AN
You can skip this chapter if you want to, I have written this for insight in Alasia's life before she became who she is now. It is only for the purpose of knowing her better <3
Flashback: August 30th, 1963
Location: Serpens Manor
"You'll be turning twelve in three days."
"I know."
"Aren't you excited?"
Alasia let out a small bitter laugh and glanced sidelong. "Why would I be? The only thing I am truly excited for is getting the hell out of here."
"Don't. Mother will hear you."
"Let her then. You don't live with me anyhow. You've found your sanctuary, brother. I don't think I ever will."
Altair Serpens sighed deeply. He had no idea what to do. So much anger, so much hatred. Towards their mother, their father....themselves.
Alasia was sat with her knees hugged tightly by her thin arms, folded by her chest. Her shoulders were struggling not to tremble. Especially in front of Altair. She wasn't going to show them all the reality, it was only for when she was alone. Only for when she knew there was no one to hold onto.
"You can tell me you know. What did she do to you?" He asked again, looking up at the slight tear stains which his sister had tried hard to wipe but not even realised when the eyes started watering again.
She was alright as far as he could see in the dim light of her grey room, but he knew the truth. He could see a bruise forming on her cheek.
"She did nothing. When do you leave?" Alasia bitterly questioned instead.
"Al - "
"I don't want to chat, brother. Please, leave me alone."
Altair sighed and got up. He would try and come back again. If only he could, he would. She needed him and Altair wanted to be there for Alasia. But the fact that she would be leaving in a day or two for Hogwarts anyway, was a comfort.
"Alright." He frowned, softly smiling at her as he clicked the door shut. "I love you."
Alasia did not reply. She finally broke down.
Her tears were a river she had dammed for so long, and her sobs were choking her as she moved her palms on her face to control the sound. She was weak and she knew it. Alasia knew it well enough.
She was shaking her head lightly, pressing her fist harder on her lips as a sob echoed threateningly. No, she would not give them another reason to title her as the weakling who shouldn't have been born in the first place. As if her acne and weight gain wasn't reason enough.
Was she really that ugly? Does being a little chubby make people unattractive to those lengths? She did not understand the logic. But that was how her world worked. She was acclaimed useless and shallow.
The door creaked open. Alasia shifted backwards by instinct till her back was against the wall and her hands in front of her as if someone would hurt her, again.
Nebula stood in the doorway with her own teary cheeks. She gulped. "I'm sorry my baby."
Alasia hiccupped and shook her head. "It's o-okay."
"I'm so sorry." Nebula dropped to her knees and held her head in her shaking hands. "I shouldn't have hit you. I'm sorry, I was angry at something else and I took it out on you...oh my poor little girl."
Alasia's face contorted to pained expression and she battled to keep blank. "You said so the last fifteen times too."
Nebula breathed shakily. "I'm so sorry. I promise, I promise I won't hit you again."
"You do?" Alasia's eyes looked up sadly. Her mother had been by her side all along after all. She must mean it if she said so.
"I do." She vigorously nodded. "I promise, oh come here, I'm so sorry."
Alasia hesitantly crawled in her mother's arms, her tiny body growing up rather slowly than the others. She was short and now chubby with acne scars. They told her she'd be undesirable for the rest of her life.
How'd they get the idea when she was only ten? Was it so normal to sexualise a child and to make it known that their face was everything? That no matter good or bad, what does matter is if they are lean and tall and curvy?
Nebula cradled her, hugging her tightly as she smiled softly at Alasia. "I'm sorry I got angry, you know mother has a little temper problem, do you not?"
Alasia steadily nodded. "I don't know why I'm the one whom you take it out on every time."
"I don't have anyone other than you." Spoke Nebula. "You're my girl, and I feel like I can take my anger out on you. You forgive me."
Alasia didn't understand why that meant she had the right to raise a hand at her, but she said nothing nevertheless.
She felt everything and nothing all at once. And that was not how things were supposed to work for a ten year old. She was supposed to run in the meadows and laugh while she fell. She wasn't sure if when she was born, she was a human who knew how to be happy in the truest of forms. Was she always this way? Did something make her like this? Was she always forgiving? Would she be forgiving in the future? Always hungry for love, always letting it go, always wanting her mother's soft gaze, never receiving it? Did she love her? Did she even know what love meant?
Nebula made Alasia want to smile, and she made her want to scream, she made her want to rise and she made her want to cry until she couldn't anymore. She made her want to fly and she made her want to drown, she was her best supporter and her worst hater. She was someone Alasia couldn't live without, she was someone Alasia wanted to stay away from. She was confused, and she was tired. Why was she already so exhausted from life? Hadn't it only just started?
