𝙈𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙤𝙪𝙨 ✍︎︎ 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙅𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙋𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

|𝗔 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗔 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱|

The frigid night air felt wonderful against Mariana's skin as she stepped out of the small opening of the tunnels. She sucked in a breath of air and closed her eyes as she exhaled.

It was then she realized she was absolutely, completely, undeniably exhausted.

She glanced around. Everyone was occupied and distracted. So, without hesitation, Mariana rounded a corner and searched for a secluded, private spot. She spotted a smooth stone and almost smiled in relief.

The brunette pressed her back against the stone and slowly slid down to a sitting position, her legs propped up and hands circling them.

Mariana looked up at the sky and began to count the stars and search for familiar constellations.

"See it? The little dipper." The voice of Remus Lupin chimed as he took a seat beside his student.

Mariana nodded and averted her attention to her professor. No, her friend. Better yet, her confidant. For the last few weeks, she had been leaning on him for help and his expert advisory. Without realizing it, Remus Lupin had became one of the most important people in her life.

"Werewolf, huh?" Mariana asked, tilting her head.

Remus cleared his throat and awkwardly shuffled his feet. "It's not something I'm particularly proud of. People talk about it like it's a gift, an achievement. Something one should be...happy to have. I know first hand, it's the worst kind of thing to be bestowed on a person."

Mariana placed her hand on Remus's shoulder in a comforting manner. "I'm sorry, Remus."

"Yeah, me too."

"You know, when I was younger, I used to pretend I was a mermaid. That was before I realized that they were banished to the water forever. People are quick to call others lucky before they actually know the good and the bad. I understand it must be exhausting for people to not understand." Mariana said.

"There is no good side of being a werewolf." Remus said harshly.

An awkward tension filled the air.

"Sorry. I'm just not...feeling the best tonight." Remus explained.

Mariana picked up a pebble and twisted it between her fingers. Amongst everything, she still had something very important to ask Remus. A question she'd been avoiding for far too long. "Remus, did James Potter kill Aunt Clementine?"

An eery silence filled the air. Mariana flinched, knowing she had asked the wrong question. However, she didn't feel bad for asking, not in the slightest. She deserved answers. "I know it's a big question but I really need...Remus?"

As Mariana looked up, Remus Lupin was no longer standing there. It was a horrifying, hideous creature. One who had it's hungry eyes set right on her.

A low growl rippled through the air.

Mariana scooted backwards in fear, her eyes tear-filled and shocked. There was no one to help her. If she screamed, it would only encourage the great beast to devour her from the inside out.

The animal got on all fours and inched closer to the Ravenclaw. Once it's face was centimeters away, it sniffed the air around her and snarled, showing a row of teeth so sharp it could penetrate just about anything.

Mariana's breath caught in her throat in fear. She willed that power that had so effortlessly knocked the tree down at the Black Lake and provided her safety from the Whomping Willow to come, but it remained buried deep within her.

A single, hot tear rolled slowly down her cheek. This was the end. Mariana Rosewood would die. She would die with no legacy. She would die with no love. She would not die a legend, a hero. She would simply die.