"I think I'm going to vomit," Harry moans.
Draco pats him on his shoulder. "Nonsense. You'll do fine. I mean, I hope Gryffindor loses-"
"Draco," Aveline admonishes.
"And I really hope Slytherin wins. But yeah. You'll play just fine."
"Don't listen to him, Harry," Aveline rolls her eyes. "You'll catch the Snitch, no problem."
"To be completely honest," Blaise mutters once they're in the stands, "I'm not sure who to cheer for."
Aveline contemplates this. Then she shrugs. "Let's just move to the part of the stands where Gryffindors and Slytherins meet. Then we'll cheer whenever anyone scores, and that way we'll remain loyal to both sides."
Draco grins at her. "You're so sneaky. I love it."
Aveline doesn't notice Severus listening in, nor the odd look he gives her. Wordlessly, he accepts a piece of popcorn from Sirius. His office Floo is much too busy for his liking these days.
"Oh Merlin," Aveline gasps, feeling the jolt of fear sizzling through the link.
Draco also leaps to his feet, spilling Blaise's nachos all over him.
"What the hell is the matter with you two?!"
"Look!" Draco points.
Harry's broom has completely diverged from his control. Harry is barely holding on, as a matter of fact.
Aveline's eyes flicker from Harry to Severus. Both he and Sirius are muttering low under their breaths, lips moving fast and staring avidly at Harry.
"Severus and Sirius are trying to perform counter curses," Aveline mutters to Draco.
Unfortunately, she is not the only one to notice this. Hermione Granger has taken the gamekeeper's binoculars. Her mouth has opened in indignation. Weasley looks as terrified as Aveline feels.
"I'll intercept Granger," Blaise takes off running, shoving through the crowd roughly.
"Who's putting the curse on Harry?" Draco demands.
Aveline scans the crowd avidly, but it's impossible to tell. Everyone has their eyes fixed on Harry at this point.
Subtly, Aveline reaches out to take Draco's hand in hers. Then they both stare at Harry and open the link fully, allowing tiny bursts of power to slip through to him.
It's no use. Harry begins rolling in midair, and several people scream. Aveline drops Draco's hand and digs her nails into his thigh. Most people have leapt to their feet, but Aveline sits perfectly still.
Across the stands, she sees Neville sobbing uncontrollably, buried against Theo's shoulder.
Her heart pounds in time with Draco's. His pounds in time with Harry's. She feels the same swooping lurches in her stomach. If Harry falls, all her organs will smash right along with his. She'll feel every bit of it.
She loves him. He's meant to be with her and Draco for the rest of their lives. He can't die, not now, not falling off a stupid broom!
"Oh, look, it's the witless wonders!" Draco groans, and claps his hand against his forehead. Indeed, the Weasley twins have started circling beneath Harry, obviously hoping to catch him.
Aveline's arm muscles start to burn right along with Harry's. He's dangling only by a few fingertips… it won't be much longer…
A sudden burst of relief travels through the link, unadulterated and strong. Aveline gasps and looks up in time to watch Harry dive and land hard on the ground. She looks at Severus, but there seems to be some kind of commotion amongst the teachers.
Then Harry spits the Snitch out of his mouth.
"Unbelievable," Draco groans.
"Listen, Aveline, if you could just ask-"
"No way! Forget it, Harry! If Severus was anywhere near that three-headed dog, then that's his own business."
"Did it ever occur to you that he might be up to something?"
"Just what are you implying?"
"He's been acting very strangely this year, don't you think?"
"No. No, I don't think that."
"He was limping, Aveline. Ron and I saw it! That dog could have killed him."
"Just like it could kill you."
"Ron saw Severus limping too, and-"
Aveline narrows her eyes. The light in the library is dim. It makes Harry's dark hair stand out in stark contrast to his pale skin. "And?"
Harry swallows thickly. "And nothing. It's just that Ron thinks-"
He cuts himself off again. Aveline's eyes narrow to slits. She feels her Elements and her Darkness rise within her. She will tear Ron Weasley to pieces before she allows him to propose action against Severus.
"Ronald thinks? That's surprising."
