For London in January, it was a pretty day. The clouds were interesting shapes, with just a hint of pale blue sky showing through. The sun sometimes filtered down to tease those below. It was one of Scirey’s favorite days to just sit in the window seat and paint. Today, though she had other things to do. It was a special day. Ciarra was coming home from her training trip!

A tiny shiver of excitement lit Sci up. Ciarra was her oldest and closest friend. Oh, and her roommate. Although, it seemed more and more like Sci was living in the two bedroom apartment by herself. Speaking of the apartment, it was a rather big mess. There was paintings everywhere. When Cia had to leave, Sci spent her free time painting. It helped tramp down the panic. She had never been alone for so long before…Well she hadn’t been alone the entire time. Sci put her hands on her hips to stare down at the very large white German Shepard that had followed her home one day. A sucker for hurt creatures, Sci had fed the dog some scraps when she had found it hurt and very thin in a muggle alley near the leaky cauldron. Eventually Sci had let the massive dog into the house…It was a kind dog. Very loving and yet it scared other people. So she felt safer with the dog. As a joke she called it boyfriend because her siblings kept wondering if she’d ever get one. So one day she said she had, only to admit later that it was a dog. Well it was better than nothing since she never claimed another pet as her own since her first owl died during her 7th year.

With a few flicks of her wrist, the apartment began to right itself. If there was something magical that Sci was good at it was charms. Especially domestic ones. Probably had something to do with picking up after her siblings. Inspired, Sci created a welcome home banner, having it float in the middle of the room, in perfect view of the front doorway. She even put a bow around the dog.

After putting dinner on the stove, Sci found herself a little anxious. What if Cia didn’t like the dog? Or the small changes Sci had made to the living room? What if Cia would leave again? Normally, a very patient person, Sci found herself a little impatient. She wanted her best friend here now. So she started sketching, curled up in the window seat, with her favorite blanket, not realizing this was where she had been when Cia had left the last time.  Except this time, Sci was healthier. She’d managed to gain a few pounds quite a feat for her, and her hair had grown, the perpetual shadows under her eyes had faded and the light began to sparkle inside of her again. Scirey Riven was better. Not great but better.

It had been so long since she had gone home, that as she stood in front of the door and looked at her key ring, she was briefly confused on exactly what key went to the apartment door.  Ciarra messed with her keys for about a minute before she just let her memory finally pick the right one and insert into the door.  The door unlocked and she stepped inside, and got that feeling like she had finally come home.  She had several bags with her.  Some of it was recent shopping and the others her gear she had with her for so long while in the wilds with Vane. 

"I'm home," Ciarra said reflexively as she walked into the apartment.  Then she noticed the floating 'Welcome Home' banner and it immediately brought a huge smile to her face.  Ciarra didn't really have to look to know where Scirey was sitting.  She saw Scirey on the window seat and curled up in a blanket.  She also notice the dog laying n the ground not far from her witha big bow on him.  The dog seemed curious about her and looked like it contemplated barking.

Ciarra could only think of one thing to do.  She dumped her things in the entry way and was over to Scirey in a moment before pulling her best friend into a hug, "Oh my god, Scirey!  I've missed you so much!"  Ciarra didn't want to suffocate her in a hug too long and quickly stood back.  Actually Ciarra wanted to keep hugging her just to make sure she really was home once again.  Scirey definitely looked better than she had been before.  "You have no idea how much I've missed you and this place.  And who's the new friend?  He looks like he's made himself at home,"  Ciarra laughed.

She had so much she wanted to say that she didn't know where to begin.  But at least they had plenty of time.  After all they were roommates.  It was good to be back in London.  And hopefully she wouldn't have to leave anytime in the near future.

A sketch of Hogwart's was forming on the page. The castle was in the background, lightly sketched out. Well it was a rough shape of the castle. She'd fill in the details later. It was the grounds that she was currently working on. Sci drew from memory, what she thought the grounds looked like. By the lake she drew a large tree where she and Cia had often sat. She was so engrossed in her work that she hadn't realized the door had opened. Only vaguely did she registered the sound of Cia's voice.

Then it hit her. She wasn't imagining it. Ciarra had finally returned. Before, Sci knew it she was hugging her best friend. Sci squeezed the girl back tightly. She really had missed Ciarra. A small ball of pressure inside of her chest began to unwind. Ciarra was safe.

"I've missed you too," She said in her soft voice, a huge smile on her face. It was a rare smile for her. A large, truly happy smile that held no hint of apprehension or sadness.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you and this place.  And who's the new friend?  He looks like he's made himself at home,"

Sci glanced at the dog a wry smile on her lips. Oh he had made himself at home.

"He followed me home one day from the Alley. I call him Bernard the boyfriend," She said with a laugh. Sci stood up and wrapped Cia in a hug again. It felt really good to have her best friend back.

