A/N: Inspired by Deprived by 'The Crimson Lord'

P.S. I don't own Harry Potter.

Have fun!

Chapter 4: Hidden Emotions

"You know when I asked if I could join you in your morning workout, it wasn't coded for can I be target practise," Cedric huffed as he narrowly dodged a water balloon aimed for his family jewels, "Oi! Watch it! That just skimmed my plums!"

"That's weird, I seem to remember you volunteering to help with target practice."

"I never said anything along those lines!" Cedric refuted vehemently.

"Oh? It doesn't matter, it's all just a matter of perspective at the end of the day."

"I'd love to see how you react when you're the one being aimed at!" The Hufflepuff challenged with a huff as he vanquished the last remnants of water from his clothes.

Cedric wasn't prepared for Jools to accept his challenge.

"Sure," Jools smirked.

This should be interesting

"You know I was joking when I said you should be target practise."

"That's okay," I allow my smirk to turn cocky, "it's only target practise if you manage to hit me." I goad him.

"I can't wait to wipe that smirk off your face." The Hufflepuff prefect gets caught in my trap without even realising.

"I'd like to see you try." The smirk remains on my face.

"Let's make it interesting, if I land a hit on you then you buy the butterbeers this Hogsmeade visit if I don't, then I'll buy you all the butterbeers you want."

Who am I to deny free drinks?

*Whizz*

My left ear twitches as the air ripples with an undercurrent of a silent onslaught.

Sneaky tactics from a Hufflepuff?

"I believe," I pluck the offending water balloon from the air, "that I've yet to say the word 'fire'."

"Sorry, kind of got carried away there." Cedric's abashed gaze meets mine.

"Fire."

To Cedric's credit, the speed in which he conjures the water balloons warrants taking him seriously…well as serious as I should take a student.

My right leg moves of its own accord, in time to avoid the balloon that lands at my feet, maintaining the momentum I go down into a roll to-

Right shoulder

Using the momentum of the roll I propel myself from the ground to my feet, as the familiar buzz of the water balloon whizzes passed my right shoulder.

Lower hip

I twist my body at my waist allowing the water balloon to miss me and hit the tree behind me.

Jump

Using the tree as leverage, I plant my right foot on it and launch myself into a flip through the air to avoid the balloon sailing between my legs. I know I could have avoided it by less strenuous methods, but where was the fun in that?

The sweat trickles down my neck as the game of tag carries on, with me lulling the Hufflepuff into a false hope of hitting me; that way he never loses his vigour.

I know the game has come to its conclusion when the lines of Cedric's face contour into frustration, the badger was about to unsheathe its claws.

"Aguamenti!"

Ahhh, there it is.

A wall of water raises itself in front of me, preventing me from my planned dive, a glance back lets me know there is an onslaught of water balloons hurtling towards me. He must have been planning this for some time, I realise. Herding me towards an area where there is no immediate cover; no easy escape.

The badger really is shedding its skin.

I brandish my wand, a stream of fire erupting from the tip sizzling the surrounding area in heat. The torrent of fire circumvents the water with ease.

Too late.

The wall of water evaporates revealing it as a mere distraction for the barricade of water balloons that await behind it.

"Guess the butterbeer is on you Jools." Cedric manages to quip in presumed victory.

A genuine smirk emerges from my façade.

"Guess again."

I lift my right leg and stomp the ground.

*POP* *POP* *POP* *POP*

The air is filled with the sounds of multiple water balloons popping.

"Hope you've got a never-ending wallet because I've really had a craving for butterbeer."

"Ho-how?!" It's quite comical seeing the prefect pick his jaws off of the floor.

"Magic," I reply with a wink.

Roger Davies was not having a good day. Sod it, he was not having a good start to term at all.

First, they had banned Quidditch. Quidditch. How was that even allowed?! For the whole year as well! All because of a stupid tournament concocted to kill students. I mean, hey, he loved fame and fortune just as much as the next guy, but he was also probably smarter than the next guy. There was a reason after all that he was placed in the house of wits.

