Time After
Mattheo's POV
We headed for the greenhouses, quota morning in the first hour we have Herbology. Fortunately, the wind that whipped our faces every time we went outside is over, but the usual English fog has descended around the school again.
Draco: How on earth are we going to find the bloody greenhouse in this fog?
After a few minutes of searching, we manage to find it, sitting around the twisted stump of a strange little tree. My sister and the three Gryffindors arrive shortly afterwards. I put on my protective gloves and, still facing them, began to work.
Aurora's POV
Me: Well, it's certainly interesting, but I don't understand why Dumbledore is showing you all these things, for what purpose?
Harry: I haven't the faintest idea, but he says it's useful for my survival.
A thorny root sticks out of the potting soil, I tear it off and, unnoticed, put it in my pocket and start squeezing as hard as I can.
Hermione: But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense to know Voldemort's past, otherwise how are you going to find out his weaknesses...?
Me: In my opinion, it's a waste of time.
Hermione is about to reply, but Harry cuts her off.
Harry: So how did Slughorn's last party go?
Me: You'd know if you'd been there! Anyway, it was fun...
Hermione: Yeah, for the little bit you were there, tell me where you always run off to during dessert.
Me: Sever... Snape gave me things to do for Potions
Hermione: Excuse me?!
Me: Yeah, it's a way of being better prepared, Snape wants Slytherins to excel at Potions.
Hermione: Anyway, Slughorn does nothing but strut and repeat that his students are all celebrities or otherwise famous in some magical way. And he's got his eye on Aurora.
Me: That's not true!
Hermione: Oh yes it is, you should see how he loses interest in conversation when you leave
Half an hour later
I put the green bacillus back in a jar.
Ron: What have you done to your hand?
Me: Ah, nothing, it's just these stupid prickly roots... ....
Hermione: Anyway, Slughorn's having a Christmas party.
Me: And this time Harry can't get away, he's asked me your schedule and the days you're free, so you're stuck.
Ron: And I suppose this is one of those parties reserved exclusively for Slughorn's chocolates?
Hermione: Yes, it's only for Slughorn, but Slughorn said we could bring someone...
Ron: I think Slughorn's looking forward to seeing you and McLaggen together!
Hermione: Ronald, I was going to bring you! But since you're so obnoxious, maybe yes, I'll ask McLaggen.
Ron blushes and Hermione slams her gloves on the table.
Mattheo's POV
Me: You've got to get out of there!
Rory: Excuse me? I'm gathering all the information I can to find out what Dumbledore wants with Harry.
Me: I'm not the one who's asking you!
Rory: Why?!
Me: I don't know!
She gets out of bed and starts to walk around the room nervously.
Rory: And how do you think I'm keeping an eye on Potter?!
Me: Aurora, you don't need to keep an eye on him, we've won, the Ministry is losing allies every day, we're close to our father's Ascension!
Rory: Yes, but Dumbledore is still alive, and as long as he helps Potter, there will always be a chance of losing the game... Mattheo, Dumbledore is instructing Harry to defeat our father!
I stand up and block them
Me: You have no choice, Sis, those are the orders....
Aurora: Dumbledore must die, if that's the only way to prevent our father from being defeated by a little boy, I'll make sure Draco gets to kill that old man...
Weeks later
Aurora's POV
I'm standing in the Great Hall, there's a lot of excitement in the air, tomorrow is the first Quiddich match and the hall is full of children getting ready to cheer. Harry joins me, next to him is Ginny, all excited.
Me: We need to talk...
Harry: OK, is everything all right?
Me: No...
Ginny is still there, staring at the scene with interest, but as soon as she sees my serious look, she disappears. I signal for Harry to follow me.
Me: How long have you liked her?!
Harry: Who?!
Me: Ginny Weasley, I've seen the way you look at her!
My eyes glaze over
Me: You think I don't notice the way you look at her when she's with Dean, the way you fix your clothes when she comes round! YOU PRACTICALLY DROOL ALL OVER HER! Not to mention all the girls buzzing around you that you casually never send away....
Harry: Rory, I don't know what you're talking about...
Me: Even Hermione noticed.
I say, sobbing
Me: I'll tell you what Harry, you're free to date whoever you want, everyone knows you're the most popular guy in the whole school !
Harry: Are you breaking up with me?!
Me: I knew you'd do it anyway, so I beat you to it...
Harry: That's not true... I... I really don't...
Me: You don't even know how to say it, you never cared about me!
Harry: Please Rory...
He tries to grab my hand but I pull away with a theatrical gesture.
Me: NO... it's over Harry.
I run away crying.
I enter the Slytherin common room and go up to the boys' dormitory where I find Mattheo and Theo playing Wizard Chess. As soon as they see me, their eyes red from crying, they get up in fright.
Theo: What happened...?
I stare at them without saying anything, then I wipe away a tear and a grin appears on my face.
Me: I broke up with Potter.
Theo: You got rid of him?!
Mattheo: I hope you gave him the right reason... I don't want him to start stalking you and Draco...
Me: Potter's had a crush on Weasley for ages, made him feel guilty for being so obvious, the only idiot who didn't notice was Ron
Theo: He has a fly for a brain ....
Theo checks my brother, who almost knocks the toilet seat on the floor, and they both get up and throw themselves on their beds tiredly.
Me: What do you think you're doing?
Mattheo: I'm exhausted, little sister...
Me: You're not thinking of sleeping, I hope!
Theo: Exactly what I was thinking of.
Theo gets under the covers, but I grab the edges and pull them off.
