1. Son of a nutcracker
I looked at the Hogwarts train with a smile, adjusting my glasses by habit. Like always, a bubbling, happy feeling consumed my stomach; but also nervousness - it didn't matter that this was going to be my seventh year. I was always nervous but this time I also felt something different. I couldn't describe the weird feeling, but it felt like I was waiting for something or someone though I didn't know what or who.
"Dorothea!" I looked to mum who waved at me. She was wearing a floral dress with long sleeves, stockings and boots to keep herself moderately warm in the mild August weather. Behind her, dad stood in one of his three-piece business suits, with a Slytherin colored tie as he ended a phone call with his business associate – a CEO was rarely off but I was glad he at least was here physically. To the left my little brother performed soccer ball tricks as we waited for the Hogwarts Express. He was as always excited to see it, after all he to just wait one more year before he would also become a student and get sorted into a House but like most boys his attention switched faster than Elena's love interests in Vampire Diaries.
To the left of them stood my sister Alice, wore a beige colored turtleneck dress, a navy blue blazer and high heels. Her straight hair was down - as per usual - while my curly hair was in a waterfall braid. I wore a baby yellow shirt with ruffles, white jeans and nude flats. I walked quickly towards them, when Robin accidentally bounced the ball too hard, so that it bounced away towards me.
"I got it!" I told them loudly and ran towards the bouncing ball. I held my arms up and was just about to catch it when my foot got caught in the broken pavement, halting me. I looked down for a split second, then I looked up just as the ball landed right on my face.
"Argh!"
"My ball!" I fell back on my bum as Robin ran past me for his ball. The world spun around for a second and my nose pulsed in pain. Son of a nutcracker! I moaned mentally in agony.
"Oh, sweetheart!" I heard mum exclaim and suddenly she was right in front of me. "You're too clumsy for your own good. Come on, let me have a look at your nose." She took a hold of my chin gently and examined me with clinical eyes - thank Helga Hufflepuff that mum was a doctor. "It doesn't look broken but it's starting to swell; an ice pack and you should be fine." I nodded and kept the tears of pain at bay. Standing up, I covered my nose with a hand.
"Or we do this." Dad took hold of my hand that was covering my nose, moving it away and then took out his wand. With two quick, simple spells the pain vanished and my nose looked normal.
"And there goes the Dorothea the red nosed reindeer song." Alice deadpanned.
"Ha! Ha!" I laughed sarcastically and fixed my glasses - luckily the ball landed on my nose, so my glasses didn't get broken or dirty.
Robin came up beside me. "Are you okay? Im sorry about the ball..." He told me sincerely and I hugged him.
"It's okay pipsqueak, it was just an clumsy accident. No harm done." He nodded and hugged me back with one arm. I noticed that the train was approaching from the distance in the corner of my eye. "We better get our luggage, it's time to leave." I told Alice who nodded in agreement.
We all walked over to the waiting luggage, Alice took hers and I took mine - on top of hers stood her pearl-spotted owlet named Opal in a cage and on mine sat my cat named Coco. Coco happily nuzzled my hand when I patted her head affectionately and wound her long tail around my wrist, purring the whole time. She jumped up unto my shoulders, laying around my neck like a scarf while I noticed Opal flying to sit on Alice's shoulder as we walked to the train. We hugged our parents and little brother one last time.
"I'll miss you both, don't forget to write to me!" Robin declared before giving me and Alice tight hugs that we returned. Dad came and hugged me while mum hugged Alice.
"Princess, be careful and try to not get sent to the infirmary - the first week at least." I rolled my eyes at him with a smile before hugging him. "Love you, do your best and have fun."
"I will, love you too." He released me and gave me a high five before walking over to Alice.
"I can't believe you're already in the seventh year and an adult in the wizarding world. It's unfair!" Mum whined with a pout which made me giggle at her. "I'm serious, don't grow up anymore."
"How can I do that and still give you all those grandchildren you say you want?" I asked her teasingly and she relented.
"Well, I suppose you've got a point there." Then she pointed a stern finger at me. "But no grandchildren until after Hogwarts and marriage." But then she told me with a gentle voice and cupped my cheek. "But if you happen to get pregnant, I would be there for you honey."
