2 One of us

In a room filled with a motley group of people, their attire rugged and worn, there was an air of tension that hung heavy in the air. Among them were those who appeared human, alongside others whose features hinted at a more mystical origin.

Amidst this eclectic gathering, a woman sat beside a cradle, her head covered in a silk scarf. With gentle movements, she rocked the cradle from side to side, her eyes a deep shade of purple reflecting both exhaustion and a hint of contentment. Her body bore the marks of the hardships endured during childbirth, a testament to the sacrifices made to bring forth new life.

Throughout the room, silence reigned supreme, broken only by the soft creaking of the cradle and the rhythmic breathing of its occupant. Each member of the assembly gazed at the woman with a mixture of emotions – some with annoyance, others with a sense of peace.

Yet, in the midst of this eerie tranquility, the sudden eruption of a scream shattered the stillness, followed by a deafening explosion that reverberated through the room.

"GREY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The name, charged with emotion, echoed in the minds of all present, etched into their very beings as a harbinger of tumultuous events to come.

***

In the depths of a somber mind, trapped in the confines of a prolonged coma, unfamiliar sensations stirred. The concept of language was foreign, yet thoughts flitted through the mind, disjointed and elusive. Was it capable of speech? Perhaps, but the idea seemed distant, intangible.

Restlessness gnawed at the core as the sensation of movement, akin to a beating, surged through the consciousness. It was an anomaly, an unexpected rhythm that pulsed with a life of its own. And then, a revelation – the sensation of breathing, a strange yet comforting rhythm that soothed even as it unsettled.

A dry gulp, followed by a surge of senses – the dampening scent of unfamiliar surroundings, accompanied by an intrusive noise that grated on the ears. Then, a voice, husky and urgent, pierced the haze.

"Look! He's opening his eyes!" the voice exclaimed, its urgency cutting through the fog of unconsciousness.

Blinded by the harsh glare of light, the boy blinked, gradually adjusting to his newfound awareness. Before him loomed the face of a middle-aged man, his touch gentle yet insistent.

"Look at his eyes – they're strange," the man, Tony, observed, pointing towards the boy's eyes, aglow with an ethereal emerald hue.

The boy blinked again, feeling the tension in his nerves ease with each movement.

"Yeah – is he a half-kin?" queried Bell, her own ocean-blue eyes meeting the boy's gaze.

"H-half-kin?" the boy echoed, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

"No, I don't think so – well, we don't know," Tony replied with a shrug, his attention momentarily diverted as he spotted a fleeing slug.

"Where do you think you're going, lad?" Tony chuckled, plucking up the creature with ease.

With a grin, he presented the slug to the boy. "This here – saved your ass for good."

It appeared to be an ordinary slug, yet before introducing it into the boy's body, Tony had imbued it with a potent herb known as the "Janitor's Fern." Discovered after the Great Wizarding War, this fern transformed any snail into a powerful purifying creature, though at the cost of its own life.

"Now discard it – yuck," complained Bell, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

Tony closed his fist around the slug, and with a small poof accompanied by a burning smell, the creature was reduced to ashes. The boy watched in awe as small waves danced around Tony's hand, swirling like wisps of wind.

Shaking his hand to release the ashes, Tony sighed and settled himself cross-legged on the floor, with Bell beside him.

"Now... how are you?" Tony inquired, his tone gentle yet probing.

How am I? The question echoed in the boy's mind, a puzzle to unravel in the wake of his newfound consciousness. Just moments ago, the very concept of words seemed beyond his grasp, and now he was expected to articulate his feelings.

It all felt like a dream, an illusion too surreal to comprehend.

"Ugh, old man, don't ask such things. He's still in shock," Bell interjected, pushing Tony aside and kneeling in front of the boy.

As she reached into her pocket, the boy couldn't help but notice the ginger strands of her unkempt hair framing her face, a stark contrast to the seriousness of their situation. Despite the circumstances, he couldn't deny that she was beautiful.

"Gorgeous," he murmured under his breath, his words barely audible.

Bell's eyes widened slightly, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. "What did you say?" she asked, her voice betraying a hint of uncertainty.

But the boy remained silent, fearing he had misspoken and inadvertently offended her.

Lowering her gaze, Bell retrieved a vial from her pocket, filled with water. Supporting his head with her hand, she brought the vial to his lips, urging him to drink.

Hesitant at first, the boy took a sip before clutching the vial and gulping down its contents in a few frantic swallows, choking slightly in the process.

"What is this?" he asked, his voice trembling with uncertainty – the first coherent sentence he had spoken since awakening.

"Water... how do you not know what water is?" Bell questioned, puzzled by his ignorance.

"Anyways, boy, we need to get out of here," Tony interjected, rising to his feet and gesturing for them to follow.

Confusion clouded the boy's mind as he struggled to make sense of the urgency surrounding him. Who were these people? And where were they supposed to go?

"What? Get up, we gotta get moving before the supremes' dogs come here," Tony urged, his voice tinged with impatience as he reached for the boy's wrist. But to his surprise, the boy remained rooted to the spot, his expression one of bewilderment.

"Who are you?" the boy questioned, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "And who is Supreme?"

Tony blinked, taken aback by the sudden barrage of questions. "What... is this place? And what am I?" the boy continued, his tone growing more desperate with each inquiry.

A look of concern crossed Tony's face as he struggled to find an explanation. "What is a dog?" the boy pressed on, his confusion palpable.

Realization dawned on Tony as he clutched his head in disbelief. "Oh no... don't tell me you have amnesia!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with dread.

"Amnesia?" the boy echoed, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Amnesia is when... it's when you can't remember things," Tony explained slowly, his tone gentle yet fraught with concern. "It's like... your memories are lost, and you don't remember who you are or where you come from."

The boy's expression shifted, a flicker of fear mingling with confusion as he grappled with this newfound knowledge. "I... I don't remember anything," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Bell's expression morphed from confusion to slight anger as she grabbed Tony's collar, her frustration boiling over. "You said he'd save us!" she shouted, her voice filled with accusation as Tony squirmed to avoid her gaze.

"I bet my life on the line to get into that damn place to save a practically disabled dead weight!" Bell's anger was palpable as she vented her frustration. She had risked everything – her life, her dreams – for something like this.

"You said HE'S THE ONE!" she insisted, her voice trembling with emotion.

"And I am right! He is the one – the one who's gonna be important to us!" Tony fought back, his conviction unwavering.

The boy watched them, his confusion deepening as he struggled to comprehend their exchange. "I-i am? What am I?" he ventured, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

Tony glanced at Bell, who huffed in frustration and stormed out of the hut, leaving behind a cloud of tension.

Turning back to the boy, Tony's gaze softened as he met the pale-haired, weak-looking boy with emerald eyes. "Wizard," he said solemnly, his voice tinged with reverence. "You are a wizard – one of the last, one of us."