I wish he were dead.

My father, the man I would fantasize would come to save me and my family when we were getting abused by my evil step-dad, was sitting right beside me ignoring the fact that I was a probably a baby the last time I had seen him. I sat by him and gave him a cold stare and he ignored that too. I got my middle name Cosmo from him.

The three adults continued to discuss my future and not letting me say anything, even though I didn't really attempt.

After a bit, I got tired of the bickering and rudely interrupted my "father" as he again offered Mistress McGonigal money.

"What if I don't want to go back to Hogwarts?" I asked. I didn't really mean it, I was just trying to catch their attention.

They all stopped and looked at me.

"What?" Minister Westbrook asked.

"May I have a word with Mistress McGonigal and yourself, please?" I asked. I was laying on a bit of charm, I had to if I wanted to take care of myself.

The Minister considered and nodded.

They all waited for me to say something.

"I mean without..." I glanced at my "father". "Without... him."

Ouch, the voice in my head commented.

They blinked in surprise at my rude request.

"My boy, what do you mean?" father asked.

"And that's another thing!" I suddenly began to get confident. "I'm not "your boy"! I've lived with Muggles all my life and all I've heard about you is that you died!"

"Boy," my father's voice was low and warning but I didn't care.

"No!" I slammed my unwounded hand on the table and stood. "No! I'm not just going to let you waltz into my life after I become a criminal and rescue me with money! I don't want your money!"

My father rose.

"We'll talk about this later, Zander."

"No, Mr. Whitehurst, we won't!" I yelled. "Don't act like you have a right to my respect! I don't care who you are!"

Apply cold water to area of burn.

"I am your father!" his voice was louder.

"No, you're not!"

I didn't think he would react but he blinked and stepped back as if I had stung him.

"I'll... I'll let you talk alone," he finally said after a pause.

I watched in surprise as he exited.

"Would you take a seat," the ever-chill McGonigal asked.

I sat.

"What was it you would like to say?" the Minister asked. He was obviously startled at Mr. Whitehurst backing down as well.

"I..." I lost my confidence and started fiddling with the hem on my sleeve. "You don't need to bring me back to Hogwarts. I nearly killed my friends- even made one into a werewolf- and I take full responsibility. I understand if you send me back to the Muggle world. But..." I stopped and looked up and as I stared into their eyes I faked some confidence. "I promise if I am able to return I will do my best to please to wizarding community and never let a disaster like this happen again."

**

"ZANDERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!"

I dropped my books as something suddenly slammed into me and knocked me over. I tried to breathe but the person attacking me had wrapped their arms around me way too tightly and were squeezing. I struggled to get away. They finally release me and I realized it was Millie giving me a hug and not someone trying to kill me.

"Hi, Marowski," I said with a shy smile.

I was now back at Hogwarts and it was the day before the students would show up for the beginning of the semester. They had waited until after winter break to put me back in to make it more convenient and I was back with my old roommates; Baubs, Briskel, and Mave. I was pretty much caught up on the whole casting spells part of things but I was going to be privately tutored in the other subject until I caught up.

I assumed Millie had been at Hogwarts all summer because... well... she didn't really have her family anymore.

"Just "Hi"? That's it? We haven't seen each other in about a year and all you can say is "Hi, Marowski"?"

We were in an empty hallway, which was nice because there weren't annoying people around.

I shrugged.

"How's..." I began and then stopped.

"Matt? Oh, he's alright. Sad that he can't do Quidditch, and all that jazz. But it could have been worst!"

"What could be worst than being a werewolf?"

"But, Z," Millie smiled and looked at me quizzically. "He's not a werewolf."

"What are you talking about? The werewolf bit him."

"No, it clawed his leg but didn't bite him."

Relief washed over me as if Luke and Lucy had just dumped a bucket of it over my head.

"Wait," I suddenly realized. "Then why can't he do Quidditch?"

Millie's face sobered.

"Erm, his parents didn't want him to have magic done on his leg so he got sent to a muggle hospital and had to get a brace and he can't fly around on a broomstick with it on."

"Oh." I frowned.

There was a pause and then Millie tried to brighten the conversation up.

"Hey, do you want some cookies? I asked the house elves get me some this morning."

She opened her bag and pulled out a small container that only had a few crumbs in it. Her face fell.

"Oh, I guess I ate them all."

"It's okay," I said as I took the container from her. I wanted to make her smile come back so I opened up the container and pulled out my wand and with a spell filled the container with cookies and handed it back to her.

Her eyes lit up as she took my took the full container but suddenly she snatched my hand that was injured and looked at it.

"What happened?" she demanded.

I pulled my hand away and stuffed it in the pocket of my robes.

"Nothin'."

"Let me see."

She grabbed my arm and pulled my hand from my pocket and inspected it. My hand was disfigured by burn scars and my pinky and the finger next to it had melted together all the way up to the middle joint of my pinky.

"Tell me what happened." She looked up into my eyes and I knew there was no way I could lie.

"Erm. I got hurt... while... they were catching me."

"Did someone burn you with a spell?" she asked.

"Look, it doesn't matter," I told her as I took my hand back and stuffed it into my pocket. "It's just another one to add to the collection."

"Hey," Millie said soothingly, "It's okay." She slipped her hand into my uninjured one. "C'mon, I want to show you something."

We walked along the hall, our feet making the only sound other than the normal sounds of an old magical castle.

I had never held hands with a girl outside of my family and it made me nervous.

She led me out of the castle and to the greenhouse where the magical herb classes were held. She quietly opened the door and led me to a box full of flowers that smelled like fresh baked cookies.

"Aren't these cool?" she asked.

We were the only people in the greenhouse.

"Yeah," I said as I examined a flower that smelled like a sugar cookie.

Millie and I were still holding hands.

"Zander," Millie said softly, "I heard about your father."

"Let's not talk about that." A weird feeling suddenly tickled my heart and I looked into her bleach blue eyes. "Let's not talk about anything that has to do with others. Let's just talk about... us."

Millie looked away and let go of my hand so that she could examine a blue flower that smelled like chocolate chip cookies.

"Us?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, you and me."

She sat on the edge of the box and smiled up at me.

"Why?"

"You're a coy one."

I sat next to her.

"Z, are you alright?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I know you don't want to talk about anything else but I have to know some things I feel like your withholding from me."

RED ALERT! the voice in my head suddenly screamed.

I tilted my head in pain at the sudden loudness in my brain.

Do not tell her the truth.

Shhhh! I told it.

"I, um, don't know what you're talking about," I told her.

"You're lying."

Leave! You need to leave!

I need to tell her something!

No!

"Z, please tell me."

No! NO! NONONONONONONOOOOOOO!

My head began to spin and what I did next surprised even me. I leaned forward and my lips softly brushed Millie's in a kiss. I pulled back and we stared at each other, shocked.

"Oh, so that's what..." Millie said awkwardly.

"Sorry," I apologized quietly.

For a heart stopping second Millie didn't say anything, but then she smiled.

"No need to apologize." She suddenly stood and dashed towards the door. "Catch me if you can!"

I laughed and stood and ran after her.

I mean, not exactly what I was expecting, but okay.

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in awhile... But I drew you a picture to remind you to vote!