I gaped at her and blushed. "M-m-mum! I'm not going to get pregnant, I don't even have a boyfriend." I squeaked out. Seeing that she wasn't convinced, and completely embarrassed, I leaned into her ear and whispered, "I'm still a virgin!"
"And you never will have a boyfriend, hopefully," I heard dad mutter before telling Alice that boyfriends were a big no. Mum distracted me with pulling me into a tight embrace and petting my head.
"Don't listen to the old fart, you get a boyfriend if you want and then introduce me to him." She told me and I shook my head at the assumption but didn't comment on it.
"Have fun and don't forget to take breaks so you don't overwork yourself. Don't wander the school at night...without a torchlight. But most important of all-" She pulled back to look me in the eye. "don't forget to write me weekly because if you do I'll come there and do everything in my power to embarrass you, do you hear me missy?"
I gulped. "Yes mum, I promise not to forget." She hugged me again and I hugged her back before the conductor called the last warning for boarding the train.
"Love you," I said.
"Love you more, honey." She replied, letting me go and cupping my cheek momentarily before stepping back and laying an arm around Robin's shoulders. I looked to Alice who walked up to me, and Dad walked to stand behind Mum and Robin.
"Stay safe girls, and we'll see you at Christmas."
"Ditto." Alice and I responded at the same time with smiles.
Alice and I waved to them before getting on the train. We walked through the aisle until Alice finally went into one of the compartments with where all of our friends were: Bill Owdale and Jonathan Good were Alice's best friends. Unlike my sister- who was a Ravenclaw- they were in Gryffindor but they had met in Potions in their third year and since then they've been best friends, the three of them bonding together the most through Quidditch. Bill was Gryffindor's seeker as Alice was Ravenclaw's, leading to fun arguments between the two of who was better. If it ever dared to go out of hand Jonathan was there as a buffer thankfully.
Bill wore one of his leather coats, a white shirt underneath with a few buttons undone so you could see his necklace with the Gryffindor symbol on the pendant and his tight, ripped jeans were stuffed into combat boots. In his lap sat his grey Scottish fold cat named Merlin. There was an empty space to his right where Alice sat down and to her right was Jonathan. Jonathan wore a red leather jacket over a black turtleneck, jeans and sneakers. He raised an hand in greeting to me and I waved back, shutting the door behind me.
Right beside the door on the opposite of Bill sat Belle who bounced in her seat happily. She wore a white shirt with ruffled collar that sparkled and trumpet sleeves, a pale yellow vest hugged her curvy figure and her black skirt came a bit above her knees. She also wore white knee high socks and pale yellow high heels that sparkled. Belle loved anything sparkly and had a special spray that she used on her clothes to make them extra-sparkly. She even had a special sparkly spray for her hair that she used for special occasions. It didn't get her in trouble unless she used it on the school robes and clothes – it has resulted in us losing points for our house and she getting detention on several occasions. Not that she really cared, as ditzy as she was but it was one of the most lovable things about her.
To the left side of Belle sat Leopold reading a book on riddles - no doubt trying to learn them all for getting into Ravenclaw tower. He wore a blue v-neck shirt under a black blazer, dark suit pants and fine shoes. He always dressed smart, really taking in the saying that the clothes spoke a lot about a person and he wanted his clothes to really reflect his intellect. Needless to say, he made a fair point and looked good doing it. I sat down next to him. I was a Hufflepuff like Belle but Leopold was a Ravenclaw, me and Belle was roommates that had hit it off the first day and Leopold became our additional best friend during our first Care of Magical creatures class where Belle almost got run over by a Thestral if it had not been for Leopold. Me and Leo were one of the few people who could see them, I had drown once but been revived in a hospital whereas Leopold had fell from a tree when he was young, the fall breaking a rib that had punctured his heart – he had died at the operating table but they had got it going after a few tries and here the two of us was today.
We were on our way to our second home for one last year, Hogwarts. In a way I was envious of Belle and her friends who had two years left but I also felt that I was ready to start my way into adulthood too. Having to make a choice whether I would stay in the wizarding world or begin a life in the world of muggles, it wasn't going to be easy but the easy way weren't always the right way as the great deceased Headmaster Dumbledore has said, at least if the rumors were correct.
