happened?'

'Nothing really, just Gran being Gran,' Gideon told them.

'Come on, Gid, give us the deets!' Anthony encouraged.

'Well,' Gideon began, 'Gran wouldn't shut up during the tour and Mum was getting really irritated—'

'Typical,' Jennifer commented.

'—and when we got back in the car she finally snapped. I thought that would be the end of it, but then they had a bit of a shouting match.'

'No?' said Anthony in disbelief. 'I wish I could have seen that!'

'What were they arguing over exactly?' Jennifer prodded.

'Seems like Gran doesn't want me to go to a Muggle school,' Gideon concluded.

'Well, that's understandable!' said Anthony without thinking. It was a swift blow to the gut, but Gideon tried to act as though it didn't mean anything. His brother had just assumed, as Gideon suspected most wizards and witches would, that a Muggle education was simply inferior.

'Ant!' Jennifer exclaimed, elbowing their tactless brother.

'What?' he asked her while nursing his arm, before realising his slip of the tongue. 'Oh, that's not what I meant, Gid!'

'Don't worry about it,' Gideon assured him.

'Honestly, bro, I only meant... Well, I don't know what I meant, but I'm sorry!'

'It's fine!' Gideon said coolly. 'Anyway, I should get Mum, we've got to be going.'

Gideon left the table, angry again at how his "situation" was affecting everyone around him. He felt guilty that he had made his brother feel guilty. He felt humiliated that his sister felt the need to leap to his defence. He wondered how long things would be like this, and worried that it might just be part and parcel of life as a Squib.

Mrs Maxwell was already putting her pink coat back on in the foyer and had Gideon's on the bannister ready for him. 'Oh, there you are,' she said upon seeing him, 'what's the matter?'

'Nothing,' he lied, 'are we ready to go?'

Mrs Maxwell surveyed her son's face, evidently trying to figure out if the high pitch in his voice meant something, but the distant sound of the grandfather clock in the drawing room signalled that they needed to leave, so she abandoned her search for a deeper meaning behind Gideon's steely expression.

They headed towards the clock's chimes and into the antique-laden drawing room, which was only really used for entertaining guests and for its grand fireplace, through which the family occasionally travelled by Floo powder. Mrs Maxwell poured out powder for herself and her son from a china vase on the mantle. One after the other, they stepped onto the granite base, threw down the powder and commanded, 'Middling Academy!'

Gideon rather enjoyed travelling via the green flames of the Floo network. When he did so, he would imagine himself riding a roller coaster. His experience with real roller coasters was, of course, limited seeing as he was usually too short to ride the good ones and became ill after riding even the slowest. This ride, however, was over in a few seconds, not long enough to do any damage, and didn't have a height requirement.

Gideon arrived at the destination grate and stepped out into a small, mirrored alcove with a smile on his face. He couldn't help comparing the journey to the awful car rides of that morning. There certainly wasn't time for arguments this way. On noticing his reflection, he patted his fringe down out of habit.

He walked beyond the strange alcove and a set of sliding metal doors closed behind him. Apparently, there were five identical Middling Academy fireplaces, all cleverly disguised as Muggle lifts behind automatic sliding doors, or else they were real lifts and the fireplaces inside appeared only when in use.

Gideon was standing in an attractive, white-tiled lobby area. His mother ushered him towards the large reception desk directly opposite the wall of lifts. To his left, Gideon could see a glass double-doored street entrance where people were busily passing by.

Gideon figured that this must be the ground floor of an office building. It seemed rather impressive when he thought back to the plain brochure. They stopped in front of one of two receptionists, a curly-haired older woman, who greeted them with a genuinely happy expression on her round face, 'Welcome to Middling Academy! How can I help you today?'

'Hello there,' Mrs Maxwell said, 'we have an appointment to tour the school, with Mr Middling I believe? The name is Maxwell.'

'Oh, Mrs Maxwell, of course, I have it right here. Let me take you to the headmaster,' the lady said excitedly as she got up from her chair. She took a quick glance around and disappeared behind an invisible wall to the right of the desk. They followed her through it into a long, narrow corridor. Gideon got the impression from the names and titles on the door plaques they passed, that this area must be for the staff offices.

At the very end of the windowless corridor was a door marked:

Malcolm Middling
Headmaster

Gideon found himself nervous for some reason, certainly more than he had been at Taunton Prep. The receptionist knocked and entered after hearing a 'Come in!' from inside.

'I have the Maxwells here to see you, Headmaster!' she announced brightly.

A very tall and thin man in a pin-striped suit rose from behind an ornately carved wooden desk. 'Ah, lovely to meet you both. Would you like anything before we begin; tea, coffee, water?' he asked.

'Oh, we're fine, thank you,' said Mrs Maxwell.

'That will be all, then, Carol,' Mr Middling told the receptionist before she closed the door behind her.

'Well,' said Mr Middling, sitting back down in the handsome, brown leather chair of his reasonably large office, and gesturing for them to take the seats opposite, 'as you have no doubt gathered, my name is Malcolm Middling. I'm the headmaster and founder of Middling Academy, Order of Merlin Third Class, and Senior Advisor to the Ministry's Muggle Liaison Office. I am also a Squib!'

Chapter Text

Gideon was taken aback by Mr Middling's admission. Judging by her raised eyebrows, he supposed his mother was too.

'I do enjoy the reactions I get to that news!' the dark-haired man said, breaking the brief silence with a chuckle. Gideon guessed Mr Middling to be in his late forties, but he spoke with the passion and energy of a much younger man, 'Our mission here is to ensure that those with low magical prowess are not left without the tools they need to succeed in the wizarding world.

'I struggled to get where I am today, but it was always within my potential. I decided to dedicate myself to ensuring the next generation doesn't have to work quite so hard to discover theirs. There will always be prejudice, but being a Squib no longer means what it once did.

'The world has progressed, and we have been leading the charge when it comes to education for low and non-magic individuals. So much so, that we have been recognised by the Ministry of Magic. Thanks to the Ministry's involvement, we can now guarantee a place at Middling Academy for any British wizard-born pupils who wish to attend.'

'That's wonderful!' Mrs Maxwell told him.

'Isn't it?' Mr Middling asked rhetorically, beaming from ear to ear, yet not in a smug way. 'Perhaps I shouldn't say anything, but between us, I have it on good authority that the Minister will be announcing new education-based reforms tomorrow. I can't say more than that, but it will only help what we do here.'

'Oh, really?' asked Gideon's mother in surprise. 'I tend to agree with Granger's policies, but more reforms... I do hope these ones will be approved by the Wizengamot?'

Mr Middling appeared to wrestle with himself before replying, 'Actually, I got the distinct impression that they're being pushed through by executive order, like most of the others, but I really can't say anymore.

'Now, where was I? Ah yes, we have an excellent Ministry-approved curriculum and top-notch teachers, our facilities have recently been refurbished, we have on-site mental and physical wellbeing Healers, and a dedicated careers team that specialises in finding placements for our graduates. Ready to go take a look?'

Gideon nodded enthusiastically. Mr Middling showed them out of the office. They viewed several of the rooms in the same corridor, including the Careers Office; which had several one-to-one desks, each setup with an array of reading materials, and the Medical Office; which had several curtained healing bays, a waiting area with magazines, and a couple of private rooms.

Afterwards, they approached the barrier to the lobby, which was transparent on this side. Mr Middling made sure the coast was clear before heading through, leading them around the reception desk and through a second barrier on its left side. 'And this is the teaching corridor,' he announced. 'While most of our curriculum is theory-based, we do have some classrooms with special facilities.'

They viewed a standard teaching room, which was very clean and tidy but otherwise unremarkable. Then, they viewed some of the special rooms. First, a classroom for teaching basic potions. It had long lab-style tables, shelves full of vials, beakers and other equipment, and cauldrons of varying sizes piled at the back.

Next, they saw a room that was empty but for a black ceiling, which Mr Middling told them could be used to display constellations for introductory Astronomy classes. 'Orion's belt!' he commanded, and the ceiling suddenly displayed the warrior's constellation with three stars in the middle shining extra brightly.

Finally, they visited a room, much to Gideon's surprise, full of computers. Mr Middling informed them, 'Our Muggle Studies course is the best of its kind. We don't just teach our students about Muggle life; we teach them how to be a part of it. For many of them, being able to live effectively as a Muggle is a necessity, especially when it comes to gaining employment.'

Gideon considered this. It seemed that Middling Academy had an understanding of how Squibs were potentially torn between two worlds, whether by choice or necessity. He suspected having a Squib headmaster was a big part of that.

The last room to see was at the end of the corridor. When Mr Middling opened the doors, Gideon was shocked to find what appeared to be a small park. The floor below them was grass and the sun shone in the blue sky above, but the high white walls that continued into the distance let them know they were still inside.

Nearby was an area with twenty or so picnic tables, and tall fir trees lined the walls. Otherwise, the room was just a huge, open green space, a hidden oasis in the middle of London. Mr Middling boasted, 'It took quite the feat of magic to set this up, one of the Ministry interventions I mentioned earlier!'

'Having our own recreation space has made a huge difference,' he continued as they walked further in. 'Flying classes aren't an option, of course, but we've had demonstrations. Last year we hosted the Wimbourne Wasps for our end-of-year celebration, and they put on an air show for us!'

'Really?' Gideon enquired excitedly.

'Some of the team even gave out autographs and took pictures with the students!' said Mr Middling energetically. 'Naturally, that sort of thing isn't a regular occurrence, but you never know... So, Gideon, now that you've learned a little more about us, what do you think?'

Gideon made a high-pitched mumbling noise that Mr Middling took as a sound of approval. Just a couple of hours earlier Gideon had more or less made up his mind. Now he was once again conflicted.

Mr Middling escorted Gideon and his mother back to the lobby where he asked the happy receptionist, 'A lift for the Maxwells please, Carol?' and the far-left set of doors opened with a "ping". 'It was lovely to meet you both, and I do hope we'll be hearing from you,' he said as he shook their hands in goodbye.

'Thank you so much for your time, Mr Middling,' said Mrs Maxwell politely as she approached the waiting lift and the fireplace inside. The flames were already lit, green and ready for her command, 'Maxwell Manor!'

Gideon waited until the charmed fireplace's magical flames reignited and followed behind her. Once they returned home, Gideon thanked his mother for arranging the tours for him and then asked if he could have dinner in his room that night. He could tell that she wasn't fond of the idea, but she agreed anyway, perhaps understanding that Gideon wanted to be alone with his thoughts.

He had a decision to make. Gideon had been sitting at his desk for hours. First, he had made a list of the pros and cons of each school, before abandoning it and turning to some of the more useful materials his mother had brought home. Just as his stomach started to growl with hunger, Tolly entered with dinner and a drink on a serving tray.

Gideon discussed the events of the day with his elf friend while sporadically munching on ketchup-topped chicken nuggets and chips. After he recounted the story about the car journey, Tolly covered his mouth with both hands to conceal his amusement with his mistress's behaviour.

'It's odd, though, Sir, isn't it?' Tolly asked with some confusion.

'How do you mean?' he queried.

'In all my years serving the family, I've never heard the mistress shout in anger. What did the other mistress say to upset her so?'

'Oh, well,' Gideon pondered aloud, 'I'm not sure. Something about me having gone to Muggle school already. I guess I wasn't paying attention.'

They continued to discuss the school tours and Gideon's thoughts about each of the institutions, but every now and then, his mind would linger on Tolly's question. His grandmother had never been shy about sharing her opinions, even if it meant offending somebody, but his mother had never reacted as she did.

After Tolly returned to the kitchen, Gideon lied down on his bed, closed his eyes and thought back to the argument, attempting to recall what had actually been said. His grandmother had argued, "...Now it's time for him to learn about his heritage! One day things might change, and he'll be even more oblivious to what he is—"

That was when his mother lost her temper and even control of the car for a brief moment. '"One day things might change?"' Gideon sounded out, '"Even more oblivious to what he is?"' Was there more to her words than he had realised at the time?

Surely, she had just meant that, should he choose to live a Muggle life, then, later change his mind, he might find it difficult? Or more likely, he thought, it was probably to do with being ignorant of the "heritage" his grandmother spoke of. That had to be it.

Unless it meant something else entirely? Something else he didn't understand? Something else he wasn't being told? 'Pfft!' the silly sound escaped from Gideon's mouth with a chuckle as he considered the absurdity of that thought. Nothing was going to top the revelation of his Squib status.

Gideon's mind returned to the schools he had visited and the materials he had been reading, but his eyes remained closed. Feeling tired from the long day and satiated from his recent meal, he soon nodded off.

***

Gideon awoke with newfound clarity. He sat down to breakfast the next day with his cereal and announced to his mother and sister, 'I've decided! I want to go to Middling Academy.'

'Good for you, honey,' said Mrs Maxwell encouragingly. 'You're certain, though? It's your choice, and yours alone?'

'It's nothing to do with Gran,' Gideon reassured his mother. 'I've thought about it a lot and ultimately, I can't see myself living in a world without magic, even if I can't do any of my own. I just didn't think it was a plausible idea until we met Mr Middling.'

'That's great, Gid!' Jennifer expressed. 'I was surprised when Mum told me about that headmaster being a Squib, but he's done well for himself, and so can you!'

'It's funny, you know,' he told them. 'It was something that Tolly said that convinced me in the end.'

'Tolly?' asked Jennifer with intrigue.

'He suggested I become the first Squib Minister for Magic!' Gideon said, laughing with them both. '­I'm not sure that's possible,' he added when his mother adopted a tear-filled look of pride, 'but in all the reading I did, I came across non-magical people who had simply given up and slipped through the cracks of society.

'I don't want that to happen to me. I want to create a path for myself like Mr Middling. I don't know exactly what I want to do yet, but I think going to Middling Academy and doing the best I can is the first step!'

'Gran's going to be insufferable,' Jennifer commented dryly.

'Oh, sweetie!' Mrs Maxwell exclaimed as she came around the table to hug her son and kiss him on the cheek. 'This calls for a celebration! I'll take care of the arrangements for Middling while I'm at work and see if Tilly feels up to making a cake!'

'I don't need a cake, Mum, it's not like it's my birthday!' Gideon protested, his cheeks growing ever redder.

'Would you mind sharing one, then?' she asked. 'I've been meaning to do something for your brother, too.'

'Oh,' Gideon said feeling an unexpected sting of jealousy, closely followed by a pang of guilt. He had objected to the cake, after all, although perhaps not that forcefully. Besides, it had been because of all his drama that the family hadn't marked Anthony's Quidditch appointment properly.

'That's a great idea!' he said as convincingly as he could. Mrs Maxwell kissed her son one last time, and then her daughter, before heading out.

Gideon felt as if a weight had been lifted now that he had made his mind up. He spent the day reading in the sunny garden. No pamphlets, no brochures and certainly no Magic for Dummies. Instead, he read a Muggle spy novel he hadn't opened in weeks.

After making a good dent in the book, he took a break and decided it would be nice, and perhaps necessary, if he popped up to see his grandmother and let her know about his school choice before dinner. He hoped that giving her a heads-up might defuse any potential awkwardness at the table.

Gideon knew she was home because he could hear classical music coming from her side of the house. However, as he approached her bedroom door the music stopped abruptly. 'Ludereo,' he heard from inside, 'Ludereo! LUDEREO! Accio! ACCIO!'

Gideon knocked and his grandmother swung the door open with her gem-mounted wand in hand, 'Is everything alright, Gran?' he asked her.

'How long have you been standing there?' she demanded to know.

'I... I just got here. Why?'

Annabeth Maxwell surveyed Gideon with what he perceived to be a look of anger or suspicion, or perhaps even fear. 'Ludereo,' she commanded with a point of her wand. The piano in her large room began to play by itself. She turned back to him, still looking rather strange, 'What can I do for you, Gideon?'

He hesitated before informing her, 'I wanted to let you know that I picked a school, Middling Academy. You didn't get to see it but it's a good school and I do want to have a wizarding education.'

'That's wonderful, dear,' she told him, her odd expression softening somewhat.

'Mum wants to celebrate tonight, mainly for Anthony becoming Captain. Will you come to dinner?'

'Of course, dear.'

After she closed the door, he lingered for a moment and again heard her quietly reciting incantations, 'Finite,' she said, and the piano stopped. Then, 'Ludereo,' and it started again. A confused Gideon dismissed his grandmother's strangeness as a "senior moment".

***

Mr Maxwell was late for dinner that evening. When he finally arrived, Gideon could immediately tell that his father was unhappy. The lines on his forehead were thoroughly pronounced, and his eyebrows were most definitely angled in a way that indicated he was not in the best of moods.

'Sorry I'm late,' he said brusquely as he kissed Sarah Maxwell hello, and sat down at the head of the dining room table.

'What's wrong, Marcus?' his wife asked with concern in her voice.

'You haven't heard?' he replied. 'Where's Mother?'

'Why? What's wrong?' his wife asked again.

'She told me she was going to join us,' Gideon advised.

'Tolly!' Mr Maxwell called. 'Fetch my mother!'

'Marcus, what is it?' demanded Mrs Maxwell.

'It's the Minister!' he said at last. 'That rumour about executive orders that Middling told you about. It was true.'

'Away with you, now,' said the approaching voice of Annabeth Maxwell.

'Yes, Mistress,' answered Tolly quietly.

'Honestly, Marcus, sending the elf to rush me?' she said with exasperation. 'A lady has to look her best when she dines. That takes time, you know.'

Gideon noticed that his grandmother had indeed dressed up for dinner. She was wearing one of her posh tiaras and a pair of long silk gloves. However, he suspected she was only late because she was waiting for her son to arrive, so he could act as a buffer between her and his wife, whom she was undoubtedly still cross with.

'More reforms from the Minister, Mother!'

'Oh?' she said, her eyebrows imitating her son's. 'What now? Do we need permission to cast spells now? Or perhaps she wants us to surrender the house elves?'

A loud crash interrupted the conversation, and the room was suddenly filled with the sound of guttural sobbing. 'No, Mistress! Please! Anything but that!' cried Tilly, who had evidently been bringing in dinner from the kitchen.

'Oh, for heaven's sake...' Annabeth Maxwell said over the sound of Tilly's sobs and Anthony's unrestrained laughter.

Sarah and Jennifer Maxwell helped Tilly to her feet and escorted her into the kitchen while reassuring her it was a misunderstanding. Gideon helped Tolly clean up what was left of dinner from the dining room floor.

'Get off your knees and sit back down, Gideon!' commanded Mr Maxwell angrily from his chair as he fished his wand out from under his robes. 'Stand aside, Tolly!'

Gideon did as he was told, although he resented the way in which his father spoke to him. As Mr Maxwell pointed his wand at the mess he wondered, was it too lowly a task for a wizard to clean up with their hands?

However, the mess didn't disappear, not right away at least. It took his father a few seconds and several hand movements before he silently vanished the broken shards and spoiled food. He then flicked his wand again and instantly removed most of the large stain.

Mr Maxwell sighed, visibly attempted to relax his quizzical expression, and began to massage the crease of his brow with his fingertips. Annabeth Maxwell, on the other hand, was keenly observing Gideon.

'No dinner tonight, but would you look at this?' announced Mrs Maxwell as she and Jennifer returned with a huge triple-layered chocolate cake. In the centre were two shapes made in icing, a red Quidditch ball and a blue Middling Academy logo.

'Tilly really outdid herself,' Jennifer marvelled.

'Congratulations boys! Anthony for your well-deserved appointment, and Gideon for getting into Middling!'

The rest of the family extended their congratulations to the two brothers. 'It's all sorted, then?' Gideon asked his mother.

'Everything was arranged nice and quickly over the Magiphone, and they will be sending a confirmation letter by owl.'

As Mrs Maxwell served each of the family a generous slice of the cake, Gideon's father finally continued, 'The Minister's new education reforms are not going to be well-received. Not only because she forced them through without review by the Wizengamot again, but because they're rather controversial.

'Firstly, all children from wizarding families will now be required to attend Muggle primary schools, or be home-schooled following a Ministry-approved curriculum with a heavy emphasis on Muggle learning.'

Annabeth Maxwell's jaw dropped, as did her fork with a loud clang, 'Merlin's beard!' she declared. 'It's just more of Granger's integration nonsense!'

'And she's not stopping there.' Mr Maxwell told her. ‘A Ministry-approved secondary education will now be compulsory, and Muggle Studies will now be a mandatory subject at Hogwarts, and it will follow a Ministry syllabus.'

'Are these really such bad changes?' Gideon asked them. 'I went to a Muggle primary school, and from the things I've been reading, it seems like it would be helpful for wizards to know more about Muggle life. Isn't that what has been advancing our community the last few years, magical inventions based on Muggle technology, like the Magiphone and the Telecrystal?'

Surprisingly, it was his mother who answered, 'There's some truth to that, Gideon. However, there's such a thing as doing too much too soon. The Minister means well, but she is upsetting a lot of people with her new laws and reforms, especially without consensus from the Wizengamot. The decisions she's making are dividing the community after we worked so hard to come together. I worry about what could happen if she carries on this way.'

Chapter Text

Gideon slept until ten o’clock the next morning. He would have stayed in bed longer if not for Tolly’s interruption, ‘Master Gideon’s letter has arrived!’

Only half awake, for a fleeting moment Gideon thought it had all been a dream. He was no Squib! His Hogwarts letter had arrived! As he lurched up in bed, rubbing his eyes, the truth hit him like a thunderbolt, and the illusion quickly faded. Tolly stood at his bedside, proudly presenting what was surely his Middling Academy acceptance letter.

Gideon opened the envelope and sure enough, it was a letter signed by Malcolm Middling, offering him a place at his school. Overleaf was a second piece of parchment reading:

MIDDLING ACADEMY: FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

Uniform

All students are required to wear:

• Plain work robes (black) with Middling Academy emblem (enclosed)

Book List

All students will be expected to bring a copy of the following books to school with them as needed, depending on the scheduled classes for each day:

• Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
• A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
• Passing: The Guide to Muggle Life (Vol. 1) by Brendan Covert
• The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk
• Magical Draughts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
• Non-Magical Draughts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
• Mapping the Stars by Aurora Sinistra
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
• One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
• A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
• The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

Equipment

• Quills and ink

All other necessary teaching and learning equipment will be provided. Students are expressly prohibited from bringing other items onto the premises unless pre-approved by a teacher. This includes but is not limited to: Wands; broomsticks; joke products; games and toys; communication devices.

Catering

All students are required to bring a daily packed lunch. Drinking water is available.

It was all here in writing. It was really happening; Gideon would be attending a special school for Squibs. His dream of attending Hogwarts was officially over. He felt numb. As he tipped the envelope upside down, deep in thought, an embroidered Middling Academy logo fell to the floor.

Tolly picked it up for him and asked, 'What's wrong, Sir?'

'Nothing really, Tolly,' said Gideon, 'I was just remembering how I imagined this summer going. I've thought about it for years. Now that everything has turned out so different, I feel a little lost.'

The elf tilted his head to the side as he considered this and replied, 'But you are not lost, Sir. You are here, and you have your family with you, and you have me and mother with you.'

Gideon smiled warmly at his friend. Simple though they may have been, there was wisdom in Tolly's words. Gideon did have them. They hadn't abandoned him or cast him out, which from what he had read in the stack of materials his mother had given him, was a very real possibility for Squibs in some wizarding families. His family wanted to support him. He would just have to learn to let them.

'I suppose there is good news,' Gideon piped up. 'Middling isn't a boarding school, so we won't be separated for most of the year!'

'That's right, Sir!' Tolly said eagerly. 'And that means I will be able to help with your studies!'

Gideon laughed at this prospect, 'Sure, Tolly. Ministry of Magic, here I come!'

***

With his first day at Middling Academy due to begin on Monday the seventh of September, life as a secondary school student was just over two weeks away for Gideon. His brother didn't seem concerned about hisimminent return to school. In fact, Anthony was spending most of his free days in bed or lazing around the house.

Gideon, however, couldn't relax anymore, he wanted to get a jump on his reading. Anthony had given him some of the books from his set list, which was surprisingly similar to Hogwarts’, although, The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 was nowhere to be found. After his brother turned his room upside down looking for it, Gideon felt a little guilty but decided it was probably best not to mention he had already borrowed it.

Still, he wanted the rest of his books in order to read the first few chapters of each. After nagging his mother about it repeatedly, she finally consented to take him and Anthony to get their school things earlier than planned. Anthony didn't actually want to go since he only needed one new book for his fifth year, but his mother had grown tired of seeing him sprawled out on the couch. She insisted the trip would do him good, so they set off from the drawing room fireplace as the clock struck eleven AM.

Gideon had only been to the London-based wizarding shopping district a few times, but now that it was for him that they were there, he looked at the various shops and stalls with renewed fascination. Of course, he wouldn't be visiting some of the places he had always hoped to, like the wand shop, Ollivanders, but he was nonetheless excited.

Diagon Alley was packed! It was a nice day out and by the look of it, a lot of other children and parents had picked the same day to stock up for the new school year. Mrs Maxwell didn't enjoy crowds, so she decided to visit Flourish and Blott's bookshop and run some errands alone. She asked Anthony to escort Gideon to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

Anthony groaned but he soon perked up when along with the Middling Academy patch for Gideon's robes, his mother handed him some silver Sickles for the brothers to get a treat from Fiona Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

'On second thought—' Mrs Maxwell started to say, furrowing her brow as Anthony groaned again, '—I need to duplicate the patch! Gideon will need a spare set of robes.'

They moved to a quieter area, where Mrs Maxwell retrieved her wand from her handbag and pointed it at the embroidered Middling Academy logo in Anthony's held-out hand. 'Geminio,' she uttered, but nothing happened.

Gideon, distracted by a nearby window display with a trio of dancing rats, failed to notice that it took his mother several more attempts to perform her Doubling Charm.

'Right, stick together you two!' said Mrs Maxwell, 'I'll meet you at Madam Malkin's in half an hour or so. And Anthony, go easy on the toppings, would you?'

Anthony Maxwell promised his mother no such thing as he lazily waved her goodbye and hastened Gideon through the crowds and towards the ice cream parlour. There were interesting feats of magic happening all around. Gideon's senses were overwhelmed with the sights and sounds of the wizarding world.

Once they arrived at Fortescue's they had to queue for a while but luckily that gave Gideon plenty of time to contemplate which of the many wacky and wonderful ice cream flavours and toppings he would choose. He finally settled on a cone with a scoop of white chocolate ice cream on top of a scoop of peanut butter & jelly ice cream, with salted caramel sauce and raspberry sprinkles on top.

Anthony on the other hand, an expert when it came to such matters, ordered a chocolate-covered banana sundae with two scoops of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Ice Cream, sprinkled with Exploding Bonbons andFizzing Whizbees, covered in chocolate syrup, and with a lit, edible sparkler on top.

'I want one of those, mummy!' demanded a young girl waiting in line behind them, eyeing Anthony's sparkling creation with jealousy as he carefully carried it to an empty table.

'Are you sure you're going to be able to finish that, Ant?' Gideon asked his brother.

'Don't worry, little bro, no dessert has defeated me yet!' he responded, taking a mouthful of his sugary monstrosity, his face contorting with surprise and pleasure. 'Want to try some?'

'I'm fine, thanks,' Gideon answered pointedly as he sampled his—rather tame by comparison—concoction of favourite tastes. The combination of rich flavours was extremely satisfying, so he tried to make it last.

However, after another ten minutes went by, Gideon had finished his cone, but Anthony was struggling with his sundae. Not keen to explain to his mother what might have kept them, Anthony decided to take the rest of his dessert with him and finish it outside Madam Malkin's.

'Just tell them you need two sets of plain robes and have them attach these,' he instructed Gideon over a cacophony of loud crackles and pops coming from his mouth, giving him the Middling patches. Since his brother's hands and face were now covered in chocolate, Gideon thought it best not to argue, despite being nervous to go in alone.

He entered the shop just as another customer was leaving. 'Can I help you?' said a woman wrestling an unruly tape measure.

'Erm,' said Gideon as the distracted woman gave up on her tape measure and threw it into the back of the store, 'I need two sets of plain black work robes, please, and these need to be attached.'

'No problem, dear. On your own?' she asked as she took the patches and found a new, more obedient measuring tape.

'No, my brother's outside and my mum will be along in a bit to pay.'

'Pop up on the pedestal, then, and I'll take your measurements.'

He did so, and the tape measure began to dance around him of its own accord. The shop door opened, and another unaccompanied boy entered.

'Another first-year?' the woman asked him.

'That's right, I need 3 sets of robes,' said the boy confidently as he jumped up onto the pedestal next to Gideon. 'You're starting in September, too, eh?'

'Err yes,' Gideon replied truthfully as the seamstress pulled a length of fabric over each of them and began working on them simultaneously.

'It's always nice to see new students make friends in the shop!' she commented.

'Should be a laugh, eh?' the boy said. 'Finally going to Hogwarts and learning magic, that is. My older brothers taught me some wicked hexes to use on all the losers!'

'Yeah,' said Gideon, unsure what to say but trying to muster some energy behind his agreement. He, of course, was not going to Hogwarts and certainly wouldn't be hexing any "losers", but since he wasn't likely to see this boy again, he didn't feel the need to correct him.

'What house d'you recon you'll be in? I'm guessing it's Gryffindor for me, same as my bros. It doesn't always work like that, but I'm pretty sure.'

'Hmm dunno,' Gideon responded, unsure of what a "Gryffindor" was and trying not to meet the boy's eye in the wall mirror opposite. The seamstress then threw robes over their heads, mussing up Gideon's hair as she did. Annoyed, Gideon patted down his fringe with his free hand wondering how much easier it would be to have shaved hair like his talkative companion. But then, he thought, people would more easily notice—

'Whoa, your eyes! That's freaky, man!' exclaimed the boy. 'Turn this way, leme see properly!'

Gideon remained quite still, feeling his cheeks growing red.

'Oh, have I upset you? No offence, man. I just haven't seen crazy eyes like that before. You got some kind of magical creature in your family history or something?'

Gideon was beginning to dislike this boy. He spoke and smiled in a friendly enough way, but his words always seemed to have a cutting edge to them. 'Is it almost finished?' Gideon asked the seamstress.

'Come on, don't be like that. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. I'm Greg by the way,' he said as he extended a handshake. Again, Gideon felt like the boy's bluntness was a way of ridiculing him, but he politely returned the handshake anyway.

'Gideon. Good to meet you,' he replied, returning the handshake, and trying to regain his composure.

'There, I think that should do you, young man,' said the woman as she straightened up and surveyed her work.

Gideon was glad to have an excuse to get away, but before he could step down from the pedestal, the woman remembered, 'Oh, your patches!'

'I can do those at home,' he said with panic in his voice.

'Don't be silly, dear, it's all part of the service, now stand still,' she ordered as she used her wand to attach one of the Middling Academy patches to the robe Gideon was wearing. Gideon's red face changed to a deep crimson as he noticed Greg looking at the patch with a mixture of confusion and amusement. Greg had clearly recognised the logo.

The boys didn't say another word to each other as Gideon removed the robes, but Greg continued to smile widely as the seamstress returned to focus on him. Mrs Maxwell arrived only moments later, but to Gideon, it felt like an eternity. 'All sorted?' she asked before paying a second woman at the counter for the robes.

They left the shop and met an exhausted but triumphant-looking Anthony outside. 'Can we go now?' Gideon asked, his face still flushed.

'Already?' his mother said in surprise, 'I thought you'd want to see more while we're here, maybe pop in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?'

'No,' he replied simply.

'What about you, Anthony?'

'I'm easy,' he said, covertly clutching his abdomen with one hand and wiping sweat from his brow with the other.

'Well, okay—'

'See you at school, Gideon,' called a voice from behind them. A smirking, waving Greg had left Madam Malkin's.

'Who's that, honey?' Mrs Maxwell enquired.

'No one,' Gideon snapped. 'Let's go.'

Gideon's eyes followed the boy as he strolled along the alley up ahead of them without a care in the world. He soon reached a small group of children their age and engaged them animatedly with excited hand gestures. The crowd roared with laughter, which steadily grew as the Maxwells approached.

Let me pass without him seeing me, Gideon pleaded internally as they approached the group, Greg now hunched over, howling. Unfortunately going unnoticed was no longer an option as Anthony began to loudly regurgitate his still-crackling, multi-coloured dessert, right in the middle of Diagon Alley. The crowd parted in disgust and as Greg turned in the direction of the commotion, he and Gideon locked eyes. Greg looked positively giddy.

Mrs Maxwell chastised her eldest son while rubbing his back. As Anthony continued to vomit half-digested explosive sweets, Greg leaned in closer to whisper something to his friends and jerked his head in Gideon's direction. He watched as the rest of them turned towards him with no regard for subtlety and burst into hysterics.

Gideon, awash with shame and anger, stared them down as best he could, when he suddenly met the gaze of someone he recognised. There, at the back of the group, was the shaggy blonde-haired head of Alex Grimsby.

Recognition seemed to dawn on Alex momentarily before he resumed laughing with his pals, although, perhaps not quite as hard. Gideon felt a surge of rage. Alex never had written to him in the end. Things might have changed for Gideon, but he didn't know that. Alex was supposed to be here with him not here ridiculing him!

Gideon then realised that this Greg must be the "Greg" Alex had mentioned when he visited with his father. He had undoubtedly just told his whole gang, Alex included, about the pathetic Squib boy with the dodgy eyes, who tried to pretend he was a Hogwarts student, and they had lapped it right up!

Gideon was infuriated. He was pitiful, nothing more than the punchline of a joke to normal people, one of the "losers" Greg had referred to. That was the moment. The moment that Gideon decided he would do whatever it took to make it in the wizarding world. Heck, maybe he would become Minister for Magic, after all!

He was going to carve his own path, just like Mr Middling had done! He was going to be someone important and respected, and a beacon for others like him. At that moment, Gideon didn't care if he couldn't perform magic! That didn't make him less than anyone else! He wasn't going to let anyone bring him down, least of all someone like Greg, who seemed to have a mean streak, or worse, a fake like Alex Grimsby!

***

After finally escaping Diagon Alley and reaching home, Gideon's mother told him off for his odd and unhelpful attitude, Gideon's father blamed him for "letting Anthony stuff his face silly", Jennifer joked repeatedly that what happened to Anthony was "just desserts", and Gideon's grandmother exacerbated things by feigning feeling ill herself at any mention of what had transpired.

A confused Tolly followed Gideon upstairs after he had finally had enough and slipped away to the safety of his room. 'You returned much earlier than we were expecting. Mother hasn't finished dinner yet,' said the elf.

'I don't think that's a big concern, Tolly. After what we saw today, me, mum and Anthony probably won't be eating anything ever again!' Gideon told him.

'Oh dear, I will have to tell Mother.'

'No, no, I was being sarcastic, Tolly. I'm sure we'll be eating something!' Gideon assured him. Then, in a quieter voice, he added, 'Whether we'll be able to keep it down is another matter.'

Tolly, still visibly confused by this but perceptive enough to realise Gideon was not in a good mood, decided to give him some space. Before he could reach the door, however, Gideon called, 'Tolly?'

'Yes, Sir?'

'There haven't been any letters for me that I might have missed, have there? Nothing from that Alex Grimsby boy that got mixed in with the other mail?'

'No, Sir.'

'I didn't think so,' said Gideon bitterly. Alex had seemed so genuine when they had spent the afternoon together. Despite what had occurred in London, Gideon wanted to be sure before writing the boy off completely.

'I did wonder if his father might have come to deliver a message when he last visited,' said Tolly casually, 'but he didn't seem to have anything on him.'

'"When he last visited?"' questioned Gideon. 'How do you mean? Has he been here again since he was here with Alex?'

'Yes, Sir.'

'I don't remember that. When was it?'

'Hmm,' Tolly pondered aloud with his arms folded, 'If I remember correctly, Sir, I believe it was the day that you were taken ill.'

Mr Grimsby had visited the house again. Gideon supposed it wasn't so unusual that none of the family had mentioned it, but what he realised was unusual, was the timing. Mr Grimsby's last two visits happened to coincide with Gideon's last two episodes. Gideon vaguely wondered if there might be a connection between the two events, but then, how on earth could there be?

Chapter Text

As Gideon nervously stepped out of one of the fireplace lifts on his first day at Middling Academy, thoughts about the Diagon Alley incident couldn't be further from his mind. Although, the repulsive image of Anthony's rainbow-streaked, popping vomit seemed to have permanently scarred his brain.

He had, however, retained his sense of resolve. Gideon had channelled his anger and frustration into work and spent the last week tirelessly reading through his set books. He was sure he had read enough of each to be prepared for the first few weeks of school, if not the entire first term. His head was bursting with new information, he just hoped he would be able to recall it all when the time came.

He arrived at the lobby desk with some other lift users in Middling robes, and the same smiling receptionist from his tour visit signalled for them to head through the left-hand hidden corridor. They passed through the barrier and followed several chalkboard signs pointing them to the end.

The group arrived at the park-like room just as another set of students entered the corridor at the opposite end. Inside, they gathered in an area where folding chairs were set up. Luckily, it was a nice day out, though, Gideon wondered whether the bewitched ceiling would actually rain on people.

There didn't seem to be assigned seats, so Gideon headed for one at the far end of an empty row. He couldn't help noticing there weren't altogether that many chairs, a hundred at most. He was also surprised as he observed the student body around him. They weren't just different heights, many of them appeared to be older than the average secondary school student, some clearly much older.

A confused Gideon watched as students continued to fill the seats. A surprising number were wearing dark sunglasses, hats, hoods or even face coverings. The person who sat in the chair next to him was wearing a balaclava. People continued to file in for a few more minutes before Mr Middling appeared and made his way to the front of the seating area.

'Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,' he said brightly, bouncing on his heels, 'and welcome to a new school year, here at Middling Academy! I hope you've all had a wonderful summer. I also hope that you have been keeping up with the news of late. While this institution remains a safe space for those of low magical prowess, the world outside these walls is changing.

'More than ever, our needs and our rights are being acknowledged by our political leaders. While many of you are understandably still apprehensive about your place here, I believe in my heart that there will soon come a day, when you will all be as proud of having studied here, as the faculty and I are of teaching and supporting you all.

'As always, I have a few reminders. Firstly, students are not allowed off the grounds during school hours, including during breaks. Secondly, detentions will be handed out to any student in breach of school policies, including those regarding uniforms and prohibited items. And finally, please be wary of the time when using the Green Room—for first-years, that's what we call this space—if you wander too far and the bell rings, you'll surely be late for your next lesson.

'Now, your Heads of Year are waiting at the back of the room to issue your timetables, so in a moment, you'll split into your year groups and queue single file. Remember to pay attention and work hard! Off you go!'

Suddenly Gideon was lost adrift in a sea of bodies, as students got up and made their way to the back of the room where seven teachers were waiting. He deduced that the woman to the far left was his Head of Year because lines quickly formed in front of the others. Once the crowd cleared enough, he made his way towards her along with a few other hesitant-looking students.

'First-years over here, please,' she called out.

Gideon joined the queue in front of the middle-aged woman. Although there were ten to fifteen students in all, he noticed that there were still several very tall or else older people in the first-year line. This didn't help how Gideon felt about his stature as he realised, he was the shortest among them.

'I'm Mrs Hastings,' the teacher announced. 'Take one of these, pass the rest along, and follow me, please!'

The first-years handed each other identical timetables and were led to a classroom. From the timetable, Gideon could see that the Head of Year taught most of the subjects. He was a little disappointed by this but figured that since they were only going to be studying theoretically, perhaps subject specialist knowledge wasn't required. Astronomy, Potions and Muggle Studies seemed to be the exceptions, where a teacher other than Mrs Hastings was listed.

'Take the chairs in the front, please,' she instructed as the class finished filing into the room, 'there's no point in me shouting to the back when we have plenty of room. So, as I said I'm Mrs Hastings, Head of Year and teacher for Middling first-years.'

The first day turned out to be an orientation day of sorts. Mrs Hastings gave them an overview of life at Middling, taking them through the daily schedule, their timetables, school policies and rules, accessing the school services and more. She then allowed the class to introduce themselves.

Gideon usually disliked being put on the spot in these kinds of situations, but he was curious to learn about his odd mix of classmates, the balaclava-wearing student from the Green Room being among them. However, when no one volunteered, Mrs Hastings simply moved on.

Gideon wondered if this option, the number of empty seats, and the students with face coverings were indicative of how Squib students really felt about attending the school. The rest of the morning was spent going over the first-semester syllabus for each of their subjects. Gideon was happy to learn that all his reading was going to serve him well in his classes.

As they approached one o'clock and prepared to head home, Gideon nervously wondered whether he should muster up the courage to introduce himself to his classmates, but when the bell rang, they all seemed to scatter too quickly for him to act. Gideon promised himself that he would try again tomorrow. He supposed that his classes and break times would be more conducive to interacting with others.

The lobby wall lined with lifts filtered the queuing students quickly. As they had arranged the night before, Gideon would visit his mother's place of employment instead of going straight home, so when it was his turn to enter an open lift he commanded, 'The British Library!'

The green flames swiftly transported him to a very large but ornately tiled old-fashioned fireplace in the magical library's reception area. Gideon immediately noticed the high ceiling, which was adorned with an impressive mural that put him in mind of the Sistine Chapel, though, naturally, this masterpiece was moving. In front of the fireplace, was a variety of mostly vacant, comfy-looking leather couches and armchairs, and further beyond was a large area with many empty tables and chairs.

To Gideon's right, were the ends of just seven tall bookshelves, but unless his eyes were deceiving him, they seemed to continue forever into the distance. To his left, was a large counter, where his mother was standing, attempting to help a man in purple robes who insisted his book refused to open for him.

'You just have to ask politely. Here, let me show you,' Mrs Maxwell informed the grumpy-faced man while taking the big leather-bound book from him. 'We would very much like to read your contents if you wouldn't mind showing us?' The book then fell open in her arms.

The man snatched the book away without a word of thanks as Gideon approached the counter. Just as his mother spotted him, the unmistakable sound of a book slamming shut loudly startled the pair of them. Mrs Maxwell rolled her eyes, and then told Gideon, 'I'll just be a moment, honey!'

She retrieved her coat from a room behind the desk and a short older lady followed her out.

'Would this handsome young man be your son, Sarah?' she asked patronisingly with a simpering grin. 'And how old are you, my dear?'

The woman had mistaken Gideon's height for an indicator of his age, as people often did. Irked by this, he replied with a straight face, 'Twenty-one.'

The lady looked taken aback for a moment before giggling and commenting, 'Oh, Sarah, I see you've got a clever little tyke on your hands!'

'Yes, well, see you tomorrow, Pam,' Mrs Maxwell said, shaking her head as she led Gideon back to the fireplace. 'So, now that you've seen the place, do you still want to go ahead with your idea?'

'Yeah, it should be fine,' Gideon answered, 'it looks like there's plenty of space for reading, I can do my homework at the desks over there and there's certainly no shortage of books!'

'That's right, just like the Muggle section, we have a copy of every book published in Britain, although, we stick to the ones produced by the magical community, of course.'

'And the real British Library, the Muggle section, they don't know about this place, even though it takes up so much space?'

'Well, we're underground, and the Muggles don't know how to access us. I'll be doing afternoon shifts from now on, then. You'll come here straight from school at three PM, let me know you've arrived, get a couple of hours studying in, and we'll go home together at five, yes?'

'That's the plan!'

'Good boy! Now, let's go home and you can tell me how your morning went.'

***

Despite Anthony's absence, owing to his recent return to Hogwarts, dinner was a lively occasion that evening. Mr Maxwell had arrived home late again and was eager to vent about the latest developments at the Ministry.

'Three more members of the Wizengamot resigned today,' he announced between mouthfuls of cottage pie. 'That's twelve now in total! Even so, the word is Granger's not budging.'

'Disgraceful,' Annabeth Maxwell remarked with disdain.

'Meanwhile, she's ordered Potter to establish an "Anti-Dementor Task Force",' he continued, 'which, of course, means it will actually be me doing the heavy lifting. It won't make a bit of difference. It's just for appearances. My Aurors are already tackling the Dementors the best they can, there's just too many of them now.'

'Vile creatures,' Annabeth added.

'Sometimes I wonder if Shacklebolt was right to banish them from Azkaban.'

'You don't really believe that, do you?' his wife asked with concern in her voice.

'Perhaps not, but at least they were under control back then. Now we're seeing attacks almost daily. The Scottish Islands are going to become uninhabitable if things carry on as they are. I've been warning of this for months, of course.'

'So why is the Minister bothering with this task force business instead of recruiting more Aurors?' Gideon's grandmother enquired.

'Well,' Mr Maxwell started, shaking his head, 'Caroline got wind of it somehow.'

'Oh, for heaven's sake! So, the task force is just a smokescreen for the Daily Prophet? Honestly, that daughter of mine needs to learn some family loyalty!'

'Come now, Annabeth,' said Mrs Maxwell. 'Caroline's just doing her job, and surely the public has a right to know about Dementor attacks?'

'Not if it puts her own brother's reputation at stake!' she replied. 'Marcus has quite enough to deal with without one of Caroline's hatchet pieces to worry about.'

Jennifer interjected at this point, 'I think Aunt Caroline's done some great work, Gran! Remember her exposé on potion doping in the National Quidditch League?'

'Yes, and if I recall correctly, half the players she named ended up grounded for life and we ended up with her hate mail! Your Aunt's particular brand of journalism tends to have that sort of effect, my dear. The last thing we need is an "exposé" about your father, thank you very much!'

***

Gideon had trouble sleeping that night. He was tired but restless. Thoughts of his first day plagued his mind, and after waking up for the third time to find barely any time had elapsed, he decided to go get a sleep-aid from the kitchen medicine cupboard. He lit the way with his trusty Glowglobe and headed downstairs in his pyjamas.

As he reached the bottom of the marble staircase, Gideon was startled by voices coming from the direction of his father's study. He had noted the time on his way, and since it was well after midnight, he was intrigued by who might still be awake at this hour, and why. He turned off the Glowglobe with three sharp taps and silently crept across the cold floor towards the study on the balls of his feet.

'Please, Mother, I need to get some sleep, and I don't need this right now on top of everything going on at work,' Gideon heard his father say in an exasperated manner.

'I saw it with my own eyes, Marcus, and so did you,' his grandmother said, 'and it wasn't the first time! It's happened on three separate occasions now that I can think of, maybe more.'

'I'm sorry, but I find that a little hard to believe,' he replied. 'Anyway, how could you have noticed three times, you know how Sarah feels about us using magic in front of him, and I agree, it's hardly fair.'

Gideon, suddenly wishing he had remembered his dressing gown, started to shiver as he wondered who they were talking about and continued to listen closely to their discussion.

'That's beside the point. Something is wrong, Marcus!'

'Suppose for a moment that you are right, what would you have me do, Mother?'

'I don't know, get that Ministry chap over here to check?'

'Grimsby has been here, and according to him everything is fine.'

'Oh pish, how would he know?'

Mr Grimsby again? Gideon felt his heart rate increase. He distinctly heard his father sigh loudly before replying, 'You suggested him! As it happens, he's the only one who would know.'

'Then, we need a second opinion!' Annabeth Maxwell pressed.

'It's not like we can stroll into St Mungo's and ask a Healer. Nobody is supposed to know, and we can't risk them finding out!'

Whether it was from the cold or the direction their conversation was taking, Gideon's body began to shake.

'There must be someone we can turn to other than the dandy lawyer! What about the people who performedThe Weaving?'

'Those details were sealed, and from what I could gather back then, they wouldn't be able to help anyway. There was barely enough information on the procedure to do it correctly in the first place. I'm sure everything is fine, but I'll keep an eye out. For now, the only thing we can do is monitor Gideon ourselves.'

Just then, the appearance of a bright light made Gideon jump like a cat from a cucumber. His shaking had become pronounced enough to trigger the activation of the Glowglobe in his hand. He frantically shoved it under his pyjama top and quietly fled in panic, hoping the light had not given him away. He didn't stop until he was safely behind his bedroom door, slightly out of breath and very confused.

Chapter Text

The first week at Middling Academy didn't go as Gideon hoped. To start with, his efforts to connect with his classmates went badly. He found that the ones who weren't afraid of revealing themselves were mostly painfully shy, deeply moody, or openly hostile. Others simply didn't want to associate with "the odd-eyed short kid".

Then, after all the reading Gideon had done, he often thought he knew the answers to questions in classes only to find he was mistaken. When they discussed the topic of levitation during a Charms session, for instance, Gideon knew the wand movement, incantation, and even the estimated range and power of the spell. However, Mrs Hastings wanted to hear about the reasons behind those things, when a witch or wizard might—or should—use the spell, and how Squibs would perform the intended function.

Herbology lessons were similar, not least because there were no greenhouses at Middling Academy. That would be too dangerous. They learned about magical plants and the like from their books. However, Mrs Hastings informed them that there would be school trips to the enchanted greenhouses of Kew Gardens at the end of each semester.

Potions class was especially disappointing. Their teacher was an imposing man whose booming voice often caused the nervous students to drop things. Then, there was the fact that the potions they were making primarily came from Arsenius Jigger's considerably less popular book, Non-Magical Draughts and Potions, which was essentially a list of innocuous tonics and herbal remedies. The point, Mr Moorhouse told them, was to learn the "essence of potion-making", so they could better understand how and why "real wizards" used them.

Gideon struggled with Astronomy. This wasn't because of Middling Academy's interpretation of the subject. On the contrary, he thought studying the enchanted ceiling while the pupils lay on bean bags was a clever idea. It was simply because Gideon found the shapes of constellations harder to memorise and recall than information such as facts, names and dates.

Break times in the Green Room were bizarre. Some students played games and sports in the distance but there were an awful lot of individuals darted around, sitting alone reading, writing, or drawing as Gideon did. He was used to spending time alone, of course, but seeing so many of his peers doing the same thing was unnerving for some reason.

Gideon wanted to try approaching some of them, but the truth was his mind was elsewhere. Every day that week after school finished, he had caught the lift to the library as agreed with his mother, where she waited with a mug of hot chocolate and a chocolate-chip cookie wand for him, and completed his homework at one of the empty desks. However, when he finished, he used any remaining time to search for answers.

The answers he was looking for, Gideon had concluded, were not going to come from his family. He would have to find them for himself. However, after five days of searching, he hadn't come up with any. The problem was, Gideon had no idea what he was looking for, or if he was going to find it in any of the dusty tomes that he was randomly pulling off shelves.

He had barely understood what his father and grandmother were whispering about when he had overheard them talking in the study. What he did know, is that they had a secret, a secret about him. That his grandmother thought there was something wrong with him. That there might have been a procedure of some kind, which he thought she had referred to as "The Weaving".

After spending hours in the stacks scanning vertical titles with his head tilted, looking for even a hint of this phrase, Gideon had developed a deep frustration, not to mention a sore neck.

The irony was, he had access to a knowledgeable source for finding information in the library right in front of him—his mother—but he couldn't risk asking her or her colleagues without knowing what "The Weaving" was. He also suspected she might be in on the secret and didn't want to alert her to his discovery.

***

A few weeks went by, the weather deteriorated, and Gideon began to settle into a mundane routine. He was getting a handle on how to approach Middling's theory-based lessons, he was making good headway through his course materials, and was even on speaking terms with a boy in his class. He hadn't however, made any progress with his search for the truth.

It wasn't until one Friday in October that Gideon's monotonous routine was interrupted. School had finished for the day and Gideon had headed for the lobby to find a problem with the fireplace lifts.

His shy new friend, Jack Hartley seemed frightened by the prospect of arriving home late and assured Gideon he was an expert when it came to Muggle transportation. So, since they had both brought jackets that would hide their robes, Gideon, eager to get to the library, agreed to join him.

They exited the school via the lobby street entrance and stepped out onto a wet, busy pavement surrounded by the dauntingly high buildings of Central London. Gideon immediately regretted his decision to leave the protection of the somewhat magical school's walls, but Jack insisted The British Library wasn't far from King's Cross Station, where he had recently watched his sister depart for Hogwarts.

Unfortunately, they were never able to put his assertions to the test. A panicky Jack had picked up the pace after checking his watch, while Gideon trailed behind him, his short legs trying to match the taller boy's long strides. Jack made an abrupt turn and crossed the road, beckoning Gideon to follow in his stead. No sooner had Gideon stepped off the pavement to cross the road than a car down the street had emerged from its parking space and began hurtling down the road.

Halfway across the road, Gideon noticed the metallic beast speeding toward him. Even if he could have found the energy for a burst of speed, he could tell it was already too late. As if caught in that moment in time, Gideon watched in horror as the car crept ever closer, and he considered his final actions.

Being hit by a car on the way to the library was tragic enough in itself, but why was he so eager to get there? To find some impossibly vague reference as proof of some strange family conspiracy? Surely, there were better ways to die than that? Better ways to live?

In the final second before the mass of steel collided with his fragile body, Gideon felt a familiar sensation in his brain. He could tell this time that it was coming, and at the worst time imaginable. He closed his eyes and surrendered himself to the impending agony, whether it be from his strange disorder or the impact of the oncoming vehicle.

And then, he felt it. His body crumpled under the force of the impact and pain surged through him. Was this the end? Was this death? He didn't know how to describe the feeling of life leaving its vessel, but it was painful, and he felt it distinctly down his left side, particularly in his arm.

'GIDEON!' cried a nearby voice. 'Gideon, are you okay? I'm so sorry! It came out of nowhere. Please be okay!'

'Jack?' Gideon asked through lips he was certain would no longer respond to their master's bidding.

'Gideon! Are you alright?' Jack replied.

'Stay still, young man, you're injured,' said a kind, deep voice.

Injured? Gideon contemplated. He was supposed to be dead! He opened his eyes to find a growing ring of faces looming over him, two more closely than the rest. On his left, was the sandy-haired Jack, and to his right, was a man he did not recognise, bracing his arm.

'What happened?' Gideon asked.

Jack responded, 'There was a car. It came this close,' he indicated with his fingers, 'but this man pushed you out of the way just in time, I didn't even see him coming. He saved your life, Gideon!'

'Unfortunately, it looks like I pushed you a bit too hard,' the kind-voiced, bearded man explained apologetically. 'You landed badly on your arm. I'm fairly sure it's broken, I'm afraid.'

Gideon couldn't quite comprehend the situation. He was getting away from this with nothing more than a broken arm? He had been so sure that his time was up. Moreover, Gideon was certain he had been about to have one of his odd seizures. Apparently, the good samaritan had quite literally knocked some sense into him.

'The emergency services are on their way,' said one of the other faces above, cradling a mobile phone. 'That's right. Yes. Yes, there are plenty of witnesses, the car crashed into a parked lorry, but nobody saw the driver, it looks like they got away.'

'Any other pain?' Gideon's rescuer asked. 'Do you think you can get up?'

'I think it's just my arm that really hurts,' said Gideon after cautiously testing his other limbs.

'I don't think you should move him,' one of the onlookers commented matter-of-factly.

'Oh, I think he'll be alright, I'll escort the boys back to their school,' said the man as he helped Gideon to his feet and zipped up his jacket over the Middling Academy emblem, which must have become exposed during their collision.

Gideon got the impression that the man recognised it and understood that the boys' presence and uniforms might be difficult to explain to Muggles. Back on his feet, Gideon tested his footing and took in his surroundings. The crowd began to disperse as they saw that his injuries were minor, and as they did so, Gideon spotted the car that had chased him down.

The front end of the silver-coloured vehicle was wrecked. It had indeed slammed into a parked lorry and was now pinned to it, including Gideon noticed, the driver-side door. He found this odd considering the driver was nowhere to be found.

The stranger, a rather tall, middle-aged man wearing a trench coat, quickly led the boys away from the scene with a hand on each of their shoulders, despite objections from concerned citizens.

He walked them directly back to the Middling entrance, confirming for Gideon that he must be from their world. However, when Gideon turned to ask him, the man had disappeared.

'He's gone!' exclaimed Jack.

He had presumably Apparated, but Gideon didn't understand why. He didn't even have a chance to thank him for his actions. Jack held the door open for Gideon and he walked inside, annoyed, and relieved to see that the lifts were in operation again.

Jack checked his watch once more and said, 'I'm really sorry Gideon, but I have to get home. Can you get to the Medical Office on your own?'

'I'll be fine,' Gideon told him. 'See you on Monday.'

Jack asked Carol the receptionist for a lift, and to see to it that Gideon got some help. She looked in Gideon's direction, aghast at how he was supporting his left arm with the other. A lift arrived for Jack as Carol jumped out of her chair and jogged around her desk towards him as fast as her high-heeled little legs could take her. She escorted him to the Healing Service, her hands flailing the entire way as if parting an imaginary crowd.

The Middling Academy Healers had no trouble fixing Gideon's arm and gave him a potion to help with the pain and bruising from his hard landing. Physically, he felt fine in no time, but they insisted he remained in his healing bay until a parent or guardian collected him.

Gideon, still a little shaken by his ordeal, reflected briefly on what had transpired while waiting for his mother. If it hadn't been for the unnamed wizard...

'Someone's here for you, dear,' said the Healer who had magically mended his arm.

Unfortunately, when the curtain was drawn back, it was not the concerned eyes of his mother looking back at him, but rather, the furrowed brow of his father.

'What on Earth did you think you were playing at, Gideon?' Mr Maxwell scolded his son. 'Your mother and I never gave you permission to leave the grounds! You could have been killed!'

'I'm sorry,' Gideon muttered to the floor.

'Get your things, we're leaving!' Mr Maxwell commanded.

***

Gideon's excursion earned him a fortnight confined to his bedroom except for school and mealtimes. This had never been the most suitable punishment for Gideon, given how he didn't mind the solitude, but he was smart enough not to have ever pointed that out. The added bonus was that it limited the fussing from his mother, who became near-insufferable after learning what had happened.

After the accident, Gideon decided to lighten up on his studying. He had read more than enough to get through his classes, and he had always been a good student. He was still determined to exceed people's expectations, but he recognised that he was taking the fun out of living. He, therefore, made more time for his artwork, his novels and even practising his piano skills on the drawing room grand.

Consciously or not, Gideon also put aside his obsession with what he had overheard outside his father's study. If there was something to know, he didn't want to, and if he needed to, he would surely be told when the time was right. He slipped into a routine once again but diverged from it just enough to keep things interesting, and time soon began to whizz by.

Gideon didn't have much more success in befriending his classmates, but he quickly became the top student in all classes but Astronomy, which he just couldn't get the hang of. Annabeth Maxwell, weary of hearing Gideon playing the piano off-key, consented to give him lessons.

The continuing controversy surrounding the Minister for Magic meant the Maxwells were never short of dinner conversation, especially after an unannounced visit from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures' new Elvish Welfare Team, which left Tilly and Tolly in tears.

Anthony's return for the holidays and his birthday brought more laughter to the house. It also meant there was always plenty of cake and party food to snack on, though, Gideon suspected this was in part due to Tilly's relentless new work ethic, which had come about thanks to the Ministry's well-meaning inspection.

Unfortunately, Christmas Day was marred by a large Dementor attack in Edinburgh the night before, which kept their father busy well into the New Year. However, Jennifer brought good news in February by announcing that she and a friend planned to open a clothing store in Hogsmeade Village, Britain's only all-wizarding settlement. Gideon was especially pleased for his sister since her moving out would relieve him of modelling duty.

Life at Maxwell Manor was as it always had been before Gideon had learned of his Squib status. Being a secondary school student may not have turned out how he had expected, but it was certainly an improvement on the years spent at Johnston Primary. The only thing really bothering Gideon was his body's reluctance to grow, which had prompted him to mark his height against his bedroom door frame once a month.

***

The transition from Winter to Spring, to Summer and then, to Gideon's second year at Middling and Anthony's sixth year at Hogwarts was seamless. In fact, the months continued to while away like this until one day in June of the following year. The Maxwells had recently celebrated Gideon's thirteenth birthday, for which he had received a big art box full of high-quality pens, pencils, paints and other materials, and a selection of new books and sheet music among other things.

He was especially pleased with the present from his grandmother, who in the past had also given him his treasured Glowglobe. Although his parents didn't seem to approve, Annabeth Maxwell had given her grandson another of her own inventions, a channelling rod. This was a wand-like crystal imbued with a single spell that the user could invoke freely. This one, she had told him smugly upon seeing his and his parents' varying reactions, contained a levitation charm.

No sooner had she finished explaining how it worked than Gideon had begun tapping every object in reach with the rod three times before zooming it around the lounge. The rod didn't just give him the sense of being magical, it also highlighted an intriguing potential career path. He had always known his grandmother to be a well-known Mageologist but hadn't understood what sort of work that entailed before, confusing her study of the magical properties of the Earth with Magicology, the study of magic in general. Perhaps there were other magical stones and minerals that Squibs could employ?

Naturally, objects like the channelling rod were forbidden at Middling, not that Gideon would have brought such a gift to a school where so many would have coveted it. Besides, he had asked his mother to lock away all his birthday presents for the time being. It was exam fortnight at Middling Academy, and he needed to focus.

He had a very good feeling about the exams he had sat so far, even Herbology, which he always felt nervous about until their end-of-semester visits to Kew. However, his final exam was the dreaded Astronomy. The first-year tests on the subject called for more "yes" or "no"-type answers, but second-year students were expected to be able to recognise and map beginner constellations.

Gideon gave it his best shot, but when he arrived at the library after school, he immediately pulled out his Astronomy textbook and began trying to recall the questions to see if his answers were anywhere close to being correct. After a short while, the star shapes all began to look the same and he gave it up as a bad job.

With no homework to do, he entertained himself while waiting for his mother to finish work, by reading a library book that depicted some of the more gruesome side effects of badly mixed potions.

'Oh, Gideon, you're not reading that again, are you?' Mrs Maxwell chastised her son as she arrived at his regular study desk with her handbag on. 'Put it on the trolley and let's go. Pam says there's a problem with the Floo grate, so we might as well get a cab to the Ministry and go home with your dad. That means you'll get to see the street entrance!'

Gideon excitedly followed his mother past the fireplace that would usually take them home and around a corner to an empty circular area. Mrs Maxwell directed him to stand next to her on one of two shabby rugs. After a second or two, the rug began to rise, lifting them higher and higher until they passed through the approaching ceiling, and into a vertical tunnel that gave Gideon the impression of being trapped down a well.

They eventually emerged into daylight, standing atop three adjacent drain covers. Gideon was pleasantly amused at finally seeing how people accessed the magical library from outside. There didn't seem to be any people around, but he suspected they wouldn't have been noticed anyway.

As they were walking, Gideon observed that it was unseasonably cloudy and windy for an evening in June, and cold, too. Very cold. He felt an odd chill run through his body.

'It can't be!' he heard his mother say out of the blue.

'Mum?' he asked her nervously, noticing the disturbing look of terror on her face.

'Gideon get behind me!' she commanded. 'NOW!'

'Why, what's wrong?' he asked in alarm.

'DO AS I SAY!' she yelled, fumbling with her handbag.

Gideon complied but pressed her again for an answer, fear growing in his voice, 'What's the matter, Mum?'

Sarah Maxwell let her handbag drop to the floor and held her shaking left arm out behind her as if to shield her son. Then, with her right arm, she brandished her wand, and uttered a single word of reply in a tone of disbelief, 'Dementors!'

Chapter Text

Dementors? As Gideon understood it from his father, they had been haunting the coastal towns of Scotland for the past few years. The idea that they might be in London, attacking in broad daylight, just didn't seem possible.

'Dementors?' Gideon asked, scanning his surroundings. 'Where?'

'You can't see them?' Mrs Maxwell asked her son. She had suspected as much, but for a moment wondered how the eerie sight before her could possibly be absent from someone's vision.

'No! What should we do?' said Gideon with trepidation.

'It's going to be fine, honey! There are only two, I can handle them no problem, just stay behind me.'

Suddenly the two large, hooded figures slowly hovering towards them sped forwards.

Sarah Maxwell was prepared. It had been a while since she had used the spell intended to repel the foul beasts, but she was adept at doing so. Her Auror husband had made sure of that, back when the previous Minster for Magic had first announced his intention to dismiss the abhorrent guards of Azkaban, the wizarding prison.

She would not allow these parasites to lay one scabby finger on her son. Sarah Maxwell focused her thoughts, flourished her wand and recited the incantation with purpose, 'Expecto Patronum!'

The Dementors stopped in their tracks, but nothing happened. Her signature animal-shaped Patronus was nowhere to be seen. It was a difficult spell, after all. Deflated for a moment, Sarah refocused her mind, drew strength from her happiest memories, and tried again as the Dementors resumed their charge, 'Expecto Patronum!'

Again, no magic was produced, not even a whisp of light, and this time the Dementors did not stop. As the black-cloaked creatures were almost upon her, she tried one more time to produce the repelling magic with more force than before, 'EXPECTO PATRONUM!' she yelled to no avail, 'No, it can't be...'

'What's the matter?' Gideon asked with concern.

Mrs Maxwell ignored her son. She had to confirm her suspicion while there was still time, 'Stupefy!'

When her wand failed to produce the Stunning Spell's jet or red energy, Sarah Maxwell immediately realised what was wrong. She never imagined the issue would arise in a situation like this, though, and it was almost certainly too late to do anything about it. Even so, she told her son, 'Gideon, run!'

'Wha-what? I-I can't just l-leave you!' Gideon said, practically frozen in fear but recognising the severity of his mother's tone.

'Gideon! Run, NOW!' she cried, her expression more serious than Gideon had ever seen.

His shaky legs felt like they were glued to the floor, but he lifted them one after the other with some effort, slowly built-up momentum and began to flee. He looked back to see his mother standing with her feet and hands wide apart as if attempting to block the way of the invisible pursuers.

Tears filled Gideon's eyes as he heard his mother's voice behind him, 'Expecto Patronum! Expecto Patronum! Expec­-no!'

Gideon kept moving, his heart racing, but suddenly, he found himself on the ground. An unseen force pulled at his arm, flipped him over like a pancake and pinned him to the floor by pressing down on his collarbone. As it did, he saw, barely ten feet away from him, his mother was also on her back. She was struggling fiercely, seemingly against the air, her wand lying out of her reach.

'Mum!' he called out futilely.

Gideon couldn't understand how this could be happening. He couldn't do anything, he was a useless Squib, but why hadn't his mother's spells worked?

'Get away from my son!' Mrs Maxwell screamed repeatedly in protest.

Tears were streaming down Gideon's face now as he lay there helpless. A blurry distortion seemed to be affecting his mother's face, and she began to resist less and less until she finally stopped moving. Gideon's heart was beating out of his chest. When a small, flickering light emerged from her mouth, Gideon knew instinctively it was a bad sign.

A horrid sensation washed over him; he was next. He felt like he had been plunged into cold water as warmth seemed to drain from his body. He remembered overhearing a classmate at Middling explaining what Dementors did. They literally sucked the happiness out of a person, or even, their soul. The nasty feeling hit him again and unwanted images began to invade his thoughts.

Memories from his days at Johnston Primary flashed before his eyes. The times he was bullied, the times he couldn't keep up with the other children, the times he realised he was different. His heart continued to beat rapidly as the memories became clearer. He remembered his last day of primary school, the dodgeball incident and Jason Crawley's grinning face.

Gideon was weakening but he refused to give up. He pushed as hard as he could against the unseen, clammy grip of the foul-breathed entity. He experienced a familiar, ominous sensation and his head began to pound as hard as his heart.

The Dementor's cruel power forced him to relive the feelings of loneliness and uncertainty from the summer before secondary school, a short haircut he'd once had that left his mismatched eyes uncovered for months, watching his mother disappear through the bus window as a baby, spotting Alex Grimsby at Diagon Alley.

The pounding in his head increased as visions of his more painful memories surfaced: Rolling on the floor screaming, surrounded by dodgeballs; twisting and shaking in his childhood pushchair; writhing in agony in the dining room after learning he was a Squib; and the hazy image of an unknown young woman reaching for him before being cloaked in flame. As these darker memories infested his mind, so did the head-splitting pain that had occurred during each of them.

The pain took him over for the first time in almost two years, and his body began thrashing wildly. Desperate to do something, anything to save himself and his mother, Gideon battled to stay conscious, and tried to use his flailing movements to break free from the Dementor. However, it was just too strong, and he was too weak.

As the worst parts of his life filled his brain and the sounds of his own screams filled his ears, Gideon thought his head was surely going to split open this time. In mere moments he would be killed. It was only a matter of whether he would pass out first. He fought to the end, but as the pain in his head reached a higher point than he had ever experienced, Gideon's mind finally gave out, and he had no awareness of what followed.

Gideon's body stopped moving and his arms flopped down beside him. In an instant, the air around him changed. The Dementor's cloak and hood whipped behind it as if caught in a strong wind, revealing its sickening eyeless face. Then, without warning, a beam of white light erupted from Gideon's left eye and shot into the sky above, blasting the Dementor away from him.

Just as the injured monster rounded on him, and its partner lowered its mouth over Mrs Maxwell's, Gideon's limp body began to rise off of the ground of its own accord. His skin began to radiate an orange aura and crackle dangerously as if he was short-circuiting.

Ignorant to this, the blind, wounded Dementor pounced with a vengeance just as fissures formed in the ground beneath them, and suddenly, a cascade of crimson fire burst from Gideon's body in every direction like a terrible, blooming flower.

The Dementor above him took the full force of the blast and was vaporised instantly. The one hovering over Mrs Maxwell was also caught in the wave of fire, and fled the scene, trailing flames like a comet.

Gideon's body fell unceremoniously to the floor, his limbs at odds like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The left side of his face was bleeding profusely while the mass of scarlet fire dispersed as it rose into the air.

The open space around him was left with no evidence of what had transpired other than the web of cracked earth where he lay, the scorch marks surrounding him, and the burns that marked his mother.

***

It was the sound of screaming that brought Gideon out of his unconscious state. The screams were again his own. Overcome with pain and emotion he was in a delirious state. He struggled fiercely against the Healers of St Mungo's as though he was still fighting the Dementors, but they too overpowered him and then used magic to restrain his arms and sedate him.

Still convinced he and his mother were in danger, Gideon's mind fought against the powerful magical drugs, and he began to drift in and out of consciousness. Every now and then he would catch bits and pieces of the conversations going on around him, though, his mind was still clouded and confused.

'Clean up all that blood, so we can see what we're dealing with here,' a masculine voice said at one point.

Then later, a woman commented, 'I've never seen anything like this, are we sure about the witness statement?'

In another semi-lucid moment, Gideon heard a different female voice tell her colleagues, 'We've done all we can. It will heal but it will take time and continued care.'

As his mind began to calm down, he noted a voice to his right. Evidently, one of the Healers tending to him was not too happy about it.

'They don't pay me enough for this!' he heard her gripe. 'Should be in the basement with the other monsters, if you ask me!'

Once, he caught a glimpse of an older Healer with cropped grey hair and sparkling, gold-rimmed glasses. Before he fell back to sleep, he noticed that she had her wand over him and was muttering quietly to herself.

Sometime later, Gideon was pulled out of his slumber once more by raised voices. This time, he was just about alert enough to make out his father's tall shape in the middle of the hospital ward, though he was having trouble focusing. He watched the blurry figure gesticulate wildly while yelling at another man. Somehow his angry presence was comforting.

'You were supposed to be on watch, Coleridge!' Gideon faintly heard his father shout. 'First, you let someone charm a car to mow him down in broad daylight, then fail to catch the wizard responsible, and now you allow Dementors... Dementors to attack MY WIFE!'

'Sir, please!' replied the man that Gideon couldn't quite make out, 'The incident with the car, I did save the boy, after all! And as for today's attack, there was no way I could have known about the Dementors, or that Sarah would have deviated from the approved travel plan.'

'Don't you DARE blame her!' barked Mr Maxwell furiously before storming out of the ward. The other man moved closer and as he did, became just clear enough for Gideon to recognise before once again succumbing to the magical sleep aid. It was the mysterious bearded stranger who had saved his life almost two years ago!

***

After noticing Gideon's continued attempts to fight his medicine, the Healers had to give him a stronger dose. There were times when he felt almost conscious but simply couldn't wake up. Most of the time, though, he was lost in a dreamless state, free of thought or worry.

When he finally awoke, he had no idea how much time had elapsed, or indeed, where he was. The small amount of light shining in the window let Gideon know it was sometime early in the morning. As he sat up on the unfamiliar feeling mattress, he looked around the large room and discerned it to be a hospital ward. There were several other beds in the ward, though they all had curtains drawn around them.

Feeling confused and quite thirsty, he made to get to his feet. However, he found that his arms would only move so far from the bed. There were thin metal bands on each of his wrists, which seemed to be magnetised to the bed frame.

As he realised that he was restrained, Gideon began to panic. He also realised; he was only seeing out of his right eye. Something was obstructing the other, though he couldn't even raise an arm far enough to reach it.

He took a deep, calming breath, tried to relax his mind, and attempted to remember how he had ended up in this predicament. He recalled vague memories of conversations he had overheard, and then, the look on his mother's face as she battled an invisible attacker.

The Dementors! It all rushed back to him. He had to get to her, but then, that had already happened, hadn't it? It was over, he had survived somehow. They were safe now. Still, he wanted to see her with his own eyes.

'Hello?' Gideon called out hoarsely. 'Is anybody there? Hello?'

'Oi! Keep it down, would'ya!' growled a throaty voice from across the room.

'Did someone call?' came a different voice as a female Healer entered the ward.

'Oh, bleedin' 'eck!' the throaty voice added.

'Err, that was me,' Gideon whispered. 'Could you tell me what happened to—'

'Oh my!' said the Healer in alarm before dashing back out of the room, the sound of her shoes noisily resounding off the tiled floor.

'People are tryna geh some sleep 'ere!'

Gideon was instantly annoyed, but since he was reluctant to continue disturbing the other patients, and given that he didn't have a choice, he waited as the sun rose for someone else to arrive.

His family would surely be in to see him soon anyway. Unable to doze off, he kept himself distracted by counting the ceiling tiles. After his fifth round of doing so, and the room filled with sunlight, the Healer finally returned with a second lime-robed woman.

As her golden chain and spectacle frames sparkled in the morning light, Gideon thought she looked vaguely familiar, 'How are you feeling, Mr Maxwell?'

Gideon was inclined to be snappy about having waited for so long, not to mention being magically tied down against his will, but there was something both calming and commanding about the older woman's demeanour.

'I-I'm fine,' he said, 'I just want to see my mum. Please.'

'I'm Chief Healer Dandridge,' she said, ignoring his request. 'How much do you remember about what happened to you?'

'I remember that we were attacked, but I couldn't see by what, my mum said it was Dementors,' he recounted. 'I don't remember anything else because of my condition.'

'Condition?' she enquired.

'Actually, I've got lots of them, anaemia, asthma and other things. I've always been sick, but the one I mean affects my head. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, I eventually black out from the pain.'

'And that happened during this incident?' she prodded.

'Yes. I tried my best to stay awake... But I guess someone got to us in time.'

'I see,' she said empathetically. 'Well, Gideon, we do need to have a serious conversation. It wasn't supposed to happen just yet, but you seem to have a natural resistance to our sleeping draughts, and I'd rather not administer anymore.'

The Healer smiled at this, as did Gideon, taking it as a compliment of sorts.

'Now, you did suffer an injury during the attack. Your left eye and the surrounding tissue were damaged, but our best Healers have worked on you and in time, you should heal nicely. Until then, your wound will need regular care from a Healer, do you understand?'

'Yes,' Gideon answered.

'Good. We had to restrain you, so you didn't disturb it in your sleep. I'm going to release your restraints now, then,' she said, drawing her wand. She pointed it at each of Gideon's hands in turn, and the bands disappeared.

Free of the bands, Gideon felt an instant relief. The Healer took his hands and carefully guided them around his head so he could gently feel where the bandages were. There was a large soft padding over his eye, and the bandages covering it went across the top of his nose, all the way around his head and up the left side of his face.

Gideon imagined he must look like a mummy, which reminded him, 'When can I see my mum? Do my family know I'm awake?'

'I have someone waiting who would like to talk to you, Gideon,' the Healer said, signalling to the other to fetch them, and ignoring his question again.

She returned momentarily, leading a brown-suited man with golden, blonde locks down the ward to Gideon's bed.

Chief Healer Dandridge started to introduce him, 'Gideon, this is Jonathan—'

'Mr Grimsby?' Gideon asked in surprise upon recognising the occasional visitor to his home.

'That's right, how are you doing, Gideon?' Jonathan Grimsby responded.

That seemed like a silly question to Gideon. He was far more concerned with why this man was here, and why his family were not. However, he tactfully remained quiet and waited to see what Mr Grimsby would say to fill the silence.

'Well, of course, you aren't. I'm sure things must be a bit confusing for you right now. I'm here because there are some matters that we need to discuss.'

Again, Gideon allowed the silence to speak for him, and Mr Grimsby conjured up chairs for him and Healer Dandridge with an almost gold-coloured wand from his jacket's breast pocket.

Jonathan Grimsby sat down and began, 'I think the first thing I should tell you, is that the incident with the Dementors happened over a month ago.'

'A month!' Gideon exclaimed, abandoning his plan to stay quiet.

'When you were brought in, you weren't in a fit state,' Mr Grimsby explained. 'Our ability to recover physically is linked to how we function mentally. The Healers gave you immediate treatment, but what you really needed was time. The second thing I should tell you is that your mother is alive.'

Gideon was relieved. As he felt his shoulders relax, he was surprised by just how tense he had become and had to straighten his back to shake out a crick in his neck. For a moment, he felt some of the happiness the Dementor had stolen from him return to his body.

Then, Mr Grimsby continued, 'However, she is currently in the hospital's critical care wing. I'm afraid to say, we don't know if she's going to pull through.'

Chapter Text

'You mean, she might die?' Gideon whispered as his body tensed up again.

'I'm afraid it's a possibility, Gideon,' Mr Grimsby replied. 'You see, your mother suffered some injuries as well.'

Nothing was making sense to Gideon. What little he knew about Dementors was not matching up with what he was being told, and why was Mr Grimsby the one here telling him this?

'I don't understand!' he snapped before turning to Chief Healer Dandridge, 'If we've been here a month, how can my mum be in such a bad condition? What's wrong with her?'

She told him frankly, 'To start with, she came in with some severe burns—'

'Burns?' Gideon exclaimed.

'—which for the most part, have healed reasonably well,' the Healer continued. 'The lingering problem is something far more difficult and dangerous to treat. Soul damage.'

'"Soul damage?"' Gideon repeated quietly. This at least sounded more Dementor-related, but it still didn't add up.

'Souls are extremely delicate, but they are invulnerable while affixed to a living vessel,' the Healer explained, 'Dementors have the power to draw a soul out of its container, exposing it to harm. According to a witness, your mother's soul had been exposed.'

Gideon recalled seeing the flickering light that had escaped his mother's mouth while they were both pinned down.

'Treating the soul is an area of magic that the wizarding world still knows very little about, Gideon. However, I want you to know that our best Healers have been working on your mother, and the hospital will continue to do everything we can for her. I must get back to my duties now, but Mr Grimsby has more to discuss with you. Healer Watts will be just outside.'

The woman gave Gideon a kind smile, but he detected a note of something resembling discomfort in her expression as she looked to Mr Grimsby before departing. The man rose out of his seat as they left. Gideon thought this was a polite gesture until Grimsby drew his wand and waved it through the air around them.

'To give us some privacy,' Grimsby explained, apparently referring to a barrier of sorts that he had just erected.

'I want to see my mum,' Gideon demanded, tired of dancing around the issue.

'I'm afraid that's not possible at this time, Gideon,' Grimsby replied.

'Why not?' Gideon asked, growing impatient, 'My eye, my mum's burns; just what happened to us exactly? Who or what gave us these injuries?'

'That's why I'm here, Gideon,' the man said, brushing his hair from his eyes as he leaned forward in his chair. 'It's one of the things I need to tell you­—'

'Tell me what?' Gideon said in exasperation.

Grimsby sighed, 'It was you, Gideon.'

The following gap in their conversation could have lasted minutes or just moments, Gideon wasn't sure. Grimsby's words had opened a dark chasm in the pit of Gideon's stomach, and he felt like he was falling ever deeper into it.

'W-what d'you mean?' Gideon stammered at last.

Mr Grimsby spoke softly, 'You see, Gideon, when the Dementors attacked you, your latent magical abilities were triggered, and you defended yourself—'

'Th-that's a lie!' said Gideon indignantly. 'I don't have any "Latent magical abilities," I'm a Squib!'

'Please, Gideon, I know this is hard to hear, but if you let me explain—'

'Why should I listen to you? I don't even know you!' Gideon cried, his voice growing louder and higher pitched, 'I want to see my mum! Now!'

'I'm sorry but you can't,' Grimsby answered.

'Why not?' Gideon demanded.

'The thing is, you're not allowed.'

'"Not allowed?" Not allowed to see my own mum when you've just told me she might be dying? Says who?'

'Mr Maxwell,' the man said with a grim expression.

'You mean my dad? Well, that's ridiculous! You must have misunderstood. Just bring him here and he can tell you!'

'I've spoken to Mr Maxwell, Gideon, multiple times. I'm afraid he won't come, and he hasn't been here in a month.'

Gideon put his hand to his forehead and rubbed his bandage-covered temples in confusion. 'I-I don't understand what you're saying!' he managed to get out.

'I'm so sorry to be the one to say this, Gideon, but Marcus Maxwell... Well, he isn't your father.'

Gideon guffawed at Grimsby's words but felt a wave of fear wash over him all the same. 'You're nuts!' he declared.

As he tried to make sense of all the information he had received in the last few minutes, Gideon's mind began to spin until he landed on a conclusion that seemed to fit.

'Someone did this to us, didn't they?' he accused, 'Someone did this to us—probably thinking they were being a hero—chased off the Dementors, but then, my mum and I got caught in the crossfire, and now you're covering for them, for the Ministry! Of course, it was probably one of my dad's Aurors. My dad's in on it, isn't he? It's a plan to stop him from getting in trouble, isn't it?'

'That's not true,' Grimsby stated, 'please, calm down and I can explain. I'm here as your legal representative.'

Gideon had had enough. He wasn't processing anything he was hearing, but it was all swirling around in his brain. Rather than face any of it, he adopted a singular focus to see his mother. Somehow, he thought seeing her would fix things.

'This is crazy! You're crazy! I'm seeing my mum, and you can't stop me!' Gideon yelled as he tore off his bed sheets.

He made to leave Grimsby and go in search of the critical care ward, but unfortunately, a month in bed had affected his muscles, and his legs failed him. Gideon was determined, though, and pulled himself off the cold floor using the metal bed rails.

'Gideon, please,' Mr Grimsby pleaded, standing on the other side of the bed watching the struggle with a look of pity on his face.

Gideon managed to get to his feet, but he still felt like he had been hit with the Jelly Legs Jinx. Or at least, what he imagined the effects of the spell he had read about would feel like.

'I want to see my mum,' Gideon repeated quietly to himself as he hobbled away from the bed. Sadly, he didn't get very far as he found himself impeded by Grimsby's invisible barrier spell.

'I want to see my mum!' he yelled at Grimsby with tears running down his red cheeks, his heartbeat now racing.

Grimsby walked over with the intention of escorting Gideon back to bed but as soon as he laid a hand on the boy's shoulder it was slapped away.

'Get your hands off me! You can't keep me here! Let me out! I want to see my mum!' Gideon cried wildly, and he continued to do so as Grimsby lifted him back onto the bed and held his arm tightly.

Jonathan Grimsby had hoped their discussion would go smoother, but he had accounted for the eventuality that Gideon wouldn't be able to digest it. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small black object, which he then pressed against Gideon's arm.

'Argh!' Gideon shouted as the object stung him in a familiar way, 'What do you think you're playing at? What did you do to me? Help! Mum! Dad! Someone help! HELP! HELP!'

Grimsby ignored Gideon's protestations and viewed the object in his hand, the centre of which, promptly emitted a faint red glow. There was more he needed to discuss with the boy, but apparently, now was not the time. He drew his wand as Gideon continued to shout.

With a wave, Grimsby removed his barrier and called out, 'Healer Watts?'

The Healer dashed into the room with a lime-robed colleague and together they magically restrained and sedated Gideon once again.

'No! You can't do this!' Gideon yelled vehemently as he felt the effects of the magic quickly take hold, his eyelid becoming heavy and his limbs losing their strength, 'I want—I want to see... My mum...'

***

When Gideon next awoke, he was alone in his hospital bed again. Judging by the light it was morning once more. This time, though, it looked like he was supposed to be awake. At the end of his bed was a tray on wheels with a water jug, a goblet, a plate with a cloche and a newspaper.

Not in any mood to talk, but desperately thirsty, Gideon reached for the tray. He was glad to find it was within reach of his renewed magical restraints and rolled it towards him. He filled the goblet with water and drained half of it immediately, closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and reflected on his situation.

He felt numb. It was an odd feeling considering how upset he had been before. He remembered everything about his conversation with Jonathan Grimsby—if it had in fact taken place, and he was fairly certain that it had.

Gideon considered whether he might be losing his mind, which might be a happier explanation for the unbelievable things he had been told, if not for his crazed reaction. But then, how was one supposed to act in times like these? He had survived a life-threatening attack, been severely injured in the process, been told his mother might die, that his father was holding him responsible for it and that he had perhaps, what? Disowned him?

