The Unspoken Legacy

Chapter 25: Fractured Loyalties

The return to Hogwarts for their seventh year was anything but peaceful. With the war creeping closer, lines were being drawn, and the tension between houses, especially Gryffindor and Slytherin, had reached a boiling point. Ariah had become colder, a distant shadow of her former self. Her summer with James was a secret buried deep in her heart, something she would never speak of. Now, she barely acknowledged his existence, treating him as though he were a stranger.

In Potions class, the simmering resentment between Gryffindor and Slytherin was on the verge of spilling over. The classroom was heavy with hostility, and it was only a matter of time before it all erupted.

Severus Snape, a Slytherin student with his usual sneer, stood at the front of the room, surrounded by a group of fellow Slytherins. Opposite them stood James, Sirius, Lily, and the other Gryffindors. The two sides were staring each other down, waiting for the smallest spark to ignite the fire.

"Why don't you wipe that smug look off your face, Potter?" Snape spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "Think you're some kind of hero, don't you?"

James crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "Better than being a coward who hides behind Dark Magic," he shot back, his tone cold.

Several of the Slytherins bristled at the remark, including one with a sharp look, leaning into the argument. "You think we're cowards because we don't follow Dumbledore like mindless sheep?" one of them growled. "At least we understand what's really happening. You lot are just fools who will get yourselves killed."

Sirius stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension. "We're not afraid to stand up for what's right. You're the ones who'll destroy everything because you're too busy kissing Voldemort's robes."

The mention of Voldemort's name caused a ripple of unease, even among the Slytherins. But Snape stood his ground, his face twisted with anger. "You don't understand anything, Black. You're just like the rest of your blood-traitor family."

Sirius's eyes flashed dangerously, his fists clenching. "Say that again, Snape. I dare you."

Lily, standing between James and Sirius, tried to de-escalate the situation. "Enough! This isn't helping anything. We're all in this together, whether we like it or not."

But her words fell on deaf ears. One of the Slytherins sneered at her. "Look at you, Evans. Playing the good little Mudblood, trying to make peace. You think you belong in Gryffindor? You're just as weak as the rest of them."

Before Lily could respond, Marlene McKinnon, another Gryffindor, stepped forward, her voice sharp. "Say that again, and I'll hex you into next week."

The tension was at a breaking point. Wands were drawn, curses on the tips of everyone's tongues. The room felt like it was about to explode.

In the midst of it all, Ariah sat at the back of the room, her expression as cold and unreadable as ever. Next to her was Elias, watching the chaos unfold with growing concern. Ariah didn't even glance at the unfolding argument, her eyes fixed on something distant, far beyond the petty squabbles of her classmates.

"They're all going to kill each other," Ariah whispered to Elias, her voice so empty and devoid of emotion that it sent a chill down his spine. "And they don't even know why. They're so hurt, so confused, and none of them understand what's happening. But they'll do it. They'll destroy everything."

Elias looked at her, shaken by the coldness in her tone. He had never seen her like this, so detached and hollow. It was as if the weight of everything—the war, the betrayal, the pain—had drained the life out of her. He wanted to say something, to offer comfort, but the words wouldn't come.

"Ariah..." Elias started, his voice barely above a whisper. But before he could finish, one of the Gryffindors called out to them.

"Oi, Warner! Grey! You're just going to sit there and watch, or are you going to pick a side?"

The entire room turned to look at them. Ariah didn't move, didn't even blink. She acted as though they hadn't spoken, as though they didn't exist. Her indifference was so profound it was almost unnerving. She had walled herself off completely.

Elias, on the other hand, stood up, facing the group with a grim expression. "We're not the ones picking sides," he said, his voice steady. "You're all being played, and you're too blind to see it. This isn't about houses or bloodlines. It's about surviving something far worse than we can imagine."

His words hung in the air, but they didn't do much to quell the rising anger. Snape sneered at Elias, his voice filled with venom. "Typical. Always trying to take the high ground, Warner. You act like you're above it all, but you're just as lost as the rest of us."

Before Elias could respond, James stepped forward, his hand still holding Lily's, but his eyes were fixed on Ariah. He couldn't stop watching her, even as she continued to act as though he didn't exist. It was as if he were invisible to her, and the weight of that indifference was suffocating.

"Leave them alone, Snape," James said, his voice low and tense. "This isn't about them."

Snape's gaze flicked to James, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Still trying to play the hero, Potter? How's that working out for you? Or is that why you're always so distracted these days?"

James clenched his jaw, but said nothing, his attention drifting once again to Ariah. She still didn't look at him, didn't acknowledge his presence. It was as if the summer they had spent together had never happened.

The argument continued, voices rising, accusations flying. The Slytherins and Gryffindors were on the verge of coming to blows when Professor Slughorn finally entered the room, his face a mask of surprise and disapproval.

"What is the meaning of this?" he bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos like a knife. "Put those wands away, all of you! This is a classroom, not a dueling club!"

Slowly, grudgingly, the students lowered their wands, though the animosity still simmered beneath the surface. The Gryffindors and Slytherins glared at each other, their anger far from spent.

As the class finally settled into a tense silence, Ariah stood up, her movement drawing the attention of the entire room. She didn't look at anyone as she walked toward the door, her posture stiff, her expression cold.

Elias followed her, glancing back at the room full of students who were still glaring at one another. As he left, he couldn't help but wonder how much longer they could all pretend to be students when the world outside was falling apart.

In the hallway, Ariah kept walking, her steps purposeful, her face unreadable. Elias caught up to her, his voice low. "Ariah, you don't have to shut everyone out. You don't have to carry this alone."

She stopped for a moment, turning to look at him, her eyes empty. "I'm not carrying anything, Elias. I've let it all go. And so should you."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, shaken to his core by the emptiness in her voice. He had never seen her like this—so cold, so detached from everything, even herself.

As Elias watched her disappear down the hallway, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were all on the brink of something terrible. And when the time came, he wasn't sure if any of them would survive it intact.