𝘋𝘈𝘕𝘊𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘞𝘐𝘛𝘏 𝘖𝘜𝘙 𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘚 𝘛𝘐𝘌𝘋/𝘵𝘰𝘮 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 (English version)

Chapter 39

"Black or white? No, wait... silver and green? That way it would match the colors of our house!"
Pansy had been throwing clothes from her wardrobe onto her bed for a full twenty minutes, and Sarah had been forced to help her for her first outing with Blaise.
After years, the boy had finally mustered up enough courage to take a step forward and try to make his relationship with Pansy more serious, based on a feeling that both, afraid of ruining years of friendship, had repressed with great difficulty.
On the bed were dozens of clothes and outfits scattered, ranging from the most eccentric to the simplest.
Sarah had rested her head on her friend's pillow, she would have preferred to sleep and catch up on the lost rest, but she would never leave Pansy alone at this moment.

"Horrible, Pansy, horrible. Why did you buy clothes like that?"
Sarah got up after a while, walking over to the wardrobe and carefully shifting through the clothes hanging neatly, inspecting them.
"I have a date in an hour and I'm still in deep trouble, I don't know what to wear, I'm about to have an ANXIOUS BREAKDOWN RIGHT NOW!"
Pansy was red in the face, sweating from the stress, and couldn't calm down.
Sarah turned to look at her and noticed how distressed she was.
"What about that black dress I wore for the Easter party last year? Yeah it's a bit more elegant, but it works."
The look on the Slytherin girl's face seemed to light up at those words.
"The dress from that ridiculous but amazing brand?"
Sarah laughed at the words. "Prada? Yes, Pansy, that one."
Pansy started hopping around the room, excited, as if she had found the perfect outfit for the occasion.
She ran over and hugged Sarah tightly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Sarah retrieved the dress from her room and then helped Pansy with her hair and makeup.
The girl looked divine, a simple beauty, never vulgar.
She twirled around, letting the dress swirl in the air, stopping only to take her friend's hands in hers.
"Thank you, I owe everything to you."
The Gryffindor girl lifted the corner of her mouth into a shy smile.
"Now let's go before Blaise changes his mind."
She took Pansy's hand, and they both headed toward the stairs of the common room, where the Slytherins were already waiting for them.
Like the girls, they had helped Zabini prepare and organize the afternoon.
Clothes, venue, times.
Everything was planned by six brilliant minds, as they liked to call themselves.

Sarah descended the last step and paused to wait for Pansy. She noticed the boys glance in her direction, smiling as she saw Blaise looking agitated.
When the Slytherin girl joined her, Sarah pushed her toward the boy, since she had stayed still, saying or doing nothing.
Blaise couldn't take his eyes off her.
He reached her, took her hand, and kissed it.
"You're... beautiful."
Pansy quickly thanked him before turning toward Sarah.
The girl smiled and clapped her hands.
"Well, I think it's time for you two to go. Am I wrong, or does your plan involve a walk before getting to The Three Broomsticks?"
Blaise nodded.
"Yes, exactly. Um, well, let's go, Pans."
He took the girl's hand and they headed toward the common room exit, leaving the rest of the group behind.

"They looked like two kids."
Matteo laughed while eating popcorn on the couch with the rest of his friends. They had decided to pass the time together while waiting for the couple's return.
"Come on, Matteo! I've never seen them so awkward."
Sarah stole a popcorn, making her friend angry as he pulled the bowl toward his chest.
Tom's arm was around her shoulders, and the boy was watching her profile closely, enchanted.
"I wonder where they are now..." Enzo said, glancing at the clock on the wall.
Sarah took a sheet of paper that Pansy had given her before leaving the room.
"10 PM, walk through the Hogwarts gardens," she read sarcastically, and the others laughed.
"Did they really plan everything?" Tom asked, looking at the paper.
"Everything!"
A noise made the group turn toward the common room door. It was too early for them to be back.
A little boy ran in quickly, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Sarah.
"Black, they want you in the infirmary."
Sarah stood up, grabbing her hoodie from the couch.
"Why?"
"Weasley."
Without a second thought, Sarah ran out.
She found all her friends gathered around a white bed. She stood beside Hermione, who was watching Ron sleep peacefully.
"What happened? Did he get hurt during practice?"
Harry shook his head, and the bushy-haired girl turned to look at her.
"He drank something, but it was poisoned. Harry barely saved him," she said, taking her friend's hand in hers.
The infirmary doors reopened, and the Headmaster, along with Slughorn, Snape, and McGonagall, entered and approached them.
"Excellent idea, Potter, using a bezoar. You must be very proud of your student, Horace," said Dumbledore, observing Ron.
"Ah? Yes... very proud," Professor Slughorn replied, visibly shaken by the event. His face was paler than usual.
"I think we all agree that Potter's actions were heroic, but the question is, why were they necessary in the first place?"  McGonagall said.
The Headmaster's eyes fell on the bottle Professor Slughorn was holding, and he moved closer to inspect it.
"This looks like a gift. Don't you remember who gave you this bottle? By the way, it has a very delicate taste of licorice and cherry, unless it's been contaminated by poison." He handed it to Snape so he could smell it more closely.
"Actually, I was going to give it as a gift..." Slughorn said.
"To whom? May I ask?"
"To you, Headmaster," Slughorn said, and the professors exchanged surprised looks. It was an unexpected revelation.
Once again, the infirmary doors opened, and a shrill voice reached Sarah's ears. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Where is he? Where is my Ron Ron? Did he ask for me?"
Lavender ran to the bed, stopping when she noticed Hermione sitting next to Ron.
Her eyes also flicked over to Sarah and Ginny, but her main concern was Hermione's presence.
"What is she doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question!"
Hermione stood up from the chair, drawing everyone's attention.
"As it happens, I'm his girlfriend."
"And I'm his... friend."
Lavender glanced at Harry, who was struggling to contain his laughter.
"Don't make me laugh, you haven't spoken to each other in weeks. How nice that you want to make up with him now that he's suddenly interesting!" said Lavender.
"He's been poisoned, you giddy donkey. And by the way, l've always found him interesting!"
Sarah put a hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter, then leaned closer to Hermione's ear.
"A giddy donkey? Who on earth insults someone using the words 'giddy donkey'?"
But a small noise made everyone turn toward the boy, who was starting to wake up.
Lavender dramatically placed a hand on her chest.
"See? He senses my presence! Don't worry, Ron Ron, I'm here!"
From the boy's mouth came some incoherent murmurs at first, but soon it became clear to everyone what he was trying to say.
"H-Hermione."
Lavender ran out crying, her screams echoing from a distance.
Hermione sat on the bed, taking Ron's hand in hers. There was a pleased but also sweet smile on her face.
"Oh, to be young and feel the sharp sting of love. Well, let's go everyone, Mr. Weasley is in excellent hands!" Dumbledore said, and everyone began to head toward the exit.
Sarah smiled and walked over to Harry and Ginny.
"At least I won't have to tolerate that girl's voice anymore," Sarah said, referring to Lavender Brown.
Hermione turned around and noticed the three of them staring at her.
"Shut up," she said ironically, then went back to looking at Ron.

