(A/N): Hey Guys! This chapter was so annoying and confusing to write. I had to stop 400 words in because I was getting a headache, I was that confused and pissed at it. Then I continued, and Angst ensued. But then, isn't the whole thing of this story the angst? I should probably change the catergories...

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Leo, Elaine, Shari, Nicholai, Mia and Brooke.

Warning: Angst and confusion.

Leo

Three days later, and the Wizards Chess Tournament was starting for real. No one mentioned my outburst in the Room of Requirement, and the others hadn't started needling us about our secrets yet, in fear of sending me off again.

I hated it.

It made me feel weak, and I hated feeling weak.

Being weak, cowards and traitors were the things I hate most in this world, and I hated being one of those things myself.

I was strong, both physically and emotionally, so I hated being treated like I was a fragile child. Like I couldn't do anything, like no one could touch me or I'd shatter like a porcelain doll.

I didn't speak much around them, and only replied with one word answers when they tried to start up a conversation with me. I could tell they were worried, and that only made me feel worse.

They were worried about me, when I was supposed to be protecting them. I was supposed to be the one worrying about them, not the other way around!

Remus was currently versing one of the remaining fifty-four competitors, another twenty-two using the remaining table. If he won today, he would go into tomorrow's remaining twenty-six.

It would have been twenty-seven, but someone had forfeited earlier, without even competing!

If he won his game tomorrow, then he would be part of the remaining thirteen. Since there would be an odd amount (unless someone else dropped out), a dummy competitor would be put in, someone who had played before, but lost, and would not be allowed to continue themselves if they beat the other player. If they beat the other player, that competitor would be out.

If the player won, then it would be another uneven round, and another dummy would be put in. If the dummy won, then it would be an even round, with only six people competing.

Four people would compete against an opponent, then the winners of those two matches would verse each other, then whoever won that match would verse the winner of the match between the two remaining competitors.

These two competitors, who only had to go through one match, would have drawn the two specific slips of paper allowing this. Six pieces of paper in a hat, one for each player, two of them saying 'exempt' which meant they wouldn't be playing both games, only the first game, which decided who would verse the winner of the other two, and the winner deciding match.

Confused? Yeah, so is everyone else.

No one really knew what was going on, to be honest, but we were just cheering for those we wanted to win, booing those we didn't, and the competitors were just trying to play, hoping the teachers would work it all out.

"So, who do you think is going to win?" I heard Lily ask Elaine from the row in front of me, who I watched shrug.

"I don't know, it's too early. Moony's in with a pretty good chance though, I mean, he did beat that first guy." I turned my attention to the game he was currently playing from over their shoulders.

"I'm going back to the Common room." I told them, and they didn't argue, though I could smell the worry on them.

Since everyone else was in the Great Hall, I took the risk of using vampire speed to reach the Common room.

As soon as I arrived outside the portrait of the Fat Lady, startling her, I stopped.

"Saints of Fancy." I muttered the password, and she let the portrait hole open, still gasping from the shock of my sudden appearance.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people!" She yelled at me, and I smiled slightly before it dropped again.

I headed for the stairs to the boys dorms, and entered ours, moving directly for my chest of drawers. I pulled out the spare parchment and quill that were there, before closing the drawer and leaning over the table to write my letter.

Shari,

Don't tell my father, but I think problems are starting to arise.

With the Sensory Alert thing, my senses are constantly higher than they were, and I'm having a little trouble being around people. Not that bad, but enough that sometimes I need space from the humans.

They don't understand.

Why must they be so dependent?

All humans are the same, their strength is their weakness. Strength in numbers, but without everyone else, they are merely one person.

I hate feeling weak like this, but I also hate the strength I have developed.

I don't want to trouble you, but I have to say this: How do you deal with it?

My father, he avoids the humans, has all the time I've known him, but you...you don't seem all that bothered by it.

Why?

How?

Please,

Leo

I walked all the way out to the Owlery to find a school owl to send the letter, enjoying the solitary peace of the walk now that no one was around.

I raised my head to the sky, sniffing the air.

No humans outside... but I could smell a few non-sentient animals in the forest.

I felt that familiar warm clenching in my chest, and the tickling in the back of my throat that told me it was time to quench my thirst, and this time, I listened to it.

After satiating myself, I wiped my mouth on my sleeve, pleased to find no blood on the material. I was getting better at hunting, neater.

Suddenly, the grief, and anger, that I had been holding back the past few days, weeks, months and yes, even years, welled up and I took off at the highest speed I could make, tears streaming down my cheeks as I ran.

The wind whipped through my hair, caressing my skin with its cool fingers, my feet hitting the ground for a split second before I launched off again, dodging between the trees.

It wasn't hard, avoiding the trees, because vampire speed didn't feel like me speeding up, it felt like the world slowing down. Like everything was in slow motion, the leaves waving as the wind blew through the trees, only barely recognised as actually moving as I raced through them, avoiding every animal I came across until I reached the edge of the ground.

I wasn't tiring. Crossing from the Owlery, through the Forbidden forest to the edge of the grounds, had only taken me five seconds, tops, and I was still wired, the energy of anger burning through my veins all that was fuelling me.

I took off again, to the opposite side of the grounds, and then all the way around the perimeter.

I did countless laps of the grounds, until it was well beyond dark, before collapsing in the clearing I had found the Thestrals. They were still around, I could smell them, but they had moved from the clearing. Probably for the best, seeing as I wasn't exactly in the best control at the moment.

I thought about everyone I knew, and how I had made them pity me, worry about me, to care, and I thought about how I didn't deserve them.

One false move, and I would kill them.

I wouldn't hesitate, because that's the way we are. We take what we want at that precise moment, not worrying about the repercussions or the consequences, just listening to our desires and animal urges.

I would kill them, and then I would hate myself.

(A/N): So, what did you think?

Did you understand any of the chess stuff, because I didn't. I even made a freaking diagram, and I still don't get it.

Please review and/or check out my other stories!