#Violet is actually all four girl's step sister and cousin when I think more about it

[simm-mouse]

If you think about it, there's only one pollination technician in each neighborhood. So since it's pretty much scripted for Vidcund to get abducted and have an alien baby. That child would be half siblings and first cousins to Pascal's baby. It's not really a new thing to learn about, it's pretty easy to find out just by looking into the family tree. My brain finally realized this while drawing the first five headshots. The family is already weird as it is when it comes to the Smiths, Lola, and Chloe

[tatticstudio55]

Daenerys as an anti-Cinderella?

Another asoiaf/fairy tales meta

It’s always fun to wonder which fairy tales goes best with which asoiaf characters (especially the girls, for some reason). For Sansa and Arya, the references are overflowing. With Dany it’s… trickier. Only two – or maybe three – classic tales really fit. Two of those I’ve already talked about in previous posts (Thumbelina and The Fire Bird). There are some general “clues” pointing to Cinderella…

-Viserys, the Anastasia & Drizella duo to Daenerys’s Cinderella

-In ADWD, Cleon the “butcher king” of Astapor make a marriage offer to Daenerys and gift her with a pair of slippers, but

Irri slid the slippers onto Dany’s feet. They were gilded leather, decorated with green freshwater pearls. Does the butcher king believe a pair of pretty slippers will win my hand? “King Cleon is most generous. You may thank him for his lovely gift.��� Lovely, but made for a child. Dany had small feet, yet the pointed slippers mashed her toes together.

-Cinderella is named as such for her habit of retreating close to the ashes-filled hearth once her work is done (from “cendres”, the French word for “ashes”). Bettelheim view Cinderella’s behavior as a product of sorrow and grief for her dead mother. For Dany, ash is also linked with sorrow and, first inverted trope, with the mother mourning her dead child:

She could feel the heat inside her, a terrible burning in her womb. Her son was tall and proud, with Drogo’s copper skin and her own silver-gold hair, violet eyes shaped like almonds. And he smiled for her and began to lift his hand toward hers, but when he opened his mouth the fire poured out. She saw his heart burning through his chest, and in an instant he was gone, consumed like a moth by a candle, turned to ash. She wept for her child, the promise of a sweet mouth on her breast, but her tears turned to steam as they touched her skin. – Daenerys, AGOT

There’s also the “Queen of ashes” nickname Dany is sometime dubbed with (more so in the show) and the fact that Cinderella herself is a “queen” of the ashes, somewhat (hence why she’s called “Cinderella”).

-Mirri Maz Duur is an inverted fairy godmother to Dany.

But these are details. Overall, Dany comes off as the anti-Cinderella of asoiaf. This becomes especially apparent in ADWD, where she’s, essentially, a glorified slave to her duties who dreams of escapes with her “prince charming”, i.e. Daario. This all reach a culmination point when she goes to the “ball”, i.e., the grand reopening of the Daznak’s pit. Unlike Cinderella, who’d give anything to attend the ball, Dany would give anything to skip it:

“Even if the pits must open, must Your Grace go yourself?” asked Missandei as she was washing the queen’s hair.

[…]

She would rather have drifted in the fragrant pool all day, eating iced fruit off silver trays and dreaming of a house with a red door, but a queen belongs to her people, not to herself. – Daenerys, ADWD

Whereas the ball meant dreams and freedom for Cinderella, for Dany, it’s the perpetuation of a nightmare. They both present themselves at the event under a veil: a literal one for Dany,

“And over it, the long red veils.” The veils would keep the wind from blowing sand into her mouth. And the red will hide any blood spatters. – Daenerys, ADWD

A metaphorical one for Cinderella, garbed so elegantly that her step mother and half sisters don’t recognize her. This idea of disguise is interesting. For a start, it contrasts with Dany’s refusal to put a veil between herself and Astapor in ASOS. To borrow Clapton’s words on Dany’s white garments in the show, the purpose of the veil is to “remove herself (Dany)” from the situation. Dany’s choice of clothes is a mean of non-attendance, while Cinderella’s costume allows her to go incognito and enjoy the moment. There is the contrasts of colors: Cinderella wears an immaculate, pure white dress (at least in the Disney version), whereas Dany wears yellow silk and a blood-colored veil. Finally, in some versions, the ball attended by Cinderella is a masked ball. This could be significant, since the reopening of the pits prove to be its own kind of masked “ball” (and even more so in the show, where the sons of the Harpy creep inside the pits wearing literal masks):

At the base of the Great Pyramid, Ser Barristan awaited them beside an ornate open palanquin, surrounded by Brazen Beasts. Ser Grandfather, Dany thought. Despite his age, he looked tall and handsome in the armor that she’d given him. “I would be happier if you had Unsullied guards about you today, Your Grace,” the old knight said, as Hizdahr went to greet his cousin. “Half of these Brazen Beasts are untried freedmen.” And the other half are Meereenese of doubtful loyalty, he left unsaid. Selmy mistrusted all the Meereenese, even shavepates.

“And untried they shall remain unless we try them.”

“A mask can hide many things, Your Grace. Is the man behind the owl mask the same owl who guarded you yesterday and the day before?

How can we know?”

“How should Meereen ever come to trust the Brazen Beasts if I do not? There are good brave men beneath those masks. I put my life into their hands.” - Daenerys, ADWD

Behind the drum marched Brazen Beasts four abreast. Some carried cudgels, others staves; all wore pleated skirts, leathern sandals, and patchwork cloaks sewn from squares of many colors to echo the many-colored bricks of Meereen. Their masks gleamed in the sun: boars and bulls, hawks and herons, lions and tigers and bears, fork-tongued serpents and hideous basilisks. – Daenerys, ADWD

In fact, some descriptions of the event, when taken by themselves, almost make it sound like there’s an actual ball happening inside the pit:

Across the pit the Graces sat in flowing robes of many colors, clustered around the austere figure of Galazza Galare, who alone amongst them wore the green. – Daenerys, ADWD

We could even dig further: dancing, in asoiaf, is often used as a euphemism for dying, or is used in scenes going heavy on the death-related subtext. What do people do in a ball? They dance. What do people do in the pits? They die.

“Barsena is very quick,” Reznak said. “She will dance with the boar, Magnificence, and slice him when he passes near her. He will be awash in blood before he falls, you shall see.” – Daenerys, ADWD

Cinderella’s ball is a dream and Dany’s “ball” is a nightmare, but both are woken from it, for the twelfth stroke of midnight will lift the charm. Fun fact, if I’m not mistaken, there were twelve fights planned that day: Khrazz, the Spotted Cat, a “Lysene youth with long blond hair”, an elephant, a bull, a mock battle, a folly with dwarfs, Barsena, a folly with old women and “three more matches”, according to Hzdahr… yup, that makes twelve. Each fight is a “stroke of midnight” for Dany, pulling her from the nightmare, urging her to wake up. At Barsena, she snaps. The charm falls, her carriage turns into a pumpkin and her gown into rags:

She lifted her veil and let it flutter away. She took her tokar off as well. The pearls rattled softly against one another as she unwound the silk.

“Khaleesi? ” Irri asked. “What are you doing?”

“Taking off my floppy ears.” – Daenerys, ADWD

In her haste to flee, she loses a shoe:

“Let me go!” Dany twisted from his grasp. The world seemed to slow as she cleared the parapet. When she landed in the pit she lost a sandal. Running, she could feel the sand between her toes, hot and rough. Ser Barristan was calling after her. – Daenerys, ADWD

The aftermath finds her alone in the grass sea, wearing literal rags (again, not unlike Cinderella), in a dream-like state and wondering what just happened. Unlike Cinderella, Dany has no desire to relive the ball and would much rather stay where she is, with her rags and her animal companion. Both girls experience an unpleasant return to reality. Cinderella must go back to being a slave to her step-mother and half-sister, while Dany knows she must go back to Meereen (which doesn’t quite work out, but).  

