"You utter bastard!" Rieka shouted as she stormed into the Headmaster's office; her hair whipping around her head wildly as her magic reacted physically to her emotions.

The man she had come to see sat calmly behind his desk, a quill in his hand as he wrote something down on some parchment, not even glancing at the irate Ravenclaw.

"You. Will. Look. At. Me!" the witch all but growled out as she made a gesture with her hand, causing the parchment that the Headmaster had been writing on to burst into flames.

Dumbledore sighed as he swept a lazy hand over the burning parchment and it disappeared before he finally looked up to Rieka. "Miss Lestari, what can I do for you?" he asked, though his manner only had the witch's temper rising.

"You know full well why I am here, Headmaster," the red head spat his title like it was something foul as her expression twisted in both hatred and disgust, "How dare you order him to kill you because you couldn't keep your thrice damned curiosity to yourself!"

"Miss Lestari," the Headmaster warned, but she was far too gone in her rage to heed his tone.

"Don't you 'Miss Lestari' me, you conniving old man!" she snapped, her magic crackling around her, "My father has done everything you have asked of him, but you've taken this too far. I won't let you damn hi-"

"Enough!" Dumbledore bellowed as he stood up, his eyes hard as he glared at Rieka, "You speak of things you do not understand, child. What your father and I have agreed upon is none of your concern, nor business. He took that vow long before you were born, and you have stepped way out of line. Now, I ask that you leave my office at once."

Instead of listening to the Headmaster, ignoring that part of her that was screaming at her to leave, Rieka's eyes narrowed. "That vow he took?" Her laugh was bitter, "You forced him to take that to protect your precious lambs; playing it up that you didn't want you poor little wolfy to be condemned for being exactly what he was. A werewolf. You let him run free on the full moons around a school full of children. Children who just happened to know how to get passed the wards placed around that decrepit shack and let that thing roam free on the grounds."

Her face darkened at Dumbledore's brief look of surprise, and the smile that twisted her lips was dark. "My father didn't need to tell me, Headmaster," she sneered as if she was reading his mind, "He couldn't. Per your vow. But he is my father, and I know what you did to him the moment his mark burned into my skin." She drew the sleeve of her robes on her right arm and dropped the glamour that she kept upon it, revealing the mark that had appeared on her flesh the moment she had become Rieka Snape.

"You protected that gang of rampaging lunatics. Protected Black, even though he set my father up to die. And now you ask him to kill you in the name of the Greater Good." Rieka was breathing heavily by the end of her rant, her chest rising and falling quickly as she glared darkly at the Headmaster. "I hope your soul burns for eternity, Albus," she spat before turning on her heel and storming out of his office, the door slamming closed behind her and leaving the Headmaster to stare after her, wondering if he had made the right decision in performing their adoption in the first place.


The Doctor frowned when he realised his Nesdra hadn't moved, her eyes unfocused as a slight breeze started to blow through the kitchen. The TARDIS let out a concerned hum as he stood back up, his own concern written all over his face when he called her name and she didn't even twitch.

His mind took him back to Downing Street as he slowly, though carefully took a step towards her, remembering that she had a similar episode when Rose had stated her opinion on human life. As he stepped up beside her, he cautiously reached out to her face; gently turning her head so she was looking at him.

"Aries, it's okay," he soothed quietly, feeling her tremble as the breeze picked up. And just like he had done at Downing Street, the Time Lord dropped his hand from her cheek and grasped onto her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers and forcing her fist to unclench.

He didn't say anything else, nor did he know how much time had passed as they stood their in silence, hoping that his Nesdra would come back from wherever her mind had taken her. Though the Doctor was confused and worried, as unlike the last time he had seen Rieka like this, he had no idea as to what had caused her to return to such a state.

It was only a few minutes later, but eventually the Doctor felt Rieka's hand tighten around his and he immediately relaxed his grip, knowing what was about to happen. And just as he predicted, Rieka's whole body went rigid as she blinked, returning to herself. Her eyebrows furrowed when she realised that the Doctor was standing beside her, and as she looked down, confusion flickered across her face when she found that their hands were intertwined.

