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2.
AN owl wakes Dillion from his sleep, far later than he would normally sleep but earlier than he wanted to wake. He shuffles over to the window to let the bird in and, for a brief moment, he clings to the vain hope that it's his family telling him they'd made a mistake. He knows it's not — he doesn't recognise the owl — but he still can't stop himself from doing it. It just makes the disappointment worse when he opens the letter to find a booklist from Hogwarts. On any other year, he would have been excited to receive a new set of books. But, this year, as he looks at the list, he wonders if he can even afford them.
Most of the money his parents had given him had gone towards ensuring he would have this room until Hogwarts. The rest he had been hoping to save for food, because Hogwarts wouldn't matter if he starved before the semester started. Everything would have to be secondhand but he's not sure if that would even be enough of a discount.
These worries are quelled a few lines down, when Dillion realises that Hogwarts seems to be aware of his predicament: 'Hogwarts has provided a small allowance to cover the books, and only the books, due to your circumstances. Please find them on the owl.' It brings an additional layer of reality to the situation, that even Hogwarts is aware of it. In any other circumstances, he might be concerned by how quickly they found out, but now he's just grateful for the money. A quick check confirms that there is a small pouch tied to the owl's leg, hopefully charmed to be lighter for the owl but Dillion can't be sure. He takes the pouch and pockets it, still making a note to visit Gringotts sometime soon. He wants to take what might be left of his allowance before his father has the chance to change his mind.
It was oddly kind of his father to allow him to take his belongings and money. Dillion isn't sure what motivated that — if somehow he tainted it with the darkness or if there was some emotions under his cold exterior. Though cold doesn't quite capture the heated rage he could fly into. Detached is a better term — detached in all the wrong ways, and present when he shouldn't be. Though now he isn't present at all, and Dillion hates it.
With a soft sigh, Dillion heads downstairs for breakfast. The dining area of the Leaky Cauldron has already attracted a few patrons, creating a murmur of conversation that fills the room with life. Dillion ignores it all and instead orders his breakfast, getting the cheapest soup — a 'House Soup Leaky' that he can only wonder what it might be — and sits down in the most isolated spot.
As he waits, Dillion closes his eyes and mutters, "Let Light guide our path through the shadows and protect us from the temptations of darkness."
It feels wrong. Saying the words churn and twist his stomach, and he's not sure if it's the words themselves or the memories of saying it as a family all those times. By the time his food arrives, he's already lost his appetite. But, unwilling to waste the three sickles, he forces it down anyway.
