The feeling of warmth pooled around me, I sighed in satisfaction and outstretch my hands to click all the kinks that had formed in my body. But my face turns into a scowl as a light switches on in my head and all I can feel is a deep pressure building up from within. I open my eyes to the blinding white lights of the infirmary. The stark white walls washing my eyeballs clean. I try to sit up but fail miserably as the notion makes my head feel dizzy. I slump back into the bed and wished I had savoured the warm feeling I had experiences just moments ago, allowed it to engulf me whole and stayed in a warm slumber of external heat.
"Ari… glad to see you have decided to join us in the conscious world." I scowl at the shrouded figure standing ominously at the foot of my bed.
"Nice to see you too, professor Snape." I retort. Wincing as I force myself into a sitting position. McGonagall and Dumbledore peer over at me from three beds down. I try to see who they're sat with but honestly, I already know it's Harry, from what I've gathered from the stories I have heard, ending up in the infirmary at the end of a school year is an annual tradition of Harry's.
I turn back around towards Snape and open my mouth to begin saying something, however he had already stalked off, his robes swishing around his feet as he left. My headmaster and head of house take up the space that Snape had left. "How are you feeling dear?" McGonagall inquires first.
"Snape has been kind enough to brew you a potion that will help elevate the symptoms of a concussion, do drink up." Dumbledore chimes in, nodding his head in the direction of a small glass vile on the dresser next to me. The contents of the vile consisted of an iridescent purple syrup with tiny gold fleck in it that seemed to catch the sunlight ever so, pretty, I thought. McGonagall brings the vile to my lips and tips the content into my mouth all in one go. I yak and double over. Disgusting. How can something so pretty taste like that? Like mud and burnt hair.
Dumbledore chuckles at my reaction and I'm tempted to shoot him daggers for finding my misery comical, but I contain myself. Harry hobbles over and sits himself on the end of my bed. He stares intently into my face, searching for any signs of injury. I smile slightly awkwardly, having someone analyse the condition of your face would make anyone feel uncomfortable.
"Professors…" Harry begins. "I wonder if sending Aria to the Malfoys is the wisest of decisions." His voice gets quitter as he finishes his sentence, the prospect that he is defying the decisions of his Professors dawning on his.
"Harry." Dumbledore begins. "It is not a matter of wise or unwise, it is a matter of law. Aria is legally under the care of the Malfoys until she comes of age." Harry sighs.
"But professor"
"No buts Potter, this is not only out of our hands but if we were to attempt at hiding Miss Seraphine away, not only would the Malfoys do everything in their power to bring her home, they would cause devastating repercussions on any of those affiliated." McGonagall cuts in.
"Yes but-"
"No buts Harry." I firmly state. "if I go missing the first person that would suffer as a consequence would be Remus, and I refuse, absolutely refuse, to cause him any harm." I stay, my voice rising an octave. Harry opens his mouth to interject again. "Plus, I have already agreed to going along with this, and after everything that I saw, I am going to do everything in my power to help, to stop them and to bring justice to Sirius. You can't stop me Harry." I look over at him and he looks dejected, the mention of his now deceased Godfather must have caused him to pull such a face and my heart genuinely hurt from looking at him like that. But I was speaking my truth, and for that I cannot be sorry.
I look over at Dumbledore and there is a twinkle in his eyes, pride was apparent in the way he looked at me and for a second I felt kind of honoured. "Just like you mother, adamanet on doing things your way, I must say, it is an aspect of you mother I respected." I smile but focus my attention on Harry. I lean forward and engulf my friend in a tight embrace, it was what he needed, in all honesty it was what I needed too.
For a second Harry is shocked, but quickly regains his stature, reciprocating my show of affection. His head is on my shoulder and I put my hand on the back of his head, patting gently. I hear the silent retreat of our professors footsteps but make no attempt to leave Harrys side. I would stay like this for as long as Harry needed me.
The next few days consisted of farewells and good riddance's. farewell to all those I had met this year and good riddance to homework and exams. Although I was surrounded by friendly and familiar faces, the one face I was searching for was nowhere to be found. Draco. I even ventured into the Slytherin dungeons and walked very slowly in the hopes that I would bump into him, but with no such luck.
As we boarded the Hogwarts express, its black and red body glistening in the sun, I walked passed a compartment of Slytherins and spied the very snake I had been searching for. I lingered in the doorway. Hoping he would notice me and approach me first, but to no avail.
