Chapter 59 Unofficially Official
Senna quietly followed Viola as they made their way to the breakfast table. Despite Senna's attempts to engage her in conversation, Viola remained unresponsive, her face twisted into a scowl.
Senna knew it had to do with her encounter with Tonks last night. Nevertheless, Senna decided to play it cool and act as if she didn't know what happened and everything was normal, hoping that Viola would eventually open up to her.
Even her peers sensed her terrible mood and didn't dare converse with her.
"What will you do while I'm in Ancient Runes?" Viola asked her in a groggy tone.
She paused momentarily, unsure what to do with her free time. " The same place I always go, I suppose."
They both knew where that was–the abandoned gym.
Viola wrinkled her nose in distaste. "It's always so dirty there."
"I'm not afraid of a little dirt." Senna winked at Viola, but she was in no mood to reciprocate.
"Fine." She stood hastily the moment her plate was empty. "I'll see you later."
Senna let out a sigh and watched her red curls disappear in the sea of students.
Senna stood alone in the center of the gym, her mind and body in a state of flux. Ever since the mysterious encounter with Death that left her changed, she felt a surge of power coursing through her veins. Each heartbeat echoed with newfound vitality, and her very cells seemed to radiate an energy she had never known before.
Senna was still getting used to this new feeling.
Closing her eyes, she focused on the sensation, the power tingling in her limbs. When she sank into it, it was an intoxicating feeling, and as she moved, she could almost sense the currents of energy flowing within her. It was as if she had tapped into a reservoir of pure potential, an essence that set her apart from her former self.
She requested the room to become a battlefield for her to play on, and almost instantly, dozens of wooden dummies on wheels appeared and raced toward her, their wooden limbs outstretched to tackle her.
Senna closed her eyes. She marveled at the strength she now felt, the subtle hum of magic resonating within. As she moved her hands, a faint shimmer of energy trailed in their wake, and with each wave of her hand, she sent the dummies exploding into dust one by one.
She was dancing in a sea of energy, and each dummy's explosion was like a beating drum. But far too soon, the music ended, and she was alone and surrounded by piles of dust.
She opened her eyes, a sense of wonderment filling her. The challenges ahead seemed less daunting with this newfound vitality.
A tickle in her veins told her she wasn't alone, and her intuition told her who it was.
"No point in the disillusionment charm, Tonks," Senna said softly.
Tonks made herself visible then. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and her mouth was slightly agape. "How are you doing that?" She seemed to stumble, "It shouldn't be possible."
How could she explain that she now knew she was the entire universe in one being, and unlimited magic was simply a part of that? Everyone was limitless magic, too, if they only knew and experienced it.
How could she explain that every roadblock in our abilities was just self-imposed limitations from our limited perspective?
She opened her mouth to try and convey this, but no words formed.
So she just shrugged.
Senna then noticed the dark shadows under her eyes and felt a pang of anger. Scrimgeour was overworking her again.
"Did you get any sleep last night?" Senna changed the subject.
Tonks looked away and shrugged.
"I have an hour before History of Magic. Why don't you get a nap in?"
A look of irritation flashed through Tonks' face. "You are not my mother, Senna, so stop—"
But Senna ignored her protest and snapped her fingers, conjuring a poofy white cot and sending it across the floor, hitting Tonks behind the knees so that she fell into it.
"Wandless conjuring!" Tonks gasped in shock.
"Have a rest." She rolled her eyes.
Tonks sat in the cot for a while, but her defiant eyes told Senna that she didn't plan on closing them for quite some time.
Senna sighed. "Suit yourself." She said and then pulled out her potions textbook to get started on the coursework.
Tonks stared at her suspiciously as she sat on the dusty floor and read her potion book. Something else was in her eyes that she could not place a finger on, but she chose not to dwell on it. After twenty or so minutes, she heard a soft snore that told her Tonks' exhaustion had won over.
As the distant bell rang, Senna got up from the floor. She paused momentarily to look at Tonks' peaceful face, noticing that the lines of anger and stress had disappeared. This made Tonks look younger and carefree, just like the old times. It was the Tonks that Senna missed so much.
