Duplicitous | T.N.

VI • Prejudice

That night Aurora slept a minimal amount, yet again. She had grown accustomed to the schedule but still continued to find herself lost in thought, picturing the relief she would feel if she allowed herself to doze off for longer than a maximum of three hours.

The girl had done well in charms that morning. She had already taught herself what they had learnt in that class the previous night, that was, of course, before she was rudely interrupted by the likes of Peeves and then Theodore Nott.

Even though she had completely understood the class she didn't allow herself to slack off. She was pushing herself, she had felt guilty because of her outburst, so she planned to make up for it with perfection. She refused to make a mistake, somehow she managed to force herself away from any. So with a rehearsed smile, she acted like she was okay, Like she had been receiving the perfect amount of sleep, like her brothers were still with her, like her mother was.

Professor Flitwick was exceptionally pleased with her that morning. Aurora even offered to assist the students who had been struggling. The class flew by and before she knew it, she was making her way towards the entrance of the castle, where she would await her next class. Care for magical creatures.

This class was going to hurt.

Her mother had encouraged Rory relentlessly to take it. She insisted that if they were related Rory had to select that subject. She chose it for her mother, she was either going to regret her decision or be incredibly thankful for it.

Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell took the subject with her. They decided to stick together for the class. The Gryffindors who took this subject would be partnered with the Slytherin students attending the class.

Rory had hoped Daphne would be one of the Slytherins, but she was taking the class divination instead. What Rory wasn't glad to see was Theodore Nott. He had yet to notice her, too eloped in conversation with Blaise Zabini and Adrian Pucey. She planned to pay him little, if any, mind.

Rory and the two girls spotted more Gryffindors peers who they had been friends with and made their way over to them. The three witches, especially Rory, had received warm welcomes, extremely warm.

The four other girls present had squealed at the site of Rory, Angelina and Katie. They hadn't spoken since the past year, so it was a small reunion of sorts.

The four immediately engulfed her in a massive group hug. And they all laughed amongst themselves, after exchanging polite small talk.

Theo's attention had been stolen from his friends at the unmistakable sound of teenage girls squealing. Eyes wide, he shot his attention to a group of seven Gryffindor girls in a group hug. He felt slight pity for the girls on the edge who had no one to hug them back. The excluded girls.

What surprised him least was when he spotted little miss perfect in the center of the embrace. He sneered at this. Of course they all fought to hug her. This annoyed him. Anger ensued from within him at the sight of her smile.

It was clearly practiced. Clearly fake. How could no one else see that? He thought. How could he, of all people, a mere stranger to her, see that? Oh, how he wanted to yell from the rooftops what a fake she was.

He observed the interaction of the girls. Flores had said some comment that went unheard by him, but all girls who did hear it erupted into a fit of small laughs and giggles.

That damned laugh. It infuriated him. It was so realistic, but he could tell it wasn't genuine. She had snatched back the mask that he thought he had stolen last night, and threw it over herself to shield her ugly and real personality from the rest of the world. All in the span of a few hours, she had become perfectly relaxed, as though their last conversation had never occurred.