It had been a week, and Malleus was beginning to get worried about whether this potion would reverse itself at all. While owls could pass through to Night Raven with their inherent magic, it would be of little use since his chubby fingers could barely hold something as common as a pen with any dignity.

It didn't help in the least that his magic control was shot to hell, so he couldn't even use that to help him. Fortunately, his protector/'sister' seemed rather intuitive towards what he wanted and didn't want. It made things so much less awkward, and they had gotten used to shared bathtimes at this point.

Since he was completely dependent on the young woman, Malleus did what he could to help her. This mostly happened at night, because he found out that she had terrible nightmares.

Aurora grew restless as the days passed, and it wasn't until she made a comment that he understood why. Tomorrow was her birthday, and she worried that some of her 'friends' would track her down. The fact they hadn't already bothered her...and was something of a relief because she really didn't want to explain Malleus to them.

Malleus could sense that the magic holding him in this form was wearing thin. He could only imagine the reaction Aurora would have to his true form.

As the night drew on, Aurora did not go to bed early like usual. Instead she stayed up to count the seconds to midnight, when she would officially turn sixteen.

At first things were calm, but as the hour drew closer to that moment, her instincts were warning her that things were about to go wrong.

Not knowing why, she began to gather her things and kept them close, her wand at the ready. Even Hedwig sensed something was about to happen, as she refused to leave her master's side.

Five minutes to midnight. Aurora's survival senses were on high alert, and she couldn't explain why.

The door broke inward without any rhyme or reason. She saw faces she vaguely recognized as part of the Order of the Phoenix, but why they had chosen that method to announce themselves was baffling.

Aurora didn't hesitate...the method they chose was far too alarming and honestly her battle senses were high strung. She started hexing, all while shielding Malleus with her body.

"Find the changeling...it has to be in the room somehow," barked Mad Eye.

Aurora had been playing up the 'younger brother' angle for a while, but anyone who knew her identity was also aware that was impossible. Since the boy had the aura of a faerie around him, that meant one thing...a changeling.

More than one pureblood line was lost because those damn things had switched itself with the actual child, never to be seen again. Obviously it had bewitched the girl into believing he was hers, after finding it's current home unsatisfactory.

Mad Eye saw how the girl defended the creature, and his good eye narrowed.

"Behind her!"

Aurora lost any sense of being nice at that moment. How dare they. How dare they?

Her curses went from 'mildly dangerous' to 'avoid at all costs' though she never used anything illegal.

The clock slowly ticked towards midnight.

Malleus felt it. Aurora was tiring, and the situation didn't look so good for her.

As the bell outside rang the midnight hour, he felt his magic rise.

Ominous green flames wrapped around the two, halting all spells from hitting either of them. Power surged in his veins once more.

With little effort, Malleus drew the fire in his bloodline...and shot cursed dragonfire at the attackers. Several in the line of fire died in seconds, while those unlucky to be clipped would find no solace in their injuries.

Aurora's confused expression swiftly changed to shock, as the tiny "child" she held in her arms had turned into a very pissed off horned faerie of great and terrible power. Great wings wrapped around them both, shielding the fact he wasn't wearing a stitch on him (his previous clothes shredded once he grew to his proper size) and protecting her as well.

Hedwig's claws digging into her shoulder was the only evidence she had that she wasn't dreaming this...that this was real.

Malleus coolly stared at the terrified wizards, Mad Eye glaring at him even as his body was frozen in fear.

"I will be claiming my prize now," he said, malice in his voice at the implied challenge towards the wizards.

Aurora found herself pulled into a princess carry by the 'toddler' she had cared for, and squeaked. Malleus paid no mind to this, and they disappeared in a blaze of faerie fire.

To say the Diasomnia students were relieved when their king returned was an understatement.

That said they were highly confused as to why he was carrying a girl with him, let alone the owl and was completely naked.

Once Malleus was properly attired once more, and the girl safely secured, he met with his most trusted confidants slash bodyguards.

"What exactly happened? I can smell wizard's magic all over you," said Lilia.

"The concoction I ate wore off...but not before we were accosted by fools who mistook me for a changeling that had bewitched the girl," said Malleus calmly. "From what I could tell, the believed that they had to 'rescue' her from my 'spell'. She disagreed, vehemently at that."

"Oh?" said Lilia amused now.

"She instinctively followed the Code of Hospitality, despite the fact that the domicile we were staying in was a rented one. She insured I was safe and unharmed while the concoction ran it's course," said Malleus.

The expression on Silver and Sebek's faces changed at that. She had gone from 'strange, unidentified woman' to 'honored guest'. Obviously Malleus had brought her so that he might repay her kindness appropriately.

"I see," said Lilia, though he was wondering why she looked oddly familiar to him. "How old is this young lady?"

"Considering she was staying awake purely to count down the seconds to midnight, sixteen," he replied.

Something began to ring in Lilia's mind.

"And her name?" asked Lilia.

