Venom & Virtue

chapter 14

I ambled through the archway of the courtyard, the fall detritus crunching underfoot.

October had always been one of the months that I preferred, with its warm colours and shifting landscape.

It had been a particularly nice time at the Ministry too; a snugness brought about by the large fireplace that was sustained in the lobby, its magical heat spreading throughout the entire building.

The atmosphere made a pleasant change to the rest of the year, when employees were too focused on work to enjoy each other's company.

But in autumn, everything seemed to slow down a fraction, providing more opportunities to invest in conversing during lunch breaks.

The memories made me miss Kingsley for the first time since his departure.

I'd thrown myself so far into my new life, that I'd almost forgotten he was halfway across the world, likely in danger on some complicated auror mission.

I knew that if he had been able to see me in my current state of contentment, he would've been gleeful; satisfied in his decision to enrol me in school.

But I didn't have the energy to resent him for his smugness, I even missed it significantly. It had always been entertaining, especially when I was able to prove him wrong.

Whilst I made my way into the yard, my mind drifted to the image of his office.

I wondered what it looked like now, absent of both of us. Dark and cold no doubt.

I thought particularly about the large portrait that hung above his desk; a depiction of his mother in all her glory.

It had been one of my favourite parts of the room, her poised figure resting in an armchair, wrapped in intricately embroidered purple robes.

I wondered to myself if she still sat there, waiting for her son to return, or if she had departed from the frame to another, keen to avoid loneliness.

"Seraphina!"

I looked up at the sound of my name being called, noticing that I'd made it halfway across the courtyard whilst wrapped up in my thoughts.

Theo, Pansy and Draco were a little distance away, each staring at me with a different expression.

Both of the boys had skateboards at their feet, Pansy sat behind them on one of the stone benches.

I raised an eyebrow slightly as I took in Draco's outfit.

It was much more casual than usual, black jeans, a crewneck jumper and a layer of silver chains around his neck.

It was strange in a sense, he almost looked soft, cosy, inviting.

As I stared, he turned away, mounting the board with ease as he began to roll around the space, pausing only to do a trick mid-push.

Theo came strolling over whilst I watched, a wide grin on his face.

Since our encounter at the Hufflepuff party, he'd begun to acknowledge me occasionally; a small hello if we passed in the corridor or a friendly smile at mealtimes.

I knew Draco had picked up on it from the odd looks he threw us, obvious confusion about how we had come to be genial towards one another.

I made sure to ignore him for the most part, it wasn't his business to know after all.

"Hey Theo," I smiled back.

"Where are you coming from on this fine day?"

"Nowhere really, I went for a walk around the grounds to get some fresh air. How about you guys?"