It all seemed as unlikely as the story he had concocted in his manic state to explain it all away. A Ministry of Magic conspiracy, as if that could happen. Gideon still didn't know what to believe, but he had a clue in front of him. He unfurled the copy of the Daily Prophet on his tray and scanned the top for the date. There it was in print, "Tuesday 19 July 2022".

Gideon's heart sank. Assuming the newspaper wasn't some sort of Ministry plant, it had indeed been over a month since Gideon had sat his exams. The Dementor attack at least, had been real, but how much of what he had understood from Grimsby was true, and to what extent? Did his father really blame him for what happened? Where was he, and the rest of the family for that matter? Did they all blame him?

With more difficulty than usual, owing to only one of his eyes being in use, Gideon read the newspaper in front of him to distract himself from such thoughts. The moving photograph for the top story showed a group of middle-aged people patting a dignified-looking man with platinum-blonde hair on the back and shaking his hand. The article read:

WIZENGAMOT FIGHTS BACK

Disgruntled members of the Wizengamot are uniting under the banner of one of their own against the continued, and arguably unlawful, actions taken by the Minister for Magic.

Draco Malfoy, a little-known member of the Wizengamot, has received a show of support among his peers after speaking out against the Minister for Magic, and her continued disregard for the established procedures for creating and implementing wizarding law.

The Minister for Magic has become known for her use of Executive Orders to introduce or change wizarding law, rather than having controversial bills reviewed and approved via the Wizengamot. This has upset members of the esteemed committee and many in the wider magical community. To date, 34 members of the Wizengamot have resigned their positions in protest.

After yesterday's announcement of increased powers being given to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures' Elvish Welfare Team, Mr Malfoy had this to say:

'I have great respect for Minister Granger-Weasley, but I fear she has lost her way. Her continued flouting of our laws and traditions must be challenged, and whether she believes it or not, it is the job of the Wizengamot to do so.

'To my fellow members, I say this, resignation is not the way. Admirable though they were to do so, our former colleagues' actions have had no effect on the Minister, as evidenced by her latest attack on our way of life.

'Instead of expressing our outrage individually, we must do so collectively, by coming together as one to find a way forward. As such, I am calling for an emergency meeting of the full Wizengamot to discuss this issue.'

Mr Malfoy, forty-two, son of renounced Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy, was among the previous Minister for Magic's final appointments to the Wizengamot. Speaking of his selection, Minister Shacklebolt noted Mr Malfoy's considerable philanthropic activities and contribution to post-war recovery efforts. A respected but quiet member of the wizarding judiciary until now, Mr Malfoy said he "could no longer sit idly by while our democracy is under threat".

Among those congratulating Mr Malfoy was Mrs Kerry Dwight, fifty-one, a home-schooling tutor who has suffered from loss of income as a result of the Minister's education reforms:

'He's saying what everyone is thinking! Well, most people anyway, the silent majority. While the more progressive types in the community are celebrating Granger-Weasley's reforms and improvements coming in quick succession, they don't understand that she is opening the door for future Ministers to have unprecedented powers! People are scared to speak against her for fear of being labelled a hard-liner, or worse... But it's the Wizengamot's job, isn't it? I'm just glad one of them finally spoke out!' Continued on page 2.

Gideon imagined his dad and the rest of the family gathered around the dinner table arguing about the article over a delicious meal. He couldn't help but wonder whether they had already done so without him. As Gideon's stomach growled, he lifted the cloche on his tray to find a plate of cold scrambled egg, sausages and toast. It was nothing compared to Tilly's cooking, but he wolfed it down as he continued to read.

HUNT FOR NEXT HOGWARTS HEAD CONTINUES

After the shock announcement of Minerva McGonagall's resignation in May, the search continues for her replacement and according to multiple sources, it isn't going well.

First appointed Headmistress following the Battle of Hogwarts, the widely celebrated and admired Professor has been a Hogwarts institution for over sixty years. She helped fill the void left by Albus Dumbledore and put her own stamp on the education of young British witches and wizards during our recovery.

Unfortunately, her many achievements and accolades, and the many staffing changes at Hogwarts over the last decade, are making it more difficult to find a suitable replacement. Top candidates have turned down the position, some publicly, including former Deputy Headmaster, Filius Flitwick, who retired just five years ago:

'Minerva has done an exemplary job over the years. I don't envy the person who has to fill her shoes!'

Rumours are circulating that if the Hogwarts Board of Governors can’t find a suitable replacement by the end of the month, the Minister for Magic may appoint her own candidate, which has sparked uproar and concern in the community. Continued on page 6.

'Ah, you're awake. How are you today, Gideon?' asked Healer Watts, who had appeared at the end of his bed.

Gideon recalled how she had helped restrain him yesterday, but the woman had a kind face, and he still wasn't feeling much in the way of emotion, so he didn't hold it against her. He answered honestly, 'I don't know.'

'Well, if you're feeling up to it, Mr Grimsby still needs to speak with you. He asked me to contact him as soon as you were ready to talk,' she said.

'I'm ready now!' Gideon said louder than intended, visibly startling the Healer. 'Sorry, I just—I just need to talk to him. I won't flip out again, I promise.'

'Okay, then. I will send an owl right away,' she assured him with a smile.

***

True to his word, Jonathan Grimsby turned up at the hospital just a few hours later. If Gideon were feeling much of anything, he thought he might have been angry to see the man enter the ward. He thought he might also have been glad for the man's arrival, if only because he had finished reading the newspaper and didn't have anything else to keep him occupied.

Grimsby had a quick word with Healer Watts, and then greeted Gideon, 'Good afternoon. Healer Watts tells me you're feeling better?'

Gideon didn't know about that, but he was ready to hear what the man had to say, so he nodded.

'She has agreed to let us get out of the room,' Grimsby said. 'I was thinking we could go up to the tearoom on the fifth floor for some hot chocolate. What do you think?'

'Sure,' Gideon agreed.

Grimsby helped Gideon into an old-fashioned wooden wheelchair, which Healer Watts then magically affixed his restraint bands to, and Grimsby steered. They journeyed silently out of the ward and up to the fifth floor in the lift, only speaking again when they finally entered the large canteen.

'I'll just get our drinks,' said Grimsby, parking Gideon at a quiet table in the corner of the large canteen. Gideon watched as the man paid a white-haired woman for two large hot chocolates, which she topped with whipped cream and sprinkles. He figured the man would have ordered a grown-up drink like coffee for himself. Judging from the look the server gave him, she had as well.

Grimsby returned with the drinks and sat down across from Gideon. 'First off, I would like to apologise to you, Gideon,' he said. 'I don't know if there is a good way to discuss the things we need to talk about, but I know I didn't handle things well yesterday. Do you recall everything that I did mention?'

Gideon nodded in reply again.

'Well hopefully the shock has sunk in, and I can tell you what you need to know plainly. Would that be okay?'

Gideon verbalised his response this time, 'Yes. Please!' Straight answers were exactly what he needed. He had decided that whatever feelings Grimsby's explanations might invoke, he would put them all in a box in his mind and deal with them later. For now, he needed to know the truth.

'Okay,' said Grimsby before taking a long swig from his cup, leaving cream all over his top lip, and prompting the edges of Gideon's mouth to flicker momentarily. 'Well, to start with, I've known Marcus Maxwell for a long time, Gideon, but I've never seen him as he is. He is distraught over what's happened to your mum and you, and I think that's led him to do things he wouldn't normally do.'

'Including disown me?' Gideon asked dryly, trying to make light of his predicament.

'Not quite. The truth is, he does blame you for what happened, and he has arranged to stop you from seeing your mum. I can't talk him around. No one can.' Grimsby took another sip of his drink before continuing, 'What might be harder to hear,' he said hesitantly, 'is that the Maxwells aren't your biological family, Gideon.'

Gideon's insides went cold. He had always felt like the black sheep of the family. He knew he looked different and was treated differently to an extent, but he had never seriously considered that he wasn't actually a Maxwell by blood. He took a big mouthful of hot chocolate and swallowed it along with his feelings.

'So, I'm adopted?' Gideon enquired, barely audible.

Grimsby looked at him sympathetically and nodded his head around strangely, 'For all intents and purposes, yes, but there is a problem. No one can take away the connection you have with your family, but legally, the Maxwells never officially adopted you. That's why your father's actions are creating some difficulty now.'

'Then, who am I?' Gideon asked, wondering if the question made him sound like he was having an existential crisis. 'Legally speaking, I mean,' he clarified.

'Well, unfortunately, your birth mother passed away in an accident when you were a baby. The case—you—were assigned to me at the Ministry,' Grimsby explained. 'We were never able to find any record of your birth father or any other relatives, so you were going to be placed in an orphanage. At the last moment, Sarah and Marcus agreed to take you in. Until we can resolve the issue with your dad, and I'm sure we will eventually, legally, you are Gideon Drake.'

Chapter Text

'Drake. Gideon Drake,' Gideon repeated slowly, testing how the name sounded coming out of his own mouth. There was nothing familiar about it.

'For now, it's probably best you continue going by Maxwell. As I said, I'm sure things will work themselves out soon enough,' Jonathan Grimsby informed him.

'And my—birth—mother?' Gideon asked.

'Her name was Gwendoline,' Grimsby told him. 'I'm afraid we don't know much about her either. She was twenty-four. A Muggle. A French national who had moved to London the year you were born. She was very pretty. We have some photos and other bits and pieces on record at the Ministry. I can bring them to you if you like?'

Gideon considered this. He was intrigued, of course, but somehow it felt like a betrayal. Gwendoline Drake may have given birth to him, but he didn't know her. His mother was somewhere in the hospital fighting for her life, perhaps alone.

Grimsby seemed to understand Gideon's feelings and added, 'Well, if you ever want to see them, just let me know.'

Gideon mumbled in agreement and asked, 'So, what happens now?'

'Well,' said Grimsby, 'for now, you need to stay in the hospital for your treatment anyway. I'll continue working on your dad, and hopefully, he'll come around before you're discharged. If not, you'll stay here until I can make other arrangements.'

'Other arrangements?' Gideon questioned.

'Hopefully, it won't come to that, but we may need to consider temporary housing or even foster placement.'

'What about the rest of my family?'

'Your dad is a formidable man, Gideon, I don't need to tell you that. Your other relatives have been to the hospital but only to visit your mum. I believe Marcus has forbidden them from seeing you.'

Gideon contemplated everything he had been told. It still didn't seem real, and he wasn't entirely convinced, but why else would he be sitting here with a near stranger discussing such things? He wasn't ready to think too deeply about it all, he would do that later in private. He and Grimsby sat there in silence and consumed their drinks.

As Gideon scooped out the last remnants of his chocolate with a spoon, Grimsby finally broke the comfortable silence, 'Is there anything else you want to ask me, Gideon?'

Gideon thought this over. He decided he had quite enough to think about for the moment until he absent-mindedly scratched an itch on his arm, and a memory came to him all of a sudden.

'My arm,' he said.

'Your arm?' Grimsby replied quizzically.

'And my hand!'

'You're going to have to be a bit more specific, I'm afraid.'

'You did something to my arm yesterday,' Gideon accused, 'You stung me with something, and it was just like that time at the house when we shook hands.'

'Oh, I see,' said the man looking shifty. He appeared to wrestle with the idea before deciding to reach into his pocket and withdraw a small, black, pentagonal-shaped object. 'It's an Occurio,' he explained, expecting that would answer Gideon's question.

When he saw no recollection in the boy's face he continued nervously, 'Well, essentially it's a magic detector. A relatively new invention but very expensive. When it makes contact with an object or person, it measures magical output.'

'So, why would you use it on me?'

'As I explained yesterday, a witness claims that it was you who fended off the Dementors—'

'Well, obviously that's rubbish!' Gideon interrupted.

'Even so,' the man continued, wary of setting Gideon off as he had done the day before, 'I used it yesterday when you were—let's say, out of sorts—just to make sure everything was okay.'

'And?' Gideon challenged, secure in the knowledge that the strange object would not have reacted to a Squib.

'Well,' Grimsby hesitated, 'Shall we try it now?'

Gideon obliged, and the man pressed the Occurio gently against his open palm. There was a familiar but momentary burning sensation and when Grimsby flipped the object over, the centre emitted a small, green light.

'Green means no response,' Grimsby explained as he proceeded to demonstrate the Occurio on himself, this time producing an orange glow.

A slight look of relief on Grimsby's face went unseen by Gideon, who smugly assured the man, 'See! Whoever this witness of yours is, they've either got it wrong big time or they're lying about being involved. I hope you'll be investigating them?'

'Yes, well, ironically, that's up to your dad's department,' Grimsby stated, 'but I'm sure he's on top of it.'

Gideon quietly guffawed before reasoning, 'So, when you used the Occurio on me at the house, you were finding out for my parents whether I was a Squib?'

Grimsby's subsequent pause went unnoticed. To the man's surprise, Gideon had created a narrative that fit quite nicely all on his own. 'That's right,' he lied. 'Your dad knew I had an Occurio, and he and your mum wanted to be sure before they spoke to you about your future. He asked me to bring it when I did my next visit.'

'"Next visit"?' Gideon queried.

'Well, as you now know, I'm your legal representative while you're still technically a ward of the Ministry. Part of my responsibilities includes monitoring your welfare.'

So, this was why the man had visited the house over the years. He had been checking on Gideon under the guise of meetings with his father. Gideon was glad to have tied up that loose end, but then, bitterly wondered whether that meant Grimsby had used his son, Alex, as some kind of spy. He chose not to ask the man and risk marring his memories any further than necessary.

'I should be getting back to the office now,' said Jonathan Grimsby. 'I'll take you back downstairs. Unless there's anything else?'

Gideon shook his head and they travelled back via the lift, again in silence. As Grimsby pushed Gideon's wheelchair back onto the ward he asked, 'I hear you're something of an avid reader?'

'I guess so,' Gideon replied.

'I'll see about getting you some books to keep you occupied,' Grimsby said as they reached the boy's hospital bed. 'I know this is a difficult time for you, Gideon. Apart from the things we've already discussed, I'll do whatever I can to make it easier for you. I'll be sure to keep you updated and please don't hesitate to have Healer Watts contact me if you need anything. Okay?'

'Sure,' said Gideon, 'and thanks,' he added, and he meant it. The man's visit had left Gideon feeling a little less numb and a lot more informed.

As Healer Watts arrived to transfer Gideon's magical shackles back from the wheelchair to the bed she said, 'Oh dear, you've got something on your lip Mr Grimsby.'

The man wiped away the cream, chuckled and looked at Gideon in a faux accusatory sort of way. Feeling a little guilty but mildly amused, Gideon smiled properly for the first time in weeks as the man waved goodbye and headed out, his golden hair bouncing along with him as he went.

***

It took a long time for Gideon to fully process his discussion with Jonathan Grimsby. However, it was the time itself that made it easier to digest. After all, he hadn't fully believed certain elements of the man's story, but after a week on the ward, certain things became self-evident. This included the fact that his family had not visited, and apparently, wouldn't be.

As a matter of fact, Gideon hadn't had any visitors. He hadn't even had so much as a "get well soon" card from anybody. Then again, it wasn't as if he had any important friendships or relationships outside of his immediate family—or "the Maxwells", as he should perhaps refer to them now.

His emotions were creeping back in gradually and they were mostly negative. Gideon did his best to keep his mind occupied with mundane activities but in the quieter moments, he couldn't help but dwell on the fact he had been abandoned and nobody was any the wiser.

He'd been attacked and then left in the hospital to rot. Meanwhile, his mother, the only person he felt sure would stick by him, was perhaps only footsteps away, but unable to be there for him, and he was barred from being there for her.

He had long since given up on trying to convince the Healers to let him see her or sneak him into her room. The reality of what was happening to him, the worry over his mother and the feeling of powerlessness were all bad enough. However, it was boredom that risked driving Gideon loopy.

If it wasn't for the books Mr Grimsby had been sending him, he thought he would surely have lost his mind by now. Gideon was glad to find the man had a similar penchant for spy novels. At his request, the man had also sent a blank sketchbook and some pencils.

Gideon spent his days having his wound treated and his bandages changed, while covertly listening to the other patients and their visitors, trying to understand what life was like for normal families. He also sketched the abundance of fruit bowls that found their way onto the ward, read books and even read the newspaper—something he never cared to do before now.

Gideon was even starting to follow the political news, even if the occasional thoughts of wanting to discuss the latest issues did make him long for home. It seemed like the Minister for Magic was really in hot water. Even after a special edition, which had listed her many accomplishments and featured her statement on the need for progress, people were eagerly anticipating the upcoming emergency meeting of the Wizengamot, which had now been scheduled.

Eventually, Gideon was moved to a private room. It was of small comfort since Gideon realised it also meant that he was not going to be leaving the hospital any time soon. After more than three weeks since waking up, he had slumped into a deep depression. He was lonely. He missed his parents, he missed his brother and sister, the elves and even his grandmother.

He had just shed a silent tear for them when Healer Watts made an unannounced visit. Gideon hurriedly wiped his face and greeted the kind lady, who had been good to him during his stay at St Mungo's.

'Mr Grimsby's here, Gideon,' she said brightly. 'There's been some good news, he's got someone with him. Shall I send them in?'

'Of course!' he replied eagerly, wondering which of his family members it could be as she left the room. He flattened the creases out of the bed sheet and attempted to straighten the hair that was accessible through his bandages. Moments later, Jonathan Grimsby appeared around the corner, visible through the glass panel of the door, and entered the room with another figure behind him.

'Gideon?' said a woman with wavy, brown hair parted evenly like drawn curtains but cut shorter than Grimsby's.

'Auntie Caroline?' Gideon exclaimed.

'How are you?' she asked with a shy smile, her arms crossed under her folded jacket.

Gideon was very surprised to see his aunt, and not just because he had been expecting someone else. His father's sister didn't visit often, and likewise, the family didn't visit her all that much. In fact, Gideon couldn't recall the last time he had seen her in person. Their last contact was a Magiphone call around Christmas.

'I'm good,' Gideon said automatically. 'What's going on?'

'Well, Gideon, Healer Watts tells me you're ready to be released, but as you know, I haven't had any luck with your dad,' Mr Grimsby told him, 'So, I've been in touch with your aunt, and she has agreed to take you in.'

Gideon looked from Grimsby's smiling face to his aunt's nervous one.

'That is if you want to?' Caroline Maxwell added.

'Err, well, yes, please,' said Gideon, 'I would like to get out of here.'

'That settles it, then!' Grimsby said happily. 'Why don't you get your things together while your aunt and I make the arrangements with Healer Watts?'

'See you in a bit, Gideon,' said Caroline.

***

It didn't take Gideon long to gather up the few bits of clothing and other items Mr Grimsby had brought for him. He scanned the newspaper until the man returned half an hour later with Aunt Caroline, Healer Watts and inexplicably, a teapot.

On noticing Gideon's puzzled expression, Caroline explained, 'My flat doesn't have a fireplace, so Mr Grimsby has arranged a Portkey for us.'

'Yes, and it will be ready in just over a minute,' Grimsby said, observing his watch.

On hearing this, Caroline pulled her wand from her pocket, conjured a bag and levitated Gideon's pile of things neatly into it.

I haven't travelled by Portkey before, Gideon told them.

'Don't worry, there's nothing to it,' Grimsby assured him.

'Now, Gideon, I've given your aunt a list of dates for when you need to come in to have your dressing changed. We're not finished with you yet!' Healer Watts jested.

'Thank you, Healer Watts. And thank you, Mr Grimsby,' Gideon said

'Alright, come on, then,' Caroline said, ushering Gideon to her side as she took the teapot from Grimsby.

As the teapot began to shake, Caroline gestured for Gideon to grab a hold of it. 'Quick!' she warned.

Gideon did so, and suddenly, Grimsby, Watts and the hospital room were left behind in a blur as he felt his torso pulled into the rift in space. The light became darkness, and just as quickly, it returned along with a set of altogether different surroundings. Gideon felt the now carpeted floor beneath him but lost his balance all the same.

Caroline remained upright. 'Up we get,' she said, helping Gideon get back to his feet. 'Well, this is home for now. I think I've decorated since you were last here.'

'It's nice!' he replied, taking in the sky-blue walls and modern white cabinets and furniture of his aunt's moderately sized, open-plan living/dining room and kitchen.

'It's just a one bedroom but that Mr Grimsby helped push through a Ministry-approved extension charm request,' Caroline explained as she showed him to what Gideon recalled was the coat cupboard.

Gideon looked into the cupboard expecting to see his aunt's coats, brooms and other stored items. Instead, he found a freshly-painted blue bedroom complete with a double bed and, to his dismay, what appeared to be all of his possessions.

'Not a bad size considering, huh? There's even an en suite!' she informed him excitedly before noticing his eyes scanning the room. 'I sent your dad an owl a couple of days ago, telling him I thought you should stay with me. He didn't reply, but your things arrived this morning, along with those letters,' she explained, gesturing toward three envelopes lying on the blue-checked quilt.

The sight of his clothes, toys, books, and other things all lined up against the wall hit Gideon hard. It was one thing to be in the hospital and feel as though he had been abandoned, but it was quite another to see real evidence that he had been cast out of his own home.

'I'll let you settle in,' she said considerately. 'I'm going to get tea started. How does Bolognese sound?'

'Mmm,' murmured Gideon simply, the frog in his throat preventing him from speaking. Caroline left him alone and closed the door. Gideon was thankful for the privacy as a few disloyal tears escaped from his right eye and began to trickle down his cheek. He swiftly wiped them away, spotted his dressing gown in the nearest mound of his belongings and yanked it out.

Gideon then quickly entered the white-tiled en suite and locked the door behind him, turned on the water in the glass-doored shower, disrobed and climbed in. He closed the door and the world behind him, and suddenly the small shower cubicle felt like his own private sanctuary.

Finally alone where no one would see, Gideon opened the little box in his mind. Forgetting about his bandages, he let the hot water raining down on him wash away everything he had been holding in for the last few weeks.

He stepped out of the shower feeling like a different person, or would have had it not been for the stinging under the now-soaked dressing over his left eye. He hoped he hadn't caused any damage to his wound, but it had been worth it. Granted, he wasn't going to be doing any cartwheels anytime soon, but it was as though a weight had been lifted. He threw on his dressing gown and left the steam-filled room with a towel pressed to his bandages.

Gideon sat on the edge of his new bed for a few quiet moments before turning his attention to the envelopes. He absent-mindedly opened the first one. Naturally, his depth perception wasn't what it was, and his vision was now a little blurry with water or tears, but he managed to read what tuned out to be his second-year exam results from Middling Academy.

He had scored an impressive ninety per cent or more in all subjects but Astronomy, for which he got a passable sixty-five. Gideon was happy with his marks but couldn't help recalling his last day of exams and the horror that followed. He shook off the memory, cast aside the letter and hastily tore open the next. He refocused his vision and began to read in astonishment:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall (Outgoing)

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Witch, International Transfiguration Association)

Dear Mr Maxwell,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on Sunday 4 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Joanna Long

Deputy Headmistress

Chapter Text

Gideon had to read the letter several times before he could fully comprehend it. He turned the discarded envelope over in his hands. On one side, the Hogwarts seal, which he had broken without a glance. On the other, his name, definitely his name, and below it his former address.

Was it real? Did Hogwarts want him? Or was it a joke of some sort? No, it couldn't be a joke. Sending a Squib a Hogwarts acceptance letter would be cruel if it weren't so obviously a mistake. A very silly, very annoying mistake. On the off chance it was genuine, he had missed the deadline to confirm his place anyway. The letter must have arrived at Maxwell Manor while he was in the hospital.

Gideon was suddenly angry. If the letter was real, how could his father have held on to it all this time? Hadn't he hurt Gideon enough? Gideon placed the letter down carefully and pulled on a fresh set of clothes, barely taking his eyes off it as he dressed for fear it might disappear.

'Oh, there you are, Gideon,' said his aunt as he entered the living room carrying the letter and envelope, 'tea's almost ready. What's the matter?'

'Did you know about this, Caroline?' he asked.

'Know about what? Oh, what's happened to your bandages?' she replied.

'Oh, never mind that. This letter—from Hogwarts—didn't you see the seal?' he pivoted.

'From Hogwarts?' she asked, leaving the stove, her curiosity piqued.

'Yes. I-it's an acceptance letter. F-for me,' said Gideon, begrudgingly passing it to his aunt as she whipped out her wand and magically dried his bandages.

'Oh, I didn't notice the seal. Well, this is wonderful news! Congratulations, Gideon!'

Gideon was flabbergasted. His aunt seemed to have accepted things so easily. 'B-But I'm a Squib! Isn't it...? Don't you think it's a mistake?' he pressed.

'Hogwarts don't tend to make mistakes, Gideon, especially not when it comes to who attends the school. There's a special system for it.'

'It doesn't matter anyway; I've missed the deadline.'

'Well, that's not your fault, it's that brother of mine who's to blame. I'll send one of the Prophet owls to explain when I get to work tomorrow. They'll understand,' she assured him while tightening his bandages with her wand. 'If everything's okay, we'll go to Diagon Alley after your check-up at St Mungo's on Saturday.'

Aunt Caroline's cool and casual manner confused Gideon. He was sure she would have said something to confirm his fears. Instead, she had alleviated them and left him hopeful. Given everything he was going through, hope could be a dangerous thing right now. If he allowed himself to believe the letter was real, only to have it taken away from him, he wasn't sure he would be able to handle it.

'Right, tea should be ready now,' said Caroline. Gideon folded his letter carefully, slid it back into its envelope and took a seat at the kitchen table. He watched in awe as his aunt used her wand to dish out crockery and cutlery, and serve the meal before a block of cheese grated itself over each of their plates.

'What's funny?' said Caroline as she sat down, noticing Gideon's grin.

'I'm just not used to seeing magic used so openly,' he answered. 'I think the family used to hold back for my benefit.'

'Well, no need for that anymore, eh?' Caroline commented.

Gideon couldn't accept that just yet. Instead, between mouthfuls of spaghetti, he wondered things like what would happen if he couldn't do any magic once he got to Hogwarts. Would they expel him? He might be able to fake his way through levitation lessons using his channelling rod, but he would get found out eventually.

'How is it?' Caroline asked.

'Oh, it's good! Thank you,' Gideon answered.

'I want you to know, Gideon,' she said, putting down her knife and fork, 'you have a home here for as long as you need it.'

'Thanks,' Gideon replied.

'I know first-hand how stubborn your dad can be but given time, he'll come around.'

'Hmm. I'm not so sure.'

'What makes you say that?'

'Well, I'm not really his son, am I?'

'Rubbish! Marcus isn't the warmest person in the world, but I know he loves you. Just look at our relationship. We've never gotten along that well. We never fell out; we just always end up bickering when we get together. He takes after your gran, you see, whereas I take after my dad.

'Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, we may not see each other all that much and may not appear to get along, but that doesn't mean there isn't still love there. Besides, your mum will be furious with him when she wakes up!'

'What if she doesn't wake up?' Gideon said fearfully.

'I don't believe that,' Caroline announced defiantly. 'I can't say I understand everything about this whole situation, but Sarah's a strong woman, she'll make it through this.'

Caroline's confidence was reassuring, and Gideon quickly found himself settling into his new environment. After dinner, they shared a big block of chocolate while watching Caroline's Muggle television. They weren't paying much attention to the shows. Caroline had been uncertain about the events that had preceded and followed the Dementor attack, and she had been quizzing Gideon about everything from the attack itself to Jonathan Grimsby's involvement.

It was a lot for Gideon to unload, but there was something cathartic about finally being able to talk it all through with someone. After he had recounted the whole story to Caroline and answered all her questions, they were shocked to find it was close to eleven PM. They said good night and Gideon returned to his new bedroom.

With the excitement and confusion of receiving his Hogwarts offer, Gideon had forgotten the third letter, which was still lying on his bed unopened. This one, too, had a wax seal on the envelope. He unfurled the letter within, and his jaw dropped in shock. It was another offer or acceptance. This one was almost identical to the one from Hogwarts, but for a school that Gideon hadn't heard of; Durmstrang Institute.

What was going on here? Now two magic schools wanted him? Could they really be genuine offers? After checking the time, Gideon decided it was too late to bother his aunt. He decided not to mention the second offer at all. His heart had always been set on Hogwarts, and if that was truly a possibility, then that was without question where he wanted to go. Even so, he spent his first night in his new bed, with both letters tucked safely underneath his pillow.

***

While Caroline was at work, Gideon had spent much of his Friday alone cleaning the flat and preparing a special thank-you dinner for his aunt. When she returned that evening, she had admonished him for this, telling him it was his home now and he didn't need to do anything to earn his keep.

She also brought news that Hogwarts had been made aware of his situation and was still holding a place for him. Gideon couldn't believe it. The letter had been real! After all this time, his dream of going to Hogwarts might just come true! With this revelation, the Durmstrang offer seemed unimportant.

There was still the issue of whether he would actually be able to do any magic, but while cleaning, Gideon considered that he might be able to offset that minor technicality with how good his non-practical grades were. That thought reminded him that he would need to inform Middling Academy at some point.

He decided that he wanted to talk with Mr Middling in person. So, on Friday evening he wrote a letter asking for an appointment with the headmaster, which his aunt said they would send by owl from the Diagon Alley Post Office the following day.

***

Saturday arrived and Gideon found himself coursing with both adrenaline and anxiety. Firstly, because he was looking forward to getting the messy, itchy bandages replaced. Secondly, because he wanted some news about his mother's condition. And finally, because today he would be shopping for his new school supplies, and it was going to be very different from his last visit.

Gideon and Caroline set out on foot from his aunt's London flat. They took two Muggle buses to get to St Mungo's visitors’ entrance, where they stepped through a dirty department store window and into the hospital reception, then headed straight for a lift up to the fourth floor. They checked in at the help desk and a few minutes later, Healer Watts appeared.

'How are you doing, Gideon?' the Healer asked him. 'Oh, dear, what have you done to your bandages?'

'Sorry, they got wet,' said Gideon guiltily.

'Well, come on then. Let's get them changed,' she said.

'I'll pop in to see your mum and meet you here in a bit,' said Caroline.

Gideon followed Healer Watts to his former ward bed. She made quick work of removing his bandages and changing his dressing.

'It's looking better,' she told him. 'We'll be able to give you something more comfortable to cover it with soon.'

'Healer Watts, have you heard anything about my mum?' Gideon asked with trepidation.

She didn't answer right away. It wasn't the first time Gideon had asked her, but now that there was something to tell, she didn't mind informing the boy in whispered tones, 'You didn't hear it from me, but actually, she has been doing better. I can't say when or whether she'll recover, but the immediate danger appears to be over.'

'Thank you,' Gideon said with some relief.

When they were done, Healer Watts escorted Gideon back to the desk, where Caroline was waiting, and bade them goodbye.

'You were quick,' noted Gideon.

'I didn't go in,' she said in frustration, 'Marcus has had me barred now, too!'

Gideon furrowed his eyebrows in rage. He was, however, thankful to Healer Watts for the update, and relayed it to Caroline as they left. Another two short bus rides brought them to Charring Cross Road, the location of the disguised entrance to the wizarding shopping district.

They entered the Leaky Cauldron pub, a grubby-looking building that went unnoticed by Muggle eyes, and walked through and out to the rear. Caroline tapped her wand three times against the back wall and the old bricks began to fold away one by one to form an archway, revealing the winding parade of shops that was Diagon Alley.

Gideon and his aunt stepped through the archway as a group of people headed their way to exit. They stopped just beyond the entrance as it closed behind them.

'Okay, what do we need?' asked Caroline.

Gideon consulted his letter. 'Well, I haven't grown much,' he said bitterly, 'so I don't need new robes, so long as my Middling patches can be removed. I just need one extra set and a hat. Then, a pair of dragonhide gloves and a cloak.'

'We can get those in Madam Malkin's.'

'I actually have all the books I need, but I don't have any potion equipment, a telescope or...' Gideon scanned his list for the item he was most excited about, 'A wand.'

'Right,' she said, 'I'll run to Gringotts while you're getting the first bunch. Then, we'll move on to Slug and Jiggers Apothecary for your supplies. Then, I'll get your telescope and post your letter, while you get your wand!'

It sounded good to Gideon, but suddenly it occurred to him, 'I don't have my Gringotts key!'

'Don't be silly, Gideon!' Caroline said with a giggle. 'Why do you think I'm going to the bank?'

'I can't let you pay for all that!' he argued.

'You're my responsibility now,' she told him. 'Call it a late birthday present.'

'Thank you,' he said bashfully.

Caroline's plan went smoothly. She returned from Gringotts just as Gideon's alterations were complete and paid for his garments. Then, they purchased what he needed from the apothecary before separating again. Gideon stepped up to the shop he had thought about so much over the years but had never entered, the wand shop, Ollivanders.

It looked as though it had recently been repainted. Gideon pushed the door open slowly and a bell tinkled in the distance. He stepped into a small space, empty except for a luxurious black leather sofa. The wandmakers wasn't how Gideon had imagined.

He had always heard it was a dusty and disorganised old shop. However, there was no dust to be seen. The dark wooden floor was polished, the granite countertop was gleaming, and the ornate golden lamps above sparkled in the light that streamed in through the frosted windows.

Beyond the counter were several rows of shelving which reached up to the high ceiling, stretched to the back of the shop and lined the walls. On the end of each shelf was what looked like a reference guide. They resembled those of the British Library except instead of books, the shelves appeared to be filled with identical small, long boxes sorted by colour. Each had a smart label on the end.

It looked like an incredibly organised operation. Gideon couldn't believe how many wands there were, all waiting inside their boxes for their destined owner to arrive. He wondered which of them might be for him, and how it would be found.

'Good morning,' called a man's voice from the far end of the middle row. He strolled towards the counter in a set of very posh-looking black and magenta robes. 'Holden Ollivander. How can I help you?'

'Hello,' Gideon greeted the man, whose grey hair was neatly pulled back into a ponytail except for two pieces framing his weathered but handsome face. 'I'd like to buy a wand, please,' Gideon said as the man surveyed him with haunting, pale eyes.

'Well, you've come to the right place, young man,' Mr Ollivander assured him. 'If you'd oblige, we're testing a new method of pairing owners with wands?'

'Sure,' said Gideon.

'Wonderful! I've found it far more precise and expedient than simply taking measurements and trying the trial-and-error approach,' the wandmaker explained, 'Of course, that way still works well for my father, who is particularly gifted when it comes to such matters. I don't have his prodigious skill, but I like to think I've made my own contribution to our noble profession.

'Now, what we do is take a small blood sample, use a spell of my design to highlight its magical properties and then, we let the wands come to you, and see which fits best! After all, as we always say here, the wand chooses the wizard! So, your index finger, if you would?'

Gideon presented his right arm over the counter feeling a little uneasy and stretched out his finger. Mr Ollivander drew his wand and muttered, 'Diffindo minimus.'

Gideon felt a pinprick and a droplet of blood appeared on the end of his finger. The man pulled a thin strip of parchment out from under the counter and touched it to the small cut. It soaked up the blood like a litmus test. Mr Ollivander proceeded to wave his wand at the now-dyed piece of parchment until it began to glow as if it had been set alight.

It was fascinating to watch. Gideon sucked on his finger to heal the small wound as the man wandered off into the stacks. He held the flickering sample out ahead of him and waved it slowly in front of the many shelves.

'Hmm. Nothing yet? A difficult customer, eh?' said Mr Ollivander after some time, more to himself than to Gideon, 'Do take a seat young man, it looks like this might take a while.'

Gideon sat down on the sofa. Worry set in as a new possibility occurred to him. If wands chose the wizard, would any of them choose a Squib? Perhaps even Mr Ollivander's special method wouldn't produce results in this instance. Time went on and after ten minutes or so, Gideon got to his feet and shared what was on his mind.

'Mr Ollivander?' he called out to the man who was now near the back of the store, still waving the parchment in front of the abundance of wand boxes. 'I should tell you, there might be a problem.'

'Problem?' he responded without stopping.

'It's me, Sir. I'm err, not very magical.'

The man turned his head to Gideon while hunched over to reach the lower shelves, 'Hmm? No, that's not it.' he said, dismissing the boy and resuming his search. Gideon didn't know what to say, so he returned to his seat feeling a little foolish.

'Well, this is unusual. Very unusual indeed,' said the wandmaker with a wide grin. He appeared to be enjoying himself. After he appeared to have done a lap of the shop, Gideon heard the man mutter aloud, 'I wonder...'

Gideon watched as the man walked to the back of the shop and unlocked a cupboard. He opened both of its doors and revealed yet more wand boxes. Even with Gideon's one working eye, the glow of the parchment was enough to expose an unmistakable movement inside the cupboard. One of the boxes was shaking. Mr Ollivander pulled it from the cupboard and brought it to the front of the shop.

'How exciting!' the man commented, beaming with apparent glee. 'It was my father, Garrick Ollivander, who discovered that the three magical substances most suited for wand making are unicorn hairs, dragon heartstrings and phoenix tail feathers. However, we do still stock a small number of wands from before we started using them exclusively.

'Most are simply wands with lesser cores that we've held on to such as Kelpie hair, Kneazle whiskers and such, but there are a few with rather unique properties. One of those wands has taken a liking to you, young man.'

'One of the wands with lesser cores, you mean?' asked Gideon.

'No, my boy, one of our more unique specimens,' he replied looking positively giddy. 'My father once told me of an expedition he took in pursuit of wild phoenixes, to replenish our wand core stock. Rare though they are, he happened to come upon what he thought to be an albino variety.

'On closer inspection, however, it turned out to be something altogether different. An even rarer magical bird known as a Caladrius. The beast consented to give just one feather and it's here, inside this box, in the wand that responded to you!'

Gideon was stunned. He couldn't help but wonder if it was right for him to take such a special-sounding wand when someone else might make better use of it.

'Acacia, 13 inches, but seeing as it's not one of our recommended cores, I can't guarantee how it will work for you,' the wandmaker warned, opening the box, and presenting the wand inside, 'You're most welcome to it, though, Mr... Forgive me, I haven't asked your name?'

'It's Gideon. Maxwell,' he said sheepishly as he reached for the wand.

'Maxwell?' called a raspy unidentified voice. 'I think not.'

Gideon froze. A wheelchair-bound, wizened old man with wild, long white hair had appeared in the doorway at the back of the shop.

'Dad? What are you doing up?' said Holden Ollivander as the chair slowly and squeakily rolled itself to the counter unaided. 'No matter, look here, this boy has been accepted by one of the special wands!'

'I remember every wand I've ever sold, young man, and you might say I'm something of a genealogist,' said the senior Ollivander. He observed Gideon with a haunting set of eyes much like his son's, but paler and eerier still, 'We've already catered to all of the Maxwells. So, who are you, really?'

Gideon found it hard not to answer truthfully with the man's piercing eyes staring at him so intently. Besides, he could hardly explain the story of his non-adoption. It seemed far simpler just to answer honestly, 'I guess technically, it's Drake.'

Garrick Ollivander closed his eyes, and the pronounced wrinkles on his forehead tightened, 'I see,' said the old man gravely. 'Well, I'm sorry Mr Drake, but I'm afraid we cannot serve you today.'

Chapter Text

'Dad! What are you saying?' said Holden Ollivander, 'Please forgive my father, Gideon, he doesn't know what he's saying.'

'Do not treat me like some addled old fool, Holden!' Mr Ollivander senior snapped at his son. 'I meant what I said. I'm sorry, Mr Drake, we shan't be selling you a wand.'

'Dad, you can't talk to a customer that way—'

'I made a promise a long time ago...' he said, his voice becoming hoarse. 'I don't expect you to understand, Holden, but my decision is final. Good day, Mr Drake.'

Gideon's heart began to race. He didn't understand what was going on.

'But, Dad, it's the Caladrius wand—'

'I said GOOD DAY!' the older man bellowed.

'Now, just one moment—' Holden protested.

The frail old man began to shake his head and pound the arm of his wheelchair while yelling, 'Out! Out! Out! OUT! OUT! OUT!'

Frightened and confused, Gideon fled the shop, the little bell signalling his exit. He composed himself and peered through the window of the shop. The two men were still arguing.

'Wow, that took a while!' said Caroline from outside a nearby store window, where she had been busying herself while waiting for Gideon. 'Let's see it, then!'

'I didn't get it,' said Gideon. 'Is there anywhere else that sells wands?'

'Wha-what are you talking about?' Caroline said in disbelief. 'Ollivanders make the best wands there are!'

'Well, I'm a Squib, so It doesn't make a difference what wand I use, does it?' he replied disdainfully. 'I might as well take an old twig to Hogwarts. If I go, that is.'

'Gideon?' Caroline said with concern. 'Did something happen?'

'No. I just won't spend twelve Galleons of someone else's money on something I can't even use,' he answered.

'Well, there isn't another wandmakers in Diagon Alley,' Caroline explained, 'but there might be some old wands in the second-hand shop. If you're sure?'

'Fine. Let's take a look,' Gideon said decisively.

Diagon Alley's second-hand shop was full to the brim with junk. There was barely room to move through the piles of old furniture, bird cages, brooms, and such, but with the shop clerk's help, they were lucky enough to find four used wands. They were all pretty worn. One was snapped clean in two. He ruled out another, which was cracked from stem to stern, leaving two to choose from.

There wasn't much difference between them, but one looked as though it had been gnawed on considerably. Gideon chose the wand with a small amount of silver hair protruding from the tip and paid the shopkeeper five Galleons. He dropped the thinly wrapped package in his new cauldron and left the store without meeting his aunt's eyes.

Gideon was frustrated to be leaving Diagon Alley in a bad mood once again. He started up the street to the exit, but his aunt had other ideas.

'We're not leaving just yet,' she said, heading in the opposite direction.

He sulkily followed her, only looking up when he saw his aunt's footsteps disappear into another shop. As he followed her, Gideon wondered how he hadn't noticed it earlier with its garish purple and orange decor and overactive window display. It was Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, the joke shop.

It was hard to maintain a bad mood inside with so many loud, distracting noises; flashing, moving objects; and excited, laughing children and adults. As if his thoughts had been audible, the tall red-haired shopkeeper made a beeline for Gideon.

'George Weasley, proprietor,' the man said with a bow, glitter falling out of the top pocket of his green polka dot blazer as he did. 'What's the matter, little man? In need of a smile? How about some Giggle Gums?' he said, offering the boy a bag of brightly coloured jellies.

Gideon shook his head, smiling politely.

'No? Then, how about one of our patented Perk-up Pokers?' he asked, demonstrating a multi-coloured stick with a red button on the end by jabbing Gideon with it. Gideon subsequently burst into a short giggling fit.

'They contain a special mix of tickling and cheering charms!'

'No thanks,' said Gideon, who was smiling now.

'Come now, there must be something you want or need? Something for school perhaps? Stink bombs? We have a wide variety of smells available.'

'Err, no, but maybe I could use a fun quill if you have any?'

'Are you kidding?' said Mr Weasley excitedly, 'We've got the lot!'

The man's energy was infectious. He bounced away to a corner with rows of shelves full of quills in different colours and sizes. He gestured to one shelf in particular. It was full of plain-looking quills pointing out of display pots, each with a label explaining what they did.

'Our special selection. I'll leave you to sample them,' said Mr Weasley before jabbing another customer with his Perk-up Poker and starting up a new conversation.

Gideon read the labels and found there were quills of all sorts. Quills that turned plain ink into invisible ink, quills that made ink multi-coloured, edible quills, self-writing quills and many more.

After his interaction with the jolly shopkeeper and his general bad feeling of late, Gideon decided it would be prudent to purchase a mood quill, which instantly changed colour according to the holder's emotional state. While in Gideon's hand, it couldn't seem to decide what colour to be, which produced an interesting effect.

Gideon was thankful for Caroline's intervention. The incident in the wand shop had thrown him for a loop, but the visit to the joke shop had cheered him up considerably. Mr Weasley had even thrown in a free pack of giggle gums with his new quill while informing them of his other branch, a store in the magical village of Hogsmeade near Hogwarts.

On the way home, the two of them picked up a fish and chip takeaway for lunch and they had a quiet evening discussing his aunt's work at the Daily Prophet.

***

Over the weekend, Gideon had started reviewing his first-year books, although, he still wasn't a hundred per cent sure that he would be going to Hogwarts. It wasn't until Monday morning that the first real piece of undeniable evidence appeared.

An owl had flown in the open window after Caroline headed to work. It held a letter in its beak for Gideon, from Hogwarts. He fed the owl his breakfast scraps and just as he broke the seal of the envelope, a piece of parchment flew out of it and landed on the living room floor. It then began to spin on the spot threateningly like a circular saw, and suddenly there was a loud pop and a puff of white smoke.

The owl flew away in fright, and in place of the note stood a large black trunk emblazoned with the Hogwarts crest. Gideon checked the envelope and removed a shiny ticket and another piece of parchment reading:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall (Outgoing)

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Witch, International Transfiguration Association)

Dear Mr Maxwell,

Thank you for confirming your intention to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed your ticket for the Hogwarts Express and your school trunk, which is equipped with a Ministry-approved extension charm.

We look forward to seeing you.

Yours sincerely,

Joanna Long

Deputy Headmistress

It looked like it was really happening, Gideon was going to Hogwarts. Even so, he wasn't sure he would believe it until he walked through the front door on September the fourth, which wasn't far away now.

Another letter arrived by owl later that same day. This one was from Middling Academy, confirming an appointment with the headmaster later in the week. Gideon was glad. He didn't think he could accept changing schools in his mind until he had been to Middling Academy to make the arrangements. He also wanted to get Mr Middling's advice on the matter.

***

On the day of his appointment, Caroline escorted him to Middling Academy’s street entrance on her way to work. He entered the lobby expecting to see Carol, the smiley receptionist. Carol was there. However, she didn't appear to be in a smiling mood. Gideon cleared his throat to announce his arrival and when the woman looked up over the desk, she did not look happy to see him.

'Yes?' she snapped.

'Err, good morning, Carol. I have an appointment with Mr Middling,' said Gideon.

'Name?' she barked.

Gideon was taken aback. He was sure the receptionist knew who he was, but he answered all the same, 'Gideon Maxwell.'

'Follow me,' Carol informed him before dashing off.

He followed her quickly down the long staff corridor in silence until they reached Mr Middling's office. Carol knocked and showed Gideon in without a word.

'Hello, Gideon, how are you?' Mr Middling greeted him, getting up from behind his desk and extending a handshake.

Gideon had barely stepped over the threshold to return the handshake when Carol slammed the door behind him, the draft of it strong enough to blow the hair on his head that wasn't covered with bandages.

'Is everything okay?' he enquired, 'Carol doesn't quite seem like herself.'

'You'll have to forgive Carol, Gideon,' said Mr Middling apologetically. 'As you know, as well as teaching Squibs, the school also employs a good number of us. We've built something of a community here, but perhaps not in the best sense of the word. Seeing one of our own leave to attend a magical school, Hogwarts at that... Well, it just doesn't happen. It should be cause to celebrate, but I'm afraid for some, it's a source of envy.'

'Oh, so you know, then?' Gideon asked, his cheeks reddening.

'Yes. We received a request for your transcripts from Hogwarts and some of the staff were, let's say, indiscreet. Please, have a seat,' the man said, gesturing to the nearest chair.

They sat down opposite each other, and Mr Middling leaned forward, propping his chin on his clasped hands as if observing the boy.

'Well, congratulations, Gideon,' he said. 'But what's happened to your eye.'

Gideon gave the man a much shorter, highly edited version of the events of the last few months.

'My goodness!' Mr Middling said as Gideon finally finished. 'What an ordeal! I'm so sorry about your mother, please give her my best. Dementors in London...'

'Well, that's between us,' Gideon added, 'My aunt works for the Daily Prophet, and she explained that the Ministry won't let them publish anything about it. I think they want to avoid panicking people while they investigate.'

'Still, it's shocking! Anyway, I'm glad that you're okay, but we're going to be very sad to lose you at Middling, Gideon. You were easily our top second-year student, but then, I suppose that's why Hogwarts want you.'

'Well, that's one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you, Sir,' the boy said nervously, 'I'm fairly certain now that the offer is genuine, but I don't understand why Hogwarts do want me. I wondered if you might know of any Squibs who have attended before?'

'I'm afraid not, Gideon,' Mr Middling said immediately, sitting back in his big chair. 'That's why we were all so surprised when we got the news.'

'Is there a chance that it's due to some kind of Ministry education reform that I haven't heard about?'

'Hmm. No, I'm afraid I would have heard about something like that. Though, I wouldn't rule out our Minister trying something like that in the future.'

Gideon dropped his head and asked, 'Do you think they will expel me if I can't do magic?'

'I'm afraid I couldn't say, Gideon,' said the man considerately. 'However, please know that you'll always have a place here waiting for you, should you need it.'

'Really?' the boy responded, instantly cheering up. 'Thank you, Sir. That's a bit of a relief. I've dreamed of going to Hogwarts since I first heard about it, so I'd like to follow this opportunity through, but I expect I'll be back here by October.'

The kind man laughed heartily before saying in a more serious tone, 'Well, I want you to give Hogwarts your all, Gideon. You'll be representing Middling, so I expect you to do your best!'

'Yes Sir!' Gideon agreed.

After their meeting, Gideon's withdrawal papers were processed. Mr Middling once again assured Gideon he would always have a place at the school and wished him luck. Gideon thanked him and took a Floo lift to the Daily Prophet, as arranged with his aunt.

After a quick tour of the wizarding newspaper's somewhat new premises, a worn-down Docklands warehouse right on the Thames, which looked very different on the inside, she escorted him back to the flat and worked there on a typewriter for the rest of the day.

***

With his intention to leave Middling confirmed and the reassurance that he could return there made clear, Gideon, at last, felt free to look forward to his ever-approaching first day at Hogwarts. The days went by faster and the only thing holding him back now, was the idea that he wouldn't be close to St Mungo's, should there be any news about his mother. Well, that and a nightmare that afflicted him almost every night, but which he was never able to recall upon waking up.

On his third check-up to get his bandages changed, Healer Watts had fitted a smaller dressing and a much smarter-looking black band that stretched around his head instead of over it and covered his damaged eye. Still, Gideon didn't relish the idea that he was going to Hogwarts looking like some kind of strange pirate. He wished his eye would hurry up and heal.

Unfortunately, the Healer didn't have an update for him on his mother, but he took that as a sign that her health hadn't declined. Before he left, she wished him luck at Hogwarts and informed him that instructions had been passed on to the school, so his treatment could be continued there.

Satisfied that he had reviewed his first- and second-year books sufficiently, Gideon tried to relax by reading a novel, watching television, sketching, and playing with his channelling rod. However, he found himself unable to sit still or focus on one task for long, and would ultimately end up reviewing the contents of his school trunk, repeatedly checking that he had everything.

All too soon, Aunt Caroline was waking him up on the first Sunday of September. The day had arrived. Caroline had kindly prepared a big going-away breakfast. Gideon felt guilty that he couldn't manage much but he was too sick with anxiety. He forced down some scrambled egg and a few baked beans, and Caroline turned the leftovers into sandwiches for the train journey.

Gideon dragged his feet, wishing for a few moments to settle himself, but Caroline was in a rush and reminded him that there was no telling what traffic would be like. She had planned ahead by organising a taxi, but unfortunately, traffic happened to be surprisingly busy for a Sunday, and it was late.

Gideon reviewed his trunk one last time, throwing in a couple of final items like his channelling rod, his sketchbook, his pyjamas, and his dressing gown.

When the taxi finally arrived, Caroline quickly ushered Gideon out of the flat and they made their way down with his heavy trunk in tow. They loaded it into the taxi together and set out for King's Cross Station. He pondered how it was already a very different experience from his first day at Middling Academy.

The taxi journey was excruciatingly slow, but they eventually arrived at the train station with only minutes to spare. Caroline paid the driver and ran for a trolley while Gideon wrestled his trunk from the boot.

'Right, let's go!' Caroline urged as they got the trunk of the trolley, which they then pushed together for speed. 'The ticket! What platform does it say?'

Gideon fumbled with his pocket and pulled out the train ticket that had been sent with his trunk. 'Err, Nine and Three Quarters,' he confirmed.

'Good, remember that or we won't be able to get on to the platform, it’s a rule of the charm that keeps it hidden,' Caroline advised before she called out to the commuters blocking their path as they hurtled by, 'Excuse us! Sorry! Coming through!'

When they finally arrived on Platform Nine, they ran down and straight into the brick wall between Platform Nine and Ten. Gideon closed his eyes at the last moment, and instead of an almighty crash, they slipped through the unseen barrier.

He opened his eyes and marvelled at the sight of the gleaming red Hogwarts Express steam engine, lined up against the hidden Platform Nine and Three Quarters. He had seen it before when dropping off his siblings, but this time it was here for him.

Whistles sounded all around as the last few batches of children said goodbye to their families and stepped onto the train. Gideon and Caroline trotted down the platform until they spotted an empty compartment near the end, and lifted Gideon's trunk through the door nearest it.

Out of breath now, he turned to his smiling aunt. He couldn't help but wish his mother were here to see him set off for Hogwarts, the way he had always imagined it. However, he was so grateful to Caroline at that moment.

'Thank you for everything, Caroline! I-I don't know what I would have done,' he told her sincerely before hugging her tightly.

'Think nothing of it!' she replied with tears in her eyes as the last doors slammed closed. 'Go on, get in! Work hard, have a good time and good luck!'

Gideon climbed on, closed the door behind him and dragged his trunk into the corridor. He slid open the door to the empty compartment and heaved in his trunk, taking a seat next to the window. The train's steam whistle sounded, and it jerked forwards slightly. Gideon waved his aunt goodbye energetically until she, and then, the platform disappeared from sight.

He sat back and caught his breath as London started to whip by the window. Gideon considered how two years ago, when he had learned of his lack of magic and confronted the idea of attending a Squib school, his path in life had changed. It seemed like it was happening again now, or perhaps even correcting itself. He was setting out on a new adventure. He was on his way to the place he had always dreamt about. He was on his way to Hogwarts.

Chapter Text

For a while, Gideon just stared out of the train window watching the world go by, deep in thought. The next time the train stopped he would be arriving at the world's greatest school for witchcraft and wizardry. Even if he were kicked out, he concluded that with so many other newcomers, it would surely take the teachers some time to discover his lack of magic.

If that were the case, he would still have time to explore the ancient magical castle and its grounds. He would make the most of his Hogwarts experience, however short-lived it might be. Gideon lost his train of thought when his view turned green, and the Hogwarts Express entered the countryside.

He reached into his trunk and fished out the novel he had been reading for something to do. As he read, thoughts of his surroundings crept in. He wondered what might be happening beyond his compartment on a train full of magical children. He considered exploring to meet some of the other students but quickly dismissed the idea.

Gideon had hoped he might bump into his brother on the platform that morning. However, after arriving late, that hadn't been possible. He wondered if Anthony had any idea that he was on the train, perhaps only a carriage away. Would he even be interested? He hadn't, after all, made any effort to get in touch with Gideon since the attack.

After an hour or so, the sound of movement distracted Gideon and a few children passed by his compartment window. A couple of older-looking students had simply passed by, but a group of younger students had stopped and looked in with curiosity as they made their way along the train. Gideon smiled shyly in greeting but the group just exchanged odd looks with each other.

This happened several times throughout the journey. Apparently, Gideon's eye patch wasn't going to win him any friends. The trolley lady, who came by around midday, was the first person to speak to him. Gideon had a lunch packed by Caroline, so didn't purchase anything from her. After that, he abandoned the idea that someone might join him in his compartment.

After eating his breakfast leftover sandwiches, Gideon dozed off. He awoke sometime later, practically jumping out of his chair in panic. The elusive nightmare had visited him once more. He put his hands to his forehead, struggling to remember what it was about. Naturally, a group of children had been walking past the window as this happened, and Gideon watched them walk away whispering frantically.

It was dark outside now. It occurred to Gideon that the students passing the window had been in their school robes, so he decided to retrieve his from his trunk and put them on. It was a good thing, too, as a voice echoed through the train abruptly, 'We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately.'

The train soon began to slow. Gideon's anxiety returned as it rolled to a stop. Caroline wasn't waiting for him on this end. He was all alone from this point. He heard the sound of doors opening and slamming and watched through the window as students began to empty the train.

'Leave your stuff! Firs-years this way!' came a booming voice.

Gideon mustered his courage and made his way off the train in search of the voice. However, he found himself wondering, was he a first-year? Or was he a third-year? Somehow the thought hadn't occurred to him before now. He decided to take a chance on the mystery voice. That was until he heard it again, coming from the direction of the most enormous man he had ever seen.

'Firs'-years with me! Firs'-years line-up over here!' the man roared while carrying a lamp. By the lamplight, he appeared to be at least seven feet tall. He had long, bushy, grey hair and a matching beard, and wore a long coat, which could probably have doubled as a tent.

The older students gradually dissipated, leaving a bunch of children around Gideon's height on the platform. Some of them, much to Gideon's frustration, taller than him.

'Right, then, this way! Careful now,' the man called as the group huddled together and followed in silence. He led them down a long, steep woodland path. His lamp was the only light visible through the surrounding trees. Just as they made their way around a bend, he called from the front, 'There it is, Hogwarts!'

The students made ‘Ooh’s and ‘Aah’s as the school came into view. The magnificent castle loomed down on them from atop a mountainside. The moon shined brightly behind it, framing its many towers and turrets, and reflecting its splendour in the lake below.

Gideon observed that they were being led to a small fleet of boats. 'Come on, climb in one at a time. No more'n four to a boat!' the large man instructed.

With his eye injury and the darkness, Gideon had trouble gauging the distance to the boat and stumbled toward the water.

'Careful now!' said the giant, who had caught him by the scruff of the neck just in time and lifted him into the boat. 'There's always one!'

Gideon heard snickering behind him, but he sat in the front seat without turning around.

'All aboard?' called the man from a boat he filled all by himself. 'Right, then — FORWARD!'

The little boats set off together under their own power and drifted smoothly across the still lake. The incredible sight of Hogwarts became clearer and more beautiful, mesmerising the children. It was a sight that Gideon would never forget. After a while, the castle disappeared from view as they floated into a dark tunnel. It led to an underground harbour where the boats lined up against the shore.

The children disembarked and followed the large man with his lamp through a passageway, across a long stretch of grass and up a seemingly endless flight of stone steps. When they finally reached the top, out of breath, the big man pounded on a huge oak door. It swung open and revealed a woman dressed in indigo robes, standing in Hogwarts' grand, torch-lit Entrance Hall with her arms crossed.

She wasn't a tall woman, but she had something of an imposing presence. Her jet-black hair was bundled up at the back, held together with a large needle, and her subtle make-up accentuated her attractive but sharp features. Her face appeared rigid and expressionless as she keenly observed the first-years with a pair of cat-like eyes, and the smallest hint of a self-satisfied smirk.

'Here we are, Professor Long, all accounted for!' said their towering guide.

'Thank you, Professor Hagrid,' she responded, her face barely moving as the man walked across the Entrance Hall and through another large set of oak doors to their right. For a moment the distant drone of hundreds of students became a deafening din as it escaped through the ajar door. The sound cut through the eerie quiet outside it until the door closed shut.

Professor Long ushered the group of twenty to thirty first-years forwards, and the front door closed behind them. Both Gideon's anxiety and excitement piqued as he marvelled at the cavernous entrance hall. Its huge marble staircase put the one at home—Maxwell Manor—to shame.

A couple of girls were making a fuss after tripping on each other but instantly fell silent when the Professor's eyes landed on them.

'Welcome to Hogwarts!' she said when there was finally silence once more. 'I am Professor Long, Hogwarts' Deputy Headmistress, Head of Ravenclaw House and Potions Professor. You will find me strict but fair, except when it comes to rule breakers, for whom I have little patience.'

The group of nervous students seemed to collectively gulp as she uttered these words in a perfectly calm yet dangerous manner.

'In a moment,' she continued, 'we shall enter the Great Hall and join the rest of the school for the start-of-term banquet. Before that, though, you must be sorted into your houses. Each of you will be sorted into one of four houses, named after our noble founders, the four great witches and wizards of legend. Those being Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.'

Gideon was suddenly reminded of an event that took place in Madam Malkin's robe shop two years ago. The boy he had met there, Greg, had said something about this. He had mentioned "Gryffindor", but Gideon hadn't understood what that meant at the time.

'Your house will be like your family at Hogwarts. You'll live, learn and dine with them. Your hard work and achievements will earn you house points. Slacking off and rule-breaking, on the other hand, will lose you points. At the end of each year, we award the house with the most points our prestigious House Cup.

'House points are collected and displayed in the hourglasses behind you,' the students spun around to look at four giant hourglasses, two on either side of the big front doors. Each contained gems of a different colour in their top half, but they weren't trickling down. 'Now, if you'll wait here a moment, I'll see if they're ready for The Sorting Ceremony.'

The Deputy Headmistress entered the Great Hall and whispered conversation immediately broke out among the group.

'She scares me for some reason!' said a girl's voice.

'She didn't say how they sort us,' said another.

'It must be a magic test!' a boy speculated.

Gideon was suddenly fearful. A test of their magic? What would he do? His hopes of coasting through classes for a few weeks were suddenly dashed. He was going to be caught at the first hurdle, in front of the whole school no less! That would include Anthony and that Greg boy and his friends. He was going to be a laughingstock, again. This time, with an eye patch to boot.

'I know how it's done,' said a curly-haired blonde girl confidently, 'My sister told me. It's done by—'

Professor Long's return prevented the girl from finishing her sentence. 'It's time. This way, please,' she announced.

Gideon reluctantly followed along with the rest of the group. He'd sooner slip out than face the coming humiliation, but how could he? Where would he go? His thoughts of escape, however, were interrupted upon entering the Great Hall.

His eyes didn't know what to focus on. The gigantic room housed four extra-long tables full of sparkling golden plates and goblets, with students seated from end to end. Lying horizontally at the end of the room on a slightly raised area, was another table with grown-ups seated all along the far side.

Above, were hundreds, maybe thousands of floating candles lighting the hall. The ceiling beyond appeared to be enchanted to mirror the starry night sky. It reminded Gideon of the Middling Academy recreation room.

On the walls, hung giant tapestries in five designs. There were four, each a different colour, emblazoned with an animal: A gold lion on red fabric, a black badger on yellow, a bronze eagle on blue, and a silver snake on green. The fifth had the Hogwarts crest, which depicted all four animals.

Professor Long marched them down the centre of the hall toward the raised area. In front of the staff table stood a wooden stool with a tattered old hat atop it. They gathered on the right side of the room facing the hat.

Gideon wondered if the hat was so battered because they were supposed to use magic on it. If only he had brought his channelling rod! Just then, the hat moved and to Gideon's astonishment, began to sing from a mouth-like tear near the brim:

‘Our four great founders came together
With a big idea.
A school of magic they decided,
Would be built that year.
The name and place were chosen quickly,
Off to work they went.
With mastery, they built a castle,
Grand and resplendent.

But then it came to those to teach,
And there they disagreed.
The four were split and wouldn't settle,
So they turned to me.
A wise old hat I may have been,
But how was I to know,
Whom to sort into which house,
I needed more info.

For Gryffindor, the brave were favoured
Among those he knew.
For Slytherin, only the proudest
Of the bunch would do.
Dear Ravenclaw, would take the wisest
Minds among the group.
Dear Hufflepuff, would take the loyal
And forgotten few.

Other things are of importance,
That is well and true.
But certain traits just make it easier
For me to choose.
For I'm the sorting hat, you see,
I'll look inside your head.
So, pop me on, I'll sort you fast,
And then it's off to bed!’

The room erupted into cheers as the old hat crumpled over into a bow. Gideon joined in, still a little stunned by the sudden musical number, but considerably less on edge than before.

Professor Long turned to the first-years and told them, 'When I call your name, you will take a seat on the stool and put on the hat to be sorted. Afterwards, you will join your house table.'

She gestured to the four large tables and the empty seats they would be filling. The Professor pulled a scroll from her robes, unfurled it and began to read off names.

'Alcott, Sebastian!' she called.

A sandy-haired boy stepped forwards, put on the big old hat, which fell right down to his shoulders, and took a seat on the stool. After ten seconds or so, the hat bellowed, 'RAVENCLAW!'

The students at the third table from the group welcomed Sebastian with loud cheers and claps.

Professor Long continued, 'Barrington, Emma!'

The blonde girl who had claimed to know the sorting method stepped forwards eagerly and placed the hat over her head.

'SLYTHERIN!' roared the hat more quickly this time, and Emma jogged over to the furthest table, where she was greeted with cheers and a hug from a girl that Gideon presumed was the sister she had mentioned earlier.

'Braithwaite, Jessica!'

'GRYFFINDOR!'

The closest table cheered this time, leaving Gideon to deduce that the second table was for Hufflepuff house, where 'Corrigan, Daniel!' was sorted to next.

'Cromwell, William'

'RAVENCLAW!'

'Dellinger, Kimberly!'

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

'Dixon, Brendan!'

'SLYTHERIN!'

As names were read, Gideon noticed the distribution of houses seemed fairly balanced. He might have thought it was done at random had it not been for the different lengths of time it took for the hat to decide. Some only took seconds while others took longer. One girl, 'Lynch, Amanda' took almost three minutes before she was sorted into Ravenclaw.

'Maxwell, Gideon!' called Professor Long.

He took a deep breath and stepped forwards. It was as though he could feel all of the eyes in the hall watching him. He lifted the hat and sat down as a voice interrupted the stark silence.

'Gideon?' it echoed in surprise from the direction of the Gryffindor table. In the furthest corner of the room, Gideon could just about make out his brother, Anthony, standing with his mouth hanging open. Gideon smiled awkwardly and dropped the hat over his eyes. Under the hat with the light shut out, it was somehow quieter still.

'Hmm,' came another voice. 'What have we here?'

It was the hat. It was speaking into his mind.

'Hmm. Goodness me!'

Apparently, this was not going to be one of the hat's more decisive choices. Or else, the hat was confused by his lack of magic. Was it as Gideon had feared, that this test could see him ejected from Hogwarts before his experience had even begun?

'There's courage, pride, wisdom and loyalty all plain to see,' said the hat, 'And so, one must look deeper.'

Gideon wondered how long he had been sitting there when the hat next spoke, 'It's been a while since I've had a challenge, boy, but there's no hiding from me. Show me, yes. Let's look deeper, yes.'

After a while, Gideon was getting close to ripping the hat off his head. Clearly, it wasn't working and wasn't going to work. Not on a Squib.

'Squib, eh? Ha!' the hat retorted, demonstrating its ability to read Gideon's mind. 'Just sit still and let me do my work, young man.'

Gideon felt sure he was approaching the time the hat had spent on 'Lynch, Amanda' and wasn't keen to outdo it.

'Hmm. I see great depth here. Great potential and something... Something I can't quite reach,' said the hat in a tone of frustration. 'I see a brave heart, a kind soul, a strong mind, a powerful spirit. And something... something else.'

'Something else?' Gideon thought, hoping the hat would hear him.

'Yes. Something else. Something hidden. Something dark? Something... Something beyond me!' the hat replied. 'So, what to do with you? Any preference?'

'You're asking me?' said Gideon into the darkness.

'No? Well, in that case — it better be SLYTHERIN!'

Gideon removed the hat, thankful to be done with it and happy to have passed the first hurdle, after all. And yet, the Great Hall did not seem to share his relief. There were no claps. No cheers. Just odd looks and whispers. Gideon looked to Professor Long, her almost expressionless face studying his before she brought her scroll-filled hands up into applause.

The Slytherin table followed suit, but they didn't seem overly enthusiastic. Perhaps none of them cherished the thought of taking in the loser with the eye patch, Gideon wondered. He walked over to the far-right table while searching for his brother's face in the opposite direction, but if Anthony was there, he had returned to his seat.

'Novak, Samantha!' called Professor Long as Gideon sat down.

'RAVENCLAW!'

'What's your deal, then?' Whispered the blonde girl, Emma Barrington from across the table as they observed the rest of the sorting.

'Owens, Harry'!

'My deal?' Gideon responded, noticing others at the table watching him.

'With what happened with the hat—'

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

'—Are you someone special?' she asked, sweeping her curly locks over her shoulder.

'Hardly,' said Gideon dryly but the girl didn't seem finished with him.

'Price, David!'

'Wait, what do you mean, "what happened with the hat"?'

'GRYFFINDOR!'

'Surely you must know?' Emma teased, apparently enjoying herself.

'Know what?' Gideon asked, growing impatient.

'Romano, Vincenzo!'

'You were under the sorting hat for almost ten minutes! Didn't you realise?' Emma finally revealed.

'SLYTHERIN!'

Gideon was shocked but the breakout of applause at their table distracted him. It was noticeably louder than that which he had received. He politely clapped as a boy with slicked-back dark hair sat opposite him.

Gideon knew he had lost time under the hat, but he had no idea it had been that long. Did that explain his frosty reception? What did it mean? Wasn't it enough that he looked like an extra from a swashbuckler film? Did he really need anything else to make him stand out?

The sorting eventually finished with 'Zabini, Jaden', another Slytherin. Professor Long carried away the stool and hat, and another woman sitting at the centre of the staff table next to an empty chair rose from her seat.

She wore a set of silvery robes which almost matched her cropped white-grey hair. Gideon guessed she must be the new Headmistress. Her golden-rimmed glasses hung from her neck on a matching chain, both sparkling in the candlelight. Suddenly, Gideon recognised her. It was Chief Healer Dandridge from St Mungo's.

Chapter Text

'Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!' said the silver-robed woman. 'We'll get better acquainted in a while. For now, bon appétit!'

Gideon watched the former Healer return to her seat and begin to converse with a woman to her left. He knew from the Daily Prophet that Minerva McGonagall had retired and that there would be a new headteacher, but he hadn't expected it would be anybody he knew. He supposed the head of the wizarding hospital would be a good candidate but wondered whether she had been appointed by Hogwarts' Board of Governors or by the Ministry.

'Aren't you eating?' asked the ever-curious girl, Emma Barrington.

Gideon turned to respond and saw that gleaming platters of food had appeared from nowhere! There were all kinds of meats and pies, potato dishes of every sort, vegetables of every kind and steaming boats of gravy full to the brim. With all the delicious smells, Gideon couldn't understand how he hadn't noticed sooner.

'I'm Vinny. Did the hat speak to you guys?' Gideon heard the boy across from him ask openly.

'Yeah, but it didn't say much, it was like it was just thinking out loud.' said the boy next to him. 'I'm Brendan by the way.'

'I didn't hear anything, I was sorted pretty quickly,' said Emma a little louder than necessary. 'How about you, Gideon? It is Gideon, isn't it?'

Gideon was beginning to find the girl a little annoying. He noticed once again that people around the table other than those closest to him seemed to be listening.

'Yes, it's Gideon, but no, the hat didn't say anything,' he lied.

'Really?' said Emma with intrigue in her voice. 'That's odd! All that time, and nothing? It's supposed to be rare for anyone to take longer than five minutes to be sorted. I don't think any of the other first-years were sorted for that long, let alone nearly ten minutes!'

The girl was definitely annoying. Gideon stuck by his story, 'Nope, didn't say anything.'

'That was pretty weird. I thought you might have fallen asleep under there!' Joked Vinny.

'Well, it didn't feel like very long while I was wearing it,' Gideon told him.

'People were getting antsy, you know, even the teachers were whispering about you,' added a brown-haired girl.

'So, why do you think we were sorted into this house?' Gideon asked, attempting to change the subject.

'Probably because we're the best!' Vinny stated plainly. 'I hear Slytherins are supposed to be the most skilled.'

'Slytherin does produce powerful witches and wizards,' said an unfamiliar, raspy voice. To the first-years' surprise, it was a translucent figure hovering above them.

'It's the Bloody Baron!' said a boy near the end of the table whose name Gideon couldn't recall from the sorting. 'You're the Slytherin ghost, aren't you?'

'That's right, my boy! A fine-looking bunch of recruits we have here. Do let me know if you need any assistance, or if the other ghosts give you any trouble!' he told them as he floated away.

Gideon saw that multiple ghosts had entered the hall and were conversing with students as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He watched as the Bloody Baron brandished an ethereal sword at another spectre across the room. His pearly-white victim lurched, and a nearly severed head fell off their high-collared neck.

'I've heard some bad things about our house, you know,' said Brendan with trepidation. 'People say that Slytherin turns out a lot of dark wizards.'

'That's old news,' Emma's older sister told them. ‘Don’t pay attention to that kind of talk, it's just the other houses and their jealousy! Just be glad you're not in Hufflepuff!'

'What's wrong with Hufflepuff?' asked the girl to Gideon's right. 'Didn't the sorting hat say they're loyal? That's not a bad trait.'

'The hat also said that Hufflepuff takes "The forgotten few",' the older blonde girl replied with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smirk.

Gideon didn't think much of the Barrington sisters. They seemed a bit judgmental. He turned to his left and quietly prodded Brendan about what he had mentioned, 'What did you mean about dark witches and wizards?'

'Well, they say that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and most of his followers were in Slytherin,' Brendan whispered. 'My parents told me it's because ambition is one of the traits Salazar Slytherin favoured. That's the sort of thing that can drive people to do bad things.'

'Oh, Lord Voldemort? I think I've read about him. I'm sure it's just a coincidence, though,' Gideon considered, not noticing Brendan flinch at the mention of the infamous dark wizard's name. 'There are only four houses, not everyone at our table can be bad, can they?'

'I guess. Even so, I'm not sure my mum and dad will be happy about my sorting,' Brendan said grimly. 'So, what's with the eye patch?'

The rest of dinner was spent exchanging small talk, such as who people were, where they were from and what their families were like. Gideon did a lot of eating and moving food around his plate to avoid addressing those sorts of questions.

Soon the dinner leftovers disappeared and were replaced with a mouth-watering selection of desserts. Gideon enjoyed a bowl of jam roly-poly with hot custard while listening to Vinny and Brendan talk to people on their other sides about Quidditch.

After everyone was full of food, some painfully so, the remaining tableware disappeared, and Dandridge rose from her seat again. The previously empty chair on her right had been filled by Professor Long. The room fell quiet, and everybody turned to hear her speak.

'I hope you all enjoyed the banquet! I'm Professor Dandridge. I would like to say a special welcome to our new students. For those of you who are unaware, this is my first year at Hogwarts too. So, we'll be discovering the magic of this great school together!

'For our returning students, I would like to acknowledge your former Headmistress. Professor McGonagall was a witch of wide renown and a woman I admired greatly. I don't expect to fill her shoes, but I hope you'll allow me to show you mine!

'Now, I have just a few start-of-term announcements, and then you can head to bed. I'm sure you all want to be well-rested for your first classes tomorrow!

'First, a reminder that the forbidden forest is indeed forbidden to all. Magic is not to be used in the corridors between classes, which includes the use of magical objects. A list of banned objects can be found on the noticeboard outside our Caretaker, Mrs Mills' office.

'Finally, Quidditch trials will take place in the second week of term. Those interested in playing for their house team should contact their Head of House before Friday. I think that's everything—'

The distinct sound of someone clearing their throat came from the end of the staff table.

'Ah, yes, of course,' said Professor Dandridge, 'Professor Keane is going to lead us in a rendition of the school song before we head off.'

Some of the students groaned at this, and Gideon noticed that some of the staff members appeared less than pleased, as an attractive young woman with flowing, waist-length blonde hair walked around to the front of their table. Her purple robes were tailored to her curvaceous figure and even had a long slit up one side. They reminded Gideon of something his sister might have designed, but he wasn't sure they were all that appropriate for a schoolteacher.

'On your feet then, everybody!' announced Professor Keane enthusiastically.

The room was suddenly full of the sound of benches scraping as many of the older students, the boys in particular, happily leapt to their feet. Professor Keane waved her wand and magenta ribbons shot from the tip, taking the shape of the lyrics.

'All together now!' she commanded excitedly.

Gideon liked to sing alone in the shower, and sometimes in the car, but never in front of anyone other than his mother. He also had difficulty focusing on the twisting ribbons with his one eye. So, he tried to mouth out the words and murmur as the rest of the students sang:

‘Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.’

Gideon was mildly amused. The lyrics he had caught certainly weren't the sort of thing one would hear at Middling Academy. Professor Dandridge stood and led the room in a round of applause as Professor Keane clapped and whooped wildly.

Gideon thought he detected a note of disapproval from Professor Long before she rose and departed with the other staff. Students followed suit, and an older boy and girl made their way through the shuffling crowd to Gideon's end of the table.

'Hello, first-years! We're the new Slytherin Prefects. I'm Jack Jones,' said one.

'And I'm Rebecca Page. Follow us and we'll lead you to the Slytherin Common Room,' said the other.

The Prefects led the group from the Great Hall, but instead of taking them up the grand staircase as Gideon had expected, they directed them to a nearby door off of the Entrance Hall. Many of them were relieved by this when they witnessed a floating man pelting students on the stairs with water balloons.

'That's Peeves, the resident poltergeist,' Jack explained. 'Try not to get in his way and he'll leave you alone. For the most part.'

They made their way through the door and downward until the walls became bare stone lit by torches in brackets, and then they took several turns.

'You'll learn your way around the school soon enough, but you can always ask a prefect or one of the ghosts if you get lost,' Rebecca informed them. 'Though, the location of each house's common room is secret and secure. Ours is down here in the dungeons and you need a password, which we update monthly.'

The prefects stopped in the middle of a corridor at a bare stretch of wall and uttered together, 'Forked tongue!'

A section of the stone wall sunk inward and swung open to reveal a passageway. Gideon and the rest of the first-years followed the prefects through it and into the hidden Slytherin Common Room. It was a strange and beautiful room; well-lit but somehow with a dark feel to it, gloomy and yet with an air of glamour, its contents clean and polished but full of old-world charm.

The high ceiling echoed the castle's elaborate architecture and the windows had an eerie glow about them. The furnishings reminded Gideon of the drawing room at home, though, there were shades of green and black instead of the warm red tones at Maxwell Manor. The ornate mantelpiece reminded him of the one at the British Library, but grander still. It housed a roaring fire, the glow of which silhouetted a tall man, standing deathly still.

'Good evening,' said the man in a deep voice. Several of the children who hadn't noticed him jumped. The prefects encouraged them to sit in the four large leather sofas surrounding the fireplace. They did so, a little wary of the unmoving man, whose impossibly dark eyes seemed to follow them like one of those strange Muggle paintings.

'Thank you, prefects,' he said.

The older students then waited by a door on the opposite side of the room. Gideon noted that, like the room, the man appeared to be a contradiction in terms. He had an intense presence and yet hadn't been immediately noticeable. His voice was deep but had a silky cadence to it. He was rather pale yet undeniably handsome.

Straight, shoulder-length brown hair framed his high cheekbones, chiselled jaw and cherry-red lips. A lean but muscular physique was discernible through his well-tailored robes.

'I'm Professor Voronov,' he announced with the faintest trace of an eastern European accent. 'I am Head of Slytherin House and Transfiguration Professor. I wanted to introduce myself and welcome you to Hogwarts before you head to bed.

'Despite our house's proud history, Slytherin has not won the House Cup for five years now, last year even coming in second behind Hufflepuff, as Professor Keane continues to remind me. I am determined for that to change. Therefore, I expect nothing less than your best effort in all your classes. I shall deal with anyone who lets us down personally.'

Like Professor Long, this man seemed to have mastered the art of the veiled threat.

'Please be sure to report any problems or concerns you might have to your prefects. Copies of your timetables and a basic map of the castle are waiting for you in your dormitories, which Jack and Rebecca will now show you.'

The group got up and moved toward the prefects, who opened the door between them to reveal a single long corridor.

'The bathrooms are the first doors on each side, and the first-year dorms are the fourth doors down on each side this year,' Jack instructed.

'Girls' doors on the left side, boys' doors on the right,' explained Rebecca.

'Mr Maxwell, could I have a moment?' called Professor Voronov unexpectedly.

Some of the students turned to Gideon questioningly, Emma Barrington looking especially intrigued. Gideon returned to the sofa area as the others filed through the door, leaving him alone in the common room with the intimidating professor.

'Nothing to worry about,' said the man, apparently sensing Gideon's apprehension. 'I've been asked to relay a message for you from the Hospital Wing. You're to stop by tomorrow after your lessons are done for the day, to make arrangements for treating your injury.'

'Oh, right,' said Gideon.

'Also, before breakfast tomorrow, you'll have a brief meeting with me and the Deputy Headmistress. Obviously, we've been treating you like a first-year today, but I'm told that you have two years of magical education under your belt. We just want to gauge your ability to see what cohort it's best to place you with.'

After—eventually—being sorted by the hat, Gideon had hoped he was firmly part of the student body now, at least for a while. However, it looked like he, unlike other students, would have to have a proper magic test to confirm if he was meant to be at Hogwarts.

'Out of interest, Mr Maxwell, might I ask what the sorting hat told you?' Professor Voronov enquired.

Gideon wondered whether he should be honest since it was a teacher asking him this time. However, he didn't feel like sharing anything about the experience, especially the hat's stranger comments. 'It didn't really say anything. Just lots of umming and ahhing,' he fibbed.

'I see,' said the professor, and then nothing for an uncomfortably long time. 'Good night, then. I shall see you at eight-fifteen tomorrow morning in my classroom.'

'Good night, Sir,' Gideon replied before heading through the door to the dormitories. He found the fourth door on the right and hoped he had heard correctly. Sure enough, inside were the first-year boys; Vincenzo "Vinny" Romano, Brendan Dixon, Jaden Zabini and Harjeet Thakur, unpacking their belongings.

The dorm room was a lot longer than it was wide. Five four-poster beds were spaced out evenly next to each other with a trunk at the foot of each one. Gideon's was at the foot of the furthest bed by the far wall, which had two more of the spooky green windows.

When he saw a fish-shaped shadow moving slowly across them, he realised they were underwater, which seemed like a fairly cool feature of their new home.

'What was that about?' Vinny asked Gideon as he walked down to the end of the room.

'He was just telling me that I need to visit the Hospital Wing tomorrow. For my eye,' he said casually.

'That guy freaks me out, man!' said Jaden with a shudder.

'There's a rumour about him, you know,' Harjeet offered. 'My cousin told me, she's a third-year in Hufflepuff.'

'Same as my bro, though, he's a Slytherin. What's the rumour?' said Vinny with interest.

'Apparently, he's a vampire!' Harjeet revealed.

'No way!' Jaden exclaimed.

'He can't be, can he? They wouldn't let a vampire teach here, would they?' asked Brendan worriedly.

Gideon, however, chuckled.

'What's funny?' asked Vinny.

'The rumour's fake, isn't it?' Gideon replied as he pulled out his pyjamas and dressing gown from his trunk to get ready for bed.

'How do you know?' Vinny quizzed him.

'Oh, well, he told us he teaches transfiguration,' Gideon said simply.

'Yeah, so?' Vinny replied.

'Well, vampires have certain special abilities of their own,' Gideon explained, 'but once a witch or wizard becomes a vampire, they lose their magic. Since transfiguration is some of the most difficult magic there is, I doubt Hogwarts would hire a transfiguration teacher who can't cast spells.'

Vinny looked put out by this answer, but the other boys seemed impressed.

'That's a relief,' said Brendan, 'but he is a bit creepy!'

'Well if there is something weird about him, at least he's our Head of House. He's probably less likely to attack one of his own!' Jaden suggested, leaving the boys in a fit of giggles.

***

Gideon slept well that night in his comfy new bed. Despite how the day had begun, and the confusion with the sorting hat, his first real interaction with the other kids had gone well. Unlike at Middling Academy, the children here wanted to engage with each other. He figured that people he didn't know would still think he was an oddball, but at least those he shared a room with were essentially forced to get to know him.

The morning light made their submerged window glow much brighter than it had the night before. Gideon was once again quickly filled with a strange mixture of excitement and anxiety. If he could somehow make it through the obstacle ahead of him, his first real magical lessons would start today!

Gideon dressed, packed his book bag and fished out his second-hand wand from his trunk, for all it was worth. He also pocketed his channelling rod, hoping an opportunity might arise for him to use it covertly. He then waited for the wall-mounted pendulum clock to strike eight o'clock and headed out as the other boys began to stir.

The basic map of the school that Professor Voronov had mentioned turned out to be anything but. However, Gideon managed to find his way to the Transfiguration classroom with a little help from the Bloody Baron, who pointed him in the right direction with his sword.

'Ah, here he is!' Professor Voronov said to Professor Long upon spotting Gideon in the doorway. 'Good morning, Mr Maxwell. I trust you slept well?'

'Yes, Sir,' Gideon answered as he nervously approached the front of the room where the two teachers stood. He wasn't sure if it was because of his impending test or the impressive aura the two teachers gave off, but his knees were shaking.

'Right, then,' said Professor Long, 'Let's see what you can do!'

Chapter Text

'So, Mr Maxwell, we're going to ask you to perform a series of actions using these objects,' explained Professor Long, gesturing to a blank sheet of parchment and an apple on Professor Voronov's desk. 'You'll then attempt to do so using any spells you can think of. Just do the best you can. Do you have any questions?'

Gideon shook his head meekly in reply. Then, Professor Long pulled a wand from her robes and used it to conjure a pair of simple but attractive, black, lacquered chairs for the two teachers to sit on. Gideon reached into his robe pocket and pulled out his second-hand wand. This was it, the moment of truth.

