(A/N): Hey Guys! So, here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise.

Elaine

My eyes widened as the word 'mother' reached my ears, and I raised my gaze to the woman a few yards away. After hearing what little I had about Cipicia Joannis, I grasped Remus's hand in terror, and he gripped mine in return. Leo was even paler than usual, and as I flicked my gaze between them, I realised what Leo had meant when he said he had received his looks from his mother. Her hair was quite a light blonde, shining like white gold in the midday sun. Her skin was pale and her eyes were an icy blue, nowhere near as bright or vibrant as her son's. Unlike his though, her lips were thinner, more sharp in their definition, and these paired with the cruel look in her eyes truly made her look deadly. Off in the distance, I saw professor McGonagall, and I knew I had to get her attention.

"Leo, dearest, how are you?" I blinked in surprise at the kind words that flew from her mouth like daggers.

"I'm well, mother."

Her smile was feral, stalking forward until she was only a foot away from Leo, and three feet from Remus and I. "I'm so glad." The hollow, almost dead look in her eye told us that she was lying. She grabbed his face and her sharpened, elongated nails digging into his skin where the bruise marred it, but he refused to show the pain it must have been causing him. "And how is Miasenna?" She asked, her voice deathly quiet and sweet like poison.

"I wouldn't know. I haven't spoken to her in years." Cipicia's eyes narrowed but she nodded nonetheless, releasing his face and retreating a few feet. Just when I thought she might leave well enough alone, she raised her wand without warning and uttered a word that sent chills down my spine. "Crucio!" Leo's knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground writhing in pain- and all I could think about was why he hadn't moved out of the way. It would've barely taken a thought, I knew he could move faster than the eye could blink, certainly faster than a spell could hit him, so why-

I dropped to my knees beside him, glancing frantically between mother and son before locking eyes with Cipicia. "Don't hurt him!" I pleaded, and one of her eyebrow twitched upward. The spell cut off and she lowered her wand for a second, before she leveled it at my face... an almost curious look on her own. "Cru-" I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing myself for the pain about to hit me, but it never came. Instead, I heard a loud crash.

As I opened my eyes I saw Leo standing in front of me, his back to me, and his mother on the ground a handful of yards away, smashed through a wooden fence with blood seeping from a small cut on her forehead. She stared at us for a long moment, before her gaze darted away as I heard footsteps racing towards us. I couldn't help but check who it was, praying for a teacher- and getting my wish. By the time McGonagall had reached us Cipicia had taken off, and was long gone from view.

"What in the name of Merlin just happened?" Professor McGonagall demanded to know, and Remus explained- thankfully, since I didn't think Leo or I would be up to the task any time soon. Leo... I reached a hand out, but just as I touched his shoulder he jolted, spinning around, and I saw a different face than what I was used to.

His normally bright blue eyes were darkened, his pupils wider, and his already pale skin had been leached of what little color it had. He was panting, despite the fact that he should have recovered from any physical exertion before this point, and as his lips parted, they revealed two lengthened, razor sharp fangs. His stance was low and defensive, and a quiet growl escaped his throat before his face went slack, and in half a blink, he'd disappeared. As I turned to see if Remus and McGonagall had caught it, I saw another stunned face- Sirius's.

(A/N): More plot twists!

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P.S: I've stopped saying 'please review and/or check out my other stories' because I figure I've got more reviews than I do chapters, and while I love the feedback I'm getting, I don't want to force you into doing this.

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This chapter has had minor edits made to it on 30/12/22 - Changed 'mom to 'mother' to match what I changed in the previous chapter.

This chapter has had edits made to it on 1/3/24 - formatting, and reconfiguring of sentences so they make more sense.

This chapter has had minor edits made to it on 4/5/24 - changed Cipicia asking how 'Mia' was, to asking how 'Miasenna' was, since she's always so strict about them using their full names, rather than their chosen nicknames.