Beatrice Lestrange has always been an outsider in her own story. Born into one of the darkest families in the wizarding world, she grew up under the looming shadow of her infamous mother Bellatrix Lestrange.
Despite this, Beatrice is nothing like th...
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The corridors of Hogwarts were eerily quiet as winter break settled in, with most students having left for the holidays. Beatrice and Mattheo had chosen to stay behind, the castle their temporary home, while Narcissa and Lucius traveled with Draco to visit distant Malfoy relatives. Neither Beatrice nor Mattheo felt particularly inclined to join them, preferring the solitude of Hogwarts over the stiff formalities of pure-blood gatherings.
It was a rare, peaceful morning. The grounds were blanketed in snow, soft and untouched, shimmering under the pale light of the winter sun. Beatrice wrapped herself tighter in her cloak as she trudged through the snow beside Mattheo, her cheeks flushed from the cold.
The snow fell gently over the grounds of Hogwarts, painting the landscape in a pristine white. The castle itself stood tall and majestic, its towers and spires dusted with frost, while the frozen lake shimmered faintly in the distance. Beatrice pulled her cloak tighter around her as she trudged through the snow, her breath forming misty clouds in the cold air.
Next to her, Mattheo gave a playful shove, sending her stumbling into a soft snowdrift. She let out a startled yelp before laughing as she turned to retaliate, grabbing a handful of snow and launching it at him.
— You're terrible! — she exclaimed, shaking the snow from her cloak as she watched Mattheo laugh, his dark curls dusted with snowflakes.
— Terrible? — he echoed, grinning mischievously. — You mean brilliant. You're just mad 'cause you're not fast enough to dodge! —
Beatrice rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. It felt good to be out in the cold, laughing and joking with Mattheo. Even though the castle was quieter than usual with so many students gone for the holidays, it didn't feel lonely with him by her side.
— I still can't believe you stayed behind. — Beatrice said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. — I thought you'd jump at the chance to get away from here. —
Mattheo shrugged, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets. — Nah, I didn't feel like it this year. Besides, it's peaceful here, no Malfoy family drama to deal with. And, I figured someone had to stick around and keep you out of trouble. —
Beatrice shot him a mock glare. — Me? Trouble? You must be confusing me with someone else. —
Mattheo smirked, kicking up a puff of snow with his foot. — Yeah, right. So, how was your date with Theo? — His voice took on a teasing tone, and Beatrice felt her cheeks grow warm, though she wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the question.
— It wasn't a date. — she insisted, though the way she said it felt weak, even to her own ears. — We just hung out, that's all. —
Mattheo raised an eyebrow. — Just hung out, huh? And you guys just happened to spend the whole day together, walking around Hogsmeade, drinking butterbeer in a cozy little corner at The Three Broomsticks? —
