13

1975, 13 November.

It was Thursday… which was after Wednesday, he could be outside with the rest of his mates, but he decided to stay indoors after his second last lesson of the day, that being Transfiguration. Earlier in the day, he had gone to the meeting for his Herbology project, which only lasted for an hour, with them designating the work we would do and still deciding upon a particular plant to study. They collectively decided to choose plants individually that interest them and write a small paragraph on them.

Then their next meeting, which would be tomorrow, they would decide which one sounded the best and would be the most interesting to complete our assignment on. Which he planned to do later in the evening, perhaps after Potions, which was his last class today. He had a free period after Transfiguration, an hour-long, which was why he decided to spend it in his dorm.

Polaris was laid in his bed. He didn't bother covering himself with the warmth of the duvet. Instead of just lying on the neatly made bed, he had only taken his shoes and his robe off and was reading. His curiosity about magic was never-ending, and a topic he was most interested in was 'dark' magic.

Of course, there were spells that society as a whole decided was 'unacceptable'. Seen as 'evil', blah, blah… those were just their opinions, yet enough of them had that opinion for them to be cast aside as the unforgivable, an interesting name to have given them. There were three of them, one that controlled a person's mind, 'the imperius curse'. Another which tortures its victim, the cruciatus curse, and one which kills them, the killing curse.

He didn't see the problem with imperius curse… controlling ones mind, 'immoral' they would call it, ridiculous really. They're all hypocrites who all wish to be seen as someone with morals.

Morals… what a disgusting word. He hated how subjective it was. No one was truly 'moral', were they? They are most likely situations where people have the incentive to pretend morals, which he doesn't blame at all. They're humans, all having a sense of self-preservation, refusing to have the world scorn them for not being like them. Fearing punishment is different from actually being good.

There are charms that confuse the mind, and if used right, you can manipulate a person into thinking things, believing things, and manipulating them into seeing things that really aren't there. Another which is usually used in Mundungus… they can wipe memories. Just like that, you wouldn't even remember it happening at all. Then, of course, let us not forget to mention love potions… all of which control the mind. Yet, imperius is an 'unforgivable'.

The cruciatus curse is a spell created for torture and to inflict pain, but why brand it an unforgivable? When there are many hexes and spells which do the same thing, inflicting pain on their victims. It was a spell that required the other person's unequivocal malevolent intent to harm them. Was there any justification for self-defence, logic, or even the rage of unrestrained passion?

With that in mind, what's the point of considering it an unforgivable?

What makes dark magic dark?

This book was not helpful with his questions, and it wasn't as though he could simply ask unless he asked a member of his family, perhaps, his mother or father. Though, he felt Bellatrix would have some thoughts on it, seeing as she was so open about it.

The dorm room barged open, revealing his roommate Aaron Flint, "Oh, you're here. By any chance, do you know where Avery is?" He asked once he spotted Polaris.

Polaris didn't look away from his book. He turned a page and glanced up towards his way, "he'll be here at some point if he wishes to be ready for potions" he found himself answering the boy as he heard the loud footsteps. Corvus was never known to be graceful.

"Really?" just as Aaron spoke, Corvus walked through the open door, surprising Aaron. Polaris was starting to think he should recommend Aaron to go to a healer to check his hearing.

"Of course you knew," Aaron said.

"Knew what?" Corvus asked as he went to his desk, "He- ugh, it doesn't even matter. Corvus, where's my assignment?" Aaron spoke.

"Assignment?" Corvus murmured out, looking the boy's way, "The one I gave you yesterday to copy," he answered impatiently, "Oh yeah, I'll get it for you know, I didn't get to finish, and I wasn't copying it… I was merely using it to compare to my work."

"Are you trying to get Professor Slughorn to take points from Slytherin? We have his lesson in about 15 minutes- and what? Comparing it to your blank page?"

Corvus's eyes widened as he ignored the last few words, "I thought we didn't have him until tomorrow! Can I just quickly finish it off? I'll give it back to you before class."

Aaron groaned, "Why can't you do your homework early for once."

Corvus scoffed, "You're acting as though we didn't copy Pol's assignment for charms last week."

