〖Sharp Scythes and Golden eyes〗

She laid awake in the dark for a long time, thinking about the events of the day. It had been surreal, to say the least, like her eyes had been rubbed clean like cleaning off a window after it had been fogged up. Even when her eyes were closed she could still see her face plain as day, those calculating eyes, her long hair the color of mist on a cold morning, she smiled into the dark, her sharp tongue she thought to herself. What was it about her? Something seemed different, everyone had their secrets Sera knew but this girl was hiding something more.

What is it about you? She puzzled as the minutes turned into hours; it's more than skin deep. She rolled over and sighed, why can't I place this feeling? She made a face and snuggled deeper into her blankets hoping that all of her confusing thoughts and feelings would do the same. She glanced out the crack in her hanging at the moonlight slanting down onto the floor and sighed again before closing her eyes. Eldrian she thought to herself a girl as mystifying as her name.

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She had woken up at dawn that morning, earlier than anyone else in her dorm room, it was cold and quiet save for the soft snores of her roommates. She blew a strand of hair out of her face in annoyance, as tired as she was and as much as she wanted to fall back asleep again she knew she wouldn't be able to so with a long sigh of defeat she sat up and stretched before getting ready for the day ahead.

As she was pulling on her sweater just as she was about to leave the dormitory out of the corner of her eye she spotted the letter she had written to Castielle and the order only a few days earlier. She walked over to her desk and picked it up and read it over again, she looked down at the parchment an expression of indecision on her face before shaking her head. She grabbed another sheet and began to rewrite her letter working quickly and finishing as weak morning sunlight was starting to filter into the room. She held it up once more and read it, muttering it out loud to herself before folding it up carefully and sticking it into her pocket before heading to the owlery.

Dear Tabby, Castielle, and everyone else remember that plan I said the Ministry was planning on instating? Well I found out what it is and I can practically see Castielle kicking over the nearest bucket or chair or whatever's conveniently in the room, but here goes nothing, Umbridge has now started working the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. She's a devil spawn from the lurid pink circle of hell and a horrible teacher, in other words, she's about as sweet and innocent as we remember her.

Anyways I'm keeping an eye on everyone so tell Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Snuffles not to worry. The fire's still listening, nothing's come up though. I'll keep sending updates but if they stop coming that probably means Umbridge has taken over the school and is monitoring the mail.

Stay safe, don't do anything stupid,

- S

Is it too suspicious? She thought to herself as she traversed the corridors, she took the letter out of her pocket again and frowned before tapping it with her wand and muttering something. She opened the letter again to reveal that the parchment was blank and she smiled to herself. I hope that will hold. She thought to herself It should until the letter gets to Number 12 and Castielle will know what to do from there. She began to climb the steps of the owlery humming quietly to herself as she did so, she was so wrapped up in her musing she didn't even notice the only other person in the owlery, a blue-eyed girl with her long brown hair in a loose braid down her back lazily tied at the end with a yellow ribbon.

 Her eyes were narrowed with focus as she tied a hefty looking letter to the leg of a large screech owl and patted it as she finished to send it out of the owlery and on its way. She glanced at Sera as she walked in and gave her a nod of acknowledgment, "Morning." Sera muttered quietly as she went over to a regal looking barn owl who blinked at her slowly and stuck out its leg as if to say "yeah, yeah put it here human."

She gave it a small smile and waited for a second before whispering "I think you know where to go." She gently stroked its head "back to the nest." It blinked again and tilted its head before spreading its wings and taking off out of the window and into the misty morning. She smiled and stretched with satisfaction starting to feel more awake now and ready to face the day. She had just turned to leave and descend the stairs when a quiet voice spoke behind her, "you're Sera right? Seraphina?" She jumped slightly and nodded turning around to face the girl with the yellow ribbon. 

"The one and only." She laughed nervously, the girl smiled back at her in a curious but friendly way, "I just wanted to say it was really brave. You standing up to that ghastly excuse for a teacher." Sera blinked at her in surprise, "t-thank you!" She managed to laugh, "someone needs to." The girl laughed a little, "better you than me." She took her hands out of the yellow and brown argyle cardigan she was wearing and extended one of them. "I'm Elizabeth. Elizabeth Sablé. But you can just call me Elise." Sera took her hand and shook it noticing the yellow citrine ring she was wearing and how it caught the light, "nice to meet you, Elise." She surveyed her outfit noticing the amount or yellow she was wearing, "I'm guessing yellow is your favorite color?" 

