Chapter 0
There she sat, studying her first year charms books, her large black wings spread out behind her, her blonde hair flying in the breeze. She was alone, like always – you'd have thought she'd have learned by now. She was such an easy target. Different, awkward, soft spoken, no urge to fight back or stand up for herself – everything a bully like Luscius Malfoy could pick at to make himself feel like a man. And this time…this time, he had something special planned. He watched her from behind the stone wall, smiling at himself and his hidden agenda, slowly drawing out the knife from beneath his robes.
"Hello, Verona," he said, coming around the corner with his band of Slytherin cronies. She jumped a little, her wings fluttering. "What do you want?" She asked suspiciously.
Luscius fingered the knife in his hand. "Nothing, really. Although…I was really hoping you could maybe show me something. You see, I've been wondering…do…do abominations like you cry?" He unsheathed the knife and held the blade with his other hand. Verona's eyes widened. She knew exactly what he was doing. "Please, Luscius…this isn't fair…" He laughed, and with a swipe, slid the blade through his palm. He opened it, witnessed the line of blood that divided his hand. He'd never done this before, but had seen the 5th and 6th years do it to Verona all the time. The hilarity that ensued at her expense was well worth the pain of a mutilated hand
Luscius stretched his hand Verona's way, his friends laughing expectantly. Her eyes followed the blood that trickled down his arm and onto the damp ground, eyes that turned a pale yellow and widened even more with hunger. "Stop," she whispered, her body frantically trying to move her, but unable to. She knew she couldn't indulge in this treat that was being so freely offered, it was strictly forbidden. But she hadn't tasted human blood in so long…
"Come on, Verona. You know you want to have a little taste," Luscius mocked. He was so confident she wouldn't take him up on the offer, so sure of her upstanding loyalty to Dumbledore and the other professors. Besides, other students had done it, and she had never retaliated. There was no way this plan could fail. In his arrogance, Luscius moved closer, close enough for Verona to touch.
His friends shifted nervously. Verona's breathing had gotten quicker. She resembled more of a carnal beast than a human being.
A wiry – looking girl, Bellatrix, interjected. "Luscius, maybe you should…" "Shut up!" Luscius shouted, annoyed at their lost faith. He turned to address them, angry. "Perhaps you shouldn't have come if you…" But the words following failed to fall from his lips. Verona had tackled Luscius with such a force it had knocked him to the ground and rendered him unconscious. She grabbed his palm and held it to her mouth, suckling his precious fluids.
Luscius's friends stood rooted to their spots, unable to move, unable to breathe. As the incapacitated boy began turning pale, it became clear that Verona wouldn't stop until she had drained him of everything.
She lowered her head slowly towards his neck, but was struck by a small rock thrown by one of Luscius's companions. She jerked up, her mouth dripping with blood, and uttered a truly inhuman cry of war, her pointed teeth bared. She leapt at Bellatrix, gripping her neck and lifting her with one hand in a feat of incredible strength.
Just as the lights were growing dark for Bella, Verona's grip loosened, then fell to her side. Coming towards them over the Hogwarts grounds was Albus Dumbledore, his wand raised, incapacitating Verona. She hung a few inches above the ground, her eyes open in a blank stare, her jaw lax.
"All of you, back to the castle!" Yelled Dumbledore, his cheeks flushed with anger. Not one student disobeyed, all of them scrambling to get there first.
Dumbledore sighed, stroking Verona's cheek, and shedding a single tear. "Oh, my dear. I do believe I have failed you."