"Gnothi Seauton" Know thyself... Can mean so many things, it can be a warning to not follow the opinion of others and to know your own thoughts of a subjet. "Nosce te ipsum", know thyself… In such times it is best to know your own limits, your thoughts, your ways of being. Think before acting, "γνῶθι σεαυτόν, gnōthi seauton" , know thyself… The latest events seemed to push the young redhead in that direction, a self discovery of herself, her mind, her secrets, her limits, her capacities…

As she poured some flour in a bowl, thoughts came up to her mind just like the dust rose making her cough. Roselyn was in the kitchens cooking along with the elves, her forehead had flour on it, her hair tied back, and she was determined to make the best cookies… But she was distracted all the same and had trouble concentrating. Too much was going on in that redheads mind, too much to make cookies…

As she cracked the eggs, the broken egg shell reminded her of Karen, she sighed as she put them beside the bowl. Who was she fooling? Taking in the pain and not reporting it, maybe he did indeed have her in his claws… Sink your claws, he had said to Rose over and over… How much blood would have to be spilt, how much pain would the ravenclaw have to endure before realizing just how wrong it was? Roselyn cracked another egg into the large bowl as a house elf put chocolate on the counter smiling up at her.
“Thank you, Saly.” She said warmly to the elf as she bowed and went back to her cooking.

Thank you… It seemed that she had said that word a lot that day. She had thanked Professor McGonagall, she had thanked Jess, and she had thanked many students as they congratulated her for her new badge. Red looked down at her robes, to the golden and red pin, baring a P. She had not realized it yet, that indeed she had been made prefect. She had worked towards it so long that, it couldn’t seem real yet to her. She had always helped those around her, having the badge just made her more official. She added some sugar into the bowl, thinking how sweet Jess was to her. Indeed, nobody apart from her, had taken the time to listen to her about the Academy. Deep down, she profoundly appreciated it. Teaching another the shielding charm had reminded her of those dark times…

She frowned to herself as she measured the vanilla extract, the dark liquid surrounding the ingredients and soaking into them… This reminded her that, dark times were still around them, and perhaps, amongst them. Dark times never truly leave, it seemed that there was always someone to provoke them, always someone out there… The weight of the ones she cared for was on her shoulders, even before carrying the badge; Roselyn had always cared for all. Yet, they were all surrounded by dangers even in the most unexpected places.


Roselyn then thought of Joki as she mixed the ingredients together… Why had she bothered to get her involved? Was it possible that even Joki was afraid? No… Not that, it seemed stupid, and bizarre to think so, yet, well else would she have had Red informed or even tag along? This made the redhead’s skin cover up with goosebumps, it was worse than she had thought…

The Gryffindor added baking powder to the bowl and stirred some more watching it all mix up… This was everyone… everyone was mixed into this, one way or another… She started to chop the chocolate with a knife on the cutting board, thinking of that poor boy. She looked at the knife, feeling saddened, her heart hurting. How could someone do that to a little boy? The knife chopped the chocolate slowly into little chunks. Why anyone do such a thing, more importantly who? She scrapped the bits of sweet into the bowl, the memory of the photo of the boy looking up at her, made a ball in her throat. She sniffed as she chopped more chocolate, she bite her underlip hard, trying to push back her emotions… That’s when the elf tugged on her shirt.

“Miss!” she squeaked. “I have the walnuts you asked Saly for Miss!” Lifted a large bowl of walnuts still in their shells to her. Roselyn took it sniffling some more, thanking her again. “Why is miss upset?” She squeaked, and as she said that more elves came in her direction. “The chocolate not sweet miss?” she piped worried.
“No its fine,” Red responded sniffling some more smiling warmly to the elves. “I’m just sad.”
“Why is you sad Miss?” Asked Saly.
That’s when a male elf exclaimed in his squeaky voice; “Tis none of your business Saly! Saly is impolite elf!” Piped another as the others nodded their heads.
“I’m sad about that student dying.” She answered Saly, ignoring the others, still cutting up more chocolate. “I’m sad for him, and I’m worried… Worried about everyone else.”
“How is he dead Miss?” Roselyn then explained to them and their eyes widened with a mix of fear and shock. “But Miss Roselyn most not worry, Hogwarts will keep them safe; Master Dumbledore will protect us Miss!”

It was true, she had thought looking to the chocolate, and Dumbledore was here she had seen him the other night. She nodded to the elves and thanked Saly again. This time Dumbledore was with them, this time wouldn’t be like the last! The headmaster wouldn’t let this happen right under his nose would he? Roselyn dumped the remaining of the chocolate in the bowl and eating the rest sucking on it as she broke some walnuts open, sitting in her chair. Why haven’t the others gone to him? She thought as she struggled to get the walnut open. Why hasn’t the headboy told anything to Dumbledore? And if he did, the walnut cracked and a piece flew in her face!, why hadn’t he said so? She groaned rubbing her check…

She struggled more with another walnut, this made her think of Zane… He had always, always been a hard nut to crack. He had such a slippery mind, a sneaky way of thinking and a way of speaking that gave serious headaches. He spoke in questions and mystery and sometimes she wanted to strangle him and tell him to just spit it out and not take such a long time to say something simple. But she wouldn’t, she’d remain patient and not go off like a firework. In fact, she was sure he could crack into her mind easily. And there were secrets she’d rather he never knew. Was it wise to take occlumency lessons from such a person? A person who can manipulate someone and get them so deep under his claws that they won’t say a word even if bleeding and injured? Was it seriously a good idea that he found out certain information about her… She cracked open another walnut looking at the core, the nut was black and uneatable. Perhaps this was a sign, telling her that the mind was black and couldn’t be trusted? For the outside looked nice, but inside was a whole different manner. She’d have to show great will power for him –not- to find out something she didn’t want him to.

It seemed to be a necessary evil, letting him into her mind. It was that or see a teacher for lessons… Perhaps that could work as well, maybe ex auror Moody knew much about the subject. Then again, if she refused the lessons from Zane, it would provoke suspicion. She trusted him with the school, not her own mind, not her secrets. She cracked more nuts, deep in thought the photo of the little boy on her mind, and the flash of green… That flash of green she had seen that night, she could imagine perfectly how the boy died… She got up and added the walnuts to the batter…

Grabbing the glass milk bottle she poured it in the bowl, and started to mix everything again. Maybe it was too much? Not the milk, too much for her to do? Becoming prefect would give her even more responsibilities and less free time on her agenda. Perhaps it was a bad idea to get a part time job at the same time. She’d have to see after a few weeks and make up her mind then… Her mind then went to Tom, Tomar, Chance, Sapphire, Lucille & Drogo her teammates. Not only did she have prefect duties and other occupations, she also had Quidditch practice. She blinked a couple of times realizing this, farewell free time she thought gloomily… And there were her NEWTS. She let out a moan of exasperation as she buttered the pans. NEWTS, she had almost forgotten those, “putain…” she muttered as she stared to add the cookies into rows…



Then again, she had asked for all of this, she had wanted to be Seeker; she had wanted to be prefect… Who was she kidding, it’s Tom that was to pity. He wore two badges… She rubbed her eyes feeling very tired suddenly as she watched the cookies bake in the oven. She looked to the area where she had worked thinking she should clean it up while waiting but the speedy elves had already taken care of it. Perhaps she would get less free time, but that meant she was actually getting somewhere, that she was making progress in whatever road she was taking. Roselyn paused, staring at the baking cookies where was she going? Was it a place where she belonged, where she could help? Was she following the right path to what she felt was right? What were her own limits, how far in magic would she go before finding that line? As she watched the cookies rise, all these questions came to her mind and didn’t seem to fade away. "Connais-toi toi-même" she whispered, repeating the words. « Se connaître est prendre conscience de soi et par là de son ignorance. Il a raison après tout, même si cela ne me plait guère. Voila nos esprits et pensées menacées encore une fois… »

She waited ten minutes before putting on the oven mittens over her hands opening the oven and reaching in placing them on the table on a cool wrack. As the smell of the delicious cookies came to her nose, she thought of Jack and how much he’d love these cookies. This made her smile, she thought that it would be a good idea to hang around him as much as she could, after all when Jack was around, it was like being with a cheerio charm that never wore off.

