A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, keep them coming :D

Chapter 11: Reconciliation

I woke up the next morning feeling slightly less annoyed. Sleep had done me good and as I turned my head to my nightstand I found a small package on it. Whatever it was, it was wrapped neatly and elegantly into a dark green wrapping paper, and at the top was a single decorative ribbon, where there was a small note attached.

I sat up in my bed, removing the heavy covers from me and ignoring the cold that bit at me as I was left only in my nightgown. I reached for my wand gently, gingerly, trying to avoid touching the parcel at all, and as I felt the wood in my fingers I pulled my hand back, casting a levitating charm, and having the parcel levitate before me.

I noticed some of my roommates were awake and were observing the scene with curiosity but one glare from me, and they were gone, either pulling the covers around their beds, or disappearing in the bathroom. Nosy dimwits.

My eyes once more focused on the parcel before me, and I spoke clearly "Incantatum Revelio! Hexia Revelio!".

I was left slightly confused as nothing happened, my incantations only showing the usual charms used to package gifts in expensive shops.

"Maledictium Revelio!" I tried again, becoming slightly worried that no curse was detected. Could it be that it was so dark that I could not detect it even with this spell?

I waved my wand again, having the ribbon untie itself magically, followed by the unwrapping of the decorative paper. There before me, levitated in mid-air, was Honeydukes' best chocolate, the kind that cost quite a sum.

This was most curious, for I could think of no one that would have any motivation to send me such a gift. Therefore I summoned the little note to myself, and left it open, to levitate in mid-air as I read it, the annoyance from the previous night reappearing more and more with every word.

The note said as follows:

"Dear Rosey

I couldn't stop thinking about last night, and the fun that we had. But I know that it surely couldn't satisfy you, so I decided to send you some chocolate, to console you as I am most unfortunately unable to be by your side. I will try to see you as soon as possible though Roseycheeks, so please stay strong.

All my love, Blaise XO

P.S. If you happen to find this parcel in the middle of the night, feel free to come and express your gratitude. I'll be in my dorms."

I was sure that my face had changed more than a few expressions as I read through the short note. Some that appeared were surely anger, disgust, rage, some more disgust, and then a thirst for blood. I wouldn't be able to see the brat for quite some time, as I was due to leave for the trunk as soon as breakfast was done, but I would surely pay him back. In curses and blood.

For now, I would have to settle with the chocolate.

I aimed my wand at the still suspended chocolate, hissing "Incendio!" setting the entire package ablaze, along with the note. I took immense pleasure in watching the flames, and then spun on my heel, entering the bathroom and getting ready for another strained affair, this time with my sister and the two idiots.

As I approached the Hufflepuff table that morning, I knew that all eyes were on me. People visibly stiffened in fear as I passed them, as if I was suddenly going to lose it right then and there and start throwing killing curses at everything that breathes.

I can't say that I was not entertained slightly by the fear they exhibited, for it was fun to watch as they visibly recoiled and flinched away from me, but they were also getting on my nerves to the point of actually hexing them. I hated cowards and weaklings with a passion, and their behaviour was the epitome of cowardice and weakness.

The three of them also looked up as I approached them, with various attitudes displayed. Arielle glared at me as I sat down the furthest I could possibly manage in the crowded room from Claudia, not trusting myself not to hex her if I were to get too close. I greeted her glare with an eyebrow raised and otherwise completely ignored her during breakfast. She kept giving me angry glances and glaring at me, but I would not rise to the bait. Who in Merlin's beard did she think she was? What gave her the right to judge me?

Claudia also looked up as I approached her, but she was not ignored. Instead, I gave her my best death glare, the kind that would, if glares only could, have killed her on the spot. The mere sight of her awoke anger in me, and my pride demanded retribution, it demanded I destroyed her, humiliated her as she did to me yesterday. Her face turned ashen, and she immediately lowered her head, hiding behind that long midnight hair of hers. I caught only a glimpse of her face, but I knew she had not slept at all the previous night, most likely worrying about and dreading this moment precisely. Good, I thought with satisfaction.

Melody was the last that looked up and she was the only one that smiled nervously upon seeing me approaching them, and the only one to have received a stiff good morning in return.

"Have you slept well Linds?" asked she, obviously hopping to mend the broken relationship between who used to be friends.

Unfortunately, I had no such intentions.

"Well enough" I spoke, sitting down, and calmly taking a small sausage and some scrambled eggs along with beans. I would need some more energy, I decided, taking a few slices of tomato as well, each food represented on my plate in a miniature amount. I was a very light eater, and I would be eating even less today as I was getting more and more angry.

