Chapter 2

Thorfinn Rowle knew his family had a long history in the wizarding world. His family had come to the wizarding Britain before such a unified country existed in the 1000s when they had come a Viking as Jarls and warriors. They settled where they raided claiming land as well as material wealth. Branches of the family settled in Russia, Normandy, Scotland, Ireland, as well as in England to give their places of settlement their modern names. They quickly set out affirming their place in their new homes refusing to be displaced by the locals or subsequent invasions, going as far as to protect their land and their neighbors from later waves who sought to take their prize from them.

The Rowles had an advantage to help them. They were not just an old wizarding family in Britain; they had an ancient legacy of old Norse magic. The Rowle men were Berserkers. When in battle they could call up the berserk rage to aid them. With their bonded swords they could battle simultaneously weaponry and wizardry. That would have made them fearsome enough but being berserk made them more. Their strength increased, they would not be stopped or slowed by pain, they had a curse resistance similar to that of giants, and they could not be stopped once they were gripped by the rage unless they were killed or their enemies were. His grandfather had mentioned there might be another way to end the rage, but Thor never found out what it was.

Ragnar Rowle had hoped desperately he would have the same gift as his grandfather. He did not, he lived his life as nothing more than a wizard. A wealthy, powerful wizard but nothing more. The longing for something more is what made the dark lord's cause so attractive. All the things that were promised his followers were too tempting for Thorfinn's father. The Rowles had for many years since even before, Damocles Rowle was minister of magic, believed their blood was superior to that of anyone not a pure blood and superior to most purebloods too. Ragnar never saw through Tom Riddle's pretense and died in the wizarding war, not before bringing his son into it however.

It was only his third year of Hogwarts but Thorfinn already knew that his life in the castle was happier than he had any chance of being at home. It was a nice break from his father's expectations, constant queries and attempts to get Thorfinn to manifest some form of berserk rage. He enjoyed being in Slytherin with his cousin Rebecca Slewyn. He was making friends and he liked or at least respected most of house mates, with a few notable exceptions. Thor was good at spells particularly fire spells and other attack magic. In retrospect he could probably have deduced that, that inherent ability was linked to what he was.

Becky was why he was out here in wandering the grounds and heading toward the forbidden forest in the middle of the night. Even though she was two years older than him, ever since his first year he had taken on the role of her protector since her brother Robert's graduation the year previous had left her alone. Becky was sweet, too sweet to easily deal with Slytherin, though she was incredibly intelligent, ambitious in her own way and could be cunning when needed. She had confided to him that the sorting hat wanted to place her in Ravenclaw but she had begged to be in Slytherin like the rest of her family. She did well for the most part, and was a particular adept at potions. She was so adept that Snape, who even though he favored the Slytherins still did not really like any students, looked as if he would smile whenever she came into his classroom if his mouth were not fixed into a permanent dissatisfied line.

Becky had been acting differently lately and it had Thor worried. They had always been close in spite of the difference in their ages but lately whenever ever they weren't in class she stuck close to his side going out of her way to go with him everywhere even places she normally wouldn't frequent, like quidditch practice and when he snuck out to pull pranks with his mates. There was also something in her eyes that hadn't been before, it was something akin to the look of a hunted animal. He had tried to ask her about it but she had just brushed him off. Thor wasn't convinced, but when she told him she was going to collect ingredients from the edge of the forbidden forest so she could have them fresh for her potions like she did about once a month since she had arrived at the school, he hoped whatever had happened passed.

Four hours later Becky had not returned and Thor was growing frantic. He mentioned to the head of house he couldn't find his cousin and after consultation with the portraits Snape told him looking somewhat concerned that she wasn't in the castle. He had given her permission to visit the forest's edge but she should have returned. She was not allowed to be there past midnight. Thor raced out of Snape's office faster than the man could followed running for the forest as fast he could not caring the forest was huge and he had no idea where to look for her. He just trusted his instincts and somehow they led him right to her.

Becky was in a clearing her back pressed to a large tree as she stared with wide frightened eyes at the group of seventh year boys surrounding her. A first year with a face like a troll stood behind them holding Becky's wand.

"Come on Becky," the lead boy drawled.

Thor thought his name was Burke.

"Yaxley, Shafiq and my fathers have all put in bid to your father for your betrothal. We just want a little preview," Burke continued.

"I am pure blood lady of good repute, leave me alone," Becky replied her voice shaky.

Thorfinn began to feel and uncontrollable rage rising within him, every muscle went taut, heat overwhelmed his body, his vision became edged with red and he quivered ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation despite being vastly outmatched.

"We could take that away," Burke threatened, "If you don't want to be cooperative we will tell our father's all about your sexual exploits at school. They'll take care of the rest after all who will they believe their precious heirs or some lying whore. You'll have no options then except maybe Carrow. You won't like him Becky he enjoys breaking recalcitrant bitches like you."

Becky positively trembled not knowing help was at hand but she answered defiantly, "I would die before I would even deign to touch any of you."

Burke backhanded her across the face, and Becky cried out slumping back against the tree.

Thor's rage exploded with in him and his only thought was that they would all pay for what they had done to her. He flew at them hitting, kicking, shoving them into one another and the surrounding trees. Yaxley dropped first when his head hit a tree. The first year fainted when Thor turned a furious gaze on him. None of the other boys' curses seemed to him since they had no effect what so ever. So they resorted to their fists landing blow after blow on him. He felt them land but no accompanying pain. Finally he managed to get a hold of Burke and Shafiq's heads and banged them together knocking them both unconscious. He couldn't stop he wanted to kill them. He turned to Burke murder in his eyes and raises his hand to strike him again when it was suddenly filled with a sword. 'Yes,' he thought, 'this is a more effective weapon.'

Before he could bring it down on the Burke Becky grabbed his arm.

"Thor stop, please you've dealt with them stop. You are too young to go to prison for the likes of them stop Thor," she begged trying the pull the boy away from the unconscious man.

Somehow her voice penetrated through his fury and he turned to look at her his arm dropping back to his side. For just a moment he thought he saw faint wings appear around his cousin, then the pain hit him.

Thor hissed his knees buckling, his body aching all over as if he had been trampled by a herd of rampaging hippogriffs. He became of even more pain, too much and blackness began to curl around the edges of his vision as professor Snape rushed towards them.

Hermione barely glanced at the paper on her desk, the headline appeared to tell of some death eater being released from prison. She glanced at the vaguely familiar picture. She wanted to be happy maybe, Rosier no Rowle that was his name, maybe Rowle would proved to be a reformed man and strengthen the case for rehabilitation. But she couldn't worry about that now, not with all that had happened.

Unless he showed up on her doorstep, like the others and would therefore end up facing the business end of her wand, she did not have the time or energy to focus on him. Not with Ron needing her to find a way to save him. Whatever problem's they had in their relationship she would see him through this time of need as he had seen her through hers.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this let me know what you think. I will post more soon. I know this chapter probably provided more questions than answers. I guess you'll just have to read the next one.

3 Scarlett