With or Without You

A Harry Potter Fanfiction: Book Five

1.

Aurelia Aquila Riddle sighed for the fifth time in two minutes. Chase Axel Solomon, her boyfriend, glanced over.

"Well, Sparky, Harry says a new DADA Professor is coming to Hogwarts. I'm guessing it's someone that's close to the Ministry. And that only leads to one person. Professor Dolores Umbridge." Chase groaned. His mother, Mrs Solomon, had taught them about the people most likely to be principal if Professor Dumbledore suddenly left.

"Want to visit Mr Draco Lucius Malfoy and Miss Pearl Florence Sparks?" Aurelia nodded. Her ex-boyfriend and bestie! They had to have a meeting on what to do now Lord Voldemort was back.

2.

A last-minute change made the meeting spot become a dandelion field. That very field was where many memories were stored. The four kids had hung out in all their years of Hogwarts together here.

"Well, Aurelia and I have some news. We've been made prefects. Me for the Ravenclaw house and Aurelia for Slytherin." Aurelia grinned.

"Well, Pearlie is going to be a Ravenclaw prefect as well! I'm a Slytherin prefect." Aurelia felt uncomfortable. Draco was her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend. Nothing had gone well after they broke up. Blaise and Pansy had got together. They felt that Aurelia had been unfair to Draco. Now, all three of them were being bullies to Aurelia.

She was no longer happy with Draco. She had done even better than him on the Quidditch field, but Gryffindor always won the House Cup. Draco always said it was because Aurelia was nothing and should be kicked out of the team.

Pearl noticed. She said to Draco, "Ferret, Lia and I are going to go have a talk. Stay with Chase, okay?" Draco looked cold but smirked.

Pearl, with a white skirt and shirt ran across the waving dandelions. She beckoned to Aurelia, hiding under the silky willow leaves of a willow tree. Before, Aurelia had named this tree her comfort place. So, she came into her secret hideout with her best friend. Pearl smiled warmly.

"Who cares about Draco? I mean, I do. But you have to let go. Ignore his dumb remarks." Aurelia nodded. Pearl took out a small dandelion. "Here, make a wish and blow. Aurelia obliged.

She blew the small seeds off the stalk. She made a wish. For something good, something that affected the while wizarding world. Pearl looked at the seeds flying away. "What did you wish for, Lia?"

Aurelia came out of the willow leaves. Pearl followed. "I wished... that those dandelions would make a new patch. At Hogwarts. To remind everyone that peace is coming."

"And peace will stay until the end of time."

3.

The Hogwarts train was also filled with memories. Aurelia sat with Chase, just the both of them. She looked out the window. She remembered the first time she went on this train. With Cadence. And Theo. And Draco, Blaise and Pansy. Now, all of them were gone. Theo hadn't come back to Hogwarts. He wanted to live his own life. Chase smiled beside her. His aqua eyes were just as beautiful as ever.

"Memories are amazing, Aurelia. But sometimes, you have to leave them behind. In the stars." When she first wrote to Tom Riddle. He was funny. He sent a picture of him through the old diary pages. Her own grandfather. She thought he was handsome. But she knew the reason she kept writing to him. Tom Riddle and she were both lonely.

Third Year was great. But Cadence died. And Theo's own brown eyes were dull. After that, Draco and she got closer than ever. And in Fourth Year, Draco and she got together. Then... IT TOOK HIM LESS THAN A WEEK TO GET WITH PEARL. Aurelia's tears ran down her face.

But nothing could stop anyone from going away from her. It was just Aurelia Aquila Riddle on her own. With, or without anyone, she was still a Riddle. With or without anyone, Aurelia was still alone.

4.

Professor Umbridge was cruel. It wasn't even the middle of the year and Harry's hand was bleeding because of her. Chase and Aurelia went out for the occasional date at Hogsmeade, but they were still going strong as prefects. A lot of the time, when Aurelia was on her Prefect Duties, Draco, Blaise and Pansy always came up to her.

"Snarky, you have done with your useless work yet?" Draco grinned evilly. Pansy smiled back.

"Hey! You going to answer Malfoy? Even that Sparks girl is better than you!" Draco shot a glare at Pansy.

"I like her. But let's not go off subject. Anyway..." Draco smirked wider. Blaise looked actually sorry.

"Sorry, Pansy and I have a date at the Astronomy Tower. Sorry, Malfoy." Blaise and Pansy left.

