Bookworm

23

In the end of the meeting, Mira knew what she had to do to truly earn Umbridge and Draco's trust. Just as students were getting ready to leave she crossed one leg over the other and rapped her knuckles on the table, resting her fist in her chin with a bored look on her face.
"I have one question."
"And what would that be?" Mira could tell Umbridge was ready for another argument and let out a sad sigh.
"Well, how are we meant to have any authority over the students? We'll just be seen as a joke if we cant actually do anything but report back to you." Umbridge seemed to be in deep thought.
"Yes, that is a valid point Miss Moriarty." She admitted and sat back down. Mira was glad that she hadn't worn her Gryffindor tie as the woman stared at her for a few moments, the Slytherins listening with bated breath. "Well, we cant have you giving out detentions because then you'll have to either host them or redirect them to me and I am simply too busy. I'll speak to Cornelius...yes...I do think that if you had the power to revoke points it would keep students in check." She could feel the Slytherins buzzing behind her and nodded her head, standing from her seat and pretending to be engrossed in her duty rota as she moved past them.
"Nice one, Moriarty!" She heard a voice say as someone moved in front of her. Blaise Zabini grinned down at her, holding his hand out. "I'm Blaise."
"Mira." She shook his hand firmly and sent him a small smile as they began moving down the corridor together, slightly behind the other members of the squad.
"So what changed your mind?" He asked coolly, putting his hands deep in his pockets. Mira was convinced some of the students ahead were listening in intently and forced herself to huff out a breath once more, hugging her bag close to her chest as she shrugged her shoulders.
"I had a weekend with nothing to do and thought everything over, it just didn't make sense. There is no magic that can reawaken the dead." Blaise smiled and nodded.
"Why cant other Gryffindors be as smart as you?"
"Oh, I'm not a Gryffindor." She quickly rebuked. Blaise stopped walking, his eyebrows furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
"My Hogwarts letter was hidden by my mother before she died," Mira explained, brushing off his shocked look. "By the time Dumbledore tracked me down it was too late to enroll me at Hogwarts, so he invited me here as a guest. I don't actually have an assigned house; I just sit with my friends at the Gryffindor table." Draco had fallen back and was walking on the other side of Blaise listening to them intently.
"So your mum was a witch?" He asked. "No one knew that Lupin even had a sister."
"She was a squib and married a muggle, I'm technically half blood." Mira's lies rolled off of her tongue. She had no clue who her actual mother was, she could have been lying but she could have been telling the truth. She cleared her throat as they reached where they would part ways and smiled softly at them. "I guess I'll be seeing you guys around?"
"Duties with me tomorrow night, don't be late." Draco drawled, still a hint of distrust and maliciousness in his voice as he continued strolling down the corridor without a care in the world. Mira watched him go with a frown before correcting her face and nodding to Blaise politely. He waved and jogged to catch up to Draco, leaving Mira to continue on her own. She had barely gotten a few metres away when her arm was grabbed and she was dragged behind a tapestry. A hand slapped over her mouth to hide her scream of surprise and she sighed when she realised that she was sandwiched between Fred and George in the small passage. Her mind was still stuck on her mum and she shook it slightly as Fred began talking.
"Getting a bit close with Malfoy and Zabini there," he pointed out uncomfortably.
"Yeah," George nodded his head and leaned his lanky frame against the wall. "Might want to watch your back before they turn on you and get the Mark." Mira sighed at the angry looks on their faces and shook her head.
"Can we not do this here please?" She whispered.
"Do what?" Fred asked innocently as he looked to George.
"We aren't doing anything."
"Yet."
"Although Malfoy might need to watch his back now," George shrugged carelessly. Mira frowned.
"No, please don't!" Her voice was slightly louder. "I-There is something else I need to do for the Order."
"Don't tell me they're wanting you to get in with the death eaters and become one?" George asked with horror painted on his face. Mira shook her head quickly.
"No-no, of course not! As if Remus or Sirius would allow that! Or even your mother!"
"What if-oh no! Georgie, what if they're setting her up to get with Malfoy and spy on him?" His face held even more horror and anger in it.
"I'm still here," Mira huffed, reaching out in the dark and grabbing their wrists. "So why don't you just ask me?" She asked as she dragged them along behind her, already tired of the conversation.
"What else are you doing for the Order?"
"It's confidential." Mira grinned, for once having the upper hand on them. George whined and tried to pull out of her grip. "I really cant tell you."
"Just tell us and we wont slip something into his drink tomorrow!"
"You slip something into his drink and I will write to your mother and tell her you're getting involved with Order matters." The girl hissed over her shoulder angrily. They were going to ruin the whole thing! "I cant tell you until it is done but you'll have to trust me on this, and don't get mad at me."
"You're already a part of the Inquisitorial Squad!" Fred protested. "Why are they making you do other things when you have your OWLs coming?"
"Mum was fuming with us when we didn't have many each. Yet here she is, advocating you risking all of yours!" Mira rolled her eyes as they came out next to the tower and she pointed at the portrait.
"In. Bed." She ordered blandly.
"But-" Fred's eyes were wide and pleading. Mira had to force herself to look away and she sighed.
"Look, there is something going to happen that I'm hoping to prevent by becoming friends with Draco. So I would appreciate it if you didn't sabotage it, and just know that you're still my best friends."
"He wont be friends with you if you hang around with us, will he?" Fred asked quietly. Mira couldn't look at him as tears brimmed in her eyes. She was hoping they would just allow her to slip away. She didn't want to say it out loud; no. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with them before they left Hogwarts for good. The twins, for the first time in Mira's memory, stayed silent.
"No quidditch and no M..." George muttered. "This is the worst year ever, Freddie." Fred didn't say anything, so George continued when he saw Mira refused to speak too. "If we can keep DA meetings a secret, I think we can keep meetings with you secret too." Mira hesitated slightly, but even though it was against her mission she nodded her head. After all, wasn't it Dumbledore that said that love and friendships were the most powerful weapon of all?
"I'll see you around." She muttered as she began heading back to her own dorm. There were no attempts to call her back as she continued forth alone, her shoes clicking on the stone. It was the only sound for a while, that was until she heard another pair of footsteps. She glanced over her shoulder and saw two pinpricks of light in the darkness, focused on her. She lowered her head as she cat fell into step with her.
"She's given the IS power to revoke points from other houses." she whispered to the cat trotting along beside her. It hissed angrily. "But I think I may have gotten in with Malfoy and Zabini."
Of course, there was no reply. But the cat fell back into the darkness to return to its own office and arrive, albeit late, and the meeting that night with the news.