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Published:
2021-08-15
Completed:
2022-06-27
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47/47
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The Last Black

Summary:

 

In the aftermath of the Second Wizarding War, one of Britain’s best-kept secrets saw the light: Sirius Black had an illegitimate daughter.

For Arianna Vitelli (a.k.a. Arianna Galatea Black), her father’s identity was unknown most of her life. A mystery that drove her to extremes to be unveiled and gained her a powerful enemy on the way.

After three years in exile, she returns home to capture the man who has haunted her for ages, seeking revenge. But her mission takes an unexpected turn when she discovers she must work alongside Draco Malfoy, resurfacing memories, unsolved conflicts and dormant feelings. And Harry Potter, who takes her under his wings and accompanies her on a journey about Sirius’ past, bringing him closer to her than she ever expected.

Trapped between the labyrinth of her past and a tomorrow that is not hers, hope and love become driving forces in her fight for freedom.

Notes:

I have wanted to write an HP fic for quite some time, and the idea of Sirius secretly having a daughter stuck with me and drove me to take the leap.

The story takes place four years after the end of the war, and it’s mostly canon complainant except for the epilogue and some tiny details.

The Last Black gets at times rather dark, with moments of non-con and violence. So I’ll write warnings when it’s the case.

I hope you will enjoy it! ^^

Chapter 1: Summer Solstice

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Cover.

Cover Ilustration. Charcoal drawing by Mathilde Olsen. Colored and edited by Amalthea Black.

 

 

 

In the darkness, there was no sound apart from the ticking clocks that filled the walls. Blood flowed, spreading across the wooden floors, touching her bare feet. A man lay face down, his lifeless eyes open wide. A presence behind her made her turnover, finding herself covered in blood with a twisted smile on her face.

 

Arianna Vitelli sat at her dressing table, getting ready for a gala she would rather not attend. It was not a dislike for socialising that made her reluctant to go nor that she was utterly weary by the jetlag, but the possible presence of the ghosts she had left behind and had tried to forget. 

She would prefer to cuddle on her armchair with a book instead of going to the Ministry Summer Solstice Gala. She would rather unpack all her belongings and prepare potions or spend the sunny day by the sea. But she hadn't come back to Europe to keep hiding. 

Trying not to think much about it, she grabbed her wand, curled up the long lashes of her almond, grey eyes, brushed them with mascara, and then ran her fingers through her long black wavy hair. Feeling satisfied with her natural-looking makeup, she went to get dressed.

Chaos reigned in her new room. It was strewn with various spellbooks, cauldrons and tangled clothing. Three large trunks were stacked in the corner of the room, while two others stood in the middle with their lid open, half empty. And a newspaper spread next to them.

The International section blared:




Most of this front page was taken up with a black-and-white picture showing the Austrian Parliament Building bearing a symbol that depicted a triangle enclosing a vertical line and a circle.

 

The Society Pages laid beside it. This one bore the headline:

 

A picture showed an attractive young couple stepping out of Skippity Scones, a bakery in Diagon Alley famous for its innovative wedding and birthday cakes. 

Arianna dug into one of the trunks and picked out the first garment she didn't hate, a white dress with a V-neckline. She put it on together with her long pearl necklace and folded it three times around her neck, then found matching shoes and a clutch bag, putting her wand inside together with her obsidian dagger and antidotes and left for the living room to wait for her friend and new flatmate, Blair Shacklebolt. 

The room had tall white walls and large windows like the rest of the flat and consisted of an eclectic collection of furniture. A modern white chaise, a light-blue winged armchair, a large velvet dark-blue sofa, and a couple of delicate wooden tables. Everything rested on an antique blue Persian carpet Kingsley Shacklebolt, Blair's uncle and Prime Minister for Magic, had given his niece for Christmas. 

Growing anxious, Arianna sat on the armchair and rubbed the soft pears of her necklace between her fingers. For sure, the press would be there, she thought, and although she should have gotten used to them, it wasn't the case. 

Blair came into the room, looking like a model ready to hit the runway as she usually did. She was black, bald, slender and tall with big cat-like eyes and her face was as it had been graciously sculpted with high sharp cheekbones and full lips. She had put on a pastel pink suit and long diamond earrings.

"Why aren't you ready?" she asked. 

"I'm ready," answered Arianna. 

"Aren't you going to do anything with your hair?"

"I like it loose." 

"Are you sure you want to wear that dress?" Blair asked doubtfully. "You can borrow something from me."

"Nope," said Arianna standing up. "Let's go and get this over with."

Blair stared at the end table next to the chaise and asked, "Did you move that table?"

"Blair, can we go now?!" begged Arianna. "The sooner I go there, the sooner I can come back."

Blair moved the table slightly to the right and then tilted her head, contemplating her work. 

Arianna was quite aware of her pickiness and necessity for order. They have been roommates in the Ravenclaw dorms, and funny enough, they shared the room with Luna Lovegood, who had a unique interpretation of the word "order". 

When Blair was pleased, Arianna grabbed a small black vase from the mantel shelf, took some Flu powder and tossed it into the fireplace. And after exchanging a look, they stepped in and disappeared through the green flames. 

They walked into a circular stone room with five fireplaces from where witches and wizards emerged. The girls had taken barely three steps when they found themselves surrounded by reporters, filling the room with the noise of clicking cameras and explosions of light from several flashes.

"Miss Black!" yelled Rita Skeeter. "Have you returned to England to claim your fortune back from the Malfoys' greedy hands?"

"Arianna, Arianna, over here!" screamed Romilda Vane. "A word for Witch Weekly! We love your hair."

"Miss Vitelli!" shouted a short wizard with a purple hat. "How do you feel about your mother marrying the Prime Minister? Is he the father figure you've been longing for?"

Arianna and Blair rushed out from the fireplace room half-blinded from the lights and ignoring the reporters' intruding questions, they stepped out into a magnificent large garden showered by the afternoon light.

After many years of dating on and off, Kingsley Shacklebolt was finally marrying Arianna's mother. This was wonderful, except that the press had become a nightmare as the engagement had fired up another topic — her relationship with the controversial Sirius Black. 

A year after the end of the war, two posthumous trials were held on behalf of Sirius Black and Severus Snape thanks to Harry Potter's determination to clear their names. And it had been during that time that one of the best-kept secrets in Britain saw the light — Sirius Black III had an illegitimate daughter with Agata Vitelli, who was officially together with the British Prime Minister for Magic. 

By that time, Arianna lived in New York, working for MACUSA. And although she had kept a low profile, the press had found her, chased her down from restaurants, pubs and once, her own flat. Arianna hated the media and their stupid questions. Their favourite one was if she would fight for her inheritance since, at her grandmother's death, all the Black’s fortune went to the only family member who wasn't imprisoned for life or disowned, Narcissa Black Malfoy. 

In the garden, different colourful flowers and ferns covered the grounds. A wooden dance floor had been placed in the middle for the occasion, with a levitating tent made of vegetation threads hovering over it. Witches and wizards wearing their best attires packed the place while floating silver trays offering champagne and appetisers circulated among them. 

Arianna and Blair blended quickly in the crowd and walked to the garden's centre, near the dance floor. They took a champagne glass from a passing tray while Arianna felt many eyes falling upon her and heard people whisper. 

A familiar voice said her name this time.

"Arianna, mia ragazza !" said Agata Vitelli, extending both arms to her daughter.

" Mamma !" said Arianna, rushing to her mother's arms and kissing her on the cheek.

Agata looked a lot like her daughter. Both had the same heart-shaped lips, olive skin and feminine silhouette, but Agata's green eyes and straight brunette hair were the most noticeable differences. She was wearing a simple dark magenta dress, and her hair was in a bun.

"Kings is going to be so happy you came. We have missed you so much!" Agata smiled, still holding her daughter. "We were expecting you yesterday for dinner."

"I had many trunks to unpack," said Arianna. "I thought I could fix everything yesterday, but it was impossible."

"I told her to ask for the elves' help, but she refused," said Blair.

"I'm sure she can handle that herself," Agata said and tucked Arianna's hair softly behind her ear. "I have to keep an eye on Fudge tonight," she continued, searching the crowd. "He has been drinking more than usual and causing rather unpleasant scenes. One would think that being a member of the Wizengamot would bring higher responsibilities than taking care of the former Prime Minister, but apparently not. So if you girls would excuse me, I see him heading to the bar quite rapidly."

Saying this, Agata left, and Arianna contemplated her surroundings. Everyone was there, old classmates, war heroes and deep-rooted Ministry employees. Like Mafalda Hopkirk, who talked vividly to Arthur and Percy Weasley, or Gawain Robards, Head of The Auror Office, who laughed thunderously with Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan. Thankfully, she didn't spot any tall, silver-blond man or a messy dark-haired one, and she relaxed a bit more.

"Look what the tide dragged in," said a man's voice from behind.

They turned and found the one and only Theodore Nott staring at them with a big grin on his face. He was tall and fit, wearing an impeccable grey tailored suit, his dark eyes sparkling at them, and his black hair gracefully falling over his forehead. He strolled towards them with suave grace.

"Theodore Nott, thank you for gracing us with your presence," said Arianna, bowing slightly.

He chuckled and kissed the girls twice, one on each cheek. "Arianna Galatea Vitelli… the prodigal daughter returns to claim what it's hers, perhaps?" 

"So, I heard a poor soul has fallen under your spell," said Arianna, ignoring his question. "Would you point me in the direction of such gentleman?"

"Change the subject, all right. We shall go back to that later," said Theo and gazed around, looking for someone. "Oh, there's the apple of my eye!" he exclaimed, lifting his glass at somebody.

Arianna and Blair looked over their shoulders. They saw Pansy Parkinson waving happily at them before approaching. She had gotten a pixie cut and wore a long black dress with a cleavage almost reaching her navel.

"Are you joking?" muttered Blair.

"Blair! Arianna, My dear!" said Pansy kissing Arianna on both cheeks leaving marks from her bright-red lipstick. "How wonderful it's that you're here! I would like your opinion about so many things regarding the wedding. I'm positive Agata told you I'm in charge of it, didn't she? It's going to be the event of the decade!" she said with a grand gesture, throwing half her champagne to a wizard next to them. "What do you think about the gala? It took me months to plan this one. Isn't it fantastic? Theo darling, have you told Arianna and Blair about our engagement? We are so thrilled about it. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have to go and yell to whoever is in charge of the trays." And just as she came, she vanished.

Arianna and Blair gazed at each other in utter disbelief.

"Would you care to explain, Theodore?" said Blair, stunned. "You cannot possibly be engaged with her!"

"It is true," said Theo, smirking. "We're thinking May."

"Are you mental?" said Arianna. "I hate to be the one who breaks this to you, Theo, but you're gay."

"Oh, my dear friends," said Theo, chucking. "I thought by now you were well aware that marriage is nothing more than an economic proposition for us purebloods."

"Well, I didn't think that you would fall for that trap, Theo," said Blair coldly. "I'm feeling quite disappointed in you."

Theo cleared his throat. "Blair, it is not like my family gave me more options. I can't dispose of my inheritance until I have made an acceptable union with the promise of an heir. And…" he added, for Blair had begun opening her mouth. "Before you say anything. I know that I could have done what some had dared: to renounce my legacy. Like Agata Vitelli, for example," he glanced at Arianna. "But I'm not that kind of wizard, and neither is Pansy. So we have reached an agreement that shall make us both free to love and do whatever we please with what is ours by right."

Both of the girls went quiet for a moment.

"So… you're getting married, and then what?" asked Arianna incredulously. "Have a child? Keep your lovers in the dungeons?... I mean, it's not like you can get a divorce like muggles do."

"That's the plan!" said Theo happily. Both girls frowned at him. "Come on! You seriously don't think I'm the first gay pureblood that had to take this decision. And Pansy isn't that bad, really. She had softened a bit after Hogwarts. Moreover, she really needs to get her family off her back."

"Why?" asked Blair, curious.

"Can't tell," said Theo plainly. "Apropos," he continued, turning towards Arianna. "Blaise is planning on courting you."

Arianna snorted. "You're joking," she said and glanced around, hoping Zabini wasn't there. "Why on earth would he want to do that?"

"They say that it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife," said Theo, smirking and making Arianna and Blair laugh. "But if you don't trust Austen, you could ask Mr Zabini himself."

Blaise Zabini headed their way. He walked across the garden as if he was the host: Big confident smile on his face, nodding politely at people and shaking hands on his way. He straightened his perfectly tailored royal-blue suit before giving his final steps in Arianna's direction.

"Oh my, oh my. You're a vision in white, Vitelli," said Blaise, taking her hand and kissing it gently while looking into her eyes. "Or should I call you 'Black' now?"

"Zabini… it's been a while," said Arianna, somewhat surprised. "And it's Vitelli… still."

"How is it possible that a lady as lovely as yourself hasn't been asked to dance?" enquired Blaise.

"I–I need to check on my mother," said Arianna, pulling her hand back. "Maybe she needs help with Fudge."

Hurriedly, she left. Since when was Parkinson nice to her? Why did Zabini supposedly fancy her when he looked down on her for being a "bastard child" at Hogwarts? And why wasn't Theo fighting harder against his family's pureblood prejudices? She had actually thought, naively as it seemed, pureblood beliefs had mellowed after the war.

Lost in her thoughts, she crossed to the other side of the dance floor. Then she saw them, the attractive couple from the newspaper. The woman wore a long emerald green gown and had her auburn hair in a high bun. The man had put on a light-grey suit, and his blond hair was slicked back. Arianna watched Draco Malfoy waltzing with Astoria Greengrass in his arms and felt her heart sink.

She rushed, hoping not to be seen by them. She knew it was a strong possibility that they would be here since Draco worked at the Department of Magical Transportation. For some reason. As if he needed it to work a day in his life, considering the massive amount of galleons and property his family owned. Everyone speculated that he had gotten a mundane job at the Ministry of Magic to help restore his reputation.

Arianna spotted the bar at the garden's far end and decided she needed something stronger than champagne.

The elegant wooden bar was almost full. A single stool was available in the far left corner, so she took it and looked around, hoping for someone to serve her, when suddenly a man's voice spoke.

"Good evening, miss. What can I get for you?"

"Er… Firewhisky, please," said Arianna, looking for the voice's source.

A whisky bottle floated in mid-air and poured some liquid into a glass, placing itself in front of her, "Enjoy, Miss," said the voice.

Arianna squinted and realised that a wizard with a Disillusionment Charm was the bartender. She inspected the rich liquor and took a sip.

At least she hadn't run into Potter yet. She thought. After all, Harry Potter was known for avoiding these kinds of events. According to Kingsley, he didn't enjoy the attention that came with being the "Chosen One". But she was aware that she'd run into him sooner or later and that he would want to talk about her father… and she wasn't ready for that.

"Firewhisky, neat," said a man's voice to her right. A voice that Arianna recognised instantly. A voice she had known a couple of light-years ago.

Alarmed, she looked down at her glass, turning her head slightly to her left. Maybe he hasn't seen her; perhaps he doesn't want to talk to her either. After all, he never replied to any of the letters she sent when he was in Azkaban, and they hadn't spoken to each other since… 

"Hello, cousin," said the man with a silky voice.

Arianna stopped breathing. She turned around slowly to face him, dreading his eyes. Draco Malfoy was standing there with a mocking smile.

It seemed that the last four years had been kind to him. He was well-built, even taller, and his features were harder. His blond hair had darkened slightly. However, the greatest difference was his stare — now he looked at her coldly, as if his eyes were empty of emotions or thoughts.

"Do not call me that," said Arianna severely. "It's not like we grew up together braiding each other's hair. And for the record, we are second cousins — We share like 3.1% of DNA."

She took a sip of her Firewhisky and felt it burning down her throat. Draco stared at her with an amused grin.

"Merlin, I didn't know that the idea of being related to me made you so disgusted," he said, took a sip from his whiskey and swirled it around. "So… are you back to take my mother's inheritance?"

Arianna snorted. "Are you talking to me just to find out about that?" she said. "Not even a chit-chat before? It has been… how many years? How was Azkaban? I heard the facilities have improved."

"It has definitely gotten better," said Draco, resting his elbow on the bar. "Fewer rats than when your father used to be there... And, naturally, you cannot compare six months against– How many years was he there? I always forget small details."

Asshole, she thought, wishing to throw her drink at him and hex him. But instead, she glared at him loathly.

"Is that all? Have you had enough?" she said acidly. "You should go back to that girlfriend of yours."

He stared at her for a moment, holding his grin. "Just one more thing, is it true that you will work for the International Confederation of Wizards as a junior assistant?"

"Yes," said Arianna sharply.

"Really?" he chuckled. "After working for MACUSA on the Auror Division, you're back to England to serve coffee and make dinner reservations?" he shook his head. "You were supposed to be smart, Vitelli."

"It implies way more than doing those things," said Arianna angrily, wondering why she had even answered him.

"It's quite a step down," he continued. "You could get any position at the Ministry or put your Potioneer title to good use and work for St. Mungo. But you have chosen to be someone's lapdog."

"Why do you care so much about my career choices?!" asked Arianna, getting frantic.

"I'm just catching up with an old friend… On that note, I heard the most preposterous rumour about you," he said. Arianna merely looked at him, expecting. "Were you truly shagging Longbottom in Brazil?"

Arianna's face got hot with anger. "I was dating Neville, yes," she said, holding herself to not yelling at him.

Draco threw his head back and began laughing stridently. The nearby guests looked in their direction. "Oh, Merlin. When I heard that, I honestly thought it was a joke. A very good one, indeed. Arianna Vitelli and Neville Longbottom," he said amusingly and leaned towards her. "How on earth did he manage that … I do wonder."

His face was close to hers, and a whiff of whiskey reached her nose, followed by a rich, spicy, earthy scent. Making her feel divided between punching his handsome stupid face or leaning forwards to smell him better.

"Er… Arianna?" said someone hesitantly behind them.

Arianna looked back with murdering eyes. It was none other than Harry Potter. He was wearing a black suit, and his hair was untidy, as always.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said, slightly shocked and glanced at Draco quickly and then back at her. "I'm Harry, Harry Potter. I don't think we have officially met."

Harry extended his hand, and Arianna chuckled. Harry fucking Potter introduced himself as if there wasn't a single witch or wizard who didn't know his name or knew his face.

"Arianna Vitelli," she said, shaking his hand. "Pleased to officially meet you, Harry Potter."

"Malfoy," said Harry.

"Potter," replied Draco, straightening his suit. "Well, as lovely as this has been, I have to go back to my date. I'll see both of you at the Ministry." He took a last glance at Arianna and left.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to take a little walk," said Arianna standing up from her stool. Harry agreed and followed her. 

The sun was low, and bonfires had been set, ready to be ignited when the darkness came. People were getting louder, and the dance floor was completely crowded. Arianna felt like dancing and looked around, wondering who could be a good partner. Her eyes landed on two people who followed them with their eyes, heads close to each other, clearly whispering. She recognised them immediately. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were looking over his friend. 

"So… you got my letter, yes?" asked Harry.

"Er… yes, I did. Didn't you get my reply?" asked Arianna, confused.

"Yes, yes. I did," he said and stopped dead, then took a deep breath in exasperation. "Look, I truly don't know how to do this, so I'll just say it — I really would like to get to know you. I think Sirius would've liked that — I understand what you're going through. So I don't want to pressure you or anything. But whenever you want to meet, I'm there. We can talk about Sirius or not. I just… you know, I would like for us to be friends."

"Thanks, Harry," said Arianna, slightly surprised. "I– as I said in my letter. I feel quite overwhelmed about all of this… But I'll look for you when I'm ready to hear more about–about him."

She gazed at Harry's green eyes, and they stared at each other for a moment. He looked away, clearing his throat.

"Sorry. It's just that… You have your father's eyes," he said and chuckled.

Arianna looked at her feet, not sure what to say or do. She lifted her gaze and offered him a small smile. He smiled back. "I also got his hair and cheekbones," she said vividly.

"Yeah.. that too," said Harry, trying to keep his smile. "And… you know I inherited the Black's house, some money his uncle Alphard left him and all his possessions. And I think you should have it all… It's the right thing."

"Oh, no, Harry," said Arianna, shaking her head. "Don't bother. It's yours. He left it to you after all."

"He only did that so it wouldn't go to Bellatrix Lestrange or Narcissa Malfoy," he said, slightly angered. "Back then, the house was used as the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. Also, he didn't want you to be involved in any of this (from what I've heard). But now, it should go to you."

A crowding sensation filled her head, and her chest clenched.

"We can talk about it later," she said decisively, with the urge to finish the conversation. "But I don't want it, really… I think I'm going to look for Kingsley. I haven't seen him yet. But I'll see you around?"

"Er… sure," he said, frowning slightly. "I'll see you at the Ministry… and you know, whenever you feel like talking, I'm here." He smiled a bit awkwardly, turned on his heels and left.

Once again, she went to look for a less crowded place. She had come to the party like she had promised her mother and Kingsley she should be allowed to leave. 

"One smoke, and then I leave," she thought. 

At the edge of the yard, far away from the prying eyes, Arianna took her silver cigarette box from her purse and contemplated the party from afar. She drew one smoke and put it in her mouth. 

Next to a tree not far away from where she was, two gentlemen were in the middle of a heated argument. One of them was a relatively short middle-aged man with a long silver walrus-like moustache. His face was angry as he shouted to a tall young man who remained serene despite the rude behaviour of his companion.

There was something familiar about the latter man. Arianna moved closer to them, where she could see them better. The young man was undoubtedly handsome, he had a well-built physique and broad shoulders, enhanced by the tailored navy suit he wore. He had smooth black hair, a square jaw, dark blue eyes, and a pair of wired rectangular glasses perched on his straight nose.

"Chambers, you cannot be serious about such a proposal!" shouted the short man. "The werewolves are going to laugh in our faces! And the entire wizard community will go mental, you'll see."

"I think you're utterly underestimating the current conditions in which the werewolf community lives," said Chambers calmly. "And the stigma has only gone bigger after what people like Greyback did during the war."

"Nathan?" said Arianna, who had gotten closer. Nathan Chambers turned around, his eyes blew open, and a broad smile followed.

"Aria!" said Nathan enthusiastically. "What–? I didn't know you were here." He looked back at the short man. "I'm sorry, Stuart. We can talk about it on Monday."

And before Stuart could reply, Nathan was heading towards Arianna, and they embraced each other for a long moment.

"Why didn't you tell me you were back?" said Nathan looking straight into her eyes, his hands on her waist, keeping her close to him.

"I've been here for a day," said Arianna smiling. "But I swear, I was planning on writing to you... I didn't know that you work for the Ministry, though."

"Technically, I don't. My firm is working with the New Werewolves Legislations. So… that's why I'm here, luckily for me." 

Arianna felt her cheeks warm and let go of him. "Then we can have lunch sometime when you're at the Ministry. I'll work there starting Monday," she said, putting a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Definitely," replied Nathan smiling, two dimples forming on his cheeks. 

She retook her silver cigarette case. "Does it bother you?" she asked, holding a smoke. Nathan shook his head, took one himself, and lit both with his wand.

Arianna took a drag. The night was definitely improving.

"Careful, Vitelli, that thing is going to kill you." 

Arianna recognised that low, soft and venomous voice that made her sick just by hearing it. She eyed to her left and saw Astoria Greengrass approaching them. Her heavily lidded eyes disdainful as they rested upon her.

Arianna took another drag. "You're not that lucky, Greengrass," she said, holding her gaze.

Astoria chuckled. "Isn't it lovely? The Hogwarts love birds reunited," she said mockingly. "I was sorry to hear that Longbottom dumped you after begging him to return to Europe with you… But I see you're recovering quite fast. You're always looking for someone to keep your bed warm, isn't it?"

"Why don't you do us a favour and crawl back to the hole you came from?" spat Arianna. It was like school had never ended.

"Don't overheat. I just want to catch up," said Astoria dismissively.

"You and your boyfriend certainly have interesting ways of doing that," said Arianna, and grinned when seeing Astoria's smirk vanish. "And now that we've caught up, we're leaving. So, if you would excuse us."

Arianna turned her back to Astoria and grabbed Nathan by the arm.

"It's not yours to claim!" yelled Astoria. "The inheritance belongs to the Malfoy family! You have no right over it! You might know who your father is, but you're still a bastard. So don't get any ideas… We're ready to go to court if we have to."

"We?" repeated Arianna scornfully, turning back. "I don't see a ring on that finger, Greengrass. So why are you so concerned about it?... Oh, right!" she stamped her forehead with her palm. "Your family is dry! And you need every last galleon you can suck from the Malfoys… Pathetic." 

"How dare you talk to me like that!" screamed Astoria. "Who do you think you are?! Not because you're 'biologically' a pureblood means you can blend with us like a real one. You're a bastard Vitelli, and you're always going to be one!"

Arianna pulled out her wand from her purse, and Astoria did the same.

"Arianna," said Nathan quietly and grabbed her arm. "She's not worth it." Quick steps advanced towards them, and the three of them looked over. Draco rushed decisively, his expression inscrutable. "And neither is he."

"Is everything all right, ladies?" asked Draco, looking back and forth at the two witches.

"Everything is wonderful, darling," answered Astoria, staring sharply at Arianna and putting her wand back in her purse. 

Draco glanced at Arianna and then at Nathan. His face hardened instantly.

"Chambers," said Draco coldly.

"Malfoy," replied Nathan indifferently.

"All right," said Arianna promptly. "As charming as this has been, we are leaving," then looked at Nathan, who stared at Draco intensely. "A drink? My place?" 

He barely nodded. Arianna fetched his hand, and both of them headed towards the fireplaces. She glanced over her shoulder. The attractive couple watched them as they left.

"Welcome home, Arianna," said Nathan, smirking. 

Arianna couldn't help but laugh.   




Notes:

Comments are always welcome, and kudos are always love.

Thank you for reading. ^^

 
Chapter edited.
This chapter was edited from the original. No essential information was changed. It was just re-edited to make a slightly shorter first chapter. The other was too long in an unnecessary way. No other chapter has been changed.

Chapter 2: Morning Owls

Chapter Text

 

 

The following day, Arianna woke up on her bed feeling disoriented. Again, it took her a moment to remember where she was and why her temples pounded terribly. At least no nightmares had crept into her mind this time, she thought and turned on her bed, only to recall another piece of information her brain was too groggy to evoke– Nathan was there too.

"Cazzo," she cursed, whispering.

She and Nathan had dated for around a year during their time at Hogwarts, and after breaking up, they remained good friends. However, the attraction between them never really faded. Which resulted in various sexual encounters every time Arianna visited England. It was as if they had an unspoken agreement about it, but now things were different; now they lived in the same country. Arianna stared at him, thinking that perhaps it hadn't been the smartest thing to sleep with him this time.

After a few minutes of insidious and worrying thoughts, she decided to get up. Very slowly, she moved away and left the bed. She spotted her pyjamas laying on top of a pile of clothing, put them on, and went outside. Immediately, the smell of cooking sausages hit her, and she suddenly realized how hungry she was. But there was something odd, Blair wouldn't cook, not even if her life depended on it.

Cautiously and curiously, she advanced towards the kitchen. A woman stood near the stove tending to the sausages while knives sliced tomatoes, mushrooms and bacon behind her. Padma Patil had her long black hair up on a ponytail and wore a short turquoise summer dress and matching trainees.

"Padma?!" exclaimed Arianna, smiling broadly.

Padma lifted her gaze and gasped. "Aria!" she screamed, running towards her, lifting her hands and hugging her with such enthusiasm that almost knocked her over.

Her friendship with Padma was one of the scarce good things she got from her sixth year at Hogwarts. That dark year where the Carrows and their cruelty prowled the corridors and classrooms, searching for any excuse to prey on the students.

"I thought you weren't moving in until next week," said Arianna, hugging her.

"Nah, we finished with our business in Romania earlier than we thought," said Padma, stepping aside. "But working with dragons was fantastic! I met Charlie Weasley, so much nicer than his brother Ronald," she rolled her eyes. "Now we're heading towards Hogwarts, actually, doing some research on Thestrals. The population is still huge, a fascinating phenomenon!"

"I see you're having fun with Rolf Scamander," said Arianna and sat on the countertop.

"He's the best!– Oh dear!" exclaimed Padma as the knives drifted dangerously towards the windows, and she stopped them with a flick of her wand. Then she went back to the stove and shook the pan. "You wouldn't believe the crazy stories he tells me about his grandpa… I wish I had met him."

"So, what are you cooking?" asked Arianna. Her stomach growled, demanding food.

"A proper English breakfast, of course, to welcoming you back home."

"Do you have enough for three?" asked Arianna as casually as she could.

"Three? Blair is already in St. Mungo," said Padma, taking the mushrooms and throwing them in another pan. "I wouldn't be able to work on a Saturday. To be honest, I don't know how she copes with that… But she wants to be a Healer."

"Yeah…" said Arianna with a hint of sadness in her voice. It was inevitable not to think that if she had never gotten that envelope on her graduation day, she would be studying to be a Healer together with Blair. Just as they always dreamt off. She noticed Padma giving her a curious look and realized that she had got lost in her thoughts and cleared her throat. "I think she's studying memory curses now. Apparently is quite complicated. Theo Nott even gave her his notes from last year… But, I wasn't referring to her…."

Padma's eyes went wide open, and her mouth dropped. "Who is it?" she whispered.

"It's just Nathan," said Arianna indifferently.

"JUST NATHAN?!" screamed Padma abandoning her cooking.

"Shhhhh", said Arianna, moving her hands fervently up and down.

"Sorry, sorry," said Padma, covering her mouth. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing… I don't know," said Arianna, getting that anxious feeling again. "I guess we'll talk about it later… or not… I don't know… Do you have coffee?"

"Coffee?" asked Padma, insulted. "No dear, we have tea, as it should be!" Then she shook the sausage pan fervently.

Arianna chuckled and started the kettle for tea, then assisted Padma with the beans. Not long after, Nathan came into the kitchen and helped them set the table. They had breakfast together and talked about work and the upcoming Quidditch World Cup. Nathan had played as chaser for Ravenclaw, and Padma was also mental about the sport. Arianna's thoughts began drifting away when the quidditch conversation became rather technical, and she neither understood nor care.

She eyed outside into the sky and saw two owls approaching. They entered the lighted room through the open window and landed softly in front of her. The birds lifted their right foot. Somewhat surprised, she took first a tiny scroll from an ordinary brown owl.

 

 

"Padma, do you want flowers?" asked Arianna, looking up. Nathan frowned slightly but said nothing.

"Uh… sure," said Padma, arching her eyebrows. "Why not?"

"Yes," enunciated Arianna at the letter.

The parchment began to burn with pink smoke emanating out of it. And a few seconds later, it had transformed into a large elaborated pink peony arrangement. On top of it, a small ivory envelope rested between two flowers. Arianna opened it, it merely said: "Saturday? BZ."

"Who sends them?" asked Padma.

"Blaise Zabini", answered Arianna shrugging, both her friends frowned sceptically. "I don't have the smallest interest, so do not worry."

Arianna reached for the next scroll, carried by an eagle owl. It had a short message written in elegant cursive.

Arianna's mouth opened slightly, and she gazed at her friends. Her voice had deserted her. Nathan fetched the parchment, and Padma went promptly behind him to read.

"Why is she calling you by your middle name?" asked Nathan.

"I told her she could call me Galatea if she wanted to," replied Arianna remembering the only time she had met Narcissa, the only time she had been at the Malfoy's manor. It felt like it had happened in another life.

"When did you talk to her?" asked Padma.

"Long time ago, it's really not important," said Arianna, trying not to remember that day. "This is clearly about the inheritance, isn't it?"

"Aria, if you really want the inheritance, we can fight for it," said Nathan, pushing back his glasses. "I've looked into it. If we do things right, I'm certain we can win this."

"You think?" asked Padma doubtfully, sitting back on her chair. "They're bloody scary the Malfoys and have tons of gold… Aria can't afford a long trial."

"But we have Kingsley Shacklebolt on our side," said Nathan confidently. "And I'm quite sure that my firm would take up the challenge. We have taken inheritance cases far more complicated than this and won… I'll request Walburga Black's will and see what we're dealing with. But we'll need to control the press– it would be a high-profile case."

"But the Malfoy's have excellent lawyers too!" said Padma, alarmed. "They reduced Lucius Malfoy's sentence to nothing! He'll be out of Azkaban next year! And Draco … he was in Azkaban not even six months, and– I'm sorry, but being a year under house arrest doesn't really count if your house is a bloody manor!"

Arianna's mind was spinning. She didn't want to go to war with the Malfoys. It sounded appalling and tedious. She didn't even know if she wanted the gold or had any idea of the amount of the inheritance. Everyone behaved like it was an exorbitant sum that would leave the Malfoys broke. Perhaps it was insignificant, and it wasn't worth fighting for, maybe it was an extravagant amount, and still, it wasn't worth fighting for.

"I can come with you," said Nathan looking worryingly at Arianna. "As your friend or your lawyer, but I can come with you if you want me to."

"I think… maybe I should go alone," said Arianna, looking down at the note, wondering what Draco had told his mother about yesterday. "See what she wants."

"Are you sure?" insisted Nathan. "If you change your mind, just let me know... and don't sign anything."

Arianna merely nodded and went on her feet, searching for a quill. After she spotted one over the fireplace mantel-shelf, she replied on the same parchment, telling Narcissa that she was free next Sunday.

The following five days went on a blur. Arianna was positively exhausted between her new job at the Ministry, settling down in the flat and brewing essential potions and substances for everyday use: Dreamless Sleep, Sleeping Draught, Invigorating Potion, Monthly Contraceptive Potion and Magnolia Hair Butter.

On Thursday morning, she woke up involuntarily earlier than usual. It was indeed so premature her awakening that the summer sunlight was hardly peeking on the firmament, casting shy sunbeams on her walls. However, it wasn't strange, she had been waiting for this day for almost a month, as she will have a crucial meeting in the afternoon.

Her time had come to face her fears and attempt to recover control over her life instead of moving to another continent or hiding in the depths of the Amazons with Neville.

Neville.

Her heart hammered on her chest at the thought of him, and she sat on the window sill, staring at the new day. She missed him, even if it had been three months since they broke up, even if they had only dated for barely four months.

After opening the window and lilting a cigarette, she began thinking ahead, revisiting her schedule in her mind. But Draco managed to intrude on her head. So far, she hadn't encountered him at the Ministry, and she was both glad and displeased about it. It was clear that he now hated her, but it wasn't surprising though. After all, he was dating a woman that despised her; she only could imagine the lies Astoria had told him about her. Besides, he probably thought that Arianna wanted to deplete his inheritance. And she would likely attempt to do so.

Convinced that it was not a good idea to sleep again, she headed to her walking closet, scrambled around looking for something appropriate to wear, and settled on a tailored black suit and a matching blouse and pumps. She put her hair up into a bun for a change, thinking she seemed more professional and mature that way.

Coffee, she needed coffee, she thought and went outside. Blair was already in the living room studying her notes, with several thick books piled on the floor next to her chaise.

Looking annoyed, Blair closed her notebook as soon as she saw Arianna. "Would you please go out with Zabini?" she said, exasperated. "He and his stupid flowers are driving me insane! I feel like I'm a bloody greenhouse all the time! I don't even have space where to put my books anymore!"

Blair had a point. The flowers she had gotten the previous Saturday had been multiplying ever since. By now, all the surfaces in her bedroom and living room were utterly packed with peonies. They tried to get rid of them, unsuccessfully. She had contacted the store, and they said that only Blaise could make it stop. And he wasn't stopping anything until Arianna accept his dinner invitation.

Suddenly a thought hit Arianna. How was it possible she didn't see it before?

Of course, Blaise didn't want to date her; she knew that. But she didn't know what he wanted. And the answer was absurdly simple, and it was sitting in front of her, surrounded by her favourite flowers: Blair. Arianna always believed Blaise had a thing for Blair– she was the only one that could make him nervous. An ordinary man would have grown a pair and asked her out. However, Blaise had chosen an approach worthy of a Slytherin.

"All right, I'll go out with him," said Arianna, with a plan forming on her head and went to brew coffee.

Later that morning, when Arianna arrived at the elegant vestibule of the Department of International Cooperation, she was received by the sight of Marietta Edgecombe rushing towards her, her pastel green pencil skirt going dangerously up as she walked. Marietta was the Assistant Coordinator of the International Confederations of Wizards, and she was always three expressos ahead of everyone.

"Oh! There you are! No skirt today? Interesting," said Marietta rapidly and pulled her skirt down and walked along with Arianna through a long hallway with several wooden doors. "Mrs Chang wants the British Islands Floo Network Regulations on her desk by ten on the dot. And don't forget to bring her tea, not too warm– she hates it when it's too warm. It should be drinkable. She expects an owl from the Portugal ambassador, so bring it to her as soon as you get it.

Mrs Hopkirk needs you to send an owl to Sweden concerning the Mooncalf dung trade. She also wants you to go to Flourish and Blotts and buy every book you can find about Sopophorous and their uses through history.

Mr Vane wants his tea at quarter to nine and then his cappuccino at ten-thirty. He wants to make a reservation at the Golden Sphinx for next Saturday at seven p.m. Don't forget to mention that it is for Robert Vane, also say that the Australian ambassador is coming along, so you can get a table on such short notice. He also needs his new robes from Madam Malkin, so pick them up when you're at Diagon Alley. Also, I just noticed that you only work a half-day on Thursdays. Why is that?"

Marietta opened a wooden door. A circular room with several cubicles welcomed them.

"I don't know," lied Arianna while trying to process all the information she had dumped on her. "I would guess that whoever made the schedule thought you didn't need much assistance on Thursdays."

Marietta looked at her for a moment, doubtful. "Maybe you're right. It's usually calmer," she said and rubbed her chin. "All right, get to work then." 

Arianna worked as effectively as she could, trying to finish everything before one pm. After returning from Diagon Alley carrying robes with one hand and a paper bag filled with books, she threw them all on her desk, already filled with hundreds of letters and documents, and collapsed on her chair, catching her breath.

Looking at her small watch, she realized that her time was almost over and glanced at the mountain of correspondence she needed to deal with. She took a deep breath and began sorting the letters with her wand.

Draco was right; it was definitely a step-down from her previous job in New York or her Potioneer research in the Amazons. But what Draco didn't know, actually, no one knew, is that her job in this department was nothing but a decoy. Her real job would start today at two p.m.

At a quarter to two, she hurried to the empty lift and pressed the level two button: Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She straightened her jacket and took a small mirror from her pocket only to realize that her bun was a mess. Groaning, she let her hair loose and attempted to comb it with her fingers.

When she arrived on the second floor, she found herself in a corridor lined with doors on both sides and walked the aisle somewhat nervous. Then she turned around the corner where a large set of heavy oak doors stood with the "Auror Office" sign.

She knocked and waited. Nothing. She tried a few more times and then checked her watch; she was going to be late. Arianna tried to open the doors, and they caved in, making way towards a large area divided into cubicles. The room was noisy and full of Aurors laughing and moving around the room, hanging out with their co-workers. She glanced at the room quickly, unsure of what to do when her eyes landed on Harry Potter, who talked with Angelina Johnson nearby. Giving that he was the only familiar face in the room, she headed his way.

"Arianna?" said Harry, who noticed her before she had arrived next to him and walked to meet her. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Harry," she said, smiling timidly. "I'm looking for Forrest Wilkinson… Some errand I'm running. Do you know where I can find him?"

"Oh… I can take you to his office," said Harry, flattening his hair, trying to appease it, unsuccessfully.

Harry led Arianna into a corridor to the left where the head of the Auror Office and others with high posts had their offices. They stood up in front of a door with a golden sign, "Forrest Wilkinson. Leader of the Investigation Department". She knocked, feeling her pulse rising. Arianna thanked Harry, and he went back from where they came.

A muscular, tall man in black robes opened the door. His hair was short and grey, his features hard. He had wrinkles around his dark eyes, and his hooked nose stood out from his face.

"Vitelli, please come on in," said Wilkinson with a strong baritone voice and moved back to allow her to pass him. "Take a seat." He gestured towards a chair.

"Thank you, sir," she said and sat down, inspecting the room. The office had a big wooden desk and behind it a large magical window that pretended to overview a park. All the walls were packed with shelves containing rare artefacts that Arianna couldn't recognize.

"I'll go straight to the point, Vitelli," he said, taking a seat on his chair. "I'm quite impressed with your resume; I am positive that you would be a great asset… However, given that your drive for catching Ritter Rudenschöld is rather personal, worries me," he paused and looked her directly in the eyes, evaluating. "But against my better judgement, I am allowing you to be part of the investigation. But if I see, for a second, that you can't distance yourself emotionally and you end up putting my team in danger, you're out… Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," she said, hoping she sounded decisive.     

"Good, and call me Wilkinson. We go by last names in this office."

"Sir– I mean, Wilkinson," she said, her hands getting sweaty. "Does the other team members know about–About… that."

Wilkinson contemplated her for a moment, and then his gaze dropped to her file. "No, and I will say nothing," he said. "It's up to you how much you want them to know. But if you ask my opinion, I think it is better if they are aware."

A heavy silence filled the room.

"Thank you," said Arianna, barely audible. He nodded.

"Let's get going," he said, standing up. "We don't want to be late."

They left the office, turned right around the corner and stepped into a long dark corridor with ebony doors. Near the end, Wilkinson opened the one to his right by putting his wand in the doorknob, and they walked into a sombre room without windows. From the ceiling emanated a cold, dim light, lightening the chamber.

The walls were covered by pictures, newspapers and notes and a big oval table stood in the middle of the room. Seven people were already seated.

Everyone went silent when they came in, and all eyes were on her. A face stood out among them, a face that she wasn't expecting to see there.

Chapter 3: Moody Mandrake

Notes:

A lot of info in this chapter. Introducing the villain and a more background story about what happened with Draco after the war.

Also, I couldn't resist attaching this awesome mandrake drawing by IrenHorrors.

Happy reading.

Chapter Text

 

 

 

Arianna stopped short. Draco Malfoy was sitting in the middle of the table. His eyes bulged, but he recovered quickly, making his face expressionless and relaxing back on his chair. Next to him was Harry, who lifted his eyebrows at the sight of her.

"Good afternoon, everyone," greeted Wilkinson and walked to the head of the table. "Let me introduce you to Arianna Vitelli, the new member of our team. Vitelli's main job will be as a messenger– Retrieving and delivering crucial information to our allies."

No one said a thing but observed her as she walked in. Rather dazed and wondering what on earth Draco was doing there, Arianna took the only seat left between Lee Jordan and a wizard with a black mohawk she'd never seen. Across her was Harry, with Draco to his left and Angelina Johnson to his right.

There was a chunky folder placed in front of each seat. Everyone was skimming through their own, and she opened hers. The picture of a pallid man with grey shoulder-length hair and hard, sharp features stared back at her. He had light-green eyes, so pale they were that they almost blend with the white of the eye. Unsettled, she shut the file.

Still feeling eyed by the team, she placed her black leather satchel on her lap and searched for quill and ink. She considered taking out her thick notebook where she had been collecting information about Rudenschöld for the last three years but decided not to, as it could seem too suspicious. So she just pulled out some parchment and her quill.

"Maybe you should do the introductions, Wilkinson," said Lee Jordan, smiling playfully at Arianna. "We don't want to scare this one too."

"Fine, a quick one. We have a lot to discuss," said Wilkinson and sighed. "Here to my right is Halbert Nutley, an expert in tracking." A man with grey and dark brown hair bowed his head at her. "Next to you is Astor Kron, a specialist in occult artefacts and a gadgets inventor." The man with the mohawk turned to her and winked. "To your left is Lee Jordan. He's the class clown." Everyone chuckled, and Jordan shook Arianna's hand effusively. "Then we have Angelina Johnson; she usually works in the field." The witch grinned at her. "We have Harry Potter, who doesn't need an introduction." Harry gave her a thin smile. "Draco Malfoy, our insider into Dark wizards minds, you could say." Draco merely lifted an eyebrow. "And Murakami Shiori to my left, the best strategist the ministry had seen in a long time." Shiori bowed her head slightly at Arianna. She had calm, deep dark eyes and jaw-length black hair with a stripe of white on one side.

"Satisfied, Jordan?" asked Wilkinson standing up.

"Very!" said Jordan happily, putting his hands behind his head.  

"Very well then, let's get down to business," said Wilkinson, his hands resting on the table. "Austria has requested our help. And as you might know, they were one of the first countries to aid us when Voldemort walked among us. Now is our time to pay our debt back. Ritter Rudenschöld's followers are growing like weeds in continental Europe. The Austrian authorities have reported an increase in criminal activities related to the Neo-Grindelwaldists or 'The High Regime', as they call themselves. So, let's boil this down. What do we know about them?"

Arianna crossed her arms, curious to know if she would learn something new.

"Well, as you said," began Angelina. "Rudenschöld and its followers are considered as Neo-Grindelwaldists. This means that their main objective is to end the International Statute of Secrecy and create a Global Hierarchical Order, also known as The High Regime."

"Yeah… and they retook the 'For the Greater Good' quote and that strange symbol," said Jordan, tracing a figure with his finger in the air.

"The Deathly Hallows symbol," clarified Harry.

"Yeah… that one," said Jordan.

"We also know that our dear Corban Yaxley is hiding under his skirt," said Draco, playing with his quill between his fingers. "Rudenschöld was one of the Dark Lord's strongest allies in Europe, so naturally, when he was defeated, all the rats ran to Rudenshöld's side, seeking protection."

Their eyes met briefly across the table, and something galvanic travelled down her spine, making her twitch abruptly.

"They have been gaining power slowly but steady for the last twenty years," added Arianna quickly, trying to hide her sudden movement and avoiding his eyes again. "Ritter Rudenshöld has strong political connections in basically every government in Europe. It's also known that, in the past, he infiltrated followers to recruit students in educational institutions like Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. And now he's reaping the fruits of his labour."

"In other words: he's highly strategic," summarized Harry and then added. "They've taken control over several governments, such as Hungary, Romania, Turkey, and Serbia. And next is not only Austria but the Czech Republic as well."

"He's more appealing than You-Know-Who," said Kron, thoughtfully.

"Like handsome, you mean?" asked Angelina, half-confused, half-joking. "Everyone is more appealing than You-Know-Who."

Harry, Jordan and Arianna chuckled.

"I mean," said Kron, scanning the wall filled with images in front of him. "People were terrified of You-Know-Who, even his own followers, right? Deserting him was like suicide… The High Regime ideals are more appealing. And Rudenschöld isn't cruel and thirsty for blood like You-Know-Who."

"People see them as a beacon of freedom from the muggle world," explained Nuttley calmly. "They also offer their followers what they want or need. And Rudenshöld might not be as openly cruel and bloodthirsty like Voldemort, but he doesn't hesitate to crush whoever is on his way."

"The ends justify the means," concluded Shiori lowly. "Everything is for 'The Greater Good' after all."

They went over the information provided by Austria and the Czech Republic about the recent attacks and theorized about Rudenshöld's possible whereabouts; Hungary was their best guess. Wilkinson gave everyone tasks for the following week; Arianna was the one with more minor duties. She knew that he wouldn't give her much responsibility considering he took her in reluctantly, but it didn't matter. It was better than not being involved at all.

They wrapped things up, and the meeting was dismissed. Wilkinson, Nutley and Shiori left promptly, leaving the rest behind. Arianna began placing her notes and the file on her bag, avoiding looking at Draco. Pondering how she was supposed to work with him now that he clearly despised her.

"So…Pub?" asked Jordan with a big grin on his face.

"Absolutely!" said Angelina, standing up rapidly. "Let's go to The Moody Mandrake."

"Again?" said Kron, stuffing his red backpack carelessly with a bunch of parchments. "There are more pubs, you know?"

"Oh, but that's the best one!" exclaimed Angelina.

"The Moody Mandrake sounds good to me," said Harry, crossing his brown leather satchel over his torso.

"The Moody Mandrake it is!" concluded Jordan, already on his feet. "Malfoy, you're coming, innit?"

"I can't join today," answered Draco, who finished meticulously packing his dragon leather briefcase. "I'm meeting Astoria. But you kids have fun."

"Since when do you meet Astoria after work?" asked Angelina, frowning.

"Today I am, Johnson. See you tomorrow," said Draco, leaving the room quickly without looking back.

"Oh well… but you're coming, right?" asked Jordan, gazing at Arianna.

"Er… sure," said Arianna, smiling timidly.

The Moody Mandrake was a popular Irish pub in Diagon Alley. Arianna had never been there before but had heard plenty about it from Blair and Padma, especially the latter, who apparently went there every Friday with her Magizoologist friends. When entering, the first thing that caught her attention was the wall in front of her, which was covered with mirrors of different sizes and shapes. And then her eyes drifted towards the ceiling where several green lanterns floated above their heads.

Jordan headed to the long redwood bar, and the rest look for a seat. As expected, the bar was utterly packed, and they were lucky to find a booth at the end of the pub. Arianna ended between Harry and Kron and Angelina across from her. She gazed around and realized that most of the customers were about their age, spotting many familiar faces from her school years.

Jordan came back with large mug beers for everyone.

"You're not paying today, Vitelli," he said when Arianna began looking for her wallet. "We're welcoming you to the team today, so put that away." Then he sat next to Angelina and placed an arm over her shoulders.

"That's right," said Angelina with a broad smile. "We are going to make you good and drunk and ask you a bunch of embarrassing questions."

"Now I'm scared," said Arianna humorously and looked down suspiciously at her beer like it would betray her soon.

"They are joking," said Harry. "You'll get a grasp of them soon."

"We're certainly not joking, Potter!" said Jordan, offended. "We have a lot of questions!"

"So, you're Agata Vitelli's daughter?" asked Kron bluntly, pulling up his long sleeves, his arms covered in tattoos. "She used to be an Unspeakable, right?"

"That's right," said Arianna, nodding.

"Agata Vitelli," said Jordan dreamingly. "She is the hottie of the Wizengamot; that Kingsley is a lucky guy… You look a lot like her, actually."

Angelina gave Jordan a stern look and then glanced at Kron. "Kron," she called. "Maybe you should take out your little toy so no one can eavesdrop."

"Right," said Kron, and took out an egg timer from his backpack, twisted it and placed it on the centre of the table. The surrounding noises suddenly lowered. "So Vitelli, is your other job real? Or is it a fake one like Malfoy's?"

"Pretty real," said Arianna, frowning slightly at the egg timer. "I think that's kind of the point. It allows me to go to other countries and contact people during conferences, meetings and parties without being suspicious," she took a sip from her beer. "So… Malfoy's other job is fake?"

"Yeah…" responded Harry. "Gawain Robards (the Head of the Auror Office) created a fake position for him in the Department of Magical Transportation. Malfoy is basically an Auror too."

"Why?" asked Arianna, truly confused. "I mean… why?"

Everyone chuckled.

"Yeah, I know. It's hard to believe, isn't it?" said Angelina. "After the way he was in school and his Death Eater phase."

"He worked out a deal with the Ministry," explained Kron, leaning closer. "That's why his sentence was reduced so much...that and because he didn't kill anyone or cast Unforgivable Curses when he was of age. As you might know, there were many Death Eaters and followers on the run after the war. And Malfoy had a lot of information and skills that could help us track them down."

"We couldn't have caught Dolohov that fast after he escaped if it wasn't for him," said Jordan.

"And I'm pretty sure Rookwood would be still on the run if Malfoy wouldn't have been with us in Germany that time," added Kron. "He's an excellent duellist."

"Almost as good as Harry," added Angelina and winked at him.

"Well, Bellatrix did train him," said Harry bitterly. "She was completely insane but was one the best duellists I've ever seen."

"But– so," said Arianna, still puzzled. "So Draco Malfoy is a wonderful Auror… but he's not bragging about it?" The table erupted in laughter, and they exchanged looks between them. She felt she was missing something.

"Yeah… that doesn't sound like him, does it?" said Harry, smiling broadly.

"First of all, he can't say anything about his job," explained Angelina. "It's part of the deal. He's our secret weapon… Our'insider into a Dark wizard's mind', as Wilkinson said… He met many Dark wizards during the war… and probably even before that."

"He even met Rudenschöld a couple of times," added Jordan, nodding. "Back in the old days when Voldy was in power."

"And second of all," continued Angelina. "We would never admit in front of him that he's a great Auror."

Arianna laughed. "So, for how long is his deal?" she asked.

"It was for two years," answered Kron. "But he renewed his contract. He likes his job, and he's good at it."

"But the girlfriend doesn't like it," said Angelina, rolling her eyes. "She wants him to quit."

"Ugh… that woman," said Jordan, irritated. "I don't understand what he sees on her, sure she's good-looking, but she's a nightmare."

"Couldn't agree more," mumbled Arianna, taking a sip.

"We don't like Astoria Greengrass, Vitelli?" asked Kron with a mischievous smile.

"Oh, no," said Arianna, shaking her head. "We certainly do not like Astoria Greengrass."

"Uhhh… sounds like there's a story behind this," said Jordan, smirking.

"I wouldn't say a story," said Arianna, searching for the right words. "It's more like a history of bad blood between us, like the one Harry had with… well…Malfoy. How did you fix that, by the way?"

"I really don't know," said Harry shrugging. "Things just changed after the war, and then we started working together, so we had to put our differences aside. Now things are cool… most of the time… kind of… he still drives me mad sometimes… quite often, actually."

"Don't get us wrong, Arianna," said Angelina, chuckling. "Malfoy is still, well…Malfoy. He has his temper, and he can be a bloody nightmare when he's in a mood. But he's more … mature?"

"Enough about that little prat!" said Jordan, hitting the table with his fist. "We want to know about you!... So you worked for MACUSA, tell us everything, are they cooler than us?"

"Is it true you're a Potioneer?" asked Kron.

"Is it true you dated Neville 'The Snake Slayer' Longbottom?" asked Jordan.

"Are you seeing anyone right now?" asked Angelina, "If not, I know some blokes that might be interested."

"All right! Back off, everyone!" said Harry, half laughing. "You lot behave like you work for the Witch Weekly instead of the Auror Office."

Arianna ended up answering everyone's questions, and thankfully, they changed the topic after that. They told her stories about their previous cases and office gossip. A very heated argument about the Quidditch World Cup followed, making predictions of which team would win and how far England would make it this time. Angelina and Jordan left first, and then there were three.

Then Arianna interrogated Kron. He was a thirty-year-old German who lived in the US since he was ten, then studied in Ilvermorny and moved to England a couple of years ago. After that, the conversation returned to Quidditch.

"Potter, Potter!" said Kron, exasperated. "Not because your girlfriend is playing for England it means that they will win."

"It's not because of that," said Harry rubbing his temples. "But I'm certain that at least England will make it to the semifinals!"

"Love is blinding you, dude," said Kron, shaking his head. "Anyway, I've to go. I'm meeting this new girl, Pixie… She's wild," he smirked and downed his beer, then took his leather jacket and backpack and left.

Arianna was halfway through her beer, and Harry had just gotten a new one. They stared at each other awkwardly for a moment.

"So… I gather you're still with Ginny," said Arianna.

"Yeah… kind of," said Harry, looking down at his drink.

"Kind of?" she repeated.

"Well… we're on a break," said Harry, still looking at his beer mug. "Whatever that means."

"So… it wasn't your idea, uh?"

"Nope, she has been training and travelling a lot because of the QWC, and she thought it was a good idea to 'take a break'… I  hardly saw her, so I guess it makes sense."

"I understand, that's why I broke up with Neville– I don't believe in long-distance relationships, and he has no intention to come back to Britain any time soon," she said, thinking that it wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie either. "But for you, everything will go back to normal after the QWC is over."

"Still more than a month," he said, annoyed and took a long sip. "Are you going?"

"Nah… I can't. As you might have noticed, I have two jobs. Besides, all the tickets are sold out."

"Not a big fan, uh?" asked Harry and looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Not really… I do enjoy it, though," said Arianna, honestly. "But I'm not crazy about it… Your friend Ron is also in a quidditch team, isn't he?"

"Yep, he's the Chudley Cannons' keeper."

"I heard he's still dating Hermione."

"Yeah… We actually live together in my house… also with Cho."

"Cho? Cho Chang?" asked Arianna, unsure she understood correctly.

"That's the one," he said, amused by her reaction.

"But… isn't she your– I mean you two," struggled Arianna and shook her head. "Is Ginny all right with that?" she asked, thinking that, if she remembered correctly, Ginny was the jealous type.

Harry laughed, "Since Ginny found out blokes aren't Cho's thing, she doesn't have a problem at all."

"What?!" exclaimed Arianna. "Cho is gay? But… she dated half the school!"

"It took her a while to figure out that she was into the other half."

"Good for her," she said and sipped her beer. "So you have a house, hu? Fancy."

"I inherited it. It was my grandparents," explained Harry quickly. "You should come over one day… Your dad lived there for a while when he was young, did you know?"

Arianna laid back on her seat. "No, I didn't know," she said lowly and stared into his green eyes that watched her carefully. "Would– would you tell me about it?"

At first, she experienced a feeling between nausea and sorrow when he started speaking about Sirius. Still, as time passed, she began enjoying the anecdotes about their fathers in their Hogwarts years, and they talked for hours until the pub closed.

They Apparated outside her place and took a walk around the block before they said their goodbyes. Arianna became pleasantly surprised about Harry; despite everything he had been through, he was down-to-earth, humble and overall lovely to hang out with. They agreed to meet up on Saturday morning and go to Grimmauld Place.

She felt ready to know more about her father.

 

 

Chapter 4: Autumn 1994. Part I.

Notes:

This chapter became too long, so I ended up splitting it into two, the next part coming next Sunday. 

 

Note: Arianna was born on October 25th 1980. Meaning she’s roughly the same age as Harry, but she’s one school year below him. 

Chapter Text

 

 

Autumn 1994. 

 

It was a truth universally acknowledged that Draco Malfoy was one the most attractive boys at Hogwarts. Having said that, he was also known as being the nastiest of them all, making the first affirmation somehow invalid. Draco was, first and foremost, an arrogant, self-righteous prick and a spiteful bully. Thus, having a crush on him was highly inconvenient, to say the least. 

Arianna had found that whatever spell he had over her was rapidly over as soon as he opened his mouth or made his distinctive sneer, which usually happened when he was near Gryffindors.

Hence, Friday mornings had become one of the highlights of her weeks. There was a sweet spot between Transfigurations and Ancient Runes where she could see him like she liked it: alone, relaxed and up close. Four-year Slytherins had Transfigurations just after them, and for some reason, Draco was always earlier than everyone else. 

Every Friday was the same. Draco would arrive before his classmates and grab a seat at the same desk, just next to hers. He would unpack his satchel carefully and place meticulously two fancy quills, some parchment, his expensive-looking inkwell and two or three transfiguration books. Then he would sit and start reviewing his notes during the break. Arianna wondered if such dedication to Transfigurations was born after the Amazing-Bouncing-Ferret incident or if it had always been one of his favourite subjects.

Seizing the opportunity, she would take her time before leaving for her next class and stay seated a bit longer, writing notes in the border of her notebook and skimming through her book, glancing cautiously at him. Then she would proceed to place her stuff carefully on her bag and leave.

They never said a word to each other, even if usually both would be the only two people left in the classroom, except for McGonagall, who would also begin preparing for the next class.

"Merlin, you're so obvious!" said Blair one Friday during lunch. "Probably McGonagall is having a laugh every Friday. And aren't you worried that Malfoy is going to see right through you?"

"McGonagall is too busy to notice anything," said Arianna confidently, reaching for a second serve of pumpkin pie. "And Malfoy is completely oblivious of it all. He might just think that I'm a typical nerdy Ravenclaw and terribly slow." If he thinks of her at all, she thought. "Besides, it's only a crush. It's not like I want to date him or anything… I just like to look at pretty things."

It was the truth, though. Arianna would never, EVER, in a million years, date someone like him. She couldn't even imagine the scenario of both of them together. It was absolutely ridiculous. He represented everything her mother had taught her to despise and fight against, beginning with his pureblood supremacist ideologies. Besides, he would never consider her as "dating material" either. Arianna was, after all, a half-blood bastard.

She glanced at the Slytherin table. Draco sat in the middle, facing the Great Hall, as usual. He was done eating and talked with Zabini, suddenly he glimpsed in her direction, and she quickly looked back at Blair, who examined the length of her long braided hair.

"Do you think I should cut it?" asked Blair.

"Nah," reply Arianna simply and peeped furtively back at Draco, who now glared at the Gryffindor table, as usual.

One Friday (shortly after the whole Potter-is-the-second-Hogwarts’-champion fiasco), Transfigurations lesson was coming to an end, and just in cue, Draco entered the classroom. But this time, some of his fellow Slytherins followed and began handing out a small object to everyone.

Arianna went on her feet and started packing her books after realising there was no point to stay longer when she felt someone standing next to her, and she lifted her gaze.

"Support Cedric Digory, the real Hogwarts champion," said Draco with a smug grin, offering her a badge that read "Support Cedric Digory" and changed to "Potter Stinks".

Arianna couldn't help but laugh. "I hope Digory is paying you well for being his personal advertiser," she said.

Draco's grin grew bigger. "Oh no, it's more like a sponsorship. We Malfoys always support noble causes," he said, winking.

When she reached for the badge, her fingers brushed his and had a sweeping feeling just below her navel.

"How magnanimous of you," she said and put a lock of hair behind her ear. "Cedric is a very fortunate boy for having such fervent fans."

They stared at each other for a moment, smiling. Draco was about to say something but got cut in by a snort behind him. Pansy Parkinson stood there, arms crossed, and took a couple steps towards them.

"This isn't about Digory, Vitelli– It's about Potter learning his place," she said, glaring at Arianna from head to toes. "Some people struggle with that… We're just here as friendly reminders, isn't it right, Draco?" And she stared at him as if he was the most sublime thing in the universe.

Arianna rolled her eyes, and before she or Draco could say anything, the conversation was interrupted once again, this time by McGonagall.

"Mr Malfoy, if you would put half the effort you have dedicated to these badges on your essays, I'm pretty sure you could have matched Hermione Granger in grades this term," said McGonagall, smiling ever so slightly. "Miss Vitelli, I think it's time for you to go to your next class. Professor Babbling thinks I'm taking too much of your time… something about your tardiness to her classes."

Arianna's face grew hot. She turned to her desk rapidly and packed her notes and quills faster than she had done in the last couple of months. And as soon as everything was in her bag, she left without glancing back.

She kicked herself on the way to Ancient Runes pondering if her crush was obvious now. The badge remained in her hand, and she buried it in her pocket. Arianna didn't mind that Harry was a champion in the tournament. As she saw it, it just meant that Hogwarts had better chances of winning the cup.

Blair caught up with her. She was already wearing the badge set on "Support Cedric Digory."

"Are you going to wear that?" asked Arianna, looking at the insignia. "Isn't that a bit rude?"

"But Cedric is so handsome!" exclaimed Blair dreamingly. "He should win just because of that."

"Fleur is very hot too," observed Arianna. "And I don't see you supporting her."

"Yes, she's hot," said Blair, frowning. "But she's too full of herself."

"True."

"Did you hear that Moody found a Boggart? We are going to practice the Boggart-Banishing Spell today."

"That sounds dreadful," said Arianna, suddenly worried. Thinking that she didn't want to display her deepest fear in front of everybody.

"It'll be fine," said Blair, slightly concerned. "Anyway, I've to hurry to Muggle Studies."

Later that afternoon, Arianna and Blair headed to the DADA classroom quite reluctantly. Not only this was one of her least favourite subjects, but also it was shared with the Slytherins, making it double tedious and annoying.

Astoria sat on top of a desk surrounded by four friends, all wearing their badges with "Potter Stinks" on display. Everyone glanced at them as they entered.

"Where is your badge, Vitelli?" asked one of the girls. "Don't tell me you support Potter."

"Perhaps she doesn't have one," ventured Astoria. "I doubt Draco would waste a button on her… As if someone cared who the bastard is rooting for."

After more than two years of dealing with Astoria and her pit of snakes, Arianna knew it was better to ignore her, so she gave her a cold look and went to find a table with Blair at the front of the classroom. They had barely taken a seat when an eruption of laughter came from the back and searching for the source of their amusement, she found Luna Lovegood coming in with a necklace made of tangerines.

Instantly, Blair went on her feet and stared at them severely, making the Slytherins silent at once. Arianna adored that of Blair; that power she had to control people just by glaring at them. She thought such a gift was born both from her intimidating height and that stern gaze of her that could make McGonagall proud.

Luna sat behind them, looking somewhat confused as if she hadn't understood why people had laughed and stopped all of a sudden.

Blair and Arianna certainly didn't know how to help Luna, who was constantly bullied for her eccentricity. But she indeed praised how unconcerned she was about her popularity status. Luna had a strong spirit and embraced who she was, regardless of whether she fitted the norm or not, and that was worthy of applause.

The door slammed open, and Moody came in limping rapidly towards the front of the classroom, and it was then she noticed a big trunk near the teacher’s desk.

After pushing the furniture to the back, the students formed half a circle around the chest, and the professor gave a brief review on how to cast the Boggart-Banishing Spell. Subsequently, Moody asked for volunteers, and since that was a Ravenclaw and Slytherin class, no one was particularly eager on proving their bravery and facing their fears.

"Very well then," growled Moody. "I'll pick." And his blue magic eye landed on Arianna, who instantly felt fear spreading through her body. Even if she didn't know her Boggart, certainly it would be related to her father.

"I volunteer," blurted Blair, taking a step forward.

"Miss Shacklebolt, good," said Moddy, limping away from the centre. "I wouldn't have expected less of Reagan's daughter and Kingsley's niece."

Blair stood in front of the chest and aimed at it with a decisive expression on her face. Moody lifted the lid with a flip of his wand, and a moment later, a pale bony hand grabbed the edge of the trunk, followed by the corpse of a very tall woman with sunken frosted eyes.

Several students gasped in horror and backed down.

Arianna knew Blair's biggest fear was that her mother's corpse had been corrupted into an Inferi, as they never found her body after her death during the war.

The cadaver arose and began ambling towards Blair, whose hand was shaking. But with a determined voice, she screamed. "Riddikulus!"

Suddenly the body was covered in a bizarre dress made of gauzy shawls and bangles covered with shining sequins and glittering strings of beads. Everyone laughed at the figure dressed as Professor Trelawney, and the teacher called the next student.

After a carnivore plant, a three-headed dog and complete darkness, Moody shouted, "Greengrass!"

Astoria went forwards reluctantly, clutching her wand firmly. From the trunk, hundreds of scorpions emerged and began crawling rapidly, spreading all over the floor. All the students screamed, and Astoria fled, climbing on top of a desk. The Boggart became confused and couldn't decide what to transform into.

"Greengrass," called Moody. "Go back to your place."

"No," said Astoria firmly, her eyes covered in tears.

Moody considered her for a moment. "Very well then, ten points will be taken from  Slytherin," he said, annoyed. "Lovegood."

Luna's eyes opened widely, and her lower lip trembled. Then Arianna remembered she had also lost her mother. Worst, she had seen her die in a horrible accident.

"I volunteer," said Arianna before realising what she was saying.

Moody nodded, and she walked to the circle's centre,  her wand pointing at the Boggart, who was shifting shape rapidly until a tall, faceless man stood in front of her. It was a well-dressed figure in black with dark wavy hair and without eyes, mouth or nose, just flesh. Unexpectedly, where the mouth should be, an irregular cut emerged, and he began talking.

"I chose to leave you," he said with a dark voice full of revulsion. "You are nothing but a mistake, a disappointment."

Arianna's mind went completely blank and she petrified on the spot. She heard Blair in the distance telling her to attack.

"I don't love you," he continued disdainfully. "Not wanted you. You mean nothing to me."

"It's not true, don't listen to him, Aria," said Blair. But Arianna had lowered her wand and contemplated the figure with dread, unable to move.

"You’re nothing but an unpleasant memory, something I wish I could erase," he snarled.

Tears began rolling down her face, and now she heard Luna and Moody saying something, but she couldn't understand them.

"I hate you," he said, approaching.

Astoria sniggered, bringing her mind back.

"I loathe you," he said hatefully.

"Riddikulus!" screamed Arianna.

The figure deflated like a balloon, flying over the room and with a whip of his wand Moody locked the Boggart inside its prison again.

"That's enough for today," said Moody, his magic eye fixed on her.

Arianna didn't have dinner. Instead, she stayed the rest of the day in her bed with the curtains shut. And after a couple of hours of crying, her warm and swallow eyes landed in her Weird Sisters' poster on the wall. She sat down and reached behind it, pulling out a torn picture. The image had a toothless joyful baby with large grey eyes, held by a man whose head was ripped off and stood next to her mother, who smiled broadly at the camera.

That was the only thing she had of him. A shredded picture where she could only see his hands holding her.

Arianna always felt there was a missing piece in her life, a strange void inside that couldn't be filled, and she always blamed it on her father's absence or the fact she didn't know anything about him for that matter. It was a thought she never confided in anybody, especially her mother, who had always fought so hard for her.

After all, there was no one she admired more than her. It hadn't been easy in this judgemental and retrograde society they live in to be a single mother, yet her mom always made it look so easy. Her mother was independent, strong opinionated and unbreakable. Her friends and colleagues always listened to her as she seemed to have an answer for everything. But even if the outside world perceived Agata Vitelli as a rather intimidating woman, for Arianna, she was always warm and soft. At home, there was never a shortage of laughter and cuddles, of trips to the beach and books, of flour and sugar, of music.

The only thing that made her feel something close to resentment towards her was that she refused to reveal the identity of her father. Until Arianna was twelve, she only knew three things about him: he was British, she had his eyes, and he had owned a motorcycle. Other than that, it was unknown if he was dead or alive, or if he was a wizard or a muggle, or if he had chosen to leave them or not.

When she was a child, she used to look at every man in the street, searching their eyes, wondering if they were her father and nothing made her feel more jealous than to see girls playing in the park with their dads.

However, she never realised how the world perceived her until she went to Hogwarts. When she discovered that, even if there were orphans and single-parent children, they all knew who their parents were. And soon enough, it became a problem with the Slytherin kids as the first thing they cared about was the level of blood purity. Therefore, not knowing the blood status of her father placed her automatically in the "half-blood" box. On top of that, Arianna was born out-of-wedlock, so as she would learn on her first week at school, she was a bastard.

For all the Slytherins, she was just that: a half-blood bastard. And for them, it was almost on the same level as being a muggle-born. The harassment she received from them was another thing she kept from her mom since Arianna knew it would hurt her too, and knowing her, she would be at Hogwarts screaming at Dumbledore in a heart beat for not controlling the bullying in his school.

Soon enough, it became unbearable to have classmates mocking her greatest sorrow regularly, and on her first Christmas back home, Arianna confronted her mom and demanded the truth about her father. It had been a tough thing to do, as she well knew the subject was utterly painful for her mom.

The outcome of that rather emotional evening was that she promised her that when the time was right, she would tell her the whole story and agreed to unveil a thing about him on each of her birthdays. In return, Arianna would stop asking about him.

So now she knew three more things. That Christmas (as a late birthday present), her mother told her that he was one of the cleverest persons she had ever met. On her thirteen birthday, she told her he was a mischievous troublemaker when he was young. And a month ago, Arianna learned that he protected his loved ones and had a great sense of loyalty, like a dog.

But that night, while holding tightly against her chest her family's shredded picture, Arianna realised she couldn't wait any longer for the truth and decided it was time to take matters into her own hands.

Chapter 5: Autumn 1994. Part II.

Chapter Text

 

The following day she found out that her Boggart's incident had spread like Fiendfyre through the school, to an extent where even the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons had heard about it. Dreading everyone's stares, she didn't dare to go to the Great Hall until dinner per Blair's insistence, but the moment she crossed the double doors, she regretted it.

As she and Blair walked towards the Ravenclaw table, heads turned in their direction, and the noises of people whispering reached her ears.

"Who's your daddy, Vitelli?" said Cassius Warrington mockingly, making Markus Flint eject pumpkin juice out of his nostrils as he laughed.

For the first time, she wished to be a Gryffindor so she could sit at the other side of the Great Hall and not next to the snakes. They took a seat turning their backs on them; she couldn't stomach to see them while eating.

Fellow Ravenclaws gave her sympathetic smiles, and a few Hufflepuffs came to check on her. And even if their intentions were good, Arianna would have preferred they just ignored her.

"It's all right," said Blair, who had been giving murdering looks to anyone that had glanced at Arianna. "It will pass… everybody will forget about it, especially with the First Task coming in a couple of weeks."

Owls arrived carrying the evening Daily Prophet, and suddenly there was a shift in the atmosphere. Some students read the paper in groups or walked from table to table. She was about to question Padma about it, who was reading her copy avidly not far away from her when a blasting laugh came from behind, and unconsciously she turned around.

Draco laughed vociferously while holding his newspaper. Then he stood up and began reciting an article about Harry Potter and how he cried to sleep every night over his dead parents and had a romance with Hermione Granger, making the whole Slytherin table thunder with laughter.

"I think that will do," mumbled Blair, slightly shocked after Draco finished.

"I guess I owe Potter a coffee," muttered Arianna in disbelief, now feeling rather bad for Harry.

The next couple of weeks, the talk around the castle focused heavily on the Three Wizard Tournament and Harry Potter gossip. But that didn't mean that people had forgotten about her Boggart, mainly because Astoria Greengrass wouldn't allow it.

The witch seemed to have memorised everything the creature had said and repeated lines constantly with her friends in the hallways, before classes and during dinner. They even attempted to make a song. As customary, Arianna's approach was to disregard them, but she was reaching her limit.

One Monday, shortly after the First Task. Arianna was in the girls' bathroom before heading towards Potions. She was about to come out from the cubicle when a girl shrieked blatantly.

"Expelliarmus!" cried the girl, followed by the sound of something heavy falling.  Arianna rushed outside and found Ginny Weasley pointing her wand at a tall man sitting on the floor wearing a black suit and a mask without a face.

"Stop!" yelled the man, lifting his hands. "It was a joke, Weasley, not even for you."

"Take off the mask!" demanded Ginny, half-scared, half-angered, and still clutching her wand.

He obeyed. Warrington's blond head emerged under the mask. "Can I get my wand back?" he asked, annoyed.

"What's wrong with you?!" exclaimed Arianna outraged.

"I lost a bet against Astoria," he said, shrugging. "It's not personal, Vitelli. I don't care if you don't have a daddy. I can be yours," he winked and went on his feet. "On that note, do you have a date for the Yule Ball? Wanna come with me?"

"Ew!… As If," said Arianna, folding her arms.

"Your loss," he said, smirking. "My wand, Weasley."

Ginny tossed his wand, and he left the girl's bathroom.

"You have to put a stop to that woman!" demanded Ginny angrily, placing her hands on her waist.

"Ginny, if I seek revenge, she's just going to come after me again, and we'll live like that forever until we die."

"Or she's just going to keep pushing you until you give up and quit school," said Ginny, becoming redder by the second. "You have to give her a taste of her own potion!"

Arianna considered her for a moment. "Maybe you're right," she said and walked to the sink. "But I don't want to get in trouble."

"Then don't get caught," said Ginny, smirking.

Arianna chuckled. "It's kind of hard with the school packed with people," she said, opening the faucet and washing her hands.

"Maybe you should stay over for the Yule Ball," suggested Ginny quickly. "There'll be fewer people and no classes."

"But we are third-year students– we can't attend the Ball."

"You just need to get invited by someone who can," said Ginny and then reluctantly added. "I already got a date."

"Really?" asked Arianna, slightly surprised. "Who?"

Ginny hesitated for a moment. "Neville Longbottom. But we are going as friends!" she clarified quickly.

"Sounds fun," mumbled Arianna, thinking and closing the tap. "But I don't know who would want to invite me." It's not like she had a lot of friends from years above, she thought.

"I don't think you're going to have a problem with that," said Ginny and shrugged. "Just hang out alone for a little while, and I'm sure that a bunch of boys will pop from the ground."

"Sure," said Arianna amused.

"Worst case, you can borrow one of my brothers," suggested Ginny jokingly. "They're annoying, but you'll get to stay… Plus, there's a rumour that Dumbledore hired the Weird Sisters to play at the Ball."

"Really?!" said Arianna, suddenly excited. "I love the Weird Sisters!"

"Me too!" exclaimed Ginny, smiling broadly. "They're awesome!"

Arianna pondered whether or not to stay for the next couple of days as she had been yearning for the Christmas break. It was one of her favourite holidays, filled with rituals and fun. Every time as soon as she was back home, her mother and her would put up the Christmas tree. And on Christmas morning, they would head to Godric's Hollow's graveyard to leave flowers to the Potters (as a sign of respect for their deaths had marked the end of the war). Then they would return home, wear goofy hats and bake panettone and brew vin brulé while listening to The Beatles and David Bowie. Later in the night came the gifts, the boarding games and silly dancing. It was always just the both of them, even though they were never short on Christmas invitations from their neighbours and friends.

As she didn't want to leave her mom alone on the holidays, she wrote to her beforehand, asking if it was all right for her to stay. Promptly her mother replied, telling her that it was okay and that she will spend Christmas with an old friend.

Feeling relieved, Arianna began brewing an idea of how to stop Astoria once and for all and came up with a rather daring wicked solution. The hardest bit of her plan was to sneak into the Slytherin dorms without being caught. If she succeeded, she was certain Astoria would think twice next time she decided to mock her.

But the first step was to get an invitation to the Yule Ball. For sure, a different atmosphere had felt over Hogwarts since the Ball had been announced. Girls travelled in groups, giggling more than usual, while the blokes seemed rather anxious and moved in packs, searching for the perfect opportunity to approach their targets.

On a Sunday morning, Arianna decided to follow Ginny's advice and study for a while in the Great Hall. Decisively she sat down at the Ravenclaw table with her Arithmancy book in hand and without Blair, who found her strategy rather absurd. She opened her book and unwrapped a sour apple lollipop.

She had barely begun reading the chapter when someone called her name and she lifted her gaze. Zacharias Smith sat across from her, smiling seductively.

"So… Do you have a date for the Yule Ball?" he asked, leaning over the table.

Arianna took out the candy, but Cormac McLaggen had appeared from nowhere and sat next to him before she could answer.

"Hey, Arianna, you look particularly lovely today," said Cormac, winking.

"Do you mind?" said Zacharias, looking at him annoyed. "We're in the middle of a conversation here."

"Arianna, hi," said Michael Corner smiling and taking a seat to her left, then he looked down at her book. "You can borrow my notes from last year. I got an Outstanding on Arithmancy, you know?"

"Thank you?" said Arianna, confused and panicking a bit.

"So, are you going with someone to the Yule Ball?" asked Michael.

"No… Not yet," replied Arianna, slightly scared.

"I'm a great dancer," said Zacharias promptly. "And I'm sure you'll have an unforgettable night if you come with me."

Cormac scoffed. "If you dance as bad as you play quidditch, I doubt it."

"I'm way better than you," sneered Zacharias, turning his entire body at him. "I'm on the quidditch team, aren't I? Unlike you."

Someone cleared his throat behind Arianna, and everyone followed the noise to find Cassius Warrington standing there smiling smugly.

"I see I've a little competition," he said, sitting to her right and glared at the boys.

"I already told you that I'm not interested," Arianna snarled at him.

"I don't give up easily," said Warrington arrogantly. "I always get the yes."

"Aria," said Blair from behind. "We planned to study at the library at this time, remember?"

Arianna was never so happy to see her friend. "Yes," she said promptly and looked at the boys. "Sorry, I've to go… I'll think about it."

Rapidly she grabbed her book, standing up, and moved away as quickly as she could. Leaving the boys somewhat confused and offended.

"Thank you," sighed Arianna.

"No problem," said Blair, smirking. "I told you it was a stupid idea."

"Shacklebolt!" screamed a boy's voice from the Slytherin table.

Both girls turned around, perplexed, and found Theodore Nott grinning at them with Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini sitting next to him with an almost terrified expression.

"What are you doing?" whispered Draco harshly to Theo as both girls approached.

"Nott," said Blair, arching an eyebrow. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you had a date for the Yule Ball," said Theo, smiling placidly.

Blair and Arianna exchanged a quick confused look as the rumour was that Theo was gay.

"I do," said Blair, frowning slightly.

"Oh… well, I guess I'm too late," sighed Theo. "May I ask who is the lucky boy?"

"It's a girl from Beauxbatons," responded Blair, standing taller.

"A girl, interesting," said Theo and glanced towards his friends. "I thought you were into boys."

"I'm into both," said Blair glaring at the three of them. "Problem?"

Blaise shook his head nervously, and Draco didn't move a muscle besides for the ever so slight widening of his eyes.

"Blair Shacklebolt," said Theo, nodding approvingly. "Beautiful as a butterfly but stings like a bee. And no, not a problem at all."

"Good," said Blair.

"What about you, Vitelli?" asked Theo, staring at her with a curious look. "It seems like you're interviewing. Have you made a decision yet?"

"Nope," said Arianna uncomfortably, feeling very aware that Draco was watching her.

"In that case, I'd love if you were my date to the Yule Ball," said Theo resting his elbows on the table. "I'm an excellent dancer and a perfect gentleman… unlike the rest of your suitors."

"Are you serious?" asked Arianna, stunned. This didn't make any sense. Putting aside the rumours about his sexual preferences, Theo was a Slytherin and a pureblood. Why would he want to be associated with her?

"Serious as a basilisk's stare," replied Theo, grinning.

Arianna's eyes drifted towards Blaise and Draco, searching for a sign of mockery. But instead, both seemed as baffled as she was. Draco looked at Theo with a mix of anger and bemusement, and Blaise stared at her as if he had just deciphered a complex rune codex.

"Um… maybe?" said Arianna thinking fast. "Could we talk… alone… for a moment?"

"Of course," said Theo and went on his feet. "It's a lovely winter day for a walk on the grounds."

To everyone's surprise, Theo and Arianna headed out to a courtyard. It was indeed a pleasant snowy morning with crisp blue skies and some scattered clouds. Half a dozen Beauxbatons girls were entertained by the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan, who erected a gigantic odd snowman in the middle of the patio. While a handful of first-year Hufflepuffs made snow angels not far away. 

Arianna fastened her robes, tightened up her scarf and pulled down her blue jumper sleeves to warm her cold hands. They found a dry stone bench and sat down. Her mind stirred fast. Her chances of getting into the Slytherin dorms were obviously higher if she attended the Yule Ball with Theo. And given that he had never addressed her before, it was rather clear that he needed her for something too.

"Why do you want to be my date?" asked Arianna bluntly.

"Why wouldn't I?" said Theo, crossing his legs. "You're lovely and classy."

"Classy?" she repeated, confused.

"Oh, yes, you have an innate grace, my dear," said Theo, scrutinising her. "The one that galleons can't buy."

Arianna frowned at him doubtfully. "But I'm not a pureblood, and… you know… I'm a–"

"Please don't use that word– it's so vulgar," interrupted Theo, displeased. "Yes, people will talk, but I couldn't care less… There's a rumour that I need to end, and I think you need me as much as I need you."

"Really?" questioned Arianna, searching his dark eyes. "Why do you think I need your help?"

"I believe they might stop harassing you so much if they think you're with me."

Arianna gazed at the snowman, which resembled a grotesque Filch. She considered Theo's words, wondering how reliable he was. For sure, he wasn't like the majority of his house. Theo didn't mock or incite bullying but remained on the side as an observer, for better or worse. But she questioned if he shared the same prejudices as his friends. Regardless, something inside her told her she could trust him.

"If we go to the Yule Ball together, it might help our problems temporarily," she said slowly and stared back at him. "But I'm looking for a more permanent fix."

"Do we have a plan?" asked Theo playfully.

"I do," said Arianna, honestly. "But the less you know, the better."

Theo laughed. "Who would guess? The doll has claws," he said. "How can I help you?"

"I need to get into the Slytherin Common Room," said Arianna resolutely.

Theo arched his eyebrows. "You're asking for quite a lot, doll," he said.

"That's a non-negotiable condition if you want me to be your date."

Theo frowned slightly. "I could get in a lot of trouble for that," he said. "But … if you pretend we're going out for the next couple of weeks and you kiss me, publicly, at the Yule Ball, I accept your condition."

Arianna was taken aback by Theo's demands. Not only was he asking her to fake a relationship, but also for her first kiss. "So you're telling me you prefer that people think you're into half-bloods instead of boys?" she asked.

Theo chuckled. "My friends and family would think it's just a rebellious phase for falling for someone that it's not 'my kind'," he said, smirking, and then his smile vanished. "However, if they think I'm gay, I would be threatening my family's legacy by hindering the possibility of giving them an heir."

It was concerning that a fourteen-year-old had to worry about those kinds of things, she thought and saw his eyes suppliantly staring back at her.

"Okay," blurted Arianna. "I'll do it. I accept your… terms." She agreed, thinking that if something as simple as a kiss and spending some time together could help solve his biggest problem, denying it was pretty ruthless of her.

"Marvellous," said Theo, smiling again and offering his hand. "Would you care for a walk on the grounds, dear?"

They strolled by the lake holding hands and turned around a lot of heads as they passed by. It wasn't necessary to pretend to enjoy his company as Theo was extraordinarily witty and engaging, unlike the great majority of boys his age whose only topic they could master was quidditch.

When returning from their ramble, they saw Draco leaning against the bannisters at the main entrance. His arms folded and his expression stern upon Theo as they approached, then his eyes drifted to their hands and looked back at him, straightening up.

"I've been looking for you for like an hour," said Draco, irritated. "I thought we agreed on meeting to do the Potions assignment today."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Draco," said Theo calmly. "We have all afternoon, don't you worry. I was just taking a little walk with Arianna."

Draco glanced quickly at her and the back at Theo. "Well, you're done now. Shall we?"

"Sure," said Theo and gazed back at her. "Sorry, dear, duty calls. But I shall see you at dinner." Then he kissed her gently on the cheek, and she fought the urge to start giggling.

"I'll see you at dinner," she repeated shyly.

Draco had his hands on his hips and looked outraged. Arianna wondered if he was really so enraged at Theo for ditching their study session or for inviting a half-blood to the Yule Ball. Knowing his reputation, it was probably the latter. 

 

 

 

Chapter 6: 12 Grimmauld Place

Chapter Text

 

"It's that what you're wearing to your date?" asked Blair while having lunch at their flat on Saturday.

Arianna glanced down at her red summer dress. "Of course not," she said, cutting a piece of chicken. "I'm changing in the evening. Or do you want me to spend all day in my long gown until Zabini comes and picks me up?" 

"She's talking about Harry," clarified Padma casually, pouring more gravy on top of the Sunday Roast she had prepared.

"What?!" spat Arianna. "That's not a date. I told you it's about my dad." Padma and Blair exchanged a look. "Besides, he's still with Ginny."

"On a break," pointed out Blair.

"While she's meeting handsome quidditch players in Canada," added Padma. 

"It's not a date!" repeated Arianna firmly, stabbing a potato with more strength than necessary.

"All right, don't get mad," said Blair, smiling. "What will you wear to the Dormant Dragon?"

"I don't know, whatever," said Arianna, shrugging. "The lilac dress, perhaps." 

"You'll most certainly not wear that!" said Blair indignantly.

"I don't have anything else, and I'm not buying a new dress for a date that's doomed to fail," explained Arianna. "I don't fancy Blaise – I just want him to stop harassing me with flowers."

"It's an elegant place, Aria," said Padma, twisting her mouth. "You should take another look at your wardrobe."

Arianna rolled her eyes.

"You can borrow something from me," suggested Blair and dabbed her mouth cautiously with her napkin and placed it ceremoniously back on her lap. "I'm not sending you with the lilac dress to the Dormant Dragon." 

"Fine," said Arianna, giving up. "If you manage to find anything of yours that fits me, I'll put it on."

"That's not an issue," said Blair dismissively. "I'm great at modifying charms. I just have to make the length shorter and add a little space here and there and voilà !"

"Talking about Slytherins…" said Padma hesitantly, and the others observed her curiously. "I went to Skippity Scones yesterday to visit my friend Mandy who works there, and I asked her about Malfoy and Greengrass' visit to the store... You know, that note in the newspaper about them looking for wedding cakes?" 

"Yes, yes, we know," said Blair hurryingly. "What did she say?"

"Well, it's not true," said Padma, leaning slightly over. "They placed an order for an absurdly expensive birthday cake for Astoria's mother that Malfoy paid for." 

"Sounds about right," mumbled Arianna, poking a carrot mindlessly with her fork and lifted her gaze just in time to catch her friends exchanging a look. "What?"

"I think it is important that you talk about this, Aria," said Padma worryingly. "It's not good to bottle up feelings."

"I don't care, really," said Arianna, abandoning her fork and sitting straight.

"Get off it!" exclaimed Blair. "You've to admit that the idea of your school nemesis marrying your school crush isn't something you're looking forward to. Especially after what happened between you two."

"That's– That's hardly relevant now," said Arianna, losing her appetite completely. "It happened like a million years ago, and even back then, it meant nothing… Besides, now he hates me too."

"I don't think he hates you," ventured Padma.

"It's better if he does," muttered Arianna, standing up. She couldn’t keep having that conversation. "I'm leaving. I don't want to keep Harry waiting."

Quickly, Arianna went downstairs and outside the building. She sat on the main steps and lit a cigarette, unsuccessfully trying not to think about Draco and Astoria. Surely they were going to get married, she thought. It was written on the stars. They were perfect for each other. A match made in heaven, or hell, in their case. And it was fine. She was fine. And eventually, that strange feeling that came when she looked at him will vanish.

But right now, she had more pressure matters, she reminded herself. Like the fact she was about to visit her ancestors home for the first time. That thought made her jump on her feet, and even if she wasn't meeting Harry in more than half an hour, she headed off where she had agreed to meet him.

After walking two blocks and entering a narrow smelly alley, she kindled another cigarette while waiting for him. Then she paced in small circles restlessly, unsure of what to expect from today's excursion. 

All she knew about the House of Black were legends and rumours of their ruthlessness, haughtiness and prejudices. Of how much her father resented them and how he loathed that house and everything in it. Nevertheless, they were still part of her lineage. They were half of her. 

A drag away from reaching the butt, she glanced at her watch, still fifteen minutes to go. She stopped and rested her back against the brick wall and lit yet another one. Two drags after, she heard a crack and saw Harry at the end of the alley. She puffed and put off the smoke, then quickly cast a spell to get rid of the tobacco smell on her.

Harry wore a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. He walked towards her and smiled slightly awkwardly as he approached. Then Padma and Blair's comments about being a date resonated on her brain, and inexplicably she felt a tingle on her stomach. This wasn't a date, she knew that, so why was she suddenly wondering what was wrong with her dress?

"Hey," said Harry casually. "You're early."

"Just a couple of minutes," lied Arianna, placing her hair behind her ear and standing up straight. "Shall we go?"

"Sure… It might be better if we Apparate together, though," suggested Harry. She nodded, now pondering if going to that house was a smart idea after all. He offered his arm, and she grabbed it firmly. A second later, they stood in another London alley.

"It's in the next street," said Harry, who now seemed slightly tense. 

Speechless, she followed him into a broader street and turned around the corner. Arianna glanced around, expecting to see a macabre building somewhere, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. 

Harry stopped and she did too.

"It's here," said Harry lowly. His eyes fixed on the wall in front of them. 

"Are you joking?" asked Arianna incredulously. "Is it here, In a muggle neighbourhood in London?" 

"I know," chuckled Harry. "Who'd've thought that the Black family house was surrounded by muggle buildings."

"So which one is it?" asked Arianna, still searching. 

"In front of us," said Harry pointing at the division between two buildings. "12 Grimmauld Place."

As soon as he said that, a large house opened its way between the structures. And a moment after, a worn set of steps leading to a battered front door with a silver knocker with the shape of a serpent was visible. Harry began walking towards the door while she remained in the same spot. 

Suddenly, her heart began hammering fast and hard on her chest. Her lungs felt as if they were bursting with water, making it hard to breathe. She had the urgent need to run, and yet, she couldn't move a muscle. 

Harry looked over his shoulder and turned around. "What's wrong?" he asked, his wand in hand, ready to open the door. 

She tried to speak, but no words came out of her mouth. Harry moved towards her, a worried expression on his face.

 "Arianna?" 

She began to hyperventilate. "I can't," she said, between breaths. "I can't." 

An overwhelming herd of emotions crawled up to her chest, and she began crying in the middle of the sidewalk, losing complete control over herself. 

"It's OK," said Harry and patted her on the back. "We don't have to go there today."

Arianna sobbed even louder and covered her face, wishing she could stop but could not. Harry hugged her clumsily and she held him back. 

A few minutes later, her breath eased up, and the cry became silent tears. She began perceiving her surroundings again: The birds chirping, the people walking, the cars passing by, Harry's arms around her.

"I'm sorry," muttered Arianna sobbing, feeling embarrassed Harry had seen her like that. "I don't know why this is so hard for me."

"It's difficult for me to go back there too", said Harry calmly. "Maybe it's too much… Perhaps we should start with something else... Like… have you heard about the time the police chased down my dad and Sirius?"

"No," she said, wiping off her tears and letting go of him. 

"Well, it's a great story," he said with a thin smile.

They began strolling down the street while Harry told her about that chase. Then the conversation changed to Sirius's escape from Azkaban, Harry's struggles with dementors and how he and Hermione set Sirius and Buckbeak free. "I can't believe McGonagall gave her a Time-Turner," said Arianna at some point. 

They wandered for hours until they made it back to her place and sat on the door steps. 

"I need to go," she said reluctantly after awhile. "I've to get ready for a thing I have later."

"Oh…okay," said Harry, slightly surprised and stood up. "Then I guess… I'll see you around at the Ministry."

"For sure," replied Arianna smiling and went on her feet, wishing she didn't have to leave. "You can tell me more about the Three Wizard Tournament later on. It's interesting to hear about it from an inside perspective."

"It's interesting to hear it from an outside perspective, too," said Harry, smirking. "Were you one of those who wore those badges that said 'Potter Stinks'?"

"Of course not,” she replied laughing.

"Why not? They were lovely," he said, smiling broadly and began walking away.

There was something she wanted to tell Harry, something stuck on her chest that wished to break free. Like a dam holding a lake. But she didn't know what it was. She just knew she wasn't ready to say goodbye.

"Harry," called Arianna, and he turned around. "How did you know about the Gillyweed?"

Harry seemed confused for a moment. "Dobby told me," he answered.

"Who's Dobby?" 

"He was a friend of mine… a free elf," said Harry, smiling, a shadow of sadness in his eyes. "But that's a story on its own."

"If you want to, you can come upstairs and tell me more about it while I get ready," said Arianna. Harry hesitated and she regretted asking. "If you don't want to, it's fine, don't worry!"

"No," blurted Harry. "We can do that. I don't have anything else to do anyway."

They went upstairs. Blair was studying in the living room and smirked when she saw Harry coming in. Arianna announced they would be in her room and dragged him down the hallway before Blair said anything stupid. 

She opened the door, feeling relieved she had it all in order and had finally finished unpacking everything. 

Like the rest of the flat, her room was airy and bright, with white paneled walls and light wood floors. There was a wall made entirely of shelves filled  with books and records. A wide soft bed stood next to the door, with a cornflower blue cover and topped with several pillows and cushions. Only a large painting of a beach landscape decorated the walls. 

"Would you like some tea, Harry?" offered Arianna, walking to the bay window with an encrusted seat and sat down. 

"Yeah, sure, thanks," said Harry, sitting across from her. "Your room is very… Ravenclaw."

"I suppose it is," she said and appeared a wooden tray with a couple of white old-fashioned cups, a blue teapot and a matching sugar bowl and milk jar, with a plate filled with chocolate mint cookies and placed it between them.

"And everything is very neat," continued Harry glaring around. "You should see my room; it's complete chaos. Not as much as Ron's crap-room, though… Hermione gets anxiety just by knowing that behind those doors there's a mess."

Arianna chuckled and poured down tea into both cups. "I don't like seeing too many things: it makes my head messy," she said. "So instead, I shove everything into drawers… I just hide my chaos… Sugar?"

"Yeah, thanks," he said, taking a cup. "I can fix it." He added one spoon of sugar and milk, stirred quickly and lifted his gaze.

Arianna stared at Harry, his untidy hair and honest green eyes. And felt the floodgates lifting. She began speaking before she was aware of what she was saying.

"You know, for many years, I wanted to know who my father was and everything about him," she said, looking down at her black tea. "But it wasn't until I found out the truth that it became harder to process things… And I don't know why that is." Harry was about to speak, but she continued. "Actually, I do know. I think– I think it hurts me, it haunts me, to know that he was alive and free, and I never had the chance to meet him and talk to him. It just hurts that he was so close, and I never–"

"He didn't want to put you in danger," explained Harry. "He was one of the most wanted men in Britain. By Death Eaters, the Ministry and even the muggle authorities."

"I know! I know, Harry!" yelled Arianna, frustrated, putting her cup down. "My mother has told me that. She told me all the reasons why neither Sirius nor she thought it was a good idea for me to meet him when he was a fugitive. I know! I know that they were waiting for the war to be over or his name to be cleared. But that never happened. He died! And I never met him, I will never meet my father! and it just hurts!" Arianna stood up and looked up, putting all her energy on containing her tears. And after a moment, she glanced back at Harry and saw sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I just needed to say it at loud, at least once." He merely nodded, and she appreciated his silence. She knew he understood her, that he could feel her pain, and took a deep breath. "So… would you tell me about Dobby?" 

Arianna grabbed her tea, poured a splash of milk and sat at her white dressing table. She didn't have time to shower, so she cast a refreshing spell and began doing her makeup while Harry told her everything about Dobby, struggling to recall details from ten years ago. It was highly nauseating that the Malfoys were a big part of the tale; she didn't want to hear more about them. 

There was a knock on the door, and Blair came in before Arianna could reply.

"Hey, here's the dress," she said, stepping in and laying a black garment over the bed. "And earrings to pair it with, I'll put them on the nightstand." 

"Thanks, Blair," said Arianna.

"You better hurry is almost seven – he's going to be here soon," said Blair and left.

"Who's coming?" asked Harry.

"I have a date with Blaise Zabini," explained Arianna while trying to decide which shade of lipstick to wear. "It's pretty much meant to fail, but at least I get to wear a fancy dress," Harry stayed quiet, so Arianna glanced at him. "What?"

"Nothing, he's just… Well, Blaise Zabini ," said Harry revoltingly. 

"He's not that bad… He's just not my type, and I'm not his. Regardless of what he says."

Arianna assessed her makeup and felt satisfied with the result. But she couldn't help but think that her effort was being wasted on a condemned date. Then, she headed to the painting and swung it open. There was a niche the size of the frame containing several shelves with dozens of small bottles with potions and ingredients. She took a couple of flasks, closed it and returned to her seat.

She applied a couple of drops of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion on her mane, straightening it and making it smoother. Her hair seemed even longer, reaching her lower back.

"Your grandpa invented this potion," said Arianna, combing her mane with her fingers. "Did you know?"

"Yep," said Harry simply. "It looked better before, though." 

"You think?" asked Arianna, slightly worried, evaluating her hair in the mirror. "Should I take it off then?"

"No– I mean, it looks good," said Harry rapidly. "Just– I like your hair better the way it normally is."

Slightly unconvinced, Arianna went on her feet to fetch the attire and into the dressing room to change. Blair's long black dress was embellished with beads and sequins, it had a high neck and a thigh-high slit, and it fit her perfectly. But fearing she would feel like a dwarf next to Zabini, who was nearly two heads taller than her, she put on her six-inch (15 cm) high stilettos, the highest she owned. 

She returned to her room and found Harry inspecting her records, pulling out one from The Doors, and then he shoved it back again. 

"I reckon you like muggle music," he said and withdrew an LP from Rachmaninoff and pushed it back in.

"Love it," clarified Arianna and grabbed the jewellery box. Blair's long diamond earrings laid on the red velvet interior.

"Do you know who Ziggy Stardust is?" he asked and kept looking through her LPs. "When I moved into my grandparent's house, I found a letter from Sirius to my dad, asking back (for the umpteenth time) for his Ziggy Stardust record."

"It's an album," explained Arianna, putting on the earrings and feeling excited since that record was one of her all-time favourites. "By Bowie." Harry turned around to face her, and his eyes blew open. "David Bowie, you know who he is, right?" asked Arianna, dreading she was speaking in another language to him.

"You look– You look tall,” he said. 

"Thanks, Harry," replied Arianna happily, straightening up. "I was aiming for tall." 

She heard Zabini talking to Blair.

"I better get going," said Harry, putting a hand behind his neck. "I hope he doesn't spend too much time looking at his own reflection in the spoons." 

Arianna laughed. "I'll bring a book just in case," she said and looked down at her shoes. "Thank you for today … And …sorry again for… you know… crying dramatically on the street."

"It's all right," said Harry, smiling and began walking to the entrance. "I'll see you next week." And left the bedroom.

Arianna then searched for her small black purse and, as she usually did, put her cigarette case, a small obsidian knife, and an assortment of antidote potions and double-checked that Antidote A and B were there. Then she stepped outside.

Blair and Blaise were sitting on the large blue couch and glanced at her from head to toe, nodding approvingly. 

"Looking good, Vitelli," said Blaise with a grin, standing up and adjusting his tie. "Shall we?" And gave her two kisses, one on each cheek.

"I want her home early, Zabini," said Blair, half-joking. "And in one piece."

"Of course, I'll take good care of her, Shacklebolt," said Blaise, then looked at Arianna. "I think it's better if we Apparate instead of using the Floo– I want you to see the entrance."



Chapter 7: Dormant Dragon

Chapter Text

 

They Apparated in a small garden close to St. Magnus-the-Martyr's church, the soft light from the golden hour shimmered over the Thames River with the London Bridge standing proud close by. Arianna was surprised that a Wizarding restaurant had such a centric and popular location, and feeling intrigued, she glanced around, searching for traces of magic.

Zabini offered his arm, and she accepted it as the cobblestones weren't exactly easy to walk on when wearing heels. At least not for her. He led her to the church while chit-chatting about the pleasant summer weather. 

They reached the stone wall and stopped. 

"Dormant Draconis," said Blaise and a narrow arch drawn with light appeared on the building. "Ladies first." 

Arianna went through the wall the same way she did whenever she took the Hogwarts Express. And stepped into a long underground archway that instantly reminded her of the Slytherin Dungeons.

Only once she had been in their Common Room, briefly and long ago (The day Theo had helped her enter to plant the seed of her revenge) but she was sure that the Dormant Dragon was a homage to the Slytherin House.

Torches with emerald fire lit the way, spreading their glow on the white stone walls and floors, resembling the greenish gleam of a lake. And at the end of the tunnel awaited an impressive carved ebony door.

Blaise popped next to her, and both walked over the ornate silver and black rug towards the dining area. When approaching the entrance, the door swung open magically, and they wandered into a dim room with a high rib vault ceiling and a wall with graceful arched windows that overlooked the depths of the river. 

A stunning brunette witch attired in a short silver dress smiled broadly when they came in. 

"Mr Zabini, good evening," she said, almost bowing. "We have your table ready. Please follow me."

"Thank you, Casey," said Blaise.

Arianna followed them, amazed at the countless light spheres that floated around the room and the handsome black marble bar to the right, which displayed hundreds of liquors that gleamed from the lanterns and the soft green-blue glow from the river. The restaurant was completely packed, and yet, it was silent. The only perceptible sound being from the grand piano that stood in the middle. 

Casey showed them a table next to a window. Arianna glanced outside, marvelling at the light beams piercing through the water. And she wished she could go through the glass and swim into the depths of the river.

"What do you think?" asked Blaise proudly. "Amazing, hu? I wasn't frugal on anything. And the food is divine, prepared by the best chefs you can find in Europe. The testing menu has five courses, each of them paired with their own wine, of course."

"I must say it's quite impressive, congratulations," said Arianna, still contemplating her surroundings. "And I'm quite sure that the food would be delicious."

A champagne bottle materialized next to them on a silver bucket, then it levitated on its own and poured some liquid into a pair of coupe glasses.

"Cheers," said Blaise, raising his glass. "For the beginning of something beautiful!" Arianna did the same, smiling awkwardly. "So…Where have you been for the last three years, Vitelli?"

Arianna sighed. "After finishing Hogwarts, I moved to New York and worked at MACUSA for two years," she replied mechanically, as she had repeated the same so many times the last few days. "And then I decided to officially obtain a Potioneer title, so I went to the Amazons for nine months (near Castelobruxo) to study endemic plants and their use in potion-making."

"How fascinating," said Blaise, who didn't seem fascinated at all. "So you're just coming back from Brazil?" 

"No, I left in March," she said simply. "Then I travelled to Southeast Asia and came back home."

It suddenly became inconceivable to sit with Zabini during five courses, pretending she was interested. Particularly after the highly emotional afternoon she had. 

"Blaise," she said decisively. "It has been a long day, and I'm not in the mood for role-playing. Thank you for bringing me here, it's truly a charming place, but I'm afraid I shall be honest with you." Blaise merely observed her, intrigued. She proceeded. "I'm perfectly aware that you have no interest in me whatsoever, and that's fine because the sentiment is mutual."

"Vitelli, I'm hurt by those words," said Blaise, placing his hands dramatically on his chest.

"No, you're not," she said, rolling her eyes. "And please, call me Arianna."

"Could you walk me through, Arianna ?" said Blaise, slightly annoyed. "Why are you making such assumptions? Why wouldn't I be interested in you if you're every man's dream?" 

"I'm flattered," she said, bored. "But your dream girl is my flatmate. And please don't waste your time trying to deny it– I could help you if you trust me." 

Arianna took a sip from her glass and watched Blaise calculating, considering if she was trustworthy. He leaned back on his chair, making a steeple of his fingers. The first tiny course appeared on the table together with a white wine glass. 

"Hypothetically," said Blaise slowly. "Let's say that I do fancy Shacklebolt, and you're willing to help me. What do you want in return?"

Arianna chuckled, shaking her head. "I'm a Ravenclaw, not a Slytherin, Blaise. The question you want to ask is why I'm doing this." 

"So, why are you doing this?"

"Because, as strange as it might sound, I could see a future for the two of you... I think you could make my friend happy… However, certain issues are deal-breakers for Blair." 

"Like which ones?" asked Blaise, sitting straight, giving her his undivided attention. Which Arianna found hilarious.

"Blair might be a pureblood like you, but she despises pureblood supremacist principles... And you… well…"

"I don't share those ideals either," said Blaise bluntly, somewhat offended.

"You don't?" asked Arianna sceptically, intertwining her fingers. "I've heard the comments you've made over the years, Blaise, and so has she."

"Well, I don't," repeated Blaise firmly. "As you have said earlier, I am a Slytherin and a proud one. I'm not a stupid Gryffindor that it's going to get itself killed defending its values. I've made such comments because it was the smart thing to do. Especially when He was in power, but not even for a split second, I was his supporter or a pureblood supremacist. I was trying to survive, just like everyone else."

Now Arianna was doing the evaluation, staring directly into his dark eyes. "So, the fact that she is a pureblood it's not a strong motivation for you?" she asked.

"Not at all, she could be a muggle-born, and it would be exactly the same."

"Prove it," said Arianna instantly. "Prove to me that you don't care about blood status."

Blaise took a deep breath and leaned forwards. "I read muggle literature. I have had muggle-born friends since I'm a child. I own a television… I don't know what you want to hear, Vitelli," he said.

"Do your pureblood friends know?" she asked, thinking about Draco and Pansy.

"The closest ones do."

Arianna nodded slowly, unsure if he was lying or not. "What's your favourite muggle novel?" she asked.

"Les Misérables by Victor Hugo," he said at once. 

"Really?" said Arianna, arching her eyebrows. "I was expecting something more on the lines of 'The Picture of Dorian Grey'."

Blaise laughed. "I actually own the first edition of Les Misérables . It was one of my presents from my mother when I turned seventeen."

"The Parisian or the Brussels one?"

"The Parisian one." 

Arianna began to think that he was honest. "I'd love to see that one day," she said and placed her hands on the table. "Very well, Blaise, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. So here is my advice: The first thing you have to do is to tell her that you fancy her." 

"What?" he spat.

"She's a Ravenclaw. You're not going to get her by sending passive-aggressive flowers. You need to tell her that you fancy her and that you would like to take her out on a date."

"You're joking," said Blaise, slightly scared.

"Nope, she is very straightforward and hates games," Arianna said and retook her abandoned champagne glass and drank. "After you do that, everything you do it's going to be carefully evaluated. And I hope you're a good kisser because she usually starts with that." Blaise was looking quite anxious now, which amused her. "Can we eat now? Our entrée is getting warm."

Against Arianna's expectations, she actually had a pleasant time with Blaise. The food and wine were delicious, and once they cleared the air, the conversation was enjoyable. After five courses, plenty of wine and two Firewhiskies each, the end of their evening approached.

"This is smooth," said Arianna looking at her glass with the amber liquid. "One of the best ones I've ever tried."

"This is nothing," said Blaise dismissively. "Actually, why don't you come over to my place? I have a bottle of one of the finest, most expensive Firewhiskies that exist. We can have a last drink, and I can show you that First Edition I was talking about."

Arianna shrugged, feeling a bit dizzy. "Why not?! Where do you live?" she asked.

"In a penthouse, not that far away from here, actually."

"Do you live alone?" she asked. 

"I have a flatmate," said Blaise indifferently. "But he's not home today."

"Who is he?" asked Arianna, fearing the answer.

"You don't know him," said Blaise vaguely.

They took the Floo from the Dormant Dragon to his living room, which couldn't be more different from hers, as it was both luxurious and sombre. Dark grey wood panels covered the tall walls, and white and black marble the floors. The room was furnished with black button-tufted leather sofas that stood on a dark-green carpet. And a grand curved staircase was to the left, which Arianna assumed led to the bedrooms. 

"Yeah… I can definitely feel the Slytherin vibes," she said, looking around. "Although, I was hoping for some snake motifs and macabre decorations."

"I'll get the whisky," said Blaise, chuckling. "Make yourself at home, Arianna."

As he walked away, a burst of laughter came from a room in the far left, under the staircase. Blaise turned around and said, "It looks like my flatmate is here after all and has some company."

Then he continued walking towards the door where the laughter came from. Arianna was unsure if she should sit or go home, for she dreaded who might be behind those double doors. 

Blaise pushed the doors open, and the voices came as clear as if they were standing in the same room as her.

"Blaise! M'boy!" said a vaguely familiar man's voice. "We weren't expecting you so soon. Did Vitelli blow you off so early?"

"We've bets going on here," said a second man's voice. "Who has 'ten-thirty and alone'?" 

"I really thought she'd put out on the first date," said the first voice. "Sorry, mate."

Feeling embarrassed and angry, she started marching decisively towards Blaise, her stilettos resonating strongly against the marble floor. Blaise remained at the entrance and looked at her with a grin. The room went silent.

The doors led to a cigar room with swirling smoke. Four men with dinner suits sat at an octagonal poker table, and she recognized them all: Markus Flint, Cassius Warrington, Theodore Nott and Draco fucking Malfoy. They looked at her astonished, and she felt pretty satisfied to see them speechless.

"So, who has 'ten thirty with Vitelli'?" said Arianna harshly, standing in the doorway. 

"Arianna," said Blaise, smirking. "I think you're already acquainted with these fine gentlemen."

"Indeed, I've had the pleasure," said Arianna, folding her arms and leaning against the door frame. Blaise went into the room and towards an elegant wooden bar on the right to search for the Firewhisky bottle.

Draco was facing her, relaxed on his chair. Cards, cigar and whisky on hand. His cheeks were slightly reddened and his hair somewhat untidy, suggesting the drink he held was far from being the first one of the night. 

He gazed at her with a penetrating stare, and unsettled, she looked away to the left. There stood a small sitting area with two armchairs facing a fireplace. And above it, a hippogriff head mounted on a plaque. 

"Do you want to join us?" offered Warrington, who seemed like he lived in the gym. Arianna then identified him as the man who before spoke first.

"I'm fine, thanks," said Arianna, plainly.

"Did you lads enjoy the Dormant Dragon?" asked Flint, who also was huge and looked absurdly large sitting on that chair. And she recognized his voice as the second man that talked earlier.

"Oh, yes," said Arianna coldly. "A magnificent restaurant. Lovely atmosphere." 

"You look marvellous on that dress, dear," said Theo, fidgeting with his poker chips. "It certainly agrees with you."

"Thank you, Theodore," said Arianna and wondered why everyone was attired so elegantly. "So, where was the wedding?" 

The men laughed, except for Draco, who was still watching her attentively.

"It's Black tie Saturday," said Flint, shrugging. "Are you sure you don't want to join us? We're going to start a new game."

"I don't have the galleons to play, Flint," replied Arianna. 

"Who talked about galleons?" said Warrington, his eyes wandering over her body. "There's plenty of other valuable things to gamble."

"Not interested," said Arianna promptly, and her eyes drifted to Draco; still with his gaze on her, she looked away. "So, who's winning?"

"Thus far, m'boy Draco," said Warrington, patting him on the back. "But I feel his luck is about to change."

"So, who is the fortunate one that lives with my good friend Blaise?" asked Arianna.

"That would be Draco," said Theo, pouring whiskey into his glass. "Didn't your good friend Blaise tell you?"

Arianna glanced at Zabini, who was no longer searching for the Firewhisky bottle but sat on a stool by the bar, looking amused at the scene that unfolded in front of him.

"No, he failed to mention that," she said, slightly angered and looked back at the men on the table. "Probably he was too busy staring at his own reflection."

All the men chuckled, but Draco, who merely observed her with a smug grin. She felt her blood boiling, and the amount of alcohol on her body didn't help. And before she could stop herself, she spoke.

"I'll take a wild guess and assume that the hippogriff mount it's yours, Malfoy," she said, addressing him directly. She wanted to hear his voice. "Perhaps the real reason you wanted Buckbeak's head so badly was so you could have a matching set?"

Draco's eyes traced her figure and lingered on her bare leg before answering, making her feel exposed and warm. He was getting on her nerves.

"I did think it would be an amazing addition to our family collection," he said slowly, savouring every word. "It was a shame the bird escaped." 

His gaze locked into hers, and memories of him flooded her mind. Afraid that he could hear the echoes of her thoughts, she broke eye contact. 

"I don't love the aesthetic, but who am I to judge," she said and stood up straight. "Blaise, have you found the bottle? It's getting quite late, and I must head home soon."

"I have it right here," said Blaise, going on his feet. "Let's go." 

"Gentlemen," said Arianna and left the room.

Rattled and bothered, she followed Blaise to another set of doors next to the living room. They waltzed into a study, her favourite space from the penthouse so far. The walls were filled with books, and a redwood desk stood between two windows.

Blaise appeared two glasses and poured the reddish burnt orange liqueur into them, handing one to Arianna. "You're about to enjoy a single highland malt Firewhisky, 1919 reserve. Cheers!" he said and drank. 

Then he headed towards the bookshelves, where Arianna immediately spotted the five volumes of Victor Hugo's famous masterpiece. 

She sat at the edge of the desk, put down her untouched drink and intuitively took out her cigarette case while wondering if Blaise had tricked her into coming to his flat, and if so, why? 

"So, I don't know your flatmate?" she asked while lighting a smoke. 

"Only a handful of people truly know who Draco Malfoy is," said Blaise cheekily and began muttering spells to remove the protective charms on the shelves. 

Even if she agreed with him, Arianna rolled her eyes. To say that Draco Malfoy was a complex man was an understatement. He was as unknown to her as the bottom of the ocean. Yet, she had seen plenty of him, yet he had allowed her to enter places she was sure not everybody had the privilege of doing so. And she was sure she would never be allowed in there again. She had fucked it up. She had broken her promise.

She could try to keep blaming Astoria or the inheritance, which undoubtedly were factors too. But his new attitude was because of what she did, and he wasn't interested in her apologies. In every single one of the twenty-one letters she had sent him after the war, she had tried to explain herself. Twenty-one letters, and he didn't reply to a single one. The message was loud and clear: he wouldn't forgive her. And to be honest, that made her mad.

For sure, she wouldn't beg for his pardon.

It's not like she hadn't tried to keep her promise. 

It's not like someone had died because she broke it.

It's not like they could be together… not anymore.

Mechanically, Arianna reached for the whisky and brought it to her lips, taking a sip and detecting rich notes of molasses, chocolate, burnt oak and cedar.

Blaise placed the volumes carefully next to her and began talking about the printing process when the sound of voices sneaked into the study. She heard the men saying their goodbyes, followed by the swiping noise of the Floo. And she counted. One… two… three. 

The thought of being the only guest remaining in Draco's flat made her heart rate increase, and she decided to leave immediately.

Blaise yawned fakely. "I'm suddenly quite tired. I think I'll go to bed. But you're very welcome to stay," he said, and Arianna felt the blood going to her feet. "If looking for company, try the room up the stairs to the left," he began heading towards the door and turned around. "And remember: a Silencing Spell is common courtesy."

"Don't you fucking dare, Zabini," spat Arianna, standing up.

"Interesting," he said, grinning mischievously. "Why so jumpy, Vitelli? Don’t tell me you still have a thing for him."

The study doors pushed open, and Draco came in. She sat back at the desk, trying to look as casual as she could and took a drag. Blaise kept his gaze on her, seeming very satisfied with himself, like if he had won a chess match. 

Draco wandered towards them, hands in his pockets. And then stopped, looking back and forth between them. 

"It's the party over?" asked Blaise, smiling broadly. "Did you win anything fun?"

Draco shrugged. "A sailboat from Theodore and an Occamy egg from Cassius," he said and reached for the whisky bottle next to Arianna and poured some into a glass. 

"I thought today's game night was at Theodore's," said Blaise, moving closer to the entrance.

"There was a change of plans," explained Draco casually. 

Arianna kept her eyes fixed on Blaise. Afraid he would say something stupid or leave her alone with Draco. 

"Interesting," said Blaise once again and took a step closer to the door. "In the year and a half we've been playing, we never had a last-minute change of plans."

Draco arched an eyebrow. "Things change, Blaise," he said, glaring furtively at Arianna. "On that note, we need new blood – It's getting tedious to see the same faces every two weeks."

"It was about time," said Blaise, crossing his arms. 

"And ladies would be welcome now," continued Draco, swirling his whiskey. "In case you're interested, Vitelli. If you're not afraid of losing your knickers." 

"How gallant of you," said Arianna between her teeth and left her glass on the table. "Blaise, I'm afraid I've overstayed my visit." 

She went on her feet and spotted a crystal ashtray on a small round table not far away, and walked that way to put out her cigarette.

"It's still early, Arianna," said Blaise, who was standing by the door. "You barely touched your Firewhiskey."

"I thought you were tired," she replied and turned around to fetch her purse and realized that Draco was holding it. "I don't want to impose." 

Draco obviously wanted her to leave. It was good to know they were on the same page, she thought. 

Arianna marched towards him. Despite her highest heels, he was half a head taller than she, which bothered her. She snatched the bag from him, and Draco saw her from above, smirking. Then she headed quickly to the living room with both men shadowing her slowly.

From her purse, she grabbed a dash of Floo powder and threw it into the black marble fireplace, provoking emerald flames. Arianna stepped inside and glanced back. Draco's grey eyes fixed on hers was the last thing she saw before vanishing.




Chapter 8: Birthright

Chapter Text

For Nearly ten minutes, Arianna had been standing on the pebbled country road, staring at the ornamented iron gate and the magnificent manor that emerged at the end of a long gravel driveway. 

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, and the wind blew softly in Wiltshire, slightly lifting her knee-length olive dress and blowing her mane gently. There was an uneasy sensation in her stomach as it was unavoidable to remember the last time she had been there and how different everything was. Back then, it was winter; back then, she didn't know who her father was; back then, the invitation had come from Draco. 

She glanced down at her watch, realising it was time and approached the entrance. A harsh cold voice came from the gate and said, "State your name and purpose." 

Arianna cleared her throat and answered, "Galatea Vitelli. I have a tea invitation from Narcissa Malfoy." 

Almost immediately, the gate opened slowly, and she began walking the long path, feeling her pulse rising. The noise of running water reached her ears, but she couldn't see the source as tall hedges covered her view. 

Even though her only encounter with Narcissa had been civil, she was aware that she must not confuse courtesy with kindness. After all, Narcissa had a reputation of being the epitome of a Slytherin: clever, ambitious and determined. But what made her want to turn back and leave was the idea of Draco being inside that house; she certainly couldn't deal with him two days in a row. On top of that, Astoria could be there too. And for the millionth time that day, Arianna thought she should have brought Nathan. However, something inside her told her that this was a private affair. 

She reached the manor and fixed her pearl necklace when climbing the main steps. The heavy ebony door swung open, revealing a large, opulent and perfectly symmetrical hall. Two magnificent grand staircases mirrored each other at each side of the room filled with portraits of Malfoy heirs who observed her as she entered. And awaiting for her below a majestic chandelier, a tall, slender woman dressed in emerald stood. 

She was a middle-aged witch with brunette wavy hair. Her dark eyes watched her from head to toe, and a kind smile followed and moved towards Arianna.

"Good afternoon, Galatea. I'm Andromeda Tonks," she said, extending her hand, and Arianna took it. "Narcissa's sister."

"Oh!" said Arianna, feeling a mix of confusion and surprise. "Nice to meet you, Mrs Tonks." 

"Please, call me Andromeda," she requested and scrutinized Arianna's face curiously. "You have Sirius' eyes, that's for sure… and I can see the great good looks of the House of Black in you– Cissy was right. Now you only need to work on the arrogant bearing, and everyone will know where you come from."

Feeling her face incredibly warm and wondering why Andromeda was there, Arianna followed her to the double doors facing the main entrance, and that led to a conservatory filled with magical and non-magical plants. 

"Sirius was my favourite cousin, you know?" said Andromeda while crossing the room. "And the only family member who stood beside me after they disowned me."

Andromeda pushed the glass doors open, and they stepped onto a terrace that overviewed a gorgeous French garden divided into quarters with a large fountain in the middle and white peacocks roaming around. The perfectly trimmed hedges were shorter than those in the front garden and were laid in elaborated patterns, imposing order over nature. 

Narcissa sat at a round ornate iron table with a large beige umbrella sheltering her from the sun. She wore a long white summer dress, and her blond hair was up on a French twist. A small child with platinum blond hair sat on her lap, playing with a dragon toy. And for a split second, Arianna foolishly thought it was Draco's son. The boy looked at her, and a moment later, his hair changed to black and wavy, just like hers. And she realized it was Teddy Lupin.

"Galatea," said Narcissa, smiling politely and standing up, placing Teddy gently on the ground. "I'm so glad you could meet me here." She walked to receive her and gave her two kisses, one on each cheek. "Please take a seat," she said, gesturing to a chair.  

Teddy went towards his grandmother and hid behind her, staring curiously at Arianna, and she watched him trying to replicate her eyes.

"You have a lovely garden," said Arianna and sat rather stiffly, observing her host as she sat delicately back on her chair.

"Thank you," said Narcissa, looking proudly at her garden. "It is indeed wonderful to contemplate on a summer day such as this one."

"You should see the ones in the front– flowers everywhere," said Andromeda cheerfully, hands on her hips. "I truly enjoy tending to those gardens."

"You're quite gifted with plants, Andy," said Narcissa, smiling. "I must admit my hydrangeas have improved greatly since you take care of them."

"Thank you, Cissy," said Andromeda, winking. "Well… I'm afraid Teddy and I have to leave. Harry is expecting us, and we're already late, but I wanted to meet you, Galatea."

"Harry?" repeated Arianna, frowning.

"Yes, Harry Potter, dear. He's Teddy's godfather," explained Andromeda casually. "We go to his house every Sunday."

Arianna gazed down at Teddy, feeling moved by the thought of Harry looking after his orphan godson, just as Sirius did for him after escaping Azkaban.

"Should I expect you for dinner?" asked Narcissa to her sister.

"No, we're having dinner at the Weasleys," replied Andromeda, seizing her grandchild's hand. "But we should be back early." 

Andromeda and Teddy left, and Arianna grew anxious about being alone with Narcissa, who was staring at the fountain. An elegant tea service appeared on the table with a tiered plate filled with different kinds of pastries. And she recognized at once the profiteroles she had tried the last time and restrained herself from fetching one. The teapot levitated in mid-air, pouring tea into two teacups. 

"Is your sister living with you?" asked Arianna, somehow trying to delay the talk about the inheritance. 

"Precisely, she moved in not long after the war was over," answered Narcissa looking back at her and fidgeting with her silver locket with encrusted emeralds. "The war left her childless, widowed and responsible for her grandson. I had my husband and son in prison. We reconnected… I do not know if you are aware of this, but I wasn't allowed to keep in contact with her after she got disowned… We are trying to rebuild our family and heal old wounds – It hasn't been easy."

Arianna nodded slowly, watching Narcissa, wondering about the kind of life she had lived. She reached for the milk, added a small trickle of it to her tea and brought the cup to her lips, smelling Earl Gray tea with bergamot and orange. She sipped.

"I think you know why I invited you here," said Narcissa while mixing her tea carefully. "Since the identity of your father was revealed, there has been a lot of speculation surrounding the Black's inheritance... An inheritance I own."

"I know," said Arianna and looked directly at Narcissa's blue eyes that searched for something in hers. "I know you're the legal owner of the inheritance."

"Indeed. My aunt Walburga wrote a will after Regulus and uncle Orion's death, leaving everything to me, except for the house," explained Narcissa and took a sip from her tea while holding the saucer below it and continued. "Now, you have the right to sue. It's a handsome amount of gold that has been barely touched. It would be stupid of you not to try to claim it– Certainly, it will make you wealthy. But I am afraid my husband and future daughter-in-law would put up a good fight. Lucius has already consulted with our lawyers, and they are ready to go to trial as long as needed. Therefore, I strongly advise you not to sue."

Arianna felt something heavy on her stomach, the words "future-daughter-in-law" resonated on her head. So it was true– they will get married.  

"I understand," said Arianna after a short pause and looked down at her tea. "I appreciate the honesty. I certainly don't want to go into a long trial for gold, regardless of how rich it would make me." 

"I agree with you," said Narcissa, tracing her silver locket. "Gold is not worth fighting for. That's why I willingly want to give it to you."

Arianna lifted her gaze to find Narcissa with a determined stare. "You– you want me to have the inheritance?" she asked in disbelief. "Why?... your husband doesn't support it... and it's part of Draco's patrimony."

"I do not care about what Lucius thinks about this," replied Narcissa, irritated. "And Draco will inherit plenty. Malfoy's fortune is far more than the Black's. And I shall be honest with you, the reason my husband doesn't want you to have it's because he thinks you're not worthy." 

"Why not?" asked Arianna automatically, suddenly feeling insulted. 

"Because you're a blood traitor, dear," answered Narcissa casually and took a sip from her tea. "But if anything, that motivates me harder to give it to you."

Arianna frowned. "I don't understand," she said.

"Pureblood principles destroyed my family," said Narcissa with a hint of resentment in her voice and placed her cup and saucer back on the table. "I grew up with them, believed them and embraced them, and they destroyed everything I loved... They made me lose both of my sisters. One was driven mad by these principles, and the other was cast away from my life for not following them. It consumed my mother till death to have a daughter rotting in prison and another she couldn't see.

These ideologies made my husband take decisions with terrible consequences, mainly to become a Death Eater and drag our son along with him. I was very close to being like Andy– childless and widower." Narcissa paused, her breathing heavy, and she stared at the gardens. "My husband is a very stubborn man– he still doesn't see it," she said calmly and looked back at Arianna. "Even after everything we have been through. But I do see it, and I no longer care about anyone's opinions. I believe you should have the inheritance because it's your birthright and because it's the least I can do considering my sister was responsible for your father's death."

They stared at each other in silence until Arianna couldn't take her eyes anymore and gazed at the distant fountain, watching the water dance. 

"It's strange," said Arianna vaguely. "Somehow, I feel like I don't deserve the inheritance… I don't know much about the House of Black. The idea of owning something I have no connection with feels wrong."

"I couldn't agree more," said Narcissa, retaking her cup. "And that is why, if you want the inheritance, I have two conditions."

"Which conditions?" asked Arianna, slightly afraid.

"The first one is actually not mine. It's dictated by the stipulations established in the House of Black Inheritance Laws. Only a lawful Black can inherit from the House of Black. Meaning you have to change your last name and be added to the British Pureblood Genealogical Book. Otherwise, it's impossible."

"So even if you own the inheritance, you can't change that?" 

"The majority of pureblood families have stringent laws to regulate who can inherit or not," explained Narcissa clearly and leaned slightly towards Arianna. "These regulations have existed for centuries and are incredibly complicated. Only the head of the family can modify them, and even then, it isn't an easy procedure."

"Who is the head of the House of Black?"

"At the moment, no one. If you change your last name, it would be you."

"What other kind of regulations does it have?" asked Arianna, dreading the answer.

"Your only concern is this one. Other common ones are, of course, related to marriage. But that depends on the head of the family," explained Narcissa and took a pause rubbing her chin, considering something. "For example… Draco can't access his inheritance until he has married a pureblood and cannot become the family's head until he has produced an heir." 

Narcissa got visibly annoyed about this, and Arianna remembered the conversation she had with Theo last week. Did all the pureblood families have the same rules?

"What's the second condition?" asked Arianna.

"That's my condition, and it's related to what you said before," said Narcissa with a thin smile. "The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black was one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Great Britain, and it has so much more legacy than just blood status and Dark Arts. My condition would be that you study about the Black clan, just as everyone did when we were children."

"I guess I can look into some history books," said Arianna, wondering if Flourish and Blotts have books about them.

"Don't be silly," said Narcissa, slightly offended. "You are not going to find much in those. No, I shall teach you."

"All right," said Arianna, taken aback. "What kind of things will you be teaching me?"

"Mostly history," replied Narcissa, rubbing her chin again. "The principal values (even if you do not share them), and other things like our heirlooms, our family potions and hexes… I assume you already know Greek, Latin and Astronomy, but we might need to review them."

"It sounds quite interesting," said Arianna, her inner Ravenclaw jumping with curiosity and excitement. "I definitely would like to learn about the House of Black."

"Fantastic," said Narcissa smiling. "I actually have a third condition: I would like to keep our agreement between the two of us. I don't want my husband or anyone else to sabotage our plan."

"Of course," said Arianna, who was not strange about keeping secrets and had no intentions to let Astoria lay a finger on her inheritance.

"There is one more thing," added Narcissa, pondering. "I'm afraid we have to move fast."

"Why?" asked Arianna, frowning.

Narcissa sighed. "For I married a Malfoy, it's stated that my properties and wealth would go to my son as soon as he weds," she said, glaring resentfully at her beautiful diamond ring.  

Arianna felt her heart sinking. "You will lose everything once he marries her?!" she exclaimed, outraged. "But– but they aren't engaged yet, are they?"

"No, they are not," said Narcissa, who seemed slightly amused by Arianna's reaction. "But I'm afraid it's a matter of time. My husband and Astoria's parents are very eager to formalize the relationship… Besides, the legal process for changing your name and transferring the inheritance is quite long– Six months best-case scenario."

"But-but why do you have to give them everything you own? It doesn't sound fair!"

"When you marry a Malfoy, they become financially responsible for your family… among other things. The condition is that you give all your property to your son when it's his turn to be wed."

Arianna was aware that her mouth was slightly opened, and she closed it. No wonder why the Greengrass wanted to seal the deal so badly.

"Merlin, things are very complicated if you're a pureblood, hu?" she mumbled.

"That is probably why most of us end up in Slytherin– we need to learn to scheme. I'll teach some of that too," said Narcissa with a broad grin for the first time. "The real question, Galatea, is if you want to be a Black."

"I don't know," said Arianna, staring at her tea and feeling headachy with the amount of information she'd gotten. "I need to think about it."

"I understand. You are, of course, on the right to consider it, but you must be quick about it."

"I'll owl you my decision this week, I promise. I just need to think," said Arianna and took a sip from her tea.

"Very well then," said Narcissa, pleased. "I shall wait for your owl. And in the meantime, we can just say that you will not sue. How does that sound to you?"

"Marvellous," said Arianna and finally reached for a profiterole. They were as divine as she remembered. 

"Fantastic," said Narcissa, retaking her cup. "Would you like to stay for dinner? My son and his girlfriend are coming."

"No, thank you. I have dinner plans," lied Arianna. She would rather dine with Satan instead of with those two. "Actually, I think I have to go… Thank you for the tea."

"Thank you for coming. It's always a pleasure having you over." 

Narcissa walked Arianna to the Great Hall so she could take the Floo home. They were saying their goodbyes when a green glare came from the fireplace, and two people emerged from it.

Everyone in the Great Hall stood still for a moment. Draco and Astoria stepped out of the fireplace, both of them elegantly dressed in black. Draco's gaze moved back and forth between Arianna and his mother with his mouth slightly opened, while Astoria’s eyes bulged.

"Thank you once again for the tea, Mrs Malfoy," said Arianna, recovering. "Malfoy, Greengrass."

She walked in between the couple and into the fireplace, disappearing. The next thing she knew, she was back at her flat, her head a mess. 

