#chapter two: incendio

[serverusslaype]

Shameless, pt. 2

Snape x professor!reader fic

Shameless Masterpost

hello there, we meet again it seems? B)

here is part two for Shameless. i tried my best proofreading it and editing some bits, but there is a high probability that there's some bits i missed. i did get distracted changing some things.

i really like this chapter, i feel like it starts to give you an idea of the reader's feelings towards snape. >B)

also, i won't lie, Camila Cabello's Shameless did inspire this fic, and it especially fits the moment between the reader and snape here.. hehe

hope you enjoy, please let me know! <3

anywho...

off we gooo!

Your first class had gone smoothly, apart from a little mishap where a student had cast Incendio instead of Lumos Solem. You'd quickly extinguished the fire with a quick Aguamenti, much to the amusement of your class. As of right now, you were trying to clean the soot and ash off of the table with a wet cloth, your fingers starting to ache and burn from the harsh grasp you had. Sighing, you should have seen this coming... a mistake was a given for a class of second-years. It didn't surprise you that the student at fault was none other than Neville Longbottom.

You'd kept him after class, not to scold him, but just to make sure he was alright. The boy did give himself a fright.

"I-I'm really sorry, Professor," Neville sighed, his eyes glued to the floor as he stood in front of you with a sad expression. "I just got my spells mixed up." He explained weakly, braving a glance at you.

"It's alright, Mr Longbottom, but you do need to be a little careful next time." You said, throwing a kind smile his way. He nodded frantically and his eyes were instantly locked on the floor again. You were sure he was bracing himself for a telling off. "I'd rather not have my classroom burn down on the first day, you know." You joked, trying to lighten the mood. You knew Neville didn't do it on purpose, he had a good heart and you'd noticed in class that he was rather clever at Herbology. So you gave him the benefit of the doubt.

The boy smiled weakly at you, nodding once more. "I will, Professor." He said, swallowing anxiously. You gestured to the door, silently dismissing him. Neville quickly scurried out of the door, hurrying himself to his next lesson.

As he left, a rather big and exasperated sigh fell from your lips. What else could go wrong? You glanced around, your nose crinkling up in slight annoyance. The mess that was left afterwards was a little... headache inducing. Piles of mud sat on top of the table and some of it had found it's way onto the ground. Apparently, it had slipped your mind that teaching twelve-year-olds with messy materials would equal... well, a bloody big mess. Perhaps you should have thought that through a little better.

"Scourgify." You said, waving your wand at the large, wooden table that sat in the middle of the greenhouse. The specks and mounds of mud suddenly dissipated from the table, and you were suddenly very thankful for magic. A content smile came to rest on your face as you turned around to walk towards your row of potted plants, your eyes landing on a rather beautiful Aconite, also known as Wolfsbane or Monkshood. Unlike the other free-flowing plants, you'd placed it inside a glass case due to it's dangerous toxicity. You did trust your students, but you preferred not to take the risk.

"Ah, Professor L/N, just who I was looking for!" Came an enthusiastic voice to the left of you. You twirled around, frowning as you did not recognise their voice. As your eyes landed on their tall, strawberry-blonde haired form, you clocked that it was none other than Gilderoy Lockhart. Gods, you weren't sure whether you had the patience to deal with this man right now. You'd actually rather deal with another bout of Snape right now, despite your bicker an hour earlier.

"Lockhart," You greeted softly, offering him a polite smile. You clasped your hands together in front of you, staying beside your plants. "What can I do for you?" You asked, hoping it was some sort of small favour.

"Merlin, you're just as beautiful as that utterly gorgeous Aconite beside you," Lockhart commented with a wink, his piercing blue eyes bouncing between your form and the fauna to your right. You groaned to yourself quietly. Lord, if he's just come here to get in your drawers, he'd better just walk out the door right now.

"Back to the point, Lockhart?" You sighed, massaging your temples as you felt a headache coming on.

"Oh, right, well.. what does one do when... one releases pixies in a classroom?" He asked cryptically, and you could only frown at him in utter confusion. Lockhart smiled innocently at you, and you could only arch a brow at him, waiting for more clues to what the hell he was getting at.

"Pixies...? What?" You repeated, still clueless. What the hell has this man done? And why is he getting you involved? It's your first bloody day back here! You just wanted a quiet first day... Is that too much to ask for?

"Would you please accompany me back to my classroom, Professor L/N?" Lockhart pleaded, running a hand through his perfectly-style locks. You tutted softly and rolled your eyes, gesturing for him to walk on. "It's easier if you see for yourself." He added and cleared his throat.

You followed the man to his classroom, the wind gently blowing through your leafy-brown and green robes. "What have you done, Lockhart?" You questioned him curiously as the two of you walked into the castle, rushing up the moving staircases as the clacks of your heels echoed out into the empty stone halls.

Lockhart chuckled awkwardly, keeping the grin on his face to soothe your worrisome one. You sighed quietly, preparing yourself for the worst as you rounded the corner to the door of his classroom.

With wide eyes of horror, you opened the door to the screams of students and the high-pitched cheers of Cornish Pixies. The hanging skeleton of a dragon had fallen to the ground, broken bone fragments scattered everywhere.

"Oh my-" You gasped, ducking as groups of pixies flew towards you. The students scurried like terrified mice around the room, a futile attempt to run and hide from the little purple terrors. "Immobulus!" You shouted, aiming your wand at the gaggle of fiendish pixies. Immediately they slowed down, almost like they were in slow motion. The screams from the students quietened down as they looked up, watching you quickly pushing the pixies back into their cage with your wand.

"Lockhart, you have some serious explaining to do!" You exclaimed and turned around, expecting to see the famous author, however, he was nowhere to be seen. An exasperated groan leaves your lips.

"Erm, Professor L/N, up here..." Came a familiar voice from above you. As you looked up to the source of the voice, you gasped in shock. Neville Longbottom was hanging from the chandelier by the hood of his cloak. Instantly, you flicked your wand at him, slowly levitating him to the ground.

"Not having a good day, are you, Neville?" You sighed, placing a hand against your cheek as you glanced around the room at the chaos. Books and parchment lay destroyed on the ground and desks, ink pots and quills were scattered amongst the war zone too. As you looked back to Neville, he shook his head and leaned against the table behind him, steadying himself. "Neither am I." You added quietly, mainly to yourself.

"Professor, what do we do now?" Another student asked. Looking to your right, it was none other than Harry Potter. You exhaled softly, feeling the frustration beginning to build up. Why was this happening to you? Did someone hex you? Gods.

You were clueless for a moment, you'd no idea what they'd been taught in Defense Against the Dark Arts, let alone what you should tell them to do. So you improvised. "For now, just open your books and revise some of the material that you learnt last year, please." You said tiredly, gesturing to the books that had been knocked on the floor during the chaos. "I'm sure Professor Lockhart will be back soon." You clenched your jaw the sound of his name - how could he be so careless? You were not a janitor, so why were you cleaning up his mess? To be frank, you were more angry at him for putting the students in a potentially dangerous scenario - Longbottom was hanging from the chandelier for crying out loud!

You couldn't leave the students unattended so you walked to Lockhart's desk and sat against it, your mind racing with insults to hurl at the author when he finally returned. The students all quickly rushed around, picking up their belongings and sitting themselves down at their desks.

"Professor?" A student asked, quirking your attention. You looked up and smiled weakly at them, prompting their question. The boy had bright blonde hair, slicked back, and he donned a cunning smirk on his face. Draco Malfoy, of course. "Do you know anything about the Dark Arts?" Draco asked, almost mockingly. The boys surrounding him laughed. You had to force yourself not to roll your eyes.

"Perhaps, Mr Malfoy." You replied nonchalantly. Honestly, you weren't very knowledgeable on the subject, it wasn't one of your strong-suits back in school. Of course, you knew bits and bobs of it, but you didn't believe you were fit to teach it.

"Perhaps, you can teach us a spell?" Draco asked with sly eyes, and you shook your head at him, prompting a disappointed groan from the said student. He was brave to be mocking a professor, you thought. Though, you weren't all too surprised, his last name was Malfoy after all.

"No, certainly not. Now, get on with your reading, please." You said sternly, almost at your wit's end. "And five points from Slytherin for being a smart-arse." You added, earning a scoff from the boy.

In all honesty, this is not how you expected your first day back at Hogwarts to go. You prepared yourself for a peaceful day - maybe with a few mishaps from students, but that was it. You did not expect to be pulled from a free period to deal with some rambunctious bloody pixies, released by a professor no less!

Currently, you were walking with McGonagall through the corridors, escorting the hoards of students back to their dorms after dinner in the Great Hall. The torches lit the way, casting a pretty amber hue against the bland stone walls. The air was a bit chilly, and so you wrapped your leafy-brown cloak around you tighter as the wind bit at your skin.

 "How was your first day, my dear?" McGonagall asked you, glancing at you from the side as the pair of you walked behind the gaggle of students.

A deep sigh left your lips, inducing an amused chuckle from the older witch. "Oh, Minerva, you have no idea." You groaned and let your fingers grasp the bridge of your nose momentarily, a sign of stress.

"That bad?" She laughed softly, arching a brow at you. You could only give her a disbelieving look.

"The first class of the day went well, until Longbottom set my table alight. Then, Lockhart decides to drag me into his mess!" You scoffed, keeping your voice quiet. Unfortunately for you, Lockhart had been avoiding you since the whole ordeal, so you hadn't had a chance to give him a piece of your mind. "I could've just about killed the man." Clenching your jaw in frustration, you suddenly hear a kerfuffle of gasps and a growing noise of mutterings coming from the group of students ahead as they all immediately came to a halt.

"I'll kill you!" A loud, gruffly voiced shouted from ahead. Gods, what now? You weren't always this wound up, but today had really tested you.

"What's going on?" McGonagall questioned worriedly as she began to swiftly move through the students. You followed suit, a perplexed frown gracing your face. As the two of you rounded the corner, your eyes widened in horror.

A message had been scrawled out on the wall in what looked to be blood. It read: The Chamber of Secrets has been opened, enemies of the heir... beware. As you glanced to the left, you noticed Filch's cat, Mrs Norris, was hanging from the metal torch-holder, blood dripping from her head. Your hand flew to your mouth.

"Bloody hell..." You muttered, stepping forwards to look closer at the haunting image.

Filch had a grip on Harry Potter's cloak, dragging him up to his face.

"Argus!" Dumbledore called from behind you, with Snape and Lockhart in tow. You stood back, allowing Dumbledore to step forwards towards the scene. As your eyes landed on Lockhart, his eyes met yours and they instantly widened. You glared at him and slipped past McGonagall and Dumbledore, your feet absentmindedly carrying you in his direction. Deep down you knew this wasn't the right time, but you couldn't hold back, he'd really angered you earlier. You reached out your hand and grabbed Lockhart's arm, dragging him away from the crowds of students and teachers.

With a muffled thud, Lockhart's back was against the wall. "If you ever pull that shit again, Lockhart, I will not hesitate to have you removed from this school. What were you thinking-"

 Before you could continue scolding the man, a firm hand grabbed your arm and pulled you away from Lockhart. You looked up to find a set of piercing, cold dark eyes staring down at you. Snape. You felt your heart leap up into your throat and your cheeks instantly burned hot as he kept his hand on your arm. The scent of smoke, books and a hint of sweet wine filled your nostrils as he moved closer to you, your bodies almost touching at this point. His scent was utterly intoxicating to you, and that scared you slightly.

"Have you no brain nor sense of timing, Professor L/N?" Snape scowled at you and you sunk down slightly at the threatening tone in his voice. You looked away from him in a rather poor show of defiance. He kept his voice quiet. "I don't believe this is quite the right time to be scolding your colleague." The Potions Master said sternly, nodding his head in the direction of the bloody message. You looked back at Snape, pushing your jaw out in frustration. You were silently wishing that this wasn't the way that the two of you happened to be in such close proximity.

Ripping your arm from his grasp, your hand flew up to gently rub where he had gripped you so harshly. You glanced back at Snape, who now looked furious at you. Suddenly, it felt like he'd stolen the air from your lungs - you weren't sure whether that was because of your silly little crush, or his intense, fiery stare. Perhaps both. He was right, you should have kept your cool with Lockhart, but today had really pushed you to your limits.

"But Severus-" You protested, your anger bubbling as Snape silenced you with his icy words.

"I am not one to defend Lockhart, however, there is a serious situation at hand." Snape added quietly, though his cold tone was still there. There was a beat of silence before he spoke again. "Not that it's my place, Professor L/N, but I would have thought as a Hufflepuff, you'd be abstaining from any sort of conflict, not... instigating it." He said, narrowing his hauntingly dark eyes at you.

"When it comes to stupid, incompetent mistakes that can endanger our students, I won't hesitate to say my part, Snape." You said frustratedly, leaning forwards as if to challenge him.

"Do not be foolish, Professor L/N," He stepped forwards, articulating each letter he spoke intimidatingly. You swallowed and flinched slightly at his sudden movement. As brave and courageous you painted yourself, he still did terrify you. Snape's glare deepened and he retracted himself slightly, letting his eyes flick between the pair of yours. "It seems you have not changed since your time here at Hogwarts. You are still that silly girl who did not think before she spoke."

Snape's words made you enraged. Your fists balled at the side of you once again, almost shaking. The muscles in your body tensed and went rigid from the rush of sudden anger that was coursing through you. Gods, how could someone make you feel such different emotions?

You scoffed and pushed past him, shoving his broad shoulder out of the way of you. As for now, you couldn't look at him, nor bear to be near him. You were worried you'd hex the man, or at least say something you'd regret. Despite your burning desire to hurt him back, you pushed the thought aside. You were the bigger person, and you would not stoop to his level. Unless it truly came to it, you suppose.

You stalked back to the other professors with Snape reluctantly trailing behind you. You stilled yourself beside McGonagall once more and she offered you a confused look, glancing between you and Snape as he came to stand near the wall, away from you.

You shook your head at her softly and shut your eyes for a brief moment, attempting to calm yourself down. This was not how you expected to start your second year of teaching at Hogwarts, conflicted feelings for your colleague, and developing a boiling bitterness for another. As the year progresses, perhaps you could fix it. Nothing is lost yet, right?

"She's not dead, Argus. She has been petrified." Dumbledore said in a soft tone, attempting to soothe the caretaker. Filch only stared at his beloved pet, shuffling in his spot, clearly distraught at what he'd come across. He was almost shaking with grief. A small wave of sympathy washed over you as you watched Filch try to compose himself. It couldn't be easy seeing something so dear to you hung in such a... morbid way.

However, that calm feeling was soon lost again as you saw Lockhart stood in front of Mrs Norris, inspecting the body. You quickly averted your gaze before your blood pressure rose uncontrollably and you spotted Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley stood in a row, looking rather worried. Your brows knitted together in confusion.

"Ah, thought so." Lockhart said confidently, glancing back at Dumbledore. You fought the urge to scoff at Lockhart's comment by looking to the right and biting your bottom lip. Gods, this man was almost as infuriating as Snape this morning. "So unlucky I wasn't there. I know exactly the countercurse that could've spared her." Lockhart added, staring at Dumbledore uneasily. This time you couldn't help but roll your eyes at him as you folded your arms against your chest.

"But how she's been petrified I cannot say." Dumbledore added, ignoring Lockhart's useless comments, his wise eyes studying the scene at hand.

"Ask him," Filch nodded towards Potter, his voice shaky. You frowned again, glancing at the boy. Surely not? "It's him that's done it." The greasy caretaker added with a look of despair and anger on his face. "You saw what he wrote on the wall."

Harry let out a curt sigh before turning towards Dumbledore. "It's not true, sir. I swear." He said. "I never touched Mrs Norris." Harry gestured towards Filch's cat, who was still unfortunately hanging by her tail on the metal arm of the torchlight.

"Rubbish!" Filch hissed, still staring angrily at the boy.

"If I might, Headmaster?" Snape suddenly interjected, his deep voice softer than you'd heard it before. Your head instantly snapped up to look at him, shocked to hear such a tone of voice on a cruel man like him. "Perhaps Potter and his friends were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?" The Potions Master offered, seemingly wanting to deescalate the whole situation. Since when is he considerate? you wondered.

"However," Snape added, his voice returning to it's usual cold tone. There it is, you thought, fighting the itching urge to roll your eyes. "The circumstances are suspicious." Snape said, walking slowly towards the three students, almost intimidatingly. "I, for one, don't recall seeing Potter at dinner." He narrowed his eyes at the three of them, stopping just short of a metre away. He seems to have a habit of doing that.

"I'm afraid that's my doing, Severus," Lockhart called out, making Snape turn around to face him with a face like thunder. You loathed how you couldn't help but stare at him. A whirling storm of resentment and admiration gathered in your stomach as you gazed at him. Undoubtedly, he looked ethereal underneath the amber-coloured lighting in this hallway, despite the unhappy and disdainful look on his face.

Fuck. You hated it.

The flames illuminated his prominent features almost too perfectly. His large, aquiline nose and high cheekbones would ultimately be the death of you.

"You see, Harry was helping me answer my fan mail." Lockhart explained, glancing between Snape - who looked utterly confused - and Harry himself. Lockhart's voice to you was like someone scratching nails on a chalk board. Every time he spoke, the hairs on your body would stand on end - and not in a good way.

You despised the fact that these two men brought out such a hateful side of you so easily.

"That's why Ron and I went looking for him, professor," Hermione spoke up, looking towards Harry. "We'd just found him when he said..." Hermione trailed off, staring at Harry. Snape turned back to face the three students, his eyes narrowing in suspicion once again.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Snape prompted.

"When I said I wasn't hungry." Harry interjected, looking back up at Snape. Ron nodded quickly in a nervous manner, glancing between the Potions Master and his friend Harry. "We were heading back to the common room when we found Mrs Norris." The boy explained. To you, it seemed like a solid explanation, however, Snape didn't seem too convinced as he spun around to look at Dumbledore, waiting for his thoughts on the whole situation.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus." Dumbledore stated, looking at Snape through his half-moon glasses. Reluctantly, you looked at Snape as he arched a brow disapprovingly at the Headmaster.

"My cat... has been petrified. I want to see some punishment!" Filch cried out, commanding your attention to him. The man was shaking with rage, and it made you a little uneasy. You glanced back at Snape, your eyes lingering a little too long on him.

"We will be able to cure her, Argus." Dumbledore assured the man, still trying to calm the tense moment. "As I understand it, Professor L/N has a very healthy growth of Mandrake." The Headmaster said, tearing you out of your daydream. Your eyes flicked to Dumbledore as he gestured at your form. Looking to Filch, you offered a warm and sympathetic smile to him, nodding in agreement with Dumbledore. "When matured, a potion will be made which will revive Mrs Norris." He said, turning towards the Potions Master and the three students.

Snape had his eyes glued to you, catching you by surprise. You immediately averted your eyes from his as your cheeks began to burn, betraying you. The overwhelming, icy stare from Snape made your heart pound against your rib cage.

Get a hold of yourself, for Merlin's sake.

Dumbledore's voice cut through the strange tension between you and Snape. The two of you broke eye-contact and looked to the older wizard. "In the meantime, I strongly recommend caution to all." The Headmaster warned, capturing your attention. You nodded at the older man, waiting to see if there was anything else he wanted to say. "Professor McGonagall, would you mind escorting Miss Granger, Mr Potter and Mr Weasley to their respective dormitories, please?"

"Of course. This way." McGonagall walked towards the three students, gesturing them forwards with her hands. You sighed softly and bid Dumbledore a warm goodnight, turning around to walk to your quarters. As you padded away, you turned around gingerly, your inquisitive eyes searching for the broody Potions Master that made your heart beat a little faster in two different ways. Unsurprisingly, he seemed to have already left. A twinge of disappointment twisted in your gut, and you felt conflicted between your emotions. That close - and almost intimate - encounter with him earlier truly made you think about things. You couldn't choose between hating him or liking him. Gods, were you in trouble now.

However, as you rounded the corner, it seemed your luck was playing out. You spotted Lockhart striding ahead of you.

there we are, part two over! whew. i hope you enjoyed it as much as i did writing it, and i hope there weren't too many mistakes lol!

if you want to be added to the taglist below, please let me know in the comments/replies :)

thank you for reading!

part 3

taglist:

@a-laufeyson

[thebestofoneshots]

Gilded Constellations | wolfstar x reader

Series Masterlist | The Interlude | Previous episode

Pairing: Wolfstar x Reader Word Count: 6.3 K Warnings: None Prompt: New Friends, new adventures to come and one Halloween Party to prepare. This IS a wolfstar x reader fic, but it's incredibly slow burn. They won't start all dating each other until we're very deep into the story, but I promise the long wait will be worth it.

Chapter 16: Boogie Wonderland

The next day, you charmed your restricted section book cover, just like you had done with the spicy one, making it look like another casual spell book. You then spend most of your classes devouring its content, it was way more than the two pages you’d found on the 5th-year DADA book, although a good deal of them focused solely on how to defeat a werewolf. 

Tips on how to kill werewolves, spells against werewolves, weapons against werewolves, a particular line irked you so much –if you see a werewolf hex to kill, don’t bother incapacitating– that you were about to throw the book on the ground and cast incendio on it. But it wasn’t until about the second half of the book that it finally started to talk about its qualities. Especially with the section titled “How to spot werewolves in your daily life”. Of course, while most of the things in the book were about spotting and hurting them, you were more focused on learning which things you should never do. 

On a small piece of parchment, you started documenting everything that you had learned so far. You’d even use a codeword to refer to Remus, in case your note was misplaced or lost. 

My Knowledge on WW:

Silver burns them (throw away or alter the ring mom gave me once Puppy returns it).

Silver and Dittany could save someone after being lethally bitten by a werewolf, turning them into one regardless. 

Bites are contagious only if the werewolf bites someone in werewolf form, not outside of it (Luna could bite whoever he wants without turning them, as long as they’re in human form, maybe they’d get a bit of a raw meat affection for a couple of days, but nothing more). Why is this relevant to me?

Werewolves do not remember who they are once transformed. They can be very aggressive, and they have killed friends and loved ones in wolf form; they will remember what they did once they’re back in human form. If Luna turns into werewolf form and you’re around, turn the fuck away.

Any bite or scratch obtained from a werewolf, whether in human or animal form, would leave a permanent scar. (Luna probably has a bite mark somewhere. I wonder where?) 

Werewolves rarely have children. If a werewolf has a child with another werewolf while in wolf form, they’d have a normal wolf, except they’d be beautiful and nearly as smart as a human. 

Werewolves don’t really attack animals, they seem to target exclusively Humans. 

There’s little to no medicine developed to help treat werewolves. -> Racist wizards going at it again.

They can be a little aggressive, touchy or moody as the full moon approaches. 

They have a crazy good sense of smell (even in human form apparently; maybe I’ll get to ask Luna about it someday)

THEY AREN’T ALL EVIL. 

You read through your list a couple of times, wondering if you’d missed anything from the book. But you were certain you had narrowed down the most important clues the book had. There was a section of the book that had a couple of spells to defend yourself from werewolves, but they were all incredibly aggressive attack spells, most of them to severely damage or kill the werewolf, when you finished reading you ripped the page from the book, threw it on the floor and whispered “incendio,” contemplating how the fire slowly consumed the old piece of paper. You might have not been able to burn down the entire book, but that was pleasing enough. And you had to get rid of it before anyone read through it and tried to use it on Remus, or any other good werewolves. Because no matter how many times the book tried to frame Werewolves as being inhumane, and immoral beasts, incapable of feeling remorse, you knew it was all bullshit. 

Remus was kind, gentle, and incredibly caring, he’d been the first one to approach you when you were feeling off after divinations, he’d shared chocolate with you when you were injured, he’d held you when a quaffle had been thrown your way, and he’d even taken you to his quiet spot when he thought it might help you feel better. Remus had, even in the short time you’d met him, always been there for you, and you wanted to be at least half as good of a friend as he’d been. Remus was nothing like the harrowing picture the book painted of werewolves. And while you were sure actual evil werewolves existed, you’d heard of them in the news, with wolves like Fenrir Greyback and its followers, you also knew there were evil and good wizards. It wasn’t a matter of what you were, but a matter of who you were. You’d know, your mom had told you about the hard times her mother had had with her being half fairy, the Wizarding Community just wasn’t very accepting of diversity. 

As you walked back from the courtyard where you were reading, book back in your backpack and parchment gently tucked in the book you had in your hands, you accidentally bumped into someone, and whoever you bumped into had been walking with so much force, the books you were holding fell to the ground. The boy –a Ravenclaw you hadn’t met– leaned down and helped you pick your stuff. But the page on your book had slipped and fell a little further from your grasp, he walked towards it before you even had the chance to react, and he eyed it as you gulped. Thank Merlin you’d used codenames.

“You’re into werewolves too?” He asked. 

You frowned, thinking of a quick excuse, say it was an assignment, say it’s homework, a part of you said. On 6th year? about werewolves? who would ever believe it?, responded the other. But there was something about the question that caught your attention then, “What did you say, sorry?” 

The boy turned to you, “Oh- um… I asked if you were also into werewolves…” he said, as he handed the parchment over to you. There it was: also into them. 

“Uh… yeah, I’ve been doing some research.” 

He nodded, and motioned to the paper, still in your hands “Who’s Luna?” 

You were caught off guard again “It’s a… character, from a story.” You said, making it up on the spot “I’m writing it, the story… I’m writing the story.” How on earth did I become such a shitty liar?

“Oh, that’s amazing! I’m actually really interested in them as well.” 

“You are?” 

He nodded “Yeah, I’ve been working with Professor Slughorn to develop a potion.” 

“To make them human again?” You asked with a frown. 

