Pluto Projector.

Chapter Nineteen.

"This way," Cho said after dinner, sneaking (Y/n) and herself out of the Great Hall and then through the entrance doors. She led (Y/n) down to an abandoned garden (Y/n) had no remembrance of. There was a fountain in the middle of a maze of hedges (not much of a fountain, considering there was no running water in it).
Cho stepped into the fountain and onto the the ledge just below the platform a weeping woman and headless man stood on. The weeping woman, to (Y/n)'s fascination, seemed to be crying real diamonds that fell into the fountain with a light clatter before disappearing into what (Y/n) guessed would take the diamonds back to the woman's head to cry out all over again. One of the woman's hands was extended out as though accepting a ring while the other of her hands held the skirt of her wedding dress. The headless man held the woman's wrist with one of his hands and the other seemed to be preparing to put on a ring except for the fact there was no ring held in between his index finger and thumb.

"Wow," (Y/n) whispered. "She is gorgeous."

"I always thought she looked a bit like you," Cho admitted.

"Like me?" (Y/n) repeated.

"Or your mother, maybe," Cho added. (Y/n) looked at the statue for a long moment.

"I do not see it," (Y/n) finally said.

"Of course you don't," Cho huffed. "You've sworn off seeing your full face in mirrors— Look, close your eyes and turn the same way as the statue." (Y/n) stared at Cho before rolling her eyes and obliging. "Oh, absolutely. I definitely see it now." Cho nodded to herself. "If I had a camera, I'd show you for yourself. Next time, maybe."

"Yeah, all right," (Y/n) smiled.

"Can I use your ring?" Cho asked.

"My... ring?" (Y/n) repeated.

"It's around your neck," Cho explained. "Your pre-memoried self really thought ahead by making a habit of wearing the ring around your neck as a necklace— Oh..." Cho trailed off upon seeing which ring (Y/n) was wearing as a necklace that day. "Well, no worries... We all get one." Cho slipped off a ring from her finger and slid it onto the weeping woman's hand.

"Is there a specific ring?" (Y/n) asked curiously.

"Yes, and that one's not it— That one was a gift from Cassius Warrington for your sixteenth birthday that he never got to see," Cho said. (Y/n) looked down. "N-no need to get so down! Look, the entrance is open!" (Y/n) glanced up, finding a spiral staircase had appeared in the bottom of the fountain. "C'mon!" Cho hopped down and onto the topmost step. She held her hand out for (Y/n), who accepted and stepped into the fountain before letting Cho lead her down the staircase. They found themselves in a cavelike area, the wall of which Cho knocked on. Someone from the inside opened it for them and (Y/n) found herself in a room full of familiar faces. It all seemed to be quiet prior to Cho and (Y/n)'s arrival. There was a moment of tense silence as they all looked at (Y/n).

"Hey, Prez," Pansy Parkinson finally said.

"Hello, (Y/n)," Luna greeted airily.

"Hi, Lu," (Y/n) beamed. She followed Cho's lead of sitting on one of the remaining pillows. "And you are Pansy, right?" she addressed the other girl who had greeted her. Pansy nodded in confirmation. "Why 'Prez'?" (Y/n) ventured to ask.

"Because you're the president of the Strange Women Society," Leanne answered. She looked even more miserable since (Y/n) had last seen her earlier that day. Two girls, a blonde and brunette, were trying to comfort Leanne.

"Strange Women Society? Oh! S-W-S!" (Y/n) said as certain things clicked into place.

"Yes," Hermione nodded. "As I was Number Three last year, I figured you'd be all right with me scheduling the first meeting of the year..." (Y/n) stared blankly at Hermione, not at all understanding what she was referring to. "Oh, we'll explain everything and every role... It's up to you to decide everyone's position— If you wanted any changes, I mean..."