Story: For nearly 15 years, the Throne of Magic has been without an Heir…Voldemort has risen once more and by some twist of fate, he is able to rule as Regent…Will the true Heir sit upon the Throne or will Voldemort rule forevermore?
Challenges: Childe by Nightshade sydneylover150 and Girl the Dark Lord Knows Not by snapefn1 as well as Deatheater's Daughter by Nightshade sydneylover150 on
Author's Note: I was being bothered by the plot bunnies to write this. Here it is. Review if you want more!
Chapter 1:
A beautiful woman was on the floor, her silver hair splayed out behind her as the pool of blood grew bigger. A silver circlet held the silken tresses from her face. Her eyes were the color of amethysts, pure orbs of royal purple that held no fear.
"Where is she?" A cruelly handsome man with jet black hair and jewel red eyes stood before her.
"You'll never have her." Purple eyes laughed at the man as she continued speaking. "Poor Tom, what will you do, now that you've failed?" Her words ended in a small laugh.
"Damn you! You prying little Pandora! Lying little Delilah! Damn you! Curse you!"
"Damn me all you want Tom, but I will never be as accursed as you!"
Kneeling, he grabbed her by her slender, lily white throat. "I will find her and you will rue the day that you went against me."
"Me? Oh no Tom, you will rue the day you tried to gain the power of Armash!"
Harry met her the summer after fifth year.
Harry was walking past a bookstore when a girl collided into him. "Please pretend to be my boyfriend, my name's Razenshia." He thought that he had seen a walking porcelain doll, her features were so painfully beautiful, and as if she were the masterpiece that Pygmalion had slaved over, it was as if one of those ideal statues or paintings had come to life. He thought that she was a Veela at first. Yet she couldn't be a Veela for her hair was as dark as night and her skin was merely shades from bronze.
"Yes." The word fluttered out of his mouth before he could even think, how could one refuse those eyes that held the rainbow?
"Oh thank you! I was being chased by these boorish boys led by this one boy who looks like a shaved ape and I said that I had a boyfriend and they didn't quite believe me and oh, here they come!" She held onto him, as if to hide behind him, and slight as Harry was, she was even smaller so she couldn't be more than 5'3". And indeed, Dudley came with his crew of immature friends who delighted in causing havoc and trouble for everyone.
"Hey, where'd that chick g-Harry. Oh hi…" Dudley backed away, when Harry had gotten home from Hogwarts, some of his Professors had come to visit and Harry now had much more freedom, food and comfort than before. "Shit, she's your girlfriend Harry, I didn't know. Honest." Dudley Dursley backed away and his friends followed. His greedy little blue eyes widening in fear and worry as he stared at his magical cousin, hoping that he wouldn't be turned into a pig.
"Yeah, she's my girlfriend. Leave her alone from now on." Harry draped an arm around Razenshia, he was glad that he had followed Sirius's example and had let his hair grow out, it reached his shoulders and made him seem tougher than he really was. Combined with his pale skin and intense jade eyes, he had heard more than one person comment on his resemblance to a vampire.
"Ah yeah, sure, remember that guys, ok? Harry's chick is off limits. So, uh, yeah."
After they had gone, Razenshia slumped down and let out a breath. "Thanks. So your name's Harry?"
"Yeah. Harry. Harry Potter."
"Nice to meet you Harry Potter, my name's Razenshia Armash." He held out his hand and helped her up. A dark blush ran over her face. "I am so sorry I dumped this all on you…I…can I make you lunch to make it up to you?"
"You don't have to. I mean, it was my pleasure. Glad I could help." He scratched the back of his head and watched her blush spread over her cheeks and down her neck. She was adorable.
"No, please, I insist." She had continued to hold onto his hand and dragged him alongside her.
"Sure. Are you new here?"
"Yes! I just moved here from Germany with my older sister."
"Really?"
"Mhm. Her name is Lily. Isn't it a beautiful name?" Light filled her face; it seemed that she really loved her elder sister.
"Yeah, it's a beautiful name." It was his mother's name. Lily.
"She is beautiful. Oh, I haven't told you where we're going have I?" A small hand flew to her mouth, as if to try and cover the small laugh that came out.
"No, no you didn't."
"Um, Number 13 on Privet Drive. I just moved in this week."
"I live on Number 4!" Harry had seen moving trucks come down the street earlier in the week but hadn't thought of it. He was surprised but nonetheless happy that she lived so near to him.
Razenshia had just moved into Number 13 on Privet Drive from Germany, she lived alone since her family spent much of their time abroad and she didn't mind the solitude. Her family was well off and she tended to move around every couple of years. Razenshia had an older brother and an older sister who both attended boarding school in Scotland while she was tutored at home. She had shown him family pictures that had left Harry shocked and confused. Her father was an exact replica of Lucius Malfoy and her brother was a clone of Draco Malfoy. They even had the same first names! But both looked differently than how Harry had known them. Lucius was dressed simply yet elegantly and smiling. It wasn't a fake smile, but a real one. Draco was sitting on the floor, his hair free of gel, wearing Muggle clothes. Lily, Razenshia's older sister, was leaning on the armchair that the mother sat on, Narcissa. There was a wry grin on her face. Narcissa looked as if she came from the painting of an angel, he could see where Razenshia got her breathtaking beauty. Standing next to Lucius was a young man, a teenager really, who was remarkably similar to Severus Snape, but a handsomer, younger version.
