Running Through Hogwarts (Harry Potter X The Maze Runner)

Twenty-seven

"Mr. Stilinski? Is everything alright?", Professor Dumbledore had been seated at his desk, writing with a quill.
"Stilinski?", Lora was confused.
"Well, how was I supposed to know my name?", muttered Thomas.

Dumbledore, who was clearly still confused, motioned for the two to sit down. "Is everything alright? And, I must say, you look familiar", he stared at Lora.
She smiled. "Lora Cunningham. Ravenclaw?".
"Yes! Yes, I remember now. It's so great to have you back, but, what's the purpose of your visit?".

Thomas sat down, as Lora gave him the side- eye. Dumbledore noticed. "Has this young man been causing you problems?".
"No! No, no. No, um, actually...thus is my son".

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "Oh. Okay".

"Look, Professor", Lora entwined her fingers, leaning forward. "The thing is, I want to take Ste-Thomas out of school, take him home".
Thomas started shaking his head.

"You don't want that, Thomas?", the professor asked.
"No, no I don't. I like it here".
"Well, I'm glad to hear that, at least", the headmaster turned to the lady seated in his left. "Why do you want to take him out of school?".

Lora but the inside of her cheek. "I want to spend as much time with my son as I can. Besides, I could always teach him the magic he needs to know".

Please don't let me go back with her, Thomas pleaded silently. They couldn't make him, surely. But what would happen once the school year ended?
He wished he had said yes to Newt and Minho accompanying him.

The old man leanded back in his chair. "Are you employed, Ms. Cunningham?".
Lora looked up. "Actually, it's Mrs. Martinez-Cunningham, now", then she looked down again. "But, no. I'm not".
"Then how do you expect to care for your child? Provide for him?".

Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes, thought Thomas. Send her away. Dumb continued. "If you're worried about spending more time with your son, whilst you're also unemployed, then simply stay here".

Thomas snapped his head up. "What?", both he and Lora said in unison. Dumbledore nodded. "Our Muggle Studies teacher is...no longer with us. And if I can recall correctly, you were best at Muggle Studies. You even married one".
What is a muggle? Thomas still hadn't quite grasped all the different definitions yet.

Lora cleared her throat. "Are you offering me a job, here, Sir?".
"It's yours if you want it".

Both family members raised a hand to their mouths. But each meant an entirely different thing.
"Yes! Yes, I'd love to!", Lora was close to tears.

So was Thomas.

Thomas wished that he could tell Dumbledore everything. Tell him what had happened to him. But he wouldn't believe all that, would he?
Some random people locking children in a Maze to find a cure for some disease? It didn't really seem likely.

Dumbledore asked if Lora could still remember the directions of Hogwarts. She responded that she could.
Lora was told to go and find Professor McGonegal, and Thomas was ordered to go and tell his friends the good news.

What good news was that?

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Mother and son left the headmaster's office. One smiling, one close to tears.

Thomas despised this woman. If she hadn't given him up, be would have never helped create the Maze. He never would've lost his memories. He would've never had nearly died and put his friends in danger multiple times.

And she didn't even come back looking for forgiveness. No, she came back, found him, and expected him to welcome her with open arms.

"Can you believe it, Stephen?", Lora cried happily, and Newt and Minho rushed over. "Can you believe it?".
Thomas backed away from her. "Go away. Go- get out if my sight!", he nearly screamed at her.

Lora looked at him. "I can understand why you're mad at me, but just-".
"Leave!".

Lora looked at the staircase exit. "I'll see you at dinner, and maybe talk afterwards, yeah?". And with that, she left.

And Thomas collapsed into his friends, sobbing like a child.