There were premonitions in the winds.

Dahlia quietly sensed them as she exited the Hogwarts Express beneath the silver moonlight. She lingered behind her two friends, sensing the distressed breeze. She could not quite decipher them but their ominous force weighed on her. The gale lifted her skirt as she decidedly hushed it.

Speaking to nature was one of the more pleasant gifts she possessed. Dahlia descended from a powerful line of seers, having originated from the prophetess Cassandra of Troy according to her mother's propaganda. Her mother would often mumble in madness, braiding her hair in intricate styles. It used to bother Dahlia that she would never truly know how her bloodline descended as her mother was now gone. With her passing, Dahlia's desire to divine withered, terrified she would die younger than older too. All seers eventually descended into chaos as their minds fractured, unable to tell the endless possibilities of the future from their present reality. Just three years ago, her mother had succumbed to her Sight. Her mind crumbling into mayhem — and worse, her mother had nurtured the sacred gift dearly. She didn't withdraw when she sensed Death looming. But Dahlia considered her mother lucky. Dark wizards would go to great lengths to capture oracles, locking them in darkness to enhance their foretelling and forcing them to form prophecies of their futures, all hoping to see their path to power. Although she was rather young, at least her mother had gotten to live out the last years of her life in peace before passing.

She wondered what her mother might think of her daughter now. She pictured her mother shaking her head and mumbling that she was too old to be so blind.

She startled as someone gently nudged her from behind, slipping their arm through hers and locking elbows.

"So much for summer love, Miss Aldair," Amelia Laurier whispered into her ear with excitement. She noticed Dahlia's startled jump as she had been lost in thought, focusing on the tune of the wind. Amelia discarded her poor joke referencing the handsome muggle Dahlia had to cut ties with last night. She had climbed down the massive enchanted trellis of the Laurier's London home to achieve it. She scratched her arms just thinking of it. She often summered there as her father would never allow such things and was much more perceptive than Amelia's parents.

"You know I think you would have been sorted into Slytherin with me if your mind wasn't always drifting in the stars," she said, hand waving to the night sky with a sly smile like she knew a secret.

She did, she knew of Dahlia's supposed prophetic powers which had yet to properly manifest. Amelia's family had close ties to her own. They had grown up together far before their time at Hogwarts. They often spent their summer days lounging in the fickle sun and sneaking out under the phasing moon. They were only separable when they were at Hogwarts due to their house sorting. Amelia's cold blood ran emerald while Dahlia's thoughts were crystalized with a brilliant sapphire blue.

Dahlia returned a coy smile of her own and laughed softly.

"You know I only asked that musty, old hat to put me Ravenclaw to spite my father," she lied. Her mother had been in Ravenclaw. To be sorted into her mother's legacy house had been her greatest wish at the time if only to make her proud.

While her mother was a descendant of oracles, the Aldair house of her father was prestigiously renowned for being pureblooded wizards with a legacy of working for the ministry, all of whom were proudly sorted into Slytherin. While her mother was light and warmth, her father was cold and detached. Dahlia never understood what her mother had seen in her father or if he had simply grown colder with age. He was never quite sure what to do with a daughter as he had wanted a son. He had tried his best to be loving when she was much younger — reading to her before bed and charting the constellations on the roof of their estate. However, as she had gotten older he no longer had the energy to deal with the woes of a teenage witch. He had only become more detached after her mother died, taking a piece of him with her to the grave. She was sure her father still loved her underneath the layers of his secrecy but things had become increasingly strained as they grieved separately.

Deep laughter echoed behind the girls, pulling Dahlia out of her thoughts. Amelia flipped her long black hair over her shoulder, eying the Slytherin boys she had become so close to over the years. They slowly strolled behind. Dahlia turned to look as she noticed her friend's glare toward one specific boy.

"Why are you staring at Blaise like you're plotting his slow, painful death?" Dahlia asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh, I am. Or I want him to think I am capable of murder so I can scare him into an apology."

She paused dramatically and kicked the gravel. "Blaise and I got into a fight on the train," she sighed.

"What happened?" Dahlia lowered her tone so other students couldn't hear. She leaned closer.