And then magic. Harry found it easy to bend the truth about Hogwarts to her since she was a Muggle even though she gave off an aura of power. Soon enough, she really was Harry's girlfriend.
Harry and Razenshia sat under the tree, enjoying each other's company. Razenshia's nimble fingers were weaving a crown of flowers as Harry was stretched out like a cat beside her whilst fingering his hair.
"I need to get it cut soon."
"Don't."
"Why?"
"Because I love your hair long."
"Really? What do you love about it?" Harry smirked at her and sat up.
Razenshia set down the crown of flowers and smiled. "I love the way it frames your face, when the wind blows through it, the way it feels and smells, and running my finger through it when we kiss."
Harry leaned close to her. "Do you want to kiss?"
"Maybe." She leaned closer as well until she backed away and he fell on the ground. "You'll have to catch me first!" Razenshia stood up and ran farther in the park, laughing in her clear voice. Harry was right behind her, his fingers just grazing her long, ebony hair until he was able to catch her and they both tumbled down the hill into a disordered pile.
"I caught you." Harry was out of breath, so his voice came out much more deep and heavy than usual. It was just that she seemed every bit the forbidden fairy princess as she lay underneath him, surrounded by all the small white flowers. He propped himself up on his elbows and just stared at her, wondering what would happen if Voldemort ever found out about her, wondering what would happen if she found out he was a wizard and the Chosen One. Would she still laugh and smile at him, would she still sit and drink tea with him and talk about frivolous things, would she still just lay there in his arms and let him pretend that everything was perfectly fine?
"It seems so." She reached a hand to his face and removed his glasses, pushing his fringe out of his eyes and just smiled. As if everything was perfect. As if everything was alright. As if life was not haunted by the darkness in the hearts of man. And then their lips met in a soft, tender kiss. At the end of the kiss, he buried his face in her neck and just sighed. Everything was perfect, here and now. How he wanted everything to just remain this way, he didn't want anyone to find out about Razenshia. He had asked the Headmaster to place Wards on her house and around her, so that she would be safe. He hadn't even told Hermione or Ron for fear that it would leak out by accident. If he could have placed her in a glass box that would protect her from everyone and everything, he would. But he couldn't. Could he? "Harry? What's happening?"
Frost was covering the grass and flowers, the sky darkened and an overwhelming chill permeated through the air. He heard a female voice in his mind shriek 'Not Harry!' Dementors.
"You have to run." He pulled her up and ran, his wand falling out of the invisible holster on his arm and into his grasp.
"Harry, what are those things?" Sweet, sweet Razenshia ran alongside him, her face a mask of confusion and fear. He could see the gliding black shapes of the Dementors racing towards them. He knew that this time, they weren't sent by some malevolent Ministry worker, but by the devil himself, Voldemort. The Order members that guarded him at all times came into action, sending out Patronuses that drove back the black shapes. But there were just too many Dementors. Razenshia herself tripped over a tree root and one of the black wraiths swooped down on her. The incantation was on Harry's lips, but Kingsley grabbed Harry and Apparated with a protesting Harry. "Wait! No! RAZENSHIA!"
The last thing he saw was a Dementor Kissing Razenshia, the black wraiths flying around her. Razenshia was gone, and it was his fault. They took him to Grimmauld Place, but he just locked himself inside his room. Tonks did his school shopping for him since they weren't sure it would be safe for him to shop. They didn't know what Voldemort had hoped to accomplish with that attack, if it really was him, or if it was a random Dementor attack. But Razenshia was still gone. Nothing would bring her back. Not once a Dementor Kissed you. One of the Order members, probably Tonks again, had gone to his room and gotten his things. There was an album full of pictures. A whole summer's worth. Pictures that he and Razenshia had taken. Pictures. That was all that was left of her. He had heard that sometimes, if a Soul was found to be particularly exquisite, Dementors would suck everything out of the body, leaving only dust. That had probably happened to her. There was no sweeter thing than Razenshia.
Sirius didn't try to comfort him by saying that everything would be all right or that the pain would stop. His silver eyes were sad and sorrowful, they shared the pain of having lost a loved one, and they shared the guilt of knowing that they could have done something. Hermione and Ron tried to cheer him up, but he was too despondent. The Headmaster had only looked at him sadly with his wise, wise eyes and gave him a piece of wisdom that in his fresh pain, he could not comprehend. 'Time heals all wounds, my boy.'
Harry sat at the Welcoming Feast, wearing the student uniform in black, the Headmaster had given him permission to wear mourning clothes in school. He uncannily resembled a vampire that had not fed, dark circles were underneath his eyes, his hair hung lank and lifeless hair at his shoulders, and his skin was as ashen as death. Everything was so dull and colorless to him that if Malfoy had made fun of him, he hadn't noticed. The Sorting went by and he had heard nothing. He had even only clapped out of habit for the new Defense Professor.
"Harry look, that sixth year is being sorted." Hermione nudged Harry out of his stupor in time to hear McGonagall call out "Malfoy, Razenshia."
Wait. Razenshia?
