You’re my Candle

After he saw Kayda's state, Remus decided it wasn't a good idea to do a lesson on Fabeldyrs. He quickly came up with an hour's worth of information about Animagi instead to introduce the idea of shape-shifters. Fully equipped with an assignment at the end which Draco tried his hardest to use his injury to get out of.

That night, Kayda gave up trying to act like they weren't upset with her about dating a Gryffindor and told them what she was when they started talking about the weather for that week.

"You..." Daphne's head had been in her hands for the past ten minutes. "What? Say it again."

"Please, I need to hear it once more too." Freya grinned, kneeling in front of where Kayda sat on the sofa in their room.

Kayda sighed lightly, but the corner of her mouth raised when she looked at Freya's eyes.

"I'm a Fabeldyr." She confessed for the third time in the past ten minutes, her chest heaving as she spoke. "Which you all may know as a Dragon Shifter."

"That's what I thought you said," Daphne curled up into a ball beside her, tucking her knees into her hoodie at her chest.

Pansy hadn't said a word. Freya was the opposite, asking a million questions and nagging Kayda with the largest smile.

"You protected me!" She squealed, holding Kayda's hands so tightly it almost hurt.

"'Course I did, you're the only thing that makes your idiot brother bearable." She laughed, leaning closer to the blonde girl's face.

"Can you show them the eyes?" Freya stood up suddenly. Since that Care of Magical Creatures class, Freya hadn't said a single word that didn't relate to the dragon – especially its eyes. "They're so mesmerising."

Kayda took a deep breath and closed her eyes, she could hear Freya grabbing and pulling Daphne and Pansy in front of her to see.

Focusing the best that she could with Freya still whispering about the golden glow, Kayda could feel the warmth of the fire around her ribs trailing up her throat and flooding her face until the heat was centred mostly around her eyes – she lifted her eyelids and the darker room was flooded with a low golden glow, coming directly from Kayda's eyes.

They almost resembled those of humans', but the iris looked as if it was stretched both up and down. All three girls in front of her sat with dropped jaws.

"Ok, ok–" she laughed, blinking several times and inhaling heavily to draw the flame back into her chest. "Before you all forget that you need to breathe."

"Is everyone going to know?" Pansy asked suddenly, talking louder than Freya's groans and Daphne's laughter as she tried to drag the girl towards her bed.

Kayda nodded, a lump appearing in her throat the second the words had left the dark haired girl's lips.

"Eventually, yes. Everyone will know."

And she was terrified.

─ « ⋅ » ─

Remus had called everyone's attention to the front of the class and every individual conversation that was being had silenced. He was one of the only professors, other than Snape and McGonagall, that Kayda had seen somewhat respected by her peers. The jokes of how scruffy and 'poor' Remus appeared soon fell away after their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson.

"I will be handing out a new book today," he announced, turning his back to them all and picking up a large stack of thick books from the long table that ran beside the window wall, "you needn't pay for it, as nobody was expecting this topic to be taught this year."

"What topic is that, Professor?" Hermione stuck her hand into the air at the same time that she spoke. Kayda hadn't noticed the bushy haired girl enter the class, but, to be fair to the exhausted girl, she was completely out-of-it.

Remus cleared his throat, his train of thought having been cut short. "Well, Miss Granger, we'll be learning about Fabeldyrs and possibly other shape-shifters today."

Hermione nodded slowly, then her eyes fell to a small sheet of paper on her desk – while everyone else's landed on Kayda. She sunk further into her chair and Pansy grabbed her hand from where it rested on her stomach.

The books were engraved with gold, the rest made of scales and old, stained parchment inside. They'd been sitting in a cupboard for decades, the smell of them told Kayda that much – the smell also told her that the scales were those of dragons, her fingers curled from touching it.

"Woah," a Gryffindor girl squealed on the other side of the classroom when Remus placed a book in front of her, "are these real dragon scales?"

"I hope not." Her friend gasped.

A boy chimed in. "Why?"

"'Cause the only way to take a dragon's scales is to kill it." Remus was at the top of the classroom again, a few books still in his arms. "Mr Nott, can you please read the first page?"

Theo sighed and begrudgingly opened his book, "'the Fabeldyr is more commonly known as the Dragon Shifter. It is a Witch or Wizard who can transform into a dragon and back at will. It is a hereditary skill and cannot be learnt'–"

"Well, there goes my weekend plans."

"–'like the Animagi. A Fabel's dragon form can be distinguished from a normal dragon by the colour of its eyes. They are incredibly bright glowing gold'."

"Thank you." Remus nodded to the boy and walked to his chalkboard. He spoke over the horrible sound of the chalk running over it. "A Fabel has every trait that the average dragon has, except its weaknesses – like a dragon, a Fabel is incredibly difficult to kill. Does anyone know why this is?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air – as did Daphne's. Remus pointed to the Slytherin.

"A dragon's hides are extremely thick and imbued with Ancient Magic, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate." She said proudly, sitting up a little straighter when Remus gave her five house points for the answer.

