Chapter 8

Her dreams.

They kept coming, the next bringing more pain than the one before it. It was the same dream that re-visited her night after night: the same chant, the same fire, the same blinding pain.

She had taken to not sleeping anymore. Instead she spent her nights sitting in her bed the heavy four-poster curtains tightly drawn. Her books, scrolls, lighted wand, and Ace were her only company.

Mia closed her eyes as she clamped her mouth shut on a threatening yawn.

God I'm tired.

Stroking Ace's soft fur absently, she squinted in the soft light of her wand, her lips moving silently reading the words on the page.

Chupas are mystical creatures that do not harm other beings—magical or otherwise—unless provoked. However, it is not difficult to provoke these magical creatures. They are easily identified by their…

A figure loomed just beyond the drapes that shielded her.

"Finite Incantatem," she whispered and dark blanketed her as the figure moved closer and closer.

Mia stiffened, the cat at her side hissing and spitting.

Slowly, the heavy maroon shield was lifted.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

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"Oh My GOD!"

Mia jumped out of bed and fell on top of Skye's rigid body.

"Skye!"

Skye looked up at her, her green eyes wide.

"OH!" Mia fumbled for her wand, "Finite Incantatem!"

Skye sat up taking a deep breath, "Woah."

"What are you doing up?" Mia asked leaning back against her bed.

"What are you doing up?" Skye retorted pushing her eye mask back when it threatened to slide down off its place on her head.

Mia shut her eyes and her chest heaved with a tired sigh.

"Why in Merlin's name aren't you in bed?" Skye asked watching her friend's exhausted face.

"Not tired," Mia replied trying to sound nonchalant.

Skye didn't buy it when she heard her voice crack.

"Yeah," she said as she pulled herself up and reached down for Mia's hands, "and I like girls."

Mia looked up at her, "Now, you know that I would have no problem with that right?"

Skye laughed as she pulled her friend up, "Oh yes well if I ever do swing that way, I'll let you know."

Mia fell back unto her bed and lay there amidst her books and scrolls.

"So," Skye said her arms crossed, "why are you awake?"

"Can't sleep," she replied gathering a purring Ace into her arms.

"The dream?" Skye asked sitting slowly.

"Yeah," Mia said a sigh escaping, "bloody dream is keeping me up all hours."

"No," Skye looked her over, expressive green eyes wide with concern, "Mia you're keeping yourself up all hours."

Mia eyed her wearily, but she was right. The dream was not pleasant, but some sleep was better than no sleep.

"If I wasn't such a pansy," Mia said leaning back her eyes closed, "I would be sleeping like a baby right now."

"Hey, maybe you should go talk to someone about this," Skye suggested leaning over to pet the cat on her friend's stomach.

"No," Mia said quickly expelling the thought from her head, "anyways I've already told Dumbledore. I'm sure it'll go away soon."

Skye got up slowly, her pretty face doubtful, "Well, just get some sleep."

"Yeah," Mia said her eyelids heavy, "yeah…"

Skye cleared her friends' bed moving most of the books and scrolls unto the floor. Grabbing a light blanket, she tucked it around her now-sleeping friend.

"Night pumpkin."

Ambling over to her bed, she fell in exhausted, her leopard print eye mask still on her head.

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The roaring fire cast long shadows against the ground and Mia stepped forward.

The air was still only the sound of crackling flames licking angrily at the air could be heard.

Mia let out a shuddering breath, watching it float in front of her.

Pop

The suspended cloud vanished with a quick turn of her head.

"Who are you?" she cried.

The silence was deafening.

Pop

Mia whirled at the sound.

The cloaked figure stood in front of her, a mound of dark curls escaping from beneath her hood.

Mia stepped back as the woman took a small step forward.

"No," Mia whispered shaking her head trying to remove the image of the woman standing in front of her.

"Amelia," the woman reached her hand out for the girl's face her fingers grazing her cheek.

"NO!" Mia howled as a blast of pain shot through her side.

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Skye jumped up, her green eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Wha..wha," she wrestled with her sheets and tumbled out of bed.

She scrambled to her friend's bed and yanked the drapes away.

"Mia!" she said alert.

Her friend was drenched with sweat and tears. Her eyes were clenched shut and as Skye reached for her, another yell escaped her lips.

"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Skye jumped back her hands flying to her mouth as she watched her friend struggle in her sleep.

I have to do something.

