The World Unknown
Wolf Amongst Sheep
Chapter Eighteen

Vlad and I had no doubts that Gage was framed, but now we both wanted to figure out if whoever framed Gage was also Noir, and why they would frame him out of everyone they could've framed.

"I don't actually have many ideas where to start, I'm conflicted and full of suspicions of who we can even trust." Vlad admitted as he looked up at me.

"If there is someone manipulating people, I'd have thought it to be Gage." I replied. "Remember that time when I was able to figure out the entrance to the Talian garden? I think whatever happened to me, happened to Arthur and Amber, just... differently."

"No, I think that you must have been under a body possessing curse, if that's so, I'm super sure somebody was with us in the gardens that day and cast that spell on you to help us enter. If they had cast it on Arthur or me, we would have known right away that we weren't alone. Since they cast it on you, we just assumed you just had secret knowledge on potions... From what you explained Amber and Arthur to be like, I think they were under a mind possessing curse. It's the same thing, but the caster can control more than one person, as long as they're in the same area."

"That must have been why Arthur became confused as to why we were trying to enter his house once we got in that hall!" I realized.

Vlad gave a nod then stood up, "I say we pretend to know nothing. Play dumb but remain vigilant. Someone has surely seen something even if they don't realize it's important! Those are the people we need to find while not letting them know we've found them... Y'know, in case someone is watching us."

"Noir..." I echoed as dramatically as he was speaking. Vlad glanced back at me and cracked a smile before turning back towards the lonesome table against the wall, "It's lunchtime isn't it? Why don't we go find ourselves a table."

-

The halls were somewhat empty as we walked downstairs and made our way into the dining hall. While there were some students, scattered around, most of them were gathered in small groups with their heads down, gossiping with eager looks in their eyes as they pried each at one another for information which no one seemed to really know besides the prefects, Arthur, Amber, Vladimir, and myself.

Elizabeta and Ludwig were walking on opposite sides of the dining hall, watching everyone with cold looks painted on their faces. Neither looked keen as the theories grew louder and louder the more one focused on them.

"Vlad," I called out lamely. He turned back to look at me and I continued, "Amber said she wanted us to sit with her, but I don't see her or Alfred or any of his brothers."

Vlad turned back at the people who were here and pressed his lips together, "I'm not great at making friends."

He spoke so suddenly that I didn't quite know what to respond, but he continued his thought, "but I have a friend who witnessed what just happened and I'm sure everyone here would just love to find out!"

"Where are you going with this?" I pried as I eyed the brunette suspiciously.

"Come on, ________, we're gonna make some new friends," Vlad grinned to himself, and though I wanted to question it further, I couldn't help myself from tagging along to the table right beside the Talian one, there, sat a group huddled closely. As Vlad pushed me to sit closest to one of the students, I quickly recognized that it was Antonio. He had his arm over Lovino's shoulder as they kept their heads down to talk to those who sat across the table from them. Francis, who was sitting next to a blonde girl was the first one to notice me.

"Well, well, the school's most popular nongifted magnet for trouble 'as just arrived. S'il vous p'lait, to what do we owe this honour?" Francis laughed as he swept his hair behind his ear.

I gave Vlad a curious look before I found myself replying, "Being the most effective at finding trouble, I just might know a thing or two about why all the prefects are acting suspicious right now."

Their eyes all glistened at the idea of gossip, but I was mainly interested on Antonio and how he fit into the puzzle, "but first," I smugly begun, "are you close to Hayden Gold, Antonio?"

"Gold?" He repeated, taken off guard, "A little, he's in my year after all."

"I know, but are you two close or anything?" I rephrased, trying to remember exactly what Gage had said to him the other night that had caused Antonio to rage out.

"Not really, I guess," he laughed lightly, "Why? Are you going to tell me he's the reason the prefects are acting panicky?"

"No," I mumbled, "it's just that I just remembered how Gage was pestering you before about how even in his second year, he was positive you were going to be your house prefect, then later, I heard Gage yelling at Hayden and he called him a 'house traitor' and I'm kinda curious."

"He called him a 'house traitor?' Now that's low..." The blonde girl gasped.

"I don't think that's the meanest thing he's said to anyone's face though." Francis was quick to comment.

Antonio, meanwhile had turned his head before he let out a heavy sigh and turned back to face in my direction, "Well, I'm sure Vlad's explained to you already that you can switch your house once after you've been sorted, right?"

With my nod, he continued, "Right, so, Hayden used to be in the Etals house and I guess Gage and his 'cult' got too abusive with him because in our fourth year, he finally transferred over to the Talian house... A much, MUCH better house if you ask me."

"Or me!" Agreed Francis and the blonde girl.

"So, Hayden transferred over to the Talian house because Gage bullied him?" I asked, wanting to be sure I was hearing everything right.

Antonio gave a single nod then continued, "The thing Gage was trying to make me mad about was that Hayden was picked to be the prefect over me, and I guess while it did make me mad since I did try to get that title, in the end, I realized I probably wouldn't have made a good prefect anyway, so it's probably better that Hayden got it, yanno? He's a good guy, it's just too bad Gage managed to push him into switching houses."