Lazarus…



In the Hogwarts library, under piles of books, news clippings, files, art books, music books, and history of magical creatures throughout the ages… was Roselyn Synders. The redhead seemed to be deep in her research, a pencil holding her hair up and back, a few strands of curly hair escaping. But none of it seemed to make since, nor did she find what she wanted. She had even reread Eldred Worple’s book; Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires. They all seemed useless! This whole thing was stupid! She headdesked a couple of times groaning in her corner. She had spent over three hours poring over books that lead –nowhere- and it was starting to annoy her greatly. It was like searching for something that didn’t exist. Sometimes she would get fake hopes when seeing a name that started with the letter L. She looked in many vampire books only to find the name mentioned, or hinted. Nothing strictly about -him- , if it was a him.

Lazarus was starting to really annoy her until… “Arts over time.” Her eyes squinted over the art… Lazarus Griffith. She started to turn more pages to the index, and her finger went over the name Lazarus, followed by different surnames from different nations at least ten times. She had found something! This was it! The paintings where all gloomy, death like, each painting seemed to move with all periods of art… Cubism, renaissance, Surrealism, architecture of what seemed to be a dark church… This was it! Even if all the pieces had a different style to them, she didn’t not exclude the possibility that it could be the same person. If you never die, you have time for pretty much everything. She repeated to herself again, excitement racing in her heart. She started to copy down the dates and paintings that were made by him… Perhaps there were some pieces of art that Muggles had found! She’d have to check in the Public Library of London… She stared at the painting for a long time, feeling quite satisfied with herself. Roselyn took notes and checked out the art book, putting it in her bag.

She then sat back in her chair, crossing her arms staring at the piles of books, deep in thought. “They all seem to have Christian names for some reason.” Echoed a cold feminine voice in her head. Roselyn sat up straight and it seemed to click in her mind. This could lead to something, she felt inclined to see Zane. Roselyn hurried to gather her things hastily in her bag, leaving the book piles, already knowing Karen would have her skin if she found out she left her books there… She dashed down the stairs as fast as she could running though the dungeons almost knocking some third years over as she did so and knocked on Zane’s tapestry door.

Loud German metal music was heard coming from the office, the redhead poked her head in and saw Joki, deep in her meditations, looking at odd canvases. Roselyn stared at them for a moment, only half understanding their meaning. Incense was burning and Joki had her eyes closed, but she sensed the presence of an intruder, wither she knew it to be Roselyn or not is a mystery, yet she did not move. The prefect looked at the bookshelves behind the large cross, and found many different bibles. The covers old leather bound, some in Latin, English and a lot more in German, along with other religious texts. She took a Latin and English bible, leaving a note behind in case the Head boy noticed (which he would) that two of his books had gone missing.
“For studying. ~Roselyn”
She carefully put these treasures that were not hers in her bag, between her school robes to keep them extra safe.


Roselyn then went to Diagon Alley, in her Muggle “You shall not pass” T-shirt, jeans, boots and even a purse. A purse enchanted to keep all the things she needed, Zane’s bibles, the art book money, her wand and other girly things… She floo’d into the bookshop to find many witches and wizards hovering over the new “What’s magically cooking? By Artimus Drander” all getting their books signed. She nearly got flattened by a witch who had floo’d right after her. The squeaky witch began to brush all the soot from the young woman’s clothing, squeaking how sorry she was. Roselyn then had to push her way out of the full bookshop, and once she did she saw the alley was swarming with shoppers, owls, Hogwarts students, it was the summer time, what did she expect? She pushed her way through the crowd to get into Gringotts wizarding bank to exchange her wizard money for Muggle British pounds.

She waited in queue for ten long minutes as many came to exchange their money, people from all different countries filled the area. It smelled like summer vacation… She knowing this, she knew she should bring more money then she needed for the library. Roselyn would be out in London all day, was it in public transportations, food, and the library itself, maybe some shopping later if she had the time. So she counted her thirty galleons, as she placed them on the high counter where the Goblin checked if they were real with his eyeglass, and even weighed them for good measure. The goblins long fingers counted the fifty pound notes, “One.. two.. and three Miss Synders.” His voice croaked as he pushed the paper towards him. “Sign here… and here…” She signed where his long finger pointed and nodded, biding him farewell.


Roselyn walked through the pub and out to the Muggle London world… She walked down the steps to get to the underground of Paddington station where people were crowded waiting for the next metro to come, the signs said two minutes and she quickly had to buy tickets… She’d have to go from Paddington, to Hyde Park, to Green Park and do the rest on foot. She bought 3.80£ pounds worth of tickets, just in time because the metro had came and started to unload its passengers. Roselyn had to push and make her way through to get inside before the door shut! And that was the beginning of a long, annoying five minutes. Why annoying? Well for starters there were a lot of people crowded in one tiny space and well, perhaps not all of them had taken the decency to put on deodorant. Why did the Muggles of London have to put so many cameras’ everywhere? It was impossible to just apparated in the middle of London without being seen…


She got off at Elephant & Castle Underground Station and had to walk and look around to find her way to Baker Street Underground Station. It was really starting to annoy her, it seemed that more and more people were flooding the undergrounds, as she finally managed to take the last metro after many minutes she got out and went as fast as she could up the stairs. Fresh air! At last! It had only been a 20 minute trip but she was glad to see the sun. She took a red bus to the London Library at St James's Square. Keeping mostly to herself she walked quickly into the library to purchase a daily ticket of fifteen pounds, fifteen bloody pounds! just to look at the books for one day, it seemed mad!


Now in a bad mood, she marched straight into the religious section and placed her things on the table, ready to get straight to work. She took out a pen and her notebook, placing them on the table where a computer was, and kept her purse on her person, not trusting enough to leave it there. She searched for the name Lazarus in the bookshelves and then frowned, finding a muggle who worked there.
“Excuse me, do you know anything about a Lazarus?”
The muggle looked to her, looked at her from up to down pursing his lips. “Lazarus is in the new testament miss. Try looking in the index of the bible, but I’m pretty sure it’s in John.” Roselyn seemed confused, John? What was in John she was looking for Lazarus not John! It seemed stupid but she nodded not knowing what to say. “We also have prints of Rembrandt’s The raising of Lazarus, along with other artists if you’ll follow me this way.” She blinked, “the raising of Lazarus?” what did he mean? She followed and he opened with seemed to be a rather big book, covered in plastic and had pictures in them. The worker opened it and pushed it towards her across the table.



She looked at it, a brow rising. The muggle man noticed this and then started to open other folders like the one in her hands and showed her another piece of art. “Unless you are looking for Lazarus the beggar.”

