REBELLION:
CHAPTER ONE:
Estel's arm seared as a rogue spark leapt from the burning log. The small burn hurt him more than it should have. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, before resting the small old fire iron on the hearth. "You Idiot" Melian snickered, lying lazily on one couch, as Estel retreated to read on the other. Morwen looked over her shoulder from the small kitchen at her two children, relaxing in the cosy parlour of their old cottage, tucked away under the heavy grey clouds in rural Wales. They were strikingly similar in looks, typical Llewellyns - Tall slender builds, long, blonde straight hair - but Estel's quiet nature was not at all like Melian's. She was more bold, fiery spirited. Morwen was used to their quiet bickering. It was almost a comfort to her, a fixture in their life.
There was a knock at the door. Morwen took her mug from the bench and sauntered to the front of the house, put one hand on the old iron handle and pulled the door open. Her innards turned to ice. Estel and Melian were rocked with fear. Unnatural fear. Fear instilled by the presence of the three towering men at the door. Paralysing fear. Except they weren't really men. At least, not anymore. Morwen was frozen in the stare of their white eyes. She could see a fourth one lying dead in the expanse of their garden. But only one. Their charms had not worked. A sadistic smile slowly grew on one of the men's faces. His sickly pale skin was drawn taut in his cheeks. His arm snapped at Morwen from beneath his ancient grey robes, caught her by the throat, and threw her across the room one-handed. She careened into a cabinet with sickening force. The distorted man-thing had moved impossibly fast - Morwen had only got the door half open. Her cup shattered on the floor beside her. Estel couldn't help but look at the fragments, horrified. It took one step into the room, and stared into Estel's brilliant green eyes. He knew what they were. His mother had told him, and so had Melian. Leeches. But he wasn't supposed to ever see any; it wasn't even winter yet. That's when they were supposed to be strongest. They were little more than an obscure myth to him, a scary bedtime story. Men reduced to twisted fiends that had plagued the Llewellyns for hundreds of years. They were forgotten weapons of the Ministry of Magic, long before they were called that.
"Run!" screeched Melian, having somehow stirred herself from the trance of terror. In an instant she was on her feet. Estel could not take his eyes away, let alone move. He urged his body to get up, to move his legs, and run like hell. But it would not obey. "Get up, you idiot! " Melian yanked his arm and dragged him frantically through the hall. The figure behind them drew out a wand and grunted with a smile. It started running after them. Melian and Estel burst out the back door. He was further from them now. He felt control over his body returning to him. Melian slammed the door behind them. "To the woods!" She screamed, breathless from sheer terror. Estel craned his head to see the sturdy oak door behind them shatter, like glass. The three leeches erupted from the doorway, chasing them through the empty plain behind the house. A black cloud flew from one of their wands. "Protega Horriblis!" Estel held his wand in a death grip and flicked his wrist, dissolving the cloud in air. Melian had not seen it coming. She was focused on the tree line ahead of them, hoping against hope they would get there alive - and then get out again. She threw her arm behind her. "Impedimenta!" The leeches did not even stumble. If anything, they ran faster. Adrenaline carried Melian and Estel into the woods at last. They ran either side of a tree, jumping over roots with fluency. This was their playground. They knew it better than the inside of their home. Many hours they had whittled away in here. Estel did not want death to assail his sanctuary. The trees gave them some cover from their chasers, still in earshot. They rushed past the blur of brown and green, crackling the foliage. The trees were getting denser, and the leeches closer. Estel glanced across at Melian's desperate face - She felt death impeding on them. She aimed her wand at a tree as she ran past it and shouted "Mobiliarbus!" The thick pine tree was torn from the ground, and hovered. She waited until the leeches were nearly run past it, and brought it crashing down upon them. She actually managed to crush one - she had actually killed one of them. And if she could kill one, she could take out the other two, Estel hoped.
But they had run off sideways, disappearing from sight. Melian slowed to a halt, weary that they might have circled in front of them. Estel finally caught up with his body. He was in sublime shape, but the fear had squeezed the air from his chest and he struggled to breath. He didn't even have time to think about his mother, but the leeches had left her alone and come straight after them. What if she was…no. She couldn't be. People don't just get murdered in their homes by undead wizards, it was surreal, Estel was bewildered. He could hear his own frantic panting, and Melian's too, which was worrying. Because that meant they couldn't hear the leeches' footsteps, nor see them either. Estel looked across at Melian's desperate, fierce expression, scanning ahead of her for their chasers.
Behind her! One ran out from a tree at Melian, and Estel aimed his wand over her shoulder. "Avis!" An army of bright vibrant birds erupted and manifested themselves between Melian and the leech, obscuring her and Estel. This gave them enough time to start running again, but the second one had apparated in front of them. Black tendrils rushed at Estel with a manic hiss. He barely had time to get up a defensive charm, but that couldn't stop him getting knocked off his feet. "Estel!" Melian cried, but there was nothing she could do. They were both chasing her now; they didn't see Estel as much of a threat, so she kept running, toward Estel's pond.
Estel gingerly stood up, knowing he was safe for now. But Melian; he should run after them, and help her. It was the obvious right thing to do, but as he straightened up he hesitated to move his feet. He knew he should go, be brave and heroic. But this was real life; his brain told him no, because quite simply, he didn't want to die. But he didn't want Melian to die either, and if she did, they would probably come back and kill him too. They didn't just kill you - they drained your magic ability, like a dementor drawing out your soul. He slowly moved his legs, stirred to a hesitant jog, towards Melian and the pond. Kaisa, his swan, had already fled from it.
