he was really truly not cut out for dealing with this sort of thing, and it was the very last time he would be agreeing to chaperone the hogwarts express, on pain of death. indeed, he looked pained even being near her, but despite his cold, callous exterior carefully cultivated to prevent exactly this type of closeness, he knew something about panic and fear and hurt. it almost elicited something akin to empathy.
❛ miss scamander… ❜ he said, uncharacteristically soft, but only silence followed, and he slowly lowered himself onto the bench beside her, keeping a careful few inches between them, and letting the sounds of the train and the platform fill the air. hands pressed together and tucked between his knees, shoulders tense, brow pinched. it was his job to get her on the train and safely deposited at hogwarts, but it was more than just that, even though she was young and not in his house and of no real consequence to him at all.
he couldn’t stand seeing people in real pain.
❛ i’m afraid it is a cruel fact of life that we are not always able to do what we want to do. and that in and of itself may not seem very comforting, but do remember than humans possess a remarkable capacity for adaptation. you’re a smart girl, and stronger than you think. ❜
rarer even than sympathy were compliments, yet he meant them. he was not much given to lying.
❛ if there is some specific reason you don’t want to return, i want you to know that you can trust me. i may be an irascible old codger, but i do keep secrets very well. ❜
She watched as the youngest Potter boarded the train for his final year, Lorcan her twin board for their fifth year, and the girl sat at the station, her suitcases beside her as she planned on NOT moving, letting the train leave without her and Lysandra could return home and not go back to school for the next year. Unfortunately, after the wizarding war, the train was chaperoned by teachers and Cane had this year, her magical theory teacher, the only class she actually advanced in as it had nothing to do with performing the spells and her plan was foiled.
“Professor Cane...” her head turned towards him, tears still ran down her face as the boys who tormented her at school ran past her to catch the train, laughing as soon as they saw her ALONE, knowing it would only begin to spark rumours about looney lyssie. It was how everything began, she just wanted to curl up in her suitcase and never leave, the creatures there, they protected her, kept her safe, made her feel at home, Hogwarts wasn’t her home. The Hufflepuff sniffled softly, tucking her cardigan into her hand as she wiped it across her face before laying her fists on her knees.
however, it wasn’t going to stop her tears and mental anguish
Shaking her head the girl sighed gently. “Thanks, Professor, but I am only ever smart in Hagrid’s, Uncle Professor Longbottom’s or your class, I can’t do anything with actual magic, I can’t defend myself, I am far from strong.”
She couldn’t take the compliment, she was horrible at receiving them, even worse at actually believing them.
“It’s because of THEM” - a hand went up as the final boy who laughed at her boarded one of the middle carriages - “they torment me at school Professor, Lorcan tries to stop them, but he isn’t in my house, he’s a Ravenclaw, there is only so much he can do, half of them are Hufflepuffs, and the rest are in your house Professor. I don’t want to go BACK to Hogwarts.”
