A/N: Another one! Whoo, I'm on a roll!
The last few weekends I had to accompany my kids on busses to foreign places so they can participate in athletics. It was fun. I had a bout of insomnia, where I was haunted by my missing reviewers. *sob*
Ah well, it'll be over soon, eh?
For Batsy, CrazyMedusa99, BOOMitsMegan and jesskalyn4 for reviewing
Also for my lpccsb.
Soundtrack for this chapter: Fine by me by Andy Grammer and Fallen Angels by Black Veil Brides.
In this chapter, you guys will be surprised, I assure you.
Chapter 29: The beginning of the end.
Sage swore loudly as the glowing item swirled him into a vast array of nothingness, darkness, it was like aparating, only without being breathless and wanting to throw up. It felt like he was a toffee being twisted to and fro.
Then it stopped and he was thrown face-first into the hard... Carpet?
"You are one very lucky son of a gun." Zane said, hauling his boyfriend off the floor. Sage relished in the warm touch of his lover, he'd been deprived of it for so long, even if they did talk everyday due to Zane's necklace.
Sage twisted around to look at him. "How the heck did you know I'd be here?" He seemingly decided to be impossible rather than happy at the sight of the true shifter.
"I didn't - this is the Gryffindor dorm... So I advise you keep your mouth shut, considering it's 2 in the morning." Zane observed lazily, a grin spreading around his lips.
"You're excited," Sage said sarcastically, folding his arm, "I've been gone for almost two months and you tell me to shut my trap."
"Well, I could've told you to get dressed, but that would ruin my fun." Zane's eyes danced over Sage's torso.
Sage looked down, finding he was almost nude, safe for a pair of briefs. He would've blushed if Zane hadn't decided that, at that moment in time, he wanted to kiss Sage, and Sage's heart melted, as did his body, into Zane's embrace. Normally Sage was doing the comforting and being the man, one could say, in the relationship. It was odd how Zane could fill that post now.
"I missed you." Zane breathed against his lips. Sage chuckled, breaking the kiss. He was fine with them both being in charge.
"Let me get dressed and I'll grace you with my presence again." Sage winked at him. Zane laid back on his bed.
"Fine by me." It's fine by me, if you never leave… we can live like this forever, it's fine by me. A song rang through Zane's head, and he thought it fit them perfectly.
The pair hadn't done anything past snuggling. Zane felt Sage wasn't ready, and he was quite happy with Sage's company. Because it was his company that he missed, not his body, though whenever Sage slid his hand into Zane's it made his heart flutter. Zane wanted to laugh, he sounded like such a girl.
But he would wait forever if he had to. Sage was worth it. And Zane swore, if he ever found Sage's brothers alone in a dark alley (that he might or might not have tricked them into going into) they wouldn't leave without a few bruises, scratches and broken limbs. Nothing too extreme.
Life wasn't fair in the way it had treated either of them. But as Sage smiled upon returning, Zane was slightly grateful for their hardships, because otherwise it wouldn't have brought them together.
He tugged Sage hand into his and pulled the man into his arms.
"So, what have you been up to?" Sage asked.
"I was in Antarctica at the beginning of the spell, found a glowing thing and I was back home. Since then I've been running Skye's rebellion. You?"
"I think I was in America," Sage answered with a frown, "though I'm not entirely sure. Didn't do much, just practiced my abilities a lot. And one day I was swimming and I saw something shiny." He went on. Of course Zane knew this, just like he knew about Antarcticam it didn't matter.
"And this was maybe an hour or so ago?"
"Absolutely." The merman grinned again, nuzzling into Zane's chest.
"Would you two go to sleep?" A tired voice asked from the darkness, "You can kiss and make up in the morning…"
"Sorry, Gary," Zane called. He was still in the previous year's seventh year dorm, now the current seventh years' dorm. Most of them just accepted Zane and Sage. Though homophobia still was a bit of a problem, it was proved when one of the Gryffindor seventh years, Lucian, tried to shove Zane's head into a toilet.
Firstly, Zane was too strong for that; and two, Gary was a fine batsman and Zane had mentioned it to Ginny. Gary was now serving as a beater on the Quidditch team, whereas Lucian was serving a round of detention with the Head of Gryffindor house, Professor Black, sporting a nice shiner.
Sirius was juggling jobs, apparating between Hogwarts and the Isle of Nott.
The pair fell asleep soundly, Sage with a soft smile on his face as Zane tightened his grip.
. . .
