Toujours Pur | Euphemia Black

Chapter 59 | Healing

The first term of Mia's fifth year started with no actual problems, for once in Euphemia's life at school. Usually, something would go wrong but fifth year had actually gotten off to a good start.

Her old friends still hadn't decided whether their friendship was worth salvaging yet and many of them awkwardly looked away whenever they saw Mia in the corridors.

Florean and Pomona still hung out with her, of course, and Filius had also started to talk to Euphemia in the lessons that Ravenclaws and Slytherin had together, which really made Mia happy.

Her life was slowly healing, it was slowly mending and patching itself back together piece by piece and Euphemia was actually relaxed for the first time in a very long time.

Orion was still her husband to be, of course. She hadn't actually told anyone because she figured that if she could have a happy fifth year then at least she could try and think of the positive things about her marriage to Orion at the end of the year. Not that there was many.

Orion still made sure that Euphemia knew that she was his property, that she belonged to him and only him which annoyed the girl in question because she felt like she still didn't have a choice in the matter.

However, being back at Hogwarts did bring a lot of advantages to Mia because she could escape to the Slytherin girl's dormitories whenever she didn't want to see him, she wasn't forced by her parents to hang around with him.

Euphemia still didn't want her family getting suspicious though because she didn't want to suffer through Druella's beady eyes and interfering or Walburga's bullying.

Therefore, she made sure to be very discreet whenever she was talking to Florean, Pomona or Filius though she did sit with Florean and Pomona in Herbology, despite the risk.

Walburga didn't seem to care as much in Herbology though - to be honest, it was probably because the Fortescues and the Sprouts were both pure blood families.

Even if they were blood traitors, at least they weren't filthy half bloods or horrendous muggle lovers like the Weasleys or the Potters.

That was a relief to Mia because it meant that she could hang out with Florean and Pomona without Walburga glaring her down and making her regret all of her life's choices.

"You know," Florean started pointedly in the middle of one of their Herbology lessons whilst Pomona started the work in front of them, Euphemia watching her work away in slight fascination and longing.

"What?" Mia asked with a slight smile, preparing herself for one of Florean's extremely dramatic stories that came rather often whenever the lad was bored in his lessons, which was practically every lesson.

"Charlus has been drinking lately," he stated, looking at her carefully and her expression only flickered slightly as she focused on her work, scribbling away to avoid answering.

"Mia," Florean whined, poking her with the end of her quill and Euphemia looked up with a sigh, "What's that got to do with me?" she asked, completely in oblivion as per usual.

At that, even Pomona glanced up from her essay to scoff and laugh in disbelief at Mia's stupidity.

"Everything," Florean exclaimed dramatically, rather loudly actually so that some of the other students in the class looked over in their direction and Professor Beery actually told their corner to quieten down.

"Whatever," Euphemia muttered, reading over her last sentence in a whisper, trying to check that it made sense.

Florean groaned and smacked his head down on the table in despair before raising it slowly and staring at Mia.