Aurora's POV
Me: I can't come with you tomorrow, I have to go to one of Slughorn's parties...
Draco: Will you come with me?
Me: I don't think I can.
He nods nervously, I take his hands to reassure him.
Me: Now you're there, the wardrobe is fixed.
Draco: Harmonia nectere passus...
Me: Yes
Draco: You haven't told Severus about the plan, have you? I don't want him to steal my rightful glory!
Me: No, he doesn't know and I won't tell him...
I caress his face and give him a green apple
Me: You know what you have to do, listen to me Draco... this is your moment, even if he chose you and you alone for the wrong reasons... don't be afraid.
Draco: I am not afraid
Snow swirled on the windows of the castle; it was now Christmas and the school was decked out with holly wreaths and glittering decorations. Sprigs of mistletoe were scattered around the corridors, falling from the ceiling and causing a traffic jam of students kissing every two seconds.
Mattheo's POV
My sister and I are on our way to the Spells classroom, Aurora is back to being the silent, brooding girl she was this summer and even her friends Pancy and Daphne say she spends her days either in the library or just studying.
Me: How is Hermione?
Aurora: I think I should ask you the question, I saw you the night you lost to Gryffindor.
Me: I was just comforting her
Aurora: I was with Draco in the Room of Requirement sorting out that bloody wardrobe... ....
I grab her arm to stop her and she freezes without even looking at me.
Me: You don't have to help him, you know!
Aurora: You may have the privilege of doing whatever you want... hitting on rotten bloods, drinking and smoking with friends... but not me, I'll do anything to prove to our father that I'm worthy of his surname!
Me: What are you saying, sister? That I'm not worthy...
Aurora: I just think you're taking it too lightly.
Me: Maybe you don't remember, little sister, that our father allowed you to be one of his own.
Aurora: And what have you done for him? Just some stupid mission, my hands are much dirtier than yours and yet...
He grabs my wrist and tightens his grip.
Aurora: I'm not worthy enough to have this...
I stare at her without opening my mouth, I don't know what to say, on the one hand my sister was right, but on the other hand I was glad she didn't have the mark yet, it was an extra darkness she didn't need.
Pancy: Ah, so that's where you were, Lorenzo was convinced you stayed in the Great Hall.
Aurora: No, we just left a little earlier
The two girls enter the classroom talking and I follow them, thinking. I sat down next to Aurora, who made a face of contempt as soon as she saw me.
Hermione enters the classroom and as soon as she sees us, she walks over to us awkwardly and approaches my sister.
Hermione: Can I sit with you, I really don't feel like sitting with Harry at the moment?
Aurora: Of course you can... what's wrong?
The girl is silent for a few seconds, blushing.
Aurora: You can tell me, I won't be offended, I promise... ....
Hermione: It's for Slughorn's party, there's a line of girls who can't wait to give Harry a love potion and he still doesn't do anything about it, he can't choose...
Me: Who are you going with instead?
Rory gives me a dirty look
Hermione: I was sure I was going with Ron, but since things obviously didn't go according to my plan, I had to make other arrangements.
Mattheo: And?
Hermione: It's a surprise...
We stare at each other for a few seconds and she blushes, I smile at her but as soon as I turn around I see my sister's threatening look.
Hermione: What are you doing tonight?
Me: Unfortunately nobody invited me to the party, but I managed to get on the staff for the evening, so you'll see me serving drinks...
I turn to my sister even more confused, Hermione nods and leaves
Aurora: You want to babysit me?
Me: It will be a way to make myself useful by eavesdropping on the conversations of the guests, I'm a guy with duties don't you remember...
Aurora's POV
Tears stream down my face and a few small drops fall to the floor, mixing with the drops of blood falling from my thigh. I hold a shard of bloodstained glass in my hand, my blood. I bite my lip and start kicking the walls of the bathroom, hiding the piece of glass behind a tile.
Me: Epismèndo
The wounds on my thigh stop bleeding and heal, I get up and adjust my dark blue velvet dress with short sleeves and a beautiful lace neckline. I open the toilet door and go to the mirror. I smile as I lift my face and pick up my mother's pendant.
You'll be proud of me.
I leave the bathroom and make my way to Slughorn's office; the professor had decided to hold his repeated dinners and parties there; the place is as big and spacious as a tent, with walls covered in emerald green tulle curtains, lit only by an elaborate gold chandelier.
I arrived at the entrance of a long corridor lit by colourful Chinese lanterns, at the end of which I heard music and voices that grew louder with every step I took. I began to touch my hair nervously. I don't have a knight for this, I'm on my own. Potter had already found a replacement, Luna, or so that nice Pix had told the whole school a few days ago.
