NIGHTMARE ₁, Harry Potter °

vii. 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘵

THE FIREBOLT

- ( chapter seven. ) -

Aurora didn't have a very clear idea of how she and Harry had managed to get back into the Honeydukes cellar, through the tunnel, and into the castle once more. All she knew was that the return trip seemed to take no time at all, and that she hardly noticed what she was doing, because her head was still pounding with the conversation she had just heard.

Harry remained eerily silent. Aurora kept shooting him off glances.

Ron and Hermione watched Harry nervously all through dinner, not daring to talk about what they'd overheard, because Percy was sitting close by them. When they went upstairs to the crowded common room, it was to find Fred and George had set off half a dozen Dungbombs in a fit of end-of-term high spirits.

Aurora, who didn't want Fred and George asking her whether they'd reached Hogsmeade or not, sneaked quietly up to the empty dormitory and headed straight for her bedside cabinet. She pushed her books aside and quickly found what he was looking for - the black stuffed animal her grandfather had given her as a child.

She ran her fingers over its tattered ear and fluffy coat of ebony black fur. If it were placed on any surface, it would begin to run around for ten minutes until it would settle down and curl up like a real dog would.

Her thought drifted over to her father. The Dementors don't affect him, Aurora thought, staring into the grey eyes of the teddy. He doesn't have to hear my Mum screaming if they get too close —

Aurora reached over and stuffed the teddy back into her cabinet, took off her robe and got into bed, making sure the hangings were hiding her from view.

"Rory?" said Hermione's voice uncertainly.

But Aurora lay still, pretending to be asleep. She heard Hermione leave again, and rolled over on her back, her eyes wide open.

A fear such as she had never known before was coursing through Aurora like poison. She could see Black laughing at her through the darkness, as though somebody had pasted the picture from the wanted poster over her eyes. She watched, as though somebody was playing her a piece of film, Sirius Black blasting Peter Pettigrew (who resembled Neville Longbottom) into a thousand pieces. She could hear (though having no idea what Black's voice might sound like) a low, excited mutter. "It has happened, My Lord...the Potters have made me their Secret-Keeper" and then came another voice, laughing shrilly....

"Aurora, you — you look awful."

"Thanks 'Mione." She grumbled.

Aurora hadn't slept until daybreak. She had awoken to find the dormitory deserted, dressed, and gone down the spiral staircase to a common room that was completely empty except for Ron, who was eating a Peppermint Toad and massaging his stomach, Harry, who was staring into the fireplace and Hermione, who had spread her homework over three tables.