Innocence

Chapter Thirty Seven

Daniel had been awake for a few hours by the time his Father burst through the doors of the hospital wing with Percival hot on his heels.

"Oh Daniel, buddy, how could anyone do this to you?" Jacob asked. "Your Mother and I were so worried when we heard what happened." He then turned to Sophia and David, who had been by Daniel's side ever since the matron allowed them to see him. "Were either of you there when it happened?"

"I was." Sophia said, her voice croaking.

"Well can you tell me why someone would do something like this?"

Sophia glanced uncertainly at her Father over Jacob's shoulder and stumbled around for the right words to say.

"Dad, leave her alone." Daniel said softly. "It's got nothing to do with her."

"Well, that's not entirely true, is it?" Sophia asked, her voice breaking. "I mean, it's technically my fault it happened!"

"No it's not, don't being ridiculous." Daniel said, as his Father cried out:

"What?!"

Sophia turned back to face Jacob, catching her Father's worried eye in the process.

"If I hadn't provoked John he never would've attacked Daniel." She explained.

Jacob visibly calmed at her words. "Oh, so what you really mean is that this guy got angry with you and reacted violently. I hardly consider that your fault."

Percival nodded in agreement. "No matter what you said, Sophia, he shouldn't have hurt either of you. In fact, it worries me that he decided to physically harm Daniel rather than use magic. I mean, using magic would've still been bad, but it's confusing. As a Seventh year, he should surely know far more magic than any of you, and yet he still decided to use brute strength. Of which he still has far more than you."

The hospital wing doors clanged shut behind Adam as he walked to stand next to his Father.

"It's because he's an idiot." He explained, appearing to still be angry with his captain. "The guy knows less magic than I do, and he gets a kick out of hurting people. To put it quite frankly, he used violence against Daniel because it was satisfying."

Percival sighed. "I feel like this John character will be someone I'm going to have to keep my eye on."

Sophia nodded. "I'm actually very happy that you're here, Father. I've been waiting to talk to you about the latest developments in the situation here. I'm afraid that the posters continue to be put up around the school and are now even more serious than what they were before."

"What do you mean?" Percival asked, dreading the answer.

David took a step forward. "I believe I can help you, there." He picked up his school bag from a chair in the corner and opened it up, pulling out a piece of parchment which he then gave to Percival. Percival and Jacob took a second to lean over the parchment, studying it with furrowed brows. Percival sighed again, but Jacob's face grew red in anger.

"You mean to tell me that I have been sending my son to a school where he has never been safe?"

Percival blinked. "No. Jacob, I know this looks bad but you have to understand that I am going to sort all of this out."

"Graves, you must understand where I am coming from. I always had my doubts about letting Daniel come here, it was only because Queenie begged me, telling me how much of a wonderful experience she and Tina had that I agreed. But now I come here, before he's even finished his first year, and find that he has almost been beaten to death and it turns out that people here have always been against people like me and him?"

"But I like it here!" Daniel called out, although he was ignored.

"The last thing I would ever want to do is put a child in danger, Jacob-" Percival began, but his friend cut him off.

"You say that you are trying to get to the bottom of whatever's going on here, right?" Jacob asked. Percival nodded. "Well you'd better hurry up. Because if you don't sort this out soon, I will have no other choice than to take Daniel out of this school. Permanently."

Sound erupted from all sides of the room. Sophia, Daniel and David began arguing how they all now considered Ilvermorny a second home and Percival got offended by Jacob's lack of confidence in his friend, all while Adam stood silently, arms folded and expression unreadable.

Jacob put his hands out to quieten everyone. "No, my decision is final." He turned Daniel. "And your Mother will agree with me when she hears about what's been going on here."

- - - - -

Jacob didn't leave Daniel's side until he was allowed to return to his lessons three days later, and even then begrudgingly returned home after Daniel begged him to.

As he was leaving, Jacob pulled Percival to the side.

"My kid appears to be a fan of yours, and he's always loved his cousin to pieces. So he's managed to convince me to give you time, Graves."

"Thank you, Jacob." Percival began. "You won't regret your decision to allow Daniel to continue studying here-"

"I'm not done yet." Jacob snapped. "My wife and my children are my entire world. I will never forgive you if anything were to happen to any of them. So I'm giving you until the end of the school year. If whatever's going on here isn't sorted out by the summer holidays, Daniel will not be returning for his second year."

Percival nodded silently before Jacob turned and walked out of the double doors in the Entrance Hall. Looking down, Percival smiled when he realised he was stood on the same Gordian knot he stood on so many years ago, when he first set foot in the school. Turning his head up and to the side, Percival gazed lovingly at the statue of the Wampus, and could've sworn the creature was smiling back at him.

Making up his mind, he turned on the spot and began the long walk to the Headmaster's office.

- - - - - - - - - -

Hope everyone is being safe at this time! Don't take things lightly, stay at home when you can and be considerate of other people!

I hope this chapter can make some people's time a little nicer.