#anatheromantic

A young man of fifteen sat on a window ledge and looked in at the same crest on the same archway that hung over the hall that led to his common room year after year.  He turned from the hall and looked out at the courtyard below.  Down below, he saw the new first years as their eyes widened and marveled at the old castle of Hogwarts.  They reminded him so much of himself as a little hatch-ling stretching wings into the world for the first time.

A hum rumbled in his throat and he rubbed a hand at the back of his neck. It was going to be a year of years.  Fifth year is when it starts to get serious.  This year it will all be about the O.W.L.s.  He will have to start thinking on his future as it's the N.E.W.T.s  not long after that.  

As he thought on possible careers, he glanced back down at the courtyard and saw a figure that he had never seen before.  She was around his age, maybe a little older, the hood of her strangely colored robes pulled up over her head and her eyes nervously bounced from face to face around her.  She hugged a larger bag to her chest as she followed the little ones into the Great Hall.  Diaval jumped down from the window ledge and followed the figure as well as he could being a few floors above her.  She was a definite curiosity, a new mystery or puzzle.  How he loved puzzles.

At the front of the Great Hall she was met with McGonagall.  The older woman put a hand on her back and led her to the side where she waited with the first years.  Diaval watched closely and leaned on the railing as he watched her nervously pick at her robes.  She suddenly stopped and looked up, directly at him.

Her eye color was surprising, but all the more beautiful.  They were hazel one moment and then green the next.  He wondered if she had used a spell to make them do that, or if it was her own glorious coloring. She narrowed her eyes up at him as she caught him staring and gave a sneer.  Apparently she didn't like the attention.  He only smirked warmly and gave a slight wave down.

“Diaval, let's go,” he heard Robin call from behind him, “I want to get in there and see what kind of trouble we can make for the first years.”

“Yeah, yeah, I'm coming,” Diaval nodded without taking his eyes off the girl.

She turned her face from him with what looked like a pout.

He pushed back from the railing and followed his friend in.

Robin sat in his usual seat and smiled mischievously at the seats that were reserved for possible new students joining their house.  He was always one for making some prank or clever trick on fellow students both inside and outside of their house.  His favorite targets were the first years, of which have not been warned of his trickery yet. His intelligence was the only thing that kept him from permanently being put in detention as he was very rarely caught for his masterpieces.

Diaval sat next to his friend as other Ravenclaws began to fill in the table around them.  He was lucky to be put in Ravenclaw, he knew.  The sorting hat almost put him among the badgers of Hufflepuff, but he really needed the crest of the raven.  He had to have the same of his late mother.  She would have been proud.  The sorting hat heard him and knew him to be of clever wit and mind, so into robes of blue and bronze he went.  “The most loyal of all Ravenclaws” the hat had whispered to him when they had pulled the hat off his head.

“Okay, here they come,” Robin nearly bounced in his seat at the first years marched down the aisle and lined up for their sorting ceremony.

“What do you have planned for the poor little ones this year?” Diaval asked in a hushed whisper.

“Oh, a little this and that,” he chuckled.  He suddenly gasped and pushed at Diaval's shoulder, “Who is that?”

Diaval's head whipped around and he caught sight of her again, “I don't know, but she is definitely a little old to be a first year.”

“Don't you two know anything?” Balthazar asked in his low timber, “She's an exchange student from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.  They say she was kicked out, but Dumbledore let her come here to study instead.”

“I heard she killed her parents,” a blonde piped up from the Hufflepuff table at their side, “Just looked them in the eyes and they keeled over.”

“Oh, come off it, Twistlewit!” her red headed friend hushed her as she pulled at her hair.

“It's true, Knotgrass, I heard it from a seventh year!” the blond used her friend's nickname, “But I never saw someone from Beauxbatons with a  hood.  They usually have those stylish hats.”

The dark haired girl between the two of them kept her comments to herself and played with the small blue butterfly in her hand.

Diaval looked closely at the subject of hushed whispering.  There was no way she was a murderer, a monster that would kill her own kin.  He was smart enough to see that.  If anything, she looked a little lost.

“One thing is for sure, they don't lie about the girls of Beauxbatons,” Robin leaned on Diaval's shoulder, “She is a gorgeous one, she is.”

