The Empress of Magic

Chapter 28 : Old and New Scars......

,, Miss Grindelwald-Lestrange!!" Celestia turned her head at the sound of someone calling out her name, coming face to face with a flabbergasted Professor McGonagall, a worried-looking Professor Sprout, a shocked yet impressed-looking Professor Flitwick, and a very annoyed Professor Snape.

, .... Wonderful .....' thought the half-Veela, her eyebrow twitching as she resisted the urge to massage the bride of her nose. , ... I can feel a migraine coming......'

,, Good Merlin....... What happened to you!?" asked Professor Sprout immediately rushing forward, and checking the girl for Injuries, her hands trembling as she made contact with the scarred skin of the young Ravenclaw's arm.

Her eyes followed the lines of marred skin, her throat turning drier by the second the bigger and more obvious the marks started to become.

They looked like they belonged to someone who had tried to defend themselves from being whipped across the face by shielding themselves with their arms and hands rapidly.....

, ..... Oh, sweet Helga.........' thought the Head of Hufflepuff trying to hold back tears as she pressed a cloth on the scratches visible and still oozing blood. , .... What have we let happen to this child.....'

,, My back." she snapped her head towards Celestia upon hearing her speak, the half-Veela's eyes not meeting her own and simply continuing to gaze at the Nymphs furiously complaining to Professors Snape and Flitwick. ,, One of the Acromantulas managed to sneak up behind me and slashed me across my back. I do not know how bad it is, but it is probably the largest wound I gained....."

Upon hearing this the elder witch quickly repositioned herself to take a closer look at the girl's back, bile threatening to spill from her mouth as she was greeted by the sight of torn flesh and muscle....

Blood, a mixture of ruby red and dark maroon was steadily drenching the last remaining pieces of her nightgown and making it stick to the skin of her back and the wound itself.

, .... The fabric has already begun to dry up and is clinging to the wound....' noted the Head of Hufflepuff, carefully tugging some of it free and letting those that would require greater amounts of force remain as they were. , ..... tugging it free with force will only cause further pain......'

How the Ravenclaw had not fainted as of yet or convulsed from the amount of pain she probably was in, she did not know, but she needed to be seen by a Healer, very quickly at that.

,, Miss Grindelwald-Lestrange, I believed you out of all students to behave accordingly and not wander out on your own in the middle of the night at such dangerous times! What in Godric Gryffindors' name were you thinking, doing something so ignorant!" chastised Professor McGonagall. Fenris, who did not appreciate her tone of voice began growling loudly at her, protectively circling Celestia and Professor Sprout, and flashing his teeth at the witch.

Flesh and blood still coated his muzzle and hung between his teeth, making him appear more like the dangerous beast he was than the wolf beloved by most of Hogwarts' population.

Before the half-Veela could muster up a reply or even think about what she was going to say Professor McGonagall turned to Professor Flitwick. ,, I've told you time and time again Filius, to keep a good watch on your students, especially Miss Grindelwald! You know better than anyone else who her parents-"

That had been the wrong thing to say, the anger and rage that had simmered down since the fight with the Acromantulas, boiling over and making her lash out.

,, Will you for once in your life keep silent and listen to a student, before growing assumptions? For the Love of Rowena, you may have not noticed it yourself but there are other priorities right now than keeping up that damned House rivalry and hatred against my parents!" Celestia's aura flared out, the power it held in itself making the elder witch fall to her knees in a mixture of fear and alarm.