Hermione's hand, which had fallen whilst Daphne spoke, was pointed to the ceiling again.

"Their eyes are incredibly sensitive, however–" the girl spoke when Remus nodded at her– "they can be subjected to spells if shot correctly. This isn't true for Fabeldyr though."

Remus smiled. "Correct. A Fabel's power resides in their very blood and bones, every organ they have is infested with it – including their eyes. Miss Granger, please read page six for us."

Hermione flicked back a few pages in her book eagerly. "'While dragons will breathe their flame from the enzyme secreted between the first and second rows of their teeth, a Fabeldyrs fire is not created. It is an eternal part of their being that laces every bone in their body. They are even able to wield it with their hands when in...human form'." Her words slowed as she read further.

"Woah." Several people whispered.

Kayda's book was still closed on her desk.

Freya, who's eyes were scanning several pages ahead in her own book, flickered to Kayda, whose hands were tightly held together at her chest. The blonde reached her own hand out and turned the cover of the book in front of Kayda to the seventh page. Kayda gave her a quick nod of appreciation.

"Miss Black," Remus called from the top of the classroom. She froze. Her eyes did not meet his, nor anybody else's, "can you please come up here?"

With a deep breath, Kayda forced her shaking legs to lift her higher than the seat below her and carry her body to Remus without making it too obvious that she was nervous. Remus whispered something to her when she reached his side but she didn't hear him, she turned so that she was facing her peers instead.

The faces in front of her were mixed with confusion, all staring right at her – they knew their Professor was her Uncle, but that didn't explain him taking his wand from his pocket and calling for a volunteer.

Draco stood up.

Kayda met his eyes instantly and it was like all sound returned to the room.

"Excellent," Remus smiled, gesturing for Draco to stand beside Kayda. He adjusted his arm as it sat in the cast, "Mr Potter, can tell us what the book says about a Fabeldyr's fire?"

Harry seemed surprised to be called upon and hurriedly scanned the page in front of him to find the answer.

"Page seven," Hermione coughed from the seat behind him, "third paragraph."

He turned back a few pages. "Uhm– yeah, 'Fabeldyr's fyre (spelt differently from fire) is different from a normal flame. It can do more than just burn those who touch it. If the Fabel desires it to heal, or put the victim to sleep – that is what it will do. Without control, it is deadly. Many young Fabel find it is the most difficult of their abilities to learn control of.'"

"Thank you, Mr Potter." Remus took everyone's eyes from Harry. "Does everyone understand?" There were no objections. "Let's have a demonstration anyway."

Lavender laughed with her friend, "and how can we do that, Professor?"

There were several other comments like hers around the room, some louder, most quiet and to the person beside them.

Before Remus could respond and explain – a loud crack silenced them, followed by the gentle sound of fire sputtering.

It took the air from the room, absorbing it as each and every person in the room stared at the massive flame burning in the palm of Kayda's lifted hand.

"With fyre, Lavender. That's how." She said, calmly. Draco's presence beside her made her feel less like she was a deer in headlights. The fyre igniting her hand and arm eased her heart too and forced her to focus on the warm light in the room.

Draco, beside her, was the opposite of calm. He hadn't looked away from the flame, nor had he stepped away from it.

"Look at Miss Black, what detail can we say that the book doesn't describe?" Remus jumped straight back into engaging the students, deciding not to address what they were all asking.

"Hold on a minute," Ron almost put his hand up, but didn't bother when Remus looked at him, "are you saying that Black is one of these Fabeldyrs?" He asked loudly, his eyes wide.

"She is." Remus confirmed quickly, not wanting to dwell on the fact, before repeating his previous question.

Freya raised her hand. "Her veins?"

Remus nodded. "Correct. We can see Miss Black's veins in her arms, because in order to produce the flame, the fyre has needed to travel from within her bones and organs to the heart where it ignites – from there, it travels down the veins with her blood and out of her hand. See page...10, for how fyre moves around the body."

"Uhm–" Draco coughed, as people read over the words, "what exactly is this demonstration?"

"Oh, right– that." He laughed, nodding to Kayda. "She is going to put you to sleep."

"Sorry," Draco coughed again, "she's gonna, what-?"

Freya laughed from where she sat, having been listening to them. "What's wrong, Draco? Don't feel tired?"

"Shut up, Frey."

"Ready?" Kayda asked softly, waiting for Draco to speak or nod until she even moved.

The class's attention, if it had left, fell back to Kayda when she stood more in front of the blond boy. She raised her burning hand to his eye-line, her palm to the ground but the flame was still burning up towards the ceiling around her fingers.

Draco fell flat on his stomach on the cold floor when Kayda's fire engulfed finger touched the middle of his forehead. His face was pushed to the side, half of it on the ground.

"Excellent," Remus clapped. Everyone else was silent, "now, wake him up."

Kayda knelt to the floor slowly and placed her entire hand on Draco's cheek – he blinked a few times and then jolted onto his back.