She joked, Elise's eyes sparkled a little and she sighed, "what a horrible thing yellow is." She winked "Edgar Degas." She looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling, "I guess you could say it is ironic considering my house." Sera tilted her head curiously, "So not a Hufflepuff." "Or a Ravenclaw or Gryffindor." Sera's eyes widened "So you're a..." She winked again "Slytherin? Yes ma'am." Sera blinked in surprise, a Slytherin complimenting her? Of course, she knew not all Slytherins were mean or entitled idiots, she just found it strange that one of them was agreeing with something she did, when to her knowledge the power of the idiotic Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry forbade such civil interaction.

She shrugged, "doesn't change a thing for me. I'd still have a good first impression of you even if you came from a puddle of mud." She smiled, "I could care less what house you're from." Elise smiled back at her a flicker of surprise in her mysteriously blue eyes like she hadn't expected that to be Sera's answer. "Now those were words I wasn't exactly expecting." She said a happy lilt to her voice, but the note soon wavered away as she looked down at her watch. "You've gotta get going?" Sera asked before Elise could say anything. "Yep." She nodded her demeanor suddenly seeming to shift to something more serious. "I'll see you around Sera." She said smiling half-heartedly as she descended the stairs and headed out of the exit. Sera raised her hand in a wave, '"yeah... See you around Elise." She stood for a second in the owlery still slightly stunned from her encounter and wondering if this was some sort of joke in the making.

She sighed quietly and began to walk back towards the great hall still lost in thought about the strange conversation she had with the mysterious Slytherin, well screw the rivalry. She thought I think it's good to make friends outside of your own house. She was nice too. I don't see the problem with that. She passed by a row of classrooms, almost to the great hall now, and turned a corner almost running into someone, she was about to snap at them when she looked up her mouth going dry.

A woman looked back at her as she breezed past her, her eyes hidden under a black hood her lips the color of freshly spilled blood as she smiled at Sera. She reached towards her trying to touch her with a single bony hand. Sera recoiled with a yell, and the woman only smiled wider, "Oh they're coming in nicely..." She said in a slow sweet way, "they'll make a good pre-Christmas gift..." 

Sera couldn't speak what's coming in?!  She thought frantically what's a good gift?! She felt like the world was caving in on itself and she couldn't stop panicking. "You'll see soon enough... Seraphina..." The woman said and that was the last thing Sera registered before turning with a scream and running in the other direction. This woman, this woman is after me! She thought frantically, what does she want? Why is she here and in my nightmares? She ran and she ran in a white-hot panic before diving into the nearest classroom and slamming the door behind her. 

She crumpled to the ground shaking uncontrollably and had to remember to keep breathing. In and out she told herself in and out, it's okay it, she can't hurt you. She heard loud footsteps echoing down the hall and the jingle of keys before the door flew open and a very disgruntled Filch stepped into the room followed by Mrs. Norris who looked extremely pleased with herself. "You." He barked at Sera who immediately shot to her feet, "Yessir?" She squeaked still shaking slightly, "what in the blazes were you doing running pell-mell through the halls?!" 

He roared at her, "I-I er, I just saw something that startled me a bit." She said in a very small, barely audible voice. Filch growled, "well the only thing you'll be seeing is the inside of a detention classroom!" He barked "Binns class after lunch!" He snarled at Sera "Off with you!" Sera didn't waste any time in scrambling out of the room and back down the hall. She kept running, taking the long way around not stopping until she reached the oak doors and could plop down into the nearest chair and start to eat.

A few of the Gryffindors were giving her strange looks as she ate, seeming to be puzzling through why she could be upset. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting finishing up their breakfast and seemed to catch on to the whispers floating down the table but before they could say anything or make their way over to her Sera was already on her feet and heading back up to her room. She wanted to be alone and perhaps put a dent in the massive amount of homework she had. The last thing she wanted to think about and explain was the reason she thought something supernatural was out to get her.