This sentiment soared as I, upon having a nasty feeling of being watched, looked up, only to meet the eyes of none other than Blaise Zabini himself. He managed to annoy me even across the Great Hall, grinning like a complete mental case and winking seductively.

I took a deep, relatively calming breath, and lowered my gaze with great vehemence on my food.

I must have used too much force as I stabbed my sausage as the gentle voice of my sister was heard mere moments after.

"Did that sausage personally offend you?" asked she, making a joke and laughing lightly, trying to ease the tension that could almost be cut in the air.

"No." I spoke, making an inhuman effort not to snap at her.

As she was about to say more, I hissed, slowly and carefully lowering my cutlery and reaching with my hand to the ground, finding a small paper snake that had coiled itself around my ankle.

As I put it on the desk, it shivered, before suddenly blossoming into a beautiful rose. This already gave me a sneaking suspicion as to who the sender was, and as I looked up to see Blaise staring at me, receiving an unwanted wink once more, my suspicion was confirmed. I swear, I never regretted the distance that was between us more than I did at that moment. Oh, how I would curse that dark head off if I only could.

Instead, I aimed my wand at the rose, whispering two incantations and having it levitate away from me, coming to a stop in the middle of the Great Hall, turning more than a couple of heads, and then combusting in brilliant emerald flames. There were a couple of shrieks in the student body, but the fire was soon gone.

I looked over to the idiot, finding him grinning to me, and as I watched, he brought his hands up, clapping.

Once again, my sausage took the most damage, as I positively butchered it on the plate.

"Has something happened Linds?" spoke Melody, and as I looked up with an eyebrow raised, "It's just that you're not normally this blood thirsty, you'd just ignore it if he had sent it on any other occasion."

"No." I spoke, curtly denying any implied change in our behaviour. I only wished to curse him a bit more as of last night, but that was all.

The rest of the breakfast was spent in a similar matter, my sister trying desperately to start a conversation between the members of what was once "The impossible four", meeting with little to no success. Arielle, as I had mentioned before, seemed to be hell bent on making a hole in my skull with her glares, and Clo kept pushing food around on her plate, never really eating anything.

It came as a sort of a relief to all present as we stood up, leaving to the hidden potions office that we had first heard the story of the "Heritage of the four" and transporting ourselves to the trunk.

We were once more greeted with the sight of the four founders. Salazar seemed bored, most likely not seeing the point in greeting us every time we come to the blasted place, and his greeting was a curt nod in my direction. In my opinion that was more than enough.

Rowena's eyes portrayed her curiosity, but I could also see a hint of worry shining in them. This sentiment exactly was seen in Hufflepuff's large eyes, who seemed to somehow intuitively know that something was very, very wrong.

The only one who seemed to be making an effort to actually find out what had happened between us was the blasted oaf, the sight of his broad frame awoke forgotten annoyance in me, remembering the original reason for the discord that had occurred.

"So, everything alright girls?" asked he, giving us a wide, nervous grin.

This seemed to be the incentive Arielle needed to open her large mouth and tell me all that she was clearly holding herself back desperately from saying.

"No, Godric, everything is not bloody okay!" yelled she, her anger raising the volume of her voice up to a point that was near screaming.

"This thickhead" yelled she, turning to me angrily, "dared call poor Clo an idiot for healing someone!"

I was about to interfere, but I could not get a word in, for she seemed to be only starting her rant "I admit that he is full of himself, but I am also glad that she was kind enough and able enough to help him! Second of all, she raised her wand at her," spoke she, making a slight dramatic pause, to which I rolled my eyes "her bloody friend! I mean, hello! "

At this point she stopped talking to her audience and turned to address me directly:"You, you ,… argh!"

"You were always so skilled with words" I droned, just barely keeping my anger in check, but I lost all control as I saw the defiance in her eyes. I pulled my wand out in one swift movement, aiming it at her heart.

"Was this the action that upset you so?" I mocked, twirling my wand in my fingers lightly, toying with it. Arielle narrowed her eyes at me, anger pulsing from every pore of her body. "My, my, you sure do have a temper." I continued, mockery now dripping from every word "what ever would you do if I had really hexed my friend? Shall I try it now, hmmm?" I spoke, turning, my wand focused on Clo now, who seemed to turn as pale as a sheet.

Helga had drawn her wand, but I ignored her completely as Salazar stepped in front of her, stopping her.