Yet for everything nightmarish about it, the reopening of the fighting pits meant something Dany deeply dreamed for and desired: peace. No more bloodshed in the streets of Meereen. The safety of her people. She wanted it and she got it, until the whole farce blew up in her face and the pit of Daznak turned into a pumpkin. I think that’s when she realized it: that the peace was never real, that Hizdahr’s “peace” was an illusion (as many before me have pointed out), a veil that got lifted with the twelve death blows of the pit.

[amarauder]

chapter thirteen | original

"Now, y/n, you know we made that truce," said James, pouting, as he dragged his trunk onto the Hogwarts Express.

"So?" Y/n heaved her trunk up and started to drag it across compartments, looking for an empty one.

"So we're supposed to be at least on civil speaking terms," explained James slowly.

"What's your point, Pot—James?" Y/n still found it a bit difficult to call James by his given name.

"You're not exactly acting 'civil' to me here, Y/n."

"I'm not? I'm calling you by your first name, and I'm not throwing hexes at you. What more do you want?"

"Oh, but we shared such tender moments for the last few weeks. So...perhaps friends?"

"In your dreams, Potter."

"There you go again!" cried James. "I'm James, not Potter."

"Whatever. Now, where is Bella? She's gone off with Sirius to snog, no doubt. Maybe one day they can actually kiss normally, not snog passionately, touching each other at inappropriate places." Y/n shuddered.

"Oh, but aren't us boys perverts, Y/n?" teased James, grinning. "You said so yourself yesterday, when Sirius suggested to Bella that they should get some time alone in the same room."

"Well, Mum was definitely going to faint when she heard that," said Y/n, chuckling. "Went completely white and fled to her room. Petunia wasn't so—er—calm about it either."

"Considering that she jumped up and started calling us idiots, morons, freaks, and perverted people who only think of the 's' word."

"It's sad, isn't it?" Y/n sighed. "Well, we'd better find a compartment soon, or else—"

She stopped immediately, staring across at the people sitting in the compartment that they were currently in.

James squinted and saw that it was Remus laughing and joking with an unknown girl. The girl kissed him and smiled happily, but they both froze at the sight of Y/n and James staring at them.

"Y/n, James, it isn't what it looks like," begged Remus, his eyes wide.

Y/n snapped out of her trance. "You know, Remus, I thought you were the decent sort, but I thought wrong. How can you do this to Jennifer? I thought she meant a lot to you, considering how much you guys cuddled over the summer. You guys were just snogging this morning at breakfast."

"I—"

"Remus, you're cheating on Jennifer for—her?" James looked at the girl next to him in disgust.

The girl jumped, looking frightened. "I—I didn't know Remus had a g-girlfriend," she stuttered. Her pale fingers twisted loose strands of curls on her forehead, and her dark gray eyes were wide. "Really—honestly—"

Y/n's eyes softened. "All right, we won't tell Jennifer, but you'd better have a good excuse for her, Remus, since she's probably wondering where you are right now."

Remus glanced at the girl and sighed. "Listen, Tara, I'll see you later, all right? I'm going to go find my friends."

"And girlfriend," added James, still scowling at the small girl. They left the compartment, leaving Tara alone.

"Who's Tara and why were you two cuddling?" asked Y/n snappishly as they went in search of the rest of their friends.

"Tara's my neighbor," said Remus calmly, "and we're really good friends, soon to become cousins, since my only unmarried aunt is getting married to her widowed father."

"Well, cousins can date too, you know," said James grumpily.

Remus laughed. "We're not dating, you goof. She's going to be my cousin! Relatives don't marry each other. Besides, she's like a sister to me, since my only one died when I was nine." His eyes became cloudy.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Remus!" exclaimed Y/n, enveloping him in a hug. "I never knew that you had a sister, and I'm really sorry for jumping into conclusions too fast. I guess I'm just overprotective about my friends."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too," mumbled James.

"Remus!" They turned around to see Jennifer running towards them anxiously. Her thick blond hair was loose all over her face, as her blue eyes scanned them. "Oh, James, Y/n, where were you guys?"

The trio glanced at each other. "We were just looking for you. Remus came along after he found us pass him."

Jennifer glanced at Remus suspiciously. "And you were looking for me for this long? It doesn't take half an hour to search the train!"

"I was talking to my cousin, Tara, about Hogwarts," said Remus quickly. "She's starting her first year, you know."

"Tara Jettison? Isn't she your neighbor, Remus?"

"Well, she's going to be my cousin soon, since my aunt is marrying her father. It'll just be like having a sister again."

Jennifer bit her lip, shuddering. Remus had told her about sweet Sarah Lupin, who had been a year younger than him, and how she suddenly disappeared when he was only nine. Now five years has passed, and Remus assumed her as dead.

"I'm sorry if I reminded you about Sarah, Remus," she said quietly, kissing him on the cheek. "I was just—worried. You know me."

"Yeah," said Remus sadly, his eyes casting a faraway look. "It's all right, I just—I just loved Sarah so much before she...died."

"Remus, just let it out," said Y/n softly.

"I'm not going to cry," he said hastily, rubbing his eyes and making sure there weren't any tears. "I just miss her, that's all. I'm not sad about her dying; I'm just really lonely sometimes without her company. Tara's like Sarah all over again, and it gives me a lot of comfort to feel her presence. I'm not cheating on you, Jen, like a certain h/c-head and black-head seemed to think."

Jennifer laughed, while Y/n and James both turned equal shades of red, scowling.

"Humph! Where were you guys?" It was Arabella, and behind her was Sirius, and both had on a worried expression.

"We thought you guys had missed the train or something!" she exclaimed wildly. "Thanks for worrying us so much."

"Where's Violet and Peter?" asked Y/n immediately, suddenly remembering her other two friends.

"They're in our compartment right now. Honestly, Y/n, at least you should've had enough sense to look for us! Where we all of you? Jen, I told you not to go gallivanting off to find your beloved Remus. Well, now that you guys found each other, why didn't you go and find us? We weren't so important, huh? Huh?"

"Bella, stop hyperventilating," said Sirius good-humoredly. "Now that we found them, let's all go back to our compartment. Those four were probably out having a double-snog date or something."

"I wouldn't be talking, Sirius," snapped James, as they all headed off to the compartment. "You and Bella were probably off doing the same thing. Poor Violet and Peter."

"Well, they were getting pretty passionate too, you know," argued Sirius, while the rest laughed. "What?"

"Violet's too sensible and Peter's too shy to get involved in something like snogging," said Y/n, grinning.

"Yeah? Well, they were holding hands!"

"How passionate," said Jennifer dryly, while Arabella sniggered.

"Actually, they weren't very passionate, but they still sort of like each other. I heard that Dumbledore's hosting a ball next year!"

"How exciting," said Y/n sarcastically. "We get to wear pretty dress robes and be all caked with makeup! I'm so excited!"

"Aww...N/n, just go with James if Snape asks you," said Jennifer, grinning.

"WHAT?"

"Oh, come on N/n, it's not like James will have a date by then, anyway. Besides, it's next year, what are you fretting about?"

"Hey!" cried James. "I can too get a date!"

"You turn girls down when they ask you to a date to Hogsmeade," said Arabella coolly. "I suppose that's your proof that you can get a date. You turn down everyone, for heaven's sake! When can you not turn down a girl and just take her?"

"Fine," huffed James. "I'll say 'yes' to the first girl who asks me to a date, whether she's pretty or ugly or whatever."

"If you lose, you owe me a Galleon."

"Since when did we make this a bet?"

"Since now."

"Can we change the topic?" asked Y/n loudly.

"If you're getting bored, Y/n, you can always join us," said a silky voice from behind. It was Snape and the rest of his gang, and they were grinning down at the six evilly.

"Get away from us, Snape!" snapped Y/n. "Don't think I didn't forget out little incident this summer..."

"Oh, but why should you care, Y/n? After all, it was only a threat to Potter, not you."

"They don't hate each other anymore, Snape, so of course Y/n should care," said Sirius quickly. He wanted to see the priceless look on Snape's face.

