Black Beauty

[Professor Ericus Black]

Ericus could feel malice in his thoughts. He only wanted to hurt Syn now. There were no feelings of remorse. No feelings of regreat. No thoughts of guilt or betrayal. Just malice and hatred. Syn and attacked his own wife for helping a friend. Ericus' grey eyes had seemed darker. Possibly just by the way the light reflected off his shirt. But it had ended almost as fast as it started. His wand had been knocked from his grasp. And at the same time he heard a woman's scream and the curse ended.

Ericus looked down to see Starr's head against his chest. She was blocking his view of Syn, who, he was sure, was on the verge of bleeding to death. Ericus put both his hands on Starr's arms. He could feel her sobbing. Ericus lightly pulled Starr away from him. "Its ok...He's just...confused." Ericus said and kissed Starr's cheek. Turning around Ericus walked over and retrieved his wand.

He turned back around and pointed it directly at Syn's chest. He muttered something under his breath and a small blue light flew from his wand and sealed up the gash in Syn's chest. Ericus wiped some blood from his wand and from his hand and turned back to his desk. He was talking to himself now. "I must save these..." He said, pulling a few more memories from his head and storing them into the pensieve. He'd put it away later. And he didn't want too many painful memories in his head at the moment.

[Professor Syn Kimaki]

Syn listened, as much as he could beyond the pain, to Starr. She was hurting. What had he done? He couldn't remember, like he blacked out or something. She must've done something, because the pain stopped. He watched as Ericus kissed her cheek and tensed up. He remembered... he'd gone off. Hurt her...

He knew he just made the biggest mistake of his life. He immediately regretted it, but didn't know what to do. "Its okay...He's just...confused." Syn felt himself tense up again. Boy was that the truth. He struggled to get up and used a nearby chest to push himself up. He was dizzy.

He watched as Ericus walked over to his pensieve and put some more memories away. Syn also walked over to his wife and slowly put his hand on her shoulder, he didn't know what to say. What could he say? Its not like nothing happened... he couldn't deny he screwed up. But why? This wasn't him. He never acted this immature. He could only think of one thing, and knew there was no way in hell it would work, but it was a start.

I didn't mean to...I'm Sor..I'm Sorry.

Before he could get a reaction, he turned around and headed back to the chest. He sat down on it and looked at the floor.

[Professor Starr Kimaki]

With the lack of support, Starr practically stumbled and tripped over herself as Ericus removed himself from her and walked over to the pensieve. Her hand rested against the top of his desk, carefully steadying herself while using the other hand to attempt to dry the flow of tears. Whatever she tried, though, she couldn't make them stop. Her entire body was trembling and both of her cheeks burned. The tears didn't help the matter much. Childish... weak... stupid girl... immature...

Giving up on removing tears, her hand tenderly touched the spot where Syn's fist made contact with her skin. The bruise had swelled immensely and the very bulge of it was cracked and bleeding ever so slightly. And then she touched the other side of her face. The memory of Ericus' lips burned into her skin, making it hard for her to forget the sudden tenderness in his ways.

The hand left her face to fall slowly to her side and footsteps disrupted her mangled thoughts. Watery blue eyes lifted and she was startled to come face to face with her husband. His hand was reaching out toward her. She winced and flinched instinctively away from him, suddenly feeling small and insignificant again. But the hit never came. He simply rested his hand on her shoulder, apologized, and went back to the chest.

Starr practically shuttered with relief.

[Professor Syn Kimaki]

Syn continued to look at the floor. He just couldn't face his wife. She flinched when he tried to touch her. To him, that was like Ripping his heart out, Stabbing it, Stepping on it, then ripping it apart into millions of tiny pieces. She was scared of him.

I don't know what's happening to me anymore. I've felt it ever since I got back from Romania. I don't feel the same anymore. I just want to hit something, I've even felt like killing something a few times. I'm just so temperamental... Starr... I'm not going to deny hitting you, I'm not even going to say it was a mistake. But, I never met for it to be you. I never met for anyone to be my punching bag.

Syn focused his attention to a poster on the wall.


