Unforgivables
Chapter 5: Unforgivables
On Monday afternoon, the castle was shaken with a load scream, emanating from the Hospital Wing. As this was a regular occurrence for the Hogwarts students and staff, they didn’t do much aside from wrap up their books/ lessons and head to the Great Hall for lunch or shake their heads in amusement and carry on with their mid-day routine. The visitors on the other hand, already in the Great Hall for lunch before they would once again split up and head to class, were startled by the sound and confused by the reactions from their hosts.
“Don’t worry.” Draco told the visiting group of startled Durmstrang students that were sitting at the Slytherin table for breakfast. His explanation was being echoed by a few other students and staff members who took the liberty to explain to their American and French visitors. “That was Aurelia Potter-Black. She’s likely just been released from the Infirmary and realized that classes resume in half an hour. Since we have Double Defense against the Dark Arts with Professor Moody scheduled for the entire afternoon, it’ll take about five minutes to get to his classroom from here, and longer from the Infirmary where she was last night and this morning.” He took a sip of his tea before continuing. “Last class, Professor Moody had made it very clear that we would be covering something important and this would be the only time he will be covering the content. It will also be on a test later in the term, and possibly on our exams as well.”
The explanation received a few understanding nods as everyone returned to their meals. Sure enough, the fourteen-year-old came barreling through the open doors five minutes later. What was surprising, at least for the visitors, was the fact that the girl was wearing a pair of roller-blades on her feet and she had come rolling in at a rapid speed. She came to a stop at the Gryffindor table, using the table as leverage to pull herself towards it in order to eat the food from the plate Neville had already prepared for her, while reviewing her notes before class started and listening to Parvati and Lavender update her on all the gossip she had missed as well as Hermione telling her everything she missed during classes that morning. She didn’t realize that her shades had slipped off her face and were hanging around her neck from the ruby red spectacle cord (https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/762234305655185807/) that was there for exactly that reason.
At the staff table, Leo and Piper gasped when they saw the blind girl’s eyes, or rather the markings (https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879470336866/) that surrounded her eyes. The two exchanged looks, this was definately the girl that had been with Wyatt when he came back to the past due to a spell Piper and cast and then again with Wyatt and Chris when Wyatt’s powers had disappeared because of Billie and Christy. They didn’t say anything as their gasps had drawn the attentions of Professor McGonagall.
The stern woman gently put her tea cup down and faced them.
“Don’t be alarmed by the markings.” She said, misinterpreting the reason for the gasp. “They aren’t painful. She received them after a battle with a Basilisk in her second year.” The Scottish woman proceeded to give them a brief overview of what had happened that year, from the Petrifications to the student being taken into the Chamber and Aurelia and Ron going down to save her. “She had been bitten by the Basilisk as she stabbed it, along with being sprayed with the venom in her eyes during the fight. The Headmaster’s Phoenix, Fawkes, used his tears to heal her, but couldn’t completely remove the scars or heal her blindness. The combination of the tears and her magic working in tandem resulted in the scars being turned into the almost tattoo-like markings she now has.”
“Oh my God.” Piper breathed, her eyes wide, an expression mirrored by her husband. Despite everything her and her sisters had gone through when they became the Charmed Ones, they had still been adults. This girl was 12-years-old when she became blind, and from what they had learned over the weekend, she had also witnessed her parent’s murder at the tender age of 1, and spent the year before hearing their final moments as a result of the Dementors that had been stationed around the school due to the escape of Bellatrix LeStrange and Peter Pettigrew from Azkaban Prison. It truly is amazing how much information one could get from teenagers as well as from the newspapers, especially when it was almost as if the girl had no privacy when it came to her own life.
Finishing her lunch with less than 10 minutes to spare, Aurelia quickly changed into her pumps, put her shades back on her face to cover her disconcerting unseeing eyes and magicking her rollerblades back to her dorm-room before leaving the Hall, followed by the rest of her classmates.
