December 14, 2001

Christmas has arrived at Hogwarts and everyone was excited. The kids were able to go home for the break and visit their families. Everyone was busy catching the train, their luggage in tow. The ghosts around the school were singing Christmas carols while the students that weren't going home this year rested in the Great Hall.

Emerie, luggage behind her, headed towards the Great Hall to say goodbye to her friends. Nesta was with Nora, Bryce, and the Bedara twins. The Hufflepuff twins were in the middle of a chess game while the Slytherins watched as the match unfolded. "Knight to E5." Catrin said as she smirked at her sister who chuckled. "You never choose your horses Catrin. Queen to E5." Gwyn gleefully cheered as her red queen moved on its own and knocked away the knight using her chair.

The Slytherins cheered for Gwyn as Catrin and Emerie looked at her dumbfound. "That's totally barbaric." she exclaimed as everyone laughed. "It's a wizard's chess."

"All done packing Emerie?"

"Yep. Train leaves in 20 minutes. Aren't you gonna pack?" Emerie asked as the twins shook their heads. "Nope."

"Our mom got caught up with the Night Court. She's gonna send our Christmas presents on the 20th." Catrin explained as Nora and Bryce continued for her. "My mom says that I need to spend time with my brother Ruhn. He's in the Gryffindor house with his girlfriend Lidia."

"I'm here because I didn't want Nesta to be alone." Nora said as Nesta blushed. Right, Nesta didn't like her muggle family. Emerie looked smudged to hide the disappointment on her face. "I see. Well then, I guess this means that you all can help Nesta with her research on Tarquin the Third."

Nesta told her Slytherin pals about their encounter with Eris as long as they promise not to tell anyone else. The young Slytherins agreed to help them with their search on Tarquin's grand father. Unfortunately, they all came up fruitless. They searched in the library for hours. Even during their study hours. Not a single book talked or even mentioned Tarquin the Third.

Everyone groaned. "Come on Em, give us a break. It's Christmas."

"We looked a hundred times." Bryce complained as Emerie smirked. She looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was listening and whispered, "Not in the restricted section." Everyone's expression turned cold and wide. The restricted books were locked up for a reason. Even Emerie didn't dare venture there. But, the girls were desperate. Who wouldn't be?

Flipping her hair back, Emerie replied, "Happy Christmas." and turned her hell to the entrance to the Great Hall.

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As Emerie sat on the train, she thought about her previous memories while watching the last of the students walk out of Hogwarts. The students were going to return in January, however, Emerie wasn't too happy about staying away from her friends for too long. Normally, she would be excited to see her family for the break. And to read her books. But after her...accident, she haven't been in contact with her family so much.

When the train whistled, it creeped up slowly and began its journey to the muggle world. Emerie placed her luggage next to her and pulled out one of the magic books she was going to read. She didn't make it through the first page of the book when she felt someone sitting next to her. Emerie looked up from her book and saw Morrigan smirking down at her like a Cheshire cat. Emerie also took note of three other Gryffindors as well. Lucien Vansarra, Maeve Graymark, and Armen Longjaw.

Emerie groaned. "What do you guys want?" Emerie asked, completely annoyed by the Gryffindors.

Morrigan rolled her eyes. "Oh nothing. You're just sitting in our usual spot. That's all." Emerie sighed, slamming her book shut. "Fine, then I'll move."

"Not so fast." Armen said smirking like Mor as she gripped Emerie's shoulder and pulled her closer to her. Emerie winced. "What the bloody hell are you doing?!" she asked as Armen very lightly traced her finger down her wing. Touching an Illyrian's wings was considered a very inappropriate gesture. So inappropriate that if anyone dared to touch the wings, the groper would lose that hand completely. No exceptions.

Armen poked at the Illyrian's sharp edges on her devil wings. "You poor thing. It must be a shame to have been born with such a huge disappointment."

"Stop it!" Emerie cried, blushing red all over with embarrassment.

Maeve, who was sitting across from them giggling her ivy make up matching the Christmas theme glow of the train. "Aw, she's scared. Maybe, we should give her something to eat. Right Luci?" Lucien went into his bag and grabbed a handful of worms. Emerie looked outrageously disgusted. "What're you doing with those?"

"Giving you a snack. It always cheers me up." Lucien evilly smiles shoving the worms in Emerie's mouth.

Emerie choked on the worms, desperately trying to get the worms out of her mouth. She heard the Gryffindor's laughing as she barfed up every single worm Lucien shoved in her mouth. Falling to the floor Emerie cough up more worm chunks and clenched her stomach. "Aw, she's crying."

"Maybe we forgot to spice the worms. Armen 'innocently' remarked as the kids laughed at her pain.

The teasing and bickering was interrupted by a shout. Emerie noticed that Lucien, Maeve, and Armen ran to the next train cart. Only Morrigan remained. "Hey, come back. Why're you guys running?"

"Probably because I'm behind you."

There he was. The Ravenclaw Perfect. Azriel Shadowsinger. Emerie knew him the first day of Hogwarts. Though, she was told to stay away from him due to her Ravenclaw peers. According to them, Azriel was a demon child. They heard stories of him possessing a Gryffindor student, making them steal books from the restricted section of the library. No one knew why, but some say that he would practice dark magic in the far side of the library.

Mor froze, refusing to turn around to face the scolding 3rd year. Emerie didn't blame her, he looked very livid. "Mor, why the hell are my shadows saying that they saw you and your crew tormenting a student?" he asked rather calmly, but Emerie knew he was angry. And so did Mor.

"Turn around." he requested. No, ordered. Morrigan hesitated before slowly turning her gaze to Azriel. Emerie could hear the shiver in her voice. "A-A-Azriel. W-Wha-"

"I'm gonna give you 5 seconds to run back to your original spot."

"O-Or w-what?" Mor stuttered. She tried to have more venom in her voice but it only came out as a whimper. Emerie would've laughed if it weren't for the sharp pain in her stomach.

Azriel's shadows floated around Mor, trapping she and Azriel into a dark circle. Almost immediately, the circle disintegrated and Mor was left pale and terrified. Emerie also noticed a trail of piss running down her legs. After a moment, Morrigan turned and ran down the train cart, swiftly avoiding the fallen Ravenclaw. Emerie may have imagined it, but she could've sworn she saw tears running down Mor's eyes.

Azriel walked over to Emerie bending down to check on her. "Are you okay?" he asked, his threatening voice vanishing into thin air. Emerie tried to stand up but couldn't so Azriel picked her up and placed her back on the booth she was in before. Immediately after she sat up, she puked up all of the remaining digested worms that she accidentally swallowed.

Soothing her back (careful to avoid her wings), Azriel softly whispered, "It's okay. Let it all out." Emerie sucked in a breath of air, her wings spreading apart like a graceful swan. She leaned her head on the cushion of the booth. "Do Illryians eat worms?" she asked before drifting off to sleep.