He shook his head “It’s… That’s impossible… But Slughorn and I think It’s possible to create one that will allow them to remember who they are while in wolf form, to reduce the risk of attacking humans.” 

“What really? That’s brilliant! I’d love to help you!” You said, almost a little too excitedly, so you cleared your throat  “I mean, it would be a really good way of getting knowledge for my story…” 

“Really?” He asked, with a smile “You’re (Y/N), right? New transfer student? Gryffindor’s new keeper?” 

You nodded “I’m afraid I don’t know your name…” 

He extended his hand, and you shook it “Damocles Belby, most people just call me Kless, I’m from 7th…” he seemed to think about the next thing before deciding to ask “Are you really as brave as they say?” 

“They say I’m brave?!” You asked, in disbelief. 

He nodded “You stood up against some nasty Slytherins in class, and they say you fly like a daredevil, or so I’ve heard…” 

“Well, I –gossip sure travels fast here– Why?” 

“I’m more of a books and potions kind of person, you see…” he started, moving one of his arms up to the back of his head, to scratch it, it looked like Kless wasn’t too eager to ask for this particular favour  “…but I really want to test out the effect of Moonflower on the potion, see if it helps. The issue is, and you might not know this but Moonflower–“ 

“–only blooms in full moon.” You finished. 

He exhaled, “Yeah, and I’ve been told that there is a chance to find them in the forbidden forest.” 

“You want me to get it for you, don’t you?” 

He nodded, “Only if it wasn’t too much trouble. And if you helped with it, I could finish the first draft of the potion in a couple of weeks and we could probably test it together, and if the position works, I could get a brilliant recommendation letter from Slughorn to study at Cauldronwell, the School of Advanced Potionry. Maybe we could even get one for you.” 

You took a deep breath, considering the situation, the forbidden forest must be forbidden for a reason, and the boys had warned you about it too. Eventually, you spoke again “If I do this, will you let me have some of the potion?” 

He looked at you, as if thinking about it, probably wondering if he should ask why you’d need the potion, but in the end, he only nodded “Deal.” 

You smiled at that, pleased with the answer he’d given you, “Pleasure to meet you Kless, I’ll see you around.” You said before waving at him and resuming your way to the common room since you’d be helping Remus and Sirius finish up the decorations for the party. But just before turning on the corner you turned your head towards him again “I’ll find you when I get it.” 

He nodded, “I’ll send you a copy of my research through owl mail.” He responded. 

Sirius and Remus were already in the common room when you arrived, you smiled and took the book with the parchment, grabbing the piece of paper and hiding it deep within one of the pockets of your backpack. While you were busy, still packing stuff inside your bag, you felt Sirius’s arms wrap around you as he hugged you from behind. He placed a quick kiss on your cheek before pulling away again, grabbing a piece of candy from the bowl next to your bag on the table and popping it into his mouth. “What were you up to?” He asked, noting you were late. 

“Sorry, got really caught up in this book.” You told him with an apologetic smile as if Sirius could actually be angry at you. You then looked around, the boys had already gotten a head start. James, who was supposed to help, was still locked up in his room, adding some final details to his Hamlet costume while Peter was in the kitchens, making sure the treats were ready for the party. 

“Marlene’s gone to get a fog potion,” Remus said, as he grabbed onto a piece of cloth neatly folded on the table, “Beth and Tom went to Hogsmeade to buy some last-minute treats.” 

You paid close attention as he started to unfold the cloth “Is that the banner Lily made?” You asked, walking closer to him, Sirius was looking at you with a smile as you moved towards his friend. 

Remus nodded and said a quick “Yeah.” Handing a corner of the cloth over, so you could help him, the two of you extended the banner together, finally opening it up. The Banner was long and, it was black with orange letters over it, and it had two Jack-o-lanterns on each side that screamed “Happy Halloween” when you looked directly at them. 

“It’s brilliant!” You said with a smile, as you helped Remus levitate it closer to the ceiling near the entrance. Sirius was busy placing the jack-o-lanterns you had carved during the week all over the common room. Once the banner was hung, you walked towards the table and pulled out a bag you’d left there a couple of classes ago. 

“What’s that?” Sirius asked, walking closer to you again, shoulders brushing against yours. You smirked, and took a skull from the inside, throwing it towards Sirius, he easily caught it and looked at it, before turning back to you. 

“You thought it would scar–“ he started, but then, out of nowhere, the skull started laughing maniacally, Sirius jumped and let it fall on the floor.

The skull said “Auch,” while you and Remus started laughing. 

“Did you see his face?” You asked him. 

“Absolutely priceless, wish I’d gotten a picture of it!” Agreed Remus. 

Sirius just looked at you both with a pout as he picked the skull back from the floor and gently placed it on the table. The skull started to laugh again and Remus silenced it with his wand “You planned this, didn’t you?” 

Remus shook his head, and you answered “We just took advantage of the opportunity to test them. Rem and I’ve been working on them for a while.” 

“Them?” He looked at the bag wearily “How many did you make?” 

“About a dozen,” Remus answered casually. You opened the bag again, and you carefully took the skulls out. You then handed them to the boys, who started to place them all over the common room, one near the sofa, one close to the fireplace, some over at the stairs, and in general, just spread out in rather inconvenient places, the kind of places that would have people jumping from their skin when they started screaming at them. Sirius decided it would be a good idea to have one floating over the fruit punch, and he placed it in the bowl before adding the fruit juice. You saw him take a bottle of rum out too, and pour about a quarter of it onto the drink.

You shook your head, a little smile playing on your lips as he did “Why not add a bit more?” you teased. 

“Sirius!” Remus admonished him. “What did we say about adding alcohol to the main beverage? Last year it was chaos!” 

“It was only a little bit,” he retorted, and then turned to you “Barely a trickle, right Statshine?” 

You nodded “Not even a quarter of a bottle.” Remus shook his head, looking at both of you disapprovingly. “Come on Rem,” you said persuasively “let’s leave it like that, you don’t want to throw out such a good punch do you.” 

“She’s right, Moons, come on,” Sirius said, now he was standing next to you, both looking at the taller boy with puppy eyes. 

Remus looked at the two, both so pretty trying to convince him to do something, he almost couldn’t think of anything else. In fact, he wasn’t sure there was anything in the world you’d ask of him that he would deny, not with that expression on your faces. He took a deep breath, trying not to focus on the fact that he had somehow developed a crush not only on his best friend (which he had been pretty aware of already) but on his girlfriend as well, “Just so you know, I still don’t think it’s a good idea.” 

Both you and Sirius smiled broadly, looking at each other and throwing a high-five between yourselves. “You’re the best Rem!” You told with a dashing smile and then you walked back, pulling the bag up. 

“There’s more?” Sirius asked Remus, he shrugged in response, he didn’t know. 

Slowly, you pulled out a whole skeleton from it. “What the hell?!?” Asked Remus surprised, “You didn’t tell me you also had one of those…” 

“I didn’t have it, I found it.” You told him “It was in one of the old classrooms on the 3rd floor.” 

“Is it… real?” Remus asked cautiously. 

“Didn’t ask him,” you responded with a shrug while looking at the skeleton. Remus raised his eyebrows, amused at your answer. 

And a diverted smile appeared on Sirius' lips before he asked. “Did you charm it as well?”

You ginned “‘Course I did! Who do you take me for? I’ve got a whole plan for it.” 

“And where are you going to place it?” Remus asked, from next to you now as he curiously looked at the skeleton. 

You turned your body a little, shifting the weight of the skeleton onto one of your arms, and pointed at a wardrobe in the far side of the room. 

“In the closet?” The taller boy asked in disbelief “You’re going to put the skeleton in the closet?” 

“It’s a joke in and of itself,” you said with a smile “every now and then the skeleton will drop smoke or random sounds, that way guests are inclined to investigate. And then boom, the skeleton in the closet will jump out and scare the shit out of them.” 

“That’s wicked…” Said Sirius, a smirk playing on his lips “See Moony? I told you she was like us!”

“I was certain when you told me about the day of the library,” Remus said simply. 

You looked at Sirius, eyes wide in shock “You told Remus about the library?” 

“Of course I did, your Howler was genius!” Sirius responded matter-of-factly.

“Certainly,” Remus agreed. 

Right, the Howler, he told them about the Howler, not about the snoging. “It was just, a spur-of-the-moment idea?” You said, tugging in a hair behind your ear shyly as you walked towards the wardrobe with the skeleton –Steve– as you’d named him. You knew how seriously the boys took their jokes and escapades, if Sirius and Remus were complimenting you on something, they weren’t just sweet-talking you. You slowly but surely accommodated Steve inside the wardrobe and closed the doors. 

“What are we missing?” Asked Remus as he looked around the common room, trying to get a look at the big picture. 

“Marlene’s still coming with her smoke potions, right? Spooky music? Maybe…”

“Got that taken care of,” Sirius said, and waved his wand, on the corner, a small violin, a flute and what looked like a piano started playing music. 

You were surprised “where did you get those?”  

“Stole them from the music room last year,” Sirius explained “It was a dare to prove to James that Remus was way stealthier than him, even if he’s taller.” 

You nodded, a little impressed, you then heard the portrait open, Beth and Tom walked inside with bags filled with candy; from slug worms to dancing skeletons, all the Halloween theme candies from Honeydukes were there. Tom walked all the way to the table with the punch and emptied his backpack there. Beth, on the other hand, started to neatly arrange the candies she’d gotten into different vases and floating trays, she ended up also taking the stuff Tom had dumped and finished decorating the sweet’s table, as she’d prompted everyone to call it that from then on.

“You guys did a brilliant job,” Tom said as he looked around in awe, there were spider webs coming from the ceiling, shiny black and orange streamers swirling in the air, black flamed candles levitating all over the ceiling, cauldrons filled with candies. The skulls you and Remus had charmed together still lurking on certain spots, a table filled with potions, “for potion pong,”  as Beth had told you, and overall, an eerie but fun atmosphere. You had even told Moaning Myrtle and Richard Jackdaw to come over as special guests, even if you warned them not to tell any other ghosts about the party, especially Peeves, who would definitely attempt to make some kind of prank, or tell the teachers about your shenanigans. Suddenly he tilted his head. “Do hear that?” He asked. 

Beth frowned “Hear what?” 

“It’s uh… coming from…” Tom started walking towards the wardrobe. You threw a look at the boys, Sirius held your stare with his icy grey eyes, the hint of a smirk drawing on his lips. When you turned to Remus, he was also looking at you attentively, eyebrows raised, clearly looking amused. 

As you exchanged glances with the boys Tom approached the wardrobe “None of you hear it?” 

You shook your head, it wasn’t a lie, the spell only worked for one person at a time, so really, not even Beth would hear the same thing Tom did. Tom was now right in front of the closet, and he hesitantly placed his hands on the handle, like he was considering whether he should open it or leave it alone. But Tom was curious, almost too curious for his own good and in a fast pull, he opened the door. 

The skull jumped out and clang onto Tom, eyes glowing a shade of green and screaming so loud even you winced, perhaps I overdid it, you thought. Tom screeched, jumped back and ended up on the floor, fighting to get the skeleton to unwrap its bony arms off his shoulders. When he finally did it, he threw it to the side and crawled away from it while looking at it with dread. He stayed there, panting as Steve finally shut its bony jaw, the screams and shrieks slowly dying out.

Everyone started to laugh, including Beth, who had been just a little scared at the beginning. Still with his eyes open wide, Tom turned back, a slight frown on his face as he turned to Sirius “What the fuck mate?! That was bIoody horrifying, what did I ever do to you?”

Sirius raised his hands and shrugged, “That wasn’t my prank.” 

Tom’s frown deepened and he turned to Remus “It was you?” He asked again, still trying to gain his breath. Remus shook his head as a reply, there was no way it’d been James or Peter, Tom knew they’d be pretty busy today so he slowly turned his head to you, almost unsure “(Y/N)?” 

You took a deep breath, raising your shoulders, lips tightened in a line before, letting a bit of a smile appear. Guilty, you looked guilty. “I see you’ve met Steve.” 

“You gave that horrid thing a name?” You shrugged, nodding your head as an answer. He sighed “Why me?” 

“Oh, that’s on Steve, he chooses the person he calls, not me.” 

“You put a randomizer spell on it?” Remus asked then, surprised. You nodded “How? I’ve been trying to master those for a while…” he said, walking closer to the skeleton. 

“I found it on The Refined Art of Mild Hexes, it’s somewhere on the first couple of pages,” you told him, and then started waking towards Tom and helped him up “Sorry bout that,” you said, giving the curly haired boy a light pat on the back, he just stared at you, squinting his eyes in distrust, he then scoffed, shaking his head as he looked at the skeleton on the ground. 

“Looks bIoody realistic,” he said, the edges of his lips finally curling into a little smile. 

“Yeah, Remus thought the same, and asked me if it was real.”

He turned back to you, a slightly concerned expression on his face “Well… Is it?” 

“She’d got no clue,” Sirius answered for you. 

You nodded in agreement “Found it lying around in an abandoned classroom.” 

 “And you just took it? What it if was a ghost’s or something?” 

You shook your head “I asked Richie Jackdow, and he said it didn’t belong to any of the ghosts in the castle.” 

“You really have gotten accustomed to Hogwarts, haven’t you?” 

You smiled “I guess you could say I have.”

The portrait opened itself again, and Mary and Marlene came inside. Marlene carrying a tray with potions and Mary with some more treats, this time saltier stuff from the kitchen. “I brought the fruit for the punch,” she said as she walked towards the sweet’s table. 

“Great, you guys prepare that, Sly sprite,” he said turning to you “You’re helping me with this,” he said pointing to his canines, he’d asked you to turn them into fangs earlier that week, when the party was being planned, you’d both found a spell that would be useful, and had decided it’d be the one you’d use. 

“I think I left the book in my backpack,” you said as the two of you walked towards a further away table. 

“Sly sprite,” Sirius scoffed, he was standing next to Remus. 

The taller boy raises his eyebrow “You jealous?” he teased. 

“Of Tom?! No way!” 

“Why not?” Remus asked and turned to you and Tom at the table where you’d left your backpack, you had one hand on the book and the other on your wand, Tom was staring at you attentively “Tom’s handsome, maybe just as handsome as you.” 

Sirius frowned, “You’re not helping,” he added flatly. 

Remus knew very damn well you had no interest in Tom, but he was enjoying himself while looking at a jealous Sirius, thinking back of all the times he’d been jealous himself. “I’m just saying… he’s charming, comes from a wealthy family, and his curls are really nice.” 

“Remus!” Sirius whined, turning his back to look at the hazel-eyed boy instead of at you since you already had both of your hands on Tom’s face as you pulled it back to check on his canines.

“Do you know what this is for?” Asked Mary, taking a potion bottle with a golden cap. Remus shrugged.

“Must be the sugar syrup for the punch,” Beth said “I asked Peter to bring it over in the morning.” 

Mary looked at it, swirled the liquid around inside the bottle, and uncapped it. She gave it a whiff and shrugged, it certainly smelled sweet enough. She didn’t think it twice, and dumped the entirety of the contents inside the punch, then grabbed the bottle and placed it on the potions table, since it fit the aesthetic. 

Meanwhile, you and Tom were still working on his fangs, “Stop moving for fucks sake,” you complained, as Tom looked at himself in the hand mirror he took from your bag. 

“But make them longer, yeah luv?” He answered, his voice already had a little lisp from the fangs. 

“They’ve got a great length Tom, you won’t be able to eat!” 

“Food doesn’t matter, aesthetics do!” 

You sighed, “Don’t dare come whine with me if you cannot eat.” 

“I swear I won’t Sly Sprite,” he said while placing his right hand over his heart. It made you wonder: If both Sirius and Tom entered a drama contest, would they tie? Eventually, you nodded and performed the spell again, grabbing the mirror and placing it in front of Tom’s face. He smiled, checking himself out as he slid his tongue under the fangs and winched at how sharp they were. You gave him an “I told you so” look, but he just shook his head. “Aesthetics (Y/N), aesthetics!”  

You just rolled your eyes and started to stand up but he stopped you by grabbing your arm “Hold up! Man liner!”

“Man liner?” You asked with a frown. 

“Yes! Eyeliner for men, like rock stars! Would you mind doing it for me?” He then looked through the pockets and pulled out an eyeliner pencil. 

You shrugged and nodded, taking the pencil from his hand, and leaning closer to Tom’s face, “Don’t move, all right?” He nodded and you started to line his water line. Softly gliding the pencil. When you were about to finish the first eye you felt someone looming behind you. When you turned you realised it was just Sirius, and you gave him a quick smile before going to line Tom’s second eye. 

Sirius was attentively looking at you as you lined Tom’s eye, both curious at the way you did it and also pretty jealous of how close you were to the other boy. Which prompted him to walk even closer. Once you were done you smiled and pulled away from Tom “There you go Mr. Vampire.” 

“Brilliant!” He said, placing both hands on your shoulder “Thank you Sly Sprite!” 

Sirius cleared his throat from behind “Mind if I borrow my girlfriend away for a minute.” 

Tom, being as oblivious and carefree as he was, nodded with a smile “I’m actually going to go change.” 

Once Tom was gone, you turned to Sirius with a quizzical expression “What was that about?” 

Sirius, who had spoken without thinking, was taken aback by your question “I… uh— Can you line my eyes too?” He improvised.

You frowned, “What are you dressing as?” 

He was about to open his mouth, but shut it before he could speak. “What are you going to dress up as?” 

“Oh… that’s right. You haven’t guessed. You get 3 more tries,” you told him playfully, as you placed your hand on his shoulder, guiding him to sit on the same chair Tom had been in.

He sat there and looked up at you, your breath got stuck in your throat, how was it possible for a boy to be this pretty? You leaned in closer, a lot closer than you had been to Tom, which made Sirius feel a lot better already. “Look up at me, All right?” You told him softly. He did, and you swore you felt your legs wobble, but you took a deep breath and while holding his chin with one hand, you gently placed your other hand on his cheek, to stabilise it while you lined his eyes. You were a lot more careful than you’d been with Tom. Softer, taking a lot longer to drag the eye pencil under his lower lashes. You honestly enjoyed being close to Sirius, more than you’d ever dare to admit to his face, especially since it’d go straight to his head, feeding his already pretty big ego.

“Are you gonna be a mermaid?” 

“No, I’m not.” You replied and continued with your task. 

“What about a princess? You certainly fit the look.” 

“Puppy stop moving!” You reprimanded, as a blush threatened to spread on your cheeks, “And no, I’m not going to be a princess, that’s two tries out of three.” He huffed, he really wanted to win the bet “What about you? Are you gonna be a rockstar?” 

“Nope.” He responded, “3 tries for you too.” 

You leaned in a little closer, narrowing your eyes as you tried to be as accurate as possible, “Will you come as a prince? It’s also something that would suit you.” 

He shook his head “I’m letting James take the spotlight with the mediaeval clothes… You think I look like a prince?” He asked, a little smirk playing on his lips. 

You rolled your eyes, “Everyone thinks you look like a prince, Sirius.” 

“Nah, I’m pretty sure you just said you think I look like a prince.” 

You playfully hit his shoulder before going to the other eye. Almost losing yourself in the frosty blue of them before focusing on your task again. Sirius was still looking at you attentively as you continued to paint his waterline. “Aren’t you gonna try and guess again?” 

“I’ve only got one try left.” 

“And you’re not planning to use it?” 

“I am… just– I want to… think it thoroughly.” 

“You know, you could just tell me whatever your wish is.” 

“It wouldn’t be the same thing,” he retorted. “You should also do Remus’ man liner since he’s going to be a pirate.” 

“I’m not sure he’d like it…” you said, a little insecure about it. 

“I think he would, we should tell him,” he said, very sure of himself. “Hey, Remus!” 

“Mmmm?” the mentioned boy asked from the sofa, where he was arranging some more cauldrons filled with treats. 

“Come over! Will ya?” 

Remus turned to the boy, gave him a look like he did not want to move, but stood up and walked up to the two of you. 

“You’re up next,” Sirius informed him.

“For what?” 

“(Y/N) is doing your manliner.” 

“If you want to…” you added. Finally separating from Sirius since you had finished, smiling at how handsome your boyfriend looked. 

“It’s for your costume.” Sirius said, “It won’t be finished without it.” He then stood up and placed Remus right on the chair in front of yours.

Remus just took a deep breath as he stared at his friend, before turning to look at you, expectantly. 

“You sure you’re ok with it?” You asked, with a little frown. There it was again, the concern and care you always seemed to show Remus, the same concern and care that had his heart fluttering from how close you were standing to him. From how close both Sirius and you were to him, in fact. 

He cleared his throat and nodded, and you leaned closer to him, grabbing his face just as carefully as you had grabbed Sirius’. His skin was a lot softer than you’d imagined, you unintentionally brushed your fingers over one of his scars, but Remus didn’t flinch, which surprised him, since he usually detested when people did it. In fact, he remembered a particular time when he was making out with a boy and he snapped at him for touching his face. 

“Look up at me Rem,” you told him softly, he complied, looking at you through his lashes, Sirius was right next to you, Remus could see his satisfied expression from the corner of his eyes. You finally leaned in, and started to glide the pencil over his lower lashes. You somehow ended up focusing on his eyes, how they had these little specks of amber tones in them, they were bigger, and somewhat softer than Sirius’, very doe-like, in fact. “Tell me if it hurts,” you added later. Remus was nothing like Sirius, the latter would make a fuzz if you pricked him on the eye accidentally. Remus, on the other hand, he’d probably endure it without even wincing. He nodded, and you had to quickly pull the eye pencil away from his face. “But don’t move!” you admonished, grabbing his face a little more sternly now. 

“M’sorry,” he mumbled. 

“What do you think (Y/N)’s costume’s gonna be?” Sirius, who was still very close to the two of you, attentively watching the way you lined Remus’ waterline, asked. He seemed pretty content, falling to notice you were standing so much closer to Remus than you had been to Tom.

“You haven’t guessed yet?” Remus asked, a diverted smile playing on his lips “That’s unfortunate for you.” 

“MOONY!” He whined, “I asked you to help me choose, not to make fun of me.” Remus shrugged. “She said she’s not gonna be a princess, or a mermaid, also not an alien, or an astronaut, from what I asked yesterday. Mmmm.. and she also said she wasn’t dressing as a superhero, though I’m sure she’d look great as Wonder Woman.” 

“Who would’ve thought Sirius would be into costumes…” you teased. Remus instantly chuckled, but it took a little longer for Sirius to understand the joke. 

“Hey! I’m not– I– I just want my prize!” 

“Well then guess by yourself, If Remus guesses for you, he gets your prize.” 

Sirius gasped “You wouldn’t.” 

“I so would,” you teased again. Then pulled back from Remus “There we go,” you smiled at your work, slowly letting your fingers glide over his skin as you pulled them away from his face, Remus really did work that man liner out.

“Damn, mate!” Sirius said as Remus stood, looking up at him “You look absolutely dashing, and you don’t even have the rest of your costume on.” 

“He’s right,” you nodded “Remus’ getting bitches tonight.” 

Remus gave you a reproachful look, but nodded, “I think everything’s pretty much handled already.” 

You saw Tom walk down from the stairs in a puffy shirt and a dark green vest. He’d brushed his curls back, only one gently falling on his forehead, he was definitely working that vampire costume. 

You approached him quickly “Tom! It’s brilliant you’re ready. Deal with everything while we go change, yeah?” 

He nodded, and then smiled mischievously. “I’ll go find the potion, I probably left it somewhere when I dropped all the candies on Beth’s Sweets Table.” 

You raised your eyebrows “Just don’t down it all in one go. Save some for the rest of us.” He winked as an answer. “Tom’s taking care of this, we can go change,” You said, turning to Remus and Sirius, who were just a couple steps behind you. 

Sirius approached Tom first, and handed the eyeliner over “Your eyeliner.” He said icily. 

“Thanks for borrowing it,” Remus added politely afterwards, feeling like he wanted to punch Sirius for being such an idiot to Tom. You clearly weren’t interested in the boy, in fact, anyone would tell him how head over heels you were for him, but he had such a thick head he dared to be jealous. Maybe it was from how much hair he had.

Tom, being Tom, just smiled, almost mischievously. “No problem, you both look smashing, by the way…” He then eyed the taller boy up and down “Remus,” he said with a nod, before walking away to the centre of the room.

You frowned slightly at the exchange, remembering Tom’s words: “You’d be surprised, most of them hide it quite well though, you wouldn’t expect it.” Would it be possible that Remus was also-

You felt a hand press to the small of your back, “let’s go, love,” Sirius said, as he pushed you up the stairs.

“Uh.. yeah sure,” you said, allowing Sirius to guide you, turning your head back towards the front. 

 “Are you gonna be a lady knight?” He asked as you walked up the spiral staircase, Remus trailing behind just a little.

You shook your head “But that would’ve been a brilliant idea!” 

“Well, you’d certainly look great in silver armour,” He replied with a little smirk. You playfully shoved him off as you rolled your eyes. 

“Will you be… a prisoner from Azkaban?” 

“I would look great in those white and blue stripes, wouldn’t I?” He teased confidently “But no… I’m not gonna be that!” 

You sighed “We both lose then. What was your wish?” 

“I’ll tell you later,” he said with a wink. Eventually, you parted ways, waving a hand as the boys walked toward their rooms while you walked to yours.  