"Sorry, I, uh," Rieka cleared her throat as she quickly let the Doctor's hand go, taking a step back and ignoring how his touch seemed to linger on her skin. His scent tickled her nose and she was once again overwhelmed with a feeling of familiarity, but quickly pushed it aside as she tried to get her mind back into order.

"It's fine, Aries," the Doctor told her with a small smile, letting her recollect herself as he looked to the table. "Why don't we eat before it gets cold," he suggested, dismissing his own curiosity for the time being as he moved to pull out Rieka's chair for her.

The red head frowned slightly at his action before slowly nodding. "I, um... thanks," she said as she took her seat, glancing at the Doctor as he moved back to his own seat across from her. She picked up her fork and dropped her gaze to her plate, no longer as hungry as she had first been when she had entered the room and moved some food around with her fork.

When she glanced up to the Time Lord again after a few minutes passed, wondering why he wasn't questioning her about what had just happened, knowing that anybody would have been if they were in his place, Rieka flushed slightly when she found that he was watching her with a raised eyebrow. She quickly looked back to her plate and pierced a carrot and promptly put it in her mouth, her blush growing as the Doctor chuckled at her action.

She missed his smile, though it was still tinged with worry as he started on his own plate, silently marvelling at how natural it felt to be sharing an unexpected meal with his Nesdra.


"Doctor?" Rose called as she walked down another corridor in the TARDIS, looking for the Time Lord.

She knew that he had returned to the ship not long after she had left the console room, but that had been over twenty minutes ago. The blonde had been rather hopeful that the Doctor would drop Rieka off the moment he had returned, but it was as if both had just up and disappeared.

A frown appeared on Rose's lips when she heard voices and turned down the corridor that they were coming from, only for her frown to deepen when she realised that the voices were coming from the kitchen.


Inside the kitchen, the awkward tension that had been present at the beginning of their meal had slowly faded as the Doctor and Rieka silently enjoyed the other's company.

"How did you get this tea?" Rieka asked after a while, chancing a glance at the Time Lord as she placed her cup back on the table. She was enjoying the taste and feel of the tea as it warmed her stomach and helped calm her nerves. She was still surprised that he hadn't questioned her about what had occurred earlier, though she had the suspicious feeling that he was waiting for her to bring it up. Rieka wasn't certain she was comfortable to do so, however, knowing that it would only end up leading to more questions that she was certain she wasn't ready to answer yet – if at all.

The Doctor looked to her with a small grin. "Actually, I didn't. It was the TARDIS," he admitted, nodding to the wall of the kitchen as the TARDIS let out an affirmative hum, an echo of it buzzing in the back of Rieka's mind.

"She did?" the red head questioned in surprise before shaking her head, realising that she shouldn't have been surprised. Even Hogwarts had the ability to know what someone wanted – provided they knew how to ask – so it didn't seem as far-fetched that a sentient space/time machine would be similar in that regard.

"What?" the Doctor asked curiously, an eyebrow raised slightly at her expression.

"Oh, it's just..." Rieka looked to her cup of tea, cradling it between her hands as she tried to find the right words. "It shouldn't have surprised me that she would do something like that, is all," she glanced to the Doctor, a smile twisting the corner of her lip upwards, "She is sentient after all," she added, her smile growing as a small breeze blew through her hair and the buzzing in her mind turned warm and comforting.

Both of the Doctor's eyebrows raised with his curiosity, but before he could question Rieka as to what she had meant, knowing that there was something she wasn't telling him, a voice spoke up behind him and he couldn't stop from scowling the moment he noticed his Nesdra's demeanour become less relaxed and immediately guarded as he turned to his companion.

"There you are," Rose said as she stepped into the kitchen, though she paused and glowered when she noticed that the Doctor wasn't alone, and that they were eating... without her! "I thought she was going home," she stated, shooting the red head a dirty look.