"Y-you guys are friends?" he mumbled.

Y/n shrugged. "Not necessarily friends, but on speaking terms."

"What's the difference?"

"We don't help each other out like friends would. Or actually like each other as friends do, for the matter. We're just civil to each other, then."

"Well, sooner or later, L/n, you'll regret your decision," spat Rosier, glaring. "One of these days, L/n, you'll wish that you had joined us, since the Dark Lord is gaining power from his followers." His eyes had an odd shine to it.

James raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really? That bozo, gain power? Ha, what a laugh!"

"James," snapped Peter nervously. "D-don't get them r-riled up like t-that."

"Is Pettigrew scared?" mocked Lestrange, stepping forward, smirking. "Really, Pettigrew, with a heart like yours..." He leaned forward and whispered quietly, so that only Peter could here, "...the Dark Lord may find it quite useful one of these days, since you're so close to Potter."

Peter just gulped, looking frightened. (A/N: Die, Peter! I'm glad that he's scared!)

Arabella glared down at the Slytherins. "Look, you slimy gits either state why you're here, or leave—simple as that. Surely Slytherins aren't that thick to understand what I just said, are they?"

Wilkes sneered down at her. "You Gryffindors are so cocky over yourselves, thinking that you're so perfect. Well, soon you lot will be the first to go once the Dark Lord gets a hold of Hogwarts. Of course, the Mudbloods go first before anyone else does." He glanced at Y/n.

Snape tensed and looked over at Y/n, too. "Perhaps we should leave, Wilkes."

"Why, Snape? Scared of the Mudblood? I wouldn't be still mooning over her, since the Dark Lord will be ridding of her first."

"Y-you're right, of course," he stuttered. "But...let's leave Potter to his romantic moments again." He made an attempt to sneer.

"Ah, but of course." Malfoy then stepped forward, grinning maliciously. "Perhaps we shall show Potter some of our new powers that the Dark Lord gave us—and our new names."

"Which ones?" asked Y/n scathingly. "Slimy gits, empty-headed, or 'I'm-So-Evil-That-Everyone-Thinks-I'm-Stupid'?"

The Marauders and the girls all laughed, while Y/n smiled triumphantly at the stunned Slytherins.

"No half-Mudblood is going to insult us," snapped Rosier. "We fashion ourselves a name—Death Eaters, loyal to our Master."

"All right, this is such a waste of time. You—you Slytherins all go away! Now!" Y/n was furious.

Snape's gang shot her a last nasty look, besides Snape, and ventured out the compartment sullenly.

"Way to go, Y/n!" exclaimed Arabella. "I was wishing those gits would get out of here soon enough."

"It wasn't too hard," said James smoothly. "All you do is tell them to go away."

"We've already told them that three times, but Y/n actually got them to go," retorted Bella.

Y/n waved her arm aside. "Whatever. You two stop arguing, or else I'll—"

"You know, N/n," said Violet suddenly, coming out of her usual daze. "You're the one who's always arguing with James, so why are you telling Bella?"

"I—" Y/n was about to give her a logical answer, but found out that she had none. "Oh, never mind."

"Ha, ha!" cried Jennifer gleefully. "The great Y/n Potter has been thwarted by the logical Violet Walker! Priceless!"

"Oh, Jen." Y/n sighed. "Will you ever grow up?"

"I doubt it. But I sure wouldn't want to be like you now, or else I'll end up a stiff old lady. You and Violet will probably end up like one of those old ladies who carry a large handbag around and wobble up and down the street, hoping to be killed."

Arabella snorted. Jennifer was too—Jennifer. It was quite sad how she becomes joyful one moment and cynical the next. Good thing Remus was there to calm her down and have her loosen up towards boys.

"Hey, Y/n," said James suddenly, "I heard that you were going to be made a prefect next year."

"Oh?" Y/n perked up. "And where did you hear this?"

"Dad told me."

"How would he know?"

"Because he works at the Ministry, and they make the list of Prefects for next year every year. He showed it to me when he saw your name."

"When did he show it to you? You were at my house the whole summer!"

"Oh—er—" James scratched his head. "Oh, it was—um—well, I forgot! Anyway, you're Prefect next year."

Y/n rolled her eyes. "I don't believe you. You're making this all up."

"Well, obviously. April Fool's!" he cried.

Y/n raised her eyebrows. "Er—James? It's September, not April."

The rest of the Marauders and the girls laughed, while Y/n smirked triumphantly at James.

He was very much embarrassed. "Well...fine, I'll save it for April then!" He pouted.

"Well, well, well." They all turned around to see Amos Diggory sneering at them. "If it isn't the dream team, always having your ways with everyone at Hogwarts." He glanced over at Arabella, shaking his head and then at Y/n, grinning. "Well, Y/n, I see that you aren't steady with anyone yet. Care to go to the first Hogsmeade trip with me?" He extended his arm to her, but she didn't take it.

"I'm sorry, Amos," she replied frostily. "But I think it'll ruin my reputation by dating someone like you. Maybe next time I'll actually consider it for one more second."

Jennifer stifled a laugh, and Amos looked her way. Jennifer wasn't as popular as Y/n and Arabella were to the male species at Hogwarts, but nevertheless, she was still attractive to most. She suddenly stopped laughing, seeing that Amos' gray eyes were fixed on her blue ones. "Yes?" she asked innocently.

"Maybe you'd like to go to Hogsmeade with me," he said, flashing her one of his famous smiles that melted every girl's heart.

Jennifer reached out for Remus' hand, and said coolly, "Maybe I wouldn't. Don't you know? I already have someone that I love." She smiled at Remus lovingly, cuddling closer toward him.

Amos snorted in disgust. "How can you girls refuse someone like me? You three are the most popular girls at school, and yet you would rather date the Marauders than someone like Kevin Patil or me. Well, there's no one left except for that disgraceful, no good girl sitting over there next to loser Pettigrew."

Violet jumped, and her lip began to tremble. Her dark brown eyes flashed angrily at him. "You know what? You just think you're so Mr. I'm-So-Wonderful, but you're not! You're just a low-life rascal who plays with girls' hearts one by one until you've broken them all. Why should my friends or me date someone like you, then? Huh? That's a question that even Y/n, James, or Sirius can't figure out, and they're the geniuses of Hogwarts! You just feel like you need to make fun of people like me. Well, you're not cool, Diggory. You're just a low-life jerk."

Everyone stood in stunned silence. Violet was more furious than they had ever seen her, even more furious when she stood against James or the Slytherins. Amos was surprised to see the quiet one of the girls so loud and outspoken. His lips curved into a smile.

"Not that quiet field mouse that you want people to assume about you, eh? I like feisty girls." He moved closer, but Violet pushed him back.

"Leave my friends and I alone, Diggory, or you'll get trouble from me." She drew out her wand and pointed it threateningly at Amos' chest.

Amos huffed and stalked out of the compartment without another word. There were a few more minutes of silence, but then the Marauders and the girls all cheered.

"You sure showed Diggory, Vi!" appraised Jennifer enthusiastically. "Now he'll probably never bother us again after what you did."

Violet flushed. "Do you really think so?"

"I know so."

"Knowing Diggory, he'd probably come crawling back to you girls again," said James pessimistically. "But the Marauders will protect you!"

"Oh, I feel so protected," said Y/n sarcastically.

Before the both of them could start another argument, the lights on the Hogwarts Express started to flicker. Suddenly, everything went black, as the train slowed down.

"What's happening?" screamed Arabella. "Sirius? Where are you?"

"Right here, Bella," came a muffled voice on the other side of the compartment.

"Where?"

"Here."

"Where's here, you idiot?"

"QUIET!" yelled James. The eight of them became silent.

The driver was speaking through the whole train. "Please remain calm everyone. I'm afraid there's been a shortage of powder, and the train's run out of fuel..."

Everyone groaned, and Y/n questioned, "Fuel? I didn't know you guys used fuel for transportation!"

