Thanks for all the love on the last chapter. If you've got any questions or anything you would like to see in the future just DM me on Insta (xAccioDumbassx) I'll be more than happy to answer (Even if it is a spoiler lol) So please enjoy this chapter and R&R and tell me who your fave character is so far. (PS I'm looking to make new characters so if you want to be in this just DM me on insta) ly all, hope you enjoy.
Chapter Six, Broken Glass
"ALECTO! GIVE THAT BACK RIGHT NOW!" fourteen-year-old Narcissa Black screeched at her dorm mate. Alecto Carrow was holding a letter that was sent to Narcissa by Lucius Malfoy, a sixth year, who Narcissa happened to be quite fond of.
"Nah, Sorry little Cissy, I wanna see what it says first," Alecto taunted. "Let's see here... My sweetest Narcissa, your eyes are as blue as the-" Narcissa lunged at her friend.
Narcissa Black was on top of Alecto Carrow in seconds, both of them screaming, Alecto was kicking.
"Give-It-Back-To-Me-You-Bitch-" The youngest of the Black sisters gasped as she received an elbow to her stomach.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE!" Narcissa jumped away from Alecto. Her heart dropped when she saw the eldest of her two sisters, Bellatrix, standing at the dormitory door.
"B-Bellatrix," Alecto stamperd in front of the sixth year, who raised her eyebrow in response.
"I can hear you from all the way down the hall, you're extremely loud, you know," She mused, her eyes landed on the letter in Alecto's hand. "What's that?"
Narcissa's eyes widened. She looked over to Alecto, pleading her not to answer truthfully, although she knew it was hopeless, nobody dared to lie to Bellatrix. Both Narcissa and Lucius would never hear the end of this.
Alecto smirked. "Little Cissy here got a little letter," Narcissa could have screamed right then and there.
"Give me that," Bellatrix walked over and snatched the letter out of Alecto's hand.
Narcissa stared at Bellatrix as she started to read the letter. A large evil grin slowly spread across her face as she read the letter.
A roar of laughter suddenly left Bellatrix' mouth.
"Gods, I thought the letters that Rab sends to the French bitch was corny," She laughed, and Narcissa internally screamed.
"Give it here, Bella," She stepped forward and held out her hand.
Bellatrix pouted. "Oh but, Cissy, I don't think I want to," She giggled. "VIOLA, YVONNE! COME UP HERE!"
"No Bella! Bella, please don't!" Narcissa pleaded. But it was too late. The Tripe twins had already walked into the dorm room.
"What is it Bellatrix? I was playing chess!" Viola stated. Yvonne smirked.
"With whom, may I ask? Kent Selwyn?" She sneered. "What a little simp you are, Vi,"
"We're due to wed at the end of seventh year! I may as well get to know him you little freak," Viola spat at her twin. "You're just jealous because I'm actually marrying somebody in my age range! What age is Walden again? Oh yeah, twenty-three!"
"Age is just a number! It's only seven years. Mummy and Daddy have ten years between them-" Yvonne was cut off by a book hitting her face. It was Bellatrix.
"Gods, could you two please stop fighting for two seconds for once in your petty little lives!" She yelled at the two. Narcissa was slightly relieved, Bellatrix had moved her attention to Viola and Yvonne from her.
"What's with all the shouting in here?!" Another voice came from the door. The five girls all turned their heads to see the final Black sister, Andromeda, who was wearing her brand new shiny prefect badge.
"I was just about to show the twins something that-" Andromeda stomped over and snatched the parchment out of Bellatrix' hand.
"What is this?" She demanded. Bellatrix caught Narcissa's pleading eye. She smirked in response.
"Read it if you're so curious then little miss perfect- oh sorry! I mean Prefect," Andromeda glared at Bellatrix for what she had just said. But nonetheless, she had unfolded the piece of parchment. Bellatrix could see the small smile that played across her face for a split second.
"So what? I think it's sweet," Andromeda finally concluded as she handed the letter back to Narcissa, who thanked her and held the letter protectively.
"So why do you call us up here?" Asked Yvonne Tripe.
Bellatrix quickly snatched the parchment of Narcissa once again. Narcissa screeched.
Bella handed Yvonne the letter and both twins started to read as Andromeda scolded Bellatrix and Narcissa started to squeal at Alecto. Both twins gasped at the end and giggled. Viola cooed:
"Gods Cissy just sounds to me like he's looking for a good shag-"
"I. Hate. All. Of. You." Narcissa interrupted.
Everyone started to laugh, apart from Andromeda and Narcissa.
It was Adhara's first day of classes, and to say that she was excited was an understatement.
She and Hermione had made their way down the stairs that morning bright and early just so they could look around the common room. They were both dressed in their school robes that were now a dark shade of blue to match the Ravenclaw colours.
They were greeted by Marietta Edgecomb, who came over to hand out the first-year time tables. They would have three classes today so it seemed. Potions, Transfiguration and Charms.
Falco had come down the stairs looking extremely excited that morning.
It was then that they all had realized that it was only seven in the morning. They still had two hours until classes would start, and one hour until breakfast.
"How about we go downstairs and look around the Ravenclaw library?" Hermione inquired.
"Or, we could go and look around the castle," Fal said.
"Maybe not Fal, we don't want to get lost, and I'm not really in the mood for reading this morning. Maybe chess?" Adhara spoke.
"Nah, not chess, we could just... you know... sit around and talk," Falco suggested.
Adhara suddenly came to a realization. "Yes, we should do that, but I have to write to my parents first, I forgot last night. I promised mum I would write straight after dinner!" Hermione and Falco nodded.
Reinhard and Dray both made their way through the halls towards the Slytherin common room. Last night was a nightmare, especially for Dray.
The First-year Slytherin boys haven't been happy about his blood status in the slightest. Dray had woken up six times to the tickling charm, Rictusempra, being used on him. Once Reinhard had started to stick up for him he too, had to deal with the many charms coming his way.
Once all the boys had finally had enough and gone to sleep, Dray wrote to Tanner. He was still waiting for a reply.
The boys hated their dorm mates. All four of them. Especially Theo Nott. All night- while not trying to curse Rein and Dray- the boy had been bragging about how he allegedly survived a dragon attack when he was three. 'I just got lucky I suppose. My mum says I was very brave though,' Reinhard had to hold back a large chuckle for this one.
It didn't help that they had both lost their secretive quills during the night. Their best guess was that Theo and his friends took them.