Polaris stopped reading and rested the book on his chest so he wouldn't lose the page. His brows furrowed, "You copied my charms work? You two-".

"Oh, would you look at that? I think I heard someone call my name must be my brother. I'll see you two later." With that, Aaron left through the door.

"What a git, his brother already graduated. I'm pretty sure the guy is married now," Corvus spoke out, and then he met Polaris's gaze.

"Oh… look at that. I think my cousin is calling for me. You can hear it too, can't you?" he chuckled nervously and left through the door before coming back with long strides.

"I forgot this", he whispered when he picked up both his assignment and Aaron's before walking out again.

Polaris shook his head and snorted, and brought the book back into his view.

1975, 14 November.

"I can't believe he took points off Slytherin", Corvus mumbled as he walked alongside Polaris as they left their last lesson of the day.

"Well, calling someone a mudblood for the whole class to hear can do that", Polaris drawled.

Corvus rolled his eyes, "It was an accident. I was merely trying to explain how it was unfair for the mudblood to get house points for knowing what a car was. I mean, obviously, she knows what it is. She bloody lives in the muggle world. I tried saying muggle-born, but obviously, it didn't come out like that."

"I mean, why do we even have to do the dumb subject anyways? It's not like I'm planning to move to the muggle world, nor am I planning on using a 'car' when I'm older."

"Polaris", the voice called out. Polaris stopped walking, recognising the voice. He turned to see Amelia, "Amelia", he greeted with a nod. "Oh, sorry, are you busy?" she asked, looking towards Corvus.

Polaris looked back towards his friend, "I suppose we were talking… is there something I can help you with?" he asked, "Oh, nothing really. I just wanted to discuss schedule times for our project, then perhaps you can pass them until Andrew."

"Right, I guess we can do that. Corvus was just leaving anyway." Polaris responded, sparing a glance at his friend.

He much rather get it done now, in between classes, than have to have another meeting just to discuss meeting times. It made perfect sense to do it now.

"But we were-"

Polaris faced him and repeated himself, "He was just leaving." Corvus glared at him but eventually walked away.

"Oh, okay. Sorry to bother you, I know we have another meeting later today, but I suppose you can say I want it postponed. I have a Transfiguration essay due tomorrow morning, and I just rather spend more time finishing it tonight, so I can get a good grade." She rambled, smiling nervously.

He nodded, "Wouldn't it have made sense to have done this essay earlier?" he questioned. "I did. I just happened to lose it… now I've been panicking, trying to make it as good as it was before." She replied, sighing in defeat.

He hummed, "Sounds stressful." He responded laxly. He could understand, well, not from personal experiences, more so watching it second with Corvus. His friend would literally tear his part of the room apart, looking for his homework and assignments. Usually, they would have class in the next half an hour, not realising he had no idea where he had placed it.

She nodded, "It is. The worse part is, I don't have the references of the books I used to write it because it was at the end of my easy So, I practically had to start from the very beginning, only remembering a few books."

"How many books did you use?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, about twenty, I think, maybe twenty-one… anyway, move the meeting tomorrow, you wouldn't mind, would you?" Amelia asked, "Yeah, that's fine. I don't particularly mind." He responded.

"Do you think And-" she stopped mid-sentence.

Amelia's eyes seemed to widen as she looked behind Polaris. He noticed it and looked over his shoulder to see what had taken her attention away.

He turned to see Andrew Travers being kicked once again. Polaris rolled his eyes before he let a smirk appear on his face. 'at this point, he must be asking them to hit him in every corner of the school. At least this time, it's not by Slytherins…'.

It was rather pathetic and embarrassing that he was currently wearing their Slytherin uniform. Slytherins stook together, right? It really wouldn't do good to let this go on like this. Besides, they have a meeting tomorrow too. He shouldn't have to miss it just because he's lying in the infirmary.

"What does he think he's doing, this awful! " it was Amelia that spoke. He turned to her horrified look, perhaps because of the blood? But really, Awful? This was awful.

