Chapter 15: Blue Thread
"Ah, sorry, I haven't introduced myself," the brown-haired girl said while smiling warmly. "My name is Elara Whitmore. I already know your name - Sirius, right? You're quite famous after yesterday's incident."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Famous?"
"Of course! What first-year student dares to face the Moldenheart family on their first day," Elara laughed softly. "Everyone was talking about it in the dormitory last night."
"I see..." Sirius muttered. He didn't expect the news to spread so quickly.
"But don't worry, most of us support you," Elara said while patting Sirius's shoulder. "Kael is indeed famous for being arrogant and unpleasant. Someone had to remind him that he's not a king here."
As they walked through the academy building corridor, Elara began chatting about various things - from the academy structure to dormitory life. Sirius listened half-heartedly, his mind still filled with images of the mysterious woman earlier.
"Oh, you must be curious about today's lessons," Elara said enthusiastically. "For Class A, we'll start with Basic Magic Theory. But what's most interesting is..."
"Shh!" Elara suddenly put her finger to her lips, telling Sirius to be quiet. Her eyes sparkled full of secrets. "Do you want to know who our homeroom teacher is?"
Sirius nodded, though he wasn't really that interested.
"Professor Vera," Elara whispered in a tone mixing admiration and fear. "She's one of the youngest teachers at the academy, but also the most... terrifying."
That name didn't trigger any memories in Sirius's mind. He just nodded while thinking that maybe all teachers at this elite academy indeed had terrifying reputations.
"They say she's very beautiful, but very cruel," Elara continued. "Senior students always tell stories about how cold she is. But strangely, the grades of classes she teaches are always the best."
"Hmm," Sirius only grunted in response.
"You don't look worried," Elara observed Sirius's calm expression. "I'm scared to death. They say she can make students cry just with her gaze."
They continued chatting while climbing the stairs to the second floor. Elara talked about various things - from academy facilities, available clubs, to small gossip about senior students.
Sirius listened patiently, occasionally giving brief responses. He began to feel slightly more comfortable with the academy atmosphere, though the shadow of the mysterious woman still haunted him.
"Here it is, Class A-1," Elara said when they both arrived in front of the large classroom door. "Ready or not, we have to go in."
Sirius nodded and followed Elara into the classroom.
Class A-1 was quite spacious with about thirty desks and chairs arranged neatly. Large windows on the left side provided a beautiful view of the academy courtyard. A large blackboard hung at the front of the class, and an elegant teacher's desk was placed in front of it.
Students who had already arrived seemed busy finding seats and getting to know each other. The classroom atmosphere was filled with small conversations and nervous laughter - typical of the first day of school.
"Sirius, I'll sit here," Elara said while pointing to a chair in the second row. "Do you want to sit next to me?"
"Alright," Sirius answered while placing his bag on the desk.
However, before he could sit down, his eyes caught a group of boys having a serious discussion in the corner of the class. They seemed to be talking about something important, with anxious expressions and whispering voices.
Sirius's curiosity was piqued. He walked closer to the group.
"Excuse me," Sirius said politely. "What are you talking about?"
The five boys suddenly fell silent. They looked at each other for a moment, then one of them - a blonde boy with glasses - pulled Sirius into their circle.
"You're Sirius, right?" the blonde boy said in a low voice. "The one who faced Kael yesterday?"
"Yes," Sirius answered briefly.
"Good, that means you're not the type who scares easily," a boy with curly brown hair said while patting Sirius's back. "My name's Gleen. We were talking about our homeroom teacher."
"Professor Vera," added a tall boy with black hair. "I'm Damien. Have you heard about her?"
Sirius shook his head. "Not much. Why?"
"Because she's terrifying," Gleen said in a dramatic tone. "My upperclassman who was in Class A-2 last year told me that Professor Vera is... a monster."
"Monster?" Sirius raised an eyebrow.
"Not physically a monster," Damien quickly explained. "But her teaching method... brutal. She never shows emotion, always cold, and her punishments are very horrifying."
"They say she can make students faint just by staring at them," the blonde boy named Felix said while pushing his glasses. "And if someone doesn't do their homework, she'll give punishment that traumatizes the student."
"What kind of trauma?" Sirius asked, though he didn't really care.
