Betrayal of the Black

sixty-one

SOULMATES.

It was a word straight out of a fiction novel. Something nice to think about, but not something you ever really believe is something true in the real world.

With the existence of magic, perhaps it is not something Celestia should have ever doubted.

She kicked her foot forward, wrapping it around Theo's calf beneath the table they sat at. On instinct, one of his hands moved to rest on her knee.

It felt silly that she ever doubted it now. But she knew undoubtedly, with confirmation from the universe, that Theo was her soulmate.

In all honesty, not a lot had changed since the consummation of their bond. Their movements were more fluid, more smooth now, though. It was as if they were dancing—they always knew where the other was, and how to move in accordance to that.

If she closed her eyes, she could recognise where Theo was. Whether it was merely a couple steps behind her, or all the way over in Regulus's tent, she knew where he was. Her heart had become a compass, ever pointing towards him. She didn't know if this was some soulmate ability or simply just being in love. Either one was just fine.

Even if he hadn't been her soulmate, tied to her by the fates, she would've fought heaven and earth to rectify that fault. But she didn't need their validation, either. Their love was enough.

They had always been touchy before, but now it was worse. More subconscious. Most of the time she wouldn't even realise that her hand was wrapped in his, or that her hands were in his hair until something would jar her out of the reality she was in.

"So both the Slytherin locket and the Hufflepuff Cup were You-Know-Who's Horcruxes," confirmed Mary from her end of the table. "And Regulus has established that the Ravenclaw Diadem is also another Horcrux, but you believe there has to be more?"

"At least one more," said Regulus. "I just don't know what it is."

"Well, for now, let's focus on the Ravenclaw Diadem. Where do we think it is?" asked Mary.

Theo was rubbing circles softly on the side of her knee, and he glanced up from the book he was studying. Their eyes met and a flush overtook Celestia's cheeks. He tightened his grip on her.

"Celestia," Draco called casually.

Her knee jerked out of Theo's grip and rammed up into the table. She blinked innocently at her cousin. "Yes?"

"Where do you think?"

Right, they were talking about Horcruxes. An extremely important meeting. Something they needed to get to the bottom of as soon as possible. She slapped Theo's hand away when she felt it creeping back over. As much as she wanted his touch, she needed to focus on this conversation.

She thought about it for a moment. "The only reason I know of the diadem's existence was because when I was snogging some Ravenclaw girl back in fourth year, she inconspicuously invited me back to her dorms under the pretext of showing me where the diadem was actually hidden."

"Who?" interjected Theo.

"Padma Patil," she answered.

He raised his hand up for a high-five, which Celestia dutifully complied with. The Patil twins were undeniably two of the prettiest girls in their year. Unfortunate that they both grew to be close to Potter and his gang. Draco shuddered in his seat.

"At least it wasn't the Gryffindor twin," he muttered.

"Fourth year? That is much too young to be going back to someone's dorm room!" reprimanded Regulus, glaring at her.