Cyra arched a brow as she watched Tonks do a pretty impressive imitation of Snape, unable not to join in the laughter as the Metamorphmagus shapeshifted into the before mentioned instructor.

"Sometimes I worry about your sanity."

She commented. She hadn't really gotten to know the pink-haired girl but she had to admit, Tonks had a way to draw people to her, even if sometimes the jokes were irritating.

"Oh lighten up Moores!"

Tonk's real voice came through and Cyra was pretty sure she had come across the wrong way.

"Hey, I never said it wasn't funny. Just that I think you are a few knuts short a sickle sometimes…Also if you ever bedazzle my pack or anything else again...I will personally knock you off your broom and into the lake."

"You know, for a snake, you are as intimidating as a mouse."

Cyra just chuckled and leaned back on her hands.

"And you're cunning for a badger."

"You know, you could try to be a little nicer to Tonks. She's starting to think you don't like her."

Penny said as they walked back to the castle, earning a sigh from Cyra.

"I like Tonks just fine. I just don't exactly know how to get on with her. She just soo…"

Cyra trailed off, waving a hand in the air as though trying to call an answer to herself.

"Energetic? The opposite of you?"

Penny supplied, earning a sigh.

"Yeah. Maybe she is right...I need to lighten up." Cyra admitted, shouldering her broom.

"Hey, tomorrow's Sunday. A bunch of us are going to meet up near the reserve and just hang out. You should come."

Penny suggested, earning a sigh.

"Yeah, I should. Can I ask Rowan if they want to come?"

"Sure! Invite whoever!"

Merula felt someone staring at her through the darkness as she aimed hex after hex at the sparring dummies along the back wall of the dueling chambers.

Fine, if they want a show I can give them one.

She thought, making a jagged motion with her wand before shouting the command

"Defodio!"

The metal target promptly burst into pieces, as though torn apart by an invisible swordsman.

"You reallyarea lot stronger than people give you credit for. That spell is usually reserved for seventh years."

The comment caught her by surprise.

"Glad someone finally sees it."

She retorted, muttering the incantation for repairing before sighing.

She wasnotin the mood for this.

"Don't you have anything better to do than spy on me, Moores?"

She could hear Cyra approaching her and even in the near-darkness of the room, she could practically feel that blasted pitying look that she was sure was there.

"I was headed to the dorms to have a bath before dinnerbutI heard what sounded like a mountain troll tearing down a wall so I came to see what was going on. Never expected a third year using a seventh level spell."

Merula closed her eyes. It sounded soweirdfor Moores of all people to be praising her for something. Wasn't this the same person who had never let her live down the mishaps with the broom during their first year? The same person who had literally told her, not even two months prior, that she was destined to end up like her parents?

"Yeah well, you don't know a lot about a lot of things, Moores. Now get lost before I make you regret it."

Once she was alone Merula took aim again. Maybe everyone was right, maybe she was inherently a horrible person. Maybe she was doomed to rot in Azkaban just like they were.

Maybe that was why everyone always left.