Usagi opened her eyes to small slits. She was just now waking up, sprawled on her four-poster bed. The covers were tangled around her, clear evidence that she'd been tossing and turning all night. She yawned and stretched out, not aware that she was on the edge of her bed. With a thump she fell off.
"Ow." Usagi breathed. She untangled herself from the covers and threw them back on the bed after standing. She walked over to the window and sat on the sill, staring out over the grounds. But her eyes wouldn't look past her tired reflection on the spotless glass. Her hair was disheveled and her puffy eyes made her look terribly tired. The dark circles under her eyes had lightened to a less noticeable color, but they were still there.
Usagi sighed and changed into her school robes. Fixing her hair quickly, she left the dormitory while the other girls still slept. She continuously rubbed at her eyes while walking out of the castle and onto the grounds. The grass was still very damp from the morning dew, and it soaked the hem of her robes. She ignored this and kept walking with no real destination.
"Hullo Usagi." Usagi jumped as a familiar voice addressed her. She looked up to see Harry in front of her.
"Hey." She muttered quietly.
"You look tired, why are you up so early?" Harry asked, watching Usagi sway a little on her feet.
"Hmm? I'm fine, I couldn't sleep." Usagi yawned. "What are you doing out here so early?"
"Sending a letter." Harry replied with a backwards glance at the Owlery. Usagi nodded her understanding. "You want to come to breakfast with me? I know you have to be tired, you haven't eaten in days."
"Um...yeah, sure." Usagi nodded and followed him back up to the castle. They entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. There were only a few people there, and they were tediously trying to finish their homework before morning classes while eating their breakfast at an alarming rate. The two helped themselves to food. "I wonder how they keep the food hot so long."
"Probably with some sort of spell." Harry mused as he dug in to his eggs. Usagi followed suit, only at a slower pace. Harry watched her as she ate bites small enough for a two year old. "You eat like a bird."
"Do not." Usagi stuck her tongue out at him.
"Do too." Harry laughed. Usagi scrunched up her nose.
"Bet I can eat faster than you." Usagi challenged.
"You're on." Harry said as he held his fork over his plate. Usagi did the same.
"3...2...1...Go!" The two began to tear their plates apart like rabid dogs. That's how Ron and Hermione found them, shoveling down their food.
"You guys got tape worms or something?" Ron asked as he sat next to Harry. They completely ignored him and carried on with their contest. Hermione and Ron watched with interest as they filled their plates. Usagi threw down her fork seconds before Harry did. She leaned back slightly and laughed at him.
"Ha! I beat you!" She taunted.
"I let you win." Harry said.
"Oh yeah right! You just don't want to admit you lost an eating contest to a girl." Usagi said while laughing. Ron started laughing too.
"You got beat by a girl, Harry?" He asked, shaking with laughter.
"Shut up, Ron, you couldn't beat her either if you tried." Harry said defensively.
"So what? It's still hilarious!" Ron said between fits of laughter. Hermione rolled her eyes at him. They calmed down after a bit and went back to eating breakfast.
"Today, we are--" Professor Sprout began, only to be interrupted by Argus Filch walking into the room.
"The Headmaster wishes to see Miss Tsukino in his office." Filch announced, setting his eyes directly on Usagi. She sent a confused glance at Harry before following Filch out. Harry waved at her as she walked through the door. The two walked swiftly and silently towards the castle.
"Why does Dumbledore want to see me?" Usagi asked curiously.
"How should I know? You'll find out in a moment." Filch muttered before stopping in front of a large stone griffin. "Sugar quill."
The griffin came to life and jumped aside. The two stepped on a winding escalator and rose to the top until they reached an office. Usagi looked around blandly at the interesting trinkets that filled the office. The headmaster was sitting at his desk and peering at Usagi interestingly over his half moon spectacles.
"Hey." Usagi greeted dully as she watched Filch leave again.
"Good Morning, Miss Tsukino." Dumbledore smiled and motioned for her to sit down. She did so.
"Just Usagi please."
"Very well, Usagi. There's something I wanted to speak with you about." Dumbledore said, pausing to note Usagi's response.
"Go ahead." Usagi invited, curious as to why he brought her from class to talk with her.
"The day you arrived at Hogwarts you mentioned to me that you were on a mission to protect Harry Potter, correct?"
"Yes." Usagi nodded.
"I was just wondering about one small thing. Did you receive the necklace your mother left for you?" Dumbledore asked. Usagi blinked.
"Yes, if you mean this one." She said pulling the golden chain that was tucked into her robes out to reveal the golden locket.
"Ah yes, that's the one. Thank you for your time, Usagi, I didn't mean to interrupt your classes. You may leave." Dumbledore smiled pleasantly at her. Usagi sat there in a daze for a moment before rising from her chair and leaving the office. She looked down at the locket, fingering it affectionately.
'What was that all about?' Usagi wondered as she exited the castle, headed back to the greenhouses. She was distracted by a familiar neighing sound coming from the Forbidden Forest. Usagi changed directions and headed towards the forest.
"Helios..." Usagi whispered at the white horse before her. He was standing next to Hagrid's hut, staring at her with his beautiful red eyes. Hagrid was nowhere to be seen. Apparently he'd dismissed his previous class early and left.
"Princess." Helios transformed into his human form. Usagi eyed him with a mixture of sadness and fear.
"Why are you here, Helios?" She asked slowly, struggling over her words.
"I'm sorry about what happened, Princess." Helios said softly, walking closer to her. Usagi stepped back a little.
"No, I'm sorry. Chibiusa disappeared and it's my fault. I'm sorry." Usagi whispered. Fresh tears stung at her eyes as she stared into Helios' eyes, equally sad as hers.
"It's not your fault, destiny changed, it wasn't meant to be." Helios said, stepping closer still.