"What time is it?" Reinhard asked as he sat down on an empty emerald couch with Dray.
"There's a clock up there," Dray replied as he sat down beside Rein and nodded towards the large grandfather clock nearest to them.
Rein went a deep shade of pink. "Erm... I know but..."
Dray realized that Reinhard didn't know how to tell the time.
"I apologize, well, anyway. It's erm... half six, we go for breakfast in half an hours time,"
"Thanks," Rein- who was still blushing- replied. "I know it's weird,"
"What?"
"That I can't... you know..."
"Oh, no it's ok, it took me until I was nine to fully understand the clock,"
Reinhard got a bit of comfort out of these words.
"I could... teach you if you'd like... it is only the clock part that you don't understand, right?" Reinhard nodded and smiled.
Theo had to admit. The muggleborn Ives girl was a pretty little thing. But that didn't make up for the fact that she was filthy. The only reason he was still giving her the smallest ounce of his attention was because she seemed familiar. She looked familiar. Gods even her presence seemed familiar. It was last night that he had dreamt of the young Ravenclaw. Of course, it wasn't because he had a liking for the girl or anything, never that. She just seemed... familiar.
Theo hadn't touched his eggs or toast that morning in the Great Hall. He was staring at her. She was sitting at the Ravenclaw table with her fellow Ravenclaws as well as Pansy Rowe, An annoying little mudblood Hufflepuff who giggled at anything and everything and wouldn't stop following Ives. Then there was the filthy little mudblood Gryffindor boy with his who seemed to be his best friend, the March half breed.
Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise had noticed Theo's staring. But they knew better than to ask, they knew he had reason, he would never stare at a mudblood without reason.
The Slytherins had potions with the Hufflepuffs next. Oh, joy. Theo thought sarcastically. Just then something clicked.
"Zabini,"
"What?"
"What's the girl's name?" Theo asked.
"What gir-"
"The one with the brown hair, the Ives girl,"
"Er, I think... Adelaine, no, wait a second, it's not that, em..." Blaise paused.
"Adhara," Goyle spoke up.
"What?" Blaise and Theo asked him in unison.
"Adhara," Goyle repeated.
"When did you grow a brain, Goyle?" Theo asked. Goyle shrugged.
"And when did you start paying attention?" Blaise asked. Goyle shrugged again.
Theo sat back down. Adhara. He thought. The name sounded familiar. But where had he-
"Alright now boys, get to class, I'm sure you've had enough to eat by now," Came the voice of Professor Snape. Theo groaned. He hadn't eaten a thing.
"What are you saying, Marissa?" sixteen Bellatrix Black laughed to her Hufflepuff friend from where she sat on the bench beside the lake.
"What I'm saying is that it's official. Perseus is writing to his father tonight, who will reach out to my father tomorrow night, and we can officially be engaged!" Marissa Rosier exclaimed as she flung her arms around her sixth-year friend- and also first cousin- Bellatrix Black.
Bellatrix smiled at her fifth-year cousin who was in canary yellow robes. "So do I start calling you Mrs Parkinson now?" She joked.
"Not until the wedding Bellatrix. How are you and Rod getting on,"
Bellatrix frowned. "This is his final year," She said sadly, "But we'll be getting married Christmas Eve next year,"
Marissa gasped. "Bella! You'll still be in school,"
Bellatrix scoffed. "Oh don't be so naive, I won't even be in the school for half a year afterwards, plus, the sooner we're married the sooner we can start our family, all Rod needs is a son right, maybe not even that. If Rab has one first then we might not even need to have a baby, although one might be nice, a spare is always useful. You know what happened with Sirius."
"But I thought you're going to join..." Marissa looked around before leaning closer to Bellatrix and whispering, "You-Know-Who,"
"We will, yes. But I don't see why that should stop me from fulfilling my duty as a pure-blood wife. Besides, it's not as if you'll be waiting to have children, you hardly ever stop talking about having them,"
"Yes but I won't be joining him," Marissa defended. She suddenly saw the look in Bellatrix' eyes. "I mean, I'll support him, don't get me wrong, I just won't... you know, take his mark, I don't want to expose my children to that,"
Bellatrix scoffed.
"What?"
"Funny, aren't you, Marissa? You do know that Persius is already planning on taking the mark, Hm?"
Marissa's eyes widened. "Oh stop that, Bellatrix! Perseus would never do such a thing!"
Bellatrix Black's eyes widened so much that it looked as though they'd pop out of their sockets any moment. "Wouldn't do such a thing?! Marissa, do you even know him at all? Merlin, I'm surprised he hasn't already been marked!" Bellatrix started to roar with laughter.
Marissa stared. Perseus would never do such a thing to put their family at risk. Would he?
If only she knew how wrong she was.
There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide sweeping ones, narrow, rickety ones, some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump- Cy hadn't been too lucky there- Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls pretending. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other and Adhara was sure the coats of armour could walk.
The ghosts didn't help either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them gilded suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick and The Fat Friar were always more than happy to point all students in the right direction. While the Grey Lady had only told someone if she liked them or if she was in a good mood. Then there was the Bloody Baron, who would just stare someone down and then glide away.
Adhara had gotten her timetable that morning. She was surprised to discover that they would have to get up at midnight on Wednesdays for Astronomy. Cho had told her that it was to learn the names of the movements of different planets. She had also asked Cho about Herbology, something that they would have to do three times a week. Cho had told her it would be with Professor Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff house. they would learn how to take care of strange plants and fungi and found out what they were used for.
Adhara and Dray were slightly disappointed to learn that they had History of Magic, History wasn't their best subject, they found it boring. Walsh hadn't stopped complaining about the teacher, Professor Binns. Walsh never failed to tell Adhara how boring Emeric the Evil was.
Professor Flitwick- Head of Ravenclaw house- was the charms Professor also. He was a tiny little wizard who had to sit on a pile of books at meals.
Adhara was rushing down the hallway towards the charms classroom at this very moment. She was followed by her fellow Ravenclaws, Hermione Granger, Falco Naylor and Padma Patil- who she had become friends with that very morning- their Gryffindor friends also followed along, Cy Wills, Boyet March and Daphne Greengrass who Boyet and Cy had recently befriended.
The group stopped at the classroom door, each and everyone panting.
"Merlin, where's Neville?" Asked Daphne.
The group groaned.
"Better leave him, charms is starting in a minute, he'll have to find his own way," Boyet replied.
