Chapter XVI

Sirius headed straight to the common room instead of the field, seeing as the practice was already over and knowing everyone was going to head up to the dorms soon enough to shower and change. He said the password and step in, seeing first and seconds, crowding around him, hearing half the story that was being passed like wildfire to all the Gryffindor then to the other students outside.

"Is it true that Ms. Corvin try to commit suicide? Why did she do it, she doesn't seem the type? Did you guys have a lover spat? Did she cheat on you and felt guilty about being unfaithful? What exactly made Keller pull such a crazy stunt? Did she…?"

"Look I don't know what happened, but I can assure you that she wouldn't dare commit suicide," or at least that's what I think and I bet so does Prongs and Moony and Lily and Hermione. If she suicidal, then that was plainly Dragon dung! "So stop believing all this dragon dung and leave me alone!"

He stormed up to the boy's room, went to go get clean up and change and tries to take his mind off the event that kept replaying itself inside his head.

What did exactly happened? He thought standing up the showerhead and letting himself be drench with ice-cold water. Everyone was now thinking she had tried to off herself but he didn't believe she would do something like that, no way he had to guess someone had been behind it, but who exactly he hadn't a clue.

Ah forget it, once Keller wakes up and tells the headmaster what happen, they'll catch the culprit and send him packing his bags on the Hogwarts Express back to London. He turn off the shower, got out of the stall and used a drying spell on himself and pulled on some clean boxers and slacks but didn't put a shirt on yet as he sat down on his bed, pondering for a while in silence, which he was not good at for staying still and not doing anything.

Now he needed something to take his mind off this until later. He thought of doing his homework, which was rare in the case, so he went shuffling through his bag to pick a book at random and start working on its assignment.

The Philosophy of the Mundane: Why Muggles Prefer Not to Know by Mordicus Egg. They had homework on that one from the book but he forgot to write it down.

Mooncalf's dung, now maybe he should do something else but he remember Keller had that class with him and must have written it down in hers notes, knowing she kept tabs in hers for all her assignments. Putting the book down to the side, he went to James's poster bed and search inside his trunk for the invisibility cloak. He found the silvery material and pulled it over himself and went down and waited. The stairs leading to the girls' room would never allow a boy up there but if he could wait until one of the girls go up and followed them, he was positive it worked because he and James did this a first few times back in fifth year. Oh those good old times…he thought James still kept a piece of Lily's somewhere and wasn't sure where he hidden it exactly.

He waited, no one seeing him as he saw one of the McQueen twin heading up and follow her quietly and careful as he made it to the room and watched as she went to the bathroom and then search about for Keller's.

Ok, there was the McQueen twin's to the back; Serena and Alice's to the left so the two and on the right must be Hermione's and Keller's. He checked the first one, seeing it was Hermione's as most of her schoolwork and books in the trunk next to her bed with the name 'Sonja'.

Keller was the next bed and he saw her backpack. Yes! That had to be it! Quickly he grabbed it and held it under the invisible cloak and snuck downstairs and up to the boy's room.

He pulled the cloak off and sat on his bed and searched through her bag, finding and discovering the most odd things for a girl like Keller. Then again she was a hybrid so why was he surprised to see what she had.

He found a think paperback book with a picture of a mask on the front with rouged cheeks, slit-like eyes, a ebony goatee and mustachios curling up at the ends and grinning mischievous like towards him which kind of creep him out. He opened the book and saw there were colored pictures inside, vividly drawn with interesting scenes and words sitting in tiny white bubbles for the characters to speak.

What were those kind of books called where there were just more pictures and words than lots of words like in schoolbook, Remus had told him before and called it a, oh yeah, "Comic book." He read the first page, interested so far and then laid it to the side, maybe he would read more later and went back to check what else she had and pulled out a set of headphones attach to a black rectangle object with a white circle in the center and a tiny screen above it.

He placed the headphones on and then pressed the small button to hear. Nothing happened, he looked at it curiously and then found a little switch that said 'hold' on the top. He flipped it and this time saw words on the tiny screen saying, 'Everybody's Fool' by Evanescence.

