I hope you all started the year nicely ;) Sorry I didn't post this sooner, I start questioning myself and there's no stopping me.

Also, I should probaby stop promising to update as soon as possible because I end up doing exactly the contrary. Haha

Anyways, hope you enjoy.


Their Defence meeting carried on with less enthusiasm this time, it seemed as if half of them expected to be taught some over the top amazing magic in their first week, even though most couldn't even stun properly.It made for an interesting, rather frustrating experience.

It was halfway through practice when slight pain started in his scar like a needle pinching him in his forehead. He stayed still as much as possible, avoiding talk or movements, it had increased slightly as minutes went on and he couldn't wish for the end of their class to come faster.

He turned to tell his friends what was happening to him, since the room had been cleared and cursed silently as he saw, he wasn't precisely alone.

His friends were nowhere to be found, but Cho was standing there fidgeting and looking at him.

'Fuck, not now', He thought, wishing this wasn't what he suspected.

"You really are a good teacher, Harry... I have never stunned something before." She said smiling softly.

"Um...You're doing great, I'm sorry have you seen Ron and Hermione by any chance?" He asked trying and failing to seem as friendly as possible, because the girl grimaced and he could tell she wasn't exactly pleased he wasn't paying attention.

"Right, ... Hermione,... Well she left with Ron, so..."

He tried to think of something to say, but the pain had subsided long ago and it only made him restless and worried.

"Do you think this really would help us, if we're ... Attacked I mean?" The question took him off guard and this time he did pay attention.

"Every little bit helps" he replied, his confusion must have been very clear because she continued.

"My mom.. she works at the Ministry and she said there's been attacks everywhere and disappearances ... It's terrifying... to think some people just don't want to believe you... I mean after everything you've been through."

Her eyes glistened dangerously and he fidgeted not knowing what to do with himself. His mind went back to Nina and the Massacre, and he didn't notice the girl move closer, until her warm lips touched him on the cheek kissing him softly and whispering a soft "Thank you".

He froze on his spot as she watched him shyly as if waiting for something, he didn't know what to do, he was freaking out about his scar not a minute ago and now he was freaking out about a girl he likes kissing him in the cheek, what was he supposed to do now.

He decided to remain on safe grounds and whispered awkwardly a well meaning "Thank you", and then excused himself hastily from the way too large, suddenly too quiet room.

It didn't take him more than ten steps to realise, he was mad at his friends for leaving him alone, and when he found them his glare had built up its strength, and it showed in his harsh tone.

"Where did you go, I was looking for you", Ron could tell he was pissed because he straightened in his seat.

"I thought you needed some privacy, ... Cho looked like she wanted to talk to you, did it go wrong mate?" He asked way too interested for his liking.

"Oh Ron" groaned Hermione from her spot at the table.

"No... I mean yes... She was about to cry ... I don't know, That's not the point, I wanted to talk to you... my scar had been hurting in class today, and it was weird, too strong actually, I could barely think.

I don't know but something is happening" he explained hurriedly.

"Can you tell what he feels this time?" Asked Ron

"No... It's different, there's no emotion, it's just there" he planted himself on the large couch exhausted and nervous as all hell.

His friends had suggested he go tell Dumbledore but he refused and promised he would tell Sirius instead, the Headmaster had so much in his hands lately, he didn't want to deal with his indifference a second time. Several lifetimes wouldn't be enough to swallow rejection with ease.

Soon after he excused himself to go get some sleep and as that escaped him, he pretended to do so until everyone did. He didn't want to speak, his foul mood fueled by exhaustion and too much nervousness.

He pulled the map out to see where Nina was, just as he did for so many nights now, and his heart lurched as he saw her name going through the stairs towards the upper floors.

He hurried out of bed as quietly as he could, pulling his invisibility cloak on and practically running to where she was going.

He gasped as he reached the seventh floor, no one in sight, her name had vanished from the map.

But it couldn't be. She couldn't be in the lake, she was headed to the seventh floor not two seconds ago, how could she vanish.