"We can't just-"
"Leave it, Hermione, do you really want to be late to our first-ever class at Hogwarts?" Cy asked the bushy-haired girl. Who sighed and shook her head in response.
Their first class was exciting, to say the least. They had learned the spell Lumos, which was the wand lighting charm. Neville ended up coming in halfway through the class, drenched. He said that Peeves started to throw water balloons again. Flitwick wasn't very happy with the tardiness, he ended up taking five points from Gryffindor. Dean Thomas managed to get two of those back when he had cast Lumos first try. Fal got Ravenclaw two points also, his Lumos being the brightest. Although those two points didn't make up for the twenty the Weasley twins had already lost Ravenclaw that morning. Ravenclaw was now in third place, Gryffindor second, and Hufflepuff first. The Weasley twins' brother, Ron, had earned ten points that morning at breakfast for helping a few Slytherin first-years who had been Peeves' latest victims.
Once Flitwick had gotten a look at Boyet and Hermione he gave a nervous squeak.
"You," He said pointing to Hermione. "Are you Nymhadora's sister?"
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head.
"A Tonks at all?"
"No, Professor Flitwick,"
Flitwick gave a sigh of relief. "Very well, I apologise,"
There was a sudden bang. Neville Longbottom, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil squealed, as did Flitwick. It was Seamus Finnigan. He was covered in dust and smoke surrounded his face and came out his wand.
"Whoops,"
The Ravenclaws had Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs next. While the Gryffindors had Defence against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins. Adhara was thankful for this, Rein and Dray were her friends and all, but something felt off about Theodore Nott.
Hermione liked McGonagall, she was strict and clever, and a very good teacher. She gave the class a talking to the moment they had sat down.
"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," She stated firmly. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. Hermione was in awe.
Pansy had taken the liberty of introducing Hermione, Fal, Adhara and Padma to Maria Galvo, a Venesualian witch, and Ron Weasley. Adhara liked them both, but especially Ron, They were both very shy. Ron reminded Adhara of Falco.
The class soon realized that they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After making a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson only Maria and Adhara had managed to make any difference to their match; Maria's match had gone silver, while Adhara's match had gone pointy. McGonagall gave them both a rare smile.
"What have we after lunch?" Falco asked Adhara when they were seated in the Great Hall eating their lunch.
"Double Potions with the Slytherins," Hermione answered for Adhara, whose mouth was full of soup.
"Oh, Professor Snape is our year head, he teaches Potions," Dray spoke excitedly. The group were seated at the Hufflepuff table now. Dray and Reinhard joined them this time. Cy, Daphne and Boyet weren't here, however. They must have gotten lost, or gone to the bathroom.
"What's he like? Snape I mean," Ron asked the two Slytherins.
"He's not exactly nice, but he's not mean either, he brought me to Diagon Alley, he bought me Cheezewiz," Dray answered. Everyone nodded."Theo Nott's a nightmare, I'm telling ya. He won't shut up during class or out of class. He hexed me and Dray all throat last night!" Reinhard exclaimed. Everyone frowned.
"What do you guys have next?" Fal asked Pansy, Ron and Maria.
"Transfiguration. What does McGonagall be like?" Maria replied.
"She's strict but clever," Hermione replied with a large smile.
"Gave us a lot of homework today if I'm not mistaken," Ron grumbled.
"So? It'll help," Hermione scoffed. Ron's eyes widened.
"With what?! Keeping me busy?! Cause yeah, it definatatly'll help with that alright!"
Just then a large flock of owls entered The Great Hall through windows. Pansy, Maria and Padma all jumped. Fal and Ron gasped. Adhara, Dray and Reinhard just stared up waiting for some bird business to land on their shoulders. Hermione covered her bushy head. It was then Ally Price came over and looked at them all smugly.
"It's post," She stated. "Do you not read Hogwarts, a History? Probably not,"
Hermione jumped off of her seat and rounded on Ally.
"Of course I have! I just haven't gotten that far yet! Perhaps you're not as brainy as you let on, hm, after all, aren't you a Slytherin!" Everyone watched wide-eyed. Hermione didn't seem the type to snap like that.
Ally shrieked. "Just because I'm a Slytherin doesn't mean I can't be brainy! And believe me, if I had a choice I would be in Ravenclaw right now!"
"Yes but you're not, are you? You didn't have a choice."
Ally looked as though she were about to explode any second.
"Anything wrong here ladies?" Came the strict voice of Professor McGonagall. Ally gathered herself.
"Yes, Professor McGonagall, I'm afraid there is," She started. Everyone- including Hermione- looked over to her to see what she could possibly say next. McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "She-" She pointed to Hermione, "-Said that I wasn't smart!"
"What! I never said that, I just said that you were not in Ravenclaw! Don't lie!" Hermione gasped. Ally ignored her, she turned to Professor McGonagall.
"Hermione never said Allison wasn't smart, Professor!" Falco butted in. There was a chorus of 'hm's' heard from the group.
McGonagall narrowed her eyes. "Ten points each from Ravenclaw and Slytherin for fighting and bickering," And with that, she just walked away before Ally could retort.
Allison Price turned around and glared at Hermione before marching back to the end of the Slytherin table. The Ravenclaws groaned, as well as the Slytherins.
Adhara, Pansy and Dray then realized that there was a letter in front of each of them. Adhara's grey eagle owl sat on the table beside her goblet of water looking hungrily at the plate with loaves of bread on top. Felix, Pansy's chestnut Tawny owl that she had gotten on the trip to Diagon Alley where Adhara had got her own also, was doing the same.
"Share one amongst yourselves," Pansy told the two.
Adhara ripped her letter open and saw that it was from her parents. Dray did the same, It was Tanner, while Pansy's was from her mum, Daneille.
"There's usually post in the morning, not in the afternoon..." Hermione trailed off before Adhara, Pansy and Dray could read any more of their letters, "Be right back, I'm going to ask Flitwi-"
"Did you honestly not hear?" A fifth-year asked the group, who shook their heads in response. "Dumbledores been checking the post, that's why it's late. He got people to look through the luggage, too!"
Everyone's eyes widened.
"How do you know?" Padma Patil asked.
"Rose March walked into her dorm last night and her luggage wasn't there, along with the rest of the girls in her years. A few moments later people came in carrying their luggage. The Order. One of them had a girls quill in their hand. They were muttering something about a secretive quill,"
Reinhard and Dray both looked at each other.