As soon as I enter the hall, there is a hush and everyone stares at me. Harry nearly chokes on his glass of juice and Hermione looks at him in amusement. After a few seconds of collective silence, everyone in the room goes back to enjoying themselves.
Slughorn: Aurora my dear, when I didn't see you arrive with Harry I was worried, it's such a shame you two have broken up...
10 minutes later
I looked around, there were a lot of guests, wizards I had seen in some of the articles in the Prophet's Gazette, tiny glowing fairies fluttering around the room, and witches who were quite interesting, and some students who were not part of the Slug Club were serving drinks, including Mattheo.
The professor began to show me around, introducing me to wizards and witches who looked at me and began to tell me stories of their conquests, I just smiled and nodded. Several times he mentioned Harry's name and repeated that we were a successful couple. As soon as I had the chance I ran behind a curtain and got rid of Slughorn, who after a few seconds had another Slughorn member on his arm.
Hermione arrives after a few panting seconds.
Me: Hermione! What's the matter with you?
Hermione: I'm hiding. ....
Me: Yeah, I got that, from who... you're hiding from Slughorn too?
Hermione: What? Me: No! I left Cormac under the mistletoe....
Me: You invited McLaggen!?
Hermione: I thought Ron would mind more...
I put my hand over my mouth and try not to laugh, Hermione rolls her eyes, but then she giggles too.
Hermione: McLaggen's been talking to me all evening about how good he is at Quiddich and how it's a scandal that they chose Ron over him... ....
She swallows as she mentions Ron's name, I look at her worriedly and she manages to grab a glass of champagne from the table and drinks it.
Hermione: Oh God... he'll come here when he asks for me.
Me: I don't even know who you are.
She smiles at me and runs off as if dematerialised, the boy appears after a few seconds and as soon as he sees me he raises an eyebrow and smiles at me mischievously.
McLaggen: Hey sweetie... have you seen Hermione?
Saying that, he comes closer and closer to me, who backs up against the wall.
Me: No, I'm sorry...
McLaggen: She owes me a kiss, but you might want to settle the score, gorgeous.
Me: No, actually...
I don't have time to answer as Mattheo puts what looks like tartar in Cormac's mouth. But he chews and then swallows and takes another one and puts it in his mouth.
McLaggen: Mm exotic, what am I eating?
Mattheo: I think dragon balls.
McLaggen's face turns a strange green colour.
Severus: What's going on here?
asks Severus in a grim, ordinary voice as he emerges from the tent with his stiff posture. As soon as Severus appears in front of him, however, Cormac does not hold back and vomits dragon tartar right onto his shoes.
Mattheo and I put our hands over our mouths to stop laughing.
Severus: You just got yourself a month's detention, McLaggen.
Mattheo grabs my arm and pulls me out of the tent.
Severus: Not so fast Aurora
I freeze and turn around, enjoying my lip, trying not to laugh in my godfather's face.
Severus: I'm looking for Potter, you're his girlfriend so I assume you know.
Me: Don't you know Severus? Potter and I aren't together anymore, my father wanted it that way... didn't he tell you?
Severus: No...he didn't know... ....
Me: What do you want from Harry?
Severus: I have a message from Dumbledore.
Me: About what...?
Severus: Whether the Lord or...?
Me: Severus, answer my question.
Severus: About the meetings they have every night, Dumbledore is travelling and will be back before classes resume...
I look at Mattheo
Me: Travelling where...
Severus: I have no idea
I'm about to reply, but then Flich appears noisily, holding Draco by one sleeve of his jacket.
Draco: And get your hands off me, you filthy wizard!
Flich: Professor Slughorn, sir, I found this boy hiding in a corridor upstairs, he claims to have been invited.
Me: Yes, he's my date...
Slughorn: But dear, it seems to me that you specifically told me that you did not have a date this evening! I also introduced you to two of my best former students... ....
Severus: Horace, Miss Nott is only trying to help her friend.
Draco lowers his head
Filch: Uh-oh, you're in trouble, little boy.
Slughorn: Oh come on, he was just trying to ruin a party, what's wrong with that, I think we can suspend the punishments for once, Draco, you can stay if you want.
Filch: BUT... but Dumbledore... whatever you say, sir... ....
Severus: I don't think so, Horace, I will personally escort Mr Malfoy to the Slytherin common room.
Slughorn: Severus, it's almost Christmas, let these children live!
Severus: I'm still in charge of his household, I think it's best!
