❝ her eyes embraced her fictional world. maybe that's why her eyes were always fixed on the ground. maybe that's why she never endeavored to confront the real world. for she is just too little to believe in realism, and a way too much scared of losing her fantasies. ❞ — v. a.

I sighed in frustration as I re-read my essay for the eighth time that day, racking my mind for more things I could add to it. Stupid Rollick had assigned me to write a 3,000-word essay about Animagi and I had already written half of it, including all the information that both Sibi and Mike had used on their essays.

I grabbed one of the books that were opened carelessly on the table in front of me and started flipping through the pages. Unsuccessfully, of course, because I couldn't find anything that would come in handy. It was already 6.30 pm and I had been sitting in the library for about two hours straight, hopelessly trying to finish this stupid essay.

"It's useless," I groaned, closing the book shut angrily and burying my face in both hands.

Just at that moment, the sound of a chair scraping the floor caught my attention and made me look up. It was the Gryffindor house Prefect, Henry Kei.

"You're that new girl from Ilvermorny, aren't you?" he asked in his usual formal tone, making me feel like I was in a job interview.

"Yep, that's me," I replied with a sigh, feeling tired and frustrated.

"My duty as a house Prefect isn't only to ascertain everything's in order and that there is no trouble coming from my own house, but also to give a helping hand to those who seem to be struggling with problems of all sorts," Henry Kei said. "You seem a little stressed out. Is it because you're in a new school with a different routine and a not-so-similar way of studying and learning, or is it because of something else?"

Henry talked in a way that was too mind-boggling for my already exhausted brain, which needed a short while to process his words. However, I eventually realized that, if put simply, his speech meant nothing but, "Can I help you?"

"Actually, I've been assigned to write a 3,000-word essay about Animagi," I explained, deciding to leave out the part that this was my punishment for falling asleep in class, knowing that this wouldn't please Henry at all. "But, er, I don't have much knowledge of them . . . we didn't talk much about Animagi at Ilvermorny, so, er . . . I'm having a bit difficulty with it."

It was a lie, obviously, and I thoroughly hated lying, but this time it was for the best. The pressure I was feeling right now was more than enough and I didn't want Henry to start with a lecture, thank you very much.

"Well, in this library you are able to find all the information you need amongst the rows of books, tomes, dictionaries, magazines and old copies of wizards' newspapers," Henry said, sounding like those guys on muggle advertisements. "Nevertheless, if you are searching for something more specific and perhaps recent, this is your lucky day. Just this morning, there was a voluminous article about Animagi posted in The Daily Prophet. Perhaps I have it here with me . . . let me search for a moment."

He started rummaging inside his knapsack for a while, before eventually pulling out a brand new copy of The Daily Prophet and handing it to me.

"Page 17," Henry said. I mumbled a small 'thank-you' and started going through the pages. "Well, I'm contented I fulfilled my duty as a house Prefect this time. If you have any questions or find yourself in trouble, don't be afraid to ask. It goes without saying that newcomers always have it difficult in the beginning."

"Thank you, Henry," I repeated as he got up and turned to leave.

Although he had helped me and I was grateful for that, as he walked away, I couldn't help but suspire in relief. Somehow, I felt guilty for lying and Henry's formal sentences that made me feel like I was being interviewed indeed only made the whole thing worse.

▼

I thankfully finished the essay half an hour later with the help of the article that Henry had given to me. The article talked about Animagi creatures in general but was mostly focused on Dolphinuses, people who had the ability to transform into a dolphin. I was one of them — from what Sibi and Mike had told me — and oddly, these Dolphinuses had a reputation of being dangerous fellows, so the Ministry had started since the late 1800's a genocide towards them. Those who were underage ended up in prison, and once they reached the age of seventeen, they were executed.

    I held my breath and read on the article that talked about two Dolphinuses being found at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic during the last monthly monitoring from the Ministry and being immediately sent to Azkaban.

The gnawing feel of panic grew in me as the article ended by confirming that the Ministry's next stop would be Durmstrang Institute. Afterwards, they'd come here, at Hogwarts.

Of course I didn't want to be imprisoned, especially for having done nothing at all. Hey, it wasn't my fault that I was born this way! I didn't ask to be a Dolphinus, a dangerous person who belonged in jail. Maybe I could talk to those men and tell them that although my Patronus and Animagus animal probably took form of a dolphin, I meant no harm to anybody. Maybe I could tell them I was different from the rest.

But how much would they believe it? If my dad had been such a well-known dark wizard and one of the most dangerous Dolphinuses of all time, then what would assure them that his own daughter wasn't like him? After the weird things that both the Sorting Hat and mr Ollivander had said about me, I could tell that I wasn't a normal girl, no matter how badly I wanted to be.

But why, why were these Dolphinuses seen as threatening and callous? What had they done? In order to leave that sort of impression on people, you had to act sinisterly and show that side of you that was to be feared.

I was just a fifteen-year-old girl who had received her acceptance letter to Hogwarts this year. I mean, I couldn't recall ever being cruel or ruthless to anybody.

I needed to talk to somebody about this. It made no sense to just imprison and kill random people because of what their Patronus took form of. But who could I talk to without leaving suspicions?

Obviously someone who already knew about my being a Dolphinus. Sibi and Mike were the only ones, but I doubted they would tell me anything.

'We mustn't be the ones to tell you,' Mike's voice rang in my ears. That's what he and Sibi had told me when I asked them what a Dolphinus was and why people hated them.

Who could I talk to apart from them? Who else knew about my secret?

I started thinking of the people I already knew apart from Sibi and Mike . . . Alex, Rena and Ralph, my Quidditch teammates, mr Ollivander, Headmaster Dashawn, Breeze . . .

Of course none of my friends or Quidditch teammates were aware of this. I didn't have the words 'I'm a Dolphinus' etched on my forehead. Mr Ollivander was suspicious of me that day when I went to buy the wand, but I doubted he knew anything for sure. Besides, I couldn't go all the way back to Diagon Alley just to meet him even if I wanted to. What about Breeze McBon, the deputy headmistress?

   Of course!

She was the one who came to talk to me that day when I received the letter; she came to convince my mum into letting me go to Hogwarts; she had a feeling that I'd be leaving home so she contacted her two students who lived closest to me; she gave me the key to my Gringotts vault; she came to find me when I was sleeping in a tent somewhere into the woods and took me to King's Cross. There were reasons why she did all those things: she wanted to keep an eye on me, she already knew I was different.

And who else rather than Breeze, who was the person that I admired and looked up to the most would give me any better explanations or warnings? Perhaps instructions on what to do?

I had to talk to her. I had to talk to Breeze right now. If the Ministry people were coming soon, I had to do something if I wanted to prevent being imprisoned.

   Heh, just when I thought life couldn't get any better, this had to happen! Wonderful. Now I had to find a way to prove my innocence.

   But first, there were things I wanted to learn. Things I should have learned a long time ago.