"Girl Anachronism"

You can tell
From the scars on my arms
And stains on my skirt
And the dents in my car
And the veins about to burst
That I'm not the carefullest of girls
You can tell
From the glass on the floor
And the strings that are breaking
And I keep on breaking more
And it looks like I am shaking
But it's just the temperature
But then again
If it were any colder I could disengage
If I were any older I could act my age
But I don't think that you'd believe me
It's
Not
The
Way
I'm
Meant
To
Be
It's just the way the operation made me

And you can tell
From the state of my room
That they let me out too soon
And the pills that I ate
Came a couple years too late
And I've got some issues to work through
There I go again
Pretending to be you
Make-believing
That I have a soul beneath the surface
Trying to convince you
It was accidentally on purpose

I am not so serious
This passion is a plagiarism
I might join your century
But only on a rare occasion
I was taken out
Before the labor pains set in and now
Behold the world's worst accident
I am the girl anachronism

And you can tell
By the red in my eyes
And the bruises on my thighs
And the knots in my hair
And the bathtub full of flies
That I'm not alright at all
There I go again
Pretending that I'll fall
Don't call the doctors
Cause they've seen it all before
They'll say just
Let
Her
Crash
And
Burn
She'll learn
The attention just encourages her

And you can tell
From the full-body cast
That I'm sorry that I asked
Though you did everything you could
(like any decent person would)
But I might be catching

So don't touch!
You'll start believing you're immune to gravity and stuff
But don't get me wet!
Because the bandages will all come off

And you can tell
From the smoke at the stake
That the current state is critical
Well it is the little things, for instance:
In the time it takes to break it she can make up ten excuses:
Please excuse her for the day, its just the way the medication makes her...

I don't necessarily believe there is a cure for this
So, I might join your century but only as a doubtful guest
I was too precarious removed as a caesarian
Behold the worlds worst accident
I AM THE GIRL ANACHRONISM

--- (Fitting, no? You'll get it later.)

Snow had been falling for the last three days and yet not one footprint had been left by the girl. They could not see where she had landed, and some supported the paranoid fantasy that she had not really left the school, but had instead stuck around to kill Harry in his sleep. This speculation had been brought about by Fred and was quickly adopted by George. Harry did not care much about their joke as he had other things on his mind. He had raced out of the castle and towards the forest. He was not sure how, but it as if he was reading her mind and knew where she would go. He entered through the whomping willow and found her easily enough in the shrieking shack.

He knew someone must have followed him as he had hoped someone would. Yet when he found her, it was as if she had been waiting for him. She was finishing a letter and stood up when she was done.

"Ah, so we meet again," she had said. "What is your move?"

Harry had raised his wand and told her to be still, but she only laughed, threw the folded up note at him like a ninja star and vanished in an explosion.

'I am free, free as a bird with the will to fly,' the note had read. 'However, you trapped this bird. Clever trap, there was no way out. Until you made a mistake and the bird took flight. Flying again, even though now there were people on its tail, but this bird has got a long tail. You can not reel it in; you have to follow it if you wish to capture the bird. However, this is a very quick bird; you'll have to be just as quick! When you reach the bird, if you do, it has got sharp talons and will be awaiting your action. What will you do, no time to think, the bird takes flight as you hesitate. Can't pause to reason, can't strategize. You'll have to use pure instinct. Running again, on the tail, the bird is quick, pause and you'll fail. When you meet the bird again, and beat her strike, follow your instincts and do what's right.

'Do you kill the bird? Try to trap her again? This bird is free. She won't be caged. You must kill her- can you? This is the game, and welcome to it! You can back out now, but once you strike, it's your fault she's dead. Can you live with that? You must, you strike, and it's your fault, your body, your mind, and your soul that took her life. Your innocence is at stake here. How much is it worth to you?'

He had tried to ask about Kira, but no one, not even Sirius, would answer him. They were mad at him for running after her, not that he cared. The adults had confined themselves into the room of requirements and had been in heavy debate all afternoon. They did not bother asking Sir Rusty to watch the children as that seemed only to cause problems for him. The teens were left to herd through the halls and visit the kitchen. They knew that Dumbledore had sent a summons to Irving in the form of a howler that Fred and George had enchanted to continue forever.