He kept walking to the end of the corridor and turned back again finding nothing, only when his head turned to Barnabas's painting at his left did his memory work with his brain again.

He was in the corridor of the seventh bloody floor, exactly where the room of Requirements was, he was here not even two hours ago.

He cursed himself and tried walking up and down again, in hopes their Defence room would be conjured... she had to be there. The only way she could be hidden from the map would be if the marauders did not know of the room's existence, and it looked like Hogwarts had too many secrets to be revealed in one lifetime.

He went in when the door appeared, but to his disappointment it was utterly empty.

His breath hitched as the pain in his scar bloomed to unbelievable levels, he could barely open his eyes. He didn't feel the ground meeting his knees as he fell, and gripped his head for dear life.

There was a screech inside him. Not assaulting his ears, it was going straight to his head, to his mind. It was blinding and terrifying, he wanted it to stop. So he screamed.

The screeching turned into a deafening ring in his ears even though his mind was the victim, he was nauseated and his feet did not seem to remember what It was like to walk a straight line. he got out of the room in a stumbling hurry just as he saw the girl walking two meters away from him and to the end of the corridor, he followed as he could. Cloaked and invisible as he was, his clumsy steps must have been heard, because Nina turned abruptly with a worried frown, looking at the ample empty space that was the seventh floor corridor.

He didn't dare move until she did, and so he followed her hastily when she speeded up.

She was reaching the end of the long corridor when she stopped abruptly, a painful groan escaping her. He saw her turn and place her back to the wall, her face in a grimace, silent tears rolling down her face, as her body trembled and shook.

It felt like an eternity but his feet only took him six steps before his brain exploded in pain and he fell down on his belly twisting around to hold his head together, his head stretched as he shook just like the girl on the floor inches away from him, his eyes never left hers whether he could turn or not, his face never moved and just a moment before his brain was submerged in what felt like icy waters, he saw the twisting girl's eyes turn golden.

He didn't have time to register what was happening, where he was, what he was feeling, or what he just witnessed. He felt the icy cold floor under his body as he slid hurriedly, there was something he needed to take and it was important that he did so. He moved some more feeling an angry hiss escape him. The smell of human sweat on his tongue, the man's scent intensifying as he moved his wand to strike him.

He was angry at the intrusion, but he wasn't.

He wanted to kill the man but he didn't.

He didn't care for the man but he did.

He lunged at him biting the man's neck, in a swift motion, but his entire being screamed 'NO'.

He wanted to taste his blood but he wanted to desperately save him.

He woke up sweating and screaming, the girl beside him was panting now trying to get to her feet as every muscle in her trembled, she was grimacing and whispering furiously.

He couldn't tell what she was saying, his mind was still foggy and out of resonance, her hand came down on his chest as she shook him, he watched detached.

Her hand hit him again and a surge of warmth spread to his brain and to his heart and to every corner of his being.

"Get up ... Get up Harry..." She demanded out of breath, pulling him up with her trembling small hands.

She took his arm and placed it around her shoulder, as he fought to make his tongue work again. "Mi... Mr Weasley..he ...w...was."

"We need to get to Dumbledore, ... To someone.." she interrupted.

He followed her hurried steps as he tried and failed to reign over his pounding head, it took them too long to get to wherever she was pulling him to, and only when Mcgonagall came out, face like a thunder at the girls pounding on the door, did he realize with a sinking feeling that Dumbledore was most likely not at Hogwarts.

Nina's voice came out the same time as his did, the difference was the message. His was a stumble of discombobulated words with no meaning and hers were direct and few.

"Call the Order, Arthur Weasley is dying", to her credit the old woman did not hesitate for a second, did not ask questions, nor demanded explanations, she went inside with haste, whispered to a small desk portrait and then pulled them both to the headmaster's office.

The walk was long but the quiet and the dark made it longer, they went up the staircase and as they reached the door, the elusive old man he had wished to have a mere glimpse of, for months now, pulled him by the arms to the center of the office.

He felt Nina's arm reach for him and her verbal protest went unheard as Profesor Dumbledore's voice took over the whole fucking room.