From somewhere in a corner, James replied dryly, "Well, we don't use magic as the solution to everything, you know. When will you learn, Y/n?"

"Yes, Mudblood, when will you learn?" A soft glow came, as a dark figure glided toward them. As the person lifted his hood, his face appeared—Voldemort.

"Oh, it's you," snapped James. "What do you want this time?"

"Why, don't be so impertinent, Mr. Heir," he mocked. "All I ask you is to join me. There are advantages to this. You and your little friends won't be harmed, as well as anyone connected to you won't be, either. Only my enemies shall be killed and tortured."

James narrowed his eyes. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because I am Lord Voldemort."

"So?"

"Master?" It was Snape and his gang standing at the doorway, looking shocked.

"Ah, Severus. How nice to see you again."

"What do you want from my friend?" demanded Sirius angrily, glaring at Voldemort. "Leave him alone, or else I'll be dealing with you."

Voldemort raised his eyebrows. "I will leave now, Severus. But I will be back, Potter." He disappeared with a faint 'pop'!

A couple of weeks passed since the incident on the Hogwarts Express, and fourth year was in full swing. They all had more work than ever, and everyone, with the exception of Y/n, were groaning and complaining over it all.

"It's really not that bad," said Y/n enthusiastically, as the eight of them worked on a nasty Potions essay in the library one day.

"Easy for you to say," said Arabella, staring blankly into One Thousand Herbs and Fungi and scribbling words onto her parchment. "You're at the top of the class next to James and Sirius. You're good at everything, N/n. Please respect the fact that not everyone is like you."

"Oh, sorry, Bella," apologized Y/n sheepishly.

A bang was heard as Sirius slammed the book shut impatiently. "That's it, I've had it! I can't stand this work any longer! I'll be off in the common room..."

"Snogging with a girl?" supplied Arabella coolly.

Sirius stared at her, and then grinned. "Aww...you know I'd never, Bells. Only with you."

"I've seen you look at that Lori Paterson from Ravenclaw quite a lot lately."

He tensed, but faked a smile. "I'd never, Bella."

She rolled her eyes. "Su-re. Whatever, I'm going to go back to work."

Sirius rushed out of the library eagerly. A bit too eager, thought Y/n. I sense that something not so good is going to happen soon.

Sure enough, the delightful scream of a girl echoed through the corridors, and Y/n heard the laugh of Sirius along with it.

"What the hell is going on out there?" hissed Arabella. They all followed her out of the library just in time to see Sirius' lips on the one and only Lori Paterson's.

Her eyes filled with tears. "SIRIUS BLACK!"

Sirius jumped and looked at his girlfriend, his eyes widening. "No, no, Bella, this isn't what it looks like."

"Oh, isn't it?" Her eyes flashed. "That's it, Sirius. We've broken up and gotten together again twice, but it isn't happening a third time." She glared at her friends to emphasize more. "It's over between us—forever. You can go snog as many girls as you want now, Sirius. You're free from the burdens of old Arabella Figg." She pushed through the couple and headed toward Gryffindor Tower.

Y/n's eyes burned into Sirius'. "I can't believe you did that, Sirius. After all those intimate moments you've shared with my best friend...you risk her affection with your hormonal desires?" She shoved him to the ground roughly, glared at James, Remus, and Peter, as if to say, "You'd better watch it, too", and went after her friend.

Lori looked awkwardly at the tense silence. "Sirius, you never told me you already had a girlfriend. I can't believe you did that to Arabella and I. She's a good girl, and you risked it just to snog with me? And now I've just found out that you 'had' a girlfriend. Well, Sirius, now you've lost both of us." She bit her lip and ran off to where the Ravenclaw common room was.

Finally, James spoke up. "That was low, Sirius. Real low."

"I know," his best friend sighed. "I don't know what I was thinking. Y/n's right, my hormones are definitely taking the better of me. If I liked Arabella that much, then my hormones wouldn't have taken over. I feel so ashamed." He buried his face in his arms.

Remus looked at him sympathetically. "Don't worry, Sirius. Arabella will forget about this soon enough and you two will get back together again." But James saw doubt and worry in those gray eyes of his friend's, as he looked at Sirius comfortingly.

Sirius shook his head. "No, she'll never forgive me. Bella's right, I'm such an idiot, and I definitely don't deserve her. I may as well rot to the earth and die."

"She'll be over it." They turned around to see Jennifer speaking. Her eyes were red. "I know Bella. She'll forgive you, but it'll be a long time before she even thinks about it. Why did you do it, Sirius? Now you have two girls against you."

He shook his head. "I'm an idiot. Just—let me think this over, all right?"

Jennifer nodded, and leaned against Remus. "You can have all the time you need, Sirius. Because I have a feeling that it's going to take Bella quite a while to forgive you."

"But you said—"

"I said she'll forgive you eventually," she said quietly, "but just not soon."

Sirius sighed. "I deserved it."

Meanwhile, back in the fourth year's girls' dormitory, Y/n was trying to comfort her friend.

"Arabella Figg, stop being so stubborn! I know what Sirius did was wrong, but you know he didn't mean it. If he could choose between a life of snogging and a life with you, he would definitely pick the latter. You know he lo—likes you to death."

Bella raised up her defiant face, but Y/n could see traces of tears in them. "I don't care. He can have all the girls in this whole school for all I care. Maybe I shouldn't have chased away Amos." She sighed.

Y/n stared at her. "You know you hate Diggory—and every other boy you've dated. Forget about them. You know Sirius needs you."

Arabella laughed bitterly. "Ha! If he needs me, then why did he go off and snog Lori Paterson? And lied to me about it?"

Y/n stayed silent, not having an answer for her questions.

Suddenly, the dormitory door burst open, revealing the Marauders, followed by Jennifer and Violet. The girls quickly sat at their respected four-poster beds, while the boys shifted uncomfortably through the tension that was nearly visible in the air.

"Well?" snapped Arabella. "What do you four want?"

Sirius stepped up, gulping. "I-I wanted to say that I'm sorry," he stuttered nervously.

"Oh, really? Well, that's nice to hear. Now, go away and snog some girls; you're wasting my good afternoon."

"But—"

She stepped right in front of him, motioned the rest of the boys to follow, and said "Good day", before slamming the door in front of their faces.

"Sirius feels really bad about it, Bella," said Violet quietly, as Arabella returned, rather red-faced.

"I'm not really in the mood, Vi." Her voice sounded tired.

Y/n sighed. Her best friend was feeling terrible about snapping at Sirius, but she knew that Bella only did it so Sirius couldn't hurt her anymore. Suddenly, out of the blue, her mind shifted to James, and how he's probably pondering the same thing at this very moment.

Why am I thinking about him? He's only Potter, after all, she thought.

Not much really happened for the next few weeks. The rest of the school had recovered from the shock when they first saw Y/n and James acting civil to each other at breakfast. Hurst had nearly fallen off his chair at the staff table, while McGonagall had wiped her spectacles at least three times. Dumbledore, of course, smiled knowingly at the two speaking politely to each other, mildly amused by everyone's reactions.

"Why doesn't everyone just bloody stop staring at me?" grumbled Y/n, as she sat down for breakfast a week later. "What is it with people these days?"

"Well, N/n," said Arabella, trying not to laugh, "you and James are acting civil and polite to each other. That's something that doesn't happen every day. I mean, usually you two just start arguing every time you see each other. It's not natural to see you two being nice to each other."

"Well, they'll have to get used to it, then," snapped Y/n.

As if to make matters worse, James came trotting to them with Sirius behind him. "Hey Lily!" he said enthusiastically.

"James," replied the h/c, nodding curtly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"You look so—down."

The flower sighed. "Ah, but don't I always? Nothing's going right these days." She looked over at Arabella and Sirius sitting at opposite ends, not making eye contact at all.

James saw too, and sighed wistfully. "Don't worry about it, Y/n Flower. They'll get together; I know it. In the mean time, you shouldn't worry. I mean, we are still fourteen after all and a bit too young."

