Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

September 1st

“Anything from the trolley, dearies?”

“Oh! One of everything please!”

For the first time in her life, Kainé found the Hogwarts Express relaxing. She was in a cabin with Nier, Yonah, and Emil. Her friends. It felt weird to say, this time last year she was in a car by herself because everyone refused to stay with her. Now, the compartment was filled with life. Yonah was playing I, Spy with Nier and Emil, while Weiss was doing everything in his power to bore her.

They split up Emil’s candy purchase among them, giving Kainé the chance to try most of the sweets for the first time. She really liked the Dragon Claws, and she discovered Chocolate frogs are easy to control when you stab them in the chest right away.

"So… how does it feel to be Seventh year?" Emil asked through a stuffed mouth. It was a valid question, one Kainé hadn't really considered. She'd spent years waiting to leave. Did she still want to?

"It's surreal. I'm going to miss seeing Yonah every day. That's been the best part." Nier replied. Right, he was a Seventh year too. 

"Yeah, I'm ready to leave this shithole." Kainé said after a pause. She stared out the window, avoiding their gaze. Emil took a beat before steering the conversation elsewhere, but Kainé zoned out. Did she really mean it? Sure she hated Hogwarts, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to leave anymore.

---

Kainé never realized how much the Welcoming Feast sucked. It was, alongside the Closing Feast, the only time everyone was required to stay with their houses. Since Emil and Yonah were Ravenclaws, and Nier was a Hufflepuff, Kainé was alone at the Gryffindor table. Like she had been the past six years. But this time it was different.

The Headmaster droned on and on as he always did, rambling about dumb shit for the first years. Just to make sure none of them die. Not like Kainé followed any of the rules anyway. The end of his speech was different this year, though.

"We are pleased to announce the return of the Triwizard Tournament." Cheers erupted from most tables, and a buzz of excitement descended upon the Great Hall. Kainé's wizard father died when she was little, and didn't know much about the Wizarding world because of it. She thought she'd learned basically all there was to know over her six years, but clearly there were still gaps in her knowledge.

"Hey, book" Kainé called to Weiss, still floating next to her in the Great Hall. "What's this tournament thing?"

"You seriously don't know, hussy?" Weiss replied. He got a stare from Kainé, and he sighed. "Every few years Hogwarts joins a tournament with two other schools. Each school chooses a champion and they compete in three challenges, for glory and honor. There is also a lavish ball worthy of the highest of society."

"Eh, sounds lame." Kainé dismissed it with a wave of a hand. She didn’t have any connection to this wizard crap, if it wouldn’t affect her or her friends, why should she care? 

---

October 8th

“Doesn’t get much better than this, does it?” Nier asked.

Kainé sat at the dock of Black Lake with Nier, Yonah, Emil, and Weiss. Nier was fishing to little success, while Kainé just kept her feet in the water. Yonah and Emil were on the other side of the dock, discussing homework. Where weekends last year were filled with brawls and bullying, this year, it apparently was for spending time with her friends.

“I suppose it doesn’t, even if you suck ass at fishing.”

“Hey, I’ll catch one eventually.” Nier protested.

“You’ve said that every weekend.” Kainé said with a laugh.

“And one weekend, it will be true!”

Just then, they heard yelling from the shore of the lake. A young, young girl, was crying out in an inhuman wail, while bullies - Slytherins - stood around her. Go figure. Before Nier could say anything, Kainé was sprinting over there to stop the fight.

The girl in question was small, with long black hair, a white bow, Slytherin robes, and a bright red bag around her shoulder.

“Get the fuck off of her!” Kainé yelled, punching the lead bully in the face, who had pinned the girl down. The bully just smiled, got up, and spat blood out of his mouth.

“That’s quite the right hook you got there, Sunshine. Have we met before?” He sneered at her. Kainé’s eyes went wide, as the face became familiar.

“Wait a second! You’re-”

“Haha! I remember now, Sunshine! Time to make your life a living hell again!” The bully swung back at her, getting one good hit near her eye. Blood quickly started to blur her vision, but she didn’t let it stop her. She countered his next punch, and got in a few more hits before he fell to the ground. She stood over him for a second, before she knew it, she was hit by a “Stupify” and fell back. The bully scurried away, cackling all the while. Nier and the others arrived as Kainé stood back up.

“Even with a year more of life and experience, you still choose to be a brute, don’t you hussy?” Weiss mused.

“Shut it book. A girl was in trouble.” She said, taking the hand Nier offered to get up, and made her way to the girl. She was still on the ground, shaking in fear. “You alright?”

The girl whimpered, not truly replying. Yonah walked over to the girl, they must have been about the same height.

“What’s your name?” Yonah asked, in her gentlest voice. The girl seemed reluctant at first, but Yonah reached out for her hand, and the girl let her take it. After a moment, she opened her mouth, but no words came out, just noise. She slowly reached into her bag, got out a pen and paper, and wrote a single word: Louise.

“That’s a really pretty name!” Emil declared, hunched down near Yonah. “It’s nice to meet you Louise.”

Louise stood up, bowed as a thank you. She looked conflicted for a second, then scurried off, looking embarrassed. Kainé punched the ground in frustration, slowly regaining motor functions.

“Damn it, I can’t believe it was the same bastard as before.”

“What are you talking about?” Nier asked.

“So last year, before we met, my fights with the Slytherins all started when that bastard grabbed my ass in the Great Hall. I practically tore his nose off as retaliation, and it's how I became the enemy of the Slytherins.” Nier stood there, pondering. Yonah gave Kainé a small hug, which she returned.

“I had a class with that guy, I think his name was Tyrann? He really is the worst, I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

“Whatever. Not my problem anyway. Just blows that it’s someone else’s.” Kainé spat out the blood that had made its way to her mouth. 

---

October 30th

It was finally time for the grand feast in the Great Hall celebrating Beauxbatons and Durmstrang’s arrival. All that meant to Kainé was that she got to skip Potions for the day. To accommodate for the two extra schools, despite being a formal feast, Kainé was able to squeeze in with her friends, who all joined her in her far corner of the Gryffindor table. The first course was served before either school arrived, causing a cloud to hang over the night. Everyone was fidgety, waiting for these new schools.

"What do you think the other schools will be like?" Emil asked. Yonah instantly beamed with excitement at the question.

"I don't know! I've never met someone from outside England before." Yonah replied.

"Yonah, I'm sure you'll make friends with one of them." Nier said, patting her head softly.

"You think?" Yonah replied excitedly.

Midway through the feast, just as tensions began to rise, the doors burst open,and women dressed in long, elegant blue coats and hats stormed through the door. 

“It’s Beauxbatons!” Yonah yelled with excitement.

“The hell is ‘Bow-bat-ons?’” Kainé asked with a hint of disdain.

“It’s an all girls school in France, hussy.” Weiss replied. “One of the highest regarded schools all around the world. You would do well to know about other schools.”

“Why would I do that? They’d just hate me too.”

A group of five girls lead the class, with a short, platinum blonde girl at the head, with almost red eyes. Behind them was a tall and beautiful girl, who looked as standoff-ish as Kainé herself, with an eyepatch covering an eye. Kainé could tell something was up with her. But what.

"The fuck's their deal?" Kainé blurted out, which got a look from Nier.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Something's up with those five girls in the front. Look like a bunch of assholes."

"Now that you say it, yeah. They seem scary.” Nier shivered slightly.

“Kainé? Do you not like The Intoners?” Yonah perked up, meekly.

“Who are ‘The Intoners’?” Since it was directed at Yonah, Kainé found herself holding back a curse word.

“They’re a magical girl group! I love their records, they have such pretty voices. I can’t believe they’re Beauxbatons students!”

“Oh right, I have seen their pictures.” Nier realized. “Maybe you’ll be friends with them, Yonah!” Yonah gasped.

“Do you think I could be?” Yonah asked, eyes sparkling.

“Of course you can.” Nier said, patting her on the shoulder.

At the very end of the line followed two girls who almost looked like sisters, taller than the first group of five, with white hair, and even matching beauty marks on their faces. All in all, it was an intimidating group, most of them just reminded Kainé of her bullies. The ladies of Beauxbatons put on a little show, dancing up and down the aisles, and took their seats at one end of the hall. 

Not soon after, the other school, Durmstrang, stormed into the Great Hall. They were less theatrical, more serious. Kainé figured it's what happens when you get a bunch of dicks all in a school together. One kid grabbed everyone’s attention, including Nier’s. He was tall, with stringy black hair, and sullen eyes, baring into everyone’s souls.

“Holy crap, that’s Caim!” Nier shouted after a gasp, grabbing Kainé’s shoulders.

“Who the hell is Caim?” She asked, rolling her eyes.

“He’s only the starting Seeker on the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! He’s a legend. I didn’t realize he went to school at Durmstrang!” Nier kept a dumb smile on his face after finishing his sentence.

“Huh, sounds like a real fuckboy.”

“And over there, that’s his Beater Nowe, his chief supporter on the pitch. I can’t believe they’re both here!”

The only one Kainé really noticed was a small boy with white hair, he presented young but she had a feeling he was older than he seemed. His eyes darted back and forth, taking in everything he could see. He had a smile on, but she had a feeling it was fake.

After they took their seats, the headmaster unveiled the Goblet of Fire, an impressive, well, goblet. With fire in it. Apparently any student interested would put their names in the goblet, and it would be selected for them. Great, even entering would be done in public.

---

October 31st

"Come on Kainé, you should enter! It'll be fun." Nier had been egging Kainé on pretty much nonstop since the night before. They were sitting in the library, technically studying for their NEWTs, but within a few minutes the conversation dovetailed to this.

"Bullshit. Nothing at this school is any fun."

"Am I not fun?" Nier asked, a little wounded.

"Nope." Kainé replied bluntly. Nier chuckled a bit, taking her reply in stride.

"Let me try this. Kainé, you're a total badass. You've beaten me in a duel more times than I can count. I think if you showed your competitive side here, people might like you more."

“Look, Nier, I appreciate it, but you know that’s a load of shit. Everyone’s just going to be a dick to me whether I win or lose. No point in sticking my neck out there just to have everyone shit on me. Damned if I do, damned if I don’t. So I just won’t.” Nier sighed, he seemed unhappy with her answer, but he didn’t press it. He never did, she realized.

---

That night, the students from all three schools gathered for the Halloween feast, but everyone was abuzz about the Goblet of Fire. It had closed an hour earlier, and Kainé could hear every student discussing who they thought it was going to be. She barely knew the names of her own classmates, let alone from other schools. Hell if she knew who was going to get chosen. Kainé settled into the very back corner of the Great Hall, with Nier to her side, and Emil and Yonah across from her. Kainé watched as Beauxbatons and Durmstrang filed into their tables, normally occupied by Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Caim sat at the front of his table, with Rowe flanking him. Most of the Durmstrang boys crowded towards him. Occasionally a girl from Hogwarts or Beauxbatons would approach him, he’d sign whatever they had, then ignore them.

At the Beauxbatons table, the five assholes - The Intoners, apparently - sat at the very front as well, with the leader lookin’ girl grabbing a chair just to sit at the actual head. The eyepatched girl sat not far from them, with a dark haired nerd in pigtails sitting across from her. The two other white haired girls sat further back, with the long haired one of the pair taking the mirror of Kainé’s spot, back to the far wall.

Just like every Halloween, the food was incredible. Lavish sweets and drinks adorned the Great Hall, with pumpkins and bats replacing the usual candles. It was usually Kainé’s favorite night just because of the darkness, but now sharing food with her friends, she realized it had other merits too.

After the first course of dinner, the Headmaster stood up, and clinked his glass, getting everyone’s attention.

“Students! There is no need to further delay. Let us find out who will represent each school at the Triwizard Tournament!” He moved towards the Goblet, and put his wand to it. “First, the representative from Beauxbatons!” 

A flame burst from the top of the goblet. A single piece of parchment flew out of it, did a lap around the front of the Hall, before falling into the Headmaster’s hand.

“Representing Beauxbatons will be: Zero!”

The Beauxbatons girls all turned towards one girl in the middle of the table. The one with an eyepatch. She - Zero - barely acknowledged the feat, mostly turning away from the Intoners, who were staring daggers at her.

“And now, the representative from Durmstrang.” The same process repeated, and the Headmaster once again caught the flaming piece of parchment. “The representative is: 9S!”

The squirrely boy Kainé noticed stood up, giving a little wave. Nier seemed devastated, almost in tears as he stared at Caim from across the way. Caim seemed angry too, slamming his fist and storming out of the Great Hall.

“Finally, our own representative from Hogwarts.” Goblet, flame, parchment. Kainé barely could focus on anything though, once she heard the Headmaster say: “Kainé.”

“Kainé? What’s he talking about?” Nier asked with a dumbfounded, almost disappointed look.

“The hell do I know! I didn’t put my fucking name in!” She yelled at all her friends.

“I… I think they want you to stand, Kainé.” Emil offered weakly. She did, reluctantly. She could hear boos from the Slytherins, and mostly confused noises from everyone else.

"Everyone, cheer for our three champions!"

 Kainé nearly fainted.

Chapter Text

"There’s gotta be some mistake! I’m not doing your fucking tournament!”

Zero, 9S, and Kainé were taken to the Headmaster’s office after the results were in. Weiss was there too, though technically uninvited. His office was exactly as Kainé had imagined, with books going up multiple stories, and a boring desk with a fireplace behind it.

“Kainé, I apologize, but regardless of the reason, your name was chosen. You were selected by the Goblet of Fire. We can’t overwrite something like that.”

“As I recall, a person is only allowed to put their own name in the Goblet, correct?” Weiss interjected. The Headmaster was shocked for a half second, seemingly forgetting Weiss was in the room, but quickly adjusted.

“That is true, yes. So that means you must have put it in. Perhaps you were sleepwalking?” The Headmaster offered.

“We both know I didn’t do that, asshole.”

“Then it must have been dark magic.” Weiss hypothesized.

“No matter the cause, it remains that you are not allowed to remove yourself from the tournament.” The Headmaster sternly replied. “You must compete, Kainé.” She growled but said nothing. The Headmaster turned his attention to Zero and 9S as well. “The first challenge will be on November 26th, and per games tradition, will remain unknown to the players until the day of the event. Thank you, all three of the champions.” Kainé stormed out as quickly as she could. Once in the hallway, she heard a voice call out to her. She turned around to see 9S hustling up to her.

“What do you want?” Kainé asked.

“Well Ma’am, I just… um, I wanted to tell you… I believe you.” 9S stammered out. His voice was soft and calm, he seemed… ugh. Nice.

“Whatever. Thanks.” Kainé sighed, and kept walking. “And don’t call me Ma’am!” She shouted after a moment.

---

November 1st

“So you’re going through with it?” Nier asked at breakfast the next day. Kainé was acutely aware of every student staring daggers at her, not just from Hogwarts either.

“I don’t think I have a choice.” was all she could say.

“What are the other contestants like?” Emil asked.

“I don’t think that Zero girl said a word the entire time she was there. 9S was a chipper little shit, but I guess he’s fine.”

“Hopefully at least one will be your friend!” Yonah offered excitedly.

“Sure.”

---

Kainé was grateful that she still had flying practice with Nier, she needed any sense of normalcy after the last twenty four hours. She felt like she had improved her flying since last year, she could at least stay off the ground indefinitely. Directing it… a different story. 

Kainé always loved practicing on the training grounds, as it was usually empty. And that was true for the first half hour or so, until two Beauxbatons girls walked in, the two stern white haired girls she had noticed before, brooms in hand. One of them, the taller one in a bob, noticed Kainé and Nier first, as Kainé laid on the ground recovering after her most recent fall.

“I apologize. I had no intention of intruding on your session.” Her voice was flat and to the point, but not harsh. Before Kainé could reply, Nier spoke up.

“It’s no problem! Kainé and I are happy to share the skies.” Nier smiled at her, and the short haired girl gave the faint impression of a smile in return. The longer haired girl just stared at them before speaking.

“You’re the champion, right?” She curtly asked Kainé.

“Yeah, what of it?” Kainé and the girl gave a stare for a while, neither breaking eye contact. Finally, the other girl relented.

“It’s nothing.”

“What’s your name?” Nier asked, trying to break whatever just happened.

“I am 2B, and my sister is A2.” The short haired girl, 2B, replied. “A2 is on the Beauxbatons Quidditch team, so I agreed to help her stay focused during our year away.”

“Oh, you play Quidditch?” Nier asked A2. “What position?”

“I’m a Chaser.” A2 said aloofly.

“The best one in all of France.” 2B added with pride.

“Do you play?” A2 replied.

“I used to, I was a pretty good Keeper, before a Bludger blew out my knee, couldn’t fly for a year. Stepped down after that, that was… three years ago?”

Kainé couldn’t believe it. He had never told her that story before, and he tells it when meeting these random girls?

“I’ll have to see if I can score on you sometime. If you really are that good.” A2 said. Was this bitch flirting?

Nier ended up playing pick up Quidditch with the two girls, while Kainé tried to join in. Nier didn’t stop A2 once, and A2 and 2B agreed to come back the next week for a rematch.

—-

November 3rd

She had only been a champion for a few days, but already Kainé was sick of it. Everyone stared at her, paid attention to her, and jeered at her. She spent so long trying to avoid attention at Hogwarts, and had almost gotten it too… but then this came along. She quickly found herself even avoiding the Gryffindor dorm, and took to hiding the grassy knoll outside the Owlery, where at least people were too busy with their tasks to give her shit. She was in the middle of a half nap, half study session with just Weiss when 9S approached her.

“Hey, Kainé.” 9S seemed calm as usual, which bugged Kainé for reasons she couldn’t understand.

“What do you want?” She grumbled, sitting up and closing her copy of Advanced Potion Making that was her makeshift sleep mask.

“So I already talked to Zero… but I was wondering, could the three of us eat together tonight? Get to know each other a little better?” 9S pleaded.

“Why do you want to do that?” Kainé squinted up towards him, still not fully awake.

“I… just thought it’d be nice.” 9S said with a smile. Kainé sighed. She didn’t have a good reason to say no.

“Fine, I guess.” She said reluctantly. 9S lit up.

“That’s great! Zero said the same thing! I’ll see you tonight.” 9S smiled and hurriedly ran off, as quickly as he appeared. Kainé went back to napping.

---

9S’ big dinner plans ended up just being in a classroom on the first floor of Hogwarts. Kainé arrived last, to see 9S and Zero sitting around a long wooden table, with a meal prepared of heavy meat, potatoes, and other substantial foods. Probably all they ate at Durmstrang, Kainé figured. This was the first time Kainé saw either in a casual setting. 9S wore black pants and a black long sleeve, contrasting his white hair. Although his hair was short, it still hung shaggy, covering his eyes, making them hard to see. Zero, meanwhile, was in a flowing white top, gently hanging on her shoulders. She paired it with a white skirt, all of which just made her eyepatch stand out even more. When Kainé arrived, Zero was already eating, while 9S had a plate full, just sitting there waiting.

“Kainé! You’re here.” 9S said, with a smile on his face. He stood up, and motioned to the chair next to him. Zero didn’t even look up as Kainé sat down.

“So, what do you want, 9S?” Kainé asked before even eating.

“Well, I just thought before we became rivals, we should get to know each other a little better!” 9S said between chuckles. Zero and Kainé both looked doubtful, but neither chose to bite.

“I don’t know what you would like to know. Most of my life is out in public, after all.” Zero broke the silence. Her voice was higher than Kainé expected, a pitch above her own growls. Her voice was direct, even level. Kainé looked over at 9S, to see if he knew what she meant, he just shook his head.

“I’m sorry ma’am, I’m a Muggle born. If it’s about the magical world, I probably never saw it.” 9S shook his head apologetically.

“Are you Muggle born as well, Kainé?” Zero asked.

“Nah, but I may as well be.” The other two looked at her as if she was meant to expand on it, but she refused. “Look, I don’t really care if you tell us your deal or not.”

“You will learn all about it soon enough, I am sure of that.” Zero said ominously, and almost threateningly. Kainé finally took a bite of her meat after talking. It was good. Nowhere near Nier’s dad’s cooking, but better than what she was used to at Hogwarts. She really had to learn to cook someday. 9S chuckled a little, clearly trying to break the tension a little.

“It’s just really nice to meet another Muggle born kid. There aren’t really any at Durmstrang, and it makes me feel really weird. Like I try to talk about computers with them, I'm really good at modifying them, and they just go stone faced!” 9S got animated for a second, his eyes lighting up, only to be met with Kainé’s stone faced response.

“Yeah I never cared for that shit.” 9S deflated a little, once again left with a dead end conversation.

“So what did you really want us here for?” Zero asked, after a moment of silence. 9S seemed caught off guard for a second, but then straightened up and focused.

“There is something I have to tell you.” 9S paused. “I know what the first challenge is.” Zero looked shocked, Kainé just felt confused.

“How? How the hell do you know?” Zero insisted, equal parts disbelieving and forceful. Kainé wasn’t sure if this was the first time she’d heard someone besides her curse here.

“Why the fuck would you tell us?” Kainé added.

“Look, my headmaster told me what it was. He discovered it last night, and told me right away. I could have kept it secret, but it felt… wrong. To know and you guys not, okay? So I decided, it's my olive branch to both of you.” Zero and Kainé once again looked doubtful, but allowed it.

