Not So Sweet Sixteenth -Open-

[Luna Cedrella Fricke]

Luna Cedrella Black Fricke woke up with a start. Lately, she rarely slept without getting nightmares. She was positive that it was her overactive imagination and troubled mind that had been instigating it. Ever since the summer their house elf Tiara died, everything just went from worse to worst. After hearing the elf’s last words, her confession that she was the one who poisoned her twin sister Lily, her mind reached a horrible conclusion that the house elf did not do it on her own. She suspected that Tiara was ordered to do it by a Black family member since the elf only answered to Blacks. She expressed this theory to her parents but both just dismissed it. Both her parents did not believe anyone in her mother’s family would do such a thing. Despite her parents’ words, she never ceased to believe that Tiara would do it on her own.

As a result, most nights she dreamed of different members of the Black family ordering Tiara to commit the murder that led to the most tragic event in Luna’s life – her twin sister’s death. This night, it was Rowena Ravenclaw who ordered it. Luna cannot help but feel a bit of hatred towards the founder until she woke up and realized it was just a dream. Her dreams always seemed reality to her until she woke. It’s just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. She repeated over and over again in her head.

She layed in her bed, her eyes glued to the ceiling as her thoughts raced for what seemed like hours. Her brown eyes then darted to her side table and she saw from her clock that it was a minute past midnight. Her sleepy mind managed to realize that it was August eleventh. “I’m sixteen today.” She said softly, hugged her pillow and journey back to dreamland.

There was no such luck. She layed awake for almost an hour before she gave up. She just couldn’t sleep after the dream. It was not over thirty minutes later that she found herself wandering aimlessly in an alley that was devoted to the dark arts, clad in a dark red casual dress with butterfly sleeves and black mary jane shoes. In her haste to leave home without waking her parents by floo network, she ended up in Knockturn Alley instead of the Diagon Alley. As she walked pass different shops, she hoped she was walking towards Diagon Alley. Her walk was relaxed despite the fact that she did not know her way for her mind was far away. This resulted to her uncharacteristically tripping over something and falling to the floor. “Merlin’s pants.” She exclaimed softly and started picking herself up when a shadow of someone cloaked loomed over her, making her freeze for a moment. Slowly, she looked up. From her position on the floor, she couldn’t make out the face that was looking down at her because of the poor lighting.

[Araneae Opiliones Black]

Araneae ran her hands through her hair and put a red band around it behind her head to form a ponytail. She was staring into a window, so that she could see her reflection. Her chaperone for the evening gave a weak, painful groan. Alya drew some of her small fringe hairs out from the red band. She touched the small cut that went through her left eyebrow and put the blood to her lips. Even through the near colorless reflection of the dull window, Alya could see the darker colored skin that heralded a coming bruise.

Araneae turned and aimed a kick at her skewered uncle. He dodged her kick and jeered with pain in his every word, "You do look ravishing with that necklace, Alya dearie."
Alya grinned and posed cutely for him. "Why, thank you!" Alya pointed her wand at his chest and frowned, "But it is too late for flattery. I placed my trust in you, dear Uncle. Your unworthy hands are not fit to carry my bags. Your diseased mind is a blight upon the Black name."
The man struggled to rise, but his wounds were too grave. "You! Bring me my wand! And I wont tell your precious Lyra what you've done." His attempt to intimidate his neice failed. She merely glared back at him. His voice changed to a whining, desperate plea as tears spilled from his eyes. "Please, sweetie. I'm sorry. I thought you'd like the necklace!." The last sentence returned to anger as Alya watched the grown man with revulsion etched in her features.
After a silent moment, Alya put her free hand over the diamond necklace but kept her gaze to the man. "I do like the necklace." Alya saw his expression soften. Her mind was at war, simultaneously livid and amused at the animal before her thinking it would live after trying to defile her. "You shouldn't have touched me. Your reward for tonight would have been great." Alya kept frowning, but she was so delighted to see him agonizing over his impending doom. "Avada Kedavra." Green light engulfed the small alley. Alya watched as his life ended. She noticed that the diamond was quite ugly in the green light. She lifted it over her head with her free hand and dropped it next to the body. "Pathetic," she breathed then turned and walked away.

