𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓| 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲✔️

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄|𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑

MARA WILLIAMS

In another life, in another world, and if she'd laid off the lashings of pasty pink blush and warm toned concealer, Professor Umbridge could've almost been pretty... Almost.

Instead she stood before me, looking like one of those bright pink feather dusters my mother used to keep around the house in her hideous fluffy cardigan, talking in her high, yet eerily calm voice about the impending O.W.L examinations.

"These must be taken seriously as they may go on to impact your future career prospects."

"What do you want to be?" Whispered Parvati under her breath, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on Professor Umbridge. "...Like when you leave Hogwarts?"

-I wanted to be Loved as deeply as I loved. I wanted to be desired, cherished.

I wanted to be Happy.

Those were the answers I didn't dare say, though in truth I'd never really given much thought to the idea of the future. At one dark time in my life I didn't expect there to be a future for me.
I couldn't see any light beyond the black abyss that surrounded me, so much so that I only saw one way out, a cold abs aching solution, filled with salty tears and grief. But now I was older, wiser, I knew that there was always another way.

I knew that there was always a light somewhere in the darkness, maybe you just couldn't see it yet.
-After all the stars didn't shine in the day, and no night would last forever.

"No clue." I shrugged in response, "Never really thought about it I guess, what about you?"

Parvati's face practically glowed with pride and she held her chin high, "I want to be an Aurologist, just like my dad."

"Aurologist?" I repeated sceptically, I'd never heard of such a thing. "What on earth is that?"'

"It's the study of auras, like psychic stuff, but don't ask me about that because I'll have no clue, I just always thought it sounded cool, I'm my father's daughter I guess."

I gave a slight understanding nod, "Fair enough."

We fell into silence once more, letting Umbridge's voice fill the void between us. Some small part of me wondered what it would've been like to have a father like Parvati's, one to be proud of.

There was no point imagining, I told myself. It would only awaken feelings within me that were best kept hidden and I didn't want to become jealous of my friends. That was a toxic path I didn't want to go down.

I probably wouldn't be here, sat in Hogwarts, that much was certain. I'd probably be still sat in Durmstrang, a pretty little boyfriend on my arm and strong grades before me, but most importantly my mother would still be alive.

If I closed my eyes, I could still feel her warm hand on my face. Stop. Don't even think about it.

I could feel the threat of tears in my eyes, so did what I always did, and turned my sorrow to malice. I let it burn like a wicked flame within me, I let it consume me. I hated him, my father, dare I even call him that.

"Mara, are you coming?" I hadn't even realised that class had finished until Parvati tapped my shoulder, "We've got to get changed for Flying."

I swallowed, a thick well of anxiety flooding my stomach. "Flying?"