The Eyes of Graphorns (Professor Sharp x mc)

Haegel's Ham II

As they entered the entrance hall of the orphanage, Sharp was astonished. The room appeared quite inviting – large, bathed in light, the walls lined with tall bookshelves. It was not the gloomy place he had imagined. As if reading his thoughts, Elaine whispered to him, 'Don't be deceived by the facade.'

She purposefully crossed the hall and ascended the stairs to the first floor. Sharp followed her. He tried to hide his pain, but Elaine noticed his severe discomfort. Halfway up, she turned back and placed his arm over her shoulder. When Sharp realised what she intended, he wanted to protest, but Elaine cut him off before he could speak.

'I don't want to hear it', she interrupted confidently.

After a short pause, he finally murmured, 'Thank you...' and for the first time in weeks, he saw a faint, yet content smile flit across Elaine's face. It touched him that she always seemed to know what was going on inside him, what thoughts tormented him, or what memories he was dwelling on. Sometimes, it almost felt as if their minds were connected.

On their way, they encountered several younger children in linen suits that must have once been white. They walked in a line down a corridor and entered a room that Sharp believed might be the kitchen or dining hall. Each child held a small bowl with a spoon. Some of the children cast curious glances at them but immediately turned away again.

The deeper they went into the house, the more intense the smell of overcooked cabbage, sweat, alcohol, and something Sharp couldn't identify became, and he was sure he didn't want to know what it was.

'It's still early, most of the children should be inside now,' Elaine remarked casually, 'the younger ones eat breakfast first.'

Only then did Sharp realise how quiet it was for a place that should be teeming with children. As they passed a room that seemed to be a dormitory, they heard a soft whimpering. On the floor lay a boy, curled up in a tattered blanket. Without hesitation, Elaine entered the room to check on the child. Sharp remained in the doorway, looking around. At first, he thought the boy was alone, but then he noticed at least a dozen children huddled in a corner in the dim light, as if they were afraid of something.

The condition of the children made Sharp uneasy. He knew an orphanage wasn't the Three Broomsticks, but he had imagined it differently. None of the children seemed to dare speak. They were emaciated, their gazes empty and dark, devoid of childish joy.

'Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you,' he heard Elaine say in the gentlest voice he had ever heard from her. 'It's alright, who did this to you?'

Sharp observed the boy. He was at most 10 or 11, disturbingly thin, his hair clinging in greasy blond strands to his forehead, and he had a large wound on his head. It touched Sharp to see Elaine lift the boy from the floor as if she didn't feel any pain and cradle him in her arms. He saw her reach into her coat's inner pocket behind the boy's back, pull out her wand, and whisper a healing spell. The boy tentatively touched his forehead and looked at Elaine with wide eyes.

'Who are you?' he whispered, wonder in his voice.

'You know, I'm a bit like you,' she replied, 'I grew up in an orphanage too. You feel better now, don't you?'

The boy nodded.

'Good. You children must stick together, do you understand? You're all you have in here. Don't forget that.'

Elaine patted the child affectionately on the shoulder, and then the boy ran off. Sharp was speechless, not only about the condition of the children but also impressed by how Elaine interacted with them. He had never seen her teach, but now it was clear to him that she was suited to be a teacher not just for her professional competence.