When All is Lost One is Found

Chapter 37: First Step in Trusting

He took a step forward, revealing his presence. The Slytherin and the Ravenclaw were whispering under books and in front of them, not too far, the back of a young woman with a bushy hair trembled.

He made a fist and he was tempted to slam the boy's head against the table.

He moved until he was at the back of the two students, knowing his shadow was appearing on the wooden table with each step he took. He hoped they would start crying in fear.

"If you would pay more attention to your potions than your hair and clothes, perhaps you wouldn't be doing abysmally in my class." His voice had a tingle of cruelty as he said each word slowly, making sure it stuck in their brains.

The two students tensed in front of him and Granger turned to look at him.

"Prof-"

"Fifty points from Slytherin." He interrupted the boy who had dared to address him. "And fifty points from Ravenclaw." The two students lowered their heads.

"Granger, you still have thirty minutes. Don't fail."

With those last words of acknowledgement, he turned and left the library, not lingering a moment to watch her response or any other strange look she could gift to him.

He couldn't stand it. That word, the bullying, still haunted him to that very day. He thought he'd come to terms with it, but with each new event he'd learned he hadn't.

What made it worse was that he saw himself in that Slytherin when he used that word.

With shaking hands, he opened one of the cabinets and put his black wand against his temple. A long silver cord appeared as he pulled the wand away from his skin. Guiding the memory with a few pushes of his wand, he let it fall into a brown bowl filled with liquid. When the cord touched the liquid, a brief light appeared.

He went to his bathroom and splashed some water on his face. He closed his eyes and rested his hands on each side of the sink.

Granger shouldn't have to deal with that kind of pain. Idiot classmates shouldn't mock her just because she cared more for her intelligence than doing the things they enjoyed. But the world was always unfair to the bright.

How long had that bullying been going on? She was a quiet girl that only enjoyed her studying. Nothing harmful. She wanted to learn and was repeatedly mocked for it. Even her friends had abandoned her because of some mistake she had made.

Opening his eyes, he watched his mirrored self. She was alone like him. Dealing with the hurt, the pain of being ostracized by everyone. They used her and gave her burdens she had to deal with alone.

She needed someone to trust, and he needed someone to trust too. Someone to continue his plan if he failed. Maybe they could help each other, and his supposed plan wasn't as insane as he thought. Maybe it could work. She was perfect for the job.

But it was her decision.

He grabbed the towel and dried his face. After a brief look to his tired eyes, he walked back to door that led to his office, one he had left open in his haste.

When he looked in his office, he froze.

She was there.

He watched her actions, curious about what she would do. He hadn't heard her enter due to not putting up his wards. She moved in front of his pensive and his body tensed. He should've moved. He should've shown her he was there. To stomp in rage over to her and throw her out like he had Potter.