It was dead silent but the lack of noise was loud. The epitome of awkward. The noises of scratching of quills and paper, the crinkle of turning pages and the footsteps of other students were amplified. The small sounds became the most noticeable. That's how dead silent it was.
Not a single word. Not a single acknowledgement of the other. They just sat there as though they were alone but they were both very well aware they weren't. Aurora kept her head down. Eyes glued to her work in front of her, scribbling down ingredients and adjustments of her selected potion with a frown. Theodore on the other hand was glad to look at her, he didn't do it with a pleasant expression though, but he knew she wouldn't dare look up so he figured she wouldn't notice his staring.
His iconic, prominent scowl did not once depart from his face. Eyes squinted, every evil thought that came to his mind filled him with a sense of satisfaction, the pain he could bring on her. He just had to try and stop thinking about her mum. He was doing a fair job, he liked thinking of ways to hurt her, psychologically of course. He fantasised about her demise long before he found out about her family issues, it was easier then, thinking evilly, freely, but after his discoveries no matter how hard he tried there was a little voice at the back of his head pleading him not to.
He wanted to take that little voice and stomp on it.
But it would probably scold him for doing that also. He thought in a mocking tone. It probably would, that voice had been with him since before he could remember, it often came as a reminder to 'do good'. He ignored it most of the time, but never once did it get the bloody message and give up.
Talk to her, it suggested.
No. He thought back. Now he just felt crazy, so he didn't respond to the voice when it suggested he talk to her again. The same phrase played through his head like a lullaby, an annoying, aggravating lullaby. Eventually it became to much in his head. It never pestered him that much, but ever since he found out about Auroras issues it was on hyper drive whenever he was within close proximity.
Sighing, loudly, he lulled his head to turn to her completely. His jaw and fists were clenched shut. He didn't want to ask for her attention so he kept doing the little things to achieve her attention. He kicked the table once, then twice. He sighed again and then again and then a third time.
She stopped writing with her quill, clearly getting the message he was trying to get her attention with out actually asking, of course he of all people would do that. She looked up from her work, so so desperate to leer at him but with ever fibre in her body she managed not to, instead her face was neutral. In her books, he didn't deserve a smile. "Yes." She murmured, loud enough for him to hear him but not loud enough any bystanders would know they were talking. He tried hard to cover his smile, failing horribly.
"Huh?" He acted oblivious, his mocking grin growing. She went to look down, he noticed this and spoke quickly. "Oh yeah, I'm done." He dismissed. She rolled her eyes and picked up his first half of the assignment. She didn't know what she expected when she read his work, his curved writing was impeccable she guessed it came from living in such a prestigious household, his work was good but she could see where it could be improved.
He grinned as an idea to mess with her played in his mind. He enacted it. "So? What do you think Briar Rose?"
She froze. Her shoulders tensed and her eyes narrowed into slits. "Huh?" Was all she could muster.
He knew she knew what he was talking about based on her reaction, he planned to act oblivious anyway. "You don't know who Briar Rose is?" He waited a moment before speaking again. "Sleeping Beauty? Because of your name and because we're doing draught of living -"
"Death. Yes I know." She hissed, swiftly interrupting him.
Bingo, he sang in his head. He hadn't spoken to her in ages but as much as he hated socialising with her he did miss angering her. The voice was louder and angrier than ever.
Don't be mean to the poor girl.
Oh shut up. He was quick to dismiss it.
"Sleeping Beauty." He spoke again. "Aurora. Funny eh?"
To say she was confused would be a understatement, she was utterly baffled. Last thing she would expect would be for him to spark conversation between the two of them, she did predict he would ignore their last encounter if they were to chat again. The last conversation they shared was a gruelling one. One that had inspired hatred and tears.
"Not really. It's just my name." She ran her tongue all over her inner mouth, very obviously peeved. He liked that very much.
"You know if I snuck this potion" He gestured to the paper before them. "Into your drink." He pointed to her coffee beside her. "You would be the literal embodiment of Briar Rose." He wasn't exactly beaming but his grin still lingered.
"I'm nothing like her." She grumbled wearing a thick pout.