"There's something he's not telling me. He's being so secretive. I'm sure you've noticed that we saw less and less of each other over the summer. I could tell he was lying to me. He's always off with Malfoy doing god knows what in god knows where." Her face shadowed in melancholia.

"Have you considered dumping him?" Dahlia responded nonchalantly as she straightened her uniform into pristine perfection. She readied to slip on the familiar mask of her persona as they neared the gates of Hogsmeade.

"Let's be single together this year." Dahlia spoke loudly. She flipped her hair and looked back at Blaise. He met her gaze with quick irritation as he gathered they were speaking about him. She gave him a dazzling smile. He shook his head as a smirk cracked his expression. Dahlia hadn't meant it seriously as she only wanted to hold a flame to his feet in warning. She found them quite perfect for each other.

"Dahlia!" Amelia exclaimed, mouth agape. She lightly shoved her away, and they both laughed at the brash nature of her advice.

"No! We've been dating for over a year!" Amelia exclaimed in a whisper. "It's just a lover's quarrel — or battle," she sighed. The laughter evaporated and left Amelia with a cloud of worry once again.

"I would see where he goes if I could," she sighed. Dahlia had yet to experience her first vision, which was disappointing for a seer at her age. She felt somewhat relieved though since a seer's first vision is usually a foretelling of their own death. A pit of anxiety grew in her stomach at the thought of it.

"I know you would." Amelia smiled earnestly as she stepped into the thestral-pulled carriage. She extended a hand to help her climb in.

They sat towards the back of the carriage as the Slytherin students made their way in. Blaise, of course, sat on the other side of Amelia trying to hold her hand. Amelia slapped his own away. Theodore Nott sat across from her. She knew little about him beyond his name and what was whispered about his legacy at social events. She heard nothing savory about the Nott house. Her own father had commented that he would never deal business with such cruel and clever men. The risk of getting burned was too great of risk.

Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Pansy Parkinson and two other boys she did not recognize filled the carriage. They stalled as the boys had wanted to wait for Draco Malfoy. Blaise and Amelia shared hushed whispers. Dahlia turned to Pansy and inquired about her summer. They were on somewhat friendly terms through Amelia.

Pansy answered, "it was fair enough. I heard you and Amelia managed to sneak around quite a bit. I would be more careful now of frequenting muggle bars if I were you." Her expression was ripe with sourness although her tone was pleasant.

She could feel curious eyes on her. It was unfathomable to those who only saw the carefully curated enigmatic facade. Dahlia smiled neutrally, neither confirming nor denying her whereabouts. It would only light potential rumors aflame. Plus Pansy was right, with the return of the Dark Lord, it had become quite a risk.

Professor Snape approached with Draco, practically shoving him into the carriage. He sat directly across from Blaise and next to Theodore Nott. Besides Blaise, who she had grown closer to over the past year, Dahlia only knew the rest of Amelia's friends as acquaintances. Although she had heard plenty of stories. She felt mildly unsettled but knew they wouldn't be unkind to her. She was Amelia's friend and her legacy that matched their own. She masked any sign of apprehension with a pleasant yet bored expression.

Draco Malfoy gave her a peculiar glance as to question her presence. He appeared restless. The summer seemed to have aged him a bit as the moonlight lit the angular features of his face and silver white hair. He quickly tore his gaze away from Dahlia as Amelia and Blaise's hushed whispers escalated. He let out of a frustrated groan as he rubbed his hands down his face.

Amelia and Blaise were at each other's throats in no time — arguing to no end.

"Going to be another long ride," said Crabbe with a worn grimace.

Dahlia turned to Pansy and asked, "did they fight the whole way here on the train?"

Amelia was so lost in the fight she didn't notice she had asked a question about her.

"Unfortunately, yes." But it wasn't Pansy who answered.

Theodore Nott turned his gaze to her, shedding his flippant demeanor. His chocolate curls fell into his eyes as he leaned his head back in frustration and spread his legs wider. He pushed his curls away from his face with his hands. Dahlia noted he wore several golden rings as he began whirling his wand across his knuckles. He gave her the impression that he was not fond or capable of sitting still for too long. His eyes danced in the moonlight through the carriage windows as he held them upon Dahlia a little too long, as if he had discovered something brand new that was worthy of his undivided attention. The intensity of his stare made her fidget. She flipped her long hair to the side in an effort to escape it and looked out the window to the night sky. She saw him grin devilishly in her periphery. She had given him the exact reaction he had hoped for.

