Not Dead Yet

1990 October

Creation: Capricorn V

Species: Library System

Level: 19

Capable of mind defence, complex thought and processing 17900 words per hour. New Skill: Legilimency (Active)

Creation: Aquarius IV

Species: Inventory System

Level: 32

Capable of storing 41 objects. Summoning cost decrease tripled.

Creation: Pisces III

Species: Healing System

Level: 25

Magic focus increased x2 Dexterity increased x2 Precision increased x2

Alana held the slice of newt tail over the cauldron carefully as a drip of sweat ran down her forehead. The timing for this potion was essential and she dared not mess it up. 3,2,1. The limb met the simmering liquid inside and she gave it three clockwise stirs with a stirring rod before shutting off the heat. The liquid inside turned a startling shade of green before it congealed into a black sludge.

"I have created life!" The fourteen-year-old witch cackled in delight as she scooped the sleekeazy's hair potion into glass jars. She was determined to get the same silky smooth hair as Lola and what she wanted, she would get. She left the jars to cool in her trunk potion lab and smoothed her uniform before heading to breakfast. The usual lavish meal covered the oak tables. Alana made her way to her seat in the Great Hall. Leoen already knew what she'd been doing and gave her a brief greeting before returning to his apple slices.

The last month had yielded several accomplishments for the witch. She had finally found an answer as to why Ravenclaw had an eagle as a mascot. Apparently, the 'raven' in the name Ravenclaw was meant to denote colour rather than the animal. Who'd have thought? Alana had also managed to make Pisces invisible. She asked politely. The king of Ravenclaw was right, courtesy can take one far. About two weeks into the term, she found out she was a good few years ahead in Runes so she mostly read ahead in that class with the promise of future advanced assignments by Professor Babbling. Charlotte had pouted at her all week when she found out. She wasn't sure why the brunette wanted more homework. History turned out to be a joke and only Lola paid any attention.

Then there were flight classes. Never had Alana hated a class more in her life. Her hatred mainly stemmed from the fact that she had to take it with first years and that the teacher had no problem singling her out for demonstrations. Words cannot describe the pain. She was tempted to obliviate a few minds after she fell off the broom while trying to get off. Never again.

Lola looked particularly downcast that morning.

"You alright, Lola?" Charlotte asked but the blonde didn't seem to hear. She gave her friend a tap on the shoulder to pull her out of her thoughts. Alana and Leoen were already giving the two questioning looks.

"Oh! I'm fine it's just…" Lola seemed lost for words but she soon gathered herself. "Do you remember that Matthews boy a year above us? I heard he got caught sneaking into the restricted section last night."

"Again?" Charlotte wondered what went through the boy's head. He was one of the few loners in the house with no solid group of friends. He seemed to float along aimlessly most days.

Alana's ears were ringing as soon as she heard the topic of their discussion. Jake had been anything but a rule breaker back in primary school but she supposed people could change.

"What's he looking for in there?" That was the question, wasn't it? What could he possibly want that he would put so much at risk for it? Muggleborns wouldn't be given a second glance before being expelled.

"A potion maybe? I heard he's very good at that subject," Lola answered. Leoen had perked up at Alana's interest in the male and wanted to ask her about it.

"We can always just ask. If it's something I have then I don't mind lending it." Charlotte had a look of easy confidence as she searched for the boy.

"He'll be in the library," Lola informed her friend. It seemed a group trip was in order. The group wove their way towards the library and fanned out to find Jake Matthews. Alana headed to the west end while Leoen took the east. When they still couldn't find the boy, they had no choice but to head to class.

"I found out what book Matthews was looking for. I don't suppose any of you have Potions Curiose? It's a recent publication so I don't have it." The words fell from Charlotte's sharp tongue during breakfast a few days later.

"I'll have to check after classes," Alana told the girl. She was eager to provide the book should it be amongst her volumes.

"Actually, I was hoping to catch you after classes." Leoen interrupted. She turned to question the boy but Charlotte bet her to it.

"Will it take long?" Her signature purple eyes narrowed.

"I wanted to take her to the Fencing Club that starts up today," He explained before turning back to Alana. "I thought it was something you would be interested in."

Alana was somewhat conflicted. Fencing sounded fantastic and if the sign-ups were just today then it wouldn't kill anyone to search her books tomorrow. She frowned before she nodded.

"I'll check my books tomorrow then."

The Fencing Club was unsurprisingly supervised by Professor Flitwick who adored all things combat and sparring related. The location, however, was a bit amusing. The group met in a classroom precariously placed on the border between Gryffindor Tower and the Slytherin Dungeons. The placement was explained by the members of the group. Alana spied a few recognisable faces including Percy Weasly a fourth-year Gryffindor, Penelope Clearwater a fourth-year Ravenclaw, and Peregrine Derrick a Slytherin in their year. The rest of the group consisted of three older Slytherins and two more Gryffindors. There was an obvious Slytherin-Gryffindor majority. Leoen led Alana towards one of the older Gryffindors who smiled and greeted the Ravenclaw boy familiarly.