"OURS WAS MISSING THIS MORNING," Dray whisper-shouted.
"Your secretive quills?" Adhara and Pansy asked in union.
Dray nodded.
"Have any of you used your since you got here?" Reinhard asked the group. The fifth-year, Maria, Ron and Padma looked at them in shock. Everyone shook their heads.
"You had the secretive quills?"
"Yes, they were only in the shop in Diagon Alley. They cost a lot though," Adhara replied to Padma.
"I'm going to the common room to see if I still have mine after Potions, that is the last class isn't it?" Fal asked.
"Yep," Reinhard replied to his twin.
"I think I might do the same after I'm going to go look around the library. I'm going to the Transfiguration section. I need my match to turn into a full needle next class," Hermione said.
Pansy, Adhara and Dray continued to open up their letters and read them.
Mrs Ives was good since the morning before, as was Mr Ives. They were going to visit cousins Norean and Declan and their three children Kate, Lia and Isaac soon.
Tanner was good also. He said that he missed Dray, the house wasn't the same without him. Dray appreciated this, it made him feel wanted. He already felt like he was unwanted at Hogwarts. But not by his friend group. But by his house. Julia hadn't come home the night before. But that was normal, so Tanner said, she'd come back in a few days. The school was still as bad as ever for the eldest Muller brother. Although he was still hanging out with his friends Troy and Carter.
Pansy had just got a letter from her mother saying that the family was doing ok. Aunt Velma would be visiting next week, along with her husband, Vinny. Pansy and Nora didn't like Vinny, and they knew that Mum and Dad didn't either. Although they would never say that out loud.
Falco couldn't stop thinking about Dumbledore. Why did he want their secretive pens? And why on Earth would he be looking through all the students' post, the fifth year sounded shocked or surprised by the statement she made about him doing all those things, so it must have been the first time. Hermione had said that post was usually in the morning. What was so special about this year?
Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.
Once the class had walked in at first there was no teacher. Not fully understanding what to do, they took their seats. Adhara was in between Hermione and Terry Boot at the second row to the front. Falco sat behind them, with his twin Reinhard to his left, Stephen Cornfoot to his right. Dray was on the other side of Reinhard. Padma sat on the other side of Hermione.
A tall bat-like man with greasy hair then walked into the room, straight away Adhara, Rein and Fal had a feeling he didn't want to be there.
Immediately he made his way up to the top of the classroom and pulled out a piece of parchment and started to read it out. He started to take the register.
"Terry Boot," His voice sounded bored and dull.
"Here!"
"Mandy Brocklehurst,"
"Here, Sir,"
"Milicent Bulstrode," A large-boned girl spoke up next.
"Ye,"
"Yes, Sir," The professor corrected.
"Yes, Sir," She responded.
After a few more he got to Goyles name.
"Greggory Goyle,"
"Here, Sir,"
"Hermione Gra-" Snape looked up. It was the second one. It was Lucius' daughter. The second twin. She looked like both Andromeda and Medusa. She was still as pretty as a button. Just as all Malfoys were at that age. He had known he would have her this year. He had brought her twin to Diagon Alley and all, he had seen her being sorted. But he was finally seeing her up close. "Granger," He finished.
"I'm here professor," Snape could have smiled. Her voice was gentle. It reminded him of Narcissa's. His eyes widened slightly at the next name on the paper. He had seen her being sorted again.
"Adhara Ives," He heard his voice call out.
"Here, Sir," He looked up to see a spawn of both Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange. She had grown up from that little toddler who was always balanced on her mother or fathers hip and a little girl who wanted nothing more than to play with her house-elf. He wondered if she was still the little social butterfly she had been when she was three. A child who- along with her cousins Hermione and Draco- would call him Uncle Sev. He had thought Dumbledore would send her and the Carrow boy off to America. He found that out from McGonagall. The woman was highly against the whole thing, taking innocent children away from their children. Dumbledore finally decided that all the information wasn't safe with Minerva. He obliviated her, leaving her only with the knowledge that the children were alive.
"Rose Matheson," A small Slytherin girl responded with a small 'here'
"Lily Moon,"
"Dray Muller," The potions master called out the name of his godson. He didn't see a resemblance in Hermione and Draco- or Dray- in the slightest. Perhaps the same nose. But that was it.
"Falco Naylor," Snape remembered the shyest of the Lestrange twins. He was never really close at all with the boy. Snape was only ever close with three of the children, Adhara, Draco and Hermione.
"Oh, yes, um, here Professor," The boy responded quickly.
"Reinhard Naylor," Snape wondered what would happen when people began to realize that Reinhard was a name only really found in the Lestrange family. It was a name given to boys throughout generations in the family. Rodolphus and Rabastan's own father had the name. Dumbledore, the old git, didn't really think that one over. Although people would probably just brand it as coincidence.
"Here, Professor,"
The Potions Master inwardly sighed at the next name. "Theodore Nott,"
"Here, Sir," Theo replied cockily. Snape almost rolled his eyes.
"Padma Patil,"
"Allison Price," Ah, another one. Once again, he was never really close with this one, he didn't see her often either. Allison- or Alvara- could normally be found on her father, Kent Selwyn's, lap or with one of her sisters, Estelle or Clara. Severus wondered what those two would do now that their long lost sister was at Hogwarts. He hoped that they wouldn't tell her yet. The Dark Lord wasn't ready.
"I'm here, Professor Snape," The girl with light brown hair spoke up. Severus ticked her name.
"Lisa Turpin,"
"Here,"
"And Blaise Zabini,"
"Yep,"
Snape finished calling out the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Adhara's father's, but they had none of Jonathan's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," He began. Snape spoke barely higher than a whisper., but the class still caught every word. Like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little to none foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate powers of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to brew fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach," He looked at Crabbe and Goyle as he said the last part.
More silence followed this little speech. Dray and Reinhard exchanged looks along with raised eyebrows. Allison Price was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving she wasn't a dunderhead. The two hoped that she wouldn't lose Slytherin more points.
"Matheson!" Said Snape suddenly, looking at the Slytherin girl who was over beside Ally. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Hermione and Ally's hands shot up straight away.
Powdered root of a what to an infusion of what? Adhara thought.
"I don't know, sir," Rose Matheson replied.
"Pity," Snape sneered to the young Slytherin. "Let's try again... let's see... Patil, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Padma looked around nervously. She looked to Hermione and Adhara for help.