Araneae came out onto the main walkway and strolled along the street. A hag and a warlock were up ahead speaking quickly in a foriegn language. Alya never turned her head toward them. She kept walking. Soon all she could hear was the clap of her heels against the stone.

Ahead of her, a clumsy fool tripped up. Alya put her hood over her head and pulled the sides of the cloak in around her. She approached the drunk, meaning to pass them without a word or glance. The person stirred as she was passing however. Alya caught a glimpse of the face by a dim lamplight. She halted and stared at the prone girl. "Well. A young Gryffindor. What trouble are you up to in a place of evil things as this? Slaying dragons? Hmm?"

[Luna Cedrella Fricke]

Luna could not believe her misfortune. She normally did not trip because she had always been graceful and confident, like her mother. It was probably one of the many traits she got from the Black family. From her awkward position on the ground, she continued to trying to make out the face of the cloaked figure but to no avail. She felt a sick feeling grip her insides. She was in Knockturn Alley so the hooded figure ranged from a normal witch or wizard to number of potentially dangerous or monstrous magical creatures like vampires. Despite the dreadful feeling, she showed no sign of it and looked calm on the outside. The young Gryffindor opened her mouth to speak but the cloaked figure beat her to it. Something about the voice was familiar and she felt like she is quite sure that she heard it before. But where…? She asked herself and concluded for the time being that she was a classmate from Hogwarts.

“Ah yes…” She started talking and picking up herself from the floor and smoothening her dress. “I reckon there’s going to be one of those beasts around here…” She straightened up and regained her usual composure. “I just can’t resist the urge to slay it.” She quipped dryly and eyed the hooded girl. Judging by the fraction of her face that was visible, she was around her age. She shifted a bit and squinted to get a better look. After a few seconds, she recognized her. “Oh. It’s you.” She said flatly.

She was indeed from Hogwarts and a Slytherin too. For Luna, Slytherin students were horrible and potentially evil people in general. A small fraction of the house founded by Salazar Slytherin was tolerable, almost alright. But the cloaked girl did not belong to the small fraction. She was high up on her personal list of most horrible Slytherins. And, the fact that the girl was a member of the Black family only fueled the young Gryffindor’s dislike for the girl.

The truth was, if the cloaked figure was any other Hogwarts student who was not in Slytherin, or a staff, she would have asked for the direction of Diagon Alley so she could get out of the disgusting alley already. However, she would rather walk back and forth the damn alley until she found her way out than admit to a Slytherin that she was lost or ask for his/her help.

She regarded the Slytherin girl for a moment. “What are you doing here anyway?” She asked, eyeing her girl from head to foot. The girl and her cloak, were very suitable for the Alley, she looked like she belonged there, very unlike the young Gryffindor. “Did you miss your hag friends? Decided it’s a lovely night to socialize and rub elbows with some of your vampire pals?” She deadpanned and ran a hand through her dark brown locks, her eyes on the girl's face.

[Araneae Opiliones Black]

Araneae was unimpressed with Luna's first reply. She hated when people mocked her. Repressing the urge to kill the Gryffindor, Salazar had made a very compelling promise of making Alya a basilisks new plaything if she so much as sneezed upon another student, Alya merely gaped at the other girl. Her mind was so hard at work coming up with a comeback that she didn't take notice that her hood slid back and no longer covered her face fully.

Alya gave up trying to think of a snide remark. She wiped her bleeding brow with the back of her hand, which set the hood further back so that her whole face was visible. Her bruise was now a bright red blotch and swelling badly. Alya shrugged her shoulders. "We weren't supposed to come here. This is a place of cowards and traitors. Those who are content with being pushed aside and forgotten. Grandmother would have a fury if she knew I was here." Alya said rather more than she had meant to. But it was her nature never to practice conspicuity or self-control around creatures she deemed unworthy. "I am likely just as lost as you are. Unless you really are here for a less than literal dragon. Of which, I am certain, no one would grieve over. Least of all me. Slay as many of these dregs as you may." She frowned at Luna's sarcastic remarks.

