Winnie Athanatos (née Harper), Seventh Year, Ravenclaw

At the age of 11 Vladimir would be admitted to Hogwarts. Admitted to the Ravenclaw House. A distant cousin, twice removed was admitted to the Slytherin house the same year. A second cousin two-years ago in Gryffindor. This year, another in Slytherin. He is not particularly close with these cousins. Not that he has a direct issue with him, he just knows that a relationship with any of them would be an exercise in futility.

He would meet a girl that caught his eye, a Slytherin that was too pretty for words. In a school full of models and part Veelas that was quite an accomplishment but he did not mean a physical attraction. She was a muggle-born, perhaps there was a forbidden appeal that also compelled the pre-teen the spring of his first year. She was also intelligent despite the fact that she lacked the verbal mastery to demonstrate her actual capacity. He found the muggle knowledge she possessed 'charming.' The only problem was, she had caught another student's eye.

He could not possibly complete with a Slytherin of the same year. He just had more opportunities and better access to her. He would confront his rival in the halls, a few errant spells in the boy's direction. Admittedly Vladimir started it but Victor responded in kind. They became rivals for the interest of the same girl. Marion, the person of interest made no effort to stop the rivalry. She liked the attention. It was a moment of selfishness that would ultimately force the three of them to share a terrible fate.

It was the spring of their first year. Same Day as the infamous Hufflepuff Camp out that ended in flames. Victor had asked Marion out for a picnic. An actual date. The problem with being able to hear thoughts, Vladimir knew about the date before Marion had. He also knew about Marion's elation as much as it tore at his heart. He was going to crash the date, make his intentions known. He knew that it would result in a brawl between himself and Victor but he had no problem getting a little roughed up for the right reasons.

He would find them that night but they were both badly injured. They were screaming. Covered in dark marks, strange possibly necrotic or so he thought then, wounds. This would not be the day to tell her how he felt. Nor would this be the day he would fight Victor over some girl. He would rescue them from death that night, unbeknownst to him the lumos at the tip of his wand had caused the darkness to withdraw. He would bring the two of them to the medical wind for treatment. Victor had to be carried.

Nurse Finnley VanCleaf would treat them, or rather he would try. Their injuries were extensive and they were nearly dead. Victor had taken the brunt of the attack by what they only described as 'a living darkness.' It would take two days of unending pain before the nurse would find an answer and silence their screams. Thick Golden Potion slowed the progression of the curse. It was not a cure but it gave them time, a sense of respite.

Sadly, Victor was too far gone. The darkness had crept too close to his heart. Victor would lose consciousness and never recover. Not naturally in any case. Overwhelmed with grief and regret, Vladimir would make an emotional decision. Those weeks following the injuries, Victor and Vlad had grown close. Victor became less a rival. marion less a love interest. A change that was emulated in Victor, friendship became the best ship after all.

Vladimir would venture into the woods around Hogwarts in search of a 'cure', something to bring Victor, his first friend back. To save the girl he felt something, just no longer -want-. He knew about the hags, a boon of connections. When he encountered them, he made a deal. A deal to bring Victor back, it just did not bring him back all of the way. A deal to slow down the progression that threatened Marion's life. A pair of deals that it came at a terrible price.

But a price he willingly paid. He shared the very same curse that afflicted his friends. Their fates were tethered by this rash decision. Victor would regain consciousness, the darkness inside of him and Marion would recede but not fully disappear.

It is hard to believe that Vladimir was not a liar. Errand Boy for a coven of hags. It would be the theft of the mask and the glove, the escape of a thief onto hogwarts grounds that would attract Potter as well as fellow auror August Van Cleaf. How during their very short forray that Potter's path would again collide with Dolores Umbridge. That one of the two would end dead.

Victor and Marion were being escorted to the medical wing by Vladimir. This was days before Victor would fall into a coma that he would never naturally awaken from. Victor was in excruciating pain as was Marion. Marion could hardly walk. Vladimir carried Victor, at the time Vladimir lacked the physical strength he enjoyed today.

It was the two of them that saw it. All Vladimir saw was a flash of green light and heard the scream. When Vladimir heard the word, yes that word said by a distant, muffled, male voice he ran with Marion and Victor in tow. In too much pain to discuss what they saw at the moment, it was not until after the potion was administered by Vladimir in the company of the nurse who arrived moments later. Hastily claimed stories of a green light from Vladimir, VanCleaf would send Vladimir away so that he could tend to the pair of teens. Their disease was worsening and Marion was screaming about murder, obviously delirious. Victor appeared feverish and restless also. They both tried to run after Vladimir, for whatever reason they trusted only him in their madness.

It was the next day the two of them with slightly brighter outward appearances, as morning often granted them, that they had seen something terrible. That they saw what Potter did. Vladimir urged them to keep out of it. He had heard rumors about the terrible deeds committed by Umbridge and those dedicated to Voldemort's regime. Who cares if that woman (a different word was used) died? Victor had a powerful sense of ethic, murder was wrong regardless of the reason. Days before death, despite the fact that he did not stay dead, Vladimir and Marion took it as his final testament to make sure that justice was done.

Their account was unpopular. Their names withheld from the media at the behest of child advocates. Potter would be tried and ultimately convicted for his crimes. Vladimir told the jury what he saw. Well, what he heard. Potter would be convicted and sent to Azkaban. This would not end Vladimir's nightmare but rather start it. The fact that they were the witnesses whose testimony solidified Potter's conviction had gotten out. The three of them had earned the ire of the student body.