He looked up and there, in the robes of a Hogwarts student, sat Razenshia. There was her large, dark, almond shaped eyes. There was her skin just shades away from being bronze and thick, long hair the color of the night.
"Slytherin." The Sorting Hat called out her House after nearly five minutes, enough for Harry to take her in, to see her with his unseeing eyes.
Razenshia Malfoy stood up and when she looked over to the Gryffindor table, Harry knew that she was his Razenshia, their gaze had met. The laughing eyes that he loved were cold and heartless. She was presenting the perfect façade of a pureblood daughter of the House of Malfoy. She sat down at the left hand of Draco Malfoy, her hands folded delicately on the dark table in front of her. The silver blonde at her side placed one hand over hers and a furious beast rose up inside Harry, a wrath that he had not known he was capable of. While the hatred of Harry grew unrestrained, a conversation took place at the Head Table.
"Potter is so very unlucky, falling for the one person that he cannot ever have." A striking pale man who appeared to be no older than a brooding 19 swirled a golden goblet at the Head Table, he wore black robes and had black hair that reached his shoulders. Yet, to nearly all, this appearance was hidden by a powerful glamour that showed a dour man in his forties.
"So there is no chance of him Awakening, Severus?" The Headmaster turned to face his Potions Master, sadness lining his eyes.
"None at all, Headmaster. Perhaps, if he were to be Turned by a Were or by a Vampire or even by a Shifter, but I highly doubt it. He has inherited exceptionally powerful and pure Blood that is, unfortunately, Dormant. There is no chance for him to survive being with her."
"How many are there this year?" Albus sighed as he looked out over the mass of youths.
"Many more than usual." Severus looked to the Headmaster and saw tears threaten to fall from his eyes. "I can always lie and say that there are no new Heralds and none who are Awake."
"Yes, but then I would be no better than the Minister, pretending that things are not there and not as they are."
"Of course, Headmaster." The conversation was ended for the time being. Severus would speak to the other professors, to let them know which of their students Awake were, which were to Awake, and which Heralds were.
When it was time to leave the Great Hall, Harry was about to pull his wand on Draco Malfoy when he heard some words uttered in French by a voice that he knew well.
"Non, mon petit Morte."
It was Razenshia; she was speaking to Malfoy, her hand on his wand arm, stopping him from drawing it. Harry realized why when a dark shadow fell over him. Snape.
"Well, well, well, it seems that the Golden Boy can't wait for a day to pass without causing trouble. Come with me to my office, Potter." Severus Snape, Potions Master, sneered as he steered the Gryffindor away from the fight that was about to have begun. Potter had not noticed the other students waiting in the shadows, wands already drawn. Yes, it would be a very interesting year.
"Why did you stop me?" Draco turned to face the girl he had grown up with, the girl he had known all of his life.
"It would do no good to fight in the open like that; it would be against what we are trying to do, no?" Razenshia tenderly touched his left forearm, where the Dark Mark lay.
"You're in love with him aren't you? You fell for him."
"You know that my heart is not my own to give. I cannot give it freely to any one person." Her eyes darkened to a sapphire blue in sorrow and he lifted a hand to her face and murmured an apology. "It is fine. Come. We should be going. I am already tired once more." She let the glamours fall by accident and her own skin was pallid, dark were the circles under her own eyes and her eyes lost their luster. All this was bared once more to Draco before the glamours were hastily built up once more.
"You shouldn't have come. You could have remained hidden and He would have never found you." He extended his arm to her and she took it, leaning on him as they walked to Severus' quarters.
"And leave all my Heralds to die? I think not. Besides, where's all the fun in turning tail and running away?"
"Where is all the fun, indeed. You're insane, you know that?" He chuckled at her words.
"But still, you love me." She laughed gaily.
"Do I have any choice?" A perfect, silver blond eyebrow was raised at her bold words.
"As much as I." She spoke nonchalantly of their fate.
"I suppose you are right." He looked down at her as they walked.
"Aren't I always?" Her reply earned her a kiss on her head and a warning to behave.
"Are you insane?" Harry backed away from the seated Potions Master.
"No, I assure you that I have not lost my faculties." Said Potions Master wearily rubbed his forehead, there was a terrible migraine building up and it responded to the name Potter.
"Oh, have you already told him?" The old wizard that was Headmaster of Hogwarts entered the office of one Severus Snape.
"You purposely left this to me. If I had known that you were coming, I wouldn't have told him that he was to spend the year down here with me." His hand twitched towards his wand and a vein throbbed in his forehead.
"Ah, well, you go along to your quarters. I'll take the rest. Before you go, would you care for a lemon drop Severus?" The Potions Master swept past him and glowered in response. "Of course, you don't have to have one if you don't wish it." He quickly backtracked as his testy Potions Master grumbled his way out of his office, complaining about lemon drop obsessed Headmasters and idiotic brats the whole time.
"Headmaster, do I really have to live in the dungeons with Sn-sorry, Professor Snape?"
"I am sorry my boy, but you must. Your Occlumency classes need to continue and Severus is the only one who can properly teach you and protect you while you sleep. He will also be giving you extra classes in order to defend yourself against Voldemort as he is in the Inner Circle and one of the most trusted of Voldemort's." Dumbledore led Harry out of Snape's office and they walked down the twisting corridors that defied logic and came to a painting of a young man clad in green and silver. "The password is 'Lily's Doe'." The young man inclined his head and the painting swung out, granting them entrance to the quarters of Severus Snape.