I...Ericus just made me so mad. I don't know what the hell your problem is Ericus, I don't know if your training me for if I ever have to face You-Know-Who.. because I know he'll do 100x more damage to me than what your doing, and when he does, no one will be there to stop it, but still...

You guys probably hate me now.... I would too. Starr, I don't want to talk to you after tonight. Look what I did. Next Time, It might be worse. And it will happen. I'm getting more angry at...nothing... every day.

[Professor Ericus Black]

Ericus paid no attention to the couple standing to his left. To him, they were just sorting through marital problems. Ericus could hear Syn talking about the Dark Lord and something about 100x. He knew that Starr was going to say something to Syn. They were a bad couple. Not romace-wise, but compatibility-wise. They didn't seem to work together in Ericus' opinion.

His wand swirled lightly around the liquid of the pensieve. Many memories flashed by. Occasionally voices would escape, but for the most part Ericus was talking to his pensieve. "I pledge my service to the Dark Lord....." He said as the ritual passed by. Ericus kept swirling the images around. A memory from three years previous passed. A crumbled death eater mask lay in his hand. "You are my master no longer..." The Memory-Ericus looked upwards as he faded away.

Ericus was talking to himself. His mask was pulled off on accident when Starr had thrown his wand away. He didn't both covering it back up. It's not like his face was too disfigured, was it? His wand stirred around again. There was a Quidditch game from his 6th Year when he caught the Snitch by diving into the Hufflepuff Fans. It was such an amazing catch.

Ericus looked up occasionally at Starr and Syn. His memories kept swirling. There were more scenes from the night his face was disfigured. There were more duels from the day, nay, the week the ministry had fallen. Another showed Ericus standing upon a shovel over a handdug grave as he watched the sunset. That was such a long time ago.

Ericus stopped swirling and put his wand away. He turned his attnetion back to Starr and Syn. His voice was more of a rasp when he didn't wear that magical anti-disfigurement mask. It was a result of the torture. "You two probably have much to talk about. Just know that I'll help you in any way I can. But I must express my feelings that you two seem to have a very rocky relationship." Ericus said in the soft rasp.

[Professor Starr Kimaki]

Starr ignored him. She ignored both of them. What did they expect her to say? That she completely forgave both of them for being idiots and that they should just move on with their lives like none of this happened? No way. No way, José. Not going to happen. Besides, all of this emotion change was driving her insane. One minute Ericus wants to kill Syn and then the next he's giving them relationship advice? What the heck was up with that? Syn wasn't any better. Slapping and then mushy apologies?

Numbly, Starr turned her back on Syn's wavering voice and approached the door again. She wasn't even fully aware of what she was doing anymore. She just acted. It was as if her brain shut off all emotion and just kept her moving as a distraction. Her hand reached for the doorknob. It wouldn't twist. It was locked in place. She wasn't going anywhere. But she'd known that before approaching the door. She would stay as long as Ericus wanted her to. She knew that.

Defeated, she turned and leaned backward against the door. She slid slowly down it, her knees coming to her chest as her butt made contact with the floor. Her arms wrapped around her knees and her chin rested against the kneecaps. Pointedly avoiding Syn's gaze, her blue orbs wandered instead to Ericus. She watched him turn and, for the first time, noticed the change in his face. Oddly enough, he wasn't repulsive. He may have changed to everyone else, but he was the same to her.

After having remained silent for the most part, Starr let her gaze flicker to her husband. The look was neither kind or forgiving. "'Rocky' is an understatement."

[Professor Ericus Black]

Ericus smiled weakly. Or at least, it seemed weak. But thats what Dark Magic does to you. Makes you seem weaker. So did most things nowadays. In fact the three of them probably looked weak somehow. Syn had just lost a lot of blood. Starr had just been punched. And Ericus' body felt weak. He moved his wand back across his face so that the mask floated back across to cover the scars. His smile seemed a little fuller.

Ericus stepped over a few times to stand in front of Starr and Syn. "You're right." He said, eyeing the both of them. "Rocky is an understatement. I don't want to seem like a horrible friend...but..." Ericus paused and tried to figure how to put it nicely. There didn't seem to be any way. "You guys just, well, aren't meant for each other. Especially if things like this are bound to happen." Ericus said, gesturing to Starr's face and the giant, recently healed gash in Syn's chest.