“So what is it?” was all Zero said.

“The first challenge is dragons. There’s one for each of us. We have to steal something from them before time runs out. We can’t bring in anything except for our wands, so I don’t know… maybe we could brainstorm together?”

“Dragons exist?” Kainé mumbled to herself, hoping no one noticed. Zero leaned back and smirked.

“Thank you, 9S. This has been a very informative dinner. Unfortunately, I will not be of much help to you. But good luck brainstorming, both of you.” Zero stood up, excused herself, and left, all with the same smug look on her face. Kainé and 9S were left together, taking a second to  absorb Zero’s odd exit.

“You’re not bullshitting me, right? It’s actually fucking dragons?” Kainé held her kitchen knife out at 9S, just to make sure he got it. Based on how much his head was shaking, he did.

“No Ma’am! I’d never bullshit you!” He sounded like a kid who never cursed before. Fucking amateur.

“Cut it out with the Ma’am crap!” Kainé gave a jab in his general direction, then put it down. They sat in silence for a moment.

“So… Kainé. I have… a question.” 9S stammered out.

“What?”

“So… I was out for a walk after I got here, and… I saw you with a couple Beauxbatons girls…” 9S started to blush a little. It took Kainé a second to place what he meant, before she remembered 2B and A2 at the pitch.

“What of it?” She sighed.

“The one… with a short bob… What's her name?” 9S had turned beet red. “I just…”

“Kid, if you want a date, just fucking talk to the girl. I’m not your goddamn wingwoman.” Kainé got up, wiped her hands on the tablecloth, and left.

---

November 4th

“A dragon, huh?” Nier mused. “Kinda wish I got to take it down myself, but I’m excited for you.”

“Oh! I’ve always wanted to see a dragon!” Yonah exclaimed.

“But how does one beat a dragon? I know it seems like a killer, but sometimes… killers are nice deep down.”

Their team of four (plus Weiss) mused over the answer the next morning in the Great Hall. Kainé had no clue how to approach this. Besides what she’d seen in crappy action movies and cartoons, she didn’t have a great sense of what dragons were like, and hoped the wizard kids would be more helpful.

“Emil, I don’t think I can reason with a fucking monster.”

“Oh… alright.”

“Why not fly?” Kainé heard a woman’s voice from a bit away from the table. She turned to see A2, with 2B not far behind. Nier perked up seeing the pair, fucking hell. “I’ve seen you fly, you’re not bad.”

“I can’t bring my broom in, shit for brains.” Kainé retorted. Was that too harsh?... and why was she just now worried it was too harsh?

“You don’t say? If you’re as clever as you seem to think you are, you would know there’s a way around that.” 2B retorted. “If you want to beat Zero, you’re going to have to practice. She may seem nice, but she’s ruthless.” 2B grabbed Kainé’s hand, and she was unable to break 2B’s vice grip. Kainé was dragged from the Great Hall all the way down to the practice pitch, with Nier following the entire way. Kainé knew it would be a long couple weeks.

Chapter Text

November 13th

“Why the hell are you helping me, anyway?”

A2, 2B, and Nier had put Kainé through the ringer the past ten days. After class, they met at the practice pitch, and would run drills with Kainé to improve her flying. Where Nier was a kind, guiding hand, A2 was a taskmaster, pushing Kainé to her very limits. After practice, Nier went to get some food, while Kainé laid out in the grass, and A2 and 2B swapped notes and thoughts.

“What do you mean?” 2B asked.

“You’re the enemy, right? Shouldn’t you be helping Zero?” 2B chuckled slightly at this.

“Trust me, Zero does not need any help. Nor does she want it in the first place.”

“That doesn’t explain why you’d help me.” A2 and 2B exchanged a look, then nodded to each other.

“If Zero wins, it’ll be World War 3 at Beauxbatons.” A2 sighed. “Hell, my sis and I only entered so that Goblet would choose one of us instead.”

“Well you can’t say shit like that and not explain yourselves.” Once again, A2 sighed, but 2B spoke up instead.

“I am sure you noticed the tension between Zero and the five Intoners, correct?” 2B asked. Kainé nodded. It hadn’t died down these past couple weeks. Zero only hung out with her one friend, the bespectacled pigtailed girl, and clearly avoided the Intoners. She’d even seen them leave the Great Hall as soon as Zero walked in, even though they weren’t done. The really weird shit was the boys that had been following the Intoners around, like they were fucking godesses.

“Yeah, kinda hard to miss.” It was A2 that spoke up next.

“Zero used to be a member of the Intoners. She’s their sixth sister. She was the leader, but they had a big falling out a few years back, and they’ve been at each other’s throats ever since.”

“Shit, what happened?”

“No one knows.” 2B replied. “Not for certain, anyway. There are plenty of rumors, that Zero stole One’s boyfriend, or even some say that either Zero or all the other Intoners are under the Imperius Curse. Only Zero and the Intoners know the truth of the matter.”

“But the long and short of it: Don’t trust any of ‘em.” A2 got into Kainé’s face, just to further emphasize her point. Kainé didn’t have any plans to. Nier arrived with snacks a moment later, and they returned to their drills. 

---

November 23rd

“You have to eat, Kainé.” Yonah was poking her as she zoned out in the dining hall. It was the day of the competition, and she could hardly focus on anything, let alone her beans and toast. Kainé turned to Yonah and smiled.

“Sure kid. What do you eat on a big day?”

“Well Dad always makes me mutton, and that was alright, but Nier always serves oatmeal. That was my favorite.”

“Alright, oatmeal it is, Yonah.” Yonah smiled back at her, and thanks to the magic of the Great Hall, Kainé had oatmeal before the sentence finished. Nier took a seat just as Kainé started to dig in.

“Hey, Yonah’s lucky breakfast.” Nier said absently, before turning to Kainé, shoveling down said breakfast. “So, you know the plan for today, right?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Kainé set down her bowl, and wiped her mouth on her robe’s sleeve. “I go in, I summon my broom, then fly around until I can find the object, leg it the hell out of there. Simple shit, I can do it in my sleep.”

“But you’ve never even seen a dragon before!” Emil reminded her.

“Yes, but I can assure you, the hussy has been studying up on it.” Weiss commented. “There are few dragons that would surprise her at this point. Be it a Hungarian Horntail or Chinese Fireball, she at least has the general idea understood. Is that not right, hussy?”

“Everything you said was true, don’t know why you gotta be so fuckin’ rude about it.” Kainé replied, before getting up from the table. “I’m going to go get ready, see you shits at the pitch.”

---

Kainé made her way out of the hall, and was going to go back to Gryffindor Tower to rest up a little before the Task. Before she could, she saw 2B trying to look busy on a bench near the stairs. She had a book in front of her, and although it was written in French, it had the English title on it, She Came to Stay by Simone de Beauvoir.

“Oh, Kainé, there you are.” 2B said, before Kainé had decided whether to acknowledge her.

“What’re you doing here?”

“Oh… just… reading…” 2B said, lying poorly.

“Sure. Well you’re doing a shit job of it, you look pretty distracted.” Kainé started walking up the stairs, before 2B called out to her. Kainé stood at the top of the stairs for a second, before she decided to exhale, turn around, and walk back to 2B.

“What is it?”

“I fear I may not have been operating at my full potential as your teacher, and I wish to apologize for that.” 2B stood up from her seat, closing her book.

“You really letting that bother you? Shut up. I don’t care.”

“Oh… alright.” 2B sat back down, clearly not fully satisfied with the conversation. Kainé again knew it wasn’t over, as much as she wished it would be.

“Do you have any reason why you think you were distracted?” Kainé practically growled.

“I suppose I may have been distracted. With the events at large, and whatnot. I promise I will improve.”

“Look, just say it, I know when fuckwits are beating around the bush.”

“Well, a person may have caught my eye, and that has been on my mind. I brought it up to my friend 6O, and she-”

“Is it 9S?” Kainé asked bluntly. 2B returned silence, which Kainé took as confirmation. She sighed an exasperated sigh.

“Look, if I introduce you to him, will that make it even? I hate you thinkin’ you owe me shit.” Kainé sat down at the bench with 2B.

“Won’t I just owe you-” 2B protested.

“Take it or leave it.” 2B thought for a moment, before smiling ever so slightly, and giving a nod.

“It is a deal, Kainé.”

“Alright, it’s a deal.” Kainé replied, getting up to leave. “If I’m as fucked for the second task as I am for this one, I’ll probably need your help anyway.” Kainé hurried off, hating the conversation so much, and not wishing it would continue. She was running late anyway. When did she become so goddamn nice?

---

Kainé changed into her Triwizard Tournament uniform, a red and black jersey with “KAINÉ” written on the back, and headed to the Quidditch Pitch for the first task.

When she arrived, there was a waiting tent set up, where Zero and 9S were already waiting. It was half for relaxation, half infirmary, as there were multiple hospital cots set up, and the school nurse at the ready. The Headmaster stood up from his chair when Kainé entered, holding a bag in front of him.

“Gather around, Champions, it is time to tell you about your first task.” The three Champions huddled around the Headmaster, as he held up the bag more prominently. “Now, we have kept this task a secret from all three of you, but it is now time. Your task will be to retrieve this egg.” He held up a large, golden egg, from behind a desk. “The one issue is, you will have to avoid… a dragon!” He waited for shocked faces that never came, and looked slightly underwhelmed. “Alright then. You will pull the miniature dragons out of this bag, which will correspond with the one you must overcome. Zero, you may go first.”

Zero reached in, and pulled out a majestic, silver dragon with prominent yellow horns.

“Ah, that is Mikhail, our White Dragon.” Zero smiled slightly, she seemed pleased with her result. “9S, if you would like to go next.”

He also reached in, searching around a little before pulling out a dragon as black as night, with eyes just as soulless.

“You will go against Legna, the Black Dragon. That leaves just one, Kainé.”

Kainé reached in, and pulled out a crimson red dragon that looked like blood.

“And Kainé will face Angelus, the Red Dragon.” The Headmaster looked deadly serious, piercing into Kainé’s soul.

“I take it this shit is bad news?” The Headmaster said nothing in return.

---

The pitch had been transformed from a grassy knoll into a craggy wasteland, with rocks engulfing the land and making it almost seem post-apocalyptic. There was a clear spot for the dragons, with chains holding them in place to the far side of the pitch. The four towers for each of the Houses loomed over the pitch. Much like in the Great Hall, each had to share. The Beauxbatons students sat in the Slytherin section, while Durmstrang sat with Hufflepuff.

9S went first, and Kainé watched him transfigure a rock into a goat. Legna dove for it, giving 9S an opening. He lunged for the egg, and just missed as the dragon spat fire at him, with the blast knocking him backwards. He tried another transfiguration, to no avail. He eventually shot fireworks in the sky, the loud booms upsetting Legna enough that he was able to get through.

---

After a moment to reset, Zero went next. She stood perfectly still, waiting for the starting flare to go off. Once it did, she locked eyes with the dragon. It seemed temperamental, almost childish, but once it met Zero’s eyes, it stopped. Zero began to speak in an alien language, but Mikhail followed along, and seemed to almost answer her.

“The fuck’s she doing?” Kainé asked 9S.

“It… it looks like she’s speaking dragon!”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s a rare wizarding ability, but some are born able to talk to animals. The most famous of which is snakes, but any wizard could be born with any animal. Dragons included, apparently.”

Zero continued her steady walk, and got her egg in almost no time. She even had a smug smile on walking back to the tent.

---

Kainé tried to focus on Nier, or Yonah, or Emil’s voices when on the pitch, but the overwhelming boos and jeers made it near impossible. Kainé had never acted on stage, or played any sports, but she figured the feeling she had right now was the same as stage fright. She wanted nothing more than to vomit in absolute privacy, to find any excuse she could to leave. But no… she had to do this.

Angelus was a gigantic beast, larger than the previous two dragons. Her red scales shone in the sun, temporarily blinding Kainé as she swirled around. She heard the starting flare go off, and with it, another roar came from Angelus. Kainé froze, staring Angelus in the face out of pure fear. The entire stadium has quieted down, waiting to see how she would fail. Angelus shifted, preparing to strike, and Kainé stayed frozen. Until a voice cut through the silence.

“Move Kainé!” Yonah called out, her soft voice barely reaching. “You have to move!”

Kainé snapped out of it, and rolled out of the way of the claw. She raised her wand into the air.

“Accio broom!” She yelled, then proceeded to wait a moment, trying to stay out of Angelus’ way. Once her broom arrived, she climbed on, and flew upward. Angelus followed, flying as far as her chain would allow. The two were even with towers of students now, close enough that Kainé could make out faces. Just as she was about to dive back down for the egg, Kainé felt her broom jerk in every direction. Up, down, left, right, completely out of her control. She knew she wasn’t the greatest flyer, but it couldn’t be that. No, someone was tampering. And they would have to pay.

The broom continued to shake, more and more violently, until Kainé felt her leg slip off the side. She reached her hands up, desperately pawing at the sky, until her right hand found the broom. She scanned the crowd, looking for something, anything, that could explain what was happening. The first strange thing she saw was… the pigtailed bitch! Zero’s friend, chanting quietly to herself. She never took her eyes off Kainé, even with all the commotion around her. Kainé found her wand in her left hand, and raised it to the Slytherin tower.

“Incendio!” Kainé yelled, and a blast of fire rocketed towards the stands, the pigtailed bitch and everyone around her quickly scrambled, giving Kainé the reprieve she needed to get back on her broom. She dove for the egg, Angelus following too slowly. Kainé didn’t pull out of the dive in time, sending her tumbling on the rocky ground, but she was close enough to the egg that it didn’t matter. She scooped it up, and sprinted away from Angelus, just as she spewed fire at her.

---

“Congratulations, all of you, and completing your first task!” The Headmaster met all the Champions in the tent after Kainé finished. She was currently in the makeshift infirmary, getting her cuts and bruises from the fall checked on by the nurse. Nothing was too deep, even if her shoulder ached more than it should.

“What is our next task?” Zero asked, bluntly as ever.

“The egg will tell you.” The Headmaster replied, before making his way to the door. He poked his head back in to add an addendum, “The next task is on February 24th. Do enjoy the Yule Ball before then.”

---

November 24th

“Why haven’t you opened it yet, Kainé?”

Kainé and her friends were sitting in their usual spot in the Great Hall, the golden egg resting in front of Kainé’s plate. Nier seemed really confused by her apprehension.

“I dunno. Just didn’t find the time last night, all the girls in the dorm were being assholes about it.” 

“Open it, Kainé! I wanna see what it says!” Yonah pleaded, and Kainé couldn’t say no.

“...alright. Let’s leave the Hall though, okay? I don’t need all the fuckin’ attention.”

“Why did you bring it here then?” Emil asked.

---

Once in the courtyard, Team Kainé was alone enough that she felt comfortable. Kainé pressed the seal on the top of the egg, opening the four sides to reveal nothing but noise. A screeching, bloody wail, one even made Weiss want to cover his ears, if he had any. Kainé closed it as quickly as she could, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“What was that?” Emil asked.

“I don’t want to hear it again.” Yonah said.

“I dunno kid. Promise I won’t open it again.” Kainé told Yonah. “I’m not sure what it was, but I think I have to find out.” Kainé couldn’t stop chewing on it though. Why did that wail sound so familiar? She’d heard it before, and recently too...

Chapter Text

November 25th

Ever since the First Task, Kainé had noticed the school changed, almost overnight. Or, at least, how the school saw her. Besides the Slytherins, who were still entirely against her, she had noticed the school… warming up to her? A little? At least less people were openly hostile to her. People smiled at her, congratulated her… it was foreign. She wasn’t sure she liked it. A tiny Beauxbatons girl even asked her to the Yule Ball, but Kainé turned her down. She was too shocked to really react, actually. If she actually knew Kainé, she wouldn’t have asked.

The Yule Ball was just weeks away, and the entire school was abuzz with excitement. Kainé watched as students started asking each other to the Yule Ball, usually in elaborate and unique ways. As exposed as Kainé had felt during the first months of the Triwizard Tournament, she knew the Yule Ball - where her attendance as a Champion was required - would be the most exposing yet. Thankfully, before she focused on that, she had a promise to keep.

---

“You’re eating dinner with me, alright?”

Kainé realized she had never invited anyone to something before in her life, and she didn’t really know how to do it. She ambushed 9S on his way into the Great Hall for dinner. She could barely look him in the eyes.

“Uh… I had wor-”

“Just come with me.” Kainé growled, and 9S followed without a word. Kainé plopped him down at her usual table, with Nier, Emil, Yonah, A2… and 2B. Kainé noticed the blush raise in her cheeks as she approached with 9S.

“This is 9S. Yeah.” Kainé said, then sat down at her seat. 9S took a seat across from 2B, towards the end of their section.

“So… what did both of you think of the first task?” 2B asked Kainé, though her eyes were locked on 9S the whole time.

“Oh, I thought it wasn’t too bad Ma’am. Transfiguration is my favorite type of magic, so getting to use it was pretty fun!”

“If someone didn’t try to murder me, I’d probably have had a better time.” Kainé replied.

“What do you mean?” A2 asked.

“You saw me jerking around and shit? It was that pigtailed bitch sitting with Zero. I saw her casting a spell on me.” Kainé pointed across the hall to Zero eating with her friend, just to emphasize the point.

“You mean Accord? That… doesn’t really sound like her.” A2 countered.

“Well, you gotta beware the quiet ones. Right?” Kainé reasoned.

“You’re not very quiet.” Nier teased with a smile.

“Yeah, and I’m a fuckin’ sunflower, what’s your point?” By this point, 9S and 2B were already having their own conversation, in French no less. Fuckin’ showoff. “Wonder if he’s made any progress with the friggin’ egg, it drove me insane last night.”

“Wait,” Nier started. “Is that why all the Gryffindor kids have been looking tired? Are you keeping them up with the egg?” Kainé got flustered but thankfully A2 deflected for her.

“What is going on with the egg anyway?”

“Makes a weird ass noise, don’t know what to do with it. Like a screech, I guess.”

“Oh, so like a creature?” A2 replied absently, but it got the wheels moving in Kainé’s head.

---

November 27th

“This is so fun Kainé! Thanks for inviting me!”

“Sure kid.”

Kainé didn’t actually invite Emil anywhere. She had planned on sitting outside the Black Lake all day. She happened to bump into Emil on the way down, and he wouldn’t let her go. She didn’t know how to contact her target, so she decided to wait at the one place she’d seen her until she came. After watching Nier fish day in, day out, Kainé had a pretty good idea of how to fake it, and sat at the dock with Emil absently as the day passed.

“What are you going to do about the Yule Ball?” Emil asked, after a little while.

“I don’t know. I have to go, but I sure as hell don’t want to.”

“Why don’t you just ask Nier to go?” Kainé absently threw out the line - Nier had told her the term for that, right? - before looking Emil in the eyes.

“Why would I do that?”

“Well, he’s your closest guy friend, right? I mean, who wouldn’t want to go with Nier…” Emil chuckled to himself.

“Why the hell would he want to go with me anyhow? We’re friends, but I’m a freak. No one wants to take a freak to a dance.”

“I… don’t think you’re a freak, Kainé.” Emil said softly. “My sister… she’ll never get to go to a dance like this. I know she wishes she could do something like this. But she can’t.” Emil started to get emotional, Kainé could see tears forming in his eyes. She gave him a soft pat on the shoulder.

“What’s your sister’s name, Emil?” Kainé asked softly.

“Halua,” He said after a pause.

“For Halua, I’ll go to the dance. I promise.” Emil’s tears dried up after that. He went silent, but he was at least a little happier.

Kainé kept her eyes on the shoreline, waiting for her target to appear. She was able to dodge Tyrann trolling the grounds and after a few hours, she saw her: Louise. She dove in from the docks, and swam all the way to Louise; just 200 meters but it tired her out. Emil hustled along the shoreline, just behind her. Louise recoiled in fear when a white haired girl in lingerie popped out of the sea. She screamed that inhuman scream. Well, at least Kainé was on the right track. Emil came up from the other side. His presence seemed to calm Louise a little bit.

“Kid, I didn’t mean to scare you. I just… I need to ask you some questions.” Kainé said through heavy breaths. Louise looked back between Emil and Kainé for a second, and then panicked. Louise went sprinting, too quickly for Kainé to react. Kainé plopped down on the ground, defeated, and Emil took a seat next to her, saying something she never expected to hear.

“Shit.”

---

November 28th

Kainé wasted the hours in the library. She had decided she was going to ask Nier to the dance. But actually doing it… was a scary prospect. She had never asked anyone to go anywhere with her, let alone a boy to a dance. She had her first school dance the year before she attended Hogwarts, her last year of Primary School. She spent the whole night on the bleachers, alone, as kids all passed by her, ignoring her. Her granny had insisted she go; she had already received the Hogwarts invitation, and her granny wanted her to have a nice memory of normal school. It would’ve been nice, if all the boys hadn’t talked so openly about how weird she was.

Kainé was snapped out of the painful memory with a harsh ‘thud!’, as she looked up to see a hand slammed on the desk in front of her. It was A2, hovering over Kainé.

“What do you want?” Kainé growled.

“I need to ask you a question.” A2 replied, with unwavering confidence.

“And that is?” A2 took a seat across from Kainé. Her long hair draped over her shoulders and the seat. She leaned back, folded her arms, rested her ankle on the other knee, and looked Kainé dead in the eye. She stared for an uncomfortable moment, before speaking.