Laud calmly reached for the glowing token, knowing it'd take him home almost instantly. The pulling sensation wasn't pleasant, but it was better than apparating or travelling by portkey. It didn't feel like something was trying to rip out his naval.
He landed on his feet, to his disappointment his wife wasn't there, but he knew she wouldn't be there. She'd return next, in a few weeks, followed by Skye.
The fates shared with him not Draco's fate. It was obscured, murky, and all he saw was an excess of red. He was convinced that his friend was either fatally wounded or, at the worst, dead. He couldn't take it, thinking Draco was dead. He refused to think of it, because if he did, if he allowed grief to overtake him, they would lose. Because if he was calm, Skye was calm. She didn't know it, but she relied on him too much. He was what kept her sane, Draco kept her insane.
He didn't want to be the one to tell Skye, because despite her horrible plan, she loved Draco madly. And she would lose her sanity almost certainly. What little sanity she had left, that is.
He sighed and headed to the headmistress' office, she should know he had returned and would be back in class the next day.
. . .
Aaron was tired. These days were longer than he wanted them to be, and he saw Skye sink into a dangerous depression. He'd overheard her yelling and cursing in her room the previous day, followed by glass smashing.
As it turned out, it was a little hand mirror she'd thrown across the room, fuming at the wall as if it would burn by her sight alone. She was stronger than she pretended to be, that much he knew, because sometimes when a sandstorm picked up, it would randomly be quiet around them. He knew she was doing it.
She looked so utterly heartbroken, that he couldn't bring it over his heart to chastise her for the childish behavior. He wanted to enfold her in his arms and hug the troubles away. There were things he didn't like that she did, but he looked over them. Her stubbornness was one of the things, and the fact that she didn't think she could be wrong. She often was wrong, but not enough to make her see reason.
"Miss?" He called from the kitchen. She appeared in the doorway, her stomach becoming a bit bigger. She'd been with them for two months, and Aaron dearly loved her, but he didn't want a pregnant woman in his house after Skye. She did the cooking and the cleaning and made sure their stock cupboards were full while they did the digging.
"Hm?" She asked blearily, rubbing her eyes. Like a small child.
"Breakfast." He tapped her full plate. "You made it, might as well enjoy it, Miss Skye."
She sank down into the chair, nearly jumping out of her skin when the phone rang.
"Hello?" She pushed the device to her ear, wondering who on earth could be calling her.
"What's up?" It was Anna. Who was probably enjoying Japan. Or at least Skye thought it was Japan.
"News?" Skye asked curiously, wanting to slap herself - of course it would be Anna. Who else had this number?
"Yep - both Sage and Laud are home. And Zane, he was home first." Anna told her. "Who's left?"
"Me, you, Draco and person number 7." Anna answered. "And Sage says it wasn't Storm or Rija. He went to Florida - how lucky is he?"
"How'd he find his token?" Skye asked. She was annoyed at being stuck in a desert, her mood only soured by the fact that she hadn't heard anything from her husband in about two months. Plus, she was pregnant.
"Randomly, he picked something shiny up on a beach - you know how he likes shiny things - and it took him home." The centaur explained, "He wasn't even phased by the fact that he was in America for two months, he had contact with Zane throughout."
Skye thought of the now-broken mirror and scowled.
"Skyler Night!" The voice was amplified through the small Egyptian city. Skye jumped - she knew that voice! Even if he did get her last name wrong...
A grin spread around her features. She had been so lonely the last month. Sure, Aaron and Geeta were great, but they weren't Sev or Draco.
"What was that?" Anna demanded, "Is Aaron really mad at you or what?"
"I have to go, Anna," Skye said, hanging up.
Skye flew out of the house in a daze, Aaron behind her and Geeta behind him. Both men wondered what the heck had this woman so excited that she left the breakfast table without touching anything.
It would've been hard to miss him. His robes billowing in the wind, a scowl in place. Skye knew better than to think he was angry, he always wore that scowl when in public.
"Daddy!" She yelled. Sev's expression softened a bit when he saw her. She rushed forward and flung her arms around him.
Sev laughed, hugging her to him. How he'd missed her!
"I am so angry at you," He said, Skye pulled back, "but I'm too happy to see you to care!"
"Dad, this is Aaron," She said, introducing the two men. Aaron smiled at Sev, while Sev just nodded, "And Geeta, they have been looking after me." Geeta shook Sev's hand animatedly, grinning from ear to ear.
"Anything dastardly?" He asked. Skye rolled her eyes, amused at his choice of words.