Harry huffs in exasperation. "It's just that he's not been, you know, brought up around Severus the way we have. He doesn't know him outside of school, and to be honest Severus has been pretty harsh on all the Weasleys before."
"Then the Weasleys should learn to keep up in class."
"Not everyone is as advanced as you, you know! You don't have to be snotty about it."
"Excuse me?!"
"There's no excuse for you, Aveline! You preach at me all the time about keeping my horizons broadened, but what about you? You've never given my Gryffindor friends a chance."
Aveline feels Harry's frustration with her, and it does absolutely nothing to dilute her fury. She can distantly feel Draco keeping tabs on both of them from the dungeons. He doesn't want to mentally butt in and get involved, but she knows he will if he has too.
She takes a deep breath and holds it. "Well? What does Ron have to say about Severus?"
"Just… you know how you tell Draco and me to question everything and everyone? No matter how close we are to them?"
Aveline nods tightly.
"Ron has a very different perception of Severus, and the Malfoys, than you do. Maybe you should take it into account."
Aveline releases her breath in a hiss and slams her book shut.
"Wait!" Harry begs pleadingly.
She glares over her shoulder at him.
"Hagrid let slip another clue. About what the dog is guarding. It has to do with Dumbledore, obviously… and a man named Nicolas Flamel."
Aveline smirks at him. Harry Potter is all too adorable when he's confused and helpless. She digs deep into her bag, reaching for the sweets she carries around with her. She grasps a chocolate frog and tosses it at him. He catches it, utterly bewildered. His curiosity washes through her chest in waves.
She grins. "Hope you get Dumbledore this time."
Christmas comes much faster than anyone expected. Aveline and Draco had been so caught up in the festivities of it all, and the mid-year exams, that they'd hardly noticed the quickly approaching holidays.
Aveline watches Blaise lug his trunk to the Common Room mournfully. "Promise you'll come to the Manor at least once?"
Blaise snorts. "Once? Please, after Christmas Day Mum plans to ship me there until holidays end."
"It's true," Draco nods.
"You'll write to us, won't you?" Sophie demands, swatting Aveline's arm. The two girls have been curled on one armchair for the better part of an hour, watching everyone scurry and pack last minute.
"Of course! I'll enclose your presents as well."
"You'd better," Tracey snorts. She flips almost lazily through a broom magazine, but keeps a sharp eye on Goyle in the corner, who had received a book on jinxes as an early Christmas present.
"I didn't even know he could read," Draco mutters, seeing where Tracey's stare lies.
Tracey snickers, relaxing minimally, and goes back to her magazine.
"Oh, damn, that's the last warning from Snape," Blaise swears at the bell-like sound, stuffing crumpled underwear back in his trunk. It had popped open from being clasped too tightly.
Sophie sighs and flicks her wand his direction. The clothes sort and fold themselves neatly.
Aveline watches, impressed every time Sophie does a spell involving clothing. "You must be related to Narcissa distantly. She's incredible at household spells."
Sophie just smiles and shrugs a little. Aveline watches as she unfolds herself from the chair carefully and places her bags in the giant pile the house elves are in charge of transporting to the Express. Aveline had placed hers there hours ago.
Tracey does the same, taking pity on Blaise. Draco snickers at the look of absolute gratitude on his face when his bags are stacked neatly on top of everyone else's.
Draco holds out his arm for her, and Aveline stands fluidly, latching on to him. The walk with the rest of the departing Slytherins out to the Express station is cold and snowy. White flakes drift around them lazily; Hogsmeade shopkeepers wave at them out of windows.
"Narcissa and Lucius will be waiting to pick you up on the platform," Severus murmurs reassuringly to Aveline. He knows how anxious she is about being left alone on the train.
Aveline nods bravely, coolly. She barely bats an eyelash when she climbs onto the carriage and begins scanning seats with Draco.
Harry joyfully opens the link and shows them where he's sitting with Neville, Granger, and Ronald. Both Aveline and Draco feel his hesitant, unasked question.
Would… would you two like to sit with us?
