43 Oz Emrys

"Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus," Dumbledore mused as the door to his office closed behind Oz. "That boy certainly has a way with words."

Both Dumbledore and Hagrid watched the door close as Oz left Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore stared on for a moment longer, allowing a sigh to escape his mouth. Meanwhile, Hagrid, who had watched the previous situation in stunned silence, finally turned to Dumbledore and spoke.

"I mean no disrespect, Dumbledore, but didn't you give the lad too much? The tome makes sense, as it's his birthright, but a Phoenix tear and feather seems a bit heavy-handed."

"On the contrary, my dear Hagrid," Dumbledore replied. "I believe that, to some degree, I should have offered more."

Hagrid looked at Dumbledore, perplexed by what he had just heard. He could tell that Oz was special; there was no doubt about that. His talents, intelligence, and smarts far exceeded those of any other wizard his age. But the way Dumbledore treated him felt different, even considering those facts. Hagrid continued to stare at Dumbledore with a questioning gaze, hoping for the headmaster to elaborate further.

Dumbledore smiled as he saw Hagrid's curious stare.

"Hagrid, what do you believe to be the most important thing to a witch or wizard?"

Hagrid held a slight confusion in his gaze before answering.

"Wouldn't it be power... or perhaps smarts?"

Dumbledore chuckled at Hagrid's answer, leaving Hagrid all the more confused. Dumbledore shook his head and began to explain.

"While indeed, power and brains are integral to a wizard's importance, you are neglecting to think about Oz's age and heritage. Something that makes Oz much scarier is his potential."

"Potential?"

"Yes... Look at Oz compared to the rest of his year. His mannerisms, his confidence, and his cold words are proof that he has a far more mature mindset compared to his peers. The power he showcased recently was probably only a glimpse of what he's capable of..."

Dumbledore walked over from his desk and looked out the window of his office. A slight glimmer of light shone through the window, illuminating his face, showcasing a slight grin. Turning to Hagrid again, he spoke further.

"Hogwarts is but a stepping stone in his story, that's what I can see in his eyes. His worldview has far expanded past our school, and his mind is already set on a much bigger picture. Such a student is important to keep with us. He showcased his power and intellect today specifically to show off his value. If I were to antagonize him, he could easily leave this school and get into another wizarding school in another country. The only real thing that made him come to this school in the first place is probably Merlin..."

Hagrid stood slack-jawed as Dumbledore described Oz. Despite the meeting seeming hostile to him, considering Oz's sharp words, Dumbledore wasn't angry or upset; he was impressed. There was definitely caution woven into his words, but that caution was more surrounding the fact that he wanted to keep the boy around rather than push him away.

Dumbledore glanced at a clock in the room, noticing the time.

"Oh dear, is that the time already? It looks like we spent too much time dwelling over these matters, my dear Hagrid. You best be on your way."

"Of course, Dumbledore," Hagrid replied.

Hagrid headed out of the office, leaving Dumbledore to his thoughts. Dumbledore walked over to a specific part of his office and activated a magical device.

Dumbledore raised his wand and pressed it against his temple, extracting a thin white magical strand from it. Looking down at the water that mirrored his face, he pushed that strand down into the water.

As it fell into the water, the events that had just transpired started to play out again. Dumbledore watched the events unfold from an outsider's perspective, scrutinizing Oz's words and actions.

"A double-edged sword... that's what this boy is..." Dumbledore mumbled as he continued to watch the Pensieve.

*

After leaving Dumbledore's office, I walked the halls of the castle slowly, trying to contain my excitement about the gains I had made in the meeting. Obtaining the feather and the tome were both crucial steps for me in learning more about Merlin, and the Phoenix tear was an added bonus that I couldn't pass up seeing as I had the opportunity.

But as soon as that excitement came, my emotions cooled as if doused by a bucket of cold water. It was a strange feeling, as if my mind and body were telling me that this was nothing to get worked up about. Ever since the ritual, I had experienced this sensation a few times. It made me realize that my transformation had not only affected my physique and appearance, but also my emotions, which seemed to be in a state of constant change. It was almost as if my emotional responses were being muted, or at least dampened.

It was honestly kind of frightening, but it also felt oddly natural. I couldn't quite explain it, but it was as if this new emotional state was the way things were meant to be.

As I walked through the hallowed halls of the school, I eventually made my way back to the dungeons. When I entered the common room, it was filled with Slytherin students who all stopped what they were doing to watch me. Compared to the ridicule they had shown me before, their gazes now contained hints of fear, worry, and, from some, hints of awe. I ignored them all and headed towards my room, not paying them any attention. Just as I was about to leave the common room, I heard a shaky voice speak up behind me.

I recognized the tone of the voice.

"O-Oz... Is it true?"

Turning around, I saw the boy who had spoken to me. He was wrapped in bandages and winced in pain as he spoke. When our eyes met, he recoiled in fear, intimidated by my gaze.

"Is what true, Zach?" I asked, my voice dripping with ice.

The boy was Zach Doreen, the same one who had attacked me with the other Slytherins.

"P-People are saying you are Merlin's descendant..."

All the other Slytherins in the common room started to look at each other in anticipation of my answer. It was only natural that this sort of rumor would spread. People knew that Merlin's descendant had been discovered at the beginning of the year, and then I appeared out of nowhere, a Slytherin orphan with seemingly no heritage and power beyond my years. It was only logical that people would speculate about my identity.

I chuckled coolly as I looked around the common room at all my fellow students. I allowed a cold smile to cross my face as I spoke.

"Well, allow me to introduce myself properly to you all, seeing as you are now interested. You all know me as Oz Osbourne. This is the name I was given at the orphanage I stayed in before coming to Hogwarts. I guess you could call it my 'Muggle' name."

I walked over to Zach, who froze up as he looked at my eyes. I wondered if he had even noticed the change in my appearance at all, as his face was washed with fear.

"My 'Magical' name, however, is a bit different..." As I spoke, I took in the priceless expressions of all the students around me.

"My real name is Oz Emrys. A pleasure to meet you all..."