Arianna knew that her place was empty, and she thanked for that; she didn't feel like talking to anybody. She headed to her room and put her hair up on a messy bun, then opened the window and lit a cigarette. And while sitting on the windowsill, she began pondering upon today's events.

She trusted Narcissa. Arianna knew she was being honest and believed her intentions were sincere. The fact that she had taken in her sister and her grandchild said more than words could tell, and she was pretty sure Lucius was not happy about that. 

Narcissa and Andromeda reminded her of her mother. Agata had lost her family too when she ran away, refusing to marry a man she didn't even know, and her mother missed her siblings and parents too. Pureblood morals not only create problems for the muggle-borns, but they also destroy their own families. 

Also, there was that thing about Draco. Arianna couldn't help but wonder if he was with Astoria because he loved her or because he wanted his inheritance. And, which one was worse? Or was it a pact? Like the one Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott had. Will they keep their lovers in the dungeons too? Whatever the answer was, it was clear that they would get married. 

And then it was the real question, did she want to be a Black? And what does that even mean? She thought about her parents. Her mother was from a prominent Italian pureblood family and had renounced all her privileges to get her freedom. Sirius had done the same. And now she was shamelessly asking for that privilege they both gave up? What does that say about her? Would she need to follow the stipulations of the House of Black even if she was the head of it? Was she putting herself in the same cage her parents had fought so hard to break free from? 

"Arianna Black," she mumbled and took a drag. 

It was downright odd to stop being a Vitelli. Even though it implied she was a bastard for many years, she was proud of her last name, as it meant she was her mother's daughter. 

Arianna or Galatea Black was someone that perhaps lived in another universe where there had been no war. Although, in all honesty, if there hadn't been a war, she probably would not exist. Sirius Black and Agata Vitelli possibly would not have met and fallen madly in love with each other. And let's face it, she thought, she was the product of a poorly brewed contraceptive potion. No one in their right mind would procreate in the middle of a war and after only being together for six months. 

Agata declined Sirius' marriage proposal after finding out she was pregnant. And with reason. Given that half of Sirius' relatives were Death Eaters who knew he was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. If he had married her mother or given Arianna his last name, they would have become targets. Her parents decided to wait until the end of the war. But the end of the war came with nothing but darkness and pain.

Sirius was imprisoned for life and became the most hated man in Britain. Also, Walburga was still alive, and many Death Eaters were on the loose searching for retaliation. Therefore, her mother thought it was better if no one knew who her father was, including her.

Ariana pushed some of the cushions from the window seat and lifted the wooden lid. There was an assortment of books and carton boxes, but on top of everything, a picture on a silver frame rested, and she took it out. 

It was the torn photograph she cherished when she was younger, but now it was complete and restored. 

Sirius was smiling broadly, his wavy hair reached his shoulders, and his face was youthful and full of life. He carried baby Arianna who wasn't older than seven months, and Agata stood next to them, her head barely reaching his shoulder. A small stone cottage was visible on the back, with a forest behind it. 

Now Arianna knew that they used to live there and that there was a lake nearby. Also, that the picture had been taken by James Potter, who was the only one who knew her mother's real name.

She tranced Sirius' face with her finger, feeling her chest constrain painfully, and her vision became blurry. And then she realized that she didn't care about the inheritance. All she wanted was the family that had been stolen from her. She wanted her father back.

With the back of her hand, she wiped off her tears and looked over the window and saw a man's silhouette holding a brown paper bag climbing the building's doorsteps. And before he could knock, Arianna recognized him.

"Nathan!" she screamed from her window. 

"Hey!" said Nathan, smiling widely. "I just came to check on you … see if you were well and alive after your tea with Narcissa Malfoy."

"I survived!" yelled Arianna.

"I can see that. Can I come in? I brought Chinese," said Nathan, lifting the bag he was holding.

"You should've started with that," she said, and with a quick flick of her wand, she opened the main door. "Come up!"

Nathan went inside the building, and she looked down at the photograph and knew what she had to do.

Arianna decided to accept Narcissa's offer, it was time she claimed her father's name, and as the head of the House of Black, she would change the dark meaning of that name. She would make Sirius proud.  



Chapter 9: November 1995

Chapter Text

 

It was the first Thursday of November; the air had grown cold, and the days shorter in the Scottish Highlands. Arianna had just finished her Herbology class; her hair was a complete mess after dealing with Bouncing Bulbs, and with her fingers tried to appease it while speed walking to her next lesson: Arithmancy. She was running late, as always. Her schedule could have been better, she reminded herself, but her pride had taken the best of her, and now she was paying the price.  

Arithmancy was pretty easy for her. She found it soothing and interesting. So soothing and so interesting that she had done and studied all the course literature during the summer. It had become a habit to go to the nearest park with her Arithmancy book and sit under a tree while waiting for the big black dog that almost always would show up at four o'clock to play with her and take long walks. 

Therefore, when she started the course in September, she was already bored after the first week. When professor Vector gave her the chance to take classes with the fifth graders, she accepted without really thinking it through. Now she had to run every Thursday afternoon from the greenhouses to the fifth floor. Hence, she was always the last one to arrive. 

The classroom was small, and the class was full. Leaving only one available spot for her. Usually, Padma would save her a seat, or Michael Corner or Terry Boot. A few times, she had shared a desk with Theo Nott since the class was with the Slytherins. And every time, it had sparked rumours about them, as he had become her "ex" after their supposed short-lived romance from last year.

When she finally got there, the class was already seated. Arianna was panting, and her hair was worse than before. She searched for the empty spot, and her heart dropped to the floor when she realised it was next to Draco Malfoy.

She took a deep breath and resignedly made her way to the desk and sat down. 

As usual, he barely acknowledged her presence. Draco slid his parchment and book a bit more to his side. A big black eye stood out from his face, courtesy of Harry Potter and the Weasley twins after Saturday's game. Arianna thought that he could have fixed it by now, but it seemed like he enjoyed showing it off. 

A year ago, it would have been inconceivable to share a desk with him and concentrate on the lesson, but now Arianna had outgrown her inconvenient crush for him. Not that she had stopped thinking that he was handsome, or that he smelled nice, or had ceased having mild panic attacks when encountering him inadvertently in the hallways or the library. But, she had outgrown her crush.

Professor Vector introduced the new task, which was a big part of the term's grade. She explained that there would be three difficulty levels, and the students could decide which one suited them best. The higher the intricacy, the higher grade they could get, the better prepared for the O.W.L. they would be.

"As this assignment is highly demanding, you will work in pairs," explained Vector, scrutinising her students. "And to make things easier, you will team up with whoever you're sharing your desk with." There were sounds of approval, and a few groans and Arianna fought the urgency of stamping her head against the table. "You have five minutes to discuss the level of complexity you want to work with, and then I shall give you a task to choose from."

What were the odds that the only time she had sat with him, this had to happen? She thought and glanced carefully at Draco, who hadn't moved an inch since she got there. Has someone done a Freezing Charm on him or something? 

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"It seems like we are stuck together," he said, putting on a fake smile. "So, how much do you want to suffer this term, Vitelli?" 

"I honestly don't care, Malfoy," said Arianna, bored. "Whatever you choose is fine by me… And just for you know, I'm not going to carry the whole project by myself." 

"Is that what you think of me?" scoffed Draco, lifting an eyebrow. "That I'm some sort of leech incapable of doing my own work?" 

"I just want to be clear," she said simply. But yes, that was precisely what she thought of him– That he was a spoiled boy who had everything he wanted without really working for it.  

"Fine," spat Draco, standing up. "I'll choose something fun." And went to the teacher's desk where students were lining up. 

She finally began taking her notebook and quill from her bag and wrote down the assignment deadline. Which was the first Thursday after Christmas break. Then she tried to appease her hair one more time while waiting for him. 

Draco came back with a parchment rolled and a grin on his face and offered the scroll to Arianna, who took it promptly and opened it. He had chosen a task with the highest level of complexity. They will have to do comprehensive research about the magical properties of the Fibonacci sequence, apply it to three different problems, and hypothesise other possible properties of the series. She looked up at him, perplexed. 

"I want to be well prepared for the O.W.L.," he said with a smug smile. "I hope you're up for the challenge." 

They agreed to start the research independently and meet every Wednesday at the library after dinner. 

"Would you stop?" groaned Draco from across the library table. Arianna lifted her head confused. "You're doing it again." He pointed out at her lollipop. 

"I really don't understand why it bothers you so much," she said, putting the sour-apple candy back in her mouth and flipping a page.

"The noises are distracting and annoying," said Draco, clenching his hands briefly. "You know, if you keep eating that many sweets, your teeth are going to fall out, and you're going to get fat." 

"Excuse me?!" exclaimed Arianna, taking the candy from her mouth. "I have excellent oral hygiene, for your information, and I'm not one of those witches obsessed by their weight, like your girlfriend, for example. I see her, and all I want to do is feed her scones." 

Draco laughed, like a genuine laugh that she had never heard from him. "My girlfriend?" he repeated, amused. "Who is my girlfriend, Vitelli? I think you know more about my love life than myself."

"Pansy Parkinson?" muttered Arianna while wondering why she had said that in the first place. 

He laughed again, louder, making a couple of students look towards them with frown faces, but he didn't seem to care. "She's just my friend," he said. 

Merlin, he's dense, thought Arianna. How couldn't he see that Parkinson was completely mental for him?

"Really? So why does she follow you like a puppy? Probably right now, she's looking for you all over the castle," said Arianna. He stared at her, a broad grin on his face. She shifted uncomfortably on her chair. Why didn't she just shut up? "Anyway, I'll stop with the lollipop if it bothers you so damn much."

She put the candy back on its wrap and resumed her reading but felt watched. 

"What?" spat Arianna, looking back at him.

"Is it true you're dating Nathan Chambers?" asked Draco, frowning slightly. 

"Uh... yeah… you could say that…" replied Arianna.

Draco scoffed. "Really? Him?" he said, lifting his eyebrows. "He's the worst Chaser on the Ravenclaw team."

Arianna chuckled. "Yes, Malfoy. Quidditch performance is on the top of my list when it comes to qualities I look for in a boy," she said, leaning back on her chair. "And it's not true– he's an excellent player. Better than the ones in your team… They are going to beat you in January." 

"We'll see about that," said Draco, sneering.

Arianna tried one more time to go back to her book and heard his quill scratching the parchment. Her body relaxed, and she began doing a numerical chart. 

Everything was flowing smoothly on her brain. She scribbled fast and easy. She was in the zone, and This Is The Night by the Weird Sisters started playing in her head, and she began humming the song until the lyrics escaped her lips and she sang lowly.  

"There was a time 

I would have walked on burning coals for you

Sailed across the ocean blue

Climbed the highest mountain

Just to call your name "

Then, Draco joined. 

"The moon throws down its light

And cuts me to the quick tonight "

Arianna lifted her gaze, and Draco did the same, and as they continued singing, a smile grew on their faces. 

"The change is in the air 

And nothing will ever be the same

You still look good to me

Oh, but you're not good for me "

They stopped and chuckled, keeping eye contact, and she felt a tingling on her stomach. Arianna looked down at her chart and continued with it while humming the rest of the song with a smile on her face. They worked for a few more minutes in silence until a girl's voice spoke. 

"Draco, I've been looking for you," said Pansy, coming from behind a bookshelf with the Greengrass sisters. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to be here? I also have a lot to–" her eyes landed on Arianna. "Why are you with her ?"

Arianna scoffed and gave Draco a look that meant: My point exactly. He smirked at her.

"We have an Arithmancy assignment together, Pans, don't overheat," explained Draco calmly.

"Sorry to hear you're stuck with Arianna Bastardi," said Astoria, sneering and making Daphne snigger.

Arianna rolled her eyes and then watched her with a stern look. Astoria's smirk faded, and her eyes bulged slightly before returning to her endless disdainful stare. Things between them had changed since Arianna's revenge last year. Even if Astoria couldn't prove it had been her, she knew Arianna was behind it. Since then, Astoria had stopped openly mocking her and settled with spreading rumours about her.

"It's fine, Parkinson," said Arianna harshly. "I'm leaving. It's almost curfew anyway… Malfoy, we can talk more about the assignment tomorrow after class." 

She didn't wait for a response, grabbed her book and her satchel, went on her feet and left. 

When she stepped out of the library, the corridor was utterly empty, she gazed at her watch, afraid that she wouldn't make it back to the Common Room in time, but it was only eight-thirty. It must be the Umbridge Effect, she thought. 

She caught a glimpse of a black cape turning over the corner and heard decisive steps marching down the hall. Arianna knew immediately who it was and went after him.

For a year, she had searched for her father's identity. She had questioned her mother's closest friends, had gone to the muggle hospital where she was born, read every single book on Genealogic Spells and Potions in the library, and nothing. 

Well, not nothing. She had discovered that there was a substance that could give her the answer she had been longing for all her life: the nullius filius potion. It was blood magic, and although it wasn't dark magic, it was considered its anteroom. Hence, the only place where she might find the formula was in the Restricted Section. 

Arianna turned around the corner and saw Professor Snape heading quickly towards the staircase. She quickened the pace. 

For weeks she had been pondering which of her teachers was best to ask for a note of permission to enter the Restricted Section. And somehow, she had deduced that Snape was her best shot. After all, Arianna was the best in Potions in her year. She always wrote essays that would return to her with a high grade and a small note from Snape recommending further literature. And as far as she knew, that was almost like a hug from him. 

In his way, Snape encouraged her passion and ability. Therefore he shouldn't find it strange that she wished to expand her knowledge. Right?

"Profesor Snape," called Arianna a few steps away from him.

Snape stopped and turned around; his eyebrow lifted when seeing her. 

"Miss Vitelli," he said with a low voice. "It's almost curfew... you should be heading to the Ravenclaw tower."

"I know, sir," said Arianna, clenching her satchel's handle nervously. "It's just that I saw you, and-and I've been meaning to ask you for a note to access the Restricted Section… You see, I'd like to deepen my research on Antidotes for Uncommon Poisons." 

Snape took a step closer to her and scrutinised her eyes, and she felt as if he was rummaging in her mind. His thin lips curved ever so slightly, and he took out his wand, materialising parchment and a quill that began writing on its own. Then he took the paper and rolled it into a small tight scroll, and handed it over to her. 

"You're not going to find what you're looking for in there, Miss Vitelli," he said, turning around and continuing his walk. "A piece of advice: don't waste your time on lost causes… you will end up disappointed ." 

Arianna frowned and watched Snape descending the staircase, disappearing from her view. And rather puzzled by her teacher's words, she wandered back to her dorm.

The day after, she spent hours digging in the Restricted Section and indeed, she found nothing. 

 

The next couple of Wednesdays went without any inconvenience. Except for the fact that Pansy would sit with them to do her "homework", but Arianna couldn't think of any course where you need to be well versed on The Daily Prophet's society pages and the Witch Weekly. At least Pansy was quiet most of the time, merely throwing her occasional scornful glares as she flipped a page from the magazine.

By the first Wednesday of December, they had finished the essay and worked on the applied part but still had to develop a hypothesis. And while Arianna headed towards the Great Hall for dinner, she feared that they wouldn't be done before Christmas break.

She searched the Ravenclaw table looking for Nathan and spotted him chatting with Cho Chang.

"Hey," said Arianna sitting next to Nathan and kissed him furtively. 

"I thought I wouldn't see you before quidditch," he said while tucking Arianna's hair behind her ear. 

"I had to rush back to the dorms and pick up things for my library session with Malfoy," explained Arianna, putting some roasted pumpkin and peas on her plate.

"You have group work with Malfoy? Why?" asked Cho, who sat across from them. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry!" 

"Don't worry about it," said Arianna. "I'm taking Arithmancy with the fifth-graders… long story."

"Oh, that's right… well, it sounds dreadful to have to work with him," said Cho and looked over her shoulder to the Slytherin table. Draco sat right behind them. "He's such a pest."

"I thought it would be worse, to be honest," said Arianna, glancing at Draco, who was making his friends laugh.

"I mean… seriously," said Cho, leaning forwards. "Because of him, half of the Gryffindor team got kicked out. Angelina is having a nightmare trying to put together the team again."

Arianna nodded. She knew he was a jerk, and still, there was a part of her that wanted to defend him. That was new.

"Anyway," said Nathan. "We've quidditch practise now, but I'll look for you after that." 

"Sure," said Arianna, taking her eyes off Draco. "Probably I'll be still at the library when you're done."

Nathan stood up, and Cho remained seated, staring down at her empty plate. 

"Cho," called Nathan. "Come on, we're going to be late."

"Why bother," said Cho, deflated. "I'm flying horribly. Roger should look for another Seeker." 

"Nonsense," said Nathan, smiling kindly. "It's just a bad streak; all of us have them. Let's go."

Cho sighed and went on her feet. They left the Great Hall, and shortly after, Arianna headed to the library.

It was the last week before Christmas break, and the library was utterly packed since everyone intended to finish as much homework as possible before the holidays. She searched for the table they always sat at, only to find Hermione Granger taking over the entire surface with dozens of books. 

Arianna continued her quest and found a small isolated desk next to a window. She took out parchment and quills, found a sour-apple lollipop at the bottom of the bag, and placed it on the table. Then she grabbed her copy of New Theory of Numerology and started reading. 

A moment later there was someone standing next to her.

"I've been looking for you for like an hour," said Draco, annoyed. "Couldn't you find a more secluded place?" 

"An hour? Merlin, you're dramatic," said Arianna, shaking her head. "This was the best I got… Maybe next time you can be here earlier for a change and pick one yourself." She flipped a page with more energy than necessary. 

He sat down and pulled out a notebook, parchments and quill from his satchel. 

"Where is your bodyguard?" asked Arianna, noticing that Pansy wasn't there. "Or is she sending one of the Greengrass sisters this time?"

"She couldn't join today, but I'll tell her you sent regards," said Draco, smirking.

"Please do," she said sarcastically. "Tell her she was terribly missed today." 

They stared at each other with a grin on their faces. His eyes dropped to the lollipop lying on the table. 

"Why do you like this muggle candy so much?" asked Draco, taking the candy. "How can this be better than any candy from Honeydukes?"

"I just like them better," she said simply, reaching for it. "And give me that, is the last one I got." 

Draco lifted his hand higher, making the candy out of her reach. She raised an eyebrow. 

"Malfoy…" said Arianna the same way a mother would warn her child when being naughty. 

Draco smiled. That fucking smile. "I'll give it back after we're done with our studies," he said and placed it in his pocket.

"Fair enough," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Let's get started then."

After working together for over a month, Arianna had discovered that Draco Malfoy was actually quite clever and efficient. He was good at finding shortcuts, deducing solutions with little information, and was incredibly organised and methodical. Moreover, his character was easygoing when he wasn't trying to draw attention to himself or a Gryffindor was around. And somehow, she wished she hadn't seen that side of him.

After an hour of working on one of the charts, they got stuck. 

"Fuck it!" said Draco, throwing his quill and running his fingers through his hair.

"I think we need a break," said Arianna, incapable of moving her eyes from the chart. "We need to take a step back and rethink the problem… Maybe we should sleep on it and talk tomorrow."

"Sure," said Draco and took a deep breath. "Vitelli, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we are not going to finish this bloody assignment before Christmas break." Arianna nodded slowly. "And as I was the one who chose it, I will finish it on my own." 

"No! Absolutely not!" said Arianna quickly. "We'll finish it together. Where do you want to meet?" 

"Are you sure?" asked Draco with an incredulous stare that quickly became a frown. "You don't think I'm capable of completing the project by myself, do you?" 

"Merlin," she said, rubbing her eyes. "It's not that I don't trust your abilities. Remember when I said that I'd not carry this by myself? Well, it works both ways –Sorry Malfoy, you're stuck with me." 

Draco watched her suspiciously. "Very well then. You can come over to the manor," he said. "Maybe there's a book or two at the library that can help us out."

Those words hit her like a slap from the Whomping Willow. The Malfoy's library was presumably one of the most extensive personal collections of magical books in Britain, with an incredible number of rare and Dark magic volumes. Maybe in those shelves, she could find what she had been looking for.

"Perfect," replied Arianna, happily. "Perhaps we should take a look at the Arithmancy section again. There's a book by a Turkish wizard that has some interesting ideas about numerology... It wouldn't hurt to check it out." 

He agreed, and both went, looking around at several unconventional titles and chose a couple of them that seemed interesting.

High up, a book caught Arianna's eye. She went on her tiptoes and stretched as much as she could, her fingertips barely touching the spine. Annoyed, she placed the books she carried on a shelf and tried again, almost climbing on the bookshelves. A hand came behind her and grabbed it effortlessly. 

"You're such a dwarf, Vitelli," said Draco, looking very satisfied with himself.

"I beg your pardon?" scoffed Arianna. "I have a perfectly normal height. I'm 5'5" (165cm)."

"Your friend Shacklebolt would have reached it without any problem." 

"You can't compare me with Blair!" said Arianna. "She has legs that go for miles! She could be a runway model if she wanted to."

"You could be a model too," said Draco smugly, giving her the book. "You know... if you would like to model for dwarfs and goblins." 

She grabbed the book and hit him with it. 

"Ouch!" screamed Draco.

"You're so bloody funny," said Arianna, not amused. "Can I have my lollipop, by the way? I believe we've finished studying."

"Sure," he said and pulled the sweet out of his pocket. "If you can reach it." And he lifted the lollipop slightly above his head.

"Ugh! You're such a child! Give me my candy Malfoy, or I'll hex you," demanded Arianna.

"Child?" he said, smiling broadly. "Says the one that is throwing a tantrum for a sweet." 

She couldn't help but smile too and tried to take it off his hand. She jumped, pulled, punched and tickled. But he kept switching the candy from hand to hand and pushing her playfully away. They wrestled for a couple of minutes between chuckles and smiles. 

"Stop already!" said Arianna, laughing. "Pince is going to kick us out." 

Arianna jumped higher than before, but this time, she tripped forwards. Draco's arm caught her by the waist, pressing her against his warm hard body. And their eyes met; she could see his iris' pattern and how blue they actually were. His scent hit her nose– fresh, green and earthy, like a forest. The heat in the library suddenly increased dramatically.

With a single hand, Draco pulled off the lollipop wrapper and put the candy in his mouth. Arianna went out of her trance and pushed him away, gasping. 

"That's absolutely barbaric! I can't believe you just did that!" she said.

"It's not bad," said Draco, pulling the sweet out of his mouth and inspecting it. "But I still prefer Honeydukes' sugar quills."

Arianna took the opportunity and seized the lollipop from his hand, putting it in her mouth, and walked away, feeling a fluttering on her stomach and her knees extremely weak.

"You're so gross, Vitelli," he said, amused, following her down the alley. "It was in my mouth." 

"Just to be clear– You're saying your mouth is disgusting, is that right?" 

They turned around the corner, and she saw a familiar face.

"Nathan!" said Arianna, stumbling a bit. "What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting in the common room."

Nathan sat at their table with a book in hand, and as soon as he laid eyes on Draco, he went on his feet.

"No, I said I'll look for you after my quidditch practice," clarified Nathan calmly, glaring at Draco. "Malfoy."

"Chambers," replayed Draco coldly and left the books over the table. 

In a matter of seconds, both became taller. Their backs strengthened, and their muscles tensed.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Nathan, looking back at Arianna. "Don't want you to walk back alone so close to curfew... Corridors aren't safe these days."

"I think Vitelli is perfectly capable of finding her way back without any issue," said Draco with a forced smile. 

Arianna looked back and forth between them. What was happening? 

She removed her sweet from her mouth. "We're actually done for today, Nate," she said carefully. Nathan's eyes fixed on Draco's. "I just need to gather my things and have a quick chat with Malfoy, and then we can go. You can wait for me outside if you want to."

"I'll wait right here," said Nathan decisively, giving Draco his undivided attention.

Draco leaned back against a bookshelf, his hands on his pockets, holding his gaze. Arianna moved quickly, packing all her things as fast as she could without looking too eager. She grabbed the three books they just got from the shelves.

"Which one do you want?" asked Arianna to Draco.

"The last one we took," he said, still looking at Nathan. "It kind of has a sentimental value to me now." 

Arianna gave him the book, and Nathan put his arm around her shoulders and dragged her away.

"See you tomorrow, Vitelli," said Draco, still leaning against the shelves. 

She glanced back at him, confused, and waved goodbye. 

"Would you care to explain what was all that about?" asked Arianna to Nathan after they had left the library. 

"What do you mean?" said Nathan, frowning.

"You know what I mean… that… animosity ." 

"Animosity? In that case, I would like to ask you about that friendliness . It's Draco Malfoy we are talking about. Since when did the two of you get along so well?"

"We are just doing an assignment together, and he's not such a jerk when he's alone."

"I wonder why," groaned Nathan. 

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, pushing her eyebrows together.

Nathan laughed. "You can't seriously be so naïve. It's obvious that he fancies you," he said, walking faster.

"No, he doesn't!" quarreled Arianna. "Do I really need to remind you what all the Slytherins think of me? None of them would ever be interested in someone like me."

"They might not be interested in dating you. But that doesn't mean that they don't want other things from you," he growled. 

She stopped, feeling awkward. He stopped as well and looked back at her. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes dark.

"Let's say that he, or whoever, has an interest in me. I'm still with you, don't you trust me?" asked Arianna, and his expression softened a bit.

"I trust you… I don't trust him ," he answered. 

Arianna took a deep breath, aware that she wasn't going to win any argument here. Her hand reached for his, and they continued walking to the Ravenclaw tower.




Chapter 10: VERITAS VINCITI

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

 

A month had passed since Arianna returned to England, and by the end of July, her routine was pretty well set and her new life had fallen into place. 

 

Her everyday life consisted of early mornings practicing in the Duelling Hall at the Auror Training Facilities, followed by a very well earned hour in the pool before heading to work. And each Thursday, she would attend the Investigation Department's meetings and have drinks afterwards with the team, except for Draco, who was never short on excuses. Narcissa expected her at the manor every Sunday afternoon, and on Saturday mornings, she would hang out with Harry and talk about Sirius.

The emotional crisis she experienced had mellowed down considerably. She had even made it to the four-floor of Grimmauld Place, although she still didn't dare to enter her father’s room. Undoubtedly, much of her progress was thanks to Harry, who was incredibly patient and had learned to recognize when something was too much for her. But above all, he made her feel like she wasn't alone, that she had someone walking beside her on this journey. 

On the last Thursday of July, Arianna finished her duties at the Department of International Magical Cooperation earlier than usual and headed to the Auror Office half an hour before the meeting, thinking that it would be a good idea to review her notes beforehand.

When she got to the conference room, she placed her wand on the doorknob and muttered "veritas vinciti". She pushed the door open and discovered that she wasn't the first one to arrive. Draco, Kron and Harry were already there, going through their files. They lifted their gaze at her as she entered the room. 

Intuitively she straightened her black pencil dress. She always wore black on Thursdays; it had become her uniform. Arianna had noticed that, in a way, everyone had one. Kron invariably had on a t-shirt, showcasing his tattoos. Harry dressed clean and casual, with jeans and a dark colour jumper or shirt. And Draco, without fail, would wear a pair of well-tailored black trousers and a white or grey shirt. Today it was white, and its sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing his scarred Dark Mark.

Draco’s gaze dropped immediately back to his papers and Harry greeted her with a nod before reassuming his reading.  

"You're oddly early today," said Kron, grinning, and walked to the small table in the corner, where a french press, an old fashioned teapot and several matching cups stood.

"I thought it'd be nice to have some tea before starting," said Arianna heading towards him. 

Kron poured coffee into a large mug. "Pixie kept me up all night," he said, winking. "This is like my tenth cup of coffee."

"So, when are we going to meet this Pixie girl you don't shut up about?" asked Arianna playfully and reached for the teacup.

"Never," explained Kron simply. "We aren't dating, just fucking. But if you really want to meet her, I know she's open to threesomes." 

"I'll think about it," said Arianna laughing and added a small splash of milk in her cup. 

"Potter, Malfoy," called Kron, and both looked their way. "Tea? Coffee? Heroin? A hug?"

"Tea," replied both in unison and went back to their files.

"How rude. Not even a thank you," whispered Kron jokingly.

A chuckle escaped her, and she fetched two more mugs, pouring tea on them. She added milk and one sugar spoon in Harry's cup and then stared at Draco's plain tea. 

"Do you still drink it with two spoons of brown sugar?" she asked automatically and glanced back at Draco. The three men looked at her, surprised.

"I do," he answered, leaning back in his chair and frowning slightly.

Quickly she turned and added the sugar, regretting asking that. She handed the cup to Kron, and she took hers and Harry's to the table, sitting next to him and across from Draco.

"Thanks," said Harry, taking his cup and sipping it.

"Maybe I put too much milk on it," said Arianna worryingly.

"Nah, It's good," replied Harry and glanced at her tea. "So, how do you drink it?" 

"Milk, no sugar," answered Draco without lifting his eyes from the document.

Kron and Harry exchange a quick sceptical stare. 

Arianna opened and closed her mouth stupidly. "Yeah, that's how," she mumbled.

She took out her notes, and everyone kept doing their thing in silence until she felt observed and looked up. Draco watched her while moving his quill between his fingers. They stared at each other for a moment, and then he cleared his throat and looked away. 

"I think we are overlooking something," said Draco. 

"At what?" asked Harry, crossing his arms.

"His son," said Draco, throwing a photograph in the middle of the table. 

It was a picture of a young man with wavy sandy hair, a short beard and pale green eyes. Instantly, Arianna felt nauseous and closed her eyes. She knew he would come up sooner or later, but still, she wasn't prepared to discuss him. 

"Isn't he dead?" asked Harry, searching through a pile of papers .

"He was killed," clarified Draco.

"And?" asked Harry.

"The circumstances of his death and the lack of retribution puzzles me," explained Draco, rubbing his chin. Just as his mother usually did when thinking.

"Wasn't he murdered at Beauxbatons?" asked Harry, pulling a parchment from the file.

"Yeah, for being a fucking paedophile," added Kron angrily. "He deserved it." 

Arianna will positively barf soon. Her pulse was quick, and her hands and forehead were becoming sweaty. She tried to stay as calm as possible, but the room felt smaller and smaller by the second. 

"All right," said Harry, skimming through the paper. "Alaric Rudenschöld was killed in the summer of 96' and was 30 years old…He was working as a summer substitute teacher under the fake name of Sigmund Gyldenhoff and was stabbed to death by a student he sexually assaulted… Allegedly, she's free and alive... There's nothing else." He flipped the paper over, searching for more.

"It's confidential information," explained Kron, scratching his jaw. "She was a minor and a rape victim, and therefore, her identity and details are protected." 

"Why does that puzzle you?" asked Harry, frowning.  

"She's still alive," said Draco.

"And?!" asked Kron indignantly. "You're not going to tell me that Rudenschöld is pissed at the girl his son raped. It was self-defence, and he was a fucking pervert–that’s what got him killed."

"I doubt that's the way he's looking at it," said Draco standing up, scrutinizing the wall full of pictures and notes. "Alaric was his only son. He was his heir, not only to Rudenschöld fortune but to the movement. And we know that Rudenschöld is not the forgiving type– he would look for revenge. So why is she still alive?"

"Because Rudenschöld is a hunter and a strategist," explained Arianna weakly, feeling her heart on her throat. Everyone looked at her, remembering she was in the room. "He isn't going to kill her until it's her time."

"Revenge is a dish best served cold," said Draco and pinned the picture in the wall. "I can see that. Vengeance is more satisfying if made when long feared and expected… He's torturing her... she probably knows that he's coming for her."

Arianna swallowed, her hands trembling a little. The walls kept on closing.

"So, eventually, he would go after her," said Harry, visibly concerned. "Is she in hiding? Is the French government watching over her?" 

"There's no information about it," said Kron and took a sip from his coffee. "But we can send an owl to France asking for the confidential files regarding Alaric Rudenschöld." 

"Is that really necessary?" asked Arianna, with her voice as steady as she could. "I'm pretty sure that they are taking care of her."

"But don't you see it?" said Draco pointing at the file. "If there's someone that we know he's going for, we could catch him. It's a matter of time until he decides to take his revenge. And it's a personal thing. He is not going to send anyone to do the job– He would do it himself!"

"I see your point," said Harry, leaning forwards. "Maybe we should contact her, offer her protection and–"

"It sounds like you want to use her as bait!" interrupted Arianna, offended.

"Yes," said Draco, smirking. "But from my point of view, it would be a win-win situation."

"Nice," said Kron, nodding. "We can ask Wilkinson to request the confidential files. Good one Malfoy, love your twisted mind."

It was hard to concentrate on the meeting with Alaric's photograph pinned in the wall facing her. Sure enough, they asked Wilkinson for the French files, and he accepted. Which made Arianna feel as she was standing on quicksand, slowly dragging her down and drowning her.

As customary, the moment the session was over, Wilkinson left promptly, and Arianna followed him to the hallway, where he was already expecting her. 

"Please," said Arianna with begging eyes.

"I'm sorry, Vitelli," said Wilkinson, with a mix of compassion and determination. "I cannot hinder information to the investigation team. You knew this was a possibility."

"But, sir–"

"You should tell them," cut in Wilkinson. "You have two weeks. After that, I'll request the files to France." And without saying anything further, he turned around and left. 

She abhorred the idea of telling them. The thought of them knowing about her darkest deepest secret made her sick. She didn't want to be treated as a victim and see their eyes full of pity every time they looked at her. Everyone will change, again, just as it did when it happened. 

Like a zombie, she returned to the conference room to gather her things. Everyone chatted excitedly, and then Harry announced something, but everything sounded like distorted noises to her. 

"Arianna, will you go?" asked Angelina lively. 

"Sorry, what?" asked Arianna and realized that everyone was already on her feet and ready to leave but her.

Angelina chuckled nervously and exchanged a look with Lee. "To Harry's birthday party."

Instantly Arianna deduced that Harry had just invited them to that, but she had missed all the details. When? Where? What time? 

"I– I don't know," answered Arianna, feeling ashamed and then lied. "I might have something that day." And glanced at Harry apologetically. 

"It's all right," said Harry, shrugging. "Don't worry. It's a very last-minute thing."

"So…pub?" asked Kron, already by the door.

"Of course," said Lee and moved towards the entrance.

"I think I'll pass today," said Arianna. "I've got some things to do."

"No worries," said Lee. "There's always next Thursday and the one after that."

"Malfoy, are you going to bail on us one more time?" asked Angelina. 

"No, Johnson," said Draco, smirking, and joined Kron. "Today is your lucky day. Moody Mandrake?"

"Hell yeah!" said Kron and patted Draco on the back.

Could he be more obvious? Thought Arinna and finished packing her things. Evidently, Draco really didn't want to be in the same room as her as much as strictly necessary.

Everyone left, closing the door behind them. Arianna fetched Alaric's picture from the wall, ripped it off into several pieces, holding her tears. Then she went to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. There was a password, but she couldn't remember it. Her brain had stopped working.

She wrestled desperately with the doorknob and cast an Alohomora , but the door didn't yield. Looking back to the windowless dim room, she felt panic flooding through her veins, and the walls enclosed her in a second. 

The room became smaller and smaller, suffocating her. The air on the lungs was gone, and her vision turned into a tunnel. She began panting and hit the door hard. Hoping someone could hear her. Everything went completely dark, and she began to slide down the wall, hearing hundreds of clocks ticking in her head. She was certain she would die.

And then someone called her name, like a faraway echo. Two arms held her and pulled her up. 

"Arianna, look at me," said a distant voice. 

"Man," said another remote voice. "I think we should take her to the infirmary."

"No," mumbled Arianna, barely audible. "I'm fine... door … won't open."

She partially gained her vision back, and her eyes focused, finding very close a couple of green eyes behind a pair of glasses. And she knew Harry was the one holding her, keeping her from falling. She looked over to the door and saw Lee's blurry figure.

"Are you claustrophobic or something?" asked Lee. 

"I'm taking you home," said Harry decisively. "Lee, you go with the others. I'll see you tomorrow."

"No, I'm fine", insisted Arianna, trying to stand by herself but stumbled and placed both hands on the wall as support. 

"Yeah, you're not," said Harry. 

Why does Harry always have to see me like this? Weak and pathetic. She thought. He was probably disappointed that she was Sirius's child. 

"Yes, I am, Potter!" she yelled angrily and took a couple of staggering steps and the whole room spined. Harry caught her again. "Go to the Moody Mandrake with the rest."

"You're so bloody stubborn, Black," spat Harry, irritated. "I'm taking you home. Then I'll go to the fucking pub if that's so damn important for you."

This time she didn't quarrel back. It was the first time anyone had ever called her "Black". Harry held her by the waist and led her down the hallway, with Lee shadowing them. 

"Don't tell anyone about this," demanded Arianna.

"It's a phobia," said Lee. "You shouldn't be ashamed of–"

"Don't tell anyone, I said," she repeated.

"We won't," said Harry and Lee didn't argue. 

They used Wilkinson personal Floo, and Harry took her to her empty flat and she rested on the chaise while Harry brewed her tea. He stayed with her until Padma arrived and invited her to his birthday party on Saturday evening at his house. 

A moment before Harry stepped into the chimney, Arianna wondered something.

"Harry," she called him weakly, and he turned back. "Why did you come back to the conference room?"

"I had the feeling I had forgotten something," he said and walked into the emerald flames. A moment later, he had vanished.

 

By Saturday evening, she had reconsidered many times whether to attend the party or not, as she felt exhausted. Since Thursday, she had been nauseous and irritable, and her restless nights didn't help. It was so her anguish that she seriously considered quitting the investigation team and moving eight time zones away. But she wasn't fleeing, not anymore.

It certainly would have been easier if she hadn't befriended half of the team. The regret of not coming clean when she started, ate her inside. Now she felt like it was too late, that there wasn't a proper way of doing it. And she decided to wait as long as she could and enjoy their untainted friendship while it lasted. 

After Padma had changed her outfit nearly a dozen times, they both Apparated outside Harry's place. It was a large beautiful brick house on the outskirts of a small town near London. All the lights were off, but they could hear distant music playing and the sound of people chatting. 

Arianna carried a thin large square gift wrapped in a shiny purple wrap and began walking towards the fence when she noticed that Padma was lagging behind and looked back.

"Maybe I should have picked the violet dress," said Padma nervously. "This skirt makes my legs look shorter and fatter."

"You look good," said Arianna for the millionth time that evening and wondered why her friend was so anxious. 

"You look gorgeous in that red dress," said Padma, glancing at her outfit. "And I look like– like a–"

"You look beautiful, Padma!" exclaimed Arianna, fetching her friend's hand, and dragging her inside. 

They crossed the fence and walked around the building, encountering a vast yard with tall trees and a small pond. Multiple colourful lights lit up the place, and a long table with drinks and snacks stood near the back entrance.

It looked like a school reunion. There were several DA’s original members, and other Gryffindors Arianna just knew by sight. Half of the party surrounded George Weasley and Lee Jordan, who made their spectators blast with laughter. Near a tree, Luna talked with Seamus Finnigan, Parvati Patil and Susan Bones. The golden trio was hanging out with Cho Chang. And further away, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini and Astor Kron observed the party all dressed in black, looking very out of place.

"What on earth is Malfoy doing here?" asked Padma, who had noticed him as well. "And who is the guy with the mohawk?"

"I think he works with Harry and Angelina," said Arianna, who hadn't told anyone about her secret job. "But I've no clue why Malfoy and Blaise are here, though."

Harry had invited everyone from the team to his party, but she never imagined that Draco would actually come. It's not like they were exactly friends.

The girls went to get drinks. There were various beverages to choose from: beer, butterbeer, mead, and blue shots with a sign that read "Courtesy of George Weasley". Padma downed two shots, and Arianna took one to inspect it. She smelt it and identified several ingredients, but as she wasn't sure what it did, she put it down and took a beer instead. Then they walked towards the birthday boy who wore red today and was walking away from his friends.

"Happy birthday, Harry!" screamed Padma. He turned back and she ran to hug him. 

"Thanks, Padma," said Harry, grinning widely.

Then Padma rushed to Cho, who waved enthusiastically at her. Harry's gaze drifted towards Arianna, and his eyes opened wider.

"You came… I thought you had a thing," he said, somewhat surprised and moved closer.

Arianna bit her lip. "Well… I'm here," she said, feeling a bit silly. "So... Happy birthday, Harry." 

She walked towards him to hug him. Though it became more complicated than it seemed. She leaned towards her right, but Harry mirrored her and almost bumped into her face, so she shifted to the other side, and he did the same. Arianna stepped back and began laughing. Harry smiled and scratched his head. 

"Just don't move," she said, chuckling and finally hugged him. He smelt good. A whiff of something fresh, citrusy and woody hit her nose. She released him and stared into his eyes. It wasn't awkward anymore. 

"Oh, here," she said, handing him the gift. "I hope you like it. I didn't know what to get you, and then I thought… Well, this is the album Sirius was complaining about in that letter… the one your dad hadn't returned to him."

Harry tore the purple paper at once and threw it carelessly to the ground. "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars?" he read and chuckled. "Thanks."

"David Bowie," she said, excited. "I hope you like it. Your dad certainly did if he never returned my dad's copy... It's one of my favourites too."

A loud explosion came from behind them. They turned around and saw a big flame coming from a bush next to George, who attempted to put out the fire, and Harry left promptly to help out.

Hermione and Ron approached and stood close to her watching the chaos in front of them.

"I told you he would end up burning something," said Hermione, who held Ron by the waist, and he had his arm around her shoulder. 

"You should've bet on it then," Ron said. 

"George and explosive candies… not a good mix," said Hermione and glanced to her right. "Arianna? You came!... Harry said you weren't coming."

"Well… I'm here," said Arianna and chuckled nervously. 

For Hermione had returned to Hogwarts to finish her education, both had shared most of their classes together and were friendly with each other. Hermione approached her and gave her a hug, something that Arianna found rather odd but accepted it gladly. 

"I don't think you've met Ron," said Hermione, and Ron waved at her. 

"I got your card on the last Chocolate Frog I bought," said Arianna clumsily, unsure of what to say. 

"You did?" asked Ron, lifting his eyebrow, and then leaned forwards. "Be honest– Do you think my nose looks too long?"

"Oh, God," exclaimed Hermione, touching her forehead. "Would you stop with that?"

"Easy for you to say," said Ron resentfully. "You and Harry look great. I tell you, the painter got mad at me for laughing at his moustache."

"He did not; he was very professional," argued Hermione. "And you shouldn't have done that."

"It was ridiculous, Hermione, even you laughed," said Ron and chuckled.

"I did not!" quarrelled Hermione and looked away into the party. "I found it odd, but I did not– Nathan!" 

Arianna then gazed to her left and saw Nathan, her Nathan, walking directly towards them with a big confident smile on his face, wearing a dark blue shirt and jeans. 

"Hey, sorry I'm so late," said Nathan to Hermione. "I had tons of documents to go through."

"Why are you working on a Saturday?" asked Ron incredulously. 

"Ron," whispered Hermione, scolding  him. 

"Not everybody can play quidditch for a living," Nathan said, giving Ron brotherly pats on the back.

"Did you check the document I sent Friday evening?" asked Hermione eagerly. 

"I did. I added them to the pile for the Wizengamot," said Nathan and hugged Arianna briefly as a greeting. "Did you meet with the leader of the pack?

"Yes, last Thursday," answered Hermione, lowering her voice and stepping away from Ron. 

"How did it go?" asked Nathan, giving her his undivided attention. 

"Better than before," replied Hermione. "Do you want something to drink?"

Nathan and Hermione headed to the refreshment table, and Arianna and Ron stared at them as they abandoned them. They looked at each other, and Ron shrugged. 

"There she goes," he said and sighed. "Saving one oppressed group at a time." 

"Only if it was that easy," muttered Arianna. 

"Let's go over there," proposed Ron, fixing his eyes on someone. "I've a thing or two to say to the ferret." 

And decisively, Ron walked towards a group not far away, where Draco, Blaise, Padma and Cho were. Arianna followed him, slightly preoccupied, only to discover that what Ron needed to vent to Draco was about the Quidditch World Cup. The result was that she ended up caught in the middle of a very heated discussion where Ron and Blaise stood on one side and Draco and Cho on the other, while Padma disagreed with everyone. 

Annoyed once again because Draco refused to even look at her, Arianna searched around, wondering where Harry was or if Nathan had stopped discussing the new Werewolf Legislations. When she found Nathan, he was no longer with Hermione but with Susan Bones. 

Susan touched his arm suggestively, laughing and blushing. Nathan was witty, but he wasn't that funny, thought Arianna. And he seemed to enjoy the attention; she knew that flirtatious smile so well. Arianna felt a twist on her stomach and looked away. Were they dating? Was he also shagging Susan Bones? After all, it was her fault for avoiding "the talk" with Nathan, even worse, for avoiding "the talk" with herself about Nathan. 

It would be fantastic to say that she had stopped having sex with him after her return to England. It would be wonderful if it was true. But as Arianna had found out, it was hard to give up a good fuck. He was hot, he knew what she liked and how she liked it and was bloody good at it. 

"Are we boring you, Vitelli?" asked Draco. 

"Uh?" exclaimed Arianna, coming back to reality. 

Everyone chuckled.

"Arianna doesn't like quidditch," said Blaise, teasing. "It's too mundane for her." 

"I do like quidditch!" said Arianna defensively. "I'm just not a quidditch nerd like all of you." 

"Sure," said Cho, smiling. Her hair had become blue and Padma’s too. Arianna suspected the shots had something to do with it.

"It's true! I enjoy it very much," insisted Arianna, "I never missed a game at Hogwarts."

Padma laughed. "Yeah, but that's because you have a thing for quidditch players."

"I do not!" yelled Arianna on a high-pitch, her cheeks getting warm.

"Yes, you do," Padma insisted. "You and Blair loved to play that little game during quidditch."

Arianna gave her a deadly look, she loved Padma, but that woman didn't know when to shut up after a few drinks.

"Oh, yeah! I loved that game," said Cho enthusiastically. "It was so much fun! Even the Slytherins played it."

"What game?" asked Ron, frowning. 

Padma and Cho began giggling, and Arianna rolled her eyes.

"Come on, just tell us," asked Blaise, a big grin on his face.

"Do tell us," said Draco, and glanced at Arianna, "How did Shacklebolt keep Vitelli from falling asleep during the games?" 

"That's a tad too dramatic, Malfoy," said Arianna. "Blair was merely spicing things up for everyone, and not only for my benefit."

"How did the Queen B spice things up, then?" asked Draco, folding his arms.

"Oh, it was a stupid game that we adored," said Cho, beaming. "It's called 'Veela's Verdict'."

The boys exchanged a look, and Arianna touched her forehead, looking down. 

"So, how do you play that?" asked Ron, tilting his head.

"It's very simple," said Padma. "You throw around three player's names, and then you have to tell who you would rather Kill, Snog or Marry." 

"Why would you do that?" uttered Ron, scandalized, his face turning red as his hair.

"We're Ravenclaws," explained Arianna, amused by Ron's reaction. "We have the inherent need to classify things." 

"So, what was the average answer for these guys?" asked Blaise excitedly, pointing at Draco and Ron.

"I don't want to know that!" gasped Ron. 

Cho and Padma began giggling again.

"We can't say that!" said Padma.

"At least tell me Draco's", pushed Blaise.

Draco raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't think Malfoy wants that kind of information divulged," chuckled Padma. 

"No, I'm actually curious," said Draco calmly. "Tell me."

"Really?!" exclaimed Cho, her eyes bulging.

Arianna remained quiet and still, avoiding everyone's stare, wishing she could merge with the ground and vanish. But felt eyes fixated on her, and she lifted her gaze to find Blaise scrutinizing her.

"Probably it was 'kill'," said Blaise. "Or what did you used to say, Vitelli?"

Arianna glared at him with hate. She was going to strangle him. 

"It really depended on the names," intervened Cho. "Like if you got Flint, Malfoy, and McLaggen."

"That's a tough one," mumbled Ron.

Everyone chuckled, but Arianna and Draco.

"I'll not get offended, Vitelli. Tell me," demanded Draco.

"I'm not going to tell you!" yelled Arianna, feeling the childish need to run. She glanced quickly at Padma, searching for help but she was too entertained caressing Cho's long blue hair. 

"Why not?" asked Draco, irritated. "You have been talking behind my back for years, apparently, so I have the right to know." 

Arianna scoffed. "Talking behind your–?"

"I know! I know!" interrupted Padma, almost jumping.

"Padma!" yelped Arianna.

"That's enough," said Nathan coldly, standing behind Arianna and staring sternly at Draco. 

Indignantly, Arianna turned around and headed towards the house. She felt Nathan following her and glanced back, just to discover he had been intercepted by Susan again. 

The house was dark and she opened the first door to her right and found a study. There was a perfectly organized desk and she sat on one of its chairs. The only light in the room came from the lanterns in the garden. She tried to calm down her anger. Blaise was dead, she would kill him tomorrow, and Padma was next. The door opened, and Nathan approached in the shadows. 

"Found you," he said playfully, and moved her way.

Arianna said nothing. She was pissed at him too. 

"Are you all right? You know how Padma gets when she drinks," he said, searching her face, and she avoided his eyes. "Arianna?" 

"I would like to be alone for a moment, thank you," she said, crossing her legs.

"Why does it bother you so much?" he asked, slightly angered. "What was the answer? For the look of it, it was definitely not 'kill'." 

"Why do you care? It's not like we're dating," spat Arianna, aware that she was out of line.

A heavy silence grew in the room.

"We were back then, weren't we?" said Nathan coldly.

"It's just a stupid game."

"So why does it bother you so much then?!" 

"Are you going out with Susan?" asked Arianna, making eye contact for the first time.

"What?"

"Are you dating Susan Bones… or shagging her or something?"

"Why do you care?" said Nathan angrily. "I thought we weren't dating." 

"I'll take that as a yes," said Arianna and looked away.

"Arianna," he said, exasperated. 

"Just answer my question, Nathan," she demanded and stood up.

"I like to hang out with her," he said. "We've been working together for a while. Nothing has happened."

"Do you fancy her?" asked Arianna, folding her arms. "Are you planning on asking her out?" 

He sighed. "She is smart and quite cute, and we have a lot in common. It has crossed my mind." 

Arianna moved away from him. She couldn't hear that. And while conscious of how selfish and unfair she was, she couldn't help but feel jealous. Nathan had always been there for her. Even after what had happened.

"Aria," he said softly, turning her over. 

Arianna kept avoiding his eyes, and he took her chin and lifted it up. Their eyes met. Instinctively, almost as a reflex, she placed her hand on the back of his neck and brought him closer to her. 

Nathan kissed deeply, and she grabbed his hair. She wanted her head to be fuzzy, to stop thinking, worrying and feeling. To forget all. Everyone. Him

His hands slid from her lower back to her ass, grabbing her flesh firmly, and in response, she bit his lip. 

"Fuck me," she whispered. 

"Here?"

"Uh-huh…"

"Aren't you full of surprises?" he muttered, and his hands went under her skirt and pulled down her knickers, then he took her to the desk and sat her there, tossing her lace red panties away.

She opened her legs widely and threw her head back, and his lips found their way to her neck and his hands to her tits. He sucked her and clenched hard, and she moaned softly.

"You look so bloody sexy in this dress," he groaned and pulled up her skirt and dragged her closer to the desk' edge, grabbing her thighs.

Dizzy and warm, she unzipped his jeans, and her hand wandered inside, feeling how hard he was for her. Then he pulled her hair lifting her face towards him and kissed her ardently.

The door of the study opened, and both immediately stopped and looked over. A tall silhouette stood on the door threshold. And even if she couldn't see his face, she knew who it was. 

Draco remained silent and still for a moment. "It's time for cake," he said darkly and left, leaving the door wide open.

Frozen, she stared at the spot where he had just been and felt suddenly warm out of embarrassment. Arianna pushed Nathan away, standing up. 

"Nate," she said decisively, suddenly aware of what she needed to do."We need to talk." 

Nathan exhaled and moved away, pulling up his zipper. "Now?" he asked.

"No," she said, closing her eyes. "I want to go home… I had a very long week. I shouldn't have come."

He nodded. "I think I'll do the same –I'm exhausted...I’ll look for you tomorrow." Nathan kissed her cheek softly and left. 

Arianna stayed a while longer, trying to process the rush of feelings and thoughts that were drowning her. 

She was aware that having a boyfriend while a Dark wizard could come and cut her throat at any given moment was a terrible idea. It had been reckless of her to have a relationship with Neville. She knew that, but she had fallen in love, and now she couldn't allow herself to make the same mistake again. The fear of putting people she loved in danger was the main reason she had left England in the first place. 

And the truth was that even if she cared about Nathan and the sex was great, she wasn't in love with him. He was, however, one of her best friends, and she didn't want to jeopardize what they had. Now she just hoped he felt the same way. 

After gathering herself, she left the house using the front door without saying goodbye, thinking to owl Harry apologizing for leaving without notice.

Outside, the air was colder than before. A fresh draft lifted her dress, and she rubbed her arms while walking the cobbled path that led to the street. She crossed the main gate and was about to Apparate when a voice spoke.

"Are you back together?" asked Draco, who leaned against the wall. "You really move fast, don't you?"

Arianna took a deep breath, trying not to go insane. "Malfoy, I'm leaving," she said tiredly. "Good night."

"What did you used to say about me, Vitelli?" he said, his expression serene, and walked towards her.

"Would you drop that already?!" said Arianna, irritated. "It's just a stupid game from many years ago. I don't even remember." 

"I think you do," said Draco slowly, moving closer.

"Fine!" she spat. "I do remember, and I choose not to tell you, satisfied?"

"Not even close," he said with a deep voice. She could see fire on his icy eyes. "Do you usually get caught in dark rooms? Do you like that?"

Arianna felt her blood boiling. "Piss off, Malfoy," she said between her teeth.

He came even closer, leaned forwards and whispered in her ear. "I think you do," he groaned and his voice made her shiver. "I think you like getting caught."

"Please, step back," asked Arianna. Draco didn't move. 

"Do you wanna know something?" continued Draco slowly, his lips brushing her ear. "I still can hear you moaning my name."

Arianna felt like an electric charge went through her body. 

"Vaffanculo !" she cursed, shoving him away. "Why don't you tell Astoria that little trivia?!" 

He stared at her with a mix of rage and satisfaction. 

"Tell me what you said about me, Vitelli!" he demanded, angered. "Which one was my word?!"

"Merlin! Would you fucking let it go?!" screamed Arianna holding her head. "I'm not going to tell you, Malfoy. You're going to die without knowing. But here is a hint: it was always the same fucking answer!"

She took a few steps back, turned on her heels and Apparated.   



Notes:

FYI: I'll start publishig on Thurdays instad of Sundays!

Chapter 11: December 1995

Chapter Text

Christmas break 1995.

"This is ridiculous," Arianna muttered while sitting at the edge of the bed in her small room. A massive pile of clothes laid on the floor, the blue armchair was topped with jumpers and skirts, and the bed was covered in dresses. She had nothing to wear; everything she owned was useless. What is appropriate attire for studying at the Malfoy Manor anyway? What colour should she wear? Pink was childish, red was too Gryffindor, green was too Slytherin, grey was dull, yellow was too on-your-face, black was depressing and blue was too house-pride. She groaned and laid back on her bed.

Arianna was back home for Christmas break. She and Draco had agreed on meeting a couple of days before the holidays to finish the Arithmancy assignment, and she was supposed to be at the manor in half an hour, which provoked her high levels of distress.

The thought of her mother finding out where she was going didn't help either. Agata loathed Lucius Malfoy to a degree where she could rant about him for hours. Which gave no other choice than to lie to her, telling her that she would be all day at Blair's.

She took the garments she hated the least and put them in a blue backpack. There was a knock on the door, and her mother opened it before she could reply, as she always did, and went inside. She wore a long red dress and she had on lipstick, which she rarely did.

Her mom had been acting odd since the summer. She had been putting more effort than usual into looking good. But the most strange of all was her mood. Either she was frowning worryingly at nothing or had a silly smile on her face. Arianna could bet her wand that she was seeing someone.

Agata's eyes immediately laid on the piles of clothes in her room and arched her eyebrows.

"I'm decluttering," explained Arianna quickly. "I have a lot of old things I don't use anymore."

"What's in the bag?" asked Agata, glancing at her backpack.

"Some dresses," said Arianna, trying to sound casual. "I want Blair's opinion on what to wear for New Year's Eve ." 

"I see," said Agata, looking inquisitively at her. "Anyway, send my regards to Blair, and I shall see you back at seven on the dot."

"Yes, mamma," replied Arianna and took her school bag, crossing it over her chest. "Are you going to the ministry today?"

"Just for a couple of hours," said Agata and sighed. "Things have been quite hectic since the incident."

"The one you can't tell me anything about?"

"I'm an Unspeakable after all, aren't I?" said Agata and winked. "I'll see you back for dinner and don't be late, Anna...And don't leave Blair's house. Remember that Dumbledore believes that You-Know-Who is back, and he's rarely mistaken."

Her mom gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll be back at seven," muttered Arianna while grabbing her backpack and putting a strap over her shoulder. Her mother threw some Floo powder into the fireplace, and Arianna walked into the green flames and articulated Blair's address.

Once at Blair's, they went through her outfits, and both decided that there was nothing in there she could use, so in the end, Arianna borrowed a simple knee-length navy blue dress with long sleeves and an off-the-shoulder neckline. She paired it with black tights and her black ankle boots and left her hair loose, as always. It was impossible not to feel like she was getting ready for a date instead of studying the magical property of numbers for six hours. 

Sneakily, Arianna left the Shacklebolt's residence and took the Knight Bus. And after a few minutes of a rather scary ride, she found herself in front of a grand iron gate and stared disbelievingly at the massive breath-taking building passing through it.

It was a cold, foggy day, and she felt shivers down her spine; either it was due to the weather or the idea of walking into that house. She searched around, trying to figure out how she was supposed to announce her arrival when suddenly, a voice coming from the gate talked with a harsh cold voice "State your name and purpose," it said. 

Arianna took a few steps back, clenching her satchel, then she cleared her throat and said, "Arianna Galatea Vitelli. I have a study meeting with Draco Malfoy."

A whole minute passed, and nothing happened. She began to think that something was wrong when the gate started opening slowly and hesitantly she began walking the long driveway. 

She wondered which version of Draco she would see today. Would he behave like when surrounded by Slytherins or Gryffindors? Or like when alone at the library? Or perhaps she will discover a new face she had not seen yet. 

The main door opened instantly, and she walked in, feeling her hands sweaty despite the icy day. But her nervousness got overtaken by the awe created by the opulent entrance hall. She had never been in a house this magnificent; it was unbelievable that people actually lived like this. 

Arianna stopped dead, and her eyes drifted towards the marvellous chandelier that hung in the middle of the room, and then she realized that someone was standing below it. A tall, slender figure was waiting for her. 

She was a beautiful witch, and the resemblance with Draco was palpable. Her long blond hair was loose, and she wore a light blue silk dress with sleeves and a high neck. A thin smile was drawn on her face, and her blue eyes scrutinized her from top to bottom. 

"Welcome, miss Vitelli," she said, walking towards her. "I'm Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother… May I take your cloak?"

"Thank you, Mrs Malfoy," said Arianna, smiling shyly and taking off her cape. A house-elf, which she hadn't noticed, grabbed it and disappeared with a loud crack.

"Draco shall be here any minute. He asked me to escort you to the library," said Narcissa and turned around. "So if you would follow me, please."

Draco Malfoy is late even in his own house, unbelievable, Arianna thought while following Narcissa to the right and through an archway that led to a lobby with several mahogany doors, and she wondered what lay behind them. They continue walking down the left corridor, where Narcissa opened the door at the end. 

The moment she saw the inside, her breath deserted her. The Malfoy library was more astonishing than Arianna thought it would be. It was a forty-foot (twelve meters) high open room with walls completely covered by thousands of books, and three tall windows overlooked the back gardens. There were spiral staircases to access the five levels, and various armchairs, settees, and tables were placed with grace facing the fireplace at the centre of the room. But the best part was the smell – old books, wood, and a hint of smoke. 

"Make yourself at home, miss Vitelli. Draco should be here soon," said Narcissa heading back to the corridor. "We usually serve tea at four on the dot. I shall let you know when the time is closer."

Arianna walked mindlessly, contemplating the hundreds of books when an object called her attention. It looked like a crystal ball, but it wasn't made of glass. She approached to take a closer look, and discovered it was a marble the size of her fist, crafted out of some sort of stone that reminded her of opals. Her curiosity won, and she grabbed it. Smoke started forming inside of it, like a Remembrall. 

The doors of the library opened, and Draco walked in carrying two books and his school bag. It was strange seeing him without his uniform. He wore a royal blue shirt with black trousers, and his hair wasn't sleek back. She felt a fluttering on her stomach, and for a split second, she thought she would drop the marble.

Draco's eyes went immediately to the object Arianna holded and stopped short. 

"What is this?" asked Arianna directly. The smoke on the ball was white.

"Err... it's a pile castae," he said, turning pink. Arianna raised an eyebrow. "It was used to know if a person was… pure." 

"Pure?" repeated Arianna, thinking about blood status, and briefly, she questioned if that meant her father was a pureblood.

"It was used in the old days before wedding ceremonies," rushed Draco and looked away. Arianna frowned in confusion. "To know if the bride was a virgin." 

"Oh!" exclaimed Arianna and gazed down at the sphere, feeling betrayed by the white smoke that swirled around, letting Draco know too much about her. Then she placed down the ball where she found it. "What a funny little toy," she said, feeling her face impossibly warm, and looked at Draco and the books he carried. "What do you have there?" 

"Some potion books," he said and walked towards a long rectangular table near the fireplace. "I was studying for the O.L.W.s."

"Oh, all right…Shall we start?" she asked, approaching the table. "I have to leave half to seven, and I really want to finish today."

Everything was going smoothly for nearly three hours, until Arianna got hungry, and her head felt heavy with numbers. She took a small break from her chore and glanced at Draco, who was very focused on revising one of the charts. He leaned back on his chair and played with his quill between his fingers, wholly absorbed in the parchment he held. His blue shirt brought up the colour of his eyes, and she thought he should use that shade more often. He placed the quill on his mouth and ran his hand mindlessly through his hair, and she wondered how that would feel.

Arianna realized she was staring, so she glanced at the library instead and looked up. She had been so fascinated by the walls covered in books that she had ignored the ceiling. It was enchanted like at Hogwarts, but the stars were perfectly visible even with fog outside.

Her eyes laid again on that little crystal ball, and an idea hit her hard, making her drop her quill and look at Draco one more time. 

"Malfoy," called Arianna before fully grasping what she wanted to ask. Draco lifted his eyes from the paper. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he said, tilting his head.

"Do you know if– if there are any objects that can tell the level of blood purity someone has?" asked Arianna, and bit her lip.

Draco's body stiffened instantly. She had just addressed the elephant in the room since they started working together. The reason why they could never be friends… or something else: Her blood status. 

Draco cleared his throat. "I've never heard of an object that does that," he said, looking down. "Magical blood is more complex than… you know."

Arianna nodded, disappointed. She could narrow down her research if she knew if her father was a wizard or a muggle. 

"Why?" he asked, frowning.

"Just wondering. I'm a curious child," she said, smiling softly. "I'm a Ravenclaw, after all." 

"Sometimes it is better not to know certain things, Vitelli," he said, and a strange expression formed on his face, a mix of dread and concern. 

And Arianna wondered what he was referring to. 

The air between them had become thicker, and she still wanted to ask him about Blood books or take a look at the library. She needed to break the tension.

"So what colour is yours?" she asked bluntly, smiling playfully. 

"What?" he said, coming out of his absorption. 

"The sphere," she clarified. "What colour becomes if you touch it?"

"What?!" he spat, flushing. "I'm not going to tell you that!" 

"You know mine," she teased, smiling. "It's only fair that I know yours." 

"That was your fault, not mine," said Draco, crossing his arms. "No one asked you to touch it. In fact– you shouldn't go around grabbing objects that you don't know what they do. It's first-year DADA." 

"Come on! Tell me, don't be such a Hufflepuff," she said, putting her hands below her chin. Expecting. "I will not tell anyone."

"Why do you want to know that?" he asked, his face and neck becoming redder by the second.

"I told you, it's only fair." 

There was a prolonged silence where he didn't move a muscle.

Draco took a deep breath. "Red," he finally said, looking away. 

"What does that mean?" she asked, trying not to laugh. 

Draco rolled his eyes. "You know what it means!" he spat.

"No, I don't," she said, pretending innocence. 

"Yes, you do," he said, rubbing his temples. "It's not that hard, Vitelli." His face was as red as the marble would be if he was touching it.

"I don't know how many colours a pile castae can make," said Arianna, shrugging, still smiling. "So I don't know what does it mean."

"It can only be red or white," he groaned. 

"Ah!... now I know," said Arianna, very pleased with herself. 

"Are you satisfied now?" he asked, frowning and started shuffling some papers in front of him.

"Not really… Was it with Pansy?" she continued with a big grin on her face.

"Vitelli," he said tiredly, looking back at her. 

"It was, wasn't it?" 

"I'm not going to tell you that."

"It was. It has to be."

"Would you please drop it?"

"I know she's not your 'girlfriend', but that doesn't mean that you two haven't had some fun together," she said, winking playfully.

"Merlin, you're so annoying!" muttered Draco, retaking his quill. "I wish I had a candy to shove it in your mouth so you would stop talking."

"Me too," she said more to herself than to him. "I should buy more before the winter break is over." 

Arianna thought how hungry she was, that tea didn't sound like such a bad idea anymore.

There was a loud crack that made her jump from her chair and fell to the floor miserably. She looked back, searching for the source of the noise and found a tiny little house-elf wrapped on a floral pillowcase. 

"Poppy is here to remind master Draco that tea would be served in the blue drawing-room in 10 minutes," she announced with a high pitched voice and with another loud crack, she disappeared.

Arianna glanced over the table to find Draco watching her with a broad grin and started laughing. 

"Shut up!" spat Arianna, standing up and straightening her dress. "I'm not used to house-elves." 

"That was beautiful, Vitelli, really," said Draco chuckling. "I'm going to call the elves every time you get all nosy."

"We should go," she said, putting her hands on her waist. "Your mother is waiting for us." 

Draco stood up, still smiling, and headed to the door. Arianna followed him, feeling quite embarrassed. He opened the door for her, and they walked together down the corridor.

"How many drawing rooms do you have?" asked Arianna, remembering that they had to go to the blue one.

"There are two: the purple one and the blue one," explained Draco. "The blue one is my mother's, so to say. She prefers it, at least. It's smaller and more private than the other."

They arrived at the entrance hall, and he led her into the double doors to the right and opened them and once again, she found herself amazed. Everything was light blue: the tapestries, the carpet with intricate figures and the sophisticated furniture with slender legs. Arianna felt like she was on a cloud. The only thing that wasn't blue was the grand white piano near the corner.

Narcissa sat next to a window that overviewed the back gardens. She lifted her gaze and invited them to sit, and Arianna chose the settee next to Narcissa while Draco sat across from her. As soon as they sat, an elaborate tea service appeared on a small table in front of them. Her stomach groaned.

"Tea?" offered Narcissa to Arianna, holding a delicate teapot. 

"Yes, please," said Arianna, fidgeting with her watch.

Narcissa poured down tea into three cups.

"Would you like some milk or sugar?" asked Narcissa.

"I can have some milk, thank you," said Arianna. Narcissa handed Arianna her cup, and milk had materialized on a small table next to her. 

Arianna fixed her tea with shaky hands and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Then she looked over at the tiered plate; her eyes immediately landed on the chocolate mint cookies, her favourites, and reached for one. She glanced at Draco, who added two small spoons of brown sugar to his cup and took a profiterole sprinkled with powdered sugar, and popped it into his mouth nimbly and with ease. 

Narcissa took a sip from her tea. "Miss Vitelli, your mother works at the ministry, yes?" she asked.

"Yes, she has been working there since I can remember," said Arianna.

"In which department does she work?" asked Narcissa. But Arianna had the impression that she already knew that.

"The Department of Mysteries. She's an Unspeakable," explained Arianna and bit her cookie.

"How fascinating," said Narcissa casually. "I believe I have seen her at some ministry events. A brilliant witch, your mother, I've heard… word is you inherit that from her, isn't it so, Draco?"

Draco coughed and shifted uncomfortably on his seat. And Arianna wished to be swallowed by a dragon and took another bite of her cookie.

"Yes… well … yes," said Draco, putting a hand on the back of his neck. "That's what the Slytherins in her year say… and she's quite good at Arithmancy." 

"And potions!" added Narcissa, excited. "Severus said you're one of the best potions students he had ever taught. Isn't it right, Draco?"  

"He said something like that, yes," muttered Draco reaching for another profiterole avoiding Arianna's eyes.

Arianna felt the room quite hot. "Well, I do enjoy potions very much… it's like second nature to me," she explained, staring at her tea. "So I guess that helps." 

Had Narcissa made a whole inquiry on her? She wondered and reached for another cookie. 

"You should try the profiteroles," pointed Narcissa promptly. "They are Draco's favourites." 

Arianna nodded while biting her cookie. Narcissa looked over the window contemplating the bleak landscape and traced mindlessly the silver locket that hung from her neck.

"Miss Vitelli, when you identified yourself at our gate," said Narcissa, looking at Arianna with curiosity. "You mentioned your middle name was Galatea. Is that right?" 

"Yes, it's quite a strange name, isn't it?" said Arianna, frowning slightly.

"I think it is quite beautiful and unique," said Narcissa, looking at Arianna right into her eyes, searching for something. "It's the name of one of Neptune's moons, did you know?" 

"I have a vague memory of it from Astronomy class," answered Arianna. "But I'm named after the sea-nymph. My mother has a strong connection with water… So do I, actually."

After that, the conversation changed into more mundane subjects like the weather and Christmas plans. 

"Very well. I think I'll let you two resume your studies," said Narcissa, placing her teacup and saucer on the table. "It has been wonderful to meet you, Miss Vitelli. It is not often Draco invites a classmate over. " 

She stood up, and Draco and Arianna followed. 

"The pleasure has been mine, Mrs Malfoy," replied Arianna. "And you can call me Arianna… or Galatea if you prefer."

"Galatea it is," said Narcissa, grinning. 

Arianna tried a profiterole before leaving. They were delicious; they had a hint of lemon and weren't as sweet as she thought they would be. She took a second one and Draco and her headed back to the library. 

"Your mother knows her Astronomy quite well," said Arianna, going into the foyer.

"It's a family thing," explained Draco. "Most of the Blacks are named after celestial bodies or constellations." 

"Interesting," she said and had a sudden realization. "Wait! So you're named after the Dragon constellation?" 

"I am," he said and chuckled. "What did you think?" 

"I don't know... That your parents were dragon enthusiasts?"

He chuckled. "So, where does 'Arianna' come from?"

"It's the Italian version of Ariadne," she explained, thinking it was the first time he said her given name. "She was a Cretan princess in Greek mythology." 

The sun went down, and the library got filled with floating candles. They finished two out of the three problems and got stuck on the third one, so they decided to leave it until the end. She started working on the hypothesis while Draco double-checked the numerical charts.

Arianna was going through her notes when she felt observed and lifted her gaze, finding Draco staring at her with curiosity.

"What's wrong?" she asked, dropping her quill. 

"Nothing," he replied, holding his gaze.

"Tell me," she urged, dreading there was a problem with the charts.

"She's usually not like that with… strangers," he said.

"Oh," exclaimed Arianna, relaxing. Strangers or half-bloods? she thought. "Don't be so surprised. I'm lovely." 

She looked back at her notes but still felt scrutinized and looked up once more. Draco watched her attentively.

"What?!" she urged, growing anxious.

"Nothing," he said calmly, without taking his eyes off her. 

"Malfoy… is there something wrong?"

He massaged his shoulders. "I think we should take a break," he said. 

"We're not going to finish," said Arianna, grabbing her quill firmly and looking down at the parchment. "You can take a break, but I want to keep going."

"No, you need a break too," he said, taking her quill. "Just fifteen minutes."

Arianna sighed. "All right," she said. "Fifteen minutes." 

She stood up from her chair and walked, looking up at the library, absorbing its mesmerizing feeling.

"Can I take a look?" she asked, pointing up.

Draco nodded and stood up. 

"Where do you keep the potion books?" she asked, going straight to the point.

"The third level to the left," he said, pointing.

Arianna went up the stairs and felt her heartbeat quickening as she approached level three. The section was huge, but she knew that the book she needed wasn't there from a quick glance. None of the books there were either Blood or Dark magic. They probably kept those hidden somewhere in the library or even in another room at the manor. She thought about the two drawing rooms and the two grand staircases. Maybe they also had two libraries. Draco certainly had two faces. Perhaps everything was dual with the Malfoys.

"Where do you keep the fun stuff?" she asked bluntly, looking down at Draco, who watched her closely sitting on top of the table.

"The fun stuff?" he repeated and chuckled, but then his face turned into a frown. "What are you looking for, Vitelli?"

Could she trust him? No one knew about her quest to find her father's identity. Without saying a word, she made her way down. She didn't know the name of the book she needed, just the name of the potion. Then she thought about Draco's duality again. He could destroy her with this if he wanted to. She could imagine all the Slytherins laughing at her. At the poor bastard child that wanted more than anything to find who her father was and why he left her. As if the Boggart incident last year hadn't been enough. The face of a laughing Astoria Greengrass popped out from a blur of green.

She reached the last step and walked to meet Draco, who now stood in the middle of the room and watched her with that curious stare from before. Their eyes met as she came closer, and saw something warm in them, a gleam of some sort, and decided to trust him.

"I think you know what I'm looking for," said Arianna, feeling her heart beating hard against her chest, and she stared at him with hope.

He swallowed, holding his gaze. The silence grew bigger and bigger.

"I don't think I can help you," said Draco, looking down. 

Arianna stared at her feet and bit her cheek, putting all her strength in not to cry.

"You don't need him," he added. 

She lifted her gaze, feeling her eyes hot and seeing blurry.

"Why did he leave me?" she asked, more to the universe than to Draco. Her mother had always told her he wasn't with them because he didn't have another option, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was a lie. 

"I don't know," said Draco, almost whispering, moving closer. "But no one in their right mind would choose to leave you."

Arianna fought her tears, feeling stupid for crying in front of him. She looked up to the enchanted ceiling and tried to recall star names, and hoped that could distract her mind.

"There you are," she whispered, pointing at his constellation. "Your constellation is always visible from northern latitudes, did you know? It doesn't matter what day of the year is."

"I know," said Draco, looking up too. "I think I know more about Astronomy than you do."

Arianna coughed and glanced at him; he had a slight smile on his face. "How do you know that?" she asked, thankful that they were changing the subject.

"I've been learning since I was a child… family tradition," he said.

They began talking about Astronomy and ended up lying next to each other on the carpeted floor, resting their heads on cushions. The candles were blown off so they could look better at the sky showered in stars. He did know more about Astronomy than she did, and he enjoyed talking about it. It was delightful to hear his voice; it made her feel soothed and calm.

And while he talked about the Andromeda Galaxy, she looked at him, amazed. From all the wonderful things she had seen today, he was the most bewitching of them all – This mythical version of Draco Malfoy that existed in this library.  

He finished his monologue and looked back at her. "So tell me about this Cretan princess," he said.

Arianna turned to her side. The light from the fireplace lit his face, making his grey eyes shimmer.

"Well, she is mainly associated with mazes and labyrinths," explained Arianna. "Because of her involvement with the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur."

"What did she do?" asked Draco, almost whispering. "And who is Theseus?"

"All right, I'll tell you the story," she said, leaning on her elbow, and he stayed down, looking at her. "So, the myth has a lot of versions, but this is the one I know. Every seven years King Aegeus of Athens sent as a tribute the seven most beautiful maidens and the seven most courageous young men to the King Minos of Crete, to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull monster that lived in a labyrinth. Theseus, son of Aegeus, volunteered on one occasion intending to kill the beast and free his city from this horror."

"And Arianna caught him and ruined his plan?" asked Draco, smirking.

"No, quite the opposite," said Arianna. "She was in charge of the labyrinth, and when she met Theseus, she fell in love with him."

"Why?" 

"It was love at first sight!" said Arianna dramatically.

"Of course it was…" he said and chuckled.

"So, you don't believe in love at first sight?" asked Arianna. He just stared at her, smiling.

"Continue with the story," he said.

"Okay… so… yes," continued Arianna. "Ariadne fell in love with him and gave him a sword and a thread so he could kill the minotaur and find his way out from the labyrinth, and he promised that if he returned, he would take her with him."

"Did he?" asked Draco.

"Yes, he killed the beast and came back for her," said Arianna and laid down on her side again. "And they escaped together."

"Good," said Draco, turning on his side. And suddenly, she realized how close they were.

He took a lock of her long hair and began playing with it. Arianna stayed very still, and her pulse quickened. The only sound was the fire crackling on the fireplace.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" asked Draco, twirling her hair on his long fingers. "We have pumpkin pie for dessert."

"I can't stay," she said and Draco smelt her hair briefly. "I promised my mother I would be back at seven…Even if I love pumpkin pie."

"I know," he said. "That's why I'm telling you."

"You know?" she asked, feeling something tingling inside her.

"Uh-huh," uttered Draco. "You love pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, roasted pumpkin, pumpkin juice…At this point, you might be half-pumpkin."

"How do you know?" she asked.

"You sit across from me in the Great Hall," he explained and shrugged. "I have eyes and the amazing power of observation."

"So do you look at what all the Ravenclaws eat? Or just at me because you're trying to poison me?" asked Arianna joking.

Draco remained silent for a moment. "Do you think I'm that bad? Do you think I'm evil?" he asked, looking into her eyes. He was not offended nor joking. He was serious. 

"I don't think you're evil…" said Arianna sincerely. "You can be quite mean, though."

"Only to some people…" he said and retook a lock of her hair. "I know they bother you a lot…I don't like that, I don't think you're that bad…you know, for a half-dwarf, half-pumpkin girl," he said, chuckling, and she frowned at him. "It's a compliment."

"You suck at it," she said and laughed.

"Then teach me," he said, smirking . "If you're so great."

She took a deep breath. "All right… You're not stupid," she said.

"I know that, what else?" he said, amused.

"You're good at quidditch," said Arianna.

"Thank you, I got it from mother," he said, holding his smile. 

Then she dived in his eyes and they made her think of a sunny winter morning or a frozen lake – beautiful icy blue. "I like your eyes." 

His smile faded. "Those I got from father," he said and laid down on his back. "They say I look a lot like him… and mother says I have his bad temper."

"In that case, I feel very sorry for her," she said, teasing, but his expression remained serene. "Do they fight a lot?"

"Lately they do," said Draco looking at the enchanted ceiling, frowning slightly. "You know… people expect me to follow his steps."

"You're not your father," said Arianna. "You can make your own path."

"I'm a lot like him," he said and stayed quiet for a moment. "How do you know I'm not evil?" He turned to his side again. 

He seemed troubled, and she didn't understand his concern. Was his father evil?

"I just know," she answered. "I can see you…and you're not evil. You would never kill anyone or torture someone just for pleasure. You're not cruel. You're not evil."

"I'm still not good," he said in a low voice, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and sinking his fingers in her hair.

Arianna was barely breathing, afraid to move, fearing he could vanish if she did. They were so close she could count his eyelashes.

"That's up to you," she whispered. "You could be good if you want to."

His thumb toyed with her ear, and he glanced at her mouth and then back to her eyes. Her heart was rushing.

"I like your eyes too," he said.

Draco closed the gap between them and stopped, with his lips hovering over hers, their noses softly touching, inhaling each other. She felt the gentle brush of his lips against hers, and she trembled. 

"Are you cold?" he whispered in her mouth. 

"No," she muttered. She was actually very warm, fuzzy, and slightly scared.

His lips were there, expecting for hers, and she felt a pull, almost magnetic. She touched his chest and clenched his shirt, ready to finally kiss him.   

There was a loud crack, and Arianna jumped. They both looked up and saw the house-elf from before standing in front of them. Poppy looked down at them and then straight forward, seeming very alarmed.

"Poppy is here to ask if Miss Galatea is staying for dinner," said Poppy. 

"No, she's not," replied Draco, stunned.

Dinner? Arianna looked at her watch– five minutes to seven. A feeling of panic invaded her. She stood up at once and ran towards the table.

"It's almost seven! My mother is going to kill me!" yelled Arianna, packing everything as fast as she could. "She's stricter about curfew since the rumour that He is back started."

"I'll finish the problem," said Draco, handling things over to her. 

"If you want to," said Arianna. She didn't feel like arguing. She had to go first to Blair's and then take the Floo home. "We can take a final look when we are back at Hogwarts." 

She took her bag and started running towards the hallway. She had almost kissed Draco while being with Nathan; what was wrong with her?

Draco followed her, and when they reached the entrance hall, she headed to the main door.

"Where are you going?" asked Draco. "Why don't you take the Floo?" He pointed at the fireplace. Arianna couldn't take the Floo; she could get caught.

"I prefer the bus," she said and kept going. 

"Vitelli," Draco called.

She ran and climbed down the stairs into the driveway. 

"Vitelli!" he yelled.

She rushed, feeling the cold air against her face.

"Vitelli!!" screamed Draco and caught up with her, grabbing her by the arm. 

"What?!" she spat. 

"Your cloak," said Draco, holding her cape. He seemed concerned.

"Oh, right," she mumbled and tried to reach for it, but Draco was already putting it over her shoulders, and their eyes met, they had that gleam on them. "I think we are overcomplicating things with the last problem," she said and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I think the answer is more straightforward than we think it is... Not because the problem is complex means that the solution has to be complex too. So try to look at the problem with fresh eyes. Perhaps going back to basics would help."

"I'll owl you if it works," he said and they ran together to the main gate.

Arianna took out her wand as soon they reached the entrance, and Draco opened the gate for her.

"I'll see you back at Hogwarts," said Arianna with a thin smile. "Enjoy the holidays." 

"You too," he said, closing the gate and that strange expression showed up again. "I'll see you next year." 

She lifted her wand, and The Knight Bus was there even faster than before. As soon as she went in, she glanced back. Draco was still there, his hands in his pockets and shrugging slightly for being without a coat. Then he and the manor disappeared into a blur. 



Chapter 12: Golden Sphinx

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

If Arianna had told about Draco's behaviour from last Saturday, a Gryffindor would have said that he was a jerk who was trying to provoke her; a Slytherin, that his words were a mask of what he really wanted to say. A Hufflepuff would argue that he probably had a bad day and had taken it on the first person that crossed him. A Ravenclaw would claim that emotions aren't nothing but a cocktail of hormones that makes people act in irrational ways, and it was a waste of time to overthink his words. 

Arianna thought it was all of the above. 

A week had passed since Harry's birthday party, and in that time, yet another problem had piled up on her: Wilkinson gave her her first assignment abroad, and she was doing it with Draco. 

In two weeks, there will be a conference in Vienna where an important member of the Hungarian government will attend. This man was a spy, and Arianna had to retrieve vital information from him regarding the High Regime plans, and Draco had been appointed as support. The problem was that she didn't trust him, not anymore, not after how he behaved towards her.

The logical approach was to fix things like adults. But for that, she would need to talk to him, and for that, they would need to be alone in the same room, which would never happen as he always fled as soon as the meeting was over.

Ideas on how to corner Draco roamed in her head when in the shower, for she was getting ready for dining with the Slytherins. 

Theo Nott had finalized his studies as a Healer and had invited Blair to celebrate at the Golden Sphinx, Zabini's other restaurant. It was a private affair, and only his closest friends were attending, meaning Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy, who was bringing Astoria. Blair had refused to dine surrounded only with snakes, and after a lot of insisting, Arianna had agreed to accompany her.

Arianna rushed out from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel into her bedroom and glanced towards the bedside clock. It was ten to eight. 

She stared incredulously at the clock for a moment longer. "Cazzo," she uttered and dropped the towel. 

Promptly, she fetched her wand, cast a drying spell on her, and immediately put on the beige and gold short dress with an asymmetric neckline she had borrowed from Blair. Then she hurried to her dressing table and tipped down her makeup bag, and spotted the mascara and the eyeliner and applied them as fast as she could.

Blair had already left to have drinks with them, and Arianna promised her she would be there before eight, but she was unsure that would be possible. 

After dabbing some blush and putting on the first lipstick she found, Arianna summoned her heels and purse and ran towards the living room. She slipped into her shoes while tossing Floo powder into the fireplace and stepped in.

"Golden Sphinx!" she blared.

It was a minute to eight when she arrived at the lobby. She cast a spell to get rid of the ashes and combed her hair with her fingers. A large mirror facing the fireplace returned her reflection. And although the dress was beautiful and hugged her figure perfectly, it was shorter than she expected. 

Arianna pulled down the dress, feeling slightly exposed, and walked towards the reception desk, where a couple waited to be seated. While expecting her turn, she double-checked she carried in her purse her small obsidian knife and her antidote A and B, as she always did, and then gazed around. 

The restaurant's concept was basically the opposite of the Dormant Dragon as it was a spherical building that floated over central London, inadvertent for the muggles, and gold was everywhere, giving a luxurious feeling. But her favourite thing was the exterior walls made of enchanted glass showing London through the centuries. She approached the window, looked down to the city, and felt amazed by the old cars, hats, and bicycles flooding the streets and thought it might be around the 1920s. 

"Good evening, miss," greeted a beautiful blond witch with a golden silk dress. "Do you have a reservation with us?"

Arianna got closer. "Yes, I'm with Theodore Nott," she said, and the receptionist checked on a scroll.

"They are still at the bar. If you would come with me, please."

Arianna followed her through an arch, and as soon as she crossed it, the sound of jazz music hit her ears. 

A large helicoidal staircase stood in the middle with a dance floor close by. Small circular tables lightened with dim golden light surrounded the centre, and a long white marble bar extended alongside the circular walls. The place was packed, and she noticed all the ladies wore something gold.

Pansy, Theo and Blaise stood next to the bar while Blair spoke with Draco sitting on the stools. There was no sign of Astoria. And rather reluctantly, Arianna approached them.

Dining with the Slytherins sounded like playing chess for several hours– incredibly mentally exhausting. If she had learned something about them was that they always had an ulterior motive. Pansy Parkinson had been acting oddly pleasant lately, but Arianna knew that good old Pansy was there somewhere. Blaise Zabini was like a double-edged sword and had an agenda that she ignored entirely. Theo was so sneaky and clever that, if he was planning something, she was utterly clueless about it. And as for Draco, he was as predictable as the British weather. 

Theo was the first one to notice her and walked a few steps to meet her.

"You look stunning, dear," he said and kissed her twice, one on each cheek. "Love the legs; you should wear them more often."

Pansy had on her a long black dress embroidered with sequins and a thick gold choker. Something flashed in her eyes before her expression instantly transformed into a big grin. Then she came and greeted her like Theo did, followed by Blaise, to whom she gave a stern look. Arianna wasn't happy with him. He kissed her too and winked playfully before she walked towards Blair and Draco, who had stood up and watched her as she approached, and again, she pulled down her dress.

Blair looked divine, with a short black pencil dress with golden details and stilettos which made her as tall as Draco. She kissed her too, which Arianna found highly unusual but said nothing.

"You finally made it," whispered Blair reproachfully. "Have you noticed that every Saturday you come back home even later? One day you might not even return at all."

Arianna gave her a tired look. "I'm sorry, all right?"

Her flatmates were obsessed with the idea that there was something between Harry and her, which Arianna considered absolutely ridiculous. Besides, she didn't want a relationship. Her situation with Nathan had been like a wake-up call and a reminder that she shouldn't be involved with anyone romantically. Luckily, her friendship with Nathan hadn't been ruined, as both were on the same page, feeling that been friends meant more to them than casual sex.

Arianna turned to greet the last one of the Slytherins. Draco gave her his distinctive fake smile as he approached. He wore black from head to toe, looking absurdly good. 

"Look who has finally graced us with her presence," he said, leaning over and kissing her on both cheeks like everyone had done. 

Arianna felt burning the spots where his lips had touched her and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before moving closer to Blair. 

"Where is your lovely girlfriend?" she asked sarcastically.

"Visiting her sister Daphne in the Netherlands," replied Draco, swirling his whiskey and looking around. "She married a Dutch wizard last month. I'll let her know you send regards."

"Please do," said Arianna, smirking.

She was pleased with this news. Not only meant that she wouldn't have to endure Astoria's condescending stare the whole night, but also that she could try to talk to Draco and fix their problem. 

"Shall we dine now? I'm starving," said Blaise coming over.

A waitress took them to the second floor and showed them to a table next to the glass wall. The ambience was different up there. A cello played an intimate song near the staircase, and an extravagant chandelier lit the room, and as the pub below, the room was full.

Blaise and Theo took the table ends, and Pansy sat next to her fiancé with Draco on her other side. Arianna ended up across from him, and somehow it reminded her of their weekly meetings at the Auror Office.

Then Blaise proceeded to give a long speech about all the wonders of the restaurant and pub. The bottom line was that, unlike the Dormant Dragon, the Golden Sphinx had seven courses instead of five, all of them paired with their own wine. 

She spent most of the time quiet and observing the dynamics of the Slytherins, the hints of inside jokes and the quick glances between them, making her think that even if they were best friends, there was something else developing in front of her, a struggle of interests, perhaps? Pansy stared at her often, scrutinizing her, still with a smile on her face that grew less convincing as the wine and the dishes kept on coming. Draco was the opposite. As usual, he preferred to avoid her, but as the alcohol kept on pouring, his eyes began drifting towards her more frequently. 

The evening went without any inconvenience until the end of the fifth course.

"How is the training going, Draco?" asked Theo, like a father inquiring about school. "I have already placed some bets with Seamus Finnigan, so do not let me down."

Arianna frowned. She had no idea what they were talking about.

"Flint, Warrington and I have placed bets with George Weasley and Oliver Woods," said Blaise seriously. "So I certainly hope you win."

"Do not worry," said Draco confidently, carefully dabbing his mouth with the napkin. "I have it in the bag."

Arianna exchanged a confused look with Blair, who sat next to her.

"You don't know?" asked Pansy immediately.

Arianna gazed her way. "Er…No, I don't think so," she said, feeling observed. 

"Draco is fighting Dean Thomas next month," said Pansy proudly, looking at Draco.

Of course Draco had it on the bag, Arianna thought. It was incredibly unfair that he would duel against Dean, considering that Draco was an Auror. He was certainly taking advantage of his secret identity.

"Astoria even bought him new gloves for the occasion," added Theo. "Green ones, so Thomas knows what hit him."

"Gloves?" repeated Arianna and glanced at Draco, who seemed amused by her confusion.

"It's a boxing fight, Vitelli," he said, smirking. "What did you think it was?"

"Oh, I didn't know you did boxing," said Arianna, perplexed.

"You seriously didn't know that?" asked Blaise, who gazed at her then at Draco and finally at Blair, searching for an explanation. "He practices every fucking day at the Ministry Training Facilities, haven't you seen him?"

"It helps him with his anger management issues," explained Theo grinning, and Draco lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Has it worked?" asked Blair sceptically, and Arianna chuckled.

"I think so," answered Theo, evaluating his friend. "He's less volatile than he used to."

"Maybe that's because he's getting laid more frequently than before," said Blaise, smiling mischievously and making everyone laugh but Arianna.

"Maybe you should get some of that," replied Draco. "Here Blaise is under quite a dry spell."

"So you're going against Dean Thomas?" asked Arianna, trying to move the conversation away from Draco's sex life. "Isn't it a bit awkward after he was imprisoned in your dungeon?"

To Arianna's surprise, there was a burst of laughter coming from the Slytherins. 

"That just makes the fight more interesting, isn't it?" said Blaise.

"I can't wait! It's going to be a classic Gryffindor vs Slytherin!" said Pansy excitedly. "I miss the trash talk before the quidditch games! Everyone will wear the colours of our houses to the fight, like in the good old days!"

"You Slytherins and your house rivalry," said Blair shaking her head. "I'm never going to understand that."

"It's exciting! You two have to come and wear green," said Pansy to Blair and Arianna. "The tickets are already sold out, but I can pull some strings and get you in."

"Dear," said Theo, holding Pansy's hand over the table. "I already bought tickets for Blair, remember?"

"Oh, that's right!" exclaimed Pansy with a fake tone of surprise. "Well, one for Arianna then."

"I don't think Vitelli wants to come, Pansy," said Draco, looking at Arianna over his glass.

"I don't want to come, or you don't want me to come?" asked Arianna leaning back on her chair.

Surprisingly he was right; she didn't want to go. But it bothered her that he would just assume things about her.

"Oh no, I think Draco would love to see you come," whispered Blaise loud enough so Arianna and Draco could hear him. Arianna looked at him with murdering eyes. Then a thought hit her, probably everyone at this table knew about their little story, and she felt her cheeks getting warm. 

"I just don't think it's your style," said Draco, ignoring Blaise's comment. "You're not very into sports after all unless Shacklebolt is there to amuse you."

"Excuse me?" said Blair, crossing her arms.

"Are you talking about Veela's Verdict?" asked Pansy, excited. "I loved it. It was the only reason I went to a game if Slytherin wasn't playing."

"Oh, that," said Blair dismissively. "We can make a 'Boxing Edition' if you want, Malfoy." 

"You played that too?" asked Blaise at Pansy. "Why have I never heard of that?"

"I have," said Theo smiling, sipping his wine. 

"Of course I did!" answered Pansy. "I always said 'marry' when Draco's name came out." 

"I usually said 'kill'," said Blair.

Arianna felt Draco's gaze on her, so she downed her wine, avoiding his eyes. The sixth dish materialized on the table; it was a citrusy sorbet of some sort. 

"This is a palate cleanser," announced Blaise proudly. "To prepare us for a decadent dessert."

"Is your sommelier stupid?" asked Draco inspecting the wine bottle. "Otherwise, how could he suggest pairing a sorbet with a wine that is fitted for a main course? I would like to see the wine menu– I'm not drinking that."

Arianna rolled her eyes. He was such a snob and so rude and inconsiderate. She glanced at the bottle and recognized the wine. 

"Maybe you should give it a try before judging," said Arianna defensively. "The sommelier suggested this wine for a reason, and the least you could do is to try it." 

Draco snorted. "It's a wine for main courses, Vitelli," he said, leaning forwards. "I know what I'm talking about. This wine could be great with pork or duck, not with a cleanser dish."

"Dinner and diatribes," whispered Blaise, amused. "Love it."

"You're wrong," continued Arianna, determined. She hated his scornful attitude. "This wine would be horrible with duck or pork. It's clearly better for lamb or beef, but if the sommelier thinks that it's a good idea to pair it with the sorbet, I'll give it a go!"

"Lamb or beef?!" repeated Draco mockingly and huffed. "Not because your mother is Italian makes you a wine expert."

"And not because your family had vineyards in France makes you a sommelier!" she spat.

Draco leaned back on his chair and tilted his head. Arianna shouldn't have said that, as it was something Narcissa mentioned in one of their Sunday meetings. 

"Have you ever tried this wine, Vitelli?" asked Draco coldly. "Because it's a rather expensive bottle, and given the mediocre salary you earn as a Junior Assistant, I don't see how you could afford it. I mean, you even have to borrow dresses from Shacklebolt because you can't purchase one yourself. " He looked at her up and down.  

"I thought Astoria wasn't coming tonight," said Arianna acidly. He sounded just like her; they were indeed a perfect match. "And, for your information, I tried the wine a couple of weeks ago when Nathan and I had lamb for dinner."

"Did you borrow a dress for that too?" asked Draco, sneering.

"No, there wasn't much need for clothing," she answered, looking directly into his icy eyes.

Draco's jaw tensed visibly. The possibility of talking with him today was going out the window. 

"All right," said Theo, bored. "Can we just drink? I don't care at all about the sommelier or these two."

"I second that," said Blaise reaching for his wine.

"I'll drink what the sommelier has suggested," said Blair, sitting straight on her chair.

"I'll have a glass of whatever Draco is having," said Pansy, touching Draco's arm.

Arianna held her gaze at Draco for a moment longer and then looked over the window. The Great Fire of London was taking place in front of her eyes. It was fitting. 

It turned out that the sommelier had a point, but she restrained herself from making observations to Draco. He had always been a lousy loser, after all. 

After dinner, they headed downstairs to the pub, which had become darker and louder, the lights were dimmer, and the dance floor was packed. Of course, Blaise had reserved the best table available; it was a small lounge placed near the dancing floor. Everyone took a seat but Arianna.

"I'm going to the bar," she said, leaning towards Blair. "Wanna come?"

Blair just nodded and said something to Theo, and they both took a stool at the bar, where a black, handsome bartender was mixing a drink. 

"What can I get for you, ladies?" asked the bartender, smiling broadly.

"Surprise me," said Arianna grinning widely, feeling a bit dizzy. "Something fun."

"I'll have whatever she's having," said Blair.

He gave them a golden cocktail in a martini glass with fumes coming out of it. She smelt it and tried it cautiously and tasted whisky, lemon and a hint of honey. 

"It's delicious," said Arianna to the man, and he winked at her. 

"So, what took you so long today?" asked Blair suspiciously. "I really thought you had abandoned me tonight."

"We went flying and swimming, long story," answered Arianna and took another sip. "We just lost track of time."

"Swimming or skinny dipping?" asked Blair, smirking.

"Nothing is going on with Harry," said Arianna tiredly.

"You're not answering my question," said Blair.

"He's going tomorrow to Canada to see Ginny, his girlfriend, to play in the quidditch semi-final."

"Interesting," said Blair, frowning as if she was thinking hard. "He could have left today and spent some quality time with her before the big day, but instead, he preferred to be all day with you."

"Blair, seriously, stop," Arianna insisted. 

"Ok, we can go back to that later," said Blair and glanced at the table where the Slytherins sat. "I have another question: why are you and Draco fighting like an old married couple?"

"You see! I've been telling you. He hates me," said Arianna, peeping over her shoulder and spotted Draco talking with Theo. 

"You're right. He does," said Blair casually and took a sip from her drink.

"You think?" asked Arianna, mortified. Did Draco really hate her?

"Yeah," said Blair and chuckled. "He hates you because he can't have you." 

"What?!" yelled Arianna, turning back to face her. "Of course not!" 

"Oh, come on, Aria!" laughed Blair. "You could cut the sexual tension with a knife." 

"That's absolutely ridiculous!" said Arianna, alarmed. 

"No, it's not. It was painfully obvious for everyone at the table. Except for the two of you, apparently." 

"You're completely mistaken," insisted Arianna. "He's with Astoria! They are going to get engaged any time soon."

"Exactly, that's why he hates you. He wants you, but he can't have you– He's throwing a tantrum."  

"No!" screamed Arianna distressed. Was Blair mental? "He hates me because Astoria has probably poisoned him against me or because he thinks I want his bloody inheritance."

"Sure, and that's why he whispers perverted things in your ear," said Blair. Arianna was in disbelief. "It's a good thing! It means that the solution is quite simple."

"According to you, what's the solution?" asked Arianna and drank her cocktail; maybe the answer was at the bottom of her drink.

"You have to shag him," answered Blair casually.

Arianna choked on her beverage and coughed dramatically. Blair chuckled.

"Are you mental?" asked Arianna, choking, with tears in her eyes. "He's with Astoria."

"It's just a one-time thing," said Blair, waving dismissively. "Go for it. You obviously want it too."

"What does Arianna want?" asked Blaise coming from behind. Arianna's breath abandoned her.

"We were just having a little girl talk, Zabini," replied Blair, going back to her drink. 

Blaise swallowed and cleared his throat. "Shacklebolt, may I have a word with you?" he asked, seeming rather tense. 

Blair stared at him, intrigued. "Sure," she said, standing up.

Blaise led her away from the bar; he gazed back at Arianna and winked at her. Arianna lifted her drink to him and downed it. She looked over the window; London was getting to the Middle Ages.

"Another one?" asked the attractive bartender.

"Yes, please," said Arianna with a silly smile. She was pretty tipsy after the champagne, seven glasses of wine and a cocktail.

"You have a lovely smile," said the bartender, shaking her drink in front of her.

"Oh, thank you," replied Arianna leaning forwards. "You have a nice smile too." Maybe the night could get better, she thought. 

He placed the drink in front of her and leaned on the bar. "This one is on the house," he said and winked. 

"That's very gallant of you," said Arianna and took a sip, then she reached for her cigarette case.

"I don't think your boss would be very pleased to know you're giving drinks away," said Draco, who had taken Blair's seat. "Add the drink to my tab."

"I'm sorry, Mr Malfoy," uttered the bartender, standing up straight. "What can I offer you tonight, sir?"

"Same as always," Draco said.

"I can pay for my own drink, you know?" spat Arianna, irritated. She grabbed her purse, took out two galleons and three sickles, and placed them on the bar.

"It's not necessary," said Draco, avoiding her eyes. The bartender put a Firewhisky in front of him. 

"I insist," hissed Arianna. 

He glanced at her and pushed the coins towards her, and she didn't take them either. Instead, she took a sip of her drink and lighted a cigarette. She decided to ignore him, but Blair foolish ideas were floating around on her tipsy head. Sure, Arianna had always thought that Draco was attractive, and sure, more often than not, he would pop out on her mind before falling asleep. Definitely, she wouldn't mind having someone like him wrap around her. Fine! She really wanted to fuck him senselessly, but that didn't mean that it wasn't a terrible, terrible idea. 

Arianna looked his way. To her surprise, he was watching her too.

"What would poor Nathan say if he saw you flirting with the bartender?" asked Draco.

"Nathan, nothing," replied Arianna, determined and crossed her legs, turning towards him, her knees touching his. "But what about you, Malfoy? Are you jealous? Would you like me to flirt with you instead?" 

He chuckled. "If you're talking about last Saturday, I was just messing with you," he said and grabbed his Firewhiskey. "You got all jumpy, like a blushing virgin to the mere mention of sex. It was endearing, really." 

"I was not," argued Arianna, holding her gaze and taking a drag.

"So why did you Apparated in such a hurry?"

"Maybe because of your incessant asking about something completely irrelevant? I'm a big girl, Malfoy. I'm not going to panic because of the things you said."

Draco contemplated her with a smirk and swirled his whiskey around, measuring her. 

"Your nipples have been staring at me all night, you know?" he said, and his eyes dropped to her breasts. 

Arianna felt warm on her neck and chest and had the imminent need to slap him. But she didn't move.

"Did you enjoy the view?" she asked, taking a drag. If he wanted to dance, she could dance. 

Draco grinned. "Not as much as the bartender, apparently. Is that how you solve your financial issues?" he asked, getting closer, his hips touching her legs. "By showing your tits?"

"I don't have financial issues, Malfoy. I'm just not filthy rich like you are." 

"But your flirty smile definitely helps you to get free drinks, isn't it?" he stood up, his hips touching her thighs. "Were you planning on taking him home and fuck him?"

Arianna's breath was getting heavier. She could smell his creamy and rich scent mixed with whiskey and feel the heat irradiating from his body.

"No, I was planning to take him to the restroom and shag him there," said Arianna slowly. "Does that bother you?"

Draco leaned closer to her, his eyes darkening. "Not at all," he said lowly. "I just feel bad for the poor bloke. Maybe you should give him your knickers as a consolation prize."

"Too bad," said Arianna and flicked her cigarette on the ashtray. "I'm not wearing any."

Draco's gaze went to her hips and then slowly upwards and stared directly into her eyes.

"Careful, Vitelli," he whispered with a deep voice. "Do not unleash demons if you don't know how to master hell."

Arianna laughed mockingly. "You're so full of it," she said.

He remained quiet for a moment inspecting her. "I'm going to finger you in a crowded pub if you don't tell me to stop."

"You wouldn't dare," said Arianna, holding her gaze and taking another drag. 

"Wouldn't I?" he said and uncrossed her legs with one hand. 

"You're bluffing," whispered Arianna and felt all her muscles tensing. They were in a pub surrounded by people, the bartender casting glances at them.

"Am I?" he asked, opening her legs slightly more and placing his fingers on her inner thigh, moving them slowly upwards to her centre.

"Yes," muttered Arianna. Her pulse rose at the touch of his hands on her skin.

"Why should I stop?" he asked with a deep voice. His eyes were on fire, and his fingers disappeared beneath her dress. 

Arianna felt very warm and closed her eyes. His fingertips were almost there.

"Because of her," she mumbled, barely audible, and opened her eyes.

Draco stopped instantly. A flash of shock crossed his face, and he sat back on his stool with his gaze still fixed on hers.

Arianna closed her eyes again and took a long drag. "This has to stop," said her mouth before her mind could catch up. "I don't know how I have possibly offended you or why you are rude and aggressive or completely indifferent towards me, but I can't work with you like this."

"I don't know what you're talking–" said Draco.

"Yes, you fucking do!" interrupted Arianna. "You know what I'm talking about. You weren't like this before."

"I've always been like this!" hissed Draco angrily.

"Not towards me," she said, hurt. "It's because of her, isn't it? …Or is it because I broke my promise?"

"Fuck," uttered Draco running his hands through his hair and then turned away, facing the large window in front of them. 

She waited for him to say something, but he took too long, and she couldn't bear it any longer.

"How stupid of me was to think that I could have an actual conversation with you," spat Arianna, putting her cigarette case back on her purse. "I'm leaving."

She left rapidly and searched for Blair to tell her she was going home but found her kissing Blaise on a couch, so she continued.

Fuming, she made her way through the crowded pub, aiming for the entrance, where there was a long line for taking the Floo. 

After taking a couple of deep breaths, she took out a cigarette from its case.

"Why did you come back?"

Arianna turned around to find Draco standing behind her.

"What?" she asked. 

"Why did you come back to England?" he repeated, with a mix of desperation and frustration. 

"I didn't come back for the inheritance," she said immediately.

"That's not what I asked," said Draco, moving closer, searching her eyes.

The line for the Floo was moving fast, so she stepped aside. This was her opportunity to tell him about Rudenschöld.

Arianna opened her mouth, but no words came out. "I missed home," she uttered. "I never– I never wanted to leave in the first place."

"So why did you?" he asked, his eyes almost begging.

Arianna felt cornered. She couldn't lie to him nor tell him the truth.

She lowered her head. "I thought I was doing the right thing," she said. "I thought– I thought…."

You didn't want to be with me, she thought but didn't dare to say it. 

"Fuck," mumbled Draco, holding his head with both hands, looking away.

"Why are you angry at me?" asked Arianna.

Draco looked back at her, slightly shocked. "I'm not–" he said and closed his eyes. "Maybe I am… I just–"

A staggering man pushed Arianna, spilling half his bourbon on her. And a second later, Draco was seizing him by his collar.

"Watch it!" hissed Draco and shoved him away.

The man almost fell, but a friend of his caught him and glared at Draco angrily. "I know you!" yelled the second man. "You're that blond Death Eater."

"Do you want me to show you some tricks?" groaned Draco, taking a step forward.

The drunk man glanced at Arianna. "He's not good for you, girl," he said, dragging his words. "You're too pretty to be with filth like him."

Arianna put both hands on Draco's chest, stopping him from moving towards the man. 

"Just ignore them," she said.

Security was there in a blink of an eye and took the men away, but Draco seemed tense, and once again, he was avoiding her eyes. She needed him to finish that sentence, and the eagerness made her speak without thinking.

"Do you want coffee?" she asked. 

"Coffee?" repeated Draco coming out of his absorption. "Isn't it too late for coffee?"

"It's never too late for coffee," said Arianna. "I just got some really nice coffee beans from Colombia. My friends from New York sent them to me… with several packages of my favourite cigarettes."

She didn't know why she was saying that and clenched her purse. Inviting Draco over could be either a brilliant or terrible idea. There was no in-between. He seemed divided, and Arianna really thought he would decline her invitation.

"Sure," he said, slightly confused. "We can have coffee."

They both walked towards the line for the Floo in silence. There were only three people in front of them. She had so many questions she wanted to ask him. Why was he angry at her? Why did he never reply to any of her letters? Was it because she broke her promise? Or was it something else?

Two people in front of them.

Did he love Astoria? Will he marry her? 

One person in front of them.

Did he still think about her? Had he really cared about her back then?

It was their turn, and they stepped together on the emerald fire that tickled her legs. She felt his hand on her lower back and felt a fluttering on her chest. They faced each other, and he held her closer with both hands, grabbing her by the waist. She said her address, and the flames engulfed them, and while spinning very fast, she clenched his jacket and stared into his eyes and saw a gleam in them that she hadn't seen in many years. And another question popped into her mind, stronger than any of the others: Did his lips taste as she remembered? 

He leaned forwards as if he had heard her question, and the spinning stopped, finding themselves at her flat. Draco let her go, and she took his hand and pulled him out of the fireplace without taking her eyes off his. Until a loud moan made her turn in the direction of the noise.

A shocking scene stood in front of them: Padma Patil was shagging Cho Chang in the middle of the living room, riding her on Blair's white chaise. 

Arianna gasped and covered her mouth.

"Oh, shit!" yelled Draco. 

Padma screamed and fell from the couch, trying to shield herself with a cushion and revealing a pink strap-on that Cho was wearing. Cho sat, covering her parts with her hands, looking completely terrified.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," said Arianna, and grabbed Draco's hand, taking him towards the closest door, which led outside the flat and into the dim-lit staircase.

They looked at each other in disbelief and began laughing uncontrollably. Arianna sat on the stairs holding her stomach that was beginning to ache. Draco did the same; his face reddened and distorted with laughter. A couple of minutes after, they stopped, but he still held a broad smile… that fucking smile.

"Oh, Merlin," said Arianna, whipping a small tear from her eye. "That's something I never thought I would encounter in my living room."

"I didn't know they were together," he said.

"Me neither," said Arianna honestly. "And I'm allegedly her friend." She laughed nervously. 

They looked at each other, and both their smiles faded. She recognized those eyes that reminded her of a winter morning and got goosebumps.

"I think we should leave that cup of coffee for another time," said Draco. "I have an early morning tomorrow."

"No problem," said Arianna, smiling. "You're going to see England in the quidditch semi-final, I suppose."

"I am," said Draco standing up. "My portkey leaves at dawn."

He offered his hands to her, and she took them, pulling her up.

"Have fun," she said, still holding his hands. "I hope we beat Germany."

"I'll see you next Thursday," he said, and his hands moved to her waist. 

He kissed her left cheek softly and lingered there for a moment before moving to the other side, brushing his nose against hers and kissing her other cheek. 

Her mouth was slightly opened, her lips aching for his. 

Draco went down one step, and she realized she was seizing his jacket and let go of him. 

"Good night, Vitelli," he whispered, turned around and left.

Arianna couldn't move, she knew that tomorrow she would thank Padma and Cho for ruining her coffee with Draco, but she hated them right now. But one thing was certain, he wanted to have coffee with her as much as she did, even if he had tea at home.  



Notes:

Expanding this universe has been very fun for me; it's one of the many reasons that inspired me to write this fic, to imagine other pubs and restaurants, and wonder how life is outside Hogwarts. Where do the young people hang out? What do they do on their weekends? How does a magical restaurant look like? And it's from here that the Moody Mandrake, the Dormant Dragon and the Golden Sphinx were born.

I just wanted to share! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. ^^

Chapter 13: Sirius' Suit

Chapter Text

Contented, satisfied, lighter. They were all good adjectives to describe how Arianna felt the following days after Saturday night. Her situation with Draco was somewhat fixed. They still had many things to discuss, but for now, there was peace, and for her, that was everything. Draco didn't hate her, and knowing that made even her nightmares go away. 

Now perhaps they could become friends. It was the only thing they could offer to each other; she kept reminding herself. He was in a relationship, and she shouldn't date anyone. And even if things had gotten rather hazy at the end of the night, it didn't mean that something would happen between them.

But that didn't hinder her from frequently thinking about him in ways that were too friendly. The idea of both of them alone in Vienna and staying in the same hotel sparkled her imagination in such ways that made her feel glad that Marietta Edgecombe wasn't a Legilimens. 

And by Thursday, Arianna was dealing with a version of Draco Malfoy more familiar to her. As it was customary, Harry, Angelina, Lee, Kron and her went to the Moody Mandrake, sat at their favourite table, ordered drinks, chatted and laughed. The only difference was that, after a month and a half, Draco had finally run out of excuses and joined them.

For his work in the Auror Office was a secret, he had come disguised. He used a simple yet efficient trick when going on missions or hanging out with his colleagues. He would transform a well-trimmed beard and his hair brunette, and if anyone asked, his name was Damian Malloy.

Arianna found this hilarious since for her, it was painfully evident that it was Draco Malfoy; she could recognize those eyes and that physique effortlessly. But it seemed it wasn't so for the great majority of people.

The pub was louder than usual, and all the conversations gravitated towards the same topic: the Quidditch World Cup final, Germany vs Japan, which was taking place on Saturday. 

As her knowledge and interest about the QWC was limited, Arianna had been drinking more than usual, sipping her wine mechanically while listening to her friends excitedly talking about the weekend ahead. She contemplated their smiley faces and felt a sense of belonging, but then a dark thought followed: everything would change after her return from Austria when Wilkinson would give them the confidential files from France. 

She pushed the thought aside and tried to focus on the discussion between Harry and Kron, who sat at both her sides. 

"I told you," said Kron, smirking. "England wasn't going to make it to finals, even if your girlfriend was playing as Seeker."

"But as I predicted, they made it to the semi-finals," argued Harry tiredly, for the third time in the night. "And now I'm telling you: Germany is going to lose against Japan."

"Wanna bet?" asked Kron confidently. 

"How much do you wanna lose?" asked Harry.

Jordan abandoned his conversation with Angelina and Draco and leaned over the table. "So, let me get this straight," he said, almost screaming so everyone could hear him. "Everyone at this table is going to Canada to see the final except Vitelli?" 

"Yes," replied Arianna, nodding, slightly tipsy. "Someone has to guard England against Dark wizards while all the first-class Aurors are overseas."

"How nice of you," said Jordan jokingly. "We'll bring you maple syrup as a thank you."

Arianna chuckled and gazed at Draco, who was relaxed in his chair, swirling his Firewhisky mindlessly, and had a small satisfactory smile on his face. Their eyes met, and he arched an eyebrow, followed by a smirk. 

"I'm leaving," he announced, raising his voice. "I'll see you all in Canada."

He stood up, and on his way out, he leaned over Harry, whispering to him. Harry looked at Arianna, grinning, and nodded, and she frowned at them, wondering if they were talking about her. Then Draco approached her.

"See you in Vienna," he said in her ear. "And go easy on the wine."

Arianna merely gave him a drunken smile, and he left, smiling too. She followed him with her eyes and watched him disappear among the crowd.

"I'm going to take you home," said Harry, coming closer. "Malfoy thinks you had one too many drinks to Apparate yourself, and I agree."

"I'm fine!" yelled Arianna, moving her cup around. "You're not that sober either."

"I'm still soberer than you," he said, fetching her glass from her hand and placing it on the table. "Let's go... I really need to get some sleep."

Harry and Arianna said goodbye to the rest of the team and left the pub.

Diagon Alley was packed with people going in and out of the establishments despite being a weekday night. Arianna's eyes wandered to the colourful lights hanging over them, and she began walking. The music and animated voices from pubs and restaurants flooded the street, inviting her to explore further down the road and submerge in the night with its endless possibilities.

"Where are you going?" asked Harry.

Arianna spun around twice like a ballerina, then she stopped and realized she didn't want to go home yet. 

"I'm starting to regret not going to Canada," she said walking backwards facing Harry.

"So why don't you come?" he asked, following her with sleepy eyes and a smile.

Arianna coughed. "Do you really think I can get tickets at this point?" she asked and walked normally by his side.

"Just ask Kingsley... or I can ask Ginny to get you one."

"Nah, don't bother," she said and glanced quickly at him. "How are things with her, by the way?"

Harry put a hand behind his neck. "I'm leaving tomorrow to spend some time alone with her before the final," he said unenthusiastically.

"That's good, isn't it?" 

"I think we're going to break up," said Harry, slowing his pace.

"Oh, don't be so negative, Potter! There's no way she's leaving the Chosen One," Arianna said playfully, and Harry gave her a thin smile.

"It might be for the best," he said, stopping. "But I think we should go. My Portkey leaves at seven in the morning, and I haven't packed."

Arianna twisted her mouth, and looked over her shoulder. Three men stared at them, a common phenomenon when hanging out with Harry Potter. 

"Fine, let's go," she said, feeling uncomfortable by the glares. "Those blokes keep staring at you…I don't know how you deal with so much attention."

Harry glanced back. "They are not looking at me," he said, staring at the men who stopped watching them. "They are looking at you."

"Pretty sure they are looking at the Chosen One," said Arianna with conviction. "But we should go anyway. You look utterly exhausted."

"That too," he said, yawning. "I woke up at 2 am to meet the informers in Wales."

Out of nowhere, an idea crossed Arianna's drunken mind.

"We should go to Grimmauld Place!" she yelled enthusiastically, grabbing Harry by the shoulders.

"What? Now?" asked Harry, frowning.

"Yes! Now, it's perfect timing to finally enter Sirius' room!"

"Why?" asked Harry, chuckling. 

"I'm feeling brave tonight," she said, smirking and releasing him. 

"You mean you're feeling drunk tonight," said Harry, putting his hands on his waist.

Arianna shrugged. "Same thing. We can just go there for a second and leave, then next time would be easier for me," she explained, and Harry eyed her for a moment, trying to make up his mind. "If you don't want to come is fine, I'll go alone."

"Fine!" said Harry and took a deep breath. "Just because you're going to do it anyway, and at least I can keep an eye on you." 

Arianna jumped, smiling broadly and threw her arms over his shoulders. Harry held her and spuned, and a moment later, they had Apparated on the alley near Grimmauld Place. 

The small street was dark, and their sudden apparition scared a cat who stood on a dumpster and ran rapidly towards the main road. 

Harry let go of her, and she seized his hand, pulling him out the alley, almost running, fearing she would change her mind about going finally into her father's room. 

"Slow down, Black," said Harry chuckling. "The house isn't going anywhere."

A moment later, they had climbed the front steps and opened the door. The place looked creepier than ever, completely silent and engulfed by darkness. "Lumus," they both said and began walking the long corridor. 

She went directly and without hesitation to the fourth floor, followed by Harry. The only noise was the crackle of the wooden staircase below their feet, and the only visible thing was the shadows of house-elf heads elongating across the walls as they passed by them. They reached their destination, and she stood in front of a door with a nameplate that read "Sirius". Arianna stared at the doorknob for a moment. This was the fourth time she had attempted entering the room. And after taking a deep breath, she opened it.

Harry cast a spell to light the candle chandelier that hung from the centre of the room, unveiling the spacious chamber and the large bed with a carved headboard. Shabby velvet curtains covered a tall window, and the walls were filled with Gryffindor banners, pictures of motorcycles and Muggle girls wearing bikinis. But the most surprising thing was that the room seemed clean and organized.

Arianna observed the walls and began laughing and covered her mouth. She felt her chest full of different emotions that contradicted each other, and that made her eyes watery – A mix of excitement, sorrow and amusement. 

"He did have a sense of humour," she said, glancing back at Harry, who sat in the bed. "Why is this room clean, though?"

"It's Kreacher," explained Harry, leaning on the headboard. "He has been coming once a week to clean this room. Hermione thinks he's doing it out of guilt." 

"Oh, Kreacher. Right," she said, staring back at the walls. "I'm not ready to meet that little traitor just yet."

She strolled around the room and opened a perfectly ordered wardrobe. Her eyes drifted to the only garment that wasn't in a dark colour and took it out. It was a white suit. Arianna showed it to Harry, almost laughing.

"He used that when he was the best man at my parents' wedding," clarified Harry, his eyes half-shut. "I've seen pictures."

"He wore a white suit? He really wanted to be the bride, didn't he?" she said, smiling and placing the garment against her body, contemplating her reflection in an old mirror. "Do you think I can pull it off?" 

"You might be a tad too small for it," he answered with a sleepy smile.

"Yes," said Arianna inspecting the garment. "But I can take it to Madam Malkins and have it altered."

Harry was sliding further and further into the bed. Arianna took her obsidian dagger from her bag and tried to detach one of the Gryffindor banners, curious to see if it was a Permanent Sticking Charm or some kind of glue.

"Why do you always carry that?" asked Harry.

"In case I need to stab someone," she answered casually, moving alongside the wall. 

Harry chuckled, and she smiled, but her grin vanished quickly, and she turned to see him. She had been searching for the right time to tell him about Rudenschöld, even though there would never be a good time to talk about that. For a second, she considered doing it there, but then she thought she didn't want to ruin his weekend in Canada and add another trouble besides his situation with Ginny. 

She kept on inspecting the room and stumbled upon a photograph portraying four men, three of them she recognized, and the fourth one she knew who it was: Another traitor.

"It's there a photograph of the Marauders in their animal form?" she asked.

Harry leaned on his elbow. "Not that I know. Why?"

Arianna left the photograph where she found it, went over to the bed and lay down. Harry looked at her, half intrigued, half sleepy. 

"I just wonder if I ever met him as a dog," she said, staring at the bed's canopy. "'Big black dog' is not very descriptive."

"Did you ever encounter an extremely well-behaved big black dog?" asked Harry. "Or rather than well-behaved. Extremely smart?"

"Maybe…" answered Arianna. "I've been thinking about two dogs, but I'm never going to be sure until I see a picture."

"You haven't told me about that," he said reproachfully. 

"I didn't want you to get all excited about something that might not be true," explained Arianna lowly.

"Tell me," he urged and grinned. "I bet it was him."

"Don't say that! Don't put my hopes up!" she said, covering her face. "I'll tell you, but don't get all crazy, all right? We don't know!" She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts, and put her hands down. "Remember that summer when the Dark Mark was cast on the Quidditch World Cup? I was travelling in southern Mexico and the Caribbean Islands with my mother (it's actually when I bought my obsidian dagger), and there was a big black dog that used to play with me on the beach."

"It was him!" uttered Harry, sitting up. 

"Harry! How could you possibly–"

"It was him!" he cut in excitedly, a massive smile on his face. "I remember he was sending me letters with tropical birds during that summer!"

"But… Harry, it could have been any dog. He was just around a few days, and then he left… I told you not to get all crazy!"

"All right," he said, still smiling. "Go on, what about the second dog?"

"That was a year after that, here in London," she continued, remembering those summer afternoons. "There was a big black dog that usually showed up at the park where I used to go and read."

"It was him."

"Stop, Harry! I don't even think it was the same dog!"

"Why not?"

"One was fluffier, and the other one was bigger," she explained.

"He cut his hair and gained weight," said Harry simply. "It was him, Anna! Don't you see?!" 

"But he wasn't supposed to leave this house," argued Arianna, sitting. "And my mom told me he had agreed not to get close."

Harry extended both his arms, signalling at the room. "Do you really think Sirius Black was a rule follower?" he asked and started laughing maniacally, laying down on the bed. "Of course it was him. Of course he would look for you even if it was dangerous and reckless– That's who he was!"

Arianna didn't want to have false hopes, but she allowed herself for a moment to believe that it was true. That she had met his father and spent a few afternoons with him throwing sticks and reading below the shadow of a tree. 

"I'll find you a picture," said Harry decisively. "You little sceptical Ravenclaw."

They stared at each other's eyes for a moment, smiling. 

"Actually," said Harry. "I think I have a better idea…." 

"Which one?" asked Arianna, placing her head on the pillow, finding it very comfortable.

"I'm not telling you now," said Harry. Arianna could see ideas running through his eyes. "I have to see if it's possible first."

Harry stared at the bed canopy, submerged in his thoughts. He had a smile on his face, and she couldn't help but notice that he was quite handsome. She liked the contrast between his dark hair and pale skin, his straight nose, and those beautiful green eyes. Those eyes that were always so expressive and allowed her to see all kinds of emotions and thoughts forming inside him. 

"How bizarre it is to think that, if everything had gone differently, we would have been childhood friends," whispered Arianna. "Christmases, birthdays and summers together."

Harry looked at her. "We can only move forwards now."

"Then I hope we shall have many Christmases, birthdays and summers together," she said, getting lost in his eyes.

"I would love that," he whispered.

And thinking about the past and the future, they both fell asleep. 

Arianna woke up. The soft morning light came through the holed velvet curtains, and a stimulating spicy, citrusy scent made her think of bergamot. Sleepily, she closed her eyes again, enjoying the aroma, the warmth of the bed, the softness of the pillow and his arms around her.

Abruptly, her eyes blew wide open when fully remembering where she was and with whom. Harry was spooning her while she hugged his forearm that crossed her chest. Arianna glanced back over her shoulder and found him sound asleep with his glasses askew. 

It's fine, she thought. They had fallen asleep, both were tired and a bit tipsy, and they had fallen asleep. And because they were on top of the covers, it was logical to assume that they had gotten cold in the night and unintentionally searched for each other's warmth. It didn't mean anything. Harry was just her friend. They were just friends. It was fine.

Arianna glanced at her watch; it was a quarter to seven.

"Harry," she whispered, "Harry, wake up. We fell asleep… It's morning now."

Instead of waking up, Harry held her tighter, pulling her body closer to his and burying his nose on her hair. She could feel his chest against her back, moving at every breath he took. His fingers extended, touching her neck, and unexpectedly, she began feeling very warm.

"Harry," she said louder and swallowed. "Harry, you have a Portkey in fifteen minutes, and you haven't packed yet!"

He mumbled something unintelligible, and suddenly his whole body stiffened and stopped breathing. 

Promptly, he sat. "'m sorry," he muttered, dazed, and fixed his glasses. 

"It's almost seven!" Arianna insisted, turning to face him.

"Seven?! Shit!" yelled Harry and stood up immediately. "I have a Portkey at seven! I haven't packed yet!"

"It's fine," said Arianna, half asleep and feeling cold now that her human blanket was gone. "Just go now and have fun... And send my regards to Cho, tell her she owes me a new couch."

Harry looked confused for a moment and then laughed. "I'll tell her that," he said, reaching for the doorknob. "She's going to be thrilled to know you haven't forgotten."

"Only if I could."  

Harry left, and Arianna decided that she wouldn't train today. Instead, she went under the covers and snuggled Harry's pillow that had that pleasant smell. Forty minutes more she stayed in bed before heading home to get ready for work. 

Chapter 14: Hide and Seek

Chapter Text

Saturday was a fantastic sunny summer day, and while everyone Arianna knew was in Canada for the Quidditch World Cup final, she spent all morning bathing and swimming on a Cornwall beach with her mother. 

There were few things she enjoyed as much as being in the water. Rivers, lakes and oceans were her favourite playground since she had a memory. They made her feel alive and free in ways that were hard to explain only with words. It was as if the sea could dissolve her troubles and the streams wash away her fears.

After a couple of hours, they took a break from the sea and went under a large blue umbrella and over a pair of beach towels. Her mother opened a wicker basket and put out a couple of glasses and a home lemonade that was as cold as if it had been on ice. While she poured some liquid into the cups, Arianna took out the strawberries and chocolate mint cookies. They ate and drank, contemplating the people, some tanning, some swimming and a few kids building sandcastles. 

"The wedding is in less than three months, and you still haven't given me your guest list," said Agata without taking her eyes from the ocean.

"A list?" asked Arianna, taking a strawberry and removing the crown. "Blair, Padma and Nathan… and their plus-ones."

"That's it?" she asked suspiciously, glancing at her daughter. 

"Well… and Harry," said Arianna and twisted her mouth. "But he's already on Kings' guest list together with the rest of the Golden Trio and the Dumbledore's Army… so Luna and Neville are invited as well."

"Very well," said Agata, frowning slightly. "No one from work?"

Arianna hadn't really made friends in the International Confederation of Wizards department, but for sure, she had friends in the Auror Office. The problem was, her mother didn't know about her secret job. She wouldn't understand like Kingsley did. For sure, he was risking a lot by hiding from his future wife a secret such as that one. She took a cookie, thinking that Angie and Lee were already on the list, but not Kron or Draco. She could justify inviting the first one, but there was no way on earth it was rational to invite Draco Malfoy.

"Well…" said Arianna and took a bite. "There's a bloke in the Auror Department called Astor Kron, I know him thanks to Harry ... he's cool… he can bring plus-one too." 

Perhaps Kron would be smart enough to bring Draco instead of Pixie or whoever he would be shagging in three months, she thought.

"All right… No one else?"

Then Narcissa came to her mind. Another Malfoy she couldn't justify inviting as no one but Andromeda knew about their new relationship. 

"Nope," said Arianna and popped the whole cookie into her mouth. 

After talking about the wedding plans, Arianna lay down on her belly and began reading her copy of "European Magical Architecture" while her mother took out the Daily Prophet.

"Have you read the Prophet today?" asked Agata without lifting her gaze from the paper.

"Yep," replied Arianna. Every morning she read the news, especially the International section, searching for information about the High Regime. 

"Even the Society Pages?" asked Agata.

Arianna peeped over her book. "No," she answered. "That is a waste of time." 

Even though the harassment from the press had diminished considerably during the last month, she usually avoided reading the Daily Prophet's Society Pages and gossip columns as they always put her in a bad mood. 

"I think you should take a look at this," said Agata, handing her the paper.

Rather puzzled, Arianna sat and took it. At first glance, she saw a large picture of a couple embracing effusively, and a second later she realized it was her. The page bore the headline:

 

And covering half the page was a black-and-white photograph of Harry and Arianna in Diagon Alley from last Thursday Night. The picture showed her hugging him enthusiastically while he smiled broadly, taking her into his arms and disappearing together. 

Arianna's mouth dropped, and she began reading the note avidly. The article was rather harsh on Ginny. Vane criticized her for her performance on the QWC and speculated about the break-up between Harry and her, and then hypothesized about Harry's relationship with Arianna.

"This is absurd!" exclaimed Arianna, unable to lift the gaze from the paper. 

A heavy feeling of concern felt upon her, fearing that that ridiculous picture taken out of context would upset Ginny and make things harder for Harry. And she wouldn't know what had happened with them until her return from Austria, as she was leaving the following Monday and Harry wasn't coming back until late on Sunday. 

Sure enough, the next day, the Daily Prophet didn't only contain articles about the QWC final on how Japan had defeated Germany, but the gossip columns were filled with essays about Harry and Ginny. Like a play-by-play of their behaviour during the match and the lack of affective gestures. A page was entirely dedicated to their relationship timeline, and another one listed all the possible reasons why their romance ended. And, of course, Arianna's name kept popping in every single piece. 

And for the first time since she had started going to the Malfoy Manor to meet Narcissa, she took the Floo, avoiding the reporters, who hid quite badly behind the cars and trees. 

Later in the afternoon, Arianna sat in a library armchair with her eyes fixed on the gardens, practising a hex that Narcissa taught her, the Ignis Corpora spell. Which made the body's temperature of the caster burning hot, and it was used when wished to be released by someone's grab. 

She was doing it wandlessly, and as a non-verbal spell, which was rather tricky and after a while of only making her hands warm, she took a break, and her mind began to wander about what she had learned in the last month.

After studying the Black family, she had found it inspiring that they were excellent duellists. For centuries, they had won countless prizes, fought in numerous battles, and the list of jinxes and defensive spells created by them was immense. 

Arianna was quite good at duelling, she had been practising five days a week for the last three years, and still, the amount of time spent wasn't corresponding to the results. 

Definitely, she wasn't on the same level as Harry or Draco. Harry, who had been practising with her the last couple of weeks, kept insisting that she needed to loosen up and trust her gut. And to know that she came from a long line of exceptional duellists (including her father) made her think that maybe she had that in her, dormant, waiting to be awakened.

It indeed had awoken once, when allegedly, she defeated Alecto Carrow all by herself. Sadly, she had no recollection of it.

The library's door opened, Narcissa entered carrying a massive green book, followed by Andromeda and Teddy. Both witches held their purses and had their travelling coats and hats on.

"Are you positive it is not terribly inconvenient to leave Teddy with you?" asked Andromeda, holding her grandchild's hand, who struggled to get released by her grandmother. 

"Not at all," said Arianna, smiling. "We'll be fine."

"All right then," said Narcissa, approaching her. "We shall be back for dinner. You're staying this time, yes?"

"Are you sure Draco and Astoria aren't coming today?" asked Arianna, slightly anxious. 

"Yes, yes," answered Narcissa. "They're having dinner with the Greengrass this evening."

"Good," replied Arianna, relaxing. "Then I'd love to stay for dinner."

Narcissa gave her the book she carried, and Arianna noticed that her marvellous diamond engagement ring was gone and had been replaced by a beautiful oval sapphire with a diamond halo. 

"What happened to your ring?" asked Arianna bluntly.

"The ring is no longer mine," said Narcissa with a hint of resentment. "My husband asked me to give it to our son."

"Why?" asked Arianna instantly. 

"The Astral Ring has been passed down generations over two centuries– It's the Malfoy engagement ring, and it goes to the firstborn male when he's ready to wed," explained Narcissa, and Arianna felt something heavy falling on her stomach. "Don't you worry. As long as he's not married, there's hope." She smiled with complicity, and Arianna really wished she was referring to the inheritance. But another question followed: what did Narcissa know about Draco and her?

