the prophecy ⟡ draco malfoy

SEVEN ˚• ⚯͛

❝ Nothing you can take from me
was ever worth keeping. ❞

The October chill settled over the Scottish highlands, transforming the school grounds into a patchwork of orange, red, and gold. Kaia dusted the dirt off her hands as she and Verity left greenhouse 3. Herbology never has been Kaia's favorite subject — but she excelled in the subject nonetheless. She much preferred normal flowers, plants, and trees to magical ones. They don't typically bite, scream or attack the person tending to them.

The last couple of weeks passed in a blur for her. Her studies, turmoil, and occlumency lessons with Lyra kept her occupied, allowing time to pass quickly. Sleep evaded her some nights. She was plagued by night terrors — not only memories of Cedric, but a mysterious door, behind which familiar screams echoed. The mornings after them, she couldn't help but notice Harry also appeared at breakfast with heavy bags under his eyes, as if he were being terrorized too.

She'd hardly interacted with Draco Malfoy much either, after their evening on the Astronomy Tower. Outside of classes and his Prefect patrols, she was keen to avoid him. She couldn't let herself get close — at least not to him. He couldn't be trusted. It was because of people like him that her real identity was to be a secret — that she couldn't go back home to the Diggory's.

Delores Umbridge was, of course, continuing her reign of terror throughout the castle, with more inspections and abuses of power. Students had yet to hear any result of the inspections, though, rumor had it that some of their professors were in danger of being sacked. Peeves, however, seemed to thoroughly enjoy the woman's presence, for she was now his consistent target.

"Don't you just love Herbology," Verity smiled, "I mean, these plants have minds of their own. It's fascinating."

Kaia rolled her eyes. Verity loves Herbology, and was often always talking about it, or magical creatures. "Personally, I prefer when plants don't try to attack me."

As the two Hufflepuffs made their way back to the castle, they're met by an out of breath Hermione Granger. She motioned for them to follow her inside, to a private corner of the corridor.

"'Mione, what's wrong," Kaia questioned, looking at the girl in confusion.

Hermione took a deep breath, "I need to ask you guys something," she lowered her voice, "I've been talking with Harry and Ron, and decided it might be useful to have someone else teach us Defense. Since you know, Umbridge isn't, and with You-Know-Who being back and all. Would you be interested?"

Verity wasted no time responding. "Where do I sign up?"

Hermione chuckled, "What about you, Kaia?"

Kaia paused a moment, weighing the options. Yes, they needed a better Defense teacher, but they also risked expulsion, or endless detentions with Umbridge. Though, she supposed none of that matters if You-Know-Who is back — he could do worse than that, especially if they couldn't defend themselves. After all, what he is capable of is the reason for her current predicament. If he never existed, her life would be different. If he never existed, Cedric would be alive. "Count me in."

"Brilliant," Hermione smiled, "we're meeting first thing Saturday at the Hog's Head. Be there."

"You got it, 'Mione."

Behind them, Hermione spotted another group of Hufflepuffs, waved the girls goodbye, and hurried after them.

Saturday morning, Kaia found herself standing outside the Hog's Head with Verity and Hannah, the crisp autumn air nipping at their cheeks. She pulled her burgundy cardigan tighter around her, the matching beret keeping her hair from blowing too harshly in the early October wind.