Hogwarts Rebels

Pain

This part is dedicated to ezraisbea.

Miss Atama raised her whip and brought it down on Ezra's bare skin. The boy screamed in pain at the stinging sensation. The headmistress paid no attention to the boy's cries and swung it again across Ezra's face.
The young wizard yelled in agaony as he held a hand against his cheek.

"Miss please. No more..." he  begged.

The woman hit him again making Ezra fall to his knees.

"Pathetic" Miss Atama snarled.

"You're pathetic, weak and never going to be adopted."

The five year old looked up at her tearfully, but his tears wasn't because of the pain of the whip. It was the pain of the truth.
Miss Atama swung the weapon again making a bloody gash on Ezra's shoulder.
The boy yelled out again in pain and for help.
But no one came.
He was alone.
Alone in a dark room with his nightmare.

Kallus walked up the stairwell with a mug of tea in his hands. Kanan had asked him to check on Ezra and Sabine. He looked through the open door to see Sabine sleeping peacefully. Kallus glanced over at Ezra's bed and felt a spark of surprise.
The boy was groaning in discomfort, Scales was looking down on him with concern.
He looked up to see Kallus and hissed.
Kallus may not have been a Paselmouth, but he knew the snake was telling him to help.
The man out down the mug of tea and went over to boy.
He noticed immediately Ezra was gripping his bed sheet so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.
Kallus gently placed a hand on Ezra's forehead and felt sweat on the skin.
Scales gave Kallus a look of: 'do something! What are you waiting for?'
Kallus put his hands on the boy's shoulders and lightly shook him.

"Ezra, wake up" he whispered.

Miss Atama beat the boy in front of her. He had a black eye, cuts and bruises and was shuffling away from the dreadful woman.

"You'll never have a family. You'll be stuck with me forever" she told him.

"No" Ezra whispered.

"The orphanage is your only home boy. You'll never have someone to love you."

Just when he thought his nightmare was reality, Ezra suddenly felt soft weight on his shoulder.

"Ezra, wake up" a gentle voice floated through the room like a comforting breeze.

"Kallus?" Ezra whispered hopefully.

Light began breaking through the darkness and Miss Atama disappeared. 

Ezra's eyes snapped open. He saw Scales looking down on him from his left and a tall, dark shape on his right.
Ezra gasped in fear and jerked upright.  
He shuffled back till he hit the bed head.

"Please...no" he pleaded holding up his hands.

"Woah Ezra it's okay" Kallus told him turning on the lamp.

"You're safe."

Ezra breathed out in relief at the sight of his uncle, but didn't move.
"Are you okay?" Kallus asked.

Ezra shook his head.

"Nightmares?" The man inquired.

His expression softened when Ezra nodded.
He gently picked the boy up and put him on his lap. Ezra curled into a ball, burying into Kallus's warm jumper.
The man gently rubbed his back as Scales slithered on to Ezra's shoulder and nuzzled his face.

"What were you dreaming about?" Kallus asked after a while.

At this, Ezra held his arms.

"Miss Atama" he replied after a while.

"Bad?"

"She...she was beating me."

Kallus's mouth opened slightly in surprise.

"Ezra. You're far away from that dreadful woman. And let me tell you this, if Miss Atama did try to hurt you, she'd be messing with Hera and Kanan. And believe me, that lady does not want to mess with those two over protective parents."

"Have you seen them when they're angry?" Ezra asked.

"Oh yeah. And it's not pretty. Some bully messed with Zeb once, Kanan and Hera almost went nuts."

Ezra cracked a smile at that.

"You're safe in this household Ezra. I promise."

Ezra snuggled closer to Kallus and he relaxed. Scales slithered on to Kallus's shoulder. Looking down on the boy who's eyes were closing as he lay contently in his uncles arms.
Kallus smiled at Scales who returned the expression. After a few minutes, Ezra's breathing had evened out.
Kallus lay the boy back on his bed and pulled the sheets over him.

"Keep an eye on him Scales" he told the snake.

The reptile nodded, slithered down Kallus's arm and curled up next to Ezra's head. Kallus picked his tea back up, turned out the lamp and walked out from the room.

Suggestions are appreciated.

Star-Wars-Dragons out 🐲