The times she had been called loud and annoying by Nebula and how the bright light faltered from the little daughter's eyes and her words trailed off, falling from the cliff and getting mauled by the jagged rocks before hitting the rockbottom. And Alasia was yet to know, in the future when she would do the much similar thing, talk for a moment too long, she would quieten on her own accord, knowing it was annoying. And how sad, that she was scarred in the deepest of ways, from the littlest of things, thinking she was that undeserving. Never had she ever heard her mother say that to Altair. All men were created equally. Where did she fit in?
Nebula had left, ordering here and there to the elves to make food.
"Paddy." Called Alasia.
A house elf materialised in front of her. The girl smiled at the elf's teary eyes. "Who hurt little mistress? Does mistress want Paddy to do something about it?"
She shook her head. "I want you to pack my trunk for tomorrow. I will be leaving a day early."
Paddy opened her mouth to speak but she cut her off. "Paddy, love, you know that I can't be by your side always, yes?"
"Paddy knows." The elf spoke in a shaky voice.
"During Hogwarts, I want you to accompany my brother. Mother only gave me a house elf for...she believed I would need help to dress up like a perfect lady." Alasia sighed. "And after that, I need you to not go in front of mother ever."
"But mistress loves Missus Serpens." Paddy frowned.
"I do." Alasia smiled sadly. "But she wouldn't be nice to you. If one day...I can't get you back - "
"Paddy does not want to hear about this!" Paddy stomped her feet angrily.
"Paddy, please...listen." Alasia gripped her shoulders gently. "If I can't one day, I need you to move. You remember my home in Lyon, France?"
Paddy nodded. "The one where Mistress goes every time during a holiday. Mistress has muggle friends there."
"Paddy shush!" Alasia berated. "No one can know."
"Paddy will make sure." She sniffled.
"I need you to move in Lyon, I need you to stay in that house for as long as I don't come back."
"What must Paddy do there?"
"Paddy, you must keep an eye on Violetta and Paul there. I don't want anyone getting hurt." Alasia sighed.
"Is that what Mistress wants?"
"That is what I want. Promise me, Paddy."
"Paddy promises!"
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Location: Hogwarts Castle, Scottish Highlands
Hogwarts was alarmingly quiet a day before the students were meant to arrive.
Alasia dusted off her clothes and bowed in front of Armando Dippet. "Merci...thank you, Headmaster. I understand you don't usually let students enter a day before."
Armando waved her off from where he was lazily seated on a tidy desk. "Well, Alexander was missing you indeed."
Alasia chuckled lightly. "I will come by in the evening for a talk, is that alright?"
"Very much so." The old man smiled gently. "Are you alright, child? There is a purple bruise forming on your face."
Alasia consciously moved a finger atop it. "I am. Thank you for asking, Headmaster Dippet. I fell down during a game with my brother the day before."
Headmaster nodded slowly, a sad glint in his eyes as he gestured for her towards the door. Almost as if he knew something he shouldn't. "Even then...it wouldn't hurt to pay young Pomfrey a visit, would it?"
"Surely not." Alasia forced a smile, moving towards the brass door. "I will, au revoir."
"Au rouar."
Alasia chuckled as she peeked back from behind the door. "Revoir, headmaster. I'll have you taught it when I come around later."
Armando laughed as the girl vanished below the spiral staircase, shaking his head in pure sympathy with a sad sigh.
Alasia trudged down the moving staircase and towards the dungeons when she passed by a tapestry. Her brows knitted.
"Light magic..." She whispered, fingering the writings of high cursive on the wall.
"What makes Light magic better than dark?" She mused out loud.
What she hadn't expected, was an answer. "Because dark magic is for dark purposes, young woman. Dark magic, is what Voldemort uses."
Alasia's eyes widened as she spun around, not expecting a woman of presumably seventeen, clad in muggle clothing to be standing right behind her. "Uh?"
"Molly Prewett." She smiled warmly. "The new Head girl. I and Edward Tonks were supposed to arrive early, you see. Usually we come by in the Express, but Headmaster had something special to discuss."
Alasia was confused as she nodded. "Interesting."
Molly laughed. "Why are you so interested in this tapestry?"
"No reason." Flushed Alasia. "I just wanted to know...what if we use dark magic for a light reason. Wouldn't it make us just as powerful as...V - the dark lord?"
Molly's jolly façade faltered. "What is your name again?"
"Alasia." She forced a smile. "Alasia Serpens."
The red head gulped and nodded curtly. "Well, I had to meet Edward right about now. See you, Serpens."
The younger girl got no chance to say a thank you or goodbye as Prewett all but rushed from her side. Alasia sighed and decided to go to the library. She had some very curious questions, perhaps the Slytherin in her which was distinctly connected to Ravenclaw.
