Exposed

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• Serena Black •

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• Serena Black •

"Tell all the truth but tell it slant,
Success in circuit lies,
Too bright for our infirm delight
The truth's superb surprise."

Serena had woken up earlier than usual on a Sunday the next morning and had made her way straight to Madam Pomfrey. She had placed the injured raven on a pillow in her drawer during the night, as she had always done with the infant before.

Fortunately, the healer hadn't asked too many questions and she felt that Serena could pick up the raven that evening and release it back into the wild.

Immediately afterwards, Serena joined Fred and George at the table they had set for the house. It wasn't long before numerous owls fluttered into the Great Hall to deliver their morning post to the students.

Serena was surprised to see that there was a letter for her too. However, she knew the envelope only too well and hoped that the letter had not been intercepted. She had actually thought that her father would have been more careful after the action in the fireplace.

"From Padfoot?" George whispered beside her and Serena nodded slowly. For some reason, she got an uneasy feeling in her stomach. What if something had happened? Had her father really been so reckless as to send her a letter while everyone was looking for him again? However, when she thought back to her third year at school, the answer was definitely yes. Even at that time, he didn't seem to care that people might find out about him.

As always, there was a bit of a commotion at the Gryffindor table, which naturally attracted Umbridge as well. She let her toad-like eyes wander around the table until they finally caught on Serena. The Gryffindor promptly pretended to be engrossed in her toast and egg.

However, Umbridge was not to be driven away so easily, "Miss Black, who did you get this letter from?"

"Is that a crime now?" George asked belligerently, waving his own mail around to demonstrate. "Getting a letter?"

"Watch your tongue, Mr Weasley, or I'll give you detention," Umbridge replied sweetly, gluing her eagerly glittering eyes back on Serena. "Well, Miss Black?"

At that moment, Ron and Hailey stepped up to the table to eat breakfast as well. The two looked visibly worried at their friend as they realised the risk of the moment. But Serena tried not to let it show. "I don't know," she replied smugly. "I haven't read it yet and there was no return address on it."

Before she could react, the pink plague had already snatched the letter from her. "Then do it in my office now. I won't tolerate any papers circulating in this castle that could spark conspiracies."

Serena Black || 𝑨𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂Where stories live. Discover now