Vivian should have seen it coming. It is why she takes each insult Riddle throws in her direction.
''You cannot do one thing right, can you?'' he scolds, hissing even. ''You are fucking useless.'' His words cut deep because that is what she is.
Useless.
She cannot tell him the reason why she is so absent-minded. Vivian has her head down, not wanting to face him. If she had a tail, it would be between her legs from fear. This is an absolute disaster.
''You had one job,'' he continues. ''One and you couldn't even complete it. It is because of you that this potion has failed. You caused this misery, you incompetent fool.'' She tries not to flinch at his words as she closes her eyes. She cannot do this right now.
''Okay, Tom that's enough!'' Tiernan's voice echoes through the classroom, causing every other student to be silent. Even Professor Slughorn glances around with confusion written on his face. Tom shifts his gaze from Vivian to Tiernan and shoots him an icy glare.
''Professor Dumbledore seated us to get to know each other, not insult them,'' Tiernan explains. Vivian lifts her head to gaze between the boys. She takes notice of Tiernan's elevated heartbeat and then Tom's tense jaw.
''It's okay, Tiernan,'' Vivian speaks softly. ''He was right to be angry as I collected the wrong ingredients.'' Tiernan looks at her in despair. He has seen how cruel Tom can be but to a girl? He clenches his jaw before lifting his hands, removing himself from the situation.
Vivian casts a glance in Tom's direction, who is looking down at her already. Their eyes meet before Tom averts his gaze. He finds it intriguing how she stands up for him. As he turned to the cauldron, the corner of his mouth twitched into a minimalistic smile.

Professor Dumbledore watches his class work on their newest assignment. His gaze lingers on Vivian and he feels compassion toward her. He has noticed the stand of the moon and kept an eye on Vivian for the last few days.
"Ms Lupin, can you come here for a moment?" he questions softly. Vivian meets her Professor's eyes and nods. Several students, including Tiernan and Tom, look up from their work.
"How are you doing?" Professor Dumbledore questions only for her to audible.
"Worse than ever," she replies in a whisper. Tom points his ears to listen to their conversation but fails to understand a word. He forces himself to focus on his assignment, however, he finds it difficult to concentrate.
"I will send you to Madam Pomfrey, alright?" A sigh of relief leaves her mouth.
"Thank you, Professor."
Vivian returns to her seat but she doesn't sit. Tom watches her gather her stuff and slings her bag over her shoulder. His eyes follow to the door of the classroom and she is gone. Tom meets Tiernan's gaze for a moment and sends him a glare. At that moment, when he sided with Lupin, he felt a betrayal.
"For those who wonder, I have sent Ms Lupin to Madam Pomfrey because she is unwell and I'm looking out for my students," Professor Dumbledore reasons with a sweet smile on his lips. Tom finds himself wondering if his insults have had an impact on her health or worsened her situation. An unpleasant feeling creeps up his stomach. It is making him uncomfortable as he doesn't know why.

The closer Vivian approached the Hospital Wing, the more tired she grew. She pushes the heavy door open and Madam Pomfrey hurries out of her office a moment later. She halts as she notices Vivian. She, too, keeps the stand of the moon in the back of her mind.
''It is the full moon, isn't it dear?'' she questions cautiously while gesturing to a bed. Vivian sighs and climbs on the bed. She nods as relief shows on her features.
''What is it you need, dear?'' Vivian lies down, allowing the fatigue to kick in.
''I don't know if I can do this,'' she mutters. Madam Pomfrey gently strokes her hair and sends her a faint smile.
"I know, dear. I'm afraid you'll need your soulmate,'' she sighs. Vivian slowly shifts her eyes to Madam Pomfrey.
"What did you say?"
"Your soulmate," she repeats. "They will be the key to your wolf."
"What do you know of soulmates?" she continues to question.
"Oh dear, uhm ... You can catch their scent easier than others. You can catch their scent from meters away. You might share feelings, what you feel he or she feels. Some say you can communicate through the mind," she summarises.
You can catch their scents...
Vivian slumps into the pillow, staring at Madam Pomfrey. She notices something in Vivian's eyes, as if she has figured something out.
''What is it?''
''If catching their scent is among them,'' she breathes. ''Then my soulmate is within these walls.'' Her heart drops into her stomach, realizing she smelled her soulmate at the end of her fourth year. Even Madam Pomfrey gasped.
"That is excellent," she gasps. "Let's hope for the best." Vivian sends her another smile before lying down on her back.
"Take a good rest," Madam Pomfrey says. "You deserve it."
     "Thank you for taking care of me," Vivian smiles.
     "Always." Madam Pomfrey returns to her office while Vivian stares at the ceiling. Her eyes close before she drifts asleep.