The message was politely said and even in a lilac envelope, but it just never shut up. Irving had trumped that move by sending it right back and Fred and George had spent their afternoon trying to turn it off. Dumbledore sent another letter, this one simply said: I apologize for earlier irritation. I shall instead ask the Ministry about looking for the girl. Thank you.

Irving had yet to respond to that, though Harry was sure there had been a few floosystem conversations before the notes had been sent. Dumbledore had also visited the ministry, which was where he had gotten the stationary for the last note. He had gone to ask about reopening Hogwarts, but really he had gone to make sure Umbridge would not be coming home early, something Arthur was to be taking over after the weekend. He had just returned when someone knocked on the door. It was Irving, looking rather travel worn. Harry saw him as a tall man with a long ponytail of reddish brown hair, amber eyes and a very dignified face. He had the look of someone wild who had been tamed, much like Sirius.

He saw Harry and nodded to him. "You were the one attacked?" he asked simply.

"And followed," Harry confirmed.

Irving made a curious noise in his throat and brushed some snow off his jacket. "Your headmaster made it seem like you'd been mauled."

"Yet you knew he was the one that had been attacked," Hermione raised her eyebrows and looked highly suspicious. Her arms were crossed in front of her and she fixed him with a piercing stare.

Irving ignored her and in an instant he brandished and odd looking ball with a key sticking out of the top. Harry saw why as Moody leapt forward, his wand out like a deadly foil. Irving turned the key and the ball popped open as he said, "Shield." A blue, watery shield cascaded over him and Moody's shot bounced off. Harry could not see what was inside the golden ball as a bright light was emanating from it and a ticking sound was all he could hear.

The order members were surrounding him in a second, each staring in curiosity, yet still ready to fight. Dumbledore, however, lowered his wand and approached. Irving lowered his shield and the ball closed. He replaced it into his pocket and stood facing Dumbledore.

"This how you welcome all guests, or am I special?" He asked pointedly.

"How nice of you to come," Dumbledore greeted warmly. His eyes sparkling politely as he ignored the fact that Irving had been fired upon. "How was your journey?"

Irving threw the comment aside like the pleasantry it was and removed his coat. He the sandy colored coat over his arm and withdrew Dumbledore's letter. "Shall we just deal with the topic at had, or would you like to dance around it for a while?"

"Merely exchanging greetings," Dumbledore replied lightly, his eyes twinkling and his smile warm. Irving removed his wide-brimmed hat as he waited for the headmaster to continue. "Very well, if you'll come this way," Dumbledore invited, bowing Irving towards his office.

Irving stepped past Harry without giving him a second glance as he followed the headmaster with a glowering Minerva on his heels. Harry dared to follow, but was stopped by Mrs. Weasley, who had tasks for the teenagers to do. When Irving arrived in the office he chose to remain standing and leaned against the wall. Minerva entered behind him and held the door open for Remus. Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk and cast a spell for drinks. Remus was silent as he took a seat in the back of the room and held his questions. Minerva, however, was not as patient and took a seat near the door where she could keep an eye on the newcomer and be fight in the conversation.

Dumbledore offered around the drinks, some kind of cherry wine, and looked to Irving. "Not to start things off with accusations," he began politely enough. "But I do recall you telling me the girl I was looking for was not in attendance to your school. Yet that is where-"

"You kidnapped her from," Irving cut in, his tone matching Dumbledore's in lightness. "Yes, I am the liar, but you lot…" he shook his head. "I had heard such tails of your brilliance, and yet you attack a child and hold her against her will. In a dungeon no less!"

Dumbledore waited patiently, his eyes focused as he listened carefully as if nothing could be more important. When Irving was finished, he said, "So you've spoken to her then?"

It was clear that Irving was trying to control his temper. He seemed angrier that Dumbledore had expected and every gaze he gave was full of accusation and disgust. "Yes," he clarified. "And might I say I do not appreciate you capturing students from LunarEclipse."