"What did you see Harry?"

"I... There was a snake, it attacked Mr Weasly, his bleeding so much, we have to get to him as soon as possible." Answered Harry breathlessly, he had managed to collect himself now that he had the old man's attention and his tongue and brain finally worked in unison.

"Yes, yes.. he has been found and accompanied to San Mungo's, you misunderstand me, my boy, where was your position in the dream?"

"It wasn't a drea.." he interrupted as he felt his frustration mount again.

"Your position Harry, think, were you watching as Mr Weasley was attacked or were you the snake?". The old man gripped his shoulders again, his face in a full set of frowns completed by his piercing gaze, it made him uncomfortable more than anything.

He felt his eyes fleetingly search for Nina's, the silent girl's gaze was as intense as the Headmaster questioning him, her face pale, eyes fully awake and concentrated on him, even though exhaustion was set in dark spots under her eyes.

She nodded discreetly.

"I was the one attacking, but I... Didn't want to... I couldn't control what was happening. I was the snake but I... I wasn't, sir.." He turned again to Nina, waiting for her input, he had no doubt that the girl had witnessed the same as he did.

She remained silent as Professor Dumbledore watched their silent staring, he noticed she hadn't looked at the headmaster not even once.

"Minerva, wake the Weasley children and inform them that their father is currently in San Mungo's, they will go to Grimmauld Place and wait for Mrs Weasley."

After Professor Mcgonagall swiftly left the room, he felt Nina's shoulder touch his as she came closer now that the headmaster's attention was elsewhere, her eyes were still on him, and he felt held, safe. It felt like the turmoil starting in his insides was being witnessed and the accusation he expected to see was nowhere to be found.

She took his hand and squeezed, hiding their hands with her school robes.

A knock interrupted their staring as they both turned to watch Severus Snape entering, his eyes swept them both and seemed to stop for a second on Nina.

"I'm afraid there's no waiting for tomorrow Severus, bring him to my office at five o'clock, I believe two hours are enough for a first session, ...be as discreet as possible."

"Put your cloak on and Follow me Mr Potter", said Severus coming near the boy and pointing at the silky fabric of his invisibility cloak hanging from his arm.

He moved to obey, confused and too busy with the pounding in his head, a persistent hand on his arm stopped him though.

"No", her voice came strongly, and this time Nina was looking straight at the headmaster.

"You can't possibly think an occlumency lesson right after his brain had been assaulted is the best means of protection, he can barely walk sir, it'll only weaken him more."

"What... What's occlumency?" He felt his anger rising even though his brain felt like mush at the moment, how in the fuck could Nina know what they were talking about, did she know what this occlumancy was, did they tell her. No they couldn't have told her, he never saw her go to the Headmaster's office and he had been watching her every night since the fight.

The headmaster had been standing behind his desk as he spoke to Professor Snape, mind visibly going to a hundred places at once. Nina's voice had stopped that abruptly his piercing eyes locking on hers, he looked surprised for a second. He felt Nina's hand twitch in his, and it seemed the movement didn't go pass the old man.

"Something I should have suggested earlier I'm afraid,... Severus?" He turned his eyes to Professor Snape.

"Ms Morgenstern is correct, Mr Potter's mind is weak, it will do him no good at the moment."

His throat made an odd sound as her touch became a shameful burn. Did she truly believe his mind was weak, is that why she helped him at every turn, why she was always there at the corner of his eye. Did he mistake her attention for something positive when it really was just pity for the stupid boy playing at being a hero.

He jerked his hand from hers as his face burned red.

Another knock saved him from hearing whatever Professor Dumbledore was about to say as a bunch of redheads walked in accompanied by a frowning McGonagall.

Their faces were grim looking at Harry in question yet not daring to speak, perhaps they feared voicing their worry, it would make everything real.

He was ushered to the others by a hurried McGonagall as Professor Dumbledore explained, ushering to the teens to come closer "the floo network cannot be trusted at the moment, I have arranged a portkey to Grimmauld Place for you, I do believe it will be easier to go to San Mungo's from there."

