The War of the Stories

Leaving Home

*Cade's POV*

Hermione recently received a letter of some sort from Professor McGonagall. She refused to tell me any details until we met in person, but I could tell that it was bad. I can feel her emotions through our link after all.

After discussion, we decided that the best way to do this would be to go out with such a huge bang, that nobody would actually want to look for me. So we developed our plan. First, I had cast several charms on my family, such as the Fidelius Charm, so no one could get to them. Then, I'd put on my big performance. Hermione refused to elaborate on who these people that might threaten my family would be, but I'm willing to go along with it as long as I get my information as soon as possible.

I entered gym class that day, looking inconspicuous. I wore the same grey jacket I wore everyday, along with the typical jeans and a black t-shirt. I put my book (I always carried one with me.) in my locker, but I didn't close the lock for a certain reason.

We got through the typical warm-up routine, before going to gather in our usual clusters. My friends Elijah, Matthias, Angelyn, Nionnien, and Paris all gathered near me. I had two other friends in this class. One was a girl named Olivia who was with another group elsewhere. The other was a guy who called himself Greg. I actually hadn't seen him in a few days... It's probably better that he isn't here, knowing what I'm about to do.

Our group of six settled down on the cold, slick tiles that made up the gym floor. "So! How is everyone today!" Elijah said cheerfully, his dreadlocks bobbing up and down as he spoke.

"Good, I guess..." Nionnien murmured quietly from where she sat at the edge of the group, her long hair hanging down and obscuring her face.

"I'm a bit worried about the exams next week myself." Paris replied.

"Oh honestly Paris! You worry too much!" Angelyn replied, scooting across the floor to get closer to him.

Paris shook his head. "No... I can't miss a single question!"

"Why bother?" Matthias asked. "I don't care about my grades. I'll become a wrestler or something like that, right? Aren't I good at it?"

"You do realize that none of us have been to any of your matches." Angelyn retorted. Improper English had always bothered her.

"He is good in PE though!" Elijah announced, as if he had to put a positive spin to the situation.

"What about Cade? He's awfully quiet today... He hasn't even spoken yet." Nionnien said.

"I'm fine Nionnien. Just thinking." I replied.

Just as I said that, the coach blew his whistle, meaning that it was time to start the sport. Ugh.. Basketball. I'm a failure at it.

As soon as the ball was tossed in, the game began. I was on a team with all of my friends, and a few other random people. The room filled with the sounds of the skids of people's feet across the tile and insults. The ball bounced off the rim, causing excitement among everyone but me. I could honestly care less. I just had to get this right the first time.

"Okay ready Hermione?" I asked her telepathically.

"Yes."

"Okay let's begin the countdown."

We counted together. "3... 2... 1... And zero."

The second we reached zero, the ball went flying at me. I deliberately missed it in a way that seemed somewhat realistic. I saw my friends looking at me in concern from where they were gathered at the blue, metal doors that led to the hallway outside the gym.

The rest of the class began to jeer and laugh at my failure. I ignored them. "Okay Hermione. I'm ready."

She prepared herself, and I began to draw on her power. I turned around to face the idiots of my gym class.

"You know what?" I shouted. "I'm sick of you all! It's time... For some punishment."

Relying on Hermione, I turned, raised my arms slightly and rose into the air at a moderate pace. And as I rose, my brown eyes darkened until they became dark, soulless pits. My grey jacket I wore everywhere elongated into a grey robe which billowed slightly, as if in an invisible wind. The book I had placed in my locker earlier floated out of the locker room and landed in my hands. I smiled sinisterly as the book transformed into a black wand. My smile widened, but it wasn't my usual smile. My smiles were usually full of laughter but this one wasn't. I needed to pretend that I was fed up with everyone in this class to make my act believable enough that I won't be pursued.

"Scared of me now are you?" I snarled maniacally at them. I blew into my hands creating a fireball, which I lobbed at the ancient brick wall that formed the gym. The room almost instantly heated from freezing to an inferno. I then quickly put shields around the gym so the rest of the school didn't burn down. I threw a few more fireballs, still rising as I did. I was sure to toss one at the person who had first began to mock me. After looking around in vain for Olivia, who I knew was somewhere in here, I used telekinesis to shove my friends out the gym doors, realizing that I had to just hope that she'd be safe since I couldn't waste any more time here.

"Have fun in Hell you pathetic idiots." I called out behind me as I rose through the gym roof. As soon as I was out of sight, I disapparated, the screams of students and the unbearable heat fading away.