"I don't appreciate students at Hogwarts being attack by students at LunarEclipse," Dumbledore replied lightly and with an air of laughter.

"The boy is fine," Irving argued. "She would not have hurt him."

"No, just a friendly little stabbing between two people that don't know each other," Minerva said curtly. "It's all well and good."

Irving glanced at her nonchalantly and shrugged. "It hardly deserved the retaliation it received."

"Moving back to why you told me she did not attend LunarEclipse," Dumbledore steered the debate back on course with an airy tone.

Irving sighed. "I will talk to her again-"

"Talk?" Minerva interrupted. "A simple chat is not enough. That girl is dangerous."

"Please, back to why you did not tell me she was there," said Dumbledore loudly. "When I was there and we might have discussed this without the unpleasant kidnapping."

Irving shook his head. "It is a long story," he turned back to Remus and said, "You already know of the ANGEL project and what I used to do for it."

Remus nodded. "I know the basics."

"Well you should also know that I quit and have been working at LunarEclipse ever since," Irving informed them. "Yes, Nevina is an ANGEL- A rather important one in fact."

Remus stood. "You're telling me the ANGEL program has ANGELs already sent out?"

Irving hesitated. "Not exactly," he said.

"What do you mean?" Dumbledore questioned.

Irving began pacing. "She escaped the lab."

"Excuse me, how do you come into all this," Minerva asked sharply.

"I was her teacher," Irving stated. "I was in charge of-"

"You were Kira's teacher," Remus interrupted lowly. His tone held longing and sadness that answered a lot of Dumbledore's questions as to what Irving did for the ANGEL project. "You helped us get her out of the base."

"Lot of good that did," Irving whispered coldly. "Nevina was different. She wasn't as innocent as Kira was-"

"Was?" Remus stopped him. He had to know. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had always though that Kira had survived somehow and had been taken to the lab. But if she was innocent, not IS innocent then she was… he'd finally have to let her go.

"Yes, was," Irving confirmed, his tone showing he knew what Remus was asking. "She WAS a lot of things. She WAS a blond little girl full of innocence."

"Anyway!" Minerva snapped, seeing the crushed look upon Remus' face. "You were Nevina's teacher…"

"Yes," Irving nodded. "Takai gave me the important ones. I taught her everything I could, but unlike Kira, I did not have her from birth. I got her at the age of 6, and by then a lot of damage had been done. Still, she was just a kid, like any other. That is why I did not tell you she was at the school. She doesn't much listen to me anymore, but I assure you she is not going to kill your students."

"Why do I get the feeling that you are protecting that Demon!" grumbled Minerva. "She is hanging around with Death Eaters and attacking people. Oh and killing them too!"

Irving stopped in his tracks and turned around so he was facing her. "Demon?" His voice was full of shock and confusion. "She is a child, or can't you see that?"

"Child! Some child-"

"It's my fault," breathed Irving, shaking his head.

"What?" Minerva asked.

Irving stared from one face to another, then sighed and took a breath. "Once upon a time...

Flashback

"Irving!" The small girl ran to him, her white hair tied in pigtails and trailing behind her. Her purple eyes were full of fear and her hands were shaking as she grabbed his cloak.

"Nevina, what's wrong?" Irving asked her, startled by the terror in her eyes.

"I have a soul, right!" She pleaded, breathing fast.

"What? What is this about, Nevina?"

"You said that they tried to kill Kira, but could nOt because she had a soul!" Her voice was little above a desperate cry and she tugged at his cloak with each sentence.

"Yes, that's right, but-"

"Do I have a soul!" Her eyes were crying even if no tears fell.

"Nevina?"

"Tell me! Tell me I have a soul! If I do they can not destroy me!" She shuddered and her eyes looked up into his face, full of terror.

"Nevina? What is wrong?" Irving asked slowly, kneeling in front of her.

"That is true, right?" she screamed, her breath coming quick and tightly.

