There it was in bold black ink, framed in vintage wood.
'Proclamation'
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EDUCATIONAL DECREE No. 68
All student organisations are henceforth DISBANDED
Any student in noncompliance WILL be expelled
"What's this load of Rubbish?" Ron spoke.
Everyone shrugged. Half the new DA team stood in front of the new proclamation with their jaws to the floor. It seemed as though their club would come to a gruelling end sooner than they thought.
She felt guilty asking this question but she knew she had to. "Did." She hesitated "Did someone dob?" Her voice was small, she clearly didn't want to be the one to ask that.
Everyone there shook their heads and looked at each other, clearly they had wanted to ask the same question.
Hermione nudged her and moved to whisper in her ear. "The hex."
"What if it didn't work." Aurora asked.
"No." Hermione seemed set on her answer. "It definitely worked."
Rory then thought back to their time at hog head. What if someone saw their meeting? Then it hit her. The bartender, she felt bad that she couldn't remember his name.
"What if the bartender overheard and then told to get in good with Umbridge." She thought aloud. Everyone looked at her. It was the only reasonable excuse.
"Okay then." That was the first time Harry spoke that morning. "I guess our next meeting has to be even more isolated. Any ideas?" Rory shot her gaze around in hopes at least one of them would have a secret place in mind, but no one did.
"Okay what now." One of the kids in the back spoke, she recognised the voice to be Cormac McLaggen.
Harry went to speak but stopped himself. He had no words also. Thankfully as per usual Hermione did. "Now we brainstorm. Think of any place that could work." They all nodded before dispersing.
It only occurred to Aurora now how suspicious they looked. An entire group huddled around the new decree, and they all turned and left at the same time. Nope. Nothing to see here.
If they did everything like that, their organisation would be over faster than they could say Umbridge sucks.
Two days had gone by since their crazy Defence against the dark arts teacher had made that new rule. No one had any ideas whatsoever. Everyone had begun loosing hope, Harry offered they go to the forbidden forest but everyone quickly detested at the idea.
On the third day, her and the golden trio ate their lunch with long frowns. Even Ron didn't seem enthusiastic to be eating. All had their heads in their hands and chewed slower than ever.
Their self pity came to an end when Nevil came bursting through the doors into the great hall. He lowered his head as he rushed past a group of Ravenclaw seventh years. His upper lip had engulfed his lower one in the cutest way possible. He looked so fragile but by the little skip in his step, they could assume he came with good news.
He sat in the bench in front of them his hands clasped together as he leaned forward. "I found it." What? They all undoubtedly thought. "I found the perfect place for Dumbledores Army."
All four of them jumped to their feet. Hermione released a loud squeal of excitement, it attracted many eyes to them. They brushed off all of the nosey busybodies and followed Nevil out of the hall not with out grabbing multiple members of DA, including the twins Ginny and Luna.
They followed him all the way up to the seventh floor. Before them was a wall...
Just a wall.
"Er Nevil?" Ginny asked. "I don't see anything."
Nevil didn't have time to respond before the architecture of the wall began to shift and form into a large door. On the other side of the door was a large room, filled with tools, cushions ext. It was perfect. Too perfect. The room of requirement? Rory had heard and read about the room before it was said to provide one desperate enough with their required needs, she had assumed it was just a legend, apparently not.
"What is this place?" Ginny asked.
"It's the room of requirement." Rory replied. "It's supposed to appear at the time when it's caster is in desperate need of something."
"So." Here it comes, Rory thought. Ron continued. "If someone was in real need of the bathroom." She internally sighed at his words.
"Charming, Ron." Spoke Hermione. "But that's essentially the idea, yes"
Aurora chuckled at his childish behaviour and the cringed expression Hermione wore.
Harry was beaming. "This is perfect. Well done Nevil."
They did it. They finally found the perfect place to continue their DA club. Dumbledores army.
The days dredged on and Rory was finally making her way off to her last class of the week. Potions. She couldn't stand it anymore. Theodore didn't speak to her at all, unless she would initiate it. Besides that, they only interacted whenever she would side glance at him and he would just sigh and glare at her some more.