"Stupefy! Reducto! Immobulus!" Melian fought passionately, but she was being walked backwards at the far edge of the water. Most wizards would've been blown to bits by her flurry of attacks, but leeches were not like most wizards. They were weakening, slowly, but they were still only toying with her, forcing her to retreat around the edge of the large pond. Estel crept to watch from the opposite side. He should do something, he knew. But what could he possibly do to fight them? If Melian couldn't do it, how could he? "At least one of them's putting up a fight." An iron voice taunted behind a grin, speaking at last. "Flipendo!" Melian cast in vain, and held her wand ready to defend herself. "I hope the other Llewellyn's are as feisty as you." He cackled with his partner. Melian stared fiercely into their eyes, which were nothing but whites - no iris, not even a pupil. But she paused, her expression wavered, and they saw a new fear in her. "Unless," he realised, "you're the last one!" his tone mocking the revelation. "The great House Llewellyn, reduced to a teenage girl!" He laughed with stones in his voice, satisfied. "Estel!" she cried desperately, needing hope. She couldn't see him hiding. "One and a half teenage girls then." He tormented, taking steps towards her, completely at ease. "Get the fuck out of my woods!" She roared, "Reducto!" The blast missed and blew a small hole near the other one's feet. But he did not see Kaisa flying at him. It was majestic - with fully spread wings Kaisa crashed his feet into the back of his head, sending him tumbling over the hole in the ground. He landed face down in the pond. "Flipendo!" Melian made sure he did not get up quickly, catching him completely off guard. But the first one raised its wand and howled at Melian, sending her crashing into a tree trunk far behind her. Estel saw her bounce away and roll on the dead brown foliage like a rag doll. His chest tightened, and he managed to summon all the courage he had left, running forward. The second one was still down in the water.
Estel emerged from the trees, his elegant figure silhouetted on them. "Glacier!" He froze the pond water over with thick, solid ice. It would not be getting out alive. One left, he thought, relieved but still horrified. It advanced on a helpless Melian quickly, and lifted her easily by the throat. She felt her strength leaving her. It was like all the energy was being sucked out of her by the leech, weakening her and strengthening him. She spat in his face, but that only made him squeeze her neck harder. She could hardly thrash her legs at him. He held her up for Estel to see. His courage nearly left him, seeing the fiercest witch he knew so easily defeated. But he knew that was what it wanted him to feel, because it was afraid now, if only a little bit. He may have been right in assessing that Estel was too terrified to fight as well as he could, but he had still underestimated him. He hadn't run away, like he thought he would. Estel made eye contact with Melian, and she gave him a hard stare. 'Do something,' her face said, 'Do something or I'll kill you before it does.' Almost using Melian as a shield, the leech continued torturing them. "How now, my boy, shall I kill her first? Or would you rather-" "Imperio." Estel spat out the word, and tried to bend all his willpower into commanding the leech, but his hand shook uncontrollably. Terror assaulted his mind and deterred him, but he held the curse for just long enough. It relaxed, and loosened its grip on Melian. She scrambled away, falling on her hands, and fled into the trees for cover. Estel couldn't hold the imperius curse any longer. He was exhausted, terrified, and the leech was strong minded. Melian was up on her feet, barely, and greeted it with a hex as it slipped back into consciousness. It was weak though, and it hardly managed to stun him. It swirled its wand around its head violently, and then at Melian, who leapt behind a tree. A black jet poured forth and Estel watched the tree wither and die, it's leaves and branches curling up as if to hide from the horror. His sanctuary was tainted. His older sister, battered and nearly killed. And his mother - he had no idea. He levelled his wand in his now bone white hand. His blood was Llewellyn blood, and there may only have been two of them left, but they were capable of much more than ordinary wizards. "Tonitrus Divum!" The leech was uttering an incantation aimed at him; and those were its last words. A brilliant blue strike leapt from Estel's wand and smote it where it stood; crumpling as the massive boom of thunder arrived, illuminating the dreary trees.
Estel hobbled to the other side of the pond, exasperated by the magic, and sat down next to a dishevelled Melian. She heard the thunder, and knew what he had done. She hugged him, and they were finally able to recover their breath, sitting together for a long time. But they were still both afraid, too afraid to even go back to the house yet.
"How did they find us?" Estel finally asked. "I don't know, but they could do it again." Her voice was subdued. "You'll have to hide somewhere until school starts. You'll be safe enough there. I'll look after myself.""Mother…" he whispered. The afternoon hadn't quite sunken in for him yet. It was just all so unreal. Even as a wizard, he was somewhat used to the unusual, but this was different. He recalled the living room: His mother flying into the cabinet, her leg bent at an unnatural angle, and the shards of her cup of tea strewn across the floorboards. "I want to see -""No." She interrupted. "Go to Lúthien's, or one of your friends, or somewhere you can stay until the school term starts. I'll send Kaisa to you, to let you know how she is." She said it with a certainty, as if she knew their mother was most definitely not dead, perhaps just unconscious. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. "What about my stuff?""I'll have that sent as well." They sat together a few moments, too shocked to argue like they do. Still trying to recall everything as it happened, to make it seem more real to them. "And the bodies?" He asked quietly. Melian stood up, and looked around gingerly. "I'll burn them. Go now. You have yourself to worry about." He got up and she hugged him again, and whispered to him, "Well done." He stepped back and disapparated before her. "Winter is coming." She whispered.
