Reden

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Charmed or make any money from any reference to that show or to Magic School from that show.

A/N: Okay, so...here we're going to meet some of the other students and learn more about Drenton Academy. So bear with me! Also, this is NOT like “X-MEN” - think more like the T.V. show “Charmed” and the “Magic School” of later seasons (season 6 I think). Only not exactly like that...sort of a cross between that and regular boarding school, I suppose.

Oh and a little side note...if you're going to leave me a “constructive” review or a flame (yes, I know they're different) then please have the courtesy to leave your e-mail so I might respond. Or at least have the DECENCY to leave a name. An anonymous criticism is INCREDIBLY rude, to say the least.

Oh...and there is such a thing as a “perfect” person. Google images of “Bill Kaulitz” and you'll see what I mean! Hope you enjoy! ~ FA

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The two girls and three boys who'd burst into the room before Abyss stared at Harry. Finally one of the boys stepped forward. He had olive-toned skin, black hair that was short and spiky, and eyes so dark a brown they were nearly black as well. He was tall, over 6', and lanky – almost wiry in his build. He was dressed in black bondage pants that were seamed in neon-green and a black tee-shirt that read 'Slipknot' in drippy red letters across the front. He smiled, a crooked half-smile that revealed slightly uneven, but very white, teeth and held out his hand.

“I'm Nick, but everyone calls me Fire.” The boy said in a distinctly American accent. “So, why're you here at Drenton so late? I mean, were you slow to develop or what?”

“Er, sorry?” Harry asked as he cautiously shook the offered hand. “I'm Harry Potter and I don't understand the question...”

“Don't mind him; he's a bit brash. Comes from being an American.” A petite British girl, with light brown hair cut into a short bob and amber colored eyes said. “I'm Pansy Parkinson and I'd shake your hand, but I do my best not to touch people.”

Harry noted that the girl's statement seemed to be true – there was at least 3 inches of space between every part of her and every other person in the room and he had to wonder why. She smiled and added. “Just ignore Fire; the rest of us do.”

The other three kids stepped forward to introduce themselves before Harry could ask any more questions. There was a slightly-chubby boy – another Brit – who was almost as tall as Harry. He had brown hair and eyes and seemed rather shy. His name was Neville Longbottom and Harry liked him immediately. They last boy was tall, slender, and had features so sharp they looked like they could cut glass. His skin was a dark, velvety brown – like coffee with just a splash of cream and his black eyes were like ice – cold and hard. His name was Blaise Zambini and in contrast to the other British students he offered a nickname. With a razor-edged smile as cold and sharp as the rest of him, he coolly suggested Harry call him Ice.

The final person was a girl. At about 5'7” she was taller than Abyss and Pansy and far curvier as well. Her well-rounded figure was draped in a black velvet dress that was distinctly Gothic in appearance – right down to the red satin panel of fabric down the center of the dress. The bodice had gold lacing crisscrossing the red, making the top of the dress hug her figure while the skirt fell full and flowing from her hips to the floor. Her hair was a light brown, with sun-lightened streaks of red and blonde through it and fell in a sleek, smooth line to the middle of her back. Her eyes were nearly the same vibrant shade of green as Harry's.

“My name is Amalthea.” She said softly, with an odd accent he couldn't quite place. “But please, call me 'Thea for short.” She arched one fine eyebrow and added. “My mother was French, my father was Romanian and it's the Tacho Rat – the gypsy – you hear in my voice. It lends an odd quality to my English, I'm afraid.”

“Oh.” Harry wondered how she'd known what he was thinking, then decided she must get the question a lot. He took her hand and – since she offered only her fingertips – pressed a light kiss to the back of her fingers before letting go. “A pleasure to meet you.” He swept his gaze over the rest of the room. “All of you, really. You're all in the same year as me?”

“We're all 16.” Neville said softly from where he hovered by the door. “There's a few more our age, but most of the kids are younger. Ten and twelve and thirteen, mostly. About 45 of us all together.”

“Oh.” Harry nodded, a slight frown creasing his brow. “I would have thought there's be more...is the volume always so low?”

Pansy giggled and took a seat beside Draco on his bed. Other than a tiny brush of one finger over his arm – which resulted in her narrow face flushing. She didn't touch him at all. “Not always, but it's rarely higher than 60 students at any given time.”

“Well, what did you expect?” Fire demanded as he braced his left foot on one of Harry's trunks and leaned forward, resting his arms on his knee. “I mean, it's not like there's an endless number of gifted people and there are other schools to choose from.”

