Disclaimer: This story is INSPIRED by Rowling's "Harry Potter" books. For a full disclaimer on characters, please see Chapter 1.
Author Note: Please be aware: this work is A/U, so I've taken some creative liberties. So those of you who are not keen on writing that deviates from canon, you are forewarned. I hope you'll still read and enjoy the story. Constructive feedback is always welcome!
Rating: R (for some sexual content and violence in later chapters)
Go raibh maith agaibh (that's "thank you" in modern Irish Gaelic):
Evenstar Elanor… my most loyal reviewer. Thank you for the comments, the suggestions and the spontaneous ideas.
Silverthreads… thank you for the review. You didn't have email listed, so I couldn't respond directly. Hope you stop back again. Hopefully my plot will surprise you, at least a little bit!
---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Chapter 3: Marking Time
The start of October brought a change in the weather. Clouds rolled in and with them rain and chilly wind, bleak reminders of the upcoming winter. The students noticed, too, a change in their Dark Arts professor. As the month moved forward, Serena became more withdrawn, more temperamental. After one Dark Arts class, Wood stayed late after class, hovering until the room cleared.
"Excuse me, Professor?"
"Yes, Mr. Wood?"
"I've been worried about you."
Serena sat up a little straighter and arched her eyebrows at Oliver. "I beg your pardon?"
He shifted as some of his confidence fled. "You've just seemed like something's been on your mind…"
What's been on my mind is none of your business! is what Serena wanted to shout at him, but she knew his question was made out of genuine, if not disproportionate concern.
"Mr. Wood," she said slowly, forcing a smile. "I do appreciate your concern. However, there's nothing for you to be concerned about. I dislike the rainy weather; it makes me short-tempered."
"Oh…" Wood was unconvinced. He stayed rooted where he was, never realizing he was staring at Serena.
"Good day, Mr. Wood."
"Aye, uh, thank you, Professor. Good day." Embarrassed, he hurried out of the room.
Serena watched him go and then put her head down on her desk. After a few moments, she collected herself and gathered up her papers. Walking down the hall, she was absorbed in her own thoughts, not noticing the people who passed her. Abruptly, Serena realized there was a second set of feet walking in time with her own. She stopped and looked up.
"Professor?" asked Snape.
"I didn't see you. I'm sorry…" He'd caught her off guard.
"You aren't seeing much but your shoes," he replied.
"Lost in thought," was her singular answer.
They came to an intersection of hallways and Snape slowed. "I need to go back to Slytherin House. Good day, Serena."
She blinked. He usually didn't call her by her first name like that. She smiled briefly. "Good day… Severus."
After classes were done for the day, Serena went directly back to her cottage. She hung her teaching robe behind the door and dropped the papers on her coffee table. Fortunately, she didn't have to correct them until the weekend; she didn't have the focus to take care of them tonight. Tonight of all nights.
Instead she turned on her television and lost herself in the Muggle world until nearly midnight. She yawned and decided it was time for bed. She pulled on her pajama bottoms and tied the waist string. This was her favorite pair, made of lightweight flannel in a modest green and navy tartan pattern. The dark green t-shirt had a small Celtic knot embroidered on the front. She'd had the shirt for years. It was starting to fray at the hem and barely reached past her waist.
Climbing under the covers she stopped when she looked at her bed stand. There was a photo there, one of the few she had of her mother. Like most magical photos, the image moved. She watched her mother turn around, surprised and then smile and wave at the camera. She had dark hair, like Serena's, but she'd always worn it short.
Serena felt her throat tighten. "I miss you so much, Mum." Then she hastily turned the light out and pulled the covers up to her chin. Sleep, however, eluded Serena for a while until finally her lids drooped and her breathing slowed…
There should have been streetlights on, but instead it was black, a smothering, constricting blackness that plumbed the depths and raised primal fears in the soul. Serena could smell a metallic tang on the air. Then a dagger of lightening rent the sky, followed by thunder that made the ground shake. As the echo of the thunder faded a new sound reached her ears, chilling Serena's very blood. People were screaming. People were dying.
"Liam! Shannon!" Serena shouted names of her friends, her neighbors. No one answered. There were only more screams. "Mum! Where are you, Mum? I can't see!"
As if in answer to her cries, an eerie, phosphorescent light came up and in the green tint Serena realized she was in the town square. Castlebann's town square. Another bolt of lightning tore the sky apart as it struck the top of a building. There were people in the square. Recognizing Liam O'Connell's curly blond hair, Serena ran over. He was leaning against a tree and she grabbed his shoulder.
He fell backward in her arms and Serena screamed when she saw his face. Liam's eyes were rolled back, his mouth wide, a frozen mask of terror from the moment when he died. There were others on the green and Serena realized they were all dead. Then she saw the others. Some people she knew. They were throwing up shields, uttering what spells they could to repel the attack. Opposing them were cloaked and masked strangers, and as one raised an arm, Serena could see the Dark Mark, pulsing against pale skin. Death Eaters. She pointed her wand and shouted a spell, watching the Death Eater fly backwards and into the wall of a building.