Melian scanned the small white mailboxes lining the narrow street. She felt out of place among the compact red brick houses in a neat row. The green of the tidy gardens with trimmed shrubbery did little to dampen the overwhelming urban feeling that made her uncomfortable. She could never live in a place like this. It looked pleasant enough, but it just wasn't her.
She found the house numbered 23 and turned onto the cracked footpath, trod up the concrete steps to the brown panel door, identical to all the other doors on the street.
The door swung open before she even knocked.
"And your name is?" Inquired the man of about thirty.
"Irrelevant." She recovered quickly from the surprise. "Is this the Fletchers'? I need to speak with Damon. And you."
He studied the young long light-blonde haired woman in the dark jeans and leather jacket intently. Melian studied him back. He was just an ordinary looking man - short dark hair, average height, average build, nothing to hint at the supremacy of his heritage. But he noticed her Welsh accent, and the distinctive straight hair.
"Actually, I think your name is quite important. You can't expect us to let a stranger in."
Melian rethought. She didn't know why she'd said that. "Just call me Ms Llewellyn. And I'd let me in, for your own sake."
"I thought so," he smirked, "come in if you must. But be quick. Footballs on. " and the shut the door behind her.
The house was strikingly plain. Most wizards' houses she'd been to had magic written all over them. She followed the man into the living room where she was shown to one of the sofas. He sat down on another, next to an older man - presumably his father - and another younger man, who must have been his brother. They were all watching TV. The game hadn't started.
"I'm Stefan," said the man who showed her in, "This is Aaron," - he gestured to his brother, "And I take it you already know our father Damon."
"Know of." She emphasised.
"And who are you then?" Said the old man impatiently.
"Ms Llewellyn, she says." Stefan answered. Damon looked surprised.
"What is she doing?"
"I have a favour to ask. And a warning." She maintained her stern demeanour.
"Go on."
"I know you're skilled at making…things. I was hoping you could make a wand for me. One that's particularly effective at killing undead."
Damon laughed. "Been fighting undead have we, lassie?"
"Idolons." She replied coldly. "Leeches."
"I know what they are." He examined the woman sitting in his living room. She looked jumpy. Irritated. "You're not serious are you?"
"Four attacked us a couple of weeks ago."
"So how come you're alive, hmm?" added Stefan, who was not convinced.
"Jesus." said Damon, believing her now. "I thought they hadn't come anywhere near you lot since, well, before I was born."
"It's not just us." She pressed on, opening her small handbag, and unfolding a copy of the daily prophet on their IKEA coffee table. It was dated 19th of July. She turned to page 3, where there was a story of one wizard killed in a home invasion - Christopher Linton.
"I knew him." It was Aaron, who hadn't said anything yet. He took the paper, looking suddenly sobered, and read about the aurors' inquiry into the case. The other witches in the house survived, forcing the assailants to escape. Cause of death was the killing curse. The surviving Linton's identified the attackers only as wizards or witches in black robes. The paper said they were "hopeful" of finding the attackers, which was really just another way of saying they had absolutely no idea who did it.
"You said you had a warning." Aaron looked up from the paper at Melian. The mood in the living room was serious now. Damon had leaned forward on the couch.
"Well it can't be a coincidence." Melian went on, "The Lintons are powerful wizards, like you and me. They just don't get killed in their homes. Not for no reason, either. The leeches were suspicious enough."
"Who are you to say it isn't a coincidence? It weren't leeches that killed this Linton." said Damon, although he did look troubled.
"This doesn't just happen. My guess is they were sent by the same person, or group, or whoever." she paused. "They're targeting us."
"That's a wild accusation. What would they possibly gain?" Damon was becoming unsettled.
"I don't know yet, but I'm fairly certain that's what's happening." There was a silence as they digested this, and the possibility that it was very true. It all seemed too bizarre though. The game was about to kick off, Arsenal vs. Tottenham.
"I'm sorry, but I can't make you a wand to fight undead." Said Damon, slowly. "But I can make you a blade that will do the same job. For nothing. Even if you're wrong, leeches are still a nasty problem."
"When should I come back then?"
"I can do it now if you like. Follow me". He laboured to get up, and hobbled down the hallway.
"I'll call and tell Henry then." announced Stefan.
Melian took her handbag, leaving the paper, and followed Damon.
"You took care of four with no problems it seems." he laughed weakly. Melian didn't tell him her mother was in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries because of it. She had fought damn hard to keep the whole thing out of the media too. She also didn't mention her brother, in case they didn't know she had one. Better the Fletchers didn't know about Estel so they couldn't give him away if they were caught.
Damon opened a door to some stairs that descended down into darkness. He flicked a switch, and a light illuminated a more magical looking workshop. He set to work, asking Melian exactly what she wanted.
Two hours later she was out on the street, having thanked Damon Fletcher for the long dagger she was caressing in her hands. The hilt and handle were of simple dark steel, with decorative gold leaf Fletcher markings. She had expected a silver blade - but it was instead pitch black, and refracted fiery light at the edges. He had called it Dædbana, and assured her it would make light work of leeches, and other undead, Inferi, even vampires to some extent. She slipped it into its simple leather sheath, also with gold embroidery, feeling empowered by it. Next she wanted to find the Earnshaws.
