Deborah

When Deborah and Sev got home, there was once again no one left in the Common Room.

"It seems that they have insisted on leaving it for us," he said.

"Oh…" she said.

(How happy she is, I have completely changed her mood. And she wants to be with me, I am going to dedicate today to her, I am going to strengthen in a few hours the ties that we have not been able to create in all these months.) "Were you thinking of going back to the Library?" Sev asked her.

"Yes sure."

(Slightly disappointed.) "Would you like to spend some more time with me?"

"Of course Prince."

(Just as I expected. But she's always going to wait for me to propose.) "Then let's clear the corner a bit and settle there."

They cleared the corner of bottles, bringing them all closer to each other, to make room on the table, while they chatted.

"I'm going to go up to my bedroom for a moment, to see how Ariel is. I have abandoned him for you," he said.

"Oh, poor boy. Don't do that to him."

"It's okay, he was comfortable reading. We can spend some time together."

"Well, okay then," she agreed.

(Delighted with life.) "While I go up, so you don't get bored, I'm going to leave you the Map and you can enjoy it."

"Wow, Prince… great."

"This way you get used to watching it, because you are going to be in charge of it while you are escorting me so that I do not lose attention to the terrain."

"I think it's great, because I'm the worst duelist of the five."

"But the most intelligent and with the greatest leadership skills," Sev appraised. "That is innate, and the other you will acquire in a short time. You are in very good shape, you just need to train. I'm going to dedicate time to you, perhaps the month that remains not much, but next year."

"Fantastic, Prince, because I really need it, and by commanding and training others I don't learn."

"I will also teach you how to train by teaching others, so that you do not have to give up your position and make the most of your time."

"Prince, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Deborah, whatever you want."

"I don't feel like at all to continue commanding sixth year with Jack. I prefer that you degrade me."

(It was to be expected. How nice that she dared to propose to me, I should have thought of that.)

"Not to mention, Deborah, never that, you are a magnificent commander. Do you want to take fifth year and I'll take sixth with Jack? The fifth grade group is smaller and includes Anthony, Lily, Cecile, Remus, Heather and Fiona. Any of them can help you, choose yourself. So I also short Jack as long as he continues to be second."

"I think it's great, Prince, but then you're going to lose all contact with Lily."

(It's not that I have that much in training either, I'm not sorry at all.) "Don't worry about it. We have our ways of maintaining it, and I want you to create ties with her, too. Fight together, now you have a similar level."

"Wow, how much progress she has been made in a few months."

"Of course, and fortunately, her life depends on it," Sev said.

"Of course."

They finished clearing the corner and a nice piece of table.

"Settle in. Here you go," giving her the Map. "If you see someone coming home, put it away. I'll go to the bedroom and downstairs in a moment."

Sev went up to his bedroom and talked to Ariel. "How are you, honey? Are you comfortable? Do you still have book left to read?"

"Yes, Sev. I still have a few chapters left."

"Very good. Do you mind if I spend a little more time with Deborah?"

"Not at all, Sev. And if I finish it I already took another one."

How organized he is. Amazing. He gives me a thousand turns, in every way, he is indeed exceptional. "You can come down to the Common Room with us if you want, it's empty."

"No, Sev, I prefer to stay here. I brought my kitten, look."

Sev peered into the bed. She's curled up next to him, how cuddly she is.

"Oh, it's true, she's with you in bed. I'm going to pet her a little."

Sev went to the other side, sat on the bed and petted the kitten. Today there is a party. Apart from meeting the first and second year kids, I should also be interested in the little malefics that have been left at home. There is a chance to win them over to our side. They are small and impressionable and have no older brothers at school, except Lauren's, and they have been left very lonely.

There are only four. A girl in Ariel's third grade, Lauren's brother and another girl in second, and a boy in first. I'm going to make friends with them tonight. I'll ask Lauren to send them to the party, she sits with them in the Great Hall. Or perhaps better to Ariel himself, so that Lauren does not have to be compromised in case they read them in the summer. I'm going to tell him. "Ariel, can you invite Fence to the party tonight?"

"Why, Sev? She is one of the bad guys."

"No one is completely good or bad, Ariel, and now she has been left alone in your year, we have to become her friends. Also, everyone believed that I was bad and you already saw."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll tell Shelley to tell her."

"Do you know the bad first and second graders too?" Sev asked.

"No, but she does."

Of course, they all sit together in the Great Hall. "Then have Shelley tell her to invite everyone to the party, I said so."

"Okay, Sev. I will tell."

"I'll wait for them in my corner after dinner."

