friends forever }{ lux

[LANA LOSCE]

The Slytherin common room was quiet now that it was nearly empty. Only Lana and Vaughn remained. She had been very irritated when he insisted on staying up with her, but relieved when he finally succumbed to sleep on the couch. All night she held her nose buried in a book she could not pay attention to in order to avoid conversation, to hide away from Vaughn Guigen’s ceaseless flirting. There were more important things than foolish teenage hormones and relationships. Her best friend was apparently back from the dead! She could hardly stop grinning, having to blame it upon the events of the book. It was a thousand page novel written by Russian witch Galina Kapeka. It was not a story to smile about, but they would not know it was the autobiography of a woman who had survived and escaped the hands of Gellert Grindlewald and the Dark Lord, made into a sex slave by the former and tortured endlessly and experimented upon by the latter during the First Wizarding War. The details were gruesome, Galina Kapeka unapologetic in her telling of her difficult life. Her mother often asked her what she found so compelling about such a dreary book. She never really had an answer, but now she enjoyed it all the more now that she understood what torture was like, what the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters were like. Monsters, all of them.

But the heart-wrenching tale was the last thing on her mind all night. She would see Lux tonight! Or so she had been told. Lux would not lie to her, would she? They had too much to catch up on and Lana had not seen her in entirely too long!

But how would she get into the Slytherin dungeons? It was password protected, was it not? Lana should have given her the password! She frowned at the thought that occurred too late. Maybe she could wait outside of the common room to wait for her.

Standing up, she set her book aside, jumping when she heard her name. “Lana,” Vaughn moaned. She spun around, eyes growing wide as he shifted around on the couch, slipping a hand into his trousers. Was he really going to…? Her face heated up as he continued to moan quietly, her name escaping his lips a few more times. Turning from him, hands trembling, she grabbed her boots, stuffing her feet into him before looking wildly around for her robe. She did not like the black robes required for her uniform, and instead slipped into a pale blue outer robe that her mother had given her for her wedding night. It was not one of fond memories, but it was such a soft and pretty robe that it hardly mattered. Quickly combing through her dark brown curls, she started towards the door.

[LUX LOSCE]

Time could not go quickly enough for Lux Losce. She tried to take her time unpacking, making her bed exactly the way she wanted, and straightening everything in her area, but she was done in an hour nonetheless. The girls in her dorm were still talking and laughing as they readied themselves for bed, and Lux rolled onto her back on her own bed, her stomach tingling with excitement. Tonight would be the first night she'd spend with her best friend, Lana, since she had disappeared.

Lux couldn't believe it when she and Lana had found each other at the feast earlier that evening. She still couldn't believe it, but the smile she wore kept convincing her that it was true. Lana was alive, and she was here at Hogwarts! Never in her wildest dreams had Lux imagined anything so wonderful. Her awful night had turned around completely. Gone were the sad plans to mope and drink stupid pumpkin juice. Lux was happier than she'd ever been.

Her knee bounced, and she kept experimenting with how to fold her hands over her stomach. The girls continued to talk, and more kept trickling in from the common room. Lux could have kicked them all in the head. Only once everyone was asleep could she tiptoe her way down to the Slytherin dungeons. She didn't know the password, but she could press her ear to the door to make sure all was quiet before she knocked. She and Lana had always had a special knock, one they used during the nights when they would brew potions together in Rafferty's mansion. They quickly realized that if either of them were to leave the room at all, they'd need a code so the other girl wouldn't have a heart attack upon their return.

Lux wrung her hands some more, finally able to sit still no longer. She bolted up in bed, muttering something to the other girls as she moved swiftly down the stairs, trying not to make an all-out mad dash. There were still a couple of boys and a girl in the Ravenclaw common room, but that didn't mean the Slytherin room would still be full. It was getting late, and people were usually in their beds by now, right? Besides, sneaking down to the dungeons would take a bit of time.

Lux closed the door behind her, not making any excuses and hoping no one gave her departure much thought. In the pocket of her robe she had her wand and a mild invisibility potion that she could share with Lana, should the need arise. She stayed in the shadows and kept a close eye on the paintings, though most were a sleep and few others seemed to care. Once she heard footsteps and ducked behind a statue, but the person never passed her. Heart racing, Lux forced herself to count to one hundred before continuing.