There were times-not many, that Mikhail Petrov was glad he could understand English. Mikhail filled up his emptied goblet with more wine. He downed the cup instantly and groaned at the displeasure of the rough acidic taste stabbing at his throat. "Why the fuck do I have to go back to this school? It's so stupid. We cast silly spells that teach us nothing and half the kids can't keep it in their bloody pants, where's the spell for an anti-hormone" Lexi moaned. Sometimes to be blunt Mikhail wanted Lexi to shut up, but he didn't enjoy the sound of silence, even if he couldn't grasp half of what she just complained about- which was at a rapid pace. Lexi was very open you could say. Nothing was hidden; her name is Niamh Alex O'Callaghan. Not that anyone ever called her that, without screaming and running in the other direction. She spoke everything she thought and always needed something to cling on to; Even to Mikhail, Lexi was scary or perhaps vicious? "Miky seriously what's up with you tonight?" Lexi shifted further along the plump green couch and nuzzled into Mikhail. "Nothing my dove. Just thinking about how hot Victore Weasly will be looking tomorrow" Mikhail teased, Lexi slapped him playfully and murmured through her wickedly red lips "Victore Weasly does not know what's coming to her. The slut will have no goddamned hair left if I had my way. Anyway best I leave" Lexi pecked Mikhail on the cheek taking a whiff of the alcohol he had consumed too. "If you turn up hungover tomorrow I swear I will slap you silly boy! Train leaves at 10.30 see you then" Lexi dashed out of Mikhail's cosy apartment leaving only a blur of her auburn hair.
Mikhail crawled to his tiny bedroom and climbed in his bed, wishing his hangover would at least numb some sort of pain. He took off his warm cardigan revealing a ridiculously toned abdominal region. He slipped off his trousers and gave himself a once over in the mirror. He tussled his curly brown mess of hair and frowned when he realised his impressive manly beard would have to be shaved off before Hogwarts resumed. He avoided the ugly black ink splotched permantely on his upper forearm ignoring its significance, at least for tonight. "Mikhail loves Mikhail" he tried to enforce "Mikhail loves Mikhail". He slipped into his bed happy. Hogwarts made him forget his ink splotches and scars. Mikhail tucked his wand into his pillow after with some well-chosen words cast himself into a blissful sleep.
Her fingers drummed against the window of the cabin as she waited. She knew he'd be late; he was always late after drinking. She jumped as she heard a knock.
"Hey, Lex!" The compartment door slid open as Elijah slid in. His accent was improving; the French wasn't as prominent anymore. "You seen Lyra? I saw her on the platform but now…" Lexi sighed as she pointed to the flustered girl frantically searching around platform 9 ¾. It was a funny sight, her brunette hair stuck to her face as she searched for her cousin, trailing her small, tabby cat and trunk behind her. "Ah, thank-you." Elijah left the carriage in a hurry, and Lexi watched out the window as he chased down the strange girl. For an original pure-blood, she was easy to forget the pomp of her family name. The other originals held their heads back spoke up and made themselves known, Lyra was more than happy to hide in her cousin's shadows. She wasn't as publically confident as the rest of the Vallure's. Her mind quickly snapped out of her shallow judgement as she saw a tall shadow move throughout the crowd. He was here. Good! Last year he nearly missed the train. He had practically jumped on while it was moving. The shadow disappeared and Lexi slumped back against her chair, waiting for the hole in the cabin to disappear, the empty spot where Mikhail would sit to be filled. They had a… special… relationship. They had never really confirmed that they were together, but each of them altered themselves a little when the other was around. Lexi became more open and calm, and he became softer in the way he spoke, he stood. The two fit together well, affecting each other in ways that no other could. But they never confirmed their relationship. They were always just… together. There was nothing official about it. He wasn't her boyfriend, she wasn't his girlfriend. Lexi didn't believe in love. Not after all that had happened. The topic didn't sit comfortably with her. How could someone devote themselves completely to making another person happy for the rest of their lives? It went against her very core. What made her was her drive to survive, to stay on top of things, be exactly where she wanted to be at all times. Love was… a weakness. A distraction from what you truly needed. "You can only trust yourself. No one else." Her father's heavy Irish accent rang in her ears. It had been years since she had seen him. He was a muggle. The magical ability of his children scared him. It worried him. It drove him to disown them both, Lexi and her brother. He gave them thousands of pounds each, enough to keep them alive through their school years, shipped them off to Hogwarts and told them not to return. It was he who had made her who she was.
The door slid open and Lexi smiled and turned her head to look at him. Mikhail. The one person besides herself she trusted completely. The one person who could break through the wall she kept up at all times, except with him. With Mikhail she could relax. He leant down and kissed her forehead as he slid his trunk up against the seat on the opposite side of the compartment.
"My dove." She was never sure about that nickname. It made her seem… less threatening than she wanted. Doves were pure, innocent. Why couldn't she be raven? Or crow? She supposed it didn't exactly have the same romantic effect.
"I was afraid you were going to be late again." She murmured as she watched him swiftly stow his things away. "Next year I'm taking the alcohol away from you. You can't be trusted." She giggled as he sat close to her and ran his fingers through her hair. He tutted as he made another stroke down her skull.
"Your hair is darker today, Aleyksia. What is wrong?" He knew her too well. She focused and watched her hair change from the dark brown waves it had been into the same bright auburn it was the night before. "That's cheating. Tell me." Lexi looked down as she felt her hair slowly fade again.
"I got thinking about my father. That's all. It's nothing to worry about."
