Piff Creations Blog

For the next month, Serena had never wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear more in her life. Almost daily, she woke up with garlic lined around her bed. She found garlic in her bag and mixed in with her clothes. More students started wearing cross necklaces. Some carried sticks around, pointing them at her as if it were funny. Despite it all, Serena tried to focus on the silver lining, she was still at Hogwarts, with her friends and her dad.

One morning, Serena was sitting in the Great Hall eating her breakfast when Draco came storming in and dropped into the seat beside her. He gave her a big smile.

“I have an idea!”

“Good morning to you too. And what’s your idea?”

“Let’s go to Diagon Alley on Saturday.”

Serena gave Draco a strange look. “And how exactly are we supposed to do that?”

“Well, I figured between my broom, the fastest one, I might add, and your wings, we’d get there in a few hours.”

“Are we even allowed to do this?”

“Probably not.”

“Then why are we doing it?”

“Well… there’s something I need to pick up, and the shop owner won’t hold onto it much longer.”

“Can’t you send someone for it? I’m sure your father has someone who could get it for you.”

“It would just be easier if we did it.”

Serena looked at Draco for a moment. Then he smiled, too big, too charming. How could she refuse?

“Alright.”

“Wonderful. We should leave early Saturday morning if we want to make good time.”

Serena sighed and put her face in her hands. What had she just signed up for?

The rest of the week flew by, and Saturday morning arrived quickly. Serena reluctantly got up and met Draco in the common room.

“Good morning, Serena!” Draco said, a little too cheerfully for the hour.

Serena yawned. “Yeah, good morning.”

“Come on, let’s go before everyone wakes up!”

Serena followed Draco outside to the edge of the school grounds.

“Alright,” Draco said. “First, you start flying. They’d expect to see brooms taking off,  but not a bird.”

“I am not a bird.”

“Oh, you know what I mean.”

Serena shrugged and unfolded her wings; she rarely had them out during the day. She hadn't noticed before how the sun made the blue in her feathers shimmer. Maybe this curse did have some beauty to it.

“Well, come on,” Draco said. “We don’t have all day. How exactly did you plan on carrying me?”

“Like this!”

Serena lunged forward, swept Draco up bridal-style, and took off into the sky heading toward London. The sun was bright and warm, making the flight surprisingly pleasant. Serena giggled at Draco, he didnt seem to keen on being held like this. Maybe next time he will think of something better if he wanted her up so early on a saturday.

After a few hours, London appeared on the horizon. Draco suggested landing in a clearing below to switch. Serena hadn’t realized how tired she was until her feet touched the ground, it was a good call.

They mounted Draco’s broom and headed back into the air. But as they rose, Serena felt… off. Watched. She scanned the area, but no one was there.

“Everything alright?” Draco asked.

“Umm… yeah. Let’s go.”

Diagon Alley looked exactly how Serena remembered it, just with fewer students.

“Draco, isn’t anyone going to be concerned that there are teenagers running around? Wouldn’t they know we’re supposed to be at Hogwarts?”

“Shh. Just blend in and don’t worry about it.”

Serena didn’t argue and followed him. No one seemed to notice them anyway; everyone was too busy being adults. Even without students, the alley was crowded.

Suddenly Draco stopped, and Serena bumped into him.

“Hey, why don’t you take some Galleons and head to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour. Get something for both of us. I won’t be long.”

“Wait, you’re going on your own?”

“Like I said, I won’t be long. You’re not scared to be on your own, are you?” Draco laughed.

“What? No!” Serena snapped. “Fine, I’ll get ice cream.”

“Perfect, darling. See you soon.”

Serena watched him disappear into the crowd. What was he up to? She never even asked what he was picking up, so she had no clue where he was going.

Inside the ice cream parlour, the lack of customers was noticeable. Guess late October midday wasn’t busy for them.

“Oh, hello! How may I help you?” the owner called.

“Hi! How much ice cream can I get with all this?”

Apparently a lot, because he brought out the largest sundae Serena had ever seen. She sat in awe at the ice-cream mountain. Hopefully Draco would show up soon, there was no way she could finish it alone.

Half an hour later, Draco finally returned, knocking on the window behind her just to make her jump. He chuckled at the mountain of ice cream.

“Need some help?”

“Yes, please!”

They spent the next hour eating and chatting. Serena loved having time alone with him. You didn’t get much privacy at Hogwarts, not with half of Slytherin following them everywhere.

“You know, Draco,” Serena said, “as much trouble as we could get into for leaving school… I’m glad we did. This has been fun.”

“I’m glad you feel that way. After the past couple of weeks, I thought you deserved a break.” Draco took her hand in his. “You don’t deserve all the awful things the others are doing.”

Serena felt her cheeks burn. Her heart skipped. His eyes were gentle, so different from the tough act he put on at school. Why did he make her melt like this?

Draco squeezed her hand, then stood. “But we should go before it gets too late.”

Serena nodded, and they waved goodbye to the shop owner.

It was later than they’d realized; the sun was nearly set. They hurried out of Diagon Alley and took off on Draco’s broom. They stopped at the same clearing as before to switch so Serena could fly the rest of the way.

As they landed, Draco double-checked their things. Serena scanned the treeline again, that same uneasy feeling crawled up her spine. Someone was watching. She took a few steps closer and then froze.

She saw movement, someone slipped behind a tree.

“Draco, we have to leave. Now!” Serena called, turning her back to the woods. “I think I saw something…”

A sharp pain exploded through her back. Nothing like she’d ever felt. She dropped to her knees, breathless.

“SERENA!” Draco ran toward her until a rough voice stopped him.

“Don’t worry, kid. We got her. This vampire won’t be hurting you anymore.”

Draco spun around. A group of grizzled men emerged from the trees, armed with crossbows and reeking of garlic. Hunters.

“Hurting me? She would never hurt me! She isn’t a vampire!”

“Oh, she’s got this one bad,” one hunter said. “Completely under her control. Don’t worry it’s all over now.”

Another man grabbed Serena’s arm and yanked her upright. She cried out, limp and barely conscious.

“See?” the man said. “Steam coming off the wound. Only a vampire steams at the touch of vervain.”

Draco could now see the wooden stake lodged in Serena’s back, blood rolling down her back, the air reeked of iron mixed with the verbal scent of vervain.

“Next time, don’t miss,” the man barked to his crew. “I swear, I have to do everything myself.”

He raised his arm, poised to drive the stake deeper. Draco panicked.

“Don’t touch her! Stupefy!”

The man flew backward into the trees. Draco sprinted to Serena.

“Come on, we have to go!”

Serena gave him a weak nod and tried to stand.

“Accio broom!” Draco called.

His broom shot toward them but another hunter grabbed the end.

“Where do you think you’re going, wizard?”

“Stupefy!” Draco shouted and the man that had his broom went flying into the rest of the men. 

“Quick, Serena get on!”

Using the last of her strength, Serena climbed onto the broom and clung tight. After a few more spells, Draco kicked off, and they shot into the air, back toward Hogwarts, hopefully safe.

“Don’t worry, Serena! Just stay with me!”

Everything seemed to have calmed down over the next week. Autumn had rolled in, painting the trees in beautiful colors and bringing with it a biting chill. Thankfully, late-night flights weren’t too cold with all of Serena’s feathers. Classes were going well, and her injuries from her detention had healed. Draco, however, was still milking his injury from the first day of school.

It was time for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and when Serena entered the classroom, she saw that all the desks had been moved to the sides of the room. The last time the classroom looked like this, they had been working with Boggarts and practicing the Riddikulus charm. That lesson hadn’t lasted long, Harry’s fear had turned out to be a Dementor. Professor Lupin had to step in to stop it from attacking Harry and then dismissed the class.

Perhaps today the rest of them would get a chance to try. Serena wasn’t too nervous; she couldn’t think of anything she was truly afraid of.

“Good morning, everyone!” Professor Lupin greeted cheerfully. “Today we’ll continue from last class and allow everyone to face the Boggart. If you didn’t get a chance last time, please line up.”

Serena looked over at Draco and caught him rolling his eyes. He didn’t seem too eager to join the line but followed behind the rest of the Slytherins heading to the back. Serena followed suit.

One by one, their classmates faced the Boggart and successfully banished it with Riddikulus. As the class neared its end, it was finally Slytherin’s turn.

“Alright, who’s next?” Professor Lupin asked.

Serena looked around. Crabbe and Goyle looked nervous, and even Draco didn’t seem eager. She shrugged and took a step forward.

“Ah, Miss Rosier,” Lupin said with a smile. “Nice to see you up to the challenge.”

“It probably won’t be much of a challenge,” Serena replied confidently. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

Professor Lupin chuckled. “We shall see. Now, prepare yourself.”

Serena drew her wand, repeating the charm over and over in her head. She just needed her wand to work for a few seconds—then it would all be over. When Professor Lupin opened the cabinet, nothing happened at first. Then, someone stepped out.

It was Draco.

Serena turned to see the real Draco standing right behind her, smirking, while the rest of the class giggled. Serena couldn’t help but laugh too.

“Ah, Professor,” she said lightly, “I think your Boggart’s broken.”

She expected Lupin to laugh, but instead he looked… concerned. His eyes stayed fixed on the Boggart. Slowly, Serena realized the rest of the class had gone silent too.

She turned back and froze.

Standing behind the Boggart-Draco was her. The Boggart had transformed into Serena as well. The copy was holding Draco, tilting his head away from her. The Boggart-Draco’s eyes looked lifeless, unmoving. Then, Boggart-Serena smiled a wide, eerie grin, as her eyes turned blood-red and veins darkened beneath them.

She leaned in, licked Draco’s neck, then threw her head back and sank razor-sharp teeth into his flesh.

Blood spattered across the floor. The class screamed. Serena stood frozen, unable to move, even when Boggart-Draco crumpled to the ground.

“Serena! Do the spell, Serena!!”

She barely registered Draco shouting her name. Then she felt a push, it was him, snapping her out of it.

“Riddikulus!” shouted Draco

The Boggart shifted rapidly with Draco now standing in front. First into Lucius Malfoy, then into Harry Potter wearing ridiculous, mismatched clothes. It let out a puff of smoke and flew back into the cabinet.

The room was silent.

“Hey, are you okay?” Draco asked, stepping closer. Serena couldn’t answer. Her body felt heavy; her throat wouldn’t work. When she looked up, the entire class was staring at her, eyes wide, faces pale. They looked… terrified. Of her.

Her stomach lurched. She turned and bolted out of the room.

She didn’t know where she was running, only that she had to get away. Away from the staring, away from the fear. Her feet carried her through the corridors until she stumbled into the Transfiguration Courtyard, where Professor McGonagall was crossing toward her classroom.

“Miss Rosier! Are you all right?” McGonagall called, rushing over.

Serena couldn’t answer. She collapsed by the fountain and vomited, her breakfast splashing into the water. Someone caught her hair and held it back. When she looked up, she saw Draco beside her, with Hermione hovering behind him.

“What is the meaning of this, Professor Lupin?” McGonagall’s stern voice rang out as Lupin hurried into the courtyard. He began explaining what had happened, speaking lowly so the others wouldn’t hear.

But they were there, the rest of the class, lingering and watching. Serena wanted to run again, but her strength was gone.

McGonagall’s expression grew dark as Lupin finished. “Serena, you are to follow Professor Lupin to Professor Dumbledore’s office. Albus will know how to handle this. The rest of you, enough gawking! Off to lunch!”

She began shooing the students away before striding toward the dungeons. Draco helped Serena to her feet, and she nodded weakly, signaling that she could walk. She followed Lupin in silence toward Dumbledore’s office. Leaving Draco and Hermione in the courtyard.

“I’m sorry about all that,” Lupin said softly as they neared the gargoyle statue. “If I had known your Boggart would”

“It’s fine,” Serena cut him off, her voice flat and defeated.

They climbed the spiral staircase and entered the Headmaster’s office. Dumbledore looked up from his desk with a calm smile.

“Ah, Professor Lupin, Miss Rosier, what brings you to my office today?”

Lupin explained everything that had happened. Serena sank into a chair, feeling drained. Before long, the door opened again, and Professor Snape swept in.

That’s when all hell broke loose. Snape tore into Lupin for letting such a thing happen, his voice rising with every word. Serena tuned it out. Her thoughts were elsewhere, spinning, twisting.

Did the Boggart really reveal what she was? How could she explain to everyone she wasn't a vampire? Would everyone think she was some kind of monster then? What did Draco think? Why did it have to be him?

“Serena, are you all right?” Dumbledore’s gentle voice cut through her thoughts. The room fell silent.

“Am I… going to have to leave Hogwarts?” she whispered, tears stinging her eyes.

“Oh no, my dear,” Dumbledore said kindly. “We all know you have control over your thirst. Why don’t you go and have some lunch? Leave the rest to us.”

Still unsure of her future, Serena nodded and rose from her seat. As she left, she gave Snape a faint nod before stepping out into the corridor.

Waiting there was Draco.

“Serena! What’s going on? Are you all right?” he asked, worried clearly in his voice.

“Honestly,” she said softly, “I’m not sure. I just want to get some food.”

Draco nodded, and they made their way down to the Great Hall. As soon as they entered, the chatter died. Every head turned toward them.

Draco leaned in. “Perhaps we should head to Hogsmeade for lunch instead.”

Serena sighed with relief as she placed the last piece of vervain on the desk. Her head felt like a brick, and her hands were bleeding. She took a moment for herself, opening a nearby window to let in some fresh air, hoping it would ease her pounding headache. She needed to clear her head and figure out what to do about her aching fingers.

“Ah, there you are. How’s detention?”

Serena looked toward the doorway to see Draco leaning casually against the frame, a smile on his face. His grin made her smile too.

“Actually, I just finished,” she replied, turning to face him. “Professor Lupin said once I put these flowers on the desk, I was free to go.”

Draco’s smile quickly faded into a frown. He marched over and grabbed her arm, lifting her hand between them.

“What happened?” he demanded, his voice suddenly flat. “What did Lupin do to you?”

“He didn’t do anything—it’s not as bad as it looks, I swear!” Serena said quickly.

“Really? Because there’s steam rising from your fingers!” Draco exclaimed, releasing her arm and glancing around in disbelief. “What did he make you do?”

“He asked me to go down to the greenhouses and pick up some vervain, which, apparently, is a vampire repellent. Turns out, it’s also a Serena repellent.”

Draco spun around to face her sharply. “So you’re saying the flower did this to you?”

Serena nodded, looking defeated.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know it would hurt me until it was too late! I’ve never touched vervain before.”

Draco shook his head in frustration. “We need to get you to the hospital wing, now.”

“No, we can’t! How am I supposed to explain that I touched vervain and it burned me? Everyone will think I’m a vampire.”

“Well, we can’t just leave you like this. How about Professor Snape? He’ll know what to do.”

They hurried down the corridor toward the Potions classroom, hoping the staff meeting had ended. On the way, they nearly ran straight into Snape, who looked as though he’d been searching for them.

“There you are. I was just about to come find you,” he said, his tone low and urgent. “I overheard Lupin talking about you handling vervain, and… I was concerned.” His eyes fell to Serena’s hands. “It appears I was right to be concerned.”

