Heirs of darkness || Theodore Nott

Whispers and wounds(4)

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains of the Slytherin girls' dormitory, casting a soft glow on the tangled sheets. Aurora stirred first, her eyes fluttering open to the unfamiliar warmth of Pansy's embrace. For a moment, she just lay there, the events of the previous night rushing back to her with startling clarity. The alcohol, the dancing, Pansy's sudden confession it all felt surreal. With a soft sigh, she carefully extricated herself from Pansy's hold and slipped out of bed, her bare feet silent against the cold stone floor.

She padded over to the bathroom, the cool water from the tap helping to clear her head. As she splashed her face, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror her reflection looked as conflicted as she felt. After drying her face, Aurora squared her shoulders and stepped out of the bathroom, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

To her surprise, she found that Daphne and Millicent were already awake, sitting up in their beds and chatting softly. Pansy was just beginning to stir, blinking sleepily as she tried to shake off the remnants of sleep. The moment she noticed Aurora, Pansy's eyes widened with a mixture of uncertainty and discomfort.

"What's going on?" Pansy asked, her voice still thick with sleep.

Millicent wasted no time, her tone blunt as she confronted her friend. "We saw you two last night, Pansy. Daphne and I saw you and Aurora kissing at the party."

Daphne, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, nodded in agreement, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "Is there...anything going on between you two? You can tell us, you know."

Pansy's eyes immediately darted to Aurora, a silent plea for help clear in her gaze. Aurora could feel the weight of that look, but she remained unfazed. With a casual shrug, she brushed off the concern with the same ease she had handled many delicate situations before.

"Oh, please," Aurora said, her voice light and dismissive. "We were drunk and having fun, just like you do with boys, Daphne. Nothing special."

Pansy nodded quickly, relief washing over her as she followed Aurora's lead. "Yeah, exactly. We were just fooling around."

Daphne and Millicent exchanged glances, but it seemed Aurora's explanation was enough to satisfy their curiosity. They bought the story without further questions, and the subject was quickly dropped.

As they dressed for the day and prepared for their classes, the tension in the room dissipated, replaced by the usual chatter about schoolwork and gossip.

After her first class of the day, Aurora was making her way down the corridor when she spotted Theo walking in the opposite direction. Their eyes met briefly, and Theo wasted no time in making a sarcastic jab.

"So, you'll kiss Pansy but not me?" he asked, his tone dripping with mock hurt.

Aurora's expression hardened, her eyes narrowing at the question. "It's none of your business who I kiss," she shot back, not slowing her pace as she walked past him.

Theo watched her go, a bemused smile tugging at the corners of his lips, but he didn't press the matter further.

That evening, the atmosphere in the Great Hall was electric with anticipation. Whispers and speculation about the special event Dumbledore had hinted at filled the air as the students took their seats for dinner. As they ate, the usual chatter seemed to fade, everyone waiting for Dumbledore to address them.

Finally, Dumbledore stood, his presence commanding immediate attention. The Hall fell silent as he began to speak.

"Instead of our usual Quidditch season this year," Dumbledore announced, causing an immediate uproar. Students across all four tables began to murmur in disbelief, the loss of Quidditch a shock to many.