Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

Summary: Vira is a woman with a dark secret, a hidden past, and a preplanned future. Her whole life has been in preparation for this. But when the time comes, can she actually go through with it?

Vega – arguably the most important star in the sky after the sun.

She awoke with a jolt, her eyes snapping open and her senses straining against the quiet of the room. It was still very dark and she could hear no sounds other than her own steady breathing. Slowly she slid her fingers around the wand she kept under her pillow, comforted by the heartbeat of the Hebridean dragon she swore she could feel pulse through the black heartwood.

She lay motionlessly for several minutes and when she could decipher no sign of any unwelcome guest, she took a deep breath. Rolling onto her back, she wondered what could have woken her so suddenly; had she had a dream or a nightmare? She thought for a moment, remembering nothing.

How quickly you forget me. She heard, the voice like thunder in the stillness of the room. It was quickly followed by a low chuckle that made her grin.

I could never forget you,she assured it, but one cannot help but be cautious when roused from an otherwise peaceful slumber.

Of course, my dear, of course,the voice replied within her mind, I only wished to speak with you before tomorrow.She raised a brow in curiosity, knowing full well the act couldn't be seen - though it could be felt.

I will be busy with preparations quite soon and haven't much time,the voice offered as explanation; she nodded as it continued, the next several months will be paramount to my plans and I wished only to offer you some… encouragement… for the role you will play in them.She was taken aback at the sound of sincerity in the statement; it was unexpected to say the least.

Yes, well, I may be many terrible things my dear, but I do wish for you to…succeed in these endeavors. -A pause.

I trust you know what to do?She closed her eyes and nodded.

Very well, I will speak with you again soon.

As her mind became her own again, she found herself staring at the ceiling. Slowly she sat up to look about the room. It was still very dark, but she could make out the outlines of her furniture and belongings. Her eyes scanned the room, coming to rest on the clock that sat on her bedside table.

Seeing the time, she groaned; it was 3:30am. Soon she would have to climb out of bed to pack, wash, dress, and have breakfast with the other occupants of the manor before departing for the train station. Two hours,she promised herself, then I'll get up. Settling herself back down, she closed her eyes, willing herself back to sleep.

As she began to doze off, she heard a slight turn of the doorknob. Again she was fully awake, only this time she kept her eyes closed and allowed her other senses to take precedence in the blackness of the room.

"Vira?" Came the whisper. She smiled inwardly, knowing instantly who it was. Deciding to feign consciousness, she kept her eyes closed and her breathing steady. She listened as the man came fully into the room and closed the door quietly behind him.

He stood still for a moment, supposedly deciding what to do and maybe whether or not she was awake. Seemingly having made up his mind, she heard him begin to walk slowly towards her. After a few paces there was a rustling sound… the sound of clothes dropping to the floor. She wanted to smile, but refrained from doing so. A moment passed before she felt a finger lightly skim her jawline and run down the side of her neck towards her collarbone; followed shortly by the pressure of lips upon hers.

Finally letting her eyes open, she found herself staring into a pair of cold gray eyes.

"I knew you weren't asleep," he whispered through a grin.

"Am I ever when you're around?" She asked, mirroring the look on his face and pleasantly noting his lack of clothing.

"You will be when I'm through with you," he chuckled softly. She couldn't help but do the same as he climbed into the bed with her. She slept naked most nights, loving the feel of the satin sheets on her skin. Tonight had been no exception.

"Miss Vega." She heard as she opened her eyes for the third time that morning. "Miss Vega, breakfast will be served soon." Shaking the grogginess from her mind, she sat up to find herself in her tub. For a moment she wondered how she had gotten there. Then she remembered her intention to bathe before getting up for the day. Must have fallen asleep,she thought.

"Kittle thought since Miss is usuallys downstairs by now that Kittle should makes sure Miss is ok." She turned to the house elf suddenly, having forgotten he was there.

Her sudden movement startled the elf as he backed a few paces from her, looking nervously at her hands and at places within reach, presumably looking for her wand.

"I will be down in a minute," she stated, waving him off. The house elf only nodded, half relieved, as it winked away.

Pulling herself from the tub and wrapping herself in a towel, she walked to the mirror. Checking her flawless pearl skin, she noticed there were light bags under her otherwise perfectly steel-gray eyes. Long night,she frowned, taking her wand lying on the sink and muttering a quick spell to rid herself of them. She also noted the teeth marks on her right shoulder. Ever the biter.She thought to herself, smiling at the thought. Briefly she considered charming them away but decided against it. I think I rather like them.

When she was satisfied with her skin, she turned to her hair, not that there was much that was needed to be done with it in her opinion. It was short and jet-black. Her morning routine consisted of spiking it and nothing else. As she did so this morning, she wondered why most girls preferred long hair to short; she figured it had something to do with the illusion of beauty and femininity it often produced. She herself had no use for such things. She knew she was beautiful and had no desire to be overtly feminine. Such things made a woman look weak; sure there was an element of pleasure in having others underestimate you on account of your gender, but she much preferred the power that came with being feared.

Satisfied, she walked back into the main room. It could have easily been someone's office if it were not for the large, black four-poster bed that stood perfectly made by the windows. The large desk, which she used for research and study, was bare save for a stack of unused parchment, a row of clean quills, bottles of ink and a pile of books she would need for the upcoming year.

Next to it stood two large wardrobes, one in which she kept her clothes and another that housed the cauldrons and ingredients she used in her experiments. Her walls were lined with bookcases; her own private collection she had accumulated over the years, many of which were illegal to own but were infinitely useful in her studies.

She frowned, taking in the scene before her. It was now morning, the light of which cast pale shadows about the room. The naturally ashen blue color of the walls somehow made it feel emptier than it was; she found herself unusually troubled by the feeling. Unsure as to why she instead turned her attention to fact that she had yet to pack.

She sighed in irritation, taking out her wand and flicking it with a satisfied smile as the items on her desk flew into her open trunk. She flicked her wand again and the wardrobe opened, allowing her clothes to fly neatly folded into her trunk while a pair landed neatly on her bed to be worn for the day. Flicking her wand a third time, her trunk closed and locked itself.

Walking over to the bed, she couldn't help but smile. It had been many months since she had last worn these clothes and honestly, she almost missed them. Absently she ran her fingers along the green and silver material. They brought back many memories from the past six years, both good and bad. She frowned at the thought, unsure which she would miss most, the good – for obvious reasons – or the bad for what they had made of her.

There was one thing she was sure about though; she was looking forward to this year - The Year that Would End it All - as she had come to call it. Shrugging off her towel, she quickly got dressed – shrinking and pocketing her trunk in the process – before finally heading downstairs for breakfast.

I'm very excited to be working to finish this story. Please leave a review! :]

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter.

And many thanks to my awesome Beta, WickedTorchwoodFan!