Rise of the Death Eaters [3]

Chapter 69: Fifth Year Going Strong

**TOOK ME LONG ENOUGH-- For all those refusing to give up on removing this story from their library- I love you 😘 ****

All Ava heard as she woke up early that morning of her first day of fifth year was the swirling current of the great lake echoing against the window of her room.

The deep sighs and shallow breaths of her fellow roommates sounded around her as she slowly sat up in bed and removed the satin sleep mask from her eyes.

There was nothing more comforting then waking up from a deep sleep, feeling fully rested and noting the time on the clock read over one hour before you had to get up from bed. It took another moment of her blinking back sleep to remember once again the fact staring her in the face.

She was safe.

Her father couldn't get to her here and there was no need to whisper and hoard her time in her bedroom.

I swung my legs off the bed and let them dangle as I felt a smile spread on my lips.

I was free here and there was nothing my no good parents could do about it.

My feet touched down on the floor and I was off like a pixie, grabbing my newly ironed uniform off the hanger and stealthily sneaking out the door with my ballet flats in hand.

Fully dressed with my hair brushed back and a pop of red on my lips, I was out of the girls dorm within ten minutes and racing down the stairs where I found a mostly dead common room.

A first year was by the left-sided fire place with a notebook open writing down a list of his classes in cursive better than my own. He didn't stir as I walked past, exiting through the portal.

I found myself outside by the bridge leading to the grounds when I finally let Oliver, who was squirming in my arms to the point of strangling himself, off running into the green without a care in the world.

I climbed up the side of the railing of the bridge itself and swung one leg over, letting my skirt flare out before leaning back onto the wooden beam behind me.

I pulled a cigarette out of my cloak and lite it aimlessly before taking a drag and turning front to face the castle.

This year was going to be different. I could feel it in my bones. My brother was going to be saved if I could only get a moment of Dumbledore's time. That shouldn't be that difficult considering the letter I still had to deliver.

And once Theo was in the clear, then maybe I could escape from my family as well...after all, I had friends in varying places.

The one thing I knew for certain was I was never going back to my father's again. I had an entire school year to figure out how I was going to elude my parents.

But first I had to go to class.

Sam was in the midst of eating her beans on toast when I waltzed up the Slytherin table and straddled the bench opposite her.

"Sleep well?"

Her brow rose as I reached for a muffin before she took a deep sniff of the air.

"You smell like a chimney."

" Nothing a little perfume can't fix."

"Merlin—can you be any more French? Pass the pitcher."

As I reached for the orange juice, I caught sight of Snape standing at the far end of the table handing out a schedule to Blaise. Draco sat beside him, scanning his own schedule with deep interest.

"Are you going to tell me where you were this morning or am I just going to have to accept silence?" Sam asked, catching my eye over her cup.

"You already have an answer. You smelt it."