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By the time lunch rolled around Sera had already gotten through most of her homework and all she had left was her dream diary entry for Professor Trelawny, she resolved to finish it after her detention which she only remembered because of two second years who were arguing about who got them sent there in the first place. She sighed and packed her journal and a pen hiding it under her sweater intending to pick a nice far back seat where she could scrawl and scribble the hours away. 

With heavy feet she dragged herself to Binns' classroom and opened the door, he looked down at her and sighed, gesturing to a seat near the window, "Sit Miss Rowe." He said in a tired voice. She nodded and didn't argue as she made her way over and quickly glanced at the other students who were unlucky enough to be stuck there too. The two second years who were glaring at each other, a bored-looking Ravenclaw, a Slytherin reading a book under the desk, and finally a girl.

Sera blinked studying her, she was tall, she looked tall, she had long silver hair the color of mist or armor polished to a shine. A bored expression was on her face but her curious golden yellow eyes flickered with interest when she noticed Sera staring at her. She looked down quickly and headed to her seat trying not to think about how the sunlight made her hair look like a river of beautiful molten silver. She muttered to herself as she sat down and stared moodily out of the window trying everything she could to avoid staring at the girl, she was just about to take out her journal and start writing when the girl leaned over to her a mischievous smirk on her face "Oooo, looks like we have some fresh blood in here." 

She whispered a slight lilt to her voice, "This should be interesting..." Sera tilted her head before raising a brow, "Oh so you're a regular..." She gave her a quick once over trying not to focus too much on the attractive sparkle in her eye, "Why am I not surprised?" The girl made a face at her and snorted, "Oh so you're a good little girl aren't you?" She returned her once over, "You look the part I can tell you that, you're probably the one who raises their hand first in class and shit like that." She made a dismissive gesture scattering the dusty flecks of sunbeams in the air.

 Sera paused for a moment before saying, "I prefer the term 'girl who stays out of trouble because her weekends are better spent reflecting on the inevitability of homework and also eating until the void is filled.' Also, you've got the wrong girl, Hermione Granger has the hand-raising answering thing down to a science." She gave the golden-eyed girl a cheeky smile to which she raised a brow and muttered something Sera didn't catch before asking, "so anyway what're you in for?" Her smirk returned to her face, "You can't be all good if you're stuck here with Professor Boring for the weekend."

Sera paused not knowing how she should put this, "I uh... yelled louder than I intended to in the hall. Filch caught me." She let out a long sigh, "What about you?" She snickers, "Beat up a first-year for looking at you wrong?" The girl deadpanned, "No, I flipped a table in Potions causing a minor explosion." Sera blinked not knowing how to respond to this and it took her a second to realize it wasn't a joke."Well, that wasn't what I was expecting..." She started to laugh quietly which earned the two of them a look from Binns and she lowered her voice, "What did you flip a table for?!" 

She paused before snorting "Let me guess Malfoy pissed you off?" The girl narrowed her eyes before sighing and folding her arms, "No I couldn't figure out how to make the damn potion so Snape got pissed and you know what happened next." Sera sighed and gave her a sympathetic look, "Snape is a pissed wet blanket." She shrugged, "I can't blame you. That moonstone essay he made us do." She made a face and gestured with her hand which still bore the mark of Umbridge's detention, "That was a killer."

The girl groaned and put her head on the table, "Tell me about it, the only exciting thing that happened this week was when someone set that toad faced bitch's papers on fire." Sera froze and tried to remain calm and keep the candelabras on the walls from going crazy, "She didn't catch who did it either." She lowered her voice slightly, "Though my money's on one of the Hufflepuffs, their anger manifests itself in strange ways." She tried to adopt a mysterious tone and the golden-eyed girl smirked again, "Well whoever did it has my respect, if she had been talking any longer I would've done the same myself..." She snorted releasing what looked like an ember but it was so small and faint Sera was sure it was just a trick of the light. 

She couldn't believe what she was hearing for a second and tried to process it before saying, "Y-Yeah I think everyone here shares the same sentiment except-" Before she could finish she was cut off by Professor Binns who was floating towards them a look of annoyance on his face, "Miss Rowe! This is detention, not social hour." He shot a stern look at the girl next to her, "the same goes for you Eldrian. I should keep you both another hour." He looked at the clock and sighed before shaking his head and muttering, "I can't work on my lectures while surrounded by rowdy troublemakers..." He shook his head before turning and floating back to his desk. The girl stuck out her tongue out at Binns while his back was turned causing Sera to giggle, before turning back to her with a smile that sent a flutter through her heart, "Looks like my cover has been blown, the name's Eldrian. You?"