Whose Evanescence, he wonder before he pressed the play button again and music came pounding in his head in a strong beat. It seem to draw him as he listen to the music and the singer who was so memorizing with the word that he imagine Keller was the one singing, the one singing about…herself?

Weird, but he pretty much like it and listen to the rest and more while he went back to searching inside her bag and found more and more odd trinkets by the minute.

He knew he shouldn't seriously be looking through all her things but he was as much curious about each and everyone of them.

He found a box filled with weird white tube-like objects called 'Tampox', a silver lighter with a snarling werewolf on one side and a large bat-like vampire on the other. A box containing small weird sets of discs, some shaped like Keller's and Hermione's pendants with labels like 'Warning: activate explosion when press', two guns with three cases of ammunition with silver and bright glowing blue liquid inside their magazines, a fan, a miniature sword with weird writing on the sheath.

God what was she doing with all this, there was like so much things he had yet to know about her and had to wonder if she was some sort of undercover agent or assassin beside being a hybrid.

He found a manila envelope and peered through and saw lots of picture, showing her as a kid, smiling and laughing in all of them except now. She thought she looked happy in all of them and then saw the last one of her with her parents. She definitely gotten her mother's face and figure but her dad's eyes and smile. He then turn the bag upside down where more weird stuff came out and then two books came out, a red book with a black rose on the cover and a black book with a red rose.

Curious he opened the black book and saw there were some sketches, notes or poems next to the pictures.

Hell some of them looked pornographic with the naked figures of human, lycan or werewolf and some he plainly didn't want to stare at as some held strange and horrifying ones showing some in torture, in pain, suffering and the scary part of it was that they all had Keller's face to them. He dropped the book and saw it show on one page her showing pain and fear while there was a large collar around her throat and something behind her was holding the chain, smiling evilly behind her and with a demonic face. He quickly closed it, the image still in his head and grab the other book but found nothing but blank pages in it.

Ok, but wasn't this the book he saw her reading about back somewhere between the end of September and October when they became friends after revealing their secret, he recalled back in the common room, how he had been coming downstairs…

Keller was sitting on one of the couch with her back turn and reading a book with red ink in it. He being so curious decided to try and see what she had been reading.

"Don't even think about it." She said, closing her book, placing her hand but saw the cover with the black flower and turning to look at him. Sirius decide to join her as it was the two of them so far and hop over the couch and sat down beside her. They were on friendly terms but she still seem to be on the edge over some things. Like she was protective over some big secret she had where she hadn't told even Hermione about.

"Ah come on Keller what were you reading in there that caught your interest?" He plea, doing everything to try and see what was inside the book as Keller hid it in her bag about to clamp it close before Sirius quickly grab it and she cried, "Sirius, come back with my bag this instant!" She yell as she chase him all around the room.

It had been a good laugh for the Marauders and Hermione as they had come in to see Sirius behind chased by Keller before Hermione decided to give her cousin a hand and with Remus they manage to retrieve her said possessions from Sirius before she could probably kill him.

"Sirius Black don't you dare try and do something like that again or I'll hunt you down and make you pay dearly for it!" She huff, taking her things to her room.

Strange he knew for sure this was that same book that she had been reading with red ink in it. He wondered if he… He pull out a bottle of ink and a quill and wrote on one of the pages, 'I am Sirius Black.' He watched the ink disappeared and then it reappeared and showed back to him in a different handwriting.

Well of course I know who you are, you're the annoying flirt, Padfoot and I can see that you are snooping in Miss Keller Corvin's journal.

"Annoying flirt why you little…" He wrote furiously in the book, well excuse me! I was just simply curious as to why you were so empty but I guess you have nothing to show for it!

Ha take that! He smirk and watch as the words disappear and reappear to him on the page, Nothing! Why I have you know Miss Keller Corvin recorded all her personal thoughts and memories and memos to me as her guardian memoir from the past five years. A past in which she rather forgotten and never have to see ever again.

Her past, to forget and never see ever again…

What do you bloody mean, ever see again? She sees it often? In her dreams, in you, what? Tell me.