"Y-yes. Kira lived through the black monsters attack because of her innocents and her soul."

"But, if I have a soul they can not destroy me!"

"Nevina... What's the matter?"

"I need to know! Please! I do not want to die!" She admitted, shaking her head fiercely.

"Die? Who said you were going to die?" Irving held her chin and brought her gaze up to him, but before he could speak there was a loud pounding on the door.

"Open the door, Nevina! It's dangerous in there," hissed a voice.

"It will not hurt because I have a soul! It will not hurt, right!" begged Nevina, sobbing dry sobs.

The banging of the door cut through Irving's words. Why were soldiers trying to get into his room and why were they after Nevina? Each bang made her jump and brought her closer to loosing all control and giving in to her fear completely.

"Open the door little girl!" ordered another voice somewhat more kindly, yet his voice was dripping with malice.

"Nevina, what is going on?"

"There are mean!" Nevina shrieked, her voice rising with each word. "They talk sweetly but they kill and they hurt and they murder!"

The door flew open and Nevina pulled on Irving's shirt. "It won't hurt, right!"

The two men grabbed her before Irving could respond. They each had her just above her elbows and drug her backwards. The fear in her tearless eyes was almost unbearable as she fought and twisted and kicked. Irving stood up, following the men, running now. They weren't supposed to do anything to Nevina. Not until she was older!

"Irving!" she cried.

"Nevina! No!" Irving called after her. The men moved into a security chamber and the thick glass doors snapped shut behind them. Irving pounded his fists on it, though he did not dare enter. They carried Nevina through the hallway and through the steel doors on the other side as she kicked and fought.

The two men carried her through the security chamber, the thick glass doors close. Irving pounds his fist against it as the small girl is carried from his sight, kicking and fighting and screaming his name.

end of flashback

"And I just... stood there. I figured there was nothing I could do for her, so I just stood there and let them destroy her. She was just a scared child, and I did nothing," Irving explained. "She can't trust me now, because I let them take her into that hell."

"That was a long time ago-" Minerva started, feeling somewhat sympathetic for the man who seemed so upset by his mistake, yet still feeling cross towards Nevina. The girl was psychotic and needed to be taught a lesson.

"Don't say she should move on! Don't you dare. You have no idea what they did to her," Irving looked at Minerva, his eyes cold and icy. "They took a child, and turned her into nothing better then an ultimate weapon. They drove into her mind that she was nothing worth caring about. They did it in a week! They destroyed her in a week! That's how hard it was!"

"So, why do you bother trying to protect her?" asked Dumbledore, fingers linked as he listened.

Irving turned to him as if just now realizing someone else was in the room. "Because I can't," he admitted. "I left when I thought she was beyond my reach."

"Yet, here she is. And we need to know how to stop her," Minerva reminded him. "But you're prepared to let her have her way."

"Her torture lasted up until she was level ten," Irving sniped at her. "Then they decided to kill her. I quit after they did. The last thing I saw while I was there was when I went to the place they had put her body. I was only allowed in once they were sure she was dead. I watched them take her into the room where they put the corpses," he shuddered and his voice broke.

"I knew she was still alive, but you really couldn't count it as alive. She was fighting, but... it was no use. So I left. I thought she was dead until two years year later a ghost showed up. Walking through the halls. I knew it was her... but she didn't remember me. Every night she'd toss and turn and hear Takai's voice in her head. She'd fight it, but that was why she never forgot that she was made to kill. Because he reminded her every time she closed her eyes. He destroyed her in everyway he could," Irving paused to emphasize his point. "Yet, somehow, that little girl maintained her heart. She may be a bit... rough... and unquestionably sarcastic at times. But she'd do anything for her friends and she watches over every student at the school. So don't go calling her a demon. You don't know her."

"If she believes she is nothing, then why do you think she maintained her heart?" asked Minerva, curtly.

Irving smiled. "I am nothing, except what I make of myself," he whispered.

"What?" Minerva asked, leaning closer so she could hear him.