Before I start getting drunk. We'll invite them to butterbeer and win them over. Thus we remove every malignant cancer cell from Sly, truly clear the House name, and not risk betrayal as they grow. On the contrary, let them be the spearhead of the change of mentality among their families. Slys on the verge of adolescence, unsubmissive to parental authority, like Mum was.

"I'm going down with Deborah, okay?"

"Okay, Sev."

I'm going to show her the Celtic horoscope, I'm sure she'll tell me about it now. And now that I think about it, I don't know Jack's, I don't know when his birthday is, what a fool. I'll ask Deborah, I'm sure she knows, they've been close since they were kids. I don't know Anthony's either, I'm going to ask her too, so I spy on all of them.

He went down to the Common Room with the book. Deborah has sat down facing the door. I do trust her to keep an eye on it. He sat across from her, who didn't look at him. (She is absorbed looking at the Map, studying it thoroughly, she loves it, it was her idea to make the one for the Room of Requirement. I am going to do a little test on her, she has had plenty of time to look at everything well, to see to what extent she has noticed.)

Sev asked, "Are the malefics still in their houses?"

"Yes Prince."

"And the escort?"

"Jack, Valerie and Andrew are not seen. The others, in the Library," Deborah answered.

"Because the three of them are in the Forest, in the small clearing. Jack is teaching them Occlumency."

She looked at him. "Oh!"

"Yes, they will also be part of the summer escort."

"Wonderful, they can be trusted."

(Because Jack can't be.) "And Lily, Remus and Cecile?" he asked.

"With Alice and Frank, also in the Library."

"The people from home?"

"In the Library, but not all," she replied.

(Of course she has noticed everything well. You will see how she tells me something about Lauren, I can prepare myself for the dissimulation.) "The ones that are missing must be in the Training Hall, which does not appear on the Map either."

"Yeah, I've noticed."

(Of course she has, she already has it all under control, in less than ten minutes.) "Because it is an addition to the castle," Sev explained.

"Sure. One question Prince. Something that worries me and I have never told you."

(There goes Lauren, what I told you, as soon as I have given her confidence. I have to respond immediately and without hesitation.) "Tell me."

"What about Parkinson? Have you read her?" Deborah asked.

"Yes, I do it daily. She is harmless."

"Why has she stayed?"

"To finish her studies," Sev answered.

"Doesn't she plan to join Voldemort?"

"Not for the moment. Her parents are just sympathizers."

"Yes, I already knew that. Anthony told me that in December she tried to pick you up," she said.

"Well, it wasn't like that either. She simply demanded my attention in class to help her."

"Oh... He has also told me that since then she has made a lot of progress in her subjects, even more than him."

"She has always been a very good witch, she was the second in the class until third year," he said. "I guess she slowed down her performance because she was overindulging in other distractions." (I'm already getting sick, having to talk bad about her.)

"True. Now she has run out of hunting ground."

(Oh, Deborah, if you only knew how essential Lauren is to the work we are doing and who she hunts now. And that a few hours ago she was risking her life and freedom for me. I want to drop this subject, I get sick.) "Don't worry about her anymore, Deborah. I already control her."

"Sure, Prince. You are the expert, but don't let your guard down. I'm surprised the old man hasn't colored her on the Map too. She is very close to the Gryffs."

(Because she's talking to Lily. I'm about to cry, but I can't give myself away.) "He didn't do it because he knows that I have her very handy to control her, I already told you that she is not dangerous."

"Yeah. But on the weekend you can't do it. If a sudden idea comes to her, bye-bye. She can even sneak into your bedroom."

(Indeed she sneaks in, to see Jack. I get sick. I have done wrong in leaving herthe Map,) Sev thought. "It's a risk I have to take. I will never be a hundred percent safe."

"Now that I think about it. Anthony has told me that this week the Patronus theme is due for you in Defense class."

(She herself is giving me the key so that they stop distrusting Lauren, wonderful. Better then that the subject has been brought up.) "Yes, is due."

"It will be a good way to check her intentions, if she can conjure it or not," Deborah said.

(Of course she can conjure it, and we just happened to have it just in time for Death Eater wannabes not to see her do it. That's why no Death Eater wannabe takes Defense, because it's a mandatory OWL subject and they wouldn't pass the exam. Luckily we uncovered and they left, otherwise they would have discovered me too.) "Well, we'll tell you, we have class on Tuesday."

(I have to check my happiest memory Monday in the fir tree, lest it's changed. The last time with Audrey was fantastic, and the cuddles with Lauren, too. At least they're uncorporeal for sure. I'll try all three, those two and the last night with Lily in Cokeworth. I have to warn Lauren check hers too.

(Deborah is amazed by the Map, her toy. She has already forgotten about Lauren. How she is going to enjoy controlling it herself at times.) "Shall we leave the Map for a while? I want to do something more fun to get to know each other better." (I doubt there is anything more fun for her than looking at the Map.)