The Fourth Years were followed by Wyatt and Chris, who had both decided to join the Fourth Years to learn about Wizarding magic. The rest of their schoolmates followed them out but turned in the other direction, heading to one of the newly assigned classrooms where they would be resuming their own lessons with Leo and Piper, though Melinda followed the Third Years to their class having made the same decision as her brothers. To be able to truly incorporate international cooperation, and especially for all the students to gain the maximum knowledge of both forms of magic, the Headmaster had announced that they all had the option of attending any class held by another school, so long as they had permission from their own professor if they were missing class and they abided by the rules set by the professor teaching the class they were attending. Magic School students had the option to completely join any of Hogwarts’ year groups from Year 1 through Year 4 (having to complete any work assigned by the Hogwarts professors like any student), however they would have to remain up to date with their own lessons set by Leo and Piper (which incorporated magical and non-magical classes). They had the week to make their final decision, however based on the textbooks they had read over the weekend, most decided to at least start with the Fourth Years before deciding whether they wanted to go with a lower level if they needed to, or if they wanted to opt out entirely (though they would still have the option of joining the odd class if they so desired).
Reaching the Defense classroom, they quickly sat down in their seats, Wyatt and Chris pairing up and sitting right behind Ron and Aurelia in the second row, while the rest kept the seats they had chosen at the beginning of term. They took their textbooks out, but left them to the side since they knew their professor used a more practical approach to teaching them, using the text only as a form of reference or for any required readings they would need to complete. The chatter which had filled the room as the students entered immediately died as Professor Moody entered the class with the trademark ‘Thunk!’ of his wooden leg. They all faced him as he stood at the front of the class, leaning back slightly against his table.
“As I told you last week,” he began, “we are covering something that the Ministry believes you are too young to learn. Some of you have already been directly affected in some form by what I am going to teach you. Others have heard stories from your parents. Now, today’s lesson will be about the Unforgivable Curses.”
Neville and Aurelia swallowed, the sound heard in the silent classroom. They were the two who have been directly affected by this particular classification of curses, even if everyone was only aware of Aurelia’s background. Wyatt and Chris exchanged looks, not knowing the reason behind the reaction.
“More specifically, who can tell me how many there are?” he continued.
“Three, sir.” Hermione answered after a moment when no one made any indication of answering.
“And they are so named?” Moody asked, turning to the chalkboard and starting to write.
“Because they are unforgivable.” Hermione continued. “The use of any one of them will-.”
“Will earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban, correct.” Moody finished, as he completed what he was writing and turning back to the class. They saw that he had written ‘3 Unforgivables’ with the ‘3’ being circled in emphasis. “As I said earlier, the Ministry says you are too young to see what these curses can do. With all due respect to many of those idiot, I say different!” at any other time, his address of Ministry employees would be met with a least a spattering of laughs, however this time, the class was too stunned by the severity of the lesson. “You need to know what you’re up against! You need to be prepared! So, which curse shall we see first?” When no one volunteered, he barked, “Weasley!”
“Yes?” Ron jumped.
“Stand.” Ron slowly stood up. “Give us a curse.”
“Well, my dad did tell me about one once.” Ron said, his voice hesitant and soft. “The Imperious Curse.”
“Oh, yeah,” Moody nodded. “Your father would know all about that one. There was a time when that particular curse gave the Ministry quite a bit of grief. Perhaps this will show you why.” He turned back to his desk and removed a large glass jar from the drawer. The jar contained a large, scuttling spider inside. Aurelia felt Ron shudder at the sight of his greatest fear as he remained standing. Removing the lid, Moody reached in and removed the spider and held it in his hand as he pointed his wand at it.
“Engorgio.” The spider grew in size, slightly bigger than a tarantula. “Imperio!”
Aurelia gasped at the emotions she got, rather didn’t get, from the now large spider. Where it had been content to scuttle around before becoming ever so slightly apprehensive at the magic that was used on it, she now could feel nothing from the arachnid.
