Deception

A few days later Amara found herself sitting alone at the Slytherin table poking at her breakfast with her fork. She wasn’t in the mood to eat - hadn’t been since her conversation with Adrian. Malfoy had noted her sulking and thought it better to leave her alone.

Which was for the best in all actuality. Even looking at Draco caused Amara to break out into a rage. And Draco staying away was much more so for his own safety than anything else.

She heard a little squeak from beside her as someone plopped down on the seat.

“Happy Birthday!”

The person shoved Amara’s breakfast to the side and placed a nicely decorated cupcake in front of her.

Amara squinted before looking at Fran’s smiling face. “Thanks. . .but I’m afraid it’s not quite my birthday.”

“What?” Fran frowned, her blue eyes narrowing as she thought this over.

“It’s in May.” Amara said, raising her brows before shoving the cupcake towards Fran. “But really, it was a nice gesture.”

“Your birthday isn’t in May, Jane.” Fran said, eyeing Amara wearily. “It’s January. January the tenth to be exact. Which is today. Are you feeling okay?”

Amara swatted Fran’s hand away as the dark haired girl tried to feel her friends forehead. Amara’s head was starting to hurt and she didn’t feel like trying to remember such trivial matters.

“Sorry, I forgot.” Amara sighed, running her hand through her hair. “I haven’t been thinking straight lately.”

Fran chuckled. “Obviously. I mean, who forgets their own birthday? Something really must be wrong. Care for a chat? I’m a pretty good listener.”

Amara shook her head and grabbed the cupcake. “Where did you even get this?”

Fran’s smile dropped for a second, her concern becoming quite evident. But she brushed it away, in which Amara was grateful for.

“I may have made my way down to the kitchens this morning and forced a house elf or two to make you a delicious cupcake.” Fran shrugged, trying not to grin, but she couldn’t help it. “I’m sorry it’s not much. I wish I could have done more.”

Considering it wasn't really Amara's birthday in the first place the cupcake had been more than enough.

“This is perfect.” Amara replied, taking a bite from her birthday dessert before handing it back to Fran. “But you can have the rest. I’m not really in the mood.”

“What is wrong with you lately?” Fran asked, taking the cupcake and finishing it off. “You’ve been so upset lately. Tell me how I can help you.”

“You can’t!” Amara snapped. She closed her eyes tightly and let out a tired sigh. “Nobody can help me.”

Fran bit her bottom lip before resting her hand on Amara’s shoulder. “Jane, love, I can’t help you unless you tell me what’s wrong.”

Amara tried not to scream. She was sick and tired of everyone calling her Jane. She just wanted to hear her name - her real name. She wasn’t Jane and she didn’t want to be Jane.

“I’m tired all the time.” Amara let out a shaky breath. “I began something and I was so eager to do it. But now, I don’t know. I just. . .I just don’t know what to do anymore. I’m so far in that I don’t even know if I can get out.”

“Well, I don’t know what you’re talking about but I’ve always been a firm believer in finishing something you’ve started. You can’t back down now. Try to remember what fired you up in the first place. Find that spark.”

Amara closed her eyes, trying not spill her guts out. She tried to think of everything. Her sister, her father, her mother. The people that died. The people she loved.

“Try to remember what you saw when you first began whatever it is. Try to picture the end result you had in mind. Whatever you hoped for, you can still achieve.”

Amara stood up abruptly, her legs banging against the table and causing Fran to jump in shock. Kids around them stopped to stare.

“Jane?” Fran asked, worry ringing clear in her voice. “Jane, what’s wrong?”

Instead of answering Amara curled her hands into fists, trying to fight off the tears that were struggling to come through. She stepped away from the table and began to walk away.

“Jane!” Fran called. Her voice growing louder and more desperate as Amara walked away, leaving most of the students in the Great Hall in silence.

Amara wanted to see Lucius dead. That’s what she wanted. She wanted to see him suffer. She wanted watch him endure the pain she had felt for so many years. What she wanted most was to watch him die a slow and painful death. Her face was going to be the last damn thing he saw as he takes his last breath.

She’d make it happen. She wouldn’t stop until it did.



Amara stumbled to the ground with a loud thump.

She glanced up at Jonathan standing before her. His unnerving gaze made her look away.

“Stand up.” He demanded, his voice deep and frightening. Especially to a ten year old girl. “I said stand up.”

Amara brushed away the hair sticking to her face before pushing herself up again. She stood still, her arms aching and her head pounding. Her bottom lip was swelling and she wouldn’t be surprised if she had a black eye.

“Come on,” Jonathan said, raising his fists.

Amara moved her right foot back and raised her own fists in front of her. Sweat tricked down her forehead, but she couldn’t bother wiping it away, in fear that Jonathan would strike at her again.

“You need a better stance.” Jonathan scolded her. His own lip was bleeding and she could see a bruise forming along his jaw line. “You’re nothing without a proper stance.”

Amara adjusted her feet before striking Jonathan again, not only to have him block her attack but also flipped her so that she landed on her back.

The wind was knocked out of her and all she could do was stare up at Jonathan blurry eyed.

“Get up.” Jonathan commanded her once more.

She took in a deep breath before standing up once up once again. She felt a sharp pain shoot through her right arm, but ignored it.

“You must learn to defend yourself.” Jonathan snapped. “Never let down your guard and be aware of everything.”

“I don’t understand why I have to learn this.” Amara cried out in irritation. She hated fighting. “I have my wand, I don’t need to learn this. It’s ridiculous!”

“You might not always have your wand. Imagine if it breaks or someone takes it. Then what? You will learn to fight. That’s what our world lacks, Amara. We are so reliant on our wands that we’re truly weak without them. Take a mans wand away from him then what does he have? Nothing, absolutely nothing.”

“Unless he can do non-verbal spells.” Amara pointed out. But she couldn’t help but see the point in Jonathan’s words. People probably wouldn’t be expecting her to know how to fight, so she could have a great advantage over them. “Fine, let’s do this.”

“That’s a girl.” Jonathan said as they both took to their stances again.

Amara was going to learn how to fight and Jonathan was determined to teach her how to.