"What, Prince?" while still looking at it.

(First I'm going to read my characteristics to her so she wants do it too. If she doesn't, I'll read them myself.) Meanwhile, he removed the Map from the table. (Poor girl, she has run out of toy.)

He folded it up, put it away and told her, "Before, when we talked about the day we met, it occurred to me that I have never shown you the book in which I found the Druid Magic rituals."

"It's true."

"I have it here," he said taking it out and showing her the cover.

"'Celtic Horoscope of the Sacred Trees'? Horoscope?" with a disgusted face.

Sev laughed. (I knew it.) "You see, a very misleading title to attract buyers."

"True. Those things seem silly to me," she said.

"The Druids followed a lunar calendar, each date corresponds to a sacred tree. We already know that this is nonsense, magic is always present."

"Yeah."

"However, I have verified with enough people already, that the personal characteristics that they attribute to those born on each date are almost completely correct," he explained.

"Oh. Do not tell me."

(Absolutely skeptical, let's see how I can interest her. Reading mine to her.) "Well yes. I'm going to read you mine so you can check it too."

Sev did. (Only the ones that get me right. I also skip the 'unsatisfied lover' thing, with Deborah it makes me feel embarrassed. She doesn't tell me anything.)

When he finished she said, "Wow. It's you."

(I've already charmed her.) "I'm going to look for your tree and you read them. Do you want?"

"Of course, of course…"

(Very interested. How I fooled her.) Sev looked it up and looked at the title. (The Elm. The Nobleness. Wow…) He held it out to her and she read silently. (She doesn't tell me, of course not, she's not open at all. I should invite her to come to the fir tree with the Gryffs, if Jack doesn't come. I bet she will, for me.)

When she finished, without asking if she could turn the page, (She already realizes that every two pages are a different tree, she has noticed that I have not turned mine back. She is very intelligent and observant,) she commented, "Yes, it is true that it hits me. Almost everything."

(Of course, I have never doubted it.) "Aren't you going to tell me what hits you and what doesn't?"

"You have only told me what is right for you."

Sev laughed. (She caught me.)

So did she, continuing, "Besides, you can read it whenever you want. That's why you asked me my birthday earlier."

Sev laughed again. (I tell you, she got me, she's very smart, she doesn't miss a beat. I'm going to be in good hands.) "But I'd rather discuss it with you. You know yourself better than I do."

"Okay, I'll do, but because it's you. Don't discuss it with anyone else."

(Well, I've earned her trust. She doesn't even give it to Anthony, and of course, Jack, far from it. I'm not going to ask her about their birthdays.) "Of course, Deborah. What we talk about will stay between us." (Until I make the Union with Lily. I'm keen to.)

"I don't want you to tell anyone what we've seen together in the mirror or what I've seen either," she said.

(Oh, what a pity. Well, I would have really liked to tell Lauren about it, she would have loved it and would have appreciated her more. Nothing, she'll find out when I make the Union with her too, sooner or later.)

"Oh, what a pity, because it has been fantastic. That I would have liked to do."

"These are very private things, Prince. I have not asked you about yours."

(She's absolutely right, she's much more discreet than I am,) Sev thought.(But otherwise we wouldn't have built the trust we're starting to have, and she needs it. She's opening up to me like a flower.) "Sure, Deborah, you're right. Well, that's how it will be. A secret between us." (Until I make the Union with Lily. I'm keen to.)

"Well, here I go. I am spiteful, honest, practical and faithful. In that everything is right for me."

(Ugh… so spiteful. Dangerous to betray her.)

She continued, "Very sensible, and I solve problems and obstacles well."

"On the target."

"Yes, I think so too. I keep my feelings to myself. It says 'sometimes', but it's not like that, it's always."

"No, Deborah, not always. With me you show them."

"True. With you I have demonstrated them on the few occasions that I have had to do so."

"We will have more, I assure you."

"I have a good memory and I am very reliable, that's why I can't stand disloyalty. Right," she continued.

"I believe it."

"Pleasant figure, good taste in clothing and modest demands. It also hits the spot."

"Of course," he agreed.

"I tend not to forget mistakes. I don't tend, I never forget them. You know, spiteful."

"Oh…"

"I like to command but not obey, and make decisions for others," she went on.

"It's you, Deborah."

"I was already telling you that almost everything is right for me, it is only wrong in one characteristic and in nuances of the others. But don't worry about the latter, I am going to obey you, never doubt it."

"We'll collaborate, Deborah, I'm not your boss."

"I like that better."

(If she were a better warrior, I would make her second right now.)

"Now comes the one which is wrong. Cheerful and with a good sense of humor," she said.

