His Mark
[Knowledge is Power]

14th September 2016
Wednesday

Aileen

I was the first one to wake up and started gathering the things that I would need to take to the bathroom downstairs.
Despite only having slept for six hours, I felt wide awake and was happy to be alone for a change.
My footsteps echoed throughout the large room, which was illuminated by the morning sun by the large windows next to the beds.
I tilted my head to the side as I saw that my toothbrush had been placed inside a new cup with the Ravenclaw crest, which hadn't been there the night before.

After gathering everything that I needed, I slowly made my way down the flights of stairs to the bathrooms in the last floor which were for the first to fourth years.
I then proceeded to brush my teeth, take shower and change into my Ravenclaw uniform- minus the cloak.

The clock on the wall indicated that it was fifteen past seven as I stepped back into the bedroom.
I made my way over to Daniel's bed and shook him lightly by the shoulders, after deciding that it would be wise to be on my roommates good side.
Daniel however seemed to have other plans and placed his pillow over his head.

I groaned in exasperation and walked over to Simon's bed. " Get up! It's almost nine o'clock!" I said rather loudly into the room.
"W-what?" Simon sat up panicked and scanned frantically for the wristwatch on his nightstand.
"I'll kill you Gaunt!" He spat full of gloomy conviction and slumped back into bed.
"What's going on," Aberforth mumbled more to his blanked than to the room.
"Well it's half past seven, and breakfast ends at eight forty, in your place I would hurry." I said calmly and to my surprise, my argument seemed to have reached Gregory and James who were in an almost undead like slumber.
The two of them suddenly got up, gathered their things and dragged themselves down the long flight of stairs to the bathrooms.

I tied my tie, while Aberforth searched for his socks which he had probably lost in his sleep all the while cursing silently to himself.
"I swear to you, from now on I'll start going to sleep at eight!" Simon announced sincerely and rubbed his swollen eyes.

Daniel still didn't show any signs of life, whilst I was seriously contemplating of leaving them here and going to the Great Hall by myself.

******
After some time there was a loud knock on the door, and it was forcefully opened without waiting for an answer.
A boy who I assumed was Xenon, stood in the doorway in a good mood wearing his school uniform, his carefully combed hair curling slightly at the ends.
The smile of the prefect however, died instantly, and became a stern expression when he saw that half of the children were still sitting on their beds wearing their pajamas.

"When did I say that breakfast is over," he asked fatigued and folded his arms across his chest.
"Eight-forty," Simon answered somewhat sheepishly.
"Right, and if you know that I honestly ask myself, why you're still lying in bed at eight fifteen!" Xenon shouted the last part at the boy who had now lowered his head.

"Actually, I thought, that I was the last! But only because I had to go to Professor Nova's office today," he said in a rather annoyed voice. Xenon ran his hand over his face, as he weighed up what he should do now.

"Now listen to me carefully," he said dangerously low and the boys held their breath. "You will all be in the Great Hall before eight forty, I don't care how you do it, but you'll be there, have I made myself clear?" Xenon inquired.
"Yes, sir," Aberforth swallowed hard and quickly slipped down stairs heading for the bathrooms with Simon hot on his heels.

A snoring could be heard from the back corner of the room and Xenon's hands clenched, so that his knuckles turned white.
I mockingly raised my eyebrows.
This is not going to end well.... I thought to myself as Daniel's bed covers flew away with a swing of Xenon's wand.
Daniel looked around and blinked a few times sleepily and irritated, as he noticed the annoyed facial expression of our house's prefect suddenly standing in front of him.
"During! Wake up and get your arse to the Great Hall or I'll drag you there in your pajamas! If you're late that will reflect badly on me, and therefore on our whole house! Believe me, you do not want to know how angry some of the Ravenclaws can get when someone in their own house is slowing them down!" Xenon shouted at the boy who in turn blinked irritated at him.
"We have classes today?" He asked, still dazed from sleep.
I shook my head over so much stupidity.
"Do we have classes today?! Of course we have classes today! Get up!" Xenon snapped at the boy and stomped towards the door.
Daniel was busy gathering up his rope, even though he would have rather gone back to sleep.