He grabbed his left sleeve and slid it up to show a very faint Dark Mark. "I don't feel I've told you guys everything. And I think, for our friendship to remain intact, you should know." He said releasing the sleeve as it slid down. "Now before you attack me, I want to let you know. The memory of me being Crucio'd was when they'd caught me after I'd left them. They gave me those scars as a reminder that no one leaves the service. But I outsmarted them and got away."

Ericus turned and sat back onto his desk, which was next to Starr. His legs felt a little numb. Possibly from the fact that they had lost some blood when the boggart had choke-lifted him. "I'm just certain that there are things you two have been hiding from not only me, but from each other. I believe it would be best if you sorted those out. Right now."

[Professor Syn Kimaki]

"You two probably have much to talk about. Just know that I'll help you in any way I can. But I must express my feelings that you two seem to have a very rocky relationship."

"'Rocky' is an understatement."

Syn didn't respond, because he had nothing to say. Everyone in the room knew that there relationship was defiantly more than rocky. I mean, it must've been obvious when Syn hi...well it was more than rocky. He knew that.

"You're right. Rocky is an understatement. I don't want to seem like a horrible friend...but...You guys just, well, aren't meant for each other. Especially if things like this are bound to happen.

Syn, who had been quiet, finally whispered something.
We rushed into this. I was so sure Starr was "the one". I spent 10 years of my life convincing her she was... I guess I was wrong. I don't know what I want... She was only the second person I had ever gotten close to. Your right. Relationship wise, I need to grow up. I don't have the experiance you guys had. I didn't date half a million people while I was at school. I made a mistake. I rushed this marriage. I screwed up.

"I don't feel I've told you guys everything. And I think, for our friendship to remain intact, you should know."

Syn glanced at Ericus as he revealed a faint symbol on his left arm. The dark mark. Syn's stomache did a small curl, whether it was because of the loss of blood, or the fact that one of his best friends was once a death eater.

"Now before you attack me, I want to let you know. The memory of me being Crucio'd was when they'd caught me after I'd left them. They gave me those scars as a reminder that no one leaves the service. But I outsmarted them and got away."


Syn didn't say anything. He just nodded and thought of a quick question. Why did you join in the first place?

He watched as Ericus sat down near Starr. "I'm just certain that there are things you two have been hiding from not only me, but from each other. I believe it would be best if you sorted those out. Right now."

I honestly can't think of anything I haven't told Starr sometime in my lifetime. The fact that my parents were in Voldermorts inner circle, check. The fact that I wasn't to fond of Akaji, check. The fact that I killed my parents, check. Anything Else? Because I don't have to much secrets anymore.

[Professor Starr Kimaki]

There was an uncomfortable gritty sound as Starr shifted in her position against the wall, the bones of her spine digging into the wood of the door. The grip around her knees tightened while blue orbs shifted from Ericus to her right and Syn to her left. Both seemed to be keen on just letting things out in the open. Yeah, sorry guys, but Starr wasn't the type to just let all of her past gush out in one emotional break-down. Life didn't work that way for her. She was raised to keep secrets. That trend wasn't about to be broken anytime soon.

As obedient as a dog, Starr listened to Ericus' speech about her relationship with her husband. Like he would really know... she thought bitterly. He's not the one married and being slapped around like a doll. That bitterness was soon washed away by pity and a slight jolt of shock. "You're a Death Eater." Her words were not a question, but a statement. Nothing accusing, challenging, or even fearful. A statement. But she spoke it as if it were still true.

"So James was right, then?" Starr ignored Syn's words about not having kept any secrets and immediately switched back to Ericus being a Death Eater. "You are a Death Eater. How amusing." A slight glimmer of betrayal flashed in her eyes as she looked away from him to stare intently at his desk. "Amusing how you can pledge your allegiance to the Dark Lord and then be our 'protectors' at the same time. What happened? They reject you? Were you too soft for them?"