The heavy wooden door opens. Madam Pomfrey is about to emerge from her office but stops in her tracks once she takes notice of Tom Riddle. She hides behind the door and peeks around the corner.
     Tom gracefully walks through the Hospital Wing with his hands clasped behind his back. He reaches the bed and looks down at her resting face. His eyes roam over her features, from her closed eyes to her lips. He has little idea what he is doing here, let's set aside what to say.
Sorry that I insulted you?
No, Tom Riddle has never apologized for anything in his entire life. That same unpleasant feeling gnaws at his consciousness.
     ''I should not have said those words. It was not... Kind,'' he manages to say. He feels odd because he never apologised. It does send some kind of satisfaction down his spine.
''Even though, you were wrong," he adds. He watches her. Once he is sure Vivian remains asleep, he turns away. There is something about this girl that intrigues his poisonous mind.
Vivian.
     Luna. Vivian.
Madam Pomfrey watches him leave before shifting her gaze to Vivian. She notices the eyes on her and turns her gaze to Madam Pomfrey, who approaches her bed.
     ''Was someone in here?'' Vivian questions. ''I heard a vague voice.'' Madam Pomfrey opens her mouth to answer but she closes it. She sends her a faint smile and shakes her head.
     ''There was no one here, darling,'' she says. ''Please, sleep.'' Vivan lies back down as Madam Pomfrey sends word for Albus Dumbledore who enters the Hospital Wing a few minutes later.
     ''You sent word for me, Poppy?'' he questions. He passes Vivian's bed into Poppy's office. She nods and closes the door. He must have read her intention because he cast a silencing spell around them.
     ''The Riddle boy,'' she says. ''He was here, 'visiting' Ms Lupin.'' Albus arches an eyebrow as he tilts his head.
     ''Did he now?'' he questions. ''What was he doing here?''
     ''He apologized in his own way for his behavior,'' she explains. ''Does this mean what I think it means?'' Albus stares and ponders her question. Apologizing isn't something that's in Tom's nature. However, if he apologizes for his behavior to a girl he hardly knows... There might be a chance.
     ''We cannot tell for sure,'' he answers, meeting Poppy's gaze. ''But if it is true, we must watch them closely.'' Poppy covers her mouth with her hand.
     ''Poor girl,'' she sighs. Albus faintly smiles.
     ''It can benefit both of them,'' he reasons. ''Ms Lupin finds a way to gain control over her wolf and Mr Riddle might stay on the right path.'' Poppy's lips form a line, hoping Albus is right.
     ''Alright, then.''

"Luna!" Vivian is woken up by the sound of someone's voice. She opens her eyes to see Sirius walking up to her, followed by the rest.
     "Are you well?" he questions with concern. She sends him a faint smile.
     "Exceptionally," she forces a smile, causing Sirius to roll his eyes. "We were concerned when Dumbledore told us about your condition in the Hospital Wing." Vivian frowns.
     "That's a tad dramatic," she replies with a frown. "I'm just a little tired, that's all. We should get going."
     "Have you eaten?" Remus questions.
     "Madam Pomfrey took care of me," Vivian replies, pushing away the covers of her bed. Madam Pomfrey watches the five students leave the Hospital Wing, praying for their safe return.

