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Nebula's mind swirled through the night as if traveling by Floo powder. Except when she stopped, she found herself standing in another time as well as another place. It was 7 o'clock that evening, long before she had taken the potion. It was strange, though; she was watching herself from above, disconnected from the situation and Vashti was completely visible to her. She was well aware of what had happened that evening so why had she gone back in time to revisit it? Had she missed something? Was there something of major importance for her to see? Of course the last time this had happened, it had been too late for her to do anything about it, but at least she had been warned as to the dangers to come in some way if she watched closely enough.

Although nightfall was drawing nearer and many shops were closing, Miss Zirconia seemed not to care. Moving gracefully through Diagon Alley and the last of its wanderers, huddled in groups, she knew exactly where she was headed. As she reached the end of the Alley, suddenly the woman swerved left and strode purposefully into a darker, narrower and filthier alleyway with a rotting wooden sign nailed to a wall - Knockturn Alley.

~***Flashback***~A Long Time Ago

The first time she had walked around Knockturn alley many years ago, a disturbed hag and her cronies had ganged up and cornered her against a wall and made it quite clear what they intended to do her - it generally involved plucking out her beautiful eyes and boiling them in unicorn blood. something about pickling her brain, and of course, stealing her money pouch.

It was one of those times when she was rather thankful of having Vashti around. She may have chosen not to help her, but she said afterwards that she wasn't so sure if they were joking around this time..One of the cronies had snatched her wand from inside the cloak, leaving her defenseless, or so they thought. Nebula let no sign of fear cross her face, however. To do so would encourage them further. She threatened the witches using big words that she knew would confuse them, then 'summoned' her 'powerful goddess' Vashti for whom she was the 'high priestess' and who would seek vengeance if harm came to her. Of course they ignored her and were on the point of all cursing her at once when Vashti decided to make her move.

Swiftly, but silently, she summoned all of their wands to her, made them hover just out of their reach, then let them burst into flame before their dim sighted eyes. Nebula watched fearfully as they turned to her, full of rage, ready to claw her to death. Then, Vashti connected with their minds, and spoke. They all felt it. It was as if a freezing North wind swept through their cloaks to their hearts and chilled them to the bone. All the women stood there unmoving, petrified. Except one, the Ringleader, Rapina. She was as her name suggested - ravenous and spiteful. Nebula knew her well. She had once been a striking woman, but that was before she became obsessed with the Dark Arts. It was believed that her and her 'friends' were robbed of all that was desirable in them, when they delved too deep into Black Magic. Vashti, queen of Darkness, rivaled only by her former husband, had not yet spoken to her mind. No, she had much more terrible things planned for Rapina.

Nebula did not understand the language, in which her grandmother had spoken to them, but she had heard it too, and it had never had that effect on her. She supposed the words must have had some very special meaning to them or something. Anyway, she sensed Vashti glide over towards her victim. The hag stared fixedly, as if seeing something very strange for the first time, at a point in mid-air. Vashti placed her invisible but firm hands on the hag's skinny shoulders. Then, slowly, she let her vibrant emerald and obsidian eyes penetrate those of her victim.

Nebula knew exactly what was happening as the poor woman's face contorted in fear and fury and pain. She was being made to relive the worst moments of her life, and all the unpleasant emotions with it, which for her must have been really scary, until she cracked. Then, perhaps, she would have to look upon the face of pure evil, and all its glory. Not a nice experience. Both techniques left the victim feeling like they've just narrowly escaped a Dementor. Then, at last, Vashti strikes.

Using her long, beautiful, razor-sharp nails, she sliced open the large vein in the woman's shriveled neck. Soon, blood sputtered everywhere uncontrollably, drenching her faded black cloak. But the stupid woman didn't move. Death was what she was driven to pray for by Vashti, to believe that's all she is worthy of. Nebula anguished at the hag's torture - no creature deserves such an end. But it was too late to help her now. There was bloodlust in Vashti's luminescent aura, such that even she had never seen before. She was starving. Vashti craved what she needed most, what Nebula had provided for her until a month ago, when she was exorcised from the relatively young woman's body. The vile creature needed Life, and she would take it by any means. To stop her now would be fatal. And impossible. She placed her mouth to Rapina's throat and drained her dry of what blood was left in her. All that could be seen, however, was her poor body deflating, her eyes popping with terror, and her carcass finally crumpling onto the cold, hard stone pavement.