They obeyed without fuss, no doubt waiting restlessly for the moment they got to see their father safe and sound, he moved after them when the Headmaster came closer as well and even in his embarrassment he could not help but look back waiting for the girl he held hands with but a moment ago.

She remained unmoved looking at the headmaster.

"Nina?" He asked before he could control his surprise.

"I'm afraid Ms Morgenstern will have to remain at school Harry, I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate Professor Umbridge's attention to turn to your friend."

"I... But.. Nina's..." He stumbled not knowing exactly what he could say and yet feeling as if something must be said to stop her from staying behind.

"Sorry Harry'', she whispered looking at him. He wanted to go and pull her to his side whether she wanted to go or not, he had too much to ask and he had no doubt she'd stay willingly just to avoid him. He could scream in frustration.

Professor Dumbledore moved them closer to the portkey and as they touched the thing his eyes went back to Nina's for one last time before he was swept away to a darkened kitchen, only illuminated by the fire at their left.

His head was still in a turmoil, now that she was far away the cold fear and guilt crept up on him and gripped his insides, twisting them as the pounding in his head felt strangely louder. A pair of strong arms surrounded him in warmth as the whispered words of his Godfather trailed somewhere around his brain never making home.

Still the quality of his tone calmed him and the quiet literal barrier hid the fact he hadn't looked at any of Weasley's faces, not even his best friend's.

He didn't dare.


Her mind was holding on for dear life, the constant pounding was taking a toll on her focus and she could barely keep her shit together as the Headmaster's eyes focused on her now that the others were gone.

The old man had been right on point, It made her shudder at the possibility of him knowing what she was up to and relieved at the same time that he did not send her off to headquarters.

She watched him come closer to his desk touching idly a small object she couldn't see as he asked

"Is there anything you would like to tell me Ms Morgenstern?"

Fuck. He definitely knew something.

She expected her body to betray her, the tremble in her voice and the clearing of her throat did nothing to help and so she opted for a whisper instead.

"No sir, ... nothing in particular."

He watched her for what felt like an eternity, her eyes never left his, perhaps it was stubbornness or just anger at what happened tonight, at the million ways it could have been avoided, she didn't know. Her mind was too busy diffusing pain from becoming her first focus instead of the current conversation. He nodded at her with a small smile that looked utterly unamused and handed her a slip of parchment paper silently.

It took her by surprise but she stepped closer to his desk, his neat writing betrayed the storm raging in his eyes, she couldn't fathom writing such beautiful characters in such a tense situation.

He was worried, that much she could tell.

"I believe you'll have no trouble going back to your house undetected Ms Morgenstern, but just in case..." He motioned to the permission slip she was handed a second ago.

Her eyes followed his hand's movement and as it did so it caught a small shiny silver object that made her stomach drop. She moved her eyes away from it as fast as she could, although she suspected her spine's rigidness did not go unnoticed. She wanted to bolt out of that office but then she remembered, he had been standing in that exact spot, touching something small.

He wanted her to see it, why would he give her a permission slip if he knew she could sneak back unnoticed, he clearly wanted her to move closer, to see the ring innocently placed under a couple of books at his left.

Son of a bitch.

She felt her anger rise and rise and just as she was turning to leave she noticed the unfinished wizarding Chess game at his right. She couldn't hold the chuckle, and it seemed to surprise him, because it sounded as far from amusement as it could get.

She was fucking terrified, and here he was playing games.

"Actually... Professor, I do have something to say,..."

She paused as her anger fueled her courage, she had his undivided attention and by God would she make him listen.

"... You have my undying respect Professor for everything you do, but... Sometimes this overwhelmingly terrifying feeling grips me and my God I can't shake it off, ..." Her hand came closer to the unfinished Chess game, she was terrified and worried and angry, her hands trembled, and the last thing she wanted was for her words to be met by an unemotional facade.

She didn't look at him as she continued, "..you see, sometimes it feels like everything is a game and you're the only one looking from above." Her hand moved to the queen at the Headmaster's side and she took it.