Peter shifts into his animagus form to silence the Whomping Willow. Meanwhile, Sirius assists Vivian while James assists Remus toward the Shrieking Shack.
     Sirius looks at the silver chains and feels his heart getting heavy. He has always protested putting chains around them, however, Remus and Vivian insisted.
     "We will be out of control if you don't."
     "I'm so sorry, Luna," Sirius apologizes once silver touches her. It does more than sting, it burns. It is supposed to weaken her wolf.
     "Don't," Vivian hisses. "It is needed or I will rip you apart." Meanwhile, James goes through the same rollercoaster of emotions as Sirius.
The sun disappears under the horizon as the moon rises into the night sky. The influence of the full moon causes the twins to squirm. Their friends are forced to watch in their animagus forms. Remus and Vivian groan in pain as their hands and feet transform into paws, their skin turns fur, their noses into snouts, their ears into points, and their brown eyes into bright-colored eyes. The blackhound howls before he lies his head on his paws, staring at the two wolves.
The stag looks at, what was supposed to be Vivian, the white wolf. The wolf meets his eyes with its icy blue eyes and bares its teeth at them. The other wolf has a darker shade of blue in its eyes, sapphire blue. The two yank their chains, desperately trying to break free but without success.

The three animals take turns when it comes to sleep. The night seems to endure forever until James wakes up the others. He dares to shift back into his human form.
"It is near dawn," James comments. The blackhound and the rat shift into their human selves. While they shift, the two wolves change into their original humans. The siblings lie unconscious on the cold floor. Sirius wraps Vivian in a blanket while James takes care of Remus.
''We should go,'' Peter insists before shifting into the rat. Sirius lifts Vivian in his arms while James throws Remus over his shoulder. Sirius waits a moment to look his friend dead in the eyes.
''I can't carry Remus that way,'' he hisses. Sirius shakes his head before they make their way back to the Hospital Wing. Peter pushes the door open as the other two run into the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey rushes out of her office to guide them to their beds.
''I thank you, boys,'' she says. ''I will take it from here.'' Sirius and James lie their friends on the bed and take a step back to watch them. Exhaustion engulfs their bodies, causing James to stagger over his feet. Peter catches his friend.
''Get some sleep, gentlemen,'' Poppy instructs. The three cast one more look at their friends before leaving the hospital wing. Poppy examines Remus before examining Vivian. They are both alright, apart from cuts, bruises, and burns from the chain.
''Poor children,'' she whispers before treating them.

Tom strolls through the corridors during his prefect patrol. Normally he could walk around in peace, however, he felt this sort of pain he couldn't lay his finger on. He hadn't caused himself any harm, yet there was a stinging pain through his body.
He pulls out a pocket watch. His patrol has come to an end as Tom glances through the large windows. The reflection of the moon enlightens his face before he heads back to the dungeons. On the way, he passes by the Hospital Wing. He stops in his tracks and glances at the doors. He is conflicted, about whether he should visit her or not. He gives in and heads to the doors.
A soft gasp ripples from his throat once he sees the wound on her face. It will be a scar eventually, one that diagonally bisects her right eyebrow and marks the top of her cheek.
Who is responsible?
He intensely stares at the wound before his eyes roam over her face. He turns around to see that same Gryffindor boy. A familiar feeling flows through his veins, anger.
He must have done that.
He clenches his jaw before he huffs a sigh. Tom turns around and takes his leave. Her boyfriend has caused her harm. He despises Gryffindors, but he despises that Gryffindor even more. It is normal for Tom Riddle to feel a sense of hatred but never because of a girl.
     Never.

Tom heads to the dungeons for his dormitory. He prepares for bed and pushes the emerald duvet away for him to lie under. Sleep got to him earlier than Tom anticipated as he drifted off to sleep.
Tom sits at the head of the table, looking down at his followers. A feline smile graces his lips as he continues discussing the War.
Time passed and Tom ended up sitting alone. He rises to his feet to exit the room as a person emerges from the shadows.
"I thought it would never end," she comments. Her hand caresses his cold cheek. A girl with brown hair and dark eyes. Her sharp cheekbones makes her a natural beauty.
     Tom jolts awake as it finally clicks. His heartbeat elevates as he finally knows who the girl from his dreams is. She has been sitting next to him for months and he has looked her in the eyes multiple times. It all makes sense now.
     The girl that haunts his dreams is Vivian.
     "Merlin's beard."