"I'm really glad you're home. I've made dinner if you're hungry," She said softly,as she put away her art supplies. The dog walked up to Ciarra and sniffed at her shoes and then her hand, his head butting against the stranger.

"I think he likes you, which is good, since well I've kinda got attached to him. Even though he is rather spoiled. You don't mind do you?"

"Bernard huh?" Ciarra petted the dog.  "And why would I mind?  Maybe a little odd because I spend my time hunting dogs a lot bigger than this one."  The dog suddenly seemed nervous.  "Don't worry, those things are more beast than dog.  And if you are looking after Scirey you can never be bad in my book."

It was hard to deal with in a lot of ways.  Being away from Scirey.  Ciarra had always been constantly worried about her best friend.  At Hogwarts things had been a bit rough around that time and the dueling club.  They had met when the two of them were new members.  Ciarra had been quick to become friends with Scirey and often times did her best to protect her.  She had always been worried about the attention she brought to Scirey after all Ciarra had been popular but maybe not for all the reasons people usually would be.

Ciarra got a lot of flak for a couple reasons.  For one her Father became the Head of Magical Law Enforcement.  Some of them thought it was ridiculous that a former Slytherin could rise to that position.  Or the fact that Ciarra's mother had been a Gryffindor.  It could even be that because she had been good friends with Kyle Gibson, who was a Gryffindor.  And now Scirey who quickly became her best friend.  She had a lot of other friends though, but with that there was a load of problems that came with that.  More than she could ever really realize before.

Despite all the problems they might have faced along the way both her and Scirey made it out and were able to move in together.  Fulfilling one of the dreams that the two of them had shared together.  Scirey had been the anchor in her life even as her ambitions had been a twisted one.  She had long chased after her Fathers shadow, but Scirey had always been there for her along the way.

Then a couple words that Scirey said finally stood out to her, "Wait, boyfriend?  Oh Scirey there aren't people bothering you about that again are they?  But hey at least you know he'll be loyal.  Then again I don't have much room to talk it isn't like I have ever had a boyfriend either."

"Bernard huh?" Ciarra petted the dog.

Scirey shrugged. "He seemed to like it," and she wasn't really sure what to call a dog. It sounded like a sturdy name. She was amused that it was an old fashion human name and when she told stories about him people wondered if he was her lover. Not that Scirey ever had one.

  "And why would I mind?  Maybe a little odd because I spend my time hunting dogs a lot bigger than this one."  The dog suddenly seemed nervous.  "Don't worry, those things are more beast than dog.  And if you are looking after Scirey you can never be bad in my book."

"This is your house too and well you might not want a big slobbery hairy reminder of your work following you around. Seriously, he's always on my heels. He bumps into me like a hundred times a day," She said with a smile, her eyes twinkling. She really didn't mind. It was nice not being alone and she felt safer.

Wait, boyfriend?  Oh Scirey there aren't people bothering you about that again are they?  But hey at least you know he'll be loyal.  Then again I don't have much room to talk it isn't like I have ever had a boyfriend either."

Scirey rolled her eyes. "Lysander's girl friend. Thinks I should  be shacked up like she is. Chase keeps teasing me but he's only jesting. Well it isn't like you have had much chance to date," Sci said with a grin.

"Unless you fancy your partner," Scirey said with a jesting smile. It wasn't a question she would have asked the last time CIarra had been home. Sci had been opening up, becoming more comfortable with asking questions again. In exploring. In feeling.

"We should do something to celebrate. Anything you'd like to do?"

Ciarra shook her head.  "Lysander's girl huh?  What's so great about being shacked up?  I enjoy my life here with just you, Sci.  Guys only ever complicate things."  Plus Kyle Gibson...the only guy that Ciarra had ever had feelings for had never looked her way.  He had been too busy with his own feelings towards a different girl.  And then there was that whole mess that happened after that.  No, Ciarra didn't care much for relationships...she had never had one and wasn't sure she would ever give herself a chance to try.

"It is great to be home.  That training is killer...well considering most of it is on the job training...and that is against full blown werewolves...I doubt there is much that is more dangerous than that," Ciarra couldn't help but laugh.  "Well why don't we start with dinner first?  We could talk about all the horrible things I had to go through.  Or talk about something much better like what you have been up to."

Ciarra had a lot of things to think about when it came to her future.  She wanted to keep going on the path she had chosen simply because it felt so natural for her to be a part of that world.  She felt more now than ever that she understood herself a lot more than before.  In the end she was a lot like her Father.  She was a fighter, a warrior that had been going up hill for most of her life.  It just took her a while to figure that out.  She had always challenged herself to be better than before, even if she was at the top of her class she had to be better.  When she became the president of the dueling club at Hogwarts she had driven everyone to better themselves.  Maybe a little too much as many of them quit along the way.  She fought every day to be seen by her Father.  And then in the end she realized that it was more than just that fight that was important to her.  She wanted to keep fighting something, and her Father gave her that reason when she was introduced to Vane Hendric.  A man who was now her mentor.