She reached the dungeons with relatively little difficulty, and it didn't take her too long to find the right wall to the Slytherin dorms. Lux was raising her fist to knock when the wall suddenly swung open, and Lana nearly tumbled into her arms. Lux squeaked in surprise, then giggled quietly, hugging her best friend tight.

"Come on, I'm starving," Lux whispered, grasping Lana's hand and leading her away. Her stomach was nearly eating itself for once, and the two of them very well couldn't stay here.

[LANA LOSCE]

Lana stumbled into the corridor, immediately finding herself in Lux’s arms. She eagerly returned the hug, grinning broadly into the blond’s neck. ”As am I,” she replied, realizing this was true when Lux mentioned she was starving. She hadn’t eaten much at dinner, she was so worried, then spent the past little while being too nervous to pay attention to anything else. Her heart skipped when Lux took her hand and she followed happily down the dark corridors of the castle. It was so silent she didn’t dare breathe too loudly. They were not supposed to be out now anyway, it was after curfew! She did not mind, though. Some rules were made to be broken and anything keeping her from her best friend was of that sort.

They did not have far to go only approaching a painting of fruit and Lux tickled the pear. The door swung open, revealing the kitchen and a few house elves at work. It was huge! But there were many mouths to feed, so they would obviously need room to prepare all of the meals.

Upon seeing them, the elves tripped over each other to approach them.

“My name is Ishie, what can Ishie bes doing for you now?” asked one.

“Winky! Winky will fix you right up!”

“No, no, ma’ams, Eppy will be taking cares of you!”

Her family had always had a house elf on hand, but she had never seen so many before. She let herself be led to a small table that Ishie Summoned into the room. Lana sat in a chair, instantly crowded by the elves, offering various treats.

“Ahh…The blackberry cobbler will be nice,” Lana said. “And…a turkey sandwich?”

“Ishie will be glad to make…”

“Mistress needn’t worry, Eppy will serve…”

”They are very eager, no?” Lana laughed. Hazel eyes turned to look at her friend. There were so many questions, but now that she had the time to ask them, there were too many buzzing around in her mind to know where to start. Maybe it was not best to burden this nice get-together with bad memories.

She would need to know eventually, though. Why not get it all out of the way now?

”Will you tell me what happened, Lux?”

[LUX LOSCE]

Lux couldn't remember the last time she'd been so happy, or hungry, or excited. She willed her stomach not to growl too loud as she led Lana to the kitchens. Thankfully there was no one in their path, and they had no need for the invisibility potions. Lux tickled the pear in the painting on the wall, which squirmed and giggled before opening the entrance to the kitchen. The two were immediately swarmed with house elves.

Lux gasped and laughed, looking around at all of the elves and all of the food. She knew there had to be a lot of elves down here, but knowing and seeing were two very different things. Lux hadn't even known this many elves existed. All of them insisted on waiting on the two friends, and one Summoned a table for them to sit. Lux sat across from her friend, her stomach practically roaring with all the delicious smells that were wafting into her nose.

"I'll have the blackberry cobbler, too," she decided, licking her lips. Lana had excellent taste in dessert. "And a couple of chicken drumsticks, please," she decided, then added, "maybe some warm pumpkin juice with cinnamon?" That craving hadn't gone away.

Most of the elves dashed off to complete their orders, while a few stuck around, making sure they were as comfortable as possible, and would they like anything else? Lux giggled along with Lana at their eagerness, allowing one to stuff the corner of a napkin into the neck of her robe. She could see the questions in Lana's eyes, and knew her own reflected the same. Her smile faded a bit. They had a lot to talk about.

Lana asked to know what had happened, and Lux sighed, looking away, thinking of just how to begin. It had been such a chaotic night, and her memories were so discombobulated. What had happened when?

"Well, I remember being woken up by a huge crash," she started. "And then I panicked, because you weren't next to me, and I just had this awful feeling that had almost nothing to do with the commotion downstairs. So I pulled on my robe and ran down there, and that's when I saw..."

Lux looked down, breathing deeply. She refused to cry now, no matter how painful the memories, and gradually, the wetness in her eyes receded. "I saw you first, being yanked along by two of the Death Eaters. I remember you struggling and trying to get to me, and I hid behind a table they'd turned over. I could hear Daddy in another room, and all the lights from all the curses were flashing everywhere. I tried to help, Lana, I really did, but by the time I could even remember the Cruciatus Curse, and then when I cast it it was so shaky... I swear I meant it, though." Lux looked up at her best friend, remembering all of the hate and fury she had felt at the Death Eaters while they dragged her away. She'd wanted them dead, still wanted them dead, without a doubt. She'd never meant another spell more in her life than when she'd shouted Crucio! that night.