“What’s your deal with Nier?” A2 asked, with a slight smile.

“What the hell do you mean, A2?” Kainé sighed, equal parts annoyed and confused.

“Are you two together?” A2 leaned in ever so slightly.

“Why the fuck does it matter?”

“Because I wanted to ask him to the Yule Ball. And I didn’t want to piss you off if I did.” Kainé felt the expression leave her face, it was the one thing she hoped A2 wouldn’t say. She tried to recover before A2 noticed.

“What do you think I'd do if I was pissed off?” Kainé asked with a slight smile, trying to intimidate her.

“Well, you tried to kill me with a fireball during the First Task, for starters.”

“I already told you, I wasn’t trying to kill you, it was that Accord bitch-”

“I’m teasing you Kainé, geez.” A2 chuckled. Kainé paused for a second.

“Do whatever you want, I don’t care.” She could have objected, but it would have been a lie. She hadn’t asked Nier yet, and they weren’t together. And despite her best efforts, she did like A2 enough to not want to hurt her. Nier was not her boyfriend, he was just… just… something very special, to her. She supposed. A2 smiled the widest smile Kainé had seen from her. She thanked Kainé, and got up to leave. Well, there was the only guy on Kainé’s list gone. Just great.

---

December 2nd

Emil had asked Yonah to the dance, and 9S asked 2B, meaning everyone Kainé knew had partnered up by now. Nier told Kainé about A2 the next day. He clearly had felt a little embarrassed by it, and made an effort not to mention it too much, which was nice she guessed. But it still left her without many options.

At the Great Hall for breakfast, Team Kainé watched as an owl descended to Nier, holding a full suit. It was old and a bit frayed, but nothing wrong with it. The owl looked exhausted as it landed, a box of sweets and a letter tied around it’s ankle.

“Yonah! Look, Dad left a package.” Nier beamed, taking the suit from the Owl’s mouth, and letting it share his breakfast.

“Oh wow! Hopefully it isn’t handmade. He isn’t as good of a cook as I am.” Yonah said confidently, Kainé saw Nier grimace before responding.

“Sure Yonah.” Kainé smiled a bit, remembering their father’s cooking. The Yule Ball meant they couldn’t go back for Christmas this year, but Kainé hoped someday they could return. She liked Christmas with their family. The package was indeed store bought chocolates, and Yonah shared with everyone at the table, smiling at Kainé as she handed her a piece.

Kainé felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned to see… a guy. With shaggy long black hair. He was the Seeker Nier (and half the school) was obsessed with… what was his name?

“Caim! What are you doing here!” Nier exclaimed, as he turned with Kainé.

“I want to speak with you.” Caim said to Kainé. His voice was deep and resonant, with a slight brogue, maybe Irish? Hard to tell. He motioned for her to follow him out of the Great Hall. Kainé initially didn’t move, but then she looked at Nier, silently pleading with her.

“What’s with the goddamned puppy dog eyes?” Kainé asked with a loud exhale.

“The coolest guy here wants a word with you and you won’t follow? What the hell, Kainé? Please, for me?” Nier said, practically begging.

“...Fine, I’ll go.”

---

Caim was waiting in the courtyard. He had taken a seat, with the fountain behind him. Now in December, it was starting to freeze over, meaning that they were alone, despite being in such a public space. He seemed unaffected by the cold, Durmstrang must be an intense place indeed.

“It’s freezing out here asshole, make it quick.” Kainé shivered.

“I was impressed by your flying. And by your conquering of the dragon. I hate dragons. You bested one of the best.” Caim said, still blunt and voice low. 

“Thanks, was that all?” Kainé pulled her cloak tighter, trying to stay warm.

“Go to the Yule Ball with me.” Caim asked, after a split second pause.

“Why the fuck would I go with someone I haven’t met?”

“You don’t like fame. I can tell. We are kindred spirits. I’ll help you avoid it.” Caim’s eyes bared into her, almost soulless, but not quite. Passionate, driven.

“Let me guess, you have to go too?”

“My team insists I do. Publicity. I hate it. So let’s go together and avoid it. I know you don’t have any options.” Caim’s tacked-on backhand was accompanied by what might be considered a smile. Kainé sighed.

“Fuck it, fine.” 

Caim kept his almost smile, nodded in agreement, got up, and left, without a word. Kainé took a second to realize what happened, then sighed when she returned to the Great Hall.

---

Word got around of Caim and Kainé’s pairing before the day was over. Kainé heard double the murmurs as usual, and even saw the girl who asked her out crying into 2B’s shoulder about Kainé. Her and 2B exchanged a look before Kainé knew it was better to keep moving. 

Kainé climbed the stairs at the end of the night. After a study session in the Great Hall, she was pretty much alone on her way back to the Gryffindor dorm. She wasn’t breaking curfew, but it was still late, and she had to hustle. Just as she got to the stairs, they began to shift, and Kainé felt ice run down her spine. Where was she headed? When the stairs stopped, Kainé saw a figure standing at the top of the staircase. A short, platinum blonde girl, wearing all white and a severe look. The lead Intoner, One.

“I believe you took something I wanted.” One said. Her voice was far deeper than her petite body implied.

“I’m really not in the mood for anyone’s shit today.” Kainé said as she walked past One. One, unfortunately, followed.

“I cannot allow you to go to the Yule Ball with Caim. He is the most coveted man at this event, and I am the most coveted woman. It is only nat-” Kainé cut her off.

“I may look frail, but trust me bitch, I can fight. Mess with me, you’ll get a sword up your ass faster than I can curse. So don’t fucking speak to me like this again. Alright?” One seethed, but said nothing. Kainé went to her dorm, pleased with the thought of attending with Caim for the first time. If it pissed off assholes, it was probably the right decision.

Chapter Text

Kainé took refuge on the ledge outside her Gryffindor dorm. The December winds ripped into her, but she needed a breath of fresh air. Between agreeing to go with Caim, and her confrontation with One, she needed to calm down. Unfortunately, Weiss decided to join her.

“For someone that hates people as much as you, you seem unable to escape their problems.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, book. Didn’t think this year was going to be so fuckin’ complicated though.”

“What did you think it would be?”

“I thought it’d be… I don’t know, relaxed? I finally found people who didn’t treat me like shit, I just wanted to spend my time with them. I almost started liking this goddamned place.”

“I can see it in your eyes, hussy, you’re being genuine for once.”

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks book. I just… I don’t know what to do next. Nothing feels right. I feel like I don’t have Nier, Yonah or Emil anymore. I feel like I’m getting sucked into Zero and the Intoners’ shit. I don’t like where I am.” Kainé leaned back against the roof, covering her eyes with her arms, hoping it’d stop her from crying.

“I’ve stuck by your side for far too long, and I’ve never known you to be a quitter. You must push forward, you would regret it to stop now. Your friends believe in you, or else they would not have stayed by your side for so long. That is the truth I know… K… Kainé.” There was a pause, as Kainé took in the earth shattering moment.

“Did you actually say my name?” Kainé asked, with a teasing tone.

“I did no such thing hussy!” Even though he was just a book cover, Kainé could see him blush from embarrassment.

“Alright, if you say so… Weiss.”

---

December 10th

“This is going to be so much fun Kainé!”

Yonah pulled Kainé by the hand into the Hogsmeade location for Madame Malkin’s Robes, as 2B walked closely behind. A few days earlier, Yonah told the two of them that she had never gone shopping with just girls, and wanted to. Kainé, unable to say no to Yonah, and needing a dress herself, reluctantly agreed. 2B chose dresses for each of them, and waited in the changing room lobby while the pair tried on the first selections.

“You know Kainé, my friend 6O had really hoped you’d be going with her.” 2B said during their first dress reveal. Kainé wore a long pink dress, full of white and pink frills, all the way down to the floor. It puffed out in every direction, only expanding the longer the dress became. She hated it, and let every muscle in her face tell 2B this for selecting it.

“If she actually was interested in me, your taste in friends must be as bad as your taste in dresses.”

“Don’t say that, the dress is quite flattering on you.” 2B offered, with a somewhat sincere smile. Kainé just sighed. Yonah came out, wearing a long, pale white dress, the color of a familiar flower.

“Yonah… your dress… It looks like a Lunar Tear.” Kainé said, remembering her first time meeting the small girl.

“Oh wow… it really does! I love it!” Yonah beamed.

“Those are my favorite flowers, too. I am glad to hear you love them.” 2B explained. “That's why I chose the dress.”

“It’s perfect!” Yonah exclaimed, before looking at Kainé. “Though I don't know if that’s perfect for you.” Kainé gave a smug look to 2B, who shrugged dismissively. “Can I pick one out for you?”

“Of course you can kid.”

---

Kainé couldn’t believe it… she actually kind of liked the dress? It was a knee length black dress, with a deep V down the middle without revealing too much, and long, flowy sleeves. It was less skimpy than her lingerie, but not by much, and she still felt like herself in it.

“Kainé! You look beautiful!” Yonah exclaimed when she walked out.

“I… look… beautiful?” Kainé wasn’t sure anyone had said that to her besides her Grandma. And even then she was pretty much required to. It felt… foreign, to hear someone else say it.

“Of course! You always do, but especially in this dress!”

“I agree, it’s very flattering.” 2B added. Kainé blushed, and ran back into the changing room.

---

On their way out of Hogsmeade, Yonah asked to look around some of the shops. Kainé agreed, realizing she never took a look around when Nier took her the year before. They poked their heads into Spintwitches Sporting Needs, where Kainé and 2B both picked up equipment for their brooms, and Yonah bought gardening tools at the Magic Neep. 

On their way out, they passed by Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop, where they saw a bunch of couples sitting together, drinking together. Kainé recognized a few of them, from class, and from the various “proposals” she’d seen around campus the past few weeks. She tried to picture herself with Caim on a date, and it all just felt wrong. The idea of him going anywhere seemed laughable to her. She had spoken with him a few times since he asked her, but it was usually brief and about the dance itself. He was nice enough, even if he was too intense even for Kainé. He was a kindred spirit, but she didn’t see him romantically at all. 

They just about passed it when out of the corner of her eye, Kainé saw something she never expected: Nier and A2 at a table together. She felt herself boil with jealousy, then felt stupid for feeling it. She didn’t like Nier like that… she just didn’t want to lose him.

---

December 25th

Without any friends in Gryffindor with her, Kainé dressed herself in the dorms. She waited as long as she could, with all of the other seventh year girls all having left for the dance by the time she got ready.

“My my, the hussy has finally cleaned up, has she?” Weiss rose from her desk.

“It’s shit like that that’s keeping you from going to the Ball.” Kainé replied as she put on the finishing touches to her dress.

“As though I’d want to go to a ritual such as that!”

“Come on book, you’re a big softie, aren’t ya?” Kainé teased.

“Perish the thought! I am greater than you humans. I don’t need or want an experience such as that.”

“If you say so, book. Have a fun night doing… whatever you do when you don’t have me to bully.”

---

Kainé descended the stairs to the Great Hall. Since Caim was staying on the Durmstrang boat in the Black Lake, she had to meet him here. Where everyone was lining up. And she hated it. She could feel all eyes on her as she walked down the stairs, the vultures ready to pick over every aspect of her. 9S, 2B, Zero, Accord, and Caim had already lined up at the front, leaving Kainé to draw even more attention. She heard boys and girls alike murmur about her dress, her hair, every part of her appearance. 

“Is that Kainé? Damn she’s hot.”

“Weird to see her out of her underwear.”

“Didn’t know she cared about her appearance.”

“Who is she fooling? She’s such a slut.”

Their knives were out, and she was on a platter for them. Then she saw Yonah’s smile among the crowd, encouraging Kainé to keep descending the stairs. She smiled back at Yonah, and kept walking. She made it to Caim’s side, almost maintaining her composure.

“You look lovely, Kainé.” 9S offered as soon as she got to their front line. 9S and 2B were in front, then Zero and Accord, and then her and Caim.

“I agree, I love your dress.” 2B said. Kainé held back crying as she responded. 2B was in a knee length black dress, with frills around the edges, with long frilly sleeves and a keyhole cut in the chest. Her boots were long enough to meet her dress.

“Yeah, you’re just mad you didn’t find it.”

“Correct, I am.” 2B said flatly, but finished it with a smile.

“Your dress… It's nice.” Caim said awkwardly.

“Thanks, Caim. You clean up pretty well yourself.” Caim wore a ruffled dress shirt without a jacket, with long white pants and dress shoes to match. It was unconventional, but Kainé did not know enough about him to know what his conventional was. She looked around and saw all the Durmstrang kids, 9S included, wearing a militaristic red shirt, with a wool sash on the shoulder.

“Didn’t feel like wearing the uniform?” Kainé teased.

“No, I did not.” Caim replied intensely.

Zero did a once over of Kainé, but said nothing. She was in a white flowing dress that covered less than most at the party. It had a black sash around the middle, and was accented by a white cape on her back. It was equal parts beautiful and intimidating, not unlike Zero herself. 

Accord turned around to say something, but Kainé shot daggers at her, and she turned back around. Accord wore a knee length dress, with the top half white and the skirt portion black. The dress came to almost a collar at the top, where she wore a black tie. This was the first time Kainé got a really good look at Accord, and she didn’t know what to make of her. She wore huge glasses and two long pigtails, and had a huge smile as they waited there, bouncing up and down in anticipation. Was this really the girl that tried to kill her a month ago?

“Why are we waiting around like a buncha assholes?” Kainé asked after a minute.

“We have the first dance of the night.” Zero replied without turning around. “It’s tradition, after all. Everyone else enters before us.”

After the crowd had cleared, the doors magically opened for the three Champions. They entered the Great Hall, to see it decorated like a fairytale. The walls and floor were covered in faux ice, like a castle, with fake snow falling from the roof. It was a brilliant white, with a clear dance floor in the middle, and various tables for food and relaxation surrounding the dance floor. It’s how Kainé always imagined Prom would be at her secondary school… not that she ever thought she’d go.

The rest of those in attendance stood at the doors, clapping for the Champions as they made their way to the dance floor. Up close, Kainé saw more and more people judging her, or discussing her. But none of it mattered. Towards the end of the procession, she saw Nier and A2 standing together. A2 wore a long black dress, with buttons down the front, and a slit in the leg. She smiled at Kainé, unlike so many others.

When they arrived at the dance floor, the Headmaster took to the stage, and got in front of the microphone.

“Welcome, one and all, to the Yule Ball. As is tradition, our three Champions will be the first to dance tonight. To perform tonight’s songs, we are honored to have one of the biggest acts in the magical world here to play for us, and it just so happens that they are alumni of this very school! I am pleased to welcome to the stage Hogwarts graduates Devola and Popola, or as you may know them now, The Weird Sisters!”

Two identical red heads gave a little wave just off stage, both dressed in long crimson bell bottoms with black sleeves. One of them quickly took a shot of something (that definitely wasn’t Butterbeer) before heading up.

“It’s so nice to be back at Hogwarts.” One of the twins said, the one who took the drink. “If you guys don’t mind, we’d like to play a song for you?” They were met with cheers, and the three Champions took their positions on the dance floor.

One held the guitar, and they both sang a lovely and slow duet. 2B and 9S were the first to start dancing, finding a rhythm with each other instantly. Zero and Accord similarly started dancing, though they were much more perfunctory and rigid.

“Take my hand.” Caim grunted, and Kainé complied after a second. He started to lead Kainé around the dance floor, almost as if it was a competition. While the other pairs were slowly moving to the music, Caim moved quickly and forcefully. Like a dance was a fight. 

---

After the song ended, Caim and Kainé made their way to one of the tables as the rest of the Ball took to the dance floor. Both angled their chairs to the dance floor, sitting in parallel. Caim sat bunched up, almost ready to move, while Kainé slouched in her chair and spread out her legs, happy to be away from everyone.

 She watched as the other Champions stayed on the dance floor. 2B and 9S had the biggest smiles, as they clearly made idle chit chat. It dawned on Kainé that she caused this. The pair would never have spoken to each other, at least not before the Yule Ball, if it had not been for her intervention. She had made people happy, for no gain? It… felt weird. Almost like… pride? In helping? It was weird.

Nier and A2 also took to the dance floor, with Nier clearly being a surprisingly good dancer. He looked happy too, which Kainé was pretty sure made her happy. Emil and Yonah were as klutzy as could be, but both were having fun. She was glad she wasn’t on the dance floor, but it made her happy to see the others happy.

“So, I never asked Caim, why do you hate dragons? They seem pretty fuckin’ sweet to me.” Kainé asked, suddenly feeling awkward. “I mean, one tried to kill me and I still think they’re cool.”

“They killed my parents.” Caim said, with seething indifference.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I’m an orphan too, I get it.” Kainé debated reaching out for him, but that felt weird. Caim just stared vacantly at the dance floor. The snow was close enough to touch his hair before disappearing, but he didn’t notice.

“All I have left is my sister, Furiae.”

“Well, at least you have someone. I’m all alone.” Kainé chuckled absently to herself.

“If you say. You don’t seem alone.” Was all Caim said for a moment. He stood up, and began to fidget a little. He reached down, and grabbed Kainé’s hand. “Let’s go.” 

Kainé stood up with him, and let him lead the way out of the ball. Finally, all eyes would be somewhere besides her.

---

Caim and Kainé took a break by sitting in the courtyard, now dusted by snow. With the trees dead, it was peaceful, empty. The Black Lake could still be heard, small waves washing ashore, with no other noise to interrupt it.

“Tell me about your sister.” Kainé asked after a bit of silence. She had learned about Emil and Nier’s sisters, the Intoners were all sisters, 2B and A2 were sisters… it was becoming a pattern in Kainé’s life. She wanted to know more.

“Furiae is… quiet. She keeps to herself. Alone in her room. She is going to marry an old friend of mine soon. I wish them well.” Caim looked dead on through the whole conversation, Kainé wasn’t even sure he blinked. Did he ever blink?

“Well, fuckin’ motzel tov to them then.” Kainé raised an imaginary drink, though Caim didn’t seem to be as interested in continuing the conversation. Kainé sat there, taking in the atmosphere a little longer. It was calming, but she could hear the music from inside. It was warm. She knew Nier was in there, and Yonah and Emil. Even 9S was not an unwelcome face at this point. She thought about the dumb book’s words, about her not being a quitter. She hated that he was right, it started to feel silly, just sitting out here.

“Caim… I think I want to go back in.” He once again did not move from looking forward.

“Did you not want to hide from the party? That was the plan.”

“I know it was… but I think… I sorta like some of the assholes in there.”

“Alright then. I will stay out here.” Caim nodded his head calmly, and reclined a little. Kainé thought about how much One would have hated having him as a date, she was almost upset she took him. Kainé stood back up, and walked into the Great Hall, almost excited to see her friends.

---

“Kainé! Where have you been?”

Nier saw her almost the instant she walked into the Great Hall. He and A2 were getting snacks from one of the tables, and she saw him drop his pumpkin pasty as she walked in.

“I was takin’ a breather.” Kainé said, trying to sound aloof, probably failing.

“You were wonderful at the opening dance.” Nier complimented. 

“Oh… um… thanks.” Kainé felt herself get flush. A2 looked between the two of them, before speaking up.

“Nier, you should dance with Kainé.” She gave him a little pat on the shoulder.

“You sure?” He asked, meeting her eyes.

“Yeah, I’ve got to find 2B anyway.” A2 gave Nier a peck on the cheek and smiled at Kainé before walking away. Nier turned back at Kainé.

“Well, may I have this dance?”

“Yeah, yeah, sure. Got nothing better to do.”

---

“You guys have been a lovely crowd so far, so we’re going to play one of our biggest hits, alright? Here’s ‘Song of the Ancients’!” Devola (or was it Popola?) had complete control of the crowd, Kainé heard the whole room cheer. It must have really been a popular song. Nier held Kainé close to him as he led her in the slow dance. The song was haunting, and oddly nostalgic. The sisters dueted, singing over a piano and drums in a language Kainé had never heard.

“How do you feel Kainé? You looked… nervous, earlier.” Nier asked after a little while.

“Yeah… Just still not used to being the center of attention. I was doing fine, staying under the radar, until you had to get involved.” Kainé replied, but she could barely pretend to be angry. All eyes seemed to be on her, as her and Nier swayed on the dance floor. But that was okay. She felt safe.

“Well, I think it was for the best. I mean, I can’t imagine what my year would be like if I hadn’t met you.”

“You’d still have Yonah around, you’d still be all lovey dovey with A2, nothing would change.” Kainé said dismissively. Nier paused for a second, and looked into Kainé’s eyes.

“Do you remember when we first met?”

“Yeah, you came rushing out to Yonah after I saved her.” Kainé remembered that Saturday very clearly, she stood up for Yonah against her usual set of bullies. Nier offered to buy her food for her troubles.

“No, that was the second time we met.” Nier corrected. “I had talked to you a couple days before, trying to eat lunch with you. Do you remember why?” Kainé shook her head. “It was because Yonah was trying to make new friends. She… didn’t need me hanging around anymore. But thanks to you… she’s made new friends, and I get to stay in her life. Same with A2, I’d have never met her if I wasn’t helping you train. You’re at the root of every good thing in my life, Kainé.” The song mercifully ended, as she became completely red. Kainé pushed Nier away, before mumbling a reply.

