Magic most Foul

Connections

a/n: so we are in the flashback era of the fic. Im gonna break this fic into like different portions, so it will change every like seven chapters to the golden trio era then tom riddles era. xoxo

The great hall was bursting with students at dinner this evening, the elves had really outdone themselves with the feast. With a glance around the hall towards the Gryffindor table, her friends were thoroughly enjoying themselves. She could just make out Hermione staring in front of herself, with barely disguised disgust, while Ron was completely oblivious as he shovelled down three plates of mashed potatoes, in no time at all.
Harry's head turned from the sight of Ron enjoying his meal to her, his lips turning up to a smile while he waved his hand hesitantly. Eyebrows furrowing together, contemplating her expression, which was scrunched up in confusion, contemplating the note in her hand.
The last thing anyone needed was a suspicious Harry, who would then be discovered pouring over that bloody map of his. So with a sharp inhale, she mustered the brightest smile she could, waving back across the hall to her childhood friend. Finally exhaling after the longest second ever recorded, Harry turned back to Hermione, leaning over the table with absolutely no subtlety...and he was supposed to lead us all in the fight against The Dark Lord? Merlin save us all.
The note she was hiding from everyone, including Harry, barely contained a sentence:

Classroom 125. Tonight. 20:00
-T

******************************************************************************

Theo had requested her presence multiple times over the past month. Always after prefect rounds, always alone. But there was a certain rush she felt when they would inevitably part for the evening, with her always leaving first.
They had been studying the book which had contained all information needed to become an expert on the Sacred 28, well...she was studying. Theo took up the role of teaching her the information that wasn't to be published, or even whispered about over the dinner table.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at the sheer number of squibs in the Black family", she exclaimed, "there have been no marriages in almost a century that are anything less than a third cousin"
Theo observed how her eyes were wide in disbelief, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, before it disappeared.
"Yes but these are only the members that havent been burned off the tree, I know of at least three cousins that were disowned and removed from the tree.", he retorted.
"Although I have no input on what came of them afterwards", he sighed, "that isn't important to our plan though, as you know".
His honey brown eyes almost diminished in the torch-light as he looked at her. He opened his mouth, straightening up as if he were about to speak when he must have decided against it.
"Listen Theo, I understand what risks you have to consider when divulging this information to me, but if this plan is going to work, you have to tell me what you know", she spoke slowly, hand reaching out to his arm,closing the physical distance to prove she was serious about their alliance, but also just because she refused to be scared of the boy.
Theo flinched. Not excessively, but enough.
"I'm sorry, Theo", she grimaced, resigning to moving away, to put more space between them on the sofa they had transfigured from a desk.
"How are we supposed to fool them into believing I'm pure with just knowledge?", she asked, her voice betraying her by breaking on the last word.. Mentally running about a dozen different scenarios surrounding her discovery of betrayal, each more gruesome than her previous thought. The weight of what they were trying to do had finally begun to scare her. They had less than a year according to her Arithmantic calculations, to perfect her training and they were barely scratching the surface. Her head was drowning, only now beginning to comprehend what was ahead, and her body wasn't faring much better.
Theo quickly closed the distance between them, but decided it wasn't enough. He scrambled off the sofa and knelt in front of her shaking form. His eyes roving her face, noting the frantic movement of her eyes as he grasped her hands tightly in his.
"Thalia?",he whispered. "Thalia please, you have to focus. I know you can Occlude. I've seen you doing it, as we have entered every exam room since fifth year."
His left hand left hers, to cup her cheek, stroking slow but soothing lines, from her temple to her hairline.
"Focus on your mindscape, I'm not quite sure what it would be, but try and imagine you are at its entrance. From there you can find your way out.", he spoke slowly, with reassurance laced into every word.
After a couple of minutes, Thalia was able to breathe evenly, with each exhale more evenly spaced than the last. His honey eyes rose to her chocolate brown, the air was thick and she could practically feel his magic surrounding her, protecting her form while she fell apart. She had never been this close to him before, from this new position she could see the bluish circles under his eyes, the sharp intake of breath as she squeezed his hand in thanks, the curls of his hair that fell to cover a small cut on his head, no longer hidden by a carefully placed glamour.
They stayed like this for a measurable period of time, breathing in unison, supporting each other. His eyes continued to pierce hers, imploring that she return fully, to her task...to him.