The whistle sounded and we all turned to look at the window in order to wave goodbye to our family members. A few minutes of waving and we were out of the station and heading towards Hogwarts. Alice put down Opal on the floor between her feet and then started conversing with Bill on Quidditch. I looked to Belle who was talking to Leo's cat, Quark, and Coco that had climbed over Leo's shoulders to curl around in Belle's shoulders, as if they were speaking back to her, and Leo was still wrapped up in his book.
"Hiya Leo." He waved at me without turning from the book in greeting. I shook my head at him with a smile and looked to Jonathan. "Hi Jonathan, how's the MMA going?"
Like Alice and I, he was a Half-blood, so he actually understood what we were talking about half of the time. He had developed a quick and deep love of Mixed Martial Arts and planned to try make a career out of it when Hogwarts was over. He grinned at me and started to tell me about his summer, and the heavy training.
"My coach said that if i keep up my training while in "private school" that I could join a tournament next summer!" He told me excitedly and he held his hand up. "High five!"
"I'm so happy for you - keep at it tiger!" I high fived him so hard my hand burned. "Ouch..."
"Oh, don't be a baby." He teased me and because I'm the older, mature one of us, I stuck my tongue out at him.
The people in this compartment, some of the staff at Hogwarts, and my family - they were the only ones I could be myself around. Sure I was shy - to an extent - around them but not to the extent I was around strangers. Around strangers I was quiet, withdrawn and didn't dare to look anyone in the eye. It was a result of years of bullying in the muggle school before I attended Hogwarts, where it continued until I was in my fourth year when I finally broke down and told my parents as well as Head of the house about it. Actions was taken and while Victoria and her friends still made use of the opportunities when they found me alone and without professors around it wasn't as bad, it was bearable.
"So, how was your summer? Did you get a boyfriend?" He asked, waking me up from my dark thoughts and smiled at him when I got an mischievous idea.
"Actually yes." I told him seriously and he gaped at me in pure shock. I had to use every ounce of willpower I had in order to keep my poker face on. "His name is Michael Spence and he works in Holby City Hospital." He gave me the stink eye when I told him that and he finally understood I was pulling his leg. I couldn't contain my laughter anymore. "Got ya!"
"You're evil..." He told me with a glare then he joined in on my laughter.
"But on a serious note," I started when I finally could breathe again, "I've not done much - I watched all the Holby City episodes I missed during the school term. I also did a lot of babysitting and working part time at the vet in town. Of course, lots of reading and baking were on my schedule as well. I also brought a hidden supply of all my favorite candy bars and junk food I can't live without."
"You have a problem." He deadpanned and I put my nose up to the air.
"No sir, I have a self-made addiction, thank you very much." He shook his head at me, but was still smiling.
"Have you guys heard that Professor Porq got fired?" Belle asked brightly when she was done showering Quark and Coco with affection - for now. Everyone cheered when we heard that!
She had been our Potions Mistress and Professor in Defense Against Dark Arts the last two years - two years of hell. She was snobby, two-faced mean old witch whose punishments are harsh and embarrassing, and she loved to gossip about students to other students. She lacked a serious pedagogical approach that was hard for even Outstanding grade students to understand. Which meant that I, who has serious problems in Potions went from getting Exceeds Expectations to getting a Poor grade because she couldn't help me or others.
I have heard from other students with older siblings that she was even worse than the late Professor Severus Snape had been! He had actually stayed at Hogwarts as a ghost but he liked to be alone and kept to himself, so even a glimpse of him was seen as a miracle. Many students considered it a game to try and catch a glimpse of him, there was a running tally in each common room for which house had a higher number of Snape-spotting.
"No! Why did she get fired?" Alice asked with a blank face. "I mean, besides the obvious." She added when Bill raised an eyebrow at her as if asking if she had been hit by a blodger.
"I heard that she and a student were in a relationship," Belle whispered with a devious smile.
"Do da' know who?" Bill asked, his Scottish accent heavy.
"Is that important?" Alice asked with a raised eyebrow, but nothing else gave her away.
"Yeah, because while Professor Porq was a bitch, she was a hot bitch. Just wondering who the lucky lad is." He told us. Alice rolled her eyes at him.
"I heard it was Marcus Clearwater, a sixth, well seventh year now, Slytherin. Apparently they're going to get married and everything! She's getting fired, and he's going to finish his year but he has lost his position as Head Boy." Belle told Bill who whistled impressed.
"How do you know all of this? Why do you know all this?" I asked curiously.