The only way is to give me what I need for me to reveal what you want.

And how do you propose I do that thank you?

If books could smile, he bet this one would be smiling at him mischief like. Vitam et sanguinem, give me that and I shall reveal all you wish to know. And then the ink disappearing, leaving Sirius staring confused at it.

The bloody hell did that mean?! Was it some code or password? Ok, surely she must have done using magic to have the journal enchant to keep her secrets unknown with some hidden idea but he had no clue what it meant for 'give me what I need, and I'll reveal what you want'.

Maybe if he could translate it he might be able to find out but he knew not many different languages and the only one who would be…Remus. Of course! He might know what it means!

He placed the book down and realizing that he still had Keller's stuff all over his bed, used his wand and got them all place back in her bag in the same order they've been and hid it under the bed. He left the room and then looked down to the common room to see Remus, James, Lily and Hermione chatting by the fireplace, doing homework or whatever. He had to get Remus to help him translate those words.

James look up and saw him coming down, "Hey Padfoot, there you are, we were going to ask if you knew what happen but you left so suddenly."

"Yeah well Professor Valerious told me she or Dumbledore would tell us when we could visit Keller and decide to work on something for a couple of the classes and wait until you guys arrive to discuss any new ideas for a prank." He said coming down and joining them, he walked over to Remus and said, "Hey do you own any books on translation per say Moony?"

"Ah no not really why?" Remus turn to stare at him as Sirius said, "Well I'm having this problem with this one word and thought you could possible help with it."

"Sure Padfoot, what is it?" He then pretend to forgot it, knowing if he had the said the word in front of them, Hermione might suspect something and might tell Keller and she would be damn pissed. "It's in my room, could you come up with me upstairs one second? Of course if it's all right with your girlfriend."

Remus looked to Hermione and she nodded, "It's only a second, go ahead. We're almost finished anyways and I'll see you later in…" She moved close to Remus and whispered in his ear and when she pulled back Sirius could see the red tint on Remus cheeks and guess what she might have said. He'll probably think of new ways to tease Moony about it when he got the chance after they got back. Right now he just wanted to know what those words were.

Remus followed Sirius upstairs to the room and watch as he pick up a book sitting on his bed and start to write in it. That book look oddly familiar to him and the scent he could almost detect as someone's he knew, "Padfoot where did you get that book…"

"Oh ok, here it is," Sirius said, interrupting him as he read out loud, "'Vitamin eh sanguine'?" Remus looked at him questioningly. "Are you sure you're saying it correctly, let me take a look at it."

He went towards him, grab the book out of his hands and look at the words himself, "'Vitam et sanguinem.' Padfoot, you need to practice more on soundings out your words. That means 'Life and blood'. Why do I have a feeling that this book belongs to someone we know?"

"Well, you see, I was getting ready to do my homework, hey don't look at me like that! I was trying to get my mind off some things and I found this book with my others by accident."

Remus still didn't believe him, "Right…If I find out that someone is missing a book like that and I'll tell them that you have it Padfoot."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Don't have your banger so stiff Moony unless Mione can do it for you that is?" He added, glinting as he saw Remus flush again then walked out of the room, not wanting to hear anymore crude things about him and Hermione's 'nightly' activities.

Good but he wasn't sure how long it would be before he had time to see what was in this book before he heard Keller or Hermione mentioning the 'red book with black rose' and Remus remembering him having in possession said book and tell them he had it to get him back on what he said.

Maybe I should have been more careful on what I say, he thought now that he knew the translation. Life and blood, what did life and blood have to do with what the book said? Give it life and blood? No way! Wait what if he put the two separate words together:

Lifeblood.

The book needs blood to reveal. Hence the red ink, it had been blood not ink.

He went to his trunk, pulling out a penknife, the one Mr. Potter gave to him last Christmas and made a slight cut on his thumb. The blood swelled then taking his quill again and flipped through the pages, stopping at one he wrote, 'Vitam et sanguinem' now show me what you got!

The blood was absorbed and then new words form in red cursive writing.

