Early return on the Hogwarts Express Ⅲ

Gripping her wand tightly Mary casts a simple disillusionment charm to help her blend in with her surroundings. She had not become invisible but rather blended in with the environment around her much like a human chameleon. This helps her keep moving despite the vicious shaking.

Thanks to her spell and luck, Mary makes her way through Hogsmeade despite the destruction. Finally, in the nearby distance, she sees the edge of the village in sight. With great relief, she runs forward only to glimpse the red hair and chestnut horse body of Professor Ronan charging into the forest for aid, (from his tribe, the centaurs). Clinging onto his back is a dark haired figure of his wife/bonded, Professor Sybill Trelawney. (Professor Trelawney had kept her maiden name as the centaurs did not believe in surnames).

The vicious ground shaking cause Mary to trip on a loose cobblestone. She hisses in pain upon falling down, but she scampers to her feet. From the corner of her eye, she sees a familiar figure emerge from their hiding place. She opens her mouth to shout when a boulder slams right next to her.

The impact sends Mary flying leaving her dazed and in pain. For a moment, she can't see or hear anything as her ears ring. She lets out a dry cough as the ground dreadfully sways before her. She rapidly blinks trying to clear her vision.

Somehow Mary still held her hand in hand as she drunkenly stumbled to her feet and staggered towards the home in the distance. Shouts and screams can be heard as Mary's ears begin to cease to ring. Through the ruins of a gate, she rushes across the lawn towards the side of the cottage.

Turning the corner, there laying still on the ground is an older witch with dark hair and dark eyes staring accusatorily blankly at the sky, Edith Trelawney, the mother of Professor Trelawney. Mary pauses to gently bend down and close the eyes of the deceased.

The loud scream of a cat is heard followed by viscous cursing. A green light flashed ahead as the cat nimbly dodges howling at the top of its lungs.

"And this is why I hate cats," swore a tall 6th-year Ravenclaw with chestnut-colored hair. Davey Gudeon's long lank bangs that typically cover his face are roughly pulled back revealing cold tawny eyes. His nose is perked up in distaste causing the dash of freckles over the bridge of his nose to slightly twist. Bright red cat scratches can be seen across his face as he heals them.

Professor Trelawney's gray British short-haired cat, Miss Arlo growls loudly with its tail and fur all puffed out. There are many cats in the wizarding world descended from Maneki-Neko (the Beckoning Cat). That is why to this very day, all the descendants of the Maneki-Neko have great luck and are each said to possess the nine lives just as their great ancestor had.

Another cat might not have survived but Miss Arlo would. The cat readies itself to attack again when Miss Arlo's ears flicker hearing the footsteps of another. Not wanting to retreat, the cat's golden round eyes narrow as it readies itself to flee or attack.

Mary's disillusioned hand trembles as she keeps her wand pointed at Davey Gudgeon's back. She knew she could not reason with him. He is a vessel just like her. And unlike her, he was no longer himself but rather an extension of them.

Mary barely moves lest Davey sense her yet strangely he could not. Whatever Tenebrus, the thesteral had done. The collection could not access the vessel within Mary. It is as though the vessel within Mary has fallen into a deep slumber.

Abruptly the ground under Davey's feet begins to glow as a pentacle forms under him. Bright blinding cords rise and bind him unable to move. "What manner of treachery is this!?"

From inside Cressida Trelawney heavily limps down the hallway. Her thin, white hair is pulled back in a bun causing her eyes to look that much larger. She had felt the death of her daughter. And though her heart lies broken, she will avenge her only child's murder.

Mary looks as baffled as Davey as from inside the home limps out a stern, elderly witch. "I know what you are abomination," croaked Cressida Trelawney, (mother of Cressida and grandmother of Sybill). Her gnarled, spotted finger rose pointing directly at Davey. "My mother (Cassandra Trelawney, seer) foretold it!"

"We vowed vengeance!" Davey swore trying to connect upon the combined powers of the collection to break the binding. "Sanguis Enim Sanguis! We shall not forgive treachery. Flesh for the flesh, the living descendants of the Moirai shall be found and taken!"

"Aye, that can be believed," Cressida bitterly spat. "The mother of our line, the Moirai is fickle-minded. Abomination ye should have known better than to entreat the Spirits!"

Changing the subject Davey sneered, "And what can an old hag at death doors possibly do to us?"