"You see, Arielle, my friend" I hissed , turning to her once more "I can hex anyone I want to, as Claudia was as kind as to point out yesterday, in front of the whole Great Hall, so I figure, I should live up to my reputation yes? Shall I try it on you? Be the monster you wish to see me as?"

Arielle narrowed her eyes at that, and I thought I had noticed a look of disappointment in her eyes before my attention was diverted by my wand suddenly shooting out of my hand and I slowly turned around, only to find it in the hand of none other than my twin sister.

"Melody," I spoke very clearly, very slowly, "give me back my wand."

"No." spoke she, her voice shaking.

"Melody!" I hissed out, my anger getting the best of me. "my wand! NOW!"

She shook her head in denial, her blonde locks flying around her face like a curtain.

I narrowed my eyes at her and stretched out my hand, summoning my wand and did a double take. It did not even move.

My eyes narrowed at her wand, that was drawn, and I realized that she had cast a wordless Protego powerful enough to intercept my spell. Impressive.

But this was no time to impress me. "Accio Wand!" I hissed, and the wand shivered in her hand, but otherwise remained unresponsive.

"No." spoke she, firmly gripping my wand. "I can't let this go on. I won't let it!"

Her tone of voice suddenly changed, becoming firm, determined.

"You can't do this, you're friends for Merlin's sake!" spoke she, her volume also rising with every word "I won't let you become this monster Rosalind! You're not her, you're not!" spoke she, stomping her foot, reminding me of a child. "This is a pointless argument, say sorry, all of you!"

Since nobody moved, her big, azure eyes became watery, but she still made a hero's effort to stay strong, not allowing the tears to fall "We are the soul heirs, the only four people in the world who have the chance to stop that vile, twisted man! If we bicker here, if we break up here, we will all die! Now, apologise!"

A single tear escaped her eye and I sighed, forcing myself to let go. She wouldn't cry for me, not for anyone.

I approached her, opening my arms lightly, and she ran to me, giving me a bear's hug that had me stiffen. I patted her back awkwardly saying, "Don't cry sis. Come on, you want me to say sorry? Fine, I'm sorry, yes? Don't cry, I won't become a monster, I promise."

I glared at Clo, who very bravely spoke up for the first time from surviving dinner last night "I am also sorry, but I remain by everything I said."

I nodded stiffly, trying to free myself from my sister's embrace and failing.

"Well, since everyone apologised, my turn" spoke Arielle, by far too relaxed when my wand was away from me. "I'm sorry, but you're still a thick head. And you should know too that your sister brings out the best in you."

"Is that what you consider an apology?" I hissed, now free and significantly less mad. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Well," spoke Arielle, pretending to be thinking hard about the answer. "Since we'll be taking on Voldy Moldy, yeah, I think so."

In the end, this didn't solve much, but we were on good terms once again, all thanks to my sister. It turned out that I would not be required to have Weapons class anymore, instead practicing dodging and duelling, which also improved my mood, and the overall stay in the trunk was made a bit, although a very tiny bit, more pleasant.

The training that we had known the day before, or two months before, whichever you prefer, seemed to be child's play in comparison to what awaited us when we returned. Every class was more intense, more demanding, the pace set before us unrelenting. But it was just as well in my opinion. After all, this was not training for a pleasant walk in the Diagon Alley, we were preparing for war. We had to be ready.

Small relief was provided for me in the form of the cancellation of my Weapons class, instead I had an extra two hours of what Gryffindor called "running and dodging." In reality, it was me running for my life, once again conveniently without my wand, and dodging hexes that were aimed at my head, feet or limbs. Pure sadism was what it was, not a bloody class, but it was very much more preferred to the alternative. These skills, at the very least, I could use.

Once more, I had proven my talents in the Charms class, having the stupid pillow that we were supposed to bewitch to jump up in front of us when faced with a hex, jump about the room as Arielle desperately wished to put a cheering charm on me, to make me grin like an idiot for the rest of the day. It was what she views as "bloody hilarious" and I as "completely mental".

But the two classes that I found most useful, DADA and Dark Arts, are by far those most worth mentioning.

Salazar greeted me with a large spider, an Acromantula, as I walked into the dimly lit classroom the first day of our classes.

I raised an eyebrow at him, and he merely smirked in return.

"Good afternoon Rosalind" greeted he, obviously satisfied that I was surprised by the choice of his teaching method. He had never made me practice a dark spell on a living creature before, and I was curious as to why the sudden change.

