Theo is offered a deal- no Azkaban in exchange for returning to Hogwarts and working for the ministry. He can't take back his heritage or his name, all he can do is live with it. No one should have to live with the choices their parents made for the...
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//Violet
"It's kind of surreal being here, isn't it? Daph asked from beside me. The speeches had been given and McGonagall had welcomed us back, given a heartfelt speech about all the loss and people gone, and what she hoped for the school moving forward. She also informed the entire eighth year class that rather than bunking in our old houses due to being taken up by the new seventh year class that we would all have a special common room and later curfews to accommodate our age. So instead of a quiet year in the dorms with Daphne we would be bunking with all the eighth-year girls who returned.
"Kind of, but nothing is the same either," I say.
"Oh, I know, but just sitting here, being here, it feels like the past, like it did years ago, but just off," she conceded. I just nodded and kept working on my dinner.
Everything was wrong, but I was still glad to be back, if a little uneasy. While my family stayed out of the fray, I was still Slytherin and that didn't come with a good reputation. Sharing a dorm with Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors didn't sound all that great.
I just needed to get through the year. I wasn't here for the same reasons I was as a new witch. Hogwarts didn't really feel like home anymore, not after the war, not now having to have a whole new house in the school, I was here to finalize my education so that St. Mungos would sponsor me as a junior herbologist field researcher. They needed hands out in the world, collecting rare ingredients and finding natural solutions to the aftermath caused in the war.
I had always loved Herbology most, so when I was trying to figure out what I want I wanted to do with my life, if I was going back to school, I was happy that they accepted my application, even if it was contingent on me finishing my studies. I wasn't here for fun, I was here for work.
My family was not one of the "Sacred 28" as they called it, but apparently someone in my line had been and married someone much less well documented so my lineage couldn't fully be traced, I was pureblood, but not Pureblood- not that it even mattered. Wizards and witches can do magic- if you could do magic then who the hell cares if anyone else in your family can?
I never understood it, and thankfully with it just being my dad and me, we were able to stay under the radar during the war as to not paint a target on our backs.
I'm pulled from my thoughts by the guys whooping to each other from across the table. I look over to see Blaise pull out a flask, tipping what was most likely firewhiskey into his, Draco's, and Theo's cups. We hadn't even been here two hours and they were already doing their best to get drunk. I made sure to point it out.
"Live a little, Towers," Blaise tries to smile at me. I shoot him a death glare and his smile shrinks a bit, but doesn't go away.
"Someone is in trouble with mum," Theo laughs.
"I'm not your mum, asshat. Just shocked that after everything you've been through you'd treat a fresh start so carelessly."
"You used to be fun," Theo challenges me, referencing our past at Hogwarts. I used to be a careless, young witch who wanted to have fun. I had goals now and a second chance.
"You used to have brain cells!" I fire back a little more loudly than I had anticipated.
Astoria turns back to us from her chat with another new seventh year, spots the flash in Draco's hands as he was going to pour his share and she snags it, closing and tucking it into her bag.
"And now no one has it, eat your dinner," she scolds, turning back to her friend.
"Two mums, hot," Theo smirks, his eyes glassy. I wonder how much he has had today. I throw a bread roll at him much to the raucous laughter of our friends.
Dinner has ended and McGonagall has called for all eighth-year students to hold back so she can show us to our common room.
I look around our group and spot Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Parvati Patil, Susan Bones, Padma Patil, Micheal Corner, many other faces I recognized, and of course, my friend group.
"You all will be housed in the middle floors of the astronomy towers. One floor will house your common room with study spaces and the boys' dorm, above will be the girls' dorms," she begins to march out of the Great Hall and waves for us to follow, "just because you are of age does not mean I will tolerate funny business. All previous years' rules apply for behavior, however, you will not have a curfew. Act wisely. This is due in part to a project you will complete as part of your studies this year."
We follow her as she goes on about the expectations in more detail as we follow her through the familiar halls. We get to the base of the astronomy tower after a few minutes and she spins to look at each of us, "I am very proud that you have all returned to complete your studies. I will do my best to finally ensure a peaceful year for you students. Thank you for coming back," she looks specifically at Hermione and Neville beside her, giving them each a pat and scanning the rest of us, "the entrance to your dormitory will be on the fifth floor behind the painting of the Louellen Charm, she will require a password. For now, that password will be superfuerant, good night students."
We trudge up the steps in pairs myself falling beside Daphne.
"How daunting," she starts.
"Hmm?" I ask.
"The password is Latin for survived. It's just a bit sad, is all."