The two moved in perfect sync to look towards Elijah and Lyra who were stumbling into the compartment with their luggage. That girl was way too happy, all the time. It didn't sit well with either of them. Lexi didn't like the constant rainbow glow that seemed to follow around her and Mikhail was always suspicious she had an ulterior motive. They were chattering to each other in French, while occasionally throwing smiles in the pair's direction. Mikhail murmured something to himself in Russian that Lexi didn't quite catch, and when she asked him, he just smiled and shook his head.
Lexi leant her head on Mikhail's shoulder as the train jolted and started off towards Hogwarts.
Mikhail smiled and slowly shifted to a more comfortable position while trying not to wake Lexi. When she slept, it was a miracle. The girl never slept, at least, hardly ever. He moved her head from his shoulder to his lap and continued his conversation with Elijah.
"It doesn't make sense. I thought they were wiped out years ago? The families... we hunted them down, got rid of them all. How could they be in Wales?" Mikhail struggled with the news of the recent attacks on original wizarding families around the country. Elijah shook his head.
"It started in France. My mother saw figures in the garden one night but she thought nothing of it. Then three days later there were four murders in Brittany and three in Marsailles."
"Is the Order not trying anything? Not planning?" Elijah sighed at Mikhail. Sometimes he didn't understand him. The Order?
"The Order of the Pheonix? Mikhail they disbanded with the death of Dumbledore all those years ago. I don't even know if there are any members left alive!"
"The Weasleys, Ginny, George, Ronald. Harry and Hermione. Are they not continuing the cause?"
"Voldemort was slain. There was no point. The Order is finished. They couldn't do anything."
Mikahil sunk back in his seat and continued to stroke Lexi's hair which had been flickering shades of red and purple in accordance to her dreams. Seven people were killed in France. Two in Wales, four in Essex, all in the last two months, all original names. It could not be coincidence. But yet again, Elijah was right. They had all been killed, there was no one left. Lyra had sat quietly in the corner the entire trip; she had not said a single word to Mikhail, nor to Elijah. She had sat simply, staring out the window and playing with her cat, Dasha. Occasionally she threw a look at Lexi. The two were polar opposites. Lyra was happy, giggly, and quiet. Lexi was loud, outspoken and confident. Lyra was brunette and green eyed, with hair that was slightly curled and hung at her hips. Lexi had dark or colourful hair that ended just below her shoulders. The pair didn't like each other, and though it was never announced in anyway, Mikhail and Elijah both knew it was the case.
Teddy Lupin poked his head through the door of the compartment and smiled his signature charming grin towards Mikhail.
"Yo, Mik, have you heard McGonnagals finally resigned? We've got a new professor! Melody Killarney, she's only just finished training to be an Auora. Scorpius reckons she's well fit. I got to go tell Campbell! Say hi to Lexi when she finally wakes up." He began to close the door and added a grunt of acknowledgement in Elijah and Lyra direction. Teddy was so simple. A good looking women and he was smitten. So shallow, so juvenile. That was why he couldn't cope with Lexi. She was strong, independent. Lexi O'Callaghan didn't answer to any man or woman and Teddy expected a... obedient companion. What a joke, what a simplistic need. Mikhail sighed. He had the depth of a bottle of vodka. There was limited amount of personality you could take, but ultimately it was flavourless and in the end, it burned you. The train entered a tunnel and emerged to the view of the great castle. Lyra giggled with excitement and Elijah sat unaffected, picking at a tub of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.
"Sometimes I wonder about how they get these flavours," Elijah murmured and Mikhail nudged Lexi awake. "I mean booger? What do they do? Hire three year olds? And grass. Grass. Why?"
"Stop questioning the fun, Eli!" Lyra snapped out of her silence to scold her cousin. "You always do that, if they bother you so much don't buy another tub every time the trolley is brought by." Mikhail snickered to himself. She had a point, every trolley run he brought another tub and topped up his supply. Lexi groaned, flipped over and nuzzled her face into Mikky's stomach. "No. School. No. Go away." Mikhail laughed and pushed her off him gently. He started to collect his trunk and owl so he could leave the train as soon as they arrived at the station. Crowds bothered him, you could never defend yourself completely, you always had a blind spot that was potentially full of danger. Elijah began the same routine as Mikhail, putting on his coat, pulling his trunk from under the seat and balancing his owl gently on the top. The train sputtered and jolted as it tried to stop at the platform. It would freeze for a moment, and then jolt forward again, freeze, and jolt forward. Lexi groaned, fluffed up her hair, ran her fingers under her eyes to remove and make-up smudges from her dark lines of eyeliner and copied the two boys.
"And we begin again," she laughed as she followed Mikhail out of the compartment, down the hall and out onto the platform. "A year of shit. Fuck it all and just play Quidditch. Where's Albus? Have you seen him? He said he'd meet us here before he left for the carriages." But the crowd had grown too quickly for the group to spot anyone in particular. First years were flustered, trying to find the boats. The rest of the school was shoving their stuff onto the platform to be collected by the house elves, except for those few purebloods who believed themselves too high to at least try assist the poor workers in their jobs. "It's rude. They cook and clean for us all year. The least we can do is move our trunks from the carriages. For fucks sake. Purebloods." Mikhail and Eli laughed at her outburst. She so often forgot that they were purebloods, original families.