"Cissy, we have to leave now," hurried Andromeda standing by the door. "By the way, Galatea, Teddy is in that divine age when he cannot stand still."

Arianna gazed at Teddy, who was going under a table chasing down his flying broom toy.

"One more thing," added Narcissa, heading to the door. "If you need anything, call Poppy. She has been left at your disposal."

Children weren't Arianna's strong suit. They were small strange creatures that she had never understood, even when she was a kid herself. 

Children's books didn't seem to entertain Teddy, who had changed his hair, eyes and skin to match hers. He instead prefered to run around the library, crawl under the furniture, and climb the shelves and stairs.

And after only an hour of both of them alone, the place looked as if a hurricane had passed by, not only because some furniture was knocked over and there were books scattered everywhere, but also Arianna's long hair was utterly messy after chasing him around. 

She thought of taking him up to his room, but she had never been on the upper floors or knew if she was allowed to go there. So far, she had spent most of her visits on the library, the blue-drawing room and the gardens. She had seen the conservatory, dining rooms, the art gallery and ballroom on the ground floor. And knew that the purple drawing-room was permanently closed since Voldemort was gone, as it was the place where the Death Eaters gathered, and it brought Narcissa terrible memories.

Teddy rested on the floor with his arms and legs extended while Arianna placed the books he had taken out of their shelves. 

"Nana," he said with his childish voice. "Do you like flying? Harry likes flying… Draco and aunt Cissy like flying too."

"Kind off," answered Arianna trying to figure from which shelf he had pulled out a poetry book. 

"Harry has five brooms," he said, impressed, and sat. "But he only likes one. Do you have a broom?"

"Nope," replied Arianna and spotted a suspiciously empty spot on a shelf across the room.

"Harry says he's going to give me one of his brooms when I'm older," said Teddy proudly, going on his feet. "Maybe he can give you one too!"

"Maybe," she said, heading to the shelf and placing the last volume in.

"Nana!" called Teddy, approaching the window and pointing at it. "Letz go out now!"

"No, Teddy, I'm not going outside with you," she said, dreading she would lose sight of him in the vast garden. "I can read you the Tales of Beedle the Bard. How does that sound?" She asked, smiling and finally took a seat.

"Draco always plays with me outside!" said Teddy, climbing on the window sill and pressing his face on the glass. 

"Kudos to Draco," mumbled Arianna, feeling exhausted. "We can play here, Teddy."

"We can play hide and seek!" said Teddy happily, looking back. "Harry always plays hide and seek with me."

"All right," said Arianna and took a deep breath. "But we stay here in the library, and you can't go up the staircases, understood?" Teddy nodded enthusiastically and came down from the window. "I'll start. I'll count to ten, and you hide. Ok?"

Arianna closed her eyes and began counting, hearing Teddy's laughter and his little steps running around the room. Then she stopped and opened her eyes. It took her half a second to figure out his hidden place as he kept on giggling but she pretended she was clueless and looked around, under the tables and chairs until she finally pulled him from under a sofa and tickled him mercilessly. 

Then it was Teddy's turn. Arianna hid behind a couch while he counted to ten very slowly. And then, there was silence followed by a burst of childish laughter and quick steps going away. 

Promptly, she stood up. The door was wide open, and the kid was gone. Arianna took her satchel and rushed and caught him in the small lobby outside the library when she heard a familiar voice coming from the entrance hall. 

"Do not worry, Mrs Greengrass," said Draco. "I'm sure mother would be delighted to have us over for dinner."

Arianna froze in the spot while Teddy tried to get loose. 

"I apologize for the inconvenience, Draco," said a woman's voice that Arianna assumed to be Mrs Greengrass. "And I've told you– Please, call me Ambrosia."

"We are terribly sorry," said a man's voice. "We were certainly not expecting the gnomes to raid the kitchens so close to dinner. But the house-elves are dealing with them as we speak."

Arianna opened the nearest door that led to the dining room and carried Teddy with her. They entered a magnificent room with a long ebony table at the centre. The tapestries were emerald green, which matched the carpets and the velvet curtains that covered several tall windows. Numerous paintings decorated the walls, mainly depicting still life and landscapes. 

Teddy began running towards the door. "Draco!" he screamed. Arianna murmured a silencing spell on the doorknob. This kid was going to be her doom. 

"Come here, Teddy," whispered Arianna, approaching him. He was trying to reach the doorknob and managed to move it using his magic. "Teddy, no! Come here."

She closed the door slowly and then went on her knees, turning him to face her and looking at him directly in his eyes which were exactly like hers. 

"Do you want to play hide and seek with Draco and his friends?" asked Arianna, and he nodded enthusiastically. "Good, so we need to hide and be very, very quiet, all right? But they don't have to find us, ok? And if we win, I'll buy you a big chocolate ice cream!"

"And you will play with me in the gardens?" he asked, opening his eyes widely. 

"Yes," she answered. 

"And you will come and play with Harry and me?"

"Of course," she said, hearing the voices closer.

"Can Draco come too?"

"Sure," she said, looking around, trying to figure out where to go next. There were no other doors, at least not visible ones. Then she remembered Narcissa's last words.

"Poppy," she whispered.

Poppy appeared in front of them with a crack. The tiny house-elf looked as she remembered, but now she wore a necklace made of radishes that would have made Luna Lovegood proud. 

"How can Poppy help Miss Galatea?" she asked with a high-pitched voice.

"We need to hide," whispered Arianna. "Draco and his guests shouldn't know that I'm here."

"Miss Galatea can hide behind a painting," said Poppy and snapped her fingers, and one of the large paintings opened like a door, leading to a niche.

Quickly, Arianna climbed in with Teddy and sat down, crossing her legs and holding the child in her arms.

"Thank you, Poppy. Please inform Mrs Malfoy of the situation."

Poppy bowed dramatically and disappeared with another crack. Arianna closed the painting with her wand and discovered that she could see perfectly through the canvas as if it was made of sheer fabric. 

Not a minute after they had hidden, the door of the dining room opened. 

Draco entered, followed by the Greengrass family. He wore a dark grey suit, his hair was slicked back, Astoria grabbed his arm, her auburn hair was loose, and she was attired with an elegant silver dress. Her parents wore Black, and the resemblance with her mother was astonishing. They both had the same hair, small pointy nose and heavily lidded eyes. Mr Greengrass was a tall brunette man with a meticulously trimmed moustache.

Teddy began giggling, and Arianna shushed him lowly, covering his mouth with a hand. "Remember," she whispered. "We have to be very quiet."

"This is the winter dining room," said Draco. "But the wall at the end can be removed, joining it with the summer dining room– It's usually what we do when hosting banquets."

"How many people would you say fit here?" asked Ambrosia scrutinizing the room.

"Comfortably, around one-hundred," answered Draco.

Ambrosia exchanged a look with her daughter.

"Clearly, it is not big enough for a wedding," said Astoria softly. "Maybe we could host it in the gardens."

Arianna felt her stomach revolting at those words. She leaned forwards, peeking through the canvas, trying to see if she was wearing the engagement ring, but she was too far away to see. 

"It would be a lovely idea," said Mr Greengrass arrogantly. "But I feel rather uncomfortable speaking of wedding celebrations when my daughter has not been officially asked to marry yet."

"As I said before, Odysseus," said Draco with a monotonous voice. "Mother would like to make it official once father is out of Azkaban next year."

"I don't see the need to wait that long," said Ambrosia, smiling at Draco. "I think Lucius would be glad to hear that we are working on the wedding plans, and then we could have the ceremony when he's out."

"When is your father coming out, Draco?" asked Astoria with a honeyed voice.

"Beginning of next year, it's still uncertain," said Draco. "But we hope for February."

"Fantastic," said Astoria smiling. "We could have the wedding then." 

"In the gardens? In February?" asked Draco, slightly annoyed. 

A giggle escaped Teddy, and Ambrosia looked in their direction and approached slowly. Arianna's pulse rose, and she decided she needed a plan B. 

"We can have it in France," said Ambrosia, observing the painting. "In one the Lestrange vineyards."

"Then father couldn't attend," argued Draco, his irritation growing. "He's going to be under house arrest, as I've mentioned before."

Teddy moved restlessly on her lap, and Arianna opened her bag and groped, founding a tear-shaped flask and took it out. 

"Teddy," she whispered, and Ambrosias eyes stopped as if she could see Arianna. "Drink this; it's grape juice."

Obediently, Teddy took a small sip and fell asleep instantly. Ambrosia came even closer; Arianna could smell her heavy perfume. She dragged herself as far back as she could, feeling the cold stone wall on her back. And after a long moment, Ambrosia moved away from the painting and inspected the golden candelabras that rested on the ebony table. 

"Now, now," said Odysseus calmly. "We should settle the date for the engagement first. How about the first weekend of September?"

"I have a boxing match that weekend," said Draco plainly.

"But that's on Saturday," said Astoria, holding him closer. "We can have the engagement dinner on Sunday." 

"Do you want me to be at our engagement dinner with a concussion and a battered face?" Asked Draco, irritated.

"Oh, Draco," said Ambrosia, caressing the wooden table. "You have that fight under your belt. There's no way the half-blood could harm you in any way."

Draco frowned, and the door opened once again. Narcissa and Andromeda came in, and even behind the painting, Arianna could feel the air in the room getting heavier. 

Narcissa moved forward, but Andromeda stayed by the door, folding her arms.

"Ambrosia, Odysseus, Astoria," said Narcissa with a broad smile that didn't reach her eyes. They moved towards her and kissed her twice, one on each cheek, while completely ignoring Andromeda's presence, whose expression was of boredom.

"Why don't you head to the drawing-room while waiting?" said Narcissa gesturing to the door. "Dinner would be ready soon. Draco, please escort them while we change into something more fitted for the occasion."

The Greengrass family and Draco left the room, and Andromeda went directly to the portrait where Arianna was hidden and swung it open. 

"I'm so sorry," said Andromeda, taking sleeping Teddy into her arms. "We certainly weren't expecting these people today."

"Definitely not," said Narcissa, folding her arms. "I'm afraid we would have to reschedule our dinner, Galatea."

Arianna was about to go down from the nitche when the door opened for the third time, and with a quick wand movement, Narcissa closed the painting again. Draco came in, and immediately his eyes landed on Teddy, who not only had shown up from nowhere but had acquired Arianna's black wavy hair, olive skin and heart-shaped lips. Arianna covered her mouth, holding her breath. 

Draco lifted an eyebrow at Teddy. "Where did he come from?" he asked. 

"He was hiding behind the door," said Andromeda simply.

"And fell asleep magically in your arms?" asked Draco ironically.

"A little Sleeping Draught never hurt anybody," replied Andromeda, winking.

Draco looked at her sceptically.

"Draco, why don't you take Teddy to bed while we get ready for dinner?" asked Narcissa.

Andromeda went over to Draco, and he carried Teddy. The child woke up drowsy and hugged him, and Draco smelled his hair.

"Who were you visiting?" he asked, pushing his eyebrows together.

"An old friend of mine," said Andromeda indifferently, holding the door open for him to leave. "We will tell you all about it, but you should take Teddy upstairs while he's still sleepy."

Teddy moved in his arms, his little hands clenching his collar, and to Arianna's dismay, he mumbled, "Nana". Draco's eyes blew wide open. 

"Mother," he said, controlling his voice. "Where have you been?"

"Draco, we have guests over," said Narcissa, annoyed. "It's rude to leave them unattended for so long. Would you please put Teddy to bed? We can talk later."

Draco didn't seem pleased, but he obeyed, and after they left, Narcissa locked the door and silenced the room, and Arianna finally came out from her hiding place.

"He knows!" exclaimed Arianna, alarmed. 

"He knows nothing," said Andromeda dismissively. "Don't worry about it. We will handle it. Isn't that right, Cissy?"

"Yes, yes," said Narcissa, rubbing her chin. "We'll think of something, but now I think you should leave, Galatea." 

"Indeed, we have to deal with the leeches," said Andromeda and Narcissa looked at her with disapproval. "What? They are probably planning how they will get rid of Teddy and me once they are 'part of the family'."

"I told you, Andy," said Narcissa firmly. "I'm not going to allow any of that to happen."

"Lucius is going to kick me out as soon as he's out of Azkaban," replied Andromeda, folding her arms. "Maybe I should take Harry's offer and move to Grimmauld Place once and for all and spare me the humiliation."

"No, you're staying here!" said Narcissa, her face getting red. "Lucius knows that if you leave this house, I'm going with you!"

Andromeda looked at her sister; her expression softened, and she nodded slightly.

"Poppy," called Narcissa. The house-elf Apparated next to her. "Please take Miss Galatea to the main gate without being seen."

"Yes, Madam," said Poppy with a pronounced bow.

"I shall see you next Sunday," said Narcissa at Arianna. "I apologize for the trouble."

Poppy took Arianna's hand and Apparated outside the main gate. She took a last glance at the manor before leaving. One lingering thought on her mind– Draco was going to marry Astoria.




Chapter 15: Venus' Bracelets

Chapter Text

Arianna sat in the window sill of her small suite in Vienna, smoking and glancing down at the alley that led to the building's entrance, expecting to see a blond head coming in. She had been waiting for Draco anxiously since she had gotten an ambiguous owl at dawn from Wilkinson, merely saying that there was a slight change of plans.

It was her fifth morning in Austria; she had attended conferences, assisting Yao Chang and Robert Vane during the week. However, today was different, as there was only a gala in the evening to celebrate the ending of the General Assembly meetings of the International Confederation of Wizards. And it was there where she would do her mission for the Investigation Department. 

Putting off her cigarette, she went inside. The room looked as if it had been decorated by a blind Dolores Umbridge, for every surface was pink, and there were cat paintings and ceramics everywhere. 

And after deciding she couldn't wait any more, she grabbed her purse and glanced at the mirror; a blonde young woman with a button-up white dress and a long pearl necklace looked back at her. She put on an oversized pair of sunglasses and left her room on the fifth floor, heading into the tiny lift and to the ground level. 

She stepped out into the small cosy lobby, and someone called her name. 

 "Vitelli?" said a familiar man's voice.

Arianna's heart skipped a beat and followed the voice. Draco leaned casually on the reception desk with a brown leather suitcase at his feet. As always, he looked impeccable, wearing grey trousers and a white shirt. A lock of blond hair rested charmingly on his forehead. And she noticed a silver watch on his left wrist she hadn't seen before.

"How did you know it was me?" asked Arianna, slightly offended, and removing her sunglasses.

"It's not your best disguise," he said, grinning. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"It has worked so far," she argued, approaching him. 

"Who are you hiding from?" he asked, standing straight.

"The press," whispered Arianna, looking around as if some reporter would jump from behind a sofa at any given moment. 

"I'll take a wild guess and assume that your new boyfriend has something to do with that," he said, teasing. "But seriously, you look terrible with that shade."

Arianna huffed. "I pull off blond better than you do," she argued confidently. "And yes, that absurd article by Romilda Vane has been causing me a lot of headaches lately," she said and wondered for the millionth time if Harry and Ginny had really broken up. "Anyway… I got the owl from Wilkinson. What changed?" 

"I'll tell you soon," said Draco, leaning on the desk again, searching for the receptionist. "Just give me a couple of minutes."

She agreed and waited in the small lonely alley outside the hotel. It was a hot day, so she put up her hair in a ponytail and then took her cigarette case from her purse and opened it. To her disappointment, there were only seven smokes left from the New York package. Deciding it was better to save them for later, she closed the case and began walking in circles.

Draco came out ten minutes later, putting on a pair of sunglasses and smirking at her. 

"Tell me," demanded Arianna immediately. 

"Calm down, Vitelli," said Draco, chuckling. "Nothing involving your part. You just need to be aware of certain things... But first–" He twisted his silver watch's crown and pushed a small button on the side, and instantly the surrounding noises softened like it happened every time they used the egg timer in the pub. "It's a little toy Kron gave me for our mission today," explained Draco, his voice sounding loud and clear. "Others can't hear what we say or see our lips moving, as long as you stay close enough. And I can communicate with the rest of the team."

"The rest of the team?" repeated Arianna. "What do you mean?"

"Let's walk– I need to run an errand, and we can try the watch," he said, and they started strolling down the alley into a pedestrian street flooded with people. "The Austrian authorities believe that there might be a High Regime riot tonight. So the security at the gala has been increased, and they are sending Nuttely, Johnson and Potter as backups."

"But they are not attending the gala?" she asked, dodging a distracted tourist.

"Nope," replied Draco, grabbing Arianna by the arm and pulling her closer. "They'll be in the palace surroundings." He turned around on the next corner, and she followed him. "So you don't get to dance with the boyfriend tonight."

"Where are we going?" asked Arianna, ignoring his last remark. 

"Biermann & Stauss– it's a famous jewellery store," answered Draco. Arianna instantly knew they were going gift shopping for Astoria and felt slightly sick. "It's around the corner."

A few minutes later, they walked into an empty, dusty muggle bookstore and headed to the end where the bust of a bald man stood. Draco touched the sculpture with the tip of his wand, and the marble figure stood aside, uncovering a narrow passage that led towards an elegant circular room.

They both took off their sunglasses, and Arianna forgot to breathe for a moment. It was a well-lit store with walls and counters filled with precious stones and magnificent jewels that sparkled under the candle lights. 

A well-dressed old man approached them. He had his grey hair slicked back, a pair of delicate rectangle glasses framed his blue eyes and a well-tailored suit outlined his slim and tall figure. 

Guten Tag,” he said, smiling. “Willkommen bei Biermann & Stauss.” 

"Danke," said Draco. "Ich bin Draco Malfoy."

"Oh, of course, Mr Malfoy. We have been expecting you," said the man with a gentle nod. "I'm Diederick Stauss. I believe we have exactly what you're looking for. Please follow me."

Draco went with Stauss to a counter on the left, and Arianna stayed behind. She didn't want to see what he was buying Astoria, so she inspected the place instead. A vertical showcase that stood to the right caught her attention and approached. Inside there was a pair of black hand mannequins wearing a couple of divine bracelets. 

It was love at first sight. The bracelets were made of five strings of pearls connected to a ring through a medallion with diamond encrustations. It was unique, elegant and classic. And for the first time, she thought of something she would buy if the Black inheritance was hers. 

"Excuse me," said Arianna to a tall young blond witch wearing a name tag. "Could you tell me more about these bracelets?"

She looked at Arianna from head to toe with a snooty expression.

"Of course," she said, smiling fakely. "What would you like to know?"

"A bit of its history, its magical properties and the cost," said Arianna.

"It's not for sale," said the witch unpleasantly. "And if it was, you couldn't afford it."

Arianna’s mouth dropped in indignation, and before she could reply, someone talked behind her. 

"Herr Stauss," said Draco coldly, glaring at the blond woman with a stern look and standing next to Arianna. 

"Would you please assist my friend? It seems your employee it's doing a lousy job at it."

"Of course, Mr Malfoy," said Stauss, giving the witch a rugged look. She seemed slightly scared and left to the other side of the room. "Please forgive my niece's behaviour, Miss…."

"Vitelli," answered Arianna. 

"Vitelli ?" repeated Stauss, frowning slightly. "Are you by any chance related to Orsola and Ambrogio Vitelli?"

"Yes, they are my grandparents," replied Arianna, praying he didn't ask more questions. She had met them twice in her life.

"Ah! I see the resemblance now," said Stauss, moving closer to her. "Please send my regards next time you see them. How can I help you, Miss Vitelli?"

"I was wondering about those bracelets," said Arianna pointing at the showcase.

Stauss looked at the vitrine and smiled politely. "I'm afraid my niece was right," he said. "The Venus' Bracelets are not for sale."

Draco lifted an eyebrow and moved forward, curious about the jewels.

"I'm sure I couldn’t afford them even if they were," said Arianna. "I'm just curious to know more about them. The craftsmanship is impeccable."

"It's an invaluable and unique piece of jewellery, indeed," said Stauss, proudly. "Its history goes back seven hundred years, and it's the only remaining piece we have from the first Biermann & Stauss jewellers."

"The design is clearly from the 20s, though," pointed out Arianna, getting closer to the bracelets. "But I imagine it has been modified over time. If it's that old, perhaps the first design was a necklace?" 

Stauss arched his eyebrows. "That's correct," he said. "It has been modified five times over the centuries and been cursed several occasions."

"Ten points to Ravenclaw," whispered Draco, teasing, and she rolled her eyes. 

Arianna leaned as close as she could, her forehead almost touching the glass. "The pearls are from the Red Sea, aren't they?" she asked, squinting her eyes.

"Indeed," said Stauss enthusiastically. "Just like your necklace, if I'm not mistaken. A wonderful piece of jewellery, I have to say."

Draco was now leaning next to Arianna with his head slightly tilted. 

"How do you know about the pearls?" asked Draco to Arianna.

"The coating it's slightly more yellowish, and the reflection it's bluer," she explained, pointing at the pearls, excited. "Originally, they were produced on a kind of oyster only found on the Red Sea." She stood up straight and smiled broadly at Stauss. "Thank you very much for your time, Herr Stauss. It's a magnificent piece of art, truly. I absolutely love them."

"No, thank you, Miss Vitelli. It's always a pleasure to meet people who appreciate the craft over the precious stones and metals. Please visit next time you're in Vienna, and ask for me personally."

Draco and Arianna left the store a few minutes later. She felt content and thought about Narcissa and the heirloom lessons and how much she had learned about jewellery in the last month.

"Thank you for… backing me up," said Arianna when they were back on the street, the sun higher and more intense than before.

"Not a problem, Vitelli," said Draco with a smirk and put his sunglasses back on. "It's always a pleasure putting people in their place."

Arianna shook her head, suppressing a grin and feeling thankful to walk by his side with this face of him that was familiar to her. 

"So, who did you kill for that pearl necklace?" asked Draco playfully.

"It's a Vitelli heirloom," explained Arianna. "One of the few things my mother had when she ran away and gave it to me when I graduated from Hogwarts. I love it," she touched her necklace, feeling the round and smooth pearls between her fingers. "Somehow, I feel it connects me to them, to something larger, like a constellation… a family."

"I thought you would hate them," said Draco, looking her way. "They disinherited your mother after all."

"Well, I don't," replied Arianna lowly. "They are just victims of a rotten system and ideologies. Nevertheless, they love my mother… She still has contact with them. They just don't talk about it."

Draco remained quiet. He had grown up in that system, and to some extent, he still followed it. After all, all his closest friends and girlfriend were purebloods. 

They reached a busy pedestrian street flanked with stores and walked on the shady side. Along the way, Arianna rambled about the history of Vienna in the 17th hundreds when she saw a record store and stopped dead.

A large modern stereo was displayed on the window, and she thought it would be an excellent gift for Blair. Draco took a few more steps before realising she wasn't next to him and turned around to meet her.

"Why are we stopping?" he asked, slightly annoyed . His fair skin reddened by the heat.

"I'm considering buying that," said Arianna pointing at the stereo.

"What's that muggle thing for?" he asked disgustingly. "It's hideous."

"Muggles listen to music with it," explained Arianna.

"How?" he asked, frowning at the device. "And how do you know what is it? You never took Muggle Studies."

"I like muggle music," she explained, wondering how he knew that. But in all fairness, she also knew all the subjects he had taken. 

"I thought your favourite band were the Weird Sisters," said Draco reproachfully. 

"Yeah… they're awesome, but that doesn't mean I don't like other bands. Let's go inside."

Without hesitation, Arianna pushed the door open. The store was pretty filled with customers browsing around CD's and inspecting stereos and headphones. Quickly she searched for the vinyl records and found them in the far corner of the store. 

"So you're telling me you have never ever listened to muggle music?" she asked while heading towards the LP section. 

"Nope," answered Draco, glancing around cautiously.

Arianna looked back at him in utter disbelief. "I think a part of my soul just died," she said and instantly discovered her next mission in life. "That has to be fixed right away. Not even classical music?"

"What do you mean?" asked Draco, and Arianna thought she might faint. 

"Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Wagner?" she asked, almost scared.

"Well," said Draco, taking the closest record mindlessly and flipping it. "Everyone knows Wagner was a wizard."

"No, he wasn't," said Arianna, rolling her eyes.

"And I'm pretty sure Mozart was a squib," continued Draco, smirking. 

"You're delusional," she said, taking the LP from his hand and putting it back in its place. "So you know them?"

"Of course I do, Vitelli."

"Good," she said, relaxing. "So we can jump right into Britain in the 1970s. So many things you need to listen to. Where do we begin?" 

Her well-trained eyes located the rock section rapidly and marched that way with Draco following her closely.

"I don't have muggle money," said Draco.

"Oh, no!" said Arianna, skimming quickly through the assortment. "This is on me. I can't allow you to live in the dark any longer." Draco chuckled. "You like the Weird Sisters too, isn't it?"

"Who doesn't?" 

"Is it true they played at your fourteen birthday party?" she asked, glancing back at him. Draco merely stared back, smirking. "I'll take that as a yes."

She went back to her task and spotted what she had been looking for. "Very well," she said, taking an LP and handing it to Draco. "You desperately need some Pink Floyd. We'll start with 'The Wall'. I hope it's not too subversive for you," she moved towards the "J" and grabbed a second one. "'Aqualung' by Jethro Tull," she said, giving it to Draco. "And we need some Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin," she fetched a couple more albums from them and gave them to him. "We can start with these."

Draco browsed through to the records and laughed. "You're completely mental, Vitelli," he said.

"I'm just trying to save your soul," she said, heading to the counter.

"Excuse me," said a tiny old woman that looked more English than a Yorkshire pudding. "Would you by any chance have some spare euros you can exchange with me? I'm afraid I don't have enough to buy my granddaughter one of these CD's."

A girl around eleven years old came from behind her grandmother, carrying a Britney Spears CD, and stared at Draco attentively, blushing and hiding again. 

"Of course," said Arianna and fetched her wallet. The woman gave her seven pounds, and Arianna gave her the equivalent in euros. 

"Oh! Thank you so much," said the woman smiling broadly, and looking at both of them. "You make a lovely couple if you don't mind me saying."

Arianna repressed a nervous giggle and was about to clarify, but Draco beat her to it. 

"Thank you," he said, smiling and standing closer to Arianna. "We're on our honeymoon."

"Oh! It's that so?" asked the woman, thrilled. "Lovely, lovely indeed. Enjoy your holidays and the nice weather. We certainly don't have this often in our little island, isn't it right?"

After a few more minutes of Draco explaining an incredibly detailed plan trip of their supposed honeymoon through Switzerland and Northern Italy, they paid and headed to the hotel. 

"Pathological liar," said Arianna, when stepping out of the store, and Draco laughed.

Almost melting, they finally reached the hotel, finding shelter from the scorching sun. They walked towards the lift, removing their sunglasses.

"I really need a cold shower," said Arianna, wiping the tiny pearls of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand while reaching for the lift button. 

Draco grabbed her wrist. She looked at him, slightly shocked. 

"Not yet. I have something for you," said Draco, looking at her. "But I want you to take it from me using the spell you have to use today."

He pressed the button, and the lift doors opened instantly, he stepped in, and she followed him. They barely fit inside.

"All right, where is it?" she asked, slightly confused but ready for the challenge. It was a tricky spell designed to move objects that were hidden with powerful charms.

"In my right pocket," he answered. "You have until we reach level two to retrieve it. It's around the same amount of time you will have tonight."

"Level two?" Uttered Arianna, alarmed. The door of the lift closed behind her.

"Time is ticking, Vitelli," said Draco calmly. "Don't forget to do it as a non-verbal spell."

Arianna took out her wand from her bag, and her left hand went directly to his right shirt pocket. She touched it from the outside, feeling his hot skin underneath the fabric, and tried to focus on the imperceptible object. "Transire," she thought, but nothing happened and tried again. This time feeling something icy beneath her fingers and the weight of an object appearing on her dress pocket. 

"Level two," said Draco with a low voice, looking into her eyes. "Wear it tonight. It's connected to my watch, so you can talk to me across the room and vice versa; just hold it and speak."

The lift opened, and he left. She checked her pocket. It was a thin diamond bracelet.

After a cold shower, a nap and room service, Arianna got ready for the gala. She put on a strapless black ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and her black hair up in a bun. Shortly before leaving, she took the diamond bracelet and fastened it around her left wrist.  

Wondering if Draco could hear her three floors below, she held it and said, "Malfoy?"

A moment later, she heard his voice as if he was standing next to her. 

"I hope you've got rid of that ridiculous blond hair," said Draco. 

She laughed, "I hope yours is not sleek back."

He chuckled. "I'll see you soon, Vitelli."

Then she double-checked she had the antidotes on her purse and left the dagger, as it would probably be confiscated at the entrance. Feeling unprotected without it, she headed downstairs to take the Floo to the gala.

She began thinking about the mission. The plan was simple: she would mingle for a while and then ask Robert Vane to introduce her to Székely Kálmán, their Hungarian spy. Székely was supposed to spill his drink over his jacket, and Arianna would help clean it and use the Transire Spell, moving the object into her purse. The gadget supposedly held vital information regarding the High Regime plans. 

Meanwhile, Draco was not supposed to approach her but watch her from a safe distance. He was the only undercover Auror who knew Arianna's intentions, so she needed to go unnoticed. 

And if everything went well, she thought, perhaps they could finally sit down and talk about them.

The night was warm, and even if the weather was ideal for a garden party, they were hosting inside the palace for security reasons. As soon as she arrived, two wizards scanned her person and belongings with Secrecy Sensors, searching for Dark artefacts and poisons. 

Then she went out of the fireplace room and marvelled at the magnificent baroque building with tall ceilings and polished marble floors. She followed the crowd and arrived into an opulent ballroom with several windows overlooking the lit gardens and the starry night. The atmosphere was pleasant, piano music played in the background, everyone wore a smile on their face and laughter was heard from every corner. The room was packed with prominent members of the International Confederation of Wizards, political figures and a dozen Aurors inspecting the area.

Arianna decided to search immediately for Robert Vane and locate Székely Kálmán. She walked next to the dancing floor when she wondered where Draco was and stopped, looking around and a second later, a deep voice said "Looking for me? Turn a bit more to your right." She jumped, surprised by the sound of his voice and glanced slightly to her right, and found Draco standing across the dance floor, holding his watch. "There you go," he said, but his lips didn't move. 

Draco had a dinner suit on him, and his hair wasn't sleek back, looking dazzling. He was with a couple of wizards and gazed at her from top to bottom, giving her a placid grin. They held their gaze for a moment longer, and she kept going. 

Near a window, she found Mrs Chang and Mr Vane talking with a couple of wizards from Argentina, and she joined them. She remained quiet most of the time, searching with her eyes for Székely in the crowded room. 

The heat, the tight dress and the noise began to smother her, and she thought of going out for fresh air, as she usually did at parties, but decided to stay put until she found her target.

After an hour of bad jokes from Mrs Chang, countless glances from Mr Vane to her cleavage and three cigarettes, she saw him. Székely was standing not far away from them, surrounded by four grim men. He wore a military dress uniform covered in medals. He was bald with a black imperial moustache and had a haughty expression.

She smiled, satisfied and glanced around, hoping to find Draco; she hadn't seen him for a while. Her hand was on her bracelet, ready to speak when Draco beat her to it.

"It seems like Vane can't take his eyes off you," said Draco's voice. "But who can blame him?" 

Arianna suppressed a smile; she rather enjoyed the idea of him watching and following her around the ballroom all night but never getting close. It was like playing cat and mouse. Then another thought followed: he will marry soon. She didn't say anything to him and lit another smoke.

After the first drag, she felt pressure on her chest and a cold sweat on her neck. And looking for fresh air, she excused herself to the restrooms and headed towards the entrance. 

Arianna was making her way through the crowded room when suddenly, all the noises dropped to a whisper. She looked around, noticing that everyone kept behaving normally. And then, an ethereal, deep dark voice sang in an unknown language. 

In a matter of seconds, her chest felt confined as if someone was tightening and pulling her corset to its limit; her vision began narrowing. The twisted morbid lullaby was the only thing she could hear besides her breathing. And immediately, she knew that Rudenshöld was there.

Following her instinct, she rushed between the guests with a clear objective in her mind– Székely.

From a floating tray a few steps away from him, she took a glass of red wine and decisively, she stumbled on him, splashing the liquid in both their clothing.

The man looked at her outraged, and his mouth began moving, but there was no sound she could hear. 

"I'm sorry!" uttered Arianna, breathing heavily. "I'm so stupid! Let me help you."

Without waiting for a response, she took out her wand, holding it weakly. She cleaned his uniform with a trembling hand and touched his chest briefly, "Transire," she thought and felt something cold beneath her fingers– It had worked.

"I- I apologise again …sir," mumbled Arianna, her voice weakening. "I'm…so– so sorry." 

Almost staggering, she left and stumbled on a marble column and leaned there, closing her eyes. Rudenschöld's voice kept stabbing her mind with his song, and with a shaky hand, she grasped the diamond bracelet and said, "Draco–" 

Two hands held her head, and she opened her eyes. Draco was there, his expression of concern. His lips moved, but she could hear what they said.

"He's… here…" said Arianna between breaths. "He… cursed… me." 

His grey eyes bulged even more, and he grabbed her by the waist, leading her outside the ballroom and pushing everyone on their way unapologetically. 

Everything was becoming darker and blurrier. She closed her eyes and let him guide her. 

Arianna felt divided between reality and illusion. Rudenschöld's voice was gone, but the ticking clocks were there with the smell of books, wine and lemonade. She heard his dead son talking and felt the pressure of his body on her. The metallic smell of blood and the warm liquid dripping on her chest. She saw the sun going down and green eyes dying in front of her. A big black book on a wooden desk. A sadistic laugh.

Feeling sick, she opened her eyes just in time to see the lift doors closing, and she fell to her knees, vomiting on the floor. Draco lifted her and carried her out into a hallway; she seized his jacket. And they went into a suite. 

He left her on a sofa, but she immediately stood up, and staggering, she searched for the bathroom. 

Arianna fell on her hands and knees on the white tiled floor. Her skin was burning, and she had lost most of her sight. "Calming Draught… m' purse…" she uttered and tried to breathe as deep as she could, but there was no air coming in. Her chest was confined. 

Her mind kept on bringing memories she couldn't stop, the taste of blood on her lips, her dress sliding from her body, an unwelcome hand touching her. She tried to scream, but nothing came out.

"Can't... breathe," she gasped, collapsing on the ground. 

Draco sat her up and leaned her against his chest, putting a small glass bottle on her lips. She smelt Calming Draught and drank it eagerly, but as soon as the liquid touched her lips, it became ashes, making her cough violently. Arianna bent on the floor in despair, gasping for air. 

"Take it off," she begged, trying to pull down her dress. 

She felt his hands on her burning skin as if they were of ice, and he tore her dress from the back. 

Arianna exhaled sharply, her rib cage expanding freely, filling her lungs with air. Searching to turn down the fever, she crawled to the shower and opened the cold water. She pressed her bare chest against the cool tiles and felt the icy water falling over her.

She tasted rotten lemonade and heard Alaric's voice telling her she couldn't leave. Arianna howled and began banging her head hard against the wall. 

Draco grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. Arianna turned and hugged him desperately. 

"Stun me, please!" cried Arianna in agony, clenching his soaking wet jacket. "Make it stop!" 

Draco held her tighter. She felt his chest vibrating, speaking to her, but no words came to her ears. 

The bathroom door opened violently, slamming hard against the wall, and a blurry figure dressed in black burst in. Arianna held Draco tighter. 

The darkness was winning. Arianna was drifting further and further into a memory she didn't want to remember. She gathered air in her lungs and freed the words that had been tormenting her for the last six years.

"I KILLED ALARIC RUDENSCHÖLD!”

 

 

Chapter 16: Summer 1996

Notes:

WARNING! This chapter has an Attempted Rape/Non-Con scene. The attack is not explicit.

Chapter Text

Summer 1996.

 

It is always hard to see someone you deem strong crying. It can shake you to your very core and make you feel afraid, like if the world was crumbling, at least that is how Arianna felt when she found her mother in tears in the living room at the beginning of the summer.

Most of July, Arianna spent her time stuck in her home. She was forbidden to go outside unless an adult was with her, the Floo had been disconnected, and the security of the house strengthened. And ever since Voldemort had officially returned, Agata had spent most of her time at the Ministry and barely slept. She locked herself for hours in her study and came out for dinner at her daughter's insistence, just to sit mindlessly at the table and take a couple of bites before hiding in her office again. 

Voldemort and several Death Eaters had broken into the Department of Mysteries in June, and Arianna was sure that this was the reason why her mother was like that. Not only had they destroyed ten years of Agata's research, but a man had died in one of the chambers. 

The only person that Arianna regularly saw, besides her mother, was Kingsley Shacklebolt. He was one of Agata's oldest friends, and they used to date when Arianna was a child. 

On one occasion at the end of July, she heard them fighting before they silenced the study. Kingsley was begging her to stop obsessing about "the veil" and to "let it go", while Agata kept insisting that there should be a way to "open it". After that evening, something did change; her mother began sleeping more and working less, although her gloomy mood stayed the same. 

Arianna was convinced she would spend the rest of the summer in captivity, she dearly missed the park and sitting under her favourite tree to read, and she constantly wondered if the black dog was there, waiting for her. It wasn't until she got an owl from Beauxbatons that her chances of spending some time outside became a possibility as they invited her for the third time to their summer Potions course.

Her mother was doing better, and Arianna couldn't help but think about Beauxbatons' unexplored library and the possibility of finding the book she had been searching for. And after a lot of insisting, she got permission to go to France; the school was safe after all. 

Therefore, she headed to the Pyrenees in early August, and the first thing she did was comb the library, and sadly, got nothing. Her hopes about finding anything remotely useful to discover her father's identity were reduced to ashes until one Friday at the end of a lesson.

Her classmates were leaving the ample well-lit classroom, and as usual, Arianna was lagging behind, making a few last quick notes and glanced at the teacher, who sat languidly on his chair. 

Sigmund Gyldenhoff was young and fit, and wore a black waistcoat with matching trousers and a white shirt.  He had wavy sandy hair that reached his jaw, a short beard and light green eyes. Half of the class had a crush on him, and the other half aspired to be like him. Everybody seemed to love him, and Arianna couldn't think of anyone more different to her Hogwarts Potions professor.  

"Miss Vitelli," called Gyldenhoff calmly. "Can we have a little chat?" 

Arianna looked up again, surprised. "Of course, sir," she replied.

"Come, sit," he said and flicked his wand, moving a chair in front of his desk. 

Arianna finished gathering her things and sat on the chair, wondering if she was in trouble. 

"Would you like some lemonade?" offered Gyldenhoff, smiling. 

"Sure... Thanks," said Arianna, feeling a bit awkward.

Gyldenhoff materialised two glasses and a jar with homemade lemonade and poured some liquid in each. Then he handed one drink to her and stood up and walked around the desk, sitting on top of it and crossing his arms. Arianna took a sip of the beverage, finding it fresh, sour and minty.

"So, Miss Vitelli," said Gyldenhoff, squinting slightly. "Is there something you would like to ask me? Something that I can help you with, perhaps?"

Arianna was confused. Wasn't he the one who wanted to chat with her? "Er…No…" she said hesitantly. "Maybe you're confusing me with someone else, sir?"  

"We can do it your way then," he said, grinning, and then drank from his glass. "The other day, I was at the library, and I noticed that you were going through a pile of Genealogical spell books… I also know that you have requested access to the Secluded Section. So I was just wondering if you found what you were looking for." 

"I– I was just curious... I wasn't looking for anything in particular," she answered quicky, aware that it was a bad lie.

Gyldenhoff scratched his beard. "You know, Miss Vitelli. If you ask for help, you might get it," he said and sighed. "I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that this is about your father."

The glass almost escaped her fingers, and she struggled to get out words again. "H-How do you know about that?!" she asked.  

"It's all right," said Gyldenhoff, lifting his hands, smiling. "I know your story. Everybody here knows it. The Vitelli family has come to Beauxbatons for generations and what your mother did was quite a scandal… I always assumed that you knew who your father was, though" he stared directly into her eyes, and she felt somewhat uncomfortable. "I can only imagine how you must feel, and I'd like to help you… if you let me."

Could she trust him? She held her gaze for a moment longer, unable to read his eyes, which made her uneasy. Still, maybe…

"You're right," she said finally, looking down at her knees. "I want to know who he is. My mother won't tell me. But I have to know… I need to know…."

Arianna lifted her head. Gyldenhoff went on his feet and walked to the window, and she followed him with her eyes.

"What clues have you got?" he asked, turning his back on her.

"I've only read about a potion called nullius filius," explained Arianna, feeling more relaxed. "It's supposed to be an ancient potion that can tell you who one or both your parents are without needing any kind of DNA sample from them. But it's Blood magic, so… it's not easy to find… Do you know about something else that can help me?"  She felt like a weight was being lifted, to finally say it out loud, and stood up, approaching Gyldenhoff.

He kept looking through the window. "I've heard about other potions that can do the same," he said and faced her. "But all of them are Blood magic. Which, if you think about it, makes sense."

Arianna nodded. She had suspected the same. If someone wanted to know about their blood origins, it was reasonable that blood needed to be spilt to get the answer.

"I can get that book for you, Arianna," said Gyldenhoff calmly. 

"Really?!" blurted Arianna, her heart reviving with light. 

"I think I can get it by next week," said Gyldenhoff, smirking. "I know someone that might have it."

"Oh… professor… that would be– that would be amazing …I can't even–" said Arianna struggling to find the words. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet," replied Gyldenhoff, still smiling. "It's an incredibly rare book– It's not often that someone lends you those."

"Still, thank you so much, sir!" said Arianna, astonished by the unexpected turn of events.

"Don't worry about it," said Gyldenhoff and glanced at his golden watch. "I've taken too much of your time. Go and enjoy the rest of the day. I'll write to you this weekend if I find it." 

He walked back to his desk, and Arianna crossed the room towards the door. "See you next week, sir... and thank you again… really," she said sincerely.

"Arianna," called Gyldenhoff, and she turned back. "I would prefer if we keep this between us– I might get in trouble if the school finds out."

"I'm good at keeping secrets," said Arianna, smirking, and left.

The following Sunday afternoon, Arianna was heading for a swim as she routinely did. She took off her blue uniform and tossed it carelessly next to a downy oak by the lake, uncovering her white swimsuit. And without hesitation, she dived into the water. For her, swimming was easier than walking; it came as natural as breathing. She swam to the middle of the lake and dived deep until her ears felt like exploding and then made her way back into the surface. And took a deep breath, making her lungs expand on her ribcage. Then she allowed her body to relax and drifted away on the water, looking at the blue sky, pondering about her mother and the dark times ahead of them.

A blond head popped on her thoughts. She had been pushing him to the back of her head all summer, but he kept sneaking into her mind, especially at night before falling asleep. This time, she let herself think of him. His father was a Death Eater and was imprisoned in Azkaban. She couldn't imagine how Draco felt.

Her perception of Draco had drastically changed after the Arithmancy assignment last winter. He was no longer just a pretty boy but someone she would like to get to know better. Sadly, she knew it would never happen. Despite that night at the Malfoy's library, their interaction nowadays was merely a nod and a shy smile whenever they bumped into each other in the corridors.

After she visited the manor, things changed. Shortly after, Arianna broke up with Nathan, partly because she felt guilty for feeling so attracted to someone else and partly because she realised she wasn't in love with him. Draco, on the other hand, started dating Pansy Parkinson. 

Arianna swam to the shore as she needed to head into the château and prepared for her meeting with Gyldenhoff. She had gotten an owl from him during lunch, asking her to meet him at seven in his quarters which made her feel rather uncomfortable, but she reminded herself that he wasn't stiff like her teacher at Hogwarts and that students trusted him. 

While walking back to the castle, she took out the map she had been drawing and identified the shorter route to her dorm. The Beauxbatons château was larger and more opulent than Hogwarts. Probably because half of the magical European population studied there. Quite frequently, she would get lost on the countless corridors, stairs and secret passageways. Nevertheless, it was exciting to explore the castle and the grounds and add her findings to the map. Just this morning, she had spotted a glacier buttercup near the lake and had made a mental note to go there after the meeting and harvest some of them as they were an essential ingredient for making a Point-Of-View Potion, which she had wanted to brew for quite some time.  

Arianna got to her empty dorm and glanced at her watch. It was nearly six, so she began getting ready. She put her hair on a tall ponytail and changed her Beauxbatons uniform for a pink summer dress. And thinking ahead to her night expedition to the grounds, she slipped into her ankle boots.

Ready to leave, she took a deep breath to calm her nervousness that grew bigger by the second. This could be the day when she would finally get the book that would give her the answer she had longed for since she was a little girl. Gyldenhoff could even help her brew the potion if it was too complicated. 

Wondering if she was forgetting something, she took a last glance at the room and her eyes landed on her small obsidian knife resting on her night table. And thought it might help to cut the glacier buttercup, so she reached for it and placed it in her right boot, then left to meet Gyldenhoff.

The teachers' chambers were located on the château's west wing, which was on the opposite side of her room. With her pulse racing fast and sweaty hands, she strolled several marble corridors filled with beautiful sculptures and paintings until she found the hallway with the teachers' quarters, where the only art piece was a magnificent statue of Apollo & Daphne at the end of it. 

Every door had a nameplate of the professor who lived there, and as she passed by, she read them and bumped into a familiar name: Felice Travere. She was the Transfiguration professor and her mother's favourite teacher. 

She kept walking down the corridor until she finally found Gyldenhoff's name and knocked on the door. A short moment later, her teacher opened. 

"Arianna, come on in," he said, stepping aside, allowing her to pass him. 

"Thanks," replied Arianna and walked in.

There was a sturdy wooden desk facing the entrance, a door next to it, and a small living room with windows overlooking the lake on the left side. Dozens of books and newspapers laid on every surface. But what caught Arianna's attention was the extensive collection of clocks along the walls, ticking in perfect synchrony. 

She glanced again at the desk covered by potion volumes, and she noticed a lemonade jug and a giant black leather book that stood up among the others. It seemed old and stained.

"Take a seat," offered Gyldenhoff and slid a chair by his desk for her to sit.

"Thank you, sir," replied Arianna, barely breathing, unable to take her eyes off the book in front of her.

"Please, call me Sigmund," said Gyldenhoff and sat across from her.

"I don't think I can, sir," said Arianna and chuckled.

Gyldenhoff laughed. "You British and your formalities," he said and leaned back on his chair. "It's all right. Would you like some lemonade?"

"Sure, thanks," answered Arianna automatically, sitting at the very edge of her seat, hoping he would just cut to the chase and tell her if he had found the book or not. 

He calmly poured lemonade into a large glass and offered it to her. She took it and felt the crystal as cold as if it was made of ice, and she placed it on the desk.

"If you don't mind, I think I'll have some wine," said Gyldenhoff, winking and with a whip of his wand, a silver goblet materialised on the table and took a bottle of red wine from a compartment behind his desk.

"Do you have good news for me, professor?" Arianna finally asked, her heart hammering vigorously.

"I believe I do," said Gyldenhoff grinning and pouring the red liquid into the goblet. Arianna stared at him attentively without moving a muscle, wondering if she was dreaming. After taking a sip from his glass, he pushed the big old book towards her. "It's a complicated potion, but I'm sure you can manage. You're extraordinary with potions."

She stared at the book, hypnotised, trying to absorb the magnitude of this moment. Speechless, she looked back at him.

"I think this deserves a toast!" said Gyldenhoff happily and lifted his glass.

She followed him mechanically and took a sip of the lemonade, but this time it tasted wrong. There was something rotten in it. Hoping her face hadn't shown her disgust, she placed the glass back on the table.

"Professor– I mean, Sigmund," said Arianna, finding her voice again. "I don't know how I can possibly thank you, really, you have no idea how important this is for me… How long I've been–" She felt her eyes burning and bit her cheek to hold the tears. "Can I see?"

"Of course, let me show you where it is," said Gyldenhoff promptly, leaning over and opening the book where a piece of parchment saved the page. He pointed to the title: nullius filius. "As you can see, the text is in Latin, and you can't use a translator spell with this book, so I hope your Latin is not too rusty."

"I'll manage," muttered Arianna, flipping through the pages with a trembling hand. There were bloodstains everywhere which made parts of the text almost unreadable. The potion's instructions went through several pages, filled with disturbing drawings, symbols and moon phases diagrams. This will take her months.

"The bad news is that you can't take the book with you," said Gyldenhoff, crossing his arms. "So you have two options: either you stay here in France for the next three months, or you come back next summer." 

"What?" blurted Arianna, lifting her eyes from the book. "Can't I just copy the instructions?" 

"No, you can't," said Gyldenhoff, twisting his mouth. "The book itself is part of the ritual… So what is it going to be?"

"I can't stay in France!" exclaimed Arianna, alarmed. "I have to go back to Hogwarts in September… but next year feels so far away! Can't I just take it with me? I'll take good care of it, I promise!"

"I don't think that's possible. My father barely let me borrow it."

"Your father? Are you sure you can't convince him?"

"He's not the convincing kind of guy."

Arianna felt something strange, like a warm liquid travelling down from the top of her head to the bottom of her spine. Her mouth went dry, and she had the sudden urge to leave.

"I think I need to think about it if that's OK, sir," said Arianna quickly, feeling a little weak. "I will let you know my decision tomorrow… Thank you, again, for helping me find the book, but I believe I must go now. It's getting late." 

She went on her feet at once and smiled politely. He remained quiet on his seat, and for a moment, she wondered if he was offended and walked to the entrance. Her hand was about to reach the doorknob when he spoke.

"You can't open that door," said Gyldenhoff coldly.

Arianna's hand froze. She couldn't touch it, she wanted to, but her hand wouldn't obey her. Horrified, she turned around, and her hand went instinctively towards her dress pocket and retrieved her wand and pointed at him, but her magic was numbed, suppressed. 

A cruel smile formed on Gyldenhoff's face.

"What's happening!!" screamed Arianna. "Let me go!!"  

"You can't speak or shout," said Gyldenhoff calmly and retook his wine. "And sit down where you were before."

Arianna didn't want to do any of those things, yet she couldn't make herself speak or stop her legs from moving, no matter how much she tried to fight it back. Now she understood the corrupted taste of the lemonade, he had put something in her drink, and the drug was all over her system. Realising she was trapped, she began crying. 

"You can't cry," said Gyldenhoff, annoyed. "I hate when they do that."

Arianna's face relaxed, but thick tears kept rolling down her cheeks. Now she was on the chair again, her body shaking uncontrollably, trying to break free. He poured more wine and laid back on his chair, watching her with a twisted grin. This time she could see the intentions in his eyes and saw evil. 

"Arianna, Arianna, Arianna," said Gyldenhoff contently. "You have no idea how much I've been waiting for this. Since you came into the class two weeks ago, I knew I must have you in my collection. It took me a while to figure out how to bring you here, but here you are." He undressed her with his eyes and bit his lip. 

Arianna's heart pounded hard and strongly as if it tried to escape from her ribcage and felt her chest tightening, draining the oxygen from her lungs. She began hyperventilating, and at that moment, she knew with all certainty that she was going to die. A voice in the back of her head told her to calm down and think, to find a way to escape. But the panic won.

Standing up quickly, she threw herself over the desk, reaching for his throat. 

"Stop!" Gyldenhoff commanded and laughed frantically when her shaking hand froze an inch from his neck. She felt the warmth of his throat and the ache of clenching her fingers around it until he couldn't breathe anymore. "Sit down. Now!" he demanded, and her body fell abruptly into the chair as if someone had pushed her. "You can't strangle me, push me or hit me. Don't worry, honey, you're not going to remember anything tomorrow. No one does." He downed his wine and eyed his golden watch. "I think it is time to take this to the bedroom."

He left his wand on the desk, unbuttoned his vest and shirt and opened the door behind him. "Go into that room," he ordered, and Arianna's body stood up, quivering so much that she felt dizzy with the vibrations, and her legs took her to the bedroom. The only furniture was a four-poster bed, the dark curtains were shut, and there wasn't a single object she could use as a weapon.

"You're shaking too much, honey. Relax," Gyldenhoff said, following her and closing the door behind him.

Arianna's body stopped trembling, and the voice in her head became stronger. Think! You have to escape! You have to fight back! There must be a way! It has to be something fast!  

From behind, Gyldenhoff unzipped her dress and she felt it sliding down her body. Arianna shut her eyes, focusing all her mental energy on ignoring his hands on her skin and his mouth on her neck. 

Think! Something fast that puts him out. That he can't speak. 

He took off her bra.

She wasn't allowed to strangle, push or hit. But she could bite.

"Lay down on the bed," Gyldenhoff commanded.

Her body obeyed, and she registered that her only garments remaining were her knickers and her boots. Gyldenhoff laid on top of her and continued touching her. This time it was harder to ignore as she felt his body crushing her.

But then she felt it, something cold and sharp against her ankle. Arianna had her obsidian knife, and she could stab. 

"Open your eyes," groaned Gyldenhoff and Arianna's eyes obeyed unwillingly. He unfastened his trousers. "Open your legs for me, honey," His hands went towards her knickers, pulling them down.

And as her legs opened, she bent her right knee, bringing her foot closer to her hand and retrieving the knife. With a quick movement, she pierced Gyldenhoff's neck with strength and stabbed again, and again, and again. Until a river of thick dark blood flowed copiously, falling all over her face and chest.

Opening his eyes widely, Gyldenhoff grabbed his neck desperately while spitting blood. Then he stumbled out of bed and gave a few staggering steps towards the door but slipped in his own blood, falling abruptly into the wooden floor. 

He looked at her, his eyes begging for help, and tried to stand up, but he was too weak and collapsed back to the ground. A pool of blood formed rapidly beneath him, and his light green eyes shut down.

After a few minutes that felt like an eternity, Arianna brought herself to her feet and picked up her dress from the floor and put it on. The permanent commands he had given her remained on her brain. And while unable to scream, cry or leave his chambers, she could escape that room. She walked over his body, stepping on the blood puddle and opening the bedroom door.   

A red gleam from the sunset showered the room. Still with the dagger in hand, she grabbed the black book, picked up her wand from the floor and stood by the door, waiting. 

Arianna had killed a man, and all she could smell was the rusty, iron-like scent of his blood. She was almost raped, and all she could feel was her attacker's warm blood cooling on her skin. 

For hours, she focused all her attention on the doorknob. She didn't move. She didn't think. Her mind was completely silent, with only the sound of the ticking clocks echoing on her head. Until, engulfed by darkness, her magic began waking up, and she attempted to open the door one more time, succeeding. 

She stepped out and decisively walked to the sculpture at the end of the hall, and hid the book behind it, performing the most potent Concealment Charm she could make. Then she went looking for Felice Travere's door. 

Arianna knocked, and no one answered. She hit harder and when regaining complete control over her body, she dropped the dagger and began screaming and banging the door with both fists.

A slender old woman in lilac robes opened the door abruptly and an alarmed expression formed on her face when she saw Arianna bathed in blood.

Oh mon dieu! Que s'est-il passé ?!” yelled Travere.

Arianna dropped to her knees and began howling, letting all the horrors of the last few hours finally break free from her chest. 

Travere screamed for help while lifting Arianna from the floor, and took her into her room. Other teachers began to step into the hallway, and shortly after, the horrified scream of a woman filled the air. They had found the body. 

Arianna wanted the nightmare to stop. It was time to wake up. This wasn't real. It couldn't be. Out of desperation, she crawled under a table and hugged her knees strongly with her eyes closed, begging she could erase everything from her mind. 

Moments later, a blond woman with brown eyes  was kneeling next to her.

"I'm Healer Hilda," she said with a soft voice. "I need you to tell me if you're hurt."

Arianna was drowning and began gasping for air. Hilda spoke, extending a vial and a spoon towards her but she couldn't understand anything and knocked off the tiny glass bottle out of the Healer's hand.

Going out of her hiding place, she stood up and stumbled across the room and pushed a door open and fell to the bathroom floor. She saw her hands and arms covered in blood and screamed. 

A pair of delicate hands lifted her and took her to the shower. The water began flowing, cleansing her body and washing the blood away. 

"I want my mom!" Arianna cried and sat on the floor, hugging her knees.

"She's coming," said Hilda, sitting next to her and hugging her. "She will be here soon, sweetie." Arianna felt some air coming into her lungs and held her tightly. "I can give you some Calming Draught. It will help you. I promise."

Arianna nodded, sobbing. Hilda stopped the water, took a potion out of her robes, and gave her a spoon of it. 

There was a knock on the door, and Travere entered.

"Hilda, the Aurors are here," she said worryingly. "They want to speak with Miss Vitelli." 

"They will have to wait," said Hilda firmly. "She's not in conditions to talk to anyone." 

Arianna felt her body relaxing and her mind disconnecting. "Mamma is coming," she muttered, reassuring herself. "She's going to make everything alright." And with that thought, she fell asleep in Hilda's arms.




Chapter 17: After Dark

Chapter Text

 

 

Slowly, Arianna regained consciousness. Every muscle in her body ached, her throat sore, and her head felt like it would break into two. Someone held her; she recognized his scent and clenched her fingers ever so slightly on his clothing. 

She and Draco were still on the bathroom floor, the water had stopped flowing, and they were completely dry. A warm soft blanket laid on her back. 

A feeling of shame ran through her hurting body, for the way her darkest secret had burst wide open in front of him. She would never be able to look him in the eyes again. Everything will change after today. Now she would be nothing but a victim to him. 

"We should move her to bed," said a man's voice that Arianna instantly recognized as Harry's. 

Then she remembered a man bursting into the bathroom before she passed out. Now she knew who it was… Another person she would never be able to see directly at, another one that would treat her differently from now on. 

"Potter," said Draco deeply, his chest vibrating as he spoke. "We are not having this discussion again– I'm not moving until she wakes up."

"I don't want her to feel alarmed when she realizes she half-naked," spat Harry lowly, an accusatory tone in his voice.

"Merlin, Potter," said Draco. "How many times do I have to explain to you that she asked me to do it? …And, don't you think it would be worse if she wakes up in a bed that it's not hers?"

"Then perhaps you should have taken her to her room instead," replied Harry at once.

"There was no time," quarrelled Draco immediately. 

The silence grew longer. Arianna wished to disappear and never face them again, and at the same time, she wasn't ready to let go of her embrace. She wanted to be held.

"She was your responsibility, Malfoy," said Harry harshly.

"For fuck sake, Potter," said Draco, irritated. "How was I supposed to see this coming? I did nothing but follow the protocol. You, on the other hand, abandoned your bloody post– Wilkinson could take you out of the case for this."

"I had to see if she was safe."

"I was taking care of her."

"Yeah... And you did a wonderful job," said Harry sarcastically. His voice getting louder.

"So what would you have done differently, hu? Enlighten me," said Draco, irate. "Would you have made a scene in front of everyone and gotten Székely killed? Cursed at everyone who was looking at her? Let her suffocate to death in her own dress?" 

"Would you two stop?" asked Arianna, barely audible. "My head is killing me."

The men went quiet for a moment. 

"Sorry," said Harry. "How can we help?"

Arianna opened her eyes, feeling a stab of pain on her head for the amount of light in the bathroom. "Dimming the lights and getting me a robe would be a starter," she whispered.

The room darkened, and she heard Harry taking a few steps behind her and then approaching them, leaving a black silk robe on the floor next to them.

"I'll be outside," announced Harry rather severely and left the bathroom, closing the door.

Draco removed the blanket from her back and put the robe over her shoulders. Arianna released him and separated slightly from his chest, sliding her arms on the sleeves and tying up the robe's rope. She sat down straight, staring at the floor. 

"Thank you," she whispered. 

Draco snorted, and Arianna looked at him, surprised. His eyes fixed on the wall in front of him.

"Thank me?" repeted Draco. "For what? I failed you, Arianna. I was supposed to keep you safe."

"Draco–" said Arianna, about to contradict him, but a knock on the door interrupted her.

Harry opened it slightly. "Wilkinson is coming," he announced. 

Draco went on his feet and helped Arianna do the same. She slid her damaged dress off her waist, and they left the bathroom. All the candles in the bedroom were off; an amber glow from the street lamps lit the room softly. She glanced at the clock in the wall; it was half-past one; they had been in the hotel for about two hours. 

Arianna headed directly to the window and opened it, allowing the fresh nocturnal breeze to come in. 

"Where is my purse?" she asked with a husky voice, turning back. 

Both men stood near the entrance. Harry wore his field uniform: black robes and combat boots, and Draco still was perfectly dressed, his hair as dishevelled as Harry's. They looked at her cautiously; like if she would have another episode at any given moment. 

Harry moved forward and picked up her thin black purse from the floor, gave it to her and went back next to the entrance, in the same way some would have done if she had dragon pox.

"Don't do that," said Arianna lowly and angered, glaring at them. "I have enough on my plate with a Dark wizard tormenting me so that on top of that, my colleagues treat me like I have the plague."  

"We are not–" said Harry.

"Don't you dare pity me," cut in Arianna. "Don't you dare reducing me to nothing but a poor victim. After all, I'm the one that killed him."

"Vitelli–" said Draco. 

"If any of you began behaving any differently than before or tell your little friends about this, I'll poison you, I swear!" she continued, raising her voice. "And if you must know, Alaric Rudenshöld didn't– he didn't–I stab him before he could–" 

Arianna couldn't bring herself to say it and turned to the open window, breathing deeply. She needed a hug, someone to comfort her, but she didn't ask for anything, she didn't want to seem even weaker.

"You don't have to explain anything," said Draco.

A heavy silence fell over them.

"I should have told you the truth from the beginning," said Arianna, turning back. "Wilkinson asked me to, but I couldn't. I was a coward, and what happened today was my fault and no one else's." 

She eyed Draco, and he crossed his arms, unconvinced. 

There was a knock on the door, and Draco moved fast to open it. Forrest Wilkinson came in, wearing a dark grey travelling cloak. 

"Potter! Would you care to explain why on earth have you abandoned your post?!" he spat with his deep, strong voice, standing tall in front of Harry. "Do you think that because you're the Chosen One , you can do as you please?! Or do I have to remind you that there's a hierarchy in the Auror Office? Do I have to tell you that you're supposed to follow orders if you want to work for the Ministry?"

Harry stared at him unapologetically. "I came here to be sure that everything was all right–" he said defiantly.

"That was Halbert Nuttley's job, not yours," said Wilkinson at once. "He is your superior during this mission, and you disobeyed his orders. Now, get back to where you're supposed to be if you don't want me to take you out of the case!"

Harry glared at him with contempt, took a last glance at Arianna and left, shutting the door as he left. 

Wilkinson turned to face Arianna. "Vitelli," he said, still mad. "You're coming with me to St. Mungo right now."

"I'm fine," said Arianna, straightening up. Her body screamed in pain. "I just need to get some rest."

"It's an order, not a suggestion," said Wilkinson and took a Tetris cube out of his pocket. "The Portkey leaves in three minutes."

Resignedly, Arianna approached him and opened her bag. She pulled out the object she had retrieved from Székely; it looked like a tin mint box. Wilkinson took it and put it in his pocket. 

"Despite the circumstances, you two did a good job," said Wilkinson looking at Draco and Arianna, who didn't seem like they agreed with him. "Malfoy, report yourself to Nuttley, see if he needs an extra hand and make sure that someone packs all of Vitelli's things… Give him your keys." 

After retrieving the keys from her purse, she handed them to Draco, and he reached for them. Their hands held for a moment, and they made eye contact, and she saw a hint of fear and pain in his grey eyes and wished she could be alone with him for at least five minutes to make sure he was fine. She could only imagine how scary and confusing the night had been for him. 

Wilkinson offered the cube to Arianna, and a moment later, they both had left Austria.

For over an hour, she had been in St. Mungo since Wilkinson thought it was paramount to find out the kind of jinx Rudenschöld had used on her. So far, Arianna had been interviewed and thoroughly examined by junior Healers, and now she was waiting in a small sterile room for a Healer to come and give her a prognosis, or at least, let her go home.

Arianna was lying on the examination table, dozing. Her hair was a mess, and she still had on her Draco's black long silk robe and her black stilettos. They gave her a potion for the sore muscles and the headache, but the feeling of vulnerability remained, and she wished someone was standing next to her, holding her hand. Draco's scent lingered on the clothes, and somewhat, it made her feel comforted. 

The door opened, and Theodore Nott entered the room with grace; he looked fresh and awake, wearing his lime-green Healer uniform.

"A little bird told me you were here tonight," he said happily. "So I decided to come by and check on the sick and needy." 

"Hi Theo," said Arianna, more asleep than awake. "Do you know how long I'm going to be here? I'd love to go home."

Theo moved closer; his eyes went directly to Arianna's robe and grinned widely. She looked down at the garment and saw the Malfoys' coat of arms embroidered in silver and "DM" written below it. Arianna's eyes blew wide open, and she looked up to Theo.

"It's not what you think!" she blurted.

"Dear Merlin! How the mighty have fallen!" said Theo with a grin so wide that Arianna could count all of his perfect white teeth. "You have finally succumbed to Draco Malfoy and one of his depraved sexual fantasies."

"Theo, nothing happened. We just–" said Arianna and then realized she couldn't tell anything about today.

"So which one was it? Was it the one with the snakes? Not even Astoria would do that one, and the Gods know that she usually bends over backwards to please all of his carnal needs," said Theo and shook his head. "I knew it was a matter of time until his Slytherin kink would send someone to the hospital."

"Theo! It's nothing like that. I borrowed this!" insisted Arianna, trying to ignore the information he had just given her.

"Was it at least worth it? Did you have fun?" Theo pushed, looking at her from head to toe. "Given the hair you're carrying, I assume you did."

"Theo!" exclaimed Arianna, covering her face. How could she explain herself? There was no logical explanation of why she could be wearing his night robe. "Just don't say anything, all right?"

"Oh no, dear. My lips are sealed," said Theo winking mischievously. "Healer-Patient confidentiality." 

The door opened, and Penelope Clearwater stepped in, wearing the same uniform as Theo and her curly blond hair braided. She was carrying a scroll and stared at Theo, frowning slightly.

"Healer Nott?" she asked and looked at the parchment. "I think Miss Vitelli is a patient of mine."

"You're correct, Healer Clearwater," said Theo, with a snotty voice. "I was merely paying a visit to a friend, but I was on my way out. Get well, Arianna." He gave her a devilish smile and left the room. 

"All right," said Penelope, skimming the parchment and then looking at Arianna. "We haven't been able to determine exactly what kind of hex was used. Most likely, it was invented by the wizard who did this to you. However, we have no doubt that it was Black magic and that he accomplished such an effect with the aid of a substance."

"That's impossible," said Arianna promptly. "I didn't drink anything tonight, and I'm always extremely careful with what I take."

"We found sopophorous bean crust in your system as if you have been ingesting it in small doses during an extended period, weeks probably. We think that it was responsible for triggering hallucinations and loss of sight and hearing. Is there something that you usually drink or eat? Like a special kind of tea or snack?"

Arianna thought for a moment, and her eyes drifted to her bag, which rested on a small table next to her. She had been smoking cigarettes from the US for the last few weeks.

"I smoke…" she whispered. 

Arianna reached for her purse, took out her silver cigarette case, and gave it to the Healer. Penelope opened it and took out a smoke, then loosed the tobacco over the table and fetched out a small vial from her robes, dripping a couple of transparent drops on it. A second later, the brown leaves had become purple– Rundenschöld had corrupted it.

Penelope let Arianna go home, and she went directly to bed. And after what felt like a few minutes, she woke up feeling cold, discovering she was on top of the covers with Draco's robe still on. She glanced at the bedside clock; it was half-past five. 

Her defiled cigarettes came to mind, and she had the urgent need to check if her coffee from New York was poisoned as well and immediately went out of bed and into the dark sitting room. She was heading to the kitchen when there was a sudden movement in one of the couches. 

Arianna screamed, lifting her wand and pointing at the sofa. Two other wands raised at her.

"It's us!" said a groggy man's voice. 

"Lumus ," muttered Arianna.

Harry was lying down on Blair's white chaise and Draco on the blue couch in front of him. Both of them looked as if they had been awakened by Arianna's scream.

"What are you doing here?!" she asked. "How did you come in?"

"We brought your luggage," said Draco with a tired voice, lying back again. "Blaise let us in."

"Blaise?" repeated Arianna, confused. 

"And Blair let us stay," mumbled Harry, snuggling on a cushion. 

Arianna stood there, waiting for an explanation. But the boys just went quiet and back to sleep. 

"Would you care to elaborate?" asked Arianna, crossing her arms. "Why are you sleeping in my living room? Why aren't you in Austria?"

"Can we talk about this in the morning, Vitelli?" said Draco, annoyed. "We are trying to get some sleep here."

Arianna arched her eyebrows and then gazed at Harry, who was already sleeping.

"Unbelievable," she said, giving up and summoned two blankets and left them at their feet. Then she went to the kitchen, and after thoroughly inspecting the tea, she made herself a cup of it. She could only assume that Wilkinson had sent them to make sure she was okay, although why would he send sleep-deprived Aurors? 

She had barely taken a sip from her cup when she heard the swooping sound from the Floo and two decisive feet stepping on the wooden floor. Her heart dropped when realizing who it might be.

Arianna Galatea Vitelli! Come hai potuto?!" screamed a woman in Italian. "What are you two boys doing here? Where is my daughter?"

Leaving her cup of tea behind, Arianna ran like hell into the sitting room. Her mother was standing by the fireplace, wearing her plum nightgown, her medium length hair perfectly combed, staring at Harry and Draco with daggers in her eyes, the boys looking at her with their eyes wide open.

"Mamma! You're going to wake up everyone," whispered Arianna.

"I don't give a damn about that," replied Agata, looking at her daughter furiously. "How could you hide this from me?! Did you really think I would never find out that you were working for the Investigation Department, chasing down a man that would murder you if he has the chance?!"

Padma and Blair were peeking out from their rooms. "What's going on?" asked Padma, half asleep. "It's everything alright?" 

Arianna crossed the living room fast and opened her bedroom's door.

"Can we talk in my room, please?" she asked.

Agata marched inside and headed directly to the window, glancing outside. Her chest moved up and down. Arianna closed the door and silenced the room, preparing herself for a screaming match in Italian.

"I didn't tell you because I knew that you wouldn't approve," said Arianna calmly.

Agata snorted. "You're damn right– It's an idiotic idea," she said, turning around, facing her daughter. "You're putting yourself in a silver tray for him to get you. Going to Vienna, for Merlin's beard, that's his playground these days. What were you thinking?"  

"Do you want me to keep on running for the rest of my life?!" spat Arianna moving forwards. "To move to another country and live in the shadows?! To stay in the rainforest forever?! I'm not going to be another Black who will spend her life hiding from Dark wizards! I'm not a coward!"

"A coward?" scoffed Agata, putting her hands on her hips. "You're hanging too much with that Potter boy." Arianna opened her mouth, ready to fight her about Harry. "Don't get me wrong, Anna, I'm glad that you're trying to learn more about your father. I even support your decision to change your name. But that doesn't mean that you need to shadow Sirius' reckless behaviour to connect with him. The world is not divided between cowards and heroes! Use your brain!"

"I don't understand! Why don't you want me to fight back?!" blared Arianna, half angry, half frustrated. "It's my right to defend myself and seek out the freedom of living my life as I want to! And I have chosen to do something about it instead of living under constant fear of when he's going to decide to kill me!" Her anger got amplified by the mocking look from her mother as if she was a child throwing a tantrum. "Where is the girl that ran away from an arranged marriage?! The one that moved to a foreign country to fight a war?! Where is she?! Maybe she would understand what I'm talking about!"

"Where is she?!" yelled Agata moving closer. "She had to grow up! She had to grow up when she ended up alone with a one-year-old in a foreign land without a single friend she could turn to. I have spent all my life trying to protect you, trying to give you the life you deserved! All by myself! Do you ever put yourself in my shoes?! Do you know how much I wish I could change what happened to you in France? Do you know how much it hurts me?! And now, you're just behaving like a selfish and ungrateful prat! Putting yourself in unnecessary danger like that!"

"Maybe if you had told me from the beginning who my father was, that would have never happened to me!!" screamed Arianna, regretting instantly the words that had come out of her mouth. 

She had crossed the line. Agata looked as if she had just been slapped and took a step, closing the gap between them. Arianna could see the small wrinkles around her mother's big almond eyes and tears forming in them.

"I was trying to protect you," said Agata slowly, in a low, dangerous voice. "I didn't want you to live the way I did. To wake up every day and go to bed every night for twelve years, knowing that the man I loved was rotting in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit. I didn't want you to suffer the same torture that it was to know that I couldn't set him free."  

"So why didn't you tell me when he was out?!" screamed Arianna, tears escaping her eyes. She took a step back, away from her. "What's your excuse then? Oh, yeah, right! Voldemort and his gang of Dead Eaters!"

"Do you think this is a joke?" said Agata. Two big tears rolled down her cheeks, and she wiped them with a quick movement. "Do you really think that if they had found out about your existence, they wouldn't have come for you? That they wouldn't have used you against him? It was for everyone's sake!"

"Yeah, because that's exactly what I would have done!" spat Arianna, offended. Hurt by the thought of never meeting her dad. "To tell everyone that Sirius Black was my father?! You didn't trust me! You didn't trust that I could have handled that information and kept it a secret. Say it!" 

"No, you're right," said Agata, controlling her voice, straightening up. "I didn't trust that if I had told you who your father was, you wouldn't have kept away from him even if I had asked you to. You're as stubborn, impulsive and reckless as he was. And look where that got him– to Azkaban and to his death. And now you want to follow. Forgive me, Arianna, forgive me for being so selfish and refuse to see you getting killed and lose the most important person in my life."

Agata stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Arianna followed her to the living room, still full of rage, and he saw her mother vanishing in the fireplace. She lingered at the emerald flames for a moment, breathing with anger. 

Then, she turned to the now lightened sitting room. It was full of people, all staring at her.

Draco, Harry and Padma were on the blue couch, and Blair sat in her white chaise with Nathan Chambers next to her. While Blaise was on Arianna's armchair, holding the Daily Prophet. 

"Ari," called Padma, rubbing her eyes. "If you're planning on hosting breakfast parties at six in the morning on a Saturday, it would be nice if you let us know beforehand." 

Arianna growled and went back to her room, slamming the door behind her and throwing herself into the bed. Her mother was going to ruin everything. She would probably convince Kingsley to take her out of the Investigation Department. 

If only she could tell her that she was running out of time. That Rudenschöld had been sending her the links of Alaric's golden watch since the day she graduated Hogwarts, as a reminder that he knew who had killed his son, a reminder that he could find her wherever she was, and as a reminder that he was coming for her. 

But she couldn't do that; it would create chaos. Her mother would panic and go into hiding with her while making Kingsley work like a mad man to catch Rudenschöld as if he wasn't doing it already. 

Arianna wasn't running or hiding, not anymore. 

With that thought, she stood up and finally took off Draco's robe and the diamond beacelt, washed her face, put on a pair of jeans and a cerulean blue knitted sweater, and combed her hair. Then she returned to the sitting room, where little had changed, Padma had left to the kitchen, Harry slept placidly with his mouth slightly open, looking endearing, while Nathan and Draco seemed to be in a staring contest. 

"All right," said Blair, lifting her gaze from her book. "Who's next?"

"I think Malfoy should go next," said Nathan coldly. "So he can finally leave. He looks like he needs some sleep."

"What can I say?" said Draco, smiling placidly. "Vitelli kept me up all night."

Arianna rolled her eyes. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?"

"I have some legal documents you need to sign," said Nathan, still eyeing Draco. "For the name changing."

"And I'd like to have some breakfast," said Draco calmly, intertwining his fingers. "Padma is making pancakes."

"Why are you here, Malfoy?" asked Nathan, annoyed. 

"It's none of your business, Chambers," replied Draco, lifting his eyebrows, then looking at Arianna. "What happened to my night robe? It suited you perfectly. You should have let it on."

Nathan went on his feet, clenching his fists. "That's it," he growled. "Get out." 

Draco kept sitting, sneering at him as if he had won a poker game, and Harry woke up by the sudden movement.

"What…?" blurted Harry, sitting up straight, and noticing Arianna. "Anna, we need to talk. We need to discuss your security and training routine."

"No, what you need is to get some sleep, Harry," said Arianna, too tired to deal with more emotional distress. "I'm utterly exhausted, and so are you. Go home, all of you." 

Arianna looked at Draco, Nathan and Blaise.

"Why me?" asked Blaise, offended. "I'm not doing anything!"

"Exactly, so go home then," said Arianna.

Blaise looked at Blair for support, but she merely shrugged and retook her book.

"Nathan," said Arianna looking at him. He had folded his arms, clearly offended for being kicked out. "You can leave me the papers; I'll sign them and bring them to you later this week. And you two," she said, now looking at Draco and Harry. "For the love of the Gods, go home. I'll talk to you next week."

Harry seemed like he wanted to object but took a deep breath and nodded, standing up. They both glanced at Draco, who remained seated on the sofa.

"I'm not leaving until he's gone," said Nathan, glaring at Draco with contempt. 

"I'm not leaving until she gives me back my night robe," said Draco. 

"Cut it off, Malfoy," demanded Harry. 

"I'll wash it and send it to you," said Arianna, her head hurting again. 

"No, I want it now," insisted Draco. "You don't need it anymore, do you? Or do you want it as a souvenir from last night?"

"What's your fucking problem?!" spat Harry furiously. Everyone looked at him, surprised, except for Draco, who held his gaze. "Don't talk to her like that!"

"Everyone just shut up!" yelled Arianna, who really didn't understand what was going on today. "I'm exhausted! I can't take any of this shit anymore!" 

Arianna hurried back to her room and into her walking closet to retrieve the night robe, and when returning to her room she found Draco leaning against the door with his eyes closed, while Nathan banged the door, demanding him to go out. 

"What are you doing?!" exclaimed Arianna, moving closer.

"I'm behaving like I always do," replied Draco. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

His eyes opened, and she saw the same troubled stare he had when she left Vienna. And without saying a word, she approached him and embraced him, he took her in his arms, and she finally got the comforting hug she had been craving all day. 

"I failed you … again," said Draco and swallowed. "I don't know how to keep you safe."

"You didn't fail me," said Arianna, pressing her head against his chest. "You did everything well. You took me out of there and to safety… and you didn't fail me back then either… I did."

"I'm so sorry," said Draco lowly, touching the back of her head and burying his fingers in her hair. "I'm so sorry for everything. You have no idea. We are going to get him. We are going to kill him. No one is going to lay a finger on you ever again, I swear. I'm so sorry that that happened to you. If I ever did something that upset you…that made you think about.... that… I'm sorry. I am." 

There were no words that could convey how she felt, so she just held him harder, and he pressed his lips against her forehead.

"Go and get some rest," said Arianna after a moment. "It's been a long day… And would you please stop teasing Nathan?"

"He started it," said Draco instantly.

Arianna chuckled, went on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Please," she whispered.

"I can't promise anything," he said and kissed her cheek back. 

Then she stepped back and gave him his robe. Draco took it and opened the door, glancing back at her with a small smile and left. 

Arianna remained behind, gathering her thoughts. Barely three seconds had passed when a loud sound of something being smashed came from outside her room, followed by Blair's scream. Immediately, she went out and saw Draco with a bloody nose shoving Harry against the wall and punching him hard in the face. 

"Stop!" Yelled Blair, who was on her feet. "Please, stop!"

Harry pounced over Draco, and they both fell on a slender side table, breaking it. They threw a couple more jabs at each other and wrestled on the floor until Draco was on top and about to hit him again when Blaise and Nathan seized him and dragged him back. 

Jerking away from Blaise's grip, Draco took his silk robe from the floor and after glaring at Harry with eyes filled with fury, he headed off directly into the fireplace, departing. Blaise glanced at Blair briefly, and followed his friend.

Harry sat on the floor breathing heavily, his glasses and nose broken.

"What the fuck is going on, Aria?!" asked Blair. 

Padma had left the kitchen and stared at Arianna and back at Harry with her mouth and eyes wide open. 

With his sleeve, Harry wiped the blood coming from his broken nose and stood up, livid.

Arianna approached him slowly and stared at him as if he was someone who had taken over his friend's body. 

"Harry," she said in a low voice, and he avoided her gaze. Arianna grabbed him by the shoulders. "Harry," she called again and thought how difficult this night had been for him as well. Her hands slid to his neck, and then she held his head. He was so hot he could have a fever. "Harry, look at me," she insisted, and finally, his eyes met hers. 

And behind the rage in his expressive green eyes, there was fear. 

"You should move to Grimmauld Place– it's safer there," said Harry decisively with a deep voice she had never heard from him. He seized her wrists and put her hands down. "And we are going to practice duelling for at least three hours every day, starting Monday." Then pointed at the broken table with his wand. "Reparo ," he casted, fixing the furniture, and glanced at Blair and Padma. "Sorry for the trouble." 

Harry marched towards the fireplace, with Arianna following closely behind. From his robes, he took Floo powder and tossed it, then he stepped in, disappearing.

Once again, Arianna stared at the green flames and then turned around to face her friends. Blair and Padma looked at her with their mouths slightly open while Nathan frowned and crossed his arms.

Arianna took a deep breath. "Sit down," she said. "There's something you need to know."



Chapter 18: Padfoot and Prongs 

Chapter Text

 

At home and at work, she suffered from the cautious glances, the over the top kindness, the awkward smiles. Everyone feared for her life, but no one said a thing.

It had not been easy to explain what happened in Vienna. Blair and Nathan were aware of the events in Beauxbatons, but for Padma, all was new information. However, no one knew the true identity of her aggressor until now, and Arianna did her best to keep out the part where Rudenschöld was after her. She instead made it sound like Friday was a mishap and that her purpose for catching him was based on precaution rather than factual evidence that he wished for revenge. 

Obviously, this tale was useless for her friends in the Investigation Department. And during the week, she endured excruciatingly awkward encounters with them. It was as if Angelina, Jordan and Kron had forgotten how humans normally behave. 

And as Arianna had feared, Draco and Harry changed. Especially the latter. Draco, after all, had a talent to mask his emotions and thoughts, but Harry… Harry was different.

His usually relaxed attitude was gone. This new Harry made her wake up every day at four-thirty in the morning to train for three hours before heading to work. He gave her no truce on the Duelling Hall, and although plenty of people would kill for private lessons with Harry Potter, Arianna just wanted to go back to bed and her friend back, not this strict, rigid version of him. 

As for Draco, she didn't see much of him until he showed up unannounced at her flat on Tuesday close to midnight. Since Arianna refused to move somewhere "safer", Draco came with two Security experts, and for twenty minutes, he listed all the possible ways he could break in if he wanted to, followed by half an hour of them fighting about putting the Fidelius Charm in the house. Because, apparently, for Draco Malfoy, the security systems implemented by the Prime Minister himself weren't good enough for him. In the end, she won the battle but agreed to strengthen the security of the building and the Floo Network. 

Also, she and her mother weren't on speaking terms, and, on top of it all, Arianna decided to stop smoking.

All in all, it was no surprise that on Thursday, she went home as soon as the meeting was over, slipped on her blue pyjamas, applied a magnolia hair mask and curled in her armchair with her European Magical Architecture copy.

"A Rush of Blood to the Head" by Coldplay played for the second time on Blair's boombox (which had taken her two weeks to properly make it work without electricity). Padma laid down on the blue couch, reading a Magizoologist magazine with a Gillyweed facemask on, while Blair sat on the floor, ordering all her CDs alphabetically over the coffee table, placing them on five long wooden boxes.

"Do you have plans for Friday in two weeks?" asked Blair.

"I got a quidditch game: Tutshill Tornados vs Chudley Cannons," said Padma, lowering her magazine. "Why? Where are you going?"

"It's Blaise's birthday, and I would like to bring company," said Blair, looking now at Arianna. "It's a small affair at his penthouse...pretty much just card games and cocktails."

"Small affair? Blaise?" asked Arianna and chuckled, saving the page with her finger and closing her book.

"I know," said Blair, taking a deep breath. "I think it's mostly for Draco's sake… after what happened with Narcissa the other week."

"What happened?" Asked Arianna instantly, sitting straighter in her chair. 

"They asked her to leave the Leaky Cauldron…" replied Blair, lowering her voice. 

"Why?!" Asked Arianna, suddenly offended. 

"She's Bellatrix Lestrange's sister, Lucius Malfoy's wife and mother of Draco," answered Padma promptly. "People haven't forgiven, or forgotten, what they did during the war."

"They even reject her donations," added Blair, twisting her mouth. "Narcissa tried to make a handsome contribution to St. Mungo's new wing, and they declined it… They don't want to be associated with them."

Arianna's eyes dropped to her book, incapable of not feeling bad for her… for them. If the world knew that Narcissa was trying to change, to leave behind the ideologies she once deemed cardinal. And that Draco, even if he was far from perfect, was way more than he let people see.

"Is the Mother of Snakes going to his birthday?" Asked Arianna, changing the subject.

Padma chucked, "You mean Greengrass or Parkinson?" 

Arianna thought for a second. "Either," she answered. 

"Uhu, both Greengrass sisters are coming," answered Blair, placing a wooden lid over a box. "And, of course, Parkinson would be there." 

"Daphne is coming from the Netherlands for Zabini's birthday party?" asked Arianna incredulously.

"Of course not," said Padma, flipping a page. "She is coming for the engagement dinner that weekend."

"Padma!" yelled Blair indignantly.

"Sorry!" blurted Padma and sat quickly, her eyes wide open. "We– We didn't want to upset you, Aria…We thought –We thought that next week would be a better time to tell you!"

Even if she was well aware this was happening, Arianna felt sick.

"Would you please stop?" she asked, looking at Padma and then at Blair... "I know you feel bad about what happened last week… and six years ago… But you'd help me more if you act normally... so just be yourself… just be honest with me."

Her friends stared at her and then exchanged a look. 

"Okay… I'll be totally honest with you," said Padma decisively, tossing her magazine. "I think it's good it's happening… Maybe now you can finally move on! It's time for you to go out with someone you can have a future with… like Harry, for example."

"Padma," said Arianna, putting away her book once and for all." I already told you that Harry and I are just friends."

"Oh, please!" said Blair, firmly placing a bunch of CDs on the table. "Seriously, Aria, wake up and smell the blood of his broken nose."

Arianna arched her eyebrows.

"Why else would he have punched Malfoy in his stupid face?" asked Padma.

"Because they are Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy?!" answered Arianna, losing her patience. 

"Harry fancies you, Aria," said Padma confidently. "You should give him a chance."

"It's not true!" spat Arianna. 

"Cho told me," said Padma promptly, as if it was irrefutable proof.

"Are you finally dating Cho?" asked Arianna.

"No, we are just shagging," replied Padma nonchalantly. "Don't change the subject."

"She told you that?" asked Blair doubtfully. "Did Harry tell her that?"

"No," said Padma, twisting on her seat. "Cho thinks that Harry likes Aria, but he is too stupid to realise that."

"What about Ginny?" asked Arianna.

"What about her?" replied Padma, frowning. "They broke up at the Quidditch World Cup, didn't you know?"

Slightly shocked, Arianna stared at her friend for a moment. There were so many things on her plate that she had completely forgotten about that. Although given their current situation, she really didn't know when would have been an appropriate time to ask Harry such a question... She needed a drag.

"It doesn't matter," said Arianna, shaking her head. "I'm not planning on getting involved with anyone until Rudenschöld is imprisoned." Blair and Padma shared a sceptic look. She ignored them and continued. "The point is that I definitely don't want to go to Zabini's party."

"I understand," said Blair, taking a deep breath.

Arianna reached for a sour-apple lollipop from a bowl resting on a nearby table and retook her book but felt observed and lifted her gaze. Blair still had her large cat-like eyes on her with a strange expression on her face, a stare Arianna had seen very few times during their friendship.

"Do you think you have a future with Zabini?" asked Arianna, bluntly. "Because if you tell me that you do, I'll suck it up and go with you to all his stupid parties even if she is there."

It took a moment for Blair to answer. "To my surprise, I do like him quite a lot," she said, looking down at her hands. 

"Do you want me to come to his party?" asked Arianna.

"Of course I do," said Blair, looking up. "But I understand why you don't want to."

Arianna knew this was important for her, even if she didn't say it. They not only shared their love for Muggle music, or the fact that they grew up with only one parent, Blair as her, had trouble asking for favours, to feel vulnerable. Both were a pair of proud Ravenclaws. 

"I'll go," said Arianna, resigned. Blair's face instantly lit up. "If this doesn't prove that I love you, I don't know what would."

The following day and after her morning practice with Harry, Arianna sat next to Angelina and Jordan at the benches observing people training while waiting for Harry, who spoke in a corner with Robards. 

The Duelling Hall was one of the many chambers at the Auror Training Facilities, which could be used by any Ministry employee, and besides the pool, it was the only room Arianna visited. 

It reminded her of the Great Hall. It was a large stone room with windows on both sides and was divided into several invisible slots, protected by powerful Shield Charms so the hexes wouldn't escape. As far as Arianna knew, only Unforgivable Curses and the Patronus Charm could break the barrier. 

The three of them stared in silence at Shiori, who trained with an Auror nearby. Arianna could feel the tension in Angelina and Jordan, how rigid their posture was, how uncanny it was of them to be quiet. 

"How was yesterday?" asked Arianna, breaking the silence that drove her mad.

Both turned their heads at her and remained speechless for a second.

"A bloody nightmare," said Jordan. "Potter and Malfoy bicker at each other the whole damn night… at the beginning was fun… but now I'm getting tired of them."

"It will pass," said Angelina, shrugging. "It's not the first time this happens… And I'm pretty sure it will not be the last one." 

Arianna kept her eyes on Shiori, who sent his opponent flying dramatically to the other side of their training area. She felt somewhat guilty that they were on bad terms once again.

"Speak of the devil," said Jordan, glancing at the entrance. "Right in time like always."

Looking over her shoulder, she saw Draco entering the room and felt something heavy falling on her stomach, remembering yesterday's conversations with her flatmates. 

Draco wore black training clothing and carried a bag of the same colour. He spotted them and headed their way. 

"Morning!" greeted Jordan with a silly smile. "How was the boxing practice today? You are gonna beat that Dean Thomas, innit? I've my galleons on you, mate." 

"It's on the bag, Jordan," said Draco confidently, placing the bag on the bench next to Arianna. "Do not worry."

"Don't get so cocky, Malfoy," said Angelina, arching an eyebrow. "He is pretty good. I've seen him fight before."

There was a fast silver flash crossing in front of them and everyone looked that way. Shiori had conjured her Patronus, a magnificent tiger that ran around the hall. 

"Her Patronus is so cool," said Jordan. 

"I love Harry's," said Angelina. "It's so… magnanimous ."

"Yours is pretty cool too– an eagle," said Jordan, putting Angelina's hair behind her ear lovingly. "Mine is a greyhound… What's yours, Vitelli?"

"I don't know," answered Arianna awkwardly. "I can't make a corporeal Patronus," she said, trying to sound casual. "What about you, Malfoy?" 

Draco was opening his bag and taking out his duelling protective equipment. He looked at her, but before he could answer, Jordan cut in.

"Oh, that's a big mystery, Vitelli," said Jordan.

"We think that he can't make one," said Angelina, glancing friskily at Draco. "Or is something very embarrassing."

"Like a peacock," said Jordan with a grin.

"Or a butterfly," said Angelina.

"We are pretty sure it's a peacock," said Jordan teasingly, looking at Draco, waiting for a reaction. 

Draco merely glanced at them, smirking, and began putting on his black protective vest.

"So where do you stand on Boggarts, Vitelli?" asked Jordan playfully, leaning forwards and lifting an eyebrow. Draco immediately glared stiffly at him, and Jordan understood instantly. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that!" 

Arianna looked down at her knees, hating they couldn't behave normally.

"Now, I don't know," she answered, looking back at Jordan. "Last time I faced one was in my third year... It was pretty traumatic," she glanced quickly at Draco, who observed her. "It was… too personal … and everyone found out about it thanks to Malfoy's sweetheart." 

Draco coughed. "You had your revenge, didn't you?" he said, fastening his vest.

Harry had finished talking with the Head of the Auror Office and joined them. 

"Oh… Arianna," said Angelina, excited. "What did you do?"

"She used Astoria's Boggart against her," answered Draco, adjusting his protective vest.

"What's her Boggart?" asked Jordan, looking back and forth between Arianna and Draco.

"Scorpions," replied Arianna simply. 

"Oh, Merlin," said Angelina, smiling. "What did you do?"

"I filled her bed with them while she was sleeping," replied Arianna coldly and looked at Draco. "Don't regret it… She had it coming."

"She still has nightmares about it," said Draco harshly. 

"Good," said Arianna, holding her gaze for a moment longer and turning over to Harry. "Harry, I have to go soon. What do you wanna tell me?"

"Do you have something to do Saturday morning?" asked Harry, avoiding her eyes and frowning slightly while unfastening his protective vest.

"Er… no," she answered and helped him undo a buckle he struggled with.

"Don't tell me you're going to train her on weekends too!" exclaimed Jordan, outraged.

"Nope, but it wouldn't be a bad idea," said Harry seriously.

"Please don't," said Arianna, begging. "What do you have in mind then?"

Harry took off the vest over his head. "Do you remember what we were talking about the Thursday before I left for Canada?" he asked.

"Er… we talked about a lot of things, Harry," said Arianna, trying to remember. "You need to be more specific."

"You know," said Harry, opening his equipment bag and placing the vest there. "What I told you in Sirius's bedroom about the thing I wanted to try."

Angelina and Jordan exchange a look, and Draco froze for a second while fixing his leather gloves.

"What did you want to try in the bedroom?" asked Jordan, scandalised. 

"Yeah, I remember now," said Arianna, ignoring Jordan. It was about the possibility she had met Sirius on his Animagus form.

"Well, it looks like it's possible," said Harry, sitting down on the bench next to her, unleashing his right boot. "But we have to go to Hogwarts."

"To Hogwarts?" asked Arianna, surprised. "In August?"

"An empty castle just for the two of you," said Jordan, nodding along. "Bold move, Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes and took off his right shoe. "I asked McGonagall for permission," he continued. "The question is if you're ready or not. If you're not, we can go later too. No pressure."

"I'm so intrigued," said Angelina looking at both of them.

"To summarise," said Jordan, putting his hands together. "Potter is asking Vitelli if she's ready to try the thing he suggested in the bedroom that it's only possible to achieve in Hogwarts. What do you think it is, my dear?" 

"Probably some unfulfilled fantasy involving the Quidditch Pitch or the Gryffindor Common Room," guessed Angelina scratching her chin.

 "Are you done?" Arianna asked, annoyed. Then she looked back at Harry, who took out his second boot. "I don't know, Harry. I need to think about it. It's quite a big deal..."

"Merlin," said Angelina, looking at Harry up and down. "What do you want to try, Harry?"

"She has a thing for cupboards," said Draco loud enough so Arianna and Harry could hear him and stood up from the bench, ready to start his training. "Just for you know." He smirked and walked away, while Harry watched him madly as he left.

Arianna went on her feet. "I'll see you all next week," she announced. "Harry, I'll owl you tonight with an answer." 

Harry nodded thoughtfully without lifting his gaze. And quite bothered by his attitude, she took her blue backpack and left.

After a lot of deliberation, Arianna decided she was ready to know. It was time to face the truth. She sent an owl at Harry, as promised, and they agreed on meeting outside Hogwarts at eleven.

On Saturday, seizing the last few days of good weather, she wore a light and casual cornflower blue dress and, incapable of waiting at her flat any minute longer, she left early to Hogsmeade. Arianna visited most of the stores, although bought nothing, and then walked all the way to the castle, remembering the weekends when she used to do so with Blair. 

Harry waited for her near the gates, leaning on a pine tree. He look casual as usual, with jeans and a black t-shirt, 

"Hey!" greeted Arianna, smiling. "You're early."

"So are you," he said, grinning back. "Ready?"

Arianna felt relieved to see a smile on his face, and she wondered what had changed. "I guess…" she answered. "But what do you have in mind?"

"It's a secret," replied Harry, walking to meet her.

"You're so mysterious, Potter," said Arianna jokingly, and both approached the gate. 

"Shall we?" Asked Harry.

Arianna nodded, but no one moved. They instead stared at the stone building, its towers and countless turrets, absorbing its enchanting feeling. 

And an idea popped into her mind. "Potter," she said, looking at him with a mischievous smile, "What if we take a little tour before going to wherever you're taking me?" 

"You read my mind, Black," said Harry, smirking, and opened the gates. 

Harry and Arianna took a detour of nearly four hours. They went to the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw towers, the Great Hall, the Library, the Quidditch pitch and searched for Hagrid in his hut, but he wasn't home. Harry showed her The Marauders map and his favourite secret passageways. In the end, they stopped by the kitchens, where she met Kreacher and the house-elves gave them plenty of snacks to carry to the lake, where they found a majestic oak next to the water and sat under its shadow.

After two large pumpkin pie slices and plenty of pumpkin juice, Arianna sat on the grass with her legs crossed, contemplating the lake, captivated by the way the light danced invitingly on the surface and wondered if there was time for a swim. 

"Do you still write to Neville?" Asked Harry, who laid back, leaning on his elbows. 

"Sometimes," replied Arianna, somewhat surprised by the question. "I've sent him a few letters since I left Brazil... But definitely, I don't write to him as often as Hermione."

"Yeah, she writes him letters that look like essays," said Harry 

"I know," said Arianna, chuckling. "What about you? Do you write to him frequently?"

"Not really," he answered. "I suck at it."

"At writing?" asked Arianna, slightly confused. "Don't they teach that in the Muggle schools?" 

Harry laughed. "I know how to write," he said. "But I never know what to say… I'm not good with words."

"Maybe you should read more," suggested Arianna playfully. 

"I know the words...I'm just not good at saying them… The first letter I wrote to you took me two months and to be completely honest, Hermione is the one who ended up writing it."

"I did think you had kind of a girly handwriting," she said jokingly.

Harry chuckled and sat, and both contemplated the lake and the castle in the distance.

"I miss this place," said Harry. "It was like home to me."

"I'll be back one day," said Arianna wishfully. "To be the Potions teacher or something…" and then wondered if she would live long enough to fulfil that dream. "What about you? Wouldn't you fancy being the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? I'm positive everyone would love you."

"I don't know about that… My current student complains a lot about the workload," said Harry, teasing. 

"I think the complaints are mostly about the rude hour on the day when the practice takes place," she argued, looking back at him. "I need my beauty sleep, Potter."

"We can start at six-thirty," said Harry, smiling. "If we practice on the weekends too."

"You're mental," said Arianna promptly, and he kept his smile. 

"We can start at 6…" he offered. 

"I guess…" Arianna sighed. "Are you gonna tell me now?… Why are we in Hogwarts?"

"We are going to use the Pensieve," he explained, watching her carefully. "I'll show you one of my memories of Sirius as Padfoot, and then we will know if you met him or not."

Arianna's heart began pounding fast, and she looked at him, scared.

"It's all right," said Harry standing up offering his hand. "We'll do it together… I'm sure it's him."

"Don't say that," said Arianna, barely audible, taking his hand, and he pulled her up. And began walking to the castle.

McGonagall preserved the office in the same way as when Dumbledore was Headmaster. The large circular room was filled with curious silver instruments standing on spindle-legged tables making little noises, and the walls were covered with portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses, snoozing in their frames, like Dumbledore, who slept placidly on his painting behind the desk. 

The Pensive rested over the desk, silvery light emerged from the stone basin, and a strange whitish silver substance between liquid and gas moved ceaselessly. Arianna approached the table, looking at the old artefact. "It looks like light made liquid," she said.

Harry took out his wand, brought it to his temple, pulled a silver string similar to the substance from the Pensieve, and let it go down on the basin.

"Are you ready?" asked Harry, his eyes searching hers. "This is a memory of the summer before my fifth year."

She nodded. Her heart hammered so hard she thought it would fall out of her chest. Arianna brought her face close to the substance, as he had told her to. 

A second later, they stood in the drawing-room at Grimmauld Place, where copious amounts of light entered through the tall windows. It seemed the same, except it was clean, and a man that was now dead sat in an armchair by the window.

Sirius Black read the Daily Prophet while Ron and Harry played Exploding Snap on the floor, and Hermione devoured a Transfigurations book comfortably on the couch. 

Arianna stared at Sirius, hypnotised, and moved slowly towards him holding her breath, the same way someone does when approaching a creature that might run away any second. As if he could disappear. Her fingers stretched, reaching for his face, but they went right through him.

A feeling of loss spread across her chest, and she looked back at Harry, asking for help with her eyes. She wasn't ready.

"It's all right," he said with a thin smile and seized her hand, pulling her closer to him and kept on holding it.

Sirius stopped reading the news and glanced around the room. His eyes drifted to the antique grandfather's clock: It was almost four p.m. He tossed the newspaper away and stretched on his chair. Fifteen-year-old Harry looked at him, and Sirius winked back, smiling.

"I'm going to take my daily nap," announced Sirius playfully and intertwining his fingers. 

Hermione glanced at the clock. "You always take your nap at four," she said suspiciously.

"I'm a man of habits," said Sirius, smiling broadly at Harry.

"No, you're not," said Harry, chuckling.

"Are you going to nap as Snuffles again?" asked Hermione, frowning slightly. 

"Indeed," said Sirius, going to his feet. "I rest better that way. You should try it sometime."

"You do seem more cheerful after your nap," said Ron thoughtfully and laid on the carpet. "I wish I could do that." 

Arianna moved closer to Sirius. He was slightly taller than Harry, his hair seemed wavier than hers, but it was shorter, and their eyes were identical in colour and shape. She wondered how he smelled.

Suddenly, Sirius shrank and reshaped into a large black dog with fluffy hair. Arianna stood in shock, staring at the man who had become a dog and was leaving the room. 

Harry observed her closely. "So?" he asked, holding his breath. 

"It's him," whispered Arianna, looking back at him. Tears began flowing down her cheeks, she smiled broadly. "It's him!"

They left the Pensieve. 

"It's him, Harry! It was him! I met my father! I met Sirius!" yelled Arianna and began laughing hysterically while crying at the same time. Harry looked at her, smiling broadly. "I can't believe I met him, I– Merlin." She covered her mouth, her chest bursting with joy, and she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me."

Arianna let go of him, but Harry kept his arms around her waist and kissed her.

It felt like being struck by lightning: electric, sudden and powerful. Arianna petrified while her chest overflowed with emotions... Something shifted inside of her.

"I'm sorry!" said Harry quickly, looking somewhat scared and taking a step back. "I don't know why I did–"

With both hands, she seized his t-shirt and pulled him back to her lips. He answered instantly, kissing her back.

The former headmasters weren't so sleepy anymore. Several portraits gasped while others began clapping. Some of them spoke, outraged. 

"She's my descendant, you punk!" screamed Phineas Nigellus Black.

"This is unacceptable!" yelled a woman's voice.

"There's no respect for the Headmistress office anymore!" yelped a man.

Her numbed mind reproached her for not having kissed him long ago, imagining all the time wasted talking and training. But then another faraway voice reminded her why. Arianna had a tiny momentary lapse of reason.

"We shouldn't," she said breathlessly, instantly missing his lips. "It's not a good–"

Harry shut her up with a deep kiss, pushing her against a small table, knocking some objects down. His hands slid on her back, sending tremors along her nerves. She moaned in his mouth, caving to the dizzy and warm feeling that spread across her body. 

The cheering and outraged noises intensified until it became impossible to ignore. 

Arianna pushed him gently but firmly and lowered her head. Their breath was heavy, and she lifted her gaze. Harry's eyes were dark, his lips and cheeks redden.

"We should go," said Arianna, running her fingers through her hair, realising what she had done. "They are going mental." 

Rushing, she opened the door and descended the helicoidal staircase with Harry following her closely.

"Wait!" Blurted Harry, and she stopped, turning around, her blood pumping fast. "I didn't mean to– I don't want to ruin– You are–" he covered his face in frustration. "Fuck." 

"I don't want to spoil what we have either," said Arianna promptly, going up one step and staring into his worried eyes. "You– I –I need you."

As he got closer, a whiff of his woody and citrusy scent reached her nose, and intuitively, her hands went up to his shoulders and brought him closer to her. Harry went down to where she stood and held her waist, locked in her eyes. 

"I'm so confused," he muttered, his mouth inches away. "Why did you have to be so–" his lips searched for hers, kissing her in a way no one had done in a long time.

His hands moved to her hips and slid up to her waist, pulling up her dress and pushing her against the hard stone wall, making her temperature skyrocket.

And right when her dirty mind drifted to all the naughty things they could do to each other on that staircase, a clear, strong voice screamed a name inside her head. 

"Rudenschöld," she blurted. "I can't– I shouldn't… and– and you and Ginny… four years …. And …." 

I have feelings for someone else. 

Harry let go of her and went down one step. "We work together…" he added, and looked away. "And you're my friend's ex… and…."

"We should just …." said Arianna, clenching her eyes shut.

The staircase went utterly silent and Harry descended one more step.

"We leave it here," he said calmly and decisively. "And we continue being friends."

Arianna nodded and folded her arms, feeling a bit cold. 

The sun was going down when they left the castle and quietly walked the grounds towards the main gate. Her mind raced, trying to understand what had just happened and how she really felt about Harry, and she glanced at him; he seemed as confused as her, and she began laughing at the absurdity of everything. 

"What?" asked Harry, slightly mortified.

"Nothing," she said and then remembered how everything had started. "It was him, Harry, all those times in the park and the beach… It was him."

Arianna smiled, and he did the same. And feeling peaceful and happy, a thought came to her mind.

"I wonder…" she whispered, stopping and looking back at the castle. 

Harry did the same, and she took out her wand from her dress pocket, pointed at the Forbidden Forest, and while thinking about the feeling when realising she had met her father, she said, "Expecto Patronum!"

Out of the end of her wand burst a large silver hound. Next to her, Harry lifted his wand, and a silver stag emerged from it. 

Arianna and Harry saw Padfoot and Prongs running freely in the castle's grounds and lost sight of them when they reached the forest. 

Harry reached for her hand, and they walked together to the main gate.

"Do you want to get a drink at the Three Broomsticks?" asked Arianna, a whirl of emotions on her chest. "I don't want to go home just yet."




Chapter 19: Black is Black 

Notes:

I can believe I've been posting this story for three months now. Thank you all for reading this far <3

Chapter Text

 

Under "Special abilities" on his resume, right between "Survived two Killing curses" and "Wonderful Quidditch player", it should say "Amazing kisser". 

Dude, you're not helping… It was just the heat of the moment.

Was it, though?

Yes… No… I don't know…

Maybe there's something more in there…

One word: Rudenschöld.

I know… but have you seen those green eyes?

Still not helping… And Rudenschöld aside, as a rule of thumb, you do not get involved with someone who has just ended a relationship… especially a long one… especially if they have been close friends for the last ten years… and probably they will still be. I mean! Who can compete against Ginny Weasley? They have the history, they like the same things, and she is so fucking pretty. 

Regardless, they still broke up…

It was just the heat of the moment! We are friends! Harry and I are just friends! …I need a smoke…

 

For half an hour, Arianna's internal monologue had been going while mechanically brushing her hair, seated at her dressing table. And more than untangling her hair, she attempted to discern that kiss from yesterday. 

There was a knock on the door that brought her back to reality. Padma entered still in her turquoise nightgown, carrying a wooden breakfast tray and smiling widely.

"Good morning, sunshine!" exclaimed Padma, beaming. "You're up early… I got some yoghurt with berries for you, a chocolate croissant from Skippity Scones and of course, a large mug of tea."

"Morning, Padma," greeted Arianna, placing her brush down. "That's so sweet, thank you…You didn’t have to."

"You have been training so hard lately and sleeping so little," explained Padma, leaving the tray on the bed. "I thought you deserved a little pampering."

And leaning on the frame door, smiling mischievously, was Blair on her white morning robes.

Padma sat at the edge of the bed. "So…" she said excitedly. "How was yesterday? You came back quite late."

"Well… it turns out I did meet Sirius in his Animagus form," said Arianna happily. "And then Harry and I went to the Three Broomsticks… Madam Rosmerta opened a terrace in the back, did you know?"

Padma and Blair exchange a look of disappointment.

"You're the worst friend ever," said Padma, squinting.

"Why?" asked Arianna.

"We know you kissed!" exclaimed Padma, thrilled. Blair shook her head slowly, an amused grin on her face.

"Did Cho tell you that?!" asked Arianna indignantly. She was going to kill Harry, they agreed not to tell anyone about their little moment. 

Blair and Padma burst into laughter. 

"So it's true?" asked Blair, going inside the room. "Did you really snog Harry Potter passionately in McGonagall's office?"

"What? How do you–?" asked Arianna, feeling her face growing hot. "Who told you that?"

"Theodore Nott," replied Blair, folding her arms.

"What?! Theodore Nott?!" repeated Arianna. "Who told him that?"

"Dilys Derwent," said Blair.

"Who the fuck is Dilys Derwent?" asked Arianna, standing up.

"He was a former Hogwarts Headmaster who also has a portrait in St. Mungo," answered Blair, who clearly was enjoying herself.

"Those fuckers," mumbled Arianna.

"According to him, you two were giving quite the show," said Blair. "The word 'lascivious' popped up at some point during the conversation."

"Oh, dear…" said Arianna, covering her face and sitting on the bed next to Padma. "It just happened... We were supposed to keep it between us."

"Then, next time you want to keep your lascivious snogging a secret," said Padma, offering Arianna the mug of tea. "Do it in a room without portraits, walls talk... quite literally." 

And then a thought hit her, Theo had probably told Draco. Worse, Theo had possibly told Pansy. By now, maybe Romilda Vane had heard about it, and it was printed on The Daily Prophet's first page.

"So… was he exaggerating?" asked Blair, smirking. "Was your encounter utterly lascivious ?"

Arianna gave her a tired look, and before she could reply, an owl came through the open window and settled on her dressing table, lifting its claw. She went on her feet and took the tiny scroll, recognizing the writing immediately. 

"Who is it from?" asked Padma promptly. "Is it Ginny Weasley claiming back what's hers? Be careful with that one– She's very volatile."

"It's from Nathan," said Arianna, worried. Did he know too? She unrolled the scroll quickly. 

"Oh, Merlin!" said Padma. "News flies fast!"

"What does it say?" asked Blair, moving closer to Arianna.

"Congratulations. You're officially a Black," read Arianna at loud. 

For a second longer, she stared at the parchment. And the most indescribable feeling felt upon her. A mix of sadness and joy, nostalgia perhaps, provoked by leaving behind Arianna Vitelli and welcoming Arianna Black. But she felt ready to take her father's name, particularly after seeing her Patronus. Now Narcissa could begin transferring the inheritance … Although she still had no idea what she would do with that.

In the course of the week, the duelling practice went considerably better. Perhaps it was because making a corporeal Patronus had boosted her confidence or felt happy knowing she had met her father as Padfoot, or maybe because Harry was his old self and the awkward moments were minimal. Probably a mix of all. On top of it, it seemed like the events in McGonagall's office hadn't leaked as she thought they would. Maybe Theo had kept his mouth shut after all. 

By Thursday morning, she was exceptionally cheerful. After two weeks of endlessly practising protective and disarming spells, she finally beat Harry Potter at the last draw when casting a potent Shield Charm.

Arianna threw her hands in the air, victorious, and smiled broadly at her opponent, who had lost balance and fell to the floor, and sitting there, he smiled back at her. 

"That's enough, Black," said Harry. "Gloating doesn't look good on you."

Decisively, she walked towards him and extended a hand. He took it, and she pulled him up, suddenly bringing him very close to her. Their broad smile became smaller, and she felt pretty warm, so she stepped back and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, looking away. 

Some Aurors watched them, including Wilkinson, who prepared for training near the benches.

Harry cleared his throat. "I think that's enough for today," he said. 

"Really?" asked Arianna, surprised. "Are you offended because I won?"

"Don't be silly," said Harry and chuckled. "If you leave now, you can get half an hour in the pool before work… You deserve it."

Arianna bit her lip. Yes, she missed swimming, since Austria all her time had been dedicated to duelling. But she also enjoyed spending time with him. 

"Go! Seriously," hurried Harry and glanced over to Wilkinson. "I'll see you in the afternoon." 

"Fine…" sighed Arianna and began unfastening her protective vest. "I'll go for a dive… Ciao , Harry." And left the Dueling Hall.

Later that day, she headed forty minutes earlier to the Department of Law Enforcement, thinking she could grab some tea before the meeting and go through her notes. 

When she went inside the gloomy conference room, she found Draco and Kron standing and staring at the oval table papered with parchments and filled with piles of documents and books. 

The men lifted their heads as she entered, and Draco looked back down to the table immediately. 

"Vitelli! Our savior!" exclaimed Kron, who held a large coffee mug. "You’re kind of good with runes and things like that, right?."

"It's Black now," said Arianna.

"Sorry?" asked Kron, frowning, and Draco lifted his gaze briefly.

"My last name is Black," clarified Arianna, slightly uncomfortable. "I legally changed it."

"Black it is!" said Kron, grinning and lifting his cup. "Just like my coffee."

Arianna approached the table and saw that the majority of the papers depicted diagrams, runes, and numerical sequences. "What's all of these?" she asked, taking one of the diagrams and leaving her satchel on the nearest chair.

"Malfoy and I are trying to crack the code to decipher the information you took from the Hungarian dude," answered Kron and tossed a file back to the table. "It's absurdly complicated."

"I can help out," said Arianna, skimming the diagram. 

Draco snatched the parchment from her hand. "We are good, thank you," he said bitterly. His left hand was bandaged, and his fingers were of bright purplish-green colour.

"Don't listen to him. We would love some help," said Kron. "That way, Malfoy finally would have time to go to St. Mungo and get that thing checked before it falls off."

"I'm fine," said Draco, looking at him irritated. "It's healing."

"How long has it been like that?" asked Arianna, incapable of taking her eyes off his wounded limb.

"Since Sunday," replied Kron, looking at the hand cautiously. "To be fair, it looked way more disgusting before."

"Why haven't you gotten it checked?" asked Arianna, approaching Draco. "It doesn't look good."

"It's fine!" snapped Draco, finally looking at her. He had dark circles and red eyes, his hair dull.

"He has been working like a house-elf on the damn code," explained Kron, sitting on top of the table. "He's the first one arriving and the last one leaving the office… You need some sleep, man, and a visit to the Healer. Otherwise I don't know how you’re supposed to fight Thomas next week."

"Why don't you write to Theo?" asked Arianna. "I'm sure he could go to your flat and take a look at that… or Blair."

"It's fine! It's healing," repeated Draco, taking a few documents from the table. "Now, both of you, shut up, I'm trying to think!"

Angry at his stupid, stubborn masochistic behaviour, Arianna seized his hand, making him scream painfully.

"What the fuck, Vitelli?!" complained Draco.

"It's Black!" yelled Arianna and took the bandage off with a flick of her wand.

A deep, irregular cut extended in the middle of his palm. It had a bright purple colour, with blackened edges, and it smelled rotten. 

"Tell me what caused this!" she demanded.

"It's getting better," insisted Draco, trying to pull back, but Arianna grabbed it firmly. 

His hand was overly hot and swollen. She leaned over and smelled it again. There was a tart and sweet odour she recognized and remembered an injury she had a long time ago. 

Arianna released his hand, left the room without saying a word, and marched to the Auror Potion Department. She had no idea how Draco had managed to get Venomous Tentacula juice in his injury, preventing the wound from healing, but she was sure it was that. 

After searching for a standard cauterizing potion, preparing a quick antidote, and grabbing a few bandages and gauzes, she returned to the conference room ten minutes before the meeting started. Almost everyone was there, except for Harry and Wilkinson.

Standing next to the small table in the corner, Draco filled a mug with coffee, and Arianna poked his shoulder. He turned around, giving her an annoyed look. 

"I can fix it, come," ordered Arianna and went back outside, where she waited for a moment. Draco stepped out in the corridor and folded his arms.

And without saying a word, she walked down the hallway and opened a door with a sign that read "Evidence Room." 

The place was the opposite of their meeting room; it was a well-lit, white sterile chamber with only a tall long rectangular table in the middle. 

Grabbing his left hand, Arianna placed it gently over the table and unbuttoned his sleeve, pulling it up. The scarred Dark Mark stared back at her and she stopped for a moment at the sight of it. 

"What is it, Vitelli?" Asked Draco, with a husky voice. "Have you forgotten about that little detail about me?"

"Drink this", said Arianna, giving him a small vial with the antidote, "And it's Black."

Draco drank the potion, making a face of revulsion. 

"I could help with the code, you know?" said Arianna, removing the bandage carefully. "I used to work solving similar codes in New York. Why hasn't Wilkinson asked me to help? He knows my resume."

Draco snorted. "Vitelli, the only reason you're allowed in this team is because of your relationship with the Prime Minister. So count your blessings and be grateful for being part of the case."

"So you don't think I should be in the team?" asked Arianna, offended and took a gauze and began cleaning his injury.

"No, not you nor your boyfriend ," said Draco sharply. 

"Oh well, luckily for me, you don't make the calls here," said Arianna ignoring the remark about Harry. "How did you hurt your hand?" 

"I lost my temper," replied Draco.

Arianna didn't push, as he was in his right to deny her information in the same way she was. She finished cleaning his wound and fetched the cauterizing potion. 

"Is it true?" asked Draco; close to her ear, she could feel his breath on her neck. "Are you with Potter?" 

"This is going to hurt," said Arianna, pulling the dropper out of the small flask containing a yellowish colour liquid.

"It already does," whispered Draco in her ear. 

With one hand, she extended his long fingers and let a drop fall in the corner of the wound. The skin closed instantly, white smoke emanating from the burning flesh. Draco groaned in pain, his hand trembled, and he rested his forehead against her head.

"Tell me, is it true?" he insisted, controlling his voice.

Arianna let another drop fall, going down the cut, making him growl, and he clenched her waist with his right hand. She closed her eyes and let another drop fall.

"Tell me!" screamed Draco.

"Why do you care?!" snapped Arianna and dropped the liquid one last time. 

Drowning a scream, Draco grabbed her from behind with his right arm and held her tightly against him. His nose buried in her hair.

"I need to know," muttered Draco.

A swooping sensation hit Arianna at the contact of his body pressed against hers and the brush of his lips on her ear. She took a fresh bandage and began wrapping it around his hand. 

"What difference does it make?" asked Arianna. He was with Astoria. What was the point of this?

"Please," he whispered painfully. 

"We are just friends," she murmured.

"Friends don't kiss like that, Vitelli," said Draco slowly. 

"It's Black," said Arianna, finishing with the wrapping. "It should be completely healed in three days. If not, please owl Theo." Draco let her go and moved slightly away. She turned around to face his utterly drained stare. "And get some rest, will you? You're never going to solve the code if you don't get enough sleep."

Arianna headed to the door, opened it, and waited for him to come along. He moved slowly towards her, and they went back to the conference room in silence. 

Everyone was there. Wilkinson, Shiori and Nuttley stood in a corner. Harry chatted at the table with Angelina and Jordan while Kron was getting coffee.

Harry glanced at her and then at Draco, and his expression turned stern. Arianna grabbed the chair between him and Angelina while Draco sat across from them.

A floating teacup descended in front of her. Arianna looked over her shoulder and saw Kron, wand in hand, levitating the cup.

"Thanks," she said, smiling softly. 

"I don't know if I put too much milk," Kron said, concerned. "I can make it again if I fucked it up."

"It's fine, really," said Arianna and took a sip, proving that she liked it. Although it was indeed too much milk.

"Your hair looks exceptionally shiny today," said Angelina, touching her hair and smiling warmly. "And it's so soft."

"Thank you, Angie," said Arianna, aware that both her colleagues were overly attentive and friendly as they have been the last few weeks. 

"So, we were thinking," said Jordan across from her. "After the meeting, we can go and get some drinks."

"Moody Mandrake?" asked Arianna, feeling cheerful at the idea.

"No… actually," said Angelina, forcing a smile. "We're kind of tired of the Moody Mandrake."

"Are you?" asked Arianna sceptically. Angie was such a lousy liar; everyone knew she loved that pub.

"Yeah, we’re done with it," said Kron, who had taken a seat next to Jordan. "Potter offered his place."

"It's safer," said Angelina with a sympathetic smile and touching Ariannas hand.

"Safer?" repeated Arianna and began feeling slightly angered.

"Why?" asked Draco, glaring at Harry. "Because no Dark wizard would dare to step inside Potter's house?"

"I don't see you offering your place, Malfoy," said Harry coldly. "Or do you think Rundenschöld would feel too much at home there?"

"No one needs to offer their house!" argued Arianna, looking at everyone. "We can just go to a bloody pub like always."

"It's not safe," said Draco and Harry in unison.

Arianna was about to object when Wilkinson cleared his throat, and everyone went quiet. The meeting began, but she couldn't focus on what he said. She was exhausted by the way they behaved and fervently wished they had never found out. It was understandable their concern, but they made her feel both suffocated and stupid at the same time. 

Her eyes drifted to Draco, who played with his quill between his fingers, his mind seemed lost somewhere else. Arianna didn't understand her situation with Draco either. It was obvious he was upset about her kissing Harry, obvious that he was attracted to her, obvious that he was in such a health and mental state for trying to catch Rundenschöld for her. And still he didn't say anything to her, still he was getting engaged in a week. 

"Malfoy, Kron," Wilkinson called and Arianna’s mind returned to the conversation. "Are we getting closer to cracking the code?"

"I believe it will be done by tomorrow," said Draco confidently, dropping the quill and straightening.

"I believe you are too optimistic," said Kron, scratching behind his ear with a quill. "We need help. Vitelli – I mean, Black actually volunteered to help us."

"That's right," said Arianna eagerly, sitting at the edge of her seat. "I would love to help."

"We don't need help… we're almost there," said Draco glaring at her.

"Are you?" asked Arianna, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes," said Draco decisively. 

"I hope you are, Malfoy," said Wilkinson. "Because time is of the essence."

"I know, I'm almost there," claimed Draco. But his tired eyes and wounded hand betrayed him.

"You're so hardheaded!" said Arianna. "Just admit you need help!"

"That's enough," cut Wilkinson firmly. "Shiori, you have experience with similar codes. Would you mind giving them a hand?"

"Not at all," replied Shiori calmly.

Outraged and bothered, Arianna leaned back on her chair. On the other hand, Draco seemed rather pleased with the decision and kept on fidgeting with his quill. 

"I also need a volunteer to go to Paris next week," said Wilkinson. "To deliver some information about–" 

"I volunteer," jumped Arianna impatiently.

"Absolutely not," scoffed Draco, dropping his quill again. 

"Excuse me?!" exclaimed Arianna, leaning forwards. "Who do you think you are to prohibit me from volunteering?"

"True– I'm no one," said Draco acidly. "Potter, tell your girlfriend that it's an incredibly stupid idea to go to France."

Harry’s eyes blew wide and looked at Arianna, then at  Draco and Wilkinson, and back to her.

Arianna stared at him with a warning look, expecting him to back her up.

Harry cleared his throat and twisted on his chair. "Perhaps it’s not the wisest thing," he said hesitantly. "Maybe – maybe if you go with someone... I could go with you to Paris."

"I don't need a babysitter," said Arianna through her teeth.

"Now you're just being stubborn and reckless–" argued Draco raising his voice.

"Look who's talking," quarreled Arianna promptly. 

"Enough," said Wilkinson, touching the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, Vitelli, I have to side with Malfoy in this one. It's too risky to send you abroad alone… or with someone."

"It's Black," clarified Arianna reproachfully and sank back on her chair, folding her arms.

Then she proceeded to give Draco a stern look, but he avoided her eyes. So, she turned towards Harry, who was expecting her and muttered. "Sorry."

At the end of the meeting, Wilkinson asked Arianna to follow him to his office to have a talk. There was a tone in his voice that made her believe he would not share good news. 

Wilkinson opened the door to his office and gestured at a chair, inviting her to sit. Arianna took the nearest chair and crossed her legs, watching him attentively as he sat behind the desk. He contemplated her for a moment before speaking. 

"There are two issues I would like to discuss with you," he said and unlocked a drawer using his wand. He took out a familiar silver box and placed it on the table. "The first one is about this– the things you have been receiving from Rudenschöld. You gave us the evidence in June, and since then, we have been running tests on the objects…We didn't find anything out of the ordinary."

"I imagine," said Arianna looking down at the box, feeling nauseous. "I ran tests too… They are just ordinary golden watch straps." 

"And you're certain they belonged to his son?" asked Wilkinson looking directly into her eyes.

"Positive," she answered. The image of Alaric Rudenschöld dying wearing his golden watch came to mind.

"And Rudenschöld has been sending you the pieces (the links) of the watch for how long?" 

"The first golden link came when I graduated from Hogwarts… So three years ago," said Arianna, remembering opening that envelope with nothing else but a piece of his watch still covered in dried blood. 

"And when did you get the last piece?"

"I got the clasp last March… That's when I told the prime minister about my situation," said Arianna, thinking about that day in Brazil; she still could see Neville watering the plants by the window when she opened the envelope. "And now it's only the watch itself missing…My time is almost over." 

"Is there a pattern?" asked Wilkinson, writing down notes. "Does he send you the pieces every given month? Or Holliday?" 

"I haven't found a pattern. The longest time was 9 months and the shortest 2 weeks," answered Arianna. She had been trying to find one since the beginning.

  "Very well, you can have the pieces back," said Wilkinson, pushing the silver box towards her. "It's needless to say that you have to tell us as soon as you get the clock– You'd have to go into hiding when that happens." 

Arianna nodded, her mouth dried. "And the second thing?" she asked. 

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to be part of the team any longer," said Wilkinson, leaning forward on his chair.

She closed her eyes, trying to control herself. "Why not? I didn't put the team in danger… I completed my task successfully despite the circumstances… You told me I did a good job!"

"Calm down, Black," said Wilkinson seriously. "You can still come to the meetings if you want to, maybe even do some research. But there's a lot of pressure for me to take you out of the team. We weren't expecting Rudenschöld showing up himself just to torture you."

"Who is pressuring you? Kingsley?" asked Arianna, feeling her blood boiling. In other words, her mother. 

"He has concerns…" said Wilkinson. "But also Robards and some members of the team think that we are putting you at unnecessary risk." 

"Who?" asked Arianna, promptly. "It's Malfoy, isn't it?"

"He's not alone," said Wilkinson, placing his hands on the table. "And you might not have directly put in danger anyone on the team, but the situation with Potter can't be overlooked."

"But that's his fault! Not mine!" snapped Ariana. "I didn't ask him to abandon his post!"…Stupid Harry.

"But it's your responsibility to inform us if you are in a relationship with someone in the Auror Office," said Wilkinson, slightly angered. "That's why Johnson and Jordan never go on missions together, to avoid situations like this one." 

"I'm not in a relationship with Potter! We are just friends!" argued Arianna and wondered if he also read the gossip columns, or had heard the rumours from the portraits… or if it was for Draco's comment…Stupid Draco.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Black. If he wasn't Harry bloody Potter, I would have removed him from the team immediately. And perhaps you would have a better chance of staying. But it's not the case," said Wilkinson and lifted his hands, stopping Arianna from speaking. "As I said before, you can keep coming to meetings, but I'm not sending you on missions anymore… And I strongly suggest you should keep practising in the Dueling Hall."

"So, can I at least quit my job at the ICW?" asked Arianna, trying to find something positive in all of this.

"Be my guest!..." answered Wilkinson, smiling. "In fact. There's an opening here in the Potions Department…" he paused, and Arianna looked away. "I'm truly sorry, Black, but I can't ignore the concerns of the Prime Minister, the Head of the Auror Office and the team members."

Utterly mad, Arianna stood up and took the silver box. She was sick and tired of everyone treating her like a child. Why no one could understand that she felt better trying to do something to stop Rudenschöld instead of waiting for him to come and kill her?

"I'll see you next Thursday, Wilkinson," Arianna said harshly and left.

She went directly to the Potions Department and gave them her resume, and got hired on the spot, and wondered if it was because of her relationship with the Prime Minister rather than her abilities in potion-making. Then, she went to the fifth floor and gave them her two weeks' notice. At least she would be doing something she enjoyed, for a change.









Chapter 20: March 1997

Notes:

Chapter 20! We are roughly in the middle of our story now. Thanks for reading this far <3

For a bit of context and just so we are all on the same page. This chapter is during the Half-Blood Prince, when (as you most likely remember) Draco was ordered to kill Dumbledore.

Chapter Text

There was nothing different about Arianna Vitelli. She ate at the Ravenclaw table, attended all her classes and never missed a Quidditch match. 

Nothing had changed, except that the sour-apple lollipops now tasted like ashes, and the lake had stopped calling her name. The pumpkin pie was bitter, and the music had turned into noise. 

Everything was the same, but now McGonagall extended her deadlines, Nathan finished her homework most days, and Madam Pomfrey expected her once a week since the time she drank too much Dreamless Sleep potion, and Blair thought she was dead. 

She was fine, besides not being able to feel, except when she did, and to numb the pain, she burned her skin. 

Nothing had changed about her, but she no longer recognised the girl that stared back at her in the mirror.

There was nothing different about Arianna Vitelli except that it wasn't her anymore.



March 1997.

The sole meaning of Arianna's existence revolved around the nullius filius potion. It occupied her mind and time obsessively, and she encouraged it as it shoved away the intrusive memories and thoughts that usually crept at dusk and gave her restless nights. She couldn't remember how it felt to go to bed without being afraid of dreaming or how it was to sleep without the aid of a potion.

Arianna shifted in her bed for the umpteenth time. She hated Madam Pomfrey and her stupid weekly blood tests. Now there wasn't any sleeping drug that could go unnoticed since she could only take what had been prescribed to her, but that wasn't enough as her system had become tolerant to a normal dose of Dreamless Sleep or Sleeping Draught. 

If only she had been more careful and had not gotten caught. All for that tiny dumb mistake she committed a month ago when she added extra valerian roots to her potion and ended up creating something closer to a Draught of Living Death instead of a Sleeping Draught... Now they treated her like an addict. 

Not that anyone blamed her. No. Everyone just kept looking at her with commiserate eyes. And by everyone, she meant Pomfrey, McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout. As the Head of Houses and the Headmaster were informed about what had happened in France. Other than that, only Blair and Nathan knew, and at least they were relatively normal by now. 

But Arianna had found a potion that could erase every trace of a foreign substance in her blood; it only needed to be twisted a bit to make her fit her prescribed dose, and then she could keep brewing her own without any issue. There was just an ingredient missing. But tonight, there were more urgent matters to attend to. Tonight, she will finally know who her father is.

Arianna stared at the bed canopy, dressed with jeans and a black Weird Sisters' t-shirt, her bed curtains pulled. She shifted position once again and checked her watch; it was thirty minutes past midnight. It was time.

She heard steps in the dorm and peaked between the curtains, and saw Luna sleep-dancing in her white nightgown, as she often did. 

Cautiously, she went out of bed and took the Blood book from her trunk, her obsidian knife and a small vial with a brown liquid, and avoiding Luna's waltz swings, she crossed the room and left the dorm, heading to the third floor.

It hadn't been easy to brew the nullius filius potion. First of all, it was nearly impossible to sneak the book into Hogwarts, considering that everything that went in was inspected with Secrecy Sensors. It wasn't until October, during the first Hogsmeade trip, that she and Blair dug up the book from the forest outside the castle and transformed it into another potions book. It was a silly idea, but it was her best shot. 

Effectively, the Secrecy Sensors detected something unusual, which made Filch extremely joyful and on their way to professor Flitwick office, he listed all the wonderful ways they could get punished for this. Unluckily for Filch, Flitwick yelled at him to insinuate that exemplary students like them were smuggling Dark objects, and they ended up having tea with her Head of House while they went over the OWLs they needed to become Healers.

Then there was the issue of getting the instructions translated. Even if her mother had taught her Latin and Greek when she was a child, she was out of practice. But the major problem was the bloodstains that made parts of the text unreadable, which forced her to fill the gaps by herself.

And the potion contained ingredients that were either utterly uncommon, absurdly expensive or downright illegal. So she resorted to stealing from Slughorn, Snape, Sprout and even Hagrid. It had taken an entire moon cycle to get the potion ready. But tonight, it will be finally finished.  

Furtively, Arianna walked the corridors and stairs until reaching her third floor and entered a secluded, dusty tiny empty room, where a small copper cauldron stood on the stone floor, illuminated by the full moon's light that leaked through the window. The potion simmered and made blue fumes that twirled, forming helicoidal shapes. She sat down next to it and placed the book and the knife down.

After reading the instructions once again, she stirred the mercury-like substance three times counterclockwise and added a hair from her mother, turning the potion turquoise. Then grabbed the knife and cut her finger, letting seven drops fall into the cauldron, and she stirred five times clockwise, the potion became deep purple. 