"No, dad, for once they aren't out to kill me." She said, causing Aaron to blanch. People were trying to kill her? Sure, she was annoying sometimes, but so was everyone! Why did they want to kill her? Was she a fugitive?
"No, Aaron, I am not a wanted witch, I'm simply a thorn in the side to someone in a powerful position." She explained, and he turned a bit paler as he realized she could read his mind. "And no, I can't read minds, but I can sense thoughts."
"You've mysterious powers, even for a witch," He noted. She nodded.
"Yes, I do, but I can't share what they are," She said, not wanting to admit that she didn't wish to tell him.
"Come in, sir," Aaron invited Sev inside, ignoring the current topic, "Miss Skye just finished making breakfast."
"You made breakfast?" Sev asked, unsure, "That is fantastic. I'm terrified."
Skye slapped him on the arm. "Mean. And my name is Skyler Malfoy, daddy."
Sev sat down at the kitchen table, helping himself to some eggs. Aaron didn't argue, he knew a hungry man when he saw one.
"So - you're pregnant and you didn't tell me." Sev said calmly. Skye winced. Aaron sat back to watch the happenings unfold.
"I didn't tell a lot of people." She admitted. "Mum, Laud and McGonagall knew." Aaron vaguely wondered who they were.
"And why not I?" Sev drawled the words curling off his tongue in a strange dialect.
"Laud guessed it, I told mum and I was being overexerted at work, so I told McGonagall." Skye explained. "Plus, I didn't tell you for the same reason I didn't tell Draco." She cast her eyes down.
"And what might that be?" Sev asked sharply. Skye wanted to roll her eyes again, but refrained, knowing it'd evoke his wrath.
"Because you'll both be heartbroken the day I die, and my son being taken away from you and his father, wasn't something I wanted either of you to experience." Skye said bluntly, surprised by the words escaping her mouth.
Both Aaron and Geeta's mouths dropped open. What?!
"The day you die?" Sev repeated. Skye nodded, a lot more animated than any normal person would be at the prospect of death. "Explain."
Aaron wholly supported this sentiment. He had a feeling he was about to gain insight on who Skye truly was.
"To win this war, I have to die." Skye shrugged. Aaron wasn't impressed – she was a key ingredient in a war and she wanted to die? "I was planning on being a bitch and throwing a fit to make you all hate me before I die, distancing myself from you all."
"That's a load of bull and you know it." Sev retorted. Aaron sustained this argument, he had to agree. It was a foolish plan. Skye sighed.
"I know that now."
Sev smiled suddenly. "So, it's a boy? How far along are you?"
Aaron actually rolled his eyes – typical father. Why not slap her on the back and hand her a cot? Wasn't he supposed to be yelling at her for being too young and it was irresponsible of her?
"Aaron, I am irresponsible, but this happened after I got married." Skye said, watching him out of the corner of her eyes. He glanced down, it irked him that she could do that. "A hint: build a mental wall against me. "
"Seven months, give or take." She answered her father, turning her attention back to him. "And yes, it's a boy."
"He'll have the girls swooning, no doubt."
"You forgot, dad, I'm not really this pretty." Skye pointed out.
Sev sat back. "You're beautiful, Skye. Even without the Empress' powers, you're still part veela."
"I don't care." Skye retaliated. "All I want is for him to be happy. And, if I die before he's born, he'll be gifted to the other me. Who had better take care of him, or I will haunt her for the rest of her life."
"What makes you so certain you'll die?" Sev asked.
"It's written in the stars that the Empress of Shape-shifters will die." Skye answered. The calm way she said it, terrified him. How could she be so calm about it? How could she just accept it without fighting back? "Don't get me wrong, I'll fight to the very end."
She turned to Aaron. "Now, I know what you're thinking. Yes, I'm a powerful being in my world. I am the Empress of Shape-shifters, which means I have a foe and she's out to get me. She's the one that put me in this position in the first place."
"Secondly, the wound on my side is a poisoned dagger, specially designed in another world to kill immortal beings. It means, yes, I could be classified as immortal, but in this world nothing and no one can be immortal. I'd have been killed somehow, and this wound is doing it," She paused to take a breath, meeting her dad's eyes, "I'm going to die either way, daddy, and no magic or medicine can help me."
She exhaled, feeling lighter than she'd done in weeks. She'd finally told someone.
Finally, Skye pulled out her wand and extracted the memory, putting the silvery strand in a small jar. She handed it to Sev. "So you can see too. My magic's weakened, I can't do what I used to."
He took the jar, his expression neutral. He didn't know how to feel or what to say.
