Chapter 36: Chapter 35
Hu Yetao could only glare as his mate stood, collected his books, and exited the classroom as swiftly as possible. A mumbled 'see you later,' the only words Hu Yetao received before Oscar departed. They were the only words Oscar had spoken to him all morning - and now it was lunchtime and Hu Yetao was to meet Kazuma in the courtyard. He hadn't even had a chance to remind Oscar about the meeting, so it looked like he was on his own.
"What on earth is going on?" Jing Long asked in exasperation as she watched Oscar's blond head disappear out the door.
Zhang Xinyao cleared his throat as he shoved his books into his tattered school bag. "Yeah, people are beginning to talk, my friend. They think you and Wang are having problems, and that maybe you've decided against the mateship. I mean, you don't even have a-"
"Zhang Xinyao!" Jing Long hissed. "Hu Yetao doesn't need to know what people are saying."
"I don't have what?" Hu Yetao asked with a frown as he slung his bag over his shoulder and slowly walked with them from the classroom.
"Er…" Xinyao glanced at Jing-Long before replying. "A claiming mark."
Hu Yetao gaped furiously. "How is that anyone's business?"
"It's not," Jing-Long responded immediately, glaring at Xinyao. "It doesn't matter if you ever get one Hu Yetao, what matters is that you're happy, and we're worried that… Well, that you're not."
"I'm fine," Hu Yetao replied crossly. "And perhaps I do have a claiming mark and it's located somewhere no one can see it!" he added hotly, causing Xinyao to grimace. Hu Yetao rolled his eyes and stopped to face them in the busy corridor. "Look, no relationship is perfect, right? We're just trying to work through… some family stuff. I don't want to end the mateship or anything like that, I want to be with Oscar and that isn't going to change, all right?"
Zhang Xinyao nodded while Jing-Long frowned, looking as though he wanted to say more.
Hu Yetao sighed. "Look, I have somewhere to be, I'll talk to you later, okay?" he said, taking a step back, eyes flicking between his two best friends. He knew he couldn't hold them off forever; he would have to tell them something eventually to appease their concern. At least having Xiaocheng and Shui Xian as in-laws was an excellent cover story for any tension in his budding relationship with Oscar.
"Promise?" Jing Long said, a clear warning in her tone.
"Yes, promise," Hu Yetao answered quickly as he walked backward, away from them. "Sorry have to run!"
Hu Yetao turned and strode off up the corridor, leaving his friends staring after him. He would need to discuss all this with his mate to ensure that they had matching stories, he knew how determined Jing-Long could get when he was suspicious about something; a bit like a dog with a bone. It was all very inconvenient when you were trying to keep an important secret. He suddenly knew how Oscar had felt back in the sixth year when Hu Yetao had been suspicious of all of his mysterious activities.
Hu Yetao frowned in thought as he walked, wondering where Oscar was having lunch, and what it was that had caused him to put up a wall between them this morning. His insecure subconscious tried to tell him that perhaps Oscar thought he was awful in bed, but his more rational side knew that would be the last thing on Oscar's mind right now.
He would have to force his obstinate mate to talk to him later, but right now he needed to focus on interrogating Kazuma without coming across as completely mental.
He walked into the chilly courtyard; the late September sun hidden by a thick layer of clouds. He paused under the stone archway while he pulled his cloak tighter around himself. He quickly spotted Kazuma seated on a bench underneath one of the large oak trees and made his way over. He sat down next to the tall Gryffindor with a friendly smile, placing his heavy bag on the crushed gravel at their feet.
"Hey Hu Yetao," Kazuma smiled in greeting as he removed a pair of grey woolen gloves from his bag and slipped them on.
"Good idea," Hu Yetao said, turning to withdraw a pair of fuzzy, black gloves from his bag.
"So… was it the Potions essay you needed help with?" Kazuma asked, reaching for the heavy textbook sitting next to him on the bench.
"Erm, no not really," Hu Yetao answered awkwardly. "I wanted to speak to you about the uh… attack."
Kazuma's eyes widened and he glanced around the nearly empty courtyard before replying. "I already apologized for that, I… I don't know what else-"
"Oh!" Hu Yetao quickly interrupted cheeks heating. "No, not… not that. The attack that happened to you. Near the lake."
"Oh." Kaz's expression cleared and he smiled in embarrassment. "Sorry."
Hu Yetao couldn't' help but smile back. "Don't worry about it."
"What did you want to know?" Kaz asked, slipping his Potions book back into his bag.
Hu Yetao was relieved to see that it didn't look as though Kaz was reluctant to discuss the incident. "I was just wondering if anyone had been caught yet or if you had any idea who it was?"
Kazuma blinked in surprise. "No on both counts, I'm afraid. I don't think they're even investigating it anymore. To be fair, there wasn't much information to go on."
"What do you remember?"
Kaz sighed and looked at the ground as he shook his head. "Not much. I was walking near the lake and had stopped to take off my scarf because I was getting a little warm and the next thing I knew, something had slammed into my back, throwing me forward onto the ground. Everything went black after that."
Hu Yetao tried to picture the scene in his head. "Do you think it was a spell that pushed you or a person?"
Kaz frowned in thought. "I think it may have been a spell because, from what I remember, it was a single point of contact, not like two hands pushing against me. And it was quite strong."
"Did you hear anyone casting?" Hu Yetao asked. "To at least identify if it was male or female?"
"No." Kaz promptly shook his head. "If it was a spell then it was done non-verbally."
Hu Yetao nodded, absorbing every detail. "So in your mind, could it have been a wild animal or something from the Forest, or are you fairly certain it was a witch or wizard?"
Kaz smiled, bemused. "Why the sudden interest?"
Hu Yetao shrugged. "You know me, can't let a mystery go unsolved."
Kazuma chuckled. "Yeah, I do know you."
Hu Yetao smiled and noticed a few students openly watching them with interest from the other side of the courtyard. Hu Yetao narrowed his eyes at them before turning back to Kaz.
"So… no wild animals or magical creatures then?" he prompted.
Kaz leaned against the back of the bench and crossed his legs at the ankle. "No, I don't think so. There was no noise. Whoever it was, they were completely silent, can't think of many animals around here like that. "
Hu Yetao nodded in agreement. "So they probably used some sort of powerful form of Stupefy to knock you out first," he mused aloud.
"But why?" Kaz replied, staring unseeing across the quiet courtyard. "Why stun me and then harm me while I'm unconscious, but not severely enough to kill me? What would be the point?"
"And then leave you out in the open so that someone could find you?" Hu Yetao added, just as puzzled. He shook his head and then removed a notebook and quill from his bag. Spreading it open on his lap, he began to scratch out some notes. "Okay, so what time of day was the attack?"
A slow smile spread across Kaz's face as he shook his head. "Hu Yetao, perhaps you should work at the Prophet after you leave here."
"Not a chance," Hu Yetao laughed.
Kazuma grinned. "The attack happened just before lunch on Saturday," he said.
Hu Yetao jotted that down then chewed on the end of his quill. "Is there anyone here you would have reason to be suspicious of?" he asked, glancing up.
Kaz shifted uncomfortably. "Well… I suppose the only person I would be somewhat suspicious of is Oscar Wang."
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