5 Harry Potter : Another Dark Lord - Chapter 5 : Acceptance

Cold at contact yet, the touch spread warmth. Lilac smell buried Mikhael's head. This feeling wreaked havoc in his mind. When, when was last time he felt this secure. The pressure on his head, comforting weight, hid his unprotected tears from the world. In the stranger's embrace, the orphan found what he sought for years, acceptance. Wounded by his recent loss, the boy abandoned himself for a long time. Not a single moment, he felt her rejecting him.

Mikhael broke the contact when his stomach howled. By habit, he put his hand in his pocket. There he froze. Founding a piece of bread, he had kept since morning for Ace. Guilt tore his guts, if he didn't yell at the dog, the animal could have. It was his fault. He knew it. Breathing calmed down when he was patted on the back. He kneeled in front of the mud grave. Even late, today was the last time he offered Ace his last meal. Muddy hands, he made another hole in the earth and buried his mourning gift. Mikhael gave one last look, the ashes had dispersed already. " Thank you. ", he bade his farewell.

Walking in silence, he didn't bother with his following comrade. Exiting the forest, at the pond border, Mikhael straightened up with an expressionless face. " What do you want, Obbs ? ", he couldn't expose any weak side.

Her white teeth shone. " Why don't you start by introducing yourself first ? Don't you think, Mikhael Jones ? ", she patted the pond side next to her. " You can call me Abi for Abigael, understood ? ", her feet flipped flop around carps.

The boy stared at her with no effect, defeated he sat down where he stood. She came closer, leaning on his side, her hair floating on the water. " I have no idea how you know me but I don't care. ", he tried to distance himself from the flower smell. She moved in accordance, like glued to his side.

" You smell really nice and... ", he couldn't believe he said it. His cheeks reddened. The boy wasn't in total control. He had to compose himself. He didn't know her, and he wasn't sure how to interact. " I'm myself. Now, tell me what are you doing here, I never saw you before, neither at the orphanage nor the village. Are you lost ? ", Mikhael watched the birds fishing the carps, as if he didn't slip previously. Those fishes never came this close before. It must be her freakishness. Yet, she didn't show any. She lied. She was normal.

" You are the one lost, Misha. ", she giggled. Misha, was she making fun of him ? As if reading his mind, she hugged him again. He let his defense down again. How did she. Maybe, he was lost. Talking to her wasn't so bad.

" Were do you come from ? I never saw hair like yours, even at London. ", the orphan disengaged the hugged. She pouted a bit, he felt bad for it. She saw it and pinched his cheek, cold was her soft hands. " Can you stop it. How old are you ? ", his cheek was not freed. She didn't listen, but jumped up. A carp had bitten her finger toes. What a ridiculous expression.

" You silly, don't ask a lady her secret, Misha. ", she looked at her toes, it has a small bite mark. She lied on the ground, facing the sky. Understanding he wouldn't get anything useful from her conversation, Mikhael did what he never did before. The boy gently grabbed her injured foot and focused on the wound. She didn't resist. Why did she trust him so much, they barely met. He concentrated his will for the flesh to mend and recover it. Unlike when he healed himself unconsciously, Mikhael imagined invisible thread closing the wound, stopping the blood. The effort was great, it topped as second after his small ring of metal cutting fire. He didn't count when he burned to ashes carrot head as he couldn't think nor feel at that moment.

Abigael shifted up and down her now healed toes. There was no discomfort, it was successful. She kissed him on the forehead. " Silly but sweet Misha, thank you. ", her sapphires appreciated the spectacle she made. The tomatoes' red stoic face didn't dare to look at her. The orphan wasn't use to kindness. " Well, see you tomorrow ! ", she sprinted to the forest, casting a last smile when she reached the first tree before entering the green cover.

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In the morning the matron asked if anyone had seen Marc Roger since he wasn't present at dinner nor at breakfast. The fat Samael didn't care and demanded if he could get the absent portion since it would be a waste to not eat it. Mikhael didn't express any regret nor different behavior at his murder mention. He smirked in the inside when the old woman bashed the insolent kid and cursed the probably run away Marc. It wasn't the first time a kid from the orphan left with no indication prior. They were either stupid and came back days later as they didn't have anywhere to go, or they didn't but no one missed them. At least, it was a mouth less to feed.