"Don't look at them, Patil. Just answer the question," Snape spat.
"I'm not sure, Professor,"
Snape tutted. "Has nobody opened a book before coming into this classroom?"
Adhara, Fal, Rein and Dray had looked at their books. But did Snape really expect them to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?
Snape ignored the two girls quivering hands.
"What's the difference between Monkshood and wolfsbane? Nott?" Theo and his friends stopped sniggering.
"Erm, what?"
"You heard me, Mr Nott,"
"I-I dunno,"
"It's I don't know, sir," Snape replied in a warning tone.
"I don't know sir," It was Dray and Reinhard's turn to chuckle quietly.
"Two points from Slytherin, one from Ravenclaw. That's for each person who couldn't answer a question correctly." The whole class groaned.
Ally finally had enough. "Professor, please, the answers are-"
"Make that three points from Slytherin, Ms Price. I suggest you sit down before I make it four," Snape glared at her. Rein and Dray both looked at each other and sighed.
"Does anyone have an answer to any of the previous questions?" Reinhard raised his hand slowly. "Mr Naylor?"
"I think asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion, it's really powerful, I think it's called Draught of the Living Death," Reinhard looked up at Snape and waited for another point to be deducted from his house.
"That is correct Mr Naylor, one point for Slytherin. Anymore?"
Reinhard stared up at the Potions Master. Dray grinned beside him. "Erm... is- is a bezoar, a stone taken from the stomach from a goat... that can- will save you from most poisons?"
"Yes, one point to Slytherin" Snape almost smiled at the boy, "and the last one?"
Rein paled. "I-I don't know, Sir,"
"That's alright, anyone else? Granger?"
"They are the same plant, they also go by the name of aconite," Hermione answered confidently.
"Good, one point to Ravenclaw, why aren't you all copying this down?"
The rest of the class went the same. Snape put the class into pairs. Adhara went with Hermione, Fal and Rein went together and Dray went with Terry Boot. Ally went with Lily Moon. Snape also set them mixing a simple cure for boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs. Criticising many of the students. Theo Nott and Lily Moon seemed to be his top two for this. Although he praised Dray, Hermione, Adhara and Blaise Zabini for the simplest things. Crabbe had somehow managed to melt Goyle's cauldron into a twisted blob and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class were standing on their stools while Crabbe, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.
"Idiot boy!" Snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added to the porcupine quills before the cauldron of the fire?"
Crabbe whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.
"Take him to the hospital wing, another point from Slytherin," Snape spat at Goyle. Reinhard groaned. That was one of the points he had earned gone. "And as for the rest of you, you can all sit back down, apart from those whose feet touched Vincent's potion, you come up here to me," Everyone sat back down on their stools in relief, apart from Mandy Brocklehurst and Tracey Davis, who needed to go up to Professor Snape due to their feet exploding with boils. They had to be helped up by fellow classmates.
After a few more accident-free minutes everything seemed to be going smoothly.
"How is everyone's potions doi-" Snape then heard the shatter of glass. "Wh-"
"Professor Snape, I feel dizzy..." Somebody yelled faintly. "I br- I broke the-the glass, I'm s-so sor-sorry," It was one of the Lestrange twins, Falco. He was panicking. Although Snape didn't know why, it wasn't like he would hit the boy. "Now, now boy, it's alright, can you stand?" Falco shook his head, he then collapsed against Reinhard, Dray put a hand under his shoulder to help him into a better position. Hermione and Parvati gasped. Adhara was awfully quiet.
Snape took a step forward. "You two," He looked at Reinhard and Dray, "Take him to the hospital wing, tell Madam Pomfrey what happe-"
"I'm sorry about the bottle," Falco whimpered. Everyone in the
The entire class was now staring.
"Don't worry about that, boy. It is only a bit of broken glass,"
"Professor Snape!" Snape swung around to see what Hermione could be yelling about. Adhara Lestrange was standing up, leaning against the table, eyes blank.
"Mrs Ives, are you alright?"
"I feel weird," She responded, her voice was small. She looked awfully pale.
Was this because of Crabbe's potion? It shouldn't be, these two were two of the farthest away from it, surely the others would be dropping like flies if it was because of the potion.
"Ms Granger, Ms Patil, please guide Ms Ives to the hospital wing along with Mr Muller and Mr Naylor. Quickly!"
Adhara stayed in her daze but started to speak nonetheless. "What about the potion?"
"I don't care about some silly old potion when you're in this condition girl! Go! Go!"
"Amycus! What on earth happened?!" Alecto Carrow raced into the hospital wing with a Ravenclaw girl called Taura Avery.
Her brother lay one of the many beds. Arm in a sling.
"No need to worry Alecto, just a few missing bones," The fifth-year Slytherin boy groaned.
"Missing?!" The fourth-year Avery girl shrieked. "How?!"
"Don't worry Pips. Pomfrey can grow the back in no time,"
"How did this happen, Am? and stop calling me Pips, I've told you so many times before!"
"You're brother happened, that's what. Threw a few curses at me so he did," The boy replied.
Taura raised her eyebrows playfully before bursting into laughter. "Well, I mean you do deserve it! For telling Orietta about his... problems!"
"Orietta is like a sister to me, Pips. You know that a pureblood, especially a Parkinson, such as herself deserved to know about your brother's mental state before locking herself in a marriage with him." Amycus shivered at the thought of his parents. His father was mental, perhaps that's where Alecto got it from. Who was he kidding of course it was. He had often pitied his mother, she had to live with a man like her husband. At least Amycus and Alecto got away when they left for Hogwarts. "Plus, I did her a favour, she's engaged to the Nott fellow, is she not? He'll go places, Taura. And no offence to your brother or anything, but Terence Avery is nothing compared to Ruben Nott!" Taura Avery glared at the eldest of the Carrow twins.
"Terence shall go places also!" Amycus gave her a look as if to say 'yeah right.' "Perhaps I should take a page out of Orietta's book, move onto another man," Amycus could have laughed.
"C'mon now, Pips, you know you love me," Taura smiled down at him in his sling.
"Yes, I do," She bent down and gave her husband to be a kiss. Alecto, who had been watching the whole ordeal, made a fake puking sound, which wasn't enough to break the couple from the kiss.
"Yeah so, I can see that Amycus is more than ok... And I just remembered that Narcissa wants me to do her hair... and I will... so bye," Alecto quickly stormed out of the room. The couple chuckled. Alecto didn't even know how to do hair.