But it wasn't enough. More were dying and Serena felt as if she were mired in a bog, her movements slow, her voice muffled. There were only a few left now, but they were so powerful. They cut down the people of Castlebann as if they were dried cornstalks after the harvest, snapping them and leaving hollow empty shells behind. Using a spell she'd only read about in books, Serena sent her power up into the sky, straining to harness the power of the storm above them.
With a shout she flung a jet of lightning against the last Death Eaters, a group of five who were bearing down on a single person. The lighting decimated three of them. The thunder struck the other two, knocking them senseless for a moment, and the repercussion dropped Serena to the ground.
Serena crawled to her feet. They'll kill me, she thought wildly. If I cannot stand, I cannot fight! The last two Death Eaters came to their senses only to see Serena struggling to her feet. One barked a sharp word and they disappeared, passing through the nothingness between here and there, only to materialize in another place. A place where Serena could not reach them.
She staggered toward the last person she'd seen standing, hoping they were still alive. William McKinnon, the kind-hearted wizard who ran a local shop, the man who had courted her mother for the past two years and just proposed to her, the man who had stood as father-figure to Serena, the little girl who had no father, lay dead at her feet.
"Oh, no. No. No," choked Serena. "Ye canna be dead, William. It canna be so…" Then her eyes drifted a little further and she realized why William had stood before the onslaught of five Death Eaters. A body. Her mother's body. Lunging past William, Serena grabbed her mother's limp form. There was so much blood. It ran from Kathleen Castleton-Black's mouth and ears, and even her eyes…
Serena bolted up from her bed with a blood-curdling scream, clutching at a body that wasn't there anymore, a body she had helped bury fifteen years ago that very day. With a moan she buried her face in her hands and then she flung the covers off of the bed. Barefoot, she ran down the stairs and out the front door of her cottage. Racing down the path, she didn't feel the wet grass or the pebbles lining the walkways. She ran out onto the green expanse of lawn that lead to the heart of Hogwart's. A faint rumble of thunder stopped her in her tracks and she looked up at the sky, the moon obscured by threatening clouds.
Rain began to fall and Serena fell to her knees. "I wasn't strong enough," she cried to the air. "I should have been there earlier. I let you down. I failed. I should have been there. Maybe I could have saved you…" Her head fell forward until it was resting practically on her knees as she sobbed. Or I could have died with you, she thought.
An hour later, her throat raw, soaked to the bone and shivering, Serena slowly made her way back to her cottage.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Hope you're liking "Thunderstruck" so far. There's more to come. Please review and let me know what you think (the good along with the bad, please!). Ciao, bellas!
Author Note: Please be aware: this work is A/U, so I've taken some creative liberties. So those of you who are not keen on writing that deviates from canon, you are forewarned. I hope you'll still read and enjoy the story. Constructive feedback is always welcome!
Rating: R (for some sexual content and violence in later chapters)
Go raibh maith agaibh (that's "thank you" in modern Irish Gaelic):
Evenstar Elanor… my most loyal reviewer. Thank you for the comments, the suggestions and the spontaneous ideas.
Silverthreads… thank you for the review. You didn't have email listed, so I couldn't respond directly. Hope you stop back again. Hopefully my plot will surprise you, at least a little bit!
---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Chapter 3: Marking Time
The start of October brought a change in the weather. Clouds rolled in and with them rain and chilly wind, bleak reminders of the upcoming winter. The students noticed, too, a change in their Dark Arts professor. As the month moved forward, Serena became more withdrawn, more temperamental. After one Dark Arts class, Wood stayed late after class, hovering until the room cleared.
"Excuse me, Professor?"
"Yes, Mr. Wood?"
"I've been worried about you."
Serena sat up a little straighter and arched her eyebrows at Oliver. "I beg your pardon?"
He shifted as some of his confidence fled. "You've just seemed like something's been on your mind…"
What's been on my mind is none of your business! is what Serena wanted to shout at him, but she knew his question was made out of genuine, if not disproportionate concern.
"Mr. Wood," she said slowly, forcing a smile. "I do appreciate your concern. However, there's nothing for you to be concerned about. I dislike the rainy weather; it makes me short-tempered."
"Oh…" Wood was unconvinced. He stayed rooted where he was, never realizing he was staring at Serena.
"Good day, Mr. Wood."
"Aye, uh, thank you, Professor. Good day." Embarrassed, he hurried out of the room.
Serena watched him go and then put her head down on her desk. After a few moments, she collected herself and gathered up her papers. Walking down the hall, she was absorbed in her own thoughts, not noticing the people who passed her. Abruptly, Serena realized there was a second set of feet walking in time with her own. She stopped and looked up.
"Professor?" asked Snape.
"I didn't see you. I'm sorry…" He'd caught her off guard.
"You aren't seeing much but your shoes," he replied.
"Lost in thought," was her singular answer.
They came to an intersection of hallways and Snape slowed. "I need to go back to Slytherin House. Good day, Serena."
She blinked. He usually didn't call her by her first name like that. She smiled briefly. "Good day… Severus."