Squaring her shoulders, she stepped forward cringing when Mia began trembling and screaming at her to get away.

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"NO!" Mia screamed, "Get away from me!"

The woman stepped closer, a pained look on her pretty face.

"I don't want to hurt you," she said softly.

Mia went rigid her hands balling into fists at her side, "NO!"

She had nothing more to say.

Where was she?

She whipped her head around. She recognized nothing around her except the woman that stood in front of her.

"Get away from me!" Tears streamed down her cheeks but she ignored them and took another step back.

"No." The woman reached forward and grabbed her arms tightly, "Ball of fire at your side, the phoenix and dragon you will bear; the sign of your line, the binding mark," the woman paused as a silvery tear ran down her cheek, "for you are mine and I am yours, bide your time my sweet child. My sweet Amelia."

Mia stood as silent tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Mum," she whispered.

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Skye held on to the thrashing Mia.

"Wake up!" she shrieked in between Mia's shouts.

"MIA!" Skye took her friend by the shoulders and shook her.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her hand back and brought it down across her face.

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Mia darted up, struggling for breath. Millions of needles pricked at her side and she flinched at the throbbing pain in her cheek.

"Mia!" Skye hugged her ferociously.

"I-I'm s-s-so s-sorry," Mia sobbed as tears ran down her cheeks.

Skye shushed her and patted her back, "Don't be."

Mia buried her face in Skye's blonde hair and let herself cry into it.

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Mia had her eyes closed, her head resting in Skye's lap, but she wasn't asleep.

Part of her wanted to drift back into the dream world where she could see her mother again, but the other part of her wanted to stay awake, far away from the pain.

Letting out a shuddering breath, she pulled herself into a sitting position.

"Thanks," she said leaning her head against her friends' shoulder.

Skye draped her arm around her quaking shoulders, "No problem."

"I'm going to take a shower," Mia said softly and moved towards the adjoining bathroom ignoring the dull ache at her side.

Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it and stared at her reflection. It was like being back in the train bathroom again. She frowned at her pale complexion, red cheeks, and puffy eyes. With a quick shake of her head, she threw some water on her face and sniffed.

Her body screamed in pain as she pulled her shirt over her head but she ignored it.

As she stepped into the bath tub she caught her reflection in the mirror again and froze.

Her blue eyes widened, her face whitened and she screamed.

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Skye was sitting in her bed stroking a sleeping Ace absently as she stared out at the sunny grounds. Sighing tiredly, she thanked Merlin it was finally the weekend. As her eyes fluttered to a close she let her body relax against her fluffy pillows.

Aaahhh.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Skye jumped, as the scream sliced through the comfortable silence.

Pushing the napping cat off, she ran to the bathroom door and knocked.

"Mia?" she called.

The bathroom door was yanked open and Mia peered out at her, her blue eyes wide.

"What's wrong?" Skye asked trying to look past her friends' head and into the bathroom.

"What's wrong!" Mia repeated her voice rising in pitch, "I'll show you what's wrong!"

Skye stepped back as Mia stepped out of the bathroom. Her eyes widened as she yanked her shirt up.

"This!" she shrieked, "This is what's so bloody wrong!"

Skye took a cautious step forward her hand reaching for her friends' side but pulled back.

"What is it?" she asked instead.

"I don't know!" Mia cried dropping her shirt and wringing her hands.

"Hey," Skye said her voice soft but firm, "you need to calm down."

Mia whirled, her eyes flashing with anger, her teeth bared.

Skye stood in front of her, arms crossed, green eyes calm.

Mia ran a shaky hand through her hair and nodded, "You're right."

"What is it?" Skye repeated as her eyes darted from her friends' face to her side.

Mia brought her shirt up again but looked away.

Skye stepped forward and frowned.

It was a tattoo.

Reaching out, she touched it but retracted her hand when she heard Mia let out a hiss.

"Sorry."

"What is it?" Mia whispered.

It covered almost all of her right side, the black ink standing out vividly against the light skin on Mia's flat stomach. A phoenix and dragon circled one another a ball of fire burning in between them. Skye touched her side unabashedly examining the intricate detail of the dragon's scales and the phoenix's feathers.

"It's beautiful," she said softly, "where did you get it done?"

"What!" Mia asked her voice rising again.

"Well," Skye said looking up at her, "it's a tattoo."

Mia shook her head furiously, "I didn't get a tattoo."