"But I'm still going to fight, because I can still win."
. . .
Nunna sighed. These people were all so... boring. She appeared to be about six or seven, when, in reality, she was almost a century old. She had been gifted the job of protector of this forest, and she had to show herself when she felt him here.
She glanced at him. Such a truly sad tale. It spoke of love, of passion, friendship and, above all, pain. His chest didn't move, his body was lifeless.
She got to her feet. It truly was a morbid tale, and she cringed to think what Skye would do.
Skye - not just the Empress of Shape-shifters, as it were.
Nunna left him, she had a forest to watch over.
. . .
Merope smiled as yet another political party fell.
In the last month they'd attained nearly all control of the wizarding world.
Ironically enough, it was the purebloods that stayed standing. They refused to give in.
First it was the ancient Malfoy house, followed by the Zabini household. Parkinson was next, with it the Nott name - even though all Notts were deceased. When Pansy was questioned, she seemed shocked.
(What Merope didn't know, was that Pansy was actually behind it. With no heir, the Nott name was hers to take, and she didn't need to be told twice.)
The former Death Eaters' names were now standing proud, the heirs refusing to stand back, having had enough of the crap at school given to them by the other houses. Slytherin house had chosen its loyalty, and it wasn't with the heir of Slytherin.
And at the very top, stood a name that she despised. Prince. The Prince family, even after having completely vanished from the public eye, was running the rebellion against her.
That was why, every person she caught that wasn't on her side, was killed in the most cruel way she could think of. Skinning them alive, Tanya gave her that idea, forcing them to watch their families die – sadism seemed to be the new regime.
"Pansy," She said thoughtfully, calling the young woman closer, "where is Nott Manor located?" She needed to let these purebloods, who were now officially bloodtraitors, fall. They needed to fall so far that they couldn't build their names up again. Ever.
"The Isle of Nott, ma'am, of course," Pansy answered easily, her duty seemingly to this woman. Not that Pansy saw her as a woman, she was a creature. Beautiful, true, after Tanya had fixed her, but still no more human than a tree was.
"Where is it?" She asked, annoyed.
"I don't know. You cannot apparate to it, nor can you use the floo network. I was always transported there by a house elf." She answered with a frown, pretending to be deep in thought. There was now way on earth she was going to lead Merope to Nott Manor or to the Isle of Nott, it was a safe house for the rebellion. Shacklebolt was there, as was many individuals that were on Merope's hitlist, like Harry Potter, Sirius Black (when he wasn't playing professor), the entire Weasley clan, Hermione Granger (when she wasn't at school) and her family, Tracey Davis, Cho Chang, Cedric Diggory's parents... The list went on. Pansy was grateful that the island was large enough to house them all.
Grimmauld Place had been raided, Kreacher had been captured briefly, but escaped soon enough to warn his master.
Pansy had heard of the raid only seconds before it happened and sent word to Kingsley, who saved the Chosen One, his godfather and his house elf. Sirius returned to Hogwarts immediately to avoid suspicion.
Next had been Cho Chang, who attempted to take Tanya's life with a trip to the ministry. Chang had been a traitor, just like Pansy, albeit not a very good or successful one, her plans were flawed and poorly thought out. To take out the second in command, one needed a fantastic mind, not just a brilliant one. Tanya'd retaliated, trying to kill her with a thrown dagger, but Pansy'd stepped in, under a dark hood and swept the woman away.
No one knew the whereabouts of Remus Lupin, which wasn't surprising in the least. Pansy, however, knew he was rallying the werewolves underground. Fenrir couldn't win their loyalty anymore. He was too in love with power, and no werewolf enjoyed anyone having power over them. The full moon was enough.
Merope pursed her lips, turning to Pansy. "Don't you have access to it?"
"No." She lied easily, making eye-contact and not blinking. She hadn't been discovered yet, and she had no plans of being discovered at all.
"We'll find a way," Merope sighed, turning to a stack of papers Pansy knew to be an intricate document on Skye's powers, the words said themselves to Merope as the woman was unable to read.
She smirked inwardly, they harboured false facts.
Pansy rejoiced. Merope wouldn't find a way to beat Skye or to the Isle of Nott, not if she could help it.
Merope dismissed Pansy after that. She had a world to conquer and a statue of secrecy to demolish. That would happen soon, just the rebels to take care of first.
To do that, she needed to find their headquarters first and that made her task a bit difficult.
. . .
She was tapping her fingers, agitated. She was nervous, but she had no idea why.
