Ascendio - Book 1

Chapter 7 - Crescentia

I'm sorry for the lack of updates. This was originally published, but I took it back since it only saved a quarter of the chapter. Here is the rewrite--and I'll try to work on this soon. We just got back in school, and Holiday Break was too hectic to write. See you soon, and hope you enjoy the chapter!

Herbology was absolutely horrible.

Not only were we partnered with the first-years of Slytherin house, but my brother sat across the row from me and was shooting nervous glances at me the entire time. I almost didn't get to meet the head of my house.

Neville had really taken to the role of teacher after the years of the war. And while, to be honest, the curriculum went a bit over my head, it was absolutely amazing to meet one of my childhood heroes. I mean, we had met Professor Granger, but we hadn't really met Professor Granger. I'm still excitedly waiting for her class.

Tristan sat at my desk for Herbology--and I found out that we would have the same desks in everything but Individual Study and Potions class. We shared Potions Class with the Ravenclaws, so personally I was glad that I wouldn't be sitting by Tristan when you-know-who was around.

"--Page two hundred and twelve," Neville had been saying. I started a bit, and opened up my textbook. Pictures and properties of plants decorated the pages, but none of it registered in my brain. My back kept itching from the weight of my brother's eyes, but I sat still and resisted the urge to turn around.

Thanks to him, I barely understood the learning material, shoving the textbook and homework into the bottom reaches of my bag. I scurried along to Transfiguration, which was okay, since Professor McGonagall called him out.

"Why are you staring at her, Chandler?" She asked, striding towards his desk. "Honestly, you are one of the strangest boys I have ever met. Can you get back to work now? You still haven't turned your textbook into a shirt."

Classes were stressful and agonizing. How did I expect this to be fun? Maybe it was just my terrible mood. I would've loved learning about magic before--why did Chandler have to ruin everything?

Just before lunch, it started raining. Normally, they would cast a barrier spell to hold back the weather so we could still have Broom Flying, but the grounds desperately needed a good watering, and we needed a Free Study period anyway. I managed to finish my homework from my first few classes, despite being sad over not flying a broom.

At lunch, the food tasted like cardboard. Tristan kept glancing at me, like he wasn't used to me acting this way. Slytherin house kept poking Chandler for staring at me, and I swear I could've heard one of them joke, "She's so solemn, she should've been with us!"

I hate them. All of them. Especially Chandler.

He knows why I hate them. He knows. So why is he still... still there?!

The next two classes went similarly to Herbology: Astrology and Protection Against the Dark Arts were spent with Chandler staring at me nervously, like he wanted to talk to me, but I wasn't having it. I would not talk to him, wouldn't interact with him, unless a professor forced me... which happened in P.A.T.D.A. I had to face off against another student--and guess who the professor picked?

Chandler and I were standing across from each other on a little walkway in the middle of the classroom, mostly formed by a wall of the rest of the class surrounding us. "You can't trust anyone when Dark Wizards are nearby," the professor said. "They could take control of the other person, change them, scar them--you have to be prepared for betrayal from anyone."

I looked past my twin, feigning indifference. We bowed, and walked to the ends of the walkway, wands at the ready. The class counted down, their hands curled into pounding fists, a few smiling in anticipation for the bloodshed.

10! They cried, and I had to force to hold myself steady.

9! Would I really have to hurt my own twin in this class? There were medics standing by, but... I couldn't help it as my hand started to shake.

8! Would he really be susceptible to mind control from Dark Wizards? What if he was already? We would be so separated then...

7! We were already separated. So much.

6! Slythern and Hufflepuff. The houses had never fought, but they were in no way similar...

5! He was in the same house as the person who had taken her life. Hers.

4! Did he even remember how much she meant to him?!

3! He didn't. He didn't, or he would have begged for another house, would've thrown himself to the floor.

2! My hands steadied and my eyes grew hard. I could feel the tears that had begun to grow slip back.

1! He didn't care.

Chandler shot a small spell at me, and I could tell he was reluctant. I swung my wand upward, creating half of a spherical shield, positioned right in front of me. I jabbed forward with it, and it started slowly moving towards Chandler. He shot spells at it, and while the shield weakened, it didn't break. He tried dodging around it, but it took up the whole width of the platform.

Chandler shot a spell at the same time as I made the shield reflect--his ball of fire shot straight back at him, singeing his robes. The shield pressed him against the back wall, and Chandler's eyes grew wide, pleading. The professor called out my name, but all I could do was look at my twin.

We weren't identical. Not on the inside. Not where it counted.

I waved my hand, dissolving the shield just as the professor's calls started getting more frantic. I disappeared into the crowd of students, walking straight out the door without looking back.

I raised my shaking hands to my face. I hadn't hurt him that badly, did I? Did I?

I couldn't help but brush the tears out of my eyes as I ran back to Hufflepuff Common Room.