Fated To Be

Alexander decided that they would camp for the time being. Even though he wanted to get to the Little Palace as soon as possible,  he was not blind, nor that cruel,  to ignore the weariness those  around him were  radiating.

Not that he truly minded their pace, for he had the pleasure of spending it with a certain someone…

Remembering his manners, he then got off his steed, and came to the other side to offer Ms Cherniak his assistance to get off of hers.

But before he could proceed with the action, he saw that it was not necessary.

For Ms. Cherniak effortlessly slid off of hers, and she then stretched her limbs in front of him like a cat (as though he were not there..), all the while tilting her head back to the sky, which immediately made his eyes then turn to her voluptuous, and wavy hair where its locks curled at the end.

He felt as though it were a symphony with the way her hair softly moved with the wind.

His mouth suddenly felt dry for some reason…

A part from within him wonders what it would feel like to bury his hands in her hair. 

'Would it be as soft as I think it would be? And if it were, I'd want to fully drown myself within its depths..'

He wonders about a lot of things, things he should better not think about…

For now is not the time, and why is he thinking like that? When did he start thinking of her like that, and furthermore…why does the darkness from within him, especially,  delight in her presence…

So many mysteries surrounding one individual,  and so many questions of his yet to be answered.

And then his attention was broken away by the sudden shout from behind them.

"RIA!" 

Was the Sun summoner's shout.

And then Ms. Cherniak ran off, towards her friends that arrived with the carriage.

Leaving him behind in her dust. 

When she got closer to her friends, all of them then  beamed at one another.

Which also brought his attention to the Heartrenders behind Ms. Cherniak’s friends, who just left the carriage.

He saw Fedyor smile (, one that radiated adoration might he add, he looked like a pup that just saw his owner after some time...),towards Ms. Cherniak in greeting …and Ms. Cherniak acknowledges him (,his existence,) with a smile of her own.

It was a rather soft smile, he finds…

And then his mood soured even more.

Of course she would like Fedyor.

First he steals his right hand man (his friend) away from him, and now…

Now he's being acknowledged by her with a (soft) smile. 

While she seemed to be annoyed by his existence, for what, he still doesn't understand.

Which also brought him to the fact that she, once again, ignored  his existence after their sudden 'enlightening talk' (which he still hasn't gotten any answers from her for his questions, and unasked questions, on the contrary he's still confused, and once again, he still knows nothing of her) the day before.

Not that he didn't enjoy the talk they had, for progress is still progress.

But more importantly. 

He would like to know how it came to be, that the both of them seem to be already familiar with one another…and also, her obvious liking towards him…

And then he spots Ivan, who is already looking towards him for further instructions.

Instructions, he at the moment, will not yet give

For  his gaze is still firmly locked on the spectacle in front of him.

'How adorable.' He then snidely thought, almost in petulance,  which he will not admit to.

When he saw her hugging both of  her friends to her person.

He then turned away from the sight in front of him.

He had better things to do at the moment, like set up camp.

Well, order his Grisha to set it up, that is.

Some time later, at night.

Looking at her friends that were dozing off next to her, Valeria decides to put a warming charm on the both of them.

But she then also put a blanket that she found, over both of them (, tucking them in), for certainty sake…

They were sat before the fire, the three of them.

Valeria's attention was then ensnared by its dancing flames of scarlet and radiant gold.

Scarlet and Gold, colours of House Gryffindor. 

The House she had spent the entirety of her Hogwarts years in (and her family as well), before, the House that was not truly meant to be hers. 

For there was another, that truly suited her from the start, but she had denied herself that. 

All for the sake of her plans.

And then Dray's look of betrayal towards her, when she had joined the Den of the Lions, instead of the Snakes.

That she had not joined him.

Here she then  sees the memory playing, but not inside her head. 

No.

She sees the memory flickering within the flames.

'I really need to work on my shield, before an even more unpleasant memory decides to make an appearance at the forefront of my mind…"Was the last thought she had before she, once again, got engulfed into the memory.

She had thought he would understand,  but then she remembers that no one is quite like her.

That theseare normal, and innocent children.

Who did not have to rely on their cunning and instincts to survive, like she did, in this cruel world.

She had foolishly thought that he'd immediately see through her plans, and understand…that was why she hadn't told him of her decision. 

Well that was a mistake on her part, Valeria admits, mentally wincing.

And also the part that she never really had a friend to begin with?