Lucy Stewart, the last girl in the orphanage glanced at him for a second before continuing her reprimand to the fatty. Did she suspect him, did she saw anything he wondered behind his mask. He broke his meal in half, he was used to never have a full stomach. Since it was weekend, there wouldn't be school. Even if there was, he wouldn't go since he wanted to see Abigael again. She didn't tell him when nor where they would meet today, maybe at the mud grave or the pond.

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The girl crunched his treat. It seemed the bread was harder than she thought. Lost among the flourishing trees, they walked in silence. The boy tried to get answers, like the day before she didn't give in. He accepted it, she had her secrets. Her eyes brightened when he respected her privacy. Mikhael wouldn't pry anymore until she would allow him.

They stopped before a walnut tree, there wasn't any edible fruit on it, it wasn't the season. They crouched down to pick some mature red wild rose. Those berries were slightly acid with a hint of sweetness. Mikhael used to found it with Ace even if the later preferred black bilberry. The forest had a lot of hidden resources, but the orphan was often late to get them before birds and other wild inhabitants.

Blending with the forest atmosphere, Abigael hummed on her own, soothing it was. Some foxes eating small rodents bolted away when they noticed the duo, hidden behind a bush few feet close. Mikhael threw away the rock he had in his hand. He missed his chance to get some meat. Later, for now, he moved on to his next destination, an apple tree near the forest clearing.

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The last apple was being eaten by a strange wood pigeon. " Look, a half bread portion and a handful of berry are not enough for you. ", the girl grabbed his arms. " You are barely skin on bones. To grow up and become handsome. ", she let go of his arm. " I mean, you have to eat more for your health. Understood Misha ? ", she pointed at the bird weighing on the apple branch. " Why can't you just burn it ? This can't be too hard for you, I know you can do it. Come on Misha. ", she shook him by the shoulder.

" I can't. ", seeing her face, the boy continued. " I already tried before, but they fly away as soon as the fire started. ", Mikhael knew he had to explain his freakishness. He didn't want to but he also didn't want to lie either. She was nice. Even if she lied about her difference, the girl was normal. " My control can't reach them so the fire dies out. Can you, unleash me. ", her hug was always welcome, but he couldn't show it. She would tease him with no end.

" That sad. ", their proximity didn't stop. " You could train to make it burn faster or, you could try something different. ", her head tilted left and right. What was she thinking about. " Something that could kill them, fast. ", her sapphire orbs didn't look at him in the eyes.

The orphan had used his freakishness so far for burning stuff, too slow for his goal. Repairing and cleaning cloths weren't useful for the hunt as well as his body's ability to regulate its temperature and self-healing. He healed her toes yesterday, maybe if he concentrated on the inverse, crafting cutting wound from apart. This could do it, but the boy never tried to manipulate his freakishness this way. His brother, Jacob levitated stuff and changed their colors. Mikhael didn't want to become even more like his twin. No, he didn't want to use this freak ability.

" I don't know... ", years ago, that man in a black robe, used a stick to perform incredible freakishness. This display of power was like a god playing with ants. Mikhael fist squeezed hard. The orphan remembered the pain. The fire running wild, the explosions, he would get his revenge, one day.

" You are lying. ", Abigael reached his fist. She grabbed each of his fingers to stop his pressure hurting his palm. "I don't know your reason but if you can't do it, I won't eat and you don't want to starve a lady, don't you Misha ? ", her half-lifted lips couldn't be a serious expression. Did she believe he would take her seriously. " You can do it, Misha. ", she held him, positioned his head toward the bird. A quarter of the fruit was finished. " For me, please. ", her whisper breathed in his ears.

Mikhael recalled his six years old birthday. The things the man did and how. The orphan's anger at his parents, who left him for dead. The child remembered his darkest desire. He stared at the wood pigeon. " Avada Kedavra ! ", a green flash like in his memory took form in front of him and shoot up, missing the target. Mikhael wasn't discouraged. He did it. He could do it. He focused on his anger, his intent to kill the man, once more. He shouted again the killing curse. It hit true. The bird fell. There were no marks, it didn't resist in his hand. It was warm, but dead.

