Aurora's POV
Zephyrus starts to purr above my head, mewing insistently, I open my eyes and take him in my arms; Pancy is also awake and sits down in front of the mirror.
Pancy: Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you...
Me: Don't worry, it wasn't your fault.
Zephyr makes a strange noise and jumps out of bed offended, I giggle and get out of bed. I get ready, feed the cat and go out with her; we part as soon as I see my brother coming out of the common room, I try to get his attention; he sees me and speeds up his pace as I chase him and flank him.
Me: Thanks for waiting for me...
I say ironically, but he still does not look at me.
Mattheo: Why should I, it's your mission not mine and you don't need my help, besides I don't feel like babysitting you.
Me: You won't be angry about this letter, I hope, because that would be ridiculous, Mattheo.
He continues to walk, but I take him by the arm and drag him along a pillar.
Mattheo: Aurora, listen.
Me: No, you listen, we're in this together, if you're here too, it's because our father thinks you're as useful as me, besides...
I take his wrist and lift it, revealing the mark.
Me: You have this, not me...
Mattheo: Just because you are too young.
Me: No Mattheo, it's because you've shown over the years that you deserve it, because our father trusts you and considers you worthy of what we know is very important to him.
Me: Stop it Mattheo
Mattheo: I should have accepted the mission because I am the greatest.
Me: Mattheo, be reasonable, we both know that I'm much better at manipulation and lies than you, who's more believable, you, a helpless and scared boy who has nothing or me, a little girl with the ability to cry on command and a good ability to tell bullshit.
He is about to counter
Me: How would you have approached Potter? I'm curious... no one would believe it if you told them that someone was bullying you because you sympathise with half-breeds, big and tall as you are, a punch in the face and you're OK...
Mattheo: Why do you always think my only answer is violence?
I raise an eyebrow and roll my eyes.
Me: You'll see, as soon as the opportunity arises, you'll be given an important mission, SO STOP BEING RIDICULOUS and unless Potter and his Gryffindor friends are around, don't try to be an asshole to me for no reason, I've made myself clear.
Mattheo: Okay
Me: I only have you and you only have me, remember that.
Mattheo: I know...
He kisses me on the forehead and we walk out from behind the column towards the big room.
Me: You're auditioning for Quidditch.
Mattheo: Of course you should, you know you'd be in the team in a heartbeat.
Me: It wouldn't do me any good to have sympathy for those three.
We got to the entrance of the hall, we looked at each other and with a glance we understood each other, it was time to go in; the three of them were sitting at the Gryffindor table, Mattheo nodded his head at me and went to sit with the others in our group.
Hermione looks up and sees me, she looks at Mattheo who walks away, then she looks at me, she says something to her friends who turn back to me. Harry motioned for me to join them and I wasted no time.
The three of them look at each other, I grab a plate of eggs and bacon and start eating in total silence.
Ron: Look, can I ask you something...?
Hermione stares at him and shakes her head, but then Ron freezes.
Harry: Do you believe the things the Daily Prophet says?
Me: What?
Hermione: Do you believe what the newspaper has been saying about Harry all these months?
Me: I haven't had the pleasure of reading it, so I don't know what the paper says about him...
Ron: Seriously.
I nod sadly, it was true that I hadn't read the newspaper since our father's return, my uncle had stopped the subscription. But of course I knew what they wrote about him, Pancy had spent most of the evening talking about him. Hermione hands me her copy and I leaf through it.
Hermione: Nothing about him today, but it's usually on the front page. ....
Harry: Well, you obviously know about Cedric Diggory's death.
My heart stops beating for a moment and I see the body on the floor again in my eyes...
Me: Of course, they were talking about it at the table a few weeks ago...
I thought of Draco's stories of how they had returned to the camp and panic had set in.
Me: My cousin told me, I'm sorry Harry that must have been hard...
Harry: What, seeing your friend killed by the one who killed my parents?
Me: Voldemort...
The three of them stare at me
Harry: He's back and the Gazette is doing everything it can to discredit me, saying I'm a liar.
Me: Why would you lie about something like that, excuse me, it must have been traumatic for you...
Harry: People say I'm just trying to get attention, but I was the only one there that night at the cemetery and I was the only one who saw what happened...
He says and slams his fist down on the table, Hermione stiffens and Ron looks at her worriedly.
Harry: What does your family think?
I'm a little surprised by this question.
I knew full well that one of the Death Eaters who appeared that night was actually Theodore's father.
Me: My father never talks about You-Know-Who, our family has been through a lot since my mother's death and I'm sure it's not comforting to think about a man who has done so much damage.
