The earliest memory she could recall was the sound of her parents' voices before she could even recognize their faces.
Her room was bright, with simple cloth drapes fluttering on one side and a collection of rag toys on the other. Her mother—well, two mothers, Lily and Sera, endowed on her in their own ways. Sera was kind and caring, teaching her things she probably couldn't yet understand, given her age. Hariel would gaze upon the silver-like shadow of her mother's hair that shone under the rays of the morning light whenever she took care of her. Her eyes traced the white freckles and the white streak that went down Sera's nose, a sharp contrast against her cedar-brown skin, but beautiful nonetheless.
Lily, meanwhile, held strong moral principles. Even when Sera pleaded about harmless little indulgences and household freedoms, she didn't budget. Despite these disagreements, the house never felt like a prison than a home. No, light still seen through the cracks of their lives.
Lily often raised Hariel on her own, the human that she was. Sera, on the other hand, could only visit infrequently through fleeting peeks through the wooden shutters, and on the rare occasions, she'd stay to help take care of the child she helped make. On those occasions, Hariel seemed to recognize the angelic presence she always gave off, already reaching out before she could even step foot through the window—a trait Lily would chastise, moving towards the door for her to use.
Lily also had duties of her own whenever Sera was around, juggling tasks that came from the Order of the Phoenix. It was hard to have one of them distant due to her celestial duties, while the other provided as much warmth as she could to fill the gap. That didn't mean the two didn't have time for one another, slipping that time in whenever little Hariel was fast asleep.
Behind closed bedroom doors, Lily would have Sera under her, lips locked in a passionate embrace. Sera then flipped them over, pressing kisses and soft bites along her throat and down towards her collarbone. Will be pulled away for a moment, glowing eyes locked with Lily's captivating embers. Their lips meet again, and so does Sera's hand on Lily's throbbing cock under all the layers of her clothing. Lily's arms wrapped around the angel's neck, squirming to the sensation of her warm hand, with Sera's wings fluttering to hold her petite frame gently.
"Sera…" Lily moaned out the name like a prayer, the angel's wings fluffed at the sound, "I can't take it anymore."
"Okay… Let me just…" With a soft grunt, she flipped the two over again, the hard evidence of Lily's arousal pressing against the angel's thigh.
"Gods, you feel good already."
"Don't say that word. It'll feel like they're watching us." Lily chuckled, but that wasn't enough to lose the built-up tension between them.
"I'll put it in now…" She whispered, then thrust her cock in, slowly at first until Sera had adjusted well to the size before increasing her pace, over and over, watching as her cock disappeared inside the angel. 'Hot', Lily had thought after hearing the sounds that left Sera's lips.
The feeling of her wife's warmth left goosebumps on her skin, and the pain of her adorned nails digging into Lily's back grounded her. The wind down wasn't anything different, with Lily between Sera's legs and licking a stripe of their mixed cum over her pussy, circling the clit. The witch had her arms around the angel's thighs, hands laid flat on her stomach to stop her from squirming too much, taking advantage of her oversensitivity just until she came again, this time on her face. Lily lay down beside her. They were in each other's arms: naked, sweating, tired, but otherwise content.
And due to this, the shadows that lurk around them were more complicated to identify than usual.
When Hariel was four, the two noticed that their daughter was set apart from the other children in their village. The distinct quietness, even on joyous occasions, the fascination with old and odd magical objects, and the feeling of being naturally drawn to the night sky whenever it was painted with white, glittering specks of stars. To say they felt guilty was an understatement; the quiet worry they felt for this difference made them wonder what the future held if they let her continue on this path. Granted, she was already unique enough with an angel and a witch as parents, but this was uncharted territory for the two of them.
Sera had a hard time between the two of them trying to understand that such an aesthetic of their child wasn't demonic, far from it. There was nothing wrong with Hariel, nor did she sense anything that linked to that very idea.
But the lingering thought of guilt was there. That perhaps this was her fault for falling for a human and that the higher beings of heaven decided to place the punishment on her innocent child loomed darkly in the crevices of her mind, that Lily had to drill it in her head that Hariel had the curiosity of a child, that the shadows didn't scare her, but something to be studied. And instead of worrying about her, they should be supporting her. Will be reluctantly agreed.