"My cousin Amanda is best friends with Marcus's sister Clara." Belle explained with a shrug.
"Oh." Was all I could say and I raised an eyebrow when Belle looked devious. "What?"
"So guys, what do you think of teacher-student relationships?" Belle asked with a giggle.
"I think it's okay as long as the teacher is at most ten years older and the student is at least sixteen years old." Alice told us seriously. Jonathan nodded his agreement.
"That doesn't make it less illegal, though." Leo surprised us by saying and put away his book.
"Isn't it romantic though, a forbidden romance? If only professor Longbottom wasn't married," Belle said with a dreamy sigh and pout.
"Lucky him." Leo deadpanned and Belle gaped at him. "Close your mouth dear, don't want to catch any flies do you?" He told her with a bright smile.
"I do not have bad breath!" She protested and pointed at him while looking at me. "Dorothea, Leo's being an real arsehole again!" Leo's smile got bigger.
"It's A real arsehole not AN real arsehole. Don't worry sweetie, all 11 year olds find grammar hard," He corrected her sweetly. Just to clear any confusion, me, Leo and Belle are in the same year – even if their bantering doesn't make them seem like it at times.
"Carrot head, either you go back to reading your book or you're gonna get whacked with it. Choose wisely laddie." She pointed her finger at him, narrowed her eyes and waited.
"Hmm..." He tapped a finger to his lips. "Neither." Belles eye twitched irritably.
"Oh you little-" Belle looked ready to strangle him so I intervened by giving her my cellphone.
"Ooohhh..." She said, mesmerized by it and she took it carefully from my hands – she was mesmerized by must muggle stuff seeing as she was a Pureblood. She instantly started to go through it until she happily squealed, "Tetris!" She started to play, the familiar game music sounding through the compartment.
"I'm almost certain she was a goldfish in another life," Leo commented and nudged my shoulder.
"Leave her be or you won't get your promised Mars bar," I threatened him.
"You wouldn't," He challenged me and I crossed my arms stubbornly.
"I would, so don't you dare challenge me, boy-o." We glared at each other for a whole minute, and then smiled at each other.
"Thought so." I said smugly and felt cheerful. "No one challenges Dorothea Mortitia Hart and leaves with a win!" I put my fist up too fast and hard, so when it hit the carry-on baggage shelf I screamed in pain. "SON OF A NUTCRACKER!" Suddenly the compartment door opened and Professor Hooch stood there looking stern. "Language young lady! No more ruckus from you or I'll draw ten points from your house." I tried to explain but no sound came from my mouth that opened and closed like a fish. "It goes for all of you." She looked everyone in the eye before closing the door and leaving. When she left I whimpered in pain and started to shake my hand in order to make the pain stop.
"Geez Dorothea, can you be anymore childish?" Leo deadpanned.
"And you're supposed to be the mature one of us, I'm disappointed in you," Jonathan added.
"To think I looked up to you, what a bad choice," Alice said with a sigh.
"You're nothing but trouble." Bill said and then tsked disappointed. What the fudge? I just stared at them when they started laughing at me. "Got ya!" They all said at the same time and I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at them.
"Why are you my friends again?" I asked myself.
"Because I'm awesome!" Belle suddenly sang while playing Tetris.
"... Can't argue with that." I agreed. Then everyone started conversing - minus me and Belle because she was focused on Tetris and I was busy looking from everyone to the window, as we passed by a beautiful lake. The sun made the water look as if it was sparkling, as I got lost in th scenery I felt a weird tugging in my heart – frowning I looked down at my chest but saw nothing yet through the whole ride the sensation of tugging got stronger and stronger.
Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon (Timeskip)
"Come, let's get a move on!" Professor Hooch's calm voice rang out to us all. Just ten minutes ago everyone had changed into their school uniforms and now we had stopped at our destination. Hogwarts. Well, the Hogsmeade station leading to Hogwarts, to be exact. I got my trunk, using a feather-light charm on it to carry it easier, and held tightly onto Coco's basket while my group walked over to one of the carriages that were going to take us to Hogwarts.
To most students, they seemed to be pulled by magic, but Luna Longbottom, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, had told all students in their second year (when they first rode the carriages) that the carriages were pulled by Thestrals: winged-lizard looking horses that could only be seen by those who've seen death in some form.