Series Masterlist | The Interlude | Next Chapter

TAGLIST: @rayrlupin @callmelovergirl @warcelia @ireneop @endversewinchester @moonyunebi @smuttysluttybitch @mazzymoons @drugs-for-memes @sofiacblair @vmpir3lvr @remuslupinisbae @rabluver @willgrahamisalesbi4n @thatobsessedreader @orkwardx0  @itskailey24 @hell0-kittie @belovedmoony @blacksgarden @loving-and-dreaming @cassie-love20 @starchaser-lily @zucchini-queenie @springflwer07 @sseleniaa @cometsghost @orkwardx0 @imdoingbetternow  @sbrewer21 @remuslupinsbae @maxinehufflepuffprincess @wifiatthetrainstation @unstablereader @mablacklupin @oliversaurus

Leve a comment telling me if you wanna be tagged on Gilded Constellations

Want to support me? Like and reblog this post (reblogs are extra nice since they help me get my work to more people), also guys, I absolutely love reading your comments, so do throw them my way if you have any!

Raead more Marauders Fiction

[mybutcheredtongue]

I'll Love You 'til the Grass Around My Gravestone is Deceased

post azkaban sirius black x fem!reader

CHAPTER FIFTEEN (see full series list here)

1993

You wake with a start later that night. Something feels off. The hairs on the back of your neck are standing up and your heart is beating fast, though you don't know why. You get out of bed, making for the tent exit. Minerva is still sleeping soundly in her bed, as quiet as a mouse. You pull back the tent flap and pop your head out, immediately met with a panicked sight. People are running and people are screaming.

You feel panic setting into your body, but allow yourself a deep breath to keep yourself steady before hurrying back into the tent to wake Minerva. She's already stirring, looking around for the source of the screams. You quickly gather up your things, throwing your bag onto your back and thrusting your wand into your pocket. You quickly pull on your shoes, lacing them up as quickly as possible.

Minerva does the same and the two of you leave your tent, glancing around as you exit. Your eyes have always been good in the dark, and you're just able to make out the shapes of people running into the woods, fleeing something chasing them. You can hear loud jeering and cruel laughter, bright bolts of light darting from wands of the pursuers. Then, there's a strong burst of green light that illuminates the scene.

A crowd of tightly packed wizards, moving close together with hooded faces, are marching slowly across the field. They have their wands pointed high in the air, and above them were four human figures being twisted and contorted into impossible shapes. Tents crumple, and a few even set fire as they're pushed over.

You watch on in horror as, lit by blazing tents, one wizard turns the female figure ahead of him upside down, forcing her nightdress to fall and reveal things that shouldn't have been revealed.

"That poor woman..." you mutter in utter horror. "That is absolutely sick."

Another wizard spins what looks to be a young child at an incredible rate high above the ground, the child's head hanging limply at his side.

Minerva gasps beside you.

"We have to do something," you say. "I can't watch."

You pull your wand out of your pocket, holding it at the ready. You cast your mind back to your time as an auror; before James and Lily were murdered and Sirius was captured. This was definitely a group of sick people, but you've dealt with sick people before.

Constant vigilance.

You try to ignore the horrible pit of dread sickening your stomach. Where's Harry? Is he alright?

You and Minerva run towards the dark wizards, along with plenty of Ministry wizards attempting to stop them as well.

"Don't let those Muggles fall!" one commands as he throws a spell at the hooded figure.

They're picking on Muggles? What Muggles?

As you get closer, you realise that the masks the wizards are wearing are awfully familiar. It seems to be made of metal with unsettling swirly indentations etched into it. The mouth looks like its been stitched over with thin strips of metal. The eye-holes are dark and foreboding and you feel anxiety churning in the pit of your stomach.

Death Eaters.

You point your wand at the nearest one, exclaiming, "Expelliarmus!"

"Protego!"

"Immobolus!"

The wizard straightens before toppling to the ground, immobilised. Beside you, one Ministry wizard is knocked off his feet and you run to his aid. His arm has been cut, a long line down the centre of his forearm. You pull him to his feet, saying a quick, "Ferula" and tapping his wound with your wand. Bandages wrap magically around his arm.

"Incendio!" a Death Eater yells, casting the grass in front of you on fire.

"BOMBARDO!"

A tent behind you explodes wildly and without thinking you launch yourself out of the way, landing painfully, but unharmed, on the grass nearby. You quickly get to your feet, just in time to see Mr Weasley deflecting a curse from the Death Eaters.

While he's busy with one, another fires a deadly spell at him and just in time, you yell, "PROTEGO!".

The spell bounces off harmlessly and Mr Weasley glances back at you for a split-second, a grateful expression on his face.

Then, something streaks into the sky over the woods. You watch as it takes on the shape of a smoky green skull, a serpent slithering out of its mouth. Multiple witches and wizards around you gasp, horrified.

The Dark Mark.

At that, the Death Eaters turn and see it too...and they all Disapparate. Even though you're distanced from the woods, you hear several shrill, panicked screams come from it. You know that the Mark has caused it.

The Muggles come tumbling to the ground and someone manages to cast, "Aresto Momentum!" and the victims' fall slows, landing gently on the soft grass.

"It came from the woods!"

At that, everyone bar the few that stay behind to tend to the Muggles, Disapparate and land in the woods, in a large circle. There's three people in front of you and you barely register what's happening when there's a chorus of "STUPEFY!" and the three duck low to the ground. The spells cross over their ducked heads, bouncing off trees and bounding into the woods, and you realise with a start that you recognise those three ducked heads of ginger, brunette and jet-black —

"Stop!" yells Mr Weasley. "STOP! That's my son!"

Quickly, you hurry towards the students, following Mr Weasley close behind.

"Harry — " you breathe, relieved to see your godson safe and sound. Well, thoroughly startled, but otherwise unharmed. You reach your arms out to hug him, before remembering the people around you and awkwardly pat his arm, doing the same to the others so it doesn't look like you're giving him special treatment.

"Ron — Harry — " Mr Weasley says shakily, "Hermione — are you alright?"

"Out of the way, Arthur," Barty Crouch says curtly. You know Barty Crouch S.R. well — he's the one who put Sirius in Azkaban without a trial. You feel your blood start to boil at the very sight of him.

Crouch's face is taut with rage as Ron, Harry, and Hermione stand to face him. Harry glances at you nervously.

"Which of you did it?" Crouch snaps. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"

He's hardly being serious, is he? He doesn't actually think kids conjured that up?

"We didn't do that!" says Harry, gesturing up at the Dark Mark.

"We didn't do anything!" exclaims Ron, who is rubbing his elbow and looking up at his father indignantly. "What did you want to attack us for?"

"Do not lie, sir!" shouts Crouch, his wand pointing directly at Ron, looking like he's about to pop a vein. "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

"Come off it, Crouch," you say. "They're kids, they'd never have been able to — "

"Where did the Mark come from, you three?" Mr Weasley asks quickly.

"Over there," Hermione says nervously, pointing into the dark, thick trees. "There was someone behind the trees...they shouted words — an incantation — "

"Oh, stood over there, did they?" Crouch says, turning his bulging, beady little eyes on Hermione, disbelief written on his face. "Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, missy — "

But you've stopped listening, instead looking warily out into the dark woods, wand raised.

"We're too late," says a witch behind you. "They'll have Disapparated."

"I don't think so," says a man with a scruffy beard, one you recognise as Amos Diggory, Cedric Diggory's father. You've met him several times at parent-teacher meetings at Hogwarts. Nice man, very proud of his son. "Our Stunners went right through those trees...there's a good chance we got them..."

"Amos, be careful!" a few say warningly as Mr Diggory squares his shoulders and walks forward into the darkness. You watch anxiously, waiting for his reappearance.

Luckily, in the next few seconds, you hear him shout, "Yes! We got them! There's someone here! Unconscious! It's — but — blimey..."

"You've got someone?" shouts Crouch. "Who? Who is it?"

With the snapping of twigs, the rustling of leaves and crunching footsteps, Mr Diggory reemerges, holding a tiny, limp figure in his hands. Mr Diggory deposits it in front of Crouch, and with a start you realise it's a house elf.

You stare at Crouch, watching as his jaw flexes erratically.

"This — cannot — be — " he says jerkily, wide eyes staring down at the elf. "No — "

He moves quickly around Mr Diggory and strides over to where the elf was found.

"No point, Mr Crouch," Mr Diggory calls after him. "There's no one else there."

Crouch is having none of it, however, and you can hear he's busy rustling around, pushing bushes aside.

"But embarrassing," Mr Diggory says grimly, looking down at the unconscious house elf. "Barty Crouch's house elf...I mean to say..."

"Come off it, Amos," Mr Weasley says quietly, "you don't seriously think it was the elf? The Dark Mark is a wizard's sign. It requires a wand."

"Yeah," replies Mr Diggory. "She had a wand."

"What?" says Mr Weasley.

"Here, look." Mr Diggory holds up a wand, showing it to Mr Weasley. "Had it in her hand. So that's clause three of the Code of Wand Use broken, for a start. No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand."

There's a sudden pop, and Ludo Bagman Apparates right next to you. He looks breathless and disoriented, slightly dazed, as he spins on the spot, gawking up at the Mark.

"The Dark Mark!" he pants, almost trampling the poor elf as he turns to your group. "Who did it? Did you get them? Barty! What's going on?"

Crouch has returned empty-handed. His face is ghostly white, a vein popping in his neck as both his hand and his moustache twitch.

"Where have you been, Barty?" says Bagman. "Why weren't you at the match? Your elf was saving you a seat too — gulping gargoyles!" Bagman spots the elf beneath him. "What happened to her?"

"I have been busy, Ludo," says Crouch, talking away in his typical jerky fashion. "And my elf has been stunned."

"Stunned? By you lot, you mean? But why — "

Realisation seems to dawn on Bagman as he looks up to the smoky green skull in the sky, down to the elf, and then to Crouch.

"No!" he says. "Winky? Conjure the Dark Mark? She wouldn't know how! She'd need a wand, for a start!"

"And she had one," says Mr Diggory. "I found her holding one, Ludo. If it's alright with you, Mr Crouch, I think we should hear what she's got to say for herself."

Crouch says nothing, and Mr Diggory seems to take this as approval. He raises his wand, points it at Winky and says, "Rennervate!"

Winky stirs weakly. Her big brown eyes open and she blinks several times. She raises herself into a sitting position.

She looks slowly, as everyone is silent, up to the Mark, and she gives a gasp, quickly followed by terrified sobs.

"Elf!" says Mr Diggory sternly. "Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!"

Winky begins to rock backward and forward, her body racked with shakes and sobs.

"As you see, elf, the Dark Mark was conjured here a short while ago," says Mr Diggory. "And you were discovered moments later, right beneath it! An explanation, if you please!"

"I — I — I is not doing it, sir!" Winky gasps desperately. "I is not knowing how, sir!"

"You were found with a wand in your hand!" Mr Diggory barks, whipping out the wand and brandishing it in front of her. Harry's eyes light up.

"Hey — that's mine!"

Everyone turns to look at Harry, you doing the same. You give him your subtlest eyebrow raise.

"Excuse me?" Mr Diggory says incredulously.

"That's my wand!" he says. "I dropped it!"

"You dropped it?" repeats Mr Diggory in disbelief. "Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the Mark?"

"Amos, think who you're talking to!" says Mr Weasley angrily. "Is Harry Potter likely to conjure the Dark Mark?"

"Er — of course not," Mr Diggory mumbles abashedly. "Sorry...got carried away..."

"I didn't drop it there, anyway," says Harry, jerking his thumb toward the trees beneath the skull. "I missed it right after we got into the wood."

"So," says Mr Diggory, his eyes hardening as he turns to look at Winky once again. You feel bad for the poor creature. It's obvious to you that she didn't summon the Dark Mark — why would she? She's a house elf! She wouldn't even know the incantation for it. "You found this wand, eh, elf? And you picked it up and thought you'd have some fun with it, did you?"

"I is not doing magic with it, sir!" squeals Winky, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I is...I is...I is not doing magic with it, sir! I is not making the Dark Mark, sir, I is not knowing how!"

"It wasn't her!" says Hermione, looking nervous to be speaking in front of all the Ministry officials and both you and Minerva, but still determined all the same. "Winky's got a squeaky little voice, and the voice we heard doing the incantation was much deeper!" She looks to Harry and Ron for support. "It didn't sound anything like Winky, did it?"

"No," says Harry, shaking his head. "It definitely didn't sound like an elf."

"Yeah, it was a human voice," Ron agrees.

"Well, we'll soon see," growls Mr Diggory, looking unimpressed. "There's a simple way of discovering the last spell a wand has performed, elf, did you know that?"

Winky trembles and shakes her head frantically, her ears flapping, as Mr Diggory raises his wand and places it tip to tip with Harry's.

"Prior Incantato!" says Mr Diggory.

You watch with bated breath as before your eyes, a much wispier version of the skull in the sky forms in the air between the two wands.

"Deletrius!" he shouts, and the skull disappears. "So..." he looks at Winky with a sort of savage triumph, revelling in his rightness.

"I is not doing it!" she squeals in pure terror. "I is not, I is not, I is not knowing how! I is a good elf, I isn't using wands — I isn't knowing how!"

"You've been caught red-handed, elf!" Mr Diggory roars. "Caught with the guilty wand in your hand!"

"Amos," says Mr Weasley loudly, "think about it...precious few wizards know how to do that spell...where would she have learnt it?"

"Perhaps Mr Diggory is suggesting," Crouch cuts in, cold anger evident with every spit of letters, "that I routinely teach my servants how to conjure the Dark Mark?"

The air stills and you feel the unpleasantness biting into you, making you want to Disapparate on the spot.

Mr Diggory looks terrified. "I — Mr Crouch...not...not at all..."

"You have now come very close to accusing the two people in this clearing who are least likely to conjure that Mark!" barks Crouch. "Harry Potter — and myself! I suppose you are familiar with the boy's story, Amos?"

Two least likely people? I mean, Harry, of course...but Barty Crouch? Bit of a stretch, he's the exact same as any one of you here — except he has a rather precarious case of his head being shoved so far up his own —

"Of course, everyone knows..." Mr Diggory mutters, looking like he wants the ground to swallow him up.

"And I myself, who have proclaimed profusely how I despise and detest the Dark Arts with all of my being?" Crouch continues, glaring at the red-faced Mr Diggory. "I don't understand how you could be placing so much suspicion on me, when the wife of a notorious Death Eater stands among us!"

Crouch's cold, beady eyes settle on you, causing heads to turn in your direction. Before, people hadn't really taken much notice of you, everyone was too busy with Winky and the Mark. A woman gasps as she recognises you, taking a fearful step back. You glance around at the faces. You're used to this — these expressions followed you everywhere you went that first year after Sirius was captured. Everyone knew your face from the papers, and they didn't like to see it.

Mr Weasley and Mr Diggory are both taken aback. They clearly forgot your face. It hurts you to see the worried, almost scared looks on their faces. These are the parents of your students, two people you respect, and they're looking at you like you just stabbed someone.

Harry is looking between you and Crouch, anger on his face when he looks at Crouch. He knows Sirius is innocent, and Crouch just insulted his godfather. Hey, and his godmother too! Harry can feel anger bubbling up in his veins, wanting to jump up and defend the both of you, but he's forced to sit and watch as the wizards and witches around you stare, their faces a mixture of different emotions — and none of them good.

"I am not a Death Eater, never have been, never will be," you reply steadily, not breaking your eye contact with Crouch.

"Oh? Yet you married one?"

You grit your teeth, trying your best not to punch Crouch. Will you ever hear the end of this?

"I am more than just my marriage, Crouch!" you snap. Stupid, stupid man. "When will you understand that I am a real human being with my own thoughts, feelings, motivations — and that I'm not a decoration only fit to blindly follow what my husband does!"

You're so sick and tired of being accused of something you would never do, something you would never be apart of — all because these prats put Sirius away without using their pea-sized brains, and were somehow outsmarted by a fucking rat.

How stupid do they have to be? You are not Sirius. Just by marrying him that means you must be guilty by proxy? What a senseless notion.

Harry wants to help you, he really, truly does. He wants to tell them all that Sirius is innocent, and so are you, but knows he can't. He feels bad. He feels like he's doing nothing, watching as you glare at Crouch, who just glares right back.

Crouch's nostrils flare and he opens his mouth to say something further but you couldn't care less, cutting across him quickly.

"Look, it wasn't me. First of all, I'd have no reason to because I am not a Death Eater — and secondly, I've been with Professor McGonagall the entire night. If I had conjured it, she would have seen."

Minerva nods beside you. "She was by my side the entire time, and I can assure you — she is no Death Eater."

You can see that Crouch is reluctant to argue with Minerva. She's a very well-respected figure amongst...well, everywhere. She's practically taught every witch and wizard in England.

"She — she was with us too," Mr Weasley says, giving you an almost imperceptible nod. He seems more relaxed now after Minerva has defended you. "Helping us against that group of Death Eaters."

You look to Crouch expectantly, arms folded. "Are you done? Can we get back to finding out who actually did this, considering we have the wand in question?"

Crouch is still fuming. "I — "

"I agree," Mr Weasley says. He turns to Winky, a kind expression on his face. Winky stills shrinks and flinches like she's expecting another shout. "Where exactly did you find Harry's wand?"

"I — I is finding it...finding it there, sir..." she whispers, "there...in the trees, sir..."

"You see, Amos?" says Mr Weasley. "Whoever conjured the Mark could have Disapparated right after they'd done it, leaving Harry's wand behind. A clever thing to do, not using their own wand, which could have betrayed them. And Winky here had the misfortune to come across the wand moments later and pick it up."

"But then, she'd have only been a few feet away from the real culprit!" says Mr Diggory impatiently. "Elf? Did you see anyone?"

Winky trembles violently, her big brown eyes looking feverishly from Diggory, to Bagman, to Crouch. Then she gulps and says, "I is seeing no one, sir...no one..."

"Amos," Crouch says curtly. "I am fully aware that, in the ordinary course of events, you would want to take Winky into your department for questioning. I ask you, however, to allow me to deal with her."

Mr Diggory's brow bends just the slightest, betraying his apprehension of this idea. Despite this, he says nothing.

"You may rest assured that she will be punished," Crouch adds coldly.

"M-m-master..." Winky chokes, her eyes spilling with tears as she hobbles over to Crouch, clasping her tiny hands together in a begging manner. "M-master, p-please..."

Crouch just stares back, so coldly that you swear you feel your body temperature drop.

"Winky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible," he says slowly, eyes fixed on the sobbing elf below him. "I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. And I find that she disobeyed me. This means clothes."

⁠✧⁠*⁠。✧⁠*⁠。

→→ read chapter sixteen here!

→ all kinds of interaction appreciated ♡

sad to say I spent most of this chapter copying from the book 😔 would be better if crouch didn't talk so much 🙏

a massive thank you to all my taglist loves for all their kindness and support:

@wholelottalove05 @izuoyarmin @hyperspeedo @carpe000diem @jennifer0305

[calmlyerratic]

Encounters of the Future Sort

Chapter 1: Disappearing Cauldrons is Never a Good Sign

──────⋆──────────────

read it here on Ao3

fic summary: AU & headcanon-oriented time travel. A freak cauldron explosion leads the Marauders hurtling forward into the future where they come into contact with Harry and friends. Alternating POV's. Anything is possible. Lots of shenanigans, but also an emotional rollercoaster. Silly, Jily, and Wolfstar. Full summary here.

chapter wc: 2.4k | rating: T | cw: none

notes: 1976 Timeline—takes place before the willow prank and Snape's worst memory, both of which happened in the spring of 1976. That's all I'll give away for now, happy reading :)

────────────────⋆────

April 1st, 1976

11am

It was a beautiful Saturday morning. The sun twinkled through lofty clouds, casting rays of warmth on the freshly thawed spring grounds of Hogwarts. The majority of students were outside, lounging along the banks of the Black Lake and enjoying this sudden heat wave.

But if someone just happened to journey up to the school's seventh floor, their nose would detect the foul stench of rotten eggs, their eyes would see through the fog that consumed the corridor, and they would be led to a room that could be found only if you knew where it was. And in this room, they would discover four boys hovering over a giant, brass cauldron.

"Shut up Moony! We're fine."

"I agree with Prongs—shove it."

"No one cares what you think Padfoot!"

"Ouch, Moony. And I didn't realize words could bruise..."

"Oh—sod off. It's not my fault that you two have some absurd death wish."

James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew had been bickering for the better part of the past hour. Each had a curious bubble around their heads to protect them from the horrid smell of the simmering potion.

"Stoke the fire a little, will you Wormtail?" Sirius said as he stirred the cauldron. He slowly removed the long wooden spoon and set it on a bed of parchment, serving as a makeshift spoon rest.

Peter drew his wand from the pocket of his robes and murmured, "Incendio."

The flame underneath grew, gently lapping the sides of the cauldron.

"Your hands are so tiny, Wormy." Sirius complained, adjusting his dragonhide gloves. "I dunno how you wear these."

Peter held up his hands, inspecting them. "Are they?"

"No, Padfoot just has long, delicate fingers." Remus huffed.

Remus was watching Sirius anxiously, eyes flickering between the thick, murky greenish contents of the cauldron to the spoon rest...which was turning an odd, startling red as liquid seeped through the ivory parchment.

"Why are we doing this again? This isn't even close to proper procedure..."

"Oh, just relax Moony," Sirius flexed his fingers in Peter's gloves and leaned back on his arms leisurely. "You did say we needed some extra potions practice for our O.W.L.'s."

Remus rolled his eyes. "I meant you should ask Slughorn for some extra lessons, or something. Not attempt to brew a complicated and potentially fatal potion! You do know that I'm a Prefect and this is exactly the kind of thing I'm supposed to prevent?"

"But you're here aren't you?" James pointed out, grinning mischievously.

James was sprawled over a table, leafing through several different ancient, thickly bound books. A reflection of incandescent light through the fog reflected off his head bubble, casting shimmery flames onto his round spectacles.

"I'm only here to make sure you don't blow yourselves up," Remus stood in exasperation and began pacing.

"We'd be simply unhinged without your supervision," Sirius bit his lip to hold back a grin.

Remus glared at Sirius, who raised an eyebrow and winked. Remus flushed slightly, crossed his arms and sat back down, muttering.

"Okay," James checked his watch, "we're getting close now."

"What next?" Peter asked, pinching his nose through the bubble charm. "The smell's getting worse...we've got to be almost finished? We've been working on this for months now—"

"Months?" Remus was alarmed. "Wait, I thought you said—"

"No time, Moony."

James scanned through the colossal books, a frown on his face.

"In this book, Potions for the Potentially Challenged, it says to add one additional scoop of lacewing flies. But in this one, If You Can Brew it, You Can Do It...calls for three scoops total. We already did one yesterday when we added the unicorn hair—"

"Unicorn hair? Where are you getting these books?" Remus peered over at them discerningly, as though to check their authenticity.

"My father's library," Sirius shrugged. "Nicked them when I left."

"You're in way over your heads," Remus massaged his eyes shut.

"If you care so much about our safety, you should really be the one doing this, Moony. You know the rest of us are all dead awful at potions." James pointed out, turning a page and pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his long nose.

"Yeah, but you insist on being the high and mighty Prefect instead." Sirius shook his head, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "You know, the more I think about it, your position of ensuring safety is truly more of a hazard."

"Safety equals safety hazard," Remus moved a finger in midair like he was solving a complicated arithmancy equation. "Check."

"Okay, we're in a time crunch here so I say we—what did you say again, Prongs?"

"Add the lacewing flies," James nodded. "Two scoops, Wormy."

"Right," Peter passed the ingredients to Sirius, who threw them in the cauldron.

"Okay good—now stir it three times counterclockwise..." James read carefully. "And I think we've done it!"

The four boys watched the cauldron with bated breath.

The thick, murky liquid began to slowly bubble, like boiling mud. James and Sirius beamed at each other and high-fived while Remus let out a sigh of relief.

Then suddenly, despite the steady flame, the potion went very still.

"Um, is that supposed to happen?" Peter shifted nervously.

"No," James frantically leafed through his books. "It's supposed to...turn red, I think? No, this one says it's supposed to have a greenish tinge—"

"Great, " Sirius chucked the wooden spoon across the room and it clattered along the stone floor. "We muffed it up. So much for that prank—"

"Prank?"

"Oh hush Moony, it's April 1st for Merlin's sake. Like you didn't know we weren't doing this purely for academia—"

"Hold on," Peter was gazing into the cauldron, its contents casting a luminous glow over his bubblehead charm. "I think it's doing something…"

The muddy potion began to vibrate oddly, then fell very still.

"That doesn't seem right..." James flicked through more pages.

Remus clasped his hands together. "Well, you tried. Let's call it a day?"

"No way, Moony." James stated firmly. "We've spent way too much time on this to just give up. There has to be a way to fix it..."

"Too bad you're on the outs with Evans, mate, she's Slughorn's red headed prodigy." Sirius considered, stroking his chin. "Well, she's a stickler, anyway. Hey—where are you going?"

Remus had jumped to his feet.

"I'll be right back! Don't move!"

⋆  ⋆  ⋆

A short while later...

"It needs to be bubbling—"

"Well let's just turn up the heat then?"

"Hold on just let me read a bit more—"

"What is this place?"

Sirius squinted his eyes at this new voice and put a hand to the forehead of his bubble, like a crow's nest lookout on a foggy evening.

"Evans?" Sirius called.

James head shot up from his reading. His hand jumped to run through his untidy raven hair, as if it was a reflex to hearing her name.

Through the thick, vapid air consuming the room, three figures approached the cauldron.

Lily Evans had her nose between two fingers. "Well we found the source of the godawful smell, ugh."

"I told you," Remus shrugged sheepishly.

He glanced towards the other boys with poorly concealed guilt. The origin of this became quite apparent when another person stepped out of the misty shadows.

"Snevillus?" Sirius crossed his arms, mortally betrayed. "Really, Remus?"

Snape glared forcefully, like a giant sulking bat. "Lily, I told you this was a bad idea—"

"She can do what she wants, Snevillus." James glared too, his hand twitching towards his wand.