Then came their first worst fear.
At six, when the shadows of the evening filled their halls, and a cold wind threatened to extinguish the flickering candle flame, a knock came that woke Lily up. The voice from behind the wooden door echoed in the still silence, familiar but at the same time not. With lowered guards, Lily opened it only to be struck by a blazing orange light, fire scorching her skin for a moment before she could act to defend herself; the slight scent of burning flesh, as well as the sight of singed skin, was palpable. In front of her was a tall man with dark-red eyes and a wicked grin who promised no pleasant visit. "Where is she?"
The question made her freeze; she didn't know who this man was, and she knew Sera had no enemies. Or at least, hadn't said anything about enemies. She posed to answer, cursing herself for not having her wand with her, "I don't know who you're talking about."
"Humans. How typical it is for your being to lie. Though I suppose it is inherently a mutual trait between us," The man grinned, teeth too pristine and natural to be human, with hair combed back, slick and proper, "Now, where is she? My employer is quite the meticulous person, you see. I wouldn't want my head in place of my target's."
"You say that as if you aren't human yourself."
"Friend?" The words left chills all over her, the implication clear.
"Mom?" She froze as she heard the voice of her daughter, laced with the lingering effects of sleep. Lily bolted, risking showing her back to the enemy, knowing it was the most dangerous decision she had made, as she grabbed Hariel by the waist and ran upstairs, taking two steps at a time.
She latched the lock behind her once inside a room, boarding it with a heavy piece of furniture. Hariel stood there, confused and half-frightened, seeing her mother look so ashen-faced for the first time. "Mom, what's going on?" She asked, her tone of voice shaky.
She paused for a moment, grabbing Hariel by the arms, grip tense yet not enough to hurt her, "Listen to me, Hariel. Whatever happens, do not come out. Do you understand?"
But she didn't understand. She didn't know what made her mother act as she did. She said nonetheless. Lily kissed her on the top of her head before pushing her to hide under the bed frame. The door rattled violently, and the singing voice of the man echoed from the other side.
Lily hurried, grabbing her wand from a bedside stool, just in time for the man to burn through the wooden door, the scent of burning wood filling the room slowly. Hariel pressed a hand over her mouth, fear fully engulfing her face. All she could see from under the bed were the legs of her mother and the being that forced itself inside, "Stupefy!" A bolt of red shot out from her wand, strong enough to push the man, but it was too weak to knock him out.
"That's it? What a lowly thing," He laughed almost maniacally, a hot ball of blackened flames forming on his hand. The sphere swirled teasingly over his palm, quiet in its movements, before he threw it at her, "Let me teach you." The flame exploded as soon as it hit the shield Lily had conjured up.
"Petrificus Totalus." She shot out a spell once more, this time intending to paralyze the man. His limbs stiffened, binding his whole body with magic. It was successful, though she didn't lower her guard for a bit. And for the right reason, as the spell only momentarily stopped his movements.
"Hm… Better. Though, did you really think such human spells would be enough against a devil of my stature?" He clicked his tongue, red eyes staring practically into her soul. He adjusted the tie of his suit, stitched with dark velvet sigils at the seams.
"Who are you?" Lily gritted her teeth in exasperation.
The demon's grin widened even more, if it was even possible. The smoothness of his voice vanished at the sound of his laughter, this one more concussive sounding that made her grimace in pain, "Alaricus, darling. Though I confess, I rarely grant mortals anything so… intimate," Lily's face contorted in disgust, "Consider such a thing a privilege. However, I would have preferred a gentler welcome, having traveled far to meet such a mother." He licked his lips as he raked his eyes over Lily's face.
"Over my dead body!" This time, her magic conjured razor-stone shards, aiming them at him, "Silex Lamnia." The stones flew past him, Alaricus standing still with a few grazing his suit and face, black ooze dripping from the cuts.
He clicked his tongue, the grin on his face replaced with a frown, "You know, I do not appreciate it when my clothes get ruined, darling." With a snap of his fingers, shades of darkness found their way towards her, then a snap. Lily's screams echoed around the room, feeling her bones breaking where she could feel the cold touch of the shadows.