Snape took Serena firmly by the arm and pulled her toward his office, Draco following close behind. For the next half hour, Snape carefully bandaged Serena’s hands. He decided on an excuse, that she’d burned herself on a hot cauldron, so no one would suspect the truth about the vervain.

“There,” he said at last, securing the final wrap. “Try not to reopen the wounds. We’ll redress them in the morning.”

“Thanks… I appreciate it,” Serena said softly, her gratitude genuine.

Snape gave a brief nod before turning to his desk. “I have work to do. Head back to your dorms for now.”

Serena and Draco said their goodbyes and left the office. They walked quietly down the hall toward the Slytherin common room. The silence between them grew heavy; they hadn’t spoken about the night before, and Draco’s mind was full.

“Serena…”

She stopped a few steps ahead of him. “Yeah? What’s up?”

Draco took a deep breath. “About last night…”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. I’m okay now.”

“I’m glad you are,” he said, hesitating. “But I wanted to ask you about something else.”

Serena gave him a puzzled look, then remembered. Their conversation last night… Draco had asked if she was hiding something.

“Oh… right.”

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” Draco said gently. “Even if you think it’ll scare me away, it won’t. I know you, Serena. You’re a good person.”

Her chest tightened, and her eyes began to sting. After a long pause, she decided it was time to tell him.

“Promise you’ll hear me out? It’s not an easy story to tell, but I think you deserve to know the truth, to know what I’m capable of.”

Draco nodded. Serena took his hand carefully and led him outside. Once she was sure Filch and the prefects were nowhere in sight, she spread her wings and lifted them both into the air, flying up to the Astronomy Tower.

“Next time, give me a warning before you do that,” Draco muttered, steadying himself as they landed.

Serena laughed softly. “Deal.”

“So, why here?”

“I like it up here,” she said, gazing out over the hills. “It’s quiet, and you can see for miles.” The night sky was clear and the stars were brilliant. Draco found himself realizing he didn’t take enough time to enjoy views like this, maybe he would, if it meant spending more nights like this with Serena.

“But we didn’t come here just for the view,” Serena continued, her tone growing serious. “I guess the best place to start… is the beginning.”

She took a slow breath. “I still remember my first day at school. It actually started great, I made some friends at lunch, but then a group of mean girls showed up and tried to take over the sandbox. I stood up to them, and when one of them destroyed what I built, I got so angry I almost pushed her. But before I could, she fell on her own and hit her head. She was bleeding, and everyone thought I did it. When the teacher grabbed me to take me to the principal’s office, she suddenly flew forward without me touching her. Everything froze. Everyone just stared at me. I didn’t understand what was happening, I was so scared. When someone mentioned calling the police—Muggle Aurors—I panicked and ran.”

She continued quietly. “The police found me, but when they got too close, strange things happened again. Their car flipped through the air like a toy. I was terrified… and then everything went black. When I woke up, I was in a white room, strapped down, until my vampire clan burst in and rescued me. But once I got home, it only got worse. They were afraid of me, even Gunner, our leader, who was like a father to me. He listened, but he still chained me up. I thought he’d given up on me.”

Serena paused, steadying her breath. “Then Gunner came back, with Albus Dumbledore of all people. He explained that what happened was because I’m a witch. He said with training, I could control my magic, and he promised to contact Ilvermorny so I could enroll when I turned eleven. For the first time since this all happened, I felt hope.”

She looked down at her hands. “Four years later, I’d learned to control my powers better, but the others still treated me like a freak. On my tenth birthday, everything fell apart. Some vampires made cruel jokes about me and Gunner, and I just… snapped. A knife flew across the room and hit one of them in the eye. They locked me up again, and Gunner had gone missing. I was helpless. Then I heard a voice, something whispering to me, telling me to take revenge. The power it offered was intoxicating. I lost control.

“When I came to, I was outside… surrounded by blood. Bodies torn apart. My hands were red. Gunner was there, holding me while I screamed until I blacked out.”

She swallowed hard. “I was unconscious for five days. When I woke up, Gunner and Dumbledore were waiting. Gunner told me I’d transformed, part raven, part monster, and killed dozens of the rival clan in seconds. Dumbledore said he’d only heard of something like it before: a Black Veela. A cursed kind of Veela whose power feeds on blood and rage. He told me if I could learn to control it, I could still go to school. That’s when he offered Hogwarts instead of Ilvermorny. Back then I didn’t understand why, but now that we know about my parents had been here, it makes sense.”

Serena sighed. “And… well, you know the rest.”

She hadn’t realized tears were spilling down her cheeks. It was a lot to relive, but it felt good to finally say it out loud. It was real, everything she’d survived, and somehow, she was still standing.

Draco stepped closer. “Thank you for telling me everything.”

She looked at him, surprised. He hadn’t run. Any normal person would have.

“I understand now why you were so upset about Buckbeak,” Draco said softly. “I’ll try to talk to my father. I can’t promise anything.”

“Thank you, Draco. That means a lot. But… I’m surprised you still want to be around me. I just told you I killed hundreds of people in seconds. Doesn’t that scare you?”

“If it were anyone else, maybe,” he said with a small smile. “But I know you’d never hurt someone on purpose, Serena. I know you’d do everything in your power to control your hunger. You’re a good person darling.”

Tears streamed freely down her cheeks at his words. It wasn’t the reaction she’d expected, but it was exactly what she needed. After such a long day, she finally felt relief.

Draco couldn’t take his eyes off the dark creature. He wanted to help Serena, but fear had taken hold of him, leaving him frozen. Dread grew inside him as he realized he might be the creature’s next victim. He closed his eyes, praying this was all just a nightmare, that when he opened them, he’d be back in his dorm, safe, with Serena fine as well.

“Expecto Patronum!”

Draco’s eyes shot open at the sound of a familiar voice, his Potions Master, Professor Snape. A bright, silvery light burst from Snape’s wand, chasing the Dementor away. Serena collapsed to the ground while Draco remained frozen, still processing what had just happened.

Snape rushed to his daughter’s side, lifting her up before turning sharply toward Draco. “Up, now, Draco,” Snape barked, his tone even more severe than usual.

As fear drained from his body, Draco managed to stand and follow his professor out of the woods.

“When we reach the castle, you are to go straight to your dorm room. Do you understand?” Snape said without looking at him.

“But what about Serena? I want to make sure she’s okay.”

Snape spun around, glaring at him. “What did I just say? You are to go to your dorm. Serena will be fine.” Turning away again, Snape continued walking. Draco sighed in defeat and followed quietly.

“What were the two of you even doing in the woods this late?” Snape asked.

Draco hesitated. He didn’t want to tell Snape the truth, not until he spoke to Serena first. “We were just talking and got lost.”

Snape raised an eyebrow but said nothing more as they reached the castle. “Now to bed!” he snapped.

“Can’t I please go with you, Professor? I just want to make sure Serena’s alright.”

“To bed,” Snape repeated coldly.

Draco nodded and returned to the Slytherin common room. The other Slytherins crowded around him with questions, but he brushed them off and went straight to bed, where sleep refused to come. His mind was filled with thoughts of Serena, hoping she was okay.

Serena woke to the sound of voices nearby, though she couldn’t make out the words. Sitting up, her head felt heavy and her vision blurred.

“Here, eat this,” said a familiar voice.

Serena turned to see Professor Lupin standing beside her bed, offering a piece of chocolate. With her notorious sweet tooth, she accepted it without hesitation, though she was confused.

“Oh, don’t worry, Severus, it’s just chocolate,” Lupin said as he turned to Serena’s left, where her father, Professor Snape, had just entered. “It helps after a Dementor attack.”

“I suppose you would know,” Snape muttered bitterly. “Being the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.” Serena winced slightly; she knew her father was still resentful about not getting that position.

“Oh, move aside, let me see my patient!” Madam Pomfrey bustled in between them. “How are you feeling, dear?”

“Well… better, I think. My head doesn’t feel so heavy anymore. But what happened to me?” Serena suddenly realized she must be in the infirmary.

“That’s what we were hoping you could tell us,” said Dumbledore as he entered the room.

“Well… I remember…” Serena hesitated, deciding not to mention yelling at Draco. “Draco and I went for a walk and didn’t notice how early it was getting dark. We tried to head back to the castle, but then Draco shouted that something was coming. Everything went cold and I felt… sad. Like all my joy was being sucked out of me.”

The professors exchanged grim looks. Dumbledore looked especially troubled, a rare sight.

“I found her and Mr. Malfoy not far from the castle,” Snape added.

Dumbledore sighed heavily. “I’m sorry this happened to you, Miss Rosier. The Dementors have been instructed not to come so close to the school. I will speak to them about this.”

“Sir, why are they even here?” Serena asked quietly.

“They’re searching for someone, someone they believe might come to Hogwarts. But that’s nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

Serena nodded, and after a few words of reassurance, the professors left one by one until only Snape remained.

He sat beside her bed. “What were the two of you really doing, and don’t lie.”

“We were just talking,” Serena replied. Snape raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Okay, fine,” she sighed. “We had a disagreement. I got upset and ran into the woods. Draco followed me.”

“Disagreement over what?”

“Does it matter?”

Snape paused. “I suppose not.”

Serena looked down at her hands. “Why would that Dementor attack me anyway? Dumbledore said they’re looking for someone, and that’s clearly not me.”

“Dementors are drawn to pain and trauma,” Snape explained. “Negative emotions are like a feast to them. That’s why I asked what you two were talking about. Whatever it was, it attracted one.”

Serena met her father’s eyes and saw genuine concern there. Without meaning to, she had hinted at a past she wasn’t ready to reveal. A past she feared would change how everyone saw her.

“Here,” Snape said, pulling a small vial from his cloak and discreetly handing it to her. The deep crimson liquid shimmered faintly,blood. “Your evening elixir. It will help you recover.”

Serena accepted it quietly. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“If you’re feeling better, Madam Pomfrey will likely release you soon,” Snape said, standing to leave.

“Wait,” Serena said, grabbing his arm. “I just wanted to say… thank you, for helping me and Draco. We wouldn’t have known what to do.”

Snape hesitated, then replied, “You can thank me by making sure this doesn’t happen again. Understand?”

“Loud and clear,” Serena said with a faint smile.

Snape gave her a small smirk before leaving.

By the next morning, news of the attack had spread across Hogwarts. Everyone stared as Serena walked through the halls. Hermione rushed up, demanding to know what had happened, which only drew more students around her.

Spotting Draco across the Great Hall, Serena quickly excused herself. He looked relieved to see her and greeted her with a hug before walking her to her first class.

After saying goodbye, Serena climbed the ladder to Divination, only to be met with more stares and whispers. She sat beside Harry. “Is this what it’s like being you?” she whispered. He laughed softly. “Pretty much.”

During her break, Serena escaped outside for some fresh air. The crisp autumn breeze felt wonderful after being cooped up indoors. But her peace didn’t last long, a group of students passed by on their way to Hagrid’s, and Serena suddenly realized she was late for Defense Against the Dark Arts.

She sprinted down the halls, heart racing. When she reached the classroom, Professor Lupin was already writing on the board. The students were quietly taking notes. Perfect, she thought,she could slip in unnoticed.

“Nice of you to join us, Miss Rosier.”

Serena froze mid-step. Lupin had turned around, eyes fixed on her. How had he even noticed?

“Sorry, Professor,” she said softly.

“See that it doesn’t happen again.”

She nodded and hurried to her seat beside Draco. “What page are we on?” she whispered. Draco showed her, and she opened her book, only to find today’s topic was vampires.

As Lupin spoke, Serena’s irritation grew. The textbook’s depictions were ridiculous, bald, bat-like monsters with no humanity.

“Now, it is vital that if you ever encounter a vampire, you remain cautious. Most seek a late-night meal and will not let their victims go,” Lupin said.

“That’s not true!” Serena blurted before she could stop herself.

The class fell silent. Even Draco stared at her in shock.

“Oh, really, Miss Rosier?”

“I just mean, it can’t be completely true, can it? Vampires were once people like us. They can’t all be bloodthirsty monsters.”

Lupin frowned. “Regardless, Miss Rosier, it’s best not to take chances when dealing with the undead. And next time, please raise your hand before speaking.”

“Yes, Professor,” she mumbled.

A few minutes later, Neville raised his hand timidly. “Professor, how does garlic work on vampires?”

“Good question. Garlic is an excellent vampire repellent. Just carrying some can keep one away,” Lupin explained.

“Actually,” Serena interrupted again before she could stop herself, “some vampires build up a tolerance by ingesting small amounts over time.”

“Miss Rosier!” Lupin snapped. “First you arrive late, now you interrupt twice! That’s enough. Detention after classes.”

Serena flushed scarlet. “I’m sorry, Professor—”

“Detention,” he repeated firmly.

The rest of the class passed in miserable silence.

At lunch, Serena kept to herself. Even Draco’s outrage at Lupin’s behavior couldn’t cheer her up. Potions class wasn’t much better—Snape called her aside before it began.

“What happened?” he demanded.

“I don’t know,” she groaned. “I was late, the lesson was about vampires, and the book was so outdated I couldn’t help correcting him. I’ll just serve detention and get it over with.”

“Vampires? He’s not supposed to cover that until spring,” Snape muttered to himself. “Why is he doing it early?”

“Beats me,” Serena shrugged. “I just want today to be over.”

That evening, Serena arrived for detention. Lupin was gathering papers on his desk. “Ah, so you can be on time,” he teased lightly.

“Today was my first time being late, for the record,” she replied flatly.

“Why today of all days?” he asked. “I suppose sleep didn’t come easily after last night.”

“Not really. Everyone kept asking questions this morning, so I went outside for some peace before class. I lost track of time.”

“I see,” he said, giving her a thoughtful look. “I appreciate your honesty. As for your behavior, well, the staff were rather surprised when I told them.”

Great, Serena thought. Even the teachers gossip.

“Are vampires a special interest of yours?” he asked.

Serena hesitated, she knew it best not to reveal her curse or who she grew up with. “Maybe. I know someone who’s part vampire back in America, someone dear to me. They’re not a monster. They can control their bloodlust. I just didn’t want the class to fear all Vampires when some are good.”

Lupin nodded slowly. “I understand. I never meant to imply all vampires are evil. It’s my duty to prepare students for danger, that’s all. But I was harsh today, and for that, I apologize. I didn’t sleep much either.”

“You and me both,” Serena said with a small laugh. “I’m sorry too,for interrupting.”

He smiled faintly. “Then we understand each other. As for your detention, there’s not much to do. Please head to Professor Sprout and collect the vervain I requested for tomorrow’s lesson. Bring it back here and place a small bunch on each desk. Clear?”

“Yes, Professor,” Serena said.

“Good. Once you’re finished, you may go. I have a staff meeting shortly.”

After he left, Serena made her way to the greenhouses. Professor Sprout was bustling around, cleaning up.

“Hello, Professor. Is everything alright?” Serena asked.

“Oh, Miss Rosier! Just tidying up before the meeting. Professor Lupin said you’d be by for the vervain, it’s right over there on the table.”

Serena spotted a bundle of purple flowers. The moment she approached, a sharp, burning smell hit her, giving her a headache. She hesitated.