"And that was the last time I saw you," Lux said sadly, forcing her voice not to break. She looked back down at the table. "After that, I sort of faked my own death with that Juliet potion I made. I ran down the North Tunnel from the study and let them find me there. They left me alone once they thought I was dead. When I woke up, you and Daddy were both gone," she finished, wringing her hands beneath the table. That pounding panic, the anxious dashing around the house, frantically calling Lana's name, finally collapsing in the sitting room and crying like she had never cried before... It all came back so clearly to her now, and she had to reach across the table for Lana's hand, desperate to feel her and see her and hear her, to make herself believe that she really was there.

[LANA LOSCE]

With a deep frown, Lana listened attentively as Lux gave her story. A chill swept through her body as that night was recounted. Instead of her own horrors, she paid careful attention to her friend’s tale. The Juliet potion! Of course. How had that invention slipped her mind? Why had she never, not once, imagined such a thing? Considering their home had been ransacked by Death Eaters, perhaps actual death made more sense than faking it, but still. She could have saved herself a lot of misery if she had held any hope of her survival.

When Lux grabbed her hand, Lana squeezed it, blinking away the wetness in her eyes as she cleared her throat. An elf called Iggy hopped over with their refreshments while one named Winnie brought their plates. Lana held Lux’s hand tighter, not willing to let it go just yet. A few of the elves gave them odd looks for it, but quickly looked away once she noticed them.

“So Raffery…He’s…?” she asked uncertainly. There was no way both Lux and Rafferty had survived, was there? Unless Lux had managed to share the Juliet potion with him. Her heart hammered, silently praying that her husband was gone. It was an awful thing to wish, but he was an awful man. He had never treated her with respect, nor Lux, and only cared about himself! They would be much better off with him deep in the ground, would they not?

Knowing she would have to inform Lux of her own troubles, Lana swallowed half her cup of pumpkin juice before starting. ”I was so scared. I thought you were dead and they just took me away. Kept me in a cell for three days with no food or water, no comfort at all. It was freezing cold. I couldn’t sleep. They were waiting for the Dark Lord to speak with them, to know what to do with me. I told them my name was Isabeau Marchand, a pitiful French girl who was visiting Pogodin with her family. When they asked why I was in the manor, I told them I was his mistress. They did not believe me.

“The Dark Lord found no use in killing me. Decided I would be more useful as a plaything to keep his followers in a good mood. They tortured me daily. I was starting to wish they would kill me.” There was no use in telling Lux how she had nearly killed herself on a few occasions, and had sobbed miserably when she failed, finding nothing in the cell that would do the trick. ”Eventually they discovered I was a virgin…” She cringed, not wanting to go into detail of that night. They had been so ready to rape her when a woman called Bellatrix stopped the show, shoving a finger inside of her unceremoniously. She had grinned twistedly, then dragged her by her hair to the Dark Lord to inform him of such, feeding him ideas of a ritual that would increase his power. Successfully seduced by this plan, the Dark Lord agreed, forbidding anyone to touch her in a sexual manner, that he would take her when the ritual was prepared. There had been some relief that her virtue was temporarily safe, though she found she would have preferred any of his followers over having such a cruel Dark wizard have her. That was when she pushed away thoughts of suicide into thoughts of escape. There was no telling what use they could make of her dead body. Lana knew she was better off giving them no tools at all to work with. She would escape and be sure he was brought down before he could hurt another person. Realizing she was losing herself in thought, she told Lux as much as she was comfortable with. ”He forbade them from touching me that way. That he would need me for some ceremony he wished to perform to become more powerful. I began my escape plans then.

“The time drew nearer and I had made little progress, so I had to…I had to invent a spell to release me. I cannot say how I did so. There was too much panic for me to think clearly…I was so desperate…but it worked. I dismantled the wards and fled. Traveled a while under various names, but I met a woman at an inn who took care of me. I was weak from it all, fainted in the street, and she nursed me into health. She agreed to take me in…I asked her to bring me here because I knew Hogwarts was safe. Aoife, is her name. Aoife Duff. She spoke with the headmaster, acting as my mother. We gave my name as Svetlana Sardou, but I’ve been giving everyone Losce. I dunno what they will make of it, but there it is. And here I am.”