She felt more and more confused by the second, if there was something she had no idea about, it was religion. She thanked him still feeling confused and went back to her table, with the photos in hand, staring at them trying to make sense out of it. Roselyn opened the English bible, the pages were thin and fragile. At the top of the pages were names, she opened random parts of the book to find that the named changed. Perhaps these were the names of the chapters? She looked to the end of the book, to the index and found Lazarus name mentioned twice. Surely, Zane already knew about this…

Perhaps it was stupid to research more about it. But she opened the book to John, chapter elven verse one. What an odd setting for a book, she thought to herself nibbling her underlip while reading. As she read the chapter her eyebrows furrowed more and more, and her head even backed in surprise. “[…] Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.” Her eyes widened, was this necromancy? The very first necromancy ever in history? What did this mean? This couldn’t be the very same Lazarus! And how did this wizard Jesus raise the man from the dead? It was –impossible!- Then again, to Muggles magic was impossible and yet… She reread it again, and there was no mention if Lazarus died again, nothing, simply Jesus claiming that he who believed in him would live eternally.


This had to be just a metaphor? She thought to herself, her heart racing. Why would Zane ask her to research? He was most likely to know this thing by heart. She then looked for the beggar in the index to find a lot of beggars… but Lazarus was in Luke… She flipped the pages looking at the same titles before each chapter, Perseverance in prayer, a refused miracle… no no nothing about Lazarus, there! The beggar Lazarus and Dives. As she read she kept looking to the second picture that was given to her… Abraham. “No…” she muttered to herself. “No…” she said again trying to reassure herself. It couldn’t be that, she rubbed her eyes thinking, and then looked to the computer. A nifty Muggle machine she would waste time on at her mother’s home… Roselyn clicked on many icons before having to ask where the “research thingy” was the person laughed and clicked on a orange cat like thing around a globe. The witch blinked and looked to the muggle rather lost, the hell was Google? She read everything on the page, she then typed (very slowly with one finger): A.b.a.h- no! How to erase that again?, backspace- .r.h.a.m.’ …. Where was the “L” again? L.a.z.a.r.u.s and she clicked on google search. Many things showed up, but she clicked on the first link. “We need these at school” she muttered to herself, impressed with how fast it was to find information. Not like going through books for –hours- to find nothing.

She looked at the print again, and to the results, Abraham’s Bosom. No. way. She thought, blinking. This was all just metaphors, she thought to herself, still taking notes of it. This was all too weird… She had the bad feeling it could get weirder. She had to bring this information to Zane, even if, she was sure he’d know about this, the paintings were perhaps the best option. Before she could conclude anything she needed more research time, and time seemed to be something she lacked. Roselyn needed to ask Madame Pince for the student registers, perhaps this Lazarus attended Hogwarts… As for having time for research, perhaps… just this once… she’d sneak into the library at night during her shifts…

Anger is an emotion related to one's psychological interpretation of having been offended, wronged or denied and a tendency to undo that by retaliation. rage is a mental state that is one extreme of the intensity spectrum of anger. When a person experiences rage, it usually lasts until a threat is removed or the person under rage is incapacitated. Annoyance is an unpleasant mental state that is characterized by such effects as irritation and distraction from one's conscious thinking.


A knife was chopping some roots, nice slim cuts slowly sliced though the ingredient. While a potion was bubbling with the finest odeur one would ever smell, inside the cauldron was a pinkish liquid that have lazy bubbles.

He was going to be his old self again, was that even possible? He had been deeply damaged, a wounded soul with no room for smiles… Could he possibly become that innocent bag of smiles that he used to be? Roselyn let out a sigh as she weighed the cut roots, Tom had came to apologize with a promise of better moods. But the red head was cautious, for too long he had been moody, angry, depressed and sometimes a downright idiot. It was hard to believe he’d change in just a snap of the fingers, and she was running out of patience with him. Not only had he been forgetting their relationship, but he had been ruining her relationships with others. The academy created a monster that night, one who could not forget all the death, pain, screams, violence, undead, experiments and all the people he seen die… What would the new prefect know of the things he saw, the traumatizing events he had seen and how could she even dare to judge him? She wasn’t even there, the scars that effect others do not apply to her, she was like the intruder that stepped in after a war excepting to understand what they had just been through.

Flashes of red, and green passed her mind as she added the cut roots to the potion that sparkled consuming the ingredients. The mangled bodies… the inferi… death. Thinking about it was cutting open old wounds. She straightened in her seat, staring at the stone wall in front of her the silver knife still in her hand. What of her? What had all of this done to influence her in the end? How had this changed who she used to be? It was then that she had trouble remember what she used to be, it was like looking at a childhood picture and not recognizing one self. Roselyn blinked and started stirring the potion with care counter clockwise, trying to remember. Before, she might have been happier, ignorance is bliss they say. She would have to go farther than the LAM, farther than Tom… She then thought of –him-. Rose let go of the spoon with a look of disgust on her face, backing away from the potion she got up her hands in fists.

She grabbed her wand that was on a table and flicked it, a punching bag appeared and she kicked it violently, it fell to the ground but that wasn’t enough for her. She started kicking it around with more angrier than before, her curls bouncing as she did so, fury in her eyes. Just thinking of that cheating bastard made her insides cringe, she wanted to hurt him she wanted to kick him around… Snitch watched her from his perch, his big yellow eyes following each and every thrust of rage, he knew this wasn’t the moment to hoot. Roselyn sat on the punching bag and looked to the ground breathing heavily, she grabbed her head the curls covering her face.

In truth, she could not remember. It seemed that night had inflicted more pain than she would let herself believe. She stood and walked to the common room, as she passed students with red cheeks and a look of determination some mocked her and others clearly avoided her. Damn Walker. She thought as a group of Slytherins started mocking her loudly as she passed, she shoved one roughly with her shoulder. Her robes whipped the air as she ran up the stairs and to the portrait, “Dragon pox.” She said as the fat lady let her in. It had been awhile since she had stepped into the common room and curious eyes looked to her. She did her best to ignore them and run up to her room, some were muttering as she passed. Rose took out her key and opened the prefect girls bedroom. She grimaced, the smell of the former prefect was still here, it seemed impossible to get the stench out. The vases had dead flowers in them, dried and molding, the fire was dead, the heavy velvet curtains closed shut… She opened them and dust flew around, she looked to her own things. Getting to her knees, Roselyn opened the chest and dug into it, many things rattled against each other, extra potion bottles, ingredients in bags, quills… Several notebooks, books, what looked like a handwritten book of notes, and finally… At the bottom there was Slytherin scarf that she took out on set on her lap, opening the bundle. And there it was, the wand.

She stared at it for a while, remembering those beautiful green eyes that would gaze back at her, and those soft lips that only spewed lies. The hands that gave soft caresses were also covered with blood and used for pain. This wand had done beautiful gifts, and terrible scars… She swallowed and touched it with her finger tips, a rush of a sickening feeling spread all over her, it was a piece of him his perfect match the wand who chose him knowing all of his secrets, his desires, flaws, lies… Roselyn then took out her own wand and looked at the two, comparing. Could she become what she feared most? Could she commit pain, or even death? She dropped Léon’s wand back into the scarf as if touching something infected, her hand went into a fist near her chest, staring at the wand. Maybe she should snap it, just to be sure he could never use it again if he was alive. No matter how many times she wished him long gone, she could help but feel that the coward had just ran after committing all these things. He had always been a coward, and always felt the need to empower the other, Walker had the scars to prove it.

Disgusted, she stuffed it back into her trunk dropping all the heavy things on top of it, as if hoping to kill it or silence it. She leaned against the closed truck, rubbing her eyes knees against her chest. Many things had killed who she used to be. Perhaps it was time to think of the good things she had, and get them back just as Tom was doing. Perhaps she was a bad prefect, as Walker so nicely put it, but she doubted that. But, being around certain people brought out who she really was. …She felt like the former Ravenclaw girl prefect. And this made her heart seize up, she had became cold. Cold to others and herself with some. That is how she pictured Rowan, and this is how she saw herself now. Roselyn had became cold, tactical, and would distance herself from some situations to not feel as much. Jack seemed to be the only one around that could make her happy and bring the best out of her, thinking of him made her smile. He pushed her to do more then she thought she could, pushed her into doing crazy things that in the end, enjoyed and counted them in her best memories.

