AN: No, you are not seeing things. This is indeed an update.
Waiting was boring. Rose was waiting a lot these days. Waiting for Theodore's year to wake up, waiting for classes to start, waiting for classes to be over, waiting, waiting, waiting. Answering two or three prayers in the past three or four weeks was all good and well, but it didn't give her reprieve from her waiting game.
She was also still waiting for her handsome believer Theodore to come to her with information about this Black person she had heard about. Whenever she'd see Theodore, she'd make sure to caw to remind him of her presence.
Watching him go through his day-to-day life as a normal student was a nice distraction from all the waiting she was doing, but it was also sending pangs through her heart. He was laughing with his friends, sitting outside by the large lake to do homework or to just relax. She had seen him chat with a girl and it made her feel ugly things in her stomach, even now when she was just thinking about it. It made her want to be a part of it. It made her want to be one of them, feel like them, think like them, live like them.
She toyed with the thought of just shapeshifting into one of them and chat with Theodore like a normal girl. What would that be like? What would he think? Would he reciprocate her advances? Would he deny her? What would she feel? Would she like it? Would she enjoy being someone else?
She couldn't tell and would likely never be able to. It was just a thought for her to toy with, to pass time.
Bored and roosting on the tree, she perked up when she caught sight of Theodore.
He was a cute boy.
And the cute boy was now walking outside again. They were having plant studies, she knew. Following him around in different shapes and forms for the past weeks, she had learnt his schedule by now. Sometimes she was a mouse, sometimes a cat. She preferred being a crow, though. It felt the most comfortable.
He was chatting and laughing with the dark-skinned boy, Blaise, as she had learnt. She had also learnt that his social circle was quite bigoted. More often than not did she hear them insult other students' familial backgrounds and they did that especially when a lack of magical family members was involved. Theodore was no better in that regard.
It had made her wonder what it meant for her. She didn't approve of it, of course, but was it something that should be so important to her? As a Goddess, should things as pettily human as bigotry be something she should give second and third thoughts about? In her heart, she wanted to scold Theodore for his beliefs. In her mind, she was certain that she shouldn't bother. For as long as her believers prayed nothing else mattered. As a result, she felt quite conflicted.
Despite all of those distracting thoughts and inner conflicts, her main focus was still this Black person. She needed to know what her believer had found out.
Another week was all she granted Theodore to seek her out on his own. After he still didn't come to her with information, she finally lost the last remnants of her patience and called for him after his weekly plants class.
Rose waited for him by the edge of the forest as she had done once before. After a few moments, she saw him jog towards her and, once she changed back from crow to human, he immediately fell to his knees.
"I have waited and waited, Theodore. For over a month, in fact. I hope you don't have nothing about Black to show for my patience." She was seriously tired of waiting.
"I-I'm sorry my Goddess! All I could r-really confirm was – was that Draco is related to him." Theodore's face was almost pressed on the grassy ground, but his voice sounded genuinely upset. "I w-wanted to be able to offer you more than that!"
Rose was annoyed and her sigh made that fact obvious. "Have you asked nobody else?"
"I did!" He looked up, his eyes betraying his desperation. "I swear, I did! No one could tell me anything you or I didn't already know, my Goddess! I swear!"
She frowned. "Dig further then."
"I-I...I will, my Goddess."
That was annoying. She'd have to wait for him to arrive at Hogwarts then. But she'd also have to keep all of her eyes open.
Holding out an arm, seemingly out of nowhere a crow appeared and landed on her outstretched limb. She stroked its feathers with a gentle touch.
"A man who does not belong here will try to break into this school. I do not know what he looks like, but keep your eyes open for anything out of the norm."
The crow cawed and thousands of more caws echoed from the inside of the forest. Then, the crow on her arm took off.
She returned her attention to her believer, who gave her a look of utter wonder. It made her feel both uncomfortable, but also kind of...smug? Satisfied? "You may leave, Theodore," Rose told him. "And keep digging. Someone is bound to know something."
He nodded shakily. "Yes, my Goddess." Then, he scrambled away.