Gryffindors were always so quick to tempt her. Luna was also related to Blacks, who'd always mocked her. Her mother, her height, her poor flying: she never heard the end to their jeering. She could hear all of them even now. Alya tried to ignore the mocking remarks, she had seen them coming this time and Salazar's threat still loomed over her. Araneae shifted uncomfortably on the spot. She could feel the massive snake coiling and constricting her as she glared at the insolent Gryffindor in front of her. Tears welled up in Alya's pained eyes. Her bruise began to throb with the strain on her eyes. "You're so. . ." Alya fought against the urge of lifting her wand at Luna. She bowed her head as sobs of pain and distress escaped her lips. The wand in her hand lifted and pointed at Luna's chest. Alya collapsed to her knees however and her wand fell at Luna's feet. "Its not fair. Why does he protect you and not me. You're nothing!"

[Luna Cedrella Fricke]

The moment the dry remark rolled off her tongue, the young Gryffindor expected the girl to step into her Slytherin shoes and throw a comeback at her. She was sure a million insults were coming together inside the shorter girl’s dark head and it in just a few moments, Luna will be receiving some infuriating insults. It would be no doubt about her blood again, the Slytherin would call her father ‘filth’, say she, Luna, is a ‘freak’ and the short girl would surely be sneering at her while she was at it, like most of the Slytherin students do. However, the girl merely stood there, still, for a few moments. This astounded Luna.

The next thing she knew, she was staring at the girl’s bleeding face. Luna’s eyes widened. Judging by the bruise and blood on the girl’s face, she could infer that she was in some kind of squabble. Her mind was kind of racing. Alya is a Black. Alya was pureblood. Who was stupid enough to hit her in the face in this dark alley? Luna was about to pose a question regarding the shorter girl’s injury but ended up listening to her talk; raising an eyebrow at the use of the word ‘we’; frowning when she said she was as lost a she was; and, suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at the Slytherin’s pitiful attempt at a comeback after blabbing about her view of being in the alley.

“You said ‘we’… so you are not alone? And, what the hell happened to your face?” She inquired softly, feeling more alert now than before. If someone out there was hitting people… it would be wise to be alert and prepared. She threw a look over her shoulder and her eyes surveyed the dark alley that twisted like a long gigantic snake behind the girl. Her hand immediately started grabbing her wand from where the pocket of her robes usually was. She froze. She didn’t have her robes on… she didn’t have her wand with her. Alya's voice snapped her out of it and saw that the Slytherin had her wand pointed at her chest. Before she felt threatened, the Slytherin was on her knees and was crying, wand on her feet. Luna stared at her, not really knowing what course of action to take. Slytherins were the ones who get into her, not the other way around. It was obvious she had hit a nerve this time and really did not know if she should feel guilty. “What are you talking about?” She found herself asking, surprised at what was happening and confused by her words.

[Araneae Opiliones Black]

Araneae drew short breaths. She pressed her finger against her bruised face once more. She dared not even imagine how dreadful she looked. Despite killing that ugly lecher, she still felt hopeless. Even more now that she was reminded that a man existed that could have her at his leisure. As though she were no more than a doll. Salazar was not a thing like her uncle but the knowledge that he could manipulate her made Alya sick.

Araneae shifted her legs under her uncomfortably. She bowed forward, doubling over, and let her stomach loose all over the floor in front her. The stench made her retch a second time. Alya stiffled her sobs but still whimpered every few seconds.

Araneae pulled her hair in frustration. Her eyes wild, she lifted her head back to Luna. Her lips thinned and trembled as she spoke. "He is dead. Like you would be if Salazar wasn't so complicated." Alya tilted her head to the left as she looked up at the Gryffindor from her knees. "You really think your Head of House, the Headmaster or your unworthy parents would stop me from killing you? I know who killed your dirt-blooded sister. She deserved it. Your parents know that. Thats why no ones been accused. Your sister is filth."

