Cigarette Daydreams- ꜱɪʀɪᴜꜱ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋꜱ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ

11.

The days that followed the break in went in a blur. All around the school there were signs of tighter security; the Fat Lady's portrait - the portrait that guards the entrance to the Gryffindor common room - had been replaced by a pudgy wizard called Sir Cadogan, who would spend his days challenging people to duels and making up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed about three times a week.

Whats worse was that Aurora could no longer wander outside unsupervised for a cheeky smoke in between classes, what with the new rules regarding exactly when and where you could leave the castle. Instead, she had taken to hiding out in small alcoves and hidden chambers underneath a disillusionment charm. She hadn't been caught yet, but it was only a matter of time before the smell of smoke became too pungent and gave her away. There were spells that could change the scent of the fumes, of course, but Aurora was too lazy to look them up; besides, she wanted to see how long it would take for somebody to sniff her out. She'd bet ten galleons that it would be Snape - his nose was ginormous, and he might as well use it - but she hadn't anybody to bet with. She didn't have ten galleons, either.

Before she knew it, it was November seventh - Aurora's sixteenth birthday. As usual, she recieved a grand total of one present (sent ' anonymously' from Minnie, it was even wrapped in tartan wrapping paper). A large tub of Aurora's favorite shortbread biscuits - she would always scoff them when Minnie invited her into her office for tea (detention), and so she was more than satisfied with this years birthday haul. Even if it was the same as the year before. 

Unfortunately, Aurora's first class of the day was double potions; so naturally, she decided to bunk off. There was no way in hell that she was going to spend two hours on her birthday with a hook nosed professor who couldn't tell the difference between shampoo and a vat of grease. 

Instead, Aurora spent the morning getting stoned in the second floor girls lavatories - where her and Myrtle spent their time chatting and spreading rumors about some of the annoying ass first year Gryffindors, who were behaving even more obnoxiously than the first years before them. And the first years before them included Colin Creevey - the bar was pretty high. 

Aurora was pretty relaxed - understatement of the century -  as she wondered to the kitchens for lunch afterwards. She trotted to the Hufflepuff corridor clumsily, attempted to tickle the Pear - accidentally tickling a painting of a foul old man instead - correctly and eventually, after about ten minutes, managed to stumble into the kitchens unharmed. Well, almost unharmed.

She was greeted by her favorite house elf - Tinky - who happily skipped over and stood eagerly by the door. Aurora smiled at her, Tinky was one of the younger elves, and she was known to have severe social anxiety - or whatever the elf equivalent was - but she was always happy to help Aurora. She admired her dedication.

"Miss Aurora! Miss Aurora!" Tinky squealed, bounding over and attaching herself to Auroras legs, "Tinky is ever so pleased to see Miss Aurora! Ohhhh Miss Aurora! How Tinky has missed Miss Aurora! Tinky isn't wandering where Miss Aurora was - oh no! Tinky is a good elf! Tinky just loves Miss Aurora! Oh how Tinky is!" 

"I love you too Tinky! And I missed you ever so much as well!" Aurora grinned back, bending down and hugging the tiny elf properly, "If you could just get me a slice of red velvet cake, that would be simply wondrous!"

Tinky nodded profusely, skipping off and disappearing into the crowd of busy house elves. She reappeared a couple of minutes later, holding two pieces of cake and a card, which was bright pink and covered in glitter. 

"Tinky is remembering Miss's birthday, so Tinky is making Miss Aurora a card - but Tinky isn't able to write, so Tinky decorated instead-" She looked up at Aurora with large, bulging eyes, "does Miss Aurora like Tinky's card, Tinky is sorry if Mistress Aurora does not like her card, but Tinky is trying very hard to make a present for Miss Aurora, but, ohhhh, but Tinky couldn't do it! Tinky is a bad elf-"