'Okay, then. Please make the parchment fly,' said Professor Long.

The Levitation Charm was the one spell Gideon knew he could perform. Unfortunately, with the teachers watching so closely, he didn't dare try using the channelling rod in his other pocket. He would have to try the normal way.

He knew how, of course, and hoped that alone would earn him some points. Gideon cleared his throat, stepped up to the desk and pointed his wand at the parchment. He gave it the recommended swish and flick, and uttered, 'Wingardium Leviosa.'

The parchment did not move.

Gideon cleared his throat and tried again, sure to accentuate the hard 'g' and 'o', 'Wingardium Leviosa!'

The parchment did not move.

Gideon looked nervously in the teachers' direction.

Professor Long merely said, 'Please move the parchment.'

Gideon supposed that should be easier than making it fly, but it wasn't all that different a request for someone without magic. Still, he thought about Mr Middling's last words to him and figured it was worth going through the motions to show he at least had the knowledge.

'Locomotor Parchment,' he said.

The parchment did not move.

It occurred to Gideon, that the teachers had not specified which spells to use for a reason. He had an opportunity here to show off a little, even if he couldn't actually achieve the desired result.

'Ventus! Fumos! Fumus! Flipendo!' Gideon recited one after the other.

He tried to blow the parchment away with air, smoke, steam and even the Knockback Jinx. The parchment did not move. However, Gideon noticed that one of Professor Voronov's eyebrows had.

'Please burn the parchment,' said Professor Long this time.

Again, Gideon used the opportunity to show the teachers what he knew, if not what he could do. He recited spells with different effects that may theoretically burn the parchment, being sure to get the wand movements and pronunciations for each correct.

'Incendio! Vermillious! Flagrate!' he commanded to no avail.

'Please cut the apple,' asked Professor Voronov.

Unfortunately, Gideon could only think of one spell from his first- and second-year books that could achieve this, but he tried it nonetheless, 'Diffindo!'

This time the professor asked, 'Please transform the apple.'

There were a few spells that could work if Gideon interpreted "transform" in the simplest sense of the word. So, he sounded off, 'Reducio! Engorgio! Colovario! Spongify! Pomi Verto!' 

He had attempted spells to transform the apple's size, colour, consistency, and form. Nothing happened, of course, but he felt sure he had done Middling Academy proud.

'Thank you, I think that will do,' said the man. He turned to his fellow teacher, and she gave him a subtle nod. 'I must commend you for your efforts, Mr Maxwell. However—'

Gideon tried desperately to think of anything other than himself riding the Hogwarts Express home alone.

'—it seems it would be beneficial for you to start your education at Hogwarts as a first-year, after all.'

'You shouldn't be discouraged by this,' Professor Long added, 'You did well to use a variety of spells, apply them to the correct actions, some ingeniously so, and perform them all correctly. You just need practice.'

Gideon smiled graciously. He didn't have the heart to tell them that all the practice in the world wasn't going to make a difference, but he was happy that his stay at Hogwarts wasn't going to come to a swift end just yet.

'So, the timetable you have will be correct,' Professor Voronov told him, 'I recommend you go straight to the Great Hall and get some breakfast before your first class.'

'Yes, Sir. Thank you both,' said Gideon politely before departing. Once Gideon cleared the tense atmosphere of the classroom, he found himself thanking the heavens for the happy and easy-going teachers of Johnston Primary!

After navigating his way to the Great Hall, Gideon spotted his dormmates and took a seat at the Slytherin table. Vinny seemed suspicious of his absence, but Gideon explained it away by saying he got lost. He had just enough time for some jam on toast before they had to leave for their very first lesson.

'You don't think the teachers will ask us too many questions right away, do you?' Brendan worried aloud. He seemed as nervous about their classes as Gideon. Though, likely for different reasons.

With some bickering, the boys eventually managed to use their map to find the History of Magic classroom. They arrived to find the first-year Slytherin girls and Hufflepuffs had already taken their seats. Gideon was glad to have History of Magic as their first lesson. It didn't require any magic, so it was a nice way to ease into things.

Once they had all taken a seat, their teacher finally arrived. However, instead of using the door as they had, Professor Binns appeared through the blackboard. A frail-looking—and transparent—old man, he was Hogwarts's only ghost professor. After the initial shock wore off and Professor Binns began speaking, Gideon's enthusiasm quickly waned.

Professor Binns had a monotonous voice and barely acknowledged the students sitting before him. Moreover, from his description of the topics they would be learning about that semester, Gideon realised that he already knew the subject material. He supposed it meant he would get good marks, but he wasn't sure if his attention span would hold out.

After an hour and a half of droning, Professor Binns dismissed the class. Most of the Slytherins complained about him on the way to their next class with the Ravenclaws, that being Potions.

There were no surprises about their teacher this time, they already knew that Professor Long taught Potions. Though, some of them weren't looking forward to being taught by the Deputy Headmistress.

Again, Gideon wasn't too concerned about having to perform magic. Sure, potions did require magical users to make their ingredients react properly, some even required incantations or wand work, but it turned out this lesson wouldn't need either.

According to their timetables, their Monday lessons would be used to discuss and plan their practical Potions lessons, which would be held during a double period on Fridays. Gideon supposed there would be more time to brew their concoctions that way, not to mention clean up the inevitable mess.

Professor Long outlined the syllabus as Binns had, but then she got straight to business by revealing they would be starting by looking at antidotes. They discussed basic antidotes and their applications. She then had the students read their textbooks before quizzing them.

Gideon shyly volunteered a detailed answer to a question that stumped the class, 'While a bezoar can cure many poisons on its own, only a small amount of it is needed in standard cures, so it makes more sense to dilute its powdered form as an ingredient to make it go further. Also, certain other ingredients mix well with bezoar to make recovery times faster.'

Professor Long paused for a moment before saying, 'A perfect answer. Five points to Slytherin!' She pointed her wand into the air, apparently magically adding the points to Slytherin's hourglass in the Entrance Hall.

Jaden and Harjeet patted Gideon on the back while Vinny consulted his textbook, murmuring in frustration, 'where was that written?'

Afterwards, she revealed they would be making a potion that cured common poisons that week. She discussed its properties, uses and limitations, then set them the task of learning its recipe as homework.

***

In the Great Hall for lunch, Gideon kept his one eye on the door while eating a crusty bread roll with ham, and the best chicken and mushroom soup he had ever tasted.

'Looking for someone?' asked Brendan.

'Err, I thought I might see my brother today,' said Gideon.

'Oh, yeah. I remember a guy calling out your name during the sorting,' Brendan commented. 'He sounded surprised to see you. Was that him?'

Gideon didn't want to go too deep into this conversation, so answered simply, 'Yeah, he's a seventh-year.'

Anthony didn't make an appearance while Gideon was eating and the other boys wanted to get some air, so they left via the front entrance and spent the rest of their break in the courtyard. On the way, they noticed that each of the house hourglasses had already started filling with gems, including some emeralds in Slytherin's, thanks in part to Gideon.

Charms was taught by Professor Keane, the attractive blonde witch who had conducted the school song the day before. Today, she wore similarly inappropriate robes in yellow, apparently a nod to the Hufflepuffs, of whom she was Head of House. She waited patiently for the students to file into her classroom while sitting on her desk with her high-heeled legs crossed.

Gideon couldn't help but wonder how a person like her came to be in such a position, but any concerns he had were assuaged when the professor put on a demonstration of sorts. All around the room, objects like the student's books and quills, and the pictures and items that lined the walls, all sprang to life and began to fly around the room, dance and perform acrobatic feats.

'Charms,' she told them joyfully while the objects continued to move around like a funny little circus act, 'are spells which enchant an object or individual with a desired effect. 'They're the most useful, common and fun form of magic there is! For that reason, mastering Charms will give you a good foundation for your future, so I expect all of you to give your best effort in my classes!'

Gideon, and most of the class, couldn't help but smile while watching her clever magical performance.

'Let's get right to it, shall we?' asked Professor Keane excitedly as the objects all returned to their original positions. 'We're going to start by working on the most fundamental spell around! Any guesses?'

Gideon raised his hand and the woman clapped giddily, 'Yes! Tell us who you are first!'

He regretted volunteering immediately, 'Oh, err, my name is Gideon Maxwell.'

'And what's your answer, Gideon?' Professor Keane enquired.

He hesitated in reply, 'Umm, levitation?'

'YES! Well done, Gideon! Ten points to SLYTHERIN!' she cried with glee while thrusting her wand into the air like a salute.

Gideon had never met someone, a teacher no less, with so much boundless energy. She proceeded to bounce around the room asking questions and awarding points. Gideon earned another ten for demonstrating the perfect pronunciation and wand movement for the spell.

He began to worry that the other students might resent him if they found out he was older than them and had learnt the material already. However, when it came time to perform the spell, the shoe was on the other foot.

By the end of the lesson, most of the students had managed to use their wands to at least move the feathers Professor Keane handed out, and had each earned five points for doing so. Those who managed to make their feathers fly earned an extra five, including Vinny and Emma, both of whom were not shy about celebrating.

Sadly, Gideon was unable to affect his feather in the least. He knew that would be the case, but Professor Keane seemed positively flummoxed. He was tempted again to use the channelling rod in his pocket, but after failing to move the feather despite using what the teacher said was perfect technique, she began to pay him special attention.

Gideon turned red when she suggested taking a look at his battered wand, but he assured her he would get the hang of it eventually.

The last class of the day was Defence Against the Dark Arts, or "DADA", as Emma insisted the older students referred to it. According to her, there was a spooky legend about the course at Hogwarts.

'Legend has it,' she told the Slytherins as they made their way to the next classroom, 'no teacher has been able to stay in the job for more than a year for decades. Apparently, it's cursed! One way or another, something always happens to make the teacher leave.'

'That can't be true, can it?' whispered Brendan.

'Oh, yes!' Emma continued, 'My sister, Sasha, says that Professor McGonagall found a way around the curse by hiring teachers on a ten-month contract. Even so, none of them has ever agreed to stay on afterwards, just in case.'

'I suppose that means there will be a new teacher, then?' wondered Jaden.

'Yep, brand new!' Emma replied. 'My sister, Sasha and the third-years had him this morning. He's supposedly quite accomplished, but he's never taught before.'

'Did she say what he's like, though?' asked Vinny.

Emma gave the group a knowing look, 'Well, Sasha didn't like him. She said he's really strict.'

'Oh no!' groaned Emma's dormmates, Lindsey, Nadine and Stephanie in unison.

'I don't think my heart can take another scary teacher. I wish they were all like Professor Keane!' whined Lindsey.

'You're kidding?' exclaimed Jaden, 'Keane's off her rocker!'

As they arrived and took their seats, Gideon wondered if he would have to fake his way through this lesson, or if his knowledge of first-year creatures and defensive magic would be enough to get him by.

Just then, a man in navy blue robes marched in towards the front of the room saying, 'Wands away please, we won't be using magic until I'm certain you're capable of performing basic spells without being a danger to yourselves or others!'

The tall, grey-haired, bearded gentleman's frown lines impressed upon them how serious he was. It was plain to all of them that this lesson was not going to be like Professor Keane's, and they stashed their wands in unison.

Gideon, however, was frozen in a state of shock. He simply stared at the man, completely bewildered. What was going on here? What did this mean? Why was his father standing before him in place of a Hogwarts teacher?

'I'm Professor Maxwell,' the man announced. 'Pay attention and work hard in my classes, and we'll get along just fine!'

'Maxwell? Any relation?' joked Jaden.

'Wha-?' Gideon muttered in response while looking from Jaden to the man who had so recently abandoned him. 'No... No relation.'

Professor Maxwell taught his class without interruption. He covered the syllabus, gave them an overview of the subject, and told them the things they would be covering in their first few weeks, all the while avoiding Gideon's gaze.

As time went on, the boy's confusion turned to anger. Just what was his father doing here? Was it just a coincidence? Or perhaps he was here to expose him? And was he seriously going to continue ignoring him? Had his father lost his mind? That was the only plausible explanation Gideon could think of. In fact, it would explain everything!

Professor Maxwell wrote out a series of questions about different breeds of trolls on the blackboard with his wand. The students then used their textbooks to answer them. Gideon didn't need the textbook. He finished the questions quickly and spent the remaining time staring at his father, daring him to make eye contact.

The other children caught up and Professor Maxwell picked several of them to read out their answers. He then set them their homework, to write a short essay on the differences between troll breeds and dismissed the class.

Gideon watched in disbelief as his father promptly exited the room ahead of the students. Was that it? Was he really not going to acknowledge his son? Gideon didn't know what to do or how to feel.

'That guy's intense, huh?' Harjeet commented.

'I know, right?' Jaden said.

'He seems to know what he's talking about, but does he have to look so angry all the time?' Lindsey noted.

'Where are you off to?' asked Vinny upon noticing Gideon heading in the other direction after they shuffled out of the classroom.

'I-I have to go to the Hospital Wing. You know, my eye,' Gideon replied.

It was true, of course, he was supposed to head there after class, but that had just been a convenient answer. The truth was, he needed a moment alone. The people all around him somehow felt suffocating. His heart began to race, and his breathing became laboured.

He couldn't stand the thought of the long journey to the front entrance, so he scrambled along the corridor for the first sign of a bathroom. The first one he happened to come upon turned out to be a girls' bathroom. Still, he was desperate to escape, just for a minute or two. He discreetly poked his head inside and saw that it appeared to be dark and empty.

He entered covertly, already rehearsing what he would say if somebody caught him. He checked under the stalls for feet and saw none, so he turned on a tap and splashed the patchless side of his face with water. The cool liquid felt refreshing as he patted his forehead and neck with his damp hands.

He spent a few minutes leaning over the sink, his fingers white from gripping its sides tightly, trying to control his breathing. Then, he straightened up, looked at himself in the mirror and shook his head. What was he doing here, at Hogwarts, alone in a girls' bathroom, trying to keep himself from having a panic attack?

'Don't worry,' said a squeaky voice, causing Gideon to stumble backwards from the sink with fright. 'Nobody comes in here.'

A young girl had appeared from nowhere in front of one of the stalls. No, not a girl, the ghost of a girl. On closer inspection, the bespectacled girl with dark pigtails was transparent.

'I'm sorry! I didn't know anyone was in here,' said Gideon, 'I just needed—a minute...'

'That's okay, I don't mind sharing,' said the translucent girl sweetly. 'It's been a while since I had a visitor. You looked upset. Has someone been teasing you? I expect they would with that silly patch over your eye.'

'Err, sure,' Gideon responded, deciding that would be a simpler explanation for his presence there.

'I'll give them a good haunting for you if you like?' she offered.

'Err, no, that's okay, thanks,' Gideon told her. 'Speaking of which, I have to go and get this “silly patch” replaced.'

'Oh, leaving already? I see. You just want to get away from me, don't you?' she accused. 'Maybe I should tell a teacher you're in here, after all!'

'No, it's not that, honestly!' Gideon assured her. I'm supposed to be at the Hospital Wing. You just reminded me, so thanks!'

The pearly-white figure hovered uncomfortably close to him and studied his face for a few moments. 'Oh. Well, come back sometime, then, won't you? I'm Myrtle by the way,' she said.

'Err, okay, Myrtle, I will. I'm Gideon,' he told her kindly as he approached the door.

'I'll look forward to it. Bye, Gideon!' she swooned, before zooming into the air, giggling, and disappearing into a stall with a splash.

Chapter Text

Gideon's encounter with Myrtle had taken him by surprise. However, he was glad for the ghostly girl's unexpected intervention. She had certainly distracted him.

With classes over for the day, except for extracurricular options, the halls were a little clearer now, and Gideon found his way to the Hospital Wing tower without too much trouble. There was a room on either side of the entrance to the ward. One was the patient's bathroom. The other was marked:

Matron
Madam H. Longbottom

Like everything at Hogwarts, the Hospital Wing beyond was an impressive space. The high ceiling's architecture resembled that of an old, but well-maintained church. The ward was twice the length of those at St Mungo's, full of empty beds and natural light.

Gideon knocked on the door of the office and heard a sudden commotion. The door opened a few seconds later and a slim, fair-skinned woman answered, looking rather flustered. Behind her, a tall man with very red cheeks was straightening his robes. It seemed as though Gideon had interrupted a private moment.

'Mr Maxwell, I presume?' said Madam Longbottom cheerfully.

Gideon wondered how she knew who he was, then, he remembered why he was there and nodded in reply.

'I'll see you at dinner, Matron,' the man said bashfully as he squeezed by her and departed with a polite nod to Gideon.

'Come on, then, let's take a look at that eye,' she said to Gideon without acknowledging the man, and showed him to the nearest empty ward bed. 'Have you had any problems with it?'

'No, it's been fine.' Gideon responded.

'St Mungo's sent me your information, but oddly, it didn't list how you were injured,'

'Oh, well, I'm not sure actually.'

The end of her wand emitted a small blue glow, which she then pointed at his face while removing his patch and dressing, 'Nasty bit of spell damage, I expect. Okay, can you try to open it for me?'

Gideon slowly tried to open his eye. The weak light that crept in burned slightly and what little he could see was blurry.

'That's fine,' she said, placing fresh ointment over the wound and taping on a new dressing. 'It's coming along nicely. You must have had some very good Healers!'

As the matron refastened Gideon's patch, he asked her, 'Will I have to wear this much longer?'

She considered it for a moment, 'I'd say two or three more changes should do the trick, as long as you keep it covered! If you ask me, the magic of this old place and the country air outside both help speed things along. That's not exactly been proven, mind you! I like to think it's true, though.'

***

On returning to the Common Room, Gideon discovered the first-year boys practising their levitation charms. He joined the girls in getting some homework done before dinner.

Dinner in the Great Hall turned out to be a selection of rice-based dishes. Gideon enjoyed a plate of paella, all the while keeping an eye out for Anthony. Once again, his brother appeared to be absent from the Gryffindor table.

Was Anthony going to pretend Gideon didn't exist like their father was? Gideon wondered if he should go find him, but he remembered the prefects saying that the locations of the other house's common rooms were kept secret.

Gideon's first day had been a mixed experience. The bad points were balanced out by the wonder of his new surroundings and the friendships he was forging. After dinner, the boys took a walk around the grounds, where Gideon watched the most amazing sunset he had ever seen.

Still, the day had been a long one. After spending the evening discussing Quidditch, Gideon fell asleep shortly after his head hit the pillow. Sadly, his sleeping thoughts were filled with strange interpretations of the day's events.

He found himself chasing his brother all over Hogwarts. Anthony, however, was always just out of Gideon's reach and refused to respond to his calls. He was also able to slip through the walls and doors of the castle much like the ghosts.

Gideon was soon lost in a maze of corridors, and then, he became the one being chased, by a shadowy figure in blue robes. Gideon surely knew who it was, but he couldn't face the representation of his father. He escaped and sought refuge in a girls' bathroom, but the flush of a toilet signalled that he wasn't alone.

However, it wasn't Myrtle that appeared from inside the stalls. Emma and Sasha Barrington emerged and proceeded to bombard him with questions that seemed more like accusations. Gideon couldn't stand their endless interrogation and raced from the bathroom to the nearest door he could find.

The door was old and stiff and wouldn't budge. Gideon had to push it with all his might before it burst open, and he tumbled through it. The walls of Hogwarts disappeared, and his view became somewhat blurred except for an attractive, dark-haired young woman who was reaching for him and calling his name.

Gideon felt compelled to reach out to her, but in place of his own limb, he found an abnormally short arm with an abnormally tiny hand. It seemed very important that their hands met but he just couldn't reach her. Suddenly, a wall of flames came between them and the last thing he saw was the woman's pained expression as she was consumed by the fire.

'Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!'

'Wha-what's wrong?' said Gideon in a panic.

‘“What's wrong?”' snapped Vinny. 'You're kidding, aren't you?'

'Nothing wrong with us, mate. You're the one yelling like a maniac!' said Jaden.

The boys had gathered around Gideon's bed, and they all looked annoyed, concerned, or in Brendan's case, just plain scared.

'What's going on in here?' said an angry voice from the other end of the room. It was Jack, the prefect. 'It's the middle of the night! What do you guys think you're playing at?'

'Sorry Jack,' said Harjeet, 'It's Gideon, he had a nightmare.'

Nightmare? Gideon wracked his brain trying to remember what he had been dreaming about. He thought he remembered something about Anthony, but it was no use, the dream had faded. 'You're saying I was talking in my sleep?' he asked.

'Not talking! Screaming!' Jaden corrected him.

'We could hear you two doors down!' Jack added.

'I-I don't know what to say,' said Gideon. 'I'm sorry!'

'Well, as long as you're all okay, get back to bed now! And do try not to wake the whole castle again, won't you?' Jack ordered before departing. When the fifth-year boy exited, Gideon heard him reassuring other students in the corridor that there was nothing to worry about.

'Like we'll be able to get back to sleep after that,' commented Jaden as the boys got back into their beds.

'Why did we have to get lumbered with a freak?' Gideon heard Vinny mumble audibly four beds away.

A little hurt, Gideon rolled over towards the window. Maybe Vinny was right. Maybe he was a freak. Not because he was a Squib, for once, but because his family were driving him barmy! He resolved to track down his father and brother at the earliest opportunity.

***

Gideon was too afraid of a recurrence to go back to sleep. So, he headed to breakfast early with his books for the day, and then, remembering the Matron's advice, took in the morning air with his toast. Gideon felt down, but observing the picturesque grounds made him feel better. He was cheered up further when a giant tentacle appeared to wave at him from the surface of the Great Lake.

The first timetabled lesson of the day was Herbology. Like with Potions, their practical session would be a double lesson taking place later in the week in Greenhouse One, or “G1” according to Gideon’s map. Today, though, they were in “H4”, a regular classroom near Ravenclaw Tower.

Their teacher turned out to be the man Gideon had met in the Hospital Wing, who Gideon deduced was the matron's husband. Professor Longbottom was a very friendly man and encouraged the students by giving out points to any who participated, not just those who answered his questions correctly.

The children, on the other hand, were acting considerably less friendly towards Gideon. Even Emma Barrington was avoiding quizzing Gideon over the night's excitement. Obviously, word had spread that Gideon had been the source of the disturbance. Even the Gryffindors seemed to be whispering about him. Otherwise, the lesson went by very quickly, as opposed to the following History of Magic class with Professor Binns, which seemed to drag on endlessly.

When Anthony didn't appear in the Great Hall for lunch, Gideon decided to try finding him by trailing a group of Gryffindors to their common room. However, the group split and those Gideon followed ended up at the library.

The unexpected detour meant that Gideon arrived at his first Transfiguration lesson a little late. However, he was happy to find that he had beaten Professor Voronov there. That was until a high-pitched screech made the students look up to the ceiling, then take cover as a large bat dived towards them before transforming into the man himself.

'Are we sure he's not a vampire?' Gideon heard Brendan whisper to Harjeet.

'Simply put,' he addressed the startled students, meeting their eyes one by one, 'Transfiguration involves magic that changes the properties of an object, individual or substance. Those who can do so freely are capable of the grandest of spells; transforming one's obstacles, enemies or even, one's self!

'However, it is among the most difficult forms of magic to learn, and dangerous to perform. Successful transfiguration requires a deep understanding of intent, subject, and outcome. Waving a wand and uttering an incantation without which, will achieve nothing.'

Professor Voronov pointed his wand at his blackboard, and a complicated set of instructions appeared, including what looked like chemical formulae.

'We will begin by changing liquids into other liquids. First, vinegar into water. It may sound simple enough, but you will be putting your abilities to the test!' the Professor said, his red lips curling into a menacing sort of smile. 'Meaning, those who are unable to complete this task will leave with a bad taste in their mouths, in more ways than one!'

The students were each given a goblet of vinegar. They spent the lesson reading about the properties of both vinegar and water, and then, using one of two suggested spells to transform their vinegar samples. One spell would have a better effect than the other. Choosing the correct spell based on their understanding was another part of the task.

Frustratingly, Gideon knew which spell to use, but it did him little good. Thankfully, not many of the other children were able to do much better. Professor Voronov's words became clear when most of them left the lesson sampling a mouthful of vinegar.

Muggle Studies was the last class of the day. It was only held once a week, but as their teacher explained, it was now a core subject. Professor Blanchard was a perfectly ordinary-looking man who dressed in perfectly ordinary Muggle clothing; a pair of jeans and a blue-striped jumper. At Hogwarts, though, he stood out terribly.

Gideon wasn't looking forward to the subject, having attended a Muggle primary school and with two years of Muggle Studies under his belt, but he was sure to get top grades. In addition, Professor Blanchard seemed like a good teacher, and he informed the class that they would be studying the Muggle arts in their first semester, a topic which interested Gideon.

Gideon was interested in attending the optional extracurricular classes that were held at four PM. The day before he had missed Magical Theory while in the Hospital Wing. Today, however, he planned to attend Ghoul Studies but decided against it when he overheard Emma mention that Professor Binns taught the class.

So, Gideon returned to the Common Room with the other Slytherins. Brendan walked by his side, though, he spoke mostly to the others. When they entered, Gideon found a discarded copy of the Daily Prophet on a study desk and took it to the dorm room to read on his bed. He was happy to discover his aunt's name in the by-line. The lead story read:

MINISTER FOR MAGIC SANCTIONED

In a historic move, the Wizengamot have voted to sanction the Minister for Magic. After an emergency meeting of the wizarding judiciary, members voted by a ratio of 3-1 in favour of sanctioning Minister Hermione Granger-Weasley.

The meeting was called by little-known member, Draco Malfoy, after he voiced his opposition to the Minister's continued use of executive privilege. He urged other members to refrain from resigning their posts, and instead, meet to discuss their issues (more on page 8).

After a number of high-profile resignations from the Wizengamot, the move comes as a heavy blow to an already controversial administration. While a sanction on a Minister's record doesn't have any actual power, Minister Granger-Weasley will be hard-pressed to ignore it given the international attention it will garner. It also provides an indication of numbers in the unlikely event of a vote of no confidence.

No British Minister for Magic has been successfully sanctioned by the wizarding judiciary since Hector Fawley, who was famously forced from office in 1939, following his weak response to the rise of the dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald. Continued on page 3.

Gideon decided to write a letter to congratulate his aunt on her front-page story. He also wanted to tell her about his father, hoping she might be able to shed some light on his presence at the school. He scribbled a note on a spare piece of parchment. He didn't go into too much detail about how he was doing, and half-jokingly, finished by telling her to expect to see him soon.

When it came time for dinner, Gideon found his new friends had gone ahead without him. He arrived at the Great Hall and took a seat at the table next to Vinny, who it quickly became apparent, was ignoring him. Brendan, who was sitting opposite him, seemed reluctant to make eye contact.

People ignoring him was hardly a new concept to Gideon, but he found it a little harsh that the boys were judging him because of something over which he had no control. Gideon found it almost laughable that he had managed to alienate people after just two days. It had to be a record of some kind.

He focused on other things as he gulped down a hearty serving of cod, chips, and peas, such as the clouds drifting across the enchanted ceiling, the Gryffindor table where Anthony might appear, and the teachers interacting at the staff table.

It occurred to Gideon that of his mandatory subjects, the only teacher he had yet to meet was Professor Kenyatta of Astronomy, which the first-years had the next day. Gideon suspected a man in elaborate leopard-print robes might be him.

Then, he noticed at the far end, conversing with Professor Blanchard, was his father, Professor Maxwell.Gideon vaguely wondered why he hadn't been at the table during mealtimes before now. Then, he shook his head and tried to banish the thought of the man who had abandoned him from his mind.

Gideon finished his dinner and left without dessert, eager to escape the uncomfortable atmosphere at the table. He also wanted to visit the owlery, to send the letter in his pocket to Caroline using one of the school owls. He walked slowly, taking his time to admire the castle's many grand paintings, statues, and suits of armour.

As Gideon reached the foot of a long staircase, he was startled by its sudden movement. The stairs swung magically across the hall until they met with a new doorway, altering his route. It was still pointing to the floor Gideon needed to get to, so he ascended the flight, figuring he would be able to find his way.

He reached the top, opened the door, and there, standing in his new path, was his brother.

'Gideon!' said a surprised Anthony. He then looked to the two boys accompanying him and told them, 'Go on ahead, guys, I'll catch up.'

The brothers looked at each other in silence until Anthony's friends passed Gideon on the stairs.

'You've been avoiding me,' Gideon stated. He was referring to the last few days, of course, but the same could be said of the last few months.

'Yeah, well, what did you expect?' Anthony barked, his furrowed eyebrows bearing a striking resemblance to their father's.

'What does that mean?' the younger brother asked.

'It means, Dad said you're the one that hurt Mum!' Anthony shot back.

Gideon had spent a lot of time thinking about how his first conversation with his brother would go. Right now, he couldn't remember any of the things he had told himself he would say.

'But... How can you believe that? It's crazy! You know I could never hurt Mum. You know I—that I'm a Squib!' Gideon argued.

'Well, that's not what Dad says!' Anthony retorted. 'The fact that you're here proves it!'

Anthony made a good point. It was hard for Gideon to argue he wasn't magical while standing in the world's finest school for witchcraft and wizardry!

'The witness from our attack was in on it! Why do you think I'm wearing this thing? I was injured, too, you know!' Gideon reminded him while pointing to his eye. 'As for me being here, the whole thing is a mistake. I think they were just impressed with my Middling grades. I'll be going back soon enough, and then, you'll be free to eat in the Great Hall again!'

Anthony's cheeks flushed before he pressed, 'So, why did you even bother coming here?'

'I'm starting to wonder that myself,' Gideon admitted aloud for the first time. 'I guess I was curious. But I can already tell I'm not going to be able to keep up.'

Anthony looked sympathetic for a moment before his tough expression returned and he shook his head vigorously.

'I don't believe you. Dad says you're dangerous, and I think he's right! He's told me everything, Gideon! I know who you are, and I know you're not my brother!'

Gideon felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He was used to his brother saying mean things, but that was just teasing. This was different. Gideon had learned that the boys were not related by blood while he was in the hospital, but for Anthony to say it, and use it as a weapon no less?

He might have stormed off at that moment had Anthony not beaten him to it. As his big brother strode past him, Gideon processed the rest of his words.

'Ant, wait! Come back here!' Gideon pleaded. 'What do you mean, "dangerous"? What do you know? What is dad doing here? Anthony!'

It was no use. Anthony dashed down the stairs two steps at a time, without looking back.

Chapter Text

Seething with frustration, Gideon continued to the West Tower and the Owlery. After sending his letter, he sat down in a corner with his head resting on his knees. It was cool, dark, and peacefully quiet except for the occasional hooting coming from the many alcoves in the walls above.

Once the cold became too much for Gideon and he grew tired of his thoughts, he made his way back to the Slytherin Common Room, where his recent notoriety meant nobody objected to him going to bed early.

***

Gideon was pleased to find he had soundly slept through the night. However, his morning went downhill from there. The other students all showed signs of improvement with their Charms and Transfiguration spellwork. So much so, that Gideon's lack of ability was highlighted.

The afternoon was no better. Gideon sat through another Defence Against the Dark Arts class with his father ignoring him. This time, he tried to give chase after the lesson, but he lost sight of Professor Maxwell in the throng of taller students.

When it came time for their daytime Astronomy class, Gideon was not in the mood for the subject that he had always struggled with. However, Professor Kenyatta turned out to be a rather interesting man. Today, his exuberant African-style robes resembled zebra stripes.

He seemed passionate about his subject and spoke about it with wonder and reverence. His cheerful nature was infectious, and by the end of the lesson, Gideon was looking forward to their practical lesson that evening. Before that, though, was the day's extracurricular subject, Flying.

Gideon didn't plan to take part, but Brendan asked him to go along and Jaden and Harjeet both prodded him about it. Gideon appreciated the boys making the effort to include him, so he agreed to attend. He might not be able to ride a broom, but it might still be fun to watch the other boys try—and fail.

Out on the green, they met Mr Wood, a burly middle-aged man bouncing on his heels with one hand on his hips, and the other balancing a racing broom over his shoulder.

'I think that's a Thunderclap he's holding!' Jaden whispered excitedly.

'Welcome first-years!' he said brightly. 'I'm Mr Wood. I'll be overseeing your Flying lessons. I also lead the sport and fitness clubs on the weekends, which I hope many of you will be joining!'

Judging by the size of the crowd, Gideon guessed that most, if not all of the first-years, had shown up.

'I hear he used to play professionally!' Gideon overheard a Gryffindor say.

'There aren't enough brooms for everyone,' said Mr Wood, 'so, we'll take turns. Let's have Gryffindors and Slytherins first, shall we? Everyone else, stand to the side, please.'

Gideon and the boys stepped up to the brooms laid out on the grass.

'How many of you have ridden a broom before?' he asked.

About a quarter of the students raised their hands, including Vinny and Jaden.

'Interesting. Right, then, all of you, step up to the left side of your broomstick, stick your right hand over the broom and say, "UP!"'

'UP!' they all echoed.

Many of the brooms moved. Gideon's did not. Of the others, some merely flailed on the grass while others jumped considerably off the ground. Vinny's flew right into his hand. He smugly held it over his shoulder as Mr Wood had while the other Slytherins congratulated him.

'Excellent! Some great movement there!' Mr Wood told them. 'Keep it up until you can make your broom rise on your command. Say it with conviction!'

A few minutes later, Mr Wood said, 'Okay, take a hold of your brooms.'

Gideon and a few others had to pick theirs up. It felt strange in his hand. The school brooms were old and were rumoured to vibrate if they went too high, but this one was starting to do so without cause. Gideon looked around and saw that nobody else was having a problem. As Mr Wood gave the group their next instructions, it began to shake harder.

'What are you doing?' Vinny sniped as the broom began to make jerking movements.

'Nothing!' Gideon replied in annoyance as he realised, he was drawing attention. The broom was shaking so violently now that Gideon was having trouble holding on to it. He grabbed it with both hands, but the end suddenly swung away and smacked Vinny in the arm.

'Argh! Watch it, freak!' Vinny yelled.

Caught off guard, Gideon loosened his grip, and the broom escaped his clutches, slamming down on the grass with a thud. He reached for it and the broom slid away. He pursued it and it shot even further from him. Laughter had broken out all around.

Gideon blushed scarlet with embarrassment. More than that, though, he was confused. The broom shouldn't be responding to a Squib at all, let alone behaving like this. He couldn't help but wonder whether he was so devoid of magical ability, that he was now repelling magical items.

'Must be a dodgy broom, I'll have it checked out,' commented Mr Wood. 'Here, give mine a go!'

'No way!' said Jaden enviously.

The teacher proudly presented his Thunderclap, the name discernible by the gold engraving on its handle. Gideon accepted it carefully and admired it. There were players in the Quidditch League teams who rode Thunderclaps.

It certainly felt different from the old branch lying a few feet from him. However, after only a few seconds, the racing broom began to vibrate just as the other had. It wasn't jerking around but the vibration was becoming so strong that Gideon felt his whole body begin to resonate.

'Hmm. That err, shouldn't be happening,' said Mr Wood nervously as the vibrations increased. 'You err, best give it here, I think.'

Gideon happily obliged. Unfortunately, when he released it, the broom soared across the green like a rocket and crashed straight into the castle wall. The engraved handle bloomed on impact and the now useless stick fell to the ground.

'Accio broom!' Mr Wood whispered with his wand pointed in its direction. It returned to the group considerably slower and landed at his feet. The flying teacher dropped to his knees as he stared down at the splintered remains of his prized racing broom.

The student's faces were a mixture of amusement, concern, and shock.

'Oh... My... Gosh!' Harjeet commented.

'Gideon, what did you do?' said Brendan

'Are you even a wizard?' Vinny accused, still nursing his arm.

'Class dismissed,' Mr Wood squeaked.

***

Word of what happened had spread all over the school by the following day. According to a group of fourth-year Ravenclaws, Gideon overheard at lunch, 'that eye patch kid with the ten-minute sorting turned the Flying teacher's Thunderclap to kindling!'

The incident didn't help with his friendships either. Jaden and Harjeet joked about it, constantly, but Brendan and the girls had pretty much stopped talking to Gideon, and Vinny was acting more openly hostile towards him. Plus, the first-years all blamed him for missing out on their first chance to fly.

If that wasn't enough, as Gideon trailed his classmates on the way to the Common Room that afternoon, they happened to cross paths with a group of Gryffindor boys. He realised all too late that the group included Alex Grimsby and his friend Greg! However, among the group was another face he wasn't happy to see. One that belonged to someone he never expected to see again.

'Jason?' Gideon mouthed automatically as his eyes widened in disbelief.

'Gideon! See, it is him! He's pretending to be a first-year, but I told you guys it was him!' cried Jason Crawley with apparent glee.

Gideon's heart leapt into his throat. How could this be? He had been raised in a wizarding family, only to end up spending the last two years at Middling Academy. Meanwhile, his bullying, Muggle arch-nemesis had been at Hogwarts. Where was the justice in that?

'So, how'd you get in here, midget? Did your parents have to bribe someone? Judging by the rumours going around, it doesn't seem like you'll be here long!' taunted Jason, to the delight of the Gryffindors.

'Nice eye patch!' said another of them with a chuckle. 'Where did you get it, Neverland?'

Alex Grimsby didn't seem to be laughing with them, but as stunned as Gideon was, he didn't register that.

'I couldn't believe it when Jase told us he knew you!' said Greg with a malicious grin. 'What happened to the Squib school, loser?'

The Slytherin first-years travelling with Gideon were puzzled.

'Squib school?' said Vinny with a mix of disgust and delight.

'What does he mean, "pretending to be a first-year"?' asked Emma, her incessant curiosity rearing its ugly head.

'Oh, you haven't told your little friends. Well, that's not very nice! Someone ought to teach you a lesson!' said Jason, drawing his wand.

Gideon stepped back as Greg followed suit. He thought back to the boy's comments about "losers" in Madam Malkin's robe shop. Were they going to hex him?

'Aren't you all in my next class?' called out a voice from behind the Slytherins. It was Professor Longbottom. 'Chop-chop! Greenhouse One's this way!'

***

Following the run-in with the third-year Gryffindors, Gideon was forced to admit to his housemates that he was really thirteen and had previously attended Middling Academy. With this news, his patch, his sorting, his nightmare and the broomstick blunder, Gideon was indeed earning something of a reputation, as Jason had hinted at.

In response, the first-years either watched him more closely or kept their distance. Their distrust of Gideon was exacerbated by the fact that, despite his ability to score house points with his subject knowledge, he had yet to show a shred of actual magic.

Professor Longbottom's class on planting Snapping Saplings hadn't required any magic, and luckily, they were working in pairs in Potions, so Brendan's power was enough to make a passable antidote. However, Gideon showed no sign of improvement in Charms, or in Transfiguration, the last class of the week. After once again forcing himself to sample a swig of vinegar for show, Professor Voronov asked him to stay behind after the lesson.

The Transfiguration professor simply observed the boy for a while before asking him, 'So, Mr Maxwell. How have you found your first week?'

'Erm, it's been okay,' Gideon fibbed.

The teacher told him, 'I've had word from your other Professors that your participation in classes has been positive. I was delighted to learn that Professor Binns knows you by name. That's quite the achievement, believe me! In addition, I'm personally very happy with your contribution to our house point total.

'However, I've also had concerns expressed to me about your magical aptitude. I, too, have been surprised at your lack of progress. Is there anything you would like to tell me?'

Gideon figured he had gotten enough out of Hogwarts and was resigned to the idea that this might be the end of the road.

'Actually, Professor,' Gideon said, 'I think it's as good a time as any for me to withdraw.'

Professor Voronov raised an eyebrow. 'I beg your pardon?' he said.

'I'm grateful for the opportunity,' Gideon paused for a moment, 'but I just don't belong at Hogwarts. The concerns you and the other teachers have aren't going to go away. I don't know if there was a mistake of some kind with my acceptance offer, but the truth is, I'm a Squib.'

Again, the man observed Gideon quietly for a few moments before continuing, 'You're sure about this, Mr Maxwell?'

'Yes,' said the boy, thinking of everything he had been through this week, running into his childhood bully to top it off. 'I should leave.'

'That is unfortunate,' Professor Voronov stated. 'Come, we should consult the Headmistress.'

After a short and silent journey through the castle, Gideon and Professor Voronov arrived at an impressive stone gargoyle. Upon reaching it, the professor uttered, 'Dragon Pox.'

The gargoyle sprung to life and stepped aside to reveal a set of stone steps rising from the floor. The professor stepped on and Gideon followed. They twisted around a column in a spiral motion, continuing upward until the top step met a small landing with a single door.

Professor Voronov knocked loudly, and a voice from inside told them to enter. The head's office was large, round and full of light from a window with an impressive view. There was a pleasant aroma in the air, presumably due to the many plants that filled the room, including what looked like a wall-mounted herb garden.

The Headmistress stood with her hands folded behind her back in a set of charcoal grey robes. She was facing a wall lined with bookshelves, and portraits hanging above. She turned her head and greeted them, 'Professor Voronov, what an unexpected delight. Ah, and Mr Maxwell, how nice to see you.'

'Good afternoon, Professor Dandridge. Could we have a moment of your time?' asked Professor Voronov cordially.

'Of course! Please, come in and sit down,' she responded.

They followed her to the far end of the room where she sat behind a claw-footed desk in a throne-like chair, and they sat in the two seats opposite.

'What can I do for you both?' she asked.

Professor Voronov told her, 'After a discussion with Mr Maxwell, he has expressed a desire to withdraw from the school.'

'I see,' she said with her elbows resting on the desk and her fingers intertwined. 'Professor Voronov, I wonder if I might speak to Mr Maxwell privately.'

'Of course, Headmistress,' the man replied and swiftly departed.

The headmistress put on the gold-framed glasses dangling from the chain around her neck, and studied Gideon, peering over her clasped hands, 'So, Gideon, you want to leave Hogwarts?'

That wasn't quite true, but Gideon had come to the conclusion that the school just wasn't a good fit, so he replied with a nod.

The woman continued to study him closely, 'Might I ask, why?'

Gideon noticed the Sorting Hat sitting atop a shelf behind her chair. Seeing it reinforced his choice, 'This isn't the right place for me.'

'I've had some good feedback about you from your teachers, which is unusual after just one week.'

'But not about my magical abilities,' Gideon corrected. 'The only reason I'm doing well is that I already know the material. It's like I'm cheating. I don't belong here.'

'Of course, you do,' she retorted.

Her assurance surprised Gideon. 'But why?' he asked.

'I think it would be better if I showed you. Come with me.'

Gideon couldn't help but notice the people in the many portraits studying him as he and the Headmistress left the office. They travelled to what seemed like the other side of the castle, down corridors, up staircases and through numerous secret passageways. They eventually arrived in a deserted corridor with a brilliant golden suit of armour.

The Headmistress drew her wand, and the hollow soldier drew its sword in a threatening manner. Professor Dandridge didn't flinch. Instead, she crossed her wand with the sword and after a few seconds, the suit of armour sheathed its weapon and stood aside. The stone wall behind it folded away and the two entered a small round room.

'Ascendio,' commanded Professor Dandridge, and the floor began to rise. It was reminiscent of the British Library’s street entrance, which Gideon quickly put out of his mind. They continued to rise until levelling with the single door in the cylindrical space above.

Professor Dandridge opened the door to a small dusty room, the ceiling full of cobwebs. It was empty but for a rickety stool and an old table, on which was a tattered book and a large, grey quill in an empty ink pot.

'As far as I know, no student has ever stepped inside this room,' she informed the boy.

Gideon felt honoured but confused as to why he was here if that were the case.

'Like the Sorting Hat, these items were created by the school founders,' she explained, 'They are known as the Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admittance. Together, they constitute the only process by which, students are selected for Hogwarts.'

'At the precise moment that a child first exhibits signs of magic, the quill floats up out of its ink pot and attempts to inscribe the name of that child upon the pages of the book. The book, however, will often snap shut, refusing to be written upon until it detects sufficiently dramatic evidence of magical ability.'

The headmistress's explanation was fascinating, but Gideon still didn't understand what it had to do with him.

'Come closer,' she said, gesturing for him to approach the table. 'Gideon Drake!' she announced.

The book flipped open, and its pages began to turn of their own accord. It came to rest on a page labelled at the top as "2009", the year Gideon was born. Gideon scanned the rest of the page. It was a list of neatly scrawled names. However, one stood out immediately owing to it being crossed out, and then rewritten.

'Your name was added to the book when you were just a baby, Gideon,' Professor Dandridge informed him.

'Why was it crossed out?' Gideon asked.

The woman paused for a moment before replying, 'I can't say. However, it was re-added sometime this year, and that's why you were sent your offer letter.'

Gideon continued to stare at his name in the book, trying to comprehend its meaning.

'As I understand it, Gideon,' the headmistress said, 'no other name has ever been crossed out once accepted by the book, and no other student has ever been accepted twice. Whatever the reason for this may be, one thing seems clear, you belong at Hogwarts.'

***

Gideon promised Professor Dandridge that he would take the weekend to consider his options. His place at Hogwarts hadn't been an arbitrary decision taken by some administrator. He had been selected by way of an ancient magical process, twice at that.

Gideon had a big breakfast on Saturday. With no classes to attend and clubs not starting until the following week, he finally had a chance to fully explore the castle and its grounds. Perhaps his last chance if he chose to go ahead with withdrawing.

Halfway through his bubble and squeak, the morning post arrived with a cascade of owls. Gideon looked up expectantly for Caroline's reply. Amongst the flurry of feathers, he spotted the orange eyes of a large eagle owl heading straight for him. However, it wasn't just a letter it carried in its talons. It also delivered a small package wrapped in brown paper.

Gideon thanked the bird and offered it his toast crusts while he slid open the envelope, which was oddly addressed using his recently discovered birth name. The letter inside read:

Dear Mr Drake,

I'm writing to you regarding your recent visit to our Diagon Alley store.

Our customers have come to expect a certain level of service from our establishment, and I'm sorry that your experience with us was not in keeping with our usual standards.

I assure you that my father's actions were highly out of the ordinary. Though a brilliant man, he is getting on in years, and can at times become confused.

If he had been in his right mind, he would have agreed with me, that your matching provides us with a rare opportunity for study. Therefore, please accept this gift as a token of apology, and in the hope that you will apprise us of your progress with it.

Yours sincerely,

Holden Ollivander

Gideon hastily unwrapped the oblong-shaped parcel and found a familiar black card box. He lifted the lid and marvelled at its contents. Lying atop a cushion of purple crushed velvet, was the wand that had chosen him at Ollivanders. The special wand. His wand.

Chapter Text

‘“Gideon Drake”?' queried Emma, reading the envelope Gideon had cast aside from across the table.

'Another secret, Squib boy?' said Vinny nastily. 'Is everything that comes out of your mouth a lie?'

'Drake is my...' Gideon began, before deciding he didn't owe anybody an explanation, least of all Vinny. 'It's none of your business.'

'What have you got there, Gideon?' asked Brendan upon folding and pocketing his own piece of mail. 'Ooh, a new wand, eh?'

'As if that will help!' Vinny commented.

Gideon ignored him, grasped the handsome, polished wand by the handle and lifted it from its cushioned container. It felt good in his hand, nothing like the tatty one he had been using. A strange feeling emanated from within Gideon's chest and surged throughout his body.

It was the oddest sensation, like a chill, but with a warmth to it. Gideon felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end. His spine tingled and he gave an involuntary shiver, and then, things went dark.

Gideon and the other students all looked up from their letters, breakfasts and conversations. Above them, the Great Halls many candles and wall-mounted torches had all gone out instantaneously. Being a cloudy morning outside, the abrupt lack of light plunged the room into near darkness.

The remaining owls took flight at once, screeching as they did. The students fussed noisily, and a couple of silly screams even echoed through the room. Gideon, still holding the wand, felt uneasy. He hurriedly placed it in the box, grabbed the lid, his letter and its envelope, and surreptitiously left the table during all the hubbub.

He reached the door before light returned to the Great Hall. He looked back to see the Headmistress standing behind the staff table with her wand pointing upward. He met her eyes briefly before continuing through the doorway and walking swiftly back to his dormitory.

Gideon sat on the edge of his bed and waited for his heartbeat to return to normal. However, the adrenaline inside him was preventing that. He wasn't entirely sure why he felt the need to leave the Great Hall. It was instinct which drove him.

As the last traces of the tingling sensation Gideon had experienced still resonated through him, he had to wonder, did he do it? Did he put out the lights? Somehow, he knew the answer. Somehow, he knew that he had just experienced magic for the very first time. He had no frame of reference, of course, but there was no other explanation.

It didn't seem possible, but there was a growing feeling of excitement that Gideon couldn't shake. Still, if he were to accept what he felt sure to be true, the implications would be huge, and not only because he had just performed quite a feat. He had to be sure. He had to test his theory.

Gideon removed the wand from the box once more. The odd sensation didn't occur again, but the wand still felt right in his grip. He rose his arm and pointed the wand at the dormitory wall clock. Gideon was conflicted. He began to shake a little as fear and hope did battle inside him. There was a very real possibility that life as he knew it was about to change. Again.

Gideon closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. He recalled the wand movement, the incantation and the pronunciation needed. Then, he opened his eyes and performed the spell, 'Wingardium Leviosa!'

Apprehension, perplexion, dread, elation? Gideon didn't know what to feel. He imagined that had he been holding his mood quill, it would surely have exploded in his hand. He clapped his free hand to his mouth in shock, dumbfounded as the clock left its wall hook and floated before him.

The sound of voices outside the door disturbed Gideon from his reverie, and the clock fell to the floor with an almighty crash. Gideon pocketed the wand as his dormmates entered.

'Now what's he done?' whined Vinny. 'Smashing teachers' brooms not enough for you, freak?'

'Easy, Vin!' urged Jaden.

'Why? Look what he's done to our clock!' Vinny replied.

'What happened, Gideon?' Brendan asked with trepidation.

Still in a state of shock, Gideon wasn't ready to share the truth. 'It was running a little fast, so I was adjusting the time,' he lied, 'and I dropped it. I'm sorry, I'll let a prefect know.'

Gideon shoved the letter and wand box into his trunk and left the dorm with the wand and the envelope. In the Common Room, he informed Rebecca Page about the mishap. She told him not to worry about it, and that she would arrange for it to be fixed. He then headed out of the castle in search of a quiet spot.

Down by the Great Lake, Gideon took a seat on the root of a large tree. Now that he had some privacy, he wanted to check if his first spell had been a fluke, or perhaps even a hallucination. He fished the items from his pocket and tossed the envelope through the air.

He admired the wand. The shiny wood had a rich, dark colour to it and the natural grain pattern seemed to travel down its length like a corkscrew. It wasn't bumpy like the other hand, and there certainly weren't any cracks or things sticking out of the end.

Gideon gripped the wand by the raised ridges at the end, which acted much like the hilt of a sword. He pointed it at the envelope lying a few feet away and tried the Levitation Charm again, 'Wingardium Leviosa.'

Gideon's jaw dropped as the envelope began to rise from the ground as if caught in an updraft. He watched in wonder for a few minutes as it danced on the breeze, responding to his hand movements. The boy wiped away a tear that had formed in the corner of his eye before thinking back to his first day at Hogwarts and the test with Professors Voronov and Long.

'Locomotor Parchment,' said Gideon, pointing at the envelope and then moving his hand. The object followed and landed in the spot he was pointing to. Gideon got to his feet and uttered, 'Ventus!'

The wand released a burst of air, and the folded paper flew a short way away.

'Flipendo!' Gideon cried, and the object was hit with a white light, and crumpled a little before shooting off the ground. 'Fumus!' he followed up with, hitting it with a jet of steam. Then, getting carried away, Gideon tried, 'Fumos!' and the wand released copious amounts of smoke, causing Gideon to cough after inhaling a little.

Thankfully, the smoke was promptly blown away, and he continued experimenting with his knowledge of first- and second-year spells. He used his new wand to enlarge the envelope, change the colour of the ink on the front of it, and then, cut it into pieces. The spells had all worked. Moreover, they had worked well, and on the first try!

Gideon smiled widely, reflecting on what he had achieved, and finished his little trial by burning the paper, as Professor Long had asked. 'Incendio!' he commanded, and a small ball of fire shot from the tip of his wand and ignited the little pile of paper strips.

The slight feeling of warmth the flames gave off, made Gideon realise how cold it was. He looked down at the fingers gripping his wand and noticed they were turning purple. Even so, he didn't want to go back to the castle just yet. He had some thinking to do.

He magically collected the errand twigs lying on the grass around him with amusement and added them to the little fire. It was soon large enough to warm his hands by as he contemplated the events of the morning. They left him with only one conclusion. Gideon was a wizard.

It seemed clear now, he had been born with magic, but for some reason, there was a period in which he hadn'tbeen a wizard. The Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admittance were evidence of that. As Professor Dandridge had explained, sometime this year, things had changed. His name had been re-added to the book after being crossed out. What Gideon didn't understand, was the reason his name had been crossed out, to begin with.

Before Gideon could think too much on that, though, he had to face up to the immediate questions on his mind. How did his magic return, and when? Unfortunately, he was afraid he already knew the answers. He had been told exactly what had happened, hadn't he? Mr Grimsby explained in the hospital.

His magic had surfaced over the summer. "It was you Gideon", Grimsby had said, "when the Dementors attacked you, your latent magical abilities were triggered, and you defended yourself—".

Gideon hadn't believed a word of it, of course. Coming to terms with being a Squib had been the hardest thing he had ever had to do. So, when Mr Grimsby had told him a story about a witness claiming he had used magic, and that he had been responsible for injuring his mother, he dismissed it instantly. He told Grimsby, and himself, that the story was crazy.

At the time, he had truly believed that. He still did, up until that morning, when he felt his magic connect with his wand. There had been clues, though. The visit to the tower with the headmistress for one. The mystery of his acceptance to Hogwarts had been cleared up. Then, there was the Thunderclap accident. He knew why the brooms responded to him now, though, not why they responded the way they did.

Why, then, had Mr Grimsby's Occurio not detected his magic? Gideon absent-mindedly raised his hand to his patch-covered eye. If the incident with the Dementors had awakened his powers, and he had somehow managed to fend them off while unconscious, perhaps he had expended all his magic in the process?

Between then and now, during his recovery, his magic must have slowly regenerated. What about his strange seizures, though? He had noted once that they seemed to occur during heightened moments of emotion or stress, like before passing out during the Dementor attack. What if... What if the seizures were a result of his magic trying to break free?

Everything was coming together for Gideon. Sadly, there were enough pieces of the puzzle to spell out one undeniable fact. He had been the one who put his mother in the hospital. His father had been right. He was to blame for her condition. She had almost died, and it was still unclear as to whether she would ever wake up.

He had burned his mother. He had damaged her soul. Gideon suddenly found himself cursing the magic he had only just come to appreciate. Why couldn't he have used it earlier? Even if it had ultimately saved their lives, why did it have to awaken in a way that injured the one person who had always been there for him?

Anthony's words passed through his head, "Dad says you're dangerous and I think he's right! He's told me everything Gideon! I know who you are, and I know you're not my brother!".

Part of his statement still seemed cryptic, but his brother knew. Their father must have told all the family. It was no wonder that he hadn't heard from them. They had been right to kick him out. How could they have him around the house, knowing what he had done? And how could he now face them?

What was Gideon to do now? He finally understood. He finally had magic. He finally felt like he was meant to be at Hogwarts. But did he deserve to be? Magic was the cause of his problems. Was it right that he now nurtured his burgeoning gifts while his mother suffered the consequences? Perhaps withdrawing from the school as planned would be a worthy form of atonement.

Whatever his next step, Gideon's life was indeed about to change again. He had another big decision to make. This time, one he didn't feel equipped to make on his own.

***

Upon returning to the castle, Gideon visited Professor Voronov's office. The man welcomed him in, and Gideon explained what was on his mind.

'Something has happened, Sir,' he started, 'and I need to talk to someone. A letter or Magiphone call won't do. I was wondering if there was any way I could leave the school to see them?'

In his usual unsettling manner, Professor Voronov scrutinised Gideon for a few moments before replying, 'Is this related to your decision to withdraw?'

'Yes,' Gideon answered.

'You want to discuss it with your aunt?' he probed.

'Actually, no. My err, legal representative,' Gideon stated, feeling a little foolish.

'I see,' said the professor after studying Gideon's face again. 'Well, there is no provision for students to leave the school while they are in our care. However, I will speak with the headmistress. Considering the situation, she may allow your legal representative to come here and meet with you.'

***

Gideon was hopeful that the headmistress would agree. She happened to know the man Gideon wanted to see and the capacity in which Gideon needed to see him. Upon realising that, Gideon wondered again about Professor Dandridge's placement at the school, and then about his father's. Were they both here by chance, or could they possibly both be at Hogwarts because of him?

His thoughts were interrupted by a sixth-year prefect delivering a note. She also informed him that his dormitory clock had been repaired. The note was from Professor Voronov and explained Gideon had been granted permission for a visitor, assuming of course, that the man would agree to come.

Gideon hurried to the Owlery to send a letter, then, spent the remainder of the day doing homework, and funnily enough, finishing the last of the spy novels he had been lent.

***

The reply came the following morning. The sender agreed to meet that very afternoon and promised to arrange the visit directly with the school. A second owl brought his aunt's long-awaited reply:

Dear Gideon,

I'm so sorry to get back to you late!

Thank you for the congratulations on my story. As it happens, that's the thing that has been holding me up. I've had pressure groups and concerned citizens on both sides sending me letters containing warnings, threats and even hexes!

Because of that, the paper has been screening my mail. Everyone wants the Prophet to support their point of view. So much for the impartiality of the press! It seems like it's only going to get worse while the rift between the Minister and the Wizengamot continues.

Anyway, I heard about your dad, but only on Sunday evening. I'm surprised you didn't see it, but it was reported in the Prophet along with the announcement about the new head. Looks like it was all very last minute! I've enclosed the clippings.

I'm so sorry. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to have him teach you, especially if he's being his stubborn self! Do try not to let it bother you. At least Anthony is there with you!

I hope you're having a good time otherwise, and if you do need to leave, know that there's a room waiting for you!

Love

Caroline

Gideon guffawed at Caroline's optimistic presumption that Anthony would be a source of comfort or support. He turned to the newspaper clippings. They included what looked like a profile on Professor Dandridge, and the story she had referred to, which Gideon must have missed with the excitement of his first day.

HOGWARTS ENTERS NEW ERA

The replacement for long-standing headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Minerva McGonagall, has been found at last!

We can exclusively reveal the new Head of Hogwarts to be the widely acclaimed Chief Healer of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Lilah Dandridge (Read more on page 5).

In a unanimous decision, the new headmistress was appointed by Hogwarts's Board of Governors on Friday 2 September, just days before the start of term. During the historic search, many high-profile figures turned down the role, and of those who applied, most were deemed unsuitable.

The Governors are said to be thrilled to find a candidate of such esteem. Professor Dandridge's appointment is also said to come as a relief to the Board, who may otherwise have had the head teacher's selection process turned over to the Ministry of Magic (Read more on page 9).

The last five years have seen many changes in the school's staffing. Along with the hiring of Professor Dandridge, this year the school welcomes (another) new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, one of some renown, Marcus Maxwell, noted Head of the Ministry's Auror Office.

Another last-minute hire, Mr Maxwell was unavailable for comment. However, a source in the Auror Office has denied rumours that he was assigned by Minister Granger-Weasley after Hogwarts was unable to fill the post.

With so much change at Hogwarts, will the school struggle to retain its title as the world's foremost school for witchcraft and wizardry? Continued on page 3.

Gideon wasn't sure if the article entirely answered his questions. He just wished he had seen it sooner and spared himself the shock of his father's unexpected appearance. He tucked the cuttings and letter into his robes and returned to the Common Room.

The other Slytherins were still avoiding him, so Gideon kept himself busy that morning reading up on what they were working on in their classes. If he were to stay on at Hogwarts, now that he could do magic, he wasn't going to slouch off.

Professor Voronov sent word via the same prefect as before, for Gideon to come to his office to meet his visitor at one o'clock. She didn't seem happy to be delivering another message for him, but he thanked her kindly. After a light—and quiet—lunch, Gideon headed to the Transfiguration Office with a carrier bag of books. Waiting inside for him with Professor Voronov, was Jonathan Grimsby.

Chapter Text

'Gideon! How are you doing?' asked the man as he swept his golden locks from his face and extended a hand.

Gideon returned the handshake and made an odd confirmatory grunt, unwilling to answer such a question plainly at that moment.

Professor Voronov nodded to the boy as he stepped out and gave them his office.

'Thank you for coming to see me, Mr Grimsby,' said Gideon. 'Did the professors tell you anything?'

Grimsby smiled at the boy's astute presumption, 'Well, I did speak with Professor Dandridge. She mentioned that you were considering leaving the school. She also told me you had visited a certain tower. That must have been as confusing as it was fascinating!'

'Yes, it was. And so was this,' Gideon replied, pulling his wand out and pointing it upward, 'vermillious!'

Red sparks crackled from his wand tip, illuminating the glean of understanding appearing across Grimsby's face.

'Ah,' he said simply.

Gideon ended the spell and explained, 'It started yesterday when my new wand arrived.'

'New wand? the man enquired.

'I've been using this one,' he said as he fished out the battered, second-hand shop wand, 'but it hasn't been working.'

Grimsby took it from the boy and examined it, 'No, I don't suppose it would. Used wands are tricky to master at the best of times, but this one is damaged, and inflexible, and I can see from the tip that its core was unicorn hair. Unicorn core wands are known for their loyalty to their original owners. Why did you have a used wand, though?'

'I went to Ollivanders, but the old man in there flipped out. The shopkeeper sent me the one I matched with as an apology. Unlike the other, it works. I've done spells with it. That's when I realised the truth, that what you told me in the hospital was true. That it was my fault my mum got hurt—'

'—I never said that Gideon! It's true that you were technically responsible for your mother's injuries, but it wasn't your fault!' Grimsby corrected. 'You didn't do it knowingly or willingly. There's a difference, an important one!'

The conviction behind the man's words and the sternness in his bright, blue eyes alleviated some of the guilt that Gideon had been harbouring. 'Even so,' he continued, 'I know it's all true now, and it's got me pretty mixed up. It's been a rough week.'

Jonathan Grimsby sighed sympathetically, 'Yes, I read in the Prophet about your dad.'

'Well, I didn't!' Gideon responded. 'I was sitting in class, and he just showed up, I thought I was going mad!'

'Have the two of you spoken?' the man asked.

'No. I've tried but he ignores me and runs out of class. Sometimes I see him in the Great Hall, but I can hardly have it out with him right there in front of everyone. Besides, now that I know the truth, how can I face him? How can I stay here? I should be with my mum.'

'I stand by what I said at St Mungo's, Gideon. It's a bad situation, but I'm sure your dad will come around eventually,' Grimsby tried to reassure him. 'As for your mum, she's doing better. With any luck, it's just a matter of time before she wakes up. When she does, though, wouldn't she be happier knowing that you are here? What do you think she would say if she knew you had dropped out for her sake?'

Gideon hadn't considered that. The answer came to him immediately. He knew his mother would want him to carry on with his magical education. She would be cross with him if he left, and would probably feel guilty if she thought it was because of her.

'You're right, she wouldn't want me to leave,' Gideon said.

'Good,' said Grimsby as if the matter was settled. 'I expect there's more you wanted to ask me, though?'

'Yes. The Occurio. I think I know why, but—'

'Why didn't it respond to your magic? I suspect you've realised, but your magic was triggered during the Dementor attack. From what the witness described, it was probably all released at once owing to the situation. With that, being injured in the process, and all the potions that you were given at St Mungo's, your magic was severely drained. I wasn't positive that would be the case when I used the Occurio, though.'

'So, why didn't you tell me?'

'It was just conjecture. Then, when the Occurio didn't detect anything, I wasn't sure if your magic would return. With how you were doing at the time, I didn't think it would be wise to get your hopes up. I'm sorry I wasn't more forthcoming.'

Gideon stared out of the window for a few moments. He thought back to his conversation with Mr Grimsby in the hospital tearoom. At the time he was eager for information, but he was also in a bad state emotionally. Perhaps the man had been right to hold back. Still, there were things he needed to know now.

'During the attack, before I passed out, I had a seizure of sorts,' Gideon explained. 'It's something that has happened only a bunch of times in my life. Each time, though, it's happened at a moment when I've been especially upset. It reminds me of how underage witches and wizards perform magic by accident. What do you know about it?'

Jonathan Grimsby shifted uncomfortably in his seat. 'I'm not a Healer, Gideon,' he said evasively.

'And yet, at least two of those seizures pre-empted visits from you—and your Occurio,' said Gideon accusatorily. 'You didn't show up at our house to see if I had magic, did you? My parents contacted you after I had an episode, to see if what happened with the Dementors had occurred. You came to see if my magic had been released!'

Mr Grimsby remained silent in much the same way that Gideon had during their past conversations.

'Meaning,' Gideon concluded, 'that both you and my parents know something about the seizures, and by extension, what happened to my magic!'

Mr Grimsby smiled at the boy's keen deduction. 'It's true—that the seizures were symptomatic of your magic trying to activate,' he conceded. 'Part of my responsibility entailed monitoring you for such signs. However, as much as I'd like to answer all your questions, Gideon, there are things that I cannot tell you.'

'Why not?' Gideon demanded. 'If there's something wrong with me or something happened to me, I have a right to know!'

'I'm afraid I can't,' Grimsby insisted. 'I encourage you to focus on the positives. Your magic has been released, you won't have any more of those seizures, and you're at Hogwarts! These are good things!'

'Perhaps,' Gideon started, 'if you ignore the fact that the last two years of my life have been a waste, that I've suffered from physical and emotional pain, that I've been abandoned by the only family I've ever known, and that my mum is lying in the hospital, all because of something you won't tell me!'

Grimsby sighed and looked down at his feet before he responded to Gideon's righteous anger, 'I can only imagine how you're feeling, Gideon. All I can say is that I'm sorry this has happened to you. Truly!'

Gideon's nose flared as he huffed in frustration. Annoyingly, he could sense the man's sincerity, and that made it much harder to be angry with him. Grimsby had confirmed some things, but it seemed there were still a few missing pieces of the puzzle.

Perhaps for now, he was right that Gideon should look on the bright side. He was now an average, run-of-the-mill, teenage wizard, not counting his unresolved family issues. But what average teenager doesn't have a few of those?

'Is there anything else on your mind, Gideon?' Grimsby asked softly.

'No,' Gideon answered bluntly.

'Well, you can always write to me,' Jonathan Grimsby reminded him kindly as he stood up to leave. 'I'd like to hear how you're doing.'

Gideon smiled weakly before remembering the carrier bag, 'Oh, I almost forgot about your books. Thank you for lending them to me. You have surprisingly good taste!'

Grimsby looked surprised, 'Actually, they're not mine. All I read are law articles, and I didn't think you'd be interested in those! Alex said it would be okay for you to borrow them. He's always got his nose in one of those things. Could you give them to him when you next see him?'

Gideon was flabbergasted. It hadn't occurred to him that the books might have belonged to Mr Grimsby's son. He certainly hadn't figured Alex Grimsby for a big reader. It was hard to reconcile the kind gesture with the Gryffindor who had befriended Jason Crawley.

'Err, sure,' Gideon agreed, thinking it best not to tell the man what he thought of his son.

He escorted Mr Grimsby to the Entrance Hall. Along the way, the man excitedly pointed out secret passageways hidden behind tapestries and statues, and other secrets of the castle that he remembered from his childhood. He seemed thrilled to have a chance to visit the castle. Not for the first time, Gideon couldn't help thinking of the man as a big kid. They reached the front door, where he wished Gideon good luck with his classes, and said goodbye.

As Gideon turned to head back to the Transfiguration Office, he noticed the sneering face of Alex Grimsby's friend, Greg among a group of students entering the Great Hall. He was watching Gideon with intrigue. Gideon hoped that Greg didn't know what Alex's father looked like. With his luck, though, the chances of that seemed slim.

Professor Voronov was waiting for him upon his return. 'You got the answers you needed; I trust?' he asked.

'For the most part,' said Gideon.

The man scanned his face before asking, 'So, will you be continuing your education here at Hogwarts, Mr Maxwell?'

'Yes, Sir,' he confirmed, 'but I would like to take your test again.'

***

'My, my!' said Professor Long after a few moments of stunned silence. 'How interesting!'

For the second time, Gideon had just completed demonstrating his magical capabilities for her and Professor Voronov. This time, however, the results were starkly different. This was evident by the smoking ashes and oversized, sliced, blue apple sitting atop the Transfiguration teacher's desk.

'To what do you attribute this sudden turnaround, Mr Maxwell?' the deputy headmistress asked with a note of fascination on her usually passive face.

Gideon told the truth—half of it anyway, 'My new wand, Miss. I was using a second-hand wand before. Hornbeam with a unicorn core. Apparently, we weren't a good match.'

'I see,' she said with intrigue. 'And this one?'

'Acacia,' Gideon began, then, thinking that he would prefer to keep his wand's mysterious core secret, he twisted the truth once more, 'with a feather core.'

'A remarkable difference! That must explain it.' she commented in Professor Voronov's direction, in a tone that sounded suspiciously unconvincing.

'You should run along to breakfast, Mr Maxwell,' said Professor Voronov. 'We will need to speak with the headmistress.'

***

Gideon ate his breakfast cereal with quiet confidence. Week two at Hogwarts with his new wand, felt like a second chance to prove himself. He didn't have a chance that morning in History of Magic or Potions, but Charms gave him the opportunity he had been waiting for.

'Okay, let's see how hard you've all been practising!' announced Professor Keane excitedly as she released a rain of feathers on the students, one landing softly in front of each of them for levitation practice. Today her lustrous hair was tied loosely over one shoulder, and she wore form-fitting azure-coloured robes with rather revealing cut-outs.

Looking around, Gideon noticed that the others had all managed to levitate their feathers with differing degrees of success. Vinny and Emma were having theirs duel with each other like swords when a third appeared and deftly circled the pair.

'Who's doing that?' Vinny demanded loudly, which naturally drew the whole class's attention to what was going on. The mystery feather began to spin and dance through the air at speed, then to the pupils' surprise, did several loop-the-loops!

'Oh, well done, Gideon!' praised Professor Keane as she clapped wildly. The students turned to see Gideon's quick hand movements corresponding to the feather's flight path. 'What an improvement! Twenty points to Slytherin!'

'Twenty?' cried a disgruntled Hufflepuff.

'So, you're not a Squib?' asked Emma.

'Doesn't look like it,' said Gideon, smiling as he made his feather circle his head like a halo.

Vinny looked quite perturbed by this, stating, 'He must have been pretending he couldn't do magic, so we would all be impressed when it turned out he could! Another lie!'

Gideon rolled his eyes, brushed off the comment and mischievously made his feather tickle the boy's nose, infuriating Vinny but delighting those around him.

Gideon didn't get a chance to perform any more magic in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Their professor—his father—had been true to his word when he said they would be learning theory first. Oddly, this time it was Gideon avoiding eye contact. Moreover, he didn't try to follow the man after their lesson on repelling trolls. He knew they had to speak eventually, but the pangs of guilt were still too fresh.

***

That evening, Gideon had been reading Monday's Prophet in a comfy leather-backed chair by the Common Room fire, when Professor Voronov entered. He asked the prefects to assemble the House, and after a few minutes, the room was filled to the brim with Slytherins.

'I have a couple of quick announcements to make,' Professor Voronov informed them, 'Firstly, I have received a good level of interest in the house Quidditch team. Trials will take place on the pitch this Sunday at three o'clock. Our new Captain, Jago Hargreaves, will have the final say on the line-up. Please do not complain to me if you are not selected!

'Secondly, I wanted to say how happy I am with our first-week points balance. Slytherin is currently in the lead by a small margin. I expect that to continue. Interestingly, a significant amount of our points total came from our first-year students, in particular, Mr Gideon Maxwell!'

The professor paused for a brief—but very embarrassing—half-hearted round of applause for Gideon before continuing, 'Which leads me to my final announcement. Owing to an admissions mix-up, Mr Maxwell should have been listed as a transfer student. That error must be corrected. As such, with immediate effect, he will be recognised as a third-year. I trust that you will all be supportive during his transition. Now, please wait here for a few moments.'

Gideon supposed Professor Voronov had done things in such a way to save him some explaining, but he wished the man had warned him ahead of time. He sunk a little in his chair and felt like hiding behind his newspaper with everyone's eyes on him. A couple of people patted his head from over the chair and an energetic boy and girl he had seen around congratulated him.

'Lucky you, getting to skip two years!' said the boy. It was true. It meant that Gideon's two years spent at Middling hadn't been a waste. His hard work had paid off.

'I wish we could do that! You'll be able to go on the Hogsmeade visits now!' said the girl. 'There's a new shop I'm dying to see! I'm Jade by the way. He's Jasper.'

'We're second-years—and twins,' Jasper added.

'Nice to meet you!' Gideon said. 'It's a shame you're not in my year. It's going to be weird getting to know a whole different set of people.'

'Who are the third-year boys, Jas?' asked Jade.

'Erm, there's Eoin O'Leary, Dorian Thompson, Tim Benton, and Gio Romano. You might know Gio, though, Gideon? His little brother, Vinny started this year with you.'

Gideon sighed internally. He didn't want his fresh start to be marred by having to contend with the brother of someone who had it in for him.

Professor Voronov appeared from the dormitory corridor and announced that everyone could return to what they were doing. Before departing, he pulled Gideon to one side and let him know that each of his teachers would be setting him make-up homework, which he should collect after class.

'You'll also need to decide on your two additional subject options and let me know by the end of tomorrow,' he said, handing him his new timetable. 'Finally, you'll now be staying in the fifth dorm on the right with the other third-year boys. Your things have already been moved. Please inform me of any problems. Good evening to you.'

Gideon realised he hadn't considered that he would be changing rooms, so he went to take a look. Sure enough, his four-poster bed and trunk were now by the window in an identical dormitory two doors down from before.

'Are you okay with being by the window?' asked a spiky-haired boy sitting on the bed next to his. 'The light and shadows have always kept me up at night!'

'No, that's fine! I like the window,' said Gideon.

'I'm Dorian. So, Professor V said you're a transfer student?

'I was wondering about that! Hey, I'm Eoin,' said a boy with an Irish brogue, who had just entered and overheard the conversation. 'What other magic schools are there besides Hogwarts? Or was it abroad?'

'Actually, it wasn't a magic school,' Gideon explained, 'to be honest, it was a Squib school, Middling Academy.'

'Oh, I've heard of that place!' said Eoin. 'But how'd you end up there?'

'I guess I'm a late bloomer,' Gideon joked. 'It's a good school, though—'

'Oi! What's this about?' asked a newcomer to the room with another by his side.

'Gio, Tim, this is Gideon, he's joining our year,' Dorian informed them.

Gio, was the spitting image of Vinny, only about a foot taller. His lanky friend Tim was even more so, which made Gideon's late bloomer joke seem all the more ironic.

'I liked that it was just four of us. It feels claustrophobic in here now!' whined Gio.

'Get over it, mate!' said Dorian.

Gio appraised his new dormmate, 'Aren't you the one my bro's been telling me about? The Squib who lied about his age?'

'Would you give it a rest, Gio?' snapped Eoin. 'Professor V just explained they made a mistake with him, and he's just finished telling us he used to go to a Squib school. You'd have heard if you weren't stuffing your face with seconds in the Great Hall! Your bro's just stirring!'

Gio and Eoin stared each other down until the former shrugged. 'Vinny can be a bit of a brat. Good to meet you, Gideon,' he said nonchalantly as they shook hands. 'So... What's with the eye patch?'

Chapter Text

Gio was tactless, perhaps thoughtless, but he didn't come across as mean-spirited. He also had Eoin and Dorian as friends, who seemed to know how to deal with him, so Gideon decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

'Just an injury,' Gideon responded to the boy's blunt question about his eye patch. 'Actually, thanks for reminding me—I was supposed to go to the Hospital Wing to get it changed. See you all in a bit.'

In the corridor, Gideon bumped into his former dormmates.

'Congrats, Gideon,' said Harjeet.

'Yeah, good luck, Gideon! It's going to be weird with you just gone all of a sudden,' added Jaden.

'Thanks, guys,' Gideon replied.

'It's good riddance if you ask me!' sniped Vinny as he entered the first-year dorm.

'Nobody asked you!' asserted Brendan most uncharacteristically, bringing a smile to Gideon's face. Despite his rocky start at Hogwarts, it was nice to know he had made an impression.

***

'Hmm,' said Madam Longbottom as she examined Gideon's eye in the Hospital Wing. 'I'd say you're almost healed. I'll want to see you one last time to confirm, but you can do without the full patch now!'

Instead of reapplying his usual dressing change and re-affixing his headband, the matron covered Gideon's injured eye with a considerably smaller patch, even more like a stereotypical pirate's.

It was something of a relief to be done with the large band. The new patch was dotted with many tiny holes to let in a small amount of light, and Gideon was able to blink with it on. Although, the holes were too small to see much through, and his vision was still blurry.

'There. Much better!' the matron said, giving Gideon a hand mirror.

There wasn't much to see as Gideon checked his reflection. He supposed it was better than the big black band, but in truth, he hadn't thought much about his appearance in the last few weeks. The band always messed up his hair, so he had given up on trying to keep it tidy.

He had been wearing his fringe differently, though, parting it down the middle. This was more out of necessity than anything else. After all, he couldn't very well cover his one functioning eye the way he used to. With that thought, it occurred to him that he would soon be trading in "eye patch kid" for his former title of "freaky eyes". His heterochromia would be exposed for all to see again.

***

Gideon had stayed up late with his new dormmates, discussing the upcoming Quidditch trials, which Gio and Dorian were both signed up for. That had turned out to be a mistake, as he was extremely tired for his first third-year class on Tuesday morning. Thankfully, it was History of Magic and many of the other students looked like they, too, could fall asleep at any moment.

Those that were paying attention were shooting Gideon looks of perplexity. He had expected Professor Binns to explain to the Hufflepuffs why he had appeared among their ranks, but it hadn't seemed to have occurred to the ghostly teacher. He had arranged some catch-up work for Gideon, though. It was a good thing, too, as the parts of the lesson Gideon had been fully awake for were not familiar at all.

Usually one to look over the year's class material ahead of time, Gideon hadn't started on the third-year books. He didn't even have some of the books he needed for his subjects, a fact that was made clear in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Seats had already been assigned, so Gideon took the only empty one next to a Ravenclaw girl at the back of the room.

She had extremely messy, shoulder-length, black hair. However, judging by her heavy eyeliner and black fingernails, Gideon figured it might be intentional. Noticing his lack of a textbook, she silently moved hers between them, so they could share while Professor Maxwell lectured them about dealing with salamanders—small, lizard-like magical creatures that fed on fire.

His father's plan to keep Gideon from doing any magic—if that was his intention as Gideon suspected—had hit a hurdle with the boy's move to the third year. The third-years would be performing the Frost Spell, which the other students had been practising for homework.

'Do you know the Steam Spell, Fumus?' asked the Ravenclaw girl as the students began to stand and separate into pairs, to which Gideon nodded in reply. The girl spoke with a slight accent, not unlike Professor Voronov's. 'Good, you'll be able to defrost me, then.'

'Defrost you?' Gideon said quizzically. 'You don't mean we're casting the spell on each other?'

'Yeah. This new professor's a little crazy but I like him. It raises the stakes, don't you think?' she said in a maniacal sort of way.

'Someone should do something, Verity!' Gideon overheard a girl nearby say. 'She's going to turn the new kid into a snowman!'

'It's not our problem, Kate!' her partner replied. 'If little miss princess of darkness wants to get detention again, just let her!'

'But she might lose us points!' the first girl protested, apparently not so concerned for Gideon, after all.

Gideon couldn't help looking a little concerned.

'Don't worry, I only have those sorts of accidents when I'm partnered with people that bug me!' the girl assured him, then added a wink. 'I'm Talia by the way AKA "princess of darkness".'

'Gideon,' he replied with a smile. 'I'll bear that in mind, your highness!'

'The incantation is Glacius. Give it a go!' she dared, crossing her arms.

Gideon pointed his wand at the girl's folded arms and uttered, 'Glacius!' A visible stream of frosted air burst from his wand tip and a layer of ice quickly formed over Talia's robes.

'Not bad!' she commented through chattering teeth. 'Now defrost me, quick!'

'Fumus!' Gideon followed up, releasing a jet of steam that removed the traces of ice almost instantly.

'You sure that was your first time using the spell?' Talia asked. 'I got the hang of it pretty quickly over the weekend, but it still took me a few goes to get the temperature low enough to actually freeze.'

'Beginner’s luck?' Gideon suggested.

'Maybe so...' she replied with a raised eyebrow. 'Okay, my turn!'

The class continued practising for a while until it appeared like everyone was performing the spell adequately. Gideon noticed his father's watchful eye on him as they did, but he tried his best to ignore it. Unfortunately, ignoring his father completely was no longer an option.

After class ended and everyone was eager to get to the Great Hall for a hot lunch, Professor Maxwell remained seated at his desk for the first time. Gideon waited for the other students to finish filing out before approaching him. 'I'm supposed to collect some make-up work from you—' he said sheepishly.

Gideon barely finished the sentence before a scroll of parchment was thrust in his direction without a word. 'I... I wanted to say...' he started as he took the scroll, but on noticing that his father's eyes remained focused on his desk, he shook his head and added quietly, 'Never mind.'

Gideon left the room unsure of whether his courage had failed him, or his guilt had overtaken him. Either way, the Frost Spell was nothing compared to his father's icy treatment.

***

'Sorry you got saddled with Natalia, Gideon,' said Eoin as the boys at lunch.

'How do you mean?' Gideon replied.

'Well, there weren't any other empty seats in Defence, so—'

'No, I mean, what's wrong with Talia?' Gideon corrected himself.

'Oh, you know, she's a bit weird. All that makeup!' Eoin asserted. 'And sometimes she overdoes it with the magic. I lost an eyebrow the last time I partnered with her!'

'Oh,' said Gideon in faux surprise, wondering what Eoin might have done to offend the girl. 'Well, thanks for the heads up!'

'Did you decide on your options, Gideon?' asked Dorian.

Gideon quickly swallowed a bite of his sandwich and answered, 'I was thinking Care of Magical Creatures and Divination.'

'Divination?' exclaimed Gio, who had been talking with Sasha Barrington across the table. 'I wouldn't if I were you!'

'Don't listen to him!' said Eoin.

Gio put his hand up in front of Eoin's face and continued, 'It's a dead subject, that's all I'm saying! I'm surprised the new Head didn't sack that old fraud, Trelawney! Ask Tim if you don't believe me!'

'It's true,' Tim interjected, 'If I still had the choice, I wouldn't pick Divination, knowing what I do now. Old Trelawney's completely batty! When she's not predicting one of us is going to have an accident, she's falling asleep in her chair!'

Gideon decided to take their word for it, 'I guess I'll go with Ancient Runes, then.'

***

Over lunch, Gideon informed Professor Voronov of his subject choices. He then sent a letter to Caroline, explaining that he might be staying on at Hogwarts, after all, and asking if she could purchase and post the third-year books he needed. However, knowing that her mail was being checked, he had no idea when they might arrive. He also sent a quick letter of thanks to Mr Ollivander, though, he didn't commit to stopping by the shop any time soon given what had occurred last time.

Double Herbology was held in Greenhouse three that afternoon. It was noticeably different from Greenhouse One, where students handled only the most basic of magical plants. The windows were partially obscured by the many climbing vines and stalks. Gideon didn't recognise any of the flora, which made him hanker for his new textbooks.

'Good afternoon, everyone!' said Professor Longbottom. 'As you know, today we're going to be potting Valerian cuttings, a very useful plant if grown properly. You should know from your homework that it's not dangerous, but it can be very temperamental. Bringing it to bloom will be one of your projects this year. Oh, forgive me, Mr Maxwell, I almost forgot!'

The Slytherins and Gryffindors simultaneously craned their necks in the direction the professor had been looking. Gideon blushed and wondered whether Professor Binns and his father ignoring his presence, intentional or not, had been preferable.

'Gideon will be joining us from now on. I hope you'll all make him feel welcome. O'Leary, Thompson,' he addressed Eoin and Dorian respectively, 'perhaps you'll assist him?'

'Yes, Sir,' Dorian replied.

'Now, where was I?' Professor Longbottom asked himself before he proceeded to explain the lesson.

'What's he doing here?' Gideon heard someone whisper behind him.

'How should I know!' another voice hissed in response.

Gideon didn't feel the need to turn around. He knew who the voices must belong to, though, he hadn't known when he would encounter them. Being in the third year, Jason Crawley and his fellow Gryffindors were now his peers. The chunk of yellow in Gideon's peripheral vision, which was undoubtedly the blonde head of Alex Grimsby, confirmed it.

Soon enough, the class split into pairs and the professor handed out numbered pots, so they could keep track of which belonged to each. Gideon paired with Dorian, who took the lead. He showed Gideon how to prepare the complicated soil mixture and performed the spell needed to activate the ingredients. Then, he let Gideon plant the cutting while measuring out a precise amount of water to add.