“Professor, do you have anything to wrap the vervain in?” she asked, nervous to touch it.

“Oh, no need, dear. It only harms vampires, so you’ll be fine!” Sprout called cheerfully as she rushed out.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Serena muttered.

“Did you say something, dear?” Sprout poked her head back in.

“No, just that that’s fine!” Serena said quickly.

Left alone, she took a deep breath and reached out. The moment her fingertip brushed the vervain, searing pain shot through her hand. She yanked it back, gasping as she saw a blister forming, blood bubbling beneath her skin, and steam floating from the wound.

So it did affect her curse after all.

Panicking slightly, she looked around for something to carry it in,but there was nothing. “What kind of greenhouse is this?” she groaned. Then a thought struck her. “Wait, magic!”

She pointed her wand. “Wingardium Leviosa!”

The bundle lifted an inch, but her magic faltered, and it crashed to the floor. The smell grew stronger. “Brilliant,” she muttered. Wrapping her cloak around the flowers, she managed to gather them up, though more burns appeared on her fingers.

The pain was sharp and unrelenting, and unlike most injuries, these weren’t healing. She had to hurry. Between the smell, the burns, and her exhaustion, Serena knew one thing for certain.

“It happened—it happened!!” Serena screamed as she burst into the Potions classroom.

“What happened?” Professor Snape asked from behind his desk, raising a questioning eyebrow.

“My vision! The one I had the other day, it just happened,” Serena answered, panic filling her voice.

A look of concern crossed Severus’s face as he rose from his desk. “What do you mean it happened?”

“I just had Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid. He introduced Buckbeak, the hippogriff, and eventually Draco ran up to it and… and…”

“And what?”

“I tried to think of something I could do to protect Draco, but no matter what I did, it all kept coming together like in the vision. I couldn’t stop Buckbeak from attacking him, so I pushed Draco out of the way before Buckbeak could… ya kno.”

“Where is Mr. Malfoy now?” Snape said with a heavy sign

“Hagrid’s taking him to the infirmary tower. It looked like only his arm was hurt.”

Severus nodded and looked away, saying nothing more. The silence between them made Serena anxious.

“Well? What do you think? Am I crazy?”

Severus turned back to face his daughter, breaking him from his deep thoughts. “Of course you aren’t crazy,” he said after a pause. “Clearly, you’re more powerful than we realized. For the time being, I suggest you keep this to yourself until we understand these powers better. Understood?”

“Yeah, that’s probably best,” Serena agreed with a nod. “Do you think I’ll have more? Visions, I mean.”

“It’s hard to say. Every Seer is different. Don’t let it weigh on you, just focus on your studies for now.”

Serena watched as her father returned to his desk to continue his work. “Right. I guess I’ll go check on Draco, then.”

The young Veela, confused as ever, left the classroom to check on her blond friend, leaving her father to sit at his desk, lost in thought about what might come next.

The following week did not go as Serena had expected. She was forced to listen to Draco use his “broken arm” as an excuse for everything. Homework, Quidditch, you name it, he was milking the injury for all it was worth. It got so bad that Serena found herself spending more time with the Golden Trio than with Draco.

During supper one evening, Serena finally had enough. Pansy Parkinson’s constant fawning over Draco’s arm was more than she could take. She stood up abruptly and marched over to the Gryffindor table.

“I am so tired of this! His arm was practically healed days ago, and he still acts like it’s broken!” Serena said heatedly.

“What do you expect? It’s Malfoy you’re talking about,” Ron replied before shoving a mouthful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

Serena knew Ron was right, but it frustrated her even more that Draco acted one way in public and another when they were alone. Before she could respond, Hermione came rushing into the Great Hall, clearly upset.

“Never mind his arm! I just spoke with Hagrid, Draco’s father is taking this to the Ministry! He’s saying Buckbeak’s a dangerous monster that needs to be put down!”

Put Buckbeak down? The poor hippogriff was no monster! The thought broke Serena’s heart. It had been an accident, just a really bad one. No one needed to die. As the trio continued talking, Serena turned toward the Slytherin table, spotting Draco and his friends leaving.

“Don’t worry, guys, I’ll figure this out,” she said before taking off after them.

Outside, she found the Slytherins lounging on stone benches, talking and laughing. The more Serena thought about Buckbeak, the angrier she became. She marched straight up to Draco, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

“Ah, darling! Done hanging with the Gryffindor losers?” Draco smirked as he spotted her approaching, oblivious to her fury.

“Tell your dad to leave Buckbeak alone,” Serena demanded, her voice tense but steady.

“Oh, you mean that dumb chicken? My, my, word travels fast.” The Slytherins laughed at Draco’s comment, his grin widening as he basked in their approval.

Serena’s temper flared. “He’s not a dumb chicken! He was scared and defending himself. This is your fault, technically, if you’d just listened to Hagrid…”

“You mean that oaf? He isn’t even fit to teach, let alone keep that monster around!” Draco sneered, earning another round of laughter.

But when he looked back at Serena, his smirk faded. Tears welled in her eyes.

Monster? Serena thought bitterly. Does he really think Buckbeak is a monster? Her emotions reached a breaking point.

“You... you!!! I... I can’t believe you!” Serena screamed. The laughter died instantly. Her anger boiled over, so much so that she barely remembered what strong emotions could do to her. Feathers, claws, and dangerous instincts lurked beneath her skin, waiting to break free. Instincts she hadn’t felt in a very long time. 

She took a few deep breaths. Looking down, her hands were still human. Her hair was feather-free. She exhaled in relief, but when she looked up, all the Slytherins were staring at her.

No one likes being stared at but Serena couldn’t stand it. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and before anyone could say a word, she turned and ran into the woods behind the castle.

Feeling awkward, Draco tried to laugh it off with his friends, but guilt gnawed at him. He hadn’t meant to upset her. She’d never spoken to him like that before, it had thrown him completely. When he realized the sun was setting, worry replaced confusion. Excusing himself, he took off in the direction Serena had gone.

“Serena! Serena!” he called into the dark forest. “Come on, it’s getting dark. We should head back!”

No response. Only wind... and an occasional owl hoot, and… crying? Draco followed the sound until he saw Serena, sitting in a small clearing, her shoulders trembling.

“Serena, there you are. Come on, we need to go.” He gently took her arm, but she pulled away and stood, her face blotchy with tears.

“No, just leave me alone,” she said, her voice shaking.

Still confused, Draco blurted, “Why are you so upset? It’s just a dumb chicken, it’s not worth crying over.”

“See? You don’t get it!” Serena snapped. “What Buckbeak did was an accident, one you caused! He was scared, and he reacted the only way he knew how!”

“That doesn’t change how dangerous he is,” Draco said matter-of-factly. “He shouldn’t be at Hogwarts!”

Serena looked down. “Do you think I should leave, then?”

“What? No! You’re not dangerous,” Draco said, frowning.

Her head lifted slowly, anger and pain in her eyes. “You don’t think so? You’ve seen what I am, Draco. You’ve seen the monster. I’d wager I’m more dangerous than Buckbeak.”

Draco froze. “Well... okay, yes, you have the whole—uh—Black Winged Veela thing, but you’ve never hurt anyone.”

Serena said nothing.

“I’ve only ever seen you help people,” Draco continued softly. “You use your Veela form for good. You’re not a monster, Serena.”

Tears welled again. Draco thought he was saying the right thing, but she only stepped back.

“No… no…” Serena whispered, trembling. “You don’t understand, Draco. I am dangerous.”

Draco didn’t know what to say. Serena had always been lively, kind, and full of energy but now, she looked broken.

“Draco, do you think Buckbeak should die for what he did?” she asked flatly.

Caught off guard, Draco stammered, “Well... he could hurt someone else. Why risk it?”

Serena lowered her head. “Ah. Well, if that’s the case, I suppose I should’ve been put to death a long time ago.”

Draco blinked, unsure if she was joking. Her tiny smirk didn’t help. “Serena... is there something you want to tell me? You know you can tell me anything, right?”

Her smile faded. “Um...”

“So there is something! Please, Serena, just tell me what’s really going on.”

“No. Trust me, you really don’t want to know.”

“What? Of course I do! Why would I ask if I didn’t?”

Before Draco could say more, a chill swept through the forest, the same icy dread he’d felt on the train to Hogwarts. Above the treeline, a black, cloaked figure floated silently.

“De–De–Dementor!!!” Draco stammered, knees buckling. He wanted to run, but his body wouldn’t move.

“Really, Draco? Now’s not the time for jokes,” Serena muttered, still teary.

“No seriously, it’s right behind you!”

Serena rolled her eyes, but then... she felt it. The tear on her cheek froze. Frost began to spread across the ground. Her breath came out in clouds. September shouldn’t feel this cold.

Turning slowly, she saw it, the Dementor hovering above her. A wave of despair hit like a tidal force. All warmth, all joy drained from her body. She could barely hear Draco shouting, “Run!” before everything went dark.

Serena stared out the window of the carriage, watching for the Hogwarts Express to arrive at Hogsmeade Station. She was surprised by the strange chill that came with the train, not to mention the sudden downpour. Granted, the rain made the students rush off the train and toward the carriages more quickly, which helped get everyone up to the castle faster.

Leaning out of the carriage door, Serena scanned the crowd for a familiar head of blonde hair. When she spotted Draco, she called out to him. He, along with Crabbe and Goyle, came running over to escape the rain and clambered into the carriage. Draco thanked her as it began rolling toward the castle.

The opening ceremony was much the same as the previous year. Dumbledore gave his usual speech and introduced the new professors: Hagrid as the Care of Magical Creatures teacher and Professor Lupin as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. Serena found it strange that Lupin was only now appearing. She’d been at the castle for nearly two weeks and hadn’t seen him once.

To Lupin’s left sat her father, Professor Snape, who wore a familiar look of contempt as he stared at Lupin. Serena recognized that expression, it was the same one he wore when they discussed Sirius Black before arriving at Hogwarts.

After the feast, students began returning to their dormitories to rest for the first day of classes. Serena had to pull Draco aside to stop him from teasing Harry about fainting on the train on the way down. Class hadn’t even started for the year and the boys were already fighting.

Once everyone had entered the Slytherin common, they all took a moment to look at their classes for the year. Serena reviewed her schedule and noticed the change had been made, Divination was now her first class. Draco was disappointed they weren’t taking Ancient Runes together, but Serena reassured him by pointing out all the other classes they did share, which was most of them.

Divination turned out to be... strange. Serena couldn’t decide whether the oddness came from the subject itself or the professor. Still, it promised to be an interesting semester. At least she got to sit with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. It was nice to spend time with them without Draco getting upset.

Hermione turned to her and whispered, “I’m surprised you’re taking Divination, Serena. I thought you'd be with the other Slytherins in Ancient Runes.”

Serena froze. She hadn’t told them about the vision she had a few days ago. Now didn’t feel like the right time to explain.

“Oh, right," Serena said quickly. "I switched at Dumbledore’s request, he actually suggested it.”

Hermione gave her a skeptical look, clearly not convinced.

“I’ll explain later,” Serena added. “It’s kind of a long story.”

After class, Ron and Hermione were at it again, Ron questioning where she had been at the beginning of the lesson, while Hermione tried to steer the conversation toward the legitimacy of Divination. The only thing they agreed on was how bizarre Professor Trelawney was, Hermione even called her a fraud. That didn't exactly encourage Serena to share her vision. Maybe it was better to keep it to herself, at least for now. Fortunately, her friends seemed to forget about the explanation altogether.

Transfiguration went well for the first day. Hermione asked Professor McGonagall for her opinion on Divination, and it wasn't a flattering one. Still, McGonagall had glanced Serena's way while mentioning how rare true talent in Divination was, which made Serena feel a little better. All the conflicting opinions were confusing, was she strange for having this power, or something else entirely?

At lunch, Draco showed up to retrieve Serena. Sometimes, being caught between Draco and Hermione felt like being the child of divorced parents. After lunch, it was time for Care of Magical Creatures. Serena was excited, apparently unlike the rest of her Slytherin classmates, who mocked the class, Hagrid, and even the book they had to buy.

They met Hagrid outside his hut, and he led them to a clearing in the woods, asking everyone to move to the left and open their books.

“And how exactly do we do that?” Draco asked sarcastically.

“Well, you stroke the spine, of course,” Hagrid said matter-of-factly.

Serena came up behind Draco with a mischievous grin. “Yeah, Draco, stroke the spine,” she teased, running a finger down his back. Draco shivered slightly and smirked before following her over to the rest of the Slytherins.

But the moment Serena turned away, Draco was already mocking Hagrid again. Harry didn’t take it well and stepped up to Draco, who wasted no time. Draco smirked again as if he thought Harry’s defense of Hagrid was funny. He then also stepped to Harry with swagger in his step.

“Dementor! Dementor!” Draco shouted in a mocking tone, pointing dramatically into the air. Everyone turned to look, but there was nothing there. Slytherin burst into laughter.

Serena grabbed Draco at the same time Hermione pulled Harry away.

“Ahem.”

The class turned their attention back to Hagrid, who was now presenting Buckbeak, the same hippogriff Serena had met before. The same one from her vision. Her pulse quickened. Could it really be happening? She needed to focus herself in case she did need to act. She decided to stay close to Draco and make sure he didn’t approach Buckbeak. Hagrid explained that hippogriffs were proud and that it was dangerous to insult them.

“...Insulting a hippogriff might be the last thing you ever do.”

That statement did not make Serena’s anxiety any better. Was this really happening? Serena tried her best to stay calm and remain focused.

Hagrid then asked for a volunteer to step forward. Serena thought this was her chance. She could meet Buckbeak first and keep Draco away. Just as she was about to step forward, she felt a hand grip her wrist. She looked down and followed the arm to see Draco, giving her a puzzled look, What are you doing?

Maybe this was better. Staying by his side might be safer than risking him sneaking off while her back was turned. She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Everything would be fine, as long as Draco stayed away.

While she was lost in thought, Harry appeared to have stepped forward to “volunteer”. The whole class held their breath. What if Buckbeak attacked him instead? Serena’s mind spun with anxiety, but all she could do was watch.

Luckily, Buckbeak seemed to like Harry. They bowed to each other respectfully. Then, without warning, Hagrid hoisted Harry up and gave Buckbeak a pat to take off. The class gasped as the hippogriff soared into the air with Harry on its back. Everyone was silent for a minute. They couldn't believe they just saw Buckbeak take off with Harry on his back. Hagrid didn't seem to be bothered however and continued telling the class about Hippogriffs and how he got Buckbeak.

Moments later, Buckbeak glided back down, Harry completely unharmed. The class erupted into cheers, except the Slytherins. Especially Draco, who looked unimpressed.

Then, Serena felt a chill crawl down her spine. Hagrid was helping Harry off the hippogriff, just like in her vision, and Buckbeak was momentarily unattended.

Everything was in place like her vision. Serena knew she had to act now, change something, anything!

Trying to prevent disaster, Serena walked forward and bowed to greet Buckbeak, who paused, then returned the gesture. She stepped forward and gently brushed his feathers, trying to calm him.

This has to work, she thought. Once Hagrid turns around and presumes class, everything will be…

“Yes, you’re not dangerous at all, are you...?”