So much had gone unsaid. How much she had missed Lux. The more painful details of her capture. But she had given her everything she needed to know what Lana had gone through this past year. Dropping her eyes, she began to shovel food into her mouth, wanting to chase away the bad thoughts.

[LUX LOSCE]

Telling her story meant she had to relive it, and it was no wonder that Lux was shaking a bit by the time she was finished. The elves brought her food, but her appetite had subsided a bit while she spoke. She ignored the steaming chicken and pumpkin juice, looking into Lana's wet eyes and gripping her hand tightly. She'd been so certain that Lana was gone. At first, she entertained wild fantasies that her best friend had survived somehow, but she had never really believed it. Lux had known that Lana was gone, and no matter how happy she was to be proven wrong, it was still a lot to believe.

Lux described how one of her inventive potions had saved her life, and how she searched the ruined house for Lana and for her father, finding neither. Lana started to ask about Rafferty, and Lux looked down, feeling as though a giant weight had crashed onto her shoulders, crushing her insides.

"Alive," Lux finished in a whisper, blinking and sweeping away a single escaping tear. She wasn't sure of Lana's situation, but for Lux, the nightmare was far from over. If only she could get Rafferty to see that she was just as smart and had just as much potential as Arya and Dow...

She didn't want to think about her father now, and instead listened intently while Lana recounted her side of the story, nibbling on chicken and sipping pumpkin juice throughout, until the tale began to make her feel queasy. To think of her best friend going through all of that was sickening. Lana had been subject to all the horrors of being a captive of the Dark Lord... all except one. Lux winced when Lana mentioned killing herself, squeezing her fingers again. A world without Lana was a horrible place, a fact that Lux unfortunately knew firsthand.

Lana was smart, though, and she'd been able to invent a spell to escape before He could perform his dark ritual. How Lana managed to get out of that place, Lux had no idea, but she had never been more grateful for anything. Lana found a woman to help her, Aoife Duff, and changed her name a few times before the whole thing was through. Lux couldn't help but to smile a bit when Lana mentioned that she had been giving her last name as Losce. Lana would always be a Losce to Lux.

"I'm just happy you're alive, and that I found you," Lux told her, beginning to eat again. It went without saying, but Lux was too relieved to care. Neither of them would ever again have to face the world alone, if she had anything to say about it.

[LANA LOSCE]

Alive. One word and more dread than she could remember feeling weighed down on her heart. How had that scoundrel managed to survive? Such a lowlife man escaping the clutches of the Death Eaters while more honorable men suffered and died? What sense did this make? Lana swallowed hard, slowly nodding. ”And you will not tell him I am here, will you?” she whispered. Merlin, she adored Lux, and wished to be with her always. With no Rafferty in the picture, she might stay with Aoife and her during holidays. But this was the last year, was it not? Seventh. Lux would not be with Rafferty long. As much as Lana loved Lux, she did not think she could bear facing that man again. He would take her away, would he not? She would be trapped with him always, should she allow him. The impotence potion Lux had created would not make him that much more bearable. And what if he ever found a cure? Even without the sex, she did not want to spend the rest of his or her life saddled with the man! She wanted to explore the world, experience her life, fall in love, and marry someone she chose. Not someone her parents practically sold her to!

Her story reminded her that there were worse things than Rafferty Losce. Surely the Dark Lord would try to find someone to replace her. He would need to be killed before he could. Poor girl, whoever she was, who would replace Lana. It was nearly enough to make her lose her appetite. As she finished, Lux assured her that she was glad she was alive, making her smile. ”As am I. For you, of course,” she said. ”You must tell me. What has life been for you since…I was gone?” It could not have been as bad as Lana’s, had it? Anything to rid her of this awful feeling inside. ”You must tell me about this school, as well. I do not think I will like it very much.”

[LUX LOSCE]

Telling Lana that Rafferty was still alive was one of the most awful things that Lux had to do. She’d known that Lana would need to know. The thought had crossed her mind, but she’d pushed it away in a fraction of a second. Lux didn’t want to think about Rafferty. So much of what she did was for his sake, to make him proud of her and for him to fully accept her, but she hated him. It was a strange relationship that Lux shared with her father, and it was never happy. Her life had been miserable before Lana had come into the picture, but even more so after the Death Eaters had raided the house. Knowing what she was missing made living with Rafferty a million times worse for Lux.