If done correctly, the brown Valerian cutting would slowly begin to green-up. After a few minutes, the boys were happy to see a difference. They were the first pair to have any success and Professor Longbottom recognised it by awarding Slytherin ten points.

Gideon felt a little guilty since Dorian was the one who did the hard work. Judging by the other students' results and the jealous stares from Jason and Greg, the spiky-haired boy had a knack for Herbology.

'Typical Dorian!' Gio vented on the way out of class. 'Can't charm his way out of a paper bag but give him a plant to grow or a potion to brew, and he's Merlin without the beard!'

'I'm not that bad at Charms!' Dorian responded jovially while pointing his wand at the boy. 'Wanna see?'

Gideon, Eoin, and Tim laughed as the other two began to jostle playfully.

'You're lucky to get partnered with Dorian, Gideon. Not that I mind!' Eoin assured him, 'Though, I got saddled with that blonde git from Gryffindor. He's always showing off in other classes, but when it comes to Herbology, the guy doesn't know a twig from a Bowtruckle!'

'What's a Bowtruckle?' Gideon asked when out of the blue, he was almost knocked to the ground by a hard shove.

'Oi! Watch it, Stevens!' Eoin roared.

'Oh, sorry, Gideon! Are you okay? Did I hurt you?' said Greg the Gryffindor in his recognisable condescending tone. His housemates gathered up behind him. On seeing this, the Slytherin boys who had been walking ahead turned back.

'What's this about?' Gio asked.

'Just an accident, Gio! Gideon bumped into me, and he crumpled like a piece of parchment!' Greg responded. 'You sure you're okay, little guy?'

'I'm fine!' Gideon asserted.

'You should probably watch where you're going in the future!' Jason warned before their gang departed, snickering down the length of the corridor.

'What was that about?' Tim wondered aloud.

'I don't know, but I've always hated that guy!' said Eoin, 'You okay, Gideon?'

'I'm fine, let's go,' he replied.

'Have you got a moment, Gideon?' a different voice asked politely. Standing behind them was Alex Grimsby.

'You want us to wait?' said Eoin, flexing like he was prepared for battle.

'Err, no, it's fine. I'll catch up!' Gideon said as the boys moved on, Eoin shooting back glances as he did. 'What's up?'

'Did you really meet with my dad?' Alex asked apprehensively.

Gideon sighed. Greg had recognised Mr Grimsby in the Entrance Hall.

'Erm, yeah,' he confirmed, unsure of what to say in this situation.

'Why?' Alex questioned impatiently.

'It's... Private.'

'No, it's weird! What are you doing meeting with my dad when I'm not around?'

'Maybe you should ask him?'

'I'm asking you!'

'Well, I can't say,' Gideon answered a little snappier than intended. He had no desire to share the details of his meeting with Grimsby, but he understood how strange it must look to the man's son. He felt bad that he couldn't explain but now seemed as good a time as any to give the boy his books back.

Gideon reached into his bag and pulled out the carrier of spy novels. He had been carrying them around in the hope of a quiet moment where he could pass them off, though this was hardly the scenario he had imagined.

'What's this?' Alex demanded.

'Your dad asked me to return these to you,' said Gideon, extending his arm with the bag. 'Thanks, I guess...'

Alex remained still; his furrowed eyebrows visible below his messy fringe as he looked from Gideon to the bag. After a few awkward moments of silence, the boy snatched the bag from Gideon's hand and stormed off, leaving Gideon feeling thoroughly conflicted.

***

Gideon had to skip Tuesday's Art extracurricular and spend the time, and most of the evening, in the library. He was glad he had as without it, the following day's Transfiguration lesson could have been a complete disaster. Even with the last-minute reading, Gideon's attempts to transform a mouse into a small inanimate object were barely passable.

Why he had chosen to focus on a matchbox, he didn't know, but the subsequent sparks that the half-transformed mouse started giving off meant Professor Voronov had to step in. It also meant Gideon was given rather a lot of make-up work from the Transfiguration professor.

It occurred to Gideon on the way down to the edge of the Forbidden Forest for Care of Magical Creatures, that he had done some basic spells well and with surprising ease. However, when it came to more complicated magic, it wasn't just his lack of knowledge that was a problem, it was also his lack of experience. Reading wasn't going to be enough. He was going to need a lot of practice to catch up to the other students.

'Right, you lot! You'll be carrying on with yeh sketches. Sort into groups and collect a Bowtruckle and a tub of woodlice,' announced the monster of a man who had led Gideon and the first-years from the train to the school.

Professor Hagrid gave out the materials and ensured that the Bowtruckles were handled gently as the students separated and took out sketching materials. Gideon laughed to himself, suddenly understanding Eoin's joke from the day before. Bowtruckles were curious little plant-like creatures, which did indeed resemble twigs.

'You'd be Maxwell, then, eh?' said the man. 'You alright working with these fellas?'

'Yes, Sir,' Gideon responded. Tim was the only Slytherin boy who wasn't present, having chosen Divination. As they sat down, Gideon exchanged a casual wave of hello with Talia, who he noticed across the grass sitting noticeably far apart from her Ravenclaw group members.

It felt like ages since Gideon had drawn anything and it was fun to have a moving subject. The Bowtruckle was fascinating. It would stand relatively still for them so long as it was supplied with insects to munch on. Gideon was filled with wonder as he imagined how the little creature lived.

Having missed the previous day's Art class, the boys were surprised by Gideon's sketching ability and showered him with praise. Gio turned out to be a good artist, too. Eoin, however, was far from a dab hand, which Gio and Dorian teased him relentlessly for. When even the Bowtruckle seemed perturbed by the boy's depiction of it, they broke into a laughing fit.

***

After Muggle Studies, Charms and Magical Theory, it became clearer how much Gideon needed to do. Learning about electricity wasn't as simple as flicking switches; counter spells were far from straightforward; and the effect of emotional stability on energy transfer made Gideon wonder how he'd ever cast a decent spell.

He spent another evening in the library, finishing the make-up work he had received so far, and starting on the first few chapters for each subject. It took his stomach rumbling and his eye sore from strain for Gideon to realise he had forgotten about dinner as well as, once again, visiting the Hospital Wing.

Determined to be done with his eye patch, Gideon packed up his belongings and darted out of the library, hoping that Madam Longbottom wouldn't be too cross with him. When Gideon arrived, he unintentionally interrupted another private moment between her and her husband. Far from being cross, she tended to the boy with embarrassment as Professor Longbottom strutted away.

'Hmm. Everything looks okay,' the matron said. 'How does it feel? How's your vision?'

Gideon blinked a few times and tried moving his eyes around before answering, 'It feels fine. Still a little blurry, though.'

'That's natural. Even with the holes in the patch, you haven't adjusted to the light yet,' she explained, handing Gideon her hand mirror. 'Okay, then. I want you to come straight to me if you have any issues! Otherwise, I think our work here is done! Take a look!'

Gideon resigned himself to facing his naturally creepy reflection for the first time in months. However, as he raised the mirror to the right angle, he thought he saw someone else staring back at him. Gideon squinted and looked closer. The boy in the mirror had deep blue eyes. Two of them.

Chapter Text

Gideon continued to stare into the mirror, moving it around to catch the light in different ways, to the point where Madam Longbottom began to give him a questioning look. He couldn't understand it. His perception might still be off but there was no mistaking it. Both eyes were the same shade of blue, somehow neither light nor dark, but deep like the ocean.

Gideon had always preferred his green eye with its hazel corona. However, so long as both eyes matched, he supposed it was an improvement. The odd contrast of his heterochromia with his dark hair and fair complexion had always been the real problem.

His newly matching eyes and parted hair gave him a symmetry he had never possessed. It was a small change really, but to Gideon the difference was striking. He was seeing himself in a new light. A better light. The boy in the mirror was still pale, short, and skinny, but he didn't look odd.

'Is everything okay?' asked the matron with concern in her voice.

'Did you do something?' he asked quietly, finally returning the hand mirror.

The matron looked confused. 'How do you mean?' she asked.

'My eye...' he replied as if no further explanation was required, but the matron showed no sign of recognition. 'It used to be a different colour.'

'You mean the bruising?'

'No. My left eye. It was green! I had heterochromia.'

'The eye I have been treating has always been blue, Gideon,' she said sceptically, 'and your treatment information from St Mungo's didn't mention anything about heterochromia.'

Gideon's mind began to race. If what the matron said was accurate, his eye hadn't changed recently. It would have been so since his hospitalisation. Since the Dementor attack.

Grimsby had confirmed that the attack had triggered the release of his magic. Could that be connected to his eye changing colour? If so, was it possible that his heterochromia, like the seizures, was another symptom of his magic trying to escape? Or perhaps it was something more? What if it was the cause?

'I can look into it for you if you like?' the matron offered.

'No. It's fine.' Gideon assured her. 'Thank you for everything, Madam Longbottom.'

Gideon slowly made his way back to the Common Room deep in thought. It was late and the corridors were mostly clear of other students. He was sure that Madam Longbottom could uncover proof of his eye condition. However, he suspected her search would end there, with a simple medical explanation.

Gideon now believed there was more to it, something that wasn't going to be uncovered so easily. It kept coming back to him that his magic had to be released. That implied that it wasn't simply dormant, but that it might have been sealed. Sealed by someone or something. He couldn't help but wonder, what if his left eye had been evidence of that? What if it was a curse mark?

Maybe he was jumping to conclusions, but it seemed to fit, just as all the other pieces of the puzzle had. Gideon didn't know much about the subject, but he, like most children in the wizarding world, had grown up hearing about the most famous curse mark of all. The lightning bolt-shaped scar of The Chosen One—The Boy Who Lived.

Harry Potter's scar was supposedly the result of surviving the Killing Curse as a baby. He had been attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Did that mean Gideon had been cursed by someone? Did someone try to kill him as a baby too? Was that what Grimsby was hiding? Was it some kind of Ministry security issue that he couldn't discuss? Gideon shook his head. That didn't seem to fit.

What he did know, was that he was born magical and that something had happened to take away his magic. His eyes had been mismatched for as long as he could remember. If there was a connection and his eyes changed because of the release of his magic, then something must have been done to him when he was very young. Maybe it was something to do with his birth mother?

Gideon stopped in his tracks. He hadn't given the woman much thought. He had put her away in the back of his mind. Wondering about Gwendoline Drake, who she was and what had happened to her, felt like a disservice to his real mother, the woman who had raised him and was currently at St Mungo's.

Grimsby had mentioned that the Ministry had some information about her. Perhaps now was the time to see it?

'Look who it is!' announced Greg Stevens, leading his pack of Gryffindors down the corridor towards Gideon. 'That is him, isn't it?'

'What happened to your patch, Gideon? Get tired of playing Peter Pan?' Jason teased.

'Hook's the one who wears the eye patch, Jason,' Gideon corrected, standing his ground but analysing his surroundings.

With Greg and Jason, were three other boys, including Alex Grimsby standing at the back of the group. He looked just as angry as the last time Gideon had seen him. There was no getting past them, there were no doors nearby that he could dash into or teachers he could seek help from, and he wouldn't be able to outrun them.

'Yeah, well, whatever!' Jason responded, 'At least with the patch we didn't have to look at your creepy eyes, you little mutant!'

It was typical. He had been wearing an eye patch for weeks. Nobody at Hogwarts ever need know about his heterochromia, and yet here were the only three people at the school who did, all of them enemies.

'What are you talking about?' Gideon replied, feigning confusion while trying to buy time.

Jason appeared to squint and understanding dawned on him, 'His freaky eye's gone!'

'I thought he looked different! No worries, little man, we'll have you looking like your old, creepy self in no time!' said Greg nastily as he fished out his wand and began to close the gap between them.

Gideon had been slowly but discreetly reaching into his robe pocket for his wand during their conversation. He had a grip on it, but he hadn't come up with any ideas to get out of this mess. Duelling certainly wasn't an option. Again, he was reminded of how the other students had an edge over him in terms of experience.

Gideon cast his eyes around the corridor until he saw it, the tapestry hanging on the wall to his left. Mr Grimsby had pointed it out as they walked to the castle entrance. He would only have one chance to take them by surprise, he just hoped Grimsby's memory had been accurate.

Greg's vicious grin widened as he raised his wand above his head, preparing to cast his spell, but Gideon whipped out his own and yelled, 'Fumos!'

Just as it had down by the lake, a thick stream of smoke spewed from Gideon's wand, only this time, there was no wind to carry it away. Owing to the narrow confines of the corridor, Greg and his friends were quickly enveloped by fumes. Gideon, who had known ahead of time to hold his breath and close his eyes, blindly fumbled with the tapestry and sure enough, there was a hollow behind it.

'Lumos,' Gideon whispered as he opened his eyes inside one of the castle's many hidden passageways. Beyond the tapestry, he heard coughing, sputtering and the voice of Jason Crawley furiously demanding to know where Gideon had gone. He ran down the dark, ever-descending path.

At the end of the long passage was another tapestry. Gideon poked his head out and recognised a corridor by the top of the Entrance Hall staircase. There was still a chance the Gryffindors knew about the passageway or that they would find it. So, Gideon ran to the Common Room, with a big grin plastered across his face the whole way.

***

When Gideon entered the Slytherin Common Room out of breath but grinning like a Cheshire cat, his new friends demanded to know what had happened. He ended up recounting his tale several times to them, his former dormmates and several other Slytherins who took delight in hearing one of their own triumph over the Gryffindors.

The gathering of students turned into a small celebration. Jack the prefect managed to rustle up some treats from the kitchens, a group of older students broke out acoustic guitars and a make-shift drum kit using empty containers, and the twins, Jade and Jasper showed off some synchronised dancing while others sang popular Muggle songs.

'Must be nice to have that patch off, Gideon, congrats!' said Dorian as they clinked glasses.

'Thanks, it is!' Gideon replied, taking a delightful swig of fizzy pumpkin juice.

'Oh, that's what's different about you!' Gio chimed in, causing Dorian to shake his head.

'I just wish I could have seen their faces!' said Eoin for the third time that evening.

'You wouldn't have been able to, would you? Gideon fogged the gits good and proper!' Dorian commented as the group burst into hysterics.

'I'm glad you got that Alex Grimsby, Gideon,' said Cheryl Fitzsimmons, a tall girl with pigtails who had joined the discussion along with Sasha and the other third-year girls, 'I just hate boys who are prettier than me!'

'Yeah, that must be tough,' said Eoin dryly, whom Cheryl proceeded to hit playfully.

'Let's hope we can follow Gideon's example when we face them on the Quidditch pitch!' said Gio.

'You haven't made the team yet, Gio!' Tim reminded him.

'It's in the bag, trust me!' he replied while Dorian and Eoin rolled their eyes.

***

It had been a great evening. Gideon had never really been to a party with children his age. At least, not one where he was welcome. And they had been celebrating him in part! Still, as he lay in bed that night, watching the glow of the dorm window, he couldn't help thinking about his eye again. He tried going to sleep by promising himself he would visit the library and look up curse marks, but an errant memory was slowly struggling to surface.

He had done the same thing in another library around two years ago, hadn't he? After starting at Middling Academy, he had been fairly dedicated to scouring the British Library's books for answers about something. Something which he had eventually given up on after almost losing his life in a traffic collision. Gideon sat upright in his bed as the memory became clear.

'The Weaving,' he uttered under his breath. That was what he had been researching. It was something he had overheard in a discussion between his father and his grandmother. He concentrated and tried to recall the context. They had been talking about Gideon. A secret. Something that had been done to him. They had even mentioned Jonathan Grimsby.

This was it! This was what Grimsby couldn't tell him. Gideon was suddenly furious with himself for having buried such an important memory. So, his father and Grandmother were aware that something had been done to him. Something called The Weaving.

Whatever that was, it had presumably caused the loss of his magic, and possibly by extension, his heterochromia. But why had his grandmother been concerned about it? And why had it been done to him in the first place? Gideon was so close to an answer, he felt it in his bones.

***

Gideon didn't know how he had fallen asleep, as busy as his mind had been the night before, but he jumped out of bed as soon as the clock chimed on Thursday morning. He felt hyperaware as if he'd been eating chocolate-covered coffee beans.

After showering, Gideon observed his new reflection in the bathroom mirror. Out of habit, he made to flatten his fringe but stopped himself. Instead, he brushed his wet hair neatly and left It parted down the middle. He didn't just look different. He felt different. The corners of his mouth curled upward. He didn't dislike the new him. Although, he still wished he was taller!

The reading Gideon had done in preparation for third-year double Potions with Professor Long had been a waste. His mind was elsewhere, and it showed. When the students were supposed to present a sample of their Softening Solution at the end of class, Gideon's was ironically thick. Getting his sample into a vial was akin to putting toothpaste back into the tube.

Professor Long was far from impressed. She vanished his vial on the spot and tasked him with the extra homework of figuring out his mistakes. Along with her make-up work, Gideon had a lot to do before he could research The Weaving or curse marks.

Luckily, his new timetable gave him a free period after lunch, which he used to get started. He made a fair amount of progress before having to leave for Defence Against the Dark Arts, where he sat with Talia again.

She seemed to notice his patch had disappeared but didn't mention it. She kindly shared her textbook again while Professor Maxwell lectured them on the differences between Grindylows and Kappas, which were both dangerous water-dwelling creatures.

Gideon shook his head at the absurdity of his current situation. Here he was, sitting in front of the father who had abandoned him, pretending they weren't related. The man had all the answers Gideon was looking for, but he couldn't ask him.

The insanity of it all might have been funny if it wasn't so infuriating. For a mere instant, a flicker of Gideon's true feelings broke free of his mind's well-honed controls.

'Something the matter?' Talia murmured.

'No, nothing,' he replied.

'Okay, but you might want to put that out...' she suggested.

'Wha—argh!' Gideon cried upon noticing a small fire licking at his chin from the middle of his piece of parchment. He grabbed Talia's textbook and slammed it down hard over the flame.

The heads of the students and the professor whipped around to locate the source of the resounding thud. They came to rest on a red-faced Gideon, trying to look nonchalant through a thin veil of smoke, and Talia attempting to conceal her laughter behind her hands.

'What do you think you're doing back there?' yelled Professor Maxwell. 'Pay attention or get out! Five points from both your houses!'

Talia composed herself with some effort and the professor continued lecturing.

Once it seemed safe to do so, Gideon whispered frantically, 'Did I do that? I'm so sorry, that's never happened to me before!'

'Don't worry,' she replied, 'I'm just glad it wasn't me, for once! I can't believe you didn't notice! What were you thinking about?'

'Just someone who's been bugging me!' Gideon joked cleverly, remembering their first conversation.

***

Gideon spent another evening in the library but remembered to stop for dinner this time. He desperately wanted to research his personal matters, but with his make-up work, the regular load of third-year homework and the preparation reading for his new classes, there just wasn't time right now.

While reading the first chapter of the textbook for Ancient Runes, Gideon worried that he might have been better off studying Divination, after all. The strange symbols and pictograms in the book all seemed to blend. They were quite literally a foreign language to him. He went to sleep that night picturing the symbols whenever he closed his eyes.

***

All too soon, Gideon found himself looking at the funny symbols again. Professor Rebus had two blackboards in his classroom, one of them covered in runes. He was a bizarre-looking older man. He had white hair with matching friendly mutton chops and wore houndstooth-patterned robes with a silver pocket watch attached, and interestingly enough, a monocle.

When he took a puff from an old-fashioned pipe, Gideon couldn't help but giggle at how much he looked like a stereotypical character from an old Muggle detective novel. The image was funnier still when his pipe expelled bubbles instead of smoke.

Despite appearances, he turned out to be rather interesting. With one foot up on a chair, he delighted the students with tales of his time as an archaeologist, then later as a curse breaker. Gideon came to understand that a knowledge of Ancient Runes was useful in fields such as those, where old writings could be messages, instructions or even warnings.

When his bubbles finally ran out, the professor was startled to see how much time had gone by, 'Right, enough dawdling! Turn to page twelve in your books and identify the runes I've listed on the board. Quickly now.'

The seat next to Gideon was taken by a Hufflepuff girl he didn't know. 'Do you mind if I share your textbook? I don't have mine yet,' he said.

She smiled meekly, shook her head, made a confirmatory sort of noise, and slid over the book. The girl looked familiar, but Gideon couldn't place her. She had rich brown eyes and her black hair was separated into two thick braids, which wrapped around the sides and met at the back like a laurel crown.

'Thanks,' he said, to which she smiled again and repeated the mumbling sound. 'I'm Gideon. I'm new—sort of.'

'Ruby,' she whispered, despite most of the other students talking openly.

As they got on with the work, Gideon came across several parts he was unsure of and asked Ruby for assistance. He quickly realised Ruby was a painfully shy girl and limited himself to yes or no questions. Ruby would simply smile and answer with a nod or shake of her head.

Gideon was glad to discover Ancient Runes wasn't as dull as he had expected. The way the symbols could stand for numbers, letters, words or even phrases was intriguing. However, he was doubtful of whether he would be able to remember the shapes and their combinations with any ease. They reminded him of astronomy constellations, which he had always struggled with.

As they packed up their bags, Gideon handed Ruby her textbook and thanked her again, when their hands touched briefly, and he got a mild static shock. 'Oops, sorry!' he said, laughing it off.

However, Ruby appeared to have suffered a much stronger shock. She dropped the book and nursed her hand. Her eyes were closed tightly as if in pain.

When she remained that way, Gideon, a little panic-stricken, asked her, 'Ruby? Are you okay? Did I do something—'

Ruby finally made her odd noise, smiled weakly and shook her head. Gideon was confused but relieved.

'Well, see you later?' he said apprehensively as he spotted Dorian and Tim leaving the room. She smiled in reply, and he made to follow the boys.

'Umm, Gideon?' Ruby muttered. He barely heard her but turned back. She was looking down at the floor while holding her bag close to her chest. 'Y-you should be careful of fire, Gideon,' she said hesitantly.

'Huh?' Gideon replied before it dawned on him, 'Oh, did you hear about yesterday? It was just an accident; I was distracted and a little upset about something, but I put it out right away!'

Ruby looked into Gideon's eyes earnestly for a few moments and opened her mouth as if to say something.

'Are you coming, Gideon?' called Tim.

A bemused Gideon briefly turned to see Tim and Dorian waiting for him beyond the door. When he looked back around, Ruby had left without another word.

Chapter Text

It was a warm, sunny weekend and Gideon wanted to be outside with the others to enjoy it. Unfortunately, he had been cooped up in the library. He had thought about going down to the Quidditch pitch to watch Dorian and Gio try out for the house team, but after reflecting on his second week at Hogwarts, he decided against it.

He hadn’t earned a single point for Slytherin since becoming a third-year. On the contrary, he had lost points. He hoped to turn that around but first came his make-up work. Once he finished it and understood what he had missed, his standard homework assignments would surely make more sense.

By Sunday evening he had done just that, barring Astronomy, the classes for which were on Mondays. Gideon let out a long sigh after returning the last library book to its shelf and slumped over on his desk. He rested his head on his arms and closed his eyes for a few moments of blissful oblivion.

After a minute or two Gideon reluctantly hoisted himself up. He still had things to do. Logically, he knew that he should spend the remainder of the evening getting in some spell practice or extra reading, but he had waited long enough. He found the library’s ancient card catalogue and looked up “curse”.

To say there were a lot of references was an understatement. Gideon didn’t know where to start except at the beginning. After scanning through several titles, he had the presence of mind to start keeping a list of his progress. It was a good thing, too, as he hadn’t found anything useful come closing time. Curse instructions, curse effects, curse creation, curse removal, but nothing along the lines of curse marks.

***

‘We hardly saw you all weekend! Where were you?’ Gio commented across the table at breakfast on Monday.

‘The library,’ Gideon informed him, ‘I told you. I had all that make-up work to do.’

‘You should’ve just done it some other time,’ he replied.

‘Don’t mind him, Gideon, he just wants to tell you his news,’ Eoin commented.

Gio beamed as Gideon turned to him, ‘You’re looking at the Slytherin Quidditch team’s newest Keeper!’

‘Oh, really?’ said Gideon. He had returned from the library to find the other boys had gone to bed early and hadn’t heard about the results of the trials. ‘Good going, Gio! How about you, Dorian?’

Dorian shrugged and answered, ‘Maybe next year. The competition was pretty strong, to be honest. I think we've got a good team this year, even with Gio in goal…'

Gideon almost choked on his toast as he tried to stifle a laugh. It was a few moments before Gio reacted, ‘Hey!’

***

Charms followed by Astronomy that morning meant back-to-back classes with the Gryffindor boys, who Gideon hadn't crossed paths with since their run-in and the ensuing smokescreen, which they clearly hadn't forgotten. Jason and Greg sent death stares across the classrooms, along with a couple of jinxes when Professor Keane and Kenyatta weren't looking.

Luckily for Gideon, his fellow Slytherins had his back. They returned glares, fended off spells and stayed close to Gideon between classes. He was a little embarrassed but touched by the show of support.

The bigger surprise had been Alex Grimsby. Eoin had mentioned something about the boy showing off in classes, but Gideon thought it had been a joke. Alex always knew the answers to questions when called upon, but that was rare because he usually had his hand raised casually in the air whenever one was asked openly.

If Gideon had counted right, and he was sure he had since Greg and Jason sycophantically high-fived every time, Alex had earned Gryffindor House twenty-five points before lunch. He decided he couldn't let that stand.

Gideon finished Professor Kenyatta’s make-up work over lunch, tricky though it was, so he could hit the books hard that evening. In Transfiguration, Gideon fully transformed his mouse into a hairbrush, and then more impressively, reversed the spell on the first try, earning him five points.

The last class before the night-time Astronomy lesson was Ancient Runes. Professor Rebus recounted more stories from his youth before once again consulting his pocket watch with surprise. This, it seemed, was to be a regular occurrence.

Ruby happily shared her textbook again, but Gideon couldn't help noticing her staring at him occasionally, which became very distracting. Convinced she wanted to say something to him, he tried to make it seem as if he was open to talking and attempted to engage her in idle chit-chat, but she barely uttered a word all lesson.

***

In his usual corner of the library, Gideon was having trouble getting his priorities in order. He was done with his make-up work but that didn’t automatically mean he was at the same level as the other third-years, and he wouldn't settle for that anyway. He wanted to go beyond what was expected, and not just for the sake of competing with Alex Grimsby.

Gideon’s dream of attending Hogwarts had come true. He had also gained magical abilities after being convinced he was a Squib. He was fostering friendships and learning about things he never thought possible. Now that things had turned around, he was determined to make the most of it.

For today, though, he decided to take a break. He didn’t want to be tired out during Astronomy. From tomorrow, he would throw himself into a new study regimen.

Back in the Common Room, Gideon relaxed into a seat in front of the fire and absent-mindedly watched the second-years, Jade and Jasper play a game of wizard’s chess. They appeared to be a good match for each other, moving the pieces about quickly as if like they could read each other’s minds.

Gideon wondered if it were anything to do with being twins, then another thought occurred to him, ‘Do you two happen to have any more siblings?’

‘Yeah, loads, why?’ answered Jade.

‘It just occurred to me that you remind me of someone, but I’m probably imagining it,’ Gideon added.

‘Who?’ asked Jasper without looking away from the game.

‘A Hufflepuff girl in some of my classes—’

‘That’ll be our Ruby!’ said Jasper.

‘Yeah, that’s her!’ Gideon confirmed.

'The Williams kids are all at Hogwarts right now,' Jade explained. 'Esmeralda is in the fifth year and Saphira's in fourth. They're both in Ravenclaw. Then there's Ruby in Hufflepuff, us in Slytherin, and Amber who started this year in Gryffindor!'

‘Wow!’ Gideon exclaimed. ‘That’s unusual, isn’t it?

‘What, all being named after gems? Silly, isn’t it?’ Jade said, shaking her head.

‘Oh, no,’ he said apologetically, ‘I mean, all being in different houses?’

‘I guess so,’ said Jasper, ‘but it’s not that surprising to us. We’re all so different. You must get it, knowing Ruby? I don’t know how she ended up so shy.’

‘Middle child syndrome,’ Jade commented. ‘How about you, Gideon?’

Gideon didn’t see any point in lying, though, knowing now that his siblings weren’t related by blood meant the comparison was meaningless. ‘My brother’s in his final year and my sister’s graduated. Both Gryffindors,’ he said.

‘Ah! So, you’re the black sheep of the family, like us, eh?’ Jasper jested.

‘You could say that,’ Gideon replied.

After playing a few games of chess with the twins and getting in a quick nap, Gideon and the third-years headed off to the Astronomy tower with their telescopes in hand and their cloaks on. Luckily, it wasn’t a windy night, but it was still cold high up on top of the tower.

Professor Kenyatta, today in cheetah-print robes, had them locate the constellation they had discussed that morning and draw the surrounding stars on charts.

‘When you think you’re finished, let me see your charts. Your homework will be to name the other stars and identify any constellations they are a part of. In addition, based on this information, I expect you to determine the location of the Earth in relation to the Sun—’

‘Argh!’ cried out Gideon suddenly.

‘Yes, Mr Maxwell?’ the professor asked.

Gideon had felt a short but sharp pain that caused his whole body to lurch. ‘Err, nothing, Sir, sorry.’ Gideon dismissed it but a few minutes later it happened again. This time he was able to stifle a yell, but a high-pitched squeal escaped him instead.

‘Something the matter?’ asked Sasha with an expression of curiosity so much like her sister’s. Gideon shook his head, but when it happened for the third time and his fingers sparked against his brass telescope, he spun around to look for the source.

Even in the starlight, Gideon could make out the silent but unmistakable shaking movements of the Gryffindor boys trying to conceal their laughter. They were hitting him in the back with the Shocker Spell. Alex didn’t appear to be laughing but maybe he was just better at hiding it.

Gideon was angry but he didn't want to give Alex, Jason, or Greg the satisfaction of knowing they had gotten to him. So, Gideon did something clever, but also a little foolish.

He pointed his wand at himself and muttered, 'Torpify.’

A small white light hit his chest. The effect was immediate, and so was his sense of regret. Gideon had used the Numbing Charm on himself. It felt like a body-wide case of pins and needles. He had to use his telescope to steady himself, which wasn't easy now that he could barely feel his hands.

However, when the next invisible Shocker hit, the sensation was barely noticeable. After four or five more spells hit him without provoking a reaction, the Gryffindors gave up. Gideon's star chart turned out to be a bit of a mess, but he promised Professor Kenyatta that he would fix it later.

Once the Gryffindor boys had left the tower top through the hatch, Gideon explained to the Slytherins what had transpired. He didn't want to, but he needed help carrying his things and getting back to the Common Room.

'Why didn't you say anything? I would have sorted those gits out!' roared Eoin as he and Tim supported each of Gideon's arms.

‘That’s exactly why!’ Gideon responded. ‘I don’t want anyone getting in trouble because of me! I can handle those guys.’

‘What, by numbing yourself again?’ said Dorian, more concerned than angry, ‘It won’t just be weak Shockers they hit you with next time!’

‘They’re not going to hex him in front of the teachers, are they? Besides, you have to admit, that was pretty smart of Gideon!’ Gio commented.

‘Yeah, I never would have thought of that,’ said Cheryl while Sasha nodded in agreement.

‘Well, that’s not saying much, is it?’ joked Eoin.

As Cheryl proceeded to smack Eoin with her bag, Sasha added, ‘It would have been smarter if you knew the reversal spell, Gideon.’

‘I hadn’t read that far ahead,’ Gideon explained bashfully. ‘But I won’t make that mistake again. It’s on now!’

‘What does that mean?’ Sasha questioned.

‘Don’t do anything drastic, Gideon!’ Dorian warned.

‘It means I’m going to fight them in my own way!’ Gideon announced. ‘I’m going to take every house point that’s up for grabs and do my part to make sure we win the House Cup! Grimsby won’t know what’s hit him!’

***

Gideon was fired up. The day after his spell wore off, he started carefully dividing up his free time. As the days went by, he soon found a balance between the work he needed to do, the extra work he was determined to do, and the research he wanted to do. He even devised a timetable to make sure he didn’t get carried away with one or the other.

He also continued to keep note of how far he had gone through the card catalogue’s “curse” results. He wasn’t making much progress there, but his extra studying and spell practice were showing results.

In the classes Gideon shared with the Ravenclaws, he was getting the hang of Transfiguration spells and the level of understanding behind them, he was impressing Professor Hagrid with his knowledge of magical creatures, and he wasn’t giving his father any reason to fault his work or his spells. The Ravenclaws weren’t happy about it, except for Talia, whose company he was enjoying.

With the Hufflepuffs, Gideon found figuring out rune translations on the blackboard to be like a televised Muggle game show he liked, his attention span and answers in History of Magic were improving, and his potions were beginning to rival Dorian’s to the point where he thought Professor Long had smiled.

The best classes turned out to be those with the Gryffindors, where Gideon was matching Alex Grimsby point-for-point when it came to answering questions in Muggle Studies and Charms and trouncing him in Herbology. Naturally, he was still having trouble with Astronomy. However, his fellow Slytherins had stepped up there.

They had also been accompanying Gideon around to make sure he wasn't targeted, even taking turns pretending to run into him outside the library around closing time. He went along with their transparent deception and chose to be grateful rather than embarrassed. There was a real sense of camaraderie growing between them.

They had each answered Gideon's call to arms and the proof was evident by the jealous glares of students from other houses as well as, of course, the house point hourglasses. The number of emeralds in the Slytherin hourglass had a firm lead on the rubies, sapphires, and topaz of the other three. Gideon and his friends couldn't be sure they were responsible, of course, until Professor Voronov called a meeting in the Common Room one evening.

‘I’m especially happy with the efforts of our third-year students, who have made a significant contribution to our lead,’ the professor informed them with a dangerous glean in his eye. ‘I expect the same of all of you. I also expect you all to support our new Quidditch team, whom I’m told have been working hard at practice. Our first match will be against Gryffindor next month. Do not disappoint me.’

‘I can’t believe he mentioned us!’ Cheryl exclaimed as the professor’s robes billowed behind him and through the passageway.

‘I’m not sure he meant you, Cheryl!’ Joked Eoin.

‘Hey! I’ve been trying just as hard as anyone, especially with Astronomy! Professor Kenyatta’s given me a fair few points, thank you very much!’ she responded.

'That's right,' said Sasha, 'It is fun to work together like this, isn't it? I hear Verity in Ravenclaw is furious that we're taking points from her; she usually scoops them up!'

‘I never thought I’d say it, but yeah,’ Gio said, ‘and it’s not just her, the Gryffindors are furious. The vein on Crawley’s head looked like it was fit to burst the last time Keane called on Gideon instead of Grimsby! I’m just sad I’m not contributing more.’

‘What are you talking about? Professor Hagrid loves your sketches!’ Gideon asserted.

‘Yeah, Gio! Plus, you’ll show em’ on the Quidditch pitch soon enough,’ Dorian assured him, ‘so long as you can remember which end of your broomstick is which!’

***

The arrival of Gideon’s new textbooks meant his studying was no longer limited to the confines of the library. They came with a letter of support from Caroline, a box of Chocolate Frogs and clippings from a Daily Prophetarticle. He tucked into them while reading by the Common Room fire.

DEMENTOR THREAT RISES: MINISTER UNDER PRESSURE

As Dementor activity in Scotland increases daily, the Minister for Magic is facing continued scrutiny over her response or lack thereof.

Concern around this issue among the magical community is growing, especially relating to the safety of Scottish Muggles who are falling prey to the negative effects of the Dementors and are being disproportionately attacked owing to their proximity to offshore breeding grounds.

The Minister is facing tough questions about the success of her Anti-Dementor Task Force as well as her Patronus Initiative. The first has yet to yield any results and the second, which calls upon Scottish wizards and witches to protect their neighbours in place of Aurors, has had a very low take-up.

Wizengamot member, Draco Malfoy, who has recently spoken out against Minister Granger-Weasley had this to say on the matter:

‘Dementors are running free, and the Minister has done nothing! Potter’s Auror response has been more of a farce than a force. One has to wonder how seriously they are taking this crisis when they allow Marcus Maxwell, the very capable Head of the Auror Office to go on sabbatical to teach at Hogwarts!’

The article left Gideon more confused than ever about his father's appointment at Hogwarts. He had always been so serious about his job. If things were so bad, just what was he doing here? Was it worth it, just to keep an eye on Gideon, if that was what he was doing? Had his mother’s injury affected the man that much?

Gideon didn’t know. What he was sure of, was that he was exhausted. After almost two weeks of non-stop studying, he needed an early night. He climbed into bed that evening and quickly drifted off. He dreamt of running across the school grounds while being chased by a swarm of books. The books soon caught up to him and piled on him.

Then, a hand reached out as if to pull him free of the scrum. Suddenly, the books were gone, and his surroundings changed. The extended hand belonged to a dark-haired young woman. She was reaching for him and calling his name.

Gideon felt compelled to reach out to her, but in place of his own limb, he found an abnormally short arm with an abnormally tiny hand. It seemed very important that their hands met but he just couldn’t reach her. Suddenly, a wall of flames came between them and the last thing he saw was the woman’s pained expression as she was consumed by the fire.

‘Noooo!’ Gideon called out as he lurched up in his bed, his heart racing.

It was fading as all dreams did upon waking, but he remembered it. This was the nightmare that had been plaguing his sleeping thoughts, the one that he couldn’t recall until now. He finally knew what it was about, but now almost wished he didn’t. It had been an awful vision. He couldn’t wipe the woman’s look of anguish from his mind.

‘You alright, Gideon?’ asked Dorian considerately from the next bed.

It was dark. Gideon had been asleep for a while, but he didn’t know for how long. He could hear soft snores coming from the other beds. ‘Just a bad dream. Sorry if I woke you up,’ he said apologetically while laying back down on his side, pulling his knees up to his chest and gathering the covers around him tightly.

‘What about?’ Dorian questioned quietly.

Gideon considered that for a few moments before responding, ‘I don’t know. I can’t remember.’ In truth, though, he felt with an unexplainable but absolute certainty, that the woman from his dream had been his birth mother, Gwendoline Drake.

Chapter Text

Having the dream and waking up suddenly afterwards became routine. No matter what Gideon dreamed about, it would eventually morph into the same short sequence; reaching out for the woman with his abnormally small hands before she was engulfed in flames.

Gideon had sent a letter to Jonathan Grimsby the morning after he had recalled the dream’s contents for the first time. On the first Monday of October, the man’s response was delivered with the morning owl post. However, it brought with it a new and unexpected problem.

‘What’s he doing over here?’ asked Eoin, his words barely discernible between his accent and a mouthful of toast.

Gideon's group turned to see Alex Grimsby striding up the Great Hall towards the end of the Slytherin table. 'Hand it over, Maxwell!' Alex demanded out of the blue.

‘What?’ Gideon responded in surprise.

‘Back off, Grimsby!’ Eoin snapped as he stood up.

‘Wait, what are you talking about?’ Dorian added more calmly.

'The letter, the package, hand them over!' Alex insisted, much to the confusion of the Slytherins.

'They're mine!' Gideon asserted with what he thought was justifiable anger. Students at the other tables noticed the disruption, including Alex's Gryffindor friends, who began to make their way across the hall.

Alex's frown deepened. 'Here, Tempest!' he called. The long-eared owl that had delivered Gideon's letter hopped across the table and up onto Alex's outstretched arm. 'This is my family's owl! Now hand over my mail!'

Gideon’s face flushed red in understanding as Eoin and the approaching Gryffindors began to square up. Jonathan Grimsby had used his family owl to contact Gideon, and his son must have spotted it arrive and land on the other side of the room. Given the growing rivalry between the boys, Alex's reaction was natural.

Gideon got up from his chair and held up the envelope for Alex to see. In as conciliatory a tone as he could, Gideon told him, ‘It’s addressed to me, Alex.’

Alex scanned the envelope attached to the parcel from under his furrowed brows. There was a note of acknowledgement on his face, but he didn't seem satisfied.

‘You alright, Al?’ said Greg from over Eoin’s shoulder.

‘What did the freak do, mate?’ Jason added nastily.

Gideon suspected Alex now wanted to ask why Gideon was being contacted by a member of his family. However, with the surrounding Gryffindors, Slytherins and others watching—not to mention several teachers—he appeared to decide against it. After a final scowl at Gideon, he walked away and out of the room.

‘What the heck was all that about, Gideon?’ Eoin asked as he and the rest of the students returned to their breakfasts.

‘Why was his owl delivering your post?' Gio enquired.

'I don't know,' Gideon fibbed as he opened his letter. 'I've been expecting something from the Ministry of Magic. I think I heard him mention his dad works there once. Ah, yeah, it's signed by a guy named Grimsby. It must be his dad.'

Neither Gio nor anyone else at the table looked convinced by Gideon’s explanation, but fortunately, it was time to get to class.

***

With his increasing lack of sleep and Grimsby’s package in his bag, just waiting to be opened, Gideon found it difficult to concentrate in class. That was rather inconvenient as Greg and Jason seemed to be in the mood for trouble and shot levitated objects across the room whenever Professor Keane’s back was turned.

Balls of parchment weren’t a problem but in an unfocused moment, Gideon wasn’t able to block them upending his ink pot all over his work. Angry though he was, Gideon wasn’t going to fall for their baiting, and their disruptions didn't stop him from earning ten points for Slytherin.

In Astronomy, though, Gideon needed to focus. He was falling behind as it was and today, they were starting work on the phases of the moon. Luckily, his classmates were continuing to support him, and whenever one of the Gryffindor boys attempted something, one of the Slytherins sitting behind them would hit them with a well-deserved but low-voltage Shocker.

When lunchtime finally arrived, Gideon headed to the Common Room and opened the package in the privacy of the dormitory. It wasn’t very thick. There were a few bits of paper and some odds and ends.

Gideon wasn’t sure what he was expecting to find, but the items Mr Grimsby had sent weren't looking promising. For the most part, they appeared to be general everyday documents that might have been taken from her handbag; bills and such, and her passport. However, they were mainly written in French, which Gideon couldn’t read.

He had forgotten that Mr Grimsby had mentioned she was a French national. He wondered if that meant he was French too. Gideon opened the passport and flicked through to the identity page. There she was, the woman from his dream. He had been right. It was a small photo, and she looked a bit younger than he could recall, but it was undoubtedly her.

Gwendoline Drake was indeed very pretty, as Mr Grimsby had said. He could see his dark hair and fair complexion in her picture, though, she had brown eyes. Her birthday was listed as the fifteenth of January. Gideon did the numbers in his head. She had been just twenty-four years old when Gideon was born. She would have been thirty-seven now—had she lived.

Gideon kept the passport page open as he continued to go through the other items. More documents, a couple of pens, some make-up and jewellery. Was this all that remained of her? He felt sad for Gwendoline and for himself. Apart from confirming that she had been the woman in his nightmare, there were no answers to be found amongst the small pile on his bed.

Once he had looked over everything twice, he put the items back in their envelope and placed them in the bottom of his trunk. All except a simple silver pendant necklace with a green gem, which he thought was cool and decided to wear under his robes.

***

Gideon had hoped that learning a little about Gwendoline Drake would make the dream stop. Instead, it became a nightly occurrence. With the continued disruption to his sleeping pattern taking its toll and his dedication to studying already tiring him out, Dorian suggested that Gideon unwind by joining one of the new weekend clubs listed on the Common Room noticeboard.

Eoin thought he should give Flying another chance, but Gideon wasn’t sure he could face Mr Wood just yet. Instead, he thought it might be interesting to attend the Sunday Charms Club. It was described as “a place for students to have fun using spells in larger numbers and combining magic to perform unique feats”.

‘So, how are things, Gideon?’ asked Brendan from his former dorm. Brendan, Emma, Sasha and Cheryl were all Charms Club members and accompanied him to the Charms classroom when they heard he was interested in joining.

‘Not too bad. How about you?’ Gideon responded.

‘Good,’ Brendan replied, ‘we’re learning to ignore Vinny when he plays up!’

The Charms room was surprisingly dark. The curtains had all been drawn and the lamps were not lit, but Gideon saw a couple of familiar faces, mainly girls. He saw Verity the Ravenclaw, a Gryffindor girl whose name he couldn’t recall from Astronomy, and standing alone at the side of the room, Ruby Williams.

‘Okay, everyone, it looks like we’re all here,’ announced Verity, clapping for everyone’s attention.

‘This week we’re going to practice the Glow Charm again. However, Professor Trelawney let us borrow her crystal balls, so if we do it right, it should be really pretty!’ said a tall girl to Verity’s right with a long plait. ‘We’ll practice in pairs first and then we’ll join together!’

Emma pulled a reluctant Brendan over to an open space. Gideon looked around and noticed that Ruby didn't have a partner either, so he made his way across the room.

‘Hi Ruby,’ he said. ‘Can I work with you?’

She silently but happily agreed, and they each sat down on two of the many cushions that had been laid out. In between each pair was a crystal ball on a stand.

‘Okay, the wand movement is simple, but you need to get the spell pronunciation right, people!’ said the tall girl as she pointed to the blackboard and wrote the incantation in chalk, ‘It’s fulgeos, ful-ge-os, okay?’

‘So, we just have to make the crystal ball glow?’

‘Uhm,’ Ruby replied simply before whispering, ’but we can try different colours and effects and see if we can synchronise our spells to make the effect stronger.’

Gideon was happy to see that she was more talkative than usual. Ruby went first and the crystal ball began to emit a small light from within. Others around the room began to light up as well. They reminded Gideon of his treasured Glowglobe, although, that didn't require a wand.

Gideon performed the spell to add his magic to the ball, ‘Fulgeos!’

It began to shine much more brightly. It didn’t seem like particularly advanced magic, but it was indeed pretty to look at. Around the room, others had begun to shine brightly, though, Gideon thought his and Ruby’s was sparkling more.

‘You did it on the first try,’ Ruby whispered excitedly. ‘It took us all a while to get the quills to glow last week.’

'Oh,' Gideon said with surprise, 'I guess a crystal ball is just better to do this with. Shall we try different colours?'

Gideon focused on changing the colour of the light, and it worked, but he instinctively reduced his magical output so as not to attract attention. Ruby watched their ball with awe. Charms seemed to be her subject. She even added effects before Gideon.

'You're good at this,' he complimented her.

She shook her head and smiled bashfully but replied, ‘It’s because you synchronised the spells.’

‘I met your brother and sister, you know—Jade and Jasper—they’re in my house. They seem like a fun pair,’ he commented as the light began to remind him of the old Johnston Primary disco ball that got brought out for torturous school events.

However, the girl did not reply. Her expression had turned blank, and her eyes were wide and unblinking, fixed upon the swirling light of the crystal ball.

‘Ruby?’ Gideon called to no avail. He forcibly ended his spell and tried again as the crystal ball became transparent, ‘Ruby?’

‘Oh, sorry! Err, yes, they’re fun,’ Ruby replied. She looked sad, perhaps even scared.

Ruby opened her mouth to say something else to Gideon, but she was interrupted by Verity calling out, ‘Okay everyone, let’s try it together!’

The group quickly cleared the floor of cushions, safely moved their crystal balls to the teacher’s desk and formed a circle.

'I'll hold it up as you all add your spells one by one!' the group leader announced as she increased the size of one of the crystal balls, then floated it high into the middle of the room.

Gideon watched as one by one, the group of thirty or so students performed their Glow Charms.

‘Maybe we should leave?’ Ruby whispered out of the blue.

‘Huh? Why?’ Gideon asked.

Ruby didn’t respond and it was almost his turn. The ball was now something to behold. The combined spells made it shine brightly with different colours and patterns. Brendan added his spell, which made the ball sparkle a little more. Emma’s addition added glittering pink spots, Sasha’s did the same but blue, and Cheryl’s spell made the ball brighten and pulsate. Next was Gideon’s turn.

‘Fulgeos!’ he commanded. Suddenly the ball began to shine like nothing before. It dazzled with colour and the light seemed to spread beyond the ball, pulsating to the very edges of the room. He could almost feel the waves of light washing over his skin.

It was the most beautiful thing Gideon had ever seen. He was enthralled with the way it seemed to respond to his very thoughts, shining and dancing like an aurora. Just as sparkles began to form around the ball like the rings of Saturn, the light disappeared completely.

‘What do you think you’re doing?’ the tall group leader yelled.

Gideon looked around with confusion. He and the tall girl were the only ones with their wands raised. The other pupils all had varied expressions from wonder, awe and fascination, to jealousy, fear and even disgust.

‘This is supposed to be a group activity!’ the leader continued.

***

Brendan explained to Gideon later that shortly after he had begun, the rest of the club had stopped their spells. His magic alone had done things that they all couldn't accomplish as a group. Brendan was one of the few who was impressed but a good number of the club seemed annoyed, including the Club Leader, who had cancelled his spell.

After dinner, Gideon was beginning to regret attending the club, and not just because of his odd magical spectacle. Rather than being a relaxing bit of fun, it had left him feeling more tired than ever.

Gideon lazily climbed the stairs of the clock tower that evening and entered the Hospital Wing. Thankfully, Madam Longbottom’s husband was nowhere in sight today. The matron looked up from her desk as he knocked politely on the office door.

‘Oh, Gideon! How’s the eye doing?’ she asked.

‘Well, I think,’ he responded.

‘Let’s take a look,’ she said before leading him to a bed and going through her normal routine. ‘Everything looks fine. Although, you’re looking a little tired. Are you getting enough sleep?’

Gideon was impressed by the matron’s diagnosis.

‘Actually, that’s the reason I came,’ he told her. ‘I haven’t been sleeping well. I’m having trouble going to sleep and when I do, I wake up in the middle of the night.’

‘Bad dreams?’ she asked.

Gideon nodded in reply.

‘Are you dreaming about anything in particular that might be keeping you up?’

Gideon evasively shook his head.

‘Well, dreams are the way our unconscious mind works through things. Even the bad ones have their uses. However, if they’re stopping you from getting the rest you need, they become counterproductive.’

The matron went to her office and returned with two stoppered vials of purple liquid.

‘Dreamless Sleep Potion,’ she informed him. ‘There are two doses here, so you can get some rest over the weekend. After that, it's best to let your brain do its thing.'

Gideon gladly took the vials and promised to let the matron know how he was feeling in a few days. He made his way back to the Common Room, longing for the good night’s sleep she promised him. However, as he rounded a corner, he found himself face to face with Jason and his gang of Gryffindors again.

Gideon started to run back the way he came, looking for an escape, but the Gryffindors were close behind him and gaining fast.

‘Locomotor Mortis!’ yelled Greg.

Suddenly, Gideon found himself falling face-first into the stone floor, his legs bound together tightly. He turned his head in time to avoid hitting his nose, but the impact was sure to leave a bruise on his cheek. He quickly reached into his robes for his wand.

‘Expelliarmus!’ Jason shouted.

It was too late. Jason’s Disarming Charm sent Gideon’s wand shooting out of his hand before he could utter a spell of his own. They had him; alone and defenceless.

‘You’ve been avoiding us, little guy,’ said Greg with his twisted smile.

‘Hex him good Greg!’ encouraged one of the boys.

‘But where to start?’ Greg pondered aloud, pointing to Gideon’s body parts individually as if trying to make his mind up.

‘His eye,’ said Jason, ‘remember? We were going to fix it for him before he rudely ran away from us last time!’

‘Oh, that’s right!’ Greg replied raising his wand above his head.

Gideon frowned angrily in frustration.

‘Seriously guys?’ said another voice a little further beyond the others. Greg turned around and the others parted a little, so they could see each other. It was Alex Grimsby. His arms were folded, and he looked thoroughly bored.

‘What’s the matter, Al? Don’t you want a piece?’ Greg asked.

‘Not particularly,’ he answered tonelessly.

‘But the freak’s been showing us up at every opportunity! You especially! And there was the thing with your owl!’ Jason protested.

‘You guys can do what you want,’ Alex announced exasperatedly, ‘but I’ve got better things to do.’

Greg seemed shaken for a moment, but he made eye contact with a shrugging Jason and turned back towards Gideon, ‘I guess I’ll have to be quick, then!’

As Alex turned to leave, Greg raised his wand and pointed it at Gideon’s face. Gideon closed his eyes and braced himself. A series of bright red flashes shone through his tightly closed eyelids. However, there was no pain—no feeling whatsoever.

Gideon hesitantly opened his eyes to a confusing scene. For a moment, he thought the Gryffindor boys had disappeared. Greg, Jason, Alex and their two friends were all sprawled out across the floor.

Gideon began to panic. Had it happened again? Had Gideon hurt them without realising it, just as he had hurt his mother? But how could that be? He would know if he had used magic like that, wouldn't he?

‘Finite incantatem,' an angry voice uttered from behind him, interrupting Gideon's escalating thoughts. The Leg Locker Curse had been removed. Gideon turned immediately to find his brother accompanied by a friend, standing in the next doorway, wand raised and looking livid.

‘Ant?’ Gideon called out timidly. Anthony made eye contact with Gideon briefly before disappearing beyond the doorway and dragging his shocked-looking friend along with him. Gideon got to his feet slowly. He didn’t know what to do. Were the Gryffindors okay? Why had Anthony helped him? Should he get the matron?

When one of the boys stirred, Gideon knew they were at least alive, and decided to escape while he could. For a fleeting moment, he felt bad as he stepped over the blonde head of Alex Grimsby to retrieve his wand. The boy had been about to leave, hadn’t he? However, Gideon quickly reminded himself that Alex hadn’t done anything to stop Greg and Jason. Not really.

***

Before climbing into bed that night, Gideon swallowed his first potion in one go. It was surprisingly sweet and had the calming scent of lavender. He curled up under the covers, plagued by thoughts of the Gryffindors and his brother's unexpected intervention. Despite that, he soon succumbed to his tiredness and drifted off into peaceful nothingness. The potion was doing its job.

At some point in the night, though, his mind's eye found itself in a vast blackness. Out of the darkness, a small, solitary light appeared in the distance. As Gideon fixated on it, the light came closer until it was within reach. The moment Gideon's outstretched fingers connected with it, the blackness around him was drawn into it like a whirlpool and it disappeared. His new surroundings were blurry yet familiar.

He turned to find Gwendoline Drake reaching out for him. Once again, in place of his own limb, he found an abnormally short arm with an abnormally tiny hand. As always, she was just beyond his reach. Then, as suddenly as ever, a wall of flames came between them and the last thing he saw was her anguished expression as she was consumed by the fire.

‘Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!’

‘Wha-what’s wrong?’ said Gideon in a panic.

‘GET UP NOW! FIRE!’ Dorian yelled, his face aglow with flickering orange light. Beyond him, the curtains surrounding their four poster beds were blazing fiercely and a layer of smoke was pooling on the ceiling.

Chapter Text

Gideon remained frozen to the spot until Dorian dragged him out of bed by his arm. Ducking down to avoid the flames, they moved to the opposite end of the room where Gio and Eoin were watching in disbelief.

Just then, Jack, Rebecca and the other prefects arrived at the open door with Tim in tow.

‘Stay back,’ Rebecca told them, raising her arms as if to shield the group of boys. The others conjured water with their wands to extinguish the fires.

‘What happened here?’ Jack demanded angrily while the remaining prefects sucked up strands of smoke with their wands like anteaters feasting on prey.

The boys exchanged looks. Gio looked furious. Gideon didn’t know what had transpired, but if what Gio had said was true, he had to come clean.

Jack’s eyes fell on Gideon with a sign of recognition. ‘You again, huh?’ he accused.

‘No! It was me,’ said Dorian out of the blue. 'I was practising a spell and it got away from me.'

Gideon was just about to speak out when Eoin tugged sharply on the arm of his pyjamas.

‘In the middle of the night? What were you thinking?’ Jack reprimanded ‘We’ll have to report this, you know!’

‘I know. I’m really sorry!’ Dorian replied.

***

Professor Voronov arrived a few minutes after the fires were put out. After speaking with the prefects, he simply conjured five sleeping bags in the Common Room, told the boys to get to sleep immediately in a threatening tone, and left.

The boys lay next to each other in their sleeping bags in silence. Gideon was still shaken. This wasn't the first time he had caused a commotion in the middle of the night, as Jack had pointed out. This time, though, it wasn't his screams which had woken people up. Going by what Gio had said, Gideon had started the fire.

He felt awful. Someone could have been hurt. The guilt of the incident brought him right back to how he felt over his mother, and no wonder since he had once again lost control of his magic without knowing it.

Gideon’s recurring nightmare seemed to be the source of the problem, but how was he supposed to control his dreams? Madam Longbottom’s potion was supposed to have solved that problem, at least for the weekend. Instead, things had escalated.

Gideon thought about his mother’s hospitalisation, the blackout he had caused in the Great Hall, the small fire he had started unintentionally in Defence Against the Dark Arts and the incident in the Charms Club. Were these normal occurrences? Individually, they might look innocuous, but in addition to the dormitory fire, they formed a pattern.

Gideon couldn’t help but wonder, was there something wrong with his magic? Was there something wrong with him? Had the mysterious sealing of his magic affected his ability to control it? Or was it possible that this was why his magic had been sealed in the first place?

Gideon didn’t like the place where his mind was taking him. He closed his eyes tightly and pictured fireworks. He imagined the colourful explosions metaphorically blowing up his bad thoughts and tried to think of better things. That was no easy task for Gideon but given his tiredness, he soon fell asleep.

***

‘Explain yourself,’ Professor Voronov demanded of Dorian in his office. He had sent Jack to collect the boys before breakfast.

'I'm sorry, Professor,' Dorian responded, 'I couldn't sleep, so I was practising my wand work. I guess I dozed off in the middle of a spell and lost control.'

‘That’s not like you, Mr Thompson,’ the professor replied after studying each of the boys individually for a few moments as he often did. ‘You, your dormmates and the rest of the house could have been seriously injured.’

Dorian hung his head in shame. Gideon wanted to speak up and tell the professor the truth. However, the boys had discussed things before Jack’s arrival.

Dorian had suggested that Gideon only lost control due to the pressures the others were putting on him to study and win points for Slytherin. He went on to say he had noticed Gideon wasn’t sleeping, and he reminded the others how the Gryffindor boys had been harassing him.

There was some truth to that, of course, but it wasn’t the whole story and Gideon had protested to Dorian taking the blame. However, Eoin and Tim agreed to go along with Dorian’s version of events.

Gio hadn’t been so amiable. After some arguing, he promised not to contradict the others’ story, but Gideon noticed that he was beginning to look and act a lot more like his brother, Vinny.

‘I’m sorry, Professor. It won’t happen again,’ Dorian assured the man.

After a few uncomfortable moments, the professor unfolded his crossed arms and replied, 'I'm sure that's true. However, given the circumstances, I have no choice but to punish you. You'll report to my office at four o'clock on Monday for detention.'

Gideon opened his mouth to object, but Eoin surreptitiously elbowed him.

‘Yes, Sir,’ said Dorian.

***

The boys were quiet at breakfast. Unfortunately, word of the fire had spread, presumably by the prefects, and the Slytherins were bombarding the boys with questions. The Barrington sisters were especially relentless, of course, but the boys stayed tight-lipped. Gio sulked off halfway through his cereal, which only made people more intrigued.

‘Did you hear?’ Gideon heard someone at the Ravenclaw table ask their friend.

‘You mean, about the fire?’ another Ravenclaw girl responded in a stage whisper. ‘I know, everyone’s talking about it! Do they know who started it?’

Gideon and Dorian made eye contact and listened in to the conversation.

'Nobody knows!' the first voice replied. 'I heard Professor Kenyatta came upon it after some stargazing. Supposedly, it was quite bad. If he hadn't been there, the whole Charms corridor could have burned down!'

Gideon was dumbfounded. The Ravenclaws seemed to be talking about a different fire. Another fire—on the same night? What were the chances of that?

***

Gideon spent that Sunday alone in the library. It was a good place to hide. The Barringtons hadn't given up on their incessant questioning, and now that rumours of a second fire had made their way around the castle, people were pressing the boys for answers.

Gideon couldn’t blame people for wanting to know what happened. After all, he, too, was interested in the other fire. Or rather, he was worried they might be connected. As he was reading, the horrible thought that he may have been responsible for the other fire as well, kept creeping into his mind.

When he finally returned to the Common Room, Gideon headed straight for the dormitory and locked the door behind him, much to the disappointment of Sasha, Cheryl and a few others who followed.

‘Oh, here he is!’ Gio announced. ‘Happy, are you? We’ve been cooped up in here ever since it got fixed up, thanks to you! I’ve had people badgering me everywhere I go!’

‘I’m sorry, Gio,’ said Gideon.

‘You could have suffocated us, you know!’ Gio pressed.

‘I’m sorry! What more can I say? It’s not like I meant to start the fire,’ Gideon reminded him.

‘Yeah, well, I wonder about that…’ Gio muttered.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Gideon questioned, getting a little flustered. ‘Haven’t you ever done magic by accident?’

‘That’s kid stuff!’ Gio snapped back. ‘It doesn’t happen to wizards who are in control of themselves!’

Gideon couldn’t argue with that point. Annoying, though, it might be, Gio was right, for the most part. He recalled Alex Grimsby telling him something similar years ago. Gideon had now used magic accidentally four times that he could think of. Worryingly, each instance had involved fire. It hardly seemed comparable to levitating an ice cream or hiccoughing bubbles.

It occurred to Gideon that the other boys were uncommonly quiet. Usually, Eoin or Dorian would have told Gio to “put a sock in it” or something to that effect by now. Gideon realised that as nice as they had been about the whole situation, there was a good chance that the danger of sharing a room with him was on their minds, too.

That thought kept Gideon up for most of the night. Every time he felt himself drift toward sleep, he would snap out of it, worried about what might happen while he was unconscious. He had taken Madam Longbottom’s second potion before bed, but it hadn’t helped the previous night.

All too soon, it was time for a new week of classes and Gideon was exhausted. He dragged himself to Charms, faintly aware that the other boys were walking a few paces ahead of him. A replacement classroom had been arranged due to the second fire, and rather annoyingly, the Gryffindor boys ended up sitting directly opposite him.

It was the first time Gideon had seen them since Anthony had knocked them out, and they looked expectedly resentful, Alex included. Jason glared at him non-stop. Gideon did his best to avert his eyes and listen to Professor Keane explain the difference between casting charms on organic targets and inanimate objects.

However, his lack of sleep soon caught up with him. Just as Gideon's eyelids closed of their own accord, Jason was kind enough to jolt him awake with a Shocker Spell. Thankfully it wasn’t very strong. Jason would have to do more than whisper to make the spell work properly, and the smaller classroom meant Professor Keane was within earshot. Still, the boy was persistent.

Angry with Jason and a little hurt that none of his friends had attempted to block the spell, Gideon smacked his cheeks and tried harder to stay alert. Jason continued to send Shockers his way throughout the class and Gideon defiantly tried to block them. Unfortunately, he was too tired to perform the counter-spell properly, especially after Greg joined in, and got hit more times than he would have usually.

Now that Gideon was paying more attention to his surroundings, he became aware of how many furtive looks he and Dorian were getting from whispering pupils around the room. Gossip about the fires had identified them as possible culprits.

By the time it came around to practising the spell Professor Keane was teaching them, Gideon's patience had been sorely tested.

‘Okay, has everyone got a feather?’ Professor Keane asked the students. ‘Good, let’s give the Beacon Charm a go!’

According to the professor, the aim of the Beacon Charm was to make an object flash intermittently. Most of the class managed to get a single flash out of their feather easily enough. However, making the feather flash without continued wand work had a knack to it.

Unfortunately, Gideon didn’t know as he had yet to get a single flash out of his feather, much to the amusement of the Gryffindor boys. Even Alex Grimsby seemed to be enjoying how much he was struggling to perform a spell for once. Gideon couldn’t understand it considering how easy he had found the Glow Charm.

‘Micos!’ Gideon recited angrily for the umpteenth time to no effect. He examined his wand, worried for a moment that he had brought his previous second-hand one to class by mistake.

‘Micos!’ Greg mimicked loudly in falsetto with a silly motion. Jason buckled over with laughter. Greg’s taunt went over Professor Keane’s head, but it was clear to Gideon, who was getting quite cross now on top of being tired and frustrated.

All around the room, feathers were flashing in various colours. Alex appeared to be the first to get his to continue flashing unaided, which the professor awarded him five points for. Vexed by that, Gideon raised his wand to try the spell again. However, just as he uttered the incantation, Jason hit him with another Shocker.

In that instant, Gideon lost his concentration, and his emotions overrode his intent. The resulting effect couldn’t have come at a worse time. Instead of making his feather flash, a stream of fire burst forth from Gideon’s wand and set it alight, along with Tim and Dorian’s.

The Gryffindors opposite ducked for cover. The surrounding students turned away from the sudden heat and got up from their seats, and the room was filled with gasps and shrieks. The flaming feathers that had fallen to the floor were promptly extinguished by Professor Keane.

Gideon couldn’t believe what he had done. He scanned the room, taking in the frightened expressions and whispered conversations of his peers. His heart began to race, and when he observed even Dorian looking more than unsettled, his bottom lip began to quiver.

Gideon gathered up his things and fled the classroom, not a difficult task given that the other students parted like the red sea to let him by. Professor Keane called after him, but Gideon broke into a run.

***

Gideon sprinted through the castle without any real idea of where he was going. On finding his way to the Entrance Hall, he decided to get some air. He walked down towards the Great Lake and arrived at the tree he had sat under when he first discovered his magic.

He perched on its roots again and pulled out his wand. As he looked at it, he questioned whether he had made the right choice in staying at Hogwarts. The way things were going, it was looking like there was a real chance he might end up hurting somebody—again.

Perhaps whatever had happened to him as a baby had been a good thing? If he was becoming a danger to himself and those around him, maybe he would be better off without magic.

Gideon watched the lake for a few more minutes before determining that the cat was now out of the bag. With the existing rumours circling, what had transpired in Charms was sure to get around the school quickly. There would be no doubt left in people’s minds about who was responsible for the fire in the dormitory.

He decided it was better to come clean with Professor Voronov and save Dorian an unwarranted detention. Sadly, he was sure to be blamed for the fire in the Charms classroom as well, at least by the students. Gideon wasn't even a hundred per cent sure that he wasn't responsible, so it was a natural conclusion for others to come to without more evidence.

***

On the way to Professor Voronov’s office, Gideon passed by the Charms classroom. The door had been locked since the fire. There was a sign attached saying “Keep Out” in big letters and a note below informing students of the replacement classroom’s location.

However, with everyone else in the middle of class, there was nobody around. Gideon’s curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to take a peek inside, assuming he correctly remembered the spell needed. ‘Alohomora,’ he whispered.

The lock made a distinct click, and Gideon pushed open the door slowly. The Ravenclaw girls had been right, it was very lucky that a teacher had discovered the fire. It must have been huge. Everything in the room was covered in soot. Chairs had been burned to cinders and the ceiling was marked as if the flames had been high enough to reach it.

As he turned to leave, something in the middle of the room caught Gideon’s attention, so he crept a little closer. On the floor where Professor Keane usually stood in front of her desk, was an oddly shaped scorch mark. It was a diamond with a cross inside it. Gideon thought that it resembled a kite—a flying toy Muggles were known to play with.

To his way of thinking, it looked too even to have been an accident. Gideon vaguely wondered whether it might be a rune, but decided it was more likely the outline of a fallen object such as a table, before quickly leaving the smoky-smelling room. He locked the door behind him and continued on to see Professor Voronov.

The clock tower bell signalling the next period rang as Gideon approached the Transfiguration classroom. He waited for students to file out and drew a deep breath before heading inside on shaky legs.

‘Professor?’ said Gideon with a lump in his throat. He coughed and continued, ‘Do you have a moment?’

‘Mr Maxwell?’ said Professor Voronov with a raised eyebrow. ‘Of course.’

‘There are some things I need to tell you,’ Gideon announced with trepidation, ‘I’m not sure where to start, though.’

Gideon nervously told the imposing professor the truth about the dormitory fire and how his friends were only looking out for him, unable to meet his eye as he did. He went on to explain the accident in class that morning and shared his worries about his ability to control magic.

‘I don’t know what to do. I’m so tired but I’m afraid to go to sleep. I’m afraid of hurting someone,’ Gideon confessed, close to tears.

The professor took a few moments to consider Gideon’s words before answering, ‘Thank you for coming to me, Mr Maxwell. I can tell this has been a difficult time for you. I understand now that the fire was out of your control. However, you should have been honest with me. For that, you will replace Mr Thompson in detention.’

Gideon nodded in understanding.

‘Now, regarding your concerns, there are things we can do. Madam Longbottom will no doubt have more options to help with your sleep issue. We’ll report to her later and see what can be done.

‘As for your magic, it’s unlikely that there is any real problem to speak of. Your quick transition from your previous school to Hogwarts, and from first to third year may have been a contributing factor. As your Head of House, I am also aware of your current family difficulties. I dare say that has added to your stress levels. Again, Madam Longbottom may have some suggestions for us.

‘That said, we can also arrange to test your magic if need be. Depending on the results, there are ways we can help young witches and wizards adapt. Everything will be okay, Gideon. The important thing is that you have asked for help.’

It was as though a weight had been lifted. Somehow it helped Gideon to know that another person knew what he was going through. ‘Thank you, Sir,’ he said gratefully. ‘About the fires, though. After this morning, I’m guessing I’ll be blamed for burning down the Charms classroom, too. Do you think it's possible I'mresponsible?’

The professor took one of his signature pauses, ‘I think not, Mr Maxwell. Regardless of whether your magic has any unusual properties, accidentally starting a localized fire is a far cry from starting one on the other side of the castle. I can’t prevent students from gossiping, regrettably, but I can say with some certainty that you are not responsible.’

‘Then… How did the fire start, Sir?' Gideon inquired cheekily, knowing he was pushing the bounds of their conversation.

The professor’s dark, piercing eyes met Gideon’s, ‘That’s a good question, Mr Maxwell.’

Chapter Text

‘What would you recommend, Matron?’ Professor Voronov asked Madam Longbottom on Gideon’s behalf.

‘First and foremost, Gideon needs rest, so I suggest he stay here for the remainder of the day and overnight for observation. Beyond that, there are several options. However, given what’s happened, I’d feel better about consulting the Headmistress. She’s far more experienced in such matters. If you’d be kind enough to contact her, Professor, I’ll prepare a sleeping draught and a stronger dose of Dreamless Sleep.’

‘Of course. Thank you, Matron,’ the professor said kindly, ‘Mr Maxwell, you’ll stay here. I will inform your teachers and your dormmates of your absence.’

Gideon nodded in agreement as the adults both left the room. He couldn’t help feeling a little guilty. Professor Voronov had an imposing presence and manner, which intimidated most students, Gideon included. However, the man had been nothing but fair and caring since Gideon had divulged the truth about the dorm fire.

About fifteen minutes later, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, somebody appear and head straight into the matron’s office. From the momentary glint of her gold-chained spectacles, Gideon deduced it was the headmistress.

Professor Dandridge entered the Hospital Wing after a lengthy discussion with Madam Longbottom. ‘Mr Maxwell,’ she announced, the arms of her chocolate brown robes billowing behind her as she swiftly made her way over to his bed. ‘Sorry to keep you waiting.’

‘Oh, no—no problem, my fault,’ Gideon said clumsily, embarrassed to be bothering the head teacher with his problems.

She smiled and continued, ‘Madam Longbottom has filled me in. She is preparing some potions for you. We want you to get some rest. The problem is, I know from my own experience that you have a natural resistance to sleeping potions. In addition, it seems that Dreamless Sleep doesn’t work on you very well!’

‘Sorry,’ Gideon replied.

‘A hearty constitution is nothing to apologise for,’ she informed him. ‘It does pose a problem for us here, though. I may have a solution if you’ll indulge me?’

‘Sure.’

‘Well, what I would like to do, is remove the dream that’s bothering you from your consciousness. Temporarily, of course! However, it is a rather drastic measure. So, with your permission, I would like to assess your dream first—I won’t ask you to explain it. Would that be alright?’

‘Erm,’ Gideon wondered aloud, unsure whether he wanted to share his dream. Still, she wouldn’t know what it was about, Gideon didn’t even know that. Honestly, he was too tired to give the question the consideration it deserved. It was just a dream, after all, so he agreed, ‘Okay.’

‘Good. I promise you won’t feel a thing. Scoot back on the bed for me, please,’ the professor told him before taking out her wand and touching it perpendicular to his forehead. ‘Now, if you would, try to relax and think back to the last time you experienced the dream. Try to replay it in your mind’s eye.’

Gideon took a breath and reluctantly forced himself to relive the awful vision. As he did so, he heard the headmistress whisper, ‘Somniostendo.’ Unbeknown to him, a widening light had emerged from the back of his head like that of a projector.

While Gideon’s eyes were closed in thought, Professor Dandridge watched a choppy version of the boy’s nightmare play out behind him like a silent movie. She saw the woman reaching out for the tiny hands and looked away as Gwendoline Drake was consumed by flames.

The headmistress adopted a stern but solemn expression. She gathered herself as Madam Longbottom entered the room and removed her wand.

‘Are we ready, then?’ the matron asked.

‘Yes, I think so,’ Professor Dandridge responded.

‘Is everything okay?’ Gideon asked quietly.

‘Fine. I do think we should go ahead, though,’ the professor confirmed, ‘so, if you wouldn’t mind concentrating on the dream once more, just as before?’

Gideon complied, and the professor touched her wand to his head again, this time to his left temple. After a few moments, she pulled her wand away and a shiny strand of pink mist appeared to follow. She continued to pull until it broke away from Gideon’s temple and dangled from her wand like bait on a fishing line.

Madam Longbottom handed Professor Dandridge a small vial with a stopper, which the headmistress dropped the wriggling pink mist into before announcing, 'There, all done! Now, I'm sure Madam Longbottom has already informed you how important dreams are, but I think I should hold on to this one temporarily. Just until you're ready to process it.'

Gideon didn’t fully understand the former Healer’s words, but she surely knew what she was talking about.

‘Okay, Mr Maxwell, I’ll going to leave you in Madam Longbottom’s capable hands,’ the headmistress informed him before swishing away. ‘Sleep well!’

***

‘Up you get, Gideon. Time to wake up,’ came the distant voice of Madam Longbottom along with the sound of the curtain around his bed being drawn open.

Gideon woke up in the Hospital Wing as if no time had passed since he had taken the matron’s potions. However, as he sat up in bed, the difference was immediately perceptible. Both his mind and body felt completely refreshed. He stretched his arms above his head as the matron came back over.

‘You look better!’ she commented.

‘I feel it! Thank you, Madam Longbottom,’ Gideon replied.

‘That’s what I’m here for. Now, after the head’s magic trick, you shouldn’t have any more problems sleeping. However, if you do, be sure you tell me!’

‘I will!’

‘Good! Now get going and you will be in time for breakfast. I expect you’re hungry after sleeping as long as you did!’

***

The matron had been right. Gideon was full of energy, but he was ravenous. After stopping by the empty dorm, changing, and getting his school things for the day, Gideon headed to the Great Hall with his appetite in tow.

He spotted his friends at the far end of the Slytherin table and joined them. Feeling so well rested and his attention drawn to the smell of bacon in the air, Gideon all but forgot the events of the previous day and took his seat without noticing the many stares and whispers of other students.

‘Morning guys,’ he said, reaching for bacon, sausage, egg, toast, and ketchup right away.

‘Morning,’ Dorian alone replied. ‘Professor V mentioned you were out sick. Feeling better?’

'Much!' Gideon answered, taking a big bite of the breakfast sandwich he had made. After eating half and gulping down some water, he felt satiated, and his focus returned. 'I'm sorry about yesterday, guys, and again about the fire in the dorm. I've slept properly and things should be okay now. Oh, and Dorian doesn't have detention anymore—or didn’t. Well, I guess you know that already!’

‘Yeah, that’s great,’ Dorian replied unenthusiastically. ‘Only, people have been talking…’

‘Yeah, they do that,’ Gideon said dryly.

‘People think you’re setting fires on purpose or that you can’t control your magic,’ Dorian said quietly. ‘They think you burned down the Charms classroom, too.’

‘Let them talk,’ Gideon stated confidently. ‘The dorm fire happened and I’m sorry about that, but I know why it did now, and it won’t happen again. The other fire happening on the same night was just a coincidence. It’s stupid to think I could have done it! As for yesterday and almost barbecuing the Gryffindors? Well, who cares if they’re missing an eyebrow or two?’

Dorian smiled weakly but Eoin, who had been quiet up to that point, burst out laughing and sprayed milk from his cereal all over the table.

‘And what about Charms Club?’ Dorian pressed. ‘We heard something happened there.’

'That wasn't out-of-control magic, it was just really good magic!' Gideon asserted. 'I did something cool, probably thanks to all the reading and practising I've been doing, and the club leader got annoyed. That's all.'

Dorian seemed a little relieved, but he warned, ‘Even so, just be aware that people are talking, especially Crawley and Stevens. They’re making you out to be a maniac.’

‘Oh, yeah, I’m really scary, me! Boogawooga!’ Gideon said with a silly face while flailing his arms. Eoin laughed again, along with Tim, whom Gio swatted on the arm. Evidently, Gio needed more time.

***

Over the next few days, things slowly returned to normal. Even Gio was starting to come around. Gideon thought it was natural for the boys to have misgivings over the fire. He just hoped that now he was better, they would eventually forgive and forget.

After Gideon conveniently mentioned why he had a detention writing lines in earshot of the Barrington sisters, word soon got around that Gideon had started the fires accidentally due to insomnia, all but the one in the Charms classroom, which remained a mystery.

Most people seemed to buy the straightforward explanation, but Gideon still got the occasional odd look from someone or else noticed whispered conversations around him. Some would simply mention the fires, but others exchanged ridiculous theories. Gideon's favourite was that he had the power of the Evil Eye and that his eye patch had been a device to nurture his dark powers.

On occasions when it occurred close by, he would make light of the situation by shouting ‘Boo!’, ‘Boogawooga!’, or simply roaring at bewildered passers-by, much to Eoin’s enjoyment. Soon, even Peeves the Poltergeist was to be heard mocking students by telling them that “Big Bad Gideon” was going to get them!

Gideon more or less returned to his routine. He had adjusted his timetable to make more time for fun and relaxation, but he was still committed to his studies and his pursuit of curse marks and references to The Weaving. The latter was proving difficult. He was beginning to wonder if they were the type of magic that would only be found in the library’s Restricted Section books.

As the last week of October arrived, the school was abuzz with excitement. Halloween, the first Quidditch match and the first Hogsmeade Village visit were all coming up. Halloween in particular was highly anticipated. Spooky decorations had popped up overnight all around the castle, courtesy of Mrs Mills, the jolly Caretaker, who rumour had it was a big fan of holidays.

The corridors were bestrewn with realistic webbing, from which, life-like spiders would drop down on threads as students passed under them. The statues were covered in vivid green goo that glowed in the dark. The suits of armour would jump out at passers-by, as did the ghosts, who seemed to take their job of scaring students as a matter of pride. Even the paintings joined in.

None of that compared to the Great Hall on the day of the Halloween Feast. The students had enjoyed a lazy weekend, knowing they would have that Monday off to celebrate. Upon walking into the room for breakfast, Gideon and the first-years were caught off guard by the excessively creepy décor.

The usual lighting was dimmed. Instead, the room was lit mainly by the enchanted ceiling, which mirrored a lightning storm, and a sea of carved pumpkin lanterns with different monstrous faces.

In addition, more of Mrs Mills' webbing darted between the pillars, the walls appeared to be oozing blood, and live bats circled above. Throughout the day, students discussed the hall in anticipation of the feast. Many students joked about whether Professor Voronov might be among the bats. Variations of the joke got tired very quickly.

One of the things that generated the most conversation was a special spell prepared by the teachers. Every five minutes a spectral image of the Grim Reaper would appear at some point around the hall and attempt to behead a nearby student with its scythe before disappearing with an evil laugh. Avoiding his reaping became a game of sorts.

The other thing that had the students in a tizzy was speculation about the night’s special performance. It was traditional that an act of some kind closed the event. Rumours about past performances were doing the rounds. Gideon didn’t pay much mind to Hogwarts rumours anymore, but there were some interesting ones.

‘I heard there was a mountain troll once,’ Gio informed a group of Slytherins in their Common Room.

‘A troll?’ Dorian asked sceptically.

‘Apparently, a troupe of dancing skeletons have appeared a few times!’ Cheryl shared eagerly.

‘That might be fun to watch!’ Sasha replied. ‘Personally, though, I’d prefer a singer. Someone famous!’

‘It is Professor Dandridge’s first year as headmistress,’ Tim commented, ‘so there’s a chance they might go the extra mile, isn’t there?’

‘As long as they don’t trot out old Celestina Warbeck!’ Eoin jested.

After a round of giggles, Gideon suggested, ‘Fire-eaters might be cool?’

‘Really, Gideon? I think we’ve had enough fire around here, don’t you?’ Gio said. There was an awkward moment of silence before the boy smiled widely and the group laughed harder than ever.

***

As the Slytherins headed up to the Halloween Feast that evening, the discussion about possible guest performers was replaced by something even more mysterious. In the Entrance Hall, a previously nonexistent set of double doors had appeared. They were decorated with more of Mrs Mills' webbing and some sinister-looking, rusted chains and a skull-shaped padlock.

Excited whispers broke out among the group as soon as they laid eyes on it. The frantic speculation only stopped once everyone had taken their seats in the Great Hall and Professor Dandridge rose to speak.

‘Happy Halloween to you all!’ The Headmistress announced, wearing bright orange, bat-patterned robes. ‘Let the feast begin!’

The food suddenly appeared on the tables and an awestruck roar of approval echoed around the room. Gideon delighted in sampling all manner of Halloween-inspired foods. There were classics like toffee apples, candy corn and pumpkin pie, as well as bowls of spaghetti enchanted to move like worms, meat dishes enchanted to beat like organs, and sweets made to resemble eyeballs.

Once everyone appeared to be sufficiently stuffed, the Headmistress rose again and said, ‘Now, I have a couple of surprises to mark the occasion. Firstly, I’m sure many of you will have noticed the mysterious doors on your way here this evening.

‘I’m very happy to reveal that behind those doors is a new addition to Hogwarts! A shared area I’m naming the Student Lounge. Essentially, it is a new indoor space for students of all houses to congregate.’

The subsequent murmuring and polite round of applause seemed to indicate it was a nice idea. However, with the way that the houses competed, Gideon wondered how popular the new area would be.

‘There are numerous ways in which our four houses compete. I wanted to create a place where they can come together to share knowledge and make connections. The Lounge is now open, and you’ll be free to take a look in just a moment.

‘However, you might want to hold off as your second surprise will be revealed shortly. First, though, if everyone could please assemble in the middle of the room?’

Once the students had shuffled around, the teachers magically moved the now-empty tables and benches to either side of the room to create a large open space. The staff table was also pushed back to the far wall and a space was created at the head of the room.

Only Professor Dandridge remained on the elevated area and cleared her throat to continue, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls; please give a big Hogwarts welcome to our guests for the evening—’

The professor stood aside and with a few flourishes of her wand, the wall torches went out and with a flash and a bang, a thick pink smog appeared at the head of the room. As the smoke began to clear, the outline of several people could be seen and the sound of magically enhanced instruments filled the room.

‘—The Stargazers!’

The room erupted into a mix of cheers, screams and to Gideon's dismay, some groans. Gideon couldn't believe his luck as the Stargazers' lead singer began to perform their classic number, Star Child. He was seeing his favourite band play live! As amazing as the moment was for him, sadly, he couldn't help noticing some students using the opportunity to go see the new Student Lounge, including some of his friends.

‘What’s the matter?’ Gideon questioned Eoin, who looked less than enthused.

‘Nothing, I’m just not a big fan,’ he replied.

‘How about you, Dorian?’

‘They’re alright,’ Dorian answered simply. ‘I think I’ll go check out the new room with Gio and Tim, though. I’ll come back for their more popular songs.’

Gideon knew the Stargazers were a little hit or miss for some, but he was a little disappointed that he couldn’t share this moment with his friends. Still, he certainly wasn’t going to miss it. He moved to the front of the room and joined the large crowd of students who were dancing and singing along.

Gideon stared up at the leather-clad heroes who once graced the wall of his bedroom at Maxwell Manor and belted out the chorus of their song with those around him. Looking around, he was dazzled by the many glowing fairies flying around, creating a light show. Then, he spotted Alex Grimsby on the other side of the room, jumping, and singing along as passionately as anyone.

They made eye contact for a moment and Gideon thought he caught the boy smiling his way, but just then, another familiar face appeared in his sightline.

‘You’re a fan, too, huh?’ said Talia loudly.

Gideon beamed with joy and declared, ‘They’re my favourite band!’

Gideon enjoyed the performance together with Talia and as the band’s more mainstream songs came on, he was happy to see others return to the Great Hall. Unfortunately, that included Jason Crawley and Greg Stevens.

‘Pulso!’

Before Gideon knew it, he was on the floor, dropped by a full-power Shocker Spell. In the middle of the crowd, where teachers couldn't see, Gideon lay convulsing on the floor as Jason continued to zap him repeatedly.

‘Get off him, you neanderthal!’ Talia yelled angrily and pushed Jason away. However, Gideon looked up to see Greg take his friend’s place. The nasty boy grinned widely as he covertly shocked Gideon while pretending to dance. The few people that had noticed didn’t know what was going on.