The Doctor opened his mouth to say something in response to his companion's words, but was cut off when Rieka suddenly stood up, her chair screeching against the floor as it was forcibly pushed away from her.

"I don't know if you ever finished school, Rose Tyler," the red head said as she levelled her gaze at the blonde, having enough of the other woman's attitude, "But most people already know by their first year that others do, in fact, have a name. Mine, if you have forgotten, is Aries. I do not know why you seem to have a problem with me, and quite frankly, I've given up caring. But you blatant lack of disrespect towards another, let alone an elder, is disgusting and rather unbecoming of a young lady your age."

The Doctor's eyebrows had almost reached his hairline by the time Rieka had finished, unable to look away from her. All the while, Rose looked rather taken aback, turning to the Doctor for help, though found that she wasn't going to be getting any help from him since that it was 'Aries' that had spoken to her like that.

Rieka looked to the Doctor, her expression softening slightly. "I'm sorry, but I'm suddenly feeling rather tired. If you'll excuse me, I think I might retire." Her eyebrows creased ever so slightly as something hit her and she added, "Is there anywhere that I might be able to rest?"

The Doctor blinked as he processed his Nesdra's sudden shift in mood, nodding as he realised that he would be having a few words with his companion at ruining Rieka's evening. They had just started to get along, and the Doctor didn't think he'd had ever thought he would get to see such a different side to his Nesdra before his companion had to ruin everything. "Sure," he said, "I can show you if you like. I'm sure the TARDIS has a room already prepared for you," he continued as he stood up.

"No," the red head shook her head, "I wouldn't want to trouble you. I'm sure that your ship can show me where it is."

Before he could stop her, Rieka was already heading out the door, sidestepping around Rose who was still glaring at her. The moment the door slid shut behind her, the Time Lord turned his gaze onto his companion.

"I think we need to talk."


As Rieka walked down the corridor, following the guiding, flickering lights on the walls that she had been informed would lead her to a place where she could rest, the red head couldn't help but sigh as her thoughts wandered.

As much as she found she actually enjoyed the short meal with the Doctor, finding it far more pleasant that what she had first assumed it would have been like, Rieka really didn't want to hang around his companion any more than necessary. It was clear to her that Rose didn't want her there, even if the Doctor had shown otherwise, and the witch wondered if it had been such a good idea for her to have agreed to travel with them.

Even if it had only been for one trip.

Turning down another corridor, following the lights, she found her mind reflecting back to the beginning of her day and how so much had happened in such a short amount of time. As well as how much she had learnt. Had she known earlier about what the Doctor had gone through, Rieka knew that she wouldn't have said what she had, even though it doesn't excuse her words and she winced as they replayed in her mind.

To tell him that he was just like everyone else had been a lie, even without knowing him, and she felt that the words had been unforgivable, having no idea where those words had come from. She didn't even know why she had gotten so angry with him and was rather ashamed by her actions. She wanted to say that she had been jealous. That the Doctor had taken Rose back to see her father, knowing that there was no way that she could never see her own father again, but it would have been a lie as well.

Ever since she had met the Doctor all those years ago, there had always been something different about him. Something that had drawn her to him and it had scared her at first. She had tried to brush it off as simple curiosity over the years; someone new and unknown that had perked her interest.

But that had been a lie as well.

The way his hand felt around hers... how his touch always seemed to linger upon her skin, and the way she felt its loss... the coldness she would feel when he would unwrap his arm from around her shoulders was far colder than what it would have been if he had left them... the way she desired to have his warmth return, and the urge that always pulled at her to grab his hand in a form of comfort when she knew that something was troubling him...

Rieka wasn't as naïve as she had been during the Blitz, and although she had never had the urge to go out and find a partner before, she understood what her feelings meant. And she knew that it just had to be her luck that out of everyone in this universe and old, she had to go and fall for the most unexpected and unlikeliest person out there.

