Mattheo's POV
At Hogwarts
Theo: How was your holiday?
Draco: next question...
Pancy: Boring, like every year, I'm more and more tempted to spend my holidays here
Daphne: Mine wasn't so bad, me and my family went to Paris.
Pancy rolls her eyes, then looks at me, my sister
Pancy: Yours sleeping beauty?
Aurora: Dull actually, we didn't do anything, our father is very busy these days.
Me: Yeah, he didn't even have time to buy me a present.
I look at Rory's hand, where a ring I've never seen before is glittering. She notices it and mimes the name of our uncle Lucius with her lips, but I knew very well that this was not a present from my uncle.
Enzo: There's something going on guys, I've noticed the tension in my family, I think you know who's really upset...
Everyone's expressions changed and the girls' room fell silent, only Zephyr continued to purr on Rory's legs.
Pancy: And what would be wrong with that, it would finally bring order
Blaise: My father spent most of the holidays away from home, which happens often, but never so often.
Lorenzo: Tiger and Goyle told me that their fathers went to some strange gathering to eat death.
Daphne: How many of you would take the Mark of the Dark One if he had really returned?
Lorenzo and Theo look at each other and then at Draco.
Draco: If he asked me, I wouldn't say no.
Theo: We all know where our families stand, if You-Know-Who asked us to make the Mark, we would all be forced to do it.
Aurora: Why forced? It would be an honour for me to receive the Mark from such a powerful wizard!
Everyone is silent, no one dares to answer my sister's statement
Pancy: But having the Mark would bind you forever to the figure of You-Know-Who, and the Death Eaters who strongly support the ideals of You-Know-Who are in Azkaban, my uncle is in Azkaban right now...
Aurora: The truth is, our families are all made up of Death Eaters! Cowards who hid as soon as Voldemort - as soon as Rory said our father's name, everyone shuddered - was defeated by Potter, proving themselves unworthy of the mark they were given!
Me: Rory...
Aurora: How much do you want to bet that as soon as he returns, all his old followers, those who have betrayed their ideals and principles out of fear, will come crawling back to him and greet him as they did everything they could to get him back!
She freezes and looks at me
Theo: At least we know who among us will be the first to make the mark when the Dark One returns.
Everyone bursts out laughing, but she and I remain serious and bow our heads. What the hell was wrong with her?
The next evening
Rory has just entered the common room with a worried look on her face, as soon as she sees me she takes my hand and we walk to her room where, after checking that it was empty, she invites us in.
Aurora: Harry knows...
I raise an eyebrow in confusion
Me: Knows what?
Rory: She knows that Bellatrix Lestrange had two children with Tom Riddle!
Me: And how does he know that?
Rory: She told me that in the house at 12 Grimmauld Place there's a family tree of the whole Black family, including us, of course.
Me: And were our names on it?
Rory: He said the names were protected by a spell, Sirius tried to find out, but he couldn't...
Aurora's POV
Mattheo puts his hands in his hair and I reassure him that as long as the spell holds, no one will find out our true identities. But he does not seem to be convinced.
Me: Besides, I think he will soon dump me for Ravenclaw's.
Mattho: Excuse me, Aurora, you can't let that happen.
Me: The mission is still the same, in fact it's better that he ends it with me so I don't have to stay with that madman...
Mattheo: But if he goes with her, you won't have any motivation to stay with him without arousing suspicion...
I go up to him and tap him on the shoulder.
Me: You're right Mattheo... I have an idea to get Cho out of the way, but I need to talk to Draco.
He nods his head and we walk out of my room.
Draco is sitting in the armchair in front of the fireplace; Pancy has changed and continues to scold him. Then she takes one last look at him and leaves.
Me: Pancy...
She shook her head, a sign that she didn't want to talk to anyone.
My brother and I look at each other and he goes after her, I sit down next to Draco instead. His eyes are darker than usual and as soon as he sees me, he smiles.
Draco: We broke up...
I remain silent, not knowing what to say to him...
Me: Why?
Draco: He realised she wasn't the girl at the centre of my world.
His eyes locked with mine and everything I'd promised myself I wouldn't feel wells up in my heart, pumping harder than ever.
Me: You have to talk to Umbridge, Cho Chang will tell you everything if you use the Veritaserum on her and the blackmail to fire her mother, she won't give in right away, but I give her at least three weeks before she breaks down and tells you everything...
Draco: And you can't tell me directly, sorry?
Me: No... I need the blame to fall on her.
2 weeks later
An evil laugh in my head makes me suddenly wake up; Pancy is also awake, clutching her pillow to her chest.