"Skye, please," Geeta begged, clearly tired. They were all bundled up in a tent. Sev had a protective arm thrown over his daughter, while Geeta and Aaron opted for the floor, allowing Skye a matrass. She quickly held her hand, afraid she'd start again. She couldn't sleep.
After an hour, she rolled from underneath Sev's arm, careful not to wake him, or Shadow, who was sleeping soundly at her feet. She pulled on her robe and went outside, rubbing her arms through the robe.
She'd insisted on accompanying them on the search, but their plans were cut short when a sandstorm approached. Aaron had calmly pitched the tent and they huddled inside.
Skye didn't dare argue with them when they insisted that she had to sleep on the single matrass they had. Her back was sore and she'd been suffering from a slight headache, robbing her of energy.
She walked into the night, breathing in and out slowly. She rubbed her arms as the freezing temperatures of the nighttime desert engulfed her.
Something was keeping her awake. She had no idea what, but it caused her to be agitated and restless.
When she saw it, she knew why. The sandstorm? That was her element, warning her that it was nearby.
She fished out her wand and summoned it to her, the shining token, and caught it in her hand that was covered by her robe.
This was her ticket out of here, but she couldn't just disappear. She had to go tell her dad, Aaron and Geeta! Maybe she could find Draco now!
Of course it wasn't that easy, they learned once Skye'd awakened them all. The token had a charm on it, and Skye's touch didn't activate the type of homing device on it. Her spirits shattered. Now she couldn't find Merope, rip off her arm and beat her with the bloody side for separating them.
Now they needed another's help.
"As it were, sweetheart, Bill Weasley is a curse-breaker," Sev said, "We just need his expertise."
"Well, where is he?"
"That's the problem in this, I don't know. All the Weasleys have gone into hiding." Sev answered, "As did Potter and Granger."
"What's been going on while I've been gone, dad?" Skye asked suddenly, scared beyond all reason.
"The wizarding world has fallen - and we cannot fight back without you." Sev said brusquely, "Even after they all returned, we can't face them alone. Like it or not, you alone can defeat her."
"And I alone can end the horror." She said dramatically, feeling the world climb onto her shoulders and settling itself there. Everybody wants to save the world, she did too, but she didn't want to die. She just wasn't that brave. She'd accepted that she had to die; because if she died, Merope would be open for an attack.
"She's taken over everything, even ice-cream parlours. She's won the allegiance of vampires, werewolves, veela, muggleborns and half-bloods. The house of Slytherin is our ally, as all the purebloods have decided to go against the new regime." He explained quickly.
"That's ironic, seeing as they were the ones that started it all and grabbed the oppurtunity with both hands." Skye added, her lips in a pout as she mused.
"It is, but I rather think it was the combined influence of Lucius and myself," Sev smirked, "Throw in the name of Merlin and mention that he's our ancestor, and we got them."
"What about the others? Other Hogwarts houses?" She pushed him, forgetting to be gentle.
"Hogwarts is our fortress. No one knows that we have access to all the safe houses, such as the Malfoy house, seeing as they are all guarded with ancient magic, nor can anyone go in there without the rebellion's leader's consent." He went on. They'd been busy in Skye's absence. No one would quit. Even if Skye was gone, they'd still fight. Skye didn't believe that she was the only one that could destroy Merope, but she did believe that it had to be her, because Merope had chosen her as an enemy the day she decided to threaten Skye.
Skye didn't take it well, and she didn't take it well that her kingdom had turned on her either.
"And who might this leader be?" Skye frowned again, though hoping and sort of knowing it was her.
"You, dear girl," Sev chuckled, confirming her thoughts and boosting her ego (Aaron groaned at this, now she would be even more insufferable), "but in the past few weeks, Zane has taken the leadership position upon himself."
"Why isn't she looking at Hogwarts?" Skye wondered next, seeing the gap.
"Because Voldemort did it, he focused too much on the school. She's basically given us free reign, she just doesn't know it. Voldemort wanted what Hitler wanted, a perfect race, and that could never be attained, thus he looked at the school to ascertain the perfect race. Merope wants absolute power and absolute control, she doesn't care what our bloodstatuses are." Sev sat back, pressing his fingers together in a manner that reminded her of Dumbledore. She never was close to Dumbledore, but she still admired the old man.
Skye'd learned about Hitler in Cape Town.
"So, she's just a power-hungry narcissist?" Skye guessed, "With a grudge?"
"One with powerful forces to control." Sev added, "Like you."
"Of course," Skye sighed, she sat up straight, "First order of business, get Bill Weasley. Preferably within a month, because this baby won't wait forever. I have a rebellion to run too, and it's hard to do it from Egypt."