"I need to go help him. Why isn't anyone doing anything? They're just standing there watching!" he stared dumbly at her, help him? Why would she do that? What was in it for her? He didn't need her getting hurt, too, then what he's stuck doing the project by himself? Maybe that's a good idea…

He sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll be back," he told her, which revied a questionable look from Amelia as she saw him walk forward, "What are you doing!" she called after him.

An older Gryffindor's smiled down at Andrew's huddled figure laughing at the 'snake withering'.

There was a small crowd gathered around witnessing the assault.

As Polaris walked over towards them, "I'd stop that if I were you", Polaris drawled tonelessly. The taller Gryffindor snorted when he turned to see Polaris come forth. The boy looked back at Andrew.

"Ahh, I thought you didn't have any friends but look at this, another weak snake?" the boy said with a menacing smile.

The boy walked towards Polaris, "What are you going to do?" he asked tauntingly. Polaris raised a brow, looking up at the older student, smiling innocently, "Me? I'm not even going to raise my wand," Polaris responded. The boy laughed before pushing Polaris' shoulder.

Polaris looked down at the shoulder that this Gryffindor just touched. The boy was still laughing. Gryffindors, at times, were idiots, never thinking before acting. They just did what they wanted, so, therefore, Polaris was going to do what he wanted. He wanted him to suffer for thinking he was above Polaris. He hated that gaze the boy had, thinking he was in control.

He wasn't.

'Perhaps the stinging hex,' Polaris thought with a small smile baring his face. He stared uncaringly at the boy who thought himself better than him and watched the boys' eyes widen before he groaned in pain, "Ahhh!!!".

The Gryffindor's face began to swell, and the crowd became quiet knowing trying to understand what had just happened.

'The first time I've used a jinx, I didn't think it would work. I'm glad it worked out well.'

Andrew stared in horror at the older boy who had just threatened his life as if it was nothing not long ago, fell to the floor in agony while his body began to swell up.

Whispers surrounded the hall.

"That's the Stinging jinx".

"What's a stinging jinx?".

"What's happening to him?".

"Did he do that?".

"The stinging hex?".

"That's dark magic right there. Who did it!"

"A stinging hex? But I didn't see the light from anyone's wand".

Polaris gasped as he saw the boy collapse, "What's going on. Who did this? I was trying to defuse the situation, yet someone decided to take action? This is ridiculous. Someone get a teacher, stop standing there like idiots!" Polaris snapped at the crowd.

Just as the whole scene was occurring, somebody had indeed called for a professor, who came swiftly enough. "What happened?!"

"I don't know, Professor, it happened so suddenly, I don't even know who did it. Will he be okay" his voice drowned with worry.

--

Andrew coughed into his elbow, awkwardly averting his gaze away from Polaris's lingering gaze, who was seated on the side of the bed beside the bed Andrew was resting in. Andrew flushed in embarrassment and finally met Polaris's gaze once more.

"What!" he blurted out. Polaris raised a brow, "Huh?" "you- you keep staring at me", he mumbled.

"Oh, I apologise. I was just trying to see why she would-" 'care that much to intervene herself, perhaps she realised too she didn't want him to be injured because of our project… yeah, that seems like likely."

"She?" Andrew questioned, confused. "Never mind, I guess I was just thinking about something else", Polaris responded, finally looking away from the boy and glancing towards the other resident in the room, the Gryffindor who had caused this whole commotion.

'Madam Poppy had stabilised him well enough. He's being melodramatic. I don't understand why he fainted.'

"Um, Scion Black?" Polaris heard from Andrew and averted his attention back to the boy, "What" practically snapped out, not particularly happy with the situation. He really should have just walked away. He didn't have to do anything. It's because of the stupid Bones girl.

"Why are you here? I know you tried to help me and all but um, you don't have to stay with me".

Polaris snorted, "I'm not here because I want to hold your hand while you get your boo-boos fixed, Scion Travers. I'm here because the Professor told me to stay behind here. They probably think I'm the one that jinxed him".

"But you didn't! You didn't even have your wand out, so you couldn't have done it… but I guess they probably just want to make sure, so you can just tell the professor you didn't. I'll even back you up!".