Pancy: There is a storm on the surface, I can see the reflections of lightning.
Zephyr jumps on the bed and starts playing with my mother's pendant.
Me: There was a storm yesterday afternoon....
Pancy: Rory... um... I'm sorry.
Me: Is Pancy Parkinson going to apologise? WOW, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY FRIEND? I didn't understand what you were apologising for anyway....
She stands up and sits opposite me
Pancy: I've been a bit of a bitch the last few days....
Me: You're still a bitch, I swear I haven't felt any difference
Pancy: It's just that I have a feeling that... Draco's got a crush on you and it's bothering me...
Me: Right, I'm sorry too, I should have been clearer with him....
How am I going to tell my best friend that me and her ex have been secretly 'dating' all our lives, how am I going to tell her about those tense moments between me and him; I'll just lie, as I always do...
We get ready and go down to the Great Hall for breakfast; as tradition dictates, I sit next to Harry and his friends. Hermione switches places with Ron and stands next to me, handing me a Potions book.
Hermione: I really struggled to finish Snape's essay yesterday, if you hadn't given me your notes I'd be like Ron by now.
Both she and I burst out laughing, but Carrot Hair wrinkles his nose, rolls his eyes and makes a face at Hermione. The owls with the mail glide towards our tables, all wet from the storm outside.
The Prophet's Gazette falls in front of my plate and the room begins to fill with muttering and frightened faces, so I pick it up.
Me: Escape from Azkaban maximum security prison...10 prisoners escaped...Muggle Prime Minister informed of the danger...pure murderous escapee Sirius Black, cousin of the escapee, is believed to be responsible for the escape....
My eyes suddenly search for Mattheo, he and I look at each other with a glint in our eyes, he nods and I take the pendant in my hand, Mother...
Nevil: Bellatrix Lestrange....
Harry looks worriedly at his friend and I take his hand to make him tell me whatever is troubling Nevil at this moment, but Harry gives me a sympathetic smile and shakes his head.
Harry: Something about his parents, but I'd rather he told me when he's ready...
Me: okay...
Ron crumpled up the paper and snorted.
Hermione: Dumbledore warned Caramel this could happen, that idiot is going to get us all killed just because he can't face the truth!
Cho passes by with a group of Ravenclaws and glances at Harry who smiles at her, feeling Draco's eyes on her, I look in his direction and let him know it was time to take down that weird boyfriend thief...
1 week later
Room of Requirement
Harry: Let this be the happiest memory you have, let it fill you!
The image of my aunt helping me and Mattheo bake my 12th birthday cake, the smell of Draco's letters, me and my brother practising Quidditch in our garden, my dad's present...
A powerful blue light emanates from my wand and takes the form of a panther who crawls up and over me, looking around with an elegant stride, almost disregarding the other Patronuses who are hopping around and flying here and there.
Harry: Well done RORY!
I smile at him and he strokes my cheek and kisses my forehead.
Harry: Remember, your Patronus will only stay with you if you stay focused, OK?!
They all nod, but I'm more focused on my Patronus, the more I look at it, the more I see my best friend in the reflection of his eyes.
Me: Zephyr...
The panther turns to me and bows his head. He raises his head again as the room starts to vibrate, all the patronuses disappear and I take Harry's hand, the lights go on and off and noises fill the room.
Me: What's going on?
Harry: Wait here...
He cautiously walks to the door and leans into a small hole, from which I hear Umbridge's voice.
Umbridge: I'm going to end this once and for all!
A grin appears on my face, she had finally given in, as expected...
Umbridge: Bombarda Maxima
As soon as I hear these words, I grab Hermione's arm and pull her behind me before the mirrored door explodes, sending shards of wall and glass flying towards us.
Umbridge and surrounded by all the boys who had joined in with the Supreme Inquisitor's antics; Of course, Lorenzo, Theo, Mattheo, Blaise, Pancy and Daphne were in the prima fina, smiling contentedly and winking at me randomly.
Only Draco appeared later, arm in arm with Cho, who didn't dare look at us.
Harry stepped back and took my hand, his eyes fixed on Cho in horror.
Umbridge: Get them...
1 hour later
Harry appears running towards us at the entrance to the Great Hall, I take him under my arm and we stare at Filch, who is fixing a large glass window to the wall with a new proclamation from Umbridge inside.
Me: Dolores Jane Umbridge has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Headmistress of the school. ....
I look at Harry
Harry: Dumbledore took the blame, Caramel wanted to put him in Azkaban, but of course Dumbledore managed to disappear...
Me: Umbridge as headmistress... God no....