"My brother said there was a student who had to stand in front of the class for a whole week," Gleen said with widening eyes. "Every lesson, he had to stand and listen to explanations without being allowed to sit or move."
"And there was also someone who had to clean the academy toilets for a month," Damien added. "With bare hands."
"The most horrifying," Felix whispered in a very low voice, "they say she once made a student cry blood just with the pressure of her aura."
Sirius listened to these stories in silence. In his heart, he felt this was exaggerated. It was impossible for a teacher at a prestigious academy like this to be so cruel.
"Aren't you scared?" Gleen asked while looking at Sirius's calm expression.
"Not really," Sirius answered honestly. "Maybe those stories are exaggerated."
"Exaggerated?" Damien looked at Sirius with bulging eyes. "Are you really brave or just stupid?"
Before Sirius could answer, he felt something strange. Something subtle and almost invisible wrapped around his ring finger. He looked down and saw a thin blue thread that shimmered faintly coiling around his finger.
The thread was very thin, almost transparent, and moved gently as if alive. What was strange was that none of his friends seemed to see the thread.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Gleen asked when he saw Sirius staring at his hand.
"Nothing, it's nothing," Sirius answered while trying to pull the thread. But the thread didn't move, as if it had merged with his finger.
Suddenly, the classroom atmosphere changed. The room temperature seemed to drop several degrees. Students who had been noisy gradually began to fall silent.
Sirius turned toward the classroom door and saw a figure that made his blood boil.
The same woman he had seen at the window this morning.
Professor Vera.
She stepped into the classroom with movements that were very elegant yet terrifying. Her outfit today was slightly different - a black blazer that fit her body, a pencil skirt that wasn't too tight, and high heels that made loud sounds on the floor. Her long black hair shone, showing her beautiful but cold face.
Her golden eyes swept across the entire class with a sharp gaze, as if evaluating each student one by one.
"Sit down," her cold and firm voice filled the room.
All students immediately ran to their respective seats. Sirius also walked toward his seat next to Elara, but his ice-blue eyes didn't leave Professor Vera's figure.
The blue thread on his finger moved more actively, as if reacting to the woman's presence.
"Welcome to Class A-1," Professor Vera said with a flat voice showing no emotion whatsoever. "I am Professor Vera, your homeroom teacher for this year."
She walked slowly to the front of the teacher's desk, her golden eyes continuing to observe each student. When her gaze met Sirius's eyes, a thin smile appeared on her lips.
"For the next year, you will be under my supervision," she continued without shifting her gaze from Sirius. "I hope you're ready for... an unforgettable experience."
The way she said those words made Sirius's hair stand on end.
Suddenly, Professor Vera's voice began echoing inside Sirius's head, even though the woman was still speaking normally to the entire class.
"Good morning, my sweet child," the evil whisper flowed in his mind. "Do you like it? The little thread I gave you?"
Sirius glanced at his finger. The blue thread moved like a small snake, coiling around his finger with movements that were sensual yet frightening.
"This is just the beginning," Vera's voice in his head turned into horrifying small laughter. "This thread will make you always connected to me. You will never be able to remove it."
Sirius tried to pull the thread again, but this time the thread reacted by tightening its coil. His finger began to feel numb.
"Never try to remove it, darling," Vera's whisper became louder. "Or you will feel unbearable... pain."
Professor Vera at the front of the class was still continuing her explanation about class rules and curriculum, but her voice inside Sirius's head kept whispering in an increasingly evil tone.
"You know, I've been watching you for a long time," the whisper continued. "Since the first time you set foot in this city. You have... something special."
"What do you want from me?" Sirius asked in his heart, hoping the woman could hear him.
"Oh, you can communicate with me," Vera's voice sounded pleased. "Good. That will make everything easier."
Sirius felt the thread on his finger vibrate like being touched by light electricity.
"What do I want? Simple," the whisper became very gentle yet terrifying. "I want... you to become my little doll. A beautiful doll, who will obey my every word without ever resisting."
Sirius's blood boiled hearing those words. "That will never happen."
"Oh, naughty child," Vera's laughter flowed in his head. "You don't know yet what I can do to you. This thread isn't just an ordinary connector. This is... a rope that will turn you into the most loyal slave that ever existed."