"Mom!" Hariel gasped out, scrambling to get out from under the bed. She didn't understand what was happening; the man, her mother screaming in pain, and the magic exchange in between.
"Hariel, no!"
"Well, well, well… Look what we have here." She froze mid-step. Alaricus' grin returned, focusing on her being, "A tiny human. And what's this? I did not expect a faint presence of a divine being in such an… insignificant thing. Curious, curious… Say, would you be willing to go with Uncle Alaricus, hm? I'll give you a finger, candied, of course. Unless you prefer a raw one?"
"Stay away from my—"
"Shush, sweetheart." Another snap of his fingers resulted in another scream, tendrils of shadows swirling around her with another sickening crunch, "Now, where was I? Oh, yes. You're a pretty fascinating little thing, do you know that? Perhaps I could just take you for a bit of… research."
"Confridgerator!" Before Alaricus could touch Hariel, Lily used the blasting curse in her desperation. The spell was dangerous and volatile, making the demon defend himself with a spell of his own. The magic clashed, resulting in an explosion strong enough to render Hariel and an already weak Lily unconscious.
When the aftermath dissipated and the dust settled down, Alaricus clicked his tongue, finding the two humans unconscious. He didn't see the need to check for a pulse, figuring such a blast would leave them with one foot in death's door. "Such a waste. I would have finished my mission and earned a prospective experiment. Oh well, a surprise for the angel then." He laughed and looked over his shoulder once more at the two figures on the floor before leaving.
The house remained still in its chaos before Sera could arrive in a state of righteous fury upon hearing the news. It had reached heaven that a demon was on the loose and had targeted a house; the descriptions were vague, but upon hearing where and the details of the victims, she sped in a ray of divine force, brighter than the shadows that lurked secretly. Her instincts were on high alert, and seeing the people whom she should have been protecting on the floor shook her to the core.
"Lily! Hariel!" She went to her wife first, checking the pulse and letting out a breath to find a faint one. With magic, she healed whatever she could, but she knew Lily would be left bedridden for a while with all the bones that she broke and seared flesh that stained her skin. Sera then moved to Hariel, carefully carrying the little girl in her arms. Her face was dusted in soot, and a mark on the child's forehead glowed faintly, "...What…?" Even the angel herself was baffled at what she found. It resembled a glyph with scarring from the heat of what had happened earlier. She tried using her magic, but it only glowed, not healing. She bit her bottom lip. Sera hadn't encountered something so unnatural before. But here it was, and on her child nonetheless.
She couldn't bring her to any other angels; she'd be questioned for having an offspring with a human. And so, in a troubling resolution, she concealed it along with a pledge to have the demon that destroyed their peace pay.
Hariel woke up with a scream escaping from her throat. Sera was already there before the nightmare jolted her awake. Lily arrived a little later, bandages covering parts of her skin as she held on to crutches to move around. "I told you to stay."
"She's my daughter too." Sera rolled her eyes lightly before sitting on Hariel's bed beside her.
The sigil pulsed lightly at the angel's presence before settling just as quickly. The child whimpered, clinging tightly to her mother. The lingering memory of Alaricus felt like a nightmare too distant from her reach, yet the sight of her other mother made her realize that it was reality. Tears stricken her face, sobbing loudly, with Sera trying her best to console the young girl.
"Hush now, little angel, no one is here to hurt you…" But Hariel simply shook her head. Both parents turned towards each other, a silent conversation only they could understand, "Everything's all right, sweetheart. See? Mom's okay."
"B-But the scary mister…"
"He won't come again, do you understand? I'll make sure of it." She could only nod at her mother's words. What could she do? The man who hurt her mom had flames erupt from his hands like it was the most natural thing in the world. She couldn't even do anything when he was talking to her, too terrified to move or speak, "Rest. We'll talk again in the morning…"
Sera closed the door behind her gently once they were certain Hariel had settled in peacefully, breathing slowly and deeply, with no trace of her earlier nightmare. And when they were inside the space of their bedroom, did they talk, "We have to teach Hariel at some point, Sera. Whoever that demon worked for meant serious business."