Blaise seated himself casually in one of the two desk chairs and 'Thea took the other – both were obviously used to being in Draco's room. “And of course the most gifted come to Drenton.” Blaise pointed out. “Which lends itself to the question of why you're here, Harry.”

Harry frowned, flicking his eyes questioningly to Abyss. He felt like this conversation was taking place on two levels – and one of them was far above his head. “I...that is...” He was starting to feel cornered and that didn't bode well for his control. “I was forced to come here by my godfather...my guardian.”

“Why? Are you dangerous?” 'Thea tipped her head quizzically to the side while Neville and Abyss both paled slightly.

“If he was that dangerous he'd have been sent younger.” Blaise pointed out, gesturing to Fire. “Like him and me.”

Fire laughed, delighted, when fear flashed across Harry's face. “Relax, Harry. I'm not really dangerous. I'm quite controlled.” He straightened up and held out his right hand, palm-up and cupped slightly. A ball of fire appeared in his palm.

Harry sucked in a sharp breath with a vicious hissing sound, which choked itself off as Blaise stood and when to Fire's side. He placed his hand over the other boy's, enclosing the flame. There was a strange crackling sound and both boys dropped their hands. With a dull thud and a sharp crack, a ball of ice hit the floor and shattered. Harry's eyes were as wide as saucers and Abyss noticed. She tutted in a gentle, soothing way and was at his side immediately.

“No one told you, did they?” She asked, touching his arm gently, though he jumped a bit anyway. “That was wrong. I assumed you knew or I'd have told you myself. Are you gifted?”

The rest of the room's occupants seemed frozen. “What if I'm not?” Harry whispered, his eyes still wide. “What if...what happens then?”

“Then you learn the other aspects of magic.” Pansy said soothingly. “It's not often we get non-gifted students, but it happens. I'd apologize for us scaring you, but I know you're just shocked.” At his sharp look, she smiled. “I'm an empath. I don't touch people much or it gets overwhelming.” That made Harry wonder briefly about her earlier blush.

“It's really okay if you're not gifted.” Neville assured him from the doorway, where he still stood as though ready to flee. “Or if your gift is quieter, like empathy or prophecy. We won't judge you or anything.”

Harry sighed and his side backpack zoomed over to him. He held out his hand and caught it easily before rummaging through it and pulling out a bottle of water and a prescription pill bottle. As he took two of the pills, he could feel everyone's eyes on him but no one spoke. After setting his water and pills on the night table, Harry sent the bag back to the floor beside the desk Blaise had previously been sitting at. Then he waited.

“So you're telekinetic?” Abyss asked, a note of awe in her voice. “A very impressive power.”

Harry shrugged uncomfortably. “Annoying and difficult to control, actually, hence the pills.” He gestured to the bottle. “A type of mood-stabilizer, so I don't accidentally bash someone in the head with wildly-spinning knickknacks.”

Fire laughed, a deep and rumbling sound. “Better than accidentally setting the couch on fire because Mom said no cookies until after we ate dinner!”

“Or turning your babysitter into a Popsicle.” Blaise said with a sardonic smile. “She told me it was time for bed. I disagreed. Thankfully she thawed as soon as I panicked and only had a slight cold. I got grounded, then sent here.”

“I used to get seizures from the slightest accidental touch, but now I can hug people without anything worse than a headache.” Pansy offered an encouraging look. “Drenton really helps you get a better grip on things.”

Harry watched her wince, then she added. “And right now we're overwhelming you, which is overwhelming me, so we'll just go.” She smiled again, though her face was a bit tighter around her eyes and mouth than it had been before. “It was lovely meeting you. See you at dinner!”

Without another word everyone except Draco filed out of the room, waving goodbye as they left. Harry groaned and flopped backwards onto the bed, closing his eyes. He waited, but Draco said nothing and Harry was both grateful and uneasy over that. He waited a bit more, but still heard nothing. Finally Harry opened his eyes and was stunned to see that Draco was gone. Which was very weird because the door hadn't opened again after Abyss closed it behind the retreating group.

Deciding not to worry about it, Harry curled up on his side and closed his eyes, feeling the tranquilizers he'd taken pulling him into soothing black.

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A/N: So? What did you think? Stop? Continue? Destroy all evidence that it ever existed? Let me know! And remember, I alert to updates so leave your e-mail and I'll send you one! ~ FA