[Luna Cedrella Fricke]

Luna stared at the girl in silence. Being a good person in general, she could not help but feel an involuntary twinge of regret for being totally rude to the Slytherin. She pitied her state at the moment and even had the urge to pat her back when she vomited all over the floor, not very far from her feet. She would have knelt if she didn’t find the stench of it so sickening…

Luna did not know what to feel when she said her companion was dead but was certainly not threatened by her pathetic threat. Slytherins were blessed with abundant superiority complex. Most of their threats were empty… bluff.

Whatever Luna felt when she saw the girl crumble in front of her was gone. She had just insulted Godric Gryffindor, her parents and her sister. The girl can insult her, Luna, all she wanted and she would not care. She was used to Slytherins insulting her and she probably could have shown more patience, or tolerance, if that was the case. “You… dare…” She failed to string words together as hot white anger burst in her and took over her entire being. She was about to throw herself at the girl and make her regret she was ever born when Luna saw the girl’s wand still on the floor. She lunged at it. She was going to make the girl pay.

[Araneae Opiliones Black]

Araneae felt much more aggressive now that she had vomited. As it dawned on her that she had broken down in front of a Gryffindor, she realized some show of force or worse would be necessary to keep Luna quiet. Salazar's terrible serpent seemed faraway now. Despite that, she dared not attack Luna unprovoked. Alya took note also that her wand lay at Luna's feet.

Araneae did not lunge for the wand. Despite her bruised eye, she was still too careful about her appearance to go rolling around in her sick. Instead, Alya leapt to her feet and backpedaled into a wall. She glared at Luna coldly. "You haven't got the nerve! Half-blood wretch!" Alya put out her open palm and wiped her mouth with her other hand. "Now hand me my wand. It'll be worse for you if you don't." Alya wiped her other hand on her cloak as if to clean it. She was actually reaching for a silver dagger though.

"Be a good, little Gryffindor. And you get to go back home to your mudblood father." Araneae seized one of her dagger hilts and stepped into her thrust toward Luna. She cut through her own pocket so that Luna wouldn't see the blade until too late. The far wall was illuminated by the silver glint of the blade for a fraction of a second before it left Alya's palm and sailed toward Luna's face.

[Luna Cedrella Fricke]

Luna’s hand closed around the handle of Alya’s wand, touching some of what was formerly some, if not all, of the contents of the Slytherin’s stomach. In any other circumstance, she would not have picked up a wand so near a pool of vomit, but right now its location was the least of her worries. She straightened up and found the girl have moved away from her because she now had her back against the wall. The bloody coward.

She pointed the wand in her hand to its master’s chest, her wand arm shaking in anger. The girl had never been angrier in her life. She wanted to curse her so badly, to make her hurt. “You are not exactly in the position to bargain now.” She said in a tone she barely recognize as her own, taking a couple of steps forward, wand still pointed at her chest. “Stop insulting my father you bloody coward! If I were you I’d get started with my post mortem letter because you’re time is ticking away faster than you think.” She watched, looking disgusted as she used her robes to clean her hand.

A few moments later, something silver glinted in the dark, coming from the other girl. Luna tried to dodge it but it was too late, she felt it grace her left cheek, wincing as her left hand touched her cheek and felt some of her life’s essence ooze out of the cut. “Mutatio Skullus! Reducto! Locomotor Wibbly!” Luna retaliated, shouting incantations without thinking, aiming at the girl, beyond mad.

[Araneae Opiliones Black]

Araneae was aware Gryffindor weren't known as the greatest thinkers. But this was just reckless. Alya hadn't even spoken a word about Luna at all, why would she risk dying for others? Although the strange behaviour hadn't surprised, Araneae, it did baffle her. She had of course, by now, already proven that the selflessness of those two dullest of Houses was in fact false. Borne out of a desire to be liked more than a care of other's well being. That was way off topic of course. But she couldn't help but take notice of the predictability of stupidity. Alya grinned to herself, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were easily decieved and led where a true master wanted them to go. She was certain she could get students from either House to do anything she pleased of them. Though she hardly ever required the help of filth and rejected traitors.

