𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 ; 𝒹.𝒽

fifty-two

"Tonight? You want to go to Hogwarts tonight?" Augustus questioned Harry after he explained Rowena Ravenclaw's connection to a Horcrux.

"It's mad," Celestina chimed in.

Hermione agreed, "it is! We have to plan. We have to figure out what–"

"Honestly, Hermione, when have any of our plans actually worked? We plan, we get there and all hell breaks loose," Harry replied.

"'Fraid he's right," Ron said, "One problem: Snape's Headmaster now. We can't just walk in the front door."

Aurora crossed her arms, "Best not to make a scene. Though I reckon with us handling this... there will be one."

"We can go to Hogsmeade!" Augustus said, "Honeydukes has a secret passage to the cellar."

"How do you know that?" Ron questioned.

"I know things."

Aurora and Harry both looked off at the ocean, the waves violently crashing against one another. She took a deep breath, "There's something wrong with him," Aurora commented.

"I feel it too," Harry said, "In the past, I could always follow his thoughts. Now everything feels disconnected."

"Maybe it's because of the Horcruxes. Maybe he's growing weaker. Maybe he's dying," Ron said.

Harry shook his head, "No. It's more like he's wounded. If anything, he feels more dangerous."

Aurora turned to Augustus and Celestina, giving them a sad look. 

At Hogwarts, Lavinia apparated to the Astronomy Tower using a wand of a man she killed in combat years prior. She saw Snape looking out at the mountains, he turned to her, "You should not be here."

"Then why did you charm the spell to allow me to come here?" Lavinia asked. He gave no response and watched Lavinia pace the room, "It's wrong, Severus. It's coming back. I saw Aurora today, I–"

"You saw her?"

"I was told to go to her home, find the Horcrux, she was there. She let me live. Let Draco live," she said, "I've done horrid things," Lavinia said, her words a mere whisper.

"You were being manipulated."

"I still did them! There's no saving me, my mind."

"Lavinia, whatever you are thinking of doing... wait."

She sighed as the cool wind hit her face. She turned to the sight of the mountains, "I don't see myself making it out of this."

"You will."

She shook her head as a tear slipped from her eye, "I don't deserve too."

Before Snape could say more, Lavinia apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place. 

She slowly walked down the hall, shuddering at the sound of her mother's portait.

"I thought I disowned you! Get out!"

She looked to Walburga, "I've missed you, mother."

She walked into the kitchen, and found Kreacher dusting the table. He turned to her and groaned in disgust.

She slowly crept out of the kitchen and walked upstairs, slowly walking down the hallway. She walked into her old bedroom, glancing over its wrecked state. She walked out and then walked into Regulus' room, sitting down on his bed and running her hand over the sheets.

"I'm sorry, brother. I should have been better," she whispered.

She then walked into Sirius' room, feeling nothing but loneliness at the thought of her severed relationship with him. How she longed for him to be her brother, for him not see her as an enemy, a traitor.