Ch. 9

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(Samuel Lestrange Pov)

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"Ugh, why is life so hard? I'm only eleven, I have no friends, and the world wants to murder me… Great!" Samuel thought to himself as he palmed the little black book he swiped from the restricted section. His leather school bag sat on the ground next to his feet, as he stared out at the great lake from under a tree on the school grounds. Behind him, Hagrid's Hut could be seen in the distance, smoke billowing from the chimney.

Samuel sighed and shook his head, feeling somewhat at peace for the first time since coming to this school. Nobody knew where he was, and he wasn't followed. It was just him, nature, and his book.

Man, I really wish I could play quidditch or something. I'm almost certain they would never let me on the team because of my last name. Those muggle loving bastards never even really gave me a chance.

Samuels thoughts jolted to a halt and then he asked himself one simple question cut through his mind like a knife, "Did I maybe do the same thing?"

Samuel shook his head trying to deny the thought, he told himself no, but in his heart he knew the answer. He thought about Alyssum, when she asked if she could be his friend back in the hospital wing.

"Am I doing the right thing here?" He wondered

He looked down at his book, he needed to get stronger and fast. He took a deep breath and exhaled seemingly synching himself up with the nature and magic surrounding him. He could feel the pure magic tickle his skin, and he let out a carefree smile.

Magic truly is amazing!

Samuel opened the book of Icelandic Rituals, and began to read. Time quickly flew by as he began pouring into the text, and reading the margins some mysterious wizard wrote in.

"The essence of this particular brand of magic ritual is something must be sacrificed in order to gain something. This particular brand of magic is governed by the laws of equivalent exchange. If you want the strength of a troll, you must sacrifice one's beating heart or hide. Usually the sacrifice would be magical in nature, but you could say use the life force of several muggles to fuel the spell as well.

Objects that are transfigured can never be used as fuel for the spell, due to the fact that it is not exactly a complete transmutation. The mouse still was a goblet first, and once the spell ends or the caster runs out of magic the mouse will return to its original form.

Objects that are transmuted with alchemy are altered beyond the physical and truly become the object of the alchemist's desire. However, you could not use alchemy to give life, it generally is for inanimate objects only, and is incredibly difficult" Samuel thought as he flitted through the pages.

A thought cut through Samuel's mind and without even thinking he said, "Isn't in the barest since of the word, all magic based on sacrifice? Do I not have to sacrifice the magical energy within my core and body in order to fuel my spells? Is my Will not offered up as tribute to cast even the most powerful of magics?"

A strange light could be seen in his eyes, having for the first time finally understood something fundamental about magic.

Why has nobody talked about this before? Have I just been reading the wrong books? What is so special about this brand of magic?

Samuel had around a million questions flying through his mind, but one thought resonated the most with him, "I need to find the Room Of Hidden Things.

Nobody had ever mentioned any Room of Hidden Things to him before and he wondered how he could ever be able to find it. He didn't even know where to start. Sam had asked both Severus and Lucius about all the secret rooms in Hogwarts that they knew about growing up, but they had never even once mentioned this particular room.

When he asked them what the most secret area in Hogwarts was, they always gave him the same answer, "The Chamber Of Secrets." Nobody is even sure if it even exists, and apparently a long time ago someone claimed to have opened it and released the monster inside. However the mysterious chamber was never found, if it even ever existed at all.

I wonder if the other founders had cool hidden chambers? Who would I find this information from, who could possibly know anything about the one that I need? There are so many mysteries inside of Hogwarts, not even Snape or Lucius know all of them. There is probably not a single person on the planet who knows every secret that lies within the walls of that school.

Samuel heard the sound of laughter coming across the bridge, and he instantly snapped to attention.

"Shit, I hope they don't notice me out here. The voices sound young, I can probably handle them." Samuel thought as a dangerous look flashed across his face. His hand slid inside his robe, he knew he was pretty far, probably around seventy feet from the opening at the end of the bridge. The odds of them noticing him were slim. He just had to be very, very careful.

Samuel held his breath as he saw a familiar head of red hair pop out of the exit on the bridge. Samuel exhaled in relief as he watched Alyssum skip forward followed by Ron and Harry. The three of them walked along the stone path laughing and chatting as they made their way to Hagrid's Hut.

As he watched them Samuel felt a pang of jealousy, Sam reached up and placed his right hand over his heart and sighed.

I wish I could have some friends. Honestly I wish I could just have someone who truly gave a shit about me. I thought Draco did, but he didn't even come see me in the hospital wing. Nor has he attempted to contact me since we arrived at Hogwarts.

Sam sighed and just as he was about to go back to reading his book in peace, he noticed a platinum blonde head of hair come out of the large bridge followed by 3 figures. Two were far larger than the average first year, and there was a tall dark-skinned boy with high cheekbones.

Oh Merlin, Speak of the Devil.

Samuel figured they were following the Potter twins and the Weasley, and rolled his eyes.

"I should let them do what they want to them, and just hide out here." He thought

However, watching Draco be all chummy with Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise Zabini. While seemingly having no time for him made him quite angry.

We were brothers! I need an explanation!

Sam clenched his fists in anger as he watched them attempt to stealthily make their way towards Hagrid's Hut.

Samuel quickly slid the book into his school bag and through the leather bag over his shoulder.

When he looked back, he saw red. He stepped out from behind the tree and screamed, "DRACO!"

The four boys seemed alarmed by the sudden scream, and watched as Sam made his way to where they were standing. They were probably around twenty-five feet away from Hagrid's hut.

Each of the four boys immediately stayed in place with angry looks on their faces.

