Poppy sat out in her garden, the sun just barely glinting through the clouds and the breeze chill but soft. She paused, glancing at the painting she was working on, leaning away from the easel to take in the painting from different angles. She lifted her paintbrush to the canvas once more, putting on the finishing touches to the painting, before pronouncing herself satisfied. Setting down her brush, she glanced again at the painting. Rory stared back at her from the canvas, his vivid hazel grey eyes fixed on hers. His rich sable colored hair was as tidy and lush as it was in life. His soft but angular features gave him the look of being quietly serene, his lips curling just barely into a smile, the very same smile he had always spared for Poppy. Sighing, she tidied up and gathered everything and carried it inside, setting the painting in the upstairs gallery.

After seeing to various tasks about the cottage, she found herself standing in her kitchen again, leaning just barely against the counter. With her gaze directed out the window to the hazy day, she tried to remind herself that she would be all right. She reminded herself that she'd had Albus come to Fernside the just a few days ago to help her with warding her property, with protection spells, anything and everything that would grant her some semblance of security. Between the two of them, and Alastor too, they'd pretty much covered the bases.

She'd also spoken to her friend Bella, who taught all forms of defense classes at the Academy for Magical Defense and Law Enforcement. Bella had contributed to the effort as well, putting up some more personal and less generic spells and enchantments, adding a mirror to the wall by the front door that would reveal the presence of anyone within a two hundred yard radius of the cottage when asked.

Poppy checked the mirror now, out of compulsion. She scanned the grounds, satisfied when she saw that she was quite alone. Moving back her bedroom, she set to work locating all the things that Aurelius had ever sent her. She found the gowns, the cloaks, and the shoes. Taking up the pile, Poppy made her way back down the stairs to the backdoor where she went outside to conjure a large fire pit. Tossing the bundle inside it, she barked, "Incendio!"

She stood back then, watching as the flames consumed the bundle, turning it black and eating away at the fibers. She may have been standing near enough to be warmed by the fire, but all she felt was coldness as she watched the bundle slowly become ash. She could almost picture him there, in the fire. She could see his face, his cold eyes and slick smile. He was laughing at her. She knew why. He would not be so easily caught and defeated. He would not be so easily thrown into the fire.

Staring back into his eyes, she felt the anger she'd long held back coursing through her. "You will be defeated. If not by me, you will be taken down." Poppy told the flaming image, speaking in her mind rather than verbally. He laughed again, his eyes suffused with the light from the fire. "You do amuse me. Haven't you realized by now that you'll never be rid of me? You are mine and I am yours." His lips curled into that licentious smile of his, holding out a flame wreathed arm to her. She felt her heart skip a beat. Even now, he still had a hold on her. "I belong to no one." She clenched her teeth, the headache growing.

He shook his head, clearly amused still. He smiled and stepped from the fire pit, moving closer to her, holding out his hand to her still. "You'll not be rid of me that easy. I will haunt your steps. Every step you take and every friend you make, will be made known to me." Aurelius explained, standing before her, the fire hot on her face. She longed to rip his heart out with her bare hand. "It's over." Poppy stated, the pain in her head pounding. He laughed, throwing his arms out. "No. This is just the beginning." He turned his eyes back to her, growing fiery wings, the flames blazing higher and brighter.

That was enough. He would not be getting to her again. She withdrew her wand, pointing it at the fire pit, and him as he was standing before it. "Get thee gone! EVANESCO!" She cried, vanishing the fire pit and the fiery phantom. In the split second that it took for the fire to vanish, he laughed again, making the pain in her head unbearable for a minute before he vanished.

Dropping to her knees, she stared at the spot that he'd stood, at least where he'd stood in her mind. The grass was still green and untouched, but in her eyes, she could see a large portion of it had burned and turned black. She ran her hand over the grass, lifting her fingers to her eyes. She knew they were clean and there was nothing there, but her eyes saw black ash on her fingertips. Ashes to ashes... dust to dust...

That was it. She was losing her mind. She wasn't going to let him take that from her. Standing and dusting herself off, she went back inside dressing as quickly as she could. Donning her cloak, she disapparated from her cottage to the Academy, making her way inside to the fourth floor. Briskly, she found room 416 and entered inside to find Bella tidying up after her latest class. Smoothing out her black practice robes, the golden haired, blue eyed, tall and lanky Bella glanced over to Poppy in slight surprise.

"Poppy? To what do I owe this honor?" Bella asked, her lips curling into her trademark smirk, as she brushed back her lose hair into a barrette. Poppy moved further inside, giving her a level gaze. "I've come to ask a favor of you," Poppy told her, her voice surprisingly calm and clear. The golden haired witch, lifted her eyebrows, clearly surprised but interested. "A favor of me?" She asked, gesturing towards her office. Poppy followed her lead. "Yes, a favor. I wish you to teach me defense. Everything you know or feel would be beneficial to me." She told her pugnacious friend.

Bella spared her a glance, holding the door open for her. Their eyes met for a moment. In that moment, she softened her eyes slightly, understanding completely. "Consider the favor granted." She told Poppy, letting her step inside before her.

"Thank you, Bella." Poppy smiled.

Bella returned that smile. "You're welcome."

Poppy entered the office and closed the door behind her, thinking that this time, she would be armed and ready. She would not be the victim again. Not if she could help it. You're right, Aurelius. This is just the beginning.

~*~*Finis*~*~