crucio ━ harry potter (1)

xvix. a (not so) cheery family reunion

       "We'll see you in June, yeah? For the party?" Standing outside the doors of the Great Hall were Dean and Neville. She briefly saw Luna carry Neville's bags out the door and mentioned how they were visiting one another for the first week of Summer. Seamus was dragged out by his mum straight away.

         "Yeah." Aurora pulled away from Neville as she gave them both a tired smile, "Have a good summer, you two."

       "Give Harry are best. He wasn't around to speaking when we left. You stay safe Aurora." Dean reached out and abruptly pulled the girl into a hug. She was hesitant at first but did wrap her arms around the boys back. Dean was a good hugger, she realised, a comforting one.

      "Have a good summer, Rory. See ya soon."

        (Unaware her summer was going to be a lot more different than hers)

     "Not likely." She mumbles, watching them go. She wished Luke was here more than anyone. They barely got to say goodbye before he was taken out of Hogwarts with the news of his grandmother being sick. The bad thing was she knew she wouldn't be able to see his throughout the summer.

It was afternoon by the time she made it back to her dormitory. She spent a few hours with Edward and Sammy discussing Luke, all of them worried about his grandmother being ill: she was the last person he had left. Then she spent an hour wandering the hallways before McGonagall brought her into her office for a cup of tea and biscuits.

       "The Walkman, would you like to keep it?" Hermione offered, holding up the device with the red wires attached to it. They were packing their trunks for the end of the year. They were the last two students to do it.

       "Only if you're not keeping it." When Hermione shook her head, she let out a grin, the first genuine one in days, "Thank you. I've really wanted to get my hands on one of those for months."

  Maybe she could drown out Rotandia's voice with this music.

  Maybe she could wrap the earphones around her neck and strangle her.

"Why don't you ask your grandparents for one?" Hermione asks interrupting her happy thoughts.

"Eh, good point. Never got around to asking for one."

"You can still have that one."

"Thanks."

"Good afternoon. I see you're almost finished packing." A voice says. Both Aurora and Hermione flinch in there spots when seeing Dumbledore stood outside the entrance of the dormitory. She hoped he didn't know about the jinx she put on the stairs. "Miss Black, Would you mind accompanying me to my office?"

"Did I do something wrong?" She replied quickly.

Dumbledore smiles gently. "You are in no trouble." She didn't believe that.

"I'll finish your packing — go, go." Hermione encouraged quickly. She rose a brow at her enthusiasm and gave her a look. When she met her eye, the girl wore an almost nervous look and didn't meet her eyes. Shrugging it off, she flattened her jacket and nods, before following Dumbledore out the door.

Before she leaves the Dormitory, she grabs her coffee mug off the nightstand and strolls out of the Common Room alongside Dumbledore.

"I suspect Madam Pomfrey gave you something for your ankles? I believe the ropes used must have pained you quite a bit." Dumbledore asked and when she nodded, he added. "You were in the Hospital wing for a few days. I did inform your grandparents of the situation."