"Good afternoon Sir" I greeted, coming to a stop a few paces away from him and the dreadful creature. It was half my size, therefore still a baby, and I eyed its horrible hairy body with disgust. It shifted slightly at its place, its pincers creating horrible scratching noises on the stone floor. Perhaps the most disturbing part were the eyes, all dozen of them focused on me solely. Oh joy.

"Do you happen to know what this creature is?" asked he, and I nodded, still eyeing the creature.

"An Acromantula, sir" I responded, slight disgust in my voice.

"You do know, how curious." Spoke he, still smirking "I never took you for an enthusiast in Magical Creatures field."

"I am not… however, my sister is." I spoke, taking a step back as the creature shifted forward a little "She knows more about a salamander than she does about the Expelliarmus charm. She used to have all these magical encyclopaedia on the subject strewn about her room. You couldn't enter for a while unless you wanted to come face to face with a bewitched model of such a…. creature. A dreadful hobby sir."

He nodded in understanding, still smirking.

"They fear the snakes…. I thought it would be fitting for the exercise today."

"And that is?" I asked, and suddenly his smile was gone.

"The unforgivable curses." He said and the smile was immediately gone from my face as well.

"Have you ever cast an unforgivable curse Rosalind?" asked he, his eyes boring into mine, preventing me from lying, even if I had something to lie about.

"No sir" I spoke, denying the allegation. I knew full well how serious of a crime it is to cast such a curse, and how much it tainted ones soul. So I had never cast one, for the person that I wished to cast them upon was very far, out of my reach for the moment.

"But you have seen it cast, have you not?" asked he, and I nodded, remembering a vivid lesson on the unforgivable curses from then professor Bartemius Crouch. My sister was unable to observe the lesson, but I had paid attention. I remember gripping my desk so hard that my knuckles had turned white as he cast the killing curse. I had known then that the bitch had used it on my parents, and I was certain that one day, I would use it on her.

"Then you shall cast them today." I nodded, expecting this outcome. "Remember Rosalind, these are dark curses, and the very basic rule of casting every dark curse applies. You have to mean it, you have to want the person you cast it on to suffer, to writhe in pain before your very eyes. Unless you do this, unless you visualise that person before your eyes, unless you enjoy their pain, casting these curses has no meaning. "

I listened to his words and as he spoke, there was one face that kept coming before my eyes. The leering face of the woman, lashing out to the camera, barring her ugly rotten teeth at the photographer. Oh, I had a perfect face in mind.

"First of you shall cast the Imperius curse" spoke he, and I nodded, facing the spider, awaiting further instructions.

"Imagine taking control, imagine the mind of the other party as a living entity, imagine it shackled, imagine yourself holding the chains. Take control, order it, take the power that belongs to you. Make him obey." Urged Salazar, his voice quiet in my mind, as if it was coming from the end of the room, far, far away.

I imagined the mind of the thing before me as a more controlled version of the leering woman, I remembered her shackles, I remembered the chains, and I imagined taking them in the palm of my hand, pulling and tightening them until she was completely submissive. I imagined pulling on them, choking the blasted bitch and making her fall to her knees; "Imperio!"

I felt a curious sensation stretch from my wand hand as the curse hit its target, stretching through my entire body, down to my toenails and up to the last strand of my hair. I was so….powerful and the connection was so warm.

The spider flinched as it was hit, but then it stopped its movements, seemingly relaxing. It looked so… serene. I narrowed my eyes at it, ordering "Jump!" in my mind. And it did just that, to my immense amazement, the creature jumped. Now, I don't know if you have ever seen a spider jump, or if it was even capable of such a feat while in its right mind, but the sight was positively horrendously hilarious.

"Approach!" I commanded wordlessly once more, and the spider did just that, moving serenely over the stone floor to my feet. "Stop!" I commanded.

I narrowed my eyes at the submissive creature and looked up to see my mentor observing me with interest. "Return to your previous position, stay there!"

As the spider reached its destination, I flicked my wand, effectively ending the curse.

"Quite a feeling isn't it?" asked Salazar, smirking.

"Yes sir, but I'd rather not do it again, if you don't mind." I spoke, glancing at the spider which seemed to have come to its senses and was now nervously eyeing me.

"Why ever not?" asked Salazar, tilting his head slightly in observance. "Were you not powerful as you controlled the spider? Did you not like the feeling?"

"No , sir" I responded, meeting his eyes "to both questions. It seems as though this is a rather wicked spell, for it affects its caster to a degree as well. That power was not mine, it was not real. It was an illusion merely, and I would have been as bewitched as that spider if I had believed that feeling. So no, I did not like it."

