Lumièrè || C. Diggory

TWENTY

Aurelia Dior lay peacefully next to Cedric Diggory, the soft moonlight casting a gentle glow over the two of them as they slept soundly in the Hufflepuff Prefect room. They had been through many adventures together during their time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and their bond had grown stronger with each passing day.

However, this night was different. Aurelia began to toss and turn, her dreams taking a dark and unsettling turn. She found herself in a nightmarish landscape, wandering through an abandoned graveyard, chased by dementors, until some guy caught her in his arms and held her as if he wanted the dementors to get her. He was hideous, he looked like a rat with teeth. Her heart raced, and her breath came in panicked gasps.

Sensing her distress, Cedric gently stirred beside her, his warm hand reaching out to slither around her waist. "Aurelia," he whispered, trying to soothe her. "It's just a dream. You're safe here with me."

But Aurelia couldn't shake off the fear that gripped her. "Cedric, it feels so real," she murmured, her voice trembling. "I can't escape them, and I don't know what they want."

Cedric pulled her closer, offering comfort and protection. "I know it's scary, but it's just your mind playing tricks on you," he said softly. "I promise you, I won't let anything happen to you. Try to relax and go back to sleep."

His words were comforting, and for a moment, Aurelia felt the fear begin to subside. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths, willing herself to return to the peaceful slumber she had been enjoying before the nightmare took hold.

As Aurelia drifted back into a restless sleep, Cedric kept a watchful eye on her, making sure she was safe. But unbeknownst to him, once he was certain she was sound asleep, Aurelia carefully slipped out of the cozy blankets and tiptoed out of the common room.

Determined to distract herself from the haunting dream, she made her way to the Hogwarts library. The library was a place where Aurelia always found solace, a sanctuary filled with knowledge and stories that could transport her to different worlds.

Inside the dimly lit library, Aurelia found herself surrounded by the comforting smell of aged parchment and the soft rustling of books. She wandered through the aisles, running her fingers gently over the spines of old tomes as if seeking their silent reassurance.

The soft glow of flickering candlelight illuminated the ancient tomes surrounding her. Tonight, she sought answers to a mystery that had been plaguing her for days - the meaning behind her vivid and recurring dreams.

With a quill in one hand and a worn leather journal in the other, Aurelia began to flip through the pages of a dusty old volume titled "Dreams of the celestial future." She was determined to uncover the secrets that her mind held while she slept.

As she read, the tales of dream symbolism and prophetic visions danced before her eyes. The more she read, the more intrigued she became, realizing that her dreams were not mere random musings of her subconscious. They were something more.

Her heart raced as she came across a chapter about prophetic dreams and their connection to one's destiny. It spoke of a powerful ancient crystal ball that could decipher dreams and unlock the secrets of a person's true calling. The idea of such a crystal ball existing deep within Hogwarts filled her with both excitement and trepidation.

Gazing out of the library window, Aurelia could see the stars beginning to twinkle in the night sky. Perhaps tonight, after her research, she would seek out the Astronomy Tower, a place where magic and destiny often intertwined. The idea was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

Fueled by determination, Aurelia lost track of time as she delved into the depths of dream interpretation. Hours passed until she finally stumbled upon an ancient parchment hidden behind a dusty shelf. It appeared to be a forgotten journal.

However, the feeling persisted, and every few moments, she would glimpse something out of the corner of her eye, a shadow moving in the distance. Her pulse quickened, and she wondered if her bad dream had somehow followed her into the waking world.

Suddenly, a book fell from one of the shelves with a loud thud, causing Aurelia to jump. She spun around, her wand poised to defend herself. "Who's there?" she called out, trying to sound brave.

No response came, and the library remained silent, save for the pounding of her heart in her ears. Aurelia's instincts screamed at her to run back to Cedric, to the safety of their shared bed, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she needed to confront whatever was causing this eerie sensation.

With cautious steps, she moved further into the library, her wand's light illuminating the rows of books. Every now and then, a flicker of movement would tease her senses, but she couldn't pinpoint the source. As she reached the center of the library, she finally spoke again, her voice more determined than before, "Show yourself! I won't be afraid."

"Miss Dior, Follow me." It was Professor Moody, his body limping over to the sitting girl, as gasped a sign of relief.

Aurelia Dior nervously fidgeted with her wand as she stood outside Professor McGonagall's office. She had been summoned without any explanation, and her mind was racing with possibilities of what she could have done wrong. 

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door, and the stern voice of the Transfiguration professor called her in.

"Ah, Miss Dior, take a seat please."

It was a few minutes of silence, seeming to stretch for an eternity when the door opened again and Madame Maxime led in a small Beauxbatons girl. It took Aurelia a few seconds before she looked back and recognized it as Gabrielle Delacour. "où est ta sœur?"

All Aurelia got as a response was a shrug, something is going on. She knew it. As if her night couldn't have gotten any worse. She quickly cursed herself as she felt her want wasn't in her pocket.

Suddenly the office door boomed open, Moody was pushing Ron, and Hermione into the two empty seats nearby. Karkaroff, Madam Maxine, Dumbledore, and Moody all stood in front of the four students. 

"Madam Maxine, What are doi-" Was all the girl could voice out before everything went black.