Vashti cackled loudly and voraciously. She had enjoyed murdering the worthless, nasty hag pitilessly. Punishing those who did not deserve to be judged by her, was what she did best. Then, she turned her attention to the others whose bodies only had been paralyzed at her words - their terrified minds had been sharp and alert, however, and saw everything that happened. They now suspected what fiend they faced, but didn't dare think it true.surely such an old and powerful force no longer existed? But Vashti was keen to remind them who the real mistress of Evil really was.they put their faith in a fore-telling orb - that was pathetic.she intended to show them what the real future held. And if everything went according to plan, which it will, her and her darling husband, the only person who she would willingly admit to be weaker than, would one day feature in it supremely.

One at a time, she cut a witch's cross deep into each of their foreheads with her nail then commanded Nebula to speak the next part of the incantation for her. At first she resisted fiercely, but after powerful persuasion (at that time she wasn't quite as good at defying the being's influence) Nebula uttered the 9 words of her grandmother's very own, special curse: 'Si vis me fleke, dolendum est primum ipsi tibi.' A malicious smile crept into Vashti's face in anticipation of what she was about to do. She knew she could inflict more pain than any 'crucio' curse, and well, it had been a while. One at a time, Vashti, the true Queen of Darkness, gently kissed their foreheads - it was the Kiss of Death.

As she kissed them, Nebula's usually scarlet and onyx necklace began to radiate emerald-green light. This meant that Vashti was summoning power from her for this curse. She bit down on her lip; she knew what was to come. 'Not again, I hoped these days were over!' a voice inside her head screamed. But as always, there was nothing she could do. She had, after all, sealed the incantation and now all she could do, was watch. Vashti placed a condemning finger on her next victim's forehead. From the second she touched their flesh, Nebula could feel all her malice flow freely into the chosen woman's weak mind. No mortal could survive such an onslaught. If her body could move, she would be rolling in spasms of torture, her mouth open to scream but no sound would come out, as the rest of her body tried to absorb some of the turmoil in her mind, but no. Vashti wanted it this way - she controlled the full force of her blast into the woman's mind. All that moved, was the woman's eyes.

Nebula couldn't watch any more, instead she looked away and tried to look heartless, stern and unforgiving. She supposed she succeeded, somehow. Then, as she looked down the necklace suddenly ignited; at the start the flames were an emerald green colour signifying that Vashti had broken her - she now belonged to Vashti, but if she remained 'alive', her existence would be that of a zombie, having no control over her own body but following every whim of her mistress; then the flame burned blood red - this meant Destruction. Vashti had no want of her, so her crushed spirit that was trapped in the necklace, incinerated in her fury. Her grandmother had instructed her proudly in every detail of 'this fine curse that only the purest and strongest of bloods can command'.

Eventually she turned to the semicircle of corpses around her. From the eyes in each witch's face, coursed a stream of blood. These were the last tears they would ever shed. In a post mortem, she was sure the investigators would find their brains had been mutilated, literally fried. Nebula pulled the hood of the black velvet cloak quickly over her face, to cover the clear droplets of water that formed in her eyes. Then, without a word to Vashti, the angst young woman dashed out of Knockturn Alley, clutching in her hand the one thing that gave her hope to not kill herself that night. It was a small stone, a crystal-clear jewel that sparkled in the light. It was an almost priceless Diamantez crystal.

A crowd had gathered meanwhile, observing the situation carefully. Down in that dark place where no one cared for another, to see a much hated hag and her cronies die bloodily at the hands of another, made their day complete. They would talk about it for years to come, twisting the truth (somehow) into a more gruesome tale to challenge the most graphic horror stories. But of all the rumours, they would spread the legend of the young, beautiful lady who strode casually into Knockturn Alley one evening and wandlessly slaughtered the entire 'Harem of the Orb' - the wickedest witches in the Alley. Soon all would know her as the 'Queen of Darkness', but since it was such a long title, people would usually address her as 'Eveilia' (Mother of Evil) or 'Blaze lady' (due to her fiery performance with the wands) to her face.

~**Back to This Evening**~

And so, with that dazzling reputation, here Miss Nebula Zirconia was at 7 o'clock on a Thursday evening, many years later with still only one purpose in her mind. Walking serenely through the same spot where Vashti had murdered those people, she felt every soul focused intently on her. Most were probably hoping for another performance. Many of the younger, bolder generation who had been told the tale were intrigued and quite curious as to how she still looked about 27 after so long. There were also those who paid no heed to any tale and either showed her respect for who she was or made fun of her, at their cost. She wasn't out to kill anyone again, but no one was going to walk all over her.

Suddenly one little boy ran up to her, tugged the hem of her cloak, and called her some very nasty things. But she reckoned he couldn't even spell those words at his age, so someone else must have bribed him or was controlling him. Sure enough, she could sense another power about him. 'They must be nearby by the intensity of it,' she thought 'I hope the effects aren't permanent.poor child'. Casting a few furtive glances from under her hood, Nebula saw whom she suspected: a very old but still-at-it crone with one eye and a black orb on her lap, currently trying to look innocent. 'I'll have her this time.' The hag had been there on that fateful day for her friends, but did not take part. Apparently the orb had foretold great evil that day. Funny, it didn't warn her that to 'wind up' Nebula again would bring her into mortal peril, did it?