An older Ravenclaw boy grew inpatient behind me and shoved his way passed, causing me to stumble slightly. I caught myself on the glass of the door with a loud thud. When I pushed the hair out of my face I noticed the entire compartment of snakes staring at me, mostly in disdain. I cleared my throat and continued over to my own compartment where I knew friendly faces awaited me.
"Ari!" my face lights up as I enter a more Gryffindor orientated cabin. I place myself between my favourite twins and the two boys put one arm each around me.
"Hello boys." I reply back in a sing song voice. "And girl." Noting Hermione sat in the corner with her head in the book I had lent her for the summer. I also note that Ron and Harry were sat in with us and I let myself melt into the background as a I savoured the idle chit chat of my friends, fully aware that this sort of atmosphere would be hard to secure over the coming weeks.
I must have zoned out because when I finally focus in on the compartment I realised all eyes are on me. "Ari…" I smile over at Harry.
"mmm" I reply, still slightly dazed.
"You're not going to be able to communicate with us for the rest of the summer, we may be able to if we devise a plan that is undetectable to the dark ones, but so far we have nothing concrete." I sigh very deeply.
"Yes Harry, I'm well aware that you will all be abandoning me." I say in a theatrical tone. Throwing my head back in mock sadness.
"We're not abandoning you!" he retorts.
"Do you think we want you to go into that vultures nest for the entire summer." Hermione chimes in.
"We would rather you come back to the burrow, help us make this ones life hell." George says exaggeratedly, taking his arm away from around me to pat his younger brother on the shoulder in a rather rough gesture of brotherly love. I laugh at the comradery.
"On a serious note Ari." Fred begins. "Gilderoy Lockhart is coming out with new book, a new auto biography, it's meant to be a true depiction of his life. When he comes to do a book signing in Diagon Alley, I want you to come, we'll go to, you can see us, it may be your only opportunity to communicate with us for the whole of the summer." Fred finishes in a hushed tone.
"That's brilliant Fred, why didn't I think of that?" Hermione practically gasps.
"Steady on Hermione, I do have the occasional moment of sheer brilliance." Fred grins back like a Cheshire cat.
"I will-"
"ahem." My sentence is short lived. I turn to the entry way and spy a steely pair of eyes set in grimace. "Seraphine, come and speak to me for a moment."
"Ask her politely, Malfoy." Fred interjects.
"Why don't you mind you own business, Wesley." Draco fires back. I roll my eyes. There was only so much contempt I could handle. I remove Fred's arm from around my shoulder and assure my group of friends that I would be back in only a moments time.
As I walk out of the compartment, Draco stalks ahead, clearly not wanting to be seen walking with me. I roll my eyes again but follow a few steps behind. I see him slip seamlessly into a side booth and I look around to make sure no one is watching before I follow suit.
I walk in to find Draco already sat by the window, taking in the scenery. "Take a seat." He gestures flippantly to the seat in front of him. I shrug and place myself there. "I just wanted to talk… before we go home I mean." Draco begins.
"So talk." I shoot back.
He looks up at me this time. "Ari… when he get there, you need to be careful." He says, almost pleadingly.
"Careful of what?" I inquire.
"that doesn't matter right now, just… do as your told, don't question anything. No matter what, just keep your head down and do as your told, please." Wow, please? What had gotten into him.
He wasn't looking at me, and instead rested his elbows on his knees and had his hands clasped together, looking down on the floor. I leaned forward and rested my hand on his. "Draco… who do I need to be careful of?" I ask a little more softly, trying to coax the answer out of him.
He looks up at me this time and his steely eyes lock with my hazel irises. "Everyone." He whispers, and he visibly gulps, causing his adam's apple to bob up and down. I feel threatened, not by him but by his words. So much fear laced his words and I was almost to scared to delve any deeper. We sit there in a stony silence for a minute, our eyes interlocked, so many things unsaid sat on the cusp of our lips.
I want to prod more, I want to comprehend the situation I was about to enter. But this train ride was going to be the last enjoyable moment of the rest of my summer, and I intended to enjoy it. I retreat first and slowly stand.
"Look Draco, I don't know what you're scare of but I-"
"It's not what, but who." He says in barely a whisper.
"What?" I inquire, I didn't quite catch what he had just said but he simply shakes his head slightly and laughs.
"Nothing, Ari." I smile at him slightly and leave him to enjoy the rest of the scenery.