"Knock it off or we're throwing you two overboard into the Forbidden Forest!" He yelled in the direction of the fighting couple, attempting to quiet the carriage. Neither Amelia nor Blaise glanced away from each other. Dahlia shot Theodore a sympathizing look.

He took her glance as an invitation and leaned forward on his forearms. He was closer than what was decent for strangers.

"I don't think we've ever officially met." He armored himself with a sly, charming smile.

Before she could answer, Draco Malfoy interrupted, "she was in both our charms and transfiguration classes last year." He was visibly displeased. He managed to look both bored and angered at the same time.

She crossed her legs and met Theo's eyes with her own, ignoring Draco completely.

"I'm Dahlia Aldair," she said with her own beguiling smile.

He kept his wand whirling through his fingers. He was so close to her that the edge of it slapped her knee as it moved across his knuckles. She refused to scoot farther back into her seat or uncross her legs.

He grinned wider. "I know. I'm Theodore Nott. Call me Theo."

It was as if he saw himself as a prince of hearts. He finally pulled back, throwing his arms behind him to lean on the back of the carriage seat. He motioned lazily to Draco.

"Don't be rude, mate. Introduce yourself," Theo nodded.

"What's the point. She knows who I am," Draco sneered, looking away and towards the road ahead. Dahlia knew how rude and hurtful he could be from Amelia's accounts. She had also spent one night with him in the Forbidden Forest for detention during her fourth year. To say he had been chivalrous was a stretch. He had left her to fend for herself when he had thought a pack of Centaurs were approaching.

She rallied against her feelings of uneasiness and replied, "aren't you the one that got mauled by that Hippogryph during our third year?" She tried to ask innocently but she couldn't help the vindictive smile that formed on her group snickered as they recalled his account with Buckbeak. He eyed her up and down with distaste. Dahlia maintained eye contact with him until Theo shoved Pansy into the window of the carriage and took a seat next to her. He threw an arm around her and said playfully, "don't fret, love. He's always in a bad mood."

Dahlia narrowed her eyes as to communicate that he had overstepped her boundaries. She didn't shift away though. His eyes conveyed back that he was aware of his actions and that he quite liked it. He smiled genuinely at his own victory. Dahlia had been mostly irritated with him until she saw such a brilliant look on his face.

Blaise and Amelia finally came to a silence as they interlaced their hands. Either they came to a resolution or they were both exhausted from fighting all day. Dahlia was sure to get a debrief later or tomorrow.

Draco was silent for the rest of the ride to Hogwarts, avoiding conversation and the annoying sight of Theo's arm slung around the supposed seer across from him. Of course, that was a secret he shouldn't have known.

They all discussed the classes they had signed up for this year until the carriage finally came to a halt in front of the castle gates. They stood up and began the shuffle off the carriage.

Theo took her hand swiftly and helped her step down. The moment their hands touched, Dahlia was overcome by a feeling of euphoric dread. The feeling could not be distinguished as the thread couldn't be followed. It was sudden and sharp as her heart had momentarily plummeted. She imagined this was how great explorers in muggle movies felt when they discovered lost treasure only to realize they had been cursed.

Dahlia quickly recovered, playing off her sharp inhale of breath as a response to the light chill in the air.

"Are you alright?" His face momentarily filled with concern, questioning if he had done something wrong.

"Yes," she nodded with a smile. "Just a bit cold."

Amelia quickly exited the carriage and noticed her quick change in demeanor.

"What is it?" She whispered, placing a hand softly on her arm.

"I don't know, I just had a sudden sense — it was mesmerizing and, ghastly." Her brows furrowed with anxiety.

Amelia wore her usual blasé expression but Dahlia saw something like unease shift beneath the surface.

"It's alright. No need to worry. We're going to have a good year," she reassured her. Her smile seemed forced.

Dahlia turned back and noticed Theo staring at the thestrals in the most intriguing manner. Amelia slapped the back of his head to gather his attention.