"Oh shut up, the both of you. You can bicker later," Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm only here because Remus asked me."

"Look, this is beyond us—that cauldron is dangerous." Remus rubbed the back of his neck, clearly ashamed that he was revealing their secret shenanigans to the Marauder's worst enemy. "Lily and Snape are the best in our year at potions—"

"Yeah, real Slug Club royalty." Sirius scoffed.

"We have it under control," James insisted firmly.

"This—" Lily glanced around, her voice nasally from pinching her nose, "does not look under control. Or smell like it, either. You're smoking out the entire seventh floor."

"I think it's steam, actually." Peter offered. "It feels rather moist—"

"It's a figure of speech," Lily said shortly.

The cauldron suddenly began to hum—it was the sound a thin glass of water makes when you run a finger around the rim. All six of them turned to stare at it.

"We could smell it from the Library," Severus sneered as he waved his wand to produce a bubblehead charm.

"I can smell you from the—"

"Padfoot!" Remus warned. "It's gone too far, okay? We need to fix it. Or vanish it, or something." He turned to Lily. "What do you suggest?"

Lily waved her wand and produced a bubblehead charm too, inhaling the fresh air. She approached the cauldron and peered over the edge.

"I for one suggest," Sirius began haughtily, pointing his wand at the base of the cauldron, "that we are incredibly capable of finishing this up ourselves. It just needs a little more heat—incendio."

The flame under the brass cauldron grew and the mucky potion began to bubble.

"There!" Sirius grinned victoriously.

"It looks just like the description..." James ran his finger along a page. "Thick, mud-like, dull green—"

"Er, P-prongs?" Peter stammered, his eyes widening. "It's bright green."

The bubbling potion had suddenly become the shade and consistency of algae and had begun to vibrate oddly again. The base of the cauldron began to shake.

"Er, Potter?" Lily was backing away from the cauldron slowly. "What kind of potion is this, exactly?"

"You imbeciles! Aguamenti!" Severus flicked his wand and a jet of water shot out of it to extinguish the flames.

It didn't seem to make a difference. The cauldron was now vibrating so violently that the stone floor beneath them began to shake.

"Sev, what do we do?" Lily's eyes were wide with apprehension. "I've never vanished something this temperamental before—"

"It might settle down," Severus stood with his wand at the ready. "I removed the heat so there's no further catalyst. Let's give it a moment."

However, the cauldron continued to vibrate even more violently. The very walls of the room began to creak. The fog around them became thicker and dense—with a spectral, syrupy magic that couldn't be seen, but felt.

"I say we get the hell out of here," Sirius suggested. "Moony, you were right okay—"

The bright green algae potion suddenly turned a vibrant shade of red. Severus went rigid.

"RUN! JUST RUN!"

But it was too late. The cauldron exploded mere seconds later with a giant BOOM and the next thing the Marauders, Lily, and Severus knew, they were lying face down on the hard stone floor.

"Bloody hell," Sirius groaned as he sat up, massaging his temples.

"What happened?" Peter blinked around, in a daze.

"Uggggh..." Lily was sprawled out on her back.

"You okay, Evans?" James jumped to his feet and offered her a hand.

"We all appear to be fine," Severus sneered jealously as he scrambled to his feet.

Lily glared at him as she took James' hand. "So glad chivalry isn't dead."

"Speak for yourself," Sirius grunted. "Oh, Snivellus—help a damsel out?" He batted his eyes, extending his hand mockingly.

Severus looked down and flushed. "I meant—"

"Where's the cauldron?"

All heads turned towards Remus, who stood where the cauldron had been just moments ago.

"I-it's gone." Peter stammered, biting his fingernails.

And sure enough, it was. They all stared for a moment in silence, eyes wide with shock. Disappearing cauldrons is never a good sign.

"The fog is gone too..." Remus broke the silence as he removed his bubble head charm, causing the others to do the same. "And so is the smell."

In fact, the room was totally empty. No tables or books or leftover ingredients. The cleared fog revealed the familiar structure they had willed the room to take, starkly resembling a stone dungeon classroom with slightly higher ceilings.

"Huh." James contemplated, tousling his already messy hair. "Weird."

"Yeah," Peter echoed. "Weird."

"It could be the room?" Sirius suggested. "But it usually only changes before you enter, not while you're inside it..."

"What the hell does that mean?" Lily raised an eyebrow. She had never been in the Room of Requirement before. "Never mind—I don't want to know, there's been enough surprises for one day."

Severus opened his mouth and looked like he rather did want to know but had too much dignity to ask, so he shut it again.

"Let's go, Sev." Lily turned towards the door.

"Thanks, Lily!" Remus called after her sheepishly. "I owe you one."

"You never owe me anything, Remus." Lily threw him a kind smile. "You other three better pay up, though."

Severus shot them all one last gaunt glare over his shoulder before he sauntered after Lily and into the corridor.

"Snevillus?" Sirius raised an eyebrow at Remus, still very much hung up on this betrayal. "Our dear sweet Moony...why?"

"He was with Lily when I found her," Remus rubbed the back of his neck again. "I'm sorry..."

"Thank you, but your apology is kindly rejected." Sirius shook his head disapprovingly. "And you're supposed to be the discerning one—"

"In my defense, I thought you were going to blow up half the school."

"You always overreact, Moony."

"Well, something blew up!"

"Yes but we're fine, aren't we? Crises averted."

"So, you admit it was a crisis?"

"I admit you were very concerned there would be a crisis."

"If you two are done bickering like an old married couple," James tapped his foot impatiently, "I'd quite like to move on with my day."

"Too bad we wasted all that time brewing..." Peter sighed.

"You feel it too?" Remus asked, eyeing their surroundings. "I didn't want to say before—but this place reeks like powerful magic. I've never smelled anything like it."

"Unicorn hairs aren't cheap either," James exhaled deeply, then straightened his shoulders with a grin. "Oh well, no use crying over spilt potion."

"This room feels...weird." Peter observed nervously.

"I don't smell anything?" Peter knit his brow and sniffed deeply.

Remus wrinkled his nose. "It's a—y'know...wolf thing."

"Let's go mull it over outside," James stretched his arms. "I need some time to grieve our best laid plans, and all that."

"Anyway," Sirius blew a stray hair out of his face, "what could possibly happen?"

"I dunno," Remus wrapped his hands around his elbows and shuddered. His hair was standing on end. "I can't explain it...I just have a bad feeling about this..."

────────────────⋆────

notes: I started writing this 11 years ago and just recently rediscovered my love for the Marauders and fanfiction. Initially, I posted it on another site and was shocked to see how much love it's gotten over the years. So here we are! Rewriting this is totally healing my inner child, hope you enjoy :)

──────⋆──────────────

[liv2post]

Serenading Him

CHAPTER TWO: Coexisting Christmas

Prev. Chapter

AO3

On the second and third day of break, you did not see the Headmaster, though you were kind of expecting as much considering his lack of presence during the regular schooling days, though the knowledge that he was here made you wonder…what was he going to do while he was here for the break? 

Severus wondered the same thing for you. Like him, you were stuck here with even less wiggle room to go to Hogsmeade as it was occupied by Death Eaters posted to be on the lookout for Harry Potter. He also wondered how you occupied the days during the school year that you didn’t have Charms to attend to. It must be entirely understimulating.

On the fourth day, you saw the Headmaster again, although this time the meeting was accidental on both ends. As you’d been doing since the start of break you went down the kitchens to make yourself breakfast. The house elves that served the students, under the impression that everyone had gone home, were dismissed so it was up to you to make your meals over the break. The pan in front of you sizzled and popped as you cracked another egg into it, the translucent white parts of the egg quickly turning opaque. As you added in some finely chopped meats and veggies to complete your scramble, you heard the double doors to the kitchen creak open from the other side of the room.

Your shoulders tensed momentarily before relaxing because what was he going to do about it exactly? Feeding yourself wasn’t a punishable offense.

Severus faltered when he saw your form shifting in front of one of the stoves, exercising precise control of your morning meal with a spatula, but nevertheless continued on his path to one of the cabinets in search of bread. Neither of you greeted the other but had implicitly taken in one another's presence and quietly continued with your task until you eventually cast a Washing-Up spell on the dishes you used and departed with your meal to go.

The next time you saw him was the following day on Christmas. You’d spent nearly the entire day outside doing god knows what to keep yourself entertained and your mind away from the fact that you were stuck in a vacated castle. The exposed bits of your skin were ice cold, the sting of the temperature difference becoming even more prevalent when you entered the kitchens and immediately cast a wandless ‘Incendio’ on the kitchen’s fireplace to get some heat going while you stripped your layers down to your sweater. When you returned from a side room with a pot that contained all the preserved foods that would ordinarily need to be kept in a fridge or freezer, you nearly jumped out of your skin and almost dropped said pot when the Headmaster entered the kitchen. Once again, you didn’t say anything to him. You didn’t dislike him, but you weren't trying to ignore him on purpose either. What were you to say to him anyway? The two of you had nothing to speak of. You two were just…existing in the same space for the time being. 

The Headmaster said nothing to you as you began to prepare your ingredients. You were making yourself a beef soup recipe that your parents cooked every Christmas. After setting a pan to heat up, you began to cut 1lb of meat into small pieces which would eventually be ground, minced two cloves of garlic and diced up a yellow onion.

“Ugh…goddamn onion,” you muttered as the onion’s fumes went to your eyes and made them water. Hastily, you tossed the cut vegetables into a pan with a little bit of butter to let them sauté before returning back to beef.

“What are you making?” his soft baritone voice spoke aloud.

You blanked for a second, thinking he couldn’t be speaking to you. Don’t be ridiculous, you are the only one here. He was indeed speaking to you when you looked over your shoulder and found him observing you.

“Uh…soup,” you replied with just enough certainty to not sound awkward as you wiped a stray onion-fueled tear away. “Ack!” you hissed quietly as a tiny bead of onion juice jumped out from the pan by your arm and landed on the back of your palm.

“What kind?” Severus asked again, having taken a few slow steps forward in your general direction.

“Beef. A family recipe,” you added, glancing at him again. You paused your ministrations and analyzed him. He’d been in the kitchen for almost five minutes now and didn’t seem to have any food in hand or cooking tools retrieved to prepare a meal despite having heard him opening and closing pantry doors. It was like he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. “...Would you like some?”

Severus narrowed his eyes slightly. To you, the expression resembled someone debating whether they were being offered something that had been poisoned, but soon after it faded and he uttered a hesitant ‘yes’.

“Alright then,” you murmured, returning to your task thinking that was that, but some seconds later you would feel his presence closer and off to the side as he entered your peripheral.

“...What can I do to…help?” he spoke, ambivalently. Quite frankly you weren’t expecting him to offer a hand, not that you needed it. You had the recipe memorized for years now and knew how to prepare it yourself. 

“I…suppose you could keep mashing this,” you slowly moved the large bowl of partially ground beef in his direction, “and…you can dice these.” Your wand hovered some tomatoes over to him and plopped themselves on a cutting board.

He said nothing, accepting the assignment with grace, surely a result of the years he spent as a potion master. With his added strength, he was able to get the meat down to a well-grounded state quicker than you would’ve while you began to peel and dice a russet potato. As he moved on to the tomatoes you took the ground beef and added it to the pan of onions and garlic to let the flavors mix and allow the meat to brown. Severus had to hold himself back from inhaling the too audibly as the smell was becoming increasingly aromatic. 

When the dicing was finished, you ignited the burner beneath the large pot and instructed him to add the tomatoes in as you did the russet potato. You peeled off the covering of another bowl you had set aside to reveal a golden brown broth you made the prior day in preparation for tonight. He watched as you carefully added the liquid to not have it splatter, two teaspoons of seasoning, and a few tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. After stirring it thoroughly, you added the now browned beef into the mix and wordlessly gave him a carrot to chop. He assumed to treat it the same way as the tomato and started chopping.

While you were treating the peas, he couldn’t stop swallowing saliva. It smelled so good. Mouthwatering. The food here at Hogwarts was fine, but the options weren’t very diverse and over the months his appetite had begun to recede as a result of all the stress. The savory smell assaulted his senses, making his nose twitch. It smelled like an actual home-cooked meal. You had to bite back a laugh when you heard his stomach gurgle.

“Now we wait a bit,” you stated, putting the lid on the pot after the last of the carrots and peas plopped into the brown mixture and setting a hand-held kitchen timer to ten minutes.

Instead of pacing or bumbling around while the soup simmered, he made himself useful, retrieving a set of bowls, two glasses, and spoons as well as a few bread rolls to heat by the fire you had already lit. In his experience, bread always paired well with soup.

“Ew…!” He heard your voice echo softly from the cellar room that contained various juices and wines.

“Something the matter?” he spoke aloud.

“Rat traps…”

Severus wrinkled his nose. Filch normally took care of such things. It was a large castle. Mice and rats being found in the deeper parts of the castle weren’t unheard of. The kitchen was a place that had several traps to protect the stores from contamination. By the sound of the disgust in your voice, it seems you stumbled upon a carcass or two.

When you returned you had a bottle of sparkling cider in hand. Both of you were old enough to drink wine and whatnot, but you preferred such things after dinner. He made no comment about the choice of drink but did hold his hand out for the bottle when you were struggling to remove the cork. He got it to pop off just as the timer rang.

“You went somewhere yesterday,” you stated matter-of-factly when he sat down across from you at one of the kitchen tables. He had barely gotten a bite of soup in, soup that was fucking delectable. “I was outside and saw your smoke trail.”

He delayed answering your question, appearing to savor the spoonful of broth. “…I went to discreetly aid Potter.”

“…Really,” you said after a brief pause. “And what exactly is he doing other than hiding from the new Ministry?”

“…Horcrux hunting…” He sensed you were going to ask what a horcrux was and continued. “The Dark Lord cannot be vanquished until seven objects containing a piece of his soul are destroyed first.”

“That…could literally be anything.”

Severus exhaled. “As of last night, he has destroyed three of them. Being connected to the Dark Lord’s mind, he possesses an advantage that allows his intuition to lead him to where those objects reside.”

You nodded, taking in the information. Connected to the Dark Lord’s mind…

Silence.

“Does Potter know?”

Severus glanced up from his bowl, unsure of what you were asking, and furrowing his eyebrows to indicate the sentiment.

“That he’s a horcrux.” 

Every witch and wizard in all of Europe knows Harry Potter's origin story. The Boy Who Lived somehow defeated the Dark Lord as a baby, the Killing Curse rebounding back to Voldemort. But to have a direct connection to the dark wizard's mind all these years after the fact? It couldn’t have been a coincidence. Potter must’ve gotten a piece of his soul back then.

The headmaster sighed softly. He supposed it was like talking to another Luna Lovegood, another girl who had an almost mystical ability to simply know things and extrapolate connections. “No…he doesn’t.”

“Yeesh… Poor Potter…”

Silence fell between the two of you once more and you used it as an opportunity to bite into the soft, pillowy bread rolls Snape had warmed by the fire. It was he who broke this quietude a minute later. 

“You only have one class,” he said.

“...Yeth,” you confirmed, a wad of bread stuffed in one of your cheeks as you quickly chewed and swallowed to rid it. 

“What…do you do with all that free time?”

Confliction took hold of you. The things you got up to outside of your class weren’t villainous, but they definitely broke the rules. Attempting to lie about it seemed futile as you had come to find out that Severus Snape was a well-trained Legillimen, however, he doesn’t often leave his office, at least that you know of, so he wouldn’t really be able to stop you in the future.

“...I…hunt…with the centaurs…”

His spoon paused mid-rise as he fixed you with a slightly dazed look. “You hunt… with the centaurs…”

“Yeeeup,” you replied, popping the ‘p’.

“Are they aware of the fact that you are no longer considered a youngling?”

You nodded. “Very much so. My age is not an issue. I’ve been visiting them with Hagrid since my first year. They know I’m a safe person. Any time I don’t have class or when I’m not practicing my guitar, I’m in the Forbidden Forest hunting with them. Bows n’ all. And they teach me magic. The centaurs are quite proficient with wandless magic.” You raised a hand towards the high-burning fire in the oven. In your control, the flames whooshed into nothingness as if blown out by a large gust of wind, leaving behind the warmth in the air and the smell of smoke. He only regarded the gesture with a twitch of his lower lids.

“What about you? Hardly anyone has seen you since the Sorting Ceremony. What do you do all day? When you’re not…away, that is.”

Severus took a long sip of his cider. “...Planning. With every additional horcrux destroyed, the Dark Lord’s mind weakens, which means Potter’s chances of catching a glimpse at another horcrux increase. In turn, the Dark Lord may begin to suspect Potter’s activities and the snatchers will close in on him. With how things are progressing, a final confrontation is bound to happen within this coming year. And…in the bits of time that I can be away from the castle…I take walks...and think.”

“Where?”

“An apparition point in the countryside I have in the Midlands.”

“Lucky. I’m pretty sure I have every inch of the Forbidden Forest memorized at this point.”

The conversation lulled from there. Upon consuming the last of the solids in your soup, you abandoned your spoon in favor of holding the bowl in both your hands and tipping the rest of your broth into your mouth, earning a raised eyebrow from the Headmaster.

“Ahhh...” you exhaled, clinking the bowl back down before shoving the rest of your bread roll between your lips, collecting your dishes, and moving towards the sink, opting to hand wash them this time as you chewed on the rest of your bread. Severus continued to eat in silence, flicking his gaze over to you every few seconds. With your dishes cleaned, you cast a spell or two on the pot with the leftover soup to keep it preserved for later consumption before storing it in a lower pantry.

“Merry Christmas,” you murmured before exiting the kitchens.

Next Chapter

[killedbythehuntress]

Stockholm Syndrome

★·.·´¯`·.·★ .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿ ★·.·´¯`·.·★ 

Also On: AO3 and Wattpad

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three

Beautiful art work below by @diligentcranberry - Thank you again, love!

Tags/Warnings:

Rape/Non-Con Elements, Twisted Love, Dark!Sebastian Sallow, alcohol use.

★·.·´¯`·.·★ .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿ ★·.·´¯`·.·★ 

Chapter One.

She doesn't know what makes her stop. She's walked past this stand a lot of times, the moving pictures barely catching her eye before she continues on her way. But something inside her makes her stop today. Hand over a sickle to the tender and take a copy of the Daily Prophet before she continues her daily errands.

It's not until she's home, everything unpacked, the door locked thrice and a cup of tea on the table in front of her did she finally pull out the bunch of papers she'd felt compelled to buy. The air suddenly feels like it's sucked out of the room and she can barely breathe.

Breaking News!

The Wizarding Community is on high alert at the news that Dark Wizard, Sebastian Sallow, has escaped Azkaban prison. The 24-Year-old has been in Azkaban since being convicted of the murder of his uncle in the winter of 1891. Nothing has yet been released on how he escaped the notorious prison, but we urge the community to stay safe and vigilant.

She doesn't even finish reading, instead, her eyes find their way to the picture next to it. A fifteen-year-old Sebastian stares out at her, a frown on his lips, dark eyebrows furrowed, and a look of sadness, betrayal, and regret in his eyes. She couldn't bear it, instead, she whipped out her wand and cast a quick Incendio, the Prophet immediately turning to ash on the table. How could she have been so naive to have thought the Wizengamot would've gone easy on him given everything? She may have only been 15, and while she'd been a part of the community for a good few months, she should have known that an Unforgivable - especially Avada Kadavra - would land someone in Azkaban for life. Something that Sebastian Sallow didn't deserve, regardless of his actions.

With another flick of her wand and the ash is gone, cleaned up, and almost forgotten. Her elbows rest on the table, her face buried in her hands as she sobs for the first time in years for what was lost - she'd only wanted him to learn his lesson, she hadn't wanted to lose him. Hadn't anticipated the entire fallout. Anne and Ominis had been beside her at the time, happy for her to be the one responsible to make the decision - probably to save themselves the guilt of it - but also likely using her naivety and lack of understanding of the Wizarding Law in hopes she wouldn't feel the guilt herself.

That had lasted all of three days when she saw the article detailing Sebastian’s sentencing. That had been the first time she'd broken down about her decision, she'd screamed at Ominis in the Undercroft for not telling her turning him in meant never seeing him again. She'd collapsed into his arms, sobbing into his chest but the thought that it wasn't Sebastian brought the sobs harder and faster until she pushed Ominis away and curled in on herself.

She'd finished her last two years of Hogwarts in silence, only speaking when a professor asked something of her. She pulled away from the many friends she'd made during that fateful year - not from their lack of trying - she just couldn't. She spent any time not in class in the Room of Requirements, she'd even gone through a period where she didn't eat because she couldn't face the Great Hall. But Deek had caught wind of that and made sure to always have something set on a table for her.

For as excited as she was to attend Hogwarts, leaving had felt like a relief. There were too many memories haunting her of him, and the friends she'd left behind. Part of her had wanted to run as far away from Scotland as she could, but the other part - the larger part - couldn't.

Even if she couldn't be with him, she wanted to be close.

The thought terrified her, he knew it was her decision. He'd looked so angry, so hurt as he was hauled away by the Aurors and the article detailing his sentence had quoted him. He'd promised he'd get revenge.

It was stupid of her - likely still naivety - that made her move from the Highlands surrounding Hogwarts to a small Hamlet in the northernmost area of Scotland. She'd managed to buy a single cottage on the outer edge of the hamlet, the back leading to the forest and while being there was lonely, she hadn't made much of an effort to befriend anyone. It was private, it was hers, and honestly, if Sebastian had to deal with life alone because of her. She felt she deserved it too.

Her sobs quieted after some minutes, the air in the room still heavy with the melancholy she felt. Her tea had gone cold, not that she felt she could stomach it. Her insides were in knots, she felt that any attempt to eat or drink could cause her to vomit. Any movement could cause her to collapse further in on herself.

She took a deep breath, a sigh escaping her as she reminded herself that no one knew where she lived. Not from lack of trying on their part, Ominis, Natty & Poppy had continued to try and open her back up for her last two years to no avail. Following their graduation, they'd reached out via Owl. Although the more she ignored them, the less they came.

A knock at her door pulled her from her increasingly spiraling thoughts and she frowned, pulling herself up slowly from the table. "Who is it?" She called cautiously, although it probably wasn't her best idea. It was likely just the friendly old woman down from the house closest offering her something she'd baked.

"Open the door, it's Ominis." Her eyebrows furrowed then, stepping closer to the door but not unlocking it.

"How do you know where I live?"

"I work for the Ministry, it wasn't hard." She felt a pang in her chest at his clipped words, she'd never admit it but she had missed it, missed him. Finally unlocking her door and pulling it open, she took a look at Ominis. The years had treated him well, his hair was still slicked back and his suit still made him look as regal as he always did.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, a little exasperated at the situation. Her words, while firm, still held the edge they did when she'd been crying and she hoped it had been long enough that her unexpected guest didn't notice.

"Checking in. I don't suppose you heard the news." And there it was, his way of letting her know he still cared but not in such a way she'd run and lock the door in his face. "Sebastian escaped." Stepping back slightly, audibly so that he knew he could come in.

"I did catch a glimpse at the Prophet, yes. Is that why you're here?" She asked, her voice needlessly harsh as she continued. "Here to see if I'm hiding him somewhere?"

"No, of course not." He mentioned with a frown of his own. "You surely remember what he said upon sentencing. I was merely worried about you." The words took all of the fight from her and once again she found her lip trembling as she held back her tears, another wave of guilt washing over her.

"How long has he been out?" She brings herself to ask, the newspaper was from today, sure. But if Ominis thought Sebastian could have already found his way to her, perhaps it'd been a few days.

"We think he escaped Monday, but we can't be sure. The guard he'd managed to switch with was in no condition to talk." Monday… They thought Monday and he'd only shown today for fear of her safety. It was Saturday for Merlin's sake. She felt a small flame of anger flicker in her chest. "No one realized until Thursday when the next guard was sent through."

She couldn't help but laugh at the sheer stupidity. No one noticed a guard had disappeared on his rounds. She knew the tales of Azkaban were horror stories, but for Helena's sake, she didn't expect them to be that bad. She could only imagine what it was like to be there full-time.

And that thought was enough to snuff out the anger and bring back the melancholy from earlier.

"If you're wanting to look around, just in case. I haven't been home for long." She murmured, not even sure why she'd said it. But Ominis was quick to nod, his wand flashing its usual red as he walked around the small cottage. Picking up the cup of forgotten tea, she couldn't help but feel on edge, but she wasn't sure if it was because of the news of Sebastian or if it was because there was someone other than herself in her house. No one else had been here since she moved in six years.

She busied herself doing the dishes, staring out the window into the small Hamlet until Ominis had finished his sweep. She could feel him standing by the table but she didn't turn, neither of them saying anything for a while.

"I think it's time you-"

"I want you to write to-"

They both spoke at the same time, and she finally pulled her eyes from the children she saw running in the field to look at her guest. "You first." He assured, clearing his throat. She suddenly felt a little awkward, her nose wrinkling slightly as she thought back on what she was going to say.

"No, you first." She finally decided it was for the best since she'd been about to tell him to leave.

"I want you to write to me, let me know you're okay at least weekly." Her brows furrowed and she felt another flicker of irritation.

"I'm sure I'll be fine, Ominis. I made sure that when I moved here no one would know me or that I'd moved here. Until you showed up, that is." She couldn't help the bitter tone in her voice, she'd tried so hard to make sure there was no way anyone could track her down. She supposed that even without that effort, his connections at work would mean he'd always known.

"I'm serious, I just want you to let me know you're okay. At least until he's back in Azkaban." The genuine concern in his voice was bittersweet, he clearly wanted her to know that he meant it. "If I don't hear from you, I'll have to stop by again."

