Code of Hammurabi

Ensnarement

If anyone ensnares another, putting a ban upon him, but he cannot prove it, then he that ensnared him shall be put to death.

When I was young, I witnessed my parents' death. Perhaps it is not accurate to say that they were my parents, rather they were my adoptive parents, but they were mine nonetheless…And perhaps witnessed was not quite the right word either, but I am not, nor ever will be, prepared to open that particular Pandora's Box.

By the time that I grew to understand what had happened, what I wanted most was… to say revenge was not quite accurate, but to say justice was simply too noble. I no longer viewed the world in black and white, as I no longer believed in the strict codes of good and evil. I had since realized that there was grey as well and that was where my mind currently resided, swinging back and forth between the light and dark like a pendulum.

Perhaps compensation was more accurate? No, not the kind with money and lawyers; interacting with the corrupt lawyers was not in the least interesting and I no longer worried about money ever since I had come of age; life insurance and two wills ensured that.

What I wanted was compensation for the past I had lost and for the future that was now writ for me. I no longer had the freedom to choose what I wanted; there was now only the goal that lay before me.

As they say, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

When I graduated Hogwarts, it was not a lie to say that people were surprised. I was a Slytherin who had graduated with high marks, enough that I rivaled even the Ravenclaws. I was not exactly popular in my house as I did not care for the idiotic trials of pureblood. In fact, it might be enough to say that it was people like my housemates that I wanted to bring down, but if I ever mentioned that to them, well, they would have killed me. So I learned deceit and how to step quietly amongst the enemy, hiding what I truly believed and thought.

In my third year, I had a breakdown. Lying was simply too much. I became bitter at the hat who placed me in the house amongst enemies and I became frustrated with my housemates who made me become what I wasn't.

But then, who was I, really? That certainly was the million galleon question wasn't it? Well, if anything, I knew one word that certainly defined me.

"I'm a fool…"

"Yes, you are." I looked over to see a blond Gryffindor looking like she was reading a book, but I knew she wasn't; she was somehow watching me out of the corner of her eye. At the time, there was no one else around.

"What do you want, Hawkeye?" I paused and stared at the red and gold on her clothes. Stupid colors were mocking me. "And what are you doing fraternizing with a Slytherin? Won't your other Gryffindor buddies shun you?" I smirked bitterly. "Or are you and them above all that?"

"Why do you care, Mustang?" She closed the book and trained her red-brown eyes on me. It felt like her gaze was piercing through me and it was disconcerting. She studied me for a bit, sighed, and got up. "I guess I was wrong about you." She muttered shaking her head in disappointment. I watched her leave wondering what the hell that was about.

However, even after a few days, her words still nagged at me, and it was driving me crazy. Why couldn't I forget about it?

Though, I had to agree that she did have a point. Why did I care? What did it matter? So what if they all were stupid and annoying? I was going to change things, and their stupidity only acted as fuel to my goals.

I felt better after that realization. It was strange.

"Thanks," I said, passing her one day and flashing her a small smile. Some of her Gryffindor friends stared bug-eyed at me, but I didn't care. What did I care what they thought?

Yes, I could do this. My time here was only a trial, a test, if you will. An obnoxious test... and it was only the beginning of such trials; I could tell. If I couldn't pass this one tiny test, then what right did I have to continue down on this path, even if it were a path I never agreed to?

After that, Hawkeye and I became secret accomplices; secret because of our houses (after all, who would condone a relationship between a Gryffindor and a Slytherin, whether it be of friendship or otherwise?), and accomplices because of our goals. It was a small comfort that I was no longer alone.

After graduating, I took the next step with her by my side. We applied to be aurors.

The training was grueling and there was no guarantee that we would pass, but still, we pushed on. There was nothing more I wanted at that very moment than to become an auror. Nothing. That was what I kept in mind, and when I forgot, Hawkeye would harshly remind me.

Even so, at times it felt like everything and everyone was against me.

For example, when I met the auror for the psych eval, I think that woman hated me the moment she laid eyes on me and was determined to toss me out. But I was fairly certain she would find nothing in my head that would disqualify me, though there was no way that I could be sure.

Hawkeye had a tougher time than I since she was applying to be an omniscient. She didn't mention anything when she came out, but she looked very pale. I didn't ask. It simply wasn't my place.

…Six months passed and then came judgment day. We had…

We had passed, somehow.

Our records were clean; our psych evals were clear or clear enough that they would accept us. We had become aurors; however, the trials and tribulations only began from there.

There was no way we could have known what we were getting into. I was a fool to think that it would be simple once I was in and that this was the end. I was completely wrong.

This was only the start.

…

But then again, maybe it was appropriate to call it an end.

A/N: I'm sorry, I can't stick to a project or even finish one. Please don't kill meeeeeeeeee.. ||OTL

I feel so uninspired to work on my other stuff though.. *shot*

But um, do let me know what you think…

~razra