She didn't expect him to answer, and she focused her attention on the little piece in her hand, enough to manage her blurry eyes.

"Good night Professor", she whispered when her voice came back to her, the words had felt like a tennis ball lodged in her throat.

She didn't look at him, she didn't look at Professor Snape, and she didn't stop until she was out of the room.

Breathing heavily, she ran to the only place safe enough at the moment, she was close to the entrance so the only one who could accidentally find her was Filtch and his stupid cat.

Getting out of the Castle was the easy part, avoiding Hagrid and the Centaurs was something else. The groundskeeper was no fool, he had great senses and his trusty fangs was a pretty reliable tracker, if any of them got the slightest hint of intrusion they would not rest until she was caught. The half giant was nothing but competent when it came to Hogwarts security, it was due to his stubbornness that she was caught those first days at the forest and later on at the lake.

He had made her promise to never go back, and she had kept her word. But then she would have never guessed she would need to go back to the pond so desperately.

She stopped for a second to tie her tennis shoes tightly and snuffed out the small ball of light she made entering the forest. The edges of the forest were pretty safe, the dangers were further in, and it was time to go silent, fast and pretty much in the dark. She made sure her sweatshirt sleeves were up, her wand was in her arm holster and when her eyes had adjusted to the darkness she cast a muffliato on her feet and moved as fast as she could.

She had marked the route with scent, a particular scent only she would recognize, natural enough that the creatures inhabiting the forest would not be greatly disturbed. Of course catching a whiff of salty ocean in the middle of the forest would be strange and confusing but it beat putting perfume or something overbearing of the sort.

She had found a spell to bottle scents in her first year and it was perfect for those days she missed home.

Perhaps it was the plant life in the area, the distant breeze of salty air coming from the center of the city almost seven kilometres away from home, or the farms surrounding their little village. She couldn't pinpoint what it was but she could always tell when she was home by scent alone.

She caught the warm and sunny scent and filled her lungs with it, the contrast with the sharp cold of Decembre was very noticeable. She followed it in a run, her senses focused everywhere, she had entered Centaur territory and it would do her no good to be found.

Of course it didn't help her case that the place she was looking for was smack dab in the middle of Centaur territory, they had allowed her entrance in first and second year due to her age and the gravity of her ailment, she supposed. She didn't know much about centaurs back then, only what Greek Mythology had passed on to muggles.

It had taken her the good part of second year and a few months of her first year to prepare her runes and the pond was an ingredient impossible to replace.

The thing was ancient she could feel it, older than Hogwarts itself, it was humbling in a way, she supposed it was like watching a dragon from a safe distance, beautiful and terrifying, nature at its finest. Its power was overwhelming and thick it made her head buzz uncomfortably, but that's exactly what she needed now.

She suspected the strange pond was the reason Centaurs had been placed there, the reason this land was chosen by the founders to build Hogwarts. She had always suspected Hogwarts a History to be a pretty fairytale, the book had painted the founders as Gods, it was pretty dumb that nobody ever wondered how the hell did the Castle with seemingly infinite sentient power came to be with the spell work of three wizards and a witch. Most magical creations disappeared once the caster was dead. Magic cannot sustain itself out of nowhere, it needed a source no matter the branch of magic used. And to feed a several centuries old Castle it had to be one hell of a source.

Blood magic would have needed the four founders or their bloodlines to survive centuries for Hogwarts to remain as it is. Runes equally would have needed a source to maintain the Castle's intricate magic for centuries, and the only way it could have worked was using a natural source.

The pond was perfect. Mystical waters carrying insane amounts of magic, with tunnels intertwined deep into the earth. No doubts carrying through the whole forest, into the Black Lake and the Castle itself, feeding the grounds and it's walls forever. It wasn't like using the sun or the moon, the pond's magic was tamed by the thousand upon thousand life forms surrounding it, unknowingly feeding from it and taming it. It required less stabilizing factors than the moon or the sun, even their natural changing positions would have been an impossible thing to work through. She supposed the Founders would have calculated the perfect distance to build the Castle so that the pond's magic would reach it but not overwhelm it.

she remembered the first time she had picked up on the fluctuating energy coming from the grounds and the walls and the Lake when they had started to practice Transfiguration spells that required a certain amount of concentration, she had been so scared to have another incident that she simply blocked anything that could affect her.