Arianna turned off the flame, and the fumes vanished – It was ready. She poured all the liquid into a silver goblet, and without a second thought, drank it all. It was heavy and thick like syrup and tasted like iron. She swallowed with difficulty and did her best not to vomit and flipped to the last spread of the potion's instructions, where a complicated astronomical chart was drawn on both pages. 

With a sweaty hand, she seized the knife and made a long cut along her palm. She bit a scream and clenched her fist, allowing the blood to drip on the book until a small puddle was formed. Then fetched the small vial with Dittany Essence and applied a drop of the brown liquid to her wound, billowing green smoke and healing it instantly. 

And if everything had been done correctly, her father's name should materialise for the first time in front of her. 

Arianna could hear her own heart beating in her ears and watched the book like a hawk. Nothing was happening. An anguish feeling rose to her throat; she swallowed. Maybe she had done something wrong; she could have mistranslated something, or added too little Occamy egg dust, or not poured enough dragon blood during the new moon; perhaps she should have let it simmer longer.

The blood began moving across the page, expanding alongside the book and forming letters. And after a few seconds that felt like sixteen years, a name showed perfectly written.

Her brain stopped working, and her breath deserted her. She kept staring at the name until it disappeared, absorbed by the book, leaving nothing but a clean page. 

She remained frozen for what felt like hours until her mind came back to her. 

Arianna knew that name. Everyone in the Wizarding World knew that name. 

Rather dizzy, she stood up, collected her things, and left the room. And feeling as if her world had been turned upside down, she began wandering the empty corridors slowly and aimlessly. 

It couldn't be true. It didn't add up. She must have done something wrong…

Her feet took her to the Ravenclaw tower and climbed the helicoidal staircase until she stood in front of the door. The bronze eagle knocker spoke.

 "It belongs to you, but other people use it more than you do. What is it?"

Arianna sat on the stairs. 

Sirius Black

He was a Death Eater, a murderer, one of the most fervent followers of Voldemort, and until a year ago, the most wanted criminal in Europe. He had killed a dozen people with one spell; her mother did say he was a powerful wizard. Sirius Black was the first wizard to ever escape Azkaban; her mother did say he was very clever…But her mother had also told her that he was loyal and protective of the ones he loved. That he was brave and noble. That he wasn't with them because he didn't have any other choice…

Something was wrong…

All the rumours she ever heard from him flooded her mind. And one stood up among the others, something that Luna had repeated endlessly about a year ago. That Sirius Black was innocent and had been framed with those crimes. And even if Arianna would like to believe it, she couldn't take her words too seriously. She was, after all, the girl who kept on insisting that the prime minister, Rufus Scrimgeour, was a vampire and all the Aurors were part of the Rotfang Conspiracy… whatever that was.

Arianna knocked on the door. 

"It belongs to you, but other people use it more than you do. What is it?" repeated the eagle. 

"Your name," answered Arianna. 

The door opened, and she went up to her dorm, where she found Luna dancing slowly. Arianna grabbed her hand and dragged her to bed, and then laid on her own, looking at the bed canopy once again.

Arianna took a deep breath and allowed in her mind the first thought she had when reading his name: Sirius Black is dead. She will never meet her father regardless of who he was as a person. And she felt a painful sharp twist on her heart, making tears roll down to her pillow. 

Then she spent most of the night trying to puzzle him together, using what she had heard from others and the few things her mom had told her over the years. Trying to make sense of him. In the end, she only had a storm of questions she wanted to ask on Easter Break as soon as she was home. 

The sun was leaking between the curtains when she finally took the small flask with Dreamless Sleep potion from the nightstand drawer and drank her dose.

"Aria, wake up! You have already missed breakfast, and we are going to be late for Charms."

Arianna opened her eyes and saw Blair pulling her bed curtains. She tossed back her long box braids and shook her.

"I'm up! I'm up!" blurted Arianna, sitting up abruptly.

"I brought you a toast," said Blair, reaching for a plate on the bedside table and offering it to her. 

Wishing she could sleep more, Arianna grabbed the plate.

"Why are you dressed like a muggle?" asked Blair.

"Luna sleep-dances and I apparently like to try on outfits," answered Arianna, smiling tiredly.

Blair narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. "I know you keep sneaking out in the middle of the night," she said disapprovingly. "I just hope you're not brewing potions that will hurt you more than help you."

Arianna's eyes dropped to her plate. "I'm not…" she said. "It's about the other potion… I'm about to finish it." She brought the toast to her lips and bit it. She wasn't ready to tell her about Sirius Black yet.

Blair considered her for a moment longer and moved to the foot of the bed. "Luna had stopped sleeping naked," she said, changing the subject and opening Arianna's trunk. "Have you noticed?" And took out Arianna's uniform. 

"Yes, I called that an improvement," said Arianna and went out of bed.

 After finishing her toast, she got ready, and both girls headed to Charms class. 

Arianna spent most of the day yawning and dragging her feet along the castle. Sirius Black's name kept popping out in her exhausted mind, and she yearned fervently for a good night's sleep, a good large spoon of Dreamless Sleep… or two. 

Boomslang skin was the only missing ingredient for brewing the potion to break free from Madam Pomfrey and her half-teaspoon-of-dose. And she was certain that Snape was the only one that had it. 

As she had memorised his schedule, she knew he taught a double class of Defense Against the Dark Arts to the fourth graders after lunch. Which fitted perfectly with her free period and Blair's Muggle Studies, meaning she would not interrogate her for disappearing for a while.

It was surprisingly easy to enter Snape's office; it did not take more than a spell to open the door into the gloomy and dimly-lit room in the dungeons, whose walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars filled with bits of animals and plants. 

Arianna closed behind her and headed to the cupboard in the far right corner, where the teacher kept the rare and expensive ingredients. Two steps away before reaching the doorknob, she stopped and, with a trembling hand, pulled a Calming Draught from her bag and took a sip. 

Snape usually put a Genie Spell on the door, meaning that if the door closed, it would be impossible to get out until the owner of the room opened it. And as Arianna had developed some sort of claustrophobia, provoked by the idea of not being able to get out of places, every time she stole from him, Calming Draught was needed.

Almost immediately, her muscles and mind relaxed, and effortlessly she opened the door and calmly placed a book on the ground so the door would stay open. "Lumus," she cast and went into the darkroom. 

The narrow and long cupboard had shelves on both sides covered with hundreds of bottles and jars. 

The organisation system was rather peculiar, as Snape placed every ingredient according to its geographical origin.

Standing in the middle, she whispered slowly, "The boomslang snake is from Africa… sub-Saharan Africa to be more precise… which means that it should be on the left side of the right shelf… and somewhere near the bottom."

Arianna went that way and on her knees when someone opened the door. Looking up, she saw a tall silhouette rushing in and kicking off her book while entering.

"Don't close the–!" she yelled, and the door shut abruptly, sealing after the person. "door." 

In a second, Arianna's vision narrowed, and she clenched her satchel, reassuringly thinking that she had more Calming Draught in it, and quickly took it out and drank another sip, opening the walls of her mind.

The person wrestled with the doorknob and threw spells, but the door wouldn't yield.

"Fuck…" he cursed.

Arianna recognised his voice and lifted her wand still with the Lumus spell, and saw a tall blond figure resting his forehead and fists against the door. 

"Malfoy?" said Arianna. "You can't open the door. It has a Genie Spell– We are stuck here until Snape comes back."

Draco turned back slowly. "That's bloody perfect," he growled and went to the end of the corridor and sat on the floor, closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall.

Aware that there was no point in searching for the boomslang skin any longer, Arianna sat next to him on the cold stone floor, trying to decide what was more worrisome: that Snape would catch her stealing or that she might run out of Calming Draught before he came and open the door. 

She cast several small floating lights that made the hundreds of glass objects shimmer graciously in the dark and leaned back, mindlessly staring at them. Her eyelids were heavy as her whole body felt. 

Arianna glanced at Draco, his eyes were still closed, and his head rested against the wall, slightly upwards. There were lines and dark circles around his eyes; his skin looked waxy and pale as if he had not seen the sun in months.

Everyone had noticed how Draco had changed this year. He was himself in September, snugging Parkinson in all the corridors, bothering the Gryffindors, bursting the Slytherin table out of laughter, and overall behaving like he didn't care his father was in Azkaban. But as the months passed, things changed; he seemed tired, stressed and had lost weight. He had quit the Quidditch team, that said everything… It sounded dreadful to have two Death Eaters in the family.

Her eyes bulged. How had she missed that? Bellatrix Lestrange was Sirius Black's cousin, and she was Draco's aunt. 

Arianna stared at him the same way as if Snape wore pink– If Sirius Black was indeed her father… She and Draco were related. He was named after a constellation, and she after a moon...Narcissa Malfoy was right. 

Mesmerised, she wondered if they looked alike and contemplated his tall figure, his alabaster skin and straight blond hair, his aristocratic nose and well-defined pink lips. And compared them to her darker skin, her black and wavy hair, her small nose and full lips. They were completely different. He had grey eyes like her, but his were from his father; he had told her that. 

And Arianna pondered if she cared that they shared an ancestor three generations back, and as a reply, her drowsy mind begged to see those eyes that made her think of a sunny, snowy winter morning.

 "Draco," she said, feeling his first name strange and sweet on her lips.

Draco opened his eyes and looked at her, and for a split second, she thought it was her own reflection who stared back at her, for there was nothing but pain and despair in his eyes, and she knew that both lay in the deepest darkest pit of hell. 

Her hand reached for his cheek and caressed it slowly. He grabbed it and held it there, closing his eyes again. 

"Arianna," he whispered as if her name was a spell, summoning her and pulling her towards him like a wave, and she stranded into his arms.

He embraced her strongly as if he was drowning and she was a buoy. And she wished he could hug her tighter, so tight that all her cracks on her soul would close. So tight that she could feel whole again. 

"My life is over," muttered Draco and swallowed. 

His words hurt her, tore her, shook her. She could feel everything he felt. Her life was over too. Nothing would ever be the same. She would always exist with the horrifying memories of her attack, with the ticking of the clocks, with the smell of blood, with the door closed. She will always live with the still incomprehensible fact that she had killed a man. That she was a murderer. And yet, she could not bear to hear him giving up like that. 

"Don't say that," she whispered. "It's not, you'll see… there's always hope."

"There's nothing, just darkness. There's no end, no light. I can't see anything."

"There is," insisted Arianna, wishing it was true. "I swear it's there. It will get brighter."

"I been so stupid, so fucking stupid," said Draco, holding her a bit tighter. "If I knew, I would have done everything differently. I wouldn't have cared about what people think of me… what my father thinks of me… I would have asked you out ages ago. I would have asked you to the Yule Ball. I would have kissed you in the library. Now it's too late… Now my life is over."

For a moment, she thought she had heard wrong, that her tired brain was messing with her. 

Arianna eased her hug and rested her forehead against his. 

"If you would have asked me… "she said. "I would’ve said yes."

Their noses touched, and he sank his fingers in her hair, holding the back of her head.

"I'm not good for you…" Draco whispered in her lips. "I'm poison. Everyone around me is doomed."

"I'm already doomed," she muttered and, softly, her lips pressed against his, and something she thought was dead awoke.

Draco kissed her back like no one had, evoking sensations she had never felt, making her crave things she thought she would never ache for again. And she grabbed him as if he was the only solid thing in her dizzy, hazy world.

They kissed obsessively, fervently, and her craving for feeling him closer increased kiss after kiss. 

Arianna went on top of his lap, and his mouth abandoned hers and went to her cheek, her ear, her jaw, and he unfastened her tie, taking it off and unbuttoning her blouse enough so his lips could keep travelling down her neck, and they settled there, nibbling and kissing, making her throat pour noises it had never made.

The temperature of the cold stone cupboard increased rapidly. And she clenched his hair, encouraging him to keep going. 

His hands went to her thighs and slid under her skirt to her hips. 

"You're so soft," he muttered. "Why are you so soft?"

Searching for his lips again, Arianna took off his tie and unfasten a button, and another one, and another one, and another one until there was no more left. She touched his chest and his shoulders; he was so warm. 

And thirsty for his neck and his scent, she kissed and bit him there, making him groan and grab her hips, pulling them on top of his.

Arianna gasped when feeling him hard against her soft centre. 

Draco unbuttoned her blouse and kissed her while massaging her breast over her thin blue bra. He bit her neck hard and pinched her nipple, driving Arianna to that fine line between pleasure and pain. 

"Draco," she moaned. Her mind was foggy, her body on fire, her craving for him increasing. 

"Tell me when to stop," Draco groaned in her mouth and kissed her deeply. "Please, tell me when to stop."

"Don't stop," answered Arianna instantly.

Draco stopped. Confused, she opened her eyes and found him staring back at her, with his eyes widely open. 

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Arianna nodded.

"You know what I mean, right?" asked Draco, and she chuckled and kissed him softly. She had never done it, and somehow, it felt right that her first time was with him. 

Gently, he took off her blouse and kissed her clavicle and shoulder, pulling down the string of her bra. 

"I like every little part of you… Every single little bit," whispered Draco. His hand slid on her back, stopped on her bra and unhooked it at once. Then it continued travelling all the way to her head, and he kissed her. "You're a dream… You're my dream, Arianna." 

And clenching his hair, Arianna kissed him deeply, wishing she could merge with him already. 

The door opened violently, slamming hard against the stone wall.

Scared, Arianna hugged Draco, who had taken out his wand instantly. 

A silhouette stood on the door threshold and took a step forwards, revealing his face. 

Snape watched them with an inscrutable expression and Arianna felt petrified. Her legs were still wrapped on Draco's waist, her skirt was all the way up, her blouse gone, and her bra undone. And Draco didn't look that smart either. 

They both keep staring at Snape, unable to move a muscle or say a word.

Lifting his eyebrow ever so slightly, Snape said, "You have ten seconds to get out of my cupboard." 

He abandoned the cupboard, and Arianna jumped on her feet and fixed her bra and shirt, incapable of looking at Draco. She felt him barely moving, still sitting on the floor. 

After a moment, he stood up, grabbed his things and left. 

Arianna ran her fingers through her hair, took the tie from the floor, put it on her bag, and went outside.

Snape and Draco stared at each other in silence. Draco had half done his shirt, his hair was a complete mess, and he had love bites all over his neck. And still, he was the one glaring at Snape with an irritated, arrogant look. 

"Did you find what you were looking for, Miss Vitelli?" asked Snape, deep and slowly, looking directly into her eyes. "Or would you like some more time, perhaps?"

"Leave her alone," hissed Draco. 

Alarmed, Arianna stared at him. How could he speak to a teacher like that? To Snape among all.

Snape did nothing but glare harshly at Draco. 

"Fifty points will be taken from Slytherin and Ravenclaw for breaking into my office to steal," he snarled. "Plus thirty points for inappropriate behaviour...If I ever catch any of you snooping around here again, you will lose more than points. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," said Arianna, looking down at her feet.

Draco remained silent, clenching his jaw, gazing at Snape.

"Miss Vitelli, you're excused," said Snape sharply. "And I strongly suggest going directly to your dorm… Mr Malfoy, a word?"

Arianna gave Draco a furtive look; he did the same and then focused on Snape.

When she left the office, the castle felt unfamiliar and bigger. Draco's touch and scent lingered on her skin, her lips swollen by his kisses, and her world flipped once again. 

Somehow she managed to find her way to her dorm, which, thankfully, was empty. Arianna laid down on her bed, feeling her neck itching. And searched for her small mirror in her satchel, pulled it out and took a look. Her neck and chest were covered in love bites. Somehow it made her laugh.

When putting the mirror back in her bag, she found a green and silver tie lying on the bottom and realised they had switched them. 

Arianna brought it to her nose; it smelled like him.

As long as Voldemort was out there, she knew they were impossible. But, maybe, just maybe, one day he will be gone, and then the world would be different. And then maybe, just maybe, Draco and her could give it a shot.

A tiny warm light emerged in her dimmed chest, and a small smile formed on her lips.

The tiredness finally caught with her, and with Draco's tie on her nose, she fell asleep. 

There was nothing different about Arianna Vitelli except that there was. 



Chapter 21: Greedy Goblin

Notes:

Just a heads up, this is the beginning of a very long weekend in our story!

Chapter Text

Sitting by her dressing table and wearing a white lace bodysuit, Arianna applied another layer of mascara to her long eyelashes, giving the final touch of the smoky eyes that took her half an hour to get right. She assessed her work on the mirror, feeling proud of it, and with her fingers, she combed her mane that was now silky and straight thanks to a few drops of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion.

Going on her feet, she approached the bed, where her father's white suit lay. She had picked up the garment from Madam Malkin's early today, now it fitted her like a glove. 

Almost ceremoniously, she grabbed the trousers and put them on. Then she took the waistcoat and carefully buttoned it up, serving her as a top with a rather revealing neckline. Finally, she slipped on the suit jacket and closed the golden lion head buttons on the sleeves.

And from a square red velvet jewellery box resting on the nightstand, Arianna seized her pearl necklace and folded it four times around her neck, somewhat covering her deep cleavage. 

Something was missing. 

Her gaze drifted to the upper right drawer of the dressing table; she opened it and saw the diamond bracelet Draco gave her in Vienna; she kept forgetting to return it to Wilkinson.

She placed the jewel around her left wrist, thinking that the fake stones seemed authentic.

And while slipping on her white stilettos, Blair called her from the sitting room. "Aria, It's almost time."

Arianna fetched her purse and checked the inside. Dager, antidotes, wand. And feeling like a warrior, she marched decisively outside her room, ready for war. 

Standing next to the fireplace, Blair waited for her, wearing a navy-blue silk dress. Arianna went next to her and glanced at the clock over the fireplace. It read one minute to eight. 

Blair grabbed Arianna by the arm, and she looked towards her. 

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," said Blair, slightly concerned. "Truly."

"Nonsense," said Arianna, eyeing at the clock again. "I told you I'm coming." 

"Aria–"

"You're my best friend, B," said Arianna conclusively, facing her again. "And it's your boyfriend's birthday, and his best mate is marrying Astoria Greengrass. I've got to get used to being around her without wanting to strangle her every time I see her."

"Yes, but–"

"It's only four hours," interrupted Arianna. "The Floo is connected to their flat for 3 minutes at 8 o'clock and 3 minutes at midnight. I'll just sit by the poker table, in silence, drinking Firewhiskey until it's time to get back home. I'll be fine."

The clock hit eight, and Arianna took a dash of Floo powder from the jar on the mantle shelf and tossed it to the fireplace. 

Blair stepped into the emerald flames and spoke Blaise's address. Arianna took a deep breath and followed.

A moment later, she stood in the elegant sitting room at Draco's penthouse.

A beautiful woman attired with a long grey dress and carrying a silver tray with a couple of martini glasses awaited them. Arianna recognised her as the Dormant Dragon's brunette receptionist.

"Good evening, madams," she welcomed them, smiling broadly. "I'm Casey, your waitress for tonight. Can I offer you a mandrake martini?" She extended the tray towards them, and Arianna and Blair took the drink.

"Thank you, Casey," said Arianna and took a sip. It was dry, slightly bitter, but good. "This is great. Keep them coming."

"Of course, madame," said Casey. "If you follow me, please, they are waiting for you in the cigar room."

They followed her to the same double doors a couple of months ago Arianna had walked through after her date with Zabini. 

As soon as she stood in the entrance, she detected a subtle whiff of fine woods, tobacco, and aged liquors lingering on the room, and Arianna had the sudden craving for a smoke.

Little had changed since last time, except that now an enchanted string quartet played a soft classical melody on the far-left corner. 

Attired in dinner suits, Theo and Blaise chatted by the wooden bar, where the handsome dark bartender from the Golden Sphinx mixed a drink. And to the left, Markus Flint, Pansy Parkinson, Astoria Greengrass and Draco Malfoy stood by the fireplace, laughing at something hilarious Pansy had apparently said. While Daphne and her new husband were nowhere to be found.

Blaise noticed them immediately and went on his feet at once, and just by seeing the loving way he stared at her friend and the smile that drew in Blair's face, Arianna knew it had been the right thing to come here tonight.

After Blair and Blaise shared a kiss a bit too intense to be done in public, he gave Arianna the customary two kisses on her cheeks, followed by Theo, who had approached them.

"I see we're wearing vintage tonight," said Theo, taking a good look at her suit. "As always, you look radiant, dear."

"Thank you, Theo," said Arianna, purposely avoiding looking at the Slytherins who stood by the fireplace. "It's my father's best man suit, actually… And, as always, you look dashing."

"I know," said Theo, smirking, and glanced towards where the others stood. "I think you have some exciting stories to share."

Almost involuntarily, her eyes drifted towards Draco, who watched her and instantly looked back at Flint; he wore his hair slicked back as he always did when he was with his girlfriend. And then she noticed two other pairs of eyes resting upon her, from the two women in black. 

Astoria, who had her hair up in a french twist, glared at her briefly before rejoining her conversation. But Pansy held her stare. Her hair was longer, reaching her jaw, her bright red lipstick in place, and her gaze contemptuous, and Arianna understood that she had finally gotten tired of pretending that she liked her. 

Arianna smirked at her; she had been right about her all along.

"Exciting stories?" asked Arianna, turning back to Theo.

"You know," said Theo, almost whispering. "One day, you're in St. Mungo wearing someone's favourite night robe, and a week later, I hear the most scandalous gossip about you and a certain celebrity." 

"Reality is way more boring than that, Theodore," said Arianna, taking a seat by the bar. "All of that is nothing but a bunch of things taken out of context and blown out of proportion."

"Oh, I'm sure it is," said Theo sitting next to her. 

One martini later, everyone headed to the octagonal poker table, ready to gamble.

"Sit to my left, Arianna," said Theo, pulling a chair for her. "For good fortune." Arianna complied and saw Draco dragging the chair in front of her for Astoria to sit. "No Draco, you sit there… Astoria, dear, why don't you take Draco's right chair instead?"

Draco stopped and frowned slightly at Theo.

"Why?" asked Astoria, slightly annoyed. 

"So there aren't two ladies in a row," explained Theo, pulling a chair for Pansy to his right. 

Astoria rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said, and Draco dragged the chair to his right, and she sat, then he took place in front of Arianna.

"Looks like we're the only ones without a date tonight," said Flint, who was at Arianna's left, while attempting a seductive smile and failing miserably. "Wanna change that?" 

"No, thanks," said Arianna at once and grabbed her martini. 

"She's way out of your league, Markus," said Draco while Casey handed him a Firewhiskey. 

"Is that so?" said Flint, amused.

"Haven't you heard?" said Draco, bringing his drink to his lips. "She only dates war heroes."

"Oh really?" asked Arianna coldly, arching an eyebrow. Draco smirked and drank. 

"I think it is time to begin our little game," said Blaise, holding Blair's hand over the table. "I believe Theodore wants to be our dealer tonight."

"Indeed," Theo said, fetching the cards from the table and leaning comfortably back on his chair. "I'll be the one deciding your luck tonight… We've settled on playing Greedy Goblin, is that right?"

The Slytherins nodded, and Blair and Arianna exchanged a confused look. Arianna knew that "Goblin" was basically muggle poker but with shorter games. But, Greedy Goblin?

"Before we began," said Blair promptly while Theo shuffled the cards. "Would you explain the rules of Greedy Goblin? Arianna and I are not familiar with the variant."

"Oh! Very well, then," said Theo, placing the cards back on the table. "' Greedy Goblin' is basically 'Goblin', except that the players that get into the final round ask for something in particular from the other players, and they decide if they are in or not."

"What kind of something?" asked Arianna, frowning. 

"It could be anything, really... A possession or to perform a certain action," explained Theo. Arianna and Blair exchanged another puzzled look. "Allow me to illustrate. I could be in the last round with Arianna and Draco, and I could ask Arianna for her marvellous suit, and Draco to remove that horrid hippogriff head of his," he said pointing at the mount over the fireplace. "Arianna could decide not to risk the garment and fold, but maybe Draco would dare, and I could win everything on the table plus the fact that I would get rid of that eye-sore."

"It's important to mention that sexual bets are no longer allowed after what happened between Pansy and Cassius," said Blaise and Pansy gasped, outraged, for blatantly revelling that information.

A small fight between Blaise and Pansy followed, and then they began the first game. Arianna stuck to her strategy of drinking and folding even if she had a good hand and refused to look over at Draco and Astoria, which was particularly challenging given that they sat across from her. 

It was evident that the Slytherins had advantage on Greedy Goblin, for they not only had more practice but knew the possessions of their opponents. Especially Pansy and Astoria, who seemed knowledgeable of the jewellery everyone owned, as they kept on asking for specific rings and necklaces when getting into the final rounds. 

After another mandrake martini and seeing Blair winning a pair of opal earrings from Astoria. Arianna felt brave enough to go ahead into a final round with Zabini. She had asked for one of his finest bottles of Firewhisky, and he requested that she attend tomorrow's boxing match wearing green. 

Arianna lost. 

She downed her martini and leaned back on her chair, smiling at Blaise, who seemed thrilled. 

"Now you can sit and watch with all of us how Draco's ugly face gets reduced to a mess of flesh," said Blaise happily.

Another game began. Arianna chose to lay low again; she had folded right after the second round. In the end, Blaise, Draco and Astoria were the ones standing.

"All right," said Blaise and took a drag from his cigar. "I want to switch rooms with you, Draco. And Astoria, I want that vintage chaise you have on your Swiss winter house."

"I want your first edition of Les Misérables ," said Draco, holding his cigar high.

"Fold," said Blaise instantly. 

There were general chuckles around the table. Astoria and Draco looked at each other, smiling playfully. 

"No sexual bets," reminded Flint jokingly, and Arianna felt like vomiting. 

She took a sip from her martini, enjoying the dryness and the bitter taste of the mandrake. It felt like an appropriate cocktail to be drunk with snakes.

"I want to elope next week," said Astoria softly and the drink almost poured out from Arianna’s nostrils. 

"Deal," said Draco promptly. "But if I win, we will marry after Father is out of Azkaban…and you cannot bring that subject up again."

A complete silence fell over the table, the soft background music amplified. Arianna stopped breathing. The lingering bitterness of her drink felt like venom on her lips. Next week? Her heart started pounding fast, and she clenched the wooden armrest, the edges carving deeply into her palm. 

Draco and Astoria looked at each other, prolonging the tension. 

"Ladies first," said Draco gesturing with his hand to the table. 

Astoria placed her cards down and leaned back on her chair with a self-satisfaction grin. Her hand was very high.

Arianna's blood dropped to her feet. 

"Looks like we will have to host an improvised stag party next week," said Flint, rubbing his hands. "I propose Monaco."

"Not so fast, Markus," said Draco, placing his cards on the table, a smirk on his face. He had won. 

Air came back to Ariann's lungs and felt her body relax. She exchanged a look with Blair, who also seemed rather distressed. 

Arianna downed her martini and asked Casey for another one. 

"So, Vitelli," said Astoria, inspecting her. "Did you come here to gamble or just to warm up the chair and drink Blaise's liquor?"

"The latter," replied Arianna smiling, still feeling her stomach revolted. "And it's Black." 

"What's the fun in that, Black?" asked Blaise. 

"She just came to distract Markus with her cleavage," said Pansy.

"It's working so far," replied Flint with a wink.

"It's working even for me," added Theo, and everyone chuckled. "Perhaps we don't have anything you fancy, Arianna?" 

"Oh, no," said Pansy, lighting a cigarette. "I think there's something she wants," she puffed the smoke out. "She's just too afraid to ask for it."

For the first time since they began playing, Arianna's eyes met Draco's. Astoria touched his jaw and neck distractedly with her delicate fingers, making Arianna’s stomach instantly sick, and she dropped her gaze to her drink. 

Perhaps she should be braver; she was wearing her father's suit after all. He would probably be disappointed at her if he knew she was afraid to gamble with a bunch of snotty Slytherins.

"All right, Blaise," said Arianna, lifting her face. "I'll gamble more if that makes you happy… Consider it your birthday present." 

After two rounds, Arianna had won a diamond necklace from Theo, "Whatever you think suits me," she replied to him when he asked what kind of necklace. Then she went to a final round with Draco and Flint but folded when the latter asked for her underwear. 

Now Arianna was in another final round with Pansy.

"I want your diamond bracelet," said Pansy, flicking her cigarette over the crystal ashtray.

"Deal," said Arianna at once, thinking that they were not genuine stones, and it seemed like Wilkinson didn't care about it since he hadn't asked back for it. "I want one of the fanciest emerald green dresses you own... I don't have anything green to wear tomorrow."

"Sure, dear," said Pansy mockingly. "But I don't think you're going to fit in any of them."

Astoria sniggered.

"Oh, I'm sure of it," said Arianna, smirking. "I apparently have body parts that you don't." 

"I'll say…" said Flint, his eyes drifting through her body. Arianna looked at him disgustingly.

"Besides, I have my own personal tailor," added Arianna, winking at Blair. "So do not worry about that. Are you in or what, Parkinson?"

"No– I want to see the bracelet first," said Pansy, and quite reluctantly, Arianna took it off and handed it to her. 

Pansy observed it closely and flipped it. "How on earth could you afford something from Biermann & Stauss?" she asked. 

"Family heirloom," lied Arianna promptly, realising that the jewel was Draco's and that they were authentic diamonds. 

"I'm in," said Pansy defiantly and tossed her cards on the table. And instead of worrying about the cards, Arianna's attention was on Draco, who stared at the bracelet held by Pansy. "Show your cards– I don't have all day."

Arianna placed them on the table. Her hand was higher. 

A broad smile of relief grew on her face, and she searched for Draco's eyes again. He grinned at her, and she felt glad he wasn't mad for gambling his bracelet.

"Don't get too cocky," he said, lifting an eyebrow. "It could be just beginner's luck."

"I'm coming for you, Malfoy," Arianna sang, smiling.

"Bring it on, Vitelli," said Draco, smiling back.

She submerged in his eyes, thinking she recognised the man that had held her tight and cared for her. Something melted inside of her, forgetting where she was. 

"Your hand looks perfectly healed, Draco," said Theo while shuffling the cards. "Arianna, how did you know how to cure him without knowing what had caused it? I couldn't have known just by looking at it, and I'm a trained Healer."

The fact that Theo was talking about this in front of everyone surprised Arianna. Did that mean that Astoria knew that Draco and her work together? 

"I still don't know how he injured himself," answered Arianna, shrugging. "I just knew why it wasn't healing. I had a similar injury a while back."

"What are they talking about?" asked Astoria to Draco. "What happened to your hand, and why don't I know about this?"

Draco wasn't looking at Astoria but at Theo, utterly mad, while he dealt cards, ignoring him. 

"It's confidential information," said Draco. "I can't talk about that." 

Astoria scoffed and said, "I'm your future wife, Draco! You told me that Vitelli was in another department. Why is she healing injured hands that you don't even bother to tell me about?"

"Can we talk about this later, dear," said Draco, controlling his voice. "You know how much I love fighting in public."

Turning away from him, Astoria retook her red wine and downed it. While Draco leaned back on his chair, frowning and swirling his Firewhisky, staring at nothing. 

They started one more game, in which Astoria kept on giving Arianna murdering glances. 

And somewhat happy to see them fight, Arianna felt extra confident in her game as her hand was the strongest she had had all night.

In the end, Arianna and Astoria were the ones standing, and the tension had become palpable in the room. Both witches stared at each other with contempt. Arianna had the same feeling as if she was duelling, waiting for the first strike.

"I want your suit," said Astoria with a low voice and a wicked smile. 

The suit was the only thing Arianna had from her father. She shouldn't risk it, but her cards were terrific, and she felt like the tide was in her favour. Arianna savoured the sweet taste of victory over her school rival while she played with the idea of all the things she could ask for. One stood brilliantly among the others: Don't marry Draco.

Arianna stared at her disdainful green eyes and said, "Andromeda Tonks and Teddy Lupin can live as long as they want in the Malfoy Manor." 

A snort escaped Astoria, and she was about to speak when someone cut in.

"Seriously?" snapped Draco leaning forwards. "Do you really think I'm going to let her kick out my family from the manor?"

Arianna's mouth dropped. "That's not what I–"

"So you think I've no fucking soul?" said Draco, his face becoming redder. "The little man and aunt Andy will live in the manor as long as they please, and you don't have to make a bet about it for that to happen."

"Draco," said Arianna, alarmed. "That's not what I–"

"I truly don't understand why they can't move out," interrupted Astoria, folding her arms. 

"Because it is their home, Astoria," said Draco coarsely, now glaring at her.

Astoria sniggered and said, "So your parents, the blood traitor, the kid, both of us and our future children are going to live under the same roof? Who are we? The Weasleys?"

Draco touched the bridge of his nose. "It's a bloody manor," he said, clearly trying not to explode. "There is plenty of room, and we don't need to live there if you don't want to. "

"I want to live at the manor," spat Astoria. "What I don't want is–"

"Could you please fight later?" interrupted Blaise, rolling his eyes. "You're ruining my birthday… Arianna, what do you want?"

Both Draco and Astoria focused their angry eyes back on her. 

"Er… Okay… so…" said Arianna feeling quite lost. "Astoria, you will always treat them with respect."

"Why do you even care?" asked Astoria, irritated.

"For my father," explained Arianna, unable to reveal that she knows them and have become family to her. "Andromeda was his favourite cousin, and Teddy is the son of one of his closest friends… I care about them."

"Whatever," said Astoria and promptly placed her cards on the table. 

Arianna's soul left her body the moment she saw her hand… She had lost Sirius' suit.

"You won," muttered Arianna.

Astoria's face lightened up dramatically, and she began laughing while pulling the poker chips towards her. 

"You were right, sweetie," said Astoria, her eyes fixed on Arianna, and her hand went towards Dracos's face, tracing his jaw. He still looked livid. "It was only beginner's luck…Oh, the things I'll do to that suit! Maybe I should wear it for the boxing match tomorrow. Make it green and with snakes embroidered on it. I bet Sirius Black would turn on his grave if he saw his best man's suit being befouled like that."

There was poison brewing in Arianna's throat and a storm forming in her chest. She loathed Astoria with everything she had and despised herself for gambling her father's suit, but above all, she hated Draco.

How could he marry a woman like that? How could he be with someone that doesn't respect his own family? How could he suggest that she thought he didn't have a soul? Or that his past mattered to her? How could he feel jealous of Harry or Nathan if he never searched for her after the war? If he never replied to her letters. 

Yes, Arianna hated him. Like he always wanted her to. 

Another round had begun. Her hands trembled with rage while holding her cards. This time, she gave the couple her undivided attention, watching every move and gesture like an eagle. She was going to bring them to their knees. 

Methodically and carefully, she played game after game until she was where she wanted- In a final round with Draco. 

His icy eyes locked on hers. She remained still, barely breathing, ready to attack at the slightest provocation. 

"You know, Blaise," said Draco, taking a drag from his cigar. "There's a little problem with Vitelli attending the boxing match… You see, the tickets have been sold out for months… So maybe you should try to negotiate something else from her."

"Don't worry about that, Malfoy," said Arianna, savouring every word that came from her mouth. "I can just ask the Chosen One to get me one– No one says no to him."

"I wonder what he would ask in return," said Draco with a deep voice.

"Whatever he wants would be his," answered Arianna defiantly. 

His features hardened instantly, his eyes set on fire. "I want your pearl necklace," blurted Draco.

"How dare you?" Whispered Arianna, feeling the storm growing on her chest. 

He knew what that piece of jewellery meant to her, he knew all the horrors she had been through, and there he was, trying to hurt her more. 

Utterly enraged, she took off her necklace and tossed it with strength on the pile of poker chips and placed both her hands on the table, leaning forwards and looking at him directly in the eyes. The smell of sandalwood mixed with Firewhisky reached her nose, and for a brief moment, she saw something flash in his eyes.

"I want the Astral Ring," growled Arianna slowly and dangerously. 

Pansy and Astoria gasped. 

"The Astral Ring?" repeated Flint, confused.

"The Malfoys' engagement ring," clarified Theo calmly. "Try to keep up, dear."

Astoria snapped, "You're mad if you think he's going to gamble–" 

"Deal," said Draco, with a fervent stare. 

"Draco!" yelled Astoria.

For the third time in the night, everyone was on the edge of their seats while Draco and Arianna were locked in each other's gaze.

Briefly, Draco's eyes drifted to her lips and then back to her eyes.

"Show me," he whispered.

Arianna stood tall, without losing sight of his eyes, and stamped her cards on the table. He looked down at them, and a smirk drew on his face, he showed his hand. Arianna had won. 

"No!" screamed Astoria standing up. "Draco! You can't– how could you?!"

The storm in Arianna's chest began dancing, and a broad smile showed up on her face. Draco looked at her with a satisfied grin as if he had won. 

"You can keep your bloody suit, Vitelli!" shouted Astoria, still on her feet. "But you can't get that ring!"

"How do the tables turn, isn't it?" said Arianna, retrieving her necklace and putting it back again, proudly on her chest. "I think I would like to wear that ring for tomorrow's boxing match… so Malfoy, if you wouldn't terribly mind giving it to me before that."

"That ring is not even his to give, Vitelli!" screamed Astoria, her face getting redder.  

"He gambled it away, so I assume that it is," said Arianna, sitting down and taking a sip of her abandoned martini. "Have fun at the engagement dinner."

"What do you want for it?!" shrieked Astoria. "Do you want me to let them live at the manor in peace? Do you want your stupid suit? Fine! I'll give it to you, but give me back the ring!"

"Keep the suit if you wish," said Arianna with a dismissive wave. She would make Astoria crawl and beg before agreeing to trade the ring. 

"Astoria," said Draco, grabbing Astoria's forearm, "Sit down. I'll fix this."

"Yeah… I can see the effort you're putting into this," said Astoria, jerking her hand away. "We are getting engaged in two days, and you gambled my ring for a fucking necklace?!"

"Maybe we should keep playing and try getting back the ring, love," said Pansy calmly. 

Arianna scoffed, "I'm not gambling the Astral Ring," she said, taking another sip. 

"You!" roared Astoria hatefully, pointing at Arianna. "You just want to destroy me! You hate me so much that you're trying to ruin my engagement! I'm not going to let you win, you bitch! You don't know who I am and what I'm capable of! If you think Hogwarts was torture, you have seen nothing yet! So why don't you save yourself from insufferable pain and step back?!"

"No," said Arianna, stressing the word, enjoying every second of her tantrum.

"Ladies, I think we should–" began Blaise.

"I bet your pathetic boggart is the same," Astoria cut in loathingly, her voice full of venom. "But this time, that faceless man has a face. Your father never loved you; he deliberately abandoned you. Sirius Black chose to avenge the death of his friend instead of staying with you. He loved James Potter more than he loved you. He preferred Harry Potter instead of you. And that's why you're with him– You're miserably clenching to anything remotely related to him, trying to fill a void that will remain empty forever. Changing your name is not going to change the fact that you meant absolutely nothing to him. You're fucking pathetic, Vitelli." 

Without even noticing, Arianna was already on her feet; she felt her magic burning on her fingertips, ready to explode. Thunder and lightning on her chest. 

"I'm leaving," she said, almost growling. If she stayed any longer, she might Crucio her.  

"You're not leaving until I get my suit!" cried Astoria. Her nostrils flaring.

"Dear," said Theo cautiously, "The rules stipulate that–"

"I don't give a shit about the fucking rules, Nott!" spat Astoria. "I want my suit and I want it NOW!"

"Astoria, sit," ordered Draco, angered. "I'll solve this tomorrow."

"I WANT IT NOW!" shrieked Astoria and fired a bunch of poker chips at Arianna.

The storm in Arianna's chest broke loose.

"You want this?" growled Arianna, grabbing her jacket with both hands, taking it off and throwing it to Astoria's face. "Do you think that walking from here on my knickers is going to humiliate me?" She took off her vest and threw it with strength at her. "Do you want this too?" she asked, unbuttoning her trousers and taking them off and firing them at her head. "You're not getting that fucking ring, Greengrass!" she yelled, giving her the finger.

Astoria's shocked face rapidly turned into rage, and with a quick movement, she climbed over the table and threw herself at Arianna, tackling her to the ground. 

Oxygen left Arianna's lungs when they crashed against the carpet. Astoria scratched her face and pulled her hair, screaming like a mandrake. They rolled over the floor until Arianna flipped her over and twisted her arm, making Astoria howl with pain. 

Two strong hands pulled Arianna up, restraining her tightly. 

From behind, Draco held her, locking her in his strong arms as an Auror would do to a criminal. She tried to jerk away from him, attempting to charge against Astoria again.

"Stop," said Draco, mad.

Arianna threw her head back into his shoulder, gasping for air. The scent of sandalwood, tobacco and whisky hit her like a wave, and she stopped struggling. Pansy and Theo rushed to Astoria's side, helping her to stand up. 

"Let me go," demanded Arianna. She felt his breathing on her neck, his hands firmly around her body.

"Vitelli, calm down," said Draco in her ear.

"It's Black," she groaned, feeling her magic sizzling on her blood. " Ignis Corpora" , she cast non verbally, and Draco immediately let go of her, as her skin had become burning hot. 

She glared at him and saw him with a shocked face, and she realised her mistake– Arianna had just used Narcissa's signature curse on her son. 

Quickly, she fetched her purse, stormed out of the room, and spotted the fireplace, and remembered she couldn't take the Floo home, so she headed for the lift golden doors at the end of the hall. 

Blair and Blaise caught up with her as she pressed the button and the doors opened. 

"Thank you for today. It was lovely," said Arianna sarcastically, stepping inside. "I hope you enjoyed the show."

Speechless, Blaise took off his suit jacket and gave it to her. She took it and put it on and saw Blair wanting to follow her.

"You stay," said Arianna as an order. "I'm fine."

The doors closed, and a moment later, she had reached the lobby. 

Adrenaline kept on pumping through her veins. She didn't want to go home, and without a second thought, she turned on her heels and Apparated in the first place that came to mind. 

The fresh night air soothed her burning body. She saw the lights on in the large brick house, marched to the main door, and banged repeatedly. 

The door opened a moment later. Hermione looked up and down at Arianna with her mouth slightly open.

"I need to see Harry," announced Arianna, and without waiting for an invitation, she went inside into the dark vestibule. 

Guided by instinct, she opened the door to her left. A large, cosy sitting room stood in front of her; it was full of people speaking vividly and wearing orange hoodies. She skimmed the room, searching for Harry and found him sitting on an armchair, a beer in his hand, a smile on his face and Ginny Weasley seated on the floor next to his legs, her flaming-red head resting on his knee. Arianna felt a twist in her stomach.  

The room went quiet when they registered her presence, and Harry jumped on his feet, knocking Ginny's head with his knee, and rushed to the door, grabbing Arianna by the arms and taking her into the dark hallway.

"What happened?!" he asked, alarmed, holding her head. "Are you okay?"

"Slytherins," said Arianna, breathing heavily. "I'm going to kill them all."



Chapter 22: Scarlet Carpets

Notes:

I want to thank you all who have left comments, kudos, subscribed and/or bookmarked! It’s very rewarding to know someone is reading, and it motivates me to keep on writing. <3

Chapter Text

 

After her dramatic entrance to the Potter's family house, Arianna and Harry went to the backyard, where she explained with detail everything that happened at Draco's while pacing back and forth unceasingly like a caged tiger. 

She had taken off her stilettos and necklace and transformed Blaise's suit jacket into a simple black dress.

"I'm so stupid!" exclaimed Arianna, holding her head. "I shouldn't have gone… She's impossible!"

Harry was standing with his hands on his hips, his expression half worried, half angered. He grabbed Arianna by the shoulders.

"We'll fix it tomorrow," said Harry, firmly. "She's not going to do anything to the suit while you're the ring owner."

"She knows how to get under my skin like no one," groaned Arianna, folding her arms. "I should've accepted her offer and exchanged the ring and suit there, but I was so bloody mad."

A gust of cold wind blew, Arianna rubbed her arms, and Harry shoved his hands in his pockets as he was only wearing an orange Chudley Cannons' t-shirt.

"Let's go inside," suggested Harry. "I know someone who can get you a ticket for tomorrow's boxing match. I'll send him an owl."

"At this hour?" asked Arianna while heading to the backdoor with him. "You're going to piss him off, and he's not going to give you anything."

"You said it yourself– No one says no to the Chosen One," said Harry, smirking.

Arianna chuckled, "Don't make me regret telling you that part." 

They went into the living room. The place screamed "Gryffindor" in the same way Draco's flat yelled "Slytherin". The large wooden room was covered by an ornate scarlet carpet, where three large velvet red sofas filled with soft cushions and a winged armchair stood facing a lit fireplace. Above it hung a large portrait of a couple with gray hair and a kid who looked strikingly like a younger version of Harry. A mahogany desk was by the window next to a grandfather clock and a bird perch, where two owls rested.

There were way fewer people than before. Oliver Woods and George Weasley were by the fireplace together with Ron. Ginny had taken over the armchair where Harry sat earlier, while Hermione wrote a letter on the desk.

Woods had a foot on the emerald flames, but he kept talking, "...So you really have to keep a better eye on your left hoop," he said seriously at Ron. "I kept telling you, mate, it's your weak point, but if you fix that–"

"Yes, yes," said Ron, clearly irritated. "I'm going to bed, Woods, so unless you wanna come upstairs with Hermione and me and sleep in the middle, I say you go home."

"Excellent," said Woods, moving inside the fireplace, "A good night sleep is essential for a good performance–"

"Great," said Ron, exasperated, "See you tomorrow at the boxing match." Woods finally pronounced his address and vanished. "Bloody hell, in his head, he's still the Gryffindor quidditch captain, innit?"

George tossed Floo powder and glanced back, noticing Harry and Arianna. He grinned widely. 

"I thought you two had vanished!" he exclaimed, walking long steps to meet them. "George Weasley," he took Arianna’s hand and shook it enthusiastically. "Huge admirer of your dad and his brilliant work as a troublemaker. Countless pranks were possible thanks to his map… if you ever visit us at Weasley Wizard Wheezes, let me assure you– You, young lady, have a discount."

"...Thanks?" said Arianna, slightly confused. 

George crossed his arms and tilted his head, and she felt scrutinized.

"I'm sorry, Ron," said George. "But I don't agree with you– She looks nothing like Bellatrix."

Ron's eyes bulged. "I never said that!" he blurted. "That was Ginny!" he pointed at his sister, who dropped her mouth and glanced at Arianna.

"I did not!" argued Ginny, blushing. "I said that she had Sirius' hair and that his hair was similar to Bellatrix!"

"You look more like your mom," continued George and leaned closer to her face. "Harry says you've Sirius' eyes, but I honestly don't remember them." He sniffed her, and Arianna felt as if she was meeting a dog. "You smell good… Really good," he looked up at Harry. "She smells great. Have you smelt her?" 

"Okay, Georgie," said Ginny, "Time to go home, you're gonna scare her."

"All right," said Geroge, walking back to the fireplace. "See you at the match tomorrow and prepare your bets– I say Malfoy doesn't last two rounds."

He took the Floo, and Ron went over to Hermine, who seemed to be proofreading the long letter.

"I'm going to bed," said Ron and kissed her head. "Don't take too long… give it a rest. You can keep writing those tomorrow." 

"I'll be there in a minute," she said without taking her eyes from the parchment, and Ron headed out.

Ginny stood up; she wore shorts and an oversized Chudley Cannons' hoodie. "I'm leaving too," she said, walking towards Harry, and standing very close to him; she took off the orange garment and offered it to him. "Thanks." 

"No problem," said Harry, grabbing it.

"I'll see you on Sunday," said Ginny and walked a few steps back without taking her eyes off him. "Wear a nice shirt."

Harry smiled. "I didn't know there was a dress code," he said.

"There is," said Ginny grinning, throwing Floo powder into the flames. "And don't be late… See you at the match, Hermione," she went  into the emerald fire. "Bye, Arianna."

"Ciao," said Arianna slightly coldly, wondering if they were back together, and a very unpleasant sensation in her stomach followed. 

Hermione went on her feet to attach a heavy envelope to one of the brown owls and Harry moved to the desk, grabbing a new parchment and a quill.

Unsure of what to do, Arianna sat on the nearest sofa and sank on the cloud of pillows feeling suddenly quite tired after the hectic evening. 

Somehow, the room made her think of Christmas and envisioned a large ornamented tree on the corner by the window, and wondered if her father had spent the holidays with the Potter's after he ran away from home.

"So, I reckon you're not attending tomorrow's boxing match, Harry," said Arianna, staring at the back of his dark hair as he wrote.

"No, he's not," answered Hermione sitting next to her and glancing over the window as if she expected a reply from the owl that had just left. "He doesn't like big social events, and he's not into boxing."

"But you are?" asked Arianna.

"Of course not," said Hermione, looking now at her, almost offended. "I dislike those kinds of sports, but I’ve been wanting to see the Old Gaunt Palace for years… I've read so much about that place. It's fascinating."

"I'm dying to see it too," said Arianna, suddenly hopeful at the idea of going. "It has been popping out a lot in the Magical Architecture books I've been reading."

They began talking about the Old Gaunt Palace and sharing all they knew about it. It was great to finally have someone who could keep up with the topic and felt the same enthusiasm as her. 

Harry finished his letter and sat on the armchair, petting Crookshanks, who settled on his lap. 

A brown owl entered and stood in its perch. Hermione jumped on her feet at once to retrieve a tiny scroll. Keenly, she read it, and her disappointment was visible from across the room. 

"I don't know how to solve this," mumbled Hermione more to herself than to anyone in particular. "I don't know how to get that amount of galleons… no one wants to be involved in such a controversial issue."

Arianna and Harry shared a look.

"Werewolves?" Harry ventured. 

Hermione nodded slowly, staring at the flames from the fireplace. 

"I understood from Kings and Nathan that the Werewolf Relocation Program was fully funded by the government," said Arianna, frowning.

"It is," said Hermione without taking her eyes from the fire. "But the Wizengamot didn't pass the law for making the Wolfsbane Potion free for everyone… and without that, the Relocation Program is pointless… there's still so much stigma… so much hate."

As a Potioneer, Arianna was aware that the Wolfsbane Potion was one of the most expensive, complex and dangerous substances someone could brew… one dash too much of aconite, and it could be lethal. 

"I could help to brew it," said Arianna.

"Thank you, Arianna," said Hermione. "But the ingredients are the main issue. They are absurdly expensive… I've already owled and harassed all the powerful and rich, and no one wants to fund this."

"I told you you can take as much as you need from the vault," said Harry. 

"Thanks, Harry, but that doesn't solve the problem," said Hermione. "We need a more stable influx of galleons."

And in a strike of inspiration, Arianna blurted, "Have you asked Narcissa Malfoy?"

Both Hermione and Harry looked over at her and began laughing and then went quiet when noticing that Arianna remained silent.

"Oh!" exclaimed Hermione, staring at Arianna with curiosity. "You're serious… why do you think she would help?"

"Because you have something she needs– Reputation," answered Arianna. "She doesn't have anything to lose and everything to win… plus there's Teddy Lupin."

"What about him?" asked Harry in a slightly defensive tone.

"She loves that kid," said Arianna. "And I'm sure that neither she nor Andromeda wants him to grow up in a society that hates people like his father."

"How do you know she loves him?" asked Hermione, and Arianna regretted saying that. No one knew that she knew them.

"She took them in," answered Harry, and both looked at him. "I know she's changing… Andromeda has told me so, and I believe her."

"I know she is…" said Hermione dubitably. "I know she was even rewarding her house-elves before it was law… but…."

"Just sleep on it," cut in Arianna. "I imagine it's a hard call given your history."

"I'll think about it… I need to go to bed," said Hermione and walked towards Harry and took her cat into her arms. "Harry, breakfast is on you tomorrow… don't oversleep again."

"It happened once, Hermione," said Harry, and she squinted her eyes slightly and left the room.

Arianna glanced at the clock, it read twenty minutes past midnight. "I should go," said Arianna, going on her feet. "I need to be home in less than ten minutes, else I won't be able to enter my flat."

"Er… It’s one twenty," clarified Harry. "The clock is one hour behind."

"Che cazzo!" cursed Arianna, shocked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry!" said Harry, frowning. "I didn't know you had a curfew."

"Fucking Draco and his stupid security system," spat Arianna and sighed. "I guess I'll have to wake Padma up, so she opens the door."

"Padma is upstairs with Cho," said Harry.

"Of course she is," muttered Arianna, rolling her eyes. She knew Blair was spending the night with Zabini. "I'll sleep at Grimmauld Place then."

"Don't be silly," said Harry, going on his feet. "We have two spare rooms upstairs."

Aware that it was her best choice, Arianna followed Harry through the dark house and up the curved staircase, his wand lighting the way. They turned right into a corridor, and he opened the last door to the right. 

They stepped into a chamber that instantly reminded her of her dad's room as the walls were covered with old Gryffindor's banners. This was James' room.  

A wide bed stood to the left and a fireplace in front of it, with two doors flanking it. A firebolt leaned in the corner, and scattered clothing and diverse objects laid across the room. No, this was Harry's room now. 

"Sorry for the mess," said Harry, standing by the doorway. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Harry, you should sleep in your room," said Arianna, glancing back. "I'll take one of the other ones."

"Er…well," said Harry, placing his hand behind his neck. "They are quite a mess. One is Hermione's library, and the other one is our crap room... Ron's and mine."

"So, where will you sleep?" asked Arianna, slightly annoyed.

Harry shrugged and folded his arms. "On the couch."

"Potter!" exclaimed Arianna, feeling tricked. "I can stay on the couch!"

Harry shook his head and said, "The sitting room is too cold at night."

"But you're staying there?" she asked, baffled. He shrugged. "Harry, I'm utterly exhausted, and we could keep going with this nonsense for hours. I say we both stay here. Your bed is absurdly large– Three people could fit perfectly there." And she thought about the ghost of Ginny sleeping between them.

Harry's arms unfolded, his mouth partially opened. He was about to say something when she interrupted.

"Is that the restroom?" she asked, pointing at the door near the windows. "I need to brush my teeth."

"Er…yes, but–"

Before he could finish his sentence, she headed to the other side of the room and entered the bathroom.

After removing her makeup and brushing her teeth, she transformed her improvised black dress into the less sexy garment she could create, which was some sort of oversized, long sleeve nightgown. 

When she went outside, Harry had changed into grey pyjama bottoms and a white t-shirt. He was standing in the middle of the room, clearly unsure of what to do. 

Arianna shook her head. He was making things more complicated than necessary. 

"Which one it's your side of the bed?" she asked. 

"It doesn't matter," replied Harry.

Glancing at the bed, she noticed a clock, a used candlestick, a water jug, and a glass over the nightstand near the window. "You sleep on the right," she concluded, heading to the bed. "I'll take the left."

Pulling the covers, she lay down as close to the edge as possible and faced the wall. Arianna closed her eyes and focused on her sleepiness, trying to fall asleep as soon as possible. 

Harry blew off the candles. 

"Good night, Harry," said Arianna when she felt his weight on the bed.

"Good night," he answered. 

She eyed over her shoulder and saw his silhouette at the far edge of the bed, facing the windows... It was charming how absurdly scared they were of sleeping close to each other. 

It could have been minutes, even seconds… or perhaps hours when Arianna walked on the fine line between sleep and awake. And Astoria's poisonous voice crept into her mind. 

Sirius Black chose to avenge the death of his friend instead of staying with you.

Her chest clutched painfully, and she tried to move but could not.

He loved James Potter more than he loved you. He preferred Harry Potter instead of you.

Air was missing in her lungs; her chest moved up and down. Arianna struggled to set free from her frozen body.

...trying to fill a void that will remain empty forever.

Arianna gasped sharply and sat abruptly.

You meant absolutely nothing to him.

"Anna?" 

Her breath was heavy, her eyes burned, and she felt tears rolling down her face.

"Anna?" repeated Harry and touched her shoulder. 

"She's right," said Arianna, panting. "About what she said about– about you and your dad." 

"That's what she wants– To mess with your head… You know that's not true." 

"I've thought the same… many times," confessed Arianna with a lump on her throat. "That he didn't love us, that your family was more important than his own." 

"It's not true," insisted Harry, his hand moved to the back of her neck. "He loved you."

"How do you know?!" asked Arianna, raising her voice. "People keep saying that, but it is hard to believe something I never experienced."

"I just do."

Those thoughts had haunted her since she learned the whole story about her father and thought she had surpassed it, but Astoria had stirred the waters once more.  

"I envied you," admitted Arianna, lowering her head. "That's why I didn't want to meet you… Sometimes, I still do... You got him more as a father than I ever did. He mentored you. He chose you. Not me." 

"Look, people do the stupidest, most irrational things for love," said Harry, moving closer in the dark. "We would never really know why he made the decisions he took... He made many mistakes; we know that, but I'm sure that he did what he did to protect the ones he loved... including you."

Arianna shook her head and smeared the tears from her face. "I'm sorry. I bet you're sick of me crying all the fucking time… certainly, I am." 

As a response, Harry pulled her towards him and hugged her, then lay down on his back with Arianna in his arms. She clenched his t-shirt and buried her nose between the pillow and his neck, inhaling his beautiful scent, soothing and stimulating at the same time, like his green eyes, like him. 

There she remained for a long moment until her breathing eased up and her mind slowed down. 

Arianna went out from her hiding place and rested her head on his shoulder. Then Ginny came to mind and thought of moving away from him...but did not.

"Where are you going on Sunday?" she asked.

"To Victoire's birthday party," answered Harry, who sounded sleepy. "… Bill and Fleur's daughter."

"And you've to wear a nice shirt for a toddler's birthday party?" asked Ariana, wondering if he was lying about his date with Ginny.

"Fleur is a bit …especial," said Harry and rubbed her arm. "Do you want to come? I would like you to meet someone."

"Who?" 

"Teddy Lupin."

Arianna clenched her eyes shut. Even if she wanted to, she could not tell Harry that they already knew each other. It would be hard to explain it without talking about the inheritance, she had promised Narcissa not to tell anyone and intended to keep her promise. 

"I can't," she said. "I've already made plans… sorry."

"Will you finally tell me where you go every Sunday?"

"No."

Harry chuckled, "How many secrets do you keep, Black?" he asked.

"Hundreds." 

"Tell me one."

"You already know many."

"Tell me another one." 

"You're so greedy," whispered Arianna, her eyelids feeling heavy. "I just told you one a few minutes ago… It's your turn."

"I don't have any."

"Everyone has."

There was silence, and she closed her eyes, ready to sleep.

"It's not a secret," said Harry hesitantly. "But I've never told you this… when I first heard about you … about Sirius having a daughter… I thought you were a few years older than Teddy."

Arianna laughed, "What?" 

"I thought Sirius had met your mom when he was on the run after Azkaban," explained Harry and chuckled. "McGonagall didn't explain much since she assumed I knew who Arianna Vitelli was."

"I'm a tad hurt by you not knowing about my existence," said Arianna.

"In my defence (and all my friends can tell you this), I only knew people who played quidditch, were DA original members or were utterly annoying."

Arianna laughed. "So, how long did it take you to figure out I was born the same year as you?" 

"The same day… when I told Hermione, Ron and Ginny… because apparently, everyone in the bloody school knew who you were but me."

"Everyone?"

"I asked around."

"Did they tell you all the wonderful juicy rumours about me?" she asked bitterly.

"Yeah…" said Harry and sighed. "I've heard some."

"Did you hear the one where I had slept with the whole Ravenclaw quidditch team?" asked Arianna, trying to sound casual. "Or that I brew beautifying potions because I'm ugly as a troll?"

"Yep," answered Harry, his voice slightly tense. "Also, that you kissed Nott on the Yule Ball."

"That one is true," said Arianna, smiling. "Long story."

They went quiet, her mind began to drift, and intuitively, her hand moved to his chest. 

"They also told me some truths," said Harry.

"Like which ones?" asked Arianna, slightly anxious.

"Like that you were great with potions and defeated Alecto Carrow by yourself … and that you were one of the most beautiful girls in the school."

Arianna's face felt as hot as if it had been set on fire. "Be quiet, Potter."

"What?" asked Harry and chuckled. "Aren't you a great Potioneer?"

"Not as good as Snape," said Arianna in a low voice.

"Didn't you defeat Alecto?" asked Harry.

"Allegedly… I don't remember much," said Arianna, wishing he would just shut up. 

"So you have never seen yourself in a mirror, then?"

Arianna took a bit longer to reply, "I could be ugly as a troll and drink beautifying potions."

"I doubt it," said Harry. "Your dad was quite handsome, and your mom is very pretty… they didn't give you much choice, did they?"

Repressing a smile, she lifted her chin, "You're not so bad yourself, Potter," she whispered.

His hand moved to her jaw, and his thumb traced her heart-shaped lips. She felt his breath on her mouth, the gentle touch of his nose against hers, his heart pounding beneath her fingers. Her lips aching for his. 

"We should sleep," whispered Harry, his lips so close she could feel them moving against her skin. "It's quite late."

"We should," she uttered, feeling light-headed, craving his touch. 

Harry kissed her softly on the corner of her lips. "Good night, Anna."

Her brain tried to fight it, but every single cell of her body wanted the opposite. There was a list with all the reasons she should not do it, but she had forgotten them all. 

Arianna slid her hand to the back of his neck and kissed him fully on the lips. 

"Buonanotte," she muttered, and with all the self-control and strength she could summon, she lowered her head, laying it back on his shoulder, and curled up against his warm body, and it was not long until she drifted away.

"Anna."

Arianna thought she had heard someone calling her, but she was too comfortable and cosy and wasn't ready to wake up and snuggled further; the smell was amazing. 

"Arianna, wake up," said Harry in her ear, rubbing her lower back. "It's morning already."

Her eyes opened when she recognised the voice and realised she was lying on top of him. 

"'M sorry, I'm crushing you," she mumbled half-sleep, getting off of him.

"Crushing me?" repeated Harry, chuckling. "It's not like you're Slughorn."

"We have the same figure," said Arianna jokingly and leaned on her elbow while Harry stretched for his glasses in the nightstand and put them on.

"Far from it," he said, smiling at her, and she yearned to kiss him and go back to her previous sleeping position.

Arianna sat promptly.

"I've to make breakfast, or Hermione will murder me," said Harry, sitting and scooching to the edge of the bed. "You can go back to sleep... I just didn't want to sneak away while you were sleeping."

"As if you could have moved an inch with me crushing you," said Arianna and obediently laid down again.

Harry laughed and stood up. "Go back to sleep, Black. I'll call you when breakfast is ready."

Her eyes followed him until he left the room, and then she extended her arms across the large bed, and the memory of the kiss she gave him came to her, and a smile followed. But a second later, her fully awake brain reminded her of her reality.

What am I doing?

Arianna grabbed a pillow and covered her face, suffocating a frustrated groan. And after listing why it was unwise to try anything with Harry and repeating to herself that she was not a slave of her sexual needs, she decided to leave immediately before committing another stupidity.

Her nightgown was transformed into a black dress again and carrying her stilettos and purse, Arianna opened the door. 

Hermione stood across the hallway, her hand in a doorknob. She looked back over her shoulder.

Both witches froze.

"Er…I just– We just slept…," said Arianna clumsily and felt her face growing hot. "It was too late, and the couch– the sitting room was cold… and– and we just slept."

"…Okay," said Hermione, smiling awkwardly. She opened the door and went inside.

Arianna ran downstairs, dreading bumping into Ron or Cho… or worse, Padma; she would probably pop the champagne if she knew she spent the night there. 

At the end of the curved staircase, Arianna encountered a long wooden hallway that led to the main door, and searching for the kitchen, she crossed the first archway to her left and stumbled upon a large dining room.

Like every room in the house, the walls were covered by polished walnut wooden panels but what called her attention was a long painting of the English countryside that hung on the wall facing the windows.

Searching around the room, she spotted a small door at the end and went that way. And Arianna found a well-lighted kitchen.

Harry chopped mushrooms, still in his pyjamas and with a white cloth over his shoulder. He lifted his gaze and grinned at her.

"Your house is huge," said Arianna, coming inside and grabbing a green apple from a fruit platter next to the door. "You're going to need like five kids to fill it." 

Harry chuckled. "Five?" he repeated and kept chopping. 

Taking a bite, Arianna stood by the window that overviewed the back garden and a grove of tall trees not far away.

"It's not a bad number," she said with her mouth full and swallowed. "Think about it. You could have your own quidditch team and call yourselves 'The Seven Potters' and fly hidden behind those trees at the end of your property."

Harry glanced back and looked over the window. "There's actually where I play with Ron, Ginny, and Cho." 

Ginny

She took another bite. Harry needed someone like Ginny, someone who loved quidditch and flying as much as he did… someone who was not a fucking mess like she was.

"Yes," said Arianna, nodding looking around. "I can see that dining room filled with small redheads."

The noise of the knife hitting against the wooden board stopped, and Arianna turned around. 

Harry was glancing at her, and she suddenly realised what she had implied. 

"What do you mean?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

"Well…" said Arianna, thinking fast. "You're an honorary Weasley, and they are multiplying like bunnies. I assume they would hang out a lot here– It's a big cosy home."

"Yeah…I guess," said Harry and retook his chore. 

"I think I should go," said Arianna bluntly, dreading to say another foolishness. "I need to catch up with Blair about what happened after my grand exit."

"Sure," said Harry without lifting his gaze while placing a ton of chopped mushrooms in a large bowl. "I got your ticket for the match… I'll pick you up at seven." 

Arianna stared at him, perplexed. "I thought you weren't going," she said, frowning. "You hate big events."

"Well, I'm coming now," said Harry, looking at her. And before Arianna could talk, he proceeded. "I know you don't need a babysitter. I know you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, but I think you might need a friend there."

They held their gaze for a moment. Harry's expression was serene and decisive, and she knew there was no point arguing about it.

"All right," said Arianna, moving closer to the door. "I'll connect the Floo to this house."

"Don't. There are always people hanging out here. It's not safe for you."

Fighting very hard not to roll her eyes, Arianna left the kitchen and headed home, where Blair expected her in the sitting room. 

"Where were you?" asked Blair as soon as Arianna opened the door.

"At Harry's," answered Arianna, and Blair lifted an eyebrow. "Don't even start– I just slept there… So what did I miss?"

"Not much," said Blair, looking slightly unconvincing. "As soon as you left, the party was over…Flint left, and Draco took Astoria home and then came back and … then he, Blaise, Pansy and Theo locked themselves in the study… I fell asleep before Blaise came to bed… In the morning, the only thing he told me was that he doubted Astoria would do anything to the suit but that you should watch your back today at the match."

"I always watch my back when she's around," said Arianna, pondering what the Slytherins had talked about behind closed doors.

"They've sent the things you won," said Blair. "I left them in your bedroom."

Without further due, Arianna headed that way, where two packages and a letter addressed to her laid on the bed. 

She opened a large pink cardboard box; it was the emerald dress she had won from Pansy. Arianna took the garment out. It was a luscious heavy gown embroidered with sequins and beads. A note with an ornamented letter lay inside the box.

 

 

Putting the dress aside, Arianna fetched the black leather box; this was from Theo. She gasped as soon as she saw the necklace. It had the shape of a long snake covered in tiny diamonds, two emeralds as the eyes. There was a message in perfect cursive.

Theodore was mental if he thought she would wear that today. 

Arianna was closing the box, but opened it again. It was indeed a strange request and she pondered about the reason behind it. And it all came down to if she trusted him or not… So far he had not given her a reason not to. 

Lastly, she reached for the small envelope and opened it. His writing elegant and tidy, as she remembered.

Arianna lifted an eyebrow and flipped the letter searching for more. There was no mention of the ring or the suit or the fact that she almost pulled off his girlfriend's arm or had cast his mother's curse on him. 

And then she thought about that last game, the face of victory on Draco when he lost and the fact that his cards were way lower than hers. Had he let her win? And if so, why? Why would he gamble his family engagement ring if he knew he would lose? Why would he do that to Astoria?

Five minutes to seven, she was ready and waiting for Harry. Padma and Blair had already gone with their dates, one wearing red, the other one green.

Arianna had put on Draco's bracelet, Theo's necklace and the sexy and extravagant emerald green dress. The gown was the heaviest attire she had ever tried, and the cut was long and tight, with a plunging neckline and a thigh-high slit. While the necklace was one of the most unique pieces of jewellery she had ever seen, the snake looked like it was sliding around her neck and down her chest. 

It was seven sharp, and Arianna was pacing in front of the door. She was nervous and unsure why. For her suit? or because Draco would look for her before the fight? or because she was attending the match with Harry? … It wasn't a date, was it?... He said he was coming because she needed a friend, a friend ... No, it wasn't a date…. or was it?

Glancing again at the clock, she saw it was two minutes past seven and Arianna thought Harry was not coming, he had changed his mind, and she would have to go alone. And then realised she didn't have the ticket, where would she find a ticket? What would happen if she didn't show up at the match? Would the suit and the ring be lost? 

There was a knock on the door, and rushing, she fetched her purse and cloak and reached for the doorknob. 

Harry stood on the other side, wearing a black suit and shirt with a dark red tie, and his reaction when he saw her was of instant laughter. 

"Nice necklace," he said between chuckles.

"Shut up, Potter," said Arianna, putting on her black travelling cloak and closing the door behind her.




Chapter 23: Slytherin vs Gryffindor

Notes:

I must confess this chapter was not supposed to be this massive. Hehe. But I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter Text

The sun was beginning to set over the Cumbrian mountains when Harry and Arianna Apparated on a driveway, received by the impressive view of a grand baroque building with tall arched windows and leafy gardens. 

And as they walked to the Old Gaunt Palace's entrance, Arianna noticed they were very close to each other and wondered what an appropriate distance between two people who had slept in each other's arms but were allegedly just friends was. She moved slightly away. Then she tried to remember if they usually spent that much time without talking.

"You know, the palace was built in the sixteen hundreds," said Arianna, choosing the first topic that came to mind. "And it's the fourth biggest magical edification in Britain. The Gaunts went into massive debt with the goblins for building this, and they lost all their fortune a century later when the goblins demanded their gold back during the Goblin Rebellions. So, they sold it to the Notts… and then it kept changing hands over the centuries… to the Black, the Malfoy and the Bulstrode family. Until the mid-eighteen hundreds, when the Lestrange and the Rosier fought for the palace in an inheritance dispute. The Rosiers won, but Faust Lestrange, a pretty accomplished wizard, made the palace Unplottable (and got killed for it)... And like that it remained hidden until–"

"The ministry found it a few years ago when searching for Death Eaters on the run," cut in Harry. "Although, there's evidence that Voldemort found this place at some point… And Dumbledore too… probably when searching for the Horcruxes." 

Shocked, Arianna stared at him. It was often she forgot who her friend was and what he had accomplished.

When they got to the main door, the gatekeeper let them pass while staring at Harry as if he were a black unicorn without even glancing at the two scarlet tickets he held. Arianna's travelling coat vanished as soon as they entered, and she marvelled at the grand staircase in front of her and began climbing it. 

After a few steps, she noticed that Harry was not by her side and turned back. He had been intercepted by half a dozen people merely a couple of feet from the entrance. 

Arianna went back, made her way through the crowd and grabbed Harry's hand and dragged him with her unapologetically.

"I hate this," said Harry, climbing the stairs and struggling with his tie. 

Arianna stopped again, "The tie? The people?"

"Both."

"I can't get rid of your groupies, but I can fix your tie," said Arianna and gave Harry her purse. Then she attempted to loosen up his tie, but it was incredibly difficult. "How did you do this?"

"I used a Tying Spell Ron taught me," said Harry, annoyed.

"To tie what? Boats to a dock?" asked Arianna and took out her wand and unfastened it in a second. Then she began tying it by hand.

Arianna finished and sank two fingers on his collar, going around his neck, checking that there was enough space and asked, "Is it better now?"

There was no immediate response, Harry stared at her eyes, and for a split moment, Arianna thought he would kiss her.

"Much better," he said smiling. 

Arianna flattened his tie against his chest. "Good," she said and smiled back. 

Her eyes went to her hand and saw Draco's bracelet. She lowered her head and tucked a curl behind her ear, letting him go. 

There was a flash of light, and they turned their heads, searching for the source. A photographer with a camera on hand quickly moved up the stairs and disappeared from their sight. 

"I'm going to kill him," snapped Arianna indignantly and turned to follow him. "I hate the bloody press and their stupid–"

Harry grabbed her wrist. "It's worse if you do that," he said, bothered. "Believe me."

"But he's going to publish–!"

"The note will die in a week." 

Irritated and sure that that picture would make it to the newspapers, Arianna and Harry continued climbing the staircase until they reached a large opulent marble Great Hall, with three gigantic chandeliers hanging from the painted ceiling and two grand staircases and long bars flanking the area. 

The place was packed with wizards and witches wearing red, gold, silver and green, bustling with excitement.

It was easy to distinguish the supporters of both boxers, not only for the colours they wore but for the attitude and apparent theme they had chosen. The Slytherins clearly had gone for a Look-how-much-galleons-we-have theme, whereas the Gryffindors decided on a Look-how-loud-can-we-be. 

It seemed like the snakes had paid a visit to their vaults in Gringotts before the fight, as they displayed flashy jewellery and expensive fabrics. Most of them stood on the right side of the vestibule while the lions stood on the left, chatting and laughing loudly, wearing extravagant vestments like George Weasley with his bright golden suit or Luna Lovegood and a new version of her roaring lion. 

Harry and Arianna headed to the left, and almost instantly, she felt as if a gigantic spotlight followed her, for everyone seemed to be watching them. It was indeed a combination of two factors. First of all, she was with Harry Potter, who gathered an absurd amount of attention. And secondly, she was the only one in green on that side of the room.

"Hey! Harry! Over here!" called Ron waving from across the room; he wore red from head to toes, the outfit clashing dramatically against his hair.

They went that way, and when approaching, she saw Ginny and Hermione standing next to him, one in gold and the other in red. And a minute later, Padma and Cho joined them.

Arianna spent several minutes inspecting the room, trying to spot any of the players from yesterday's Greedy Goblin, but she did not find anyone, which troubled her somehow. It made sense that Draco was not there, as Dean was not either… But where were the others?

Glancing around, she thought that it felt like a school reunion, countless faces she had not seen since the battle of Hogwarts. From all the Weasleys to Romilda Vane and her quill to the bullies and former quidditch players. Everyone was there, and she began feeling somewhat claustrophobic, especially when remembering the last gala in Vienna.

"I need a drink," announced Arianna to no one in particular and left the group.

And when reaching the bar, she noticed that Harry had followed her and stood next to her. The bartender ditched the rest of his customers to tend to Harry, and with drinks in hand, they walked around the hall. 

Then Arianna began rambling about the palace's architecture and pointing out all the hidden serpent motifs she could spot. She glanced at Harry and found him looking at her cleavage. 

"My eyes are up here, Potter," she said. 

"What?" asked Harry, lifting his gaze, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "I was looking at your necklace."

"Were you?" asked Arianna, suppressing a grin.

"Yes, I think it was trying to say something to me," answered Harry, coming a bit closer. 

"Oh, I see," said Arianna, folding her arms. "So you don't speak parseltongue anymore, but now inanimate serpents whisper things to you."

"Apparently so," said Harry, smirking. 

"So what was my necklace telling you, then?"

"It was bragging about how lucky it was to hang around your neck all night," replied Harry.

"Are you flirting with me, Potter?" asked Arianna, closing the gap between them. "Because that's against the rules."

"I'm not the greatest rule follower, Black," said Harry and leaned forwards to kiss her.

"Harry!" called Seamus Finnigan, and Harry took a step back. "There you are, mate; I've been looking for you. Would you help me with the thing I asked you when I sent the tickets?"

"Sure," sighed Harry, "Where is he?"

"I'm going to get a refill," said Arianna, lifting her glass and feeling unsure if she hated or loved Seamus for interrupting. "I'll look for you later, Harry." 

Harry nodded and followed Seamus, blending in the multitude. And before she could head to the bar, someone talked behind her.  

"Well, well, well… If it's none other than the stripper from yesterday."

Arianna turned back. Markus Flint and Cassius Warrington stood behind her, both dressed in green, both smirking at her.

"I terribly regret missing the show, but I heard all about it," said Warrington, looking at her from top to bottom. "I also wonder if you don't offer other services." 

"That's the only way you get to see a woman naked, isn't it?" asked Arianna scornfully. "Well, isn't that pathetic?"

"We pay well," said Flint, grinning broadly.

"What do you want?" spat Arianna, annoyed.

"You," said Warrington, moving close. "Draco asked us to escort you to his room… perhaps he wants a lap dance before the fight."

Arianna thought hearing a hissing coming from somewhere nearby.

"He wants to talk about the engagement ring," explained Flint. 

The hissing intensified, and Arianna realised the noise came from the necklace. It was warning her. 

"I'm not coming with you," blurted Arianna, feeling somewhat scared.

"Yes, you are," growled Warrington, getting closer, making the necklace hiss louder. "If you ever want to see that suit again, you're coming with us."

"Step back," demanded Arianna, ready to take out her wand if necessary.

Warrington grabbed her wrist and pulled her. "Don't make a scene, or we will shred that suit to pieces."

"Do– not– touch– her," said a slow, angry voice next to them, and they turned their heads. 

Harry stared at Warrington lividly. 

Warrington let her go, and Harry moved closer, standing in front of Arianna and making him back off one step. 

"Relax, Potter," said Flint, amused. "We know she's yours, but Draco needs to speak to her."

"Then tell Malfoy to come and talk to her here," said Harry defiantly. "Otherwise, I'm coming along."

"What the fuck are you doing?" asked a deep, enraged voice next to them, and again, all heads turned to find Blaise, watching furiously at Warrington and Flint.

"Draco sent us for her," explained Warrington, standing taller.

"Piss off," said Blaise, taking a step further. "Both of you get the fuck out of here and tell your mistress to let Draco handle the situation." 

Warrington and Flint moved towards Blaise, and Arianna feared they would fight and intuitively grabbed Harry's arm, but they just stared at each other without moving a muscle until the two massive men walked away.

"Black, follow me," said Blaise, still angered. 

This time the snake remained silent, but Arianna did not let go of Harry.

"Lead the way, Zabini," said Harry decisively. "I'm coming too."

Blaise snorted, "No, you're not, Potter… I'm not letting you piss off Draco before the match."

"It's fine, Harry," said Arianna, looking into his eyes. “I trust Zabini… and Malfoy.”

Harry considered for a moment before speaking, "All right," he said, and she let go of him. "If that's what you want… I'll wait for you here."

Arianna followed Blaise to a pair of double doors behind the left staircase and then through a labyrinth of elegant corridors. Her heart pounding fast, still unsettled from before. 

Blaise walked long steps, and she almost had to run to catch up with him.

"What's going on?!" asked Arianna. "Why are you so mad, and where is Blair? Where is everyone?" Then she stopped, Blaise seemed strange, and her Potioneer brain jumped to the worst conclusion. "What Muggle artefact do you own?"

Blaise stopped and looked back, "Really? Polyjuice Potion?" he asked and laughed. "Who do you think I am? Draco? Astoria? Pansy? I'm just sick and tired of everyone taking stupid decisions all the fucking time!"

"Answer my question then," said Arianna firmly. 

Blaise walked towards her and said harshly, "I own a television. I told you that on our first and only date. And you want to know something else, Arianna? I asked you out not only because I pathetically wanted Blair to notice me but also because I wanted to see if you still cared about Draco and also to prove him a point."

"A point?"

"Yes, a point that Potter is making abundantly clear," said Blaise and kept going down the corridor. 

"Blaise!" yelled Arianna and ran after him. 

"And for your information, Blair is keeping an eye on Theo, who is watching over Pansy, who's trying to keep Astoria away from you… but of course, she sent her little puppets to do her dirty work."

"What did they want to do to me?"

"Who the fuck knows," blurted Blaise stopping in front of a door. "But do not tell Draco about it… and do not tell him you're here with Potter… Just trade the bloody ring for the fucking suit and stop ruining my weekend."

"But–"

"I left him calm and collected, and that's how I want to find him when I'm back," interrupted Balise. "He's going into a boxing fight, do not mess with his head. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but what if he asks me how I got the ticket?"

"Lie," said Blaise at once, pushing the door open and waiting for her to enter. They stared at each other for a moment, and Arianna knew that there was something else, something important he was keeping from her.

"I just want my father's suit back… I'll be quick," she said, and without hesitation, she went inside the room, and the door closed behind her. 

It was a small, elegant and empty sitting room. Arianna searched around and saw the white suit hanging from a coat rack on the corner. 

A door that led to the outside was opened, and she went that way but stopped before stepping out. So many things had happened in the last twenty-four hours, and she had no idea where she and Draco stood, was he still mad at her? Would he say something about Narcissa's curse? 

Arianna took a deep breath and stepped out into a small terrace. There was ivy twirling around the stone bannisters and climbing the façade. Draco stood near the balustrade with his hands in his pockets, looking at the sun setting over the mountains and the garden in front of him. And, strangely, instead of wearing an attire that would suggest that he would fight tonight, he wore a grey button-up shirt and trousers.

Draco turned his head when hearing her steps. His eyes widened when he saw her, and then he looked back at the soft pink sunset and chuckled, running his fingers through his hair.

"Did you just chuckle?" asked Arianna, slightly offended.

"My friends have a very peculiar sense of humour, that's it," said Draco. 

"Your friends are peculiar in every single possible way," said Arianna and walked to join him. "Do I look that ridiculous?"

"I never said that," said Draco, glancing back at her, and they held their gaze. His grey eyes glittered with the soft light, and she thought of a river at dawn. 

"Anyway, I've heard you've got a thing coming soon," said Arianna, turning her head away. "So I'll go to the point– I've come here to collect what is mine."

"Of course, and you shouldn't keep Potter waiting that long. We don't want him to worry, do we?" said Draco coldly, and from his pocket, he took out a black hexagonal leather box with golden details and placed it on the balustrade top. "You came with him, didn't you?"

No words came from her mouth, realising she could not lie nor tell the truth. 

"Did he get you first row tickets, or did you just have to walk in on his arm, and they let you in?" insisted Draco.

Deflecting was her only choice.

"Did you let me win yesterday?" asked Arianna, looking back at him. "Did you go into that last round knowing that you would lose?"

Draco seemed taken aback by the question, his eyes went back to the landscape, and Arianna waited for him to answer.

"It was the only way I could get Astoria to give you back the suit," explained Draco. "If you asked for something important, I could ask her to give me the suit, and I could trade it with you," he chuckled and glanced at her. "But you did something far better than that– You didn't ask for something important to me, but to her. It was brilliant and wicked at the same time… are you sure you weren't sorted into the wrong house?"

Arianna laughed, "You asked me for my pearl necklace. What were you expecting?"

"I needed to trigger you…However, I did not want the hell that unravelled after you won."

"Then maybe next time you could tell me your plans beforehand," said Arianna, fidgeting with an ivy leaf. "I was wearing the bracelet; all you needed was to get your watch and speak… By the way, I didn't know it was yours. Sorry for not giving it back before."

 Arianna took off the bracelet and extended it to Draco, who glanced down at the jewel. 

"You can keep it," he said.

"I can't accept this," said Arianna, extending her hand further.

"So you can give me presents but not the other way around?" 

"Presents?"

"The muggle records you bought me." 

Arianna laughed, "Draco, you cannot compare diamonds with records."

"So you don't like it?" he asked and finally took the bracelet from her.

"I didn't say that," said Arianna in a low voice, glancing at the bracelet that she indeed liked. "Why do you always assume the worst?"

"I've always been like that," said Draco, slightly irritated and placed the bracelet in his pocket. "Assuming the worst is what makes me good at my job."

"But at this point, I thought you knew me better than that," quarrelled Arianna, somewhat hurt. "I hate when you act as if you don't know me at all…I hate when you just jump to conclusions, like all that shit you said yesterday, that I only date war heroes, and I think you don't have a soul–"

"And don't you just date heroes?" asked Draco, turning his whole body towards her. "Chambers, Longbottom, Potter… tell me that I'm wrong."

A bitter snicker escaped her. "Well, the villain I wanted didn't want me back, and now he's getting engaged tomorrow," she said, turning away. 

Holding her tears, Arianna grabbed the heavy and luxurious jewellery box and opened it. It was the first time she saw the Astral Ring up close. A large oval diamond stood proudly, held by an ornamented golden structure with tiny diamond incrustations. 

"It's gorgeous," she muttered and took it out of the box to see it better. "No wonder why Astoria got so mad when I won. Is it Goblin made? They usually don't make jewellery, do they?" Something was written inside in cursive, but the words had faded over the centuries. "Is that Italian?" 

Draco took the ring from her, and Arianna looked up, surprised. He was staring at the ring, and without saying a word, he seized her left hand and slid the jewel in her ring finger. Both observed it, hypnotised by the diamond shimmering in the sunset light and still in a trance, her eyes searched for his. 

"I know who you are, Arianna," said Draco, tucking a curl behind her ear. "But my life would be easier if I could forget it." 

"How silly," she whispered. "I feel the same way." 

Draco leaned forwards and kissed her, and Arianna felt the world crumbling around her.

To finally have his lips on hers felt as if Draco was the air her lungs ached for after an eternity underwater, and she could not get enough of him.

His hands clenched her wavy hair and travelled down on her back to her waist, hips, and bum, and he pushed her against the balustrade. 

Madly and insatiable, they continued kissing. Arianna grew feverish, and her hands craved to touch his skin and explore his body.

His lips visited her ear and neck while she drowned in his wonderful creamy, rich scent. 

"You're killing me," whispered Draco, biting and kissing down her neck. "You're driving me mad… You're a bloody nightmare in this dress." 

"Kiss me," she muttered, missing his lips, and Draco immediately obeyed, kissing her and pressing his body hard against hers.

Her life became the touch of his tongue, his breath on her mouth, his hands on her… And all she longed for was to disappear with him, to live in his embrace, to die on his lips.

"Draco," said a deep voice, and they paralysed. 

Draco kept his arms wrapped around her and rested his forehead on hers, catching his breath. Arianna glanced over Draco's shoulder and saw Blaise standing a few steps away from them.

"Draco," repeated Blaise calmly. "You have to get ready." 

Draco did not move, and she clenched her fingers on his shirt, feeling like crying and refusing to let him go. He kissed her temple softly, leaving his lips there. 

"Draco, please," said Blaise, taking a step forward. "You have responsibilities." 

Draco held her tighter, and Arianna looked at Blaise and implored with her eyes to not take him away. 

Blaise saw her with sad eyes. "I'm sorry," he said lowly and touched Draco on the back. "We have to go. They are waiting for you."

After a moment, Draco loosened his grip, moving slowly away, and Arianna felt like a piece of her heart was being ripped. Their eyes met, and she saw a reflection of her pain in his. He leaned over and kissed her forehead softly. 

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

Both men left, and Arianna took a few steps attempting to follow him but felt dizzy and leaned against the wall, merging with the ivy, looking at the sun drowning in the horizon with her.

The sky was showered in constellations when she could move again and walked the corridors until she reached the almost empty Great Hall. 

Suddenly, she realised the ring was still on her finger and pulled it, but it did not yield. And panic crept on her chest.

"Anna," called Harry, walking towards her. Arianna hid her left hand behind her and felt like running away. He stood in front of her and frowned. "It's everything okay?"

Quickly, Arianna stared at her feet, incapable of looking at him, ashamed. "I'm fine…We– We didn't reach an agreement," she said and felt pain in the back of her throat. "I need to use the powder room. I'll look for you inside."

And leaving Harry confused, Arianna rushed to the restroom, where she locked herself in a cubicle, and with a trembling hand, she took an emergency smoke from her purse. 

She cast a spell to hide the smoke and tried to remove the ring. And after several pullings and some Slippery Charms, she gave up. It was some kind of magic that kept the ring stuck.

"Merda," she cursed and covered her face, fighting the tears again. 

It was unknown to her how she could go back outside and sit next to Harry and watch Draco fight with Astoria among the crowd while wearing the Malfoys' engagement ring. And she considered leaving, but she could not leave Harry after he came just for her sake.

How was she going to get the ring out of her finger?

She heard the restroom door open, and two pairs of heels came in, clacking against the stone floor. 

"But did you see what she was wearing?" said a woman's voice.

"She lost a bet," said a second voice.

The voices sounded familiar to her, but she couldn't place them. Were they talking about her?

"Don't try to defend her. She's so slutty," said the first voice, the noise of water running in the sink. "I mean, she came in the middle of the night in sexy underwear, high heels and messy hair … she looked like she had escaped from a sex dungeon."

Yes, they were definitely talking about her.

"Ginny, they didn't…you know… had sex," said the second voice.

"Wake up, Hermione! Of course, they did!" snapped Ginny. The sound of steps moving around.

"Harry said he fell asleep instantly," said Hermione.

Ginny scoffed. "Yeah, between her legs after shagging her."

"Gin! I told you she stayed the night not for you to get all jealous–"

"I'm not jealous," cut in Ginny.

"But for you to realise that you want Harry back," continued Hermione, and the noise of water running stopped. "You should talk to him. He misses you too."

There was a long pause. Arianna wondered if they had cast a silencing spell.

"I just don't think she's for him," said Ginny. "She's just hot, that's it. They don't have anything in common. She's too posh and snobbish."

"She lived in the amazons and dated Neville," argued Hermione. "I don't think she's that bad… and I don't think her looks are the only thing that matters to Harry–"

"No, you're right," said Ginny promptly. "It's all 'cause she is Sirius' daughter. Harry wouldn't care about her if it wasn't for that… He's just connecting with her because of who her father was and because he feels responsible for her, and that's the only reason … there's nothing more."

There was a long silence.

"Gin, just talk to Harry, okay?" asked Hermione, and Arianna heard both of them walking away and the sound of the door closing behind them.

Arianna covered her face and groaned. 

It was a fact that she and Draco had kissed. A fact, that he was getting engaged tomorrow and she had the ring stuck on her finger. It was also a fact that there was something between Harry and her and that he had unfinished things with Ginny. And a fact that there was a man that wanted to murder her, and as long as he was out there, she could not love freely, so none of the latter matter, except that it did. In a way, she had two men and none, simultaneously. Her love life was a paradox.

And with a thousand thoughts entangled in her head, Arianna went to find her seat. 

The fight took place in a dark circular stone room resembling an amphitheatre with elegant fabric-lined benches, and four large spotlights lit the boxing ring that stood in the middle. Half of the circular room was packed with golden and red and the other with green and silver. 

And the excitement was palpable. People talked enthusiastically, and some were already cheering. Her gaze went to the ring, where she saw the referee wearing a purple robe, a row filled with photographers and reporters, and a couple of Healers in lime-green robes.

Arianna searched for Harry on the Gryffindor side and spotted him on the fourth row between Ron and Hermione and headed that way. Hermione scooched over when she saw Arianna approaching, making space next to Harry. And she sat down, feeling like a sparkly emerald in a sea of rubies. 

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" asked Harry in her ear. "Or are you planning on running to the powder room every time I ask?"

Once again, the sensation of not being able to lie arose. And decided to tell the truth… half of it at least.

"I have the ring stuck on my Slughorn-like fingers," said Arianna showing Harry her hand. "I can't take it off."

Harry chuckled, took her hand and pulled the ring, but nothing happened. "Don't worry," said Harry, keeping his hand on hers. "We'll solve it."

The feeling that she had wronged him was eating her inside. But she could not speak; her throat was sealed.

Arianna gathered some courage and finally dared to look at him.

Harry's calm eyes were expecting hers. "I know something is bothering you, and if you don't want to tell me, that's fine too… you can do it when you're ready."

Arianna chuckled, "The world doesn't deserve you, Potter." And wondered if what Ginny said was true, if he was like this because of who her father was.

A man that reminded her of a tall version of Professor Flitwick took his wand to his throat and used the Amplifying Charm to introduce the fighters. 

Dean Thomas was the first to come out, wearing scarlet bottoms and gloves. He was even taller than Draco and more muscular. The Gryffindors roared and went on their feet as soon as he stepped into the ring, smiling and lifting his arms, punching the air. While there was hissing coming from the green side. 

Draco came in next, wearing emerald green as expected. The audience went mental. Slytherins cheered and yelled his name while the Gryffindors jeered and booed. "Death Eater!" was distinctly heard among the lions' screams. Draco lifted his arm and drew a sneer on his face. 

It was the first time Arianna saw him shirtless. She was expecting the well-defined muscles but certainly not the tattoos and the scars, at least not that many. A long scar crossed his torso, from his left clavicle to his right hip, getting lost in the green bottoms; Buckbeak's claws had branded his right arm and Voldemort his left forearm. Other smaller scars were splatter across his chest and back. But his ink was the most impressive of all his marks. 

A large dragon tattoo climbed on his back, looking over his shoulder into his chest, and a smaller circular tattoo was on his left arm, but Arianna couldn't see what it was. All in all, it made him seem both wounded and dangerous. 

"A bit too proud of his name, isn't he?" said Hermione referring to the dragon tattoo.

"Ugh… I hate him," said Ginny, who sat next to Hermione. "A peacock would've been more appropriate."

The crowd screamed at the bell's ring, indicating the first round.  

Draco and Dean tested and teased each other between jabs and blocks for the first four rounds, and by the fifth round, the intensity had increased. 

Both had thrown good blows at each other. Dean moved around the ring like an enraged lion, aggressive towards his opponent, while Draco dodged his blows with the agility and reflexes of a Seeker, attacking him when less expected.

"Malfoy is going to lose," said Harry after the sixth round.

"You think?" asked Arianna, who had been covering her face for almost the entire fight, feeling incredibly flustered and ardently wishing this was over soon. "Why?"

"He's too methodical," explained Harry. "He needs to follow his gut more."

"You always say that," said Arianna.

"Well, it's true, you have the same problem…although, you're getting better."

"But Malfoy is a great boxer," said Arianna, looking at Draco resting on a stool and drinking water. "Everyone says that."

"And he's also a great duellist and quidditch player, but he keeps losing… against me at least," said Harry, smirking. 

"Gloating doesn't suit you that well, Potter," said Arianna, smiling. 

Harry chuckled and said, "Look, he can be quite impulsive and has a horrible temper, so I think he tries to control his emotions too much, and in the end, it costs him."

"It's all about finding the sweet spot between method and passion," said Ron, who apparently had been eavesdropping. "Or that's what Harry says all the time."

The seventh round began. The blows and hooks were faster and harder, and the crowd roared for blood. Arianna could not bear to watch anymore, and yet, she could not take her eyes off them. 

Dean smashed Draco's face vigorously, and Arianna swore to hear something crack. Draco landed on the ropes. His eyes lost, blood streaming down his nose into his open mouth, sweat pearling his face. 

Without noticing, Arianna was standing, covering her mouth, fear speeding through her bones, wishing she could go and take him out of there. 

Everyone was going insane, screaming and applauding. Draco's eyes focused, and for a brief moment, they met hers. His mouth closed, his jaw tensed, and the fire revived in his eyes. And quickly turned around and struck a blow in Dean's head, sending him straight to the canvas. 

The entire audience was on his feet at this point. Huge golden numbers appeared over the boxing ring, starting the countdown. Draco staggered on his feet, his eyes lost again, the dragon head moving up and down on his chest as he breathed, while Dean attempted to stand up repeatedly, caving in every time. 

The countdown ended, and the referee held Draco's hand in the air. The Slytherins yelled and cheered at the top of their lungs.

Draco collapsed on the canvas. 

Immediately, Arianna moved with the burning need to be next to him, to be sure he was fine. 

A hand grabbed her arm, and she looked back. 

"He'll be fine," said Harry stiffly. "The Healers are there, and Astoria too… She shouldn't see you with the ring on…We already saw a fight today." 

Arianna turned to see Draco. Astoria and Theo were with the Healers, taking him unconscious out of the boxing ring.

Dean had stood up, his arms in the air while the Gryffindors praised frantically at him. 

And as both sides celebrated like their boxer had won, Arianna felt the sweet taste of victory and the bitter one of defeat after the inconceivable day she had.




Chapter 24: Spring 1998

Notes:

Hello, my dears! This is the last flashback chapter I’ve planned on writing. I hope you like it!!

I wish you all a lovely time during the holidays. <3

WARNING: Violence.

PS. For further info about the posting schedule, check endnotes.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Sirius Black was dead. Albus Dumbledore, dead. Alastor Moody, also dead; Rufus Scrimgeour, dead; professor Charity Burbage, dead. All dead. Kingsley Shacklebolt, on the run. Blair, hidden; Nathan, graduated; Luna, captured. 

The laughter was gone, the jokes, the joy. Only fear sprawled in the corridors. Fear for your family, fear of seeing their names on The Daily Prophet as wanted or dead. Fear for your classmates that were missing, for the ones punished. Fear for one's life. 

The school Arianna once knew and loved had become a dark, twisted parody of it. With several students missing, new ones forced to attend and others no longer allowed. The teachers had to lower their heads while doing their best to protect them, and the new self-appointed ones only taught cruelty. And as the ultimate blasphemy, a Headmaster that had murdered his predecessor. 

The Cruciatus Curse, the chains, and Alecto's whip became the unholy trinity of torture…but mixed with all the suffering, a drop of hope. 

In the last year, Arianna learned the truth about her father and other secrets. Like her mother's involvement in the Order of the Phoenix and that she and Sirius were together for a year before his death... And she learned about Harry Potter and his relationship with her dad. 

Every time at the mention of his name, Arianna felt as if a snake shifted uncomfortably in her stomach. She did not know what to think of him.

Harry Potter. That seventeen-year-old bloke everyone thought could end the war. That lad whose name was whispered on the corridors with the conviction that he would return to save them all. Harry Potter, the boy who rescued Sirius from a Dementor’s Kiss… the one who got to know her father instead of her. 

Whether she believed Harry's followers or not, Arianna knew this was not the time to be passive, and the first time she saw the painted wall with the sign "Dumbledore's Army, still recruiting," she joined without hesitation. 

Almost instantly, she became the brewer of the group, mostly making healing and sleeping potions. Not only for the DA but also for Madam Pomfrey, who was running low on essential remedies, and the Carrows were not particularly eager to replenish her supplies. 

Slughorn became a key ally as he would always leave the classroom and the ingredient pantry unlocked. His strategy was simple: to turn a blind eye and let her do her thing. 

The Slytherins had a similar approach. Arianna had assumed that given that someone with the same values as them was in power, they would be strutting around the castle. But the reality was far from that. 

The vast majority kept a low profile. They did enough to keep the Carrows at bay but nothing too serious that would incriminate them in the future. They were afraid, as much as the rest of the school. Even more, if possible, for Voldemort had great expectations of them. Like for the men to be the future Death Eaters and the woman to breed them.

There were, of course, people like Crabbe and Goyle who thrived under the new rules and yearned to get the Dark Mark when finishing school. Others, like Theo, wilted under the pressure of becoming someone they were far from.

And then… There was Draco. 

He had become a ghost, a spirit, a myth almost, as he was rarely seen. And Arianna was not surprised since most of the students loathed him and the teachers disliked him. And she did not blame them either. He was, after all, a Death Eater who had almost killed Katy Bell and Ron Weasley on his attempts to murder Dumbledore. 

And still, Arianna could not hate him. Not even close, not even a little, not even at all.

He could have chosen not to do it. That was true. Everyone has a choice. And he had decided to go into what can only be considered a suicidal mission and attempt to kill one of the most powerful wizards of all time to save his life and his family's. 

However, she was certain that he did not want to kill Dumbledore. She had seen his soul and heart, despair and pain in his troubled eyes… No, Draco Malfoy was many things, but not a murderer. 

 

Early spring, 1998.

It was a foggy Wednesday in the late afternoon. Arianna was alone in her dorm, sitting by the window and studying her Transfigurations book while three large cauldrons simmered on the ground next to her. 

She glanced at the potions and went down on her knees to stir the Calming Draught, then she lowered the heat from the Essence of Dittany and removed the Wideye Potion from the fire. 

A sensation on the back of her head arose as if someone observed her. Arianna turned and saw no one; she fetched her wand from the bed and said, "Homenum Revelio."

Nothing. 

With an uncomfortable tingling in her stomach, she lay on her bed. It was often she felt watched. In her room, in the library, in the bathroom, the halls. Everywhere and at all times. But there was no one. 

Arianna opened her nightstand drawer, pulled out a silver and green tie and brought it to her nose. Draco's tie still conserved his scent thanks to a spell she had cast on it. She smelt it frequently, every night before sleeping or whenever she felt sad or scared. It soothed her, working better than a Calming or Sleeping Draught.

There was a knock on the door, and Arianna shoved the tie under her pillow.

"Who is it?" she asked, sitting.

"Padma," she answered and opened the door, poking her head. "Can I come in?" she stepped in and closed the door. "Are you alright? You look a bit pale." 

"I thought someone was in the room… again," said Arianna feeling silly. "I keep casting Homenum Revelio, and there's no one… I think I'm losing my mind."

"Aria, I've told you before, come and stay upstairs with us," said Padma sitting at the edge of the bed. "Perhaps you're just oversensitive to noises since you're all alone in this room. It could be just the house-elves… that spell doesn't work on them."

Arianna stared at Padmdma and realised she was probably right. "I never thought of that," she said and went to tend the potions again. "But I can't leave– I'm brewing here day and night."

"Then I'll be your new roommate," said Padma with conviction and winked. "Which ingredients are we getting tonight?"

"I'm meeting Ginny in the library in an hour to give her the potions," said Arianna, turning off the flame of the caldrons. "And then she would tell me what else should I brew, but for sure we need Invisibility Potion, so we have to sneak into Snape's former office again."

"Do we have enough Invisibility Potion for tonight?"

"I don't think so," answered Arianna and twisted her mouth. "We'll figure it out… we really need to master the Disillusionment Charm."

"I practice it every night!" said Padma, frustrated. "I always turn the same colour as my pyjamas." 

An hour later, Arianna was at the library, in the gloomy and deserted History of Magic section with a heavy pink bag filled with potions hanging from her shoulder. 

Impatiently, she glanced down at her watch. Ginny was running late. And tired of carrying the bag, she placed it on the ground, grabbed a random book from the shelf, and leafed through it without reading a word.

Fast steps were approaching, and Arianna looked up to find the hallway empty. The noises became louder and closer, but the source remained unknown.

The book dropped to the floor, and she unsheathed her wand from her robes. 

"Expelliarmus," said a voice next to her, and before she could scream, before she could run, she was grabbed from behind, a large hand covered her mouth, and a strong arm restrained her arms and torso. And the scent she smelt every night before sleeping petrified her.

"Listen," said Draco lowly, in her ear. "You probably hate me, and for sure you don't trust me, but I need you to do that. I need you to trust me just this time… Do not leave Hogwarts. Whatever you hear, whatever happens, do not leave Hogwarts." 

Her mother was her first thought, and her pulse quickened. She did not struggle to break free, hoping that he would stop covering her mouth and they could talk, and effectively, it worked.

Slowly, Draco loosened his grip, and she turned around and realised he had successfully performed a Disillusionment Charm on him. 

His chameleonic invisibility unsettled her, so Arianna closed her eyes and let her hands see him instead. She touched his chest and felt a thick, slightly wet wool fabric, probably a travelling cloak. Her hands went up to his shoulders and then to his neck and hair; he was a bit cold. He felt as if he had just been outside in the fog.

Draco remained still, barely breathing while she examined him. And going on her toes, she slid her arms over his shoulders and hugged him. 

"You're completely mental, Vitelli," whispered Draco, embracing her tightly. "You know that? You're utterly insane. You're supposed to be smarter than this. Didn't your mother ever tell you shouldn't go around hugging Death Eaters?"

"Why shouldn't I leave Hogwarts?" asked Arianna, feeling her heart pounding on her throat. "Is my mom alright? Did something happen to her?"

"Just promised me you won't leave the castle," repeated Draco.

"Draco," she said, begging, feeling more scared by the second. "Tell me, is my mom alright?"

"She's fine," answered Draco, almost whispering. "Promise me."

"Please, tell me what's wrong," demanded Arianna, letting him go. "Let me see you."  

Draco took a few seconds to reply. "Do you know how to Occlude?" he asked.

"I'm horrible at it," confessed Arianna and pulled his coat. "Let me see you."

"It's not safe if someone reads your –"

"I miss your eyes," she interrupted.

Draco took her hands, and slowly, he became visible. His striking grey eyes, looking lovingly back at hers. 

"Just promise me you won't leave the castle," he repeated.

"I promise," said Arianna, feeling more serene. "Is my mom alright?"

"He knows she's part of the Order," said Draco cautiously, and Arianna felt something heavy dropping in her stomach. "They tried to capture her today, but she escaped… Shacklebolt helped her."

Arianna covered her mouth, and tears flooded her eyes.

Pulling her back into his arms, Draco said, "She's a clever woman, and Shackelbolt is far from stupid. They will be fine. You have to worry for yourself now, He knows you're here, and he could use you as bait to get to them. But no one will attempt to kidnap you as long as you remain in the castle."

"How do you know?"

"Because someone I trust gave me their word." 

And somehow, in that precise moment, she had the urge to confess something. "I know who my father is," she blurted.

"I don't care who he is," said Draco at once. "I don't give a fuck about your blood status if you're implying that. I care about you."

"Sirius Black," whispered Arianna, and separated slightly, looking at him. "My father is Sirius Black."

They held their gaze for a moment. Draco's expression remained imponderable. "Do not tell anyone," he said earnestly and closed his eyes. "You need to learn Occlumency… if my aunt finds out…" he clenched the bridge of his nose. "Don't leave the castle."

"I won't," she muttered. "I promise."

"Arianna," said Draco, holding her head and searching her eyes. "You should leave Britain and start a new life away from all these. I can help you… just say the word. I'll make sure you have everything you need—Galleons, a house, a new identity… anything. No one would go searching for you. You have done nothing wrong." 

She felt unable to think for a moment, and she asked the first question that popped into her mind, "Would you come with me?" she asked.

Draco remained silent, and a trace of sorrow picked into his eyes. "No," he said and swallowed. "He would kill me… he would kill us… But I wouldn't send you alone. There are two others I need to take out of the country before it is too late for them." 

Her gaze dropped. "I'm staying. They need me here," she whispered.

Draco lifted her chin, "Please, think about it,” he said. “I have to go. I shouldn't be here." 

His hand went into his travelling cloak and retrieved his wand, and making a circular movement around his head, he made himself invisible as a chameleon again. 

"One more thing, though," he said, and she felt his hands on her waist, pulling her, and he kissed her. His lips soft as she remembered. "I miss your eyes too." Draco kissed her again, deeper this time. 

Arianna’s knees instantly weakened, and she clutched his cloak, holding herself from falling.

"Aria?" called Ginny from the far end of the corridor and walked towards her.

Arianna opened her eyes and turned around. Draco hugged her by the waist from behind, and she could feel him smelling the top of her head. 

"Gin," said Arianna as casually as she could while feeling very warm. "I thought you weren't coming."

"Zabini and Nott were blocking the library entrance with some nonsense," said Ginny, rolling her eyes and extending an identical bag as Arianna had.

Feeling her movements constrained, Arianna reached for it, and Ginny took the one with the potions from the floor and hung it on her shoulder.

"We need more Invisibility Potion," said Ginny, opening the bag and inspecting the content. "And Dreamless Sleep."

"I gave you a batch two days ago," said Arianna, and felt Draco's nose tickling her ear, and she giggled.

Ginny lifted her head and frowned. "Yeah… but most of it went to the first years," she explained, closing the bag again. "They were having nightmares after they flogged that fourth-year girl in the Common Room… Let's go; they are closing the library any minute now."

"You go first, so it doesn't look suspicious," said Arianna, and Draco clenched her hip approvingly, and she bit back a smile.

"We should just go," insisted Ginny, glancing over her shoulder. "We don't know what those two Slytherins are up to… But it can't be good."

Draco growled lowly, and Arianna covered the noise with a cough. He released her and kissed her head. 

"Fine," sighed Arianna, defeated, and picked up the book and wand from the floor, hoping Ginny wouldn't find it too strange they were lying around, and then they left the library. 

On her way to the Ravenclaw tower, she pondered on two things. The first one was, how had Draco found her so quickly if he was coming from outside the castle? And secondly, on a scale from one to ten, how stupid would it be if she had a secret affair with a Death Eater?

Around midnight, Padma and Arianna were leaving the dorms. For the last few hours, Arianna had been worrying about her mother, wondering where she was or if she was hurt. It both consoled and troubled her that Kingsley was with her; on one side, he was a splendid Auror, and on the other, one of the most wanted wizards in the country. 

Before they reached the Common Room, Arianna pulled out a vial with Invisibility Potion from her robes.

"It's not enough for both of us," she explained and handed the flask to Padma. "You drink it and guard the corridor while I retrieve the ingredients. I know how to find things there." 

Reluctantly, Padma reached for the potion. "Okay," she said, a hint of fear in her voice. "If someone comes, I'll use the coin to let you know… and if someone enters–"

"You go and look for help," cut in Arianna. 

"Are you okay, Aria?" asked Padma. "You seem a little… tense."

"I'm just worried about my mom," said Arianna. If only she could tell Padma what Draco told her without putting him at risk. 

"I understand," said Padma, adjusting her ponytail. "I worry about my parents every day too…, but we need to clear our heads before leaving the tower– It's dangerous going into these hallways with a foggy mind."

They made their way to the dungeons without any inconvenience, and in the same way, Arianna entered Snape's office while Padma remained outside. 

Nothing had changed in the room. All the shelves remained filled with jars and flasks behind a desk. The only perceptible difference was the lack of Genie Spell on the cupboard. It was as if Snape wanted to be robbed.

Lumus,” she said and walked inside the small room.

Without any issue, she found the needed ingredients and placed them in her satchel. And as she was closing the door, the galleon in her pocket became warm.

A rush of adrenaline hit her, and she heard a snicker in the room. And glancing around, she saw a small dingy portrait hanging behind the office door, where an old witch wrapped in a black mantle observed her.

Arianna ran to the portrait, flipped it over, then rushed towards the heavy dark desk and hid underneath, hoping that whoever was in the hallway would keep walking away… But that did not happen.

The door opened, and decisive hefty steps walked inside and stopped. Arianna's heart hammered intensely on her chest. Whoever it was was just a spell away to find her.

"Where are you, little rat?" sang Alecto mockingly. Then she took a few more steps. "Do you really think we wouldn't notice all the missing ingredients? Perhaps that decrepit old Slughorn is too dim to realise that someone is stealing from him, but we are certainly not. Who do you think buys them?" 

Arianna took her wand out from her robes, grabbing it firmly. Padma knew where she was and that Alecto was there; she was looking for help in this precise instant. 

"I knew it was a matter of time for you to come and steal from the headmaster," continued Alecto, approaching slowly. "So I placed my aunt's portrait behind the door… Come out, you little shit! Or do you want me to drag you out of your hole!"

On an impulse, Arianna went from under the desk and yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

Alecto blocked her spell, "Crucio!" she blared, and Arianna barely dodged it, the curse hitting a jar behind her, making it explode.

"Stupefy !" screamed Arianna, and Alecto stopped it easily.

Alecto threw another spell at her, and Arianna cast a Shield Charm, but the strength of the jinx pushed her forcefully against the shelves, and a giant flask fell on her head, breaking into pieces.

An acute pain spread on her head, and her vision blurred. Arianna lost balance and fell to the hard floor, bathed in a viscous substance with a tart and sweet smell.

Dazed, she glanced at Alecto, her whip materialising on her hand. Arianna tried to find her wand, but everything kept on spinning. 

The first strike came, and Arianna screamed. Instinctively, she dragged herself away and over the broken glass that pierced her skin.

"Don't crawl away, you vermin!" yelled Alecto and flogged her again. "If you keep moving, I will punish you naked in the Great Hall for everyone to see what happens to thieves!" 

Another lash came. This time, Arianna didn't move nor scream, clenching her jaw and fists as hard as possible. 

Alecto grabbed her hair and pulled her head up to see her face. "Ah!!! You're Vitelli's bastard, aren't you?" she said with a morbid grin and smashed her head against the stone floor and then stood up. "How small is the world, isn't it? Snape was just talking about you, ordering us to not take you out of the castle. He swore to have seen into your mind and assured the Dark Lord you had nothing to hide and that you were useless to get Shacklebolt's attention…. But I think he's lying… I think you're like your mother– A filthy little whore who likes to suck the Headmaster's cock... Crucio."

Arianna felt as if white-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, and she screamed like she had never screamed in her life, writhing on the floor. 

The curse ceased, and Arianna's body was left in sole pain, her view was still unfocused, but felt something was watching them.

"Did he really look into your mind?" asked Alecto, and with a wand movement, she shoved the desk to the wall. "Perhaps we need to dig a little deeper," she hissed and cast the Cruciatus curse again.

Howling at the top of her lungs, Arianna wished to pass out; she wished Alecto to flog her instead; she wished to stop living. The pain was so intense she forgot where she was or who she was. All she felt was every single muscle being ripped into pieces.

Alecto released her. 

"I don't know anything!" cried Arianna while her body trembled uncontrollably. "Please, stop!" 

"Liar!" Alecto screamed. "You're going to help me find Shacklebolt! And the Dark Lord would compensate me, praise me! I'm going to tear you apart, you little whore! Where is your mother?! TELL ME!"

Arianna wished fervently that someone came in and stopped Alecto, someone that would come and save her. 

Opening her eyes, she spotted her wand not far away from her. Arianna heard the door creaking, opening slowly. And taking advantage of the moment, she stretched her hand towards her wand, her fingertips almost reaching it.

"What are you doing here, boy?" asked Alecto casually as if she and Arianna were drinking tea. "Can’t you see we're busy?"

Arianna dragged her body slightly, reaching her wand, and Alecto stepped on her wounded back, making her wail in agony.

"Crucio," growled a voice charged with rage and loath. 






When Arianna regained her consciousness, every muscle and bone felt on fire. She was laying face down on a bed and tried to move but whimpered in pain and buried her nose on the pillow. And soon, she noticed that this was not her bed. It was no one's bed. It had no odour. 

She opened her eyes. Everything was dark besides a dying candle that rested on the bedside table.

"You're safe," said a kind voice. "Don't move– The cuts in your back are still open." 

"Where am I?" asked Arianna with a raspy voice. "Who are you?"

"You're In the Gryffindor tower. I'm Neville," he said and moved closer, his face now visible by the candlelight.

"How did I get here?" asked Arianna weakly.

"I found you unconscious in the hidden stairway," explained Neville and dragged a chair and sat on it next to her bed. "We were looking for you after Padma came and told us Alecto went into Snape's office when you were fetching ingredients… But there was no one in the dungeons when we got there." 

"But… How did I get there?" Arianna asked. "What happened with Alecto?

"You don't remember?" asked Neville, concerned. 

"No," replied Arianna.

Someone opened the door and walked in.

"She's awake. She doesn't remember anything," said Neville, a hint of fear in his voice.

Padma stood next to him and gave Arianna a sympathetic smile. "Hey," she said softly and sat at the edge of the bed. "It's all right, sweetie. Try to rest. We can talk tomorrow."

"No," said Arianna, feeling her heart rushing. "What happened…why I don't remember anything."

"It's the Cruciatus curse," said Neville. "It's not uncommon to have memory loss as a secondary effect… And you were struck on the head pretty badly too."

"You managed to stun Alecto and escape, sweetie," explained Padma, stroking her head. "You were brilliant!" 

"But– No…" said Arianna, too weak to argue. "What about the man?"

"The man?" repeated Padma. 

"There was a man, a boy," said Arianna, recalling the last thing she remembered.

Padma and Neville exchanged a look. 

"There was no man, Arianna," said Neville. "According to McGonagall, Alecto herself said that you attacked her. She's looking madly for you all over the castle. That's why I brought you here and not to the infirmary."

Arianna glanced down over her shoulder; she was not wearing a shirt. "Am I naked?" she asked.

"Padma and Madam Pomfrey did it!" shot Neville. "I stepped out of the room, I swear!"

"Madam Pomfrey couldn't close the wounds," explained Padma, dragging the covers slightly upwards to Arianna's waist. "They were not healing… until Neville figured it out. You were brilliant too, Neville."

"It was not that hard," said Neville, turning slightly pink. "The sweet and tart smell is very characteristic of the Venomous Tentacula juice."

"It's a mild poison that prevents wounds from healing," added Padma. "Professor Slughorn is preparing an antidote as we speak, and Madam Pomfrey says that you will have no scarring."

Arianna did not care much about her physical injuries but the ones in her mind. Alecto said she attacked her, but how could she have done such a thing if she was barely conscious? An adrenaline rush? And wondered if the hallucination of someone coming into the office was a step further from her constant paranoia of being observed. Had her brain made him up after desperately wanting to be saved?

"It's okay, Aria," said Padma as if she could read her thoughts. "Get some rest, and maybe tomorrow you will remember everything… I'm going to stay here with you until you're healed." She reached for her hand, and her brown eyes became watery. "I'm sorry I left … I should have stayed and fought." 

Arianna remained hidden in the Gryffindor tower. Her wounds healed quickly, and without problem, she could sleep on her back by the third day. But the memories of the attack never came back as much as she tried to dig into her brain; there was nothing but a blank space.

Even though Parvati and Lavender offered her to move into the girls' dorm, she preferred to remain where she was as long as Neville and Seamus were okay with it. It was comforting to know that her dad had slept in the same room, perhaps even the same bed as her. 

Padma stayed on the bed next to hers and wore a Gryffindor uniform, pretending to be Parvati in case someone saw her leave the tower. She brought Arianna some books, clothing and Draco's tie without asking any questions, but now she observed her frequently with curious glances. 

Over plants and their uses, Arianna bonded with Neville. Potions could not exist without herbs, and herbs have no purpose if they were not to be brewed. And she grew fond of him rapidly. 

It was perhaps a mix between his sweet nature and bravery, and that she felt moved by him finding her, carrying her to the tower and identifying the substance that prevented her from healing. She also adored how incredibly patient he was as he could listen to her retelling the story of her encounter with Alecto over and over when trying to recall the lost bits without complaining.

Almost a week had passed since Arianna was living in the Gryffindor tower. It was a cloudy morning, and she sat on the bed with Neville while she finished a small trifle he had stolen from the kitchens, listening to him talk excitedly about rare Vietnamese magical plants.

"Have you ever been in the jungle, Nev?" asked Arianna, taking a spoon from the dessert.

Neville shook his head, "My grandma hates hot climates," he answered.

Arianna chuckled, "You should go when everything is over… you're gonna go mental with so many plants everywhere."

"When we win, I'll go to Castelobruxo," said Neville wishfully. "And study endemic magical plants... What about you? You want to be a Healer, don't you?"

"And a Potioneer, but first the Healer thing," said Arianna and left the desert cup on the bedside table. "And then I'll specialise in poisons and healing potions."

They both smiled at each other, dreaming of a future that perhaps would never come.

Neville's smile faded slowly, and his eyes dropped to his lap. 

"I didn't mean to see… but I saw," he said and looked back at her. "When they were healing your back… I saw your ribs–I saw– I mean… I don't want to pry. I'm just … you know… worried."

"You saw my scars?" asked Arianna, embarrassed.

"Yeah…" 

"I don't do that to myself anymore," said Arianna in a low voice, watching her hands. "Are they too obvious? Too visible?"

"No, they look like tiny dragon burns… I saw them because they were shimmering with the candlelight," he said, took her hand, and she looked up. "But if you ever feel down, you can always talk to me… I won't judge you."

"Thanks, Nev," she said and placed her other hand on top of his.

The door flew open, and McGonagall stormed in wearing her travelling cloak and carrying a wicker basket with two lop-eared rabbits, followed by Padma and Lavender. 

Neville stood up from the bed so fast he almost fell, and Arianna sat straighter. 

“Miss Vitelli,” said McGonagall. "Grab your coat. We have to leave now."

"Leave?" asked Arianna, feeling a mix of panic and confusion. "Where?"

"I'm taking you to Hogsmeade," said McGonagall firmly, placing the cage on the ground. "Your mother and Kingsley are waiting for you there."

"I'm not leaving!" snapped Arianna, going on her feet. "They need me here!"

McGonagall's face stiffened. "Kingsley Shacklebolt is the leader of the Order of the Phoenix," she said, standing taller. "And if he believes that the best for everyone is for you to leave Hogwarts, you would do so. He and your mother are risking their lives for you as we speak. Now, gather your things promptly– For every passing minute, they are in mortal danger."

"I'm not leaving!" fought Arianna, stamping her foot on the floor. "Tell my mother I'm safer here. Alecto said it herself: Snape won't allow them to take me out of the castle. I can hide in the Room of Requirement if necessary."

There was a moment of silence in which McGonagall assessed her and spoke, "Please give Miss Vitelli and I a moment in private," she said, and Neville, Padma and Lavender left the room, and she placed a silencing charm on the doorknob.

Arianna folded her arms; she was not leaving the castle; she had promised Draco.

The stern expression on the professor's face mellowed. "Arianna, there's something you don't know," she said with a shadow of concern in her voice. "The French authorities notified your mother about the real identity of… your aggressor."

Arianna's arms unfolded, and her lungs paralysed. If there was anything good about the war, anything at all, it was that she had no time to think about what happened in Beauxbatons.

McGonagall expected her to speak, but Arianna remained silent, so she proceeded, "His real name was Alaric Rudenschöld… son of Ritter Rudenschöld."

"Rundenschöld," muttered Arianna, the name somehow familiar.

"He's one of the leaders of the Neo-Grinderwaldist movement in Europe, and he has pledged his allegiance to You-Know-Who… Your mother and Kingsley's concern is that he would seek revenge for his son's death."

"Revenge?" repeated Arianna, barely audible. "It was self-defence."

"The Rudenschöld family has a reputation for vindictiveness," said McGonagall and stepped forward. "He knows where you are. He could ask You-Know-Who to hand you to him at any moment… He could even be why Snape doesn't want them to take out of the castle– He's just holding you for Rudenschöld."

Arianna backed away; an overpowering fear fell upon her. Did he want to kill her? Torture her? Make her drink the same potion his son had given her? 

She began hyperventilating, and the room became smaller. 

"There's no need to panic. You must act. You must leave with me now," said McGonagall, taking Arianna’s bag from over her bed and offering it to her. "Please, Arianna. Gather your things and come with me. Professor Slughorn cannot entertain the guards forever."

Shaking and disoriented, Arianna grabbed her bag and shoved a pair of jeans, a couple of t-shirts, underwear, and healing potions. Lastly, she dug up Draco's tie from her pillowcase and put it in her jeans pocket.

Lavender, Padma and Neville had returned to the room, and with a sad expression, Padma handed Arianna her cloak. Then she hugged her firmly, and both began crying. 

"Tell him I'm sorry," whispered Arianna, sobbing, feeling her heart constricting. "Tell him I didn't want to leave. Tell him I had to do it."

"To whom?" asked Padma, sobbing too.

Arianna clenched her eyes, "Theodore Nott," she said and prayed Theo would somehow know who that message was for.

Neville and Lavender came to hug her next. 

Arianna fetched her bag, "I'm ready," she wept, cleaning her face from the tears.

McGonagall pointed her wand at her, and after an elaborate movement, Arianna began shrinking, her bones compressing and reshaping uncomfortably but painlessly, and the world became bigger and bigger. 

"You're the cutest black bunny I've ever seen," said Levander, making a noise between a chuckle and a sob.

Neville carried Arianna and put her in the cage with the other rabbits, and McGonagall took her out of the castle. 

Two taciturn men dressed in black robes guarded the main gates. Professor Slughorn was with them, chatting enthusiastically about the weather.

"Where to?" growled one of them at McGonagall as she reached the gate. 

"Last time I checked, I was allowed to visit the town's pub," replied McGonagall sternly. 

"What are those things you're carrying," asked the other man, glancing suspiciously at the rabbit cage.

"Rabbits, haven't you ever seen one?" asked McGonagall sarcastically.

"Occupational hazards," said Slughorn vividly. "Isn't it right, professor? One ends with a lot of creatures when being the Transfiguration teacher. I'm positive madam Rosmerta would make a fantastic stew with those!" He gave fatherly pats on one of the Death Eaters back. "I remember when I was a student myself–"

And without further due, McGonagall opened the fence and began walking down the row flanked with trees.

Arianna climbed on top of a rabbit and looked back at the castle with her new strange eyes, and wondered if she would ever return to Hogwarts if she would ever hug her new friends… if she would ever kiss him again... if he would ever forgive her.




Notes:

As you might have noticed, I’ve been posting every Thursday for the last couple of months, but next week will be a busy one. So if you don’t hear from me on Thursday, expect the next chapter on Sunday, January 2nd. ;)

Chapter 25: Astral Ring 

Notes:

Here we are in chapter 25! Thank you for giving this story a chance!!

See you in 2022 ;)

Happy New Year!

Chapter Text

 

After the fight, Arianna went home with Padma. She had been pacing in the living room for about two hours fully dressed, expecting news regarding Draco's health. 

A simple concussion could be healed quickly with the aid of magic, but that did not stop the anguish from growing. It was taking everything she had not to run to St. Mungo and look for him. The only reason she had stayed at her flat was to avoid a scene with Astoria. Mainly since the Astral Ring remained stuck on her finger.

Padma snoozed on the couch in her turquoise pyjamas when Arianna saw a bird silhouette on the black sky and hurried to the window to open it. 

An eagle owl landed gracefully on the white chaise, lifting the leg that held a tiny scroll. Arianna removed the parchment with shaky hands, and the bird flew away. 

Padma stood next to her, watching over her shoulder while unrolling the message and she recognised Blair's writing instantly.

Arianna felt like a weight had been lifted and finally took off her high heels. 

"I told you he would be fine," said Padma, yawning. "The one you should worry about is Harry– I don't think he liked seeing you so worried for Malfoy– As a matter of fact, I don't like seeing you all worried for him either… By this time tomorrow, he will be engaged to Astoria…Let him go, Aria."

Padma headed to her room, and Arianna remained in the living room, staring at the piece of parchment she held. She knew Padma was right, except that Padma did not know he had kissed her today and the way he had done that.

No one understood the way his eyes made her feel, the way she shivered by the contact of his skin or how intoxicating his scent was to her.

Her feelings for Draco were like a flower that never bloomed, but that time did not wither. They had remained dormant inside of her all of these years. And today, she had gotten to a point where she could not keep living like this any longer. If Draco was getting married, at least she deserved to know how he felt about her and why he never looked for her after the war. 

They had only kissed three times in their life, and every single one of them had been perfect in their own way. Always interrupted, as if the universe did not want them together, but nevertheless, perfect. It was perhaps a love that wasn't meant to be. But dangerously, she still had hope.

Hope

Hope that his relationship with Astoria was a farce like Theo and Pansy’s was. Hope that he felt the same way as her. Hope that one day the planets will align for them. 

She had tried to drown her hope endless times, but it kept on breathing. 

Arianna needed to talk to Draco about them. That was her last thought before falling asleep and the first one when waking up.

Like every Sunday, she was going to the Malfoy's manor as she had done for the last two months. After a long bath, she put on an olive green dress, matching pumps, and her pearl necklace and went to the kitchen. 

Padma had left porridge, toasts and raspberry jam over the table, next to a crystal vase with blue hydrangeas and a copy of The Daily Prophet opened on a page with a gigantic picture of Harry and her standing on the staircase.

Arianna sighed; she had completely forgotten about that. 

Unable to look at the article before her morning tea, she went to the kitchen and filled the kettle with water, and while it boiled, she took out her secret stash of chocolate mint cookies.

When returning to the table, she grabbed the newspaper. The picture covered most of the page, and below, a headline read "New love," followed by a short column by Romilda Vane, which started by saying that yesterday's boxing match was Arianna and Harry's first official outing as a couple. 

It became impossible to keep reading, so Arinna glanced at the photograph instead and thought that she would have actually liked it if it was not printed on the paper for everyone to see. 

It was a good picture. Harry looked very handsome, and she looked pretty cute. The photographer had managed to capture that precise moment after Harry made the tiniest gesture of leaning forwards to kiss her, while she dropped her head and removed her hand from his chest, endearingly placing a curl behind her ear.

In other words, it was a highly incriminating picture of the attraction between each other, and now all Britain knew about it. 

Annoyed, she flipped to the International section, where she found a long piece about the High Regime taking over Czech Republic after a week of conflict. Now they had Austria surrounded, and if Austria felt it would mark the prelude to war in Europe. Germany and France were already preparing for battle. 

Arianna began nibbling anxiously on another cookie when Blair came into the flat using the main door. She was wearing an emerald green overall, clearly transformed from yesterday's gown.

"Why don't you connect the Floo to Blaise's flat?" asked Arianna moody.

"Draco doesn't think it is safe for you," explained Blair.

"Of course he doesn’t,” said Arianna, annoyed, tossing the cookie on her plate. “Although, I would be more concerned about Astoria than Rudenschöld using his fireplace to kill me in my sleep… Sorry for the trouble. I know it's quite annoying."

"It's all right," said Blair and crossed her arms, a worried expression on her face.

"What is it?" asked Arianna, "Is he all right?"

"He's fine," said Blair carelessly. "I have a message from him."

Arianna felt her mouth drying. "What did he say?" 

"He wants to meet you today at four… with Blaise and me present as 'witnesses'," said Blair rolling her eyes.

"Witnesses?" repeated Arianna, lifting an eyebrow. 

"Yes, I think the word he was looking for was 'chaperones'," said Blair and giggled. 

"So… you know?" asked Arianna, referring to the kiss.

"I know," said Blair nodding slowly, still smiling. "The point is that we are meeting at his place to negotiate the ring."

Arianna looked down at the stuck jewel on her hand and got a sinking feeling. "Did he say that before or after seeing The Daily Prophet?" she asked, lifting her gaze.

"After," answered Blair, coming closer and taking a seat in front of her. "Astoria brought him the paper with his breakfast to bed this morning… nice picture, apropos."

"Well, isn't that fantastic?" said Arianna sarcastically. "What's up with your boyfriend? By the way, he was in the strangest mood yesterday."

"He's been kind of edgy since his birthday," said Blair and laughed. "My theory is that he's not very good at dealing with all the drama when it ruins his afternoon tea."

Arianna took a deep breath, "Anyway, I have to go."

"To the place, you always go every Sunday, and you won't tell me about?" asked Blair, fetching the blue teapot and pouring tea into a cup. "Arianna Black and her secrets."

"I'll tell you as soon as I can, I promise," said Arianna and stood up. "See you at four, then… A heads up, it might get a little uncomfortable for everyone– I'm planning on asking Draco some privy questions."

Blair chuckled and took The Daily Prophet, "It was about bloody time," she said, flipping the newspaper.

It was a partly cloudy and windy morning, with a storm forming on the horizon when Arianna Apparated outside the manor and approached the entrance.

"State your name and purpose," spoke the talking gate with a harsh cold voice.

"Galatea Black," she replied. 

The gate opened instantly, and she began walking the long gravel driveway she was so familiar with, but for the first time since June, her pulse was rising. Arianna shoved her left hand in her dress pocket, hiding the ring.

After a lot of deliberation, she decided to tell Narcissa about her peculiar issue with the Astral Ring in the hopes that she could help her remove it. Her first thought was to contact her mother, who had excellent knowledge of mysterious artefacts, but Arianna's pride was too big to ask her a favour since Agata was still angered at her and vice versa. Then she thought of Kron, who was well-versed in similar objects, but the undeniable truth was that the expert was the former owner of the ring.

A house-elf wearing a tablecloth with embroidered daisies was waiting for her in the main door. 

"Dodee is here to take Miss Galatea to the study," said the tiny house-elf with a high-pitched voice. "If Miss Galatea would follow Dodee this way, please." 

Intrigued for never been in the study before, Arianna followed her inside and to the main hall’s left, where Dodee stopped in front of a pair of double doors right across from the permanently closed purple drawing-room. 

The doors opened by themselves, and Arianna stepped into a room almost the same size as her flat. The walls were covered by glass protected bookshelves filled with ancient books and parchment rolls. A massive ebony desk stood in front of a sitting area that rested in the middle of the room.

This was not a study. This was a library. 

Arianna remembered wondering if they had two libraries the first time she came years ago, and indeed they did. Everything was dual with the Malfoys.

The Black sisters sat playing chess near the windows. Narcissa laid back on her chair, mechanically caressing her locket while Andromeda leaned over with her chin resting on her hand.   

Narcissa lifted her gaze and smiled politely at Arianna, but her sister seemed wholly absorbed in the game. 

"You got me again, Cissy," said Andromeda tilting her head. "I don't even know why I play against you. You always win," she glanced at Arianna. "Did you know that Cissy was the Hogwarts chess champion five years in a row?"

"No, I didn't," said Arianna, approaching them.

"Narcissa Black and her Killing Queen," said Andromeda, smirking. "She was a legend."

"I've lost practice," said Narcissa, still staring at the board.

Arianna looked around, and her eyes landed on an exquisite ivory and ebony chess resting over the desk. It seemed like a game was being played there too. 

"Who is playing that game?" she asked.

"Me and my husband," answered Narcissa, intertwining her fingers. "He sends me an owl every week with his move. We have been playing since July."

"I see," said Arianna, wondering how Lucius was keeping track of the game. 