"Aileen, make sure that they get there on time, alright?", Xenon whispered so that only I could hear him.
"I think that you have the character... to persuade them. I notice these things..." he slyly answered the question that had appeared in my eyes. With these conspiratorial words, he went out the door and left me standing there with a grumbling Daniel.
My respect for Xenon had risen considerably, it's impressive how he gained respect and the level of ambition that he fights with for the preservation of the reputation of his house.

While I stood there playing with the idea of becoming a prefect in the future, Simon bustled back into the room. He grabbed the blue and bronze striped tie that hang over the edge of his bed and knotted it around his neck.
James hopped as next into the room and tried desperately to tie his shoelaces without completely losing his balance.
"Leave your stupid hair as it is and come over here, Mayel!" Said Simon rushing up the stairs.

"Calm down, I'm coming!" Shouted Aberforth, his pale face was slightly flushed from running up the stairs.

I glanced at the alarm clock on Aberforth's nightstand.
"It's eight twenty-five! We have to go!"
I shouted in the round.
"Gregory, you have toothpaste on your mouth! James, you forgot your tie, and Daniel, hurry up!" I commanded into the round.

An indefinable mumble came from behind the curtains. "I need a little more time!" Said Daniel, and stuck his hectic uncombed hair from behind the curtains.

"Then you'll have to comb your hair while you walk, a bad hairstyle will be your smallest problem if we're late," I warned him energetically.
Daniel looked defiantly at me for a moment, but then he snorted, put on his shoes and walked with a comb in his hand over to us.

I felt like a true leader when I opened the door, as I walked through the corridors with the other frantically trying to keep up with me.

They actually listened to me, I summed up in silence.

****
The small group ran through the castle and only Aileen and Daniel seemed to have the slightest orientation.
Aileen had often wandered alone through the woods and was good at memorizing routes.

They finally arrived in front of the great hall.
The door was open and was just as full as the previous days.
The little group Immediately stopped before entering, in hopes of catching their breath, and calming their accelerated heartbeats.
The boys hastily smoothed out their their uniforms and tidied their hair.
Aileen, however, simply put on his usual in different expression.

He was the first of the group to enter the Great Hall and ignored the hundreds of eyes that now openly rested on him with remarkable indifference.

And so the small group strutted toward the Ravenclaw table and sat down at a big gap, which had been well-kept free just for them.
Xenophon, Cassandra and the female first-years, sat around already having finished eating.

James, Gregory and Aberforth, Simon, Daniel and Aileen sat opposite of them.
The boys looked over to the Ravenclaw prefect, silently waiting for his verdict.
It was one minute before eight-thirty.

Xenon breathed deeply in and out.
"Don't ever do that again!" He snorted strictly and relaxed.

And with that the boys finished their breakfast in peace.

Cordelia

"Oh god. Aileen's collected his posse."

I joined the rest of the school, watching Aileen strut (and he really did strut) into the Hall, leading a group of five or so Ravenclaw students.
I stifled a giggle-it was like seeing a proud king leading a flock of chicken.

Unfortunately, Juliet had decided to take it upon herself to imitate Aileen's swagger seen in her own perception. She stuck out her chest, put on a pompous expression that barely resembled Aileen at all and spoke in a gravelly, deep voice.
"Professor, a bezoar is taken from the stomach of a llama. I'm so smart! Come on my fellow nerdsman, let's conquer the world one book at a time!"

Despite my guilty conscience, I bursted out laughing with Rosaline.

"It's taken from the stomach of a goat you dummy, not a llama!" I pointed out through bursts of laughter.
"Oh hush, no one cares. Keep it for when you smash Aileen in History."

Juliet and Rosaline forced me to become more active in class discussions, earning Slytherin at least sixty house points-along with Ravenclaw's animosity. Which was disconcerting when twenty or so people glare at you, daring you to raise your hand in class although the support from my house counteracts the negativity.

