Freaks: Year One

He Taught Me The Truth

"No! Wait...I mean yes?" The boy tried. "I wanted you to come back, I just wasn't sure you were because you haven't shown up in a few days."

Alabaster felt quite bad that this kid thought he had stopped showing with no warning. "I am sorry, I have been busy."

"It's okay." The boy said, wiping his eyes.

Alabaster cocked his head to the side. "Are you okay? You're crying."

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are." Alabaster said. "What's wrong? Are you crying because you thought I was not going to be your friend anymore? Oh, I am sorry-"

"Well I was worried about that." The boy said. "But no, it's not that." He folded the paper he was holding in his hands. "It's not important."

"It must be if it made you cry." Alabaster said.

The boy shook his head. "It's stupid, don't worry about it."

Even though the boy said not to worry about it, Alabaster was worrying about it.

The boy was still holding the folded up piece of paper, awkwardly. "Do you think we can change the subject?"

"Are you sure?"

"Please."

Alabaster gave a small sigh, but asked, "So what are you most excited about when you go to Hogwarts?"

The boy looked relieved that he had asked that question."Hmmm, well, I'm excited for History Of Magic."

"But haven't you read all the history?" Alabaster signalled to the many thick textbooks this kid had laying around the treehouse.

The boy shook his head. "That probably isn't even half of it, and these aren't all magical history books."

Alabaster was a bit confused by that, and he picked up one of the books. "Are some of these muggle history books?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah, they touch on wars, and other things like that."

Alabaster looked up from the cover. "And why would you want to read about wars?" He looked at the boy. "Why do you want to learn muggle history, if you're going to Hogwarts anyway?"

"Well I think it is important to know what life was like back then in the muggle, and wizarding worlds, and since I am going to Hogwarts later, I need to learn muggle subjects now." He picked up another book, and held it up for him to see.

Alabaster saw it had a couple vials with colourful liquid in it. He bit his lip, unable to decipher the title in the dark. "Er...potions?"

The boy shook his head. "Kinda...it's science!"

"What is science?" Asked Alabaster, interested.

"It is a mix of chemistry, which is the most like potions, and you learn about the different ecosystems, and different types of liquids, and solids, and gases, and matter, and-" He realised Alabaster looked confused. "Maybe you reading it would make more sense."

Alabaster shook his head. He wouldn't be able to decipher the words quickly enough without it seeming suspicious.

"Are you nervous because it's a muggle textbook?" Alabaster nodded slowly. That was also another reason, if his parents found out he was learning muggle things, and hanging out with a halfblood he would be done for. "Well don't worry." The boy said. "You learn about animal habitats, what animals eat, and where they live, whether they are a predator, or prey, a carnivore, or-"