I gawked at the majestic beast before me. I had read about them before but to see one up close and in the flesh… I eagerly awaited my turn, watching Harry successfully approach and ride the hippogriff known as Buckbeak.

"Well done, 'Arry, well done" Hagrid applauded as Harry landed safely and slid off Buckbeak's back. "Alright, who else wants to give it a go?"

Before I could raise my hand, Malfoy had already walked up towards the grey hippogriff. He had obviously not been paying attention to Hagrid's lecture, not only did he forego the respectful way of approaching the creature as Hagrid had taught us but went on the insult Buckbeak too. I watched in horror as it went wild, slashing Malfoy's arm with its talons. He writhed on the ground in pain, clutching his arm and shouting threats and promises that his father would hear of it for sure. Hagrid rushed over to calm Buckbeak down while some Slytherins quickly yanked him away before he was trampled. Hagrid dismissed the rest of the class as he took Malfoy to the hospital wing.

…

Harry gripped his wand tightly in anger. It was sometime later that week that Malfoy had returned with a heavily bandaged arm. It was obvious he was exaggerating the seriousness of his injury as Pansy Parkinson fawned over him like an over-protective mother hen. He tried to tune out their voices and continued stirring the potion brewing in his cauldron.

"That beastly thing will get what it deserves, my father will see to that. Oh, and that big oaf too. I mean, imagine how low the standard of Hogwarts teachers have fallen to these days"

That does it!

Harry stopped stirring and turned, ready to stalk over and give him a piece of his mind. Or his fist, he hadn't quite decided. Hermione must have anticipated it because she grabbed onto the sleeve of his robe quickly, stopping him in his tracks.

"Does it hurt terribly, Draco?" he heard Parkinson ask.

"It comes and it goes. Still, I consider myself lucky, look at it, another minute or two and I could have- OW!" Malfoy shouted suddenly.

"Oh, I'm SO sorry, I didn't see you there" a familiar voice said.

He turned to see Malfoy howling in pain, hopping rather comically on one foot while the other was swelling to the size of a melon, dripping with some sort of potion. He grinned to himself when he recognised the girl who was now holding a half empty cauldron.

Oh, this will be good.

"Are you blind, Montaine!?"

"Well, with a face and mouth like that you can't honestly blame me for mistaking you as part of the floor or the rubbish tip for that matter"

"Why you-"

"After all, it was an honest accident. You can't honestly blame me for tripping over the load of tosh you were spewing now, can you? But look at it this way, it'll make a great addition to your sob-story. Oh I know! Maybe you could tell your father about me too!" she exclaimed in mock excitement.

The Gryffindors burst into laughter at her audacity and to Harry's glee even a few Slytherins had their hands over their mouths trying their hardest to stifle their laughter in fear of facing Malfoy's wrath.

Parkinson stepped protectively in front of him. "How dare you speak to him that way" she spat venomously.

Ari raised an eyebrow languidly. "Sure you want to get into a row with me, Parkinson? Cause I've always got more of where that came from" she whispered in a low voice, her aurulent eyes flashed challengingly. Even he would've thought twice before picking a fight with her; the fact that Malfoy did so on a daily basis spoke volumes about his mental health. With her arsenal of spells and sharp tongue, she was a force to be reckoned with. Parkinson must have thought so too because she visibly flinched.

"Ms Montaine" Snape's voice drawled, breaking the tension.

"Yes, Professor?" she replied, giving him her most winning smile.

Harry reminded himself to give her a pat on the back later as Snape dealt her detention and hauled Malfoy off to his office for the cure.

"Bloody brilliant she is. Wait till Fred and George hears about this, they'd be proud. It's a wonder she's always top of the year with the time she spends in detention" Ron whispered.

He couldn't agree more.

…

I quietly tiptoed past Professor McGonagall hoping she would be too occupied talking to Harry to notice.

"And where do you think you are going, Ms Montaine?"

"Hogsmeade?"

"You most certainly are not"

"But I've gotten my permission form signed"

"Nonsense, I most certainly did not sign anything of the sort" she said as she plucked it from my hands. She adjusted her glasses before glancing through my form.

Wait for it…

I knew the exact moment she caught sight of his signature because she looked like she was about to explode.

"You are to remain with someone at all times, do you understand? Never go anywhere alone, not even to the bathroom" she ordered before stalking off angrily no doubt to find Professor Dumbledore and demand an explanation.

I silently thanked him again and quickly ran off to join my friends.

…

I entered The Three Broomsticks, talking animatedly to Hermione while Ron went to get us some butterbeer. We were looking around for seats when someone bumped, or rather charged into me roughly.

