82: Steps towards the future

(Nathan POV)

So...….. I think it all became confusing, right? So let me explain. That thing in my head, when we fought, killed me. And as a result, my defense weakened momentarily. And that was when he put me in this illusion where my mother and father were alive and we were a happy non magical family. And then he tried to coax me to open the seal so that he could take over my body. I would have opened it if it meant staying in that illusion forever. Luckily he killed me before I could have undone the seal. The shock pulled me out of the illusion. Now… who was he... hmmm? How should I explain this one? That thing was another creature inside of me. I know right.... That is what I thought as well. Is it my body or a damn zoo? Well, nothing can be done. Perks of being the cursed child of the Morningstars. Well...… it was another creature inside my body but it was kind of docile. And I did not know it before but it seems that it took me as its master. I needed to do more research on this thing. And then I got out of the illusion and started to fight that bastard again. But this time things were different. Because I had help. Together the both of us were wrecking him. Wait.... That was wrong of me. We weren't wrecking him.... We cad completely wrecked him.

*THUD*

*COUGH*

"Well damn...… Can't say that I like the feeling of pain. It's not a good feeling I will have to give you that Nat..." He spoke while coughing out blood.

"Well yeah. I am not a masochist so you are not one either. After all, you are somewhat of a reflection of my personality." I answered as I plunged Aurora into his abdomen.

"ARGHHH" He tried to block his sound but trust me when I say that the pain increases by a lot when the blade is twisted.

*COUGH*

He coughed out some more blood.

"I knew that pain would be difficult for you. After all, even though you have all my experiences and memories, still I am the one enduring all the shit out there, Not you. It was obvious that you would be weak to pain." That was a total bluff. It was not obvious at all. Even I was surprised.

"Still you have to admit that you enjoyed the life I gave you." He smiled, blood dripping from his mouth.

"Not a bit…" Another bluff.

"Haaaaahhh. So, what now?"

"Now I kill you....." That was the truth.

I pulled out my sword and "Will you please do the honor." I said to the cloud of smoke holding him down.

"It… *GROWL* will be my pleasure….. MY MASTER" I received the replay in a very deep voice.

I did not need to look back in order to know that it had killed him. It was kind of wrong to use the word 'kill' because he had not literally died. He had just disappeared for a while. And when I would come back here he would still be here. I looked toward the cloud of smoke that was slowly disappearing and we locked eyes.

"It was a pleasure working with you my master. I shall patiently wait the day when you summon me by your own will...…" And he disappeared completely.

"That ...…. Was ominous." I also turned and faced the giant stalk. Finally, I was going in the right direction. I slowly walked towards the stalk. As if it knew I was coming, the wines started to rearrange and unwind. And by the time I had reached the stalk, there was a gaping hole in it.

"Now... what am I going to find next….." With my hopes up that I would not find any more difficulties next, I passed through the hole. And guess what. I did not expect to find what was in there even a bit.

It had a tall roof and a really wide hall. The pillars were decorated with royal blue and white. And there was a carpet.... Like a red carpet but it was also blue. And just like all the other things…. I had no idea how it had come to be.....

"IT'S A FREAKING LIBRARY...…" And yes there was a library in my mind.

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(Beatris POV)

"Do you guys realize how much of a pinch I am in because of you three right now?" Ana was sitting in front of us holding her head in her hands. "I was never biased but the number of points I will have to deduct from our house because of the three of you is making me reconsider that." She looked up "Your explanations must be damn good I tell you."

(What should we say now... I don't know…)

While I was still thinking Augustine beat me to it. He raised his hands and started to talk. I could not understand a single word of what he was saying. But Ana did.

"You ...…. What...… How" And from the looks of it she was not believing what he was saying. They continued their conversation for some more and then she turned towards me.

"And what were you doing there Beatris?" She asked

"I...….. I...….. I" I still had not thought about the proper answer to give to her.

(Should I tell her about the voices that I hear? Maybe she could tell me something. But the question is should I trust her.)

"Don't even try to lie." She judged what I was a thing. "There are spells that can tell me if you are lying. And Aug has already told me about most of the story...… So be truthful. Why were you there Beatris? I would have taken it as a coincidence, but it is the second time." She moved closer. Her face wore a frown.

"I...." And I must give up. I mean it was always unsettling whenever she was in this mood. No matter how many times I saw it, I could not get used to the angry Ana. In my mind, she was always the cheerful and jolly girl that loved to play pranks. "I heard a voice," I replied softly.

"YOU WHAT...…." But the reply was quite loud.

"I…..I...…I HEARD SOME VOICES." I grabbed my head instinctively to protect myself.

"I am not going to hit you Beatris so please sit straight." I heard her annoyed sound.

