[A/N- my apologies for the forever and a day wait…. It's a relatively long chapter, hope it makes up for it. Thank you for the marvelous reviews. Looks like this'll be one of my more popular stories. *Smile*]

"Half life wastes before it goes

It's funny how your bee sting touch never leaves me whole

It's not enough to stay here almost trying

You keep your last laugh watch this dying

It's just your half time vertigo

And if you want an answer- I don't know."

-Sneaker Pimps, Half Life

"Who are you?" she scoffed. Some…. Wizard…. Was standing in her way. In her space. He was handsome, yes, with eyes that rocked her back on her heels and a strong, aristocratic face. But that wasn't the point. He was in her way. He wasn't supposed to be there.

"Tom Riddle," he answered, taken aback. "I'm a student here. Who might you be?"

"Histalni Jekinart," she replied. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

"I've missed most of it. Are you a student, then?"

"No." Her eyes darted to his head boy badge. "The ministry, nor the headmaster, would allow it."

"Why not?"

She raised an eyebrow. Was he being deliberately dense, or did he really not know what she was?

"My Blood, stupid. Or did you not notice?" Her wings ruffled deliberately to emphasize as she pushed past him, her stride long and proud, chin high and shoulders back.

Tom turned to watch her go. Questions to answer, much like his parentage. He'd best get to the library- he would not give her occasion to insult him again.

***

"I know what you are now," Tom strode quickly to catch up with the sorceress in front of him.

"That's great. Yell it to the world, why don't you?" she continued to walk.

"I can't. It said nothing about grey. There is only Black and White Blood."

"Well give the kid a medal, he figured out the obvious," she projected her voice to echo off the corridors. "And for your information, it's Silver Blood. That's what I am."

"Which means what?" he understood the concept of black and white not being good and evil, merely being separate groupings of personality traits and ways to channel magical strengths. So would that make Silver Blood the queen of sarcasm? It was pissing him off and he was concerned he'd never be capable of humiliating her if it kept up. But Silver Sorcery had not come up once in his study session.

"You tell me," she spun to face him, and he was once again caught off guard by the sharp violet flames of her eyes. They were no longer angry, but sarcasm continued to drip from her emancipated frame. "I'm the first one."

"If you weren't such a smart ass, we might get along rather well, actually."

She exhaled in what seemed to be a subdued laugh, smiling slightly. "Maybe it'll rub off on you, and you won't be such a dumb ass. Why should we be, anyway?"

"Why not," he smiled tentatively as her smile faded.

"You're a Slytherin, and you've done your homework. You know the only way you could get any of my strength, correct?"

"Yes," it was more of a question than an answer.

"I'm not sleeping with you," it sounded like another insult, but he had to silence the impulse to laugh.

"Alright then, shall we have lunch?" He took her arm in his, and she drew it away, stepping away from him. Her expression was dangerous.

"Don't presume to control me."

His patience began to fray. "Don't presume I shall be a model of chivalry, either."

"Fair enough," she flashed him a breath- taking smile, and grabbed his hand as she walked toward the great hall. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen. This is my last year."

"Have you enjoyed it?"

"So much." She smiled imperceptibly as his eyes lit up. "I came from a muggle orphanage, and…"

"I don't want to go home, either," she replied, squeezing his hand. She had not let go, and he found, oddly enough, that he enjoyed the sensation.

"Why are you here then, if you're not taking classes?"

"I was just initiated into SphynxFyre, so my training is, essentially, over. I stay here until I find more suitable accommodations- I've been looking for a flat in the London area."

"Really? So've I."

"Interesting," she smiled at him again, letting go of his hand to open the door to the great hall, following to sit next to him. Some of the girls who'd had their eye on the head boy frowned at this intrusion by a complete stranger, and she noticed, her swagger becoming just a little more prominent. In the back of his mind, he noted that her wings had disappeared. "What will you do when you graduate?" she heaped some potatoes on her plate.

"I'm not sure, really. Probably move to London, get a job in the ministry. Yourself?"

"No earthly idea. My parents left me a nice inheritance, so I may not work for a while. Actually, I may not work ever."

"Must be nice," he took a bite of his lunch, chewing thoughtfully.

"Not really, it's lonely."

"Tom, why don't you introduce me to your friend?" a Slytherin sat across from them, giving an appreciative leer at her bustline.

"I'd say he's not at liberty to do so," her voice was all sugar and poisonously sweet. "And I won't waste my breath. And you may as well quit staring," she added in an undertone, standing and leaning over the table. "Because the day I screw you is the day Julius Caesar walks through that door."

With that, she stood and walked off.