"I think that you would be if you let yourself go a little more. When we have looked together in the mirror you have been very happy, it has lasted until you got home, and also that time we fought together."

Deborah was thinking. (She is realizing an aspect of her that she hadn't discovered until now. Let's see what she tells me.)

"You're right, you know how to get that side of me out," she admitted. "I hadn't found anyone so far who was capable of doing it."

(Wow, what Lauren always tells me, I'm destined to change lives for the better. I want to take her to the fir tree with the Gryffs. At dinner I'll withdraw the invitation to Jack, I'm going to unload him, and I'll invite her.) "I would like to spend part of tonight with you. Get a little happy with all this that they have brought us," pointing to the bottles.

"Prince, tomorrow we have training."

"Deborah, we also have to enjoy ourselves, recover from the tense day we've had. In this I want you to obey me."

"Well, I'll think about it between now and then. Maybe I feel like it with you, I've never gotten drunk."

"Me neither. It would be the first time for both of us, I would love to share it with you."

She smiled at him and he smiled back. "Alright. Then we will," she agreed.

"That's how I like it."

"I continue. I am an honest and faithful couple, with a noble, generous mentality. That last one not too much, I keep things to myself."

"But not because you are not, but because you close yourself off," Sev opined. "With me you are generous, you are at my entire disposal."

"Because you deserve it."

(She admires me deeply. And I admire her.) "I admire you, Deborah."

"And I you, Prince. You are exceptional."

"You too, don't doubt it."

"I already know it. But very few appreciate me and make the effort to get to know me, and you have."

"Of course, and I am very satisfied with having made the effort and with the result. Anything else?" Sev asked.

"No that's all."

"Then I am going to read you what I have skipped before. Trust must be mutual."

"You don't have to if you don't want to," she said.

"But I want."

Sev searched his page again and read what he had crossed out, even the 'unsatisfied lover'.

When he finished, Deborah told him, "You know yourself well."

"You also yourself."

"You're only wrong about 'modest', yes you are. For what you're worth, you don't show superiority at all."

"I don't show it but I feel it inside myself," he said. "I know my worth, otherwise I would not be where I am."

"You know how to handle yourself perfectly, because that's how you have to be to be a good leader. Feel it but not show it."

"I'm learning a lot from you this afternoon, Deborah, a wonderful exchange. Too bad I didn't do it much sooner."

She smiled at him. "Well, yes, it was about time. I also regret not having made the effort to get closer to you, we would have avoided the serious problem we have now."

"Well, not everything has been bad. It has helped us to realize that the malefics are in contact and in a certain way organized. Tonight the old man is going to read one of them, tomorrow we will know his intentions and you will be the first to find out about them. If he tells me at breakfast we'll have a meeting in the Training Hall as soon as we organize our groups. Do you think it's okay?"

"Of course Prince. You rule."

Deborah looked at her watch. "It's already past five, you must be hungry. You haven't even finished the first course."

(She has noticed. And how I was at lunch. Sure, she sits across from me in the Great Hall.) "Well, the truth is that I am hungry."

"I'm going to look for something in the kitchens. Sandwiches, right? You don't like sweet, you never have dessert. I don't either."

(Indeed, she notices everything,) Sev thought.(And I, nothing, and I've been sitting at the table with her for two weeks. She's magnificent, much better than me.) "Yes, Deborah, I appreciate it very much. Do you see how you are generous?"

"Yes, but I'm telling you, only with those who deserve it. Wait for me here and we'll have a snack together, I'm going to eat something too. I have half left the second with the disgust that I had."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault, it was Jack's," she said. "I'm going to change places at the table so I don't have him in front of me. I'm going to sit in front of you, I've already discussed it with Anthony."

"I think it's great, Deborah. This way we will have easier contact."

"Of course. It already annoys me that he will find out what we talk about."

"Don't worry. If we keep practicing, we will surely be able to Bond across the table in a few days," he said.

"I also believe it."

"When you come back we'll try it here while we have a snack. It's not as wide as the one in the Great Hall, I'm pretty sure we'll make it after all we've done together this afternoon."

"Okay. I'm back in five minutes," she said goodbye.

Deborah went for the snack. Sev searched her page again and went over her features. None have been skipped. Noble and honest to the core, the main feature of her. How badly I had judged her so far, and all because I was influenced by Lauren, because of her bad experience with her through Jack, and Deborah is worth much more than him.

Deborah returned and they tried to Bond by looking into each other's eyes on either side of the table as they ate their snacks. They succeeded, and Sev showed her again in his mind, with absolute precision and detail thanks to the reliable memory acquired in the cave ritual, the battle scene they had seen together in the Mirror. (How lucky we are to be witches.) Deborah enjoyed and was delighted.