"Let's go," she called to Dahlia who had been stuck in place briefly. She began walking with Amelia, Blaise and Theo at her side.

"We're having a welcome back party tomorrow night, aren't we?" Amelia said deviously, directing her question at Blaise and Theo.

"It's only tradition," Blaise responded with a sly look.

"You absolutely must be there, Dahlia. Please come!" Amelia begged. Dahlia was hesitant to answer after her premonition. Amelia sensed her lack of enthusiasm and swiftly hugged Dahlia as tightly as she could.

"I'm not letting go until you agree to come!"

Dahlia couldn't manage to make herself walk. Amelia lowered her voice so only Dahlia could hear and added, "I'll hold your romance novels hostage for the rest of the year."

Dahlia laughed, "fine, yes! I'll come!"

Theo gave her a wink. "I'll see you then."

Before she could respond, he paced ahead to meet Draco as the rest of the group waved him forward to catch up. Amelia gave her a knowing, excited look.

As they walked through the gates of Hogwarts, Dahlia was no longer pretending to feel a chill in the air. The winds spoke in a malevolent hush. If only she could interpret them and heed their warnings. She internalized her nerves as excitement for the new year and pressed on through the gates of the castle.

Dahlia walked through the doors of the Great Hall, staring up breathlessly at the flickering candles and the cosmic night sky. They were almost late to the welcome feast as they had waited for Draco Malfoy to begin their carriage ride from the Hogwarts Express to the castle.

"Come to the boathouse tonight, yes?" Amelia asked giving her a small smile and a wave goodbye. She headed left to the Slytherin table as Dahlia made her way to the Ravenclaw table in the center. Her roommates waved Dahlia over to join them.

"Saved you a seat," Juliet smiled.

Her silky, light brown hair was thrown into a perfect messy bun atop of her head, surely in an effort to impress her latest crush. The summer sun had been kind to her, blessing her cheeks with more freckles and a glowing tan. Juliet had spent the past few months on holiday along the French coast with her family in an attempt to escape the dreary news of the Dark Lord's return.

"We lost you once we got off the train!" Eloise, her other roommate, exclaimed.

Dahlia took a seat across from Eloise and next to Juliet. She considered both girls to be two of her closest friends besides Amelia. While she had grown up alongside Amelia, she had met both Eloise Dawson and Juliet Hart on her first day at Hogwarts. They had been assigned to the same dorm room and remained roommates for the rest of their school years. While Amelia made Dahlia more brave and adventurous, Eloise and Juliet filled her need for comfort and structure. Juliet was more quiet and curious. She often disappeared without warning and never divulged too many details. Dahlia chalked it up to her insatiable search for romance. Eloise, on the other hand, was direct and strong-willed. She often skipped pleasantries and her words cut right to the bone. She was never afraid to give her opinion and she usually always gave unforgiving advice because she wanted to absolute best for her friends as she was fiercely loyal. She was quite focused on her studies, as well. Eloise's mother had been a professor here at Hogwarts. She always felt the need to impress her.

Dahlia couldn't help but notice Juliet smiling towards the Gryffindor table. She saw Cormac McLaggen smiling back.

"Are you crushing on Cormac?" Dahlia asked with surprise.

"No, not quite. But I must admit he is looking quite dashing. I have my eye on the chosen one this year," she replied coolly.

"You know how we like our men — with some controversy." She said with a grin as to insinuate Dahlia's own secret escapades. She preferred to keep her romantics under the table to minimize whispers.

Dahlia haughtily replied, "you didn't even believe him about the Dark Lord returning last ye-"

"Dahlia," Eloise interrupted. She leaned closer, her copper hair and bangs falling into her eyes.

"Don't turn around, alright? Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott keep staring in this direction. I think they're having a conversation about you." She was always the most perceptive and was quite protective of her friends.

Eloise snorted as a wide smile graced her features. "Amelia just smacked Blaise in the back of the head for something he said to Nott."

Eloise gave a quick wave to Amelia as to give her stamp of approval for using violence to silence men. They were well acquainted.

"I rode with them to the castle." Dahlia buttered her bread innocently.

"They actually invited us to their party tomorrow night," she added slyly.

"I'm in!" Juliet yelled before Dahlia could even take a bite.