Sev nodded. They were back at Aaron's house; Aaron and Geeta had left the pair alone and went to tell the workers that their service was no longer required and to deliver their final pay-cheque. Aaron only left after he heard Skye being a rebellion leader.
"I'll go speak with Mr. Weasley, then," Sev stood up, pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead and disapparated.
Skye stroked her bulging belly - the boy was excited. And her mood was soured, because she still hadn't heard anything from or about Draco. She was also starting to worry, because she couldn't feel his soul as strongly anymore. She could feel it, but vaguely, as if it was a bad cellphone connection.
What if Draco was seriously hurt? Or worse... dead?
For now that had to wait. She picked up the phone and called her friend, they had to make plans and plans and plans, a back-up plan for every back-up plan. Anna seemed excited, her mind already whirring.
Skye didn't share with her plan A: fight Merope single-handedly until she died or was killed.
. . .
At Prince Manor, Kreacher took Sev to Nott Isle - the elf had been sent by Laud. Sev felt a random rush of affection to his adopted son.
Nott Isle was buzzing. The hiding families had turned it into a training ground. Sev saw Potter and Sirius teach some of the younger children, who'd fled with their families, how to fight (Sirius waved at him with a large smile), whereas Granger and Chang were the makeshift Magical Creatures teachers, Buckbeak their animal for the day. Weasley was teaching combat skills, side-by-side with his older brother, George.
There were other families too, more than Severus remembered. Molly Weasley had taken command of the kitchen and the house elves, Ginny and Charlie Weasley were teaching broom skills, Tracey Davis was on Potions... The list went on.
He found Bill near the exit under the house, murmuring under his breath as amber lights twirled around him at random, striking the door.
"Professor Snape," He said when he opened his eyes, "how can I help you?"
"What're you doing?" Sev asked, ignoring the question, this was fascinating. Sev was a Potions master and no stranger to dark magic, as everyone knew, but he hadn't seen this particular branch of magic before.
"I'm a cursebreaker, sir, but I can apply said curses too, and that's what I'm doing right now. If someone decided to betray us, we'd know and anyone entering the island through this door; would be destroyed." He explained, and then he clapped his hands together. "Now, how can I help you?"
"Skye's been cursed. She and six of her friends have been separated to seven corners of the mortal world." Sev told him as the two men exited the dungeon.
"She only has to find a token, that's the..."
"She has found the token, but it won't allow her to travel home." Sev interrupted, glad that they were on the same page.
"I can't say which curse it is, I need to see it. And this involves me going to her corner of the world, seeing as she is unable to come here."
"Exactly." Sev said.
"I need a week - applying this curse I am in need of a week, where I do the following piece." He said, "Fleur's making the potion that I need for the last day."
"It's fine, I'll send word to Skye." He said. For now he'd return to Hogwarts, where his wife was waiting.
. . .
Skye was frustrated. There was no other way to put it. She had depleted her vast arsenal of magic spells, and none broke the curse. It was depressing, and for the fifth time that day, she hurled her token into the wall.
"My, you're acting like a child," Aaron observed as Geeta picked it up.
"Now I'm hiding it until your father gets back." He said, disappearing from the room.
Skye pouted and flung herself down on the couch. Aaron put a finger on her wrist.
"I know it's hard, Miss Skye, but don't give up." The normally quiet man said.
"I won't... I'm just... scared," Skye admitted, "I can't cope alone, and he is the only..."
Geeta touched Aaron's elbow and smiled kindly. "Arrie and I understand, Miss Skye, more than you know." He moved to sit beside her, "We won't let you do anything alone. We're fighting this war, because, even though we are non-magical folks, together we can win. Arrie has a voice that can drag people miles, he can inspire millions! And me? Well, I'm a very annoying individual; people will do anything to get rid of me." He grinned and winked at her.
She leaned into his side and hugged him. "You're not annoying, Geeta," She challenged.
"But I can be." He shrugged, returning her hug, "But you, young lady, need to do your work."
"I'm seven months pregnant!" She tried to protest.
"So? You have to make us dinner, Skye, it's your rent." Geeta pulled her to her feet, "Plus, I would just blow the pan or pot up."
"And you'll blame the cooking utensils for being racist," Skye sighed, making her way to the kitchen.
"No, just pure feminists," He replied smoothly, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She slapped him playfully.
"So, anyone else in the mood for peunutbutter and tomato sandwiches?"