"No?" He loved pushing her buttons, he was reviling in the way her usually delicate jaw ticked. "Because I think you're just two rags cut from the same cloth."
"How?" She seethed, unbothered enough to argue. She was just exhausted by that point.
In that moment he could've said 'Both of you are just as pathetic as the other.' Perhaps he could've fired the phrase 'Two dependent Auroras.' Who knows what he could've said, the possibilities were endless but as he looked into her tired eyes he was swathed in a blanket of sympathy and just that once did the little voice cajole him.
He rolled his eyes and continued to scribble notes not before making a last an final comment. "Two sweet little princesses." His tone was mocking but he wasn't proud of his response at all.
They both frowned. What Theodore had said was the an okay way to aggravate Aurora for she didn't wish to see herself as frail but Theodore saw it as a stupid attempt at an insult. Where he was provided with the perfect opportunity to hurt her with a gruelling comment, he said something mediocre at best. For the first time in a long time, he wasn't too keen to upset her.
Aurora, in her exhausted state, nearly burst into tears of pure frustration. She just wanted to be left alone, he tormented her months before, testing and pushing her fury levels to such a depth she was afraid she might hurt him, not that she would've minded much. Constantly, thoughts of harming Theodore Nott played in her mind, whenever thinking such awful things she thought them with a sadistic grin, one she always failed to fight off.
Then thoughts of her mum would elope her, and the process recycled. At that point it was so terribly predictable and repetitive it almost became boring. But her mum wouldn't like that, so she refrained from thinking ill of others, no matter how much she wanted to.
Collecting her things she stood straight up and left. Not without saying a simple goodbye to him, because god forbid Aurora neglect her pleasantries. They still had fifteen minutes until the time they usually left, but Rory had enough and just wanted to go straight to the room of requirement. On her journey, she tried to expel all thoughts of the boy who she'd done nothing to and in return received all of that hate.
Once arriving, she entered an almost empty room. Harry, Hermione and Ron were already there setting up for the next lesson, which was in five minutes. She'd forgotten about that, thankfully she had decided to venture upstairs rather than her dorm room were she would've missed the lesson. One she was suppose to help teach.
"Hey Rory." They all sung simultaneously. Rons words muffled due to the crumbled muffin that sat in his mouth. She chuckled at his antics.
"You're early." Hermione smiled, hands on her hips, head tilted as though her statement was a question.
"Yeah, couldn't tolerate my study partner." She rolled her eyes.
The three froze. "Who are you and what have you done with Rory Flores?" Ron spoke, voice no longer muffled by his food.
"How do you mean?" Rory inquired.
"You left studying early?" Hermione started.
"Because you didn't like someone?" Harry continued.
Ron finished off by saying weather matter of factly "That isn't like you." The others nodded in agreement.
Aurora sighed "You try being partners with Theodore Nott." Winces took place on the cringing faces of the three. They all knew of his reputation and his attitude she had also mentioned once or twice the hatred he had stalled for her.
"I hate that git." Harry spat. The other tow turned to face him in pure shock at his language and use of foul words. "For what he did to you." Harry shrugged.
"Why? What'd he do?" Hermione was quick to ask, eyes shooting from Harry to Rory.
"Oh nothing." She tried to dismiss but was quickly cut off by Harry.
"He made comments about her arse to the entire classroom." Harry frowned the other occupants of the room following in suit.
"What straight up twit." Ron spat. Hermiones eyes widened, she seemed on the verge of slapping him but held back because although his words were rude they happened to be very true.
"I don't disagree." Aurora mumbled, the three heard her, all of them were slightly bothered by her abnormal behaviour but didn't comment, they knew she had the right to feel that way. "Let's just get ready for the lesson, okay?"
They all nodded and got to work, setting up cushions and pillows for barriers, they had a fun practical lesson for the day. Harry had decided that for the day they were going to practice the spell 'proteggo'. Ron predicted most student would end up on their butts before the end of the first ten minutes, so the pillows worked as protection.