Irving beamed with pride as he recalled the memory. "That is what she told me. 'I am nothing, except what I make of myself. They can't take that away from me.' She told me that, and it's true. She holds on to everything she's got, and that, to her, is something."

"So, you're saying that this lab made de-" Minerva took a breath. "This lab made child. Was tortured to the point of madness, then nearly killed, then awoke and is roaming the streets. Thank you, I feel better now."

"Can she be saved? In your opinion," Dumbledore questioned.

"Saved?" Irving stared at him. He looked down momentarily, then, in a voice just above a whisper he said, "No."

"So why are you protecting her!" Minerva demanded.

"Madam, are you suggesting that I turn my back on her? How often do you turn you back on a tortured soul? Nevina is beautiful, even if you can't see it."

"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked.

"She's a sweetheart once you get to know her," Irving stated. "She probably doesn't even understand that you are all afraid of her." When Minerva's skeptical look did not change he decided to go for another approach. "How often do you think that little 'time bomb' could have killed you?" he questioned.

Minerva was silent for a while. "...Do you think she would?"

"Nah," Irving smiled, "She's got bigger problems."

"If she's as troubled as you say, then how do we stop her?" Minerva asked.

"Mind you, we mean her no harm at this moment. Playing into her fears enough to find out about her is enough," Dumbledore added.

"Nevina has one fear that runs deeper then anything you can imagine. It's the only threat that would force her to obey."

"What is it? Maybe we can use it against her," Minerva stated.

"... No," Irving shook his head. "Her greatest fear is death."

"She doesn't seem too afraid of that. If she was she'd be more careful!" Hermione stated as she strode into the room. "Sorry professor, but every year ore things are hidden from us and more security is put into place but all that does is mess everything up."

"She's brave. You have no idea how much. But you see... Nevina knows that if she dies... it's over-"

"Same for everyone!" Ron snapped, following Hermione into the room. Irving's mind traveled to how amusing Nevina would have found their entrances.

"No... she's... immortal... if she did die... then her soul would... die too. No memories, no anything, she would cease to exist" He stated.

"I don't understand," Harry stated; you know he came in the room. It's a party, yay! Now the main character is here! "If she's immortal, how could she ever die?"

"... Ghosts... reincarnation... astral plain …heaven... hell, in some cases. Most of us have some belief that when we die our souls go somewhere. However, when Nevina dies... her mind, her soul, her essence... are gone..."

"...You mean like being reborn?... Or having a second life when you can't remember the first?" Ron offered.

"No, good scenario is she wakes up in a world of dark nothingness, but she can think. She's alone, but her ideas, ambitions and personality, are still there. Better case scenario, Takai takes that soul and puts it in a pet or something as he'd never put it back into a human. Anyway... that's the best case scenario. But that's life as a pet..."

"So if she did die... she looses everything?" Harry asked.

"Yes, that is why I told her they couldn't hurt her as long as she had a soul. I always told her I'd find a place for her soul if she ever died. Of, if she died then I'd take her away from the lab and burry her so she would have some piece, even if it was inside a decaying corpse. However, she saw through my lie as she got older. But why should she care? She's an angel, and angel's can't die."

"Are you serious that she is immortal?" Hermione asked with a skeptical look on her face.

"Have you killed an angel? I'm as serious as there are clouds in the sky. I helped make her that way."

"Her spell-ashes to ashes- I've never heard of something like that before," Dumbledore stated, feeling it was best to keep the conversation flowing away from the lab and Kira.

"That's because it's special," Irving explained. "The Volucris used them all the time. They are a way of channeling your spells... a way of making it more... personal."

"You mean stronger?"

"Yes," Irving looked at the three teens, at Dumbledore, and then at Minerva and Remus. He laughed, "She's not as strong as she acts."

"What?" Again, Minerva asked. "That 'child' seemed pretty vicious to me."

"Nevina? She's kitten, a lot of hiss, but tinny little claws," Irving stated, playing towards her nickname at the restaurant she worked at.

"I don't get it," Hermione stated.

"What spells did she use?"

"Fire, an explosion, levitation, invisibility-" Hermione recalled.