She extended her hand and winked at Eldrian, "Seraphina St. Rowe. Sera for short as you like it." She squinted at Sera's hand for a few moments like she couldn't remember what to do with it before she shook it and whispered, "Sera huh? I think I remember you... you're from Gryffindor right?" Sera rolled her eyes, "Yes I rub shoulders with the golden boy. The hanky signings are at 9 o'clock if you must know." She paused sorry Harry, force of habit, she thought and then just started to laugh quietly, "I'm joking, I'm joking, but yes. I am Gryffindor much to the dismay of my grandmother." Eldrian smirked and did a mock spooky hand gesture, "Then we're mortal enemies Sera because I'm from the pit of vipers that is Slytherin." Sera raised a brow and rolled her eyes smirking slightly, "You know what I say that house rivalry can shove a flaming hot spoon up its ass." 

She snorted "Besides~." She smiled a mischievous glint in her eyes, "The greatest stories are often made amid rivalries." Eldrian raised a brow at her before looking up at the clock, "Oh joy, Elise should be here any minute to bust me out of this prison." She sighed and rolled her eyes, "I can't wait to hear what lecture she has in store this time." Sera tilted her head and her eyes flashed with realization, "Elise? As in Elise Sablé? I met her this morning in the owlery." She was beginning to connect the dots and she soon realized where she had seen Eldrian before, "That's where I know you from!'' She quickly covered her mouth and looked down as Binns looked up and shot a stern glare in her direction, " You and her are always together." 

She whispered and tilted her head again "have you known her a long time?" Eldrian's eyes sparkled, "Clever girl!" She snickered looking up at the clock with a mysterious smile on her face, "I guess you could say we've known each other for a while... or at least known about each other..." Sera was intrigued, she wanted to hear more about Eldrian's connection to Elise but before she could ask there was a loud bang as the door flew open and a familiar huffy looking brunette strode into the room and walked over to Binns' desk. 

"I'm here for the insufferable one." She announced, turning and deadpanning at Eldrian. She smiled at Elise in a way that looked somewhat forced before she got up, "Looks like my ride's here." She muttered to Sera before walking over to Elise, she glanced over at Sera once again and waved "I'll see you around..." She smirked a sly glint in her eyes, "Fire girl."

She waved to Eldrian a look of genuine disappointment on her face, "Goodbye." She smiled at Eldrian, "See you around!" She tried to quell the pallor that was rising in her face, there's no way she could've known unless... No, no it's just a nickname. She reassured herself as she watched Eldrian leave. She leaned and muttered something to Elise before shutting the door behind her, she pretended not to notice Eldrian glance back at her and for some reason, she just couldn't keep the blush out of her face.

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"They will make a splendid gift." She thought bitterly running her bony fingers over the stone wall, t she had come so close to touching and then her she had screamed and run away. "I'm just warning you of what's to come Seraphina." She said aloud into the dark, thinking. The fear that colored her face sent a stir through her being, it used to be enjoyable but now, "it feels empty..." She sighed a breath as soft as a soul leaving a body,  she looked down the dark hall at the girl who was emerging from the room stifling a yawn. She growled, gripping and twisting her scythe in her hands.

"No." She said, "No. I will not show her mercy." She spat, "She is mine and she forever will be, fear or not I will not be made a fool of." She hissed quietly feeling something she had never felt before. Uncertainty? Hesitation? Guilt? She growled and turned away disappearing into the shadows. Death never felt, death never wondered, death never questioned, but for once after all those years and centuries it did.

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Extended Cast

Lilla Crawford as Elizabeth "Elise" Sablé

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For Elise| Saint Motel

❝ You need a spark, a light in the dark to get you out of your head, and into your heart. ❞

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Eldrian as herself

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Dodie| Monster

❝Oh, how easily passion twists you think I'm a crazy bitch a thousand words are left unsaid 'cause no one listens to the dead. ❞

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Dedicated to

〖IronWolfie123〗

If every moment spent writing with you is a treasure then I'm the richest writer here.

ILY! 

 ;)

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