"Watch where you're going, Montaine" Parkinson said, brushing pass me with Bulstrode and Daphne on her heels, the latter flashing me an apologetic look. Life with my fellow Slytherins could generally be classified into three categories – those who I got along reasonably well with most of the time like Daphne, Tracey, Theo, Blaise, Miles akin to the majority of my House; and those who hated me with a passion such as Parkinson and Bulstrode who for reasons unknown were convinced that I was a conceited, scheming tart and endeavoured to corrupt my fellow Slytherins against me. Unfortunately for them, over half the House was somewhat reliant on me to keep their schoolwork and grades in check. The last but not least of course was Draco Malfoy because he deserved to be in a category all on his own simply for the sheer number of ways he got on my nerves.

"I would if I wasn't blinded by that face of yours" I muttered under my breath.

Suddenly I felt the hairs on my arm stand on end. I looked around quickly but didn't see anyone suspicious, I couldn't shake the feeling however.

Something isn't right.

"Er, Hermione? I'm not feeling too well all of a sudden, I think I should be getting back"

"Is everything alright? You do look a little pale"

"I can't explain it, something just feels a little off about this place. I think we should leave"

She nodded understandingly and we headed for the door, grabbing a reluctant Ron on our way out. We trudged our way back towards the school while I apologized for cutting short their time in Hogsmeade. I had half a mind to tell them to go on without me but I knew Aunt Minerva would throw a fit if she saw me returning alone.

As we rounded the corner I bumped into something for the second time that day and landed on my rear end. "Having trouble with your eyes again, Montaine?" a disdainful voice said and I groaned at my rotten luck.

"I don't have time for your games today, Malfoy" I said as Ron helped me up and I dusted myself. "Why don't you run along and play with your friends" I gestured to Crabbe and Goyle.

"In a hurry somewhere?"

"Come on" I said grabbing Hermione and Ron, ignoring Malfoy completely. That didn't sit well with him. "How dare you walk away from me while I am talking to you" he demanded, clearly miffed and to my dismay started following us.

"Go away, Malfoy"

"You're being rather suspicious. What have you got to hide?"

"Nothi-"

Suddenly Hermione was wrenched from me by a masked man dressed in black robes. I had my wand on him within seconds. Two more appeared, shoving Malfoy and Ron together, wands aimed. Crabbe and Goyle made a run for it without a backward glance leaving Malfoy in shock.

"Hand over your wands"

"Not bloody likely" Ron answered.

"Do you think mere children can outmatch us?" they laughed cruelly.

"I don't know who you are or what you want but you had better let her go" I said.

"I don't take orders from little girls" the one holding Hermione said. "But maybe if you play nice and tell us which one of you is the Montaine girl, we might consider letting the rest of you lot off"

A chill ran up my spine at his words. "Who sent you?" I asked though I already had a hunch.

"That is none of your concern" he smiled maliciously. "Now, which one of you is the Montaine girl? You?" he asked Hermione, twisting his wand into her neck threateningly.

I sighed and tossed my wand on the ground.

"Are you mental?" Ron hissed.

I ignored him and stepped forward. "I am the one you want. Release her"

The man's eyes regarded her from behind his mask. "How can I be certain you aren't lying?"

"You don't. But is that a risk you are willing to take? I mean I'd imagine your master wouldn't be very pleased if you brought him the wrong girl. Besides, why risk my life for her if she is the one you want?" I justified and he seemed to loosen his hold on Hermione.

"Walk over slowly and keep your hands where I can see them"

I obeyed and once I was close enough, he grabbed my wrist forcefully and put a Full Body-Bind curse on Hermione then pressed his wand painfully into my cheek.

"You said you would release her" I snarled.

"On the contrary, I said I might consider. Well I have and I figured I am better off taking the both of you with me in case and if it turns out you are telling the truth, well, I get to keep her as a reward for my troubles" he said spitefully. "We're going to have loads of fun together" he added with a nasty smile, sniffing her hair and running his hand along Hermione's arm before shoving her roughly to the ground. I trembled with unadulterated rage at the look of terror in her eyes and Ron's horrified expression.

You will never lay a finger on anyone I care about, 'Father', never again, I will not allow it.

"Your father sends his love. You are not an easy one to catch, what with all the protection charms over that ludicrous school and that joke of a Headmaster"

…

Her fringe hung over her eyes as she stared at the ground. Though he couldn't see her expression, call it first-hand experience if you will, but he knew inside she was seething. He could almost see the anger radiating from her like steam as the masked man continued speaking scornfully.