Every time Gideon began to recover enough to reach for his wand, Greg would shock him again and his limbs seized up. Gideon was angry. He gritted his teeth and concentrated as hard as he could on reaching his wand.

Suddenly, the sounds of cheers became screams, increasing until they were loud enough to rival the band, and terrible orange flashes filled the room. As the crowd began to thin and Greg ducked for cover, Gideon looked on in horror as the Great Hall’s floating lanterns exploded one by one in quick succession, raining down pumpkin and embers on the terrified crowd below.

Chapter Text

As the chorus of pumpkin explosions continued, the bats went wild, flying in all directions and swooping down at people. Unable to use his legs just yet, Gideon remained on the floor covering his face with his arms. The rest of the crowd quickly dispersed to the edges of the room to avoid the downpour. After a few moments, Gideon hadn’t felt anything hit him and peered between his arms to see what was going on.

The bats had disappeared, and a translucent blue film had formed above, shielding the students from the fiery shards of pumpkin gourd. Gideon saw several teachers, including the Headmistress, stood with their wands raised high, no doubt forming the barrier. A deathly hush came over the room as the explosions finally came to a halt.

Together, the teachers manipulated the shape of their shield until it became a magical net, gathering up the fallen remnants and the few unexploded floating pumpkins that lined the walls. The students watched as it was condensed into the shape of a sack and plopped down on the floor where it disappeared, leaving a smoking pile of orange debris.

Everyone’s attention turned to Gideon, lying in the middle of the giant room alone. His mind began to race as he noticed students crying, hugging, and nursing wounds. What had he done? Had he done it? He certainly hadn’t meant to. He didn’t even feel it happen. However, with his moment of rage and the fiery nature of the incident, how could he deny it? What was wrong with him?

No, this is crazy, he thought to himself, he didn’t even have his wand. But then, he didn’t use his wand to start the dorm fire or the fire in Defence. Those had been considerably smaller, though. How could he have done magic like this without even realising it? Then, it hit him, maybe this was more along the lines of like what happened with the Dementors.

He had used magic on a large scale then. Someone was hurt then, too. Although, that event had tired him enough to land him in the hospital. Gideon felt perfectly fine, discounting the aftereffects of the Shocker Spells. Something just wasn’t adding up. If it wasn’t him, then who? Moreover, who would believe him in this situation?

People already thought of him as a loon, an image he immediately began to regret encouraging. Some still thought he was responsible for the Charms room fire. He would undoubtedly become suspect number one again.

On the other hand, what if they were right? Professor Voronov hadn’t completely ruled out the possibility that Gideon could have been responsible. After what happened tonight, perhaps the man would change his mind. The return of light to the hall interrupted Gideon's train of thought.

‘Your attention, please!’ Professor Dandridge announced, ‘Prefects will identify and escort any injured students to the Hospital Wing. The rest of you, return to your common rooms immediately.’

Teachers began ushering students out of the room. Professor Dandridge went to speak with the band, whose drummer had a gash across his face. Professor Voronov, however, made his way over to Gideon and offered him a hand to get up. Gideon did so, but his body was shaking.

On noticing this, the professor asked, ‘Mr Maxwell? Explain.’

‘I was hit with a Shocker Spell, Sir,’ Gideon responded.

'By whom?' Professor Voronov enquired.

Gideon knew he should report Greg and Jason, but on top of everything else, he didn’t want people thinking of him as a tell-tale—or a victim. ‘I didn’t see,’ he said instead. ‘But about what happened, I—I think it might have been me, or at least, my magic. I think I should have that test, after all, Sir.’

Professor Voronov looked dubious. ‘Was there intent?’ he asked quizzically, but Gideon understood that he was referring to a concept of magical theory.

‘No, but—’

‘Awareness, even?’ he pressed.

‘No, but—’

‘Then, I do not think it’s likely you were responsible,’ the man concluded.

‘But if I am doing these things—without knowing, that might mean something worse than just having unstable magic. Please, I need to know!’ Gideon pleaded.

***

The professor escorted Gideon up to the Hospital Wing where Madam Longbottom would be able to do the test the professor had once mentioned in his office. Gideon almost regretted making his request when they arrived to see almost all the beds filled with students. His jaw dropped as he sat down on an empty one in the far corner and observed the room.

The injuries appeared to range from small scratches and stings to large cuts and burns. The worst cases seemed to be a girl with a piece of pumpkin shrapnel sticking out of her neck, who Madam Longbottom was attending to, and a boy with a burn on his face. The idea that he had hurt them all was soul-crushing.

Just as Gideon realised that the boy with the burn was one of Greg and Jason's lackeys, the professor drew the curtain. Gideon had to wonder whether it was to stop him from worrying about them or so the other students wouldn’t worry about him.

‘Obviously, Madam Longbottom is going to be busy for a while, but I will tell her you’re here. Be patient. I must return to the Great Hall.’

The next hour or two were excruciating. Not because Gideon minded waiting, but because he could hear everything that was happening beyond the curtain. He considered covering his ears with a pillow but decided that enduring the sounds around him was small penance for his actions.

He forced himself to listen to students cry, sob, and occasionally yelp in pain as their wounds were tended to. He heard Madam Longbottom rushing around hastily giving orders and instructions before moving on to the next patient. He also heard the voices of friends comforting each other, as well as those discussing who was to blame. Some even swore revenge.

Things were quiet for a while, but Gideon was too scared to pull back the curtain and risk revealing himself. Soon, though, someone did that for him. It was the headmistress, followed by Professor Voronov and Madam Longbottom.

Gideon jumped up right away. ‘Professor! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—’

‘That’s enough,’ she replied while raising her hand to interrupt him. ‘You should return to your dormitory, now, Mr Maxwell.’

‘B-but the test?’ he asked, noticing that the professor and the matron looked a little confused.

‘There’s no need for that,’ Professor Dandridge asserted. ‘You won’t remember, but I performed such a test on you back at St Mungo's. You do have a high concentration of magic for someone your age and there is indeed some instability to it. However, I do not believe you caused tonight's mishap.’

‘A-are you certain?’

‘Not many things in this world are certain, Gideon,’ she answered wisely, and ambiguously. Seeing that his expression did not alter, she added, ‘From what the teachers observed and from your father’s—excuse me—Professor Maxwell’s analysis of the pumpkin remnants, we can theorise as to what sort of magic was used.

‘You have created fires on a couple of occasions now. There is a big difference, though, between creating fire and manipulating it, which is what we believe was done to the candle lights inside the lanterns.’

Gideon still felt unsure but probed, ‘Then, someone else used a spell to make the lanterns explode? Intentionally?’

The Headmistress appeared to consider her response before answering, ‘Our working theory is that it was a thoughtless practical joke.’

'Don't you think the same person may have burned down the Charms classroom, though?' Gideon questioned.

‘That’s still under investigation,’ Professor Dandridge said evasively.

‘Meanwhile, I'm going to be blamed for both,' Gideon muttered under his breath.

***

On returning to the dorm, Gideon found the rest of the boys already in bed asleep, or at least pretending to be. When he woke up the next morning and found that they had left for breakfast early without him, he knew it was going to be one of those days.

In the Great Hall, he took what he thought would be a relatively safe seat next to Brendan. It was pretty much his only option, though, as none of his dormmates had saved a space for him. Sadly, Brendan was as quiet as the rest of the table. When nobody greeted him, Gideon didn’t bother with pleasantries and simply buttered himself some toast in silence.

A letter from his aunt gave Gideon something to focus on for a minute or two. Caroline was just writing to check on him and update him on his mother’s condition. She was still doing well at St Mungo’s but there had been no change. After that, Gideon eyed an unread copy of the Prophet and picked it up. It surely belonged to someone, but nobody objected. They would have had to break the silence to do so.

POTTER LEADS ANTI-DEMENTOR TASK FORCE SWEEP

Over the weekend, Harry Potter, the Ministry of Magic's Head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, lead a large-scale offensive sweep of the Scottish coastal areas to push back the surge in Dementor activity.

Potter is known for his work as an Auror and the capture of large numbers of Death Eaters, but many have questioned his ability as a leader and administrator. Of course, he is much more widely known as The Chosen One or The Boy Who Lived, and for his triumph over, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

The operation was approved by Minister Granger-Weasley after recent concerns that her task force was nothing more than a publicity stunt. It is being hailed as a success by the Ministry.

However, it has been suggested by outspoken figures such as Harold Watson of the Scottish Magical Defence Association and Draco Malfoy of the Wizengamot, that without increased Auror presence and recruitment, and a new way to fight the Dementors, a resurgence is simply a matter of time.

‘Good morning!’ Professor Dandridge announced from the head of the room. ‘I would like a few moments of your time before you head off to your lessons.’

The students all quietly shuffled around in their seats, eager to see what the Headmistress had to say after the Halloween fiasco.

‘Last night’s unfortunate incident was an embarrassment for Hogwarts. A significant number of students were injured as well as one of our musical guests. However, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our matron, there will be no lasting damage. So, I hope you will join me in a round of applause for Madam Longbottom.’

The students and teachers clapped politely as Madam Longbottom blushed in the chair next to her husband, who was applauding with fervour.

‘Now, the cause of the incident remains under investigation. I would like to make it very clear, though, that the person or persons responsible will be identified. However, I am allowing them the opportunity to come forward of their own accord by the end of this week. Should they do so, they may avoid serious punishment. Failure to do so could result in suspension or worse. I ask anyone with information to come forward and speak with your Head of House—’

‘But we know who did it…’

‘Yeah, we all saw him!’

‘He burned down the Charms room as well!’

Gideon was gobsmacked as the eyes of the room turned toward him, those of his table included. He knew there would be some blame and hostility coming his way. Even so, it was jarring to see that the whole school suspected him, especially since the teachers didn’t think he was responsible.

‘You see, Gio, I told you so,’ Gideon heard Vinny say close by, ‘it’s not just me, everyone thinks he did it! He’s a freak!’

‘He needs expelling!’

‘Screw you, eyepatch kid!’

‘SILENCE!’ roared Professor Dandridge. It was the first time the school had seen the new Headmistress angry, and it had quite the effect. With a flick of her wand, a red light circled the room twice like a big bee, then dived and affixed itself to the head of the boy who had spoken out last. He tried to shoo it away, but it wouldn't budge.

‘Vulgarity like that will not be tolerated! Neither will gossip or innuendo when it comes to such serious matters! Anyone with something to say about last night should share it with their Head of House and only their Head of House!’

Returning to her usual tone, she finished by saying, ‘You may all leave now, except for you, young man. Unless you wish to stay that way?’ The Hufflepuff boy that now resembled a traffic light, remained in his seat looking extremely embarrassed as the other students began to vacate the Great Hall.

***

History of Magic was a quiet affair that morning. It wasn’t usually buzzing with conversation, of course, but there was no denying that the Slytherin boys were quiet, even with each other. The Hufflepuffs were equally taciturn. The headmistress’s words seemed to have had an impact.

Thankfully, Gideon had someone to talk to in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Although, his father, ProfessorMaxwell appeared to be keeping an eye on him, even more so than usual.

‘I’m sorry about yesterday, Gideon,’ Talia whispered kindly as the professor lectured them about fairy clans. ‘How are you?’

‘I’m fine. Shockers I can handle. I’m more annoyed that the Stargazers got interrupted!’ Gideon replied in jest.

‘Yeah, that was a shame,’ Talia said sadly. ’They were great, weren’t they?’

‘Yeah, I never thought I’d get to see them play live!’

‘Why are the Slytherins giving you dirty looks?’ Talia asked a few minutes later. ‘I can understand my house, especially with snooty gossip mongers like Verity. I figured yours would stick up for you, though. They don’t think you did it, do they?’

‘Who, my so-called friends? Seems so. They haven’t even heard my side of the story. They don’t even know about the Gryffindors shocking me—not that that matters—I didn’t even do it,’ Gideon stated diffidently.

‘Only an idiot would think you did,’ she assured him. ‘Sadly, there’s a lot of those at this school.’

Gideon chuckled, ‘At least you’re talking to me!’

‘Well, I’m smart!’ she replied with a grin.

***

After filling his plate for lunch, Gideon noticed someone marching down the aisle towards him out of the corner of his eye. It was the sixth-year prefect girl, whose name he had learned was Annie Rhys.

‘What have I told you about using me to bring you notes!’ she snapped with her hands on her hips.

‘Huh?’ Gideon responded, dumbfounded.

‘Here!’ she said, thrusting a note toward him. ‘A Gryffindor boy gave me that to give to you!’

‘Err, thank you,’ Gideon told her before she dashed back up the aisle to a seat at the other end of the table.

Noticing that Sasha Barrington couldn't conceal her natural curiosity, Gideon opened the note close to his chest. As he did so, he vaguely worried it might be hate mail and regretted opening it so casually. Luckily, there were no signs of it containing a curse. It read:

Gideon,

We need to talk. Meet me in the new Student Lounge tonight at 8.30 pm.

Anthony

What did this mean? Did his brother really want to talk after all this time? If Anthony was just going to chastise him for the Halloween pyrotechnics, then Gideon thought it might be better not to go. However, the boy had fended off the Gryffindors, hadn’t he? At least by going, Gideon could find out why his big brother had bothered helping him.

***

That evening, when Gideon left the Common Room, nobody asked him where he was going. But then, his friends had barely spoken a word to him all day. Even his Herbology partner and arguably closest friend, Dorian had all but ignored him in class.

Their Valerian plant was easily the most successful of the group now and they usually shared responsibility for nursing it equally. However, today Dorian had re-potted it by himself, leaving Gideon with the more menial tasks. The boy wasn't being hostile like Gio had become, but he had been acting protective of the plant as if Gideon might set it alight at any moment.

As Gideon made his way to the Lounge, he decided to talk with Dorian alone at some point and explain things. He knew that if Dorian believed he was innocent of the fires, Eoin and Tim would likely come around.

Given the late hour, Gideon only passed one or two students on his way to the Student Lounge. When he arrived, he found it empty. He wondered if that was because it was getting close to curfew or because of his inkling that the shared room wouldn’t be as popular as the Headmistress hoped.

The room was large and long, about twice the size of the Slytherin Common Room. It was full to the brim with couches, armchairs, tables with plenty of chairs for group work and independent study desks. Naturally, the walls were lined with paintings. That included a large portrait of a former Headmaster, which hung over a grand stone hearth.

Seeing that Anthony had not arrived yet, Gideon took a seat in a leather, wing-backed armchair next to the toasty fire, where Professor Albus Dumbledore winked at him from above. After ten minutes, Gideon wondered if his brother was going to show up. Perhaps Anthony had changed his mind? However, when he heard the click of the door closing, he looked around hopefully.

‘Ah, I see you got our note!’ announced Greg Stevens, smirking, and accompanied by Jason and three of their flunkies. ‘It’s payback time!’

Chapter Text

Gideon’s jaw dropped as he realised; he had been tricked. He was furious with himself for not having considered this outcome. Gideon thought back and realised that Annie hadn’t mentioned which boy had given her the note. He had just assumed it had been Anthony who had passed it to her.

One of the Gryffindors must have seen Anthony the night he knocked them out. They had put two and two together and realised he was Gideon’s brother.

‘Isn’t this getting a little old?’ Gideon said bravely to buy time as he got to his feet and observed his surroundings. He was glad that there were so many chairs and other obstacles between him and Greg’s posse, but there was only one exit. Alex Grimsby was noticeably absent but five against one were not good odds.

‘Not for me,’ Greg replied, ‘and definitely not for Callum, here. One of your multiple victims!’

Callum stood to Greg’s left. He was the one Gideon had seen in the Hospital Wing. The dressing over his cheek did nothing to conceal his scowl.

‘I didn’t do that,’ Gideon responded, his objection sounding unconvincing even to himself.

‘Don’t lie, freak!’ Jason piped up, ‘I don’t know what your deal is, but we’re going to get you to come clean!’

‘Why can’t you just leave me alone?’ Gideon asked.

‘Because we know it was you!’ said Sean McCann. ‘Nobody else should get hurt because some loser can’t control his magic!’

‘Too right!’ added Scott Parker. ‘Admit what you did, and we’ll back off.’

Gideon was surprised by the others speaking out. Greg and Jason usually did all the talking for their little gang, but their misguided righteous hatred for Gideon had united them.

‘I’m not going to admit to something I didn’t do,’ Gideon replied stubbornly, deciding to put his trust in the headmistress’s assertion that he was innocent.

‘Then, we do this the hard way,’ Greg said before raising his wand. ‘Flipendo!’

Gideon dived to avoid the spell, reached into his pocket for his wand, and with a firm resolve to escape, he gritted his teeth and fired back, ‘Flipendo!’

Much to his surprise, and the Gryffindor's rage, Gideon managed to hit Sean, knocking him over forcefully. Emboldened by this, the others started rapidly firing off spells. There were too many flying at him for Gideon to aim properly, so he could only fire back wildly over the top of the chair he was hiding behind. Unfortunately, the chair was being bombarded with jinxes and the Gryffindors were gradually advancing on his position.

He tried to think of a plan. With all the obstacles in the room, another smokescreen didn’t seem like the best idea. Then, Gideon realised, the obstacles could also be weapons. ‘Locomotor chair!’ he uttered, pointing at an armchair by the window, then thrust his arm up and across until it pointed at Jason.

The spell drained Gideon more than he expected but it worked. The large, heavy armchair left the floor and hurled itself along the path Gideon had gestured. It landed on Jason and pinned him to the floor.

Gideon smiled at what he had achieved, but that moment cost him as Greg’s well-aimed spells headed his way. Gideon deflected two of them but the third followed Callum’s, and Gideon was hit square in the chest, causing him to topple backwards. Gideon struggled to his feet, determined to continue fighting, but he wasn’t quick enough.

‘Pulso!’ Callum shouted angrily.

The electric shock that followed disabled Gideon long enough for Scott to take advantage. ‘Expelliarmus!’ he said decisively.

Gideon tried to grip his wand, but it flew from his hand. Trembling, either from the Shocker Spell or from a combination of fear and adrenaline, Gideon took cover and thumped the floor in frustration. When he kneeled on something painful, he adjusted his robes. Suddenly, he realised the fight wasn’t over yet.

‘You’ve lost your wand, freak! Come out, take your beating like a man, and confess to being the crazed pyromaniac that you are!’ Greg demanded.

‘It’s no use scurrying around, over there! You’re not getting past us!’ Callum warned, noticing Gideon’s movements between the chairs and tables until he retreated into the far corner.

‘Come out, freak, or I’ll transfigure you into a goat!’ Jason threatened.

Gideon guffawed, ‘Yeah, right, Jason! You couldn’t transfigure water if you had a tea bag and a bottle of milk!’

‘Why you little—enough of this! Get him, he doesn’t even have a wand!’ Jason ordered.

The Gryffindors converged on his location. It was just as Gideon had planned. Earlier when he had been kneeling on something hard, he had discovered an object in the inner pocket of his robes. It had been his Channelling Rod.

After finding it, Gideon moved around the room, tapping everything in sight three times. Unlike his own spells, the imbued Channelling Rod was not dependent on a wizard's magic. That meant it could do things, or rather, just one thing, much better than a wizard of Gideon’s age and skill could.

Gideon watched as the Gryffindors came closer, darting between the many chairs and tables of the room to get to him. He waited until they were more than halfway across the room, with no easy escape route. Then, hoping against all hope that his plan would succeed and that the Channelling Rod could handle it, Gideon jumped up, concentrated, and thrust his arm outward with conviction.

The Gryffindor boys were mystified as the remaining chairs, tables, desks and even a couch rose up and hurtled towards them like a tidal wave of furniture. While his enemies fled, ducked for cover, or were swept away, Gideon attempted to navigate an escape route through the chaos.

Somehow, he managed it. He made it past the Gryffindors and the scattered debris to the other side of the room. However, just as the door was within reach, his hopes were dashed. Gideon tumbled forwards and the knowledge that he had failed consumed him.

‘Locomotor Mortis,’ Greg had yelled from beneath an upturned table. The Leg-Locker Curse had taken hold just in time.

Gideon looked around frantically for something, anything that he could levitate with the rod, but nothing was within reach. He did, however, spot his wand and began to wriggle in its direction on his elbows.

‘What did he do? How the heck did he do that?’ Jason demanded furiously.

Gideon watched as one by one, all the boys got to their feet, a few of them groaning but otherwise not seriously harmed.

‘Think you’re clever, do you?’ said Greg, limping towards Gideon, who stopped moving so as not to give away his wand’s location. ‘Let’s see what you have, there! Expelliarmus!’

The Channeling Rod shot out of Gideon’s hand and into the air, where Greg caught it.

‘That’s mine! Give it back!’ Gideon demanded.

‘I’ve seen things like that for sale in Diagon Alley,’ Sean commented, holding his shoulder, ‘though, they’re just toys, really, nothing powerful enough to do this.’

‘How do they work?’ Greg asked.

‘They usually need a simple command or contact with something. Try tapping something with it,’ Sean advised his friend to Gideon’s dismay.

Greg then tried it on a nearby chair, tapping it in different ways until he figured it out. 'Three times, eh?' he asked Gideon rhetorically while levitating the chair. 'Let's check, shall we?'

Greg leaned over and tapped Gideon’s bound legs three times.

‘No, don’t!’ Gideon objected but the nasty boy flashed his teeth and whipped his arm across, launching Gideon across the room and back to where he started. Thankfully, he landed on the edge of the toppled couch, which absorbed most of the impact, but he bounced off of it hard and rolled towards the fireplace.

‘Whoa, Greg be careful!’ one of the boys warned. ‘He needs to be conscious if we want him to admit what he did.’

Gideon couldn’t believe Greg had done something so dangerous, and with his legs still locked together. It was a miracle that he hadn’t broken something, but the landing had been painful. He was winded and defenceless. It seemed these boys really wanted to hurt him.

‘Not bad,’ Greg commented, admiring the crystal rod as he and the others closed in on Gideon again. ‘Did they give you this at that Squib school you went to before coming here? Are we giving Squibs magic, now? I think maybe I’ll hang on to it.’

‘Give it back!’ Gideon spat angrily as he tried to pull himself upright.

'Or you'll do what?' Jason taunted, 'No one's coming to save you this time. Or are you going to have one of your girly screaming fits like at Johnston? I got grounded for your little freak-out, you know! Pulso!’

Jason used the Shocker Spell continuously and Gideon’s body began to convulse.

‘Go on, scream for me, freak!’ he taunted.

Gideon refused to give Jason the satisfaction, but the scene was horribly familiar to his last day at Johnston primary, as Jason had pointed out. The memory of that day surfaced in his mind.

‘Just admit that you started the fires!’ Scott insisted, looking a little unsure of himself.

‘No! Leave me alone!’ Gideon barked through gritted teeth as Jason continued his shock treatment.

‘You know what?’ Greg asked aloud as Gideon continued to shake under the power of Jason’s spell. ‘Unlike you, I’m a wizard who knows how to control his magic. I don’t think I want this Squib stick, after all.’

The boy took the Channelling Rod with both hands and with some effort, broke the crystal stick in two. Gideon watched helplessly as tiny shards crumbled to the floor and yet more voltage surged through his body.

To Gideon, the Channelling Rod hadn’t just been a prized gift from the beloved grandmother he hadn’t seen in months. It had been a symbol of hope for him during his darkest moments. The Channelling Rod had been his connection to the wizarding world when he worried that he might not belong.

Gideon’s hope. His connection. They had been shattered by the person he hated most in the world. The Channelling Rod snapped, and so did Gideon. From deep within, a horrible but familiar sensation came over Gideon. However, this time there was no resistance, and it wasn’t followed by pain as it had been each time before.

The feeling Gideon had experienced those times when his magic was trying to break free, filled his veins and pooled beneath his skin. Lost in the moment, desperate and enraged, Gideon yelled once more, ‘Leave me ALONE!’

A wave of force made the Gryffindors stumble backwards. As their confused expressions changed to fear, the build-up of energy inside Gideon's body rose to the surface and broke free. Gideon's head snapped back, and flames burst forth from him in every direction.

The terrified Gryffindors scrambled to get away, climbing over chairs, clambering over tables, and scaling anything else in their path. All five of the boys managed to outrun the surge of fire, which instead claimed the furniture in its path. Gideon, however, collapsed where he had been kneeling.

‘What should we do?’ Sean asked frantically, looking from Greg and Jason to the location where Gideon lay amidst the rising flames.

‘Are you kidding, we’ve got to get out of here!’ Jason replied.

‘W-we can’t just leave him, can we?’ Scott asked incredulously.

‘You saw what he did! He obviously started the fires! He’s a dirty Slytherin, just like You-Know-Who!’ Greg reasoned nastily in a high-pitched voice, ‘Let the freak burn! Come on!’

Jason ran from the room, followed by Greg, who pulled Callum along with him. Sean and Scott edged towards the door but kept looking back at the fire, unsure of what they could do. Sean made a run for it and a panic-stricken Scott followed shortly after.

The fires fed on the wooden furniture and began to spread quickly. It wasn’t until Gideon’s trouser leg caught fire that he came around. The heat caused him to whip his leg away from the burning chair it was lying next to. He patted it down wildly with his robes, unsure why his legs were no longer bound.

Once his leg was safe, Gideon cast his eyes around and took in the seriousness of his situation. As the reality of what he had done settled in, thoughts of guilt for this and the other fires crept into his head. It was clear now that the headmistress had been mistaken. He had to have been behind the other fires, after all.

However, Gideon put those thoughts to the back of his mind. His priority had to be escaping. He carefully tip toed his way around while shielding his face with his arm, looking for a way through the pile of blazing furniture. He couldn’t believe how hot the fire was. It stung his throat as he struggled to breathe.

Finally, a last pile of burning obstacles stood between him and freedom. He kicked a chair hard to make a gap in the wall of flames and was able to jump through it. Once clear, Gideon looked back at his handiwork in horror. He thought that if he could at least put the fire out he might be able to redeem himself.

Remembering where he spotted his wand earlier, he made a dash for the place where it lay, only moments away from becoming kindling. Gideon covered his robes around his hand and grabbed for it. He felt glad to be reunited with it, but the pressure was on now. Gideon hadn't learned how to conjure water yet. The closest thing in his arsenal was the Frost Spell.

‘Glacius!’ Gideon commanded, spraying a weak stream of icy air at the nearest flames.

It was no use. The spell might normally have created enough moisture and water vapour to be effective, but the heat in the room was hampering the spell’s ability, and Gideon felt drained of magic. He shook his head and growled in frustration as he accepted, he wouldn’t be able to stop the fire.

The only thing he could do was leave. But what, then? Should he get help? Or should he run, as the Gryffindors must have? As much as they had obviously wanted to hurt him, Gideon found it hard to believe they had really left him there. If they had gone for help, though, someone would surely have arrived by now.

Gideon racked his brain. If the Gryffindors were going to keep quiet about what happened, maybe he should do the same? He had more to lose, after all. He was sure to be expelled, or worse. They, on the other hand, might even be hailed as heroes for revealing the culprit behind the fires.

Against his better judgement, Gideon decided to flee. However, he couldn’t in good conscience allow the blaze to go unchecked. As he reached the entrance to the dungeon stairs, he recalled a spell he had read about, pointed his wand at his throat and uttered, ‘Sonorus.’ With his voice now magically amplified, Gideon took a breath and yelled, ‘FIRE! FIRE IN THE STUDENT LOUNGE!’

The deafening warning reverberated around the huge Entrance Hall and no doubt carried on down the corridors. Knowing that the staff room wasn’t too far away, Gideon pulled the door to. He watched through the gap with one eye and waited until he saw figures appear atop the stairs. He sighed with relief when Professor Keane emerged with Professor Parekh, a woman with a bob haircut, who he believed taught Alchemy to older students.

Gideon then let the door close all the way and made his way to the Common Room. He immediately berated himself for what he had done. He was sure the guilt would eat him alive, especially when he connected what had transpired with what he must have done to the Dementors—and to his mother.

Thoughts like that were too much to handle right now, though, so Gideon pushed them far down in his mind. Nobody could know about what happened tonight. The Gryffindor boys couldn't reveal what they knew without admitting their part in it, which included leaving Gideon there. He had to keep quiet as well.

It was looking more and more likely that his hypothesis about his magic being sealed was correct. It was also looking more likely that there was good reason for it. He couldn’t let people know what he had done. Not until he knew what was wrong with him. Not until he found the answers he needed.

Gideon tried to compose himself as he reached the Common Room and gave the password, ‘Cottonmouth.’

As he attempted to nonchalantly stroll from the passageway to the dorms, he noted that the clock on the mantle showed it was past nine o’clock now. It was a small stroke of luck, however, that his current rocky relations with the other Slytherins meant nobody stopped him to ask why he had been out past curfew.

His dormmates were all in their room talking when he opened the door. They turned silent as he entered and remained that way while Gideon casually collected his dressing gown and headed back out to the bathroom.

Gideon stepped into the furthest shower stall, locked it behind him and got undressed. He set the water hotter than he usually would, a small punishment for his actions, and stepped under the steaming water in the faint hope that it would wash away his guilt.

In the privacy of the stall, a couple of errant tears escaped the corners of his eyes as he observed the bruises that were already forming down one side of his body. The impact following his flight across the lounge was harder than he had recognised in the heat of the moment. He also noted a relatively small burn around his ankle. The hot water was irritating it, but he didn’t move it away.

‘Gideon?’

Gideon froze on the spot. Did someone know? Had someone seen?

‘Gideon, it’s me,’ said Dorian beyond the stall door. ‘It’s just us in here. I wanted to apologise. Things are kind of crazy right now, but I haven’t been fair to you. I haven’t even asked if you set off the pumpkins. I just assumed like everyone else, and that wasn’t right, so I’m sorry.

‘If you tell me it wasn’t you, I’ll believe you. And if it was you, well, there’s a rumour going around that those Gryffindor guys were hexing you. If that’s true and you just lost control or something? Well, I’ll support you… Gideon?’

Gideon was beyond grateful, but he was lost for how to respond. Tomorrow morning, Dorian would learn about the fire in the Student Lounge along with the rest of the school. After another fire and Gideon’s unexplained absence, all signs would point to his involvement, and his friend would surely take back his words.

‘Okay. Well, good night,’ Dorian said softly.

Gideon waited for the sound that signalled the bathroom door closing, pounded the wall tiles, and threw his head under the scalding water.

Chapter Text

Gideon went to bed without a word to Dorian or the other boys that evening. Filled with guilt, and dread for the next day, he had a rough night’s sleep. When the morning arrived, he didn’t feel as though he had slept at all.

As he rose for breakfast, Gideon could feel his panic rising to the surface. He sat on the edge of his bed looking out of the murky window, focused on his breathing, and practiced being calm and stony-faced. He knew that if he couldn’t do that convincingly; he was never going to get away with lying about the lounge fire.

Gideon took one last deep breath and silently followed the boys up to the Great Hall. He steeled himself as they reached the stairs to the Entrance Hall and told himself over and over, you can do this! As they passed through the door at the top of the stairs, Gideon’s veneer almost cracked when an unexpected voice interrupted his thoughts.

‘Gideon?’ it said quietly.

Gideon turned to find Ruby Williams; her arms folded over her book bag while leaning against the wall behind the door.

‘Ruby?’ he asked, pulling away from the group as they went in for breakfast. ‘Is everything okay?’

‘Oh, yes, I’m fine,’ she muttered. ‘A-are you okay, Gideon?’

Gideon didn’t know how to answer that right now, so he answered in a way he thought Ruby would appreciate, with a mumble and an ambiguous head nod, then followed up by asking, ‘Why? Were you waiting for me?’

In a typical Ruby fashion, she responded in much the same way, which in spite of his mood, Gideon couldn’t help smiling about.

‘Breakfast?’ he suggested.

‘Uhm,’ she replied simply.

It occurred to Gideon that the odd, quiet girl was a calming influence. Gideon noticed the Student Lounge doors were closed as they passed and hoped Ruby would still want to be friends after the morning’s revelations. As they reached the Great Hall and prepared to head their respective tables, Ruby stopped in her tracks.

‘If you ever want to talk…’ she proposed.

A little surprised by the shy girl’s bold gesture, Gideon smiled and nodded in reply before they separated. As he sat down at the table, Gideon didn’t feel like eating but he forced himself to take a piece of toast, convinced a prop might help make his act more believable.

Much of the room was already engaged in whispered conversations, and a few dirty looks were being shot in Gideon’s direction. They couldn’t hurt him, though, not with the imaginary force field he was projecting in his mind’s eye.

Professor Dandridge soon rose from her seat, much to the surprise of most students. A talk from the headmistress wasn’t standard breakfast routine, especially not two days running. Gideon was expecting it, of course, and tried to feign a look of mild confusion.

‘Good morning,’ she said. ‘I’m disappointed to have to report that after being open for such a short period, the new Student Lounge was subject to arson last night.’

Gideon concentrated all his energy on watching the headmistress and tried to ignore the movement in his peripheral vision. However, the faces of those closest to him were undeniable. Gio was staring at him with disgust, Eoin looked baffled, and Dorian appeared hurt.

The sound of whispers filled the room, but after the previous day’s events, nobody tested the headmistress’s patience by saying anything audible. Still, Gideon felt sure that many people would have relished the opportunity to call him out.

‘Thankfully,’ Professor Dandridge continued, bringing a halt to the whispering, ‘the fire was extinguished before too much damage was done. However, the lounge will be closed indefinitely while our investigation continues. I remind you all that if you have anything to report concerning these fires, please relay it to your Head of House at the first opportunity.’

Gideon returned to his piece of toast as though it were something special and tried to ignore the looks that he was now getting.

‘He was out late. We should go to Professor Voronov!’ he heard Vinny urge the other first-years a few seats down.

‘Where were you last night, Gideon,’ Sasha enquired.

‘Sasha!’ Dorian chastised half-heartedly.

‘What?’ she replied innocently. ‘With his track record, people are going to ask. He might as well answer.’

The girl was right, and Gideon could see that even Dorian wanted to hear Gideon’s response, though, he seemed to be having an inner struggle.

Gideon shrugged casually and told them, ‘I went for a walk. That’s not a crime, is it?’

‘No,’ Sasha replied, ‘but arson is. At minimum it’s against school rules. If you’re lying, you could get Slytherin into a lot of trouble, you know.’

‘I’m not lying!’ Gideon snapped convincingly.

‘Of course, he’s lying!’ accused someone from the Ravenclaw table. Verity Swanson stood up, put her hands on her hips and declared, ‘He’s not going to be happy until someone gets hurt!’

‘Oh, put a cork in it, Verity!’ another voice said loudly before a large breakfast roll found itself magically lodged in Verity’s gaping mouth. The awkward moment was interrupted with laughter and the girl stormed from the room with two of her friends trailing.

Gideon smiled weakly as he made eye contact with Talia at the next table, who gave him a wink as she pocketed her wand.

***

The rest of the week was strange, even for Gideon. The usual whispers and furtive looks he would get were replaced by people avoiding eye contact or sharing the same space with him altogether. When students spotted him coming towards them, they would often change direction or cling to the walls of the corridors. The younger students in particular seemed terrified of him.

Gideon would find the whole thing hilarious, if he wasn’t now painfully aware that they had just cause to be afraid of him. The rumours about him, which Talia enjoyed sharing with Gideon, were getting more and more outlandish. Apparently, Verity Swanson was telling anyone who would listen that he was the lost child of You-Know-Who himself.

Then, there were the teachers. Unless Gideon was being paranoid, which admittedly was a distinct possibility, it wasn’t just his father keeping a closer eye on him. Professor Long appeared to be paying him closer attention during Potions. Professor Keane had done the same in Charms, although, it had been in her replacement classroom that Gideon had accidentally released a jet of fire, so perhaps that was to be expected.

Professor Voronov had held him back after Transfiguration. Gideon supposed he was about to be reprimanded for his unusual lack of progress in transforming a terrapin into a fruit bowl. His looked as if it had simply been turned upside down.

Instead, however, the professor had asked, ‘How are you, Mr Maxwell?’

To which Gideon lied, ‘Fine.’

Then, after one of the enigmatic man’s classic pauses, he followed up with, ‘Is there anything you wish to tell me?’

Gideon’s resolve had almost shattered right there. He wanted to come clean about what was going on with someone, and Professor Voronov had been supportive recently. Even so, he had bitten his tongue and shook his head silently.

‘Well, my door is always open,’ the professor had informed him peculiarly.

The strangest thing was his interactions with the Gryffindor boys. After running into them outside the Great Hall on the day after their fight, Scott and Sean had looked at him as if they were seeing a ghost. All the boys looked a little worse for wear actually, except for Greg who seemed disappointed to find Gideon alive and well.

Gideon put it down to the idea that their consciences had been bothering them. From that moment on, whenever they came into contact, the Gryffindors and Gideon ignored each other, even in classes. For Gideon it was mutually beneficial for them to do so, not to mention easier to get work done without their usual interference.

He suspected that for the Gryffindors, though, it was more a matter of avoiding mutual destruction. He also thought that other than Greg, they were showing clear signs of fearing him. Gideon figured that was natural. They were, after all, in the unique predicament of being the only people who knew what he was capable of, but unable to tell anybody.

As for his fellow Slytherins, Gio was ignoring him completely, like most of the house. Tim was significantly quieter than his usual introverted self, and Eoin seemed confused, angry, and unsure of what he would say if he did make the effort. As for Dorian, he had indeed stopped talking to Gideon again.

However, that was in part due to the fact Gideon was rarely in his presence anymore. He spent all his free time in the library, more dedicated than ever to finding answers. When he was around the boys such as in classes, whether aware of it or not, it was Gideon who was giving them the cold shoulder.

***

The atmosphere changed a little come Saturday, with the much-anticipated start to the Quidditch season. Everyone in the Common Room was eagerly discussing the first match: Slytherin VS Gryffindor. Professor Voronov even stopped by briefly to wish the team luck, and to ensure the rest of the house were heading down to the pitch to support them.

Seeing that Gio was pale and shaky ahead of his first-ever match, Gideon gave him a quick, 'Good luck!' as the boy headed to the passageway. Gio scowled at him in return and darted off with renewed confidence, so Gideon considered it a successful intervention.

Gideon put on his cloak and followed a large group of Slytherins down to the Quidditch pitch. There, they climbed the stairs of the many viewing towers. The view of the large stadium from so high up really had an impact. However, the recent change in weather was a lot more noticeable at that height. Gideon was unsure of whether he was shivering more from anticipation or the chilly wind that whipped by.

Despite being a big fan of the most popular wizarding sport, Gideon had only ever seen Quidditch played on the Telecrystal. Helping Anthony practice flying in the garden was as close as he had ever been to the real thing. Even though they were on bad terms, Gideon was looking forward to finally seeing his brother play.

His worries were all but forgotten as he watched the teams follow the referee out to the centre of the pitch. The referee, who was carrying the trunk that contained the game’s four balls, turned out to be Mr Wood. Gideon felt a small pang of guilt but saw that the Flying teacher had a new broom. The players gathered around him in a circle and mounted their brooms.

Mr Wood opened the trunk and took a hold of the Quaffle, the red ball that each team’s three Chasers handled with the aim of scoring points. Of course, they had to get it past the opposition’s Keeper first, and through one of the three goalpost hoops they defended. Then, Mr Wood kicked the trunk, releasing the two Bludgers and the Golden Snitch, which all flew around independently.

The heavy Bludgers attacked players while the tiny and extremely speedy Snitch avoided them. Each team’s two Beaters were responsible for protecting their team members by hitting the Bludgers toward the opposition with short bats. Each team’s Seekers, however, were tasked with catching the Snitch, ending the game, and claiming one hundred and fifty bonus points for their team.

Quidditch was a complicated and fast-paced game. After Mr Wood threw the Quaffle high into the air and blew on his whistle, the game began. The players and the referee launched into the air and rushed about the field to claim the Quaffle, man the goalposts, hit the Bludgers and locate the Golden Snitch.

A magnified voice from the teacher’s box began commenting on the game immediately, ‘And we’re off, ladies and gents! The Gryffindor team take possession of the Quaffle first and after a few passes, their chasers head up the field. Captain Anthony Maxwell is being pursued by the Slytherin chasers — he passes below to Christy Forbes — she hands off to Rose Weasley, who approaches the hoops — shoots — oh, what a save by new Slytherin keeper, Giovanni Romano! Looks like a good find for Captain Jago Hargreaves.

‘Speaking of — Hargreaves now with the Quaffle — he ducks a Bludger from one of the Stevens brothers and passes to Leo Chisholm — who makes a long pass to Lizzy Roth — but it’s intercepted by Forbes — Captain Hargreaves not standing for that, he’s taken it back off Forbes and heads off to the goals. Rose Weasley appears from below, makes a grab for the Quaffle — but Hargreaves dives — throws it upward — Chisholm catches, what teamwork! He’s got a clear shot, Chisholm takes aim — but Gryffindor keeper Hugo Weasley blocks!’

The crowd was filled with cheers, boos and gasps with every movement of the Quaffle. Gideon vaguely wondered if “the Stevens brothers” were related to Greg but that thought was quickly forgotten. He was so impressed with all of the players. Gio had made an amazing save and Anthony flew like a pro.

‘Wait, could this be? It looks like the two Seekers have spotted the Snitch already! We could have a winner before the first goal is scored! Slytherin’s star Seeker, Rebecca Page is ahead — yes, I see the Snitch! She’s closing in on it, but Gryffindor newcomer, Alex Grimsby is giving her a run for her money!’

Alex Grimsby! Gideon thought in shock. He supposed he shouldn’t be too surprised what with Gio making the team, but Gio was a Keeper and Seeker’s had to be particularly good flyers. That meant Quidditch was yet another subject that his rival excelled at. Meanwhile, Gideon couldn’t even hold a broom.

‘He’s gaining — blimey he’s passed her — he’s going to get the Snitch — OUCH — that looked painful — would you look at that! Grimsby is taken out by the infamous double Bludger attack of sixth-year Slytherin beaters, Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy! What a team those two are. It looks like Page lost sight of the Snitch, though.’

Gideon wasn’t sure what to think after seeing one of his nemeses taking two Bludgers to the chest. However, Alex quickly recovered from his tailspin and resumed flying.

‘Grimsby is okay, folks. At the other end of the pitch, though, it’s Maxwell with the Quaffle, he passes to — no, sorry he feints a pass to Rose Weasley, and he’s approaching the keeper himself. Wow! Hargreaves hangs and spins from his broom — there’s no telling where he’s aiming — yes! It’s a goal! The first goal of the match is scored by Gryffindor Captain Anthony Maxwell making the score ten points to zero.’

Gideon cheered wildly to the surprise of the surrounding Slytherins. ‘Err, sorry,’ he said in response to their glares, ‘that’s my—it was just a good shot. I was caught up in the moment.’

The match was incredible. It was one amazing play after another. The commentator could barely keep up with the action. Gideon couldn’t decide which team was superior. They seemed equally strong, which was why after half an hour the score was still a nail-biting fifty points apiece. However, as students noticed a blur of blonde and red diving toward the ground, a crescendo of passionate yells swept around the stadium.

‘Oh, my, what a dive! But where’s Page? She’s realised but she’s too far away! this could be it folks!’

Alex Grimsby was still diving, getting dangerously close to the ground, when he suddenly pulled out of the dive with one hand and brandished a fleck of gold in the other. The Gryffindor stands exploded into cheers.

‘He’s done it! New Seeker Alex Grimsby catches the Snitch and earns Gryffindor one hundred and fifty points. Gryffindor wins!’

Gideon was stunned by Alex’s incredible catch but as he perceived the boos, jeers and general disappointment around him, he was careful to simply clap politely.

‘What an amazing game, folks and what an opener to a great Quidditch season here at Hogwarts! Oh, thanks, Professor. I should add ladies and gents, that in the exciting last moments of the game, Jago Hargreaves scored his team one last goal, meaning Gryffindor won by two hundred points to sixty.’

***

Slytherin had lost the match, and by quite a margin, but Gideon found it difficult to be disappointed. He also found it difficult to understand his feelings for his brother. Gideon was beyond impressed with Anthony’s flying. He had definitely earned his Quidditch Captain’s badge. Maybe it was time they talked again?

Just watching Quidditch left people with such a high. Gideon wondered what it must be like to play. With nobody to discuss the match with, he walked back up to the castle slowly and eavesdropped on passing students.

‘Can you believe how good both teams were? We don’t stand a chance!’ A Hufflepuff boy had shared with his friend.

‘Maybe, but soon they will be in trouble. All the best players on both teams are close to graduating. Maxwell, Hargreaves and one of the Stevens brothers will be gone this year, and the year after, Weasley, Potter and Malfoy will, too! Meanwhile, we will have a solid team who know how to play together!’

‘The same can be said for Ravenclaw, though, can’t it?’

‘Oh yeah, I hadn’t thought of that!’

A group of first-years that were busy gossiping about the players.

‘Albus Potter, the beater, it’s that Potter’s son! And two of the Gryffindor players are the children of the Minister for Magic!’

‘Do you think we should try and get their autographs?’

‘Calm down, Sally! It’s their parents that are famous, not them!’

As Gideon reached the castle doors, he heard one final discussion about the Seekers.

‘I can’t believe Page got beat like that, and by a newbie!’

‘Yeah, I think Grimsby’s going to do well for us. I hear he’s a pretty talented wizard as well—earns us a good number of points.’

‘He’s cute, too!’

Gideon frowned. Alex Grimsby was becoming Hogwarts’ golden boy while Gideon had become persona non grata. He might be good at Quidditch too if he could figure out his problem with broomsticks.

Inspired by his jealousy, Gideon decided to act. First, he was going to figure out exactly what was wrong with him, even if that meant sneaking books out of the library’s Restricted Section. Once he knew that, he would find a way to deal with it.

Afterwards, he would start working on changing people’s minds about him and repairing his broken friendships. Gideon wasn’t going to let anyone ruin his Hogwarts experience, including himself.

Chapter Text

Gideon spent Sunday morning absent-mindedly flicking through books in the library. As he did so, he continued eyeing the Restricted Section and the movements of the ancient librarian. He was trying to figure out the woman’s routine to see if there were any times when she might not notice someone sneak into the forbidden area.

Old though she may be, Madam Pince was not a woman to cross. As a regular of the library, Gideon had never had a problem with her. However, he had seen many students who were less serious about studying, being chased from the library by Madam Pince and her feather duster.

Gideon knew that she rarely left the library. However, when he noted that she even ate lunch in the office behind the counter, he decided to take a walk to deal with the disappointment.

As he approached the courtyard to get some air, he pondered how he might get into the Restricted Section when Madam Pince never left it unattended.

‘Oh, err—hi, Gideon!’ said Ruby Williams out of the blue. ‘On your way to the club?’

‘Huh? Oh, that’s right, I almost forgot about Charms Club! That might be fun, actually. Good thing I bumped into you!’ Gideon mused, happy to have an excuse not to return to the library right away. ‘Do you know what we’re doing today?’

'No. I hope it's something interesting,' Ruby whispered, 'I'm guessing it will be the usual light show, though.'

Gideon chuckled. They shortly arrived at the club room, which once again had the curtains drawn tightly. It looked like Ruby had guessed correctly. Even in the darkness, Gideon could tell he was getting stares and the happy talk soon descended into audible whispering. As he and Ruby walked over to an open space, Gideon noticed Brendan and Emma shuffling away.

Verity began to address the group, though, she didn’t seem her usual cheery self, ‘Ahem. Today, we’re going to learn the Bubble Spell. Then, we’re going to apply the other spells we’ve learned to our bubbles.’

The group leader got up at that point. 'So, the Bubble Spell is totally easy!' she informed them. 'However, when you perform it, your power and concentration can affect the number of bubbles you produce as well as the colour! So, everybody split into pairs and let's make some bubbles! The incantation is bullitus!’

For around fifteen minutes the club members enjoyed filling the room with what seemed like an endless number of bubbles, spraying them at each other and running around hitting them. They were stronger than soap bubbles and made a pleasant popping sound when burst.

Gideon soon lost himself—and his troubles—amidst the fog of multi-coloured bubbles, and both he and Ruby were bent over with laughter. It was so silly, so childish, and yet, exactly what he needed.

‘Excellent!’ commented the group leader, removing the room’s remaining bubbles at once with a wave of her wand and a symphony of pops. ‘It looks like you’ve all got that down. Easy enough, right?’

‘Yes!’ the room replied happily in unison.

‘Now comes the hard part!’ the tall girl continued. ‘As Verity explained, we’re going to apply the other spells we’ve learned. So, we’ll all get in a big circle and create a field of bubbles. I’ll keep them contained to a fixed area. Then, one by one, you’ll each apply a spell!’

The club members excitedly formed a circle, raised their wands, and together uttered, ‘Bullitus.’

The group leader used her wand to keep the bubbles from dispersing, and an immense multi-coloured cluster formed. This sight alone was impressive to Gideon, but he was looking forward to seeing how the field of bubbles would appear full of magic. It would be different to the time when they had all applied their spells to one object.

One by one the students applied Glow Charms and Dazzle Charms to the bubble swarm, and one or more bubbles would begin to glow or sparkle. The older students were better, of course, and could light up more at bubbles at a time, but it didn’t take long until the room was filled with a wonderous sheen.

Ruby’s turn arrived. She took a deep breath, flourished her wand, and said confidently, ‘Fulgeos!’

The room echoed with the ‘ooh’s and ‘ahh’s of the club members. Ruby’s Glow Charm had lit the largest number of bubbles yet, and each radiated a pretty, pale pink light. Gideon was impressed. Though shy, she had focused and pulled off a better spell than a lot of the older students.

Suddenly full of stage fright, Gideon thought back to the Charms class where he had burned his feather. After, running out of the class, he never did get to try the Beacon Charm. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Gideon concentrated, waved his wand, and commanded, ‘Micos!’

It worked and the effect was even better than he had envisioned. A large number of the glowing and sparkling bubbles began to flash intermittently and at different speeds. It was how Gideon imagined the inside of a fairy nest might look.

Gideon noticed that Verity looked cross, and the group leader looked a little perturbed, but he was relieved to see that most of the students were enjoying his contribution.

‘That’s the Beacon Charm,’ the tall girl called out matter-of-factly. ‘Not a bad idea, if you know it. Although, we haven’t practiced it in the club.’

The students continued to apply their spells one by one. Some of the older students even tried the Beacon Charm as well.

‘What do you think?’ Gideon asked Ruby.

‘It’s pretty,’ she said simply. ‘I wish we could do more, though.’

‘Why don’t we?’

‘I don’t think Maxine and Verity would like that.’

‘The Beacon Charm worked out okay…’

Ruby smiled widely but bit her lip nervously. ‘What should we do?’ she asked with a glean in her eye.

‘I have a fun idea. Can you make the bubbles move around?’

Ruby nodded. When it came around to her turn again, almost all the bubbles were alight, sparkling and flashing like a glorious chandelier. Gideon could tell that Ruby was apprehensive about her spell but once again, she appeared to dig deep and spoke resolutely.

Ruby’s spell caused the field of bubbles to begin turning on the spot, giving it the appearance of a giant disco ball. Again, most of the students liked the change but Verity and the group leader, Maxine were put out by someone deviating from their instructions.

Gideon wasn’t sure his spell would even work. Transfiguration was difficult, after all. However, it would only be a minimal transformation and the magical theory behind the idea was straight forward. So, concentrating as hard as he could, Gideon cast his wand in a wide circle and pictured the outcome clearly in his mind before commanding, ‘Verto!’

All but the furthest bubbles from Gideon squeezed dangerously and for a moment he thought they were going to pop. Then, one at a time the bubbles rebounded into a different shape. Suddenly the spinning field of glowing, flashing, sparkling bubbles became a swarm of butterfly-shaped bubbles.

Ruby and a few others clapped, and Gideon was filled with pride. It wasn’t enough, though. Gideon knew he could still enhance the idea. He added charms to make the butterfly bubbles appear to flap their wings, he changed some of their sizes and increased the movement speed.

It now looked like each of the glowing butterflies were scattering a trail of sparkling scales behind them. Caught up in the moment, Gideon felt like he could do anything, but did he dare try what he was thinking? Coursing with adrenaline, he decided to try the full spell, ‘Insecto verto!’

Still glowing, flashing and sparkling, around a third of the butterfly bubbles transformed into real butterflies and began to fly around of their own accord.

Gideon knew that without much of an original form to work with, the fluttering insects wouldn't last long, but he couldn't believe he had pulled off the spell. As expected, they began to burst as bubbles under stress would, but each pop created a shimmer and the final effect of popping, dazzling butterflies in the glowing field of orbs was spectacular.

Suddenly remembering where he was, Gideon noted around half of the class clapping or transfixed with awe. However, the other half looked as many of them had been during the last session he attended; angry or scared.

‘That’s enough!’ cried Maxine. ‘You ruined it!’ She used her wand to extinguish the scene with a chorus of angry pops, plunging the room into relative darkness before the curtains were magically opened.

‘Ruined it?’ Gideon exclaimed.

‘You really think you’re something special, don’t you?’ she spat. ‘Don’t you think there are other people in here who are capable of doing what you did? We don’t, though, because this is supposed to be a group activity! Plus, that was a transfiguration spell you did!’

‘I-I’m sorry—’ started Gideon.

‘If that’s true, then why not join in?’ challenged Ruby in a shocking display of confidence. ‘Gideon did an amazing piece of magic there and I think you know it. Think about what we could achieve if everyone did their best instead of one basic spell at a time. We could do some super advanced magic with this many of us.’

‘Who are you?’ Maxine snapped nastily. ‘What gives you the right to question how I run the club!’

Ruby seemed to retreat into herself.

‘I agree with Maxine!’ Verity piped up opportunistically. ‘The club is just fine how it is. He’s the problem! That’s twice now that he’s messed things up. Anyone who thinks what he did was cool or special is wrong! This was just another sign of his dark magic! Along with all the fires!’

Gideon furrowed his eyebrows. ‘Since when did butterflies become synonymous with dark magic?’ he questioned angrily.

‘Be careful, Verity! Don’t make him angry!’ warned one of the girl’s friends.

‘Yeah, Verity, he might target you!’ said another.

‘I propose we expel him from the club!’ Verity announced. ‘It’s a matter of safety!’

‘I second that,’ added Maxine. ’Those in favour, raise your hands.’

‘“A matter of safety”?’ Gideon repeated incredulously. ‘We’re playing with bubbles!’

Gideon watched in disbelief as hands shot up in every direction. Some appeared to struggle with the decision, but still followed suit. Only a handful of students didn’t conform, including the Barrington sisters, but Gideon was hurt to see Brendan’s hand in the air.

‘That’s the majority,’ Maxine declared. ‘Please leave and don’t come back.’

Gideon took a moment to absorb what had happened. He couldn’t believe they had deemed him dangerous, and yet, they had unwittingly hit the nail on the head. What if one day his magic did go out of control? What if someone in the club got hurt? If something happened amongst a group this small, he would surely be exposed.

Just as Gideon resigned himself to leaving, Ruby spoke up quietly but clearly, ‘If this is the kind of club that excludes members based on rumours, then—then I don’t want to be a p-part of it. Sh-shame on you, Verity. Let’s go, Gideon.’

The stunned silence was broken only as Gideon and Ruby passed through the door by Verity announcing, ‘Good riddance!’ in a mocking tone. However, no sounds of laughter or agreement followed.

***

Since Gideon’s untimely departure from the Charms Club, he and Ruby had become good friends. With people still avoiding or ignoring him, Ruby’s company made the following weeks of what would have been solitude bearable. The two got along in the classes they shared, and they spent time together on the weekends, forming a little Charms Club of their own.

Halfway through November, two notices went up on the Common Room noticeboard. One announced that the first Hogsmeade Village visit would take place on the nineteenth of November. The other informed students of the reopening of the Student Lounge.

Gideon was glad of this as it gave him and Ruby somewhere to meet at lunch times without having to go outside. At first, he didn’t relish the thought of returning to the scene of his crime. However, as the winter weather grew colder, the squishy chairs in front of the massive fire became their favourite place to enjoy the sandwiches they collected from their respective house tables.

Gideon learned that once Ruby got to know someone, her shyness all but disappeared—for the most part. She still tended to communicate in whispers, but she turned out to be something of a chatterbox. Gideon also learned that Ruby was very observant.

They discussed all manner of topics, but when Ruby spoke of her first two years at Hogwarts, she described the experience in great detail. From locations to characters, Ruby chronicled the two years Gideon had missed like a novel. As such, Gideon found himself filling in blanks from when he had been at Middling Academy, learning more about the peers and the school he had known for less than three months.

According to Ruby, Dorian had always had a knack for Herbology and had even calmed a Venus fly trap that had clamped down on a bumbling Eoin’s finger in their first year. Gio had arrived at Hogwarts with an attitude resembling his brother, Vinny’s until the Slytherin boys had grounded him. Tim had been as shy as Ruby but had come out of his shell over time, which she was admittedly envious of.

As for students in the other houses, The Hufflepuffs were supposedly nice enough, but over time they formed strong friendships with each other. Ruby simply wasn’t one of them due in part, she believed, to her timidity. Ruby didn’t think much of the Gryffindors except to Gideon’s annoyance, Alex Grimsby, who she said had always been a surprisingly good student and kind to her.

Verity Swanson, however, had apparently always been a bit of a “mean girl”. She had quickly formed her clique of Ravenclaws and excluded Natalia from it just as quickly. Though, Natalia had never seemed bothered, something Ruby admired.

As they finished lunch by the lounge fire one Thursday afternoon, Gideon asked, ‘Want to go to Hogsmeade together?’

‘That’s right, it’s this weekend!’ she whispered excitedly before adding, ‘But I’ve already made plans.’

‘Oh,’ Gideon said with disappointment. He had been counting on Ruby being able to go with him. There wasn’t anyone else he could go with, and he didn’t think it would be any fun on his own.

‘There’s another visit in December, though. Shall we go together then?’ she asked, which Gideon agreed to happily.

‘So, what are your plans for Saturday?’

‘Well, I have Running Club in the morning and Professor Hagrid invited me over for lunch,’ she explained. ‘You should come too!’

‘Err, I’m not very sporty—’ Gideon began.

Ruby giggled and added, ‘No, I mean to lunch.’

‘Oh. I’d like to but—do you think the professor would mind?’

‘Of course! He’s lovely. He’s probably my favourite teacher.’

‘Yes, but you know how some people have been a bit off with me ever since the fires. I wouldn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable.’

‘I don’t think he would mind. Hagrid’s not one to judge.’

‘On that note,’ Gideon asked hesitantly, ‘aren’t you worried about me?’

It was the question he had been wanting to ask Ruby for a long time now. Gideon had been worried about airing it vocally for fear of scaring away his new friend.

‘No,’ she replied simply.

‘Why not?’

‘Well…’ Ruby started before scanning the otherwise empty room. ‘Can you keep a secret?’

Gideon’s curiosity was piqued, ‘Sure!’

‘Sometimes… Sometimes I just know things,’ she said mysteriously.

‘How do you mean?’ Gideon enquired.

Ruby gave one of her classic shrugs and murmurs before continuing, ‘I don’t know really. It’s not something I can control, and it happens in different ways. Sometimes I get a feeling about something, or I see or dream about something before or after it happens.’

‘Really? That’s amazing!

'Uhm. I used to speak about it when I was little, and it upset people. They thought I was spooky or cursed. After a while, I just learned to keep quiet.'

Gideon felt a sudden kinship with Ruby. As children they had both learned to diminish themselves to avoid conflict. Unfortunately, in Ruby’s case this had apparently resulted in her severe shyness.

‘Do your family know?’ Gideon asked in an undertone.

‘Not really. I learned a few years ago that my great, great grandma was supposedly a famous Seer. No one else in my family ever has been, though, so people call her a fraud now. Because of that, my mum doesn’t like us to speak about her or Seeing in general.’

‘So, you’re a Seer?’

‘I don’t know about that. Like I said, I can’t control it, and I can hardly make sense of the things I do see. I only have clear visions in dreams, but when I wake up I can’t remember them very well.’

‘Still, that’s so cool!’ Gideon praised, making Ruby smile.

‘I chose Divination as one of my options this year to see if I can figure things out. I’m not having much luck, though. The professor is a little strange.’

‘Yeah, I was warned about her,’ Gideon joked.

Gideon stared into the flickering fire for a few moments as he processed his new friends secret, and the fact that he had a friend at all, one who had shared a secret with him.

‘Wait,’ he said all of a sudden as the cogs in his head began to tick, ‘does that mean, you know about me?’

Ruby chose her words carefully ‘Well, I know that you didn’t burn down the Charms classroom, and I know that you didn’t cause the Halloween accident.’

‘But how?’

‘I’m not sure I can explain it. It just didn’t feel like you.’

‘But in Runes class, you said something once, you warned me. About fire. You knew…’ Gideon put together in amazement.

Ruby whispered quieter than before, ‘When our hands touched that time, I saw something. It was just a flash, but I saw your face and flames—’

‘And then, we had the dorm fire…’ Gideon interjected, suddenly fearful. ‘So, do you know about—what happened here?’

‘I had a nightmare the night it happened,’ Ruby explained under her breath. ‘I don’t remember much of what I saw but the feelings were strong. I felt anger and resentment from a bunch of people. I also felt someone else. They were scared and in pain and then—I woke up.’

‘But why haven’t you told your Head of House?’ Gideon asked, reading between the lines.

‘Because I don’t think the fires are connected.’

‘Y-you don’t?’ Gideon asked in bewilderment.

Ruby took a deep breath, ‘The person who started the fire in here, whoever they may be, was backed into a corner and something happened to them. They didn’t do it intentionally. The fire you caused accidentally in your dorm, the Charms fire, the Halloween pumpkins; they all felt different. There’s something strange going on at this school, Gideon, but I don’t think it’s because of you.’

Chapter Text

Gideon’s conversation with Ruby gave him a lot to think about as he lied in bed that evening. After starting the fire in the Student Lounge, he had all but convinced himself that he was responsible for the others. However, Ruby seemed sure that he wasn’t.

Was it possible that she was right? The girl seemed to have some insight into the situation, magical insight at that. Ruby had shared the secret of her amazing gift with Gideon, but could he trust her words when she couldn't explain them herself?

With this new piece of information weighing on his mind, Gideon thought back on each of the incidents. There was the small fire in Defence class. He had started it accidentally in the presence of his father, who he had been very angry with. That seemed like the sort of accident that might have happened to anyone who had dealt with his recent experiences.

Then, there was the fire in the dorm following Ruby’s warning. He had been responsible for that, too. It had been due to his nightmare, the one that the Headmistress had eventually removed. The Charms classroom had burned down on the same night, but Professor Voronov contended that the two fires were unrelated.

Later, stress over the nightmare had kept Gideon awake and due to his tiredness, his spell had gone awry in class. That seemed understandable and it had been done with a wand. Gideon had thought things would be resolved after his trip to the Hospital Wing, but on Halloween, the lanterns had exploded at the party. That time had been different than the others.

It was true that Gideon had felt strong emotions due to Greg and Jason surprising him, but looking back on it, Gideon’s thoughts had been on reaching his wand. It wasn’t like the time in Defence when the small fire had started because of his intense feelings towards Professor Maxwell. Also, the ensuing result had been drastically different.

The subsequent grenade-like explosions had been a complete surprise to Gideon. With his track record up to that point, and the whole school seeing him lying in the middle of the hall, he had certainly looked guilty. However, the teachers didn’t believe him to be responsible. The headmistress even said something about the difference between “creating fire” and “manipulating fire”.

When Gideon had lost control in the Student Lounge and caused a much larger fire than before, he hadn’t been in control of it. It was most definitely linked to his emotional state at the time, though.

Ruby had said she had sensed his emotions. Although, she had tactfully glossed over his involvement. Gideon was sure that Ruby knew he was responsible for that fire, but for whatever reason, she hadn't said so. He felt like he should have confided in her when they were talking. However, he'd decided that until he knew for sure what was wrong with him, he couldn't risk anyone hearing the truth from his lips.

Gideon rolled over in bed, his eyelids now heavy. He drifted off contemplating one last thought. If there was something wrong with him or “something dark” inside of him, as the Sorting Hat had hinted at, there was still a very real possibility he had been responsible for all of the fires. However, if something else was going on at the school as Ruby had suggested, then who was responsible for the Halloween and Charms classroom fire?

***

On the morning of the Hogsmeade visit, Gideon had every intention of heading to the library and to finally try sneaking into the Restricted Section. With most students in the village, the library was sure to be deserted. However, at Breakfast an owl flew down for him at the end of the Slytherin table, where he now sat alone most days.

Gideon was pleased to receive a catch-up letter from Aunt Caroline along with a small leather pouch of spending money. After overhearing other students talk about nothing else for almost a week, Gideon just couldn’t resist the call of Hogsmeade’s legendary sweet shop, Honeydukes. With the gold in his pocket, he could afford to try a bit of all their wacky and wonderful treats.

He figured he would have just enough time to make it there, visit one or two shops, and be back in time for lunch with Ruby and Professor Hagrid, whom he could share the sweets with. So, Gideon left the castle for the first time, handing Professor Long a permission slip that Caroline had sent previously.

Keeping some distance between himself and a few groups of Hogwarts students making their way to the village, Gideon followed them beyond the grounds, on a path through a wooded area, and towards a relatively small settlement of buildings in the distance. He soon found himself on the busy high street of Hogsmeade. It was a long, cobbled road lined with shops on both sides and stretching into the distance.

There were students darting in every direction and admiring the window displays. There were also a good number of adults, not surprising since it was one of only two of the country’s well-known wizarding shopping locations. Gideon spotted Honeydukes by its heaving number of customers and made a beeline for it.

As he approached the sweet shop, however, he was distracted by a window display nearby, which was garnering a lot of attention. In the window was a display featuring a line of racing brooms.

‘It’s the latest in the Thunder series!’ said one of the onlookers.

‘It’s a sale to mark the latest model!’ said another excitedly. ‘See, there’s the Thunderclap and its predecessor the Thundercrack, and there’s the latest, the Thunderstroke.’

‘Whoa! I’ve never seen one like that’ a young boy exclaimed with his nose pressed against the glass.

‘How can there be a new model already?’ a girl asked aloud. ‘Aren’t there professional players using Thunderclaps?’

‘The Thunderstroke must be amazing, then!’ her friend responded.

Gideon found a gap in the crowd to get a look. He recognised the second broom as the type Mr Wood had owned. Below it was a very different and more impressive model. The sleek, highly polished handle was coloured silvery-white and was almost shaped like a lightning bolt. Gideon observed it for a minute or two before he got a look at the price tag.

He wasn’t going to be flying a Thunderstroke any time soon, but he had always dreamed of flying on a racing broom. Gideon made a note to give Flying class another try. For now, he had more important things on his mind.

As Gideon entered Honeydukes sweet shop, he was immediately hit with a waft of warmth and delicious smells. Reminded of his visit to the joke shop in Diagon Alley, his eyes didn’t know where to look first.

There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. There was a wall with fudge and toffee of every kind, another with hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows. There was a whole corner devoted to the Every Flavour brand of sweets, tubs of truffles, barrels full of popping candy and basically anything that Anthony might put on a sundae.

Along yet another wall were ‘Special Effects’ sweets: Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-coloured bubbles that refused to pop for days), Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps (‘breathe fire for your friends!’), Ice Mice (‘hear your teeth chatter and squeak!’), peppermint creams shaped like toads (‘hop realistically in the stomach!’), fragile sugar-spun quills and exploding bonbons.

After some mild shoving and squabbling over scoops, Gideon finally left the store with a smile on his face, a huge bag of sweets and a considerably lighter pocket. He was eager to see what else the town offered but was aware of the time, so decided he would check out just one more shop.

That was when he spotted Talia. She was standing alone, looking in the window of what appeared to be a clothing store. ‘How’s it going?’ Gideon asked.

‘Oh, hey, Gideon! Wow, looks like Honeydukes are going to need to restock!’ Talia replied, observing his bag.

Gideon chuckled, ‘Well, I can’t stay long but I had to get the important things done.’ They both smiled. ‘Are you going in?’

‘I’m not sure if it’s my style,’ Talia commented sceptically.

‘Let’s find out, then!’ said Gideon enthusiastically, still high on the sugary fumes of Honeydukes.

They entered the shop to find a surprisingly modern-looking clothing store. The walls and tiled floor were bright white, which contrasted with the many racks and shelves of colourful apparel.

‘I think I was right,’ Talia said out of the corner of her mouth as a tall, blonde woman approached them.

‘Hello Gideon, Natalia!’ greeted Professor Keane cheerily, today wearing a very non-winter-like Muggle dress under a small leather jacket and carrying two large bags. ‘Isn’t this store just darling? Every time I visit, I find something new to add to my wardrobe. I’m going to need to add another Extension Charm to it soon! Well, happy hunting!’

The professor merrily left the shop giving them an awkward wave of her fingers from beneath her heavy shopping bag handles.

‘If she shops here, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to find anything I like,’ Talia joked. ‘Ah, case in point,’ she added as a young woman with long, light-brown hair made her way over to them in a daring set of baby blue robes with cut-outs, much like the ones Professor Keane often sported in class.

‘Can I help you with anything?’ asked the young shopkeeper.

‘No, I don’t think—’ started Talia.

‘Jennifer?’ Gideon spoke softly, his jaw slack with shock.

‘Oh, hello!’ she replied with a wide smile.

Gideon suddenly recalled that his sister had planned to open a store in Hogsmeade, but so much had happened since then. It hadn’t occurred to him that he might see her here for the first time in months.

So many emotions were swirling around in his head. He was so happy to see her and so proud of her obvious success, but also fearful of how this conversation might go. Would she be receptive to him, or did she feel as their brother, Anthony did?

‘H-how are you?’ Gideon asked nervously.

‘I’m good! How are you?’ she replied.

Gideon grinned widely, ‘I’m good too!’

‘That’s great! Unfortunately, I’m afraid we don’t currently carry any menswear, but I’m sure I can help your friend here find something special?’ she informed him politely before turning to Talia, ‘Now, what sort of clothes are you looking for? Robes? Formal wear? Muggle-inspired designs? Something modern or something more traditional?’

‘Wha—huh?’ Gideon verbalised as his sister continued to interact with a confused-looking Talia. He watched dumbfounded for a few more moments as she withdrew a measuring tape and started pointing at different areas of the store.

‘Jen,’ he interjected, ‘it’s me! I-it’s me, Gideon.’

There was no recognition on Jennifer's face. 'I'm sorry, have we met?'

Gideon's heartbreak was almost palpable. He lost all feeling in his fingers and his heavy bag of sweets fell to the floor with a thud. How could she do this to him? It was one thing for Anthony or their father to ignore him at school, but Jennifer pretending that she didn't even know him was gut-wrenching. Gideon stumbled backwards, his eyes still fixed on his sister's blank face, and left the shop.

'Gideon? GIDEON?' he heard Talia calling after him as he ran up the high street, but he was long gone. He couldn't stay there a moment longer, not in a place where people might see the tears streaming down his cheeks. With how he was feeling, what if he had one of his odd episodes? There would be witnesses.

Gideon ran until he got a stitch in his side. He was alone on the wooded path between the village and the school. He wiped his face as he caught his breath. In all this time, Jennifer hadn’t tried to contact him, even though she had been so nearby. Somewhere deep down, Gideon had held on to the hope that his sister of all people, would have been the one in the family to stand by him.

What was he doing? Why was he clinging to the idea of being a Maxwell? They had abandoned him. All of them! He wasn't one of them by name or by blood. Gideon had counted on things returning to normal when his mother woke up. But what if she didn’t wake up? Worse still, what if she woke up and sided with the others?

Just then, Gideon’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of twigs breaking. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he straightened up and looked around into the woods on either side. He wiped his face again, afraid someone was watching, when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

It was the middle of the day, but the sunlight was obstructed by the surrounding trees. Gideon turned to the movement and fished his wand out. There was the sound of more twigs breaking and footsteps on crunchy fallen leaves. Gideon dashed into the tree line in pursuit of the movement, driven by the faint notion that one of the Gryffindor boys might have caught him crying.

He darted between the trees and spotted a figure just ahead moving away. Whoever it was, they seemed to have become aware of Gideon’s presence and broke into a run just as Gideon closed in on them. Suddenly there was a sound like the crack of a whip and Gideon’s quarry was nowhere to be found.

***

Still upset about his sister and perplexed by his non-encounter in the woods, Gideon returned to the castle in no mood for lunch. He made his way down into the grounds to Professor Hagrid’s hut, intending to make his apologies and excuse himself. However, on knocking on the hut door he was warmly greeted by the giant professor and two large boar hounds.

‘There ya’ are, Gideon, we were gettin’ worried! Come on in, tea’s ready!’ said Professor Hagrid pulling him inside.

‘Hi Gideon,’ Ruby greeted him from a humongous armchair. ‘Everything okay?’

‘Uh-huh,’ Gideon answered evasively while worryingly eyeing the two dogs climbing up on him.

‘Oh, don’t mind them,’ said the professor upon noticing this. ‘Zeus! Hades! Away with yer! Glad you could join us, Gideon. Any friend of Ruby here is welcome. I don’t think you two are in the same class, so you might not know, but Ruby’s got a way with beasts. In one of our classes, a unicorn strolled out of the forest and right up to her!’

‘Really?’ Gideon said with surprise as Ruby blushed. ‘I thought Unicorns—well, I guess I don’t know much about them, but I thought they were rare to come across?’

‘They are!’ the professor said excitedly. ‘Solitary creatures, unicorns. Very picky about humans! Never seen anything like it!’

‘Professor—’ Gideon began, trying to find a way to excuse himself.

‘Never have got used to that—call me Hagrid!’ the man said as he thrust a plate with a bread roll and a mug of tea in Gideon’s direction. Feeling it would be rude to leave now, Gideon accepted the plate and mug gratefully. The homemade bread roll was rock hard and contained a thick slice of tomato on top of a veritable slab of cheddar.

Gideon tried his best to make a dent in the roll while Hagrid led the conversation. He was very excited about their upcoming lessons and what sort of creatures he would be introducing them to, though, he wouldn’t say what.

After a few more minutes of discussing creatures, Hagrid unexpectedly brought up the fires, 'Sorry to hear about how things have been for you recently, Gideon. I noticed you've been quiet in classes. Ruby was telling me that people are gossipin' bout yer. Just know, none of the teachers thinks you're responsible for those fires!'

There was something both comforting and bothersome in Hagrid’s words. The reassurance was good to hear, but Gideon knew it wasn't exactly true. So, he believed, did Ruby for that matter. He didn't want to discuss it, so he made an audible noise and smiled.

However, when Ruby asked him what he had been up to that morning, a grumble wouldn’t do. Gideon didn’t want to discuss it or even think about it.

‘Actually, I hate to eat and run, but I haven’t been feeling too well today,’ Gideon explained. ‘Thanks so much for having me, Hagrid. Sorry I couldn’t finish the roll.’

'Don't worry about that! If you're not well, you best be getting some rest. We'll do it another time!' the professor responded kindly.

‘Thank you. See you later, Ruby.’

‘Feel better!‘ she said with a note of concern as Gideon exited the cabin.

Gideon felt bad for ducking out early, but he needed to be alone. Unfortunately, after climbing the hill up to the courtyard, he found his way blocked by none other than Greg, Jason, Scott and Sean from Gryffindor. They were tossing a fanged frisbee around. Upon noticing Gideon’s presence, Greg looked pleased, but the other boys looked like deer caught in headlights.

‘Look who it is,’ Greg announced, ‘You-Know-Two! Like that, freak? I came up with it myself!’

Gideon whipped out his wand, ‘I’m not in the mood, Greg. Just let me pass.’

‘Greg let’s just go,’ Jason suggested.

‘Or you’ll do what?’ Greg taunted, ignoring his friend, and drawing his own wand.

‘Come on, mate, let’s get to the village,’ said Sean.

‘Shut up!’ Greg snapped. ‘He’s not going to do anything in broad daylight!’

Gideon felt his frustration rising but as he remembered what happened the last time the group had confronted him, he tried to calm his thoughts. He kept his wand at his side and began to step towards the doors, intending to simply pass by. The Gryffindors stepped back instinctively, and Greg raised his wand.

Gideon focused on remaining cool, calm and collected. He tried to block out the events of that morning and keep his mind blank. He decided he would only use his wand in retaliation. However, with barely ten steps left between them, Gideon watched in astonishment as the right-hand door to the castle burst into flames.

‘He’s crazy!’ yelled Sean.

‘Leg it!’ Jason ordered.

‘Greg, come on, let’s go!’ Scott pleaded.

Greg looked annoyed but equally frightened, and followed the others through the doors, careful of the flames climbing up one side.

‘You’ve got to be kidding?’ Gideon muttered under his breath. He couldn’t believe it had happened again despite his best efforts. He concentrated and raised his wand. ‘Glacius!’ he commanded.

Unlike his previous attempt in the Student Lounge, a powerful, continuous stream of icy air was blasted at the flaming door. He started at the bottom and worked his way up until the fire was extinguished and only a large black mark remained.

A little proud of himself and happy to have dealt with things before he was discovered, Gideon smiled and made to enter the castle. Unfortunately, there was now someone standing in the open doorway, blocking his path.

'Good afternoon, Mr Maxwell,' said Professor Long with her eyebrows raised.

Chapter Text

Gideon silently followed Professor Long through the castle. As she marched him to her office, he thought desperately about what had just transpired and how he might explain it. How much had she seen? She must have crossed paths with the Gryffindor boys as they fled. Would she question them? Would they come clean about everything?

No, Greg would never admit to what had happened in the Student Lounge, and thankfully, he had a tight enough hold on his cronies to stop them from doing so. That wouldn’t stop them from talking about what had just happened, though.

Setting fire to the door had been the furthest thing from Gideon’s mind, and yet it had occurred. Was there any chance it wasn’t him? He hadn’t intended it. He hadn’t even sensed any magic inside him. But would the professor believe that? Would anyone?

Gideon clenched his fists in frustration. Just what was going on? Was it him? Or could it have been connected to Ruby’s suspicions? At this rate, he was likely to be expelled before finding the answers he was looking for.

‘Take a seat, Mr Maxwell,’ said Professor Long as they entered her office. Gideon sat in the chair across from her. ‘Please explain yourself.’

Gideon suspected Professor Long might be fishing for information with her ambiguous question, so he asked her to clarify, ‘How do you mean, Professor?’

'You understand, don't you, that we are currently investigating several fires at the school?' she said patiently, her expression as statuesque as always. Gideon nodded. 'I came upon you extinguishing a fire, Mr Maxwell. So, I repeat, please explain yourself.'

The professor had seen Gideon putting out the fire but that seemed to be the extent of it. Not entirely sure of what had occurred himself, Gideon decided that being honest was the best recourse in this situation.

‘I don’t really know what happened, Professor. The door was on fire. There wasn’t anyone else around, so I put it out.’ Gideon explained.

‘I see,’ she said calmly. ‘So, you didn’t start the fire?’

‘No,’ Gideon answered confidently, and as he did, he realised that on some level he truly believed that.

‘I happened to see Mr Stevens and his friends leaving the scene in a hurry. Did one of them start the fire?’

‘No,’ Gideon said before wondering whether he should have pre-emptively blamed them just in case, ‘they didn’t do it.’

‘But they were there when it started?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why were you in the Courtyard and not visiting the village?’

‘I was in the village, but I left early to have lunch with Professor Hagrid and Ruby Williams. I had just been at Hagrid’s hut when I came upon Greg and his friends playing a game.’

‘Was anybody else around?’

‘Not that I noticed.’

‘And why were the Gryffindor boys running away?’

‘Maybe because they thought they would get blamed?’ Gideon speculated, rather than admitting they were scrambling to get away from him.

‘And when I speak with them, will they contradict you?’

Gideon had concluded that they wouldn’t risk getting themselves in trouble. ‘I don’t think so. To be honest, though, I don’t get on with those boys. We were the only people around, so they might say that they think I started the fire, especially Greg Stevens. But I don’t think they will say that they actually saw me do anything. It really just appeared on its own.'

‘I see,’ Professor Long repeated. ‘Well, I will be speaking with each of them. Should I find their answers differ greatly from yours, I may want to speak with you again. Should I discover you have lied to me, there will be consequences. If what you’ve told me is true… You’ll receive twenty house points for your good deed and excellent command of the Frost Spell.’

Gideon was stunned for a moment before a smile broke across his face. Earning twenty points for Slytherin was the last thing he could have imagined coming of his conversation with the deputy headmistress.

‘Please take heed, though, Mr Maxwell,’ Professor Long added in a more solemn tone, ‘It is not a good time to be traversing the school alone and without witnesses. Particularly, I’m afraid, for students who have already garnered a certain, shall we say, reputation.’

Gideon nodded in understanding. If he hadn't set fire to the door, then he had only his worst enemies to speak to his innocence. He would have to be more careful in the future, especially now that a new possibility had come to mind. Could someone be trying to frame him?

***

Gideon had a tough time sleeping that night. There was just so much on his mind. It was in moments like this that he missed his elf friend, Tolly the most. Tolly would always be happy, eager even, to hear about how Gideon was getting on at school. Now and then, he would even have a token piece of advice that would lift Gideon’s mood.

Ruby had been a good friend to him over the past couple of weeks. Gideon decided that when he saw her next, he would confide in her about his family situation—as well as update her on the latest fire. He thought it would be a good gesture of friendship, but mainly, he just needed to talk to someone.

***

‘Have you seen? The doors to the courtyard are covered in scorch marks!’ Gideon heard a Ravenclaw girl tell her friends over breakfast the next morning.

‘Another fire?’ one of them replied.

‘Looks like it!’

‘Maybe it’s just a stain?’

‘Oh, come on,’ another whispered, ‘it’s bound to be him, isn’t it?’

‘Who?’

‘You-Know-Two!’

Gideon sputtered and choked on a mouthful of cereal, both mildly amused and greatly annoyed that the nickname Greg had invented was spreading so quickly. He put down his spoon and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

‘Shush!’ someone hissed. ‘He’s right behind us!’

Taking that as his cue to exit, Gideon rolled his eyes and made to leave, intending to wait in the Entrance Hall for Ruby to appear. As he left the Great Hall, though, he found somebody waiting for him.

‘Morning,’ said Talia.

‘Oh, hi,’ said Gideon, caught off guard.

‘Your important items?’ she said with a wry smile, holding up Gideon’s large Honeydukes bag.

Gideon laughed but flushed red with embarrassment as he took the bag, ‘Thanks, Talia. I’m sorry for running out on you yesterday.’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ she said coolly.

‘I’m not sure how to explain,’ Gideon started.

‘Then don’t,’ she added.

‘No, I want to. It must have looked weird.’

‘Nah. I was more worried about what happened with Professor Long,’ Talia said with concern. ‘Just as I was coming back from Hogsmeade, I saw her leading you off somewhere. It looked like you might be in trouble?’

‘Oh, so you saw what happened?’ Gideon questioned.

‘Well,’ Talia said hesitantly, ‘I saw the scorch marks on the door. She doesn’t think you did it, does she?’

‘I don’t think so. I mean, I explained myself and she’s looking into it. With the way things are going, though, don’t be surprised if I’m kicked out.’

‘I’m sure that won’t happen,’ she assured Gideon.

Just then, a large group of Hufflepuffs appeared, including Ruby. As the group filed into the hall, Ruby stopped to greet the pair, ‘Hello, Talia. Feeling better, Gideon?’

‘Err, yeah. Do you want to grab breakfast and go to the lounge? Gideon replied. Ruby nodded eagerly. ‘Want to join us?’ He asked Talia.

‘Sure,’ she replied casually, but she looked both surprised and pleased to be invited.

A few minutes later, the girls joined Gideon in the empty Student Lounge by the fire. They each brought napkins with toast.

‘Oh, it’s not bad in here,’ Talia remarked. ‘You guys come here often?’

‘Yeah, it’s not used that much since everyone just sticks with their own houses, but since mine won’t talk to me anymore…’ Gideon explained.

‘And mine just don’t talk to me…’ Ruby jested sheepishly.

‘And mine can’t talk to me unless I give them permission!’ Talia joked. ‘What a fun bunch we are. I guess a place like this is handy for outcasts like us!’

The three of them chuckled.

‘So, Gideon, tell us about yesterday,’ Talia coaxed.

‘Did something happen after you got sick?’ Ruby asked him.

‘No. To be honest, I wasn’t sick, Ruby. Something happened and I didn’t know how to deal with it.’ Gideon explained, ‘You see, I went to Hogsmeade yesterday morning to get us some sweets to share at lunch with Hagrid. I bumped into Talia there and we went into one of the shops. That’s when I saw my sister.’

‘Your sister?’ Ruby and Talia echoed in unison.

‘Jennifer. I haven’t seen her in months. She pretended not to know me, and I guess I freaked out.’

‘That explains it,’ Talia commented.

‘I don’t understand. Why would your sister pretend not to know you?’ Ruby added.

‘Well,’ Gideon began, took a breath, and went on to explain some of the craziness he had experienced over the last six months. He told them about attending Middling Academy, the Dementor attack, his hospitalisation, his abandonment, his stay with his aunt, getting his Hogwarts letter, how his father and brother blamed him for their mother’s condition, and lastly, that his sister apparently agreed.

When Gideon finally finished, he sat back in his chair and waited for the girls’ dumbstruck expressions to change.