The spider leapt from Moody’s hand on a fine thread of silk and began to swing backward and forward as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance.
Everyone was laughing — everyone except Moody, Aurelia, Wyatt and Chris. Moody because he knew what the spell could do and the three students because they could feel the falsity in the emotions and actions, as well as knowing what it was like to be forced to do something against your will.
“Think it’s funny, do you?” Moody growled. “You’d like it, would you, if I did it to you?” The laughter died away almost instantly. “Total control,” he said quietly as the spider balled itself up and began to roll over and over. “I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats . . .” Ron gave an involuntary shudder at the thought. “Years back, scores of witches and wizards claimed that they only did You-Know-Who’s bidding under the influence of the Imperious Curse. Some were telling the truth, others only claimed such to avoid punishment.” he said as he brought the spider back to his hand and lifted the spell and Aurelia knew he was referring to when Voldemort had been all-powerful. Her family had told her as many stories as they possibly could without traumatizing her, especially when she began questioning why she wasn’t allowed to do many of the things her friends would often take for granted, like being able to leave school grounds, or even be out after curfew with only detention as a consequence – her consequence had been a long rant and a grounding, sometimes even being forbidden from flying for several days.
“It had been quite the challenge for the Ministry to sort out who was being forced, and who was lying. The curse can be fought, make no mistake, and I’ll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character and not everyone has the strength to fight its effects. Not only what the spell is telling you to do, but what it does to make you believe that it’s okay to do. Frankly, it’s better to avoid being hit with it if you can.” He paused for a moment. “CONSTANT VIGILANCE!” Moody’s sudden shout made everyone jump, everyone except Aurelia who was far too used to sudden yells, as well as Wyatt and Chris for the same reason as well as being used to people popping up in front of them unexpectedly. “Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?”
Many hands went into the air, Neville also raising his, although much slower. Many glanced at the boy in surprise - the only class in which Neville usually volunteered information was Herbology, which was easily his best subject.
“Stand.” said Moody, his magical eye rolling right over to fix on Neville. Neville stood up slowly. “Yes?”
“There’s one — the Cruciatus Curse,” said Neville in a small but distinct voice.
Moody was looking very intently at Neville, this time with both eyes. Aurelia’s eyes widened, she knew what that curse had done to Neville.
“The Cruciatus Curse,” the roughened man repeated, raising his wand to point at the spider. “Crucio!”
As soon as the spell hit, three things occurred. The spider’s legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side in obvious agony; Aurelia and Wyatt clutched their heads in agony as they both felt the pain the spider was feeling; and Neville flinched with each move the tortured spider made. Still, Moody did not remove his wand or lift the spell. The spider started to shudder and jerk more violently as Wyatt and Aurelia bit their lips to keep from screaming while Chris and Ron put their arms around their pained partners. Neville’s knuckles went white as he balled his hands into fists and stared at the shuddering spider with wide and horrified eyes, seeing first-hand what had happened when he was a child as he hadn’t been witness to the event as he had been with his Grandmother.
“Stop it!” Hermione finally screamed shrilly as Wyatt and Aurelia’s lips broke skin and blood began to drip down their chins. “Can’t you see what it’s doing to them?! Stop it!”
Moody raised his wand, lifting the curse. The spider’s legs relaxed, but it continued to twitch. Wyatt and Aurelia gasped as they lowered their hands and those around them put gentle hands on their shoulders and backs, giving the two teenagers silent support before taking their hands back. Dean helped a frozen Neville sit back down in his chair, keeping a comforting hand on the pure-blood teen, though unaware of the reason behind the torment.
“Pain,” Moody said softly as everyone turned back to him, though Chris and Ron kept their hands on Wyatt and Aurelia’s arms in silent support. “You don’t need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse. . . . That one was very popular once too. As with any form of torture, prolonged exposure can have life-long side effects. With this curse, it can lead to insanity as well as complete mental breakdown, leaving the victims as mere shadows of who they once were. Right . . . anyone know the last one?” he turned to Aurelia, who was holding a handkerchief to her bleeding lip. “Miss Potter-Black?”