Her blood ran cold. She turned to see Draco approaching, eyes narrowed, sneer on his face.

“No,” Serena whispered, stepping toward him.

“You great ugly brute,” Draco added mockingly.

Buckbeak reared back onto his hind legs, wings flapping in warning. Serena lunged, but it was too late.

Buckbeak came down with a powerful swipe, knocking Draco to the ground.

Everything stopped.

This was the vision. It was happening. She had one second.

Her Veela instincts surged. Ignoring the risk or your classmates learning about what she was, she activated her power, sprinted forward, and grabbed Draco, rolling them both away just in time. Buckbeak's hoof slammed into the ground where Draco’s head had been.

“Draco! Are you okay?” Serena hovered over him, heart racing.

Draco clutched his arm, eyes wide. “It killed me! It killed me!”

A shadow loomed over them. Hagrid rushed over, panic in his voice. Hermione arrived seconds later, urging Hagrid to get Draco to the hospital wing.

Hagrid scooped Draco up and left, dismissing the rest of the class.

As the others began to leave, Hermione approached Serena.

“Are you okay?” she asked gently.

Exhausted in every sense, Serena barely managed a whisper. “Yeah... I’m okay.”

Hermione gave her a serious look. “That was risky, Serena. I saw how fast you moved. No normal witch or wizard could do that. You almost blew your cover.”

It felt good to be back at Hogwarts, though it was strange to be in the castle with no students around yet. Serena had arrived two weeks early with her father, Severus Snape, since he needed time to prepare for the upcoming school year. She was kept busy, as she was also enlisted to help the other professors get ready.

As the first day of school approached, Severus asked Serena to fetch some herbs from Professor Sprout at the greenhouses. On her way back, she entered the Potions classroom and found her father speaking with Professor McGonagall. The moment she walked in, both professors abruptly stopped talking.

“Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt,” Serena said, feeling slightly awkward. “I brought the herbs you asked for.”

Severus nodded and gestured for her to place them in the empty jars on his desk. Serena walked over and began doing as instructed.

“It’s quite alright, dear,” McGonagall reassured her. “Your father and I were just discussing some… changes to come.”

“Ah… good ones, I hope?” Serena replied, though the looks on their faces suggested otherwise. The two professors moved toward the doorway, whispering in hushed tones. With her back turned to them, Serena tried to eavesdrop.

“Anyway, Albus is furious that Dementors will be patrolling the school grounds, but I suppose it can’t be helped,” McGonagall said, her voice tense.

“This is Sirius Black we’re dealing with. We can’t underestimate him,” her father replied with the same disgust Serena had heard in his voice the morning the Daily Prophet reported Black’s escape.

Serena furrowed her brow. What’s a Dementor? she wondered. But judging by the tone of their conversation, she suspected she’d be finding out soon enough.

“Oh, just before I forget—Hagrid’s been appointed the new Care of Magical Creatures professor,” McGonagall added before leaving.

Serena tried to hide her excitement. She knew how much Hagrid loved magical creatures; he must be over the moon to finally be teaching.

Suddenly, a sharp, pounding pain struck her head. Everything started to hurt, her eyes, her joints, her muscles went weak and she dropped to her knees. Her vision blurred as she faintly heard her father call her name.

When her vision cleared, she was no longer in the Potions classroom.

She was outside, in the wooded area near Hagrid’s hut. A group of students stood in front of her. Looking closer, she recognized Ron, Hermione, and other classmates, including herself.

Wait… what? She was there… but also here? Why was the other Serena so short? Or… was she taller?

Her attention was pulled away by a large, winged creature swooping in from the lake. It was Buckbeak—Hagrid’s Hippogriff. Serena had met him before and knew he had an attitude, but loved him all the same.

On Buckbeak’s back was… Harry?

Serena was confused, but her body began to move, without her control, toward the Hippogriff. Her arms reached up to help Harry off Buckbeak’s back… but they weren’t her arms. Could she be seeing through someone else’s eyes? 

Perhaps they were Hagrid’s?

Serena’s mind raced. Am I… inside Hagrid?

Hagrid asked Harry how his first day was going.

“Brilliant,” Harry replied with a smile.

Before they could continue, shouting erupted nearby.

“Draco, no!!”

Hagrid turned just in time to see Buckbeak rear up on his hind legs, preparing to come down on Draco Malfoy. Serena, still inside Hagrid, screamed—

—and suddenly, she was back in the Potions classroom.

Her nerves were shot. Her head throbbed, her eyes burned, and she was gasping for breath.

What just happened? Was Draco okay? Where was he?!

“Serena, relax and focus!” Severus was now kneeling in front of her, hands on her shoulders. “Take deep breaths.”

She obeyed, and the panic began to subside. Her head still pounded, and her eyes stung, but the strange vision, or whatever it had been, was over.

Severus handed her a damp cloth. “Here, clean your face.”

Serena took the cloth and wiped her face, then froze. It was soaked in blood.

“What—?”

“You started bleeding from your eyes, mouth, ears, and nose the moment you collapsed,” Severus said with an unusual nervous tone. “Minerva ran to get Madam Pomfrey. Just sit down and try to relax.”

He guided her to one of the nearby desks and helped her sit.

“I saw something,” Serena murmured weakly. “I’m not sure what it was, but—”

Serena could see her father had a look of concern on his face.

“Could you do your best to describe it,” Serena heard an older male voice coming from the entrance to the classroom.

Serena saw as McGonagall returned, followed by Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore. Pomfrey hurried to her side, checking her vitals and giving her another warm cloth for her eyes.

Once settled, Serena began to recount the vision. When she finished, she pulled the cloth away for one eye and looked around. No one looked happy.

“Well? What was it?” she asked. “Is Draco in danger? Should we warn him?”

“Oh no, Serena. I believe Mr. Malfoy is perfectly safe for now,” Dumbledore said reassuringly. “Tell me, are you taking Ancient Runes or Divination this year?”

“Ancient Runes, sir,” she replied.

“Then I’ll see to it that you’re transferred into Divination. I believe it may be more beneficial for you at this time. I hope that’s all right.”

Serena blinked, confused. “Wait… do you think I just had a vision? From the future?”

“I’m not certain yet,” Dumbledore said thoughtfully. “Some of the more powerful Veela are known to have the ability to view the future. Severus mentioned that you’ve awakened your wolf form already, perhaps you have awakened other abilities as well.”

Serena looked at her father, then back at Dumbledore. “Yeah… okay. I’ll take Divination.”

“Wonderful. I’ll have the necessary books sent from Diagon Alley.”

Serena thanked Dumbledore as he left the classroom, followed shortly by Pomfrey and McGonagall, leaving her alone with her father.

“Do you think it was a vision?” she asked quietly.

Severus studied her for a moment before answering. “It’s entirely possible. Though no one has ever bled from a vision before. Hopefully… it’s a one-time event.”

Feeling completely drained, there was too much to think about at the moment, so Serena excused herself and went to her room to rest.

Serena awoke to a cool summer breeze drifting in through her bedroom window. August was drawing to a close, which meant one thing, soon she would be returning to Hogwarts for a new school year. As much as Serena had enjoyed the summer, she found herself excited to go back.

The morning began like most had since she'd arrived in England. Serena walked downstairs to find her father, Severus, sitting at the table with his nose buried in the Daily Prophet. She’d never cared much for the paper, it either exaggerated, outright lied, or was simply too depressing to read.

“Good morning!” Serena greeted cheerfully.

“Good morning…” came her father’s reply, though his tone carried that familiar edge of annoyance she usually heard from him during Potions class.

She started preparing her breakfast, listening as her father muttered under his breath, still hidden behind the newspaper. She couldn’t see his face, but the tension in the room was clear.

“Is something wrong? Bad article or something?” Serena asked as she sat at the kitchen table with her plate. Before she could take a bite, Severus slammed the paper down in front of her and pointed to the headline.

“Sirius Black Escapes Azkaban.”

“Wait…Azkaban? That’s the wizard prison, right?”

“Yes. And he’s an extremely dangerous man,” Severus replied, his voice tight with contempt. Whoever this Sirius Black was, it was obvious her father despised him.

“What did he do? Must’ve been something horrible to land in Azkaban.”

There was a pause before Severus answered. “He’s a murderer.”

“Oh... well, I guess that is the worst kind of criminal to escape.” Serena grabbed the paper and read the article. It said Black had once worked with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Serena had heard other witches and wizards at school use that title, but no one liked to talk about him—just as the name implied. Harry, though, had called him Voldemort. All Serena knew was that Voldemort had been the most evil wizard to ever live. Looking up at her father, she asked:

“So he worked for that guy? That definitely makes it worse. But why does everyone call him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? Why not just say Volde—?”

“Don’t say his name,” Severus snapped. “Most still get nervous at the mere mention of it.”

“But why? Isn’t he dead? Why fear a dead man?”

Severus sighed. “The Dark Lord was feared by all, his enemies, his followers… everyone. People would rather forget. Some believe speaking his name brings bad luck.”

His answer didn’t satisfy Serena’s curiosity, but she could tell pressing further would get her nowhere. Turning back to the article, she kept reading.

“Hey, it says here Black was born the same year you were. Did you know him at Hogwarts?”

Serena swore she saw a vein pop in her father’s forehead. Maybe this was a topic best left alone. But before she could change the subject, Severus spoke.

“Unfortunately, yes. He and his little gang thought they were untouchable. Cowards and bullies, the lot of them.” His voice had taken on a hard edge. This was clearly personal.

“Well, I’m sure they’ll catch him and toss him right back in,” Serena said with a nervous giggle, trying to lighten the mood.

“I doubt it. No one’s ever escaped Azkaban. Ever. But... I have a theory.”

Serena rested her chin in her hands. “Alright, I’m all ears!”

Severus rolled his eyes. “I believe he’s an unregistered Animagus. He must have transformed while the guards weren’t looking and slipped away.”

Serena blinked. That term sounded familiar, but...

“Wait, remind me—what’s an Animagus again?”

“An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can transform into an animal at will. I’ve seen it myself. Sirius could turn into a black dog.”

“That’s so cool! Can you choose what animal you become? How do you even learn that?”

“It’s a long, complicated process. I’m surprised Black ever managed it.” Severus reached for the paper and folded it shut. “Enough of this, we’ve got errands to run before leaving for Hogwarts tomorrow.”

Serena finished her breakfast and followed her father out for the day, but their conversation stuck with her. Even that night, as she drifted to sleep, her mind swirled with thoughts of magical transformations.

She dreamed she was running, fast and low to the ground, through a dark forest under the pale glow of moonlight. She didn’t know what she was chasing, but it looked like a large black dog. She ran until she reached a wide, silver lake. The water shimmered under the full moon hanging high above. Something about the lake felt... familiar. Like she'd been there before, even though she didn't recognize it.

Floating above the water was the dog. Slowly, it walked towards her, causing ripples in the water with each paw placed. The closer it came, the more detail she could see. A long red stripe ran from its eye down its back. Its piercing blue eyes stared into her, as if reading her soul.

A few feet from the shore, the dog stopped and just stared.

It looked familiar.

But how?

She was certain she’d never seen an animal like it before, let alone a dog.

“What are you? Why are you just sitting there? What is this?” she shouted.

Was it... laughing?

No, it couldn’t be.

Then, suddenly, the dog lunged at her.

She turned to run, but it was too fast.

It leapt at her and everything went black.

Serena awoke with a start, heart pounding. After a few deep breaths, she sighed in relief. Just a dream.

She felt the familiar summer breeze and realized it was already morning. But as she moved to get up, something felt... off.

She went to swing her legs out of bed, but they were black and furry.

She scrambled to look at her arms, also covered in fur. Panic rising, she ran to the mirror and froze.

Staring back at her was the same black dog from her dream. The red stripe. The blue eyes.

She tried to scream, but all that came out was a loud, guttural bark.

Her panic only deepened as she heard footsteps on the stairs and her father’s voice.

“Serena? Are you alright?”

She couldn’t let him see her like this, she didn’t even understand what had happened.

“Serena?” His voice was more urgent now. “I’m coming in.”

Panicking, she dove under the bed.

Severus entered the room in silence. His footsteps were slow, cautious. Then he stopped.

Suddenly, the bed began to rise.

“Ah, Sirius! What have you done with Serena?” he barked, his wand aimed directly at her. His face twisted in pure hatred.

Serena, trembling, lowered her head, trying to appear harmless.

“Oh, staying in your mutt form, are you? There are ways to make you talk.” His voice was venomous. “Where is the girl who sleeps in this bed!?”

She tried to point to herself, but paws didn’t exactly make that easy. Then, thinking quickly, she rubbed her paw over one red-tipped ear.

Severus hesitated. His wand lowered slightly.

“...Serena?” he asked cautiously.

She nodded frantically.

“If you are Serena, then where’s the secret door in this room?”

Serena ran over to the chest at the foot of her bed and nudged it aside, revealing the tiny trap door he’d built “just in case.” She’d always thought it silly, but played along anyway.

Severus lowered his wand completely. With a tone of annoyance he spoke, “Alright, Serena. Enough games. Change back.”

She lowered her head again, trying to show she couldn't.

He sighed. “Finite Incantatem.”

Nothing happened.

Frowning, he looked at her again. “Serena… What were you doing that led to this?”

She climbed onto the bed and mimed sleeping and waking, hoping he’d understand.

“You woke up like this?” he asked, eyes narrowing. Serena was shocked, it was like he could read her mind.

“I’m using Occlumency, yes I can read your thoughts. You had a strange dream? What happened?”

Serena made a mental note to bring that up later. No teenager wants a parent who can read their thoughts. But for now , she mentally replayed everything she could remember.

Severus looked troubled but didn’t speak. Instead, he said, “Come downstairs.”

In the living room, he searched through his collection of books until he finally pulled one from the shelf.

As he flipped through its pages, Serena sat patiently, though the smell of his morning coffee from the kitchen was very distracting. So that’s why dogs always begged for food.

“Serena,” he called, holding the book, “I believe your powers are developing faster than I expected.”

She tilted her head.

“Your Veela heritage. Some Veela possess the ability to shift into animal forms, wolves, most commonly. It seems you've unlocked that gift in your sleep.”

Now that he mentioned it, Hermione had said something about this last year during a library study session.

“But…” Severus frowned. “This book doesn’t say how Veelas change back and forth between forms.”

He looked down at her. “Have you tried simply thinking about becoming human again? That’s how Animagi shifts between forms.”

It was worth a try.

Serena closed her eyes and pictured fingers, toes, no fur, just herself. Slowly, her limbs tingled... and when she opened her eyes, she was standing on two feet once more.

“Ah, it worked! Who knew it was that easy?” she said, laughing.

Severus raised an eyebrow... then rolled his eyes.

Serena couldn’t believe it, the one day she didn’t want to sleep in, and here she was, rushing through the streets of London. They had agreed to meet outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour on Diagon Alley. She cursed herself under her breath, hoping Draco wouldn’t be mad that she was late. As she rounded the final corner, all her worries melted away the moment her eyes landed on Draco standing amidst the crowd.