Mikhail began his first morning at Hogwarts as methodically as any other. Benefitting from a fresh sleep he rose earlier than the rest of his dorm, tip toeing carefully not to awaken Esmond and Vaughan, who both growled with snores. He reached into his trunk and slipped on some comfortable running clothing and jogged out of the castle in routine time. The usual presence of the Hogwarts grounds was enough to entertain his thoughts. Mikhail even felt up to greeting a few other keen students who ran past. The usual glimour of sun indicated it was time for Mikhail to head back for the showers. Mikhail didn't appreciate the light hearted giggles from many of the girls who "ohhed" and "ahhed" as Marius and Elijah Vallure finished their run also. They flocked like lions to a fresh kill. Everyone wanted a piece of the two most promiscuous wizards at Hogwarts. "Alright?" Elijah gasped to Mikhail. The two were nearly enough best friends after meeting each other on their first day at Hogwarts. "Never
been better! Better dash eh, Lex will no doubt be waiting". The girls took another hopeless gasp as Elijah's complete arse of a brother removed his tank top. They swarmed. Mikhail shook his head seeing the complete joy painted across his perfectly constructed face.
"You really should've seen it. He was at his worst!" Mikhail complained between furious mouthfuls of toast. Lexi just sat and listened, unusual for her. She flicked her wand around conjuring cartoons of animals. A snow leopard she seemed to favour nuzzled her cheek, and danced around with a furry bear. "I'd love to move somewhere remote" she began "explore the magic no one has discovered or told about. Imagine the kinds of magic bestowed in the depths of the Antarctic?" Mikhail laughed "I seriously wonder where your head is half the time". She extinguished the cartoons and fixated her eyes upon Mikhail. "I don't know what I'd do without you" Mikhail whispered. Lexi flung herself over the bench and sprung up into action "right I'm off to charms". Again Mikhail was left dumbfounded. There was a wall built around Lexi's heart and there wasn't a single charm that could break it.
CHAPTER TWO:
"I'm not scared."
"You're hearts racing, Lex."
"I'M NOT SCARED! Why can't you accept that sometimes I can do things you can't! You always push me; always try making me into something I'm not. I'm not a good kid, Mikhail. I never will be. I don't love, I don't do things correctly, and as much as you try, I'm not scared of you. I know that you won't hurt me, because frankly, you don't have it in you. You'd never hit me, let alone aim a spell at me." The sound of his hand making contact with her cheek echoed through the forest. Mikhail glared at her as she picked herself up from the ground.
"I'm not scary? I wouldn't hurt you? You underestimate me, my dove. If I can put you down to the floor in what hit, imagine what you can do in two, in three even. You could kill your enemy without so much as lifting your wand." A tear rolled down the imprint of his large hand on her face. Lexi shook her head at him and spat.
"Fuck you." Her voice choked up, she hated it. How could she seem strong when she was crying? But he had done it; he had hit her, put to the ground. "And don't 'my dove' me. I'm not your dove." Lexi turned on her heel and started to weave her way through the trees at the edge of the clearing. Mikhail shouted her, but she would ignore him. She couldn't go back to him. He was angry at her for what she had done to Victore and Lexi was angry at him for constantly pushing her so much.
"Lexi! Aleyksia!" His voice boomed as he followed her from a distance. "Niamh!" Lexi stopped dead in her tracks, the tears now flowing. How dare he. He knew that she hated being called by her first name, but it had stopped her hadn't it? She turned to face his advancing figure. Mikhail stopped not thirty centimetres away, looking down at her. "Don't run away from me." Lexi glared at him. Egotistical… Russian… She was so angry she couldn't think of any insults, nothing that would affect him, nothing that would make her feel better about it.
"Oh, bite me." Mikhail stood and watched as she left him standing alone on the outskirts of the forest.
The corridors were busy, but somehow everyone managed to stop their conversations to watch her walk past. It was a rare sight, Lexi crying. Elijah had only seen her cry once before, the day after her brother died. She had set fire to Ravenclaw tower from the courtyard outside and ran towards the forest crying. But the recent turn of events with Victore had twisted her; she had shown more emotion than ever. Her care for some people, her overprotection of her friends, her anger, what she usually kept hidden behind a wall of sarcasm and violent threats was seeping through the cracks in her façade. Elijah bid goodbye to his friends and followed after her, the last thing that anyone needed was for her to go setting fire to things again. Or more importantly, people. Last year, in charms, she had set fire to Harry Goyle's robes because he had insulted her owl. In first year she sent a vortex of flames through the exam hall because she had a problem with Professor Parker's teaching style. Elijah rounded the corner just as she disappeared into the Room of Requirement. He leant against the wall opposite the entrance in defeat. She was a lost cause. He would never break through, he could never hope to get on the same level as Mikhail, and it was stupid of him to try. He wanted to know her family history, find out where her power originated, when it emerged. Mikhail would tell no one, he claimed he didn't know himself. Elijah's most obvious option was to get Lyra to ask, but exploiting his family didn't sit quite right with him.
The fire Lexi had conjured was blazing around the stone walls the Room had created for her. She stood in the dead centre, lifting her arms above her head and pushing them towards the walls, tossing fireballs in every direction, the room burning around her. She lowered her arms and looked at her blackened hands, for once, she had created a fire so hot, so intense, and she had managed to burn herself. "Shit." Lexi clicked her fingers and the small fires still burning in the corners flew together to create a ball of flames in front of her, and in a second, disappeared. She sighed, pulled her hair into a loose side ponytail and turned to leave the room.
Elijah lent against the wall, tall and broad, waiting for her. "Show me your hands. Mikhail says your fires are getting hotter, are you burned?" Lexi held out her puckered red hands for Elijah to examine and sighed as he pulled his wand from his robes. "You need to be careful, stop touching your flames if you can help it."
