Being a Greengrass after all should sound pretty serene.
But being a part of "the Emeralds" should not, especially when hearts become entangled with the infamous Regulus Black.
Goodness, lawfulness, or evilness. Which path will they tread in the ti...
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January 6th, 1978
The Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom had changed. It was no surprise to the students at this point due to the different classroom settings they sat through every Professor Morwenna's class.
Gone were the desks. In their place stood tall silver-framed mirrors, each one flickering faintly as though catching light from an unseen sun. The floor had been enchanted into reflective obsidian; even the ceiling shimmered like water.
Avery stepped in beside Dorcas and Pandora, her reflection splitting beside theirs in the floor as they approached the mirrors. Slytherins filtered in from the opposite side.
"Welcome back," Professor Morwenna greeted, her voice slicing through the curious silence. She stood at the front, leaning casually against a mirror that didn't reflect her at all for some reasons. "Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas."
"Today we're doing something different." A pause. "You're going to defend yourselves... from yourselves."
Dorcas frowned. "What?"
One of the Slytherins groaned. Morwenna smiled. "Yes. I know. Self-reflection is difficult."
A few reluctant laughs rippled through the room.
"These are Mirror Hexes," Morwenna continued. "They draw out what you repress. Guilt, fear, jealousy—memories that never happened. You will stand in front of a mirror and cast a Protego shield. But the spell will only hold if you truly believe you're protecting yourself."
A Slytherin scoffed. "Sounds like therapy."
"Funny," Morwenna said dryly. "Let's hope you've got the emotional range to survive it."
Students hesitated, the silence thickening with unspoken reluctance. Then, slowly, groups began to form.
"Three in each group," Morwenna reminded, her arms crossed as she watched them like a hawk observing prey. "One in front of the mirror at a time. The rest observe — but remember, you won't see what they see."
The first trio formed: Caradoc Dearborn, Emmerson Rowle, and Briony Fletchley. Caradoc approached the mirror first with casual swagger, but the moment the spell activated, his smirk wavered. He cast Protego firmly, but walked away quieter than before.
Briony went next — lips pressed tight, she raised her wand and muttered the incantation. The shield flickered. She clenched her jaw, focused harder. It held barely. Emmerson's turn was quick and silent. His wand hand stayed steady, but his eyes didn't. When he stepped away, he looked like someone had whispered something he didn't want to hear.
Another group: Mulciber, Avery, and Travers.
Then the Slytherins moved — Regulus, Barty, and Evan. Regulus stepped up first, expression unreadable. His Protego was immediate. He stood there for several seconds longer than the others had, not flinching, not reacting. When he stepped back, he didn't meet anyone's eyes. Evan went next. Whatever he saw, it made him scowl before he forced the shield out. Barty's grin didn't fade until the mirror lit up. Then it twisted. His shield crackled with raw magic, a strange edge to it. Morwenna watched that one closely.
