A dark path (on break) - Harry Potter x Male OC

3

• bold text= vocal tic
Atlas PoV:

To say that Atlas was frustrated would be an understatement. He just didn't understand why he couldn't wrap his head around that one subject.

He could do it with every other except for this one.

Atlas shifted in the couch he sat in and looked over at Granger. She was doing her homework (something he'd just finished doing).

Her frizzy hair covered most of her face but from what he could see, she was focusing hard. Her dark brown eyes glued to the paper.

Atlas got up and walked over to her.

Maybe she had the key to care of magical creatures.

"Hey," he said.

Granger's looked away from her paper and at him. Her face softened and she smiled.

"Oh, hi Atlas."

"Do you need help with that?" Atlas pointed at her homework. It was a lot more than he had to do.

"Oh no I don't, I'm actually just doing the same homework again. Ron and Harry wanted me to do it for them," Granger explained.

"Do you need something?"

"Yes," Atlas nodded. "I was wondering— How do you get good at care for magical creatures?"

Granger was quiet for a while before she said, "Well, I spouse you just try."

"How though?"

"Be more active in the class, read up on the material and don't be afraid to ask questions." Granger shrugged.

Atlas was about to retort that he already did all this stuff when he recalled the last part of her sentence.

'Don't be afraid to ask questions.'

That was an important part. Maybe even more important than reading and being an active member of the class (which he was being honest, he hadn't been doing).

"Thanks," he was about to go back to the dormitory when Weasley and Potter walked over to them.

"Oh hey Atlas," said the Raven haired boy.

"Hey." Atlas said, rather dully.

"How are you?"

"Merlin— I am good." Atlas said.

Weasley exchanged looks with Granger and Potter and raised an eyebrow as he asked, "Why do you do that all the time?"

Granger eyed him sharply, but Ron didn't seem to notice.

"I can't control it." He replied curtly.

"Where you jinxed—" Weasley was cut off by Granger.

"RONALD!" She snapped.

Atlas stayed calm, at least outwardly. "It's a disorder. You can't get rid off it, at least not easily."

Then he walked away without saying another word to the group.

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

One day later, he was held back after class to talk to professor Lupin.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I just wanted to talk to you. About you father, I knew him when I was your age." Lupin explained.

"Did he show any early signs of absent father syndrome? Being an arse for example?" Atlas snarled, the thought of his father made him very angry and uncomfortable lately.

Lupin chuckled but shook his head. "He cares about you. Or at least he did when you were little,"

"How do you know that? How do you know he wasn't just pretending—?" Hot tears trickled at the edge of Atlas's eyes. His body jerked as he tried to wipe away his tears.

"Fuck," he muttered.

"I can't be certain." Lupin agreed. "But I think he did. He used to be good person."

"What good person— father, would leave their kid in an orphanage?" Atlas voice shook with anger.

Anger towards his father, anger toward Lupin for being so oblivious and anger at everything else that was wrong.

"I'm sorry Atlas." Lupin apologised and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps he wasn't that good of a person,"

With that Atlas left, feeling slightly worse and slightly embarrassed for his outburst.

(A/N: a shorter chap : > )