Ruby tried to say something, ‘Tha-that. That’s—’

‘Nuts!’ Talia interjected.

‘Right?’ Gideon said. ‘Unfortunately, there’s more, if you promise to keep it to yourselves?’

‘Of course!’ the girls said at once.

Already feeling his burden lessening, Gideon was tempted to tell the girls everything. However, he resisted the urge to confess the truth about the Dementor attack and his suspicions about his magic being sealed, and how he had been responsible for his mother's condition, although, unknowingly, or about the fight with the Gryffindors.

After drawing breath once more, careful not to reveal Ruby’s secret, he told them about the fires and how he worried he was starting them, about the nightmare the headmistress had removed, and about the latest fire in the courtyard and Professor Long’s interrogation.

‘Wow, that’s an awful lot to take in, Gideon,’ Ruby whispered. ‘I’m so sorry about your mum and your family. I can’t even imagine…’

'I can't believe Professor Maxwell is your dad!' Talia exclaimed. 'He barely acknowledges you in class!'

‘It must be difficult, but I’m sure they’ll come around eventually, Gideon. It doesn’t matter if you’re not technically related, you’re still family! Besides, your auntie sounds wonderful.’

Gideon nodded in agreement and smiled in thanks. He felt so much better now that he had lightened his heavy load.

After about a minute of silence, Talia summarised, ‘So, your family blame you for your mum’s condition, and because of that and the few small fires you know you’ve started, you think they may be right and that you may be responsible for the others?’

‘Something like that,’ Gideon confirmed.

‘But yesterday’s fire, the Halloween incident, the Charms classroom—and the one that happened in here—are all question marks.’ Ruby clarified.

Gideon nodded again.

‘Well, I’m convinced there’s something else going on, we just have to find out what!’ Ruby asserted.

‘Me too,’ Talia agreed. ‘Between the two of us, we can keep an eye on you in and out of classes and we can keep an eye out for other possibilities. When we’re not around, make sure you’re with the Slytherins. You can’t be found alone in suspicious circumstances again!’

A silent pact was formed between the three of them and the mood lightened.

‘Now,’ Talia stated, eyeing Gideon’s Honeydukes bag, ‘on to more important matters!’

***

Gideon, spent much of the day with Ruby and Talia, talking, laughing, and sampling the many delectable treats that he had purchased in Hogsmeade. They enjoyed the special effects sweets in particular, like the Fizzing Whizzbees that made you hover slightly off the ground, the Animalts, which temporarily changed your voice into calls of the wild, and the Choo Chews, which gave you a burst of energy but made smoke billow from your ears like that of a steam engine.

Ruby was happy to hear Talia had a cat and that she would bring him along the next time they got together. Talia was interested to hear more about Gideon’s favourite bands, knowing that they were both fans of The Stargazers. They turned out to have similar tastes in music.

Gideon and Talia had only really exchanged small talk before now, so it was nice to learn more about her. Natalia Dinescu was raised in Romania but had been born in Britain to a Welsh mother and a Romanian father. She had also been accepted to her father’s alma mater, Durmstrang Institute, but had chosen to come to Hogwarts.

This reminded Gideon about his own mysterious second school offer for the first time in months. In Talia’s case, the offers to both Hogwarts and Durmstrang seemed to be a result of her dual citizenship. Why then, he wondered, had Durmstrang sent him an offer letter?

Gideon’s train of thought was interrupted by Talia announcing she hadn’t fed her cat. Ruby added that she had homework to complete. They agreed that they had enjoyed themselves and made plans to meet for lunch the following day.

***

Still in a good mood, Gideon headed down to breakfast on Monday in high spirits. He sat down at the end of the Slytherin table and filled his plate with a generous serving of scrambled egg, beans, and sausages, unaware that his housemates were keeping a further distance from him than usual.

‘Say something!’ he heard someone urge as he took a mouthful of beans. It was Vinny Romano, pestering his fellow Slytherins, ‘Wimps! If you aren’t going to confront him, then I will! Oi, Gideon! It’s you, isn’t it?’

Gideon sighed and asked drolly, ‘What have I done now?’

‘Killed your mum for a start!’ Vinny snapped loudly.

Gideon’s good mood vanished in an instant and was replaced by dread. The entire room seemed to have frozen upon hearing Vinny's words as if everyone was waiting for Gideon’s response. Did Vinny somehow know about the Dementor attack? Had his mother’s condition worsened without his knowledge?

‘Wha-what are you talking about?’ Gideon asked, his heart starting to beat fast in his chest.

‘This! Admit it, it’s about you!’ Vinny snapped, tossing Gideon the morning’s copy of the Daily Prophet.

The cover story featured a moving picture of what appeared to be the Minister for Magic, Jonathan Grimsby and several other people fighting their way through a swarm of reporters and photographers.

MINISTRY SCANDAL EXPOSED: DARK MAGIC INCIDENT COVERED UP! THE BOY WHO DIED — ALIVE! AND DANGEROUS?

Today, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal details of a Ministry scandal of unprecedented proportions.

The Ministry-led cover-up surrounds the mysterious and tragic Class Four incident of 11 April 2010. Remembered for its long list of victims, including a young woman and her infant son, the mysterious explosion that involved the presence of dark magic went unsolved—until now.

The Ministry reported the high-exposure event as the work of an unidentified dark wizard, who also died at the scene. We can now reveal that while an unidentified wizard was among the victims, the true source of the devastating magical event was in fact the infant child listed among the deceased as Gideon Drake, son of fellow victim, Gwendoline Drake.

After an attempted kidnapping by the unnamed wizard, the infant released a devastating burst of dark magic, claiming the lives of countless Muggles as well as his own mother. Worse still, baby Gideon did not die in the explosion as previously reported. He is alive and well, and currently attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The previous Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, is rumoured to have covered up the boy’s involvement to avoid public panic during the years of recovery following the downfall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Until now, the boy’s existence was known only to a handful of Ministry employees, including his assigned legal advocate, Jonathan Grimsby.

Afraid of the boy’s potential, Minister Shacklebolt held a secret hearing and approved the dangerous, unethical, and arguably unlawful sealing of the boy’s magic. Since then, he has lived among us as a Squib, and the adoptive son of none other than this reporter’s own brother, Marcus Maxwell, who was until recently, Head of the Ministry’s Auror Office (Read more on page 3).

Sadly, it seems history was doomed to repeat itself. Following another covered-up incident involving Dementors in Central London (Read more on page 4), the boy’s sealed magic was released this summer. The ensuing eruption of dark magic was able to destroy a Dementor, but also left the boy’s adoptive mother, Sarah Maxwell in St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. It’s unknown if she will recover or meet the same fate as her son’s birth mother.

The offices of the Ministry and Shacklebolt have so far declined to comment but the Prophet will be pursuing this story aggressively until the magical community is given answers. Was Minister Granger-Weasley made aware of the cover-up? Were any laws broken by those involved? Does Gideon Drake pose a danger to himself or others now that his magic has been unsealed? If so, what should be done about it? For the answers to these questions and more, follow our continuing coverage…

Gideon was stunned. The newspaper shook in his hands as he read in disbelief. It was all here. All of his secrets. The ones he had been hiding and the ones he had been searching for. After all his hours of research in the library and his plans to break into the Restricted Section, the answers were here in black and white for all the world to see.

He finally knew what had happened to his magic. As Gideon had suspected, it was sealed when he was a baby. But it was sealed because he had killed people. He had killed Gwendoline Drake, his own mother. It was beyond anything he could have imagined. He was a murderer, and now everyone would know it.

Gideon felt numb. He was completely unaware of what was happening around him. All he could hear was white noise and the pounding of his heart. He looked to the top of the article to confirm his fear. The by-line read, “by Caroline Maxwell”. There it was. After his sister’s recent snubbing and now his aunt’s betrayal, he was officially, and perhaps justifiably, alone.

Many students around the room were on their feet. Gideon faintly recognised the faces of Talia, Ruby, Verity, Greg, Jason, Alex, Dorian, Eoin, Sasha, Emma, Cheryl, Brendan and even some staff among them, all looking in his direction with varying levels of concern, intrigue, fear or revulsion.

Professor Voronov was making his way over to the Slytherin table and beyond him, seated at the staff table was Professor Maxwell, Gideon’s father. For the first time in recent memory, he made eye contact with Gideon over his own copy of the Prophet.

‘Well? It is you, isn’t it, freak?’ Vinny demanded, his words cutting through the din.

Before Gideon knew it, he was on his feet. The sudden gesture caused Vinny among others to flinch or gasp. ‘Yes, it’s me!’ Gideon roared defiantly, meeting his father’s eyes once more. ‘I am Gideon Drake!’

Chapter Text

Everyone in the Great Hall stared at Gideon in stunned silence following his sudden pronouncement.

‘Come, Mr Maxwell,’ urged Professor Voronov, who had arrived at his side.

‘Didn’t you hear? It’s Drake!’ Gideon spat, not fully aware of himself or that he was addressing his Head of House.

‘Come, Gideon,’ the professor said, steering Gideon towards the exit with a firm hand on his back.

Gideon didn’t resist but gave those who dared meet his eyes his best death stare, all the way to the exit. As the doors to the Great Hall closed behind them, Gideon’s brazen façade faltered, and comprehension dawned on him. Gideon’s already fast heartbeat sped up, his breathing became staggered and his mind all but clogged.

His aunt, his father, his mother, his birth mother, the truth, the embarrassment, the shame. There were just too many things to deal with and too many feelings to unravel. This was it. This was as much as Gideon could stand—as much as any sane person could. It was going to happen again. Gideon ran for the front door without a word.

‘Gideon? Come back at once!’ Professor Voronov ordered.

But Gideon didn’t listen, he couldn’t. The professor would see, or worse yet, he would get hurt. Unfortunately, the man gave chase, and he was unusually fast.

‘Please, Professor,’ Gideon pleaded in the open air just a short distance from the castle doors, looking around for an escape, ‘you can’t be here! Leave me alone!’

‘No, Gideon, I’m not going anywhere,’ the professor said, blocking Gideon’s path as he tried to run in the opposite direction.

‘Please, Professor,’ Gideon repeated as the familiar feeling inside of him began to spread throughout his body. ‘I don’t want to hurt anyone else.’

‘Then, take control, Gideon!’ Professor Voronov commanded, crouching down, and grabbing the boy by his shoulders.

Without questioning why the man seemed to know what he was talking about, Gideon replied, ‘I-I can’t! There’s no way to stop it!’

‘I didn’t say stop it,’ Professor Voronov instructed as Gideon’s blood began to boil, ‘I said control it! Use your wand. Direct the magic into your arm and through your wand!’

‘I don’t think I can,’ Gideon replied, taking his wand out of his pocket as his skin began to crackle. ‘You should run!’

‘I’m not moving, Gideon,’ the man insisted, his dark eyes meeting Gideon’s with a steely resolve, ‘Don’t think, just do! This is your power. It’s yours to wield, yours to control! Now, focus!’

Borrowing his teacher's confidence, Gideon concentrated with all his might, steadily raising his crackling arm against its will, and pointing his wand into the air. Gideon felt the power inside him withdraw from his limbs, back into his chest and flow only into his right arm like a surging river redirected by a fallen tree.

It was working, but now there was more energy than ever in one area of his body and his arm began to spark, shake, and burn with the force of it all.

‘That’s it, Gideon. Now, let the magic flow into your fingers, into your wand, and release it!’

With an immense effort, Gideon forced the contained magic into the tips of his fingers until he felt it connect with his wand. Suddenly, it felt as though a tap had been turned on too hard and the magic rushed in at once. Gideon’s arm shook and smoked worse than ever as a huge jet of scarlet flames erupted from his wand like the breath of a great dragon.

Gideon yelled with the pain and stress of the task. He didn't think he could keep his arm straight or even keep a hold of his wand much longer. Thankfully, his worry was alleviated somewhat by Professor Voronov supporting his wand arm and grip, but the force of the magic was still incredible.

The scarlet fire continued to fill the sky until all of Gideon’s pent-up magic was released from his damaged arm. Almost immediately afterwards, Gideon’s vision blurred, his knees buckled, and he passed out.

***

The Hospital Wing’s architectural ceiling was hardly a new view to Gideon, but it was a surprising one. When he sat up in one of the medical bay beds, it was a few moments before he remembered what had occurred. Scared of what might happen if he thought too much about it, Gideon calmed his mind and tried to compartmentalise the information.

It wasn’t really necessary, though. One thing stood out in his memory, overriding everything else. It was the sight of the grey sky burning red with the light of his wand. It had been a magnificent sight, if not a frightening one.

Gideon couldn't believe that with Professor Voronov's help, he had been able to control the build-up of magic within him. When it had happened in the Student Lounge—and probably those other times—it had just burst out of him uncontrollably. His wand might have amplified the power but at least it had allowed him to direct the magic to a chosen spot.

Gideon felt a modicum of hope that if, or more likely when he lost control again, he might be able to prevent needless harm to those around him. Of course, he would have to act quicker next time, or he would end up in the hospital again.

Looking down, Gideon noticed that the sleeve of his right arm had been rolled to the top and the flushed red skin was covered in a grease-like coating. His delay in controlling the magic had clearly taken its toll on his body.

‘Ah! You’re awake!’ Madam Longbottom remarked, entering the room with a small tray of bottles. ‘Good. You need to take some potion. You were very lucky, young man. Whatever spell you were trying, it was obviously well beyond you! I shudder to think what could have happened if Professor Voronov hadn’t been there.’

‘Is the professor here?’ Gideon asked.

‘He’ll be back soon,’ the matron confirmed. ‘I’ve already started treating your arm but there is internal damage, too. You also have a serious case of magic depletion, which will slow your healing. You’ll be here for the night.’

‘What time is it?’

‘It’s five PM,' she informed him.

‘I was out for that long?’ Gideon exclaimed.

‘A good thing, too, or you would have had to deal with the pain. Maybe this will teach you not to attempt advanced magic at your age?’

‘Err, sure,’ said Gideon, realising that Professor Voronov hadn’t been entirely truthful with the matron about the circumstances surrounding his injury.

‘Here, drink this, and lie back down.’

Gideon complied. The potion didn’t go down well. It had the smell of aloe and bubbled peculiarly as he swallowed it.

The matron folded out a part of the bed frame, which turned out to be an armrest and used it to elevate Gideon's damaged arm before applying copious amounts more of the greasy salve.

Twenty minutes—and what felt like five pounds of salve—later, Gideon saw Professor Voronov arrive from his propped-up position—with the headmistress. Gideon instinctively made to get up, but Madam Longbottom pushed him back down.

‘Good evening, Gideon,’ said Professor Dandridge with a kind smile.

The cogs of Gideon’s mind were turning, which is why he failed to reply. He wondered if Professor Voronov had shared the full details of his latest magical mishap with her or if, like with the matron, he had skirted the truth.

‘Could we possibly have a moment alone with Gideon, Hannah?’ Professor Dandridge asked Madam Longbottom.

‘Of course, Headmistress. I’ll be in my office,’ the matron answered before departing swiftly.

Gideon gulped as the teachers moved closer to his bedside.

‘Now, Gideon. Professor Voronov has recounted what happened to you both this morning. Given this incident and certain other facts which have come to light, I think there are a few things that we should discuss. I want to assure you now, though, that you are not in any trouble.’

This wasn’t quite the conversation Gideon was expecting.

'I would like to meet with both of you in my office this Friday at lunchtime. I'll make us some tea and see if the kitchens can send up some treats.’

Gideon happened to notice Professor Voronov’s expression straining. He very much doubted the man was one for “treats”.

‘For now, it seems you will be staying here while your injury is seen to. I also think that this would be the appropriate time to return your dream to you.’

‘My dream?’ Gideon said aloud. He knew what she was talking about, of course, but was that really why the headmistress had come?

‘I think that you may now have the information you need to process the dream without it causing you further problems. That said, I would like your permission to allow Madam Longbottom to erect a barrier around your bed tonight. Just in case.’

Gideon nodded in agreement.

‘Good. I’ll take care of this quickly, then,’ she said with a smile before retrieving her wand and a vial of misty pink liquid from her robes. She dipped her wand tip in the vial, pulled out the attached, wriggling, worm-like contents, and touched it to Gideon’s left temple. There was a small glow and the mist disappeared into his head.

‘Right. I will see you both on Friday at midday,’ said the headmistress brightly before turning to leave. ‘Thank you, Hannah!’ she called out on her way past the matron’s office.

Professor Voronov remained by Gideon’s bedside. There was a long silence before Gideon finally spoke. ‘Thank you for what you did, Sir,’ he said. The professor blinked in acknowledgement. ‘I was wondering, though, how did you know?’

‘That, I imagine, is one of the things we will be discussing with Professor Dandridge on Friday.’

‘Okay. Why Friday, though?’

Professor Voronov didn’t seem to know the answer to that question himself, ‘I’m sure the headmistress has her reasons. I will be bringing you schoolwork and homework to get on with while you’re here. I don’t want you to fall behind while you’re recovering. Madam Longbottom will see that you’re not disturbed, but is there anyone that you would like to have visit you?’

Gideon thought about that briefly. ‘No,’ he said sadly. After this morning’s news, any ideas he had harboured about forming friendships were surely folly.

‘Okay. Well, be sure to heed Madam Longbottom’s advice. Here are some of your books and work from today’s lessons. I’ll leave them down here for you,’ the teacher explained, pulling out Gideon’s bookbag from behind his back.

‘Sir! Your hands—’ Gideon exclaimed with his mouth open wide. As Professor Voronov placed Gideon’s things on the floor by his bed, his heavily bandaged hands were momentarily exposed.

‘Think nothing of it, Gideon,’ said the professor sternly, before placing his arms behind his back once more. ‘I will see you tomorrow.’

Professor Voronov left the room, folding his hands in front of him as he did. Gideon was hit with a new wave of guilt. In helping him control his magical outburst, the professor had sustained injuries of his own. Gideon furrowed his eyebrows, shook his head, and huffed through his nostrils in frustration. How many more people were going to get hurt because of him?

***

After a couple of hours of wallowing in self-pity, Gideon was given a sleeping potion to drink before Madam Longbottom used her wand to erect an invisible magical barrier around his bed. Gideon wasn't sure he wanted to go to sleep. He worried that now his dream had been returned to him, he might wake up to another fire. Professor Dandridge surely shared that concern.

If dreams were the way our subconscious minds worked through our issues, as Gideon had been told, his brain certainly had a big job to do. It was perhaps no wonder then, that Gideon's dreams came fast and furiously that night.

It was like he was having several vivid dreams at once. He kept jumping locations, and the people in his dreams wouldn’t stay in place either. One moment he would be in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom arguing with his father, then he might suddenly find himself in his sister’s Hogsmeade store confronting Anthony, then at Aunt Caroline’s arguing with Jennifer, although, she had her back turned each time she appeared.

The last time he jumped back to Hogwarts, he was watching Caroline having her picture taken in the Great Hall while she held up a copy of the Daily Prophet. The image with the cover story was the exact same scene, which Gideon found himself sucked into like a never-ending vortex of pictures within pictures.

Gideon had the presence of mind within the dream to tear up the newspaper and escape the loop, but now he found himself completely alone in a vast, dark space. He began to panic when a menacing voice whispered in his ear, ‘Something dark…’ No, it didn’t whisper in his ear, the voice was in his head. He was wearing the Sorting Hat.

He pulled the old hat up off his head and light returned to the Great Hall. However, he was still alone. There was nobody around. He ran all over the castle but couldn’t find a single person. He couldn’t stand the loneliness, so Gideon ran out into the grounds.

Sadly, he found there the missing students and teachers, but not in the form he had hoped. The lush grounds of the castle were now a mass graveyard with headstones visible up to the edge of the Forbidden Forest and beyond. Just as Gideon wondered what could have happened to them all and how they could have left him all alone, the answer became apparent.

In the blink of an eye, the field of graves became an inferno. Lost amidst the field of fire, Gideon called out, ‘Hello? Is there anyone out there?’ To his surprise and delight, a single voice replied, ‘Gideon!’ He ran through the grounds in search of the voice’s owner, carefully avoiding the blazing headstones. It called his name again, and he was close. He spun around and there she was. It was Gwendoline Drake.

As always, she was reaching for him while calling his name. He reached for her in return but frustratingly, found that his usual tiny hand fell short of the distance between them. Gideon knew what was coming next, but he was desperate to change the outcome. Inevitably, the surrounding inferno engulfed the woman.

Gideon fell to his knees, the pain of losing her again stung worse than the flames ever could. His tears fell to the ground and remarkably, the spot they landed on rippled like a stone breaking the surface of a lake. The ripple widened and a wave of light was released from it, extinguishing the fire as it grew larger.

‘You can’t save me,’ a gentle voice said. ‘You know why. Part of me will be with you always, but I’m already gone. I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you. Be safe, my sweet boy.’

***

Gideon awoke with a sense of dread. He opened his eyes with some difficulty but was mildly relieved to see the ceiling was still intact. He hadn’t burned down the building at least. He sat up in bed and had to rub his eyes to inspect his surroundings. The bed, the curtains and the bedside table all appeared undamaged.

Gideon realised that his eyes were a little sore with what seemed to be semi-dried tears. He knew why that might be. He remembered it all, the important part of the dream anyway. His birth mother, or more likely his subconscious, had given him a message. There was a reason why the nightmare had been haunting Gideon, why it had been enough to trigger the fire in the dormitory while he was sleeping.

He understood now. It wasn’t a dream at all. It was a memory. It was Gideon’s earliest and worst memory, brought to the surface by the awful power of the Dementors. It was the memory of his mother’s death. The memory of when he had lost control of his magic for the first time and killed Gwendoline Drake.

The tiny hands that could never make contact with Gwendoline in the dream were the hands of a baby—his hands. He had been reaching for her from the grip of his would-be kidnapper. Being taken from her had been what triggered the magical explosion, one that had emanated from Gideon himself and killed Gwendoline, the kidnapper, and numerous innocent people.

Gideon screwed up his face, trying not to think about the lives he had taken or the expression on Gwendoline’s face when the fire had swallowed her. The more he thought about everything, the crazier it all seemed—the crazier he seemed.

As unforgivable a betrayal as Caroline’s Prophet exposé had been, it had filled in some of the blanks that Gideon had been having trouble with. Part of him was glad that he finally knew the truth, but there was another part of him—perhaps a larger part—that wished he didn’t know at all, and that he could erase the last six months entirely.

Gideon stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought. How could Caroline have done this to him? How could he possibly move forward from this point, knowing what he now did? Moreover, how would other people react now that they all knew too? What was going to happen now?

Chapter Text

Gideon got out of his hospital bed and noticed that his arm was feeling and looking much better. It had absorbed the salve and was far less red. Gideon drew back the curtain to find Madam Longbottom snoozing upright in a chair nearby with her wand in her lap.

‘Err, good morning?’ Gideon said.

The matron’s lolling head sprung up with a start and she replied much louder than necessary, ‘Morning!’

‘You weren’t sitting here all night, were you?’ Gideon asked.

‘Of course! I had to monitor you,’ she replied while surreptitiously wiping a bit of drool from her chin. ‘I wasn’t asleep, you see, just resting my eyes.’

‘Err, sure,’ Gideon agreed. ‘Did everything go okay?’

'Oh, yes. For a while, I could tell you were in REM sleep and did get worried when you started fussing and mumbling, but nothing happened. You seemed to work through whatever you were dreaming about. Do you remember?'

'Yes. I don't think that dream will cause me any more problems.'

‘Good. Well, let’s look at that arm.’

***

The next few days went by horribly slowly. Gideon didn’t have much to do other than complete the class work and homework that Professor Voronov dropped off, and read the Daily Prophet, which Madam Longbottom had been giving him every morning with his breakfast. This meant he had a lot of free time alone with his thoughts.

This wouldn’t usually be a problem for Gideon, but since Caroline’s exposé, he was still page one news and numerous follow-up articles had been published about him by other Prophet writers. As such, he had an awful lot to think about. He considered not reading the articles, but since everyone else in the world was going to take them seriously, he figured he better make himself aware of what was being reported.

Tuesday’s Prophet had expanded on the initial story by speculating more about those involved in the cover-up, accusing them of mishandling the incident and making a point of stating the Ministry hadn't yet responded. It also included a piece about Gideon's family history, which was mainly profiles on the Maxwells—an otherwise well-respected wizarding family—but alluded to a mystery surrounding his true origins.

On Wednesday, the focus shifted to the Dementor attack. To start with, it included an anonymous interview with someone from St Mungo’s, who claimed to have overheard details of the witness statement and commented that despite Gideon’s dangerous magical outburst, he had not been treated in the high-security area, putting Healers and patients at risk.

The source went on to describe the condition of Gideon and his mother when they were brought in:

‘That poor woman! She was covered head to toe in burns and left with untreatable soul damage. Meanwhile, the monster who did it—her own son—got off with nothing but a bruised eye!’

Then, they shared tidbits about his treatment. This included how he “violently attacked the Healers and had to be restrained”, was “strangely resistant to their potions” and “had to be moved to a private room because he disturbed the other patients.”

The claims had enough truth to them for Gideon to tell the source was genuine. However, he was irked by how they had twisted the truth.

There were connected but separate pieces covering the specifics of the attack. One spoke more about the cover-up and the presence of Dementors in London. It expanded on the source’s information of the witness statement and asked questions like how and why Dementors were in such a high-profile magical location without being detected, who the witness might have been, and why a top Auror’s wife could not fend off the monsters.

Unfortunately, the article also provided an answer to that last question, which Gideon had not been prepared for. It was one last piece to his puzzle that he hadn't been able to finish on his own. The witness statement supposedly described how Sarah Maxwell had tried and failed to defend herself and Gideon. After her Patronus failed, she tried another spell, which had also failed before she attempted to flee.

Therefore, the reporter surmised that Gideon’s magical binding—an outmoded, unethical, and dangerous ritual spell known as “The Weaving”—may have had the nasty side effect of negating the magic of nearby witches and wizards. They went on to cite research and refer to another article about the spell, but Gideon knew immediately that the reporter’s assumption was right on the money.

He remembered clearly how his mother had been unable to use her magic. He also remembered that late-night conversation between his grandmother and father. This was what his grandmother had been referring to. There must have been other instances where she had noticed magic not working around him.

Gideon recalled the time when he had visited his grandmother’s room and her piano had stopped playing itself, the time his father couldn’t clean the floor, and even the car radio not working. It all made sense. It was because of him, or rather, what had been done to him. Gideon had screwed up his newspaper in anger at that point. If only his family hadn’t always tried to avoid using magic around him for fear of making him jealous, they might have noticed sooner.

The other related piece focused on the fact that Gideon had been able to destroy a Dementor and injure another. Given the situation in Scotland and the fact that the magical community's best defence against the foul creatures was the Patronus Charm, which simply, but effectively, drove them away, the reporter considered it highly interesting. However, they also suggested that it meant Gideon's mysterious power was most definitely something to be feared.

Gideon had done a lot of thinking after reading that article. The truth was that he, too, feared the strange power that was apparently dwelling inside of him. The Sorting Hat seemed to have picked up on it and described it as “something dark”, but beyond that, he knew next to nothing about it.

What Gideon had read in the Prophet referred to evidence of “dark magic” following his unfortunate incident as a baby. What exactly was dark magic, though? He wondered whether it might just be a term jealous people threw around about powerful wizards. However, that explanation seemed a little too convenient.

The newspaper also included further coverage of Jonathan Grimsby, his background as a legal advocate and scrutiny of his past cases. Some articles accused him of failing in his duty to protect Gideon from The Weaving. Naturally, others hypocritically maintained that his duty was to have raised the alarm about Gideon's existence.

It didn't seem fair, but Gideon resented Mr Grimsby for not revealing the truth before the story had come out, so he felt conflicted about the man. On some level, he also wondered whether there was any merit to the accusations. Had he done everything that he could for Gideon?

By Thursday, the Prophet seemed to have run out of relevant material about Gideon himself. Instead, there was a lot of speculation about things such as the source of Gideon’s magic, how strong it must be to have broken the binding spell, what genius and/or monster might have cast such an advanced/flawed spell, and who the kidnapper had been and why he had targeted Gideon.

Unfortunately, the rampant speculation was given a name and a face, one which was becoming highly recognisable in the magical community. The cover story included a photo of a stern-looking man with a pointed face and platinum blonde hair, speaking with a group of reporters in front of an elaborate gold fountain.

WIZENGAMOT MEMBER CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO MINISTRY SCANDAL

Outspoken member of the Wizengamot, Mr Draco Malfoy has made a public call for an investigation into the Ministry of Magic’s handling of the 2010 tragedy involving The Boy Who Died.

Speaking from the Ministry where officials have yet to comment, Mr Malfoy had this to say: 'This unfortunate episode in our past must be fully investigated. The public has questions and concerns that must be addressed, and the fact that the Ministry refuses to issue a statement is completely unacceptable. Should the Ministry continue to stay silent on this matter, I will raise it at the next meeting of the Wizengamot and put it to a vote.

'The incident may pre-date Minster Granger-Weasley's time in office, but she would surely have been informed about it by her predecessor. That makes her responsible. This matter is not going to go away, not only because there are people who must be held accountable, but because Gideon Drake now walks among us. He could be an ordinary boy. However, he could also be a ticking time bomb. We simply don't know.

‘What we do know is that in spite of his magic being sealed, the boy was taken in by a top Auror. That indicates to me that Marcus Maxwell wanted to keep a close eye on his development. We must know more about the boy and what he is capable of, for his own protection as well as for those around him. As the father of a child attending Hogwarts with him, I believe I and other parents have a right to know if Drake is dangerous.

‘Once the magical community’s worries have been assuaged, we may also have an opportunity. With the boy’s cooperation, Spellcrafters may finally be able to create magic capable of eradicating the Dementor scourge!’

The Boy Who Died... Gideon hated that they called him that. He wasn't too happy about "ticking time bomb" either, but he wondered if Mr Malfoy had a point about him cooperating. Maybe his strange power could lead to the end of the Dementors? Or perhaps the Ministry just wanted to know what made him tick?

By the end of the week, Gideon had become quite depressed, and the Hospital Wing was feeling more like a prison. It wasn't like he had better places to be or people to see, but his arm had felt fine by Wednesday afternoon, and he wanted to leave. The matron had insisted, though, that he stayed put until his meeting with the headmistress.

Gideon presumed she was under orders and that his time there was really to allow the mood in the castle to die down. The more he thought about it, the more Gideon suspected Professor Dandridge had set the meeting for Friday, knowing that there was likely more news to come during the week that he would need time to digest.

If that was the case, the headmistress had been correct, but Gideon found it a little calculating. On the other hand, there wouldn’t be much point in waiting a week before expelling him. Therefore, her assurance that he wasn’t in trouble probably wasn’t a lie. If their lunchtime appointment wasn’t a disciplinary meeting, though, what would they be discussing?

Gideon contemplated this after breakfast while reading Friday’s Prophet. There didn’t seem to be any new revelations, just more speculation and updates about the Ministry’s non-response. There were also more mentions of concerned citizens and parents of Hogwarts students. It seemed only a matter of time before his place at the school became in jeopardy, even if Professor Dandridge wasn’t going to expel him today.

When Madam Longbottom came to collect Gideon’s breakfast tray, she also brought a letter. Gideon could tell now from the familiar loopy handwriting, that it was from his aunt. As such, he immediately tore it up and dropped it like confetti into the drawer of his bedside table. There, it joined the shreds of two other letters he had received from Caroline that week.

Gideon had no intention of having anything to do with Caroline, or indeed any of the Maxwells. Evidently, they were all as bad as each other, and he, as they had made so painstakingly clear, was not one of them.

***

Just before Midday, Gideon changed into a fresh set of robes, glad to finally be out of pyjamas. Professor Voronov soon arrived in the Hospital Wing and after a quick word with the matron, he escorted Gideon to the head’s office. When they reached the stone gargoyle that guarded the hidden stairs, the professor said, ‘Mumblemumps.’

The gargoyle stepped aside upon hearing the password, which Gideon noted was another magical ailment. They rode the ascending staircase and entered the office after a polite knock.

‘Ah, Professor Voronov, Gideon. Please, come in and have a seat,’ said Professor Dandridge brightly. She gestured to a table that had been added to the centre of the room with four chairs and place settings. In the middle of the table on top of a lace tablecloth, were two tiered serving trays. One had a selection of finger sandwiches and the other had an assortment of cauldron cakes. By their side, was a handsome Georgian tea set.

They took their seats, and the headmistress began pouring tea. ‘Earl Grey?’ she asked.

Gideon was feeling very uncomfortable. The headmistress had mentioned something about tea and treats but Gideon hadn't expected such an elegant affair. This was either going to be the politest expulsion in Hogwarts' history or something else entirely. 'Erm, please,' he responded squeakily.

‘Thank you,’ said Professor Voronov.

Once they each had a cup, the headmistress took a sip, sighed and said with a smile, ‘Lovely. Do help yourselves, gentlemen.’

Gideon watched Professor Voronov add a cucumber sandwich and a mini salmon roll to his plate, and nervously mimicked him. Then, the professors simply exchanged some small talk for a few minutes while they ate. Gideon found it most bizarre. He was unsure as to whether he should join in.

After they finished discussing the following day’s Quidditch match, Hufflepuff VS Ravenclaw, the headmistress turned to Gideon. ‘You’ll notice we are one short for tea, Gideon,’ she said. It hadn’t actually occurred to him, but he acknowledged her with a raised eyebrow and a throaty noise. ‘I trust you’ll understand. It would be inappropriate for us to discuss certain matters without a guardian present.’

Gideon realised where the conversation was going and began to panic. Surely, they weren’t waiting for Caroline, or worse yet, his father? Just then, there was a knock at the door, precipitating a sinking feeling in the pit of Gideon’s stomach.

‘Considering the circumstances,’ Professor Voronov interjected, ‘we thought it best to consult your legal representative.’

Gideon turned in his seat and watched a rather sombre-looking Jonathan Grimsby enter through the door, his wavy golden hair looked a little lacklustre. Supposing Grimsby was the lesser of three evils, Gideon felt a little relieved. Upon noticing the man’s nervous demeanour, he realised he wasn’t all that angry with Grimsby.

‘Professors, Gideon,’ he greeted them each with a nod and a weak smile. When the headmistress saw no sign of objection from Gideon, she told Grimsby to join them at the table. As he sat down, he silently gave Gideon’s shoulder a nervous but reassuring sort of pat.

He gratefully accepted a cup of tea from Professor Dandridge and took a big sip before turning to Gideon and saying, ‘I won’t bother asking how you are, Gideon. I can only imagine how difficult a week this must have been for you. I’ll just say that for the purposes of this meeting, I’m here as your advocate. You don’t have to speak to me if you don’t wish to.’

Gideon wasn't sure what to say, so he didn't say anything. He could tell, though, that Mr Grimsby was being sincere, and that it had been a difficult week for him too.

The Headmistress took control of the conversation at that point, ‘So, Gideon. I gather you’ve been following this week’s Daily Prophet?’

Gideon hastily lowered the teacup he had been shakily lifting to his mouth, ‘Err, yes.’

‘A lot of information to absorb, I imagine?’

‘Yes, it has been a lot,’ he commented then quickly followed up, ‘but I haven’t had any problems, not since the first article came out.’

‘Any young witch or wizard who had learned of the things you did on Monday morning, would have experienced some loss of control over their magic. The difference for you, Gideon, is that you have a secondary source of magic within you.’

‘A “secondary source”?’ Gideon challenged.

‘Yes. You remember me telling you that I had examined you while you were at St Mungo’s?’ the headmistress reminded him. ‘I explained that your magic is powerful but a little unstable. Well, now that things are out in the open, I can expand on that. The truth is your magic is fairly strong for your age. However, you also have a secondary source of magic within you. A source of dark magic.’

‘“Dark magic”?’ he repeated fearfully.

‘Yes. The meaning of the term is often misconstrued. It commonly refers to spells and potions that people deem unsavoury or those that are expressly forbidden. Sometimes it’s mistakenly used to describe the unpleasant actions of criminals.

'At its core, though, dark magic is simply magical energy that possesses a negative polarity. It can be produced and manipulated using certain spells but can also be found naturally in certain magical beings. In rare cases, that includes witches and wizards, and they often become the dark witches or wizards known throughout history.

'It's important to note, Dark magic is not inherently good or bad. However, it is more responsive to emotion, difficult to control, and is usually known to be powerful. Sadly, in the wizarding world, in particular, power corrupts. It also tends to incite fear.'

The headmistress took a sip of her tea before she continued, 'As you now know, your magic was triggered when you were a baby and what followed was tragic. You lost your mother. Then, you also lost your birthright. The Ministry of Magic made a rash decision at a time when many supporters of the defeated dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, were still at large.

‘They feared your potential and worried that you might grow up to be just like the man who had caused so much pain and suffering. So, the Ministry chose the unthinkable. They ordered that your magic be bound, knowing that doing so carried both great risk and stigma.

‘After the Daily Prophet's coverage, I don't doubt that the magical community will demand some form of accountability from the Ministry. What they won't discover, though, is that others bear responsibility for what happened to you. I'm ashamed to admit… That I am one of them. I was the witch who performed The Weaving, Gideon. It was I who sealed your magic.'

Chapter Text

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Gideon didn’t know how to respond. Then again, he wasn’t sure he had fully comprehended what the solemn-faced headmistress had said. She had been the one who sealed his magic?

‘I tell you this now, Gideon because I feel you deserve to know the truth,’ Professor Dandridge explained. ‘Rather selfishly, I also do so in the hope that you will be able to forgive me. It was not a proud moment for me, but I truly believed I was doing the right thing at the time.’

‘The right thing?’ Gideon questioned. ‘From everything the paper has been saying about The Weaving, it’s supposed to be dangerous, and lots of people disagree with using it at all!’

‘That’s true,’ the headmistress replied.

‘Th-then why?’ Gideon squeaked, his throat now dry. He reached for the tea and swallowed a few mouthfuls.

‘It was a strained period in our history and the incident was highly publicised. Even so, next to nothing was known about you or your background, or about the attempted kidnapper. The Minister for Magic was under pressure. He proposed the measure but ultimately left the decision to a panel.

‘Despite Mr Grimsby’s best efforts to spare you from the sentencing, the panel’s decision had been made. The spell was going ahead. As a Healer specialising in ritual magic, I was asked to perform it. Naturally, the idea turned my stomach. However, as you say, it’s a dangerous spell. It was also one that hadn’t been carried out in over a century. I believed I was the best chance at ensuring the spell was performed correctly.’

‘It wasn’t, though, was it?’ Gideon muttered.

‘Perhaps not. It was successful but there are reasons why the spell hadn’t been used in so long. The magical community deemed it to be unnatural to stop the flow of a witch or wizard’s magic. It was never outlawed but there was consensus on the matter, and we have since found better ways to deal with wrongdoers. Another reason was the chance of side effects occurring, and sadly, you developed some. First of all, evidence of the spell remained. You were marked.’

Gideon instinctively put a hand over his left eye, where his patch had been.

‘Yes, your eye became the sealing point for the spell. We had no way of knowing at the time how else you would be affected, but at St Mungo’s, I got the chance to see for myself. Your health had suffered. You had a weak constitution, several medical issues such as asthma, anaemia and the like, and your growth was stunted.’

‘Wait, the spell did those things to me?’ Gideon said indignantly. ‘It made me short?’

‘I’m afraid so,’ the headmistress responded glumly. ‘However, I wonder, when was the last time you had any kind of episode?’

‘Well,’ Gideon started, thinking back, ‘If you don’t count the fires… I don’t remember. Not since before the Dementor attack, I guess.’

‘I expect that’s right. Now that you’re free of the binding, your health is improving,’ she said with a small smile, then upon guessing what Gideon was about to ask, she added, ‘I believe that also means you’re owed a growth spurt.’

Gideon looked pleased for a moment. Then, remembering the situation, he asked, ‘And if my magic hadn’t returned?’

'It's very likely that you would have always struggled with your health. Your magic was never supposed to return, Gideon. You were to live out your life as a Squib. It's only because you experienced a highly stressful life-and-death situation that your magic broke free.

‘You were unconscious at the time, of course, but your power forcibly broke the seal in your left eye, which was why you came to St Mungo’s with that injury. What happened after was a scene very similar to what occurred when you were a baby.’

‘Yeah, I as good as killed another mother—’

'No, Gideon!' snapped Mr Grimsby suddenly. 'I've told you before about that. Without awareness, there can be no fault.'

‘Well said,’ Professor Voronov chimed in.

‘How can you still say that knowing that it’s happened twice now, that I’ve killed innocent people?’ Gideon questioned.

‘You did no such thing, Gideon!’ Mr Grimsby said sternly. ‘I’m sure Professor Dandridge was just getting to this, but your dark magic is not naturally occurring.’

Gideon frowned.

‘The rare few who possess dark magic are born with it. It flows through them as their solitary source of magic. They may not even be aware of it. However, you have two sources of magic. Your own, and a separate source of dark magic. While there is no way to safely remove it from you, we have concluded that you were not born with it.’

‘Huh?’ Gideon said, baffled.

‘People don’t have multiple sources of magic, Gideon, not without the aid of a magical object or something else exterior to the body. We don’t know how or why, but sometime after you were born, the dark magic within you was placed there intentionally.’

‘You think someone did this to me?’ Gideon asked in disbelief.

‘The Ministry investigation never uncovered anything, so I’m afraid I don’t have any answers for you,’ Grimsby informed him. ‘However, now that things are out in the open, there’s a chance that the investigation will be reopened. Although, your dad was Head of the Investigation Department at the time and he never missed a trick, so I don’t know if we’ll ever really know the truth.’

Professor Dandridge put down her teacup, rested her chin on her hands and looked plainly at Gideon through her gold-framed spectacles. ‘Whoever or whatever did this to you is truly responsible for what happened to your mothers and the other victims, Gideon. You are not to blame. The people in this room understand that and others will in time.’

Gideon met each of their eyes. He had something new to worry about, and yet he felt a little lighter knowing that he had the support of some competent adults.

‘Now, oddly enough, with this in mind, I believe the binding spell may have helped you.'

This pronouncement, however, caused Gideon to blurt out, ‘Helped me?’ He blushed, knowing he had crossed a limit with his tone but didn’t apologise.

Professor Voronov cleared his throat as if to warn him, but the headmistress smiled briefly before replying, 'I believe that if you had grown up with this dark magic, unaware of it and unable to control it, it could have affected you in unknown ways. You would have been helpless.

‘Since it has been dormant until now, sealed away by The Weaving, you’ve had the chance to grow up, come to Hogwarts and begin to learn how to use magic. You have a chance now, to learn to control this power and make it your own.’

The words came out of Gideon’s mouth before he could stop himself, ‘Before it can control me, you mean?’

Surprised or impressed by Gideon’s quick deduction, the headmistress paused to consider her response, ‘The truth is that we simply don’t know enough. However, I believe that with the right preparations, you will be capable of responding appropriately to any issues that may arise.’

Professor Voronov interjected, ‘Indeed, you have already shown a capacity for this, Gideon. When the dark magic took advantage of your emotional state to break free on Monday, you were able to contain it and to some degree, control it, with minimal instruction.’

‘It ended up hurting me, though. And you too, Professor,’ Gideon reminded him.

'My injuries were of little consequence. They healed in no time,' he said, holding up his previously bandaged hands. 'What is important, is that you have a feel for it now. You can tell when the power is rising, you have demonstrated a degree of control, and next time I believe you will be even better equipped to respond.'

There was another period of silence before Gideon voiced a concern, ‘Given everything you’ve said and everything we’ve learnt this week, don’t you think I might be responsible for the fires, after all?’

Professor Voronov looked to the headmistress for her answer, ‘Other than the ones you’ve told us about? No. There’s no evidence to suggest that your magic is responsible for the fires in the Charms classroom or the Great Hall. Professor Long tells me that we even owe you a debt for preventing a fire. In addition, after speaking with Madam Longbottom, I believe your recurring dream is no longer a concern.

‘However, I’m sure you’ve realised that after your appearance in the Daily Prophet, the fires will become an issue. I’m afraid you may have a difficult time inside and outside of Hogwarts. Mr Grimsby assures me that the Ministry will be putting out a statement of support—eventually—and as long as you are a student here, you will have mine.

'The problem is our illustrious Board of Governors,' the headmistress stated with an air of disdain. 'I met with them this week and in order to satisfy them, I have some requirements that I need you to fulfil. Firstly, you will meet with Professor Voronov once a week to have your magical output measured.

‘Secondly, following this, the professor will give you a private lesson on magical theory, magical control and dark magic. You won’t be graded, of course, but I expect you to take these lessons as seriously as any other. Third, the specifics of what we have discussed here should not leave this room. This is for your own protection.

'Lastly, I ask that you stay vigilant, Gideon. Please keep Professor Voronov apprised of anything important. This includes anything concerning the Prophet articles, the fires or how you are getting on here.’

Gideon nodded in understanding.

‘Good. Well, I think I’ll help myself to a cauldron cake. Ooh Raspberry flavour!’ said Professor Dandridge airily, cutting through the thick tension in the air like a knife.

‘You will be returning to Slytherin House today and resuming lessons on Monday,’ Professor Voronov announced, then leaning in to whisper for a moment, ‘December’s password is Diamondback. I have met with the house briefly to inform them of your return. The headmistress also addressed the school this morning to reiterate that you are not a suspect in the fires and that the school does not consider you dangerous.’

The mental image of those talks was an embarrassing thought for Gideon, but he supposed the school needed to say something. Even so, he very much doubted it would have much impact.

‘I’m afraid this was necessary as we have had many owls on the matter already—some containing curses. Speaking of which, as a precaution, your incoming mail will be checked before delivery from now on. I asked Madam Longbottom to send your things to your dormitory, so you should head straight there. We will meet on Fridays at five PM starting next week.’

Gideon gave a nod of recognition.

‘Before you leave, I want to apologise to you again, Gideon, for my part in what happened to you,’ said Professor Dandridge.

‘Me too, Gideon.’ Mr Grimsby added. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t be more honest with you. I was under a gag order, but had I known that your aunt—that you would learn about things the way that you did—I would have found a way to tell you.’

‘Is there anything that you would like to say?’ Professor Dandridge asked.

Gideon thought for a while before settling on something, ‘So you knew about me the whole time? That’s why you knew about my name being crossed out in the Book of Admittance?’

'Yes. As unfortunate as the circumstances of your magic breaking free were, I was very pleased to learn you would be attending Hogwarts. After seeing you in St Mungo's, though, I worried about what lay ahead for you. The idea that I might be able to atone in some way was one of the things that convinced me to take the job.

‘Then, when I saw you struggling in your first weeks, it was fortuitous that I knew enough about your background to guess the book might contain evidence to make you think twice about leaving. Of course, you got your new wand shortly after that.’

‘And a most impressive wand it must be,’ Professor Voronov commented. ‘You had an immediate turnaround with your spell work. Also, I must admit that when I told you to use your wand to vent the dark magic on Monday, I expected it to break under the pressure of the incredible energy you released. Was there no damage at all?’

‘Err, no, not that I’ve noticed,’ said Gideon, feeling a note of pride in his special wand.

‘Most interesting,’ the Professor concluded with a raised eyebrow.

‘Anything else, Gideon?’ Professor Dandridge probed.

'Only that, well, if what you've said about the dark magic inside me is true, then you might have saved me by binding it. Honestly, I've got so many genuine reasons to be angry and people to be angry with, I don't have the energy to sweat the small stuff. Well, not small, but I have bigger problems to deal with. You had your reasons and it sounds like things could have been much worse, so I guess what I'm trying to say is that I forgive you, Professor, and you, Mr Grimsby.'

‘That’s very gracious of you, Gideon, thank you,’ she replied, looking genuinely touched while Jonathan Grimsby appeared to breathe a sigh of relief.

‘Thank you all for your help and for giving me the benefit of the doubt. It’s good to know that there are people I can count on,’ Gideon said. Professor Voronov nodded, the headmistress smiled, and Grimsby grinned widely.

Then, remembering the people he was angry with and couldn’t count on, Gideon added, ‘There’s one last thing. I know I was out of it in the Great Hall the other day, but I meant what I said. I would like to go by my legal name from now on—my real name—Gideon Drake.’

***

Gideon felt lighter as he walked through the castle to the Slytherin Common Room following the odd meeting in the head's office. Professor Dandridge insisted that he take the remaining cauldron cakes with him, which he carried in a paper bag. She did so after reluctantly agreeing to his request to change his name.

Legally, he was Gideon Drake. There simply wasn't any point in pretending he was a Maxwell anymore. Not now that everyone knew his real name, and not now that his family had shown their true colours. Gideon bit into a lemon-flavoured cauldron cake as he contemplated their discussion.

Dark Magic... Where had it come from, and who or what had given it to him? How did one even accomplish something like that? There was a new puzzle for Gideon to solve. One that might have just as unpleasant a solution as the last. However, for the time being, the challenge that lay directly ahead was returning to normal school life, such as it was.

Gideon's nerves started to get the better of him as he reached the top of the grand staircase. The other Slytherins had surely enjoyed being rid of him this past week. Considering this, he looked down towards the door to the dungeons but instead, found a large gathering of people in the Entrance Hall.

A tight huddle of people was growing in size as students casually streamed out of the Great Hall to see what the commotion was about. Gideon was intrigued but he walked down the stairs, intending to take advantage of his short stature and slip through the crowd unnoticed. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas.

‘But that’s him, isn’t it?’ Gideon heard someone say as he approached the bottom step. Instantly, the crowd started fussing and those at the front began moving in his direction. He stopped in his tracks, trying to assess the situation. ‘It is him!’ another voice confirmed.

Arms were suddenly grabbing at him from multiple directions and moving him down the stairs. Gideon panicked but couldn’t reach his wand. ‘Get off me!’ he demanded as he was pulled and pushed into position alongside a woman in a tweed suit whose bushy hair was tied up behind her and held in place by a clip that looked ready to break from the effort.

Gideon was assaulted by a sudden series of flashbulbs popping in front of him and countless remote-viewing crystals hovering all around, surely transmitting his image to Telecrystal sets across the wizarding world. The woman held him tightly in place with one arm on his back and another on his shoulder. A man to his right, wearing a black suit and sunglasses and holding a wand, gripped his other shoulder firmly.

‘As I was saying, my administration categorically denies any knowledge of the cover-up. While I consider former Minister Shacklebolt a close personal friend, I must condemn his actions regarding the 2010 incident. As such, I have come here today, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, to extend a personal apology to Mr Gideon Drake. Gideon, on behalf of the Ministry of Magic, please accept my sincere apology,' said the bushy-haired woman, turning to him.

Gideon couldn’t believe it. This was the Minister for Magic herself, Hermione Granger-Weasley. She took his hand, began shaking it vigorously and angled back to the crowd. Gideon was blinded by another series of flashbulbs.

‘Now, as for an investigation,’ the Minster continued, ‘we will, of course, be conducting one, led by an independent investigator. We don’t need little-known members of the Wizengamot trying to make a name for themselves by suggesting such obvious courses of action… The public, and indeed, Mr Drake, deserve answers and they will get them!’

‘Shall we get a few shots in the Great Hall, Minister?’ Gideon heard one of her entourage suggest as the crowd erupted into chatter and questions from reporters.

‘Minister!’ another voice interrupted sharply. ‘What on Earth is going on here?’ Jonathan Grimsby had appeared on the stairs behind Gideon. He looked livid. ‘This is not what we discussed!’

‘Ah, Grimsby, good we can get some shots with you as well,’ Minister Granger-Weasley proposed casually.

‘I told you I was coming to speak with Gideon privately, and that I would meet with you afterwards,’ Grimsby reminded her, then lowered his voice, ‘What were you thinking, ambushing him with a press crew?’

‘It just seemed logical to get everything sorted at once,’ she asserted, ‘We bumped into Gideon here on the way to meet you and he was kind enough to agree to some pictures—’

‘Take your hands off him,’ Mr Grimsby whispered menacingly and forcibly pulled Gideon free from the Minister and her armed bodyguard.

‘Grimsby!’ the Minister pleaded under her breath, looking quite affronted. ‘Err, we’ll resume in a moment,’ she assured the reporters.

‘I’m so sorry. I had no idea she would pull a stunt like this,’ Mr Grimsby said as he directed Gideon away from the reporters. He beckoned for someone from the crowd to join them, ‘Here. Come here. Take Gideon into the lounge and lock it behind you while I deal with this mess.’

A different, unseen hand now steered a bewildered Gideon by the shoulder into the Student Lounge. He heard the door close behind him and someone say the incantation to lock it, ‘Colloportus.’ Grateful for the instantaneous sense of peace and quiet, Gideon turned to thank his would-be saviour. Standing in front of the door with his arms folded, was Alex Grimsby.

Chapter Text

‘Oh,’ said Gideon, ‘I didn’t realise it was you. Why are you helping me?’

‘I’m not helping you,’ Alex replied, ‘I’m helping my dad. He’s had a lot to deal with this week.’

‘Well, that’s not my fault.’

‘Isn’t it?’

Gideon sighed and turned away. ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said.

‘I know enough. The rest I can guess. For instance, what happened in here the night it almost burned down.’

Gideon was thrown, but he tried not to let it show and remained silent.

‘The guys in my dorm went out late that night,’ Alex continued. ‘When they got back, they were acting strangely. Since then, they’ve been different, especially when it comes to you. They haven’t been messing with you in class or anything.’

‘Is it written somewhere that people are supposed to mess with me? Maybe they got tired of acting like stereotypical bullies?’ Gideon retorted.

‘No. I think something happened to them that night, right here in this room. The only reason they wouldn’t tell me is if they might get themselves or me in trouble. So, what happened? Did they mess with you again? Yeah, I think so.’

Gideon was surprised by Alex’s scarily accurate presumption. ‘Afraid you missed out on a good time?’ he taunted. ‘Six against one your kind of odds, are they?’

Alex ignored his provocation. ‘They messed with you. So, you used your freaky powers to scare them, but you ended up nearly burning the place down. That’s right, isn’t it?’

‘Why do you care?’ Gideon asked.

‘I care because I don’t want my friends, my dad or anyone else for that matter, getting burnt to a crisp!’ Alex snapped.

The memory of Gwendoline’s pained face flashed before Gideon’s eyes. He glared at Alex and without thinking, responded angrily, ‘You want to know what really happened? Want to know what your loser “friends” really did?’

‘Try me,’ Alex said.

Gideon took a breath and collected himself. ‘Forget it,’ he said, ‘you couldn’t handle it. I wouldn’t want to burst the perfect little bubble you live in.’ He turned away again and focused intently on the fireplace across the room.

There was a knock at the door. ‘It’s me, Al,’ said Mr Grimsby.

‘Alohomora,’ Alex uttered, and the door opened.

‘Sorry to keep you waiting, boys,’ said Grimsby. ‘The coast is clear now, Gideon. Professor Dandridge is meeting with the Minister, but she sent away the gaggle of reporters and looky-loos. Actually, she made their cameras, notebooks, quills and remote viewers chase them from the castle!’

Gideon made his way across the room without meeting Alex's eyes. He passed by Grimsby and through the door with a simple, 'Thank you,' and carried on to the dungeons. On the way down the stone steps, he worried he had said too much to Grimsby Junior. Would Alex tell his father or his Head of House what Gideon had intimated?

'Diamondback,' said Gideon upon arriving at the hidden entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. With everyone in classes or otherwise occupied, it was empty. Gideon went straight to his dormitory, where he lay down on his four-poster bed. It wasn't exactly home—he wasn't sure he had one of those anymore—but it felt good to be back.

After a few minutes of blissful solitude, just staring up at the ceiling, Gideon pulled himself up and flung himself down toward the other end of the bed, in reach of his trunk. His things from the Hospital Wing had been placed on top of it. Attached to his bag was a folded note.

Dear Gideon,

While clearing your medical bay I happened to come across the rubbish in your drawer. I do hope you will pardon my rudeness, but I happened to read some of your correspondence by accident.

Judging by the fact that the envelopes were torn up as well, I don’t think you had a chance to read the letters. The healthy thing to do would be to read them, and I believe they contain information that you would want to know about, so I have reassembled them for you and put them in your bag.

Yours sincerely,

Madam Longbottom

Gideon was mildly annoyed but couldn’t help being intrigued by what the matron had thought he would want to know about. So, he reached into his bag and removed Caroline’s three letters, hoping he wasn’t making a mistake. Neither the envelopes nor their contents showed any sign of having previously been ripped to pieces. Gideon opened the first and read.

Dear Gideon,

I don’t know if you will get this letter in time, but something terrible has happened. I don’t know how to explain myself properly in a letter. I’ve done something very silly. Something that will hurt you.

I use notebooks to keep ideas for stories and jot down my thoughts. I was planning on writing about the attack on you and your mum. I intended to write about how the Ministry could allow Dementors in London. It was supposed to be for your benefit. However, I quickly realised that any story about the attack could also be damaging to you.

I’m ashamed to say, though, that I was careless, and my notebook went missing from my desk. I learned today that my editor took it without my permission and is running the story with everything that I know about you. Naturally, I'm furious with him and I'm doing all I can to stop it from getting out, but there's a good chance it will be in the next edition.

I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I can only hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me for my foolishness, whether the story gets out or not.

Love,

Caroline

Gideon instantly regretted reading the letter. His cold certainty that another family member had betrayed him had been shaken. If Caroline was telling the truth, and that was a big if, perhaps she wasn’t as bad as the others. No, how could he accept that? She had obviously been planning to write the story. And she was stupid enough to leave the notebook lying around. She didn’t deserve his forgiveness. Not after a mistake of this magnitude.

Gideon opened the next letter, tearing it slightly in his haste. He could see it was just a follow-up on the previous one, written after the Prophet had gone out with the story, his story, on the front page. Seeing that it was just more explanations, apologies, and requests for him to write back or ask the school to let him make a Magiphone call, he tore it up in a rage and took a deep breath before opening the last.

Dear Gideon,

I understand if you don’t wish to contact me. Again, please know that I’m deeply sorry and I hope to hear from you soon.

I’m just writing to you today with an update about your mum.

After her monthly test results, the Healers are saying now that she is doing very well. Her vitals and levels are all completely back to normal, if not better. They let me in to see her and she looks so much better.

I’ve been assured that the hospital is still investigating other courses of treatment, but they believe that she could wake up any time now! Let’s hope so!

Hoping you’re well.

Love,

Caroline

Gideon didn’t tear up this letter. However, he gathered up all the pieces of paper and dropped them—along with his thoughts—inside his trunk to deal with later. Gideon sighed, then clasped his hands together and prayed silently for his mother’s speedy recovery. He desperately wanted her to wake up and make everything better, just as she had always done whenever he had scraped a knee, argued with one of his siblings, or come home after a particularly bad day at Johnston Primary.

Gideon lamented for a few minutes before jumping up energetically and smacking his cheeks with both hands. He grabbed his Transfiguration textbook and went to sit by the Common Room fire, to read while awaiting the inevitable return of his housemates.

They returned in dribs and drabs over the next few hours. Some made unpleasant faces upon spotting him, others ignored him, and a select few greeted him. Among those were the twins, Jade and Jasper Williams, who informed Gideon cheerfully, ‘Anyone that our Ruby likes is fine by us!’

A couple of the prefects gave him a dutiful, ‘Welcome back, let us know if you need anything.’ There was also a seventh-year boy with a pompadour-like haircut whom Gideon hadn’t spoken to before. He sat next to Gideon at the fire and was very friendly towards him. He introduced himself as Isaac Fletcher, asked how Gideon was and even complimented him on his contribution to the house point total.

After a few minutes, the boy leaned in closer and said in a lower voice, 'You know, Gideon, I for one like what you've been doing. There are a few of us who can tell you've got potential. If you want to clue us in, I'm sure we can help you.'

At that point, Gideon got up from his seat without a word and returned to the dorm, angry with himself for not seeing through Isaac’s intentions. Clearly, on top of those who believed he started the fires and hated him for it, he now also had to contend with a contingent of people who believed he started the fires and admired him for it.

Dorian, Eoin, Tim and Gio were all in the dormitory when he entered. They must have entered the Common Room while Isaac had been buttering Gideon up. He had decided earlier that he wasn't going to actively avoid the other boys anymore. He would be cordial, even friendly, and if they chose not to engage him, that was okay.

'Hi guys,' Gideon said quietly but confidently as he walked over to his bed and lay down with his book.

After a few tense moments, Dorian alone responded tentatively, ‘Hey, Gideon. Y’alright?’

‘Yeah, thanks,’ he replied, then continued reading his book. The boys didn’t speak to him again that evening, and that was fine by Gideon. He wasn’t expecting any miracles after everything they must have read in the Prophet. It was enough for now, that they didn’t object to sharing the dorm with him.

***

After discussing the imminent Hufflepuff VS Ravenclaw match since waking up the next day, the boys, or more specifically, Dorian, stopped to ask if Gideon was going down to the pitch, which Gideon interpreted as an invitation to join them.

Grateful for the offer but reluctant to burden them with his company just yet, especially with Gio glaring at him from the other end of the room, he answered, ‘Thanks, but I need to check on something. Maybe I’ll see you down there?’

In truth, he planned to watch the game alone. However, as he left the castle ten minutes later wearing his cloak and gloves, he was startled by two impatient voices, ‘Oh, here he is!’, ‘Finally!’ It was Ruby and Talia.

‘Wha-what are you two doing?’ Gideon said in genuine astonishment.

‘Waiting for you, of course!’ said Talia, ‘Or do you think we like standing around in the cold for no reason?’

‘We tried to visit you last week, but Madam Longbottom wouldn’t allow it. She said you hadn’t approved us as visitors,’ Ruby said with a note of hurt in her voice.

‘Well, I… I figured after reading the Prophet…’ Gideon started.

‘Some of it was a surprise,’ Ruby said hesitantly. ‘I’m guessing it was more of a surprise for you, though. I can’t believe they would print all that about you. You were just a baby…’

‘Meh. I don’t read that rag,’ said Talia coolly. ‘Now, come on, let’s go. It’s freezing!’

Gideon grinned widely for the first time in a week.

The three of them walked down to the Quidditch pitch together, discussing the Prophet's revelations and how they fit with what Gideon had shared with them previously. They also told him how the headmistress had addressed the school and assured them he wasn't a threat, and about all the ensuing gossip.

Despite it being a face-off between their two houses, the girls continued talking quietly with Gideon throughout the match, which wasn’t anywhere near as exciting as the previous one had been. Ruby wasn’t much of a Quidditch fan, and Talia only seemed to enjoy the game when someone got fouled or hit with a Bludger, no matter which team they were on.

‘I’ll never understand the British obsession with Quidditch,’ Talia explained as they headed up back to the school following a narrow Ravenclaw victory. ‘Gauntlet! Now, there’s a proper wizarding sport. They actually use magic.’

‘Gauntlet?’ Ruby queried, which led to Talia explaining the sport animatedly over lunch in the Student Lounge. It sounded to Gideon, like a mixture between Quidditch and dueling, though, there were no brooms. He had never heard of Gauntlet, but according to Talia, its popularity was beginning to soar.

They met again the following day, which Gideon and Ruby now had free owing to their Charms Club walkout. When they recounted the tale of which to Talia, she burst out laughing and wished she could have seen Verity’s face. Her cackle was so loud that it frightened her cat, Kuroh, whom she had brought with her.

Kuroh was a short-haired black cat with striking, electric-blue eyes. He was very friendly, but they soon discovered he had a strange fondness for staring at Gideon, and Talia had to keep calling him away when it became more bothersome than entertaining.

After eating, they read the long-anticipated Ministry statement regarding Gideon in the Sunday Prophet. Gideon was embarrassed by the cover photo of him looking dazed and confused next to the Minister for Magic. Ruby thought it was the Minster who should be embarrassed by it, given her overt posing for the cameras.

‘It looks like she’s going to pull your arm out of the socket!’ Talia commented dryly regarding Minister Granger-Weasley’s forceful handshake.

The three of them agreed the story was good for Gideon. The Ministry had officially declared support for him, condemned Shacklebolt and ruled out “the absurd question of whether ‘the binding spell should be performed on him again’,” which a Prophet readers’ poll had scored; “Yes - 35%”, “No - 35%”, “Don’t Know - 30%.”

After spending the afternoon practising magic with Ruby and Talia, Gideon was daunted by the prospect of returning to classes the following day. Still, he was happy. Despite everything, it seemed that he had made his first real friends.

***

Even though he had been completing work for his classes while in the Hospital Wing, settling back into his lessons was a little jarring for Gideon. It wasn’t because of the stares, glares, and whispers of the other students, he was used to that by now. It was due to how most of his subjects had moved on to new topics.

In History of Magic, Professor Binns had begun lecturing them on medieval witch hunts, and in Transfiguration, Professor Voronov had them working with larger subjects. In Charms, Professor Keane was teaching banishing, and in Defence Against the Dark Arts, they were practising new counter-spells, which Professor Maxwell had conveniently forgotten to inform Gideon of while he was away. Hence, he left the classroom shaking severely from the after-effects of multiple successful jinxes.

In addition, Professor Long had arranged a test of their Potions skills. They would be concocting an anti-dizziness potion. It was more important than usual to brew it correctly, though, because they would be sampling the potion themselves to get through the following week's practical Herbology lesson safely. There, they would be harvesting Puffapods, which Professor Longbottom informed them, released spores that caused dizziness, so most of the students were anxious about the upcoming classes.

Thankfully, during Care of Magical Creatures, the pupils got to play in a pen full of Crup puppies. They were essentially Jack Russell terriers with forked tails but bred to dislike Muggles. Talia claimed to be a “cat person” and acted like she wasn’t impressed, but Gideon could tell she had fun.

He had a great time until he learned that he had missed Hagrid's special lesson. While Gideon was in the hospital, the rest of the class got to see and even ride hippogriffs, magnificent half-bird, half-horse creatures.

By Thursday, Gideon was tired out and turned in early. As if it had been no time at all since his head had hit the pillow, he was awoken with a start by the distant but clear sound of the school bell. Seeing that the room was lit only by the eerie glow of the window, though, it was surely the middle of the night.

Why was it sounding now? Did it mean there was an emergency of some kind? As he listened, Gideon realised the chimes were ringing totally out of sequence. Then, after one last almighty bong, which seemed to reverberate through the dormitory walls, they stopped.

‘What the bloody heck was that about?’ Gideon heard Eoin ask sleepily. He turned around and saw the dark outlines of the other boys, all sitting up in bed as he was.

‘Are we supposed to get up?’ whispered Tim.

‘It’s the middle of the night!’ Gio complained. ‘I’m not going anywhere except back to sleep!’

‘What time is it?’ Eoin asked.

‘It’s gone two in the morning,’ Dorian said. ‘I wouldn’t worry about it, probably just a prank. The prefects will get us if we’re supposed to be up.’

***

The following morning, the Slytherins were buzzing about their unexpected wake-up call, but none of them had an explanation for it. When they reached the Entrance Hall on the way to breakfast, they noticed Hufflepuffs from the opposite side rushing up the marble staircase, instead of into the Great Hall.

‘Come on, let’s follow. Something must have happened!’ said Eoin excitedly.

Gideon was longing for a bacon butty, but he was intrigued by the frantic mutterings of the Hufflepuffs and decided to go along with the boys. They jogged through the castle, unaware of where they were heading or if those in front even knew where they were going. Eventually, they arrived at a large crowd of students who were craning their necks and standing on tiptoes to get a look at something.

‘What is it? What’s going on?’ Eoin said aloud, but nobody around could tell. There were too many people in the way, most of them taller than Gideon and the others.

‘Give me a hand, guys,’ muttered Dorian with a wink, gesturing toward Eoin’s back. Guessing what Dorian was planning, Tim and Gio took out their wands, and Gideon followed suit. ‘Wingardium leviosa,’ said Dorian. Tim, Gio and Gideon added their spells and Eoin easily floated high into the air above the crowd.

‘Oi! What d’you think you’re playing at!’ Eoin cried in surprise, dropping his bag.

‘What can you see, Eoin?’ Dorian instructed.

‘I’ll get you back for this later!’ Eoin said, then tried to steady himself, looked towards the front of the crowd and marvelled, ‘Oh, that’s what it was…’

‘What? What is it?’ Gio demanded.

‘One of the school bells!’ Eoin explained. ‘There’s a hole in the bell tower wall and the bell is sitting there in a crater! It’s surrounded by wood. Charred wood. It looks like there’s been another fire!’

Chapter Text

Gideon felt his stomach drop to the floor. Perhaps he shouldn’t be here right now? But then, what was he worried for? He hadn’t done this. Had he? No, there was no conceivable way he could have caused this fire. Would people believe that, though, so soon after the Prophet exposé?

‘It wasn’t me!’ Gideon said defiantly as the surrounding students’ heads spun in his direction. ‘I was with you guys in the dorm when we heard the bell, remember?’

‘That’s true. He woke up when we did,’ Dorian reasoned.

‘Maybe he did it in his sleep, like with the curtains?’ Gio suggested.

Gideon remembered Professor Voronov’s thoughts on the matter and stated, ‘Accidentally starting a small fire nearby because of a nightmare is different from this. I was sleeping fine last night, and the bell tower is on the other side of the school!’

Gio's brow creased as though he was trying to find a flaw in Gideon's logic.

‘He must have used dark magic!’ said a voice in the crowd. Gideon rolled his eyes.

‘Now, really, you should all be getting along to the Great Hall for Breakfast,’ announced a different voice nervously.

‘It’s Professor Blanchard,’ Eoin informed them from above. ‘Doesn’t look like anyone’s listening to him, though. Uh-oh, leme down, quick!’

‘To the Great Hall, all of you! NOW!’ roared Professor Long threateningly, who had arrived on the scene to the crowd of onlookers’ great shock.

A much more effective disciplinarian than the Muggle Studies teacher, Professor Long’s order caused the throng of students to scatter immediately, and Eoin to fall suddenly from the air. He landed in a heap on top of Gideon and the others, but they quickly got to their feet and joined the stampede.

***

Breakfast was an uncomfortable affair, more so than usual. Professor Dandridge announced the latest fire and that the area around the bell tower was now out of bounds. Gideon tried his best to look like he was listening to her intently, all the while knowing that most of the school was staring daggers in his direction.

The Headmistress announced that teachers would now be patrolling the corridors at night. She finished by reminding students to report suspicious activity to their Heads of House and warning that the culprits as well as anybody found to have information about the vandalism, would now almost certainly face expulsion.

Gideon gulped at this point, but he wasn't sure why. On one hand, he had never been more confident that he hadn't set one of the mysterious fires. On the other, he didn't know much about the dark magic inside of him. Could it possibly be breaking free while he was unconscious?

Luckily, Gideon had Ruby for company that morning. They chatted quietly all through Ancient Runes, where they had learned it was best to start working on the list of instructions on the blackboard right away, instead of waiting until Professor Rebus had finished lecturing them about his past exploits.

In History of Magic, she continued to reassure him after filling the now abandoned seat next to him. Apparently, Ruby had one of her strange feelings and she was somehow sure that the bell tower fire was not connected to Gideon, ‘I woke up last night, too, about ten minutes before the bell sounded. It just felt different. Horrible actually.’

‘What if,’ Gideon began with trepidation, ‘what you’re sensing is my dark magic?’

He had decided to share that much with Ruby and Talia, as well as the fact that he would be meeting with Professor Voronov weekly as a condition of the Board of Governors.

‘No,’ she answered simply.

‘How can you be sure?’

‘Well, because I’ve sensed that before. You know, the night of the lounge fire.’

‘Oh…’ Gideon replied, feeling a little guilty. Neither of them had admitted to the other that they knew the truth about that night. ‘I should have told you—’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ she told him comfortingly, ‘we were still getting to know each other.’

Gideon smiled warmly. ‘So, you still feel like there’s something else going on, and last night’s fire was part of it?’

‘That’s the impression I’m getting.’

At lunchtime, they joined Talia in the Student Lounge, whom they filled in. She seemed as bothered as Gideon. 'So, who is starting these other fires?’ she asked Ruby.

‘All I know is what their magic felt like,’ Ruby explained. ‘I think so anyway.’

Talia looked uncomfortable. ‘Do you think you would recognise it if they were close by?’ she suggested.

‘I don’t think so. Some Seer I am…’ Ruby disparaged.

‘Don’t say that!’ Gideon objected. ‘Without you, I’d probably have driven myself barmy! I just wish all this made more sense.’

***

Gideon and Talia’s Care of Magical Creatures lesson was far less enjoyable than the previous one with the Crups.

‘Flobberworms!’ Professor Hagrid announced. ‘They’re no fun but they’re on the syllabus, so we got ter learn about em. Break into yer pairs and make note of the foods they will or won’t eat. I’ve got tubs of different veggies, bugs, meats and grains for yeh ter try over here.’

The large maggot-like creatures were repellent. As Gideon dropped a bit of lettuce in front of one, he contemplated that they must have their uses, but he couldn’t imagine what those might be. Professor Hagrid saved that for their homework.

‘You seem a bit off,’ Gideon commented, noticing Talia was quieter than usual ‘People aren’t bothering you for hanging around with me, are they?’

‘Huh?’ she responded absent-mindedly. ‘No, no. They wouldn’t dare, and I wouldn’t care if they did. I’m just worried. News of the fires is bound to reach the Prophet soon. They’ll probably blame you.’

‘I know. I guess I’ll have to deal with it when it happens.’

‘No. There has to be something we can do!’

‘Like what?’

'Well, Ruby's been trying extra hard in Divination. Her teacher sounds like a crackpot, but she's been doing a lot of reading and practising techniques on her own.’

‘She has?’ Gideon asked with a tone of surprise.

‘Yeah. What would one of the spy guys or detectives from your books do in this situation?’

‘Well, I suppose they would start by investigating the scene—’

‘Let’s do that!’ Talia proposed eagerly.

‘You can’t be serious?’ Gideon questioned with a smirk.

Talia was serious, though. She spent their free period coming up with ideas and spells to distract guards. Then, she had them visit rooms close to the bell tower to “scout the area”, as she put it.

‘Right, there’s no guard, so there must be a barrier,’ Talia surmised. ‘I can handle that.’

‘You can?’ Gideon asked incredulously.

‘Well, probably. The magic they teach us here is fine and all, but I like to research more useful spells. We’ll wait until everyone heads to dinner and then make our move,’ Talia instructed.

When six PM arrived, they emerged from the empty classroom they had been hiding in and walked over to the bell tower, looking every which way to check that the coast was clear. Talia fished out some small pebbles from her robes and tossed them at the door. They hit without any apparent obstruction.

‘Hmm. It’s not a physical barrier,’ she commented, then pointed her wand and said, ‘Obice Revelio.’

‘What’s wrong?’ Gideon asked.

‘Nothing. No response,’ Talia replied quizzically. ‘I don’t think there is a barrier.’

Gideon kept looking around nervously while Talia seemed in no rush. ‘Should we go around and through the hole in the wall?’ he suggested.

Talia waved her wand ahead of her and approached the door. ‘I don’t think we need to. Aberto,’ she said, and the tower door opened. ‘No defences? Oh, well. Go on, be quick. I’ll keep an eye out and signal if you need to come out.’

‘Me?’ Gideon began to protest but thought better of it considering they were breaking rules and could be discovered at any moment. He sighed, snuck inside and closed the door behind him.

Light poured into the high cylindrical tower from the hole in the wall, but otherwise, it was relatively dark. There wasn't much space to move around owing to the large bell and the piles of wooden stairs and rafters that had fallen from above.

‘Well, well, well,’ announced a voice that made Gideon’s heart leap into his throat. As if having a déjà vu, he twisted around to find Alex Grimsby.

‘You, again! What are you doing here?’ Gideon hissed as his heart attempted to recover from the fright.

‘I think the more important question is, what are you doing here?’ Alex retorted, his arms folded and his eyebrows narrowing in suspicion under his shaggy blonde fringe. ‘Returning to the scene of the crime? Classic criminal behaviour!’

‘The opposite! I’m here to find out who really did this. No wonder there was no barrier… Speaking of returning to the crime, how do I know it wasn’t you?’ Gideon accused.

‘Hardly. I just thought I’d give the teachers a helping hand, seeing as how they’re having trouble finding any evidence on you that will stick.’

‘I see. Well, while I’m sure they’ll be glad to have your help, Poirot, you’re a little off your game. Unless you found something, that is?’

‘Nope. Looks like you covered your tracks pretty well. It’s clear where you started the fire, though. Lumos! The scorch marks begin here and climb upward,’ Alex said pointing his lit wand at the wall.

‘What kind of fire moves up stone?’ Gideon wondered aloud.

‘The kind that’s powered by dark magic, I guess. You tell me?’ Alex replied.

Ignoring the Gryffindor boy’s continued provocations, Gideon lit his own wand to illuminate the scorch marks and traced them downward. ‘I can’t see with all the wood in the way. Stand back,’ Gideon told Alex

‘Why? What are you doing?’ the other boy questioned before Gideon pointed his wand at the rubble.

‘Reducto!’ Gideon commanded, remembering a curse he had come across during his wasted hours in the library. The thick beams were reduced to splinters.

‘Are you mad?’ snapped Alex. ‘We haven’t learned how to use a spell as strong as that yet! You could have dislodged something and brought the whole place down on us, or gotten us caught!’

‘Then leave,’ Gideon told him as he continued searching the area he had cleared.

‘I think I’ll do just that!’ Alex announced huffily and left through the tower door. As he did, the light that shone in from the ajar door briefly hit something that caught Gideon’s eye. Raising his wand higher and leaning further over, he spotted it. Just visible in the shadow of the fallen bell, was a gouge in the stone floor.

From one angle it looked like a simple crack in the masonry, but as Gideon looked at it from another, he realised it had a clear shape. A square with an ‘X’?

Just then, Gideon was startled by what sounded like a cannon firing outside. Assuming this was Talia’s idea of a signal, Gideon rushed to the door and out of the tower. Spotting his accomplice at the end of the corridor, grinning guiltily and beckoning him towards her, he broke into a run and they fled the scene.

***

The small shape Gideon had seen etched into the tower floor resembled a rune, one he was sure he had seen somewhere before. Then again, Ancient Runes was far from his best subject, and he often confused the innumerable pictograms. Even so, he spent all his free time over the next week or so in the library, going over the books he had read during his curse mark research and re-reading his Ancient Runes textbook.

The library had once again become a haven from the glares, jeers—and occasional jinxes—people shot at Gideon in the corridors, not counting those of Madam Pince. He had enlisted Ruby and Talia’s help, but Talia didn’t take Ancient Runes and was getting bored of searching.

‘You’re sure it was a rune?’ she asked exasperatedly for the tenth time.

‘No,’ Gideon said impatiently, ‘but I know I’ve seen it somewhere before and what else could it be?’

‘Maybe it was just a crack in the floor?’ she mumbled. ‘How likely is it that the person who started the fire would leave a clue behind? Unless that pretty boy put it there?’

‘It was your idea to look for clues!’ Gideon insisted with a guffaw, before checking that the librarian wasn’t prowling for noisemakers. ‘Besides, Alex left before I found it.’

‘Why can’t we just ask someone, then? Like Madam Pince? Or your runes teacher, Rebus?’

‘Because we’re not supposed to know about it—if it means anything at all. Plus, if it is a rune, we don’t know who might have put it there or why. There’s even a chance Professor Rebus might be involved. We just don’t know enough!’

‘Alright, calm down, we just need a break,’ Ruby whispered diplomatically. ‘We’ll keep searching for one more hour, but tomorrow we’re spending the day Hogsmeade!’

***

The next Hogsmeade trip had arrived as suddenly as the snow, which now covered the castle, the grounds, and the forest canopy in a blanket of pure white. It looked to Gideon like a magical winter wonderland. He was looking forward to the visit, especially now he had friends to enjoy it with. Before that, though, he had his second private lesson with Professor Voronov.

Gideon had forgotten about their first meeting, having gotten caught up in the excitement of their detective work the previous Friday. He had run flat-out from the Common Room to the professor’s office and apologised profusely after remembering where he was supposed to have been at five PM.

The professor made time for him but warned that it couldn't happen again, or the Board of Governors might use it as evidence of non-compliance with their conditions. That evening they had simply talked about how Gideon had settled back in and any problems he had experienced. Then, Professor Voronov measured his magic output using an Occurio.

This week, however, Gideon expected there would be more to their meeting. After talking and measuring his magic, which was again at a high but “acceptable” level, the professor taught him a basic magical meditation technique to calm the mind, body and even one’s magic circulation.

Professor Voronov sent Gideon away with the task of researching at least five other techniques, practising them, and identifying one that worked best for him. Gideon was not happy to discover that his extra lessons came with homework.

***

After breakfast, an excited Gideon met Talia and Ruby in the Entrance Hall, and they left for Hogsmeade wearing their warmest Muggle clothes under their cloaks, gloves, and scarves. He mused for a moment about how well they were getting along despite their clear differences in personality, not to mention style.

If you didn't count her combat boots, Talia looked almost as she usually did, dressed all in black, right down to her nail varnish. Ruby, on the other hand, wore a pink hoodie, white jeans and flower-patterned high-tops. Gideon had thrown on a striped turtleneck, cargo trousers and trainers.

They didn’t have much of an opportunity to talk on the way to the village owing to the strong wind and snow. Because of that, when they arrived, Ruby led them straight to Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop, where they could get a hot drink to warm up before braving the weather to visit the other stores.

Gideon couldn’t help but cringe upon seeing the cramped little shop. The walls were tackily decorated in pastels and covered with frills and bows. The furniture was gaudy and draped with lacy tablecloths and napkins. It was better than being out in the cold, though, and luckily, they got the last free table.

As it turned out, Madam Puddifoot made a mean cup of hot chocolate, which Gideon and Ruby each savoured while Talia sipped on coffee, which she drank black, of course. After finishing their drinks and discussing where they wanted to go, they could no longer ignore the shivering people eyeing their seats enviously through the shop window.

They paid Madam Puddifoot and headed to the Hogsmeade branch of Ollivanders wand shop. Gideon had explained that he brought his old wand to sell with the intention of topping up his coin pouch, seeing as he didn’t want to ask his aunt for anything. There wasn’t a second-hand shop in the village, but Ruby suggested the wandmakers might be interested.

Thankfully, after a glance through the store window, it didn’t look like the Ollivanders ran this store personally. Gideon did not wish to run into Mr Ollivander Senior. He didn’t particularly want to see his son, the man who had sent him his wand for that matter, at least not with others present.

A sharp-looking witch with high cheekbones and a tightly pulled ponytail greeted them as they entered. She offered Gideon four Galleons for his battered wand and not a Knut more. It was a Galleon less than he had paid for it, but the shopkeeper said she could only make use of its core, the unicorn hair that was protruding from the end.

‘Not bad considering I never did get a spell out of it,’ he told the girls as he pocketed the wizard money.

‘Anything else?’ the shopkeeper asked. ‘Can I offer you a free wand appraisal? I’ll let you know of any problems or recommendations.’

‘Free?’ Talia questioned with a raised eyebrow. ‘Sure.’ She handed over a sleek, black-coloured wand.

The woman examined it carefully, waved it through the air and it emitted red sparks. ’Hmm,’ she said admiringly, ‘Eleven and a half inches long. Ebony. Dragon Heartstring. Powerful, if not a little temperamental. Could use some polishing. We have some on offer at the moment.’

Talia looked a little put-out but glanced at the selection of wand polish and wax on a nearby shelf. Gideon figured the appraisal was a sales tactic, but before he could say anything, Ruby had handed hers over. In contrast to Talia’s, Ruby’s wand was almost white.

‘How lovely,’ the shopkeeper commented.

'It was my great grandma's,' Ruby whispered affectionately.

‘Silver lime, of course, with unicorn hair. Ten and a quarter inches,’ the woman said brightly, then with a wave, scattered flower petals over the counter. ‘You look after it well, but the wood has aged. You may want to consider transplanting the core into a new wand soon. It’s a service we offer, and we can guarantee the final product suits you or your money back.’

‘I’ll think about it,’ Ruby said timidly.

The shopkeeper, Talia and Ruby all turned to Gideon. He reluctantly handed over his wand, guessing the woman wouldn’t be able to identify the core.

‘Oh? Acacia? Thirteen inches? Unusual. And…’ with a wave, a trail of shimmering silvery ripples formed in the air. ‘Where did you purchase this wand, young man?’

‘Ollivanders, in London,’ Gideon stated.

‘The core?’ she questioned with her brow furrowed.

‘A feather,’ Gideon answered elusively, then before the witch could quiz him further, he said, ‘Shall we get going? I’ve got some polish I can lend you, Talia.’

‘What was that about?’ Talia asked Gideon as they left the wandmakers.

‘What?’ Gideon replied innocently.

‘Why did she think your wand was odd, Gideon?’ Ruby expanded.

‘Dunno,’ he said, shrugging his shoulders while lying to his friends. Gideon told himself that the mysterious Caladrius feather core seemed more special if it was a secret. However, he had also developed a niggling concern since learning of his dual magic sources.

What if his wand hadn’t chosen him, after all? Perhaps it had been attracted to what was dwelling inside of him? Perhaps the rare wand had been waiting in Ollivanders all that time for “something dark” to come along?