"Madam Pomfrey! Madam Pomfrey!" Hermione yelled as the group of six children entered the hospital wing. Adhara had gone paler, and small drops of sweat could be seen on her forehead, she was leaning against . Falco looked like he would both get sick or pass out. The two of them were struggling to stay standing.
It was only their first day of classes and they had already managed to make a scene. The both of them were beyond embarrassed.
Madam Pomfrey rushed up to the two eleven-year-olds from where Crabbe was lying in a bed drinking some sort of strange liquid.
"What happened?!"
"They just started feeling like this out of nowhere during potions, Professor Snape told us to bring them here," Reinhard explained. His arm was flung tightly around his twin brother's shoulder. "You doing ok, Fal?" Falco didn't respond.
"Get them on a bed each, please," The nurse ordered right after she felt Adhara's pulse, which seemed to be ok.
The group obliged. Dray and Padma helped Adhara onto hers, while Hermione and Reinhard practically had to lift Falco onto the one beside Adhara's. Falco groaned when he banged his head on the pole of the bed.
"Sorry Fal," Hermione squeaked.
"My Gods, you're both burning up," Madam Pomfrey placed a cold cloth on Adhara and Falco's foreheads. "Out of nowhere, you say?" She asked the other four who were just standing at the side and watching.
Padma nodded.
"Well, I suggest the four of you head back to class, there's nothing else any of you can do here, I would say they'll be fine by tomorrow. I just have to see what is wrong with them," After a few more attempts, the nurse finally succeeded in shooing the kids out of the wing.
Not many people had found out what happened in Potions that day. Simply because it wasn't worth gossiping, it wasn't new for a student to randomly feel ill and leave class, it wasn't new for a student to fake either.
The group sat at the Ravenclaw table this time, two members short of their regular number. The Gryffindors were back.
"Did Madam Pomfrey say anything else?" Asked Boyet, genuinely worried.
"She said that she'll let us know when she knows what's wrong with them, that's pretty much it though," Said Dray as he spooned his soup into his mouth.
"There's Adhara's brother," Pansy looked up and saw Walsh Ives and his friends walking toward them.
"Have any of you seen my sister? I haven't seen her since lunch," He asked the group. Hank and Cormac were on each side of him.
"She's in the hospital wing," Cy replied simply, not really bothering to go over any details.
Walsh's eyes turned into plates. "What?! Why? Is she alright?"
"I think so, She and another guy in our year just felt a bit ill and dizzy during potions, we brought them both to Madam Pomfrey it should all be fine, though," Hermione responded, giving a comforting smile to the Ives boy afterwards.
"Do you know if Promfrey'll allow visitors?" Walsh asked as he scratched the side of his head.
"Probably, I dunno though, depends on how bad they are," Hermione responded.
Walsh thanked them and exited The Great Hall with Hank and Cormac in tow.
"I'll visit them later, I need to get Transfiguration homework done first," Hermione said. Pansy looked up from the pasta on her plate.
"Forget Transfiguration, I'm gonna visit them now," With that she, too, made her way out of the hall and presumably up to the Hospital Wing.
Poppy Pomfrey was flabbergasted. She had only ever seen something like this when students got themselves in duels and got carried away. She had never seen this with two brand new first years. Perhaps they were playing around with their new wands at home and accidentally cast the spell on themselves. But two children from the same household? It seems highly unlikely. The Ministry must have caught on if that was the case, or perhaps they were in charge.
Madam Pomfrey had finished giving Falco and Adhara their potions and gave them both a sleeping draught each to help them sleep through the night.
She was now making her way up to the Headmasters office to report her most recent discovery.
How the first years ended up in this situation was beyond her. Especially without anyone finding out.
She began to think. Adhara isn't much of a muggle name.
Her mind wandered to the second Naylor twin. Reinhard.
Yes, any bloke could put Rein and Hard together and name their child Reinhard. But with the very history of the name in the wizarding world, it was rare, especially for Clonny Naylor, a pureblood hater.
It wasn't hard for Poppy to put the pieces together as she made her way up one of the many staircases of the castle.
Twin boys. One with a name from one of Britain's purest Wizarding families. A name-Falco- descending from one one of the purest Wizarding families in France, the Cornillacs. The names descended from Falcis Cornillac, one of the first Ministers of Magic in France. The boys just so happened to be around the same ages as the Lestrange twins were said to have been if they were alive. They both had the Lestrange chocolate Brown hair, the Cornillac chestnut eye colour. Their so-called mother would do anything to 'get revenge' on a Pureblood, which could involve taking their children. And then there was the major red flag, Falco 'Naylor' had the Obliviate spell used on him. As did the girl, Adhara. Adhara is the name for one of the brightest stars in the galaxy, a star, giving the name to a constellation or a star was a tradition in the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. Perhaps it was a coincidence. But was it also a coincidence that the girl had the Lestrange chocolate brown hair and the Lestrange sapphire blue eyes? Perhaps. But surely it wasn't a coincidence that she looked exactly like both Rodolphus- with her eyes and hair- and Bellatrix- with her fine jawline and sharp cheekbones, then there was the smile of Anabel Lestrange- whom Poppy had only ever seen at a Saint Mungo's charity event- She had noticed this during the Sorting Ceremony, but had brushed it off, The button nose of the Rosiers- Druella Black to be exact- belonged to the girl also. The evidence was uncanny. Especially the fact that the children had been obliviated for at least seven years, the amount of time that the children of the horntail attack had been dead for. The children's magical core had been damaged. They had- in Madam Pomfrey's mind- been raised to the age of three around their parent's magical energy/aura, they had grown used to it, once they were taken away and Obliviated their cores had to get used to the lack of magical ability that was radiated around them, the Ives/Lestrange girl was lucky, she had the Walsh boys energy to keep her magical core stronger than the others', The Lestrange boy was quite the same since Clonny Naylor and his twin brother had magical aura's, But Clonny Naylor was said to hardly use magic, his twin and Clonny weren't nearly as much as Rabastan and Isadore might have done, Their cores had grown used to little to no magic in their surroundings. That's why the two had grown ill. Their magical cores were overwhelmed with the amount of magical energy being radiated from the same area. Their bodies had been trained to not accept the amount of magic they were taking in. Poppy was sure that the second twin would soon start to feel the same as his brother and might-be cousin soon enough, she was sure of it. The same went for whatever child was kept hidden.