Before they knew it, students came rushing in, eager to escape the watchful gaze of Umbridge and Filch. The two by that point had become ruthless, constant detentions and punishments were shared. By that point most students in the room sported matching scars on the back of their wrist, unique phrases and lines scribbled on their hands.
Aurora often caught herself running her fingers over the uneven, jagged lines that scared her. She would trace the scribbles of her writing, it was an unfortunate habit she had picked up while daydreaming and zoned out, she had notice others taking up the same habit, Harry included.
Eyes scanning the room, Rory attempted to search for flaws in the stance of the spell casters. For the class, everyone was told to split into groups of two. One of the pair would cast a jinx while the other would attempt to block it, the spell Stupefy would come in handy in such situations so it had to be perfected. She began to circle around groups and correcting their problems when spell casting. Across the room the spotted two Hufflepuff boys struggling terribly.
She nearly sighed in frustration when she noticed Cormac Mclaggen and Earnie Macmillan were the said Hufflepuffs. The two of them had been mucking up for weeks, by that point it began to look intentional and by the end of each class, Cormac would always be ever so eager to steal Aurora and have her for conversation.
"Hey, Earnie?" Her mouth formed a tight line before she slowly approached the two boys.
"Uh yeah?" He wore a very prominent frown, almost as though he was expecting the corrections. Beside him Cormac grinned widely.
"You're pronunciation is wrong." She mumbled.
Cormac looked close to laughing at Earnies mistake, the other just rolled his eyes shrugging twice. "And you're stance is wrong." She gestured to Cormacs' positioning. At this Earnie barked out a laugh, clutching his stomach while hunched over, it was then Cormacs turn to roll his eyes.
Auroras eyes shot between the two of them. She had an idea what was going on but didn't want to make any assumptions, so she decided to help the two on their mistake, fake or not.
"Look, it's pronounced 'pro-teg-o' not 'pra-tee-go', but besides that your technique is on point, great work." She offered him a thumbs up before turning to Cormac. He wore a deep frown that only turned further downwards when the faced him.
"Okay so you've got to stand like this." Awkwardly, she turned her feet parallel and straightened her spine. He copied her actions, somehow he still managed to do it wrong. "Here." She approached him and crouched by his feet. She was unaware of the subtle smile he shot Earnie once she was on the ground before him. Adjusting his foot stance Earnie laughed when Cormacs eyebrows wiggled in suggestion.
Aurora froze in her movements. She pursed her lips, slightly humiliated at the echo of laughter that came from behind her. Slowly, she looked up at Cormac and he seemed on the verge of singing with glee. Bowing her head again, after fixing his footing she stood up and wordlessly walked away.
As she eyed the room in search for other pupils in need of assistance, she internally raged and burnt the school down in the sanctuary of her chaotic subconscious.
Her anger began to bubble and grow to the point of explosion, she attempted to steady her breath in order to keep her fury at bay. Her fists were bolted shut her jaw clamped tightly, eyes narrowed and nostrils flared. Any bystander with acceptable observation skills would've assumed she was going to kill someone.
Next thing she knew, a body slammed harshly into her side knocking her down. Her cheek slapped the floor as did her forearms. Rolling over she groaned loudly, Rory was willing to forgive such an accident but her rage near erupted when she gazed at the intruder.
Above her, looking down, Cormac grinned wickedly "Oh, so sorry gorgeous." He whispered. Her pouted expression deepened harshly. The anger she was experiencing was one she only ever recognised from her time spent with Theodore Nott, the thought of the Slytherin boy angered her further. She had to hold herself back from pouncing on Cormac and scratching the grin off his smug face.
She sighed loudly, mumbling "It's okay." Shoving herself, harshly, off the ground she stormed off before she began yelling.
Her clenched jaw and fists became the most prominent feature of her at that moment. Tensed muscles and a strong frown. Her constant held back anger would sit with her for ages. She just needed to wait for it to drown out, until then. Aurora Flores was a force to be reckoned with.
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AN
I do not like this chapter but it's just a filler so meh.
Also I need to say I know Cormac is a Gryffindor in the original series but I made a mistake and we'll just have to live with it so for now he's Hufflepuff I guess
Hope you enjoyed xx
- Sofia