"These are Professor Snape's rooms?" They didn't look anything like Harry thought they would. A dark red carpet covered the floor of the room that they found themselves in, which looked like a sitting room. There was a large fireplace with rich, warm, chocolate colored armchairs before it and a couch not too far from it. Bookshelves and paintings lined the walls and there were two hallways that branched off from the room.
"Mm, yes, now, let's see, which am I going to borrow from Severus." Albus stood at one of the bookshelves, fingering different Muggle fiction books. "Yes, Lewis and Tolkien are always good to go by, and I think that I'll take one of Miss Clark's mysteries. Mr. Brown looks a tad interesting for this week…Hm? Oh, yes these are his rooms; he should be coming out at any moment. I do hope that you'll like your room Harry."
"My room?" Harry thought that the Professor would have just shoved him into a cupboard like his relatives, the man hated him enough.
"Why of course!" The Headmaster turned around, having what appeared to be half a shelf of books in his arms. "It was just finished yesterday. It's a very relaxing color scheme, if I do say so myself."
Doubt gnawed at Harry at what the Headmaster termed 'very relaxing color scheme'. He hoped that it wouldn't be bright orange with dark purple polka dots. Of course, with his luck, it would be that. Wait a minute, purple.
"Headmaster, Razenshia, why was she-"
"That is an explanation better left for someone else." Severus Snape stood in the hallway closest to the fireplace. "Come on Potter, I'll show you to your room. Headmaster, there's some tea and biscuits in the kitchen if you want to swipe those as well."
Harry had no choice but to follow the Potions Master and silence his questions as the Headmaster abandoned him for the aforementioned tea and biscuits with glee. They stopped at a blue door with silver paint in the shape of leaves. The room was done in hues of blue, green and brown and gave off the feel of being surrounded by a forest. A desk of warm-colored wood was placed underneath a window that looked out to the Quidditch pitch, parchment and ink were laid out on the top as well as his textbooks. On the other wall was a four poster bed with hangings the color of the open sea and trimmed in green. Across from the bed was a wardrobe large enough for three people to stand inside of it with room and there was a silver door by its side. Underneath his feet was a carpet of green threaded through with brown, the walls were an oak brown with glimpses of blue. Overall, the Headmaster was right, it did give off a feel of calmness and relaxation. He wouldn't mind to be living here for a year. Even if it was with the greasy bat of the dungeons.
"This is for me?" He couldn't keep the shock and enthusiasm out of his voice. This was a real room and it was for him!
"Yes. The silver door leads to your bathroom. The rules of my house are very simple. You will be polite. You will clean your messes. You will be on time for meals. You will do your work on time. The only places off limits are my bedroom and my private study. They are black doors. Avoid them and I think we'll get along. Perhaps. Asides from the sitting room, there is a dining room, a kitchen, and three more rooms, two of which are occupied bedrooms. Yes Mr. Potter, you are not the only student living down here for their own safety. You'll meet the other two later when it's time for tea. Which will be in 10 minutes and we'll be having it in the sitting room. That is, if the Headmaster has not consumed all the biscuits." The Potions Master left in a swirl of black robes, leaving a confused Harry Potter in his wake. There had been no biting sarcasm or hatred in the Professor's voice. What was the world coming to?
Yet…a room, a real room, just for him.
"Headmaster…what happened to the biscuits?" The platter of plain, unadorned butter biscuits had disappeared. There was a three layer cake covered in fudge frosting and a plate of lemon bars caked in sugar, cupcakes covered with pastel frosting and chocolate chip cookies in a large bowl.
"I didn't think they would provide that much energy. She didn't eat much at dinner."
"Those biscuits were made using practically 5 liters of Star Water."
"Oh. Well, they're behind the lemon bars. Severus, how many Knights are there out of the Heralds?"
"Knights? A better name would be Lovers. Head of state indeed, in truth, she is the least, nor is her bed her own, she is to share with whom Magic dictates."
"Severus. We cannot argue with those Laws. I know that you would rather not speak of it, but she is soon to be 17."
"If Cedric Diggory were to be alive, I would say that he and Draco would be tied for Consort, I probably would have betted on Cedric... As it is, he has no competition. Lestat Diggory, Theodore Knott and Blaise Zabini are all fully ready to be Knights. As well as that arrogant, cocky Gryffindor. The others have yet to be wholly Awakened. You already know the names of all the others." His fingers curled under the edge of the counter he held onto, as if he would lose all control of his anger if he let go.
Not too far from Harry's room, a purple door opened and a girl stepped out barefoot. Her curly hair was messily done up in a bun and there were deep shadows under her eyes. Her normally olive complexion was colorless and her dark eyes far too large for her round face. She wore a soft black dress that accented the paleness of her complexion, almost likening her to a vampire. The blood red carpet silenced her footsteps as she walked to the sitting room and sat close to the fireplace, close enough to touch the flames of the blaze. A voice was heard from the kitchen "Let me go check on her before she's raised an Army of Inferi or the like." She snorted.