Well, her first friend was a snake, and his name was Smaug, he was a garden snake and he liked shiny things (,like her, she will admit without any shame) , he especially had liked how her eyes shined under the bright rays of the sun, that he had seen nothing like it before, as he had told her in their first meeting with one another…

Yes, she had named him after the Dragon from the Hobbit, after she had inquired about his name, which he didn't have. 

Which made her choose a name for him, because everyone deserved to have  a name.

And after hearing of the Dragon's description, he really seemed to like the name, especially the part where the dragon is described as an invincible and mighty dragon, with a horde of shiny things, treasures, all to himself. 

Which his eyes had shined to, at the end.

She had not told him of the Dragon's end, seeing as she did not think it necessary. 

But perhaps, she should have, so she could have given him another name.

Or maybe she should've just left him alone.

Because he was then killed, later on, in front of her. 

By the Walrus, uncle Vernon.

She was five then.

They only knew one another for a week. A week where she had tried the utmost of her best to provide for him, to make him comfortable,  seeing as he was rather young himself. 

She had found a kindred spirit. 

And then he was taken away from her.

By them.

Which she should have expected, but she had naively hoped that they'd not see, and that they’d at least let her have this.

For herself.

But then again, they always delighted in her misery, her 'family'.

For Valeria did not deserve good things in life.

Like a friend.

It didn’t matter if he was a snake or not.

He was her friend, and he’s dead.

Because of her.

*

His last action in the face of the danger in front of him, was to protect her.

And he had paid for it.

There was so much blood, which some of it  had splashed on her face…and his entrails especially, were all over the place.

Some bits of his brain  matter were on her clothes and shoes.

*The end*

She had felt cold then, from the shock, her eyes wide and unseeing. 

While her uncle had sneered towards her and her 'friend', now dead friend as he had gleefully said afterwards.

For she did not deserve friends, "you devil's spawn". 

As he'd always called her.

She had only ever wanted to do good, be good, she had wanted them to accept her as their own. 

That's why she had stayed obedient, and hopeful throughout every punishment they'd lash upon her and every demand they'd give her.

She had thought before, that if she was obedient, quiet, and invisible, that they’d finally like her.

That they would love her, and finally accept her as their family.

But it was foolish of her, she had then understood.

And from that moment onwards, as she had stared hatefully towards the retreating back of the Walrus (, all the while finally tearing up over the dead and mangled form of her first friend),  she had promised to  herself then that she would get her revenge.

Even if it would take months or years for her to get stronger to do so.

She'd show them.

And show it to them, she did.

Shaking her head at the sudden thought, she then turned back to the matter at hand.

Dray, Draco Malfoy, her first true friend, well,  who is the same age as her. 

And he was also her cousin, as she had found.

They were both related because of the Black blood running through their veins, and also because of the similar features the both of them shared.

Yes, she was at first surprised when she found out about it, but then, she got curious and dug into it deeper,  well with the help of the goblins that is.

Sirius Orion Black was her blood adopted father, and godfather. 

And also the one who played a part in her parents murder, it seemed.

She was at first enraged of course, but when she dug deeper in the case…she found that he did not receive a trial for it.

Which confused her.

But she'd put that thought away for another time.

Which also brought her attention to the fact  that it was  the headmaster of the school,  who put her in the hellhole she had lived in for all these years.

Which she knew from before, because she got her aunt to finally spill it out. 

She did have to use a bit of force to do it, but she got her answers in the end.

And also her mum's diary.

Lilly Evans…

She at first, did not want to open it, seeing as it was her mum's private possession. 

But on the other hand, she was her daughter, and she wanted to know her mum…so she just looked a bit through it.

Not fully, because she wanted to take her time with it.

As though it were her mum, herself, telling her of her childhood..

But here she then put the thought in the back of her mind for later, now was not the time. 

But about the headmaster, who also seemed to be her magical guardian (which he wasn’t, well not officially, for she could not find anything of the sort through the goblins, that her parents specifically had asked of), Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

'The old coot.' She thinks with a sneer.

She'd play his game for now, stay away from his radar (, not get him to be suspicious of her), and  when the time comes, she'd get her revenge on him.

Draco gave her the cold shoulder after that (, after the sorting in the Great Hall), well it didn't last that long, seeing as she then pushed him into an empty classroom to explain.

Which he didn't enjoy, by the shocked and frightened look on his face, before he saw the face of his  kidnapper that is.