“Oh… thanks. I guess.”

“Anytime, Kainé.”

---

“Well? Can I get you a drink?” 

Kainé made her way to the punch bowl, and instantly regretted it. Standing there as if she ran the drinks was one of the Intoners, with flowing blonde locks, addressing one of the many men walking up to her. Her dress was tight and sultry, a pitch black dress with a long slit down the middle revealing far too much. Kainé froze, wondering how to approach this. Was this one going to explode at her like One did?

“Fuck, it’s another one.” Kainé turned around to see Zero standing over her.

“Which one is she?” Kainé sighed.

“That is Five. She’ll sink her teeth into any man or woman that walks her way.” Zero let the disgust seep from her voice.

“You really hate your sisters, don’t you?” Kainé mused.

“I have for a very long time Kainé, it’s all I’ve come to know. Someday… I’ll kill them all.” Zero replied with no emotion.

“That’s a bold ass claim. Want to tell me why?” Kainé rarely was surprised by others.

“Maybe someday. But not now.”

“Should’ve figured.” Kainé went towards the table, turning her back on Zero. “Tell your bitch of a date that if she tries to kill me again, I won’t miss.”

“That’s not- she-” Zero started, but Kainé had already walked away, and braved facing Five all for a drink.

Kainé tried to just sneak in and grab one, but Five let go of the ladle and turned right towards her.

“Oh? Kainé is it? Are you thirsty?” Five leaned in, meeting Kainé’s eye level.

“I just want a damn drink.” Kainé tried to look away, but Five kept shifting to meet her. Five had said one thing to her and she already hated her with every fiber in her being.

“Well if you want something wet, I’ve got it right here.” Five held the drink out, but pulled it away when Kainé reached for it.

“I’ll fucking cut you, just give me the damn drink.” Five tisked at her?

“So naughty. Alright, dearest Kainé, here’s your drink.” Kainé took her drink, and downed it in one gulp as she walked back to her table.

“Now I know why Zero wants to kill them.”

---

Kainé spent the rest of the night with her friends, like she wanted to do. Emil and Yonah almost never left the dance floor the whole night. She sat around with 2B and 9S, as Nier and A2 would pop in now and again. Kainé and 9S even danced together once, though the brat wouldn’t stop stepping on her toes. It was… a nice night. Caim even came back for the last bit of it, though he never came back onto the dance floor. Another one of the Intoners, this one with a curly blue bob, came to talk to him, but one look at Kainé made her turn around.

---

Before heading back to the Gryffindor dorms, Kainé decided to pop back outside one last time. She was not quite sure why, but fresh air sounded nice after staying inside for so long.

The dance was winding down, but  still the courtyard was empty, as any of the Beauxbatons or Durmstrang students had either headed back or were closing the dance down. While out there, she heard something coming from the lake. She made her way closer, before she realized what it was: Someone was singing. It was the most beautiful song she had ever heard, prettier than anything Devola and Popola just put on. Kainé went closer, trying to figure out who was singing, but she couldn’t see anyone. That was… until Louise popped out of water. They stared at each other, just for a second, before Kainé learned that she had just seen something she wasn’t supposed to.

Chapter Text

“Come back here!”

Kainé chased Louise around the Black Lake for a moment, before finally grabbing her. Louise struggled to get out of Kainé’s arms, but there was no way for her to break Kainé’s grip.

“Kid, I’m not going to hurt you, I’m not going to tell anyone jack shit. I just need to know about your singing.” Louise stopped struggling after that, and Kainé let her down. “Look, I’ve heard you talk. You sound like a damned dying whale. But you just sang all pretty and shit. My Egg sounds like a dying whale. Will it sound all nice and pretty in the water?”

Louise stared back at Kainé for a moment, trying to get a read on her. She reached for Kainé’s hand and pulled her into the Black Lake. Kainé screamed for a second, but the water quickly muffled her as she slipped underneath the surface.

---

At night, Louise almost gave off an aura when she was underwater. She was ethereal, glowing. Otherworldly. Nothing like the meek girl Kainé was used to. She looked Kainé dead in the eyes, effortlessly gliding around the water.

“You… you promise not to tell my secret, right?” Louise asked. She could talk? Kainé nodded furiously.

“I… I’m… half mermaid.” Louise said. Kainé couldn’t believe it. Was that possible? How? It would explain a lot about Louise though… But didn’t mermaids have tails and shit? If she was half a mermaid, isn’t she basically human? She realized how much she still had to learn about the magical world. “So… if this Egg is made by mermaids… that’s why it sounds like that.” Kainé replied, but to her ears, it was all garbled nonsense.

“It is… a long story. But I promise, I’m not dangerous. He sent me here, and I just want to make him proud.” Louise replied, clearly understanding Kainé. “Now get out!”

---

December 26th

Where could Kainé swim in peace? If she went to the Black Lake, Zero or 9S could find her… or worse yet, Tyrann. That’s assuming it was even allowed. She figured running it under a faucet likely wouldn’t net any results. She laid in bed, letting her mind wander.

“You could always ask for help.” Weiss floated around her head.

“And who the hell would know anything?”

“Perhaps the tome that has lived hundreds of years inside this very school?” He stopped dead in front of her face. “I had perhaps hoped you would trust me a little more after our heart to heart.”

“Alright book, where can I listen to this egg in private?”

“There is only one place I know of, where no one will find you.”

---

December 27th

Kainé felt stupid. Well, more stupid than usual. Sure, she never respected the rules that often, but sneaking into the Prefect’s Bathroom felt like an entirely new level of rule breaking.

Weiss promised to be quiet and joined her on her journey, leading her to the statue of Boris the Bewildered on the fifth floor after lights out. The Caretaker could find Kainé at any moment, causing her to hustle around each corner. She eventually reached the painting of Boris, an ugly motherfucker with an appropriate moniker, based on his bug eyes and wiry wild hair.

“Pine fresh,” Weiss said to the statue, to no effect. He then, seemingly, cleared his throat, and tried again. “Pine fresh.” Still nothing.

“Alright book, let me try.” Kainé moved closer to the painting. “Pine fresh.” The door swung open. Kainé gave Weiss a cocky smile and the middle finger, and pushed into the bathroom, Weiss begrudgingly followed.

---

The other reason Kainé felt stupid was the obvious. Getting into a public bath meant, well, getting naked. And if anyone saw her… well she’d been teased enough times about it to know what would happen. Weiss was either too polite or too distracted by the grand room to look as Kainé stripped down and entered the gigantic bathing pool.

The Prefect’s Bathroom was immeasurably grander than the Gryffindor bath rooms, and a lot more private too. The bath itself had knobs all over the place, each one emitting a different colored water or soap, even one dedicated just to bubbles. After adjusting the heat to the perfect temperature, Kainé decided to duck her head underwater, and open up the egg.

The voice sounded like Louise’s. Melodic, beautiful, calming. Basically the opposite of the few times Kainé tried to sing. Even through the distortion of the water (and the likely too much soap), the voice came through crystal clear:

Come seek us where our voices sound,

We cannot sing above the ground,

And while you're searching ponder this;

We've taken what you'll sorely miss,

An hour long you'll have to look,

And to recover what we took,

But past an hour, the prospect's black,

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.

Kainé ducked her head underwater a few times to memorize it, then repeated it back to Weiss, who clearly had no desire to be anywhere near the water.

“I must say, Lass, that is a puzzling riddle indeed.” The fuck is up with ‘lass’? Kainé supposed it was better than hussy.

“Well the ‘where our voices sound’ bit has to mean underwater, right?” Kainé offered.

“Yes… indeed. So it’s clear these mermaids will steal something precious to you, and give you an hour to retrieve it.”

“So the challenge is swimming? How the fuck am I going to do it for an hour?” Kainé asked.

“Don’t you Muggles have equipment for that sort of thing?”

---

December 28th

“Hey, 9S, can I tell you something?”

Kainé found him with 2B out in the courtyard, trading stories about their homes. Even just in the walk up to him, 2B really sold the hell out of Paris. Kainé had never left England, her Grandma could never have afforded it, but after meeting these international students, she’d have to make it a priority. Maybe some job would make it even slightly possible.

“Sure, what’s up?” 9S replied with a smile, both he and 2B turning to Kainé.

“I… I figured I owe you one for the dragons, right?” Kainé stammered out. She hated the attention both of them were giving her, like she was a welcome surprise or some shit.

“Oh, Kainé, you don’t have to worry about that. It was ju-”

“You should take a swim with your egg, alright? I snuck into the Prefect Bathroom. Said ‘Pine Fresh’ to that ugly ass painting on the fifth floor. You should do that too.” Kainé hated returning favors. Sure, it meant your debt was clear, but it also meant that person appreciated you or some shit.

“Oh… wow, thank-” Kainé ran off before 9S could finish his sentence.

---

What would Kainé “sorely miss”? She paced the hallways of Hogwarts trying to figure this out. Without classes she had nothing but time to ponder this question. Kainé knew what she did sorely miss. Her Grandma, her childhood home. But those things were gone forever. No mermaid could steal that from her. She didn’t have many possessions, she didn’t want for much. Butterbeer seemed too inconsequential for this. Nothing was adding up.

She started to try and map out her childhood home, thinking about how much she needed to go back there. Just then, while pacing the seventh floor, she noticed a door she had never seen before. Curious, she cracked it open, to find something she never thought she’d see again: That exact bedroom.

---

It was a perfect recreation of what it was like in primary school. It was painted a pale pink color, a holdover from her young childhood. It had photos of her parents with her as a baby, as well as more recent ones of her with her Grandma. Most of those photos were still sitting with her most recent foster parents. She would have to get them back someday. Her dresser was overstuffed with clothes, back when she still cared about that stuff. An old crappy tv sat in the corner, with a game system hooked up to it.

Was this something she missed? She supposed so. But… she’d already gotten past that. It no longer felt like it was a part of her life. It felt like a dream of someone who lived before her.

She made a beeline for her bed, not even questioning what this was all about. She probably hit her head on some bust of a dumb wizard from the 7th century, and this was all a hallucination. Nier would find her and she’d wake up in the infirmary.

Ugh… Nier. That was the answer, wasn’t it? Why did everything have to come back to Nier? God damn it. She hated that he was, yet again, the answer. Of course they’d take Nier. It was always going to be that smug dipshit. That smug dipshit that supported her and encouraged her when no one else would. Ugh. She laid in her bed just a little longer, trying to soak in everything this hallucination had to offer her. It really was someone else’s life at this point. She was happy with where life had taken her. The Gryffindor dorms were more home to her than this.

Just before she left, she took a long look at one photo on the wall. It was her, probably around five or six. She was holding up a sparkler, it must have been the summertime. The photo caught her because she wasn’t alone in it. There was a boy, about the same age, standing there with her. He was thin and wiry, with long dark hair and sunken eyes. The photo was of her… and Tyrann.

---

January 2nd

Kainé spent the next few days staring at the photo as long as she could, trying to find any hidden detail in it. It was definitely taken at her Grandma’s house, after her parents died. Why couldn’t she remember him? She sat at the usual spot in the Great Hall, a bit before the rest of Team Kainé usually showed up. She hadn’t told them about this yet, unsure how to approach it.

“I’ve never seen that photo before Lass. Where did you find it?” Weiss cut in from behind her.

“Some door was some kind of portal to my memories. Know anything like that?” Kainé asked, genuinely curious.

“No, no I do not. Were you on the seventh floor?”

“Yeah. Why?” Kainé leaned back.

“I do know of a room that shows the user to the place they need the most at that moment. Perhaps you were there?” Weiss pondered.

“Makes about as much sense as anything else in this fuckin’ place.” Kainé sighed and leaned back, closing her eyes for a second.

“What’s that?” she heard Yonah’s voice ask. Kainé quickly jumped up and tried to cover it, but not before Nier snatched it from the table. Kainé turned around, to see Emil standing with them too.

“Is that lil’ baby you?” Nier said with a smile. Emil and Yonah both leaned over and took a look. “Who’s the boy with you?”

“I don’t remember.” Kainé said, not technically lying. She tried to snatch it back from Nier, who held it just out of reach for her.

“He does look familiar though…” Emil said.

“Isn’t that the boy who you beat up at the beginning of the year?” Yonah asked. Kainé sighed, slouching back in the chair.

“Yeah… I think it is. I found this recently, but I don’t remember taking it at all. Or knowing him. It’s fucking weird.” Nier, Yonah and Emil all took their usual spots.

“Well I think it’s up to Team Kainé to figure it out then!” Nier exclaimed. Kainé scoffed at the nickname.

“That’s a shit name for a team.”

“Well, we’re like your support team, right? So I think it fits.” Nier retorted with a smile. Ugh.

---

February 23rd

Team Kainé spent the next month and a half researching both the old photo and Kainé’s underwater swimming skills. Nier, surprisingly, was atrocious at it, barely being able to dog paddle. Weiss fished him out more times than Kainé could count. Kainé was the best on the team, though, and she couldn’t hold her breath for long enough.

She thought of asking Louise for help, but Kainé had been struggling to track her down. No matter where or when, Kainé never saw her, neither in the lake or in the Great Hall.

---

“Are you forgetting my suggestion oh so long ago?” Weiss offered. Team Kainé was lounging in the Library, far outside of the purview of the librarians. Kainé had hoped some spell or potion could help her swim, and they all hunkered down, searching book after book.

“Oh! What did Weissy suggest?” Yonah asked, which earned a growl from Weiss.

“Not including Emil, all of you are half bloods raised by muggles, and therefore know of the techniques of the muggle world, do you not?” Nier sat up, on the verge of sleep, head down on the Guide for Aquatic Herbology.

“Like a snorkel?” Yonah looked excited to be helping.

“Thanks Yonah, but I don’t think I can go out there with a snorkel.” Kainé scoffed.

“Yonah, do you remember that trip dad took us on, to that town called Seafront?” Nier asked. Yonah lit up at the question.

“Of course I do! That’s where you learned how to fish, and we met that mean old lighthouse lady…”

“Do you remember that day Dad went scuba diving?”

“You mean the day you almost drowned?” Yonah teased, which earned a dirty look from Nier.

“Yes.” Nier reluctantly offered. “Anyway, that device Dad used, a rebreather? That was pretty small, and seemed effective. Maybe Kainé could use that?”

“That’s perfect Nier!” Kainé exclaimed. “But where the fuck am I finding one by tomorrow?”

“I think your excursion from winter break will be the answer to that.” Weiss cryptically replied.

---

“I feel like a goddamn idiot Weiss.” Kainé said as she paced around the Seventh floor corridor, with Nier, Yonah and Emil in tow.

“Many a wizard before you felt like a fool before their greatest discovery, lass.” Weiss mused. “If you’ll bother to focus you won’t feel like a fool much longer.”

“I’m fucking trying!”

“Hey Weiss,” Nier said calmly. “Maybe now's a good time to not interject? Give Kainé some space?” Weiss huffed but did not speak.

Kainé focused on what she needed. She thought about how it feels to swim, how it feels to slip under the water. She pictured herself on a dock, somewhere far away. Nier, Emil, and Yonah are there with her, all taking diving lessons. This world, and her problems, are far, far away.

Suddenly, a door appeared, in the exact same spot that her bedroom was over break.

“I can hear the sea.” Emil said, in total awe, to no one in particular.

From behind the door, waves crashed and seagulls cawed. Kainé opened the door, and walked in.

---

The Room of Requirement had become some kind of surf shack. Kainé couldn’t see outside, the windows were boarded up, but she could hear and smell the sea. Without being able to look, she knew just outside was the dock she imagined… if there even was an outside. The Room of Requirements was still a bit confusing for her. But it didn’t matter, because all along the walls, Kainé saw a myriad of swimming equipment. Flippers, wet suits, even harpoon guns. Anything her mind thought of as possible equipment. But there on the far wall was a small face mask, with a tube attached near the mouth. It was exactly what she needed.

---

Nier and Kainé walked Emil and Yonah back to Ravenclaw’s dorms nearby. It was getting late, and curfew was about to start. Nier led the way, heading towards Gryffindor. It never quite dawned on Kainé how he always had a long, lonely walk back to the Hufflepuff dorms. They were up in their towers, and he hid in the kitchen, all the way at the bottom of the castle.

“Hey… Nier.” He turned around, probably shocked to hear her talk so softly.

“What’s wrong Kainé?”

“I… I never told you what exactly the egg said, did I?”

“No… I guess you didn’t.” They were at a railing, overlooking the Grand Staircase. Kainé paused, and shifted over to them, looking at the empty stairs below. A couple students scurried back to their dorms, but on a whole, it was peaceful. Nier moved up next to her. “What did it say, Kainé?”

“It said… It said it would take something that I’d ‘sorely miss’. And if I didn’t get it back… it’d be gone forever.” Nier didn’t really react to this, he kept his soft, serious expression.

“Well you’ve got nothing to worry about Kainé. You’re the strongest witch I know, you-”

“Damn it Nier! You don’t get it!” Kainé slapped her hands against the marble railing, stinging her palms. “I think… I think you’re the thing I’ll ‘sorely miss’.” Nier went beet red at this, and chuckled a little.

“Oh… um, I suppose that makes sense.”

“Nier… I… I can’t gamble with your life. If… if anything happens to you, what will Yonah-” Nier turned towards Kainé, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“I already told you. You’re the strongest witch I know. I would put my life in your hands over and over again. Nothing will happen to me. And even if something does… Yonah has a big sister now.” Nier hugged Kainé, for the first time in almost eighteen months of friendship. She hugged him back.

February 24th

“Kainé… have you seen Yonah?”

Nier came to their breakfast in a frenzy. Kainé had already changed into her athletic gear for the tournament, a warm up jacket and pants, mercifully covering her bathing suit. She couldn’t remember the last time she wore one, she hated how… revealing they could be. Thankfully, this one had a skirt on the bottom, covering up any questionable areas.

“No… I haven’t. Figured she was with you.”

“I thought she was with you.” Nier turned to Emil, also at the table. “Was she at the dorm this morning?”

“I don’t think I saw her… I’m sorry.” Emil looked like he was about to cry. Kainé went to comfort him, when she heard footsteps coming their way.

“Can’t find Yonah?” A2 made her way over to their table, clearly overhearing Nier. “I haven’t seen 2B all morning.”

“Huh…” Nier pondered. “That doesn’t feel like a coincidence.”

That’s when Kainé knew… she had put Yonah’s life in danger.

---

“Our three champions will have one hour to recover something… a treasure of sorts. After that hour… it will be lost forever.”

The Headmaster’s voice boomed ominously throughout the makeshift stands that had been built up in the lake. Three platforms were erected, with a footbridge connecting them. The three Champions stood on the middle platform dedicated to Hogwarts. As always, Zero was stone faced, in a pale blue one piece bathing suit, while 9S seemed tense, trying to relax. The men’s bathing suit was bottoms and a sleeveless top, grey and red to match the school colors.

After the Headmaster finished his spiel, 9S turned to Kainé.

“I… wanted to thank you. For giving me the hint. I would never have solved it without you.” 9S said, a nervous smile on his face. Kainé huffed.

“Yeah, well, it was fair and shit.” Kainé was the only one who had brought equipment with her. The other two seemed to just be going in blind, which didn’t make sense. Ugh, were they going to use fucking magic? Was she the dipshit that went with Muggle tech?

Before Kainé could second guess herself, the cannon went off, and the three dove into the water. She watched as Zero digested some disgusting looking green crap, while 9S performed a charm, creating a bubble around his face.

Zero swam confidently and quickly through the water, far outpacing Kainé. 9S was bringing up the rear, seemingly unable to swim. Amateur.

From the water sprung nasty looking creatures, like octopuses with teeth and arms, which grabbed Zero first. If Kainé remembered correctly, they were called Grindylows, and they were nasty little shits. They took a liking to Zero, and started to pull her down. Kainé tried to swim around them, but even she got one of them on her. Her and Zero both fired off spells, and Kainé knocked her few off. She turned back to see Zero breaking free, but 9S was struggling, both with swimming and the Grindylows.

After a little longer, Kainé came to three girls floating in the water, lifeless, chained by mermaids using seaweed. These mermaids didn’t look like Louise though, they were more like fish, with nasty tridents.

Yonah, 2B, and Accord gently swayed with the current, eyes shut, faces blank. They were likely placed under some sort of spell. Kainé made a beeline for Yonah, and was able to untie her quickly. Zero was right on her heels, who swam up to Accord and untied her too. Zero and Kainé exchanged a look, Zero clearly concerned for her.

Kainé turned to leave, but she realized: 9S was nowhere to be found. She couldn’t even see him in the field of Grindylows. She looked around. 2B was just floating here. As much as she hated to admit it, her and 2B were friends too. Kainé thought about how devastated she and Nier would be if anything happened to Yonah, and knew that 9S and A2 would feel the exact same way. And she couldn't live with that. Holding onto Yonah, Kainé moved towards 2B’s lifeless body. In that instant, a mermaid jabbed at Kainé, clearly annoyed she was going for a different person.

“I’ll cut you, fucker!” Kainé yelled out the rebreather. She wasn’t sure if the mermaid could hear her, or understand her, but she still fired off a few warning spells in each direction. The mermaids backed off, and Kainé saved 2B as well.