"It's not that easy. I can't feel myself burning, only see it. I only know afterwards, when the fire stops." Elijah murmured under his breath and Lexi watched as her hands faded from red to a light pink. "Thank you, Elijah. Lunch?" The pair headed towards the Great Hall, and after five minute of silence, Elijah finally asked her.
"What happened today, Lex? With you and Mik?" Lexi ignored him and carried on walking. "Lexi, you can talk to me, you know that. What happened?" Lexi stopped in her tracks and turned to face him.
"I am sick and tired of people trying to make me into something I'm not. I'm not a good kid, and he needs to realise that." Elijah reached his hand for Lexi's shoulder but jumped back when flames began to form from her hair and snake towards his fingers.
"I think you underestimate yourself and your abilities outside your bending. You're better than you think, Lexi." Lexi shook her head and the two carried on walking. Just as they reached the Great Doors, Lyra jumped between them, Selena following her close behind. She pushed her arm into Elijah's and Lexi's and skipped them into the hall. Marius beckoned to them from where he sat with Teddy at the Gryffindor table. Lyra leant over and whispered into Lexi's ear, "The gossip's already started Lex". They took seats around the pair and Lexi smiled as Teddy put out his hand on her leg from under the table. She hadn't smiled because she had missed him, because she enjoyed his touch, she smiled because she knew that at this very moment, Victore was glaring at her from down the table. Teddy whispered in her ear about how much he missed her and winked at someone who had just entered the room. Lexi put her hand on his and turned to sneer at Victore… Bitch! Lexi jumped up, twisted her hand in one fluid circle and balanced a ball of bright orange flames on her index finger. She spun it like a basketball until it was the same size and fired it at Mikhail's plate. The metal flipped up and knocked him in the nose. "What the fuck, Lex!" Mikhail yelled as he pulled stands of ham from his hair and face. Elijah put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down in her chair. She felt his thoughts push against her mind; Elijah was the only one who knew that aiming his thoughts at Lexi would let her hear him easily. "Just relax; he's just making you jealous, like you're making him by sitting like that with Teddy. Think about what you're doing, okay?" Lexi nodded and smiled at him. Elijah was one of her most unlikely friends, the friend's brother who had worked his way into the folds of their group and learnt the secrets of their powers. He was talented himself, exceptionally gifted at healing charms. Lexi was rather fond of Elijah, but she'd never let him know it.
CHAPTER THREE:
Elijah's headphones blurred out any of the shouting between his parents. Usually he was the one to sort this out, but as their voices grew louder and Marius became involved he knew it was best to sit this one out. He sat in the very modern lounge which flowed onto the white elegant kitchen. His iPhone vibrated just in time as Marius and his parents shot a furious stare at Elijah before turning back to their argument. Lyra had replied. Good. She had rapped on the door minutes later with Selena in toe. Selena's shimmering golden hair was sitting loose on her shoulders and Lyra's bounced by her hip. Lyra spoke in rapid French to her sister who always stood protectively behind her, as if always expecting something. "Hey Eli!" they greeted warmly. They both pecked him on the cheek and gave him a brief hug. The trio waited in the entrance way. "What's the prob man?" Lyra asked, she was always the more relaxed and calmer of the twins. Elijah pointed through to the kitchen gesturing to be silent "well my mum and dad are having trouble accepting to us receiving training from an outsider" he whispered. "Training? An outsider?" Selena may as well have screamed at the top of her lungs. "Since when has training become a thing for f'ing sixteen year olds?" Lyra giggled to herself "I can barely keep myself from wetting my pants watching Miranda, how could I possibly like learn to battle?" She was finding this hysterical, however Elijah could clearly see her sister was not. "Why are we here now then?" she asked very business-like. "See well the thing is..." Elijah scratched the back of his neck "I need to ask a favour of you Lyra" he muttered. Lyra giggled yet again as her phone screamed out 'thrust' as a text message came through. "Yep sorry what?" she straightened up her face. "Mikhail is hopefully going to teach us how to protect ourselves, as he has... um... some experience in ... fighting?" Elijah struggled out. "Yes okay pretty boy, what's Lyra gotta do then?" "Convince Marius to come". Lyra and Selena gave Elijah a rather sassy look "hell to the no Elijah! GOD! Have you seen the way he treats us?" Lyra spat "or any woman?" Selena pleaded. "Well I'm sorry but tough shit girls. Just have a word to him Lyra. I just want Mikhail to train us thoroughly so we don't have another Lexi scenario..." his voice trailed off towards the end. "Right then" Lyra said reluctantly. The trio emerged into the kitchen dining area to find Marius leaning against the bench alone. Elijah hadn't notice the loud voice trailing off. Marius had a pissed off look on his face and was staring down Selena. Elijah's brother had never liked their twin cousins, especially after learning that Lyra had inherited the most powerful gift of a Saunder, they all had it to a degree but Lyra was special. A clutter of words and she had you in a trance paralyzed to her will. Lyra said jump and you said how high. Lyra says die and you roll over. Of course Marius would feel Lyra as competition; he was the oldest and strongest of the new Vallure generation. He was not gifted magically of that of Luthien or Elijah but he was the leader. Elijah respected him for that, but not for the way he treated the women in the family. "Where's Luthien?" Marius asked Elijah "Out with Estel at the river" Lyra replied. "Didn't ask you did I?" Marius was rude more than anything, wizarding snob. His pants did the talking for the most part and even the thought processes in his brain were so immoral Elijah questioned how he was his brother. The two were strikingly similar in looks. Marius was extremely masculine, not overally tall, a seductive smile, shared the golden family hair and had bronzed skin. The girls at school likened him to the Greek God Zeus. Marius advanced towards Lyra and Selena. "What are you girls here for? Shouldn't you be practicing your pathetic little charms back at Gale's house?" he mocked. Selena nudged Lyra's back in support. "Listen Marius I gotta talk to you" Lyra spluttered. "Oh well here we go" he dramatically said hunching over. "You will go to training with the rest of us and you WILL respect everyone there for the duration". Elijah could see Lyra focusing intensely as she spoke carefully lacing the right words with her special ability. Lyra nodded in confirmation as Marius' body tone and language changed back to neutral. "When does training start?" Selena asked. "First Sunday back at school". Lyra grabbed her sister's hand "Oh I can't wait to blow stuff up, maybe Marius can be my partner!" she squealed in anticipation. Before he knew it the two girls had said their goodbyes and whipped out the front door. Elijah grumbled out a low laughter and shut the impressive front oak door. The girl's meant well but they were surely going to be a liability.