Heaving a frustrated sigh, she gave the blonde boy a glare that he couldn't rightfully see. "Fine. If it means I'm left alone." Deep down, she realized she didn't mean it. She'd felt so lonely and part of her felt that perhaps she wouldn't follow through just so he would turn up. But then she remembered the guilt and knew that she had to be lonely because that's what she'd sentenced Sebastian to eight years ago. "Now I'd you'd be so kind to leave, it's getting late." She finished, leaving no room for argument as she stepped to the door and pulled it open.

"Take care of yourself, please," Ominis said as he stepped back through the door, still a small look of concern on his face that made her turn away.

Once he was out, she closed the door and once again triple-locked it before checking the windows. Only when she was sure everything was secure did she curl up on her couch with a blanket, and a book open in front of her - not that she paid it any mind. Her focus was on the flames licking in the fireplace as she waited for the time she'd move from the couch to bed. 

— — — — — —

The feeling of something trailing over her forehead caused her to stir slightly, sleep slipping away from her. She groaned, turning over and burying herself further into the pillows and blankets of her bed before the realization struck her.

Sitting up quickly, she looked around the bedroom, the low light from the lamp on her dresser casting shadows. But besides her and her heavy breathing, the room was empty.

She was going crazy. Paranoid.

It had been a week since the article and Ominis' visit. A week of knowing that Sebastian was out there somewhere, likely looking for her. A week of constantly feeling like she was being watched when she wasn't. It was taking a toll on her.

She briefly contemplated asking Ominis if she could stay a few days with him, to see if she felt any different. But considering last Saturday was the first time they'd spoken in years, she likely wasn't welcome.

Sighing softly, she pulled herself up from her bed. Some tea would likely help calm her. Grasping at the lamp, she stepped from her bedroom and into the main room, heading for the stove and her small tea kettle. She got busy, setting the water to boil and taking hold of a cup she'd used earlier in the day. Her eyes settled out of the window just as they had a week ago. The streets of the hamlet were dark and empty, it was raining heavily, and for some reason that soothed her a little. She'd always liked the rain.

A loud bang from her bedroom jolted her from her thoughts, dropping the teacup she held as the sound of wind howled through her home. Once more grasping her lamp, she took her wand from the counter too and crept to the doorway, looking through it cautiously. The room was still empty, there weren't any hiding places after all. The room was only big enough for a bed and a dresser.

Her eyes lifted from their observation of the room to the window. Seeing it had flown open. Frowning, she stepped further into the room and towards the window until she was able to pull it closed, locking it. She swore she'd locked it before she'd gone to bed. But perhaps the stress of the last week was getting to her, her days blending together.

She had nothing to worry about. No one but Ominis knew where she lived and he wouldn't tell anyone. It had to have been the wind from the storm, she hadn't latched it properly before bed, clearly.

The sound of a quiet whistle sounded from her kitchen and she sighed. Right, yes. Tea. That's what she needed. Pulling her curtains closed, she made her way back into the kitchen to finish her tea, hopefully when she drank it she'd be able to get back to sleep.

— — — — — —

A few days later, she found herself stopping next to the stand holding the Daily Prophet, she glanced at the headline.

Sallow Still at Large!

She didn't bother picking up a copy this time, it was likely just going to be a reiteration of what was said in the original article. Instead, she forced herself to push on, the hood of her robe pulled up over her head.

The feeling of being watched magnified each time she left the house, to the point where she was seriously considering dropping her errands to one day a week and holing herself up inside of her cottage.

She stopped at the produce vendor, picking up some pieces of fruit and vegetables as she did often, paying quickly before turning on her heel. Usually, she'd make a stop at a few more stores, but right now, she wanted to go home. She wasn't in dire need of anything else - today at least.

Walking down the main street of the hamlet, her hood up and her head down to avoid being seen meant that she wasn't looking where she was going. So it wasn't surprising when she walked into someone, the bag she held falling to the floor.

"Merlin, I'm sorry!" She said, reaching down to collect her things.

"Don't be, miss. Accidents happen." A friendly voice said she looked up briefly to see a man of around her age, brunette hair and while his smile was friendly and it definitely wasn't Sebastian she was looking at, she couldn't help the flash of his face in place of the strangers.

Suddenly she was in a bigger rush to get home, her hands trembling as she fought to ensure everything she'd dropped was picked up.

"Let me help." The young man offered and she frantically shook her head, scooping the last of the produce into her bag and standing quickly.

"N-no n-need. It's fine. I must get home." She brushed off, pushing past the kind stranger that made her think of Sebastian and speed walked her way back to her cottage, not looking back. Although that feeling at the back of her neck, that she was being watched only grew as she stepped over the threshold and once more thrice locked her door. A sigh of relief fell from her lips as her clammy forehead rested against the cool wood.

— — — — — —

Two weeks. Two weeks had passed since she'd seen that article since Ominis had visited and nothing had happened besides her losing her mind from her paranoia.

Since her run-in with not-Sebastian, she hadn't left the house. A traitorous part of her brain just wanted him to be found and back in Azkaban so that she could go back to how life was before.

As much as she didn't want to leave, she had to head into town. If she didn't want Ominis stopping by again she'd have to drop off the letter she'd written him. She also needed to get some food.

She supposed she could be quick about it, not stopping beside the two shops she needed to and then heading straight back. Chewing on her bottom lip, she considered not leaving, her eyes staring at the front door as if it could decide for her. Taking a deep breath, she opened it and blinked against the bright sun. 'Quick, just be quick.' She told herself, closing the door behind her and heading towards the main street. And if she stopped to buy a bottle of fire whiskey while she was there, who was going to judge? 

— — — — — —

Slamming the door behind her, she panted - a slight panic overtaking her. She was definitely going crazy, she swore she'd seen Seb so many times in the small time she was out, only to do a double take and there would be no one there. She had to be going crazy.

Dropping the bag of food onto the kitchen counter, she rummaged through the bag until she found what she was looking for. The bottle of fire whiskey glinted in the sun streaming through the winter. Briefly, a voice in her head told her it was too early to drink, but she shut it up quickly as she pulled the top off and took a large drink.

The fiery liquid trailed down her throat and she held back a cough, even as the wince made it through. Dropping herself into the chair at the kitchen table, she held the bottle in an iron grip. As she took another long drag from the bottle, she could feel the familiar haze of calm falling over her.

She tried to remember when she'd last eaten and realized it had been breakfast yesterday. Pair that with the fact she didn't drink often and it was only normal for barely a quarter of a bottle to hit her so fast.

Time passed slowly, and the contents of the bottle also slowly dwindled as it got dark outside. At some point, it started raining again but she didn't care. She'd drunk a good amount of the bottle and she couldn't very well keep her head up off the table.

She'd never be able to get herself to bed in this state. Rolling her head to the side, she looked at the couch, wondering if she'd be able to make it there. It was only five steps, maximum.

Pushing herself up, grasping the edge of the table hard to steady herself as the room spun. Once she felt situated enough, she took a step.

So far, so good.

Another step, then another and that's when her knees buckled. Her stomach churned and she closed her eyes as she waited to meet the floor. But the meeting never came. Two arms had wrapped around her, catching her in her fall.

"Woah, there, Sweetheart. Missed me?"

[lenoraslament]

The first two chapters of Part 2 of Lenora’s Lament were inspired by Say Yes to Heaven

My Tom Riddle Fanfiction.

Summary of Part 1 below

If you haven’t read Part 1 this is a huge spoiler!

Tom and Lenora were friends since Year 1 at Hogwarts. They grew apart until he found her after she had been attacked by two classmates. Tom agrees to teach her dark magic and they soon become entangled in each other.

He offers her the chance for revenge and she takes it. Their relationship deepens but she slowly descends into power and pain she can’t control. After she proves to be a threat he has no choice but to erase her memories, she awaken and Tom warns the death eaters she is never to know.

Being part of their world, the secrets are bound to reveal themselves.

Lenora’s Lament: Part 2

Chapter 2: Say Yes to Heaven

Malfoys Lakehouse was buried under Alder and Blackthorn trees. A white plat house with blue shutters.

“It’s very muggle” Lenora’s mother once said in her ear. A large lawn spread to meet a heft dock in the front. The lake was large enough to meet the horizon, hidden coves and hearty forests surrounded the property.

Lenora thought it was one of the most beautiful places on earth. Abraxas answered the door in sunglasses, “Well hello pretty lady” he did a spin and she jumped in his arms to hug him.

“Oh I missed you!” She said grinning. Tom stood behind him with a stone face.

“Oh hello Riddle” she smiled warmly at him, “We missed you at the end of the year”

Tom nodded but remained stoic, “Thank you for your concern Miss. Rosier, I had other activities that called my attention”.

“Of course” she said, “I don’t know what I’ll do next year without you to compete with”. The atmosphere was awkward.

“I’m sure you can find other ways to motivate yourself” he was no longer looking at her.

Her mother looked at her sympathetically and then looked at Abraxas who shook his head.

Long before their trip he had personally made sure to plant the seeds of their messy breakup in all of their parent’s minds.

She was in tears it was awful Mrs. Rosier, we find it best we don’t mention it. She agreed wholeheartedly.

Her parents guided her in as they made niceties with the elder Malfoys. Abraxas beckoned her to the next room; she followed where Avery and Nott sat.

“Hello boys” she said happily saddling next to Avery, “please let me you have a flask of anything” she whispered.

Nott reached into the pocket of his pants and handed her one smiling . She took a drink, “Theo what would I do without you”.

She sighed taking another drink, “I don’t think I can deal with the great lord riddle sober.” She missed the look Theo and Avery gave each other.

Two hours later, the flask kept getting passed around. Avery had the bright idea to go on the lawn and start a bonfire.

“Incendero” he yelled pointing to the fire pit in the middle of some chairs they had arranged. Nothing happened.

“Incenderroo” he slurred and Theo laughed when the fire once again wouldn’t light. Nora was too busy testing the limits of the bottomless flask to correct him. Abraxas finally took it from her and set it on the floor next to his guitar.

“Incendio” a clear voice behind them said, the fire lit.

“Tom!!!” Abraxas yelled. Tom had Black and Mulciber in tow. They sat to join, Tom held his hand up when Abraxas offered him the flask but Black took a giant gulp.

It was a little too quiet, they sat as the fire crackled. It wasn’t lost on the boys that this was the first time they were all together since the duels. Even Tom was quiet, staring into the fire. He felt Nora gaze over him for a moment, studying his face.

Black was the first to speak, “Accio guitar”, he caught it with one hand as it flew to them. He laid it on an empty chair and charmed it to play. Soft music filled the air.

“We need some girls” Avery said sighing.

“Excuse me?” Lenora said and Nott laughed.

“Not that way Nora” Avery laughed, “I just meant you know to dance”.

She scoffed, “So? I can dance”

Most of them laughed but Black looked at her intently, “Then dance”.

Lenora gave him a cheeky smile, but Tom scowled.

“Cut it out Black” he said sternly.

Lenora gave Tom a funny look, “What? You don’t think I will?”

Black held his hands up and raised his brows at her.

Lenora stood slowly, she walked past them to a more open area. The fire lit her against the dark of the evening. All of them watched as she twirled, she lifted her hands up and traced them back down her body until she met her own waist and spun again.

Black whistled and she moved her hips slightly before busting out into laughter. The guys all watched with bated breath. She moved to the melody seamlessly, her eyes had a playful look.

Lenora put her head back and looked up at the stars. In that moment she felt so perfect, she felt free.

The fire lit her face with a gentle glow, her skirt rippled against her soft swirling waist in the breeze. Toms hands gripped the arms of the chair, his knuckles were white. When she moved her hips he had to turn away. This is what you wanted, you wanted her to be happy. Besides she was in your way. Let. Her. Go.

Suddenly she looked through the fire and met his eyes. Tom watched her as she walked towards the chairs slowly.

“Well?” she stopped for a moment, “is anyone going to dance with me?”. She addressed them all but only looked at Tom.

They all looked at him. Abraxas quickly sprung to his feet, “Come on trouble” he said pulling her away and spinning her as she laughed.

Tom looked at Black when they were out of earshot, “Back off” he cautioned.

“Yes my lord,” Black said ignoring his tone.

Read here:

[braveclementine]

Part 9

Warnings: None. However, future chapters will contain sexual content so readers that are under the age of 18 may have to skip those chapters (However they are very few so those under the age of 18 can still read a majority of this book. However please keep note of the warnings).

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. Also, all of Severus and Elizabeths' childrens names are mine and mine alone.I also do not condone any copying of this.

PLATFORM NINE AND THREE QUARTERS

🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶

Marinette stands on the platform, watching her mother and father interact for a moment as they say good-bye to the kids. Remus isn't there, the first time he's missed a station visit. But he's out of country for his job. Elijah Kingsley wasn't there either, at a job interview at the Ministry. Minerva however, was helping Davina load her things onto the train and teasing Seraphina. 

But it was her parents that Mari was more interested in. Her father had been so much happier over the summer than he had last summer. Her mother too. Whatever had happened while she had been at school the past year, they had reconnected. 

She watched her father poke her mother in the side, her mother giggling, swatting at him. Her grandfather was nearby, watching them with a small smile while he paid attention to whatever Carlisle was showing him in his Marvel comic book. 

"I hate Hogsmeade." Albus' voice caught Maris' attention and she turned, tightening her arms around snowball as the cat made to jump out of her arms at a toad that was hopping around. 

"How can you hate a place you haven't actually visited yet?" Albus was standing with his father, who had given Albus his signed slip for Hogsmeade. 

"Because I know it'll be full of Hogwarts students." Albus said, clenching his hand around the paper so it crumpled. 

"Just give it a go- come on- this is your chance to go nuts in Honeydukes without your mum knowing- no, Albus, don't you dare!" Uncle Harry said as Albus raised his wand to point it at the paper. 

"Incendio!" 

"Of all the stupid things!" Her Uncle Harry cried, exasperated, throwing his hands into the air. 

"The ironic thing is I didn't expect it to work. I'm terrible at that spell." Albus said happily. 

"Al- Albus." Uncle Harry said, trying to connect with him. "I've been exchanging owls with Professor McGonagall- she says you're isolating yourself- you're uncooperative in lessons- you're surly- you're-" 

"So what would you like me to do? Magic myself popular? Conjure myself into a new House? Transfigure myself into a better student? Just cast a spell, Dad, and change me into what you want me to be, okay? It'll work better for both of us. Got to go. Train to catch. Friend to find." 

It wasn't entirely true, Mari felt. She could've been popular if she'd wanted to, being a Snape after all the only Snape in Slytherin. No one had rejected her, and in fact most people had wanted to be her friend, the same way they had wanted to be Minerva and Seraphina and Haru and Elijah Kingsley and all of her other siblings friends. But she didn't care about friends or people. 

Meaningless faces. 

She supposed it was a little different with Albus. His entire family generations- besides his sister- were in Gryffindor. Lily would be sorted in Gryffindor this year, something Mari seemed to know, but maybe it was obvious. With Mari, her mother was a Hufflepuff and her father a Slytherin. All of her siblings were spread out between the other three houses so it made sense that one of them would end up in Slytherin. 

But she also knew that Albus didn't try. It was as though he was trying not to be friends with people, trying not to be anything his father was. Aunt Minerva was right, Albus didn't try in class and Mari was honestly surprised he hadn't been held back yet. He really only got through because of Scorpius. 

"Hey Mari!" Albus said, "Come on, let's go find Scorpius!" 

Mari waved to both of her parents, before following Albus onto the train and heading down the hallway until they found the compartment that Scorpius was sitting in by himself. 

"Scorpius. . . Scorpius. . . Are you okay?" Albus asked, sitting down in front of him. Mari took her seat by the window, staring out. Snowball finally leapt off her lap, padding over to nuzzle up against Scorpius. "Your mum? It's got worse?" 

"It's got the worst it can possibly get." Scorpius sniffled, wiping under his eyes. "She passed last night." 

"I thought you'd send an owl. . ." Albus said softly. 

"I couldn't work out what to say." Scorpius said. 

Albus looked angrily at Mari, "I thought your  mother cured her?" 

"No." Scorpius said softly. "Just bought her some time." 

"She should've done more then!" Albus snapped. 

Mari frowned, "My mom isn't a miracle worker Albus." 

"No, Albus." Scorpius said softly, shaking his head. "Her mother did what we needed. She gave her three extra months to live. Three extra months that I got to spend with my mother and she wasn't in pain for any of it until the last three days. It was. . . I'll have to thank her." 

Albus was quiet then. 

"Is there anything. . ." Mari asked. 

"Come to the funeral?" Scorpius asked. 

"Of course." Mari and Albus said together. 

"And be my good friends." Scorpius said softly, before petting  Snowballs' head. 

The train ride was a silent one. None of them spoke another word on the train, nor in the carriages, nor at the Great Hall. In fact, it wasn't even until after the Sorting Ceremony, when the Sorting hat announced Albus' sister was going to be in Gryffindor, did anyone say anything at all. 

"Yes!" Lily cheered from the front of the Great Hall. 

"Great." Albus said bitterly. 

"Did you really think she'd come to us? Potters don't belong in Slytherin." Scorpius said. 

"This one does." Albus said. He was quiet for a moment while Mari put food on her plate, before he said, "I didn't choose, you know that? I didn't choose to be his son." 

And Mari thought very privately, 'Well I did.' And she smiled to herself because in that moment, she knew who the lucky one was. Her father was happy and she was lucky. 

She took out a piece of parchment, and started to write her mother an apology letter, before eating dessert, and going to bed, dreaming of the day when she would be as lucky as her parents. 

[sebastianswallows]

Dangerous and Delightful — Chapter 14 — Blood and breath

— PAIRING: Sebastian Sallow x F!Reader

— SYNOPSIS: Sebastian is a purveyor of forbidden artefacts, a dark arts researcher, and a curse-breaker for hire. Ominis, desperate to save him from himself, hires Reader in secret to persuade him, by any means necessary, to leave his illegal activities behind.

— WARNINGS: A bit of dom-sub/bloodplay, idiots in love, Subastian, dark!reader, light choking, and the most twisted body worship ever

— WORDCOUNT: 2.5k

— TAGLIST: @bloofinntoona @sarcasticpluviophile @estrotica

“This morning, when I went for my walk —”

“I knew you were lying!”

“I didn’t lie! You just never asked in which direction I —”

“You went to the Clokes, didn’t you?”

He had to grin at her clever guess. “They let me send an owl to one of my associates in London. I’ve already promised I’ll return once the issue with the Aurors is resolved.”

“Wh-why would you do that?” she asked, seeming heartbroken.

The reaction startled Sebastian. He didn’t think she cared much whether he was here or there, and yet she looked at him as if he’d Incendioed her chickens.

“You know, you could come with me back to London,” he said, sitting up slightly on his elbows. “Come live with me.”

“Oh, really?” she asked mockingly. “You live in London, do you?”

“Well, yes…”

“And your excursions to Dover and abroad?”

“You could come on those too.”

She gave a derisive chuckle and leaned further away, not even looking at him. His body felt cold, left naked and uncovered by her.

“What do you take me for? One of your dangerous ladies?” she quipped, quoting him back from their talk at the Three Broomsticks. “Fierce and frightening and immeasurably tender? Please…”

“That was just… just…”

She cocked a brow and waited for him to find his words.

Sebastian didn’t dare say he was puffing himself up in front of her as someone more debonair. “It doesn’t have to be like that with you. I… I would…” He swallowed the knot in his throat, and looked into her eyes, and said the most vulnerable and revealing thing he dared to yet. “I would take you exactly as you are.”

Her eyes went wide, but not in a way he’d hoped. “Oh,” she laughed, “you would lower your standards for me! How flattering.”

“No!” he wailed, “that’s not what I meant!”

By now, she shifted to the side of the bed and covered her face in her hands, breathing deeply.

Sebastian crawled toward her, put his hands on her shoulders, and pressed down to calm and keep her there, make sure she did not escape.

“Listen, let’s go back to bed, and we can finish what… what we started, and we don’t have to think about these things now. How’s that? Just… just take it one night at a time?”

“No, I don’t think I can,” she sighed, shaking her head stubbornly. “What’s the point? If… if you’re still going to leave, then…”

“You really want me here, don’t you?” said Sebastian, speaking mostly to himself. “Forever?”

“Would that be so bad?” she asked, turning to look at him.

“But wh-what about if your brother comes back?”

The question caught her by surprised and she was left struggling for words. Sebastian didn’t know what to make of it. In truth, he didn’t care all that much what her brother did, and by her shock she clearly hadn’t thought about him lately either, but it was something to consider — or at least, something he could use as an excuse.

“What do you feel for me?” she asked in a sudden turn of voice, from desperate to cold.

It was Sebastian’s turn to be left stammering. He wasn’t sure what the term for what he felt could even be… He’d been in turn charmed by her, then obsessed. Sometimes, he felt in love, and other times he just felt in lust — although it was never ‘just’ anything with her.

“I… I feel a lot of things,” he started.

“Such as?”

“Well, first of all, I respect you very much.” His gaze went to her chest where the chemise peaked in two tantalising little places. “As a lady.”

She chucked dryly.

“And I like you, as a host.” Slowly, he raised one tentative hand to brush her braided hair over her shoulder. “And I’d like to know you more, but the closer we become, the further away you draw from me.”

“Is that all?” she asked with an air of disinterested disappointment.

“No,” said Sebastian, looking now into her eyes, his hand on her naked shoulder, sliding downward with the strap of her chemise. “I want you. I want to spend more time with you. Like this…”

It was the first hint of apprehension she’d given when he revealed the top of her breast, but she stayed still and looked back at him with only the hint of a frown.

“But only for a little while. Until it’s safe for you to return to London.”

“I told you, come with me.”

“And I told you to stay with me.”

His hand cupped her elbow as he paused in thought. What she asked for was not impossible, but it was certainly a sacrifice… one he wasn’t ready to make. Although, deep down, a certain part of him wanted to make it.

“What say you we postpone this talk, hm?” he tried again, smiling. “We can speak of it tomorrow, with a clearer head.”

“A clearer head,” she said, almost like a question with a cynical cock of the brow.

“It wouldn’t make a difference, would it? Whether I decide to stay or go, I still need to pay for my room and board tonight,” grinned Sebastian, sliding his hand down her back.

“Oh, I shall make you pay.”

Moving slow and sinewy, she leaned across him, body brushing against his. Just as Sebastian parted his lips in expectation of a kiss, she leaned in further still and reached for something on the bedside table: her wand.

“Lay back down,” she said, pointing the wand at him like a sword.

He did as told, smiling, not fearing her — yet. He was barely further up on the bed when she flicked her weapon, cast a spell, and bound his wrists above his head with a conjured length of rope. A wave of her wand pulled him higher until he rested on the pillows once again, adjusting him to her pleasure.

“What do you intend to do?” he chuckled.

“Get my dues,” she purred, straddling his lap.

Her wand rested somewhere by her leg, out of his sight — not that Sebastian had eyes for anything but her — and, with her hands free, she dug her claws into his chest. He sucked in a breath through his clenched teeth, but it hadn’t hurt him all that much.

“Tough skin,” she said, biting her her lip. “Takes more than that to make you bleed.” Very gently then, her fingers started circling his nipple.

“Why would you want to make me bleed?” he asked with a cocky smile.

“Oh, just for fun.”

Her fingers grasped his nub and twisted it, squeezing lightly as she pulled. Her gaze was sharp and challenging, and only now Sebastian began to try the binds, but they were strong. He felt confident that he could push her off using his legs, although he didn’t want to yet; he wanted to see what she would do.

It made his blood sing to feel her little fingers there, to have his nerves come to life from her touch. She wasn’t careful in her movements, but she was deliberate. His gaze could not help but fall to her lips, which seemed redder and fuller than ever before. Sebastian felt his loins harden and swallowed a groan. But while he felt himself heat up beneath her, from his from his teased and tortured nubs down to his throbbing groin, her eyes remained cold and indifferent.

It took him to gasp in pain for her to finally release his suffering flesh, and then her hands turned soft. She brushed her palms over his chest, sliding them down, capturing the nubs between the length of her fingers with each passing and teasing at another squeeze. When he looked down, he could see the swell of her chest in the loosely hanging chemise. With a smile, and him distracted, her hands travelled upward, tracing along his collarbones. It only took a slight adjustment for her to wrap her hands around his throat, and squeeze.

Sebastian took a deep breath but stayed still, looking into her eyes and smiling. His hands still rested above his head, supine, and against his intention, his legs just barely started to brace against the bed. He did not feel in danger so much from her actions, which still had a feminine delicacy to them, as from her glare, consistently focused and cold.

She squeezed down, pressing against his breath, his blood, his voice — not that he knew what to say — and he was left gazing at her, open-mouthed, torn between his thoughts and feelings. His lips started feeling bruised first, and then a tingling spread to his nose. His teeth flashed in pain when he grimaced, but the only struggle he put up was a thrashing of his legs behind her.

She didn’t care. She sat on his waist, holding him down with her body, and just as his heart began to throb, her grasp eased around him. His sadistic host held a hand there, just clasping his throat, while the other slid lower again.

“You’re a cowardly wizard,” she whispered. “Letting a little witch like me do this to you… What sort of man are you?”

In contrast to her voice, her hands were gentle. His blood began to flow again beneath her left-handed grip while the tips of her fingers brushed through the hair on his chest, making swirls around his freckles. She lowered herself until her breasts were brushing his stomach, teasing him. Her shirt stuck to his sweat, making it almost transparent.

“A smitten one,” he grinned.

“Oh, smitten suddenly, are you?”

“It isn’t sudden.”