Sarah walked back alone toward the common room of her house, watching the remaining students return to their rooms after a day of studying.
She turned the corner that would take her to her destination, but something-or rather, someone-caught her attention.
As had happened before, Draco was climbing the stairs with a steady pace, heading toward the upper floors of the school.
The girl didn't think twice,her curiosity was winning again.
She followed him more closely than the last time, trying not to lose sight of him.
She was lucky,Draco never turned around, perhaps too sure that no one would be around at that hour.
She positioned herself in front of the marble wall, and soon after, a large door appeared before him. Sarah widened her eyes.
She saw him enter and close the door behind him, and she was quick enough to slip inside before it could disappear again.
In front of her was a dim, gray room.
It was extremely cold, with large piles of dust and objects scattered in every corner.
She saw the boy move fluidly toward a specific point, and she followed him, hiding behind a tower of chairs in the room.
She couldn't see what Draco was facing, the view was obstructed, but she could somehow sense his nervousness.
She saw him mutter something, look in front of him, and widen his eyes in disbelief.
Draco collapsed to the ground, and the only sounds in the room were his breaths and sobs.
Sarah felt the urge to help him, to comfort him, but she didn't move. She didn't know what the Slytherin's reaction might be if he saw her there.
She slowly backed away, wanting to reach the door and leave, but she bumped into a chair behind her, causing a loud noise.
Draco snapped his head up, his eyes red and filled with fear.
"Who's there? Who's here?"
Sarah put a hand over her mouth and didn't think twice before running away.
She left the room quickly, descended the stairs toward the common room without looking back, her heart pounding and the fear growing inside her.
She had confirmation that the boy was up to something, that it was no longer all just a simple coincidence.

Meanwhile, still in the Room of Requirement, the blonde boy approached the chair that had been left on the floor, staring at the door that had just closed. He could only see a brown-haired head rushing away.
He brought his hands to his face. Someone had been there, someone had seen him.
He was no longer safe.
~~~~~~~

Draco paced back and forth in the room, his friends still looking at him in disbelief over what he had just shared.
Theo got up from the bed and walked over to the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder, urging him to stop.
"Repeat calmly what happened, okay?"
Draco looked at him, nodding as he tried to recall everything that had happened just moments before.
"I was in the Room of Requirement, fixing the wardrobe, and suddenly I heard a loud thud. I was sure I was alone just a few seconds before, but I wasn't. I only found a chair on the floor. I saw a dark-haired head rush out of the room."
Tom put his hands to his face, trying to figure out who could have followed the boy.
There were so many possibilities, and right now, they had no certainty and couldn't make any assumptions.
"But he doesn't know why you were there, so let's leave it at that, alright? If anything happens, we'll deal with it together, like we agreed at the start of the year,"  Mattheo said, trying to reassure him.
Someone out there might speak to Dumbledore, questioning the boy's position and his impeccable reputation.
"Next time, you're not going alone," Tom said, and the blonde boy just nodded, too drained to argue.
They all found themselves in a difficult situation, each for different reasons. No one wanted to be a Death Eater, no one wanted to trade their adolescence for something they didn't truly believe in.
They were forced to live as prisoners of a life they hadn't planned, like prey locked in a cage.