[Professor Ericus Black]

Ericus bowed his head for a moment as he tried to remember. He knew that he hadn't put everything related to those four years into the pensieve. Ericus rubbed his temples softly. Boy was this going to be a long explanation.

"Well Syn...I joined out of fear. And I joined out of the prospect of protecting my friends and family. He told me that if I took up his service, he would allow my mother and father to live and that he would allow you two to live for slightly longer. So I joined him. But it wasn't easy. Nor was it painless. You don't know the pain it causes to have this thing put in." Ericus said, his face still gazing at the floor.

He turned his head up to Starr. "Yes, James was right." He said solemnly. "But James was too. He was the reason that 'He' found me. And he was the reason I left. There was one night when James showed up at Headquarters. He said he had a mission that was intended to weaken Syn. I figured it was family related. But I was more surprised when he told me that not only was he going to kill Syn's family. But he was also going to kill you personally. I didn't want to let that happen."

Ericus slid off the desk onto his feet and stood shakily. "I was not rejected. Nor was I too soft. I became a member of his inner circle. The moment James told me I had to leave. But it wasn't an all of a sudden thing. It had been building up. The plot to take over the ministry. The day that James murdered my parents. The assassination plot was the last straw. So I left. And I'm still trying to weaken the magic on my mark. It no longer burns nor alerts anyone. So I left to pursue an auror job at the ministry. And I was refused because they didn't know if 'He' still controlled me."

Ericus smiled a little. Maybe they would believe him. It was the truth. Ericus turned his eyes towards Syn. He had really calmed down. It was surprising to Ericus. He had almost been acting the same way as him. And now they were both trying to comfort Starr. But she didn't want to listen to it. Or accept their attempts.

[Professor Syn Kimaki]

Syn listened to Starr's reaction.

"You're a Death Eater. So James was right, then? You are a Death Eater. How amusing. Amusing how you can pledge your allegiance to the Dark Lord and then be our 'protectors' at the same time. What happened? They reject you? Were you too soft for them?"

Soft? How could he be soft you idio...How could he be soft Starr? He crucio'd his own friends. He's destroying us from the inside. You said it yourself, the world doesn't expect me to destroy You-Know-Who, they expect US to. If you leave me, It'll be like handing me over to him.

He listened to Ericus' explanation.

"Well Syn...I joined out of fear. And I joined out of the prospect of protecting my friends and family. He told me that if I took up his service, he would allow my mother and father to live and that he would allow you two to live for slightly longer. So I joined him. But it wasn't easy. Nor was it painless. You don't know the pain it causes to have this thing put in."

And you deserved every ounce of it for even thinking about joining them.

"Yes, James was right. But James was too. He was the reason that 'He' found me. And he was the reason I left. There was one night when James showed up at Headquarters. He said he had a mission that was intended to weaken Syn. I figured it was family related. But I was more surprised when he told me that not only was he going to kill Syn's family. But he was also going to kill you personally. I didn't want to let that happen."

They're you parents Ericus. PARENTS, what did they think about there son joining the death eaters? Were they proud of you? Were you a good little boy for 'saving' your friends? And about that part, personally, I'd rather know everyone I considered a friend was on my side. Even if it met meeting death sooner than I would if you joined them.

"I was not rejected. Nor was I too soft. I became a member of his inner circle. The moment James told me I had to leave. But it wasn't an all of a sudden thing. It had been building up. The plot to take over the ministry. The day that James murdered my parents. The assassination plot was the last straw. So I left. And I'm still trying to weaken the magic on my mark. It no longer burns nor alerts anyone. So I left to pursue an auror job at the ministry. And I was refused because they didn't know if 'He' still controlled me."

What did you THINK they would do? Hold fancy picnics and hand out flowers? They're the DEATH eaters Ericus. They kill people.

[Professor Ericus Black]

Ericus was surprised when Syn spoke to him. He didn't seem too please with Ericus. And Ericus didn't expect anything less. "Syn....You are so naive and idiotic. You don't understand anything do you." Ericus said as he pulled his wand back out. "Would you rather I had showed up one day and just killed the two of you? Or if I showed up with 'Him' one day. That hasn't happened yet, now has it? I had been preventing anyone from finding either of you. But you see the darker part of it. I never killed anyone Syn...."