"It's of a dragon and a phoenix," Skye said straightening up.

Mia's mouth opened as realization set it, "a dragon and phoenix," she whispered.

Ball of fire at your side, the phoenix and dragon you will bear; the sign of your line, the binding mark.

"What is it?" Skye asked.

Mia lowered her shirt and dropped down to the floor, "My dream."

Skye slid down next to her, "What happened?"

Mia leaned her head back and closed her eyes, "My mum was in it," she said her voice low.

"Your mum?" Skye asked surprised, "She is the woman?"

"Apparently," Mia said.

"You talked to her?" Skye questioned.

"Not really," Mia said recalling how she had not been able to let out the thoughts she had wanted to.

She had frozen.

"She tried to touch me," Mia shared, "she did touch me, and when she did, I felt the pain."

The two were silent.

"She said something about this, something about the phoenix and dragon being the sign of my line, some kind of binding mark."

Mia bit her lip wondering whether or not to finally tell her friend about the North Tower incident but let the thought escape.

"You know who we need to talk to?" Skye asked.

"Who?"

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Hermione looked up at the sound of soft knocking.

Looking around her room, she wondered who it could be so early. She didn't know that anyone else was even awake at this time, except for her of course.

She opened the door.

"Hi," Hermione said after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Hey," Skye smiled, her dimples flashing, "do you mind if we come in?"

"Oh," Hermione stepped back, "no, course not."

Mia stepped into the room avoiding Hermione's curious eyes.

It was a big room, with a single bed, immaculately made up. Books were scattered around, piles of them on the floor, on the desk and overflowing out of a schoolbag. Moving pictures were framed at the end table next to her bed. A smiling Hermione stood next to her two best friends.

"What's up?" Hermione asked as she closed the door behind her.

Skye turned to Mia and nodded.

Reluctantly, Mia lifted her shirt and turned towards Hermione.

Hermione's eyes widened, "Is it a tattoo?"

Mia shook her head.

"It came from a dream," Skye explained when Mia did not.

"Oh," Hermione took a cautious step forward to examine Mia's side, "it's fascinating."

"What is it?" Mia asked looking down at her.

"It came from a dream?" Hermione questioned.

Mia nodded.

"Not a tattoo?"

"Not a tattoo." Skye confirmed.

"Amazing," Hermione traced the dragon her fingers grazing Mia's red skin.

"Well?" Mia asked her stomach tightening uncomfortably.

"It's a ligamento mark," Hermione said straightening.

"What?" the two girls asked simultaneously throwing confused looks at Hermione.

"It's like a birthmark," Hermione explained, "except they appear at a certain time, usually when a person comes of age."

"Why does it look like a tattoo?" Mia questioned.

"I've only ever read about them," Hermione replied, "I have never seen one so I can't be certain."

Wrinkling her nose, "You say you it appeared after you had a dream?"

"Yes," Mia answered.

"Fascinating, Hermione leaned forward examining it closely, "I've never read about any ligamento marks appearing after a dream. They usually just appear gradually."

"Does the tattoo look like anything you've ever seen before?" Skye asked.

Mia cleared her throat.

"Non-tattoo," Skye corrected.

"No," Hermione said, "phoenixes and dragons must mean something to you."

"No," Mia lied.

"Well," she straightened up, "it must be your family mark. Ligamento marks are usually passed on from generation to generation."

Lowering her shirt, Mia hid her new mark from prying eyes.

"Thank you Hermione."

Hermione led them to the door, "You're welcome, I hope that I was of some help."

She watched the two girls walk down the hall and disappear into their own room.

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"So," Mia said as she stepped out of the bathroom, clad in her bathrobe, "what she was saying is that I'm a freak."

"Mia," Skye said a warning tone in her voice.

"Fine!" Mia said throwing her hands up in surrender.

Moving to her bed she sat back and began to write.

I saw mum today…in my dream. She was the woman all along. This dream was different. She talked to me, and she touched me. I wanted to say so much to her, to tell her how much she hurt me and dad. I want to hate her but when she said my name it was like I was a kid again.

I didn't tell Skye. I know I should have, but I just couldn't bring myself to.

Mia sniffed back the tears that were threatening to plop on her notebook page. She had cried enough for one day.

I have a mark now, just like the one mum had.

Shutting her eyes, she brought her hand to her neck.

It had been so good to see her, even if it was in a dream.