Time traveller...

Last of his kind...

Alien.

The witch let out a huff of air before shaking her head, trying to move her thoughts away from that train wreck. She may have come to realise that she felt something for the Doctor, but she knew that it never meant that he would feel the same. How many people did he meet during his travels that have probably tried to catch his eye; possibly even trying to sway him to stay? How was it even fair to the Doctor to even think of wanting to ask him to stay when he had all of time and space to traverse?

And besides, Rieka thought with a quiet sigh as she came to a stop before a plain door, He's nine centuries. Probably sees us all as children blundering through the universe and having to always save ourselves from ourselves.

She entered the room, barely even noticing that it was completely bare apart from a bed, desk and chair. There was another door across from the entry that she could see led to a bathroom. Rieka headed straight for the bed, suddenly feeling more tired and morose than she had first thought and collapsed onto the bed, barely finding the energy to kick off her shoes and roll out of her coat before curling up on top of the blankets, not even trying to bother to get under them.

As her eyes closed, her hand found her crystalised pendant and she clutched it tightly. "I miss you," she whispered as she started to drift off to sleep.


Walking along the corridors as she headed towards Ravenclaw tower, Rieka paused when she noticed Professor Lupin walking in the hallway ahead, looking rather pale and his steps hurried.

"Professor?" she called out to the man, but he didn't stop. In fact Rieka noticed that his pace had quickened.

Her eyebrows knitted together, unsure as to what she should do. It was a full moon and the witch knew that even with his potion, Professor Lupin shouldn't have been traversing around the castle. Why Dumbledore had thought it sensible to allow a werewolf back onto school grounds, let alone teaching students mystified Rieka. More so when the Headmaster had given the Defence Against the Dark Arts position to the werewolf.

She moved to follow after him, but stopped; her expression conflicted as she tried to figure out the best course of action. If it had been any other Professor, she would have tried to sneak off without being seen as it was after curfew, but Professor Lupin was a werewolf, and it was a full moon.

Knowing that it was best to inform her father as to what she was doing, not wanting to come face to face with an actual werewolf alone, Rieka sent out her patronus to alert him. The tip of her wand lit up with a brilliant white glow before a silver, misty wolf burst from it and bounded down the hallway, heading to wherever her father was at that moment with her message ready to deliver.

The moment her patronus had disappeared, Rieka swallowed before she headed in the direction she had seen Professor Lupin go in. She placed her wand in her palm and muttered, "Point me," when she came to a convergence in the corridor, knowing that it was the best way to track the wayward Professor. And as she turned left, following her wands direction, she couldn't help but wonder why the Professor hadn't locked himself away for the night.

Potion or not, he was still a dangerous, infectious beast three nights of the month, and from what Rieka could gauge from the memories of her father, letting his more furrier side out while Sirius Black was on the loose was only asking for trouble.

Rieka had barely made it to the doors leading out of the castle when she was stopped by a familiar voice behind her.

"Miss Lestari," Professor Snape's voice slice through the silence like a knife through warm butter and Rieka had to stifle a smile as she turned towards him, a brief flicker of relief skittering across her face at the comforting sight of her father.

"Professor," she replied, "I was just..." Rieka trailed off when her father's posture changed, his eyes drifting past her before they narrowed.

"I believe that the Headmaster is waiting to see you, Miss Lestari," he stated as he walked towards the doors. He paused as he passed and glanced at her, "I do hope you know what might happen if you keep him waiting?"

Rieka nodded quickly before she scampered off towards the Headmaster's office, knowing that he needed to know about Professor Lupin. She stopped as she heard the doors close behind her father and glanced behind her, hoping that he was going to be okay before she continued on her way.


"I swear, these students are finding more ways to show their stupidity as the years pass," Severus stated with a scowl as he continued to mark some possibly highly atrocious assignments; his quill flying over the parchment as his expression seemed to get darker and darker the further his progressed. When he was finished, he dropped his quill and pinched his nose, letting out a huff of air.