She found it ever so childish of him, the way his jaw would tick whenever she sighed, or how he would clench his fists as she tapped on the table, maybe because it was how he would secretly roll his eyes after she asked a question. Spoiler alert. Theodore wasn't very secretive.
He acts as though he didn't tick her off either. Rory just managed to conjure manners. She too didn't want this. He was acting as though she was some little sibling desperate to spend time with their older one.
It infuriated her because he made her feel somewhat desperate. She didn't even want to talk to him, but whenever she did he had some weird way of making it seem like she was busting for it. Trust her, she wasn't. It anything it would take her a good thirty seconds before working up the nerve to speak to him, that's how much she dreaded it.
The thing about Theodore to Rory is that he had successfully made her shamelessly dislike him, she had to give him props for that. She couldn't dislike many without guilt flooding through her, but she did him.
How could he get the self assurance and confidence to be rude to someone. It was beyond her. He would shamelessly judge and be rude to her without even thinking of the consequences. He clearly wouldn't think. Would my parents be disappointed? What if she becomes all powerful one day and decides to kill me first?
Those were the particular thoughts that drowned out any rude ideas swimming in Rory's head. For some reason those exact thoughts quietened whenever around Theodore, though she would never give reason for anyone to think that. As much as she officially disliked him, she wouldn't be rude.
Little did she know that's exactly what Theodore wanted. He too made his way to potions and was also dreading it. He figured playing the long game would get Aurora to finally give him the reaction he wanted.
Perhaps if he continued to silently torment her she would one day turn around and yell 'what is your fucking problem'. He was dreaming too big. Apparently she had patience and control. The one bloody Gryffindor who does.
While playing the slow but effective game, he also found pleasure in brainstorming other ideas that could possible anger her. It was easy to torment and infuriate people, some were just better at reacting to it than others. She, to his goddamn luck, was the best at reacting with her sweet words and smile. He often found himself thinking, Why? Why can't she just snap already?
He studied her as she used the end of her quill to brush from her cheekbone down to her jaw, the feather lightly tickling her right cheek. His own jaw ticked at the action. She was effortless, and he was pissed.
As she ran her delicate fingers over her face, he watched her dainty hands. Small, thin, perfect, gross. While he was there gawking at her, she was completely unaffected as her eyes remained trained on the board. Of course she of all people could maintain their attention through out the lecture, a lecture he found to be a bore, his attention was easily diverted.
She lightly flicked her hair, her thick brown locks fell down on her shoulder. He now had the perfect view of her jaw. He wasn't surprised to notice how defined it was. His jaw was better anyway.
What did surprise him was the sudden smell that made its way to his nose. It was a mix of vanilla, sandalwood and parchment. It was sensational. Wait. No. But. Yes. He not only liked the smell he adored it. The smell filled his senses, Theodore was tempted to close his eyes and groan then and there. He pushed away the temptation.
He may of liked her perfume, but he certainly didn't like her. It was merely a well suited artificial product that he enjoyed that she happened to wear. He vowed in that very moment that it would be the only thing he ever liked about her. Never again would Theodore ever feel the urge to close his eyes and groan at the effect of Aurora Flores.
"Mr Nott." His attention was brought back. Professor Snape stood directly in front him, arms crossed, eyes squinted. Oh shit not again. All Theodore could do was give his professor a small embarrassed smile, thankfully, this teacher didn't find it necessary to publicly humiliate him. Instead he continued with his teachings.
To his right, he saw Auroras eyes roll as she threw her head into her palms. It seemed Theodore had missed the conversation that had happened before hand.
"What?" He was genuinely confused, he had very clearly missed something. Rory side glanced him. His confused expression still evident.
"Snape just assigned partners for a year long assignment." He didn't like where this was going. "I've been partnered with you." The way she said 'you' with such distaste bothered him.
He should be the disappointed one, not her.
"Wait, what assignment?" He was so behind it was embarrassing. She only nodded her head in the direction of the board.