" GREAT ! ", Abigael little dancing around him wasn't expected. " Good work, we can EAT ! ", her hair floated redder in the air as she jumped up. Mesmerizing, the color looked darker. " That wasn't so hard, isn't it ? I'm so proud of you. You start accepting your magic Misha. ", she cried in his arms. Why, tears joy made no sense to him, however her trembling body hurt his chest. Replicating how she helped him the day before, the orphan embraced the girl and massaged her back, waiting for her to calm down.

Cristal giggles announced him it was time for cooking. Mikhael watched as she explained to him how to remove all the feathers. She also forced him to cut the bird's belly with magic. He focused on the effect he wished and she continued her lesson on gutting his game for eating. Now, the boy had to levitate the food and control his fire to roast it, not burning. It was harder than cutting, it demanded more coordination.

For once, he felt full.

It was nice.

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" No Misha, you can't skip school to see me. ", the girl rested her head on his stomach as they observed the sky's clouds. " You have so much to learn. And, I don't know everything, you can't always rely on my very vast amount of knowledge. ", she played with her blood hair. It contrasted a lot with her pale skin. " Ladies expect a good man to be knowledgeable. ", she stared at his dark orbs.

" Great, I'm not a good person. ", he would skip school all years now. He preferred her presence than the villager's stupid kids. Frederic, the son farmer and his brother Charles, now wore crosses and have salt in their pocket to repel the forest spirit. Yet, the two brothers didn't stop from picking a fight with some orphan from time to time. Now, that Mikhael ran and exercised more thanks to his diet, the boy's body was becoming larger and stronger. Abigael's insistence didn't allow him laziness. The result was, nowadays the black hair orphan could beat up the farmer sons together. They left him alone, in fear.

The girl next words brought him a great shock. " Fine then, I don't spend time with no good boy. ", she saw him staring dumb-fulled. Was she, breaking theirs. She wouldn't dare. At his sight, Abigael slapped his leg, " Kidding Misha. But you can't skip your education. You will need it. ", her arms let go of his member, his leg was freed. Instead, she topped him now, eyes to eyes, his peripheral sight blocked by rubies hair. " Understanding the world, help you to understand magic. With magic you can alter the world. ", she didn't avert her sight. The girl did it when she was serious. " With enough strength, you can make my dream true. ", Abigael never told him what it was, except that the boy needed to get stronger, mentally, physically and magically. " Remember me for centuries. ", the scented youth of lilac loved to joke with random phrase after a serious talk.

" Now, why aren't you exercising. ", Abigael moved away, picking stones. the girl held a dozen of pebbles in her hand. With a smile, she threw them all at him. Mikhael had to make them float and rotate around the duo. " Great, you get a better grasp. ", she rushed around him as he evaded. It was difficult to focus on the pebbled movements, to make them move according to his will even while the stones were in his back at the same time Mikhael had to avoid the girl's charging head. Each day, she picked up one more stone than the day before. It was hard but the boy managed somehow, hopefully she promised him to stop at a hundred objects. The girl didn't want to brain kill him.

At the beginning, Mikhael had trouble controlling a single pebble while moving but hours of practice made it easier especially with someone to cheer and encourage him. The trickiest part was rotating the stone in his dead angle, behind his head. The orphan had to not rely on sight but his feeling of ambient magic. The sensation was strange like moving in water that wasn't there.

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" Happy birthday Misha ! ", Abigael got him a cake from behind her back. Where did she get it, the boy would never know but mysteries made her charm. Moreover, it wasn't his birthday. They shared the cake before Mikhael show her a letter he received earlier this morning.

A fraud the orphan thought, but he wanted to have her opinion on the Hogwarts first year acceptation. The boy knew magic was real, the old man, Dumble... something said he was headmaster of this school. If the school accepted all magical children, why Abigael didn't receive one. Did she know he had one. Well, Mikhael still didn't know where she lived, but she would have shown him her letter if she had received one.