For Roger, it was hard to find the tournament as anything else but the death trap it was engineered to be. All you had to do was look back to why the tournament was banned in the first place; because of the insanely high death rates, hell it wasn't just students that died in the tournament, professors died too. Having researched the previous tournaments he did find some patterns that would help in better preparing for it, but the notion of entering the tournament was wiped clean from his mind after he discovered the most blatant trend of all. Every tournament that occurred, without fail, there had been a death and his instincts screamed at him that this year it would be no different. If the years spent suspended in the air sitting on what was essentially a plank of wood had taught him anything, it was to always listen to his instincts. 1,000 galleons and 'eternal glory' for the rest of your short life in exchange for your life? Yeah right, that sounded like a very shitty deal in his opinion. You'd have to be half-wit…. Or a Gryffindor, to enter it.

Next, what was supposed to be only a summer fling with Tulip ended up getting a little mucky when feelings got involved, and this time it was his own feelings. Honestly, he wasn't a stranger to the fairer sex and Tulip wasn't the prettiest girl he had been with. Nor was she the daintiest girl he had been with. She was a tomboy through and through. She wasn't even his type! But somehow, she had crept up on him without him being none the wiser and now he was in some real dragon dung. As he prepared himself to ask her for something more serious, she had ended everything because she had found another. Now here he was nursing a broken heart.

Things had finally begun to take a turn for the better when he managed to get permission for an impromptu friendly Quidditch match. Gryffindor against Ravenclaw, on the pretence that it was a game to keep his team's skills sharp and reflexes sharper for the next year, even if it was his last year at Hogwarts. In reality, he needed a break from all the depressing thoughts of Tulip with another man and what better way than a game of Quidditch, where any thoughts of love and romance would lead to your imminent demise. Everything was in order and the match was set to commence literally tomorrow after everyone had their fill of Hogsmeade.

That was until his seeker, Cho Chang, a pretty Asian witch that he had his eyes on to perhaps fill in the hole that Tulip had left behind, sprained her wrist; rendering her unable to hold a broom.

Which led to where he was now, mulling over where it all went tits up.

"Looks like someone's got a case of pre-match blues." A voice intoned.

Roger looked up to see Cedric walking towards his table with a grin, accompanied by the new guy, what was his name again? Jewel? No. Jewl? No. Jools!

"Yeah, well at this point it doesn't look like there will be a match anyway," Roger grouched in annoyance, "Oh? Where's my manners? Sorry, we haven't formally met yet, have we? My name is Roger Davies. Head of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and would've held the title of 'all-around nice guy' if it wasn't for the prat that's with you."

"You would still be an all-around nice guy if you didn't have a reputation of chasing skirts mate." Cedric guffawed cheekily.

Jools stared at the hand offered to him.

Roger stared at his hand suspended in mid-air for what he had hoped would be a handshake.

A loud cough from Cedric broke Jools' thoughts and alerted him to Roger's awkward predicament.

"Excuse my manners, I have a tendency to ruminate at the most inopportune moments." Jools accepted the offered handshake.

"He did it with me too," Cedric added his own two cents as he took a rather long drag of his butterbeer, "though to be fair, at the time, I thought it was a one-off moment." He finished with a shrug.

"What a strange habit, then again, you are a strange individual," Roger gave Jools another once over, not caring that his behaviour could come across as quite rude, "I mean who's heard of someone transferring schools and in their last year no less. The clashes between different curriculums and subjects just sounds like a disaster."

"Don't mind Roger, that's just the Ravenclaw in him speaking and it probably doesn't help that the only bird he's liked wants nothing to do with him anymore."

"Why don't you tell everyone else in the pub Ced?"

"Ahh matters of the heart, I'm afraid I don't think I'll be any help in that regards," Jools interjected himself into the conversation.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't be," Roger judged his fellow Ravenclaw's looks.

"Knock it off Roger, now you're just being a dick," Cedric warned.

"Your sunshine personality must've blinded the girl so much that she had to walk away from you or risk vision loss." Jools quipped, earning a hearty laugh from Cedric and a snort from Roger.

"I suppose I deserve that, I'm sorry Jools. Like Cedric said, it hasn't been a pleasant start to the term for me and Cho's sprained wrist was just the icing on top of the cake."

"Cho's sprained her wrist?!" Cedric exclaimed in surprise, almost choking on his butterbeer.

"Yeah she slipped down the stairs when they started moving, those blasted things can never stay still for more than ten seconds." Roger took a sip of his butterbeer lest he releases another sigh of frustration.

Cedric contemplated the new information he had just received; he would be lying if he said the beautiful Ravenclaw seeker hadn't starred in a couple of his fantasies as of late. He was also sure; it wasn't just his dreams the Asian witch had invaded. However, this new information gave him enough incentive to take the initiative and start a conversation with the pretty girl.