The day she decided to go explore what that thick energy came from, was much like this one, the night was cold and sharp and she had a terrible day in transfiguration, a shrill headache that pounded her head nonstop, her younger self would have never guessed she would find herself coming back to the same place with worse pain, worse consequences.

She surveyed the thick trees in silence as she removed her tennis shoes wobbling like a drunk duck in her haste. She heard the unmistakable woosh of a sharp object splitting the cold night and immediately pulled up a Shield with her hand.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck"

She ran as she pushed their arrows from her and jumped into the water, they were too close.

Her clothes weighted her movements and she struggled with her limbs until her stupid cloak was caught by a strong big hand, her stomach sank as she was almost pulled from the water. Pushing deeper into the water and flailing with her arms she freed herself from the hand and went deeper in.

The knot at the top of her stomach thickened, they were surrounding the pond in a perfect circle, her cloak had been pulled from the water, and they were waiting.

Her runes activated as her eyesight brightened, their expressions were not hidden to her anymore. They were pissed.

Magorian came closer to the one holding her cloak and took it, he tightened his grip on the cloth and looked down right at her.

She flinched under water, but there was nowhere to hide, the tunnels beneath were unexplored, she had never even gotten in, the most she had used the pond for was small amounts of water to prepare her skin and the ink for her runes.

Now she plunged headfirst and it felt like the buzzing that accompanied her little trip to the secret location became a roar.

It was blinding, she could barely feel her own magic anymore, if it wasn't for her runes working on their own and making sure to filter oxygen from the water and into her system she would have died or been caught by now.

She suspected that's exactly what they were waiting for. She shuddered, remembering the last time she had spoken to the colony's leader.

He had made sure she understood that his permission to use the pond was only granted due to her age and circumstance, she would not be welcome once she reached womanhood and that was pretty much it.

She was still confused at the true motives of the free pass but she couldn't exactly complain, she had one chance and she took it, she would have never guessed she'd have to come back one day.

The cold feeling the vision had left in her mind was gradually dissipating.

She slipped down deeper as the roar of foreign magic muted her brain and fogged her mind into a sleepy state.

It had been a guess..., just a guess.

Admittedly,... she could still explode.

But she was ...so ... It was so ...what did it matter.

She was safe.

She was warm.

He couldn't reach her here.

It felt like the time she went to the dentist, a floaty sensation that made every worry go away. She could still move but her thoughts were slippery now, it didn't matter that she was scared of the tunnels not a minute ago. That the walls of the tunnels were shaped like a giant freaking worm had passed through and that she should be disgusted and disturbed, that the plants within glowed too much as if begging to be touched.

She followed the one at the left and twirled happily following its path, she swam and swam and turned left and right, and right and left until her stomach growled.

It was annoying. She wanted to keep going. Stupid stomach, she had dinner a few hours ago, didn't she?

Mmm.. yes before the nasty vision. No it wasn't a vision, she was too close, no..., he was too close.

She was him, she was the snake, but she wasn't a snake though, even though they're pretty.

Oh she wished she was a pretty snake, with pretty colors slithering around and swimming all she wanted.

A strange tug took her by surprise and pulled her forward, a dormant part of her stirred in fear but her current focus was on the speed of the ride she was enjoying. She let go and wooshed in the strangely illuminated waters mutedly wooing all the way to the surface of the pond.

A large hand came down and pulled her strongly from the cold waters, her mind was fogged enough to stupidly maintain her runes activated.

Her eyes started to burn and water as her magic kept going through them, as if she was still underwater. It was annoying as hell she couldn't distinguish who the huge hand belonged to but she wanted to hit them, the fun woosh was too short, she wanted to have fun again.