“Hm,” Diaval pulled his shoulder back to toss off his friend, “And I just bet she loves people talking on her like that.  Come on, leave her alone.  Let her at least acclimate, will you?”

He turned from his friend to look at her one last time to see her staring directly at him with a bewildered look.

'Did she hear me?' he wondered and tilted his head in curiosity.

The sorting ceremony began quickly after that.  One by one the first years filed into the different tables of their new houses.  The first couple of first years to come to the Ravenclaw table were cautious as they saw Robin trying to contain his laughter.  They sat anyway and were rewarded with a face of pumpkin juice or a fall to the floor. Diaval only rolled his eyes as his friend laughed at the poor things.

“And as you all have noticed, we have a new student that is not a first year joining us,” the Headmaster announced and waved the startled girl forward, “Come forward, my dear.”

The girl did so and sat on the stool as the children had done.  Someone reached for her hood and she flinched away.

“It's the way, have no fear,” the headmaster smiled encouragingly.

She took a breath and pulled the hood back as two large horns were revealed.  The whole hall gasped in surprise and shock.  There was mutters and whispers that were almost deafening to the young lady still in the chair.  She took a deep breath, pulled her chin up and looked straight ahead.  She nodded as the sorting hat settled on her head and awkwardly over her horns.

“You are a very interesting one, are you not?” the sorting hat asked as he sat on her head.  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, “No words?  You have been quite dedicated and loyal in your time with your old home.  Also quiet, contemplative... a sharp mind, sharper wit.  Courage and strength is seen in you as well, but not quite a mighty lion.  Ambition, resourceful, can be a very good slytherin...”

“We want no monster in our house!” a voice shouted from the Slytherin table.

“And I would want no part of a house that learns such idiocy!” she shot back in a strong voice.

“She's tough,” Robin whistled low.

“That she is,” Diaval nodded and didn't take his eyes off of her, “Please... please say it...”

“Intelligence you need, thus you shall have,” the sorting hat bounced on her head, “Ravenclaw!”

The hat was pulled from her head and she pulled her hood back over her head and her horns.  She stood and walked to the table of stunned Ravenclaws.  No one moved or gave her indication on where to sit. Either too scared or too stunned at the new arrival.

Diaval huffed at the others at the table, “You all have no tongues anymore?”

He got out of his seat and walked to her.  Her feet shuffled where she stood at the end of the table as he approached.

“I'm Diaval,” he introduced himself and held out his hand to her, “Welcome to Ravenclaw.”

“Maleficent,” she said quietly, but only looked at his hand.

“You can sit with us, if you'd like,” Diaval smiled and pointed to Robin and Balthazar.

“I don't need pity,” she almost growled.

“And I don't need you assuming that's what I'm offering,” he shot back quickly which made the girl's eyebrows raise in attention, “You don't have to take my hand, but you will need a seat.  Otherwise more people are going to stare and I have a feeling you don't like that.”

Maleficent looked around the hall and noticed the eyes on her.  She nodded quickly to him and he led her back to where he sat.  He pushed Robin further down the table and let her sit first before he took a seat beside her.  He flashed her a quick smile as the students around them began to calm down.

“See? Not so bad is it?” he asked with a permanent smirk.

“It could be worse,” she relented, but didn't look up at him until he looked back to the headmaster for more announcements.

“If you do so well with new comers, Diaval, why don't you show her around as I take care of the first years?” the Ravencalw Headboy asked as they exited the Great Hall.

“I think she may be tiring of me,” Diaval looked over at her for her answer.

She looked back at him, her face a little less guarded as she realized he was giving her a choice.  She took a deep breath, “I think I can stand your proximity a bit longer until I find my footing.”

“Ah, good then, it's settled,” the headboy patted Diaval on the back and led the first years off toward the different halls.

“Have a good time, Diaval,” Robin waved at him as he and the other Ravenclaws headed out to the courtyard for a bit.

“Traitor,” Diaval muttered playfully and waved back.  He turned to her and adjusted his robes to fill in the silence between them, “So, what do you want to see first?  Hogwarts is quite large.”