"Razenshia, what are you doing sulking by the fire?" Severus paused on his way to the purple door lined with silver vines and roses. He could see the answer in her eyes. "Why? I'm doing the right thing, so why does my heart hurt so much?" He sighed and walked towards her. "You haven't fed at all, have you?" She shook her head. Ri-ight. Why would she? She was punishing herself. "Stupid child."
"I know." She extended her hand into the fireplace and began to play with the flames, cupping them in her hand, making them dance. He watched the figures that she created on a small, crimson hill. They were quite assuredly a boy and a girl sitting together, laughing.
"Razenshia, go to Lestat. Feed. Please." An urging, pleading note entered his voice. He knew that she would not forgive herself over what had happened during the summer, the failure of her plan, of her falling in love.
"No." It was as abrupt as her ending the game with the fire. She placed her hand on the stone of the fireplace and propelled herself up. Swirling around, she took her place in one of the russet leather armchairs. "Besides. It's almost time for tea, you and the Headmaster will probably force feed me. Not to mention Draco." She smiled. Severus sighed. Tea time, indeed. Oh the joy. At least the Headmaster was going to be present to stop him from Avada Kedavraing anyone.
When Harry Potter entered the sitting room, it was first to see a small table overloaded with sugary confections. Second to see a rather ill looking Razenshia curled up in an armchair with a large slice of chocolate cake being badgered to eat more by the Headmaster. Third to see Draco Malfoy sitting on the floor in front of Razenshia's armchair, laughing. Fourth, to see Professor Snape hold a hand to silence whatever words were going to speed out of Harry's mouth. No one else but the Headmaster noticed his entrance, so he sat down on the floor and served himself a lemon bar. It would do no good to lose his temper, especially now when all the answers where so close to him.
"Ah, Harry! I trust you liked your room?" It was the Headmaster who made his presence known.
"Yes sir. I'd like to thank you and Professor Snape." See. He could be courteous to Professor Snape. When the situation demanded it. One of Severus's eyebrows rose an inch at Harry's words, but Harry wasn't paying attention to that. He was paying attention to how Razenshia had reacted to his presence. Her abnormally pale cheeks flushed and she seemed to be using a great deal of self-restraint to not look at him as well as to pretend that everything was perfectly fine. Which he and she knew both to not be the truth. "Sir, you also said that there would be an explanation?"
"Left to someone else, yes. I did say that." Severus stared down at the smoke escaping his cup of tea. How would he tell the truth without telling the truth? "Razenshia is not a Muggle, which is clear from her presence in Hogwarts. She…is the daughter of a rather obscure yet powerful line. That line is protected by the Malfoy family, meaning that she is raised by them. Many things prevented her attending Hogwarts beforehand. The reason she moved to Surrey this summer was because there were already powerful Wards in place and it would be easier to build on them and slip in a witch then start all over somewhere else." There. That was all true. It was Razenshia's own choice to tell Harry who and what she was when she wanted. When she was better.
"Ok. I'll take that, Professor. But why can't Ron and Hermione see Razenshia in the pictures?"
Severus's eyebrows shot up at that question. Damn the boy! Why was he so observant?
"Because I wanted to attend Hogwarts without being known as someone who went out with Harry Potter or who was the daughter of an obscure line, I prefer being Draco Malfoy's cousin who was merely being homeschooled due to illness." Razenshia spoke. Her voice didn't tremble, but a slight tremor ran through her body. Severus knew how much it cost her to say that, to say his name and pretend that he didn't matter, which was why Draco, who had been silent all this time, grasped her hand and supported her silently.
All this drew a small smile from Harry. "Let's talk tomorrow, Razenshia, it's late and we all have class tomorrow." He stood up, grabbed a few sweets, bid them all a good night and left for his room. Somehow, he knew that in the end, everything was going to be all right, not the way it was before, but probably better. He just had to not lose his temper. Simple, right?
"Miss Malfoy, what were I to get if I mixed the blood of a Vampire with silver and the water of a Blood Rose?"
Razenshia stood up at Severus Snape's words and answered him in a soft yet clear voice that could be heard throughout the room.
"It would depend, sir, on what kind of Vampire it was as well as what else was added. If it was a Pureblood Vampire, you would make one of the strongest healing potions there was. A Vampire that used to be a Muggle would create nothing with most mixtures. A Vampire that used to be a wizard or a witch would make a potion that can lend you the abilities of a Vampire for a month at a steep price."
"And if I were to add crystallized belladonna leaves to the mixture containing the blood of a Pure Vampire?"
"Again, sir, it would depend on what else was added, but the most probable concoction would be a potion that rendered one desirable to any person, copying the effects of the Allure common to most magical beings, but such a potion would lead to addiction and the addiction would end in death or worse."
"Why?"
"The consumption of so much Pure Vampire Blood will turn one into a Ghoul. If not, their body will break down in the worst possible manner."
"Is there an antidote?"
"There have been very few cases of a Ghoul reverting back to normal state. They included Words of Power, Runes and Bindings. For the others, there are two or three antidotes that tend to work. A bezoar is not one of them. Being bitten by a Lycanthrope or a Vampire would heal you, being doused in Holy Water, but that would probably kill you if it didn't leave you insane, or…if the Vampire whose Blood you had been drinking Turned you. But the last is one of the least probable since only 1 out of 3 bitten by a Vampire with intentions to Turn do turn."
