I dreamed of the war again. Of the blood and the death, the smoke and the fire. We were children, defending our home, our lives and our family. We were children striving for vengeance for the dead, for our revenge against the dark. We were children and this was not our fault. It wasn't my fault, everyone said.

I dreamed of running through the ruins, past the bodies of those I had taught, those I had promised I would end the war. I stepped over them, ran past them as the walls came tumbling down. Stone stained so darkly red and bodies so still, Avada Kadavra would have been a mercy compared to what some had suffered.

The castle fell as I ran through corridors with gaping holes in the sides, down crumbled stairs and ducking from falling debris. The one place I had first called home. It was home to many, I knew. It wasn't like the Burrow, or Grimmauld Place where those I called friend and family stayed and made me feel welcome. It was the place where I could simply be.

Of course, the expectations were different, opposites even, but even through that, it was home.

Something I haven't got now.

It's been so long since I've dreamed. The Curse's influence, I suppose. I was glad for it.

...

Skull paused in his writings, tensing as the creaking of wood sharpened his focus to his surroundings. He held his breath and listened. The birds were still chirping in the early morning and the sun was barely peeking over the horizon. He could very faintly hear the normal sounds of his fellow Arcobaleno sleeping in their shared house. Slowly, he relaxed, assuring himself that it was simply the creaking of an old house, unused to the weight of adults the seven now were since Sawada Tsunayoshi had broken the Curse. Well, six and a half considering Yuni was still a child.

Raising his quill, he returned to his paper, casting one more look into the shadows of the corners of the front room, aside from the one he was carefully tucked away in.

...

It's been at least three months since the Curse was broken and a week since Verde gave us back our adult forms. My magic came back with a vengeance. As did my nightmares. My scars are so much more visible, the words so easily read now.

Somehow, we all ended up in the house we first started in all those years ago. Although her granddaughter is here, it still feels as if someone is missing. She was someone who looked at me and saw the scars. I always thought that was…amusing? Something like that. Just that the self-proclaimed 'Greatest Hitman in the World' couldn't look at me, at 'the Great Skull-sama~!'and see a broken soldier, lacking the will to live. Instead he looked at me and saw a coward. A lackey. Someone without a spine who surrenders to those stronger than him, someone afraid of getting hurt.

An immature child.

I laughed so hard I cried when I realized that fact.

'Greatest Hitman in the World', my arse.

Luce. Aria. Yuni.

The only three I have know, save HG, the Ws, SB, RL, to ever see past the smile on my face. Of course, knowing him, that greasy git as well.

They would be shocked at my writings if they ever read them. Not that that will ever happen, but sometimes I wish they would. Sometimes I know I'll burn this no matter how much it keeps my sanity intact if I knew they knew this book existed. Other times, I'll wish someone would accidently pick it up and read about my dreams, my thoughts and the reason why my face is the only skin they've seen.

I wonder, on some of the bad days, if they've ever wonder why I wear a full body-suit with gloves and a helmet. And under the helmet I wear make-up and piercings.

Distractions.

Apparently you have to be a seer to actually see me.

Or LL.

Even Hedwig could see me.

Th-

...

"Is that a diary, kora?"

Gloved hands blurred as they simultaneously shut his book while snapping the quill and shoving both into a pocket before zipping it away-awayfrompryingeyes. He fluidly stood up and glared fearfully into bright blue, curious, and slightly mischievous eyes belonging to one of the most stubborn ex-Arcobaleno Skull had the displeasure of knowing.

With a squeak and a carefully timed 'blunder' Skull shot up and banged his head into Colonello's own head, sending a shot of magic and Flames to his head to take away the pain and bruise the force of the blow would have resulted in. With a shout and a moan of pain, the former Arcobaleno collapsed to the floor hands clutching at his injury. While he and reborn frequently crashed heads, Skull's own was still covered in a thin, but strong layer of magic and flames.

His heart was racing and his voice was still pitched high in his fear at his almost discovery as he babbled mindless apologies and hurriedly stumbled to the door to escape. Fon had looked up at Colonello's voice from his place sipping tea, but now he was staring at Skull's back. Lal, either intentionally or purely by accident was rarely seen away from the blonde sniper so she was already boring her gaze at the still fumbling Cloud. And just like Skull's luck, Verde and Yuni stalked in from the side door that lead to the basement where the mad scientist kept his things. Their attention was also on the Cloud still desperately trying to open the door.

With a 'click' his butterfinger finally managed to unlock and open the barrier between him and freedom. The instant he yanked it open, the door to Reborn's room slammed open and the hitman (to Skull's absolute horror)stepped out, a bright green gun firmly in his hand. His clothing was almost rumbled in its appearance and he was without his beloved fedora so the dangerous glittering of his eyes was clearly seen across the dinning room, the living room and to the front door.

The front door in which Skull stood, still trying to actually make it out of said place.

Skull promptly began to curse Verde for forcing them to live together in order to de-infantize themselves. He swore at Yuni's desire for family that that also lead to the forcing together. He then made an oath to punch Kawahira in the face for not thinking of a solution to the Curse centuries sooner because the Curse lead to Yuni lack of family, which lead to her desire for a family, which to the seven of them being together in the same house. Skull also promptly and without a thought to the Mist, whose magic and Flames were seeping out of her…er…his…their room, pulled his newly found and slightly/significantly stronger magic closer, slamming the door behind him to hide his silent Apparation.

Thus while Skull was cursing those to blame for the misfortunate of a very stubborn and now very curious ex-Arcobaleno discovering his writings, said very stubborn and curious former Arcobaleno had opened the previously closed door to see nothing at all. No one in the mile wide clearing free of hills and trees and frankly anything to hide behind or under in the three seconds it took Colonello to witness what should have been one Skull de Mort scurrying from view. As the Saviour of the Wizarding World was still swearing against his stupidity, Viper had come into the room where now all the once Arcobaleno were gathered. Viper pressed trembling fingers to the wall in some kind of support as their breath caught in their throat.

"You will forget this," Viper said, a statement of fact with an edge of an almost hysterical amusement.

Reborn swung dark, glittering eyes towards the Mist, the question clear in his gazez.

Verde was the closest, but they all caught the wide grin with a tinge of madness on their Mist's face.

"Not literally, but you will never bring this up again," Viper swung their eyes to Colonello, glaring fiercely at him.

Colonello nodded quickly, not wanting to piss off the Mist while he was in this mood. Satisfying, the purple cloaked person swept around and vanished into violet Flames.

"What the hell was that, kora?"