She was in a rather bad way; still partially distraught, without wand or weapon. The reductor curse almost hit her. In fact, Araneae was forced to conjure a weak shield charm wandlessly to deflect it well enough. The other two she simply side-stepped. "You call me a coward? Which of us is trying to curse the other without a wand!" Despite her early moodiness. The thrill of battle, even being at a disadvantage, woke Araneae's spirit. Her chest heaved, her eyes were rapid, taking in every movement of the other girl. "What would dear Professor Gryffindor say about your bravery now? First picking on poor, little distressed Alya. Then trying to blast her with her own wand. You lot are a paragon of integrity, you truly are. Your filth of a sister would be proud of you."

It was Araneae's turn to move. She put both her hands together in front of her and screamed, "Expelliarmus," in an almost comically squeeky voice. Despite the fact that she'd never been able to cast the charm wandlessly, it worked now. Araneae wondered quickly if it had anything to do with dire need. She doubted that, preferring to believe she was simply skilled enough to do it. She would not dodge now, however. She watched carefully, ready to catch her disarmed wand or battle wandlessly if Luna defended against the charm. Perhaps it was her duelling spirit that made her come to this foolish decision or maybe Luna's coward remark had gotten to her. Despite her ability to think quickly, Araneae hadn't the time to ponder the question now.

[Luna Cedrella Fricke]

Luna watched as her spells leave the Slytherin’s wand. She knew she was not able to aim properly because she was blinded with anger during the casting. Disappointed though that her first and last spell was off, she was more than glad to see that the Reductor curse was about to hit its disgusting target. Just seeing the spells hurl towards the Slytherin made quite a lot of her anger dissipate and she let out a breath and wiped the blood off of her left cheek with the back of her hand. The wonderful feeling of prospect of the girl being blasted by the reductor curse ended when the Slytherin deflected it. Luna kept her grip on the wand tight instinctively, still pointing it toward the girl. The girl can do wandless magic. That was one art that she was not able to master yet and made a mental note to try to catch up with that. She had been focused on studying non-verbal spells lately that she never tried her hand with wandless magic.

She eyed the Slytherin and could not believe how thick the girl was. Aside from thinking Slytherins were dark and prejudiced, she always thought they had a considerable amount of self preservation and tact because they knew what was good for them. But here was Alya, already wandless, her wand poised to harm her, and she did not even have enough self-control to keep her mouth shut. Her behavior astounded her as much as her words angered her. “You are just the one to talk about bravery and integrity.“ She said sarcastically. “The way you dare talk about Professor Gryffindor, my parents and my sister in front of me is quite brave if only it was not outright stupid on your part… But integrity… I say you are far from a credible lecturer on the subject.” She deadpanned, watching her sorry wandless state.

She watched the girl’s movements, wondering what she was going on in the girl’s black head. Her squeaky of a voice ended her musings. She immediately tried to deflect the charm. She managed to cast it however the charm was not as strong as it usually was because the wand soared away from her hand. She internally cursed. She had been quite confident in her ability in casting the shield charm because she already mastered it years ago. Then, she remembered it was not her wand. She internally cursed Alya’s worthless wand as she watched it soar and fall not into Alya’s ready hands but somewhere in the middle of them. She looked up at Alya and then the wand. Feeling better that her weak shield charm had at least stopped the abysmal wand from going straight back to its abominable masner. The thing was closer to the Slytherin though. She stared at the girl, alert, trying to gage her next step.

[Araneae Opiliones Black]

The Gryffindor's wit was far from lacking but it was insufficient against Araneae's focused mind. A good duel always focused the Slytherin's thoughts. She didn't have to be as tall or popular or anything to anyone else for a duel. She just had to be better than the other duelist. Which was quite easily accomplished against her peers. Though she was not so stupid to call herself the best in the school, she liked her chances nonetheless. Alya had won already. At least to her, she had already goaded the Gryffindor to anger. Salazar taught them how to focus their spirit away from their emotions. To concentrate on the duel in front of them. Sure, it cost Alya the ability to produce a Patronus Charm. But she doubted a Dementor would stand much of a chance against a powerful curse anyway.