Once they were alone, Draco pinned her to a wall. "Look into my eyes." Aurelia realised his stormy eyes were full of love. "Kiss me. Please. I'll stop bullying you." Aurelia did. Draco was a traitor. Not just to Aurelia. To Pearl. To any other girl he had dated. Astoria. Daphne.

Aurelia was a prefect, but she was hiding out with Harry, Hermione and Ron. They had started Dumbledore's Army. Every two days or so, they met up in the Room of Requirement. Pearl joined, with Fred and George. And Neville, Luna, Cho, Colin Creevey and more! Spells were tried. Chaos started. It was almost always fun and games. They found out what their Patronuses were. Aurelia's and Chase's were owls. The others thought this was because they were soulmates. Pearl was still undecided.

"Lia, help Neville with doing the Accio spell please?"

That is, till Umbridge's squad of Prefects stormed in. They were now the Inquisitorial Squad. Aurelia was supposed to be on the other side of the room, fighting the people she liked the most. Chase grabbed her arm and ran off, dragging her away.

"Sparky! Stop. Please."

"No. Aurelia, why join them?"

"I thought we were defeating Voldemort. Have you suddenly, CHANGED SIDES?" Aurelia's voice echoed. "Now, they're going to take Professor Dumbledore away!"

"So? You've got your Professor Snape. I've got Umbridge. SO WHAT?"

Aurelia didn't know what to say.

5.

Umbridge had been here more than half a year. Dumbledore was gone. Because of Aurelia's team. Her team. Aurelia felt emptier than ever. She was a part of the Inquisitorial Squad. She couldn't join Harry's cause with the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore's Army was going to attack the Ministry in a few months. Chase had persuaded her to join Umbridge. But it was a little too late. Umbridge had stripped Aurelia of Quidditch, so Draco was now a Seeker.

Aurelia didn't stand it. She couldn't stand it. So, one day, she stormed up to Umbridge. "Seriously? Professor Dolores Umbridge, what have you done? Voldemort is back! And you- you're not doing anything? You can't even teach Defence Against the Dark Arts properly!" Umbridge merely smiled sweetly.

"Detention at five tonight, Miss Riddle."

Detention hurt. Genuinely hurt. Blood spilled onto the table. Words were carved into her left hand, the hand she used for writing. I will never lie about anything, with or without you. Umbridge yawned. "Detention done. Leave, Miss Riddle." Aurelia glared and left. Chase waited for her outside. "Love, what did she make you do?" Chase was unknowing about Umbridge's punishments. "Nothing. Just simple lines." But Chase noticed something. Her left hand bled profusely. Her right hand was also covered in blood from staunching the wound.

"She made you write in blood! Your blood!" Chase had a 180IQ. He could figure things out in five seconds. Aurelia sadly nodded. "Finally. Something to get out of the Inquisitorial Squad!" So, the two got out of the Squad and joined Dumbledore's Army just in time for the Ministry Attack.

6.

Before the Ministry attack, Aurelia, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Pearl and Chase met with the Order of the Phoenix. The season of winter had just passed. Aurelia remembered all the good times Dumbledore's Army had had. There were snowball fights...

"FRED WEASLEY! I'll get you back for that!" George threw a giant snowball at Fred's auburn hair. Aurelia laughed her head off, only getting a kiss from Chase. Luna smiled at them, then patted an invisible Thestral. Aurelia could see them as well. She had seen death before. Pearl hugged Draco, then kissed him on the lips. "Pearlie... your lips are cold. You look sick. Should we go back to the Ravenclaw dorm?" Pearl nodded, then the couple left.

"I got the Butterbeer, Lia." Chase went to their table. He popped the lid. Chase poured it into two cups. "Lia. Did you hear about Harry and Cho? They broke up after a few days!" Aurelia nodded. But she was looking at Draco and Pearl who were sharing a kiss under the mistletoe decorations of the Three Broomsticks. "Oh. Never mind, Lia. It doesn't matter if I'm not good enough. Friends is a good way to leave it."

"No, Chase. I love you. Draco took the world off my shoulders.. But perfect doesn't mean it's working. Every single moment I was with him, I wished it was you."

Chase moved in and kissed her. It was beautiful. It was love.

7.

Coming back with the Order of the Phoenix, the small group went into Sirius Black's home. Mala Nightingale Black ran into Aurelia's arms. She grinned at Chase. The ten-year-old was pretty sure she would be sorted into Gryffindor. Hermione smiled at Mala and walked off with the small girl. Aurelia remembered her time as a ten-year-old. Before Hogwarts. Before any worries. It was important to cherish the past before you left it.

"So, finally together. Aurelia, I hope I see you as a Solomon in a few years!" Aurelia blushed fiercely. Chase grinned.