"I know that. But teaching her would be putting her at risk even more than having her stay ignorant."
"Ignorance almost killed her."
"We don't know that—"
"I was there, Sera. I know so." Lily's words were firm, her expression a testament to it all: "That demon that called himself Alaricus wanted our daughter as part of his so-called research. Would you want that to happen?"
"Of course not!" The angel raised her voice, the anxiety, fear, and guilt of that night coming back to her in full force, "Did you think I wanted this to happen to her?! To You?!"
Silence overwhelmed them after a moment, Sera breathing hard after the outburst that she had. Lily, on the other hand, sighed, running her good hand over her hair, "Just… tell me the truth. Did you have any enemies that I do not know about?"
"We've been over this since you woke up, Lily. No. I don't have any enemies aside from the ones I told you about."
"You can't blame me. He was looking for someone, a her, specifically."
"Maybe he was after Hariel—" Lily cuts her off. It was a broken sound that left the depths of her throat like a plea.
"Don't even finish that. He didn't even know she existed until she came out of hiding. That only leaves you." Frustration oozed off Will be in waves; she couldn't deny that, couldn't refute it. And it was also her mistake to even think that someone was genuinely after her child. What kind of parents would even think that?
"...I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, with Hariel." She let out a breath, sitting down on their bed before looking up at her, "I can… accept teaching Hariel, but on the condition that we find out if she has either talent inherited from us. Or both. We can't simply teach her willy-nilly about things she might not even possess."
"And how should we find that out?"
"We could test her. Or we could let it manifest, which would take us longer than necessary. A route which I prefer, by the way."
"Time isn't something we have, Sera. What if someone comes after us again?"
"All right. We'll test her, but not now. She needs to rest after what she—both of you have been through." That, at least, was something Lily could agree to. Hariel was still young, too young. She had found out about magic and other beings when she was nine, but her daughter wasn't nine; she was six and vulnerably traumatized. "Don't worry. We'll start once you're all healed up. I also have to go back to the heavens, figure out who had ordered this Alaricus to come down and torment us. But I'll return more frequently than usual. Or at least, I'll try to be. I'll be here to protect you both."
It had been weeks, a handful of months even, since that night came and passed. Lily's wounds had healed, leaving scars where the bones had broken, and the flesh had been seared. Hariel had also turned seven; the memory of the attack still served as a bearable nightmare instead of the usual haunt. Will be kept close contact with the investigation, earning nothing but a name with no identifiable motive. At the same time, Lily's involvement was the talk of the Order of the Phoenix, one she couldn't explain to them.
She took it upon herself to teach Hariel when she thought it was the right time, focusing on simple spells she had once learned as a child. But with every try, the hidden sigil on her forehead hummed in soft light, unnoticeable in the light and barely visible in the dark. It wasn't painful, but it brought up questions neither parent had an answer to. And when it was Sera's turn to teach, the faint hum of a divine presence from within the child was undeniable.
There was no debate: Hariel was gifted in both.
"Isn't this dangerous, Sera?" Lily asked, glancing at a sleeping Hariel.
Of course it was, and the angel knew that. Will let out a breath. The solution was there: to train Hariel's abilities as best as they could. But wouldn't that put her into harm's way more? It was a headache, wanting to protect her, but at the same time, not wanting her to get involved in a far more complicated world, "If heaven found out, I don't know what they would do." Just that statement alone was enough to make them silent once more.
"What do we do then?"
"We train her, as you said. And I'll keep an open ear to anything about her." It was a temporary measure, they knew, but it was enough in the meantime.
"What about the news regarding the demon?" Lily asked.
Sera shook her head, "Still nothing. He's as slippery as the snake he is. But I'll tell you as soon as I have one, we'll make him pay." Lily could only nod her head.
And so, Hariel's free time was spent on training in magic and divine abilities under the guise of educational learning. And if future Hariel would ever take a look back, she'd have been grateful for the opportunity.