The tall young woman passed a long and pale hand over the dreamy-eyed boy's face, breathing in deeply at the same time she uttered 'protego imperium' then 'protego crucio' until the boy became glassy-eyed. Then she placed in the boy's hand 3 golden coins, told him to leave this alley, go into Diagon and buy food and clothes for himself. "Go now." He did not refuse, and she watched him sprint along a passage leading to a brighter place. She would watch over him, protect him magically. There were many evil people here that would do anything for money, food or even the clothes off a child's back. The kid had been abused long enough.

Without a word, but seething with annoyance, Nebula elevated herself slightly off the ground and glided over to the hag until her shadow in the twilight consumed her. Once again, no wand would be used. A wand in a situation such as this would only hamper her. The old crone, however, struggled to stand on two feet, but easily whipped out her short and stumpy wand and aimed it straight at Nebula's heart. Nebula had sensed what was about happen. Concentrating all her energy at the witch's wand she tried to snap it in half. But it wasn't working - another force was with her.each time she attacked it; an invisible hand slapped her hard in the face. 'No! What is this?!' Her mind shouted, but no answer came. She knew her magic couldn't defend her against this Unforgivable curse.

All she could do was stand and wait, with her back hard against the wall, for the end. She couldn't go this way! Not after everything she'd been through! There must be some way, she thought. But her mind was blank. A fine film of sweat began to coat her face. Her lips trembled. Vashti had gone wandering around other shops in the Alley. She could not help her now.

As the hag croaked "Avada Ked-" delightfully, Nebula closed her eyes. Suddenly from the depths of her mind a voice laced with hope and mirth spoke to her. It was a voice from long ago. So long, that she almost didn't recognize it.

"Mother!" Nebula's eyes filled with tears of fear and joy as they shot open and stared pointlessly at a point in the wall behind the hag. She didn't realize how much she actually missed her; it was like a ray of light shining in the darkness. Perhaps, death wouldn't be so bad if she could see her again, Nebula reasoned. But the voice had other things to say.

'Nebula, my darling daughter, whom I love so dearly, listen to me now. You must NOT die; you must live, for all our sakes. And although you lose hope now, fear not, I have not left you unprotected. Stand still and look at her unblinkingly in the eye, now. That's it. Let her curse you. Trust me! Then, when it is over, walk over to the bundle behind her and take the orb. This is vital. I must go now; I can help you no more for the moment. Perhaps they will let me speak with you again." The sweet echo of her voice began to fade in her ears.

"They? Mother no! Don't leave me! I need you! I'm no longer strong enough to carry this burden! I want to die!" Tears streamed down Nebula's soft cheeks. This was her moment of weakness, she knew. Crying was not something that she did.

"Good-bye, my sweet child! Don't give up! You mustn't! Be strong as I know you are. May my love watch over you and guide you in your many paths to come." Her mother's voice was gone. She was alone once again in that dark and filthy alley. But she must listen to her mother's words now, to wallow in self pity at a time like this, was most unwise.

The stupid witch meanwhile had stopped mid-curse, and actually turned around to see if there was anyone behind her. But when all she saw was a brick wall she covered up her confusion and slight fear of invisible people with an expression of triumph, and mocked her. "I can help you with that, dear." The hag did not hear the voice to whom Nebula was speaking. "I knew you were a fake. Your mother can't help you now. harlot Muggle-lover!"

Nebula snapped out of the trance, straightened up, took a step towards her, and lowered her hood, revealing a tear-marked face with bloodshot eyes; though a nicely carved woman none-the-less. But soon her eyes would glisten ominously in the twilight with unspeakable wrath and malevolence.

"Going to say your prayers again? I think not. I know who you are. I have seen it. I know the evil that tracks your footsteps. Your time has come, Nebula Regina Zirconia from the House of Slyth-"

"SHUT your filthy mouth, Pythia! How dare you address me, you putrid stench from the scum of a cauldron! Threatening me with a wand! You should be on your knees, begging for mercy like you've never done before; as your idiot companions once tried to but couldn't. Remember how Rapina screamed? Yes, I see you do. You hear it every night as you wait for sleep. It was awful.but even you can't imagine the agony that she suffered because of me.ha-ha.and then, the eternal Destruction! You will never meet her again! It's as if she never even existed! Your best friend, who completely ignored you the day you needed her to listen most! Ha! But don't fret, perhaps soon you too will follow in her footsteps.hag." Nebula seethed maliciously, seeking to provoke her. "You.you! AVADA KEDAVRA!!!" she shrieked furiously. A blast of liquid green light shot out from Pythia's shaking wand and struck Nebula squarely in the heart.