He hadn’t noticed her yet, but Serena could spot him anywhere. His blonde hair was lighter than any she had ever seen, so bright it almost looked unnatural. She even wondered if he dyed it. With his back still turned, Serena saw the perfect opportunity. She ran up behind him and gave him a surprise hug.

“Hey, Draco! Sorry I was late, I hope you weren’t waiting too long.”

Draco turned around, his face lighting up with a big smile, something Serena hadn’t realized she missed so much.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said warmly. “It’s good to see you again. It’s been too long.”

Serena smiled back, echoing the sentiment. Draco glanced around and added, “Since everyone’s here, we can get on with the shopping.”

Only then did Serena look past him and notice Crabbe, Goyle, and the rest of the Slytherin gang milling about, looking rather impatient. Pansy rolled her eyes and started toward Madam Malkin's Robes without waiting.

This wasn’t what Serena had hoped for. She had imagined spending the day alone with Draco, not tagging along with the whole group. Draco gave her a small nudge to follow, and Serena did her best to hide her disappointment but followed along.

At Madam Malkin's, Serena didn’t need anything new, so she browsed the jewelry section. Draco trailed behind her, as if he were subtly taking note of the pieces that caught her eye. One set in particular stood out, a necklace and earrings that matched the bracelet she always wore.

“Something catch your eye?” Draco asked, startling her. She hadn’t realized he was right behind her.

“Oh, umm, yeah. This set. Doesn’t it look like it matches my bracelet?”

Draco nodded. “It matches perfectly. You never did tell me where you got that bracelet.”

“This old thing?” she said with a soft smile. “It’s one of the few things my mum left behind. I’ve always thought it was beautiful, it glitters like the night sky, don’t you think?”

Draco agreed and opened his mouth to say something more, but before he could, Pansy called for him to come give his opinion on her new robes. He looked mildly annoyed but shouted back, “Looks great!”

Serena giggled, and the two left the shop, heading off with the rest of the group.

The rest of the afternoon was spent collecting new books and supplies for the upcoming school year. It was mostly enjoyable—aside from the constant glares Serena could feel from Pansy, who never seemed far from Draco’s side.

As the sun began to set and evening crept in, someone suggested they return to where the day had started and grab some ice cream. Draco, of course, offered to buy and share with Serena, much to Pansy’s visible annoyance.

Once all the ice cream was finished, everyone began to part ways and head home. Draco offered to walk Serena back to the Leaky Cauldron, and she happily accepted.

Serena brushed the soot from her clothes after stepping out of the Floo Network into the Leaky Cauldron. Today was the day she and Hermione had agreed to visit the mall in hopes of finding Serena something to wear for her upcoming meeting with Draco. Double-checking Hermione’s letter for the address, Serena left the Leaky Cauldron and made her way to the north side of London.

Hermione lived in a charming neighborhood, definitely warmer and more inviting than the one where Severus lives. When Serena arrived at the address, she paused in awe. The house was large, well-kept, and stood out as a place full of warmth. She knocked on the door, and it was answered by a woman who looked like an older version of Hermione.

Serena smiled politely. “Hello, my name is Serena. I’m a friend of Hermione’s, is she home?”

Mrs. Granger returned the smile and stepped aside. “She’ll be down in just a moment. Please, come in.”

Walking into the Granger home felt like stepping into a page from a Muggle lifestyle magazine. There were family photos on nearly every wall, most of them featuring Hermione at various stages of childhood. It was obvious her parents adored her, even though she was a witch. Serena felt genuinely happy for her friend, but a quiet ache crept into her chest. She couldn't help but wonder, if her own mother had never left, would she have grown up in a place like this too? Would there be pictures of them smiling together on the walls?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice from the kitchen.

“Ah, you must be Hermione’s new friend from school! She’s mentioned you quite a bit, especially after your letter the other day.”

Serena gave a shy laugh and blushed slightly. “Oh! I hope it was all good things.”

Mr. Granger chuckled. “All good, yes. My wife and I love hearing about Hermione’s time at school. She was such a shy girl back when she attended school here in London, didn’t really have many friends. It’s nice to see her opening up.”

Serena was a little surprised. She had never thought of Hermione as shy while they were at Hogwarts, she always seemed to be surrounded by people. Then again, Hermione rarely spoke about her life outside school. Serena made a mental note to get to know her better.

“Please tell me you’re not boring Serena with stories already, Dad.”

Serena turned to see Hermione entering the kitchen. Her hair was a little shorter, and she was slightly taller since the last time they’d seen each other. The two girls grinned and hugged tightly. After saying goodbye to Hermione’s parents, the girls made their way to the bus stop and headed to the Muggle mall.

The rest of the morning was spent wandering in and out of shops, trying on clothes, and playfully putting on fashion shows for each other. Eventually, Serena found the perfect outfit: a rose-print skirt, a black lacy crop top, matching black flats, and a red rose hair clip to finish the look. It was perfect timing, too, the clock had just passed noon, and both girls were starting to get hungry.

They made their way to the food court in search of the most classic, greasiest, most delicious food they could find. As they sat down with their trays, Serena noticed a sudden shift in Hermione’s demeanor. She seemed tense, her eyes cast downward.

“Is everything okay?” Serena asked, eyeing her friend with concern.

“Oh yeah, I’m fine,” Hermione replied, sounding very much the opposite. She glanced to her right.

Serena followed her gaze and spotted a group of girls heading toward a table nearby, your typical clique of mean girls, if the look on Hermione’s face was any indication.

“Do you know them?”

“Yeah… I went to school with them. Not the nicest group,” Hermione muttered.

Bullies, Serena thought. They must have been pretty awful to make someone like Hermione visibly nervous.

Trying to change the subject, Hermione forced a smile. “Anyway, now that we’ve got your outfit, what do you want to do next?”

She was right—it was barely afternoon, and they’d already checked off their main goal. Serena definitely didn’t want the day to end on a sour note.

The girls at the nearby table let out an obnoxious laugh, and Serena rolled her eyes. Then something across the food court caught her attention, just the thing to lift the mood.

“Come on! I’ve got an idea.”

Grabbing Hermione’s hand, Serena led her briskly past the group of bullies and through a pair of double doors into a colorful arcade.

Hermione hesitated. “Video games really aren’t my thing…”

“You don’t need to be good,” Serena said with a grin. “You just have to have fun.”

Ch1

CAW CAW

Serena glanced toward the window on her right and saw Nyx, her raven, tapping at the glass. She quickly slid it open to let the bird in. Clutched in Nyx’s beak was a letter, one Serena had been anxiously anticipating. Ever since returning to England a few days ago, there was a certain blonde boy she couldn’t wait to see. To her delight, the letter was from that same blonde boy, Draco Malfoy. He was asking if she’d like to meet up before school started. Serena let out a squeal of excitement, startling her father, who was seated across from her

…

At the end of last school year, Serena had returned to New York for about a month before moving back to England, where she would now be living with her newly discovered father, Severus Snape. She and Draco had spent most of their second year at Hogwarts unraveling the mystery of her parentage. After much trial and error, they finally uncovered the names of both of Serena’s biological parents. The biggest surprise of all? Her father was none other than their own professor who taught Potions at their school. Her mother, however, seemed to have vanished without a trace. No one had heard from her in years.

When the day finally came for Serena to use the Portkey and arrive on Severus’s doorstep, she wasn’t sure what to expect. Her Potions Master was not exactly known for being warm or open about his personal life. The neighborhood itself was quiet and eerie; a few children played in the street, but otherwise, it felt somber. The houses all looked the same, uniform and cold, which only added to the unsettling atmosphere.

Taking a deep breath, Serena knocked on the door of the house she’d landed in front of. It wasn’t long before Severus opened it. The inside of the house was nothing like she’d imagined. There was no electricity, and everything was coated in layers of dust. Books were piled high on nearly every surface—no room left on the shelves that lined the living room walls. It was the complete opposite of his Hogwarts classroom, which was always neat and orderly. Serena couldn't help but stifle a laugh when she spotted a book titled Parenting Teenagers perched on top of one of the piles.

The kitchen was small, and the cupboards were more bare than she was used to. It was clear Severus didn’t spend much time cooking, or cleaning. He then led Serena upstairs to show her to her room. It was simple but functional, with a bed, dresser, nightstand, and desk.

Over the next few days, Serena unpacked and began tidying up the house. She found an old bike in the shed out back and rode it to the local store to pick up some real food to cook. Oddly enough, Severus didn’t seem to mind her cleaning, as long as she stayed out of his room.

…

Serena watched as Severus rolled his eyes, took another sip of his coffee, and asked, “Well? Who’s it from?”

“It’s from Draco!” Serena replied in an excited, slightly higher-pitched voice. “He wants to meet up in London in a few days! I can go, right?”

Severus sighed but eventually gave a nod of approval.

Serena squealed again, only to be immediately cut off by Severus saying, “That’s enough. Finish your breakfast.”

She reluctantly set the letter down, trying to focus on her food—but her mind was racing. She began mentally cataloging the clothes she had brought with her. Nothing seemed good enough. She couldn’t just wear any outfit for this.

There was only one solution: this called for a trip to the mall.

It had been a week since the events in the Chamber of Secrets and since Serena had discovered that her Potions Master was actually her father. Things were still a little awkward as both had agreed not to widely share their discovery to others. Serena had many questions for him but she could tell that learning about her father would be a slow battle as he was not one to easily open up. She did not let that discourage her. In August then she would go to live with him for a little bit. Perhaps then he would be more willing to open up.

Of course, Serena had told Harry and Ron—they were nearly more shocked than she was. When she mentioned that she’d be staying with Snape for part of the summer, Harry almost fell out of his seat.

“Better you than me,” Ron had said in disbelief.

Serena was nervous too, but it would only be for a month before returning to Hogwarts. If things got too uncomfortable, at least it wouldn’t last forever.

That evening, a feast was announced to welcome back the petrified students and Hagrid to Hogwarts. While Serena was glad life was returning to normal, it also meant she’d have to face Hermione after what had happened the night she was petrified. Serena wouldn’t blame Hermione if she was angry—but she was also Serena’s first friend, and the thought of being rejected by her hurt more than she wanted to admit.

Deep in thought as she walked toward the Great Hall, Serena was suddenly pulled from her thoughts by a familiar voice.

“Serena!”

She looked up to see Hermione running toward her, smiling brightly. Without hesitation, Hermione wrapped her in a hug. Serena was stunned, but before she could say anything, Hermione continued excitedly.

“Madam Pomfrey told me everything! You did it! You found the Chamber and defeated the monster!”

“Um… yeah, we did. Once we heard Ginny was taken, we didn’t really have a choice,” Serena replied with a nervous laugh. “How are you? Are you feeling okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine now. The Mandrake potion worked perfectly. But enough about that—I haven’t eaten in weeks. Let’s get to the Great Hall! I haven't seen Harry or Ron yet”

Hermione started walking but stopped when she noticed a tear in Serena’s eye.

“Are you alright, Serena? What’s wrong?”

Serena hesitated before finally saying, “Well… I just thought you’d be mad at me about that night. I promised I wouldn’t let the Basilisk get you, and we were barely outside the library when it attacked…”

“Serena, it’s okay. I’m not mad. If anything, I’m just glad you're safe—and that the monster is gone.”

“Are you sure you’re not angry?”

“Yes, I swear! Stop being so silly and let’s get some food.”

Serena smiled, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders, and walked with Hermione to the feast.

As always, the feast was wonderful. Serena sat with Draco at the Slytherin table, enjoying the food and celebration. She even clapped for Hagrid’s return—much to Draco’s dismay—and everyone cheered at the announcement that there would be no exams this year, meaning students would leave Hogwarts early.

Serena wouldn’t be taking the train to London, as a Portkey had been arranged for her that evening. Still, she wanted to see her friends off, so she rode with them to Hogsmeade Station. She gave hugs to Hermione, Harry, and Ron, wishing them a great summer and hoping they could meet up during the break.

Harry was the only one who didn’t seem thrilled to go home. Serena teased that he could always come live with her and Snape—though he didn’t seem too keen on that idea. They all laughed, and Serena waved them off with a smile.

Draco appeared behind her, clearly unimpressed that she’d left with the “Golden Trio,” leaving him behind at school. Serena gave him a hug, which seemed to soften his mood. Draco knew about Snape being her father, and he also knew she’d be returning to London closer to August. Serena had promised to write to him the moment she got back—five times now—but here she was, promising again.

“Don’t worry, Draco. I’ll write as soon as I’m back.”

“You better!”

More students were boarding the train, and time was running out.

“Shouldn’t you get on soon? You don’t want to be left behind.”

“Yeah, I know. I just… wanted to spend as much time as I could with you.”

Serena blushed, caught off guard by his sincerity. When she glanced up, she noticed Draco was blushing too. She thought about how great the past year had been—how quickly it flew by, and how much fun she had. A lot of that was because of Draco. Sure, he could be mean to other students, but with her, he was different. He made her laugh, helped with homework, and even supported her in discovering the truth about her parents.

A thought crossed her mind. Should she? Would it be weird?

Before she could second-guess it, Serena leaned in to give Draco a quick kiss on the cheek.

What she didn’t expect was that Draco had the same idea—and their lips met.

They both jumped back instantly, blushing furiously. A flash suddenly blinded them.

“Oh, young love—how sweet.”

Serena turned to see the young Gryffindor who had followed Harry around all year, holding a camera. He clearly meant no harm, but Draco was furious.

“Give me that photo right now, you little—!”

Draco lunged, snatching the photo from the boy without resistance. Hagrid appeared, shaking his head and guiding both the boy and Draco onto the train. Serena tried to laugh it off to Hagrid, then sighed and he signaled to the conductor to depart.

She watched the train pull away. A window opened, and Draco leaned out, waving goodbye.

Serena left the station with Hagrid, who asked her how her first year at Hogwarts had been.

She paused, then smiled. “It was everything I could’ve dreamed of. I almost don’t want to leave.”

Hagrid chuckled. “Most folks feel that way.”

Both Draco and Serena’s eyes widened as they slowly turned around to find their Potions Master standing directly behind them, one curious brow raised.

“Well, what is it?” he asked.

They glanced at each other, silently begging the other to come up with something—anything—to say. Then, thankfully, something popped into Serena’s head.

“Oh! Professor Dumbledore said you were looking for me?”

Snape's eyes moved between them before he finally responded. “You're late for our usual meeting,” he said, then turned to Draco. “You're dismissed.”

“Right, Professor,” Draco replied quickly, grabbing the DNA potion they'd just finished brewing. “I’ll see you at breakfast, Serena.” With that, he hurried out of the classroom.

Once Draco was gone, Snape walked over to his desk and began preparing Serena’s potion.

For the first time all year, Serena felt awkward around him. She had only just learned that Snape was her father and hadn’t had time to process it, let alone figure out how to talk to him about it. Snape wasn't exactly… easy to talk to.

“Rumor has it you had quite the night. Helping Potter fight a basilisk, were you?” Snape said, his back still turned.

“Uh, yeah… has it really spread around that fast?” Serena asked, responding to his question with one of her own.

“This is Hogwarts. You’d best get used to it if you plan on staying,” he replied coolly. Then he turned and approached her with a vial of red liquid. “You must be tired. You missed your dosage last night and arrived late for this one.”