Aveline balks immediately, but Draco nudges her with his mind. He reminds her of the Circle they'd intended to create- the interhouse Circle. Aveline huffs, but tosses excuses at Blaise and her roommates. She follows Draco to the carriages usually frequented by Gryffindors. Already, upper years are tossing sweets and copies of the Prophet from compartment to compartment. A third year winks at her, and Aveline shuffles closer to Draco.
He grins.
They find Harry's compartment easily and slip inside. Aveline casts a Silencing charm on the door immediately. The noise of everyone outside makes her head ache, and she doesn't care for her conversations to be overheard.
Hermione raises her eyebrows. "Wow, Aveline! That's a pretty advanced charm."
Aveline blinks at her. She knows the girl had meant it to be a compliment, but it just seems redundant to her. "Yes. Yes it is."
Hermione sniffs at her. Aveline is already irritated.
Harry looks between the two of them worriedly, then smiles and pats the seat next to him. "Well come on, sit down you two. How's Blaise?"
"He's fine." Draco wedges himself next to the window, pulling Aveline down to sit between him and Harry. As annoyed as she is, Aveline still loves the feeling she gets when she's next to both of her boys. The opportunities are becoming ever rarer.
The train chugs on, carting them towards London. Aveline laughs at Ronald's jokes- he can be quite amusing when he wants to be, it seems- and Harry's joy and appreciation surrounds her. The snow whips at the window, but the compartment seems very cozy. Even Hermione has managed to intrigue Aveline with comments on wizard journalism and how it compares to that of Muggles. Apparently, Muggles require training for that sort of thing, generally called a degree. It's an interesting idea, certifying the media. Aveline makes careful note of it.
Draco talks in undertones to Neville most of the way, but isn't stingy about smiling at Ron every now and then. Ron seems very disconcerted by this. Aveline can't help but snicker at his bewildered expression.
They unload the train together, Neville grasping Trevor tightly to avoid losing him in the fray. Parents wave and shout on the platform, trying to get the attention of the shrieking students.
Aveline stands on one of the lower steps of the carriage and scans the crowd for the Malfoys. They're standing near the brick wall that will take them into London. Aveline frowns at that. Why come through London? Why not just Apparate onto the platform as usual?
Then the Weasleys come through the barrier. Aveline stops breathing when Mr. Weasley approaches Lucius very warily and they exchange a few short, but pleasant, words. The Weasleys have Sirius with them.
It is the first time Aveline realizes that there is a very large dividing line in her life. Hogwarts is the place where everyone's lives intersect. Out here, it screams of wrongness. Weasleys do not associate with Malfoys. Sirius is supposed to be loyal to her, and she is loyal to Malfoys. It terrifies her to think that Sirius, and by extension Harry, exist in a world separate from her; a world full of Weasleys and half-bloods and Muggle London.
Harry tugs on the sleeve of her jumper and grins. "Look! There's Mr. and Mrs. Weasley! They're with Narcissa and Lucius."
"Yes," Aveline nods. She feels as if she might faint. "Indeed they are."
Hermione cuts in, darting between Aveline and Harry with the severity of a knife. She grins brilliantly at Harry. "I hope you have a wonderful holiday, Harry!"
To Aveline's immense surprise, Hermione turns shyly to Aveline. "You too, Aveline. I hope we can get to know each other better when we're back in school."
Aveline nods dumbly and stares after the bushy haired girl as she disappears into the throng.
Harry grabs her by the wrist and begins tugging her over to their guardians. Lucius raises his eyebrows when he spots Hermione scurrying off. For some strange reason, Aveline feels ashamed. Narcissa has her cold façade up for the public's sake, but still smiles when she catches Aveline's eye. Draco trudges along behind them, but gives his mother a small wave.
"Well, there he is!" Sirius barks a laugh when Harry lets go of Aveline's wrist to barrel into his godfather.
"Oh, Harry dear! Hello, it's perfectly lovely to meet you. I'm Ron's mum, and this is Mr. Weasley. We've known Sirius quite a long time, and were just saying how glad we'd be to have you both over for Christmas dinner."
Aveline stares at Mrs. Weasley, shocked to the core at this woman's presumptuousness. Sirius and Harry have had dinner on Christmas at Malfoy Manor with Severus and herself since Harry was rescued from the Dursleys.
