PLEASE READ. THIS IS AN APOLOGY FOR MY LACK OF UPDATING (AND MY REASONS WHY). BUT HOPEFULLY THIS WILL CHANGE.

Hey readers! I'm sure that all of you hate me for not updating in seriously forever. This is the first time I have had ligament "free-time" since the beginning of the year, and let me tell you guys, this year has sucked. Since you all mean so much to me, I want to apologize for my lack of existence these past few months. I have had enormous final projects, AP tests to prepare for, the ACT/PSAE, musical, speech and so much more. I have also had some family obligations. I am sad to announce that my father passed away in March and it has taken quite a toll on myself and my family.

But I cannot tell you all how excited I am to keep continuing this story and my other story "The Secret Keeper"! I had an epiphany of some sort and now cannot stop thinking about all of these new ideas. I am beyond excited! (ALSO HUGE NOTE: I AM EDITING BOTH STORIES' PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. IMPORTANT NEW STUFF IS BEING ADDED.)

I seriously hope that you enjoy this chapter!

Read&Review.

Enjoy.

Chapter Four

All of us stared down at the ouroboros in horror as it moved on my wrist. I moved my wrist around to watch the small snake swallow its own tail. They all understood the idea that the ouroboros was dangerous and meant something evil, but they did not know that it was a symbol of destruction and death. They often bring visions and most often drive the person to insanity. Most of the time, Naturals are cursed with them, but on a rare occasion, they can be a mark or label of those that are evil. My fears were coming to life as the burning sensation grew stronger. I winced in pain and Blaire reached to touch it and all of a sudden, my arm felt like it was lit on fire. I screamed, falling to the ground as the burning intensified. I stared at be wrist in horror as the snake crawled up my arm and towards my chest, leaving a shadow of ash. Everywhere it touched my skin would turn black as though I were really being lit on fire. I screamed louder and louder as it made its way up the back of my neck and into my mind. Everything stopped in front of me. No sounds. No pains. No sight. And suddenly, I wasn't on the Hogwarts Express.

I was somewhere else entirely, inside someone else's body without any control. Only there to watch. The ouroboros must be a mark of someone else. Not a curse, but worse.

I looked out onto unfamiliar surroundings, but I was back in the Russian countryside. I knew that because the person whose mind I was currently in was looking for something, or someone. It was late summer and I recognized the wildflowers and tall grass. Large trees shaded the old country road that a stranger walked along. I am inside the strangers mind, only observing. I watched as the stranger came upon a large house with windows smashed in and the doors boarded up. The house itself must have been beautiful once, but looked to be abandoned with overgrown trees and vines crawling up the brick. The stranger walked up a gravel path and went towards the front door. There was a space large enough to fit through that into a house that was beautiful. I began to feel that I once knew this place… It seemed so familiar now… So haunting…

The stranger continued walking through the house. The inside of the house was still in perfect condition, all except for the living room. There the fireplace was a mound of marble, couches and chairs were torn and thrown across the room, and a baby grand piano lay in pieces in a corner of the room. As the stranger approached the center of the room, something crunched under his foot. He lifted up a broken picture frame containing a photograph of a family. In the picture was a family. The father, mother and son looked happily at the camera and would look down when the little daughter would squeal. Her curly coppery hair stood out like her father's and she had her mother's icy blue eyes. I looked into the eyes of little girl in horror as her bright, familiar smile gazed at the stranger.

It was me.

That was home.

I could hear the screams from my parents as they were murdered in this exact room. I could also hear my brother and my cries as we heard so many voices yelling.

Then the stranger turned towards the mirror above the destroyed fireplace.

I could see myself looking back at someone I thought I knew.

And Julian stared right back at me and smiled. He lifted a single finger to his mouth and whispered, "Don't forget my promise."

A knock on our compartment window sent me into a panic as Isobel struggled to help me back onto the bench. Immobilized by the burning pain, Blaire, who sat with me, yanked the sleeve of my shirt down to cover the curse. I was shaking with what I had just seen. Julian. In my old home. What was he doing there? Did he know what happened that night? Was he a part of it? But he couldn't have been, he would have only been nine years old at the time. All of the questions seemed to disappear when the compartment door opened to a smirking Draco Malfoy and his two "friends," Crabbe and Goyle.