Swimming was hard, holding onto both, but she was determined. Kainé kicked as hard as she could, eventually making it to the near side of the lake, still without seeing 9S. Zero was just about to pop up, and Kainé followed suit.

Yonah and 2B gasped for air as soon as they surfaced, and started to tread water. Zero and Accord were still in the water as well, making their way to the platform. Just as Zero was about to climb up, a roar called out in the distance, followed by a spark of fire. The five in the water quickly dove under, and searched around when resurfacing to find what did that.

“It’s a fucking dragon.” Zero grumbled, and quickly swam to stand up. Kainé looked around to find it, and saw a purple and black dragon, swooping through the skies. Everyone in the stands quickly searched for cover, hurrying to the island. The dragon seemed focused on the Champions, though, and continued to divebomb their cluster. The only people not moving, though… were the Intoners. Fucking hell.

Zero cast a protection spell on them, and began speaking dragon. It did not relent as quickly as the one from the first task, but it seemed confused enough that it relented, and Zero hit it with a spell, forcing it to leave.

---

After everyone calmed down, they made their way to the Great Hall, to officially tally the votes and declare the winner of the task, which was surely going to be Zero for the second time in a row. Yonah was in good spirits, holding on tightly to Kainé’s leg, and laughing and smiling, trying to recount the day. 2B thanked Kainé as well, giving her a hug, which caught Kainé off guard, but it was weirdly… nice? Knowing 2B trusted her. 2B took 9S’s hand, and they made their way together, with A2 joining them. Before they reached the Great Hall though, Kainé felt like she deserved some answers, and deserved them now. She grabbed Zero by the shoulder, and spun her around, with Accord standing close to witness it.

“Hey, after that shit they pulled today, it’s high time you told me about your sisters.”

“Yes.” Zero replied solemnly. “I think so too.”

Chapter Text

It felt like an eternity since Kainé met Zero and 9S in the first floor study room for a dinner together, but now she was here to discuss something far more serious. Accord sat next to Zero on the other side of the table, Kainé started to put her feet up, before remembering she was still in her bathing suit from earlier. She feared she would reveal far too much of herself to Zero.

“So, what’s your story?” Kainé asked.

Zero exhaled, looking annoyed that she even had to speak. She looked like she just wanted to send it to Kainé without reliving it herself. She leaned forward, and looked Kainé in the eyes.

“When me and my sisters were kids, the six of us would visit our English grandparents every summer and every Christmas.” Zero said, keeping her voice steady. “There was this flower that fascinated me. It never wilted, it never died. Rain, snow, even fires. It never changed. I must have been about nine when we finally decided to finally touch it.” 

Zero took a deep breath, Kainé saw her shaking slightly. She had never seen Zero need to collect herself before.

“At that moment, it sparked to life. Unlike any fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”

Kainé could tell Zero went somewhere else, to her memories. To some English forest that looked like every fucking forest Kainé had ever seen. Although… why did Kainé feel like she knew the exact place Zero was talking about?

“That’s all well and good, but what does the flower have to do with your sisters?” Kainé growled.

“Oh, she’s getting to that.” Accord mused. Zero sat up straighter.

“It’s hard to describe, but the flower… possessed me. Possessed all six of us. After I touched it, it filled the place where my right eye was. I was the “leader” after all. Filled me with its dark thoughts, calling out for violence and death. Made me do whatever it fucking wanted. Nearly killed a worker while on a concert tour just because it told me to. Eventually I got wise to it, and I tried to gouge it out.”

She flipped up the eyepatch, to reveal an empty eye socket, but with the small stem and buds of a flower growing back.

“As you can see, didn’t really work, but it’s lost its power over me at least. Not sure how, but it’s clearly still controlling my sisters. Or maybe it’s by their own free will. Don’t really know anymore, and I don’t really care.”

“And so that’s why your sisters are trying to kill us?” Kainé exclaimed. “Because of their loyalty to some fucking flower?”

“I have a guess.” Accord started, uncrossing her legs and sitting up. “I believe the flower in her eye contains a soul.”

“How the fuck does it have a soul?” Kainé asked, for once not ashamed to be utterly baffled.

“Oh right, you’re a Muggle.” Zero grumbled. “Witches and wizards can leave parts of their soul in objects. Not really sure how it’s done, but it can be done. It’s a dark, forbidden spell though. Best guess is that they either wanted to possess my body or find a host for them.”

“But why would your sisters want to kill you if you have the flower?” Kainé asked.

“They are not very smart, Kainé.” Zero replied. “Maybe they’re just trying to kidnap me. If I kill them first it doesn’t really matter.”

“I guess that’s more than I knew this morning.” Kainé was pissed. This was not what her year was meant to be about, but now she had to see it to the end. Apparently dark magic was entering the mix now. “So what do you know about the soul in the flower?” Kainé asked.

Accord and Zero looked between themselves, clearly deciding what to say. Zero cleared her throat.

“He calls himself… the Shadowlord.”

The name should’ve been the lamest shit in the world, but Kainé was shaken to the core once Zero released the name. Shadowlord… she’d have to go back to the Restricted Section to look into it.

“Okay, that’s all well and fucked up, but there’s one thing I still don’t understand.” Kainé pointed to Accord. “Why’d you try to kill me during the first task?”

“I… I wasn’t trying to kill you.” Accord stuttered, tensing up. “As much as it went against my prime directive, someone was casting a curse on you, I was trying to say a countercurse.”

“So that’s why my broom stopped shaking? Your countercurse shit?” Kainé was skeptical. Why did this stranger want to help? That didn’t sound right.

“N-no… it was your fireball. It distracted the curse user enough to release it.” Accord seemed stumped too. Understandably so.

“What’s with the prime directive shit? Why’d you help me anyway? I’m just a fucking stranger.”

Accord looked at Zero, as if seeking approval. Zero nodded her head, and Accord took a deep breath.

“I don’t tell people this, but I have The Eye. I can see the future. At least glimpses. And I can see that you’re important for the future. You have to be.” Accord gave a little smile, as if that was supposed to be reassuring. “So even though I am meant to only record that what I saw comes to pass, ensure my prophecies come true… I have to believe that you are meant to do something great.”

Great, if Kainé was important to the future, everything was going to go to shit.

February 25th

The day after the Second Task, Kainé received a letter during breakfast, as a regal owl landed gently by her. A second owl flew right next to her, landing with 9S. Kainé looked over to see a third landing with Zero. Kainé didn’t need to guess what this was about.

The letter itself requested that she visit the Quidditch Pitch after classes that day. She looked over to see that 9S’ said the same thing. He looked… excited? How could this kid still be this into the Triwizard Cup?

“Guess we have no choice right?” Kainé sighed to 9S.

“Don’t look so down! We won’t have to solve a puzzle this time.” 9S beamed.

“You just don’t want me to have to help you again.” Kainé teased.

---

The Quidditch Pitch had been completely razed, with hedges grown in its place. Kainé, 9S, and Zero stood on the outside edge of the pitch, as the Hogwarts headmaster stood in front of them.

Kainé had spent very little time at the pitch, as she never had a reason to go to a match. By the time she met a Quidditch player that didn’t hate her guts, he had already been injured for years. She was surprised to see a network of rope bridges and walking paths connecting the structure underneath, no doubt to give players enough time to pull up and not eat shit when diving.

“In two week’s time, you three will race through the hedges in order to find the Triwizard Cup. Whoever does so, will be crowned the Triwizard champion. Of course, it is far from a simple maze… you will be challenged in all manner of magical skills, things that you should have learned over your time in school.”

The headmaster stared directly at Kainé. She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. Somehow she had made him hate her guts over the past year. What did she even do?

“Unless you have any questions, you are free to go. Remember, March 11th!” He called after them.

The three turned around, and started to walk back to Hogwarts. If it wasn’t for the fact that Zero hated everyone besides Accord, and Kainé just hated everyone, it would’ve almost felt like a group of friends taking a walk to the lake.

“You two better not make it too easy for me.” Zero said, unprompted. “I want some real competition.”

“I’ll do my best ma’am.” 9S replied, which just got an exasperated sigh from Zero.

Kainé leaned in towards Zero, trying to speak without 9S hearing.

“Hey Zero, with what we talked about yesterday.”

“What about it, Kainé?” she groaned.

“Should we team up or something? After what you told me, seems like we both-”

Zero stopped dead in her tracks. Her hands were jammed deep into her pockets, every part of her body language pushing Kainé away.

“I am capable of achieving my goals on my own. I don’t need to be part of your… party.”

Zero quickly walked, racing past 9S and Kainé, determined to not spend another second with them.

“She doesn’t want to be on Team Kainé?” 9S asked sincerely.

“Stop calling it that!”

February 26th

“Zero’s words are useful, but far from painted the entire picture, Lass. We now must juggle both the Tyrann problem and the Intoners. Getting to the bottom of both will be difficult.” Weiss sighed.

Team Kainé met at their usual spot, in the Great Hall for breakfast. Emil seemed to be scribbling a Transfiguration essay, but otherwise everyone was locked in on the problem at hand. Kainé was scarfing down an English breakfast, desperate to do something with her hands.

“So we know that Tyrann has something to do with your past, and that the Intoners sure seem like they’re trying to kill Zero and you… but how does this link together?” Nier asked.

“Hell if I know.” Kainé slouched down on the bench, almost falling over. After almost seven years, she figured she’d remember not to do that.

“Would you like to tell us what your problem is?” 2B took her seat next to Kainé, with A2 sitting across from her, next to Nier.

“You guys really don’t want to be included in my shit.” Kainé sighed, waving her hand dismissively.

“You saved me yesterday Kainé, I have not forgotten.” 2B said, with a small hint of a smile. “I did not properly thank you for that. Let me help save yours.”

“You got somethin’ in mind?” Kainé asked, more than skeptical. 2B looked back at her, eyes clear and confident.

“We should kidnap Tyrann.”

March 1st

“Am I… allowed to be in here?” Nier asked, as he cautiously took his first steps into the women’s bathroom on the second floor.

The room was disgusting and disused, but no one was going to catch them there, that was all that mattered. Nier, Emil, Yonah, Weiss, 2B, A2, and 9S all gingerly took seats on the floor, as Team Kainé met long after curfew. She wasn’t even sure how 2B, A2, and 9S were sneaking out of their spaces, but she didn’t ask questions. It was a waste of time.

“Yeah don’t worry. Rumor is some girl died here years ago, no girls ever go in here anymore, especially not at night.” Kainé explained.

“Really?”

“Yeah. How the fuck do I know more about this school than you, Nier?”

Nier simply laughed and sat down tailor-style in between A2 and Yonah. Kainé took her spot in the middle of the circle.

“Well, I guess everyone’s welcome to our first after curfew strategy meeting.” Kainé said, raising her voice slightly as if giving a speech. When did she become the leading type? Seemed more like Nier’s job.

“For Team Kainé!” Nier called out, laughing again.

“I’m not calling it that.” She sighed, before dry washing her face. “But as 2B proposed, we need to kidnap Tyrann, and that’s gonna require a lot of planning and shit. So we’re gonna meet to discuss it here.”

Yonah raised her hand, which Kainé wanted her to just speak up, and so the two stared at each other for a moment, before Kainé conceded and called on her.

“Why are we kidnapping Tyrann?” She asked gently.

“‘Cuz he knows shit.” Kainé replied, staring right at Yonah. Nier leaned into Yonah.

“I don’t think they’ve covered this in class yet, but there’s a way to look at wizard’s memories. Kainé thinks this the only way to find out what Tyrann knows.”

2B sat up slightly, and looked over at Yonah.

“It’s called a Pensieve, it’s a bowl that lets you look into memories. We still do not know Tyrann’s connection to Kainé’s past, and he will likely not offer the information willingly.”

“So how will we go about kidnapping the boy?” Weiss asked. “Things do go missing from this school all the time, but a student is a lot more noticeable.”

“Why the fuck do you think I called this meeting?” Kainé yelled back, standing up to stare the floating grimoire in the face.

“Well ma’-” 9S started, before seeing Kainé's usual death glare. “-Kainé, recon is kinda my talent. Give me a couple days, and I’ll have Tyrann’s whole life plotted out. Seems handy if we’re gonna figure out when to grab him.”

“Alright, let’s start there, 9S.” Kainé smiled. “We’ll reconvene here in two nights, deal?”

“Everyone put your hands in!” Nier shouted, and the circle all did. Kainé stepped back and followed his lead. “Team Kainé on three! One, two, three!”

“Team Kainé!” they all yelled, over Kainé objections to the name.

Fucking hell.

March 2nd

“So your grand plan is sitting around the Great Hall?”

Kainé knew that she and 9S were far from inconspicuous, but it didn’t feel right to leave 9S doing something without her. Tyrann was her problem after all, he was her bully. The pair convened in the Great Hall at five in the morning, before classes started, but after all the prefects and the caretaker went to bed. Kainé never really slept well anyway.

“Well, if he’s in the Slytherin dorms, those funnel up this way, right? So we’ll be sure to catch how he starts his day. It might be our best chance at snatching him.”

“Guess that makes sense.” Kainé grumbled. “Why the hell’d you even bother doing this for me anyway?”

“What do you mean?” 9S asked through a yawn. He had a book out, trying anything to seem less conspicuous, despite the pair being the only people here.

“We’re not friends. We hardly know each other. And we’re rivals for the tournament. What do you get out of helping me?”

“Why do I need to get anything out of it?” 9S blinked back. “We’re a pair of Muggle-borns, we have to stick together. 2B cares about you, so I do too.”

“Does she now?” Kainé snickered. “Well you’re both fucking crazy.”

“I’m more than okay with that. You saved her at the Second Task Kainé, you did what I had to do.” 9S said more sheepishly. “I’ll never be able to pay you back for that.”

“They weren’t really gonna let her die, idiot.” Kainé mumbled, not sure if she believed it herself.

“If you really thought that back then, you wouldn’t have saved her.”

Kainé didn’t have a reply to that. Truth be told, she didn’t think anything at the time. She just… did. Maybe she had a bigger heart than she thought.

No, that was fucking rediculous.

After a little more waiting, Tyrann filed out of the Slytherin dorms with the first wave of students. 9S kept his distance, and Kainé followed suit. He skipped breakfast, instead heading to the seventh floor. He paced around for a bit, knocking on walls and statues, before giving up and heading to his classes.

Kainé knew she had skipped class enough that her teachers wouldn’t notice, and she wasn’t really sure how 9S usually spent his days honestly. She didn’t ask. 

Nothing Tyrann did after was really worth cutting class, but the pair still followed him the next day too, just to be sure. He didn’t seem to really have friends, which didn’t shock Kainé that much. She didn’t see him talk to anyone, and he actively avoided others. Kinda like herself, at least before she got sucked into these people’s lives.

March 4th

“He’s looking for something on the seventh floor, that’s our biggest takeaway.” 9S reported at their meeting in the girl’s bathroom.

They were once again sitting in a circle on the ground, though this time Kainé couldn’t help but pace. The Third Task was closing in quickly, and she knew they still had no clue what to do.

“What’s even on the seventh floor? Your school’s way too fucking big.” A2 sighed.

“It’s the Room of Requirement, isn’t it?” Nier interjected, grabbing A2’s arm in urgency.

“Don’t know for sure, but no fucking clue what else it could be.” Kainé sighed. “It’s the one time he’s alone too.”

“So we nab him then?” Emil asked.

“And take him to this… Room of Requirement?” 2B offered. “I assume it will have the Pensieve we need.”

“While 2B is surprisingly correct, it causes its own issues if we do that.” Weiss offered. “It could be exactly what he wants.”

“What do you mean?” Yonah asked.

“He could be counting on the Lass and the rest of her merry band to seize the opportunity. You can only get into the Room of Requirement because an ancient and wise tome like myself has told you. Tyrann clearly does not know one, and as such is stuck.”

“You can’t take all the goddamned credit you fucker, I found it myself!”

“Nevertheless” Weiss sighed, “He is seemingly unable to find it, and that is of great use to us, but could also be our downfall. Tread lightly, Lass.”

“Of course I will, Weiss, I’m not a goddamned amateur.” Kainé paused for a second. “Though… it’s probably best if it’s just me and 2B.”

A murmur spread across the room, everyone clearly frustrated by this.

“Look, too many people will just make it all go to shit. Gotta keep it simple, it’s a two person job.”

“If Kainé says it, she won’t change her mind.” Yonah offered. “But be careful. Tyrann is really scary.”

“Of course Yonah. I’ll be careful.”

---

The team dispersed from their meeting, and Kainé slowly made her solo walk back to the Gryffindor dorms before feeling a tug at her sleeve. She turned around to see Nier holding onto her robes, looking a little sheepish.

“What do you want Nier?” Kainé sighed.

“Are you studying for your NEWTs?” He asked, trying to smile a little.

“What made you think of that?”

The NEWTs, the end of school test that determines whether any job would be willing to hire you, was hardly the first thing on Kainé’s mind. Between Tyrann trying to kill her, the Intoners trying to kill her, and the games trying to kill her, she has been preoccupied for most of the school year. 

“Because they’re just after the Third Task, Kainé. Do you forget?” He was as confused as she was.

“You know I did, but why should I care? Not like they’ll do me any good.”

“You don’t mean that, really, do you?” Nier asked, now looking a little downtrodden.

The hallway was silent, everyone else having long made their way back to their respective dorms. She probably should’ve been worried about a prefect or teachers, but it wouldn’t be the first time they found her out late at night.

“Spit it out Nier, what’s the real question?”

“I wanna know… well, if I’m gonna see you after this year.”

What? Why was he thinking about that now? Nier was a sentimental shit, she had known that for approaching two years now, but this was out of nowhere.

“The fuck you talking about? Of course you will, asshole.”

“Well yeah, I know I’ll see you again…” Nier tripped over his words. “But… I want to know you’ll be in my life. If we both work in the wizarding world… Maybe that would make it easier?”

“You’re that worried about me?” Kainé sighed.

“You’ve helped me since the day we met. Gotta return the favor somehow, right?” Nier smiled.

“Alright fine, I’ll give a shit about these NEWTs if it means you’ll get off my ass, alright?”

“Not sure I can keep that deal, Kainé. You’re gonna need my help to study after all!”

Nier gave a smile, and walked back towards the Hufflepuff dorms.

“Goddamnit Nier, fine!” Kainé shouted back, before laughing a little and leaving herself. “That boy’s fucking crazy.”

March 5th

God Tyrann was a fucking idiot.

He paced back and forth, his shoulders hunched and his movement aggressive. His eyes darted looking for something, anything.

But what he was looking for, Kainé assumed, was sitting just in front of his face, behind an invisible door. She, Weiss and 2B watched as Tyrann stood mere inches from her, trying to find the Room of Requirement.

The Room itself was currently barren save for a Pensieve, which they designed just before entering.

She and 2B exchanged a look, and Kainé mumbled a quiet “Stupify”. The spell shot out of the door’s peephole, and hit Tyrann in the face, forcing him backwards. Kainé kicked the door open, and grabbed his feet.

“Fucker won’t stay down for long, get your shit together and do the spell!”

“Give me a moment, this will be difficult without the subject’s assistance.” 2B sighed.

Kainé dragged him up to the Pensieve, with 2B leaning over him, before taking her wand to his temple, and drawing out what looked like spider’s silk.

“That’s… his memories?” Kainé asked.

“Right it is, Lass. Even for all my power, I am unable to do something such as that.”

“Because you don’t have hands, shithead.”

“Quiet Lass.” Weiss hissed back.

2B cleared her throat quickly, trying to get their attention.

“Based on what you have told me, this should be about the right time in his life.”

2B lowered the spider’s silk into the Pensieve’s bowl, and from it, the clear water turned a cloudy and milky white. Kainé looked at the bowl with disgust.

“So what, now I just stick my head into that crazy ass bowl?”

“That is how the spell works, Kainé.”

Kainé took a deep breath, and walked towards the Pensieve, leaving 2B to watch Tyrann. And Weiss, she supposed. What was she about to see? Memories of a life she had once lived, and mostly blocked out. Her parents were likely still alive, and she was blissfully unaware of the curse that was coming for her. She didn’t yet know how different she was, and how poorly she’d be treated for it. She didn’t know not everyone was like her, after all.

“You’ve done this before?” Kainé asked, trying to settle herself.

“Once or twice.” 2B said, face scrunching up as she tried to remember. “I did once use it to prove A2 lied about stealing a shirt of mine.”

“That so?” Kainé said with a smirk. “Well, hopefully I can prove some shit like that.”

---

A green spell rocketed out of a young boy’s wand. He couldn’t have been older than about five, but she saw a body crumple onto the ground, completely lifeless. A bloodless death, the boy’s attention was drawn to a flower near the dead body. He stared at it for a moment, before muttering an incantation Kainé couldn’t hear.

The memory faded and another appeared. It was a summer night, the boy was running around with his flashlight. He approached a girl, in a blue dress with shocking white hair. It was… Kainé. Young Kainé, smiling and innocent. She didn’t remember ever being like that. Maybe Tyrann was making it up, memory false and twisted. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, and they ran around the yard looking for something, bugs or whatever kids were interested in.

He told her he was worried. That he didn’t feel like himself, and was worried about what was to come. That he didn’t know who he was. Kainé took his hand, and told him, promised him, that she would never let his life change as long as she was around. In Tyrann’s memory, there was almost a flash, a spark, from when Kainé said that.