Y/n looked amused. "Is this James Potter speaking? I'm usually the one who tells you that sort of stuff, while you just don't believe me and go snogging with a third year or something. Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

"I'm fine!" exclaimed James in exasperation.

"Oh, all right then."

But before James could persuade Y/n to make a decent and interesting topic of conversation, a scream was heard in the Great Hall. Apparently, Sirius had accidentally spilled a jug of pumpkin juice on Arabella, causing her to think he did it on purpose and slapped him. Remus coughed, hiding a smile, while Jennifer's eyes began to water as she tried not to laugh. James, however, could not restrain his amusement; he burst out laughing.

Bella looked positively livid and ready to strike. "Can you tell me what's so amusing, James Potter? Perhaps you need a good beating as well."

That shut James up very well.

"Oh, Bella, don't be hard on the boy," said Jennifer, trying not to smile. "After all, the Marauders are always like this, and you've never cared before."

"Well, I've now seen that Amos is right—the Marauders are a bunch of immature pricks who don't have any respect for anyone in this school."

"Amos?" questioned Y/n, alarmed.

Arabella smiled. "Oh, Y/n, I didn't tell you guys, did I? I apologized to Amos, and now we're together again. I guess I sort of misunderstood him last year. After all, the Marauders did influence me then."

Jennifer raised an eyebrow. "Bella, does that mean that...you aren't friends with the Marauders any longer?"

"Friends?" Bella laughed, though it sounded quite different from her normal one. "When were we ever friends with them?"

"Bella, are you feeling all right? You dated one of the ringleaders, for goodness' sake! Are you daft?"

"I haven't a clue what you're talking about, Jennifer Dean, but I can assure you, I've never dated a Marauder in my life."

Jennifer gave Y/n a bewildered look and whispered, "What the hell is wrong with this girl?"

Y/n sighed. "I think she's in denial. Sirius snogging Lori went to her mind, I suppose, so she's trying to pretend that she's barely even spoken to the Marauders in her life."

"What? And she forgave Diggory? I think this has gone too far—"

"If she continues like this, then we'll think of something."

"Does she have to be so stubborn?"

On the other side of the table, Sirius was eating quietly, not even laughing at some joke that James occasionally told to him, Remus, and Peter. Even the teachers at the staff table knew that there was something wrong with Sirius lately. He was usually the bubbly and dashing teenager who had girls falling to his feet, but lately, he was quiet and reserved, that even his fan clubs were rather intimidated by his odd behavior. But James knew better. He knew that his best friend missed Arabella more than anyone or anything else, and that he was extremely guilty over being entranced by Lori Paterson's beauty and letting his hormones get the better of him.

He poked his best friend gently. "Sirius? You all right?"

Sirius shook his head. "I'm fine."

"You know, we have to work on our potion."

His eyes were disinterested. "Right. We have most of it done, right? We can finish by next year and have our forms ready."

"Aren't you excited? I mean, not everyone can turn into an animal at will, you know." James was desperate to get his friend into his energetic form again.

"Mmm. But how will we know it'll work?"

The black-haired boy decided to end the conversation, since he wasn't used to Sirius being so pessimistic and gloomy. He leaned forward to Arabella and whispered, "Can I talk to you?"

Bella's eyes flew up in surprise. "Why, why would such a popular boy talk to little old me?"

James raised his eyebrows. "Pardon?"

She shook her head. "I never did know that a Marauder would be so polite."

"Bella, are you all right?"

"She's in denial," hissed Y/n, grabbing James.

"Is she mad? She doesn't even know me!" James was indignant at not being known, especially by one of his closest friends.

"I told you, she's in denial. She's furious at Sirius, so she's ignoring the whole lot of you. Bella's pretending that she doesn't know you guys at all, except for the fact that you four are the most popular boys in the school."

"That's stupid," said James, looking rather put-off. "I mean, I haven't done a thing."

"Don't worry, she'll get over it, if that's what you're worrying about," assured Y/n confidently. "People like her always do."

"Mmm-hmm...right. You know, I'm really worried about those two. They're not acting normal."

"James." Y/n sighed. "I told you not to worry. Now, let's all enjoy ourselves, shall we?"

"Hey, N/n?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you go with me?"

"Where?"

"To the dance?"

"What dance?"

"The dance."

Y/n sighed with frustration. "What dance?"

"Hello? Earth to Y/n, little Miss Perfect? You know, the Halloween Ball coming up.

"Er—right. What did you want again?"

"Will you go with me?"

Y/n thought for a moment, then smiled wickedly. "Sure. Then we'll really surprise everyone."

James laughed. "Oh, you'll have no idea."

Remus leaned over and whispered to his friend, "What's so funny?"

"Huh? Oh, me and Y/n are going to the ball together."

"It's Y/n and I are going to the ball together. And are you? Oh, wait 'till the whole school sees you to arm-to-arm! McGonagall will faint!"

"That'll be the laughingstock, won't it? And, oh"—James grinned—"what about Sirius and Arabella? They have to get together."

The tired boy smiled back at his friend. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Old-fashioned closet trick?"

"Definitely."

The two boys grinned mischievously and told their plan to the girls."

"James...geroff!" Y/n breathed hard. "Get off!"

"Whoops, sorry Y/n." James climbed off the redhead delicately. "You know, you look beautiful."

She smiled and blushed. "You look great, too. But I know you don't mean it when you said that I look beautiful."

James brushed back a lock of her curling H/c hair. "You're the most beautiful girl in this Great Hall right now, Y/n."

Remus gave a hacking cough and James jumped back, flushing. "Perhaps you can get on with the plan, James."

"Oh—er—right." James fumbled with Sirius and Arabella's wands and handed them to Y/n.

"Y/n and James Potter!" Arabella shrieked from the nearby closet, causing several couples who were wandering around the deserted corridors to jump. "Get me out of here!"

"James, what do you think you're playing at?" shouted Sirius. "Sarah's waiting for me back in the Great Hall! She'll dump me if I'm found here!"

"So let her!" exclaimed James. "You don't like her. You like Bella, and you two have to make up tonight, or we won't let you out."

"Y/n?" croaked Bella. "You don't mean that?"

"Oh yes, we do, Bells. Now, do you really like Amos? If you do, you have to say it in front of my face right now."

There was a silence, and Y/n smiled in satisfaction. In fact, she was so engrossed in the whole plan that she hadn't noticed James staring at her the whole time. Her h/c hair was curled into beautiful ringlets, while she wore robes of a deep e/c that brought out the brightness and beauty of her startling e/c eyes. Her blood red lips were curved into a smile, and her eyes sparkled like diamonds. James quickly caught his breath at the sight of her.

James didn't look half-bad either. His untidy black hair was still where it was, since he had trouble managing it with every single hair gel and charm he could think of to make it neat. He was wearing robes of navy blue, while his sleeves were rolled up, revealing muscles that made most of the female population swoon and glare at Y/n jealously as the couple had headed down to the Great Hall.

Both of them had no idea what the other thought of them, so they plaintively ignored the fact, though they did steal glances at each other as they pressed their ears against the closet door. The rest of their friends watched them in amusement, for it was so obvious that they've never seen two people more in love than Y/n and James, though the two stubborn teens would never admit it. Jennifer was itching to match up the both of them, though Remus had to tell her logically how it wouldn't work out at all, seeing that they were barely friends yet.

"Wait until they're close friends, and then we'll move to the next step," he had said wisely. So Jennifer impatiently waited for her two friends to become friends with each other.

The six other friends finally gave up on Sirius and Arabella, since it was obvious that they weren't going to make up that night or the next day, so they unwillingly let out the two.

"That was a waste of a good evening," said Jennifer, sighing, as she watched Sirius and Arabella stomp off toward their dates without a single glance at each other. "It's hopeless, I'm starting to think."

"Don't say that, Jen," smothered Violet. "They'll become together when they're ready. In the mean time, let's all enjoy ourselves with what's left of the evening. After all, it's not over, you know."

