Arriving at Hogwarts a month and a half late, by stumbling through the fire place in Dumbledore’s office felt surreal. Though in all honesty it was surreal. He shouldn’t have been here, he shouldn’t be allowed to carry a wand let alone make his way though the familiar stone corridors. And yet, here he was. It felt like relief in an odd way, even if he was for all intents and purposes a bug under a microscope. The degree of magic he’d used against King made everyone uneasy – even if Rodolphus had gotten people to believe that it had been self-defense.
It wasn’t until he flopped down onto the cool green sheets of his bed that any of this truly felt real to Walden. He was back, he’d been given a pass from having to join the others for dinner. Afraid it might be too overwhelming, and instead allowed to eat in the kitchens while his classmates finished their last lessons and he was sent on his way to his dorm.
All that was left now was to wait.