"Unhand me, you traitor!" Was eleven year old Draco's voice in irritation towards the raven haired girl in front of him. 

His expression was filled with anger, but Valeria could also see the hurt from  within his eyes.

'Ah.'

She had hurt him, she realises.

She had hurt him by her actions…

Here her face then turned determined,  and she stopped the boy from spouting any more words of hatred towards her face.

"I'm sorry, alright!" She finally shouted, which quieted the boy.

Looking into  the silvery eyes of Draco, Valeria then finally explained her reasoning to him, this time softly, and that it wasn't her intention to make him believe that she had abandoned him.

After her explanation,  Draco then stared at her in silence,  before he  then teared up.

Which alarmed Valeria.

"It isn't fair." He began to say, "I thought I would finally have someone for me, not because of  my father or because of  my name. For me. I thought that we'd be together, and that I would at least not be alone anymore.” He then firmly looked into her eyes, “ You hurt me, 'Rina." He then hoarsely whispers at the end, the tears finally streaming down his cheeks, and his breath laboured from all of the emotional turmoil he'd been through because of her actions.

Valeria then freezes at first, because she didn't know how to react in this situation. 

She hadn't meant to hurt him…and she really doesn't know how to comfort another in such a situation.

She then remembered how the parents at the primary school treated their children when they had cried.

She then put her hand on his hair, and softly patted him.

It instantly made a difference, she noticed in awe.

He quieted down, and stared at her in silence throughout it all, all the while letting out some sniffles here and there.

"There, there. Don't cry. I'm sorry. I promise not to make you cry anymore, Dray. Please don't cry." She then softly smiles at the transfixed boy in  front of her in earnest, gently wiping the last of his tears away from his face with her fingers, which he slowly leaned in to.

"I didn’t mean to, really.” She continued to softly say to the boy, and then she quirked her eyebrow in confusion, “ And what do you mean, me leaving you? Never.” She then firmly said. “ Houses mean nothing in the end, I'll never leave you. And anyways, expect me tomorrow, for I'll be joining you for breakfast, which I will continue to do so, and I'll also join you for every class we'll share and if you want, during all of the breaks we'll have. Even if you're far away from me, Dray. I will find you, I promise. Well if you want me to, that is." Here she then shyly laughs, while she scratches the back of her head.

And then she felt his body slam into hers suddenly, she almost fell on her arse because of the force of it.

He then nestled his head under her chin.

She then feels a wetness against her clothes, but she ignores it for he wouldn't want her pointing it out.

"I would like that, 'Rina." Was his soft, and grateful, but shy response.

The boy is truly precious, she finds.

She then gently rubs his head, with a tiny smile on her face.

‘I’ll never let anything happen to you, that would make you sad again, Dray. I promise.’, She then looked in front of her, above Draco’s soft and downy hair, which she  leaned her nose against. ‘And if someone were to dare, I’d make them regret it.’ She then firmly promised to herself.

Which she did, but she hated herself for not acting sooner, for not realising it sooner, for letting him go through it without her notice.

Why did he not come to me? Why didn’t he tell me sooner…I could've done something. Anything,  to not have let him go through it.

He was just a boy.

And then he wasn't,  not anymore.

And it was her fault.

She broke her promise, and she seems to be failing to protect all of her loved ones.

And she also..

But before the memory could continue,   Valeria  forcibly put a stop to it, and she then tried to not think about it anymore.

First her papa, and now her cousin.

'Which ghosts will linger in my thoughts after?' She then thought.

She then  closes her eyes in pain.

'Do not go there, Valeria. Don't. You promised.' She sternly thought to herself.

What was it that brought her to this sudden memory,  again?

Ah, right.

House Slytherin.

She sometimes wonders what it would have been like, how she would have turned out if she had given herself that chance, to grow up into that House.

Could she have made changes then, for the better?  

Would it even have made a difference in the end?

And with that thought, her mind then turned to another memory from the past. Without her realising it.

Of him.

And like Alice, she fell into the rabbit hole that is her mind. 

Again.

'But instead of Alice,' she thinks, 'I'm slowly turning into the Mad Hatter.'

All because she did not have a proper rest for quite some time, well because she denied it for herself.

Because she did not want to drown  in its depths again, where she did not have any control whatsoever. 

With one figure, in question, haunting her from within them all.

Living or dead, it did not make any difference.

For he will never leave her in peace.

It's her own personal punishment for being even more of a monster than him.