Araneae heard Luna's thoughts as though she'd said them. It didn't take a legilimens to read a Gryffindor. The wand soared toward Alya but dropped in between the two fighters. Alya stared at it a moment. Wondering how fast the Gryffindor was. The distance favored Alya, but Miss Black was not so proud of her physical ability as she was with her magical prowess. Even if she reached the wand first, Luna might still draw her own wand. Alya moved her hand back over her cut forehead. She looked up at Luna and glared. "Swear you'll never tell anyone about tonight and you can walk away now." Now that the thought had come, Alya wondered why Luna hadn't drawn her own wand. Her spells would not have been so feeble if she had. Alya resovled to kill the Gryffindor if she had been foolish enough to leave home without one. The mad bravery that most Gryffindor showed was one thing. But leaving one's wand lying about was not something that Alya was tempted to offer reward to. "I might even tell you some things you don't know. Like who it was that wilted your precious Lily. Told me he couldn't stand two of you starting the same year as he. You two together would have posed too much of a threat, he said. How sad, that she had to die just because he was afraid that you might be cruel to him. One of you must have done something very unsettling to him. I wonder what it was?" Alya wondered who she'd blame for the crime that she herself had commited. Then again, she hadn't promised to say anything at all. Luna was liable to prefer death to getting away from this fight unscathed anyway.

[Luna Cedrella Fricke]

She kept her senses sharp and her body alert. If the girl decided to take the wand on the floor, which was nearer her already, Luna knew she would be in serious trouble. Her skill in wandless magic was nowhere as good as the Slytherin girl’s. She internally chastised herself for being so stupid for she left her wand at home in her haste to escape the house to go to Diagon Alley. If she had her wand with her, she would have dueled the girl effectively. She knew the girl was very good but she knew she was very good too so she was confident she had a fair chance of making the Slytherin pay for her insolence. With her eyes on the girl, weighed her options. She could either lunge for the wand or leave it there. She was way taller than the girl, so naturally her strides were bigger and she could not help but think she had a chance to get the wand before the other girl did if they both went for it. But, she knew better than to try to get it from the floor, because the girl surely would try to defend it wandlessly. So, she decided it would be best to let it be but be prepared in case the girl lunged for it.

Luna wiped the blood off her cut involuntarily, her eyes following the other girl's movements. Luna felt quite indignant the moment she started talking to her like she was some coward who would do the girl's bidding just to get away safely. She was about to retort but the girl continued speaking. Luna, who has been hungry for more knowledge about her sister's murder could not help but listen to the girl, her expression spelled that she was listening attentively. The girl sounded like she knew what she was talking about, so much so she felt like she was actually telling the truth. But, Alya was still a Black, hence one of the suspects... however, being a Black also meant she might really know who did it exactly. If she was telling the truth, the killer was a boy in their year. A Black, since Tiara followed his orders. She then froze. What if the house elf did not really do the act itself? What if the murderer just ordered the house elf to tell her that so she and her parents will stop looking for the murderer? Luna's mind reeled as she eyed the girl. Suddenly, she forgot that Alya was merely trying to get her to swear she'd never tell a soul about tonight, she didn't care about anything else aside from finding out more about her sister. "Who is he? Who murdered her, Alya?" She found herself asking, even though she knew better than to completely trust her. She left the decision on whether to trust the girl or not for later. At that moment, she just wanted to know what she knows. "I do not know any Black boy who is in our year. The only Black in our year aside from you and I, as far as I know, is Helena Ravenclaw." She added without much thought, thinking out loud.

[Araneae Opiliones Black]

Araneae had always meant to finish off both of the Fricke twins. But the first was indeed merely practice. That particular murder had not gone unnoticed by the Founders, a child nearly ready to attend their school. Salazar knew that Alya had poisoned the girl and there were moments when Rowena seemed to be watching Alya, as though expecting her to do something suddenly. The other two founders were obviously clueless however. Alya almost giggled when Luna posed her question. So alike Gryffindor. Alya would have put Luna down by now had Salazar and Rowena not been stifling her. The girl before Alya owed her life to the Professor she likely loathed and verbally abused behind his back every chance she got. Alya owed nothing to Salazar. Far from tutoring her in the Dark Arts, Salazar stopped Alya's progress as well as he could. Alya smirked. So intent was he to her that Salazar completely overlooked the demented deviant, Viktor, a few years ago. Her spite of men could not bring Alya to so much as thank Viktor but he had made a marvelous distraction in his time. Too sloppy, just like any man. A worthless dog. Now, Alya got to continue what she had started Six years ago.

