Choices || Harry Potter [HP X PJO]

t h i r t e e n

I wasn't turning evil, or at least, I hoped I wasn't. But I turned colder, completely enraptured with the collection of books. If I wasn't in class, I was in the library or the room of requirements, reading or practicing the (not evil) spells.

"Serpens Pluma!" I cried, pointing my wand at myself as a dark green light hit me in the chest as the change started to overcome my body, my canines lengthening into fangs, my tongue becoming longer and forked, green scales covering my wrists and back and neck as I started to shift to have semi-snake features.

Satisfied with the result, I cast the counter-charm on myself, feeling my body turn back human when the door opened and I glanced up, shoving the books into my bag when I saw who else but Hermione Granger.

"Hermione!" I exclaimed, surprised. I didn't even notice how I didn't call her 'Mione' like I used to. 

She frowned at me suspiciously. "What's going on with you, Scorpia? You're distant, now, you don't talk to us anymore and when you do, you're cold and always rushing to leave."

"It's nothing!" I protested, trying to hide my bag from her view, but it was too late as her eyes narrowed and she tore the bag towards her.

She eyed me with even more suspicion before as she pulled out one of the books, scanning through it with wide eyes before looking back at me. "Scorpia, what are you doing?" She breathed. "I mean, these spells... they're evil, darker than dark magic."

"Not all of them!" I protested. "And I'm not learning the evil ones, just the really old ones that can be helpful!" 

"Where did you find these? You have to put them back! Who owned these?"

"I found them in the library! It was Regulus Black who owned them, and I'm not going to put them back! I may not use the evil spells, but someone might if they land in the wrong hands!"

Hermione's voice lowered to a dangerous whisper. "And what... what makes you think that yours aren't the wrong hands?"

I stared at her in shock. "Because, well, I," I spluttered. Then I knew. "Because I've seen more than anyone here. In the Wizarding world, it seems like it's only black and white, but I know, I know that it's gray. Almost everything is gray, and I know that. I've seen it firsthand, but I know the difference between gray and black, and when no one knows there is a gray, no one else knows the difference. That's what makes me think that mine aren't the wrong hands. That's how."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue back, then paused, considering. "I can see I'm not going to win this, but please, Scorpia, come back to us. Be yourself again, please."

I nodded, faking a smile. "Alright, Hermione. You want to go to dinner?"

Hermione smiled, pleased, but inside my head, I thought, How can I be myself if I don't know who I am?

True to my word, I did hang out with my friends more. When I couldn't smile I smiled the widest, when I couldn't laugh I laughed harder than anyone else, when I couldn't be happy I seemed happier than everyone. I was faking it, it was all fake yet no one noticed

As sad as it was, the only time I felt truly at peace, maybe not happy, but content, was when I was ready, immersing myself in knowledge, learning how to protect myself further as I learned the most ancient and efficient defensive spells, the most useful charms, and, of course, I started to learn how to be a animagus. 

The mandrake leaf seemed soft on the roof of my mouth, it's soft hairs flattened down, hidden by a disillusion charm and kept in place with a sticking charm, both which worked to perfection. The juices seemed to seep out the longer it stayed, bitter on my mouth and drying my saliva, but I knew that, in the end, it would be worth it. Even if I was something as small as a mouse, it would give me an advantage over others in either escaping or fighting or even just as a confusion factor.

It had almost been a month since Hermione had confronted me, and I was sat in the Room of Requirements, curled on a ball on a plush navy couch, a blanket thrown over me with my head resting over my arm, which was thrown across the top of the couch as my eyes settled on a spell.

Verum Identitatem Revelantis

True Identity Reveler. 

I frowned, puzzled. What was that supposed to do? A part of me whispered, Maybe it will tell me who I really am, that way I'm not so lost.

And sure enough, as I read the description, that was exactly what it was.

This spell is found extremely useful for teenagers who find themselves extremely lost, can be used by therapists and social workers. Slowly, over the course of a month, the person with the spell cast on them will know exactly who they are and be confident of themselves, finally at peace.

To cast this spell, point your wand at whoever the spell is to be used on, flick your wrist up then in a circle then to the left and say the incantation while imagining the person confident and sure of themselves.

I stared at the page, dumbfounded. Would it work? Why didn't people know of it? Well, I mused. There's no harm in trying, right?

And so I took a deep breath and tilted my wand towards my chest, imagining myself smiling and walking down the halls with my head held high. Doing the proper hand motions, I shouted, "Verum Identitatem Revelantis!"

I watched, eyes wide, as a dark purple beam shot towards me, and I slammed back into the wall. As my body crumpled into a heap, a sense of foreboding washed over me as my vision flickered, than an icy coldness encased my body and my vision frosted over.

I wasn't really sure what I was doing. I was in my body, I could feel and see and hear just fine, but when I strained to move an arm, to speak what I wanted, I found myself stuck, unable to make my body bend to my own will.

Maybe this is how the spell is supposed to work? I thought hopefully, but I then I knew. I knew that was how the spell was designed, I knew why no one knew of it anymore.

Because it wasn't a spell to find your true self. I had been foolish and hopeful and naive, my own foolish insecurities catching up to me.

Because it was dark magic, it was controlling my body.

And then words, dripping and glimmering and purple, floated into my vision.

Foolish girl, it read. I see you finally understand. I am a spirit, a spirit of darkness, and this spell that you cast upon yourself has gifted your biggest enemy control over your body as your two souls share it, your enemy's control much stronger than your own. My spell is impossible to break, designed so that I, too, share your body, letting me live once again. 

And

I

Couldn't

Move.

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A/N:

Sorry, really short and kind of cliche... but I'm adding a twist! This will also help tie in PJO, too, because her greatest enemy is Kronos... :)

Anyways, chapter fourteen will be out next friday!