"What the bloody hell was all that noise? Belikov, I suppose. Isn't that her only way of communication? Screaming? Not intelligent enough to form words?" Malfoy questioned darkly. The two goons laughed at his pathetic excuse for a joke as I tensed up.

I turned my head towards him with a menacing expression, "You can't even speak for yourself with all of your daddy issues. I've never met someone with so many before. Do tell me, what is it like to be so far up daddy's arse that you would have to be surgically removed?" I questioned with a small smile on my face and cold eyes glaring at him. I could hear Blaire's laugh being covered up with a cough while Isobel didn't even try and attempt to cover her laugh up. Astoria sat rigid as she stared at me intently, for fear of another fit of pain, or worse.

Malfoy's face tightened as he took two steps in front of me and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and shoved me to the ground. He crouched down and brought his wand up slowly under my chin as he whispered, "I wouldn't go around insulting people that are stronger and have more talent than you. Wouldn't want to end up like mummy and daddy, would we?"

I froze as I stared into his smirking face, "You can't even begin to dream of the magic I can perform. Besides, I have a few surprises of my own," I stated evenly through my teeth as the burning in my arm stopped. I began to slowly inch towards the knife in my back pocket when Astoria stood quickly. She grabbed Malfoy and yanked him away from me. He fell backwards onto the ground and turned his attention towards Astoria. She stared down at him with an innocent look and smiled when he glared back up at her. We all knew that Malfoy wouldn't even begin to touch her as she was soon to be his fiancée. He picked himself up off the ground, turned to whisper something in Astoria's ear, and then stalked out of the compartment, with his lackeys following in suit. She then turned her attention towards me.

"Do you want to get yourself killed you bloody idiot?" she whispered intensely as she hurried to shut the door and lock it.

"What are you talking about?" I inquired innocently laying the knife on my lap, "I was only going to give him a little lesson. After all, he did say that I was weaker when it came to magic, so why not take advantage that I am a born assassin? Besides, he brought up my mother and father. That doesn't sit lightly with me and you know it." I stroked the blade lightly as I gritted my teeth to hold back threatening tears. That was one reason I hated Hogwarts. Everyone stared at me because of my parents. That's why I never stared at Harry Potter because he knew what it was like to watch both of your parents die for you. But at least he knows who killed his mum and dad. I don't even have that sense of closure.

Isobel looked at me incredulously as Astoria continued, "You were the one who asked him about being surgically removed from his father's arse. You and I both know that Malfoy would have your arse served on a platter if you laid a finger on him. You can't go around pulling out knives on anyone who rubs you the wrong way! What would Xander think of your actions?"

"I think we all know what Xander's reaction would look like. I don't think I would live to see the next day if he found out I tried to pull a knife out on Draco Malfoy. Although, he might have applauded me," I looked away towards the window, "It's hard sometimes. I am a trained assassin, and there is nothing I can do about my reactions to things. Lindy said some things back at home that worry me, things like the new horrors in this world that we all can't even begin to grasp. I believe her, I really do. Then Julian is acting like some sort of possessed freak of nature who is threatening to kill me. Something isn't right, and I think it has to do with the ouroboros." I pulled the sleeve of my shirt back up to reveal the missing tattoo. Blinking, I ran my hand over the soft spot on my wrist where not even minutes ago burned as though it were on fire. Isobel's eyes widened as she noticed it was missing and everyone crowed my hand, "Where did it go?" I whispered.

We all stared down at my wrist as the ash from the ouroboros slowly sunk into the flesh of my wrist. The rest of the ash did the same slowly until a sharp sting came from the back of my neck. I traced the remainder of ash to the back of my neck. Slowly I walked towards the window and lifted my thick, curly hair up. Moving, the ouroboros ate its tail on the back of my neck. I gasped when it gave a little sting.

"We'll have to look at this later. We're here," I whispered as the large castle of Hogwarts appeared in the near distance.

Looks like another year of hell for us all.