She was gently put on the grass as she sputtered to get her lungs to function instead of trying to filter oxygen from non existent water, it took an embarrassingly long four seconds where she opened and closed her mouth like a fish trying to remember how she had been doing it for the last couple of years.

She giggled as she felt her magic sneak back into her, air coming to her lungs with a sharp welcome cold that gave her back a little bit of sobriety.

"I forgot how to breathe", she said chuckling looking at a very stern Magorian.

The fresh wave of Oxygen brought clarity to her hazed brain and it hit her like a bus in the face what was happening.

"Oh fuck" she whispered as she crawled away from the Centaur leader only to hit her head with another.

She was surrounded by a dozen centaurs, huffing agitatedly at her, she almost wished she was high as fuck, at least then she wouldn't die from a heart attack.

She was pulled by the nape of her wet plastered clothes and held up in the air like an unruly kitten.

She twisted and struggled to get the hand to let go but never dared to use magic on them, she wasn't that stupid.

Magorian came close enough she could feel his breath on her face, his cold stare and proximity made her fight pretty much vanish. She stilled as he showed dominance and moved her eyes down cutting off their stare.

The colony seemed to calm slightly at her clear submission, but their eyes were still cold and hostile.

"Have you forgotten your word Nina Morgenstern?"

His deep voice made her shudder, it was too calm.

"No... No, I didn't... I'm sorry... I needed..."

The hand holding her let go for a second and pulled her up again before she ever touched the cold grass, effectively stopping her explanation and making a squeak escape her instead.

He stared at her as her panic became visible, and came closer after a few seconds bending slightly to sniff her, it only made her fear grow enough to start seriously thinking about using every hex and jinx to get the hell out of there.

"You are child no longer, little Nina" His tone was almost sardonic, and it made her chiver at what was implied. She didn't move, nor responded.

She wasn't little Nina anymore, the little girl that stumbled on the forest for the first time and thought Centaurs were so pretty, polite and nice.

They were all those things but they also hated wizards and witches with a passion, especially those who did not respect their rules and customs.

She had looked for every little detail she could get her hands on Centaurs and as always reality was harsher than myth.

"I'm a student Magorian, You have the right to punish me for trespassing under the headmaster's approval, nothing else." Her voice came out in a whisper, her terrified state didn't seem to give a shit about facts.

"Punishment is such a large scope, little Nina." He smirked.

"Magorian, the headmaster was clear."

"SILENCE FIRENZE"

"The brightest star glowed in blood at your arrival, and the world will either weep or bleed for you, I could simply claim my prize, let the world darken if it so wishes."

She waved her hand and pushed the arm of the centaur behind her letting go of her clothes and sending her down on her knees. She pulled herself up rapidly as the rest of the Centaurs pulled their arrows ready for her.

"Is that a threat Magorian?" she asked, activating her runes making her arms glow.

He chuckled in response and waved the arrows away from her form.

"What was your purpose in the pond?"

It surprised her, she thought he'd be too pissed off to address it at all.

"I needed to hide" she opted for the truth, In case he could actually smell her deceit.

"Mm... The snake is back..."

She didn't know what to say so she kept her mouth shut. He seemed to be deep in thought and she shuddered to think what he would settle on.

The sound of wings and a bright reddish light came from above and Phoenix's unique song reached every living creature in the Forbidden Forest.

"Leave this place and never come back, the pond's magic is not for your kind, if you do I will assume you wish to be claimed." He continued smirking in malice.

It was a bluff. She didn't believe he would, he wouldn't endanger his entire species for the sake of winning an argument.

But then what the fuck did she know.

She walked back to the castle in a relieved haze. Reality didn't hit her until she realized it was Saturday night, she had been gone the whole day, the castle was silent, everyone already in bed, she breathed away the shudder that took over her skin and tried to get to her dorm room undetected.

She dreaded sleep like the inevitable sound of shattering glass after letting it slip from her grip.

She had shattered something. She felt it. Harry felt it. And this time Voldemort felt it too.