"Just because destiny changed doesn't mean that all my friends had to die." Usagi whispered bitterly.
"Maybe it did. If they hadn't, would you have parted with them? Would you have come to England?" Helios asked. Usagi shook her head no, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"We came to England after Shingo died in that freak accident. Not because of destiny." Usagi said defiantly. Helios walked closer, now directly in front of her. Her put his arms around her shoulders in a comforting sort of way.
"Usagi, Shingo died because of destiny. Your destiny is here now, with these people. I know it hurts you but you have to keep going, for your sake and for those around you. Though things are peaceful now, times are going to change soon and Harry Potter will need your protection. There are still people who need you here, you can't leave." Helios told her softly.
"I-I know, but I don't know if I can help him. I don't know if I'm strong enough." Usagi said, sniffling. Helios looked up as he sensed students drawing closer to them. He transformed back into his Pegasus form.
'As long as you follow your heart, you can conquer anything. Remember that you can take on any obstacle that comes your way as long as you have hope.' Usagi wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her robes as she heard her class coming. She pulled away from Helios.
"Thank you." She whispered as the rest of the class arrived. They stopped in their chitchat when they noticed their classmate standing next to the white Pegasus.
"Oh wow, it's a unicorn!" Lavender Brown squealed. The girls broke into excited chatter as the Slytherins arrived.
"Actually, he's a Pegasus." Usagi corrected, patting Helios' nose. Helios looked at her questioningly, as if asking if he could leave.
"What's with the horse, Tsukino?" Malfoy drawled, staring at Helios dully.
"Pegasus." Usagi corrected, half glaring at him.
"Whatever." Malfoy rolled his eyes. Helios glared at him, which looked rather strange with a horse's face.
"Can we pet him?" Parvati Patil asked breathlessly. Usagi looked at Helios. The look in his eye clearly said no.
"Sure." Usagi nodded and smiled apologetically at Helios. All the girls present rushed forward. Helios tossed his head to the side in protest. "Wait, one at a time. Don't crowd him or he'll get restless."
"Me first." Pansy Parkinson said, pushing her way to the front of the group. Helios looked at Usagi in dismay, which had to utilize all self-control to not burst out laughing. Pansy stroked his nose roughly, making Helios toss his head side to side in protest and resist the urge to bite her hand.
"I don't think he likes you." Usagi said, placing a hand on Helios' nose protectively and still trying to control her laughter. Pansy glared and walked back over to the Slytherin group. Lavender Brown was next. She patted his nose and he nuzzled her hand. She giggled and moved aside to let one of the others have a turn. Usagi glanced over at the boys, who were standing around with nothing to do.
"He won't bite you. Unlike unicorns, the Pegasi don't mind boys as much." Usagi said. Within minutes she was surrounded by most of the class, with the exception of several Slytherins. Harry walked over to talk with Usagi as the class took turns petting Helios.
"I brought your books for you." Harry said, motioning to her bag.
"Thank you." Usagi smiled. Helios ignored the people around him and watched the two.
"What did Dumbledore want?" Harry asked.
"Oh, nothing much, just wanted to ask me a question." Usagi shrugged.
"Really? Where'd you get the necklace?" Usagi looked down at the locket and realized she hadn't tucked it away.
"That was a gift from my mother, I've had it for a while." Usagi said, hiding in it in her robes again.
"Oh." Harry said. Suddenly, they heard a yelp and the class burst into laughter. Harry and Usagi looked over to see Malfoy holding his hand.
"What happened?" Usagi asked, though she could pretty much guess.
"It bit him!" Pansy shrieked, trying to look at it. Malfoy pulled away. Usagi and Harry both burst out laughing as well.
"Looks like he has a problem with stupid gits." Ron laughed. Malfoy glared.
"Shut up, Weasley."
"What's goin' on 'ere?" The class fell silent as Hagrid arrived, making his way to the center of the group. There he saw Malfoy holding his hand, Pansy trying to help him, Harry and Usagi laughing hysterically, and an amused Pegasus.
"We were just learning about this Pegasus, Professor. Usagi decided to tell us about it since you weren't here but Malfoy made it mad and it bit him." Dean said quickly.
"Uh, yeah." Usagi said, calming her laughter.
"As I was saying. According to Greek Mythology, when Perseus decapitated the gorgon Medusa, she was already pregnant by the sea god Poseidon who had visited her in the form of a stallion. As her body fell to the ground, the two offspring of this union, Pegasus and the warrior Chrysaor leapt fully developed from her body. Pegasus is a lunar animal and represents one of the aspects of the great goddess when, as the Mareheaded Mother, she was known as Leucippe, the white mare.
"Pegasus is said to have the ability to cause a fountain of water to gush out wherever he stamps his moon shaped hoof, and his name actually means 'of the wells'. He created a fountain known as 'the horse well', for the muses at Hippocrene. The waters conferred poetical inspiration of all who drank there and Pegasus is also the inspiration of those who strive to perfect their poetic gifts." Usagi finished. The class gaped at her.
"Dang, if I don' watch out, I'll be losin' my job to Miss Usagi 'ere." Hagrid mused. "Twenty points fer Gryffindor. You migh' wan' ter go see Madam Pomfrey about your hand, Malfoy."
"I'll get you for this, Tsukino." Malfoy grumbled as he walked towards the castle. Hagrid took over the lesson from there, conferring back to the beloved Blast Ended Skrewts. Usagi said goodbye to Helios as he left for the forest and joined the rest of the class.
Hullo! - I didn't really feel like rereading this chapter, so there may be some mistakes. -.-
I broke 100 reviews! YAY! glomps reviewers Keep 'em coming:D
§SachiNyoko§ 'It's not ADD, I'm just ignoring you.'