take me to the lakes // Ominis Gaunt

CHAPTER 2: Hearing

"I hate it here so I will go to
Lunar valleys in my mind
When they found a better planet
Only the gentle survived
I dreamed about it in the dark
The night I felt like I might die
I'm there most of the year
Cause I hate it here.
This place made me feel worthless
and in my fantasies, I rise above it
And way up there, I actually love it."

🎧 I Hate It Here - Taylor Swift

*****

Summer was almost over, meaning the time with the guests was almost over. Phineas wished it could have lasted longer, but in reality, he was relieved more than anything—he managed to keep Ominis away from his brothers for as long as possible, and soon, they would be in Hogwarts, with a lot of new friends that would treat them right.

Whenever they successfully escaped from playing with the older boys, Phineas and Ominis would venture into the nearby woods and run through the fields—or rather, Phineas would run then wait for Ominis, because he didn't like running; he had finally explained that his wand couldn't capture the environment fast enough to keep him from stumbling on things—and they had visited Mrs Diggory's barn a few more times.

But Phineas' favourite pastime was strolling down the creek, collecting as many pebbles as possible so Ominis could grasp the concept that they all looked so different, just like how each person was unique. Ominis never seemed too enthusiastic about the pebbles, though; he liked it better when they reached the lake, where he could sit perfectly still under the trees and listen to the gentle gurgle of the water and the soft rustle of leaves overhead.

Phineas felt uncomfortable sitting still for too long, though—he'd rather run, jump, swim, scream, and deplete every ounce of energy he had. But with Ominis, he learned to pay attention to the soothing sounds of nature, the whispers of the wind, and the serene breathing of a dear friend. It was impressive how much more one could perceive the world when they closed their eyes.

On days when it was warm enough, Phineas would get in the lake by himself. He had long given up on begging Ominis to join him; he was too scared of jumping in, and Phineas understood how overwhelming it would be for him to mind the slippery stones covered in moss, the dry leaves and fallen branches, and the uneven, slushy mud at the bottom of the lake.

There was a particularly hot day, though, when Ominis indulged in at least dipping his feet in the water. It had to be one of the most hilarious moments ever because Phineas noticed that Ominis was wearing mismatched socks—one grey and one black—which looked brilliant. Ominis had no idea; all socks felt the same to him. When he found out he had been wearing different socks ever since he learned how to dress himself, Ominis let out such a rare, bright and warm giggle that Phineas could have sworn the sun was jealous. They ended up swapping one of their socks, heading back home with Ominis wearing grey and blue, and Phineas in blue and black.

Not all days were fun, though. Auguro would taunt Ominis at the slightest opportunity, either just stretching out his foot to make Ominis trip or levitating nearby objects to flick them toward him. And though Marvolo preferred to think himself above such childish antics, when he did join in, it was much worse.

That morning, in particular, was no different—they began picking on Ominis about snake breeds and worms for the umpteenth time. Then, they stole his wand and kicked it around, forcing Ominis to crawl desperately after it while Phineas ran and jumped until he finally retrieved it for Ominis. While the cruel boys' manically laughed, Ominis was nowhere to be seen.

"Ominis?" Their room was the first place Phineas went to look for him—he just knew Ominis that well. At first, it was too silent, but Phineas knew where to find him, following the sound of sniffing from inside the closet.