Heirs of darkness

Slytherin retribution(3)

It was Christmas morning, and the Great Hall was unusually quiet, filled only with the soft clinking of cutlery and the hushed conversations of the few students who had stayed behind for the holidays. Snow drifted lazily outside the enchanted windows, giving the scene a peaceful, almost surreal quality. Aurora sat at the Slytherin table, absently picking at her breakfast. Despite the festive decorations that adorned the hall, she felt a sense of loneliness creeping in, as it did every Christmas.

Her solitude was interrupted when Theodore Nott took a seat next to her. He didn't say anything at first, simply sliding a small, intricately wrapped box across the table. Aurora glanced at him, her surprise evident, and a pang of guilt shot through her as she realized she hadn't gotten him anything in return. Theodore, ever the enigma, just gave her a small, reassuring smile.

Curiosity piqued, Aurora carefully unwrapped the gift. Inside was a delicate gold necklace, with a single pendant shaped like the letter "A." The craftsmanship was exquisite, the gold gleaming in the light. Aurora's breath caught in her throat. It was a simple gift, but the thoughtfulness behind it touched her deeply. She turned to Theodore, her usually guarded expression softened by gratitude. "Thank you, Theo," she whispered, her fingers brushing over the pendant. "It's beautiful."

Theo shrugged, his usual nonchalance masking the sincerity of his gesture. "It just seemed right," he said casually, but there was an undertone of something deeper in his voice, something unspoken. Aurora nodded, not pressing him further, though the warmth of his gesture lingered.

As she admired the necklace, the moment was interrupted by the arrival of her owl, a sleek, dark bird that swooped in and dropped a letter in front of her. Aurora's heart sank when she recognized the wax seal Walburga Black, her grandmother. Letters from Walburga were unpredictable; they could range from cold and commanding to downright venomous. Aurora hesitated, her fingers trembling slightly as she broke the seal and unfolded the parchment.

To her surprise, the letter was unusually positive. Walburga congratulated her on being the top student in her year, a rare acknowledgment of her achievements. She even promised a gift when Aurora returned home. But despite the praise, Aurora's mood soured. The words felt hollow, a reminder of the expectations and pressure that came with being a Black. No matter how well she did, it would never be enough not for Walburga, not for her family.

Aurora could feel Theodore's eyes on her, noticing the subtle change in her demeanor. She knew he wanted to ask what was wrong, but he didn't push. Instead, he reached out and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, a silent offer of support that she found herself grateful for.

The days that followed were a blur of secret rendezvous and stolen moments. Their secret make-out sessions became a regular occurrence, but they never took things further. Aurora wasn't sure if it was out of respect or caution, but she was content with the way things were. There was a safety in their unspoken understanding, a boundary that neither of them was ready to cross.

Two weeks passed, and the castle began to fill up again as students returned from their holiday break. It was on the first day back that Draco approached Aurora with a gift, a sleek package wrapped in emerald green with a silver bow. "This is from Mother," he explained, handing it to her with a small, almost shy smile. "She designed it herself."

Aurora was taken aback. Narcissa Malfoy had always been a figure she admired from afar, a woman of grace and poise, everything Aurora had once aspired to be. Receiving something so personal from Narcissa was deeply meaningful. She unwrapped the gift with care, revealing a stunning dress in the signature Slytherin colors. The fabric was rich and luxurious, the design elegant yet subtly daring. Aurora's fingers traced the delicate embroidery, her heart swelling with a rare sense of belonging.

"Tell her I'm honored," Aurora said softly, her voice thick with emotion. Draco nodded, clearly pleased by her reaction.

Later that evening, as they all gathered for dinner in the Great Hall, Daphne couldn't resist teasing Aurora and Theo. The holidays had passed without incident, but that didn't mean the Slytherins had missed the tension between the two. "So, what have you two been up to while we were all gone?" Daphne asked with a mischievous grin, her eyes darting between them.

Aurora nearly choked on her food, her cheeks flushing with a rare hint of color. Theo, ever quick on his feet, smirked and fabricated a story on the spot. "Oh, you know, Aurora pulled a prank on me. She got mad and turned all my books into toads," he said, his tone light and teasing.

The others laughed, the image of Theo chasing hopping books around the common room too amusing to resist. Aurora, relieved by his quick thinking, shot him a grateful look. In that moment, she realized she could trust him with more than just her secrets. He had her back, in a way few others ever had.

But the lighthearted mood was short-lived. A few days later, as Aurora was walking down the corridors with Pansy, she suddenly found herself face to face with Harry Potter. His face was twisted with anger, his eyes blazing with a fury she hadn't seen before. Before she could react, he practically lunged at her, his voice low and venomous. "You knew, didn't you?" he spat, his words dripping with accusation. "You knew your father, Sirius Black, was responsible for my parents' deaths!"

Aurora, who was always quick with a retort, found herself momentarily stunned into silence. The accusation hung in the air like a dark cloud, and for a split second, she felt the weight of her family's sins pressing down on her.

But before she could respond, Draco, Blaise, and Theo appeared, having seen the commotion from down the corridor. Blaise was the first to act, gently pushing Harry away from Aurora, his voice calm but firm. "Back off, Potter," he warned, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Harry, still seething with anger, glared at them. "She'll pay for her father's crimes," he hissed before storming off, leaving the Slytherins in a tense silence.

Draco immediately turned to Aurora, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft.

Aurora nodded, her expression hardening. She had been taken off guard, but she wasn't about to let Harry Potter get the best of her. "I'm fine," she said, her voice steely. But inside, a storm was brewing. Harry had made a grave mistake confronting her like that, and she wasn't one to let such things slide.

Aurora spent the rest of the week plotting her revenge. She wanted to make Harry pay, but in a way that wouldn't draw too much attention. She decided to use her magical abilities to charm Harry's belongings so that every time he tried to use his wand, it would backfire harmlessly, but annoyingly. It was the perfect plan, subtle enough to avoid suspicion but effective enough to humiliate him.

The opportunity presented itself in Potions class. As Snape began his usual monotone lecture on advanced potion-making, Aurora subtly flicked her wand under the table, casting the charm with a silent incantation. The class proceeded as usual, but Aurora watched Harry closely, waiting for the charm to take effect.

It didn't take long. As soon as Harry attempted his first spell, a harmless hex caused his wand to emit a puff of pink smoke, turning his robes into a bright neon pink. The sudden change caused a ripple of laughter to spread through the classroom, though Snape's scowl quickly silenced them.

Harry, bewildered, tried to undo the spell, but instead of fixing the problem, his wand sparked again, causing his cauldron to bubble over with a sickly green potion that emitted a foul odor. The potion began to spill over the sides, the noxious fumes filling the room.

Snape, noticing the disruption, was quick to reprimand Harry. "Potter! What do you think you're doing?" he snapped, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"I don't know, sir!" Harry protested, his frustration evident as he struggled to control the chaos.

Aurora smirked, watching as Harry's potion turned into a sticky, slimy substance that clung to his robes, turning his predicament into a full-blown catastrophe. The other students stifled their laughter, not wanting to draw Snape's ire, but the amusement was clear on their faces.

In the end, Snape was quick to give Harry detention, and Aurora relished in her small victory. The prank had worked flawlessly, leaving Harry humiliated and none the wiser as to who was responsible. As she left the classroom, she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Harry had learned a valuable lesson one didn't cross Aurora Black without facing the consequences.