The Peak Of My Existence [T.N]

PINK

The familiar pink walls that were lined with moving portraits of various cats, each of a different breed, were the last of the group's concerns as they kneeled in front of the empty fireplace.

The stone structure didn't hold any remnants of a fire, no burnt wood or even a grate, it was simply empty.

Vulpecula shifted uncomfortably on her knees as her bottom lip found itself trapped between her teeth. The girl's thoughts were running rampant through her mind, she was fighting every fibre of her being that urged her to snap; instead she held herself and her emotions in check.

"Right," Harry's nervous voice broke the silence. "I'll be back soon, hopefully."

Vulpecula, along with the other two Gryffindor's, furrowed her eyebrows at her godbrother's words. She was bewildered at his thoughts of possibly going into a battle field alone.

"Harry?" Vulpecula choked out. "Are you barking mad? You're not doing this alone, besides... he's my dad, I have to do this."

Despite her adamance to go to the Ministry, where Sirius was presumed to be held by Voldemort, the impact of the girl's vision and anxiety was great; Vulpecula's body was weak, she'd been having more and more dreams over the recent month, causing a lack of sleep. The weakness of her body and the delirium of her mind was unavoidable.

Harry's unsure eyes bore into Vulpecula's sorrowful ones, the pair shared a look of uncertainty and fear before Hermione's voice pulled them away from each other.

"Harry, you're not doing this alone, and neither are you, V."

"Hermione you don't understand-" Harry went to defend as he did so often.

"No." Hermione cut off his words before they became a rant. "When are you going to understand that we're in this together?"

"Right you are."

The shrill voice the group knew all too well made each and every one of their stomachs drop. Vulpecula pinched her eyes closed as she scrunched her face up before relaxing her muscles and turning her head to come face to face with the disheveled professor.

Umbridge stood over the four teenagers, eyes wide and chest heaving with her heavy panting. Her usual pink hat was missing to reveal the unkempt greying hair, her pink woollen suit set was sporting patches of ash and dust. The woman clearly still recovering from the twins' magical interruption.

The woman's dark eyes bore into Vulpecula's, they were filled with disdain and a slight glint of victory was present within.

A sudden burst through the wooden door caught the attention of the Gryffindor's, who remained kneeling by the fireplace with Umbridge's short stature suddenly towering over them, a dynamic they hadn't experienced.

The four pairs of eyes shifted from the Professor to the sudden intrusion, widening when they fell upon the new company.

Vulpecula's face fell in disbelief, she felt her cheeks heat up in anger as she watched the boys she had only just parted from wall through the door behind the familiar blond and more Slytherins, each sporting a silver badge on their robes.

Theodore's grey eyes instantly found Vulpecula's, his gaze softened immediately, he could read her like an open book. Yearning to separate from the Slytherins and tell her it wasn't what she thought.  He settled for a subtle shake of the head accompanied by a quick wink, the action was juxtaposed to it's typicality; what was usually shared as a secretive mischief induced message, was now tinged with sadness and reassurance, it was the only way Theodore could think of confirming his loyalty to her.

It worked nevertheless, Vulpecula's face brightened ever so slightly with relief. Her gaze followed Theodore as he walked further into the room until he halted next to Blaise. The girl shifted her eyes to her bestfriend to find him looking at her, he curved his brows in a silent apology which Vulpecula knew well, she shot him a small smile.