The train ride passes quickly after that. Fallon, Jace, and Adam retreat after a time back to their own compartments and leave the rest to talk amongst them. The absence of the trio and Dean cuts laughter off suddenly and makes them hesitant to display happiness for more than a couple seconds. Overall, Audrina is glad when the prefects begin to wander through the halls, ordering them to pull on their robes for arrival.
Audrina pulls her jumper off and a piece of paper flutters out. She takes no notice of it, trying to pull her robes out of her crammed trunk. They don't come willingly, and finally, with a great heave, she manages to yank them out and promptly topples over.
"Oh thanks." She says, as Seamus helps her up.
"You dropped this, Audrina." Luna says helpfully and hands her the slip of paper, which Audrina takes with furrowed eyebrows.
"Thank you?" She says hesitantly. She flips the paper over, wondering if it's some of the twin's sticky paper that made it into her pocket but it's clearly got writing on it and she flips it over, confused. The curling, intricate handwriting of Blaise is instantly recognizable.
'Audrina,
It wasn't your mother that sent that photograph. We need to talk. Urgently. I'll behave if you do.'
"What's that?" Ginny asks curiously and Audrina crumples it in her hand, surprised at how easily the next lie rolls off her tongue.
"Scraps." She smiles brightly at Ginny, pulling on her robes with ease.
"Oh good, I thought it might've been your family tree." Ginny says, clearly relieved. Audrina makes a face, checking to see that she does still have that paper. She pulls it out, looking at it curiously.
"Odd, isn't it?" She comments. Ginny looks up from her own, infinitely larger tree. "All those lives, memories, deaths, and we just have them represented with a little dash." She looks over Neville and Luna's family trees, several names jumping out at her.
"Let's just hope our dashes come later than sooner." Seamus mutters darkly and Audrina looks at him sadly. She misses who he was last year; always ready to dive into a new adventure with her.
The same could be said for him, she reflects as they struggle to stay upright in the masses that are pushing off the train. She has changed so much too, how does she know he's not wishing for last year's Audrina to look up and grin at him, asking what he wants to do for pranks.
She's lost in thought, absentmindedly following Ginny's bright beacon of hair as they make their way onto the platform. There, all movement grinds to a standstill. The taller students exchange confused looks over the heads of other students and there's not even room to push forward to see what is causing them problem. They stay where they are, growing restless.
"Where's Hagrid?" Neville asks, craning his neck to see if he can spot the giant. "He should be getting the first years to the boats." Audrina is about to ask if something could have gone wrong, if the castle isn't secure when Severus Snape appears, standing atop a tall podium, surveying his students.
Hot rage boils under Audrina's skin at the sight of him, hair as lank and greasy as ever, pale face totally emotionless, looking down at them as though they are no more than ants. This should be Dumbledore. She wants to scream and yell, draw her wand and knock him from his post. She doesn't, because Death Eaters are appearing on all sides, in the guise of Ministry workers. The discontented hum among the students dies away instantly.
"Welcome back." Snape sneers, disgust apparent on his face. "We regret to disrupt your journey, but we need all students to first submit their blood status and family tree, like you were informed you'd be required of. Form lines. You will be going one at a time. First years, to the left." There's mass chaos as students attempt to shuffle and shove their way to the front on long lines that are forming around the many Death Eaters that have formed a line blocking access to the carriages. It would be impossible to sneak someone through.
Audrina uses several not so subtle tricks like pinching and stepping on other's toes to make her way through the crowd and position herself behind Blaise. His dark and handsome face is staring straight ahead and she would think he wasn't even aware of her presence if he hadn't glanced at her out of the corners of his eyes and stiffened slightly.
"Nice note." She mutters in his ear, using the pretext of having been shoved from behind to lean into him. "Meet me behind the stature of the one legged knight on fourth floor tonight, after sorting."
"You don't waste any time. That desperate to know?" He says, without moving his lips.
"That desperate to never see your face again." She hisses fiercely and is sure to step on the back of his heels when he moves forward to present the Death Eater with his family, back straight and proud. The Death Eater hardly glances at it before chuckling and handing it back, stepping aside.
"Tell your mother I send my regards, will you?" He says and Blaise tips his head, casting a long, lingering look of dislike back at Audrina then setting off towards the carriages.
"Next." A Death Eater orders and Audrina steps up, glancing to her left and right. Luna has already made it through and is waiting patiently by a carriage; Ginny and Neville are next to go at their own Death Eaters. She's proud to note that several members of the D.A. are already helping the younger students, speaking to them in low, reassuring voices. "Name?" He barks.
"Audrina Carona Black." She says distractedly, more focused on watching as Ginny presents her own family tree.
"Blood status?" He asks, studying it intently and she finally tears her eyes off of Ginny to look at him in disbelief.
"Seriously?" She demands, looking at him, agog.
"It's an order." He threatens, reaching for his wand and she ignores this, she's so annoyed.
"Oh, don't pretend you lot don't know my blood status, don't know the attitude behind my last name! You salivate over it, you wish that you claim just one of my ancestors as your own." She says scornfully. By now, she has drawn the attention of those closest to her, Death Eaters and students alike.
"Want me to go get the Headmaster?" He asks, eyes now narrow slits. "Or maybe the Carrows?"
"Sure!" Audrina says and she's aware that her voice hinging on maniacal hysteria but she can't stop yelling. "Get Snape! So he can do what, tell you that I'm a pureblood? That I'm somehow special, better than everyone else? You'd love that wouldn't you? Make a point, rub it in everyone's faces that sometime, long ago, a saggy wizard with no teeth possessed the last name Black, a reflection of his soul, decided he was better than everyone and managed to get some more crazies to join in with him? Because that's where this ridiculous blood status comes from." She shrieks.
"You're in dangerous waters, love." He warns and Audrina's smile is savage, her eyes wild.
"I'm a Black in Gryffindor. Tell me something I haven't known since I was 11 years old with this badge on my chest." She says silkily and for a second, she wonders if she's goaded him into a fight as he assesses her, and then dips his hand into a pocket. It's not his wand he draws but rather a quill, and he scratches something across her name before handing the family tree back.
"Here's something you should know, very, very well." He says lowly, shoving the paper hard into her gut, nearly making her double over as the air is driven out by the impact. He moves her to the side, before calling out, "Next!"
"Oh…" Audrina says softly and Ginny is hurrying towards her, worried, but then Audrina bursts into laughter, clutching her knees. Everyone has stopped again, looking concerned and mildly terrified. "That," She points to the paper. "That I've known since the day I decided that I will personally try to bring you and your precious Lord down." She spits then begins screaming at the top of her lungs. "BLOOD TRAITOR. I AM A BLOOD TRAITOR. AUDRINA CARONA BLACK IS A BLOOD TRAITOR!"
"C'mon." Ginny says and it takes Jace and Seamus to strong-arm her into a carriage, where they round on her, eyes bulging.
"Are you mental?" Jace yells.
"What are they going to do to me?" Audrina shoots back, folding her arms and leaning back, glaring at them. "Threaten my family? They're on their side! Threaten my ex-boyfriend? He's a Death Eater! They have nothing on me; nothing like they're used to, and that scares the hell out of them. Because they can only hurt me, and I'll let them do it!"
"No you won't." Ginny protests. "You sound like Harry, cutting all ties so that they can't hurt anyone." Audrina holds the bright brown eyes for a long moment and then looks away, relaxing some.
"Ok." She admits begrudgingly. "No more of that public display stuff then. But I meant what I said. I'm going to ruin them." She vows and Jace slings an arm around her, grinning.
"And you have plenty of people with that same goal in mind Rin. So what say you that we start drawing up plans?"
It doesn't take long for them to arrive at the castle and Audrina looks up at it, waiting to feel a rush of happiness at the sight of her real home. When that doesn't come, she frowns, thinking that maybe grief will fill her as she recalls Dumbledore's death and Draco's departure. Nothing.
She realizes she's numb. No longer is she that weepy girl from the Burrow who had cried at the loss of Mad-Eye and feared becoming him. The brand of her blood traitor status sits on her heart, cold and burning, a reminder of what she really is. She unclenches her fist, her family tree now a crumpled sheet of paper.
"Let's throw that away." Ginny mummers and Audrina stares down at it, the overwhelming numbness spreading from it, through her fingers, up her chest, down to her toes.
"No." She says shortly, closing her fist around it protectively. "No, it's my past and my future. I was born a Black and I'll die a blood traitor, what's the use in pretending differently?" She wonders aloud.
"Well, at least stop acting like we're not going through the exact same thing." Ginny chides, only a little unkindly and Audrina pauses, hugging her around the waist. Then they face the large, wooden doors of the Great Hall. They creak open and Audrina and Ginny lead the student body of Hogwarts back to begin their school year.
The sorting ceremony is brutally short. The sorting hat stays quiet, not offering up any advice or insight. Audrina half hopes it's out of spite for Snape, but remembers the voice in the hat and decides it keeps its own reasons.
She tries to give the few Gryffindors they receive reassuring smiles. She notices proudly that Millie makes room for them next to her. At both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, older students are doing the same, inviting the young students to sit with them.