Slughorn falls silent and Draco glares at Severus, who orders him to follow...
Draco: Indeed, professor...
And as the two of them leave the room, Mattheo comes close to my ear.
Mattheo: I guess he just can't do it without you...
Me: Shut up Mattheo!
Mattheo's POV
Two days later, on the train
Draco hadn't spoken to us since the night of the Slug Club Ball, he was sitting in an empty part of our compartment arguing with Aurora.
Daphne: He looks really bad... he's lost a lot of weight, and have you noticed the bags under his eyes?
Lorenzo: Rory too, she's been weird since she came back from holiday ....
Pancy: I hear her crying all the time at night....
Blaise: Mattheo, what's going on?
Theo: It's not obvious enough!
I elbow Theodore who rolls his eyes.
Pancy: Are you suggesting that they...?
Daphne: No way, Aurora wouldn't hurt a fly...
Pancy: But you can't not admit that her eyes have a completely different light!
Me: Aurora's not a Death Eater.
Blaise: What about Draco instead?
Pancy and Blaise look at each other as I lower my eyes.
Lorenzo: How can we help him...?
Me: He doesn't want our help, besides we are strictly forbidden, only Aurora can do that...
Pancy: There must be something we can do
Me: Wait and watch
Days later
Aurora's POV
Zephyr begins to meow insistently, a sign that it is time to get up and feed him. Today is Christmas, but there is no Christmas spirit in this villa. I make Zephyr's food appear in his bowl and then head for the bathroom. I am wearing a mole dress and a blue and black striped jumper over it. I walked out of the room with Zephyrus in my arms, walking around the house alone these days made me feel a little uneasy.
An agonising scream comes from the dungeon, making me jump and bump into someone. I turn sharply and my blood freezes as I come face to face with one of the werewolves turned wizards, Fenrir Greyback. Her yellow eyes stare at me and a smile reveals her sharp teeth.
Grimlock: Are you afraid of me, little girl...?
I shake my head and he comes closer, moving a strand of hair to look at my neck.
Me: Get your filthy hands off me!
I push him away with one hand and pull out my wand. My mother's childish laughter echoed around the room. She flanks me and rests her head on my shoulder, wrapping her arm around my waist and forcing me to raise my wand with the other.
Bellatrix: Do it... do it Aurora!
He laughs, knowing I can't hit him. Meanwhile, on the stairs, the boys and my aunt appear
Bellatrix: You haven't gone soft at Hogwarts... after all the hours we spent together, Aurora...
She giggles and then gestures at Brutus Grimlock.
Grimlock: Crucio
The pain of a thousand knives pierces me and I scream in pain, I was no longer used to it; my mother holds me down under the horrified eyes of my friends and my brother.
Bellatrix: You are the Dark Lord's daughter, you cannot afford to be so weak!
Narcissa: Bella!
Bellatrix: Fight back!
Grimlock: Crucio!
I cry, but this time I look up and stare into the Death Eater's eyes, I am shaking, but I take my wand and stand up.
Bellatrix: Yes...
Grimlock: Crucio!
I bite my lip until it bleeds, my aunt runs down the stairs but is stopped abruptly by a gesture from my mother.
Grimlock: Crucio!
Me: Protego
The spell is broken and the man seems quite annoyed and begins to hurl more curses at me, which I continue to parry. Suddenly, I gesture with my wand and, without saying the spell, I cut the man's cheek. The Death Eater looks at me in horror, then touches his cheek, looks at the blood on his fingers and growls.
Grimlock: You filthy little bitch!
He snarls and starts to pounce on me, but Zephyr jumps in his face and starts to scratch him, then he grabs my cat and throws it violently against a wall
ME: CRUCIO!
The man kneels down and starts to growl in pain, his wand falls to the floor and my mother giggles behind me.
ME: Incarceramus
A dozen ropes come out of my wand and start to strangle the man, just like the Death Eater did to me that night at the Ministry...
Narcissa: Aurora, that's enough...
I don't listen to her and walk over to the man, stare him in the eyes and start talking to him.
Grimlock: Noooo get out of my mind...get out of my mind
I laugh and raise my wand to make it float, by now a few Death Eaters have arrived in the hall, including Grayback.
Theo: Rory...
My aunt comes down the stairs and raises her hands in surrender.
Narcissa: Aurora... put it down...
I look at her and smile.
Me: Okay...
With a wave of my wand I knock the man to the ground and he begins to bleed profusely.
Me: Oops
Narcissa: What did you do...?
Me: You told me to put him down, Auntie.
Bellatrix: My daughter, ladies and gentlemen.