"We saw your picture in The Daily Prophet today," said Narcissa casually. "I gather you went to see my son getting brutally beaten."

"Yeah… it was not pretty to watch," said Arianna, feeling scrutinised by Andromeda. "I don't enjoy those kinds of sports. I merely went because I lost a bet."

"Oh, yes!" said Andromeda, excited. "We heard all about it."

"You did?" asked Arianna, feeling both surprised and embarrassed.

"Three different versions of it," said Andromeda standing up and smiling broadly. "I'm dying to hear yours! But first, I must go to Diagon Alley to buy a birthday gift for a kids party. And when I'm back, you must tell us in detail how you kicked Astoria's ass."

Andromeda left the study, and Narcissa shook her head disapprovingly while suppressing a grin. 

"Forgive my sister," she said, going on her feet. "She is not particularly fond of the Greengrass family." She approached the desk and sat behind it.

Arianna cleared her throat and said, "So… did you also hear about the–about the–"

"The Astral Ring?" asked Narcissa, fetching a small piece of parchment and writing something down. "I heard… quite a bold move on your part, I might say."

Arianna struggled to get words out and kept on watching Narcissa while she placed the message on a small envelope and sealed it. 

"Well, it's good that you know," proceeded Arianna, taking her left hand out of the pocket and walking closer to the desk. "Because I have a… situation with the ring. I put it on out of curiosity, and it got stuck in my finger and– and I don't know how to take it off and, well Draco needs it today… So, I was wondering if you could help me."

Narcissa's eyes went to Arianna's hand, and she heard her giggle for the first time ever.

With her fingertips, Narcissa covered her mouth briefly. "Galatea, I'm truly sorry," she said, clearly trying to drown the smile on her face. "But I know that it's impossible. That ring cannot get stuck just like that." 

Arianna opened her mouth stupidly, and no sound came from it.

"You don't have to explain to me the circumstances," continued Narcissa. "But my son put the ring on your finger, didn't he?"

Feeling hot as hell and wishing fervently to run away and never face Narcissa again, Arianna nodded slowly.

Narcissa shook her head and chuckled, taking the small envelope she had just sealed, and tearing it apart. Then she went on her feet and gazed down at the chessboard over the desk and moved back a Bishop.

"It's a powerful ring, you know?" she said, rubbing her chin. "It has a very potent Shield Charm and can stop some poisons and venoms."

"Well, I'm sure Astoria will have a nice sleep when it's on her finger," said Arianna, hoping she would tell her how to remove it instead of looking at the damn board.

"You always have to protect your Queen, Galatea," said Narcissa, moving forward a Knight. "Even if you have to sacrifice half the pieces for her."

"So, how do I take it off?" asked Arianna, slightly confused and frustrated by Narcissa ignoring her problem. 

Fetching a new parchment, Narcissa sat down again and wrote her new move. "You can't," she said calmly. "You see, the ring thinks that you're engaged to my son." 

"What?!" exclaimed Arianna. "But we are not! He didn't– I didn't say– Astoria is going to bite my finger off!"

Narcissa lifted her face, "The bride can't take it off until after the wedding night."

"The what?!" yelled Arianna, thinking she might faint at any moment. 

"Old ring, old traditions, old magic," said Narcissa, sealing the envelope. "There's no need to stress. You can't take it off, but Draco can."

Air came back to her lungs. "You should have led with that," said Arianna and took the closest chair.

There was a brief silence during which Narcissa observed her attentively. 

"We have covered most of the fundamentals about the House of Black and grazed over some other pureblood families," she said, and Arianna could see her mind working behind her blue eyes. "But I think today there's an excellent opportunity to talk more about the Malfoy clan. 

The Malfoys and the Blacks are the same to the untrained eye: Old wealthy British pureblood families always sorted in Slytherin. However, their general values and temperament are very different.

The Blacks wear their hearts on their sleeves, and nothing exemplifies this better than the tapestry on Grimmauld Place– always burned without hesitation after a family member didn't live up to the pureblood expectations. I've always thought that if it wasn't for the belief system, the majority of the Blacks would have ended up in Gryffindor, like your father. He was both a rebel and the embodiment of a Black: Cleaver, impulsive, inexorable and prideful. 

The Malfoys are the polar opposite. They are cunning, strategic and cautious. Power, legacy and status are front and centre in their priorities, and they rely significantly on the family to achieve that. And that's why protecting the core– the family– is our most fundamental principle."

"Do you consider yourself a Malfoy or a Black?" asked Arianna, truly curious. 

"Neither," answered Narcissa immediately. "I am, in both looks and character, more like my mother, a Rosier. My sisters, though, are Black through and through… Of course, I've strong Black attributes and some Malfoy one's I've acquired over the years." 

Arianna considered herself for a moment. "My mother says that I've a similar temperament to my father… But I see a lot of her in me too…."

"I can see that," said Narcissa, nodding. "My son is also a mix of both families. He's been blessed and cursed with strong Malfoy and Black attributes."

There was no need for Arianna to ask her what she meant by "cursed". It was clear to her, now more than ever, that Draco lived with traits that contradicted each other, forces ceaselessly struggling inside of him, looking to overpower one another.

The subject changed to the Jupiter moons as scheduled for that Sunday, and not thirty minutes later, a couple of house-elves brought Teddy, who had woken up from his nap. 

After he ran to hug Arianna, he found it imperative to visit the gardens to play, and quite easily, Narcissa agreed and allowed both of them to leave. 

And so, no longer afraid of playing with Teddy outside, they headed to one of the front English gardens that hid behind the tall hedges. Where, thanks to Andromeda's good hand with plants and a dash of magic, the flowers could bloom even in winter. 

Grey clouds hovered above the manor, warning over the imminent storm that was about to break loose. But that did not discourage Arianna and Teddy from enjoying the garden. 

They played hide and seek, where mostly Arianna did the searching and Teddy the hiding, giggling and rushing between bushes and flowers everytime she was near him. Half an hour later, he got tired, and they sat in front of the fountain and under a small tree, surrounded by white magnolias, pink hollyhocks and purple foxgloves. 

Teddy settled on her lap and leaned on her chest while Arianna read him a children's book. He had copied her waves, eyes and mouth, and Narcissa's blond hair. And Arianna couldn't help but think that if she had children with Draco, they would probably look like him. 

And a gloomy thought emerged: that would never happen.

A brushing noise came from a bush nearby, and both Arianna and Teddy looked in the sound's direction. The branches of a shrub close to them were moving.

"Andromeda?" asked Arianna. "Narcissa?"

A white peacock passed by near the fern, and Arianna relaxed. Every time she heard an unexpected noise at the manor, she thought about Draco. The house-elves were strictly prohibited from telling him about her, and after the incident with the Greengrass family, they had explicit instructions of taking her out of the manor if they saw someone coming in. 

"Nana," said Teddy looking up at her with his big grey eyes. "Do you have a mom? Harry doesn't have a mom or a dad, like me. But all my friends have a mom and dad, like Draco. Aunt Cissy is his mom, but his dad is not here. Do you have a mom and dad?"

"I have a mom," replied Arianna. "I don't have a dad."

"How does it feel to have a mom?" asked Teddy attentively, and Arianna felt a painful twist on her chest, remembering when she used to ask the same question when she was a child.

Arianna cleared her throat and said, "It's like having someone that will always love you very much, and takes care of you, and wants you to be safe and happy… like your granny does… and Harry, Draco and aunt Cissy."

"Do you also love me?" 

"Yes, I do."

"So, you are like a mom?"

"I'm– I guess," said Arianna, and he smiled at her. "I'm your family, Teddy." She kissed his blond head, thinking that even if he had no parents, he would never lack love. 

Heavy drops began falling and she lifted Teddy up, and then she went on her feet.

"Go to the study with aunt Cissy. I can keep reading you there," she said.

Teddy began running away quickly, extending his arms and laughing, enjoying the rain. Arianna followed him and saw him climbing the main steps. When reaching the entrance, she cast a drying spell and decided to go into the library to fetch another book about the Jupiter moons before continuing the lesson with Narcissa. 

Arianna was on the second level, skimming the astronomy section, when a well-known voice spoke, "So you are Nana." 

Her blood dropped to her feet, and she turned around and looked down. Draco stood in the middle, dressed in black with his hands in his pockets and a big bruise on his left cheekbone.

Speechless, Arianna stared at him as if she was dreaming and would wake up any moment.

"What are you doing in my house, Vitelli?" asked Draco, tilting his head slightly. "Why are you meeting my mother behind my back?"

Hundreds of lies came into her head, but no words were pronounced.

One, two, three, four alarmed house-elves popped out and disappeared next to her. 

"How did you fool the house-elves?" asked Arianna, feeling a mix of shame, betrayal and guilt.

"That's your question?" asked Draco and chuckled. "You have to be very careful when you give them orders. House-elves tend to take things quite literally. They were instructed to act if they saw me here but didn't see me, they knew I was here, but they couldn't see me."

"Was it you in the gardens?" asked Arianna. "Was it you in a Disillusionment Charm? 

"Yes, it was me," replied Draco, folding his arms. "But that's the wrong question. The question is: why mother, the one who knows best how to give orders to house-elves, made such a fundamental mistake? Both were begging to be caught, so why don't you just tell me what's going on."

"I– We–"

"Actually, no, mother wanted to be caught," interrupted Draco. "And you were just clumsy. One mistake after another, from saying the name of our engagement ring to you using my mother's curse against me– Clumsy. Of course, the Little Man transforming into tiny versions of you and the fact that he kept talking about 'Nana' didn't help you much."

Both Arianna's body and mind remained petrified.

Draco sighed, "It's about the bloody inheritance, isn't it?" 

"Should I contact my lawyer?" asked Arianna, knowing it was over.

"That gold means nothing to me," said Draco, shrugging. "You can keep it, but I want something in return."

Arianna was surprised that he was willing to give her the inheritance so quickly, considering his father and future wife were against it. But she also felt somewhat scared, wondering what kind of thing he could possibly want that was worth that amount of money.

"What do you want?" she asked, holding her breath. "The ring?"

"Yes, and your silence," said Draco decisively, his expression serene. "I'll not sabotage your deal with mother, and you can have the suit back, but I want your silence."

"My silence?" repeated Ariann. And even if she knew what he meant, she needed to hear it. "About what?"

"About us…yesterday," said Draco, closing his eyes. "I shouldn't have done that?"

"Done what?" asked Arianna, feeling a mix of anger and nausea. "Kiss me? Or put the Astral Ring on my finger?"

"Both," said Draco, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "Do we have a deal?"

"No," said Arianna instantly, and Draco's eyes bulged slightly. "I don't give a fuck about the inheritance… I'll give you my silence if you tell me the truth."

"About what?" asked Draco, rather annoyed.

"Us," said Arianna conclusively. 

Draco remained silent, and she began walking down the helicoidal staircase, with her heart pounding wildly and feeling like vomiting. 

She stood in front of him, and his eyes drifted to her left hand.

"Why are you wearing the ring?" asked Draco, his eyes fixed on it. 

"It's stuck," said Arianna harshly. "Some kind of antiquated stupid magic doesn't let me take it off. But your mother says you can." She extended her left hand for him to remove the ring. 

Draco's eyes blew wide open, and he backed three steps, looking at her hand as if she was pointing a wand at him. 

"Keep the ring!" he snapped, half-scared, half-mad. "Take the bloody inheritance and the suit! Take fucking everything! I just need your silence!" 

"What?! No!" yelled Arianna, utterly confused. "I don't want any of that! I want to know what's that thing between us! I need to know what I mean to you! Why did you kiss me like that yesterday?! Why are you marrying her?!"

Draco held his head and walked away from her, avoiding her stare.

"I need to know, Draco!" she continued, following him. "I need to know why you never looked for me after the war. Why did you never reply to my letters? Haven't you forgiven me for leaving Hogwarts? How many times do I have to apologise?–"

"STOP!" roared Draco frantically looking back at her.

"I'm sorry I left! Alright?!" screamed Arianna, tears building in her eyes. "If I could change things–"

"I don't want to hear this!" yelled Draco, turning his back on her.

"Then tell me the truth!" she demanded, trying not to cry. "Tell me, and I will leave, and you will have my silence!"

A lump formed on her throat. Her heart pounded violently on her chest, and she held her breath, watching every move he made, waiting for him to save her or destroy her. 

Draco ran his fingers through his hair, looking out the window, and stood there for a long moment. And after what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.

"I'm marrying Astoria because I love her," he said with a neutral voice and turned around. "The thing between us is just a spectrum, a trace of what we thought it could be, nothing more. I don't have feelings for you. I don't love you. I love Astoria."

The world stopped spinning. A voice in her head screamed that he was lying, but the evidence pointed to the contrary. Because there he was, looking her in the eyes, telling her he did not love her. 

Arianna felt a cold sword splitting her in half, stopping her heart and lungs. Silence tears streamed down her face, and she looked up at the enchanted dome and saw his constellation in the eternal night sky of the library.

"Thank you," she whispered, barely audible. "You have my silence."

Arianna left the library without looking back. Every step felt heavier and more difficult than the last one until her feet failed her, and she stopped.

And in the middle of the Great Hall, her body began breaking. She urged to flee, and yet she could not move. 

"Poppy," she sobbed, and the creature materialised in front of her with a crack. "Take me outside the main gates."

Poppy grabbed her hand and Apparated on the small country road next to the fence, where the rain kept on pouring down. And without even thinking, Arianna Apparated outside Grimmauld Place. As in Wiltshire, in London, it was raining too. 

In complete darkness, she went up to her father's room. And as soon as the door closed, a flood of emotions tore her.

Her chest hurt as if a wolf gripped her heart with its sharp teeth, piercing deeper and deeper his fangs into her. 

All the memories she cherished of him shattered, becoming crumbles, becoming nothing. It had been all a lie, an illusion. She had been alone on this dance all these years. She meant nothing to him, nothing but a ghost, a memory.

The boy with the beautiful icy-blue eyes that knew she loved pumpkin was dead. The one that held her tight and stayed with her on the bathroom floor while she suffered. The one that yearned to kiss her under a roof covered with constellations. The one that wanted to take her out of Britain so she could live. All dead. All gone in a burst of flames.

Arianna loved him. That was the truth. It had always been. Naively, she thought they would find a way to be together, that in the end, they would find each other despite everything… Stupid girl.

The vicious wolf shredded and bit her insides. Mutilating her, killing her. Arianna clenched her knees and cried while the thunders from outside kept mimicking her sorrow.

And in her sombre chest, her hope finally withered.




Chapter 26: New Moon

Notes:

The last chapter of Arianna's endless weekend.
Enjoy! ^ ^

Chapter Text

 

Drops drummed gently against the windows, the thunders were gone, and the sun had set. 

Arianna still laid in Sirius' bed, there were no more tears, and the wolf had fallen asleep. She closed her eyes and focused on the house odours; it smelled like abandonment and neglect– Mouldy, dusty and old. And somehow, she found it soothing. 

Incapable of remaining there, she reached for her wand and lit the candle on the bedside table, and went on her feet. 

The pearls around her neck felt heavy, and she took them off, then she suddenly hated the olive shade of her clothes and undressed. And while placing everything on the bed, she noticed the Astral Ring and thought that she would rather cut her hand off than ask Draco to remove it. She wanted nothing from him.

Opening the wardrobe, she searched for something comfortable, found a large white shirt, and put it on. And just before closing the doors, she saw a thin vertical silver line that shone with the candle gleam. 

Arianna pushed the garments aside and discovered compartments of different sizes at the back of the wardrobe and got a small hit of adrenaline, curious to know what her father kept there.

To her disappointment, only one of the seven drawers could be open. The rest were sealed with some charm that perhaps needed a password or spell to unlock them. Nevertheless, she found a treasure: her father's old records. 

Arianna grabbed a bunch of them and barefooted headed downstairs to the drawing-room, where she had seen a phonograph.

The room was softly lit by the street glow that entered through the large windows. She spotted a silver candelabra standing over a small round table close to the entrance, lit it and walked around the room. 

There was a thin layer of dust on the carpeted floor; all the furniture was covered with white sheets, and cobwebs interwoven on the chandelier. 

Arianna began pulling off the blankets with a decisive hand, unveiling a couple of glass-fronted cabinets that flanked the fireplace, a few sofas, a desk, and finally, the phonograph next to the windows. And she looked around, contemplating the decaying glory of Grimmauld Place, the only thing remaining from the House of Black besides her.

A few grey clouds were left on the pitch-black sky when she peeked outside the window. No stars could be seen in the city, and she remembered that there was a new moon this week, a good time for brewing Healing Potions.

The albums were placed over a table next to the phonograph. Arianna skimmed through them and recognised the titles she had grown up with as her mother had played them constantly during her childhood. 

"The Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd called her attention and found it suitable, and after casting a silencing spell on the doorknob, so her grandmother's portrait remained quiet, she played it and walked to face the long wall with the genealogical tree tapestry. 

This was her house, her family tree, she was the last Black, and now it was her who decided who deserved to be burned or saved. 

The tip of her wand went immediately to Bellatrix Lestrange's name, and with the same hex she used to hurt herself, she burned her. A tear rolled down and set fire to Rodolphus Lestrange next, and automatically, her wand landed on Draco's name. 

And there it remained for a long moment until she moved away, leaving the tiniest scorched mark on the "a" of his name. 

Arianna traced the tapestry with her hand and wondered if the seared names could be recovered. She tried a few Restoration spells from her architecture books on an ancestor from the fifteen-hundreds until she found a couple of them that combined worked.

And so, looking to stop thinking about the nightmarish weekend she was having, she found a new purpose and began removing the burned fabric and bringing back the repudiated and forgotten names, with a wand in one hand the candelabra in the other.

The walls were tall, and she couldn't reach all the higher spots, so Arianna took a side table, placed it near the tapestry, transformed it taller and broader, and then climbed it to work on the top part of the tree. 

Her eyes glanced at the grandfather clock; it was almost ten in the evening. Draco loved Astoria, and now they were engaged. 

Feeling like drowning, tears streamed down again, and she cleaned them with her sleeve and kept working, with the thought that at least now she could move on.

There was noise coming from the ground floor, and she froze. Steps and voices approached, followed by a burst of high-pitched laughter. 

Arianna remained quiet and still, staring at the door, wondering who else had access to that house.

"Oh, Harry," said a woman’s voice with a heavy French accent. "This is such a macabre place. I cannot believe you stayed here for so many months… Oh, but you're so brave. This is probably nothing for you."

"No–I mean," said Harry's voice. "Yeah… it is not that bad."

The door opened, and two figures entered the dimmed drawing-room. Harry came in with a girl that made Arianna feel like a dragon dung sack that had been trampled by a hoard of erumpents. She was absolutely breathtaking. She wore a delicate pink mini dress, her hair was silver blond and silky, and she ambled across the room as she floated. 

They stopped when they saw Arianna on her high table.

The beautiful girl gasped, "What is that? A ghoul?" she asked, grabbing Harry's arm. 

Arianna stared at the woman feeling her blood boiling.

"Oh, sorry," said Harry, who strangely was well-dressed, wearing a dark blue shirt and trousers. "I didn't know you would be in here."

"Sorry for ruining the mood," said Arianna, bothered.

"She is Arianna Black," introduced Harry. "The co-owner of the house. And she is Gabrielle Delacour, Fleur's sister."

"Shouldn't you be in school?" asked Arianna, irritated. "How old are you? Fifteen?"

"Oh, no," said Gabrielle, giggling without letting go of Harry. "In Beauxbatons, we start classes in October. And I turned seventeen last week. I was just telling Harry."

"I see," said Arianna sharply. Harry had brought her here to shag. "Well, pretend that I'm not here. I'll just keep working on my wall." 

"Could you stop the music, please?" asked Gabrielle displeasingly. "It's very depressing."

Arianna rolled her eyes and stopped the phonograph with a flick of her wand. She looked over the entrance and saw Ginny leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded and Hermione standing by her side, both in cocktail dresses. And then she remembered about Victoire's birthday party. 

"So Harry," said Gabrielle, flipping her long hair back. "This is where you slept? You were saying."

"Yeah…for a while," answered Harry, giving Arianna a furtive glance.

"You have to teach me to be as brave as you are," said Gabrielle, touching his arm suggestively. "You know, Adriane, Harry saved my life from the mermaid people– He's so brave and wonderful."

"Yes, yes, he's very brave," said Ginny, standing straight. "Are you planning on giving her a tour of the whole house? Or can we go now?"

Not long after, they left. And Arianna felt relieved. She wanted to continue licking her wounds, fixing the tapestry and listening to her father's music. 

Around fifteen minutes had passed when she considered climbing down to fix the next part of the tree when someone talked.

"What's wrong?" 

Arianna looked over her shoulder and saw Harry standing by the door.

"You're back," said Arianna bitterly. "I thought she wanted to see all the places you have slept in. You should've started with your bedroom... You know, now that she is of age."

"What's wrong?" he repeated serenely and came inside the room. 

"Nothing, everything is wonderful," she replied sarcastically. "This is how I like to spend my Sunday evenings."

"Tell me what's wrong, Anna," he said once more. 

"What's wrong?!" she snapped, suddenly feeling the weight of everything falling over her. "Everything is wrong, Harry! Everything is fucking wrong! Where do I even start?! I'm on a Dark wizard's blacklist. Wilkinson kicked me out of the team because you couldn't stay in your damn post. My home is a bloody prison where no one can get in or out normally. No one wants to take me to restaurants or pubs because it's 'not safe'. My mother hates me. I got the Malfoys' engagement ring stuck in my finger. And do not get me started with my love life! I can't have a normal life and am so fucking sick of it!"

Breathing with difficulty, she smeared the tears from her face. She wanted to be hugged so badly, and at the same time, she could not tolerate it.

"Come down," said Harry calmly, who was now at the feet of the enlarged side table. 

"No!" yelled Arianna, shaking her head and hugging her knees. "Leave, Harry… please."

"Arianna, come down," repeated Harry patiently.

"No. Leave. Now," spat Arianna, staring at the wall, refusing to look at him; she couldn't stand those eyes. "I don't want you here. Go with Gabrielle or whoever you want. You're free, don't waste your evening on me. Leave me here. Let me drown in my misery and self-pity." 

"I'm not leaving, Anna," said Harry with that unyielding voice of his. "Come down so we can talk, and I can take you home." 

"I don't want you to see me like this," argued Arianna, feeling like shit. "I'm gross, and I look dreadful."

"Then blow off the candles and come down."

"I'm going to fall."

"I'll catch you if you do."

Reluctantly, she blew off the candles and carefully climbed down, with Harry standing close to her and before reaching the ground, he hugged her. Arianna embraced him hard, desperately, incapable of pronouncing a word of how grateful she was that he was there for her. 

After a long moment, they let go of each other, and she went to the bathroom, where a large mirror made her gasp when seen herself. Her mascara was smeared all over her face, her hair looked as if she had wrestled to death with the Whomping Willow, and dirt, snot and tears stained her white shirt.  

Arianna washed her face, combed her hair and cleaned her shirt with her wand, and when she thought she looked more like a decent human, she returned to the drawing-room. 

The fireplace and candles were lit, the sheets were folded perfectly over a sofa, the dust was gone, and a great assortment of food was over the desk. 

"Wow," she exclaimed, looking around. "You're great with Cleaning spells."

Harry chuckled. "It was Kreacher," he explained while returning the enlarged side table to its normal size. "I summoned him to bring food from Hogwarts, and then he fixed the rest in a minute."

Arianna approached the desk. There was beef stew, roasted chicken and root vegetables, mash potatoes, peas and pumpkin juice. But even if she hadn't eaten the entire day, she wasn't hungry. Her stomach felt upset and slightly nauseous. 

Thinking that peas were the only thing she could tolerate, she grabbed the whole bowl and a pumpkin juice glass and sat on the couch facing the tapestry.

Harry went through Sirius' records, giving her space, and Arianna stared at the back of his head. Her chest was still hurting, but she wasn't drowning anymore. He had the power of calming her just by being in the same room as her. Having him there made everything instantly better.

There was probably no one besides her mother who had seen her as vulnerable as he had, and he was still there despite feeling uncomfortable when people got too emotional.

"Look!" said Harry enthusiastically, glancing back holding a washed-out album for Arianna to see. "My dad did give it back."

Arianna smiled, recognising Bowie's cover of "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars". 

"Good to know we can trust the Potters," she said jokingly.

Harry placed it on the phonograph, and "Five Years" started playing. Then he sat next to her, and Arianna put her bowl and cup on the side table. 

"Thank you," she said lowly, glancing at him. "Sorry I ruined your evening." 

"What are friends for," he said, smirking, looking back at her. "And my day wasn't going that great anyways."

"Toddlers' parties aren't as fun as one might think?" ventured Arianna.

"Not if Mrs Weasley sneakily asks you in fifteen different ways if the article about us is true or if there's a French girl following you with more questions than Romilda Vane and Rita Skeeter together."

Arianna laughed. "There was no friend who could come and rescue you?"

"Teddy was my saviour most of the time," said Harry and chuckled. "Although today he wouldn't shut up about Nana."

"Who is Nana?" asked Arianna as casually as she could.

"Teddy's imaginary friend," explained Harry, and scratched his head. "At least that's what Andromeda says. But Ron thinks she's a ghost from the Malfoy manor, and Hermione believes that rather than an imaginary friend is an imaginary mom."

"And what do you think?" she asked, curious, wondering what kind of things Teddy went around saying about her.

Harry shrugged, "I don't know," he said, considering for a moment. "She sounds too real sometimes for being made up. And Teddy is madly in love with her. He goes on and on about how shiny her hair is and how she smells like his granny's garden," he laughed and shook his head. "And complains that I do everything wrong– 'That's not how Nana reads.' 'That's not how Nana counts to ten.'" 

"He sounds sweet," said Arianna, smiling softly.

"He is," said Harry, also smiling, and glanced at his watch. "We should go. You need to get some sleep."

"I'm staying here," said Arianna certainly. "I don't feel like going home. But you should leave. I feel better now… really." 

Harry stared at her eyes for a moment. "Do you want me to stay?" he asked.

Arianna chuckled and dropped her gaze, "Don't ask me that."

"Why not?"

"You know why," said Arianna, looking back at his green eyes. "It's better if you don't." 

"No, I don't know why, Arianna," said Harry seriously. "I don't understand anymore. If I want to stay and you want the same. Why should I leave?"

"Because there's something between us, Harry," she said, raising her voice. "And it's getting harder to ignore."

"But why do we want to ignore it?" he asked, slightly frustrated. 

"Because it's not right," she replied and then corrected her answer. "It's not the right time."

"Why not?" asked Harry, folding his arms. "Because of Rudenschöld?"

Arianna realised that she should tell him the truth, or he would never understand why this was so difficult. 

"And because I have feelings for someone else," she said, and Harry looked away. "And I know things are not over between Ginny and you and– and I couldn't bear losing you if things don't work out… You're the best thing I have in my life right now, Harry."

There was a long silence while "Soul Love" played in the background.

 

Love is careless in its choosing

Sweeping over cross and baby

Love descends on those defenceless

Idiot love will spark the fusion

Inspirations have I none

Just to touch the flaming dove

All I have is my love of love

And love is not loving

 

"It's Malfoy, isn't it?" asked Harry, his eyes set on the tapestry.

"Yes... but he's engaged, and even if he wasn't, we wouldn't be together… It's just me," she said, and a lump formed on her throat and fought the urge to cry again. "You should leave, Harry. Even if I want you to stay."

Harry nodded, his eyes avoiding hers. "All right, just… let me know if you need anything."

They both stood up, and Arianna walked him to the door. His hand was on the doorknob when she felt words wanting to break free from her lips and stop him. 

"Harry," she managed to say, and he turned around, and her eyes encountered his; there was a flicker of sadness in them that instantly made her heart ache.

"Let me stay," said Harry. "I hate seeing you like this."

There were no words that could convey how grateful she was for having him in her life, that could thank him for always being there to catch her when she fell. 

And born from the most inner part of herself, an imminent impulse aroused, and she threw her arms over his shoulders and kissed him intensely. 

Harry grabbed tightly and kissed her back. Arianna felt her lungs filling with air and her chest expanding, alive again. In a matter of seconds, her body became warm and her head foggy. There was no other thought than the need to please him and be with him. 

Everything happened too fast. Arianna ignored when they had returned to the sofa, how Harry's glasses were gone or who had taken off her shirt. She had no idea how both were only in their underwear. She did not know nor care. 

Arianna was laying on her back with Harry on top of her. His lips moved through her chest, and his hands clenched the flesh on her thighs and her hips. And then slid them beneath her and unclasped her bra and tossed it away.

Harry kissed her deep and grabbed her breasts. 

"Fuck," he groaned and sucked her neck without letting go of her tits. 

Arianna moaned softly. All of it felt so good. She felt so warm and ready, and the thought of watching him crumble between her legs made her wetter.

"Fuck," said Harry. "I can't." 

And he moved back with Arianna's arms entangled around him, bringing her to a sitting position over his lap, and she observed him, stunned, and wondered if she had done something wrong.

"We shouldn't," said Harry breathing heavily, "Is not right–You're not–and I shouldn't– We shouldn't if you're not–"

Even more confused, Arianna let go of him and snatched a cushion to cover herself, and for the umpteenth time that day, she felt like crying. 

"No!" blurted Harry, alarmed, looking at her watery eyes. "I don't mean– I want but I can't – I shouldn't– We shouldn't–"

"You have five seconds to form a coherent sentence, Potter," said Arianna, growing angry. 

Harry covered his face briefly and looked back at her. "You're hurt and vulnerable, and I don't want to do this if you're going to regret it in the morning."

"How noble of you," said Arianna between her teeth. 

Harry sighed, "It's my worst quality." 

Quite offended, Arianna tried to move away, but Harry grabbed her shoulders. 

"Anna," he said, almost begging. "I didn't mean– I don't want you to think–"

"I think you should leave," cut in Arianna determinedly.

"Well, I'm not," said Harry firmly and held his gaze. 

Arianna knew Harry's intentions were good, but still, she couldn't help but feel insulted by him rejecting her like that. No man had ever dared to do such a thing to her.

"Let's sleep then," she said sharply, "I take this couch you take the other."

Harry fetched his wand from the floor, and with a quick flick, all the candles blew off, and the music stopped. Then he took the cushion she held and threw it.

Arianna gasped, "What are you–?"

Harry hugged her and laid her back, resting his head on her chest. And just with that, she felt suddenly serene again, and her betraying hands caressed his back and hair softly, unable to stay mad at him. 

Everything went quiet besides the crackle from the fire, and then she pondered about what just had happened. She knew she should not get involved with anyone; she had taken that decision when Rudenschöld sent the last golden link from Alaric's watch. She knew she had strong feelings for Draco, which now hurt her. And still, she loved having Harry in her arms; still, she knew she would not have regretted sleeping with him because he genuinely cared for her. 

And then thought that perhaps this was complicated for Harry too. It had not been long since he broke up with Ginny, and she was probably the only girl he had ever been intimate with. 

"Do you still love her?" asked Arianna without thinking. "Don't answer that. Of course, you do. Those kinds of feelings don't vanish just like that." And if someone knew it pretty well, it was her. 

Harry took a moment to answer, "Ginny would always be important to me whether we're together or not. She's been my family and my friend for half of my life."

"Why did you break up?"

"It's… hard to explain."

"Try, we have all night."

Arianna felt Harry's chest expanding, taking a deep breath, and then he shifted slightly, making himself comfortable.

"I guess it all started when she finished Hogwarts," he said and paused, struggling to find the words to continue. "She went to the Chaser tryouts for the Holyhead Harpies, it had been her dream for many years to be part of that team, and she got the spot before even getting on her broom. The same happened a year ago when she applied for the Seeker position in the English team. Both times she insisted on doing the tryouts, and she did them… But she always wondered if she got in because of her talent or for being with me."

"What do you mean?"

"You saw it yourself yesterday, a hint of it. How people treat me. How I can get last-minute tickets or drinks without waiting. People send me stuff, offer me positions and things I don't want. I could have a higher post in the Auror Office if I wanted to. I could be in any quidditch team and not for my abilities as a player. And to a certain extent, this happened to Ginny too, except that it was not because she's a war hero, but for being my girlfriend… The problem was that she started doubting herself even if she's great at what she does and began thinking she didn't deserve to be where she was." 

"And her solution was to break up with you?" she asked, confused.

"Not at first, but things just added up. The press became her worst nightmare, especially Romilda Vane. She's to Ginny what Astoria is to you. Every time something goes wrong in a game, she's the first to point it out and question if she should be the one playing. And always , in every single article the press writes about Ginny, they mention me. Always . They stole her individuality, and with time she began resenting me for that as if I could just choose not to be 'famous'... Not catching the snitch in the semifinal was her tipping point."

"So she broke up with you?"

"No, I did," replied Harry instantly. "She needs to know who she is and what she can achieve by herself … it was the only thing I could do to make her happy at that point, to let her go."

"Are you sad?" asked Arianna, stroking his hair. "Do you miss her?"

"Not really. I know what truly it's to lose people I care about, people I'll never see again, like your dad…. Ginny and I went back to being just friends. I didn't lose her."

Arianna began toying with his ear, thinking he was incredibly mature for a bloke his age, even if sometimes he could behave as awkward as a teenager. 

"There was another thing," said Harry, playing with her hair. "Do you remember when we fell asleep upstairs, and I was running late to catch my Portkey to Canada?"

"Vividly."

"As soon as I reached the street, I regret leaving, and I thought it sucked to feel that way– to prefer to go back inside with you instead of seeing my girlfriend," he said and lifted his head and looked at Arianna. "I guess that was the tipping point for me."

Harry kissed her softly and deep, and she felt a tingle in her lower belly. 

Arianna pushed him away gently. "Good night, Harry," she whispered, and he smirked.

"You’re gonna make me pay for this, aren't you?“  he asked.

“Good night,” she repeated and he laid back on her chest.

Arianna stretched to grab her wand from the small table behind her. Then she summoned a blanket from the sofa and put it over Harry's back, and soon, they both fell asleep. 

Soft light beams peaked through the holed velvet curtains announcing the dawn when Arianna woke entangled in white sheets. Again, she found herself sleeping on top of Harry and wondered how and at what point they had shifted positions. 

Harry slept placidly, and afraid to wake him up, she stayed still, merely feeling how his chest moved while breathing and enjoying that bergamot scent of him.

Arianna tried to sleep again and avoid the intrusive voices that reminded her of her painful encounter with Draco. But then she recalled that the weekend was over. 

It was Monday, and it was her last week at the Department of International Magical Cooperation before she started her job at the Auror Potion Department next week. And then she had a terrible realisation: she would work on the same floor as Draco … and Harry.

She needed to leave things clear with Harry, but before that, he should wake up and go to the Duelling Hall as he religiously did every morning.

"Harry," she said softly and poked his nose playfully. "Wake up."

Harry opened his eyes slowly, and for a brief moment, she feared he would panic. Instead, he held her tighter, and a small smile grew on his face. 

"No," he mumbled groggily. 

She smiled back. "You have to train," she said. 

"So do you." 

"I'm taking the day off." 

"So am I."

"Harry," she said, moving slightly away. 

"Arianna," he replied teasingly, pulling her back.

"You're going to be late for training." 

"I'm skipping it today," he chirped. 

"You never miss training!" said Arianna, scandalised. "They will think you're dead! Soon the entire Auror Department would be searching for you, together with every single wizard, witch and child, looking for the Chosen One in every corner of this country!"

Harry chuckled, and Arianna thought he had a lovely smile and that it was incredibly strange to see him without glasses. She pushed back the hair from his forehead, uncovering his lightning-like scar, and he kissed her nose and then her lips.

A dozen voices remind her why it was a terrible idea to do this, but Harry's lips made a strong case, silencing them conclusively.

Harry stopped. "What's that?" he asked, frowning looking at the door.

"What's what?" she said.

"Shhh," shushed Harry lowly. "Listen."

And then she heard it, there was a noise, and soon both realised what it was: steps coming up the stairs, quickly approaching. 

Arianna jumped to her feet and searched fast for her shirt and fetched it from a sofa. She had barely slid both arms on the sleeves when someone gasped.

"Oh God!" exclaimed a woman's voice coming from the entrance, and Arianna turned around. 

Hermione Granger stood by the door, wearing a lilac suit and holding a briefcase. Her shocked eyes went from Arianna to Harry, who had only managed to put on his glasses and sat on the sofa. 

"I'm sorry," blabbered Hermoine, staring at the ceiling, her face turning pink. "Harry, I–You got an urgent owl from the ministry. And well, you were not– not in your room, so I thought you might be here. And well, I was right... So, I will just–just leave this." She pulled out a small roll from her briefcase and walked a few steps inside, leaving the note on a small table and turned around, kicking on her way out Arianna's black lace bra. 

"Sorry!" she blurted, took the garment from the floor and went back and left it over the nearest sofa, and then rushed to the door, closing it behind her.

Harry and Arianna remained speechless until Hermione's steps faded as she descended the wooden stairs rapidly. 

"It could've been worse," she mumbled, remembering when she found Cho and Padma in her sitting room.

There was no response. Arianna looked over at Harry, already reading the message, his face stern. 

"I've to go," he said and quickly fetched his trousers from the floor. "It's Wilkinson. He wants to see me in his office immediately."

"Why?" asked Arianna worryingly. If it was Wilkinson, it had to be about the High Regime.

"It doesn't say," he said, zipping up his trousers.

Harry put on his shirt and did not bother to close it. He slipped quickly in his shoes, grabbed his wand, and off he went without looking back.

An uneasy sensation spread all over her, a blend between anxiety and dread. And then she thought that he had not even said goodbye.

The door flew open. Harry rushed towards her and kissed her. 

"I'll see you tomorrow at the Duelling Hall," he said quickly, and then he was gone again. 

Arianna saw her reflection on the glass-fronted cabinets. Her hair was a complete mess, making an excellent impression of the caos on her mind for everything that had happened in the last sixty hours. 

There was only one thing she was absolutely certain after this inconceivable weekend: she would never, EVER, gamble with the Slytherins again. 

Chapter 27: Promises

Chapter Text

 

Harry was not at the Duelling Hall the following day, and neither were any of the team members. Draco and Angelina were on a mission in Paris until Wednesday but not seeing the rest perturbed Arianna, adding another worry to her neverending list of troubles.

There was a battle going on in her mind, unsure of what to do about Harry and the ring. The tightness in her chest and a lack of appetite remained since Sunday and worsened her already low energy levels. 

The scarce focus had hit her at the worst possible time since she had to leave everything in order before her last day at work. The only bright side was that she had little to no time to think of Draco; nevertheless, she could not escape him.

Shortly after lunch, Arianna decided to go to the Auror Office and search for Harry and Kron. Firstly, she needed to know why Harry had stood her up, dreading that he was avoiding her, and secondly, she needed advice on how to remove the ring without having to talk to Draco and humiliate herself again.

She was about to leave her desk when she heard Marietta's quick steps approaching, and a second later, she was standing next to her carrying a copy of The Daily Prophet and wearing a peach dress that did not favour her skin tone at all.

"Arianna, hi," she said quickly, already looking around, probably thinking of the next item on her list. "Mr Vain wants you to prioritise the Occamy egg trade files and to send them to Shanghai before Friday."

"Sure," sighed Arianna, writing a note on her immense to-do list. "Something else?"

"No, I think you already have plenty to do."

"Yeah, I do," said Arianna, and her eyes dropped to the newspaper she held and noticed it was way thicker than the one she had read this morning. "Is that today's Prophet?"

"Yes, I'm taking it to Mrs Cho," said Marietta.

"Can I see it?" asked Arianna and seized it from her hands before she could reply. 

Arianna read the International and National news every morning, but if her friends had bothered to remove an entire section, it was the Society Pages. Already preparing for what she will encounter, she flipped quickly until she found it: Draco and Astoria's engagement announcement with a large portrait of them. Her stomach instantly revolted. 

"Death Eater aside, you have to admit he's quite handsome," said Marietta, standing behind her.

"He is," replied Arianna lowly. 

And he was. He wore a perfectly tailored dress robe, his hair slicked back and stared at the camera with a neutral face, while his fiancé held a hint of a smile, took him by the waist and placed her left hand on his chest assuring the engagement ring was visible.

It looked a lot like the one Arianna kept hidden under her black lace glove. It had a large oval diamond set on an intricate metal structure. But the stone was more elongated and the design slightly rougher than the real Astral Ring. It was quite a bold move on Draco's side to begin their engagement with a lie such as that one. 

Arianna folded the paper and returned it to Marietta, feeling quite sick. 

"I always thought he would end up with Pansy Parkinson," said Marietta, forgetting her many errands and sitting at the edge of Arianna's desk. "But you have to give it to Astoria– She rescued him from perdition, didn't she?"

"What do you mean?" asked Arianna, wondering if she would throw up the few bites she had managed to eat.

"I always forget you just came back to England," said Marietta and leaned a bit closer. "Rumour is that after Draco left Azkaban, he was drinking and gambling like there was no tomorrow and shagging everything that moved, for instance, all Zabini's staff (You know, all those beautiful witches that work in his restaurants) And basically transformed the Malfoy manor into a brothel, that's why his mother kicked him out of after his house arrest was over. Enter Astoria Greengrass – she made him a whole new man, and he started working for the ministry."

"Interesting," said Arianna, feeling somewhat worse than before, and stood up. "I–I have to go to the–to the second floor. But, I'll be back soon."

"You're going to see Harry, aren't you?" asked Marietta with a mischievous smile.

"Yeah," said Arianna. "But I told you, we're just friends."

"Sure you are, dear," said Marietta, winking, and Arianna headed to the lifts.

The truth was that she ignored what had been of Draco during the last three years. She never wanted to hear about him as she thought it would be easier to move on that way.

Gossips were a funny little phenomenon. They were usually made of ten per cent truth, thirty per cent self-interpretation and sixty per cent exaggeration. For instance, when Astoria said that Arianna shagged the entire Ravenclaw quidditch team, the reality was that she had dated a team member. When Astoria said that she used beautifying potions, the truth was that Arianna took extra care of her hair. So if she boiled down what Marietta just told her, it meant that Draco had one too many Firewhiskeys, played Greedy Goblin often and slept with a few waitresses. As for the ministry, Arianna knew he worked there for his deal with them. But it also meant that Astoria had rescued him to a certain degree; for sure, she had done something right to make him fall in love with her.

Arianna got to the Auror Office, opened the heavy oak door cautiously and peeked inside, hoping to see Harry chatting with one of his colleagues, but there was no sight of him in the always animated room, so reluctantly, she went inside and headed to his cubicle.

As she walked, many eyes followed her, and some Aurors chuckled. And when she got to his desk, she understood why. 

Every surface of Harry's cubicle was covered with copies of their Saturday photograph. The wall, desk and chair, even the drawers and floor had been papered. And she saw how dozens of copies of herself tucked a curl behind her ear in perfect synchrony. 

Arianna grabbed a photograph that rested on top of a pile of scrolls and took another look at it. It was, after all, a good picture of them, and thought that the boxing match felt like a million years ago.

"Do you like our artwork?" asked a man to her right, and she glanced that way and then looked back again.

It took her a moment to recognise him without his mohawk. Kron stood next to her, smiling widely and holding a cup of coffee, his black mane was down, reaching his jaw, and suddenly Arianna noticed he had piercing blue eyes, but she swore they were dark brown before.

"It was Jordan's idea," he continued. "But many of the guys around here helped."

"You would think that Aurors have better things to do than messing with their colleagues," said Arianna, placing the picture back where she found it. 

Kron laughed. "Nah, there's always time for this," he said and smirked. "So, is it true?"

"We're just friends," replied Arianna automatically, and he looked at her sceptically. "Have you seen him?" 

"Wilkinson sent him to Paris with Johnson."

"Why? Wasn't it Mal–," Arianna cleared her throat, realising how hard it was to say his name. "Wasn't it M–Malfoy going with Johnson?"

"He couldn't go," said Kron casually, sipping his coffee. "Wilkinson got an urgent owl from his Healer Monday morning saying that he was indisposed for travelling."

"Wha–What's wrong with him?" asked Arianna, concerned. "Who wrote the letter? Was it Theo Nott?"

"Who knows," said Kron, shrugging. "It's probably something related to his concussion from Saturday. But he's better now. I saw him this morning."

"This morning?" asked Arianna and immediately sat down in the chair, hiding. Draco didn't have his cubicle with the rest of the Aurors as he worked undercovered, but he could stop by at any point, and she was not ready to see him. 

"Yeah, he seemed… tired," said Kron and sat at the edge of the desk. "Now that we cracked the code, he's translating the information from the Hungarian spy," he looked at her and frowned a little. "You seemed tired too, coffee?" He offered and extended his cup to Arianna, and she took it automatically, noticing his wrist reddened and scraped. 

"What happened to your wrist?"

"Pixie tied me up a bit too rough yesterday," answered Kron casually.

"Is she the reason you changed your hair? Hu?" asked Arianna playfully.

"Nah, I just got bored of it," said Kron, but Arianna wasn't convinced.

"It's your hair even black?"

"I'm blonder than Malfoy," he said irritatedly, and Arianna chuckled. "God forbids I go back to that shade. I look like a toddler… Anyway, your boyfriend is not here, and I must keep working. I have a ton to do."

He was about to stand up, and Arianna fetched his forearm.

"I was actually looking for you," she said quickly, almost whispering and leaned forwards. "I was wondering if you could give me a hand with… something …Is there a more private place where we can talk? There's a thing I need to show you."

Kron's face turned serious. "Look, Black. It's not like I haven't thought it myself," he said, leaning a bit closer. "I mean, you're super fuckable, but I have a very strict rule about not humping my colleagues."

"Ewww!" exclaimed Arianna, moving back. "Not what I meant at all!"

"What do you mean with 'ew' ?" asked Kron indignantly, folding his arms. "You don't know the things I could do to you, things that haven't even occurred to Potter. My mind is dirty, and I have a lot of imagination, Black. Ask Pixie for references if you want to; she says that I fuck better than Malfoy."

"Eww!" exclaimed Arianna once more. "Dude!"

"And I have way more experience than those two schoolboys together."

"Oh, could you just stop, please?"

"Then stop saying 'ew'!" said Kron, retaking his coffee from her hand. "You're hurting my feelings."

Arianna chuckled. "I'm positive you're great in bed, Kron," she said, trying to move past this. "Now, could you please help me with my non-sexual problem?"

"I'm extraordinary, but thank you," he clarified happily and took out his silencing egg timer from his pocket and turned it, placing it on the desk. The noises around tuned down." No one can hear us now, and no one thinks we're interesting any more. Tell me your problem, kiddo."

"You cannot say a word about this," said Arianna warningly, pointing at him with her finger. "And would you please take this seriously and not make stupid jokes?"

 "I'll be on my best behaviour."

"All right," she said and sighed, "What do you know about old magic engagement rings?"

"Do you have a ring stuck on your finger, and that's why you're wearing a glove?" asked Kron and laughed. Arianna frowned at him. "Sorry, I'll be serious," he cleared his throat. "An engagement ring basically symbolises a promise or … a contract between two parties. Right? It's the promise of a union– The union of soul and magic during a ceremony and its posterior consummation. That's why it cannot be removed as both parties have made a binding contract that they will be united."

Arianna stared at him as if this was nothing but a cruel joke. "No! this is different!" she said, stressed. "I never– He never–He never asked me! I never said yes! He doesn't want to marry me! He doesn't love me!"

"Er…" Kron cleared his throat, uncomfortable. "The ring is bonded because you accepted it, and it was willingly given to you. Words don't need to be involved… May I see it?"

Arianna removed her glove without preambles, and Kron grabbed her hand instantly, examining the ring closely. He drew his wand and hit it three times, mumbling in German.

"Can you help me take it off?" asked Arianna, glancing at the ring as if it was mocking her.

Kron scratched his jaw, contemplating the jewel. "It's not impossible, but this is an extremely powerful ring. It's goblin made– it absorbs all that makes it stronger– so it is immune to all the substances it has been immersed in. And the stone has been fed with all the Mrs Malfoys' magic for centuries which has built up an incredible potent Shield Charm… You would have to destroy it to take it off… and maybe lose your arm in the process."

"How do you know it's the Malfoys' ring?" she asked and moved back her hand as if that way he could forget looking at it.

"I've seen it before," he explained and got a bit closer. "Narcissa Malfoy let me take a look at it a while ago… Don't worry. I'll not say a word."

Arianna nodded. "So only he can take it off? That's what his mother told me."

"That I don't know, each of these ancient rings has its own rules," said Kron and looked up. "Speak of the devil. Here he comes. Why don't you ask him to take it off and see if it works?"

Arianna jumped from the chair like she had been electrocuted and dropped to her knees, crawling under the desk. 

"What the fuck, Black?" said Kron looking under the table. 

"I can't!" said Arianna, desperately curling on the corner. "I can't talk to him! Please hide me! Please!"

Kron stared at her, worried, moved the chair in front of her, and sat down, and a second later, Arianna saw a pair of Italian black shoes stopping by the cubicle.

"What are you doing here?" asked Draco, his voice flat, monotonous. 

"I like the decoration," said Kron carelessly. "But I think that if Potter was out of the picture, it would've been way better, or what do you think?"

Draco took a moment to reply, "I think you have too much free time on your hands, Kron."

"How is the translation going?"

"I'm stuck in a couple of runes that don't match the code."

"You know who is very good with runes, and I'm positive would love to help you?–"

"Not her," interrupted Draco. 

"I was going to say Nuttley, but okay," said Kron and leaned forwards. "When was the last time you slept, man? You look like shit."

"I'm fine," growled Draco at once.

"You should've stayed home one more day–"

"If I wasn't surrounded by incompetent people, I would've done so," roared Draco growing angry, and walked away a couple of steps. "But I am, so if I want things to get done properly and quickly, I have to do it myself!"

"Calm down, man," said Kron, going on his feet and standing in front of Draco very closely, followed by a patting sound. "I'll tell you what. You're gonna give me these documents, then go to your flashy apartment, pamper yourself with a bubble bath in that absurdly large bathtub of yours, have a fancy meal and sleep for at least twelve hours, and I'll see you tomorrow at a decent time, like when the sun is up and shining in the sky. I'll not leave this office until I've finished the translation. Okay?"

There was a long silence.

"Dude, you need to get some sleep," said Kron, slightly exasperated. "I'm serious. I promise you– I'll finish this. Worst case, I'll ask Nuttley for help… I also want to get those fuckers behind bars. Now get the fuck out of here."

"Owl me when you're done," said Draco as an order. "If I haven't gotten an owl from you by midnight, I'm coming back."

They both walked away, and Arianna remained hidden, still shocked by her childish behaviour. But she could not face him, much less ask him to remove the ring. She didn't have the emotional strength to do that and would break out crying in front of him, making a pathetic fool of herself again. 

"He's gone," said Kron and peeked under the desk, taking her hand and pulling her out. "I don't know what you pureblood kids are playing at, but this ring is not a toy."

"I should go," said Arianna, gazing around. "Thank you for everything."

"No problem," said Kron, looking down at his watch. "But since I'm going to stay here forever, I need a favour– I need you to buy me a cellphone, or mobile, or however you call them."

"The little phone muggles carry? Why?" asked Arianna while putting her glove.

"I've to call my Oma– my grandma and tell her I'm not coming to her birthday dinner," he said, and Arianna frowned. "Yes, Black, I'm a muggle-born. Now go, I need to get started with this shit– I don't want to get hexed at midnight by Capitan Zombie."

Two more days passed, and Arianna's poor appetite continued. By Thursday, her pencil skirt felt loose, and she had been drinking Invigorating Potions to keep on working long hours at the ministry.

Since she knew Draco was in the building, she had been avoiding him, and nothing made her more relieved than to know that the meeting was cancelled for Wilkinson and Shiori had left for Germany. But what kept her mind somewhat busy since her visit to the Auror Office was Draco's determination to quickly finish that translation. Was it pride? Was it to show his value? Was it perhaps because, even if he didn't love her, he cared enough to want to catch Rudenschöld? And for the first time, she wondered, who the fuck was Pixie? 

Arianna had also decided about her relationship with Harry and prepared a speech with several points she had memorised to make him understand she could not offer him more than her friendship. 

It was half-past six in the evening. Arianna was just finishing her duties and walked into the lift. Hermione stood next to the door wearing a burgundy suit and carrying her briefcase. 

Her eyes widened when seen Arianna, and they both greeted each other slightly awkwardly and went quiet, looking at the numbers going up. 

"Arianna," called Hermione, a distinct tone of determination in her voice. "I was planning on writing to you this evening about the Remus Lupin Foundation For Werewolves."

"The what?" asked Arianna, thinking she had missed a step.

"We got the funds to start brewing the Wolfsbane Potion," explained Hermione and the doors opened on The Atrium. "You were right– Narcissa Malfoy was willing to help."

Hermione stepped out, and Arianna followed her, stunned. 

"That's fantastic!" she exclaimed, glad for receiving good news for a change. 

"She has two conditions, though," continued Hermione, quickening her pace. "The first one is that the donations would be under Andromeda's name… Narcissa thinks that the Malfoy name would damage the program's image."

"What?" uttered Arianna. This was Narcissa's chance to rebuild her reputation; why wasn't she taking it?

"And the second one involves you," continued Hermione and, with her wand, took a little note from her briefcase and handed it to Arianna. "She asked me to offer you a position as a board member. So I thought you could be the lead Potioneer."

The tiny envelope bore the Malfoys' coat of arms. Arianna opened it and read. 

 

"I got the papers at home," said Hermione when approaching the fireplaces. "You should come with me so you can take them and think about it."

Arianna slowed her pace. "Er… is Harry back from France?" she asked, suddenly feeling somewhat nervous.  

"Yes, we had lunch together today," said Hermione, waiting for her to catch up.

Harry was back, and the opportunity to talk to him was there. Unsure if she could muster the courage to do so, she approached Hermione, and they walked into the emerald flames, and then they stepped into the empty sitting room at Harry's place. 

"The contract is in the study," said Hermione and began walking towards a door in the far left corner with Arianna trailing behind.

It was the room where Arianna had hidden during Harry's birthday party. The desk had even more perfectly organised scrolls and parchments on top of it. Bookshelves covered two walls, and a couple of wide and comfortable brown leather armchairs stood in front of the fireplace and on top of a circular Persian carpet. 

Hermione lit the fireplace with her wand, walked behind her desk, opened a drawer and took out a thick scroll and handed it to Arianna, who opened it. Narcissa's signature was already there. 

"Who drew the contract?" she asked, skimming through the document quickly.

"Nathan."

Arianna fetched the quill over Hermione's desk and signed it. 

"You should read it first!" blurted Hermione, startled.

"I don't need to," replied Arianna, putting the quill back on the inkwell. She trusted Narcissa and Nathan blindly.

Approaching voices leaked through the open door, and her heart skipped a beat.

"I feel like something with layers," said Ron's voice. "Like lasagna or shepherd's pie." 

"Lasagna sounds good," said Harry reaching the study door, and both men froze when they saw Arianna.

Harry had a dark green jumper, and even from across the room, Arianna could see how it brought up his eyes and felt her knees weakening, and half of her speech was forgotten.

"We have dinner with my parents today, Ron," said Hermione and began walking to the door.

"No, we don't," said Ron, alarmed. "We said Sunday, today is not Sunday, today is Thursday… I haven't shaved!"

"You look okay," said Hermione, taking Ron's arm and dragging him away. "We should leave now. We are already running late."

Harry and Arianna remained still while hearing Ron panicking about what to wear and complaining about why she didn't had remind him, and Arianna questioned if Hermione had done that purposefully so she and Harry could talk.  

"How was Paris?" asked Arianna, walking a couple of steps, and stood by an armchair.

"Big and crowded," answered Harry and stepped in, closing the door behind him and approaching her.

"Did you enjoy the food?" she asked, remaining very still. Trying to remember how she had managed to have a very similar conversation with Nathan last month and succeed.

"I prefer Italian," said Harry with the hint of a smirk, placing his hands behind her waist, pulling her towards him.

And then she saw those beautiful eyes of him and the way he looked at her, how good he smelt, and how much she liked his hands on her, and Arianna forgot the second part of her speech. 

She placed her hands on his chest. "You know, there is this wonderful tiny Italian place in muggle London," she said, feeling the panic growing and began babbling. "My mom and I love it, we always go there to celebrate our birthdays… It's curious, you know? My parents and I were born under the same constellation– Scorpius."

"Then you know how to name your child," said Harry, placing her hair behind her shoulder." You know, if you decide to follow the Black tradition." 

"I haven't thought of that," she whispered. "When I was younger, I wanted to follow the Vitelli way of naming children," and the thought dragged her down. Since she knew Rudenschöld was after her, she never allowed herself to think about kids or a future with anyone. "We need to talk, Harry."

"I know," he said, looking at her attentively. "You go first."

The speech was gone, and the words had deserted her. Having Harry's hands around her was not how she envisioned this conversation would happen, and she lacked the strength for pushing him away. 

"I'm a mess," she said, staring at his eyes. "My life is a fucking chaos. If things were different, I wouldn't doubt this for a second. But I can't… I can't jump into a relationship feeling the way I do. Nothing in my life is stable, and I can't give you something I don't have. I– I can't really be with anyone until Rudenschöld is dead or imprisoned and it's not fair for you that I– I still have feelings for–"

"I know," cut in Harry, breaking eye contact for a moment. "I understand. I agree. I've been thinking about it a lot this week, and I believe it's best if we continue to be just friends… I don't want to pressure you, and I think I'm not ready to start a new relationship… It's the right thing to do."

They were both on the same page, yet no one let go of each other. She felt there was something else, something untold, unfinished. And then she realised one of the fundamental reasons the conversation with Nathan had worked so well: he had an outstanding level of self-control, something Arianna and Harry didn't excel well at.

"I don't want to lose you," she whispered worryingly. "I want you to stay in my life, Harry. "

"You can never lose me, Anna," said Harry, hugging her tighter.

" Never is a very big word, Potter," said Arianna warningly. "What if I become the next great Dark wizard and the only one who can stop me is you? Hu? You know, Dumbledore-Grindelwald style. What would you do then? Would you still be my friend?"

Harry chuckled. "Then I'll stop your evil plans and make sure they put you in a nice place with a lake, and I'll come every weekend to visit with a box of chocolate mint cookies."

"If you throw a bottle of wine in that package, I'm in." 

"You cannot lose me, Anna," repeated Harry conclusively. "I already lost you once. I'm not going to let that happen again. You were one of those things that got stolen from me. Together with my parents, and Sirius, you're the last thing I have from the life I never got. So, no, you're never going to lose me."  

Arianna looked him in the eyes. "Never is a very big word," she whispered, and he leaned forwards, his nose touching hers.

"I know," he said, and she felt a magnetic force pulling her to his lips. "Everything would be so much easier if I could stop dreaming about you."

"I can brew you some Dreamless Sleep," she offered, and Harry kissed her cheek.

"But that doesn't make me forget the way you kiss," he said, kissing her jaw.

"I heard Hermione is great with Memory Charms," she whispered, sliding her arms over his shoulders.

"Why do you have to smell so bloody good?" he asked, kissing her neck.

"I can stop showering," she mumbled.

"Be quiet, Black," said Harry and kissed her on the lips, as if he had craved her mouth for ages, and soon both caved on the armchair with Arianna sitting on his lap. 

His touch and lips made her feverish, and her clothes felt restrictive and tight, and as if Harry had read her mind, he began fumbling with her buttons, loosing up her blouse while nipping on her neck.

Their breathing became faster and louder.

"I want you so badly," he said, gripping her hips possessively. 

"You do?" she asked, taking off her glove. "Where are your morals, Potter?"

"I left them in France," he answered and kissed her deeply again.

He took off her blouse, and she ran her palms under his jumper, feeling his warm skin, and slid it across his torso, pulling the garment over his head.

His glasses were gone, and her bra followed, and Harry resumed exploring and nipping her neck, chest and breasts, until he stumbled on her nipple and settled there, sucking it hard and making her moan.

The pleasure and pain became intolerable, and she shoved him away, but he didn't let her go far. His insatiable lips found their way to her earlobe while unzipping her skirt. 

"Stand up," he commanded, and she willingly obeyed. Then he pulled it down to the ground, and she climbed back on top of him.

He visited every single inch of her body, setting on fire every bit of her. The aching between her legs grew bigger. She unzipped his jeans while his fingers slither beneath her knickers and then pushed her away, making her stand and dragged them down slowly, and his bottoms followed. 

Locked in each other's gaze, she went on top of him and kissed him one more time, biting his lower lip. 

He grabbed her ass and pulled her up, and she saw the recognition in his eyes of what was about to happen. She went down, and he buried inside her, reaching far and opening her wide. His head tipped back, closing his green eyes, drowning in pleasure, and she began rocking nicely and slowly, feeling waves going through her nerves and moaning softly at every thrust.

Through half-shut eyes, he saw her, and she loved seeing him like that– His face flushed, his eyes lost in her, getting undone, feeling the power of her sex over him.

"Do you like it?" she asked and kissed him. 

"You're so fucking sexy," he groaned and clutched her hips, tugging. "I want more of you."

Harry carried her and laid her down on the carpet, pushing one knee up and against the floor. Then began thrusting hard and fast, reaching that spot deep inside of her. 

Electricity streamed through her body, getting into every single corner of it and moan after moan poured from her mouth.

It was all too much, and she tried to push him away, but he was way stronger than her.

"Stop!" she begged, but he kept going.

Harry took her to the edge, keeping her there until her brain was fried and her senses overpowered. Arianna cum with a loud moan and a galvanic blast that arched her back abruptly. And after three more aggressive shoves, he emptied inside of her, making her his. 

Boneless, she rested on the carpet with her legs shivering. Harry kissed her softly, caressing her thighs and then lied on her chest, breathing heavily.

When all her senses returned, Arianna felt something she hadn't felt in many days: hunger. 

"Do you wanna grab a bite?" she asked, heaving slightly. "We can go to that Italian place I was telling you about."

"Sure," said Harry, panting. "Just give me a few minutes."

Arianna touched the back of his neck, slightly covered in sweat and said, "There's no hurry."

They had dinner together and talked about everything but essential matters. Harry took her home and had coffee with Padma and Cho, and he left after telling her he would see her the next day for training. 

Arianna sat by her window writing a letter to her mother while an Emergency Contraceptive Potion simmered on a tiny cauldron next to her.

Somehow, she felt that a new chapter was beginning. Starting Monday, she would have a job she actually enjoyed; the things between Draco and her were clear, painful, but clear; and Harry and she would be in a new unknown stage of their friendship. 

With everything shifting continuously in her life, with all the uncertainties that she had, there was no one she needed more than her mother. And the truth was she missed her deeply. It was time to move past their disagreements and come clean about a couple of secrets, like her deal with Narcissa and the Astral Ring.




Chapter 28: Shimmering Scars

Chapter Text

 

"It's a recipe for disaster," said Agata from outside the fitting room at Madam Malkin's. "Why would you try on a dress you can't afford?"

"Because I'm quite the masochist, mother," replied Arianna, slipping into the dusty blue gown she had fallen in love with and cost five times more the budget she had. 

Agata and Arianna had been hunting for a dress all Sunday morning since her mother's wedding was fast approaching. 

The curtains drew open, and Madam Malkin helped her zipped up the garment. Arianna strode to face the three-sided mirror next to the windows while her mother sat in the corner with her legs crossed, wearing a long moss green dress that fitted her perfectly. 

"You look like a princess, dear," exclaimed Madam Malkin, putting her hands together. "Absolutely gorgeous! That colour brings the blue of your eyes wonderfully."

It was a luscious ball gown with an asymmetric neckline. The top was tight and draped with a sheer fabric, and embroidered flowers cinched on the waist and sprung upwards and downwards into the vaporous skirt. 

Arianna assessed herself in the mirror, thinking that one day she would come back for this dress. Mechanically she pulled off her right glove and was about to remove the left one when she remembered why she was wearing them. 

During breakfast, she had come clean about her deal with Narcissa and her precarious situation with the Astral Ring. Her mother had held an indecipherable expression from most of the tale and only interrupted to ask a few questions. In the end, she merely expressed her intention to write to Narcissa Malfoy to clarify certain things, making Arianna feel somewhat antsy when imagining both women talking alone about Draco and her and their silly mistake. 

The bell on the door rang, signalling that someone had entered the store, Arianna glanced that way, but a rack of green and blue dress robes covered her view. 

"Buy it," said her mother, smiling warmly. "I'll pay the difference."

"Nonsense, mamma," said Arianna, marching decisively back to the fitting room. "You and Kings already have many expenses with the wedding. I'll buy the first one I tried."

Madam Malkin followed her and helped her undo her dress.

"Lisa, my apprentice, will assist you now, dear," she said, opening the curtains for her. "The young lady that just came in is searching for a wedding dress and has an appointment personally with me."

The curtains shut behind her, and Arianna tried to calm herself down; Astoria could not possibly be searching for a dress after just one week of getting engaged. She changed to her second favourite dress, and a light brown haired girl went inside to help her button up the dark blue gown with a mermaid cut and an off-the-shoulder neckline. 

The doorbell rang once more.

"Good morning, Harry," greeted Agata. 

"Good morning, Ms Vitelli," said Harry, his voice more formal than usual. 

"You always call me Agata. I don't see why that should change… I heard you're taking my daughter to a quidditch match today."

"Er… yes. My friend Ron is playing and … he invited her to come… so, yeah…we are going."

There was a tingling on her belly, and she wished Lisa would hurry up with those buttons. Having her mother and Harry hanging out alone provoked her high-stress levels. When the dress was closed, Arianna shoved the curtains aside. Harry sat next to her mother, he smiled as soon as he saw her, and she did the same. 

The apprentice took her to a small rounded platform and began mounting pins on the sides of her waist and hemline. And after a few minutes of a rather awkward chat between them, her mother left to meet Kingsley, for they were trying on wedding cakes.

"Lisa," called Madam Malkin from the back of the store. "Would you be a dear and get the Spanish gown we got yesterday?"

Lisa excused herself and disappeared through a hidden door next to the tiny fitting room, and a second later, Arianna had Harry's arms around her.

"Does it look good?" asked Arianna while Harry carried her down from the platform.

"Uh-huh," he said and kissed her. "You could wear a pillowcase and still look amazing."

Arianna chuckled, and they began snogging while Harry's hands slid to her bum. 

"I cannot see how the dress flows standing there!" snapped a woman's voice, followed by the sound of heels clacking decisively on the wooden floor.

They looked over and saw Pansy Parkinson appearing from behind a rack of black gowns in a flowy silk wedding dress with Astoria tagging behind. Harry moved up his hands to her waist, and the four of them stared at each other speechless for a split moment. 

Pansy observed Arianna from head to toes. "The other one is better," she said unquestionably. "It’s the Prime Minister's wedding, not a Friday evening at the Dormant Dragon."

"Didn't you hear, Pans?" sneered Astoria. "She can't afford it."

A tall, handsome man emerged from behind the rack, and Arianna stopped breathing.

"Perhaps Potter should be a good boyfriend and get it for her," said Draco in a voice so deep and algid that the ambience of the store became ice cold. 

Harry's body instantly stiffened, and Arianna's eyes went back to Pansy, incapable of looking at Draco directly.

"Alright!" said Pansy promptly, seizing Draco by the elbow and dragging him away. "Let's try on the Spanish dress."

Astoria lagged behind with a curious stare, and her eyes went to Arianna's gloved hands and then followed the others.

The seamstress came back and continued with the tailoring. Arianna kept throwing nervous glances to the end of the store and to Harry, who stared at the spot where the Slytherins had disappeared. When the fitting was done, she changed into a pair of jeans and a Chudley Cannons hoodie and approached the desk to fill a purchase note by herself since Lisa searched for more dresses for Pansy and she was eager to leave the shop. 

Harry held her from behind, looking over her shoulder.

"That's not your name," he said and Arianna looked at the paper. She had written "Vitelli". Harry erased the word with his wand, and Arianna dipped the quilled back on the inkwell.

"Force of habit," she said.

"B-L-A-C-K, Black," said Harry, putting her hair aside and kissing her neck.

Arianna chuckled and then felt observed. It was unnecessary to lift her gaze to know who was lurking next to them; she could feel him. Harry looked up and dragged her closer to his body.

"Are you seriously taking her on a date to a quidditch game?" asked Draco, with a bitter voice, leaning on the counter. "When did you meet her, Potter? Yesterday?"

Lisa returned behind the desk, and Arianna focused all her attention on her.

"I've filled the form," said Arianna quickly. "Please, owl me when the dress is done."

"Funny," said Harry sharply, moving Arianna to his left and away from Draco. "I don't remember asking you for dating advice."

Lisa glanced at the men with eyes wide open. "Your–Your mother paid for the last dress you tried," she babbled to Arianna.

"I think you're confusing her with the Weasley girl," snarled Draco, standing straight. "Vitelli is not another simple girl you can amuse with quidditch and cheap beer."

"Don't you worry, Malfoy," growled Harry, growing taller. "I think I know pretty well what she likes and how she likes it."

"Madam Malkins has my measurements," continued Arianna, feeling her cheeks growing hot and throwing a quick glance at Harry. "I can come back another time for the fitting if needed."

Both men stared at each other, utterly immobile as if they were of stone. Arianna dared to glance at Draco; his skin was paler and bore deep dark circles under his eyes.

"Draco," said Astoria, approaching rapidly. "What's going on, honey?"

"Nothing, darling," replied Draco, dragging his voice. "I'm just chatting with the Potters."

"Harry," said Arianna, touching his forearm cautiously. "Would you please bring me my purse so we can leave? I left it in the fitting room."

Harry looked at her, and she almost backed one step. The last time she had seen him this mad, he had punched Draco in the face. "I'll be right back," he said with a deep, low voice and kissed her on the lips before marching away.

Startled, Arianna grabbed the parchment and signed it with a slightly trembling hand, and felt Draco moving next to her and furiously stormed to the back of the store.

"What's the fuck is going on, Vitelli?" asked Astoria, getting closer. 

"It's Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy," answered Arianna, throwing a glare at her. "Who the fuck knows."

The rumours that Arianna and Harry were together spread faster than Dragon Pox through the ministry. During her first week as a Potioneer, every morning, when crossing the oak doors, at least one person would elbow Harry or say something to him on the lines of "Look– Your girlfriend, go and say hi," and she would run to the Potions Department and stay all day there.

Draco Malfoy was another excellent reason to remain hidden. The idea of bumping into him made her both nauseous and choleric. Once again, she was baffled by his behaviour. After admitting that he did not have feelings for her, how could he dare to act in such a way? He was like a spoiled boy throwing a tantrum over a toy he had ditched and another kid had found, suddenly deciding he was not done playing with it. 

Thankfully, her new job became a wonderful escape from her troubling life. Arianna loved everything surrounding potion-making, from putting on her purple robe uniform to gathering the ingredients to the actual brewing. It was a science where precision, patience and passion were paramount, which submerged her in the process entirely, vanishing the world. 

The Auror Potions Department was divided into two areas. The first room had five cubicles for the Potioneers and a small office that belonged to the Coordinator. The second one was for brewing. It was a well-litten chamber with shelves filled with books, cauldrons, scales and other potion-making instruments, seven long wooden tables stood in the middle, and a small door in the far end of the room led to a large cupboard for ingredients and essential potions. 

On Thursday afternoon, Arianna placed back ingredients in the darkened cupboard, ambling between the many shelves while mindlessly singing "Green Eyes" by Coldplay.

"I came here with a load

And it feels so much lighter now I've met you"

 

She placed a small flask with porcupine quills in its place and continued walking.

 

"And honey, you should know

That I could never go on without you"

 

Then stopped, trying to remember from where she took the dragon scales.

 

"Green eyes"

 

And remembering, she headed to the dark end of the room to put it back.

 

"Honey, you are the sea

Upon which I float"

 

There was a creak, and Arianna looked over her shoulder to the door; it was partly opened, but no one was there. Thinking that maybe one of her colleagues had peaked inside and left, she walked back to the entrance. And when she was about to reach it, the door closed abruptly, and she let out a scream.

Someone laughed next to her, and she recognised the sound, realising that Harry hid under his Invisibility Cloak.

"Stop doing that!" demanded Arianna, stretching her arms, searching for him, and bumped into something. She pulled down the invisible fabric to find his eyes smiling at her. Those fucking eyes. "It's completely inappropriate to use your cloak like that!"

Harry held her waist and pushed her softly against the door, keeping his face very close to hers, their lips almost touching. He had a nice minty breath and smelt like aftershave. 

"Potter, I thought we had an agreement," said Arianna, trying to drown her smile.

"I know," said Harry brushing his nose against hers. "But I don't remember what it was."

"We can't… you know… Not when we're at work." 

Harry laughed, "You're the one who dragged me to the showers to shag this morning after training."

"I dragged you?" asked Arianna, lifting her eyebrows. "I've never seen you disappear more quickly under your cloak than today... And we should stop doing this , overall."

"You keep saying that," he said, his hands moving up her back. "You love saying that. But I don't really think you mean it."

 "I do!" she said and wished she had the willpower to push him away, but instead, rubbed his arms.

"You said that last Friday after we did it in the Moody Mandrake's restroom," said Harry, his hand went down to her knee and lifting it to his hip, "And on Saturday after Hermione's birthday party but stayed the night." He pressed his body against hers, and she gasped softly. "Then you gave me a looong speech on Monday, and we ended up humping on a broom closet." His naughty hand slid under her skirt, caressing her thigh. "Even yesterday, you attempted some words when I walked you home, but it was your idea to break into a car to shag." He kissed her jaw, and she threw her head back. "I'm getting some mix signals here." 

Arianna spent most of her day reminding herself why being with Harry was a foolish idea. But every rational thought would abandon her as soon as he entered the room. Harry was like a drug, and she was high on him. He was one of the most potent substances she had ever tried, no potion could compare with the effect he had on her, that hindered her from pain, numbed her mind and expanded her chest the way he did. 

And the great sex made it so much harder to put a stop to. He could read her like an open book, anticipate every move, and give her exactly what she wanted without saying a word. To a point where she seriously considered he was a Legilimens.

"I think I'm addicted to you, Black," murmured Harry in his mouth and finally kissed her. "I really think we should have a little chat."

"I thought you were tired of my speeches," she whispered, her head cloudy and her body heating. 

"I want to leave things clear this time," he said, his lips brushing her ear, and his hand slipped further beneath her dress, reaching her ass. "You know, I find it rather silly that everyone in the office and in Britain thinks that we're together, but we are not, but we are," he sucked her earlobe. "And if you still insist on doing oral presentations, then I'm way more fond of something of the sort you gave me last Saturday at the quidditch match."

"Harry!" exclaimed Arianna, her cheeks scalding hot.

"Look who is blushing," he said and kissed her cheek. "And that's a good example of the improper use of the Invisibility Cloak."

"We can go to my flat after the meeting," said Arianna wondering how feasible was to fuck in the cupboard. "Blair and Padma won't be home tonight. We can talk there."

They kissed her deeply, and she clenched his hair. Her hand went to his jeans and unfastened them effortlessly.

Harry groaned. "I have to go," he said, moving his hips away from her and fixing his denims. "I have a meeting with Wilkinson in ten minutes."

Arianna glanced at him reproachfully, "You're such a tease, Potter."

He smiled, sliding her away from the door. "I'll see you in an hour," he said and kissed her one more time before sneaking under his cloak.

Fifty minutes later, Arianna and Kron headed to their weekly meeting with the Investigation Team while he talked in detail about his last sordid sexual encounter with Pixie, the girl Arianna could only assumed was a waitress from one of Blaise's restaurants. 

Kron placed his wand on the doorknob and spoke, " Veritas Vinciti ," and the door swung open. As soon as they went inside, Arianna felt a heaviness in the air.

Harry, Angelina, Jordan and Draco were already seated. But this time, the only one skimming documents was Draco, while the others stared at nothing with a sombre face. Harry glanced at her and gave her a small smile that, instead of making her feel welcome, she felt frightened. Something was wrong.

Arianna sat between Harry and Kron and across from Angelina, flanked by Jordan and Draco. No one said a word. The couple had their arms crossed, jaw clenched and were tuning the back on each other. 

The feeling of being observed arose, and her eyes dropped to the files in front of her. Draco watched her with such intensity that it scorched her, and rage began forming on her chest; he did not have the right to look at her anymore. 

Pressure began building on her chest, and the words "I don't have feelings for you" and "I don't love you" crept into her mind, making a big tear roll down her cheek. She wiped fast and tucked her hair behind her ear, covering her sudden movement. But the heftiness just kept on growing, becoming harder to breathe, and she gazed at Harry, who seemed absorbed in his thoughts.

Wilkinson, Shiori and Nuttley arrived and took their seats at the head of the table as they always did. A large Scandinavian peninsula map materialised on the table with several red circles drawn in the Northern mountains between Norway and Sweden. 

"As you might know by now," said Wilkinson, making a steeple of his fingers. "Thanks to the brilliant work of Malfoy and Kron, the information given by our Hungarian allies was decoded," he glanced around the table, preparing himself to disclose the findings. "The High Regime is developing weapons and hexes in the Scandinavian Mountains … Early this morning, there was a meeting with the Northern countries, and we agreed on sending a team to find their location and investigate their plans. This team would be conformed of Swedish, Norwegian and British Aurors, and we are planning on beginning the expedition at the end of next month," Jordan huffed, and Wilkinson continued. "Johnson, Potter and Malfoy, gather your winter gloves– It's going to be chilly. Shiori would be leading the team, so the four of you need to dust off your knowledge on tracking and wilderness skills." 

Arianna felt a sudden coldness hitting her core, and her eyes met Harry's. His face seemed serene.

There was a loud snort, and everyone looked at Jordan, who stared at the wall, his breath was heavy and a vein pulsed in his forehead.

"Jordan," called Wilkinson calmly. "I can tell you're dying to say something. Come on now, speak, don't be shy."

"I volunteer to go in Johnson's place," said Jordan firmly. "I'm better prepared for this kind of mission than she is."

"Lee!" screamed Angelina, turning to face him. "I'm an Auror too! I'm as prepared as you are!"

"Angie, we are talking about endless darkness and freezing temperatures!" snapped Jordan raising his voice. "There are dragons, giants and werewolves on those mountains! Why do you think the High Regime chose that place?– It's an incredibly lethal location without the need of Black Magic."

"We volunteered, Lee!" spat Angelina, hitting the table. "I volunteered to go!"

"Why on earth would you do that?!" quarrel Jordan standing up. "There are Aurors in this office way more prepared for a mission like this than the three of you! The only one that has a reason to volunteer is Potter! And that's because Rudenschöld is after his girlfriend."

Something heavy dropped on Arianna's stomach, and the cold spread to her limbs. This was her fault. 

"Potter didn't volunteer– I'm sending him," clarified Wilkinson.

"Why? As a punishment for what happened in Vienna?" asked Jordan mockingly, looking at Wilkinson. "It's that why Malfoy is putting his precious life in danger too? Remorse because he couldn't do his job right? It's her fault what happened to her! Not Potter's, nor Malfoy's!"

"Jordan!" screamed Harry. "Shut up!" 

"What?!" yelled Jordan looking at everyone at the table. "Black should have told us the situation in the first place! And so far, she hadn't had the decency to tell us about the potion he used on her!" he gazed at Arianna, whose throat was closing. "What if they use that potion on Angie?! HU?! Or anyone on the team?! How would you feel about that?! You get to sit comfortably at home while they risk their life for you! Must be nice to be the Prime Minister's stepdaughter, isn't it?!"

Searching for air, Arianna went on her feet and clenched the back of her seat. Her chest moved up and down, and her panic began turning into something dark.

"What do you want to know, Jordan? Huh?" asked Arianna acidly, breathing heavily. "Do you want to know how repugnant it's to be touched when you don't want to be touched? Or the horrifying feeling of being a prisoner in your own body? Do you want me to tell you each of the orders he gave me and I had to obey? HUH?!... When he told me that I was part of a collection as if I wasn't anything more than a hole to be fucked?!" 

"Anna," said Harry cautiously and grabbed her forearm, but she jerked it away. 

"The Imperius Curse is better than that shit!" shouted Arianna. "Or do you want me to tell you about the sequels after that? About the nightmares and intrusive memories, the shame and pain! Do you want to know how I hurt myself to cope with all that shit?! DO YOU WANT ME TO SHOW YOU THE SCARS?!" 

Arianna began hyperventilating harder, and the walls closed on her. Harry stood up and held her by the arms, saying something she could not understand, and she shoved him away.

"Leave me!" she blurted and turned to face Jordan again. "Lee and I are having a chat! Do you know how hard it is to trust someone again after that?! Do you know how unfair it's to be hunted down for defending myself?! HOW CRUEL IT'S TO BE HURT AS IF I WASN'T ALREADY HURT AND TORN?!"

Her voice broke, and for the first time, she looked at Draco in the eyes and tears began building.

"I would rather die than drink that potion again," she said with a deep, dangerous voice, staring back at Jordan. "I'm sorry for not telling you about a memory I have trouble discussing even with myself. Forgive me for not going in their place, even if I want to. And let me remind you that this is not only for my safety– The danger is upon all of us."

Storming out of the conference room, she rushed to the lavatory, locking herself in there. Her stomach revolted, and she vomited, cold sweat covered her forehead, and she took off her confining dress and gloves. And trembling, she went on her feet to open the sink faucet at its maximum and threw water at her face, chest and back. 

Arianna stared at her reflection in the mirror and turned sideways to see several tiny shimmering dots across her left side, over the ribs. They looked like small dragon burns, imperceptible to touch and hard to see for the naked eye, but they were there. Alaric Rudenschöld was dead, but he would always live on her mind and scars.

A thought harassed her when she felt the most hurt. She wished that Alaric had raped her and Obliviated her like he did with the other girls. That way, she would not have to exist the rest of her life with those recollections, with that abominable, repugnant feeling of being a slave of his words. And then she had to force herself to remember that he was dead, that he would never touch another girl because she had killed him, and that was good.

Arianna would never go through that again, she had promised to herself. If Ritter Rudenschöld would make her drink the potion, she was ready to die if the substance touched her lips. 

If Antidote A or B would not work or were taken away from her, she would grab her knife and stab herself in the carotid artery. Her obsidian blade was soaked in Venomous Tentacula juice, making all injuries unhealable. She would die, but she would die free.

And right there, she fully understood why she could not be with Harry. With anyone, for that matter. Deep down, Arianna was convinced that Rudenshöld would kill her. How could she make him fall in love with her when sooner or later he would have to bury her? How could she do this to someone who had already lost so much?

After fifteen minutes, and with a courage that she did not know had, Arianna went back to the conference room. 

Nuttely was speaking and stopped. The room remained silent as she walked back to her chair, and then he continued talking about his research on the possible locations where the High Regime was operating in Norway. 

At the end of the meeting, Wilkinson gave everyone an assignment. And for the first time in a month, Arianna finally felt useful when he asked her to brew potions that could be suitable for the expedition. 

As she put away her notes, she felt again observed by Draco, and with the corner of her eye, she saw him leaning towards her over the table when Lee Jordan spoke.

"Arianna," said Jordan with a remorseful expression. "Can I talk to you for a minute? I would like to apologise."

Draco stood up and left rapidly, leaving his things behind.

"There's no need, Lee," said Arianna lowly. "I understand you didn't mean to be rude. You're just afraid that something might happen to Angie."

"Still," he said regretfully. "I was a pig… You should hex me." 

"We're fine, really. Don't worry," she mumbled, wishing he would leave.

Jordan kept apologising for nearly ten minutes while Arianna reassured him that everything was alright until, finally, he and Angelina left, leaving Harry and Arianna alone. Her eyes finally met his, and there were no words necessary. They both knew in that instant where they stood– Arianna was putting an end to their affair, and he disagreed.

"I'm sorry Wilkinson is sending you to Norway," Arianna said sadly. 

"Don't be," said Harry earnestly. "I would have volunteered anyway."

"I'd volunteer if they let me."

Harry took a deep breath. "I have to confess something," he said. There was something between fear and pain in his eyes. "I voted against you going to missions. I know that it's very hypocritical of me, I just–"

He went silent and looked away, searching for words. 

"You just what?!" blurted Arianna angrily. "You don't think I'm capable, do you?"

"I think it's too dangerous," answered Harry.

"I'm sick and tired of hearing that!" snapped Arianna, standing up. "Why can no one see it?! –It's dangerous even if I stay here! He could kill me the moment he wants to!"

"Don't say that," said Harry, going to his feet. "It's not true. We are going to get him. He's not going to win–" 

"He's already winning, Harry!" yelled Arianna, moving away from him. "He's taking my life away! I'm not free! If I was free, I would've never left Britain! I would be studying to be a Healer, working at St. Mungo in the Poisoning Department! I would think of names for my future children! I would dream of the idea of teaching potions at Hogwarts when I'm older! I don't have any of that! I don't have a future! I barely have a present!–"

"You're letting him do that!–" shouted Harry, getting closer.

"So what do you suggest?!" hissed Arianna, taking a step back. "That I live out of false hopes? That I made new friends and have a boyfriend? That I put more people in danger? What's the point if I would end up dead and leave them crying over my dead body!" 

Harry pursed his lips. "Yeah… " he said lowly. "So instead, you just have me standing on the door threshold."

Her heart twitched painfully. "We can't be together, Harry," said Arianna, and for the first time, she really meant it. "I don't want to put you in danger… in more danger than you already are."

"I don't care about Rudenschöld."

"I do," said Arianna. "And I couldn't bear it if something happens to you because of me. We should go back to be just friends… we need to put those feelings aside–" 

"Wake up, Anna!" screamed Harry, throwing his hands in the air. "We are rubbish at it! Those feelings are leaking through the walls and doors and stones! We can't– I can't be just friends. I can't go back there! It's impossible!"

Arianna felt the walls closing on her. "I can't do this now," she said and headed promptly to the entrance pushing the door. But as soon as it opened, it closed back violently. A wave of horror hit her. Terrified, she turned around and saw Harry irate with his wand in hand.

"Let me go," she muttered, and Harry's expression shifted immediately. With a shift of his wand, the door opened again, but she was incapable of moving.  

A long silence grew between them as they looked at each other.

"I told you you will never lose me," said Harry coolly and decisively. "You say you want to be just friends. Fine. I'll give you that… But I can’t do that right now…I think you should start training with someone else. We aren't making progress anyway– We know each other too well."

"Harry," she whispered, hurt.

"What? This is what you want, isn't it?" asked Harry and grabbed his satchel. "But you can't expect me to just shut down how I feel."

Harry passed by her and left the room. Arianna followed him, but he was faster. Her lips wanted to scream his name, but she swallowed it. Her feet wanted to run after him, but she stopped chasing him. And with tears streaming down, she watched him leave her, forming a crack on her already broken soul.

"It's for his own good," she whispered to herself, but that did not stop her suffering.

Arianna made her way back home the muggle way, wandering on the London streets and taking the underground, emerging herself in that parallel world. She did not care that strangers stared at her while she kept whipping and sobbing, grieving not only for her own pain but also for hurting Harry.

It took her nearly two hours to make her way home. She climbed the stairs, preparing to enter her empty apartment and opened the door. The fireplace was lit and her eyes landed on the figure that sat on her blue armchair.

Arianna froze on the spot, feeling like she had opened the door to a different dimension when she saw Draco Malfoy in the dimmed sitting room.

Draco looked at her and stood up immediately. His eyes and nose were redden, his hair dishevelled, and his shirt half untucked. 

"What are you doing here?" asked Arianna, shocked. "How did you come in?" 

"I lied!" yelled Draco with exasperation, extending his arms. "All right?! I LIED!"



 

Chapter 29: Magnets and Puzzles 

Notes:

Chapter 29!! Happy reading!

Chapter Text

 

"Are you drunk?" asked Arianna, wondering if the world had gone mad. 

Draco ran his hand through his hair. "I can't do this shit anymore!" he screamed. "It burns me! It fucking BURNS me to know I hurt you! It sickens me the things I said to you!"

Arianna stepped inside, "What are you–?" 

"It was real!" yelled Draco frantically, lifting his arms. "It has always been! I lied! I lied in the library!"

An icy sensation travelled her bones when realising what he meant. "What are you playing at?" she asked resentfully. "This is not funny. Please, leave."

"I'm mad about you, Arianna! I've always been!" confessed Draco earnestly. "I have feelings for you! I've always had!" 

Her mind went completely blank when hearing the words for years she had longed for him to say.

"I'm marrying her because I have to," said Draco, trying to control his voice. "Foolishly, I thought– I thought that if I pushed you away… If–if you thought I was over you, if you thought I didn't care about you, you'd stay out of my life, and everything would be so much easier.

But since you came back, I have just been making one stupid mistake after the other because I can't fucking keep away from you no matter how bloody hard I try!… And then Potter, seriously?! It's like someone crawled into my brain, took my worst nightmare and made it real! But I'm doing the same shit to you, so I can't complain much, can I?! … And that bloody ring …."

Draco went quiet and stared at a delicate side table. He lifted his head and moved closer, closer enough for Arianna to see a shadow of despair shining through his eyes.

"I know you have been through hell and back, Arianna," he said with a pained expression. "I know, and it hurts me. I caused you pain, and I'm sorry, I am. I thought it was for the best, I thought that way everything would be easier, but it made it so much worse.So here I am asking you to forgive my stupidity, for hurting you, for not being able to give you what you want and deserve, and I'm here to beg you to please stay away from me because I can't fucking do that."

Arianna stared at him as if he was a hallucination. Her mind resisted forming a coherent thought while her mouth waited partly open for words to be pronounced. 

"Why– why do you have to marry her?" she asked faintly, picking the only piece of information she could deal with. "Is– is it because of your inheritance?"

Draco laughed bitterly, "I don't give a fuck about that." 

"So why then?" asked Arianna and took a step, dropping her satchel on the floor. "Is she pregnant? Is your father forcing you?"

Draco lowered his head and shook it. "I can't say." 

"Draco–" said Arianna supplicantly. 

"I'm leaving," he said with a deep voice. "I just–I just had to tell you."

"Draco, talk to me," insisted Arianna and walked closer. "You can trust me."

"It's not about trust, Arianna," he said and pleaded, " Please , move away from the door, so I can leave." 

Arianna's brain was shattered. There were no thoughts or feelings, just turmoil voices she could not understand, emotions she could not discern. And she stepped to her right, Draco passed quickly next to her, and the door shut after him. 

For a whole minute, she remained paralysed until something that shone over the coffee table called her attention. Lighted by the shy light from the dying fire was the silver teapot from her morning tea with Harry standing next to a couple of blue mugs, still carrying the remains of the now cold liquid. 

The sight dragged her down. The flat felt haunted by their ghosts, and her impulse was to get out of there and hide somewhere safe. Her childhood home came to mind, and she reached for the door handle and twisted it, opening the door. 

Draco leaned his forehead against the door frame with his eyes shut. He opened them slowly, and they looked at each other with expressionless faces, both tired of this endless dance, both broken and hurt, both trapped in a life that was not their choice.

Her arms stretched towards him, and her fingers curled on his shirt, and she dragged him inside. Obediently, Draco followed, closing the door behind him and wrapping his arms around Arianna. 

"I miss your eyes," said Draco slowly, his hand submerging on her mane. "That's the hardest part. Mine feel like dying if they don't see yours… I crave your caramel skin and the scent of your hair, your childish laugh and the way you move, your nerdy talk, the way you shine when something excites you… And those lips, Merlin…I would die for those lips."

Arianna clenched his shirt, deciding he needed to know how much she cared for him, how many years she had longed for his embrace.

"Draco–" 

"Don't say anything," he cut in and tightened his hug. "Just let me hold you, just a moment longer. That's all I want." 

She dived on the warmth of his skin, the sound of his slowing heartbeat and his scent– creamy, rich and warm. A bittersweet feeling spread across her body. She felt like crying and laughing, the wolf clenching her heart and her lungs filling with light. 

"You hurt me," whispered Arianna.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't do that again."

"I won't, I promise. I'm sorry."

"Draco, I need a favour," Arianna said, slipping her hands between them, pushing him slightly away. "Please, take the ring. I can't have it any longer."

Draco let go of her and seized her left hand, drawing her next to the faint gleam by the fireplace, and took off her left glove. One hand moved softly through her forearm, and the other toyed with the ring.

"I can't take it off either," said Draco, staring at the jewel. "I'm sorry."

"But your mom said–"

"She lied to you," said Draco and swallowed. "She was testing me."

Arianna shook her head. "Just try."

"It won't come off."

"Just try," she insisted, growing desperately.

Draco held the ring and pulled. It did not move.

"Why is it stuck?!" she asked, stamping one foot on the floor. "Why does it think we made a promise? It's all because of that, isn't it?"

"Promises can be broken," said Draco, tracing the diamond's oval shape. "This ring acts deeper than what our consciousness wants."

"I don't understand," she whispered, searching his eyes.

Draco looked at her softly and saddened. Arianna could see the hesitation behind his grey eyes and the exact moment when he decided to tell her the truth. 

He drew his breath and released it. "If I had given this ring to Astoria, she or I could have taken it off … because I don't love her and… she–she doesn't love me either."

Arianna moved her hand from his grip and, almost fainting, sat on the sofa by the window, staring down at the nearly deserted street.

Everything became crystal clear. Draco knew she loved him when she could not take the ring off, and now Arianna knew he loved her too – The ring was anchored from both ends.

"It will come off eventually," said Draco and sat next to her. "Just give it time. One day you will stop…." He did not finish the sentence, and both looked outside in silence.

"What if that never happens?" wondered Arianna quietly, staring back at him. "I can't live with this ring, Draco, not like this."

His gaze remained in the outside world. The faint glare lightened the premature thin lines on his face, speaking of the burdens he bore.

"I believe Mother knows how to remove it, but she won't tell me," said Draco, a hint of frustration staining his voice. "We're not on good terms right now."

"I'll talk to her–"

"Don't underestimate my mother, Arianna," said Draco gazing back at her. "She has her own agenda, and only the Gods know what it is."

Curiously enough, she did not feel betrayed by Narcissa, even if she should be. And while replaying the conversation they had about the ring a couple of weeks ago, her train of thoughts shifted paths when she found herself staring at the nearest blue mug. 

The tea was tainted with milk, and the cup was half full. It was Harry's. He had the habit of never finishing his second serve of tea, and the memories of the uncountable times she had teased him about it made her look away. 

The last kiss Harry gave her still lingered on her lips, and the wounds from their fight were open and bleeding, her tears drying on her skin.

Everything Arianna had told Harry was still real. There was nothing she could offer Draco and nothing he could offer to her. They loved each other, and that was it. Just a fact that stared at them mockingly. 

"Why are you marrying her?" she asked once again. "Why are you marrying Astoria? Whatever it is you can fight against, I'll help you… You know, it's not because of me, I just think– I think you should be with someone that makes you happy… someone you want to be with."

"I always knew I would never marry someone I loved," said Draco, giving his attention to Arianna's black lace glove while sliding softly through his long fingers. "Because that's not what marriage is about… according to my family, at least. Marrying someone for love is something weak people do. Marriage is about forming the right alliance… it's choosing the one that is best for the family."

"That's romantic," muttered Arianna.

"If things were different," he said, lifting his gaze. "If I had a choice– a better choice… I wouldn't care going against Father. I wouldn't care about the inheritance and the legacy if I could be with you."

Arianna looked down at the ring, damning Rudenschöld and Astoria and the whole world and everyone on it. "Maybe we're cursed," she said sadly, and bit her cheek to stop the tears from falling. 

"I'm pretty sure we are." 

"I wonder who would possibly curse the Black and Malfoy clan," said Arianna and chuckled, smearing a tear. "They are such lovely families."

Draco went on his feet. "I should go," he said, and Arianna nodded, still staring at the ring. He strode to the entrance, opening the door.

"Draco," she called, gazing his way. "Did you ever read my letters?"

"Read them?" said Draco, turning around. "I memorised them… All twenty-one of them," for a moment, it seemed like he wanted to walk towards her but did not. "I just want you to be happy, Arianna… even if it's with Potter."

"Draco…," she murmured with a lump on her throat that stopped the words she had never had the guts to say to anyone. 

They stared at each other for a moment, and then he closed the door as he left.

For hours, Arianna remained in the dark while attempting to discern her feelings, and by dawn, she reached a certain level of clarity. 

She carried strong deep feelings for Harry. He was like a puzzle piece that fit perfectly and effortlessly into her life. A part that, if gone, would make her incomplete. And Draco… Draco was like a magnet, a force beyond her understanding that pulled her incessantly and involuntarily despite the years and the distance. With him, she wanted all or nothing.

Draco asked her to stay away, and so she did. Harry asked her the same, and she obliged. They both became planets that orbit around her but never meet. Since the expedition to Norway was announced, she rarely saw them as both spent long periods training their tracking and wilderness skills in the Scottish Highlands. 

Knowing that Draco loved her was the only thing saving her from falling to perdition, and at the same time, it was torture… But losing Harry was agony. 

In her life, Arianna had been addicted to many things, from sour-apple lollipops, to Dreamless Sleep potions and cigarettes. But she had never missed something or someone this badly. Sleeping became hard without his arms around her, the absence of his lips and touch drove her insane, but it was the lack of his company and laughter that left a void in her. 

For three months, she met Harry every morning for training, and as much as she hated waking up so early, it was the highlight of her days. His messy hair and honest green eyes had made their way quickly into her life and her heart. His friendship became one of her most beloved treasures, and now it was lost.

Despite going to his house once a week since Hermione, Nathan, Andromeda and her gathered there to discuss the Remus Lupin Werewolf Foundation, she never saw a trace of him. On the other hand, Ginny was always around. A fact that did not make Arianna particularly jolly, and she deemed inevitable that they would get back together, but even if the idea troubled her, she knew Ginny cared for Harry and could offer him a lovely future …. Unlike Astoria to Draco.

Blair tried to get from Blaise why Draco had to marry her, which led them to a massive fight that almost ended their relationship when he refused to tell her. So, for everyone’s sake, Arianna decided to take the matter into her own hands.

For weeks, she chased Theo on her quest to unveil the truth, but he relentlessly avoided her no matter how many owls she sent him or the number of times she had shown up in St. Mungo unannounced. In desperation, she tried to discuss the issue with Narcissa, who had never shut down a subject so fast, making it clear that the topic was out of limits. And after weeks filled with frustration, she stood on the verge of brewing Veritaserum and slipping it into Pansy's tea next time she met with her mother to discuss the wedding plans. 

Naturally, with so many more important things swirling around her, the Astral Ring became the least of her concerns. Agata had met with Narcissa in private, where the latter promised to look into old journals and manuscripts in search of a harmless way to remove it. And as a temporary solution, her mother enchanted a simple jade ring that made the Astral Ring invisible when in contact with it. Since Arianna was weary of using gloves and had misplaced her favourite ones, she found the new idea timely.

The days grew colder and shorter as the end of October approached. The closer their departure was, the more mortified she grew. They were well-trained, clever and experienced Aurors, but her chest shrank every time she thought about them far away in an inhospitable environment chasing down Dark wizards.

It was the last Thursday she would see them. The meeting was cancelled, but she and Kron will hand them the artefacts and potions they prepared for them in the afternoon. 

Arianna spent all morning drumming her fingers on her desk, going over and over the list of substances she had done and wondered if she had missed something indispensable. Her mind also revolved around the conundrum of how she was supposed to say goodbye to them. Her connection with Harry was broken, and she wished to mend it before he left; she could not stand the idea of leaving things like that if something happened to him. And Draco… was she even allowed to hug him?

It was almost half-past three when she headed to the Brewing room. As she walked to the far end table, Arianna gave a small smile and nodded at two colleagues that worked on their cauldrons. Then she gathered her hair into a long braid and tossed it back. 

All the small flasks and vials filled with colourful potions were meticulously lined and organised, waiting to be placed in the box Kron had designed for them. She began counting them for the millionth time that day when someone called her name.

"Black!" shouted Kron, heading towards her with a big smile, making the Potioneers glare annoyingly at him. "Here are the containers." 

He went to the other side of the table and placed four small octagonal wooden boxes on the surface. They were the size of a soap bar.

"You're joking," said Arianna, annoyed. "I can't even fit one flask in those ones!"

"They have an Extension Charm," explained Kron and leaned on the table. 

Squinting her eyes at him, she picked up a box and lifted the lid. The inside seemed like a small cupboard divided with wooden shelves on every side and she counted them quickly.

"There are only twenty-four spots here!" she said indignantly. "I have twenty-five potions, Kron. I told you that!"

"Leave one out," said Kron simply, examining one flask and shaking its content. "I couldn't make them bigger and risk the integrity or the size of the box – It has to be practical and highly resistant."

"All are important!" blurted Arianna, snatching the bottle from his hand and placing it in its proper place.

Kron shrugged, "Well… ask them which one they want out." 

"Whatever…" said Arianna, irritated and began levitating the potions one by one into the box shelves.

"Black, you're a Potioneer…" said Kron, taking another bottle and studying it. 

"What gave me away?"

"Can I ask you a question?" said Kron, handing Arianna the substance. "Just between us two." 

"Shoot," she said, grabbing the bottle he offered her.

"Let's say that Rundenschöld choked on a potato and died," he said, taking the next bottle on the line. "You and Potter give it another shot, get two dark-haired kids, and everything is wonderful. But one day, you two wake up feeling very kinky–" 

"Kron!" scolded Arianna. 

"I have a point! I promise!" he said rapidly, and Arianna rolled her eyes, so he proceeded. "So you and Potter are feeling naughty and think you want a blond and taller kid this time, and you have around some Polyjuice potion, and you know… Potter has a collection of Malfoy's eyelashes. So he uses that, and you fuck, and you get pregnant. Would it work? Who would be genetically the father? Potter or Malfoy?"

Arianna stared at him for a moment. "First of all, thank you for not making it creepy," she said sarcastically and glanced over her shoulder, checking her coworkers were focused on their work and she whispered. "And second of all, that's illegal."

"So it's possible?" asked Kron excitedly. "How do you do that?"

"I'm not telling you that!"

"It's purely academic curiosity."

"Yeah, right. Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

Kron weighed his options and said, "Pixie needs to get pregnant with another guy."

"What?!" exclaimed Arianna, forgetting entirely about her task.

"He wants that too! It's all consensual," explained Kron. "But he can´t rise to the occasion because he's gay and Pixie is like his sister, but they need to have a child. So I thought–"

"Oh, dear!" interrupted Arianna, finally figuring out who that girl was. "Is Pixie Pansy Parkinson?!"

"Shhhhhh!" shushed Kron, opening his eyes widely. "Don't tell that to anyone! She will Crucio me if she finds out someone else knows!"

"I don't think you should get involved in that. You could go to Azkaban for this!"

"It would be fine," said Kron, grinning playfully.

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Arianna, placing a hand on her forehead. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

Kron laughed, "Don't be ridiculous! It's just sexual. I've told you that."

"Open your eyes, Kron," said Arianna, leaning forwards. "You're willing to commit a crime for her!"

"I'm just trying to help a … friend in need. I don't have a problem with fucking her, and Nott does. It's as simple as that."

And on a strike of inspiration, Arianna said, "Alright, I'll help."

"You will?" asked Kron, standing straight and smiling. 

"Yes," said Arianna, almost humming with joy and taking one of the vials. "Tell Theodore I'll help him and his future wife… if he helps me too."

"With what?" 

"Just tell him that," said Arianna, smiling with satisfaction and placing the potion on the box. "He will know what I mean."

"Do I look like an owl to you?" huffed Kron.

Arianna took a good look at him. "Yeah…A little bit, yes."

When Arianna finished filling the boxes, they went to the meeting room. Her hands tremble slightly while holding the four boxes, her pulse quickening to the idea of seeing them for the last time in who knew how many weeks or months. 

Angelina, Harry and Draco stood facing the wall, looking at a map depicting mountains. They wore black robes and looked dishevelled and dirty. The only one that turned around to greet them was Angelina, while Draco and Harry continued having a rather heated argument.

"For Merlin's beard, Malfoy," said Harry pointing hard on the map with his finger. "It's way more logical that they have settled on the bottom of the mountain–– The top is too exposed."

"For fuck sakes," said Draco slapping the map. "The top is more reasonable for two reasons: One, they have better visibility in case of an attack, and two, it's utterly difficult to access."

"Well, maybe they are hiding in caves, have you thought about that?" asked Harry, crossing his arms.

"Bloody hell…" said Draco, running his hands through his hair. "You and your fucking caves! Do you know what else lives in caves, Potter? Dragons and giants, it's a good example–"

"Maybe that's another reason why they are underground," argued Harry, taking a step forward. "It gives them protection against beasts and intruders that are too cowardly to come in."

"Don't pull your Gryffindor shit on me," said Draco rolling his eyes.

Angelina joined Kron and Arianna. The three of them contemplated the match that unravelled in front of them. 

"Do they fight a lot?" asked Arianna worryingly.

"They are not fighting," clarified Angelina, smirking. "This is them getting along… They are like an old married couple that bickers at each other all day."

"I think this little getaway together will strengthen their marriage," said Kron, putting down the chest he carried over the table. "There's nothing like a trip to the end of the world, surrounded by beasts and Dark wizards to revive the lost flame."

"So…" said Arianna, glancing at Angelina from top to bottom, ignoring the unsettling comment. "What happened to you? You look a little…."

"Messy?" said Angelina, placing a hand on her hip. "Have you met Grawp? Hagrid's half-brother?"

"I haven't had the pleasure," said Arianna, who had heard a handful of stories about him from Harry and Ron.

"He doesn't have the best social skills," said Angelina, taking a twig from her hair. "But he's the only giant around here, so we paid him a visit."

"Are you all packed and ready to go?" asked Kron, sitting on top of the table.

"Actually, there was a slight change of plans," said Angelina and sighed. "Malfoy and I are going to Dubrovnik next week. The word is that Yaxley was seen in the area yesterday night, so we are leaving with Nuttley for a week to investigate… So only Harry and Shiori are leaving for Oslo tomorrow; we will catch up with them on Sunday next week… and head to the mountains."

The news made Arianna a little relieved. All her focus could be on fixing things with Harry today and then on thinking how to say farewell to Draco.

"Hey!" greeted Jordan happily, hugging Angelina. "I came here as moral support… What are these two arguing about?" 

"Who knows," answered Angelina tiredly, looking at the two men quarrelling. "Something about mountains, I might have to kill one of them at some point… HEY! You two! Could we please start?!"

Harry and Draco turned around, suddenly aware that there were people in the room. Draco straightened his robe and dusted off his sleeves. He looked at Arianna with a hint of a smile and dragged the closest chair. While Harry avoided her eyes,  taking a seat by the table.

Kron began presenting the gadgets he had designed for them. There was a crystal ball with encapsulated sunlight, an emergency Portkey for each of them and white camouflage robes. The garments were made of a lightweight fabric that was utterly warm and resilient, it had several pockets with Extension Charms, and they could be transformed into a tent, a closed hammock, a parachute and a snowboard.

Then it was Arianna's turn. She stood up and gave them a list of the potions with instructions and individual boxes, saving the one for Shiori. 

"So everything is pretty standard," she said, placing four tiny flasks with Sleeping Draught on the table, the deep blue substance seemed almost black in the dark room. "But you need to remove one potion because it doesn't fit on the box, and it's not safe to put it in another pocket." 

"Norwegian Ridgeback venom antidote…" said Kron, reading the list over her shoulder. "Essence of Dittany…Polyjuice…Veritaserum…Skele-Gro…Amortentia?"

"Amortentia? Isn't that a love potion?" asked Jordan, amused. "Do you think it would be useful to seduce a Neo-Grindelwaldist?"

"Or perhaps she thinks it would help them endure the long cold winter nights," ventured Kron playfully.

Everyone was watching her, and she felt the room getting warmer.

"I – Actually," said Arianna and cleared her throat, looking down at her list. "I–I thought it would be useful as a potion to encourage in dark times…I mean, it smells wonderful. It's an evocative substance of what we are more attracted to, so it's soothing and… well, we–we don't know how long you'll be gone, and I thought it would be good for–for keeping the spirits up… but if you don't think it is useful, you can take it out."

"I'm keeping mine," said Angelina, smiling and hugging Jordan.

Draco and Harry looked down at the list again.

"What are Antidote A and Antidote B?" asked Harry.

"Oh, right…" said Arianna hesitantly. "They are experimental antidotes against– against the potion Alaric used on me." Everyone lifted their gaze at her, making her feel exposed, almost as if she was naked. "As you know, they didn't find the potion in his chambers, only several ingredients… I have been doing research about it for the last four years… trying to replicate it so I could create an antidote... so far, I'm almost positive it's one of those two."

"What's the difference?" asked Draco.

"Well… the key ingredient actually… so they are very different," explained Arianna. "Both ingredients are extremely rare. One you can find only in the Amazon and the other one in the south-east Asian rainforest."

"So, that's why you went to Brazil and then Asia?" asked Draco, frowning slightly.

"Precisely," said Arianna.

"Which one do you think it is?" asked Harry, opening his potion box.

"I really don't know," said Arianna honestly. "I would take both and remove the Invisibility Potion if I were you. You already have the Invisibility Cloak and the camouflage robes."

"No," said Harry decisively, looking at her. "I'm taking out one of these ones." 

"Harry, seriously, keep both," protested Arianna.

"No, tell me which one to keep," said Harry, crossing his arms.

"I really don't know," she said, slightly annoyed.

"What does your gut tell you?" asked Harry.

Arianna rolled her eyes. "I– Harry, just keep both, all right?" 

"No, tell me which one,” demanded Harry, leaning forwards. “You have to choose." 

“I don’t know!”

“Choose one.”

"Fuck… Antidote A!" shouted Arianna, guided by a hunch. 

Harry removed Antidote B with his wand, placed it firmly on the table, and took the flask with the deep blue potion. Arianna observed the green substance left behind and felt an uneasy sensation crawling on her throat.

"Which one should I remove?" asked Draco, giving Harry a look between curiosity and annoyance.

"All of them are important," said Arianna, rubbing her temples. "But considering you're quite good with the Disillusionment Charm, I would also suggest the Invisibility Potion… or the Amortentia or the Draught of Peace if you think they are useless."

"For the love of God, don't get rid of the Draught of Peace," said Angelina. Kron and Jordan laughed, and Draco smirked.

"I'm keeping the Amortentia," said Draco, staring at Arianna. She felt suddenly warm and very aware of what she was doing with her hands. "I'll leave the Dreamless Sleep."

"Are you sure?" asked Arianna, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I am," he said lowly. "I like dreaming." 

"Even if they are nightmares?" asked Arianna, arching an eyebrow.

"Maybe I deserve the nightmares, Vitelli," said Draco with a small grin.

"Her last name is Black," clarified Harry, irritated and Draco glared at him.

"I don't need the Sleeping Draught," said Angelina, placing the box on top of her camuflage robes. "I don't have any issues in that area."

"Lucky you," murmured Arianna. 

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Jordan, standing up. "This is our last meeting for a while. I propose we get drinks at the Moody Mandrake before we part ways."

There was a general nodding around the table, and they decided on meeting there at eight. 

 



Chapter 30: Amortentia

Notes:

30 chapters! Another milestone. Thank you all for patiently waiting every week for an update, for your encouragement and for making it this far!! <3

 

See endnotes for changes in the posting schedule.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

When Arianna arrived at the Moody Mandrake, it was packed. She was tardy since she had spent a significant amount of time pondering if it was easier to lure Harry away from the table or to follow him home to have a chat, but whatever the choice was, she was not letting him go to Scandinavia without trying to patch things up. 

The floating lanterns moved slowly to "Odo the Hero" while half the bar sang along. She took off her black cape and squeezed herself in the crowd, making her way to the bar where she ordered a beer from a rather stressed bartender. 

While waiting, she stretched her neck, trying to spot her friends.

"High boots, tights and a short dress. Who are we trying to impress today?"

Arianna looked to her right and found Kron with a large beer mug in hand. 

"Have you talked to Theodore?" she asked immediately. 

"Not even a 'Hi, Kron, you look very handsome yourself," he said, pretending to be offended.

Arianna lifted her eyebrow. "Do you own anything that isn't black?" she asked, inspecting his dark jeans and t-shirt. "A little colour here and there won't permanently damage your reputation."

"Oh, it will," chuckled Kron and came a bit closer. "And I haven't seen Nott, but I sent him a little owl with your cryptic message."

After getting her beer, she followed him to the end of the bar successfully without spilling her drink despite the absurd amount of people pushing her.

Harry was the first one she saw. He sat at the head of the table, wearing the green jumper he had on him the first time they were together, bringing a flashback when he promised she would never lose him. His eyes met hers before he looked back at Angelina, who conversed with a brunette man across from her. 

It took her a second to recognise Draco's shoulders, and she thought it had been a while since she had seen him with his Damian Malloy disguise. 

"He always wears monochrome clothing, and I don't see you complaining about it," whispered Kron in her ear, referring to Draco's dark grey shirt. 

"I don't know. It has a slight blue undertone this time, don't you think?" she answered.

Jordan saw them and waved broadly at them, "Over here!"

Angelina looked their way, and Draco glanced over his shoulder; a grin grew on his face. 

There was a seat next to him and another at the end of the table. Arianna aimed for the latter, but Kron quickened his pace and beat her to it. And rather nervous, she placed her cape carefully on the chair back.

"Sorry I'm late," said Arianna, fixing her cerulean dress. "I basically fell asleep on the bathtub."

"No worries," said Angelina happily, with two empty shots in front of her. "We just got here. I was just telling them that I will miss the Prime Minister's wedding."

"Really?" asked Arianna, sitting next to Draco, who instantly shifted on his seat. "But you're leaving Sunday, and the wedding is on Saturday. You can go for a while."

"We'll arrive late at night," said Angelina, pouting. "And we leave early in the morning."

"Plus, we'll head to the mountains as soon as you two get to Oslo," reminded Harry, who seemed somewhat tired. "And you should get a good night's sleep – It's the last time you'll get to do that for a while."

"Yeah…," said Angelina and sighed. Lee took her hand over the table, and they smiled at each other. "But none of that for now. Today we shall enjoy ourselves."

The night went on between laughter, anecdotes and drinks. 

Draco's accidental brushes provoked incredibly exhilarating sensations, like every time he would reach for a peanut from the bowl and his arm would graze hers, the couple of times her knee bumped into his thigh or the fatidical moments when he looked at her with that deep stare of his. 

And even more bewiching than feeling him, was to see his behaviour. Draco laughed at the jokes and told some himself. He could make the table utterly quiet when sharing stories from the war or provoke an avid conversation when telling his theories about Yaxley's role in the High Regime. And she enjoyed seeing him like that, calmer and showcasing that other part of him.

In contrast, Harry was quieter than usual, frequently looking down at his beer with his mind in another world. Often she sensed his gaze on her but shifted it every time she glanced his way and thought it might be easier to follow him home tonight to talk. 

"I want to propose something," said Angelina enthusiastically, taking out the potions box. "We should play a little game."

"Veritaserum or dare?" asked Draco friskily. 

"Let's grab Polyjuice, take a hair from whoever is at our left, and drink it!" proposed Kron eagerly. 

"The potions are not a toy!" said Arianna laughing. 

"Don't be a party pooper, Arianna," said Jordan before popping a peanut in his mouth.

"I'm with Black in this one," said Harry, scratching his head.

Angelina shook her head, chuckling, "I don't think we should drink anything–"

"That's usually how a potion works, Johnson," said Draco jokingly. 

"Did you miss Potions 101? or they don't teach that at Hogwarts?" asked Kron.

"You're hilarious," replied Angelina sarcastically, suppressing her smile. "I was thinking of something that will strengthen our bond as a team–"

"A blood pact?–" asked Lee.

"An orgy?–" asked Kron.

"Stop!" yelled Angelina, and everyone laughed. "I say we should sniff the Amortentia and tell how it smells."

Everyone shared a look. 

"The orgy is less personal than that," murmured Kron, leaning on the back of his seat. "But I'm in."

"Me too," said Jordan, placing his arm over Angelina's shoulders. "But if you want Malfoy to play, you will need to point your wand at his head." 

"Count me in," said Draco, smirking and lifting his Firewhiskey. "I have nothing to hide."

"Who are you, and what have you done to our secretive Draco Malfoy?" said Jordan, baffled. Then looked over at Harry. "Potter?"

Harry took a deep breath, "Sure."

Jordan looked at Arianna, pointing at her with his finger and arching his eyebrow. She shrugged as a response.

"Perfect," said Angelina grinning broadly, opening her potion box and taking out the Amortentia. It was a small teardrop flask containing a mother-of-pearl shear colour liquid.

"I'll start!" said Jordan, taking the potion and unsealing it with his wand. The moment he smelt it, he made a face of instant satisfaction. "Merlin... It smells like… Angie's body lotion, a sandy beach and sticky toffee pudding."

He passed it to his left to Angelina. She grinned placidly, inhaling the substance. "It's probably the best potion in the damn box," she stared at the Amortentia, trying to find the words. "It smells like… like a mix of Lee's aftershave, wood wax and raspberry pie."

Angelina offered the flask to Harry, who handled it directly to Draco.

"The woody aroma of a broomstick handle, treacle tart and something flowery," said Harry at once.

"You're not going to smell it?" asked Angelina, tilting her head slightly.

"I don't need to," said Harry rather seriously. "I know how it smells." 

There was an awkward silence. Arianna was sure that if someone else had refused to smell it would have been pushed into it, but no one pushed Harry Potter.

Draco held the potion, swirled it as if he was doing wine testing and brought it to his nose. He closed his eyes, and a delighted smile lightened his face.

"Galleons, hair gel and Firewhisky," said Jordan and winked.

"He's just going to lie to us," said Kron, crossing his arms. "We should have given him the Veritaserum first."

"Leather," said Draco, still with his eyes closed. "The smell of grass in the early morning … and Magnolias." 

Magnolia's essence was the base note of all the beauty products Arianna used, and her face and neck warmed to alarming degrees. 

"Magnolias?" wondered Angelina, lifting her eyebrows. "That's specific."

"How do they smell?" asked Jordan, frowning. "And since when you're an expert on flowers?"

"We have magnolia trees at the manor," explained Draco, simply. "They smell like a mix of lemon, vanilla and musk … creamy and beautiful like fine champagne."

Arianna remained very still, staring at her beer as if that way no one would know it was her fragrance; nonetheless, she felt Harry's gaze over her. 

The vial held by Draco appeared in front of her, and she lifted her eyes timidly to meet his; they were smiling at her.

She grabbed it and said, "It smells like a river in a forest at dawn."

"You're not going to smell it either?" asked Kron, insulted. 

"I brewed it," said Arianna, remembering how surprised she was when discovering the aroma had changed slightly from previous years. 

"How does a river in a forest at dawn smell?" chuckled Angelina.

The potion was close enough for her sensitive nose to perceive it, and a landscape was painted in front of her. Her body felt instantly weightless. 

"It's the rich smell of the forest," she explained, all the notes branching out as she kept on breathing. "Woody, earthy, slightly sweet and a bit spicy… But it is also fresh, green and citrusy, like if there were bergamot trees nearby… And all smells … crispy as if it was a bit chilly. And the river's freshwater binds it all together. And all in all, you feel as if you stood there in that mesmerising time just after dawn when you can see the stars and the moon, and the sun is emerging on the horizon, tinting the sky with shades of violet and pink …kissing the water surface, making it shimmer… making the world stop for a while…."

"Wow," said Jordan, amazed. 

"Are you in love, Arianna?" asked Angelina, resting her chin on her hand.

"That's the point of Amortentia, isn't it?" said Arianna, avoiding the stare of the two men that sat to her right. She passed the vial to Kron.

"My turn!" said Kron eagerly, taking the potion and inhaling it, making an expression of instant satisfaction. "Oh, fuck! My Oma's strudel, ink and parchment and… tobacco mixed with something sweet." He opened his eyes dramatically. "Oh, fuck!"

"Pixie?" whispered Arianna, entertained, remembering Pansy's perfume. Kron looked at her in disbelief. Yes, if he was in love with Pansy Parkinson, he was fucked.

The Amortentia went back to the box. Arianna still felt rather exposed, foolish and intensely observed. She began fidgeting with her hair.

"Neville?" said Harry, and everyone looked confused at him. Harry stared at someone behind Arianna, and he stood up immediately with a broad smile on his face. 

"Harry?" said a very familiar man's voice.

Arianna stopped breathing, feeling scared and thrilled at the same time. Neville and Harry hugged, patting each other next to her. And very slowly, she turned her head towards them. 

Neville wore a light green shirt and looked as she remembered – Lean, tanned, with a short beard and a man's bun. Yes, Brazil agreed with Neville Longbottom. 

"Dear Merlin, Now I understand why you dated him," said Angelina leaning over the table, hypnotised by Neville. 

Jordan coughed, "I'm right here, woman." 

Neville glanced quickly around the table, and his smile disappeared when he laid eyes on Arianna. 

"Anna?" he said, surprised.

"Hi!" said Arianna waving stupidly at him. Unsure of what to do, she went on her feet, feeling all eyes on them.

"I was just– I thought…" said Neville, still astonished, folding and unfolding his arms. "Happy birthday!" 

Neville hugged her. It was so bizarre to feel his arms around her again; it was both familiar and foreign. He smelled like she recalled, a mix of amber, ginger and lemongrass.

"It's your birthday?" asked Jordan, betrayed. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's tomorrow," clarified Harry, standing behind Neville with his arms folded.

"Technically, it's in ten minutes," said Neville, smiling at her. "I bought you something, but I was planning on bringing it tomorrow... I kind of want to talk to you."

"Oh!" exclaimed Arianna and scraped her hand through the hair. "I'm leaving for Italy in the morning with my mother. As you know, she’s getting married in a week, and my birthday is tomorrow… so, yeah, we'll be in Italy for a little vacation until the wedding."

"Oh, I see," said Neville, dropping his gaze at his shoes and back at her. "Could I talk to you now? It's kind of important."

"Sure!" said Arianna, feeling very aware of her arms. What do people usually do with their limbs? She folded them and smiled awkwardly. "Outside? It's kind of loud in here."

Neville agreed and began heading to the entrance. Arianna followed him and did not dare look back at her colleagues. 

A few tables away sat Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Luna, and they stared at them with puzzled expressions as Neville and her passed by. She waved clumsily at them, and the only one who returned the greeting was Luna.

They went outside, and Arianna immediately regretted not bringing her cloak with her. 

"So, are you visiting?" she asked, rubbing her arms. "Or did you just come here for Kingsley's wedding?"

"Actually, no," said Neville, shoving his hands in his back pockets. "That's why I wanted to talk to you… I'm moving back to England."

Arianna felt something heavy being dropped on her stomach. "But…What about India?" she asked. "Wasn't your plan to move there for a few years?"

"India can wait," said Neville and lowered his head. "My Gran is sick… she is too proud to admit it, and she doesn't want me to come back for her sake…. But she's quite old and…."

"Augusta is going to outlive us all, Nev," said Arianna touching his arm. "She's a fighter."

"She is," said Neville, smiling shyly and lifting his head. "When I told Hermione I was moving back, she offered me a job on the Remus Lupin Foundation to grow the Aconite and other ingredients… and I want to accept the offer, but I heard you're the Lead Potioneer so…I just want to check that everything is alright between us."

"Everything is good, Nev," replied Arianna honestly. "And I think you would be a wonderful addition to the team."

"Thanks," said Neville and cleared his throat. "I– I read some articles and heard some things about you and Harry… Is it true?"

"Errr… It kind of was but not anymore," said Arianna and bit her lip. "I'm sorry, we should've told you."

"Probably… but It's–it's alright," said Neville, placing a hand behind his neck. "It was… weird to hear that, but Harry is one of my best mates, and he's great, and if you're happy together then–then that's brilliant."

"Great!" exclaimed Arianna, wishing fervently to finish the conversation. "So… welcome home!"

She extended her arms and smiled. Neville smiled back and hugged her. 

Someone cleared its throat behind them a moment later, and Arianna let go of Neville, looking back. Harry and Draco had come out of the pub, the latter carrying Arianna's cloak on his forearm.

"Malfoy?" said Neville, piercing through the beard and brown hair of his disguise. He folded his arms. "I almost didn't recognise you without Crabbe and Goyle by your side… or a pair of handcuffs on your wrists."

Arianna knew Neville hated Draco, and she could not blame him since he was one of his many bullies at Hogwarts. And now that he had discovered the Gryffindor in him, he was not letting anyone step on him again. 

"Look who it is, none other than the ‘Snake Slayer’ himself," said Draco scornfully. "So what brings you to town? Some deplorable plant convention, perhaps?"

Harry rolled his eyes.

"It's none of your damn business, Malfoy," said Neville, taking a step towards Draco.

"Draco," said Arianna, interrupting whatever was brewing in front of her. "Is that mine?"

She rubbed her arms and pointed at the garment Draco held. He looked towards her and his expression softened instantly. 

"Yes," he said and moved to place the cloak over her shoulders, staring into her eyes. They seemed loving and ethereal. "Happy Birthday."

He embraced her tightly, and she forgot where she was for a moment. It was delicious being in his arms. Inhaling the scent that hid in every layer of her Amortentia. And just as she felt in heaven, fire burned her feet, knowing how impossible a future with him was.

"If you're not incredibly exhausted after dancing all night at the wedding," whispered Draco. "You're welcome to have a very early breakfast at the manor on Sunday."

"I'll be there," she murmured softly.

"Don't hog her," said Jordan. "We also want to congratulate her." 

He, Angelina and Kron lined up behind Draco. 

Arianna let him go slowly, his eyes fixated on her. They had that bittersweet spark her eyes had too. 

"I'll see you around," said Draco to everyone and glanced at her one last time before leaving. She saw him walking away, getting lost among the people and twisted corners of Diagon Alley. 

Everyone gave her a hug before heading home. She wished good luck to Angelina on her Norway mission and promised her to keep an eye on Jordan while she was gone. And when she turned around, she realised Harry had left with Neville without saying goodbye or wishing her a happy birthday. 

It felt like a dagger to her heart. Her vision blurred, and her lower lip began tremblingly. She had screwed everything up with him, he would never forgive her.

Ardently wishing to get out there, she began rushing down the street, wiping the tears that kept on pouring until she bumped into a very short man who screamed at her for not watching her way. 

Openly weeping, Arianna stopped and looked at the people laughing outside the pubs and the colourful lights that lit the alley, feeling confused and lonelier than ever. 

She questioned at what point she lost all sense of decorum, at what point she had become this pathetic mess that openly wallowed in sorrow on a busy magical street when before she could even barely shed a tear in front of Blair. 

Her hands went inside her pockets, searching for warmth. An unfamiliar object was on the right side, and she took it out. It was a square box wrapped in a fine pastel blue paper with golden fleurs-de-lis. There was a tiny note hanging from the blue ribbon. 

 

 

The note was not signed, but she recognised the perfect calligraphy. It was from Draco. Chuckling and crying, she put it back in her pocket and smeared the tears coming down her cheeks. It was both painful and lovely, and she did not know how long she would stand feeling this way. Clearly, she was reaching a breaking point.

Arianna heard Harry's voice calling her name. She turned around and saw him running, shoving aside a man that was in his way. His eyes bulged when noticing the state she was in.

"What happened?" he asked and looked behind her as if the reason for her sorrow lay there.

"Don't hate me, please," sobbed Arianna. "I miss you so much."

Harry's eyes opened even wider. "I don't hate you," he said and put his arms around her. 

"I thought you left without saying goodbye," she sobbed, hugging him back. 

"I went inside to pick up my coat because I have your birthday present in it," explained Harry, concerned. "You're so silly, Anna. I would never do that to you."

"We need to talk," said Arianna urgently. "I don't want to leave things like this."

"Let's go somewhere else," proposed Harry. "And I think I know where… Hold on to me."

Harry turned on his own axis with Arianna on his arms, and they Apparate. 

There was a dramatic temperature shift; it was so much colder and windy than in London. They stood in a deserted cobblestone street, softly lit by street lights and the inviting, warm amber glare coming from the cottages. They were in Hogsmeade.

Arianna put the hood over her head and blew warm air into her hands.

"Follow me," said Harry and began walking down the main road. 

After transforming her high heels boots into flat ones, she went after him, wondering why they were there. They left the town and started walking downhill near the dock, lighting the way with their wands between the trees and descending the uneven terrain slowly until they reached the edge of the lake, where the light from the almost full moon allowed them to put their wands away. Hogwarts stood majestically in front of them, with its many towers and lit windows, as magical as always. 

"Why do you want to talk here?" asked Arianna, pulling back her hood.

"Because I thought it would be a good place to give you your birthday present," said Harry with a small smile, looking at the castle. 

"Oh, Harry," said Arianna, getting near him. "You didn't need to buy me anything. I just want to fix things with you."

"Well," he said, shrugging. "I didn't buy it… So..."

Gropingly, he searched on his coat's side pockets and then on the ones by his chest, pulled out a wrinkly, old-looking piece of parchment, and gave it to her.

"Happy birthday, Black," said Harry, smiling.

"The Marauder's Map?" asked Arianna, confused. "Harry, this is yours! It's part of your history… I can't accept this!"

"It's as yours as it's mine," he said, still extending the parchment for her to take. "Both our fathers are co-creators of the map."

"But–" she took it, wondering why he would give her that. 

"Listen to me, Anna," said Harry, grabbing her shoulders and looking into her eyes. "You're going to need it when you're working as a Healer in St. Mungo and want to see what your kids with constellation names are doing in the castle. And it would be definitely handy when you're the best potions teacher Hogwarts has ever had. Because you're going to have all of that and more."

"Harry," whispered Arianna. "Hope is dangerous."

"Hope is all we have in times like this," said Harry, keeping his gaze and putting his hands on his pockets. "Hope is the only thing that makes us wake up in the morning and keep fighting."

"I thought that was love," she said faintly.

"Isn't it the same thing?… Don't give up, Black."

She looked at his bright green eyes and thought how horrible it would be to never see them again. Arianna searched her left inner pocket and retrieved a flask with Antidote B, extending it to Harry.

"Please, take it. I can't let you go knowing you don't have this with you."

"No," said Harry, and before Arianna could quarrel back, he continued. "I don't know anything about that potion or the antidotes, but you do, and I trust you. If they give me that potion, I'll have a few seconds to act, seconds I cannot waste thinking if it's A or B… so once again, Anna: A or B?"

"I don't know." 

"Go with your instincts."

Arianna reflected for a moment. "Do you know what my gut tells me, Harry? It says that it doesn't matter," she said undoubtedly, suddenly understanding the truth. "They won't give you that potion – It is not their style. That potion Rundenschöld would only brew for me... Regardless, I need you to take it. It would alleviate my anguish a bit once you're gone… to know I did everything I could to keep you safe."

Once more, she offered him the antidote, but Harry did not grab it. 

"I'll take it if you tell me another secret," he said with a mischievous smirk.

Arianna shook her head. "So greedy, Potter," she said, with a hint of a smile. And quickly saw this was the perfect opportunity to reveal something she longed to tell him. "I'm Nana."

Harry's smile grew, "I know. It became pretty obvious when Narcissa requested you as a board member." 

"Ten points to Gryffindor," muttered Arianna, slightly offended. 

"Would you keep an extra eye on Teddy while I'm gone?" asked Harry with a shadow of concern on his voice. "Since he was a baby, I've seen him every Sunday, and he's never been so much time apart from me."

"I'll put on a pair of glasses and a crazy wig, and he would hardly notice a difference."

"Thanks," Harry chuckled, "You still owe me a secret."

Her eyes fixated on the castle, pondering what could be shared and an idea aroused. 

"When I was younger, naïve and with zero chances to know who my father was, I wanted to follow the Vitelli tradition for naming children– Italian names that begin with 'A'."

"And you have one," said Harry, placing his hands on his hips. 

"Uh-huh," said Arianna and glanced down at the Marauder's Map. "Alba."

"Sounds like Albus."

"They have the same Latin root – White," said Arianna, partly shrugging. "But in Italian, it means 'dawn' or 'sunrise'. It has always been my favourite moment of the day because no matter how dark the night gets, the sun always comes back." Harry smiled softly, and she felt rather foolish. "You can't steal it. You look like someone who likes stealing names."

Harry laughed, "What if it's a boy?"

"Back then, I had decided I would not have boys. They were stinky, weird creatures that only talked about quidditch," she explained and stretched her arm with the small vial. "Now take the bloody antidote, Potter."

Finally, he took it and put it in his jeans pocket. They smiled at each other, and Arianna felt light as she floated on the calm waters in front of her. 

Harry's grin drowned slowly. "Ginny wants us to get back together," he said, shifting his head towards the castle. "And I think I want the same."

Hearing it was as if a couple of Grindylows had emerged to the surface, grabbed her ankles and dragged her down into the Great Lake depths. 

"Oh…" said Arianna, turning her head away. "Well, that's amazing! I'm happy for you if– if that's what you want. You make a wonderful couple. You have so much in common – The quidditch and the history and friends and stuff." She rubbed the old map with her thumbs and tried to focus on the bright side. "Then we can be friends again, right? When–When you're back, we can train together again. Not every day, of course, only once a week or once a month if Ginny is okay with it." 