"Would you care to dance, Y/n?" asked James, bowing, as he took Y/n's hand politely. Y/n graciously accepted and they waltzed away as the music drifted throughout the large room.

We were strangers

Starting out on a journey

Never dreaming

What we'd have to go through

Now here we are

I'm suddenly standing

At the beginning with you

No one told me

I was going to find you

Unexpected

What you did to my heart

When I lost hope

You were there to remind me

This the start

Life is a road

And I want to keep going

Love is a river

And I wanna keep flowing

Life is a road

Now and forever

Wonderful journey

I'll be there

When the world stops turning

I'll be there

When the storm is through

At the end I wanna be standing

At the beginning with you

We were strangers

On a crazy adventure

Never dreaming

How our dreams would come true

Now here we stand unafraid of the future

At the beginning with you

Life is a road and I wanna keep going

Loves is a river and I wanna keep going on

Starting out on a journey

Life is a road and I wanna keep going

Love is a river and I wanna keep flowing

In the end I wanna be standing

At the beginning...with you

Y/n and James swayed peacefully to the music as it played softly. As it died away, applause was heard, and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" played.

After the ball, everyone agreed that it was very exciting and groaned over classes the next day. Y/n and James linked arms as they joined the other Gryffindors in the common room to party until midnight.

"That was great," said Jennifer, smiling dreamily as she flopped onto a sofa in the common room.

"Why? You and Remus snogged?" teased Y/n.

"Nah. It was just great. Oh, and you and James were getting pretty cozy there yourself. You guys are really meant for each other, but still can't see it yet. I don't know how much it takes to make you see it yourselves."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I mean, the song that you guys danced to—it said a lot about you. You and James have been through a lot together, and you've found each other. All you have to do now is realize the fact that you're in love with him and vice versa, so you guys can get married and have Harry." Jennifer winked. "Though Harry should be born when you're in your mid-twenties, Y/n, I mean, I think you're a little too young if it was earlier..."

"Jen!" exclaimed Y/n, blushing. "Don't say those things!"

"Sorry, Y/n, but I had to warn you."

Y/n shook her head, smiling. The words of the song echoed in her head slowly, like a revolver.

We were strangers

Starting out on a journey

Never dreaming

What we'd have to go through

Now here we are

I'm suddenly standing

At the beginning with you

Was it true what Jennifer had said? Y/n looked around at James, who was casually dangling a foot in the air while talking to Sirius, Remus, and Peter about the upcoming Quidditch game, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. His untidy, jet-black hair fell onto his face and he brushed it off, his brown eyes locking onto Y/n's. He grinned at her, blushing, and continued to discuss things with the rest of the Marauders with red cheeks. The h/c smiled. Even though she couldn't see James more than a friend, she knew that she would someday, for he was just the person she ought to have to be with me forever.

tags; @thecurlyhairedwinchester

masterlist

a/n; sorry about the song lyrics, i just thought they went perfectly with their relationship at the moment!

[hersheygrace]

Seal of Dark Fate

CHAPTER 1: Strange Black Mark

Genre: Fantasy / Mystery / Romance / Action

Characters: OC / BTS / GOT7 / EXO

Word Count: 4,301

Summary:  Min Haeyoon had no idea that a simple trip to the fortune-teller would lead her into meeting a mysterious boy and discovering that she was destined for something that will require her to choose between light and dark.  And along the way, she will realize that the people she knew and the life she led so far were not what she thought them to be.

[1] [2]

MIN HAEYOON SMILED at her reflection in the mirror as she smoothed her hands over her navy blue necktie and matching blazer. She had just finished preparing for school and being the cheerful girl she is, Haeyoon is looking forward another day of fun. Placing a loose strand of auburn hair behind her ears, she suddenly heard her mother calling her over for breakfast from downstairs.

“I’m coming!” she yelled back before grabbing her phone and slipping it into her backpack. When she opened her door, she saw her older brother coming out of his room as well, wearing the same navy blue blazer and trousers. The girl quietly giggled when she saw the boy yawned, eyes threatening to close anytime soon

 “Morning, Yoongi,” she smiled at the still sleepy boy before standing on her tiptoes and placing a peck on his pale cheek. Min Yoongi was never a morning a person but seeing his adorable little sister lightened up his mood.

“Morning, Haeyoonie,” he fondly ruffled her hair before placing an arm around her shoulders and proceeding downstairs.

The smell of bacon, pancake and sausage filled the entire kitchen, making Haeyoon excitedly run to her seat but not before greeting their parents with a peck on the cheek and a “Good Morning”.

 “Excited much, are we?” Yoongi commented with a chuckle as he mirrored his sister’s greeting before settling on his own seat beside Haeyoon.

 Their father laughed amusedly, saying that it’s all her favorite food afterall. But Yoongi retorted and claimed that everything edible is Haeyoon’s favorite.

 “Mom,” the girl turned to her mother with a slight pout. “Yoongi’s being mean.”

 “So is dad,” Yoongi smirked as he placed a stack of pancake on his plate.

 “Honey, don’t mind them, okay, they’re just teasing you?” Mrs. Min smiled sweetly at her daughter. “Eat your breakfast now so you won’t be late for your club meeting.”

 The family had a rather lively conversation about random things over breakfast and Haeyoon was very much happy and contented with what she has right now. She had a happy grateful smile on her face as she looked at her family, feeling that everything was perfect…

…Well, that was until she met him and her world changed for forever.

HAEYOON AND YOONGI were walking down the road towards their school. The siblings don’t mind travelling on foot since it was just a fifteen minutes walk and the weather’s nice, too. 

“Good morning, Mrs. Jeon,” the auburn headed girl stopped in a front of an old but neat looking house to greet their neighbor who was in the middle of watering the blooming flowers in her front yard. Her brother halted in his steps, too, before slipping both hands into his pockets and standing beside her to greet the woman also. Mrs. Jeon, who looked like in her late thirties, greeted back as she walked over to the waist-high white wooden fence surrounding her house and towards the pair.

 “Wow, the flowers really looked beautiful,” Haeyoon said in awe as she stared at the different varieties of flowers in different colors. She loved how they filled the air with a sweet and fresh scent.

“They are, aren’t they?” the woman said with a soft smile on her round kind face. “I see you left quite early for school.”

 “Yes, I have a club meeting,” Haeyoon chirped, as she lightly bounced on the ball of her heels. “And my brother has club duties, too.”

“My, how good students you are,” Mrs. Jeon gushed at the siblings and that’s when a beautiful melody floated in the air. It sounded like a piano and it was coming from the house. The tune was so pleasant to the ears, gentle and soothing like it was a lullaby for the soul, and Yoongi, being a music enthusiast that he is can’t help but ask who is playing the instrument.

 “It’s my son,” the woman answered quietly and for a fleeting moment, sadness flashed in her eyes but it was gone as soon as it came. “He loves playing the piano.”

 “Oh,” the brown haired boy had a lost look on his face. “I…didn’t know you have a son.”

 Only a few people were told that Mrs. Jeon, indeed, has a son. Most of them thought that she lives alone. And Haeyoon was one of those few although none of them actually saw the woman’s son in flesh. They’re not even sure how old the boy is or what he looked like because he never went out of the house but no matter how curious they are, they never asked out of respect for the kind-hearted woman because it seemed like she’s not comfortable with talking about her son.

 Sensing the sudden awkward atmosphere, the auburn-headed girl clapped her brother’s shoulder. “Of course, you wouldn’t know since you very seldom visit our neighbors.” Then she turned to the other with a bright smile, “Please, send my regards to your son, Mrs. Jeon. He’s really good at playing the piano.” Haeyoon grabbed her brother’s arm and started dragging him down the street. “Bye, Mrs. Jeon! See you later!”

  “YOU SURE YOU can manage on your own?” Yoongi asked his sister with an unsure look on his handsome face. It was already dismissal time but he can’t go home yet because of basketball practice and letting Haeyoon go home without him doesn’t sit quite well with him. He can be a little too overprotective of his little sister.

