Gaze

Thorffin Rowle had always been the quite boy at school. No one bulled him because of his large build but he knew that his blood was tainted in the eyes of many would-be friends because of his Giant ancestry. Rowle had no extraordinary abilities or family status. No one expected much of him. Therefore, it had been a shock when a month after graduation – the war was already in full swing – Antonin Dolohov showed up and appraising him with a firm but amiable gaze said. "Come with me, Fin. You want to be someone don't you? We can do that."

Wink

First Year Sorting – what could be more exciting and nerve-tingling? Twins Alecto and Amycus Carrow walked holding hands, glancing somewhat nervously at each other. Their father had been in Slytherin and their mother in Ravenclaw. They had argued on the train which one was better. Now there was a good chance they would be separated.

Alecto went first. She shut her eyes and listened to the hat's raspy mumblings. Then in a clear, shrill call her fate was decided.

"Slytherin!"

She stood and looked back at her brother, giving him a smug wink. You'll have to ask for Slytherin now.

Distance

The distance between them grew as the prisoners' boat that would sail several miles north to Azkaban floated away into the fog.

Bella stood at the magical barrier that separated the grey-sand beach from the icy water. Her eyes were locked on a single shape on deck of the boat.

Wandless, already in the prisoners garb, still grief stricken by the death of his sister and blind Wizengamot conviction, Antonin looked like a ghost. He held one hand out, as though reaching for her, and she pressed her hands against the Barrier, longing to feel his touch.

The distance grew.

Cold as Ice

Antonin had expected it to burn. He had expected the inky lines of the Dark Mark engraved into his skin and soul to burn and sting. Instead, the point of Tom's wand seemed to be saturating his skin, his whole being, with ice. It was like the ice was seeping deep into his system, into his very blood, coloring it a snowy, numb hue of cold. The cold attached itself in icicles to his nerves, froze every coherent thought. There was a frozen glint to the fresh tattoo on his arm.

He had knelt one man, he would rise another.

Eternal Flame

She was waiting for him when he emerged from the Marking just as she had promised.

"I'll be here when you come back a real man."

She stood waiting on the bridge, framed against the sky. But there were no stars, no more moon. Only ominous clouds. She held out her hand to him. "Show me."

He rolled up the sleeve of his robes and she gasped in awe. "Tony…"

He wrapped Bella up in his arms as it began to rain. "My place?"

Her passionate kiss was his answer. Now that he had it she would always love him.