As you wish Mr. Sirius whom-I-don't-even-know-your-middle-name Black, but don't think it's going to be a fun joyride and you might want to hold on to your lunch.

Joyride, what was it talking about? But then the book start flipping out, the pages moving, flapping and watching as it land on one page and then blood started rising and spurt from the center and covering the entire page.

What-what was bloody happening?! He watched the blood slowly turned into a raging whirlpool, growing stronger and stronger and he felt himself being pulled from his bed by that current as everything in the room was disappearing and falling inside the book.

"Ow, that bloody hurt!" Sirius landed on his back on hard solid ground and stood up, "Next time give a better warning, stupid book…" and patted himself of dust before look around to see he was somewhere other than the boy's dorm.

Where was he exactly? The room looked totally sparse except there was a high raised floor and on the wall were some ancient muggle weapons that his parents told him about from long time ago of 'how pathetic muggles really are' but he had been fascinated by it at the least.

He moved to where he saw the impressive collection on closer inspection: broadswords, battle-axes, rapiers, daggers, pikes, maces, scimitars, stilettos and so many other that he couldn't take his eyes off them for more than a minute before looking to the next one beside it, the blade shining beautiful and deadly, the cold metal almost making his skin shiver.

"Blimey, these muggles sure learn how to find ways to fight, even without magic." He said eyeing the Sai hanging on the wall, a voice then spoke inside his head, not his own but Keller's as if she were telling a story to a private audience.

March 27, 4:27 PM. I made it to my destination and I'm wondering if this was the right choice I have made as I am meeting the former sensei of my mother from long ago… Drake.

"Huh, who, whose Drake? What are you talking about?" Before he could get some kind of answer, he heard the sound of a door being open and then footsteps coming in.

Oh Merlin! What do I do now! He tried to see if he should hide or be seen and decided to go behind a pillar, depicting crude Chinese dragons designs circling around it.

He watched from behind his hiding place a young girl stepping into the room, looking unsure herself as to why she was even here. She look kinda cute but something about her didn't seem to want it that way as her eyes scan the room after she put her backpack down and then removed her shoes and walked onto the raised floorboard, towards the weapon rack, closer to the pillar he was at.

He edged around it, trying to keep from being seen but also getting a better look at her.

She had her black hair pulled back in a short ponytail, wearing faded army cargo pants and a black tank top with a faded green jacket that looked too big on her. Her eyes were wide staring at everything around her while her hands glide down each weapon, weary of their sharpness and cold touch when she turn her head to look to the other side, he had to guess as he was staring at Keller, around when she was twelve or thirteen years old.

He watched her moved to where a large symbol written down on a large scroll was hanging on the wall next to the weapon rack. Those letters were the same ones he had seen written on that miniature sword's sheath. She stared at it long and hard before whispering in a quiet tone that he couldn't hear but understood the look in her eyes as she said it.

"Compassion."

"That's where it starts, don't you think." An English voice with a Cockney accent spoke and Keller and Sirius turn around to see another figure appear from what looked like a typical muggle's office with a desk and filing cabinets.

A woman, dark-skinned of African heritage, wearing black sweats and black sleeveless shirt and vest and had tattoos on both her arms, Chinese dragons swirling around from her shoulders down to her wrist that looked like the same ones on the pillars before them. The woman's face look hard and ancient like an overpowering mountain but her body looked to been as lithe and fit like an Amazon warrior.

Keller turn to stare at her, "Are you, are you the one they called Drake?" Sirius stare shocked and then looked to the woman who leaned herself against the doorway, crossing her arms in a bored manner, "What if I am, what's it to you kid?"

Keller bowed down on one knee then said in a stronger tone, "My name is Keller Corvin. My mother was someone you once trained a long time ago. Her name was Selene, an ex-Death Dealer under Viktor, one of three former elders and I wish for the same kind of training sensei."