He opened an eye, glancing at Rieka before he asked, "How is your potion coming along?" he queried, his hand dropping as he stood up from his desk and moving around his desk.

Rieka blinked and looked down to the cauldron in front of her, only to blink again when she found a potion that had a beautiful mother-of-pearl sheen already finished and half bottled; steam rising from the leftover potion in characteristic swirls. "Just bottling it up now," she told him as she put a stopper in the vial she was holding, rather glad that her father had warded the room to expel the potions fumes.

There was no way that Rieka wanted her father to see her under the effects of the worlds strongest potion, and the mere thought had her wanting to vomit.

Severus nodded as he came over to inspect her work, picking up one of the vials she had already filled. "And what does it smell like?" he asked, not looking away from the vial he was inspecting, but Rieka swore that she saw his lip quirk upwards a fraction in supressed humour.

The witch found her cheeks warming without her permission as she begun to fill the next beaker that was to be left for Slughorn, trying not to think of the potions' smell. For Rieka, the smell of Amortentia confused her, knowing that it was supposed to produce a scent that was unique to each individual person; something that was the representation of what that person truly desired in their life-partner. But for Rieka, the scent always seemed to be changing.

"I'm... unsure," she admitted when Severus turned to her, a raven eyebrow quirking. Her own eyebrows knitted together as she placed the now filled beaker on the bench beside her. "It changes, like... I don't know," she huffed, blowing a short strand of her hair away from her face before quickly tucking it behind her ear with a wandless, non-verbal sticking charm.

"Hrn?"

"It always seems to smell of old books, some sort of muggle engine oil, and something else like sweet electricity; almost like what I smell whenever I use my time-turner," her eyebrows furrowed further, "But there's another scent. It keeps changing. At first I thought it was sugar, like those old confectioneries that the muggles have that are shaped like little people, but then the next moment it smelt of, well... celery of all things."

Her shoulders slumped as she got a whiff of it now, and realised that it had changed once more. "Maybe I brewed it wrong," she muttered as she looked hopelessly towards her father, only to earn herself a snort from the dark wizard.

"I've spent long enough teaching you to know that if you were to have brewed this wrong," he held the vial towards Rieka and she took it off him, "That the Mastery you have almost finished would have been a terrible waste of not only my time, but yours as well." His face softened and he shook his head, "Do not doubt yourself, Rie."

The red-headed witch nodded and turned back to the rest of the potion, inhaling deeply as she tried to work out what the scent had changed to now. It reminded her of her father's old leather jacket that she had once found stashed away in the back of one of his cupboards and her eyebrows furrowed once more as there was something about the scent that tugged at the back of her mind.

She should know what that scent was... Rieka found that she couldn't remember why.


"Rieka, wait up!" an annoying voice bellowed as the red head in question quickly made her way towards the Great Hall, trying to ignore the three sets of footsteps she could hear following her. "I swear I didn't mean it!"

Her lip curled into a sneer, though she made no inclination to stop walking. There was no way that Rieka wanted anything to do with the 'Golden Trio' after what that damnable weasel had tried to do. She was afraid she might get expelled for killing a fellow student.

Did he really think that she was that stupid? That she wouldn't be able to notice when her food had been tampered with?

Someone grabbed her arm roughly, causing Rieka to come to a sudden halt before spinning to face them, her wand appearing in her hand and already had the tip pointed at the persons' throat. Weasley's eyes were wide with alarm and surprise at her quick reflexes and he swallowed heavily, feeling the tip of Rieka's wand against his throat. Potter and Granger skidded to a stop behind him, their mouths snapping shut when Rieka shot them a look that told them to stay silent.

