Chapter 53: The Gift

Senna's POV

That morning, in the quiet confines of their borrowed bedroom, Senna turned to Viola, a somber expression on her face. "Did Professor Snape tell you about the Minister of Magic?"

Viola's eyes met hers. "Yes. What else did he say?"

Senna took a deep breath, recounting Snape's words about the Prophecy, the seven murders, the Minister of Magic, and how Voldemort had been planning on harnessing Struan's Power.

Viola's gaze darkened as she absorbed the information. "It could have been you in that position." She said in a low voice.

Senna continued, her voice low too, "I know." Viola was right. If Struan had been sent away on the night of their birth, she would have been raised by Voldemort and Elena, and then upon his passing and Elena's arrest, his Death Eaters. If that were the case, who knows who she would be today?

Breakfast was an awkward affair. An unspoken tension lingered in the air between the three members of the Tonks family, Senna, and Viola. Senna chewed the food mechanically. Viola ate with haste, her red hair fanning around her face like a shield.

Tonks murmured good morning to her parents which was followed by a long moment of silence that made the situation even more uncomfortable. When Senna ate her fill, she thanked Tonks' mother in a kind voice and excused herself to the room. Viola followed her silently.

When they were behind closed doors, Senna exhaled in relief. "They are not at all happy that we're here."

"They're cowards, that's all." Viola mumbled.

Senna sighed again. Viola's attitude was just—well—Viola.

"There a lot to be terrified of. Especially me." Senna wiggled her eyebrows menacingly.

Viola rolled her eyes. "You haven't opened your birthday gifts." She pointed an accusing finger to the bag of parcels.

"Not all of them," Senna gestured to the parcels and with a flick of her finger, summoned Viola's parcel to land in her hand. "I was saving the best for last."

Viola's eyes widened, "You've… gotten better at that."

Senna stuck her finger under the tape and pulled. "At unwrapping gifts?"

"No," Viola shook her head, "Wandless magic."

"Yeah," Senna muttered as the wrapping paper fell away, "Now that the curse is gone, it's second nature now." A glint caught her attention—the mesmerizing glow of an enchanted ring nestled within a black velvet box. Intricate patterns dance across its surface, emanating a subtle, magical aura.

"My oh my, Viola, are you proposing to me?" Senna teased.

Embarrassment spread across her cheeks in a sudden blush. Her eyes lowered, and she brushed her hair over her shoulder as she attempted to conceal the rising tide of color. "Don't be stupid," she huffed, "I got this for you because with your parents—being who they are, you probably don't have any family heirlooms. So I thought you could start over." Despite her best efforts, Senna could see how flustered Viola had become. "It's elven silver. It's enchanted to help the wearer invoke self-acceptance and trust."

Viola watched coyly as Senna delicately lifted the ring, her fingers tracing the enchanting details. The air seemed to shimmer when Senna put it on, and a soft, ethereal glow illuminated the green gem in the middle.

Viola scolded Senna, "Don't put it on your ring finger, people might get the idea that we're engaged."

Senna, however, seemed to enjoy Viola's discomfort, and a mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes. "It's my ring, I can wear it wherever I please," she retorted with a sly smile.

Viola's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, and then she lunged to grab the ring from Senna. Senna let her close the distance between them, and then held her hand up in the air, too high for Viola to reach. She took the opportunity to wrap her right arm around Viola's waist. She gasped and tried to break away from her iron grasp, but Senna was too strong.

She smiled in victory and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Wouldn't that be their problem?"

Viola huffed, seeming suddenly very distracted, and She saw why—with their height difference, her breasts were pressing against Viola's face. She used the distraction to her advantage and moved her hand lower, to Viola's full hips and pulled them closer, earning a groan from Viola. The noise stirred her own desire, and she couldn't help herself, she kissed her deeply, and Viola, in turn, reached up to thread her fingers through Senna's hair.

Time seemed to stop, giving them a space where only the two of them existed. The only thing Senna could feel was her soft body against her and the feel of her tongue against hers. The sensation was maddening, leaving her craving for more.

Senna, unable to wait any longer, released her hold on Viola's waist and slipped it under her shirt, eager to feel more of her soft skin. She was rewarded by another moan, and Viola's hands tightened in her hair, nearly to the point of pain.

She wasted no time and slipped under her bra to feel her full breasts, rubbing her thumb over Viola's hard nipple. Viola shuddered and gasped, breaking the kiss.

A loud rap on the door forced them back into the present moment.

"Please, no fucking in my old bedroom." The closed door muffled Tonks' angry voice, but her orders were clear.

"Mind your own business!" Viola spat, red-faced and angry about the interruption.

Senna sighed. "Maybe it's not the right time. We can find another moment, a quieter one, where we can have some real privacy."

She sighed too. "I know. I just... I don't know when that'll ever happen."

Senna leaned in, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. "I'm not sure. but for now, let's just enjoy the fact that Struan and his Death-Eaters have not made skewers out of us. Yet."

"Yet." Viola agreed and allowed herself to be enveloped in Senna's comforting embrace.