Aileen however, seemed mostly unimpressed by my- or rather the first years Slytherins' attempt to bring him down. He stopped raising his hand during classes, and only answered questions when the Professors asked him directly- which generally happened seven out of ten times.
He stopped showing off as much by not answering all the questions in class, but his homework and essays became longer with each passing week, and he made use of each piece of information I threw at him.

Of course, I retaliated by writing one more extra page then he did, but then by the next lesson of the subject he would have written just as much,if not more than me.
It became the norm for Aileen and I to scramble for the library after lessons and look for books normally reserved for older years, Aileen even trying to get into the Restricted Section, though his efforts were rebuffed. Once, we even grasped the same book at the same time-but that's another story.

I was happy with our new position as competitors. Our disposition was clear as crystal when we were just rivals in class.
Juliet and Rosaline took my mind off the confusion over Aileen with their amusing conversations and slowly just made Aileen nothing more than an annoying Ravenclaw that needs to be put in his place, hence the essay war.

I think the teachers were getting sick of reading our ridiculously long essays as a fortnight later, we were held back by Professor Nova, who was holding our latest essays with a resigned look on her face.

"Although I appreciate your eagerness and enthusiasm...but don't you think that all this work is unnecessary? I've talked to the other teachers and apparently this doesn't just happen in my class." She watched our silent figures, waiting for a response.
I glanced at Aileen, having no idea how to explain our wordless rivalry.

"I apologise if I have caused you, or the other Professors any sort of inconvenience," He told the Professor with a subtle glance at me.
"I simply wished to gain more knowledge, and earn some much needed house points for Ravenclaw,"
"After all," he started again, this time looking shyly at Professor Nova.
"Weren't you the one who told me to place my studies above everything else, and not to give up halfway into the school year?"

That was annoyingly smooth.

"I just get carried away when I'm looking up the information for homework, and then I look at what I've currently written and I have the urge to explain why that happens and what causes it. So,um I'm sorry for causing any trouble" I said, ignoring Aileen's subtle glances.
"You two are not causing any trouble, my concern is that what we are teaching is so easy for you two that it's a joke," she paused at our protesting faces,"well that this is too easy for you. So I have decided on a joint extension project that you two must complete if you feel it is within your capabilities."

A joint project with Aileen?
That probably means we have to spend more time together... crud.

I watched for Aileen's reaction, but his seemingly shy expression didn't falter.

"Do we get class time for this?"
I inquired.
She considered this for a few moments before replying.
"I'll give you the last thirty minutes of class. You will have to complete this in your own time as well since you two only have classes together twice a week. So here are your instructions,"she handed us a two sheets of parchment each,one containing instructions and the other a recipe for...
"Polyjuice potion? Professor, isn't this in the sixth year curriculum?"
"It surely is," Professor Nova replied calmly.
"But I'm sure that the two of you will manage," She said looking from me to Aileen and back.
"After all, the two of you are my best students when it comes to brewing and researching Potions."
"But, won't this take up time that we should be using for homework from other subjects?" Asked Aileen with a hint of worry in his voice.
"Well..." Professor Nova started.
"I guess that I could excuse you from having to do any other work for me for the time being," she continued varley.
"I'm sure that the two of you already know most of the Potions that I'll be teaching the other first years... I will however have to speak to the Headmaster about it, he might want you to take some sort of exam just to be sure that you know the basics of this years potions..." The professor continued looking over at the clock.
"If you weren't first years, I would have been able to give each of you a Time-Turner, but unfortunately you are so I can't..." She finished looking somewhat apologetic.
I however noticed how Aileen slightly tensed up at the mention of the Time-Turner.
"Should we start now or-"
"I have orchestra practise," I interrupted Aileen, suddenly realising the time. I started to back away with a gracious smile on my face.
"Thank you so much for the opportunity Professor, enjoy the rest of your day."