Aurelia took a deep breath as she stood up, Ron’s hand still on her arm.
“Dad and the others…” she started, her voice no louder than a whisper though it felt as if she was shouting in the absolute silence of the classroom. “They told me about-about the…” her eyes filled with tears as she shook her head, unable to continue as she remembered the green light, the cruel laughter and her birth-parent’s final moments.
“The last curse,” Moody continued, seeing the girl would be unable to continue. “Avada Kedavra!” There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound, as though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air — instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked, but unmistakably dead. Several of the students stifled cries; the two white-lighters and Aurelia flinched, feeling the spider die. “The Killing Curse.” Aurelia lost the battle against her tears as they streamed down her face in rivers of silver. The class was silent, seeing the effect it had on Aurelia as well as feeling the weight of what they had just been taught. “Not nice,” he said calmly, dropping the spider on his desk as he looked at Aurelia who was still crying. A white-faced Ron helped her sit down and held her close while Moody spoke. “Not pleasant. And there’s no counter-curse. There’s no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and she’s sitting right in front of me.”
Aurelia felt Moody’s eyes on her, as well as the rest of the class. There were shocked gasps from many of them, after all, it was one thing to hear about what had happened as stories, and in the recent years from Professor Black during the week of Halloween when he would remind everyone exactly what this peace they now have had cost them all to achieve, but seeing it first-hand (even if it was on a spider) made them truly see what Aurelia had witnessed as a child (and then relived last year because of the Dementors).
“Avada Kedavra’s a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it — you could all get your wands out now, point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I’d get so much as a nosebleed.” Moody resumed his lecture, bringing the class back to attention. “But that doesn’t matter. I’m not here to teach you how to do it. Now, if there’s no counter-curse, why am I showing you? Because you’ve got to know. You’ve got to appreciate what the worst is. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you’re facing it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!” he roared, and this time the entire class jumped, including a still shocked Aurelia, Wyatt and Chris. He lowered his voice once more. “That’s what you’re up against. That’s what I’ve got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practice constant, never-ceasing vigilance. Get out your quills . . . copy this down. . . .”
They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on each of the Unforgivable Curses. No one spoke until the bell rang - and when Moody dismissed them, everyone congregated around Aurelia, Neville, Wyatt and Chris. Wyatt and Chris were momentarily surprised at being included in the group before they realized that the class had probably noticed the effect the lesson had on them and they gratefully accepted the support.
“Hell of a first lesson with him, huh?” Draco commented softly to the two white-lighters as they slowly walked towards the Great Hall for dinner.
“Yeah.” Wyatt replied shakily as the two brothers walked as close to each other as possible with their hands linked so as not to accidentally get parted by the crowd of teens.
The large group had just reached the end of the corridor when they head an odd clunking noise behind them. Turning, they saw Moody limping towards them and parted as he came closer. He stopped in front of Ron and Hermione who were supporting Neville and Aurelia, and Draco who was next to Wyatt and Chris. They all watched the man apprehensively, tightening their grips on each other.
“It’s all right, sonny,” Moody said to Neville in a lower and gentler voice than the one he had used in class. “Why don’t you come up to my office? Come on . . . we can have a cup of tea. . . .”
Neville looked even more frightened at the prospect of tea with Moody. He neither moved nor spoke. Moody turned his magical eye upon Aurelia, Wyatt and Chris.
“You all right, are you, Potter-Black, Halliwell?”
“Yes,” Aurelia replied, almost defiant despite the way she was clutching Ron. Her reply was echoed by the two brothers, with the tone as well.
Moody’s blue eye quivered slightly in its socket as it surveyed the three of them. After a moment, he said, “You’ve got to know. It seems harsh, maybe, but you’ve got to know. No point pretending . . . well . . . come on, Longbottom, I’ve got some books that might interest you.” With that, Moody turned and began walking away.