"Well done. You may sit down." He nodded at Razenshia and she took her seat next to Draco. Small, burgundy velvet boxes appeared in front of each student. "These boxes contain the crystallized Blood of a Vampire that was once a Muggle." The top of the boxes turned transparent and a deep red crystal could be seen. To Harry, it looked like the Philosopher's Stone, to others; it looked like a priceless ruby. "During the next week, you will be studying a potion that uses this ingredient to reveal the heart's deepest desire. Open your book to page 647 and copy down the instructions. Once you are finished, you will begin a 21 inch essay. The requisites are behind me." Heart's Mirror is a potion which requires the use of crystallized Vampire Blood as well as other ingredients: Why is this potion so dangerous to brew and use? How do the different components create such a rare chance to view the innermost secrets and desires of one? What are the different components? began to scrawl itself on the chalkboard behind the Potions Master. No one dared to groan, but the flipping of pages and the scratching of quills could be heard filling the air.
"Harry. Harry!" Hermione ended up pinching him on the arm to get his attention.
"Ow! What?" He furiously whispered to Hermione, the day had started badly for him. Razenshia and Malfoy had disappeared and then only entered the Potions room seconds before class started so he had no chance to speak to her even though he had waited and waited and waited. Hermione had also interrupted him while looking at Razenshia, she looked better than she did yesterday, but he wasn't sure if it was a glamour or if she really was better.
"Can you believe that new Malfoy? How could she have known those things? I didn't know half of what she was talking about. How can a bezoar not work for intoxication of Vampire Blood? And no one knows from where Ghouls come from so she was obviously lying!" Hermione whispered heatedly to Harry. She hadn't liked the girl in the first place and now she liked her even less. First for having the same names as Harry's dead girlfriend which would clearly cause him more pain about Razenshia's demise and she didn't want Harry to go through that pain again nor to hang onto the Malfoy girl because of the resemblance. Now, it was also an intellectual matter. She wasn't about to be shown up by a girl who had missed her first five years of Hogwarts!
"Mione! Sh!" Ron motioned to her as Snape was looking in their direction and earlier, he had given explicit instructions that you could only communicate with your desk partner. Ron and Hermione were sharing a desk. Harry was sharing with Neville.
"Miss Granger, is there something wrong?" Snape loomed dangerously over their desks, emitting such a strong murderous aura that Hermione just barely managed to squeak out a no. "Then I suggest you return to work. Ah, but since you seem to think that it is impossible for a bezoar to not work for 'intoxication of Vampire Blood' I suggest that you turn in 18 inches on it for me. You have a week from today."
"Y-y-yes sir."
Satisfied that he had scared her and punished her enough, the daunting Potions Master glided away, no doubt to terrorize another student. Out of the four of them, no one dared to speak again until the hour was done and they all had a break. Harry, who was closest to the door, waited by it in the shadows for Razenshia to exit the classroom; they had roughly an hour and a half until Transfiguration, that was about enough time to talk. He had convinced his friends to go on ahead since he had to take care of some things. Sure enough, she was walking alongside Malfoy when she came out the door.
"Malfoy, I need to speak to your cousin, alone."
Something passed through the silver eyes, something that Harry recognized yet could not say how or why. The blonde bent down and flicked Razenshia's forehead. "Don't be late for Transfiguration, okay Zen?" She just nodded. Draco Malfoy strolled away to only he knew where with a slight smile on his face. Just as he passed the corner, Harry embraced Razenshia tightly. He breathed in her scent and felt the curls of her hair. It was his forbidden fairy princess. She really was alive. Some part of him refused to believe that it was her until he touched her, until he held her. Now, all of him believed that she was alive and tears fell from his eyes.
"I thought you were dead." His voice was hoarse, so, so hoarse as he spoke. He felt her breathe in and out.
"I'm sorry. You…grew too attached to me." She shifted her head so that she looked away from him, away to the stone walls of the dungeons.
"Too attached? What do you mean?"
"I mean that we should just pretend that we had just met. We have no prior knowledge of each other." Harry could hear her force the words out of her mouth, as if her tongue had turned to lead.
"Shia, what are you talking about? How can I just forget?" He tilted her head with his hand, forced her to look at him and he saw the façade of coolness that she had built up in that moment.
"I never loved you. I was using you. You are nothing to me. Just a tool. You were all part of a plan." Ice, her voice could have put ice to shame, it was so cold and merciless. It would have convinced anyone else, but he knew that she was lying. He could feel the minute shaking of her hands.
"You're lying." He held her closer, wrapping one arm around her entirely so that he could use the other to tilt her head back further until their eyes met. She couldn't meet his eyes. Her hands closed themselves into small fists and beat themselves against his chest.
"Hateful man! Loathsome! Why can't you leave me be! I'm trying to do the right thing! You're not safe with me!" She sunk to her knees and every cry that she had held back escaped.
"If being safe means not being with you, I'd rather be in danger every second for the rest of my life. Besides, I already am. What difference is it if I'm in a little bit more danger?" He knelt down in front of her and wiped her tears away. A fierce expression overtook her face and he was surprised.