Sirius smiles a bit, and Aveline feels intense satisfaction at the thought of him turning this woman's offer down.
"That would be lovely, Molly, thank you."
For a moment, Aveline forgets who and where she is and blatantly gapes at Sirius Black. Draco does the same before Narcissa nudges them both, and they quickly scrape their jaws off the ground. Draco scowls. Aveline makes her face as impassive as possible
"I also hope Harry won't be a bother to you this week," Sirius continues. For the second time since she arrived, Aveline stops breathing.
"Oh not at all! After he's been such a good friend to our little Ron here-" Aveline hadn't even noticed his approach- "it's really no trouble. We're glad to have him."
Aveline tears down Harry's mental blocks with a vengeance. HOW DARE YOU?!
When were you going to tell us? Or were you going to even bother? Draco's questions are cold and seething.
I was going to tell you eventually. In my first letter to you guys over the holidays. Please, don't be angry. Ron asked, and I just couldn't say no! He's my best friend.
Will we even see you?
Maybe. Probably…I don't know.
There are two worlds on either side of the dividing line. Harry has clearly chosen his.
Aveline compares Mrs. Weasley's floral print dress and threadbare coat to Narcissa's expensive silks and furs. One world is all bright reds and browns and heat. The other is smooth, cool, gray and blue.
Aveline's world is further shattered when Severus approaches. "It appears I have been released earlier than expected. Minerva volunteered to watch over my assigned carriages. Hello Molly, Arthur."
Her guardian, her loyal and loving and steadfast guardian, speaks first not to the Malfoys, but the Weasleys. He is on a first name basis with blood traitors and poor ones at that; people devoted entirely to the Light. Aveline's blood rushes through her, confused and dizzy like a whirlpool.
Arthur and Molly both smile easily and exchange pleasantries with Severus. Lucius barely refrains from rolling his eyes. Narcissa keeps glancing at the Crabbes with worry carefully hidden.
Severus Snape knows the Weasleys very well. He is like family to the Malfoys. He is the only family she has ever known herself.
Which world belongs to her?
She watches as Harry leaves, hardly feeling the tight squeeze of his hug. He even hugs Draco goodbye. Draco has the presence of mind to hug back. Sirius tussles her hair and follows the Weasleys out with a curt nod to Narcissa and Lucius.
Snape murmurs that he will meet them back at the Manor once he runs a few errands. Draco takes her bag from her, insists on carrying it.
Narcissa folds Aveline under her warm cloak. Aveline still feels frozen.
Lucius and Draco disappear with a pop.
When the tightness of Side-Along Apparition threatens to suffocate her, Aveline barely notices a difference.
For the first time, being with the Malfoys feels like a curse, not a privilege, and it makes her hurt.
Day breaks early on Christmas morning. Sunlight filters in and slips through Aveline's curtains. Her room illuminates browns and greens; two colors arguing over which she should claim as her favorite.
She has kept Harry firmly out of her mind and her emotions. She cannot bear to watch him cavort with the Weasley siblings, eat breakfast with them, play Quidditch with them in the snow.
Draco is not yet awake. She doesn't blame him. If it weren't for the stupid light, she'd still be blissfully unconscious, too. She sighs and opens her eyes. Jinx is in her face, whiskers twitching and bright green eyes blinking in a very bored fashion. Across the room, Isis hoots happily as she flies through the window. Someone has left a large pile of owl treats in her cage. Aveline sighs and gently pushes her cat away. At the foot of her bed, stacked on top of her trunk, is a giant stack of presents.
She can't help but smile a little. She scoots to the edge of her mattress, taking the warm blankets with her and making Jinx irritated. She's very glad she's at Beathan this morning instead of in the gloomy Manor. Lucius has begun to seem oppressive rather than protective. She still hasn't decided how she feels about that.
Aveline pushes her dark hair out of her eyes and reaches for the smallest present. It doesn't have shiny wrapping paper or even a tag proclaiming the sender. The tiny parcel seems very out of place in the pile of festive gifts.
She frowns down at it, begins unwrapping it slowly. For some reason she can't explain, her hands start to shake.
That's it.