Snape had promised to be there in the morning but never showed up. Noon came and went, and Andy made lunch. She reluctantly called Senna and Viola out to eat. Lunch was tense as usual, with Ted Tonks sitting at the head of the table behind a copy of the Daily Prophet. Nymphadora claimed she wasn't hungry and remained in her study.

When Andy had flitted off into the kitchen and Ted seemed preoccupied with the paper he hid behind, Senna started a conversation with her girlfriend. "If we were to get engaged, wouldn't you need a ring too? Or not? I'm not sure not gay couples operate."

Viola's fork slipped out of her hand and clattered noisily onto the table. "What?" Her face turning red, "Why do you want to know?"

She smiled at her obvious discomfort. "Just wondering."

"Well, I don't know." She mumbled, and then threw her hair over her shoulder in an attempt to hide her now-red face.

Senna, amused by this, leaned in closer to her. She loved seeing the confident girl nervous for a change. "Do you want me to get you a matching ring?" She teased.

Viola turned away from her, irritated. "No! I mean..." She stammered awkwardly. "It came as a matched set anyway. So there's no point."

She feigned a gasp, "You have one too? You've thought so far ahead! What a lovely fiancee."

"Shut up!" She hissed, looking like she wanted to disappear from embarrassment.

Senna laughed lightheartedly. But her entertainment was cut short when the door creaked open, revealing the figure of Professor Snape. His dark cloak billowed in the cold winds as he entered, and his sharp, black eyes surveyed the room with disdain.

"What news do you bring, Severus?" inquired Ted Tonks, who peered over the paper.

Nymphadora Tonks appeared in the kitchen, a parchment rolled up in her hands.

"The Triwizard Tournament has been reinstated," he announced, his tone dripping with disdain. "As if the events of the past were not enough to deter them."

Andy Tonks let out a small gasp. Ted, his face etched with concern, spoke up, "But Albus made it clear that the Tournament was too dangerous to continue."

Snape shook his head, his lip curling in a look of contempt. "Dumbledore's opinion holds little weight with the Ministry these days. They believe the Tournament will showcase the strength and unity of the Wizarding World. As if endangering the lives of students and civilians is a suitable means to achieve such ends."

"After everything that's happened," Andy Tonks let out a weak breath, "That's just foolish."

Snape's gaze bore into Senna's, and for a moment, a flicker of something unreadable passed across his face. "Senna," he said, "You will need to be on your guard. The Tournament is now more perilous than ever, and there are more forces at play beyond our understanding."

Senna nodded, jaw set in determination. "I'll be ready."

Snape inclined his head slightly, acknowledging her resolve. "See that you are. Lives may depend on it." With that, he turned on his heel and swept out of the room, leaving everyone to grapple with the unsettling news.

After lunch, when they were alone in the room, Viola turned to her.

"Do you have a plan?" She asked her.

She shrugged. "Same plan as before. I'm going to win the Tournament."

Viola sighed. "It's not just a harmless competition anymore. With the reinstatement of the Tournament, the danger has escalated, and there is guaranteed to be dark forces at play."

Senna's plopped down on the bed and massaged her temples. "You mean... You think Struan is going to use it to advantage, somehow?"

She nodded solemnly. "Exactly. The Triwizard Tournament provides the perfect cover for him to infiltrate the Hogwarts. The chaos, the secrecy—it's a breeding ground for his followers to sow discord and further his plans."

Senna took a moment to absorb her words, but she failed to see how it was much different than before. He had already had Death Eaters infiltrate Hogwarts earlier in the year. What could be worse than that? "Why do you think he'll want to break into a high-profile event? His goal is to put Dark Wizards on top of the food chain, and muggles on the bottom. I don't see what he wants with the Tournament." She thought out loud. "He wanted me, but now that he knows I won't be coming crawling to him, I doubt he'd try to convince me again."

Viola's gaze grew even more intense. "The Tournament is a convergence of powerful magical energies. If manipulated with dark magic, it could serve as a gateway for your father to regain strength, perhaps even return to a physical form."

"I highly doubt that. You can't just come back from the dead." She laughed.

She looked up when Viola didn't respond. She appeared to be lost in her thoughts, her gaze fixated on a point far away. She seemed preoccupied and distant, as if something was weighing heavily on her mind.

"Right?" Senna asked warily.

"Well..." She seemed hesitant to elaborate, afraid of what she might reveal. "I've heard rumors." Her voice was low and guarded, and there was a palpable tension in the air as she spoke.

"Rumors?" She asked with a raised brow.

It was clear that whatever she had heard had deeply troubled her, and she was struggling to come to terms with it. "I have friends in a lot of places..." She hesitated, "And a few of them mentioned things, such as you-know-who getting stronger."

Senna was alarmed by her words. She felt a knot form in her stomach as she tried to process what Viola was saying. "Growing stronger? What does that mean? I thought he was dead."

Viola shook her head, her green eyes severe. "I don't know. All these rumors are just bits and pieces."

"How reliable are the things you hear?"

"Let's hope they're wrong this time," She shuddered.

"Yeah," Senna agreed with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.