She doesn't even focus on the feast, just puts food mindlessly in her mouth, eyes fixed on Snape at the Head Table. Occasionally her eyes flick towards McGonagall, Hagrid, and Slughorn. She doesn't see the Carrows but has no doubt they will make their appearance, given time.
When the meal is finished, the Hall goes quiet, but it isn't the respectful sort of quiet they had given Dumbledore. This one is pure fear, that any word spoken out of turn will be punished. Snape stands, looking at each table, his gaze lasting longest on the Gryffindors.
"Another year at Hogwarts." He says quietly and they are all hanging on his every word, most reluctantly, like Audrina. "Several changes have been made regarding your education, so that it better suits the standards of the Ministry… Muggle Studies will now be mandatory, and will be taught by Alecto Carrow." The witch emerges from the shadows.
"Why are they making us take Muggle Studies?" Neville asks, forehead wrinkled in puzzlement.
"So they can start telling students how awful and wretched muggles are." Ginny says grimly. "The younger the better." She looks up at Audrina and she knows they're both thinking of her confession to Ginny that the Death Eaters focus on promoting being special.
"Your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be Amycus Carrow." Snape announces and Ginny slides a Sickle towards Audrina.
"Better or worse than Umbridge?" She asks and Audrina ponders it.
"Worse." She takes and Ginny raises an eyebrow but nods. The bet is on. Snape finishes his speech with some thinly veiled threat that disobedience won't be tolerated then dismisses them for bed. Audrina has scarcely risen before McGonagall has arrived and grips her upper arm.
"A word?" She requests, but it's more of an order and Audrina nods at Ginny, who's watching them.
"I'll be back up in a little bit." She tells her and Ginny nods, taking some first years under her wing and leading them towards a prefect. McGonagall pulls her into a quiet classroom and looks down at her, hands on her hips. Audrina is reminded just how intimidating she can be and squirms under the glare.
"And what, in Merlin's name were you thinking, when you pulled that stunt at Hogsmeade?" She asks sharply, without preamble.
"I wasn't?" Audrina tries and McGonagall snorts, throwing her hands up.
"Well that much is clear!" She says and Audrina hangs her head. "I know you are brave Audrina, perhaps veering into reckless, but I never thought you to be foolish!" Audrina's head snaps up and she's looking at McGonagall in surprise, unsure what she means.
"I just, I had to say something." She protests and when McGonagall rounds on her, falls silent again.
"They are going to come at you harder than nearly all the students here." She warns and Audrina takes a deep breath, holding her hands in her lap.
"I know."
"They are going to come down hardest on my students Audrina, my house! All the Gryffindors."
"We know." Audrina says evenly.
"They're going to- What?" McGonagall is looking at her suspiciously and Audrina resists an urge to let her in on everything and instead keeps her best bland expression on her face. "Who is this 'we'?"
"Concerned students." Audrina says smoothly. "Really professor, we've already had this conversation for you." McGonagall rubs her forehead, her grey hair seemingly gleaming in the light.
"Let me guess." She says ruefully. "Longbottom, Weasley, and Lovegood have something to do with this?"
"Concerned students." Audrina repeats and McGonagall purses her lips but then cracks a rare, small smile.
"You know, I have to say, of all the greatest hell raisers I've had the misfortune to teach… James and Sirius, Fred and George… None of them had ever had the chance that you have before you." She muses and Audrina's stomach sinks, wondering what McGonagall will say. "I think they all held their headmaster in a certain degree of respect." A wicked glint has appeared in McGonagall's eye and Audrina is grinning at her.
"I think you're right professor. I would say my attitude is a little different." She says carefully and McGonagall nods curtly.
"I talked your headmaster out of punishing you for tonight's show. I suggest you don't make them a habit in the future." She warns and Audrina nods her head, smile gone.
"Yes, professor."
"Good, then I shall see you tomorrow in class." With that, McGonagall sweeps out and leaves Audrina to ponder this new information. McGonagall, famously strict and rigid, has all but given her an all access pass to cause chaos freely. Any other year, this would've have made her giddy with glee. Now, whether because she's unable to feel happiness currently or it's because all her pranks won't just be for laughter and admiration, all it does it set her resolve a little deeper. Another person to make proud.
Still debating if this shows how truly the professors at Hogwarts must feel, Audrina sneaks off towards the fourth floor. It's fairly easy to blend in with all the confused students. She breaks off from a clump of complaining Ravenclaws and darts down the hallway, squeezing around the stature to a well-hidden nook. She doesn't have to wait long for Blaise to arrive.