Even if Tom promised to be his old self, she couldn’t help but doubting this… Could he really? After all this time? After all the things she tried in vain to bring him back. They nearly separated over it… was it a mistake to have not broken it off? Rose, shivered and let out a shaky sigh, sniffling, she couldn’t leave him. She cared too much about it, and it seemed had to move on… He needed her, but was she of any use to his depression? If she couldn’t bring out the happy young man he used to be, like Jack could bring out the best in her, what was the point? This was perhaps, his last chance… Roselyn was tired, the relationship was weighing on her shoulders for too long now. Feeling useless and unloved was not the way to go, and this was his last chance to get out of his self pity and war scars to move on… She loved the fun, happy, playful smart young man. Not the angry, depressed, to the book idiot he was today. Roselyn looked up to the ceiling and sighed again, only feeling worse.

Climbing down the stairs to the common room, the redhead looked to her housemates, some friendly faces had became mean, not even because of her own actions… Walker had messed up her reputation. Summers only made her an easy target, some would try to bribe her into keeping Tom away during prefect shifts, other blamed her for getting punished. It was unbelievable the things she had heard, and many had started to dislike her. It was stressful and one of the reasons she had been avoiding the Gryffindor tower. She came out of the portrait and walked down the stairs to a floor, some Hufflepuffs sniggered as she passed, swallowing and tightening her fists she walked passed them. Entering her little hideout she checked on the potion and fell back on piles of cushions, feeling angry and hurt.

Zane had been right… Long ago he had told her that she was; angry and full of rage and it was true and now perhaps dangerous. Roselyn was ignorant to the dangers of her own anger, and she didn't really care anymore, the fury only increasing and someone was going to feel her rage… And she knew exactly who, she would daydream out it during classes, smile sadistically to herself when she saw that person… Roses have thorns, it was idiotic to ignore them and grab the flower and tear it apart, and now this Rose was going to use her thorns…

Rounds. Yes, nighttime rounds. A time when prefects road about and naughty students plot their grand escape. Hogwarts never sleeps there are always those who will refuse to sleep in their dorms, or decide to just be a pain in the backside. It’s to wonder how they even get good marks anywhere, if any at all.

Roselyn was sitting near a window watching the early snow of Autumn fall, this peaceful moment would be very short termed… For a small student with a sheet over his head ran into the entrance hall screaming at the top of his lugs “Fear me! I’m the baron!!!” Sadly for her, he was a very quick bugger and she ran as fast as she could to catch up with him. He ran through secret passageways, threw things on the ground to block her and awoke every portrait. (They yelled after Roselyn) He then ran back down the staircase giggling at her, she nearly tripped over jackolanterns when they reached the entrance hall. Cursing more she ran after him and stepped on a pumpkin that exploded and she slipped and fell on the wet orange covered floor. She heard his laughter reach the donjons, getting up grumpier than ever she ran after him once more. Huffing and puffing behind the kid she was about ready to give up and not even care if he was out of bed or not, when she found him hiding in the Ancient runes classroom still screaming he was the might bloody Baron. That’s when Peeves showed up seeing who was pretending to be his feared master must have set him in the mood. He threw ink bottles at the kid that ran and hid under a table. The poltergeist then turned to the redhead, his sneer only meant trouble.

“Dance Prefect Dance!
Run while you still have the chance!
Synders smelly Synders!
Synders lover of Summers!
Dance Prefect Dance!”

As he cackled his new little tune he threw everything he could as her. Being in the Ancient runes classroom, that was quite a lot. Runes, books, gems, vials flew in her direction and she took a table as a shield cursing loudly at Peeves, who cackled even more! He was enjoying this much better then waking all the portraits on the sixth floor or writing insults on Flitches walls.

“Synders stinky Synders
Where is stupid Summers?”

Peeves was now throwing sharp objects she dodged and having enough of this she took her wand and screamed: “Immoblius!” of course this was ineffective to the poltergeist but the things in his hand now stopped in mid air. She then started throwing stinging jinxes at him cursing saying she would get baron after him! And he disappeared in a wall, she heard his laughter and his plans to ruin the Gryffindor common room. Putting her wand to her own throat, she grinned and once she opened her mouth to speak it was no longer the soft voice but a low deep ghostly voice.

“Peeves! You will do no such thing!” She heard Peeves gasp
“Master Baron! Forgive me-I didn’t know you served the redheaded bit-!”
“Get out of here!” she yelled in her bewitched voice. After the long moment of silence she grinned and did the small victory sign. She nearly slipped on the cloth on the floor she looked at bed sheet and picked it up. The kid must have ran off when Peeves showed up… No matter. He was punishing himself and Roselyn was officially finding rounds to be the stupidest idea yet. So what if idiots ran about in the school, it was their own problem and responsibility. Flicking her wand to the mess and watching it go all back in its place, her mind was swimming in thought. She didn’t want to deal with it anymore. As long as no one got hurt, she thought shrugging, who cared?

One last check around the halls and she called it a night once it was two in the morning. Grabbing her long scarlet cloak she walked out of the castle doors, closing them behind her, she leaned against the heavy doors for a moment. Flicking her wand, a blue glow emerged from her wand, her other hand searching for her scarf and mittens in her bag. Looking up at the snowy sky, her breathes fuming out of her mouth and nose, she felt some relief to get away from the castle. She wrapped her Gryffindor scarf around her neck and put on her mittens and hat. Looking ahead she saw a faint glow and a silhouette near the gates. As she walked to the familiar silhouette snow crunched under her feet. Then something black and fast caught her eye beside her.

It was her mainecoon, Garion whose intelligent reflective eyes looked up at her already, deeply purring in her presence. She picked up the black looking snowball and put him against her chest where he could warm up. Reaching the silhouette she smiled:
“Thanks, I don’t like walking there by myself.”
“I wouldn’ let you go by yourself anyway” said the handsome voice.
Tom wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his own winter cloak around her. He looked like he hadn’t shaved in a few days with the glow of their wands but he had a cheerful expression that she was still getting used to.
“Peeves too huh?” She nodded as he let out a brief sigh, his warm breath freezing in the cold. “Ya catch tha kid?”
“No point.” They both nodded in agreement. Garion was purring so hard her chest was vibrating with him. “Poor thing I think he was out all day.”She nuzzled her face against his soft fur.