Now that he mentioned it, she did feel sluggish. She took the vial and drank it down, not wanting to risk being too weak to fight off the bloodlust. Instantly, strength returned to her body, and she felt like herself again—no, better.

“I didn’t realize how tired I was until now. I feel better, thanks.”

Snape gave her a brief nod, his version of you’re welcome, then returned to his desk. Normally, Serena would have left at that point, continuing her day like usual. Her feet even started to carry her toward the door—but something made her pause. She felt torn. Should she say something? And if she did, what would he say?

Snape didn’t exactly give off fatherly energy. Would he even want to know what she knew? Maybe the potion hadn’t worked. Maybe she was making something out of nothing.

“Is there something else I can help you with?” Snape’s voice broke through her thoughts. She turned to face him again.

That’s when she noticed it—something glowing with shifting colors on a smaller side table. Another cauldron. It looked like the potion she and Draco had brewed. Another DNA potion?

“Um, Professor… what kind of potion is that?”

Snape visibly stiffened. It took him a moment to respond.

“It’s a DNA potion. Professor Dumbledore asked me to brew it,” he said quickly.

“How does that kind of potion work?”

“It identifies matching DNA. If there's a match, it changes color.”

Serena’s curiosity deepened. Whose DNA was Dumbledore having him test? Did she even want to know?

“Whose DNA were you trying to match?”

Snape stood straighter and avoided her eyes. “That’s none of your concern. If you need nothing else, I have other matters to attend to.”

“Was it mine?”

Serena was shocked to hear herself say it. She hadn’t planned to ask—but the words had slipped out.

She remembered the Pensieve memory Dumbledore had shown her, the one about her parents. Could this really be about her?

Snape remained frozen, silent.

“Should I take your silence as a yes? Whose DNA did you match it with?”

Still no response.

“I’m only asking because… well… Draco and I brewed one of our own.”

That got a reaction. Snape tensed even more, though he didn’t speak.

“We didn’t have any other DNA samples to test with, but Draco had an idea—we used signatures.”

Serena glanced back at Snape’s potion as she spoke.

“I found out that around the time I was conceived was also the date of Draco’s parents' wedding. Knowing who my mother was—and that she was close to the Malfoys at the time—it made sense she’d be there. Draco got the wedding guest book. My mother’s name was listed… but there was no signature beside it.”

Snape didn’t move.

“While I was in the hospital wing, Draco suggested using the signatures instead of DNA as a substitute. We modified the potion slightly.”

Finally, Snape spoke—his voice low. “I suppose that could work.”

“Yeah, exactly. That’s why I’m curious about your potion. If it was for me, maybe we got the same result. It could confirm our findings.”

She left the ball in his court, hoping he’d volunteer his result. But he didn’t.

“So… to answer your question. Yes, we got a result—if the potion worked, that is.”

A long silence stretched between them.

“There was only one name that turned the potion colorful. All the others turned black. That one name… was yours, Professor.”

Serena watched him closely.

Time seemed to freeze.

Finally, Snape took a deep breath and said, “I knew. I’ve known for a while.”

Serena’s eyes widened. “You… knew? So this potion was for me. Why didn’t you say anything?”

Snape looked away. For the first time since Serena had come to Hogwarts, he looked… unsure. Vulnerable. He always seemed so composed—intimidating, even. But not now.

“You know what? You don’t have to answer that. I get it. It’s… not an easy conversation.”

Snape turned to face her again but remained silent.

“I mean… how do you even start a conversation like that? ‘Oh, by the way, I think I might be your father?’” She let out a nervous laugh, hoping to ease the tension. But of course, Snape didn’t react.

Still, it must’ve helped. Because after a long pause, he finally spoke again.

“You were right… about the timing. It was the night of the Malfoy wedding. The last time I saw your mother. I was… rather intoxicated. I don’t remember much after that. When I woke up, she was gone.”

“So… you don’t know where she is?”

Snape shook his head.

“Was she really as bad as everyone says? Draco’s dad definitely doesn’t like her.”

“She was… a troublemaker. But brilliant, magically speaking. As for Lucius, he never spoke much of his personal life—but he never missed a chance to drag Lelianna’s name through the mud.”

Serena sighed. Not what she wanted to hear. She longed to know both of her parents, but this journey was proving to be more complicated than she expected.

“What are your plans for the summer, Serena?”

The sudden question pulled her back.

“I was going to head back to New York. A Portkey is being arranged—it’s faster than flying, apparently.”

“Yes, it is.” Snape hesitated. “The only reason I ask is because… I have a spare room at my home. You’re welcome to stay there. If you want to. I won’t force you.”

He broke eye contact again, clearly uncomfortable—but there was something genuine behind the offer.

Serena was stunned. She never imagined Snape would make such an offer, but it filled her with unexpected warmth. All her life, she’d longed to know her parents—and now here was her father, offering her a place in his home.

Without thinking, she rushed forward and hugged him tightly.

Draco hated waiting. He was far too used to getting what he wanted, exactly when he wanted it. For the past three weeks, he’d been visiting Serena, hoping each time that she would wake up. Deep down, a part of him blamed himself for the mess she was in. If only he hadn’t let that hint slip at the library, maybe she wouldn’t have gone after the Beast the way she did. Not that he’d ever let anyone see the guilt.

To pass the time—and distract himself from the growing knot in his chest—Draco began researching other ways to find Serena’s father. He hoped that when she woke up, he could surprise her with the information he had promised he would help her find.

One day, while Serena was still unconscious, Draco was summoned to Professor Snape’s office to be questioned about the night of her attack. Draco told Snape part of the truth—that he hadn’t seen the Beast, only Serena lying on the floor, hurt. He deliberately left out the detail that she had been in the restricted section of the library. As Snape dismissed him, Draco’s attention was caught by a shimmering, rainbow-hued potion bubbling quietly in a cauldron.

He asked Snape about it, and the professor explained it was a DNA potion—one Dumbledore had requested. Draco’s curiosity flared. This might be exactly what he’d been looking for. He later found the recipe in a copy of the seventh-year potions textbook in the library. It didn’t take long to realize how difficult the potion would be to brew—especially since they didn’t have any of Serena’s father’s DNA.

But where there’s a will, there’s a way—and Draco wasn’t about to let Serena down now.

For the next few days, Draco obsessed over the recipe, trying to figure out how to tweak it. The instructions said the potion needed an “impression” of the person—something unique only to them—but how could he get that from someone he’d never met?

As he was banging his head against the proverbial wall, the background chatter of the Slytherin common room caught his ear.

“Wow, Pansy! I never noticed you had such beautiful penmanship. Your signature looks so elegant,” said one of the shyer Slytherin girls.

“Why thank you,” Pansy replied with her nose in the air. “My mother always told me that a proper signature is important—especially when you’re from a pure-blood family. You can tell a lot about someone by how they sign their name.”

That line echoed in Draco’s mind. You can tell a lot about someone by how they sign their name.

That was it.

Without wasting another second, he sprinted back to his room, grabbed his parents’ wedding guest book, and made his way to the potions lab.

He had everything he needed for the potion—except for Serena.

Just as he was about to leave the lab to go visit Serena, he bumped into Professor Snape. Draco tried to act casual, hoping Snape wouldn’t ask too many questions about what he was brewing. But Snape didn’t seem concerned.

“I thought you’d be visiting Serena,” he said offhandedly. “She woke up this morning.”

Draco froze. Then a grin stretched across his face. Perfect timing, Serena, he thought.

“Thanks, Professor!” he called over his shoulder as he darted out of the lab, heading straight to the hospital wing.

But when he arrived, Serena was gone.

Madam Pomfrey informed him that she had left just moments ago—with Harry and Ron.

Draco’s stomach twisted. Why them? he fumed. Did they kidnap her?

He started searching every known Gryffindor haunt, but before he could get far, all students were ordered back to their common rooms early. Rumor had it a girl had been taken into the Chamber of Secrets, and that Lockhart was going to save her.

The Slytherins laughed—Draco included—but beneath the laughter was a growing dread. What if the girl was Serena?

Snape refused to confirm the identity of the victim, which only deepened Draco’s worry. When curfew hit and Serena still hadn’t returned, Draco found it nearly impossible to sleep.

The moment students were allowed to leave their common rooms the next morning, Draco was the first out. He didn’t get far—just outside the entrance he ran into Snape again.

“Where are you headed in such a rush, Mr. Malfoy?”

“Do you know where Serena is?” Draco shot back without answering.

Snape raised a curious eyebrow. “Yes. She was out all night with Potter and Weasley. They’ve been sent to the Headmaster’s office for a chat with Professor Dumbledore.”

“Wait—Dumbledore is back!?” Draco asked, then shook his head. That didn’t matter. Serena mattered. “Never mind. Thanks, Professor!”

He sprinted toward the Headmaster’s office, grumbling to himself about how it seemed to be the farthest point in the castle. He finally made it past the trophy room and up the last winding staircase when—

“Hey Draco! What are you doing here?”

Serena was a few steps ahead, a bit dirty but otherwise unharmed. Relief crashed over Draco as he ran up and hugged her tightly. All night he’d imagined the worst. Now she was here, safe. He immediately started bombarding her with questions.

Before she could answer, a familiar voice cut through the hallway.

“Draco, please tell me I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing.”

Draco turned to find his father, Lucius Malfoy, standing behind him with a displeased glare. Dobby stood beside him, trembling more than usual.

Quickly wiping a tear from his cheek, Draco tried to play it cool. “Umm… Father! What brings you to Hogwarts?”

“I heard the Headmaster returned, and thought— as a governor of the board for Hogwarts—I should welcome him back,” Lucius said, then shifted his attention. “Now, Draco, how many times have I told you to stay away from that girl?”

He nudged Draco with his cane, clearly expecting an explanation.

“Uh… we… well, you see, Father, Serena was just—”

Lucius cut him off and turned to Serena. “Or is the blame on you?” he said, stepping closer until they were nearly face to face. Dobby follows close by. “You wouldn’t happen to have put my son under one of your Veela spells, would you?”

Serena stiffened but tried to stay composed. She opened her mouth, but Lucius continued.

“Yes, I know what you are. Probably better than you do. You look just like her, your mother. That’s how I know—you’re nothing but trouble. If you know what’s good for you, girl, you’ll stay away from my son.”

He gave her a condescending smirk and tapped his cane against her leg.

Serena had had enough. Lucius reminded her too much of the vampire in New York who’d judged her without a second thought.

“Draco’s old enough to decide who he spends time with,” she said firmly, surprising even herself.

Lucius gave a cold chuckle. “Oh really? If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll listen to his father. Because any child of Lelianna’s isn’t worth his time.”

He turned to Draco. “If you insist on being around this half-breed, don’t come crying to me when she reveals her true colors.”

Lucius started up the staircase toward Dumbledore’s office with Dobby on his heels, giving Serena one last evil glare over his shoulder. Serena took a moment before thinking of her response.

“I never knew my mother,” Serena called after him, “so how can you be so sure I’m just like her?”

Lucius stopped, turned, and said, “Because her blood is in you. You are one and the same.”

There was something in his expression—just for a moment—that didn’t quite match his tone. Regret? Serena couldn’t be sure. Before she could dwell on it, Draco took her arm and led her away.

“Come on darling, I have something to show you,” he said.

He took her to the potions lab. Serena, still exhausted and reeling from the events of the night before, just wanted to sleep. But Draco promised it would be worth it.

He pulled out the edited potion recipe. “I started brewing a DNA potion yesterday—and I figured out how to tweak it.”

He held up a pile of cut-up papers. “These are all signatures from my parents’ wedding book.”

Serena’s eyes widened. “You did what? Draco, if your parents find out… your dad already wants to kill me, this will not help.”

“They never look at this stuff. They probably don’t even realize it’s gone,” he said with a smirk. “All we have to do is add your DNA to the ready cauldron, toss in the signatures, and wait for one to float. Or… at least I think that’s how it will work.”

“Signatures? Draco, how do you even know this will work? My dad might not have been at your parents’ wedding. And this potion looks… advanced. How did you even find this potion to begin with?”

“Snape was making one in his office. It caught my eye so I asked him about it. The potion needs two DNA sources. If this version doesn’t work, we’ll figure something else out.” He saw the doubt on her face and gently lifted her chin. “What have we got to lose?”

“Well… your parents’ wedding book for starters.”

“Oh, I left the couples that are still together,” he grinned. “There’s something left of it.”

They both laughed and got to work finishing the potion. Serena placed a strand of her hair into the cauldron. The bubbling liquid shimmered, then turned a milky white as the hair floated gently on the surface. Draco took the pile of cut-up signatures and dropped them in.

Then they waited.

Seconds dragged into what felt like an eternity. Nothing happened.

“I guess that’s our answer, Draco,” Serena sighed. “Back to the drawing board.”

“Wait—look!”

Serena leaned forward. A single piece of paper had floated to the surface, face down so they couldn’t see the name. The liquid beneath it shifted, swirling into a vibrant array of colors.

“Well?” Draco said, eyes wide with anticipation. “Go on—pick it up.”

Serena took a deep breath and reached into the cauldron. As her fingers touched the paper and lifted it out, the potion instantly turned pitch black.

Her heart pounded in her chest. This is it. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for my whole life.

With trembling fingers, she flipped the paper over.

“Severus Snape.”

Opening her eyes, Serena wasn’t sure where she was. Her vision was still blurry, and her thoughts were foggy. She could hear voices nearby but couldn’t make out what they were saying. As the voices grew closer, she was able to discern a few words.

“She’s awake!”

It seemed Madam Pomfrey had noticed Serena’s eyes open and rushed over, immediately asking her questions.

“Sweetheart, can you hear me? Does anything hurt? What do you need?”

Words were slow to come for Serena. All she could manage was a quiet, “Where am I?”

“You’re in the hospital wing. We... well, we’re not quite sure what happened. Mr. Malfoy found you in the girls’ bathroom and called for Professor Snape,” Madam Pomfrey explained.

Pieces of the night started to fall into place for Serena—sneaking out of the library, fighting the Basilisk, and... Hermione. Despite the dizziness still clouding her mind, Serena tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot down her back.

“Oh no, no. You need to stay in bed and rest,” Pomfrey protested. “You nearly broke your back that night. If you push yourself, it could make things worse.”

“Hermione... Where’s Hermione?” Serena whispered, barely able to get the words out. Pomfrey’s expression shifted from concern to sorrow.

“Ms. Granger was found the same night you were brought here.”

Serena’s eyes followed Madam Pomfrey as she pulled back the curtain, revealing Hermione, petrified. Tears filled Serena’s eyes. She couldn’t tell if it was from the pain of failing Hermione or the pain in her back, but either way, she prayed this was all a bad dream.

***

A few hours later, Serena heard familiar voices enter the hospital wing. She kept her back turned, not wanting to look at Hermione. It didn’t take long for her to recognize the voices of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. She listened as they talked, wishing Hermione would wake up, and it only made Serena feel worse.

“She would figure this out. We miss you Hermione,” Harry said.

“She did figure it out.” Serena spoke softly, turning slowly toward them. Ron immediately pushed the curtain between the beds, and both boys’ faces lit up with relief.