I could see them because when I was a little girl I nearly drowned in a pond near my home. I was unconscious and taken to the nearby muggle hospital. I was dead for over a minute before they jump-started my heart. To this day I still have a fear of being submerged in water, I can shower but I need to prepare myself first but swimming or taking a bath was out of the question.
I thanked a house elf who went about packing all of our trunks into the carrier-box that held an Undetectable Expansion Charm. With little help from the others both Coco, still in her carrier basket, and I got into the carriage. I sat by the door opposite of Alice who held her cage with Opal securely. We were the last carriage in the line and it seemed like forever before the Thestrals started to move after the other carriages. The first steps jostled everything in the carriage before it settled into a smooth ride to the castle.
"Who do you think will be Head Boy and Head Girl this year?" Leo questioned.
"Dunno, it's hard to say." Jonathan answered with furrowed eyebrows. "Jasmine Malik?"
"No, she's getting married this summer, so she won't have time for Head Girl duties, school and wedding planning." Belle stated.
"How about Alistair King for Head Boy? He's a brain-brat," Bill asked.
"Possibly." Leo said while nodding. Coco started hissing and I looked at her.
"Hey, how about Christine Jones?" Belle suggested but I didn't hear her because of Coco.
"Coco, what's wrong?" I whispered to her and she stood up, hissing fiercely and started to growl. Now everyone was looking at Coco acting so strange – she was usually a very calm and relaxed and loving kitten. Suddenly the Thestrals started acting strangely too, making an odd whooshing sound and jerking against the carriage restraints.
"Dorothea, what's wrong with her?" Jonathan asked worriedly.
"I dunno," I said. I looked out the carriage windows in the direction she looked at, straining to see whatever she saw. "Coco there's nothing- Oh my Helga Hufflepuff!"
Out of the woods came two enormous trolls. They ran right for us and screams could be heard from the carriages before us. Belle screamed as loud as she could. Thank Helga Hufflepuff that she had Banshee blood in her veins from her great-grandmother! But if she could scream using her Banshee heritage, it meant that someone would die tonight. The Thestrals started trying to fly in order to get away from the trolls, the force of it send us slamming into the left side of the carriage. Belle grasped Coco's carrier from me as I fell towards Alice with a scream. From the corner of my eye I could see a troll's hand, its pinky finger taking hold of the door, destroying it. Which was a very bad thing...because I was trapped against it.
"DOROTHEA!" Alice screamed in horror and tried to grab her offered hand, the one not clutching Opal's cage. Our fingers touched but not enough for my salvation. When I fell through the air, I couldn't even muster the ability to scream and I could only watch the carriages flying away from me, the thestrals wings beating the air in a frenzy as they tried to fly towards the safety of their hidden glen in the Forbidden Forest.
No... Come back...I'm... I'm in danger...
The air got squeezed out of my lungs when the troll caught me with his enormous hand, trapping my arms and legs so I couldn't fight it - or even try to. I tried to breathe through my panic, and the tight squeeze, barely managing it. The troll brought me close enough so that he could see to inspect me. I returned the favor.
Even if my glasses were askew, I could tell he was one ugly troll. His breath fanned over my face and I had to swallow down the bile that rose in my throat. His breath smelled worse than anything I've ever smelled in my entire life.
Two screams made me whip my head around for a brief moment. The other troll held on to the foot of Jasmine Malik who held on with both hands to a blonde girl I didn't know. She wore Slytherin robes while Jasmine wore Ravenclaw robes. The blonde girl reached for her wand that she apparently had in her boot but just before she got a hold of it, the troll took hold of her with his other hand. Jasmine tried to hold on but the troll was too strong, both Jasmine and I started to scream for the troll to release the blonde girl when he held her above his open mouth. The troll who held me started to lift me to his own mouth and I knew this was the end.
"JASMINE! YOUR WAND!" I yelled at her but she was frozen in shock when the troll released the blonde. "NOOO!" Thinking of Belle's scream I was sure that the blonde girl was a goner and I would be too if I didn't do something, anything to get away. I tried to squirm out of the troll's hand but it was futile. Then I tried to bite his hand as hard as I possibly could but nothing happened except that he tasted awful, his leathery hide too tough for me to make a dent in with my teeth.