Neville glanced pleadingly at his classmates, but they didn’t say anything, aside from Aurelia reaching out and giving him a gentle nudge in encouragement. With a sigh, Neville turned and followed the ex-Auror back into the classroom as the rest of the group continued to the Great Hall.
As they shuffled into the Hall, Minerva watched the students from where she was sitting at the Head Table. She noticed their uncharacteristically subdued behavior, so similar to the previous year when the Third Years had Trelawney for the first time and she predicted Aurelia’s death in the very first lesson. She absently noticed the rest of the teachers doing the same, especially Piper and Leo as they took in the way their sons were clutching each other. With identical frowns on their faces, husband and wife looked at each other before turning back to watch their sons, an action that was mirrored by most of the staff as they watched Aurelia, who had streaks of dried tears on her face.
“What happened in class that caused such a reaction?” Remus pondered out loud. It was taking everything he had not to run down to his cub and pull her trembling frame into a hug and never let go. He was well aware that the rest were feeling the same way, if the grips they had on their utensils was anything to go by.
“I don’t know.” Sirius growled, his fork bending from the strength of the grip he had on them. “But I’m going to find out.”
With that, he stood up and went down to where the Fourth Years had split up and went to their own house tables.
“Prongslet?” Sirius asked softly, coming to a stop behind her and crouching down so he was eye-to eye with her after she turned to face him. “What’s wrong?”
“Professor Moody showed us the Unforgivable Curses in class today.” Hermione replied, her voice heard throughout the Hall as the chatter died the moment Sirius came to a stop behind Aurelia. It was something the staff so rarely did since she had become an official student that it was a novelty when they did.
“WHAT?!” he roared, his stormy gray eyes flashing with the power of his magic.
Hearing Hermione’s response, Remus stood up and hurried over to put a calming hand on Sirius’ shoulder even though his own blue eyes were flashing amber in evidence of his wolf nearing the surface in anger, despite the fact that the full moon was still a long way away. Aurelia stood up and put her hand on her father’s chest.
“It’s okay, Daddy.” She said softly. “We needed to know. It just caught me by surprise. It was one thing hearing stories and seeing it in the nightmares, but it’s different seeing it in class. I expect seeing it real life will be different as well from what we experienced today.”
She spoke calmly and practically. The high emotions that rolled off the two men, and the other adults, slowly simmered down as they stopped thinking as parents and started thinking as teachers. They realized that she had a point, and even though it had been difficult, they did need to know.
Narcissa Malfoy, the school therapist/ psychiatrist, stood up and said to room at large, though aimed her words at the Fourth Years in particular.
“If you need to talk to me, my door is open. What you learned today may not hit you any time soon, but when it does, please know that my door is always open.”
She received nods from several students.
“Great.” Aurelia said, a touch sarcastic. “As if I’m not already in enough therapy to last a lifetime. Maybe three.”
Her comment broke the tension as laughter echoed through the hall and dinner resumed. The rest of the meal passed without incident, though Moody did receive a few glares by many staff members when he arrived, Neville not far behind.
Hermione, in true fashion, took a large tome out of her bag and reading while making notes in a spiral bound notebook with a ballpoint pen. Her action was mimicked by Neville who took out a Potions book and began.
“What are you doing, Nev?” Ron asked, swallowing a mouthful of food.
“Studying for the Potions test we have coming up.” He replied absently, not looking up from his text.
“That test is not for another three weeks.” Ron pointed out.
“I know. But with my luck, I need to cover my backside from all directions.” Neville replied, nibbling on a carrot stick.
“Mione, what are your reading?” Aurelia asked, noticing that the magic in her book was different from their text books.
“I’m doing some research regarding the Tournament and if there is a way to ensure that you would be safe during it.” She replied absently, not looking up from the book as she bit on the end of her pen.