The scene changed again. Kainé was napping in the yard, and Tyrann came up to her, wand extended. He started to mutter, but before he could finish, Kainé woke up and smiled at him, he stopped and she reached out and-

Kainé was suddenly pulled out of the Pensieve, a hand gripping tightly to her throat. She could barely breathe as her eyes adjusted to her surroundings. Weiss was on the ground, flopping around like a dry fish, with 2B down on a knee, clearly recovering.

“Like what you see, Sunshine?” Tyrann growled, pinning Kainé to the wall. She gasped, trying to respond. He was strong, far stronger than his build implied.

“You really didn’t think I’d see you tailing me the first day? Knew right away to lead you somewhere solitary. I ought to fucking kill you right now for kidnapping me, huh? I think I’ll do that. Gut you like a fish, or maybe blow you up so you can die like your fucking worthless parents!” Tyrann started to giggle. “Oh god I wish I killed them, I really do. Would’ve been fucking amazing.”

Kainé’s eyes bulged. She understood the boy was Tyrann in the memories, but to actually hear it was something else.

“You’re… the Shadowlord…” she gasped. Tyrann started laughing uncontrollably.

“What, don’t remember me Sunshine? I called myself that when I was five! Thought I sounded really fucking cool.”

Kainé had no response, just more flailing. She could feel her eyes dimming, her feet losing their momentum. Time was running out.

“I’ve always been in your fucking pathetic life. The shit you pulled back then… Your goddamned Unbreakable Vow… should have never spoken to you. Goddamn worthless half-blood. If only I’d known that maybe I wouldn’t have to kill you, Zero, and every other worthless fucker at this place.”

Tyrann leaned in, his manic eyes never breaking Kainé’s gaze. His breath was hot, almost sickening, as she desperately tried to find a way out of this.

“I’ve decided how I’m gonna kill you, I’m going to choke you right here, right now. I wanna see the light leave your fucking eyes. I wanna know you’re completely, truly dead, or else I won’t be satisfied.”

He drew his wand suddenly, pointing it directly at 2B, without even looking at her.

“I can tell you’re going to try some shit. Don’t.”

Even without moving his eyes, it left him distracted enough for Kainé to raise her leg, and kick him in the balls. She laughed as he dropped his grip on her, enough for her to wriggle free and kick him again.

“Goddamnit!”

“Stupify!” Kainé shouted, knocking out Tyrann once again.

Kainé turned to 2B, still on the ground.

“Can you stand?”

“I think so.”

Kainé offered her hand, and pulled her up, before grabbing Weiss and running out of the Room, Tyrann lying lifeless on the ground.

She had mere days until the Third Task, and now a Slytherin would be trying to kill her every chance he got.

Turns out this year wasn’t any different from the last six after all.

Chapter Text

“It’s called a Gestalt, and it basically lets Tyrann live forever.”

A2 stood in the girl’s second floor bathroom in front of the sink, looking over the rest of Team Kainé. Her book was in French, but the pictures made it pretty clear what was happening. It showed a man with a ghostly version of himself entering an object, in this case a locket, before the locket took on a face of its own.

“Why do you know this, A2?” Nier asked.

“I used to sneak around the Restricted Section at Beauxbatons. I thought this sounded cool.” She shrugged, before turning back to Kainé. “You were assaulted by his Replicant, the body left behind when the soul leaves. In short, there’s two halves of Tyrann out there.”

Emil raised his hand, which caused A2 to sigh and pause for a moment before pointing to him.

“So the Gestalt is the good half?” Emil asked.

“Nah, that one’s probably pretty shitty too.” A2 shrugged. “Gestalts and Replicants aren’t always alike, but it’s fairly common. It does happen when you use an Unforgivable Curse, so it's difficult to see how you’d be a good person at that point.”

“Why would anyone do this?” Yonah asked. “This sounds horrible…”

“Can’t believe I gotta explain everything… I guess it helps at times.” A2 explained. “You can summon beasts called Shades, which’ll do whatever you want. As that flower clearly proves, wherever you put your soul can live on, keeping you alive. But you can’t feel anything anymore. You’re… cold.”

The entire Team sat in silence for a minute, considering their options.

“So the flower that contains Tyrann’s soul is now influencing the Intoners, right?” 9S asked.

“Based on what the Lass was told by Zero, that does indeed appear to be the case. Hm… the mystery is slowly revealing itself to us.”

2B stood up, making her way to A2, something clearly on her mind. She let go of 9S’ hand to do it, which Kainé noticed really bummed him out. Dude was whipped.

“Whatever their plan is, it’s clearly happening at the Third Task. They tried to kill you at both previous Tasks.” 2B reasoned, directing it at 9S.

“He mentioned an Unbreakable Vow… any idea what that is?” Kainé asked.

The whole room went deadly silent. Okay, the hell was wrong?

“You… made an Unbreakable Vow with Tyrann?” A2 asked.

“Apparently! Look I’m not gonna answer for the shit I did before I knew magic was real!” Kainé huffed.

“It means… you made a promise, and if you break it, you die.” Emil replied solemnly. “I’d know, I’ve made one… with my sister.”

No one replied to that, and just sat in the information for a second, before Nier finally spoke up, clearing his throat, with a quizzical look on his face.

“What was the promise?”

“That if he couldn’t change as long as I was around…” Kainé replied.

Nier and A2 stared at each other, just half starting replies, trying to math it out.

“So he’s trying to kill you so he can ‘change’ without dying himself.”

“He can’t reunite his Gestalt and Replicant. Dude’s basically a shambling corpse at this point, he wants to feel whole but can’t.” A2 explained.

“Doesn’t justify the evil shit he’s done over the years!” Kainé retorted.

“Kainé, I know that. But we’ve got less than a week to figure out how he wants to kill you.” A2 grumbled.

Once again, silence, before a bunch of ideas started to flow. 9S pitched a gun, though Nier pointed out that there are measures in place for Muggle weapons. Emil offered the idea of him burning the pitch down, but again, too many wizards there that could stop it. Kainé had been told the final match was an event that any wizard would die to attend, which she couldn’t comprehend. There would be Aurors and other authorities from the Wizarding World, so he couldn’t just do it too out in the open.

“Maybe a trap door?”

Kainé turned to look at Yonah, almost shocked to hear her speak up.

“What? How would they do that?” A2 said, a little too annoyed at her boyfriend’s sister for her own good.

“No, wait, she’s onto something.” Nier offered.

Everyone turned to Nier, who put his hand on Yonah’s shoulder.

“You said that it’s happening at the Quidditch stadium, right? Well there’s a whole system underneath there. Seekers fly through it all the time. It really wouldn’t be that hard to sneak under there and tamper with the stadium.”

“Or the players.” 9S reasoned.

“Sounds like a coward’s approach.” A2 shrugged. “But you’re probably right.”

“So… we have to be down there and fend them off?” 2B asked.

“Seems like our best course of action.” Nier agreed.

“I… I can’t ask that of you guys. Tyrann is my fight.” Kainé protested.

Nier walked over to her, putting both of his hands on her shoulders, locking eyes with her.

“Kainé… he’s going to kill you. I can’t let that happen. If you died while I stood by… I’d never live with myself. So win the Triwizard Tournament, and we’ll handle Tyrann.”

Kainé grumbled. She hated the plan, but knew they had no other option.

“If Tyrann put his soul in the flower, and the Intoners are controlled by it, you better prepare for them being there too. It’ll be six, not just one.”

Nier looked over at 2B and A2, with his girlfriend giving a small smirk in reply.

“I think we can handle them.”

March 11th

Kainé was sick of waiting.

The same tent from the first task was erected just outside the stadium, giving ample time for her, 9S, and Zero to stew on the oncoming battle. She had avoided Tyrann at all costs, and stayed in public at all times, making sure he couldn’t corner and kill her for the entire week.

She had already approached Zero, trying to talk to her again about the oncoming danger, but Zero blew her off. She had long accepted that it would be a solo mission, so any amount of support was a bonus. It was just a shame Zero wasn’t counted within it.

She could hear the cheering from the stadium, a roaring crowd making indistinct noise. They had been told they would have to wait a few more minutes, so Kainé paced back and forth, wanting all of this to be over already. 9S was tapping his foot incessantly, clearly as nervous as Kainé, but he was trying his best to contain it. Zero was stewing in the corner, staring at the rest of the hollow tent. When Kainé made her way to the far end of the tent, she heard a voice calling to her.

“Kainé? Are you in there?”

The voice was deep and booming, coming from one of the further sides of the tent. 9S and Zero both looked confused, but didn’t press Kainé, which she appreciated. She knew exactly who it was, but how?

She hustled over to the side, and saw Nier and Yonah’s father waiting for her. He wore a slightly formal attire that Kainé recognized to be wizard robes, and ran to give him a hug.

“What are you doing here? How are you here?” Kainé asked, holding back tears. He just smiled.

“Nier said that this was open to friends and family, and since I already know about the wizarding world, I was able to get special permission to come. But I wanted to be here for you.” Their father was always so calm, so reassuring, she wondered how he did it.

“For me?” Kainé asked, on the verge of tears. “Why the fuck would you want to do that?”

“Because you’re like a daughter to me Kainé. I mean it. You’ve become a sister to Yonah and got Nier out of his shell. You’re exactly who I’d want as my family.”

He put his hand on her shoulder, and gave it a slight squeeze. Kainé just smiled.

“...Thank you, I think I needed that.”

“I had a feeling.” He smiled. At least, she was pretty sure it was a smile. She never could tell with his gaunt face. “I should get going, but good luck out there alright?”

“Thank you. I’ll try my best.”

Kainé turned back to the front of the tent, ready for what faced her in the maze.

“Well, where do we go first?”

Nier, A2, 2B, and Weiss stood in the catacombs of the stadium, underneath the home team’s goal post. Nier knew how to get here, he’d been under here a million times as a Keeper, usually from an errant Bludger, including the one that took him out of Quidditch for good.

2B and A2 both had rapiers sheathed on their backs; they said it was from their fencing days back at Beauxbatons, but now repurposed as actual weapons. Nier wasn’t complaining, seeing his girlfriend prepared for battle was admittedly pretty hot. It clashed with their beautiful blue blazers and skirts, but that felt right for the pair.

“We spread out.” 2B said. “It makes the most sense. If any one gets in danger, send up a flare.”

“Deal.” Nier agreed.

“And I shall stick to the young Lad.” Weiss declared, without any objections from the sisters.

2B went her own way, with A2 staying behind for a moment. Her long white hair was caught in one of the spotlights, illuminating her even more than usual.

“Sure you’ll be alright?” she asked.

“I think so.” Nier smiled.

A2 turned to leave, before stopping, and turning back around at Nier.

“You know, when I pictured my year, I didn’t think I’d be trying to kill an evil wizard next to some British boy I’d never met.”

“Oh yeah?” Nier smiled. “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m just… thanking you, Nier.” A2 said solemnly. “I think you're making me realize… Even with how shitty Tyrann and the Intoners are… I never realized how big the world is. How beautiful it is. I’ve got you to thank for that.”

“Thanks A2… just save it for after we won, alright?” Nier blushed.

“Alright, I think I can do that.”

Nier ran up, quickly pecking her on the lips, before hustling away his direction. He didn’t even wait to see her face get all red, he already knew it was happening.

---

Nier headed to the east side of the stadium. They did not prepare much, because really, how could they? Tyrann and the Intoners were clearly talented wizards, Nier was sure they were better than him. He couldn’t beat them head on, which meant he’d have to get creative.

“Lost in thought, Lad?” Weiss asked, as they trekked across a narrow foot bridge.

“Do you think we have any shot at winning? At saving Kainé?”

“Never stop worrying about her, do you Lad? The Lass is far tougher than one could imagine, I feel as though she will be difficult for Tyrann to kill.”

“She did already escape him once I suppose.” Nier admitted.

Kainé… was unlike anyone he had ever known. She was tenacious, and brash, but weirdly sensitive. He knew she would never reveal herself fully to him, but he was okay with that. He still had seen more of her than anyone else, he was pretty sure, and he was honored.

He just wanted to make sure others would get to see her after today too.

“Guess now we just have to wait.” Nier mused, as he could hear the Headmaster’s voice booming from the stands.

“Welcome, everyone, to the Third and Final task of the Triwizard Tournament!”

The Headmaster stood at a podium from one of the central towers of the Quidditch pitch. His wand was pointed to his throat, projecting his voice throughout the stadium.

Kainé, Zero and 9S had been led to three different corners of the Pitch, all equidistant from the center of the maze in front of them. Though Kainé had seen it on the scouting day, she was now struck by just how huge the hedges were. Once she entered, she would be completely boxed in, unable to escape. A cage match between her and Tyrann.

She looked up to see Yonah, her father, and Emil, sitting together in the stands. They looked excited… happy. It warmed Kainé, even for a second, to see them so excited.

The Headmaster finished his speech, and fired a flare from his wand, signaling the start of the race. Since Zero had won both events, she was allowed to enter first, giving Kainé time to stew on her anxieties. It would’ve been so much easier if Zero had just agreed to help them… not like Kainé was in a place to judge people for their isolation.

After a minute or so, Kainé’s flare went off. She shot into the hedges like a bullet, sprinting her heart out. She knew there was more to the maze than the maze, there would be puzzles or challenges or some shit that she’d have to solve. After a few turns, she saw it.

Two large golems rolled into place, mirroring each other. One’s eyes glowed blue, the other red, with spears and shields in place.

“Fuck.”

Before she had time to attack, they both lunged at her, spears in hand, forcing Kainé to jump backwards. They looked to be wearing armor, which meant most of her spells were worthless. Freezing might work though…

After jumping backwards, Kainé drew her wand.

“Glacius!” she called out, firing ice where their spears rested, holding the golems in place.

She ran around the back, hoping they’d stay frozen for long enough. The rattled and shook, trying to break free. When Kainé reached the back, she saw it contained gears, some kind of mechanical system, which at least was something she could work with.

“Fucking freaks. Baubillious!”

Sparks shot out of her wand, and the red one crumpled to the ground. The blue one cried out a high pitched wail, almost like it was in mourning. It spun its spear around, the anguish increasing its strength, knocking Kainé off of its pair’s back.

She tumbled backwards, cursing on her way down. Shit, this would not be so easy after all. The blue golem glared at her, and wound up its spear once again. She couldn’t dodge, she couldn’t block… she had to think of something fast.

She was able to distract Accord, or, well Tyrann before, so why not-

“Lacarnum Inflamarae!” Kainé shouted, firing a huge ball of flames at the golem. It was a direct hit, and though it clearly didn’t injure the golem, it unbalanced it enough.

“Reducto!” Kainé pointed her wand out, and the spell hit with enough force to collapse the golem’s chest, tumbling it backwards.

She didn’t revel in her victory, instead sprinting away from the golems as fast as she could. She still didn’t really know what Tyrann’s plan was. But she had a feeling the Triwizard Cup at the center of the maze was part of it, and didn’t want Zero caught up as collateral damage. So she sprinted, hoping nothing else would get in her way.

Nier knew there wouldn’t be silence forever. He heard three flares shoot into the sky, and then chaos above. The contestants were on their way, which meant whatever Tyrann was planning was underway.

Tyrann… Nier barely knew the guy, they had met in class years ago. How could he have known that his future best friend was tied to this random classmate? It was almost difficult to fathom. Almost as hard as Yonah’s favorite band being possessed by the soul of that same random classmate. He just hoped the curse would break and she could have her band back.

As he worked his way to the center, looking for any sign of Tyrann, a blast fired just over his shoulder.

He turned his head forward, to see one of the Intoners, a brunette clad in a green robe, with a large green dragon-like beast behind her. She bowed her head as she spoke, barely looking Nier in the eyes. Was this really a warrior out to kill him? 

“I am terribly sorry, I really don’t want to fight you…” The girl murmured.

“Which one are you?” Nier growled, getting into his fighting stance. Weiss flew up behind him.

“F- Four. I’m Four. Please… just turn around… no one has to die, I swear!” She cried out in distress.

Her beast crawled forward, leaning over her shoulder. Nier wasn’t sure if she was telling the truth or not, he could sense a vileness underneath, but wasn’t sure either way.

“If no one has to die, then what’s the plan with Kainé?” Nier asked.

“What The Shadowlord needs is not my concern as long as I serve him.” Four replied, voice filled with acid.

“That flower really has a hold on you, huh?” Nier retorted, before calling out a spell. “Stupify!”

Four threw up a shield charm, and Nier rolled to dodge it.

“Zophiel, destroy him.”

The dragon fired off green blasts, like bolts of energy, in a wide array of directions. Nier threw up a shield charm, but it ripped right through it. Before it could cut Nier to pieces, he saw Weiss fly in front of him, and words glowed, blocking the attack.

“How?” Nier asked.

“I can do much more than ‘shoot blood’, as the Lass puts it. My Sealed Verses are among the greatest powers in the universe, my assistance will be necessary to survive.”

“Alright then!” Nier wasn’t sure what he thought Weiss could do, but it wasn’t that. Honestly he just felt like a part of Kainé at this point, Nier sometimes forgot he was around.

Before Nier could collect himself, Four sprinted up to him, nails drawn like claws, and started swiping at him. He dodged the first few strikes, but her next swing got right into Nier’s side, quickly drawing first blood.

“Weiss…” He croaked out, which caused him to start shooting blood at Four. She raised a hand to block, but her claws were still lodged in Nier’s side.  Zophiel fired at Weiss to get him to stop, which only distracted Weiss from covering for Nier. Four stared at him, eyes manic.

“When the Shadowlord rises to full power, we won’t need to be afraid of the Earth anymore! The Earth as we know it will be gone! Doesn’t that sound wonderful!?” Four started to cackle with glee. The girl begging for mercy was long gone, if she was ever really there. She took her other hand, and started to shove her sharp nails into his chest. Just as Nier started to feel his eyes dim, a spell blasted out of nowhere, smacking Four in the face. Nier fell to the ground, looking up at the Quidditch pitch.

“I’m your one hope if you want to live, Nier.”

She entered his purview upside down, but even still, Nier knew the voice could only belong to one person. Accord leaned down, long pigtails practically touching his face, as she offered a hand.

She knew her peace wouldn’t last for long. Just as she turned the corner, she could tell the Triwizard Cup was ahead of her, without Zero in sight. It was too easy. Far, far too easy. Sure she fought a blast-ended screwt, and had to navigate through a cropping of Devil’s Snare, but all in all it hadn't been too difficult.

And just as she realized it, she felt her body slam into the bushes.

A beast unlike any she had ever seen growled violently at her. Almost lizard-like, made of black and yellow bits of energy, the beast was not entirely whole. Even though A2 never went into detail, Kainé could instantly tell this was a Shade, meaning Tyrann sicced this on her. Did he really think this was gonna work? After all this time? Maybe he didn’t, maybe he just wanted to intimidate her.

That cunt would have to try harder than this.

Its roar shook the ground around her, before it lunged again. Kainé was able to dodge, rolling to the side.

“Confringo!” she yelled, and bursts of flames emitted from her wand.

The beast fell backwards, intimidated by the fire, but only for a moment. Kainé knew that this would not go down as easily as the twins from before. Without a proper body, the beast would be immune to things like freezing or the entrail-expelling curse she had once looked up in her fourth year during Christmas break. If it was made of darkness, maybe light…?

“Lumos Solem!”

Light fired out of Kainé’s wand, blinding even herself with its strength. The light seemed to burn its body, ravaging it, causing it to swing wildly at her to make it stop. It swatted the wand out of her hand, causing it to tumble a few feet back. It yelled, a sonic roar almost strong enough to knock Kainé off her feet. Its almost prehensile tail reached over its head and aimed at Kainé. Something started to spew out of its tail, what looked like Shade eggs. Kainé knew she’d have to destroy them, but how? There were too many eggs for her spells alone to do anything without harming herself… She needed a weapon. The beast stomped its foot, sending Kainé backwards to her wand. She raised it up, and yelled.

“Accio sword!” She yelled.

From the school, the same serrated gunmetal gray sword from her second year Christmas break came charging through the window to reach her.

“Fuck yes!” she yelled, raising the sword up into the air.

She started to slash at the eggs, which were firing red bolts of energy at her. She dealt with them with ease, before turning her blade at the beast.

“Tyrann, I’m coming for you, you goddamned son of a bitch!”

The beast swung out one more time, before Kainé realized she could prevent that too.

“Locomotor mortis!” Kainé called out after a successful dodge roll. 

True to the spell’s power, its legs seized up, causing it to fall flat on its face. She walked over to the beast, putting her foot onto what seemed to be its neck.

“Tyrann, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m about to make your life a fucking living hell, you got that? Lumos Solem!”

The beast writhed in agony, before finally collapsing onto the ground. She turned to look at the Triwizard Cup, only to see Zero and 9S emerging from their sides of the maze as well.

“Goddamnit! Can’t get a single fucking win!” She growled as she took off sprinting.

It was going to be a race to the finish, and Kainé would not dare to see someone else take the crown from her.

“Ebublio!”

A bubble shot out of Nier’s wand, encasing the dragon creature in an unpoppable prison. Accord went over to Four, and gave her a small kick to confirm she was still unconscious on the ground. Accord helped Nier up from his sitting position, and the two began to sprint towards the center.

“How did you know to come down here?” Nier asked.

