In third-year halls, their paths first crossed,
A Raven boy, a Blonde girl lost.
"Stay out of my way," she warned with a glare,
But something lingered in the frosty air.
Crimson with his scar and fame,
Emerald with her secrets untamed.
Two worlds ap...
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Aria's heart raced, her breath coming in short gasps. The pain in her head intensified, throbbing in time with her pulse. Her vision blurred again, and the scene of Sirius in danger flickered before her eyes once more. She could feel his fear, his pain, as if it were her own.
Beside her, Harry groaned, his face twisted in agony as he gripped his scar. The vision overwhelmed him too, Sirius's voice echoing in his mind. He blinked, trying to shake off the dizziness, but the image of Sirius trapped in the Department of Mysteries wouldn't leave him.
"Harry..." Aria whispered, her voice shaky. Her head throbbed so violently she could barely think. She reached out to him, her hand trembling.
Harry opened his mouth to respond, but the examiner, a fussy, stern-looking witch with steel-gray hair pinned into a tight bun, approached them, her face full of concern. "You two," she whispered sharply, trying not to disturb the other students. "Are you all right? You're both looking quite unwell... Exam stress?"
"No... it's not that..." Harry muttered, wincing as another sharp pain shot through his scar. He rose from his chair abruptly, the legs scraping loudly against the stone floor. "I need to—"
"Mr. Potter, you cannot leave in the middle of an exam!" the examiner exclaimed, glancing nervously around the hall. "Miss Hilton, are you all right? I think you both need to go to the hospital wing. You're clearly overwhelmed by the pressure—"
"No!" Aria interjected, pushing herself to stand, even though her head pounded with each movement. She locked eyes with Harry, her mind racing. "We need to see Professor McGonagall... Now."
The examiner looked scandalized. "Professor McGonagall? But you're in the middle of an exam! You—"
Without another word, Aria and Harry bolted from the Great Hall, leaving their unfinished exams behind. They sprinted through the castle corridors, their footsteps echoing in the stone passageways. Aria's heart pounded not just from running, but from the fear that gnawed at her insides. Sirius was in danger, and they had to act fast.
When they reached Professor McGonagall's office, they were met with nothing but an empty room. Panic surged in Aria's chest, and she turned to Harry, her breathing shallow.
"Where is she?" Aria asked, trying to quell the rising tide of dread.
Before Harry could answer, Madame Pomfrey appeared from behind a door, her face lined with worry. "If you're looking for Professor McGonagall," she said softly, "she's been transferred to St. Mungo's. After last night... she took four stunning spells to the chest. She's in bad shape."
Aria's world seemed to tilt. McGonagall was gone? They had no one to turn to, no one to help. She glanced at Harry, whose face was drained of all color.