There was a brief silence that itched her, so she kept on talking.

"It's good that you're getting back together, really. She's a terrific girl, a bit too scary for being so short. But she's great, and she's not a fucking mess. She doesn't have meltdowns in job meetings or lose her composure in the middle of a concurrent street, nor does she have a Dark wizard chasing her or is in love with two men or has panic attacks if she can't open a door." A cold sensation travelled all over her. Has she just told him she was in love with him? "Anyhow, I'm taking too much of your time. You should go back to the pub with your friends and Ginny since it's your last night in the country for a while."

Arianna ended her rambling and focused her attention on the moon's glimmer over the lake, trying to slow her rushing heartbeats, hoping he had missed that part or thought it was a matter of speaking. 

The silence grew longer, and cautiously she threw Harry a glance. He was looking at her with an absent stare.

"Ciao, Harry," said Arianna. 

"Bye," he answered but stayed put.

"Bye," she repeated.

Harry turned on his heels and Apparated. 

Arianna covered her face. From all the many proofs Harry had of her mental instability, that horrendous babbling certainly was the worst. For sure, she had brain damage. She was a danger to society and should not be allowed near humans. She should be tested and placed on the Janus Thickey Ward where she belonged, helping professor Lockhart answer the letters from his imaginary fans. 

Her cold hands went to her cloak pockets, and she felt Draco's gift. Holding the Marauders' Map with her left hand and the package with the right, An astronomical question fell over her: Can anyone really be in love with two people? 

Arianna pulled out the present and carefully unwrapped it, so the beautiful paper stayed whole. She uncovered a black leather box, and before opening it, she brought it to her nose, thinking that Draco adored that scent– smoky, earthy and slightly sweet. Inside rested two identical one string pearl bracelets over blue velvet. They were elegant, simple, and somehow familiar. 

Her fingertips traced the smooth pearls, and she thought it was rather strange to give two bracelets. On second thought, it was not strange at all. Two, like his ambivalent personality; two, like his astrological sign, Gemini; two, like the number of sugar spoons on his tea. Everything was dual with him. 

Contemplating Hogwarts in the distance, she wondered what difference it would make if she discovered why Draco had to marry Astoria. If all his friends, family and him, the most sneaky and clever of the Slytherins, could not find a better solution to why they needed to be wed, how could she? Perhaps it all lay on their pureblood perspective of the world, for the marriage was nothing but a smart move, as both Theo and Draco had implied. Following their logic, perhaps being with Astoria was the best for him, even if she would never understand it.

She shoved the gift back in her pocket and was about to Apparate when a loud crack next to her made her jump. Harry had materialised a step away from her.

"Che cazzo!" blurted Arianna, placing a hand on her chest. "You scared me!"

Harry's attention was set on her, his expression determined, and he firmly pulled her against him, grasped her hair and kissed her like he had never done before. As if he wished to condensate into one kiss all the missed ones and all the ones he would not give her when gone.

Her body pressed fiercely upon his, erasing all possible space between them, feeling so fervent she could evaporate. 

Vehemently they kept going until their aching lungs implored for air. He freed her lips, holding her close, breathing heavily on her mouth.  

"Come back alive, Potter," said Arianna, panting. "Or I shall chase you down to the underworld and kill you there."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said and kissed her hard.

With his eyes on hers, Harry walked three steps back and Apparated.

Yes, the Janus Thickey Ward was where she belonged. 








Notes:

The next two chapters will be posted on Sundays.

Chapter 31 – February 13th.
Chapter 32– February 20th.

Chapter 31: Unseasonable Spring

Chapter Text

 

It was no ordinary Saturday. Usually, Arianna stayed in bed longer on the weekends, but not today. Today she had been awake to witness the sunrise. Normally she would spend the first hours of her Saturday curled up on her bed reading a book with music playing in the background, but today she combed her hair while looking at the cloudy, mountainous landscape from a room in the Old Gaunt Palace. Today was no ordinary day, for her mother was marrying Kingsley Shacklebolt. 

After their trip to the Amalfi Coast, she and her mother went directly to the palace since the wedding would be there. The elegant room where she had stayed the night made her think of early spring, for all the furniture, walls, and the carpet was light green. 

The bedroom was overly embellish, screaming sixteenth hundred. There was an ornamented four-post bed with a matching set of drawers where Arianna's luggage rested, a settee so delicate that it seemed could break if seated on it and a detailed carved fireplace next to the bed. 

Feeling a bit chilly, she fetched her wand and, with a sweeping movement, added a wood log to the fire and put on her blue morning robe over her satin pyjamas. 

The Marauder's Map rested on the windowsill, and she found herself staring at it for the millionth time that week. 

After many long walks by the beach and countless dives into the sea, Arianna did not know what to make of Harry. Their last encounter had been intruding on her mind constantly. His words of hope, his present and that bloody kiss. That damn kiss that on one side it had been amazing and on the other a huge question mark because she had no idea what it meant.

Was it an I'm-going-to-Norway-goodbye-kiss? Or an I'm-choosing-another-woman-goodbye-kiss? Or perhaps he was the victim of a stroke or some disease that made him do foolish things and did not mean anything. It would not be surprising that after two Killing Curses and countless accidents playing quidditch, Harry also had a certain level of brain damage and, together with her, belonged to the Janus Thickey Ward. They both could help professor Lockhart with his correspondence; Harry could place the letters on the envelopes while Arianna could seal them. 

Her silly thought made her chuckle. She grabbed the old parchment, opened her suitcase, and placed it inside the leather box where Draco's bracelets were. 

Arianna felt a swooping sensation to the idea of seeing Draco tomorrow for breakfast. And while for her, his intentions were purely innocent, Padma had a completely different opinion. 

"Please, don't become his mistress!" had said Padma a week ago after telling her about Draco's invitation. "It all starts like that! First of all, it's completely inappropriate for an engaged man to give jewellery to another woman. And yes, maybe now it's just breakfast, but what if it becomes usual to have breakfast in secret, and one thing leads to another, and you end up sleeping together? And then that becomes a habit, and suddenly ten years have passed, and he has to skip ‘breakfast’ because it is his child's birthday, and you're all alone in a room wondering where your life went."

The worst part of that cautionary tale was that Arianna could see it coming true. Her decision-making abilities were not the best these days, and the way she felt for him made it so hard to imagine both of them alone in the same room behaving exemplary good. But if Draco had invited her to the manor, it meant that Narcissa, Andromeda and Teddy would be there as chaperones, and everything should be fine. It was just breakfast, the most innocent of all the meals. 

Thinking about food made her stomach growl, and she decided to leave her room to have tea with her mother before they had to start getting ready. 

Arianna walked the handsome, lonely corridors until she reached Agata's room on the west wing, knocked on the door, and entered without waiting for a response. Olive dominated the colours of the chamber, and she questioned if all the rooms were green. There was a fine sitting room to the left and a small round table by the wide window where her mother had tea. A set of doors were on the right next to the fireplace, leading to the bedroom. 

"I thought you were still sleeping," said Agata, greeting her with a smile. She wore her reading glasses and her purple morning robes. "Do you want a cup of tea? Kings got this marvellous blend from a friend from China."

Dragging her feet, Arianna approached the table. There was a small crystal vase with pink roses, a plate with toasts, three different kinds of marmalade, chocolate mint cookies and blueberries. The Daily Prophet laid next to the delicate teapot, opened on the International section. 

Agata took the paper, folded it and put it away, but Arianna had seen the headlines; it was a follow up on the conflict between Austria and the High Regime. 

"I read that Germany and France intervened in the battle at the border between the Czech Republic and Austria," said Arianna, taking a seat across from her mom. "And that they threaten the Austrian chancellor's family."

"They did, but I would rather not discuss that today," said Agata, pouring a cup of tea for Arianna. "There's nothing to be worried about. They have strengthened the palace security for the wedding. All the guests and staff can only enter using Portkeys from the ministry, and the main gates would be locked until sunrise. That's why everyone is spending the night here."

It was not for her sake Arianna felt concerned but for her mother's. She was marrying the British Prime Minister of Magic today, and her daughter was personally persecuted by Ritter Rudenschöld. Which made Agata Vitelli a target for The High Regime. And it had become evident that Kingsley also feared for her safety since the security surrounding her had increased dramatically in the last couple of weeks. For instance, their lovely getaway had been slightly ruined by three Aurors shadowing them day and night. 

"So," said Agata, glancing at her daughter mysteriously. "Would you finally tell me what's going on that head of yours?"

"I don't know what you mean," said Arianna lowly, spreading cloudberry marmalade on toast.

"You're my daughter. I know you," said Agata, taking off her glasses and leaving them on top of the paper. "You always have a special look every time something bothers you, and you have had that face for a while… Go on, tell me."

Arianna had a very special bond with her mother, or at least she had always believed so. However, there were a few topics she felt she could not discuss with her, and one of them was boys. Perhaps her reluctance for bringing the subject was for her mother never talked about her father or said much about the men she had dated, or maybe it was because a part of her thought that chatting about boys made her look silly as if her brain had no more substance than to speak about something seemingly so frivolous. 

For a split moment, Arianna considered bringing up the subject, but at the last second, she changed her mind. 

"It's a very intrusive question," said Arianna, feeling her cheeks warming and thinking quickly of another thing she had been wondering about. "And I understand if you don't want to answer me."

"All right," said Agata, folding her arms. "Ask me."

"Are you planning on having more children?" 

Agata lifted her eyebrows and said, "We've talked about it. We're still young enough to have kids. But given our current life, it would be quite complicated."

"More complicated than to be a single mom at twenty?"

"I guess not," said Agata and retook her tea. "But it has never been Kings ambition to be a father, and I'm quite satisfied with the child I got."

"But maybe you should have another one," pushed Arianna, thinking that if Rudenschöld killed her, at least her mother would have another kid to take care of, and it would hurt her less once she was gone. 

Agata brought her cup to her lips and placed it back on its saucer before drinking. "What's going on, pumpkin?" she asked, concerned.

"Pumpkin," chuckled Arianna. "It has been years since you call me that."

"Come here," said Agata, taking her daughter's hand and pulling her so she would sit next to her on the settee. "I'm pretty sure the first year of your life you thought that was your name, you know?"

Arianna rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "Why did you call me like that, you say?" she asked even if she had heard that story many times.

"When I was pregnant with you, I was horribly nauseous the first months," said Agata, caressing her daughter's head. "And the only thing I could stomach was pumpkin. It drove Sirius insane to eat the same vegetable for breakfast, lunch and dinner," she laughed, and Arianna smiled softly. "Since then, when you were the size of a pea, he began calling you pumpkin. And when you were born, it was more of the same, pumpkin was the first and only vegetable you liked, and pumpkin juice was the only thing that could calm you down when you cried."

"Did we meet the Potters often?" asked Arianna, lifting her head.

"Not really," replied Agata, squinting slightly. "The war was at its peak back then. But we did meet them a few times before they went into hiding… I had pictures of the last picnic we had… I still remember that day as if it was yesterday. It was the last time we saw them."

"What happened to the pictures?" asked Arianna.

"I gave them to Sirius once he escaped Azkaban. I don't know where he put them… Probably they are somewhere in Grimmauld Place."

Arianna recalled the sealed drawers on the back of her father's wardrobe. "I think I know where they are," she said faintly.

"Harry is going to be fine, Anna," said Agata, grabbing Arianna's hand. "He will be back in no time … and Draco too."

"How do you know?" asked Arianna, lowering her head. "Dad went to look for Peter Pettigrew and never came back, then he went to fight the Death Eaters, and we lost him forever."

"They would not have sent them if they thought they could not do it," said Agata, lifting Arianna's chin with a couple of fingers.

Arianna hugged her mother, and Agata stroked her head gently like she did whenever she was upset. She inhaled her mother's scent. It was probably one of the most comforting smells in the world for her; a mix of lavender, cardamom and something citric. 

There was an eager knock on the door, and they let go of each other. "Come in," said Agata.

The door opened, and Blair came already dressed in her night blue gown with two young women in bright pink robes and matching hair, each of them carrying an ornamented wooden box. 

"Good morning!" exclaimed Blair, grinning widely and coming inside. "We are here to help the blushing bride and the maid of honour to get ready. This is Claire and Cleo."

Both witches nodded and ceremoniously placed their wooden box over the coffee table.

"Thank you, Blair, that's very kind of you," said Agata, going on her feet. "I definitely need someone that knows how to do makeup properly."

Arianna added a trickle of milk to her tea and mixed it, thinking that Blair was uncharacteristically cheerful.

"So, how was Italy?" asked Blair, sitting on a sofa while the hairdressers opened the box and took out brushes, potions and makeup.

"Fun," answered Arianna, grabbing her toast and taking a bite. "A lot of swimming, sun, wine and delicious food."

"Sounds brilliant," said Blair, excitedly and looking at her intensely. "I bet you haven't heard the new gossip in town."

Arianna arched an eyebrow and shook her head, taking another bite.

"No," answered Agata, grabbing a chair next to Blair. "We came here directly from Italy yesterday night."

"So, what is it?" asked Arianna and sipped her tea. "Are you engaged or something?"

"No," said Blair, smiling so broadly she could count all her teeth. 

"Just tell us," said Arianna, rolling her eyes.

"Draco and Astoria broke up!" said Blair, thrilled.

Arianna's cup slipped from her fingers, spilling tea over her, the table and the carpet. Everyone in the room turned to see her, and she rapidly seized the wand from her robes.

"I'm sorry, I'm so clumsy," she mumbled and began cleaning the table with her wand, suctioning the liquid away while she felt the world spinning.

"Really?" calmly said Agata to Blair. "How so?"

"I don't know," said Blair, throwing a glance at Arianna. "But I think she's the one that broke the engagement, destroying Draco's room in the process."

"Oh, dear," said Agata, shaking her head. "I imagine her family is quite disappointed at her, given the incredible amount of debt the Greengrass have."

"When?" asked Arianna, standing up, dripping tea from her morning robes. "Are you sure?"

"Very sure. It happened last week on Friday evening – On your birthday, actually," said Blair, who seemed as if she was about to start jumping. "Blaise and I were coming back from dinner, and we smelt smoke. So we went upstairs and found Draco sitting on an armchair, calmly drinking Firewhisky. The curtains were completely shredded, and his bed incinerated. He just looked at us and said: We broke up."

"And then what happened?" asked Arianna, pacing back and forth in front of the window, her blood rushing. 

"Blaise asked me to leave," said Blair shrugging. "But when I got down to the sitting room, I bumped into Parkinson and Nott, coming to Draco's aid. Pansy was livid."

"Miss," said Cleo to Arianna. "Would you like me to start with your hair?"

"In a minute," said Arianna, who could not stop moving.

Arianna looked over the window; a maze of tall hedges lay in front of her eyes. She tried to slow down the stampede of thoughts flooding her mind. The fact that they had broken up did not necessarily mean that Draco would want to be with her or that he would not try to fix things with Astoria, considering that he had to marry her. 

"I'm quite shocked," said Agata, while Claire applied a blue liquid to her hair. "Draco Malfoy was the lottery ticket the Greengrass had been looking for."

"Why?" asked Arianna, opening the window, searching for the chilly weather to lower her fever. "Why are the Greengrass in so much debt?"

"Malinvestment and fraud," answered Agata, levitating her tea towards her. "The Greengrass men have been the accountants of the British wealthiest families for generations. Odysseus Greengrass saw his opportunity during the chaos of the war and stole money from his clients when he thought no one was looking."

"Who were his clients?" asked Arianna.

"Everyone," said Blair. "The Notts, the Parkinsons, the Lesatranges, the Malfoys."

"The Longbottoms, the Yaxleys," added Claire.

"The Shacklebolts, the Fudges," continued Agata.

"Everyone," concluded Blair.

"How is he not in Azkaban?" asked Arianna.

"He gave back all the money he could and some important information to the government about his clients," answered Agata while the hairdresser began making soft waves on her hair with her wand. "Also, the Wizengamot wasn't particularly eager to prosecute him since all their focus was on Voldemort's followers, and since many of his clients were Death Eaters, they didn't exactly care to sue him since they had more pressing matters."

Cleo approached Arianna again. "Miss," she said timidly. "I think we should start with your hair."

Arianna took a deep breath and sat down in the closest chair by the coffee table. Cleo began applying the blue substance to her hair. 

"You know…" said Blair observing her manicure. "I still don't understand why Draco would marry her."

"Pressure from his father most likely," said Agata. "He might be in Azkaban, but he's still the head of the family." 

"I know he writes him often," said Blair, leaning back on her chair. "Once every two weeks, according to Blaise."

"And the letters are always about the weather," added Agata.

"How do you know?" asked Arianna.

"They read his correspondence before sending it," explained Agata, leaving the mug and saucer over the coffee table. "I also know he writes to Narcissa once a week with chess movements."

"The weather thing is clearly a code," said Arianna, feeling like standing up, but Cleo had already started combing her long mane.

"Maybe he doesn't know what else to write about," said Blair jokingly. "It's not like there's too much action in Azkaban."

"The guards think it's a code as well," said Agata, glancing at Arianna. "Same as the chess moves. But so far, they haven't found a pattern."

The conversation shifted to Agata's plans for their short honeymoon, but Arianna could hardly pay attention to it. It was good that Cleo was there; otherwise, it would have been impossible to get ready with so many questions and thoughts swirling on her mind. Now the idea of seeing Draco tomorrow made her dizzy and somewhat scared. He breaking up with Astoria changed everything and nothing at the same time.

They fixed her hair on a classy, chic bun and did her makeup. Arianna went to her room, slid in her dusty blue ball gown with embroidered flowers, and put the pearl bracelets on her left wrist. She removed the jade ring, letting the Astral Ring shine for a moment, and contemplated it before occluding it again. 

Then she made her way down to the Great Hall, where guests were arriving. Her mouth dropped after seeing what had been done with the place. Pansy could be charming as a plague but certainly had an eye for decoration. She had transformed the Great Hall into a garden with thousands of flowers, making everyone forget the unforgivable weather and immersing them in an unseasonable spring. 

Long strings of white flowers hung from the tall ceiling, mixed with chandleries, floating candles and light spheres. More than a dozen round tables and a stage enclosed the dance floor, and tall lattice fences filled with flowers covered the many doors that circle the hall.

It felt like everyone Arianna had ever met was there. Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's Army members, such as the Weasleys, who had arrived all together, with their bright red hair popping noticeably among the guests. Hogwarts professors like Hagrid, who had come accompanied by Madame Maxime and wearing a giant maroon velvet suit, or professor Slughorn who kept taking champagnes from every passing floating tray. Members of the Wizengamot and Ministry employees made up a good percentage of the guests, and she found it extremely odd to see them outside work, like Wilkinson and Kron in dinner suits, that was something her brain could not process. 

Slowly and excitedly, everyone made their way to the Grand Saloon, where the ceremony would occur. The room that once had been obscure and steeped like an amphitheatre for the boxing match now showed its long, graceful windows. A pond, grass and a bridge leading to the altar had been placed, with nearly two-hundred elegant chairs facing the windows.

The guests grabbed their seats, ready for the ceremony to begin, while Arianna, Padma and Blair lined outside in their blue dresses, holding small hydrangeas bouquets and waiting for the sign to enter. 

"You just want Aria to be with Malfoy so they can go on double dates with you and Zabini," said Padma behind Arianna after Blair kept pushing on the idea of sending Draco an owl and inviting him to the wedding. 

"Come one," said Blair from the end of the line. "You're the one that is tired of double dating with Granger and Weasley. That's why you want her to hook up with Harry again."

"You don't know how annoying it has become, Blair!" said Padma. "If Ronald complains one more time about his Chocolate Frog portrait, I'm gonna lose it."

"At least you don't have to endure Pansy's incessant monologues about what her seer told her," growled Blair.

"I have Parvati for that," answered Padma, irritated.

"Why don't the four of you go on double dates and leave me out of this?" asked Arianna, getting annoyed.

"I don't think you should see Draco tomorrow," said Padma over Arianna's shoulder. "It's all too fresh. Wait until he's back from Norway."

"You should talk to him now," said Blair tiredly. "What if he dies in those mountains?"

"Blair!" yelled Arianna, turning back.

"Don't listen to her," said Padma, placing a hand on her hip. "She's just trying to manipulate you."

Someone cleared its throat next to them and they turned to see McGonagall in a dark purple robe.

"It's time," she said, lifting her chin. "Follow me."

Arianna placed herself behind her, and the heavy mahogany doors gracefully swung open. A string quartet began playing, and they slowly strode to the altar where Kingsley waited. 

McGonagall crossed the bridge, and the girls stopped by the pond. Everyone's eyes went to the entrance, and the melody changed. Agata walked the aisle looking elegant and classy in her white lace dress. She stood in front of Kingsley, and they looked lovingly and happily at each other.

The ritual began with some words about marriage and destiny. Then McGonagall asked the couple to hold their right forearms, and while they murmured something in Latin, from the headmistress' wand emerged a golden ribbon seemingly made of light that tightened them together, bonding their magic and soul until death do them part.

Something warm and beautiful grew inside Arianna when seeing her mother finally having the happy ending she deserved and wondered if she would ever have that too.

Dinner was exquisite, and it would have been even more enjoyable if Blaire and Padma had stopped whispering things in her ear all the time. By dessert, Arianna had made it clear in a slightly rude manner that she was neither owling Draco nor cancelling breakfast with him. She would see him tomorrow at the manor as they had agreed. 

The dancefloor was soon filled, and with the desire to keep away from her flatmates and stop thinking about Draco, Arianna held Nathan hostage and dragged him there. Song after song, they waltzed until he found it imperative to discuss with Hermione legal matters about the growth of the aconite. So, Arianna fetched Neville next but after a while he got stolen by Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot. Then she spotted Michael Corner and kept him for a couple of songs until her feet began complaining and took a break by the bar drinking mandrake martinis and mindlessly watching the people dance. 

The music slowed down and softened. The couples moved their bodies closer and followed the romantic melody. 

Arianna took it as her cue to go to bed. There was no one in that building she wished to have that close to her, and she had to wake up early to go to the manor.

After grabbing her glass with the remains of her drink, she stood up from the stool and began walking away when she saw Theodore Nott approaching, wearing a handsome dinner suit and looking flawless as expected. 

"What a lovely evening, isn't it?" said Theo, kissing her on both cheeks. "You look splendid, my dear. Is the same shade of blue you wore for the Yule Ball if I'm not mistaken."

"I've been waiting for you, Theodore," said Arianna, going to the point and leaving her glass on a moving floating tray. "Did you get my message?"

"I did," replied Theo and leaned forwards. "And you're welcome."

"Excuse me?"

"I split them up," answered Theo, smirking. "Wasn't that what you wanted?"

"What?!" blurted Arianna, searching his eyes for a hint of a joke. "I want to know why they have to marry!"

"Oh! My mistake," said Theo calmly. "And I'm sorry, that I cannot say."

"Theo!" uttered Arianna, touching his arm. "Oh, Merlin! You split them up?!"

"I've been working on that for the last three months– Quite a tricky manoeuvre," said Theo, taking her hand, placing it on his forearm and walking with her. "But your message motivated me to plan the perfect coup de grâce ."

"Why have you been trying to split them up?" whispered Arianna, trying to make sense of this.

"Why?" asked Theo and chuckled. "Because I'm on your side, Arianna. I've been 'Team Arianna' from head to toes since Hogwarts. Why else do you think I asked you to be my date to the Yule Ball?"

"Because we needed each other?!" answered Arianna, trying to stop, but Theo kept on pulling her. 

"I needed a girl," said Theo lowly in her ear. "But I asked you to be my date to prevent Draco from having a stroke or making a scene after seeing all those unworthy contestants fighting to take you to the ball."

"You knew that he–?"

"Of course I knew," interrupted Theo and glanced cautiously around. "Not that he cared to admit he had fallen for the 'wrong type', but he spent too much time staring at the Ravenclaw table, at the lovely girl with the dark hair that always sat across from us."

"Theo…"

"Did you think it was pure luck you got to sit with him in Arithmancy precisely on the day when professor Vector was pairing us up for the longest assignment of the course?"

"Did Draco ask you to help him with that?" asked Arianna, feeling tricked. 

"That stubborn boy? Please," said Theo, smiling politely at Professor Sprout, who was passing by. "It was all my doing. He was utterly infuriated at me for like five minutes … then he decided to have a panic attack instead." 

"You're completely mental, Theodore!" exclaimed Arianna, stopping dead. "Why are you doing this?!"

"The reasons have changed over the years," said Theo, fetching her hand once more, and kept going. "When I was fourteen, I thought it was smart to be Draco's secret keeper since I also had a secret I needed help with. In the fifth year, I owed him a favour, and I thought getting him some time alone with you would be a nice way of paying him back."

"What about now? What's your motivation?" she asked, becoming angry from all the scheming. "Me helping you get an heir?"

"Draco is one of my dearest, closest friends, and I believe he deserves some happiness after the hell he's been through," answered Theo, staring into her eyes. "And I think you could give him that."

"What if I can't?" asked Arianna, thinking about Rundenschöld. "What if I can't offer him anything?"

"I know the feelings are there, Arianna," said Theo, stopping and facing her. "Despite what he said at the beginning of the summer, it was obvious he still cared for you, and after that charming evening at the Golden Sphinx, it became clear you have feelings for him too."

"How do you know that?" asked Arianna, stepping back. "The only thing we did that night was to fight."

"The eyes never lie– Especially yours. Besides, I know he left with you, didn't he?" he smirked and moved closer. "Since then, I have been trying to make Astoria break up with him. And last week, I saw my opportunity."

"What did you do?" asked Arianna, placing her palm on her forehead. This was freaking unbelievable. 

"Are you missing a glove by any chance?" 

"You stole my glove?!" snapped Arianna. "That was my favourite pair!"

"Oh, no, dear," said Theo, fetching her arm once more and continuing their promenade around the hall. "Draco stole your glove, and I took it from him. And 'accidentally' left it in a place where I knew Astoria would find it… It probably took her one spell to find out who the original owner was."

He searched again among the guests, and Arianna followed his eyes and spotted Kron standing near the stage with a drink in hand, and he winked at her.

"Is Kron involved in this?" asked Arianna, becoming more outraged by the second. "Is Pansy? Does she really want to have your child that badly?"

" Au contraire ," said Theo, exhaling sharply. "The fiancé is rather mad at me right now, so mad she's threatening to cancel the engagement... Beware, Pansy is going to try to get them back together." 

"Has it ever occurred to you and your fiancé that meddling in other people's lives is not alright?!"

"You sound just like Blaise," said Theo dismissively. 

"And why does she dislike me so much?" asked Arianna, offended. 

"Don't take it personally. Pansy believes that marrying Astoria will solve Draco's little problem. We all want what is best for him. We just have a different opinion of what that is."

"Well, maybe you're wrong and I'm not good for him! Have you thought about that?!" asked Arianna, raising her voice and a group of old witches nearby glanced at her disapprovingly. 

"Listen carefully, child," said Theo, lowering his voice and pulling her closer. "Astoria's parents are not happy with her decision, and Pansy has been brainwashing her all week. Astoria will try to get Draco back, so what you do now is extremely important. You have a window of opportunity– Do not waste it. It might be the last one you get."

"You don't understand–"

"I almost forgot," cut in Theo. "I have a message from him– He cannot meet you tomorrow for breakfast. So he would like to have a word with you at midnight."

Arianna suddenly realised they had crossed the entire hall and approached the main marble staircase, away from the people and the noise.

"Theo, where are you taking me?" asked Arianna, slightly scared.

"My advice, Arianna– Don't lose momentum," he said, winking. "I think I'm needed over there if you'd excuse me."

Theo let go of her and quickly walked away, leaving Arianna behind. She saw the giant clock over the main entrance. It was a minute to midnight. 

Her pulse skyrocketed, and she looked around in complete terror. This was unknown territory for her. She and Draco were both single, they both knew they loved each other, and both were in the same place at the same time. 

Arianna rushed away from the staircase towards the packed dance floor, noted a lattice fence covered in flowers nearby and hid behind it. The small wall blocked the view from a service door where waiters and floating trays came in and out.

With cold and shaky hands, she touched her burning face and took a couple of deep breaths. She could not face Draco tonight. Everything had been so sudden, she had no idea what to expect or say to him.

Standing close to the fence, Arianna saw through it. People danced and laughed on the utopic spring paradise with hundreds of candles floating over their heads, completely unaware of the girl panicking a few steps away from them.

Her view got blocked by a well-dressed man, and she knew it was him before seeing his face. 

Arianna lifted her gaze. A pair of grey eyes peeking between rose petals stared back at her. 





Chapter 32: In The Labyrinth

Notes:

Please check the end notes for further changes to the posting schedule. :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Arianna's fear disappeared the moment their eyes met. They began strolling, keeping their gaze through the flower wall until they left it behind them. 

Draco and Arianna stood in front of each other with nothing in between. He looked strikingly handsome, and the way his eyes glowed made him even more stunning. Not a word was spoken, and the surrounding noises seemed to have faded away. He took her hand gently, grabbed her waist with his other hand, and guided her to the dance floor without taking his eyes off her. 

There was a slow waltz playing and they mingled in the crowd. Draco led her with ease and grace, and between swings and turns, they smiled at each other. She felt as if her feet barely touched the ground, unsure if she was falling or floating. The world had become a blur, and only he remained visible, clearer, and brighter than ever.

The song ended, and Draco held her hands, and she saw his grin fading as his eyes became deeper and mysterious like the ocean. 

"I need to talk to you," he said and looked down at her hands, noticing the bracelets. "You're wearing them wrong." 

He took off one bracelet and placed one on her right hand. Arianna chuckled, thinking he was just being silly.

"Do you remember the song we were singing all those years ago in the library?" he asked, looking back at her.

"This Is The Night?" she replied, frowning slightly.

The moment she said those words, the pearls became warm, and a golden lace sprang from them, twisting around her wrist with more pearls emerging around it. The string climbed on the back of her hands, materialising a couple of medallions with encrusted diamonds and then wrapped around her middle finger, forming a ring.

Arianna stared at the Venus Bracelets from Biermann & Stauss, and her mind went blank. She lifted her gaze and saw Draco, amused by her reaction.

"They were not even for sale!" were the first words Arianna could produce. "How?–This is– You shouldn't– Why?"

"I adore how eloquent you are," said Draco, keeping a broad grin. "Everything has a price. In this case, it was not galleons but another invaluable jewel... But that's a story for another time – I have to leave at half-past midnight before security knows I shouldn't be here."

Draco looked behind Arianna, and she glanced back. Pansy headed decisively on their way. 

Another song began playing. Draco dragged Arianna away and headed behind the fence where she hid before, entering the door leading to a dining room where some staff was resting.

"You're not allowed in here!" yelled a brunette woman in bartender attire drinking water.

They rushed towards the next door and found themselves in a dark drawing-room and kept going. A smaller drawing-room followed, and they opened the door to an empty library that was double the size of the Malfoy's.

They reached an ajar window. Draco pushed the glass panels open, and a cold breeze entered. He climbed on the window sill and pulled Arianna up.

"We have to jump," he said. And Arianna looked down. It was not very high, but high enough for her to fall. "I'll go first. I'll help you."

Draco jumped nimbly to the ground and looked up at her. Arianna could hear steps approaching, and she turned around, closed the window, and slid down the wall. She felt his hands on her thighs.

"Let go," he said. "I got you."

She loosened up her grip and slid between his arms until they were face to face with her arms around his neck. He put her softly on the ground, fetched her hand, and guided her towards the maze.

"Where are we going?" asked Arianna.

"Somewhere where we can talk," answered Draco, and they entered the labyrinth. 

They ran past a group of blokes laughing, a couple snogging passionately, and a few guests taking a walk. They went deeper and deeper into the maze. Draco seemed familiar with it since they never encountered a dead end, and he unquestionably knew which direction to choose.

They finally stopped near a stone bench in a small open area.

"What's going on?" asked Arianna, hugging her arms for the fresh weather. “It's everything alright?"

Draco stood very close to her. There was something different about him. A new expression on him – serene, steady, and fearless.

"I just came here to give you something back," he said and searched inside his jacket. Arianna expected to see her black lace glove, but her arms unfolded when he pulled out her old Ravenclaw tie. "Thank you for the thread, for guiding me all these years through the labyrinths of my mind, for helping me kill the beast. I'm sorry it took me so long. I'm sorry if I'm too late. I want to be with you... I'm going to Norway, and I'm coming back for you, princess… If you would have me."

Holding her tie, a powerful emotion sprung up from Arianna’s chest to her throat, pushing out a couple of tears. 

"Draco," she said, and her voice broke, and more words became impossible to be said.

"If you want me, I'm yours," continued Draco. "I'm tired of running away from you. I'm fucking exhausted."

Two strong impulses were born inside of her. One wished to throw herself in his arms, never to let him go, and the other to run as fast as she possibly could. And immobile and speechless, she stayed.

Draco held her head. "I want to make things clear," he said urgently. "I'm not marrying Astoria – I will find another way to solve my problem. I don't care if Father takes away my inheritance for this, and I certainly don't give a fuck about Rudenschöld… All of those things will not keep me away from you– I will not let that happen… The only thing that would make me step aside is if you tell me you want to be with Potter or you don't want to be with me," he swallowed and let her go. "I know I have fucked things up. That I'm probably too late… But fuck, Arianna, you don't know how much I–" 

Draco lowered his head and placed his hands on his hips, taking deep breaths. Arianna remained paralysed and saw him with concern, wishing she could tell him she wanted him too, that she had loved him for years. But the words never came out. 

"I don't want you to say anything now," whispered Draco, still staring at the ground. "I just want you to think about it while I'm gone. To really think about it,” he looked at her with determination. “Because whatever you decide, I'll do. I'm not turning back. If you want to be with me, I'll do everything in my power and more to make things work, to keep you safe, to give you everything you deserve… and if you don't… I'll leave you alone, and you will never have to worry for me again. But I need an answer because I can't keep living like this any longer."

Arianna shook her head, "It's not the right time, Draco." 

"When has it been?!" asked Draco, raising his voice. "We have the worst timing ever, Arianna. And I don't care anymore. I know it will not be easy, but I'll fight all the battles I have to if that means I can be with you.”

“You need to understand–”

“I have to go,” interrupted Draco, stepping aside. 

"No!" blurted Arianna, jumping to hold on to him and her tears broke loose. "You cannot do this to me, Draco! You cannot tell me this, turn my world upside down, and then just leave! Stay with me."

He touched the back of her neck. "I can’t," he said tenderly, kissing her head. "The main gates would only be open for five seconds half-past midnight, and I'm pretty sure the guards are searching for me now… Kron would get fired and sentenced if they found out he gave me a Portkey to come in."

"Then stay with me tonight," said Arianna desperately. "You can leave at dawn when the main gates open."

"I should go now, princess," said Draco.

There was a loud detonation coming from deeper into the maze, and both unsheathed their wands in a second. The noises of curses being cast continued.

Draco blocked her and said, "Stay behind me." 

They walked close to the hedges, following the yelling and the lights, and after a couple of turns, they found Cornelius Fudge attempting to duel Horace Slughorn in the labyrinth centre. Both were staggering, and it became evident they were utterly drunk. 

The situation was now being controlled by Neville and Seamus Finnigan, who held Slughorn and Dean Thomas, who struggled with Fudge.

The tree Gryffindors looked over when they heard Arianna and Draco approaching.

"I told you," said Seamus darkly to Neville. "I knew it was him."

Neville glanced at Arianna, noticing her redden and puffy eyes. "Anna, are you all right?" he asked worryingly.

"Yes," she said and tried to smile. "I’m fine."

"What did he do to you?" asked Neville harshly, looking now at Draco.

"Nothing!" exclaimed Arianna. "We were just talking!."

"You can fool the Golden Trio, Malfoy," said Dean, letting go of Fudge, who almost fell. "But you can't fool us. We know you're the same shit you've always been."

Seamus released Slughorn and took a couple of steps towards them. "We will never forget who you truly are, you filthy Death Eater," he said and spat on the ground. “You’re not welcome here.”

Firmly, Draco moved forwards with his fists and jaw clenched. 

"Draco, don't listen to them. Let's go," said Arianna, pulling his arm, but he did not move an inch. His eyes were fixated entirely on Seamus, glowing with rage. "They just want to provoke you."

Slughorn and Fudge found their way to the closest bench and sat down, looking at them drowsily.

"Stay away from her, Malfoy," said Neville with a low voice. "She's not for you."

"Neville!" exclaimed Arianna.

"Or what?" roared Draco scornfully. "What are you going to do to me, Longbottom? Throw me a plant?"

"I'm going to sly you in half," said Neville, coming closer. "I'm not afraid of you. None of us is. You're nothing but a pathetic shadow of what you were."

Draco cracked his neck, "I'm not staying away from her, so why don't we settle this now?"

"Please stop!" yelled Arianna.

Neville moved a step closer. "Stay away from her."

"Fists? Wands? Swords?" asked Draco, taking off his suit jacket and dropping it to the ground. "Choose your weapon, Longbottom,"

"Fists," said Neville, throwing his jacket to the floor too. 

Dean and Seamus stared at the situation entertained. Even the drunken pair looked amazed.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" screamed Arianna. "This is absurd!"

"It's necessary," hissed Draco, getting closer to Neville. "Sometimes, you have to teach them their place."

Arianna pointed her wand at them, and with a wide move, she screamed, " Separo !" and both men flew in opposite directions, crashing against the hedges and falling to the floor.

"Arianna, let the man fight," said Seamus, lighting a cigarette.

"Shut up, Finnigan!" yelled Arianna. "You two, stand up! This is the Prime Minister's wedding. Such behaviour is unacceptable!"

Three security men on their grey robes and wands in hand came in from an opening across from her.

"Draco Malfoy?" said the one in the middle. "We have been informed that you're not on the guest list. You must come with us for further interrogation."

Dean and Seamus giggled. Draco stood up with a stern face, dusted off, and grabbed his jacket from the floor.

"He is on the list," said Arianna madly, folding her arms. "He is my guest."

"Miss Parkinson said he's not," said a second security guard. "And neither is he on the Portkey or room list."

"Do you know who I am?" asked Arianna harshly, standing tall.

"Yes, Madam," said the guard in the middle, moving on his feet.

"Well, then I am telling you that Draco Malfoy is my guest," hissed Arianna. "And the reason he's not on your lists is because we arrived together from Italy yesterday night, and he's staying in my room. And if you still consider me a liar, you can go and ask the Prime Minister or my mother, but I doubt that you would like to disturb them with such a stupid question on their wedding night… Now, why don't you make yourselves useful and take professor Slughorn to his room? Mr Malfoy and I will escort Fudge."

The security leader observed her for a moment and cleared his throat. "Our apologies, Miss Black," he said, bowing his head slightly.

Fudge was now sleeping, resting his head on Slughorn. Arianna went over to him and placed a Levitating Spell. Draco stood by her side, and both grabbed the former Prime Minister by the arms and began walking away. She could feel Draco's rage emanating from his body. 

They went out of the maze and headed to the palace in complete silence. After taking the service stairs one floor up, they walked the corridors to Fudge's room in the east wing and went inside. 

Arianna stopped the levitating spell, and Draco caught him and threw him on the bed. 

"You have to think about that too," said Draco darkly. "When you make your decision."

"What do you mean?" asked Arianna, lighting the fireplace with her wand.

"I'm always going to be treated as a Death Eater… as scum," he said bitterly.

"They were drunk and stupid," said Arianna, irritated. "Don't listen to them."

Draco coughed. "Do you think this is the first time that this has happened to me?!" he growled. "Do you think this is the last time?! If you stay with me, you're going to suffer for my mistakes too… Astoria had to put up with a lot of shit and Mother as well."

"It's not a factor for me," said Arianna firmly. 

"It should be. You have to think about that," Draco said, moving closer to her. "But if you chose St. Potter on the other hand–"

"Draco, stop," said Arianna, closing her eyes and moving away.

"No, you have to know this!" he said, following her. "You have to know that if you chose me, you would have to live with the stigma of being with a Death Eater… Why do you think I didn't look for you after Azkaban? Why did I never reply to your letters? I never wanted this for you!"

"Stop," said Arianna, begging. "I don't care about that, about them."

"They are going to bully our children!" he yelled, looking madly at her. "The Finnigans, the Weasleys, the Longbottoms are going to bully our children, Arianna. You don't care about that either?" 

The words “our children” echoed in her head, and she became very still.

"Everyone near me has to carry my father's mistakes and mine," he continued, taking Fudge's shoes with his wand. "And you would be foolish if you don't consider that. Your life is going to change… But if you chose Potter, everything you want would be laid to your feet."

"I don't care about any of that," said Arianna, between her teeth, and looked at the clock over the fireplace. "It’s half-past midnight. You are stuck here… You can stay in my room."

"I'll sleep on the floor," said Draco, flipping Fudge on his stomach.

"Don't be stupid," said Arianna annoyed, and took out her room key from her dress pocket, made a duplicate with her wand, and placed it on the nightstand by the door. "We both fit on the bed… Take the key. There's Sleeping Draught if you need some. I'll be up soon. I have to check on something."

Arianna left and marched back to the gardens. The three Gryffindors were heading back to the palace.

"Neville!" screamed Arianna walking furiously towards him.

They turned their heads.

"Where is your boyfriend?" asked Seamus disdainfully. "I never took you for a gold digger, but I guess people can change."

"Shut up," said Neville to him. "I'll see you inside." And he began walking to meet Arianna. 

"What the fuck was that, Nev?!" exclaimed Arianna.

"You know what I think of him," said Neville, folding his arms. "Here, the big surprise is you. Since when you're friends with scum like that? I thought you hated people with blood supremacist ideals. Or do I have to remind you how they used to bully you too?"

"Malfoy has changed," said Arianna defiantly. 

He scoffed. "Malfoy is the epitome of a Slytherin, Anna. You weren't there, but I will never forget how quick the Sorting Hat placed him in that house– It barely touched its head." 

"He has changed!" she repeated madly. "You have changed! You're not the same person you were in Hogwarts, you grew, and you found yourself! Why is it so unbelievable that he has done the same?!"

"He is using you!" said Neville, lifting his arms. "He just broke up with Greengrass, and he is looking for a replacement so he can have his inheritance. And you're perfect for that now that you're a Black, a pureblood." 

"It’s not like that!" she quarreled.

"It's all they care about,” said Neville, convinced. “Why else would the Slytherins befriend you? I've heard rumours. I did not want to believe it until I saw you today with Nott. Are you becoming like them? Do you care about blood status now?"

"Of course not!" said Arianna, offended. "You know I don't believe in that shit, Neville!"

"So why do they greet you like you're one of them?" asked Neville, arching his eyebrows.

"What?" asked Arianna, frowning. 

"I saw Nott and Zabini giving you two kisses, one of each cheek. That's how the purebloods greet each other… Didn't you know?"

"No…" said Arianna, feeling betrayed and insulted. 

"You're nothing but a pureblood child machine for them, Anna,” said Neville, softening his tone. “They haven't changed their way of thinking just because Voldemort is dead. Malfoy might be keeping a low profile, but he's not trustworthy... I don't want to see you close to him."

"So if I'm close to him, you can't be my friend. Is that what you're saying?" 

"No!" said Neville, opening his eyes widely. "I'm just concerned about you."

"I can take care of myself, Nev," said Arianna, controlling her voice. "And honestly, I'm very disappointed in you... You're supposed to be good and kind. Those are some of your biggest qualities. Reasons why I fell in love with you in the first place… And I don't understand how there's no forgiveness in your heart towards him, and I'm baffled at how you let yourself get manipulated by Finnigan and Thomas." 

"He's also hostile towards me," he said lowly.

"Because all of you are openly hating him." 

"So, what do you want me to do?" 

"To be the bigger man, Nev," said Arianna and moved back. "I'm going to bed… I'll see you next week at Hermione’s."

Arianna went to her room on the second floor slowly. A part of her wanted Draco to be asleep and the other for him to be awake. She took off her heels before opening the door and walked in quietly. The fireplace was lit, but Draco was not on the bed. She tiptoed and found him sleeping on the floor between the fireplace and the bed. 

"Stubborn man," she whispered.

He had transformed a thin mattress and a pillow. And shirtless lay in his stomach. Arianna looked around. His jacket hung on the back of a chair, his shirt perfectly folded on the seat, and his shoes aligned under it. 

On her tiptoes, Arianna went to the bathroom and let her hair loose, brushed her teeth, and took off her dress. Then she remembered her pyjamas were in her suitcase, so she took her morning robe and left to fetch them. 

She had taken two steps when Draco spoke. 

"Where did you go?" he asked, sitting down. 

"There was something I needed to get out of my chest," said Arianna and crossed the room to her suitcase.

"I don't need you to defend me," said Draco with a dark voice.

Arianna turned around. "I could say the same, but there you are – Volunteering for dangerous missions," she said, still mad for how the Gryffindors had ruined everything. "I told you you could sleep on the bed."

"I like the floor better," quarreled Draco.

Rolling her eyes, Arianna walked closer to him. "Why don't you want to sleep with me?!" she snapped and clenched her eyes shut. "I mean… like sleep, sleep. Like when two people lay next to each other, close their eyes and fall asleep."

"I don't want to sleep with you because I don't want to know how that is if you're not choosing me," answered Draco moody. "I don't want to know how it feels to wake up next to you if I'll never have that again."

Arianna looked away. For her, it was the opposite. She wished to know how it felt to sleep in his arms and make love to him even if she only got to that once in her life. 

"Thank you for explaining," she said with a slightly sarcastic tone.

The silence became longer.

"I'm not sleepy," she said.

"Me neither," said Draco.

"Do you wanna talk?"

"About what?"

"Whatever." 

Arianna took his silence as a yes, and somewhat unsure of what to do; she sat on the floor next to him.

Her eyes landed on the tattoo he had on his left arm. It was an ouroboros, a serpent eating its tail, but instead of scales, it had the lines of a labyrinth.

She realised she had been staring and said, "I never picture you like someone with tattoos." 

"Did you ever picture me like someone with so many scars?" he asked, dropping his gaze.

"Nope," answered Arianna. Perhaps she should not have touched that subject. 

"I liked the idea of branding my body with something of my choosing… for a change," said Draco.

The amber light from the fire cast subtle shadows on his abdomen, highlighting his muscles and the long scar that crossed his torso.

"How did you get that scar?" she asked automatically and fought the urge to touch it. 

Draco remained silent, and she lifted her gaze. He looked at her with an expression she could not place. 

"You seriously don't know?" he asked. Arianna shook her head, and Draco snorted. "So I see he only tells you what it's convenient to him," he stared at her for a moment longer. "Potter did this to me."

No. That was a lie. That could not be true. Harry would never do something like that. He did not use Dark magic. He had defeated Voldemort with a Disarming Spell, for crying out loud. 

"I tried to Crucio him," continued Draco. "And he threw this curse at me … I would have died if Snape hadn't arrived as fast as he did… But a year later, Potter saved me from the Fiendfyre, so I guess I should be thankful, shouldn’t I?"

"You saved his life when you didn't identify him at the manor," said Arianna, wondering why Harry had never told her that story.

"I guess…" said Draco, staring with a sombre expression at the scarred Dark Mark. 

Arianna touched his forearm, hiding the scar under her palm, wishing she could make it go away so it would stop hunting him. 

“I don’t mind about this,” she said honestly. “It has never mattered to me, and that’s not going to change.”

“It should.”

“It doesn’t,” she said firmly and removed the jade ring from her finger, unveiling the Astral Ring, reminding him that despite everything, she loved him. 

Draco pulled her by the waist, and she slid her arms over his shoulders. The warmth of his body through her delicate satin robe made her aware of how undressed both were, and she stopped breathing. 

"I have some involuntary scars, too," she shared, trying to move away, but Draco held her firmly. 

"How did you get them?” asked Draco, running his hands on her back. “Did you wrestle someone to death over a chocolate mint cookie box?"

“That could totally happen,” Arianna chuckled. "But no. I have a small one on my right thigh, from a Grindylow that pulled me down on a lake when I was ten," Draco's hand travelled down to her thigh, and her pulse instantly quickened. "And… and I have another two."

"Where?" he whispered in her ear.

"In my– In my hip," she said faintly. Draco grabbed her knee and pulled her with ease on top of him, and she settled on his lap.

"Why?" asked Draco, tracing her neck with his lips.

"A … curse I dodge in Battle of – of Hogwarts," she said, questioning if he had changed his mind.

"Is that it?" he asked, going underneath her morning robe up to her hips.

Her head was growing foggy, "I have a bite," she mumbled, grazing her lips on his ear. "A Cornish Pixie bite."

"How come?"

Arianna's hands slid to his chest and pushed him ever so slightly. "Some idiot from the second year opened a cage filled with them in the DADA classroom in my first week at Hogwarts."

"I remember that," he chuckled, and his mouth got closer to hers. "Where did it bite you?"

"On my shoulder," she whispered, staying very still.

"Which one?" asked Draco, his lips gently brushing hers. 

Arianna's mind was shutting down. "I don't know," she muttered, touching his hard chest. "I can't remember."

"Try harder," he said, pulling the robe's belt, unfastening it effortlessly. 

"I don't know," she repeated mindlessly. Heat irradiated from her lower belly all across her.

Draco uncovered her right shoulder and then the other one.

"I found it," he whispered and kissed her left shoulder. Arianna touched the back of his neck. "You should go to bed."

"In a minute," said Arianna and pushed him, so he laid on his back. 

His eyes skimmed her body,  lingering on her blue underwear.

Arianna placed her hands on his abdomen and slid them up to his torso until she was on top of him with her lips hovering over his.

"What are you doing?" asked Draco.

"I just want a kiss," said Arianna, teasing his lips. 

Draco sank his fingers on her mane and kissed her, slowly, profoundly, decadently. His grip became possessive, and he flipped her, going on top of her.

"You're so unfair," he said, and his mouth moved to her neck. 

She loved the pressure of his body on her, his overwhelming scent intoxicating her, making her forget herself.

Draco reached for her knickers and pulled them down. He kept kissing and nibbling her neck and chest; his lips searched for her nipples over her thin bra. And down he went to her stomach and navel, setting her on fire. 

When he kept on moving south, Arianna realised where he was going, and an inexplicable fear tensed every muscle. 

"What are you doing?" she asked promptly.

"I thought you wanted a kiss," said Draco, continuing his way down.

Arianna tried to pull herself back, but he grabbed her hips firmly.

Draco kissed her right on her clit, and Arianna gasped. The electrifying sensation made her jump away, but he dragged her back to his mouth and began sucking and teasing with his tongue. Arianna lost control over her, her body twisted, and her fingers craved for something to grasp. Her jewelled hands buried in his blond hair while moaning softly.

Fiercely, he kept going until Arianna’s world was burning. And a push away from the abyss, there was only one thing she wanted.

"Fuck me!" she moaned. "Please fuck me!"

Draco’s lips visited her navel again, and traveling the same path as before, he made his way to her neck and whispered deeply, “No.” 

Arianna deemed his answer unacceptable and moved her hands to his trousers, ready to unfasten them, but Draco seized her wrists and pinned them above her head.

“If you do that again, I’ll tie you up,” he said with a deep voice.

“You don’t want me?” she whimpered. 

“Want you?” groaned Draco, his hand caressing her inner thigh. “You can’t imagine all the ways I want to fuck your pretty cunt, your gorgeous tits, and your perfect mouth.”

He slid two fingers inside of her. A profound guttural sound came from his throat, and he bit her neck hard.  Then he began pumping slowly, rubbing her clit with his thumb, and watched her closely. 

Arianna clenched the pillow, moaning and whimpering, melting his fingers. 

“Cum for me, princess,” groaned Draco, shoving faster. “I want to see you cum.”

The tension built dramatically. Her body arched like a wave reaching its climax, and with a last glance at him, Arianna crumbled with a blasting moan. 

The stress on her muscles was gone, and the world around her slowly came back.

“You were perfect,” whispered Draco and kissed her party open lips.

He closed her robes and lay next to her, embracing her. Arianna could feel his erection against her thigh, but he did nothing to alíviate the pressure he felt. 

In silence, they shared the fading moment, and she cuddled further into him, trying to engrave that instant on her memory. How his body felt, the way his chest moved at every breath, the peace he made her feel.

Arianna touched his cheeks with the back of her fingers, and Draco leaned in his elbow,  contemplating her.

“Have you ever listened to the albums I bought you?” She asked.

A smile grew on his face. “I did… all of them are probably wizards.”

“You’re delusional.”

“Especially Jethro Tull.” 

“Merlin, you’re completely insane.”

Draco and Arianna did not sleep much that night. They talked about music, books, the places they have been and the ones they would like to visit. And as the time kept on running, the tiredness finally caught up with her and began fading into another dimension.

Arianna turned on the comfortable mattress and sank her head on the pillow. And confused, she opened her eyes. 

The room was still dark, but the fade flow of the sunset was visible from the window. Somehow she was sleeping on the bed, she glanced down, looking for Draco, but he and the mattress were gone. 

Arianna sat and discovered his shirt, shoes, and jacket were not there either. Immediately, she jumped on her feet to search for him, and just a second before screaming his name, Draco opened the bathroom door and came out completely dressed. 

“You’re leaving?” she asked, stressed.

Draco nodded. “My Portkey to Norway leaves in an hour,” he answered.  “That’s why I had to cancel breakfast.”

It was useless asking him to stay and she stared at him a moment longer, “I’ll walk you to the main gate,” she said, heading to the bathroom. “Just let me get dressed.”

After rapidly putting on her blue gown, they left and headed outside to the lonely gardens. 

The air was fresh, but she did not complain; she barely hugged her arms as they walked to the main gates.

A few steps away from the entrance, Draco stopped.

“Do you smell that?” he asked, closing his eyes inhaling deeply. “Grass in the early morning.”

Smiling back at him, she wrapped her arms around him and thought the warmth of his was better than a wool coat.

“Don’t be long,” said Arianna.

“I’ll do my best,” said Draco and kissed her forehead. “Would you visit my mother more often while I’m gone? She enjoys your company, and I don’t want her to feel alone.”

“Not a problem. I enjoy her company too.” 

“And the little man,” he added and she lifted her head to look at him. “On Saturday mornings, I always take him to Florean Fortescue. He always has one scoop of chocolate ice cream, and he always asks for two, but buy him only one, understood?”

“Yes, yes.”

“And every first Saturday of the month, we go to the toy store next to Eeylops Owl Emporium to get him a small dragon. He collects them. Get him one. He knows which ones he already has. Ask Mother for galleons when you do that.”

“A toy a moth?” chuckled Arianna. “You’re spoiling him too much.”

“A toy a moth is his reward for doing his job,” said Draco, smiling softly. 

“What’s his job?” asked Arianna, entertained.

“He's been the man of the house since I left the manor,” explained Draco. “His job is to take care of Mother and aunt Andy, and he’s doing a wonderful job at it.”

Arianna pushed back his hair, completely engulfed by the way his wonderful eyes made her feel. Words began pushing on her lips, and easily and almost involuntarily, they broke free. 

“Draco,” she whispered. “I love–“

He kissed her again, and again, and again, eating her words.

“Think about what I asked you, please,” said Draco, moving back and Arianna seized his jacket.

“Draco,” she muttered, fearing to see him go.

“I must leave,” he said, and kissed her before opening the gates.

Across the iron bars, they saw each other one last time. Draco vanished, and the air became cold once more.







Notes:

My dear readers, life has the bad habit of getting in the way and making you change your plans. Unfortunately, I’ll not be able to post anything until next month. I aim to be done with chapter 33rd Thursday the 10th and continue posting every week as I’ve been doing so far.

I’m really sorry for this!! And I wish you all the patience in the world!

Chapter 33: Toujours Pur

Notes:

Thirty-three chapters and ten to go!

Thank you for all your patience these couple of weeks! I hope you like the chapter. ^ ^

Chapter Text

 

 

Life is built on the decisions taken, like the stones to a castle or the ingredients to a potion.

There are many kinds of them. The imperceptible ones, like to train before going to work or not, or to drink coffee instead of tea. Some others weigh with importance, such as Draco's choice to volunteer in the mission. And others are not for us to take, like Arianna staying behind in London. 

Some choices are not as clear as others. Some are not A or B, but C. 

Draco asked Arianna to make a decision she felt she could not take. A choice that, despite being hers to make, felt it did not belong to her. 

And so, as the days turned colder and darker, Arianna chose not Harry nor Draco but to do her utmost to break free from Rudenschöld's shadow.

The advances of the Neo-Grindelwaldists had set Europe in a state of war. Austria was surrounded. Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Hungary were under the High Regime influence, making the attacks on the borders increase day by day. Every morning, the number of Aurors in the cubicles diminished as more and more were sent to fight. Germany, France, and Italy had become essential allies against the Neo-Grinderwaldists, but all of them could barely hold them.

Given the current situation, the rumours at the Auror office was that Austria would fall by the end of the year, and with Austria down, the rest of Europe would follow. 

But Arianna centred all her energy on Ritter Rudenschöld, particularly on one thing: to find his personal hideout. She did not look for the High Regime's headquarters, there were many of them, and plenty of governments work on that. No. Arianna wanted to find his place. That safe location where he went when angry, joyful or nostalgic. That place that he could call a home, a refuge. 

Whenever she was not at the ministry, working on the Remus Lupin Foundation or visiting Narcissa and Teddy, she spent all her time locked in a room on the third floor in Grimmauld Place, trying to discover Rudenschöld's secret hidden place. 

His origins were not a mystery, and they were crucial to understanding the man behind the name. The Rudenschölds were one of the oldest magical Scandinavian families. Their history dragged even further back than the Black clan. 

Proudly pureblood, their line broke when Gustaff Rudenschöld secretly married a muggle-born girl and had a son that they named Ritter. As Gustaff had tainted the bloodline, his father, Sigurd Rudenschöld, asked for retribution, and following the family tradition, he challenged him to a duel that resulted in his son's death.

Sigurd raised his grandson as the debt had been paid, and his mother had mysteriously vanished. And so, Ritter grew up in a castle in the deepness of the Swedish woods and became the first Half-Blood heir and the first one who did not attend Durmstrang but was homeschooled until the age of fifteen when he left to travel the world. 

In his mid-twenties, Ritter had his first and only child, Alaric. He and his small family lived in the Black Forest until his wife died from an accidental gunshot fired by a hunter. 

It was perhaps based on her own experience that Arianna theorised that her enemy's hidden place was linked to his past in the same way Grimmauld Place was tied to hers. 

Finding Ritter's former residences were something many had tried to achieve. Several had been found, but two remained a mystery. The Rudenschölds Unpottable castle and the cottage where he and his family lived. But what none of the governments had and Arianna did, was access to a vast collection of old diaries belonging to a person who had been on one of these places: Basilides Malfoy.

Since Arianna visited often and Narcissa gave her free roam on both libraries with no questions asked, she had bumped into an extensive collection of well-kept journals written by Draco's great grandfather. As the Malfoys kept tight connections with other wealthy and powerful European families, it was no surprise he had been invited on a handful of occasions to the Rudenschölds' castle. 

Described as a white edification over a small hill, the castle was deep in the forest and between two lakes. And together with other theories and confidential ministry research, Arianna had narrowed her search to three areas. 

On the Saturday four days before Christmas, she sat at the edge of the bed in the decaying guest room at Grimmauld Place. Many candles were resting on a side table, lighting the papered wall in front of her. Notes, charts and pictures of various landscapes had become the new wallpaper, and a large map of Sweden took the centre with three red pins signalling the castle's most likely location.

It had been nearly a quarter of an hour since Arianna had been staring at the Rudenschöld's coat of arms, which depicted two hippogryphs standing on their rear legs, enclosing an R. 

According to Basilides Malfoy, hippogryphs abounded in the area, and she wondered if the answer lay there. 

The door creaked open. Padma came in bearing a huge grin and a brown leather photo album. She sat next to Arianna and showed a page she kept with her finger.

"Who would say that Lily Potter could pull off bangs!" she exclaimed.

Arianna took the book and looked at a picture that by now she was very familiar with. Her family and Harry's stood on the image; it had the same wood landscape and the cottage as in her father's torn picture she once treasured when younger. 

James and Sirius were at the centre, shoulder to shoulder and happily smiling, holding their babies with Lily and Agata by their sides. Harry was considerably bigger than Arianna, his jet black hair already poking out in all directions, his forehead without a scar, giggling cheerfully. 

Arianna smiled back at them, and her heart suddenly sank at the thought that it had been nearly two months since the last time she saw Harry. 

"You, on the other hand, big mistake," said Padma flipping through the pages until she found what she was looking for. "You cannot pull bangs with wavy hair."

A younger Arianna laughed next to her mother before blowing a pink candle stuck on a small tiramisu. An annotation on Agata's handwriting read below, "Pumpkin's tenth birthday."

A few days after the wedding, Arianna had managed to open another drawer on the back of her father's wardrobe. The word "pumpkin" was the password to find this new treasure – A photo album her mother had given Sirius with fifteen years of Arianna's life. From birthdays to holidays to her first time at the Platform 9 3/4. 

Arianna took the book and shut it close. "Leave it where you found it."

Padma seized it and observed her with a concerned expression. 

"I know you think I'm biassed," she said and took a deep breath. "All right, maybe I'm a little, but … Choose Harry! I mean, your feelings for him are understandable and justifying: You met each other, became close and fell in love. Like people do!... But with Malfoy… you know… it's kind of an illusion. You both have fantasied with been together for so many years, but what if it is only that?– A dream… But the thing with Harry is real, Aria. Don't throw it away for a fantasy."

"As far as we know, he wants to be with Ginny Weasley," said Blair, who leaned on the door with her arms folded, wearing her Healer lime-green robes. "On the other hand, Draco it's completely mental about you… And maybe you're right, Padma. Perhaps it's a ‘dream’ or an ‘illusion’, but if Aria never tries, she will never know and would live the rest of her life wondering if it would have worked," she went inside the room and stood in front of Arianna. "You will regret not giving it a shot, and you know it."

Arianna went on her feet, growling, "In how many languages do I have to explain that I don't want to talk about this?"

And moving away from her friends, she stared back at the map. Arianna thought they both were right. Yes, she knew Harry and her would work wonderfully. Yes, he could still pick Ginny. And yes, she would regret not trying things with Draco after years of mutual longing for each other. 

But them returning well and alive from the Scandinavian Mountains was first, as well as catching Rudenschöld.

Her attention focused on the coat of arms and the red pins. 

"Padma," she said, turning back. "Which of these locations do you think is most likely to find herds of hippogryphs?"

Padma leaned forwards and tilted her head a little, inspecting the map. 

"None," she said and pointed at the most northern pin. "That one is too exposed – Up there is almost tundra, they usually search for denser woods," then her hand lowered to the second one over the mountains. "The next one is heavily populated by dragons– One of the hippogryphs' most common predators.– And the third one is too close to muggle civilisation."

Arianna covered her face and groaned. 

"But that's if we're talking about wild herds, of course," added Padma. "If you're breeding them, it's a whole different story. In that case, it could be any. Perhaps the second and third locations are more likely than the first."

"You're losing your mind in this room, Aria," said Blair and walked closer to her. "Let's go home and have some dinner. Padma has been saying since Monday she's gonna cook chicken biryani, and I've been craving it the whole week."

"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Padma, jumping on her feet. "I got everything I need."

Arianna looked at her watch; it was almost six in the afternoon. 

"I'll meet you at the flat," she said and took her black cloak and leather gloves from the bed. "I need to pick up Nathan's Christmas present at Flourish and Blotts." And without further due, she headed outside.

The sun had already set, and cold mist spread through London when Arianna Apparated in Diagon Alley. The wet, chilly and dark day was far from what she considered ideal but tried not to complain, thinking that probably Harry and Draco had not seen a glimpse of light in at least a month. 

The street flooded with hundreds of witches and wizards doing Christmas shopping. She rushed, dodging people as she walked and quickened her pace when she spotted the bookstore. But between the chaos and the euphoria, she bumped into a woman on a dark green coat, knocking over the presents she carried. 

"Sorry!" said Arianna, going down to pick up the two beautifully wrapped presents that had fallen on a shallow puddle. "I'll fix them in a second!"

She took one and then the next one but stopped when sensing the other woman remained quiet and still. Arianna lifted her head and found Astoria Greengrass. 

The loath on her face did not surprise her, but the tears building up in her eyes did. And leaving her presents behind, Astoria turned around and hurried away, getting lost in the multitude.

"Astoria, wait!" yelled Daphne and followed her sister.

Arianna went on her feet slowly, holding a wet present in each hand. 

"Give me that," growled a moody woman's voice to her right, and a pair of gloved hands snatched the gifts from her.

Pansy Parkinson wore a black fur coat, and her lips painted in that characteristic shade of bright red she always used. 

"Let's go inside," said Pansy coldly, putting the wraped boxes into her oversized bag. "I need to talk to you." 

Diligently, Pansy went into Flourish and Blotts. Arianna hesitated for a second, but after rolling her eyes, she followed her inside. 

The bookstore was packed with customers pushing each other, trying to make their way to the counter, the door or the bookshelves. And shoving unapologetically whoever was on her way, Pansy went deep into the store with Arianna trailing behind as fast as she could to not lose sight of her. Finally, she ended up in the forgotten Philosophy of Magic section. 

The aisle was deserted besides Pansy, who waited for her with her arms folded as if she had been standing there for an eternity, and from her coat pocket, she pulled out an egg timer, just like the ones Kron used and placed it on a bookshelf. 

Arianna found it rude that Pansy kept using Kron’s inventions despite ending their peculiar relationship just for helping Draco get into the Gaunt Palace. 

"So, what is it, Pans?" asked Arianna tiredly. "Is it something else besides you wanting me to stay away from Draco? Otherwise, I think I'll take a rain check from your babbling and head home. I'm expected for dinner."

"Draco is my best friend," said Pansy determinedly. "I love him. I would die for that man, Black. He means the world to me. He has saved my life more than once, and I'm eternally in debt with him. So bear that in mind when I tell you that you have to let him marry Astoria if you really care about him. If you want to be his lover after that, go for it. But he has to wed Astoria Greengrass."

"Draco and your future husband have a different opinion about that," said Arianna calmly. "They think that they can solve the issue without having to do that."

"Draco has lost perspective for an arse and a pair of tits! and Theodore, it's a dreamer," answered Pansy, taking a step closer. "Me and Lucius Malfoy are the only ones to seem to have the feet on the ground." 

"Alright!" said Arianna, putting her hands on her hips. "Then tell me, why does he have to marry her?" 

"I can't tell," answered Pansy, clenching her teeth. 

"For fucks sake, Parkinson!" snapped Arianna. "You can't come and ask for me to stay away from him if you can't even give me a bloody reason for it!" 

"I can't fucking say!" blared Pansy, clearly frustrated. "Unless you want me to drop dead at your feet!" Arianna frowned. "I took an Unbreakable Vow, you fool! All of us did!" 

Arianna held her head, wishing she could read her mind and finally learn the truth. 

"Look, I understand you're concerned about Draco," she said, trying to control her exasperation. "But he told me he could fix this without having to marry her, and I trust him. And if you care so much about him, you should help him instead of forcing him to marry someone he doesn't want to be married with." 

Pansy snorted and threw her hands in the air. "He did want to marry her! But then you came back and fucked up everything! You will ruin him, Black! Stay with Potter and leave Draco alone!" 

"Draco told me that–"

"Are you deaf or stupid?! Don't you hear what I'm saying?!" interrupted Pansy, her fair skin turning vermillion red. "Do you think that if there was another way to solve this fucking problem, I would be here talking to you?!" She breathed deeply and moved very close to Arianna; her perfume was sweet and was mixed with tobacco. "This is my final offer, Black– When he's back from his mission, you tell him you don't want to be with him. Then I'll convince him to fix things with Astoria, so they marry, and after that, you two can patch things up, and I will help you cover your affair."

"Are you mental?!" said Arianna, moving away from her. "I don't want to be his mistress!" 

Pansy rolled her eyes. "You're such a child. Such a little blue-eyed girl that refuses to live in the real world! Open your eyes, Arianna! This is not a fucking fairy tale! There's no happy ending to this story! You cannot survive a day in our world. You're not cut for this. And not you, not him, can see it! He thinks you're this perfect pureblood black unicorn he found in a meadow."

"He doesn't care about my blood status," quarrelled Arianna with a deep voice. 

Pansy's angered expression was quickly replaced by a mocking grin.

"Yes, he does, dear," she said and chuckled. "Do you really think Draco fucking Malfoy would have laid a finger on you if you weren't a pureblood?" 

"Oh, Pansy," said Arianna, smirking. "He laid more than a finger on me way before he knew that."

"Merlin, you're so naïve," said Pansy and giggled. "He always knew who your father was. He always knew you were a pureblood, way before you did."

"You're lying," said Arianna immediately.

"Do you think he would have kissed you back in Hogwarts if he didn't know you were a Black? Do you think that Narcissa Black Malfoy would have accepted you at the manor if you were a half-blood bastard with a blood traitor as a mother?."

"That's not true," said Arianna, stepping back. "They didn't know, and they don't care about that!"

Pansy laughed. "Oh, yes! They knew your father was Sirius Black. They always did, and Draco never told you. Not even after knowing how desperate you were to find out and how we bullied you at school. Imagine all the pain and sleepless nights he could have spared you."

Arianna tasted rotten lemonade on her lips and saw Alaric's pale green eyes in front of her. And she shut her eyes, feeling like vomiting. A voice told her Pansy was lying, but another part was not convinced.

"Ask them if you don't believe me," said Pansy with a silky voice and began walking, knocking Arianna's shoulder as she passed by. "Although both are splendid liars… Merry Christmas, Black." 

Her heart pounded hard, clenching painfully, more acutely than it had done the last couple of months. She placed a hand on her chest, pressing and taking deep breaths. 

It was hard to know what was more horrifying, that Draco always knew who her father was or that one of the main reasons he loved her was her blood status.

Craving frantically fresh air, Arianna left the store, pushing through the crowd. The memory of when she confessed to Draco the identity of her father was playing in her head. He told her he did not care who it was and did not care about her blood. Was that a lie? Then she remembered how calm he was when she said his name. Did he already know? 

She needed to know the truth. Now. She could not wait for Draco and decided to visit the only person who could answer her questions. Arianna Apparated without a second thought as soon as she crossed the bookstore's door. 

A moment later, she stood in front of the main gates at the Malfoy manor. Another memory came, around this time seven years ago was the first time she had ever set foot in this place. Did Draco know then? When she cried in front of him and asked for help, and he said he couldn't do it?

Her stomach revolted.

"State your name and purpose," said the gate.

"Arianna Vitelli. I want the truth."

The door swung open, and with a mix of anger, dizziness and fear, she hurried inside to the now Christmasy main hall and headed directly towards the study where she knew Narcissa spent most of her evenings. 

Ariana stormed in, breathing heavily.

"Good evening, Galatea," greeted Narcissa casually from a chair near the fire. She had her reading glasses on and took them off, placing them on the small round table next to her, together with a book she held. "It seems like something is troubling you. Please take a seat. Would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you," said Arianna, feeling a cold sweat pearling on her forehead. "And I don't think I can sit right now."

"Very well then," said Narcissa, placing her fingers softly under her chin. "Please tell me what is bothering you."

Arianna walked halfway between the entrance and her host. "How long have you known my father is Sirius Black?"

"I see," said Narcissa, tilting her head slightly. "'Knowing' is a rather abstract concept, don't you agree?"

Arianna clenched her eyes. A strong voice wished to yell at her, and at the same time, she fought the urge to cry. 

"How long?" she asked deeply. "How long have you known?"

"It's a long story," replied Narcissa, calm as if they were in another lesson. "Please take a seat and allow me to explain."

"I can't sit down," growled Arianna, struggling to contain her rage. The affection she felt towards her hindered her from setting on fire her precious study.

"As you wish," said Narcissa, putting her hands together. "During the first war, rumour was that Sirius was in a relationship. But the woman's identity or the story's veracity was never confirmed. I honestly never gave it much thought. I tried to move away from all the horrors and focused on my family, on the future…It wasn't until I met you that I thought about that again."

"When I came here all those years ago?" asked Arianna and swallowed with difficulty.

"No, it was long before that," replied Narcissa looking down at her hands. "You probably don't remember. You were a child… Draco had just turned seven when we met you for the first time."

Arianna did not have memories of Draco until her first year at Hogwarts, not of Narcissa either. 

"It was during a Ministry's Summer Solstice party," continued Narcissa. "I was searching for Draco near the lake. Back then, he had the habit of climbing trees whenever he could. But before finding my son, I found you," she paused for a second, watching directly at her. "You had your feet on the water, up to your knees, wearing a white dress and a daisy crown. You looked up to a tree branch where Draco sat, and when I got close enough, I saw something familiar in you… But it wasn't until your mother came rushing and took you out of the water looking completely terrified that something clicked inside, and I wondered… Of course, I knew about your mother and her situation and heard endless theories and rumours about who your father was. But it never crossed my mind that you could be my cousin's daughter."

"So you knew then?" asked Arianna.

"Not really," said Narcissa, going on her feet and ambling slowly towards her. "I suspected and wondered for a moment if it could be possible that you were related to me somehow… But I didn't give it much thought… Again, I was trying to leave that part of my past behind me. It was too painful otherwise." Narcissa hesitated for a second and exhaled. "Galatea, I was never certain your father was Sirius until you told Draco… But I was almost sure of it when you came here seven years ago." 

"Pansy said that you wouldn't have allowed me here if you didn't know who my father was."

Narcissa stood in front of her, she was taller than Arianna, but somehow, she seemed smaller today.

"It was uncharacteristic of me to allow Draco to invite someone that didn't share our beliefs, especially considering that the Dark Lord had returned," she said and glanced at the chessboard over the desk where the black pieces seemed to be losing the battle. "But I was curious to meet you." 

"Why?" asked Arianna faintly, feeling dizzier by the second and finally sat on the nearest settee.

"I wanted to meet the girl my son fancied so terribly," said Narcissa, and confused, Arianna lifted her gaze to see her. "Draco was incredibly stressed that day. He was in a horrible mood all morning, constantly inquiring about the most absurd things, asking if we had chocolate mint cookies from Skipity Scones or if our tea was fresh enough, requesting the elves to cook something with pumpkin. He changed his shirt nearly ten times and almost fainted when you were at the gate…" she sat next to Arianna. "And it was then, when you said your middle name, that the possibility of you being a Black grew, and then I saw you, and I was sure– You had the great looks of the House of Black, and I could see Sirius in those eyes of yours."

"Why didn't you tell me?" whispered Arianna and lowered her head, hiding the tear that leaked from the corner of her eye.

"Many reasons," said Narcissa, placing a hand on Arianna's shoulder. "One, I could still be wrong. Two, it was not my place to tell you that. And third, it wasn't safe for you... The Dark Lord was back, and Sirius was a target. I knew the war was coming, and I understood why your mother was keeping the secret."

"Did you tell Draco? About your suspicions," asked Arianna.

"I did..." answered Narcissa in a low voice, moving Arianna's mane carefully behind her back. "I thought it was best if he knew… I also asked him to stay away from you for your and his own safety."

Arianna could not stop it anymore, and tears streamed down her face." He knew?" 

"I'm sorry," said Narcissa, touching her chest. "I understand you feel betrayed. But it was for your own good, believe me… Believe the woman that had to share bread with Dead Eaters and the Dark Lord. You can't imagine the depraved and horrible things they were capable of... We were utterly mortified for you after the Carrows took over the school. Draco even–" She stopped and looked away.

"What," asked Arianna, smearing her tears. 

"It's not my place to divulge things that don't concern me," said Narcissa, facing her. "It's up to my son to share them if he wants to… I'll just say that we were keeping an eye on you."

Arianna covered her face, torn between being grateful and angry at him, confused because it was unknown to her what was best for him to stay on his life or leave, and only one question needed to be asked. 

"Why does he have to marry her?" she blurted, pleading for an answer.

Narcissa sat straighter with a flicker of shock on her face. 

"The situation surrounding that topic is fairly delicate," she said firmly. "And I cannot openly discuss it with you. I'm sorry." 

Unsurprised, Arianna exhaled sharply and decided to go to the point. "Even if we haven't talked about this before," she said. "I think that you know that… that Draco and I– we–"

"You and my son have strong feelings for each other," said Narcissa confidently. "Yes, I know."

"Then, as his mother, the person who cares about him more than anyone on this earth," said Arianna staring into her blue eyes. "Tell me: Should I step aside and let him marry her?" 

Arianna needed to know if she would ruin him by being together, and she was sure that Narcissa would never allow her son to be hurt if she could avoid it.

"Galatea," said Narcissa, firmly taking Arianna's hand. "We are dealing with an extremely delicate problem here… And I'll not lie to you– Draco marrying Astoria is the easiest solution. But it's not the only one… or the best one. Not since you gave him hope."

"You're still not answering me," said Arianna, drawing conclusions in her head. 

"I'm behind whatever choice he makes," said Narcissa forcefully. "I'll support him until the end regardless of the consequences... He has chosen you, and I respect that. I will help him to find another way to pay his debt."

"Debt," repeated Arianna, catching that little piece of information that had escaped her. 

Narcissa quickly stood up and headed to the window. Puzzled by her reaction, Arianna followed her and saw a bird flying outside in circles. 

Narcissa lifted the window open, allowing the raven to come inside and stand on the settee's back where Arianna was before. The black bird extended a leg for her to take a small scroll attached to it. 

Rather curious, she grabbed the parchment, and the bird flew away. It was a short message written in an unknown careless letter. 

Arianna read the message twice and flipped the paper looking for more. If she had understood correctly, this came from Kron. Angelina was back, and the rest of the expedition team had gone with Jordan to the battlefield in Austria. 

"What is it?" asked Narcissa, a hint of fear in her voice. "Is it about Draco?"

"Yes," answered Arianna. Still looking at the parchment. "He's in Austria. They were sent directly there. I don't know why."

For the last two months, her empathy towards Narcissa had increased. Now she knew how it felt to live waiting for her loved ones to come back unharmed. And she could only imagine that for Narcissa, it had been even worse when Voldemort was here, and both her husband and son were sent to fight someone else's war. 

Narcissa became paler and sat at the edge of the seat, clenching her silver locket, and thick tears rolled down her cheeks.

Arianna sat next to her. 

"He'll come back safe," she told her, hugging her, finding her body narrow and fragile. "He will be with us soon."

That evening, Arianna stayed for dinner, something she had never done, and after that, Teddy insisted that "Nana" take him to bed and read him a tale. And so, they went to the second floor guided by Andromeda. For the first time, Arianna climbed the marvellous staircase and saw the beautiful corridors with long Persian carpets. 

Her first impression of Teddy's room was that it was too elegant and big for a four-year-old, and while Andromeda changed his grandson into his pyjamas and helped him brush his teeth, Arianna wandered in the room, looking at the many stuffed animals that rested over a large sofa, half of them where dragons and she spotted the ones she had bought him per Draco's wishes.

Then she inspected the picture frames on his nightstand table. Photos of Teddy with his parents, his grandparents and Narcissa stood there. 

Arianna sat at the edge of the bed and felt something hard underneath her, and moved the cover away. There lay a picture of him flying happily in a small broom a few feet from the ground with Harry following him. And another one where he sat cheerfully on Draco's shoulders.

Feeling moved and aware of how much he missed them, she covered the frames back with the cover. 

Teddy returned wearing his footed pyjamas with snitches and climbed to bed, going under the sheets. Andromeda handed a children's book to Arianna and left the bedroom.

Teddy's eyelids looked heavy, and she suspected he would not make it to the end of the tale. 

"What a nice set of pyjamas you have," she said, gently touching his tiny arm. "You want to be a quidditch player, uh?"

"I'm going to be a Seeker when I go to Howats," said Teddy unquestionably. "Like Draco and Harry."

"I'm sure you will," said Arianna, lying on her side next to him.

"And I'm going to be a Hufpuff like my mom," said Teddy dreamily. 

"That's one of the best houses," said Arianna softly, caressing his wavy black hair. "They are going to be very lucky to have you there. And for sure, we need a Hufflepuff in our little family." 

Arianna began reading, and after two pages, the tiredness won the battle, and Teddy fell asleep. She watched him for a moment, and cautious steps behind made her glance over her shoulder. Narcissa had entered the room holding a leather folder.

"The inheritance is yours, Galatea," she said, almost whispering, leaving the folder over the nightstand. "You're now the head of the House of Black and rightful owner of all its wealth. Gringotts has been informed."

Arianna looked at the folder and saw her family coat of arms engraved on it with the inscription "Toujours Pur" written below together with her name. Some sort of confusion was the only thing she felt. 

"You no longer need to come every Sunday," added Narcissa. "But you will always be welcome in this house…at least as long as I live here."

"Thank you," whispered Arianna.

Narcissa nodded and left the bedroom. Teddy opened his eyes.

“Nana,” he said groggily and sat. "Why are you not reading?"

Arianna opened the book, laid on her back, and continued reading while he placed his little head over her shoulder, watching the colourful drawings and listening to her words. 

Despite knowing her future was uncertain, that perhaps she would never be free to be with anyone, she felt peace for having this little kid unconditionally in her life. And right there, she decided who would be the next heir of the House of Black if Rudenshöld caught her before she did.





Chapter 34: An Entangled Christmas

Chapter Text

It had been three days of war, and the world revolved around it. The press published article after article about the conflict in Austria. It became the main conversation topic in all circles of Arianna's life and a black hole where all her thoughts and energy went. 

Dürnstein, a small town not far from the capital, had become the centre of a fierce battle between the High Regime and the allied countries. The city was seized, and the civilians evacuated. The International Status of Secrecy was endangered, and governments did their best to protect it.

And with Europe on fire, somehow today was Christmas. Somehow, Arianna was expected to wear an elegant dress and smile politely at the Prime Minister's traditional Christmas dinner while the lives of two of the persons she loved the most were on the line. 

Nonetheless, between the fear and duties, she and her mother made a little space on their time and minds to do the only remaining tradition they had. And so, after Arianna slipped on her new white off-the-shoulder dress and put on her new crimson red cloak, she and Agata headed to Godric's Hollow with lilies in hand. 

When she was younger, she was told the gesture was since the deaths of the Potters marked the end of the war. Now she knew it was a tribute of love and respect, for they were one of her father's best friends.

There was something magical about that town. It was amazing that even if the rest of the country had a muddy, foggy Christmas, there was always snow and blue skies in Godric's Hollow. 

Arianna marvelled at this while silently walking the narrow cobblestone street leading to St. Jerom's graveyard and the stone church next. They entered the lonely ancient cemetery, and she mindlessly contemplated the row of eroded headstones and forgotten names. 

They had just turned around a holly tree when they found someone standing in front of the Potters' resting place. It was a hooded man dressed in a torn, dirty black robe. 

Agata and Arianna slowed their pace. In all the years they have come here on Christmas, they never encounter a soul visiting their grave, but strange enough, there was something familiar about his silhouette and posture. 

The man was tall and had a black beard. He did not glance their way as they approached, even if the snow crunched under their feet. A hint of his straight nose picked under the hood, together with a pair of wireframe glasses.

The lilies Arianna carried slipped through her fingers, and with absolute certainty of who he was, she ran towards him to embrace him.

"Harry!" she blurted, throwing her arms around him, wondering if she was dreaming.

He held her back, "Anna," Harry whispered. "It's over. The war is over. The High Regime has fallen. Europe is free."

Arianna could hardly process his words. Having him again in his arms was something she feared for so many nights she would never get to do again, to feel him, to see him.

"I'm so happy you're back," she said, and her voice broke as she tried to control her breathing. His bergamot scent was almost lost, overpowered by dirt, cold and blood. 

"Everyone from the team is safe," said Harry and pushed her back to see her. Harry seemed ten years older. Besides his bushy beard, his skin was dry and cracked by the weather, and deep dark circles set under his beautiful green eyes. Eyes that stared back at her with sorrow. "Rudenschöld escaped. I'm sorry. We failed you. I failed you."

Arianna shook her head vigorously and hugged him. "It doesn't matter. You're back. You're all back!"

Saying those words aloud made her feel like she could breathe again as if she had not done it for two months. Harry was safe, Draco was safe, the team was safe. 

Harry held her head and pressed his lips against her temple. 

Slow steps over the snow approached, and Arianna remembered her mother was there and let Harry go. 

"I'm so glad you're back, Harry," said Agata, smiling and hugging Harry. Then she moved away, placed the flowers on top of the grave, and the three of them went silent for a long moment, staring at the names carved on the stone. 

Arianna's right hand took Harry's and the left one his mother's, and she wondered how a Christmas with the missing ones of their families would be.

"I've been thinking about making a headstone for Sirius for quite some time," said Agata. "To have a place to mourn him, to visit, even if his body is not there… And this place always comes to mind. Next to James and Lily… But I want your opinion about that, Harry." 

"I think this is where he should be," muttered Harry.

"Would you like to come for Christmas dinner?" asked Agata, turning her head towards him. "I'm positive Kings would love to see you there. We certainly would."

"Christmas?" asked Harry, confused.

"Yes, dear," said Agata kindly. "It's Christmas today."

"I always spend Christmas at the Weasleys," replied Harry, as if he was thinking out loud. "And I want to keep doing that."

Harry let Arianna's hand go, and she instantly knew what it meant– He was choosing Ginny.

"If you change your mind, you know where to find us," replied Agata. 

"Thanks," said Harry, absent-minded. "I better get home, then."

"There's no one there," whispered Arianna, feeling the world slowing down. "Ron and Hermione are spending Christmas at the Grangers, and Cho is out of town."

"It's okay," answered Harry weakly and turned around. "Merry Christmas."

Arianna saw the hooded figure moving away. Suddenly the idea of him walking into an empty, dark house after coming back from the war made her heart ache, and without realising, she was following him. 

"Harry," her lips muttered, but he kept moving fast.

He was choosing Ginny. 

She quickened her pace.

"Harry!" she called again, but he ignored her.

Disoriented, she kept following him, and she noticed the drops of blood dripping from his right sleeve into the white snow.

"HARRY!" she yelled and ran after him. 

This time, Harry stopped but did not look back. 

Arianna went around to face him and really saw how exhausted he was.

"Are you hurt?" she asked.

"It's just a scratch," answered Harry tiredly. "I'll fix it once I'm home."

"Let me help you," said Arianna urgently. "Take my arm. I'll take you home."

"Anna–" he whispered, looking down. "It's not necessary."

"Grab my arm, Potter," insisted Arianna offering her arm, thinking about him going into his house without anyone to welcome him, hug him, heal him, or brew tea for him. "Let me take you home."

Harry did not move. Arianna seized his left arm tightly and Apparated.

They now stood outside the small gate that led to the Potter's family house. There was a weak rain falling, and as soon as they crossed the door into the front yard, it became snow. The property was enchanted as Godric's Hollow was.

Harry lagged behind Arianna while she marched resolutely to the main steps, and once inside, she cast a charm to lighten the fireplace and the light spheres on the giant Christmas tree in the sitting room.

"Anna," said Harry reaching the door. "You don't have to be here."

Ignoring him entirely, Arianna helped him carefully take off his dirty robes and summoned the potions box from his pocket. 

"Show me where you're hurt," she demanded but immediately spotted a long laceration on his right arm, soaking with blood his dark long sleeve, and she wondered how he was not complaining about the pain. "Let's go to the sitting room."

After making Harry sit in the armchair, Arianna removed her cloak and studied the injury. It was as clean-cut as if made with a sharp object. Carefully she cut off his sleeve, dragged a chair next to him, and cleaned the wound, suctioning the mud and blood slowly with her wand. 

Harry closed his eyes and rested his head against the armchair's back. Arianna noticed he was thinner and wondered why he was so numbed that he could not feel pain.

"When was the last time you slept?" she asked.

"I don't know…." he answered.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"I don't remember."

Giving his answers, Arianna restrained herself from asking when he showered the last time.

When finishing with the cleaning and given the wound, she thought of using a spell Blair taught her instead of wasting Essence of Dittany or a Cauterisation Potion on it since those were used for more damaged injuries.

"It will feel strange, but it won't hurt," warned Arianna, hovering her wand over the cut. " Sanasutura ." 

Herry kept his eyes closed, clenching them harder when his skin began closing as if an invisible needle and thread were joining it together. When finished, Arianna summoned the Blood-Replenishing potion from the box. 

"Drink a little sip of this," she said, handing it to Harry, who groggily opened his eyes. "Go upstairs and take a shower. I'll see what I can find in the kitchen so you can eat something. Then you can take a nap, and then I'll wake you up, so you go to the Burrow, and Mrs Weasley can stuff you with nice, warm food."

"He will be at the manor soon," said Harry looking directly into her eyes. 

Arianna stared at him, lost. And it took her a moment to understand what he meant. Did he want her to go with Draco? 

"Well, I'm sure his mother will be thrilled," answered Arianna. Draco had Narcissa, Teddy, Andromeda and an entourage of eager house-elves to welcome him and make sure he was fine. Harry needed her more.

"Just go with him," said Harry sitting straighter. "It's fine."

Arianna stood up, feeling as if the entire cosmos was rearranging, and now the sun came up from the west and set on the east. Why was he saying this?

"I'm staying," she whispered. "Do as I say."

And ignoring Harry's words, she went directly to the hallway and quickened her pace until reaching the kitchen where she locked herself in and pressed her back against the door, feeling her heart pounding a hundred miles per hour. 

Harry had chosen Ginny. Harry wanted her to go with Draco. 

Trembling slightly, she opened the pantry, spotting a loaf of bread and thought of making him a sandwich. She grabbed it together with a mustard jar and left them on the kitchen top. 

Draco was back, and he was waiting for a decision she had not taken. 

Arianna searched the cold-pantry and found a large piece of glazed turkey, and took it. 

Rudenschöld had lost power but remained loose. 

Two slices of bread were cut, butter and homemade mustard were smeared, and turkey sliced. Then she searched around the kitchen for more ingredients.

Harry had realised he loved Ginny and not her and had made his choice.

This should make things easier for her, but it did not feel that way. The whole thing made her dizzy and provoked strange palpitations that did not feel good. 

A bowl filled with red and green apples near the window called her attention and went to fetch a green one.

Draco was well and soon at the manor, but what if he had changed his mind? What if he had decided to marry Astoria after all? 

Arianna stared outside the window into the snowy backyard; an iron gate at the end led to the newly built brewing room and greenhouses for the aconite and other Wolfsbane Potion ingredients. A lot had changed since both were gone. 

Now Draco could not expect Arianna to choose to be with him without answering all the questions she had. As much as it bothered her, she could overlook he kept his mother's suspicions regarding the identity of her father, many people had done the same, and all of them had her well-being as an explanation. But what she needed, demanded, to know before even considering being with him, was if he cared about her blood status and why he was in debt.

She finished the sandwich with two thin apple slices, put the kettle on the old stove, and while the water boiled, she placed the teapot, cup and sandwich on a tray. 

For now, she needed to know Harry was taken care of, then she had to go back home to her mother, who now realised she had abandoned at the cemetery. Draco and her could talk later; he deserved to spend a calm holiday with his family.

The kettle whistled, and she took it from the fire, poured the hot liquid in the teapot, and left the kitchen. She was about to climb the staircase when she heard the discernible sound of a quill scratching parchment and went to the sitting room to see.

Harry sat by the desk, facing the window. He scribbled fast on a small piece of paper he rolled quickly with his wand when Arianna approached and took another parchment, this one addressed to Ron. 

He had put on a blue jumper, and his hair was dripping wet. Arianna left the tray over the desk, transformed a towel out of a paper, and dried his head while he kept writing.

And it was then, next to the inkwell, that she saw an open jewellery box with a delicate ring with three small rubies in a row. 

"Is that an engagement ring?" she asked.

Harry stopped scribbling, reached for the box, closed it and put it in his jeans pocket.

"It is," he said, dipping the quill into the inkwell. "It's not as magnificent as the one you have, but it is an engagement ring.

Arianna removed the towel from his head. Was he asking Ginny to marry him? Should she have sent Ginny and owl telling her Harry was back instead of making him a sandwich? 

"Have you told Ginny you're back?" she asked, having those strange palpitations again. "I'm sure she will like to know. She's been worrying about you."

"I'm writing to Ron. He will tell her."

"I told you, Ron is with the Grangers. You need to write to the Burrow." 

Harry kept writing the message, which for the length of it seemed more than a "Hey, I'm back!"

"I forgot the milk!" blurted Arianna and turned around to fetch it. 

"Anna," said Harry, seizing her arm, going on his feet. "Just stop. You don't need to be here. I'm okay. You don't need to babysit me."

"I'm not–"

"He's probably at the manor by now, go with him. You can take the Floo from here."

"Stop!" Arianna snapped, jerking from his grab. "Stop doing that! Stop trying to make me go with him!"

"Why?" asked Harry tiredly. "You love him, don't you?"

"So what?!" quarrelled Arianna. "There might be times when my place is at the manor and times when my place is here! And today, my place is here!"

"But you want to be there, not here," argued Harry, irritated.

"Oh! So you know what I want better than me?!" asked Arianna, folding her arms. "You know Harry, not because you had made your choice and decided to marry Ginny, it means you get to say if I'm with Draco or not. That's my choice to make, not yours!"

"We both know you're choosing him, so why don't you just do it already?!" yelled Harry, placing his hands on his hips. "What's holding you back? Rudenschöld? Because he's as good as dead."

"But he's not!" she said. "And Draco and I have a lot to talk about. Especially about a particular secret he has kept from me!"

"It was for your own good," said Harry at once.

"Unbelievable!" exclaimed Arianna, throwing her arms in the air. "I can't decide what is more inconceivable: that Draco trusted you with a secret or that you're defending him!"

"He had to do it for everyone's sake," argued Harry steadily. "Yours, his and Snape's. And given the situation his family was in–"

"Snape?" interrupted Arianna, suddenly lost. 

"Yes, Snape," repeated Harry firmly. "It would have put his alliances into question if Voldemort or any Death Eater good in Legilimency would have peeked into your mind and see what truly happened with Alecto. That's why Draco had to Obliviate you–"

"He did what?!" blurted Arianna. "HE OBLIVIATED ME?! Is that why I don't remember shit?!"

Harry rolled his eyes, realising his mistake. "Anna, listen–"

"That's enough! That's the fucking line!" blared Arianna and marched to the fireplace, taking a small vase with Floo powder. "I hope you have a wonderful life with Ginny. You picked the right girl. Your instincts are always impeccable," she tossed the powder into the flames. "Now, if you excuse me. I have to go and hex someone."

Determinately, she walked into the flames, screaming her destination. Yet another secret, another lie. And she asked herself, who the fuck was Draco Malfoy? 

Fire seared her throat when Arianna stepped on the Grand Hall at the Malfoy Manor. The blue-drawing room door was ajar, soft piano music leaked into the outside.

"DRACO!" yelled Arianna, feeling violated and outraged, remembering a man who walked in while she lay hurt on the floor. It has not been a hallucination. It was him. "Draco Lucius Malfoy!"

Quickly she strode to the room. The music stopped, and before she could get there, an elegantly attired Blaise stepped out.

"Where is he?!" demanded Arianna.

"Taking a shower," he replied, lifting his eyebrow. "What did he do this time?"

"He yet again hid things from me!" answered Arianna. 

She had no clue where Draco's room was, but she always imagined he was more a sunrise kind of person than a sunset one, so she headed to the east staircase.

"Draco doesn't have the best communication skills," replied Blaise, following her. "Usually, Firewhiskey helps him with it, though."

"This is not a fucking joke!" spat Arianna. "I'm sick of this!"

Blaise caught up with her as she climbed the stairs. 

"Do you even know where you're going?" he chuckled.

"I'll find him," she answered determinately. "Even if I have to open every single door in the bloody manor."

"You're going to get lost– The corridors move constantly," explained Blaise and chuckled. "Once, Goyle got lost for almost an entire night. It was fun until we had to make search parties and spent hours looking for him. He completely ruined the slumber party." 

"Poor you." 

"I'll guide you to his room," exhaled Blaise, taking the lead. "I don't want to miss the Christmas dinner because I've got to look for you." 

And so he took her through the maze of ornamented and opulent corridors until Arianna spotted at the end of a hallway a pair of ebony doors without doorknobs but with silver ouroboros in its place knew instantly they led to his room. 

Arianna ran past Blaise and began banging on the door to the right. 

"I'm gonna kill you, Draco!" she screamed. "You've gone too far this time!"

The ouroboros turned clockwise, unlocking the door. Arianna pushed it open, storming in. A blast of music welcomed her. "1812 Overture" by Tchaikovsky played full volume. 

She looked around the spacious room. A large four-poster bed with dark green curtains faced the fireplace with Slytherin banners flanking the Malfoy coat of arms above it. Two black leather armchairs were next to a wall filled with books, records, and a large phonograph. 

"I told you he's bathing!" screamed Blaise over the music. "Just wait until he comes out!"

"No!" yelled Arianna. "He doesn't deserve privacy until he gives my memory back!"

There was an ajar door next to the fireplace from where light emerged and marched that way.

"For fuck sakes, Black!" exclaimed Blaise, chasing her.

"I've had enough of you, Draco!" screamed Arianna and pushed the door. The bathroom was heavily misty. A large bathtub was filled with hot water, but he was not there. "I'm tired of all your–"

And then she saw him. Draco stood in front of the sink with a white towel wrapped around his waist, putting on shaving cream. Like Harry, he had lost weight and grown a beard.

From the partly misted mirror, Draco saw her reflection and stopped.

Both froze for a second, and the wrath Arianna felt was knocked over by the abrupt reminder that she loved that man, and she rushed to him. 

Draco met her halfway, clenched her hair, and his lips went for hers. Arianna kissed him back ardently, absolutely clueless of how she felt, for all the emotions conceivable seemed to live on her chest.

"I'm gonna kill you," said Arianna, an inch from his mouth. "You're driving me insane."

"My apologies," answered Draco and kissed her again, his hands sliding down to her ass.

"Lads," said Blaise from the bathroom door. "I'm starting to feel a little uncomfortable."

"Then leave," said Draco and pushed Arianna against the sink, resuming their kissing. 

Arianna would have eagerly agreed with him, but she was too busy trying to steal every single breath his mouth produced. 

"No," said Blaise boringly, coming inside. "We are waiting for you to have dinner, and I'm starving. Catch up later."

He Obliviated you . Reminded a little voice in her head.

Arianna pushed Draco away. "I need to talk to you," she said, moving aside. "I'm not happy with you." 

"You can murder him after dinner," said Blaise, tiredly. "Let's go, Black, let the man shave."

Draco inhaled sharply and stepped aside, and she left without looking back.

Blaise and Arianna went outside into the corridor. She had the same addled sensation as earlier when realising Harry was picking Ginny. She was indeed losing her mind today. 

Mortified for her mental health and trying to add some rationality to this demented day, she attempted to have a civilised conversation for once.

"Why are you spending Christmas here?" she asked.

"My mother is in Fiji with her new husband," explained Blaise, turning around a hallway Arianna did not remember seeing before. "And Theodore and Pansy would prefer to spend a week shovelling dragon dung the Muggle way before spending the holidays with their families." 

"They are here too?... Pansy is here?… Brilliant!"

"Isn't it?" said Blaise and then looked at her from head to toes. "By the way. You might want to clean up yourself a bit. You have shaving cream on your face and bum."

Arianna groaned, pulled out her wand from her dress pocket, and made a quick incantation to remove the foam on her.

"You might also want to fix your hair a little," he said and chuckled. "Good thing you were angry at him. Imagine if you weren't."

"Shut up," she said, sliding her fingers through her hair.

By the time they had reached the main hall, Arianna had somewhat sobered up and decided to leave. This was not the time to have "the talk". After months of being gone, Draco deserved a calm Christmas with his friends and family.

"It's better if I go," said Arianna, looking at her feet. "Please tell Draco I'll message him tomorrow."

The blue-drawing room door opened.

"NANA!" screamed Teddy and ran towards her lifting his arms. His hair was just like Draco's.

Arianna went down to welcome his hug and give him a little kiss.

"Draco is back!" he said, filled with joy. "He has hair on his face now!"

Arianna laughed. "Does he?"

"Yes!" said Teddy and began jumping. "And Draco says Harry is back too! And granny says I can be with him all day tomorrow!"

Arianna hugged him and gave him a thunder kiss on his cheek.

"Come on, Arianna," said Blaise. "Let's go inside. It's bad manners not to greet people when coming into a house… Particularly when entering in the extravagant way you did."

After exhaling profoundly and somewhat ashamed, Arianna rose holding Teddy's hand, who enthusiastically pulled her to the drawing-room while telling her about the Christmas presents he had gotten today.  

Narcissa sat next to Andromeda. She had a gorgeous emerald velvet dress with matching earrings and wore her hair on a french twist. As soon as she saw Arianna, she stood up.

"Galatea," she said radiantly, walking to meet her. "So kind of you to visit us on Christmas."

Andromeda let out a small laugh, and Arianna felt her cheeks warming. Evidently, Narcissa attempted to embellish her dramatic entrance. 

"Please come in and sit," she said, gesturing to the settee where she was before. "Theo, dear, why don't you offer Galatea something to drink? Perhaps a glass of the oak-matured mead Pansy brought me? She knows how terribly much I like it."

Theo sat next to a bar cart with his legs crossed, smiling mischievously at Arianna over his Firewhiskey, while Pansy leaned against the wall next to a window, wearing a bright red dress that matched her lipstick. She glanced briefly at Arianna before gazing back at the French gardens. 

"It would be my pleasure to fix Miss Galatea a drink, Mrs Malfoy," said Theo, going on his feet and taking a crystal bottle with an amber liquid. 

"So, what did my nephew do this time?" asked Andromeda, grinning. "I was starting to fear you only got the Black looks, but I can see you also got the temper."

"Andy," said Narcissa immediately. "Why don't you play something for us while we wait for Draco?"

Andromeda threw an amused look at her sisters before going on her feet, then she approached the grand white piano and gracefully began to play "Nocturne" by Chopin. 

As Narcissa insisted, Arianna sat, and Theo offered her a small crystal glass with mead. As Andromeda played, the room remained quiet, filled with constant glances at the door.

A light headache began growing in Arianna, enhanced by a disarray of thoughts. 

"I should get going," she said, looking at Narcissa. "Kingsley is hosting a Christmas dinner, and I'm afraid I'm already late."

"Oh! I see," said Narcissa, her disappointment shining through her eyes. "I understand, of course."

"Stay, Nana, please," begged Teddy, pulling her dress.

"At least wait until Draco comes down," said Pansy, still looking outside.

Surprised by Pansy's words, Arianna decided to wait and tell Draco she would look for him tomorrow when her head was clearer and the time was better. 

A quarter of an hour later, Draco showed up at the door.

Teddy ran towards him, screaming his name. Draco picked him up to hug him. Everyone went on their feet and approached the entrance, except for Arianna, who remained behind, feeling she was intruding on a very intimate moment. 

"Welcome home, Draco," said Andromeda, embracing her nephew. "I'm so happy you're back. We missed you so much."

"Yes," said Teddy, who seemed not to want to let Draco go.

"Come here, my child," said Andromeda, taking Teddy from his arms. 

Next was Pansy, who threw her arms at him with impetus. 

"You're quitting that stupid job!" she said, sobbing. 

After a moment, she moved back, smearing her tears blackened by the mascara, and Blaise took her place. He patted Draco a couple of times on the back and squeezed his shoulder. 

"Why did you shave?" said Blaise, bringing him further into the room. "That beard was making a wonderful job hiding half of your hideous face."

Draco merely chuckled and patted him back.

"I'm glad you are home, my friend," said Theo, offering Draco a Firewhiskey. "Fridays have become incredibly dull without you."

Draco hugged him and then took a few steps to meet his mother. Narcissa embraced his son for a long moment, then he kissed her on the forehead and whispered something before letting her go.

Arianna's heart began pounding vigorously, knowing she was the only one missing and remained fixed on the same spot as if she had grown roots. Her eyes met Draco's, and he moved cautiously towards her.

As he approached, his reddened eyes and deep dark circles became visible. Like Harry, he perhaps had spent a long time without a night of proper sleep or food.

"Are you mad at me, princess?" he whispered, seizing her hand.

"Yes," she said and held him tightly, grateful he was back. "I'm furious." 

"Stay for dinner, please," he asked, rubbing her back. "And after, you can yell at me all you want."

"Okay."




Chapter 35: Draco’s Hallows

Notes:

I hope the plot is not getting too heavy/confusing. I know it must be hard to remember details on a chapter you perhaps read months ago!!

Happy reading! <3

Ps. Posting schedule changes in end notes.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Food was terrific, the wine glasses never stopped refilling, and conversations flowed effortlessly. Draco restrained from having more than a drink and talked little. He seemed tired but content as he looked at everyone from the head of the table, throwing glances at Arianna constantly as if he was making sure she was still there. 

Like him, Arianna did not drink or converse much. Her mind was ahead on what would happen after dinner. She loved Draco, and he loved her; there was a ring eternally stuck on her finger that proved that. But had the secrets become too much? 

After dessert, all returned to the drawing-room where Andromeda sat behind the piano and played Celestina Warbeck's repertoire while Pansy and Theo sang along standing next to her. The rest enjoyed the show sitting from a sofa. 

Teddy was exhausted and sleepy but stubbornly refused to go to bed. He had perched himself on Draco's arms, and there was no power strong enough to make him move from there. 

Draco slipped his hand into his right pocket, pulled a vial with a honey-coloured substance, and took a sip. Arianna recognised it as an Invigoration Draught.

"You should go to sleep," said Arianna, who sat next to them. "I can scream at you later." 

"I'm fine. We will talk soon," said Draco and rubbed Teddy's back. "I just need to take him upstairs first."

Teddy pouted at those words and hugged Draco tighter, "No."

"Did Nana buy you two dragons while I was gone?" asked Draco, and Teddy nodded tiredly. "Would you show them to me?" 

Teddy nodded again, and Draco went on his feet, carrying the boy to his room.

From the other side of the sofa, Narcissa smiled at Arianna, her cheeks reddened by the wine. She was about to speak when Andromeda sat between them, taking Draco's former place. Then, Blaise headed to the piano and played a fast-paced melody and Pansy and Theo began dancing. 

"Galatea," said Andromeda, dragging her words slightly and pointing at her sister. "You have to help me get this woman out of this house." 

"Andy!" exclaimed Narcissa, rolling her eyes.

"Cissy," said Andromeda, turning to face her sister. "You're not on house arrest! There's a world outside! We should go to China for a couple of months as we always wanted!"

"You cannot certainly suggest taking Teddy with us to Asia!" said Narcissa, placing a hand on her chest.

"Oh, no!" said Andromeda, hiccuping and covering her mouth. "Harry and Draco can take care of him. After being on such a long mission, they also need a break from work."

"I agree," said Narcissa. "But I doubt taking care of a four-year-old is their idea of a vacation."

"They will be fine," said Andromeda dismissively. "Galatea can help them. It's good practice for her."

"Sorry, what?" blurted Arianna.

"Cissy and I were supposed to travel in Asia for a year after she finished Hogwarts," continued Andromeda. "Of course, I decided to get disowned instead," she looked straight ahead as if she could see someone standing in front of her. "I do not regret it, though. I had a beautiful family." her eyes clouded with tears, and she cleared her throat. "You know Cissy, you're very lucky. I also had a child who was an auror and went to fight a war… but mine never came back."

Andromeda broke into tears, and her sister quickly held her. 

"Let's go to your room, Andy," said Narcissa, helping Andromeda stand up. "Dodee can bring us some tea."

Hugging each other, they walked to the door, and just before leaving, Narcissa looked over her shoulder and said, "Good night, kids."

"Good night, Mrs Malfoy!" said Pansy, Theo and Blaise in unison and continued with their little party. 

Unsure of what to do, Arianna sneaked out to the Great Hall. She observed one of the breathtaking Christmas trees decorated with hundreds of lights and tiny gold ornaments while her mind tried to dig deep into her memory as if now that she understood it had been taken away from her, she could recover it. 

"Are you leaving?" asked Draco behind her. 

"Maybe I should," she answered without taking her eyes from the tree. "You're exhausted, and I'm… confused."

"Confused?" repeated Draco, standing next to her. "Confused about what?"

Arianna looked at him and regretted it instantly. Why did he have to look so good? He wore a dark grey suit and a blue-grey tie that brought up his eyes wonderfully. 

"Everything," said Arianna, keeping eye contact. "Did you Obliviate me?"

Draco held his gaze. "You asked me to."

Arianna chuckled. "It's easy to say that if I don't remember a thing, isn't it?"

"Do you think I'm lying?" 

"I don't know what to think or believe… I'm…"

"Confused," finished Draco, holding the bridge of his nose for a second. "Let's just talk about this now."

"Where? The library?" asked Arianna.

"My sitting room," said Draco. "It's more private."

They went to the second floor and through the corridors leading to his room, but when facing the couple of ebony doors, Draco opened the one to his left and stood aside for her to enter.

The place resembled the cigar room at his flat. It had tall windows and a handsome fireplace like most of the manor rooms. There was a bar at the far end, a couple of armchairs and two large leather sofas at the middle. But what caught Arianna's attention were the shelves that displayed a collection of various kinds of eggs.

"Do you want a drink?" offered Draco, taking off his suit jacket, laying it over the sofa's armrest, and heading towards the bar.

"I'm good, thanks," said Arianna, she fidgeted with the jade ring and looked at five large eggs that stood proudly in the middle of the shelves. "Is it legal to own dragon eggs?" 

"Are you going to rat on me?" asked Draco, taking a crystal glass from behind the bar, pouring two fingers of Firewhiskey, and downing his drink. 

"Perhaps," she answered somewhat playfully and headed to the bar.

"I wanted to tell you," said Draco, filling his glass again. "But Potter loves to beat me to everything, doesn't he?"

"He didn't mean to," said Arianna defensively, placing her palms on the bar. "And it's been almost five years, Draco. Why did you never tell me you Obliviate me?"

"I was trying to move on," said Draco with a deep voice, putting down the whiskey bottle with more strength than necessary. 

"What happened that day?" asked Arianna, leaning forwards. "How did you even know I was in Snape's office?"

"There's something you need to know first," he said rapidly and inhaled deeply. "I –My mother… She– When she met you," he ran his fingers through his hair. "Fuck."

"She thought my father was Sirius and told you," said Arianna, folding her arms. "Yes, I know."

"Arianna–" said Draco, pressing his eyebrows together. 

"Just move on with the story," she cut in and walked to sit on the sofa. 

"I was worried about you," said Draco, walking from behind the bar and taking a place next to her. "I knew my mother's suspicions. I thought she was insane, though… Or I wanted her to be wrong," Arianna arched an eyebrow, and Draco clarified. "For Bellatrix, mainly. She was a fucking psychopath... And some suspected your mother was part of the Order…. So I– I asked Poppy to follow you after the Carrows took over the school."

"What?!"

"Her only instructions were to keep an eye on you to ensure you were safe!" continued Draco, slightly exasperated. "She was only supposed to come to me if you were in danger."

"I remember that," said Arianna vaguely. "I thought I was paranoid and losing my mind– Always feeling constantly watched."

"Poppy saw Alecto torturing you and told me," continued Draco, focusing on the glass he held. "I thought I could handle it, you know? After a couple of years of learning Occlumency and seeing what I had seen, I thought I could walk in, play it cool, and take you out of there. But when I saw you… I've never felt so much wrath and hate. I lost it… And I…"

"Used the Cruciartus curse," said Arianna surely. "Someone walking in and casting a Crucio is the last thing I remember."

"It just came. And it came so strong she passed out," Draco swallowed with difficulty. Arianna could see a memory playing in front of him. "Then I lift you from the floor, sit you on top of the desk… and then I knew I was fucked. After waking up, Alecto would tell the Dark Lord what I did, and I'll be fucked, and my family… and you."

"So you erased our memory?"

"No. Our first idea was to run away together," said Draco, standing up, heading to the bar. "I was going to use the Disillusionment Charm on both, take you to the Room of Requirement, heal you, alert Mother of the situation, and leave Hogwarts… But Snape came in."

Draco grabbed the whiskey bottle, and Arianna wondered if they had escaped together, how far they would have made it. 

"Snape took a look at the room and understood the situation without asking a single question," continued Draco, returning to the sofa with the bottle in hand. "He was the one who swore to me nothing would happen to you if you stayed in the castle… I was so fucking pissed at him. I said things I shouldn't have," he said regretfully and poured the dark amber liquid into his glass, leaving the bottle on the floor. "Then Snape opened a small secret door behind a shelf and asked us to go in there while he modified Alecto's memory, then he joined us in that tiny room not bigger than a broom closet… We heard McGonagall coming in shortly after, looking for you with Sprout. They woke up Alecto, and she said you attacked her."

Draco downed his glass a third time. "I thought that would be it," he said, rather bitterly, and cleaned his mouth with the back of his hand. "But Snape wasn't convinced. He thought you seeing me stopping Alecto and him saving my ass was too dangerous if you ever got interrogated. So… for the sake of me… you agreed to get your memory erased… but you wanted me to do it."

"Why?" asked Arianna faintly, even if she somehow knew the answer. 

"You said you trust me," replied Draco, looking at her. "I didn't want to. I just wanted to run away with you… It was perhaps a stupid plan, but I thought it could work for a brief moment," he buried two fingers on his tie and loosened the knot slightly. "Anyway, you feared for my life and begged me to do it… so I did. Then I gave you something to sleep, placed the Disillusionment Charm in both of us, and carried you to the hidden stairway I knew the Gryffindors often used. And waited until I saw someone trustworthy I knew would take care of you."

"Neville," said Arianna.

Draco nodded. "I thought about looking for you. I thought you would remain in the castle as you had promised me,” he said and paused for a second. "When you left, I thought it was my fault. I thought I had erased too much."

"Draco, I'm sorry," said Arianna reaching for his hand. 

"I know you are. I read the letters," said Draco slightly harshly.

"You haven't forgiven me for that, have you?" asked Arianna. 

"You don't know what it was like, Arianna!" said Draco, staring into her eyes desperately. "To fear every fucking day that they will find you with your mother, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. That you will be the next one my aunt would torture to insanity, be devoured by the snake or be ripped into pieces in the purple-drawing room!"

"I'm sorry!" begged Arianna. 

"Stop saying that," said Draco, leaving his empty glass on the floor and going on his feet. "Arianna, you know how I feel about you, and I know how you feel about me. And yet, it seems not enough. I need to know if you want to be with me or not."

"Rudenshcöld is still loose!" said Arianna, standing up. 

"Half of the world is looking for him as we speak!" said Draco quickly, lifting his arms.

"And we have to talk about– about Harry and me." 

"No, we don't," said Draco, controlling his voice. "Do you want to be with me or not? Is as simple as that."

"So you don't care that I–"

"Of course, I care! I'm human!" snapped Draco and moved away. "I don't like it. But I'm aware that this would not have happened if I had done things differently."

"You need to tell me why you are in debt!" screamed Arianna, following him. 

"No," said Draco, standing his ground. "I told you. I'll fix it."

"Just tell me what's going on!" asked Arianna, concerned.

"I need you to trust me on this, please," asked Draco, grabbing her arms. "Let me keep just this secret. I beg you. Let me fix things with Odysseus Greengrass myself."

A voice reminded her she had a secret of her own. Her time was almost over. There was a missing piece from Alaric's watch. Rudenschöld could come for her and kill her, or worse, kill him. 

"I'm scared," she whispered, clenching his shirt. "There's so much chaos in our lives, Draco. What if being together makes it even worse?" 

"Or so much better." 

"What would I do if I lose you?" asked Arianna urgently, feeling the fear crawling on her throat. "If something happens to you?"

"I'm scared too, princess," said Draco, putting his hands behind her waist and dragging her closer. "I'm fucking terrified but it is time for us to make a choice."

"I'm so scared," whispered Arianna, afraid of getting what she always wanted and then losing it.

"It's okay," said Draco softly. "You don't have to tell me tonight."

Arianna pressed her ear on his chest, wishing to hear the lovely way his heart was beating. If only she was brave enough to take the leap into the unknown.

"So what kind of eggs do you have?" she asked, referring to his collection and wishing to change the subject into something lighter. 

"Let's see," said Draco, letting go of her and facing the wall. "The black egg in the centre is from a Norwegian Ridgeback, the silver with blue one from a Swedish Short-Snout. Then that one is from a Hungarian Horntail and a Peruvian Vipertooth," he pointed at a cement-colour egg and a blue and copper egg. 

"What about the pale grey one?" asked Arianna, standing next to him.

"That one is from an Antipodean Opaleye, a New Zealand species," said Draco, holding Arianna from behind, she felt a tingly sensation on her belly. "It's considered the most beautiful of dragons. It has pearly scales and glittering multi-colour eyes."

"So, is this how you lure girls into your house?" asked Arianna playfully. "Do you invite them to see your Egg Collection?"

"No," chuckled Draco. "I tell them I got all the Weird Sisters' albums signed by everyone in the band."

"Ah! I see," said Arianna, slightly turning her head to see him. "That wouldn't work on me, though. I also have all the albums signed by the band."

Draco laughed. "If it was you we're talking about, I would lure you into my room with something different."

"Like what?" she asked curiously. 

"Knowing how nerdy you are, probably I'll mention a rare book or two I keep on my shelf. But if I want to be sure, I will lead with something else."

"With what?"

"My first picture with the Little Man."

"Awww!" exclaimed Arianna. "Can I see it?"

Draco chuckled. "Of course," he said, seized her hand and headed towards the wall next to the fireplace. "Think Platform 9 ¾."

They went through the wall, stepping into his room. 

"How convenient," mumbled Arianna, jealous of the girls he had dragged like this before.

Draco continued towards the bookshelf that covered a long wall and had a sliding staircase to reach the higher books. Arianna slowed her pace and stared at the gorgeous chandelier with more than a dozen lit candles that hung in the middle of the ceiling and stood next to Draco, who handed her a portrait in a silver frame.

The picture showed Draco with a hint of a smile sitting in a chair in the library and carrying a giggly baby Teddy with blue hair. 

"How old was he?" she asked, smiling.

"Around eight months," answered Draco, smiling too. "We took it shortly after I left Azkaban."

There were a couple of iron bracelets in Draco's wrists. Arianna had never physically seen one of those but knew what they did – They suppress the magic and tie the person who wore them to the property. 

"I think you would like to see this too," said Draco reaching for a book on a high shelf. "First English edition. The French one was cursed, they said."

He pulled down a heavy, old book with worn silver letters that read " Moste Potente Potions ".

Arianna left the portrait in its place and took the book. "Is it complete?" she asked excitedly. "I've never seen one complete. It seems like every owner has the need to rip off pages from the book. Even the one at Hogwarts is damaged."

"I think so," said Draco and yawned, covering his mouth with his fist. "But probably you know better than me."

"I think you need to sleep," said Arianna.

"I think so too," he replied, rubbing his face. "You can take the book home. If you want to sleep here, you can do it too. Just call Poppy, and she will take you to a guest room."

"You could share that big bed of yours, you know?" said Arianna, casually. 

"You know the rules," said Draco, smirking, "I'm not sleeping next to you if we're not together."

"Because you don't want to know how it feels to wake up next to me if you don't get to that again?" she asked, moving closer. 

"Exactly," said Draco, undoing his tie.

"Is not a pretty view, just for you know," said Arianna.

"That's for me to decide," said Draco and kissed her cheek. "Good night, Arianna."

"Good night, Draco," she whispered, kissed his other cheek and took a step back before doing something stupid. "I'll take a closer look at this marvellous specimen and go home."

Draco merely smirked and watched her walk back to the magic wall and to the sitting room. Arianna lost sight of him and sighed. 

Then she took the closest armchair and began flipping the pages carefully. If the situation was different, she would have been completely obsessed with the book but could not stop thinking about Draco. The more she knew about him, the more she loved him, even if secrets were involved, even if she did not know them all. 

After ten minutes, Arianna gave up and closed the book, and out of an impulse, she went back to Draco's room. 

The candles were off, and only the fireplace remained lit. Draco was already sleeping shirtless on his side; the dragon on his back moved slowly as if he was the one breathing. 

Somewhat disappointed that he was not awake, Arianna headed to leave the book and heard Draco shifting positions. She carefully pulled the sliding staircase, climbed it and placed the book in its place. Next to it was a beautiful silver box with encrusted opals and sapphires. And incapable of stopping herself, she lifted the lid. 

As soon as she saw the inside, she stopped breathing. There, piled up were the letters she sent him and took them out. They were in a bad state, some torn, burned or worn, but all put back together and saved in that precious box. Arianna placed them back in, glanced 

at the man that slept under dark grey silk sheets, and walked to the edge of the bed.

Peacefully and profoundly, Draco slept now on his back. His chest moved calmly and steady, his lips ever so slightly open. Arianna craved lying next to him. She longed for his laughter, his kisses, his embrace. Him. All of him.

Arianna took off her heels.

Just do it! Take the leap! You love him! 

Arianna felt as she stood at the edge of a very high cliff with a marvellous turquoise sea below, yearning to jump and swim in the water, but the pointy rocks down there scared her. She could die. She could live. But she would never know until she jumped.

Jump!

Her heartbeat quickened.

Jump!

Adrenaline filled her blood.

Jump!

Arianna took a deep breath, exhaled from the mouth, removed the jade ring and dropped it on the carpeted floor.

Be brave! Jump!

Her eyes shut close, and she cautiously went into bed, sliding her palms on the soft silk sheets. Slowly, she lay her head next to his. Draco continued sleeping but felt her presence and turned to his side to hold her, and she noticed he was only on his underpants. 

Arianna remained very still, feeling his breathing on her ear and her heart pounding so hard it could run away. She closed her eyes, and his beautiful sandalwood scent made her promptly calm down, and she cuddled further into his arms. Not long after, she fell asleep.

After what felt like a few minutes but had definitely been longer, Arianna woke up. The first thing she saw was a couple of grey eyes staring at hers a few inches away, lighted by the warm gleam of the fireplace. 

"What are you doing here?" asked Draco with a low, serious voice, leaning on his elbow. 

It took her groggy brain a second to understand his question. 

"I want to be with you," she whispered. 

Draco observed her for a moment. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"I love you, Draco." 

He did not move or breathe, just stared at her.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked, thinking she had done something wrong. "We can talk tomo–"

Draco kissed her ardently. "Are you sure?" he asked imperiously, hovering over her lips. "Because if you say you are, I'm never letting you go."

"I am," she said, convinced, and he pounced on her mouth. 

Arianna could not stop kissing those lips that now were hers to keep. Completely incredulous that this was finally happening, she touched his arms, back and hair, making sure he was real. 

With a hand sunk in her mane, Draco nibbed her jaw and neck, and Arianna felt soon so warm her clothes became unbearable. As if he had heard her thoughts, he slid his hands between the mattress and her, unzipped her dress, and pulled it urgently down to her waist. 

"Come here," said Draco sitting on his knees and drawing her. Arianna pushed her dress down her hips, tossed it away, and climbed to his lap to continue kissing him. His hands skimmed on her back to her bra, unclasping it at once and throwing it to the floor. She pressed herself against his chest; he was so hot he could be on fire.

"You're real," she whispered, fogged, brushing her lips on his.

"You feel like a dream," said Draco and Arianna kissed him intensely to prove him wrong.

Draco grazed her thighs, slowly moving up to her hips and then he grabbed her ass, lifting her, so she stood on her knees. He kissed her chest and breast and began sucking her nipple. Arianna buried her hands on his hair, watching him closely, feeling a sudden flush of warmth spreading from her lower abdomen. 

Then he laid her down on her back, and his hands kept exploring her body, stroking and squeezing each curve, making her feel adored, and she made sure to visit every single one of his scars and tattoos. 

His fingertips skimmed inside the edge of her lace knickers before drawing them down, and once off, she pulled down his underpants. 

She felt his erection rock hard against her thigh, and she froze while Draco's lips grazed her jaw. It suddenly became too real. She had been waiting for this moment for years, and it was finally here.

Her heart hammered vigorously, and she wondered how Draco could not hear it. He continued teasing her neck, and his lips found a particularly sensitive spot behind her earlobe, and Ariana shivered. 

"Are you cold?" he whispered deeply and kissed her gently on the same spot, making her tremble again. 

"No," muttered Arianna, so warm she could be running a high fever. She felt him pressing at her entrance and knew he was restraining himself from pushing. "Draco, I'm ready."

Draco found his lips again and kissed her twice, "We don't have to do it now if you don't want to," he lowly said. "We can take it slow. We can date first and then–"

Arianna shut him up with a very persuasive kiss. 

Her legs were shaking when he grabbed her hips firmly and pushed carefully inside her, stretching her wide. Arianna gasped softly and held on to his shoulders. 

Draco's lips part open, and he clenched her flesh. " Fuck ," he groaned, closing his eyes. "You feel so fucking good."

His breath got heavier, and he began rocking slowly, looking at Arianna whimpering with each thrust; she could barely take him.

"I need to go faster," said Draco with a husky voice.

Arianna shook her foggy and feverish head.

"You can take it. You're dripping wet, princess," he groaned and began shoving quicker and deeper. Arianna's whimpers became loud moans, and she clung with all her strength to the pillow below her head.

"Good girl," roared Draco, increasing the intensity. "You take me in so good."

The flames grew higher and wilder inside Arianna, and she could feel an explosion building up, burning her nerves. Her magic stormed wildly in her body, and she feared losing control over it and closed her eyes trying to hold it in.

"Look at me," groaned Draco.

Her eyes met his, and she saw fire. Draco thrust as hard and deep as possible, filling her with pleasure and pain, making her crumble in an explosive blast that shut down her mind. 

"Draco!" she moaned, and a shattering sound followed.

He bit her neck, cumming inside her while her body kept twisting. 

Arianna drowned on a sweet release from the world. All her senses were numbed. Her body felt weightless. Her thoughts were gone. Everything stayed still for a while.

The first thing she perceived was his musky scent, the sound of his heavy breathing, his pressure over her, the sight of the deep green bed canopy. Arianna kissed his neck, tasting the slightly salty savour of his sweat. 

Draco held her waist and flipped her to lay on top of him. She rested her head on his chest and saw the long windows cracked and the chandelier's crystals shredded and scattered over the floor. Did her magic do that? 

"I broke your lamp," she said worryingly, leaning on her elbow. 

"It's perfectly fine," said Draco, panting, placing his hand behind her head and bringing her to his lips to kiss her. Then he took her left hand and toyed with the Astral Ring. "I know how to remove it. It's easy but takes some hours. Do you want me to take it off?… You can also keep it."

"We will see," said Arianna looking at the beautiful diamond. "Or are you in a hurry?"

"Not at all," said Draco lowly, endearingly placing a hair lock behind her ear. 

"Good," she said, smiling.

"By the way," said Draco, fixed on her eyes. "I love you too."








Notes:

Hey there! I know it’s hard to write comments, but if you could give me some sign of life, I would be very grateful! <3 It motivates me to keep writing to know someone is still reading the story.

Note: Chapter 36 will not be posted on Thursday 31st. Hopefully, it will be ready by next Sunday.

Chapter 36: Leprechaun Fever

Notes:

This chaper became very long and had to split them in two. Next part on Thursday.

Chapter Text

"Leprechaun fever" was an expression given to those new lovers in such an infatuation state that they could hardly take their hands off each other, had silly smiles the whole day, and every second without their other half was agony. 

And Arianna had a terrible case of leprechaun fever.

It had been over three weeks since Draco had come back, three weeks since they were finally a couple. Since Christmas, they slept, showered and ate together, spending more than fifteen minutes without feeling each other was inconceivable, and their friends were utterly sick of them after a week.

Gawain Robards, Head of The Auror Office, publicly disclosed the agreement the ministry had with Draco, and as a reward for the Norway mission and his participation in the Battle of Dürnsteinhad, he got five weeks off work and an Order of Merlin Second Class which he will receive in February during a ceremony to honour all the ones who had fought against the High Regime. 

Such a decision was highly controversial and sprung countless articles in The Daily Prophet and became amply discussed in the Wizarding Wireless Network. And to make the obsession even worse, a photographer had taken a picture of Arianna and Draco kissing passionately outside the Dormant Dragon on New Year's Eve, where the Astral Ring was clearly visible.

The articles and opinions about Draco and his supposed engagement varied from support to pure hate. Some believe he was the perfect example of how someone could evolve and leave their dark past behind, while others implied his efforts were a farce to restore his reputation. Rita Skeeter wrote a weekly column titled: "Draco Malfoy: Villain or Hero?" where it seemed she changed her opinion about him five times in each piece. Others thought Draco had brainwashed Arianna into sharing the same pureblood beliefs and into continuing their untainted bloodline. Romilda Vane was not as kind as when she belive Arianna was dating Harry and called their relationship "borderline incest". 

Narcissa, who had grown tired of having reporters camping outside the manor, had finally agreed to travel China with Andromeda for a month. And they had left Teddy to Harry and Draco's care. 

Given that they hated the press and Harry was taking care of the child for the first two weeks, Arianna and Draco decided to leave Britain and hide high in the French Alps until they had to come back to the country.

They stayed in Theo's cabin, which was embedded in the mountain and could only be accessed using magic. It was a cosy, wooden chalet with a small outdoor pool as warm as a hydrothermal spring that worked wonderfully with the icy weather. 

Getting to know each other in a world where only they existed was marvellous. Discovering his little quirks and habits had her fascinated. Like how meticulous, organised, and disciplined he was. 

Draco awoke early every morning to exercise outside regardless of the weather or if they had stayed up late the previous night. Arianna would remain in bed until he came back after showering, sneak under the covers, wake her up with kisses, and make love to her as if it was part of his routine. 

It became one of her favourite moments of the day, so much that even if she had woken up early, she would pretend to sleep until he came for her, with his hair slightly wet and his fresh smell. 

It was hard to leave the bed, and only until they were forced by their grumbling stomachs they would get dressed, put on their coats, scarfs, gloves and hats, and head to the small town nearby, searching for lunch and shopping for dinner while snogging inappropriately at the market, the bakery or the wine store. 

And when they were tired of walking and the sun began sinking on the horizon, they would head back and make out on the sofa before attempting to cook dinner, which was something none of them excelled at, but the wine and the kisses made the food taste better. The rest of the day gave room to variety, they could perhaps snuggle together on an armchair with a book in hand or have a dip in the pool and watch the starry sky, but whatever they decided to do, they would always end up fucking.

Everything seemed at peace when they were alone… when it was just them. The problem emerged when all the issues around them intruded their ugly heads, for instance, every time Draco received a message from either his father or Odysseus Greengrass, or when Arianna felt down because Nathan did not answer her letters or wondered if she had lost Harry forever. 

Arianna had not seen or heard from Harry since Christmas. And as it turned out, she had been wrong when thinking that the engagement ring was for Ginny because, as Padma had confirmed, Ron and Hermione had gotten engaged over the Holidays. 

Still, between the sweet and the bitter of it all, Arianna found it sweeter. 

It was their last morning in their winter paradise, and the routine had been broken. Arianna had woken up simultaneously with Draco, and while he was out, she began gathering her things and packing rather unenthusiastically. When finishing, she decided to take a last dive in the pool. She undressed, put on Draco's morning robe, and her mane on a bun, and then went outside. 

Steam emerged from the water, and snow covered the ground. Bracing herself for the chilly weather, she walked three long steps until she reached the pool, took off the robe, and jumped in. 

The warm water reached her clavicle, and slowly she swam to the pool's edge to contemplate the astonishing landscape in all its glory. The sky was light blue, the mountains and the small town in the valley covered in snow. And she instantly thought about his eyes, beautiful as a clear winter morning. 

She heard Draco going into the water, and soon he was embracing her from behind. Arianna looked up to see his light grey eyes and thought they merged wonderfully with the surroundings. 

"I don't want to leave," she complained, clinging to the last moments of peace.

"We can take a later Portkey," suggested Draco. 

Arianna turned around, held onto his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. 

"We can't take the next one," she said, pouting and resting her forehead on his. "I have a meeting with Neville in an hour."

"Reschedule," suggested Draco and kissed her.

Arianna shook her head, hating having to be a responsible adult. "We need to harvest the aconite now during the New Moon. Otherwise, we cannot brew the potion for the next Full Moon, and the werewolves are already counting on us," she said and then smiled. "You can come with me."

Draco chuckled and said, "As tempting as it sounds to go to Potter's house to hang out with your ex-boyfriend, I think I'll pass." 

"It was worth the try," she said and attempted to move away, but he was grabbing her tightly. "Can you let go of me then?"

"As tempting as it sounds to let you go to Potter's house to hang out with your ex-boyfriend, I think I'll pass," said Draco, grinning.

Arianna laughed. "I'll see you tonight for Pansy's birthday party, then," she said and sighed. "Although if I can skip it, I would be eternally grateful — She hates me, and it will be plagued with Slytherins."

"She doesn't hate you. She's just distrustful by nature. Give her time.