Madam Pomfrey knew that she was smart, but even she was surprised with the number of pieces she had managed to piece together.
"Lemon Sherbet," She spoke. The statue of Dumbledors office opened. Madam Pomfrey descended the spiral staircase quickly, just waiting to tell the Headmaster about what she had discovered, surely he could take this opportunity to make amends with the so-called Death Eaters. Surely they would be beyond grateful for Albus Dumbledore, the leader of what the people nicknamed 'the light', giving them, the enemy, their missing children back. Poppy had never taken sides in the first wizarding war. She had believed that both sides were both wrong and right, while she didn't support the 'dark sides' view on blood purity, the light had turned it into so much more than it was. They hadn't believed that muggle-borns should be killed, while few of them didn't mind a bit of play or crucio here and there. They just wanted the families who had grown up in the wizarding world from children to hold higher ranks of power. The so-called light had wanted to downgrade the older pureblood or even half-blood families to punish them for their ancestors' mistakes, they had also tried to introduce a law that allowed muggle-borns to be tracked down from a very young age and given to a new and magical family. Madam Pomfrey, however, chose the school.
Magical children were the rarest of gifts in their world, with most families being able to only conceive and carry to term one or two children in their lifetime. Children were sacred to them, with crimes against them being of the foulest in their society, especially now in light of the dwindling population. The Weasleys had been lucky.
"Albus,"
"Ah, Madame Pomfrey, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Dumbledore greeted as he sat at his desk with a twinkle in his eye.
"I'm not sure if you've heard, but two first-years have recently fallen ill," Madam Pomfrey took the seat in front of the desk.
Dumbledore's smile faltered for a second. "Ah, yes. Ms Ives and Mr Naylor. How are they doing anyway?"
"They'll be better by tomorrow evening, Albus, but I'm here for more than just to update you on their health, I've made a discovery,"
Albus internally sighed, she knew, some way or another, she knew. "Oh?"
Madam Pomfrey nodded.
"And what would this discovery be? Madam?"
Madam Pomfrey told Headmaster Dumbledore everything she knew and how Dumbledore could make amends with the Death Eaters and how he could save the twins from the horrors of Clonny Naylor and her horrid husband. Dumbledore listened in silence.
"No," He replied simply. Poppy looked flabbergasted.
"I-I beg your pardon" She shuttered.
"Do you honestly believe that we could give children back to the followers of the Dark Lord, do you, Poppy?"
"Oh but Albus they're children, they cannot help who their parents are! They deserve to be with their real family, their family deserves to be with them!"
"That's exactly the thing, Madam, They are children, they simply cannot be put in that kind of environment. You know that the Dark Lord will be the cause of their corruption, they won't belong to themselves anymore. They'll be pushed into an arranged marriage or be forced to take the Dark Mark, and if they refuse they'll be disowned. Is that really what you want to put them true? Who do you think took them away in the first place?" Madam Pomfrey stared at Albus Dumbledore. Did he just say-
"W-What?!"
She could have sworn that she saw a small grin play across Dumbledore's lips. "Tea, Madam?"
Another few hours had passed in the Hospital Wing. It was now after hours. The sky was dark outside. Madam Pomfrey had left for a bit, but Fal and Adhara were visited by Professor Flitwick and Professor Snape had been to visit, but they were the only people allowed.
The two were still weak, they had started to develop headaches and cramps, Adhara had started to vomit and Fal had constipation. Their temperature had died down. And their dreams had gone weird like many peoples' did when they were sick.
Professor Flitwick had assured them that there was no need to be embarrassed, that the people who did know had thought that it was just nerves.
Snape had come to do the same thing, he also told them that they would probably miss all the classes the next day, but assured them that the rest of the teachers understood.
This was unfortunate for the two, they would be missing their first day of Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts. When Adhara told Snape that she was looking forward to Defence Against the Dark Arts, Fal agreed. But Snape scoffed.
He left then, Fal swore that he heard him muttering something along the lines of 'He'll just get his hand on you sooner'
When Falco told Adhara this she just brushed it off and went back to bed. Soon enough, Fal did the same.
It was now around two, he had just woken up again. He stared at the ceiling of the hospital wing for a while, Crabbes snores sounded throughout the wide and echoey room.
He thought about Clonny Naylor and Mr Naylor. He thought about how he didn't even remember what the main part of the house had looked like. Clonny had made the twins stay in the attic all day and night. She only let them out three times a day so they could use the toilet and brush their teeth and when she needed them to go out with her to the shop or Diagon Alley, the twins hadn't been aware they were even wizards until their letters arrived. They knew Clonny was a witch, though. He thought about how much he didn't want to ever go home to the Naylor household. Adhara had talked to him about inviting him, Dray- they had become aware of his situation also- and Rein over for the Summer. They were each beyond grateful. He thought about how Hermione had stayed silent during those conversations, he wondered if the same things had been happening to her, probably not. Hermione had told them some stories of when she was a child. Her parents seemed to love her.
It was around half two in the morning when Madam Pomfrey got back after around forty-five minutes. She couldn't see Falco's open eyes from behind the pile of covers, but he could see her. He saw that she was pale, she gave Adhara's sleeping form a sad and pitiful look, then she gave Fal one, but a bit more pity in her eyes.
This left Fal slightly panicked. Were they going to die? Were they really that badly ill? Surely Madam Pomfrey would have woken them up or told people by now, wouldn't she?
The day had finally arrived. Bellatrix' graduation was finally here.
She looked around for what might very well be around her dormitory.
Viola and Yvonne were already down in the common room.
Each of the three girls was delighted to discover that each of their bethroited shall be coming to their graduation. Rodolphus- who was only a year out of Hogwarts- was coming to see Bellatrix and talk her to Hogsmeade afterwards. Kent Selwyn- who was also only a year out of Hogwarts- was going to bring Viola off to Diagon Alley. Then there was Yvonne who would be visited by Walden Macnair, this meeting would be their third encounter. Yvonne and Walden's relationship had not yet blossomed like Bellatrix and Viola's had. They had much respect for each other, yes, but they weren't quite smitten yet.