One of the gnarled, spotted hands of Cressida holds a blood-red pendant with three fingers, the pointer, the middle, and the thumb, before folding the other fingers underneath. The pendant hangs on a knotted thin black leather cord

An old tongue began to be chanted by Cressida a sheen of cold sweat appeared on her forehead. Davey's limbs grow still as his eyes forcefully close as he and the vessel fall into a deep slumber. Panting, Cressida ceases to chant. She was old and she did not hold enough power to destroy the abomination except bind it in place.

"I may be old, but not deaf," Cressida hmphed. "Come out."

With care, Mary disillusions herself holding her wand wary at her side. The knowing eyes of Cressida pass over her causing Mary to fidget with shame. "

"You are a vessel," Cressida critically observed. "Are you here to aid him?"

"I came to stop him," Mary protested, "but I arrived too late."

"You still retain your will?" Cressida suspiciously asked.

"For now," Mary croaked.

"Then act as you see fit against me or him," Cressida coldly said. "Choose now!"

Clutching her wand, Mary stepped forward and pointed her wand at the slumbering figure of Davey. Her wand wavered in the air as Mary stuttered, "Avada Kedavra!" A green light flashes before them as the sleeping figure of Davey falls still to the ground.

The urge to vomit nearly overcomes Mary as she clutches her hand over her mouth to keep from doing so.

"Come here, child," Cressida beckoned the younger witch.

Shaking as if from the cold Mary stepped forward. "I do not hold the power my mother, Cassandra did not even in my prime. I am old now and I cannot do much except aid thee. Extend thine hand child."

Mary's hand trembled as she did so.

"What is your name, child?" Cressida solemnly asked.

"Mary MacDonald," she whispered.

"Mm," Cressida hummed gently wrapping the black cord along with the pendant Taking the blood she began to chant in Latin, "Adiruo te, Mary MacDonald, ab iniuria mea; nocebit in alios et te ipsum," meaning I bind you, Mary MacDonald, from doing harm; harm against others, and yourself.

A red light began from the tip of the pendant wrapping itself around Mary's wrist. The pendant glowed and tightened around Mary's wrist causing her to whimper in pain. The blood-red pendant began to glow with an unnerving crimson light. The binding grew tighter into flesh causing Mary to bleed.

he binding stretches all over her body as Mary falls to the ground in raging agony. Thousands of cuts cover her from the binding as the red pendant crawls into her mouth. She chokes trying to breathe desperately clawing at her throat as the pendant slides inside deep within her to encase the slumbering vessel within.

A piercing scream erupts from Mary's lips until she hears no more. In the darkness, Mary dreams many awful things. Something awakens and pulls her away from her dreams.

Feeling the cold touch of a wrinkled hand, Mary startles awake shoving away the hand of the elderly witch. "You lied!" Mary shouted.

"See for yourself child, you are wholly unharmed," Cressida calmly retorted from her seat on the porch as Miss Arlo suspiciously gazes at Mary. (While Mary was unconscious Cressida had gathered her daughter's body and cast the corpse of the abomination off her property and into the street).

Mary glances down at her body in disbelief. There is not a single trace left behind. She would have sworn it was all a nightmare except her body is covered in her drying blood.

"My binding will last only a year and three months, child," Cressida murmured as she stroked Miss Arlo's fur. "I can do no more than this."

"Thank you," Mary whispered before stumbling away as the events of the afternoon clashed in her mind. She had killed Davey!

Abruptly Rowan finds herself back in the present and outside of Mary's memory. She gasps loudly barely containing the urge to hurl. She didn't have time to review what had just transpired. She had to pull herself together. They were going to arrive soon. And so, she did.

The remaining time passed swiftly as the Hogwarts Express pulled into platform nine and three-quarters at Kings Cross station with a piercing whistle. Many anxious and eager parents wait for the arrival of their children on the platform. Some of the students happily wave to their parents but many are simply relieved to go home.

Unlike the times before Reginald Prince's face is stern without its usual faint smile. His dark eyes quickly overlook his grandchildren. Both had grown tall with a visible difference in height between them with Severus being the taller of the two. Both of their faces are leaner and mature especially their eyes. Severus appears more like a young man than a boy. The same can be said about Rowan whose body has filled out more.

"Come," Reginald said as Severus glanced at Rowan, whose face is blank. Suppressing a sigh, Severus drags his trunk forward. Something had happened and whatever it was Grandfather was far from being pleased. It did not bode well for the start of their summer holidays.