In the corner of my eye, I saw the blonde girl suddenly disappear just seconds from being devoured, a spell pulling her away from the beast's massive maw. Then I saw Professor Sinistra coming from behind the troll's head with the blond girl securely behind her on a fast-moving broom. Professor Hooch blasted the troll's hand so it released Jasmine with a howl of pain. Professor Hooch caught Jasmine and flew away with her.
A third person on a broom flew straight towards the troll holding me. I don't know why, but the instant I saw the person, I didn't feel afraid anymore. Something about the dark clothed figure allured, enchanted me, I could not look away - I felt drawn to the person, though I couldn't tell anything about them. The tugging at my heart that I hadn't felt since the chaos begun were almost painful as the hooded figure came closer. The figure held its arm out and yelled out with a calm voice, but you could hear the strength, the control, behind it.
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" I gasped when several deep cuts appeared on the troll's body, especially the head. Red rain cascaded from the body, painting the trees and forest floor red.
"Wow... Ew... But mostly wow..." To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Almost like the figure heard me they turned around to me when the troll fainted from blood loss. The crash, and my screams as the creature fell, echoed through the woods and birds fled from the trees. But I didn't notice anything besides the figure who flew straight for me. The speed of the broom whipped back the hood of their cloak.
It was night now but with the light of a nearly full moon, I could now tell the figure was a male. When he was a few meters from me I could see that he had extremely light-colored, long hair that was pulled back into a tail and fastened with a bow. He had light colored eyes - maybe crystal blue, pale green or grey. He was fair skinned with what I think was a scar over his right eye but he didn't look half blind.
When his eyes went from the troll's to mine all breath left me and I felt grounded in a way I hadn't felt since the beginning of this trip and the tugging feeling of my heart. Whatever had tugged my heart stopped as we locked gazes. My heart hadn't been tugged towards something – it had been tugged towards someone. Him. The one who had just used a spell I've never heard of before that just killed - or seemingly killed - a troll. Every fiber in my being just wanted to be in his arms.
"Bloody hell..." I cursed, awestruck...which turned into a scream when the troll holding me woke and decided to get his big ass outta there and started to run away with me still in his clutches. "Hey! Stop! Let me go!" I begged him even though I knew he couldn't understand.
I looked over my shoulder to see that this stranger I had never met, and yet was now my reason to breathe, following me. Wait... My reason to breath?... WHY IN THE NAME OF MUNCHKINS DID I THINK THAT!? I started to feel really freaked out but I couldn't shake off the feeling of completeness at the thought of him by my side, which terrified me. Please don't tell me this is love at first sight? - I didn't think it existed... at least not for someone as plain and ordinary as me! ... Let me get this straight - I'm thinking about my love life while a hungry, human eating troll is running away with me in its clammy paws. A troll who might just happen to decide at any moment to eat me with a single bite... I looked towards the angry, frightened troll, gulping when I could see his sharp teeth that had probably eaten humans many times in the past. Yup, sounds about right... I should get a psychological check up when this is over.
With that decided, I tried to think of something, anything that could help me, a wandless spell that was simple enough for me to perform. I remembered when I was little and wished that snow slope was more slippery and icy so that the sleigh would go faster. I looked down on the ground, ahead of the way the troll was taking me and focused my magic, muttering the spell I had created by accident that day years ago.
"Brico!" In the glittering moonlight I could see the ground becoming shiny and the moment the troll stepped on it he almost lost his balance. He tried to continue running but he barely stayed upright. "BRICO! BRICO! BRICO!" I intensified it and finally he lost his balance. "This is-" My happy grin disappeared when I realized that I would be going down with him - perhaps under him. "-a really bad IDEAAAAA!" I screamed, horrified, and closed my eyes tightly. I was sending loving thoughts to my family, friends and for some reason the blonde man who also appeared in my mind, when the troll landed on the ground. He slid down the slippery, ice-and mud-covered ground. I opened my eyes and saw the two tall, strong trees just before the troll's head went between them and he got stuck.
The force of the impact made him shout in pain, and he instantly released me so that I flew a few meters before landing on my stomach on the forest floor. My whole body ached, my ribs and lungs hurt when I tried breath. I felt like a rag doll that had been shaken before being tossed aside. I couldn't stop shaking, my mouth felt dry and I felt with my hands for my glasses in the mud. When I found them, I forced my arm to lift them and place them correctly. They weren't cracked, only a bit dirty, but other than that I could see well. I looked towards the troll that glared at me, starting to thrash while trying to get his head loose. Automatically I reached for my wand that was hidden in my right sock, whimpering slightly in pain but didn't let it stop me. Wand in hand, I pointed it at the troll.