The walkway itself was technically solid, but not enough for Nier to really trust it. Every footfall caused wooden structures to moan and creak, shaking under their weight. He knew Tyrann half planned this specifically because of how dangerous it would be for anyone to follow him, which only annoyed Nier more. The man had a flair for the dramatics that was getting very dangerous.

“I have the Eye.” Accord replied matter of factly. “With the Eye, I’m supposed to just record. Observe. Make sure what I see comes to pass. But if what I saw comes true… Well, I’d rather not consider the possibility. Can’t take seeing another bad ending. So I’ve decided to help.”

Nier was not quite sure what to do with the information, but at this point, nothing could surprise him. He hadn’t met anyone who was actually prophetic, even the Divination teacher at Hogwarts seemed to be making things up as she went along. In the little he saw of Accord, she had always seemed passive and quiet, he realized it must have been her recording.

“Alright, how do we stop a bad ending?” Nier asked.

“Simple, we cut off the head.”

When Nier arrived at the center, he saw the waste of other Intoners left behind. A2 was carrying a crossblade that she did not have before, and 2B carried a pair of scissors that looked deadly. Nier was slightly annoyed that Four didn’t have a weapon to steal, but he was better with a wand and broom anyway.

In the center stood Tyrann, magic swirling around him, alongside a blonde Intoner and a blue haired one.

“The fuck are you doing here?” Tyrann shouted as soon as he could see Nier and the sisters. “Here to ruin my plan?”

“I’m here to kill you if you lay a hand on Kainé!” Nier shouted back, which only made Tyrann madder. Not that Nier was surprised.

“Kainé’s the least of your worries! Once Zero touches the Cup, you’ll have no fucking chance at defeating me!”

“Get the fuck away!” Kainé yelled as they all sprinted for the finish.

“I can’t let you do this alone, Kainé!” 9S yelled back.

The cup grew ever closer to her, just within her reach. She wished she was on her broom, she could’ve beaten these two in a race easily. Instead, she had to trust her feet of her goddamned mutant body. She stretched out her hand…

They all reached the cup at the same time, and all did their best to grab it first. Zero, to win. 9S, to save Kainé, and Kainé, to protect everyone else.

Kainé felt a shockwave flow through her body… no, the entire stadium seemed to be rocked by what happened. All three held tight to the cup, while Kainé used her other hand to hold the sword. She looked back and forth between Zero and 9S, none of them budging from the painful experience. Soon, the continued shockwaves, pulsing from the cup at an increasingly rapid pace, began to shake the ground around them. Kainé wasn’t even sure she’d be able to let go if she wanted to, her body was being forced around in too many directions. When the ground gave way, so did the three Champions, tumbling down in a freefall to the platform below them.

Kainé was pretty sure she busted her ass, but that was the least of her problem. Tyrann, One, and Two all stood around her, but beyond them were Nier, Weiss, A2 and 2B. By a pure numbers game, Kainé had them beat. Accord was here too, but good fucking luck figuring out where her loyalties lied… though she did save Kainé once before.

“God fucking damnit, you stupid bitch!” Tyrann grabbed Kainé by the throat again, before she could recover from the fall. She could see Nier and the rest move to protect her, but One and Two stepped in the way. “You were supposed to lose, the Cup was going to kill Zero! I need her gone before I can get my Gestalt back, don’t you understand?”

“I understand plenty, you cunt.” Kainé croaked back.

“But you and the spare brat had to go and share the curse… goddamnit, does nothing work?”

Tyrann slammed Kainé into the ground, head first. She could hear spells going on in the background, clearly her friends were not taking One and Two without a fight. A2 and Nier were tag teaming One, who used a wheel-like chakram to keep them at a distance. A2 had given the crossblade to Nier, while she used a smaller, rapier-like sword. A2 tried for a stupify, but the chakram blocked it. Nier slammed the crossblade in the gaps of the chakram, giving A2 time to kick One in the face. A spell fired from a distance, backing One even further into the fight. Kainé saw Zero make her way over to their fight, cocky smile making it clear how much she was enjoying it.

Two’s sword, broad yet sharp, easily overpowered 2B’s rapier. 2B quickly gave up, and turned to her wand. Accord had a little more luck with Three’s scissors, especially as 2B fired cover spells for her. Two blocked the spells with her sword, and kicked at Accord to keep her at bay, but she couldn’t keep it up forever, and quickly had her leg sliced. Two quickly shifted in pain, hitting Accord in the gut. Just as she was about to swing out at 2B, 9S moved like a bullet, tackling Two, his eyes almost glowing red with rage.

Before Kainé could respond to Tyrann’s attack, blood flew through the air, drilling Tyrann’s head, forcing him backwards. He let go of Kainé for a moment, falling on his back. Weiss flew up, and even without a true face, Kainé could see him smirking.

“Well Lass, looks as though I was necessary… after… all….”

Weiss dropped from the air like a stone after his speech slowed down. Kainé turned to see Tyrann sitting up, having quickly recovered, holding his wand out at Weiss.

“Weiss, you dumbass!” Kainé shouted out of frustration, before kicking Tyrann’s stomach, who screamed in pain. She held her sword at his chest, ever so slightly drawing blood.

“I’m sick of your shit! Goddamnit! I just want to feel anything besides you hurting me, is that too much to ask, Sunshine?”

The two locked eyes, sparks practically flying from their stare.

“I’m not dying for you, Tyrann. I’ve finally got shit to live for, I don’t care what you and your sycophants try. I’ll continue fighting for as long as I live. It’s what I’m good at.”

A2 slammed One’s own chakram into her head, finally downing her. 2B fired one last spell at the downed Two, knocking her out. With the fight over, Accord left Two with 2B and 9S, and hustled over to Nier. Kainé could see her say something to him, causing him to move. A2 had her rapier drawn to One’s neck, and 2B held her wand to Two.

“It’s over Tyrann, just admit it.” Kainé offered. “As much as I hate you for the shit you’ve put me through, I’d rather just get this over with.”

“You know for twelve fucking years I couldn’t feel anything besides pain? Food tastes like ash, wind feels like nothing. Becoming a Replicant was something I did on a goddamned lark, thought it’d be funny to kill my old man and find out what happened. So when my Gestalt returned to me from all the way in France, I knew I had to do something. But I couldn’t get it back from Zero, so that’s what really got my fucking plan moving, especially when I figured out that you were that bitch neighbor of mine from years ago! I realized I had to kill you without anyone suspecting me; it’s why I put your name in the fucking Goblet! Turns out that Unbreakable Vow of ours lets me forge your name, who would’ve guessed? You shouldn’t have saved that stupid mermaid girl, maybe I never would’ve noticed you. But now that’s all gone to shit.”

Tyrann was able to stand up, but he looked… pathetic. He was standing straight, eyes still crazy, but all his power was sapped from him. At least, until he punched Kainé in the face. She tripped backwards, mostly out of shock, before she grabbed her face in pain.

“What the fuck Tyrann!”

“New idea Sunshine! You and me, no wands, no sword, none of your fucking friends. Just the two of us, fighting to the end!”

Kainé spat on the ground and dropped her sword, almost as soon as Tyrann swung again. She ducked, before punching into his side. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nier move, but Accord just held her wand at him. Must’ve been a fucking prophecy again.

“Why were we ever friends?” Kainé grumbled.

“Because we were kids. You were a lonely little freak, and so was I. What more is there to say?”

She blocked one of his punches, until he punched at her jaw. Kainé spat out some blood, but returned to her fighting position.

“Why don’t I remember any of it?”

“The fuck should I know? Maybe it was a spell I fucked up, maybe your dear old parents traumatized you too much.” Tyrann’s voice took a teasing tone, one Kainé hated.

She went for a low kick before another punch, moving Tyrann backwards, despite both missing. She was starting to control the space.

“You know I used to be like you Tyrann. A total fucking loner.”

“Oh that right?” He replied, again dripping with acidity.

Tyrann and Kainé were both bleeding, she wasn’t sure who looked worse. Her knuckles were stained in both Tyrann’s blood and her own, she was sure of that.

“Yeah, but then I finally got over my shit and moved on. I still fucking hate myself, I hate my body, I hate who I am. But at least other people don’t. So you’ll never get your Gestalt back, big fucking whoop. Doesn’t mean you gotta be an asshole.”

“Easy for you to say, Sunshine.”

Tyrann swung wide. Kainé knew she would have no time to dodge. She was really screwed, all of this for nothing.

Just before the punch hit, a blur came in front of her, arms up, blocking the hit. It was… Nier. Nier?

“Hey Kainé, thought you might need some help.” He said, in his quick second before Tyrann realized what happened.

“I said just me and her, you asshole!” Tyrann shouted, wailing on Nier’s sides. He responded with a few punches, before Tyrann reached into his boot, and pulled out a knife, jamming it into Nier’s side.

“Nier! What the fuck!” Kainé wanted to help him, but she knew there was no time.

Tyrann swung again, just like the punch Nier blocked. But now she was ready. Kainé ducked down, then sprung up with an uppercut as he passed. Tyrann was thrown onto his back.

“Have fun in fucking Azkaban, you deserve it.” She stood over him, and dug her heel into his chest. “I’m done with him.”

Zero stepped forward, eyes so intense she seemed as though she was about to kill him herself.

“I’m not. How do I get your goddamned soul out of my eye? How do you fix my sisters?”

“Why would I-“ Tyrann started, before Kainé dug in her heel even more.

“The Aurors are going to come any second now. Want them to find you dead?” Kainé snarled.

“Hogwarts has a ton of ancient magical weapons. Find one, cut out the flower, and you and your sisters will be free. My Gestalt will remain intact, and that’s all I care about.”

Tyrann cackled into the sky, as the Headmaster and Aurors finally arrived from the bridges. They whisked Tyrann away, though his eyes never broke from Kainé. Some people feed too much on hate. Kainé did too, but the past two years had taught her to seek it out elsewhere. She supposed she had. She reached down, and checked to see Nier was still breathing. That was good.

Now, she just had to pass her NEWTs.

Chapter Text

Team Kainé, as well as Zero, were detained in the Hospital Wing through the night. Tyrann and the Intoners were taken away by the Aurors, which was about all the solace Kainé could get.

Kainé had been to the Hospital Wing a few times, always after getting into fights with Slytherins. Which, she realized, was true now as well. No one’s injuries were deadly, though 9S had taken a bad blow to the head from the fall, and Zero broke her leg. In addition to the stab wound, Nier had apparently gotten knocked on his ass by some kind of dragon fighting Four, and 2B had some cuts from Three’s scissors. Kainé herself was bleeding internally from Tyrann’s nasty punches, but nothing that the Matron of the Hospital Wing couldn’t fix overnight.

After she gave them all the potions they needed to heal, each took a spot at a bed, and laid down for the night. Kainé could see Nier reading over his NEWT notes, while A2 scribbled notes to herself. 2B was reading a French novel Kainé couldn’t read the name of, while she held 9S’ hand as he slept off his injury. Zero, sitting to Kainé’s right, was the only other unoccupied attendant.

“Kainé.” She said in a half whisper after a moment.

“What?”

“Do you know where we can get a weapon that Tyrann mentioned?”

Kainé shrugged, before realizing she had an idea.

“The Restricted Section here is full of some wild shit, maybe in there?”

Zero mulled it over for a second, before nodding to herself.

“Yeah, maybe.”

The pair sat still for a second, neither sure what to do next.

“Thanks for saving me, and all that shit.” Zero eventually grumbled.

“Whatever, I thought Tyrann was trying to kill me anyway.”

“Still, you were being nice and shit. So thanks.” Zero turned on her bed, clearly meaning the conversation was over. Whatever, Kainé would take it as a win.

She decided to turn towards Nier, she still had some unanswered questions from him too.

“Hey, Nier!” Kainé hissed, which got him to put down his books.

“Hey Kainé, what’s up?”

Nier looked at her right in her eyes. He… saw her, he smiled at her. She didn’t want to take him for granted, not now, not ever. He was someone very special to her.

“Why did you step in front of Tyrann for me? Who the fuck do you think you are, just up and getting stabbed like that, huh? And what was with Accord?”

Nier sighed, clearly trying to think of how to phrase it.

“She told me… you were important, which I’ve always known. But if you lost to Tyrann, it would be ruinous. That it would be a bad ending for us all, and I had to wait for the exact moment to intervene.”

Kainé couldn’t believe she had a friend like him. Actually willing to die for her, no one had ever been that way before.

“Well, thank you, Nier, that means a lot to me, even if it makes you a brainless fuckwit. Didn’t think I had anyone around that would do that.”

“Until me.” He interjected with a smile. “Now you have a whole bunch.”

He laughed a little, before wincing and grabbing his side.

“Hurts?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe.”

“Well, thanks even more now.”

“I’d do it all over again for you, Kainé.”

Nier, after saying the nicest thing in the world, promptly passed out from the pain and started snoring. Kainé just laughed.

March 12th

Kainé never expected to have a book waiting for her when she left the hospital, but leave it to Weiss to chew her ear off while she was still bandaged up around her left arm and leg. Thankfully, Yonah and Emil were there waiting for her too, with Yonah giving her a huge hug the instant she stepped out of the hospital ward. The six patients were all released at the same time, and slowly made their way out towards the Great Hall in the morning. Once 9S mentioned they should all eat, it was all Kainé wanted to do.

“Kainé! Big Brother! You’re okay!” Yonah exclaimed.

“We were really worried about you.” Emil said.

“Lass, I too am glad to see you are healthy. The Lad too.” he said, before any of them had time to register he was there.

“Good to see you survived Tyrann’s shit.” Kainé offered back, too weak to insult him.

“It takes a great deal more than a simple killing curse to take out a great tome of knowledge like Grimoire Weiss!” He exclaimed.

“He used the Killing Curse on you?” Nier asked, astounded.

“He knew I could smite the dark acolyte with little effort, it was the only way to even delay my might. I was weakened, thankfully the young master Emil found me before too long.”

“That so?” Kainé smiled at Emil. 

“Aww, it was nothing. I was going to check on all of you guys.”

“I believe you kid. Just glad to have you back, Weiss.”

“As you should be!” Weiss insisted.

They walked and floated in silence for a second, before Kainé had an idea.

“Hey Weiss, do you know anything about ancient magical weapons? Tyrann said we’d need one to save Zero.”

Weiss stopped dead in the air, clearly angry with Kainé.

“After six years of companionship, how dare you ask me of all beings such an asinine question, hussy!”

“We’re back to the ‘hussy’ shit?”

“Of course I know about ancient magical weapons, I am one!”

---

Weiss insisted on performing the ritual outdoors in the Hogwarts courtyard, claiming that it was too large a spell to be performed indoors safely. It was early morning, the courtyard was empty save for Team Kainé. Everyone stood under the center walkway for safety, while Zero and Weiss stared at each other.

“How many times have I told you I was a tome of knowledge and power?” Weiss asked, as he faced Zero a few paces away. 

“Too many to fucking count, what’s your point?”

“My point, Lass, is that you never listen to me!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll listen to more of your fuckin’ ramblings, ya happy?”

“Very much so Lass!”

“Are we going to fucking finish this?” Zero asked. Kainé had forgotten why they were out here, truthfully.

“Of course, Mistress Zero. Give me one moment.”

Magic swirled around Weiss, words from an arcane language formed in blood, enshrouding him. Zero removed her eyepatch, displaying a barely blooming flower with buds on the stem. Everyone except A2 and 2B turned away in repulsion, how many times had they already seen it? Suddenly, the blood encircling Weiss formed a dark lance, then another, then another, before eight encircled the great tome. Each fired one at a time, taking their shot at the tiny stem of the flower. Each grazed it on a different side, slowly chipping away at it, until the final lance struck its blow, removing the flower entirely from her. It slowly fell to the ground, carried by the light wind over to Kainé’s feet. She wasted no time in stepping on the flower, doing everything she could to destroy it. She remembered Tyrann’s words, she couldn’t completely eradicate his Gestalt, but she could make it as painful as fucking possible for him.

“We should bury it.” Zero said bitterly, clearly not injured by Weiss’ magic.

“I know just the place.” Kainé said distantly. “I’ll just have to hold onto him until we’re done for the year.”

March 30th

“Your Transfiguration grade still needs quite a bit of work, Kainé.”

“You don’t think I know that?”

A2, 2B, 6O, and Nier all sat around the library table with Kainé. Books were strewn everywhere, with Kainé long losing track of what was contained in each tome. Though she hadn’t really met 6O through the year, 2B said that she was the smartest student at Beauxbatons, and was way too eager to help, so Kainé let it slide. 2B and 6O graded the practice tests, as the two non graduating students there.

Nier leaned back in his seat, clearly smug about his grades, before A2 lightly shoved him, causing him to fall. She burst out laughing, which got a look of ire from the librarian.

“What’d you do that for?” Nier whispered, with a tone of playful anger.

“Didn’t like your look.” A2 replies playfully, before offering him a hand to help him up.

6O leaned into Kainé, way too close for her comfort.

“I… can help you study, you know? If you… need a hand, or anything. Just… offering!” 6O said, blushing slightly.

“I’m… good. Thanks.” Kainé replied, leaning away from her, before turning back to 2B and A2. “Do you guys have any updates?”

2B and A2 exchanged a look of exasperation.

“Negative.” 2B replied. “Your government still wants to ‘keep an eye’ on us, so I can’t see it happening before the end of the year.”

“Well hey, it’ll be nice to have you guys around.” Nier offered. “Would’ve missed you guys.”

“You guys?” A2 teased.

“Well you most of all.” Nier smiled.

“There it is.”

“So when is the test anyway?” Kainé asked, desperate to interrupt their flirting for the millionth time.

“Haven’t I told you? It’s the end of April, the last day is the 21st.”

“Oh, right before my birthday.” Kainé replied without even thinking.

The whole table looked at her in shock. Shit, she shouldn’t have opened her mouth…

“That’s when your birthday is?” Nier exclaimed.

“You didn’t know?” 6O asked a little too harshly.

“This is Kainé, she never tells anyone anything.”

“Hey!... yeah I don’t.” Kainé confessed with a sigh. “Whatever, it’s April 22nd.”

She saw light flicker in Nier’s eyes for a brief second, and she could already see an idea stirring in Nier’s head.

April 17th

Kainé fucking hated tests. The second she sat down, her brain turned to goo.

The N.E.W.T.s were held in the Great Hall, with the four long tables dismissed for rows upon rows of school desks. Ink and quills scrawled on paper as Kainé’s brain zoned out to Potions questions. In the Muggle world, she could write with pencils, erase anything that frustrated her. But here, everything was so definite, a sense of finality permeated through every answer she wrote down.

A2 was sitting front right of the room, while Nier was front center. Kainé, unfortunately, was in the dead center of the Great Hall. The teacher in charge had said it was alphabetical, but Kainé was pretty sure both of these choices were made specifically to piss her off. And it was working.

Potions was never her strong subject. The Professor hated her - well, he hated everybody, but especially her. He was the representative for the Slytherins, so her frequent run-ins with their bullies meant he was never going to be her favorite, meaning she never felt much reason to pay attention in class.

Some of the questions she remembered from 6O’s rigorous training, which gave her some confidence. Another question (“What creature’s eggs are vital to a Felix Felicis potion?”) she could only recall because she was reading a potions textbook the day 9S pestered her about having dinner with him and Zero. Why was that all of things a core enough memory to her that she remembered she was reading about Ashwinder eggs before he distracted her? She would never know.

April 18th

Until a month ago, Kainé would have thought Divinations was the dumbest subject the school offered. But ever since meeting Accord, she felt like she actually sort of understood it. She had at least given Kainé the basics, enough to bullshit her way through the exam. She knew what tea leaves did, and knew what each Tarot card meant. She wasn’t exactly gonna ace the test (she still had no fucking clue how anyone saw shit in a crystal ball), but at least she’d like, score points and shit.

After the test Nier convinced her to study some more for Charms the next day. Really he just gave her food, and that was enough for her. She hated how hungry those tests made her, it even made sitting through A2 and Nier flirt-studying bearable. 

He wanted her to pass, and more importantly, she wanted to pass for him.

The sun began to get low, and even a woman as robotic as A2 had to stop and charge. After a few yawns, Nier declared the study session over.

As Kainé began to pack up, Nier picked up her Transfiguration book, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

“What is it Nier? I can tell when you want to say somethin’.”

“We should hang out on Saturday, celebrate all of us finishing our tests.”

“The three of us?” Kainé asked.

“Sure! I don’t know, maybe we can invite someone else. But ya know, something small. Maybe share a drink and some cake.”

“Why so much food?”

“Well I told you I’d buy you food for saving Yonah two years ago, and I never did. Time to cash in.” He smiled.

He had, in fact, bought Kainé a lot of food over the past two years, but she wasn’t going to argue with a little more.

“Alright, fine, I’ll go to your shindig.”

April 19th

Charms was fucking easy. It was probably from all the charms she cast on bullies over the years, or the millions of spells she had to cast just to survive Tyrann. But she finally was feeling good about herself. Couldn’t remember the last time she felt that way. Nier’s studying probably helped too, but she couldn’t let him know that. It’d be fucking embarrassing.

Teachers walked up and down the aisles during every test, watching each student like a hawk. Maybe there was a time Kainé would’ve tried to cheat during this, she would’ve been tempted at the start of the week even. But now, she felt invincible.

