OBLIVIATE, Book 1 (English)

TO FORGET

Everything felt empty. The corridors, the windows, the grasses, the skies, people...

It was like he was in a dream. Or- or he was a ghost, who was searching. Searching for reasons.

He was stumbling with the every empty step he got. He was feeling as if he was lost with the depth of a weeping ocean, being carried away with the every flow of the water.

No voice, no taste, no light could reach him. He was trapped inside a shell. A shell full of secrets.

Dexter lazily looked around him. He could see other people crying, he wanted to hug them. He wanted to share that tiny doze of warmth which was buried inside him.

" Would you- Would you like to take some rest?" Nate asked gently. Dexter was too tired to say a word. He shrugged, then stopped walking. Nate also stopped. They both stood there in silence for a while.

" We can go and hang out with the others if you would like to..." Nate offered. Dexter shrugged again. He bent down...

Nate kneeled next to him, patting him from his back. Dexter shut his eyes.

" I- I just want to go home." he said with a weak voice, that voice almost belonged to a cub.

" You already are at home." Nate said. Dexter opened his eyes. " Yes, yes I am." he said, mostly to himself. " But it will be taken away soon..."

He stood up. " I'll use the bathroom. You- you don't need to come, you might want to study."

Nate blinked twice. " Are you sure?" he asked shyly. Dexter nodded oddly. " Yeah- don't waste your time with me. I'm okay, don't worry and I'll be more pleased if you go study."

Nate raised his brows. "Oh- okay, then. You can call me whenever you want. See you." Dexter nodded, then walked towards the bathroom, his watery eyes facing the ground.

How was Fred? His mother was also a muggle-born, after all. What about Roxanne? Dexter knew that Roxanne, Fred's little sister was so sensitive. He wondered how they were doing.

For a second, he catched a glimpse of something platinium white- it belonged to someone's hair. Dexter narrowed his eyes to see better, he could see shadows moving, and a soft voice...

" For how long have you been hiding here? You still have your robes on... Come, splash some water on your face..."

Dexter knew perfectly well who she was- Rose Weasley.

Dexter could also hear sobbings, which belonged to a guy. It was familiar...

" It's okay, I'll help you... Just trust me, okay?"

Rose's voice wasn't angry or loud as it had always been before, it was soft and patient. Dexter didn't move, he kept listening.

" I-I-I'm sca-ared..." the boy stuttered. He kept sobbing. Dexter now knew who he was- Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy.

He remembered what Albus had said. His mother...

" I know." Rose said. " I'll help you. But I want you to trust me, okay? Come, get some fresh air... I also have some toast with me, you need to eat something. You look so skinny."

Silence. Dexter kept listening to them, as they both stood up and walked slowly.

Dexter's eyes met with Rose's when they turned from the corner. She looked soft but worried at the same time, while Scorpius looked like a dead body.

His wobbly legs made him look like a new born baby, he was paler than his shirt. His icy blue eyes weren't sparkling lively like they did before, they were nothing but dead silence.

He was abnormally skinnier than before. His features were already sharp, now they looked even sharper. His lips were white and dry, just like his skinny, shaky hands.

Dexter blankly stood there, as they dissapeared from sight. Scorpius' sobbings, however, they never faded away.

Dexter kept walking. He walked towards the sink with wobbly steps, as the drops of water echoed loudly in the big bathroom.

Dexter splashed icy water on his broken face. Cold was good for refreshing.

Forgetting.

Obliviate...

***

" So, Rose helped... Him?" James asked, as he took a bite from his sweets. " Our Rosie to Malfoy? Wow..."

Albus shrugged. " I'm not quite surprised. They don't actually hate each other, they're just friendly teasing."

James laughed. " Friendly teasing? Yeah, kicking Scor from his crotch is so friendly." he said mockingly. Fred sighed.

" I agree with Al. It's nothing serious. Can we just quit this conversation? Like losing your mother isn't a depressive conversation topic enough?"

" Yeah." Dexter said, leaning backwards. The sofa was cozy. " What about... Oh wait, I can't find any topics which aren't depressive. Can you, guys?" he said sarcastically.

He leaned forwards. " This, is real life. There's nothing bright." Dexter's words hung in the air. An awkward silence followed those words.

" No- no, there is." Fred said suddenly, scratching his chin. Dexter rolled his eyes. "Like what?"

Fred leaned towards Dexter. " What about Lyvia?" Dexter sighed and attempted to stand up, but Fred blocked him. " No- no, seriously. The relationship between you two is going pretty well, right? Isn't this a good topic?"

" No," Dexter said, crossing his eyebrows. " It is the stupidest topic ever. Besides, our relationship isn't going any better. It's still the same."

Nate grinned. " It's just what you know." he said. Dexter glared at him. "What do you mean?" he asked. His heart beated faster.

" You're way too busy staring at her. You watch her all the time but you still don't realise how she's dying for you." Nate said, crossing his legs. " Am I right?" he asked to James, Albus and Fred.

Albus shrugged, James and Fred nodded slowly. Dexter felt his cheeks go bright red. His hands instantly became sweaty.

" H-How can you tell?" he asked. " We don't talk to each other much."

"Fred, you tell him." Nate said, gesturing him. Fred shrugged. "You know, girls gossip a lot, and their words might have reached our ears..." he said, avoiding eye contact. Dexter was still determined to look into his eyes.

Were they just making fun of him? Or trying to boost his confidence? Or... Or was it- real?

If Dexter was talking to someone else at that moment, he wouldn't have believed them. However... He trusted his friends. His friends were his everything

"Proove it." Dexter said simply, not taking any risks. Fred stretched his arms.

"Well, well, well... Have you realised that she always sits avcording to you at lunch? I mean, Nate found out about this so don't blame it on me if it's wrong, but maybe..."

He sighed then leaned forwards. "She always sits 16 people away from you, so that she can check you out without getting attention while sitting near you as close as possible. On the Gryffindor table, Meg Allen also checks you out so that she can give information to Lyvia by using the- what was it called again? Oh, Morse code. It's a pretty weird thing."

Dexter crossed his eyebrows. "What kind on 'information' does she give to her? I mean, what can she say about me?"

"Oh please Dex." Fred sighed. "What else could it be? Of course to check wether you also check her out or not you dumbo."

Dexter stared at his feet for a while, listening to the cracking of the fire as it enlighted the large room. Could it be true...

He stood up without a warning, almost jumping. He didn't even look back, no he wouldn't let them see his expression and red face.

"I'm going to bed!" he quickly rushed the words as he stepped out of the Gryffindor common room. It was only 9 pm; however, he needed some time to think.

To think or to forget?