i. she is born during the worst storm of the year. (her mother swears it's a sign, but then again, in drella vance's mind, everything is a sign.)

ii. she wanders into knockturn alley when she's six, curious and bold (stupidrecklessgryffindor), and never forgets what her mother tells her when she finds her three hours later, shaking and wide eyed (terrified but not crying, too proud to admit weakness even then). 'there's beauty in everything, little one- even in the ugly parts.'

iii. she meets lily evans in a sweet shop in diagon alley, and thinks that maybe this girl could be a dear friend. she meets severus snape an hour later and knows. lily sees the beauty in ugliness, too.

iv. the sorting hat barely touches her head and for the first time in her life she belongs to something. (GRYFFINDOR!)

v. it makes her sad when lily and severus part ways. she and snape were never close, but it's the first time she realizes that sometimes, hidden beauty isn't enough. (she hates the feeling of disillusionment that comes over her)

vi. in her sixth year, sirius black catches her eye. they've never been friends, (or anything really) but (there's brokeness in his eyes that wasn't there before) he needs someone and she's sure he's something under all of the resentment and anger he's built up.

vii. being in love isn't what she expected. it's not flowers and romance (fairytales never suited either of them), it's sitting on the floor in his newly rented flat over their last ever christmas break, sharing takeout and life stories and cigarettes, and she's never been happier. (she will never be happier)

viii. her parents die two weeks later in a blaze of curses (a green skull and blank eyes burn through her and she wonders if she should have seen the signs) and suddenly the war is real and she's itching to fight.

ix. she and eleven of her classmates sit in a stiff chairs in dumbledore's office the week after they graduate and sign away their lives to a war they can barely comprehend.

x. a curse tears her back open and misses the phoenix tattooed along her spine by centimeters. (she's started praying for signs that she isn't fighting a losing battle)

xi. thirty six order members die, and she isn't one of them. there is still beauty in the world. (lily's wedding, baby harry, alice longbottom's little boy, sirius's smile, the lazy way his fingers trace over her skin, soft conversations in the middle of the night)

xii. sirius whispers 'i love you' before leaving to check on peter pettigrew and the world ends.

xiii. she doesn't see signs or beauty anymore. she simply builds a new life and tries to forget the old one.

xiv. a poster declares a mass murder's escape and she can't bring herself to feel anything but relief.

xv. she rejoins the order and brushes her fingers along sirius's shoulders as she leaves headquarters. (the beauty she saw years ago is still there)

xvi. she's at headquarters more than she needs to be and no one really knows (or cares) why.

xvii. sirius dies and she can't bring herself to mourn. (all she can do is wonder when her turn will come)

xviii. she holds fast to her life until the very end.

xix. when death comes for her, she fights with no intention of losing, though she knows she will soon. (she sees the signs, after all)

xx. she dies on the stormiest day of the year and laughs as she falls. (her mother saw it coming)