“I can go home on my own, okay?” she gave him a reassuring smile. “And besides, I’m not really alone, I have my friends with me, see?” She gestured towards her two friends, Shinhye and Gaeun, who both smiled shyly at her brother. The two girls have a secret crush on the senior and Haeyoon was amused to see them act all coy around the boy.

“Maybe I could just---,” before he even managed to finish his sentence, his sister beat him to it.

“Nope, you’re not ditching practice because of me again,” Haeyoon shook her dainty head at her brother disapprovingly. She knew that the boy was only concerned to her but he was being a worrywart.  “I swear I can manage just fine.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of Haeyoon,” Shinhye said which Gaeun agreed to with a furious nod.

 Yoongi can only sigh in defeat seeing that there was no other choice when he suddenly remembered something, his eyes narrowing, “Where is that 4D best friend of yours, huh?”

“Oh, Taehyung?” she cocked her head cutely to the side. “He said he was—,”

 “Here! I’m here!” said a loud energetic voice. They all whipped their heads to see Kim Taehyung stopping beside Haeyoon before crouching, arms leaning on his knees as he panted. The boy looked like he ran just to get in the school sports gym.

“Okay, I think he’ll do for now,” the older boy muttered with a small nod. “Hey, Tae, you take care of these girls, okay? If something ever happens, I’ll kick the shit out of you, understood?”

 The orange-haired sophomore, finally regaining his composure back, stood up and looked at Yoongi.  “Roger!” He saluted with his signature rectangular grin.

“Beep me when you get back home, alright?” Yoongi told his sister before placing a kiss on her forehead. After Haeyoon promised that she will, they started walking home.

“YOU KNOW WHAT?” Taehyung said as he slung an arm around his best friend’s shoulders as they walk down the streets. “Sometimes, your brother really scares the hell out of me.”

 Haeyoon shook her head at him with a chuckle. “He’s been like that since we were young. You should have been used to it by now.”

 “She’s got a point,” Gaeun said a matter-of-factly, walking a few steps ahead of them beside Shinhye. “Especially if he’s gonna be your future-brother-in-law.” At this, the boy blushed profusely which made the three girls giggle. Haeyoon’s friends had the habit of pairing Taehyung to her but she always laugh it off knowing that they were just teasing but her best friend seemed to take it a bit seriously.

 The orange-head was about to retort when Shinhye suddenly squealed excitedly.

 “Oh my gosh! Madame Wisa is here in our town!” she pointed at a small purple tent standing beside the park’s entrance. The other three teenagers was confused as to who this madame was, there wasn’t even a tent there the last time.

 “Madame who?” Haeyoon asked as they followed the girl towards the tent.

 Shinhye stopped walking to turn at them and explain. “Madame Wisa! She’s a fortune-teller, like, the most amazing fortune-teller ever! I heard from my cousins that she’s travelling from town to town and she’s really accurate. And you know what’s even more awesome? She’s offering her service for free, well, unless you want to give donations.”

Taehyung scoffed at this, saying that fortune-tellers are just a waste of time and that they shouldn’t believe in such things.

“Oh, come on,” Haeyoon nudge the boy with a smile. “Don’t be such a party-pooper. Let’s give it a try, okay? It’s not like it’s gonna hurt or anything.”

 Seeing her hopeful encouraging smile, Taehyung don’t have a choice but to cave in. There’s no way that he can refuse his best friend.

 The lighting inside was dim, save for the small candles and glowing jars illuminating the four corners of the tent, but it was enough to let them see the two ladies inside. One was sitting behind a table covered by deep-blue silk with a clear crystal ball on top of it and the other was standing beside it. Very typical. Judging by the set-up, it was safe to assume that the girl standing was the apprentice or assistant. She was dressed in a frilly black dress that resembled that of a doll. While the one sitting---must be Madame Wisa---was wearing an elegant looking robe in the shade of deep violet. The fortune-teller looked like she was already in her mid-forties while the girl was like around the same age as them.

“Welcome to Madame Wisa’s lair,” the apprentice greeted them in a soft girly voice. “Who among you wants to know their future?”

 Shinhye eagerly raised her hand before sitting on the chair in front of the table. After she was done, Gaeun tried it, too. The two girls were obviously happy with what the fortune-teller said to them because it all pertained to their success in the future, career and lovelife wise.

 “Aren’t you going to try it?” Shinhye asked the other two as they stood side by side on the entryway. 

The boy said that he’ll just pass but Haeyoon thought about for a while before shrugging and walking over the seat. But before she could even settle herself on the chair, Madame Wisa gasped with widening eyes.

 “You…” she trailed off as her shocked eyes travelled from the crystal ball to Haeyoon’s. “You will be a part of something enormous…something like a war…and it will change your life for forever and all of those around you.”

Madame Wisa said it in a grave voice that made the hairs on the back of her neck stood on their tips. She froze for a moment before slowly sinking on the chair. Haeyoon wasn’t the type of person to believe easily on what other people say, especially to someone like a fortune-teller but there was something nagging inside her head and saying that she was somehow…telling a truth.

 “What do you mean?” the words were out of her mouth in a whisper before she knew it. There was a minute of tensed and heavy silence before the old lady looked at her crystal ball again and spoke at her.

“I can see light…and dark…evil…powerful darkness,” Madame Wisa’s voice shook with raw fear and it scared Haeyoon, too. “You must choose the right side,” The woman’s dark eyes stared directly at her caramel-brown ones before her pale cold wrinkly hands reached across the table to touch hers. “Or else it will cost your life.”

In any other circumstances, Haeyoon might’ve found all of these things very silly but something in the thick atmosphere told her that this was a serious matter. As much as she tried to convince herself that the fortune-teller was just saying nonsense things, she can’t deny the fast-beating of her heart. The way Madame Wisa said those things, it felt too real. However, before she could ask anything more, someone tugged her by the arm and started dragging her out of the tent. As they walk away, she could still hear the fortune-teller shouting frantically at her, yelling things like it will all start now, that she will meet the one who will draw her into the war and that she should be careful from now on.

 When the purple tent was already nowhere in sight, Taehyung stopped abruptly and held her firmly by the shoulders. Her two other friends were standing a few feet away with worried faces.

“Don’t tell me you believe in what that woman was saying?” the boy asked with a rather pissed expression on his handsome face. He can’t help but curse himself for letting himself get affected by what that fortune-teller told Haeyoon. Damn her and her acting skills.

 The girl didn’t answer him for a few moments and it seemed like she was lost in her own thoughts, a dazed look on her angelic face.

 “Look at me, Haeyoon,” he shook her slightly. “Everything she said was just a lie, okay? Heck, that old lady might be crazy for all we know.”

 “Taehyung’s right, Haeyoonie,” Shinhye chimed in from behind them. “Maybe, Madame Wisa was crooked after all. I shouldn’t have brought all of us there, I’m sorry.”

 Sensing her friends’ distress and worry, she decided to forget what the old lady told her. It won’t do anyone or anything good. “O-of course…I should’ve known better than to believe her.” She flashed a reassuring smile at her frowning best friend for a good measure. The boy had a tendency of being a worry-wart and protective over her just like her brother. “I’m fine now. I’m just surprised.”

 Taehyung visibly relaxed as he let go of her shoulders only to hold one of her small hands into his. He didn’t know what possessed him to hold her hand as they proceeded to walk home but he knew that the feel of her fingers intertwined with his and the warmth it emitted was calming him down. Glancing at the girl, he was thankful that she didn't seem to mind his actions.

 “It’s not your fault, Shinhye, so stop sulking,” Haeyoon tapped the shoulder of her still pouting friend with her free hand.

 “I didn’t know that Madame Wisa was so weird. How come she told you that while she told us good fortunes?” the girl whined as they neared the intersection. The sun was about to set now and many people were waiting beside the street for the traffic light to turn red.

 “Let’s just forget that any of this happened,” Gaeun suggested as they all stopped in front of the pedestrian and they all agreed at what she said.