The vast crowd of onlookers gasped in horror. The old crone had most certainly killed the 'Queen of Darkness'. The young woman's body flew backwards and struck the stone wall hard, and lay crumpled in a heap of black velvet.

"Eveilia's dead!" Some yelled, but no one dared touch her. Many just watched on disbelievingly. "It was too easy" some whispered. Only Pythia moved. Hobbling, she went over and hit the corpse hard in the ribs. Then, as she was about to turn away, a firm but pale hand shot out from the robes and latched onto her bony ankle. With a screech of fright, the hag was brought down, her ankle twisted and broken. As she screamed for help from the crowd, no one even blinked. Why should they help her? Slowly, Nebula stood up, the hood still covering her main features, and dragged the hag closer until she could stand over her. Then she turned the vicious woman over, pinned her arms flat and sat on her.

"Going somewhere, my dear.slave?" There was more than a hint of amusement in Nebula's cold and hollow voice. She smiled as she watched terror dawn on the old woman's face and then began to laugh mirthlessly. The sound of sweet yet bitter vengeance cut tonelessly through the air. There was no other sound to be heard, even from Diagon Alley. The air was cold and still. Her voice, too, was unnatural - it didn't sound like her at all. It sounded more like Lord Voldemort.

Swiftly she unclasped her cloak and allowed the once scarlet and black stoned necklace to fall and dangle over Pythia's wrinkled and contorted face. Except now, the stone emitted bright emerald green rays. Nebula leaned closer to the hag's face and quietly posed her a question.

"So, what will it be? Death by your own curse, or Destruction? Or better still, do you wish to duel me fairly this time? Well no one can say I have no sense of pity - how many captors offer their victims a choice of how they want to die? Of course I could always refuse anyway.I suppose I've had enough 'input' from you."

The horrid old witch began to plead with her. She gave her a thousand reasons why she did it. She begged. And that was what Nebula warned her that she would make Pythia do, if she attacked her. There was only one thing for it. She had to go. Painfully. "No! That's the Vashti coming out in you! Have mercy!" Pythia whimpered. At that, Nebula felt a cold breeze waft by her side, then an even colder voice in her ear.

"I leave you alone for 10 minutes and look what you get up to.Ah it's little old Pythia!...very good.I've been itching to put her away for years. Come quickly my dear, I found who we were searching for. I left him waiting rather impatiently inside 'Proserpine's Poisons & Potions' shop. Follow me soon. I'll return and keep an eye."

Pythia heard the voice too and immediately began to writhe and scream vague things to all who could hear. Nebula got fed up sitting on top of the smelly old rotter so she let go of her, raised her right arm, and punched her, breaking her mangled nose and knocking her unconscious. Then as the crowd stared on curiously, she whipped out her long ebony wand which contained the venom of a Basilisk and the feather of a Phoenix. (Once a long time ago, when she was still at school in fact, she had been messing around in the potions store, and spilt a jar full of cloudy white paste on the floor. Then as she was about to clean it up, the ebony wand slipped from her hand and fell into it. When she later returned with her friend's wand, however, she found hers lying exactly where it was before, but the paste-like stuff was gone. Her wand had absorbed all of it. Nasty. It was only a long time afterwards that she found out it had been concentrated Basilisk venom.) Nebula aimed her long, dark wand at Pythia's chest, closed her eyes, and mumbled, "I return your gift" in Parseltongue.

The green light from the necklace dispersed, and re-emerged immediately from the tip of her wand. The light poured like mercury onto the woman's chest and spread like veins around her body, then disappeared. Suddenly, the woman's eyes opened and her lips parted, leaking saliva. She was dead. She had absorbed the curse. She had paid the price.

Nebula rose gracefully, kicked the corpse in the ribs then strode off in the direction of 'Proserpine's Poisons & Potions' shop. The terrified crowd eagerly parted as the black cloaked and icy-eyed woman passed, leaving behind her another great legend for gossipers. She supposed she would be in the Headlines of the 'Daily Prophet' for the next couple of days, but at least they wouldn't have a description of her - she would make sure of that.

***Oh no! The orb!! I forgot! How could I? Mother said it was VITAL! It could be any where by now...I have to go back...I won't exactly get a hero's welcome...but i have to...oh no...*** Nebula looked on from the future and realized why she had gone back - she had forgotten to take the old woman's orb. She couldn't see what was so special about it then, but she knew that if her dead mother had told her to remember it, it must be significant somehow. Even at that, however, Nebula had no idea how valuable it would prove to be in the End to come...

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