“Serena, you’re awake! We were so worried. It’s been three weeks since you’ve been out.”

Three weeks? Serena’s mind raced. “Has anyone else... been petrified?”

“No, but Dumbledore and Hagrid are gone. There’s talk of the school shutting down if the monster can’t be stopped,” Harry said with a disappointed tone.

Serena shot up at the mention of Hogwarts closing. That couldn’t happen! Despite everything that had happened this year, she’d finally made some friends. She didn’t want to lose them. Her thoughts her interrupted by the pain, shot up her back making her wince.

“Careful! Don’t hurt yourself.” Harry sat down on the bed. “Just take it slow.”

“What happened that night? You were pretty banged up when we came to see you the next morning,” Ron asked. Serena couldn’t blame him for wondering. She wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about it, but with Hogwarts at risk, she knew she had to explain.

“Hermione wanted to research more about the monster. She found a book in the restricted section of the library that could help.”

Ron looked stunned. “Hermione! Our Hermione was willing to break the rules and go into the restricted section after curfew?”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t about to let her go alone. I went with her to... I guess try to protect her. Not that I did a good job.” Serena glanced over at Hermione, tears forming again.

“Did you figure out what the monster is? How to stop it?” Harry asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the painful topic.

Serena, still looking at Hermione, was about to answer when something caught her eye. Hermione was holding something in her petrified hand. Could it be?

“Ron, look at Hermione’s hand,” Serena said. Ron looked over at Hermione and then back at Serena before moving toward her. Despite Hermione’s stiffened hand, Ron managed to wiggle out a crumpled piece of paper. He unfolded it, his eyes widening.

“The monster is a Basilisk?”

“What’s a Basilisk?” Harry asked, taking the paper from Ron.

“There’s no way it could be that! They’re huge monsters. Someone would have seen it!” Ron said, shocked.

“It’s the sewer pipes,” Serena explained. “It makes sense, how I could hear movement in the walls.”

“Wait, you’ve been hearing things too?” Harry looked at Serena, confused.

“Yes. Just movement, not voices like Hermione told me you were hearing.” Harry seemed relieved, realizing he wasn’t the only one hearing strange sounds in the castle.

“So, it’s getting around in the pipes, but why is it only petrifying students and not outright killing them? It says here that looking into a Basilisk’s eyes will kill you,” Ron said, trying to piece things together.

“Hermione figured that out too. Everyone who said they saw it was looking through something, so they only saw its reflection,” Serena replied. She could hear the boys remembering each attack and realizing Hermione had been right.

“It also says that spiders fear the beast. That makes sense why Aragog wanted nothing to do with it,” Harry added. Serena wasn’t sure who Aragog was, but she followed along.

“We need to tell the teachers right away.” Harry and Ron started to leave the hospital wing. Serena wanted to join them, but fear held her back. She was afraid of failing her friends again, of them getting petrified like Hermione. Harry turned around when he saw Serena still in bed.

“Aren’t you coming?”

Serena hesitated. She wanted to help, but as the day wore on, her memories of that night came back, and it terrified her. If she couldn’t fight the beast, and with Dumbledore gone, who could?

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Harry had walked back to her bedside. “Please, Serena. You’re the only one who’s faced it. We need your help.”

Serena couldn’t explain it, but there was something about Harry’s deep green eyes, with occasional swirls of white, that made it impossible for her to say no. “Alright. I just hope I don’t slow you down.”

***

The three of them made their way toward the staff living quarters, but the teachers were already gathered in the hallway. Serena’s heart sank as she saw what they were reading.

“Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.”

As the trio listened, they learned the “her” in the message was Ron’s sister, Ginny. The situation was getting more complicated by the minute, and the threat of Hogwarts closing seemed imminent. They overheard the teachers discussing Professor Lockhart, who claimed to know where the monster was. It was clear that the trio needed to confront him.

When they arrived at the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, to their surprise, Lockhart was packing his things.

They confronted Lockhart and he tried to explain that he was sorry and “oh poor Ginny”. Ron wasn't having it.

“You need to help,” Ron demanded, his voice firm.

Lockhart pointed his wand at them, threatening to erase their memories, and admitted that his heroic stories were exaggerated. Without hesitation, Harry took out his wand and knocked Lockhart’s wand out of his hand, Serena and Ron followed suit.

“Come with us to the last place Serena saw the monster,” Harry ordered.

Lockhart, with no choice, agreed. Serena led the group to the girls’ bathroom, now surprisingly intact. She explained to the boys how the place had been a wreck after her encounter with the Basilisk.

“Basilisk?! You’re taking me to fight that thing!? I’m too handsome to die like that!” Lockhart panicked.

“Relax. Aren’t you supposed to be the adult here? Shouldn’t you be worried about protecting us?” Serena shot back, ignoring Lockhart’s scowl.

She turned to the boys, continuing her story. “When I flew in, I found its tail hanging out of the hole where the sinks should be. I don’t know how it opened or closed, but I’m sure it was there.”

“Okay, well, there’s got to be some kind of switch or lever somewhere,” Ron suggested, trying to stay hopeful.

Serena, Ron, and Lockhart looked around the room while Harry examined the sinks. Suddenly, something caught his eye—a snake engraved under one of the faucets.

“Guys, I think I found something. Look here—a snake. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“That Salazar Slytherin built it?” Ron guessed.

“Maybe he was really into plumbing?” Serena teased.

“No! Just step back,” Harry said.

They all stepped back as Harry spoke in Parseltongue, just like at the dueling club. The sinks began to move, revealing a giant hole in the ground.

“Well, look at that. You found the entrance. I guess you don’t need my help anymore,” Lockhart said, trying to escape.

Serena was faster. She stepped in front of him, her wand still raised.

Lockhart continued to back away, almost falling into the hole. “What? How did you move that quickly?”

Serena raised an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t you like to know? If you don’t help us, I could be a living nightmare.”

“Oh, please, don’t make me go down there! Do you have any idea how expensive this suit was?” Lockhart pleaded with the students, but it fell on deaf ears. The trio exchanged glances, then unceremoniously kicked him into the hole. His screams echoed as he fell, and they heard a thud at the bottom. Moments later, Lockhart called up to them, “It’s... rather gross down here.”

“Well, he’s not screaming anymore. Guess that means it’s safe, right?” Serena glanced at the boys before jumping in herself. The boys exchanged looks, then followed her.

When they landed, it was pitch black. Serena lit a small flame in her hand, providing enough light to see the room. It was eerie—piles of bones littered the floor, mostly animal remains, though some were human. The ceiling was low, forcing Lockhart to duck to avoid banging his already empty head. There were numerous paths branching off in all directions, making it difficult to know where to go.

“Where do we go now?” Ron asked the most obvious question.

Serena and Harry exchanged a glance, then nodded. Harry strained to listen for any sign of the voice, while Serena focused on detecting any movement. Both came to the same conclusion at the same time and pointed in the same direction. Fortunately, it was so dark that no one saw the slight blush on their faces at the synchronicity.

The group ventured deeper into the dark, damp sewers, searching for a monster they had no idea how to fight. As they progressed, Lockhart grew more and more restless. Eventually, they came to a fork in the path. While the trio discussed which way to go, Lockhart seized the opportunity to make a break for it. He threw a rock in the opposite direction to distract them, then snatched Ron’s wand. He pointed it at the students, threatening to erase their memories as he made his escape. But in his excitement over talking about his next book, he’d forgotten whose wand he had stolen. Ron had broken his wand on the first day of the school year and never got it fixed. As Lockhart cast the spell, it backfired, sending him crashing into the wall.

The room began to shake, and rocks started to fall from the ceiling. Serena acted quickly, pulling Ron out of the way as he was closer than Harry was. As the dust settled, Harry was nowhere to be seen. Both Ron and Serena shouted for Harry, praying he was okay.

“I’m alright, guys!” Harry called back.

They both sighed in relief. Serena pointed toward an opening near the ceiling, and they started climbing. As they peered through, they could see Harry—dusty, but alive.

Harry told them he was going to continue on and try to find Ginny. He suggested they move the rock for when they returned. With little choice, they nodded, watching Harry disappear into the darkness.

“My, who are you two?” Ron and Serena slowly turned around to see Lockhart sitting on the ground, a large grin on his face. “Do you both live here? I love what you’ve done with the place,” he continued, and they both knew the night had just gotten a whole lot longer.

With a heavy sigh, Serena began moving boulders while Ron tried to help—but mostly ended up baby-sitting Lockhart. After a while, Ron noticed something wasn’t right with Serena; she seemed to be getting sluggish.

“Serena, are you alright?” Ron asked, concern in his voice.

Serena looked back down at him and replied, “Oh, yeah, don’t worry about me.”

It hit her then—she hadn’t fed yet today. Since she was still recovering from the attack, she wasn’t in her prime form. Moving the rocks was taking a toll on her, but she couldn’t fail her friends again. She pushed herself to continue.

“It’s okay if you need to take a break,” Ron said empathetically. “This is going to take forever, even with your super strength. You shouldn’t push yourself.”

“I think she’s doing wonderfully!” Lockhart cheered, though it was clear he was barely functioning, given his memory loss.

Ignoring him, Serena replied, “That’s sweet, Ron, but what if Harry and Ginny need us? We have to get through this mess.”

“Well, who created this mess?” Lockhart chimed in, earning a groan from both Serena and Ron.

Serena was about to turn back to her digging when she felt something different, something warm. Just as she turned around, a streak of fire flew into the room. It was none other than Fawkes, the phoenix from Dumbledore’s office. All three stared in awe as the bird perched on a rock.

“What a pretty bird! Is he yours? He matches your hairrrr,” Lockhart said to Ron in a sing-song voice.

“Kawwkkk!” Fawkes called, pointing his beak toward the small hole above. It was as if he was trying to communicate with them. Serena somehow understood what the phoenix was trying to say.

“He wants us to make the hole at the top bigger so he can get through. I think he wants to help Harry!”

Serena and Ron scrambled to climb back up to the hole, pushing as hard as they could. Despite the pain in her lower back, Serena ignored it, focusing all her energy on helping Harry. With one final push, a rock moved just enough to allow Fawkes to pass through. The phoenix gave a nod of thanks before soaring through the hole.

Knowing help was on the way for Harry gave Serena a sense of relief. Her body, however, was screaming from the strain.

It didn’t take a genius to notice that Serena had been acting strangely all day—nervous, even. When Draco asked her what was wrong, she brushed it off, claiming she hadn’t gotten enough sleep. Draco didn’t buy it for a second but decided not to press her.

When Friday came around, they exchanged good nights, and Serena headed toward Professor Snape’s office for her evening blood. Draco saw her glancing around every corner, as if trying to avoid being followed, which only made him more curious to track her movements. After waking Goyle and Crabbe, the three boys left the Slytherin Common Room to follow her.

As usual, Serena stopped by Snape’s for her blood, but instead of heading to the Courtyard afterward, she made her way toward the Viaduct. Draco told the others to hurry so they wouldn’t lose sight of her. When they reached the Viaduct doors, Draco saw Serena soaring into the night sky, heading toward Gryffindor Tower.

Draco quickly pushed Crabbe and Goyle back inside to keep them from seeing Serena, still unaware of her secret. He tried to watch her, but she was too high up. She wasn’t in the air for long, though. After a while, she flew off, carrying something—or someone—in her arms. Draco yanked open the Viaduct doors, pulled Goyle and Crabbe back outside, and sprinted after her.

They finally caught up with Serena and… Hermione? Draco’s face flushed. What was going on? Why hadn’t Serena told him about this? It looked like they were heading to the Library. The boys followed them inside, staying close enough to watch as the two girls entered the Restricted Section. Goyle and Crabbe began to laugh, imagining the trouble they’d be in if they reported the girls. Draco quickly hushed them, straining to hear what the girls were talking about.

He could make out snippets of their conversation—something about a beast. Could they be investigating the creature in the Chamber of Secrets? Draco’s heart sank. Why were they looking into the beast now? He realized he had a choice to make. He knew something that could help them, but he’d never told anyone. 

He had overheard his father talking about the Chamber before the school year started. Draco feared revealing what he knew, especially since he didn’t want it traced back to his father. Curious about the beast, Draco remembered tearing a page out of a book at Flourish and Blotts and carrying it with him all year. Should he give it to them? Would they go searching for the beast? Would it put Serena in more danger?

Then, an idea popped into his head.

Draco decided to sneak around to the other side of the library, into the Restricted Section, before Hermione or Serena could get there. He found the same book he had seen at Flourish and Blotts, opened it, left a loose page, and quickly left before they could catch him. He signaled to Crabbe and Goyle to wait outside.

Though Crabbe and Goyle wanted to go back to bed, the three boys waited outside the library for the girls to emerge. Draco needed to know what they were planning next. Finally, the girls left and started retracing their steps. To Draco’s relief, it seemed like they were heading back to bed. He hoped he’d have a chance to speak with Serena before they did anything else.

But then something felt off—everything became eerily quiet and Serena stopped dead in her tracks. Draco looked around, hoping it was just a teacher or prefect nearby, but no one was in sight. When he turned back to the girls, he noticed something was wrong with Hermione. She wasn’t moving, not even an inch. Serena, on the other hand, looked in shock. She tried to shake Hermione awake, but it was no use.

Crabbe and Goyle realized what had happened and tried to run back to the common room. Draco shouted at them to stay put.

Whoosh!

Draco spun around to see that Serena was gone. “Great, now we’ve lost her!”

Just as he finished his sentence, a loud bang echoed from what sounded like the girls’ bathroom at the end of the hall. Draco told Crabbe and Goyle to follow him, and they hurried toward the bathroom.

Draco peeked inside first, trying to determine whether Serena was still in her Veela form or if she had returned to her usual appearance. He also wanted to make sure the beast wasn’t around—he wasn’t in the mood to fight one tonight or any other night for that matter. The coast appeared clear, so Draco stepped into the room. The floor was covered in broken glass and rubble, evidence of some kind of chaos. Serena was nowhere to be seen.

“Serena! Serena!” Draco called, hoping for a response, but there was nothing. He ventured further into the room and called again, scanning the area. Goyle and Crabbe followed nervously. When Draco looked down toward the stalls, he spotted someone lying motionless in the rubble. It was Serena.

She wasn’t moving. Draco’s heart skipped a beat. This didn’t look good. As he got closer, it became clear that things were worse than he had feared. Serena had a massive cut down the center of her forehead, blood pouring from her face. Her arms and torso were covered in cuts, and a piece of glass was sticking out of her arm.

“Serena! Please, say something!” Draco’s voice trembled as he knelt beside her. “Serena, please, talk to me!”

“Dr… Draco?” Serena’s voice was weak and barely audible. Her eyes were barely open, but something wasn’t right. Her eyes had turned a deep crimson red, like when someone cries, but it was more intense.

“Serena, are you ok? What’s wrong? What do you need?”

“Prof… Sn… Snape…” she whispered.

Without thinking, Draco turned around and shouted for Crabbe and Goyle to get Snape. Not wanting to linger in the bathroom any longer than necessary, they rushed off. Alone with Serena, Draco noticed how shallow her breathing had become.

“Sna… snake… blood,” Serena murmured.