"-aren't you Cedric?" Jools questioned.

"Sorry mate, I was lost in my own thoughts, what did you say?"

"Aren't you the Hufflepuff seeker?" Jools repeated.

"Yeah, I am."

"So why don't you take Cho's place, since inter-house Quidditch is banned, surely you don't need to have the same teams?"

"Ahh yeah, that would be the case if I hadn't bet the Weasley twins thirty Galleons that Ravenclaw would win." Roger scratched his head in embarrassment.

"You really made a bet with the Weasley twins, even after knowing about their ridiculous luck when it comes to bets," The Hufflepuff prefect shook his head in disappointment, "You know they'll hound you until you pay up too, look at what they're doing to Bagman and he's not even in school. Mate, I'd watch my shoulder if I was you unless you want suddenly grow a tail and bark like a dog." Cedric warned the Ravenclaw Captain.

"You're acting as if I've already lost the match." Argued Roger.

"You basically have Rog, what are you going to do without a seeker?" Countered Cedric.

"Why not ask one of the other Ravenclaw students, there is bound to be someone available." Interjected Jools; not really understanding how someone of the 'house of wit' couldn't use logic.

"The match is tomorrow and anyone half decent as seeker simply isn't available or don't want to be the reason Ravenclaw lose the only Quidditch match of the year." Roger lost his inhibition not to sigh and gave in, releasing a frustrated sigh.

"Pity." Jools took another sip of his butterbeer whilst taking note of all the patrons of the pub.

"Wait! Jools you're in Ravenclaw!" Roger exclaimed out loud, a solution forming in his mind.

"I am." Agreed Jools.

"and you're in your final year just like me." The Ravenclaw chaser continued as if Jools hadn't said anything.

"Your powers of deduction make me wonder on the true merit of being put into a house renowned for its smarts."

"That means, you can step in as the seeker!" Roger finished ignoring the barb at his intelligence, for Quidditch he would let that quip slide under the proverbial table.

"You don't even know if I'm a good flier." Jools put a stop to the chaser's tirade with a shake of his head.

"Surely, your old school would have made you get on a broom at one point or another. Please mate, for the sake of Ravenclaw." Roger begged.

"You talk as if the house holds any meaning to me."

"Madam Rosmerta, another round of butterbeers, please! This is getting good." Cedric laughed as he watched one of his best friends beg someone, he was quickly becoming close to.

"Think of the glory and fame and recognition when we win!" Roger tried.

"I find being under the radar a lot more comfortable." Jools shut down.

"As a favour for me?" Roger tried with puppy dog eyes.

"Are you not too old for that trick? And a favour to you, you are little more than a stranger to me. I owe you nothing." Jools took a sip of the new butterbeer, he would be lying if he said he was not finding this entertaining.

"Okay, okay. What about I owe you a favour then?" Roger pleaded.

"Hate to break it to you Roger but you might be wasting your breath, from what I've gathered so far Jools isn't going to do something he doesn't want to do. Plus, he's going to go up against Thomas, the kid's known as the youngest seeker of the century. You're setting him up to be humiliated."

Jools' mind had tuned out as soon as Cedric mentioned the name Thomas. How could he forget that his 'brother' was not only known for vanquishing one of the darkest lords in history but was also known for being the youngest seeker of the century; no doubt as a result of James' tutelage.

James Potter, the definition of nurturing father and Thomas Potter, the overachieving prodigy.

"Ced, I don't need him to hold his own against Thomas; I know how great that kid is on a broom. No, I'll just focus my beaters on him to run interference. I just need Jools to hold out for a while, whilst the rest of us increase our lead enough for when Thomas does catch the snitch, it wouldn't matter."

"You really think th-"

"I'm in," Jools muttered.

The other two occupants of the table turned their wide-eyed gazes to the one who had just spoken.

"You what?" Cedric was flabbergasted.

"Yess, get in! The game's back on." Cheered Roger.

"Roger brought up a valid point, I should help my house in its time of need," Jools explained to Cedric.

Roger wore a self-satisfied grin at the thought of his doing, Cedric, however, was not convinced at the explanation. There was definitely more to it than a show of house unity.

"However, Roger don't forget, you owe me a favour and I always cash in my favour."