Ericus looked at the two of them. He figured they weren't going to understand. "My parents didn't know. And I didn't want them to know. The less they knew, the safer they were. And Syn, you should really get a reality check. They don't just go out and kill people anymore. They have more the than the killing curse on their side. But I can see that you wish that I would not have showed up now, do you? I understand." Ericus said softly, pointing his wand to his own neck.

"Avada--"

[Professor Starr Kimaki]

"NO!" She had seen it in slow motion. His voice slurred together into a bored drawl. Everything around her moved at half speed. It was antagonizing. "NO!" Again her cry exploded from her lips. Somehow, she was in the air. She launched off the ground, away from the door. A black tail thumped against the door in the midst of her leap and two giant, black paws collided with Ericus' shoulder. The claws were sheathed, but her attack was powerful. It knocked him off his feet and sent his wand flying in the other direction before he could complete the killing curse.

The two were in the air for a split second before Ericus crashed to the ground, her on top of him. Four strong black legs kept his almost equally strong body pinned to the floor of his office. Her panther lips curled into a vicious snarl while her claws extracted a little, barely piercing his skin. It was a warning. A clearly spelled out warning.

The panther's ice blue eyes seemed to penitrate straight through Ericus' skull while she bore down on him, her face mere inches away from his. Her lips curled even further, revealing long white predator teeth. A slow, deep growl rumbled faintly from the midst of her chest. Don't you dare try that again, Ericus Black...

[Professor Syn Kimaki]

"My parents didn't know. And I didn't want them to know. The less they knew, the safer they were. And Syn, you should really get a reality check. They don't just go out and kill people anymore. They have more the than the killing curse on their side. But I can see that you wish that I would not have showed up now, do you? I understand."

"Avada--"

Syn had honestly been hoping that Ericus would go through with it. He just wanted all this to be over, unfortunately, it appeared that his wife had other thoughts. What a surprise. She transformed into Panther and stopped Mr. Suicidal. He grinned and clapped. Well Hun, it looks like your someones Hero today. Ericus, you weren't going to go through with it. And Sorry, but I'm not going to become Mr. Sympathetic just because someone I know tries to kill them self.

[Professor Ericus Black]

"Ke--"

Ericus felt his shoulders pummeled by some partially soft and partially hard paws. Starr must've transformed again. Ericus really hated the panther thing. It got on his nerves. He didn't understand why she couldn't just stay a human. Ericus felt something pop as he fell and felt his head smack hard against the floor. he tried to grab for the back of his head instinctively but Starr had him planted on the ground with her paws. Her fangs were right in his face.

Ericus could hear Syn talking again. Something about Ericus not being brave enough to do anything. Like that was even a possibility. He was getting really annoyed by what Syn thought. And he'd had enough. "You know what Syn? Why don't you just shut the hell up. You keep criticizing me and saying I'm not brave enough to do anything. What about you? Huh? You're afraid to do anything by yourself anymore. You don't even think for yourself anymore, do you?" Ericus spoke angrily.

He looked back up at Starr. He had no wand. Maybe a little wandless magic could work. Although that'd be hard. He didn't know anything useful he could do. So he did what he could. Ericus used his strength and pushed Starr off. He got her off of him with both arm but his left was paining. He looked at it to notice it was dislocated. "Dammit..." He said quietly. Ericus saw his wand laying on top of his desk. Oh, how convenient. He thought. Ericus felt a cold spot on the right side of his head. He reach his hand up and could feel something warm and wet.

Ericus knew immediately what it was. Turning to Starr, he pointed his wand at her and fired a small white light at her. If it worked, it would transform her back into her human form. "You should know by know that I hate the panther, Starr." Ericus touched his wand to his dislocated arm and it ached a little more. "Episkey." Ericus coughed a little as he felt his dislocation being relocated. Ericus flexed his arm a little. Ericus quickly turned his wand on Syn. "You have never been Mr Sympathetic Syn. You've always been Mr Frightened. You're always scared to do something. Scared to act. I've been sympathetic to you for a while. And Starr reached the peak of sympathetic by marrying you.