Arianna tipped her head back and groaned, and seizing the opportunity, Draco began kissing her neck. 

"Alright!" exclaimed Arianna, giving up. "I'll see you at the stupid Golden Sphinx after dinner."

"Why after dinner?" asked Draco, trailing her shoulder with his nose. 

"I'm meeting Nathan in the afternoon," said Arianna, and Draco stopped to look at her, lifting his eyebrows. "He finally agreed to meet with me. You know he's one of my best friends, and I want to fix things with him."

Draco remained silent, and Arianna held her gaze. Getting him on board with keeping Nathan in her life was like a test trial for when she would try to do the same with Harry.

"He's mad because he is in love with you," said Draco sternly.

"He's not!" exclaimed Arianna, rolling her eyes.

"Please, you were still fucking half a year ago."

"Because you never shagged Pansy after you two broke up?" asked Arianna, and he remained quiet. She took his silence as a 'yes'. "Were you in love with her? Was she in love with you?"

"No, but–"

"But nothing, it was just casual sex, same as Nathan and me!"

"I'll see you after dinner, then," said Draco, looking away. 

"Don't get all jealous," said Arianna, grabbing his jaw and turning his face at her. "I'll make it up to you."

She grazed her lips on his, Draco tried kissing her, and she moved slightly back.

"As if I could deny anything to you," he said deeply. "Wrapped around me all wet, naked, and sexy, looking at me with those eyes."

Arianna smiled, grasped his hair and kissed him intensely. Draco firmly grabbed her ass.

"We really need to leave now, love," whispered Arianna, an inch from his lips.

"You are a nightmare, Vitelli," he whispered. 

They left the pool and headed to the bedroom to get ready. Arianna put on a navy blue jumpsuit, closed her suitcase and walked to the sitting room that was made entirely of pinewood like the rest of the chalet. The furniture was of light leather, and white pelts rested on the sofas together with beige cushions and wool throws. 

Draco stood by the fireplace with his luggage at his feet, reading a letter with a stern expression. He clenched the paper and tossed it on the fire.

Arianna sighed, knowing it was about his problem with the Greengrass. She approached slowly and touched his arm gently.

"We should go," said Draco, moody. "Odysseus Greengrass wants to meet me at noon."

And breaking the unspoken agreement they have to not talk about the ghosts that could put an end to their relationship, Arianna seized him by the elbow. 

"Draco, if it's a money issue," she said, looking at him urgently. "You can take from my inheritance as much as you need. All of it if you want. It means nothing to me." 

Arianna had wanted to tell him that for weeks. Given that she knew about the Greengrass' financial problems, she was sure gold was an important factor here. Gold that probably Lucius denied to his son, as he was the head of the Malfoy family and controlled all the assets. 

A small smile grew on Draco's face, with a hint of sadness in his eyes. "That's very sweet of you," he said, caressing her arms. "Thank you. But I will handle this."

"I mean it," insisted Arianna. "If your father cuts you off or something for going against him, you can count on the inheritance."

"I'm economically independent of my family," clarified Draco. 

"So you have this lifestyle with the salary you make at the ministry?" asked Arianna, baffled.

"Of course not," chuckled Draco, placing his hand on his hips. "I've investments. I own half of Blaise's establishments and eighty per cent of Pansy's company. Plus, I got some other business and shares."

"Why?" asked Arianna. "Did your dad disown you?"

Draco shook his head. "My relationship with my father is complicated, and that's an understatement," he said and inhaled deeply. "Everything has always been set for me if I follow the path. If I please him. If I do what he believes is the right thing for the family. But over the years, the path became trickier and harder to follow… After the war, that didn't change. So, when I left Azkaban, I invested my trust fund in different things, and as soon as the house arrest was over, I left the manor," he took Arianna's left hand, nudging the Astral Ring. "I still could take money from the family vaults, but I don't want him to hold that over my head and make me do things I don't want to. I don't want to owe him anything… And at the same time, I keep contact with him because it will be idiotic to alienate him."

"As I said before," said Arianna slowly, holding him by the waist. "If you need galleons, you know who to turn to."

"I'll keep it in mind, love," said Draco and pressed his lips on her forehead.

For days, Arianna could not shake the thought that Narcissa had granted her the inheritance for a motive besides being her birthright and that perhaps helping Draco was the reason. 

Draco reached for the vase with the Floo powder that rested on the mantelpiece but stopped before grabbing some.

"Talking about galleons," said Draco, holding Ariana by the shoulders and pushing her back to see her face. "There's something you need to be aware of... These kinds of parties where the Slytherins gathered aren't social events for me – They are business." he paused for a second, struggling on how to continue. "I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but there's a certain image I need to keep when I'm around them. I need to seem…."

"Detached?" asked Arianna, lifting her eyebrows.

"Trustworthy," said Draco. "I have business with many of them, and there's a crucial deal I need to close with Adrian Pucey, and I cannot … behave in the same way as I do when we are alone or with our friends."

"So you're going to be cold and distant the whole night?" asked Arianna and folded her arms. "Maybe I should stay home. I don't want to go anyways. Those people for you are your business partners and, for me, my school bullies. They are going to spend all night whispering about me."

"No one will say a thing to you, and they have to get used to seeing us together," said Draco softly, touching her chin. "Plus, I really want you there. Come just for a little while."

This was the part Pansy had warned her about, one of the things she knew she would have to endure if she wanted to be by his side – To accept his duality and gather with people she despised.

"Alright, I'll go," said Arianna, taking Floo powder and throwing it into the fire. "But if a snake tries to bite me, they better watch out for my claws."

They walked into the fireplace and vanished to the French Ministry of Magic to take a Portkey to Britain.

Arianna met Neville in the greenhouses behind Harry's house. The aconite was all grown, and their pretty lilac flowers had reached their higher toxicity levels. Wearing full protective clothing, they harvested and stored it in a shed near the garden entrance.

On her way out, she asked Hermione for Teddy, wishing more to see Harry and have a quick word with him, but both were out ice skating with Ginny. And in a rather awkward way, she implied they were back together.

Not surprised by the news but disappointed for not seeing him, Arianna left, wondering how she could tell Draco that she missed Harry and wanted him in her life without him taking it horribly wrong. 

Then she visited The Three Broomsticks to see Padma and Nathan. Padma respected her decision to be with Draco, but she did not like it. While Nathan thought Arianna was going through some kind of psychotic episode and tried to convince her to get help in St. Mungo. All in all, Padma had agreed to give Draco a chance and get to know him better, and the best she could get from Nathan was that he would continue being his friend but did not want to be in the same room as him.

After that, Arianna headed to Madam Malkins', bought five dresses without even glancing at the price and went home to get ready for the evening. 

She straightened her hair and put it up in an elegant bun. Then she slipped into a red silk backless dress and accessorised with the Venus Bracelets and her long pearl necklace, folding it three times and letting it hang on her back. Before leaving, she threw on a black fur coat found in the Black's vault and double-checked her purse for her dagger and antidotes.

Yearning badly to be with Draco, Arianna took the Floo to the Golden Sphinx, relieved that it was again connected to other places since everyone believed Rudenschöld had lost the power to interfere in the Floo Network.

Draco waited for her when she stepped into the luxurious golden reception. He had on him a well-tailored black suit, looking divine as always. 

He walked to meet her wearing a smile and kissed her in a way that made her believe he had missed her the same way she had.

"For a moment there, I thought you would stand me up," he said. 

"You're not that lucky," said Arianna and removed her coat which disappeared as soon as it was off.

Draco looked down at her dress, "You're wearing red," he said.

"That's very observant of you," chuckled Arianna, placing her arms over his shoulders. "You don't think I look good in red?"

"You look gorgeous in every colour you wear," he said, holding her by the waist. "But there are at least thirty Slytherins inside, and they don't react well to that colour. It's quite the statement, love."

"I know," said Arianna, who had chosen that shade quite purposefully. "I want them to spot me easily."

Draco chuckled. "Well, it is a very nice fabric," he whispered, his hand sliding from her lower back to her bum. "Almost as soft as your skin."

"Hundred per cent silk," said Arianna, thinking of dragging him back to the fireplace. 

"It's very thin, too," continued Draco, massaging her butt cheek. "I'm surprised I can't feel those sexy lace knickers you always wear."

"That's because I'm not wearing any," whispered Arianna.

"You saucy little minx," said Draco lowly and looked for her lips.

They shared a decadent kiss, and a moment later, someone cleared their throat next to them, but they decided to ignore the intruder.

"Would you stop?" said Blair.

Arianna set his lips free and turned her head to see her friend, who wore a sparkly gold and black dress.

"You're wearing red," said Blair looking at her up and down. "And no gold. All ladies are supposed to wear something gold."

"Draco is my something gold," said Arianna, hugging her boyfriend tightly.

"Merlin, you're nauseating," chuckled Blair.

The three of them crossed the arch into the pub. The music was loud and lively, and the place was full. Arianna instantly spotted the snake pit. They all hang out on the sofas near the dancefloor. All the men wore black entirely and all the women green or silver with statement golden jewellery.

Draco straightened as they approached them and placed his hand on Arianna's waist. By the time they had reached them, all eyes were on her. Arianna stood taller and observed them. Even if she did not know their names, she recognised all the faces that used to laugh at Astoria's jokes, spread rumours about her, and looked down on her during her seven years at Hogwarts. 

Everyone approached with fake smiles. All behaving as if they had just met her or had been close friends for years. They shook her hand and gave her compliments; they called her Galatea instead of Arianna; they invited her for brunches and events she had never heard of.

Arianna grew angry with the hypocrisy of how now that she was wealthy, a pureblood and Draco's girlfriend, she was welcomed into their circle. It took her all she had, not storming out of there, but Draco kept his hand on her waist the whole time as if it had a Permanent Sticky Charm, and she was grateful for that.

As the night went by, Arianna stayed with him, mostly quiet and observant. She witnessed another side of Draco. His voice was deep and steady, his posture tall, firm and yet relaxed. He knew everything about everyone. He shifted others' opinions with a couple of words or a small gesture. People went quiet when he spoke and never contradicted him. Among them, he had authority and leverage.

Despite remaining by her side and whispering things in her ear that went from sweet nothings to perverted things, Draco never kissed her, hugged or stared at her in the same way he usually did. Once she managed to take him to the dancefloor, but he got taken away quite quickly, and Theo took his place.

After that, she danced for a few songs with Theo and chatted with Blaise and Blair while her date was in deep business talk. 

It was around midnight when Blair went home since she had an early shift in St. Mungo the next day, leaving Arianna in an environment that made her feel as comfortable as a mermaid in a ball. 

Arianna went to look for Draco, thinking she was ready to leave and found him by the bar with Theo and Graham Montague, a well-built, bearded man with light brown hair.

Draco's serene expression did not change when he saw her. He placed his hand on Arianna's lower back and returned to the conversation.

"We're going to need a hell of a herbalist," said Montague.

"We got one already, and greenhouses too," said Draco.

"Who?" asked Montague.

"Pansy," answered Draco.

"You're not serious," chuckled Montague.

"She got Outstanding on Herbology on her OWL and NEWT," clarified Theo. "And dear, if someone has the hand for dealing with Venomous Tentacula, it's Pansy Parkinson."

"The ministry removed their seeds from the Non-Tradable materials list a couple of months ago," said Draco calmly. "We have the opportunity to be the first ones to make a gain of it."

"They are highly valuable in potion-making," said Theo.

"The leaves are ten galleons a piece," said Draco.

"Look! I'm in!" said Montague, lifting his palms. "The one who needs to be convinced is Pucey."

"And everyone knows you're his most trustworthy advisor, Graham," said Draco, touching his shoulder firmly. "He would not go into any deal unless you're in it."

"Indeed, he deems your opinion highly valuable," said Theo, smirking.

Montage straightened up and smiled. "Well… He's in the cigar room," he said rather happily. "Why don't we take this conversation there."

Theo and Draco agreed, and taking the chance, Ariana whispered, "I think I'm going to leave now."

"Just a second," whispered Draco at her and then said out loud at the men. "I'll join you in a moment."

Theo and Montague walked away, and Arianna felt relieved they were alone and tried hugging him, but he remained rather stiff, and she desisted. 

"So you're going with Pucey, hu?" she asked, feeling somewhat down.

"Give me twenty minutes more," said Draco, touching her chin. "And then I'm all yours, I promise."

"Can I get a kiss?" Arianna asked. Draco glanced over his shoulder, and she did the same. Montague and Theo were waiting for him. 

Draco kissed her quickly. "Twenty minutes more, love," he repeated and left.

Feeling indescribably deflated, Arianna sat at the bar, resting her cheek on her fist, looking outside the enchanted glass that showed the Westminster Abbey being built. And just when she thought the night could not worsen, a familiar voice spoke to her left. 

"It takes time to get used to him, doesn't it?" 

Arianna turned to find Astoria sitting next to her in a long golden dress, smiling broadly. It did not surprise her to see her; somehow, she expected her to show up sooner or later since she started dating Draco.

"He's quite large and likes it a bit too rough sometimes," continued Astoria, crossing her legs. "I remember how I could barely sit the first month we started shagging, but you would get used to him, you'll see."

The bartender came by. "What can I offer you, ladies?"

"What kind of poisons do you have?" asked Arianna, keeping her eyes on Astoria. 

"Two champagne glasses, please," said Astoria, smirking. "We're celebrating."

"What do you want?" asked Arianna roughly. 

"I'm here for moral support," said Astoria with a silky voice, leaning forwards. "I can't imagine how difficult this night is for you. Here you are, surrounded by people who don't like you, with a man that is too busy to pay attention to you... I assume he is in the cigar room as always."

"I imagine it is rather hard on you too," said Arianna, slowly. "It's the first party you're not invited to, isn't it so?"

The bartender returned and poured two glasses of champagne, leaving them on the bar.

A thin smile grew on Astoria's face. "You can wear expensive clothing and be a pureblood, but you don't belong in this world, and you should realise this on time. You would never have what it takes to be with him, accept and deal with his cunning and cold-blooded nature and dark side. There's only sorrow for you in here. Go with Potter. I'm sure he will have you back."

"I appreciate the concern," said Arianna sarcastically. "But I think it is best if you leave."

"You'll only bring him suffering when he tries to be a man he's not," said Astoria, moving her face closer to hers. "Why do you think he has kept you out of his deal with my father? He doesn't think you can handle it."

"I swear, Astoria, I don't care about hexing you in public," said Arianna defiantly. "So you better go. We both know I am far better at duelling than you are."

Astoria kept her eyes locked in hers. "Do you want me to tell you the little secret everyone keeps denying you?" 

Chapter 37: Merging Worlds

Notes:

Small chapter this week :) Next chapter next Thursday if all goes well! Enjoy ;)

Chapter Text

 

Arianna felt something cold travelling down her spine, and she kept her attention fixed on her gloating face and disdainful eyes. Astoria offered her the answer she had longed for months, but she did not trust her, not for a second.

"No," said Arianna, stressing the word. "Keep your little secret, Astoria."

"I'm going to tell you anyway," said Astoria, her expression hardening.

"Astoria, dear!" said Pansy standing between them. "What a pleasant surprise to see you here!"

Astoria moved away from Arianna slowly and turned her head to Pansy.

"Pansy, happy birthday, darling," she said slowly. "What a lovely soirée. My owl must have gotten lost."

Pansy forced a smile, "Please, send my love to Cassius and the kids." And Arianna wondered if that meant Astoria was together with Warrington.

"Of course," said Astoria, smirking and standing up. Then she looked at Arianna. "Thank you for taking Draco off my back. Now I can sit and witness his downfall thanks to you."

"I'll escort you to the entrance," said Pansy harshly, keeping her grin. "I don't want you to get lost."

Astoria grabbed her purse from the bar and walked away with Pansy marching behind her. 

Feeling a headache growing, Arianna rubbed her temples with two fingers, thinking she could always count on Astoria to verbalise her fears and insecurities. She understood how unfit she was for this cold world of snakes filled with pretension and piousness. But Draco wanted her here, and here she was, just for him.

Arianna lifted her hand, calling the bartender, who promptly moved to tend to her.

"A Firewhiskey, neat," said Arianna wearily. "Do you sell cigarettes?"

"Sorry, madam. We don't," replied the bartender. "But I can offer you a cigar."

Arianna shook her head. "It's fine," she said, and he went away. "Merda."

"I think I can help out," said a man's voice with an American accent.

A brunette man sitting two stools away was extending an open cigarette case for her to grab a smoke.

Arianna hesitated for a second and reached for a cigarette. "Thanks," she said, drew her wand to light it, and took a long drag.

The bartender returned with a Firewhiskey bottle and poured some into a crystal glass. 

"Thank you," said Arianna and mindlessly touched her pearl necklace, fixing the strings around her neck.

"I'm sorry," said the brunette man moving to the stool next to her. "You look very familiar. Have we met before?"

He had a pleasant, deep and calm voice. Arianna thought he should host a radio show. 

"I don't think so," she said, guessing that he probably recognised her from the tabloid pictures. 

"I swear I've seen you somewhere," he said, squinting slightly. "It will come to me," he offered his hand. "David Brown."

"Arianna Black," she said and shook his hand. 

"Colourful last names we have, hu?" said David and rested his elbow on the bar, turning to face her. "So tell me, Arianna, how is it so that they let you in without wearing anything gold?"

"I've got something gold. I just don't have it with me now," said Arianna, took a drag and blew the smoke slowly. "Are you new in town, David?"

"I moved a month ago from Chicago," he said and glanced at the dance floor. "Tonight, I felt like going to a jazz bar and heard about this place… Not exactly what I had in mind."

"Jazz," repeated Arianna and chucked. "I'm afraid you're a little late, David. There's jazz here but earlier. Next time check muggle London. They offer more choices in that area."

"I'll give it a go next time," said David grinning. 

Two hands slid over Arianna's shoulders. She felt the pressure of each finger over her skin and looked up to find Draco staring at David. 

"You're back earlier," said Arianna. "Draco, this is David Brown; he just moved from Chicago. David, this is Draco Malfoy, my something gold."

Both men remained silent. David held his gaze, smiling ever so slightly. 

"Thank you for the tip, Arianna," he said, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket. "Have a great evening."

He walked away, and Draco moved next to the bar to drink Arianna's Firewhiskey. 

"This day just keeps getting better and better," said Draco, almost growling. "First, Odysseus refuses to accept anything that is not me marrying his daughter, then I've to be here talking with imbeciles, and now that bloody idiot thinks he can shag my girlfriend."

"We were just talking," said Arianna.

"You were just talking. He imagined you naked on his bed," he said, angered.

Arianna rubbed her temple and flicked her cigarette over the ashtray. Perhaps telling him about Astoria's visit was something she should save for a better time.

"Pansy is right. You don't belong in this world," said Draco darkly, looking down at the glass. "And I don't want you to. I don't want to force you to become something you're not. I don't want to see you uncomfortable spending time with people you don't like. I don't want you to feel neglected," he laughed bitterly and ran his hand through his hair. "I've been waiting for you for years, and all I want to do is be with you, not to deal with these morons in the cigar room and have Theodore dancing with you instead of me… And of course, someone is going to try to seduce you because why wouldn't they? You're alone and the most gorgeous girl anywhere you set foot on."

Draco down the drink, and Arianna touched his forearm. He looked at her with a hardened expression.

"I don't know what to do, Arianna," he said, half desperate, half-mad. "Tell me what to do. I don't want you to be unhappy, but I need to stay in this world to solve my problems."

"Draco," said Arianna, going on her feet and holding his head. "It's fine, I'm fine. Do what you have to do. I'll wait."

"I want you to be happy," said Draco resolutely. "Not miserable in my world, Arianna."

"Then we'll create our own world," she said, moving her hands behind his neck. "With our own rules. Where we both fit."

"I've been missing you all day," he said, bringing her closer and placing his forehead on hers.

"Me too," she whispered.

"That fucking Yankee," growled Draco, lifting his head, searching for him.

"We were just talking," said Arianna calmly.

"You have an engagement ring the size of your fist," he said madly. "But for sure, your hands are the last thing he will take a look at."

Arianna seized his jacket, and he looked at her. "How about you finish your talk with Pucey," she said softly, bringing him closer to her face. "And then we go to your flat, and I'll make you feel all better. Hu?"

"What if you make me feel better now," he whispered deeply, kissing her cheek. "Then, I talk with Pucey," he kissed her ear. "And after that, we go home," he pressed his lips against the sensitive spot that always made her shiver. "And I'll make it up to you for this horrible evening."

Draco had barely touched her, and she was already melting, craving him badly.

He seized her hand and dragged her to the grand helicoidal staircase, heading down to where the lavatories and cigar room were. They went into a hallway that seemed to lead into a service area and walked until they reached a giant painting of what appeared to be Egyptian ruins. Draco knocked twice; the portrait swung open, and taking a furtive look over his shoulder, he guided her inside.

"Do I wanna know why you know about this place?" chuckled Arianna.

"No, you don't," he answered, undoing his tie. The frame closed behind them, and torches lit, revealing a large, dim room with piled furniture. 

"How many women did you shag down here?" she asked, offended. 

"It doesn't matter," said Draco, removing his suit jacket. "You're my favourite." 

He kissed her, drawing her deeper into the room. They stop behind a mountain of chandeliers and next to a burned couch, where Arianna tossed her purse. She fumbled with his shirt buttons while he cornered her against a wardrobe in front of a full-length mirror. 

The shirt was off, and Draco kissed her profoundly, grabbing her tits and pushing her against the cabinet. 

"You remember the safe word?" he asked, removing the long pin that kept her hair up. 

"I'm never going to use it," chuckled Arianna, feeling her long mane flowing down her shoulders. "And what kind of safe word is 'mustard'?"

"'Worcestershire' was too long," answered Draco, and his eyes traced her up and down. "I'm suddenly very outraged by that shade of red." 

Clenching her dress from the neck, Draco tore it down by the middle, making Arianna gasp. He pulled one more time, and the fabric dropped to her feet. He took a good look at her naked body and went for her lips, nibbling on them. 

Arianna traced his strong shoulders, chest, and stomach until she reached his trousers and rubbed his erection. She unzipped him and grabbed his cock, and began stroking him. He moaned in her mouth and tilted his head back with his eyes closed, drowning in the bliss her hand provoked him. 

"I want to feel your pussy," he groaned and grabbed her thighs, lifting her effortlessly and pressing her against the cabinet. He pulled out his wand from his pocket, and Arianna's muscles tensed.

Arianna asked, "What are you –?" 

Draco pinned her hands above her head. "Keep them up," he ordered. "I don't want you to push me away." And with a short wand movement, her pearl bracelets were linked and fixed above her head. He put away his wand and kissed her passionately before sliding inside her with one shove. "You're always so fucking wet and warm for me," he groaned. 

Slowly and deep, Draco began thrusting, making soft whimpers pouring from her throat. Arianna saw herself in the mirror and the wings of his dragon tattoo embracing her. Her moans became louder, and her fever grew bigger for looking at her reflection, moaning back like an echo.

"Do you like to see yourself in the mirror, princess?" growled Draco, rocking harder. "Does that turn you on? To see how I make you scream?" 

Arianna moaned louder. She could not take him anymore, everything was becoming too much, and her hands tried to break free to shove him away.

"Do you want me to go faster?" he groaned. 

"No!" she whimpered.

Draco began fucking her unapologetically rougher. The necklace started choking her, her body banged hard against the cabinet, and thudding noises and loud moans filled the room. Her senses became overwhelmed, and her muscles tensed. The intolerable pleasure and pain took her one step away from the cliff.

"Stop!" she cried, feeling like he would split her in half.

"My woman! My cunt! Mine!" growled Draco and bit her jaw, pushing her down the edge, and he followed. 

Her body arched dramatically as she orgasmed, and the spell on her bracelets broke. Arianna held onto his shoulders while he shoved a few more times, emptying himself on her clenching pussy.

Draco slithered out and looked at her, too pleased with himself, while both tried catching their breath. Carrying her, he walked a few steps and lay on the sofa with Arianna on top of him. 

Both tried catching their breath. And while lying there, filled with his sperm, Arianna realised it was imperative to brew a Monthly Contraceptive Potion tomorrow, even if she knew Draco drank potions with the same purpose. 

Something began hurting near her ear, and she carefully touched her skin. It was where he had bitten her, and pickling more Murtlap tentacles became the next item on her list.

"Why does Theo think you have a Slytherin fetish?" asked Arianna, panting, remembering their conversation after Vienna. "Besides you being a biter and liking the colour green a bit too much, I don't see it."

Draco chuckled breathlessly. "He's confusing me with Pansy and Kron," he breathed heavily. "When they started shagging, I was the only one who knew. They had the bad habit of fucking in my room, and I had to cover for them after Theodore found peculiar things they left behind… He tends to snoop around and draw conclusions with minimal information."

"I still can't believe Pansy ended things with Kron just because he helped you get into the Old Gaunt Palace," said Arianna, slightly bothered, knowing how upset Kron was since then. 

"I think that was just an excuse to end things with him… She was getting too attached, and Pansy doesn't know how to deal with feelings." 

"Because you're such an expert?" asked Arianna jokingly and lifted her head. "You're getting better. I'll give you that."

A few minutes later, when their breath eased up, and they grew cold, Draco fixed her gown and they got dressed. 

"I'll be at the bar while you finish your business with Pucey," said Arianna when they reached the portrait.

"Fuck Pucey," said Draco, embracing her from behind. "Let's get out of here."

Arianna turned her head to see him and smiled softly. "Let me go to the powder room first."

They left the storage room, and she went to the lavatory, cast a Freshen-Up Spell, combed her mane with her fingers and applied the last drops of Murtlap Essence she had on her new bite. And while looking at herself in the mirror, something Astoria told her began resonating in her head. 

"Why do you think he has kept you out of his deal with my father? He doesn't think you can handle it."

A million reasons had crossed Arianna's mind about why Draco was in debt to Odysseus Greengrass. And there was a new clue Astoria had given her today – Draco did not want to tell her because he was ashamed of it – He perhaps had done something wrong and feared she would judge him, leave him.

Arianna stepped out into the hallway. Draco leaned against the golden papered wall with his hands in his pockets. His expression lightened up when he saw her, and she thought about how absurdly much she loved him. 

Draco walked to meet her. "Shall we?" he asked.

"I love you," whispered Arianna. 

"I love you too," said Draco, holding her hips.

Arianna shook her head. "No," she said forcefully. "I love you, Draco… And no matter what, that is not going to change."

Draco searched her eyes, "Why are you saying this?" he asked, growing worried.

"It doesn't matter what you have done," Arianna continued burningly. "It doesn't matter why you are in debt with Odysseus. I love you, and that's not going to change. I'm not going to leave you."

Draco's eyes bulged. "You don't know–" he said, moving back. "I can't."

"Draco, You can keep this away from me," said Arianna, beging with her eyes. "But if you tell me, if you let me in, it will only make our bond stronger."

Arianna moved closer to him. There was dread in his eyes, and she saw them fighting the decision to tell her.

Fast steps approached down the hallway.

"Draco," called Blaise. 

"Not now, Blaise," said Draco, clenching his eyes. 

"It's urgent," said Blaise earnestly, standing next to them. "You got a message. A falcon brought it."

Falcons were only used in cases of extreme emergency. Arianna and Draco looked at Blaise, surprised. He was holding a tiny scroll, handing it to Draco. 

Draco snatched it from his hand and opened it, turning pale as wax as he read.

"What is it?" asked Arianna, distressed. He remained silent, staring at the small piece of parchment. "Draco?"

He backed one step dizzily and Blaise grabbed his arm. Arianna seized the note, recognising Harry's writing.

 

 






Chapter 38: Wolfsbane

Chapter Text

Draco came out of shock, grabbed Arianna's hand and tugged her upstairs, through the crowd and into the reception while yelling and pushing people aside until they reached the emerald flames and disappeared to St. Mungo with Theo following them.

Curious noises and distant wails were heard as soon as they stepped into the rather full reception. In their lime green robes, Healers walked the rows of rickety chairs with clipboards in hand and interrogated patients with mild symptoms. Draco, Arianna and Theo hurried to the desk where a young witch with short pink hair wrote notes into an enormous book. 

Draco stamped both his hands on the table. "Edward Lupin," he said in a demanding voice. "Four-year-old male that came here with the famous Harry Potter. Where is he?"

The receptionist stared at him with her mouth slightly open, and the quill she held slid from her fingers. 

"Hannah, dear," said Theo, standing next to Draco and pushing him slightly to the side. "What a lovely shade you have coloured your hair. It suits you wonderfully."

"Thank you, Healer Nott," said Hannah, smiling and touching her hair.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Now, Hannah," said Theo, resting a forearm on the desk and leaning forwards. "There's this boy, Edward Lupin, that has been admitted recently. Would you point me to where we can find him?"

Hannah waved her wand, flicked it on the book in front of her, and the pages turned quickly by themselves and slowed down until they stopped. Then she placed a finger on the paper and slid it down, reading along.

"He came here fifteen minutes ago," she said and pointed up. "They took him to the Third Floor. Mr Potter and his friends are in the Private Waiting Room on the same level."

"Thank you, Hannah," said Theo, winking. "You're a doll."

Before Theo had finished speaking, Draco rushed towards the staircase with Arianna trailing behind with her pulse in her throat. The third floor was where they treated for potions and plant poisoning. Did Teddy drink something from Harry's potion box? Had they left ingredients or plants lying around the house?

"I'll go and see what information I can get," said Theo, going up the stairs. "The Private Waiting Room is at the end of the hall."

When they reached the third floor, Theo went through a set of double doors to the left, and Arianna continued walking rapidly behind Draco, who marched down the hallway flanked with doors and portraits of famous Healers and illuminated by shining crystal bubbles clustered in the middle of the ceiling. He stopped in front of a door and opened it. The sound of a woman crying desperately filled the air, and Arianna quickened her pace until she reached Draco's side. 

The Private Waiting Room was small and circular with a tiny fireplace, old settees and chairs lined along the walls, and facing the entrance sat Hermione Granger in a lilac nightgown, weeping and holding a handkerchief, a shocked Ron in a red morning robe kept on rubbing her arm. Harry and Ginny were on the settee next to them; Harry had his elbows on his knees, his fingers intertwined, and his forehead rested on his hands as if he was praying. Ginny stroked his back, looking as pale as the white hoodie and pyjama bottoms she wore.

Everyone but Harry lifted their gaze when Draco and Arianna entered. 

"What happened?" demanded Draco. "How is he?"

"It's all my fault!!" sobbed Hermione achingly. "I must have left it open! The gate to greenhouses!"

Arianna's mouth dried. "What did he find?" she asked faintly.

"The aconite!" blurted Hermione between sobs. "The shed! He found it! He– He–"

Arianna covered her mouth. Touching aconite during a New Moon was highly dangerous for an adult… for a four-year-old, it was lethal. The room began spinning, and she lost balance. Draco grabbed her and helped her into the seat near the door, but he remained standing. 

"Why was he out of bed after his bedtime?" asked Draco madly, looking at Harry, but he remained silent and in the same position as when they entered.

"Teddy had a nightmare," explained Ron hesitantly and glanced at Harry. "And he– he went to look for Harry and, well… somehow he thought Harry was playing hide and seek with him."

"He loves the garden even if it's cold outside," explained Ginny, staring at Harry worryingly. "Cho and Padma filled it with small lights and spheres… Teddy loves going there at night."

"What has the Healer said?" asked Arianna, pulling her pearl necklace away from her throat as she felt it choke her. 

"We don't know anything yet," sobbed Hermione. "When Harry brought him here… T–Teddy had no pulse." She broke into tears, covering her face, and Ron rubbed her arm harder.

Draco went into the hallway.

"Where the fuck is Theodore?" he growled.

Deeming it impossible to remain seated, Arianna went on her feet and followed Draco outside. 

"Theo will be back soon," she said, concerned, grabbing his arm. "And Teddy is going to be fine. He has to be fine."

Andromeda could not withstand losing his grandchild. After the death of her daughter, husband, and son-in-law, Teddy had given her light and purpose. Teddy had given Narcissa the strength to change her pureblood beliefs and had given Draco a reason to become a better person and set a good example for him. Teddy was like a son to Harry, a reflection of his orphanship, his godson. They needed him. She needed him. He could not die, or everyone else would die with him. 

Draco paced back and forth in the hallway, staring at the point where Theo had disappeared, swearing and complaining about how long he was taking, even if it had been barely five minutes. Arianna leaned on the door frame, still feeling dizzy. She threw a glance at Harry. He had not moved an inch since they got here. It seemed as if he was not even breathing. And she noticed he was the only one not wearing pyjamas; he had jeans and a dark blue jumper. 

Every passing minute felt like hours. The excruciating waiting amplified with Draco's ceaseless steps and Hermione's endless sobs. Arinna started at her feet, wondering what the Healers were doing. They were probably dealing with the effects of the poison on his muscles, nerves, and heart. For sure, they had given him an aconite antidote. It was a relatively common poison, so they should have the remedy at hand. 

Draco stopped striding, and Arianna lifted her head. Theo walked towards them in his Healer uniform. There was no playful smile, no wink, nothing that told her that Teddy was safe, nothing but an expressionless face, and to see him so out of his usual self, made Arianna fear the worst.

"How is he?" asked Draco before Theo reached them and Arianna went into the hallway.

Theo's expression remained serene, and he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "The Healers are doing the best they can," he said calmly. 

Arianna felt the blood dropping to her feet and held on to Draco, unable to contain her tears. That was one of the worst phrases a Healer could say. It was like saying, "Prepare for the worse."

Draco held her, "He's going to be fine, princess," he whispered determinedly while she sobbed on his chest. "Our boy will come back home with us."

Theo passed by them and went into the waiting room, where he probably told the same thing since Hermione's crying intensified. Then he came back and said he would be around Teddy's room in case he was needed. 

Time kept moving slowly as if it crawled, and half an hour had passed since Theo had come by. A heavy silence had fallen in the waiting room. Hermione and Arianna had stopped sobbing, Draco had finally sat down, Ginny and Ron had left to the fifth level, searching for tea, and Harry stared at the floor.

Arianna could not stop remembering Teddy, his giggles, how he ran between the shrubs, how he liked to sit on her lap for her to read to him, and how much he loved everyone and everything around him. 

The door opened, and Ginny and Ron came in carrying paper cups filled with tea. Ginny gave one to Hermione and tried handing one to Harry, but he shook his head, keeping his attention on the floor. 

Ron extended one cup to Arianna.

"Thank you," she muttered and took it even if she knew she could not stomach anything.

Ron nodded and handed one to Draco.

"Malfoy," he said, and Draco lifted his gaze, seeming somewhat surprised by the friendly gesture.

He reached for it. "Weasley," he said and nodded in appreciation. 

The door opened one more time, and a Healer with dark hair and rectangle glasses came in holding a clipboard. Harry stood up at once, and the rest followed.

"I'm Healer Kwok," he said serenely. "I'm the Healer-in-charge of this ward, and I have personally taken care of Edward Lupin together with our lead Potioneer and two colleagues. The kid is now out of danger."

Arianna exhaled, relieved, and turned to smile at Draco, who kissed her head.

"Thank God!" exclaimed Hermione, hugging Ron. 

"Can we see him?" asked Draco.

"In a moment, a trainee Healer will come and take you to his room," said Healer Kwok.

"Thank you," said Harry with a husky voice. The Healer nodded and left, closing the door carefully.

"I told you he would be fine," said Ginny, rubbing Harry's arm, but he remained frigid and staring at the ground. 

"This was just horrible, horrible," said Hermione, placing both hands on her chest. "I'll charm the gate to the greenhouses, so it's always closed."

"You know, Hermione," said Arianna, frowning slightly. "Perhaps the door was closed. Teddy can open them with his magic. I've seen him do that. We should put a password on the gate, so this never happens again."

"I want everything out," said Harry angrily, staring at Hermione. "Now."

Hermione looked perplexed back at him, "But Harry–" 

"I want all your shit out of my property, Hermione!" roared Harry. "The greenhouses, the shed, that fucking plant, and all related to the bloody Wolfbane Potion!"

"Harry!" said Hermione pressingly. "The Full Moon is in two weeks! We cannot move everything now! The ingredients are not ready! The werewolves are counting on us! Kids the age of Teddy are counting us!"

"I don't care about the fucking werewolves!" yelled Harry, moving forward and freeing himself from Ginny's grip. "You named the organisation after Lupin, and today your bloody project almost got his son killed!"

Hermione backed one step, and her lower lip began trembling before she burst into tears and rushed to the door, shoving Draco to the side and leaving. 

"Don't talk to her like that!" screamed Ron, towering over Harry and pointing to the door. "She has been breaking her back on this project for more than a year! You cannot throw all her effort because of an accident! Teddy was your responsibility, not hers!"

"Ron!" yelled Ginny.

"I don't care how you do it," said Harry fiercely. "I want everything gone from my property. Now!"

"Don't worry, mate," said Ron, walking to the door and glaring back at Harry. "When you're back, all of OUR shit will be gone from YOUR property." 

Ron stormed out, and a petite blond healer with a pixie cut stood on the door threshold. 

"Er… I'm Amanda Bishop, trainee Healer," she said, clenching a clipboard. "I came here to escort you to Edward Lupin's room and give you some general information."

Fuming, Harry went outside, and the rest followed after putting down the untouch tea on a chair by the entrance. Amanda led them down the hall and stopped next to a door.

Draco reached for the doorknob, but the Healer moved in front of it.

"Not yet, Mr…"

"Malfoy," said Draco, straightening. 

"Not yet, M–Mr Malfoy," she said nervously, recognising the last name. "First, I need to know who is responsible for him.

"I'm his uncle," said Draco, stepping forward.

"I'm his godfather," said Harry, doing the same.

Arianna lost sight of Amanda since both men blocked her view and heard Amanda saying, "A-Alright…. Well… We– We have given him antidotes and potions to fight the pain and spasms in his muscles and heart. He's awake, weak, and… and upset … He keeps asking for his grandmother." Harry and Draco took a step. "The light needs to be dim, and we need to wait to give him a Calming Draught or Sleeping Potions until the other drugs have worn out."

The door open slightly, and Teddy's despairing wails flooded the corridor. A part deep inside Arianna awoke with the urgency to hold him and desperately pushed Draco to her right and shoved Harry to her left. She passed by Amanda and went into a dark, windowless room litten only with a candle next to a bed where Teddy lay in a hospital gown with his original anatomy– His hair was light brown like professor Lupin's, and he had dark eyes like his mother.

Teddy saw Arianna and lifted his arms at her, howling, "NANA!!!"

Arianna rushed, threw her purse on the bed and carried him. "It's okay, my little love," she said softly, rocking him while he kept crying on her shoulder. "Everything is over now."

"Granny!" cried Teddy.

"She's coming, little love," she said, stroking his head. "She's coming as fast as she can… But everyone is here. Draco is here, Harry is here, and Ginny is here also. We're all here with you."

Arianna turned. Everyone had come inside and stood by the door.

"Did you contact Andromeda?" asked Draco looking at Harry.

"No," he answered. "Only you.

"We need to send a messenger to China," said Draco, checking his watch. "They should be somewhere near Chengdu."

He walked towards the door. Teddy lifted his arm towards him and desperately yelled, "DRACO!" 

Draco hurried back and kissed the child's forehead. "I'm going to get your granny and your aunt Cissy, alright?" he said softly. 

Resignedly, Teddy rested his head back on Arianna's shoulder and kept weeping. 

"I will owl a messenger I trust," said Draco and kissed Arianna. "And I will search for Kron, so he can give me an emergency Portkey."

"Check the Moody Mandrake," she said. "He's probably there."

Draco nodded and left the room promptly. 

"Mr Potter," said Amanda. "I need you to fill some forms down at the reception."

"Sure," sighed Harry and walked to the entrance. 

"HARRY!!!" screamed Teddy, and his crying intensified.

Harry looked back at him, somewhat shocked.

"I'll handle that," said Ginny and followed Amanda. The door closed as they left.

Harry remained in the same spot while Arianna paced around the room, rubbing Teddy's back and kissing him while he sobbed. A few minutes later, he calmed down, and she laid him down carefully on the bed, cleaned his nose, and stroked his head lovingly. The thought of almost losing him lingered on every bone, and she decided not to leave his side until Andromeda arrived. 

The sound of Harry's cautious steps made Arianna glance his way. He took a rickety chair next to the nightstand, placed it by the bed, and sat down, staring at Teddy, who had fallen asleep.

It was unnecessary Harry said a word; Arianna knew perfectly what was going through his head as if she could read his mind. Somehow it troubled her to still have that ability, to know him so well. 

Arianna bit her lip, unsure if she should say something or embrace the silence until Ginny was back, but the sorrow in his eyes became unbearable. 

"It's not your fault, Harry," she whispered. 

"It is," he said darkly.

"It was an accident," she insisted. 

"I cannot lose him," said Harry, and his voice broke. "Not him."

His voice shook her to her very core. She saw his eyes clouded with tears, and she felt as terrified as when she knew Teddy was in St. Mungo. Arianna had never seen him cry. She had done it so many times in front of him but not the other way around. Harry was the strongest, bravest person she had ever met. He was the rock upon which she stood. 

"He's going to be fine, Harry," said Arianna worryingly. "He's out of danger. He– he might be a little weak for some weeks, but our happy kid is not going anywhere."

"Andromeda will never let me see him again," said Harry, still staring at Teddy, and a tear escaped the corner of his eye. "And I don't blame her.

"It was an accident!" repeated Arianna, growing anxious. She was not ready to see him break down. Harry was not allowed to be sad. He only deserved happiness and nothing else. 

"An accident?" he asked bitterly, and another tear dropped. "It was neglect." He bent, placing his elbows on his knees, holding his head.

Arianna had to stop this. With an aching heart, she went around the bed and kneeled in front of him.

"Look at me," she said softly, touching his forearms. 

"None of this would have happened if I had just stopped arguing with Ginny and taken him to bed," said Harry, keeping his gaze down. "But no, that's not what I did. Because there I was, fighting with Ginny in the kitchen about that bloody letter I wrote you when Teddy showed up in his snitch pyjamas, and tears in his eyes cause he had a nightmare. And what did I do, Anna? I blew him off and told him to count to ten and that I would go and look for him." he exhaled deeply, and a tear rolled to his nose and fell to the floor. "Why does she have to blow everything out of proportion? Why does she have to be so jealous? Why didn't I tell her to shut up or leave her arguing with the stove?" 

"Harry," said Arianna, gently taking his hands and pulling them down. "It's all over."

"A couple of minutes after Teddy left, I realised what I've done," continued Harry, sitting straighter and looking at Teddy. "That he must have thought I was playing with him. And I left the kitchen with Ginny still screaming at me. He wasn't in the sitting room, and I just knew… I knew something was wrong. I went into the back garden and saw his tiny footprints on the snow heading to the partly open gate," he swallowed, and his lower lip quivered. "I've never run so fast in my life, and still… when I got to the aconite shed… he was not breathing…."

Arianna went to her feet, grabbed his shoulders and slowly approached him. He rested his forehead against her belly and held the back of her thighs.

"He's safe now," she said, touching his neck and sinking her fingers in his hair. "We're not going to lose him. You're not going to lose him. He loves you. You're his hero. You and Draco are the closest thing he has to a father, and Andromeda will not keep him away from you."

"I can't lose him, Anna," said Harry, controlling his voice. "Not him."

"You won't, Harry," she said reassuringly, rubbing his back. "You won't."

Teddy woke up and began whimpering, lifting his little arms at Arianna, and she slowly moved away from Harry to tend to the child. She took him up, kissed his head repeatedly, and worried about how feverish he felt. 

Harry bent over his knees, holding his head, and she wished she had more arms to comfort them both. Gently, she reached for his hand and pulled him. He obeyed her touch and let her drag him to the worn sofa that faced the door.

They sat closely, and Teddy rested his head on Arianna's chest, and his hair slowly turned black and wavy.

"Nothing will hurt you again," said Harry, rubbing Teddy's head. "I promise."

Teddy's eyes transformed into an exact replica of Harry's, and he cuddled further into Arianna.

"You were very brave today," said Arianna.

Harry took one of his little curls, twisted it on his finger, and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. His messy hair tickled Arianna's chest and neck, and she felt a sudden flush of warmth.

They both looked at Teddy, who sleepily kept eyeing Harry. And as much as she loved how he showed affection by changing his look to match others, this time, she found it rather painful to see him with her hair and Harry's eyes.

"What did the letter say, Harry?" asked Arianna.

"It was hardly a letter," he said, still staring at Teddy. "I wrote three words and then threw it in the bin."

"What did you write?" she asked again.

Harry looked into her eyes for the first time that day, "I miss you."

Arianna's heart ached, and she reached for his hand, "I miss you too, Harry," she said. "I've been missing you for months. I hated fighting on Christmas. You've just come from the battlefield, and you were exhausted. I shouldn't have pushed you like that."

"I was an idiot," said Harry, shaking his head. "And I think I owe you an explanation – Before leaving for Norway, I told you I wanted to get back with Ginny and then… well… I kissed you. And that might have seemed a little…."

"Insane?" suggested Arianna. 

"I guess," said Harry. "I didn't know what I would do once I was back home. I tried not to think about it, and at the same time, I thought about it every day, but I never made a decision." 

Arianna let his hand go to hold Teddy. Her instinct was to ask him to stop. Even if she was happy with Draco, she didn't want to hear why he chose Ginny.

"It wasn't until after the battle when I came to England," continued Harry. "The first place that popped into my mind was the cemetery, and I Apparated there… And then I saw you, from all the places, and all the people. – You. A vision in red. – Like if someone had sent you for me. Seen you felt like– like the first time I cast a Patronus. And I was just so … relieved and glad to have you in my arms… But then your mom says it's Christmas, and my first thought is the Burrow and that I should be there. That I should be with Ginny."

"Well… I'm glad you– you realised she was the one," she said, avoiding his eyes.

"But then you followed me," Harry proceeded. "It made me feel so mad, and I didn't know why. Then I sent you off to Malfoy, and I got mad at myself. And then you start saying I'm choosing Ginny, which makes me even angrier… And then … you left."

"You wanted me to," said Arianna defensively.  

"I did. It just took me days to understand why," said Harry, staring at his knees. "There was something that escaped me, and I didn't know what it was until I went to Grimmauld Place and visited Sirius' room," he turned to see her. "And over the bed, I found a photo album with pictures of you, and I saw you grow up through the pages. Through all the years I wished I had met you."

Arianna could see it playing in her head. And that connection, that strong, inexplicable bond they shared, made her know where he was going.

"The reason we are not together is not a lack of …." Harry stopped and swallowed. "Of feelings… It's certainly not a lack of chemistry or attraction. It's just–"

"Timing," whispered Arianna.

"We met too late, Anna," said Harry sadly. "I have a long history with Ginny. She's been my family for a long time; she stood beside me when no one would; she gave me hope when I had none. And for years, I was sure she was the one, that she would be the woman I would marry and be the mother of my children… And it's tough to erase all of that… And I know he and you go back years… that both of you have been in love for ages."

"We are where we should be," concluded Arianna while tears built in her eyes.

"It seems like," said Harry, and his gaze dropped to Teddy, who snoozed calmly in Arianna's arms. 

"So… is that it?" she asked with a lump in her throat. "Are we going to go back to being strangers that nod at each other politely in the Ministry hallways and in St. Mungo's waiting rooms?"

"What do you mean?" asked Harry, slightly alarmed. "We are friends, Anna."

"Come on, Harry," she coughed, and a tear rolled down. "I'm not Ginny's favourite person, and Draco is not your biggest fan. We've a romantic history, and none of them has an easy-going personality – They will never accept us being friends."

"Do you want me out of your life?" asked Harry.

"No!" she blurted. "I want you in my life! I need you in my life, Harry. I'm always going to need you."

"Well, then they will have to deal with it," said Harry rather madly. 

"But Ginny–"

"If Ginny cannot accept that, I would find someone who will," he said resolutely. "Then she's not the person I thought she was."

"And Draco–"

"Malfoy and I are never going to be friends. But after that lovely trip to Norway, I think we finally respect each other," said Harry firmly. "However, I don't care about his opinion about our friendship, and I certainly hope that you're not going to let him drown you with his possessiveness, or else you're not the woman I thought you were."

"You're such a Gryffindor, Potter," she chuckled. "You're gonna get yourself killed one of these days."

"I know it's easier said than done," said Harry, fixed on her eyes. "But you're part of me. You not being in my life is out of the question."

Something warm aroused on Arianna's chest, pushing tears out of her eyes. 

"Don't cry, Black," said Harry, hugging her. "You look gross when you cry."

"Be quiet, Potter," she said and chuckled, making him laugh. The sound lightened her spirit, his scent comforted her soul, his embrace made her feel safe.

Teddy giggled softly, and both looked at him. He smiled tiredly back at them. 

"We are what is left of the Marauders," said Arianna, poking Teddy's nose. "We've got to stick together, don't we?"

She turned her head towards Harry, and her nose bumped into his. Both froze. Her mind brought a flashback of when he used to rub her nose before kissing her. Arianna had a swooping sensation, and she thought of another reason why being friends now could be rather challenging.

"It might take some time until I see you as just a friend, though," whispered Harry, hovering over her lips. He kissed her cheek.

"For once, time is our best ally," she said, dropping her gaze, and they pushed their heads together, contemplating Teddy dozing. 

There was a knock on the door, and it opened slowly. Harry let go of Arianna just before Healer Kwok and trainee Healer Bishop came in, followed by Draco, who carried one of Teddy's stuffed dragons. 

"How is our little patient doing?" asked Amanda, leaning to see Teddy while Draco sat next to Arianna.

Teddy's attention was on Draco, who handed him his blue dragon and rubbed his head, and his wavy hair turned blond. Then he looked over at Amanda with his big green eyes seeming rather frightened and held his toy tighter. 

"We need to run some tests to see how his body has responded to the potions," said Healer Kwok, and Amanda smiled, extending her arms at Teddy.

The child looked over at Arianna.

"It's okay," she said with a smile. "We're going to be right here."

Amanda took Teddy, laid him on the bed, and Healer Kwok began examining him while his apprentice wrote down notes.

"Did you find the messenger?" asked Arianna to Draco. 

"I did," he answered flatly. "He says he can bring them back before dawn."

Ginny walked in and determinedly headed to the sofa, forcefully sitting between Arianna and Harry and cramping everyone. Draco tried to readjust, but he couldn't move an inch. 

"For fucks sake," he cursed, grabbed Arianna by the waist and sat her on his lap. 

"So when is the wedding?" asked Ginny, looking at the Astral Ring.

Arianna twisted on Draco's lap, "Er… We– we don't– We aren't–"

"We don't have a date," said Draco cooly.

"Any plans on where? The manor? The Old Gaunt Palace? I imagine Parkinson will plan the wedding of the century," said Ginny snappily. "Harry and I have always thought of having a private and unpretentious wedding. Probably at the Burrow my brothers. Play some quidditch in the morning and the ceremony in the afternoon, right, Harry?"

"Er… yeah," he said and cleared his throat. "Something like that."

"Sounds lovely," said Arianna, the tension on the sofa growing, and she changed the subject. "Harry, I was thinking. I agree that we should find a better place to keep the aconite. But if you make us move everything now, we're going to lose three months until we can begin brewing the Wolfsbane Potion. Give us two weeks, and we will take everything out."

"Alright," said Harry. "But we need to place a spell on the gate and the shed."

"Alright?" huffed Ginny folding her arms. "Merlin, Arianna. You've got to tell me what you gave to him to make him agree with everything you say."

"Gin," said Harry warningly. "Not now."

Draco's body stiffened, and he clenched his jaw, restraining himself from adding to the awkward conversation.

"Come on," said Harry, going on his feet. "Let's go and stop Hermione and Ron."

"Tell Granger they can use my greenhouses while they find something more permanent," said Draco stiffly.

Harry nodded and looked at Ginny, "Are you coming?"

Ginny glared at Arianna before following him, and as soon as they were out, Draco rested his head on her shoulder. "I want this day to be over," he said, holding her tighter. "I just want to take him home." 

The Healers gave Teddy Dreamless Sleep Potion after determining that he was reacting well to his treatment and said they would keep him for two nights for observation. And when they left, Arianna and Draco laid and cuddled on the sofa.

"How are you feeling?" asked Arianna since he was utterly quiet. 

He took a moment to reply. "I know I don't deserve you," he said, placing her hair behind her shoulder. "I know no matter what I do, it won't change my past, but you make me want to change my future. I know I don't have a chance in hell of you staying with me if I'm dishonest with you. I want to tell you about my problem, but I'm not ready yet."

"Whenever you're ready, love," said Arianna, feeling at home in his arms. "I'll be there." 

 

Chapter 39: Maledict Manacles

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

 

The following two days, Arianna spent most of her time in St. Mungo, and the next weeks were so busy she forgot to breathe at times. She went back to train in the Duelling Hall every morning, then spent the day in the Potions Department and the afternoon working on the Remus Lupin Foundation. She saw Draco in the evenings and continued having weekly meetings with the Investigation Department.

Since the High Regime was defeated, all the governments were giving themselves pats on the back for their victory. And although they kept searching for Rudenschöld and his followers, they were no longer the highest priority, making the cooperation between nations worse since every country decided to search for fugitives between their own borders. 

Wilkinson focused on tracking down Rudenschöld (recently spotted in Tibet) and deciphering the hexes and weapons they discovered in Norway, for Shiori believed the High Regime was wounded but remained strong enough to rebuild itself and strike in a few years. However, going back to the meetings was not the same since Harry quit the team as Robarts assigned him a top-secret mission, and now he went to the office only sporadically. Still, it comforted Arianna to know they would always be there for each other even if they met rarely.

But Arianna's bliss became her job as the lead Potioneer for the Moony Foundation, as they called it behind closed doors. The Wolfsbane Potion was a roaring success, and the werewolves were beyond grateful since the great majority had never experienced, or could even imagine, a transformation where they hold on to their mental faculties, making them harmless to others and themselves. It was such an exhilarated sensation to help like that that Arianna considered quitting her job and dedicating full time to the institution. 

It was Friday evening when she used the Floo to Draco's flat after finally moving all the plants for the Wolfsbane Potion to his greenhouses. Funny enough, they were on Pansy's property, which led to several matches between her and Hermione, for they spoke an entirely different language. Thankfully, Arianna was now fluent in both the Gryffindor and the Slytherin tongues, and she discovered her new ability as a translator and peacekeeper.

Utterly exhausted, she stepped into the dark sitting room. The Weird Sisters' new album played loudly, and she checked her watch. It was almost midnight. She placed her coat and satchel on the nearest armchair and followed the music, opening the set of double doors that led to the study. 

Draco sat behind the desk topped with parchments and books while going through a document. His sleeves were rolled up, and a few shirt buttons were undone. He lifted his gaze when he sensed her and smiled. That damn smile. 

The music lowered with a flick of his wand.

"Still working?" asked Arianna and walked towards him. "I don't know if anyone has explained this to you, but they don't pay for the extra hours."

Draco chuckled, "I'm a little bit obsessed about this puzzle," he said, pulling Arianna so she sat on his lap.

"How was your day?" she asked, placing her arm over his shoulders.

"Rubbish until now," he replied and kissed her.

Arianna took the parchment he held and skimmed through it. It had several diagrams, drawings and spells that were crossed and rewritten. 

"Is it one of the gadgets you saw in Norway?" she asked.

"Uh-huh," uttered Draco, kissing her neck and unbuttoning her blouse. 

"Stop," giggled Arianna, glancing at the open doors. "Blaise will freak out if he finds us doing it in the study again."

"He's not here," replied Draco, kissing her jaw.

"Tell me about this," Arianna insisted, moving away. "Is this the sphere Angie was talking about?"

"Yes," sighed Draco, grabbing the paper. "We saw it a few times in Norway and in the battle in Austria. It's some sort of impenetrable sphere that encircles the wizard who possesses the device."

"So, it is a protection spell?" asked Arianna.

"In a way, but they used it more like a weapon," explained Draco. "Whoever is on a certain radius of it would be locked inside. No curse or person can enter or leave the sphere. I'm working on that – I'm trying to figure out how to break it."

"Talking about problems," said Arianna carefully. "Did you meet with Odysseus Greengrass today?"

"Tha man is out of his fucking mind," growled Draco, and Arianna regretted asking. 

"Does he still want to be your father-in-law?" she asked slightly playfully.

"He finally moved away from that idea," said Draco bitterly. "But now he wants things that are not mine to give."

Arianna decided it was better to drop the subject and refrain from asking how he felt about his father being out of Azkaban next month. She left the parchment over the table. 

"So, are you excited about tomorrow?" asked Arianna, sliding her fingers inside his shirt, tracing his clavicle suggestively. "It's not every day one gets an Order of Merlin."

"Is that tomorrow?" asked Draco and resumed nibbling her ear while untucking her blouse from her skirt. "What will you wear?"

"Something sparkly, sexy, and emerald green," said Arianna, enjoying what his lips did to her.

Draco groaned and went on his feet with her. His breath was heavy on her ear as he pulled up her skirt and pressed himself against her back, tracing her body from her green lace knickers to her matching bra, massaging her tits. She could feel his cock hardening against her arse and his arousal grew her feverish. 

Then he turned her around and pushed her, so she sat on the desk with her legs open, and he continued kissing her while she unbuttoned his shirt.

"You know what I've noticed?" asked Arianna between kisses. "You never let me be on top– You always flip me."

"That's because you don't know how to fuck yourself properly," answered Draco before he shoved the parchments and books to the side and laid her on her back.

"That's outrageous," she chuckled, and he grabbed her thighs firmly and pulled her closer to the edge. Then he skimmed from her knees, thighs, waist, and chest until he held her neck with one hand, choking her slightly and stared at her. His eyes filled with lust were Arianna's favourite aphrodisiac. 

"For fuck sakes!" screamed Blaise, turning off the music. "What did I tell you about shagging in the study?!"

Arianna jumped at once, crashing against Draco and fixing her skirt. Then she looked over her shoulder; Blaise stood by the doors with his arms folded.

"We were just talking," she said and giggled. Draco chuckled and bit her cheek playfully.

"It's just common courtesy, Black," said Blaise wearily. "I understand that you're in that precious stage where you feel like every passing minute you're not humping is a waste of time, but don't do it in the common areas."

"You sound just like Blair," mumbled Arianna, fixing her blouse. 

"And I don't know if exhibitionism is your new kink," continued Blaise. "But it seems Kron is into voyeurism." 

"Hi guys!" said Kron cheerfully from the dark sitting room.

Arianna gasped, "How long have you been there?!"

"What the fuck it's wrong with you?!" yelled Draco.

Kron stepped in and leaned against the door frame.

"I didn't see anything, I swear," he said, smirking. "And shut up, Malfoy. You walked in on Pixie and me all the time."

"Because you fucked on my bedroom with a Silencing Spell, and the door unlocked!" screamed Draco, throwing his hands in the air. "How was I supposed to know you were there?!"

"Sorry, man," chuckled Kron. "It turned Pixie on to know you will walk in and scream at us.

Draco held the bridge of his nose, breathing deeply. "What are you doing here, Kron?" he asked.

"I need to have a word with Miss Black," said Kron, winking at Arianna.

"And I need to talk to you, Draco," said Blaise, walking and taking a seat in front of them. 

"Should I leave?" asked Arianna, slightly confused.

"You can stay, Arianna," said Blaise, making a steeple of his fingers.

"I'll wait outside," sang Kron, closing the doors.

Draco retook his place behind the desk, and Arianna sat on his lap.

"What can we do for you at this late hour in the night?" asked Draco, annoyed.

"Blair and I have decided to move in together," announced Blaise.

"You are!" exclaimed Arianna happily. "Oh, Blaise! Good luck! She's a delight to live with! I hope you're talented at organising clothing by colour, fabric and style, or she's going to dump you in two days."

"She's definitely better than living with him right now," said Blaise, glancing at Draco irritatedly. "My point is that we bought this flat together, and I'd like to know if we should find our own place or if you'd prefer to move out."

"And this couldn't wait until tomorrow?" asked Draco.

"You know how Blair is," sighed Blaise, and Arianna understood that woman could not live in the unknown for more than five minutes.

Draco grinned. "What do you think, love?" he asked.

"You can let the lover boy keep the penthouse," said Arianna, combing Draco's hair with her fingers. "I'm sure your mother would love to have you over until you find a new place.

"You're sending me back to my mother?" asked Draco, half offended, half amused.

"I would offer my place," said Arianna, shrugging. "But you're afraid of Padma, and you think my flat is utterly small… so…."

"It is utterly small, but I guess it suits you," said Draco, smirking. 

"It's a normal size flat!" said Arianna, irritated. "Above average, actually, and way nicer than this dark dungeon. Everything is about size with you, isn't it?"

"I like things that match my size," said Draco with a deep voice.

"Alright," said Blaise, going on his feet. "I'll leave before you keep discussing Draco's penis. And take this upstairs, I beg of you," he headed to the door. "I'll see you lads tomorrow."

He went out, and Kron stepped inside instantly. 

"I want to talk to Black alone," he said.

Draco arched his eyebrow. "Why?

"It's a private dirty business, Malfoy," said Kron seriously. "I'd appreciate it if you leave the room."

Draco did not seem convinced but stood up and left. As soon as the door was closed, Kron pulled out a piece of white fabric the size of his palm from his pocket and Arianna approached to see it closer.

"You know Potter, right?" said Kron.

"I'm familiar with his work, yes," replied Arianna.

"He asked me to design something very special for you," said Kron, handing her the fabric. "He says that there are three things you always carry with you, but he doesn't think your purse is the right place to put them anymore."

Arianna understood he meant her antidotes and dagger and took the piece of fabric, realising it was a bag.

"It adheres to any clothing, merging with the colours and texture," explained Kron. "It is invisible to the eye, touch, and Secrecy Sensors, even the ones I've designed. It's highly resistant, and only you can retrieve what it's inside. He said you should have it with you all the time, even with your PJs… so you know, try to not sleep naked too often."

"Thank you…" said Arianna, slightly confused. "Why did Draco have to leave the room for this?"

"I just like messing with him," answered Kron, smiling broadly.

"You're pure evil," chuckled Arianna and placed the bag against her skirt, attaching to it and becoming invisible. 

"And by the way," said Kron, leaning forwards. "I think Malfoy loves when you ride him, but he's afraid to cum too fast, and that's why he flips you."

"Ewww!" exclaimed Arianna. "Kron! Could you not be a perv for five minutes?"

"I'm not a perv! I'm just sexually open-minded," said Kron, rolling his eyes. "And don't listen to Zabini – You kids hump wherever you like."

"Good night, Kron," said Arianna, striding to the door and opening it. "See you tomorrow at the ceremony."

Arianna stood aside for him to walk out, and she followed. They went into the sitting room where Draco stood by the fireplace with the Floo powder vase on hand.

"Stop breaking into my flat," said Draco sternly.

"Put better Security Spells," replied Kron, grabbing Floo powder and tossing it into the flames. Then he stepped in and vanished.

Arianna extended her hands to Draco, "Let's go to bed," she said tiredly. 

Draco held her waist, dragging her close. "Move in with me," he whispered. "We can find a place we both like."

"You're crazy," said Arianna, smiling.

"I am," he said, lost in her eyes. "I'm mad about you."

"We just started dating!" she said, more to herself than to him, for the idea sounded rather appealing

"You sleep every night with me, and you have my family ring on your finger."

"But we are not engaged! You have actually never asked me to marry you."

"What if I do?"

"Then I will say no!" laughed Arianna, even if she would say yes. "We just started dating, Draco!"

"So when can I ask?" 

"When the leprechaun fever is over, and you realise how utterly annoying and not cute at all, it's when I list all the ingredients and tell you the backstory of every potion I find in your bathroom cabinet."

"You're such an infuriating little Ravenclaw," whispered Draco and kissed her deeply. 

The next evening, the Ministry of Magic hosted a ceremony in the Atrium, followed by dinner and dance, to honour those who contributed to the High Regime's fall and award Orders of Merlin Second Class to those with achievements beyond the ordinary. 

Arianna wore the same green dress she put on for the boxing match with her mane up in a bun and sat at the table with Draco's closest friends, plus Blair, Narcissa and Andromeda, who had left Teddy at the Burrow for the night. And together with a hundred guests, she witnessed Kingsley Shacklebolt hang a gold medal with a purple ribbon on Draco Malfoy's neck. Something shone inside her to see him do a full circle, from villain to hero, and she squeezed Narcissa's hand when she furtively wiped a tear with her knuckle.

After the ceremony, she congratulated Angelina, Shiori, and Harry, who also displayed his Order of Merlin First Class for defeating Voldemort. She promised him a dance after dinner and then fetched her mother to officially introduce her to everyone at her table. 

Draco seemed hypnotised by Arianna as he rarely took her eyes from her. They danced many songs together until he asked his mother for a piece, and Arianna took a break at their empty table, watching them waltz next to Andromeda and Wilkinson, which made her chuckle for such a combination. 

"Black," said Pansy standing next to her in a shimmery black dress. "May I have a word with you in private?"

"Sure," said Arianna, going on her feet, thinking it was about the greenhouses and the aconite. 

"Let's talk somewhere quieter, shall we?" said Pansy and began walking towards the fireplaces, and Arianna followed her until the music sounded distant

Pansy turned to face her and placed her hands on her waist. Her expression seemed serene yet determined.  

"I know you don't like me nor trust me," she said. "And there's no reason why you should. But I want you to believe me when I say that I love Draco and want what is best for him."

"This again, Pansy?" sighed Arianna. "Why don't you let us be happy?"

"I don't care if he hates me for doing this," continued Pansy earnestly. "You need to know the truth to understand what is at stake. You need to stop being blind, just as Draco is. You need to open your eyes, Arianna." 

"He said he will tell me when he's ready," said Arianna.

"It might be too late by then. You need to know now," insisted Pansy and pointed at the nearest fireplace. "Go to the manor right now, and you will know the truth."

"The manor?" asked Arianna.

"Please," said Pansy with despair in her voice. "Only you can save him." 

Arianna pondered and glanced at the celebration while her pulse rose and resolutely walked into the emerald flames that tickled her legs

"The Malfoy manor," she uttered. The fire engulfed her, and she spun while catching glimpses of other houses until everything stopped, and she stepped out into the familiar hall, where an intricate and passionate sonata was heard.

Arianna's breath left her when seen the eternally closed purple drawing-room with its double doors wide open. The music came from there, and she approached the door carefully

The room was three times bigger than the blue one and had a smell of dampness and dirt. A thick layer of dust covered the carpeted floor, the elaborate chandeliers were entangled with cobwebs, and most of the furniture was piled up on the back. A few candelabras were lit, and in the middle of the dimmed room, a black grand piano stood with Lucius Malfoy playing it.

He looked a lot like his son, except Lucius's hair was long, his cheeks were sunken, and his skin was greyish and paler. He looked like an Inferi with an elegant black robe too loose for him.

Lucius Malfoy lifted his gaze briefly and continued playing his sonata.

"Miss Black, please, come on in," he said, unfazed as if they had a previous appointment. "I don't bite."

"I thought you would be out next month," said Arianna under her breath.

"I could have told my family I was getting released earlier," said Lucius while playing. "But I wanted to have a little tête-à-tête with you without my son's interference. He can't be rather melodramatic at times." He stood up and placed his hands on his back.

"Very well," said Arianna resolutely and walked into the room. "Speak."

"I've wanted to meet you for quite some time, Miss Black," he said with his cold grey eyes resting upon her. "The child of the prodigy daughter of the Vitellis and the son who brought shame to the Blacks. The girl who has bewitched my son beyond reason and has won my wife's affection." He walked towards a dusted bar cart filled with bottles; he grabbed a Firewhiskey and a glass. "Can I offer you something to drink, Miss Black?"

"I'm good," said Arianna sternly while Lucius poured the liquor. "But if you could cut to the chase, I would appreciate it. My date is waiting for me."

"Direct, just like your mother. I always liked that about her," said Lucius, putting back the bottle and focusing on her. "Very well, I shall cut to the chase as you say," he swirled his drink the same way Draco did and observed her as if he was measuring her. "My wife and I had gone to extreme lengths to protect our family, Miss Black. And it was natural that we still wanted the best for Draco after the war. We thought he deserved a second chance, that my choice of becoming a Death Eater and unwillingly dragging him with me shouldn't rest upon his shoulders... Sadly, he committed actions the Wizengamot couldn't overlook," he paused, tilting his head slightly. "Like casting the Killing Curse. Aunt Bella was so proud."

"IT WAS A WAR!" roared Arianna, expecting something like this. "IT WAS A FUCKING WAR! And he lived with monsters that forced him to do things he didn't want to!"

A thin smile drew on Lucius' face, "When they asked if he had cast Unforgivable Curses while he was off age, the three of us lied on the stand," he proceeded slowly with his monologue. "And thanks to our Occlumency abilities, it wasn't hard. However, the first rule when lying is to never leave loose ends. Draco committed the stupidity of telling three of his friends. Luckily, Miss Parkinson was blessed with more than a neuron and made everyone take an Unbreakable Vow. And then, there was the eyewitness… do you dare to guess?"

Finally, everything made sense, and without hesitation, Arianna said, "Odysseus Greengrass."

"Indeed, Odysseus Greengrass was here at the wrong time," said Lucius resentfully. "He was our accountant, you see, and he had come that day as he did every month, but I had forgotten with all the commotion, and he saw enough. 

Back then, it didn't matter. He's a clever man. He knew he should keep his mouth shut about everything he saw in this house. But when the war was over, we began to worry, so my wife gave him a handsome amount of galleons as gratitude for his silence, and we thought it would be the end of it... Until he kept asking for more."

"Gold," said Arianna. "Is that it?"

Lucius drank, and his sleeve slipped slightly, showcasing the manacle on his wrists that suppressed his magic and tied him to the property.

"I'm sure you're aware of the Greengrass's precarious economic situation," said Lucius, swirling his drink. "Odysseus is a clever and greedy man. Sometimes more the latter. His thirst for gold and impetus to recover what he lost kept growing until something marvellous happened – Draco began dating his daughter – Let's see how much you have learned, Miss Black. What happens when one marries into the Malfoy family and the firstborn weds?"

Arianna was taken aback by the question. "Then– the mother's wealth goes to her child," she said.

"And why is that?" asked Lucius, as if he was a teacher encouraging his students.

"When the heir becomes the head of the clan, he is responsible for the family, including the in-laws," answered Arianna.

"Precisely," said Lucius, smirking. "Odysseus had nothing to worry about because my son would take care of them as long as they were alive. And with that, he wouldn't want him imprisoned. Our deal was simple – when Draco and Astoria wed, he would take an Unbreakable Vow – Everything was settled until Galatea Black and her beautiful grey eyes came back to haunt us all.

"If it's gold, he wants," said Arianna decisively. "He can have the Black's inheritance. Every single galleon of it."

"As generous as your offer is, it's not enough for Mr Greengrass anymore. He is terribly offended by Draco choosing you over his daughter and breaking his promise."

"So, what's your plan?" asked Arianna, raising her voice. "Making him marry a woman that hates him and doesn't love?!"

"YES!" hissed Lucius coldly. "I expect Draco to do what is right for our family!"

"Why can't you free your son if you care about his future so much?! Why can you give Mr Greengrass what he wants?!"

"HE WANTS THE MANOR AND HALF OF OUR WEALTH!" screamed Lucius, throwing his Firewhiskey with force to the floor, shattering the glass. "And I'll be damned if I let Odysseus Greengrass put his filthy hands on my legacy!" He marched furiously towards Arianna, making her back two steps, and he pointed at the floor next to a settee. "Right there, Draco took his first steps! Mine were over there, by the corner! I proposed to Narcissa in the gardens by the fountain! For generations, this place has been our home, and I'm not letting that bastard take it away because my son is not man enough to do what is right!"

"So you love the manor more than you love your son?!" yelled Arianna.

Lucius stood tall and looked at her with his nostrils flaring. "Do you love the idea of being with him more than his freedom?" he asked acidly. Arianna froze at those words. "We lied to the Wizengamot, Miss Black. Meaning that not only Draco would go to Azkaban but also Narcissa, and I assure you– He would get a lifelong sentence this time," he fixed his pale grey eyes on hers. "So let me ask you: "Do you love my son?"

"I do," she said with a lump on her throat, understanding that her relationship with Draco was doomed. 

"Then let him go," said Lucius slowly, placing his hands behind his back. "You don't have a future together. It will hurt at first, but time will heal him… And as my son is irrevocably infatuated with you, you must be decisive when you leave him – Tell him you don't forgive his crimes during the war."

"No," said Arianna, shaking her head. "He didn't have a choice. He's not evil."

"Everyone has a choice, Miss Black," said Lucius with a wicked smile. "He killed two innocent, wandless Mudbloods that had committed no crime but identified you in the woods with Kingsley Shacklebolt and your mother. He killed them right there where you're standing."

Her temperature dropped in a second, and Arianna moved away, stumbling upon an end table and staring at the floor as if she could see their dead bodies.

"I'm wrong. He could only murder one," continued Lucius, following her closely. "After the second one, he broke down in tears, and his mother had to finish the second. If only you have stayed in the fucking castle as you promise, isn't it?!"

"NO!" howled Arianna, holding her head – Everything was her fault. 

"And on top of that, you're also risking his life," growled Lucius, inches from her face. "I know about you and Ritter Rudenschöld."

Arianna moved back, knocking over the end table and tripping over it. She fell backwards into the floor, lifting a cloud of dust. 

"I might have been in Azkaban, but I still have contacts," he said dangerously with bulging eyes. "I dug deep into your past and found your secret. And now you stand in front of me shamelessly saying that you love my son, but you're risking his life by being with him." 

Her head pounded, her heartbeats resonated in her ears, and she tried to stand up. Lucius seized her arm with force and pulled her up violently. 

"What if dear Ritter decides that the best way of getting his vengeance is by killing the person you love most?!" screamed Lucius, shaking her. "What if he waits ten more years until you have children and murder them?! So you know how it feels to lose a child!" Arianna felt the room spinning. "Would you do that to Draco if you truly loved him?! Would you make him go through that sort of pain?! What if he kills you?! Don't you think my foolish son wouldn't try to end himself?!"

Arianna began gasping for air as her chest constricted by the second and shoved Lucius away, staggering backwards. Craving for oxygen, she stormed out of the drawing-room while he kept yelling things her brain could not process. And with her world spinning, she spotted the main door and headed towards it.

A sudden green light glared from the fireplace behind her.

"Arianna!" screamed Draco, followed by quick steps. 

Arianna quickened her pace. She was Draco's doom, poison, and disease. 

She stepped outside into the freezing night, where the cold air stabbed her lungs as she heaved and ran to the iron gate. 

"Arianna!" yelled Draco. "Please, stop!"

Arianna tripped, falling hard to the ground, and Draco caught up with her. He held her by the waist and pulled her up while she cried for the unbearable pain in her heart. 

"Come on, let's get out of here, princess," said Draco worryingly. "Hold on to me. I'll take you home, and we will talk there. I'll tell you everything. Everything you want to know. I'm so sorry."

"It's all my fault!" cried Arianna, her breath bursting in and out. "I just bring suffering and death!"

"What are you–"

"We cannot be together, Draco!" yelled Arianna, pushing him away. "There's no future for us! It was just a dream!"

"Don't say that," said Draco, a tremor in his voice. "Don't let him get to you. He's a manipulative bastard."

"He's right," said Arianna, feeling how their hearts broke as she spoke. "You are better without me.

"Stop!" he yelled. 

"We are not meant to be," continued Arianna, feeling the wolf shredding her insides. "It was just an illusion."

"Don't do this, Arianna," he implored with wide eyes.

Her knees failed her, and she held onto him with excruciating pain. She felt as if her wings were ripped off while flying, and she fell hard into the earth, breaking every bone in her body. It was time to let him go and wake up from the dream she never thought she would have. She would never be free to love until Rudenschöld was dead, and Draco would never be free until he had Odysseus Greengrass' silence. 

"Don't do this to me, don't do this to us," Draco implored, holding tightly.

Arianna couldn't stop weeping and remembered the last time he ran after her in the same driveway, that day so many moons ago when they almost kissed, and the words she said to him back then came to her.

Not because the problem is complex means that the solution has to be complex too. 

Her head went quiet, and something clicked. Arianna stopped crying.

"Tell them you're marrying Astoria," she whispered.

"No," said Draco.

"Listen," whispered Arianna in his ear. "Your mother once told me that if it wasn't for the pureblood beliefs, all the Blacks would have been sorted into Gryffindor. And I think that if it was the same case for the Malfoys, they would still be sorted in Slytherin."

"Arianna," swallowed Draco. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Arianna moved back to his eyes filled with tears. "You're the epitome of a Slytherin, love, and that's okay," she said, touching his chest. "The sorting hat placed you in that house as soon as it touched your head. You're clever and cunning. You know how to lie, scheme, and deceive. You are ambitious and like being in control. And you cannot allow that man to threaten you and your family."

"You don't think I don't know that?!" said Draco painfully. "We have been trying to get rid of that bloody leech since the war ended."

"But now things are different. Now you're willing to fight for your freedom," said Arianna, urgently clenching his jacket. "Draco, if someone can get away with this, it's you. You have your astute mother and sneaky friends; hell, even your father will back you up if he keeps his beloved manor. But you have to do it from within as a Troyan horse. Go back to Odysseus Greengrass with your tail between your legs and tell him you will marry Astoria, and when he thinks he owns you when he has underestimated you — you strike," she searched his eyes and saw he knew she was right. "But I need to be out of the picture for that to happen."

Draco tipped his head back and drew air, remaining a long moment like that. "I'll come back for you," he said, looking back at her. "I promised you. When this is all over, I'll go searching for you."

Arianna pulled him and kissed him, making no promises she could not keep, for she now would search and kill Rundenschöld or die trying. 

"I love you, Draco," she whispered over his lips. "Never forget that."

Draco took off his suit jacket and put it over her shoulders, and holding each other, they walked to the gate. Arianna said goodbye to those eyes as beautiful as a winter morning, his intoxicating sandalwood scent, and the lips that always made her shiver.







Notes:

Sunday, May 1st, next chapter.

Chapter 40: Shadows

Notes:

Harry or Draco?

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

 

“Get up. There's no time for being sad.” 

Arianna laid down on the bed and forced herself to open her eyes. A delicate white crib covered with a sheer canopy stood before her, and mindlessly, she contemplated the periwinkle blue baby mobile with stars that graciously turned. 

It had been over a week after the breakup, and her life had shifted sweepingly since then. To catch Rudenschöld, there were sacrifices she had to make and avoid mistakes she kept on repeating – like believing she could have a normal life. Arianna quit her jobs at the ministry and the foundation, moved out from her flat and became untraceable, seeking refuge in the abandoned cabin where she and her parents lived the first year of her life… before everything was torn. 

The small stone cottage was Unplottable and had protective enchantments around it. It only had one room with small yet beautiful furniture over polished wooden floors. A round, carved Italian table stood in the middle and faced the main door with four matching chairs. The kitchen and fireplace were on one side, and on the other was a narrow bed by a dresser and across a crib and table piled with toys.

Arianna could see her father in the few things her mother had let him choose, like the colourful and bizarre chandelier in the middle of the room, the monkey lamp over the bedside table, and the Gryffindor banner behind the toys. 

The cabin was more cramped since she had brought her blue armchair, books that filled the crib and piled on the floor, records stacked under the toys table, a phonograph next to it and a trunk placed at the feet of the bed. And together with her survival kit were her treasures in a drawer – Her pearl necklace, her father's suit, the Marauders Map, Draco's Slytherin tie, and the Venus Bracelets – And buried under the sink laid the pieces of Alaric's watch while all her research of Rudenschöld's hideout papered the wall behind the dresser. 

Arianna sat slowly; her entire body ached as if she had fallen from the astronomy tower. She dragged her feet to the bathroom across the cottage, where a large bathtub too big for the size of the space was, and she opened the warm water faucet before turning to face herself in the mirror over the sink. 

Her skin was yellowish, deep circles set under her eyes, and her hair screamed chaos. She thought her sickly look made her seem ridiculous with her sexy black silk nightgown with lace. Since Arianna had started dating Draco, either she slept in sensual nightwear or naked, and for she had packed in a hurry right after leaving the manor, had grabbed whatever was at hand; hence, everything she owned now was unsuitable for her cold and lonely life in the Scottish Highlands. 

After combing her hair, she headed towards the trunk to fetch the Invigoration Draught she kept on a chest with three magic locks that opened to find different substances. The first one was for daily use brews, the second one for ingredients and the third for uncommon potions. 

She sat on her knees and opened the first lock, lifting the top and finding several colourful vials perfectly ordered and a moon calendar attached to the lid. Arianna took the vessel with a honey-like substance and was about to close it when she had an abrupt realisation and opened the top again to stare at the moon calendar

Like all witches, Arianna's menstrual cycle was synchronised with the moon phases. Since she could remember, she always bled one day after the New Moon, and today, that day had been three days ago. 

She covered her mouth and closed the lid, feeling suddenly dizzy. She went on her feet and tried to recall if she had brewed the Contraceptive Potion the last month and remembered she had not since it had coincided with Teddy's accident and spent those days in the hospital. 

“How could I've been so stupid?” 

"Draco was drinking contraceptive Potions, remember?" said a voice in her head that sounded like Padma's. "Remember you saw them in his cabinet? And he's a structured and disciplined man. You're probably late because of everything that has happened."  

Arianna tried to control her breathing and listen to the voice. It was probably just anxiety. It is not unheard of that dramatic life changes alter the cycle. 

"You can use a spell if you want to know the truth," reminded her a voice that sounded like Blair's. 

There was a simple spell all girls knew since they were thirteen. Everyone used it often since the sensation on the belly felt funny.

Arianna fetched her wand that rested over the nightstand, lifted her nightgown, placed her wand's tip decisively just below her navel, and took a deep breath – If she felt a cooling sensation, she would pop up the champagne. If it was a warming one, she would murder Draco.

“You cannot be pregnant. You're being harassed by a Dark wizard, and the father might end in Azkaban… The story will repeat again…”

Arianna tossed her wand to the bed and sprinted to the main door. She rapidly grabbed her red cloak, and black scarf from the coat rack, slipped into her boots and went outside into the grey, cold morning. She ran over the snowy, sloped ground into the forest and took the path she used to get to the lake.

“What if Draco goes to Azkaban? Will your child grow up fatherless just as you did? “

“Or if he marries Astoria, and you have to hide the dad's identity for everyone's sake? “

”What if you get killed after the baby is born? Leaving him orphaned with a dead mother and imprisoned father.”

”Or if Rudenschöld killed your child as Lucius said he could?”

Arianna went down the terrain filled with tree roots and stones, running as fast as she could, trying to escape all the thoughts that followed her until she reached the edge of the frozen lake and let out a loud scream loaded with frustration that made a dozen birds fly away from the nearest tree. 

Her head tipped back, and she stared at the cloudy sky, heaving and feeling her eyes become watery.

“There's a potion. It's easy to brew, and you're in good time to drink it.”

Arianna shook her head and shut her eyes, holding her stomach. She was unsure there was something there, but she already loved it if there was.

The cracking noise of a branch breaking made her turn, and the sensation of being watched arose. She searched for her wand in her pocket and chills traced her spine when realising it was in the cabin.

"Don't say my name. It's me," said Harry's voice a few feet away from her, and she understood he was under his Invisibility Cloak.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, relieved and surprised. 

"Let's go to your place," said Harry's voice. "We can talk there."

"Okay," said Arianna, smearing a tear.

"How do you know it's me?" asked Harry reproachfully. "You cannot trust a talking voice when you don't know where it is really coming from. Ask me something."

Arianna thought for a second. "Which one is your favourite song from the record I gave you?"

"I've never told you that." 

"Well, tell me now," said Arianna, shrugging. "I'll know if it's true."

After a short silence, Harry said, "'Moonage Daydream' is the one I play the most."

"Follow me," said Arianna, satisfied with the answer, and they walked back on the same path she had taken while she pushed down the thoughts that scared her to death. 

When reaching the protective barrier that surrounded the cabin, Arianna asked Harry to place his hand over her shoulder so he could penetrate it, and as soon as they crossed, she turned to pull down his Invisibility Cloak. Harry wore his Auror winter uniform: a dark grey wool robe, black clothing, and combat boots. His beard has grown since the last time she saw him.

"How did you find me?" asked Arianna, handing him back his cloak. 

"I followed the chocolate mint cookie crumbs," said Harry, half grinning and taking the cloak.

"I'm glad you did," whispered Arianna, smiling shyly. "Do you want some tea?"

"Tea would be nice," answered Harry, and they went into the cabin. 

Arianna gasped when she saw water leaking from the bathroom and quickly ran to get her wand from the bed, cast a spell to close the tub's faucet, and then began absorbing the water from the floor.

"I reckon you left in a hurry," said Harry, pulling out his wand and helping her.

"My head has been too cramped lately," explained Arianna, going into the flooded bathroom to continue suctioning the liquid.

When it was all gone, she went back to the main room. Harry had taken off his robe and hung it on the coat rack. He stood by the crib holding a stuffed pink lion and glanced back when she came closer.

"I think my dad deemed cardinal to begin the brainwashing early," said Arianna, taking off her scarf. 

"You're kind of an honorary Gryffindor if you ask me," said Harry, leaving back the toy and staring at the wall papered with her research. "So I think it kind of worked."

"I've my moments," she said, removing her cape and placing it on the coat rack, and feeling rather exposed on her revealing nightgown, she took a dark green shawl and warped herself with it and walked to the kitchen. 

"Everything points out that Rudenschöld is out of Europe," said Harry, inspecting the wall while Arianna reached for the kettle from a shelf. "Why are you trying to find him in Germany or Scandinavia?"

"I know what all the governments say," said Arianna pouring water into the kettle. "But I feel they are underestimating him. He's clever enough to place false evidence and too proud to leave Europe."

"I agree," he said, walking towards the table. "I don't buy it."

Arianna put the kettle over the iron stove, went on her toes and took a couple of dainty teacups and matching saucers. 

"I would rule out Germany, though," said Harry, dragging a chair and sitting. "I could bet my wand that he is in Northern Europe."

"Well, if Mr Potter would bet his wand on it, I better do that," said Arianna playfully, turning around and leaving the fine china on the table. "Why do you think that?"

"The place might be haunted by the memories of his dead wife and son," replied Harry. "It would be as if I would like to live in the house in Godric's Hollow."

"I see," said Arianna, grabbing a colourful glass jar filled with chocolate mint cookies and a blue sugar bowl and placing it on the middle of the table. "Any other thoughts?"

"I would also rule out the most northern location," said Harry as Arianna took a red tin box with tea. 

"I second that," she uttered while scooping tea into the infuser. "The north is too exposed, and the nature doesn't really match the place description.”

The kettle whistled, Arianna took it from the stove and poured the steaming liquid into the teapot, grabbed it and sat across from Harry.

"Shall we talk about uncomfortable stuff, or would you rather finish your tea first?" asked Arianna, leaving the teapot in the middle. 

A slight smirk grew on Harry's face. "You're forgetting the milk," he said and stood up. 

"It's in the cold storage by the window," said Arianna, taking a cookie from the jar. "Can I start?"

"Shoot," said Harry, opening the pantry.

"Why are you here, and how did you find me?" asked Arianna and nibbled on the cookie. 

"I was in the neighbourhood," answered Harry, coming back to his seat, carrying a milk jar.

"Potter."

"I'm only doing my job," said Harry simply, taking the teapot and serving the tea into both cups.

"Your mission?" asked Arianna, reaching for the milk.

"Yeah," shrugged Harry.

"And your top-secret mission just happened to be on my doorsteps?" inquired Arianna, lifting her eyebrows.

Harry fixed his eyes on her, assessing her, "I know about Alaric's watch – You're my new mission, Anna."

"What?" exclaimed Arianna, shaking her head slightly. "How– What?"

"Kingsley told me everything a few weeks ago," explained Harry serenely. "And asked me to be your Shadow."

"My what?" asked Arianna, feeling rather warm. "Harry, I don't understand anything you're saying."

Harry scratched his beard and sighed, "You seriously think Kingsley Shacklebolt could sleep knowing a Dark wizard is after you without sending Aurors to make sure you were okay?"

"Are there Aurors following me?" asked Arianna in disbelief.

"Right now, it's only me," clarified Harry.

"Unbelievable! I feel utterly insulted and violated!" screamed Arianna standing up. "And why you?! They took me out of the team because they thought we were involved, and now they send you to 'Shadow' me? That is absurd!"

Harry shut his eyes, "I understand you feel that way, but just… let me explain," he said and looked at her directly. "Kingsley thinks Rundenschöld wants to give you the last piece of the watch. One of his men, the one who has been following you since you left Hogwarts, approached you in the Golden Sphinx the night of Teddy's accident, according to the Auror who was your Shadow."

"A man has been following me for four years, and no one thought I should know that?!" screamed Arianna, slamming her hands over the table. "How is it possible he hasn't been caught by now?!"

"He's a Metamorphmagus like Teddy," explained Harry. "At first, it seemed they were different men following you and giving you the watch links, but at the end of last year, they discovered it's only one man. That's why it is extremely difficult to catch him. This time, he left himself being noticed… as a warning perhaps," he stood up and rested his palms on the table. "Kingsley gave me this mission defying all the protocols because I am the best candidate for it – He knows I'll do whatever I have to protect you, I'm not actively part of your life, and I can afford to break the law if I have to."

"That gives me great comfort," said Arianna sarcastically, putting her hands on her hips. "What a pleasant sleep I will have knowing you're risking your neck for me!… Merlin, the universe is conspiring to drown me until I'm dead," she covered her face, "How did you even find me?"

"You brought me here, remember?" said Harry slowly. "Not long after my birthday, we flew from Hogwarts searching for the cabin. You wanted to see this place, but then you changed your mind when we landed, so we went swimming instead."

Her hands dropped, and that day came back to her. "You panic because you didn't have a swimming trunk, and I had to remind you were a wizard."

"Yes," nodded Harry

"And then you were pulled down by a Grindylow, and I had to rescue you."

"Exactly," said Harry, a hint of a smile formed.

"And we took a walk in the forest and then climbed on a tall tree," added Arianna nostalgically.

"And we completely lost track of time, and you freaked out because you've promised Blair to be at the Golden Sphinx by eight."

"Yeah," said Arianna. That summer felt so long ago. "I remember now."

"And we came back in September," added Harry, and his eyes dropped to the table.

And then Arianna recalled that day. It had been during that brief yet utterly intense and marvellous time they had been together. They attempted to have a picnic by the lake but had become too distracted by all the snogging, and they ended up going for a swim instead; but this time, they were not concerned about the lack of swimwear and had made love in the water. She looked down at her abandoned tea, feeling a flush of warmth through her body.

"Since you were not at Grimmauld Place, I thought about this cabin," said Harry, moving around the table. "I've known you are here since the beginning, but I wanted to give you space... That's why I never approached you until today."

"Why today?" asked Arianna, lifting her gaze.

"It seemed you needed a friend," said Harry and a short silence followed. "Why did you break up with Malfoy?"

"You know why, Harry," said Arianna, feeling a pain in her chest growing. "Is the same reason I couldn't be with you – Rudenschöld."

"I don't get it," said Harry, approaching. "I thought – I thought you've decided to move forward regardless of him… One moment, you're happily dancing with Malfoy, and the next one, you're sending Hermione an owl telling her you're quitting the foundation and moving away. And a few days later, he's engaged again to Astoria Greengrass and taking time off from the ministry," he threw his head back. "I've fought the urge to look for him and rip his head off, but I know he cares for you, and I just– I just don't get it!"

"He has his reasons," said Arianna firmly. "Draco and I are fine. There are no hard feelings. He has his issues, and I have mine, and we need to solve them separately."

"Really?" huffed Harry. "He's solving his problem by marrying Astoria Greengrass in a month and a half?"

"A month?" repeated Arianna under her breath, feeling a dragging sensation. 

"They are marrying on a Full Moon ceremony or something stupid like that."

"It's a common tradition among purebloods," replied Arianna, partly aware her lips were moving. "It's said it makes the bonding between souls and magic stronger."

"So, you're giving up?" said Harry, frowning. "After all those years of denying yourself to be happy with someone, you're giving up?"

"I'm exhausted from existing like this," whispered Arianna, as all the cracks on her body grew. "To live in fragments. To only have pieces of a life – I need to kill him, Harry, or he's never going to let me live."

Harry's expression softened in a second; he closed the gap between them to embrace her, and she buried in his arms, thirsty for affection and comfort.

"We will find where he's hiding," said Harry in a low, determined voice. "Gather an army, knock on his doorsteps, and finish him. I promise you you will live, Anna."

"I'm tired, Harry," she whispered. "It's too much. I can't carry the weight of the world any longer."

"Let me help you, then," he said, rubbing her back, then tried to move back but Arianna resisted, and he tightened his hug. "You don't have to do everything by yourself, you know?"

Arianna loosened her grip, and he let go of her. She lifted her face, and his green eyes awaited for hers, she felt there was something he wanted to say but kept his lips closed, and his gaze dropped. 

"What is that?" he asked, frowning slightly. "You didn't have that before."

Arianna looked down; her shawl had slipped down her shoulders, unveiling several black spots below her right clavicle and over her breast.

"I don't know," she said, covering herself again. "They weren't there an hour ago. A rash, maybe?"

"They look more like skin moles or freckles," said Harry, keeping his eyes in the same place as if he could see through the fabric.

"I'll keep an eye on them," said Arianna, stepping back.

"I didn't mean to stare! Sorry," said Harry moving backwards, stumbling on a chair. "I'll leave and search the area. I've seen a hippogriff flying over. I think the Metamorphmagus suspects you're here," he walked to the door and took his robe from the coat rack. 

"Harry," said Arianna, rubbing her arm. "Be careful, and … don't hesitate to visit."

A week passed, and Arianna's period never came; her black spots stayed, and more kept appearing. Yet, she refused to perform the Pregnancy Spell and instead theorised about some disease she could hold responsible for, even if she lacked other symptoms besides feeling weary and dizzy at times.

Harry visited a couple of times a day, never at the same hour, to avoid a pattern. He helped her with her research, going through countless maps and old testimonies until they narrowed down the zones to one and now worked on triangulating the area where they could start searching, which she had found extremely difficult to accomplish since they lacked enough data.

He also brought her news about the life she had left behind. Since the tension had grown in the manor for Draco and the Greengrass family had moved there, Andromeda and Teddy stayed now at Harry's house, and it appeared the engagement between Draco and Astoria had caused great commotion and outrage among Arianna's friends and colleagues which made Arianna feel bad she could not clarify in any way the situation.

On Thursday evening, Arianna prepared her daily bath with hot water and magnolia essence, her most cherished ritual for the last couple of weeks. Steam emanated from the water while she saw herself in the mirror naked, examining her skin which was now covered in clusters of tiny black and brown spots.

"Anna?" called Harry from the main room. 

Arianna put on her white bathrobe and opened the door. Harry stood by the cabin's main entrance still with his cape on; she understood he was not here to stay, and her heart shrank a little.

"Oh, I thought you were still working," said Harry, placing a hand behind his neck and looking away.

"I gave up for today. No spell helps me triangulate the location with so little information," said Arianna, folding her arms and coming out of the bathroom. "I'm open to suggestions and any kind of alternative methods. In fact, I gather you studied the fine art of Divination. Why don't you bring your crystal ball and help me already?"

Harry chuckled, "You cannot command the inner eye," he said eerily, making himself and Arianna laugh. "Or something of the sort Trelawney would say ."

"Oh, Merlin!" said Arianna, smiling broadly while partially sitting on the dining table. "I just loved her style! Is she still at Hogwarts?"

"I think so, yes," said Harry and chuckled, coming closer. "Ginny and I ran into her about a year ago."

"Where does anyone run into Sybill Trelawney?" asked Arianna, diverted, incapable of picturing such a peculiar professor outside Hogwarts.

"The Three Broomsticks, buying four bottles of mead," said Harry, leaning his elbow on a chair close to Arianna. "Which we're not for her (she clarified immediately) they were presents."

"To herself," added Arianna.

"She told me I would have three kids," said Harry, amused. "And then told Ginny she would have two.

Arianna laughed, "Right into Ginny's black list she went."

"I'll say," chuckled Harry. "She babbled about her the whole day. I don't know what offended her the most: she implying we will have children with different people or that I would cheat on her and have a kid with someone else." 

Arianna scratched her neck, somewhat uncomfortable for talking about children, and went on her feet.

"Anyhow… I'm leaving for today," said Harry, standing up straight. "Ginny and I are going to some restaurant in Diagon Alley."

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Arianna, slightly jealous of the possibility of a nice meal, some wine, and good company. "Enjoy your date night, then… and wear something green. It brings up your eyes."

"Yeah… I'll see what I have," said Harry, rubbing his beard. "I should shave first."

Arianna pushed him towards the entrance. "Don't make her wait and keep the beard– It looks good on you," they reached the door, but no one opened it and stared at each other. "Harry, does she know you see me every day?"

"It's a secret mission," answered Harry.

"So, she doesn't know…"

"No, she doesn't," said Harry and Arianna arched an eyebrow. "I'm just doing my job, don't look at me like that," his eyes drifted to her neck, and he slightly pulled her robe's collar. "More spots... I'm taking you to see a Healer tomorrow."

"I'm fine," said Arianna, grabbing his wrist and pulling it down. "They don't hurt or anything. It's just stress."

"I'm taking you to the Healer first thing in the morning, Black," said Harry, reaching for the doorknob. "Even if I have to drag you there."

After Harry left, she took a long bath, surrounded by floating candles, and thought about Draco, wondering if he was closer to solving his problem than she was to fix hers. She pushed the interrogative of a child growing or not in her womb and centred on planning how to avoid visiting the Healer since she was not ready to find out if she would become a mother in eight months.

When her skin had turned wrinkly, and the water had cooled down, Arianna left the tub, put on her blue silk nightgown and robe, and with the jar of cookies on hand, she cuddled on her armchair to continue reading about Tracking Spells. She had been studying for two hours when the clock struck a quarter past midnight, and she decided to head to bed.

She stretched before leaving her book on the floor and going on her feet.

There was a knock on the door. "It's me, Harry," said his voice from outside. 

Intrigued, Arianna hurried to the door to open it at once. Harry wore a well-tailored black coat over a grey suit and dark green shirt, looking particularly handsome.

Harry rolled his eyes, "You cannot open the door without asking a question to verify the person's identity, Black. Haven't I taught you anything?"

"I never ask a question when you come. Why should I do it now?" argued Arianna, lifting her hands.

"Because I never come so late, do I?" quarrelled Harry, climbing the doorstep and coming inside. 

Arianna closed the door. "Shouldn't you be on the fun part of your date now?"

Harry exhaled sharply, "Someone is camping inside my study, refusing to leave until I bring you over."

"Who?" asked Arianna, thinking of Draco.

"I don't know," said Harry, moody. "But since Andromeda is the one passing the message, I'm quite sure it's a Slytherin.

"Why do they think you know where I am?" asked Arianna.

"Funny, Ginny asked the same question," he answered, and she understood why he was so temperamental. "Look, Andromeda says it is extremely important and wants you to bring your potion box."

"Very well," said Arianna determinedly, moving and kneeling in front of her trunk to retrieve the potions' chest.

"We're taking a Portkey for safety," said Harry when she was back on her feet. "Whenever you want to come back, just open the egg and grab what's inside." He handed her a blue plastic egg, and then placed his fingertip on the top. 

Arianna felt a hook around her navel as if she was dragged, and a moment later, she stood in the well lit sitting room at Harry's place. Andromeda was on the armchair, and Ginny stood next to her with her arms folded, looking lividly at Arianna and then at Harry. She had a long teal dress, and her mane was down.

"My dear!" exclaimed Andromeda, going on her feet to firmly hug Arianna. "I'm so glad to see you. Teddy and I have been missing you terribly."

"I missed you both too," she said, holding her with one arm.

Andromeda moved back, inspecting her face. "You need to eat better. You are a little pale," she said, gently placing her mane on her back. Her eyes landed on the spots on her neck, and she pulled her hair over her chest to cover them. "Everything is going to be alright, dear."

"Shall we head to the study?" asked Arianna pressingly, avoiding glancing at Ginny or Harry. She walked to the door in the far right corner with the heavy chest under her arm. 

When she and Andromeda entered the study, the curtains were shut, and the only light came from the fireplace where a tall hooded figure stood. As soon as Andromeda closed the door and placed spells on it, the hood went down, revealing Narcissa Malfoy's face.

Arianna rushed to hug her, "How is he?" she asked, holding her with her free arm.

"He's focused and determined," answered Narcissa. "He misses you, though." 

"Same here," said Arianna.

Narcissa let go of her. "I'll try to be precise," she said hurryingly. "I don't have much time. First of all, I want to apologise for my husband's behaviour – He handled things terribly. And secondly, I know it doesn't justify the crime my son and I committed, but you must know it was the best choice we had."

"They were doomed from the beginning," said Andromeda, coming closer. "No one who entered the manor left alive."

"It's true," said Narcissa, pushing her eyebrows together. "All the prisoners caught by Snatchers and deemed irrelevant to keep were eliminated. Not before being tortured for the amusement of several Death Eaters… Draco and I gave them a quick and painless death."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," said Arianna uncomfortably.

"Yes, I do," said Narcissa, putting her hands together over her lap. "A man and woman were brought to us shortly after Harry Potter, and his friends had escaped. The Dark Lord was furious with all of us and questioned Draco's alliances. They claimed to know where Kingsley Shacklebolt and his company were… Letting them go or erasing their memories was out of the question if we wanted to live. We gave them tea mixed with Dreamless Sleep, and, per Lucius' insistence, Draco cast the Killing Curse on the man but couldn't do it again, so I helped. Then we lied to the Dark Lord, telling him we gave them Veritaserum, realised they were lying and killed them as the protocol was… Draco and I would always be haunted by that day."

"I'm terribly sorry I put your family in that position," said Arianna, lowering her head. 

"I'm not telling you this, so you feel guilty," said Narcissa, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It was our doing after all… and even if we deserve punishment, I'm here to ask you for help."

"Anything you need," said Arianna, gazing back at her. 

"Galatea, we need potions," explained Narcissa worryingly. "Draco disapproves of me dragging you to this mess, but you're the only Potioneer I trust."

Arianna nodded, "We still have a month until the wedding, so I can brew anything in that time."

Andromeda and Narcissa exchanged a look.

"I'm afraid there has been a change of plans," said Narcissa, staring directly into her eyes. "The wedding would be the upcoming Full Moon."

Arianna felt like sinking, "The next Full Moon is in two days." 

 

 

 



Notes:

Next chapter Sunday, May 8th.

Chapter 41: The Hippogriff In The Room.

Notes:

If you find the letter difficult to read, let me know, and I will change it as text!!

Happy reading :*

Chapter Text

 

 

A heavy silence fell upon them. Andromeda came closer, standing in between Arianna and Narcissa.

"We had a plan," she said, bothered. "All of us gathered in the library one day after Lucius returned from Azkaban and worked out a way to get rid of Odysseus Greengrass."

"Who are all of us?" asked Arianna, still trying to assimilate the news

"Draco, Blaise, Theo, Cissy, Pansy, Lucius and me," explained Andromeda. 

Arianna gazed at Narcissa and found her absorbed in her thoughts, staring at the flames from the fireplace while holding her locket. 

"We had over a month to fulfil the plan until the wedding," continued Andromeda, folding her arms. "But that stupid girl ruined everything."

"Who?" asked Arianna.

"Astoria," replied Narcissa, keeping her eyes fixed on the fire. "She doesn't want to marry Draco anymore, and her parents are forcing her. Apparently, she's in love with Cassius Warrington… They attempted to run away two nights ago, but her father caught them."

"Hence, Odysseus decided to move the date to this Saturday," added Andromeda.

"And since we are supposed to be on board with the wedding, there was little we could say," uttered Narcissa, looking at Arianna. "Draco even allowed Odysseus to place a Tracking Spell on him, so he knows he's not secretly meeting with you.

"We have a new plan," said Andromeda and exhaled sharply. "But it's fundamental that Astoria cooperates if not–

"If not, Draco would have to make a crucial decision," said Narcissa determinedly.

"To marry Astoria or go back to Azkaban with you and Lucius?" asked Arianna, getting goosebumps.

"Precisely," answered Narcissa.

Arianna strode towards the desk, pushed a couple of books back, and placed the potion chest firmly over, "Which potions do you need?" she asked.

"Veritaserum, Draught of Living Death, Polyjuice for three hours and poison," said Narcissa at once.

"Poison?" asked Andromeda, tilting her head. 

"It's better if I keep this part to myself, Andy," replied Narcissa

Arianna took a deep breath, "What kind of poison?"

"Something simple, rather common, with visible physical symptoms, slow acting and non-fatal in low doses," said Narcissa immediately. 

Arianna drew her wand from her robe and opened the third lock. She spotted the vial with a transparent liquid, took it out of the box, searched for a pale lilac flask, and picked it out. 

"Veritaserum and Draught of Living Death," said Arianna, placing them over the desk. "I don't have enough Polyjuice for three hours. Draco should have some in the potion box I gave him for his mission."

"I'm afraid he used it all," said Narcissa, coming near her.

Arianna spotted the mud-like substance, pulled it out and inspected it, "I have enough for an hour tops," she said, holding the vial high for the Black sisters to see it.

"It's not enough," sighed Andromeda.

"You can ask Harry if he still has some left," suggested Arianna.

"No," said Narcissa. "We will work with what we have."

"Alright," said Arianna, looking at the chest again, knowing there were no poisons, but an idea came to mind on a strike of inspiration. She closed the lid and opened the second lock to see the ingredients, and triumphantly grabbed a vial made of black glass. "Aconite."

"Aconite?" repeated Andromeda.

"It's a natural poison, a bit expensive but easy to find," explained Arianna, placing it decisively next to other vials. "Two drops are enough to create symptoms without being lethal…But with more than ten drops, you will be committing murder," she took out a white flask and left it over the desk. "This is the antidote."

"I'm immensely grateful, Galatea," said Narcissa, slightly pushing her eyebrows together and reaching for her hand.

"Might I ask what the plan is?" asked Arianna, unsettled by giving poison

"It's better if you don't know, dear," replied Andromeda, approaching the window.

"That is right," said Narcissa and placed a hand on Arianna's back. "We are already compromising you enough by meeting you like this."

"You should go back to the manor, Cissy," suggested Andromeda, lifting the curtain slightly and picking outside. "Before someone notices you are missing."

"One more thing," said Narcissa and pointed at the books behind the chest. "Draco asked me to give you those," then she glanced back. "And the mount by the corner. I believe there's a letter with an explanation between the pages."

Arianna looked over her shoulder. The hippogriff head Draco kept at his penthouse leaned against the bookshelves, and she wondered why on earth would he give her that. 

"I've been observing the skies these past weeks," said Andromeda, who kept peeking through the window. "Jupiter is not on our side, but having Piscis above us works in our favour," she let down the curtain. "Cissy, did you ever explain to Galatea why it is a custom that the Black clan name their children after celestial bodies?"

"No, I don't believe I did," answered Narcissa while placing the potions in the pocket of her robe. "It's an interesting phenomenon actually – When a Black is with child, her skin gets covered with constellations."

"In the shape of hundreds of dark freckles," added Andromeda, looking at Arianna with a gentle smile

An overpowering emotion filled Arianna's chest, and she hugged Narcissa firmly, "If Draco has to choose between going to Azkaban or marrying Astoria, tell him to choose the latter," she said, believing that that way he could see his child growing even if they could not be a family. "Thank you so much for everything, Cissy."

"Thank you for giving my soul a little redemption, dear," said Narcissa, caressing the back of her head. "It has been my privilege to get to know you. Sirius would be very proud of you," she moved back and smiled at her. "I must go. Stay strong. It's almost over."

Narcissa took a couple of steps back and, with her wand, drew a chess piece from her pocket and held it, vanishing.

Andromeda quickly approached Arianna and took her hands, "Regardless of what happens Saturday," she said firmly, staring into her eyes. "You and your child will be fine. You have a lot of people that care deeply for you."

"Please, don't tell anyone," asked Arianna, feeling an array of overwhelming emotions.

"I'm not planning to," answered Andromeda, looking kindly at her. "It's not the right time for anyone to find out. We don't want Draco or Cissy making rash decisions because of this – It's fundamental they keep their heads cool.

Andromeda drew her wand and transformed a piece of parchment over the desk into a red ribbon, and with a flick, the potions' chest piled on top of the books and the thread twined around them, making a well-done bow on the top. She grabbed it effortlessly and handed it to Arianna. It weighed as if it was a bag of feathers. Then Arianna placed a levitating spell on the hippogriff mount, and Andromeda opened the door for her to pass.

When they stepped out into the sitting room, little had changed. Ginny and Harry remained in the same spot and stared at each other intensely. Ginny seemed so angry that Harry would have already dropped dead if looks could kill. 

"I'm terribly sorry I spoiled your evening," said Andromeda, placing her hand on her chest. "It was an urgent matter."

"I'm glad you did," said Ginny, keeping her eyes on Harry. "Now I finally know where my boyfriend has been for the last few weeks.

"Gin," said Harry warningly. 

"Harry, just tell her," said Arianna tiredly, putting down the hippogriff mount and holding it.

"Yes, Harry, tell me," said Ginny between her teeth. "Have you been fucking her since she broke up with Malfoy or before that?"

"Merlin's beard!" exclaimed Andromeda.

Arianna rolled her eyes, "We are just friends!" she blurted, and the redhead turned while her face grew redder by the second. "Yes, we had a thing months ago! But now he's with you, so stop being so stupidly jealous already!"

"So you are just friends, hu?" snarled Ginny, approaching Arianna. "Has your good friend happened to mention we are engaged?" she showed her left hand where a medium-sized ruby ring was.

Arianna threw a confused glance at Harry, who held his stern face

"Ginny, I believe you and Harry should discuss your affairs in private," said Andromeda, standing straighter. "Galatea needs to get some rest, and so do I–"

"He's in love with you!" yelled Ginny, looking at Arianna.

"Ginny, I love you!" snapped Harry, throwing his hands. "I don't know how to tell you that any longer! I asked you to marry me! I don't know what else to do! I don't know what you want from me!"

Ginny turned around and screamed, "Yes, you love me the same way you love Hermione! You care for me, but you're in love with Arianna, Harry! And I'm tired of pretending that's not true!" she marched towards him. "Admit it if you are as brave as you think you are! Come on, be a man and say that you love her!" she pushed him, but he did not move an inch. "SAY IT!"

Harry's eyes filled with rage, his lips pursed tightly, and he clenched his fists firmly. Arianna knew he was about to scream, and incapable of hearing what he would say, she snapped.

"HE CHOSE YOU!" she shouted, shoving the hippogriff's head to the floor. "You're the one he wants to be with, not me! You're the one he wants to marry and have children with, not me!"

"For some stupid, noble reason, he wants that!" yelled Ginny, turning her back on him. "I love him, Arianna! I've been in love with him since I saw him at Kings Cross with his oversized muggle clothing and dishevelled hair! When he proposed to me, he clearly told me he wanted to keep you in his life regardless of how it makes me feel!"

"I’ve never said that!" screamed Harry.

"I agreed because I love him!" shouted Ginny, her body trembling with rage. "Keep his dick wet! Keep fucking him! I don't care anymore!" 

"Would you stop?!" blurted Harry. 

Ginny pointed at Arianna with a shaking hand. "But here is my condition," she continued, with a low, dangerous voce. "You will never set foot in our house again, and you will never be part of our children's life."

"You got it," growled Arianna, feeling as if fire went up to her throat and fighting the need to hex her, she put a foot on top of the hippogriff mount and grabbed the blue plastic egg from her pocket, squeezed it, and the Portkey figurine came out. A few seconds later, she stood inside her cottage, breathing heavily.

She left the books over the dining table and threw herself on the bed, hugging the pillow as if her life depended on it and suffocated a loud scream on it before throwing it across the room. And among a sea of thoughts that drowned her, one shone through – She was someone's home now. She shouldn't get this mad. 

Her muscles relaxed, and she turned on her back to stare at the ceiling, watching the slowly moving shadows from the bare tree outside her window. She touched her abdomen, and an intense emotion came to her, similar to what she felt when deciding to be with Draco. That feeling of standing on the highest peak of a cliff, ready to jump into the blue ocean — Insanely amazing and terrifying at the same time. 

Her mind went quiet. She slid under the covers and held her belly until she sank into a deep sleep. 

The following day when Arianna woke up, she felt as calm as a river travelling down the forest. She rubbed her stomach and glanced at the window next to her. A thick mist had fallen, and nothing was visible outside. Still, she was not frightened of what might lay out and feeling stronger than she had been in weeks, she went on her feet. 

As the day passed, she remained serene. She had shoved all thoughts into the deepness of her mind, avoiding thinking of Draco getting married tomorrow or wondering why Harry had not come at all. Instead, she took her daily bath, observed all her skin spots and identified the constellations; she performed the Pregnancy Spell, feeling a flush of warmth on her abdomen, and wondered if it was a boy or a girl. She put on a purple long sleeve dress she found on the dresser and cuddled in the armchair, reading a book about stars.

The sun was going down when Arianna could no longer ignore the hippogriff in the room, which still lay in the middle of the cabin and strolled to the table to unleash the books from the ribbon, then sat with them on the bed to inspect them. One volume was thick with yellowish and stained pages, the text was written in Latin, and it talked about rituals and spells. Then she took the second book, this one was smaller and well kept, and she recognised it at once. It was one of Basilides Malfoy's journals. 

She opened the lid, and an envelope fell to her lap. The message was sealed with the Malfoy coat of arms, and leaving the diary on the side, she took it and opened it. 

 





A tear slid down her nose and dropped into the parchment. For weeks Arianna had tried to bury how terribly she missed him and how much she feared never seeing him again. She had fought tooth and nail the craving to look for him and hold him.

She pressed the letter against her chest. One more day and his fate would be decided, one day more and perhaps she would get to embrace him and tell him he would be a dad … and then remembered, even if he broke free from his prison, she was still a hostage of hers. 

The dismal thought made her look down at the letter and read the last sentence, "P.S. Ask Potter to tell you how we found the Old Gaunt Palace."

Arianna had read a lot about the Palace. She knew it had been Unplottable for over a century, and, as Harry told her the night of the boxing match, the ministry had found it when searching for Death Eaters on the run, but he never told her how. 

Understanding what Draco was implying and beginning to guess why he sent her that assortment of objects, she thought that perhaps Harry was doing rounds around the area and grabbed her red cape from the coat rack, put it on, slid into her ankle boots and opened the door eagerly. 

Harry sat on her doorsteps in his Auror uniform. He remained perfectly quiet and still, staring at the heavy fog in front of him. Arianna thought of that nasty fight with Ginny and suddenly the urge to know how the Old Gaunt Palace was found dissipated and she sat next to him. Many questions popped into her head, like why he could not tell Ginny it was because of his mission he had to see her, or why had Harry kept from her that they were engaged, or why would Ginny think he was in love with Arianna. However, no words came from her mouth and neither from Harry's. They kept observing the mist and hearing the soft forest noises, the sound of a small creature between the leafless bushes, or the raven that perched itself in the nearby tree. And so, five minutes passed until the silence was broken.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" asked Harry quietly, keeping his gaze straightforward. 

Arianna turned to see him, making sure it was Harry Potter who had asked such a question, "I– Well, it's a fairly common concept among wizards and muggles, but there is no actual proof that a soul is linked to another one since immemorial times, searching for each other reincarnation after reincarnation," she stopped, thinking she was actually not answering his question, "I don't know Harry, I've never given it much thought."

"When we were in Norway, we travelled with wizarding tribes," said Harry thoughtfully. "They practise ancient magic and live closer to magical creatures and nature than we do. They believe in soulmates... They say not everyone has one and are fairly uncommon… They say your soul becomes calmer when the other one is near."

"Why are you–?"

"I'm sorry for how she spoke to you yesterday," interrupted Harry. "She was completely out of line and incredibly crude."

"Why don't you tell her you're here because the Prime Minister asked you to?" asked Arianna earnestly. "Probably she wouldn't love it, but she could understand better."

"It's a secret mission, Anna," said Harry, lowering his head. "I cannot tell anyone about this."

"Not even to Ron and Hermione?" asked Arianna, pretty aware that he confided everything to them.

Harry went silent for a second, "That's different," he said, glancing her way briefly. "Look, it is not that I don't trust Ginny, she's one of the coolest girls I know, but every time your name comes up, she transforms into a manticore." 

"Perhaps it's best if someone else is my Shadow, Harry," said Arianna sadly and couldn't help but wonder if she had some kind of curse that made her destroy everything she loved. 

"I'm not leaving you alone," he said and drew a breath. "Especially now… I know the wedding is tomorrow, Andromeda told me. She also told me why you are filled with freckles."

"She did?" asked Arianna, feeling her cheeks warming. 

"She said it's a Black thing, and it happens on periods with a lot of changes, and that they will be gone in some months," explained Harry, emotionless and lifted a dark fabric bag he kept at his feet. "She also sent you food. She thinks you should eat better."

"Harry," sighed Arianna, shifting her body towards him. "Take the day off, talk to Ginny and fix things with her. I don't want to cause you more trouble."

"I'm not sure I want to fix things with Ginny," said Harry in a low voice.

Arianna understood he needed space to reflect. She went on her feet and took the heavy bag at his feet, "Why don't I cook something whilst you make your round and come back for dinner?"

"Don't take this the wrong way," said Harry, lifting his face. "But you're a terrible cook, which I don't understand given you're a Potionner, and you should know that if you put bacon on the highest temperature for a while, it will burn."

"I'm a good baker," quarrelled Arianna.

"You're a brilliant baker, but you cannot keep eating pumpkin pie for dinner," said Harry, standing up and taking the grocery bag from her. "I will cook." 

"I'll bake a treacle tart for dessert, then," she said, remembering it was his favourite

"That I allow," he said with a glimpse of a smile. 

They went inside the cabin, and Harry's attention instantly drifted to the hippogriff mount lying on the floor. He arched an eyebrow and glanced at Arianna. 

"Redecorating?" he asked, going around it and leaving the bag over the dining table.

Arianna chuckled and closed the door behind her, then took off her cape, hanging it on the coat rack. Harry had removed his robe and left it over a chair, then he opened the bag and inspected its content.

"Harry," called Arianna and bit her lower lip while he took out a tomato cluster from the bag. "How did the ministry find the Old Gaunt Palace?"

Harry lifted his head briefly, "Malfoy found it, actually," he said and pulled out a loaf of bread. "While he was on house arrest, he already worked for the ministry. He and his father said some Death Eaters used the Old Gaunt Palace for certain missions, but they had never been there. So we thought it would be a good place to search."

"But the Palace had been lost for more than a hundred years," said Arianna, taking a seat.

"Exactly," said Harry pulling an aubergine out. "The ministry knew it was somewhere on the Cumbrian mountains, but that was it. When the Palace became Unplottable, all documentation disappeared. They narrowed the search based on old testimonies, but it wasn't enough.

"Until…" pushed Arianna, sitting at the edge of her chair.

"Until Malfoy found it," shrugged Harry and grabbed an onion. 

"Yes, but how?" asked Arianna, holding her head.

"I don't know," answered Harry, slightly moody, searching for something inside the bag. "He used the maps we had and narrowed the area using some old spell–" he stopped dead, and his eyes blew wide open, then stared at the hippogriff's head. "Did Malfoy send you that?!"

"He did," answered Arianna

"Did he send a book or a spell or something?!" he asked urgently. 

"He sent a couple of books."

"Where are they?!" asked Harry, moving away from the table and searching around the cabin as if he hoped the books would fly towards him. 

"Those over the bed," said Arianna, standing up.

Harry laughed maniacally. "He knows how to find it!" he said, coming near her, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her. "Malfoy knows how to find Rundenschöld's castle! He has figured it out! But he doesn't have your research, so he has given you the tools!" He pointed at the mount. 

"How will that help us?" asked Arianna, frowning.

"When he found the Palace, he used an old spell for pinpointing where someone or something had been born!" said Harry excitedly, quickly going towards the bed to fetch Basilides’ journal. "He used a ring made of the horn of a Common Welsh Green dragon that his grandfather gave him," he explained, flipping through the pages. "That dragon belonged to a mental Lestrange who lived at the Old Gaunt Palace and thought he could breed them in his back garden!"

Arianna finally understood what was going on and snatched the diary from Harry's hand. She leafed through it, stumbling on a marked page and spotted a margin note with Draco's calligraphy that said, "A couple of days ago, my father casually mentioned this hippogriff once belonged to the Rudenschöld family, and I found the proof."

Avidly, Arianna began reading the memoirs while Harry asked what they said. She devoured page after page for a whole minute with her heart pumped at incredible velocity. She finished and lifted her face to look at Harry, but no words came, and she rushed towards the large map of the narrowed area pinned on the wall and pulled it down. 

"What does it say?!" asked Harry for the umpteenth time, following her closely behind.

"Abraxas Malfoy, son of Basilides, father of Lucius, grandfather of Draco," said Arianna, extending the map over the table.

"Yes," said Harry burningly

"He and Basilides were visiting the Rudenschölds when he was a teenager and managed to offend one of their hippogriffs and got attacked by it," explained Arianna, rapidly, stamping the journal on Harry's chest and he held it.

"Sounds vaguely familiar," he said. 

"He almost lost his arm, and Basilides demanded retribution," explained Arianna, quickly picking up the thick spell book. "And Sigurd Rudenschöld (Ritter Rudenschöld's grandfather) decapitated the animal and gave the head to Abraxas," she forcefully dropped the book over the table and moved through it imperiously, finding another marked page. "How small was the area Draco used for the spell, do you know?" 

"I think it was slightly bigger than this," answered Harry, restless on his feet. "Come on, tell me how I can help!"

"I need a moment to read!" exclaimed Arianna skimming two pages filled with astrological charts. It was an ancient ritualistic spell. It used the cosmos placement of the time of birth to locate where something with a pulse had been born. 

"Clear the table," ordered Arianna, grabbing the aubergine, and Harry pushed everything down at once with one swipe of his arm. "I need candles. There are some in the bathroom."

As Harry rushed from the main room, she searched for her wand in her dress pocket, transformed the aubergine into white chalk, then placed a levitating spell on the book with the page with a celestial chart open and began drawing a wide circle the size of the table. Harry returned carrying many candles and left them over the kitchen's countertop.

"What's next?!" he asked pressingly. 

"Take the hippogriff's peak and pulverise it," said Arianna, drawing a smaller circle inside the big one. "I have a large mortar on my trunk."

While Harry dug into her trunk, Arianna drew two more circles. On the inner one, she wrote the symbols of the planets and the moon. On the next one, the signs from the main twelve constellations and, in the outermost one, copied a series of runes while hearing Harry cursing how hard it was to shatter the peak as he aggressively hit it, kneeling on the floor. Then she drew a large heptagram over everything, placed a candle on each of its vertices and lit them up with her wand. 

"How is that powder going?" she asked, summoning the map from the floor.

"How fine does it have to be?" asked Harry, smearing the pearls of sweat from his forehead. 

Arianna placed the map over the table and went on her knees to inspect Harry's work. The peak had been reduced to debris the size of fingernails. 

"That should be good enough," she said, grabbed a fist of them, and went back on her feet, approaching the table.

Harry followed her, panting slightly, and she placed the remains of the peak on the centre of the map. 

"Do you know how to read runes?" asked Arianna, waving her wand, so all the lights went off except the ones on the table.

"Not at all," answered Harry.

"Hold my hand, then," she asked, offering it, and he took it, intertwining his fingers with hers. 

Both stood by the table, and Arianna extended her free arm, opened her palm over the map and began reading the spell that surrounded the circles. Over and over, she uttered the same phrase, feeling Harry's magic channelling through her body and merging with hers, and after a minute, the peak’s scarps began floating in circles under her hand while the flames grew taller and taller. She intensified her chanting when her hand began trembling, and just as she thought it was about to cave, the dust slowly descended and placed itself over a spot in the northwest of the map, transforming into a liquid like mercury and leaving a circle behind. 

Arianna slowly dropped her arm, still feeling Harry’s magic sizzling through her body, and stared in silence at the tiny mark. An unspeakable fear began crawling up her body, for everything was becoming too real. 

"I have to tell Robards," said Harry, going out of trance and moving towards the door. "He can send a group of explorers to the area first thing tomorrow morning."

"No!" shouted Arianna urgently, following him and snatching his arm, "Please don't go! Don't leave me alone!"

Harry stared at her with his mouth slightly open and pointed at the door, "But we have to–" 

"Not now! Not tonight!" she said, clenching his pullover by the chest. "Go tomorrow, please!"

"But Anna–"

"I'm pregnant!" she blurted.

Harry’s mouth dropped and his lips moved without making a sound. "You–You're what?" he asked.

"I don't know what I'm going to do!" exclaimed Arianna, finding it hard to breathe. "Draco could go to Azkaban or marry Astoria tomorrow! What if Rudneschöld kills me after the baby is born?! What's going to happen to my baby, Harry?!"

"Azkaban?" asked Harry, shaking his head slightly. “Anna, what are you–?”

"If Draco cannot take care of our child and I die–"

"You're not going to die!" said Harry, holding her shoulders.

"If I die," she continued, staring desperately into his eyes. "The child will go to my mother, but you have to promise me you will look after him the same way you take care of Teddy, promise me! Promise me you will teach him how to fly a broom and take him ice skating! Swear to me he will not grow up alone!"

"You're not going to die!" exclaimed Harry once more.

"Promise me," she whispered, searching his green eyes and pulling his jumper. 

Harry stared at her for a long moment, "I promised you once you will never lose me," he said slowly and sincerely. "And I intend to keep my word whether Malfoy marries Astoria or goes to Azkaban or he's back with you," he held her head, dragging her slightly closer to his. "You will never lose me, Anna, even if you die. And neither will your child."

"Even if he's Draco's vivid image and inherits his temper?" asked Arianna, feeling the tears growing.

"I think I can handle things better than Snape," said Harry seriously and paused. "I hope he gets your eyes, though."

There was one word that perfectly defined how she felt for him, and as soon as it began pressing on her lips, she swallowed it down. 

“Thank you,” she said instead. 

Harry nodded, “You’re going to be a fantastic mom,” he said, pulling her to hug her

Arianna allowed herself to enjoy his citrusy scent and her hands to travel on his back. “Are you leaving?” she asked

“Only if you want me to,” he answered, sinking his fingers on her mane. 

“What if I want you to stay the night?” she asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Then I’ll stay,” he whispered. 

 

 

 

Chapter 42: Ticking Clocks

Notes:

Next chapter might take me a bit longer than a week, but let's hope it's ready next Sunday :)
Also, I might add an extra chapter to the story.

Happy reading!

Chapter Text

 

The full moon and the stars shine as the sunrise approaches, colouring the nocturnal sky softly with a hundred shades of violet, the icy water from the river travels down while Arianna moves beside it, smelling the crispness of the green, earthy forest. A strong aroma of bergamot reaches her nose, and she feels instantly blissful and wonders if there's a flask of Amortentia open nearby… But it cannot be. Something is lacking… Her senses miss the creamy, rich and spicy scent of the sandalwood and Arianna rushes between the pine trees, searching for it, further and further into the forest, and she cannot find it. She might never smell that again. It might be lost forever. She runs, screaming his name. The earth opens, and she falls into darkness.

Arianna opened her eyes abruptly, finding herself inches from the floor. The arm wrapped around her waist pulled her up, and she sat on the bed with half her mane over her face and her heart pounding as if she had been running. The room was lightened by the dying flames of the fireplace and the gentle gleam of dawn. 

A hand pushed her hair back. "Nightmare?" he asked, and Arianna turned to find Harry with a slightly shocked expression very close to her. Then she wondered why he was in bed with her and looked down to see if she was naked but found herself wearing her sexy black nightgown while Harry had a white t-shirt. Then she remembered she had asked him to stay the night, that she was pregnant, that they had found the Rundeschöld castle and that Draco's wedding was today. 

Arianna dropped back on the narrow mattress, grasping her hair and panting. If only she could sleep all day and wake up tomorrow when everything was over. 

Harry laid on his side, leaning on his elbow, and she reflected on how intimate it felt to see him without glasses and how strange it still was to see him with a beard. 

"Sorry for the sudden awakening," she muttered, breathing heavily. "Good reflexes, though."

"I've been awake for a while," said Harry, looking over at the crib on the corner.

"Too many thoughts bugging you?" asked Arianna, pulling the blanket to cover her chest.

"Yeah… Sort of," said Harry resting his head on the pillow.

"A knut for your thoughts, Potter," said Arianna, turning on her side to face him. The space was so little between them that she could see her reflection in his eyes.

"When you decided to jump out of bed," said Harry quietly. "I was thinking your dad was a bit taller and broader than me when he was young." 

"Uhu?" frowned Arianna.

"And that your mom is shorter than you, isn't she?" continued Harry. "Still, I don't understand how they fitted in this tiny bed with her being nine months pregnant."

Arianna chuckled, "Is that your way of saying you slept terribly?"

"No, it's my way of saying I've been awake for a while," he said with a small smile that faded. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What is that?" she asked, concerned for such a serious expression.

"I've been thinking of your … situation," said Harry carefully. "And I want to propose something to you."

Arianna sat, still feeling her heart agitated, "What kind of proposition?"

Harry sat too, "Promise me you will think about it before saying no," he said, seizing her shoulders. "Because your first instinct is going to say no, but I want you to consider it for at least a minute before deciding."

"Alright," said Arianna sceptically.

Harry held his breath while fixed in her eyes and said, "Fidelius Charm."

"No," replied Arianna at once. "How could you even suggest that to me?! That charm destroyed my family … and yours!" she left the bed. "I'm not going to put the people dearest to me in danger for protecting me! I don't want Rudenschöld harassing them searching for the secret keeper!"

"God! Could you open your mind this much?!" snapped Harry, pinching his fingers together. "This is no longer only about you, Anna! You're going to be a mother! You're now more vulnerable than before, especially after the baby is born. You've to take care of both of you!"

"We know where the castle is! We will finish this soon before–"

"We hope he's in the castle. We don't know if he's there!" interrupted Harry standing on his knees. "We don't know when we will get him, but probably he would not react well when he knows we found his childhood home. You need to go under the Fidelius Charm while everything is over."

"No," uttered Arianna, folding her arms. "I'm not going to be another Black that–"

Harry groaned, running his hands through his hair and then grabbed Arianna's hips, pulling her to the edge of the bed. "Please tell your mother not to be so bloody obstinate for once in her life!" he said, speaking to her stomach. "If you help me, I swear I'll always have ice cream for you."

"Stop bribing my fetus!" exclaimed Arianna.

"Shhh!" shushed Harry and pressed his ear against her abdomen. "He says that if you don't listen to me, he will be even more stubborn than you and will take a NEWT in Divination." 

Arianna chuckled, "Stop already!" she pushed him slightly.

"Would you think about it?" asked Harry without letting her go.

Arianna took a step back, keeping her gaze on him, then sat on the bed and went under the covers, leaning her back against the headboard. "Perhaps while I brush my teeth, I'll give it some thought," she replied casually. 

"That's all I'm asking!" said Harry and leaned towards her stomach. "Thank you!"

"Stop it!" she said smiling, taking his pillow and putting it over her belly. "You're so silly."

Harry sat next to her, bearing a playful smile, and she thought he looked so damn handsome. Then Arianna remembered he was engaged and she was carrying someone else's baby. Instinctively, she grabbed the covers and pulled them all the way up to cover her revealing neckline. 

Harry chuckled, "Why did you do that?"

"I'm chilly," answered Arianna, feeling her face warming.

"Are you?" asked Harry amused. "You know, there's nothing there I haven't seen before." 

Arianna took the pillow and struck him in the face with it, making him laugh. 

"Merlin, I forgot how sassy you get in the mornings," she said, trying to bite down a smile and laid on her side, turning her back on him. "Go back to sleep, Potter."

Harry puffed his pillow and rested on his back. Arianna scooched over slightly so they did not touch each other and closed her eyes, trying to sleep again. 

However, it became impossible since a rattle of thoughts and emotions soon began swirling inside her as she pondered how her life would be at the end of the day. And when Harry's arm grazed against her back, it triggered a question she had suppressed since the past day – Was he in love with her? 

No, he's not. Ginny is just being overly jealous. 

Yes, there was attraction. Yes, there was chemistry, and yes, there was affection. But Harry was not in love with her. He did not love her. He did not even smell her in his Amortentia. Harry never fought for her love like Draco did. Draco did love her; he told her that every day.

Her chest hurt, and her thumb touched the Astral Ring.

Arianna loved Draco. She was madly in love with him. She wanted them to grow old together, spend every waking moment in his arms, and bear his children. She would die for him… And yet, and still, she was also in love with Harry. Having him around the last few weeks had exacerbated those sentiments to a point where she almost told him she loved him, and she prayed the feeling would go away with time ... What a sadistic joke this was. What kind of wicked curse had been cast on her that made her love two men.