She tried to put on a dismissive smirk, but it didn’t hold. Just when Sebastian expected her to push away from him, she kissed him. Her lips were soft, her eyes closed, and her hand around his throat became caressing. He turned utterly pliant beneath her, kissing back with hardly any strength, reduced to taking only what she deigned to give. When she pulled away, there was a look of surprise there. Her eyes went wide and she frowned, as if he’d been the one to start it.

With renewed verve, she sunk her nails in him again. She scratched from his stomach all the way up to his chest where she caught his nub in a piercing grip that left it red. Sebastian bit his lip bloody and instinctively arched upwards, following her, until his flesh snapped out of her grasp and he could rest back down again. He looked up, eyes bleary with pain, and saw her smirking. It was then he realised that he’d been grinding his hips into her. He blushed and forced himself to stop, although if asked, he could not tell why. He’d never felt this shy and vulnerable before… Another tug at the binds around his wrist proved futile.

Like a sudden rain and rush of wind, she sunk her claws into his flesh while squeezing tight around his throat. It took his breath away and made his skin tingle as little welts rose up, made him hot and cold at once, made him moan and whimper and brought him to the verge of tears.

It was getting less fun for him. Sebastian pushed his feet against the bed again and raised his hips, bucking into her, trying — still gently — to push her off, but she just pressed down harder with all her weight.

“Alright, stop,” he asked. His head thrashed left and right, his stomach dipping to escape her teasing, and his heart shuddered with fear. “Stop it!”

“Beg.”

“Just… just stop it, that’s enough!”

“Beg.”

“Alright! I beg you.”

“Beg me to what?”

Sebastian glared at her. Her hands had stilled, but her nails were dangerously curled around his belly button and her hand was sticky at his throat from sweat.

“Let me go.”

“Say it again,” she asked with relish.

“Please, let me go!”

Somehow, that only made her smile. “No,” she said tenderly.

In a motion so slippery it was over before he noticed, she released him, and caressed a smooth path up to his shoulders as she lay down by his side. His hands were still tied above his head, but she cuddled up against him with a hand thrown lazily over his chest and her legs curled over his. Sebastian almost chuckled at this transfiguration.

“Just like that, huh?” he grinned tiredly. “All it takes is to ask nicely?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” she smiled, her eyes already closed. “I haven’t let you go. You’re sleeping here tonight.”

“Very well,” he murmured. “I can take that… But, no more claws.”

“Was it that bad?” she purred. “And here I thought all your stories of braving deserts and crypts —” she was cut short by a yawn “— were true…”

“I’ll be red and sore tomorrow because of you,” said Sebastian with an air of protestation.

“Good. So you won’t forget where you must return.”

“So possessive,” he chuckled.

“Mmm…”

Her mumble was neither of denial nor acquiescence. If anything, she merely sounded sated. He wondered again whether she really was a vampire, but the happy blush in her cheeks convinced him otherwise.

Sebastian took deep breaths to calm himself while his host — his mistress now, it seemed — fell asleep beside him. Her forehead rested against his chest, her breasts tickled his side from beneath her thin nightshirt, and her legs were tangled in his own. She painted a pretty picture, but every time he looked down at himself, even through the semi-dark, he could see the angry lines she left him with. It certainly did one thing: made sure he wouldn’t forget her tomorrow.

“As if I ever could,” he whispered. And as he looked down at her sleeping form, a mad impulse pulled him down to kiss the crown of her head.

He felt silly now to have given in to her little games, although begging felt sweet. Moving as gently as he could, Sebastian moved his arms down, embracing her almost, and started feeling around for her wand. He found it pressed into the bed between them, and with a bit of wiggling, he could finally grab hold and pull it into his hand. It was a bit challenging to try to cast something with her wand, hers had quite a different core, but dissapparating the rope was easy enough, and finally he was free.

Sebastian rubbed his wrists as he looked down at her. His manoeuvres had shifted her on the bed a little, but she was still pressed to his side, curled up and wound all around him, cheeks still blushing hotly and soft baby hairs sticking to her skin. He smiled, imagining all manner of things he could do to her — tie her up in revenge perhaps, or disappear her clothes, or put her in some deeper sleep and have his way with her — but he found he didn’t wish to do any of those things. However cruelly she had treated him, however sharp her kitten claws, Sebastian only wanted to do one thing.

He slid lower on the bed, pulled up the covers, and with his head sinking into her soft pillows, he pulled her to his side, nuzzling her neck, her hair, her shoulders, and fell fast asleep.

[jeongyunhoed]

As seen on my FF.net

Following the events of fifth year, a new adventure awaits for Norah Lee. Boys, exams, school events, common room parties, and old foes outside of Hogwarts. Even battling pensieve guardians was easier than this.

Main Pair: OC/? Genre: Adventure/Angst/Fluff (it's a little of everything, tbh)

KEEP IN MIND: Characters are aged up (even if the story's got them in sixth year) to make it more appropriate. Time period is leaning towards the modern day so in case you might find anachronisms in the dialogue or references, this is why. This may also be quite a lengthy fic too.

BE WARNED: Social anxiety, mentions of blood and injury, grief, drinking, kissing but nothing more than that, death (this is Hogwarts Legacy, after all)

P.P.S: Another terrible attempt at poetry ahead, but the last note, the poem in that one is from Perry Poetry. Emotional rollercoaster 2.0. Any guesses as to who "Nick" is? HEHEHEHE

Masterlist

Chapter 8

"For today's lesson, we're tackling a few things," Professor Hecat told the class the next day. "Cursed barrier spells, the imperturbable jinx, and the sea urchin jinx," She explained, the latter inciting chuckles from the students. "But before we get onto that, I'd like to commend you all for finishing what I will definitely describe as a long and time-consuming essay on banshees, flesh-eating slugs, and kappas."

Professor Hecat moved the tables to the side once again. "We've got quite a few hours on us today, so a review is also in order. Miss Lee, please step forward," She looked at Norah.

Norah was met with nudges from Natty and Leander, and knowing looks from Sebastian and Ominis as she went to the middle of the room. Professor Hecat conjured the training dummy in front of her, pushing the boggart closet close by. "Bloody hell, Hecat's going to unleash a boggart on Norah," Leander muttered.

"I wonder what form it's going to take in front of her," The Gryffindor Cressida Blume, whispered.

Norah felt her heart pound upon seeing the possibility of the boggart closet. She wondered what was going to come out from there. "Yes, Professor?" She said.

"Since you have undoubtedly some, or may I say, the most experience among your peers in this room, think of the training dummy as an inferi. Begin," Professor Hecat gestured. "Non-verbally, of course."

Norah nodded, glancing at Sebastian and Ominis, who were giving her knowing nods. One, incendio, two, confringo, three, incendio, four, confringo, with the fifth being diffindo. The rest of them clapped when she stepped back, and Professor Hecat looked proud. "10 house points if you can all identify which spells Miss Lee used."

"Show-off," Sebastian teased, making her laugh.

Several of them raised their hands. Professor Hecat ended up calling on Leander, who answered all three spells correctly. "10 points to Gryffindor, thank you Mr. Prewett," Professor Hecat nodded.

Norah gave him a thumbs up. "Merlin, how did you get around to learning confringo?" The tall Gryffindor whispered. She tilted her head toward Sebastian, who grinned. "Ah, figures," He chuckled, stepping aside.

"Well done, next up, the boggart, if you remember what to do when facing a boggart, do so non-verbally," Professor Hecat instructed, even when Norah was asked to return to the middle.

She felt an increasing feeling of anxiety, when the closet was pushed forward, the training dummy vanishing with a quick evanesco. The closet burst open, and Norah could feel her heart pounding.

The figure of Professor Fig emerged, and the room had gone quiet. Sebastian's expression fell, as did Natty's, watching Norah face the boggart in the form of their late professor.

"R-" Norah mumbled, trying her hardest to shake off the sudden fear and sadness that came from seeing Fig's dark expression, trying to walk up to her. She swallowed hard, and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate. Riddikulus. Riddikulus. Riddikulus!

The boggart form of Fig turned into a puffskein that rolled around the closet. Norah fell to her knees, looking quite shaken, tears rolling down her cheeks. Sebastian quickly helped her up, and it was then she was made aware that everyone in the room was staring at her, all of whom looked concerned, some sad. Professor Hecat looked just as concerned. "I guess we'll have to move along, but well done, Miss Lee. Mr. Sallow, will you mind accompanying her outside for some fresh air?"

Sebastian nodded, leading her outside the classroom while Professor Hecat continued with the review. "Are you alright?" He said, trying to wipe her tears with his sleeve. "You did well in there, with that boggart."

The floodgates opened, and Norah burst into tears, hiding her face in his shoulder as she sobbed. Sebastian held her, rubbing her back in an effort to calm her down. He could feel how much pain she held inside, masked behind a calm and confident facade. He knew what happened will spread throughout the school, and he wasn't sure if Norah wanted to know. Not that she cared, but this was one of those rare moments when he saw the kind of person she really was.

If anything, it just made him fall harder for her.

"I'm sorry," Norah slowly pulled away, wiping her eyes and sniffling. Sebastian continued to wipe her eyes. "Oh this is great, this is embarrassing," She tried to laugh it off, her eyes still red. "I'm sorry."

Sebastian shook his head. "It's alright. You were just scared, it was a boggart, it would've scared anyone," He assured her, wiping some more tears away with his thumb, his hand resting on her cheek, as if wanting her to lean into it.

Norah sniffled and shook her head. "It's just...what would they think of me now? Cowering at the sight of Fig?" She whispered, not wanting to go on about how she felt when she knew the freckled brunette was aware.

"They didn't know Fig the way you did. What was it about Fig that terrified you?" He said softly.

"Just-" Norah looked down, still too embarrassed. "I just remember those last moments I had with him. He wasn't sure about my decision to open the repository down there, and me taking the power to build on what Isidora worked on, knowing what I know. But Ranrok arrived, with Miriam's wand, he revealed he killed her, and when Fig got angry at him, the stone pillars fell, even more when Ranrok forced it open anyway," She said.

Sebastian wasn't sure what else he could say, and instead accompanied her to the restroom where she quickly washed her face. When she stepped out of the bathroom, that was when Sebastian found the words to what he wanted to ask. "Do you blame yourself for him dying? It seemed like Ranrok is the one who sent that stone down and killed him, not you."

"It certainly feels like it was my fault," Norah swallowed hard. "That's why I plan to do what I'm going to do to make up for it. Even if it's too late."

It made Sebastian think of his own situation, of his own uncle Solomon. Even if Solomon harbored a lot of resentment towards him because of Anne getting cursed and their parents' death, it didn't justify the use of avada kedavra. Even when the truth was revealed, Sebastian had now understood that it wasn't as simple as harboring hatred for goblins. He knew he fully deserved to be locked up, yet they didn't turn him in.

He knew he had the rest of his life to make up for what he did. Norah's words seemed to give him some assurance that he could only make things right even if it's too late.

They returned to the classroom just in time for Professor Hecat to introduce the new spells they were set to learn. When she stood beside Ominis, no longer wanting to draw further attention, the blonde reached out to her, gently patting her wrist. "Are you alright?" He whispered.

Norah hummed. "I will be, I'm sorry. That was embarrassing wasn't it?"

"Of course it wasn't," He said. Even if he couldn't see what happened, he felt how shaken she had become. All the while hoping that maybe he should've been the one who also stepped up to help her get some air. His hand moved down from patting her wrist to gently tugging on her fingers, as if to further assure her that everything was going to be okay. And it was, as Ominis firmly decided from then on, that he would try and protect her no matter what.

~

To Norah Lee,

I see without seeing, To me, darkness is as clear as daylight. Answer this riddle to get to me, For I plan to wipe your tears, hopefully I hope this note puts a smile on your face, And to remind you that everything will be okay. Whisper the answer to a close friend, You'll know who I am by the week's end.

You will know if you are right, Wait for my note tomorrow night.

Your Nick

Norah read the note over and over again during lunch. The gears in her mind were already turning, full of suspicions as to who "Nick" was. She was a step closer to figuring out who it was from this note. There was that feeling of anticipation, that maybe, perhaps, "Nick" was the very person she was starting to have feelings for. Then again, it could've been any sixth-year boy at this point. It was possible that any of her friends told "Nick" things about her, what she liked, what she didn't like.

Since the moment she started feeling like she was beginning to care more for this person, Norah also regretted trying to keep things as they are. When all she wanted was to maybe, spend more time with him. Maybe talk to him more, break the ice a little more until there was nothing left.

But, at least what Norah thought, he might feel like they were out of each other's leagues. If things worked out, people might be in for a surprise, that much she knew. She knew that a potential relationship with him would lead to some backlash, but she was prepared either way. Norah sighed and put the note down. It was too early to think like things were already working out between them.

She looked around, hearing faint whispers of possibly what happened to her during Defense Against the Dark Arts. The embarrassment crept in once again, and she had the urge to just head down to the nearest creature lair and take out a few. But she knew she couldn't. That kind of activity no longer happened as much.

Norah got up, clutching the note as she left the Great Hall, wanting to spend the rest of the lunch period in the Room of Requirement, where she could get back to studying. Deek could always summon food from the kitchens if she asked. As she was about to head up the main staircase, she was stopped by an owl that dropped a letter in front of her.

It was from "Nick" again, she was certain, from how the owl went straight to her. There was a sense of urgency about the owl, and she quickly gave it a treat before it flew off. "Another letter from "Nick" ?"

Natty was coming down the stairs with Nellie Oggspire when they saw her. "Yeah," Norah nodded, looking at her name written on the envelope. "Hi Nellie" She said.

"Hey Norah!" Nellie waved. "I heard you're taking part in Summoner's Court again this year."

She eyed her friend, who tried to avert her gaze, then laughed. "Yes, unfortunately. I would gladly relinquish my title as Summoner's Court champion but Natty here doesn't want me going easy on the boy who could be her summoner."

Natty side-eyed her, while the two of them laughed. "The whole school's been on about who could be your summoner, Norah," Nellie pointed out. "I heard there are bets being placed, but if you ask me, they might be wrong."

"Bets? They're taking bets? Who do they think it is anyway?" Norah was curious. It was a way to narrow down her suspicions as to who it was.

Her question made the two Gryffindor girls grin. "Well, one of them is betting on Garreth, which isn't surprising since they always mention your escapade in Hogsmeade for him," Nellie explained, raising a brow. "They're also betting on Prewett, since the two of you studied together in the Astronomy wing too."

Norah chuckled. "That was only one time with Garreth, and I actually get a lot of homework done whenever I have the chance to study with Leander," She shrugged. "Did they bet on others?"

They nodded. "Well, look no further for the other two," Nellie said.

"No further? You mean-?" Norah stared at them.

"Yeah, Sebastian and Ominis." Natty said. "I heard the fifth years saying that the two of them seem to be the most likely ones, since you spend time with them the most."

Interesting, she thought. "Anyone else?" Norah asked.

"Well," Nellie and Natty exchanged looks. "Someone's apparently betting that it's Amit even," Nellie said.

Norah looked at them incredulously. "But how can he be the summoner when his own name was taken down?" She said.

"That's what I was wondering too," Natty chuckled. "But Amit seems unlikely. He doesn't flirt with you, he's just a really nice guy."

"Yeah," She agreed. "Well, at least that kind of narrowed it down, I guess. He did say I'll know who he is by the week's end," She held up the other note.

"Good for him. Quite brave of him to ask the Hogwarts hero, I must say," Nellie teased, and Norah shook her head. "Face it, Lee. All the boys would want you to be their date to the Yule Ball, even more so at the common room parties. Everyone will be anticipating who that will be."

"I don't know, after my embarrassing reaction during Defense Against the Dark Arts, I might have put off a lot of them," Norah looked around, catching the gaze of some fifth-years who immediately averted their stares and kept walking.

"That's not true, don't say that," Natty frowned, as did Nellie. "You reacted like everybody else probably would. That is nothing to be embarrassed about. It was a boggart after all."

Norah bid them goodbye, telling Natty that she'll go ahead to Hogsmeade after class to grab a butterbeer before their next astronomy table hunt. She was determined to shake off what happened to her in class. When she arrived at the entrance of the Room of Requirement and stepped inside once the door opened.

Deek had appeared at the same time, tidying up the entrances of the vivariums. He stood up when he saw Norah come in. "The thestral and unicorn offsprings have grown up now, Miss," He said.

"Do you think it might be time to release them?" Norah asked, slipping on dragonhide gloves to carefully harvest some of the mandrakes and chomping cabbages. "Do you think you can summon some food from the kitchens?"

Deek smiled and with a snap of his fingers, they heard a table of food emerged in the other room. "Anything else?" He asked.

When Norah took off the gloves, she shook her head. "Come and eat with me. You've been keeping an eye on everything whenever I'm not here, you need a break too."

"Oh, Deek has already eaten," The house elf replied with a smile. "But I can call your friends to come in and join you if you'd like?"

She shook her head, realizing there was no use trying to convince him otherwise. "How is his Lordship?"

"Doing very well," Deek said. "He's very happy being surrounded by company."

Norah looked up at the vivarium where the graphorn was housed. It made her think of the boys Natty and Nellie mentioned. Sebastian and Ominis were likely in the Undercroft or back in the common room. As for Garreth and Leander, she didn't know much about where they might be other than the Great Hall.

"I'll be right back. I might have to drag a certain Ravenclaw boy from his telescope to eat something," She said, almost sprinting out of the room and up the spiral staircase. Norah skidded to a halt when she saw Amit, busy peering through his telescope while taking notes for his star charts. "Thakkar!" She called out to him.

"Why the last name all of a sudden?" Amit was quick to retort, getting up from the floor. "Are you okay? I heard about what happened in Hecat's class."

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've got a spread in the room and I can't finish all of the food. Take a break from the stargazing during the day and have a meal," She suggested.

Amit nodded a little embarrassed with Norah's remark about stargazing during the day. "Alright, let's go. We'll be going for another astronomy table hunt, right? Further into the Forbidden Forest," He said, quickly putting his things together to follow her down to the room. "Do you mind if I brew some of the potions in the room?"

They returned to the room, where Deek seemed to be standing by and waiting for them. "Hello, Deek!" The Ravenclaw was quick to greet, before they went down the little staircase to where the spread was laid out. "House elves always tend to outdo themselves."

They sat down and immediately helped themselves to the nearest servings of food on the table. Norah chuckled, remembering what she told Natty and Poppy the other day. She was glad that Amit became her friend. Even after the ordeal at the mine, they remained friends and became even better friends by the end of fifth year and to this day. She always appreciated his love for astronomy and ambition to write a memoir and even an account of what she went through.

It was probably because of his focus on astronomy and even learning gobbledegook that Amit had a calming presence in their little group. His head was in the clouds, while the rest of them were stuck with the chaos that took place everyday on the ground.

"Got any idea of who summoned you?" Norah thought to tease, curious as to how he had been doing since Ronen started the assignment. "Natty and Poppy already know who took their names."

Amit nearly dropped his fork and knife, flustered with her question. "I have no idea what you mean, Norah Lee," was all he could say.

She raised a brow. "You're not terrible at charms either. In fact, you're rather good at Charms, so you were either summoned or you did the summoning, hmm?"

Amit shook his head. "A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell."

She laughed. "Did you kiss your summoner?! Amit! Bloody hell!"

Her question made the Ravenclaw laugh as well. "No, I did not, but if you really want to know, it was Samantha who summoned me. She told me not long after Ronen announced the assignment," He admitted.

"Well she is good at Summoner's Court after all," Norah agreed. "She seems to really like you, though. Just as much as we do."

"She does," He said quietly, pausing to take a sip of pumpkin juice. "Who has summoned the Hogwarts hero, then?"

"No idea, really," She shook her head. "I only found out that my name was summoned after Sebastian told me. After I told them I haven't had a go at the board. I've been getting letters from a boy who calls himself "Nick" with riddles," She took out the note she had already opened. "The answer to this is a bat."

"A bat? Hmm," Amit hummed in thought. Even he was aware that there were bets being placed on who took Norah's name from Ronen's board.

Norah suddenly took out the new envelope that she received before coming to the room. As if like last time, there were confetti hearts that spilled out on her place setting. Taking out the green card, she saw the silver ink that had the all-too-familiar message.

To Norah Lee,

It was you, It was me, It was the silence underneath the stars That understand my heartbeat and its racing. You told me nothing, I believed everything, In that moment I found life In that moment I found you.

It would be an honor to have a moment of your time, To see your eyes maybe looking into mine. They come out at night without being seen, And are lost in the day without being stolen. Answer this riddle to get to me, Whisper this in a close friend's ear.

You will know if you are right, Wait for my note tomorow night.

Your Nick

"This note is a long one," Norah said quietly, reading it again when she had a second serving of chicken. "But he's quite a poet, it seems. Now I'm even more curious as to who this 'Nick' is after sending me all these notes with riddles and poems."

Amit looked intrigued. "Nick and Norah, I shall look forward to seeing the two of you together." He said, grinning as he finished his meal.

"That's not even his real name, at least I think it isn't," She said. Amit shrugged. "Nicholas Carrow is a fifth year. He's the only Nicholas I know in this school, well, aside from Nearly Headless Nick."

The mention of the ghost made the two of them laugh out loud. "Then I must admit, Nearly Headless Nick knows a good one when he sees them," Amit teased.

Norah read the note again, staring at the riddle portion. "Stars. The riddle is stars," She said. "At least I think the answer is stars," She showed him the note.

Amit took a quick glance and nodded. "Indeed it is. Are you sure you're not really a Ravenclaw?" He teased.

"Despite blue being my favorite color, I'm afraid not," She shook her head, putting the note down to finish her plate of food.

[fandomsaligninstories]

Year Two: Astronomy Part 2

Chapter List

WC: 1,114

A/N: Couple things! Again posting from mobile so I apologize in advance for formatting issues. Just a friendly reminder that the tag list is still open, so shoot me a message or comment if you want to be added! Finally, sorry for such slow updates. Work is rough and my latest hobby is crochet, and I’m currently working on a hufflepuff sweater, so I’ve been hyperfocused on that. Enjoy!

4th November, Wednesday, 1993

After Defense Against the Dark Arts, Violet was convinced she was coming down with something. While she loathed Professor Lockhart, she'd never fallen asleep in class before. Whether he didn't notice or didn't care, she slept through the last hour of class, only waking when something soft hit the back of her head.

She jerked up, looking around wildly. Aimee and Hannah were on her right, neither of which noticed her frantic wake up. She looked to the floor to find the offending object, leaning over to pick up a wadded up parchment. 'Open me' was written on one edge.

She glanced around to see if she could figure out who threw it. She couldn't tell if she was surprised or not to find Draco staring at her expectantly. He dipped his head, glancing to the parchment. She rolled her eyes and turned back around, considering ignoring the boy. In the end, her curiosity won out, as was becoming habit with Draco.

She carefully unfolded the paper, flattening it on the table so she could read it.

She scoffed to herself, of course he has perfect handwriting.

𝐻𝑜𝓌'𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝓈𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓃𝑜𝓂𝓎 𝓆𝓊𝒾𝓏?

She had to reread the question several times before she could comprehend what he'd asked. Finally she turned to look at him again, but he was busy talking to one of his Slytherin mates. She waded up the parchment again, contemplating what to do with it. Part of her wanted to use incendio, to watch his expression as the parchment turned to ash, while the other part of her wanted to find out why he was asking. Surely he didn't care what grade she'd gotten? So, what, was it a prank? A trick?

The bells chimed to mark the end of class before she could make a decision. The bells startled her out of her thoughts, causing her to knock her bag off her chair and the contents spilling out.

She huffed a sigh before looking at her friends, who were already packed up and waiting, "Go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"You sure?" Aimee asked, her expression concerned.

"Yeah, see you at dinner."

The entire class had cleared out by the time she'd picked up her fallen books and parchment; all except one student.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Bloody hell!" She shouted at the blond boy, standing up so quickly she bumped her hip into the corner of the table, "What is wrong with you?!"

"Me?" He hissed, "I should be asking you that."

Violet glared at Draco, reaching out for the ball of parchment before shoving it into his chest. She spun on her heel and left the room, but she barely made it out the door before he'd caught up to her, walking by her side.

"Ellis, I need to know how you did on that quiz."

"Merlin's beard, Malfoy!" She groaned, reaching a hand up to rub at her forehead, her exhaustion spreading into a headache, "I got fourteen questions right, alright? Happy now?"

"What one did you get wrong?" His tone was bored, but something about the way he kept glancing to Violet made her wonder if he was worried about something. Maybe being seen with her?

"If I tell you, will you leave me alone?" When he didn't answer, she looked over at him, studying his blank expression, "What planet has the most moons."

"It's Saturn." He responded.

Violet stopped walking and turned to Draco, "I'll ask again, what do you want?"

Several expressions passed over his face quickly, the most prominent being reluctance and anger.

"I..." He swallowed several times, his eyes darting around, but it was only when his already pale skin paled further that Violet realized he was anxious. His next words were rushed, spoken nearly as one, "I need a tutor in Astronomy."

Violet blinked once, then again, and again, staring at the boy as if he'd grown a second head.

"Is this a prank?" She started looking around, "If so, it's not funny-"

"It's not a prank!" He huffed, regaining Violet's full attention, "I failed the quiz. Professor Sinister said if I don't pass the next one, I'll fail the class."

"It's Sinistra," She corrected, but he only rolled his eyes, "Why would you ask me? Can't any of your Slytherin mates help you? Or, better yet, have mommy and daddy pay for a tutor, because I won't do it."

"Is it about money?" He asked, brow furrowed, "I'll pay you if I must. But my parents cannot know."

"Oh, 'cause you'll be in trouble?" She mocked, "I still won't do it. Why ask me? You hate me!"