"Okay...." I sat straight.

(Sure felt as if you were going to hit me.)

"What kind of voices." She asked.

"It was...…." I tried to remember.

(Hmm what were the voices like.)

"A hiss. If I had to describe it...." I say a shock in her eyes. And then as if a lightning bolt had passed through her body, she grabbed me. It was too fast of a movement for a human to do. I had never seen anyone move that fast before. Or had I?

"WHAT DID IT SAY…." She asked me staring into my eyes. I could not even look away. It was as if she was using her deep blue eyes to peer straight into my soul.

"It…. It... it wanted to kill someone." And I saw her soul leave her body. Like literally...…..

"This...…" She sat back down.... Her eyes, wide from shock. "Now that I..." She placed her head on her hands. "It all makes sense now but then….." she was thinking aloud.

"Ummmm are you okay big sis Ana..." Anna touched her shoulder.

"Hmmm, what? Yeah yeah, I am fine. ...….." She exhaled and then spoke again. "Listen to now the three of you. Remember that whatever happens, do not follow those voices again. It might get dangerous for you a lot if you do that." And then she pointed at me "And especially you Beatris. Do not follow those voices again and do not tell anyone about them either. And never ever try to answer a call like that if you hear it." Her tone was really stern.

"Okay I won't...." I tried to assure her…..

"NEVER...." She almost shouted. "You understand me?" She said once more.

"YES," I replied.

"Good. Now….. if I see any of you doing anything suspicious again, it's fifty points from Gryffindor.

"FIFTY!"

"FIFTY!"

Both me and Anna shouted. And believe me, if Augustine could talk he would have shouted as well.

"Now you...." She pointed at me.

"Me?" I asked.

"Yes, you. Go to sleep."

"Yes mam" I saluted and then I was in the covers.

"And the both of you." She pointed at them. "Back to the dorms. NOW" There was almost Mcgonagall level authority in her voice. And minutes later only me and Ana were in the room.

"I know you are still awake." She spoke. I did not reply.

"I am saying this for your own good but don't try anything stupid. You are still a kid. Let the adults do their jobs. Just play and study. Eat and sleep. You do not need to shoulder all the burdens in the world. They are not yours to bear Beatris. Learn to ask for help. There are people here who will always give you, their time. There will always be people who will listen to you. So if you have anything to say..... just come look for me." These few words.... They were not too deep and they were not that many either but for some reason.... I felt my eyes get wet. And then a single tear trickled down my cheek. Immediately I got up.

"Ana...." And there was no one there. She only spoke about a second ago and the distance between my bed and the door was at least a few meters. And there was nowhere to hide nearby. She could not have apparated I knew that for sure because the wards around Hogwarts did not allow that. So...… How was she able to move that fast? It wasn't humanly possible. I had never seen anyone move that fast.

(No one can move that fast. I have never...….) But then I realized that I had seen someone before.

(Nathan….. He also did that once before. In the hospital wing. A moment, he was on the bed and then in the next he was not..... I remember. Ana also moved like that just now. What are these siblings....)

I just could not figure it out…..

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(Nathan POV)

I took a look back at my handy work and although I am not much of a self-obsessed narcissist, I had to say that my work was something. The runes were placed beautifully on the front door of the library. As the door closed the runes activated and with those the defenses were completed. Not like there was much for me to do. My mindscape was already formed when I arrived here. There were defenses in the form of those tigers and even the beast and that bastard were protecting the entrance to the library. The library was actually a form of storage for my memories. I did not know how it had come to be this organized but it was like this when I arrived. I just had to make a layer of fake memories and spread them outside the mindscape to fool anyone who would try to penetrate. And then I had to form a barrier. And right now I had done all that… it was time for me to leave. So I exited the library and started to walk into the darkness.

(With all the runes and defenses, I think I will be able to undo a part of the seal and grow my powers.)

I knew for a fact that my body could handle my power, not all of it but still to some extent. The problem was my mind and that was also only due to the bitch inside my head.

Slowly I opened my eyes and looked around.

(It's not like I had a roommate.....)

The room was as empty as I had left it. No one wanted to share a room with me. So all of them had submitted an application to be transferred to other rooms. And I had also petitioned to get a room for one person. I got off my bed. My stomach was rumbling.

|Hello... you there…|

I tried to provoke him but no answer came. It was understandable considering all the external and internal defenses that I had placed. He was too weak to push through them. But it was not for long. The moment I would release the portion of my seal, he would also receive a boost and he would come back to make my life hell. But what had to be done had to be done. So, I opened my cupboard and pulled out a charcoal stick. I need to write a magic formula or circle... whatever it was, to release the seal.

"So, let's begin...." I said to myself as I started to draw on the floor.