Both girls looked at Eloise expectantly. Eloise could read in their faces that they wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Ugh, fine. I'm only going to make sure you two behave though."

She continued, "honestly guys, I'm losing years of my life chasing the both of you around. Juliet, you hardly remember to wear underw-"

Dahlia was about to cut in when Dumbledore began to make his speech. The girls quickly went silent. Juliet kicking Eloise under the table. Dahlia suppressed a laugh.

Dumbledore introduced a new potions professor and announced that Professor Snape would be taking over Defense of the Dark Arts. Wild whispers erupted through the hall.

He left them with a warning — the most powerful of dark wizards once roamed these halls as students. Dahlia couldn't control her quickened pulse and the electric sensation on the back of her neck. She was still on edge from the agony she had sensed earlier.

The mood was somber after he spoke. The girls left the great hall not wanting to linger. They made their way up the spiraling stairs to the Ravenclaw common room. They halted as the bronze eagle found life.

"The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?" The door spoke.

"Footsteps," Eloise replied quickly.

The door to the Ravenclaw common room swung open. Dahlia stepped through the large wooden door and was enveloped by the scent of aged books and cedar. She inhaled deeply. It smelled like home.

Once she arrived to her dorm, Dahlia breathed a sigh of relief. The pale stone walls were adorned with velvet and silk fabrics in shades of light and deeper blues. She stepped across the circular, golden oriental rug that was fitted to the dorm as it sat in a high turret of the castle. She sat upon her bed framed in white wood and adorned with silk periwinkle curtains. She noted her trunk had been placed beneath the massive stain glass window next to the bed. She embraced the cleanliness of the space, knowing they would soon fill it with books and discarded clothes. She popped open her trunk and shuffled through it. She quickly changed into a black, knit sweater and a pair of leggings.

"Going out?" Juliet asked as she laid on the bed to the right of the circular room.

"I'm going to the boathouse to see Amelia. Care to join?" She grinned mischievously.

Juliet hesitated.

"I think the boys are coming," she grinned. She was desperate to end this infatuation with Harry Potter and what better way than to dangle Slytherin boys in front of her.

"Okay, let's go!" Her voice hit an octave higher as she threw clothes out of her own trunk and onto the oriental rugs. The tidiness deteriorated quickly.

Dahlia rushed her out of their room as she was still braiding her hair. The girls snuck their way through the castle as they quickly disillusioned themselves. An advanced spell they had learned quicker than usual. The breeze welcomed her as they stepped outside of the castle. The stars above Hogwarts welcomed her home, glowing brightly. Feeling bold, Dahlia removed the charm as they made their way down the winding stairs of the cliff that led to the boathouse. She felt the wind carry off the lake and dance in her hair. They were both giddy and skipping steps as they had finally been reunited — two partners in crime.

"Dahlia," Juliet feigned seriousness as she stopped at the bottom of the stairs, "I think I'm having a vision."

She pretended to shake dramatically.

"Stop it," Dahlia laughed as she turned away from her in laughter.

"Your future holds a great amount of cock tonight," she said in a deep melodramatic tone, swooning over the railing. She giggled wildly, thrilled with her own joke.

"I'm pretty sure you failed divinations," Dahlia snorted.

They finally arrived at the boathouse after running from each other in fear as they both attempted to push each other into the Black Lake. Their laughs carried in a sweet echo to the rest of the group. Amelia approached the girls giving them both big hugs. Theo was close behind her as he noticed her arrival almost immediately. He snuck a bottle of beer into her hand before Dahlia could even ask herself if she wanted a drink.

He leaned down to hover above her ear. "Come with me, yeah?" His breath was warm against her skin. She turned to find his glimmering eyes. They were hardly sober and honeyed like whisky. She almost thought better of it until he smiled with boyish sincerity, a nervousness flickering in his expression. A quiet voice locked away in the depths of her mind dreamed briefly of what it must be like to be loved by him. She realized with a heart crumple that everyone he crossed paths with most likely imagined so, if only for a moment.

She hesitated too long and a vulnerable smile had accidentally fallen on her lips. He took her hand and pulled her away from the two girls. Amelia gave her a quick wink without breaking conversation with Juliet.