‘Just a minute,’ said Ruby, gesturing to The Magic Neep greengrocer, ‘I didn’t see this morning’s Prophet.’

Shivering and hoping Ruby would hurry, Gideon peered into the small shop’s window. For a moment, he thought he had caught a particularly strong reflection in the glass. However, just beyond it was a rack of newspapers featuring a close-up of Gideon. The headline below read:

GIDEON DRAKE: THE HOGWARTS ARSONIST?

Chapter Text

‘Sorry, Gideon, looks like you’re on the cover again,’ Ruby announced as she left the store with the latest edition of the Daily Prophet in her hands.

‘I saw,’ Gideon replied, thumbing at the news rack in the shop window. ‘Let’s ignore it for now and just try to have a good time.’

‘How about visiting Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes next, then?’ Talia suggested.

The Hogwarts branch of the wizarding joke shop was a little smaller than the one in Diagon Alley, but it was no less colourful—or busy. Gideon, Ruby and Talia had to queue to get inside, and even then, it was hard to move about with so many other customers. Fortunately, his recent notoriety meant the tide of students tended to part for him somewhat upon noticing his presence.

Still, the problem, Gideon realised, was that it wasn’t just a Hogwarts weekend, it was the last Saturday before Christmas, so Hogsmeade had more witches and wizards visiting to do their shopping than at any other time of year. This shop even had decorations up. Gideon hadn’t given much thought to Christmas, but he supposed he would have to soon.

Suddenly, Talia let out the most uncharacteristically girly giggle, shaking Gideon out of his reverie.

‘Cheer up, young lady! How about one of our patented Perk-up Pokers?’ said a tall, red-haired man that Gideon recognised as Mr Weasley, the shop owner. He was wearing a white suit today with glittery red and green baubles embroidered all over. Gideon presumed he had come up from the main store for the busy period.

‘Let me tell you what you can do with your Perk-up Poker,’ started Talia dangerously before Ruby guided her away with an apologetic smile.

‘Ooh! I like her!’ the man said to Gideon with a wink before moving on to the next customer in a puff of smoke.

After half an hour or so of browsing and playing, they had each selected some items to buy and approached the register separately to pay. Behind the counter was a plump, frazzled-looking witch whose red hair was streaked with grey.

‘Honestly… Don’t see why I should have to work the till!’ she muttered under her breath. ‘Hello there, dear!’ she said brightly with a kind smile as Gideon nervously placed his items on the counter. Then, reaching for a piece of paper she had to squint at, she added in a forced monotone, ‘Can I interest you in any of our Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes Skiving Snackboxes, including our new Warty Whirls, Coughing Candies and Jaundice Jellies?’

She looked to Gideon for his answer with a hint of embarrassment. ’Err, not today, thanks,’ he said.

‘Right. That’ll be fourteen Sickles and five Knuts, please,’ the woman said as her smile returned. She took Gideon’s money and placed it in the till, when she let out a loud shriek, ‘Argh! Oh, George! Will-you-fix-this-blasted-thing!’ she cried while hitting the till repeatedly with a nearby foam Beater’s bat.

‘What’s the matter, mum?’ said Mr Weasley, smiling through gritted teeth.

‘It almost took my hand off! AGAIN!’ She told him. ‘Your change, dear.’

‘Huh?’ Gideon said, lost in the drama. ‘Oh, right. Thank you.’

‘Come again!’ said Mr Weasley, and as Gideon made his way toward the exit, he heard the man and his mother continue to bicker, ‘You’re doing it wrong, how many times do I have to show you?’

‘Don’t you take that tone with me, George Weasley!’ the woman responded, ‘When you said you needed a hand with the Christmas rush, you conveniently forgot to mention it was also a Hogwarts weekend! Just wait until your father hears what a slave driver you are! Can I help you, dear?’

Ruby and Talia soon joined Gideon outside and they took off while discussing the mother and son bust-up. Talia was delighted to share that by the time she had been served, the woman had got a hold of Mr Weasley’s Perk-up Poker and had jabbed him with it until he was curled up on the floor in hysterics.

Wreaths hung on many of the shop doors in town, including Dominic Maestro's Music Shop, where they discussed their favourite bands; Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, where they topped up their stationery; and Gladrags Wizardwear, where the shopkeepers were bitterly discussing their new competitor behind the counter.

‘Couldn’t she have opened in Diagon Alley?’ a man with a goatee was saying to his assistant. ‘We’re usually packed on the Hogwarts weekends, and this close to Christmas, too! But they’re all across the street!’

Gideon looked out of the window while Ruby and Talia were browsing. The man was right. The shop across the street, J-Max Designs, had quite a queue outside. They, of course, would not be visiting that particular store. It belonged to the sister who had so cruelly denied knowing Gideon on his last visit.

Instead, they looked in at the Post Office and its hundreds of owls of every variety, which sat in colour-coded alcoves based on how quickly they arrived at their destination. Finally, they observed the Shrieking Shack from a distance, which was said to be the most haunted dwelling in Britain, before heading to The Three Broomsticks Inn for lunch.

After their busy morning with nothing to keep them warm except movement between the shops, Gideon, Ruby and Talia were thrilled to get a table within range of the roaring, double-sided fireplace. They took off their cloaks, gloves and scarves and dropped their bags in an empty seat.

‘Hello, loves,’ said Madam Rosmerta, the curvaceous, loose-curled, older landlady soon after they sat down. 'We're running a special for Hogwarts students if you're interested. My homemade winter-warmer, chunky veg soup with freshly baked ale bread and a butterbeer is six Sickles.’

‘Mmm, that sounds nice,’ Ruby whispered happily.

‘I’ll have that too, please,’ Gideon concurred.

‘Make it three,’ Talia added.

‘Lovely. Won’t be a minute,’ said the woman kindly.

‘I’m so glad to be out of the cold and off my feet,’ Ruby exclaimed. ‘We did a good tour of the shops, though!’

'Yeah, we did pretty well. I just need to stop in Spintwitches Sporting Needs before we head back,’ said Talia.

‘Don’t forget Honeydukes!’ Gideon reminded her. ‘I can’t believe it’s Christmas next week. I can’t decide whether the time has gone by quickly or slowly.’

‘It gets quicker every year,’ Ruby said, ‘It’s your first year, though, isn’t it? I forget sometimes.’

‘When do we break for Christmas?’ Gideon asked.

‘Didn’t you get a notice in your Common Room? Christmas Eve falls next Saturday and New Year’s Day on a Sunday this year, so the Hogwarts Express comes Friday morning and we’re not coming back until Sunday the eighth of January,’ Ruby explained.

Gideon followed up by asking, ‘Do you two know what you’re doing for the holidays?’

‘We stay with my mum’s family in Wales on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, then catch a Portkey to Romania, for Boxing Day with my dad’s side of the family,’ said Talia.

‘Our whole family usually gathers at our house. It gets so crowded, but it’s nice,’ said Ruby. ‘How about you, Gideon?’

‘Well, I guess I don’t know yet. We usually do celebrate but, well, you know…’

Ruby smacked her forehead, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot!’

‘No, it’s fine,’ Gideon assured her, ‘I’ll probably be staying at Hogwarts. Although, I guess I could be spending the break in Azkaban, depending on what the Prophet is reporting. Should we take a look?’

While Ruby fumbled with her bag and pulled out the newspaper with Gideon’s face staring out at them, Talia asked tentatively, ‘Are you sure that staying with your aunt is off the table?’

'Maybe not for her,' Gideon explained, 'but for me, it would be too weird. She used to come over for Boxing Day most years, but she didn't last year. Other than that, we didn’t see her much. It would be strange enough to spend the holiday with her, even if she hadn’t done what she did.’

‘Fair play,’ Talia commented, ‘So, what does it say, Ruby?’

Ruby scanned the pages of the paper while calling out the pertinent parts, ‘Basically, it’s about the fires. They’ve mentioned that it seemed to start with the small one in Gideon’s dorm, but also mentions a fire in Defence against the Dark Arts?’

‘That tiny one?’ Talia asked, ‘That was hardly worth mentioning, you were new to magic, the rest of us all had those kinds of accidents when we were younger.’

‘Yes, well they’re saying things escalated from there,’ Ruby continued, ‘The Charms Classroom. Halloween. The Student Lounge. The door. And the bell tower. They’re all mentioned.’

'Someone inside the school must be blabbing!' Talia suggested indignantly.

'I can't say I'm surprised. Even if the Prophet wasn't blaming me, fires at the school would still be newsworthy, wouldn't it?' Gideon reasoned.

‘They don’t blame you outright. They’re leaving it to the readers to connect the dots, but they’ve drawn an awful lot of dots,’ Ruby concluded.

'The parents aren't going to be happy,' Talia predicted gloomily.

‘It ends with a statement from the school,’ Ruby mentioned, pointing it out to Gideon to read himself.

Professor Lilah Dandridge, Hogwarts Headmistress, had the following to say on the matter:

'The investigation into the recent fires is ongoing and is being taken extremely seriously. For security reasons, I cannot reveal details of the evidence we have uncovered, but Mr Drake has been ruled out as a suspect. We are taking further steps to ensure the safety of our students and hope to resolve the matter in due course. We ask for the cooperation of students and the understanding of parents during this time.'

The new Headmistress, less than four months into her new role, failed to mention why the potentially dangerous Drake has been ruled out, or what steps she is taking to track down the arsonist(s). One must wonder whether she is truly up to the task of running the famed school for witchcraft and wizardry. Are our children safe under her leadership?

‘What drivel!’ Gideon declared. ‘Put it away or it’ll put me off my food. Speaking of!’

‘Here you are, my loves,’ said Madam Rosmerta cheerily as she laid down a tray with their lunch. ‘Enjoy!’

That they did. Gideon couldn’t decide which was better, the soup, which seemed to have potion ingredients in it that spread a wave of warmth throughout the body, or his first hot and foamy butterbeer, which was like a mug of liquid gold. His anger over the Prophet article seemed to ebb away with every swig of the butterscotch-like beverage.

The snow had stopped by the time Gideon, Ruby and Talia decided to leave the warm confines of the pub. Even if it hadn’t, though, their meal had left them pulsating an inner heat. They stopped in the sporting shop Talia mentioned, where she purchased a magazine about Gauntlet news while Gideon admired the brooms, and then they each loaded up on Honeydukes treats before beginning the trek back to the castle.

Before leaving the village outskirts, however, they came across a huddle of young men, laughing raucously. ‘Oi! It’s him! The kid from the paper. I told ya I saw ‘im in da pub!’ slurred a man at the front of the pack in shabby robes. None of them were Hogwarts students. They appeared to be in their early twenties.

‘I think someone’s had a few too many Butterbeers,’ said Talia sardonically.

‘Just ignore them,’ Ruby advised, leading Gideon around the group by the arm.

‘Oi! We want a word with the dark wizard in training!' the man pressed.

‘I’m not a dark wizard!’ Gideon snapped defiantly as they passed the rowdy group.

‘Tell it to the Prophet, mate!’ the man retorted. ‘Maybe we should put you out of your misery right here and do you and the world a favour, eh?’

‘Leave us alone,’ Ruby pleaded before letting out a piercing scream. There was a flash, and she clutched Gideon’s arm hard and flinched. The man had shot a spell at her.

However, in the same instant, Talia had yelled in a controlled but dangerous tone that rivalled Professor Long’s, ‘Don’t you dare!’ and deflected it.

The man laughed and attacked again, casually flicking his wand repeatedly. Talia deftly deflected each spell, then roared, ‘Morsus!’

‘Talia!’ Ruby said with concern as the man dropped to his knees and dropped his wand, yelling with pain and nursing his hands, which were now red raw and swollen.

‘Get them!’ he managed to command through his agony.

As his four comrades came to the man’s aid, Gideon dropped his bags and nervously drew his wand to support Talia, but Ruby seemed too afraid to move.

Spells started firing back and forth but there were four strangers to their two, and even inebriated, they were undoubtedly more learned in magic. Despite this, Talia was unleashing hexes furiously and deflecting the incoming ones like a dueling pro. Gideon felt foolish that he could only think of the Knockback Jinx to use in the moment, but he kept the pressure on, and Talia was able to hit another of them with her nasty Stinging Hex.

Unfortunately, this emboldened the remaining three, and they started forcing back Gideon and Talia. ‘Flipendo,’ yelled Ruby from behind. Before they could celebrate her joining the fray, however, one of the men surprised them by charming the thick layer of snow beneath them to rise up like a wave.

Gideon, Talia and Ruby were swept off their feet. Feeling desperate, they scrambled to get up, but to their great surprise, found only one of their opponents remaining upright. Like his friends, he too was knocked to the floor after being hit by a jet of red light coming from another direction.

‘Wha-what?’ Gideon uttered as he spat snow out of his mouth and scanned the area, ‘Anthony?’

‘There!’ Talia said, pointing out a man in a long coat, standing some distance away with his wand raised. It wasn’t Gideon’s brother. The man turned and started to walk back towards the village.

Without thinking, Gideon decided to pursue him. A confused Talia followed while Ruby muttered, ‘W-wait! Where are you going?’

The man turned, realised he was being chased and sped towards the back of the nearest building. Just as he was about to round the corner, Talia yelled, ‘Immobulus!’

The man was hit square in the back with the Freezing Charm and was stopped dead in his tracks. It was a temporary spell, though, and he recovered just as Gideon closed in on him.

'Wait!' Gideon cried as the man unfroze and continued around the corner of the building. There was a loud cracking sound, and when Gideon rounded the corner after him, the man was gone.

Panting, Talia caught up to Gideon and looked down the empty alleyway. ‘He disapparated?’ she asked.

‘That’s what the noise was,’ Gideon said, more to himself than to her. It wasn’t the first time he had heard that noise. The last time had been in Hogsmeade, too, when he had foolishly chased someone into the wood between the school and the village, only for them to disappear following an odd sound.

It wasn’t the first time he had seen that man either. Talia’s spell had given Gideon enough time to get a good look at the man’s face. He recognised it. The tall, bearded, middle-aged stranger in the trench coat had now saved him for a second time. The first had been outside Middling Academy, where a car had almost mowed Gideon down.

***

Other students and shoppers in town soon came upon the group of stunned men and people from the Ministry were summoned to take them away. Gideon, Talia and Ruby were questioned, and then escorted back to the castle, where they met with Professor Long.

After what felt like an hour of recounting their story and assuring the deputy headmistress that they didn’t need to go to the Hospital Wing, they were finally allowed to leave. The three of them walked in silence for a while before Ruby came to a halt.

‘I’m so sorry,’ she whispered through the hands now covering her face, ‘I was useless!’

Gideon’s heart broke a little. He still couldn’t believe what had happened, and that his friends had been caught up in it. ‘You have nothing to be sorry for,’ he told her, ‘It was my fault. They attacked us because you were with me. I-I’ve been too lax about this whole situation. If it hadn’t been for you, Talia…’

‘No. Neither of you was at fault. I let them get the better of me,' said Talia bitterly.

‘Are you kidding?’ Gideon exclaimed. ‘You were amazing! I couldn’t believe how you were holding them off, even though we were outnumbered, until—’

‘Until we had to be rescued by some stranger,’ Talia interjected, ‘Who was he?’

‘I don’t know… Come on, let’s get to work on these sweets!’ Gideon replied as Talia put an arm around Ruby’s shoulder, and they resumed walking with a chuckle.

Gideon didn’t know for sure whether the man had also been the person who Disapparated in the woods. It was a big leap to make that assumption, but he chose to believe it was true. To Gideon’s way of thinking, the three separate occurrences seemed to beg the question, was he being followed?

***

On Monday the school woke up to find the inside of the castle decorated for the festive season. On the way to breakfast, Gideon found that the walls had been adorned with tinsel, the places where spiders had dropped on Halloween were occupied by ribbons of holly and mistletoe, and the suits of armour had been enchanted to sing carols when passed, which the nearby paintings joined in with. In the Great Hall, snow fell from the enchanted ceiling and twelve towering fir trees had been decorated in the four house colours.

Whether because of the Christmas spirit that the elaborate decorations invoked, or the sympathy garnered from the rumours about their attack in Hogsmeade, Gideon found that the other students were less hostile towards him during the final week of term.

He had approached Professor Voronov about staying at the school for Christmas first thing on Monday morning, but it turned out the man had already made the arrangements on Gideon’s behalf while he was in the Hospital Wing. He was a little taken aback by this but supposed it made sense. At least he knew where things stood with his family now.

The idea of spending Christmas in the magical castle had its appeal, but it was a strange thought to be spending the holidays somewhere other than Maxwell Manor for the first time in his life. Gideon was hit with a particularly strong pang of loneliness when he bade Ruby and Talia goodbye on Friday morning.

They had exchanged addresses earlier in the week, though, and promised to stay in touch by owl. Gideon had cleverly suggested this, so he could send a couple of school owls ahead with presents that he had purchased for the two girls from Hogsmeade.

The long tables in the Great Hall were replaced with one smaller one once most of the students had departed. It made sense to Gideon seeing as how there were only about fifteen students remaining and less than half of the staff. As he approached for dinner that evening, Professor Voronov got out of his seat and met him by the doorway.

‘Before you sit down, the Headmistress would like a word with you in her office,’ he informed Gideon. ‘The password is Mistletoe Toxicity.’

On the way to the head’s office, Gideon worried that after the confrontation in Hogsmeade, his presence at the school had become too much of a liability, after all. Arriving at the stone gargoyle, Gideon uttered the Christmas-themed medical ailment and gained access to the hidden stairs. He collected himself and took a deep breath before finally knocking on the door.

‘Enter,’ called the headmistress.

Upon stepping into the room, Gideon was immediately seized around the middle and the breath he had taken was expelled by force. He was under attack.

‘Young Master!’ cried a voice.

‘Master Gideon!’ squeaked another.

‘Tilly? Tolly!’ Gideon exclaimed before bending down to embrace the elves as they sobbed uncontrollably.

‘Hello, Gideon dear,’ a third voice announced warmly. Standing in front of the Headmistress’s desk, clasping her crystal-topped cane with both hands, was Annabeth Maxwell, Gideon’s grandmother. By her side, looking weepy, was his sister, Jennifer.

Chapter Text

‘What’s going on?’ Gideon asked, meeting the eyes of the headmistress, who was sitting behind her desk.

Professor Dandridge stood up and said, ‘Gideon, your grandmother and your sister would like to speak with you.’

Gideon couldn’t imagine what they had to talk about unless something had happened. ‘Is it mum? Is she okay?’ he fretted.

‘Your mother’s doing just fine, dear,’ Annabeth assured him.

‘Then, what are you doing here?’ Gideon questioned accusatorily.

‘Let’s sit down,’ Annabeth suggested.

Three chairs awaited them at the desk, along with a tea tray. With some difficulty, owing to Tilly and Tolly clinging to him tightly, Gideon made his way over to the chair furthest from the others and faced the headmistress. He couldn’t bring himself to look at his grandmother and flinched when she extended a hand toward him.

‘I’m sorry, dear, it’s just, you look so different,’ Annabeth remarked about her grandson’s matching eyes and the hair that no longer concealed his face. She cleared her throat and turned to the headmistress while gesturing at the tea tray, ‘Do you mind, Lilah?’

‘I will do that, mistress,’ insisted Tilly, who stopped sobbing and gave a big sniff. Tolly remained by Gideon’s side clutching his arm.

‘Thank you, Tilly. Oh, where to start?’ Annabeth said nervously after a sip of tea. ‘I read about you in the Daily Prophet recently, dear. First, in the article by Caroline, and then, in the many stories that have followed since. Silly girl. I can't bring myself to be as angry with my darling daughter as I might normally be, though, because had it not been for her foolishness, I may not have discovered that I have a second grandson.'

Gideon squinted at his grandmother and asked, ‘What do you mean?’

‘You see, dear, the article didn’t make sense to me at the time. It mentioned the “son of Marcus Maxwell”, but I knew that it couldn’t possibly be referring to Anthony. As the stories continued to expand on you and our family, I realised that something was wrong. I had no recollection of a Gideon Drake, nor a Gideon Maxwell for that matter.’

‘It was dad!’ Jennifer interjected hysterically. ‘He cast memory charms on us!’

Gideon’s mouth hung open as a mixture of shock and understanding washed over him.

'The day that you came into my shop in Hogsmeade, I honestly didn’t know who you were,’ she explained before breaking down and Tilly handed her some tissues.

‘Tha-that can’t be…’ Gideon said at last.

‘I’m afraid it’s the truth, dear, and I’m ashamed to say it. My own son… When Sarah wakes up, she’ll be furious!’ Annabeth answered, shaking her head. ‘Naturally, I quickly put two and two together. I learned that the elves had been ordered not to speak of you, and you know that they can’t defy an order.’

‘We tried young master,’ Tilly declared, ‘but the mistress was in the hospital, the young mistress had moved to Hogsmeade, the masters were all at Hogwarts and the mistress senior did not remember! She did not understand our clues, and I could only bear closing the oven doors on my ears so many times a week as punishment.’

‘Oh, Tilly…’ Gideon said, understanding why the older elf’s ears were covered in bandages.

‘Caroline had been avoiding me after resigning from the Prophet in protest, thinking I was going to lecture her about her betrayal. When I finally got a hold of her, she understood and explained everything,’ Annabeth continued. ‘I had a reversal spell performed at St Mungo’s, and after I recovered, I went straight to your sister and unlocked her memory too. That’s when we contacted Lilah, I mean to say, Professor Dandridge.’

Gideon covered his head with his hands and murmured, ‘Caroline didn’t tell me she had resigned…’ He felt a headache coming on. ‘But Anthony?’ he questioned irritably.

Jennifer stopped bawling long enough to explain, ‘Anthony actually believed dad when he told us about you and blamed you for what happened to mum! Gran and I could both tell he wasn't in his right mind, but our idiot brother went along with it. He wasn’t charmed but he didn’t know that dad later charmed us. That’s not to say he doesn’t deserve a good kicking, though!’

‘I don’t know what to do with all of this!’ Gideon snapped, his mind and heart pushed to the edge, ‘You have no idea… You have no idea what it’s been like! I-I… Oh, no. Professor, I think it’s happening!’

‘What’s happening?’ Annabeth queried.

Professor Dandridge got to her feet, swept around her desk, and met Gideon’s eyes closely, ‘Calm yourself, Gideon. Use the technique Professor Voronov taught you.’

‘Lilah?’ Annabeth pressed as the worried elves looked on between the gaps in their fingers.

Gideon took out his wand as he felt the magic within him rising to the surface, and his skin began to radiate. He sat on the floor with his feet touching each other, held his wand with both hands and steadied his breathing while concentrating hard.

After a series of deep breaths, while focusing on the tip of his wand, Gideon felt the power stop spreading and even begin to recede. It had worked. He had prevented one of his magical episodes. Even so, Gideon continued the magical meditation exercise until he felt back to normal and opened his eyes. His wand and forearms were surrounded by a flickering orange aura.

‘Professor? What should I do?’ he asked uncertainly.

‘It’s okay, Gideon, you did well. This is just the excess magical energy that had already escaped, gathered to a point by your focusing technique. You can release it safely without using it. Just imagine you’re cancelling a spell.’

Gideon concentrated and pictured himself releasing a balloon into the sky. The energy flickered violently, then dissipated, and an invisible wave of force blew across the room like a gust of wind. Gideon sighed, then got to his feet with a pleased smile on his face. It disappeared when he remembered what had caused his near episode.

‘Will one of you please explain what we just witnessed?’ Annabeth demanded.

‘I don’t know what your intentions were by coming here today,’ Gideon addressed his grandmother and his sister, ‘but I’m not the same person I was six months ago. If you’re hoping for a reconciliation or something, I'm going to need some time. And not just to accept what you've said today. I need to adapt to what's going on with me.'

‘Does that mean you don’t want to come home?’ asked Jennifer incredulously.

Gideon was torn. Deep down, he wanted nothing more than to go home and for everything to go back to normal. However, that wasn't a possibility anymore. Not now. Too much had happened.

‘It’s not that simple,’ he explained, ‘you understand, don’t you, that we’re not related, not even legally? I’m a “ward of the Ministry”! Even if that wasn’t the case, after what you’ve just seen, you must realise it’s probably not a good idea. I think you also need to consider whether you really want me to come back.’

‘Blood? Paper? None of that matters. You are my grandson, Gideon, and I love you!' his grandmother stated clearly. 'I can't imagine what things have been like for you, but you will always have a place to come home to. When you're ready.'

‘Of course!’ Jennifer concurred.

‘Not if dad has anything to say about it—’

‘You leave your father to me!’ Annabeth spoke with her nostrils flaring. ‘There is something I need from you, though, Gideon. I have no right to ask it of you after everything that’s happened and what I’ve told you today, but...’

‘What is it?’

'When the time comes, I need you to be open to forgiving your father.'

‘What? How could you ask me that after what he’s done to me? After what he’s done to you!’

'Marcus will pay for what he's done, dear. I will see to that! But I fear that the reasons behind his actions run much deeper than they appear. As Jennifer mentioned earlier, when he came home after you and your mother were hospitalised, he wasn't himself. I dare say he was almost unhinged. I hadn’t seen him like that since your grandfather’s passing.

‘As you know, your grandfather was a great wizard. He always stood up for what was right. That made him a target and was ultimately the reason he was killed by Lord Voldemort’s supporters. At the time of his death, your father, along with anyone else in the Ministry who was deemed a threat but too well known to eliminate outright, was sent away by Pius Thicknesse, the Minister for Magic at the time, on a farcical mission to the United States.

‘When Marcus returned and learned of Bernard’s murder, he was out of his mind with grief. He couldn’t forgive himself for not being there, especially after Thicknesse was revealed to be Lord Voldemort’s puppet. Naturally, we got our revenge, but he was never the same. Then, when you and Sarah were attacked…

‘Well, I expect it was like history was repeating itself. Marcus and Sarah are as deeply devoted a couple as I have ever known. He spoke as if she were already gone. I think his guilt caused him to attach blame to the only person he could.’

‘Me,’ Gideon finished for her. The story answered a lot of questions, but Gideon was far from ready to let go of his anger. ‘That doesn’t explain why he came to Hogwarts, though.’

‘My understanding was that he was ordered,’ Annabeth said, looking to Professor Dandridge for clarification.

The headmistress explained, ‘I’m afraid all I know is that he was the only capable candidate. I reasoned that if he had been sent by the Ministry, and we were unable to fill the position, they would have appointed him anyway under Minister Granger-Weasley’s revival of Educational Decree Number Twenty-Two.’

‘I see. Well. We should be going. I never thought I’d be saying it at my age, but I have some parenting to do!’ Annabeth said pointedly. ‘Gideon dear, perhaps we’ll see you for Easter? I’ll be writing to you, now that I know where and who you are.

‘I didn’t get a chance to tell you before, but I’m very proud of you for getting into Hogwarts. I’d have preferred you were sorted into my old house, Ravenclaw, of course… But I’m told you’re doing very well, and I expect that to continue. Come, Jennifer, Tilly, Tolly.’

Tolly, however, protested, ‘But mistress, we cannot go without Master Gideon. Mother and I are preparing his favourite Christmas foods!’

Gideon felt awful.

‘Come, son, the young master must focus on his schoolwork,’ Tilly said, blowing her long nose loudly into a handful of tissues. ‘The professor lady will look after him for us.’

‘Indeed, I will,’ Professor Dandridge assured them.

Each of the departees gave Gideon a tight hug on their way out, which he had to force himself not to recoil from, and they wished him well. When the office door closed, Gideon collapsed into his chair and muttered, ‘I feel exhausted.’

‘I’m not surprised,’ the headmistress said as she, too, returned to her seat. ‘Once again, you’ve been given an awful lot to process. On top of that, you performed an exceptional piece of magical control.’

‘Do you think I did the right thing, Professor, not going with them?’

‘I think it was a difficult decision, but a wise one. Now was not the time to tell them everything that you have been made aware of, and I’m not under any legal obligation to do so.

‘I will be writing to your grandmother, however, to inform her about the incident in Hogsmeade. I’m told that it will be covered in the Daily Prophet, and she is an old friend of mine, so I feel I owe her a head’s up. Leaving without you today was not in her plans. She will undoubtedly be sending you an owl. Therefore, I suggest you attempt to ease her concerns.

‘Your attackers will be receiving punishments. In addition, I imagine the Prophet will backpedal now that they may have inadvertently caused the attack with their irresponsible reporting. Hopefully, you will be spared some scrutiny in the weeks ahead.’

‘Hopefully,’ Gideon agreed.

‘Even after what you’ve learnt today, Gideon, forgiveness doesn’t happen overnight. Don’t punish yourself for not feeling receptive right away. Give yourself time to work through this information.’

Gideon nodded in understanding. His grandmother’s absence and his sister’s refusal to acknowledge him made sense now. That didn’t erase the hurt, though. Not immediately at least.

***

With everything he had to think about, Gideon was glad for the solitude of the Common Room, where he spent much time curled up on the couch by the crackling fire, staring at the shining, silver decorations of the Christmas tree. Only two other Slytherins were staying for the holiday period, and they seemed to prefer the confines of their respective dormitories.

Gideon woke up late on Christmas Day, but when he finally did get out of bed, he was surprised to find a pile of presents and some envelopes sitting atop the trunk at the end of his bed. He hadn't even considered that he might be getting gifts this year, let alone that they would be there when he woke up. Gideon jumped back onto his bed and tore into them with enthusiasm, starting with the envelopes.

A green envelope contained a glittering card from Malcolm Middling. It included some clippings from a wizarding magazine called The Quibbler and a note. Gideon was heartened to read that Mr Middling had spoken out in support of him to the press. However, the Middling Academy Principal believed the Prophet hadn’t run his interview as it “didn’t fit their narrative" about him.

The other three envelopes were cards from Dorian, Eoin and Tim, which Gideon appreciated. As for the presents, the first was an astrology book from Ruby, which focused on his star sign. He smiled, remembering that they had once joked about the duality of his magic and the coincidence that his birthdate made him a Gemini.

The second gift was from Talia. She had given him a record titled, The Stargazers: Unplugged, which he couldn’t wait to sample. In a pink package was what turned out to be a black leather wand holster. It attached to the forearm, making it easy to store and draw one’s wand. The attached note showed that it was from his sister.

Merry Xmas Gid!

Here’s a prototype sample of something I’ve designed as a side venture. Seems like an obvious solution to wand storage, doesn’t it? There’s nothing like it on the market, though, and I’ve made them in different colours. Cross your fingers that they catch on!

Lots of love,

Jen

It did seem like an obvious idea, but Gideon had never seen such a thing before. He attached the holster to his arm and slipped his wand inside, then practised drawing it as a duellist would. It worked nicely and would certainly cut down on stories about people sitting on or losing their pocketed wands.

Next, Gideon unwrapped a heavy gift in shiny red paper. It was a detective novel trilogy that he had been meaning to read. The gift card read:

Dear Gideon,

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Best Wishes,

From Jonathan, Samantha, Alex and Lucy

It was a few moments before Gideon realised who these people were. They were the Grimsby family. He was oddly surprised but grateful that Mr Grimsby had thought of him, but then, the man had mentioned he didn't read the books he had once lent Gideon. Did that mean Alex Grimsby had suggested the gift? No. That was a silly thought, Gideon told himself with a derisive laugh.

Caroline had sent a humongous box of chocolates based on famous puddings from around the world, as well as a pouch of spending money. The card she included with it mentioned how she had spoken with his grandmother and again offered her sincere apologies for “the whole mess,” as she put it, but didn’t say anything about her resignation.

Gideon guessed that she had purposely failed to mention it, so he wouldn’t be inclined to forgive her, which made it that much harder to stay mad at her now that he knew. Caroline’s career meant everything to her, but she had put it in jeopardy over her editor stealing her notes. This knowledge certainly didn’t make everything better, but it made a difference to Gideon.

He enjoyed delicious Banoffee Pie, Treacle Tart and Strawberries & Cream varieties of the chocolates before opening the final present. Wrapped in shimmering gold paper was a white box. Inside the box was cushioning fabric holding a crystal ball. It resembled his Glowglobe, but it was smaller and opaque. Gideon had to open the card to find out what it was.

Dearest Gideon,

The latest developments in mageology are frightening the short-sighted fools at the Ministry of Magic, so the release of my designs is being held up indefinitely.

They fear that crystal magic will make it into the hands of Muggles, but it is my fervent belief that crystals are the key to empowering the Squib community.

You, of course, are no longer a Squib. However, I feel sure that you will still find a use for this tool. It requires constant contact and the activation incantation, Dissimulo. Cancel it with three taps.

Merry Christmas. I hope to hear from you soon.

Love always,

Gran

It was another of his grandmother’s magical inventions. It wasn’t a channelling rod, though, so it wasn’t designed to cast magic. Gideon surmised it must be more like the Glowglobe, so he held the ball up to his mouth and uttered the incantation, ‘Dissimulo.’

He expected the ball to glow or give off some sort of light as the Glowglobe did, but the opposite appeared to happen. The ball began to blur, and then, disappear from sight—along with his arm. Gideon waved his arm. He could see a distortion, but it was otherwise transparent.

Moving over to the mirror at the other end of the room, Gideon realised his whole body had disappeared. Almost anyway. As he moved, he could tell there was a person-shaped figure moving about. If he stood still, however, he was essentially invisible.

Chapter Text

After experimenting, Gideon realised that the crystal projected a Disillusionment Charm over its holder. It was just short of total invisibility, which he knew to be extremely advanced, but unlike the spell inside his lost Channelling Rod, he was unlikely to learn such magic while at school.

Gideon couldn’t immediately think of a use for what he had decided to coin, the Camostone, but he couldn’t wait to show Ruby and Talia when they returned. He marvelled at the small pile of gifts. It wasn’t quite the haul he was used to, but it was more than he had expected, and somehow it meant more.

Later that day was the Christmas Feast. Even by Hogwarts standards, the meal was spectacular. The usual plates, serving dishes, goblets and cutlery were replaced by gleaming, ornate silverware. A selection of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes brand wizard crackers got the attendees in the mood.

These crackers went off with a much louder bang than the ones Gideon was accustomed to, and each triggered an indoor firework. They also contained much better prizes and coloured conical hats with kaleidoscope-like patterns that changed when they were worn.

After pulling a cracker with Professor Keane and watching the ensuing display, Gideon was lucky enough to get a spinning hypnotic-patterned hat and a deck of Exploding Snap cards picturing different breeds of dragons. The Hufflepuff girl sitting next to him got a hat with the changing phases of the moon and an Eterna-Bounce ball, which she foolishly dropped. It proceeded to bounce all around the hall until a Ravenclaw Quidditch player caught it, earning a round of applause.

Gideon enjoyed how Professor Dandridge’s Hula-patterned hat clashed horribly with her festive robes, and how Professor Keane forced a flower-patterned one on the head of a reluctant Professor Voronov.

At the end of the table was an old woman covered in shawls and beads, whom Gideon didn’t recognise. She spent a lot of time fighting for Professor Kenyatta’s attention, even though the Astronomy teacher kept trying to talk to other people. She almost really fought a student over a hat with creepy blinking eyes, which was funny seeing as how her own eyes were so magnified by her thick glasses that she resembled a large insect, and because she kept knocking things over.

All of a sudden, the table set for twenty or so was filled to the brim with perfectly cooked stuffed turkeys, mouth-watering bacon-covered chipolatas, glorious golden potatoes, crispy Yorkshire puddings and a spectrum of vegetables. Every face around the table seemed to be grinning as they helped themselves and passed around boats of rich gravy, mint jelly and bread and cranberry sauces.

After the best meal of Gideon’s life, came the desserts. As he admired the flaming Christmas puddings, deep-filled trifles and delectable-looking gateau, Gideon’s eyes surely became bigger than his belly, and that was saying something at this point. He was so full, and yet, he knew that if he didn’t have a big slice of the white chocolate and raspberry gateau topped with double cream, he would live to regret it.

Upon finally leaving the Great Hall, Gideon, perhaps unsurprisingly, found himself moving much slower than usual. The students departed for their houses while most of the teachers remained for a nightcap. The woman Gideon hadn't recognised, however, appeared to be having some trouble getting up the marble staircase.

The Hufflepuff girl had informed him that she was Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher, who usually remained within the confines of the North Tower. There was a loud clunk, and a bottle of Ogden’s Firewhiskythat she must have swiped from the dinner table began to roll down the stairs precariously. Gideon jogged over with his stomach sloshing, caught it before it picked up speed, and ran it back up to the teacher.

'Oh, thank you, my dear. Must've fallen into my pocket! I'll see that it's returned later,' she slurred, grabbing for the bottle. Instead, her bony hand wrapped tightly around Gideon's arm. Unlike the blinking pattern of her hat, her magnified eyes stretched wide, and she continued in an altogether different, guttural tone of voice.

‘The serpent’s bloodline still slithers among us! An heir with a clearer vision and a stronger will than those who have come before has begun to move. They work in secret and shadow, but their deeds do not go unseen. Unless prevented, the fifth point will be marked as the summer sun dawns. Innocent eyes will be closed, the eye of fire will open, and a dark destiny will be revealed...’

When the old woman finally stopped speaking, a panicky Gideon wrenched his arm free from her grip, and she asked with a hiccup, ‘Everything okay, m’dear? My goodness, you haven’t been drinking this, have you? Yes, better I hold on to it, I think.’

With that, Professor Trelawney carried on up the stairs with her bottle, humming a Christmas carol as if nothing had happened. Gideon had heard nothing but bad things about the Divination teacher’s abilities, but he felt almost certain that what he had just heard from her was a genuine prediction.

He ran as fast as he could to his dorm, grabbed a quill and some ink, and scribbled down as much of what she said as he could remember on a scrap of parchment. After checking it over a few times, he was fairly sure he had recalled it all. But what did it mean?

***

The rest of the holiday was far more enjoyable than Gideon had expected. Instead of letting his worries get the best of him, he focused on getting all his homework out of the way and doing a little extra preparation for the next term. Gideon did so while working his way through Caroline's chocolates, reading the first of the books from the Grimsbys, and borrowing Gio's gramophone to play the Stargazers record Talia had given to him over and over.

He was sure to send thank you notes for those gifts and all the others he had received, including a short one to Caroline. He exchanged letters with his grandmother following the Prophet article the Headmistress had forewarned them about, and Tilly and Tolly sent Christmas leftovers and other snacks with her replies.

Naturally, he conversed with Ruby and Talia, whom he was glad to hear liked the instant-application, flower-scented nail varnish kits he had bought for them in the joke shop (Rosepink Pink for Ruby and Bluebell Blue for Talia).

They expressed jealousy over the feast and were deeply intrigued by Gideon’s run-in with Professor Trelawney. They both claimed to have had interesting breaks but were looking forward to returning. In Ruby's case, it was to get away from her countless relatives. Talia was simply bored and missed being able to use magic.

Unlike those who went home for the holidays, Gideon was allowed to use magic at Hogwarts, so he used the rest of his free time to get some spell practice in. This was spurred on by the fact that he had felt so useless during the duel in Hogsmeade. He focused on the Banishing Charm and the Shield Charm.

The former was for Charms and required a lot of focus to send an object to a desired location with just one flick of the wand. The latter was required for Defence Against the Dark Arts and could reflect incoming spells entirely if used correctly. This would be a big improvement on just being able to deflect known spells, so Gideon was trying hard to master it.

Once Madam Pince returned, he used the library to look up the Stunning Spell, seeing as how he had seen it save him from attackers twice now, and practised it using a chalk-drawn target on a tree by the lake.

He also continued looking for answers about the rune marking and Professor Trelawney’s esoteric ramblings. Sadly, as with his previous search on curse marks, researching references to “serpent’s blood”, “secret and shadow”, “Innocent eyes” and “the Eye of Fire” was turning out to be just as fruitless.

Soon enough, Sunday the eighth of January arrived, and the other students returned to the school ahead of classes resuming the following day.

‘Happy New Year!’ Gideon greeted the boys brightly as they joined him at the Slytherin House table for dinner that evening.

‘For some, maybe,’ Gio commented bitterly without meeting Gideon’s eyes.

‘Hi Gideon,’ said Dorian.

Eoin didn’t say anything.

‘Where’s Tim?’ Gideon asked, noticing the quiet boy’s absence from the group, and craning his neck toward the students still filing into the Great Hall.

‘Not here, obviously!’ Gio snapped.

‘What does that mean?’ Gideon asked Dorian.

‘Tim’s withdrawn from Hogwarts,’ Dorian explained sullenly.

‘What? Why?’

‘Why do you think, idiot! Because of you and stuff like this!’ Gio yelled, throwing a copy of the Daily Prophet in Gideon’s direction. ‘After everything you’ve done—or haven’t done—whatever, the fires and everything in the paper. His parents wouldn’t let him come back! They didn’t want him sharing a dorm with you, which means my best mate is gone!’

Gideon didn't know what to say. He liked Tim. The boy had always been fair with him. How could his parents believe Gideon was enough of a danger to remove him from school? Looking down, Gideon saw that the previous day's Prophet addressed the same question.

The lead story was a recap about him, the fires, and the attack in Hogsmeade, with a focus on the reactions and concerns of Hogwarts parents. It suggested that even as a victim, Gideon was a danger to those around him.

Gideon was infuriated. He himself had considered that when Talia and Ruby had been put at risk, but they had only been attacked in the first place because of the Prophet telling the world about him.

According to the article, multiple angry or worried parents were considering withdrawing their children from Hogwarts until the mystery of the fires was solved or until Gideon was removed from the school. These views had surely been encouraged by the Ministry of Magic's weak statement following the news of the fires:

‘We were, of course, unaware of the ongoing investigation into arson at Hogwarts at the time of our public expression of support for Mr Drake,’ said Mr Percy Weasley, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic. ‘Naturally, though, we stand by our earlier statements with some confidence, and we will be reaching out to Professor Dandridge to see how the Ministry can be of assistance in identifying those responsible for the fires, whomever they might be.’

***

'Can you believe that?' Gideon asked Talia and Ruby in disbelief after dinner. 'Parents are actually taking their kids out of school because of me!'

‘Not because of you,’ Ruby corrected. ‘Because the Prophet’s got people scared.’

‘That’s how they sell papers, Gideon. Don’t let it get to you,’ Talia advised.

‘But if I wasn’t here…’

‘Then, there would still be fires but people wouldn’t have anybody to blame,’ Ruby said smartly. ‘You deserve to be here as much as anyone else. Now, let’s see what you brought!’

After a fun-filled half hour playing hide and seek with the Camostone, in which they learned it could conceal all three of them if they were touching, Gideon fished out Professor Trelawney’s prediction from his pocket and let the girls read it.

‘It’s like some crazy fortune cookie nonsense,’ Talia remarked.

Ruby read and re-read the words while Gideon and Talia waited for her expert analysis. Finally, she looked up with her brow furrowed.

‘So?’ Gideon asked on tenterhooks.

‘Yeah, “crazy fortune cookie nonsense” about sums it up,’ she concluded.

‘Be serious,’ Talia said once she finished laughing.

‘Well, if Gideon hadn’t seen and heard Professor Trelawney saying this first-hand, I’m not sure I would have believed her capable. It seems to be a genuine prophecy.’

Prophecy. The word carried more weight than “prediction”, as Gideon had been referring to it. ‘Do you have any idea what it means, though?’ he asked.

‘Not the foggiest!’ Ruby answered before picking up the piece of parchment. ‘But I’ll copy this down and see if I can make head or tail of it with my Divination books.’

***

With all things considered, the first day back went as smoothly as Gideon could have hoped for.

In Charms, Professor Keane was very impressed with his progress on the Banishing Charm. He had moved from banishing feathers to books, and the books he banished headed to the exact spots in the room he intended, earning him ten house points. Alex and the other Gryffindor boys seemed annoyed by Gideon's obvious improvement, but they didn't say anything.

Professor Kenyatta didn’t have anything bad to say about his Astronomy homework, for once. In Transfiguration, he had successfully turned a kitten into a teapot and back again, and faster than anyone else. Finally, in Ancient Runes, he was glad to discover he had accidentally absorbed a fair bit of information while scouring the library books for his mystery symbol.

Gio hadn’t spoken to Gideon since his outburst in the Great Hall, unless you counted when he discovered Gideon’s record on his gramophone that evening, after their night-time Astronomy class. ‘What’s this garbage doing here?’ he had shouted before frisbeeing The Stargazers: Unplugged across the dormitory.

Luckily, Gideon had immobilised the record with his wand before it hit the wall and caught it before it dropped to the floor, but the consideration he had afforded Gio due to losing his friend was seriously waning. He went to bed angry and didn’t sleep well.

Gio appeared to be developing a permanent frown, at least whenever Gideon was in his presence, which included in the dorm, at the table in the Great Hall and on the way to History of Magic on the second day of the new term. It was really beginning to irritate Gideon, but he did his best to ignore it and even employed some of his meditative techniques.

Oddly enough, Ruby did not show up to class with the other Hufflepuffs. Gideon couldn’t imagine why she wouldn’t have been there, but her absence made the lesson drag on. In fact, without her there to keep him occupied, and given how badly he had slept, the monotone drawl of the ancient Professor Binns soon caused Gideon to nod off.

He found himself in a strange land that looked like Hogsmeade except every shop seemed to be made out of Honeydukes sweets. In the middle of town, continuing to lecture quietly was the ghostly Professor Binns, but Gideon ignored him and took a closer look around the town. It looked like a harmless enough place, but he soon found that there were oddities to be discovered.

Behind a door, he came upon Professor Trelawney mouthing something soundlessly with her fixed, giant eyes staring into his soul. Around every corner seemed to be groups of angry or concerned Hogwarts parents, just waiting to catch him alone. Up every alleyway were long-coated figures watching him from the shadows.

Ducking into J Max Designs for cover, Gideon found two versions of his sister. One of the Jennifers had her back to him while the other sobbed into a tissue. Gideon didn’t know which to trust, so he left and headed to the Three Broomsticks, which was now made of liquorice. Inside, he was happy to find Ruby and Talia.

Ruby was tearing through books furiously and pulling on her braids, trying to solve a large jigsaw with many missing pieces. Talia stood guard with her wand out. ‘We’ve got to figure this out, Gideon!’ she warned.

‘Can I get you anything, love?’ asked a large jelly sweet shaped like Madam Rosmerta. Gideon was about to ask for a Butterbeer, but he was distracted by the sound of screams. ‘Oh dear,’ said the jelly Rosmerta, ‘that’s going to disturb my customers.’

The screams continued, so Gideon stepped back outside to investigate. Sasha Barrington was sitting at a desk in the middle of Hogsmeade Village, a few feet from the lecturing Professor Binns. She was the one screaming.

Halfway between asleep and awake, Gideon heard the screams more clearly than before. For a moment, he was terrified that his nightmare had returned and that he might be visited by the pained face of Gwendoline Drake at any moment. He wasn’t dreaming, though. Sasha’s screams had been real.

‘Professor!’ Sasha yelled loudly, pointing at the Ghostly teacher. Gideon forced his eyes open and took in the scene before him. He couldn’t see what the fuss was about from his position.

‘Please, Miss Bannerton, if you need the bathroom, you may go but you need not yell in my classroom,’ droned Professor Binns reproachfully before continuing to read from his notes.

‘But, Professor Binns—’ cried Nita Thakur of Hufflepuff.

'Really, Miss Thatcher, that will do,' the professor admonished.

More screams and shrieks were filling the room and then, Dorian stood up and shouted clearly, ‘Professor Binns, you’re on fire!’

That’s when Gideon noticed. He leaned over to see around the desks in front of him and saw that violent purple flames had enveloped Professor Binns up past his knees.

'It might be a rather exciting passage, Mr Timpson, but I hardly think my reading warrants that level of praise,' Professor Binns exasperated, apparently completely aware of the rising fire. But did ghosts feel such things as fire, or pain for that matter?

The students were getting to their feet, pointing, and pleading with the professor to take notice of the situation. Dorian took out his wand and hurried to the front of the classroom while Eoin dashed out of the door.

'Good grief,' Professor Binns lamented, shaking his head. 'You children will be the death of me.' Those were his final words as the purple flames covering his ethereal body rose past his neck, engulfed his wizened, translucent face and disappeared, leaving no trace of the History of Magic teacher.

A few moments of stunned silence were followed by a cacophony of screams, shrieks, cries, and scared chatter. Dorian remained rooted to the spot at the front of the room with his wand raised and a look of bewilderment across his face.

'What's going on here?' announced Professor Long forcefully, standing at the doorway with Eoin behind her. The crying and shouting were reduced to whimpers and whispers. Then, as if in one motion, the heads of the class whipped around in Gideon's direction.

Chapter Text

'Gideon, what's happened?' Ruby asked, panic-stricken upon crossing him in the corridors.

‘I wish I knew,’ Gideon said. ‘Where were you?’

‘I was up really late reading, and I must have slept right through the bell. I woke up because I sensed that horrible magic again. Has anything happened? Did Professor Binns notice I was absent?’

‘Wait,’ Gideon said, coming to a stop, ‘You had that feeling again?’

‘Yes, but I don’t know what it meant. Do you?’

Gideon explained what had happened to Professor Binns in History of Magic. ‘Then, just like that, he was gone. Everyone freaked out. Dorian was a bit shaken; I think he was going to put the fire out, but he was too late... Then, Professor Long arrived.’

‘What did she say? Does anyone know what happened?’ Ruby quizzed him.

‘Yeah. It was me, of course!’ Gideon said bitterly. ‘At least, that’s what everyone thinks. There was fire, so it must be big, bad Gideon, at it again!’

‘I’m sure Professor Long knows better,’ Ruby reassured him, ‘Did you see anything?’

‘No. It had already started when I woke up. I doubt there was anything to see, though. To affect a ghost like that… Anyone capable of it wouldn’t be stupid enough to get caught. Unless…’

‘Unless what?’

‘Unless I did it in my sleep,’ Gideon proposed.

‘Don’t, Gideon,’ Ruby advised. ‘I’ve told you before, the magic I sensed isn’t yours—or your other magic.’

Gideon wanted to argue but held his tongue.

‘We do know something, though, if I’m right,’ Ruby suggested uncertainly. ‘Whoever attacked Professor Binns, they’re probably responsible for the fires as well.’

***

Classes were cancelled for the rest of the day and students were sent to their Common Rooms. Gideon tried to read his book in his favourite spot by the fire, but his presence was causing a stir.

‘What are you all so upset about?’ Isaac Fletcher addressed the room derisively. ‘Binns should have been firedyears ago!’

Isaac’s friends chuckled heartily, but many of the other Slytherins groaned at his distasteful pun.

‘What?’ Isaac carried on in the same vein. ‘He obviously couldn’t take the heat of teaching anymore!’

A couple of the Slytherins spoke out this time, including the Quidditch Beaters.

‘Have some respect!’ the blonde Beater said loudly.

‘Yeah, give it a rest, Isaac!’ the brown-haired one added before making his way over to where Gideon was sitting. ‘Don’t worry about that idiot. Just ignore him—most people do. I’m Albus by the wa—’

‘Oh, come on! Someone needed to light a fire under him!’ Isaac continued, doubling over in hysterics. ‘I for one am glad that our Gideon helped him see the light!’

Gideon slammed his book shut and left the room as Isaac’s friends roared with laughter. In the dorm, he found Eoin doing homework while Dorian just stared up at the ceiling. ‘Are you alright?’ Gideon asked the boy in the neighbouring bed.

‘I suppose so,’ Dorian replied. ‘Do you think Professor Binns is coming back?’

Gideon felt sure that the answer to that question was a firm no, but he said considerately, ‘I don’t know.’

‘Just so you know, Gideon, I don’t think you did it,’ Dorian asserted.

‘You don’t? Haven’t you been reading the Prophet?’ Gideon jested.

Dorian replied, ‘My parents have, and they say you’re the victim in all of this. I don’t know what’s going on around here, but I can’t seriously believe you would hurt a teacher, ghost or not. Plus, you’re too smart to do it in the middle of a lesson.’

Gideon noticed Eoin looking over in interest as he responded, ‘Well, thanks. I hope someone figures out what is going on soon, though.’

***

Professor Dandridge announced at Breakfast the day after, that an investigation had determined Professor Binns was exorcised. This caused quite an uproar. It was like a Hogwarts teacher had been murdered, but seeing as how Professor Binns was already dead, people didn’t know quite what to make of it.

The Fat Friar, the Hufflepuff ghost, appeared to faint upon hearing the news. As the Gryffindor ghost attempted to bring the friar around, Gideon overheard him complain, ‘Us ghosts were asked to assist with patrols, but if there’s a madman on the loose with the power to exorcise us, I don’t see how we can do so safely!’

The headmistress warned that Professor Binns’s exorcism would be treated as seriously as any attack at the school. She warned that unless the culprit came forwards or was identified, she may be forced to take steps against the whole student body. Following that, she advised that teachers would be taking turns to cover Professor Binns’s lessons until a replacement was found.

***

That week went by faster with Dorian to talk to again, but Gideon couldn’t say things were back to normal. Gio was still sulking, Eoin still seemed unsure of himself, and Tim’s absence was palpable.

Ruby and Talia stuck by Gideon, but the rest of the students seemed more frightened of him than ever. Gideon was growing concerned about the two of them. Ruby had been looking very tired, and Talia often seemed on edge and lost in thought. Gideon had asked them each about this, but they had dismissed his concerns.

He couldn't help but wonder if the two girls were questioning their continued association with him. Following the attack in Hogsmeade, remaining friends may not be an appealing prospect. Even if they believed Gideon was innocent, they were getting caught up in the suspicion, hatred and danger surrounding him.

Gideon often dwelled on the dark magic within him and how else it could affect his friends. He had briefly considered distancing himself from them, for their own sake. Truthfully, and perhaps selfishly, though, he wasn’t sure he would want to remain at Hogwarts without them.

He was cheered up some during the next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Professor Maxwell didn’t always eat in the Great Hall, but Gideon hadn’t seen his father since before the holidays. Now he knew why. Written across the man’s forehead in scarlet letters was the word “SHAME”.

If this wasn’t enough to satisfy Gideon, his father’s left hand appeared to be encased in a lump of granite. When the professor accidentally knocked it against his desk with a resounding thump, Gideon had to duck under his to keep from being seen laughing. Apparently, this was evidence of his grandmother’s "parenting" style.

***

Dinner that Friday included a remembrance for Professor Binns. All of the Hogwarts ghosts were in attendance and the colourful house banners that usually draped the walls and rafters were replaced with sombre sheets of black.

Several teachers gave toasts, including Professor Vector, the Arithmancy teacher, who had known him longest. Professor Trelawney, who Gideon hadn’t seen in Great Hall before other than over Christmas, had also spoken, but focused on assuring everyone that Professor Binns had successfully crossed over to “the great beyond”.

Professor Dandridge finished with a speech recognising Professor Binns’s long service and devotion to the job. She also vowed to find out what happened to him and informed everyone that the following day’s Prophetwould feature his obituary.

It did that and more. The obituary appeared at the end of an article that tied Professor Binns’s exorcism directly to the fires without any evidence, other than the purple flames seen before his disappearance. Naturally, Gideon’s name was featured among the more speculative parts. It was on the front page with the headline reading:

HOGWARTS FIRES CLAIM FIRST VICTIM

In the days following the story's publication, there were a handful more student withdrawals from the school. As if it wasn't enough that the friends of those students either blubbed upon crossing Gideon's path in the corridors or else attempted to jinx him, something happened in the next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson that made things much worse.

The Slytherins and Ravenclaws had arrived at their regular classroom to find a note on the door, directing them to go to the staffroom. Inside, they found a large open space and Gideon’s father, stood next to an old wooden wardrobe by the door. The brand on his forehead was gone but he was still leaning to one side from the weight of his stone-covered hand, which no one had dared ask him about.

‘This is the staff coat closet,’ Professor Maxwell announced, ‘I’m told it has the unfortunate habit of attracting certain magical creatures. Would anyone care to venture a guess as to what’s inside?’

‘A grindylow?’ suggested Eoin thoughtlessly.

‘“A grindylow?”’ the professor exasperated. ‘Do you see any water around, Mr O’Leary? No? Anyone else? Miss Swanson?’

‘A ghoul?’ Verity ventured.

‘Not a bad guess, but no. Inside this wardrobe is a boggart. Who can tell me what a boggart is? Nobody?’ Professor Maxwell sighed, ‘Well, a boggart is a shapeshifting creature known to inhabit dark spaces. It is capable of transforming into the thing a person fears most.

‘Fear is the boggart’s weapon. This can make it a dangerous foe. However, it has a weakness. Laughter! In a moment I will have you line up and face the boggart one by one. It will appear in a form that you fear. Your task will be to force it to transform into something amusing using a simple charm. Repeat the incantation after me, Riddikulus!’

‘Riddikulus!’ the class repeated.

‘Good. Now, form a line and try to picture what you expect to see and how you will transform it,’ the Professor instructed.

The students did so, but Gideon noticed Talia looking particularly worried. As she took the spot behind him, he asked her, ‘What do you think will appear?’

‘I-I don’t know. You?’ she replied.

‘Not sure. I’m not a big fan of spiders,’ he stated nervously.

Nor, it seemed, were a number of the other students. When Verity approached the wardrobe, a giant, hairy spider emerged from it, but she successfully gave it a pink tutu and eight matching ballet slippers. Then, for one of her friends, the giant pirouetting arachnid became a hundred tiny spiders. When she cast the RiddikulusCharm, they were trapped in a giant hamster ball.

For Dorian, the boggart took the form of a huge plant with snapping jaws, which Gideon thought was odd considering the boy’s aptitude for Herbology. However, Dorian soon turned it into a well-pruned potted version of itself. Gio was faced with a swarm of loudly buzzing wasps, which became singing canaries.

Eoin’s turn was a surprise. The boggart took the form of Professor Voronov. Everyone found this very confusing until the image of the Transfiguration teacher hissed and revealed a set of pointy fangs. Eoin turned the vampire-professor’s dark clothes pink and its fangs into marshmallows, earning a good round of laughter.

After Sasha turned a Mummy's bandages into toilet tissue and Henry Squire from Ravenclaw transformed a coiled snake into a spring, Gideon stepped forward. The boggart shifted until before him, stood something entirely unexpected. He was face-to-face with an image of himself.

The boggart-Gideon was identical, down to his school robes. It was as though Gideon was looking in a mirror. He wasn't sure what to do. He didn't understand why the boggart had taken his form. That was until its mouth stretched wide and began to laugh maniacally. Then, it raised its arms and the area before him burst into flames.

As the fake Gideon continued to laugh madly, still smirking its evil grin, the flames grew higher and spread further, and the real Gideon understood. This was what he feared most deep down. Seeing it come to life had paralysed him and wiped all thought of the charm from his mind.

Suddenly, Gideon’s view was obstructed. The rock-impaired Professor Maxwell had hobbled over the fire to get the attention of the boggart, which swiftly transformed and took the flames with it.

‘Riddikulus!’ Gideon heard his father say, though, he couldn’t see the boggart’s transformation beyond. The man turned on his heel to face Gideon and said crossly, ‘Your inaction put your fellow students in danger, Mr Drake! Five points from Slytherin! Class dismissed!’

The students filed out of the room quickly, Talia pulling a dazed Gideon by the arm, while the professor used his wand to suck up the remaining smoke and remove the scorch marks from the staffroom floor.

***

Word of this damning new piece of evidence in the case against Gideon spread quickly. Verity Swanson seemed to think it was her personal responsibility to tell as many people as she could, and bemoaned having left the expensive, magical camera she received for Christmas in her dormitory.

‘Want me to deal with her?’ Talia asked as they passed Verity in a corridor doing a very good impression of the crazed, laughing, boggart-Gideon.

‘No. She’s right to warn people,’ Gideon responded. ‘Apparently, even I must believe I’m some loony dark wizard intent on burning the school down.’

Talia looked concerned for a moment before sharing, ‘If you ask me, that’s not the sort of thing we should be doing in front of others anyway. People can use our fears as weapons against us!’

Talia’s words didn’t make Gideon feel any better, especially since she hadn’t faced the boggart.

‘I wonder why your da—sorry—Professor Maxwell is afraid of parchment, though?’ she wondered aloud.

Gideon’s face contorted with confusion. ‘Afraid of what?’

‘Parchment,’ Talia repeated. ‘When he stepped in front of the Boggart, it turned into a piece of parchment. He made it disappear by folding it into an origami dog or cat—I couldn’t tell which. Didn’t you see?’

‘No, he was standing in front of me,’ Gideon said, examining Talia’s face for any sign she might be joking. He didn’t have much time to ponder the strangeness of this revelation, though. Soon enough, he was fending off more jinxes than ever from the student body, who seemed to have collectively decided it was time someonedealt with him.

Thankfully, his practice with the Shield Charm was bearing fruit. This, and the fact that Talia was often with him, meant he got by more or less unscathed. The few times he had been unprepared, either she or Ruby had been able to protect him or perform the appropriate counter-spell.

A rather embarrassing visit to Madam Longbottom had been necessary on one occasion, though, when a sixth-year girl’s unexpected hex had made him sprout a large pair of goat horns. After that, Gideon tried to limit his movement, especially seeing as how Ruby was looking more tired than ever. He didn’t want her or Talia getting caught in the crossfire.

Professor Voronov asked Gideon about the horn incident during their regular Friday lesson. Madam Longbottom must have reported it to him. Gideon didn't reveal who jinxed him. He felt as though the odd jinx or two from his peers was somehow justified. The teachers and Ruby might think that Gideon was innocent of the fires and Professor Binns’s exorcism, but he couldn’t shake the worry that he might be doing these things unconsciously.

Professor Voronov dismissed this idea when Gideon shared it with him. ‘It may appear that we aren’t making any progress with our investigations, Gideon, but I assure you that isn’t the case,’ the professor explained. ‘We have long since ruled out your involvement, despite anything the Daily Prophet might report. I’m sure we will get to the bottom of things eventually. Until then, you need to stay strong.

'Now, we've covered meditation and the basics that will help you with control. Next, you must learn to differentiate between your natural magic and your dark magic. Given your quick progress in classes, I expect that when you cast spells, you’re allowing a small portion of the dark magic to be released along with your own. However, the more it is used, the more natural it will feel.

‘You need to learn to recognise it now, so you can limit its use. If you don’t do this, you will find that the dark magic interferes with your spellwork and even has latent effects on the magic around you. For instance, I believe your attempts at Flying have been rather unsuccessful?'

‘Wait. Are you saying the reason I can’t hold onto a broom is because of the dark magic?’ Gideon asked moodily.

‘I’m afraid so. As you now know, dark magic has a negative polarity. This can have an adverse effect on certain types of magic. For you, it seems this includes broomstick charms. Until you progress, flying will likely be out of the question.’

Gideon’s heart sank. ‘Professor, how is it you know these things?’ Gideon asked after a few moments of silence. ‘Why did the headmistress ask you to help me?’

Professor Voronov paused before explaining enigmatically, ‘Professor Dandridge is aware that I had similarstruggles when I was a student.’

‘You have dark magic too?’ Gideon asked tentatively.

‘Not quite. I’ve had to deal with the stigma of it, though, as well as certain irregularities.’

‘Irregularities?’ Gideon repeated quizzically.

‘Don’t tell me you haven’t heard the rumours?’ The man said cryptically, the sides of his mouth curling upward slightly. ‘I’m told that your friend, Mr O’Leary, seems to have an idea of my true nature…’

Gideon thought back to Eoin's turn against the boggart, gulped and whispered, 'But you can’t be a… vampire. Can you?’

Professor Voronov gave Gideon an ominous look, then he relented, smiled and said, ‘No, Mr Drake. However, my father was one. I am what is technically referred to as a dhampir. Essentially, I’m as human as you, but let’s just say, you’re not likely to find me working on my tan by the lake this summer.’

***

The third Quidditch match took place that Saturday. Yearning for the peace and quiet he had enjoyed over the holidays and embittered by the news that he might never be able to fly, Gideon decided to skip the match. He had to be reminded, though, that it wasn’t smart for him to be alone, so Ruby and Talia convinced him to join them in the lounge.

‘Are you sure you don’t want to watch Ravenclaw play?’ Gideon asked Talia.

‘I’m good,’ she assured him.

‘How are you at flying?’

‘Not bad, I guess. I like flying. I just don’t get Quidditch.’

‘That’s right. Gauntlet is your sport. I’ve been meaning to ask, where did you learn to duel?’

'My dad taught me,' Talia explained. 'Well, I say "taught", but I guess what he does isn't exactly teaching. You know how some people say the best way to teach a kid to swim is to throw them into a pool? Well, when I'm home, he sets up barriers in the garden, so I'm not detected doing underage magic, and jinxes me until I learn to counter him.'

‘Whoa, are you serious?’ Gideon asked in shock.

‘It wasn’t fun at first, but I got the hang of it, and now I’m kind of grateful. My dad said that’s how he learned to duel at Durmstrang. He’s strict, but he's not a bad guy. He just wants to know I can take care of myself.'

'I suppose my dad is similar. What about you, Ruby, is your dad the strict type?' Gideon asked. When she didn't reply, Gideon and Talia turned around from the fireplace and found Ruby sitting at the nearest table with her head lying on an open book.

‘She’s asleep!’ Gideon exclaimed.

‘Hmm,’ Talia mumbled, then checked the cover of the book Ruby had collapsed on, ‘Opening the Inner Eye: The Seers Guide to the Divine Arts? She’s working too hard.’

‘I’ve noticed too,’ said Gideon.

‘I’ve tried telling her, but she says she’s fine, then goes back to reading. She’s set on improving her Divination skills, but I’m getting worried.’

***

A decisive Quidditch victory against Ravenclaw kept the Slytherins in good spirits that weekend and beyond. They were now in the lead for the Cup.

Between his classes and homework, casual research on the mystery rune and Professor Trelawney’s prediction, making sure he could defend himself around the castle, and ignoring the insults and general ill-feeling from his fellow students and the Daily Prophet, Gideon had a lot on his plate. Unfortunately, when the first week of February rolled around, this was compounded.

After breakfast on Monday morning, Professor Dandridge had some announcements. ‘First, please note that the Astronomy Tower is out of bounds this week for storm damage repairs, and night-time Astronomy classes are cancelled. Secondly, I’m pleased to introduce Professor Augustin Sambor, our new History of Magic teacher. I trust you will all give him a warm welcome.’

A man in his late forties with chestnut brown hair, black-framed spectacles and a five o'clock shadow gave a smile and wave from the staff table following a polite round of applause. Minutes later as students began to file out of the Great Hall for their lessons, Professor Voronov arrived at the Slytherin table.

‘A moment please, Mr Drake,’ said the stony-faced professor. Once the Great Hall emptied, Gideon saw that Professor Long had held Talia back as well. Professor Dandridge then led the four of them from the hall.

‘Sir, what’s happening?’ Gideon asked Professor Voronov timidly.

‘Just follow the headmistress for now, Mr Drake.’

Gideon and Talia exchanged confused glances as they followed Professor Dandridge through the castle and up the clock tower stairs. Gideon's stomach fell as he realised the Hospital Wing lay ahead.

The headmistress led the group inside, and over to a bed where Madam Longbottom and Professor Maxwell were moving their wands back and forth over someone. She explained, 'Last night there was a fire in the Astronomy Tower. Teachers discovered it before much damage was caused, but they also found a student.’

Talia clapped her hands to her mouth and Gideon’s jaw dropped as they caught sight of who was in the bed. Lying still with her eyes misty and fixed open, was Ruby.

Chapter Text

‘Ruby?’ Gideon mouthed silently. He had to clear his throat to ask, ‘What’s wrong with her?’

‘Why are her eyes misted over like that?’ Talia added.

‘We believe she’s been cursed but not by any curse known to us. She’s breathing normally but is unresponsive. Her cloudy eyes are the only other thing symptomatic of a problem. We hoped you two might have some answers,’ Professor Dandridge answered.

‘Is it possible that she is somehow involved with the fires? Perhaps someone coerced her?’ Madam Longbottom asked.

‘No!’ Gideon asserted strongly. ‘Ruby has nothing to do with the fires.’

‘Then, do you have any idea what she may have been doing out of bed in the middle of the night?’ Professor Long questioned.

Gideon and Talia both shook their heads. Why would Ruby have done that?

‘Will she be alright?’ Talia asked.

‘Ruby will be transferred to St Mungo’s soon. I’m meeting her parents there today and I’ll be visiting regularly to check on her treatment,’ Professor Dandridge explained. ‘I assure you that she will get the best care possible.

‘However, any information you can offer will be useful. On the wall of the Astronomy Tower near where she was discovered, we found a message. I would like you both to see it and tell me whether it means anything to you.’

Gideon and Talia agreed, and then with a last look at Ruby, the group were led from the room by the headmistress. They soon reached the foot of the Astronomy Tower and began to climb the winding stairs. About halfway up, they came to a halt and Professor Dandridge indicated to the message on the wall.

‘As you can see, Ruby wrote the message with her wand. It appears t have been left in a hurry. Does it mean anything to either of you?’

Gideon knew Ruby’s handwriting to be extremely neat, but the message was untidy and had been written at an angle. He imagined that she must have written it in a panic. It read, “P 4 6 4 G 7”.

Talia looked as confused as Gideon. He racked his brains, but the message was nonsensical. They had never discussed codes of any sort unless you counted runes. These letters and numbers could hardly be mistaken for runes, though, and Ruby knew first-hand of Gideon’s inaptitude for them.

‘I don’t know what it means,’ Gideon begrudgingly admitted. He screwed up his fists in frustration. Ruby had left a final, desperate message, and he had absolutely no clue what it meant. What kind of friend was he?

Talia looked equally frustrated as she wiped a make-up smudged tear from her eye. ‘I don’t know either,’ she finally conceded.

‘I would like you both to think about the message and Miss Williams’s recent actions. If anything comes to mind, please inform Professor Voronov or Professor Long. You can see her again before she’s moved, then I would like you to take the rest of the day off.’

'I'm sure you understand that for security reasons, we have not told the rest of the student body that there was another fire. Miss Williams' absence will be explained due to illness. Her parents will be informed of the truth, of course, but the culprit may reveal themselves accidentally if they mention knowledge of the Astronomy Tower fire or her presence there.’

Gideon and Talia nodded in understanding. They got to see Ruby again, along with her siblings, who were accompanied by Professor Keane, Ruby’s Head of House. Gideon was apprehensive about facing them. He worried that they would blame him for her condition.

‘You’re Ruby’s mates?’ asked Esmeralda, the tallest among them in an accusatory sort of way.

‘This is Natalia Dinescu,’ Saphira, the next tallest told her elder sister. ‘She’s in our house.’

‘And this,’ Jade began.

‘Is Gideon Drake,’ Jasper finished. ‘He’s in our house.’

Esmeralda surveyed them both for a moment before saying, ‘Ruby speaks highly of you both.’

‘We’re so sorry that this happened,’ Talia offered.

Gideon didn’t feel brave enough to say anything but mumbled a note of agreement with Talia’s statement.

‘It’s alright,’ said Jade.

‘Our Ruby’s a fighter,’ Jasper assured them

Amber, the youngest of the Williams siblings was teary-eyed and didn’t speak while they visited. Soon, Ruby was taken away on a stretcher and the siblings followed. When she was moved, Gideon and Talia saw that she had been wearing her cloak over her dressing gown and pyjamas, and her flowery high-tops were unlaced.

They walked through the castle aimlessly without a word after that, neither knowing which of them was leading the way. It was Talia who finally broke the silence, ‘If she knew something, why didn’t she tell us!’

‘“Knew something”? What do you mean? What did she know?’ Gideon asked.

'Do you think Ruby would go wandering through the castle in her night clothes after curfew for no reason, then just happen upon the next fire?' Talia challenged. 'No. All her hard work must have paid off. She must have had one of her feelings or visions or whatever.’

‘You think she knew the Astronomy Tower was going to be the location of the next fire?’

‘I’d bet my wand on it! She went to investigate and see if she was right.’

‘But that’s crazy! Why would she go on her own like that?’

‘I hate to say it, Gideon. But she’s been desperate to prove that you’re innocent of the fires. I think that’s why she’s been overexerting herself to improve her Seeing.’

Gideon’s stomach fell. ‘Then, this is my fault,’ he concluded.

‘No, and Ruby would be the first one to say so,’ Talia assured him. ‘If only we’d been there!’

‘If they didn’t split us up into different houses, we could have been…’ Gideon sighed. ‘What now, then?’

‘We’ve got to figure out that message!’ Talia stated resolutely.

Unfortunately, doing that was easier said than done. It became Gideon’s top priority, but he had as much luck deciphering Ruby’s code as he did with his now abandoned research on the supposed mystery rune.

As if losing Ruby wasn’t bad enough, he was also seeing less of Talia outside of their shared classes. They had agreed that their time was best spent looking for answers. It was lonely work, but Gideon was determined.

One small consolation of his friend’s hospitalisation was that it had earned Gideon a modicum of sympathy from the student body. They had ceased their efforts to jinx him in the corridors, but in the twisted recesses of his mind, Gideon thought he deserved to be jinxed. There were now two people he cared about lying in St Mungo’s.

When Gideon and his brother next crossed paths on a busy landing, he wondered whether this thought had occurred to him too. Would Anthony feel sorry for his little brother? Or would he see a second hospitalised person close to Gideon as a sign that he was right to keep his distance? That he was dangerous, after all?

For a moment, Gideon believed Anthony had given him a kind smile when they locked eyes, but if that was the extent to which his own brother was willing to support him right now, he didn’t want to believe.

Gideon felt especially bad whenever he spotted the glum faces of the other Williams children around the castle, which was often considering there were so many of them. Jade and Jasper could usually be found keeping each other’s spirits up in the Common Room, but Gideon couldn’t help imagining their younger sister, Amber, all alone in Gryffindor Tower.

In a dark moment, Gideon briefly entertained his ongoing suspicion that he may have been directly responsible for Ruby’s condition. However, he quickly shook off this idea. He told himself firmly, that awake or asleep, he could never have hurt Ruby and decided that he owed it to her to trust in her belief that he was innocent.

***

Gideon perhaps missed Ruby most during History of Magic, which under the tutelage of Professor Sambor had changed dramatically. The subject that students had often slept through, now produced some of their most enjoyable lessons.

In striking contrast to his predecessor, the chestnut brown-haired professor was highly entertaining and enthusiastic. He was also highly knowledgeable and had obvious teaching experience. The lessons were interspersed with amusing jokes and stories, to which Gideon would often find himself turning to the side to see Ruby’s reaction, only to remember that she was gone.

At first, the students had been disappointed to find that Professor Sambor only gave out one house point per question answered. However, they soon learned that their entire lessons often resembled fast-paced quizzes, meaning most people left the class contributing to their house point totals in some way.

‘So, for homework,’ the professor announced at the end of their lesson on Friday the first of April, almost two months after Ruby had been taken to St Mungo’s, ‘I want you to explain the fall of Urg the Unclean and describe what you would have done in his place to keep the rebellion going. Bonus points for accuracy andcreativity!’

In the Care of Magical Creatures lesson that followed, Talia greeted Gideon the way she often did now, ‘Any luck?’

Gideon replied to her the way he always did, ‘Nothing. Any news?’

‘None. Saphira says Ruby’s still the same,’ Talia replied as she casually examined a patch of mushrooms to see if they were indeed the Horklumps they were looking for, strange creatures that resembled fungi. ‘There must be something we’re missing.’

'Yeah, but I don't know what, and honestly, if I don't take a break, I don't think I'm going to figure it out,' Gideon grumbled.

‘Me too,’ Talia agreed. ‘Maybe we should take a step back and re-examine things?’

‘We’ll get together Sunday, compare notes and see if we can come at this thing from another angle, but tomorrow we’ll take a break,’ Gideon suggested. ‘Let’s watch the match and see if it jogs anything loose?’

‘Sounds like a plan,’ Talia agreed. ‘I’ll skip the match, though. If I don’t give Kuroh some attention, he’s going to scratch my eyes out!’

As a large shadow that could only be Hagrid’s eclipsed them, they were asked, ‘Y’alrigh, you two? How yeh getting on?’

Gideon held up one mushroom-shaped creature that was wriggling hopelessly in his hand.

'Ah, good, you found one. There are plenty more horklumps around, though. The trick is ter get em to reveal themselves by dangling an earthworm in front of em,’ the teacher suggested as Talia gave his advice a try. ‘Any word on Ruby?’

Gideon knew that Hagrid was going to ask this. He did so once a week. ‘No change I’m afraid. Ruby’s parents say she’s doing fine, she just won’t wake up, and the Healers are unfamiliar with her symptoms. I’ll tell them you asked about her.’

‘Good man,’ said Hagrid cheerily. ‘She’ll be back soon, you’ll see.’

***

Gideon woke up the next day excited about the Quidditch match. He had missed the fourth match, choosing to continue his research in the library. After all, he didn't need to see Gryffindor's so-called "heroes", his brother, Anthony, and Alex Grimsby doing their thing against Hufflepuff. They had by all accounts “thrashed them”, though, so the fifth match, also against Hufflepuff, was Slytherin’s last chance to secure a strong lead in hopes of winning the Quidditch Cup.

Gio had gone ahead to the changing rooms, seeing as he was playing, which meant Gideon could walk down to the pitch with Dorian and Eoin.

‘Any news about that Ruby girl?’ Eoin asked out of the blue. It was the first time in a long while that he had addressed Gideon directly.

‘Just that she’s doing okay. They still don’t know what’s wrong with her, though,’ Gideon answered. ‘Thanks for asking.’

‘I’m sure she’ll be fine,’ Dorian assured him. ‘If she’d caught something serious, we’d all be getting sick, wouldn’t we?’

Gideon mumbled a noise of agreement, reminding himself that the others didn’t know the truth, that she had probably been cursed by the arsonist.

Soon enough, they arrived at the stadium and the teams took to the sky at the sound of Mr Wood's whistle. Dorian and Eoin seemed to think the Slytherins were playing as well or better against Hufflepuff than the Gryffindors had. The trick to extending their lead was scoring enough goals before finding the Golden Snitch, and perhaps even delaying catching it to prolong the game.

Gideon watched as the Slytherin team effortlessly scored their sixth goal. The one time they had allowed the Hufflepuffs to get a shot in, Gio had made a spectacular save and immediately lobbed the Quaffle out to the Chasers. Gideon marvelled at how the team worked together and how the Quaffle moved from point to point around the field. The Chasers knew their positions and left no room for error.

Suddenly, something occurred to Gideon. When he, Talia and Ruby had been together, they had been working as a team and covered all aspects of their investigation. They were short of Ruby’s insight now, but Talia’s desire to support her had resulted in their first real clue—if you could call it that.

He said a quick, ‘Catch you later,’ to the boys and hurried back up to the school. Talia had once mentioned where the Ravenclaw Common Room was located. Gideon climbed the spiral stairs of the west tower and eventually met a door affixed with a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle.

He knocked and the bird uttered a riddle, which he knew he would have to answer correctly to enter, ‘What does man love more than life, hate more than death or mortal strife; that which contented men desire; the poor have, the rich require; the miser spends, the spendthrift saves, and all men carry to their graves?’

‘Wha-huh? That’s gibberish! Oh, forget this!’ Gideon exclaimed. He thought of how Talia had once signalled to get his attention, pointed his wand at the door and cried, ‘Sonitus!’

An incredible bang like the sound of a canon firing erupted from Gideon’s wand. He repeated the spell twice more and after a minute, the door opened.

‘Gideon? Was that you?’ Talia demanded with a grin. ‘What’s going on?’

‘The answer was “Nothing”,’ the eagle knocker said haughtily.

Out of nowhere, Kuroh bounded into Gideon's arms and immediately began staring at him as the cat always did. Gideon stroked him and told Talia excitedly, 'I realised what we missed! I don't know if we'll find anything but, well, come on, before the match ends!'

Talia and Kuroh chased Gideon down the stairs, across the castle and up the Astronomy Tower, until they arrived at the place where Ruby had been discovered. ‘What are we doing here?’ Talia asked.

‘They removed the fire damage and Ruby’s message before reopening the tower, but we never examined the scene,’ Gideon explained.

‘There won’t be any evidence left now, though, will there? Nothing that the teachers would have missed anyway,’ Talia pointed out.

'They might not know what they're looking for!' Gideon said. He knew there was little chance of finding anything, but he was grinning nonetheless. It was the first time in almost two months that he felt sure he was on to something, and it energised him.

‘There’s nothing here, Gideon,’ Talia said empathetically.

Gideon could hear the pity in her voice. Maybe he was being stupid, but he wasn't ready to give up just yet and continued to scour the floor, the walls, and the windows as he wound up the steps.

‘Kuroh, come on,’ Talia beckoned for the cat. It miaowed loudly in reply. ‘Kuroh? Gideon, come quick,’ she called from above.

Gideon ran upward and found Talia pointing to the cat. It miaowed again and placed a paw on the stone wall. Gideon couldn’t believe it, engraved on the wall was the mysterious, kite-shaped rune pattern!

Then, as though a key had turned a lock in his brain, Gideon remembered where he had first seen the odd shape. It hadn't been in the library or his Ancient Runes textbook. How could he have forgotten?

'Good kitty!' Gideon praised. 'This is it, Talia! I remember now, it wasn't just on the floor of the bell tower, I saw this mark first in the ruins of the old Charms classroom! Do you know what that means? This symbol has been at three of the arson locations!'

‘Great, but we still have no idea what it is,’ Talia sighed.

‘That’s fine, as long as we know it means something! It’s not just a crack in the floor, it’s something that connects the fires and what happened to Ruby.’

Kuroh miaowed again, louder than before. ‘Well, well, well,’ announced a voice from the stairs below.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ Gideon groaned. ‘What are you doing here, Grimsby? Are you following me?’

‘I just happened to notice you slip out of the stadium and I thought to myself, where might he be off to?’ The boy replied, shaking his shaggy hair out of his eyes.

‘And you just happened to wander up here?’ Gideon accused.

‘What do you want, pretty boy?’ Talia demanded aggressively.

‘I’ve been thinking that Professor Dandridge’s story about storm damage repairs was odd,’ Alex responded smugly, ‘It sounded like it could have been an excuse for one of your fires. So, I thought I would take a look up here on the off chance you might return to the scene of another crime, and here you are!’

‘You’re an idiot!’ Talia snapped. ‘Come on, Gideon.’

Kuroh loyally hissed at Alex as they passed him and headed down the stairs.

‘Do you think he heard us talking?’ Gideon wondered.

‘You’re joking, aren’t you?’ Talia responded. ‘It’s a wonder he can hear anything through all that hair!’

***

The high of discovering what seemed like a solid clue began to dissipate over the next few days. Gideon and Talia met on Sunday to discuss everything they knew but they couldn’t come up with anything. Returning to the library seemed like their best bet for an answer but they weren’t happy about it.

As he lay in bed wide awake on Thursday evening, after what had already felt like a particularly long week, Gideon decided to abandon the idea of an early night and took his things into the Common Room to read over again. He had looked over everything so many times, but he felt as though he was so close to something important.

It had now been exactly two months without Ruby, and he had made no real progress. Gideon scanned his notes about Professor Trelawney’s prophecy again. Looking back, Ruby had been the one who was focusing on it. Gideon had been more concerned with the rune, and afterwards, Ruby’s cryptic message.

He examined the prophecy again, trying to see it from Ruby’s perspective. Perspective. Seeing it from Ruby’s perspective? Gideon’s mind was trying to make a connection, but he couldn’t quite grasp it. Seeing? Seer? Ruby was a Seer. You see with your eyes. Gideon looked down at the words of the prophecy, “They work in secret and shadow, but their deeds do not go unseen”, “Innocent eyes will be closed”.

Could the prophecy be referring to Ruby? The more Gideon considered it, the more it made sense. Ruby had been aware of the presence of the arsonist when they had used their magic, sometimes even before. As a Seer, she was Seeing “their deeds”. When she had discovered them, her “innocent eyes” had been closed.

Gideon’s heart raced as he re-read the prophecy again. “the fifth point will be marked as the summer sun dawns”. That was surely referring to a specific time, the beginning of summer, perhaps June? So, by June there would be “five points” “marked”? June was a way off. What about the other four “points”? When would they be “marked”?

Wait, he and Talia had just discovered marks, hadn’t they? The rune symbol. They had found it marked at the scene of three of the fires. Could the locations of the fires be the “points” the prophecy referred to? Gideon was getting excited. He was on to something, he just knew it.

He read the prophecy over and over again, but it didn’t seem to offer anything more than what he had already surmised. Instead, he went back to Ruby’s message. With this potential new information, did it mean anything?

‘P 4 6 4 G 7,’ Gideon said under his breath, then he absent-mindedly tried something with his quill. ‘What if it’s, P4. 64. G7? There have been three "points" that we know of. What if P4 is "point" 4?'

Could Ruby’s message have been a prediction of her own? Was she warning them about the next fire? The fourth fire? If so, was 6 4 or 6/4 when it was going to take place? The sixth of April? But that was tonight! In that case, could G7 be where it would happen?

Gideon tried to calm himself. He was taking a huge leap here, and G7 could mean anything. ‘Or,’ he couldn’t help pondering aloud, suddenly reminded of the basic labels on the map of Hogwarts he received in September, ‘could it mean, Greenhouse Seven?’

