𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙙. // 𝙜.𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙮

.xxxvi.

The weather was growing chillier and Aurora felt that the D.A meetings could not have been better although it was still hard for her sometimes to slip past because Umbridge had taken upon herself to interview teachers and lurk in the corner of classrooms scribbling against her clipboard. Her favourite was Potions, Aurora loved watching Snape get questioned over and over and humiliated in front of his students like he had humiliated them. And as the D.A meetings progressed further, Aurora had started spending less and less time with Draco what with O.W.Ls right around the corner, they were always studying.

The Room of Requirement was buzzing with excitement as they continued to practice Stunning, one person or the other could be heard falling across the room and their partners would either grimace or laugh. Aurora faced George while Fred faced Lee right next to him, they seemed to be having fun because instead of shooting the jinx at one another, they were dodging it.
"Can you hold still for once? It won't hurt" she said airily as she watched George bounce on his feet, wand in his hand.
"Well, why don't you do it then?" he retorted earning a huff from the girl in front of him who slightly shook her head at him.
"Fine, do it" she said, setting her wand aside and straightening her posture, ready to take the spell that was going to be directed at her.
"Stupe-"

"STUPEFY!"

But the spell didn't come from the front where it was supposed because George hadn't even completed his words. It instead came from the back, catching Aurora off guard as she fell painfully on her face, her nose hit the hard ground causing it to bleed, tears were filling up in her eyes but she was unable to move a single muscle. Someone hurriedly undid the spell and Aurora got to her feet, slightly swaying as she held onto her nose while George and Harry rushed to her.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked softly, lifting her chin to see the injury but at that point his sister was fuming. She slightly pushed him aside and her eyes darted across the room, everyone suddenly dawned looks of concerns but she knew one person who probably could have done it and it was none other than Zacharias Smith.

"What the hell is your problem?" she shouted across the room, walking towards him and shoving his shoulder.
"You! I don't think we should trust you at all" Zacharias shot back, his face turning red as he moved back, raising his wand.
"Then get out of here!" Aurora said, her anger was close to erupting and she could sense someone tugging on her hand but she pulled hers away rather aggressively.

She felt a gentle hand wrap around her shoulders, slightly pulling her back and she turned around reluctantly to find herself face to face with George. But that wasn't the only thing she noticed, she saw everyone's bewildered and shocked faces, none of them had ever seen her blow off like this on anyone. And her eyes landed on her brother, he looked rather indifferent, no expressions on his face. How could there be? His anger was the same as hers nowadays, always on the brink of exploding and though she knew why that was, he didn't know why she was so irked lately. She had become more closed off and Harry hadn't noticed until now.

"What I told you about her is true" the same voice sounded from behind her, Zacharias Smith was taking every opportunity to tick her off and brutally so, "I'm pretty sure she's getting involved in the Dark Arts with Malfoy"

This really struck a line and Aurora pulled herself out of George's, advanced on the boy and without really realising, her fist collided with his face. Gasps emitted from the group and Zacharias stumbled backwards, Aurora's face was turning crimson and the green in her eyes appeared steely; not at all earthly, not at all calm and leafy like they usually were. Her knuckles were bleeding as she stepped out of the Room of Requirement, drowning any sound that was coming and advanced back to the dungeons.

All the anger that was building up inside her was not yet out, she had tried so hard to bottle it up but she exploded. The anger was causing tears to build up in her eyes and she leaned against the cold wall, releasing a choked sob. Why was she even crying?