There in Snapes curved letters read 'ASSESSMENT TASK .1' under that was written the notification of their upcoming task. He would have to dedicate months to this assignment, it was a theory research and practical task. Great. Him and his partner, to his disgust, was Rory, could either choose to research and brew the potion of 'Draught of living death, 'Veritasurem' or 'Skele-Gro'.
His eyes grew two sizes wider. He was desperate to start shaking his head uncontrollably while shouting out a mix of cuss words. It appeared the feeling was mutual. Next to him Aurora rubbed her her temples and released a bored sigh.
She was just as disappointed with her partner. He was rude, arrogant and entitled. He would most definitely torment her and she didn't know how much longer she could tolerate him. Just think of your mother. She scolded. She would've loathed Rory's inner thoughts.
The mere thought of her mother these days scolded her on its own. She came from a perfect family, with perfect brothers and perfect parents, heck, even the perfect cat. She needed to keep up. She needed to keep up with the god forsaken cat even.
Breathe. She thought. Breath breath breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe. She mustn't show any feelings of distain. She straightened her back and turned to face him with a bittersweet grin. For some reason it looked like he didn't appreciate her smile at all, in fact, it looked like he was disappointed by the mere sight of it.
"Thursdays then?" She offered.
"I have quidditch Thursday's." He sighed. "Fridays after school. Library." It seemed like more of a demand rather than a question. She didn't like his attitude but she wouldn't say anything, she didn't need to start anything. She gave him a small stiff nod before the two left.
Rory had plans to meet with Hermione in her dorm. Apparently the other fifth year Gryffindor girls had plans to sneak of to the black lake with a bottle of fire whisky. The idea made Rory's mouth water in jealousy, but she knew getting wasted wouldn't do her any good so she agreed to brainstorm Dumbledores army ideas with Hermione.
The common room was half filled. Aurora didn't fail to observe the fact that there were no female Gryffindor fifth years, a few fourth years, including Ginny, who would traditionally sit by the fire were missing too, she guessed where they were within seconds and she envied all of them.
She could only imagine the feeling of release in the lack of sobriety. She hadn't been drunk since the beginning of fifth year. The new Rory couldn't fathom alcohol, she was dedicated to making her deceased mother and absent brothers proud.
Once arriving at her destination, Rory knocked three times. Behind the thin wooden door she could her the soft melody of Hermiones voice. "Come in."
Aurora opened the door to be met with the sight of a perfectly tided room. Her inner nerves relaxed at this. It was so clean. Auroras section of her dorm was as tidy as possible, her roommates sides on the other hand, not so much.
The Granger girl sat legs folded beside her, nose buried in a thick text book. Aurora could never fathom Hermiones taste for books. Where Aurora preferred the world of fiction and folk lore, Hermione liked to divulge in realistic and informative texts.
Rory easily threw herself next to the younger witch. She laid spread on her mattress and released a loud groan which resembled a croaky whine. The younger girl merely smiled at Auroras antics.
"I've had an idea." Hermione spoke quickly.
Rory rested her elbows on the mattress and pulled herself up to interact with Hermione. "Go on."
"Well I got the idea from the dark mark." What. Rory thought. She didn't have a clue what Hermione was on about. Apparently her confusion was displayed on her face because the younger girl quickly elaborated.
"Well, we need a secretive way to communicate with the members of DA right?" She was still confused. "I figured instead on branding the forearms of our members, we could enchant the details of our meetings onto these galleons."
The Granger girl pulled out a stack of Galleons enough for every member. I'm that moment Aurora was struck with the realisation of Hermiones idea. It was genius. Perfect.
"Oh my god. Hermione that's brilliant." The girl beamed at Rory's support. Not many truely appreciated Hermiones smarts, Rory never failed to do so.
"I just need some help, charming the coins."
Rory picked up a single piece of gold and examined it carefully. They rest of that afternoon the two girls dedicated their time to spelling the wizard money.
Dumbledores army was coming along perfectly right under Umbridges' nose.
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AN
Sorry I haven't had the time to edit this chapter
Excuse any grammatical errors.
Have a lovely day all - Sofia