Aaron paled visibly and Geeta looked slightly green, "I just lost my appetite."
. . .
Anna sighed. Her time in Cyprus was quickly coming to an end; she knew her token would find her any moment now, transporting her home.
It wasn't that she didn't want to go home, it was that when she got home, she'd be captured and thrown into Azkaban with dementors guarding her. Not that the dementors could affect her, in all honesty, but being surrounded by demons that sucked out the happiness in a place, isn't what she considered a very fun activity.
She saw the glowing token and grabbed ahold of it, wishing to get it over with. She and Skye had drawn up graphs and plans and they'd run logistics on possible outcomes. Skye had no idea how to play chess (or so it seemed), but her mind was tactical and scary, Anna thought). Skye herself was planning on leading the attack as soon as she returned to the wizarding world, and that was what frightened Anna most.
She once asked Skye why she was so keen on endangering herself, to which Skye only answered that she couldn't expect anyone to follow her if she wasn't willing to lead them. How can one expect their kingdom or army to follow when the queen, or empress, wasn't willing to be at the front?
Anna thought that was an admirable sentiment.
She was drawn into nothingness, relieved that this wasn't an uncontrollable spinning motion like the floo network was. She landed gracefully in the hut she and Laud shared.
She was confused, she was supposed to land at the Ministry of Magic and be taken into custody there, then be thrown into the wizarding prison.
"Surprised?" A voice asked. She jumped and made eye contact with piercing gray eyes.
"Who – who're you?" She asked, biting her lip as her bottom lip started to tremble. She hadn't foreseen it.
"My name, Mrs. Night, is Sterling. I'm also known as the Empress of Darkness' consort, but let's slide over that fact for now." He offered her a hand, "I am immortal, you can't see my future as I am not supposed to exist." She shook his hand, dumbstruck. "I am here to offer my services to you, and to your Empress, because mine has already lost it."
"Lost what?" Anna spoke for the first time, this man was eerie. Beautiful, true, but eerie.
"This battle, this war. She might've won one fight, but that doesn't change the fact that she is grossly underestimating the number of powerful wizards and witches you have to command. She thinks training muggles and wizards alike to battle for war, and drilling into their heads that the strong will survive, that they'll make a new race, a strong race, rivaled by none, leading a new world where there is no weakness."
"That plan won't work, history's taught us that." Anna said, the wizarding and muggle history running through her mind.
"I know that, you know that, she thinks she can win. But there's one bad thing about history," Sterling smirked. Anna nodded, a small smile playing around her lips.
"It's bound to repeat itself." She finished.
"As to the question currently lingering over my head and one I'm certain you'll ask in due time: why?"
Anna blushed. She had been curious, but she didn't want to ask that question as of yet.
"My son was killed by that bitch. Our son, he was hers too, and she just allowed him to die." Sterling's voice held barely contained anger.
"Lycan?" Anna guessed. That was why he looked so familiar. It was clear where Lycan had gotten his looks from.
"Yes. He was meant to be with Skye, that was how the destinies foretold it. But because of Tom's foolishness and Storm's decision, she ended up with Draco. I don't begrudge Skye's happiness, but I still wish he was here." Sterling's voice quivered. He cleared his throat and began anew. "I know what he did was wrong; but he had no control over it. It comes with having a heartless mother."
"So… you're immortal, what did that make Lycan?" Anna asked. For once she was stumped. The immortals were supposed to be wiped out, killed long ago by daggers made to poison these beings.
"He could choose whether to die or not," Sterling enlightened her, "and now, his spirits is free, or he's watching over Skye, because she's the one that freed him."
Anna remembered in the memory, Skye'd pressed her lips to Lycan's and pulled something from him. His soul, before she blew it into the heavens. Maybe Lycan hadn't left at all.
"He really did love her, didn't he?" Anna wondered loudly to herself.
"He did," Sterling confirmed, "does." He corrected himself.
She looked up at him; he was looking at a point beyond her, smiling proudly. She turned around and gasped.
There he stood, looking alive. He wasn't see-through, he wasn't white either. He was solid, his grin in place.
Lycan.
. . .
Skye sat up with a shriek. He was back! He couldn't be back! He was dead! He was supposed to be dead!
"Skye!" She thought, more like hoped, it was Aaron or Geeta, but she knew that voice, it haunted her dreams and she heard it everytime she felt her wrists. She looked up at him, crawling up into her bed.
"N – no, you're not real!" She gasped out. He chuckled.