 It was just a few seconds before they’re allowed to cross the street when a shrill scream tore through the air. It was immediately followed by the sound of cars screeching to a stop and someone shouting something about a thief. In the middle of the hasty commotion, Haeyoon saw someone lying on the pedestrian with blood slowly pooling beneath her. She suddenly felt that she knew the woman.

 “Oh my gosh!” someone from the crowd cried. “Call an ambulance! Someone had been run over by a car!”

 It seemed like the thief managed to push someone onto the street whilst trying to get away.

 “Mrs. Jeon,” she muttered, eyes widening in recognition, shock and fear, before rushing to the woman’s aid in pure instinct. She kneeled beside her form and that’s when the woman weakly opened her eyes. “Hang in there, Mrs. Jeon, the ambulance is on their way.”

 The woman slowly lifted a hand towards her and she held it with both hands but not before noticing a strange mark on the back of her palm.

§

 It was like a black tattoo, about the size of the thumb, and she briefly wondered why she never noticed it before. She held her hand tightly as she tried to keep her awake.

“Hae…yoon,” she croaked in a very weak voice and the girl had to lean closer to hear what she wanted to say. “My…my son…please…take care of him.”

 Her heart squeezed painfully when she heard the woman saying the words as if she’s really going to die. “Don’t say that, Mrs. Jeon. You’re going to make it, okay? Just stay with me and don’t sleep.”

“Promise me…please…I’m…begging y-you,” the woman pleaded as tears started rolling down her cheeks. “…Keep him…safe…from them…promise me…”

With her own tears streaming down her face, she nodded and promised the woman that she will take care of her son. Mrs. Jeon smiled at her answer and that‘s when she felt a warm sensation on her hands that seemed to be coming from the older woman’s hand. She lifted her other hand and saw the mark softly glowing in light blue color. She had to blink her eyes rapidly to make sure that it wasn’t just playing tricks on her and after a few seconds of gleaming under the sun, it gradually disappeared—like it was slowly erased or something.

 “Thank you…” was the woman’s last words before her eyes fluttered closed for…forever.

  THE NEWS SPREAD quickly through their neighborhood and her parents—her mother being a good friend of Mrs. Jeon—decided to arrange everything for the poor woman seeing that there were no other relatives that could. Her son was still out of the question since no one had the chance to see him yet.

Haeyoon was in her room, laying in her bed and staring at the ceiling as she thought about the words that Mrs. Jeon told her. Something about she said was bugging her and keeping her restless. 

‘Keep him safe from who?’ she asked herself, brows furrowing. After a few minutes of debating with herself, she decided to check on Mrs. Jeon’s son and keep her promise. She grabbed her phone and jacket before going out of her room. The whole house was unusually quiet since her parents were out to take care of the woman’s funeral while Yoongi was still out with his friends and had no idea about what happened that late afternoon. 

 After locking their house behind her, she walked towards Mrs. Jeon’s house while pulling her jacket closer to her body as the chilly wind of the night blew past her. Halting in front of the old-styled house, she took a deep breath before walking towards the front porch. The only thing comforting her was that the house was well lit, as if telling her that there was really someone there. She was having a hard time convincing herself that there was another life in the seemingly empty and lonely house. She didn’t know what to expect to see inside and it’s making her heart pound a bit harder against her ribcage.

 “Hello?” Haeyoon called as she knocked three times on door. She tried to listen closely for any sign of life like shuffling, fumbling or anything but there was not a single sound and it worried her.

 Is there really someone here? Does Mrs. Jeon really have a son?

 A few minutes had passed before she twisted the knob and pushed the door open. Haeyoon looked around and found the interior really appealing to the eyes but it was…empty. She walked further inside and found herself climbing upstairs. The first room she saw was left open and upon seeing the feminine interior, she assumed that it was Mrs. Jeon’s. She quietly moved down to the next room whose door was shut close. The auburn-headed girl hesitated for a moment, hands hovering over the door knob. Inhaling a deep breath, she twisted it open and she was greeted by a figure sleeping on the bed in the middle of the room. Her lips parted a little as she walked carefully over the bed, still reeling from the fact that she was actually seeing Mrs. Jeon’s son that had been faceless in her mind for so many years. It was a boy, alright, and maybe around the same age as her or possibly even younger by a year or two. She silently kneeled down the side of the bed where she can clearly and freely study his features.

 The first thing that Haeyoon noticed was his strikingly innocent face. It felt like staring at an angel and everything about his face screamed innocence. She can’t even imagine the boy being hurt by anyone. His hair was a shade of reddish-black that seemed to shine as the overhead light reflect on it, soft fringe spilling gently over his forehead. The boy had an aristocratic nose which the girl was certain he got from his mother. He had long thick eyelashes that fan against his smooth cheek bones. Moving her eyes lower, her vision fell on his full pinkish lips that were slightly parted as he softly breathe in his sleep. Looking at him, she can’t help but be reminded of an innocent child that needed to be kept away from harm and anything that might hurt him.

 Is this the reason why Mrs. Jeon never let him out? Or is there a deeper explanation to it?

 The girl had no idea how long she had been staring when the boy slowly fluttered his eyes open. Haeyoon’s eyes widened as her breath hitched in her throat and she didn’t know if it was because of embarrassment for getting caught or it was because of his big black round innocent eyes that stared right back at her. She stupidly watched him from the floor, mouth gaping a bit, as the boy shifted to a sitting position and making the white blanket covering him slid down to his lap. He was wearing a baby blue sweater, sleeves extended long enough to cover his hands. Haeyoon noticed that it was quite big for him because his collarbones were able to peek through the neck.

“Who are you?” the boy asked as he tilted his head to the side.

The girl swallowed hard before answering, “I’m Min Haeyoon.”

 “Did you see my mother?” he asked again and that’s when she remembered the exact reason why she was there in the first place but how can she tell someone like him that his mother was already dead?

 “Uh, you see…Uhm…” she stuttered, tongue darting out to lick on her drying lips, as she racked her brain for the right words to say. “Your mother…she’s…she was involved in a car accident and...” Haeyoon took a deep breathe before exhaling heavily and saying, “She’s gone.”

She desperately prayed to the Heavens that the boy would be able to understand her indirect words and handle his mother’s death.

“Mother’s dead?" he boy said in a broken voice, making Haeyoon flinch inwardly. A few seconds had passed and his eyes started to get glassy.

“But…but she told me to take care of you and I promised her that I will,” she blurted in hopes of preventing him from crying. She thought that she would be forever guilty if she would make him cry. “And I’m here to take you home with me for a while. Is that okay with you?”

He sniffed and it was painfully obvious that he was stopping his tears from falling. The boy looked up at her for a moment, hesitation and a hint of fear written on his handsome face, before nodding slowly. He must've realized that he got no choice at that moment but to trust her and come with her. “Okay…” Then he held out a hand to her and that’s when something weird happened. The moment her hand touched his, current shoot through her whole limb making her pull away immediately.

“Ouch! Did you…felt that?” she asked him as she observed her hand, feeling a sudden heat concentrating on her wrist. She heard him replied with a breathy “Yes” but her attention was focused on her steadily heating up wrist. She let out a surprised gasp when she saw something forming on her skin and her eyes almost popped out of their sockets when an exact copy of Mrs. Jeon’s mark appeared on her wrist. “What the…” She trailed off when she saw the mark started glowing in light blue for a few moments before turning to a plain black looking tattoo once again. “Oh my freaking gosh…” Haeyoon shot the boy a questioning look but he just looked innocently back at her as he reached out for her hand again. He gently held it in his hands while caressing her wrist as if he’s trying to soothe it.

 “Does it still hurt?” he asked in that deep and somewhat raspy voice of his. His movements made one sleeve of his over-sized sweater slipped a little off his right shoulder, revealing a mark on his right chest, just an inch below his collar bones. It was identical to his mother’s mark and also to the one she had now.

 Haeyoon’s head was filled with so many questions but one stood out among the rest:

Who is this boy?

[Next Chapter]