He didn't deny her words, but the vulnerability he was showing her was anything but hatred. He didn't like her by any means, and she didn't like him, but he knew he was running out of options.

"My mates don't know, and I'd prefer to keep it that way." He explained, though he was quickly becoming agitated, "I asked you because I thought you... Never mind!"

He started to stomp off, but Violet reacted on instinct, reaching out to grab his arm.

Draco froze, barely breathing, as she said, "Don't be daft. If it's that serious, I'll help."

He released a heavy breath, finally turning to look at her again, "Good. When can we start?"

"Friday at four? I have free period. We can meet in the library."

"Yes, perfect. See you then." He nodded stiffly, rushing off without another word.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

Violet was ready to burst when she finally sat down to dinner. She wanted so badly to tell her friends what had happened, to tell someone that the Draco Malfoy asked for tutoring, from a Hufflepuff no less! But when she finally sat at the table, she couldn't tell them.

She wasn't sure why. She thought it over for some time before she came to the conclusion that, by telling others, she would likely be humiliating the boy. Everyone knew that Draco Malfoy didn't ask for help, and that he would never rely on someone else willingly. Besides, he'd said he didn't want his friends knowing, and if Violet told her friends, the entire school would know by Friday. News like that would travel fast.

So Violet decided not to tell her friends about her run-in with Draco, or that she'd now be spending time with him, alone, every Friday. And for Astronomy, a subject she hates!

Yes, her friends would certainly be upset when they inevitably found out Violet was keeping such a big secret from them, but for now, she was okay keeping them in the dark for just a little while.

━⊱༻ ༺⊰━

TAGLIST:

@stellarlune-love

[discordapples]

PT. 6 Forbidden

Word count: 2k (8 mins read)

Characters: Sebastian Sallow, Livia Novik, Imelda Reyes, Grimes Ashwood.

Summary

During the duel, Livia unleashes Confringo on Imelda Reyes, and causes even more damage to her already fragile reputation. Sebastian comforts her the only way he knows how, and Livia learns he has been after the Promissum Mortis as well. It's time for her to learn how to be a team player.

Read the sixth chapter below.

Livia | Hogwarts, Late August 1893.

Forbidden

Livia

Hogwarts, Late August, 1893.

Livia can taste the electricity in the air. Next to her, Sebastian Sallow’s muscles prime with anticipation. In the care of adrenaline, she can see each hair raise on his arm, his veins swelling with blood, his jaw cording.

Before them, Grimes Ashwood and Imelda Reyes are taut with apprehension, shoulders vaulted, pupils wide. The crowd thrums. The sound is staticky in Livia’s ears, setting her senses alight.

A curly-haired Gryffindor boy cleaves through the throng, then roots himself between the contenders. With a twist of his wand, the massive clock tower pendulum freezes to a stop. His stare glides over each of them, hooking on Livia. 

“Rules are simple,” he clarions, and the hum shies. “No physical contact and, obviously, no Unforgivable Curses.” He looks at the crowd. “The rest is fair play. If you surrender, you’re out. If you faint, you’re out. If you bleed, you’re out. Oh, and,” his lips writhe upwards, “if you’re on fire, you’re out too. You got ten minutes.” 

He retreats to the circle of students and looses his spell on the pendulum that resumes its course in a sonorous thud. 

A lash of green zips between Livia and Sebastian, burning a dent in the stone pillar behind them. 

“Can’t wank straight, Ashwood,” Sebastian mocks him, but the smirk on Grimes’ lips has nothing reassuring. 

Time stutters forward and no one moves. 

The pendulum whooshes loudly.

Then it’s Imelda’s turn to test the waters, sending a paralysis spell at Livia.

It bounces off Livia’s shield and ricochets on the wall, maiming a piece of stone along with it. 

It takes nothing more for the two men to unleash a tempest of magic, and the air surges with a heady nitrous scent. 

Imelda is on Livia like a disease, cankering closer to her through a pattern of Expelliarmus, Diffindo and Depulso, but Livia deflects them all. It takes little time for the Ravenclaw to find the flaw in Imelda’s style, and hurl a Depulso of her own, sending the Slytherin girl straight onto her back. As she worms on the ground in pain, Livia’s head whip to Sebastian and Grimes in time to dodge a stray charm that zooms to her left. 

The room glows with fury as Sebastian increases the pressure on his rival. The air bristles with a metallic tang when Grimes lands an Incendio that sears a skid mark through the sleeve of Sebastian’s dress shirt.

“You little shit,” Sebastian grits out in response. “That’s Ominis’ shirt, you fuckwad!”

Livia has little time to watch him cross the room slinging more spells at Grimes, for Imelda is back on her feet, wand in hand.

“Depulso!” she yells as Livia scrambles to shield up. “Depulso! Depulso! Depulso!”

Each blow pushes against Livia’s barrier, wearing her energy out, and forcing her down on her knees. If she does nothing, Imelda will wear her tattered. 

It will also burn away the illusion Livia cast on herself to hide her scars. 

Already, Livia’s bulwark simmers against her shoulders, shrinking closer to her frame, the heat more akin to this of a raging inferno than a faltering ward. 

With the much too familiar sensation, come memories of the most poisonous kind: smoke squeezing its way through the cracks in the window; Laurence’s fingertips peeling from the bone; the stench of her own charred flesh filling her throat in acrid smoke.

She lifts her wand as Imelda hones in on her, cheeks flustered, then utters: “Confringo!”

The tip of Livia’s wand booms with a fiery bolt, and the Slytherin girl is propelled meters away, flames engulfing her in a ravenous siss.

Imelda’s anguished screech hacks through the roar of the crowd as the brazier grows with each gust of oxygen the pendulum fans into the room.

Gasps turn into screams as panic swells through the body of students until a loud voice thunders above them all. “Finite!” 

Imelda’s limbs steam with residual magic, her face burgundy as if gravely sunburnt. The flames ate holes into her cloak. 

Sebastian is on Livia in seconds, propping her up. His eyes are oily with concern. “Are you okay?”

But she has no time to answer, for the Gryffindor ringleader singles out from the crowd and walks up to her. “What the fuck was that?” Livia shakes her head, her heart pounding against her ribs. “What do they teach you in the Winter College?”

For once, she doesn’t know what to say and stammers: “I-I… What do you mean?”

Three neat lines appear on his forehead. “I mean, this spell is definitely getting added to the list of bans…”

“Sorry,” she mutters, a feverish embarrassment flaring behind her cheeks.

Hundreds of gazes coalesce to her. Too many eyes. A murmur shivers through the crowd. Words that, despite being inaudible, nail their infamy into her brain.

Obnoxious. The anathema sits in her stomach like a gulp of poison.

What will they call her tomorrow?

Murderous? Sadist?

Livia’s energy is so low now, she fears she cannot keep the illusion up, so she strides out of the room. 

Sebastian runs behind her. “Livia, it’s fine… Come back.”

“No,” she grits out. “I’ve done enough damage for tonight.”

He catches up in a few strides, his fingers closing around her forearm. “Hey, you’ve done nothing wrong. It was a duel. Reyes knew the risks.”

Livia stops and shakes out of his hold. “It’s fine, really. I’m just exhausted. I think it’s better if I get back to my dorm.”

Rooting himself before her, Sebastian gives her an encouraging smile. Strands of damp hair stick to his forehead, and there is a strange glow about him. “Come,” he says. “I promised I’d treat you to the best view Hogwarts has to offer.”

She scoffs glumly. “You said worst-case scenario. Have I spoiled our evening this much?”

Undeterred, he sheds a laugh. “Quite the contrary, in fact. I couldn’t imagine a more satisfying climax.” His eyes burn a trail right through her as he extends an arm. “Are you hungry? Dueling makes me ravenous…”

The attempt lacks elegance, but the allure of setting her mind on something else than her blunder wins Livia over. 

“I’m starving,” she confesses, taking the arm offered. 

“Then I have just the right thing to satiate you…”

*  *  *

The honey cake is divine, but the view of the lake from the owlery is better. Birds drowse in their alcoves, others flutter about, offended to share their peace with two intruders. 

Sebastian’s hip touches hers, his warmth fusing through her, keeping her from the chill that breathes alive with the conquering night.

His perfume is there, albeit faint under the briny smell of cooling sweat. There is something comforting about it—a form of permanence Livia craves. 

In the wake of the brazier and her brother’s death, the ground keeps shifting underfoot, as if the bones in the earth were disturbed by Laurence’s passing; an insidious tectonic only Livia can perceive. 

Or maybe that’s what grief does to you.

“Where did you learn Confringo?” Sebastian asks her, his voice devoid of any form of reprobation. 

She weighs what she is willing to tell him. “I taught myself. I figured it would come in handy one day. I guess it backfired—No pun intended.”

He chuckles. “Don’t fret. The others will forget about it soon enough. They’re like vultures: they only care about a corpse until a fatter one is dropped into their lap. As far as rules are concerned, I’m of the opinion no spell should be forbidden. With all its rules, I feel this world is giving you a hunk of meat asking you to use a spoon to cut through it.”

Livia cannot help but smile. “Interesting analogy, Sebastian Sallow. I take it you’re still hungry?”

He laughs. “Am I that easy to figure out?”

“No,” she concedes. “I think your persona is easy to make up, but what lays beneath your mask is another matter entirely.”

He angles his face to her, perplexed. “Why do you say I wear a mask?”

“The people that speak the loudest always do. Smoke and mirrors. To keep people’s attention away from who they truly are.”

“You really are obnoxious,” he teases her. “But also despicably clever. We’re alike, Livia Novik.”

“Did you just shamelessly throw flowers at yourself?”

“Nothing escapes you.”

Silence cotters between them as Sebastian scans the vista, lost in his thoughts. 

There is something sheltering in the way they are huddled under the arch, their legs dangling in the vast emptiness below. 

Knots of mist form between the trees surrounding the castle. A coy breeze needles through the shrubbery. Noiselessly, a flock of European Nightjars wings before the moon. 

At last, Sebastian turns to her. “I have a twin sister that lives in Feldcroft.” His voice is soft. Injured. “She used to attend Hogwarts, but when we were in fourth years, she was cursed.”

“Cursed?”

A shadow crawls over his traits. “Yeah. With debilitating pains… A ritual that backfired. One of mine, of course.”

“What were you trying to do?”

 “Find a way to bring our parents back after they died… I was greedy, though. Now Anne is paying the price for my cupidity.”

Livia’s heart squeezes. She thinks of Laurence and her own quest, and fear slithers into her throat like an adder.

Is she likewise doomed to fail?

Is Sebastian’s story a cautionary tale spun for her?

She gnaws at her inner cheeks, asking Sebastian: “Why are you telling me this?”

He shrugs. “To shed the mask. I don’t know why, but it bothers me that you think I hide who I really am.”

“Everyone dons a mask, Sebastian.”

“I know, but still.”

Silence again. This time, pressing around Livia. She chews on her lip. “I had a younger brother. Laurence. He died in a fire a year ago. I can talk to his ghost. But his connection to this world is fading a little more each day.” Her eyes set on the still waters of the lake. “That’s why I came to Hogwarts… Not to study, but to find something that might help me bring him back before it’s too late. Something I can only find here.”

Two neat lines run through Sebastian’s forehead. “What is it you’re looking for?”

She wrestles with the thought of parting with yet another of her secrets, but Sebastian’s words come back to her. 

I know this castle like the back of my hand—the places known, the ones forbidden. Maybe I can help you find what you want.

Perhaps she does need his help.

Maybe Laurence was right telling her she couldn’t do it alone.

“I’m looking for the Room of Requirement,” she says. “I think it can help me conjure a relic called the Promissum Mortis.”

His eyes rim with white. “The Promissum Mortis?”

“Death’s promise,” she explains. “The relic is compelled to grant a dying person’s last wish.”

“You’ll die in the process,” Sebastian points out. 

“Yes, but there are ways to outplay death.”

His eyes shine with an unconstrained interest. “Like what?”

“The tears of a poltergeist, for one. A thing I already acquired. You know, this relic might give you a chance at curing your sister…”

He smiles faintly. “I know… I’ve been looking for the Promissum Mortis all summer. Well, it’s more like I’ve been reading on how to beckon the Room of Requirement to appear, but didn’t really find anything conclusive.”

“Well…” Livia gets up, smoothing the pleats in her skirt. “I hope you’re an early riser, Sebastian Sallow.”

He lifts his eyes to her. “Why do ask?”

“Because we have to get to work. I know what it takes to call on the Room of Requirement and I remember you boasting to me that you knew the forbidden places like the back of your hand… Was that true?”

A smirk quirks his lips. “I never boast unless I can back it up with words, Livia Novik. Where do you need to sneak into?”

“The headmaster’s quarters.”

“The headmaster’s quarters?”

Livia crosses her arms before her. “Can you manage that?”

He stands, then leans in close, his heat ghosting over her lips. “I can manage a lot more than you think, new girl.”

Author's Notes:

I am taking a 3-day vacation, so I won't be able to post until Thursday, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy this sixth part!

Love you all.

[cicidarkarts]

Blood Defied - 14: Dragon Attack

< Previous Chapter | Chapter List | Next Chapter >

“Confringo!”

Sebastian's incantation came out as an enraged growl. The fiery curse exploded between the group of goblins. Two went flying; the other two teleported out of the way. The head goblin rushed at Credence with his sword raised. A swipe caught her automatic Protego, flinging his arm back. 

From the other side, she heard Ominis engaging the other two goblins. His wind charm blasted one of the goblins into the rocky cliffs. Despite Anne's pain, she pushed through and cast a strong Bombarda. Sebastian's Descendo took two goblins to the ground at once. One recovered so fast that he was a blur of dark colors. His sword sliced Sebastian, cutting through his jacket.

Sebastian didn't even wince as blood stained his clothes. He fired back with a blazing Incendio. Credence took aim at the head goblin before he could recover and hit him with an Arresto Momentum. Sebastian threw the other goblin into his leader's frozen body.

Ominis easily deflected one of the swords with his perfect Protego. He used the energy to cast a Stunner at the second, who had gotten a bit too close to Anne. Anne hit the first with a frigid Glacius just as he regained his footing from the Protego knockback.

Credence and the others drew closer, their wands at the ready. The goblins were gritting their teeth and breathing heavily.

“Tell me how to heal Anne,” demanded Sebastian. “Or I swear to God—” “Foolish boy. Even if there was a cure, you think I'd tell you?”

Credence's heart sunk. But Sebastian's fury rose. He fired another Confringo at the goblins. They teleported in a puff of smoke, scattering along the beach. Sebastian followed the head goblin and summoned him forward. The goblin muttered the counterspell and dropped to the ground.

Credence cast Levioso on her opponent, watching Ominis and Anne from the corner of her vision. One of their goblin opponents teleported behind Ominis. The other was already taking aim. Ominis wouldn't be able to turn in time. The goblin behind him raised his sword. Credence launched her opponent at him. Both goblins hit the ocean, dropping beneath the waves in a large splash.

The leader reached into his pocket and produced a small, black whistle with a row of ridges down its back. Sebastian took aim as the goblin blew the whistle. The piercing screech that filled the air was stopped short by Sebastian's slicing attack. The goblin staggered upon his feet, huffing and panting. His cold eyes met Sebastian's.

“Good luck. You'll need it.”

With that, four plumes of smoke took the goblins away. 

Anne screamed and howled in excruciating pain. She doubled over, clutching her stomach and chest. Ominis held onto her.

“Anne!” He grabbed her shoulders, but then he gazed skyward, his wide eyes wavering in terror. “Something's coming!”

They paused. Credence listened hard but couldn’t hear anything. Ominis tried to drag Anne to her feet and off the rocks.

“We need to get out of here,” said Sebastian.

The moment he took a step, a thunderous clap assaulted Credence’s ears. Then a vicious roar rumbled through the sky. She faced the noise as a shadow engulfed them. An enormous figure blotted out the sun, its wings outstretched. The beast tore toward them with unparalleled speeds. A stream of fire spewed from its maw.

Sebastian and Credence used their Protego to hold the flames off. Lava-like lashes whipped and flickered along the sides of their shield. The heat burned her dominant hand.

“Get Anne out of here!” screamed Sebastian. He struggled against the wall of fire, heels digging into the ground as the force threatened to shove them down.

The shields were at their limit, searing and thick with magic. Not even Protego Maxima could hold the fire back. But when the monster's feet hit the sand and shook the earth beneath them, its flame stopped. The overwhelming power within their shields burst with mighty Stunners. But each bounced off the scales of the ferocious beast like pebbles.

Before them, a black dragon stood poised for attack. It stretched its serpentine neck toward the sky and roared. There was a collar upon it, thick and black like the goblin armor, radiating a sanguine magic. Anne could barely move. Credence heard Ominis urging her to get up, but all Anne could do was cough and moan in agony.

“Bombarda!” called Sebastian, casting at the collar.

Bombarda exploded but neither the collar nor the dragon flinched. It lurched forward, teeth gnashing, jaws snapping. Credence flourished and cast Glacius to freeze the inside of its mouth. It flinched back, pawing at its face with a gigantic wing. At the same time, it swung its tail like a battering ram.

Sebastian snagged Credence around the back of the neck and took her to the ground. The tail boomed overhead like a gunshot and a rush of air forced them deeper into the sand. The dragon whirled around, sloshing through the water. It stopped, eyes upon Anne as Ominis finally got her to her feet. When it saw Anne, it scrambled toward her, screeching and snarling.

“No!” cried Sebastian. He swiped his wand through the air and cast, “Diffindo!”

Three slashes raced toward the dragon and clawed at its sensitive wing. But it barely slowed down. 

Credence and Ominis cried, “Confringo!”

Ominis’ hit the dragon in the throat and hers hit just under the wing. It was enough to make the dragon recoil and stagger. Sebastian rushed to Anne. He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her toward the valley leading back to town.

The dragon swiped a massive wing at them. Ominis was knocked face-first into the sand with a loud thud. Sebastian shoved Anne out of the way. The wing connected with his torso, sending him flying into the cliff. He gripped the bloody slash mark on his stomach as more blood spewed across his hand. He grit his teeth and failed to swallow down an agonized moan.

Credence tried to use something— anything! But all of her attacks were useless: Confringo, Depulso, even Galinn Glacius did nothing to stop the dragon. It still stared at Anne, bloodlust filling its gaze, set upon her like a rabid beast. Sebastian and Ominis had gotten to their feet. Their spells exploded off the dragon’s scales, doing nothing but infuriating it.

The dragon reared back, gulping down air, preparing to erupt once again. Sebastian stood with his wand raised against the unstoppable beast. Ominis stayed in front of Anne, protecting her as she coughed and sputtered and cried in pain upon the ground. Neither of them were a match for a dragon but both stood strong, ready to face death.

Credence knew there was one thing she hadn't tried yet. One thing that would work, that could save her bleeding and battered friends. Her racing heart slowed as she prepared her transfiguration. She wouldn't let them die, even if that meant they would see her as the monster she is.

In the blink of an eye, her body contorted and twisted—elongating, growing. She hissed at the dragon who halted its attack. The gem on her head flashed, entrancing the beast. She swayed, leading it toward her while her coils tugged her friends together. Her body protected them, pushing against their clothes and skin, Sebastian's blood trickling down her scales. Anne called her name, weak and frail between coughs. Credence nudged them toward the path.

“Run!” she hissed. “Credence…?” said Sebastian, a shock and muteness in his voice like she'd never heard from him.  “Run!” Ominis reiterated. “She wants us to run!”

Just as they made a break for it, the dragon snapped out of its momentary trance. When its eyes locked onto her friends, Credence lunged for its throat. Its long neck slithered out of the way. Needle-like teeth jabbed into the back of her neck. She couldn't hold onto her hissing yelp of pain.

She looked to Ominis and the others, ensuring they were out of the way. Sebastian was dragging Ominis up the valley. Their faces were contorted in fear—pale, clenched teeth, wide and glossy eyes. Fear directed at the dragon, not at her, unlike—

Her mind's eye flashed Anaba's wide, horrified stare; gazing as though she were a great evil prepared to kill in an instant. Those striking hazel eyes filled with terror churned her stomach. But that was not Ominis; not Sebastian nor Anne.

Credence wrapped her coils around the dragon and squeezed as hard as she could. Spines dug into her stomach. With a crack, the beast let her go. She whirled her head around and snagged the dragon's wing in her mouth. Her fangs tore through its hard scales and she forced acrid venom into the limb.

The dragon ripped at her with its back claws, slicing open her flesh. She fell, briefly bashing into the sand before shooting back up. The dragon seemed hellbent on attacking her friends—on going after Anne and the familiar dark magic within her. It staggered up the path, scraping its useless wing along the ground. 

Credence struck at its back but her teeth couldn't penetrate. The dragon's tail whipped her face. She snagged it in her mouth and bit down, injecting more venom. Flames inundated her as the dragon tried to free itself. Her magic-resistant scales shielded her from the intense heat, making it feel like the Wyoming summer sun bore down on her. 

“Credence!” Anaba called, smiling bright in her mind. “You're a muggle-born? That's so awesome, so am I!”

Then another memory assaulted her, filling her ears with a young Anaba's sobs. A white boy stood over her, mocking her for being lowbred, a muggle spawn, a mistake, an Indian.

Credence stepped in even then, as her child voice yelled, “Leave her alone!”

Anaba gave as good as she got, defending Credence against prejudiced attacks. “An eye for an eye,” she’d teased, her brilliant smile gleaming. “We get enough crap in the muggle world, don't you think?”

Credence pinned the dragon to the cliffside with her horns and it thrashed and snapped at them. One solid kick threw Credence into the ocean waters, splashing the salty water up the shoreline, dyeing the sand crimson.

The dragon rushed up the path, carving through dirt and rocks in its clumsy wake, that wing and tail dragging heavy behind. Credence slithered after it, shooting streams of venom at the beast. It didn't slow it down. The venom that lay upon its back couldn't get through those tough, keeled scales.

It was going to reach Feldcroft soon. Credence  darted toward it, charging with speeds that burned her unblinking eyes. She latched onto the dragon's throat. It roared skyward as a coppery flavor seeped into Credence’s mouth. Spells were shot in their direction, hitting the dragon and her as she instinctively coiled around it to squeeze out its life. Fire and ice and lightning seared her flesh. She injected venom into the dragon. It retaliated by whirling its serpentine neck around and clamping down on her chest. Its fangs pierced deep into her sensitive underbelly.

She cried out, releasing the dragon and trying to tear away from the assault. But the dragon had her tight. With half of its body useless, it refused to relinquish its only method of defense. Spells peppered her body in tandem, blasting her underbelly and sending shocks of pain throughout her. 

“Don't hurt her!” Anne's distant voice screamed through terror and tears. “Confringo!” came both of the boys’ attacks.

They hit the dragon in the face, one fiery explosion in each eye. It released her. Blood cascaded down her chest, hot and wet, thick as it spattered the ground. So many punctures leaked down her front. She writhed and her coils unraveled from the dragon's collapsing body. Her muscles gave out. Frigid wind rushed past her head as she fell backwards. She couldn't move, couldn't stop her descent.

She hit a body of water, then a gravely bottom. Pond water streaked skywards. As her animagus form failed her, transfiguring her back to small human Credence, the icy water fell upon her in heavy raindrops. It covered her up to the ears, dulling the sounds of the dragon being subdued by the town.

Through the ice, Credence felt something hot burning her flesh. Her chest and stomach were on fire. A trembling, heavy hand reached for her wounds, dousing her frozen fingers in boiling hot liquid. Her heart was so tired it couldn't react when she saw her pale hand dripping crimson.

She was going to die. Whether it was true or not, her mind resigned her to it. She would die here in this pond. But at least her friends were safe. At least Ominis was safe. Thudding footsteps reached her muffled ears.

“Credence!” called Ominis’ voice. The sound graced her ears and flooded her with ecstasy.

Water sloshed as he ran up to her. He drenched his knees when he knelt beside her. She could barely see his face, blurry eyes struggling to make sense of blonde, peach, and striking blue. She focused on the dark brown beauty marks flecking his face, allowing his bleary features to come into view.

“Credence, oh my God,” he called, voice shaking and body trembling. 

His hand touched her chest, then he ripped it away. As his face came into focus, she saw the color leave his cheeks. Her blood dripped off his hand. His blue eyes were wide in panic. He grabbed her again, lifting her head from the frozen pond.

“Ominis,” she groaned, weak and dull. “I'm so glad you're here.” “Y-you're going to be okay,” he said desperately, quivering and sweating.

She tried to take in all the details of his face. Time stopped for her, allowing her to absorb him—his thick brow, his incredible jawline, his high cheekbones. She counted his beauty marks and admired his pink lips. He was so regal. Credence thought back to his stunning smiles, his quick wit, his gentle touches. She longed to marvel at his kindness and his soft-spoken voice, and treasure him for the rest of her life. She reached up with her leaden, exhausted hand. Her fingers touched his clammy face, hot in comparison to her frozen body.

“You're the most gorgeous man I've ever met,” she said. His hand laid upon hers, fingers grasping her and keeping her close. “Credence. I won't let you die. Please. Please—”

She didn't hear him anymore. His lips kept moving but no sound reached her ears. Everything was so cold. Her vision went black.

[khasiehondra]

A Shadow of an Eagle Chapter 5: The Undercroft: Sebastian

At the rate he was going, Sebastian was going to pace a hole into the tiled floor. So she was with Andrew. I thought Garreth was trying to get under my skin, but that was some intense flirting if I had ever seen flirting. Sebastian couldn’t think straight. In potions he had ended up singeing the front of his and Garreth’s hair with an accidental minor explosion. When he was walking into the Great Hall he caught hold of a few whispers that he was Alice’s mystery man. They already thought he was showing off so he could snog someone in the Restricted Section, so he didn’t really think this was anything different. People were wanting to put two and two together. The issue with this is that Garreth’s words were not a load of shit. 