She smiled and tiptoed out of the room, careful not to wake the tired Auror.
After a boring lecture on the History of Magic, she made her way to the Great Hall for lunch. The Hall buzzed with students chatting and dishes clattering. She scanned the cluster of students to see Viola hunched over a book, her shoulders fraught with tension. Her green eyes suddenly looked up, then scanned the staff table, and they returned to her book.
Senna approached Viola at the table and sat down next to her. "Hey, Viola, is everything alright? You seem tense," she said with a concerned look.
"Senna," she said without looking up at her, "don't worry about me. I'm fine."
But Senna wasn't convinced. She knew about her conversation with Tonks. "I know you well enough to tell when something's bothering you. What's going on?"
She sighed, her gaze flickering away. "It's nothing, really. I just have some things on my mind."
She leaned in, "Viola, we're fake girlfriends. You can talk to me. I'm here for you."
Viola resisted a smile, and the corners of her lips twitched. "Oh please, you stopped faking it ages ago."
"You're one to talk," Senna said, rolling her eyes. "My irresistible feminine charm had you smitten."
"I was not!" This had the desired effect—her cheeks turned pink, and the tension she had previously felt dissipated.
She raised an eyebrow with a mischievous grin. "So, Ms. Richmond, do you know what day it is now?"
Viola narrowed her eyes, suspicious that Senna was still toying with her. She glanced over at the staff table and then back at Senna. "Hmm, let me think. Is it National Annoy-Your-Real-Girlfriend Day?"
Senna chuckled. "It's our official anniversary day."
She rolled her eyes. "Nice try. You don't celebrate until a year."
Senna grinned, reaching for Viola's hand. "It'll be a blink of an eye. Time flies when you're bickering with the love of your life."
"Bickering?" She looked at her incredulously.
Senna raised an eyebrow in mock disbelief. "Come on, bickering is the base of our relationship. Without it, there would be nothing left."
She chuckled. "Fine, fine. Maybe we do bicker a lot."
Senna nodded with a smirk. "Exactly. Our relationship is like a fine wine – it gets better with a little bit of argument."
Viola finally laughed, shaking her head. "You're impossible."
She winked. "But you love me."
Viola's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, and she broke eye contact. Her attention shifted to the plate of food in front of her as if she needed a distraction from the sudden rush of emotions.
Senna raised her pumpkin juice goblet in a toast. "Happy anniversary, Viola. Here's to looking forward to the next year of bickering."
"Shut up." She snapped.
Senna sipped from her goblet, a smirk on her face.
She noticed Viola's gaze drifting toward the staff table again. She couldn't help but inquire, "You've been staring at the staff table a lot. What's up?"
She hesitated before answering, "Have you noticed Mad-Eye Moody's been missing lately? I mean, he's not there again today."
Senna furrowed her brow, her curiosity piqued. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him at meal times. But he's been teaching class."
Viola leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I overheard some older students talking about it. They said Moody's been disappearing unexpectedly, and people are speculating. You know how you thought he'd been acting weird. It's just strange."
"Disappearing? What do you think is going on?"
She shrugged, her expression contemplative. "Who knows? Maybe he's a Death Eater," she whispered.
Senna pretended to contemplate this for a moment. She had already heard her theory last night: "It's unlikely for a stubborn ex-auror to be a Death Eater; it's more likely he's being controlled by one. Imperius curse, maybe?"
"Maybe." Her eyes returned to the plate in front of her.
Senna spent the rest of the day attending her classes. She had Herbology, while her girlfriend had Care of Magical Creatures.
She found that her mind kept wandering to the new power she had discovered. She couldn't wait to explore it further and see what else she could do with it.
During the last period of the day, a free period they shared, Viola and Senna found themselves sitting at a secluded corner table in the library. They were studying for their upcoming Transfiguration class.
Viola flipped through her Transfiguration textbook and sneaked a glance at Senna's book. "Senna, do you mind if I borrow your book? I think mine is missing a spell or two." She frowned at her smudged textbook.
Senna grinned, sliding her notes over to her. "Sure, but you owe me a chocolate frog for every page you use."
