Chapter 1 – Conrad Anguine
It was a weird dream. I was lost in a dark forest. The sky was black and starless, yet the full moon was shining up there in solidarity. I was being chased by a snake, or at least, I think it was a snake. I heard it slither behind me, under the bushes, around the thick, black-barked trees. I was trying to run away from it and get as far as possible, yet its sound and hiss always came from behind me, no matter what I did or where I tried to hide. When I finally stopped, giving up, it laughed and asked in a high-pitched voice if play-time was over already... Yet before I could see where it was, I woke up.
"..." Blinking my eyes and looking around, I was back in my bedroom. I was sitting on the massive, solid wood baldachin bed under a soft, white blanket; I tried regulating my breath as best as possible. It would be shameful for the heir to the Anguine family to show such an unsightly expression right after waking up... but... "That is even worse..." I murmured, watching the wet stains on my sheet.
No, it wasn't pee. It was sweat. Although I bet, I could not explain it to anyone if they discovered it. I climbed out of bed and felt my deep, violet-colored silk pajamas stick to my body like a wetsuit. It was a horrible feeling. Fumbling in the dark, I was cursing under my breath as there was no electricity in our home, and I couldn't flick up a switch to bring light into the darkness. Why would there be? As a family of pureblood wizards, all we needed was magic! The muggle's inventions were nothing but weaknesses. Their pitiful attempt in mimicking magic. At least, that is what my mother always says. Good for her; I am still only 11; I haven't got my wand yet; how should I perform magic then? Well... it did not matter, as my solution came with a crack. Literally.
"Master?" A squeaky voice called out as my personal house elf appeared out of nowhere.
"Squeaky; Light, please," I said, expecting her to appear as soon as I was up. She always did. Even in the dark, I could see the grey clothes on her that resembled a sack that she found somewhere, cutting holes in it for her limbs to wear as a dress. Her floppy, long ears and blue, giant eyes occupied most of her face.
"Master had an accident...." She murmured after snapping her fingers and summoning a small ball of light above her head. I just stared at her, hearing her words that could be the last nails in my reputation's coffin if uttered outside my bedroom.
"Doesn't matter. Clean it up, please." I moaned, starting to undress and wipe myself before dressing up in my regular clothes consisting of a black shirt, deep purple vest, and black pants. "What would I give to have some color in my life...." I added under my breath as my family's colors, black and royal violet, were all that defined my wardrobe's variety. Sometimes, a little gold sprinkled in, here and there... but not much, only on my formal clothes.
"Done, Master," Squeaky said, already having dry and clean sheets on my bed and in the middle of fixing my pillows.
"Thanks," I answered, looking at the clock in the corner of my room. It was dully showing that it was barely past five in the morning. The sun should slowly start rising up, and I was in no mood to go back to sleep. I have had the same nightmare since my coming of age a few months ago. Right after my acceptance letter came and I could call myself a student of Hogwarts. "Is anyone up yet?"