As the minutes passed her feet had less and less feeling in them, her shoes were not meant to fight snow and cold. She complained once, then twice and that’s when Tom put his arm behind her knees and shoulders and picked her up. Giggling and trying to calm the cat down, she wrapped her arms around Tom’s neck. Garion however popped his head out of the cloak sniffing around attentively. Her smile faded away as she saw his ears twitch and that still stare, as if listening for something.
“Tom… I think Garion heard something” she said in a whisper. Tom nodded.
“A rabbit maybe.” He said simply finding his girlfriends fear of the unknown almost amusing. They reached Hogsmeade train station and he put her back down carefully. “Babe its fine there’s nothing.” He said again seeing her look around like an alert feline. Then the mainecoon hissed towards the forest on the opposite side. Furrowing his eyebrows his wand drawn out he looked at the dark forest.
“Tom…” she said in a worried voice. “Lets just go quickly!” She pulled on his sleeve with her wand hand tugging him along as they walked quickly, Tom’s eyes still in the forests direction. As they reached the village she felt safe, he held her close and there was a faint –Pop!-

Their feet slammed on the wooden floor of the Three Broomsticks bedroom. School trunks, bags of clothes, scattered books and encumbered desks filled the small inn room. Roselyn knocked over a book pile as they appeared on spot. They both winced at the noise and Garion hopped off his perch to curl up near the dying fire. After a long moment of listening they finally moved and breathed. Rosemertta would chuck them out if they made more noise, the nights before after rounds they would use the door that squeaked and woke a lot of people. Another night the cat was scratching at the door…

Tom was busy placing more wood in the fireplace as she stacked the books back. She had managed to knock over a nonmoving photo of them. Roselyn picked it up and smiled, looking to the bright wide smiles. It was at Disney land Paris, Tom had surprised her with a trip for their first anniversary. “Tom?” He grunted to say he was listening as some sparks left his wand setting a massive fire. “You think we could travel more?”
“Course.” He said pushing himself up, now poking the fire with the iron poker. “We can go anywhere. Why?”
“Because… traveling together brings the best out of us and I think we should do it more.” Taking off her wet boots, socks he gave her one of those happy smiles. She took off all her wet clothes, sighing something about stupid snow. Tom sat on the only chair in front of the fire and patted his lap. She curled up on his lap in her pajamas, nuzzling his chest her cold nose touching his skin. He protested laughing and rubbed her nose with the tip of her wand a warm glow warming her up. She chuckled softly and nuzzled him even more.

Quickly the only window started to fog up with the fireplace on. The tiny room was crammed with their things and it was the cheapest room they could get. Not wanting anything fancy or too big they asked for a small room, they didn’t imagine how small. It was like living in a closet. The two person bed nearly taking up all the room. But she was starting to get used to the intimacy they had together and couldn’t help but frown thinking they would have to go back once the rooms were done in their construction… She wasn’t too excited about it, going to the Sticks was something she looked forward to at the end of the day, it was a way to distance herself from school and have peace. Remaining behind the walls of Hogwarts was driving her slightly mad, being behind the same walls as that idiot was just enough to bother her.
Having to explain to some that fruits were not children or hitting people is not how you make friends or that curfew is for sleeping, or that flesh eating trees when it eats a student well something has to be done. She rolled her eyes to the last thought. Apparently Bonoa had thrown her wand in the lake, perhaps because it was made of wood also. She wondered why someone would rather let a monstrous tree live instead of a student, it seemed contradictory of their calling. That or someone needed to sort out their priorities… She felt grateful that Liss took things in hand and couldn’t help but side with Emily and Liss on this. But all the drama the persistent constant drama was bugging her. Perhaps it was the fruit children thing that bugged her right now mostly, perhaps she would pass a word to the kitchen elves not to let the students take fruits and give them names…

Going to the Sticks was an escape for her, and in reality she wanted to travel more for the Holidays and weekends to get away from the place.

“Come on cold feet” said Tom picking up the drowsy redhead from his lap. “Ya need your sleep. Quidditch practice tomorrow!”
She groaned. Damn it, Quidditch practice in the snow… was there no mercy?

/!\ Warning /!\ super gory. ]

Music was heard, the notes were slow and dying softly, it sounded like a funeral march, in sounded like a song death would treasure… Roselyn opened her eyes and awoke in her bedroom in the three broomsticks, alone...

It was cold, so cold perhaps even too cold, worse than a dementors’ presence. It felt like death. A chilling rattling and uncertain breath faint, yet close. Roselyn opened the broomsticks door, nothing in the hallway… Wand out she crept down the stairs carefully, the breathe getting louder and louder. The door leading to the bar was ajar and she could smell a foul odor, a heavy presence of blood hung in the air, she looked to see; bodies. Blood and chucks of flesh scattered on the misty floors. And there was a creature, skeletal and misshapen hovering above the lifeless body of Rosemerta. Her eyes widened as it suddenly turned its head in her direction, blood spilling from its mouth it screamed an unholy scream that would scare anyone and blood splattered all over the floor. It started to crawl towards her, breathing heavily. Without thought she started to throw small balls of fire, retreating her heart beating rapidly ! It continued to advance its eyes had maggots crawling out of the orbits and blood oozed from its mouth, the burns on its rotting flesh still sizzling.



It started to crawl up the stairs as she fell back in retreat, and suddenly! The inferi’s whole body burst into flames! Its piercing screams, agonizing and the smell of its flesh burning had turned her stomach and made her vomit. Two hands grasped her firmly around her shoulders and Tom pulled her in against him holding her tightly. He had said something about the castle being under attack and they needed to act now! But, Roselyn cowered and begged for him not to leave, that it was too late. But he insisted and they ran out of the three broomsticks to find the same eerie mist in the village. The grass stained with blood, bodies casted all over, windows broken, some smoke still immerging from the few inferi corpses. He pressed on holding her hand dragging her along towards the abandoned candy shop. He said that if they wanted to help they would have to come as a surprise! But something was wrong yet she couldn’t put her finger on it… The shop itself had been untouched and they entered the basement with no obstacles… He made sure she was the one to enter first down the trap door and once again took the lead.

The tunnel was dark and long, he tugged on her arm tightly and strongly pulling her. He then demanded which way once they reached a fork, she pointed the right direction and they pressed on. “Tom please! No we can’t!” her voice kept saying and she tried to pull away. He then looked her straight in the eyes as he would do and those sky blue eyes put her to ease, and the rest of the time she followed quietly. They had reached the ladder and entered the castle. The 3rd floor was full of students screaming and running, fires were lighting up the room and some students still alive were screaming in agony as an inferi feasted on their flesh. There was an explosion heard below them and a bright light came from the stair case. She heard shouting, the voice was so familiar; Tom? She turned to look at him staring into his blue eyes but he was no more… A sharp burning pain entered her rib cage as a cold blade entered her body. She gasped and the beautiful blond witch smiled at her and turned the blade pushing her back. “Thank you for showing us the way.” Said her melodic insane voice. And just as she said it, inferi came swarming out of the secret passage like ants they crawled to invade the castle from the inside.

Everything was slowing down, the screams became faint the light was fading away… Her shaking hands touched the wound her own blood soaking her hands, her wand… Her fingers out stretched towards her wand, it was so near…. Then, a blond strong figure came above her and took her wand then lifted her from the ground. She could hear her name in a heart wrenching scream, explosions came from the man’s wand, fire whips, and more. He ran with her in his arms up the stairs, her head bobbing she felt like a doll in his arms and caught glimpses of people behind them also running casting fire behind them. “She’s loosing too much blood!” he screamed as blood trickled from her mouth. The ran all the way to the astronomy tower and he set her down as the others (who were many, perhaps the whole Gryffindor house) barricaded the door, warding it Kenaz runes and other protections…

“Roselyn no!” She heard him scream in a sob, his wand above her wound as he tried to mend it. Then, a young woman move his wand aside and knelt down with difficulty and she felt the wound close up and the bleeding was no more… She was beautiful with long wavy hair and a strong piercing look. It was Amber… She felt Tom’s hands around her head, fingers in her hair, and his forehead against hers as the healing was happening. She then heard screams of warning and she saw a tall blond girl with blood stains on her face pointing towards the sky. Roselyn tried to sit up and Tom helped her, she saw a smoky figure rushing down towards the tower. The smoke dissipated and before them stood a tall impressive figure. She saw his mouth under the hood, his right cheek was no more, revealing the inside of his mouth and teeth. His voice was deep and came from the hells, as he spoke black liquid and maggots fell from his mouth…
“We shall ascend again.”

