Maria let her eyes closed and inhaled deeply, the memory so vivid and yet non-existent. No one could know, not Hermione, Harry or Ron, but especially not Draco. She saw Lucius' face sneering, commanding and controlling her. She fell once more into sleep, waking in time for breakfast. Someone had brought her clean underwear, a pair of trousers, a t-shirt and a jumper (sweater). She smiled gratefully and pulling the curtains; dressed.
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Stepping through the portrait she saw Harry and Ron.
"Maria, how are you?" Ron asked.
"Better, where's 'Moine?" she queried.
"That's nice isn't it Ronnikins? No how are you or...."
"Shut up, Fred. If you keep it up you'll never leave this castle." Ron reprimanded.
"That hurt, besides, what use are NEWT's when we set up our own business?" Maria rolled her eyes.
"Ron, Harry, how are you?" she smiled.
"I'll be much better when my dear brothers leave." Maria laughed but the stabbing pain restricted her.
"Makes a change others being attacked by dark magic," Harry said.
"Yeah, it comes with the territory of being friends with ol' Harry Potter, here." Ron grinned.
"Hmm, or enemy," she muttered. "I'm starved let's eat. Hermione!"
"No, I've some arithmancy to do. But go ahead,"
"Hermione, you are the strangest person I've met, it's Sunday and you're still working!" Fred replied.
"Yes well, at least I'm hoping to pass my NEWT's first time," the girl replied frustrated.
"That hurt, we're deeply wounded. We can't help it if we're just academically challenged," George countered.
"Whatever," with that she slammed a large book down and began to scrawl on a piece of parchment. The others looked at one another and shrugged before departing.
Once Hermione was sure they had gone she picked up a different book and opened it at a marked page. It displayed a large family tree.
"Camea, Camea. Ah," her finger flew over the page and came to rest on the name Camea Madille....
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The school was buzzing at the news of black magic happening within Hogwarts grounds. Maria had become a celebrity with everyone except the Slytherins. Dumbledore wished to talk with her after breakfast so she went to his office while the others returned to the common room.
"Maria, do you have any description of who attacked you?" he asked slowly.
"No, the spell hit me from behind. I know we shouldn't have been in the astronomy tower at all."
"No, Miss Bristol you shouldn't have been, but I realise that you are teenagers and you will do what you will. My only concern is why attack you? And, why they were in the astronomy tower?"
"Sir, if you're think it was Draco, you are mistaken. He didn't even have his wand with him," she said quietly staring intently at the stone.
"I do not doubt that, thank you." Maria smiled and taking that as a dismissal went to collect her cloak before the quidditch match between Slytherin and Ravenclaw.
Harry and Ron had opted to not watch Slytherin crush Ravenclaw choosing instead to write their transfiguration essay instead. Hermione was still pouring over her arithmancy so Maria went allow; besides they still believed it was Draco who'd attacked her.
The match started with Ravenclaw getting an early lead before Slytherin reverted to their usual, violent tactics. The score was 40-70 to Slytherin when Draco darted downwards and then stopped placing his feet firmly on the ground. He'd caught the snitch; Maria cheered but received funny looks from both the Ravenclaws and Slytherins. She left the stands and waited by the exit from the pitch for him. His teammates snubbed her, but he greeted her with a timid kiss to the cheek.
"Malfoy are you coming?" Bole a member of the team asked.
"Yes, I'll be there in a minute," the team left him celebrating, when three Gryffindors approached....
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Hermione sat staring at the page, she jumped when Ron tapped her shoulder.
"Ron, don't do that!" she scolded.
"Sorry, have you finished with those numbers?" he asked. His answer was not quite what he expected, Hermione snatched up the book and dragged him to the boys dormitory. Harry out of utter confusion followed when Ron shouted, "Have you flipped?"
She dropped the book on Harry's bed and sat down by it.
"Look at this," Hermione said re-opening the book.
"What?" the boys questioned.
"This," she pointed at the name below Camea Madille.
"It says Cintadel Beausquet, so?" Ron replied.
"Ron, that is Maria," she stated.
"She barking, Harry we need to get her some help."
"No, we need to talk to Maria."
"Oh great you're both talking in code," but they all got up, Hermione picking up Maria's photo album and headed down to the quidditch pitch.