The African woman gave her a cocky grin, "And why should I? Judging from what I can see, you don't seem to have what it takes to handle my intense training. It takes skills and determination and I don't see you having any of that, nor did I see that in your mother. And if she told you any different than what I tell you, she told you nothing but bullshit." Keller's eyes blazed darkly as she stared with anger and clenched her fist, "Don't you dare insult my mother."

"Why not, does it make you grow cold inside when I say that when I look at you, all I can see is that pathetic excuse of a mother of yours. You know what she was, she was a mindless Death Dealer, following orders after that so called Elder that told her nothing but lies and she obeyed his whims willingly."

Sirius listen as Drake insulted Keller's mom and watching Keller having had enough, rushed at her, her nails extend and her eyes jet-black and piercing and howling in rage like an angry beast. Drake went into a battle stance, her eyes a glowing blue.

"Yeah that's what I figured, like mother like daughter: you don't think, you just fight and save talking for later. Bring it then, show me what you got if that's what it takes." Keller's upraised claws, sharp and deadly like all the blades around them, thrust out at her, lunging for her throat but Drake dodged her easily and pushed it back.

"Come on, we both know how your mother made it look so easy but then again looks can be deceiving. Surely she taught you not to go fight blindly unless you want your eyes ripped out willingly." Keller struck her foot but at the same time Drake had dodge it.

"Look at you, for instance you should have seen this coming! Didn't your mother teach you that?" Drake swipe underneath Keller causing her to flipped in the air and landed on her feet like a graceful feline."Your anger amuses me. Do you believe you are my match?"

Keller said nothing as she moved to the wall, where the rack of weapons lies. Sirius saw a cold look of determination on her face. He seen it like when she had been hitting that block of wood back on the courtyard, but this one seem less cold than the one he saw.

Was it because of this Drake person? Drake not getting the reply she wanted asked another question. "Are you aware I kill at will?" Keller grabbed five shurikens between her knuckles and listen as Drake asked her one last time, "Is it your wish to die?"

Keller threw them and Drake took her vest off and swipe them in and had them fall to the ground.

Sirius watched in amazement as the two fought, exchanging words for blows, well the talking was mostly Drake's doing as she dodge another of Keller's attempt attacks, hitting her, kicking her in the stomach, blood falling in her face while Drake didn't look to be breaking a sweat.

Who is this woman? Merlin if this keeps up, Keller's going to end up getting herself killed!

He heard Drake making comments on Keller's moves, insulted her parents, mostly her mother, calling her pathetic and weak numerous times and then Keller growing more and more pissed, went to punch her and Drake stood and grabbed her fist coming to her face and held it tightly in her grasp.

She held it there then pulled Keller's arm behind her, causing her to fall to her knees.

"I have lived for hundreds of years in this very dojo, watching people like your mother coming in here and begging for me to train them, and I ask for a demonstration, to show me what they got and see if they are truly worthy to master my techniques. They do…which is nothing! They want me to teach them the most powerful arts only to be laughed at in their faces as I send them home, each and every one of them, more pathetic than the last with their goddamn tails between their legs!"

She gave another small twist, Sirius heard a small cracking sound and saw Keller wincing in pain but said nothing as she listen to what Drake had to said to her.

"You're mother was no different than the rest of the mangy pack but at least she showed some balls I admit. But she was just another puppet on Viktor's string of lies and deception, being used and following under his orders while she never got any closer to the truth as to how her family really died until it was blown in her face. Now tell me."

She put pressure on Keller's arm, almost making the bone to break and Keller wanting to scream but didn't want to give in for her satisfaction.

She grit her teeth, gnashing down on her lips and feeling blood pour into her mouth but said nothing as Drake continue, "If it was my wish, I could chop your arm off right now and make it so that you would never be able to use it again." And then as if to prove her word true, she pull on her arm again, almost wrenching it from the socket. Keller, this time couldn't hold it in anymore.

"No, no please don't!" Sirius watched as Keller cried while Drake pulled her arm adding more pain to her torture. "Please!"

"It's my arm, I can do what I want with it and from what I seen and it had been useless to you!" She raised her other arm, looking ready to do a final blow to it, like she said to chop it off.