Madam Pince wasn't there, which was surprising to say the least for she was always there. However, Alasia was glad about that as she climbed in the restricted section, a slight fear in her heart for doing something repulsive but she had a query, and it needed to be extinguished.
After a solid twenty minutes, the girl had finally found a book. Dark and Light Magic, creation and destruction. She grinned, picking it up and sitting down on the floor in front of its shelf.
Years ago, wands weren't yet constructed. The idea was announced far later by a European. However, some countries still wanted to stick by Wandless magic, the most enticing Wandlore in today's date. Africa, was one of them.
Wands were only used to channel the magic and use it in a greater way, to make the target and aim better. Magic howsoever, existed inside of us. And whether we needed a wand or not, it was solely an individual's choice.
This type of magic however, was very hard to discipline and only a wizard or witch with great capability could master the art. Such known Wizards are Albus Dumbledore, Gellert Grindelwald, Alastor Moody, Lord Voldemort, Carlotta Pinkstone, Filius Flitwick and many other legends who have now made their name known in the Daily Prophet several times.
Africa, is known as the major place to not perform with a wand. Their focus and aim is considered the best in the entire Wizarding World. There have been rumours of several Dark Wizards taking to visiting the place for reasons not regarding the betterment of our world.
Alasia sighed and put it down. How best it could be did she learn the magic?
With a sly smirk, she stood up once more, and opened another book she wasn't supposed to even look at. Shadowmancy, Necromancy, Algiamancy: The history and the present
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Once the school had started, Alasia had been incredibly distant with Viola Richmond whom she considered a 'friend' now.
Her rivalry with Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange was day by day increasing, and the girl's patience was running thin each time someone called her 'fat'. She was beautiful, and it pained her that the only way she could remember it was by speaking it like mantra to herself each day as she forced her eyes to gaze in the mirror.
With a malicious frown and a shaky hand, Alasia scribbled down notes in a black journal, tearing down the page once she had made sure it was suitable to her expectations.
She was supposed to go back for Easter Break and now, it was February. Months and months had passed by and at last, Alasia had the littlest of hopes that it would work.
With a deep inhale, she trailed the words on the torn paper once again.
Doloris Potesta Manipulation of Pain.
"Alasia."
Alasia whipped her head back in alert, only to find a wide eyed Viola Richmond. "What are you doing?"
"What am I doing? What are you doing?" She screeched, gesturing to the amount of dark magic books on the girl's bed. Before noticing the slip in her hand. She snatched it, looking at it with a terrified expression.
"Alasia...what is happening?"
"Dark Magic isn't all that bad Viola!" Alasia tried to explain. "If used for the good purpose, it can make us win a thousand times faster!"
"Don't - oh Salazar." Viola shakily exhaled.
"Viola, it isn't what you think! I'm tired of the Dark Lord and the fact he is manipulating my mother and taking everyone away from me!" Alasia nearly sobbed. "I want them all to be normal - And I will fight against it when I grow older. There has to be a start!"
"A start with the same thing that makes him evil!" Viola argued. "What has gotten into you?"
Alasia huffed out a breath and moved to sit on her bed. "Don't do this. You know I am right."
"We may be winning way faster with that but it would make us morally grey!"
"And what's wrong with that?!" Alasia protested. "If we end up saving the world."
"What if we end up ruining it rather?"
Alasia had had enough. "Stop it, Viola."
"Alasia - "
"I SAID STOP IT VIOLA - Doloris Potesta"
With a pang of wind, Viola Richmond was pushed backwards as she collapsed on the floor, her hand cluthching her chest painfully. "W-What d-did you do?"
Alasia was watching it with wide eyes. "I didn't mean to - no - Viola!"
She bent down with teary eyes as Viola groaned and clutched her heart tighter. "WHAT WAS THE SPELL?"
"It- it converted your anger into physical pain." Cried Alasia. "I'm so sorry."
"You did it wandlessly." Viola breathed as Alasia managed to do a healing spell, the only one she could think of.
"I studied about it."
"Throw it away."
Alasia looked up, the corked bottle of healing potion steadily shaking in her hands. "What?"
"THROW IT AWAY." Cried Viola. "The spell, the books, the journal. Or we never talk again."
Alasia knew it was for the best, she nodded slowly and only then did Viola take the potion.
However, the girl knew she had done something very morally dark, and now, now she would never be able to get off the road she had taken.
As Alasia watched the notes burn in front of her eyes with Viola standing behind. The flames danced not with fury of dark magic but with the knowledge of future events, with the patience of the solemn await of what was to come. Of what was to become of Alasia Serpens. A girl who never once looked at the spell, but then mastered a wandless charm later that year. A girl, who slowly became exactly, what she feared.