She watched him for a bit longer, his form shrinking into the horizon. Once he was gone, she turned around and looked at the forest, at the way she could immediately see how thick and lush it was, blocking out a large portion of sunlight.
The forest was ripe with magic. A quick sweep in her crow form a month ago had given her a rough picture about it and its inhabitants, especially the centaurs, but she had the desire to actually see and feel it. Now was as good a time as any to do so. Plus, she might as well reveal herself to the centaurs.
One step, two steps, three and four steps and the change from the castle's lush and green grounds to the forest's twigs and dirts crunching under her boots was almost instant. Looking around, only very few stray rays of sunlight were able to provide a little bit of illumination, whereas, behind her, it was still bright and early in the day. One would think that in this forest it was somewhere around evening. The thick clouds of magic, crackling in the air like electricity, had clearly interfered with the growth of the trees. It was interesting to see.
"Should've done this sooner," she muttered under her breath. Just a few steps in here proved already to be more interesting than watching a spirit drone on and on about Goblins. She had snuck into the classroom as a fly and left ten minutes later. The regret of those lost ten minutes still stung.
She caught sight of regular wildlife here and there, but was sure that she spotted something bright, something silvery at the corners of her eyes. A month ago she had spotted a unicorn and couldn't believe her eyes when she did. Even with those few years of magic training under her belt – courtesy of an ancient Goddess, no less – it never ceased to give her a sense of wonder when she saw things like that. Conjuring fire in the palm of her hand, changing her form into anything she wished to, blessing believers and foreseeing future events were all things that had become second nature to her. Unicorns? Centaurs? Those were wondrous creatures.
She hoped that dragons existed and that she'd see one soon. Dragons were cool.
The edge of the forest wasn't visible anymore. She'd been walking for quite a while, but the forest's inhabitants appeared to be of the shy sort.
She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hello? I want to meet the centaurs. I am the Morrigan, the Phantom Queen, the Goddess of War, Strife and Death!"
Almost immediately she heard the trampling of seemingly countless hooves approaching her. Twigs and branches were audibly snapping and moments later she was surrounded.
She took them in, her gaze sweeping over them as she smiled in awe. The centaurs were certainly a sight to behold, towering over her on their horse-bodies and human torsos. They all had bows and arrows brandished, some even pointed at her.
"The stars have spoken of this meeting," a tall, dark golden centaur said, but he didn't sound happy. "Though I have yet to understand why the Goddess of Death would seek me and mine out."
"Nothing that would require you to point weapons at me," Rose said with a small, nervous smile. "Not that it would do you any good."
"This human is just a child, Bane," another spoke out. "I find it hard to believe her to be anything but."
"I'm still learning," Rose said. "All of...this," she made a hand-motion over herself, "is still very new to me."
"I see," Bane said, taking a step towards her, which prompted the other centaurs to shuffle in nervousness. His upper, human body leaned forward and he took a sniff; something so animalistic, but she didn't dare to comment on it. She had a feeling that it would only offend him. "I smell no deceit." His human body retreated from her personal space and he looked at her, obvious curiosity in his eyes. "The stars have shown us many Gods and Goddesses who would seek the bodies of mortals. None were as young as you."
"The Morrigan saw something in me, I suppose. So, she made me her successor in this plane."
"Oh? The Goddess gave you her powers, then? Not unheard of, but exceptionally rare."
Rose nodded. "Yes."
"Then what is your name, child?" a brown centaur asked. "Your human name."
"Rose Potter."
The one called Bane reared back, clearly in shock. "Are you truly?"
"Mhm." Rose crossed her arms over her chest. "I didn't know about magic until a couple of years ago when the Morrigan sought me out."
"Curious. And what is it you wish to talk about with us?" Bane asked. "We do not mingle in human affairs, though you are hardly human anymore...to those who know how to truly see, at least."
"I'm just curious is all." Rose shrugged. "I'd like you to tell me about you and yours, about other magical beings, about...this world."
"Very well, Rose Potter, Goddess of Death. We shall indulge you once." Bane then leaned forward, his face inches from hers. "You are no deity of ours, so we will not serve you. This is an act of respect, not of loyalty."
