A/N: I still don't own anything you recognize, Terra is still my own creation.

The morning had started dawning with an almost impossibly bright orange sunrise. Terra raised her head at the changing light. She had been sitting there, in one position since she'd fled the castle. She'd been here all night, sitting outside the greenhouse wondering what to do. She still hadn't figured out an answer. There was no answer. She was completely unaware she had actually fallen asleep sitting there. She wiped her face, the morning dew cold against her skin.

"That did not help," she muttered. She glanced back at the castle. She had to go back. She knew that, she could not stay out here, stay away from everything making her head and heart hurt.

She knew the other students would be starting to wake. Slowly, she rose to her feet, noticing her limbs seemed harder to move this morning. It had gotten cold last night, but not quite the point of there being a frost. She stretched, her joints making small popping sounds.

Her fingers brushed against her leg and she blinked in shock. Her flesh felt different. It was cold to the touch, something she didn't think she'd ever experienced. She wondered what it meant, but quickly dismissed it. It wasn't important either. The only thing that was important was the mission, she couldn't allow herself to fail, she didn't want to leave Hogwarts and the only friend she'd ever had.

Terra had managed to memorize the schedules of the other houses, of the people patrolling the school. She slipped back up to Gryffindor tower without getting caught. Once inside, she curled up on one of the couches in the common room.

"Terra!? There are you are!" Othello exclaimed, appearing in the doorway. Terra looked up at him. She hadn't realized anyone had noticed her missing. No one should have noticed her missing.

"Yes, I am here," she answered.

"I was looking for you. I know you sneaked out last night, don't lie and say you didn't."

"I did, but I was not able to accomplish what I had planned. I... I am sorry to have worried you. We should head to breakfast, we don't want to be late," she added.

"Right, as long as you're alright. Where were you?"

"Trying to figure things out. I did not succeed."

"Maybe I could help you?" Othello offered. Terra shook her head, giving him her fake smile.

"No, this is my problem and mine alone. I shall, in time, figure it out, one way or another," she answered, wishing she could just get her mission over with, wishing she didn't care about Othello, that she didn't care about other people's feelings. She wondered how her father expected her to overcome this development. She knew better than to try and write him. He wouldn't care how uncomfortable she was doing this, he didn't care about anything she wanted or had to say.

"Terra? You look like you're a million miles away, knut for your thoughts?"

"I just, I just realized something, about my family. It is nothing," she answered, realizing other students, Othello, all talked about their parents with love, with affection. Her father was nothing like that. A small bit of doubt about everything started growing in the back of her mind, one that she didn't even realize was there.

"Breakfast then? We might have some time to work on going over the levitation charm before class?" Othello offered.

"Sounds good," Terra answered, grabbing her bag and following him from the common room