Suddenly she laughed, not her usual jaunty laugh but a bone-chilling one that unsettled even the likes of him. Flames engulfed her fists and the man released her immediately. Her discarded wand flew into her hand and she swiftly disarmed the men with a swift flick of her wrist. Then she levitated them, their bodies immobile as if bound by invisible threads mid-air.

"No one speaks about Albus Dumbledore and Hogwarts that way" she said in a low voice as the banked fire of her gaze seared them. "Now which of your filthy hands touched my friend?" she asked, her lips curling in disgust.

Beside him, the Weasel spoke up. "Ari?"

"This one?" she asked, flicking her wrist towards the man's right hand. A large gash appeared from palm to elbow and blood spurted from it. "My apologies, it was this one, was it not?" she smiled nastily and another gash appeared over the man's left hand as he yelled profanities at her. She grabbed him by the chin and forced his eyes to hers. "I have a message for my father. Tell him to do his own dirty work and if he harms anyone here again, I promise he will rue the day he ever brought me into this world"

She had always been a thorn in his side but this girl that had morphed before his eyes was more than that - she was dangerous and cruel and for some reason it bothered him greatly. "But you don't understand, it's in me, I feel it sometimes. When my emotions get the better of me, I can't control it" her words rung in his head.

He watched as Weasel slowly made his way towards her, calling her name. When he was close enough, he reached out to touch her shoulder. I wouldn't recommend that, he thought just as the ginger was sent flying backwards with a wave of her hand. He sighed exasperatingly. Must I do everything? Well, can't say I expected any more from a Weasley, fancy someone like him can put her in her place?

He stuffed his good hand, the one that wasn't in a sling, into his pocket and casually sauntered up to her, quelling the stab of fear that came with every step he took. If she can't even recognise Weasley, who's to say she wouldn't hurt you, her archenemy no less?

"Montaine!" he shouted, ignoring the warnings in his head. Her eyes flicked towards him and he tried hard not to flinch under her intimidating glare. "That is who you are, aren't you? Cause the Ariana Montaine I know certainly seems different" he mocked with a condescending smirk. "Not that I have any complaints, evil quite becomes of you, almost as if you were born for it"

That seemed to snap her out of whatever daze she had been in. She blinked at him, then at Ron unconscious on the ground. She gasped and rushed towards her friend, apologizing profusely. The masked men Apparated quickly, exploiting her moment of distraction.

…

Hermione, Ron and Malfoy excused themselves from the Headmaster's Office, leaving me alone with the aged wizard. We had reported the incident immediately to Professor Dumbledore, sparing no details. It had taken a lot of convincing for me to agree to it, especially if Aunt Minerva found out. She'd lock me up and throw away the key, I was sure of it.

"Please don't tell Professor McGonagall" I pleaded and his blue eyes glimmered with amusement.

"Tell me… how did you feel?"

"It felt a little like an out-of-body experience, really. I remember being angry, very angry and my body felt like it were on fire, flooding my veins and I felt…"

"You felt…?" he urged gently when I didn't continue.

"Different. Stronger, untouchable… boundless"

"Were you conscious of your behaviour at the time?"

"Somewhat, I knew what I was doing and at some point I realized it wasn't right. But I didn't want it to stop, the feeling of having power and using it as I wanted was… sublime. My intention was to protect my friends, at least it was at first but it overwhelmed me and I desired revenge instead" I admitted, hanging my head shamefully.

He merely hummed to himself in response. "Why then did you hesitate?"

"Malfoy said something that brought me to my senses. I realized what I felt, what I wished to do to them would take me down the same path of evil as my father. By succumbing to it, I was becoming who he wanted me to be, who he says I was born to be"

He stroked his long silver beard thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry, Professor. You must be disappointed"

He smiled. "Not at all. Do you know why I allowed you to Hogsmeade, Ariana?"

"To have a good time like a regular third year?" I proffered wryly.

He chuckled at my droll reply. "It is my belief… that understanding is the first step to acceptance and only with acceptance can there be recovery. It would seem, perhaps the one truly disappointed in you isn't me, hmm?" he implied wisely before dismissing me.

I pondered over his words as I made my way back to the dungeons. It occurred to me then that he had incidentally sent me to Hogsmeade almost as if… Wait, did he suspect this would happen? He couldn't have, could he? Cause if he did, then that would mean…

Who is to say for sure? The man is quite the Machiavellian figure not to mention an incorrigible cryptic.

Perhaps he thought it important for me to experience some things for myself first-hand to become fully aware of the risks. Regardless of his intentions, there is no denying he is right, I need to understand myself, my abilities, where I have come from, where I am going then learning to accept and embrace every part of it and to claim myself as the person I choose to be.