The usually warm atmosphere of the cold corridors of Hogwarts have a decidedly ominous feeling to them, as they are blanketed by an eerie silence in the darkness of night. If not for the sporadic giggles that line some of the empty classrooms and broom closets, you wouldn't be mistaken to assume you had entered a cliché horror movie.

Children, I roll my eyes.

I take a deep breath of the night air as I enter the courtyard, whilst the castle filled with abundant history effuses a rustic charm. I cannot deny that the gentle lull of the air on my face and the subtle sway of the trees, as they dance to a melody blended beyond the articulation of ears but accessible to the soul will always hold my heart.

Mother nature, the only woman that has the right to be called my mother with her warm caresses and unyielding spirit. Efficacious in providing a home for the lost and wandering, will always welcome me into a benevolent embrace of freedom.

Feeling sentimental after today, are we?

My musings are cut short as I arrive at the edge of the 'forbidden forest'. I almost snort at those words, with a name like that and a castle full of curious children you were practically luring them into the woodlands.

The surplus of moonlight is filtered out by the dense foliage as I enter the forest and suddenly the once quiet atmosphere is alit with a new array of smells and sounds belonging to nature.

The vastness of the forest is not lost on me as the evergreen beckons me deeper into a world of magical plantation. Although my travels have taken me to a great many places, there is something distinctively different about this forest. Perhaps it is due to the fluorescent flowers that are dotted amongst the greenery, interspersed into a crude representation of a path. Or maybe it is the assault on my sense of smell with something new every few minutes. Regardless of the reason, one thing was for certain, the forest felt positively alive.

As lost as I am in the expanse of my surroundings, I would be a fool not to notice that I was being watched from the minute I entered.

"I know you're there; you can come out now."

The sounds of multiple hooves striking the ground signals the approach of my spectators.

"You have wandered far from your shelter, young human."

I survey the picture in front of me, a group of seven Centaurs armed with bows and arrows stand in a line ahead of me, almost as if to block my path.

Seven? A battalion would hardly suffice, I almost snort at their arrogance.

The Centaur that had spoken stood in front of the rest, signalling him as their leader. He cut an imposing figure standing taller than the rest of his herd. The darkness of the forest bathing his darkened body in a shroud of mystery. Lean muscles coiled in anticipation for a confrontation, wild black hair cascading down to his shoulder and a flattish face with a black beard.

I have to give it to him; he does look feral.

"That is an unorthodox way of introducing yourself, normally you would start by giving your name and asking for the other person's name in reply." I return the Centaur's challenge.

"That may be for you humans, however Centaurs have a different way of introducing themselves to strangers invading their territory. Why are you here human?" The lead Centaur threatens me as he fingers his bow, a move replicated by the rest of his friends.

"Unfortunately, I cannot tell you." I goad him.

"And why is that?"

"Because it's really none of your business, is it?" I smile at him.

The Centaurs release a neigh of anger at what I presume they believe is my impudence at speaking down to their leader.

"You dare speak to me, in such a manner? You would be dead where you stand if it was not for us having morals, unlike you putrid humans."

"You speak so highly of yourself, yet you are the one who stands before a 'young human' armed with allies."

Before the leader can reply, one of the herd members brays in shock as he locks eyes with me.

"Bane! It is him! He is the one! He is the one that Firenze foretold us about!"

"Ronan, what are you blabbering about! Speak clearly." The one I now know as Bane reprimands his ally.

"He is the one Firenze warned us of, 'Take heed of my warning my friends, as the blue moon moves away from the brightest star of our universe, it heralds the imminent arrival of a man born to fire but with a heart of ice, a warrior wearing a child's outfit, Jupiter heralds him as a hero yet the rings of Saturn warn us of approaching death. For he will have the power to shape the world into something we can only dream of or he will simply crush it under his feet.' This meeting was foretold by Firenze." Ronan punctuates his sentence by pointing at the sky, where a beautiful full moon hangs suspended between the stars.

I watch as the rest of the herd absorbs what Ronan said before they eye me speculatively. Each pair of eyes containing a myriad of different emotions, the only mutual emotion lingering between them is fear.

An arrow is notched and aimed between my eyes in the time it takes for me to blink, courtesy of Bane.

"Then we shall get rid of this monster before it is allowed to ransack the lives of innocents." Bane calls for his brothers to take arms.

In the time it takes for me to smile, the rest of the herd has followed the actions of their comrade.