Elijah had joined his mother in preparation of dinner, a twice cooked ratatouille. She was becoming frail and weary, even the colour of her black hair was showing roots of grey sprouting through her head. She was short and relatively plump, though her ivory skin still had some life left. She was reaching the wrong end of fifty and was becoming grouchy with it. She charmed the knives into preparing the vegetables expertly and then delved into the latest issue of Witch Weekly. "Remind me to cook this next week Eli, looks divine" her smooth voice played well in the acoustics of the room, which looked out onto the flowing river. Elijah was watching Luthien and Estel sitting cross legged on the bank with their backs facing the house. Estel had begun to craft a bridge with his wand, allowing Luthien to skip across to fetch wild berries that grew on the opposite side of the stream. She had a wide brimmed smile on her face. Luthien was different to the typical Saunder. She had jet black hair, the spitting image of her mother. She had more ivory toned skin and not the bronzed complexion of her brother's and cousins. She ran too in love to share the berries with Estel, pushing him onto his back and kissing him passionately. "You wouldn't believe it Eli, but I worry about her most" clearly his mother was also now watching the two. "Staying clear of that boy would create a safer place for you, your brother and cousin. But she damn well loves him, I just worry he will leave her when she needs him most". It was odd his mother talked about two teenagers like this. Elijah was used to relationships only equating to hook ups at this age. But of course he knew Estel was different to the average guy. "Well mum at least we have each other" he snuggled into his mother on the warm couch and watched as the rain cascaded down on the two as they began the sprint towards the French Doors.
They swarmed the girls before Elijah could react. Selena viciously elbowed her attacker in the nostril drawing blood from his chocolate coloured skin. Terror filled Gale's eyes as she flailed about dropping her wand; her arms flew about like trees in the wind. "Lyra!" Elijah turned around from the boggart's comatose body to see tears streaming down Lyra's face as another gagged her with a bubble charm. Elijah's cursed loudly. His weapon was silenced. Elijah drew his wand and pointed it half-heartedly at the attackers. Their wands jabbed into the temples of the three women who squirmed nervously. Elijah panicked. Sweat poured down his dress shirt and his heart hammering against his chest. "Let them go" Elijah stuttered. He automatically felt lame and cringed when he replied to with throaty laughter. The black man holding Selena hit her to the ground and proceeded to stamp down on her head holding her in position. "Who are you?" the man asked curiously. Elijah felt stupid having this polite conversation. "Elijah. Now let them go!" He stepped forwards aggressively. Selena buried her teeth into the man's calve making him cry out in agony. One of his partners delivered another solid blow to Selena's head. "Tell this little bitch to give it up and we'll be off" he said leaning down check the fresh wounds on his calve. The slightly stockier man holding Gale whispered harshly "let's kill them all now" with a devious smile "then take their money" the tall lanky one said who held Lyra. "You're fools. Do we have a deal Mr Saunders?" the black man asked. Each of the Vallure's eyes bulged. No one knew they were the Saunders. "No". Elijah whipped his arm back and faked aim at the attackers sending a spark back towards his own house. Elijah thrust his wand forward and twisted it in a half moon as the man went to stamp down and deliver Selena her fatal blow. An emerald barrier rebounded the man's foot sending him to the ground as Selena scampered to gather her wand. The stockier of the men hurled Gale aside and eyed up Elijah jabbing a barrage of curses at him. Elijah held his ground and with a similar movement deflected the spells back at the man, hitting him square in the chest. "Avarda Kedavra!" the lanky man screamed his wand directed at Selena, she rolled to the left as the curse skimmed the grass millimetres past her. Elijah took his chance "Experlliarmus!" the man's wand flew from him as Selena delivered a brutal stunning spell to the black man's head who had tried to sneak up on her. Lyra gasped as she was released from the bubble charm. The stockier man had also recovered and slid over to protect the disarmed wizard. Lyra tightened up before biting out a few words rooting her opponents to the spot. Her shoulders relaxed as her new prisoners stood physically bound. "What do I do?" she asked. Gale had gathered herself and replied coolly "Vallure's do the right thing honey". Lyra's mother rubbed her on the back as Lyra turned her back to the men "You never came here or remember the Saunder name. You will never dare cross an original witch again". The three witches came together, Elijah stood alone. His cousin had never been a threat to anyone. Now he realised her true power.