The epiphany hit her suddenly. Slytherin house, nay, Hogwarts itself was unfit to call itself Alya's Master any longer. Alya shook her head slowly. "Greed is a sin, Dearie. We must agree to keep quiet before we can expect our prize." Alya almost giggled again at the sight of Luna trying to kill her. She wondered how the thick-headed Gryffindor hadn't figured out the truth yet. Alya's misstep might have proved disastrous on a cleverer foe. "Out of curiosity, what do you intend to do to the murderer?" Alya could barely keep her chuckle to herself this time. She snorted into her hands. "Excuse me." Alya crossed her arms over her stomach and drummed a finger against her elbow softly. Her eyes never left Luna's silhouette, every possible movement of the Gryffindor was considered. Every slight twitch measured closely. Salazar's threat only meant she'd never take his classes again. Which didn't bother Alya in the slightest.

It was nearing dawn quickly. A flash of lightening ignited the scene. Alya's lips curled into a grin. Her eyes didn't leave the Gryffindor but her head leaned back. Alya broke her stance and lifted her hair in both hands and held her dark strands in a bunch behind her head for a moment. She could tell the Gryffindor was no longer intent on losing a duel to her. She debated telling Luna the truth of her impure sister. Luna was much more of a bore now that her attention was averted. "My grandmother paid Salazar to accept me as a Slytherin. I think I might have been a Gryffindor actually. Would you still hate me as much? Enough to assault me with my own wand? For speaking the plain truth."

[Luna Cedrella Fricke]

Luna Fricke stared fixedly at her estranged family member. If only she was not so desperate for information, she would have dismissed the idea of asking the snake that was Alya anything the moment it crossed her mind. Two hours prior to this encounter with the psycho, she would not have believed she would ask her anything. When the girl opened her mouth, Luna leaned in minutely in order to catch everything that she said and looked absolutely scandalized when she referred to her as dearie. Luna’s patience started to wear thin so she took her time before actually speaking, to think and focus on the situation at hand, her eyes never leaving the girl.

She let out an almost inaudible breath. “Information first Alya.” She drawled, trying to keep a calm mind. “Then, if you are lucky, I might agree to keep this little pow wow between us.” She tried to add coolly, but a tinge of impatience marred her tone. She crossed her arms and regarded the girl levelly. She still did not trust the Slytherin but she just could not let this opportunity pass. At the back of her mind, she was aware that the only way to get the girl to tell her the truth would be by some active god, but she kept her hopes up. Luna frowned at the girl’s question because she never actually thought of what she would do to the murderer as she had always been more intent on finding out who it was. The girl snorted and Luna exploded. “You scumbag! You think it is a laughing matter?” Luna glowered at the girl. “Maybe if I tried to simulate my revenge with you tonight you will be too busy regretting the day your worthless mother gave birth to you to laugh.” She finished without a concrete plan on how to avenge her sister’s death. Her patience left her again and she was beyond angry.

Luna visibly cringed when lighting struck overhead and illuminated the alley a bit for a while. It was not because she was scared but it simply startled her. She keep her gaze focused on the girl. Truthfully, her revelation did more than surprised her. It surprised and disgusted her. She could not believe that anyone in mother’s family would ever stoop low enough to pay Salazar Slytherin just to get Alya accepted as a Slytherin. Instead of expressing her surprise and repugnance, she decided to cover it up. “Gryffindor? Oh please. Don’t make me laugh Alya.” She let out a derisive laugh. “I have to say that is the best piece of insult you ever given my house so far." Luna applauded mockingly. "But honestly, I’m pretty sure you would have gone to Hufflepuff. And that’s only because the other founders wouldn’t have deemed you as someone worthy to represent their house. Who else would want a girl that disgusted her own mother? Surely, even good Hufflepuff would have thought twice.” She finished viciously. Luna was not usually cruel but Alya managed disintegrate the little patience she possessed into nothing.