The unspoken Bond

Chapter 4

I did like Pansy tho. She seemed fun, lively, and a lot more interesting than I first thought. As we settled into the room, she looked at me with a playful look in her eyes.

"Wanna play a game to get to know each other?" she asked, her tone teasing.

I glanced around the room, noting the multiple beds. I didn't really feel like sharing too much with a room full of strangers. But she caught on to my hesitation and quickly reassured me.

"Oh, don't worry, it's just the two of us. Most girls in Slytherin... well, let's just say they either don't like me, or I don't like them. And I've made it clear enough that they end up switching dorms if I don't."

I grinned, amused by her honesty and way of thinking. "You know what? I think we are going to get along fine." She flashed me a bright smile. "So, you wanna play?"

I nodded. "Sure. Why not?"

"Two truths, one lie. It's exactly what it sounds like," she started to explain, though I cut her off with a smirk.

"I know how it works. Let's just do it."

She chuckled. "Alright, I'll go first." She paused for a moment, considering her options. "Okay, well, I've always loved the whole star thing your family does with names," she admitted little ashamed, looking at me curiously. "Though your name is Avery... which has nothing to do with stars?"

I laughed lightly. "Yeah, well I can tell that's a truth without even hearing the others. My dad named me...He hated his family traditions, so he decided not to continue them, although my full name is Avery Esmeray Black, and Esmeray means—"

"Dark moon," she finished for me, her eyes wide with excitement. "That's so cool. Well, whatever, on to the next one."

I blinked in surprise, but let her continue.

"Okay, I hate the color purple... and my parents are super nice people."

I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms. "Was that supposed to be hard to guess or did I miss something?"

She pouted playfully. "Well maybe a little, but I just wanted to get to your turn faster, I mean a Black no one knows about?!'' she admitted. ''So I made mine super dumb and easy to get to your faster. So, what's my lie Ave?" I blinked confused by her confession but it was funny so I didn't hesitate. "Your parents aren't super nice."

She smiled and nodded, confirming my guess. "Correct! Your turn."

I took a moment to think, before speaking.

"Alright, first: My mother made me learn how to ride horses, do ballet, and speak French. All the annoying stuff my dad wanted to leave behind, but she didn't care..." Pansy's eyes sparkled with interest, so I continued, "Second: I suck at Potions, and third'' I said with a winning smirk on.''I'm an Animagus."

Pansy blinked twice, clearly thrown off by the last one. "Well... I guess you're good at Potions because the Animagus transformation is advanced magic, and if you can do that, you really shouldn't suck at Potions... so, you ar not an Animagus."

I couldn't help but smirk at her deduction. Without saying a word, I transformed into my Animagus form—. I looked up at her, enjoying the stunned look on her face.

For the first time since meeting her, Pansy was speechless. Her eyes were wide, and then, slowly, a grin spread across her face. "That's so cool!"

I transformed back, and she practically bounced with excitement. "So you're full of surprises, Avery Esmeray Black huh?."

I smiled, feeling a rare sense of warmth. Pansy was sharp, fun, and for now, it felt like I might have found a real friend.

Pansy, still brimming with excitement, bombarded me with a few more questions about the Animagus transformation. I answered her as best as I could, explaining how long it had taken me to master it and the challenges that came with it.

At the end, we didn't really continue the game. Instead, we just talked. We shared stories, curious about each other's lives. Pansy told me about her family, her relationships with other Slytherins, and how she navigated life in Hogwarts. I, in turn, told her a little about my childhood, my family, and how I ended up here. The conversation flowed naturally, and before I realized, hours had passed.

I felt a yawn escape me, the weight of the day finally catching up. "I think we should head to bed," I suggested, my voice tired but content.

Pansy stretched and nodded, her own eyes looking heavy with sleep. "Yeah, I guess we've stayed up pretty late. Tomorrow's a big day for you."

We both climbed into our beds, pulling the covers over. "Goodnight, Ave," she whispered softly from across the room."Goodnight, Pansy," I replied, drifting off into sleep, ready for whatever the next day would bring.

I definitely wasn't ready for the chaos that followed the next morning.