"That is horrible but hearing that about Gage makes me feel better about him getting caught." I sighed out, turning towards Vlad who had been deep in thought.

"Getting caught for what?" The blonde girl chirped up.

"He went into the girl's room and cast a wind spell so that everyone's robes would fly up, gross stuff! That pervert!" Vlad hissed as he grabbed at my arm and began to lead us out of the dining hall.

I let out a groan as I followed behind him, "I know you lied to her for a reason, but can I know why?"

"Laura is friends with Francis and Francis has a little sister, Michelle, and Michelle is friends with Tisya and Celia and THOSE two will spread the news like a wildfire (sorry California, bad timing) and we do NOT want that... So, let's talk about what Antonio just said because it's not adding up to me."

"What part isn't adding up? The part where Gage has been a massive bully his entire life or—"

"What did you just say?" Someone's shrill voice rang behind me.

Vlad and I both turned around to lock eyes with Bliss who had appeared out of nowhere. Her eyes looked puffy as if she had been crying.

"N-No one, ma'am..." Vlad said softly.

Bliss wiped her eyes with her sleeves before she looked up at the ceiling, "Come with me." Before waiting for a response, she had already turned in place and began walking down the hall to a staircase that lead up to the teacher's hall Vlad and I were previously in.

She didn't say a word until we arrived in one of the classrooms, in the middle of the room was Gage who was laying on the front desk, unconscious.

"Why are we here?" Vlad asked.

"The prefects all took a vote and majority voted to keep him unconscious until we can get the headmaster here since that kind of magic is the easiest to cast." She began, "I'm not the best at occlumency so I was never able to read him while he was awake... I still can't read him when he's like this."

"That doesn't answer—" Vlad tried to speak, but was quickly interrupted, "He can't be guilty." She said, solemnly.

"You saw the egg as clearly as we all did." I responded.

"I don't care what I saw!" She blurted out in frustration, "There's something that just isn't adding up and I don't know what it is, but I know Gage, I know him! He'd never bother stealing a detinkeller egg, he has no motive to!"

"You suspect foul play?" I asked.

"I don't know if it's some sort of twisted joke or if someone intentionally did this to get rid of Gage, but he's a good guy." Bliss continued, though she dared not make eye contact with anyone in the room.

"Not a good guy according to anything I've heard." I spoke.

Bliss's expression changed almost instantly, "I don't care – what you've heard." There was a pause before she squeezed her eyes shut and exhaled, "Look. Vladimir, if you know anything and I mean ANYTHING that can prove he's innocent, please tell me."

"You saw the proof there, Bliss, you can't defend someone who's obviously guilty." Vlad protested.

I remembered back to how suspicious it was that Arthur somehow knew where to find Amber after she had run off to show the prefects the list of potions, then it hit me, "B-Bliss!" I called out, louder than I intended.

The two turned to look at me and I continued, "Earlier today, before everything that happened, happened, did you by chance ever see Amber's list of possible potions Noir could try to make with the – ugh, snakeheads and dragon scale or whatever?"

"What are you talking about?" Bliss asked, not fully focused on me anymore as she sat in a seat beside the desk, "Amber's potions list, you DID see it, didn't you?"

"I don't even know what you're talking about." Bliss retorted, her frustration showing.

"Wait..." I paused, taking in her confusion to Amber's lists, "What if they never even reached the prefects?" I gasped,  "Vlad, you get it, don't you?" I asked, turning to face him.

"I think so!" He said enthusiastically, "Is what, of course, I would say, if I understood your point there."

A groan escaped my lips as I turned my head back, "What I'm saying is, if there really is someone controlling people to be able to spy around for them, then whoever Amber ran into is the person who probably framed Gage – IF Gage was really framed at all!"

"Someone controlling people?" Bliss echoed as her eyes remained lost in thought, "That's powerful magic, but it's taught to fourth years and advanced third years."

"So basically, not anyone in my year or below because I'm barely going to be a third year." Vlad commented.

"We'll have to narrow it down then," I began whilst continuing to replay the scenes from before. "I think we should keep all of this information amongst ourselves."

Bliss furrowed her brows as she gave me a reproachful look, "Don't you trust the others?"

"Not after what's happened today."

She smiled faintly as she shook her left arm gently, causing her wand to slip into her hands, "This is whitewood with a snake heart core, Vladimir."

"I remember—"

Bliss tossed it over to him, he was taken off guard but managed to catch it in time, Bliss continued, "Don't you dare break it... I don't need a wand to break you." She laughed curtly before she wiped her eyes, "I won't tell anyone what we talked about here, but just see if you can find something out. If not for Gage, do it for the truth."

"We'll see what we can do." Vlad said quietly before he turned to face me, "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," I replied.

------------

outta curiosity, i have two questions for you...

1. do you think gage is guilty? why?

2. if you answered no above, who do you think is trying to frame him? why?

anywho, i hope you're getting enough sleep and eating well, cheers.