“The library,” she said suddenly and looked to either side of her as she didn't mean to say it so fast, “Please.”

“Library it is,” he nodded his head and turned to a long hall, “A true Ravenclaw, through and through.”

She followed behind and gripped at her hood as other students caught sight of her.  Diaval noticed her uncomfortable movements and looked up as they walked, “What year are you?”

“I was to start my fifth year,” she said with a release of breath. She probably didn't know she was holding it.

“We're the same year!” Diaval turned and began to walk backwards as he talked to her, his hands calmly in his pockets, “Hope you know you're stuff. We have our testing this year.  I hear it can be a bit brutal.”

“You test in fifth year, how quaint,” she pursed her lips in thought and looked at him as he surveyed her instead of watching the walking path, “Go and ask.”

“Ask what?”

“About my horns...”

“Oh!” he stopped and tilted his head with a laugh, “I just assumed you hexed yourself something awful and made a mess of the potions room at your fancy academy.  Thought that's what they kicked you out for.”

She frowned and stared at him for a moment before a small smile lit her features.

“Is- is that a smile?” he pointed to her face.

“Well, not anymore!” she frowned and walked past him as she saw the large doors and books beyond them ahead.

“So the game begins,” Diaval chuckled to himself and followed behind her, “I do love a challenge.”

As the new year began, so did Diaval's constant companionship with Maleficent.  It was easy enough to find a seat next to her as others seemed to stay away.  Her new robes had the hood drawn over her horns for the first week, until Diaval convinced her to wear it down.

“They suit you,” he said to her once in the library as she collected books for a paper.  She stared at him as if he was crazy and he shrugged, “Even if you got them by trying to enchant an ogre.”

With a narrowing of her eyes she shook her head, “That isn't what happened.”

“No use trying to fool me,” he shook his head and looked at her as if she was caught in a love triangle with said ogre, “Your poor heart must have broken a million times over from his refusal and hex.  Such a life you lead.”

“Ridiculous boy,” she huffed and reached for another book.

He caught her smile as she turned.

The next day, she didn't wear the hood over her horns.  They sat bare on her head, the only cover, her hair that was tied around them.

Robin and Balthazar had warmed up to her not long after the first couple of weeks and even took her under their wings.  Balthazar would show her the ins and outs of the classwork as he was a year over them and could show her how to properly prepare for her O.W.L.s.  Robin had thought it awful frustrating as she caught all of his tricks before he could spring them on her.  She was too smart for her own good.  Months passed by as she grew fond of the trickster and the stoic young man. She enjoyed their company, but spent the majority of time with Diaval.

They sat outside one of the towers nearby the common room and looked out at the spread of the Forbidden Forest.  Maleficent smiled and took a deep breath as she soaked in the peace between classes.  Her arms were wrapped around her knees and her chin relaxed over them.  Diaval reclined back next to her, his arms bent back, but supported his weight.

“So, I do have a question,” he said suddenly, but didn't turn to her.

She turned her head to look at him to let him know she heard him, “Here it comes.”

“I know that Beauxbatons is in France, but I have noticed that you have no French accent.  You sound like your from our neck of the woods,” he then turned to her, “Another piece of you I couldn't quite fit into my profile.”

“Your profile?” she lifted a brow, “I don't know how I intrigue you so much.”

“Have from the moment I saw you,” he nodded and pushed himself to sit up, “So?”

“I'm from an area not far from here actually.   Beauxbatons made an exception when they took me for my study,” she explained, “My mother had gone there as a child.  Both of my parents wanted me far from home.  They thought I would do well there.”

“And what made them change their mind?”

“They died,” she whispered.

“Oh!” he cried out suddenly and made her jump, “I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to-”

“No, it's fine,” she nodded, “They died when I was very young.  I was the one to make the choice to leave and come back.  I was lucky that Dumbledore allowed me to come here.  I am glad he did.”

“Me too,” Diaval nodded and put his arms on his knees as he paused, “So it wasn't an old hag in the lake that started to turn you into a sea witch that made the beauties of  Beauxbatons kick you out?”

“Are you saying that I am hideous?” she pushed at his shoulder with a screech.

