PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟔𝟐. Dust

TRIGGER WARNING: Contains violence and themes of spousal abuse. If you are sensitive to these topics please take care.

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That day, Valentine had been minding her own business. She sat in Charms class, attention on her work, trying to ignore Leah humming just a little too loudly beside her. The new workload was heavy enough that the chatter which had once always filled the room was gone, replaced by the sound of quills scratching hurriedly against parchment.

Valentine knew over half the students wouldn't even finish the day's assignment, the Silencing Charm, before the end of class, meaning they would have to devote their own time to it. It seemed somewhat of a flawed system to her. As she knew not everyone had her talents, her skills or her memories, she could see how the stress was already affecting the other students. It wasn't even Christmas yet and some of them were nearing a burnout.

Despite how focused everyone was been, eyes on their work, they all heard the strange noise echo forwards from the back of the classroom.

What was that?

It sounded out again and Leah twisted around in her seat along with most of the class.

"That sounded like a kitty." She frowned.

Kitty?

At that moment, Valentine's view of her notebook was suddenly blocked by orange fur.

"Tulip!" Leah beamed at the cat.

What the fuck?

Valentine sat back, frowning as Leah reached out a hand to pet the animal.

"What's he doing in here?" Blaze asked from Leah's side.

"Is that Tulip?" Liam pipped in, he and Draco leaning forwards from the seats behind them.

The cat watched Valentine intently with yellow eyes. She blinked at the cat and it blinked back at her owlishly.

"Lestrange?" Flitwick approached from across the room. "What is this?"

"I'm under the impression that it's a cat, sir."

"I meant, what is it doing here?" Flitwick sighed, much used to her sarcasm.

"It's not mine if that's what you're getting at." Valentine said defensively.

"It's Tulip!" Leah announced cheerfully, stretching the cats head.

"Tulip?" Professor Flitwick arched a brow.

"It's not mine." Valentine clarified once more.

Tulip shifted away from Leah's attention and stretched its nose out towards Valentine.

"He belongs to a first-year, Professor." Liam explained.

"Well, had can't stay here no matter who he belongs to." Said Flitwick.

He reached for the cat and Tulip immediately twisted around to hiss at him. Flitwick jerked his hand back suddenly.

That's strange. Tulip's never seemed like a particularly aggressive cat.

Tulip's tail twitched back and forth irritatedly as he turned back to Valentine, blinking meaningfully.

"Well, he definitely likes you." Blaze observed.

"Not fair." Leah pouted at this.

"Just- get rid of it, Lestrange." Flitwick eyed the cat cautiously.

"Take me with you." Blaze reached out a shaking hand to her, whispering in a low desperate tone.