45 End of the Year

For the first time in a while, I actually decided to sleep at night. Usually, I would have headed to the RoR following the daily routine I had adopted since the year started. However, I felt like I earned myself a good rest after everything that had happened over the span of a few days. After waking up, I headed out of my room and through the common room.

Not many other Slytherins were up at this time, but the ones that were all stole glances at me as I walked through. They were whispering to each other and murmuring different things. Compared to the disdainful whispers I had grown accustomed to all year, though, the whispers this time were filled with reverence and praise. It's honestly crazy how these Slytherins flipped over after one night.

I sighed as I headed up to the Great Hall for breakfast. Today was the last day of the school year, and later on, we'd all be heading back home on the train. So, I decided to take it easy today.

I took my time as I walked through the Hogwarts halls. Although I didn't make any friends really this year, I did gain a lot from my time here. My magic was more refined, my knowledge was sharpened, and now I had awoken the sleeping blood within me that opened the door to a plethora of new possibilities. I even had a lead on Merlin, knowing that my next destination was clear to me gave my mind a sense of ease.

Speaking of the tome that gave me the destination I was heading to, I did attempt to try and write in it again, hoping for something else to show itself. However, no matter how much I tried, the ink was just absorbed with no response. No matter what I wrote, it never seemed to produce anything, so I gave up in the end.

Sitting down at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, the stares from surrounding students of all houses pierced into me like daggers. Much like in the Slytherin common room, though, I ignored those gazes and started tucking into my breakfast.

I didn't consider myself a foodie, but with all the work I was doing all year, I found that eating in the Great Hall was a nice way for me to unwind. My appetite had also recently skyrocketed, probably due to my now partly 'dragon' like body. I helped myself to quite a few plates of food before relaxing back. As I did so, I spotted an owl soaring down through the Great Hall out of the corner of my eye. The owl captured the attention of all the surrounding students as it swooped in at a fast speed and headed directly towards me. It slowed its pace as it approached me and gracefully landed on my shoulder.

"It's nice to see you, Nyx."

Nyx had come to visit me, and looking in her mouth, I could see she had a letter there for me too. I grabbed the letter from her and opened it after giving her feathers a stroke. Reading the letter, a warm smile appeared on my face as the contents became clear to me.

"It's nice to hear they are doing well..."

Nana and Melony had sent me another letter. Throughout the year, I had tried my best to send them letters when possible, and Nyx knew the route between Hogwarts and New Leaf so well by now that she could probably fly it while asleep. The letter was filled with updates about the orphanage, about how they were doing well after the donation they had a while back, and how the place had been refurbished. There was extra mention about how Nana was thrilled to have a new kitchen, as the appliances were now fully updated from the old ones to new.

Melony seemed to also be doing well. When she was younger and I was at the orphanage, she had a mood about her that suggested she didn't want to stick around the orphanage. However, it seemed that recently she started to view the place as her home more and more. Not only that, with the refurbishments made to the place, it seems she finally got her room fully sorted out with all she wanted for so long

I read the letter with a grin all the way through until I got to the end of the letter. My warm grin fell into a solemn one as I read the final sentences, both inked differently showcasing two people's handwriting.

'We look forward to seeing you again soon!'

I heaved a sigh as I read the sentence. I did want to go back to Nana and Melony to see them, but I wanted to go to Salisbury first and chase down what Merlin's tome had hinted at me about. I didn't know how long I would be there, and in a worst-case scenario, I could be hanging around that area all summer. I reached my hand into my extension pouch on my waist and pulled out a pen and paper. The pen I pulled out was one Melony got me for Christmas that was accompanied with the note about how 'weird it was to use quills like an old man'.

I wrote back a response letter detailing my time at Hogwarts. Of course, I didn't include the parts about me turning into a dragon or anything. They barely have their heads wrapped around magic. If I dropped that on them, they might faint.

As I was penning the last bit of my letter, mentioning how I may be delayed in coming back this summer, I caught someone sit opposite me with a grin on their face. I lifted my head and stared towards the person who had joined me at the table.

"Ahh Tonks, how are you?"

Tonks had come to sit opposite me. Out of everyone in this school, she was the only one who made an effort to talk to me before and after the reveal of my heritage.

"Not too bad, Mr. Emrys."

"Don't do that. If you start calling me that, I'll call you Nymphadora."

Tonks physically recoiled and instantly doubled down.

"G-got it, Oz. Still, though, what a revelation. I knew you were talented, especially after seeing you duel those other Slytherins, but to think you were the descendant of the legendary Merlin as well. You are like a box full of surprises."

I chuckled at Tonk's words as I handed Nyx my penned letter. Tonks looked at Nyx with awe and smiled as she spoke.

"her eyes are so beautiful still... How have you been Nyx"

Nyx let out a gleeful chirp, as if thanking Tonks for the kind words. Tonks couldnt help but laugh seeing that this owl had such a personality to her.

"Nyx is definetly one of a kind... I've never known an owl with such a presence and pride to itself. She also seems to understand our words almost too much"

Oz chuckled as he stroked Nyx's feathers.

"Yeah shes definetly a character, I remember when I first met her in Eeylops the first thing that caught my eye were her jet black feathers"

Nyx was weak to compliments as she spread her wings showcasing her black feathers.

"Alright, Nyx, you know the place to head to. Stay there this time though until I come and get you, as I will be coming there myself. I may take some time to get back this summer, but don't worry."

Nyx rubbed her head against my cheek and flew off out of the Great Hall.

"So, Oz, you traveling in the summer then?"

"You could say that. I just got some places I wanted to visit before heading home. I imagine your summer will be busy considering you are graduating now."

Tonks' face became sour as I pointed out the fact that she would soon not be a student anymore.

"Ah, don't remind me... I've got a place in the ministry thanks to the internship program, but I'm probably going to be doing grunt work for a while until I get to do the real cool stuff."

"I'm sure you'll do fine... I better get back to my room and finish packing."

"Yeah, no worries. If I don't see you, Oz, then have a good rest of your time here at Hogwarts. That's if you end up staying here for the full seven years. Part of me thinks you probably won't do that, considering where you are already at."

She was quite on the mark with that comment. While Hogwarts housed many important facilities and magical artifacts I did want to get my hands on, it wasn't a place I was truly attached to. After I did everything I needed to do, I would probably head off on my own somewhere. Maybe I could do a transfer program to another school and absorb their knowledge.

"I'm sure we will see each other again soon, Tonks. I have a feeling I'll be coming to the ministry eventually, so I'll pop by and say hello."

Tonks nodded with a smile.

"I'd like that. Anyway, see you later!"

Tonks headed off from the table as I also got up and headed out of the Great Hall. I headed directly down to my dorm and made sure I hadn't left anything behind. I had a trunk with me, but hardly anything was in there as the majority of my items were in the extension pouch. After feeling satisfied, I headed for the castle's exit and started following the other students who were heading to Hogsmeade with their luggage.

Eyes fell on me as I walked alone towards the train. I brushed them all off and got onto the train, packed my luggage away, and found myself an empty compartment to sit in.

I took one last glance out at Hogsmeade station before resolutely speaking under my breath.

"Stonehenge... let's see what secrets you hold then..."