Down by the Docks

Where is it? Impatience runs through my mind as I glance at my pocket watch's hands. Dark clouds blanket the sky, blocking all sunlight, as moderately sized raindrops fly down to us. Before making it, they fall short, Father's umbrella spell diverting them around us.

The splash of rain and the crash of the Thames' waves crashing along the dock join each other, drowning out all other sounds of the city. The salt splashed out from the sea hangs in the air as it mixes with the downpour, giving the docs a salty, damp, smell.

Looking up, Father's grey eyes meet mine, "It'll be here soon," he comforts me with a rub of my back, misattributing my look. I know students can't use magic outside of school to make sure some stupid kid doesn't risk exposing wizards or the natural order, but why does it have to be so indiscriminate? Couldn't they make it so some quality of life magic would be allowed?

"Arf!" Maxi winds between my Dragonskin boots. I thank Merlin for their waterproofing as I look down at her.

*Well whose fault is it that you're wet?* I sign to the wet Jack Terrier, referencing the first thing he did when we got here, jump in puddles. My words only earn a confused head tilt. One good thing about the rain is it makes my hair straight. Freeing my hand from the long sleeve of my beige trenchcoat, I tug on the brown overcoat draped on Father's skinny frame. *If it takes much longer we'll need to head back to the car to warm Maxi up.*

Just as I finish my thought, the crash of waves becomes even worse. His light grey hair frizzles around his face, framing his wrinkled face perfectly. The sound of crashing water fills the air as the waves are thrown into a frenzy. Our attention is thrown to the left of us as a Crowsnest rises out from the water. Water begins to cling to it as the masts rush out of the water.

Trying desperately to get out of its way, water begins to bubble out as a figurehead, a skeleton, bursts through the water. Even without trying, I could still feel the roaring ocean of Mana from the bubble. My confusion at this massive area being warded off from muggles seems silly now as the ship breaches out of the water.

The Viking ship's sails begin to unfurl as the water crashes against our umbrella spell. If it wasn't for the spell, those monstrous waves would have definitely knocked us over and dragged us into the Thames. Not trusting the spell, we take a step back as the ship glimmers in the dark. The crest of Drumstrang adorns the mainsail, unnaturally still against the high winds, as the gallon flouts closer to the dock.

Anchors crash into the water as chains rattle against the sides of the impressive ship. I much prefer the Hogwarts express, I snicker as a ramp drops from the deck. Streamer flags flap from the tops of the masts, fluttering with the same red as the insignia, as the rumble of the residences of the ship began deboarding.

Once again, I can't help thanking Merlin for going to Hogwarts as five kids, enveloped in brown coats, deboard the ship. A House-elf follows shortly behind, struggling to pull their trunks. Scanning the kids as they descend the ramp, their coats and Russian flap hats make it difficult to discern which one's Zach. My eyes land on the kid trailing the pack, the only kid with brown glasses, as he makes eye contact with me.

Joy overshadows my want for staying dry as I spring out from under the umbrella spell and dash onto the ramp. Weaving past the other Drumstrang students, Zach's just barely able to catch me as I jump into a hug.

"So you missed me that much?" Zach snarks after dropping me down, the Irish lilt in his voice strong as ever.

*You wish. I was missing the discount you give me,* I joke, punching him in the arm. He's the same, same snarky attitude, same blue eyes, well not all the same. His handsome face has grown more defined. Not to mention the stubble that now resides atop his lips and over his defined cheekbones. He's looking more and more mature.

"Well, we couldn't have that! Who'd help you buy out the bookstore then?" his joke gives me a giggle as I look past him, frowning at the struggling House-elf.

*Would they punish him if I help?* at my question, light dances in his blue eyes. Crouching down, he gives me a nod and a head pat.

"Private!" Zach yells to the House-elf, his whole demeanour changes, that light extinguishing, as Private snaps to attention, "I can carry my trunk from here."

"A-are you sure sir? I'm supposed to-" his stammering gets cut off by Zach.

"Are you disobeying an order from one of your masters?" Zach's tone causes me to furrow my eyebrow. By now, the other four students have stopped to watch.

"No sir. Thank you, sir," Private answers back as he hands Zach the dark leather trunk.

*What was that?* anger fights to boil past my confusion as we start walking down the ramp.