”Lissy, of course I won’t,” Lux promised her best friend, giving her fingers a squeeze. It was a silly question in a sense, but Lux understood Lana’s need for reassurance. ”He thinks you’re dead. I won’t tell him any different.” At least one of them could be free from Rafferty’s clutches.

Lux looked down when Lana asked her what life had been like after her disappearance. Fearful, trapped, and miserable were three words that came immediately to mind, and Lux swallowed dryly. She didn’t want to think about life without Lana anymore. She’d had to live it up until a few hours ago. As much as she enjoyed catching up with her Lissy, all she really wanted was to spend the night sharing a bed the way they used to, talking until two or three in the morning, and falling asleep with fingers interlocked. With all the bad memories mixed in, Lux wasn’t sure this would be one hundred percent real to her until she woke up next to Lana.

She was grateful when Lana gave her a bit of an out, asking about the school, too. ”Don’t you remember all the owls I sent you?” Lux teased, finishing off the last of her pumpkin juice. ”It’s a big place, so it’s easy to get lost. Paintings are helpful sometimes in that regard, but you can’t trust all of them. Besides, you have me,” Lux grinned. She planned on going everywhere with Lana, never letting her out of her sight again. Of course, that would include escort to classes whenever possible, at least until her friend knew where she was going.

”Snape is the head of your house. He’s okay, but he’s pretty strict. If you show him how smart you are and don’t act up, you won’t end up on his bad side. What’s your schedule like?” Lux asked, feeling excitement bubble up in her chest. She really didn’t want to talk about Rafferty. There would be time for those terrible stories later. Right now, all she wanted was to enjoy the first night in months that she’d had with Lissy.

[LANA LOSCE]

Lana smiled gratefully at Lux. ”Thank you,” she said. The last thing she needed was Rafferty after her. Hadn’t she suffered enough the past year without him coming back into her life? She could avoid him for the remainder of it, couldn’t she? Marriage wasn’t so important that she would feel the need to remarry, would she? If she could completely create a new identity with new identification and everything, perhaps she could get away with it. But it wasn’t as if she had anyone in line, asking for her hand right now. At least not anyone she would say yes to. There were more important things to worry about, at any rate, such as doing well in school and surviving the war.

She mock glared at Lux for teasing her about reading her letters. ”Of course! But it has been so long and I should like for you to tell me again,” she said with a smile. It did make her feel better that Lux would be helping her around. She would be better company than Vaughn. Lana wasn’t sure she wanted to be around him again after the scene she left in the common room. ”It is a good school, you think?” Rafferty had nothing but high praise for Hogwarts, though she had heard plenty of other schools. Her mother had gone to St. Vladimir’s Academy while her father had attended Durmstrang. Oksana had been friends with a girl at Beaubatons once. Everyone thought their school was best, but Lana didn’t know. It wasn’t as if she had anything to compare it to.

”Snape,” she repeated, slowly nodding her head. He had been the man the headmaster introduced her to after Sorting. He was very serious, very mean by his reputation, but Lana didn’t mind him so much so far. She had no intentions of acting up and bringing attention to herself. The last thing she wanted was for them to get rid of her! She needed to remain at Hogwarts as long as possible. At the question of her schedule she had to think a moment. ”Ahhh…Double Potions first thing in the morning. Then Transfiguration, Divination, Muggle Studies, Herbology, and Astronomy. The next day I have Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arithmancy, Charms, History of Magic, and Ancient Runes.” That had to be it. Her memory was normally very spot on, though her mind had been so scattered lately she wasn’t as confident as she normally might have been. ”Will we have any classes together, you think?”

[LUX LOSCE]

Lux laughed at Lana's reaction to her teasing, taking another gulp of her pumpkin juice. Lissy could be pretty convincing when she put on her angry face - both of them could. But she could barely remember the last time they'd actually been able to fool each other.

She was more than grateful for the change of subject, and to be able to tell Lana all about Hogwarts. Lux loved the school, yes, but her gratitude was more geared toward the distraction from her thoughts about her father. Lana might be free from him, but Lux was anything but. He'd be watching her more carefully than ever this year, and Lux knew she'd be constantly looking over her shoulder. Hogwarts used to be the safest place for Lux, relatively speaking, but Rafferty was not about to let both her and Lana slip away from him.

