Touched

Shadow of the Train - First Year

Ominis POV

Ominis sat in a carriage in which he was confident was towards the very back of the train. He didn't yet want to meet anybody. He smoothed his pale hands over his school robes repeatedly in a motion designed to calm him, but it only made his hands sweat even more. There were many sounds that he wasn't used to, what he could only imagine were sliding doors were opening and closing all over the place, many voices layered over one another, the students ecstatic and eager at all the new sights.

Already he missed his Aunt Noctua back home. She would've woken up this morning, made the breakfast with the house elves and smoothed Ominis' sheets back. She would've waited for his eager good morning and an embrace. Instead, she awoke to the cold and darkness of the Gaunt house, with its only light gone. Instead, Ominis' parents had apparated here, did no more than look around in disgust at the train and students before them, mutter short comments about a stupid school, and left Ominis standing alone in the middle of the platform. Without so much as a wand, only a small black rucksack of his beloved things, he stumbled his way upon the train. Which is how he ended up here, on this plush seat in the back of the carriage.

He kept his ears alert, running his hand over the plush red material of the seat. It felt nice, he thought, tried to imagine how it looked. It was impossible. He took out his small rucksack, removing a small figurine. It was a Hippogriff, a small gold one, which Ominis was told was made of real gold. His Aunt gave it to him after he received his letter from Hogwarts, as a congratulations token. Of course, he didn't know what a Hippogriff looked like, but he was told it was a stoic, feathered animal. Very loyal. Ominis knew what feathers felt like. Of course he did, what with the owls arriving at his house by the dozen to deliver his Hogwarts letter. He could only imagine what a soft animal a Hippogriff really was. This calmed him a bit.

"I don't care," said a male voice, only coming closer to Ominis' carriage. His stomach flipped with an anxious feeling of the unknown and he flinched harder than he'd have liked. He hoped no one could see him yet. The door to his carriage opened and he heard two students enter. Both male. Both sounded around his age.

"I told Anne I didn't care," the voice repeated. It sat down opposite Ominis without saying anything directly to him. "She's being stupid anyway. I'd never heard such a stupid spell in my life." A lot of rustling with bags and shuffling of feet on the floor as the pair got comfortable.

"Well, she's usually right you know," said the other voice, reluctantly.

The two sat in silence for a second before one of them said something.

"What's your name anyway?"

For all Ominis knew, he was talking to the other student he was with. "Are you talking to me?" he said, nervously after a short pause. His fingers gripped the seat.

"Well, I'm looking at you," said the voice, not unkindly, but Ominis was taken aback anyway.

"My name is Ominis. Ominis Gaunt,' he said.

There was a sound of realization from the boy. "Are you...?" The voice started. "Are you blind?"

Ominis shifted in his seat. "Yes."

"Oh. Well anyway," he said, brushing past the fact, "my name is Sebastian Sallow. This is Arthur Pine, beside me. Judging by your robes I'd say you're a first year too, Ominis?"

"Yes," Ominis said again, glad that the boy hadn't pressed for more information about his blindness. So far, he hadn't heard of any disabled wizards or witches, and it had always made him uncomfortable and shy. "Nice to meet you two."

"What house do you think you'll be in, Ominis?" Sebastian asked.

"Slytherin," Ominis replied. "My whole family has been Slytherin for centuries. We are direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself." He sat up a little straighter and puffed his chest out. He knew it impressed little boys his age. And it did, too.