The voice comes out of nowhere, startling her. It is barely a whisper.
I do hope you enjoy your gift, daughter.
She drops it instantly, tears burning the corner of her eyes. First her birthday, now Christmas.
Very carefully, she takes a deep breath and begins constructing walls in her mind. Not even her soul mates can penetrate her walls when she builds them this thick. It is more than enough to keep her spectral father out.
"Severus," she calls. Her voice is shaky. She doesn't think she can manage much more volume. She hopes he is near and will hear her.
He does. Relief makes her head pound. Severus is always near, always helping her. In this strange world that often intersects with stranger ones, he is her constant.
"Yes, Aveline?" He lingers in her door like a shadow. It would be so weird to see him in anything but black.
"Severus," Aveline whispers. Her breath gets caught, and she is forced to clear her throat and start again. She must keep the fear contained, or the walls in her head will crumble. "Severus, I received a strange parcel. It's from… from him. From my father."
Severus blinks once, eyes falling to the plain package on her bed. Then his eyes meet hers again. "I screened all your gifts for harmful magic. There was none. I did assume, however, one of your friends had sent that."
She stares at him a moment, trembling in her own bed, then understands. Whether she opens the gift or not is up to her.
She takes a deep breath and finishes unwrapping it. A tiny box falls into her palm. She slowly lifts the lid.
Inside is a black onyx crystal attached to a chain made of diamonds. It seems to pulse in her palm.
Aveline remembers that Severus had scanned her gifts for harmful magic. He had carefully avoided the word Dark, which is clearly what this is. Still, he watches her carefully, almost in a curious sort of way.
Inside the box is a scrap of parchment. In blocky writing, the words to gather your forces are written.
Aveline understands at once. This item is Dark and very valuable. It will only gain value over time, should she choose to utilize it. The crystal would soak up any residual magic in an entire area. It would drain her friends, the wards around the house, around Hogwarts, her. It would consume and take until it was utilized, perhaps with catastrophic consequences. She senses the power and craves it.
Aveline puts the crystal back in the box, folds the paper in with it. She makes her decision. "I'd like to take this to Ciaran, when we go. I'll hang it in my room there."
Severus keeps his expression carefully neutral, but seems satisfied. He undoubtedly recognizes the power siphon. They rarely talk about Ciaran. When Beathan was built, Severus also built a very cold, granite structure with sprawling grounds. The inside of the house held many Dark objects. Aveline understands the need to own a house like this. She also understands why Severus chose to raise her here, instead.
He nods and holds out his hand. She places the box into it, and it disappears into his robes. Instantly, she feels lighter, freer.
She smiles a bit at him, and he gestures to her unopened presents. "We can take those to the Manor, if you wish."
She thinks about opening presents under Narcissa's watchful gaze, under Lucius's calculating stare. She thinks about having to censor her reactions to them all. She shakes her head.
Severus nods slowly. "Alright, then. Sirius contacted me yesterday. He wanted to know if you and Draco would consider joining the Weasley festivities today."
Something dangerous and strong blooms in Aveline's chest. Still, the Malfoys are loyal to her. She is loyal to them. They are powerful and always followed her father faithfully. It would be very stupid to break ties with them. Besides, Draco is her soul mate too. "What about Lucius and Narcissa?"
"…It was their idea as well."
Aveline is so surprised by this she summons a gust of wind strong enough to burst her windows open. Severus smiles.
"Honestly? I mean, they won't be, er, disappointed?"
"Not at all," Severus shrugs. "Actually, they were invited to celebrate with the Minister today, and quite needed a way to let you and Draco down gently. They're going to open presents with Draco, and then drop him off here."
Aveline's head spins. Here is the answer she has been desperately trying to piece together over the last few days. The Malfoys were invited to celebrate the holidays with the Minister every year. Did they ever accept? Of course not. It was a bit of a sport in the richer circles; flaunting the Minister's invitation and then lamenting all the other, even more important invitations that would undoubtedly cause their absences.
Narcissa and Lucius are blatantly giving not only Aveline but also their precious son permission to form relationships with Light blood traitors.