With her hand in his, she followed him through the back doors of the boathouse and to the outermost edge of the dock. She took a seat next to Theo who leaned back on his hands and dangled his legs over the dock. They were still somewhat near the rest of the group but far enough to have a private conversation. She was afraid to put her feet in the water so instead she crossed her legs and looked up to the sky for comfort.

"I see you brought Juliet?" He asked trying to spark conversation. She had always noted his unimpressed expression in passing, but he smiled for her again.

"Yes," she sighed. "She thinks she has a crush on Harry Potter so I needed Amelia to distract her with someone else, immediately."

He snickered, "You don't like Potter?"

"I'm neutral, uninvolved," she said lightly. She knew he was attempting to gage where she fell on the spectrum of ideology.

"But you're a pureblood," he stated more of a matter of fact than a question.

She paused and slowly smirked. He grinned back misunderstanding her clever discovery.

"Have you been asking about me?" She whispered as if she had caught him with a secret.

He blushed and didn't answer. He looked up to the stars instead. She quite liked the silence between them but wanted to pull his eyes back to her so she answered his original question.

"I just know wherever Harry goes, unfortunate things happen. I wouldn't want that for Juliet," she pointed out. She took a sip of her drink.

"And you would rather throw your lot in with this crowd?" He joked with the most brilliant smile.

She playfully shoved his shoulder in response, unable to resist the urge to touch him.

"Are you that bad, really?" She asked lightly.

He tilted his head back a bit as he pretended to ponder the question.

"Probably." He laughed softly and added, "but I'd be good to you."

Sincerity warmed in his eyes. He grinned nervously as if he had gambled. He was spinning her rapidly in a dance of flirtation that he usually stepped to slowly. It was a whiplash to her.

She let a moment linger between them as she sipped her drink. His smile slowly fading with her silence. She turned back to face him. "I've never seen you smile much. It's such a shame."

He quickly looked away as if she had caught him off guard and he hadn't prepared a response for such a compliment.

"No," he shook his head. "The real shame is that the sun has to rise every morning. You are devastating in moonlight."

She blushed wildly. Every beat of her heart murmured that this could be the beginning of something, either enchanting or heartbreaking. She would keep this feeling locked within her and guard it like a precious secret. She didn't dare move, afraid this might end.

Blaise called Theo inside the boathouse, breaking their suspended moment in time. He sighed and stood up. He raised a brow and left without a word — inviting her to play a game if she so wished. She watched him leave. She hoped he would dream about her now, too.

He left her outside the boathouse with Draco who lingered farther down the dock. He leaned against the rough wood and watched her for a moment as the stars drenched her in gentle light. She looked back at him sensing his gaze. Clearly caught, he stepped forward. She wondered if he remembered that night he had left her with the Centaurs.

"Do you remember that night in the Forbidden Forest?" She asked.

He didn't speak for a moment as he refused to actually engage with her. His stomach roiled as he looked down upon her sweetened eyes. He thought her a fool. The serene light she radiated irritated him to no end. He always thought her seraphic aura was part of her pristine facade. It annoyed him more now after he had watched the night sky gravitate towards her and then realized it wasn't. Theo had been a void of blackness next to her.

He took a long sip of his drink and laughed at her kind attempt to speak with him.

"Yes, and you're a fucking idiot."

Dahlia was momentarily stunned that a man had spoken to her that way. She then rolled her eyes and laughed. It reminded her of how the muggles would yell at her out their cars as her and Amelia ran through the city streets.

He didn't make to move inside but he was visibly pained by her presence. She grinned at his discomfort and chose to ignore him as she leaned back and listened to the stars gossip. She let a breathy sigh escape her, somehow knowing he would hate it.

Draco noted how curious it was that her hair seemed to almost glow in the midnight hours.

After a while, Dahlia and Juliet headed back to the castle. They whispered wildly. Juliet had been absolutely smitten with one of the Slytherin boys. Theo had introduced her to a guy named Lucas. Dahlia smiled to herself knowing that he had taken action based on their conversation.