“Not at all,” he shrugged with a laugh as he knew he got under her skin, “You are lovely and gorgeous, and you know it.”

“Do I?” she asked quietly.

“I would have thought you clever enough to know something so easy to see,” he offered.

“Flattery will still not get you my notes from Potions,” she told him and turned away, her sharp cheeks bloomed with a blush.

“You know how I struggle with them!” he whined.

Silence began to grow loud between them and he looked a little uncomfortable as he began conversation again, “My parents are gone too.”

“I'm sorry,” she offered and put a hand on his shoulder.

He nodded, “Dark wizards tried to recruit them.  They said no.  It cost them their lives.  Been picked up and dropped by random families since.  The only solid faces I have in my life are Robin and Balthazar.”

“You really have my full sympathies now,” Maleficent teased him at the mention of Robin's name.

“As I rightly should,” he nodded sagely.

“You know, that is the third guess you have made about my horns.”

“Haven't told me which one is true either,” he picked at the stone work under him and tossed a small sliver of stone off the tower, “My money is still on the love struck ogre.”

“None of them are true,” she said smartly and took a breath as one of her hands reached up to touch one of her horns.  Something pulled behind her eyes and the a green spark lit her eyes.  She took a breath as she turned back to him, “I was little more than reckless.  I was punished for it.  But I think I wanted to be.  I wanted to be gone from that place.  It was beautiful, but it felt like a prison.  I wanted to come back home.”

“The horns are a punishment?” Diaval frowned and his brows furrowed.

“I ran through a line of some very important witches and wizards.  The witch that held the entourage of such importance told me that I should apologize. When I didn't, she thought that a curse should help my attitude.  I am two years into my fifty year sentence.”

“For running into her?”

“Not everyone is as level headed as you and I,” she mentioned and bit her bottom lip, “So?”

Diaval's brow was still furrowed, but he sighed, “You know, it was not as magnificent a story as I would hope for.  You should embellish it more.  Maybe add the sea hag angle.”

A few pregnant moments passed between the two of them and she chuckled, which led to a full belly laugh.  She held onto her sides as she laughed loudly. His face broke into a large grin as pride invaded his chest.  He made her laugh.  Not chuckle, not a simple smile, but a laugh.  A true and real laugh.  And when she turned to him to put a hand on his shoulder for support, he saw it.  She had never looked more beautiful. Nothing had ever looked as beautiful as she did in that moment.

'I think I love this girl.'

Her laughter began to slow down and she took gulps of air to catch her breath.  She leaned back from him for a moment and coughed, “What would I do without you, Diaval?”

“Not much, I'm afraid,” he shrugged and coughed into his hand.  He looked at her as she swept her hair from her face and from tangling around her horns.  She missed a few strands and he fixed them for her.

“What?  Are you fixing hair now?”

“We're Ravenclaws, so don't be silly,” he scoffed and finished what he had started with the strands, “I'm preening you.”

“Oh, is that it?” she asked with an amused smile.  She reached up and fixed some of his hair that fell forward over his eyes.  She nodded in approval, “There, I returned the favor.”

“No, you have done much more,” he shook his head and shot her a smile, “A debt that cannot be repaid.  You saved my life.”

“By fixing your hair?” she asked with an unbelieving look.

“Could you imagine the torment and sorrow should I be seen with such un-preened hair?  I would have died, surely!” he urged her and grabbed her hand closest to him.  He bowed his head over her hand, “I give my life vow.  Whatever you need.  I will do so.”

“Diaval, you are not my servant,” she smiled fondly at him.

“As you say,” he pulled at her hand again and kissed the back of it, “Mistress.”

“You are ridiculous,” she reminded him with a voice that seemed a bit wistful.  She did not expect the kiss.

“That's me,” he nodded, “But I'm your kind of ridiculous.”

“Strange enough, you are,” she agreed.  She leaned over and kissed his cheek quickly as the bells began to ring for the hour.  She leaned back as he dropped her hand surprised at the kiss to his cheek.  She only gave him a lift of one of her brows, “You coming to Charms?”

“Of- of course,” he nodded.

“Good, be sure to bring my bag, will you?” she asked with a smirk and flick of her finger toward the bag in question.