She laughed as she swapped their books. "Deal. But don't dare write anything in my book. Your handwriting is atrocious."
Senna mockingly gasped, placing a hand over her heart. "My handwriting is an ancient form of art, thank you very much."
Viola raised an eyebrow. "More like an ancient form of chicken scratch."
She giggled, earning a disapproving glance from Madam Pince, the librarian. Trying to stifle their giggles, they shifted their attention back to their books.
As Viola continued to read the book, she let out an exaggerated sigh. "Ugh, studying this subject is just painful. Why can't we just cast a spell to absorb all the information directly into our brains?"
She leaned in, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Well, if I could invent such a spell, I'd be a legend. Imagine the possibilities!"
Viola grinned. "True, but then we'd miss out on all the quality time we spend bickering over Transfiguration theories."
Senna chuckled. "Ah, our intellectual bickerings are the highlight of my Hogwarts experience."
Viola raised a brow at her. "Are you saying the Tri-Wizard Tournament matches aren't thrilling enough for you?"
Senna leaned back, putting on a thoughtful expression. "They're exciting, but not as much as our—" she looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was listening. They seemed to be alone. "Our more intimate experiences." She gave her a knowing look.
Viola shook her head, trying to suppress the blush that was starting to form. "You're hopeless, Senna. Completely and utterly hopeless."
Just as they were about to delve into another round of banter, Madam Pince approached, shooting them a stern look. "If you two can't keep it down, I'll have to ask you to leave the library."
They exchanged a knowing glance and then burst into giggles, earning them a stern "shush" from Madam Pince.
Viola seemed to be in a better mood after their free period together. She even cracked a smile during dinner when Senna made a joke.
As the day finished, Senna and Viola found themselves back at the Slytherin common room, exhausted from the long day of classes. Senna plopped down on the couch while Viola made her way to their dormitory to change into more comfortable clothes.
Senna couldn't help but think about Tonks, wondering if she was still sleeping in the abandoned gym. She made a mental note to check on her later.
Viola returned to the common room, now dressed in her favorite green sweater and black leggings. She sat down next to Senna and pulled out her Transfiguration textbook.
As the evening progressed, the common room started to fill up with other Slytherins. Viola chatted with her friends, Zubeida Khan, the Carrow twins, and several other Slytherins whom she didn't know the names of. At some point, Zubeida convinced Viola to put away her textbook and get her to play a game of wizard's chess, which she mercilessly beat Zubeida in minutes.
Senna returned to her room, overwhelmed from a day of classes at Hogwarts.
As she entered, she noticed a parchment lying on her bed, one she didn't recognize. She hovered her hand over it and didn't sense any magic emanating from it. It was just an ordinary parchment.
Curiosity overcoming caution, she carefully opened the parchment, revealing a letter written with moving, swirling script that left a backdrop of hissing in her ears.
Dear Senna,
Time has woven a complex tapestry around us, and yet, the threads of destiny have not forgotten their original design. I missed your birthday, and for that, I want to extend my sincerest apologies. Birthdays are special, after all, we share one.
I've been following your life from a distance, and I am impressed by your perseverance and miraculous recovery. The path we once walked together has diverged, and in that divergence, secrets were hidden, truths left untold. But the stars, those celestial observers of fate, have whispered that the time for revelation is near.
I trust that the passage of time has softened any harsh memories that may linger between us. I wish to share things with you, stories to tell, and perhaps more lessons to impart. Seek the answers from me, Senna, for the mysteries that have eluded you may now be within your grasp.
Remember the bonds that bind us, for blood is a powerful force that transcends the confines of ordinary existence. Prepare yourself, for the shadows of the past, may soon be unveiled. The echoes of our shared legacy, buried in the recesses of time, are stirring.
I plan to visit you soon,
Struan
Senna stared at the letter, unease and curiosity filling her thoughts. The mysterious words left her wondering about what secrets Struan had left to tell her. There were still so many unanswered questions in her life, and she couldn't deny that they stirred an interest inside her...
But more importantly, the most prominent criminal in Great Britain, and the murderer of the Minister of Magic, was going to visit her soon.
Senna gulped.