What they didn't expect, however, was the possibility of her abilities to fluctuate when puberty came. At eleven, Hariel's magic ignited in a clash with her divine abilities, and the instability caused an explosion to occur in her room, where she, fortunately, was unharmed. Lily and Sera felt even more conflicted.
"We can't train her alone anymore, Sera." She started, looking at her sternly, "We can… We can put her in Hogwarts. I can talk to the headmaster about our situation."
"Hogwarts, Lily? A-Are you serious? You're just going to separate her from us, is that it? That'll risk heaven finding out, or worse, that blasted Alaricus and whoever is behind him…!" Will be protested, wings unfurling behind her in a flutter.
"But we can't keep doing this alone… Her magic keeps on growing far more than we can handle together."
"And then what? In a place full of… full of witches and wizards that could not, would not, understand something divine. They'll see her as an outcast the moment she slips—" Lily cut her off.
"She will not slip. Not if we teach her how to control the divine part of her. And only you can help with that, Sera. We're not… This is not us giving up on her; we're simply giving her the safest option available."
Sera gritted her teeth, hands clenched into fists at the mother thought of being entirely separated from her child. But Lily was right, they wouldn't be able to handle it alone. And heaven wasn't a haven option either, "Fine. But on the condition that she comes back the moment her life is endangered there, I'll allow it."
"Thank you, Sera…" Lily pressed a tender kiss on the angel's temple.
"Just don't make me regret it, Lily."
During the course of their preparation and waiting for Hariel's letter of acceptance, they had been busy teaching her how to control her abilities just enough so that another instability wouldn't happen. And one day, a neighbor approached Lily, "Lily, dear… Come, I have something to ask."
"Elswyth, is something the matter?"
"Well, I was just curious. There was this man who came to visit you…" Elswyth started, but that had already sent chills down Lily's spine, "A good-looking man, nicely dressed, I dare say, but his eyes were a bit… unnatural. He didn't stay to chat, however."
"Is… Is that so? Thank you, Elswyth. Maybe it was just someone." Lily didn't stay for long to say her farewell as she hurried inside her home, starting Sera.
"What's going on?"
"Elswyth, the elderly neighbor from across from us, mentioned she saw a man come by to visit. Good looking, nicely dressed, and unnatural eyes." She recalled.
"Alaricus?"
"I don't know. She said he didn't give a name nor stay to chat." Lily's breath caught in her throat, trying her best to swallow the lump down, "But he knows where we live. And if he knows we're alive—."
"Lily… Lily, breathe. He won't harm you two again. We're sending her to Hogwarts, remember?"
Lily exhaled, "We have to push it forward. I'll try contacting the headmaster. You can speed up her training as much as she can handle. Just–I…" She let out a soft groan, "I don't want her to relive that nightmare, Sera."
"I know, Lily…" She glanced at the hallway, sensing and knowing the faint divinity at the corner of the wall. Sera knew their daughter was listening in. She wasn't exactly innocent anymore, slowly forming her own thoughts and beliefs, and the ability to think for herself what was right, "... We won't risk her being defenseless. Not on our watch."
The weeks leading up to the letter only felt heavier. As Sera began to stay on earth far more often, Hariel also started to train tirelessly from dawn to dusk. And every ounce of her training chalked up to emotions.
But what she only felt at that time was afraid.
Fear of the man. Fear of her mom getting hurt. And the fear of being taken away from who knows where.
But Sera was patient, even when the sigil on her forehead was throbbed from the use of magic. She let Hariel's divine magic come to light at her own place, like the rays of the sun rising from the depths of the night to warm a frosty winter. And it had been effective so far.
"Sweet angel…" She cooed, pressing her forehead against Hariel, "You did so well. Even with the pain, you push through like the strong person you are."
"Only because you and mom helped me."
"And we'll continue to help, even if you're far away in Hogwarts."
"...Will I really be okay there? What about the two of you?"
Sera kept quiet for a moment before pressing a kiss on the top of her head, "We'll be fine. We have our ways. What's important is you."
"I don't want to leave you two."
"I know, angel… But it's for the better."
The acceptance letter came by owl the last week before September. Addressed to her, Hariel showed it to them with a mix of excitement and trepidation, "Should I… open it?"
