Ackmun's School for Magical Misfits

Chapter 7 - STAHP BLUSHING

A/N so, as you may have noticed, there are some Hogwarts characters that could have gone to Ackmuns, such as Remus Lupin and the amazingly awesome Hagrid we love. I have no right to change their story lines, and I don't want to, but it sufficeth me to say they knew about Ackmuns but went to Hogwarts regardless.

No more kids got on the bus after us, so we sped our way down streets. Every so often there would be a "pop" and right after that I'd get the same feeling I had when my mom and I "teleported."

The scenery as we traveled was all a blur. How anyone could drive a car that fast and see where they were going, I have no idea.

The kids around us all had some sort of oddity. There was a boy with a pig-like nose and boar tusks coming out from his bottom lip, a girl with scaly skin and lizard-like eyes. The more I looked around the room, the more I realized I was one of the few kids with slightly less noticeable freak features. Sure my wings were large, but folded, they were pretty concealed.

"Can I see them?" A voice cut off my train of thought. "Your wings, I mean." The voice belonged to Basil, who'd been staring at them for quite some time. I'd brushed it off, as I'd been guilty of staring at her ears and the fox tail that laid beside her.

"Uh, sure," I said, I turned slightly to the side and stretched my wings as much as the seat room would allow.

"Can you fly?"

"Well, I've never had the chance to, and my wings are clipped as you can see," I pointed out the ends of the feathered where the sloppy cuts had been made. "But I think so. I'm not as heavy as kids my age, I'm around sixty pounds I think? I'm not entirely sure, but it's kind of weird to think about my body structure. I need almost twice as many calories as the average kid my age, and, as you can see," I said, looking down at my scrawny body. "I'm also a lot smaller because my wings need to be able to support my weight. I think my wingspan is like ten feet though. Compared to the rest of me, they're pretty strong. My muscle mass compared to most people is really, really low though."

"Uh-huh," she said, running her fingers over my feathers, the blush returning to my face once again. Dema squawked from the lack of attention. "So, as you're the first kid I've met here, do you want to be friends? Like hang out at school and stuff?"

"Yeah, sure!" I smiled, the blush on my face deepening, she didn't seem to notice, though.

We sat in silence for most of the ride, Basil holding Dema. She seemed quite fixed with the owl, and Dema with her. Every once in a while a man came around offering those little peanut packets you get on an airplane. I said yes the first time, but quickly discovered there was a reason every one else was refusing them.

Surprisingly, the ride only lasted for four hours. At the end, I was shaken awake by Basil, who was still holding Dema.

"I guess we're here," she said.

I inhaled, stretching my my arms out trying to wake up from my two hour nap. We all walked off the bus, and we were told that our luggage would be up in our rooms when we arrived.

There were hundreds of kids getting off buses like ours, all of them heading in the same direction, towards a break in the woods. Two older people stood at the entrance. Behind them was a massive gate. They were splitting the kids by age, us twelve to thirteen year olds were led off to the side while all the other students trekked up towards what seemed like a massive castle, it's tips barely peaking over the massive forest.

"This way, first years," a large man called. He seemed normal, unlike the rest of us. His features were human... But a little obese. He had a greasy mustache and a balding head. He reminded me of my uncle Simon, a heavy beer drinker with a hygiene problem.  "We'll be taking the scenic route."

We all followed the man, who we came to find out was called Professor Havenlaud M. Portman. He led us through a less worn path in the woods out to a clearing. In the distance, the sun was starting to dim behind the smoky wisps of clouds scattered throughout the sky. 

"Here," he said, "is where the fun begins." A dozen or so winged horses made their way from the woods, each in pairs with chariots behind them. With six or so different sets of them, all thirty of us first years made our way to different chariots, four to five kids in each. Basil and I sat down in a chariot with three other students.

"What're your guys' names?" A boy asked. "I'm Allen Bishop." The kid had longer jet black hair that fringed across his his deep brown eyes.

"I'm Basil Scott," Basil said, smiling.

"Uh, I'm Fig," I said, trying to hide my embarrassment. "Faulker is my last name."

"I'm Clay Wilde," the other boy sitting with us spoke up. "Pleasure to meet you." He held out his hand to all of us, shaking each one. For a thirteen year old he seemed awfully... Polite. He had big deep brown eyes and matching skin, and curly black hair to finish it off. His teeth, though, were the straightest teeth I'd ever seen. He looked "normal" to me, as there were no visible oddities on him. We all shook his hand and turned towards the other student who sat with us.

"Hero Martin." She waved at us, a thick Scottish accent on her tongue. She, unlike Clay, I could tell belonged here. Her long curly red hair did nothing to hide the goat ears that sat on her head, along with small horns that peaked over the curly mess. Her light blue eyes had the horizontal pupils of a goat, which I found slightly disturbing.

"Attention!" Professor Portman's loud voice boomed. "There are no seat buckles, and the only thing to stop you from falling are the peers a round you and the small doors that will like break from your weight! I suggest that you do not lean, rock, or anything of the sorts unless you want to fall to your death! We will fly over and around Ackmun's, do not leave your seats until we have landed and the carriages come to a complete stop. From there you will line up in front of the school's entrance and we will lead you to the Great Hall where you will be sorted. Does anyone have any questions?" He asked. No one answered. I felt a bit shaken, as I was on the side of the bench, and I was doubting whether or not my wings would catch me. Professor Portman whistled sharply and the pegasus lurched forward. We were off.

The girl, Hero, did not seem to like the fact that we were in the air. If anything, she seemed ready to jump over the side to get off. Basil took her hand to comfort her as we sped over the tree tops.

As we made our way over and around the large castle-like school, I could see the trail of students filing inside. I craned my neck towards the sunset. I was so happy to be out of my old home. This was a new start, a new life. One I could actually live.

Do y'all think Basil and Fig will like each other in the future? Comment yes or no, and your opinion on the relationship.