His name was Rowan Blackwood. She wondered if his parents dealt in wand woods or they just had a strange sense of humour. He was a giant compared to her but fortunate to have an agile build. His hair was a copper brown and his eyes a dark green that reminded her of the forest. Al in all, the boy was a rather attractive fifth year.

"Bring a friend did you, Leoen? Better hide her from your brother. He's been jumping for a spar this past week." The boy indicated a male further back in the room.

Alana sweatdropped at the man who was staring at a wall with his sword in hand. He could have been a statue for all he moved. Who exactly was jumping for a fight here?

"You should go and let him beat you up then," Leoen replied leisurely and she saw a few tears in Blackwood's eyes. Such cruelty. The fifth-year gave them each a wooden sword after adjusting them with a few spells. The swords shimmered and their wooden appearance changed to that of a metal sword.

"Nice," Alana couldn't help but mutter appreciatively.

Flitwick joined the two students but Leoen assured him that he'd teach her the basics while the professor could review her. They started with the correct stance then moved on to the basic techniques: the lunge (attack), parry (defend) and riposte (the counter-attack following a parry). There were four main lunges to learn: high outside, low outside, high inside, and low inside. They spent a good two hours before they headed back to the common room with their muscles burning pleasantly. She felt a bit bad that Leoen hadn't had the chance to spar with the others but the boy didn't seem to mind. She felt a yawn coming and decided an early night was in order. She hadn't had to learn a new skill for a while and wondered how Capricorn would hold up.

She woke up earlier the next day for the express purpose of finding Potions Curiose. She had finished her usual exercises before slipping into her MindScape. It had been a while since she'd last done this. It was an absolute mess. There were books and papers everywhere surrounding the space and no Capricorn to be found.

"Capricorn!" She yelled as she tried to sort and wade through the mess at the same time. A frown marred her features and the goat finally made an appearance.

"Creator," He intoned patiently.

"Don't 'creator' me. What's with the mess?" She grilled the literal product of her imagination.

"I seem to be lacking space to place your memories." She gave the creature a deadpan expression.

"You're in a library. Surely you can find some space." She moved to a shelf and tugged one of the blank books out. The goat grinned creepily and replaced the space with a different book.

"You're joking… You can't empty the shelves of any of the books." She placed a cold hand to her forehead in frustration."How have I been learning anything with this going on?"

"I have been processing everything but you have been writing the information into your long term memory yourself, creator. You have a very good comprehension level and memory so you must have not noticed."

She g.r.o.a.n.e.d inwardly. She thought she would have noticed the difference between eidetic memory and her natural learning speed but apparently not. She considered the possibility of Azrael's feeding having improved her brain's ability to create connections if only temporarily. That would have made sense. A second possibility was that his death had harmed her mentally to the point where Capricorn's abilities were twisted. It didn't really matter in the end. She would fix it. Alana emptied a shelf of blank books and Capricorn set to work organising the papers into books to replace them. She would get a headache after this but she had a potion that would fix it. Hopefully.

Several shelves later, she returned to her dorm room exhausted. She rubbed her eyes tiredly before heaving her body upwards. She still had a book to find. She had searched her memories for the book and had been relieved to find she had it. Unfortunately, it was at home which meant owling Marius. Que shudder. She still hadn't patched things up with the vampire. He had not even asked her if she wanted to go to Hogwarts. She would have answered no immediately but it was the thought that counted. She sighed before reaching for a quill. Forgiveness was given not earned. Marius was family for all the annoyance he was. She penned her request slowly. It was an olive branch that he would hopefully take. She downed a pepper-up potion after Auxilium left with her burden and got ready for classes.

It was a few days before she got her reply form the vampire. It came sweeping into the Great Hall with Auxilium who was clutching a letter and package tightly and glaring at everyone present. She figured the only reason he hadn't mauled someone yet was because he knew he was outnumbered. Leoen was giving her bird an impressed look.

"Who's that from?" He asked with polite curiosity.

"My cousin and guardian, Marius." Her reply was non-committal as she read the contents of the letter. She heaved a sigh of relief when he wrote that he had forgiven her. Not that she thought she owed him an apology. Still, if that's what he believed the letter was, so be it. She held the book tentatively wondering how best to give it to her childhood friend.

She found him in the library as Lola had previously suggested. Her gait was a tad stiff as she approached the studying boy and cleared her throat. His head snapped up with an audible click that had her wincing slightly.

"What do you want?" Not particularly polite but he had always had a way with words.

"I heard you were looking for Potions Curiose and I had a copy I've already read so I thought you might want it."

"Who said that I needed it?" His answer was slightly less combative but no less demanding.

"Charlotte Winters." She handed him the book which he quickly flicked through to check its authenticity.

"Will you thank her for me? And you as well… Thank you." She nodded at the sincere request and darted out the hall. She could faintly hear Madam Pince chastising her for running through the library. She couldn't imagine why as her footsteps were silent as always.

Edited 25.10.2019