welcome to golden! i am so so excited for this story, as it is the first one in a while that i feel very good about. golden will be split into two parts. after the first 15 chapters, i will most likely take a short break to write the remainder of the story so updating will run smoothly. i plan on having 30 numbered chapters, along with an epilogue once the story is finished.
as for regular updates, i am hoping to update every other day or every three days.
i very much love the character that i have created for this story, and i'm very excited for you to hopefully fall in love with her as well! enjoy <3
part one
PAZ HAD NEVER been close to the Headmaster, only speaking to him briefly as the years went by whenever she got in trouble or got caught up in Potter's shenanigans. She never expected to shed a tear at his funeral, but that is exactly what she did. Not because she particularly was going to miss him, but because her biggest fear was coming to life. The war had began. And without Dumbledore, she didn't see how they would win.
She returned to the Burrow for summer holiday, spending the first week locked away in her shared room with Ginny and Hermione. All she could think about was dueling against a friend like Blaise, or a family member, like Pansy. Paz didn't get choked up when thinking about dueling Draco though, she would love to send a nice Crucio his way.
On top of all the newly found anxiety that surged through Paz's body, she had recently found out Remus married Tonks, which put Paz completely off his radar. It's not that she was devastated over this, it was just an innocent school girl crush, but Ginny told her she now couldn't flirt with Remus anymore, which only put Paz in an even worse mood. Second year Paz would be so disappointed.
It wasn't until the second Sunday at the Burrow that Paz's spirits had been lifted. Ginny came barging into their room with two letters in her hand, both addressed to Paz.
"For you," Smiled Ginny, tossing the letters into Paz's lap. Without saying anything, she quickly ripped the first one open. It was from Pansy. She read it over before opening the second, which was from Theo. "What do they say?"
Paz sighed, tossing them aside. "To lay low and stay safe. Pansy advises me not to return to Hogwarts this year." Ginny scoffs.
"Yeah bloody right, where else would you go? Hogwarts is the safest place in the wizarding world, especially in times like this."
Falling backwards upon her bed, Paz stared up at the ceiling wondering what her sister was doing right now. Was she receiving a Dark Mark? Were mother and father angry at her for letting her baby sister go rogue? Was she aware Theo was also in contact with her?
She let out a loud groan of frustration before sitting back up. Ginny was watching Paz's tiny tantrum in amusement, growing a custom to them over the years.
"C'mon, mums got breakfast made," Ginny says, ignoring Paz's protests to stay in bed and grabbing a hold of her arm, dragging her down to the kitchen. The two were met with several 'good mornings,' Ginny mumbling good morning back while Paz continued to stay in her grumpy morning state.
"Looking rather chipper this morning, aren't you Pazzy?" George teases from across the table, then receiving a kick to the shins under the table. Fred laughs, sending a wink Paz's way, who in turn rolls her eyes and draws her attention to the food in front of her.
The Burrow was filled with people this morning, the Weasley clan, Hermione, Fleur, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eye Moody and lastly, of course, Paz. Kingsley had called a small order meeting with some members just before breakfast, Mrs. Weasley insisted on them all staying. Paz wasn't too thrilled about this, as she was squished in between Mr. Weasley and Ginny, and she wasn't able to have a second helping of hash browns.
"Miss Parkinson," Kingsley began, Paz looking up from her now empty plate. She notices Mrs. Weasley looking at Kingsley in an odd manor. "Are you in contact with your family?"
Paz freezes.
What a fucking coincidence, she thinks to herself, Now I have to lie in front of the only people who don't want to kill me.
"No, why do you ask?" Paz questions, as Kingsley quirks his eyebrow.
"Your sister, she's close to the Malfoy boy, correct?" Kingsley questions. Mrs. Weasley clears her throat.
"Yup." Paz states, popping her p annoyingly. She glances over to Mrs. Weasley, who seems to be shooting daggers through her eyes at Kingsley. "Are you assuming I'm giving Order information to my sister, Kingsley?"
The room, which was already silent, seemed to grow impossibly quieter. Mr. Weasley let out an awkward cough, while Remus continued to sip away at his water.
"Of course not, I-"
Moody buds in. "We've got spies everywhere now, Parkinson. Don't take it to heart, gotta be certain."
Paz smiles politely towards Moody. "Thanks for being honest, Professor."
The rest of breakfast went by painfully awkward. One by one people began to excuse themselves, eventually leaving just Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Paz at the table.
"Why didn't you tell Kingsley you got a letter from Pansy today?" Ginny asks, Paz reading the worried expression on her face with ease.
"You're in contact with your sister?" Hermione stammers, as Paz sighs loudly.
"Look," Paz begins, trying to find the right way to word this, "I'm not, I'm not all perfectly pure and good like you guys. I've lived my whole life against what my parents believed, but I wasn't always strong enough to fight against it like I have recently."