"You people really have a penchant for theatrics, don't you? Jumping to conclusions before you even know me, how does that differentiate you from the humans that you actively despise for doing the same thing?" I question.

I see small traces of doubt line the faces of the Centaurs as they whisper amongst themselves, my hearing picking up bits and pieces; 'called us people', 'maybe wrong?'

"Silence! You wretched abomination, I will not allow you to run amok whilst I still draw breath."

Well, that's a shame, I prepare myself for the inevitable attack as I feel the tension permeating in the air increase tenfold.

I watch as Bane's fingers twitch in anticipation of letting loose the arrow.

My magic floods my system in a surge of power, encompassing my body in an almost erotic thrum of strength, a heady flux of vigour fills my head.

The silence that foreshadows the arrival of a storm settles over us as we wait for the slightest twitch.

A guttural growl rips open the chasm of silence without a shred of mercy.

As one we turn towards the rocky crevice that overlooks the clearing, we find ourselves in.

I watch as the tendrils of darkness coalesce into the face of a beast, its face concealed in a cocoon of shadows, the only visible constituent being its fangs dripping a thick silvery substance. More of its body melds with the shadows as the beast scrutinises us, thick coils of muscle condense together as one, before it takes a leap landing in the clearing between both the Centaurs and me.

The creature puffs its chest and glares at the centaurs, its tail a maze of spikes standing on end. Baring its fangs at the four-legged archers it releases a roar that reverberates through the trees and into inner workings of my body.

"Run! Everyone, run! Get out of here, now!" Bellows Bane to his herd.

The herd of Centaurs flee in panic as the beast bounds towards them, but not before Bane shoots me a look of contempt.

I make eye contact with the beast as it stands at the edge of the clearing, successfully scaring the living daylights out of the moon worshippers.

It utters another growl before launching itself at me.

"Really now," is all I can manage to voice before the creature tackles me to the ground, pinning me down with its body weight, its fangs bared at my face before its tongue lolls out and without preamble smothers my face with one great lick, "cut it out, Fluffy!"

I push myself off the ground once he is done licking me, "guess I deserved that, but you realise how busy I have been these last few days."

The beast growls at me again.

"I know, I know. It shouldn't matter, I promise I won't take as long to visit you next time," I take a closer inspection at his opened maw, "I hope that's not Unicorn blood in your mouth."

I watch as the beast that not seconds ago frightened a herd of warriors with its mere presence, drops to the ground and covers its eyes with its paws.

"What have I told you about Unicorns, Fluffy," I huff in annoyance.

He replies in a whine as one eye peeks from underneath his massive paw.

"So, it was already dead?"

I receive an affirmative grunt.

"I made a mistake today too," I reveal as Fluffy stares at me in confusion, "I let my emotions get ahead of me and accepted the role of a seeker for Ravenclaw, in a bid to humiliate my pompous 'brother'".

If Fluffy could roll his eyes, I know he would be doing so.

"I know, I will get a better grasp of these foolish emotions," I tell him before giving him my only genuine smile, a vicious smile, "That doesn't mean tomorrow will be any less fun."

The night is punctuated with the sounds of more resounding roars.

A/N:

Hello! It's been a long time, hasn't it?

I think I owe you guys an apology for not updating in a long while. (I'm really sorry!) I don't want to create a sob story so I'll keep this short, the basic gist of it is that I got into a hideous car accident on the motorway (Highway), the kind of accident where the paramedics tell you that you're lucky to be alive. I've been incredibly busy trying to get myself sorted so it's taken a long time to bring this out. I would've made an author's note to inform you guys but I thought that would be quite cruel of me to do so. Hope this answers your questions of what's taking so long.

Now the story! I have to be honest, I felt incredibly rusty when I started writing again, so please excuse me if there are more mistakes than you're accustomed to. It may feel like it's taking ages to progress but please bear with me whilst I build the story up. The story will be for moot without a proper buildup. Let the story play out and everything will be explained, so please be patient. I apologise for butchering the French names, as you can tell I'm not fluent in it at all! Please do let me know if there is anything I should change.

Lastly, thank you for all your reviews and comments! I can't tell you how many times I came back on this site to use the reviews as motivation! And an especially big thank you to my regular reviewers, you guys are the best.

Updates will happen faster than it took to bring this out. Other than that, I won't be able to tell you much more than I will try my best to not to take long!

Hope that sates your curiosity.

Until next time!