"You are a despicable, disgusting and downright disgraceful excuse of a human being, Ronald Weasley," she hissed through clenched teeth, her knuckles white around her wand, "Let alone a wizard. You would dare try to drug me and then wave it off like it was nothing. Not even having the balls to try and apologise." Rieka's gaze flickered to the wizard's two friends when she heard a sharp intake of breath and found them staring at her like deer caught in headlights. "Did you believe that I wouldn't know what a love potion smelt like?" she continued, turning her gaze back onto the pathetic wizard in front of her, "That I wouldn't think to check something that was clearly labelled from your brothers' joke shop?"

"It was only a joke," Weasley stammered, his freckles sticking out horribly against his pale features, "Just thought you needed to lighten up a bit. You're worse than 'Mione, always with your head stuck in a bo-"

If it was at all possible, Rieka's expression darkened even further as the tip of her wand pressed harder against the wizard's throat and successfully cutting off whatever rubbish he had been spouting. "So, you thought that dosing me with a potion would make me lighten up? That I would pull my head from my studies and get a life?" she asked, her tone almost murderous.

From the corner of her eye, Rieka could see Granger and Potter turn their heads towards their mate, their expressions quickly morphing from shock to disbelief and anger.

A smirk tried to make its appearance on Rieka's lips as she decided to help Weasley dig his own grave. "Do they know who you tried to 'help' me get a life with?" she asked, nodding in the direction of the others, "That you used the love potion as a way to get rid of your stupid competition? Does Granger know the real reason McLaggen had suddenly decided to leave her alone? That you promised him an 'in' with someone who supposedly needs to get a life?"

"Ronald!" Granger exclaimed; her face contorted in rage as she glared at her supposed friend.

Before any more words could be said from any of them, which was possibly the only thing that saved Weasley's life that day, was when Rieka's wand suddenly went flying from her hand, and the witch dropped her hand as she felt the warm, comforting presence of her father brush against her mind, letting her know that he was there.

"Is there a reason why you four are holding up the corridor and not in the Great Hall enjoying your breakfast before classes begin?" Professor Snape asked as he stepped into view, his obsidian gaze locked onto Weasley before they flickered to Potter and Granger, all who had turned pale at the presence of the Potions Master.

And if anyone saw the tension in Rieka's shoulders fade in his presence, no one said anything.


Rieka circled above the grounds of Hogwarts, searching for any sign of her father. Her keen, owl vision missed nothing, and as she glided over the Whomping Willow, the animagus found it rather odd that the tree looked suspiciously motionless.

She had gone immediately to the Headmaster's office to inform him of Professor Lupin being out on the grounds, only to have been hit with a feeling of dread that only grew the longer she spoke with Dumbledore. The Headmaster must have noticed her distress, for he had cut her off and told her that she needed to find them; but only to observe until he got there and to not give herself away.

The witch had no idea what the Headmaster was doing, but as she banked and turned back to the Willow, Rieka just hoped that he would appear soon. Movement at the base of the Willow caught her eye, and she glided once more silently overhead as she watched in utter disbelief as Professor Lupin and Sirius Black scrambled out of the hidden entrance that led to the Shrieking Shack.

But if that wasn't enough, along with them stumbled the Golden Trio, along with non-other than... Peter Pettigrew?

What in Salazar's name is going on? Rieka thought as she saw Professor Lupin aiming his wand at Pettigrew, Potter and Black moving off as they chatted away quietly amongst themselves. And where is my father?

"Harry!" Granger's call had Rieka looking at her, and she watched as the bushy-haired witch pointed towards the full moon that lit up the night sky, drawing everyone's attention to it. Rieka's eyes managed to grow even wider as realisation slammed into her and she jerked in the air as her head snapped towards Professor Lupin.

Without even thinking, she tucked her wings and dived, heading straight for the werewolf as Black quickly approached the already changing Professor. Letting out a piercing screech, talons outstretched – Rieka tried to use her momentum to force the Professor back, causing Sirius to duck less he be hit as well. The man seemed smart enough to ignore her as she circled back around, intent on going in for another attack as she watched Black try to get Professor Lupin to listen to him, only for Rieka to spot something else.