One back in the safety of her dorm, she immediately climbed into her bed. It felt good to be back at Hogwarts. Her thoughts drifted to Theo, but she tried to shove them down. She didn't want to get her hopes up, and she wasn't sure if being involved with him was such a good idea. The way he looked at her, she had known it immediately — it wouldn't be a strictly physical involvement. She found herself soon tossing between waking and dreaming as a new face emerged. It flashed rapidly. An iteration of Draco Malfoy's face fluttering through times as he turned to face her. She jerked, but the Fates blanketed her forcefully with soothing mumblings.

That night, she dreamed wildly and vividly for the first time. She sat in an elaborate garden of cream dahlias. She swam in a pond of starlight under a blooming willow tree, the shadow of a colossal structure in the distance. There were only sweet nothings on the wind here. She sighed as a loneliness found her. This place wasn't meant for only her.

Dahlia had been breathless when she woke up in the morning but all she could remember was the imprint of a gilded manor in her mind.

—-

Dahlia was always running late.

"Shit," she whispered to herself as she rushed down the staircases to the dungeons. Her first class of the day was Advanced Potions. She rushed through the halls and into the classroom. She threw her book bag down at the last available cauldron. Of course no one wanted to sit next to him. She huffed taking a seat next to Draco. He didn't spare a glance at her arrival.

"I saved you one," Amelia said from the opposite station and handing her the Advanced Potions Making textbook. She heard a giggle and looked over to see Juliet flirting with Harry. She let out a small groan.

"I know," Amelia replied, agreeing with her sentiment.

Amelia caught her up on today's assignment to make the draught of living death. The student with the best brew would win a vial of liquid luck.

Definitely not me, Dahlia thought. Potions had always been her weakest subject.

She began attempting to make her brew. She went to gather ingredients from the wooden shelves in the back alcove of the room. She was searching for Sopophorous Bean Juice when she felt a light brush of a hand across her lower back.

"I didn't know Ravenclaws were late to class, Aldair," he said lowly behind her ear.

She could practically hear the devilish smile. She turned to see Theodore Nott next to her also gathering ingredients, or at least pretending to be. His hair was slightly damp, most likely from a morning shower. A quick flicker of an image went through her mind and she grinned to herself.

Theo internally cringed that he had tried to make a smooth comment to Dahlia based on her house. He berated himself for not sticking to a simple greeting. But he was flustered. He had originally left his first block open to dedicate extra time to train for quidditch. However, once he had heard yesterday that Dahlia had advanced potions this period, he arrived early to the same class to beg Professor Slughorn to let him attend. He had luckily had the grades from his O. to prove he was capable of this class so the Professor had allowed it. He would prefer to keep this mishap to himself but Amelia most definitely had caught on and would tell Dahlia in no time.

She rolled her eyes at his comment.

"And I didn't know you were smart enough to take Advanced Potions," she retorted.

She wouldn't let him catch on to the thrill she felt in her stomach when he had touched her lower back. She was also not in the best mood as she had been late and now had to sit next to someone who called her a fucking idiot only a few hours ago.

He looked up at her with a sideways grin.

"Ouch, you sure know how to win my heart." He then took the jars she had gathered in front of her and carried them to her station.

"You know if you think I'm so bad at potions, maybe I could use a tutor for such an advanced class," he said silkily as he set down the jars at her cauldron. He didn't wait for her to respond and she didn't offer one. Dahlia set her cauldrons on fire fifty percent of the time, but Theo didn't need to know that.

He turned to her and lowered his voice.

"See you tonight?" He demanded more than asked. He walked back to his own station across the classroom. Again, avoiding her response in case it was anything but yes.

She noticed Pansy, who was seated on Draco's other side, keeping a close eye on their interaction. She whispered something into his ear and Draco pulled away, horrified that she felt comfortable enough to do such a thing in public. Amelia turned around from her station and laughed. Dahlia felt momentarily embarrassed for Pansy but didn't have time to shoot her an empathetic glance. In his horror, Draco had bumped into Dahlia, knocking the wormwood out of her hand. He quickly moved away without acknowledgment, even more disgusted that he had made physical contact with her.

"Excuse you!" Dahlia shoved back harshly with a side-eyed expression. She usually wouldn't lash out in such a way but she was simmering from last night.

"Get over yourself, Aldair," he quipped boredly.

