The Black Lake

"Please Cynder! Fight it! I know you can!" -I say encouragingly.-

That encouraging tone... like an adult speaking to a two year old... it snapped the remaining nerves. Allowed the Raptor to tear them down.

Cynder was up, wand in hand within a moment, her face full of anger.

"Fight it..? Fight all of this!? Is that all you can say!? Waste your breath on petty promises, tell me I can fight things. Acting as if I'm a child struggling with mere nightmares!"

An angry snarl, it was clear Cynder was crying. Her eyes were mixed brown and gold, as if she was fighting for control over herself.

"You have no clue what I've been through my whole life! No idea! And now that I think things can get better, they go downhill! When I try to start new, my dreams are torn and torn again!
You don't understand, do you!? You don't even try! You can't even get your own wife to stop acting like a stupid savage around me, let alone understand how I've felt.... how I'll ever feel!"

A deep breath, she shook her head and gave an angry cry of frustration, sorrow.
She shot a Sectumsempra into the ground, burying her face in her hands, shoulders quivering.

"It's not fair...!"

-I walk up to her and offer her a friendly hug.- "It's okay..."

There was a pause at the hug.
Her eyes shot open, both shock and fear and anger coursing through her expression.

She tugged away from him, quivering, shaking her head.

"... don't... don't... it's never okay. You can't do anything about it, Artemis. There's nothing anyone has ever been able to do.... maybe it's just me..?"

A deep inhale, angry at herself, scared, sad...
She turned and took a few paces away from Artemis, wiping her eyes, still keeping hold of her wand.

"I'm scared... for everyone... what if you can't get rid of the Raptor this time..? I haven't seen Matthew in a long time, Artemis... I'm scared for him... getting mixed up with me... things happen..."

A scared, sad, confused look was now directed to Artemis, her brown eyes looking hurt.

"... I don't want him hurt. But... but I don't want him scared of me.. or... for him to hate me or be worried for me. I've lost so many friends... all because of my stupidity... my breed... my feelings... what if I just need to die..? What if death is all that can stop this madness...?"

-I look at her shocked.- "Cynder!"

-I talk to her as a big brother.- "Don't even THINK that! I know there's no way Matthew could ever fear or hate you! None of your friends do!"

A shake of the head, the girl held her sides, quivering slightly.

"I'm scared of myself, Artemis... I couldn't bare to see anyone of my friend die... especially if it's because of me... All of them.. they all risk their lives for knowing me.. their safety... and they don't even know it.."

A deep inhale, she looked up and gave a few names as example.
"... Rudy... Professor Snape... Those little kids I used to read with.. my adopted family... even yourself..."

A hurt look, she gazed right into Artemis' eyes.

"Trouble follows me, Artemis. Death holds my hand forcibly. Rudy and my adopted muggle family and friends are dead. And the others... they don't understand the danger of knowing me.."

"Believe it or not..." -I smile at her sadly.- "I know exactly what you mean."

"Trouble knocks on every corner for people I know and hold dear too... All because of a terrible mistake I made."

"But it's not knowing you that is the problem."

A scowl, the girl tensed, shook her head.

"... no, Artemis... stop saying that. You're the good guy. An Auror... mistake or not, you can push past it... I'm a hunted breed. The ministry, the Death Eaters... all of them want skin. Even the muggles believe me a killer..."

"I turned an innocent child into one of the most dangerous people I have ever met."

"That's how THEY see you. I see you as a kind girl, a good friend who was true to her promises to the end. Matthew sees you as his angel. And lots of others see it too!"

"Who cares what sides think? Care about what friends and loved ones think."

-All my words ring with a wisdom well beyond my years. The darker gray hair of my temples become a little more prominent, just as Fades were.-

The girl looked down, taking in his words.

She hated herself. Hates herself more than anything. And yet, no matter how awful she was, Artemis had always been there to help her. He always was...
And what had she ever done for him..? Hardly anything.

"... I don't know what's happening to me any more, Artemis. I'm confused... I don't always feel like this. I'm sorry..."

She squeezed her sides, feeling slightly ill, furrowing her brows.

"... I really am... sorry... "

"Have you considered asking Ged about it? Surely this can't be the first time something like this has happened."

A scared, almost panicked dear-in-the-headlights look crossed Cynder's face.

"... I... thought about it. Crest said I should... but... I'm scared... I don't know what he'll think of me.... what he'll do..."

"Cynder there's a door in front of you. The only one in sight. Now you can either risk what's on the other side of this door or stay where you are, certain of what will happen."

-Alongside the wisdom joined crypticness in this display of Artemis's newly found maturity and growth.-

A pause. A reluctant look upward.
Like a tentative child scared of the dark, looking straight into a closet.

"... but the outcome... is never good... it never seems it.. I know risks have to be taken, but... can't there be some... different... way..?"

"That's the question all of us ask isn't it?is there a different way? And really is there an answer?"

"I must admit shapeshifters aren't a group of people my family has encountered many times to provide any valuable insight on. Have you consulted the library per chance?"

A sad look, Cynder ran her hand over her eyes, wiping the collecting tears from them.

She nodded.

"... I.. have... nothing. Nothing there. No information. No... possible way out.."

A deep sigh, hurt, frustrated.

"I'm sorry, Artemis... for wasting your time. Forget this conversation... I.. I have.. no doubt you.. have somewhere... to be..?"

"Not currently. But if you wish for my absence I shall make myself scarce..."

A small, weak smile.

"That was the Raptor who wanted you gone, Artemis. Not me..."

A pause, she looked as if she would say something. But she closed her mouth, paced back to the water, and sat again by it's edge, dipping her feet in it's cold depths.

"... I'm sorry... for always being so weak... I'm just so scared... of loosing my friends.... I haven't seen Matthew in a while... and... I haven't gotten a chance to talk to Professor Snape... Rudy's... gone... all lost. I can only hope Matt's safe..."

"You're not weak Cynder, you just care about everyone. That is the furtherest thing from weakness. Voldemort counts that as a weakness but not the rest of the world."

"You know, I've noticed a lot of missing people recently."

A scowl.
A strength... she wished it was... and yet... she knew it was a hard burden more than anything else.

A deep, halting breath, Cynder wiped her eyes again.

"w...what do you think happened to all of them..?"

"Well the other missing people are Amy and Crouch. He dropped his disguise and now he's gone and so is Matthew."

"One plausible theory is he kidnapped him to marry them."

A catch in her breath.
A jolt of heartbeat.

Her skin seemed to pale, her eyes darting up to Artemis.

"... kidnapped... Matthew....?"

The pawprint on her chest flickered with a strong light, Cynder's expression going cold and worried.
"... Crouch.... Next time I see the filthy rat...!"

"It seems we have a common goal. We need to track down Crouch."

A deep scowl, the girl fingered the fancy wood wand in her hands, staring at the thing that had caused so much pain, and yet so much joy.

"... what can I do. To help? I need to. Matthew... he's everything... and if Crouch.. hurts him.."

"Were breaking into Crouchs own place, he'll have the home field advantage for sure. Well need everyone we can get a hold of..."

-Minutes later, after calling them, Topher and Eugene walk out.-