Sirius felt the thread on his finger begin to move up, slowly creeping to his arm. The sensation was cold and unpleasant.
"Every day, this thread will absorb little by little your desire to rebel," Vera's whisper became increasingly cruel. "Gradually, you will begin to feel that the only important thing in your life is making me happy."
"In a month, you will begin to feel that happiness can only be obtained when you submit to me," the voice continued with full satisfaction. "In three months, you will be willing to do anything to get my smile."
Sirius clenched his fist, trying to contain the anger burning in his chest.
"And in a year," Vera's whisper reached its peak with a very evil tone, "you will become a perfect doll. A doll that will dance according to my wishes, move only when I command, and live only to serve my every breath."
"I will resist."
"Resist?" Vera's laughter exploded in his head. "Oh, sweet child, you still don't understand. This thread doesn't just bind your body. It binds your soul. The more you resist, the stronger the bond becomes."
Sirius felt the thread on his arm vibrate harder, as if responding to his resistance.
"Every time you try to rebel, this thread will send... a small lesson," Vera's whisper became very cold. "Pain that will make you understand that the only choice you have is to surrender."
Professor Vera's golden eyes at the front of the class met Sirius's ice-blue eyes. The smile she gave looked very sweet to other students, but Sirius could see its evil.
"But don't worry," the whisper returned to being gentle yet terrifying. "I will take good care of you. You will become the most precious treasure I've ever owned. A doll that I will be proud of in front of everyone."
The white fox on Sirius's shoulder made a small restless sound. It seemed the small animal could also sense the evil aura emanating from the blue thread.
"Even your little friend will become part of my collection," Vera's whisper turned into a threat. "I will make him into a doll that will accompany you forever."
"Don't touch him," Sirius said firmly, this time unconsciously moving his mouth.
"Sirius?" Elara sitting next to him looked worried. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Sirius quickly answered while forcing a smile. "I'm just a little nervous."
"Oh, naughty child," Vera's whisper sounded very pleased. "You almost got caught. You must learn not to react when I speak to you. Or everyone will know our little secret."
Professor Vera at the front of the class was still continuing her explanation, but her voice inside Sirius's head kept coiling around his thoughts.
"Remember, darling," the whisper became a very clear warning. "Never tell anyone about this thread. Because if you do..."
Sirius felt the thread on his arm suddenly tighten very hard, giving piercing pain.
"I will make sure that every person you tell will experience... a very painful accident," Vera's whisper became very cold and cruel. "Starting from your beautiful sister, to your new friends here."
The threat against Luna made Sirius truly angry. But he tried to restrain himself from reacting too harshly.
"Now, good child," the whisper returned to being gentle. "You're beginning to understand. This will be a beautiful little secret between the two of us."
"I will warn you only once. Never touch my family."
The blue thread on his arm stopped moving and began to calm down.
"Now, listen to my explanation carefully," Vera's whisper took a different tone. "You will be a very good student in my class. You will get perfect grades, do every assignment perfectly, and never make trouble."
"Why?" Sirius asked in his heart.
"Because I want a perfect doll to have perfect achievements too," the whisper answered with a proud tone. "You will be the best student in your class, and everyone will envy you. But they will never know that those achievements are only because you are my little doll."
Sirius felt the thread on his arm begin to move again, this time with gentler but still terrifying movements.
"And every time you get praise or awards," Vera's whisper became very evil, "you will remember that all of that is only because I allowed you to achieve. You will become very dependent on me."
"I will never depend on you," Sirius said firmly in his heart.
"We'll see," the whisper turned into very cold laughter. "Time will prove who is right between us."
Professor Vera at the front of the class finally finished her explanation. She looked at all students with her sharp golden eyes.
"Alright, now we will begin the first lesson," she said with a still flat voice. "Open your Basic Magic Theory books."
Sirius opened his book with slightly trembling hands. The blue thread on his arm was still moving slowly, constantly reminding him of the bond that tied him to that terrifying woman.
"This is just the beginning, my sweet child," Vera's whisper was heard one more time in his head. "Prepare for a journey that will change your life... forever."
A thin smile appeared on Professor Vera's face as she began writing on the blackboard, and Sirius knew that the hardest days of his life had just begun.