"I understand."
"Then sit down. This might take some time."
And they all sat down, Rose asking her questions and listening intently to the answers. It was interesting, without a doubt, especially because she was getting the view of someone from the outside of the human magic world.
"...but wouldn't it have been easier for your kind if you were classified as 'beings'?" Rose asked while making air quotes with her fingers.
"We rather humans underestimate our intelligence – which they do quite easily, their classification system notwithstanding – than be named in the same breath as Vampires, Hags or other such cruel, dark creatures. That would be an even greater insult."
Rose hummed in thought. The magic society, she felt, was...unlikeable. "I am beginning to think that I was lucky to not be born into that world." However long it was going to take her, once she had killed the snake-man she doubted she'd be sticking around this society.
"What is it that you desire, Child Goddess?" Bane asked her. "Why have you come here? What are you looking for?"
"I desire power," she answered without hesitation, "and vengeance. The reason I came to see this school, however, is mere curiosity."
Bane nodded. "Ah, vengeance. You wish to kill the one humans fear to speak of."
Cocking her head to the side, Rose gave the centaur a curious look. "They fear him?"
"They do not dare to speak his name."
"Pah!" She made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "Pathetic. Whatever. I will kill him for what he has done to my family. Him and the traitor."
"Nothing drives an individual more than a vendetta. Blood for blood. Do not let anyone stop you."
Rose grinned at Bane. He had a warrior's heart; she could feel it. "I won't." Gathering herself up again, she patted herself down, dirt and leaves clinging to her garbs and legs falling onto the ground. "Thank you for the talk," she told her new friend. "I appreciate you taking the time."
"One does not refuse a Goddess, regardless of one's own beliefs."
She smiled at him and inclined her head. "And the Goddess acknowledges the respect shown. I will leave you to your own affairs, but I will stick around the school and its lands."
"Very well. Until we meet again, Rose Potter."
"I am disappointed, Theodore." She sighed, looking at her kneeling, handsome believer with a frown. They were at their usual meeting place at the edge of the forest again, a couple of weeks after she had talked with Bane. "We are almost halfway through October now. You cannot tell me that there is nothing more to know."
"I'm so s-sorry, my Goddess…"
She felt bad for him. He truly looked apologetic and saddened, disappointed in himself. So eager to carry out her demands and orders, but unable to fulfil them to her satisfaction. She got more and more used to being domineering, to show strength and durability around him, but her heart quickly grew soft when near him as well. In another life, might she have fancied him perhaps? She could very well imagine that.
"Please rise, Theodore," she said softly. "Rise and look at me."
He did as she ordered and his eyes widened a bit at the gentle smile she gave him. "I appreciate your devotion." She did. It also didn't feel as awkward anymore as it did at the very beginning. "Thank you. Concentrate on your classes now."
"I can still –"
"No." She interrupted him sternly. Taking a step towards him to close the distance between them, she locked her eyes with his, his little gasp making her already racing heart pound even faster in her chest. "I will take over now."
"But –"
She took another step and placed her hands on his shoulders, rising a bit on her toes to place a kiss on his cheek, causing her face to burst in flames. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight against her body, her small breasts pressed against his chest.
"I will take over, Theodore," she repeated softly, her mouth right next to his ear. "I am – I am your Goddess and I demand that you step away. Do you understand?"
He nodded quickly. "Y-yes, m-my Goddess."
She retracted herself and pulled away, putting a bit of distance between themselves once more. His face was a furious red and hers felt hot as well. "Go away, now."
He nodded and bowed, then scampered away.
She placed a hand over her still pounding heart. Was that how the other teenagers felt when they thought that they fancied someone? She watched Theodore disappear into a tiny speck on the horizon and wished that he was still here. What would the kiss have felt like had she aimed for his lips?
The flutter of wings pulled her from her thoughts before a weight settled on her shoulder, black feathers rubbing against her cheek and hair. Instinctively she reached up, stroking the crow just below its beak. A gentle caw made her brows rise high.
"Is that so? Such a timely coincidence." It appeared to be time to visit the newcomer.