And the barricaded door shattered! The wood pieces killing several of the students as it entered their throats. Green jets of light hit others that fell dead cold. Then the dark Lord raised his hands speaking in dead tongues of the past and the dead rose, students rose from the dead and stood remaining silent. Tom pulled her up and shielded her, as they stood, she saw the grounds… Everything was burning and an army was at their doors… Giant inferi composed of hundreds of bodies were forcing the doors… More inferi were coming out of the cold waters of the lake… It was over… They were all going to die… Tom although wouldn’t go without a fight, he casted his Fiendfyre into the air, a flaming dragon and other demons emerged from his wand, the fire dragon soared the airs blowing fire on the army below. “Kill them Tom…” she whispered weakly as she got in front of him leaning against him to remain standing. The dark lord laughed and lifted his rottening arm to his direction. Roselyn was standing in front of her lover to protect him and took full blast of the curse. She felt her chest explode and her rib cage opening, her beating heart floated out of her, squirting the remaining blood out. She slipped to the ground and saw the demons surrounding the dark lord and the blond beauty was screaming in agony as a fire Nundu ate her alive… Tom kneeled to her and held her close against him crying, screaming in rage her own blood soaking his robes. Her organs were out, yet she was still breathing with difficulty coughing up her own blood and feeling dizzy… It was over… She had passed away…
***

Roselyn opened her eyes, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead. She turned quickly to see Tom’s back, fast asleep perhaps even in his own nightmares. She sat up, and caressed his crimson hair and the rattling breath escaped from his mouth and he turned and screamed that same scream from the hells his flesh falling off, his eyes had no lids and he had no cheeks. The inferi Tom threw himself on her.

And that’s how she awoke screaming clenching her pillow, a scream that scarred the living daylights out of Tom who alarmed tended to her. It took a very long time for her to realize it was just a dream, even longer for her to speak of it…

(After the destruction of Gryffindor tower, Roselyn was found crushed in the debris. This is the 1st of many posts to come)

***

Faint notes… so far away distant shouts echoed all around her. It was the notes… they were slow and dying softly… She had heard the notes once before but they sounded deformed harder to hear… Moving was impossible, the weight was too much… everything was so cold….
The notes played in the distance, feeling drawn to them she struggled to move. So heavy, she thought, but I have to get up… A soft crushing sound, like steps on snow padded it way to the right side of her face, there was a presence but she was too weak to respond to it. Help me please help me… A cold wet nose touched her forehead and a loud rumbling purr erupted from the creature. Suddenly, a sharp painful jolt vibrated her entire being and she gasped for air. It was so cold that it felt like knives in her lungs, she opened her eyes the blur of her tears trickled down her cheeks. “Help… Help me…” she whispered, the cold was all around her and she began to shake. Roselyn’s courage had left her, weak and broken she cried and shook with the cold and pain. “Where… am I?!” she tried to scream but it was only a muffled sob. The purr got closer to her ear and pushed her head with its muzzle, again a jolt of pain hit her body and she sat up suddenly, ice and debris falling around her. Dazed, she began to see what was around her…
The snow leopard prowled next to her, her patronus no longer had his bright glow; instead he only glimmered in the darkness around them. The feline rubbed its head against hers it made her nearly fall over again but she grabbed it and laid her body and head on its back. “Help me… p-lease…” Darkness fell around her once more and the notes got louder as she lost consciousness….

***

“Rose!!! Rose!” she heard his voice, it was pure pain that was heard in his pleas. She opened her eyes but didn’t see her loved one, nor her patronus, only ice. Ice all around her, she trembled and tried to get up but stumbled and fell hard against the ice. Roselyn breathed in with difficulty, her legs felt broken, shattered. Ahead, she saw her wand cast on the ice. The struggle and crawling was long, painful and she might have passed out a couple of times as she used her arms to get to her precious wand. She heard screams of agony, pain, and people calling out to their mothers… It felt like memories but she had no memory of hearing them before. Every stroke to get closer to her wand, she heard voices, her own voice commanding people, children screaming… The once beautiful reddish wand with leaves crawling up to its tip was beaten and splintered, she grabbed it weakly and once she did, her surroundings began to have some light. She saw where she was, in a giant ice cave…



The leopard was behind her and nuzzled his head against her legs, she shouted in pain her voice echoed all around the caves as her legs bones felt like they were on fire. She heard more voices they spoke in urgent tones, and she could hear an incantation as she felt the pain through her legs. Her hand felt like something was tightening around it and it felt wet but nothing was there, just her wand. The snow feline pushed her to get her up, weakly she stood trembling, and as she did she looked down at her legs. The sight was nauseating, her robes were torn bloody covered in white dust, her skirt was in the same state as her robes but her legs…. They looked beaten into a pulp and bloody and yet she could stand. Roselyn tried to walk, one step, another step, her patronus in front of her. “Wait for me…” she said weakly. The music notes got louder, the voices did as well… As the ice and snow crunched under her boots, her head was pounding with crashing sounds, crumbling and collapsing… What had happened? … What was this place? Her green eyes looked ahead, the cave was never ending and the longer she stayed here the clearer the truth was becoming but she refused to believe it, every step she took was a struggle a battle with her inner self and to stay standing. From time to time she would feel her wand hand tighten as if someone was holding her hand and she could hear his sobs.

***

She let out a rattling breath, after what seemed days of walking along the ice cave she felt no hunger or the need to rest. During this long journey she had felt her ribs snap together, her arms crack. She recognized the notes why had it taken her so long to recognize it? What a morbid tune to hear dear Chopin, she had thought as she kept walking.

***

Days had passed… It must have been days… She felt her mind was slipping from her, she felt in constant pain and she was lost in the cold darkness… The truth was staring her dead in the eye and finally she accepted it once she did she fell to her knees and the tears streamed down her beaten bloody cheeks, she wrapped her arms around her as her forehead touched her knees, crying. The leopard sat next to her purring, his tail softly swishing left to right. This had to be it, she knew it, deep down she had known it as soon as she opened her eyes to this dismal cave.
“…I am dying.”

Who are you? Where are you going? What are your goals? What circumstances brought you to this moment? Are you fulfilled?
All these questions, once in a lifetime, will come across one’s mind. You think you know the answers until you ask yourself the questions and realize you don’t. …Who are you?

***
Days. Slow crushing echoed on the walls. It felt like days, weeks even, nothing around could give a slight clue as to how time passed. No stars, no moving lights, nothing. This cave consumed everything and anything she tried to do, she felt deprived of her thoughts most days. Were they days? How long was she here? Roselyn walked slowly, it’s all she could do is walk, towards the endless void that was this ice. All sane thoughts seem to flee her, feeding the void… The voices would come from time to time but she couldn’t understand them and stopped trying to.

Where are you going ?

Magic was useless here; her wand was powerless in this hell. She had tried melting the ice and nothing happened, it was as if she were a child playing with a piece of wood; Pretending to be a witch to remain sane. From time to time, she would question her patronus but he never answered. She followed. Every part of her aching, the blood loss made her dizzy, the voices and the screaming would come and go. The music notes remained. Her legs felt numb, she dare not look at them the sight nauseated the lost one.

Who am I ?