"Stupe-" My voice cracked and I had to take a deep breath before trying again even though my vision started to get blurry. "STUPEFY!" I screamed as loudly and as clearly as I could. Red light left my wand and hit the troll's open mouth. It took a moment or two until he went unconscious, face down on the ground. A sigh of deep relief escaped me and my whole body turned to mush when the adrenaline ,mixed with a big, healthy dose of fear, left my body. I couldn't even move a muscle. My chin laid upon the ground, resting my head while my eyes got really heavy. It was then that I realized how much everything hurt! "Oh, son of a nutcracker..." I slurred weakly.
I perked up a bit when I saw the man landing on his broom next to the troll. He checked that the troll was fully unconscious before making his way to me. He was tall but not taller than Bill, though they had the same lean, strong, quidditch-player body-type. He looked like a pirate with his scar, and for some reason my heart fluttered when he got closer with every step. His face showed open worry and horror when he went down on his knees beside me. Gently he turned me around so that I laid on my back and he checked my injuries.
While he did that I used the advantage of the moon catching his right side profile to take a good look at him - he had the face of a male model. Aristocratic nose, cupid's bow lips, high cheekbones, strong jaw and fair skin that would make most girls jealous. His scar went from above the left side of his right eyebrow to under the right side of his right eye, when he blinked I saw that it was on the lid too but the eye seemed fine. He didn't have any other scars on his face. I got lost when he suddenly caught my eyes with his. They were silver, I realized. Like mercury, pure liquid silver. I had never seen more beautiful eyes, they were breathtaking - okay, HE was breathtaking even though he was splattered with blood. He looked at me shocked, he leaned down and sniffed my hair - it should have creeped me out but it didn't. Then his mouth hung open for a moment and then a life changing word left his mouth.
"Mate..." Right then, something really clicked in my mind and I knew what that word meant. Like Belle, this man was not just a wizard, but also a creature. But what kind of creature?
The answer came sooner than I expected, the sound of tearing clothes could be heard and his eyes - even the whites of them - turned into glowing silver. Out of his back two wings - the same color as his beautiful long white-blonde hair - sprung forward tearing his coat and spread out to their full length above me. I should have felt trapped, or at least frightened, but instead I felt safe, like he was shielding me from danger. A tearing sound could be heard from his feet but I couldn't look away from his face. His mouth opened up a bit more as his canines grew into long, gleaming fangs. They looked as though they could do some real harm if he saw reason to use them. I had read and knew almost everything in our textbooks about any creature that lived in the Magical UK. I knew what he was.
"V-v-veela... Y-y-you're a veela..." I stuttered out surprised.
"Mate..." He purred softly, rubbing his face in the side of my neck while inhaling my scent. "Mine... You're mine..." He licked the place where my shoulder met my neck. The gesture set my body on fire and I moaned out loud. I gasped and blushed at my reaction but didn't fight him, I couldn't and wouldn't for three reasons.
One being that since I was his mate, it meant that he was also mine - we were meant to be together and that he was my one true love.
Second reason being that if the mate of a veela rejected the veela, they would die, literally of heartbreak. They would starve themselves - they couldn't feel, taste, hear, see anything - and it took one week before their heart would stop beating entirely. I couldn't be the reason why somebody died just because I was scared to accept my destined partner. And number three, even if I under normal circumstances had reacted in panic and backed away a few meters to try and absorb the information I couldn't because my body felt numb out of all the pain after this troll disaster.
"Sorry..." Lost in my thoughts I hadn't noticed that he had stopped briefly with his demonstrations of love, and then I screamed out in immense pleasure when he bit down where my neck met my shoulder on the right side. Stars turned into vibrant sparkles behind my eyelids. My body strained like a bow and when the pleasure disappeared my body felt like mush. My body still shook with aftershocks and the darkness around my eyes consumed me.
"My mate..." He licked his mate mark on my neck clean and when my head lolled to the right side I saw one thing before I lost consciousness. He wore two silver rings on his left hand - one with the Slytherin symbol and another one with a big, old English styled M. Who is my veela mate?...