Hi everyone! Thank you for reading yet another chapter of mine! I can't even begin to thank all of you enough! Sorry for such a delayed chapter as well. I've been having some serious writers' block and all of my notes got lost when I got a new phone a couple of weeks ago. Plus it has been complete hell for me these last few weeks with summer reading homework and just getting off of band camp (I'm a drum major. . . HUGE COMITMENT). So I have been trying to think of some cool ideas for this and my other story "The Secret Keeper" (check it out! It's super good!).

Shout out to moonfan4eva for the last review! I'm hoping to start getting some more chapters flowing!

Don't forget to review! I love to hear your feedback! I want to hear about your reactions to the characters/situations!

I really hope that you enjoy the newest installment of "The Forbidden Game"!

P.S. I promise that it was worth the wait!

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Chapter Three

I woke up with a scream, drenched in sweat and my heart racing. I clutched at the blankets frantically as my eyes searched around the room for Julian. When I didn't find him in the dim lighting of my room, I relaxed, but my heart kept racing. I still glanced around the room uneasily as I yanked the covers back from my shivering body. I slid out of bed, grabbed my clothes and ran to the bathroom.

Once I was inside, I turned on the shower and turned the handle to as hot as it could. I quickly shed my night clothes and stepped inside. I let the hot water fall onto my thin frame. I quickly scrubbed my hair with a cherry blossom shampoo. It wasn't until I was about to exit the shower when I felt a burning sensation on my wrist. When I looked, I shrieked.

An ouroboros tattoo adorned my small wrist.

I reached for a wash cloth and soap. I scrubbed my wrist until it was raw. I sobbed as I saw the tattoo still on my wrist, moving as the two snakes swallowed each other's ends.

Defeated, I got out of the shower and wrapped myself in a large black towel. I sank to the floor and cried. Ouroboros were forbidden in the Natural World. They were designed as curses for people found of horrible crimes. But sometimes, the tattoo appeared on its own, to symbolize the presence of a demon. And that terrified me. Naturals were almost what most witches and wizards would call the "voodoo and hoodoo" of the Wizarding World. We used the elements for spells, potions, charms and curses. Naturals were a very elite line of witches and wizards. Only a few clans still exists, my mother's being one of them. My mother taught Xander and I at an early age what the Natural's magic consisted of. After her murder, I kept up with my practice; Xander did not.

A loud knock at the door brought me back to my senses, "Adrian! Get out of the bathroom. We leave in an hour and a half. Linda will throw a fit if you're not ready for breakfast." That voice. I got to my feet while pulling my robe tightly around me, my wet reddish brown hair fell past my shoulders. I opened the door with a cold expression. Julian stood there in dark jeans and a tight, V-neck shirt. He smirked when he saw my expression. However, his smirked changed to one of shock when my fist connected with his jaw. He held the door frame to steady himself. He grabbed his bruising jaw and looked down at me, "What the hell was that for Andi?"

My gaze tore into his, "Really? As if you don't remember? The last thing I remember last night is you kissing me. You wiped my memory after that! I can tell when the obliviation spell has been used! Do you forget what I am? How dare you, you bastard!" and I went to swing again, but my arm was pinned to my side in a matter of seconds.

Julian held me against the stone wall of the bathroom, his face inches from mine, "It might be in your best interest if this was never spoken of again. There is worse to come."

"Are you threatening me?" I said incredulously.

"No," he said menacingly, "It's a promise." And he was gone.

People rushed all around me, trying to reach friends they hadn't seen all of the summer holiday. Joyous reunions could be heard throughout the platform. First years clung to their mothers' arms as fathers looked protectively at their younger children. Third and Fourth year students struggled to get away from sobbing mothers. Fathers glared at any boy who would come close to their daughter, no matter what age the girl may have been. I looked around frantically for any sign of Isobel or Astoria. My eyes brightened when I saw a familiar face turn to me. I raised my hand to wave at Isobel when Ian's hand crashed down on my shoulder. I looked at him with a questioning gaze and all he said was, "Don't draw attention to yourself."

Those exact words have been said to me a countless amount of times and I could not even begin to tell anyone as to why they were even said in the first place.

I slowly pulled my hand down and mouthed the word "Later" to Isobel. She nodded as she took in Ian's rigid hand on my thin shoulder. We walked silently towards the awaiting train. Ian and Linda kept glancing around nervously, but Julian sulked behind us, dragging my trunk and my owl, Roman. He has been avoiding me since our encounter this morning. I smirked at the angry purple bruise that swallowed the entire left side of Julian's jaw.

"Well here we are."

I turned to see a teary eyed Linda looking at me. She pulled me close to her small frame and whispered in my ear, "Oh Adrian, please be careful." She quietly sobbed into my shoulder before continuing, "You are so lucky to get away from this. There are things going on in the world that you cannot even begin to imagine. I am scared for you. Remember who your friends are."