"Aurora."

That niggling in Lilia's mind was going off big time now. A girl named Aurora who was entangled with a faerie right before her sixteenth birthday? He was more surprised Malleus hadn't noted the connection (or sheer irony) himself.

The next morning...

Aurora would have dismissed the night before as a very weird dream...if it wasn't for the fact she most certainly wasn't in the rented hotel room.

Far from it...this had to be the most luxurious room she had ever been in her entire life. Hedwig was calmly napping in the corner, her things carefully placed on a chair near the bed. It took her several seconds to realize she was not wearing her previous outfit...which made her blush briefly before remembering she had done the same to Malleus.

As she slowly started to get out of bed, there was a light knock on the door.

The figure that walked in rather politely was rather petite, and wore a slight feminine outfit. However some instinct told her this person was most certainly a male. He had odd pinkish hues in his black hair and vibrant red eyes. He almost reminded her of a bat, and she had to wonder if this was a variant of vampire.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"In the Diasomnia dorm, at Night Raven College," he replied, a mischievous lilt in his voice. "It's barely after seven in the morning, if you're curious."

"Is Malleus alright?" she asked, worried.

There was an inscrutable expression on his face after she asked that.

"Lord Malleus is well. His disappearance caused a great stir. You have our thanks for protecting him until the concoction ran it's course."

From how formal this man was, Aurora had the feeling her usual luck had caused her to really step into it this time. However, unlike her other adventures, this did not feel as though she was in threat of imminent death.

Lilia was extremely polite, and picked up a chair that was close to her and sat down. The fact Hedwig didn't even look up allowed her to relax around him.

"Why don't you tell me about yourself? The most Lord Malleus was able to tell us was your first name," said Lilia pleasantly.

Aurora blinked, but after a moment decided to talk to him. He was rather polite after all.

Several hours later...

Lilia was downright amused. Aurora was a perfectly pleasant young woman, just one with chaotic luck through no fault of her own. She wasn't the least bit surprised she had accidentally rescued a literal prince, as her luck was like that.

However there was one key piece of evidence she let slip that had given Lilia enough of a clue to figure out why Malleus had been drawn to her...hence his open amusement.

Malleus was catching up on his written work when Lilia entered.

"What is it?"

"It seems that you were subject to a long standing curse that most had forgotten about," said Lilia.

"Curse?"

Lilia's amusement only grew.

"Remember how the Thorn Fairy once cursed a princess so that she would fall into slumber on her sixteenth birthday? It seems this particular princess was cursed to be taken away by a fairy of similar origins," said Lilia laughing.

Malleus stared at him.

"What?"

"A few centuries ago there was a druid family that later became the Ancient and Noble house of Black. In exchange for the power of transformation, they were to wed one of noble blood on the faerie side, as their power was rather potent and perfect for breeding purposes. Except the head of the family added a few clauses that the faeries in question should have paid more mind to," explained Lilia. "The clauses being that the female was to remain 'untouched' until their sixteenth birthday, be of the main line, no previous claim to their hand...and the one that angered the faeries later, had to be either the heiress or current head of the family."

"What does that have to do with Aurora?" asked Malleus confused.

"Her godfather was the previous head of the family...and named her his heir," said Lilia amused.

Malleus' eyes narrowed a bit as he thought back to what little Aurora had told him...before he remembered the name she gave him.

"Her godfather made her the de facto head of the Blacks, thus fulfilling the requirements," he said.

"The faeries were most irate about being cheated by the humans who were foolish enough to brag about it, so they set up a curse to insure the bargain was kept. That curse is likely why you were sent there instead of where you intended to go," said Lilia.

Malleus was silent as this sank in.

"What happens now?"

"I suggest we wait for her to settle in before dropping this on her. She's been stressed out enough," said Lilia. It was small bit of kindness, as she had protected his charge and had followed the Code of Hospitality without asking for anything in return.

Besides, the girl was far too thin for her age, and there were certain scars that worried him. Lilia was not a nice person, but for what she did for Malleus, he was willing to show patience.

Diasomnia was very strange...all the people there treated her with more civility and politeness than she could ever remember getting from Hogwarts.

The headmage was even stranger...upon learning the circumstances, he was willing to permit her to attend the school as a freshman, since she did fit the basic requirements (save for her gender).

He was nothing like Dumbledore, and honestly she preferred his oddities to the downright stalker-vibes the headmaster had given her.

After some consideration, and honestly being sick and tired of the misadventures she got into at Hogwarts, Aurora took headmage Crowley up on his offer. It would take a few days for her to receive her ceremonial robes and uniform, but she was placed in Diasomnia by the mirror that performed the sorting.

Malleus, as she swiftly discovered, was the head prefect of the dorm and the future king of the Briar Valley where a large portion of the Diasomnia students originated. Lilia was his vice-prefect, as well as his guardian slash bodyguard.

She felt rather guilty about leaving Hogwarts, but honestly it was a relief as well.