"Sirius Black. My girlfriend's godfather's friend."

"Yes, James Potter was Aurelia's godfather." Aurelia smiled.

"Mala is adorable. But what did you want to talk to us about?"

"I'm just saying this first, young lady. Cherish your time together. It might not be long before you guys are separated. Forever. Now, Bellatrix Lestrange, my cousin is joining the Death Eaters in their attack on your group. Mala will join you all." Chase nodded. "That's it."

Chase put his arm around Aurelia's shoulder. She liked his touch. Harry and Ron were conversing in the living room.

"RONALD. WEASLEY. You like 'Mione!" Ron blushed even more when he saw Chase and Aurelia walk into the room.

"So, Ronald Bilius Weasley. The dam has broken. I might tell Pearl. Oh wait, she's here." Aurelia was right. Pearl looked shocked.

"HERMIONE JEAN GRANGE-" Ron had clamped his hand over Pearl's mouth.

"Stop. Please-" Ron's voice broke. "I'm not nearly good enough for her. Plus... the pure-blood line."

"Draco already says you're a blood traitor. So, marry who you like!" Pearl was grinning from ear to ear.

Chase smirked at Aurelia. "Great. More shipping Romione."

"Yup. But there's nothing like Charelia."

"Love, you have the best opinions." Aurelia couldn't help smiling.

"I don't know about that. But...eh." Mala ran into the room. "When's the attack on the Ministry? Father says that I must come.

8.

"Come on Lia, we have to make sure Umbridge doesn't see us!" Hermione glared at Lia urgently. Lia obliged, dragging a groggy Chase out of the Ravenclaw dorms.

"Jeez, Lia... I was sleeping!" Chase murmured something else and dozed off again. Lia groaned. How did her boyfriend sleep so easily? The team consisted of Luna, Neville, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Chase, Pearl, Aurelia and Mala. Chase kissed Aurelia on the way on the Thestrals. "If I die, please, Lia, remember me."

"No, Sparky. You've survived so much with me. If you die, I'll die as well." Mala Black made a silly face. "Oh, Mala. You'll understand when you're older." Walking into the Ministry's giant doors, Pearl gasped. "My mother, Christy Sparks, told me about this. But this," Pearl's voice tuned down to a whisper.

"Look at the stars." There was a star falling. On the left side. This meant misfortune. Chase had learnt this from Astronomy. Aurelia gasped. Mala's mouth opened wide. Luna smiled.

"Not to worry, Neville! Every time a star falls on the left, my family comes out fine. Apart from...Mother's death." Neville looked sad, but patted Luna's back. Ginny grinned. "Ship." How wrong she was. They fought off different Death Eaters. Harry glared at the group. "So? Go and FIGHT STUFF!" Pearl had a crowd of Death Eater surrounding her. A veil at the back of the Ministry appeared. Sprits emerged from the veil. Aurelia gasped. Cadence. Cedric. Catalina. Abelard. Dorian. Bellatrix Lestrange was tackling Sirius Black. Pearl ran to him. "Dad. Go. Please. She's going to kill you." Mala Black screamed this. Bellatrix had shot a green stream of Avada Kedavra light at Pearl, but Sirius pushed her out of the way and took the shot himself.

Sirius's eyes drooped peacefully, while a smile bloomed on his face. His darkening orbs were fixed on one person in the room. Mala Nightingale Black.

Mala screamed. "PEARL FLORENCE SPARKS! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! MY DAD WAS THE ONLY THING I HAD IN MY LIFE! AND YOUR CARELESESSNESS KILLED HIM! I HOPED THAT YOU COULD DIE INSTEAD! AND AURELIA, YOU DIDN"T DO ANYTHING!" Mala raged on. Then, she Apparated away.

Aurelia was shocked. "H-how d-does she k-know h-how t-to d-do that?"

"I don't know. But Mala is strong, for sure. The question is, who was her mother? " Mala's mother must have been a goddess for her to have such amazing powers at her age.

Later, Aurelia went on a date with Chase at the Astronomy Tower. Chase said, "I want to tell you something..." Aurelia smiled. "Sure, but -"

"I'M GONNA BE A DEATH EATER." Chase whispered this quite loudly. Aurelia looked shocked but returned to her normal demeanour. She smiled. It was okay.

"And Harry told me a prophecy about him. About a boy, born at the end of July, whose parents had defied Voldemort three times. But there was one line. And a girl, a new Heir, is with or without a purpose. " Aurelia gasped as she realised who it was.

Her.