"The explosion was a prank that Kaida and her made," Irving informed her. "She floats naturally and she can't turn invisible, she's just really good at going unnoticed. As for the fire spell, you probably scared her."

"Scared her!" Hermione and Minerva chorused.

"Yes- That fire can be easily put out; she just uses it as a shield... She can make it powerful, it does react to her emotions, but there are consequences to using such a powerful spell. She'd have been hurt and you would have caught her, that wouldn't have helped her," he turned around and looked at them all. "You seem to believe she's a psychotic animal that has escaped its cage."

"That's what it sounds like," Minerva admitted.

"Ah ha! So she was right," Irving smiled to himself.

"What?"

"What solution do you want? Return her to the cage? Lock her in a new one? That won't work. You'd h-"

"Have to kill her, we know," Harry stated, glumly.

"So what are you going to do?" Irving asked. He was met by silence. There really was nothing else to do. She refused to be captured but they did not want to kill her exactly.

"That's what I thought," Irving turned around and headed out of the castle. He didn't look back and his pace made it obvious that he didn't want help getting a ride.

He paused as he opened one of the double doors to the castle, then shook his head and strode out. The wind blew sharply around him so he pulled his coat up and stuffed his hands in his pockets. The soft crunch of the snow and the light whistle of the wind was the only sound as the snow protested his weight upon it. Irving breathed in the cold air as he walked along an invisible path that would lead him to the main gate. He knew that back in the castle there was a discussion going on. What to do with the ANGEL. They thought of her as... he shook his head. The gate opened as he approached and without even a glance back at the castle, he stepped out. He walked a few paces and looked out.

The blinding white show was everywhere around him and the trees and plants poked through the white powder as beacons of hope that life still existed in this frozen world of ice. Then he saw exactly what he'd expected. About fifteen feet in front of him was a spot of black against the snow. Hidden from view, almost, except he'd known it would be there so he knew where to look. She stood, unmoving, waiting for him. They knew each other too well.

She was dressed in all black, another outfit Madison had made. The gloves went up just above her elbows and her trench coat's sleeves stopped an inch before the gloves. The trench split and revealed a black skirt and boots that stopped an inch before the skirt. Her hair was billowed in the wind, a black bow acting as a head band. Her arms were crossed and her eyes stared back at him with no emotion.

"Hello, Nevina," Irving greeted the dangerous, psychotic weapon. "I expected you to show up a few minutes ago, or wasn't it you who opened the gate?"

Nevina pushed herself away from the rock she was leaning against. "Tell me the truth..."

"And I'll tell you a lie," Irving responded and stared down at her. "Show me the truth..."

"All you'll see is the lie," Nevina met his gaze.

"Accept the truth."

"And you'll enter the nightmare."

"With nothing but your own sanity, which you can lose. The only way through is to accept what you truly know, and use that to drive away the fear."

"But you have to be able to adapt, for what you 'know' can be wrong."

A silence erupted between them as the familiar saying ended. Then Irving looked down at her and shook his head. "You were right."

"I know. What did you tell them?" Nevina answered robotically.

Irving stared down at the ground and then approached the psychotic killer. "The truth, Nevina. I told them the truth. I can't let them call you a demon."

"Why not? It is what I was made to be-"

"But it is not true." He stared at her, knowing he was venturing onto territory they had wordlessly agreed never to speak of again. Nevina shook her head.

"...You came willingly in order to find a solution. What did you get?"

"...You were right," Irving repeated. "I can't stop you... all I can say is… be careful."

"If all goes according to plan, then I won't have to."

"Right now you have them convinced that you are a psychotic killer, thirsty for blood."

"And you would prove otherwise?"

"They refuse to believe anything that I tell them."

"That is for the best," Nevina intoned as she turned and trailing off. "I'm going to visit the rest. I shall see you later tonight."

"Nevina!" Irving called after her.

She stopped and looked back at him. "Relax. They couldn't catch me if they tried."

"You're forgetting-"

"That was a fluke. I'll be ready next time."