"I am, Skye, and I have loads to tell you. First of all, I didn't do that," He pointed to her wrists, where the bruises refused to fade due to her lacking magic, "that was what my mother placed inside of me years ago."
Skye didn't say a word. She was eyeing the man with large eyes.
"I am dead, but because of what my father was, I can come back as a sort of guardian. I won't call myself an angel, because I don't deserve it, but…"
"Why did you come back?" She croaked, clutching her blanket close to her heart. He sighed, seeing her tense body. He reached out and touched her forehead, ignoring the whimper she made.
He was feeding her his version of what happened that day, from out of his eyes.
His mother had set a curse upon him, making his dark side come forth and do thing he would never ever do.
Once the images were gone, Skye was sobbing.
"I'm sorry, Skye," He whispered, blinking away tears of his own.
"It wasn't him," Dominique made his opinion known, "I know you're hurting, but so is he. He has to live, or shall I say die, with the fact that he did that to you."
"What an unwelcome surprise," She snapped at him, making sure to keep her mouth shut.
"You know I'm right." Dominique's voice was smug.
"I hate you."
"No you don't, but you hate that I'm right."
"I can't…" Skye started, but she was cut off by Lycan pressing his lips to hers. They were cold, but not ghostly so. It made on thing clear, though.
"I'm sorry, Skye," He pulled back, but he didn't remove his head, "but you see?"
"Yeah, I do see." She admitted, wiping her eyes, "you weren't the one that nearly raped me."
Lycan nodded, wiping away a stray tear of hers.
"Doesn't mean I'm not sorry, or that I don't love you." He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Please, don't push me away."
"I'm married, Lycan," She reminded him.
"I want to be your big brother again, I want to kick Draco's arse when he's mean to you and I want to argue with Sev when he's mad at you." He said, a shining tear dripping from his nose. "Please…"
Skye pushed him away the tiniest bit. "But you're in love with me."
"No, Skye, I love you. You will be the only girl for me, ever, but I can accept that you chose Draco. Just let me be a part of your life."
She nodded mutely. "Don't try any funny business, okay?"
"Skye, I'm dead, I'm an immortal being's son, and I can choose when and if I die. I chose to give up my bodily form, because it weakened me. Now, I'm stronger than I was before."
"Why did you wait until now?"
"It wasn't until now that someone spoke freely of me, and I came to you first. Now I shall pay my father a visit."
He bowed to her gallantly, before disappearing.
Skye was still clutching her blanket. But as she thought of what Merope had done to her own son, what she was capable of, they way she twisted people's minds and mutilated their perceptions.
Merope would pay.
. . .
Anna launched herself at Lycan, only to stumble through him.
"Dad," Lycan grinned. Sterling's eyes were shining, which was odd for him, his eyes were usually a dull colour.
"Lycan, my son! I see you were finally freed from your mother's spell!" Sterling embraced his son, making Anna seethe. Why could Sterling touch him, but she couldn't?
"Talk to Skye?"
"Yeah, I showed her everything." Lycan said, pressing a hand to Anna's forehead too. The centaur snarled at him before standing still, taking in what he'd shown Skye too.
The memory of what truly happened that day.
Anna still hit him, this time landing a shot.
"So you fled? Like a bloody coward!" She screamed at him. "Do you know how much we could've used you after that stunt?"
"I'm sorry! I'm stronger now, Anna, and I can fight better and without a wand!" He retaliated, focusing his energy on being a non-solid compound. Anna tried to hit him again, but missed. She fumed, her eyes flames.
"Anna, darling, calm down," Laud said, entering the hut. He grabbed her hand to calm her down. It worked almost instantly.
"Laud," Lycan nodded to him, Laud returned the nod and turned to Sterling.
"Thank you for saving her," He nodded to his wife.
"Yes, thank you." Anna said sweetly, truly thankful to the man for saving her from the dementors. She hadn't been looking forward to it.
"No problem, at all. Now, I would like to request residence at a safe house, seeing as Merope will surely find a way to murder me once she finds out that I am not at her side anymore."
"Of course," Laud said, "if you'll give me an hour, I shall arrange it."
Sterling nodded, before leaving the couple alone. Lycan was already gone.
Anna kissed her husband hello. He responded by tackling her to the bed.
. . .
A/N: So, this fic has about ten chapters to go, it seems, give or take. Please review, guys, congratulate me on becoming the editor of the school paper. I'm currently a teacher-in-training at a private school, and they asked me to bring the paper back. Or my single Accounting student getting A's on both her tests. Or congratulate me on standing up to my parents. Or just hug Veer. He's lonely nowadays.