"I would love you with all that I have yet you would die before the night ended. Ashes and dust in my arms. That is what you would be. We are too different! Fall in love with some normal witch and just live. Please. If you truly love me, just do that." She begged him, literally on her knees, tears escaping her eyes.
"I can't do that." His words deflated the hope that had risen in her.
"Then you will die." Her words were flat and emotionless as all the light seeped from her eyes. "Goodbye, foolish Harry Potter." She stood up and ran away.
Harry didn't know how he had made it to the Transfiguration classroom, so shocked that he was by Razenshia's words. He had drifted along, like some mindless zombie out of a bad Hollywood movie.
"Harry, are you alright?" Distantly, he heard Ron's words; it was almost as if someone had stuffed cotton into his ears so he could concentrate on deciphering Razenshia's words. What did she mean by danger and not living through the night? What did she mean by falling in love with some normal witch? She was driving him insane! Did she enjoy confusing him and driving him nuts?
"No. Not really, Ron. Everything's just…topsy turvy." Harry rubbed his face. It was going to be a long year.
"She doesn't have a wand." Hermione's book fell onto her desk as she stared, in shock, at the brunette about to demonstrate her ability for Transfiguration for Professor McGonagall. It wasn't possible. It just wasn't possible.
Razenshia stood in front of the classroom and drew a hair tie from her pocket. With both hands, she reached up and tied her hair back from her face, leaving only her bangs in front of her face and letting the cool air reach the back of her neck. She took a deep breath and relaxed, then she grasped onto the flow of Magic that was inside of her and that permeated through the air. Her hands wove a pattern in the air and the color returned to her cheeks. The metal bowl in front of her was Transfigured into a crystal rose, the porcupine into a delicate set of blue ivy patterned china and the brown book in a breathing, golden lion.
"Very good, Miss Malfoy, I see that you did not use any worded spells? Why is that?"
"Sometimes, it's easier to just see what I want and just perform the wand movements with my hands. I am still not as skilled as I should be."
"Don't worry. Just keep practicing. Remember, concentrate on your will and your will alone to guide your Magic. Try merely speaking the incantation in place of the movements." Professor McGonagall petted the tame lion. "You have gotten much better. Well done, child, well done."
"Thank you, Professor."
"Yes. Now, undo everything using only your will." A devious expression on appeared on Minerva McGonagall's face as she spoke.
"My will?" Shock and a twinge of fear crossed Razenshia's face.
"Yes. Your will."
Razenshia's face hardened at Professor McGonagall's words. Her fists clenched and she took in a deep breath. "My will? Is that what you want?" A rush of power filled the room and an unseen wind uplifted her hair. She didn't speak nor make any movement save for releasing a breath that was felt by everyone in the room. The breath traveled over everyone's skin, tingling every nerve and raising every hair. The power tugged at the power of all in the room, it was an extraordinary sensation that left many breathless and yearning for more. The rose, china and lion were all back to their original form. The only thing that could account for their transformation was the surge of power that had appeared in the room. "I hope you know what almost happened here, Professor McGonagall." Razenshia turned and left the room. Her gait was similar to that of an angry, wounded animal. Dangerous. The power followed her trail like a living creature. It stalked her steps and swayed, passing over the students and the teacher on its way out.
"Sit down." Harry and Draco had both gotten up to go after Razenshia when Professor McGonagall spoke. What Harry had not realized was that another had gotten up at the same time, wanting to go after Razenshia.
"Professor McGonagall, what was that?" Hermione stood up in a dazed fury. She didn't understand what had happened, it had tugged at her, as if touching her very soul and inner core, leaving her confused…and scared.
"What…you have just experienced was the power of an exceptionally…gifted witch. Ms. Malfoy has the exceedingly rare ability to perform magic wandlessly, or should I say, it is almost as if she were a part of Magic, which is why she was taught elsewhere."
Razenshia trudged along by clutching at the stone walls; she didn't make it very far. She coughed, when she brought her hand to her mouth, it came away red with blood. "Damn. Damn it all! I don't have enough time…" Time was the only thing she needed, the only thing she didn't have. A girl with black hair and white highlights came to her side. Razenshia only offered her blood drenched hand. The girl took the hand and lapped up the blood, the black haired girl's purple eyes turning red.
"What happened? I felt your power." The red receded from the purple eyes.
"I lost control. That's all. McGonagall made me use 'my will'. Haha. Does she want to bring down the whole castle?" Razenshia covered her eyes and slumped further down. "I should just do a frontal attack."
"You'll be killed."
"But so would he."
"Would you really leave us all helpless?" Purple eyes bored unblinkingly into Razenshia's own.
"No. I just hate him. I hate the both of them."
"I know." The purple eyed girl gathered Razenshia into her arms and cradled her as she cried. "Don't worry, I'll protect you. I'll protect you from everything."
"Promise?" The eyes that looked up at her were the eyes of a puppy that was expecting to be kicked.
"I promise. I am the Queen's Dragon. Everything that I am belongs to you. I will forever protect you."
"I know…you and I are cursed to the same fate…" Razenshia turned to the girl's neck and fed.
Harry was worried about Razenshia. There had been something in her gait, in her whole body, which had been screaming for help, for someone to save her. But from what? Tears had been on the verge of escaping her eyes. He had only once seen her cry and show such raw emotion in her face once before this day.
