A Merged Timeline

Callum - Insights and Explanations

June 1st. Apparently. To be honest, I should probably stop writing the date.

So, uh, yeah, I blacked out for a while. It didn't feel like long, but apparently, it was. Leo and Melinda weren't around when I woke up in my tent, but I had my phone on me. Albeit (who even says that anymore?) it was almost dead, but it told me enough.

1st of June, 2023. 12:48 AM. No new notifications.

Figures.

Well, no, actually, it doesn't figure. I mean, I don't mean to sound egotistical here, but I would have sort of thought somebody would have tried texting or calling me to see where I was. Mom, Dad, maybe Ari? Daft? Guess not, but whatever. I'm a little glad that nobody's called, actually, since they clearly don't care enough about me to care where I am.

I slowly put my phone down and sat up, rubbing my eyes. My hands felt dry and cold, and I glanced down at them. They looked cracked and a bit frigid, probably because I've been wasting away in this freezing cold tent for days on end. I reached up and ran my hands through my hair, which, similarly, felt cold. Messy, too. I wasn't nearly as strict with my hair nowadays.

Or, to rephrase, my dad wasn't around, so I didn't need to be strict with it.

Anyway, I quietly stepped out into the giant, frost-covered field. It was still barren, though when I stepped forward, I felt a crunch under my foot. I glanced down (and for whatever reason, I'm just wearing socks now. I could have sworn I had shoes on before) and noticed a small piece of parchment filled out with a lengthy letter.
I knelt down and picked it up, noticing it was written in a grey ink. Not black, but grey. Weird.
I didn't need glasses, but it was still sort of difficult to read. Eventually, I was able to make it out.

I am truly sorry for all of this, and I apologize for sending you into a temporary coma, from the looks of it. You were muttering in your sleep for a little, but only briefly. Something about a dementor, it seems, which neither Solar nor I liked to hear. It's intriguing to hear that you are a wizard, though I do not doubt it was any less surprising to realize I, too, had the gift - or curse, if you will - of bearing magic. We shall meet in Solar's "office", which is the second door on the right. There's a hallway behind you, though you can take all the time you need. Bring your wand. We will discuss later.

So, yeah, that was nice to wake up to; knowing I'll be interrogated and probably kicked out of this place, which was the closest thing I have to a sanctuary. I pocketed the note, and tried not to smear any of the ink on my hands or my clothes. I reached back into my tent, and pulled out my conductor's baton. Obviously, it was a concealed wand, but a Muggle wouldn't know that. Nor would a Normal.

Well, no, they would. Maybe.

I'm not really a label guy, but even so, what would I be called? I sorta can do magic, and I sorta can do that whole ability-type thing. I was born with both, really, but I never knew my dad was a powered individual until he..did some things. I didn't know my mom was a witch, either, not until I was sent to the castle.
And now I'm the adopted son of (one) Hell's royals. What exactly am I supposed to say if someone asks who my parents are, or where I'm from?

Anyways.

I pocketed the wand beside the note, and glanced around the stadium-arena-thing. It was huge, and I was around the center of it, but I could faintly make out a small hallway in the distance behind my tent. I began to trudge towards it, the weight of paranoia slowing me down. I never really liked when I got caught doing something, even if it wasn't bad, and even if it wasn't an issue; if someone called me out on something, then I felt like I would be exiled and..uh, ruined.
Props to Maxwell.

After a solid minute or so, I eventually got to the hallway, and glanced at the note again. Second door on the right. I noticed a few other doors stretching down the path, though none of them seemed occupied. The only way I could tell one was, was because of the weird, chilly mist coming from under the door. I took a quick breath, and knocked on the door.
It opened ajar after a few seconds, and I took a step back. I didn't open the door any farther, though I heard Leo's voice.

"Ah, you've arrived. Come in."