*Sorry that you had to see that. Drumstrang is very different from Hogwarts. It's like a jungle. The strong live and the weak are eaten alive. If I had shown even an ounce of kindness to a Private, even here, everyone would hear about it. I just recently stopped needing to sleep with one eye open, I'd like to keep it that way.*

Maxi's barking fills the air as I detect the new information and Zach picks up Maxi. "Zechariah my good boy! I trust you enjoyed yourself?"

Father's manner of speaking reignited the light in his eyes as they greet with a handshake, "only your daughter would enjoy an extra five weeks at school," Zach says, referencing the duelling Bootcamp his parents force him to attend, the Morisan family being famous for duelling and all. "I can't say I didn't enjoy the warm welcome but what are you guys doing here?"

Gathering under the umbrella spell, we start walking to the car as I explain, *When I told Father how you were just going to get a lift from a cab he insisted we pick you up.*

"You guys didn't have to do that," Zach says, the smile on his face contrasting his tone.

"Nonsense!" Father exclaims as he unlocks the car and I plop the trunk in the back.

*Agreed! I can't speak for Father, but you're like family to me,* I join in as the rest of us hop in the backseats of the car. His family lives in Knockturn Alley so it's not that far from the loft. At that, the car grows silent, with only the pitter-patter of rain and honking of London's streets filling the air.

"Speaking of which, how did you do in your classes? You stopped sending letters for a while?" Concern only few could detect sat on the edge of his voice.

*It's kind of a long story,* I force a reassuring smile, *I'll explain later.* Zach, knowing me, backed away from the topic. As my mind wanders to that time, I unconsciously start rubbing the piece of the Philosopher's Stone dangling around my neck.

I mean, what am I going to say? Sorry, I couldn't write, I was recovering in the Hospital Wing after failing to stop my biological uncle from getting into the room where the thing that later allows Snape to perfect my Mana Potion is held! Or how about how I couldn't protect my mind when it mattered the most! That being said, I'm surprised that the Philosopher's Stone stabilized the potion. They even allowed me to keep a piece of it after they destroyed it! The guilt lingers in my mind as Father interrupts my train of thought.

"What in the-" Parking on the side of the road, Father turns to look back at Zach, "watch over Catlyn for a moment."

Getting a nod from Zach, Father bursts out of the car. Even after straining my neck, I can't see what's going on. Glancing at Zach, he knows exactly what's going to happen, "don't you-"

Even before his sentence could be complete, I've already opened the door and jumped outside. Looking around, my gaze shifts to a crowd of muggles around Leaky Cauldron. Even with the rain, my vampiric sight remains as strong as ever.

No wonder Father was so confused, when have muggles paid attention to Leaky Cauldron? Isn't it supposed to be extremely run down for them or something? Not knowing if opening myself up to Mana would trigger the Trace, I weigh the risks of leaning on my vampire side.

"If you won't stay in the bloody car, I'd be daft to leave you alone," Zach nagged, putting his hand on my shoulder. After getting over the initial recoil of being touched, I give him a nod.

Taking a deep whiff of the area, Father's scent still faintly remains in the air, being washed away every second. Signalling to follow me, my vampiric ears keep both Zach's and Maxi's footsteps audible, even though the drowning rain. My shoulder-length hair flies behind me as I leg it toward the crowd.

Following the trail, my short stature and vampiric strength allow me to carve a path through the muggles and directly to a line of police tape. Peering into the crime scene, it only takes a second before Zach catches up and for me to realise the obvious Bedazzling Hex. Really, if they didn't want muggles to come around then a crime scene would have the opposite effect.

Rolling my eyes at the use of a Bedazzling Hex and not a Muggle-Repelling Charm, I slip under the tape. Passing through the Hex, I'm joined with Father and Zack by my sides as an Auror tells us we can't go through. Rain beats against the barrier above as I peer behind the wizard. My body grows cold as I unconsciously grasp Dad's hand at the sight of it. The empty husk of a wizard sit's positioned against the door of the Leaky Cauldron. Even with so many slashes through his, everything, One fact stood clear as day. Through all the blood, Merlin there's so much blood, his green skin and large muscles could only mean one thing. A vortex forms in the bowels of my stomach as I move my eyes to the window. My mouth becomes devoid of all moisture as my brain processes the words written in blood above him, 'You're Welcome.'

Tugging on the sleeve of Dad's coat, the tremble in my hands barely allows my request to exist. *Can I learn Legilimency?*