In all the commotion that Professor Lupin was causing, Pettigrew managed to pick up the wand that the werewolf had dropped and aimed it at the still-shifting Professor and Black, but the moment he did so, it vanished from his hand as a black owl shot passed him like a rocket, the wand clutched tightly in Rieka's talons as she just managed to avoid Potter's disarming spell.

As she circled back over the Willow for the fourth time, wondering quite worriedly where her father was, the animagus realised that Pettigrew was no longer there, all the while Black continued to try and talk some sense into his old school friend. The Professor let out a shout that was half howl, half scream as the shift finally took him, his voice changing to become deeper and almost a growl by the end. Rieka watched as Black still refused to let the Professor go, almost as if he was trying to hold back the mans' change with sheer will alone as he hugged the werewolf in a bearhug, shouting at the trio to run.

His efforts were for naught, however, as the now fully shifted werewolf tossed him aside like he was nothing but a rag doll, and much to Rieka's horror and disbelief, she spotted the trio slowly stop as Granger told them to wait. Does she have a bloody death wish? Rieka wanted to shout as she watched the younger witch approach the werewolf, calling out the Professor's name as she did so.

And then Rieka felt as though her blood went cold as the werewolf tipped back its head and howled, the wand in her grasp slipping as she stared at the beast that had once been her Professor; her wings barely keeping her airborne.

Movement and a familiar mental presence jostled the animagus from her thoughts, and she almost let out a chirp in delight when she saw her father making it out from the Willow's hidden entrance. Although her delight was short lived when she realised that something was wrong. He didn't even seem to realise that there was a werewolf present as he headed straight for the trio.

Father, no! she called out to him as she dived, the need to protect her father overwhelming her fear of the beast that threatened him.

Severus looked up, his eyes widening as Rieka shot passed overhead and he spun on the spot as he heard her angry screech mingle with a snapping growl. "Nox!" he shouted as he watched her attempt to fend of the beast, but she ignored him.

She was wrath incarnate as she attacked anything she could reach; her talons shredding and gouging into the werewolf's flesh as her razor sharp beak tore at its ears and muzzle. Rieka let out a squawk as she was suddenly thrown off balance as the beast was hit in the side by Black; the man having taken on his own animagus form to try and stop his friend.

But Professor Lupin wasn't home right now.

"Nox, inform the Headmaster!" she heard her father shout as she tried to regain her senses, though everything seemed to be blurry and out of focus. She managed to gain some altitude, however when she looked back down to the scene below, Rieka grew confused. Her confusion only continued to grow as she suddenly dived, dodging a beam of blue light that missed her, and she gave a squawk of surprise when she suddenly found herself surrounded by rubble and debris. Smoke and ash filled the air as more beams of light flashed in the dusty, dark air around her.

What the...? the witch thought as she flapped her wings, her eyes darting this way and that as she tried to understand what she was seeing. People were fleeing below, some with children, others alone, but Rieka could feel their fear as they fled. It occurred to her that she had no idea as to what they were running from, only to feel as though the wind had been knocked from her as an all too familiar voice screeched through the air.

"Exterminate!"

The witch suddenly found herself falling, having shifted forms without even being aware she had done so, landing on the ground below with a 'thump'. She groaned, brushing her red locks from her face as she looked around, slowly getting to her feet as she did so. As she turned around, a scream almost escaped her lips when she found herself face to face with an older man with piercing brown eyes, a futuristic gun in his hands as he looked at her... through her.

Rieka frowned as she stepped to the side, finding that the man hadn't been looking at her. In fact she assumed that he probably had no idea that she was there, and she turned to see what he was staring at.

Her face went pale and her heart begun to pound in her chest as her eyes landed on a lone wall that was somehow still standing amongst the rubble. There were tow words that had been written in the stone, and the red head swallowed as she turned back to the man, only to frown when she found that he was no longer there.

Turning her gaze back to the wall, Rieka didn't know what to do as she stared at her past.

A name that she had hoped to bury.

Wolf Eternal.