"Oh, shit!" He laughed, sitting up and staring at Kayda. She put the fire in her hand out by shaking it once. "That was...weird."

"I need that," Blaise laughed, speaking to Theo, "takes me ages to get to sleep."

"You ok?" Kayda took Draco's hand as he stood up after smiling at Blaise.

Draco nodded, squeezing her hand. "I'm fine, Black."

"Thank you." She whispered when he stood. He tilted his head down at her, his eyebrows furrowed. "For volunteering."

He smiled and lent down to her ear, "you looked like you were three seconds from running out of the room, Kayda. It's the least I could do."

─ « ⋅ » ─

"Merlin, that was...something," Kayda overheard a student speaking to his friend as the class was walking down the hallway, "who'd have thought–"

"I know, the 'dragon' that saved Malfoy was just her friend," his friend laughed, "don't know if that's got the same ring to it."

Kayda was taken from their voices when Hermione Granger came up to her and started speaking instead.

"Pardon?" Kayda forced a smile, having not heard the girl the first time.

"I asked how you manage it?" Hermione spoke again, louder and possibly more frustrated this time.

That didn't help Kayda's confusion. "What are you on about?" She mumbled, barely moving her lips.

"Malfoy." The Gryffindor sighed, rolling her eyes. "I can barely stand Harry — I have no

idea how you deal with Malfoy."

"Oh," Kayda laughed gently, glancing at where her friends had kept walking down the hallway. "I mean, he's not...always an asshole, you kno-" she smiled down at Hermione, just before a very weak finger tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

Kayda turned to see Crabbe standing behind her nervously. He mumbled something, glancing at Hermione as he did.

"I wish people would speak up– what?" Kayda said, narrowing her eyes at him as her confusion grew yet again. "Crabbe?"

"It's...her." He gulped, staring at Hermione, who looked as though she'd regretted approaching Kadya. "She's...a, uhm-"

Kayda looked up the hallway to see her friends stood waiting for her – all staring. Draco was closer, with Grabbe standing by his side, the large boy's arms crossed.

With a sigh, she faced Crabbe again. "Spit it out already."

"Mudblood." He whispered, leaning closer to her.

Refusing to allow her shock to show on her face, her eyes unfocused again and she turned her back to Crabbe and took a deep breath.

Hermione had obviously heard him and she looked almost afraid to meet Kayda's gaze. She'd have seen the dark haired girl's head fall back towards the ceiling and blow out a large breath of air before leaning closer to Hermione.

"Please, excuse me, Granger — I have to go make a scene." She muttered, smiling at the girl who looked at her very suddenly. Kayda didn't see Hermione's confused expression when she faced Crabbe again.

She took a single step towards him — he backed up instantly. Kayda picked up her pace until he'd almost hit the wall.

"Don't say that word again." Her voice was low. "Repeat back to me what I just said."

Crabbe was breathing heavily. "B-but...Black, it... it's true."

"Repeat it!" Her voice carried far through the halls. She resisted the urge to step forward again.

He was starting to cry. "She is a Mudblood."

She punched him.

Her clenched fist plummeted straight into Crabbe's face, which sent him into the wall inches behind him with a loud crack. He slid down it to the floor, his hand covering his nose – blood was pouring between his plump fingers and onto his lap. It felt like everyone in the corridor was watching them now.

She knelt in front of him, shaking her hand as she did – it was stinging, she knew that her knuckles would have her own blood covering them.

"Repeat it." Her voice was much softer now.

""Don't say that word again'."

"What word?"

He met her eyes and shook. He remained silent, the only noise being the lump in his throat gulped down.

She smiled. "See. Was that so hard?" Her head tilted and his own shook quickly again. He was crying, sniffing and then crying some through his fingers. Her lips curved upwards more, "good." She rose to her feet slowly. "Get up, Crabbe."

He coughed rawly, putting his blood covered hand onto the stone beneath to push himself up.

Kayda looked around to see many faces looking at her, one of them being Hermione — who was standing paralysed staring at the girl. Kayda smiled, then clicked her knuckles. She winced at the pain, not expecting them to hurt that much – she'd thrown a punch before, and they usually only bruised for the next week or two.

She looked down at them and saw her own blood dripping from the small cuts on a few of her knuckles and running down through her fingers where it dripped onto the floor with whatever blood Crabbe had failed to catch from his nose.

"Black–" Hermione walked towards her, but it was Freya who reached her and pulled her eyes away from the blood.

At the sight of the blonde girl, Hermione smiled at Kayda and returned to Harry and Ron who were standing further away from the commotion.

"Kayda," Pansy said, joining her and Freya, "are you mad?!"

"It's fine." Kayda muttered, closing her hand into a fist and pulling it away from Freya's grasp.

Daphne grabbed hold of Kayda's elbow when she approached. "You should have it healed now, Black."

"Shit– how hard did you punch him?" Was all Theo asked.

Kayda considered what Daphne suggested, but only nodded and stuffed her hand into the pocket on her robe where she let it continue to bleed out into her clothing.