Theo: AURORA
I do the same with Mattheo
Me: You have a game tomorrow, so go practice now! MATTHEO NOW!
He gets up and rolls his eyes, then puts his hand on my head and starts messing up my hair. I push him out of the room. Theo kisses me on the forehead and follows him out, taking his Slytherin jumper with him.
The next day
Mattheo's POV
I get on my broom and high-five with Blaise.
Urquhart: We have to win, we can't let them win this year! I don't want to see their satisfied little faces strutting around the school, I'd rather jump off the Astronomy Tower.
30 minutes later
Mattheo: No way!!!
The Pluffa was about to enter the centre ring, but Weasley just parried it, it's at least the tenth time someone has parried one of our shots, on the contrary, our gatekeeper is not doing so well. Not to mention our Seeker, Arper, who is a constant idiot! Draco had to do things like pretend to be ill, but it'll be even harder without him!
Blaise: We're losing badly, boys... Ron Weasley's never been this strong, I've watched him train, he's a dysfunctional player, he busted Demelza Robins' lip the other day, something is fishy here...
I nod and we set off in a head-diphallic attacking formation, me, Theo and Blaise heading for the Gryffindor gates together in an arrow pattern. Dean Thomas had replaced Katie Bell, he was a good hunter but not as good as Theo who had dispatched him in seconds.
Blaise passes the ball to me and I try to put it in the goal but miss.
The crowd: Because Weasley is our king!
That evening
We enter the Great Hall, Urquhart throws something into the fireplace, then grabs Arper by the collar of his shirt and pushes him against the wall.
Urquhart: You little idiot! How could you let that little mouthpiece get away?
Arper: S... sorry...
Mattheo: What happened?
Arper: Potter distracted me, asked me about Draco and why Aurora wasn't there, cheered for his brother...
Urquhart: And you were distracted by a stupid question! WE COULD HAVE WON, AND INSTEAD THOSE DIRTY BLOODTRAITORS ARE CELEBRATING IN OUR PLACE!
Saying this, he pulls out his wand and points it at the boy, who starts to cry and apologise.
Me: That's enough Urquhart, we still have time to play better
Hours later
By now it was evening in the castle and most of the Slytherins had gone to bed, sad and angry at how the match had gone. Even the girls have locked themselves in their rooms. Rory and Draco still haven't come back and I'm starting to worry.
Blaise: Where are you going?
Me: To find my sister...
Lorenzo: She's not back yet!
Theo: They're not back yet...
Blaise: I don't like this, this is the second time Draco has missed a match, we need him...
Me: I know you won't like hearing this Blaise, but Draco has more important things to do...
Theo: Good luck
I put on a hoodie and leave the common room. I start looking everywhere for her, but in vain. The portraits on the walls glare at me every time the light from my wand hits them. Eventually, though, something catches my eye.
Someone was crying at the bottom of the stairs, so I cautiously went down to see who it was and make sure they were all right. I am shocked to see Hermione, her head bent over her knees, sobbing.
I don't know what to do...
Me: Hey... hey
I sit down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder, she turns to me, her eyes red and her face streaked with tears. I've never seen her like this, I wipe the tears from her face.
Me: What happened?
Hermione: What's wrong with me, why am I never enough?
She starts to cry again, but this time on my shoulder, I feel like hugging her and trying to take away at least some of the pain she was feeling. I raise my wand and many little chirping canaries appear.
She looks up enchanted and smiles at me.
Me: One word and these beautiful canaries will attack whoever did this to you, but I think you know what spell I'm talking about, don't you?
She looks at the canaries and then at me.
Me: Hermione you are an amazing wizard, there is nothing wrong with you ok....
Hermione: Why are you being so nice to me...I'm a born Muggle and
Me: I don't care Hermione, I don't care....
She rested her head on my shoulder and for a few minutes we stayed like that in silence, watching the canaries flutter in the glimmer of light that came through the window.
The silence was broken by the sound of someone giggling like a goose in the corridor. Two people emerged from the shadows, clinging to each other; my face contorted into a disgusted grimace, they were eating each other's faces. I turned to look at Hermione, amused by the two losers, but her gaze was fixed on the pair and her doe eyes filled with tears again. It was only when I turned around to get a better look at the two boys that I recognised Ronald Carrot Hair... ....
I clear my throat and the two stop making out, the Gryffindor girl who sees Hermione smiles.
Lavender: Oops. I think this seat's taken....
Her giggling gets on my nerves, Lavender goes and tells Ron to follow her, he's just staring at me.
Ron: What are you doing whit him...?
Hermione: None of your business... you shouldn't keep your girlfriend waiting anyway...
He gets up and takes a few steps forward
Ron: Beautiful birds...
She doesn't answer, grabs her wand and points it at Ron
Hermione: Oppugno!
The canaries freeze and start to chase after Carrot Hair, who runs away in terror, she turns to me, obviously hurt, and runs towards me, crying. I stroke her hair and try to calm her.
Hermione: I hate him...
Me: Well, he beat me on the Quiddich pitch today, so I agree with you...
She giggles
Harry: Hermione?
We both turn to see Potter behind us, his eyes on me, but as soon as he see Hermione's red eyes he becomes soften.
Harry: I'm here now... you can go...
I stand up and place a kiss on Hermione's forehead as she thanks me, I walk past Harry but he blocks me.
Harry: Thank you Mattheo...
Me: I didn't do anything.
He smiles at me and I nod my head, I'm not interested in making myself good Harry, Hermione was in pain and even though she's a rotten blood, I don't want to see her like that...
But as the saying goes, "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer".