Punish me, Professor, I dare you.

Chapter 29: Standing alone against the World

Leaving Spinner's End with one week remaining of August was hard, because I never wanted to leave behind this cozy and loving nest.

"What's with this sad face? We'll see each other in Hogwarts a week from now." said the dungeon bat as an attempt to comfort me, but it was to no avail, my heart still sank in my stomach as I bid him goodbye with a strong hug and tender kiss.

I spent the last week of the summer at home, having a few serious conversations with my father, and discussing my future with mom. My last year in Hogwarts was coming, and I had to start thinking what exactly do I want to do when I 'grow up'. I dedicated time to Drax also, enjoying a few days of peace and fun, and we barely even noticed, this was our final summer as kids.

After graduation, we'll have to step out into the adult world, find a job, settle somewhere, and start making a living for ourselves. The thought in itself was scary, but it also brought the excitement of a new chapter beginning in our life, marking the end of a beautiful and innocent era. Well, if you can call our hectic, troublemaking teenage life innocent. Either way, it had its beauty.

*

Vincent, Drax and I walk through the main gate of our school in the busy evening, headed to the Great Hall for the opening feast and sorting ceremony. This is it. We're finally seventh-years. A pang of sadness spreads in my chest as I look over the stone walls, this is our last year here as students, this is the last year when we can benefit from and enjoy the safety and warmth offered by the castle. Plus, NEWTs are on our backs too, we can't be spending our time thumb-twiddling like we could until now.

Some students are lined up to the corridor's side, near the walls, chatting away, but as soon as we approach them, everyone turns their head towards us, with an expression like they just bit into a piece of lemon. Whispers start flowing from lips to ears, hands covering them as eyes stay glued on us until we're gone.

As we pass a few lower-year kids, we notice them giving us uneased faces, almost like we're covered in vomit or something. I find the disgusted looks unsettling and weird, but the cherry is placed on top when a group of seventh-year Gryffindor boys mixed with Slytherins come into vision, standing near the entrance to the Great Hall. They open their mouth to spit the humiliating words with a grin, blocking our way.

"Hey look, the faggots are here!" started one. "Oh, the boys from homo-ville arrived, I see!" says another. "Hogwarts' standards dropped a lot if they started accepting any kind of filthy low-life." continued a smug, black-haired Slytherin guy with an unruly uniform. I'm standing with eyes wide in shock, Drax and Vincent are overwhelmed by panic and shame, but to our surprise, the cherry prince's face contorts in threatening anger as he hears his housemate spit at us.

"Watch your mouth, Gregory." hisses Vince with gritted teeth, but the boy continues to taunt him.

"Or what? You gonna infect me with your gayness?" the group bursts out in laughter, making Vincent reach for his wand, brows touching in fury. It was rare to see two Slytherins bickering with each other. They were always a convergent house. "It's so satisfying to see you receive your punishment for all those years of bullying us! The tyrant king is finally dethroned and lynched! I think I'll watch from the first rows!" he rubs his hands together in a mocking manner.

"Watch out Spears, I know all of your dirty secrets too. Think twice before you dare to open your mouth." Vincent carries on, calm, like a true noble prince, trying his best to intimidate his colleague. Gregory however, steps out of the group, walks up to Vincent, and stares him down, only two inches from his face. The cherry prince is frozen to the spot, tension is palpable in the air. Finally, Greg leans in to deliver his next punch with a full smirk.