I don't talk to my uncle....
Hermione: I'm sorry, I didn't know your mother had died, I'm sorry.
Me: Thank you, she was ill for many years, that's why we never came to school, because she wanted to do it before she went...
I lower my eyes and lift my nose.
He says in a tone that makes my blood boil
Me: Discreet
My brother was a more than decent player, he had been training since he was five, it was one of the few things that made him truly happy. To call him discreet was a joke.
Harry laughs and my only thought is to punch you in the stomach.
Harry: Do you know what you want to do after Hogwarts?
Ron: Not really... just...
Harry: He looked a bit embarrassed.
Hermione: What?
Ron: Well, it would be interesting to become an Auror.
Harry: Right.
Ron: I don't know, they're the best and you'd have to be really good, wouldn't you, Hermione?
I'm not sure, I guess I want to do something useful, like grow the FreeElves Society.
Me: The Free Elves?
I giggle, but see Hermione's face turn serious.
Me: That's a great idea...
No, it wasn't, it had been years since our house elf had been with us, the house wasn't the same without the mythical Dobby, a bit strange I have to admit, but he was the best elf we could have...
We settle into the classroom and I am stunned when a ghost 'sits down' and begins to explain.
The lesson seemed never-ending, a deadly bore with the teacher.
After the lesson we leave the classroom, the three of them arguing, but I don't pay any attention to them, just staring at the drizzle wetting my hair.
We sit down and Ron starts talking about what Severus' lesson might have been about.
Something catches my attention, Theo is signalling for me to join him.
Me: Sorry, I think I forgot something
Hermione: Do you want me to come with you? Me: No, no, that's fine.
I get up and start walking, accidentally bumping into a Ravenclaw girl I saw a few days ago, I think her name was Cho Chang. I reach Theo who is hiding behind a wall.
Theo: Hi
Me: Hi...
Theo: Sorry, it's just that I didn't see you this morning and I wanted to say hello, but of course I can't when you're undercover...
I chuckle and lean against the wall
Me: Well, you did well
Her wet curls fall back onto her face and her eyes stare intently into mine.
Theo: Are you ready for Snape's lesson?
Me: You know he's my godfather...
He makes a completely shocked face.
Theo: How many secrets do you have, Aurora Nott?
I wrinkled my nose when I heard that last name, it wasn't mine, it didn't represent me.
Theo: I can't risk blowing your cover, can I?
He comes up giggling
Me: Because I can't risk blowing my cover being two centimetres away.
I say, whispering in his ear, he raises his hands and steps back, giggling; I slap him on the back.
Me: Count to thirty seconds and then you can follow me, got it?
Theo: Yes, ma'am.
I shake my head in amusement and walk towards the classroom, seeing the trio sitting in the desks at the back, Hermione making room for me on a bench. Potions has always appealed to me and my heart tells me to sit in the front, but I know that wouldn't be right, so I sit with Hermione.
My brother comes in with Theo, Draco and Blaise; all four of them give me a look, Draco and Theo both want to smile at me, but they meet Harry and Ron's gaze, so they just make a disgusted face and sit down. Theo, on the other hand, after looking at me, shifts his gaze to Hermione, who goes completely white and starts fixing her hair and moving things around on her desk; I look confused at my brother, who shrugs and leaves.
Severus: Silence!
The class falls into a dead silence, Severus closes the door behind him and, with his elegant walk, takes a seat at his desk.
Everus: Before I start the lesson, I would like to remind you of the exam you will take in June, where you will demonstrate your skills and knowledge in Potions, and although some of you are totally DEFICIENT, I expect you to get at least an 'acceptable' in your O.W.L's, or I will be very disappointed.
I then go on to explain that after this year, some students will no longer be accepted into your classes, at least if they don't have the best grades.
Severus: Today we are going to focus on a potion that is often used in O.W.L, the Peace Potion, a potion that calms fear and excitement...
Mattheo turns to me, we both learned about the potion when I was ten and Mattheo was almost thirteen. My brother had suffered from panic attacks for a long time, so Severus had taught us.
After Severus gave us the OK to start, without even looking at the board, I got up to get the ingredients, as did my brother.
Me: Who finishes first?
Mattheo: Done
We immediately go back to our seats and start cutting up the ingredients, Hermione gives me a curious look, but then goes back to looking at the board.
Ron: Hermione, you know there's someone better at Potions than you this year... ....
Hermione: Don't be silly, I just need time to understand the procedures, that's all....