I turned and managed to calmly walk to the door.
What am I suppose to do?
I was suddenly ripped out of my thoughts by the sound of someone approaching me with quick steps.
"Cordelia! Cordelia wait!" I heard Aileen's unmistakable voice call out to me.
"Professor Nova gave us these," He said excitedly and gave me a laminated piece of parchment with my name neatly written on it.
"This allows us to use the library or any vacant classroom after hours- well as long as we're together! But imagine all the books that we'll be able to read!" He said with pure enthusiasm, he seemed genuinely thrilled by the idea of spending hours in the library.

"That's really great! Um, thanks a lot,but I really have to go orchestra practise," I said in a positive tone while accepting the pass, not really knowing what to make of an excited Aileen.

He really is a Ravenclaw.

"I wasn't aware that we had the opportunity to partake in music groups," he said whilst walking along beside me.
"Is it part of Muggle classes?" He asked seemingly interested.
"No, music is universal, it's not just for muggles. There's the Frog Choir that performed at the Sorting and at Christmas and there's the orchestra, which I'm in, and that plays along aside the choir. Do you play an instrument?" I asked, wondering why he was taking a keen interest in my existence. I suddenly realised the stupidity of my question.
Oh crud. Who would teach him when he's being abused?
"Well...," He started saying whilst avoiding eye contact.
"We have this little choir at the place where I live...we were kind of forced to participate really, the teacher Mr. Cyril was rather strict..." He said whilst furrowing his eyebrows slightly.

By strict you mean he'll beat the stuffing out of you if you sing a note wrong don't you?

"He thought me how to play the piano since I was about four...but I prefer to play acoustic guitar."
"Really? How good are you?" I asked, not really picking Aileen as a musical type. I bit my lip at his frequent mentionings of Mr Cyril as his music teacher- God knows how many times that git had beaten Aileen.
"At playing the piano?" He asked, this time giving me a side glance.
"According to the piano instructor that I got after Mr. Cyril retired, I'm amazing at it for a child of my age," he said whilst blushing slightly and quickly added.
"Those were his words mind you, not mine."
"Well, I know for a fact that the orchestra is looking for a backup pianist for when Li Yao leaves next year. Why don't you come with me and audition?" I felt a breeze of relief that the Cyril git had retired- hopefully Aileen will never have to deal with him again.
"I don't know about that," He said whilst running his hand through his short fire red curls.
"Plus playing the piano brings back some really bad memories..." He mumbled to himself, he said it so softly that I almost didn't hear it and then quickly continued talking.
"The other students would whisper even more behind my back if I joined," He sighed and looked at me from the side.
"They- well mostly the Slytherin first years seem to hate me with passion."
"Well not you! I know that you're not someone who whispers behind peoples backs," he quickly added after seeing my expression.

"They don't hate you, it's just...well, I know Slytherin is considered to be the 'bitch' house," I made quotation marks with my fingers,"and just like every other house we stereotype others houses. This is speaking generally of course. So you Ravenclaws are the show off nerds, Hufflepuff are the happy duffers of Hogwarts and Gryffindors are the golden, favourites of the school. So...er with the Ravenclaw stereotype you fit right in...with an emphasis on the showing off part- in their perspective. We don't personally hate you, it's just...we have a reputation to maintain ,you know? Oh god this doesn't make any sense" I raked my fingers through my hair.

"My point is...well...in my brothers words, screw them. Just do what you think feels right to you."
"I'll think about it...the audition I mean..." he said after a few moments of hesitation.
"If it wasn't a classical orchestra- if it were something more alternative I would be all for it." He said whilst smiling bitterly.
"Oh, where are my manners... I hope you have fun in practise," he said and suddenly stopped walking.
I hadn't even realised that we were this close to the Great Hall.
"Is it ok if we meet after diner? You know- so that we can set up when we're meeting up to start on the potion."
"That's fine. Umm, see you then?" I replied tentatively.
"Sure, see you after dinner." He said with a smile and walked off to Merlin knows where.

I made a mental note to stop Juliet and Rosaline from calling him 'Aileena-nerd'.