The panther had disappeared around a corner, “strange” this entire time the tunnel had gone straight forward… Did this mean that she was close to the exit, or was this a ruse? Was this entire hell a mind game created to torture her soul…? Once Roselyn reached the turn her green eyes set their gaze on a roughly cut space. It looked as if someone had carved and chipped away at it, like mirrors… The circular tunnel was tighter than the last and the music felt louder here. Then she heard his voice… “Tom?” she said in a weak whisper, “please I’m here!” the voice sounded like it was coming from the right. Looking to her right, she saw her own reflection in the ice mirrors and what she saw was madness. Blood had trickled down her nose to her neck; a deep cut on her head was still bleeding the blood dripped down her cheeks. Her eyes were bloodshot and large black shadows showed a lack of sleep. Her skin was shattered, frostbitten and dry.

How did I get here?



Her breath became uncertain, a rush of panic come upon her, her heart beating faster and then she saw him… Her heart stopped. “Tom! Tom, please!” She slammed her hand against the mirror, her bloody hand leaving its trace. “Please help me! Get me out! Please please!” her whispers became desperate screams. She shrieked his name but it was like he couldn’t see or hear her. Her screams shattered the silence her voice started to break, her sobs full of despair. “Why can’t you save me?” she whispered. Fatigued by the effort she fell to her knees her hand still on the mirror and no longer spoke. Rose looked at his face, and felt a tightening feeling around her hand once more. …There was a hand on hers, a shadow. Slowly she looked back to the mirror only to see his shadow in front on her, holding her hand he pulled her up.

What are my dreams?

Overwhelmed, Rose choked slightly hyperventilating as the shadow pulled her in his arms. “Tom! You f-f-found m-me!” She broke in his arms crying; he held her up and pulled her against him in a tight hug. It felt strong, it felt empty, caring, but fleeing… It felt like so many things. He pulled her away and brushed her hair behind her ear, looking at her face, a finger softly caressing her frostbitten cheeks. He spoke, but she did not understand, his voice was full of emotion. Tom kissed her lips softly, she thought she could feel a tear on her face… “T-Tom?” She didn’t understand what was happening. Nothing felt in its place, this all felt wrong, she wasn’t standing… Was she? The place felt wrong, the shadow was wrong… Tom had an arm behind her back, the other hand caressing her face, saying words she could not understand. There was a long moment of silence, he took her hand and squeezed tightly. His features showed sadness and he slowly placed his lips on hers remaining for a long kiss and finally she heard his voice clearly as he started to walk away, his hand loosening on her own, until finally he let go. “Goodbye, Roselyn.”


And the shadow walked away, fading away, leaving the ice hell. “No… Tom no please! Come back please! No! Nooo!!!” she shrieked she tried to run where he went, but fell. The lost one’s legs were cold and numb, they would not move. Rose tried to move forward using her hands and arms, her nails breaking against the ice. “No don’t leave me! DON’T LEAVE ME!!!” She screamed his name and wept succumbing to the madness.

Am I happy ?

Her patronus lay beside her, its head against hers, purring, he nuzzled against her and felt a jolt of pain in her back that made her black out.

***

/!\ Somewhat violent.


I fell.

Something was making a sound, there was wind… She opened her green eyes and drew in the cold air with a sudden quick gasp. Around her was debris, ruins of fallen stone, dust, splintered wooden planks and bodies covered in dust… A torn Gryffindor flag softly floated in the cold wind. The tower… No sign of a desolate ice cave... The pain washed over her instantly, coughing and whimpering she turned and saw her legs crushed under stones, but the pain was greater still when she saw the crushed bodies of those she had been accompanying up to the tower. A light snow had fallen covering the fallen debris with a thin blanket.
Sobbing, powerless to reach them, she cried their names, the names of the fallen. Those she had ate with every morning, who she would teach at the library, who would come to her, who she would help… were dead. She felt her heart break, Roselyn was defeated.
Her wand was still in her hand, she tightened it. “Help me…” she whispered.

She heard something… footsteps and a sudden crack! They had disapparated. Someone was there, perhaps more where here? If so, who and what were their intentions? After all, they had been under attack, what if it was the assailants making sure the deed was carried out, that all were dead? If this was true, and they found her alive would they finish her off? Had it been someone friendly wouldn’t they be calling out for the lost?
A cracking noise shattered the windy silence-!
“Rose.” It was a voice she was not expecting, a voice she had not heard in years… He calmly flicked his wand and the stones from her body were thrown aside. “You are safe.”

Perhaps it was the pain, the weakness and the confusion she had suffered but she was seeing a ghost, someone who should have been dead, or at least was said to be dead. The young man crouched to her body and muttered incantations, his words creating a mist from the icy air. She felt jolts of pain as her bones mended roughly. He had never been delicate, why would his magic be otherwise? He then proceeded to lifting her taking her feeble and broken body into his arms, he must have seen the look of utter confusion in her eyes.

“The castle was attacked.” His accent danced on his lips as his foreign words broke the silence.
“Where is Tom?” She demanded speaking the French tongue in response to his, using the little force she had to sound determined.

He walked through the debris, over the bodies, his footsteps moving the small chips of wood and stone. Her head pressed against his chest, she could smell him and feel his warmth, her hand tightened around her precious wand.

“Your precious Tom isn’t here, he didn’t even come back to find you.”
“Of course he did!” She spat.
“Oh no my dear,” he said finally looking to her eyes his glasses reflecting her image, she could see the fear plainly cast on her face. “He is with people who know what has happened to this school. And like always, he didn’t mention you were in danger. You didn’t catch on he was hiding things from you this time, Rose. Not like when you found out about the Academy.” His greenish blue eyes flashed when he said that. When he saw the look of disbelief in her own eyes, he smiled. “He will always hide things from you, Rose.”
“Where are you taking me?” She asked weakly.

He ignored her question as he pressed on walking. There were more bodies, more innocents cast dead and forgotten in the ruins. They were all dead, none were moving and the only sound was his footsteps and the wind. There was something eerie, the place felt more than destroyed, something heavy was weighing… a presence. Something was odd about the castle, it seemed to have rooms she had never seen, and the hallways seemed long and never ended...

“Roselyn, my dearest Roselyn… He was always going to hold you back.” He walked through a hole in the wall to walk in an inner courtyard, a place where many would sit and read, play with friends… This used to be a place of joy, but now, it was a graveyard.

The tower had destroyed this once beautiful place… She wasn’t listening to him, but looking at the destruction feeling more and more broken as more and more familiar faces were seen. “Why would he tell you? The great Summers? With his powerful fire magic and his expertise in the dark arts and his great looks.” He said sarcastically. Ignoring him was becoming harder and harder… “Because had you have known, you would have risen above him. Why else would he never tell you? Because you have a brilliant mind that he always envied. Saving people, and being the hero was always something little Summers needed to feel better about himself wasn’t it? Save others because he couldn’t save his little brother.” He said mockingly.
“Don’t.” She snapped, finally listening to him and reacting. “Don’t. you. dare.”

He stopped near a tree and looked down at her, brushing a strand of hair away from her pale dirty face. He brushed a thumb over her lips. “I wouldn’t have ever held you back from your real potential, my love.”
“Don’t call me that!” She tried to push away his hand weakly. She was too weak to fight and knew she wouldn’t make it out alive without help. “How could you possibly know all of this?”
“My Rose, your mind was lost while you lay there in the ruins… I tried to bring you back.”
“…You… were the leopard?” She asked slowly understanding.
“I do not know what form I took, but I was trying to lead you with someone I knew you would trust. I could not project myself into your mind you would have never followed me, my sweet.”

“So… so it was all magic? The ice cave, the pain, the memories?” Was this a form of Occlumency she had never heard of? It was possible. She never studied it, only how to protect her mind… and those lessons were with Zane. But she never desired to know how to dig in the mind of others, she felt it was invasive.
“I do not know how your mind translated your between life and death experience. Ice cave? Interesting, very symbolic…” He seemed fascinated with the thought and pondered on that for awhile, he then proceeded to walk again, entering the castle though a broken door. “It seemed you wanted to give up… Did you?” She said nothing and he smiled. “Why wouldn’t you? He did abandon you after all.”