"I do think it's a good school. I never really pictured myself going anywhere else, not even Durmstrang or Beaubatons. Arya and Dow came here, after all, and they seem to be doing just fine," Lux added, not bothering to keep the bitterness out of her voice in front of Lana. "But the teachers are good, and there are plenty of resources around, the curriculum is varied, challenging, but not impossible, and the grounds are beautiful. And, of course, we can stay here over breaks," Lux said with a smile. She'd returned home for winter and spring recesses for her first two years at Hogwarts, eager to show her father all that she was learning, and what good marks she was making. He never really cared, though, and Lux found that she preferred to stay away from him as long as possible.

She asked Lana about her schedule, nodding thoughtfully as her friend listed off all of the classes. They had quite a few of them together, while others were a bit mixed up. That didn't matter much, though; Lux was beyond happy that she'd get to be with Lana for most of the day.

"I've got Double Potions, too, but then I have Divination, then Transfiguration, and then Arithmancy. But then we have Herbology and Astronomy together, and Care of Magical Creatures the next day, and then I have Double Defense Against the Dark Arts, so you'll be there for half of that. And then we've got Charms, History of Magic, and Ancient Runes," Lux finished with a smile, relishing in feeling so happy. She would hardly ever be away from Lana during the day, though at night they would return to their separate houses. Lux had no doubt, though, that she and Lana would find plenty of ways to meet after dark, a probability that made her stomach flip and her heart jump happily. Not even the now-distant memory of the Death Eater attack could bring Lux's spirits down as the elves brought their desserts.

[LANA LOSCE]

Lana nodded her understanding when Lux spoke of her siblings. The stepchildren who were both older than she was, she thought unhappily. Why she strove so hard to please Rafferty was beyond Lana's understanding, who wanted nothing more than to spite the man at every turn. She abhorred him, nearly as much as she loathed the Dark Lord and his cowardly followers. Rafferty never showed Lux much love, so why try? Lana herself would have gone to Durmstrang or Beaubatons, St. Vladimir's or even Buckner to go against him. It was, however, important to her best friend. And while she could never understand the reasoning herself, as it was never something she herself would do, she at least understood that it mattered to Lux. So she smiled, nodded, and said, "That sounds great."

She grinned when Lux mentioned her classes. They had a lot of them together, it seemed! It would be easier to adjust with a familiar, friendly face around. "Since I have never been to school before, they had to test me to see my year level. Oddly, they say I'm right where my age group should be," she said with a shrug. "I do not know what I want to do, though, so I signed up for everything I could. I never did have to consider a career before," she said with a shrug. Her whole life had been destined to being a good little housewife, whose only duty was to produce heirs and, perhaps, join the ranks of the snobbish socialites Rafferty and her parents hung around. Not anymore, and Lana couldn't be happier, though she was thoroughly unprepared. "Do you know what...'career' you are going for? They have so many options, they gave me pamphlets on everything they had. I suppose I'll have to look into it."

She had done a small bit of research so far. Auror work wasn't for her, nor was healing, no matter how good she was in potions and Herbology. What intrigued her was a branch in the Ministry Vaughn had spoken of, the Unspeakables, if only for her darned curiosity and the glamour of the mystery surrounding the Department of Mysteries. But she didn't know enough about any of it to give it any real thought just yet. Though it was on her list of things to look more into.

[LUX LOSCE]

Lux just smiled and took another bite of blackberry cobbler. She knew Lana didn't understand her need to please Rafferty. Lux herself didn't really understand it. But he was her father, and Lux just wanted - needed him to look at her the way he looked at Arya and Dow. Lux was the illegitimate child, the mistake, but they were the only family she had. She just needed to belong somewhere. And even though she wasn't sure how to explain that to Lana, or even really to herself, Lana supported her. That was one of the best things about her best friend. Even though Lana didn't understand and most likely never would, she supported Lux's ambitions. One day, she would prove to both of them that this wasn't just a waste of time.

Lux sipped on her pumpkin juice while Lana continued, mentioning her current level of education, making Lux smile again. "You're smart," she replied, shrugging. She didn't find it that odd that Lana was at the same educational level as she, even without official schooling. "Besides, I am a pretty good tutor," the blonde teased, grinning and remembering the times that Lana had sat with her through homework over breaks, or the times that the two had made potions together, or studied the plants that grew around the grounds of the manor. Maybe Lana had never been to Hogwarts before, or any other wizarding school, but she certainly wasn't stupid. "What did they test you on?" she asked. It was probably a test similar to an O.W.L. or a N.E.W.T., something extensive that covered everything Lana would need to know before entering seventh-year classes.