I hugged Linda tighter, "I will Lindy. Thank you for everything," I said as tears formed in my eyes. I pulled away to be enveloped into another hug, except this time I was spun around.

"Don't cry Andi!" Ian's enthusiastic voice said, "I will always be one letter away if you need anything! I will come and kick any boy's ass if they break your heart. Don't you doubt it!" he set me down and held me at arm's length away before saying, "Don't forget what you've learned. Be Safe." He said the last part in all seriousness and a cold pit settled in my stomach.

My last hug was received by Julian. I stiffly hugged him back before he whispered, "Don't forget my promise," I froze as soon as the words left his mouth. He brought a finger to his lips and shushed me, feeling my sudden tenseness, then pulled away from me and said a little louder, "Stay safe this year, Adrian. There are dangerous people loose in this world, some closer to Hogwarts than you think."

I nodded slowly, my eyes slightly narrowing. His smile made me shiver. When I looked away from him, the ouroboros on my wrist burned. I took gasped and clenched my fists, earning a questioning look from Linda. I smiled through the pain. Ian placed my trunk and owl on the inside of the Hogwarts Express before giving me another tight hug, "This one is from Xander." I nodded sadly thinking of my older brother. I wished that he was here to see me off, or at least here so I could confide in him the ouroboros. I sighed, smiling at the three of them before I turned to board the train.

I walked down the crowded corridors before finding a compartment with Astoria sitting inside. I threw the sliding door open and enveloped her in a hug. She gripped me back laughing at the sudden burst of excitement. We sat down opposite each other, waiting for Blaire and Isobel. We joked about students as they passed our compartment. Suddenly the door flew open and there stood Blaire and Isobel. Blaire entered first, her tall frame waltzing through the entryway. Her light blonde hair billowed past her in loose waves and her brown doe-like were smiling. Isobel nearly pushed Blaire out of the way when she saw Astoria and me. Her face was tanned from the bright Spanish sun, her cheeks were tinged pink. Her bright blue eyes glowed as she sat down next to me. She then pulled me into a bone crushing hug. I laughed and began to choke on her thick curls.

"I have missed you all so much! I wish that there had been more time to visit during the summer holiday!" Isobel said in her thick accent.

Blaire beamed back, "I was stranded here in London all summer! I wish that at least one of you came to visit. With Mum and Dad working all of the time at the Ministry, I've been all alone!" We all laughed at Blaire exasperation.

Astoria told us of her summer next. Her mother is trying to arrange her marriage to Draco Mafloy and Daphne is utterly pissed at the fact that she wasn't set to be married to Draco, "I mean seriously, can I not decide for myself who I would want to marry! I know that many people automatically assume since I come from a family of dedicated Death Eaters that I would be overjoyed of the possibility of being engaged to one, let alone Draco Malfoy. I do not want to lead the life of being married to one of those awful creatures! Please. I have some class, you know!" We roared with laughter as we listened to Astoria rant. Once we calmed down, she lowered her voice, "You know what? I had a long conversation with my father yesterday while Mum and Daphne were out shopping. He told me that he regrets ever joining the Death Eaters! He told me to stay away from them, but he told me to only ever repeat this conversation to the lot of you. He said that they will hunt you down if you refuse. My father had no choice. Mum was then set to marry my father once he was marked. Can you believe that? Mum does too, but she refuses to say it aloud for fear of the Dark Lord. And Daphne? Well she's just too damn clueless." I shivered at the thought of being hunted. Astoria looked at me with her sad crystal blue eyes and asked, "Adrian, you've been quiet. Tell us of your summer."

I sighed as I launched into stories of countless hours of training. I showed them the newest scar that ran cleanly from my right shoulder to the middle of my back. I talked of the Natural holiday of the Summer Solstice and how Linda allowed me to go to Poland for a week and a half to celebrate with my mother's old tribe. I hesitated when I told them of Julian and the kiss.

They looked at me with their eyes wide. I felt the color drain from my face when I thought of this morning. Isobel was the first to speak, "Andi, there is something you aren't telling us. I can tell by your face. Please tell us," she pleaded with honesty in her eyes. I sighed slowly and pulled back the sleeve of my thin navy sweater. All three of them gasped as they saw the ouroboros moving slowly across my wrist. I stared too, too scared to say anything.

"Is that what I really think it is?" Astoria questioned with genuine fear in her eyes. In the second year, Astoria caught me performing cleansing rituals when the Chamber of Secrets had been open. I was forced to tell her of the Naturals and my tribe. She was intrigued and promised me that she would never tell a soul. She even did her own research to help her understand my situation. Later that same year, she helped me explain everything top Isobel and Blaire. All three have been very supportive of me ever since.

I nodded slowly before taking a breath, "I noticed it this morning, when I was in the shower. I thought that it was some kind of prank and tried rubbing it off, but it stayed there. I think that Julian had something to do with this. I am so scared."

Before they could say anything, a faint voice whispered in my head, "Don't forget my promise."