Violet Summer: Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 36: The Crystal Orb

 It had been almost a week since the final memory was revealed, and the atmosphere at Hogwarts was charged with curiosity and concern. Wolfe remained present at the school, patiently answering all sorts of questions the students had about the Violet Summer. Some students even approached him to inquire about how they could help Toni in the meantime, reflecting the growing support and empathy for her situation.

Normally, Toni would find this level of concern comforting, knowing that her friends and peers cared for her well-being. However, in the wake of the intense memories, she found it somewhat suffocating. Adding to her frustrations, Toni learned that Wolfe had intentionally removed the final memory at her father's request. The incident on the train had brought back a flood of emotions, and she couldn't help but feel conflicted about the memory's concealment.

Among the students, most saw the Violet Summer as an intriguing piece of history related to the Rothley family, but they lacked the full understanding of its significance to Toni. Nonetheless, their interest in her family's history persisted, and Toni did her best to avoid any students who were not her close friends. She sought refuge in the company of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Theodore, Neville, or the Weasley twins, knowing that they would respect her boundaries and not pry into her personal affairs.

However, one person's absence weighed heavily on her heart – Draco. He had been keeping his distance from her since the revelation of his mother's involvement in the final memory. Toni understood his need to process the information and perhaps delve into his memories for any connections to that time. Despite her understanding, she couldn't help but yearn to speak with him, to have his support during this tumultuous time.

But all that nonsense was put aside for now as she followed Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Theodore back into the castle after a rather sad discussion with Hagrid over the verdict of his beloved Hippogriff. They had been preoccupied over the last few days, grappling with the news and recovering from the intense memory. Toni's heart felt heavy for Hagrid, seeing the glistening of his eyes as he wept for Buckbeak.

"I can't believe they're going to execute him!" Hermione seethed.

Theodore let out a sigh. "I can. Anything involving a Malfoy leads to death somehow."

Toni shot him a sharp look, catching his amused expression directed at her. Ron, Harry, and Hermione seemed too engrossed in their anger to notice his remark.

"Never seen anything so pathetic. Look at how he blubbers!" the familiar voice of Draco taunted. They all stopped abruptly, turning to see Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle standing there.

Harry and Ron were ready to confront him, fueled with their anger, but to everyone's surprise, Hermione got there first. With a wave of her hand, she delivered a firm smack across Draco's face. Theodore's eyes lit up with amusement, while Harry, Ron, and Toni stood there in stunned silence.

"Don't you ever call Hagrid pathetic! You foul, you evil -" Hermione's voice trembled with fury.

"Hermione!" Ron called out, quickly grabbing her hand to prevent her from smacking Draco again.

Draco rubbed his cheek, briefly glancing at Toni, who was still too stunned to react, before turning to Crabbe and Goyle. "Let's go."

As they left, Hermione sharply turned to Harry. "You better beat him in the final Quidditch match! I'll be furious if Slytherin wins!"

"Well, that's not fair..." Theodore mumbled, a grin still on his face.

Hermione scowled at him. "I don't want to see his smug grin! I hate him! Absolutely terrible, he is! You better win, no exceptions!"

With that, Hermione stormed off inside the castle, her curly hair bouncing with every determined step she took. Toni sighed and looked at the others.

"I hate to say it... But I almost wish you didn't stop her," Theodore admitted, grinning at Ron.