Dahlia felt anger bubble up inside her. She noticed there was extra wormwood on her open book. She picked it up and dropped it hard near his cauldron. It filled the air and the extra wormwood drifted down into his potion.

"Oops," she said innocently.

Dahlia smiled viciously, knowing she just ruined his chance of acquiring liquid luck.

He looked like he might strangle her. He finally turned to face her and eyed her slowly. Draco couldn't tell if he hated her or if he liked this. He knew there was something awful beneath her perfection and he seemed to have brought if forth. It was a thrill at his own expense. He clenched his jaw and sneered at her.

Juliet intervened at that very moment. "I'm just going to...to scoot this here," she said quietly moving Dahlia's cauldron to the very end of the table to separate them further with more space. Draco and Dahlia continued to look at each other with distaste.

"Yep, this should be good," Juliet said grabbing Dahlia's arm and pulling her away from Draco to distance them. She kept her eyes locked on Draco's.

"It's not worth it! Don't you want to make it into Slug Club?" Juliet murmured into her ear.

She finally turned to Juliet. "No, I'm currently considering the many ways I could land myself with a sentence to Azkaban at Malfoy's expense," she angrily whispered.

Draco snorted. He clearly had overheard her.

"You're being ridiculous," Juliet whispered harshly.

"Behave, children," Amelia called over her shoulder from the opposite station.

He shot her several unfriendly glares but Dahlia didn't bother trying to speak with him the rest of class. She had no desire to make peace. They had never really spoken before, unless you count their horrid interaction they had the night before and also their detention together all those years ago.

She opted for silence as she was feeling distant this morning anyway. Her dream wouldn't leave her this morning. Plus, unknown forces were working to exhaust her as they continued to grate on her subconscious. They were premonitions begging to be spun into prophecies.

Once Dahlia was done with her potion, Amelia came over to see her work.

"Merlin's pants, Dahlia. That looks awful. I'm shocked you didn't blow up the whole fucking castle." Amelia wore an incredulous expression.

"I think it's supposed to look like this. I mean it is called the draught of living death," Dahlia replied, defending her work.

"Draco, what do you think?" Amelia asked. Dahlia rubbed her forehead at the opening her friend had just given Draco — to make another snide comment, she was sure.

"Maybe stick to divinations," Draco chimed confidently with a sinister smirk.

Amelia and Dahlia were both quite uncomfortable at his statement but quickly recovered. They shared a quick look, asking the other if it was a coincidence. He had never been in one of her divinations classes throughout the years and his tone begged her to read between the lines.

"Guys, truly, it's not that bad," Dahlia said changing the subject and to defend her thick slop.

Just then, Professor Slughorn came around to take a final look at how all the potions had turned out. He dropped a single leaf into Draco's potion and it simmered.

"It's not perfect, but it is quite good," he said happily enough.

Dahlia's nerves spiked as he dropped the leaf into her potion. The cauldron hissed instantaneously.

"See?" Dahlia said reading from her textbook. "It's supposed to do that," she said smugly.

As if summoned, the cauldron shot black goo onto the ceiling.

"Oh, heavens!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed in shock.

The classroom fell into brief hysterics as they cringed and ducked from the exploding goo.

"You might need to work on your skills, dear. Perhaps, Mr. Malfoy could help you?"

"I'm sure he would love to help me, professor," she said sweetly.

Draco sat back on his stool crossing his arms. He looked murderous.

She saw Theo snickering on the other side of the classroom. Once class was dismissed, he came and gathered her books. He walked her out of the classroom.

"You know, maybe you're the one who needs a tutor." He raised a brow and gave her a cheeky, satisfied grin.

"I'll redeem myself, Theo." She smiled with determined eyes.

The way he gazed from her eyes to her mouth as she spoke made her wish that she had dreamed about him last night. He watched her intently as if anticipating what she might do or say next. To be the center of his attention was like being the center of his world.

He left her at the top of the stairs as he had to make his way to a different class. He glanced back at her one last time before disappearing completely. She blinked hard, questioning her reality.

Draco Malfoy stormed past, pushing Dahlia aside. His scent lingered on his billowing cloak as he glanced back with a sneer. It ensnared her senses and brought forth a familiarity.

She thought of the gilded manor once more.