"Alright," Polaris mumbled, not necessarily listening to what he had to say.

After a few seconds of silence which Andrew found awkward, Polaris spoke, his curiosity at his peak, having nothing else to do, "Why do you let people look down on you?" he asked the boy.

Andrew looked taken back at the question, "I- I don't know, I'm just used to it, I guess, and it would be weird to do something about it now…" he answered unsurely.

'Well, that's a stupid answer.'

"It would be 'weird', seriously? Do you like being kicked? Do you like being insulted? Do you like everyone staying clear of you because they seem like some type of disease? You find that all okay, but find asking them to stop… weird?"

"You better figure out what you want. If I were treated as you were, I would take none of it. I wouldn't disgrace my family name as you are."

Andrew clenched his jaw, his fists balled tightly, eyes staring blankly.

"I feel second-hand embarrassment for those who share the name of 'Andrew' with you. You're pathetic. It really amusing with you having the name Travers- I've heard you're shit at your schoolwork, too. Not only do you not seem to care about the physical abuse, but you don't seem to care about your atrocious grades-". He was cut off as the bruised boy had finally had enough.

"Just shut up!" Travers snapped, his loud and full of resentful rage.

"I already know I'm pathetic, I already know I'm tarnishing my family name, but I don't care! It's not a name I wish to have. I was forced to have it. I didn't ask to be born into the house of Travers, I didn't ask to be a bastard, I didn't ask to be a half-blood. I asked for none of this. I just want to be out of here, away from all this, and be with my mum," He screamed out streams of tears escaping his eye ducts.

He took a few breaths, gripping the sheets.

"I hate my life. I- I just want to cry in a hole and never come out. Why do I have to live like this? Why must I have to try hard to gain people's respect? I tried so hard- so fucking hard to make my father proud, but all he did was stare at me like some pest. In my first week of meeting my father's family, my older half brother pushed me down the stairs and told me to die." He sobbed out.

"… So don't call me pathetic. I already do so every day. I hear it from many others. I don't need another person calling me pathetic. I wish I could do better-" he sniffed out before being cut off.

Polaris had nearly let out a whistle, ready to tell him, that's rough, bud. Thankfully he was able to not… do that. Talk about lowering his self-esteem even more.

"-Then do better, you could do so much better, don't let people walk over you, don't let them look down on you, it's obvious you don't care what they think, I suppose that's alright, but it doesn't mean you need to allow this to happen, stand up for yourself for once, who cares what your father thinks of you. Stop being a baby and stop crying. I don't feel sorry for you one bit." Polaris spoke out and handed him a handkerchief.

Hopefully, he wouldn't be 'emotional' for their meeting tomorrow.

"Make a name for yourself, show them who you really are, show them that you're not pathetic. When you do, I won't ever call you pathetic, but right now, it's hard not to."

"… Make a name for myself?" Andrew questioned in confusion as he whipped his eyes with the handkerchief.

"Yeah, a name for yourself. Right now, people see you as a weak half-blood bastard, which you are. Do you really want to be known as that for the rest of your life? So, I'll say it once again, make a name for yourself. Make some use of your life. You were born into the House of Travers, a Noble and Most Ancient House, part of the sacred 28." Polaris gritted out.

"Why do you even care" Andrew mumbled out, "I don't", Polaris answered before continuing after seeing his confused gaze.

"You look depressed, and I don't want you to kill yourself. If you do, the students would have to go home while they investigate, and I don't feel like going home right now. I still haven't answered my mother's last letter. She'll give me a whole speech about not responding fast enough."

"…"

"What?" Polaris asked when the boy silently stared at him after his answer. "Nothing…" he answered.

"Oh, and we moved our meeting for tomorrow. Thankfully we did… perhaps I would have just made us come to the infirmary to do it with you." Polaris spoke again in thought.

"Oh, right… I'll be there." Travers answered before silence took over again.

He sighed. "I'll make a name for myself", Andrew spoke out confidently to himself before he handed out the soaked handkerchief back to Polaris.

Polaris looked at the outstretched hand with disgust.

"Um- you can keep it".