Aveline smiles broadly. "In that case, I'd love to go. I'm sure Draco will, too. I'll open the rest of my presents here, though."
Perhaps she doesn't have to choose worlds. Perhaps they'll both deliciously collide.
"Draco! Aveline!" Harry hurtles himself through a maze of redheads and throws his arms around them both.
Aveline grins and snuggles closer. Draco tries and fails to hide his smirk.
"Oh come in, come in dears, you'll catch your death out in that cold. Hello Sirius, Severus," Molly Weasley smiles from her place next to the stove.
Aveline slowly follows Harry into the home dubbed the Burrow. It is the strangest home she has ever seen in her life, including Luna's tower-shaped house. Parts of it jut out at odd angles, and it looks as though it is supported by magic alone.
She likes it very much.
Inside the warmth of the kitchen, Aveline spots dish upon dish of fantastic food, stray socks, destroyed bits of wrapping paper, and random holiday decorations. A humble tree stands in the corner of a sitting room, sagging with the weight of popcorn tinsel and Muggle glass orbs. There's a rather strange clock on one wall, depicting each member of the family. Rather than showing the time, there are indicators of location; home, school, work, garden, prison, Quidditch, lost, mortal peril, traveling, hospital.
Aveline watches as two boys who look exactly the same come catapulting down the stairs, laughing and tripping over each other. They hold something obnoxiously pink in their hands; a young girl with flaming red hair comes bolting after them, cursing loudly and snarling at their retreating backs.
"MUM, they TOOK my new sweater!"
"Oh, Ginny dear, do quiet down. We have guests," Molly murmurs, tucking the girl under her arms. Aveline observes that they have the same nose. "Aveline, Draco, this is Ginny. Ginny, these are Harry and Ron's friends."
Aveline is startled to hear herself described as Ron's friend. Draco's surprise filters to her over the link, but Ron just blushes at the assessment. He doesn't deny it in the slightest.
"Nice to meet you, Ginny," Draco nods politely.
Aveline manages a tiny smile. The house is incredibly noisy and chaotic. It's more than a bit overwhelming.
"Hello," Ginny says shyly. She turns crimson and ducks back behind her mother. This isn't anything like the rambunctious girl Luna always described.
"Merlin! GINEVRA WEASLEY WHERE IS YOUR SHIRT?!"
Aveline winces right along with Ginny at Molly's indignant screech. She'd glanced down at Ginny only to find her in a thin, white undershirt.
"I told you, the twins took my new sweater!"
Molly swipes her curly red hair out of her eyes and smiles at Sirius, who has been snickering nonstop since entering the Burrow. "Excuse me just a moment. Everyone make themselves at home. BOYS!"
Severus's hand on her back guides her into the sitting room. Ron, Harry, and Draco follow. Ginny trots back up the stairs to wait on her sweater.
"Sorry about all the fuss. Mum and Dad's portkey to Romania got cancelled rather abruptly a few days ago. Otherwise we'd all be spending the holidays at school. The extra preparation has driven her a bit mental." Ron slumps down on a sofa, a dark maroon sweater emblazoned with an R scrunching up around his midsection.
"That sweater looks dashing with your hair!" The words are out before Aveline can take them back or hold them in. She blushes redder than the hair in question and sinks to the floor, knees to her chest. If Narcissa could see her sitting so unladylike in the new green dress she'd gifted her with…
Ron's face splits into a grin. "Really? You think it looks good?"
Aveline manages to nod, but barely.
"That's ace! I've always hated maroon. Thanks a lot!"
"Thank you for having us over, Weas- I mean, er, Ron." Draco shifts uncomfortably on the arm of a chair occupied by Harry. Aveline snickers at him behind her arm. He's always been much too formal in uncomfortable situations.
"Yeah totally. Harry and I were going spare with just Fred, George, and Percy for company. I mean, I 'spose we all had Gin, but she's a girl, you know? No offense, Aveline!"
Aveline barely notices the sexist insult. Instead, she's busy tallying the Weasley siblings inside her head. "Don't you have two more brothers?"
"Yeah," Ron nods. "Bill's got a pretty demanding job with Gringotts, so he had to work today. But he'll be by later tonight! And then Charlie, he's in Romania studying dragons. That's why Mum and Dad needed that Portkey."