Feeling like trash, Arianna moved closer to the edge of the bed. 

Why could she not only love Draco? Why did she feel this way for one of her best friends? Why could she not be normal? 

A sudden urge to hear from his lips that he did not love her took over her. She needed to hear that Ginny was wrong about that, just as she was about them having an affair… As if Harry could ever do something like that. 

"Harry," said Arianna and when the question could not be pronounced, she asked the second best. "How does Amortentia Potion smell to you?"

Harry shifted on the bed. "You already know that," he said. 

"So it hasn't changed since you're sixteen?" asked Arianna, hearing her pulse. "Mine has … slightly."

"Why are you asking me this?" asked Harry, somewhat bothered.

"I just find it a tad strange, that's it," said Arianna. "B–But, I believe you if you say you still smell treacle tart, a broomstick handle, and Ginny's shampoo."

"Is this about what Ginny said last night?" asked Harry, moody. "Because we already talked about this, Anna."

"Sorry, I will shut up!" exclaimed Arianna, feeling stupid and moved to the edge of the bed. 

"You're gonna fall again."

"I'm not," said Arianna, regretting asking him to stay the night. Was she fucking insane? 

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked.

Arianna did not reply and buried her face in the pillow. Harry was there because it was his mission to protect her. Harry only cared so much for her because she was Sirius' daughter. Harry Potter was only trying to do the right thing as he always did.

Harry moved under the sheets, and Arianna felt his warm hand over her thin nightgown, sliding through her abdomen and holding her ribs below her breast, dragging her towards him and away from the edge. He spooned her and buried his nose in her mane.

Arianna shut her eyes, content to get crumbs of his affection.

"I cannot even imagine how you feel," whispered Harry in her ear. "It's a tough day, but you will get through it."

"I want to sleep the whole day," whispered Arianna. "I don't want to feel or think anymore." She turned to hug him, resting her head on his chest, and he held her closer. 

They went quiet, and the chaos inside Arianna began fading, soothed by being in the warmth of Harry's arms and feeling his breathing which grew deeper as he fell asleep. It turned impossible for Arianna to do the same, but there was peace in her mind as she watched the room become brighter with the daylight.

At some point, she considered the Fidelius Charm, but every cell on her body felt repulsed by the idea. It was not the hiding that concerned her the most, but putting the people she loved in danger besides placing such a heavy burden upon someone else's shoulders. 

Harry's breathing shifted nearly an hour later, and she knew he was awake. His hand softly moved from her back to her head, sinking his fingers slowly in her hair. 

"Are you awake?" he whispered.

Arianna nodded.

"I've to walk around the area before taking the map to Robards and discussing a plan."

Arianna turned on her back and reached for his glasses on the nightstand, "You're going to need this then," she said.

Harry leaned on his elbow, taking them and putting them on, "After that, I'll come back, and we will wait for news from the manor." 

Arianna pushed his hair back to see the lightning scar above those green eyes she adored. "Thank you for staying with me. It was very sweet of you," she said softly.

Harry scratched behind his ear, "What are friends for."

"Right," she said, forcing a smile. "Still, I know it was not appropriate that I asked you to stay given the circumstances."

"Don't worry about it, Anna," he said, going over the covers and jumping over her, leaving the bed. "I'll come back as soon as I can."

"You don't need to come back," said Arianna, sitting while Harry seized his trousers from the armchair. "You should go to the Burrow instead and fix things with Ginny. I'll be fine."

"I will look for you after talking to Robarts," he repeated, marching to the bathroom.

Harry got dressed, and as soon as he left, Arianna got up, showered, and put on her mother's purple dress again. Then she forced herself to eat a couple of toasts with apricot marmalade despite her lack of appetite, and she levitated her blue armchair outside the cabin when she was done with breakfast. 

The morning was clear, and most of the snow had melted. She placed it next to the entrance, then wrapped a white fluffy blanket around her, cuddled on the armchair and waited in the cold for an owl to come bringing her news. And so, for hours, she sat, partly alive, partly dead, mechanically sucking on sour apple lollipops while feeling an acute pain in her chest that had not stopped since Harry left. 

An icy wind began blowing around four in the afternoon when she decided to walk around her cottage as she had been doing every hour to search the skies. There were no owls on the horizon, but the moon was softly visible. There were two hours left until the sun had set, announcing the beginning of the wedding ceremony and yet there was no news from Draco or Harry. 

Regardless of her whereabouts being a secrete, Arianna had the persistent and stupid thought that Draco would find her as he had promised… even if it was only to tell her, he married Astoria.

As she paced behind the cabin, the wind brought her her name, "Arianna!" screamed a voice from afar. She stopped dead and looked around. Did she hear her name, or was she losing her mind?

When hearing the call for the second time, she rushed to the front following the voice and left the protective barrier to go down the trail that led to the lake from where she thought the voice kept on calling. And as she quickly went down the terrain, she spotted a tall, blonde man wearing a thick wool coat in the far distance. 

Arianna recognised his broad shoulders and silhouette and ran. Draco had come for her; he had been victorious and came looking for her as promised. Her chest was filled with light, and her arms yearned to finally hold him.

"Draco!" she yelled when she was closer. 

He stopped and before she saw his face, Arianna knew in her heart he was not the man she loved. Her hand retrieved her wand from her pocket and screamed, " Expelliarmus !"

Two wands flew from his robes and into her hand. The man who looked exactly like Draco turned around and serenely lifted his hands. On the left one, he carried a crimson envelope.

"Still searching for a jazz pub, David?" asked Arianna, firmly pointing at him.

He smirked. His hair slowly turned brunette and his features transformed into the man she had met at the Golden Sphinx.

"I'm not here to kill you or hurt you," said David in his deep, smooth voice. "If anything, I'm here to help you, Arianna."

Arianna laughed, "Sorry, David. I find it hard to trust a stalker and a High Regime follower."

"There's where you are wrong— I've never been a follower," said David calmly. "My only mission for the last four years has been to Shadow you since my family is in debt with Ritter Rudeschöld, but that mission ends today," his dark eyes searched hers. "I want to help you."

"Please," chuckled Arianna. "Do you believe me to be so naïve?"

"I've grown fond of you," said David, taking a step closer, and she lifted her wand higher. "You're the only thing I've known for the last four years, Arianna. You are a nomad, and I am a chaser, and there are a lot of lonely nights in those job descriptions… I saw you in New York, avoiding making friends and replacing love with sex. I watched you get tired of that life and start your quest for antidotes and find the affection you crave with Longbottom in Brazil. I followed you to the depths of the rainforest and saw you muster the courage to fight and love. I saw you losing Potter and Malfoy, reconnecting with your past at the manor and the hidden house in London. I've seen you grow, and I want to help you."

Arianna's wand dropped slightly while diving into his eyes and analysing his serene expression. Her logic said she should not trust him; her gut gave him the benefit of the doubt. 

"What is in that envelope?" she asked. 

"You know the answer to that," replied David. 

"The last piece," concluded Arianna. 

Her hand lowered as she felt her heart stopping and the world standing still.

"I believe Ritter Rudenschöld doesn't want to kill you. You're too valuable," said David and extended the envelope. "However, he does want revenge."

Arianna reached for the message and opened it. Inside was the golden timepiece and a note. She pulled out the parchment and read the perfect calligraphy.

 

 

A bile taste came to her mouth. How rotten was it to ask for her just when Draco's wedding ceremony started?

"It's clearly a trap," she said, lifting her gaze at David, who had come closer. "He wants me to tell the ministry."

"Whether you go or not, whether you tell the authorities or not. He's prepared and waiting for your move," said David and pondered, looking down. "But if you want to end this chase, I advise you to accept the invitation."

There was something vaguely familiar in his poise, and she said, "We have met before, haven't we?"

David glanced at her, "New York, two years ago in a jazz bar," he said, and his pensive eyes dropped to the ground. "You were particularly lonely that day … and so was I."

Arianna rummaged in her memory, "Tall, black man?"

"You told me you liked my voice and I should host a radio show," he said, and a slight smirk showed on his face.

That night came back to her. She was indeed feeling particularly down that evening as she had just found out Draco was together with Astoria. She remembered him as attentive and with a hint of melancholy in his essence. They danced, they kissed, and she took him back to her flat. The next morning they had breakfast, and despite finding him compelling, she never looked for him as she always did with one-night stands. 

Not sure how this information made her feel, Arianna believed her best choice at this point was to trust him.

"I still don't see how you can help me," she said, offering both his wands back.

David took them and said, "I'm supposed to take a Portkey after giving you the envelope. I don't know where it will take me as Rudenschöld is usually the one visiting me," he opened his coat and placed a wand inside it, then continued. "Today, he will sign the contract releasing me of my obligation to serve him, and I can stay longer, disguised as one of his men and make sure you have an ally on the inside."

"What if he doesn't release you?" she asked.

"He will," he said certainly. "The Rudenschöld clan is famous for keeping their word and paying their debts."

"That and vengeance," added Arianna, staring down at the envelope.

"I should go now," said David, searching around. "Your main Shadow has been gone longer than usual, but he should be back soon."

"Main Shadow?" frowned Arianna.

"You have two Aurors shadowing you," explained David, checking his watch. "The backup one, I just stunned. She was good but not as smart as the other one. He almost got me a few days ago, and I haven't even caught a glimpse of him."

She wondered if Harry had gone to the Burrow after all or why was he taking so long to come back.

"You should Obliviate me to be safe," said David, casually as if he was asking for the time. "In case he searches my memories."

"I've never done that," replied Arianna worryingly.

"You're an accomplished witch," he said, standing in front of her. "I know you will do a good job."

"How will you know we talked?"

"Give me something that is yours."

Arianna searched in her pocket and found a sour apple lollipop.

"Perfect," said David, taking it and shoving it in his chest pocket. 

"Good luck, David," said Arianna, determinedly pointing her wand at his head. 

"Good luck to you too, Arianna," he answered with a soft smile and touched his chest. "By the way, I always keep an extra wand in my left inner pocket."

She nodded and said, " Obliviate ."

His eyes became unfocused. Arianna could feel dragging the memory with her wand and could see as if she rewound a tape slowly, watching his memory blurry inside her head. She stopped just before she screamed Draco's name. 

David lost balance, and she seized him, helped him sit leaning on a trunk and then hid behind a nearby tree to make sure neither Harry nor the second Auror caught him while unconscious. After two minutes, he opened his eyes, clearly disoriented, and immediately lifted his wand. Then he stood up and patted his chest, searching for something until he pulled out the lollipop and chuckled before Apparating.

Ambling back to her cottage Arianna felt no fear; she felt tranquil as she held the envelope and decided she would accept the invitation. She understood the danger of not coming back alive, but she would not cowardly hide or run. She would face her enemy with her head held high and end this chase, whatever the outcome might be. 

Once inside, she put together all the watch pieces and began getting ready for dinner. Piece by piece, she ceremoniously put on her father's suit, carefully closing the vest's lion buttons, and then placed her folded pearl necklace on her neck. She fixed the Venus Bracelets on her wrists and attached the bag Kron designed to her trousers, and together with the dagger and antidotes, she managed to squeeze in Draco's tie and the Marauder's Map. And to complete her armour, she slipped into her black ankle boots and headed to the lavatory.

Her heart started pounding when noticing all the black freckles while facing the mirror, and she questioned if Rudenshöld would know what they meant. She decided to cover them with makeup on her face and chest and then applied mascara, eyeliner and red lipstick while her hair was let loose and wild. 

Arianna went back to the main room and sat by the table where the timepiece and the note lay. There was still no word from the manor or Harry, and she must decide if she should inform the ministry of the situation. After considering her options for a minute, Arianna settled for once to trust fate. She would leave Rudneschöld's letter there, and if Harry or whoever found it on time, it was meant to be. And if their suspicions were correct, the Portkey would take her to his castle, and they would look for them there.

The idea of writing to her mother, Draco or Harry crossed her mind. But she could not write a goodbye letter to them as there were too many words and too little time, and most importantly, she did not want to dig up feelings that would make her change her mind. 

In her last hour, Arianna brewed a whole teapot despite only drinking a few sips of the warm liquid. Her hand kept going to her belly, and she shoved the idea of listening to Harry and going under the Fidelius Charm. This was also for her baby, she kept telling herself, else she forever would be tied to Rudneschöld's threats, and so will her child. 

"It's for both of us, sweety, trust mommy," she whispered as she caressed her stomach. "I'll do anything to bring us both alive. Anything to make us both free."

Arianna went to her feet, took the gold watch still stained in blood and put it around her wrist. It magically adjusted to her size, and she checked the time. It was ten minutes to six.

Without further due, she marched outside with her wand in hand, aware that it would be the first thing to be taken away from her. She sat on her armchair regardless of the cold, contemplating the sun sinking behind the mountains and the full moon taking over the sky. She absorbed herself in the magical way the sky gleamed and merged colours and wondered if it would be the last sunset she would ever see. 

One more glance was thrown to the timepiece, two minutes to six. The wedding ceremony was about to begin— the plan had failed. And Harry, wisely, had gone to fix things with Ginny.

Firmly, Arianna placed both hands on the armrest and stood up. She lifted her chin, prepared her wand and closed her eyes before drawing the icy air into her lungs.

There was a crack nearby; someone had Apparated. Her eyes opened, searching for the source, and she saw Harry crossing the protective barrier. He stopped when he saw her, and his gaze travelled up and down her figure.

"Why are you dressed like that?" he asked.

The robust wall she had built to contain her emotions burst into pieces, and Arianna ran toward Harry to embrace him one last time. Her arms flew over his shoulders, and her chest crashed against him like a wave.

"Forgive me. I've to do this," said Arianna, hugging him firmly. "Tell Draco I love him and that I'm sorry for failing him again."

"What are you–"

"Tell my mother I wished I'd listened to her when I was younger and that I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused her." 

"Why are you saying these?!" asked Harry, trying to push her away, but her grip was stronger.

"You are one of the best things that ever happened to me," continued Arianna and Harry seized her arms, forcefully pushing her back.

"STOP!" he roared with his eyes filled with terror and held her head. "Tell me why you're saying these!"

"I love you, Harry," she said and felt a hook on her navel, snatching her away from his hands. 



Chapter 43: The White Castle

Notes:

Big chance I will not update next Sunday (Busy week + final chapters= deadly combination). So you know, if I don't post in a week, wait for the next chapter on Thursday, June 2nd.

Chapter Text

 

 

Harry's touch lingered on her skin when Arianna landed on her feet in a completely dark and silent room. The blackness was so she questioned if she had lost her vision and clenched harder her wand. Then turned slowly around while her breathing was the only noise she could hear. 

Should she blindly try to find an exit? Was this some sort of trap? Was it safe to cast light on the room?

A shiver traced her back, and she knew she was not alone there. Her breath grew heavier, and incapable of withstanding the darkness anymore, she lifted her wand and uttered, " Lumus ."

High Regime soldiers with dead faces stood in front of her wearing deep purple robes with the Deathly Hallows' symbol embroidered, pointing their wands downwards. Slowly, Arianna turned, at least twenty of them were in a perfect circle surrounding her, and she stopped when stumbling with the only man in black and aiming his wand at her. He was pale with hard, blunt features and had blond hair tied in a neat long braid over his chest. She recognised him from the photographs pinned on the Investigation Department meeting room. He was Corban Yaxley. 

" Expelliarmus ," he said hoarsely, and her wand slipped through her fingers, flipping in the air towards him and landing on his hand. 

Two circular iron chandeliers lit as soon as her wand went off, revealing a large room made entirely of polished wood without any furniture beside the large paintings hanging on the walls showing wizards riding hippogriffs. 

"Search her," ordered Yaxley, and the soldiers flanking him moved forward. One started whispering spells with his wand, and the one screened her with a Secrecy Sensor from the head downwards.

Arianna put on her poker face without taking her eyes from Yaxley, who stared back at her, bearing a smirk. Her heart rate rose when the device hovered on her right thigh where Kron's invisible bag was but continued moving down her legs without exposing her. 

When the search was over, the soldiers returned to their positions, and Yaxley approached her. His smirk turned into a mocking grin, and Arianna lifted her chin.

"You're a Black, alright," he said, standing closely. "The haughty stare, the dark hair, and high cheeks are unmistakable," he slowly moved around her. "You do have your father's eyes," he walked behind her and said close to her ear, "And your mother's arse."

Arianna glanced at him with revulsion. "I have a dinner invitation from Ritter Rudenschöld," she hissed. "Could you let him know of my arrival?"

"Do I look like an errand lad to you?" he asked, stopping in front of her. "He's aware you're here, darling, And while we wait for him to request you, why don't we take this time to get to know each other, hu?" he said, touching her chin, and she yanked her head to the side. "Are you upset because the Malfoy boy is marrying the Greengrass girl?"

Arianna refused to speak and kept her defiant eyes on him. She might be surrounded by armed men, but she would not let anyone humiliate her.

"You're not going to answer me?" asked Yaxley, tilting his head and lifting his wand. "Who's the one holding the wand here, love? You better answer my questions then, isn't it?" he went behind her and said next to her ear. "Rumour is you were also shagging the famous Harry Potter, is it true?" He clenched her hips and pressed himself against her. "Just between us, tell me who fucked you better."

"Step away from me," growled Arianna between her teeth as her blood heated with rage.

Yaxley snatched her neck, violently turning her to face him, "You have no power here, little whore!" he said, inches from her face, suffocating her. "Answer my question – Who fucked you better?!"

Her anger reached a boiling point, and Arianna cast, " Ignis Corpora ." Yaxley released her at once and howled in pain before slapping her with such force that she lost balance and stumbled a few steps. 

"You little bitch!" he yelled as Arianna recovered and stood tall with her hair over her face, feeling her cheek burning. "You don't want to play nicely? Hu? Should I cast the Imperius Curse and make you suck my cock?!" He pointed his wand at her. "Is that what you want? You want me to cum in your pretty face?"

A blond soldier took a step forward, "Sir, by Herr Rudenschöld's orders, no harm should be done upon Miss Black," he said and returned to his place. 

Yaxley glanced at him irritatedly, "Performing a fellatio would do her no harm, would it?"

"I respectfully disagree, sir," replied the soldier.  

Yaxley was about to object when a double set of doors opened, and two soldiers came in. The circle opened, allowing them to pass, and the one to the right said, "Miss Black, Herr Rudenschöld has requested you in the southern dining room." 

"You're going to love the surprise he has for you, honey," said Yaxley as both soldiers grabbed her arms and dragged her

Arianna tried to jerk away from them, "I can walk on my own," she complained, wondering what Yaxley meant.

The guards let her go as she continued moving towards the door and followed her closely behind. They guided her through a dimmed, cold corridor lined up with windows that looked over the endless pine tree forest frosted with snow and an icy lake, all lit by the full moon's gleam. She then knew that Harry and she had found the correct spot on the map, and a ray of hope grew. Help was coming. 

They continued walking down a wooden staircase until reaching the floor below, where soldiers patrolled the austere corridors two by two, and Arianna caught a glimpse of a courtyard. The castle's walls were tall and white with spiky turrets, and below were men standing put on the snow. She wondered if David was here and how she could recognise him. 

Finally, they stopped facing a pair of thoroughly carved heavy doors where four guards stood holding a long double edge axe whose handle they knocked twice against the wooden floor, and the doors swung open, revealing an elongated dark chamber with an arched window almost the size of the wall that faced the entrance. 

The soldiers seized her arms and walked Arianna in. The pale moonlight reached half of the room, falling upon a long table and a slender silhouette in a violet dress that sat in the middle with the head weakly hanging forwards, the shoulder length mane concealing the face.

A sudden cold pierced deep into Arianna's bones when knowing who it was.

"Mamma?" she whispered, and freeing herself from their grip, she ran to her side.

Her mother lifted her head but remained seated and quiet. Gently Arianna pushed aside the hair from her face to see her green eyes wide open as if she did not expect her to see her there. There was a bruise on her left cheekbone and a cut on her lip with dried blood smeared on her chin. 

"Mamma?" repeated Arianna touching her arms, but Agata's lips never opened, and her hands never moved to hug her, and she then knew they had made her drink the same potion Alaric gave her, and fear took over her body.

The chandelier candles lightened, and steps marched inside the room while Arianna embraced her mother and whispered, "I have the antidote. I'll take you out of here, mamma."

"May I offer you something to drink, Miss Black?" asked a man with a deep, pleasant voice, and Arianna looked over her shoulder. 

A thin young man with light brown hair and delicate features stood behind her, wearing a crimson robe together with a man with the same outfit. Tears built up when she recognised David's voice and stared deeply into his blue eyes.

She glanced behind him; the soldiers who brought her remained by the entrance.

"I'm fine, but my mother needs water. She needs to take potions for her health," she said, wishing he understood the antidote was with her. 

"Herr Rudenschöld has ordered Ms Vitelli not to drink any liquids," said David and cautiously drew a wand from his sleeve and pointed at the man next to him and whispered, " Imperio ." 

His eyes went lost, his mouth slightly opened, and in perfect synchrony with David, they moved to flank a sideboard by the wall where a filled wine decanter, a dozen liquors, and a jar of water stood. 

Arianna looked at her surroundings. The bare dark table was set for a dozen people with silver tableware and crystal glasses. Across from it hung a large chiaroscuro painting that depicted dead birds and a gutted deer surrounded by various fruits, and below the frame was another side table with drinks on the top guarded by two young blonde girls with crimson robes just like the ones David had.

The double doors opened, and Arianna stood up straight when a man she immediately recognised as Ritter Rudenschöld strode in. He looked like the pictures she had seen of him – Well-built, shoulder-length grey hair, hard, sharp features and pale green eyes – However, she did not expect him to be as tall as Blaise was. He wore a dark robe over a white shirt, a black waistcoat with matching trousers and tall leather boots. 

"Welcome to Vittslott, Arianna," he said. His voice deep and cool. "It's time for us to discuss your future.”

"I have come here willingly to confront you," said Arianna lividly. "This is between you and me, Rudenschöld! Let my mother go!"

"Please, call me Ritter– I despise formalities," said Rudenschöld walking on the other side of the table as the guards left, closing the door behind them. "So you have come here willingly, you say. I suppose you ignored that Agata has been here for a couple of hours then.”

"I didn't know," hissed Arianna, understanding this was why Harry took so long to return– the ministry was dealing with her mother's kidnapping.

One of the girls moved back the chair in the middle for Rudenschöld to sit. 

"I admire your courage, Arianna," he said, sitting comfortably while the other girl poured wine into his glass. "But your mother will remain here until the British Prime Minister of Magic oblige to certain demands I have."

"LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS!" demanded Arianna, stamping her hands forcefully over the table. 

Rudenschöld stared at her impassively, "Arianna, your mother is under the influence of a certain potion you are pretty familiar with," he said and gestured at the door. "Unless you wish me to order her to visit Corban Yaxley's bed and perform whatever action he wishes, I advise you to take a seat and keep your voice down."

Arianna's body shook with rage while David moved the chair next to her mother's, and she sat, keeping her eyes on Rudenschöld. 

"Björn, pour a glass of red wine to Arianna," ordered Rudenschöld, and David promptly filled her glass. "It's Italian wine from the Venetian region. Fruity, well-structured and balanced. I personally chose it for the occasion."

"I'm sure you understand why I won't drink or eat your food, Ritter ," said Arianna, glaring at him.

Rudeschöld seized his glass and observed Arianna for a second longer. "Let us establish something here — My word is gold," he said seriously. "Therefore, when I say none of my drinks or food is poisoned or corrupted, you should trust me."

"Hard thing to believe when you have given my mother that atrocious and despicable substance." 

Rudenschöld sipped his drink and carefully placed it back in the exact place it was before. "She drank it by choice," he explained, glancing at Agata. "She took it as long as I promised I would not give it to you."

Feeling overwhelmingly moved, Arianna looked at her mother's eyes and reached for her hand, and although there were no words, she knew her mother was telling her she loved her. She knew she must be clever and play Rudenschöld's game while figuring out how to give her mom the antidote as soon as possible.

"What do you want from me?" said Arianna under her breath, looking back at Rudenschöld.

He made a steeple of his fingers. "I want you to try the wine and have a chat while we wait for a letter from Kingsley Shacklebolt," he said and grinned ever so slightly. "From whom I am sure I have his undivided attention, given that his wife and stepdaughter are here with me."

An idea came to Arianna, and she seized her glass, swirled it, and brought it to her lips. She smelled the wine, only the fruitiness reached her nose, and she sipped it. It was smooth on her tongue and perfectly balanced, as he had said. Then put it back over the table.

"It's a good wine, Ritter. Just how I like them," she said coldly and carefully shoved her hand into her invisible pocket and felt the vials.

Rudenschöld's grin grew slightly bigger, "Wonderful to hear."

Arianna picked the vial she felt to her left, unknowing if it was A or B, but somehow her instinct told her to choose it, and she slowly pulled it out.

"Could I have some water, please," she asked, and David moved forwards to fill a glass and, with the corner of her eye, saw he carried his wand in the hand he kept on his back. The vial Arianna held disappeared before he returned to his place.

After quickly inspecting the water, Arianna drank and said, "Would you please let my mother drink some water?" 

"Agata, you can drink the water my servant pours into your glass," said Rudenschöld, pleased. "Thorvald, please fill Ms Vitelli's glass."

The young man under the Imperius Curse obeyed, and Arianna's eyes dropped to her lap to hide her disappointment as he had not asked David to do it. 

"Thank you," she said and took her mother's glass to help her drink the water.

Agata opened her lips barely, and as Arianna carefully tipped the glass, her nose caught the herbal smell of antidote A and clenched her mother's hand slightly. Feeling hopeful, she turned towards Rudenschöld. 

"Well, Arianna. I promised you dinner," he said and on the side of the table materialised a roasted piglet, followed by a row of other small dishes like root vegetables, berry sauce, peas, potatoes, fish, black pudding, and various kinds of bread and butter. "I, however, don't find myself particularly hungry, but you're more than welcome to eat. The blodpudding is exceptional." 

"It looks splendid," said Arianna, standing tall on her chair. "But I would prefer we skip the meal and talk about why you brought me here."

"I heard that about you," said Rudenschöld and knocked on the table three times, vanishing all the food. "To the point, just like your mother."

"Proudly," said Arianna, taking her mother's hand and feeling her thumb moving, gracing Arianna's small finger. A thrilling sensation climbed her chest, knowing her mother was free from the potion, and she pushed down a smile. 

Rudenschöld drew his wand from his inner pocket, and Arianna tensed, had he caught them? 

"Would you please hand the watch to me?" he requested.

Arianna quickly unfasted it from her wrist, and he summoned it across the table; then, he rested his elbow on the chair armrest and stared at the timepiece while his thumb swiped over the blooded glass.

"You killed my boy, Arianna," he said slowly.

"I did," she said fearlessly.  

"Do you regret it?" he asked, gazing now at her with a hint of hate in his pupils.

His pale eyes brought her the memory of Alaric crushing her, ordering her to look at him while he raped her.

"I don't," she said honestly. "He was a pig. He deserved it."

"He was not perfect. He made a lot of mistakes. But I loved my son."

"He drugged me, he assaulted me, and tried to rape me," said Arianna, controlling her voice. "And he succeeded in doing so to many other girls."

"He liked them too young," he sighed, nodding slightly. "He liked feeling in control, to feel powerful… I pursue power as well, Arianna. I don't share his perversion, though."

"Can you really blame me for what I did?" she asked, leaning slightly forwards. "For defending myself?"

"You murdered my only heir," replied Rudneschöld, leaving the timepiece carefully over the table, perfectly aligned towards him. "And there's nothing we can do about it."

"Nothing but avenge his death?" asked Arianna. 

"I don't think you fully understand what my son's death represents," he said, lifting his chin and intertwining his fingers. "It is not only the murder of my son I ask for retribution but the end of my bloodline."

"It's never too late to love," said Arianna, smirking. 

Rudenschöld smirked back. "Arianna Galatea Black Vitelli," he enunciated each of her names. "You come from two of the most renowned and ancient pureblood European families. The House of Black can be traced back to the middle-ages and the Vitelli family to the renaissance. Do you know how far back my family bloodline goes?"

"Somewhere before the Viking Age," answered Arianna surely. 

"Over two thousand years of history and the bloodline ends with me," said Rudenschöld darkly. "I don't want you dead. It brings me no satisfaction. One kills people when one must, when they become an inconvenience, and you are no threat to me.”

"What do you want then?" asked Arianna. "How would I pay you back?"

"When Alaric gave you the potion, he took away your free will. He gave you no choice but to obey his words," he said, taking the timepiece. "I will give you a choice, Arianna. You will be the one deciding your punishment, not me – I will present you with two options, and you will choose your destiny."

Arianna felt lightheaded while the adrenaline began running through her veins. "Go on," she said and swallowed.

"Option one," said Rudenschöld, removing one of the golden watch straps and transforming it into a chalice. "You have ended my bloodline. Therefore I will end yours. You will be the last of the House of Black as I'm the last of the Rudenschöld clan. You will drink a beverage that will permanently damage your reproductive system and make it impossible for you to bear children.”

He placed the chalice to his left, and one of the girls approached to pour a bright yellow substance into it. Arianna knew that was no choice for her, as she would lose the child she carried by doing so.

"And the other one?" she asked.

Rudenschöld removed the second strap and transformed it into a ring. "We continue our bloodlines together," he said, placing the jewel to his right. 

"Excuse me?" asked Arianna, truly confused.

"You will wed me and make me an heir," explained Rudenschöld simply. "Your breeding is impeccable; you are an intelligent, courageous woman with outstanding beauty. In other words, you're genetically a goldmine, Arianna." 

"You want to marry me?!" asked Arianna and glanced at her mother, who seemed as outraged as she was. 

"Yes, merely for practical purposes," Rudenschöld calmly clarified. "Otherwise, it would not be an heir but a bastard, and those I have a few. Our heir will carry the Rudenschöld and the Black name. You can choose to stay or leave after he is born and live your life as you please without my interference. I give you my word." He paused, enjoying her confusion. "If you agree, we will marry today during the full moon."

Neither of the options was a choice for Arianna. With either, she would lose her baby. With either, he would ruin her life. There was only one course of action, something she had known for a while she should do to be truly free – To kill Rundenschöld… And only one of the options he offered gave her time to do so.

"I will give you an heir," she said decisively, feeling something dark and scaly writhing on her insides. 

Rudenschöld grinned, "You keep on surprising me, Arianna."

The double doors opened, and a servant came in carrying a couple of envelopes. And while he approached Rudenschöld, Arianna made a plan. She would kill him the same way she had murdered his son— she would go into bed with him and stab him to death just before he thought he could have her.

Rudenschöld took both envelopes, leaving the smaller one over the table and opening the other one. He drew what seemed to be a photograph and smiled.

"I got a friend on The Daily Prophet who sends me information I might find interesting," he said, placing the photograph over the table and sliding it across Arianna's direction. "This is for tomorrow's issue. Fresh from the oven."

Draco and Astoria smiled at each other, dressed with their elegant wedding attires, holding their right forearms while a man who seemed one-hundred-and-twenty years old pointed with his wand at their union, and a golden ribbon tightened them together, bonding their magic and soul until death do them part.

Arianna felt sick and flipped the photograph. Her mom's thumb softly caressed her finger, and she looked her way. There was a hint of sorrow in her eyes, and Arianna forced herself to drown the painful way her chest constricted. There was no time for feelings. She must get her mother and her baby out there. She must kill Rudenschöld. 

Her gaze went back to him. He read the note from the second envelope, his expression was indecipherable, and then his pale eyes met hers.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt is willing to negotiate," he said confidently and turned to his servant. "Oskar, summon the sorceress and instruct the general to strengthen the Protective Enchantments around the castle. The Prime Minister might get the impulse to do something rash, and I don't want anyone ruining my wedding night."

The young man turned on his heels and marched towards the door. 

"Agata, please stand up," asked Rudenschöld, going at his feet, and she obeyed. "You too, Arianna."

She followed while Rudenschöld took the clock and the wedding band, then he knocked the table twice with the tip of his wand, and it vanished with the chairs. 

Carefully Arianna glanced back at David, who casually placed a hand over his chest, reminding her of his second wand. Arianna pointed to her mother with her eyes, indicating she was the one who should have it. After all, she had her dagger and a plan. 

A moment later, a middle-aged woman entered the room, her skin was as white as snow, her eyes monolid and blue as the sea and her platinum blond hair was in two long braids that reached her hips. She wore a dark blue wool dress, a white pelt covering her back, and a heavy necklace with encrusted amber hung from her neck. 

Her eyes landed briefly on everyone in the room before Rudenschöld and her had a brief conversation in Old Norse. Then her gaze went to Arianna and approached her.

Arianna emptied her mind, yet she felt the sorceress could read her like an open book. Her warm hands touched her hands going up to her shoulders, then held her head and her breasts. 

"A boy grows in your womb," said a calm voice in Arianna's head while the sorceress' lips remained perfectly still. "I will not say."

Then she turned towards Rudenschöld, "I cannot marry this girl to you," she said. "Her soul is compromised. It will rip if it bonds with yours."

"Are you already married, Arianna?" asked Rudenschöld, observing her, coming closer to them.

"The girl was born like that," explained the sorceress. "Her soul loves two souls. The soul is stretched. The soul will tear. I cannot bond."

The concept of a soul was something Arianna had regarded as a myth for most of her life. It was not until Harry told her about Horcruxes that she began believing in them. She looked at her mother and found her pensively staring at the floor. 

"Can you stitch her soul with mine?" asked Rudenschöld after a short pause. 

"I can stitch," answered the sorceress. 

"That will do," said Rudenschöld, straightening his robe. 

The sorceress seized his left hand and Arianna's, so they held each other. His large cold fingers coiled around her wrist and hers on his. The sorceress placed her hands over them and began chanting in Old Norse. A silver thread spruced from their union and slowly twirled around their forearms. 

Arianna felt her magic being drawn and a force coming through; it felt like poison, and she had the impulse to pull back her arm.  

The door blew open. A soldier came in, and the sorceress stopped. 

"Herr Rudenschöld, there are intruders in the castle," he said, trying to control his voice, but his eyes filled with panic betrayed him. 

Before anyone could react, there was a loud blast coming from downstairs, followed by the shattering noise of the large window exploding and an enormous winged black animal burst into the room.



 

 

Chapter 44: Rubik's Cubes

Notes:

My dear readers, there will be no chapter on Sunday, June 5th (Draco's birthday btw). I had almost no time to sit and write this past week, so expect chapter 45 on Thursday the 9th instead! Sorry for the delay! I hate keeping you waiting!

Chapter Text

The sorceress extended her palms towards the window, transforming the flying glass into sand while the horse with a skeletal body reared wide-spreading its large leathery wings that almost touched the walls. Rudenschöld pulled Arianna towards him, tying her hands on her back with a spell and pointed at her head with his wand. The servant girls screamed and ran towards the nearest corner as Agata attacked the soldier who had come in, stunning him on the floor with the extra wand, and David sealed the doors to prevent anyone from entering. 

A tall hooded man dismounted from the Thestral, with his wand held high and aimed at Arianna and Rudenschöld, who crushed her tighter against his stiff, towering body. The man walked forwards and drew his cloak back. 

"Prime Minister," said Rudenschöld when seeing Kingsley Shacklebolt's face. "I'm so pleased you could join us."

“It’s over Rudenschöld,” said Kingsley sternly. "Let Arianna go, and I will make sure your prison cell is one of the cleaner ones."

Rudenschöld’s wand pressed against Arianna’s temple. "This is far from over," he said as loud thudding noises came from the door since soldiers tried to burst in. "You and your men have walked into a cage without an exit, and as we speak, no one else can enter my land."

"You're outnumbered in this chamber, Ritter," said Agata, aiming her wand at him. "Take your hands off my daughter."

Arianna's muscles were frigid, and her magic numbed, she tried casting the Ignis Corpora Curse but her body barely heated.

"I admit all of you have amazed me today," continued Rudenschöld, moving slowly back towards the window while three wands followed them closely. "How Agata broke free from the potion or how the government found my castle so quickly are things someday I would love to hear," he chuckled. "But Adam, you're the biggest surprise of the night. I thought you were cleverer than this; I thought you had learned your lesson after all these years… It seems not."

"You taught me about revenge quite well, Ritter," said David slowly.

"Is this out of revenge?" asked Rudenschöld, rather amused. "Or perhaps you like my new wife a bit too much? Isn't she a tad too young for you?"

"I could say the same," replied David

Rudenschöld whistled blatantly and piercingly, making the Thestral rearing. Everyone moved away from it while Rudenschöld seized the opportunity and quickly backed to the window before the animal galloped and flew away, getting lost in the dark sky. 

Rudneschöld stepped onto the wide window sill holding his hostage tightly, "I will wait for you all by the southern lake," he announced and whispered to Arianna. "I shall look for you when the time is right, min älskade ."

He shoved her forwards, and he threw himself backwards. Spells flew towards the window as Arianna fell hard to the floor and turned to see Rudenschöld flying away on a hippogriff's back. Her mother rushed, kneeling next to her and freeing her hands with a flick of her wand.

"My pumpkin," said Agata, helping her daughter sit and embrace her. "Let's get out of here."

"I have a Portkey," said Kingsley, taking out a Rubik's cube from his robes. "But if what Rudenschöld said is true, it won't work."

"It will not work," answered the sorceress simply, standing near the frightened girls. "None of the magic your people practice will allow you to leave this land."

The thudding sounds from the door grew louder, causing dust to fall from the ceiling. 

"But your magic can," said Kingsly, putting the cube back into his robe and keeping eye contact with the sorceress. 

"Kingsley Shacklebolt," said the sorceress with a soft, decisive voice. "You know well my people do not interfere in politics. We will not fight your wars, and we will not take you out of here when you have willingly come.

"Politics?" chuckled Kingsley. "Is that what you call it?"

"Yes, politics," confirmed the sorceress. "This war between governments and the High Regime is based on the discrepancies of ideas. One side persists in separating the life of wizards and the so-called 'muggles' and the other side the opposite." 

"To abolish the Status of Secrecy and rule over the muggles!" clarified Kingsley, gesturing at the girls who sobbed in the corner.

"Politics," repeated the sorceress. "My people only fight for the forest and its creatures, and they have rewarded us with magic and life."

"Take my wife and her daughter out of here," said Kingsley, approaching her. "That's all I'm asking."

"Your wife I will take if she wishes so as she forcefully was brought here," answered the sorceress. "The girl chose to come."

"And I choose to stay, Kings," said Arianna, going to her feet. "I must fight. I must kill him or make sure he's dead because even from a prison cell, he is powerful enough to haunt me the rest of my life."

"Then I will stay too," added Agata, standing up.

"Mamma!" exclaimed Arianna.

"Agata, please," said Kingsley.

"You cannot seriously believe I'll leave you two here!" replied Agata, folding her arms. 

A loud crack came from the door.

"The door will not hold forever," said David, placing another enchantment on it. "We need to leave soon."

"What kind of magic is keeping us here?" asked Arianna to the sorceress.

"Old, powerful magic," she answered. "All his land — which goes as far as the end of the two lakes surrounding the castle — is encircled by ancient stones that protect the area when an attack has begun. — No one can enter, no one can leave. Not even him and his soldiers."

"We need to assemble and make a plan," said Kingsley and pointed his wand at the window. A Patronus in the shape of a lynx emerged from it and ran into the night. "Robarts needs to be alerted of the situation."

A thunderous crack was heard. 

"Prime Minister," said David with a hint of stress in his voice. "The door is caving."

"Who are you, boy?" asked Agata. 

"My real name is Adam Montgomery, madam," he answered while transforming into the brunette man Arianna knew. "I'm the Metamorphmagus who has been shadowing your daughter per Rudenschöld's orders."

Agata lifted her eyebrows and turned to see Arianna, "Interesting friends you've been making."

The sorceress extended her hand at the young man under the Imperius Curse, who had remained calmly in his post.

"Listen now to your own thoughts, my child, and come with me," she said, and his eyes bulged. Terrified looked around before running towards the girls who embraced him at once.

"I'll take them back to their Muggle village," announced the sorceress. Then she glanced at Arianna and heard her voice inside her head. "To save a life, I will come once. Call me three times, and I shall get through. Freyja is my name."

The sand transformed from the broken window softly blew towards Freya and the muggles, swirling around and engulfing them. All were gone a few seconds later, and the sand returned to the floor.

A large crack crossed the heavy door, and Arianna rushed towards the fainted soldier and took his wand. 

"How many men are in the castle, Adam?" asked Kingsley, keeping his eyes fixed on the door.

"Close to two hundred," he answered. "And around seventy on the premises."

"It seems the best course of action is through the window," said Kingsley, pointing at the iron chandelier and a thick red rope came out, tying tightly around the ring. "Climb on my back, Agata. You two follow our lead."

Agata transformed her dress into a jumpsuit and did as asked. Adam thighed a magic rope on the chandelier and went down so Arianna could climb on his back. All approached the window backwards until they stood at the edge.

Arianna glanced down and regretted it instantly. There were at least five tall floors below and a rocky base at the end. 

"Let's move fast and steady," ordered Kingsley, leaning back while holding the rope firmly. "Ladies, hold tightly and be alert."

They began climbing down the wall with long jumps. The air was freezing cold, and the noises distinctive of people rushing through the castle were heard as they passed by windows. They were halfway when five soldiers started throwing curses at them from the dining room.

"Zigzag and keep the pace," ordered Kingsley. "They are trying to cut the rope. I can feel it. We have less than a minute."

As they jumped down and from one side to the other, Arianna and her mother threw Shield and Defensive Spells at their attackers. 

"We're not going to make it!" screamed Adam. "My rope is caving! Hold into the closest window, Arianna!"

Adam took three long steps to his right towards a window just when Arianna saw their thread falling from above, and she cast a spell to break the glass and threw herself to grab the window sill while Adam held on to her waist.

"We're gonna fall!" screamed Arianna, feeling herself being dragged by Adam's weight. 

"Two seconds, honey," said Adam, and suddenly his weight diminished abruptly, and he climbed over her into the window, looking as tall as a five-year-old. 

When he transformed into his usual self, he grabbed her arms and pulled Arianna in. She then seized his shoulders as he carried her inside.

"No wonder why the government never caught you," said Arianna as she put her feet on the floor and straightened her suit jacket before both looked down the window.

Her mother and Kingsley were reaching the snowy rock ground.

Feeling somewhat relieved, Arianna lifted her wand, turned into the dark room and cast, " Lumus ."

They were in a small stone bathroom. A copper bathtub stood near the window, the toilet was by it, and the sink was next to a narrow door. 

"We're probably in the service quarters," said Adam.

"We need to get out of the castle," said Arianna determinedly. "I need to get to the lake and confront Rudenschöld. I need to end this. Once and for all."

"Then I will help you with that," said Adam, cautiously lifting his wand and opening the door.

"Good, because the castle is infested with soldiers, and I have no idea how to get out here," whispered Arianna, attempting to peek over his shoulder. 

Adam opened the door entirely, stepping outside, and Arianna followed him. The room was small and neat. It had a narrow window, a set of bunk beds and perfectly folded crimson robes over the pillows. He headed to the door and opened it slightly, and they heard screams coming from afar.

"I used Veritaserum on the servant I transformed into and learned a few things," whispered Adam as Arianna went behind him. "There are secret passageways that lead out of the castle. The closest one is on this floor on the west wing. You're supposed to walk into the portrait of a nymph and come out at the foot of the building."

"Brilliant!" whispered Arianna eagerly. "Let's move before the soldiers come closer."

They went into the lonely corridor and advanced to their left rapidly and cautiously close to the wall. They moved for two whole minutes without issue until they reached a stairwell and heard people talking below. They hid behind a corner.

"So, your name is Adam," whispered Arianna.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered.

"Tell me a bit about you," asked Arianna curiously.

He chuckled and looked over his shoulder, "Now?"

Arianna shrugged and moved out of her hidden place as quick steps went up the stairs.

"You know my name," said Adam, following her and preparing his wand. "I'm truly from Chicago. I'm a thirty-four-year-old Piscis who likes playing jazz music–"

"A water sign like me," said Arianna before casting a powerful gush of water down the staircase and washing away the four soldiers who climbed it.

They began running as screams from the floor below were heard, followed by a hoard of steps that headed to chase them.

"I used to work as a journalist for a muggle newspaper," said Adam as they turned the corner. "I had a fiancé, then I got dragged into this mess, and she married someone else."

"Sorry," said Arianna.

The steps were coming closer.

"She's expecting her first child," said Adam, stopping and turning around.

"Sorry," repeated Arianna, confused and catching her breath.

"It's okay. Life never turns out the way you want it," replied Adam panting and pulling off a door with his wand and transforming it into the size of the corridor, creating a barrier. 

"What are your big plans after this?" she asked as she followed his lead and ripped off another door and placed it behind the other one as Adam reinforced them with magic. 

"To host my own radio show," he replied and smirked at her.

He took another door and did the same while the soldiers began trying to tear them down.

"I'll hold them back as long as I can," said Adam looking at Arianna. "Keep going."

"But Dav–Adam," she said, shaking her head. "I cannot leave you alone here!"

"You're forgetting I have an exceptional ability – I'm quite good at mingling," he said confidently. "Go! I'll find you later."

Arianna hesitated before continuing as she felt unsettled to leave him behind even though he was a resourceful man. As she moved through the deserted corridor, she questioned if the painting truly existed since all the walls were bare until almost reaching the end of the west corridor when she glimpsed a set of three tall frames at the end of it.

Relieved, she hurried her pace, and when almost reaching a corner, she stopped dead as the noise of other rushing steps was heard. Someone ran through the transversal corridor heading towards her.

The steps stopped. Arianna drew her wand close to her face, moving carefully with her back to the wall. She could hear the other person silently breathing, preparing to jump on her. She moved quickly, extending her armed arm towards her opponent and froze.

Harry pointed his wand back at her. Both kept staring at each other for a few seconds until he closed his eyes.

"Thank God," he exhaled and closed the gap to embrace her.

Arianna held him closely; suddenly, his arms around her and his warmth made her forget where she was and where she was headed. The sound of an upcoming struggle approached from where Harry had come, dragging her back to reality.

Harry opened the door closest, seized her hand and drew her inside. Arianna walked over the layer of dust to the middle of the empty room that was no bigger than hers. The colourful glow from the jinxes cast in the courtyard, and the moonlight lit the room through the two arched windows. And while Harry performed several spells on the door, she wondered what he would say to her since her last words to him were "I love you".

After Harry was done, he turned around. His breath was heavy, his eyes widely opened, his posture firm.

"I have a Portkey," he said urgently. "It will take you to the cabin. Kingsley strengthened the security."

Arianna's gaze dropped to her feet. Of course, he will ignore she ever told him that.

"Harry, I'm not backing out," said Arianna, looking back at him. "I will fight Rudenschöld even if it costs me my life."

"Take the bloody Portkey, Anna!" he yelled madly, handing her a small Rubik's cube. "I'll take care of him. I swear!"

Arianna could tell him that Portkeys did not work and they were trapped for who knew how long, but she needed Harry first to accept that she would confront her enemy regardless if she did not survive.

"No one else is fighting my battle," said Arianna serenely. "This is between him and me. You above all should know that. You didn't hide in the castle while Voldermort waited for you in the Forbidden Forest, did you? Or send McGonagall to confront him in your place."

"That was different, and you know it," replied Harry struggling to keep his voice down. 

A sudden burst of exasperation filled Arianna, "You're such a hypocrite!" she blurted, moving away from him. "You trained me for months, and you don't let me face him in the final battle?! Even my mother respects that now!

"Yes! I'm a hypocrite!" screamed Harry, following her. "I know it's your right to face your enemy! I know you've become a great duelist! But I cannot withstand the idea of you dying, so please, take the bloody Portkey!"

"He doesn't want me dead!" clarified Arianna, throwing her hands. "He wants to marry me and have a child with me–"

Harry's mouth dropped, "What?!"

"However, he might try to kill me when I attempt to do the same," proceeded Arianna, growing angrier. "I'm not living like this any longer! I'm not going to let you or anyone else fight him for me! And I'm sorry you cannot side with me!" 

She moved, heading to the door, and Harry cut her way, staring at her severely. Abruptly she understood what this was all about. 

"I am freeing you right here and now for any responsibility, you might believe you have because of my father," she said defiantly. "You don't have to take care of me like you do with Teddy. You don't owe anything to Sirius. You could not save his life, and he's not coming back if you save mine. So please, step away and stop trying to give me the damn Portkey!"

"No," said Harry firmly.

"Don't make me fight you, Potter," said Arianna and pointed her wand at him.

Harry kept his defiant eyes on hers and took a step closer, the point of the wand piercing his chest.

"What do you want to hear, Black? What would make you listen to me and leave this place?" he asked steadily and moved closer. Arianna flexed her elbow. "That at this point, I really don't care that you're Sirius' daughter? That the scent of your hair is the first thing I smell in my Amortentia?" he paused and swallowed. "That even if I love my fiance, I'm in love with my pregnant friend?" 

His green eyes softened into the tender way they used to look at her, summoning her closer. Arianna leaned to taste the lips she thought she would never kiss again. His mouth welcomed hers, triggering the familiar electric feeling that rushed through her body and increased as he deepened the kiss.

The bottled up feelings both had for each other bubbled up to the surface. Arianna craved to have him closer, and as usual, she felt he read her thoughts when he moved to press her against the wall. His hands travelled from her waist to her bum as she clenched his hair and warmed her up. 

A blasting sound that shook the room made them stop. Harry brushed her nose with his.

"I've accepted that I'm with Ginny, and you're with Malfoy," he whispered. "I've accepted that we will live the rest of our lives happily but not together... But I cannot live on this earth if you're not on it, Anna… Please, take the Portkey. That's all I'll ever ask from you."

Arianna's heart ached, "Harry, Portkeys don't work in the castle, and its grounds – All of us are stranded here," she whispered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Come with me to the lake and fight by my side."

Harry moved slightly back to see her with sadden eyes, his thumb dragged her lower lip down, and he kissed her lovingly. A blaring boom made them jump as the door blew open, pushed by a soldier's body who flew across the room. 

Harry and Arianna lifted their wands toward the entrance, and a couple of familiar faces came in. 

Angelina and Jordan walked in dusted Auror robes. 

"Harry! Arianna!" exclaimed Angelina, surprised. "I thought you two you'd be in Britain by now!"

"Did I kill him?" asked Jordan, concerned, checking on the fallen soldier. "I think he just passed out."

"We need to get out of the castle," said Angelina pressingly. "It feels like the soldiers have a Multiplying Spell on them."

"There's a nymph painting at the end of the corridor that will take us out of here," said Arianna, promptly heading towards the door.

"Let's move," said Harry, following her. "I hear them coming."

They went out into the corridor, finding three soldiers lying unconscious on the ground, and headed to the west corridor. Almost immediately, nearly a dozen men came from behind them and attacked them. Walking backwards, Harry, Arianna, Jordan and Angelina fought them, managing to stunned half of them until they were cornered against the end of the corridor with the canvases behind. 

From the corner of her eye, Arianna saw that each of the three images depicted a beautiful woman in the forest wearing sheer clothing. 

"You go first!" yelled Harry, glancing at Arianna. "We will meet you outside!"

Arianna turned halfway to see the paintings again as Harry took over the soldier she fought. The girl to the right held an arp, the one to the left a quill and parchment; they were muses. The one in the centre stared at her reflection on a lake, the nymph.

She threw herself into the canvas, going through magically and went down a stone slide that, in circles, descended into darkness. Arianna flew across when reaching the end, crossing the stone wall, and landing outside over the snow. 

Immediately she went on her feet with her wand up when hearing voices coming closer. She hid behind one of the many large rocks that surrounded the castle's foundation and saw fifteen soldiers running by, heading south. In the cold, she waited a whole minute, and no one came off the wall, and Arianna feared they had chosen a different portrait than her, or worse, that the soldiers had defeated them.

Another group of Rudenschöld's followers came closer, walking slower and scanning the enormous stones with spells. Arianna could not wait any longer and moved between the rocks in the same direction as the fighting noises. And as she sneaked through, the idea that perhaps Rudenschöld's death could end the enchantment that kept them there came to her. This was her opportunity to get to the lake and try to finish this before anyone got seriously injured and without being stopped by Harry or anyone else.

When she reached the end of the stone cluster, she could see the frozen lake across the pine trees and the path to the right that led to it. The problem was that it was infested with wizards and witches fighting. High Regime followers were with deep purple robes and fur capes, the British Aurors in dark grey wool cloaks, the French officers in navy blue uniform, the Austrians in scarlet red and the Scandinavian in dark green thick robes.

Arianna decided to cut through the forest to get to the lake, she descended the stepped ground, and as she performed Shield Charms to cross the sea of jinxes and wizards, she spotted a tall, blond man elegantly dressed in a tailcoat suit fighting nearby.

Her heart skipped a bit, and without thinking, she screamed, "DRACO!" 

Draco turned around, confused, and his eyes landed on her. They ran towards each other, dodging curses, pushing people and casting jinxes.

Arianna threw herself into his arms and climbed him to wrap her legs around his waist. They kissed ardently and desperately, thirsty for each other after all those weeks apart. And she briefly thought how little it mattered to her that he was married now. 

"Could you find a better time to do this?!" asked Kron, who fought next to them. "I kinda need help here, guys."

Arianna drew her head back. His grey eyes stared at her, filled with love and adoration.

"I missed you so fucking much," said Draco, "Let's take you out of here, Princess."

Arianna put her feet on her ground. If convincing Harry to let her fight was a challenge, she knew that with Draco would be impossible… especially if he found out she was pregnant with his child. 

"I've to kill Rudenschöld, love," said Arianna, taking a couple of steps back. "I'm staying." 

Then she turned and ran away into the forest as fast as she physically could. 

"Arianna!" yelled Draco. "Stop!"

"No!" she screamed. "Don't follow me!"

She continued sprinting between the trees, unsure how to get rid of him and concerned he would soon catch up with her with those stupidly long legs of his. 

And from the darkest of the forest, a husky voice said, " Avada Kedavra ."

A green ray came from between the trunk trees, passing by Arianna, and she turned around to see Draco barely dodging the curse as the light passed near his ear.

Ineffable darkness arose in Arianna's chest, polluting her blood and enhancing her magic. And as if her hand had a mind on its own, it pointed at the spot from where the curse came and uttered, " Avada Kedavra ." 

The thudding noise of something heavy falling over the snow was heard, and resolutely she went to see who she had killed. Behind a broad tree was the lifeless body of Corban Yaxley with a hint of a smile still on his face and his empty eyes opened.

No emotion came to Arianna for seeing the man she had just murdered. She went to her knees and opened his robe. Her wand was in his inner pocket, and she grabbed it, placing the wand she had taken from the soldier in the backside of her trousers, then stood up and turned.

Draco and Kron were behind her. Draco stared at her with a mix of dread and concern.

"I think it is safe to say that Black is having a meltdown," whispered Kron. 

"What have you done?" asked Draco, astonished.

"I killed Yaxley," answered Arianna and moved past them.

"What's wrong with you?!" exclaimed Draco, seizing her elbow.

"What's the matter?" she asked, freeing herself and walking. "He tried to kill you! Don't tell me you care if he's dead."

"I don't give a fuck his dead," said Draco following her. "But I do care if your first instinct was to kill and you present no remorse whatsoever."

"He was scum," she quarrelled. 

Draco turned her around. "That's not reason enough to go around throwing Killing Curses!" he yelled.

"I'm not–"

"Arianna, you are a Black," said Draco and Arianna felt slightly uneasy since this was the first time he acknowledged that. "I have Black blood too, and there's innate darkness to it. All of us have it… That darkness… I was born on its core and was raised to embrace it. I've been walking the line between the light and the dark for ages, and believe me, it's not an easy thing to do. I don't want to see you trapped there like many Black before you were."

"I'm not… evil," she argued. "I just–It was an impulse."

"That's precisely my concern," he said, taking her hands. "Your father knew about this. That's why he gave you that name."

"Arianna?" she asked.

"Galatea," answered Draco.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "It comes from a Neptune moon named after a sea nymph."

"But what does it mean in greek?" asked Draco, searching her eyes hopefully. 

"She who is milk white," whispered Arianna, understanding now what he meant. 

"He made you a hundred shades of grey," said Draco, holding her head. "Stick to the lighter ones, love."

"Thank you," she whispered, feeling something warm and beautiful in her chest. "I love you so much, Draco." 

"This is all very moving, but can we get the hell out here?" asked Kron. "We've to take Black to England before more High Regime followers, and the rest of the Allied countries come here."

"Portkeys don't work on the castle's grounds, Kron," explained Arianna.

"That's bloody perfect," growled Draco, passing a hand through his hair. "How do we get out of here, then?"

"My Portkeys work everywhere, Black," said Kron, offended, pulling out a Rubik's cube, twisting it and handing it to Arianna. "Take this." 

She took it without hesitation, and as expected, nothing happened. 

"You see," said Arianna, handing it back and looking over at Draco. "We have to stay and fight. Rudenschöld said he would wait by the lake... We should go there."

Draco looked down and then back at her, "Let's do it," he said. "Let's fight him, princess."

Arianna felt relieved and surprised at how easily he accepted her choice and smiled at him. 

"Pigeon!" screamed Kron pointing behind Draco. "Fucking big ass pigeon!"

A chestnut hippogriff walked from between the trees. Draco moved in front of Arianna and Kron behind her. 

"It's called a hippogriff," clarified Arianna, growing anxious and peeking from behind Draco. 

"Whatever," said Kron. "Make it go away."

"Are you afraid of birds?" asked Arianna. 

"I'm not a fucking boy scout," answered Kron. Draco began walking cautiously towards the animal. "What are you doing? What is he doing?"

"I'm getting us a ride to the lake," replied Draco quietly. "From above, we have a better chance to spot Rudenschöld quickly and finish him."

He continued approaching the hippogriff, keeping eye contact and bowing when close to it.

"Is he asking him to dance?" asked Kron jokingly. 

"Be quiet," whispered Arianna. 

The animal remained straight with his orange eyes fixed on Draco, and just before Arianna began panicking, the hippogriff bowed, and Draco walked to touch his head and neck.

"Come," he whispered, looking over his shoulder. 

Arianna moved calmly forwards, with Kron closely following her. 

"Give Arianna a camouflage robe," said Draco. "It will get much colder once we are in the air."

Kron took from his satchel a white robe for Arianna and another for Draco, and they put it on. Then Draco mounted the hippogriff, and he and Kron helped Arianna do the same, and after a small discussion with Kron, they convinced him to go with them too.

Draco transformed a bridle to put on the animal, and feeling already the adrenaline rushing, Arianna held his waist tightly, and Kron did the same to her.

"You're gonna break my ribs, Kron!" complained Arianna.

"What were you expecting?" asked Kron. "I don't like animals, I don't like nature, I don't like heights."

The hippogriff began galloping, and on a small forest glade, it spread its wings and quickly ascended into the sky. The air was frozen, and Arianna glanced down. Rays of spells could be seen on the eastern side of the lake, indicating a battle was being held there.

"Draco, turn left!" screamed Arianna so he could hear her over the wind. "I can see a fight down there!"

They continued moving forwards and faster.

"Draco!" yelled Arianna. "Turn left! What are you doing?!"

"I'm taking you out of here!" said Draco. "To the end of his land so you can take the Portkey back home!"

"You said you will help me fight Rudenschöld!" said Arianna, offended. 

"I lied!" blared Draco.

"I'm not afraid of Rudenschöld!" screamed Arianna madly. "I will confront him!"

"Don't fight right now!" yelled Kron, clenching Arianna harder.

And just as they were reaching the lake's end, the hippogriff unexpectedly turned back.

"Go forward!" screamed Draco, frustrated. 

"We cannot leave his property, Draco!" yelled Arianna. "Don't you understand?!"

A Thestral passed by them with Wilkinson and Shiori on the back.

"Follow us!" he screamed.

Draco obeyed, and they headed west. 






Chapter 45: Soul Love

Chapter Text

The Thestral flew rapidly as the hippogriff beat its wings faster to catch up, and as they reached further into the forest, the black animal began descending towards a forest glade. Wilkinson made a broad movement with his wand when approaching, crossing an invisible barrier, and before their eyes, five colourful tents encircling a large bonfire materialised in the clearing. 

They landed softly, and Kron dismounted so quickly he almost fell.

"Never again in my life!" he exclaimed, moving away.

Arianna jumped off nimbly, striding away as fast as she could with her feet burring in the snow. Draco followed her.

"Arianna," he called. 

"Don't follow me, Draco," she said fumingly, marching towards the Thestral that had landed on the other side of the bonfire. "I don't want to talk to you. How could you trick me like that?"

Wilkinson met them halfway, with Shiori walking closely behind him.

"We are trapped here, and no aid can come in," he announced with a deep voice as he gazed at the three of them. "The Prime Minister and Robarts decided to make this temporary refuge for gathering to work on a strategy – I want all of you in half an hour in the red tent–" he pointed to a scarlet tent from where Nuttley was coming out, heading their way. "We will wait for the rest of the team and the Allies. Meanwhile, have some tea and food, and prepare for tonight… It's going to be a long one."

"Wilkinson," said Nuttley stiffly when standing by their side. "Jordan sent a Patronus with a message – He, Johnson and Potter are on their way."

Hearing that lifted a weight off Arianna's shoulders, and she questioned what had been of Adam.

"Excellent," replied Wilkison, taking a timepiece from his pocket and checking it. "They should make it on time."

"Where is my mother?" asked Arianna, searching around the camp where more and more Aurors showed up and stood by the fire.

"On the green tent receiving the injured," said Shiori.

Arianna spotted it next to the red one and went that way with Draco shadowing her. 

"Were you really expecting me to throw you into Rudenschöld's arms?!" he asked, bothered.

Agata came out of the tent, placing a hand on her chest when seen her daughter.

"I don't want to talk to you," repeated Arianna, feeling incredibly heated and betrayed and passed by Agata. "Stop following me!"

Draco stopped at the entrance, "Arianna, please!"

"Give her a little time to cool off, Draco," said Agata softly as Arianna walked inside. "It's been an intense evening for her… for all of us. She needs time to process things."

Arianna went into the large room with small beds lined up where five convalescent Aurors lay, and a man wearing the Austrian uniform fumbled through a potion box and she promptly went to his aid. She then spent half an hour tending the injured; which number grew as the minutes passed by. 

As she applied Burn-Healing paste on a witch's leg, she began thinking that of all the events that happened in the last few hours, her killing Yaxley shocked her the most, to be more precise, how easy it had been. 

Contrary to popular belief, casting the Killing Curse was not something everyone could perform just by pronouncing the words. It was advanced dark magic – it required high power and determination to kill. And worse than her unforeseen ability for that sort of magic was the unexpected thrill she felt – the power of her magic strong on her blood, the unwavering confidence… the ineffable darkness.

Arianna became afraid of herself for a moment.

She well knew there was darkness in her. It had burst occasionally through her life. It emerged strongly when filling Astoria's bed with scorpions or stabbing Alaric to death. She felt it today when planning to kill Rudenschöld with her dagger and again when casting the curse.

Darkness triggered by the purest hate. 

And yet, she must kill Rudenschöld tonight. She must kill again. There was no time to wonder what that kiss with Harry meant or what it meant that Draco was married and she was carrying his son. Finishing Rudenschöld was her only objective and nothing more.

Arianna and her mother made a quick round before joining the meeting and determined five of the fifteen injured were in critical condition and in desperate need of a hospital, and as they walked to the red tent, she pondered how crucial it was to end this as soon as possible.

The tent's inside was austere, with a round table in the middle and a lantern hanging over it. There were a few tables and trunks lined on the sides. Everyone from the Investigation Department conversed in a low voice, together with Adam and Kingsley.  

Arianna's eyes intuitively landed on Draco and Harry, who talked alone in a corner. Draco spoke, barely moving his lips, holding an inscrutable expression as Harry looked at the floor and nodded ever so slightly. 

Such interaction made her sense a strange mix of surprise and intrigue and moving her gaze from them, she went with Adam, who sat on a trunk in clean black clothing.

"You made it out," she said, sitting next to him.

"I told you I'm good at mingling," he said, smiling faintly. "I arrived here before you, but I was busy being interrogated by the Head of the Auror Office and the Prime Minister," he looked at his hands. "Veritaserum was administered… not a fun potion."

"What was the verdict?" asked Arianna, feeling sorry for him.

"They deemed me trustworthy," he answered and sighed. "Although those two in front of us aren't so convinced."

Arianna glanced that way. Harry and Draco were now staring at them, and she shook her head, looking back at Adam. 

Kingsley approached the middle of the room, and everyone moved closer to the round table where a map of the area lay with a red circle drawn, delimiting the confining spell borders.

"I want to begin this meeting by thanking all for your quick response during this time of crisis," said Kingsley, glancing around the table. "We find ourselves under extraordinary circumstances, and regardless of the gloomy landscape, I am certain we can leave this place victorious if we work together and trust each other," he turned towards the leader of the Investigation Department. "Wilkinson, you have the floor."

"Thank you, Prime Minister," said Wilkinson and cleared his throat. "As you know, the situation is critical. Together with our allies, we are a total of seventy-seven witches and wizards minus fifteen injured, whereas the High Regime soldiers are close to two hundred and seventy. German and Italian forces are outside the impenetrable barrier with the rest of the British, Austrian, French and Scandinavian Aurors," he placed his hands over the table, leaning forwards as the light from the lantern above casted shadows that highlighted his strong features. "However, the reality is that inside this sphere, we are outnumbered and in the land of our enemy… As we speak, Robarts is with the leaders designing a battle strategy while we have been entrusted with the sole mission of destroying the dome that prevents us from sending our wounded Aurors out and the rest of our squad to come in." 

"All of us have the same information the sorceress shared with the Prime Minister and his family," said Nuttley quietly, coming closer as Wilkinson stood up straight. "We would like to hear thoughts of what this is and how we can break it."

"Malfoy has some interesting ideas," said Harry promptly, and Kron lifted an eyebrow.

"Thank you, Potter," replied Draco, nodding slightly at him, making Angelina and Jordan exchange a confused look. "The characteristics of this Protective Dome Enchantment are strikingly similar to those from the impenetrable sphere we have seen High Regime followers using in battles. Which makes us believe the sphere is inspired by this incantation," he pointed at the circle on the map with his wand.

"We think they use a device," added Harry, glancing at Arianna. "There were a few times where all the High Regime soldiers died inside the sphere, and the curse wasn't broken until an hour or so after… which is a clear sign that it's not a jinx." 

Arianna sighed as she realised that killing Rudenschöld would not free them.

"On my research," continued Darco. "I've stumbled on similar ancient Shield Charms of ritualistic nature that use one of the strongest kinds of magic to achieve such a potent enchantment–"

"If you say 'love', I'm gonna barf," interrupted Kron.

"It is love, Astor," said Agata, who stood to Arianna's right. "Unconditional love that has been corrupted and trapped for their own benefit. I've studied similar magic during my years as an Unspeakable."

"We are screwed," muttered Jordan. "How do you destroy love?"

Draco cast a glance at Arianna for the first time since the meeting started and cleared his throat, "For the small sphere, I theorised that only a charm of pure and gentle nature could break it, and only one spell strong enough came to mind." 

"The Patronus Charm?" questioned Arianna.

"Precisely," answered Draco and shook his head, looking down at the map. "But in this case, that won't do."

"We need to find the source and destroy it," said Shiori simply. "The question is, where is it?"

"In the castle," answered Agata, pulling out her wand from her robes and drawing two lines over the circle that intercepted each other, pinpointing the large edification as the centre. "Most likely in one of the courtyards since this kind of magic feeds on the energy of the cosmos."

"We will divide this team – A group of two or three will search for the enchantment's core and destroy it while the rest will fight by the lake –" said Wilkinson. "We need to hold back Rudenschöld and his followers as much as possible to give the team time to destroy the dome."

Glances were exchanged around the table, and Arianna felt observed by Harry and Draco, but she avoided their eyes. 

"For I'm the Prime Minister of Magic," said Kingsley resolutely. "My duty is to fight alongside my people – I'll go to the battlefield."

"Given I'm the only one prepared enough to tend the injured," said Agata, lifting her chin. "I'll remain here." 

Her green eyes drifted to her daughter, asking her to stay, but Arianna shook her head.

"I'm more useful on the castle than on the battlefield," said Kron, shrugging. "I'm not an Auror, but I know a great deal about magical objects."

"Brilliant," said Wilkinson, and his gaze stopped on Arianna's. "Who else wants to join him?"

Arianna hesitated for a moment. On one side, she wanted to fight Rudenschöld; on the other, she would be more helpful in the castle. 

She inhaled deeply and said, "Since I'm well versed in runes, arithmancy, and astronomy, I can help identify the right courtyard faster and decipher whatever we encounter," she stared at her mother. "I should go to the castle with Kron."

Agata nodded slightly and took her daughter's hand. 

"Very well," said Wilkinson, satisfied. "The rest of us will head to the battle."

"I'm going to the castle," said Draco almost commandingly. "I'm the one who has done research on the matter, after all."

"I will come to the castle too," added Harry with a determined voice. "They need someone to watch their back while inspecting the area." 

"I agree with Potter," said Draco promptly.

"That's a first," mumbled Angelina.

"Perhaps Jordan and Shiori will do better at the castle and you two at the battlefield," said Wilkinson, throwing another stare at Arianna.

Harry and Draco exchanged a glance before looking back at Wilkinson. They were not asking for permission. They would go with Arianna even if he kicked them out of the department. 

Wilkinson drew his breath, "Prime Minister," he said. "Your call."

Kingsley contemplated Draco and Harry for a moment, then looked over at Arianna, who shook her head slightly since she preferred them to be away from her, and lastly, he glanced at Agata.

"All right," he said, folding his arms. "Go to the castle… and for everyone's sake – Do not do anything reckless."

"Black, Kron, Malfoy and Potter," listed Wilkinson, staring deep into their eyes as he pronounced their names. "The lives of everyone here depend on you four. You will depart to the castle shortly after we have headed to the southern lake. And remember – Time is of the essence."

"I'm sorry," said Angelina, lifting her palms. "But wouldn't Rudenschöld wonder where Arianna is if he doesn't see her on the battlefield? He knows she's not going to stay hidden somewhere."

"I can help with that," said Adam and looked at Arianna.

His hair turned black and wavy, sprinting down to his waist. His eyes grew bigger, his nose shrunk, and his lips became fuller. His skin turned olive, and his body reshaped smaller. In the end, he glanced at her cleavage, and breasts popped on his chest. 

Now Arianna stared at a slightly off copy of her.

"Wicked!" exclaimed Jordan, smiling.

"I bet you're very popular with the ladies," said Kron, nodding approvingly. 

"Her nose is smaller," said Draco critically.

"Yeah… and the eyes are wrong somehow," added Harry.

"I don't think he's planning on cuddling with Rudenschöld," said Angelina, placing a hand on her hip. "As long as he doesn't speak is fine."

The meeting ended, and everyone left except for Arianna and her mother, who embraced each other goodbye. There were so many things she wanted to say to her, thoughts that circled her head making her dizzy. 

"I killed Yaxley," whispered Arianna suddenly. "What if I tore my soul?"

There was a short silence. Her mother rubbed her back.

"Why did you– why did you kill him?" she asked.

"He tried to murder Draco," answered Arianna.

Agata moved back to face her. "Souls are only torn when one enjoys killing and seeks to do it – You did it out of protectiveness," she explained, looking into her eyes. "However, what worries me is that you're stretching your soul, which could eventually tear it."

"Didn't you hear?" said Arianna, dropping her gaze to her feet. "I was born like that."

"No, Anna. The sorceress said your soul loved two souls," said Agata, lifting her chin. "But you're the one stretching it by tormenting yourself." 

"It's wrong loving two people." 

"Love is never wrong. You love Draco and Harry, and the only thing you can do is to accept it," said Agata, grabbing Arianna's hands. "Not to label it as wrong or right, normal or aberrant, or trying to figure out who you love the most. Love is not a vessel that can be filled. Love is infinite like the stars in the universe – You love Draco and Harry, and the first step is to accept it – Just accept it, bambina ."

"I don't know how this happened," said Arianna.

"I have been in your shoes, and it took me many years to stop fighting it. To stop feeling guilty about it," said her mother, grabbing Arianna's hands tightly. "Kingsley is the love of my life, but Sirius was my soulmate. I never stopped loving your father, and even now that he's dead, I still love him," she dropped her head and sighed. "I fell in love with Kingsley when you were five years old. He asked me to marry him when you were seven. And I could not do it, not while knowing Sirius was imprisoned unfairly in Azkaban, not while still loving him the way I did… I thought it was shameful to keep going with my life when he could not… I ended things with Kings, but the feelings never faded, and we kept going back to each other repeatedly."

Arianna placed a lock of hair behind her mother's ear, and she looked back at her softly.

"Kingsley stepped back when your dad escaped Azkaban because he thought I deserved a second chance with him and for you to have the family you craved so much."

"Maybe we are cursed," whispered Arianna sadly. 

"It's not possible to curse someone with love," said Agata, holding Arianna in her arms. "Love is wonderful and powerful. It is the world we live in that makes us feel ashamed of who we love or how we love."  

"I love you, mamma ," whispered Arianna, taking in the citric, lavender and cardamom scent that was so characteristic of her.

"I love you too, pumpkin," said Agata and kissed her head. "Come back to me."

Arianna kissed her cheek and left the tent into the frizzing night. She closed her white camouflage robe, adjusting to her figure perfectly and warming her instantly. Kron, Draco and Harry waited for her outside in the now empty camp near the bonfire. Kron seemed serious and somewhat troubled, while the other two were serene. 

"We decided to fly on two hippogriffs," said Harry when she got close enough. "One first and the second a little later, so we don't raise suspicion."

"Alright," said Arianna, folding her arms. "I'll ride the second one with Kron."

Harry and Draco shared a look, and she was certain they were plotting something she would disapprove of, like making her take a Portkey as soon as they break the spell. 

"Have you ever ridden a hippogriff, Black?" asked Kron somewhat irritatedly. "Because given the circumstances, it would be incredibly stupid if we die today doing that among all things."

"I have ridden horses," she shrugged. "How different can it be?"

"Quite," said Harry, lifting his eyebrows. 

"Potter will take one, and I will take the other," decided Draco, avoiding her eyes. "And since you're clearly still mad at me, you should ride with him."

He turned and walked away with the rest following him. Arianna was not mad anymore but kept her mouth shut as she was afraid of spending time alone with Draco and blurting out that she was pregnant. That was something she wanted to tell him when everything was over, and instead of adding extra pressure on him would be something that would make him smile.

They went behind the tent where two hippogriffs were tied to a tree. One was the chestnut one they had flown with, and the second was black and larger. Harry and Draco moved forwards to release them and took the reins, dragging them closer to Kron and Arianna. 

After putting on leather gloves, Draco mounted on the chestnut hippogriff, and Kron cautiously approached while cursing under his breath and climbed behind Draco.

"We will go first," announced Draco, placing the hood over his head. "Search for us in the southwest courtyard."

"Draco, I'm not mad," said Arianna, suddenly anxious that something would happen to him. "But after we destroy whatever keeps us locked in here, I will go to battle. It's my choice."

"As you wish," said Draco coolly and kicked the animal's ribs. It began galloping before lifting off the ground, beating its wings and flying north.

Harry caressed the creature’s head and neck.

"Come on," he said, extending his hand to Arianna. "I'll help you mount."

"Wait," said Arianna, feeling a nauseous sensation going up her throat. "Harry, please don't do anything stupid."

Harry's arm dropped. "I'm not Hermione, but I'm not an idiot, you know?" 

"That's not what I mean!" said Arianna, worrying by the second. "I'm talking about the sorts of things that will make Godric Gryffindor proud!"

His gaze dropped to the frozen ground. "Why didn't you tell Malfoy the same?" 

"Draco has self-preservation instincts, and he doesn't know I'm pregnant," explained Arianna. "You, on the other hand–"

"Hop on the hippogriff, Anna," said Harry, extending his hand again. "We have to go."

"Harry!" exclaimed Arianna, moving back.

"You know I'll do whatever I have to to take you out of here," he replied serenely.

"I don't want you to get hurt!" 

"I'll be fine," said Harry and smirked. "I'm the Chosen One after all, aren't I?"

Arianna sighed, moving closer, and taking his hand. He drew her towards him before going down to put his hands together, she placed her foot on them, and Harry pushed her up as she tried not to pull the feathers while getting on the creature's back. Then he mounted quickly behind her. 

Harry seized the reins, "Take them," he said, opening his palms. "You will learn to ride a hippogriff tonight."

As Arianna grabbed them, he placed the hood over her head and wrapped his arms around her waist. There was a fluttering on her stomach, either because she was about to fly or for having him so close.

With her heel, she kicked the animal, and it walked slowly; she gave a more forceful second kick, and it galloped rapidly, spreading its wings and taking flight. Harry did not squeeze her stomach as Kron had done. He held her firmly but gently, aware of the precious being she carried. 

The Venus Bracelets shimmered under the moonlight, and she noticed her hands remained warm despite the frigid wind. She stirred to the right as they flew towards the white castle, and the hippogriff sharply shifted direction. Harry placed his gloved hands over hers, pulling left ever so slightly, and the animal graciously obeyed, retaking the correct path. She then understood she must be more subtle with her commands and did so. 

Flying a broom was not something Arianna was particularly fond of; she always deemed it uncomfortable and unstable. Water was her element, where she could feel free. But today, as she flew over the forest frosted with snow on the back of that magnificent animal directing it as if she was the one with the wings, reconsidered her previous dislike for flying and saw the appeal her father had when getting a flying motorcycle. 

As they approached the castle, Harry took her hands, helping her slow down and descend on the agreed courtyard. He pulled out his wand while landing on the huge empty patio. There was no sight of Draco, Kron or their hippogriff and Arianna wondered if they were in the next courtyard.

Harry hopped off and took the reins to restrain the creature from moving. Arianna dismounted, this time more clumsily since the animal was taller. 

She turned to see Harry; his hair was messier and his expression more relaxed than before, and she remembered how much he loved to fly.

"Do you still prefer brooms over hippogriffs?" she asked.

"Today was an exception," said Harry, his green eyes fixed on hers. "You did a great job, Black."

He pulled down her hood and leaned forwards to kiss her. 

"G-Guys," said Kron.

Arianna turned her head. Kron stood lifting his eyebrows, and Draco was behind him in the arched hallway. There was no hint of anger, shock or hurtfulness in his expression.

"We think we found the right courtyard," he said calmly. "It's the next one. Bring the hippogriff."

He strode down the corridor, and Harry pulled the animal as Kron and Arianna followed them.

"S–So, what did you find?" asked Arianna as they walked.

"Some kind of moon symbols on the ground," explained Kron awkwardly.

"Are you sure we are alone?" asked Arianna, looking over her shoulder.

"Positive. We cast a Revelio Charm, and the place is empty… Either Rudenschöld is highly underestimating us, or he believes it's impossible to break the enchantment."

They went into the second patio, which was smaller and where signs of struggle were visible. Steps, traces of blood and swipes marked the snow, and large areas of the white walls had lost the outer layer, showing the grey stone underneath. 

While Harry tied the black hippogriff on a column next to the chestnut one, Arianna and Kron approached the centre where Draco blew off the snow with his wand, unveiling a worn cobblestone floor and a large circle the size of an average man lying down. 

Arianna looked closer and saw it was formed of small encrusted moon phases made of copper. 

"Twenty-eight moons. Four times seven," she said. "Whatever is underneath it feeds on the power of the moon."

"Make sense," said Draco as Harry stood next to him. "Relying on the sun at this latitude is highly idiotic."

Kron squatted, touching the metal. "It's warm. I feel the magic." 

Draco went inside the circle and tapped twice with his feet. "The cobblestones are loose," he said and stepped away.

The first one to draw his wand was Harry. The pebbles gently levitated with a sweeping movement, and he placed them on the side. A stone as big as the circle lay underneath. Its surface was worn and holed, engraved with runes surrounding the edge, and encrusted at the centre, a polished amber the size of a human head.

Arianna moved closer and went on her knees together with Draco. The honey-coloured stone shone invitingly, and she felt the need to touch it. Her fingers extended towards it. 

Draco fetched her wrist covered in pearls.

"Seven years have passed, and you still want to touch things you don't know what they do," he said with a thin smile.

"I'm a slow learner," she whispered and smiled back.

"I never told Pansy I love her," blurted Kron, staring at the stone. "I'm going to die tonight, and she will never know I loved her."

Arianna gazed at Draco and then at Harry, and everyone seemed unsure what to say.

"Er… Kron– Astor," she said cautiously. "Why– Why don't we focus on this first, and when the enchantment is broken, you can take a Portkey to England and tell her that."

"I'm not going to make it back to England," he whispered. 

"Let's focus," repeated Arianna and started reading the runes aloud.

 

"From the undying love of a mother 

Shall this forest and its creatures live.

Shall her blood bathe the land and drench it with magic.

Shall her captive loving soul protect her children

and their children from the intruder."

 

"Her captive soul?" asked Harry, moving closer. "Is the stone a Horcrux?!"

"I don't think it is a Horcrux, Harry," said Arianna promptly before the panic grew. "For what I gather, there's a whole soul trapped in there… and she did it willingly."

"I knew it. The moment I saw it, I knew," whispered Kron and swallowed. "We are so fucking doomed… It's too fucking powerful. There's no fucking way of destroying that and not blowing up in pieces. It will implode if we break it." 

Arianna's pulse rose, and she looked at Draco, who kept reading the runes. She proceeded to say the last sentences aloud.

 

"Shall only who is willing to cross Gjallarbrú for whom they treasure

free the soul of the loving mother."

 

"What's Gjallarbrú?" asked Harry.

As soon as she understood what those lines implied, she felt her blood draining and stood up at once. 

"Let's go," she whispered and pulled Draco's cloak, but he kept looking at the stone. "Draco, let's go. We will find another way."

"What's Gjallarbrú?" asked Harry again.

"We are so fucking doomed," repeated Kron. 

"Draco, please stand up!" begged Arianna, pulling him with more strength until he went on his feet. "Let's go back to the camp. Perhaps my mother can help us solve this."

"We are all dead," whispered Kron. "I'm dead and never told her I love her."

"What's Gjallarbrú?!" screamed Harry. "What the fuck is happening?!"

The courtyard began spinning, and Arianna’s breath became heavier. Draco held her face and kissed her forehead, and her nose, and her lips. Then she buried her face in his chest trying to calm herself.

"Gjallarbrú is the bridge crossing the river Gjöll," explained Draco calmly as he held her tightly. "Which separates the living from the dead in Norse mythology."

"Someone willing to sacrifice their life can free the soul and break the spell," clarified Kron lowly. "Which will happen when the stone breaks."

Arianna pressed her ear on Draco’s chest; the strong and steady rhythm of his heart made her breathing easy and cleared her head. They must find a way out of there before the battle turn into a massacre. 

"Let's go back and think of something else," said Arianna, shaking slightly. "Perhaps if we find a way to destroy the stones that encircle the land. Or— Or we can try the Patronus Charm. It might work. At least create a hole or something. We— We can send word to Kinglsey and ask him to withdraw the troops again until we solve this."

She promptly walked towards the hippogriffs and turned when she sensed no one moving. Everyone remained in the same spot. 

"How do we break the amber?" asked Harry faintly. "Do we need– Do we need some sort of substance like basilisk's venom or … Fiendfyre?"

"Since it will explode when it's destroyed, probably a potent spell should be enough," answered Kron, holding his head.

"We are not discussing this!" exclaimed Arianna. "We are leaving!"

Harry and Draco stared at each other from across the circle. Both stood utterly still and impassive as if they were about to duel. 

"You gave me your word," said Draco slowly.

"His word about what?" asked Arianna.

"I can't," said Harry.

"Don't make me beg you, Potter," said Draco, closing his eyes. "Please."

Harry dropped his head, remaining like that for a moment.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and pointed at Arianna with his wand. " Expelliarmus ."

Her wand slipped from her hand and dropped far away in the snow. Kron threw a jinx that confined her movements by tying her arms around her ribs and binding her legs together. 

Arianna fell to her knees. 

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" she screamed, terrified. 

Harry untied the black hippogriff with the flick of his wand as Draco kept his eyes closed, and she understood everything.

"NOOO!!!" shrieked Arianna as loud as she could while Harry lifted her up from the snow. "DRACO, PLEASE DON'T! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"

Kron ran to hug Draco.

"Twist your Portkey when you're casting the spell," he said hurryingly. "You might– you might make it out in time, man."

"PLEASE DON'T! DON'T DO THIS! PLEASE COME WITH US, DRACO!" cried Arianna, trying to free herself from Harry. "THERE'S ANOTHER WAY! PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"

Harry mounted the hippogriff, pulled Arianna up with his wand, and sat her in front of him while Kron climbed on the back. Draco kept his eyes on the amber.

"LET ME GO!!!" she howled, tearing her throat. "I'LL DO IT INSTEAD! PLEASE STOP! I BEG YOU! PLEASE!"

Draco finally looked at her.

"I love you, Arianna," he said quietly. "Tell our child why I did this. I hope someday you can forgive me."

The hippogriff galloped rapidly, and soon it was in the air flying at incredible speed.

"HARRY, PLEASE GO BACK!" she shrieked in agony. "I BEG YOU, PLEASE! I'LL GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT! PLEASE TURN BACK!"

Harry kept his vacant stare upfront, and the castle grew smaller and smaller. Arianna remembered the words from the sorceress and screamed as loud as she could. 

"FREJYA!"

A large silver figure emerged from the courtyard.

"FREJYA!"

A golden ray shot into the sky.

"FREJYA!"

The night became day as a blinding light covered the forest, followed by a thunderous explosion that blew up the castle into a thousand pieces and shook the forest to its core. 

"DRACO!!!" howled Arianna as her heart shattered.




Chapter 46: Black Blade

Notes:

WARNING: Violence. Blood.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Hundreds of birds and dozens of hippogriffs stormed into the sky as Harry forced theirs to land when reaching the edge of Rudenschöld's grounds delimited by large standing stones.

The charm that kept Arianna confined broke when the creature's hoofs touched the ground. She pushed Harry's arm and slid from the hippogriff, crumbling on the snow. Her spine curled forwards from the abysmal agony that broke her bones. Her mouth opened wide as if she screamed, but no sound came from it. The pressure built on her chest from the lack of oxygen, and her body forced her to painfully breathe before throwing an awful noise that filled the air. 

Arianna howled like a wounded animal, barely aware of the hands that attempted to lift her and the voice that spoke to her. 

"DRACO!" she cried, calling him, wishing he would hear her, come to hold her, and stop this nightmare. Because he was not dead, he could not be. He could not have left her alone in this world. She could not live without his eyes, his smile, his voice. And she was sure her heart would soon cave from the burning pain.

A second pair of hands held her; one rested on her back while the other gently pulled her shoulder back. Her body obeyed as it somehow recognised the touch, and Harry lifted her enough so he could embrace her, but her arms were too feeble to hug him back, and she weakly rested her head on his chest.

The last sight of Draco was seared on her mind. Him standing in that courtyard serenely accepting his death, and the last words he spoke to her resonated in her ears.

"You told him, didn't you?" she sobbed. "You told him about the baby," she continued crying. Harry remained silent. "Answer me!"

"I did," said Harry with a broken voice.

Arianna wanted to move away from him, but she had no force and kept weeping on his robes. 

"T–Tell me h–he's not dead," she begged between sobs. "T–Tell me he's n–not gone. Tell me my b–baby will not grow up w–without his father like w–we did."

"We have to go," said Kron in a low voice.

The thought of leaving without Draco was inconceivable.

"He's not dead! He can't be!" she cried, shaking her head and lifting her face to see Harry through her blurry eyes. "He– He took the Portkey on time or–or the sorceress– the sorceress rescued him b–before it was too late," she clenched Harry's robes. "We have to– to go back to the castle. W–We have to summon the sorceress. W–Where does the Portkey lead?"

"Anna," said Harry and swallowed as tears rolled down his cheeks. "We have to leave now."

"No!" sobbed Arianna. "I'm n–not leaving without him!" 

Harry stared at her, filled with sorrow as he searched for words.

"Black, who gave you this?!" asked Kron, showing her the golden ring Rudenschöld had transformed from Alaric's watch. "It fell from your clothes! It has a tracking spell on it!"

Arianna stared at the jewel, failing to comprehend what he said.

Harry's body hardened. "Let's get her out of here," he said, switching to his resolute attitude. 

He drew the Rubik's cube from his robes, and before twisting it, a spell snatched it from his fingers and landed between the trees, out of sight. A second jinx hit Kron, and he collapsed to the ground. Harry lifted his wand, standing up, as Rudenschöld emerged from the forest with his wand held high and a crooked grin.

Arianna remained on the ground behind Harry. Her numbed brain struggled to process what unfolded before her eyes. Her thirst for killing Rudenschöld had vanished with the urge to fight or save herself. Merely the itch to look for Draco occupied her dizzy mind.

"Anna," said Harry quietly. "Stand up and get behind me."

Mechanically she grabbed his robe and pulled herself up as she kept weeping. She looked down at Kron, who lay on his back with his face turned to the forest and partly covered by his dark hair, and she wondered if he was dead or stunned and noticed the hippogriff was gone. 

"Harry Potter," said Rudenschöld slowly, ambling towards them as if they had run into each other at a party. "I've been wanting to meet you for quite some time."

"Well, here I am," replied Harry lividly, moving back a few steps until he pressed Arianna against the enormous stone. She peeked over his shoulder.

"I have only respect for you, son," said Rudenschöld, coming closer. "I don't want to fight you. I just want to take my wife with me."

"Over my dead body," said Harry with a deep voice.

A shiver went down Arianna's spine for the sole idea of losing him. 

"It's alright, Harry," whispered Arianna. "I'll go with him."

"Listen to her," said Rudenschöld. "Step aside, son." 

"No," said Harry fiercely. 

"Please, move!" cried Arianna, trying to push him, but he stood as firm as the rock behind her. "Move away, you idiot!"

"You don't have to die, Harry," said Rudenschöld, enjoying the scene. "But if you don't let my wife go, I will have to kill you."

"Better ones have tried," growled Harry.

Rudenschöld smirked and threw the first hex, which Harry blocked effortlessly. 

"I'm sure you're a great duellist," said Rudenschöld, pacing slowly to the side. "And as a great duelist, you know the huge disadvantage you're in right now. Fighting without being able to move is as fruitless as dancing standing in the same spot– It's a matter of time until I get you."

"Harry, please!!" begged Arianna, pulling his robes. "Let me go!"

"No," said Harry. 

A Killing Curse threateningly landed on the stone above their heads. Harry threw jinx after jinx as rapidly as he could, making his opponent spend his moves blocking him, but as every second passed, he got closer and closer to them.

With a wide move, Harry lifted all the snow between them. It seemed as if it heavily snowed from the ground to the sky before it started swirling rapidly, turning into a storm and blocking everyone's view.

Harry took Arianna's hand and ran utterly blinded by the white blur and the wind's whistle until they stumbled with Kron's body and went down on their knees. 

" Accio Rubik's cube!" yelled Harry, and the Portkey came from Kron's robe.

Arianna grabbed Kron's arm and Harry's shoulder, and as he twisted the cube, a yellow-green hex went through the snowstorm and hit Harry with force on the chest before they were dragged away from the land of the ice and snow.

Coated in the frozen water, they fell abruptly on the pebbled ground of a lake's shore. Arianna landed between the two men who lay a couple yards from her and she sat immediately, dazed by the hit. She felt her head burning and touched her forehead, discovering she was bleeding. 

The silent night was broken by a blaring wail. She turned to see Harry screaming and writhing face down. 

Horrified, she crawled quickly to his side, used all her strength to flip his stiffened body, and sat on his hips to restrain him from twitching. The curse burned away his clothing and flesh on the left side of his chest while his blood drenched his frosted clothing. Rudenschöld had thrown an Acid Hex on him. 

Arianna seized Harry's wand that lay on the ground next to his glasses and cast a Freezing Spell on the wound before the hex reached his ribs and heart. The jinx made him shriek even louder, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

"It's almost over!" she yelled over his excruciating howls. 

The spell was a risky move that could also lead him to death if prolonged, but it was her best choice. 

" Accio potion box!" she cast, pointing at his robes and the small octagonal wooden box emerged from one of the inner pockets. 

She blew off the lid knowing the Neutralising Potion he needed was not there, and went for the second best. With the wand, she withdrew the Murtlap Essence and Essence of Dittany as Harry's penetrating shrieks shook her core.

"I'll make it stop!" she promised, dropping the box on the pebbled ground. 

Her hands grabbed the collar of his black jumper and tore it. With the wand, she opened the Murtlap Essence, stopped the Frizzing Charm, and poured the substance into the wound almost the size of her extended palm. 

Blood emanated profusely, and Harry stopped shaking and screaming. 

"Almost there!" she said while wrenching the stopper off the little bottle of the Essence of Dittany. "Hold on a little longer, amore ."

Greenish smoke billowed upwards as she poured seven drops onto the bleeding wound, aware that the flesh would open again without a Neutralising Potion. Harry needed a hospital, but for now, this was the best she could do.

Harry's eyes struggled to remain open. He was pale like the snow that covered his beard. Arianna pressed two fingers under his jaw to find his pulse feeble.

"Go," said Harry, barely audible. "Grimmauld Place… He's coming."

"I'm not leaving you here," said Arianna, taking the potions box and pulling out the flask with the Blood-Replenishing potion. 

Her heart sank when seeing the small blue vial empty. 

To Apparate was not an option in Harry's condition. She glanced around, wondering where they were and recognised her surroundings; they were on the lake near her cabin. If she carried him there, they would have shelter and could summon the healers for them to take him to the hospital. She glanced at Kron; he remained still with his legs on the water. Arianna stood up to check on him when a voice spoke.

"Is it brilliant or moronic that all your Portkeys lead to these woods?" asked Rudenschöld.

Arianna turned around and saw no one. The sound came from nowhere and everywhere at the same time; he could be far in between the trees or just a few steps from them. 

She went on her knees to be closer to Harry and lifted the wand.

"Moronic, I would say," he continued. "Amusing how the screams of the one who wants to protect you are what led me to you."

Harry mumbled something unintelligible. Arianna touched his forehead; he was cold as ice. His life slipped like water through her fingers and she could not save him.

"Get up and come with me, girl," said Rudenschöld.

Everyone Arianna loved had made sacrifices to keep her away from him, to free her. Her mother had drunk that ghastly potion, Kingsley had defied all the protocols, Draco had given his life, and Harry was losing his. Arianna could Apparate and hide in Grimmauld Place as everyone would want her to …. but she could not leave Harry there at Rudenschöld's mercy. 

There was only one thing she could do to save him.

"I will come with you, I swear," said Arianna, the anguish pushing tears from her swollen eyes. "But he needs a hospital. Let me take him to St. Mungo, please!"

"No, Arianna," said Rudenschöld seriously. "Harry Potter chose to die in vain. He was a fool who refused to see that you can never escape me."

"Please!" she implored from the bottom of her heart. "I'll drink whatever potion you give me! I'll do whatever you want! You have my word! Let me save him!"

"Don't you see I am already a merciful man?" answered Rudenschöld’s voice. "I could make his head explode before your eyes. I could eviscerate him in a second… Come with me now and let fate decide if Harry Potter lives or dies."

Harry was unconscious now; his mouth was partly opened, his green eyes closed, his jet black hair sprinkled with snow. The wound she had just healed opened from a corner, and a thick flow of blood travelled down his shoulder and into the stones stained already with the dark red substance.

"Come with me now, or I will finish him," hissed Rudenschöld.

Tears streamed down her face as Arianna clenched Harry’s arms, her soul refusing to be separated from his. She wondered if Draco was dead or alive. If he tried to use the Portkey and made it out before the explosion. If the sorceress arrived in time and rescued him. If she still could use the favour from her and save Harry. 

Arianna took Harry's glasses, perched them lovingly on his nose, and leaned forward until her face was close to his.

"This is not how you die," she whispered. "You will go peacefully in your sleep after a long, sunny day of playing quidditch with your grandchildren many years from now," she kissed his lips softly. "Freyja, Freyja, Freyja." 

Arianna left Harry's wand on his chest and struggled to stand up. 

"Take ten steps forwards," ordered Rudenschöld.

Moving away from Harry was one of the most painful, difficult things she had to do in her entire life. She shook at every step she took. She had been right all along – she was not good for him – her love only put him in danger... It was her fault he was bleeding to death on the cold ground.

When she stopped, Rudenschöld materialised behind her and tied her hands on her back with the same spell he had used. A hex was cast on her. Something began burning on her lower back, and he opened her winter robes and suit jacket and slid a hand behind her, retrieving the spare wand she had taken from the soldier, which she had completely forgotten about. 

Effortlessly Rudenschöld snapped it into two and threw it into the water. He took a compass from his waistcoat and pressed the tip of his wand on her back.

"Walk," he ordered.

Then he guided her through a meandering path lit by the moon. With every step she took, she left a part of her essence behind. It was as if she could hear Harry’s flesh opening and the blood dripping on the stones… his life being drained away.

Further and further into the forest they went until reaching her small stone cottage. By then, Arianna’s emotions had completely shut down. A void on her chest was left, a space where love and hope were once.

The enchantments she had placed were broken by Rudenschöld in a blink of an eye. Then he strode to the door dragging her by the arm. Before opening, he drew a long necklace from his shirt. An amber the size of a galleon hung from it, and he turned the stone on its axis with one hand. A dome made of golden light encapsulated the cabin and the area around it. 

Rudenschöld freed Arianna's hands and entered as she remained on the door threshold. He stained the wooden floors with his boots filled with mud, lightened the fireplace with a flick of his wand, and sat at the small Italian table where her father used to feed her mashed pumpkin while her mother baked peach and almond crostata. He soiled with his filthy presence the memory of her daily baths, her tea times with Harry, and the cherished moment when she knew she carried Draco's baby. She looked down at herself. Her father's suit was stained with Harry's blood. The bracelets, the Astral Ring, and her mother's pearls. All covered on it. 

A dense black storm grew on the void of her chest, filling her veins with sludge and loath. 

Arianna stepped in and closed the door behind her. Rudenschöld had taken off his robes and waistcoat. His white shirt was damped with blood on one side, and he unbuttoned it, revealing two long cuts on the ribs.

"Today, the High Regime was defeated," said Rudenschöld casually as he closed the wounds with his wand. "Movements die, but ideas remain forever, Arianna. Never forget that. It will take me a decade to rebuild it again, and in twenty years, our son will take over."

Slowly she moved towards him as he pulled out Harry's Portkey from his trousers' pocket. 

"I will fix this and take us out of here before the Prime Minister tries to ruin our honeymoon," he said and hit the cube with his wand. 

Arianna stood behind him. From the hidden pocket, she withdrew her obsidian dagger that had been soaked in Venomous Tentacula juice, hindering the wounds from healing without an antidote. 

Ritter Rudenschöld will die tonight.

Her bloody fingers clenched his grey mane and pulled his head back as her right hand quickly aimed for his neck. 

Rudenschöld stopped her wrist an inch from his throat. His pale green eyes looked directly at hers, and a smirk showed on his face.  

"Beautiful," he whispered. "Truly amazing is to witness the birth of a Dark witch. Just like that, Arianna. Own your last name. Be a true Black."

" Ignis Corpora ," cast Arianna.

Her body turned burning hot as the blazing logs on a fireplace. Rudenschöld released her, and she slashed his throat. 

He abruptly went to his feet, stumbling on the table and backing away as a stream of dark blood went down his chest. With his wand, he closed the cut and a spell threw Arianna's knife from her hand. 

She smiled. It will open again soon, just like Harry's wounds have done. 

Rudenschöld grabbed her neck firmly and slammed her hard against the door. Her feet floated several inches from the floor, and he crushed her throat until no air could come in. But he ignored that she did not need oxygen anymore. She was already dead. 

"Ungrateful, silly girl!" he roared, inches from her face. "I'm merciful with you despite everything you have done to me. But that's over now. I've reached my limit. Your little cunt got my son killed, and my bloodline destroyed, your little cunt blew off my castle, and now I will fuck it until it's raw."

The slit on his neck split open. His eyes bulged as blood copiously poured down. He released her to clench his throat and staggered backwards. 

As Rudenschöld cast a spell to close the wound once more, Arianna reached for the doorknob breathing sharply and left outside, searching for air. The cold wind filled her lungs as she placed her hands on her knees and her eyes focused on the golden dome. She could not see beyond it, but someone was on the other side, trying to tear down the barrier with silver bursts that struck against it over and over.

A strong push shoved Arianna to the muddy ground. Rudenschöld laid on her back, dragging her hair and placing a sharp object on her neck.

"If I die, you're dying with me, min fru ," he said and sliced her throat. "You're mine until Death do us part."

He got off and sat next to her as she intuitively seized her throat to stop the blood from escaping her body. She rolled on her back. The wound felt utterly warm. Her vision narrowed and her body weakened by the second as her life streamed from her. Her hand stopped clenching her neck and slid down her chest over her treasured necklace.

Iron and the earthy, green smell of the forest were all she could sense besides the crushing cold. Her mind drifted to the memory of Padfoot playing in the park, Draco's eyes gleaming as he laid next to her on the library floor, Harry kissing her by the Grand Lake, the smell of her mother’s panettone and the sound of music on Christmas morning.

The dome melted down from the top. A majestic silver dragon soared above her, burning the enchantment with its grey fire, and she smiled faintly at the Patronus. A green ray passed by her, and Rudenshchöld collapsed dead on the ground.

Arianna's eyes shut. She thought someone yelled her name. Two arms lifted her to sit, and a hand wrapped around her neck.

"Stay with me, princess," said Draco imploringly. "It's all over. He's gone. You're free."

"Hold her neck tight, Draco," said her mother's voice, hurryingly. "There must be a Cauterising Potion or Essence of Dittany in this box."

Arianna knew she would die. There was no antidote in there. No sorceress could come and save her life. She fought to open her eyes and see him one last time.

Draco breathed heavily and looked at Agata as she fumbled to open the box. Arianna summoned all the little energy she had left to lift her hand and grab his collar. 

Draco’s grey eyes met hers. His grey eyes as beautiful as a blue, snowy morning.  

It all became dark, and Arianna drifted away like a leaf on a river.











Notes:

My dear readers, thanks a million for being in the penultimate chapter of this story. <3

The final chapter might take more than a week to be finished. I ask one last time for a bit of patience with this writer.

Love you all!

Chapter 47: Winter Solstice

Notes:

Here we stand at the end of The Last Black! Forty-seven chapters, 220 922 words, over ten months of posting and more than a year writing!

Thanks a million to all of you who have read this far! Thank you for the comments, the kudos, the bookmarks and subscriptions. For patiently waited for weekly updates, binge reading, or reading at your own pace.

This is the last chapter of this fic, but not the end of this story. For upcoming works, please check the ending notes.

Happy reading! I'm gonna miss you all!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twenty-One Months Later.

 

It was the day of a long-expected wedding. The couple spared no expense. They hired the best chef in the country, the Prague Enchanted Orchestra, and they got the venue of their dreams. It caused great surprise in the magical community that the Hogwarts headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, had agreed to lend the Great Hall for the occasion during the winter break. It had been none other than her close friend, the Prime Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had asked the favour on behalf of the bride, with whom he shared a very tight relationship. 

The renowned event and wedding planner Pansy Parkinson took the challenge and the couple's high expectations. She took the Yule Ball from the Three Wizards Tournament as her inspiration and transformed the Great Hall into a winter paradise brushed with a dash of spring.  

The long wooden tables were exchanged for crystal circular ones with matching chairs, where elegant white peonies centrepieces and silver candle holders rested upon them. On the snowy enchanted ceiling, chandeliers floated together with candles. The stone walls were covered with mirrors, making the room seem three times bigger and white cherry trees grew next to the columns, their flowers blossoming and closing slowly and continuously. 

The evening was marked by a relentless snowstorm, and a welcoming tent was placed on the main gates where the guests Apparated and waited for an ornamented carriage pulled by white Clydesdale horses to drive them into the castle's doorsteps. 

After the ceremony, officiated by the Prime Minister itself, seven delicious French dishes were served before the orchestra changed its tune into a waltz, the tables magically moved to the side while others disappeared, and the bridal couple opened the dance floor, followed by the rest of the guests.

A slender figure in a dark blue dress stood near the wall holding a tiny dark-haired baby, rocking him slowly to the sound of the music while looking at Blair in her wedding ball gown waltzing with her new husband, Blaise Zabini.

Arianna enjoyed babysitting little Magnus while his parents danced somewhere in the room. He wore a green velvet robe with matching magic earmuffs that blocked the noise. And as he peacefully rested on her chest, she peeked into his sleepy fascinating eyes. Baby Magnus was born with sectoral heterochromia; his eyes were half blue and half amber. A genetic mutation that, in this case, indicated he was conceived by three people. As Arianna told Theo before giving him the array of potions – magic always leaves traces. 

She gave the three-month-old baby a gentle kiss on his head that smelled like heaven and looked at herself in the mirrored wall. She wore a navy blue dress thoroughly embroidered with beads and sequins, cut with a v-neck and high thigh slit. A thick diamond choker hugged her neck, and her mane was in a bun. And although her attire was rather shiny, she thought nothing glitter more than her skin filled with dark freckles.

While contemplating herself, she wondered if she would get to be a mother this time.

The pain she felt when waking up in a hospital bed after Rudenschöld cut her throat and finding all her spots gone was indescribable. Until this day, her mind wondered what her baby would have looked like, how old he would be, and which name she would have given him. 

Her fear for the last couple of months was to wake up to see her skin smooth... without constellations.

"He's gone," said a voice in her head. "You're free. It will be different this time."

There was no Dark wizard hovering over her like a grey cloud, no one who hindered her from dreaming, growing or loving. 

She was starting a family with a man she loved, and for over a year, she had been studying to become a Healer while continuing to be involved in the Remus Lupin Foundation. Her friendships were steady, her relationship with her mother strong, her heart and mind at peace.

Her reflection smiled back at her before turning her eyes to the dance floor from where Kron happily emerged and headed their way. He was elegantly dressed and with his dark hair loose, reaching below his shoulders.

"Has he given you trouble?" he asked when reaching their side.

"Not at all," said Arianna, eyeing lovingly at Magnus. "He's a little angel."

"You should see him when he's hungry – It's like having a hundred mandrakes in the room," chuckled Kron. "Anyhow, thanks for watching him. I can take this little guy."

He extended his arms to hold the baby.

"Just a little longer," said Arianna, turning the child away from Kron. 

Kron placed his hands on his hips and lifted his eyebrows.

Theo came from behind Arianna and stood next to her. As usual, he looked impeccable and attractive and grinned at her with his dashing smile.

"Hand over baby Magnus, dear," he said, opening his palms. "I found him a more permanent babysitter, and it's time for you to enjoy the night."

"Who is this babysitter?" asked Arianna contemptuously. "Is Pansy allowing this? Because only a handful of people are certified by her to hold the baby, and I'm one of them."

Theo and Kron exchanged a look and laughed.

"Madam Pomfrey will take the baby to her chambers so he can get a proper nap, darling," explained Theo. "And dear Pansy hasn't had a cocktail in a year, and it seems she wants to catch up today, so she is not truly on mother's duty right now."

Unwillingly, Arianna offered the baby to Theo, who took it and placed it against his chest. The child moved slightly, getting comfortable in his father's arms. Theo stroked Magnus' head gently.

"With my looks and Pansy's unyielding determination, baby Magnus would rule over Hogwarts one day," he said proudly, glancing around the Great Hall. Then she leaned close to Arianna and whispered. "And if he gets Astor's brains, all the other kids are screwed."

Arianna chuckled, and Theo excused himself, leaving to find Madam Pomfrey. Kron stayed behind, and both watched the guests mindlessly on the dancefloor. 

"Does it bother you?" asked Arianna bluntly. "That Pansy married Theo, and no one knows you two are actually together."

"Honestly? It doesn't," said Korn shrugging, keeping his eyes straightforward. "Marriage is just a piece of paper she and Theodore needed to solve their problems," he looked at her. "I know Pansy loves me. We live together as if she was my wife, even if everyone thinks I'm only renting their pool house. We have a kid even if he doesn't look like me or has my last name," he leaned closer to her. "I just need hers and Magnus's love. I just need the people close to me to know the true nature of our relationship. I'm happy. I am. Truly."

"I'm glad," said Arianna, smiling. 

"And a piece of advice," he added, lifting an eyebrow. "Stop avoiding Draco and have an honest talk with him."

"I'm not avoiding him," quarrelled Arianna. "But today is not–"

"Shit!" exclaimed Kron, looking over her head.

"What?" she asked, gazing back. 

"Pansy is moving towards the bar unsupervised," said Kron. "Gotta go!"

He rushed away. Arianna turned and saw him past a couple moving towards her. Parvati and Harry walked arm in arm, laughing. She wore a beautiful red sari while Harry was very handsome in his dinner suit. 

"I'm sorry, Parv," Harry said, trying to drown his smile and failing. "I should've asked you to dance at least once at the Yule Ball."

"Don't stress about it! It was ten years ago!" exclaimed Parvati, smearing a tear from the corner of her eye. "I had a great time that night, seriously! Plus, today, you've finally paid your debt," she turned to see Arianna. "Arianna Black in the flesh!" she let Harry go and hugged her. "Congratulations on the baby and the wedding! I'm so sorry I missed it! Padma told me it was lovely!" she held her arms and stared at her happily. "Are you still Arianna Black? or should I call you Mrs–"

"It's still Black," interrupted Arianna promptly, more sharply than she wanted. "I'm not changing my last name."

"Oh!" exclaimed Parvati, letting her go and throwing a confused glance at Harry. "Well, good! … How modern of you."

Arianna exchanged a look with Harry, who was struggling not to laugh. He knew how much she was annoyed by the question, and the stares filled with surprise. 

"It took me twenty-two years to finally get my father's last name," explained Arianna calmly. "I'm not going to toss it away… Perhaps in another twenty-two years, I will reconsider."

"Oh, well, yes, of course," said Parvati nervously and grabbed Harry's arm. "And congratulations to you too, Harry! Have you settled on a name for the baby?"

"Er…" uttered Harry, caught off guard. "Yeah… James."

"Oh! How lovely! Like your dad!" said Parvati, almost jumping. 

"James Sirius, actually," added Harry.

"Oh! Like your dad!" exclaimed Parvati, looking at Arianna.

Arianna nodded slowly, "But don't you think Sirius James sounds better?" asked Arianna teasingly, eyeing Harry, who smirked and lifted an eyebrow. "'Sirius' is more original. You have to give me that."

"I feel like everyone is popping out children, and I cannot even keep a steady boyfriend!" complained Parvati, deflating. "Pansy and Theo already have one. Hermionie is planning hers; she had read sixty-seven maternity books last time I spoke with her. And I just saw Draco and Astoria by the entrance. She is huge! She is tall and slim like a twig, and then there's this big ball on her belly. She looks like a snake that ate a big orange," she took a deep breath. "Anyway, I'm babbling. I promised Professor Trelawney that I'll visit her in her tower and tell her about my travels."

Parvati left, and Arianna fidgeted with her necklace. It had been bothering her all day.

"Just take it off," said Harry tiredly for the umpteenth time that evening.

"No," said Arianna, scratching under the jewel. "Then everyone will be staring at the horrible scar that crosses my neck."

Harry sighed, stood behind her and unclasped the necklace, "Stop hiding it," he said as he had been telling her for the last twenty months. "It shows how brave you are."

"I don't know if 'brave' is the word you're looking for," answered Arianna, touching her neck and glancing at the mirrored wall. The scar was long and perfectly horizontal. 

She twisted her mouth, both uncomfortable by seeing it and feeling better without the heavy jewel Harry shoved in his trousers pocket.

He put his hand on the back of her neck, "You still look gorgeous."

Arianna looked up to meet his kind green eyes. "Did you save a dance for me?" she asked. 

Harry smiled, taking her hand, "You know I'm not a great dancer."

"You're better than you think you are, Potter," she said and dragged him deep into the busy dance floor.

Harry put a hand on her lower back, seized her hand with the other, and kept it close to his chest. They moved slower than the couples around them. He had this peaceful stare and soft smile as his eyes rested upon hers.

"You look happy," said Arianna, grinning back at him.

"I'm happy."

"Good," she said, feeling cheerful knowing that.

"Are you?" asked Harry, searching her eyes. "Are you happy?"

"I am," said Arianna honestly. 

"Good," said Harry. "Just checking."

"James Sirius," uttered Arianna pensively. "Are you aware those are the names of two of the biggest troublemakers in Hogwarts?"

"Really?" asked Harry, faking surprise. "I had no idea."

"He's gonna get detention five minutes after putting a foot on the castle." 

"You have too little faith, Black."

She felt they barely moved, swinging slowly from one side to the other while the rest of the dancers spun around them. Arianna closed the small gap between them and rested her cheek over his shoulder.

"You're going to be a wonderful dad," she whispered, feeling so calm in his arms.

"You're going to be a rather scary mom," said Harry.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" complained Arianna, moving back.

Harry chuckled and pulled her closer. "That you are very protective."

The song ended, and the next one started. Arianna looked over her shoulder, wondering where Draco was. She knew Kron was right, she owed Draco an honest talk, but considering how angry he was, the best thing was she waited until the next day.

"Blair and Blaise were very clear that they don't want any scenes at the wedding with Draco," she said. "But you know how he is, and although he's mad at me, you're kind of in the splash zone."

"I can handle him," said Harry confidently.

"I know you can," huffed Arianna. "But if he comes by, which he will, and he's rude, don't… kindle the fire."

Harry chuckled, "I'll be on best behaviour, I swear."

The air grew slightly heavier, and his dance partner tensed a bit. Arianna did not want to spoil the night and smiled at him.

"You know," she said. "We can dance faster. I'm pregnant, not seasick."

Harry laughed, took her hand and spun her quickly, over and over. Arianna giggled uncontrollably until she saw a tall, blond man in a blur. She recognised him instantly and counted the seconds.

One

Two

Three

"Potter!" called Draco over the music. 

Arianna stopped spinning, and, slightly dizzy, she held onto Harry's suit jacket and looked over to the edge of the dance floor. Draco's lips were pursed together, and Blaise stood next to him, holding the bridge of his nose. Resolutely, Harry took Arianna's hand and went to meet him.

Draco's eyes drifted briefly to the tiny bump in her stomach as they walked before returning his attention to Harry.

"You told me you will not make a scene," whispered Blaise, leaning towards Draco.

"Then you should've let me take a walk on the grounds, isn't it?" Draco said between his teeth and looked at Harry when he and Arianna stopped in front of him. "I heard congratulations are in order, Potter."

Arianna folded her arms. 

"Well, thank you, Malfoy," said Harry impassively, either unaware of his sarcasm or too joyful to care. "Congratulations to you too." 

"For the sake of your child, I hope he doesn't get your hair," said Draco scornfully.

Arianna and Blaise rolled their eyes.

Harry bit down a smile, "We're all praying for his mother's hair."

"Draco, can we talk?" asked Arianna, understanding this could not wait any longer.

"No," he answered without looking at her. "Blaise doesn't want scenes at his wedding."

Arianna took a deep breath, aware that this was all her fault, then touched Harry's arm and kissed him on the cheek, "I'll look for you later," she approached Draco and said. "Follow me."

Decisively she strode to a faraway window next to a cherry tree where the people and the noise were minimum. And although she never gazed back, she knew her husband reluctantly shadowed her. When reaching the wall, she turned around to find him a few steps away, refusing to meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry, alright?!" said Arianna, extending her arms. "I handled things terribly. Please forgive me!"

"You went behind my back, Arianna," said Draco in a slow voice. "I was very clear about this, and you still went and met him behind my back."

"You have to give your father a second chance!" she exclaimed with a hint of exasperation.

"I cannot believe you're on his side!" said Draco, turning to face her. "After everything he has done!"

"Everyone deserves a second chance," said Arianna firmly, folding her arms. "Your dad loves you but has terrible communication skills."

"He only loves his manor, and he can rot on it," answered Draco, bothered, gazing over the window. 

"If he didn't love you, he wouldn't have helped you get rid of Odysseus Greengrass, and you would be married to Astoria instead of me."

"He did that to save the manor– his legacy– not me." 

"You're his legacy, Draco!" exclaimed Arianna. "And he sees that now. That's why he owls you twice a week with the most absurd excuses– He misses you!"

"He's trying to manipulate as he always does," said Draco, his eyes going to hers. "For Merlin's beard, Arianna. He says that if we don't move to the manor, he will change the Malfoy's laws, so I cannot be the Head of the House when the twins are born," he snorted and shook his head. "I don't give a fuck about that. I don't want him close to our children for him to fill their little heads with his insane ideas."

"Don't you see this is a desperate attempt to have you closer?" asked Arianna, grabbing his arm. "He wants to make things right with you – With us – Even your mother thinks that," she hesitated for a second. "I would be dead if it wasn't for him."

Draco shut his eyes, "Don't–"

"It's true!" she continued. "If he hadn't instructed your mother to soak the Astral Ring in Venomous Tentacula juice before giving it to you, the Essence of Dittany would not have worked, and I would have bled to death!"

"Should I remind you he thought I was giving the ring to Astoria?" asked Draco, rather annoyed.

"It doesn't matter," she said, shaking her head and looking into the deep of his grey eyes. "You saved my life by choosing me."

Draco's walls and anger began crumbling, and his stare turned soft. He pulled her waist, pressing her against him and making Arianna feel instantly safe and loved by having him close.

"You always have to protect your Queen," he whispered and kissed her forehead. "You saved me too."

"The sorceress did," clarified Arianna.

"You sent her to me," he said, looking at her with adoration. "But I didn't mean that. You saved my soul, you saved me from my own darkness… You're everything I want, you're giving me all I ever wanted, and I thought I would never have. I want you to be happy and safe, I want our children to be happy and safe… but my father…."

"He's trying to change, Draco," said Arianna, touching his cheek. "He's finally starting to see what is important to him now that he has lost it all."

Draco rested his forehead on hers, going quiet for a long moment. He was like his name and his Patronus, on the outside and for the untrained eye, a large creature with scaly skin that breathed fire, on the inside, protective, loving and caring of the ones he held dear. Highly misunderstood creatures were dragons, had said Hagrid more than once. 

"Love, I don't want you to wake up one day full of regret and realise that it is too late to fix things with your father," whispered Arianna. "Just talk to him… I don't want our children to be born in a broken family."

Draco pressed his lips against her temple. "I'll visit him tomorrow," he said. "But I don't promise anything."

" Grazie ," whispered Arianna, who, since she found out of her pregnancy, thought it imperative to fix the broken links in the Malfoy family. She lifted her gaze and said. "I heard you were talking to Astoria."

"She wanted to let me know she and Cassius are moving back to England," explained Draco, looking away for a second. "And…and to thank me for convincing her to rebel against her father and be part of the plan… Her parents still don't talk to her, but she's doing good."

"Good for her," said Arianna genuinely. 

The hatred for each other had mellowed down considerably after that day. If Astoria had not decided to help on the wedding day, Draco would be married to her. The complete account of the events that transpired that evening was a mystery to Arianna as everyone involved in the plan had taken an Unbreakable Vow. Only a few details she knew, like that Draco had been briefly and willingly poisoned, Warrington had polyjuiced into him and married Astoria, Lucius had taken care of the officiant for this to happen, and Astoria had taken the blame for all of it once the identity of the man she actually married came out. Hence, forcing her father to accept the Malfoys' counteroffer and finally get Odysseus' silence. 

Draco turned Arianna and hugged her waist from the back as they stared at the heavy snowfall that covered the castle's grounds. His hands touched her stomach, caressing it.

"Are we sure we're having twins?" he asked. 

"According to four experienced Healers and me, we are… And it makes perfect sense."

"Why?" he asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Because everything is dual with you, love," she explained, turning her head upwards to find him smiling. 

"I could say the same about you, princess," he whispered and kissed her nose.

He rubbed her arms, and both kept looking through the window at the quidditch pitch silhouette, thinking of the both exciting and somewhat scary times to come. 

"You never told me what you said about me when my name came up in Veela's Verdict," Draco said. "It was 'kill', wasn't it?"

"I said 'snitch'," answered Arianna.

"What?" he chuckled.

"People think you can only choose A, B or C," explained Arianna. "But sometimes you can choose secret option D."

"And what's that?"

Arianna looked at him. "Kill Draco Malfoy, snog Draco Malfoy, and marry Draco Malfoy."

"Aren't you greedy?" asked Draco, his smile growing bigger. "I guess three out of three, then."

"I haven't killed you yet," she laughed.

"You kill me every day with those bewitching eyes of yours," he answered and kissed her. 

Arianna turned, slid her arms over his shoulders, and continued kissing him as Draco's hands went to her butt. The heat began increasing despite the rather chilly day, and she questioned if snogging passionately was considered "making a scene" according to Blair and Blaise. 

She stopped, his lips lingering on hers, "Wanna hump on the Restricted Section?"

Draco laughed. "I'm not humping my beautiful pregnant wife in the Restricted Section."

"You're such a drag, love," said Arianna and nibbled his lower lip. "Haven't you heard you're supposed to keep mommy happy?"

"Oh… and want to keep mommy happy," he said, and his voice became low like a purr in her ear. "I want to take her home, lay her down on the Egyptian cotton sheets as soft as her skin, and fuck her real good."

Arianna felt her temperature rising ten degrees more. "As incredibly tempting as that sounds," she sighed. "I think Mr and Mrs Zabini would hex us if we leave their beloved wedding so early."

"Screw them." 

"Do you want to hear Blaise complaining about it until we die?"

Draco groaned, "Fine! We'll stay a little longer," he said and smiled. "Do you care for a dance, love?"

They waltzed for half an hour and then took a break by the bar to chat with the bridal couple, Theo, Pansy, Kron, Padma, and Cho. As all the ladies decided to hit the dance floor and the gentlemen to drink another glass of Firewhisky, Draco leaned close to Arianna and whispered, "One last drink with the boys, and we go home. Sounds good?"

"Sure," said Arianna and glanced around the room. "I told Harry I'll look for him, plus, he has my necklace."

Draco looked down at his glass, "Tell him I'm sorry for snapping like that." 

"Of course," she said and kissed his cheek. "I'll meet you at the front doors in twenty minutes."

Then she searched for Harry in the Great Hall for around five minutes and saw no trace of him. Had he left without saying goodbye? Had Ginny gone into labour a week earlier than expected, and he left in a hurry? 

Arianna opened her hidden, magical pocket that she still carried everywhere. On it, there was her obsidian dagger, her antidote C, and the Marauder's Map. She pulled out the old parchment and stepped outside the Great Hall. 

With her wand, she tapped the map and said, " I solemnly swear that I am up to no good ." 

A map of the castle materialised on the parchment and she quickly scanned it, finding a lonely dot that read "Harry Potter" on the third floor inside the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. 

" Mischief managed ," she muttered, and the parchment went blank.

Carefully she placed the map in her pocket and went to look for him. She walked the stone hallways and stairs where portraits followed her with their eyes, and some whispered to their neighbour as she passed by. 

The classroom room was partly open, gently lit by a floor candelabra by the entrance. Sitting over the desk was Harry reading a copy of "The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection" by Quentin Trimble. Arianna knocked twice and pushed the door gently.

"Professor Potter," she said playfully. "May I come in?"

Harry lifted his head, slightly confused and chuckled when seen her, "You may, Miss Black."

Arianna stepped inside and locked the door behind her. 

"Who are we hiding from?" she asked.

"No one," said Harry and rolled his eyes. "Slughorn. He would not let me go." 

Arianna chuckled and slowly approached until she stood in front of him.

"All good?" asked Harry, leaving the book over the desk. 

She nodded, "He's sorry for snapping on you."

Harry exhaled. "This is the last time I lie to Malfoy for you."

"I'm sorry," Arianna apologised for the second time in the evening. "I shouldn't have made you cover for me while visiting Lucius."

"I don't mind lying for you, Anna… but not to Malfoy," he said and looked down at his knees. "Not after the very peculiar situation we are all in… I don't want him to– to stop trusting me and change his mind."

Arianna took a couple of steps, standing between his legs as her palms traced his arms, shoulders and neck. Harry grabbed her hips and dragged her closer to him.

Their gaze locked on each other as she touched the back of his head.

"Draco is not going to change his mind, and neither am I," whispered Arianna. "Draco respects you and us… and the feelings for each other. And he does because he has witnessed the lengths you are willing to go for me. To keep me safe."

Her hand slid inside his suit jacket and touched his chest; through the shirt, she could feel the large scar that the Acid Hex had left. And she felt utterly grateful her mother and Draco had found him by the lake before it was too late.

"I don't want to break that trust he has in me," said Harry earnestly. "I won't lie to him."

"I'll never ask you to do it again," said Arianna sincerely. "I promise."

 His arms pulled her closer and hugged her as his lips searched for her neck and kissed her scar. Arianna embraced him, sinking her fingers in his hair.

For almost two years, Arianna felt like she had two different lives. She and Draco lived in their luxurious penthouse in London, in the blast of music, between the pages of a book, on exotic lands and in the dim lights of fine restaurants. Harry and Arianna existed in the whisper of the trees, on the freshness of the river, between the branches of the forest, on her small cottage in the woods, in the afternoon tea.

But dark thoughts had been haunting her for months, and the shadow of the imminent fear of losing Harry hovered over her, and she held him closer.

Harry moved back, and his green eyes searched hers. 

"Tell me what is bothering you," he asked, reading her mind as he always did. 

Arianna hesitated momentarily, "I'm afraid things will change between us once the children are born."

"We won't let that happen," said Harry, shoving a loose curl behind her ear. 

"I'm scared Ginny would change her mind once James is born," she whispered. 

"She won't," said Harry confidently. 

"Merlin, you're such an optimist, Potter," whispered Arianna, touching her forehead. "The situation with Draco and Ginny is completely different. To Draco, I can openly say I'm going to see you, whereas for Ginny," she sighed. "She has accepted this because she loves you, and she feels in debt towards me for saving your life, but Ginny also blames me for putting you at risk and… ruining her fairytale."

Arianna covered her face. She felt so blessed they had worked it out for so long with any issues, but there were these amazing changes in their life that would alter their whole dynamic. 

Harry took her wrists and pulled them slowly down. 

"You can never lose me, Anna," he reminded her as he often did when she began losing hope.

Her fear eased up. Arianna pushed his hair back, "I love you, Harry."

Harry stood up without taking his eyes off hers and brushed his nose on hers before kissing her. 

"I've been thinking," he said and pressed his lips softly against hers. "You remember the time when we came here to use the Pensieve?"

"Was that you?" she asked, and both chuckled. "I remember."

"You told me you would love to teach Potions," he said, moving his head back slightly to see her better. "Do you still want that?"

"Some day, yes," said Arianna, nodding and glancing around. "I would love to come back here."

"It wouldn't suck to take a break from the ministry for a few years and teach Defence Against the Dark Arts."

Arianna smirked, "The position is no longer jinxed, so why not?"

"Would you come with me?" asked Harry, and she could tell he had been waiting to suggest that for a while. "Once the kids are a bit older."

"You got yourself a deal, Potter," said Arianna, grabbing the collar of his suit jacket and sealing her promise with a deep kiss. 

He hugged her closer and held her head. And as Arianna felt she craved more of him, she tilted her head back before things dangerously escalated, and Peeves found them and spread the word around the castle. 

Arianna cleared her throat, "I told Draco I would meet him at the main entrance," she said. "Would you stay here longer?"

Harry shook his head, "Let's go," he said, stepping back. "Slughorn threatened to introduce me to everyone he knows at the party."

They left the classroom and made their way down as she told Harry she was considering taking a break from her Healer studies after the twins were born, while he said to her that Hermione thought he should babyproof his house, whereas Ron said it was too soon to do that.

When they reached the front door, Draco waited, leaning on the wall with his coat on and holding Arianna's black fur. He stood up straight when they came closer, nodded politely at Harry, and placed the garment over Arianna's shoulders as she put on her leather gloves.

"Shall we?" asked Arianna when ready and moved towards the entrance.

A carriage stood at the feet of the stairs as the horses endured the snowstorm. Harry was the first to climb down, opened the carriage door and waited next to it. Arianna and Draco followed him as she held onto him tightly so she would not slip on the stairs. The icy wind froze her bones and she clenched her coat around her neck while the snow covered them.

"Go inside, Harry. It's freezing," she said, going down.

After hesitating slightly, Harry climbed inside.

Draco helped Arianna do the same when they reached the last step and followed her.

"Couldn't they have done a June wedding like everyone else?" complained Arianna, sitting next to Harry, who was utterly covered in snow for the five extra seconds he had been outside.

Draco closed the carriage door, "Still better than their insane idea of doing it on top of a volcano in Southeast Asia during monsoon season."

"True," said Arianna and drew her wand, casting a drying spell on all of them.

"How does this thing work?" asked Harry, inspecting around. "How do we tell the horses we want to go to the main gates?"

Suddenly, the carriage began moving, taking the path down to the castle's gates.

"Did you get my owl, Potter?" asked Draco.

"Yeah, but I don't know how to solve that," answered Harry.

"Solve what?" said Arianna.

"Teddy's Christmas present," explained Draco.

"What about it?" asked Arianna.

"Since he started speaking, he has asked for a Christmas with all of us," explained Harry. "We usually take turns– One year, he celebrates Christmas at the Burrow and Boxing Day at the Malfoy manor, and vice versa the next year."

Arianna chuckled, "He wants to mingle the Malfoys and the Weasleys? Well, isn't he ambitious?"

"Naturally, there's no way the Weasleys would put a foot on the manor, especially with Father there," said Draco, glancing outside the window. "And my mother doesn't feel comfortable going to the Burrow."

"Plus, having Zabini and the Notts hanging in there sounds ridiculous," added Harry. "So we're looking for a neutral place where everyone feels equally comfortable. I thought about my house, but Ginny might go into labour any day now." 

"Kings' and my mom's house would be a good option," said Arianna. "But they have to host a dinner for the ministry on Christmas Eve."

"We can rent a place," suggested Draco. "Some house in Scotland, perhaps."

"What about Grimmauld Place?" questioned Arianna. "It's a fairly neutral house. The Weasleys lived there for a summer. They are familiar with it. Cissy and Andy know the place quite well since they frequented it often when they were younger as it belonged to their family. The dining room and drawing room might be big enough to host everyone… even if we will be outnumbered by redheads."

"It might be better to keep it smaller," said Harry. "Just Teddy's core family. Andromeda, Narcissa, Ron, Hermione, you two, Ginny and me."

The carriage stopped in front of the main gates. There was a short silence where everyone seemed absorbed in their thoughts.

Draco looked at his watch, "It's still early," he said, looking at Arianna and then at Harry. "Shall we get a drink at the Three Broomsticks and sort this out?"

"I can stay a bit longer," said Harry, shrugging. 

"Brilliant!" said Arianna joyfully. "I've been craving Madam Rosmerta's hot chocolate for a few weeks. I'm dying for a big cup of it." 

The horses began pulling, and they went down the road that led to Hogsmeade. Harry and Draco started discussing the upcoming quidditch season, and as usual, Arianna zoomed out of the conversation, feeling slightly weary as it turned out that growing two babies took a lot of energy. 

Arianna rested her head on Harry's shoulder and held Draco's hand. The sound of their voices and scents suited her as simmering Amortentia would do. There was little she could ask for; she had everything she needed. There was no Dark wizard on the horizon but peace, freedom and love. And there were two men who would give their life for her and hers for them.

Her other hand went to her belly. A warm, joyful light engulfed her, imagining her children in her arms. Arianna smiled – She would no longer be the last Black.













Notes:

I've been toying with the idea of writing a sequel, the details haven't been determined yet, but so far, the thought is to write it from two different POVs and perhaps centre a bit more on Harry/Arianna since I feel TLB was more focused on Draco/Arianna.

I might write a small parallel fic from another character's POV before the sequel to enrich the story, or maybe a prequel about Sirius and Agata (this one could also be written after the sequel).

I haven't settled on anything yet, but suggestions, opinions and thoughts are more than welcome! Perhaps I should end this tale here and begin something different?

Lastly, if you want to read these new projects, I suggest subscribing to my profile since I don't have any other way of communicating when posting something (what platform do fanfic writers use these days? lol). If you don't have an account, you can check my profile at the end of September or early October. Hopefully, I'll have some new material by then.

Once again—Thank you for being part of this journey!

 

 

UPDATE! (Oct 3rd/22)

I started writing a spin-off and midway realised it conflicted with the sequel, so I’ve decided to pause it for now and focus on the sequel.
I still don’t have a date when I will begin posting, but I hope I will start this autumn.
Kisses!

UPDATE! (Oct 31st/22)
I've started posting the sequel, "Unattainable Dawn". Check it out and see if something you're interested in. ;)