"But if you can get yourself out of this fucking position I suggest you do it now, especially with you having hybrid blood flowing in your genes. I know because I can smell it and have seen nothing so far done as of yet like you did back at your home with that Death Dealer, remember?"

Keller did remember and she did tried releasing her hybrid being from its' dormant slumber but the pain in her arm was growing steadily worse as it was being pull right out was making it hard to concentrate. "I-I can't!"

"You can't, because you're helpless? You can't because you are weak?" The pain on her arm nearly being pulled and she cried, "Yes!"

"Have you ever felt this way before?" Sirius heard Keller said defeated, "No." Tears were already pouring from her eyes, mixing with the blood on her face as the pain and humiliation kept coming, a string of snot dangled from her nose, swaying as she cried.

"Compared to me... you're as helpless as a worm fighting an eagle for its life? Battling for another day to live while another bird of prey can easily get you the same way it did and won't show you any mercy. Is that correct?"

She nodded quickly, tears still coursing down her face and falling to the floor, "God yes!"

"Now tell me?" Drake was almost enjoying watching Keller writhe and squirm in pain while she whispered in her ear, "Is this the kind of power you wish to possess? The kind many would die for?"

Keller nodded her head weakly and Drake smack it, causing a loud ringing to be her heard in her head. But Drake's booming voice got through to her still, "Well answer me if you want this or I'll rip off your arm right now!" She pull harder and Keller gave a scream crying out to make the walls around them shake with an ear-splitting shriek, "YEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!"

Drake smiled, hearing the answer she wanted. "Good." And release her arm and Keller collapsed to the ground, cradling her abused and almost broken body, her whole being felt numb but still the pain rise as she took a shuddering breath, wincing and staring at the woman with hate and fear, who had her back turned to her.

"Your training begins tomorrow and I expect to see results as from now on I own you. You and your life." Before she left the room and to her office, "A little word of advice. Never let your emotions get the best of you. If you do, you'll be staring down at the barrel of a gun. Remember it and you'll survive and if you fail, I will kill you."

And closed the door, leaving Keller there alone, her body battered, broken and in shamble as she wallowed in pain and misery while the rain came pelting on the glass above her head at the same time she started crying piteously, thinking what kind of life had she gotten herself into. Sirius had moved from his spot staring from the closed door to the little girl who was crying and shaking in pain as she lay there still on the ground, curled in a tiny ball.

He stared at her, pitying her before he heard her voice speaking again in his mind.

I had found someone to give me a whole new life but at a heavy price as I would be through Hell where everything that I thought was once good would be used against me to break my spirit, make me weak and die in this cold reality. I had to stay alive and become strong and fight, void myself of any emotions without letting my guard down and keep myself away from whatever I may feel and mask them from the outside world…

I will become an outsider from the mortals, the vampires and the lycans. I was neither and was both, I will not let myself fall to them, I will not break as easily as I did just then, no matter how much they would torture, threaten or kill me in the end, I vowed I would never feel anything ever again…

The scene whirl and before Sirius knew it he was landing, spread-eagled on his bed in the boys' room and the book still laid open in front of him and when he looked at it inside he saw the cursive writing appearing.

Ha ha ha told you it wasn't going to be a pleasant joyride! Hope you kept your lunch in! Ha ha ha ha! The book kept laughing at him until he had the guts to shut it and stuff it right back with the rest of Keller's things and stuff it back under his bed. Before he had time to regain his breath, the door to the boy's room open and James came in, looking like he ran a marathon.

"Padfoot, hey Padfoot! Guess what? Keller's awake and Dumbledore says we can go see her isn't that great? Hey you all right pal, you look a little pale, like you seen a ghost or something?"

Sirius was sweating and his whole body had been shaking from the whole experience he had just witnessed. He tried to control himself as he looked towards James, "Y-yeah, you can say something like that Prongs. I'll see you in a few minutes. You guys go on without me I'll be down there with you guys to see her."

James looked at him concern and then said, "If you say so Padfoot." And left the room while Sirius stared at the bag containing Keller's journal, the journal holding all her past memories locked in empty emotions and cold blood.