“Sebastian?” She was silent this time. “Is everything all right?” 

He swung around to face her. “Yes, I’m quite…” he faltered. She was alluring. The picture of the perfect noble had been replaced with the figure of a fighter. Her olive green trousers were skin tight and tucked into knee-high lace-up boots. Her billowy blouse was low cut and tucked under a blue corset that was tied at her waist with a sash and leather belt. He couldn’t help but let his eyes drop to her right thigh. Leather straps wrapped tightly around her leg so she had a place to holster her wand. It was like she was reborn into a warrier. “New outfit?”

“Oh this?” She glanced down at her attire. “After some instances with the goblins, bandits, errands, and now these trials I realized that my school attire is not the most practical.”

Try as he might, he could barely pull his eyes from her. Besides being stunning beyond belief, he could see the very shape of her. The gentle hourglass figure that was always hiding away during the day. “It suits you nicely.” Her shy smile made his chest swell. That compliment made her genuinely happy. I wonder if that’s how Larson won her over. He had never wanted someone in his house so badly.

“I’m going to show you the Undercroft. It’s a secret room that only Ominis’s family knows of. They are direct descendents of Salazar Slytherin. We practice all sorts of spells down there. Our own little haven. I would keep in mind that it would be best if we do not tell Ominis.” 

“Your secret’s safe with me.” She followed him to a beautiful clock that revealed a door when Sebastian spoke the password with a specific wand movement. 

“Ladies first,” he jokingly bowed and let her slide through the small door. He couldn’t help but notice her hips sway as she passed. Once they were inside he put out three of the chandeliers and claimed, “I planned on teaching you confringo. It’s similar to incendio but much more powerful.” 

She looked at him in the low light, worry written all over her face, “Should we be doing this? There must be a reason they don’t teach us this during classes.”

“They should be teaching us this in class so we learn how to control these powerful spells properly. The fact that it is up to ourselves is almost a disgrace. If this spell is ever the reason to save my life, I believe it to be worth it. Are you ready?” When she shook her head in confirmation, Sebastian turned to face her toward the extinguished chandeliers. He raised her wand arm and traced the movement with her. 

As if the most skilled teacher, he twisted her stance and placed a hand on her waist and whispered, “Try it now.” 

Precise and firm, Alice commanded, “confringo!” The light from the chandelier flooded the corner of the room. She turned in glee toward Sebastian, unknowingly closing the distance between them. He stared into his own reflection in her crystalline eyes: Pure happiness of her success and he could see adoration for her all over his face. 

Alice’s breathing slowed and calmed, her wide-tooth grin falling into a soft and gentle smile. “That was exceptional, was it not? It makes one feel alive.” She stayed with her back pressed into his shoulder, gazing up at him for praise. 

“You are exceptional.” In that moment, he realized the severity of their proximity, the crackling of the fires above them were deafening. He cleared his throat and stepped back. “Why don’t you have another go? There are two more.” Gesturing to the last two chandeliers and taking one more step back. His right side felt cold now that she was no longer pressing into him. The comfort she had given him felt like a warm summer’s day. 

Shoulders back and feet planted, Alice executed the spell twice more. Somehow her spellcasting was like watching a dance. Her movements were fluid as she turned in a circular movement toward the target. Sebastian had never seen such a breathtaking display of talent. There was nothing he could do but concede to her skill.

“That was some great work. This just brings back memories of being down here with Ominis and Anne.” He knew the smile on his face faltered, even if for just a second. “I feel awful getting to be here while she is stuck in Feldcroft. Can’t imagine how lonely she is.” A thought occurred to him. “What if you come to Feldcroft the next time I go home? You could meet Anne, help me keep her company. She would have loved you.” 

Ever the lady, head held high, “I would love to meet you sister, Sebastian.” 

“Keep an eye out for my owl.” As she was turning to leave he felt something in him call out for her. “Alice.” 

She turned to look over her shoulder, the question forming in the place between her brows. “Yes, Sebastian?” 

Embarrassment flooded over him. “What everyone is saying, about you and a man from last night. I heard some people think it’s me.” 

Her hands covered her mouth and she rushed back over, “Oh Sebastian, I am so sorry. I can clear things up and tell everyone that-” but he cut her off. 

“You can lie and tell everyone it’s me.” He couldn’t look her in the eyes. “It would be a good excuse as to why we spend so much time together. Why we meet, even without Ominis. He’s my best mate so it would make sense why it is just the two of us and not the three.” He really hoped his face was as neutral as he could wield it. 

“I feel awful putting you in this position. I don’t want to lie, but I know that what I did was not proper for someone in my station.” She leaned in a little. “I need to decide if I want people to know and what would be expected from me if I told everyone the truth.” 

Without turning, he looked at her. Her eyes were downcast and he could tell she was confused about the whole thing. “ Was it actually Andrew Larson?” If he wasn’t paying close enough attention he would have missed her nod. Instead of letting the conversation run wild, and to alleviate the twist in his stomach, he pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry about the position you are in. I’ll be here to comfort you and stand by your side if need be.”  

The smallest sniffle escaped her. “It’s just in London everyone I’ve met is because of the status of our family. My father is an excellent doctor. Once I got my powers he claimed that he used wizarding medication in combination with muggle methods. He thought I would never get my magic, so he was happy being a normal man. It was exhilarating to be with someone because I wanted to.” 

To be with someone because she wanted to…because her station means she may not get a choice. “Your secrets are safe with me, Alice.” 

“Lici.” 

“I beg your pardon,” His cheek was propped on the top of her head. 

“Lici. My friends back in London, they all called me Lici. I would like for you to call me that as well.” She was looking up at him now, her eyes begging for some sense of familiarity.

“Now little Lici," he removed one of his arms from her waist and brushed back a few of her loose hairs, "so far, am I the only one calling you this?” He was flirting and he knew it, but he wanted to be special to her in some way. Her nuzzle into his shoulder was all the confirmation he needed. 

Ominis gave him no mercy when he had discovered Sebastian had informed Alice of the Undercroft. If I didn’t have a heart we would have never been found out, but I wouldn’t take back that moment we had for anything. A few weeks went by and he realized he missed her. They would walk from class to class together, Ominis would give in a few times and Sebastian could tell deep down that Ominis thought she was as great as everyone said.

It was always torture at mealtimes. She would always sit with Samantha and Amit but Andrew would always be closeby. Either him and his friends would sit near them later or he would go out of his way to talk to her at meals. Have they become close enough to where she asked him to call her Lici, too? How much more have they shared than us?

“Are you going to keep sulking about?” Bulstrode was sitting with them in the Slytherin common room. Autumn was approaching quickly and he felt like he had made no progress with Anne’s cure and no progress with Lici. He had left astronomy with Ominis the week prior to learn that She had not stayed behind with Amit but with Andrew.

He felt annoyed since the little rumor about her time with a mysterious man was still going around. The money was on either Larson or himself. Ominis didn’t even look their way as he continued to scrawl on his parchment. “Bulstrode, if you keep reminding him that he is sulking there is a higher chance he won’t do anything about it.” 

“Will both of you be quiet? I’m trying to think.” The book on his legs forgotten, his back against the plush sofa, he knew he was hopeless. 

From a table nearby, Sebastian honed in on someone's conversation when he heard Alice's name. “I told her that after potions tomorrow she should come to the second race course I’ve designed. It’s much more of a challenge. I don’t think she could best my time that easily.” Imelda was chatting away with Violet, but that concersation sparked the best idea in Sebastian’s brain. 

“Imelda, where exactly is that course you made?” Please be near Feldcroft, please be near Feldcroft. 

“In the southern end of Hogwarts Valley. A little outside of Irondale. Do you plan on watching me put Shaw in her place? Us Slytherins need to stick together.” 

“Um no, I just wanted to make sure that Samantha could find it, she’s always getting lost. She’ll probably be there to support her friend.” He was normally a fair liar, but he was preoccupied with something completely different. 

Imelda peered at him suspiciously. “Wait, was that girl you went to the Restricted Section with Samantha Dale?” A mischievous grin appeared. “Oh, so she was with Andrew, I can’t wait to tell Cressida.” 

Shit. I do not want people to think I fancy Samantha. “I do not fancy her. I was talking to Alice and she says Samantha is her best friend. She would obviously want her best friend to be there.” 

“Whatever you say, Sallow.” Refusing to hear him out any further she turned and walked up to the girls dormitories. 

The three boys sat in stunned silence when Ominis finally spoke. “That definitely could have gone better. How dense could someone be to not realize who you fancy?” Sebastian was thankful for once that his friend was blind, because he would have fought back if he saw the look he bore into him. 

“Could I have a bit of your parchment, mate?” Ominis tore off a few inches and passed Sebastian a spare quill as well. “Thanks.” 

He quickly wrote a message.

I’m going to Feldcroft tomorrow, feel free to meet me after your race. -S.S.

 Since they were in the dungeons he didn’t have immediate access to an owl, so he folded the parchment into the shape of a bird and enchanted it to find its recipient. His smile disappeared when he realized that tomorrow, Imelda will have the entire school thinking that Alice and Andrew were courting one another in secret. 

[humanoidalien27]

Content warning: Seb-interupt-ious (😂), venomous snakes

.....

Chapter 5

The Scriptorium

             Being back in the scriptorium was eerie, especially with it being less dusty and more lived in, but at least you didn't have to go through being tortured to get in. 

You and Sebastian immediately set to work with trying to find anything about ancient magic, while Anne and Ominis wandered around not knowing what to do. 

While Sebastian went for the book shelf, you thought it was too obvious, so you started digging through the desk, though you didn't find anything. So, you moved to glance around, but didn't even see any ancient magic traces either. 

Frustrated, you moved towards a snake torch that was the only one unlit. Taking out your wand, you cast incendio on the torch, it flared up and went out nearly instantly. 

"Curious," you mumbled as Anne and Ominis attention turned towards you. 

You backed up and hit the torch with confringo, hearing something click and a door behind one of the walls opened. 

"I don't recall this passage way being here before," Ominis said as you peeked down the dark corridor. 

"So, do we go down the creepy path or decide against it?" 

When you looked back, Ominis was smiling. "You're asking us now?" 

Giving him a smile, you replied. "Yeah, we're a team." 

He reached out, fishing around for your hand, so you moved it into his path, where he grabbed it and squeezed it. "We are." 

"You two are getting sickly cute, save that for when you're alone," Sebastian teased, getting a whack for it. 

"We're never alone and when we are, you keep interrupting us," you complained as you led everyone down the stairs, still holding Ominis's hand.

"You two just have bad timing on your romantic moments." 

"Sebastian," Anne hissed as you shook your head, mentally reminding yourself to curse him with the leg locker later.

You stepped down into a dimly lit room seeing another desk, but a book on a podium in the middle of the room was swirling with ancient magic. 

"I think we found it," you said walking over. 

"This place is creepy," Anne said wiping at some dust on the nearest shelf. 

You reached out towards the book, but once your hand touched it, a metal snake wove around your wrist and bit down on your arm, while it hissed at you. 

Ominis started conversing in parseltongue while you tried to shove it off, but it only did once the snake language stop. 

You ripped yourself way from the stand, grabbing your arm as you groaned in pain. Ominis was already pushing a wiggenweld potion into your hand after uncorking it. 

"What was that all about?" 

Fire was quickly spreading through your veins, making you want to jump into the black lake in winter. 

"Later, first drink this. That snake had poison in it's teeth," Ominis said snatching the book quickly off the stand as you downed the potion, the fire slowly extinguished. 

"That wasn't exciting," Anne said rolling up your sleeve to see the two puncture marks rapidly healing. 

"I hate this place," you whispered as you took the book back and opened it away from your face just in case there was more magic protecting it. "I hate Salazar Slytherin." 

"That doesn't include me right? Descendant of Salazar." 

You lightly patted his shoulder. "No it doesn't, but I'm starting to think you're not related. You are the exact opposite of Salazar." 

He smiled as he blushed, pleased with that answer, but you weren't saying it to make him feel better, you meant it. 

You heard stone scraping, making all of you look back towards the noise. 

"We have to get out of here!" Sebastian hissed softly, his eyes already glancing around the room as if an exit would magically appear. 

I looked around seeing a familiar swirl of magic on the door.

"This way," you said, grabbing Ominis's hand and pulling him after you.

Ominis groaned once you passed through. "This is unsettling. Are we in the common room?"

"Yeah, that makes me feel better about sleeping here," Anne whispered, getting all of you to nod before heading to your dormitory.

You sound proofed the room as all of you sat down.

"When should we go talk to Godric?" Anne asked after you sat in a moment of silence. "We did promise him."

"I know, but tomorrow," you replied, trying to calm your racing heart. "I still haven't learned the true secret this book is keeping."

She nodded as she flopped down onto her bed. "Alright, then I'm going to go to sleep. We have an early day tomorrow."

You sit against the headboard and opened the book, instantly seeing ancient magic swirling.

"It's empty?" Sebastian half growled as he flipped the pages to the middle.

"No, I can see the words. I think he hid them."

"Makes sense," Ominis replied, running his hand over the page. "You wouldn't want just anyone reading the book."

Sebastian huffed before tossing his robe onto his bed. "I figured that snake was enough."

Sighing, you started to look through the book, as the twins left to get ready for bed.

"Thank you," you whispered, lightly pressing your shoulder into Ominis's.

"For what?"

"Telling the snake to let go."

Blush spread across his cheeks as he bowed his head a little out of embarrassment.

"I'm sorry it bit you," he said, already reaching over to wrap his hand around your wrist.

"It's not your fault."

He rested his head against yours, his eyes closed as his body relaxed.

"How are you feeling?"

Nearly chuckling, you shifting your head to face his. "I'm alright. The pain and the burning are gone."

"That's good," he whispered as his fingers traced along your cheek while he lifted his forehead from yours. "I wish I could see you everyday."

"Ominis, you see me better than anyone else ever could."

He smiled bashfully, his eyelashes casting shadows down his cheeks as he bowed his head.

"Do you mean that? You don't mind that I can't see- you could do better."

Feeling this was more of an insecurity of his rather than him thinking you worried about it, you replied. "I've never once thought that you being blind was a disability. It's apart of who you are and I like you. All of you."

His eyes flickered closed while you ran your fingers under his eye.

"Your eyes are beautiful, especially in the light."

He pressed your hand into his cheek, while a tear jetted down them.

As you carefully pulled him closer, you pressed your lips between his brows, hearing him sigh.

"You're not mad?"

Confused, you pulled back to look at him. "About what?"

"Me asking about it? About wishing you'd pick better?"

"No, I'm not mad. I couldn't ever be mad about you wanting better for me, even if I'm supposed to decide that. And about you being blind, everyone has things they feel makes them different and people will pick at it until their voice bullies us in our heads long after they've left our lives. It doesn't make it true. Being blind is the same as having magic, it's just a part of us."

His hand left yours before his fingers brushed against your face until they ran across your bottom lip, getting your breathing to hitch. 

Both of you jumped when the door opened and the twins came into the room. 

Ominis sighed as he pulled back. "I swear, they have terrible timing." 

Laughing to hide your disappointment, you moved to begin reading the scriptorium's book as Ominis headed towards the twins. 

The book was mostly Salazar's thoughts and ideas about the magic he had and no one else seemed to, but he felt that it was older magic that seemed to get stronger as he aged. It even had a few spells he had created with it, one being the spell he used to steal Apollo's magic. He ended up finding a cave no one would touch below the castle, further than you had gone with the Keepers. 

"What's wrong?" 

You looked up seeing Anne watching you, grabbing her brother and Ominis's attention. 

"According to this, there are caverns under the school." 

"We know that, the repositories-"

You shook your head. "No, deeper than that," you said moving closer to point out the paragraph forgetting they couldn't read it for a moment. "This says that Salazar tried to find how to open a door down there, but it refused to open. There were no keys, no spells could get through, nothing. He's stealing magic to amplify his own to try breaking in." 

"And he now has his eyes set onto you," Ominis whispered, shifting closer. "What do you want to do?" 

"Well, running isn't going to help anyone, but maybe I can find a way into the cavern to see the door. It might have answers for what exactly this magic is." 

"If Salazar finds his book gone, he'll know we're looking into this. We need this to be a surprise, so maybe we should try to put the book back while we have the chance to," Sebastian replied as he closed the book. "Did you read through it?" 

"Yeah, it was mostly Salazar's thoughts and spells, but nothing that explains why only we have access to it." 

"Then after we talk to Godric, Helga and Rowena, we need to ask then to cover for us while we go digging through that cavern." 

Nodding, all of you moved to head to bed, agreeing to put the book back in the morning.  

.....

Previous

Next

[thatfrogkiki]

Incendio

Revolution (Royal Witch AU)

Chapter Two: Incendio

Draco Malfoy x royal!Reader

Author: @thatfrogkiki​

Warnings: slowburn, swearing, political themes, eventual smut (everyone is 18+ in this AU), violence, etc.

Summary: The Reader gets caught by Draco in the forbidden history section of the library, but she’s found her book she was looking for. However, Draco refuses to leave her be without a fight.

Word Count: 1935

Author’s Note: I’m not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I thought I’d post it anyways! I have plans for more interesting chapters, so please stick around for them if you’d like! Any feedback is welcome by the way! I appreciate all your kind words!

Y/n = Your name

Y/m/n = Your middle name (going to be used as your fake last name)

~~~

*Reader’s POV*

I have to find it here… I just have to… If it isn’t here, it isn’t anywhere… I try my best to quickly scan each book on every bookshelf in the history section. The further I go into the forbidden history section, the heavier my chest feels. It makes me feel like I really shouldn’t be here, but I must go on. Nothing can stop me from fulfilling my destiny…

“C’mon, it has to be here somewhere…” I mumble out loud to myself. I sigh and close my eyes for a second. Without opening my eyes, I rest my head on the bookshelf ahead of me. When I get back up and open my eyes, they immediately focus on an unusual book with no name on its spine.

“That’s peculiar…” I go to pick it up, and a shiver runs down my spine. I can hear the chanting of my ancestors beating in my eardrums, but I ignore it. This is the book I was looking for:

Sols and Lunes: A History of Genocide

I’ve found it… I’ve finally found it! Tears begin streaming down my face as I open the book and start to read the first few pages. It’s encoded in some strange language of runes I’ve never seen before. 

“And what do you think you’re doing here?” I hear a voice practically yell at me, making me jump out of my own skin.

“H-huh?” I panic and stupidly ask who I now see to be that Draco kid from the dining hall.

“I said, ‘And what…’” He begins again, but I stop him by shushing.

“Shh! We’re gonna get caught if you don’t stop yelling!” I whisper angrily towards him.

“Oh please, no one’s gonna find us all the way back here. No one goes for the forbidden history section, it’s not nearly as exciting as the forbidden spells section…” Draco tries to joke with me, but I’m in no mood to be humorous. 

“Can I help you with something, then?” He steps closer to me slowly, and our height difference becomes more noticeable. I can tell he’s liking that, too, which pisses me off. 

“Not with anything specific… I just came to apologize for my behavior earlier, but then I noticed you sneaked off into here so I…” He trails off with a slight smirk on his face.

“You what? Thought you have leverage over me or something? Look, I’m not interested in being friends or anything you’re thinking of, so just leave me alone. I’m doing something rather important,” I step to the side and begin to walk away from him, but he holds his arm out to stop me. He grips my shoulder and shoves it gently towards the bookshelves.

“You might want to watch that tone of yours… Most people tend to know who they’re talking to, but you’re new so I’ll let it slide this time.” Draco throws me a wink as if I’d swoon, but instead I slam my shoe into his shin. He drops to one knee in pain, cussing me out.

“Watch your tone, Malfoy. Or else you might regret it.” I spit out with venom, slapping his hand off my shoulder. I start walking away again, but, before I get far enough, Draco stops me with a spell.

“Incarcerous!” He yells with his wand at the ready, and I’m immediately tied up with magic ropes. I stumble forward a little but still catch my balance.

“Heh, not so tough now, are ya?” Draco chuckles to himself as he strides towards me.

“Expelliarmus!” I shout back at him, and his wand flies out of his hand.

“H-how did you do that?! Your wand isn’t out…” He stops with shock in his eyes. I don’t answer him, as I’ve realized how stupid I am. I just informed him that I don’t need a wand to do magic spells, which means he might find out what I am… Before he can figure it out, I unbind myself from the ropes and make a run for it. I slip out of the restricted section and library, then head for the Slytherin dormitories again. Surprisingly, I make it all the way there without seeing Draco again. Once in my private room, I’m able to rest finally. I lean my back against my door and sigh with relief. However, I then get the thought that I’ve made an even more terrible mistake. 

“Oh fuck!” In mid-thought, I hear a knock at my door. I panic for a second, but collect myself and unlock the door.

“Hello, Y/m/n. It appears that you’ve left something behind…” Draco smirks, holding my book up to his chest.

“O-oh, yes… M-my mistake… If I could just have that back,” I reach out for it, but he snaps the book up in the air with his long, lanky arm.

“Ah, ah, ah! Where are your manners?” He takes a step forward, but I hold my ground with a glare. He takes another step, and we’re chest to chest. I know what he wants, but it’s not going to happen.

“Give it here, or else I’ll report you…” I try to threaten, but he doesn’t seem fazed.

“Try me.” He leans down and whispers into my ear. I finally take a step back, which seems to make Draco happy. With his foot, he shuts the door, leaving us alone in my room with no quick way out.

“Now, if you’re done sassing me, I’d like to ask you a few questions. I’ll give you your book back if you answer all of them,” Draco promises, but I’m warry to believe him. I know what he’s going to ask about before he does, but I just play along.

“Firstly, how’d you cast a spell without your wand out? Something like that takes years of practice, and no school would ever teach students such power…” He asks, and I try to come up with a good lie.

“I had my wand out, Malfoy. You just didn’t see cuz it was lowered.” I try, but he just quirks an eyebrow in response.

“Sure, you must think I’m as blind as Potter…” He rolls his eyes at me.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told the truth…” I begin to lie again, but Draco is having none of it.

“Just tell me, or you’ll never see your stupid book again,” He bluffs.

“Fine! I was taught from a young age by my mother,” I feel my face heat up from embarrassment. I hate having to talk about this kind of stuff with normal people. They know not what they meddle with…

“Your mother? And who taught her?” Draco asks.

“Her mother! It’s just been passed down in my family since the beginning of magic…” I answer annoyed.

“Since the beginning of magic?” Draco is taken aback by my answer, and I mentally cuss myself out.

“Uh, I mean… you know what I mean… It’s been forever since this tradition started, I guess… I’m not sure how it started…” I lie.

“No, no… You specifically said, ‘since the beginning of magic’. What do you mean by that?” He questions further.

“I didn’t mean anything by it! It was just an expression!” I lie again, but Draco shakes his head in disagreement.

“I… I can’t tell you…” I pip out.

“Why not?” He inquires, but I let out a frustrated sigh.

“I just can’t! I’m not going to endanger myself or you just because you’re curious!” I yell at him, but he stands his ground.

“You? Endangering me? Like you could…” Draco snickers, making me furious.

“Believe it or not, I can be quite powerful when I want to! You’re lucky we’re at Hogwarts, or else I’d have gotten rid of you a long time ago,” I cross my arms in front of me.

“Is that a threat?” Draco looks livid, but I don’t back down.

“Yes, so back off!” I shout, but Draco doesn’t listen. Instead, he brings my book back close to himself.

“I guess you won’t be needing this then,” He shrugs and takes out his wand.

“W-what are you doing?!” I try reaching for the book, but he’s already spoken his spell.

“Incendio!” A small fire sparks through his wand towards the book.

“No!” I scream for the book, but then it seems unharmed by the flames. Draco’s fire dies out, and we’re both left staring in awe.

“It’s enchanted…?” Draco asks himself, but I take the opportunity to snatch the book from his hand.

“Apparently… You should leave… I mean it,” I answer.

“Hm, I don’t want to… I want to know what that book really is, especially since it’s so important to you,” Draco states, but I ignore him. I begin to flip through the book, hoping to find a hidden key for the strange runes.

“What language is that?” Draco asks.

“Not sure… But seriously, you need to leave.” I close the book and glare his way.

“Why?” He questions.

“Because! Because… It’s dangerous for someone like you to be around someone like me…” I answer honestly.

“How so?” Draco doesn’t let it go.

“Because I tend to attract bad people in my life… People that want to do me and all around me harm…” I look away somewhat ashamed of the lifestyle I lead.

“Heh, I feel that… I don’t have many friends that would look out for me either…” I can feel Draco’s eyes on me still, and, for a moment, I feel pity for him.

“I’m sorry… But we can’t be friends.” I finally look him dead in the eyes and firmly state.

“Why not? I know I’m not always the most polite, but I’m not a complete asshole either,” Draco chuckles to himself, but I simply shake my head in disagreement.

“Again, it has nothing to do with how poor your character is. It’s a matter of safety. I’m not going to put anyone at risk just because they want to be friends with me,” I say with a slight broken heart. Admittedly, it’s been rather lonely the past few years on my own. It’s also rather terrifying to not have anyone that can help me with survival…

“I swear I can hold up my own, Y/n…” Draco practically pleads with me, and it takes everything in me to decline.

“I’m sorry, I can’t… Please just try to understand…” I look down at my feet in shame.

“Fine.” Draco spats out at me, and then I hear him open the door and leave. 

“God, why couldn’t I have been born into a normal family?” I feel my eyes start to tear up slightly. The people pleaser in me just wants to be friendly with everyone, but the danger I possess can’t risk being closer to anyone else.