Lux paused, pushing the last of her cobbler around on her plate, when Lana inquired about her career choice. She'd given it some thought, for sure, but was a bit ashamed to admit that she wasn't too sure what she wanted to do, even if it was only Lana. Lux knew her best friend wouldn't ever think anything less of her; after all, it was perfectly normal for students to change their minds multiple times, even after graduating. But Lux felt like she was supposed to have it all together, to have her ambitions set and be racing toward them at lightning speed. That's certainly what Rafferty would expect. He always looked so disappointed when he asked what career she would be pursuing, and she didn't have an answer. Still, Lux figured that might be better than changing her mind all the time, or locking herself into something that just wouldn't work later on down the road.

"I'll probably end up as a Potioneer or Herbologist," she said thoughtfully. Potions was by far her best subject, and her favorite, too, with Herbology being a close second. The two pretty much went hand in hand. "Although... I always did think it would be pretty exciting to be an Unspeakable, or a Curse Breaker," Lux confided with a giggle. Going on dangerous treasure hunts would be such a thrill, and who even knew what exactly the job of an Unspeakable would entail! Every day would be an adventure, though Lux wasn't sure Rafferty would approve of a career that offered such little stability.

[LANA LOSCE]

Lana smiled when Lux mentioned her own great tutoring skills. She had never thought of it that way before. She had always been curious about Lux's schoolwork, curious about the world and eager to learn everything she possibly could. It was a nice feeling, this being smart business. She liked knowing so many different things. It had certainly served her well, especially now. "All sorts of things, I guess," she said with a shrug. "It was this long test, plus a few 'practical' examinations." Honestly, Lana hadn't been very concerned, as most people in her position might have been. Who would have cared if she was seventeen and stuck in her fourth year? Most might have been ashamed, embarrassed, and the whole school would have their own opinions, but Lana hadn't come to Hogwarts to learn, she had come to be safe. In all reality, maybe being in a younger year would have been better. She could have stayed longer. But if all else failed, and she absolutely needed to remain at Hogwarts, she could always fail her NEWTS or her last few tests or something.

When the topic of careers came up, Lux took pause. Lana didn't push her, instead taking another bite of her own cobbler while waiting for her friend to respond. Potioneer or Herbologist seemed right. "You would be brilliant at both," Lana assured her confidently. With all of the potions Lux had been brewing since she had known her, she would be very good. Plus she was clever enough to feed Rafferty and impotence potion without him even knowing. Lux went on to mention the excitement of Unspeakables and curse-breakers. Lana smiled slightly. "I thought Unspeakables looked interesting, as well. I didn't see anything on curse-breakers, though. To be perfectly honest, I haven't looked through the pamphlets they gave me too much yet. I never really had to think about any of that, did I? It's nice, I think."

It wasn't as if she had experience working. Most people might have rejoiced at the idea of not having to pursue a job to make a living, but Lana was not one of those people. She wanted to work. The idea of being some frilly socialite did not appeal at all. Why waste her days planning parties and gossiping? She had been a part of that world for a short time and disliked it greatly. Her only real break in her sham of a marriage was the fact that it had never been consummated, thanks to her best friend.

"Aoife had been in Romania shortly before I met her," Lana mused, just now recalling the conversation. "She was the lover of a dragon-tamer. That sounds a bit more scary than exciting, but I always have wanted to see a dragon. They look so beautiful in the pictures I've seen." Terrifying, yet beautiful, in their own way. "Do they have dragons here? Have you ever seen one?"

[LUX LOSCE]

Lux almost envied Lana the hours of testing she'd had to endure before being placed into seventh year at Hogwarts. Almost. It had to have been pretty extensive, which Lana attested to, saying that it had covered anything and everything, with some practical tests as well. Lux was strange, a true Ravenclaw, she supposed, in that she didn't mind tests at all. Studying wasn't her favorite, but actual test taking wasn't so bad. She usually knew all the answers, anyway, and practical tests were just demonstrations of what she could do - and Lux could admit that she liked to show off a bit.

"What kind of practical tests?" she asked, trying and failing, she was sure, to mask her nerdy curiosity. She'd missed school over the summer, having finished her off-season assignments within the first month. There was more to Lux's good grades than just a desperate need to please her father. She really did like to learn, and she was genuinely interested in a good deal of the subjects her classes covered.