He doesn’t know that. She thought. He couldn’t know that. What if he was dead?
“He isn’t.” He responded to her thought, she looked up to him. Her head was pounding and it was hard to remain conscious, he could hear her thoughts... “He is just very busy with his mother, by now he has forgotten all about you, Rose. Never stopped wanting to be a hero that one.” Shut up.”Why? Because, you do not like my words of truth? You know I am right.” Snakes cannot speak truth, only half truths. “Perhaps. But I have seen your heart, I have seen your truths. You knew he held you back, you knew he wasn’t ever going to get any better. And yet…. You stayed. Guilt?” …. “Yes it was wasn’t it? Did you feel guilty that if you left him he wouldn’t move on? You disappoint me Rose, surely you could see that it was in his nature to prevail. You would have only been fueling his wish to be the pitied hero.”
“Stop.” She said outloud. “Stop playing your mind games. I am no longer your plaything, Leon.” Saying his name was something she had not done in a long time.

“These are not mind games my sweet, these are your own thoughts, I am only saying them out loud. Ah ah!” He interrupted her before she could speak. “You are not a cruel person, and of course you never thought it exactly the way I am saying it.” They entered Great hall… The hourglasses were shattered, the gems cast on the floor, glittering in the dim light. The glass shattered under his dragon leather boots as he carried her. He sighed. “This was once a beautiful place…” he seemed sad which was a rare sight to be seen.
The banners had fallen, only Gryffindor’s remained, but it was torn… The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables were broken and covered in stones and glass from the outer wall. It seemed like it had exploded, as if someone had attacked it from the outside. Who… Who had magic powerful enough to destroy an entire castle? Had an army came? Was it the academy’s followers again? If so, why weren’t inferi roaming the castle? Was it an angered vampire? Was it that music? Or was it someone nobody knew of?



“We shouldn’t stay here.” She said softly. “People could return and finish us off.”
“Indeed." He paused, looking to where Dumbledore would sit. "If they were bothered, which they are clearly not. If they were, you would have been dead by now." Leon's gaze went back to her "It has been two days Rose.” Had it only been two days, it felt like months… “I… looked for you.” He sat on the Slytherin table, holding her close as if they had never left each other, as if he had never betrayed her. “I searched for you in the hospital.” He stroked her cheek with a finger and put his fingers into her hair.

“People would have seen you, and you are supposed to be dead!” She moved her cheek away from his touch. “You said you would rather die than go to Azkaban! You left me and you betrayed my trust! Why would I trust you now snake?!” Her tone was full of anger.
“You really think people were paying attention to who was roaming about? It was chaos, Rose, people were screaming, crying searching for their loved ones. I did lie to you, it is true. I am a coward, and cowards cling to their lives and freedom. But I never lied about my love for you. Rose I l-“

“Spare your breath.” She interrupted him. “Even if I was considering leaving Tom, I wouldn’t leave and go with you.”
“Perhaps not. But,” his lips curled into a devious smile. “You were considering it. Leaving him. You were sick of his quick temper and his sudden mood swings. You were sick of the drama, and you were tired of his need to calm his ego with his heroic exploits. You would wonder why he couldn’t be like you, do things because it was the right thing to do, and not because of wanting the spotlight. You were tired of excusing his angry behavior to your friends.”
It was true. She was tired of it all, and she had voiced this many times, but there was no change. His temper, his need to place himself above others had tired her. But she was better than that, to let such feeble things tear them apart, after all they had gone through together.

“At least I had the decency of letting you grow to your full potential by my side. To be great.” He said trying to provoke her.
“You were a bad influence on me. Tom made me happier than you ever could!”
“No. I was the one pushing you to do everything you could. I was the one who encouraged you to always do what you wanted. He held you back! You know it’s true.”
Her green eyes looked darkly into his own.
“You manipulated me.”
“Yes, because I feared you would leave me, if you knew what I had done… I never claimed to be someone I wasn’t Rose, you knew this.”
“You-!”
“I know what I did.” He said interrupting her, placing a thumb on her cracked lips. He starred into her eyes and she felt calm. “I know. And I hate myself everyday for doing those things, because they kept me away from you. You had always seen something I hadn’t in me… You saw good, but that is your weakness, my love, you see good in all.”

He pressed his lips on her forehead, she winced, not as rejection but in pain. He noticed his and took his wand, “Episkey!” The cut closed. He then lifted her chin, “I would never stop you from becoming great” he whispered faintly. “I always, always loved you for it…” His lips were so close to hers when he spoke she could almost taste his breath. “I love you, Roselyn.” He kissed her bloodied lips, his wand hand tightening around her fragile body, the other hand on her cheek. It was sweet, just like it had always been; his smell and his taste were intoxicating. She felt his wand poking her leg as he held her tighter kissing her lips with more and more passion.

She came to a sudden realization and pushed him away, the memory struck her, those years ago… She had done this, she had broke it and cast it into the fire. “I… destroyed your wand.” Roselyn looked at this stranger. “You gave me your wand. I burned it!” She struggled to get out of his arms, the sudden rush of panic came over her. Where was she? "What are you!?" He raised a brow and sighed, his expression changing quickly to annoyance and anger. As she struggled to get away from him he tossed her to the ground. She hit it hard and felt the wind get knocked out of her. She gasped and coughed for breath her hand still grasped on her wand. All the pain rushed back to her body, her legs felt like they were on fire, and she coughed blood.

“You were always too smart for your own good, weren’t you, Synders? Why couldn’t you have been blind like you were with him? Can’t you see? We could have been happy here.” He stood and kicked her in the stomach, flipping her over. He put a foot down on her chest, pointed his wand to her face, a sick twisted smile on his face. “Crucio.” he muttered. Her shattering screams echoed throughout the ruins. It felt like a thousand knifes were going through her being.

“We could have been happy HERE! Crucio! We could have stayed HERE forever!! Crucio!!” She screamed and shook under his weight, begging him to stop, he did. His voice became a whisper.
“But you choose to remain lost…” He looked at her with that sick smile on his face. His eyes then rose behind her, she heard a rumble, a growl, a low and dangerous growl. He pressed his weight harder on her and she whimpered weakly, the growl turned into a roar. Her leopard! He raised his wand “Avada-“

“STUPEFY!!!” She screamed in pain and he was pushed back, he crashed into the table behind him, his stunned body cracked. The leopard then ran and pounced on the table and sank its claws and teeth into his tender flesh. His body was like clay to the animal’s weapons, she could hear crushing and bubbling sounds coming from his open throat. Shortly after that the curse wore off and he started to shake trying to get the animal off him, but the leopard’s grasp on his neck close and it shook him suddenly. There was silence…

She lay there, in the debris, tears down her face, running to her ears, looking to the ceiling of the Great hall, seeing it for the first time. She remembered the very first time she had walked into his hall, the sorting hat was on a stool not far from where she laid. Where were the candles? Where was the laughter? Where was the sweet smell of food? Where had all the joy gone? Where were the familiar faces? Where was Tom? Where was… “Dumbledore” She started to cry uncontrollably unable to move, her broken body sprawled on the ground. “Help me… please…”

The leopard was covered in blood, panting. He jumped off the table, away from the attacker, and curled up to her side, his head resting on her chest. Why would you leave me? Where am I? The broken girl, sobbed, unable to move, confused and lost. Roselyn gave into her weakness and closed her eyes, falling back into unconsciousness…