After classes were done for the day, Serena went directly back to her cottage. She hung her teaching robe behind the door and dropped the papers on her coffee table. Fortunately, she didn't have to correct them until the weekend; she didn't have the focus to take care of them tonight. Tonight of all nights.
Instead she turned on her television and lost herself in the Muggle world until nearly midnight. She yawned and decided it was time for bed. She pulled on her pajama bottoms and tied the waist string. This was her favorite pair, made of lightweight flannel in a modest green and navy tartan pattern. The dark green t-shirt had a small Celtic knot embroidered on the front. She'd had the shirt for years. It was starting to fray at the hem and barely reached past her waist.
Climbing under the covers she stopped when she looked at her bed stand. There was a photo there, one of the few she had of her mother. Like most magical photos, the image moved. She watched her mother turn around, surprised and then smile and wave at the camera. She had dark hair, like Serena's, but she'd always worn it short.
Serena felt her throat tighten. "I miss you so much, Mum." Then she hastily turned the light out and pulled the covers up to her chin. Sleep, however, eluded Serena for a while until finally her lids drooped and her breathing slowed…
There should have been streetlights on, but instead it was black, a smothering, constricting blackness that plumbed the depths and raised primal fears in the soul. Serena could smell a metallic tang on the air. Then a dagger of lightening rent the sky, followed by thunder that made the ground shake. As the echo of the thunder faded a new sound reached her ears, chilling Serena's very blood. People were screaming. People were dying.
"Liam! Shannon!" Serena shouted names of her friends, her neighbors. No one answered. There were only more screams. "Mum! Where are you, Mum? I can't see!"
As if in answer to her cries, an eerie, phosphorescent light came up and in the green tint Serena realized she was in the town square. Castlebann's town square. Another bolt of lightning tore the sky apart as it struck the top of a building. There were people in the square. Recognizing Liam O'Connell's curly blond hair, Serena ran over. He was leaning against a tree and she grabbed his shoulder.
He fell backward in her arms and Serena screamed when she saw his face. Liam's eyes were rolled back, his mouth wide, a frozen mask of terror from the moment when he died. There were others on the green and Serena realized they were all dead. Then she saw the others. Some people she knew. They were throwing up shields, uttering what spells they could to repel the attack. Opposing them were cloaked and masked strangers, and as one raised an arm, Serena could see the Dark Mark, pulsing against pale skin. Death Eaters. She pointed her wand and shouted a spell, watching the Death Eater fly backwards and into the wall of a building.
But it wasn't enough. More were dying and Serena felt as if she were mired in a bog, her movements slow, her voice muffled. There were only a few left now, but they were so powerful. They cut down the people of Castlebann as if they were dried cornstalks after the harvest, snapping them and leaving hollow empty shells behind. Using a spell she'd only read about in books, Serena sent her power up into the sky, straining to harness the power of the storm above them.
With a shout she flung a jet of lightning against the last Death Eaters, a group of five who were bearing down on a single person. The lighting decimated three of them. The thunder struck the other two, knocking them senseless for a moment, and the repercussion dropped Serena to the ground.
Serena crawled to her feet. They'll kill me, she thought wildly. If I cannot stand, I cannot fight! The last two Death Eaters came to their senses only to see Serena struggling to her feet. One barked a sharp word and they disappeared, passing through the nothingness between here and there, only to materialize in another place. A place where Serena could not reach them.
She staggered toward the last person she'd seen standing, hoping they were still alive. William McKinnon, the kind-hearted wizard who ran a local shop, the man who had courted her mother for the past two years and just proposed to her, the man who had stood as father-figure to Serena, the little girl who had no father, lay dead at her feet.
"Oh, no. No. No," choked Serena. "Ye canna be dead, William. It canna be so…" Then her eyes drifted a little further and she realized why William had stood before the onslaught of five Death Eaters. A body. Her mother's body. Lunging past William, Serena grabbed her mother's limp form. There was so much blood. It ran from Kathleen Castleton-Black's mouth and ears, and even her eyes…
Serena bolted up from her bed with a blood-curdling scream, clutching at a body that wasn't there anymore, a body she had helped bury fifteen years ago that very day. With a moan she buried her face in her hands and then she flung the covers off of the bed. Barefoot, she ran down the stairs and out the front door of her cottage. Racing down the path, she didn't feel the wet grass or the pebbles lining the walkways. She ran out onto the green expanse of lawn that lead to the heart of Hogwart's. A faint rumble of thunder stopped her in her tracks and she looked up at the sky, the moon obscured by threatening clouds.
Rain began to fall and Serena fell to her knees. "I wasn't strong enough," she cried to the air. "I should have been there earlier. I let you down. I failed. I should have been there. Maybe I could have saved you…" Her head fell forward until it was resting practically on her knees as she sobbed. Or I could have died with you, she thought.
An hour later, her throat raw, soaked to the bone and shivering, Serena slowly made her way back to her cottage.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Hope you're liking "Thunderstruck" so far. There's more to come. Please review and let me know what you think (the good along with the bad, please!). Ciao, bellas!