Ron and Hermione look at her questionably, though Ginny has a feeling she perfectly understands where Paz is going with this. She is her best friend, after all.
"I was raised differently, taught different beliefs. And I know over the years you guys have noticed I'm not entirely like you lot, but regardless, I've picked my side of this war. I love you guys, the people in this house and my sister way too much to let it all be ruined by that bloody Voldemort bastard," Paz states, the three others wincing at the use of Voldemort's name. "I would never, ever put you guys in danger."
Ginny smiles, as does Hermione and Ron.
"But, to be clear, you are in contact with your sister, right?" Ron asks sheepishly, Paz nodding her head yes.
"Well, that could be of great use to us, you know." Hermione states, looking at Paz hopefully.
"I'm afraid I don't follow," Paz says, glancing towards Ginny for any clues.
"Pansy could get information from Draco, a spy from-"
"The inside," Paz finishes Hermione's sentence, Hermione nodding her head. Paz sighs, "It's a great idea 'Mione, it really is, though I don't think it'll work. Last year Draco wouldn't tell his closest friends why he was going to the Room of Requirement, never mind what Voldemort is up to."
"Would you stop using the name?" Ron whines, Paz rolls her eyes.
"Hmm, I understand." Hermione sighs, then excusing herself from the table. Ron follows her, leaving just Ginny and Paz.
"Sorry about everything this morning," Ginny sighed, running a hand through her long, red hair, "Everyone's paranoid in the Order. You-Know-Who, he's causing chaos unimaginable, I suppose Kingsley just wants to be 100% sure, even though we all assured him a thousand times you're no threat to us."
Paz smiles towards her best friend. Without Ginny, Paz was sure she would be on the other side of this war right now. Ginny made her want to be good, along with Luna of course.
Paz knew she wasn't a bad person, in fact, mostly everyone she knew labeled her as a good person. Despite this, there are times when she knows she isn't as good as she wishes she could be. For instance, summer going into fourth year, her parents forced she and Pansy to practice using the Unforgivable's on various insects and animals. Paz wasn't above an Unforgivable, everyone else in this house was.
Ginny, noticing Paz was stuck in another one of her trance's, was quick to snap her out of it.
"Mum will be needing help with ol' Phlegm, you up to help still?"
"Of course," Paz began as the two got up, "And please, just call her Fleur."
Ginny laughs at this statement, "Some habits never die."
—————
Paz was feeling quite exhausted after a long day of wedding planning. She enjoyed it very much and was thrilled to be in August, though she never realized just how much went into the whole process.
Out of all the girls in the house, Fleur found herself closest to Paz. She still felt slightly out of the mix when it came to Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Hermione, but with Paz she felt accepted.
Just Fleur and Paz were left at the kitchen table that night, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny heading to bed thirty or so minutes ago. The two talked in hushed whispers, knowing if they spoke too loud they would wake the rest.
"So, 'ow 'as ze boy been?" Fleur asks, finally closing her wedding book. Paz chuckles, feeling her cheeks heat up slightly.
"Distant. I did receive a letter from him this morning, but all it said was to stay safe. I'm afraid, yeah, I'm afraid it'll never happen, Theo and I." Paz sighs, letting her head fall backwards onto the chair.
"Oh nonsense, 'ave 'ope!" Fleur cheers a bit too loudly, resulting in a quiet but distinct 'Shh!' from several floors above. The two girls chuckle, before saying goodnight and heading off to their respective rooms for bed.
Paz wasn't surprised to find both Ginny and Hermione awake, sitting on Hermione's bed, chatting quietly about what Paz guesses to be Harry, Horcruxes, or both.
"Hello Paz." Hermione smiles, scooting over to make room for her. Paz gratefully takes a seat next to her.
"What's the issue now?" Paz asks, knowing it's something that she was already aware of.
"Just worrying over typical things, you know, You-Know-Who hunting my boyfriend, the hunt for the Horcruxes, Harry's rescue mission from the Dursley's... did I miss anything 'Mione?" Ginny asks jokingly, as the two other girls laugh.
"You've got it spot on." Hermione chuckles, her features then turning serious.
"Everything will be fine, 'Mione, you've got my word. You, Harry and Ron'll find and destroy those bloody Horcruxes, Gin, Neville, Luna and I will make sure Hogwarts stays safe." Paz tries to comfort Hermione. She still feels slightly odd doing so, as she was never all that close to her. Despite that, she placed her hand on top of Hermione's and squeezed it assuringly.
The three girls stayed up for quite some time, before finally dispersing from Hermione's bed and climbing into their own.
Paz grabbed the two letters from her small nightstand. She read them over and over again, despite both messages being short and to the point. She couldn't wait for September first. All she wanted was to see her only three Slytherin friends, the ones who seemed to have her back no matter what side of the war she was fighting.