"Yes, darling." Lily nodded while Sera stayed quiet, her wings fluttering like an anxious bird.
The two watched as Sera read the letter, eyes wide as she took the words all in. She was accepted and was set to start the school year by the first of September. "It sounds so soon…"
"It does." Sera finally spoke as she handed her daughter a bracelet of protective beads, "This is connected to me. If you're ever in danger, break it."
"Are you allowed to visit?"
Lily and Sera looked at each other before the latter spoke, "Um… No, darling. But Sera could, hopefully, if she passes as an owl."
"I'll be a beautiful owl, thank you very much." A string of warm laughter answered the words.
"Will I need all the things listed here?" Lily nodded.
"You will. I'll help you get all of them. Though I hope you won't mind having hand-me-downs for some of it."
"No, no! I want those hand-me-downs! I-It'll be like you were there." Lily let out a soft, tender smile at the proclamation, wrapping Hariel in a tight embrace.
"You'll do well there, Hariel. You're our little angel, after all."
The night before she had to leave, Sera and Lily stepped outside to talk, the cold wind wisping past them like a whisper, "I don't trust them. Not you, but the witches and wizards present there. They won't be able to protect her. Humans succumb to the emotions of fear and greed."
"There won't be people like that. I trust the professors, and a friend of mine would be there to keep an eye on her for us."
"A friend?"
"Severus."
"Oh… That brooding man who had feelings for you."
"Will be!"
"What?" The angel turned to her as if what she had said was only natural, "It's true. Though I suppose it was true before. Fine, I will trust him when it comes to Hariel, but if something happens to her, I will personally hurt him."
"Nothing will happen," Lily reassured her.
"You won't know that, Lily. Hariel's not just magical. She's divine. She's mine and yours. It was impossible from the start to have both magic and divine in one vessel, but it's there. And if she loses control, what then? What if Alaricus comes in the middle of all that to take advantage?"
"Then we'll come running."
She sighed, Sera resting her head on Lily's shoulder, "...She's grown up."
"She is."
"Will she still choose us?"
"Always. She'll always come home to us."
Come morning, they stood at the waystation, Sera and Lily holding Hariel's bags for her. There were a few people by the waystation, but none paid attention to their little group. Hariel felt mixed emotions, mostly excitement and nervousness. It was her first time being alone for long periods of time, and the idea of it made her jittery. Her parents, on the other hand, were equally nervous and anxious. "Ready?" Lily asked as Hariel nodded, "Great. Now, we'll be running towards that wall over there—."
"Wait, run towards it? Not around?"
"It's magic, Sera. We'll pass through it."
"I still have doubts." Lily sighed as she grabbed both Sera's and Hariel's hands, "W-Whoa, wait! Lily!"
"No time!" Will be braced for an impact that never came when they ran through the wall, magically giving way to a travel station filled with bustling people from all over the country. Sera looked around in awe, finding such a surprising thing. In front of them were carriages lined up to take the children to the castle at the far end of the road, a speck from where they were standing.
"It's far." The angel muttered.
"It'll take at least half a day to ride. She'll be there before dinner." Lily answered before making sure Hariel was ready.
"Remember our words, darling?"
Hariel nodded, "Practice as much as I can. And if a situation becomes dangerous, I break the beads. Oh, and if something's troubling me, I tell Uncle Severus."
"Uncle?"
"Only in private settings." A whistle echoed signaling their departure, "Go. We'll send letters."
Hariel nodded, giving them one last embrace before setting off to her new life in Hogwarts.
But life in Hogwarts wasn't what she had expected. Some of the teachers—namely, her Uncle Severus—were quite strict. A few were people whom she learned to trust, while a number were ones she'd rather not associate herself with.
She also learned the feeling of friendship and of its loss—the pain of being left out and backstabbed, as well as the fluttering feeling of a crush accompanied by heartbreak. She would not have realized all these if she had stayed at home, in the protective embrace of her parents, and the safety of her house. It felt like living an everyday human life if you'd just ignore spellcasting and the game they called Quidditch on flying brooms. She would have had a perfect school life if it weren't for one crucial thing.