"Sam, what do you think you are doing!" Draco screamed at him

Sam quickly crossed the distance with an angry expression on his face as he finally came face to face with Draco.

"NO, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" Sam screamed

"I've been in the hospital wing, and you haven't even shown your face! I thought we were supposed to be brothers! We have talked for years about going to Hogwarts together!" Sam said angrily, but inside he felt hurt

"Why did you abandon me Draco!" He screamed in his mind

Draco snorted and held his nose up high, "That was before you began consorting with mudbloods and blood-traitors. Father says you are such a disappointment. A Lestrange in Gryffindor! What a joke!" Draco said with icy cold eyes

When Sam heard the words, "Father said you are such a disappointment," the world began to spin. He felt as if he had been punched in the gut.

All that work, all that torture, just to be discarded…

Crabbe and Goyle began cracking their knuckles, but this went totally unnoticed by Sam. The room was spinning, and the weight of Lucius' disappointment cut deeper than any blade.

Lucius isn't even here. I'm not even worthy of a letter or anything, I had to hear it from Draco.

Time moved slowly as Sam said, "You know its not like that! I just happen to be a Gryffindor, I am still the same old me."

"Oh really, then why don't you explain to me why you threw Slytherin under the bus when you were attacked! We didn't even do anything!" Draco said, spittle flying from his mouth as he spoke to his former best friend.

Sam took a step back, he felt like he had been slapped in the face.

"Bb-because I had no choice Draco, Please." Sam said looking down

Crabbe and Goyle scoffed at Samuel

When he heard that he snapped out of his depression, and was overcome with rage.

"Oh really, who are you calling blood-traitor you posh, entitled fucks! I did more for the fucking cause last week all of you have done your entire lives. Who the fuck do you think you are talking to!" Sam Screamed, any sense of decorum he may have had previously was thrown out the window.

Sam took a step forward and got in Draco's face, staring dead into his bright blue eyes. As soon as a flicker of fear crossed Draco's face, Sam felt a big meaty fist slam into his nose. He heard a loud crack, as blood began rolling down his nose onto the wet grass below.

Sam's eyes began to water, "FUCK! YOU BROKE MY NOSE" he screamed

Goyle cracked his neck and massaged his hand with a triumphant smirk, "Bloody Hell, I've been waiting to do that for a while." he said smugly and Crabbe snorted.

"Bout time we put this Joker in his place aye Goyle?" Crabbe said as he stepped forward.

Sam immediately pulled his bag off his shoulder, dropped his robes, and charged the two much larger boys. Sam quickly arrived in front of Goyle and threw a wild haymaker with his right hand. His fist connected with Goyle's mouth, busting his lip. Goyle retreated a few steps and Crabbe threw out a huge front kick.

"These idiots are used to just being bigger and winning fights that way. I'm gonna fuck them up." Sam thought as he quickly pivoted his body, dodging the front kick. Crabbe fell forward slightly right into a massive elbow strike.

Sam's elbow struck the larger boy, and a loud cracking sound rang out. Blood poured from Crabbes nose as Sam quickly grabbed Crabbe by the collar of his hogwarts uniform and smashed him in the mouth with a powerful right hand strike, pulling Crabbe into the strike to add extra force to the blow.

Sam pulled his hand back once more, his eyes were still watering from his broken nose. He couldnt see a whole lot out of the corners of his eyes, but he managed to see a large shadow heading his way. He turned his head and was struck in the chin by a powerful left hand by Goyle. Sam quickly tanked it, and pushed Crabbe away from him. Crabbe fell back several steps and fell into the grass clutching his nose and groaning in pain.

Sam let out a loud battle cry, as he saw Goyle throwing another punch at him. Fenrir's face flashed through his mind as he quickly stepped forward twisting his body to slightly avoid the strike. Sam reached out and wrapped his hands around the taller boy's lapel, and yanked Goyle towards him. Sam struck Goyle with a massive headbutt. Sam put all of his strength in it, and he heard a loud cracking sound. Blood gushed all over Sam's forehead, Goyles hands quickly flew up to his face. However, Sam wasn't done yet, he pulled Goyle in for another headbutt. Sam slammed his head into Goyle's face over and over again. Blood flew everywhere and pieces of Goyles teeth had chipped into Sam's skull.

"STOP!" Draco screamed trying to pull sam off of Goyle whose legs had gone limp. He was being held up by Sam, who was still mercilessly punishing the boy. Sam let go with one hand and used it to shove Draco back. Draco was forced several steps back, as Sam used his free hand to slam it into Goyles disfigured face. The sound of flesh hitting flesh rang out.

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Screamed Blaise

Suddenly sam felt his bones straighten out and his arms stuck to his sides. His muscles contracted and went completely stiff. Then, he felt his body hit the ground below.

"FUCK!" Sam screamed as blood ran down his face splashing onto the grass below.

Sam struggled to get up, but he was unable to move a muscle. There was nothing he could do, he was beat.

"RAAAAAAAAGGHHHHH!" Sam screamed as he tried to move his petrified body, utilizing the only part of his body that still worked. Blood ran down his throat, filling his mouth with the metallic taste of iron. He began to feel sick to his stomach as more and more blood flowed down.

He couldn't see what the other boys were doing. All he could look at was the sky. Blood ran into his left eye, causing him to be unable to see.

He quickly calmed his breathing as he felt the presence of one of the boys.

"STOP! DON'T DO ANYTHING MORE!" Draco screamed

Then, Sam felt a leather shoe come into contact with his face, and everything went black.

Darkness…..