"Dragons?" Draco asks eagerly. Harry grins at him. It's no secret that dragons are Draco's favorite animal, magical or otherwise.
Ron nods, somewhat bewildered. He's never seen Draco Malfoy so… eager. It's a bit creepy. "Yeah. He was always super interested in Care of Magical Creatures."
Through the link, Aveline notices Harry's sense of urgency. He glances at the doorway leading to the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley has her back turned to all of them, sweater apparently secured.
What is it, Harry?
"Let's go to your room, Ron," Harry suggests easily, but there's something under his tone.
Ron shrugs. "Sure."
Draco brings up the rear as they troupe up the steps. The stairs all creak underneath them. There are several flights of them, rounding story after story. Aveline wonders what it would have been like to grow up in a home as close-quartered as this, with many other children and two parents and no money. There are moving photographs on the wall rather than stuffy old portraits. Red-headed children gallivant in their frames. Each one of them looks excessively happy.
The group climbs all the way to the fifth floor. There's only one door here, and Ron swings it open without much fanfare, his face red again. "This is my room. Excuse the mess, it's all Harry's fault."
"Is not! If Fred and George hadn't scared us half to death as a wake-up call this morning-"
"If you hadn't jumped ten feet in the air like a ruddy girl-"
"It's brilliant!" Draco grins.
Ron stops in his tracks, whirling around on his heel. He has the most incredulous look on his face Aveline's ever seen. What would it be like to live in a world where you didn't hide your emotions or consciously decide to show them?
"Don't be nice just because you don't want to piss off Snape-"
"I'm not," Draco sneers. "Believe me when I say that neither Snape nor my parents would give a damn if I were rude to you. I honestly happen to like your room. Chudley Cannons, huh?"
Draco's sneer turned compliment seems to give poor Ron whiplash entirely. He stands there gaping like a fish until Harry sighs and flops down on a makeshift cot next to Ron's unmade bed.
"I brought you guys up here to show you what I got this morning," Harry says. This seems to snap Ron back to reality.
"It's incredible!"
Out from the depths of Harry's bag comes a cloak that seems to be made of water and hemmed by silver thread. Aveline gasps. Draco's jaw drops open.
An invisibility cloak?!
This is not the first time their thoughts have aligned, but it is the first time they've seen a magical object that even Lucius had a hard time obtaining. And here it is, obviously one of the best in the world, which had seemingly fallen into their eleven-year-old soul mate's lap.
"I know right?" Harry nods smugly. Then his face falls. "The card said it used to belong to my dad."
"Does it work?" Draco asks, incredulous.
Ron snorts. "Does it work, he says! Show him Harry!"
Harry bites his lip and tosses the cloth over his head. Instantly he's gone. Not even a faint shimmer remains.
Aveline taps into the link and slips into his head. He's still on the cot.
"Wicked," she breathes.
Someone taps at the door, and they all whirl around to find Sirius in the doorway, grinning broadly and covered in stick-on Christmas bows. "The twins got me. Don't ask. It's a long story. Molly wanted me to let you all know that lunch is ready!"
It takes Sirius a moment, and then he blinks. "Where's Harry?"
"Believe me," Draco snickers under his breath, "you wouldn't believe us if we told you."
"He's in the bathroom getting the sweater on Mum knitted for him," Ron interjects quickly. He ushers both her and Draco toward the door.
Aveline casts a quick glance at Harry's open bag. Indeed, there's an emerald sweater inside. She can see one side of an embroidered H.
It makes her throat ache with tears she can't explain.
Aveline is very irritated, even though technically she's asleep.
Sometimes, whenever one of her soul mates is awake while she's asleep, she'll accidentally slip into their minds. Then she lives their lives with them for a little while. She wishes Harry was asleep with her and Draco, cuddled soundly into their dorms after the long train ride back to Hogwarts. They could be sharing fantastic dreams in which they can fly right now.
But no. Draco is still firmly in the dark behind his own eyelids, and Harry is wondering the corridors under his invisibility cloak.
If her breathing wasn't deep and even, she'd huff out a sigh of pure exasperation.