The conversation shifted to career aspirations, with Lana being unsure about what she wanted to do, while Lux assumed she would continue along the path she was on right now, leading her into the fields of Potions and Herbology. Lux smiled and blushed a bit when Lana revealed her confidence in Lux's abilities at either job. "Thanks, Lissy," she replied, grinning and taking a drink of a fresh mug of pumpkin juice. Her other career choices seemed to be of interest to Lana as well.

"We could be Unspeakables together!" she exclaimed. Lux was barely serious, doubtful that she would really choose that career, but it was an exciting thought. She would love to work with her best friend in the Department of Mysteries. If they were assigned to the same cases, they would actually be able to confide in one another about them. And if they were made partners... that would be the best career ever.

Lana didn't seem to know what a Curse-Breaker was, so Lux took it upon herself to explain. "Curse-Breakers are exciting too. They go on expeditions, treasure hunts, to bring gold back to Gringotts. Only lots of times the gold is guarded by curses, even monsters, so it's certainly never dull." Lux had been interested in curse-breaking since she'd come across Bill Weasley: A Biography in the Hogwarts library. The fact that the book had only been written a couple of years ago made it all the more interesting to her.

Aoife, the woman who had taken Lana in, had apparently had quite a close relationship with a dragon tamer. Unfortunately Lana had never gotten to see a dragon, and Lux sighed for her friend. "They are beautiful," she recalled almost dreamily. "The Tri-Wizard Tournament was held in my first year, so I got to see a few of them. They're amazing animals, so majestic, and huge. A few other students and I got to see them a bit more up close after the Tournament. A lot of the others were scared, but I wasn't. You wouldn't believe the wild intelligence in their eyes... I don't think you can ever really tame a dragon. I came this close to being able to touch its nose. I wonder what that would have felt like," she remembered, almost able to feel the warm breath from the beast's nostrils on her palms again. What she wouldn't give to be able to see another dragon.

[LANA LOSCE]

Lana smiled when Lux asked about the practicals. "Oh, I don't know. Various spells. Granted, I've never had much practice, but they weren't so difficult once I knew what to do. They act like it's so difficult to wave a wand and say a few magic words." She rolled her eyes here. "I turned a candle into a peacock. I...what was the word...'glamoured' myself into some pretty, leggy redhead. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick said I could easily become an Animagus, whatever that is, if I chose to. Though they said not to tell anyone they mentioned that. Is it illegal? Ahh...Aside from that I brewed something called Felix Felicis? Yes, that. And...hmmm...All sorts of Defensive techniques. Though that was the hardest lesson. I only wanted to physically fight back whenever they attacked. Took a while to warm up to actually using spells." She snickered here. Really, though, she didn't see why some of the professors had seemed so impressed. Magic wasn't really hard. Not as much as she thought it might be. Even inventing her own spell, while difficult, hadn't been that bad. It was all child's play.

She grinned when Lux mentioned them becoming Unspeakables together. That would be fun. Working with your best friend. Not everyone had that opportunity, did they? It would guarantee, almost, that they never grew apart like most friends did. But that wouldn't really happen to Lux and her, would it? They had a bond like no one else did, had shared things no one else could have. Right? But really, what did Lana know about most relationships? It wasn't as if she had been exposed to all that many people in her young life. Especially not close enough to notice such things as that.

Lux went on to explain what a curse-breaker was. It did sound exciting! Dangerous, yes, but thrilling. "Sounds like a fantasy," Lana said. Were such jobs actually real? Treasure hunting? Like some sort of pirate! She giggled. "They must travel a great deal. That sounds wonderful. I would love to see the world." She hadn't seen near enough of it. Really, she had barely seen enough of her own home village! Most of her days were spent indoors all through childhood, through her marriage. The most she ever saw, really, was running away from the Death Eater prison.

Dragons were another subject she was interested in. Curious as to if Lux had ever seen one, she was pleasantly surprised that she had! Lana grinned at the dreamy expression her friend wore. Merlin, she looked so pretty like that. Her heart skipped a beat and it took a bit more focus to pay attention to what her friend was actually saying. Dragons! They did sound wonderful. "I should like to see one, one day. Maybe I will tame a dragon," she giggled. "And I'll let you touch all of the dragon noses you desire!"