There had been a thief going around Privet Drive. Razenshia had called him in the evening. Her sister had gone out to their parent's for the week and she was frightened. On the phone, her voice was shaking and there was an undercurrent of fear.
She had opened the door in an Oriental robe. It was dark purple and looked beautiful on her. Her curly hair was unruly; she hadn't done anything to try and to control it. Wide, wide eyes stared back at him, dark in their fear. "Thank you so much for coming Harry." It seemed like she would have said more, but she just opened the door wider for him to come in. He followed her; he had been over so many times already that he was familiar with the house even though they had only known each other and been dating for a few weeks. Harry hung his jacket on the coat stand in the foyer while Razenshia locked the door.
"You're shaking. Sit down. I'll make you something." He led her to the living room and sat her down on one of the couches. She barely protested.
"Wait. No. Let me go with you. I'm…scared to be alone." She clutched at him as if he were a life raft in a raging sea. Razenshia was usually so very strong, for her to be this scared, it couldn't be just the thief. He observed her more carefully as they were in the kitchen making some tea, her hair was slightly tousled, as if she had been sleeping. Was it a nightmare?
Soon, he led her back to the living room with a tray of tea and sat her on one of the soft couches. She wasn't speaking, just clutching the dark purple robe around her. She was scared of something and Harry was sure to bet that it wasn't the thief going around. She curled up, like a cat and he could see the fabric of her soft, grey Snoopy pajamas. One of the purple pillows was held close to her chest, as if it were a teddy bear ready to protect her from the monsters of the night.
"Raze-" He started to speak and stopped. She had fallen asleep. A soft chuckle escaped his lips and he leaned back into the sofa. After a few hours, he started to doze off when Razenshia started crying. Tears were falling down her face. "Razenshia. Razenshia, wake up. It's a dream." Her eyes opened, but she wasn't awake, she was still within the dream. He was struck by the rawness of the emotions present on her face. They screamed for help. Her eyes were too wide, too distrusting of everything, her eyes were jaded, that was the only word for it. She tried to make herself smaller, to fade from view, to hide. Harry gradually moved a hand close to her. She flinched when he touched her shoulder, but something in his expression let her know that he wasn't going to hurt her, so she moved closer to him, so that he could hold her. Reflected in her eyes, he could see horror, blood and death.
"Is it safe? Can I be here with you? Can I love you? Is it all right?" Her voice was softer and higher than usual, even more like a little girl's voice. She was trembling in his arms.
"It's safe. You can love me. I'll protect you." He cupped her face in his hands, smoothing her hair, pushing it out of her face.
"Promise?" Why where her eyes so scared, so worried? It was as if she was scared he would die.
"I promise." He whispered into her lips when he kissed her. "Forever and always." Nothing would harm her, he vowed that night. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe and happy.
When Charms class came, Razenshia was already inside the room, laughing with two girls. She looked like the first day Harry had met her. Healthy. Alive. Her lips were a dark, moist crimson and her eyes were so bright, like a sparkling darkness. Life had even returned to her curls, they danced all over as she laughed that glorious laugh of her, so full of life.
"Look, the monstrous midgets come. O woe is me to have to deal with them. Sweet lady, put me out of my misery!" The girl with hair the color of dark honey cried out dramatically and knelt in front of Razenshia.
"Ah, my dear, dear Lestat, you are so amusing." She caressed the cheek of the stunning girl with dark brown eyes and golden brown hair. The girl, Lestat, nuzzled the hand that touched her cheek.
"An idiot is what that person is. Let go of it, you might get contaminated." A dark haired beauty was sitting on one of the desks near the duo; she had white highlights throughout her ebony hair and cold, piercing purple eyes. One long, black glove covered the entire length of her right arm. While Lestat wore the robes of a Hufflepuff, the other girl wore the robes of Ravenclaw.
"You're so cruel Indilwen! Even though I love you, all you call me is an idiot! What agony! I cannot bear to continue living!" Lestat launched herself at Indilwen, hugging her with all she had, fake tears gleaming at the corners of her eyes.
"Then die." The two words were ice cold and pointed as blades. Though she did nothing to shake off the other girl.
"Princess! Look at your Dragon! Will you let your poor, helpless Knight be slain by it?" Lestat turned towards the laughing Razenshia, letting go partially of Indilwen to extend an arm to the laughing girl, as if for help.
"What will you have me do?" Razenshia extend her arms outward, ready for orders of battle even though she was still laughing.
"You cannot possibly think that you'll order her around, besides, I think you've shocked the little snots." With her head, Indilwen, motioned to the Gryffindors and Slytherins standing shell shocked in the doorway. "Well, are you idiots just gonna stand there or sit down?" Once all of the confused students were sitting down, and Razenshia had taken her seat next to Malfoy, Indilwen continued speaking. "This idiotic organism and I are Professor Flitwick's Apprentices. We'll be your teachers for your Sixth year Charms and Defense classes. I am Indilwen Prince, Seventh year Ravenclaw; this is Lestat Diggory, Seventh year Hufflepuff." Indilwen stood up from the desk she sat on, conveniently being Razenshia's desk, and a black wand slid into her glove clad hand. "Let's see what you brats are capable of."