A lantern floating along, Harry's supporting hand invisible.
Row upon row of shelves. The books are whispering about the invisible boy that shouldn't be there.
Titles in gold, titles in dead and forgotten languages, books with no titles at all. Books stained with blood. Books with only diagrams. Blood rituals. Biographies of Dark witches and wizards. Light spellbooks that are banned because of Dark sequels. Books that shriek when opened.
Draco arrives in Harry's head at the same time Filch arrives in the Restricted Section.
FILCH!
Harry runs, and Aveline and Draco run with him. No more lantern. Upstairs, down stairs, through empty classrooms, corridors and suits of armor blurring by.
Then, a mirror. It is large and gold with an odd inscription.
Harry is terrified. The room around him is empty; the space around his reflection is not. The woman has his eyes, the same electric green and the same shape. The man has untidy hair and Harry's chin. There are at least ten more people behind them, knobbly knees, black brown red hair, and green, green eyes.
Terrible joy. Wonderful sadness. A strange noise in the hall.
"I'll be back," Harry whispers.
Aveline and Draco grieve with him all the way back to Gryffindor Tower.
"Why didn't you take us?" Ron demands. It is just like Harry to go having an adventure with an invisibility cloak without him.
"I didn't exactly intend to wind up there, Ron. I was running from Filch and just… found it."
Aveline remembers the pain he had felt in her dream. It's echoed through the link by Draco. She stands very still, her feet against the floor of the third floor corridor classroom. She doesn't want him going alone tonight, with just Ron, who will never see what Harry saw. It had taken her no time at all to decipher the words on the mirror. "Can we come tonight?"
Harry looks from her, to Ron, to Draco. Then he nods.
"Blimey," Ron breathes, staring into the mirror.
"Can you see them? My mum and dad?!"
"No, sorry. I see myself. But I'm older! And I'm Head Boy! And Quidditch captain!"
"What?"
Aveline sends as much patience and understanding as she can to Harry. His shoulders relax.
They give Ron several minutes in front of the mirror, admiring what he hopes to be in the future. Then Draco says, "Can I have a go now?"
Ron nods reluctantly and steps aside. Draco stands in front of the mirror for several long moments, his brow furrowed.
He doesn't say a word, not even when Ron loudly demands to know what he sees.
Aveline pushes tentatively at his barriers and he allows her in. Harry follows quickly, and through Draco's eyes they see what he sees.
Draco is much older and a Medicinal Auror; a wizard that has completed both Healer and Auror training. They are rare and only sent on the most important and high-risk of missions. He's being recognized by a faceless Minister for his bravery and valor in a critical situation. Harry, Aveline, the Circle, and his parents gaze on proudly.
It is possibly the Lightest thing in the world to wish for; to not only heal, but also to protect.
Aveline, for all her soul's connection to his, has never realized that Draco has already found his calling in life and yearns for it with all his heart. She realizes it is a secret he has carefully guarded, even from his self. His family is notoriously Dark. What hope does he have of that future with his last name?
Draco jerks away from the mirror violently; Aveline and Harry slip out of his mind and give him a wide berth. He slinks to a corner and slumps heavily into it, sulking.
"Ruddy mirror," they hear him curse.
Aveline is terrified. The mirror shows your true desires. Even ones you don't consider possible or won't admit to yourself.
With Draco out of the way, she's been thrust unceremoniously in front of it. The reflection catches her eye and holds it, entirely entrancing.
She's older and has one of her boys on each arm. Both Harry and Draco look entirely attractive, each of them practically smoldering next to her. Behind them are all of her friends. All of them are brandishing wands and smiling viciously. Severus stands in the back, smirking proudly.
Harry kisses her reflection's cheek. Draco winks at her and then does the same. Aveline blushes bright red.
What she wants most in the world is loyalty. It is not a Dark thing, but the image certainly isn't Light either.
When Draco and Harry ask her what she sees, she shrugs and says, "I'm graduating from Hogwarts with honors."
Ron laughs. "Hermione would probably see the exact same thing as you!"
Aveline pictures two boys that irrevocably belong to her. She smiles. "Somehow I doubt it."