Chapter Text

Was a fourth fire going to take place on the sixth of April in Greenhouse Seven? Was that what Ruby’s message meant? Gideon reviewed the evidence again and again, trying to think of another explanation, but it all seemed to fit. If he had interpreted the message correctly, Ruby’s attacker would be striking again tonight.

Gideon glanced at the clock on the Common Room mantle. The other incidents had all taken place in the night, sometime between twelve and one in the morning. It was almost ten o'clock now. Only a handful of older students were still in the Common Room with him. Soon, they too would head to their dormitories and the coast would be clear.

Was he really considering this, though? Was he seriously contemplating sneaking out after curfew to go and confirm his suspicion? Hadn't Ruby done the same thing and ended up in the hospital? Even as Gideon thought this, another part of his brain argued that he had something she didn’t.

He had his Camostone. With it, he could sneak through the castle and observe the door that led out to the greenhouses, all without being seen. He wouldn’t even need to go outside; he could just watch the area while standing close by and invisible. Then, he would simply report his findings, if any.

So, Gideon waited up, pretending to read his notes but really going over the plan in his head. As the clock struck midnight, and the last people in the Common Room headed to bed, he went to his dormitory and quietly retrieved the Camostone from his trunk as well as his Glowglobe for good measure. The other third-year boys all appeared to be sleeping as he crept out of the dormitory.

With a nervous glance back at the empty Common Room, he uttered, ‘Dissimulo,’ and disappeared under the cloak of the Camostone’s power. Gideon passed through the passageway and began his journey. It was an odd feeling, breaking the rules by being up so late, but knowing that nobody could see him.

Still, his heart pounded, and his senses were on high alert for any sign of patrolling teachers or ghosts. If he did run into one, he would have to remember to stop dead in his tracks or risk them seeing the slight distortion that the Disillusionment Charm generated when he moved.

This was put to the test when he happened upon a corridor with the most undesirable of occupants, Peeves the Poltergeist. When Gideon spotted the little man gliding towards him, his first instinct was to run. However, he came to a halt, held his breath, and watched as peeves floated ever closer and narrowly missed the top of Gideon’s head. For the first time in his life, Gideon was thankful for his short stature.

Soon enough, he arrived at the exit that led out to the greenhouses. It was located near the two bell towers, but Greenhouse Seven was some distance away, out and around the other side of the castle. That didn’t matter, though, as Gideon wasn’t planning on going outside. He was going to wait still and unseen in the alcove by the door.

After a few minutes of this, he saw the Fat Friar and the Ravenclaw ghost, the Grey Lady, hover past. They were looking all around but his presence went undetected. After a few minutes more, Gideon had a horrid realisation. What if the arsonist had arrived before him?

Gideon gulped, moved over to the door, and pushed it tentatively. It moved. The door to the greenhouses was supposed to be locked outside of teaching hours. He was torn. He had no wish to confront the arsonist if they were even out there, but he couldn't just stand by if another fire was started. For Ruby's sake, he at least needed to identify them.

Against his better judgment, Gideon walked through the door and out into the night air. Thankfully, the light of the full moon above meant he could see his way easily enough. As he approached the corner of the castle, Gideon withdrew his wand. He took a deep breath and rounded the corner, but there was nothing. He continued down the long side of the castle to the furthest greenhouses.

Gideon’s heart was racing now, and his breathing was heavy. Despite the cold air, he could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He walked around to the very end of the enclosure on his tiptoes. That’s when he saw it. A faint orange glow was emanating from the middle of the last glass structure. Something was happening inside Greenhouse Seven.

Was it a fire? Gideon couldn't tell. He had to get closer and find a window he could peer through. However, most looked to be obscured by plants and the closest windows were blacked out for some reason. Gideon hadn't been in Greenhouse Seven before, so he wasn't sure why this was, but the rear door on the blacked-out end was close by. Perhaps he could open it just a little?

‘Homenum Revelio,’ whispered a strange voice behind Gideon, causing him to whip around in fright. Gideon saw the outline of someone standing in the shadow of the castle wall. Their wand was raised and was glowing a soft blue. ‘I can see where you are. Reveal yourself,’ the voice commanded.

Gideon looked down at his body. What was supposed to be invisible had become a translucent blue, the same colour as the shadowy figure’s wand light. He had been caught. But by who? The arsonist? Or a teacher?

‘Reveal yourself,’ the voice commanded again, raising their wand higher, ‘or I’ll shoot!’

‘Okay,’ Gideon complied, and he tapped the ball clutched in his hand three times with his index finger. He felt the stone’s energy cease and looked down to see his body visible.

The figure stepped forwards beyond the shadow concealing their face. ‘I knew it!’ said Alex Grimsby triumphantly.

‘You really are an idiot!’ Gideon hissed softly, then gestured to the orange light inside the greenhouse. ‘Look!’

Alex swept his shaggy hair from his eyes and seemed to notice what Gideon was referring to. ‘What did you do?’ he asked quietly.

‘Nothing!’ Gideon replied in a whisper. ‘I just got here. I think the arsonist is inside.’

Alex looked sceptical, but he raised his left hand, which was holding an odd object.

‘What’s that?’ Gideon enquired.

‘Christmas present—a new type of Occurio,’ Alex informed him, ‘Instead of detecting magical levels, this one detects the location of magic. Hmm. There’s definitely something going on in there!’

‘I know that much!’ Gideon snapped under his breath. ‘Come on, let’s see if we can get a glimpse of them.’

'Alohomora,' Gideon uttered, and the rear door unlocked. He opened the door slowly, peered inside and saw that the blacked-out windows covered an area that was a separate room at the back of the greenhouse. Plants grew in large pots lining four tables, and beyond was a wall of blacked-out windows and a door with a small pane of see-through glass.

‘Do you want to see who the real arsonist is, or are you still set on turning me in?’ Gideon asked Alex sarcastically.

‘Just go,’ the boy replied and pushed Gideon into the greenhouse. He followed close behind and they snuck up to the next door. Gideon tried to calm himself before looking through the small window. There, inside the much larger part of Greenhouse Seven, stood a dark figure silhouetted by an orange light.

‘Who is it?’ Alex demanded impatiently.

‘I can’t tell,’ Gideon replied. ‘They’re wearing a hooded cloak. I think they’re working a spell. That’s what the light is. Wait, listen. They’re saying something.’

‘I-I don’t want to. I don’t want to do this!’ the voice inside moaned. Then, there was a flash of brighter light.

‘That can’t be good,’ Alex surmised. ‘Let me see.’ As Gideon rolled his eyes and moved aside, Alex continued, ‘Maybe we should interrupt them or at least get them to turn around? Wait. I think the light is fading. Yeah, it is. Would you get off me?’

‘Huh?’ Gideon replied

‘You had a turn, just let me see why the light is disappearing. I said get off!’ Alex commanded.

‘I’m not touching you!’ Gideon muttered angrily.

‘Argh!’ Alex suddenly yelped.

‘Shush!’ Gideon instructed. Alex’s cries continued as he was suddenly hoisted into the air and his wand and Occurio dropped to the floor. Panicked, Gideon looked from the boy who was being wrapped in thick, snake-like vines to the figure beyond the window.

Their hooded head was now facing them, and flames were spreading from a spot on the floor.

‘Help!’ Alex yelled from above as he struggled against the vines in mid-air.

Gideon abandoned any idea of catching the person inside and turned his attention to Alex. However, the black glass separating the rooms suddenly shattered, and the disturbance made their situation more precarious. All around, the tentacles of magical plants were flailing and whipping about in response to the falling shards. The hooded figure had scarpered and aggravated a room full of Devil’s Snare.

Gideon knew of the plant, but it was a dangerous one that they were not supposed to work with until they were older. Before he could rack his brains to remember what he had once been told about it at Middling Academy, he found himself dangling upside down. He still had his wand, though. ‘Flipendo! Stupefy!’ he recited to no avail.

Gideon watched as Alex’s mouth and throat were bound by the vines. He continued firing spells off, but nothing was working. The Devil’s Snare was resistant to magic. Then, a vine lashed at Gideon’s arm and his wand dropped. What was he thinking? Two third-years sneaking into the blacked-out area of the school’s most dangerous greenhouse to spy on an arsonist?

Wait. Why were the windows blacked out? Why were these plants in a second room? A second room that didn’t receive sunlight. The answer came to Gideon, but he could no longer reach his wand. In his pocket, however, was their salvation. He whipped out the Glowglobe and shook it vigorously.

The maximum strength of the Glowglobe’s charm bathed the room in bright, warm light and the Devil’s Snare recoiled immediately. The boys dropped to the floor with two loud thuds. Gideon could hear Alex panting for breath as he continued to hold the ball of light up in his outstretched arm. They had almost been done for. There was no time to relax, though.

Gideon got to his feet, put the Glowglobe in Alex’s shaking hand, grabbed his wand from the floor and approached the spreading flames in the other part of the glass building. ‘Glacius!’ he recited with purpose. He sprayed the floor and the nearby plants with a powerful burst of icy air until all the fire was extinguished.

Gideon breathed a sigh of relief before getting down on all fours and scouring the floor. The light of the Glowglobe signalled Alex’s approach from behind. ‘What is it?’ he asked hoarsely.

‘Gimme that,’ Gideon said, beckoning for the ball of light. He took it and shone the Glowglobe into the corner of the room. It was there. A fourth kite-shaped rune had been carved into the stone-paved floor and its weak orange glow was quickly dissipating.

***

With the real arsonist gone and quite a mess around them, Gideon and Alex had decided it was best to get back to their dormitories as soon as they could and discuss things further in the morning before breakfast. Seeing as how the Hogwarts Express would be taking students home for the Easter break afterwards, it was the only chance they would have to talk.

Gideon got up early and waited for Alex in the Student Lounge with his various investigative notes and bits of parchment. He figured he might need to share some of it in order to learn how Alex had found him the previous night, something which had been nagging him. It seemed possible, even probable, that Alex knew something he didn’t.

Soon enough, Alex entered the room with a book and bits of parchment of his own and sat down at the table across from Gideon. ‘So,’ he announced, ‘thanks, I guess.’

‘Huh?’

‘For saving me… The Devil’s Snare… I should have said something last night.’

‘Oh. Don’t mention it,’ Gideon advised. It was a strange moment. The boy Gideon had once thought would be a friend had become his greatest rival, but now they were working together. ‘Anyway, I think we should compare notes. You were right about the Astronomy Tower. There was a fire there. Ruby discovered it and she got hurt or attacked.’

The brief look of smug, self-satisfaction on Alex’s face disappeared and he said, ‘I’m sorry about that. She’s always been nice to me.’

Gideon cleared his throat and continued, 'Yeah, well, she left us a coded message telling us about last night. I barely cracked it in time, and I had a prophecy from Professor Trelawney to work with if you can believe that. How on earth did you know to be there?’

'I didn't exactly,' Alex explained. 'I already had some theories about the fire, but they didn't pan out. Then, I heard some of what you and Natalia were talking about on the astronomy stairs, and I saw the marking after you left. Things started to click, and I guessed about last night.

‘I used the Occurio to see if anyone else was out of bed and check the locations of previous fires. I came across Professor Blanchard, a couple of ghosts and Professor Keane while they were out patrolling. She almost saw me! I had to hide behind a suit of armour. It was only by chance that I detected someone in the direction of the greenhouses when I was checking the Bell Tower.’

‘That thing is useful,’ Gideon remarked about the Occurio.

‘My mum works in magical patent law, so she gets freebies now and then. It’s pretty handy, but it’s no invisibility stone!’ Alex responded. ‘Where did you get that?’

‘My Gran. She develops crystal magic. I don’t think it’s strictly Ministry-approved, though, so can you keep it to yourself?’

‘Sure. Same for the Occurio, too.’

Gideon nodded in agreement. ‘So, what exactly was the info you had that led you to last night?’

‘You first,’ Alex challenged.

Gideon bit his lip in annoyance but spread his notes across the table. Without revealing Ruby’s secret, he explained her code, Professor Trelawney’s prophecy, the lack of information on the rune, and the places he had found it.

‘Seriously? I take Divination with Trelawney. We all think she’s a fraud!’ Alex commented.

‘I think she is, for the most part,’ Gideon said. ‘She didn’t even seem to be aware that she had made the prediction! Well, how about you?’

Contrary to Gideon’s worry that Alex would leave now that he knew Gideon’s information, the boy got right to business, ‘I originally dismissed my theory, but like I said, after overhearing you guys, I revisited my notes and charts. I had been keeping track of the dates of all the fires in case there was a correlation, but they were all over the place. You guys narrowed down specific fires as being special, though, see?’

Alex showed Gideon a piece of parchment listing all of the school fires with notes. ‘I didn’t include the time in Charms where you almost lit us up,’ he advised.

FIRES

• Slytherin Third-Year Dorm + Charms Classroom — Sunday 9 October *
• Halloween — Monday 31 October
• Student Lounge — Tuesday 1 November
• Castle Door — Saturday 19 November
• Bell Tower — Thursday 8 December *
• Professor Binns — Tuesday 10 January
• Astronomy Tower? — Sunday 5 February (Ruby Williams injured?) *
• Thursday 6 April??? *

'Check the dates with the stars. Those are the ones you and Natalia mentioned. See anything interesting?'

Gideon looked over the list, but he was perplexed. ‘Err, not really. What’s the connection?’

‘Well,’ Alex began smugly, ‘I realised they’re all almost exactly two months apart. That’s when I added them to the charts Professor Kenyatta’s been having us do.’

‘Astronomy isn’t my subject,’ Gideon volunteered.

‘That’s probably why you didn’t notice,’ Alex hinted.

‘Notice what?’

‘Each of those dates was also the night of the full moon!’ the boy revealed. ‘When you factor in the rune you found at each location, we’re talking about ritual magic. Dark stuff. The kind of thing that you won’t find in the typical library books. If you happen to have a note from a teacher, though, and the right kind of swagger…’

Alex showed Gideon a note signed by none other than Professor Trelawney and turned over the book he had brought with him. It was titled, Ancient Runes of the Darkest Arts. The author wasn’t listed. It looked very old.

'Trelawney didn't even check what book I wanted, as I knew she wouldn't. It doesn't go into detail about how the different runes can be used, but it lists lots of them, their names and when they were supposedly created, including one “of Germanic origin”,’ Alex elucidated before flipping to a page he had bookmarked with some parchment, ‘The Eye of Fire!’

Drawn clearly on the page, was the kite-shaped rune with its four connected points, which had now appeared at four separate locations.

‘Of course!’ Gideon cried, grabbing the piece of parchment he needed. ‘That part of Trelawney’s prediction wasn’t a metaphor! “The eye of fire” she was referring to is the name of the rune! According to this, if one more location, the “fifth point”, is marked, “the eye of fire will open”. That must refer to the ritual’s completion! Whatever the runes are for, it will happen then. But when?’

‘Haven’t you been paying attention?’ Alex teased. ‘Your prophecy says so, but thanks to me, we can be more specific. The other runes have been placed two months apart, so if we factor that into my chart… The next full moon around then will be on Sunday the fourth of June!’

‘The fourth of June?’ Gideon repeated. ‘That fits with “as the summer sun dawns”. How do we know where it will be, though? We don’t have a clue this time and we can’t rely on getting lucky with your Occurio.’

‘I’ve been thinking about that,’ Alex said, unfolding the piece of parchment he had used as a bookmark. It was the basic map of Hogwarts that students received in their first year. His was rather tattered and numbers from 1-4 had been scrawled on it. ‘These are the locations of the four marked fires. What if…?’

Alex dipped a quill in some ink and drew a line from the Charms Corridor to the Bell Tower. Then, he drew another from that point to Greenhouse Seven, another from there to the Astronomy Tower, and one final line back to the Charms Corridor. The lines formed a square shape. Alex then drew two more lines crossing each other, and Gideon gasped. He had drawn the Eye of Fire.

‘What if the middle point where the crossed lines intersect is where the fifth mark goes?’ Alex proposed.

'That's got to be it! Nice one!' Gideon exclaimed and looked closer at the map. 'That puts it in the courtyard in two months!'

‘So, what now?’ Alex asked. ‘We’ve solved it haven’t we?’

‘Not quite. I was going to suggest that we go to the teachers with everything we know but there’s a problem.’

‘Yeah, we’ll probably be expelled, and they’ll cancel the last Quidditch match!’ Alex suggested.

‘No, something worse than that,’ Gideon stated in a grave tone. ‘I’ve been thinking for a while that one of the teachers might be involved. The magic that’s being used seems too advanced for a student, and there’s no way an outsider is getting in over and over.

‘Assuming you’re right,’ Alex began. ‘Which teacher? My money’s on Voronov!’

‘Professor Voronov?’ Gideon exclaimed. ‘Why him?’

‘Rumour has it, he’s a vampire!’

‘He’s not a vampire!’ Gideon argued.

'Alright, alright!' Alex said apologetically, grinning at what had presumably been a joke about Gideon's Head of House. 'Still, I'm not trusting a Slytherin… No offence!'

‘Some taken,’ said Gideon indignantly.

Alex grinned again. ‘Who do you think it is, then?’ he asked.

Gideon put his hand on his chin thoughtfully. ‘Well,’ he started, ‘since there was a rune involved, I thought about Professor Rebus. Then, after the things you mentioned, I considered Professor Kenyatta, especially since he supposedly discovered the Charms fire. Now that we’ve come up with these answers, though…’

Alex lowered his voice and asked eagerly, ‘What? You think you might know who the hooded person was?’

‘I don’t want to believe it but after everything I’ve been through in the past year or so, anything is possible.’ Gideon stated enigmatically.

‘You don’t mean you da—I mean—Professor Maxwell?’ Alex suggested hesitantly.

‘No, not him,’ Gideon said with disdain, then whispered, ‘There’s a ritual magic specialist working at the school right now. Professor Dandridge!’

Chapter Text

After everything he had been through, Gideon wasn’t inclined to put his trust in anyone, especially now there was a chance that even the headmistress could be involved with the fires. Alex didn’t want to come clean about what they knew either, at least until they had proof of who the arsonist was. He maintained that he and Gideon would be the ones in trouble, especially with Gideon’s track record.

They left for breakfast, agreeing to think things over during the Easter break and meet again when Alex returned, where Professor Dandridge addressed the school.

'Your attention for a moment, please,' she called out. 'First, I would like to wish you all a very happy Easter break. I hope you enjoy yourselves and use your time wisely. Sadly, before you leave, I must also share some unfortunate news with you. Last night, Greenhouse Seven was vandalised.

‘As you all know, the greenhouses are strictly out of bounds outside of teaching hours and Greenhouse Seven is only to be entered by sixth and seventh-year Herbology students. Owing to this latest unacceptable incident, I have no choice but to cancel the Quidditch Cup.’

Angry gasps and muttering broke out across the Great Hall. The Quidditch players were up in the air. Gideon noticed his brother in the far corner of the room pounding his table.

'In addition,' the professor continued, 'I warn you all now, should any further incidents of this nature transpire, Hogwarts will likely be closed. That is all.'

‘Oi! Drake!’ said a voice Gideon didn’t recognise. ‘My team has worked too hard to have all our efforts go to waste and this is my last shot at the Cup! The joke’s over, it’s time to come clean. Everyone knows it’s you.’

‘Not everyone!’ Dorian corrected.

‘Yeah, go sit down, Hargreaves!’ said Eoin unexpectedly.

‘What are you, O’Leary, his accomplice?’ the Slytherin Quidditch Captain accused. ‘Maybe all the third-years are in on it? Maybe that’s the real reason Tim Benton left?’

‘Hey!’ barked Gio, 'You're out of line, Jago! I'm on the team too, and Tim was my best mate, but you don't see me going after Gideon, do you? If I thought he was responsible, I'd deal with him myself!'

Jago Hargreaves stared down at the boys for a while longer before huffing and storming off, and the hush that had come over the hall quickly returned to its normal din.

Gideon couldn’t help but blush. For the first time in months, Eoin and even Gio had stuck up for him. On top of that, in a roundabout sort of way, they had both expressed that they didn’t think he was responsible for the fires.

Gideon cleared his throat and mumbled a quiet, ‘Thanks,’ and the boys returned to their breakfasts in a silent understanding.

***

‘We need to talk before you leave,’ Gideon told Talia when she left the hall.

Once away from prying ears, Gideon rapidly explained all about cracking Ruby’s code and the previous night’s excitement. Then, he revealed what had come of his meeting with Alex.

‘I’m glad you figured it out, Gideon,’ Talia said, ‘but I can’t believe you went alone! Devil’s Snare is one thing, but you could have ended up like Ruby!’

‘I thought I’d be alright with the Camostone, but then Sherlock interfered…’

‘It’s annoying that we had to get help from that pretty boy, but at least we know what’s going on now!’

‘Almost. We still need to figure out who’s behind it all. What do you think? Should we go to the teachers now?’

‘Hmm. I don’t know. Grimsby sounds more concerned about his precious Quidditch if you ask me. But if Professor Dandridge is involved…' Talia stated uncertainly. 'You've met her a few times now; do you think she could do this?'

Gideon considered his handful of meetings with the headmistress. ‘I can’t imagine her hurting Ruby. That said, I’m hardly the best judge of character,’ Gideon concluded.

‘What should we do, then?’ Talia questioned.

‘I don’t know,’ Gideon said glumly. ‘We’ve got Easter to decide.’

***

After the school emptied, Gideon sent a letter to his grandmother, wishing her—and by extension, his sister, the elves, and Caroline—a happy Easter. He also sent Easter messages to Ruby’s family and to Talia. Come Easter Sunday, Gideon received replies from all of them, along with a veritable mountain of chocolate eggs.

With the school as quiet as it was over Christmas, Gideon quickly got his homework out of the way and then spent most of his free time practising his magic. He focused on mastering the Stunning Spell and the Shield Charm but made time to go over everything he had been learning ahead of the end-of-year exams.

He also worked on the tasks Professor Voronov had been setting him. It required a lot of concentration, but he was starting to get a hang of only drawing out his natural magic when casting spells. It made them weaker and harder to pull off, which was frustrating, but it was better than unwittingly continuing to rely on his dark magic.

The rest of the school returned on Sunday the twenty-third of April, following a week of speculative articles about Hogwarts’ imminent closure in the Prophet. The idea that they might shortly find themselves back on the train home, was all those who hadn’t been taken out of school by their parents over Easter could talk about. Oddly, this latest round of withdrawals didn’t earn Gideon the same antagonism as the last.

Everybody was on edge, the staff included. When lessons resumed, Professor Long surveyed the students extra attentively during Potions, as if waiting for someone to dare break a rule in front of her. Professor Maxwell was more impatient than usual in Defence Against the Dark Arts, which was saying something now that he was no longer hampered by his rocky punishment.

Professor Blanchard was distant and distracted during Muggle Studies. However, the Barrington sisters contended that this was because he was scared for his otherwise Ministry-secure job. Even Professor Keane didn't seem like her usual chipper self. Only Professor Sambor seemed unaffected, but he was still new.

After a tiring first week back, Saturday finally arrived, and Gideon and Talia headed to the Student Lounge to meet their new ally. Alex was already sitting by the fire when they entered.

‘Have a good Easter?’ he asked them.

‘Err, sure,’ Gideon confirmed.

‘Whatever,’ said Talia. ‘Let’s just do this.’

'Well, I've had the time to think, and my mind hasn't changed,' Alex stated. 'I think we need to catch the perp in the act. No one will believe us otherwise, and I don't want to risk being blamed for the school shutting down. Losing Quidditch was bad enough.'

Alex looked to Talia with a raised eyebrow for her opinion.

‘I don’t care one way or another. I’ll go along with whatever Gideon thinks,’ she said.

Gideon knew Talia meant this in a supportive way, but it put all the pressure on him. ‘After thinking it over, I don’t think we can risk putting our trust in someone who might turn out to be an enemy. I think the best chance for helping Ruby is to identify them, so they can be caught and forced to help her.’

‘Glad we agree,’ said Alex.

‘We have to be smart about this, though,’ Gideon started. ‘We’re not trying to catch them. This is just about ID'ing the perp. The teachers or the Ministry can do the heavy lifting.’

‘Okay, but how do we do that?’ Alex queried.

Gideon smirked, ‘I have an idea, but we’ll need a little help from Kuroh—’

‘Who’s Kuroh?’ Alex interjected.

‘—and we’ll need one of those instant photo magic cameras. Do either of you have one?’

‘Kuroh is my cat,’ Talia explained, ‘and as for a camera, Verity has one. I’m sure she won’t mind me borrowingit.’

‘Great. Well, the idea is for me and Alex to stay hidden using the Camostone. We’ll get a photo of the arsonist and in case we get into trouble, we’ll immediately give the instant print to Kuroh. He will run it straight to Talia, who will be waiting near Professor Long’s office. As soon as she gets the picture from Kuroh, she’ll alert the teachers with the proof and send them to the Courtyard!’

‘We’re banking on a cat?’ Alex asked with a dubious expression.

‘I trust him more than you,’ Talia snapped.

‘Kuroh’s super smart, Alex,' Gideon assured him, 'he'll do what Talia says.'

‘Alright. Shouldn’t we try to catch the guy if we have the opportunity, though?’ Alex questioned.

‘Wouldn’t it be better if I were with you, Gideon?’ Talia followed up with a glare at Alex.

‘As scary as I’m sure the arsonist would find you, Natalia, I think I can handle it,’ Alex jabbed.

‘You couldn’t handle a Flobberworm!’ Talia retorted.

Gideon cleared his throat to interrupt, and addressed both questions, ‘We’re not trying to engage the arsonist, especially if it turns out to be a teacher. As soon as we take the picture, we’ll run away or hide using the Camostone. Kuroh’s fast and small. He's our safety net in case we get caught or can't move without risking the stone's distortions being seen. Smart, though, he is, Talia, do you think he would leave you and run the picture to Alex?’

‘I guess not,’ Talia sulked.

‘Makes sense,’ Alex conceded.

***

May rolled by quickly as Gideon counted down the days to their big mission. He spent his evenings preparing contingencies with the help of Talia and Alex, who when they weren't sniping at each other, had some good suggestions.

Alex pointed out the benefits of a smokescreen, remembering how effective Gideon's had been against him, while Talia offered up some particularly nasty hexes that would keep an enemy at bay.

Lost in his plans and the extra work that the upcoming exams required, Gideon woke up on Tuesday the thirtieth of May, surprised to find a small stack of presents at the foot of his bed. He had forgotten his birthday.

‘Happy birthday, Gideon,’ Dorian offered.

‘You should have said,’ Eoin remarked.

‘Open them, then!’ Gio said impatiently.

Gideon tore into the presents and was happy to find another record from Talia. This one was an old Weird Sisters album she had once recommended. His sister had sent a smart pair of sunglasses she had designed. Their mirrored lenses magically changed colour to match the wearer's outfit.

Caroline sent something that Gideon thought could be useful for their mission, a box of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes’ Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. Funnily enough, it supposedly worked just like a smokescreen but was additionally resistant to light. In a departure from her usual gifts, his grandmother had given him an exam study guide, which admonished the user if they gave incorrect answers to its questions.

Gideon was mildly disappointed until he opened a package from Tilly and Tolly. They had baked him his favourite white chocolate cake. This elicited a groan of envy from the boys, so he decided to treat them all to cake for breakfast.

‘Ah thin you miffed one, Gidjun,’ said Eoin with a mouthful of cake.

‘I think he means this,’ Dorian translated, picking up a small, wrapped cube from atop Gideon’s trunk.

‘Oh, I didn’t see that.’ Gideon said as he opened the brown paper wrapping, ‘Was there a card?’

‘Can’t see one,’ Dorian answered. ‘Doesn’t it say who it’s from?’

‘No, it doesn’t,’ Gideon confirmed as he opened the box inside. ‘Oh. It’s a ring.’

‘Who’s the lucky lady?’ Eoin teased.

Gideon took the silver ring out of the box. Its band had a simple but attractive pattern all the way around. It was a little large, so he tried it on the middle finger of his left hand. He thought it looked cool, but he couldn’t help wondering who it was from.

‘Maybe the inside is engraved?’ Gio speculated.

‘I didn’t check,’ Gideon said. ‘Wait. It’s stuck!’ The ring that had so easily slid over his knuckle now refused to come off.

‘Uh-oh. It might be one of those joke rings,’ Eoin suggested. ‘They’re charmed to stay on until the magic wears off. Count yourself lucky it’s not ugly!’

‘Who would bother doing that, though? I didn’t share when my birthday was with anyone, let alone someone I don’t like,’ Gideon exasperated.

‘Don’t worry, I’m sure Madam Longbottom will have it off in a jiffy,’ Dorian reassured him. ‘Just pop into the Hospital Wing after classes. Speaking of, we need to get going!’

***

Gideon spent the day absent-mindedly fumbling with the ring with no luck. Thankfully, it wasn’t tight or particularly bothersome, it just wouldn’t budge. Unfortunately, despite Dorian’s assurance, Madam Longbottom couldn’t remove it either.

'Every year these silly joke products get smarter,' the Matron complained that evening. 'Don't worry, I'll check in with my friends at St Mungo's about the latest counter-charms and send for you when I get word.'

Not counting the number of times Gideon complained about the ring followed by Talia offering to remove it along with his finger, the rest of the week flew by. Sunday the fourth of June arrived, and Gideon, Talia and Alex met in the Student Lounge to review their plan one last time.

That night, Gideon slipped out of the Slytherin Common Room at half past eleven. As planned, he made his way to Ravenclaw Tower under cover of the Camostone to collect Talia, and Kuroh, whom she carried. They linked arms and the Disillusionment Charm extended over them. Together, they made their way to Professor Long’s office, dodging the Bloody Baron on the way.

Alex popped out from behind a nearby statue holding his Occurio when they arrived and revealed themselves. 'Blanchard's patrolling again tonight. So is Voronov. I left early but I had to wait ages for him to pass by. It was like he could hear my footsteps!' Alex griped.

Gideon mused at what was surely one of the Dhampir Professor’s so-called “irregularities”. ‘Right, are we ready?’ he asked Alex and Talia. They both nodded purposefully, then exchanged Verity’s camera and the Occurio.

‘You know what to do, Kuroh,’ Talia instructed as she gave the black cat to Gideon. ‘Go with Gideon and come to me here as fast as you can once he gives you the picture.’ Kuroh purred in understanding.

‘Okay, see you in a bit!’ Gideon promised Talia.

She nodded and said, ‘Be careful, both of you. And you Grimsby.’

The boys linked arms and Gideon uttered, ‘Dissimulo.’ He looked down and watched their bodies and the cat disappear.

It didn’t take long to reach the Courtyard, and they were lucky not to bump into either of the teachers or any ghosts along the way. There were multiple entrances and sight lines into the large grassy area, though, so they stood still by the first alcove and watched for movement.

Gideon's heart was thumping so hard in his chest that he wondered whether Alex could hear it. It seemed to skip a beat when he noticed something. Not a person but an orange glow. It appeared to be coming from a corner that they couldn't see directly, so they had to relocate.

Gideon tugged on Alex’s arm, and they moved as quietly as they could around the outside of the walled courtyard until they were at the opposite end. From their new angle, they could see their target. The hooded cloaked figure was waving a wand over the ground where the orange light was shining. They had started marking the fifth point for their ritual spell.

The boys had hoped to arrive ahead of this, before the ritual had begun. Would the teachers arrive in time to stop the arsonist from doing whatever it was they had planned now?

It didn’t matter. They had accounted for this. The plan stayed the same. They just needed to get the picture and get out of there. Unfortunately, the angle was not desirable for a photo.

‘There’s no way to get a shot of their face,’ Alex whispered. ‘We need them to turn around. Even then, their hood will be a problem. We should separate. You stay camouflaged with Kuroh and cause a distraction to get him to turn around for the picture. I’ll handle the hood from another direction.’

‘I should go,’ Gideon protested.

‘No. The cat doesn’t like me. Just be ready. Once you see me wave, count to ten, and I’ll give the thumbs up,’ Alex said firmly and pulled his arm free.

Gideon watched as Alex’s body reappeared, crouching below the height of the wall, and rounded the corner. After a few moments, His head appeared halfway down the next length of stone, much closer to the hooded arsonist, and he waved.

Gideon realised he would need a closer shot for the picture. He willed himself to walk out into the grass, counting to ten as he moved slowly closer toward the middle of the space on his toes. Then, Alex’s thumb appeared. Gideon took a deep breath, raised the camera awkwardly while holding Kuroh, and cleared his throat loudly.

The hooded figure immediately spun around and looked in the direction of the invisible boy. Then, the figure's hood was pulled down magically, and Gideon clicked the camera button. Time seemed to stand still as he realised who he was looking at and that the camera flash had revealed his location.

Gideon didn’t know whether to move or not, but as his enemy raised their wand, he knew he had to get the picture to Talia. She had to bring the teachers. They had to know that one of their own was working against them.

He yanked the instant photo from the camera and set the cat down on the floor. He gave it the photo to bite down on and whispered, ‘Run to Talia, Kuroh!’

Kuroh dashed away instantly with the picture and left the protection of the Camostone. Gideon watched as their enemy tracked the sudden movement with his eyes, and he began to move in the opposite direction, to where Alex was waiting unhidden below the wall.

‘No interruptions!’ Yelled their quarry and they set off a spell that moved in all directions like an expanding, yellow-coloured dome. Just in the nick of time, Gideon dropped the camera, drew his wand from his arm holster and yelled, ‘Protego!’

The Shield Charm he had practised so often took the brunt of the impact, but Gideon was still knocked off his feet. As he hurtled through the air, he glimpsed Alex being knocked back too, though, the courtyard wall had hopefully protected the other boy somewhat.

Gideon was dazed. Flexing his grip, he realised he still had a hold of his wand but the Camostone was gone, meaning he was visible again. This wasn't something they had accounted for. It was okay, though, reinforcements were on the way. He saw the outline of someone standing over him. 'You're too late, boys, I have to finish it,' they said, 'If you had only arrived sooner, you might have been able to save me…'

They returned to the corner where the orange light was still shining and continued chanting. Gideon struggled to his feet and tried to steady himself as the light grew brighter still.

'P-Professor Blanchard!' Gideon called out as his sense of equilibrium gradually returned to him. How silly of them. Alex had seen Professor Blanchard tonight and on the night of the fourth marking. They had assumed he was patrolling, but why would there be two teachers on duty on each occasion as well as the ghosts? In actuality, he had been on his way to perform the ritual. 'Whatever it is you're doing, you don't have to. Let us help you.'

‘It’s too late!’ cried the Muggle Studies teacher. ‘I-don’t-want-to-do-this, but I have to, he’s making me!’

‘Who’s making you?’ Gideon yelled, but there was a flash and unlike the last time, the rune stretched across the grass and suddenly, a pillar of light burst forth from its centre. The force of it felt like standing in a strong gale.

Gideon couldn't tell if his balance was still affected or if the ground was trembling, but he suspected the latter was true. The pillar of light widened, and it took in Professor Blanchard, who began screaming. Gideon realised then; the ritual magic had been completed. The Eye of Fire had opened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Alex was also back on his feet. They nodded to each other in understanding.

‘Stupefy!’ they both yelled, and two jets of red energy were fired at the professor. Unfortunately, they fell short, hitting the light instead. Gideon continued firing unsuccessfully as he made his way over to Alex.

‘What should we do?’ Alex asked as they helplessly watched the professor scream and writhe in agony within the orange field.

‘Let’s just keep trying spells until the teachers get here,’ Gideon suggested.

'Didn't you see?' Alex asked, pointing a finger at the opposite side of the courtyard. Beyond the alcove on that side, Gideon could just make out a small black heap on the floor.

‘Kuroh!’ he said as he realised their hope for assistance had also been caught in Professor Blanchard’s earlier attack.

As suddenly as it had begun, the light disappeared completely, and the man collapsed to his knees, hunched over. After a few moments of silence, Gideon approached him cautiously.

‘Professor? Professor Blanchard are you okay?’ he asked fearfully.

The professor's head snapped backwards abruptly, revealing a pair of glowing orange holes where his eyes should have been. Then, in a deep, hoarse voice that chilled Gideon to his core, he said, ‘Run!’

Chapter Text

All at once, Professor Blanchard’s body was enveloped in fire and lifted from the ground. The flames continued to spread in mid-air and a towering, monstrous form began to take shape. Arms, legs, and a two-horned head made of fire sprouted from the raging torso, where the silhouette of the professor’s limp body could just about be made out inside.

As the flaming monster’s feet reached the floor, where the grass beneath swiftly burned away, it let loose an almighty roar and then, turned the flickering spaces where its eyes would be in the direction of the two frightened boys standing below.

The fiery beast seemed to smile, revealing a set of flickering, flaming fangs. Suddenly, it pulled a burning arm back and took a mighty swipe at Gideon, who was still rooted to the spot in fear. Gideon was thrown backwards, but not by the impact of the monster’s fiery claw.

Alex had yanked him out of the way, but the incredible wave of heat that followed in the arm’s wake knocked them both off their feet. Alex got up and started dragging Gideon across the grass, away from the beast. It was useless, though. Such a huge thing needed only one or two steps to close the small gap they had made between them, and Gideon watched in horror as it did just that.

Gideon took a deep breath and snapped himself out of his reverie. ‘Stupefy!’ he yelled shakily. The jet of red light hit the monster but seemingly had no effect. Gideon got to his feet with Alex’s help and suggested the Frost Spell.

Together the boys cried, ‘Glacius!’

The beast howled as streams of icy air blasted its burning torso. For a fleeting moment, the boys revelled in their success. However, they quickly realised it had not been howling in pain, but laughter.

‘What pathetic magic is this?’ the monster taunted in an impossibly deep and terrifying voice.

Gideon was shocked that the giant beast of fire could talk. What on Earth was this creature and what could the boys do against it?

‘We’ve got to run, Alex!’ Gideon determined, and threw his entire stock of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder at the monster. It landed and a black smog filled the area as the boys fled.

‘There will be no escape!’ the monster roared and simply blew their distraction away with an incredible blow of its hot breath. Then, it raised its arms and the entrances to the courtyard were walled off by high flames.

‘Let’s just try different spells, something has to work!’ Alex suggested, and they let loose a flurry of all the magic they knew. Some of the spells would impact the beast’s flames with a noticeable flicker but otherwise, he was completely unbothered, and he showed so with his continued laughter.

The beast began to advance. The boys retreated, firing spells all the while until they found themselves backed into a corner.

‘Time to burn, wizards!’ the massive creature told them. Then, it appeared to swell, raised its head and expelled an incredible breath of fire.

With one last apologetic look to the boy he had so foolishly put in danger with his plan; Gideon closed his eyes tightly and futilely raised his left hand as if to shield himself. Death wasn’t so bad. He had expected the heat that followed would be unbearably painful, but the warmth wasn’t altogether unpleasant.

‘Gideon!’ Alex urged.

Gideon opened his squinting eyes. They were not dead. They were not burning. The fire around them had stopped short of a translucent blue field being projected from Gideon’s left hand. The ring that had so annoyingly affixed itself to his finger was shining.

Just then, the flames disappeared, along with the blue light. The boys were alive, but their predicament was far from over.

‘What is this?’ the monster roared. ‘You dare defy my power? BURN!’ It unleashed another breath of fire, more powerful than the last.

Gideon kept his hand raised, and as the fire was about to consume them, the blue field appeared again, protecting them completely from the blaze.

‘Let’s make a run for it!’ Alex proposed. ‘We can extinguish the fire blocking the exit!’

The boys ran to the nearest fire-walled alcove, but the monster blasted them once more. The blue shield appeared again but Gideon could not move while it was activated.

‘Just go!’ he instructed Alex.

Alex reached the alcove and started to use the Frost Spell, but the beast had taken another breath. Now separated, he turned his attention to Alex and focused his fiery burst on him alone. Seeing this, Gideon made a mad dash towards the boy with his outstretched hand and the strange shield activated at the very last moment.

‘The ring!’ Alex cried. After the last burst of fire, the beast howled with anger, and the ring shattered.

It didn’t matter, though. The fiery creature had made Gideon angry. His fear alone hadn’t been enough, but the beast targeting Alex had triggered a range of emotions. Gideon felt the familiar sensation of his dark power rising from within, taking advantage of his weakened state to break free.

Gideon knew it was coming this time. He knew how to stop it. However, for the first time, he embraced the dark magic. He had learned to sense, differentiate, and even limit it, but using everything Professor Voronov had taught him about control, Gideon did the opposite. He let the dark magic fill his chest, course down his arms and into his hands.

Gideon stepped forward as his hands began to crackle ominously.

‘Gideon? What are you doing?’ Alex asked fearfully.

‘Get away if you can, Alex!’ Gideon commanded as he raised his wand and gripped it with both hands.

The monster laughed, roared, and swelled once more.

‘Didn’t anyone ever teach you?’ Gideon challenged menacingly as an orange aura surrounded his entire body and he surged with power. ‘You don’t play with fire! INCENDIO!’

At the same time, the beast and Gideon's wand released opposing currents of fire. The recoil from their collision was enough to pin Alex to the wall of the courtyard. Gideon let out a war cry as his wand blasted a spiralling funnel of crimson flame, which with the aid of the magic word and his intent, was even stronger than the time he had lost control in Professor Voronov's presence.

His hands were shaking but he maintained his grip on his wand and kept up the incredible torrent of magic. The beast, however, began to struggle. It could not maintain its breath indefinitely and Gideon was counting on that. He felt a weakening of the opposing flames and summoned all his remaining strength. His uncanny aura shrank into him and the red fire pulsed, advancing until the beast was engulfed.

It howled again, but this time Gideon knew it was not laughing. He prolonged his spell for as long as he could until it finally cut off and his legs buckled beneath him. Soon, the creature's hollering ceased and all that remained was a burning pyre.

‘Gideon!’ Alex called as he rushed over to the boy’s side. ‘How did you do that?’

‘Did I get him?’ Gideon asked weakly.

'Are you kidding? He's a hot mess! Literally!' Alex joked. 'The exits are clear. Come on, let's get Kuroh and get out of here!'

Alex pulled Gideon’s limp arm around his shoulder and hoisted him off the floor. Gideon could just about stand and with Alex’s assistance, shuffled toward the alcove where Kuroh was lying just beyond. Unfortunately, just before they reached it, the wall of fire returned, and the pyre stirred.

‘YOU DARE USE DARKFIRE AGAINST ME!’ the best roared as it got to its feet.

The boys spun around on the spot. Gideon bit his lip in frustration. His spell hadn’t been enough. Alex backed them away with all his strength, as the monster limped towards them.

Unlike before, it was missing a horn, its bottom jaw, its left hand, part of its right leg and a large chunk of its torso, through which, Professor Blanchard could be seen lolling about inside. Its fiery wounds were glowing red as if Gideon’s flames had eaten away at it.

‘Now, you will burn!’ the creature said malevolently.

Even without its mouth fully intact, the beast prepared to release its breath once more.

‘I’m sorry, Alex,’ Gideon said feebly, knowing he was too tired to fight.

‘No, I’m sorry. For Diagon Alley—and everything else…’

Gideon smiled weakly and the boys succumbed to their fate. With his magic depleted and no mysterious ring to protect him, Gideon closed his eyes, and the light of the incoming flames illuminated his eyelids.

‘ANOTHER TRICK?’ the monster bellowed.

‘If you ladies are quite finished, we should probably be getting out of here!’

‘Talia?’ Gideon asked in astonishment.

The girl was standing between them and a swirling mass of fire with both of her hands raised.

‘Wha-what's going on?'

‘How are you doing that? How is she doing that?' Alex remarked in astonishment.

‘No time, just get up and get out!’ Talia ordered, before waving her hands about and thrusting them forwards. The swirling flames moved as she motioned and returned from whence they came, enveloping the beast like a blazing cocoon.

It growled in anger once more. Alex pulled Gideon to the rear alcove as Talia had told them. It was unguarded now. They went through and collapsed behind the wall. With some effort, Gideon turned himself around and peeked over it to try and comprehend what was happening.

He watched in amazement as the beast breathed and threw fire at Talia, who with her outstretched hands, redirected it time and time again as she ran about the courtyard. After a minute or two of this, Gideon grew concerned. Talia was slowing down and her ability to control the flames seemed to be weakening. The beast, however, appeared to grow stronger as its rage increased.

‘I don’t think she can keep it up! We have to get the teachers,’ Gideon stated as he got to his feet. Alex supported him again and they made their way around the Courtyard edges, grabbing Kuroh on the way. They made it around, back to where they had entered, when the beast came smashing through the stone wall, showering the boys with flying rubble.

Gideon cried out in pain as a large chunk of stone rolled over his foot and another gashed his forehead, spewing blood everywhere. He managed to shield Kuroh, but Alex’s left arm was pinned to the floor. Worse still, was the giant, flaming set of talons that clawed at them desperately, just inches away.

However, Gideon noticed the hand and the beast's whole flaming body were flickering in the opposite direction as if caught in a storm. Beyond the broken wall, Gideon spotted Talia on her knees reaching out towards the monster, her face pained with concentration. She was somehow pulling the fiery beast back with all her might.

Suddenly, the monster surprised them all by changing directions and lunging for Talia, instead. There was nothing Gideon or Alex could do. Talia's arms flopped down by her sides and her head drooped as if she had expended all her energy. They were going to watch the girl who had saved them die. Then, they would be next.

Gideon’s vision was suddenly obstructed by a flapping motion. A bird had shot past him. No, not a bird. A bat, which in an instant, transformed into Professor Voronov and appeared between Talia and the creature. In the next moment, a thick arc of what had to be ice shot up from the ground, and the monster's flaming fist collided with it uselessly.

'Gideon!' a new voice said with urgency. Above him, Gideon met the eyes of his father, panic-stricken, then full of fury. 'You dare hurt my son, you foul creature!' Marcus Maxwell barked. 'Come, let me return you to the abyss!'

Professor Maxwell brandished his wand forcefully and a bolt of lightning struck the beast. However, it had little effect.

‘It appears to be resistant to magic, Professor,’ called the Transfiguration teacher from the edge of his icy barrier. ‘Physical attacks would likely be more effective.’

‘Good!’ Gideon’s father relished. It's been a while since I let loose. Out of nowhere, a silver shield appeared on the man’s left arm. Then, a sword and cross guard composed of white light extended from the tip of his wand.

Gideon looked on in confusion and wonder as his father charged at the flaming monster and began slicing at it like a medieval knight. The places where the blade of light stuck the creature left luminous white scars. The beast was forced back to the rear of the courtyard as the Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher swung his sword and defended himself from its fiery talons with his shield.

Gideon had always known his father was a skilled Auror before moving into management, but he had no idea the man could fight like this, or that anybody could.

‘Oh dear, it looks like we’ve arrived a little late,’ said another voice from behind Gideon. The other Heads of Houses had arrived on the scene, led by Professor Dandridge.

'It's somewhat resistant to magic, Headmistress, but as you can see, it is far from invulnerable,' said Professor Voronov, who had carried Talia over to the group and was setting her down. 'Interestingly, though, most of the damage was done before me and Professor Maxwell arrived.'

‘Very interesting,’ said Professor Dandridge with a knowing glance at Gideon, Alex and Talia. ‘How did Marcus know to be here?’

‘I’m not sure. Shall we support him?’ the Transfiguration teacher asked.

‘Oh, yes. Teachers, if you would, I’ll check over our young friends, here,’ the headmistress instructed.

Gideon watched in wonder as the four Heads of House; Professor Voronov of Slytherin, Professor Longbottom of Gryffindor, Professor Keane of Hufflepuff, and Professor Long of Ravenclaw, appeared to enter the courtyard side by side, as if in slow motion.

Above, Professor Dandridge had begun bathing Gideon, Alex and Talia in a warm golden light from her wand. Their superficial wounds began to heal, and Gideon’s head stopped bleeding. She then removed the stone that pinned Alex’s arm with a flick of her wrist and began checking him over more closely.

Gideon turned back to the courtyard, where the teachers had begun firing spells to support Professor Maxwell.

‘Marcus? Could you withdraw for a moment?’ Professor Keane called. ‘You don’t mind, do you, Andrei?’

‘Not at all, Charisma,’ said Professor Voronov in reply.

Professor Keane proceeded to shatter the man’s barrier of ice and launched the shards across the courtyard. The beast howled in pain as it was rained down upon with frozen projectiles. However, it quickly brushed them from its fiery body.

‘You did bring the growth potion, didn’t you Professor Long?’ asked Professor Longbottom.

‘Of course, Neville,’ she replied with a devilish grin. ‘Ready?’

Professor Longbottom then fired a spread of green bullets in the direction of the monster. However, they fell short and dropped to the floor rather anticlimactically. The beast laughed heartily in response and began to charge. Suddenly, a puff of smoke erupted at its feet. Professor Long had thrown a potion vial at the spot where the bullets had landed. In the next moment, vines as thick as tree trunks sprouted from the ground and coiled tightly around the living flame. She followed up by crystallising the vines.

As the beast screamed with rage and struggled to break free, Professor Voronov conjured a murder of crows, which shot into the sky and circled above. Professor Keane then waved her wand at them, they were each surrounded by a green aura and began to dive-bomb the monster. As each bird collided with it, they exploded and left a green gooey substance behind. Soon, the monster was encased in it.

‘Ah, I see that the professors have bought us some time,’ said Professor Dandridge. ‘Up we get, then, all of you.’

Gideon had been entranced by the magic on display. The creature that had given him and Alex, and even Talia, so much trouble, had been rendered powerless by the Hogwarts teachers in mere moments.

‘This is a school, and we can’t waste a teaching opportunity, so I think it’s only right that you three finish it off,’ said the headmistress cheerily.

‘Huh?’ Gideon questioned, taken aback as he, Alex and Talia rose off of the floor, feeling much better than they had been. ‘Professor, we barely scratched the thing!’

‘Not true,’ she said simply. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll lend you a hand. Now, the essentials for ritual magic are a good foundation in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. When combined, one can create magic circles rather quickly, which while capable of producing powerful spells, are not usually employed in battle because of how long they take to form. If you have some support, though, they can be rather useful.’

Gideon tried to pay attention to the headmistress's words while she drew runes in the air before them. The little, flickering blue shapes emitted from her wand came together as she directed. She continued until three concentric circles were rotating in the air like a bizarre clock.

The beast began to roar again. Gideon looked over and saw that its flames were blazing wildly. It was melting away Professor Keane's gooey prison.

'Just ignore him,' said Professor Dandridge unconcerned, concluding her spellwork with a soft-blue flash. 'There we are! A triple-layer magical circle. One to increase power, one to increase volume and one to concentrate energy, combined for maximum effectiveness. Professors, gather over here if you would, please.'

As the teachers returned at her command, the beast began to smash the crystal-like vines that contained it. They gathered behind Gideon, Alex and Talia, who were now looking nervously at one another. The beast let loose his loudest roar yet and began limping towards them at a trot, its body burning more brightly and fiercely than ever.

‘I don’t think you will have learned the water creation spell yet, but I think you’ll do just fine,’ Professor Dandridge affirmed. ‘The incantation is Aguamneti. So, together, if you would, point your wands through the centre of the magic circles and give it a go.’

Gideon was dumbstruck. Give it a go? This was crazy. A flaming monster was bearing down on them, and she wanted them to “give it a go”? She wanted a bunch of third-years to attempt a spell they had never tried in the hope that it would have any kind of real effect against this behemoth?

Alex and Talia looked as unsettled as Gideon felt, but they did as they were told. They pointed their wands through the magic circles, aiming at the approaching monster, and on the head's count of three they uttered together, 'Aguamenti!’

To their immense shock, a positive deluge of water was fired from the other side of the glowing circles with the force of a cannon. It blasted the flaming beast clean across the courtyard and crashed it through the stone wall at the opposite end, where it no doubt drowned under the sheer mass of liquid that followed.

‘I think that will do,’ Professor Dandridge advised with a proud smile as water began to wash over their feet. Gideon, Alex and Talia cancelled their spells and turned to her, stunned by their achievement. 'Excellent! Now, to the Hospital Wing, I think.'

Chapter Text

Gideon was embarrassed to be taken to the Hospital Wing on a floating stretcher, but the headmistress insisted that he, Alex and Talia all do so. Truthfully, he didn't think he could have made the journey under his own power. He expected the same was true of Talia. They had both used a lot of magic. Alex probably could have managed the journey, but he had the worst injury.

When they reached the hospital, Madam Longbottom was awake and ready. The three of them were lowered to beds side by side and she began tending to them immediately.

‘I’m fine, just tired,’ Gideon insisted as she poked and prodded him with her wand, ‘See to Alex’s arm first.’

‘You’re in shock, young man,’ the matron advised, ‘I expect you don’t realise it, but you are covered in burns and cuts. Professor Dandridge may have administered first-aid, but you are far from “fine”. Not to mention, you have once again dangerously overexerted your magic system!’

She glared at him reproachfully, then asked in a softer tone with her cheeks reddening, ‘Are all of the teachers unharmed? Professor Keane, Professor Voronov and the others?’

‘Professor Longbottom and the others are fine,’ Gideon assured the worried wife.

‘Oh? Oh, good. Here, drink these and I’ll see to your friend,’ she said, handing Gideon a magical restorative he had once tasted before under the matron’s care, and a second potion he hadn’t thought to ask about before swallowing, which turned out to be a strong sleeping draught.

***

When Gideon awoke, the hint of light that was coming in through the windows suggested it was around dawn. Apparently, his dark magic had recovered enough to interfere with the effect of the sleeping potion. As Gideon looked down, he realised somebody was sitting in a chair next to his bed with the top half of their body slumped over his legs.

‘Dad?’ he asked hesitantly.

The man stirred and sat up. ‘What is it? Are you hurt?’ he asked with a definite note of concern in his voice.

‘N-no. I’m fine. I just…’ Gideon started. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I-I just wanted to make sure you were okay,’ Professor Maxwell said. ‘I was worried.’

Gideon didn’t know what to make of his father’s words. This was the first time they had spoken in quite a while, not counting his rebukes and criticisms in Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons.

‘Are you okay?’ Gideon asked. ‘I couldn’t believe how you fought that monster.’

‘I’m just fine. It will take more than a foul Demon such as that to take me down,’ Marcus Maxwell confirmed.

‘Demon?’

‘Yes. You didn’t know?’

‘I thought it was some kind of magical creature. I didn’t even know there were such things as Demons!’

‘There aren’t. At least, not anymore,’ the man explained. ‘Demons are malevolent spirits that possess a magical being and use its power to take form. The last of them were banished from our world long ago but there are ways to summon them. It's not easy, mind you—or legal—but it can be done. This fire Demon was summoned using an ancient magical ritual specific to their kind. Very old magic.’

‘The Eye of Fire,’ Gideon muttered.

‘You know about that, do you?’ Mr Maxwell said with a note of admiration.

‘Well, I had help,’ Gideon asserted.

‘Indeed. It seems you’ve made some very interesting friends,’ the man commented.

Gideon smiled as he thought about those friends. ‘Are they going to be alright?’

‘As I understand it, Mr Grimsby and Miss Dinescu are doing just fine. Unlike you, they are sleeping soundly. In addition, the headmistress was called to St Mungo’s. It seems Miss Williams has woken up.’

Gideon felt awash with relief in the knowledge that Ruby was okay. After a few moments, he asked, ‘And Professor Blanchard?’

Gideon’s father took a breath and sighed before answering, ‘Professor Blanchard is dead. He was alive at the end. However, neither his body nor his mind could bear the trauma of such a powerful Demon’s possession after the headmistress purged it from him.’

‘He didn’t say anything before he died, then?’ Gideon queried. When his father shook his head, Gideon explained what he remembered from his encounter with the Muggle Studies professor. ‘We heard him talking about not wanting to do it and at one point he even said, “he’s making me!”. I think he was being controlled. He was fighting it but, in the end…’

Marcus Maxwell adopted a grim expression. ‘I was afraid of that,’ he said. ‘It sounds like the Imperius Curse. It gives the user total control over another. It’s one of the three Unforgivable Curses. Professor Blanchard demonstrated commendable fortitude if he was able to tell you that much. I dare say his resistance is the reason Miss Williams was not killed when she came upon him on the Astronomy Tower, though, whatever spell he did use was most effective.’

‘Do you know who could have been controlling him?’ Gideon asked.

‘It could be anybody, I’m afraid. The sad fact is, it’s highly likely that this ritual and what happened to Professor Blanchard were simply part of a test.

‘A test?’ Gideon exclaimed.

'The ritual was complicated. For one thing, it had to be performed on magically enriched land, and such locations are few and far between. Hogwarts is one such site. That's why a teacher was required. I doubt the person behind it all would try again at Hogwarts, but it would appear they have an agenda that involves harnessing the power of Demons, something that there is not much information about for obvious reasons. In this case, their test was a failure. Professor Blanchard was unable to withstand the possession and the Demon took control. The culprit probably expected as much, but they will likely try again. The Ministry will need to be prepared…'

A long silence followed Gideon’s father’s grave words.

‘Gideon,’ he continued. ‘I owe you an apology.’

In spite of everything, Gideon was surprised to find himself shaking his head and assuring his father, 'It's okay. After what happened to mum… The shock. It must have been hard to deal with.'

'It was, and what I did was unforgivable. But what I must apologise to you for is what came afterwards,' the man clarified. 'You see, even after I came to my senses, I didn't reach out to you. I purposefully kept my distance for reasons I should now explain. To start with, your magic being unsealed; it was no accident.’

Gideon was taken aback by this. ‘What do you mean?’ he asked.

‘Only a highly emotional life-threatening event would ever cause The Weaving to come undone. You won’t know it, but there have been multiple attempts on your life over the years, other than the Dementor attack. It’s one of the reasons we’ve always kept you so close to home, and why I’ve had you followed by Aurors when you were outside of the house or your schools.

‘Do you remember your close shave outside Middling Academy? Didn’t you ever wonder why there was no driver, and why you were rushed away from the scene? The car was charmed by someone. You were saved by Darius Coleridge, one of my men. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to you in time when the Dementors appeared because you were supposed to go straight home from the library via Floo Powder.’

Gideon couldn’t believe it. He had been right. He was being followed in Hogsmeade, and by the same man who had knocked him out of the way of the car that time. He remained silent and let his father explain.

'Someone is targeting you, or rather, what's inside of you. The same person who tried to have you kidnapped as a baby. I believe that your birth mother, Gwendoline Drake, fled France to protect you. However, as a Muggle, she couldn't stay hidden for long, and they tracked her down. What happened next, nobody could have predicted.

'The dark magic that had been implanted within you for whatever reason was sealed away. Your mother had wanted another child and I wanted to keep an eye on you, so we took you in. To my surprise, I grew to love you as my own. Soon after, though, strange accidents started happening around you. We kept you safe but some of the closer calls triggered your magic’s innate defence mechanism.

‘The truth is, you’ve had more of those seizures than you realise. We worried that the memories would scar you, so we magically erased them from your mind. However, we grew concerned that it would become damaging to keep doing so, and I concluded that the true motive behind the accidents was to trigger your magic to return. So, I had the house and your school fortified and assigned you guards.’

Gideon’s father’s expression changed a little before he continued, ‘It was me, though, who held off signing your adoption papers. I think part of me reasoned that if we couldn’t protect you—if something were to happen to you—it would hurt less if you weren’t really ours, at least on paper. But it was foolish, and I regret it deeply. I realised just how much when you stood up in the Great Hall and declared your new name. That feeling was compounded when I faced the boggart in your stead.

‘The boggart?’ Gideon repeated, thinking back to what Talia had told him about his father’s fear projection being a piece of parchment. The answer came to him. “It was my adoption papers?”

Mr Maxwell nodded solemnly, then continued. 'The unsigned document symbolised my greatest fear; that through my actions, and not some elusive, external threat, I might end up losing you.'

Gideon's heart warmed at these words.

A minute or so passed in silence before Mr Maxwell spoke again. ‘After the Dementors targeted you—another planned attack, which indicates just how dangerous a person we may be dealing with—I was out of my mind. I had failed to protect you and endangered your mother in the process. I irrationally associated the blame for the attack with you.

‘Now that your magic was exposed, I was convinced that the real culprit would be found through you. And so, I followed you to Hogwarts, making it seem as though the Ministry had sent me. There, I was able to keep an eye on you, and you were watched closely when outside of the school. Nothing happened to you, though, excluding the advent of your burgeoning powers.

‘When the fires began, even I thought you were responsible. Then, when we learned you weren't, I still suspected that they might be connected to you somehow. I was so fixated on catching the person who had targeted you and your mother, that I used you as bait, hoping to draw them out. As it happens, there’s no real evidence to suggest the person controlling Professor Blanchard has anything to do with you. Everything I put you through was over a bad hunch.

'I kept my distance for nothing and had your brother do the same, even after I overcame my grief. Even after your grandmother learned of what I had done to her and your sister and exacted her punishment... It was all for nothing. Meanwhile, you discovered what was really going on at the school. All I could do was see that you were protected from the fires that were popping up everywhere.’

Gideon interrupted at this point, ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘I sent you the ring. I placed a powerful anti-fire charm on it and made it so that if it ever broke, it would alert me to your location. That’s how I found you. When I saw you lying there, covered in all that blood, and the Demon standing beyond…’

‘If it hadn’t been for that ring, dad…’ Gideon whispered, thinking about how many times it had saved him and Alex before help had arrived.

Marcus Maxwell went quiet for a while, then cleared his throat, ‘I’m very proud of you, Gideon, and not just for holding off that monster. You’ve shown real strength this year. More than I’ve shown. I don’t deserve it, but if you could somehow find it in you to forgive me, I would like the opportunity to make things right with you.’

Gideon didn’t know what to say. His father had given him a lot of information to take in all at once. Even if he was capable of forgiving him, he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

Still, it occurred to him that his father had never spoken to him for this extended a period, and certainly not so frankly. Being so used to the tough façade that surely went hand-in-hand with being an Auror and such an important figure, Gideon couldn’t help but appreciate the man’s attempt to lower his guard. It was as if the dark surroundings allowed him to be more vulnerable.

Thankfully, Mr Maxwell spared him from responding. ‘You should get some sleep,’ he said. ‘Madam Longbottom won’t forgive me for having kept you from your rest.’

‘Wait,’ Gideon started, undecided about the words that would follow. ‘So, am I safe?’

‘You’re safe,’ Marcus Maxwell assured him. ‘The house and the school are well protected, and you’ll still be observed elsewhere. If someone out there is targeting you, they will have me to deal with, not to mention the rest of the family—and your formidable friends.’

‘Do you know who this person might be?’

Gideon thought his father looked pensive for a moment, though his expression was difficult to make out in the dark. ‘No,’ the man answered. ‘I have my suspicions, but nothing solid. Don’t worry yourself about it. I’ll get to the bottom of it. That’s my job!’

Despite the scary thought that some unknown individual might be targeting him, Gideon couldn’t help but feel reassured by his father’s words. ‘Will you be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts again next year?’

‘No. With the possible threat of Demons to contend with on top of the Dementor situation, I’m needed at the Ministry. However, I have someone in mind who I think would be a good fit to take over my position. Now, get some sleep. You’re going to need your energy when the three of you meet with the headmistress!’

With that, Gideon’s father hesitated for a moment, then gave his son a tight squeeze of the knee and left the room.

***

As much as Gideon's father had given him to think about, he drifted off quickly and didn't wake again until he felt a weight on his chest. He opened his eyes to find a familiar pair of electric-blue eyes staring back at him.

‘Kuroh, you’re okay!’ Gideon exclaimed and he stroked the black cat sitting on his chest.

‘Kuroh, get down!’ Talia instructed, ‘Sorry, I still don’t get why he stares at you like that.’

‘Talia! You’re okay too!’

‘Of course!’

‘Don’t forget me,’ said another voice. The curtain was pulled back to reveal Alex in the next bed. His arm was in a sling but otherwise, he looked fine.

‘You guys, I’m so sorry,’ Gideon offered, ‘What was I thinking with that stupid plan? I almost got us all killed!’

‘Don’t be silly,’ Talia said. ‘I’m tougher than that. So is Kuroh.’

‘What about me?’ Alex challenged.

‘You don’t really want me to answer that, do you?’ she joked.

They all laughed before Gideon informed them, ‘By the way, Professor Maxwell—I mean—my dad, told me that Ruby woke up.’

‘No way!’ Alex blurted out.

‘Thank goodness!’ said Talia.

Gideon went on to explain about Professor Blanchard.

‘That poor man,’ Alex commented. ‘I never liked Muggle Studies, but he was a nice guy and a good teacher. He didn’t deserve that.’

‘No one deserves that. I hope the Ministry catch whoever’s behind all this!’ said Talia angrily.

‘Yeah,’ Gideon agreed, then after a few moments he replied. ‘So, are you going to tell us what happened last night? How did you save us and fight that thing?’

Alex leaned closer at this moment. He too was surely dying to know the answer to this question, but apparently, hadn’t asked Talia yet.

'Oh, that,' Talia said quietly, looking over her shoulder as if to confirm they were alone. 'Well, I'm a Pyromagus.’

‘A pile of what?’ Alex challenged.

‘A Pyromagus!’ she hissed, demonstrating by opening her hand to reveal a ball of fire hovering above her palm. ‘I can magically create and manipulate fire without the use of a wand. It’s a very rare ability, but it consumes a lot of magic and it’s difficult to control.’

‘Whoa!’ Gideon exclaimed.

‘That’s so cool!’ Alex remarked. ‘You seemed pretty in control last night, though!’

Talia blushed as she extinguished her flame. ‘Well, it hasn’t always been like that. You wouldn’t think it was so cool if you knew how much training it’s taken to get to this point, or how many bad experiences I had when I was little. I guess you could say that’s why I tend to keep myself to myself.’

‘Sorry,’ Alex offered, ‘I didn’t think.’

‘It’s part of the reason I became friends with you, Gideon. I felt like I understood what you were going through, having dangerous powers. At first, I thought you might be like me.’

‘But why didn’t you tell me?’ Gideon wondered.

‘I’ve never told anyone before,’ Talia explained. ‘Only my parents know. I was going to tell you, honestly, and then, I lost control on Halloween…'

‘The pumpkins,’ Gideon mouthed quietly.

‘That was you?’ Alex guffawed.

Talia shot a glare at him, and he apologised immediately. ‘When his idiot friends attacked you at the party,’ she said, gesturing to Alex, ‘they stopped me from getting to you and they started shocking you. I got so mad and before I knew it, the sky was falling, and I couldn’t stop it.

‘When the other fires started happening around the school, I started to worry I was the one doing it. I thought my power might be going haywire, especially when Ruby was so sure that you weren’t responsible. I thought it had to be too much of a coincidence for there to be a third party prone to fire-based accidents.

‘Then, there was the time after you ran out of the shop in Hogsmeade. When I returned to school, I saw those guys messing with you again. It was four-on-one, so I thought I'd just scare them a little by setting the door alight. I had no idea Professor Long was nearby. I was panicking when we had to face the boggart. I was sure it would be something like what you ended up facing.’

After a moment of shared understanding, Alex asked, ‘And what about you, Gideon? What’s your deal? I mean, you saved my life with that crazy magic but where did it come from?’

‘Well, the shield ring turned out to be from my dad. He seemed to be worried I might be in danger of getting burned,’ Gideon explained.

‘I wonder where he got that idea?’ Talia quipped.

'As for the spell I pulled off, that's a slightly longer story that I'll tell you when we get out of here. Suffice it to say, I think I have things under control now—so long as we're not attacked by any more monsters!'

Alex chuckled while shaking his head, and said, ‘No wonder I didn’t figure out what was going on sooner, there were two of you starting fires as well as Professor Blanchard! Don’t tell me one of you did Binns in, too?’

‘Of course not!’ Talia snapped, ‘What’s the matter with you? Are you sure it’s just your arm that got injured or did you hit your head as well?’

‘Alright, alright!’ Alex pleaded, pretending to hide behind his free arm.

‘I wonder what did happen to Professor Binns then?’ Gideon considered.

‘Maybe Professor Dandridge will tell us before she expels us?’ Talia quipped.

Alex looked worried. 'I hadn't thought about that. You don't think she will, do you?' he asked.

Talia gave Alex a pitiable look and replied, ‘I’d say our chances are about as good as Verity’s camera’s….’

Chapter Text

Later that day, Gideon, Alex and Talia were escorted from the Hospital Wing to the head’s office by Professor Long. She informed them that classes had been cancelled for the day before uttering the gargoyle’s password to let them up, ‘Spattergroit.’

They found Professor Dandridge waiting for them with Professor Maxwell, Jonathan Grimsby, and a very slim woman with a short haircut, who turned out to be Talia’s mother.

The next hour was spent going over everything the three of them had investigated, learned, and done in relation to the fires, including a blow-by-blow of their encounter with the Demon. Talia’s mother seemed horrified while Mr Grimsby spent a lot of the time shaking his head with his eyes closed.

‘You do understand, don’t you, that the staff were conducting our own investigation into the fires?’ said Professor Dandridge sternly. ‘Had we not been delayed by the late discovery of a key piece of information, found only in a library book that went missing from the Restricted Section until—‘

‘I had a note, Professor,’ Alex interjected guiltily, ‘from, err, Professor Trelawney.’

‘Not the same teacher who made this prophecy?’ Mrs Dinescu asked incredulously.

‘Most teachers know better…’ the headmistress stated wearily. ‘Be that as it may, permission is given only to access restricted books, not to remove them from the library!’

‘Alex!’ Mr Grimsby chided.

‘I must ask, why none of you came forward with your information?’ Professor Dandridge asked.

‘We were—I was—stupid, Professor. I’d become mistrustful and I let that cloud my judgement,’ Gideon confessed.

‘No, Gideon, me and Alex are just as much to blame,’ Talia insisted. ‘We could have said something, but we convinced ourselves that for Ruby’s sake, the best thing to do was use what we knew to identify the culprit, in case they got away. Personally, I also wanted to clear Gideon of suspicion once and for all.’

‘We never intended to confront Professor Blanchard,’ Alex insisted. ‘And we never imagined what would happen! But we thought a teacher might be involved, so we didn’t know who to tell, especially since they were using ritual magi—’

Gideon cleared his throat pointedly at this point, not keen for Alex to reveal that they had foolishly suspected the headmistress herself.

‘Yes, well, the fact of the matter is you broke a number of school rules and put yourselves in grave danger!’ the headmistress scolded. Then, she sat back in her chair and sighed, ‘However, had you not delayed the Demon until the teachers arrived, there is no telling what would have happened to the school, the students, or indeed the world beyond Hogwarts, should it have escaped. As such, I can’t bring myself to punish you. I will leave that to your guardians if they so wish.’

Gideon, Alex and Talia exchanged looks of amazement and relief. Then, Gideon remembered, ‘Can we ask, what about Professor Binns?’

‘I’m afraid we can’t be sure about the reasons for Professor Binns’s exorcism,’ the head concluded. ‘We can’t say with any certainty that Professor Blanchard was responsible, but it does seem likely. I would contend that given Professor Binns’s habit of walking through walls, he may have happened upon something he wasn’t supposed to see. Perhaps he ran into Professor Blanchard while patrolling and thought nothing of it? Professor Blanchard, however, may have considered any witnesses a risk to his plan. Alas, I’m afraid we may never know for sure.’

After a pause, Professor Maxwell said, ‘Regarding the prophecy. It will need to be reviewed by the Ministry. In the meantime, I recommend its contents remain private, as well as everything else discussed here today.’

‘My daughter’s abilities included,’ Mrs Dinescu added with a stern expression. ‘Talia isn’t a danger to others, but people would still judge her negatively for being a Pyromagus. Just look what the Prophet did to Gideon.’

‘Agreed,’ said Gideon’s father with a nod. ‘A more suitable narrative to explain things will be provided shortly. Until then, please keep everything you know to yourselves.’

The three children nodded silently.

A few minutes later, they all made to leave the room when the headmistress asked Gideon to hold back. Jonathan Grimsby and Marcus Maxwell hovered awkwardly, apparently unsure of their place now with regard to the boy's guardianship.

‘I’ll just be a moment, gentlemen. I’ll send Gideon back to his Common Room afterwards,’ she said, and they both left with the others.

Gideon gulped. He couldn’t imagine what Professor Dandridge needed to speak with him about alone after everything they had discussed.

‘I’ve given you a lot of leeway this year, Gideon,’ she stated. ‘More than I should have, because of my guilt over sealing your magic. You remember me telling you that we had found no evidence of your magic at the scene of Charms classroom or Halloween fires?’

'Err, yes,' Gideon replied, trying to see where the conversation was leading.

‘Well, I didn’t mention the Student Lounge, did I?’

Gideon’s stomach tightened and he dropped his head. How had he missed that? It had been an opportunity for him to come clean about the one large fire he had actually been responsible for.

‘I know exactly what transpired that evening thanks to a certain watchful pair of eyes,' she hinted, indicating in the direction of the paintings of former head’s that lined the wall. Professor Albus Dumbledore was looking down at Gideon over his half-moon spectacles with a knowing expression, just as he did when hanging over the Student Lounge fireplace. ‘However, punishing Mr Stevens and his comrades for their dreadful behaviour would also have meant compounding the suspicion growing around you.’

Gideon felt incredibly guilty. It had been before he knew anything about his dark magic, but he should have told Professor Dandridge or Professor Voronov at some point. In retrospect, he knew they would have understood.

‘As for Halloween, I’ll be having a separate conversation with Miss Dinescu later, but I understand that both of you had unique reasons for not coming to me at the time of the respective incidents, or indeed more recently. However, I hope that you will be able to trust me more in the future. What do you say to a fresh start?'

Gideon nodded fervently in agreement and apologised profusely.

‘Good. In that case, I shall return this to you and pretend as though I’ve never seen it before,’ she said with a wink as she rolled the undamaged Camostone across her desk. Then, holding up what appeared to be the melted, crushed remains of Verity’s camera, she advised, ‘This, I’m afraid, was unsalvageable. Now, run along.’

Gideon smiled sheepishly, grabbed the crystal orb, and left the office quickly. As he stepped off the twisting stairs below, however, he was assaulted by someone. He fumbled in his sleeve for his wand before he realised that the person holding him tightly around the shoulders was his brother.

‘Dad told me everything. I’m so sorry, Gid! I’ve been such a terrible bro!’

‘Yeah, you have,’ Gideon growled, wrenching himself free of his brother’s grip.

There was desperation in Anthony’s expression. ‘It’s no excuse, I know, but I was just so upset over mum—' he said.

‘So was I!’ Gideon interjected fiercely.

‘Of course, you were—I knew you must be—but after she was hurt—’

‘I was hurt too, you know! Or did you think that stupid eye patch was some kind of fashion statement?’

‘Right—I know—but after, dad said all this crazy stuff… He was crazy! Like I’ve never seen him,’ Anthony explained, shaking his head, and running a hand through his hair. ‘Then, when you showed up here, I couldn’t believe it! I thought it was proof of what dad had been saying. I shouldn’t have believed it. Maybe I didn’t really, but then those fires started, and everyone found out you were my bro, and even the Prophet was talking about you… I didn’t know what to think!’

Gideon continued to scowl at Anthony, but something about his big brother’s watery eyes made it hard to remain cross with him. ‘You could have just asked me,’ he said with considerably less enmity.

‘I know, I should have. I wanted to after those guys in my house cornered you, but then everything got weird. I’m… I’m just so sorry!’

The two brothers fell silent for a few moments. Gideon averted his eyes, shook his head, and bit the inside of his cheek in frustration. Being angry didn’t change the fact that he missed his brother.

You should hit me!’ Anthony suddenly suggested, throwing his arms open wide dramatically. ‘Go on, I deserve it!’

'Alright,' Gideon replied immediately, and to his brother's surprise, punched him in the gut with all his strength.

Anthony doubled over with his arms wrapped around his torso. 'Seriously, little dude?' he squealed breathlessly.

‘You think that’s bad?’ Gideon teased with immense satisfaction. ‘Just wait until Jen gets a hold of you!’

***

In the Great Hall that evening, Professor Dandridge gave a brief, highly edited explanation of what had transpired in the Courtyard and announced Professor Blanchard’s passing.

She had explained earlier in her office, that until they knew the identity of Professor Blanchard’s controller, they had no choice but to attribute the fires to him. It was unfortunate, but Gideon’s father had confirmed this would be the Ministry line.

Students such as the Barrington sisters connected Gideon, Alex and Talia’s earlier absence with her story, and for once, positive rumours about Gideon began circling. These were encouraged by the headmistress’ welcome reopening of the Quidditch Cup. The days that followed seemed to zoom by.

With permission from Gideon and guidance from his father, Caroline wrote a new exposé about what had transpired, with some key omissions, of course. She used it to clear Gideon’s name and attack the Daily Prophet’s irresponsible reporting.

It featured exclusive interviews with the headmistress, Gideon, and others from the school. It also included quotes from Minster Granger-Weasley and Mr Draco Malfoy of the Wizengamot, who each accused the other of using Gideon to score political points.

Caroline sold the story to the Quibbler, which enjoyed its second-highest grossing edition since they had begun publishing and offered her the role of Senior Editor.

After the article, many of the students who had been withdrawn from the school started returning, including Tim, which lifted the spirits of the third-year Slytherins. After Breakfast the following morning, Ruby appeared in the Entrance Hall, flanked by her siblings.

As soon as Ruby spotted Gideon exiting the Great Hall, she made a beeline for him and threw her arms around him. Talia got the same treatment when she showed up moments later.

‘You saved me!’ she whispered to them both excitedly. ‘I knew you would figure it out!’

‘Just barely!’ said Gideon, beaming ear to ear. ’But how did you?’

Ruby looked over her shoulder to see if any passers-by were in earshot, and shared in an undertone, ‘Well, I think I had my first proper vision!’

‘You had a vision of Blanchard?’ Talia asked.

‘Well, no, actually,’ Ruby clarified, looking a little embarrassed now. ‘I saw myself writing the message on the wall!’

‘Wait,’ Talia said, her brow furrowed in confusion. ‘So, you didn’t know what the message meant? Does that even make sense?’

Ruby shook her head and chuckled. 'Somehow, I just knew I had to go. Then, when I got to the Astronomy Tower and heard footsteps approaching, I figured what I saw must have been real and that it was time. I guess I’ve still got a long way to go as a Seer!'

***

The atmosphere in the castle changed significantly as June progressed. Many of the people who had been accusing Gideon of starting the fires or jinxing him in the corridors actually apologised to him. People were generally more friendly to him, except for Greg Stevens and Jason Crawley, who when next crossed paths with Gideon, knocked him to the floor only to find themselves jinxed by every nearby student.

Still remorseful, Anthony began spending as much of his free time as he could with Gideon, to the point Gideon insisted his brother revise for his N.E.W.T. examinations if only to get some space from him. Ruby's siblings also stuck closer to her, but Gideon enjoyed getting to know them better.

While things were still awkward between Gideon and his father, their interactions in the remaining Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons had at least progressed, if being awarded House Points by Professor Maxwell for the first time that year could be considered a sign of progress. Gideon chose to believe so, but he was still too unsure of his feelings to press the issue.

Alex made an amazing catch of the Golden Snitch in the last Quidditch match, which secured Gryffindor and Anthony the Quidditch Cup. It was hard to be mad about it considering how well-fought the games had been. It was only disappointing that their victory also pushed them into the lead for the House Championship, just ten points ahead of Slytherin.

Once exams were finally out of the way, which Gideon felt sure he had done exceptionally well on, barring Astronomy and Ancient Runes, of course, the school year finally came to a close and the End of Year Feast took place. The Great Hall’s usual mix of ceiling banners and wall tapestries were all red and emblazoned with golden lions, to mark Gryffindor’s impending House Championship victory.

‘It’s been an exciting year at Hogwarts,’ announced Professor Dandridge, ‘more exciting than I could have imagined when I accepted the job as headmistress. From the outset, something I hoped for was inter-house cooperation. I’m happy to say that I’ve seen plenty of examples of it. You come to this school to learn magic, but the greatest magic to be found at Hogwarts lies in the bonds you form with one another.

‘That said, there’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition. So, without further ado, I must award the House Cup, for which I'm told the race for first and third place are both a mere ten points apart this year! However… I have a few last-minute points to award.’

The students began murmuring loudly and Gideon distinctly heard someone say, ‘Uh-oh!’

The headmistress continued, ‘Firstly, to Miss Natalia Dinescu. For keeping a cool head under fire, I award forty points.’

Everybody clapped, the Ravenclaws especially loudly. Gideon saw that Talia was trying to act nonchalant, but her cheeks were bright red.

‘Next, to Mr Alex Grimsby. For impressive deductive reasoning, I award forty points.’

The Gryffindors went wild for this boost to their lead.

‘Third, To Miss Ruby Williams. For keen insight and unshakeable faith in her friends, I award fifty points.'

The Hufflepuffs cheered loudly, realising they had tied with Ravenclaw, and patted Ruby on the back as she hid behind her hands with embarrassment.

‘Finally, for the remarkable resilience and strength of character he has shown this year, I award Mr Gideon Drake, fifty points.’

The room erupted. Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were clapping but most of the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables were both hooting and hollering madly. They quickly realised, though, that the result was ambiguous, and looked to Professor Dandridge.

‘Tied for second place, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,’ she announced, ‘and in first place, also tied, Gryffindor and Slytherin!’

The cheers returned with gusto as half of the red decorations turned green. Gryffindor didn’t seem to mind sharing as long as they still won, and Slytherin had just gone from second place to joint first. Gideon’s points had won them the House Cup.

***

The Slytherins partied hard in the Common Room that evening. Gideon, Dorian, Eoin, Gio, Tim, Sasha and Cheryl talked, laughed, sang, and danced together into the night, just as they had months before. It took a visit from their Head of House at two in the morning to finally get them all off to bed, but Professor Voronov couldn’t conceal his own delight at winning the House Cup. Such a high point made packing their trunks the following morning a rather melancholy experience.

That feeling resonated with Gideon as he stepped onto the platform at Hogsmeade train station. In contrast to his solitary journey to the school in September, the return trip would be spent with friends. He, Ruby, and Talia would be sharing a compartment. However, when the train stopped in London, he would have to say goodbye to them.

Alex had declined to join them. He did, however, share one of the horseless carriages that pulled itself to the station with them. He also had a lengthy conversation with the three of them before boarding the train, much to the displeasure of Greg and Jason, who were sulking nearby, waiting for him.

‘Let’s meet up over the summer,’ Alex suggested to Gideon, ‘I’ll write to you. I promise this time! The only reason I didn’t before was because my dad told me you probably weren’t going to Hogwarts. I thought it would be like rubbing salt in the wound or something.’

‘I get it,’ Gideon assured him, ‘I’ll write too.’

‘Me too!’ Ruby added.

‘And you, Natalia?’ Alex asked cheekily, ‘Will you write to me?'

‘I’ll save it for your obituary,’ Talia retorted darkly, and the cat in her arms hissed at the boy loudly.

‘Talia!’ Ruby gasped.

Alex merely burst out laughing. ‘I think she’s warming up to me,’ he jested, patting Gideon on the shoulder as he picked up his trunk. ‘Well, see you all soon!’

‘Have a good Summer,’ Ruby and Gideon called back.

***

Gideon wasn’t certain what he would find waiting for him on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. His apprehension rose steadily as the train drew ever closer to London. When the Hogwarts Express finally rolled into King's Cross Station, Gideon's heart began to thump in his chest.

‘What’s the matter?’ Ruby asked, noticing beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

‘Nothing,’ he assured her, but he became a little shaky as the great steam engine came to a halt and it was time to pull his trunk off the train.

‘I’ll let you know about visiting for my birthday,’ Ruby told Gideon and Talia with tears in her eyes and a huge grin. After giving them both a tight hug, she ran towards her siblings while waving.

Close by, Gideon saw Alex meet with his father. Mr Grimsby met Gideon’s eyes and flashed him a smile with a nod, which Gideon returned.

‘Well, it’s been a blast, Gideon. Don’t burn anything!’ Talia teased before heaving her trunk in the direction of her mother.

‘You either!’ Gideon called out to her, and she waved coolly over her shoulder without looking back.

He chuckled to himself and shook his head before turning his attention to the platform. He exchanged goodbyes and waves with his dormmates, who passed by and met each of their waiting families, then continued to scan the crowd.

‘I’ve got this, bro,’ said Anthony, grabbing hold of Gideon’s trunk and carrying it along with his own a little further down the busy platform. He arrived at a group of people with an empty trolley, loaded the two trunks onto it, and turned back to Gideon with an expectant look on his face. Next to him, stood Marcus, Annabeth, Jennifer and Caroline Maxwell, all looking as nervous as Gideon felt.

Gideon took a deep breath, found his feet, and walked over to them, where they each greeted him with hugs of varying awkwardness. 'Where to?' Gideon asked uncertainly.

‘First, to the hospital, to visit your mother,’ said Marcus Maxwell.

‘Then, home,’ said Annabeth Maxwell.

‘Home?’ Gideon queried.

‘Home,’ his father replied pointedly.

Gideon smiled brightly and the group headed up the platform towards the hidden barrier. As they did, they passed a man selling copies of the Daily Prophet. Gideon was no longer interested in what the “rag” of a newspaper, as Talia referred to it, had to say, but he couldn’t help catching the day’s headline out of the corner of his eye:

WIZENGAMOT MEMBER ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY: MALFOY FOR MINISTER?

The End