Aurelia nodded in understanding as she went back to her food, taking sips from her potion goblet. She felt a tap behind her, and putting her fork down, she turned to face who it was.
“Aurelia?” came Cedric’s voice.
“Yeah?”
“I just wanted to tell you that I’m on your side.” His voice was strong as he proclaimed his stand on the situation they found themselves in.
Aurelia smiled, her shine coming out a little more brightly as she took in what her friend had to say. She stood up and hugged him tightly.
“Thank you.” She said softly, pulling back.
“Yeah, the last time we didn’t believe you, it kinda came back to bite us in the butt.” Ernie MacMillan commented from his seat at the Hufflepuff table. “Spectacularly.”
Aurelia laughed, the sound resembling a tinkle of bells that echoed her joy.
“I didn’t blame you then, and I wouldn’t blame you now.” She said, still shining lightly.
“That’s because you’re too good a person to hold grudge.” Ginny said, pointing at the older with her fork.
“Speak for yourself Weaslette.” Draco said from the Slytherin table. “Little Miss Star here held a grudge for three months against me one time.”
“We were eight.” Aurelia cried out indignantly, leaning around Cedric to look at her cousin. “And you had completely destroyed my Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Cryo.” The four being the stuffed toy versions of Remus, both her fathers, and Severus (who was a black wolf with a silver white stripe running across its back where the name came from). “It took that long for them to be repaired.”
“Still, three months.” Draco repeated.
“I forgave you as soon as they were repaired, and Grandma gave them back to me.” Aurelia reminded him, pouting slightly.
“Okay, you have a point.” Draco sighed. “But my point is, that you are fully capable of holding a grudge.”
Wyatt, who was watching the interactions like a tennis match along with the rest of the visitors, stood up from where he was sitting at the Hufflepuff table and went over to the blind girl.
“I also want to tell you that I’m on your side.” He smiled at her, making her look at him in shock.
“Thank you.” She said, before frowning lightly. “But I don’t understand why you would. I know you had said that you could tell that I was telling the truth, but we are competing against each other.”
“That maybe so, but nothing says we can’t be friends, or at least civil.”
“True.” She laughed.
“Oh my!” Hermione cried out suddenly, making everyone turn to her. She was staring at the book with wide eyes.
“What? What is it?” Ron asked her, startled by the sudden outburst.
“I have to go to the library.” She cried out, rapidly shoving her books back into her bag and running out. Aurelia sighed and buttered several pieces of toast and waited. A few seconds later, Hermione came running back in, took the plate of toast and ran back out, yelling her thanks over her shoulder. Sirius and Remus sat at the Gryffindor table to resume their meal, not willing to let Aurelia out of their sight, and if the way many of the other teachers were watching the girl was any indication, they weren’t about to either.
Aurelia sighed softly as she felt the watchful eyes on her, she knew very well that there was no way she’d be going anywhere with at least some kind of supervision and this was only because of a Defense class that unsettled them. She did not want to think about what they were going to be like as the date of the First Task approached, which was still some time away thankfully.
“Okay. What was that about?” Piper asked loudly, still staring at the door Hermione had ran out of.
“No idea.” Severus replied, taking a sip of his tea.
“And we will not know until she has the results of her search, regardless of whether or not they are favorable.” Minerva added, smiling softly as she watched the students mingle with each other as if everything was normal. She could not express how happy she was that her beloved niece was getting support from the other Champions. She voiced her thought after some mild prompting from Albus.
“I am not surprised.” He revealed softly, so that only Minerva, Remus, Sirius, Severus, Leo and Piper could hear. “The girl was able to gain the love of Severus.” The man in question sneered but didn’t argue. “If she could heal his broken heart and gain his love, than she can warm the hearts of anyone.”
“I don’t really understand the connection between the two.” Leo said frowning slightly.