April 20th

At least she did, until it came time to test on Transfiguration. It had never been Kainé’s best class, because she knew if there was a way to actually change herself, she would’ve found it by now. Turning things into other things just seemed like a pointless exercise.

Eventually, though, 6O’s many, many revisions to her practice tests started to sink in. Little comments, like her guiding Kainé on how to properly move her wand, or the correct intonations, slowly started to bubble to the surface. She hated that she kept learning that studying actually worked at the very end of her time at school. No one could ever know about this.

April 21st

Kainé had been studying for Defense Against the Dark Arts her entire time at Hogwarts. Nothing she saw here was new to her. She defeated a dark wizard a month ago, after all. What more learning could she need? What more proof of her skills?

Taking the test made her… tired. Not just of test taking, but of the thought of conquering evil again. She used to relish the chance to fight off bullies, but after beating Tyrann, the idea just sounded exhausting.

When her final test finished, she did little more than nod at Nier, walk up to the Gryffindor bedrooms, and flop straight to sleep. She didn’t wake until her 18th birthday.

April 22nd

Kainé hated birthdays. She hated people that were usually assholes to her being nice just because the sun decided to rotate a bunch. She hated everyone staring at her. 

But most of all, Kainé hated that her grandmother would never see another one of her birthdays.

She woke up in a daze. It was Saturday, and the day after the N.E.W.T.s. Whatever her fate was, it had been sealed. Nothing else in school really mattered, as long as she didn’t bomb the bathrooms or anything. Which wasn't the worst idea for how to go out.

Spring in Britain was always a strange beast. One day it could be raining and six degrees Celsius, the next sunny and eighteen. Mercifully, her birthday started with a warm breeze out of the open window, and birds squawking a melodic tune.

“Well well Lass, seems as though you’ve survived another year at this godforsaken school.”

Weiss’ voice greeted her before her eyes opened, to see him hovering over her bed.

“Shut up Weiss.”

“What will you do with your magical day and an abundance of free time?”

“Gotta go to Nier’s stupid party.” She grumbled, rolling over in her sheets, before Weiss shot a bolt of blood at her.

“What the fuck!?” Kainé yelled, scrambling out of bed to try and punch the book. Even after he dodged her punches with ease, she still kept her dukes up.

“Best not be lazing about then Lass.” Weiss threatened. “Where is Nier’s party then?”

“Classroom on the first floor… where I met 9S and Zero for dinner a million years ago.” She sighed, putting down her fists.

“Well then, put on your fancy lingerie, we haven’t a second to waste!”

“It’s not for like four hours!”

---

Kainé hoped to see her friends at breakfast, but they were nowhere to be found. Just as well, she had eaten alone in the Great Hall a million times over the years. What’s one more time? Not like today was special or anything. Just another boring ass day.

She went to the garden to see if Yonah was looking for flowers, to no avail. Emil wasn’t in the library, and 2B and A2 weren’t in the Beauxbatons carriage. Where the fuck was everybody? Surely Nier was practicing at the Quidditch pitch, but that turned up jack shit too.

After a few hours of running around Hogwarts, Kainé decided to call it quits, and head to Nier’s party. She would’ve liked to see him before then, but it didn’t matter. The day didn’t matter, after all, so why should seeing anybody matter?

She reached the classroom, and held tightly to the door. As she swung it open, she only heard a singular, loud chorus.

“Happy birthday Kainé!”

Nier, Yonah, Emil, A2, 2B, 9S, 6O and even Zero and Accord stood in front of a large banner that was clearly hand written by Yonah, with drinks and a huge cake behind them, all clapping for her. They even all had party hats on. Kainé had no idea what Nier said to Zero to convince her to wear one, but clearly it worked.

They were clapping… for her? Kainé could feel the strange, blank expression on her face, dumbfounded by her friends. Team Kainé was greater than she ever expected.

Yonah couldn’t help herself, and broke the strange magic holding the group by sprinting up to Kainé and giving her a hug, wrapping tightly around her waist.

“Happy birthday Kainé! I’m going to miss you so much next year!”

“You mean that?” Kainé chuckled. “I’m gonna miss you too kid.”

Yonah pulled her face away to look up at Kainé.

“Of course I will! You’re the greatest friend I could ever ask for!”

Kainé crouched down to Yonah’s level, looking her dead in the eyes.

“Yonah, when I saved you from those bullies two years ago, I could never have known I’d have a fucking psychopath tryin’ to kill me every other month. But even if I did… I’d do it all over again.”

Kainé could feel herself welling up slightly. God, she fucking hated tears. They were for fucking saps. She guessed she’d become one by now, Yonah changed her. They all did.

Kainé stood up, wiping her eyes, and made her way over to Nier. The rest had broken off, and started chatting amongst themselves.

“You did this, huh?”

“Well, you shouldn’t have let your birthday slip. You know how I am.” Nier replied, wearing a shit eating grin. Kainé lightly punched him in the shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah I do.” Kainé smiled. “So what kind of fucking cake did you get anyway?”

“Butterbeer, obviously.”

“That exists? Holy shit!”

Kainé darted to the table to grab one of the pieces laying out in front of her. It was indeed an ice cream cake, with the signature golden brown butterbeer taking up most of the slice. Nier stood back and watched as Emil came over to Kainé.

“Happy birthday!”

She made sure to swallow the first bite of the cake before replying. It somehow had Butterbeer’s warm buzz despite being a frozen cake, and even in all her time at Hogwarts, it was still the most magical effect she had ever experienced.

“Aww, thanks kid.”

“I… got you a present, actually.” Emil said shyly, blushing a little.

“Oh? What’s that?”

He opened his hands to reveal a brooch, a purple gem surrounded by gold.

“Oh Emil, it’s lovely.”

“My family… is actually very rich. This was supposed to belong to Halua, but… I… don’t think she’ll ever use it. I used to wear it all the time, but I want you to have it.”

“Are you sure?” Kainé asked.

“Absolutely sure. You’re my sister too!” Emil smiled, before hugging her.

Kainé affixed the brooch to her robes, and stood up. Emil took off to talk to Yonah, letting Kainé take a glance around the room before being bombarded by 6O.

“How did your tests go, Kainé?” She asked, getting up in her face.

“Uh, fine.” She replied flatly. “Your advice… actually helped. So thanks or whatever.” She grumbled.

6O squealed with delight, before rattling off a few comments of excitement that Kainé couldn’t understand. She never broke eye contact with Kainé through the whole rant. Seriously, what was this chick’s deal?

“6O, I think Kainé needs some space.” 2B chirped as she and 9S walked over.

6O took a step back, looking a little bashful.

“We’re just friends chatting! Right Kainé?”

6O looked so kind and innocent that Kainé couldn’t even bring it in herself to be mad at her, mostly just confused. 6O buried her head into 2B’s shoulder, hugging her softly, and Kainé realized it wasn’t the first time she’d seen them like this.

If it was what Kainé thought… it’d explain all of 6O’s shit.

6O stepped away to find A2, leaving Kainé with just 2B and 9S.

“Hey, 2B… can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

Based on the plates she was carrying, 2B had already put away a couple slices of cake, though that didn't stop her from reaching for another.

“6O… she the chick that asked me to the Yule Ball?”

“That… was you?” 2B gasped.

“What?”

“What?”

“What?” 9S interjected as well, more irritated than their confusion. “I’m completely lost.”

“6O came crying to me that a girl turned her down for the Yule Ball, she was sobbing. All she said was that the girl was older than her. I knew she had an interest in you, but I did not realize you were the one she asked. I remember she was practically inconsolable, but I took her to see the Lunar Tears by the front and that calmed her down a lot.”

“I figured she must be the girl who ambushed me and couldn’t string a fucking sentence together. Didn’t even realize what she was asking until I’d already said no. Not like I would’ve accepted, only accepted Caim because I fucking had to anyway.”

“This… explains a lot, actually.” 2B confessed. “She had brought up asking you, so since she didn’t tell me who rejected her, I assumed it was another girl. I thought she had gotten over her crush but clearly not.”

Crush? Kainé didn’t know how anyone could have a crush on her. Weirder still, even after 6O had gotten to know her, it didn’t seem to have gone away.

“Another mystery solved!” 9S offered, hoping to lighten the mood, probably.

“It is, 9S.” 2B agreed.

“So what’s your guys’ deal?” Kainé asked, causing 9S to spit out his drink.

“Wha- what do you mean?” 9S coughed.

“Well, you two are going back to two different schools and all that shit right? How’s that gonna work?”

“I will only have a year left, and 9S only has two. We will… make it work, until then.” 2B declared matter of factly.

“We’re going to spend the summer together too!” 9S added, going a little red.

“That so? Well I’m rooting for you kids. Just invite me to the wedding alright? I fucking love cake.”

“Of course we would Kainé.” 2B agreed. “You brought us together, after all. Don’t you remember?”

“Yeah, guess I did, huh?”

All because Nier had to chat up A2, and 9S had to become a Champion, she was the only person that connected both of them, and therefore was able to help them bridge that gap. Why was she so fucking nice to everybody? Guess that’s why they were throwing her a party.

Kainé took the conversation developing between 2B and 9S, all about his excitement about visiting a mall in Paris, as a clear sign that she should leave, and she found her way over to Accord and Zero.

“Didn’t expect to see you here.” Kainé stated.

“You didn’t expect to see anyone here, dumbass.” Zero retorted back, before smiling a little.

“Still, why’d you come?”

Accord stepped forward slightly.

“I… actually was the one who wanted to come. I… wanted to thank you, Kainé.”

“For what?” Kainé exclaimed, probably too loudly.

“You helped break one of my prophecies, I’ve never had that happen before. It’s rather exciting, don’t you think?” Accord’s face lit up with nervous excitement.

“I guess? Never really gave two shits about the prophecy.”

Accord stepped closer to Kainé, slightly nervously. Jesus, she thought Accord’d know by now she didn’t bite.

“You are an interesting person Kainé, I am sure you are worthy of study. You alone were able to break fate.”

“Nothin’ interesting about me, but thanks Accord. I guess.”

“You were a worthy rival, too. Way better than 9S.” Zero huffed.

“Didn’t think your body could survive giving a compliment.” Kainé replied.

The pair stood at a distance from each other, barely moving an inch as they had their most affectionate conversation of the entire year. Maybe Kainé liked Zero more than she realized. At least she respected her personal space.

“Yeah, well, it’s the only one you’re gonna get.” Zero snapped, before turning away. Accord mimed an “I’m sorry” and walked off with her.

It left one person at the party that Kainé hadn’t spoken to yet: A2.

Over the past year, Kainé had a lot of time to reflect on her relationship to A2. Her first impression was an invasive species, like a weed choking all the fruits of her labor. She had infested herself into the group, and saddled up to the person closest to her. Kainé knew A2 hadn’t done it maliciously, but it was still what she’d done. Over time, She’d gotten… used to her being around. 2B was nice, she supposed. Even with all the weird lovey shit 2B did with 9S, she was still nice enough, Kainé guessed. She was just glad that A2 and Nier weren’t all over each other like that, A2 far too straight-laced to show emotions publically. But despite everything, she had gotten used to A2’s presence.

A2 made her way over to Kainé, a small box in hand. Her Beauxbatons uniform still surprised Kainé with how much dignity it gave the uncouth girl. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Nier looking past Yonah to spy on this conversation. Figures he facilitated it.

“Happy birthday Kainé.” A2 smiled, sticking out the present. Kainé took it silently, before unwrapping it.

The white pedals of the Lunar Tear burst out of the box before Kainé could finish opening it. It was a single flower, sitting on a neat wrapping paper.

“There’s an enchantment, so it won’t dry out.” A2 explained. “Nier said… that you’d know what it means.”

“Yeah, I do.”

Yonah had given her one when she first saved her, almost two years ago. It had wilted pretty quickly, actually. Kainé was shit at caring for flowers back then, still now, she realized.

“What’s it mean?”

“It means thank you.” Kainé said, contorting her face into a smile, as awkward as it was. Nier knew the symbolism the gift would hold, and that was enough for her.

She offered her hand to A2, which she took. She had always gotten the feeling that A2 liked her more than she liked A2, which only made her feel bad about her jealousy even more. After a moment, A2 pulled her in for a hug, which Kainé reluctantly gave back.

“I really do want to thank you Kainé. You saved my sister, after all.” A2 whispered in the hug.

“That was bullshit, you know that.”

“You still did it.”

A2 mercifully released Kainé, and after patting her shoulders, walked back to Nier with a smile, who was beaming at her. He was clearly happy to see Kainé hug her back. What a dork.

As much as Kainé loved being celebrated, she still felt like it was best to take an Irish goodbye when afforded the opportunity, and slipped out the first chance she could.

June 30th

Time passed quickly, as Kainé pulled herself together and got ready to depart Hogwarts for the final time. She got to finally have the two on two quidditch match with 2B, A2 and Nier that they had always promised, with the sisters proving unstoppable every time. Nier didn’t have it in his heart to beat his girlfriend, clearly, like the total pussy he was, so she scored on Kainé more than she was comfortable with.

Before she knew it, it was Graduation Day. Kainé had been looking forward to it from the day she stepped onto Hogwarts grounds, but now that it arrived, it couldn’t help but feel bittersweet.

The dorm was already cleaned out, with all of the other Gryffindors’ chests removed from the room. The other girls had left too, leaving Kainé alone as she awoke. It was good, too, since she awoke to warmth rolling down her cheek.

Was she? Crying? Fucking hell, she really had gone soft. She knew why, of course she did. She wouldn’t see Yonah nine months of the year. She’d miss other shit, too, probably, but mostly Yonah. Maybe Nier was right, she’d get to stay in his life. If it was true, she hoped that meant Yonah too.

Kainé put on her fanciest lingerie, her wizard robes one last time, and stepped out into the Gryffindor Common Room, all with Grimoire Weiss still floating behind her. She had assumed that tying for the Triwizard Cup victory would make them respect her a little more, but no. Everyone still ignored her as she quickly exited the hall for the final time. Everyone else was chatting, laughing, and sharing memories. Underclassmen were giving the graduates tearful goodbyes, and couples were more romantically giving the sentiment. She even saw a girl confessing to a graduate, which seemed kinda bold to her, but whatever.

As she walked out of the Singing Lady’s portrait, she stared at the seemingly endless staircase. The one where she had been chased by upperclassmen Slytherins more times than she could count. But also the one where Nier chased her just to make sure she’d be taking her NEWTs.

“It is quite fearful, thinking of leaving this place one final time.” Weiss said aloud, as Kainé’s shoes slowly thumped down the stone stairs.

“I’m ready for it.” She shrugged. “I’ve been ready since the first fucking year.”

“I meant myself, you selfish hussy!” Weiss snarled.

“What’re you talking about, you’re not graduating, you book! Just go back to your case in the Restricted Section.”

“You really are daft, aren’t you Kainé? I am following where you lead, as I have for the past six years.”

No way Weiss actually meant that. Every day she was sure she’d wake up to see him gone from her room. He had told her that she seemed interesting, which was the goddamned truth, but she had always assumed their friendship was a temporary one. Books are important or whatever, right?

“You sure about that? Can’t be that exciting, living with a hussy like me.”

“I promise you Kainè, you are the most interesting human to ever grace this godforsaken school.” Weiss said, almost sounding like he meant for it to be a joke.

As they walked into the Great Hall, Kainé couldn’t help but smile at Weiss. Even if the worst happened to her, at least she’d have a fucking book by her side.

She took her seat at the back of the Gryffindor table, far away from Nier, Yonah, or Emil. Even Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. 2B and A2 had taken seats next to Yonah and Emil, it was sorta sweet to witness.

The Headmaster approached his pulpit, and began to prattle on about the history of the school and the great things that Hogwarts graduates had accomplished over the years. Kainé hadn’t heard of any of them, obviously, and didn’t really care to. But… would her name be among them? She had won the Triwizard Tournament… well, tied. And she’d taken down an evil wizard, though plenty had probably done that. As much as Hogwarts blew, it’d be fucking cool if she was among their greats. Revenge for all her bullies that would be forgotten the second they stepped out of this place.

Per tradition, the graduates made their way to the docks, and all climbed onto boats, just like they had when they first arrived to Hogwarts. Symbolic bullshit, nothing more. When Kainé first arrived, she had hoped she would have a new life at this school, far away from all the fucking weirdos that bullied her back in the normal world. Now the last thing she did at Hogwarts was fight some fucker that followed her around for the last decade or more. It was only fair.

“Need a partner, Kainé?”

Nier balanced precariously on the dock, holding onto a boat as he waited for her. One foot on land, the other on the boat, he looked like he was seconds away from falling into the water, still offering a hand to Kainé.

“Sure, you dork. Let’s fucking kill this bullshit tradition.”

“There’s the Kainé I know.”

Kainé ignored the comment as she climbed into the boat. Nier took the first set of paddles, and she took the other, and they began to row, all while the whole school watched on from the docks and beyond. She could just make out Yonah and Emil cheering from the distance, both happier than she’d ever seen them.

Rowing the boat was easy, far easier than when she first arrived at school. She figured physical strength wasn’t what they wanted them to develop in the seven years, but it’s what happened. She couldn’t see Nier, but she could hear him huff and puff with each motion. It was a long way back to Hogsmeade, and they were both feeling it. She kinda wished someone would row for them, like when they first arrived. But it was probably just more bullshit symbolism or something.

As they arrived at the docks, there were just lanterns lighting their way to Hogsmeade Station. Everyone got off the docks as quickly as possible, and Kainé quickly lost Nier in the commotion. He had pulled her out of the boat again, how did he disappear so quickly?

As she boarded the Hogwarts Express, she walked cabin by cabin before eventually settling into an empty one. She tossed her paltry trunk onto the top rack, and settled in for a long nap back to London… before having the door loudly slide open. Still half asleep with her eyes closed, she heard voices calling out to each other.

“I found her!”

“What’s she doing alone?”

“Nier, this is Kainé.”

“...right.”

Kainé heard a thud of a trunk right above her head, and she was finally forced to open up her eyes. Nier stood right in front of her, the owner of said loud suitcase. A2 was next to him, with 2B, 9S, Emil and Yonah close behind.

“What’re you all doing here?” Kainé grumbled, looking at the non-Hogwarts students.

“Nier invited me to see London.” A2 replied matter of factly.

“And I go wherever A2 goes.” Added 2B.

“And I go wherever 2B goes!” Added 9S.

“Yeah I believe every word of that.” Kainé growled. “Just don’t hog the sweets when Emil buys them all.”

“I’d never dream of it Ma’am!” 9S replied, before getting a hard stare from Kainé.

Everyone plopped down, the cabin now too full for Kainé to stretch out, but she liked it better this way. Weekends at Hogwarts were meant to be relaxing, after all. And this, her final weekend, was the calmest she’d ever been at school.

July 4th

The train to Manchester was a lonely one. Nier offered to come along, but A2 was still in town, and Nier’s father was having so much fun giving Nier’s French girlfriend a tour, how could she cut it all short?

It was for the best, she liked it better going alone. She had found an old blue dress among her stuff, it must have been her mother’s when she was Kainé’s age. She fucking hated symbolism, but it made enough sense. She put on the dress, and clutched tight to the small box she brought with her.

She didn’t think she’d ever return to her childhood home. She had moved out as soon as her parents died, to her grandmother’s. But with that house burned down, this was the only piece of her childhood left. A “For Sale” sign sat out front on the hot summer day, whatever family bought it from Kainé ten years ago had cleared out a while ago, based on the long grass out front. The bugs hummed in the distance as she walked past the house and to the yard out back. It only held bad memories, after all, and she was here on a mission.

On the edge of the land, between her backyard and the forest beyond, she began to dig a hole. It was just with a trowel she got from Nier’s dad’s gardening kit, but it did the trick. Dirt flung into the air, Kainé never bothering to form a mound to recover it until it was too late. Oh well, she’d just dig up somewhere else to use dirt to bury it.

She dropped the box containing Tyrann’s Gestalt into her makeshift pit, before adding on the dirt to put it out of her sight.

“I’m so fucking glad you’re gone, Tyrann. I didn’t even realize how much you had tormented me before it was too late. But now you’re fucking gone. You’re rotting in a hole in Azkaban, but I’m sure you love rotten things, anyway. So maybe you’re over the goddamned moon. But I won. I fucking got rid of you. I’m fucking happy, and you never will be. I know for a goddamned fact that I’m finally free from you, Tyrann. You can’t hurt me anymore. I’m the one who gets to decide what my life means to me. It’s my life, and I’ll do whatever I want with it. So I think I’m gonna go see my friends that you tried to kill.”

She spat on the spot, and slowly walked away, jamming her hands deep into the dress pockets.

In her seven years at Hogwarts, Kainé knew that her journey was probably meaningless. Millions of people had gone through that school, all of them having their own adventures, before they fucked off to have jobs and kids and whatever the fuck else people do with their stupid lives.

The only significance she gave to Hogwarts was from her mistake of a past, a stupid promise she made that almost killed everyone, that could’ve ended the world for all she knew.

But Hogwarts also gave her the people she cherished. Yonah, Nier, Weiss, and Emil held on tight to her, no matter how much she pushed them away over the past six years.

If she was going to find any meaning after graduating, it’d be cherishing them too for the rest of her life.

Summer mornings were supposed to be relaxing. For the first time in eighteen years, Kainé finally felt at peace.