"Darling," She froze at the words, turning around as she looked up at the sky. There he was, in the same suit as she had remembered, with his comb-backed hair and devilish grin, "You're all grown up."
Every Hogwarts student looked at the demon in alarm, and a few professors had already drawn their wands to defend the school, "...Alaricus…" She spoke his name under her breath like a forbidden curse.
"Oh~! You remembered. Such a cute little human." He sneered, "And a very warm welcome! I truly prefer this greeting to the last one. Truly a bad experience, let me tell you."
Severus, sensing what was going on, took a step forward in front of Hariel, "And what, exactly, is a devil doing in a school of wizardry and witchcraft? Be gone at once."
Alaricus merely laughed, "Me? You should be proud, nay, jumping for joy to witness my great self!" Then his red eyes focused on her, "But if you so insist, I'll simply take that lovely little piece of research material with me and I'll be on my way—"
"You won't touch a single strand of hair from any of my students."
"Huh…" The smile on Alaricus' face vanished, replaced by a scorching heat in the air and a sharp frown on his lips, "Well, I did expect such a thing. I don't have much time, so I might as well take drastic measures."
A blast of darkened flames fell down on the grounds of Hogwarts, making the younger students panic while the few seniors and the rest of the teaching faculty took up their wands to defend themselves, "Hariel!" Severus called out, pulling her somewhere else, "Call for your mothers."
"But Uncle Severus—!"
"This is not where you take arms yet, child!" His voice boomed, airy as it always has been, "This thing is still too powerful for you. The worst that could happen would be the instability of your abilities. And at that moment, your life would be in even more danger than it is now. Do you understand?"
She couldn't refute, nodding, pulling at the bead necklace until the tie snapped, the white marbled beads falling to the ground. And in a few moments, Sera and Lily came to her side, "What's happening?"
"Mom! It's Alaricus!"
"He's here?"
Sera smirked, "Finally… I was looking for that bastard…"
"...Are you an angel or a devil in disguise?" Severus' sweat dropped before shaking his head, "Now is not the time. We have to take her somewhere else. Somewhere safe."
"I can fight!"
"And I told you there would be a time for that. Are you daft, Hariel?!" Severus snapped again.
"Hariel, angel, listen to Severus… We'll take you somewhere, okay?"
"But what about the others? My friends?" The three of them paused. Lily and Sera knew the complications of this; sending her to a school meant she formed bonds. Bonds that weren't easy to break once established, and these were made for most of her teenage life.
"Darling…" Lily held her hand, the free one brushing back Hariel's hair, "They'll be safe. We'll ensure it. But first, we need to make sure you're safe. Will that be okay?"
Hariel had no choice but to nod. She believed them, or at least, tried to. Still, she can't help but be responsible for Alaricus finding his way into Hogwarts, "Good. Let's get going then. We'll head home first, gather a few things, and then head somewhere else. Our home isn't exactly safe either."
"Lily…" Severus spoke before they left, using Sera's magic, "...Be safe."
"You too, Sev." And they were gone.
"What a hero…I wonder why you did that." Alaricus spoke from behind Severus.
"None of your business."
Appearing inside their home, Lily and Sera hurried to pack whatever they needed. Hariel, on the other hand, looked out the window. The skies were darkened with black clouds, as thunder and lightning decorated it with impending thoughts of rain. The sigil on her forehead throbbed lightly, not enough to cause pain, but just enough to tell her that something in the distance was filled with potent magic.
"Hariel!" Lily's voice caught her ears as she turned her way. She didn't understand the expression her mother showed. She furrowed her eyebrows, lips opening to ask but the words wouldn't leave her throat just yet.
"Why? What's going on—Hariel…!" Even Sera spoke in the same worried tone, hurrying to her side.
And that was when she felt it, the warm trickle on her face that made her dab her fingers on her nose. The pads were coated in red; blood had dripped from her nose, and she didn't know how that had happened.
Was it from Alaricus showing up? Or the move from Hogwarts to her home? Or perhaps, it was the thing her sigil felt, the being whose magic could be felt from where she was. She didn't know anymore as her vision blurred and hazed, the only thing that left her lips before all went black was:
"Oh."