“After her parents died, I was in a really bad place.” Severus replied softly. “Lily had been my best friend, indeed she had been my only friend. So when she died, it was as if part of me died as well. Than this little girl comes along and looks at me with the same eyes her mother had and refused to let me wallow in my misery. She persistently went after me, coming into my lab with some of the students, watching as I taught and asking questions. Many times she had helped the students with their potions, stopping mishaps before they occurred.” He smiled sadly. “It took some time, but I slowly realized that she may be the child of my childhood rival, she was also the child of my best friend. She helped me find love with the woman who would later become my wife,” The plain gold ring on his left-hand glinted in the candlelight. “A woman who had loved me since we were teenagers but I didn’t know.” He went silent after his admission, lost in the memories as Piper and Leo became aware of how important the young Star was to these people, not as someone powerful, but as their child – the same way their own kids were so important to them.
The students meanwhile, returned to their seats and their meals as they had homework that needed completing as well as classes the next day before leaving the Hall. Neville told them what had occurred between him and Moody, as well as the book he had received from the intimidating teacher, receiving gentle smiles from his friends at the animated manner their usually shy friend was talking. The rest of the meal passed without much incident, aside from the usual banter that floated around, this time interspersed with explanations to the guests. Aurelia, Ron and Neville finished their meals and with a kiss to Remus and Sirius’ cheeks from Aurelia, the three friends left the Hall.
They walked in silence to their Tower as they each pondered the assignments they needed to complete for class the next day.
“Is Moody going to get into trouble with the Ministry about showing the Unforgivables?” Neville asked finally, a question he had been pondering for a while. “And Professor Dumbledore as well, for allowing it?”
“Probably.” Ron replied nonchalantly. “But Dumbledore’s always done things his way and Moody’s been getting in trouble for years, if the stories are anything to go by. I mean, he’s always been an ‘attack first and ask questions later, if ever’ kind of person – just look at his dustbins.” They reached the Fat Lady that guarded their Common Room entrance. “Balderdash.”
The Fat Lady swung open to reveal the entrance hole and the two boys climbed through, into their common room which was crowded and noisy as usual, while Aurelia stayed outside. Noticing the significant absence of the star, they turned to look at her.
“What’s wrong Aurelia?” Neville asked, a frown marring his gentle features.
“Why aren’t you coming in? We’ve got homework.” Ron added, a similar frown on his face.
“I already finished everything due for the next few days while I was in the Infirmary. It’s a nice night, I think I’ll go for a night-time fly.” Aurelia replied, looking down the corridor. “Maybe go up to the Tower. Everything that has happened, I haven’t had the chance to fly and I’m feeling slightly restless. Especially after Professor Moody’s class today.”
The boys nodded, and with a reminder to let the portraits and the ghosts know where she was, they bid her good night and closed the portrait, sealing off their Common Room.
“You all right, dear?” the Fat Lady asked the young girl as she was about to head back down the hallway.
“Not quite, my lady. But I believe I will be.” Aurelia replied honestly as she gave a radiant smile to the friendly portrait, her figure glowing slightly with a soft white light as her heart lightened ever so slightly of its’ burdens.
“Very well, dear. Don’t stay out too long.” The pink-dressed lady reminded the young girl that brought laughter and joy back to the hearts of so many. “and as the boys said, make sure someone knows where you are.”
“I will. Good night.” Aurelia said, waving.
“Good night dear.”
Aurelia turned and walked back down the corridor, heading towards one of the large windows as the portraits that lined the walls followed her movements. Unlocking the latch and opening the window, she smiled as she felt the crisp air against her face, brushing her fringe back. Several Gryffindor students were milling about and looked up when they felt the sudden crisp air.
“Aurelia, what are you doing?” Angelina asked with a frown as the younger girl climbed onto the window ledge.
“I’m going up to the Tower.” Aurelia replied with a smile, her back to the open air as she looked at her House-mates with a smile.
“Okay.” Angelina replied with a slight shake of her head as Aurelia waved at them and let herself fall backwards out of the window with a loud whoop of joy.
Angelina shook her head and closed the window, locking it once more as she and her friends headed up to their Common Room.