Beneath Her Skin

Chapter Nineteen

Alastriona walked out of her final exam, releasing her wand from her hair and shaking out the knotted locks, wincing as the skin on the back of her hand stretched, the week old wound re-opening.
Her latest detentions had left new words etched into her skin.

'I will obey my superiors'

Alastriona's eyes blurred, teeth clenched together, she glanced up from her hand and saw her friends, Darcy, Blaise, Theo, Tracey and Dawn, laughing together as the stress of the exam dissipated.
The days at Hogwarts were now shrouded in misery, especially since Professor McGonagall had been taken to Saint Mungo's after being attacked by Umbridge and her ruthless goons supplied by the Minister of Magic himself.
Head down she moved wordlessly past them and smacked directly into a hard chest, she peered up at the sneer of Olivia Goldberg, Tori Mint standing right behind her.

Olivia feigned fear and held her hands up in mock surrender, "Oh, careful, Tori, she's related to a Death Eater." Olivia tormented and snickered, Tori chortled, covering her smile behind her hand.

"Yeah, we'd better be on the safe side, she might take points off us." Tori quipped, she stood taller as Olivia's grating laughter filled the hall. Tori faked a pout and tilted her head. "What? No bite?"

Alastriona sighed, decidedly bored and overwhelmingly exhausted. "The decent into madness is a long one, I'm sure to bite at some point on the journey there." At their confused silence she moved past them but not before silently flicking her wand at their shoes.
Their screeches were instantaneous, a few people stopped or slowed down to stare at the two girls dancing uncontrollably and unwillingly.
Alastriona sighed heavily and walked past them. 

"Alastriona!" 

She groaned but stopped none-the-less and waited for Dawn to come to her.
The girl stood before her, eyes wide and full of pity. "Alastriona..."

Alastriona held up her hand. "Don't. Don't pity me." She said, the exhaustion clear on her pale face.

Dawn took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. How did you go in your exams?"

Alastriona stepped back. "You shouldn't... you shouldn't be around me." 

"Red," Dawn whispered. 

Alastriona's hand went to her pocket watch and for the first time in months, she saw words appear before her eyes. 

'Umbridge... office... now'

Followed quickly by,

'Bombarda... stun'

Alastriona didn't glance back up at Dawn. "I've got to go." She mumbled and moved past her quickly. 

Alastriona wondered what Draco could need her for, she hurried her feet along the hall, urging herself to go faster.
She made it to Umbridge's office and shook her head, she was about to break down a professor's door... then again, she really hated Umbridge. 

"Bombarda!" She cast the spell before thinking twice. The door exploded and she leapt in, facing a wand, she didn't bother to look at the owner of it, "Stupefy!" 

Another wand lifted to her face, "Expelliarmus!" 

"Protego!"

The spell deflected off Alastriona with a bang and sent people hurtling to the ground, Alastriona turned, waiting for the next person to come at her but there was none.
She lowered her wand and  peered up at Ron, Ginny, Luna and Neville. "Where's Draco?"

"Red..." Alastriona spun at his voice. He stood up, having been knocked down by Alastriona's exploding charm.

Alastriona ran to him, unable to stop herself, she cupped his cheeks and checked to see if he was unharmed. "Are you okay?"