Bellatrix and Rodolphus' wedding had to be postponed due to the uproar of Andromeda's relationship with Ted Tonks, a mudblood. The Daily Prophet had been going mad about the blood traitors disownment. Every morning for the first two months after Andromeda's disownment had a new headline on the Noble house of Black. Things got worse for the family nearer to the time of the union of the House of Lestrange and the House of Black. Purebloods were beginning to question the Black's beliefs. After all, how could a pureblood who was set to marry Thorfinn Rowle want to marry somebody else with such dirty blood? It had taken a public statement and many dinner parties for the pureblood community to believe that the Blacks were as strict when it came to blood purity as ever.
Bellatrix had been the one to burn Andromeda off the family tree. She could never forgive her sister for such a heinous crime that could very well have ruined the family's reputation. Not to mention she had ruined her and Rodolphus wedding, although both Anabel and Druella had promised them that this one would be better than the other one would have been.
"Bellatrix," A soft voice came from the doorway. "Can I talk to you for a second,"
Bellatrix turned around to see her youngest and only sister, Narcissa Black, at the doorway.
"Of course, Cissy, always,"
Narcissa walked in slowly and sat on the green sheeted bed. She was silent for a few seconds.
"Not always," She said suddenly.
"What?"
"Not always,"
"What do you mean, Narcissa?"
"I can't always come and talk to you," Narcissa kept her head low, looking down at her shoes.
"Of course you can, why couldn't you?"
"You'll be moving away after the wedding, to Lestrange Manor, that's all the way in Cornwall."
Bellatrix finally understood. "Cissa, all it takes is a simple floo, Black's Reach and Lestrange Manor are both connected to it,"
"Yes but... you won't have time, Bella. You'll be, you know-"
"Fighting with the dark lord," Bellatrix finished for her.
Narcissa nodded.
"Narcissa Persephone Black, I will always have time for you, you're my sister."
Narcissa smiled slightly up at Bellatrix.
"You say that now but-"
"Narcissa! Please, I promise you,"
"What will I do, Bellatrix?"
Bellatrix was lost again. "What?"
"When you're not here, what will I do about Andromeda? I've always been the weak one, she's definitely come up and beg for my forgiveness,"
"Isn't it obvious," The eldest scoffed, "Narcissa, you either ignore her or you hex her, simple,"
"Yes, but I'll get in troub-"
"That doesn't matter Narcissa! The worst they can do is expel you. They wouldn't do that though, would they? And if they do, it'll only be a matter of time before father comes in, he had friends in the Ministry,"
Narcissa nodded blankly. She seemed to hesitate to say what she would say next. "Do you... wish it never happened? Andromeda's betrayal that is,"
Bellatrix, too, hesitated. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't, but I'd also be lying if I said I did." Narcissa gave her a questioning look. "I mean, Andromeda must have always been a blood traitor, right? It seems logical. But we just didn't know, so for that, I'm glad she's gone. But I do wish she was never a blood traitor if that's what you mean,"
Narcissa nodded. "I feel the same,"
Bellatrix scoffed.
"What?"
"You miss her, Narcissa, genuinely, you miss her,"
Narcissa sighed and nodded.
"We best be going to the Great Hall now, shouldn't we? Maybe you should be going with Lucius, he's graduating, too, you know?"
"No, Bellatrix, I want to go with you," Narcissa said simply, "Lucius has already said he doesn't mind. I want to go with you, you're my sister."
A whole day passed in the hospital wing. The two first-year Ravenclaws were finally allowed, visitors. Pansy and Walsh had been two of the first. Walsh stayed for a full hour- this action made him late for History of Magic.
Pansy had arrived with two things, two hand-made 'get well soon' cards that she had tried to charm to change all the colours of the rainbow but only managed to change to red and purple, and upsetting news. Her secretive quill had disappeared also. Reinhard had come later with Dray. They had been permitted by Snape to miss History of Magic. Hermione came in afterwards, she came in with two Ravenclaw blankets to keep them warm, but she ,too, had her quill stolen. She told them all about what was going on in the classes that they were missing. Cy and Boyet came in during dinner. They had both lost their quills also, and Boyet told the two about what happened with his sister, Rose. Ron and Daphne came in next, they brought with them four boxes of Chocolate frogs and two boxes of Berty Bott's Every Flavour Beans. They each had one frog and shared the Berty Bott's between two, the four were soon joined by Maria and Parvati, Parvati had already written out all Fal and Adhara had missed that day and what to read to help them catch up. The two were already bursting to go to the library.
And now finally, yet again, it was after hours. Crabbe had been allowed to go back to classes that morning. Now it was eleven pm.
It seemed as though Madam Pomfrey had been watching them all day, while that was her job. It felt a bit more than that. It seemed as though she were waiting for someone to jump out and take them both. This made Fal feel uneasy
"How are the two of you doing now?" She asked them both.
"I still have a bit of a headache. But that's it," Adhara murmured softly.
"I feel better," Fal stated. He did not feel better. His cramps were still darting in his shoulder. He just wanted to go back to the warmth of the Ravenclaw common room. The warmth of his own bed.
Madam Pomfrey looked down at them both for a minute. "Alright, I think you'd be fit to attend classes tomorrow,"
"Can we please go back to our Common Room then, Madam Pomfrey? It's not too far from here, and we know how to get in," Adhara pleaded.
The nurse's eyes widened. "My dears! It's eleven in the night, you don't expect me to-"
"Oh please, Madam Pomfrey, we're feeling better and we've been here ages. It would be so much easier tomorrow morning if we could just wake up in our Common Room than to have to go all the way there in the morning to get our stuff for class," Falco joined in.
Madam Pomfrey paused for a second. "Oh, Alright then, you two go straight there now, you hear me, I'll write you both a note so that you won't get in trouble with Filch. And please, if you feel in any way unwell, please come here,"
"Yes Madam Pomfrey," The two said in unison.
The halls of Hogwarts were dark and eerie after hours. The only form of light in the castle was the dimly lit torches and the moon's light radiating from outside the glass windows. The two children shivered as they walked through the halls. One thing was for sure, the castle didn't have radiators.
"A-Are you sure y-you know the r-r-right way to the C-Common Room?" Fal asked Adhara.
"Yes, we just have to go through a few hallways and up a large marble stairca- Rein?! Dray?! Wha- what are you two doing?!" They came to a halt as they turned a corner. It was Reinhard and Dray. Dray was holding a lantern in his hand. They were both dressed in their Slytherin robes. They both looked wide-eyed at the other two, both of whom looked wide-eyed at them
"No need to panic," Dray whispered. "We're only going to duel Theodore Nott,"
What they didn't know was that this was going to be a long night.