DESOLATION; hp universe

Chapter 3: whispering lunatics

The brilliant sky was a brilliant blend of vibrant hues; fiery oranges, deep reds, and soft purples as it faded into darkness. The dying sun disappeared behind the shoreline as the moon rose with a serene breeze. A man limped against the rocks, fighting against the harsh winds as his cane dragged fruitlessly against the dark edges of earth, which were damp from the oncoming waves; sleek and slippery with every step.

His face twisted into a nasty scowl; resentment and a lingering bitterness decaying any joyous feeling his dampening heart may have once felt. He was once a man who ruled everything, destroying anything he saw fit with a polished hand and yet, he was trekking through the land with the same enthusiasm as a man who held nothing to his name.

He had become nothing.

How could it have occurred? He'd built a fortress of supremacy, taught children what they could be if they just let go of the ridiculous rules anchoring their abilities. How had he become such- such disgrace?! His forearm burned with a peril warning and he grit his teeth, almost baring his bloodied teeth to the darkness.

Soon, it wouldn't matter, he placated.

Throwing the cane hazardously, he ignored the sharp pains digging at his knees as he dropped down. An almost delirious laugh escaping his mouth, deep and husky, laced with insanity that thrummed against his vocal cords violently. His hands shook as he dug into the lifeless ground, grinning wolfishly when his knuckles hit the hardened exterior of the very thing he had been looking for.

It would be okay. He'd build it all from the ground once more. And this time, he'd make sure nobody would be able to destroy the family he worked so hard for.

~ ~

A murderer on the loose was the least of her problems. Katerina stood in the corner of the library, the lack of light providing an exemplary refuge from the prying eyes of the inhabitants of hogwarts. The children grappled at any glimpse of gossip, eating the information like a maggot would to a rotting corpse. They preened at the praise, finding some comical amusement from making people twitch under their unforgiving gazes.

If she were a lesser girl, she'd rebuke with a snarky comment. Eyeing the poster hung onto a dusty wooden shelf, her eyes narrowed. Sirius black, in short, appeared to have lost his mind to the hands of dementors, bloodshot eyes widened with a maniacal expression, his hands shook as if he were fighting the very urge to jump out the portrait. She hummed, twelve long years would do that to you she supposed, with no lingering joy nor amusement in the dampening cell, there was no doubt his heart would be weighed down by sorrowful thoughts.

What he must be thinking escaping the prison was beyond her; then again, she had no room for thoughts regarding someone she had no link to.

A shiver erupted from the base of her spine, blue eyes snapping to the green ones of Harry Potter. Narrowing briefly, she glanced away. The boy and his two friends had been keenly observing the two from Istrolsiara with a certain cautious curiosity that made her skin crawl with minor revulsion. What had they found so enthralling?

If Alieus was with her, he'd- with no doubt- whisper some nonsense along the lines of, 'My beauty is simply that enchanting.'

But really, what had the three been looking for? If it were any link to the desolate past of the two, they'd have trouble finding it, her lips twitched. They'd destroyed every piece of evidence regarding their existence prior to Hogwarts, almost building new personas to throw anybody with too much.. interest off of their backs. Regarding their scents, they made sure no creatures of any kind would be able to find them, a spell of sorts, cloaking their abilities to both the normal eye and the eyes of hungry beasts.