"Truly admirable Rosalind." Spoke he, again smirking in pride. "You have found its weakness in one casting. It does indeed put the caster under the illusion of power as well, if the caster is inexperienced. But it will not able to do the same to you, for the illusion wears off the moment you realise it has been made. Try again."

"Imperio!" I spoke, this time once more establishing the warm connection. But there was no sense of power this time. I was in my right mind, in full control. As I ended the spell, I nodded in confirmation, I had understood it well.

"Now, for the Cruciatus curse" spoke he, and I raised my wand once more. "Imagine the person you hate the most in the entire world, you have one do you not?"

"Yes sir, I do have a person in mind" I responded, clenching my hand around my wand. "Blame her for all that has ever been wrong in your life. Imagine it tortured, imagine it in pain, writhing and twisting and screaming beneath your feet. See her in pain, hear her screams, feel the satisfaction that they bring to you. Torture her!"

He seemed to want to say more, but I needed no more incentive, I already had all the motivation I needed.

"Crucio!" I hissed, imagining that it was not a spider that I saw, imaging the woman before me, lying on the floor. In my eyes it was not the spider that twisted in agony, it was not it that made those awful screeching noises, it was not it that seemed to wish to tear its own limbs apart to stop the pain, it was not it that convulsed as if it were burning alive. In my mind, it was her, in my mind it was always Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Rosalind!" I heard my name being called, and I snapped out of my daze, lifting the spell.

Salazar seemed worried as he observed me, most likely wondering if it was truly a good idea to teach me this curse. But I was in control, I could stop anytime I wished, I knew I could.

"I'm sorry sir, this won't happen again." I spoke, apologising honestly for losing my head. I needed to be able to stop myself next time.

"It seems that you are naturally gifted for this spell" spoke he, waving his hand in the direction of the spider that I had tortured mere moments before. I was a little shaken by what I saw. It had fallen to the floor, emitting wheezing sounds, gasping for air, its legs sprawled out and its eyes a mess. Some of them were closed completely, some half open, some fully open, staring as if it could not close them again. And some were rolling, seeing everything and nothing at once.

I knew what had happened before my mentor said it.

"It is still alive, but just barely. It lost its mind." Spoke Salazar, eyeing me.

"Perhaps it would be best that you refrained from using this spell for the time being," spoke he and I nodded in understanding. "now be merciful and end what you have started, kill it."

I pointed my wand at the creature, but I could not say it.

"What is wrong Rosalind?" asked he, seemingly finding it strange that I hesitated as I had come to this point.

"Nothing Sir" I spoke, looking away from him and the creature. This time, try as I might, I could not imagine Bellatrix Lestrange, although she was all I could think of at times. No, a beautiful woman would come to mind. She was blonde, her hair the exact light shade as mine was, so light that it seemed almost white in the sun where the picture was taken, her beautiful sapphire eyes shining. Melody had her eyes. She had an oval face, as did both my sister and I and she had Melody's full lips. She was smiling at the camera, pulling the hand of the man that she was with and having him look up to the camera.

He had one of his hands on the woman's stomach, stroking it lightly, gently, as if it was the most wondrous and precious thing in the world. He looked up, and I was once again startled by his ice blue eyes, the exact shade as mine, briefly looking up to the camera, before standing up straight and leaning down to the woman, kissing her. I could then see only his ruffled chocolate coloured hair, blocking my view of the woman.

I could only see my dead parents.

My eyes snapped open, as unimaginable anger coursed through my mind. My hand lifted on its own and I hissed "Avada Kedavra!"

The flash was green and it illuminated the room as it briefly travelled to the spider, hitting him and sending it flying through the air, and having it land on the other side of the room with its legs up to the sky.

Salazar did not ask if I was alright, instead he summoned a glass I had not seen before, along with a bottle of Firewhisky. He poured some into the glass and walked over to me calmly, offering me the drink.

I took it from his hand and brought it to my lips, taking a small sip of the liquid, satisfied as it burned down my throat.

"I will not ask from you, as Godric would, to refrain from using these curses, save for the direst of needs. I will not ask for you to think about the heaviness of what I taught you today, because you already know. I am telling you to use them without hesitation when they are needed in battle, but never ever forget that which made you hesitate to cast the killing curse today. It will keep you sane, it will keep you human. That is all for today."

As I left the room , I noticed that he had poured himself a glass of Firewhisky as well.