“What? Did you drink snake’s blood? You know that’s poisonous to you!” Draco’s anxiety grew. What was taking them so long to get Snape?

“Crabbe and Goyle are on their way to get him. He’ll help you,” Draco said, trying to stay calm. “Just stay with me.”

Serena’s breathing slowed, and tears welled up in Draco’s eyes. Between the poison and the blood loss, Serena was dying right in front of him, and he didn’t know what to do. But then, something caught his eye—a glint of glass sticking out of her arm. Draco had an idea. He hated it, but it could save her.

He grabbed a nearby shard of glass, rolled up his sleeve, and carefully cut into his forearm, drawing blood. It hurt more than he cared to admit, but if it could save Serena, it was worth it. He moved her slightly and held his arm near her lips.

“Please, Serena, drink my blood,” he whispered. Not like she had much of a choice. He moved his cut arm to her mouth.

At first, nothing changed. Serena remained unconscious, her breathing shallow. Then, Draco felt something warm licking his wound. Despite being unconscious, Serena had started drinking his blood. Her eyes snapped open and started glowing red. Veins became visible beneath her eyes, and Draco could feel her teeth gently pressing against his skin.

Suddenly, the bathroom door burst open, and Professor Snape rushed toward them. Draco quickly withdrew his arm and hid the wound.

“What happened?” Snape asked, his voice laced with panic—something Draco had never heard from him before.

“I don’t know, Professor! I found her like this. Can you help her?” Snape immediately moved to Serena’s side, opposite Draco, and began to examine her.

Draco’s anxiety deepened as he knew what was wrong and didn’t want to waste any time.

“Serena was awake for a moment. She told me she drank snake’s blood,” Draco said urgently. Snape looked up at him, his expression confused.

“I know everything, her curse—I’ve known since Halloween.”

Snape nodded, unfazed. There wasn’t much he could do about Draco knowing the truth. He began searching his pockets for something.

“So, she told you she needs blood to live?” Snape asked, glancing toward Draco’s arm.

Draco quickly pulled his arm behind his back. “The cut isn’t that deep. Just enough to get her to drink.”

Snape raised an eyebrow. “I hope you realize how important it is that no one else knows about her condition.”

Draco nodded, feeling the weight of the secret. Snape produced a vial and gently poured it into Serena’s mouth. She stirred but remained unconscious.

Snape began to lift Serena into his arms. “Where are you taking her, Professor? Is she going to be okay?”

Snape didn’t look at him as he walked toward the door. “You need to return to bed, Mr. Malfoy. I’ve already sent Crabbe and Goyle back to the common room. It’s too dangerous for students to be out. I’m taking Ms. Rosier to the hospital wing. You may visit her in the morning, if Madam Pomfrey permits.”

“Professor, please,” Draco pleaded. “Can’t I stay with Serena until she wakes up?”

“No,” Snape replied firmly. “It’s too dangerous. Go to bed.”

Draco watched as Snape left the bathroom with Serena in his arms. He sighed, feeling helpless. With no reason to be out of bed, he made his way back to the common room. He just hoped he would be able to sleep.

Meanwhile, Snape arrived at the hospital wing to find Madam Pomfrey already tending to other students. He approached her and asked where to place Serena.

“What? Another petrification? I’m running out of beds!” Pomfrey exclaimed, clearly stressed.

“No, she’s just hurt and accidentally ingested poison,” Snape explained. Pomfrey quickly directed him to an empty bed, and Snape laid Serena down.

Before long, Dumbledore and McGonagall arrived.

“Oh no, Severus, not another student,” McGonagall said, her voice full of worry.

Snape explained as much as he could without revealing Serena’s curse to McGonagall and Pomfrey. He was careful with his words.

“I’ve already administered some medicine. I was hoping you could watch over her, Poppy, until she wakes up.”

Pomfrey started to rant but was interrupted by Dumbledore. “I think it’s time we tell them about Serena’s condition, Severus. I trust Poppy and Minerva.”

McGonagall and Pomfrey looked bewildered as Snape explained Serena’s curse.

“I thought Serena looked familiar. Let’s hope she doesn’t cause as much trouble as her mother did,” McGonagall remarked, voicing the obvious concern.

“Well, it seems Ms. Rosier is stable. Whatever you gave her seems to have done the trick,” Pomfrey said, nodding in approval.

Dumbledore spoke up, his tone surprisingly calm. “Now, we need answers. What caused all the cuts to Serena? I suppose we’ll have to wait until she wakes up. I suggest we leave Poppy to do her job and return to ours for the night.”

Serena waited at the train station in Hogsmeade for the arrival from London. She couldn't wait to see Draco and hear what he had discovered about her mother. The train was expected around 7 p.m., and thankfully, the days were growing longer, allowing the sun to still shine and warmly welcome Hogwarts students back.

As the train pulled into the station, Serena scanned the growing crowd for a flash of blonde. Just as she thought she had missed him, there he was, heading toward her. They greeted each other with a big hug and bright smiles. Serena began bombarding him with a million questions about what had happened as they walked back to the castle. Draco’s smile slowly faded as he began to explain what happened when he mentioned Lelianna.

“Oh my gosh, Draco, I’m so sorry! I never meant for your dad to yell at you like that!” Serena interrupted with a worried expression. Draco gave her a shy smile, reassuring her not to worry and that his mother was able to soothe things over enough that his father would talk to him by the time it was to leave back to Hogwarts.

Once they made it back to the common room and Draco had access to his trunk, he dug out the wedding book for both of them to examine. They flipped through the pages, scanning each one for any sign of Lelianna. With each turn of the page, Serena’s hope started to dwindle—maybe Lelianna hadn't attended the wedding after all.

“There it is!” Draco exclaimed, pointing to the last page of the book. There, Serena saw a signature that looked as though a toddler had written it. It was barely legible, but it was definitely Lelianna’s signature—large, almost written over other signatures. Most disappointingly, there was no accompanying name next to it. Serena slumped back in defeat, feeling as though it was back to square one.

For the next two weeks, Serena and Draco continued their search for more information about Lelianna and Serena’s curse. When they found time between classes, Quidditch practice, and nearly poisoning herself in Potions class.

It was Wiggenweld potion day, and the class was going smoothly. Serena had successfully brewed her potion to perfection. However, as the class ended and everyone went to drink their potions, Serena hesitated.

“Aren’t you going to try your potion? It’s completely safe—one of the few that actually makes you feel better with no side effects,” Draco said, noticing her hesitation. Serena smiled, looking around for any eavesdroppers before whispering to him.

“Actually, I think this potion might do the opposite for me. There are certain kinds of blood I can’t drink—reptile blood is one of them, and this potion contains salamander blood. It could kill me if I drink enough of it. You might as well have it, Draco.”

Draco gave her a look that said, "Good to know," as he accepted the potion. Together, they moved on to their next class.

By early May, the pair had hit dead ends at every turn. Serena felt it was time to bring in some reinforcements, whether Draco liked it or not. She met with Hermione before class and gave her an update on the research she and Draco had been working on. Hermione was eager to help and more than happy to pitch in for her friend.

Together, Hermione and Serena made their way to the library to meet Draco. The second Draco saw them both enter, a grumpy look spread across his face.

“What is she doing here!?” Draco asked with his rude tone.

Serena sighed, explaining that they needed Hermione’s help and that a fresh set of eyes might be exactly what they needed. Draco’s expression didn’t change, but he returned to the book he had been reading. Hermione sat down, suggesting books that might cover Veelas. Draco interrupted, saying they’d already checked all the magical creature books and found nothing.

“Well, did you think to check books on magical beings?” Hermione countered. “Veelas aren’t considered creatures—they’re more like vampires or zombies since they have a human form.”

Draco rolled his eyes but turned back to his book. Clearly wanting to retort but saw Serena give him a look to not try anything. Ignoring him, Serena joined Hermione in searching for books about magical beings. It didn’t take Hermione long to find a book she claimed to have seen before. The girls brought it back to the table where Draco was still sitting and started reading through it.

“Ah, here it is!” Hermione exclaimed with excitement. “Veela or Vila are fairy-like beings, typically beautiful, with the ability to hypnotize men with their dance. They have hair as bright as the sun and skin as pale as the moon. Some Veelas can control storms, turn into animals, and manipulate nature. When angered, their heads transform into bird-like heads, and large feathered wings grow from their shoulders. They can also create fire and hurl it at their enemies.”

Serena wasn’t sure how to feel about this information. It was exciting to learn about potential magical abilities she might possess, but the description worried her. Serena didn’t have golden hair, and while her skin was pale, it wasn’t as pale as the moon. She could transform into her bird form at will, and her fire was ice-cold—nothing like what the book described.

“Is there anything about… drinking blood?” Serena whispered to Hermione. Hermione shook her head.

“No, nothing about that. It may be part of your curse. Also, there’s no mention of an awakening like you had when you were ten.” Hermione noticed Serena’s sad expression and quickly added, “I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for your curse, and once we figure it out, we can break it!”

A small smile tugged at Serena’s lips. It was sweet how Hermione was trying to comfort her. They continued their search for anything related to her curse, but found nothing. By mid-afternoon, Draco announced he had Quidditch practice and had to leave.

“Thanks for your help, Draco! I hope practice goes well,” Serena said as he made his exit, receiving a smirk from him and an icy stare toward Hermione. “I’ll see you later in the common room Serena. Have fun with goody two-shoes over there.”

“Ignore him, I don't know why he thinks he can say those things and get away with it.” Serena said, annoyed.

“Why you hang out with him, I’ll never understand,” Hermione said once Draco was out of sight.

“Well, he’s nice to me. I just wish he was nicer to everyone else. I’ll bring him around eventually.”

Hermione gave Serena a skeptical look. “I’ll believe it when I see it. Do you mind if we change topics for a bit? I’ve been meaning to look into something about the Chamber of Secrets.”

Serena’s eyes widened at the mention of the Chamber. All the teachers had been telling students not to worry about it and to leave it to them. But Serena knew that if anyone could help, despite her powers being the result of a curse, she could be of use, a use for good. Knowing she wasn’t muggle-born anymore gave her the courage to ask Hermione what she had in mind.

“The beast in the Chamber,” Hermione said. “If we figure out what it is, maybe we can stop it.” She stood up and headed toward the back of the library. “There might be something in the restricted section about dangerous beasts, but… it would be breaking school rules to enter.”

Serena smiled. “Well, it’s about time I made a bad girl out of you.”

Hermione gave her a puzzled look. “No, no way am I breaking school rules.”

Serena raised an eyebrow. “Even if it meant saving someone’s life?”

Hermione sighed, as the girls began to devise a plan to sneak into the library.

That Friday, after everyone had gone to bed, Serena flew outside to Gryffindor Tower where Hermione waited in the common room. Once Hermione saw Serena outside one of the windows, she carefully climbed out the window. Serena then flew off with Hermione in her arms and headed as close to the library as possible by flight. Once landed, Serena used her enhanced hearing to listen for any staff or prefects nearby. Once the coast was clear, they made their way to the restricted section of the library.

With her blue flame lighting the way, Hermione focused on finding a book about dark creatures. The restricted section resembled the main library but was covered in a thick layer of dust—clearly, it wasn’t often visited. Serena noticed one book slightly pulled out more than the others on a dusty shelf. She drew Hermione’s attention to it, and they discovered it was exactly what they were looking for.

They sat down to skim through the pages, looking for anything that could explain what was petrifying the students at Hogwarts. After flipping through several pages without finding anything useful, Hermione slammed the book shut in frustration and started to return it to the shelf. As she did, a page fell out and fluttered to the ground. Both girls bent down to inspect it and could hardly believe what they had found.

The page described a creature called a Basilisk: a fearsome, snake-like creature that would instantly kill anyone who looked into its eyes. Hermione’s excitement grew.

“If the beast in the Chamber is a Basilisk, everything would make sense!” she exclaimed.

Serena, still confused, asked, “But it says that if someone looks into its eyes, they die. All the students are just petrified.”

“Yes, but they were all looking through something. Colin (a young Gryffindor) had a camera, Justin (a Hufflepuff) must have seen it through Nearly Headless Nick( a ghost at Hogwarts), and there was water on the floor the night Mrs. Norris was petrified. She must have seen the Basilisk in the water!” Hermione explained quickly, barely giving Serena time to process.

“Then how is it moving around? This says a Basilisk is huge. Surely someone would have seen a giant snake slithering through the halls.”

Hermione thought for a moment and then seemed to have an epiphany. “Harry always said he could hear it in the walls. The plumbing’s in the walls! That’s how it’s getting around!”

Serena nodded. “I suppose that makes sense. I didn’t know Harry had been hearing it too. I’ve heard something in the walls sometimes, but I thought it was normal and everyone could hear it.”

“You could have said something! Harry thought he was losing his mind!” Hermione chuckled before making her way toward the door. “Let’s get out of here before we get caught.”

Once they reached the doors, Serena stopped for a moment. “Hey Hermione, if this is true and the Basilisk can kill you just by looking into its eyes. You should probably stay behind me. I will hear and see if it comes before you do in the Dark. I can tell you to close your eyes and get us out of there before it can hurt us. I promise I will fly faster than ever to get us out of its sight” Serena finished with a giggle. 

Hermione smiled, “Right, that would probably be best. I will stay right behind you then.”

As they exited the library, Serena began listening carefully for anyone approaching. They made it quite far before something sounded different—a noise too big to be human. The sound was getting closer, but Serena couldn’t see anything in the dark with her enhanced eyesight. Lighting her hands with blue fire, she still couldn’t see anything.

“Look, Serena, there are tiny spiders leaving through this window,” Hermione said, peering through a magnifying glass.

Serena waited for her to finish her sentence but suddenly realized Hermione wasn’t right behind her. When she turned around, she saw Hermione frozen in place, her eyes wide with terror.

Panic gripped Serena. She had promised to protect Hermione, but in that moment, she had failed. Anger and fear flooded her body. Without thinking, she shifted into her bird form and took flight, following the sound of what she assumed was the Basilisk.

The noise led her to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, and without hesitation, Serena charged in. In the middle of the room, she saw it: the Basilisk. It appeared to be crawling down a path that looked to be the original place of all the sinks. Fueled by rage, Serena attacked, her talons digging into its scales as she bit down hard on the beast.

But the Basilisk retaliated fiercely, using its tail to knock Serena into the bathroom wall. Its blood did not taste just right but Serena didn't care, she was causing the beast pain and in the moment that was all that mattered.  

She could feel her strength waning as the battle raged on, the beast’s tail smashing her into the walls again and again. Finally, with one powerful swing of its tail, Serena was thrown against the back wall. Glass shattered, and part of the walls crumbled from the impact. Serena watched as the last bit of the Basilisks swept into the hole and the sinks closed back over.

Serena could barely keep her eyes open, she could barely feel her body, all Serena could taste was the  snake’s blood that was bitter in her mouth. It was only then she realized, the Basilisk, regardless of size, was still a snake. A snake is a reptile, therefore it’s blood was poisonous to her. The realization hit her too late.

“I’m… sorry… Hermione...” Serena whispered as her vision blurred. She hoped Hermione could forgive her. Was this her punishment for failing to protect her friend?